Latin America Countries Research Articles

Imported arboviral disease cases and entomological surveillance of Aedes albopictus in Valencian Autonomous Region (Spain) along 2022

Abstract The Laboratory of Entomology and Pest Control (LEPC) of the University of Valencia, hired by the regional government of the Generalitat Valenciana, carried out the entomological surveillance of the Asian tiger mosquito along 2022 in the Valencian Autonomous Region, excepting the city of Valencia for which the surveillance was conducted by a private pest control company. The main purpose of this plan of action was both to continue the detection and monitoring of Aedes albopictus in the Valencian municipalities free of its presence until the end of 2021, and to carry out the entomological surveys related to imported arbovirus cases notified by the Regional Health System. The active search and detection of the mosquito breeding sites in both urban and peri-urban environments throughout the provinces of Alicante, Castellón and Valencia, has revealed the absence of new populations of this allochthonous mosquito in all those municipalities free of this species in December of 2021. Besides, the LEPC has conducted the mosquito surveys in 31 municipalities of the three provinces, in relation to the declaration of 33 cases of arthropod-borne diseases due to Chikungunya, dengue or Zika viruses, which were reported in travellers returning from countries of Latin America, Asia, or West Africa. The methods used to minimise the risk of local transmission of these viruses by Ae. albopictus were focused on detecting the presence of the tiger mosquito and other common native mosquito populations, at both adult and larval stages, in the surroundings of the residence of imported cases to guide the treatments of the detected resting and breeding sites. As result, tiger mosquito populations were recorded in 18 of the 33 municipalities where imported arbovirus cases were reported in 2022.

Links between disasters of natural origin, economic development and gender inequality: evidence for latin America and the Caribbean

AbstractThis paper explores the relationship between gender and disasters of natural origin (ND) by considering how the level of economic growth influences the losses caused by these events and how disasters also contribute to gender inequality. To this end, the effects of ND occurring during the 2000–2021 period in 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are analysed using a structural equation approach with fixed effects panel data (SEM-FE) as an analytical tool. The results obtained are in line with previous literature that identifies population growth and economic growth as variables that drive the increase in loss of human life from NDs. The results show evidence of the mitigating effects of gender equality on the impact of NDs measured in terms of human life and of the negative effects of the impact of NDs on gender equality. The findings reinforce gender equality as a key element in preventing disasters and rebuilding a sustainable environment in their aftermath.

Development of the global competitiveness of Russian regions: the concept and configuration of the "smart" complementarity

Purpose: is to work out the scientifically sound theoretical and methodical framework for the «smart» complementarity of trade flows, aimed at selecting and substantiating potential commodity niches in trade of Russian regions with foreign countries.Methods: the general methodological basis of the study is the critical analysis of the scientific literature that forms the theoretical and methodological basis for the global competitiveness of individual regions of a country presented in the theories of regional and spatial economy. The study has been carried out by methods of system, structural-logical and abstract-logical analysis.Results: the research resulted in some fundamental scientific novelties such as: the scientifically grounded theoretical concept of “smart” complementarity, which makes it possible to identify the presence of specific foreign trade niches in a geographical (country, region) and commodity contexts, based on an analysis of the complementarity of trade flows at the level of a Russian region and a foreign country, and assessment of the global competitiveness of the regional economy, as well as “fine” criteria that determine the activity of participants in foreign economic activity. The applied results included a specific configuration of "smart" complementarity – the algorithm for determining promising economic specializations of the region, allowing to combine trade statistics of a foreign country with data regional statistics, indicating the presence of foreign trade potential, taking into account regional economic specializations. The developed algorithm is intended for the use in an information and analytical system to support management decisions in the field of foreign economic activity of the region.Conclusions and Relevance: the concept and configuration of «smart» complementarity in their practical implementation in the form of an information and analytical system are proposed in the article to provide the participants of foreign economic activity with data on promising export groups for selected countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. This approach allows moving the «center of gravity» of building trade and economic relations with foreign countries from the federal to the regional level.

Applications of dry chain technology to maintain high seed viability in tropical climates.

Seed storage life in tropical areas is shortened by high humidity and temperature and the general inaccessibility to dehumidifying and refrigeration systems, resulting in rapid decreases in seed viability in storage as well as a high incidence of fungal and insect infestations. The dry chain, based on rapid and deep drying of seeds after harvest followed by packaging in moisture-proof containers, has been proposed as an effective method to maintain seed quality during medium-term storage in humid climates, even without refrigeration. In addition, seed drying with zeolite drying beads can be more effective and economical than sun or heated-air drying under these warm, humid conditions. In this paper, we review recent published literature regarding the dry chain, considering different crop species, storage environments and seed traits. In addition, we provide new original data on the application of dry chain methods and their implementation at larger scales in South Asia, Latin America and Pacific Island Countries. The clear conclusion is that the combination of reusable drying beads and waterproof storage containers enables the implementation of the dry chain in tropical climates, enhancing seed viability and quality in storage of many crop species. The dry chain approach can therefore significantly enhance seed security for farmers in many tropical countries. Finally, we propose actions and strategies that could guide further scaling-up implementation of this technology.

Potential for Cooperation between Russia and MERCOSUR under Sanctions

Under the pressure of the unprecedented economic sanctions, the Russian Federation faces the tasks of reformatting its foreign economic strategy, transforming its trade policy, changing supply chains, and expanding cooperation with the partners that maintain economic neutrality, particularly with the countries in Latin America, the Asia-Pacific region, and the Middle East. The purpose of this research is to determine to what extent economic sanctions can serve as a factor for activating trade and economic relations between Russia and the countries of MERCOSUR as the most significant potential partners from the Latin American region. The research question of the article is to what extent it is possible to sooth the impact of sanctions on the Russian economy by stimulating trade links with MERCOSUR countries. The article attempts to compare the relative significance of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay as trade and economic partners for Russia at the time of sanctions. The article identifies factors contributing to the growth of potential of mutual trade and economic cooperation and those constraining it; provides an assessment of the current development of trade and investment relations between the parties; calculates indicators to determine the possibility of substituting the lost markets for export-import operations by the new ones.

Understanding Emotional Outbursts: A Cross-Cultural Study in Latin American Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

One of the behavioral problems strongly associated with emotional dysregulation (ED) in ASD is emotional outbursts (EOs) characterized by a pattern of challenging behavior that varies across individuals and across time. Cultural factors can modulate the expression of EOs. This study aimed to characterize the profile of emotional outbursts (EOs) in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) across various countries in Latin America and to identify clinical, emotional, and contextual factors that contribute to the onset and frequency of EOs within this diverse sample. A cross-sectional and cross-cultural study was conducted between 2023 and 2024 comprising samples from five countries in the Latin American Network for Autism-REAL: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, and the Dominican Republic. We studied 689 children with ASD (age x = 8.7 ± 2.6 years) using the Emotional Outburst Questionnaire (EOQ). We identified different types of EO among children with ASD in our sample. The most frequent was the 'behavioral indicators of emotion' (52.0%) followed by 'increased motor activity' (28.3%), 'non-speech vocalizations', (27.6%), 'mild verbal aggression' (23.8%), and 'avoidance' (21.5%). Children in a bad mood or having a bad day or experiencing irritability were the most significant factors that increased the likelihood of EOs. Our results revealed that irritability is an important trigger for EOs and should not be disregarded or underestimated when monitoring the mental health of children with ASD.

Variability in treatment approaches, outcomes, and recurrence patterns after curative intent treatment for primary retroperitoneal sarcomas in Latin America: A report on 333 patients from LATAMSARC collaborative working group

Background and objectiveRetroperitoneal sarcomas (RPS) are rare tumors with several well-defined histologic subtypes. This study aimed to assess the epidemiology, treatment patterns, and outcomes of patients with retroperitoneal sarcoma in Latin America and analyze patterns of recurrence and treatment variations in a large population of patients treated at reference centers. MethodsThis retrospective descriptive study utilized an electronic database of medical records from LATAMSARC (a group studying sarcomas consisting of different centers in various countries in Latin America, including Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Peru). Adult patients (≥18 years) with retroperitoneal sarcoma who underwent surgery at six cancer centers in Latin America were included. Key outcomes were practice patterns, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS). ResultsIn this retrospective study, 333 patients diagnosed with retroperitoneal sarcomas met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. The cohort consisted of 157 females (42.3 %) and 176 males (57.7 %), with an average age of 53.9 years (SD 13.37). Histology most commonly included Dedifferentiated Liposarcoma (31.5 %), Well-Differentiated Liposarcoma (29.7 %), and Leiomyosarcoma (9.9 %). The tumors predominantly resided in the retroperitoneum (81.7 %) and showed a mean diameter of 23.53 cm (SD 13.8 cm). Surgical interventions varied, with Complete Compartmental Resection performed in 31.2 % of cases and Simple Complete Resection in 29.4 %. Postoperative complications were documented, with Clavien-Dindo Grade ≥3 complications occurring in 16.8 % of patients. An R0/1 resection was obtained in 91.6 % of cases. The ICU admission rate post-surgery was 18.6 %. Adjuvant treatments included radiotherapy in 8.1 %. Local recurrence occurred in 20.7 % of cases, with the majority being ipsilateral. Distal recurrence was observed in 15 patients, predominantly affecting the liver. The mean overall survival was 65.5 months, and disease-free survival was 47.0 months. ConclusionThis study provides information on the epidemiology, treatment patterns, and outcomes of retroperitoneal sarcomas in a group of reference centers in Latin America. These results represent Latin America's largest body of evidence on retroperitoneal sarcomas.

Prevalence and management of ectopic and molar pregnancies in 17 countries in Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean: a secondary analysis of the WHO multi-country cross-sectional survey on abortion

IntroductionThere are limited global data on ectopic pregnancy (EP) and molar pregnancy (MP), making it important to understand their epidemiology and management across different regions. Our study aimed to describe...

Risk factors of periodontal disease: Latin America and the Caribbean Consensus 2024.

There is scarcity of information on the determinants of periodontitis in Latin America and Caribbean countries. We conducted a comprehensive review of studies examining the association of smoking and diabetes with periodontitis outcomes in this region. We searched for population-based, cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies from Latin America and the Caribbean region that reported on the association between smoking or diabetes and periodontitis. Databases were searched up to October 2023 by two reviewers. Subsequently, two authors independently conducted a rigorous data extraction process, focusing on study characteristics, the definition of exposures, and periodontitis outcomes, including measures of association and main findings. The results revealed a significant association between smoking and periodontitis, with a stronger effect observed in heavy smokers. Conversely, while some studies observed a higher prevalence of periodontitis among diabetic individuals, the association between diabetes and periodontitis was not significant after adjusting for confounding factors. These findings underscore a significant research gap in population-based studies on the effect of smoking and diabetes on periodontitis within Latin American and Caribbean countries, particularly when it comes to cohort studies. Addressing these gaps is crucial for a deeper understanding of these associations, which could lead to more effective prevention and treatment strategies in the region.

US Anti-Trafficking Funding and the Discourse of ‘Prevention’

The United States government has positioned itself as the global exemplar in the anti-human trafficking arena, including through its unparalleled financial support for domestic and international anti-trafficking activities. How the US has allocated these funds has not previously been systematically studied. Building on original databases compiled through a review of the US Attorney General’s Annual Report to Congress on US Government Activities to Combat Trafficking in Persons for fiscal years 2017–2021, in this article, I offer a detailed analysis of US anti-trafficking funding allocations. I find that during the five-year period under review, the vast majority of US anti-trafficking funds were spent on reactive activities, including the identification, protection, and support of trafficking survivors and efforts to improve the detection, arrest, and prosecution of traffickers. In contrast, activities targeting the conditions that increase precarity, rendering certain populations at heightened risk of being trafficked, or that enable the exploitation of precarity, were relatively under-funded. When these conditions were addressed by funded activities, the targets were nearly always countries in Africa, Asia, or Latin America, perpetuating a discourse of trafficking as a social problem rooted in poor policies, practices, and inequalities seen as endemic in the Global South.

THE ROLE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION AS AN INTERNATIONAL ACTOR IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

This research aims to discuss the role of the European Union (EU) in developing countries in establishing democracy, rule of law and development. The EU has been considered an international actor since its establishment. Various literatures argue that the EU plays a significant role in developing countries. In this context, this study highlights the various roles of the EU and their multi-dimensional engagement in developing countries. Furthermore, the article also traces the EU’s actorness through its cooperation in several areas of engagement such as international cooperation in global peace and conflict settlement, military, sustainable development, economic cooperation, humanitarian background, cultural engagement and other activities. The qualitative study is applied here to generate an argument through the primary and secondary sources of data, where the research traces vis-à-vis the review of books and articles of the scholars in international relations. The empirical analysis aims to highlight the main problems of developing countries and evaluate the role of the EU as a problem-solving actor for better social development. As a result, the EU itself and its various associate institutions have been working in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Oceanian countries in many sectors for a stable government with democratic norms and ethos. The initial findings of this article are that the EU is the largest aid provider in many countries of Asia and Africa and supports institutional development in war zone regions in the world.

Can Lithium OPEC be Realized? Feasibility Analysis of South America’s Lithium Cartel

Global warming has driven the historical shift towards clean energy, with lithium playing a crucial role in this green transition and becoming a focal point of global competition. Due to its high performance and widespread application in manufacturing lightweight energy storage batteries, lithium is at the forefront of electrification, which is essential for achieving zero emissions. Latin America, home to over half of the world’s lithium resources, sees an extraordinary opportunity in this monumental transition. Lithium-producing countries in Latin America are currently proposing a lithium OPEC to influence pricing and enhance profitability. This study evaluates the feasibility of such a cartel and examines the challenges using the framework of commodity cartels, analyzing factors such as demand, supply, production, market structure, and synergies. The paper concludes that resource-rich countries in Latin America are correct in their assessment of the prospects for developing their lithium industry amidst the global energy transition. However, the proposal of a lithium OPEC might be too radical given the current production capacity and market influence of the involved countries. Latin America should seek more practical approaches to develop lithium resources through various regional collaborations and the adoption of new technologies.

Analysis of the development of organic crop production in Latin America

The paper is devoted to the study of the process of development of organic production as a global trend in agriculture. The objects of the research are the countries of Latin America, as territories that are promising in terms of large-scale and rapidly developing organic agriculture for export and domestic consumption — Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Dominican Republic. The countries have large land funds and favorable agroclimatic conditions in most of their territories. In the work, based on the application of methods of time series alignment and the graphical method, trends in demand for the purchase and subsequent use of pesticides, the prevalence of malnutrition in Latin America and in the world, as well as prospects for the development of organic crop production by such an indicatosr as the total area of organic lands and number of producers are identified. The simple linear regression model constructed by the authors made it possible to establish the relationship between the volumes of greenhouse gas emissions and the average annual temperature, which made it possible to establish the need to reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to achieve sustainable development goals. Calculation of the linear and quadratic coefficients of structural shifts, as well as the index of differences, made it possible to identify structural changes in priority groups of crops for growing organic crops.

To Sever the Limbs of US Imperialism: North Korean Support for Latin American Guerrilla Movements in the 1960s

Abstract During the 1960s North Korea was connected to at least nine armed leftist rebel groups in seven countries in Latin America. Pyongyang primarily supported the revolutionary aims of these groups by providing them with military training inside the dprk. This agenda stemmed from the dprk leadership’s analysis of the international situation, one heavily influenced by its experience in the Korean War and Lenin’s theory of imperialism. This analysis identified the defeat of US imperialism as the primary task of the international Left, and that this could be achieved by the proliferation of armed insurgencies throughout the global South. By contrast, the Latin American militants who travelled to the dprk to undergo intensive military training were in search of personal transformation. Inspired by the Cuban Revolution and its doctrine of foquismo, these young radicals sought a transformative experience that would facilitate their evolution from “ordinary” civilians into revolutionary guerrillas.

Unraveling the dynamics of information exchange in governance networks: Opportunity structures in anti‐corruption multi‐stakeholder partnerships

AbstractInformation exchange is critical to the functionality of governance networks. Traditionally, it has been argued that actors within governance networks tend to engage in information exchange with others who share similar beliefs and motivations, as these are deemed catalysts for achieving collective objectives. An alternative viewpoint posits that actors may prioritize strategies aimed at minimizing transaction costs and maximizing returns when selecting their partners. This paper proposes that information exchange predominantly occurs with partners who are easily accessible (i.e., where transaction costs are low) and with partners who are perceived as influential (i.e., where benefits are high). To investigate these alternative propositions, we examine three distinct opportunity structures that actors may utilize, which are based on their preferences for (1) partners with similar participatory motivations, (2) partners who co‐participate in institutional committees, and (3) those perceived as influential. We empirically test these opportunity structures using unique survey data gathered from 10 anti‐corruption multi‐stakeholder partnerships within the public infrastructure domain in countries of Latin America, Africa, and Eurasia. Results from Exponential Random Graph Models suggest that shared participatory motivations do not significantly impact information exchange within our context, whereas the perceived influence of a partner emerges as a critical predictor. In addition, co‐participation in institutional committees significantly facilitates information dissemination, particularly when those committees involve discussions on deliberating about strategies to communicate findings on public‐sector infrastructure discrepancies and formulating recommendations to governments on transparency and accountability. These findings prompt discussions on four network management strategies aimed at restructuring networks and fostering stakeholder involvement and inclusivity.

Caught in the Crossfire: Ecuador’s Safety Crisis Impact on Teen and Young Adult Mental Health

Introduction: During the past decade, Ecuador has become one of the most dangerous countries in Latin America, with a significant rise in violence impacting mental health. This study investigates hospital admissions for mood disorders among adolescents and young adults in Ecuador from 2021 to 2022. Methods: We used public access data from the National Institute of Census and Statistics (INEC) to analyze hospital admissions for mood disorders in individuals aged 12 to 21, categorized using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes F30 to F39. Results: Results show a female predominance in admissions, with a female-to-male ratio of 3:1 by 2022. Admissions for depressive episodes accounted for 66.5% of cases, peaking in 2022. The regions with the highest admission rates were the Galapagos Islands and Pichincha. A notable reduction in admissions was observed in 2020, likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic´s impact on healthcare access. Discussion: The study's findings highlight significant gender disparities, diagnostic trends and regional differences in mood disorder admissions. The increasing trend, particularly for depressive episodes, underscores the need for enhanced mental health resources. Conclusion: The study concludes that the escalation of violence in Ecuador significantly impacts mental health, emphasizing the urgency of addressing social determinants of health and focussing efforts on regions most affected by conflict.

Rapid Tryptophan Assay as a Screening Procedure for Quality Protein Maize.

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid deficient in cereals, especially maize. However, maize (Zea mays L.) is the main source of protein in some developing countries in Africa and Latin America. In general, the nutritional profile of cereals is poor, because they are deficient in essential amino acids such as tryptophan and lysine due to a relatively higher proportion of alcohol-soluble proteins. Quality protein maize (QPM) has been developed through genetic manipulation for the nutritional enrichment of maize to address these problems. Nevertheless, methods for protein, lysine and tryptophan are time-consuming and require relatively large amounts of samples. Therefore, we have advanced here a simple, cheap, fast, reliable and robust procedure for the determination of protein and tryptophan in the same biuret supernatant, which can also be used for chemical characterization of other cereals. Samples of 50 mg maize ground to pass through a 0.1 mm screen were sonicated for 5 min. in eppendorf vials with 1.5 mL of a biuret reagent each. After centrifugation and protein determination by biuret, 0.2 mL of supernatant was treated with 0.8 mL of a tryptophan reagent. Both total protein and tryptophan can be determined in microplates at 560 nm to speed up the measurements. The main advantage of the new micro-method is the rapid estimation of the nutrient quality of maize samples by a single weighing of a small amount of valuable plant materials.

Financial Development and Income Inequality: Evidence from Latin America, 2001-2021

Numerous studies delve into the theoretical frameworks on finance and inequality. However, there are too few empirical tests on its theoretical relations due to a lack of data to capture financial development. Additionally, due to the many social and economic dimensions of a large economy such as Brazil or Argentina, it is unrealistic to consider that labor market or political issues are the only culprits of income inequality. More research is needed to understand the dynamics of inequality. In this paper, we evaluate the influence of financial development on income inequality using nineteen countries in Latin America from 2001 to 2021. Two indicators of financial development are employed. First, I use the broader definition of money, M3, as a percentage of GDP to capture the liquid liabilities because M1 or M2 may be a poor proxy in economies with weak financial systems. Secondly, the ratio of credit to private sector to GDP is employed because financial intermediaries with higher volumes of credit are more involved in financial development, such as diversifying risk, saving mobilization, facilitating transactions, allocating funding to economic activities, and monitoring borrowers’ activities. Based on the GMM estimator, our empirical findings support that better-developed financial markets reduce inequality.

Dengue vaccine endgame: why has the global response to exponential demand in the tropics been so slow?

IntroductionThere has been a dramatic global surge in dengue fever (DF) in recent years, with a projected 100-400 million cases annually and large outbreaks expected every 3-4 years. This concerning scenario is in sharp contrast to the very low availability of dengue vaccines to meet this spiraling demand, particularly affecting developing countries in Latin America and Africa. In our study, we aim to identify current vaccine development constraints, from a technological perspective, based on clinical trials and patent landscape data.MethodsThis study was conducted in a two-step methodology. First, candidates and launched products and methods used in the development or as part of DF vaccines were identified from the Cortellis Drug Discovery Intelligence (CDDI) platform. Second, the Derwent Innovation database was used to retrieve patent documents related to dengue vaccines. Data were collected in the period 2014-2024 (to identify the candidate and or launched vaccines) and 2018-2022 (to identify patent documents) with claims involving applications for dengue vaccine development. We presented these descriptive data in the following format: quantitative and qualitative assessments describing the vaccine development scenario and the claimed vaccine technologies.ResultsOur study indicated that 65% of dengue vaccines are still in phase 1 of development. The few current dengue vaccines that have reached phase 3 (1) and launched (2) have shown limited levels of individual protection for one or more dengue serotypes and there is an anemic pipeline of the next generation of more effective tetravalent dengue vaccines. Although the intelligent use of multiple dengue vaccine formulations in immunization campaigns can result in effective protection against all serotypes at the population level, the implementation of this is complex and challenging. The results of our study thus provide evidence of a worrisome global situation regarding the development of new dengue vaccine candidates.ConclusionTo reverse this scenario, there is an urgent need to implement new knowledge governance approaches and business models to stimulate an exponential increase in global vaccine development funding for dengue and several other vaccines.

Reflections on Mismatches in the Fertility Preferences in Latin America

This study aims to estimate and analyze four selected indicators of contradictions in female fertility preferences, which are called mismatches. Therefore, we seek to analyze the responses to the questions that women are asked regarding their ideal number of children, their current number of children, their future fertility intentions, and their use of contraceptive methods. Data from demographic and reproductive health surveys from fourteen countries in Latin America between 2006 and 2017 were used. An estimated occurrence of mismatches of 11 % was observed for the countries studied, and cases in which women were classified with a negative discrepancy and said that they do not want more children in the future prevailed. It can be inferred that despite the existence of several inconsistencies, the responses of Latin American women to questions about their fertility preferences are robust and very predictive.