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Copyright of Revista Mundo de Antes is the property of Revista Mundo de Antes 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.)

Objective. Basic and translational research in pediatric cancer are essential to improve patient care. To critically assess the developments achieved in these areas in Latin America, we systematically reviewed information published between 2013 and 2023. Methods. Studies of basic and translational research performed by investigators in Latin America evaluating pediatric malignant solid and central nervous system tumors were retrieved from PubMed. Original articles published in English between 2013 and 2023 were included. Collaborations among Latin American authors or among Latin American authors working with researchers from other continents were also included. Studies were excluded if they focused only on adults or on basic research in tumor biology not specifically related to the tumor types analyzed in this review. Results. A total of 550 articles were retrieved, but after removal of duplicates, 514 articles were included in the analysis, the majority of which were authored by researchers affiliated with institutions in Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. These countries also had the highest number of collaborations on original articles published with authors from Europe and North America. Argentina had the highest number of collaborations on original publications, with coauthors from Brazil and Uruguay. The median impact factor of the 244 journals in which articles were published was 3.5. The most commonly studied tumors were osteosarcomas, neuroblastomas and medulloblastomas; the most commonly studied areas were molecular analysis, tumor cell biology and biomarkers. Conclusions. In Latin America, research in pediatric oncology is on the agenda, despite a notable disparity in publication rates and frequency of collaboration between countries. There is a need to strengthen scientific collaboration within Latin America and with countries from other continents to promote research and to develop novel treatment strategies that reflect the local needs of children in Latin America who have solid tumors and brain cancer.

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km2 resolution for 0-5 and 5-15 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e. offset) between in situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km2 pixels (summarized from 8519 unique temperature sensors) across all the world's major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C (mean = 3.0 ± 2.1°C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler (-0.7 ± 2.3°C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications.

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

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

Copyright of Revista Mundo de Antes is the property of Revista Mundo de Antes 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.)

Abstract Fundoscopy is the standard method for diagnosis and follow‐up of intraocular retinoblastoma, but it is sometimes insufficient to discern whether tumors are inactivated following treatments. In this work, we hypothesized that the amount of conserved nuclear DNA sequences in the cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) fraction of the aqueous humor (AH) might complement fundoscopy for retinoblastoma follow‐up. To address our hypothesis, we developed highly sensitive droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) methods to quantify highly conserved DNA sequences of nucleus‐encoded genes (GAPDH and B4GALNT1) and of a mitochondrial gene, MT‐ATP6. We obtained AH samples during intravitreal treatments. We analyzed 42 AH samples from 25 patients with intraocular retinoblastoma and 11 AH from controls (non‐cancer patients). According to clinical criteria, we grouped patients as having progression‐free or progressive retinoblastoma. cfDNA concentration in the AH was similar in both retinoblastoma groups. Copy counts for nucleus‐derived sequences of GAPDH and B4GALNT1 were significantly higher in the AH from patients with progressive disease, compared to the AH from progression‐free patients and control non‐cancer patients. The presence of mitochondrial DNA in the AH explained that both retinoblastoma groups had similar cfDNA concentration in AH. The optimal cut‐off point for discriminating between progressive and progression‐free retinoblastomas was 108 GAPDH copies per reaction. Among patients having serial AH samples analyzed during their intravitreal chemotherapy, GAPDH copies were high and decreased below the cut‐off point in those patients responding to chemotherapy. In contrast, one non‐responder patient remained with values above the cut‐off during follow‐up, until enucleation. We conclude that the measurement of conserved nuclear gene sequences in AH allows follow‐up of intraocular retinoblastoma during intravitreal treatment. The method is applicable to all patients and could be relevant for those in which fundoscopy evaluation is inconclusive.

We assessed the impact of road disturbances on the dominant mycorrhizal types in ecosystems at the global level and how this mechanism can potentially lead to lasting plant community changes. We used a database of coordinated plant community surveys following mountain roads from 894 plots in 11 mountain regions across the globe in combination with an existing database of mycorrhizal–plant associations in order to approximate the relative abundance of mycorrhizal types in natural and disturbed environments. Our findings show that roadside disturbance promotes the cover of plants associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. This effect is especially strong in colder mountain environments and in mountain regions where plant communities are dominated by ectomycorrhizal (EcM) or ericoid‐mycorrhizal (ErM) associations. Furthermore, non‐native plant species, which we confirmed to be mostly AM plants, are more successful in environments dominated by AM associations. These biogeographical patterns suggest that changes in mycorrhizal types could be a crucial factor in the worldwide impact of anthropogenic disturbances on mountain ecosystems. Indeed, roadsides foster AM‐dominated systems, where AM‐fungi might aid AM‐associated plant species while potentially reducing the biotic resistance against invasive non‐native species, often also associated with AM networks. Restoration efforts in mountain ecosystems will have to contend with changes in the fundamental make‐up of EcM‐ and ErM plant communities induced by roadside disturbance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current analyses and predictions of spatially explicit patterns and processes in ecology most often rely on climate data interpolated from standardized weather stations. This interpolated climate data represents long-term average thermal conditions at coarse spatial resolutions only. Hence, many climate-forcing factors that operate at fine spatiotemporal resolutions are overlooked. This is particularly important in relation to effects of observation height (e.g. vegetation, snow and soil characteristics) and in habitats varying in their exposure to radiation, moisture and wind (e.g. topography, radiative forcing or cold-air pooling). Since organisms living close to the ground relate more strongly to these microclimatic conditions than to free-air temperatures, microclimatic ground and near-surface data are needed to provide realistic forecasts of the fate of such organisms under anthropogenic climate change, as well as of the functioning of the ecosystems they live in. To fill this critical gap, we highlight a call for temperature time series submissions to SoilTemp, a geospatial database initiative compiling soil and near-surface temperature data from all over the world. Currently, this database contains time series from 7,538 temperature sensors from 51 countries across all key biomes. The database will pave the way toward an improved global understanding of microclimate and bridge the gap between the available climate data and the climate at fine spatiotemporal resolutions relevant to most organisms and ecosystem processes.

Copyright of Boletín del Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino is the property of Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino 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.)

Introducción y objetivos: Para contribuir al conocimiento y conservación de la flora de los Andes áridos exploramos cómo los caminos vehiculares y la elevación modulan la composición y riqueza en las comunidades vegetales. Además, buscamos estimar el grado de invasión de la comunidad e identificar a las especies exóticas más comunes en tres áreas protegidas de Mendoza. M&M: Registramos la composición y abundancia de plantas nativas y exóticas en el gradiente de elevación (desde 1700 m hasta 3900 m s.n.m) de tres caminos vehiculares (Villavicencio, Cordón del Plata, y Manzano-Portillo). En cada camino se localizaron 20 transectas tipo “T” de acuerdo al protocolo MIREN (www.mountaininvasions.org). Resultados: Identificamos 357 especies, 42 fueron exóticas (12%). La cobertura de exóticas fue mayor en Cordón del Plata (23%) que en las otras áreas protegidas (Manzano 11%, Villavicencio 6%). La mayoría de las plantas exóticas son herbáceas, excepto Rosa rubiginosa. El 64% de las especies nativas y el 45% de exóticas fueron exclusivas de un área protegida, y la composición de nativas y de exóticas fue diferente entre las áreas protegidas. La riqueza de exóticas fue mayor en cercanía al camino y decreció cuadráticamente con la elevación, pero para explicar la riqueza de nativas es necesario considerar la interacción entre elevación y distancia al camino. La riqueza de nativas cerca del camino fue constante en el gradiente de elevación (~15 especies) pero mostró una relación lineal decreciente lejos del camino. Conclusiones: Los caminos alteran los patrones de distribución de las especies a lo largo de la elevación en los Andes.

Introducción y objetivos: El cambio climático, el ganado y el creciente uso turístico favorecen la dispersión de plantas exóticas, amenazando la conservación de los ecosistemas altoandinos. Estudiamos los patrones de distribución de plantas nativas y exóticas en senderos recreativos de montaña. M&M: Implementamos el protocolo MIREN en seis senderos (2400-3600 m s.n.m.) en dos áreas protegidas de los Andes centrales de Mendoza en las Cordilleras Frontal y Principal. Resultados: Encontramos 180 especies nativas y 41 exóticas. La riqueza de especies nativas fue máxima a elevaciones intermedias, mientras que la riqueza de exóticas disminuyó con la elevación. La riqueza regional de nativas fue mayor en la Cordillera Frontal que en la Principal (114 versus 71 nativas, respectivamente) mientras que la riqueza regional de exóticas fue menor en la Frontal que en la Principal (20 versus 28 exóticas, respectivamente). La riqueza de exóticas por parcela fue mayor en la Cordillera Frontal que en la Principal. El rango de distribución altitudinal de exóticas fue mayor en la Cordillera Frontal. Dos exóticas abundantes, Taraxacum officinale y Cerastium arvense, estuvieron a lo largo de todo el gradiente en la Cordillera Frontal, alcanzando los 3600 m s.n.m. Encontramos siete exóticas no citadas anteriormente. Conclusiones: Los nuevos registros amplían los rangos de distribución conocidos para algunas especies exóticas. A pesar de que el número de especies exóticas fue similar cerca y lejos de los senderos, cinco especies sólo estuvieron en los bordes de los mismos, lo que sugiere que los senderos favorecen los procesos de invasión.

En este trabajo deseamos bosquejar las características de las más antiguas ocupaciones humanas registradas arqueológicamente en el Area Río Pinturas, cuya secuencia cultural dispone de un adecuado sustento cronológico en dataciones radiocarbónicas (Gradin et al. 1979, 1984-85). A ese efecto hemos restringido nuestro enfoque regional a la presentación de los niveles culturales Río Pinturas I y II situados entre 9400 y 3300 años AP, habiéndose puesto mayor énfasis en la presentación del nivel Río Pinturas I, considerando que sus datos interesan particularmente al panorama de las poblaciones tempranas del extremo sur de América.

Mentor relationships are crucial to retention, success, and wellbeing of women and underrepresented minority scientists in academia. A network of diverse mentors may support achieving long-term career goals, advancement, and retention of both mentors and mentees, thus enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

The objective of this work is to reconstruct production sequences and use of woody raw materials among Patagonian hunter-gatherer groups. To this end, we studied small fragments of non-carbonized wood, pieces of wood with distinct types of technological features and formatized artefacts and/or wooden tools from two archaeological sites in south-central Argentine Patagonia. The taxonomic results showed the recurrent use of two taxa, Nothofagus pumilio and Berberis sp., among distinct occupations corresponding to both the early and late Holocene. The morphological and traceological results demonstrate the implementation of different technical operations such as the debarking and the roughing of the wood, as well as bevelled and perimeter cuts. They also show the recurrent presence of certain technological features and traces in woods and artefacts associated with distinct occupations in the Holocene. To sum up, the results reached reaffirm the existence of a selective practice of woody plant species to be used as raw material, and at the same time, the results reveal the existence of a sustained formatization over time and suggest the existence of production sequences related to the development of wood technology among Patagonian hunter-gatherer groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinoblastoma is the most frequent intraocular paediatric malignancy whose molecular basis remains poorly understood. Here, the authors perform multi-omic analysis and identify two subtypes; one in a cone differentiated state and one more aggressive showing cone dedifferentiation and expressing neuronal markers.

Las parcelas forestales permanentes son áreas de muestreo donde se registran periódicamente la identidad, abundancia y tamaño de los árboles, para estudiar cómo cambian los bosques en relación con el clima, los disturbios naturales y los usos y manejos. Hasta hoy, los patrones de cambio observados con parcelas permanentes en la Argentina tuvieron alcance local o regional. Para potenciar los vínculos entre los diferentes grupos de trabajo que promuevan colaboraciones a escalas intra- e inter-regionales creamos la Red Argentina de Parcelas Permanentes de Bosques Nativos (RAPP), abarcando las regiones forestales de los Bosques Andino-Patagónicos, Chaco Seco, Chaco Húmedo, Monte de Sierras y Bolsones, Monte de Llanuras y Mesetas, Selva Paranaense y Yungas. Aquí sintetizamos y caracterizamos la información de 317 parcelas permanentes (328.9 ha) incluidas en la RAPP, describiendo su distribución geográfica, objetivos, principales aspectos metodológicos y características de los bosques donde están establecidas (e.g., disturbios, tenencia de la tierra, estructura, riqueza de especies). Asimismo, se discute la complementariedad entre la RAPP y los inventarios nacionales de bosques nativos. Las parcelas se distribuyen entre 22.02° y 54.89° S y entre 19 y 2304 m s. n. m., aunque están concentradas principalmente en el Subtrópico (Chaco Seco, Chaco Húmedo, Selva Paranaense y Yungas) y en los Bosques Andino-Patagónicos. En todas las parcelas se identifica la taxonomía de los árboles y se miden diferentes variables dasométricas, fundamentales para responder preguntas ecológicas a una mayor escala mediante colaboraciones. Esperamos continuar incorporando grupos de trabajo a la RAPP e incentivar el establecimiento de nuevas parcelas permanentes en regiones poco representadas (e.g., Monte, Espinal y Delta e Islas del Paraná). La meta es que la RAPP permita avanzar en el estudio a largo plazo de todos los bosques nativos de la Argentina, aumentando la cobertura nacional y las interacciones entre los grupos de trabajo.