Hurricane Irma devastated the island of Barbuda in September 2017. Motivated by the need to assess the population status of the endemic Barbuda Warbler Setophaga subita and resident Yellow Warbler S. petechia bartholemica, we used distance sampling to estimate total abundance (i.e. density and population size in a well-defined survey region, accounting for incomplete counts due to imperfect detection) in October 2017 and March 2019. Vocalising warblers were more detectable than non-vocalising warblers (two-tailed z scores >2.01, P values <0.04). In October 2017, detectability and density of the Barbuda Warbler were higher at points where the Yellow Warbler was undetected than detected (z > 2.20, P <0.03), suggesting competitive interactions following the hurricane. However, detectability did not differ (z = 0.45, P = 0.62) and density was higher (z = 2.11, P = 0.03) for the Barbuda Warbler at points where the Yellow Warbler was detected than undetected in March 2019, suggesting non-competitive coexistence after population recovery. The density (i.e. no. individuals/ha) and population size (no. individuals in the 9,000-ha survey region) of the Barbuda Warbler increased (z = -2.60, P = 0.01) from 0.27 (SE = 0.03) and 2,436 (SE = 261) in October 2017 to 0.40 (SE = 0.02) and 3,570 (SE = 171) in March 2019. The density and population size of the Yellow Warbler also increased (z = -2.40, P = 0.02) from 0.68 (SE = 0.03) and 6,093 (SE = 269) in October 2017 to 0.80 (SE = 0.04) and 7,158 (SE = 358) in March 2019. Owing to the small distribution range and threats from hurricanes and habitat loss on the island, the Barbuda Warbler should remain classified as “Vulnerable” to extinction. However, the more abundant and widely distributed Yellow Warbler should remain classified as of “Least Concern”.

In the highlands of northern Chile, research on industrial mining camps and agropastoral sites (estancias) shows the relevance of a contemporary archaeology perspective for studying the impacts of capitalist expansion, ruination and deindustrialisation for local Indigenous communities.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global health threat, projected to cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050. Addressing AMR requires a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach encompassing infectious disease (ID) clinicians, pharmacists, microbiologists, infection preventionists, and policymakers. The inaugural AMR Summit, hosted by bioMérieux in collaboration with Tampa General Hospital and the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine in November 2024, convened experts from various fields to explore innovative strategies for combating AMR. Key topics discussed included the role of multidisciplinary teams in antimicrobial stewardship programs, advancements in rapid diagnostic tests and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, the application of implementation science in AMR, and the integration of next-generation sequencing in ID diagnostics. The summit underscored the importance of diagnostic innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, policy, advocacy, and public engagement in advancing efforts against AMR.

Studying deep-water shark species presents inherent challenges stemming from the difficulty in accessing their habitats, coupled with factors such as low population densities, intricate behaviours, and complex biological attributes. The integration of citizen scientists, particularly fishers, offers a valuable avenue to make use of their life-long insights and expertise, thus facilitating the acquisition of crucial data that can effectively enhance the realm of shark research. Our collaborative engagement with fishers since 2017 has yielded an extensive documentation concerning elasmobranchs in the Caribbean region of Puerto Rico providing a unique opportunity to formally record species hitherto unreported. This is exemplified by the first documentation of the smalltooth sandtiger shark (Odontaspis ferox (Risso, 1810)). Despite its broad geographic range and widespread distribution in temperate and tropical marine environments, there is a lack of comprehensive scientific understanding and limited available knowledge regarding this species. A noteworthy finding on December 30, 2020, near Rincón (northwest coast) in Puerto Rico, disclosed a large shark that an experienced fisher had captured as an unidentified by-catch at a depth of 325 m. Through an interdisciplinary approach using molecular (355 bp, Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 1) and morphological techniques, we successfully confirmed the identity of the specimen as a female smalltooth sandtiger shark. Given the limited information available (e.g., diversity, abundance, behaviour, reproduction, distribution) on shark species in the coastal and deep waters of Puerto Rico, this report provides valuable new data that can significantly contribute to the conservation efforts to protect these enigmatic yet ecologically vital predators.

The Puerto Rico Plain Pigeon Patagioenas inornata wetmorei suffered a severe population decline after hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017. We used distance sampling to estimate abundance (density and population size) in April–June 1986−2024, accounting for changes in detection probability. We used the distance-sampling abundance estimates to populate a Bayesian state–space logistic model and update posterior estimates of population carrying capacity, maximum population growth rate, population recovery time, and predicted abundance in April–June 2025−2034, accounting for observation and process variances. In addition, we used predicted abundance to assess potential extinction risk (probability Pr[N2025−2034 = 0|data]), population self-sustainability above 5,000 individuals (Pr[N2025−2034 >5,000|data]), and population surpassing the 2.5th percentile of carrying capacity (Pr[N2025−2034 >30,000|data]). The population has not recovered from the hurricanes, with estimated density averaging 0.0015 individuals/ha (bootstrapped standard error [SE] = 0.0006) and population size averaging 1,097 individuals (SE = 455) at the 749,000-ha survey region in April–June 2018−2024. Posterior mean estimates were 41,580 individuals (Markov Chain Monte Carlo standard deviation [SD] = 8,052) for population carrying capacity, 0.183 (SD = 0.056) for maximum population growth rate, six years (SD = 2) for recovery time, and 7,173 individuals (SD = 12,309) for predicted abundance in April–June 2025−2034. The population may reach self-sustainability levels (range Pr[N2025−2034 >5,000|data] = 0.326−0.631) but currently is undergoing a prolonged bottleneck and may become extinct (range Pr[N2025−2034 = 0|data] = 0.199−0.332), particularly if reproduction continues to be mostly unsuccessful, anthropogenic disturbances remain unabated, and on top of that another devastating hurricane makes landfall during the next 10 years. The Puerto Rico Plain Pigeon subspecies is in urgent need of management aiming to increase and maintain abundance above 5,000 individuals but preferably surpassing the 2.5th percentile of population carrying capacity as in the late 1990s (range Pr[N2025−2034 >30,000|data] = 0.000−0.181).

Bilingual adults use semantic context to manage cross-language activation while reading. An open question is how lexical, contextual and individual differences simultaneously constrain this process. We used eye-tracking to investigate how 83 French–English bilinguals read L2-English sentences containing interlingual homographs (chat) and control words (pact). Between subjects, sentences biased target language or non-target language meanings (English = conversation; French = feline). Both conditions contained unbiased control sentences. We examined the impact of word- and participant-level factors (cross-language frequency and L2 age of acquisition/AoA and reading entropy, respectively). There were three key results: (1) L2 readers showed global homograph interference in late-stage reading (total reading times) when English sentence contexts biased non-target French homograph meanings; (2) interference increased as homographs’ non-target language frequency increased and L2 AoA decreased; (3) increased reading entropy globally facilitated early-stage reading (gaze durations) in the non-target language bias condition. Thus, cross-language activation during L2 reading is constrained by multiple factors.

Although octopuses are the third most fished marine invertebrate species in Puerto Rico, there is a lack of information about this fishery. Here, we present the first small-scale study assessing the genetic diversity and connectivity of Octopus vulgaris in Puerto Rico. To achieve this, we applied double-digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing, using the restriction enzymes EcoRI and SphI in 43 specimens captured from ten locations representing three geographic regions. We used F-statistics and Bayesian analysis to evaluate over 2000 polymorphic loci. We found high genetic connectivity (FST = 0.0008, FST = 0.005), high nucleotide diversity (π ≈ 0.1), and moderate genetic diversity (HO ≈ 0.255–0.361, HE ≈ 0.258–0.373) between the studied regions. In contrast to our expectations, given oceanographic characteristics and distance between the geographic regions, our results suggest a single admixed population of O. vulgaris in Puerto Rico, with no differentiation between the sampled regions. Even though genomics techniques are powerful for inferring population connectivity, researchers should be cognizant of protocol limitations to retain the most reliable information possible.

Despite the importance of the commercially harvested benthopelagic fish Beryx mollis, little information is available on their adult phase and reproduction. This is likely due to the low abundance of this species compared to Beryx splendens and Beryx decadactylus as well as misidentification of Beryx spp. In this study, early life stages of B. mollis were found in the southwest region off Sri Lanka during a survey with research vessel Dr Fridtjof Nansen in 2018, coinciding with the southwest monsoon period. As morphological characteristics of eggs and larval stages of the three Beryx spp. are very similar, visual identification to differentiate to species level has always been challenging. Therefore, in this study, DNA barcoding was carried out targeting the mitochondrial COI gene. Molecular analysis confirmed that the collected egg and larvae belonged to the B. mollis species due to their high identity (>99%) with reference to previously submitted adult B. mollis sequences in the GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis showed a closer evolutionary relationship among B. mollis and B. splendens than with B. decadactylus. To the best of our knowledge this is the first genetic and morphological confirmation of B. mollis egg and larvae worldwide and suggests the southwest coastal area in Sri Lanka, in the north central Indian Ocean, as a potential spawning ground for this species.

Objectives/Goals: Pregnancy increases vulnerability to stress and mental health symptoms, particularly among Hispanic women in Puerto Rico (PR), a population with unique socioenvironmental adversities, such as poverty and natural disasters. This study examined the relationships between life adversities and psychological distress in this at-risk population. Methods/Study Population: Participants (n = 50) in this cross-sectional study were recruited from an obstetrician’s office in Southern PR. All participants provided written consent and completed the Adverse Life Experiences Scale (ALES, Cronbach’s alpha = 0.71) to identify lifelong adversities faced and the overall duration (chronicity). Measures of psychological distress included the Perinatal Anxiety Screening Scale (PASS, Cronbach’s alpha = 0.96), the Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale (EDPS, Cronbach’s alpha = 0.87), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS, Cronbach’s alpha = 0.79), and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS, Cronbach’s alpha = 0.86). Descriptive and Spearman’s rho correlation analyses were conducted. Results/Anticipated Results: The mean age of the participants was 27.90 years (SD = 6.05), with most in the first trimester (66.0%). On average, participants reported 4.32 (SD = 3.1) out of 23 lifetime adversities. The most common adversities were natural disasters (60.0%), loss of a beloved (58.0%), and financial difficulties (38.0%). Nearly half (44.0%) experienced five or more adversities. A significant number of participants met the clinical threshold for anxiety (38.0%, PASS), depression risk (22.0%, EPDS), moderate-to-severe perceived stress (52.0%, PSS), and low resilience (24.0%, BRS). The overall duration of adversities was significantly associated with anxiety (rs = 0.50, p = 0.001) and stress (rs = 0.50, p = 0.007). Discussion/Significance of Impact: Hispanic pregnant women in PR face high levels of adversity and distress, which can negatively affect both maternal health and fetal development, influencing long-term child outcomes. Early identification and targeted interventions addressing adversities, can improve maternal mental health and child health-development outcomes.

Objectives/Goals: The goal of this work is to understand the physiological profile of phage susceptibility and identify candidate phage defense mechanisms. Additionally, it aims to determine the host receptors targeted by bacteriophages to infect E. coli O157:H7 through random bar code transposon-site sequencing (RB-TnSeq). Methods/Study Population: A collection of 109 E. coli O157:H7 strains from environmental, food, and animal sources were analyzed, representing phylogenetic lineages corresponding to clades 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 8. Phage susceptibility profiles were determined using 23 bacteriophages, assessing plaque morphology. Using the O157:H7 genomes, a genomic analysis was conducted with the Prokaryotic Antiviral Defense Locator (PADLOC), which identified putative phage defense systems through sequence homology. Additionally, 5 RB-TnSeq libraries were generated in representative strains to study loss-of-function mutations. These libraries will be screened against a subset of diverse phage to identify the receptors involved in phage adsorption. Results/Anticipated Results: The phage resistance patterns showed susceptibility varied across clades, suggesting distinct mechanisms. Several defense systems were identified using PADLOC, including restriction-modification, Cas, Lamassu, and Druantia. Phage defense candidate (PDC) systems were identified, showing homology to known systems, though their specific function remains unknown. Clade 7.2 exhibited higher phage resistance and a greater presence of PDCs compared to the other clades. Five saturated RB-TnSeq libraries were constructed in O157:H7, achieving 84.5–89% gene coverage. These libraries will facilitate the identification of receptors involved in phage adsorption and resistance. Discussion/Significance of Impact: This study deepens our understanding of phage resistance in E. coli O157:H7 by identifying key defense systems and receptors. The discovery of novel antiviral mechanisms offers promising targets for phage-based interventions, potentially enhancing strategies for controlling this dangerous pathogen.

Objectives/Goals: To evaluate the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH), specifically socioeconomic status and medical insurance coverage, on access to mental health services for adults aged 60 and older served by Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) in Puerto Rico. Methods/Study Population: A secondary retrospective analysis of electronic health records from FQHCs in Puerto Rico will be conducted to examine the relationship between SDOH needs and mental health service utilization among adults aged 60 years and older receiving primary care. SDOH data will be collected using the PRAPARE® tool, assessing factors such as socioeconomic status, insurance coverage, and emotional support, with a focus on identifying unmet needs. Multivariable and logistic regression models, using Stata v.17, will be employed to evaluate correlations between these SDOH factors and mental health service utilization, adjusting for age, gender, and mental health conditions. This analysis aims to quantify the impact of SDOH on access to mental health services and elucidate key barriers to care for older adults in Puerto Rico. Results/Anticipated Results: We anticipate that lower socioeconomic status, lack of supplemental insurance, and inadequate family support will be strongly associated with the underutilization of mental health services among older adults in Puerto Rico. These disparities are expected to be more pronounced in individuals with limited income, weaker family networks, leading to significant gaps in access to necessary mental health care. Barriers such as healthcare insecurity, financial hardship, and fragmented support systems will likely emerge as major obstacles. By including patients from both rural and urban regions, the study will capture the distinct challenges each population faces, enhancing the contextual relevance of the findings to broader populations, ultimately informing policy and developing intervention strategies. Discussion/Significance of Impact: The findings will provide crucial insights for developing targeted interventions to enhance mental health care access for older adults in Puerto Rico. These results will inform policy development and public health strategies, addressing disparities and promoting equitable care in underserved populations.