Land Use Change Consistently Reduces α- But Not β- and γ-Diversity of Bees.

Land use change threatens global biodiversity and compromises ecosystem functions, including pollination and food production. Reduced taxonomic α-diversity is often reported under land use change, yet the impacts could be different at larger spatial scales (i.e.

Venom composition, toxicity and cross-neutralization by PoliVal-ICP antivenom, of Mesoamerican jumping pitvipers genus Metlapilcoatlus (Viperidae: Crotalinae).

Background: The genus Metlapilcoatlus was recently erected to include six species of stout venomous snakes, known as the jumping pitvipers, which inhabit mountainous areas of Mesoamerica. This group maintains affinity with Atropoides picadoi, another jumping pitviper with restricted distribution in Costa Rica and Panama. Although the venom of A.

Corrigendum: Ripples of change: transforming lives and communities through sport in Colombia.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2024.

Teaching Guatemalan Lay Midwives Acupressure: Outcomes and Lessons Learned.

Purpose: Lay midwives attend most births at home in Guatemala facing many challenges with limited resources. Current research demonstrates that acupressure can reduce preterm contractions and encourage post-term labor. Sharing acupressure techniques with lay midwives could improve birth outcomes in Guatemala.

Effects of a liquefied petroleum gas stove and fuel intervention on head circumference and length at birth: A multi-country household air pollution intervention network (HAPIN) trial.

Background: Air pollution may impair child growth and cognitive development, with potential markers including birth length and head circumference.

Methods: The Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) trial was an open label multi-country-randomized controlled trial, with 3200 pregnant women aged 18-34 years (9-19 weeks of gestation) randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stove intervention compared to women continuing to cook with solid fuels for 18 months. Particulate matter ≤ 2.

Longitudinal analysis of predictors of electronic cigarette trial among adolescents in Guatemala.

Background: Understanding factors influencing electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) trial in adolescents is crucial for shaping policies and interventions to reduce consumption and potentially prevent addictive tendencies, particularly in countries with weak regulations like Guatemala.

Objective: We aimed to longitudinally assess predictors of e-cigarette trial among Guatemalan adolescents surveyed in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Methods: Students (13 to 18 years old) from nine private schools completed self-administered questionnaires about e-cigarette use and associated risk factors.

Genetic diversity of from cacao trees growing in the Soconusco area, Chiapas, Mexico.

Moniliophthora roreri (Cif.) Evans et al. is the causal agent of frosty pod rot or cacao moniliasis.

Impact of social determinants of health on the outcomes of Latin American children with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C).

Importance: There is growing understanding that Social Determinants of Health (SDH) impact on the outcomes of different pediatric conditions. We aimed to determine whether SDH affect the severity of MIS-C.

Design: Retrospective cohort study, 2021-2023.

Catalyzing sustainable development: insights from the international workshop on STI policies and innovation systems in Central America.

This article examines the landscape of Science, Technology, and Innovation policies in Central America, focusing on Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. These nations face significant challenges in leveraging STI for sustainable development, including financial constraints and limited resources. Additionally, Central America struggles with systemic issues such as corruption, violence, and high levels of emigration, further complicating efforts to advance STI.

Does going against the norm on women's economic participation increase intimate partner violence risk? A cross-sectional, multi-national study.

Background: Women's economic empowerment (WEE) is believed to reduce the risk of intimate partner violence (IPV), yet the relationship between WEE and IPV has proven to be highly variable. Little attention has been given to how the normative WEE environment may influence this relationship across different settings. This study tests whether IPV is associated with Vanguard WEE, defined as individual economic participation that deviates from community norms.

Navigating immigrant paths: A case study of unaccompanied youth in foster care.

Understanding the experiences of unaccompanied youths in refugee foster care is important to tailor such systems to support the complex needs and desires of these youth. This instrumental case study sought to understand how a cohort of unaccompanied refugee youth experience refugee foster care as they navigate the "in-betweenness" of adolescence. Eight youth (ages 17-21) from Guatemala and Honduras, nine foster parents, and two staff were interviewed.

Integrated programs for common mental illnesses within primary care and community settings in Latin America: a scoping review of components and implementation strategies.

Integrated programs for common mental illnesses are evidence-informed practices yet to be routinely implemented in Latin America. It synthesizes the literature on integrated programs for common mental illnesses (anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder) in Latin American primary care and community settings. It maps program components (the 'what') to the collaborative care model core components and implementation strategies (the 'how') to the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) taxonomy.

Seroepidemiology of human leptospirosis in the Dominican Republic: A multistage cluster survey, 2021.

Little is known about the epidemiology of leptospirosis in the Dominican Republic, the second most populous country in the Caribbean. We report on findings from a multi-stage household survey across two regions in the country that reveals a previously under-estimated burden of human Leptospira infection. Our findings, based on the reference-standard microscopic agglutination test, indicate a complex picture of serogroup diversity, spatial heterogeneity in infection and risk, and a marked discrepancy between reported cases and serologically estimated infections.

Impacts of habitat fragmentation on the genetic diversity of the endangered Guatemalan fir (Abies guatemalensis Rehder).

Abies guatemalensis Rehder, an endangered conifer endemic to Central American highlands, is ecologically vital in upper montane forests. It faces threats from habitat fragmentation, unsustainable logging, and illegal Christmas tree harvesting. While previous genetic studies on mature trees from eighteen populations showed high within-population diversity and limited among-population differentiation, the genetic impact of recent anthropogenic pressures on younger generations has yet to be discovered.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Follow-up of Children and Adolescents With HIV Infection in Guatemala.

We conducted a retrospective study to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on children living with HIV in Guatemala. A reduction in physical consultations and laboratory tests was observed in prepandemic versus pandemic period. However, immunovirological status of the children showed no differences.

International prevalence patterns of low eGFR in adults aged 18-60 without traditional risk factors from a population-based cross-sectional disadvantaged populations eGFR epidemiology (DEGREE) study.

The disadvantaged populations eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) epidemiology (DEGREE) study was designed to gain insight into the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) of undetermined cause (CKDu) using standard protocols to estimate the general-population prevalence of low eGFR internationally. Therefore, we estimated the age-standardized prevalence of eGFR under 60 ml/min per 1.73m in adults aged 18-60, excluding participants with commonly known causes of CKD; an ACR (albumin/creatinine ratio) over 300 mg/g or equivalent, or self-reported or measured (HT) hypertension or (DM) diabetes mellitus, stratified by sex and location.

Barriers to advancing the sexual and reproductive health agenda in Latin America: a qualitative study of key informants' perspectives.

Background: The effective attainment of sexual, reproductive, and maternal health and rights (SRMHR) requires a holistic life-course approach. This approach should address disparities in healthcare access and rights, guarantee the delivery of high-quality care devoid of discrimination, and underscore rigorous accountability mechanisms throughout the implementation process. Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries face significant disparities in SRMHR within and between nations.

The double life of glucose metabolism: brain health, glycemic homeostasis, and your patients with type 2 diabetes.

The maintenance of cognitive function is essential for quality of life and health outcomes in later years. Cognitive impairment, however, remains an undervalued long-term complication of type 2 diabetes by patients and providers alike. The burden of sustained hyperglycemia includes not only cognitive deficits but also the onset and progression of dementia-related conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Effectiveness of an Online Medical Spanish Course in Improving Medical Students' Spanish Proficiency.

Introduction: A growing need exists for language-concordant healthcare for Spanish speakers in the United States. More than three-quarters of American medical schools provide Spanish language instruction, but little data exists on best practices. The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine whether an online medical Spanish course is effective at improving medical students' Spanish proficiency.

Clinical Actionability of the NUDT15 *4 (p.R139H) Allele and Its Association With Hispanic Ethnicity.

Nudix hydrolase 15 (NUDT15) deficiency is strongly associated with thiopurine-induced myelosuppression. Currently, testing for NUDT15 deficiency is based on the genotyping of the most frequent and clinically characterized no-function variants, that is, *2, *3 and *9. The Hispanic/Latino-predominant variant NUDT15 *4 (p.

Ripples of change: transforming lives and communities through sport in Colombia.

The Colombianitos Foundation (CF) is a pioneering youth development organization that utilizes football as a pedagogical instrument to promote life skills, civic values, and social inclusion in vulnerable communities across Colombia. This study aims to challenge the foundational assumption that sport can catalyze positive change and impart civic values, by investigating the perceived change and efficacy of the CFs Goals for a Better Life program on positive youth development in Colombia. Employing a qualitative research methodology, 28 in-depth interviews with administrators and coaches were conducted, followed by a content analysis to identify thematic patterns.

Assessment of community readiness to address malnutrition in rural southwest Guatemala.

Background: Malnutrition is prevalent throughout southwest Guatemala, where >40% of children suffer from chronic undernutrition. Evidence supports that assessing a community's awareness and readiness to address malnutrition is a critical first step in improving the success of a nutrition intervention program. The objective of this study was to apply the community readiness model (CRM) to assess community readiness to address childhood malnutrition in a rural southwest region of Guatemala.

First Reported Case of atypical Cogan's Syndrome in Central America.

Case Report: Case report of a 51 year old patient diagnosed with atypical Cogan's syndrome. The patient exhibited interstitial keratitis, anterior uveitis, and long-standing profound deafness. The treatment was based on topical and systemic steroids, resulting in a satisfactory evolution and currently in clinical remission.