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Andean Region (andean + region)
Selected AbstractsTowards a New Articulation of Alternative Development: Lessons from Coca Supply Reduction in BoliviaDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 4 2004Noam Lupu Once heralded as the success story of coca supply reduction, Bolivia is now witnessing an increase in coca cultivation. Even as coca fields in Bolivia were forcibly destroyed in the past decade, new fields were being planted elsewhere, leaving coca production in the Andean region at a roughly constant level. This begs a rethinking of alternative development programmes, the policies being rendered ineffectual by the increasing use of force. This article seeks renewed momentum for alternative development by gleaning lessons from its earlier failures. Moreover, it suggests a new articulation of alternative development that emphasises the socio-economic cause of coca cultivation , the demand by the rural poor of Bolivia for income and food security. [source] Panbiogeographical analysis of the genus Bomarea (Alstroemeriaceae)JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 7 2008Fernando Alzate Abstract Aim, A panbiogeographical analysis of the genus Bomarea was undertaken in order to determine generalized tracks and biogeographical nodes, and to evaluate the current distribution of the genus based on the available tectonic information and the biogeographical regionalization of Latin America. Location, The Neotropical region from northern Mexico to northern Argentina, and the Nearctic and Andean regions. Method, A total of 2205 records of 101 species were analysed, representing 95% of the species assigned to Bomarea. Localities were represented on maps and their individual tracks were drawn. Based on their comparison, generalized tracks were detected and mapped. Nodes were identified in the areas where different generalized tracks were superimposed. Results, Five generalized tracks were recovered. One is located in the Eastern Central America and Western Panamanian Isthmus provinces (Caribbean subregion, Neotropical region), which was supported by three species of Central American distribution. The four remaining generalized tracks were located in South America, in the North Andean Paramo, Cauca and Puna biogeographical provinces. These tracks were supported by species of Bomarea with an Andean distribution. Biogeographical nodes were established in the Central Andean region of Colombia, central Ecuador and central Peru. Main conclusions, The nodes obtained for Bomarea support a hybrid origin for the Andean region, which presents diverse components from both northern and southern South America. Likewise, the track recovered between Colombia and Ecuador includes Andean and Neotropical areas, providing further support for this hypothesis. The nodes obtained are coherent with vicariant elements evident for Bomarea. Species of three clades proposed for Bomarea are distributed in specific generalized tracks. [source] Distributive impacts of the food price crisis in the Andean regionJOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Issue 7 2010José Cuesta Abstract This study analyses the distributive consequences associated with the recent international food price crisis in the Andean region. The study explores the distributive repercussions of the crisis by means of a simple simulation exercise which isolates the direct and short-term effects of actual increases in food prices across the Andean region. The paper finds substantive and heterogeneous poverty impacts, ranging from two to six per cent points in the incidence of poverty. Results are found very sensitive to the net consumer (or producer) position of the household, and less so across other characteristics of the household. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Morphology and metamorphosis of Eupsophus calcaratus tadpoles (anura: Leptodactylidae)JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY, Issue 2 2005M.F. Vera Candioti Abstract Eupsophus calcaratus, a leptodactyloid frog from the austral Andean forests of Argentina and Chile, has endotrophic, nidicolous tadpoles. We studied a metamorphic series from Stages 31 to 46 of Gosner's developmental table (1960). Other than the scarce pigmentation, proportionately large eyes, and massive developing hindlimbs, the remaining external characters are similar to those of generalized, exotrophic larvae. At the same time, internal morphology does not reveal any character state attributable to the endotrophic-nidicolous way of life; conversely, structures such as the hyobranchial skeleton and the mandibular cartilages are similar to those of exotrophic-macrophagous tadpoles. The metamorphic process is characterized by the delayed development of diverse structures (e.g., ethmoid region, palatoquadrate, and hyobranchial apparatus), and the retention of some larval characters (e.g., parietal fenestrae, overall absence of ossification) with the absence of development of some "juvenile" characters (e.g., adult otic process, several bones) in metamorphosed individuals. These heterochronic processes and truncation of larval development are related to a shorter larval life (when compared to other species of the austral Andean region) and to the small size at metamorphosis. J. Morphol. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Violence and weapon-related trauma at Puruchuco-Huaquerones, PeruAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 4 2010Melissa S. Murphy Abstract Conquest of indigenous peoples in North America is understood primarily through ethnohistorical documents, archaeological evidence, and osteological analyses. However, in the Central Andes, the colonial enterprise and its effects are understood only from postcontact historical and ethnohistorical sources. Few archaeological and bioarchaeological studies have investigated Spanish Conquest and colonialism in the Andean region [for exceptions see Klaus and Tam: Am J Phys Anthropol 138 (2009) 356,368; Wernke, in press; and Quilter, in press]. Here we describe bioarchaeological evidence of violence from the cemeteries of Huaquerones and 57AS03 within the archaeological zone of Puruchuco-Huaquerones, Peru (circa A.D. 1470,1540). A total of 258 individuals greater than 15 years of age were analyzed for evidence of traumatic injuries. Individuals were examined macroscopically and evidence of traumatic injuries was analyzed according to the skeletal element involved, the location of the injury on the skeletal element, and any additional complications of the injury. This study examines and compares the evidence of perimortem injuries on skeletonized individuals from the two cemeteries and focuses specifically on the interpretation of weapon-related perimortem injuries. Evidence of perimortem trauma is present in both cemeteries (18.6%, 48/258); however, the frequency of injuries in 57AS03 is greater than that in Huaquerones (25.0% vs. 13.0%). Several injuries from 57AS03 are consistent with documented cases of injuries from firearms and 16th Century European weapons. We believe that the nature and high frequency of perimortem trauma at 57AS03 provide evidence of the violence that occurred with Spanish Conquest of the Inca Empire. Am J Phys Anthropol 142:636,649, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Subjective effects of Lepidium meyenii (Maca) extract on well-being and sexual performances in patients with mild erectile dysfunction: a randomised, double-blind clinical trialANDROLOGIA, Issue 2 2009T. Zenico Summary Lepidium meyenii (Maca) is a cultivated root belonging to the brassica family used in the Andean region for its supposed aphrodisiac properties. We carried out a double-blind clinical trial on 50 Caucasian men affected by mild erectile dysfunction (ED), randomised to treatment with Maca dry extract, 2400 mg, or placebo. The treatment effect on ED and subjective well-being was tested administrating before and after 12 weeks the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) and the Satisfaction Profile (SAT-P). After 12 weeks of treatment, both Maca- and placebo-treated patients experienced a significant increase in IIEF-5 score (P < 0.05 for both). However, patients taking Maca experienced a more significant increase than those taking placebo (1.6 ± 1.1 versus 0.5 ± 0.6, P < 0.001). Both Maca- and placebo-treated subjects experienced a significant improvement in psychological performance-related SAT-P score, but the Maca group higher than that of placebo group (+9 ± 6 versus +6 ± 5, P < 0.05). However, only Maca-treated patients experienced a significant improvement in physical and social performance-related SAT-P score compared with the baseline (+7 ± 6 and +7 ± 6, both P < 0.05). In conclusion, our data support a small but significant effect of Maca supplementation on subjective perception of general and sexual well-being in adult patients with mild ED. [source] Tropaeolum tuberosum (Mashua) reduces testicular function: effect of different treatment timesANDROLOGIA, Issue 6 2008I. Cárdenas-Valencia Summary Tropaeolum tuberosum Ruiz & Pavon, along with other several species, is an edible-tuber crop that grows in the Andean region. Folk medicine describes the use of mashua to reduce reproductive function in men. The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of mashua (1 g kg,1) on sperm production in rats during 7, 12, 21 and 42 days of treatment. The following parameters were assessed: reproductive organ weights, spermatid count and daily sperm production (DSP), sperm count in epididymis and sperm transit and serum testosterone levels. Freeze-dried extract of mashua had 3.7 g 100 g,1 of benzyl glucosinolate. Mashua-treated rats showed a reduction in testicular spermatid number and DSP from day 12 to day 42; meanwhile, the effect of mashua was noted in epididymal sperm count after 12 and 42 days of treatment. In addition, epididymal sperm transit time was delayed at day 7 and it was accelerated on days 12 and 21 of treatment. No differences in serum testosterone levels were found between rats treated with vehicle and mashua after 42 days of treatment. Finally, mashua reduces testicular function after one spermatogenic cycle by reducing spermatid and sperm number, DSP and epididymal sperm transit time. [source] Effect of Black maca (Lepidium meyenii) on one spermatogenic cycle in ratsANDROLOGIA, Issue 5 2006G. F. Gonzales Summary Lepidium meyenii (Maca) grows exclusively between 4000 and 4500 m above sea level in the Peruvian central Andes. The hypocotyls of this plant are traditionally used in the Andean region for their supposed fertility-enhancing properties. The hypocotyls have different colours. Of these, Black maca has better effects on spermatogenesis. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that Black maca has early effects during a spermatogenic cycle (12 days) of male rats. For this, testicular spermatid, epididymal sperm and vas deferens sperm counts were measured after 1, 3, 5, 7 and 12 days of treatment with Black maca. Aqueous extract of Black maca was given orally by daily gavage at a dose of 2 g kg,1. In a spermatogenic cycle, compared with day 1, daily sperm production (DSP) was lower at day 7 (control), whereas with Black maca, the difference was observed at day 12. Epididymal sperm count was higher in rats treated with Black maca at days 1, 3 and 7, but similar to controls at days 5 and 12; similarly sperm counts in vas deferens was higher in rats treated with Black maca in days 3, 5 and 7, but similar to controls at days 1 and 12. From this, it is suggested that first action of Black maca was at epididymal level increasing sperm count after 1 day of treatment, whereas an increase in sperm count was observed in vas deferens at day 3 of treatment. Finally, an increase in DSP was observed after 7 days of treatment with Black maca. Testicular testosterone was not affected after 7 days treatment with Black maca. In conclusion, Black maca affects sperm count as early as 1 day after beginning of treatment. [source] | |||||||||||||