Nuestra Comunidad: The Role of Latin American Networks in Supporting Ecologists Throughout Their Careers

Scientific communication has been growing strong worldwide in the past decades. The use of modern data analysis tools to fine-tune its content, strategy, and effectiveness, together with the significative rise of social media, have contributed to such significative growth (Kappel and Holmen, 2019). Social media (such as blogs and microblogging) are powerful engines greatly incorporated into our daily lives for capturing information and as a social tool. As such, they are already being exploited for learning, discovering, searching, storing, and sharing knowledge (Lopez-Goni and Sanchez-Angulo, 2018). Research has shown that online media use increases scientific knowledge (Cacciatore et al., 2014; Su et al., 2015) and positive attitudes toward science (Dudo et al., 2011) therefore enhancing the learning and science process skills. Such scientific knowledge is a critical resource that enables political actors to inform and legitimate political decisions, and it is also important for non-scientific audiences in terms of forming public opinion about important political issues (Huber et al., 2019). Moreover, previous work has demonstrated that democratic societies that are scientifically literate make equitable choices regarding science-related policy issues (European Commission, 1995; Rudolph and Horibe, 2016). Thus, according to Marquez and Porras (2020), effective science communication and science literacy are socioeconomically imperative for all societies. At the same time, Science Communication can serve various diplomatic purposes. Particularly, science popularization initiatives, even when not targeted to policymakers or diplomats, can both raise awareness about international scientific cooperation and about locally produced science and technology which could be highly overlooked (Leach, 2015). English is currently the lingua franca of science. Currently, 98% of publications in science are written in English (Ramirez-Castaneda, 2020). This has facilitated the dissemination of knowledge across boundaries, but at the same time, the hegemony of English in science promotes and enforces the imposition of just one cultural point of view over others (Marquez and Porras, 2020). Because of that, generating science communication multilinguistic alternatives promotes diversity and creates culturally relevant content. Science communication in Spanish is especially imperative in Latin America. The intrinsic functional illiteracy, framed in the lack of economic and educational resources, inequality, poverty, political and social instability, are historical challenges that keep this region from unleashing its full potential (UNESCO, 2020). Moreover, and due to these issues, Latin America faces a human capital flight crisis, in which a high percentage of the individuals pursuing higher academic education end up emigrating and learning a second language. This is reflected in a marked lack of availability of educational resources in Spanish addressed to Latin American communities. Nevertheless, there have been efforts to build remote networks of Latin American scientists and science communicators that come together to counteract this effect. Three renown projects, different in nature, can be used as examples. First, the RedPop (Latin American and Caribbean Network for the Popularization of Science and Technology https://www.redpop.org) is a network of centers and programs created in 1990 at the request of UNESCO's program for Science, Technology and Society (Massarani et al., 2015). It encompasses around 80 science communication projects in different media platforms, but also science museums, interactive science centers, natural history museums, environmental parks, zoos, botanical gardens, and aquariums. Second, the bilingual science communication portal Latin American Science (www.latinamericanscience.org) publishes pieces written by scientist and science writers for the public both in Spanish and English-speaking countries. It focuses on regionally produced research, science policy and science-related stories from the region. And third, the Journal of Science Communication JCOM America Latina (https://jcomal.sissa.it/jcomal/index.jsp), an open access journal focused on science communication in Latin America and publishing contributions in Spanish and Portuguese (Weitkamp and Massarani, 2018). Still, more opportunities need to exist in term of communicating science with regional relevance. Blogs and social media platforms, which are especially open and easily accessible resources, have fantastic potential to address this gap since it is allowing information and education to reach every home to an unprecedented extent. One of these regional initiatives, the Latin American Network for Scientific Culture (RedLCC), brings together regional scientists that communicate science for Latin American communities and, in consequence, also nurtures the “Science for Diplomacy” dimension of Science Diplomacy.

Asbestos (mostly chrysotile) is currently used in numerous Latin American countries. Latin America contributes to the nearly 107.000 annual deaths occurring worldwide because of asbestos related-di...

Use and acceptance of health economic evaluations (HEEs) has been much greater in developed than in developing nations. Nevertheless, while developing countries lag behind in the development of HEE methods, they could benefit from the progress made in other countries and concentrate on ways in which existing methods can be used or would need to be modified to fulfill their specific needs. HEEs, as context-specific tools, are not easily generalizable from setting to setting. Existing studies regarding generalizability and transferability of HEEs have primarily been conducted in developed countries. Therefore, a legitimate question for policy makers in Latin America and the Caribbean region (LAC) is to what extent HEEs conducted in industrialized economies and in LAC are generalizable to LAC (trans-regional) and to other LAC countries (intra-regional), respectively. We conducted a systematic review, searching the NHS Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), Office of Health Economics Health Economic Evaluation Database (HEED), LILACS (Latin America health bibliographic database) and NEVALAT (Latin American Network on HEE) to identify HEEs published between 1980 and 2004. We included individual patient- and model-based HEEs (cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, cost-benefit and cost-consequences analyses) that involved at least one LAC country. Data were extracted by three independent reviewers using a checklist validated by regional and international experts. From 521 studies retrieved, 72 were full HEEs (39% randomized controlled trials [RCTs], 32% models, 17% non-randomized studies and 12% mixed trial-modeling approach). Over one-third of identified studies did not specifically report the type of HEE. Cost-effectiveness and cost-consequence analyses accounted for almost 80% of the studies. The three Latin American countries with the highest participation in HEE studies were Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. While we found relatively good standards of reporting the study's question, population, interventions, comparators and conclusions, the overall reporting was poor, and evidence of unfamiliarity with international guidelines was evident (i.e. absence of incremental analysis, of discounting long-term costs and effects). Analysis or description of place-to-place variability was infrequent. Of the 49 trial-based analyses, 43% were single centre, 33% multinational and 18% multicentre national. Main reporting problems included issues related to sample representativeness, data collection and data analysis. Of the 32 model-based studies (most commonly using epidemiological models), main problems included the inadequacy of search strategy, range selection for sensitivity analysis and theoretical justifications. There are a number of issues associated with the reporting and methodology used in multinational and local HEE studies relevant for LAC that preclude the assessment of their generalizability and potential transferability. Although the quality of reporting and methodology used in model-based HEEs was somewhat higher than those from trial-based HEEs, economic evaluation methodology was usually weak and less developed than the analysis of clinical data. Improving these aspects in LAC HEE studies is paramount to maximizing their potential benefits such as increasing the generalizability/transferability of their results.

This paper is a chapter of a book International Lawmaking: Case Studies which attempts to test the functioning of two Latin American government networks (Andean Community of Nations and the Central American Group on Competition) under the prism of Informal International Law Making Methodological Framework *IN-LAW*. One of the findings, at least on the surface, that accountability has reduced network effectiveness and vice versa. Yet, both transnational government networks can increase at the same time their accountability and effectiveness levels by strengthening the learning dimension of accountability. The paper also provides recommendations to improve the level of accountability and effectiveness of these two Latin American Networks.

The work shows the proposal to create a Latin-American Research Network related to Learning Analytics, initially made up of researchers from 13 Higher Education Institutions from 7 Latin American countries. The Network has started with collaboration agreements and the formation of lines of communication, where we have talked about the progress and related projects developed in the participating institutions. The Network has been created with objectives, related to the research, dissemination, generation of knowledge and growth of the Network. It has also been proposed an iterative work methodology, a dissemination plan and some monitoring indicators of the Network. Once consolidated the network, will offer benefits to participating institutions and the Latin American region, particularly in the education sector.

A land cover map of Latin America and the Caribbean in the framework of the SERENA project

To access to reproductive health information on the Internet helps patients understand their infertility journey and make decisions about their treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of fertility clinic websites accredited by the Latin American Network for Assisted Reproduction (REDLARA) using the QUality Evaluation Scoring Tool (QUEST). This observational, cross-sectional, and online study evaluated the clinic websites registered as accredited centers on the REDLARA website. The QUEST was used for the quality assessment of the websites. Data were collected from the available websites of all accredited fertility clinics between September 2023 and January 2024. A total of 173 websites from fertility clinics accredited by REDLARA were evaluated, and 152 (87.8%) clinics had functioning websites. The majority of analyzed websites were from Brazilian fertility clinics (n=58; 38.1%), followed by Mexican (n=23; 15.1%) and Argentine (n=21; 13.8%). No indication of authorship or username was observed on most websites. Some form of support for the patient-physician relationship was reported by 86.8% of websites. The mean (standard deviation±SD) of the total score obtained by all fertility clinics was 12.73±4.7 (range: 1-26). Brazil had the highest total score (mean±SD=16.03±4.6), whereas Peru had the lowest (6.42±1.7). Statistical analysis revealed a difference in the quality of websites among Latin American countries. The health information disseminated by fertility clinic websites in Latin America is of poor quality. Therefore, REDLARA should implement rules for building good-quality websites.

Latin America is recurrently affected by natural disasters. It is in the poorest populations where the damage combines disastrously with the vulnerability of these communities, and only few of the experiences developed in Latin America have used efficient performance mechanisms in relation to the management of disaster risk. Focusing on the immediate response, most of these experiences have neglected the perspective of integral development, thus not working successfully. The weakness of the local institutions thus becomes obvious, as well as the lack of technological instruments for risk reduction. On the other hand, from the point of view of the relationship between science and technology with regard to the problem of risk, more theoretical than actual technological contributions have been made, which no doubt constitutes a vacant area. In the face of this reality, as from December 2002, a new network called “Habitat at Risk” has been constituted in the Iberian-American Programme of Science and Technology for Development (CYTED), within the sub-programme called “Social Interest Housing”. The purpose of this network is to offer technological contributions for the strengthening of local organisations which work in risk areas, and to enhance their response in the face of disasters directed towards habitat and the different aspects, stages, and dimensions involved.

To identify innovative strategies for improved care and self-care of patients with chronic diseases (CD) in Latin America and to explore interest in creating a Latin American network of professionals in this field. A descriptive study based on a survey of key experts with recognized national or regional leadership in CD patient care. The 25-question questionnaire sought information on their experiences with care and self-care initiatives for CD patients, descriptions of successful initiatives, the perceived ability of countries to innovate in this area, their interest in participating in a network of Latin American professionals in this field, and more. Content analysis was performed to develop recommendations for the Region. Responses were obtained from 17 (37.8%) of the 45 experts approached; 82.4% confirmed their knowledge of of involvement with an innovative initiative related to the subject. Initial development does exist in each of the three innovative strategy types: peer care, informal caregivers, and telenursing, the latter being the least explored. There is real interest in forming a Latin American network that focuses on development of innovative self-care strategies for CD patients. Support for a joint network is promising. Priorities are building skills in this area and developing innovative proposals for improved CD patient care in the Region. Innovative measures should be complementary and adapted to the specific context of each scenario.

Public policies and decisions made in all sectors and at different levels of government have a significant impact on population health and on health equity. Health inequities persist with a social gradient in Latin America, even though the countries in the region have responded to the social and health protection needs of their populations and made sustained progress in addressing the determinants of health and improving the health of their populations. The need for countries to strengthen their health systems from the perspective of health promotion and action on the socio-environmental determinants of health was inserted into the constitution of the Latin American Network of Latin American and Caribbean Managers of Health Promotion (Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe de Gestores de Promocion de la Salud—REDLACPROMSA) in 2015.

LATINFOODS, the Latin American network on food composition

Landslide disasters have major impact in developing countries due to the social vulnerability of communities and the lack of integrated risk research. In the last decades landslide disasters in Latin America triggered by precipitation, earthquakes volcanic eruptions and the built environment, have increased considerably. Therefore, scientific contributions towards reducing vulnerability of exposed communities to landsliding are quite urgent. The International Consortium of Landslides Latin American Network (ICCLAN) is currently under the commitment of strengthening collaboration among Latin American countries in the field of integrated disaster risk research on landslides through a multi and trans-disciplinary approach. Aiming at achieving such commitment, the organisation of two main activities has taken place in 2013. First of all, the First Central American and Caribbean Congress on Landslides was held in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Secondly, an International Workshop on Forensic Investigations of Disasters (FORIN) associated with Landslides was also organised (Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico). Additional activities carried out in Colombia were included.

2340P Analysis of healthcare barriers for sarcoma patients in Latin American and Caribbean countries: A study by the Sarcoma European and Latin American Network (SELNET)


 Este trabajo hace un recorrido por el nacimiento, evolución y logros de la Red por una América Latina Libre de Transgénicos (RALLT); una red de espacio de coordinación regional de apoyo a organizaciones que enfrentan la expansión de los cultivos transgénicos. La RALLT aborda la problemática de los cultivos transgénicos desde diversas perspectivas, incluyendo los impactos en la salud que estos generan, la pérdida en la biodiversidad, la dependencia que crea la aplicación de derechos de propiedad intelectual en las semillas. En este artículo se hace un recuento histórico político de cómo y por qué nace la RALLT. También se analiza cómo se ha construido su identidad como una red latinoamericana, en la que es necesario establecer diálogos entre sus miembros y con otros actores, cómo se desarrollan y construyen los espacios de solidaridad, y se hace un recuento de los grandes temas en los que ha trabajado a lo largo de los años e identifica los nuevos pendientes.

This chapter discusses the origins and evolution of a group of networks of central bank officials nested within a formal inter-governmental organization, the Mexico City-based Centre for Latin American Monetary Studies (CEMLA). Created before the rise of the East Asian central bankers’ networks discussed by Helen Nesadurai in this book, the Latin American networks are supported by a formal institution with its own legal personality, statutes, governance bodies, and executive structures. While the official mandate of the CEMLA is capacity-building, research, information dissemination, and technical assistance, it also coordinates four networks of senior central bank officials who meet regularly to discuss matters of mutual interest and to respond to emergencies in the international and regional financial environments.