Editorial Material
Physics, Applied
Carolina Brito, David Vanegas Forero, Karen Hallberg, Gonzalo Palma, Joel Saavedra Alvear, Gonzalo Tancredi, Wilfredo Tavera
Summary: The southern skies and tall mountains of Latin America have nurtured a rich history of astronomy in the continent. Today, the continent is home to over 80 observatories, serving as collaborative research hubs for the region and the world. However, other areas of physics face challenges in fully realizing their research potential due to factors like insufficient researchers and resources. In this Viewpoint, seven physicists discuss the diverse research landscapes of different physics disciplines across the continent.
NATURE REVIEWS PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Mathias Kuemmerlen, Angelica Maria Batista-Morales, Andreas Bruder, Eren Turak, Fabio de Oliveira Roque
Summary: Latin America's socio-cultural and biological diversity, which has evolved along interconnected river networks, plays a significant role in global biodiversity conservation. This article provides commentary on the conservation of freshwater biodiversity in the region, offering cross-border perspectives and urging governments to consider the reality and threats to transnational ecosystems, particularly river basins.
BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION
(2022)
Article
Business
Luis Berggrun, Emilio Cardona, Edmundo Lizarzaburu
Summary: We investigate the performance difference between high-return and low-return industries in Latin America. Our findings suggest that it is often difficult to distinguish the performance of recent winner and loser industries. We also find a lack of return continuation across industries, regardless of their size. Using idiosyncratic returns, we confirm that industry momentum does not hold in the region, and individual industry momentum is also absent. Overall, it would have been challenging to profit from persistent return differences within or between industries in our sample period.
JOURNAL OF BUSINESS RESEARCH
(2023)
Editorial Material
Chemistry, Physical
Daniela Zanchet, Juventino J. Garcia, Victor Gabriel Baldovino Medrano
Summary: This is a collection of papers by Latin American catalytic researchers, which emerged from online discussions during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. The collection highlights the diversification of the catalysis field in the region, featuring works from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela, as well as contributions from Latin American researchers who have pursued their careers abroad.
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Fernando Zegers-Hochschild, Javier A. Crosby, Carolina Musri, Fanny Petermann-Rocha, Maria do Carmo Borges de Souza, A. Gustavo Martinez, Ricardo Azambuja, Armando Roque, Gustavo Estofan
Summary: This study investigated the utilization, effectiveness, and safety of assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Latin America in 2020. The results showed that Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina were the major contributors, with Uruguay having the highest utilization rate. The number of women aged 40 and above increased, while those aged 34 and below decreased. Single-embryo transfer became more common, but the rate of multiple births also increased. Frozen embryo transfer had a significantly higher delivery rate compared to fresh transfers. Preimplantation genetic testing improved delivery rate and decreased miscarriage rates.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOMEDICINE ONLINE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gustavo Chiang, Gisela Umbuzeiro, Fabiana Lo Nostro
Summary: National and international collaboration and the incorporation of perspectives from outside academia are essential for a paradigm shift in science and a sustainable future. The articles in this special series highlight the latest research and environmental policies in Latin America, focusing on the protection of water, soil, and human health from various pollutants. The knowledge built with the participation of communities helps promote a transdisciplinary understanding of environmental issues.
INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fernando Lanas, Pamela Seron
Summary: An analysis of life expectancy and cause of death in 363 Latin American cities reveals significant differences between cities in the same country and highlights the socioeconomic factors that impact longevity and causes of death.
Article
Parasitology
Eduardo Jorge Boeri, Paula Ruybal, Maria Luz Dominguez, Natalia Mercedes Fernandez, Paula Becker, Sebastian Elena, Gabriela Ileana Escobar, Sandra Marcela Ayala, Deborah Beatriz Hasan, Marcos David Trangoni
Summary: The circulating strains of Brucella canis in Argentina showed high genetic diversity on a global scale. The strains from Argentina exhibited higher diversity than those from North America, but this may be due to sampling biases or different health policies in managing infected individuals. The Argentine strains of B. canis are genetically diverse with no apparent geographical association. The markers used in the MLVA_13 Bc and the proposed MLVA_6 Bc panel are variable and highly useful for outbreak evaluation and studying strain diversity in B. canis.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Denis Vasiliev, Sarah Greenwood
Summary: Pollinator biodiversity loss is occurring at unprecedented rates globally, with sharp declines documented in the North Temperate Zone. Climate change is expected to impact pollinator biodiversity in the future, but current warming may have positive impacts on pollinators at higher latitudes. However, the lack of climate adaptation initiatives in current conservation efforts could be risky if climate change negatively impacts pollinators.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Karla Gonzalez-Ponce, Carolina Horta Andrade, Fiona Hunter, Johannes Kirchmair, Karina Martinez-Mayorga, Jose L. Medina-Franco, Matthias Rarey, Alexander Tropsha, Alexandre Varnek, Barbara Zdrazil
Summary: This article reports the major highlights of the School of Cheminformatics in Latin America, which took place in Mexico City from November 24 to 25, 2022. The event featured six lectures, one workshop, and one roundtable with editors, with speakers from academia, big pharma, and public research institutions. A total of 1,181 students and academics from 79 countries registered for the meeting. The discussions covered advancements in chemical space enumeration and visualization, applications in natural product-based drug discovery, drug discovery for neglected diseases, toxicity prediction, and general guidelines for data analysis.
JOURNAL OF CHEMINFORMATICS
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Fernando Zegers-Hochschild, Javier A. Crosby, Carolina Musri, Maria do Carmo Borges de Souza, A. Gustavo Martinez, Adelino Amaral Silva, Jose Maria Mojarra, Diego Masoli, Natalia Posada
Summary: This study examined the utilization, effectiveness, and safety of assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Latin America in 2019. The results showed an increase in ART utilization and a shift towards frozen-thawed embryo transfers. Selective single-embryo transfer (SET) was found to be important in reducing multiple births.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOMEDICINE ONLINE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sebastian Ivan Grondona, Maria Lourdes Lima, Hector Enrique Massone, Karina Silvia Beatriz Miglioranza
Summary: Agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean is the biggest user of water and pesticides globally. A systematic review found that only six countries in the region have information on pesticides in groundwater. The study detected a total of 70 agrochemicals, with herbicides being the most commonly detected. Factors such as preferential flows, rainfall variations, and land use practices contribute to the presence of these contaminants in aquifers. The limited analytical capacity in the region calls for groundwater pesticide monitoring to reduce health risks to humans and ecosystems.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Political Science
Ignacio Arana Araya, Melanie M. Hughes, Anibal Perez-Linan
Summary: The study examines the relationship between weak judicial institutions and gender diversification in Latin America through analyzing the consequences of judicial reshuffles. It finds that institutional disruptions can facilitate the appointment of women justices under left parties' control of the nomination process, but the gains in gender diversification are modest and difficult to sustain over time. Political reshuffles may lead to short-term advances for women in the judiciary, but they do not lead to substantive progress in gender equality.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Editorial Material
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Mabel Guzman, Gisela Canedo-Marroquin, Nestor N. N. Jimenez-Vargas
Summary: Gastrointestinal research in Latin America is hindered by financial limitations and biased attitudes, which hinder research progress in the region and hinder the career development of Latin American scientists. Therefore, engagement of the next generation of leaders and established scientists is crucial to prevent the perpetuation of existing inequalities.
NATURE REVIEWS GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Business
Monica Cavalcanti Sa de Abreu, Romulo Alves Soares, Victor Daniel-Vasconcelos, Vicente Lima Crisostomo
Summary: This study finds that weak corporate governance in Latin America may lead to manipulative environmental policy decisions. Board diversity does not have a significant influence on corporate social responsibility activities, and environmental issues are only taken into account in terms of natural resource costs. The study highlights the need for stronger corporate governance mechanisms in Latin America to promote sustainability.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Legnara Padron-Rodriguez, Carlos Roberto Cerdan Cabrera, Nadia Guadalupe Sanchez Coello, Mauricio Luna-Rodriguez, Edel Perez-Lopez
Summary: The presence of clubroot pathogen P. brassicae in Mexico has been confirmed for the first time through a multistep process, including bioassay, the presence of resting spores, and a P. brassicae-specific PCR assay. This identification will contribute to future studies on the genetic diversity of this devastating plant pathogen.
Review
Microbiology
Daphne Albert, Tim Dumonceaux, Odile Carisse, Carole Beaulieu, Martin Filion
Summary: This review presents the latest discoveries on microorganisms and biocontrol mechanisms used against white mold. It highlights the importance of identifying biocontrol desirable traits and understanding the mechanisms and conditions for their action. The best control strategies against S. sclerotiorum, including combining biocontrol desirable traits, are discussed.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Chukwuka Onyenwoke, Lope G. Tabil, Tim Dumonceaux, Duncan Cree, Edmund Mupondwa, Phani Adapa, Chithra Karunakaran
Summary: Steam explosion pretreatment improves the quality of biomass pellets made from sawdust and oat straw. The mechanical properties of the pellets are influenced by temperature, time, and moisture content. The treated biomass has higher heating value and tensile strength, and exhibits a more compact and cemented microstructure.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
G. Leal Sanabria, O. Plasencia-Marquez, Y. Martinez Zubiaur, M. Silvestre-Vano, E. Perez-Lopez
Article
Microbiology
Karolina Pusz-Bochenska, Edel Perez-Lopez, Tyler J. Wist, Harvinder Bennypaul, Daniel Sanderson, Margaret Green, Tim J. Dumonceaux
Summary: Phytoplasmas are insect-vectored bacterial pathogens that infect a wide range of crops, causing significant yield losses. Accurate diagnostics is crucial for managing diseases associated with these microorganisms. PCR-based methods are commonly used for detection, but they have limitations. To overcome these limitations, a PCR-independent multilocus sequence typing (MLST) assay was developed, which proved to be an efficient way to differentiate Phytoplasma species/strains.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Muhammad Asim Javed, Arne Schwelm, Nazanin Zamani-Noor, Rasha Salih, Marina Silvestre Vano, Jiaxu Wu, Melaine Gonzalez Garcia, Thies Marten Heick, Chaoyu Luo, Priyavashini Prakash, Edel Perez-Lopez
Summary: Plasmodiophora brassicae is a major threat to the rapeseed and brassica vegetable industry, causing clubroot disease in cruciferous plants. The disease is characterized by wilting, stunting, yellowing, and the presence of club-shaped galls in the roots.
MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Chukwuka Onyenwoke, Lope G. Tabil, Tim Dumonceaux, Duncan Cree, Edmund Mupondwa
Summary: This study investigated the effects of torrefaction and binders on the quality of oat straw pellets. The results showed that torrefaction improved the physiochemical and thermal properties of the pellets, but not the tensile strength. The addition of binders during pelletization increased the tensile strength and improved several other properties of the pellets.
BIOENERGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jiaxu Wu, Edel Perez-Lopez
Summary: Clubroot, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, is a devastating disease that affects cruciferous crops worldwide. The use of resistant cultivars is currently the best strategy to control the disease, but new pathotypes are emerging that can overcome resistance. Understanding the genomics of the pathogen and host is crucial for finding a stable solution for growers.
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Scott J. J. Dos Santos, Zahra Pakzad, Arianne Y. K. Albert, Chelsea N. N. Elwood, Kirsten Grabowska, Matthew G. G. Links, Jennifer A. A. Hutcheon, Evelyn J. J. Maan, Amee R. R. Manges, Tim J. J. Dumonceaux, Zoe G. Hodgson, Janet Lyons, Sheona M. M. Mitchell-Foster, Soren Gantt, K. S. Joseph, Julie E. E. Van Schalkwyk, Janet E. E. Hill, Deborah M. M. Money
Summary: Birth mode has a significant effect on the composition of neonatal gut microbiome within 10 days postpartum, but this effect is not influenced by maternal vaginal microbiome composition. There is no correlation between the vaginal and stool microbiome communities of newborns. Intrapartum antibiotic administration is associated with lower abundances of specific bacterial strains in infant stool.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Cuong Ngoc Dao, Lope G. Tabil, Edmund Mupondwa, Tim Dumonceaux
Summary: Advancing microbial pretreatment of lignocellulose offers the opportunity to reduce environmental impacts, increase biomass valorization, and support the bioeconomy. Mathematical modeling provides insights into microbial metabolism and facilitates the optimization of solid-state-fermentation (SSF) bioreactors. This study investigated the growth of three fungal strains on camelina straw and switchgrass during SSF, and provided a baseline for developing large-scale SSF systems for agricultural residue utilization in biofuel production.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Jennifer R. Town, Tim Dumonceaux, Breanne Tidemann, Bobbi L. Helgason
Summary: Long-term canola monoculture affected root exudate profiles and soil nutrient fluxes differently in the three geographic locations. Bacterial communities were less impacted by rotation compared to the fungal communities, which consistently exhibited changes in composition in all ecological niches at all sites, in both years. Soil management decisions should include consideration of the effects on the microbial ecosystems associated with the plants in order to inform best management practices.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOME
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Marina Silvestre Vano, Maryam Nourimand, Allyson MacLean, Edel Perez-Lopez
Summary: Plasmodiophora brassicae is an atypical plant pathogen that infects cruciferous crops, causing galls or clubs on the roots and leading to wilting, loss of productivity, and plant death. Limited research has been conducted on the molecular mechanisms underlying clubroot disease, but recent studies have implicated the involvement of phytohormones in the manipulation of host development by the pathogen.
SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Tim Dumonceaux
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Peyman Alizadeh, Tim Dumonceaux, Lope G. G. Tabil, Edmund Mupondwa, Majid Soleimani, Duncan Cree
Summary: This study explores steam explosion pre-treatment of wood sawdust for high-quality biofuel pellets. Optimal conditions were determined for steam-treated biomass, resulting in improved pellet density and tensile strength, as well as lower nitrogen and sulfur contents for cleaner energy production.
CLEAN TECHNOLOGIES
(2022)