Article
Infectious Diseases
Maria Eugenia Grillet, Jorge E. Moreno, Juan V. Hernandez-Villena, Maria F. Vincenti-Gonzalez, Oscar Noya, Adriana Tami, Alberto Paniz-Mondolfi, Martin Llewellyn, Rachel Lowe, Ananias A. Escalante, Jan E. Conn
Summary: Despite progress in malaria control in South America, the disease remains a public health concern in the Amazon basin, with Venezuela experiencing a significant increase in malaria cases, driven by illegal gold-mining activities. Spatial analysis identified two consistent hotspots of malaria transmission, highlighting the need for targeted control measures to contain the epidemic.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Malahat Khalili, Bita Mesgarpour, Hamid Sharifi, Asieh Golozar, Ali Akbar Haghdoost
Summary: The study analyzes the reporting and trend of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) from 1999 to 2017 in the Iranian Pharmacovigilance Center, estimating a considerable underreporting rate of ADRs. Despite an increasing trend in ADR reporting over the 19 years, there is still a significant proportion of ADRs going unreported.
PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Business, Finance
Layla Delgado-Domonkos, Ai-Min Zeng
Summary: This study examines the impact of the Latin American Integrated Market (MILA) on investment efficiency from 2003 to 2020. The research suggests that MILA affects investment decisions by reducing information asymmetry and the agency problem. The study provides empirical evidence that MILA enhances investment efficiency, especially in solving the over-investment problem, and attributes part of this improvement to enhanced financial reporting quality.
BORSA ISTANBUL REVIEW
(2023)
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
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
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Richard Osei Buabeng, Paul Dsane-Aidoo, Yaw K. Asamoah, Delia Akosua Bandoh, Yvonne Adu Boahen, George Tsey Sabblah, Delese Mimi Darko, Charles Noora Lwanga, Donne Kofi Ameme, Ernest Kenu
Summary: This study evaluated the ADRSS in the Ho Municipality in Ghana and found that there was under-reporting of ADRs. The ADRSS showed strengths in certain aspects, but there were still issues with flexibility and timeliness.
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
Infectious Diseases
David A. Forero-Pena, Fhabian S. Carrion-Nessi, Melynar Chavero, Angel Gamardo, Luisamy Figuera, Natasha A. Camejo-Avila, Maria Marcano, Mariana Hidalgo, Cariagne J. Arenas-Leal, Leopoldo Villegas, Maria E. Grillet, M. Andreina Pacheco, Marisol Sandoval-de Mora, Ananias A. Escalante
Summary: This study described the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of clinical malaria patients in Bolivar state, Venezuela, where young male adults practicing gold mining had a high prevalence of malaria, and a concerning number of patients with Plasmodium vivax showed signs of severe clinical disease. The study suggests further exploration into the reasons behind these findings, such as timely diagnosis and effective treatment.
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
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
Economics
Santiago M. Perez-Vincent, Enrique Carreras
Summary: This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and mobility restrictions on domestic violence reports in six Latin American countries. The results show variations in the frequency and characteristics of different types of violence and reporting channels. Domestic violence hotlines saw a surge in calls, while emergency lines and police reports declined, indicating a shift in victims' demand for institutional help during the pandemic.
REVIEW OF ECONOMICS OF THE HOUSEHOLD
(2022)
Editorial Material
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Ivan Castillo, Luca Fadini, Fabio Doctorovich, Liane M. Rossi, Sandra Gonzalez-Gallardo
Summary: The European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry is proud to showcase high-quality research from some of the most active scientists in Latin America, aiming to highlight the breadth and depth of science in the region and increase its visibility in the wider chemistry community.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(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
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matias Spektor, Guilherme N. Fasolin, Juliana Camargo
Summary: The study finds that in Latin America, skepticism about the severity of climate change consequences is correlated with psychological factors, particularly individualistic worldviews.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Agnes Elangwe, Jean-Claude Katte, Donald Tchapmi, Albert Figueras, Jean Claude Mbanya
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jorge Enrique Machado-Alba, Luis Fernando Valladales-Restrepo, Andres Gaviria-Mendoza, Manuel Enrique Machado-Duque, Albert Figueras
Article
Infectious Diseases
Theodule Jean-Baptiste, John F. Carpenter, Kevin Dahl, Wellington Derameau, Rosemela Veillard, John Redford Jacquet, Pierre Ludens Osselyn, Albert Figueras
Article
Infectious Diseases
Victoria Nambasa, Helen B. Ndagije, Allan Serwanga, Leonard Manirakiza, Joanitah Atuhaire, Diana Nakitto, Ronald Kiguba, Albert Figueras
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Bernadette Cappello, Lorenzo Moja, Albert Figueras, Nicola Magrini
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jean Marie Vianney Habarugira, Albert Figueras
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health concern that requires multidisciplinary solutions. Developing countries often lack the laboratory capacity to monitor AMR, therefore requiring innovative approaches such as utilizing the global pharmacovigilance network to estimate and map the burden of AMR. A strong global pharmacovigilance infrastructure could help address the data scarcity issue and inform antimicrobial stewardship programs in countries with limited laboratory coverage.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Jean Marie Vianney Habarugira, Albert Figueras
Summary: The study found that Pharmacovigilance databases could be a valuable tool in tracking antimicrobial use and resistance, especially in settings with limited laboratory capacity. National Pharmacovigilance centers could proactively stimulate the reporting of AMR-related ADRs, which could serve as a basis for resistance suspicion alerts. Further research focusing on the narrative and other clinical pharmacology details in ADR reports is needed.
PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY
(2021)
Article
Medical Informatics
M. Angels Pons-Mesquida, Miriam Oms-Arias, Eduard Diogene-Fadini, Albert Figueras
Summary: The study introduced the PREFASEG tool and analyzed the main alerts it generated, with 28% of the alerts being accepted, mainly involving pharmacological interactions and therapeutic duplications.
BMC MEDICAL INFORMATICS AND DECISION MAKING
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Jean Marie Vianney Habarugira, Linda Harmark, Albert Figueras
Summary: This study analyzed 252 AMR-relevant ADR reports submitted to Lareb between 1998 and January 2019. Tobramycin, colistin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, and aztreonam were the most frequent antibiotics reported. Off label use, drug ineffective, and product use in unapproved indication were the most common MedDRA Terms used in the reports.
Article
Medical Informatics
M. Angels Pons-Mesquida, Miriam Oms-Arias, Albert Figueras, Eduard Diogene-Fadini
Summary: This study analyzed the impact of the Self Audit system on medication prescriptions in primary care in Catalonia, as well as the effect of a safety indicator on the results. The findings showed that the Self Audit tool helps reduce safety-based medication-related problems and yields superior resolutions for issues linked to the safety indicator.
BMC MEDICAL INFORMATICS AND DECISION MAKING
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Nayara Aparecida de Oliveira-Silva, Albert Figueras, Daniela Oliveira de Melo
Summary: Reports from the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) Public Dashboard showed that the use of drugs such as tocilizumab, remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine, and/or lopinavir/ritonavir for treating COVID-19 can increase the risk of liver events. The reported odds ratios (ROR) indicated a higher risk of liver events in COVID-19 patients compared to uninfected patients.
BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Nayara Aparecida de Oliveira Silva, Ana Laura de Sene Amancio Zara, Albert Figueras, Daniela Oliveira de Melo
Summary: The FDA has cautioned against prescribing remdesivir to patients with eGFR < 30 due to reported risks of adverse renal events. Analysis of a pharmacovigilance database revealed that compared to other drugs used for COVID-19, remdesivir usage was associated with an increased reporting of renal and urinary adverse events, emphasizing its potential risks for healthcare professionals prescribing it for COVID-19 treatment.
CADERNOS DE SAUDE PUBLICA
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
J. Riera-Arnau, L. A. Alvarado Aguirre, N. Garcia Dolade, X. Vidal Guitart, A. Figueras, G. Cereza Garcia
Summary: Studies on patients' personal views retrieved from the free-text section of spontaneous reports on suspected adverse drug reactions are limited. However, analysis of these reports indicates that patients' reports provide useful additional information, such as symptom descriptions, psychobiosocial impacts, and emotions, which can help explain discrepancies between patients and healthcare professionals in the severity classification of some ADRs. This highlights the importance of enhancing and analyzing the free-text section of patients' reports to improve pharmacovigilance.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Roxana De Las Salas, Javier Eslava-Schmalbach, Claudia Vaca-Gonzalez, Dolores Rodriguez, Albert Figueras
PHARMACY PRACTICE-GRANADA
(2020)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Tathiana Silva de Souza Martins, Albert Figueras, Luana dos Reis de Souza, Keila Cristina Oliveira dos Santos, Elaine Machado de Oliveira, Silvia Regina Secoli
BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES
(2020)