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Aims: The aims of this study were to identify alcohol‐related population surveys administered in the Americas, determine which alcohol‐related measures are examined and identify coverage gaps regarding alcohol‐related measures. Methods: As part of the Global Information System on Alcohol and Health study, a systematic search was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses criteria to identify regionally or nationally representative survey reports of the general population from 1 January 2010 to 6 August 2019. Alcohol‐related measures extracted from surveys were categorized into 10 domains: alcohol consumption status; alcohol consumption; unrecorded alcohol consumption; drinking patterns; symptoms of dependence and/or harmful use; drinking during pregnancy; treatment coverage; second‐hand harms; economic; and other. Results: The systematic search identified 7417 survey reports, 94 of which were new and included in this study, with an additional 11 studies included from a previous systematic study of alcohol surveys. In total, 94 unique surveys and 161 unique survey waves were located, representing 105 unique survey questionnaires covering 30 countries. No population surveys were found for five member states; namely, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Haiti, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Saint Kitts and Nevis. All countries with population‐based alcohol surveys had had a population survey probing alcohol use in the past year/month. Questions regarding heavy episodic drinking, alcohol use disorders, treatment‐seeking for alcohol use, drinking during pregnancy, harms to others and the amounts spent on alcohol were asked in 26, 25, 10, 6, 22 and 11 countries, respectively. Conclusions: The heterogeneity in alcohol‐related population surveys in the Americas from 2010 to 2019 limits their comparability throughout countries and over time. Future surveys should implement a standardized set of core questions to provide consistency in the monitoring of alcohol consumption and alcohol‐related harms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, countries face the dual challenge of meeting food demands while dealing with climate change. It is in this context that agrivoltaics emerges as a solution to meet the targets of two sustainable development goals apparently in conflict when it comes to land use such as "Zero Hunger" and "Affordable and Clear Energy". However, this technology has evolved the most in Europe and, to a lesser extent, in other parts of the world. The objective of the research is to analyze the current state of agrivoltaics in the Americas, its background, the socio-political situation, the main designs, the land use under the system, the main findings, as well as the challenges and limitations as a transforming tool for sustainable food and energy production in the continent. A systematic quantitative review was conducted, examining the Web of Science, Scopus, Nature, Springer Link, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute and Google Scholar databases. Results show that countries with most advancement in this technology are the United States and Chile, although there are others where interest in the subject is increasing, such as Canada, Mexico, and Colombia. The design configurations used are solar tracking systems and semi-transparent technology. In North America, it is applied for vegetable production, beekeeping and grazing, mainly sheep. However, in South America, its application is more focused on agricultural production, with the exception of Brazil. Despite the favorable social context, the legislative framework is the most significant barrier to the adoption and consolidation of this technology in the continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies over the past 23 years have illustrated how the journalistic field has embraced innovative processes. While some of these processes were fully developed at that time, others were still in the process of development or implementation. An ad hoc analysis sheet was designed using innovation categories, where each item is assigned a score based on the level of innovation, ranging from low to high. This methodological instrument is proposed for the analysis of high innovation in news websites and it is applied to narratives, data journalism, audience involvement, co-creation, verification, ethics, corporate information and content distribution in the most widely consumed news sites across Europe, the Americas, Asia Pacific and Africa. What is discovered is that there are no more evolved trends in some regions than in others. Nevertheless, European and American sites offer a broader range of options compared to their African and Asian counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the course of the last century (1923–2023), the Walt Disney Company has both catalyzed and reflected dizzying changes in the American cultural landscape—including religious ones. Scholars of Disney and religion often take one of three tactics to analyze this pairing: 1) Disney as religion 2) Disney depicting religion, or 3) Disney as influenced by religion. But all three of these ways of writing posit two separate, solid things called "Disney" and "religion; " phenomena that meet and perhaps collide but remain distinct. This essay briefly reviews those methods, but it also thinks about the religious study of Disney through three other fluid, thematic approaches to the field: 1) Rituals, Spaces, Magic 2) Cultural Narratives, and 3) Corporate Forms and Disney Desires. In addition to summarizing prior research that is explicitly about Disney, I suggest how adjacent advances in religious studies can leads us to a nuanced study of what I will call the "Disney/religion nexus." My goal is to expand, rather than reduce, the ways we think at this crossroads. This nexus fascinates precisely because it is not just Christianity, Buddhism, or Islam, nor is it Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, or Tesla. It has aspects of all these things, but it is something more. Disney is an assemblage of stories, people, places, and objects that don't fit into a traditional box, combining the religious flows people bring with them to Disney with the routinization and meaning making of this cultural titan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lichen photomorphs refer to distinct symbiotic structures formed by conspecific fungi associated with different photosynthetic partners, either a green alga or a cyanobacterium. Thus, a single fungal species can engage in symbiotic relationships with different photobionts, resulting in independent, often morphologically distinct, lichen thalli. Historically, the morphological dissimilarity between photomorphs has often led to their classification as separate fungal species, which could even have been accommodated in different genera. However, molecular data have played a crucial role in revealing the genetic similarity and conspecific nature of the fungi composing these photomorphs. In this study, we employed a phylogenetic framework to validate the conspecificity of photomorph pairs within three species indigenous to the Americas: Nephroma kuehnemannii, Ricasolia quercizans and Sticta ainoae. Consequently, Nephroma microphyllum is considered a synonym of N. kuehnemannii, Dendriscocaulon intricatulum a synonym of R. quercizans, and free-living Chilean dendriscocauloid lichens are shown to be cyanomorphs of S. ainoae. A species distribution modeling approach to investigate the geographical distribution and niche characteristics of photomorphs within R. quercizans in eastern North America revealed that its two photomorphs exhibit distinct distributions and ecological niches, suggesting potential adaptations to different environmental conditions. The confirmed conspecificity and niche variation among the considered photomorphs provide insights into the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of these symbiotic associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For 40 years, political collapse has been increasingly prominent in anthropological archaeology. Throughout that period, scholars have grappled with defining collapse and asked why sociopolitical systems fragment. In this article, I explore emerging research on the aftermath of collapse. Focusing on the Americas, I consider the development of theoretical models and expanding analytical scope. Highlighting key themes, I propose that although cross-cultural archaeological data do negate narratives of apocalypse and disappearance, an overemphasis on post-collapse continuity also obscures the heterogeneity and dynamism of post-collapse periods and the creativity and resilience of populations who live through them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the epidemiological profile of natural hazard-related disasters in the Americas between 2000 and 2021. Cross-sectional study. Mean and standard deviation were used to calculate the mean rates of affected individuals, injuries, and mortality per year and per million inhabitants. The ANOVA test was applied between the calculated mean rates by type of disasters. Exponential smoothing was used to forecast the number of disasters up to the year 2026. A total of 2045 natural hazard-related disasters were recorded. Of these, 81 (3.96 %) were biological, 199 (9.73 %) were climatological, 140 (6.85 %) were geophysical, 843 (41.22 %) were hydrological, and 782 (38.24 %) were meteorological. A statistically significant difference was observed between the mean injury rates per million inhabitants of natural hazard-related disasters (F = 3.40; p = 0.010). The mortality rate per million inhabitants (F = 0.43; p = 0.786) and the mean affected rate per million inhabitants (F = 0.68; p = 0.609) were not found to be statistically significant regarding the type of disaster. The results demonstrated no statistically significant decline in the mean rate of affected individuals per million inhabitants (tau = −0.086, p = 0.336), the mean mortality rate per million inhabitants (tau = −0.221, p = 0.159), and the mean rate of injuries per million inhabitants (tau = 0.169, p = 0.284). Hydrological disasters had the highest mean mortality rate, biological disasters had the highest mean injury rate, and geophysical disasters had the highest mean rate of affected individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive rodents are widely distributed worldwide and are responsible for significant agricultural and urban infrastructure losses. They are hosts of numerous zoonotic pathogens. In the southeastern region of Mexico, only Rattus rattus has been recorded. The presence of R. norvegicus in Chiapas, in San Cristobal de Las Casas, a mediumsized city in Southeastern Mexico, is reported here for the first time with genetic evidence, through a DNA barcode analysis performed using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Given the economic and health importance of these rodents, it is crucial to know their distribution and set an ecological knowledge baseline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objetivo. Documentar los hechos históricos y desafíos que la Región de las Américas enfrentó para alcanzar y sostener los grandes logros de la eliminación del sarampión, la rubéola y el síndrome de rubéola congénita (SRC) entre el 2013 y el 2023. Métodos. Informe especial que incorpora la descripción narrativa de los principales logros, desafíos y lecciones aprendidas durante ese período y el análisis de coberturas de vacunación, indicadores de vigilancia y brotes de sarampión mediante datos de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud y del Fondo de las Naciones Unidas para la Infancia, entre otros. Resultados. Entre el 2003 y el 2016, la cobertura de vacunación regional con la primera dosis de vacuna contra el sarampión, la rubéola y la parotiditis estuvo entre 92% y 94%; después del 2017 tuvo un descenso marcado determinado por las coberturas de países de mayor población. La tasa de notificación regional de casos sospechosos se mantuvo en el nivel esperado con diferencias en cada subregión. Entre el 2017 y el 2023, los brotes de sarampión pusieron a prueba las fortalezas y las debilidades en la calidad de la respuesta de cada país. La pandemia de COVID-19 tuvo un impacto negativo a partir del 2020, tanto en coberturas de vacunación como en la calidad de la vigilancia epidemiológica. Conclusiones. Los grandes logros de la Región de las Américas fueron la eliminación del sarampión en el 2016 y la rubéola en el 2015. Entre el 2017 y el 2020, el primer desafío fueron los brotes de sarampión que ocasionaron el restablecimiento de la transmisión endémica en dos países, y el segundo desafío fue el impacto negativo de la pandemia de COVID-19 entre el 2020 y el 2023, en el descenso de coberturas de vacunación e indicadores de vigilancia.

Objetivo. Evaluar las diferencias en la letalidad del dengue entre las distintas subregiones de las Américas en el período 2014-2023 y explorar su relación con el índice de desarrollo humano (IDH) de cada región. Método. Estudio ecológico longitudinal realizado a partir de datos de acceso libre de cada país, que se agruparon en las subregiones correspondientes para calcular los distintos indicadores. Además, se realizó una regresión lineal entre la letalidad media en cada región y el IDH regional ponderado. Resultados. Existen grandes diferencias en la letalidad por dengue según la subregión y una variabilidad considerable según el año. Estas diferencias de letalidad no están directamente correlacionadas con la incidencia registrada en cada región. El IDH regional muestra una estrecha relación con la letalidad: un mayor IDH se asocia generalmente a una menor letalidad. Conclusiones. Las diferencias subregionales de letalidad y su relación con el nivel de desarrollo señalan que la estrategia de control del dengue debe ser diseñada desde una perspectiva amplia y multifactorial.

The elimination of endemic rubella and measles transmission in the Region of the Americas was verified by the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) Regional Verification Commission in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Upon achieving this success, this Commission was disbanded. Shortly afterwards, the Region faced challenges in the post-elimination era, notably responding to and stopping transmission of imported measles cases. As a result, Brazil and Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) lost their measles-free status in February 2019 and July 2018, respectively. These events spurred PAHO to form the Measles and Rubella Elimination Regional Monitoring and Re-Verification Commission (MRE-RVC) focused on re-verifying these two countries and providing intensive evaluations of all countries in their efforts to sustain elimination. The MRE-RVC was tasked with advocacy to help revitalize the necessary political commitment to provide sufficient resources to sustain measles and rubella elimination in the Americas. Maintaining measles and rubella elimination in the Region is important, despite the challenges such as the global circulation of measles and rubella viruses elsewhere. This paper outlines the activities of the MRE-RVC to address the challenges and the lessons learnt, and provides insight on sustaining the gains. The main reasons to sustain efforts are: measles vaccine saves more lives than any other vaccine; congenital rubella syndrome is still the leading cause of infectious disease birth defects in the world; and measles vaccination performance remains an indicator of national capacity to maintain health security and a timely response to future infectious disease threats. A global target for measles and rubella elimination is crucial.

Objetivo. Documentar y comparar los factores de riesgo y medidas de control de los brotes de sarampión de mayor magnitud en la era poseliminación en la Región de las Américas. Método. Descripción de los factores de riesgo como coberturas de vacunación, tasa de notificación de casos sospechosos e incidencia de sarampión, y un resumen de las medidas de control de los principales brotes de sarampión en seis países, entre el 2017 y el 2023. El plan de análisis también incluye la revisión de las características de los brotes en tiempo, lugar y persona. Resultados. Entre los años 2017 y 2023, 19 países de las Américas notificaron un total de 50 082 casos y 121 muertes por sarampión. De esos casos, 49 738 (99,3%) se notificaron en seis países: Argentina, Brasil. Colombia, Estados Unidos de América, México y Venezuela. En dos de estos seis países se restableció la transmisión endémica por la presencia de factores de riesgo que no pudieron resolverse con las medidas de control inicialmente establecidas. Entre el 2017 y el 2019, los genotipos y linajes predominantes fueron el D8 linaje MVi/Hulu Langat.MYS/26.11 y el D8 linaje Gir Somnath.IND/42.16. Conclusiones. Los países que tuvieron mejores coberturas con dos dosis de vacuna contra sarampión, rubéola y parotiditis, tasas de notificación de casos sospechosos óptimas y tasas de incidencia

Since the last case of indigenous rubella virus (RuV) was detected in 2009 in the Region of the Americas, sporadic rubella and congenital rubella cases have been confirmed, and subsequently, a low number of associated sequences have been reported. Fifty-one sequences of wild-type RuV, representing four genotypes (1E, 1G, 1J, and 2B), were reported from five countries, with confirmed sources of exposure for 46 cases. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the diversity of these viruses, showing no associations with sustained endemic transmission from previously endemic strains. Notably, 13 sequences were associated with travel from countries where no genetic information of wild-type viruses was available. In addition to sequences from postnatal and congenital infections, 23 sequences were collected from patients with diseases associated with RuV persistent infection. These findings highlight the Region’s success in maintaining rubella elimination, emphasize its valuable contribution to global RuV molecular epidemiology, and address potential challenges in progressing toward the goal of rubella eradication.

Objectives To describe the development, implementation, and results of a training course designed to equip health professionals from the Pan American Health Organization region with the knowledge and tools needed to adapt health systems to current climate realities Methods The Pan American climate resilient health systems course was a 9-week live-virtual course in MarchApril 2023, which was delivered through Zoom and offered in English, Spanish, and French. All lectures were delivered by local and regional climate and health experts. The curricular foundation of this initiative was the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education core competencies for health professionals. Participants completed pre- and post-course surveys Results A total of 1212 participants attended at least one of the nine sessions and 489 (from 66 countries) attended at least six sessions. Of these, 291 participants completed both the pre- and post-course surveys which were used in the analysis. Longitudinal survey results suggested an improvement in participants climate and health communication, an increased frequency of incorporating climate knowledge in professional practice, and improved confidence in engaging in climate initiatives. At the same time, many participants expressed a need for additional training Conclusions The results indicate that live-virtual courses have the potential to empower health professionals to contribute to climate resilience efforts by: increasing their communication skills; changing their professional practice; increasing their ability to lead climate and health activities; and preparing them to assess vulnerability and adaptation in health systems, measure and monitor environmental sustainability, and apply a health equity lens.

La Región de las Américas ha experimentado históricamente desigualdades sociales enraizadas en el colonialismo, las cuales se reflejan y reproducen en el ámbito de la salud. La incursión de la pandemia de COVID-19 afectó a toda la Región, pero golpeó con mayor fuerza a los grupos socialmente más desaventajados, y agravó las inequidades en salud. Bajo la premisa que las pandemias no son fenómenos socialmente neutrales, en este informe especial se analizan los impactos desiguales de la pandemia desde distintas perspectivas –histórica, epidemiológica, política, social, económica, ambiental y poblacional. Se ofrecen aquí reflexiones críticas sobre las implicaciones negativas de las desigualdades para el bienestar, no solo de las poblaciones más afectadas, sino de la sociedad en su conjunto. Se concluye con recomendaciones estratégicas para progresar hacia la equidad en salud en el escenario pospandémico. Se destaca la importancia de avanzar en la madurez de los sistemas de información para el monitoreo de la equidad en salud, la resiliencia de los sistemas de salud, y la implementación de políticas y prácticas explícitas dirigidas a eliminar las inequidades en salud. Se espera que todo lo anterior allane el camino hacia la prosperidad y el desarrollo sostenible en la Región.

Background Corruption, a multifaceted governance issue, impacts public well-being globally. The recent trends reveal a rise in suicide rates across the Americas, while all other regions show declines over twenty years of time. This study investigates corruption’s effect on suicide in 26 American countries, considering moderating factors of unemployment, inflation, and economic growth. Methods This study analysed latest two decades of available data, using stepwise panel regression method to investigate the effects of corruption and economic variables on suicide across income levels. Data were sourced from Transparency International, World Bank and the World Health Organization. Initially, unit root tests and CUSUM plots were used to ensure the stability and stationarity of the dataset, and model specification were validated through F test, LM test and Hausman test to select the ideal econometric model - POLS, REM, or FEM for the study. Results A strong suicide rate persistence revealed, particularly in high-income countries, where the lagged suicide variable showed a coefficient of 0.8063 (p < 0.001). Corruption significantly impacted suicide rates in upper-middle-income countries (coefficient = -0.0268, p < 0.05), with higher corruption perceptions scores correlating with lower suicide rates. Additionally, unemployment acted as a significant moderator, intensifying the corruption’s adverse impact on suicide with a coefficient of 0.0022 (p < 0.001) in upper-middle income nations. Economic growth demonstrated a minor protective effect, particularly in high-income regions, with an interaction coefficient of -0.0005 (p < 0.1), suggesting slight suicide reduction linked to economic stability. Conclusion This study found that corruption, unemployment, and economic growth significantly influence suicide rates across the Americas. Corruption exacerbates suicide risks in upper-middle-income countries, while unemployment amplifies this effect. Economic growth offers a slight protective effect, particularly in high-income regions, suggesting that economic stability may help mitigate suicide rates.

Colonization of freshwater by marine organisms and the evolutionary history of exchanges between salt and freshwater habitats is not only related to osmoregulatory capabilities, but also to optimize reproductive and developmental strategies, as abbreviated rather than extended planktonic development. Composed of more than 270 species, Macrobrachium is the most specious shrimp genus in the Palaemonidae family. It is considered a promising model for reconstructing evolutionary transitions between the two types of life cycle found in caridean shrimps, that is, extended larval development (ELD) and abbreviated larval development (ALD). The objective of this study was to integrate the morphology of the first post‐embryonic stage and molecular data under a phylogenetic framework to elucidate the evolution of life history types (ALD and ELD) and test the hypothesis of convergent evolution at the morphology of the first post‐embryonic stage represented by similar traits in non‐related species. Our results revealed that the classical ALD/ELD categorization combines multiple characters instead of representing a closed set of traits, and certain characters have phylogenetic signal (evolutionary constraints), while others probably reflect evolutionary convergences related to adaptation to freshwater environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of transboundary aquifers across the Americas faces significant challenges, especially as climate change and population growth intensify groundwater stress. Groundwater use has increased to support domestic, industrial, and agricultural demands but has been extracted through unregulated withdrawals, leading to the severe degradation of aquifer health and transboundary frictions. This study focuses on how hydro-diplomacy can accelerate the adaptive governance of shared groundwater resources in three key regions: Canada–USA, USA–Mexico, and Mexico–Guatemala–Belize. We utilized a mixed methodology by integrating a transect approach, borrowed from ecology, into the field of geopolitics. To compare the hydro-diplomatic relations and groundwater governance across a continental gradient in the Americas, we conducted a literature review and employed the TWINS conflict–cooperation matrix to evaluate governance frameworks and hydro-diplomatic interactions across time. Our findings demonstrate that hydro-diplomacy plays a pivotal role in expediting agreements, fostering transboundary data sharing, and supporting participatory governance models. In particular, the presence of supranational bodies such as the International Joint Commission (IJC) between Canada and the USA has been effective in maintaining long-term collaboration through social learning and technical cooperation. Meanwhile, in regions like Mexico–Guatemala–Belize, the absence of robust institutions has hindered progress, with limited financial and knowledge-sharing networks. This study highlights the need for improved cross-border cooperation mechanisms and the establishment of common monitoring protocols to better manage aquifer resources under the pressures of climate change. The results support the development of more adaptive transboundary groundwater management strategies aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6.5.2 and call for broader geopolitical cooperation to address the complexities of groundwater governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Billions of genomic sequences and records of species occurrence are available in public repositories (e.g. National Center for Biotechnology Information, NCBI and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, GBIF). By implementing analytical tools from different scientific disciplines, data mining these databases can aid in the global surveillance of zoonotic pathogens that circulate among wildlife. We illustrate this by investigating the Hantavirus–rodent system in the Americas, i.e. New World Hantaviruses (NWH). First, we considered the circulation of pathogenic NWH among Cricetidae rodents, by inferring the phylogenetic links among 277 genomic samples of the S segment (N protein) of NWH found in 55 species. Second, we used machine learning to assess the impact of land use on the probability of presence of the rodent species linked with reservoirs of pathogenic Hantaviruses. Our results show that hosts are widely present across the Americas. Some hosts are present in the primary forest and agricultural land, but not in the secondary forest, whereas other hosts are present in secondary forest and agricultural land. The diversity of host species allows Hantavirus to circulate in a wide spectrum of habitats, in particular rural rather than urban. We highlight that public repositories of genomic data and species occurrence are very useful resources for monitoring potential enzootic transmission and spillover of zoonotic viruses in relation with the changes that humans produce in the biosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The invention or adoption of bows is one of the most significant global shifts in humanity's history, and tracking this in the archaeological record depends on metrically distinguishing dart and arrow projectile points. Given the importance of comparative databases in this endeavor, this paper presents an expanded compilation of measurements on 85 hafted points from North America. For South America, we present unpublished data for 22 hafted points and 61 foreshafts. A clear metric gap in point width at 14–15 mm separates arrows and darts. This reflects the weapons' different physical requirements, since these points come from historically independent regions and periods. These patterns are not replicated in ethnographic arrows, which are consistently larger than archaeological arrows. We suggest they not be used in archaeological comparisons. Hafted darts are notably larger than unhafted darts from archaeological sites, which is mostly due to use-life reductions. We suggest that there is no universally applicable data set, nor derived formula or index, that can be used to identify archaeological points as darts or arrows. We recommend nonparametric comparisons focusing on natural breaks in cross-cultural archaeological data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the state of social participation in health in the Region of the Americas, framing it within the regional context and commitments assumed by the Member States of the Pan American Health Organization. It aims to provide regional input to the discussion of a resolution on social participation for universal health coverage, health, and well-being at the 77th World Health Assembly in 2024. In the Americas, social participation has evolved from a utilitarian approach to a fundamental aspect of health system governance, enshrined within legal frameworks and recognized as a citizen’s right. Regional resolutions emphasize inclusive policies and intersectoral action to tackle health inequities, meanwhile the World Health Organization handbook on social participation underscores the need for inclusive governance mechanisms and addressing power imbalances. Informed by Member States’ recommendations and scientific literature, the article emphasizes the importance of addressing power imbalances, strengthening legal frameworks, and enhancing capacities of governments and populations. It stresses adapting social participation mechanisms to diverse cultural contexts and ensuring meaningful community involvement in decision-making. Finally, the article advocates for a comprehensive approach to social participation grounded in principles of equity, democracy, and human rights; and fundamentally as an essential component of the primary health care approach. It calls for integrating social participation into health system governance, policy dialogues, capacity- building, and evaluation to ensure effective participatory processes.

Background Corruption, a multifaceted governance issue, impacts public well-being globally. The recent trends reveal a rise in suicide rates across the Americas, while all other regions show declines over twenty years of time. This study investigates corruption’s effect on suicide in 26 American countries, considering moderating factors of unemployment, inflation, and economic growth. Methods This study analysed latest two decades of available data, using stepwise panel regression method to investigate the effects of corruption and economic variables on suicide across income levels. Data were sourced from Transparency International, World Bank and the World Health Organization. Initially, unit root tests and CUSUM plots were used to ensure the stability and stationarity of the dataset, and model specification were validated through F test, LM test and Hausman test to select the ideal econometric model - POLS, REM, or FEM for the study. Results A strong suicide rate persistence revealed, particularly in high-income countries, where the lagged suicide variable showed a coefficient of 0.8063 (p < 0.001). Corruption significantly impacted suicide rates in upper-middle-income countries (coefficient = -0.0268, p < 0.05), with higher corruption perceptions scores correlating with lower suicide rates. Additionally, unemployment acted as a significant moderator, intensifying the corruption’s adverse impact on suicide with a coefficient of 0.0022 (p < 0.001) in upper-middle income nations. Economic growth demonstrated a minor protective effect, particularly in high-income regions, with an interaction coefficient of -0.0005 (p < 0.1), suggesting slight suicide reduction linked to economic stability. Conclusion This study found that corruption, unemployment, and economic growth significantly influence suicide rates across the Americas. Corruption exacerbates suicide risks in upper-middle-income countries, while unemployment amplifies this effect. Economic growth offers a slight protective effect, particularly in high-income regions, suggesting that economic stability may help mitigate suicide rates.

Carnivore predation of livestock poses significant challenges for pastoral communities, and the often-resulting lethal removal of carnivores threatens their conservation, particularly with species like mountain lions (Puma concolor). We conducted a mini review to assess the state of knowledge regarding strategies to reduce mountain lion predation on livestock, emphasizing the importance of effective, sustainable solutions that balance conservation efforts and agricultural productivity. We identified 17 studies reporting an assessment of 18 interventions, including guardian dogs (Canis familiaris), deterrents, physical barriers, translocation, lethal removal, and husbandry practices. Findings indicate variable effectiveness, with more robust designs revealing limited success in reducing mountain lion threats, whereas the majority of research that used quasi-experimental designs reported success. Broadly, evidence provided greater support for nonlethal methods having greater efficacy over lethal interventions. Guardian dogs and physical barriers showed promise, although implementation obstacles persist. We need additional and stronger scientific research on the effectiveness of interventions to protect domestic animals from mountain lion predation, across various ecosystems and social-cultural contexts. Additional research on this topic will not only help support best strategies for conflict mitigation, but is also essential for the design of relevant policy and outreach strategies that could improve human-carnivore coexistence efforts. Further, we ask that conservation practitioners, wildlife managers, researchers, academics, and those who might fund such work to prioritize investments in determining best tools and approaches to facilitate mountain lion-livestock coexistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We employed the Bayesian method to investigate the impact of government spending, financial development (measured by bank credit), and trade on income inequality reduction in 66 low‐income countries (LICs) across Africa, Asia, America, and Europe from 2000 to 2018. Controlling inflation and unemployment, our results indicate that trade and inflation exacerbate income inequality in LICs, while financial development and government spending have no impact on reducing income inequality in these countries. Furthermore, the findings show that real GDP per capita reduces income inequality in LICs. To ensure the robustness of our results, we also conducted frequentist quantile regression, which yielded consistent findings that financial development, government spending, and trade do not reduce income inequality in LICs. We further discuss the potential channels through which trade, financial development, inflation, and government spending contribute to income inequality in LICs, and provide policy implications based on the empirical evidence. Related Articles: Adegboye, Alex, Kofo Adegboye, Uwalomwa Uwuigbe, Stephen Ojeka, and Eyitemi Fasanu. 2023. "Taxation, Democracy, and Inequality in Sub‐Saharan Africa: Relevant Linkages for Sustainable Development Goals." Politics & Policy 51(4): 696–722. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12547. Asongu, Simplice, and Nicholas M. Odhiambo. 2023. "The Effect of Inequality on Poverty and Severity of Poverty in Sub‐Saharan Africa: The Role of Financial Development Institutions." Politics & Policy 51(5): 898–918. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12558. Polacko, Matthew. 2023. "Turning Off the Base: Social Democracy's Neoliberal Turn, Income Inequality, and Turnout." Politics & Policy 51(4): 538–68. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12550. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report reviews national data from all Member States on measles, rubella, and congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) elimination in the Region of the Americas during 2019–2023. It includes an analysis of compliance with vaccination coverage, surveillance indicators, and measles outbreaks, as well as an analysis of the response capacity of the laboratory network and a country case study that meets all indicators. The sources of information were the integrated epidemiological surveillance system for measles and rubella of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO) and the Joint Reporting Form (eJRF), among others. From 2020 to 2022, regional coverage with first (MMR-1) and second doses (MMR-2) decreased to rates below 90%. The regional suspected case notification rate was maintained above the minimum expected 2.0 suspect cases per 100,000 population, except in 2021. During 2019 to 2023, 18 countries experienced outbreaks, with two of the outbreaks resulting in re-established endemic transmission. In conclusion, two countries in the Americas have not maintained measles elimination, but by the end of 2023 no country showed endemic measles transmission. One of the countries that lost its certification of elimination in 2018 managed to be reverified in 2023; the other is pending reverification. All countries maintained rubella elimination. Despite these challenges, the sustainability of the elimination of these diseases remains a health priority in the Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Did Beringian environments represent an ecological barrier to humans until less than 15 000 years ago or was access to the Americas controlled by the spatial-temporal distribution of North American ice sheets? Beringian environments varied with respect to climate and biota, especially in the two major areas of exposed continental shelf. The East Siberian Arctic Shelf ('Great Arctic Plain' (GAP)) supported a dry steppe-tundra biome inhabited by a diverse large-mammal community, while the southern Bering-Chukchi Platform ('Bering Land Bridge' (BLB)) supported mesic tundra and probably a lower large-mammal biomass. A human population with west Eurasian roots occupied the GAP before the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and may have accessed mid-latitude North America via an interior ice-free corridor. Re-opening of the corridor less than 14 000 years ago indicates that the primary ancestors of living First Peoples, who already had spread widely in the Americas at this time, probably dispersed from the NW Pacific coast. A genetic 'arctic signal' in non-arctic First Peoples suggests that their parent population inhabited the GAP during the LGM, before their split from the former. We infer a shift from GAP terrestrial to a subarctic maritime economy on the southern BLB coast before dispersal in the Americas from the NW Pacific coast.

Introducción. Los trastornos hipertensivos durante el embarazo son una causa importante de morbilidad grave, muerte y discapacidad a largo plazo. El tratamiento farmacológico adecuado es uno de los pilares de la gestión de estos trastornos. Objetivos. Sintetizar las recomendaciones desarrolladas por la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) con el fin de mejorar la calidad del cuidado y los desenlaces en salud de las mujeres embarazadas con trastornos hipertensivos y abordar aspectos sobre su implementación. Métodos. Se llevó a cabo una síntesis de las recomendaciones de dos guías de la OMS (Tratamiento farmacológico de la hipertensión severa en el embarazo y Tratamiento farmacológico de la hipertensión no severa en el embarazo). Las guías elaboradas por la OMS siguen los métodos de elaboración de las guías GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Evaluation) del Manual para el Desarrollo de Guías de la OMS. Adicionalmente, se realizó una búsqueda sistemática en PubMed, Lilacs, Health Systems Evidence, Epistemonikos y literatura gris de estudios desarrollados en las Américas con el fin de identificar barreras, facilitadores y estrategias de implementación, así como para identificar indicadores. Resultados. Se formularon cuatro recomendaciones dirigidas a las mujeres con trastornos hipertensivos. Se identificaron barreras y facilitadores para la implementación, y se crearon indicadores de adherencia y resultado. Conclusiones. Las recomendaciones formuladas buscan orientar sobre cómo enfocar el tratamiento farmacológico de la hipertensión en el embarazo, con consideraciones para su implementación en América Latina y el Caribe.

Abstract Background The work of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health has been fundamental to provide a conceptual framework of the social determinants of health. Based on this framework, this study assesses the relationship of income inequality as a determinant of neonatal mortality in the Americas and relates it to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal target 3.2 (reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 deaths per 1,000 live births). The rationale is to evaluate if income inequality may be considered a social factor that influences neonatal mortality in the Americas. Methods Yearly data from 35 countries in the Americas during 2000–2019 was collected. Data sources include the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation for the neonatal mortality rate (measured as neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births) and the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research for the Gini index (measured in a scale from 0 to 100). This is an ecological study that employs a linear regression model that relates the neonatal mortality rate (dependent variable) to the Gini index (independent variable), while controlling for other factors that influence neonatal mortality. Coefficient estimates and their robust standard errors were obtained using panel data techniques. Results A positive relationship between income inequality and neonatal mortality is found in countries in the Americas during the period studied. In particular, the analysis suggests that a unit increase in a country’s Gini index during 2000–2019 is associated with a 0.27 (95% CI [− 0.04, 0.57], P =.09) increase in the neonatal mortality rate. Conclusion The analysis suggests that income inequality may be positively associated with the neonatal mortality rate in the Americas. Nonetheless, given the modest magnitude of the estimates and Gini values and trends during 2000–2019, the findings suggest a potential limited scope for redistributive policies to support reductions in neonatal mortality in the region. Thus, policies and interventions that address higher coverage and quality of services provided by national health systems and reductions in socio-economic inequalities in health are of utmost importance.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and its Member States have been leading the efforts to eradicate wild poliovirus in the Region of Americas since smallpox's successful elimination in 1971. The region became the first to be certified free of wild poliovirus in 1994. However, in July 2022, an unvaccinated patient with no recent travel history was diagnosed with poliomyelitis in the United States of America. In response to the emergence of a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus in the United States, PAHO established the Polio Incident Management Support Team. This team has been coordinating response efforts, focusing on: coordination, planning, and monitoring; risk communication and community engagement; surveillance and case investigation; vaccination; and rapid response. In this paper, we identified and documented best practices observed following establishment of the Incident Management Support Team (September 2022–2023) through a comprehensive review and analysis of various data sources and country-specific data from the polio surveillance dashboard. The aim was to share these best practices, highlighting technical support and implementation of polio measures by Member States. Despite several challenges, the Americas region remains polio-free. Polio risk is declining, with a July 2023 assessment showing fewer countries at medium, high, and very high risk. This progress reflects improved immunization coverage, surveillance, containment, health determinants, and outbreak preparedness and response. The PAHO Polio Incident Management Support Team has played a key role in supporting these efforts.

La formación de recursos humanos en salud es una preocupación recurrente. El Campus Virtual de Salud Pública (CVSP) es la plataforma educativa de la Organización Panamericana de Salud (OPS) que busca mejorar la accesibilidad a la educación en salud pública, con énfasis en la formación en liderazgo educativo orientado a planificar, implementar y evaluar políticas y acciones educativas. El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar los resultados de una consulta a personas expertas sobre el curso virtual “Liderazgo para la Gestión Educativa en Organizaciones de Salud”, como parte de una estrategia de fortalecimiento de las capacidades de liderazgo para la gestión educativa en las Américas propuesta por el CVPS/OPS. Se realizó un estudio cualitativo de investigación-acción, con una metodología Delphi de dos iteraciones de consultas, una virtual y una presencial, a expertos en gestión educativa en organizaciones de salud. Los resultados muestran la relevancia que adquieren ocho dimensiones de análisis: el perfil de los destinatarios, las competencias, el enfoque y los contenidos, las actividades, la evaluación del y para el aprendizaje, la adaptabilidad, la implementación y el seguimiento durante y poscurso. La participación de actores de diferentes ámbitos geopolíticos en el diseño e implementación de una propuesta educativa regional promueve la transformación del contexto de aplicación y mejora su potencial adopción. Se destaca el lugar estratégico del curso como catalizador en la conformación y la consolidación de una red integrada de organizaciones para fortalecer el liderazgo educativo en las Américas, y la conveniencia de la estrategia metodológica empleada para mejorar la calidad de la formación de recursos humanos en salud.

Abstract Canine leishmaniasis is a widespread disease on the American continent, with cases reported from Uruguay to the USA and Canada. While numerous Leishmania spp. have been reported in dogs in this region, Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis are the most common etiological agents of canine leishmaniasis from a continental perspective. Nonetheless, other species may predominate locally in some countries. The participation of dogs in the transmission cycle of various Leishmania spp. has long been speculated, but evidence indicates that their role as reservoirs of species other than L. infantum is negligible. Various native wildlife (e.g., small rodents, marsupials, sloths, and monkeys) are, in fact, the primary hosts of Leishmania spp. in the Americas. In this review, an updated list of Leishmania spp. infecting dogs in the Americas is presented, along with their distribution and clinical and zoonotic importance Graphical Abstract

Propósito de la revisión. HEARTS en las Américas es la adaptación regional de la iniciativa mundial HEARTS, de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, para la prevención y el control de las enfermedades cardiovasculares (ECV). Su objetivo general es impulsar el cambio de la práctica clínica y de la gestión en los entornos de atención primaria, por parte de los servicios de salud, a fin de mejorar el control de la hipertensión y reducir el riesgo de ECV. En esta revisión se describe la iniciativa HEARTS en las Américas. En primer lugar, se resume la situación epidemiológica regional en cuanto a la mortalidad por ECV y las tendencias en el control de la hipertensión a nivel poblacional; a continuación, se explica la razón de ser de los principales componentes de la intervención: el sistema de manejo orientado a la atención primaria y la vía clínica de HEARTS. Por último, se examinan los factores clave para acelerar la expansión de HEARTS: los medicamentos, la atención basada en el trabajo en equipo y un sistema de monitoreo y evaluación. Resultados recientes. Hasta el momento, 33 países y territorios de América Latina y el Caribe se han comprometido a integrar este programa en toda su red de atención primaria de salud para el 2025. El aumento de la cobertura y del control de la hipertensión en los entornos de atención primaria de salud (en comparación con el modelo tradicional) es prometedor y confirma que las intervenciones que se promueven como parte de HEARTS son factibles y resultan aceptables para las comunidades, los pacientes, los prestadores de servicios de salud, los responsables de la toma de decisiones y los financiadores. En esta revisión se destacan algunos casos de implementación satisfactoria. Conclusiones. Ampliar el uso de un tratamiento eficaz de la hipertensión y optimizar el control del riesgo de ECV es una forma pragmática de acelerar la reducción de la mortalidad por ECV y, al mismo tiempo, de fortalecer los sistemas de atención primaria de salud para responder con calidad y de manera eficaz y equitativa al desafío que entrañan las enfermedades no transmisibles, no solo en los países de ingresos bajos o medianos, sino en todas las comunidades a nivel mundial.

Among mammals, the order Primates is exceptional in having a high taxonomic richness in which the taxa are arboreal, semiterrestrial, or terrestrial. Although habitual terrestriality is pervasive among the apes and African and Asian monkeys (catarrhines), it is largely absent among monkeys of the Americas (platyrrhines), as well as galagos, lemurs, and lorises (strepsirrhines), which are mostly arboreal. Numerous ecological drivers and species-specific factors are suggested to set the conditions for an evolutionary shift from arboreality to terrestriality, and current environmental conditions may provide analogous scenarios to those transitional periods. Therefore, we investigated predominantly arboreal, diurnal primate genera from the Americas and Madagascar that lack fully terrestrial taxa, to determine whether ecological drivers (habitat canopy cover, predation risk, maximum temperature, precipitation, primate species richness, human population density, and distance to roads) or species-specific traits (body mass, group size, and degree of frugivory) associate with increased terrestriality. We collated 150,961 observation hours across 2,227 months from 47 species at 20 sites in Madagascar and 48 sites in the Americas. Multiple factors were associated with ground use in these otherwise arboreal species, including increased temperature, a decrease in canopy cover, a dietary shift away from frugivory, and larger group size. These factors mostly explain intraspecific differences in terrestriality. As humanity modifies habitats and causes climate change, our results suggest that species already inhabiting hot, sparsely canopied sites, and exhibiting more generalized diets, are more likely to shift toward greater ground use.

Background: The work of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health has been fundamental to provide a conceptual framework of the social determinants of health. Based on this framework, this study assesses the relationship of income inequality as a determinant of neonatal mortality in the Americas and relates it to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal target 3.2 (reduce neonatal mortality to at least as low as 12 deaths per 1,000 live births). The rationale is to evaluate if income inequality may be considered a social factor that influences neonatal mortality in the Americas. Methods: Yearly data from 35 countries in the Americas during 2000–2019 was collected. Data sources include the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation for the neonatal mortality rate (measured as neonatal deaths per 1,000 live births) and the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research for the Gini index (measured in a scale from 0 to 100). This is an ecological study that employs a linear regression model that relates the neonatal mortality rate (dependent variable) to the Gini index (independent variable), while controlling for other factors that influence neonatal mortality. Coefficient estimates and their robust standard errors were obtained using panel data techniques. Results: A positive relationship between income inequality and neonatal mortality is found in countries in the Americas during the period studied. In particular, the analysis suggests that a unit increase in a country's Gini index during 2000–2019 is associated with a 0.27 (95% CI [− 0.04, 0.57], P =.09) increase in the neonatal mortality rate. Conclusion: The analysis suggests that income inequality may be positively associated with the neonatal mortality rate in the Americas. Nonetheless, given the modest magnitude of the estimates and Gini values and trends during 2000–2019, the findings suggest a potential limited scope for redistributive policies to support reductions in neonatal mortality in the region. Thus, policies and interventions that address higher coverage and quality of services provided by national health systems and reductions in socio-economic inequalities in health are of utmost importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canine leishmaniasis is a widespread disease on the American continent, with cases reported from Uruguay to the USA and Canada. While numerous Leishmania spp. have been reported in dogs in this region, Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis are the most common etiological agents of canine leishmaniasis from a continental perspective. Nonetheless, other species may predominate locally in some countries. The participation of dogs in the transmission cycle of various Leishmania spp. has long been speculated, but evidence indicates that their role as reservoirs of species other than L. infantum is negligible. Various native wildlife (e.g., small rodents, marsupials, sloths, and monkeys) are, in fact, the primary hosts of Leishmania spp. in the Americas. In this review, an updated list of Leishmania spp. infecting dogs in the Americas is presented, along with their distribution and clinical and zoonotic importance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: HEARTS in the Americas is the regional adaptation of Global Hearts, the World Health Organization initiative for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention and control. Its overarching goal is to drive health services to change managerial and clinical practice in primary care settings to improve hypertension control and CVD risk management. This review describes the HEARTS in the Americas initiative. First, the regional epidemiological situation of CVD mortality and population hypertension control trends are summarized; then the rationale for its main intervention components: the primary care-oriented management system and the HEARTS Clinical Pathway are described. Finally, the key factors for accelerating the expansion of HEARTS are examined: medicines, team-based care, and a system for monitoring and evaluation. Recent Findings: Thus far, 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have committed to integrating this program across their primary healthcare network by 2025. The increase in hypertension coverage and control in primary health care settings compared with the traditional model is promising and confirms that the interventions under the HEARTS umbrella are feasible and acceptable to communities, patients, providers, decision-makers, and funders. This review highlights some cases of successful implementation. Summary: Scaling up effective treatment for hypertension and optimization of CVD risk management is a pragmatic way to accelerate the reduction of CVD mortality while strengthening primary healthcare systems to respond effectively, with quality, and equitably, to the challenge of non-communicable diseases, not only in low-middle income countries but in all communities globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay explores the transformation of academic inter-Americanism from a “Literature of the Americas” founded by Comparative Literature (1982-2000) into a U.S.-centered “Hemispheric Studies” field as defined by English and American Studies (1998-present). The author argues that the subtraction of languages and literatures in the interest of sociological and U.S. hemispheric approaches is largely responsible for the disappearance of Latin America from Hemispheric Studies. The essay considers a return to literatures in order to reenergize an international and multilingual field—a comparative literature of the Americas.

Objetivo. Analizar la existencia y actualización de las listas de medicamentos nacionales (LMN) y guías de práctica clínica (GPC) para el tratamiento de la diabetes en América Latina y el Caribe (ALC). Comparar los fármacos incluidos en las listas y guías de cada país, entre sí y con los de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS). Métodos. Estudio de corte transversal. Se identificaron las LMN y GPC para diabetes en los sitios web de la Organización Panamericana de la Salud y de las autoridades sanitarias nacionales. Se relevaron los fármacos y se analizaron por grupo farmacológico según el cuarto nivel de la nomenclatura ATC. Se utilizó el puntaje F1 para evaluar la proximidad de las LMN con la lista modelo de medicamentos esenciales (LMME) de la OMS. Resultados. Del total de países, 87,2% cuentan con LMN, y 91% con GPC (78% y 45% actualizadas en los últimos 5 años, respectivamente). En comparación con los 6 grupos de hipoglucemiantes de la LMME, las LMN tenían una mediana (rango) de 6 (4-13) y un puntaje F1 de 0,80; esto indica una consonancia adecuada. Las GPC tenían una mediana (rango) de 12 (1-12) hipoglucemiantes frente a los 8 de las guías de la OMS. Las GPC tuvieron una mediana de 15 fármacos más que las respectivas LMN. Conclusiones. Si bien la mayoría de los países de ALC cuentan con LMN y GPC para diabetes, la falta de concordancia entre ellas limita su eficacia. Es necesario alinear los procesos y criterios de elaboración de estas dos herramientas de la política de medicamentos.

Objetivo. Identificar y analizar los incidentes de productos médicos subestándares, falsificados, no registrados y robados al inicio de la pandemia de COVID-19. Métodos. Búsqueda detallada en los sitios web de las autoridades reguladoras de las Américas. Identificación de los incidentes de medicamentos y dispositivos médicos (incluidos los de diagnóstico in vitro) subestándares falsificados, no registrados y robados. Se determinaron los tipos de productos, las etapas de la cadena de suministro en las que se detectaron y las medidas tomadas por las autoridades. Resultados. Se identificaron 1 273 incidentes en 15 países (1 087 productos subestándares, 44 falsificados, 123 no registrados y 19 robados). La mayor cantidad de incidentes corresponden a dispositivos médicos, desinfectantes y antisépticos. El punto en la cadena de suministro con mayor frecuencia de informes fue la adquisición a través de internet. Las medidas tomadas por las autoridades reguladoras corresponden en su mayoría a: alerta, prohibición de uso, prohibición de publicidad y fabricación, retiro del mercado y seguimiento de eventos adversos. Conclusiones. Se evidenció un número destacable de incidentes de productos médicos subestándares, falsificados, no registrados y robados al inicio de la pandemia por COVID-19. La escasez de insumos, la flexibilización en los requisitos regulatorios y el aumento de la demanda son factores que pueden favorecer el incremento del número de incidentes. Las autoridades reguladoras nacionales de referencia presentaron mayores frecuencias de detección de incidentes y de aplicación de medidas sanitarias. Se observó que se debe abordar el canal de venta por internet con alguna estrategia reguladora para garantizar la distribución segura de productos médicos.

Objective. To analyze temporal trends and inequalities in neonatal mortality between 2000 and 2020, and to set neonatal mortality targets for 2025 and 2030 in the Americas. Methods. A descriptive ecological study was conducted using 33 countries of the Americas as units of analysis. Both the percentage change and average annual percentage change in neonatal mortality rates were estimated. Measurements of absolute and relative inequality based on adjusted regression models were used to assess cross-country social inequalities in neonatal mortality. Targets to reduce neonatal mortality and cross-country inequalities were set for 2025 and 2030. Results. The estimated regional neonatal mortality rate was 12.0 per 1 000 live births in 20002004 and 7.4 per 1 000 live births in 2020, representing a percentage change of 38.3% and an average annual percentage change of 2.7%. National average annual percentage changes in neonatal mortality rates between 20002004 and 2020 ranged from 5.5 to 1.9 and were mostly negative. The estimated excess neonatal mortalityin the 20% most socially disadvantaged countries, compared with the 20% least socially disadvantaged countries, was 17.1 and 9.8 deaths per 1 000 live births in 20002004 and 2020, respectively. Based on an extrapolation of recent trends, the regional neonatal mortality rate is projected to reach 7.0 and 6.6 neonatal deaths per 1 000 live births by 2025 and 2030, respectively. Conclusions. National and regional health authorities need to strengthen their efforts to reduce persistent social inequalities in neonatal mortality both within and between countries.

After Christopher Columbus’s 1492 landfall on the island of Guanahaní, artistic representations over the next century worked to visualize the Americas from a Eurocentric perspective. The male explorers associated with “discovery” such as Columbus and Amerigo Vespucci were bonded to the intellectual creation of “America” happening in early modern Europe and were often visualized in littoral spaces to convey their arrival. This essay analyzes the role of the explorer as an essential instrument in the place-making of the Americas. It examines the ways in which the European navigator, through his positioning in coastal areas and the deep sea, became a figure visually bound to green land and blue waters and inserted into developing narratives of the “New World.”

Objetivo. Presentar el Marco Regional de Competencias Docentes en Salud Pública (MRCDSP) y la metodología utilizada para su construcción. Métodos. Se utilizó una metodología participativa para este estudio descriptivo, donde se combinaron técnicas como la encuesta por cuestionario, el debate, el método de pares, los casos extremos, el rompecabezas (jigsaw), la matriz de evaluación de datos, las revisiones iterativas y el análisis comparativo. Se desarrolló en nueve etapas y agrupó a expertos asociados a instituciones y escuelas de salud pública, junto a profesionales de la atención primaria de salud en las Américas. Resultados. El principal resultado es el MRCDSP, organizado alrededor de 10 dominios cuya intersección favorece la integralidad docente. Se le asigna centralidad al dominio disciplinar y, como coprotagonista, al dominio pedagógico. Los restantes dominios son transversales a la docencia de cualquier disciplina, pero la redacción de cada competencia se complementó con las finalidades situadas en el campo de la salud pública, hecho que diferencia este marco de otros. Se ofrece como una herramienta regional para utilizar desde múltiples perspectivas. Conclusión. Los dominios y las competencias promueven una perspectiva nueva sobre la formación integral docente en salud pública. El MRCDSP puede convertirse en una herramienta para evaluar capacidades y mejorar la calidad de la enseñanza en la Región. Puede fomentar la cooperación entre instituciones educativas y se propone que sea el promotor de una comunidad de práctica latinoamericana para abordar los desafíos nuevos en salud pública.

El contexto mexicano es fundamental para examinar la diversidad de los movimientos migratorios en el continente americano. Este artículo adopta un enfoque multidisciplinar para analizar cómo los actores estatales, y por tanto los gobiernos de Estados Unidos y México, producen ciertas iniciativas que afectan directamente al estudio de caso que aquí se presenta, a saber, la migración de Guatemala a México. Pero es esencial aportar un profundo análisis propio de la sociología de la migración para comprender cómo, para los migrantes guatemaltecos, existen aspectos beneficiosos al optar por emigrar a México sin continuar el viaje hacia Estados Unidos. Este fenómeno supone una transformación para México en el contexto de la migración. Entonces, el país puede ser considerado como un estado de origen, tránsito y destino al mismo tiempo. El discurso político tanto de las recientes administraciones estadounidenses de Trump y Biden, como el del actual presidente mexicano Andrés Manuel López Obrador, debe considerarse como uno de los factores causales del desvío de la migración guatemalteca. Mientras que en EEUU ciertos dispositivos de restricción migratoria como el Título 8 y el Título 42 ejemplifican el rigor institucional respecto a la inmigración, por otro lado, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) instrumentaliza la solidaridad hacia los migrantes para obtener ciertos beneficios, en ocasiones inherentes a la economía mexicana. Y mientras que en la polarizada sociedad estadounidense los migrantes no suelen ser bienvenidos, el humanitarismo de la población mexicana alimenta la inmigración procedente de Guatemala. Este último movimiento migratorio, que se define como intra-Sur al corresponder a dos países pertenecientes al Sur Global dentro de América Latina, es decir, México y Guatemala, también resulta propiciado por afinidades sociolingüísticas y culturales que unen a mexicanos y guatemaltecos. Partiendo tanto de la literatura académica estadounidense y de las perspectivas neoliberales asociadas, que analizan el fenómeno migratorio en función de los problemas que acarrea a Estados Unidos, así como de las teorías humanitaristas y latinoamericanistas vinculadas a los estudios migratorios producidos en América Latina, se propone un análisis de causas iniciales y motivos de la continuación del desvío de la migración guatemalteca. De esta forma, es posible comprender a fondo qué lleva a los guatemaltecos a establecerse en México y cuáles son las diferencias con la tradicional migración Sur-Norte con destino a los Estados Unidos.