Detection of Borrelia americana in the Avian Coastal Tick, Ixodes auritulus (Acari: Ixodidae), Collected from a Bird Captured in Canada

We document the first record of Borrelia americana in Canada. This Borrelia was detected in an avian coast tick, Ixodes auritulus (Acari: Ixodidae), collected from a Varied Thrush, Ixoreus naevius, along coastal British Columbia. Using real-time PCR and DNA sequencing of the flagellin gene, we determined that the borrelial amplicon from the I. auritulus nymph was 99% homologous with B. americana type strain SCW-41. Because patients infected with B. americana can be seronegative for Lyme disease, medical professionals should be willing to pursue molecular analyses and consider treatment for patients with Lyme disease-like symptoms.

Droughts in Homogeneous Areas of South America and Associated Processes during the Months of Austral Spring and Summer

Droughts that occurred in selected areas located in homogeneous regions of South America during the austral springs(SON)and summers(DJF)from 1982 to 2019 are identified using the Standard Precipitation Index(SPI).Four areas were analyzed for droughts in SON,and three areas were analyzed for droughts in DJF.The areas in the Amazon suffered from the majority of their droughts during El Niño years,while most of the droughts in the areas of southern Brazil,Uruguay,and North Argentina occurred during La Niña years.In southeastern and central-western parts of Brazil,droughts occurred during both phases of El Nino-Southern Oscillation(ENSO)and also during neutral years.Thus,other processes besides ENSO are likely related to the observed droughts.The droughts were investigated for each area and month,and composites of atmospheric and oceanic variables during both seasons were analyzed for the selected cases.Regional and large-scale field composites were examined to identify the main processes associated with dry conditions in the different areas.Regional features were related to the influence of high pressure over southern and southeastern areas and the divergence of moisture flux in all areas.Meridional circulations contributed to subsidence over the dry regions.The large-scale influential features include SST anomalies,wavetrains over the South Pacific Ocean with centers of action over South America that produced subsidence in the study areas,and convection anomalies in the Maritime continent and surrounding areas.Therefore,the droughts were associated with a combination of regional and large-scale features that produced subsidence over the analyzed regions.

Efficiency and sustainability of the tourism industry in Latin America

The tourism industry is economically very important.According to the World Travel Tourism Council,in 2019,the tourism industry accounted for a quarter of all new jobs created worldwide,10.3%of all jobs,and 9.6×1012 USD of the global gross domestic product.This study aimed to calculate the tourism efficiency index for different Latin American countries from 2010 to 2021 using data envelopment analysis,which analyzes the relationships between input variables(including the number of employees in the tourism industry and the number of hotel-type establishments)and output variables(including tourism expenditures in other countries and public social expenditures in recreation and culture per capita).Additionally,this study aimed to identify the countries with greater tourism development and the factors that may affect the development of the tourism industry through the stochastic frontier production function.The results of the tourism efficiency index for Central America(including Costa Rica,Dominica,El Salvador,Honduras,Mexico,and Panama)and South America(including Argentina,Brazil,Chile,Colombia,Ecuador,Paraguay,Peru,and Uruguay)exhibited different trends.However,after the global health crisis,the tourism industry recovered,showing new opportunities to promote sustainability.The results of the stochastic frontier production function demonstrated that countries with higher levels of inbound and outbound tourism,contribution of tourism to the economy,natural resources,and literacy rate exhibited more efficient tourism industry,whereas countries with higher pollution levels exhibited less efficient tourism industry.The findings of this study could allow us to formulate suitable public policies to promote tourism,maintain natural resources,and diversify these sectors with more inclusive programmes that can facilitate growth and benefit vulnerable communities.

Sociodemographic determinants associated with breastfeeding in term infants with low birth weight in Latin American countries

BACKGROUND A progressive decrease in exclusive breastfeeding(BF)is observed in Latin America and the Caribbean compared with global results.The possibility of being breastfed and continuing BF for>6 months is lower in low birth weight than in healthy-weight infants.AIM To identify factors associated with BF maintenance and promotion,with particular attention to low-and middle-income countries,by studying geographic,socioeconomic,and individual or neonatal health factors.METHODS A scoping review was conducted in 2018 using the conceptual model of social determinants of health published by the Commission on Equity and Health Inequalities in the United States.The extracted data with common characteristics were synthesized and categorized into two main themes:(1)Sociodemographic factors and proximal determinants involved in the initiation and maintenance of BF in low-birth-weight term infants in Latin America;and(2)individual characteristics related to the self-efficacy capacity for BF maintenance and adherence in low-birth-weight term infants.RESULTS This study identified maternal age,educational level,maternal economic capacity,social stratum,exposure to BF substitutes,access to BF information,and quality of health services as mediators for maintaining BF.CONCLUSION Individual self-efficacy factors that enable BF adherence in at-risk populations should be analyzed for better health outcomes.

Hepatitis B virus infection in Latin America:A genomic medicine approach

Hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection is the leading cause of severe chronic liver disease.This article provides a critical view of the importance of genomic medicine for the study of HBV infection and its clinical outcomes in Latin America.Three levels of evolutionary adaptation may correlate with the clinical outcomes of HBV infection.Infections in Latin America are predominantly of genotype H in Mexico and genotype F in Central and South America;these strains have historically circulated among the indigenous population.Both genotypes appear to be linked to a benign course of disease among the native and mestizo Mexicans and native South Americans.In contrast,genotypes F,A and D are common in acute and chronic infections among mestizos with Caucasian ancestry.Hepatocellular carcinoma is rare in Mexicans,but it has been associated with genotype F1b among Argentineans.This observation illustrates the significance of ascertaining the genetic and environmental factors involved in the development of HBV-related liver disease in Latin America,which contrast with those reported in other regions of the world.

Severe Global Environmental Issues Caused by Canada’s Record-Breaking Wildfires in 2023

Due to the record-breaking wildfires that occurred in Canada in 2023,unprecedented quantities of air pollutants and greenhouse gases were released into the atmosphere.The wildfires had emitted more than 1.3 Pg CO_(2)and 0.14 Pg CO_(2)equivalent of other greenhouse gases(GHG)including CH4 and N_(2)O as of 31 August.The wildfire-related GHG emissions constituted more than doubled Canada’s planned cumulative anthropogenic emissions reductions in 10 years,which represents a significant challenge to climate mitigation efforts.The model simulations showed that the Canadian wildfires impacted not only the local air quality but also that of most areas in the northern hemisphere due to long-range transport,causing severe PM_(2.5)pollution in the northeastern United States and increasing daily mean PM_(2.5)concentration in northwestern China by up to 2μg m-3.The observed maximum daily mean PM_(2.5)concentration in New York City reached 148.3μg m-3,which was their worst air quality in more than 50 years,nearly 10 times that of the air quality guideline(i.e.,15μg m-3)issued by the World Health Organization(WHO).Aside from the direct emissions from forest fires,the peat fires beneath the surface might smolder for several months or even longer and release substantial amounts of CO_(2).The substantial amounts of greenhouse gases from forest and peat fires might contribute to the positive feedback to the climate,potentially accelerating global warming.To better understand the comprehensive environmental effects of wildfires and their interactions with the climate system,more detailed research based on advanced observations and Earth System Models is essential.

Biogeochemical and physical properties influencing the nutrient reservoirs of subsurface water in the changing Canada Basin

The Canada Basin is the largest basin in the Arctic Ocean.Its unique physical features have the highest concentration of nutrients being found in the subsurface layer,referred to as the subsurface nutrient maximum layer(SNM).Under climate change in the Arctic,the SNM is an essential material base for primary productivity.However,long-term trends of nutrient variations and dominant factors related to nutrient levels in the SNM are still unclear.In this study,we analyzed the SNM variations and main influencing factors of the Canada Basin based on the Global Ocean Data Analysis Project Version 2 between 1990 and 2015 and the Chinese Arctic Research Expedition between 2010 and 2016.We found that the nutrient concentrations in the SNM were relatively stable for decades[average concentrations of nitrate,phosphate,and silicate were(13.6±2.4)μmol/L,(1.8±0.2)μmol/L,and(31.5±5.7)μmol/L,respectively].Nutrient reservoirs were dominated by physical processes.Inflow and outflow water of the SNM contributed about 60.4%and-50.2%to the nutrient stocks,respectively,while particle deposition and remineralization in the Canada Basin contributed approximately one-third to the nutrient stocks.Nitrogen fixation and denitrification in the Canada Basin had no substantial impact on nutrient stocks.The overall stabilization of the SNM over the past few decades implied that the SNM would not substantially affect short term primary productivity.Understanding the long-term trends and dominant factors of reservoirs in the SNM will provide useful insights into the changing Canada Basin ecosystem.

On Latin American Protests in 2019

A large-scale wave of mass protests broke out in fifteen Latin American countries during 2019.Some protests led to the resignation of the president and the collapse of the government.Others caused social unrest and bloody conflicts.Some protests led to a national"curfew",and the government was forced to cancel major international conferences.For a time,over ten countries were engaged in turbulent and chaotic activities.Accordingly,the 2019 Latin American protests were also dubbed"Latin America’s Turmoil"by the international media.The scale,scope and impact of the protests have been rarely seen over the last forty years.They constituted part of the global chaos of 2019.The cause was not only the anxious response of the Latin American countries facing global changes not seen for a century,but also a concentrated outbreak of political,economic and social contradictions that has been accumulating in certain Latin American countries over a long period of time.Facing unprecedented global change over a century,the Latin American countries will be able to usher in the"Latin American Spring"only if they carry out profound reform with great courage,and achieve significant progress in their political systems,economic structures,and social security systems.

Study of Canada’s Economic System from a System Thinking Perspective

This article analyzes Canada’s economic system from a systems thinking perspective.The content includes patterns of public choice(party system and power distribution),organizational framework of decision-making arrangements,information provision and coordination mechanisms,property rights system,incentive system,and welfare system.Canada’s economic system significantly influences the development of the Canadian economy,and its economic system arrangements hold reference significance for other developed and developing countries.

Climatic Factors for Limiting Northward Distribution of Eight Temperate Tree Species in Eastern North America

Eight temperate deciduous tree species, Acer rubrum L., A. saccharinum L., A. saccharum Marsh., Belluta alleghaniensis Britton., Fraxinus nigra Marsh., Quercus rubra L., Titia americana L., and Ulmus americana L. in eastern North America, were selected to explore relationship between the northward distribution of temperate tree species and climatic factors. For each species, more than 30 sites at their north limits of distribution were obtained from their distribution maps, and 11 climatic indices at the north limits were computed. The standardized standard deviation (SD) method, which compares the magnitude of variance of climatic indices, was used to detect which climatic parameter was the most important for explaining northward distribution of these species. We presume that the climatic parameter that has the smallest variance at the north limit would be assigned as the dominant climatic factor for limiting the distribution of this species. The results derived from the standardized SD method indicated that the SD value of warmth index (WI) and/or annual biotemperature (ABT) were the smallest among the 11 climatic indices. Since both WI and ABT represent growing season temperature, it suggested that growing season temperature was the most important climatic factor for explaining the northward distribution of these temperate tree species. The relationships between several climatic indices, WI, coldness index (CI), annual precipitation (AP), annual range of temperature (ART) and humid/arid index were also analyzed. As a result, at the north limits of all these species, both WI and CI decreased with an increase of AP, and CI increased with an increase of ART. Besides growing season temperature, precipitation and climatic continentality also have influence on the northward distribution of the temperate trees in eastern North America.

America的词汇理据与文化意蕴

从历时角度看,America这个词自1507年面世至今,已有500多年的历史,当时德国人用它命名哥伦布发现的新大陆,西班牙人为此愤愤不平并竭力抵制。从共时角度看,America一词仰仗"美国"的影响力,显示出特有的活力,其词义不断延伸,用法日趋扩大,能产性逐渐增强,使用频率持续攀升。从文化角度看,在发现新大陆、美洲命名和"哥伦布交流"的叙事中,America是一个关键词和文化象征符号,具有丰富的政治色彩和文化意蕴。

The Comparison between "I Hear America Singing " and "春望"

Through the introduction of the American poem "I Hear America Singing" and its writer Walt Whitman, the Chinese poem " 春望 "and its writer:杜甫, and the comparison of these two poems in prosody, language, contents and emotion, writing techniques, political views field, etc, this essay analyses further some poetic phenomenon, and also draws a vivid picture of America in 19 century and China in 8 century.

An Analysis of Dean Moriarty in On the Road——A True Hero in the 1950's America

This paper studies post-war America around the 1950's when On the Road was written and analyzes the protagonist Dean Moriarty as a spokesman of the Beat Generation.He is a typical beat who revolts against the traditional social values and chases after the spiritual complacency.In addition,he opposes wars and advocates the equality between men and women.Thus in a sense Dean is a rebellious hero and stands ahead of his age.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Latin America and Its Related Thinking

The pandemic’s huge impact on all countries and regions is the biggest black swan event in 2020 and the biggest gray rhino event in 2021.Though Latin America was the last continent attacked by COVID-19,it became in 2020 the designated epicenter of infection,surpassing Europe and catching up with the United States.The rapidity of spread in Latin America,the wide range and high incidence of infections,and the death toll were larger than in other places.The pandemic has resulted in the largest economic recession in Latin American history.It also has a significant impact on China-Latin America relations.When the pandemic in Latin American will end depends on large-scale,wide application of vaccines,strict prevention and control,and international cooperation.丁he pandemic reveals the fierce contradiction between society and nature.

12例Cronkhite Canada综合征患者临床及病理特点

目的分析北京协和医院CCS患者流行病学及临床病理特点、治疗策略及预后。方法回顾性分析,非参数Spearman相关分析判断各治疗方法的短期及远期疗效。结果 12例CCS患者均存在上消化道和下消化道息肉,以及至少1项外胚层异常。1/3患者尿蛋白阳性,1例合并肾病综合征。若联合腹痛、腹泻及便潜血阳性3项指标,则灵敏度为100%。胃镜下可见多发黏膜下黑褐色素斑,息肉病理类型以增生性息肉及腺管状腺瘤最常见。平均随访44.7月,存活率100%;10例在初始或后续治疗中加用糖皮质激素,均获不同程度缓解。糖皮质激素停药后复发者再次使用仍然有效。泼尼松≥40 mg/d较≤40 mg/d预后更佳(n=10,r=-0.655,P<0.05);单用氨基水杨酸制剂、胃黏膜保护剂、肠道益生菌、息肉电切术及肠内外营养支持均无明显疗效;氨基水杨酸制剂与较差预后相关(r=0.598,P<0.05)。结论 CCS患者可见黏膜下色素沉着及尿蛋白阳性,糖皮质激素为基础的综合治疗临床缓解率较高,提示其发病机制可能有免疫因素参与。

Chinese companies＇ outward internationalization to emerging countries： The case of Latin America

This paper aims to review and analyze the literature on the expansion of Chinese firms to Latin America. In order to achieve this objective, it first reviews the literature on the internationalization of Chinese MNCs, the theoretical frameworks discussed in the literature and the principal features of companies from China. Second, it describes the economic and political relations between the countries, specifically the threats and opportunities for Latin America and the trade and investment trends. The review shows that the majority of the current literature on Chinese MNCs has a focus on their expansion to developed countries, on the conceptual framework needed to understand this expansion, and on the competition for foreign investments from developed countries. As a result, the analysis makes evident that research gaps seem to exist in the following areas： （1） the relative value of Chinese companies＇ existing advantages, （2） the sustainability of these advantages once the lead, probably given by OEMs or JVs, had been exhausted, （3） research works based on quantitative and comparative data, （4） the motives for FDI, （5） the entry mode, configuration, control and strategy of Chinese companies investing in Latin America, and （6） the potential opportunities presented to European companies operating in Latin America.

Whether “Buy American” Could Become “Bye America”——Trade Protection in the Stimulus Package

Congress is working toward swift passage of economic stimulus legislation to jolt the U.S.economy out of a downward spiral.

Biodegradation and origin of oil sands in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin

The oil sands deposits in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin （WCSB） comprise of at least 85% of the total immobile bitumen in place in the world and are so concentrated as to be virtually the only such deposits that are economically recoverable for conversion to oil. The major deposits are in three geographic and geologic regions of Alberta： Athabasca, Cold Lake and Peace River. The bitumen reserves have oil gravities ranging from 8 to 12° API, and are hosted in the reservoirs of varying age, ranging from Devonian （Grosmont Formation） to Early Cretaceous （Mannville Group）. They were derived from light oils in the southern Alberta and migrated to the north and east for over 100 km during the Laramide Orogeny, which was responsible for the uplift of the Rocky Mountains. Biodegradation is the only process that transforms light oil into bitumen in such a dramatic way that overshadowed other alterations with minor contributions. The levels of biodegradation in the basin increasing from west （non-biodegraded） to east （extremely biodegraded） can be attributed to decreasing reservoir temperature, which played the primary role in controlling the biodegradation regime. Once the reservoir was heated to approximately 80℃, it was pasteurized and no biodegradation would further occur. However, reservoir temperature could not alone predict the variations of the oil composition and physical properties. Compositional gradients and a wide range ofbiodegradation degree at single reservoir column indicate that the water-leg size or the volume ratio of oil to water is one of the critical local controls for the vertical variations ofbiodegradation degree and oil physical properties. Late charging and mixing of the fresh and degraded oils ultimately dictate the final distribution of compositions and physical properties found in the heavy oil and oil sand fields. Oil geochemistry can reveal precisely the processes and levels that control these variations in a given field, which opens the possibility of model-driven prediction of oil properties and sweet spots in reservoirs.

Hepatocellular carcinoma in Latin America: Diagnosis and treatment challenges

Latin America, a region with a population greater than 600000000 individuals, is well known due to its wide geographic, socio-cultural and economic heterogeneity. Access to health care remains as the main barrier that challenges routine screening, early diagnosis and proper treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). Therefore, identification of population at risk, implementation of surveillance programs and access to curative treatments has been poorly obtained in the region. Different retrospective cohort studies from the region have shown flaws in the implementation process of routine surveillance and early HCC diagnosis. Furthermore, adherence to clinical practice guidelines recommendations assessed in two studies from Brazil and Argentina demonstrated that there is also room for improvement in this field, similarly than the one observed in Europe and the United States. In summary, Latin America shares difficulties in HCC decision-making processes similar to those from developed countries. However, a transversal limitation in the region is the poor access to health care with the consequent limitation to standard treatments for overall population. Specifically, universal health care access to the different World Health Organization levels is crucial, including improvement in research, education and continuous medical training in order to expand knowledge and generation of data promoting a continuous improvement in the care of HCC patients.

Role of gene polymorphisms in gastric cancer and its precursor lesions:Current knowledge and perspectives in Latin American countries

Latin America shows one of the highest incidence rates of gastric cancer in the world,with variations in mortality rates among nations or even within countries belonging to this region.Gastric cancer is the result of a multifactorial complex process,for which a multistep model of carcinogenesis is currently accepted.Additionally to the infection with Helicobacter pylori,that plays a major role,environmental factors as well as genetic susceptibility factors are significant players at different stages in the gastric cancer process.The differences in population origin,demographic structure,socio-economic development,and the impact of globalization lifestyles experienced in Latin America in the last decades,all together offer opportunities for studying in this context the influence of genetic polymorphisms in the susceptibility to gastric cancer.The aim of this article is to discuss current trends on gastric cancer in Latin American countries and to review the available published information about studies of association of gene polymorphisms involved in gastric cancer susceptibility from this region of the world.A total of 40 genes or genomic regions and69 genetic variants,58%representing markers involved in inflammatory response,have been used in a number of studies in which predominates a low number of individuals(cases and controls)included.Polymorphisms of IL-1B(-511 C/T,14 studies;-31 T/C,10 studies)and IL-1RN(variable number of tandem repeats,17 studies)are the most represented ones in the reviewed studies.Other genetic variants recently evaluated in large metaanalyses and associated with gastric cancer risk were also analyzed in a few studies[e.g.,prostate stem cell antigen(PSCA),CDH1,Survivin].Further and better analysis centered in gene polymorphisms linked to other covariates,epidemiological studies and the information provided by meta-analyses and genome-wide association studies should help to improve our understanding of gastric cancer etiology in order to develop appropriate health programs in Latin America.