Geographical distribution plays a major role in our understanding of marine biodiversity. Some marine fish trematodes have been shown to have highly restricted geographical distributions, while some are known to occur over very wide ranges; however, very few of these wide distributions have been demonstrated genetically. Here, we analyse species of the genus Schikhobalotrema (Haplosplanchnidae) parasitizing beloniforms from the tropical west Pacific, the eastern Pacific and the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). We test the boundaries of these trematodes by integrating molecular and morphological data, host association, habitat of the hosts and geographical distribution, following a recently proposed and standardized delineation method for the recognition of marine trematode species. Based on the new collections, Schikhobalotrema huffmani is here synonymized with the type-species of the genus, Schikhobalotrema acutum; Sch. acutum is now considered to be widely distributed, from the GoM to the western Pacific. Additionally, we describe a new species, Schikhobalotrema minutum n. sp., from Strongylura notata and Strongylura marina (Belonidae) from La Carbonera coastal lagoon, northern Yucatán, GoM. We briefly discuss the role of host association and historical biogeography of the hosts as drivers of species diversification of Schikhobalotrema infecting beloniforms.

Women with a history of preeclampsia (PE) have a greater risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). In turn, pregnancy at high altitude is a risk factor for PE. However, whether women who develop PE during highland pregnancy are at risk of PAH before and after birth has not been investigated. We tested the hypothesis that during highland pregnancy, women who develop PE are at greater risk of PAH compared to women undergoing healthy highland pregnancies. The study was on 140 women in La Paz, Bolivia (3640m). Women undergoing healthy highland pregnancy were controls (C, n = 70; 29 ± 3.3 years old, mean±SD). Women diagnosed with PE were the experimental group (PE, n = 70, 31 ± 2 years old). Conventional (B- and M-mode, PW Doppler) and modern (pulsed wave tissue Doppler imaging) ultrasound were applied for cardiovascular íííassessment. Spirometry determined maternal lung function. Assessments occurred at 35 ± 4 weeks of pregnancy and 6 ± 0.3 weeks after birth. Relative to highland controls, highland PE women had enlarged right ventricular (RV) and right atrial chamber sizes, greater pulmonary artery dimensions and increased estimated RV contractility, pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. Highland PE women had lower values for peripheral oxygen saturation, forced expiratory flow and the bronchial permeability index. Differences remained 6 weeks after birth. Therefore, women who develop PE at high altitude are at greater risk of PAH before and long after birth. Hence, women with a history of PE at high altitude have an increased cardiovascular risk that transcends the systemic circulation to include the pulmonary vascular bed.

The Dasylirion genus is highly represented in the arid and semi-arid regions of Mexico and USA, playing important ecological and economical roles. Inferring the evolutionary patterns of this group will eventually facilitate understanding biological phenomena and outlining conservation and usage strategies. We performed a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on two chloroplast DNA regions: maturase-K gene (matK) and the large subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase gene (rbcL). We constructed a phylogenetic tree by maximum likelihood with GTR as the sequence substitution model and a relaxed clock, inferred diversification patterns by lineage through time and explored the diversification rates of Dasylirion by the Yule model. The study included 11 species of the genus, which represent 50% of all its known species. We used two calibration points to date the tree, one based on fossil records of Acorus gramineus, and the other on the estimated stem age of the Yucca genus. The combined sequences of the two partial genes comprised 1455 bp and 18 polymorphic sites. We estimated an average substitution rate of 0.0005 nucleotide per million years for the concatenated DNA sequences. The molecular dating analysis estimated that the Dasylirion genus appeared more than 5.46 million years ago, with a rate of diversification of 0.0466 net speciation events per million years. The estimated age represents a lower bound, since not all Dasylirion species are included. These findings are consistent with other origin and diversification hypotheses for arid-land Asparagaceae in the Mexican highlands as a result of geomorphological events in North America.

The Mexican tetra Astyanax mexicanus presents two contrasting morphs, a widely distributed surface morph and a cave-adapted morph. These cave-adapted morphs have evolved independently from two different lineages (i.e. ‘old’ and ‘new’ lineages); therefore, this model system gives a unique opportunity to explore parallel adaptive evolution in biological traits. The present study corresponds to the first morphological description of the Astyanax mexicanus maturation process of the spermatozoa and oocytes, using thermal and hormonal stimuli to promote spermatogenesis and oogenesis, considering surface and cave morphs from both lineages. We corroborate the relevance of thermal and hormonal stimuli to promote gamete maturation. The hormone Ovaprim (GnRHa + Domperidone) is an effective promoter of ovarian development, maturation end in oocytes and spawning in Astyanax mexicanus. The sperm morphology of Astyanax mexicanus includes the sperm head, the midpiece, and tail or flagellum. We found differences in the spermatozoan total length between environments (F = 9.929, P = 0.05) and linages (F = 49.86, P = 0.005). The oocytes showed a spherical conformation with a mean diameter of 822.4 ± 194.1 μm for the surface populations, and 604.6 ± 38.3 µm for the cave populations. The oocyte chorion presents ridges and grooves that are arranged radially towards the micropyle. A plug in the micropyle zone was observed after fertilization, confirmed by the outer membrane of the chorion, which provides some weak adhesiveness to the substrate. We observed differences in chorion thickness between the contrasting environmental conditions. This is the first morphological characterization of the Sótanos Vázquez, Escondido and Tigre, which previous to this study were only known from speleological expeditions, with no previous biological information available.

Mesozoic ferns from Mexico have been the subject of serious academic endeavours since the beginning of the 20th Century, to understand these plants at the time of their peak diversity. Most findings have been made in a set of Middle Jurassic Basins of the Mixtec Terrain in the Oaxaca State. However, fossil ferns are scarce in other assemblages, so further identification of this group has been infrequent. Here we describe six new and recently collected fossil plants from the Middle Jurassic Otlaltepec Formation, Puebla. Based on their fertile and vegetative fronds, we propose the new genus Paralophosoria Morales-Toledo, Mendoza-Ruiz & Cevallos-Ferriz, gen. nov. in the Dicksoniaceae, represented by Paralophosoria jurassica, Morales-Toledo, Mendoza-Ruiz & Cevallos-Ferriz, sp. nov., and identify the following genera: cf. Aspidistes, Sphenopteris, Spiropteris. A fern with uncertain affinities was also described. This work contributes to the understanding of fern diversity in low latitudes during the Middle Jurassic in Mexico.

An annotated checklist of the helminth parasites associated with reptiles from Peru is provided, as the result of a compilation of parasitological papers published between 1963 and January 2022 and records of species deposited in national and international collections. The list provides data on hosts, developmental stage, sites of infection, geographical distribution in Peruvian territory, code of material deposited in helminthological collections, references and taxonomic notes. The database includes records of 106 different species of helminth parasites (82 nominal species and 24 taxa identified at the generic level), the majority in the adult stage. These helminth parasites come from 18 of the 25 official Peruvian regions. Nematodes have the highest richness in number of species (79 species), followed by trematodes (17 species) and cestodes (nine species). The acanthocephalans are represented by only one species. The parasites with the highest number of records were Physaloptera retusa Rudolphi, 1819 (11 hosts), Physalopteroides venancioi (Lent, Freitas & Proença, 1946) (nine hosts), Strongyluris oscari Travassos, 1923 (seven hosts), and Parapharyngodon scleratus Travassos, 1923 (five hosts), all of which are nematodes. The 106 taxa of helminth parasites have been reported infecting 55 species of reptiles in Peru, distributed in 34 genera and 14 families. The reptile species harbouring the highest number of helminth parasites are the yellow-footed tortoise Chelonoidis denticulatus (Linnaeus) with 18 species (three trematodes and 15 nematodes), followed by the Peru desert tegu Dicrodon guttulatum Duméril & Bibron (Teiidae) with 11 species (three cestodes and eight nematodes) and the yellow-spotted Amazon River turtle Podocnemis unifilis Troschel (Podocnemididae) with 10 species (five trematodes and five nematodes). Of the 524 species of reptiles reported in Peru, only 55 (>10%) are reported as hosts of helminths representing a small proportion considering the great variety of reptile hosts that inhabit the various tropical and subtropical geographical areas of Peru.

Contemporary theories of early development and emerging child psychopathology all posit a major, if not central role for physiological responsiveness. To understand infants’ potential risk for emergent psychopathology, consideration is needed to both autonomic reactivity and environmental contexts (e.g., parent–child interactions). The current study maps infants’ arousal during the face-to-face still-face paradigm using skin conductance (n = 255 ethnically-diverse mother–infant dyads; 52.5% girls, mean infant age = 7.4 months; SD = 0.9 months). A novel statistical approach was designed to model the potential build-up of nonlinear counter electromotive force over the course of the task. Results showed a significant increase in infants’ skin conductance between the Baseline Free-play and the Still-Face phase, and a significant decrease in skin conductance during the Reunion Play when compared to the Still-Face phase. Skin conductance during the Reunion Play phase remained significantly higher than during the Baseline Play phase; indicating that infants had not fully recovered from the mild social stressor. These results further our understanding of infant arousal during dyadic interactions, and the role of caregivers in the development of emotion regulation during infancy.

We extend the classical notion of standardly stratified k-algebra (stated for finite dimensional k-algebras) to the more general class of rings, possibly without 1, with enough idempotents. We show that many of the fundamental results, which are known for classical standardly stratified algebras, can be generalized to this context. Furthermore, new classes of rings appear as: ideally standardly stratified and ideally quasi-hereditary. In the classical theory, it is known that quasi-hereditary and ideally quasi-hereditary algebras are equivalent notions, but in our general setting, this is no longer true. To develop the theory, we use the well-known connection between rings with enough idempotents and skeletally small categories (ringoids or rings with several objects).

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: The overall goal of this project is to enhance the use of GCRA in Latina breast cancer survivors at high risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer to reduce disparities in GCRA uptake. The aims of the study are to (1) develop a cultural adaptation of an evidence-based TGC intervention that consists of phone genetic counseling and a booklet, (2) evaluate the impact of TGC Versus Usual Care, and (3) explore the communication patterns in TGC and genetic counseling sessions with an interpreter. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We are conducting a 2-phase, mixed methods study. In Phase I we will develop a cultural adaption of an evidence-based intervention (TGC) for high-risk Latina breast cancer survivors using the Learner Verification and Revision Framework (n=15). In Phase II we will use a cluster randomized design with four community sites randomized to Spanish TGC (n=2 sites) or usual care (n=2 sites) (n=60; 15 per site). The primary outcome is genetic counseling uptake. Among women who receive genetic counseling either through TGC (n~30) or with an interpreter (n~15), we will assess counseling quality by reviewing 20 randomly selected audiotaped sessions (10 TGC; 10 interpreters). We will evaluate women’s HBOC knowledge and satisfaction with counseling. Communication processes and outcomes will be assessed using gold standard RIAS quantitative coding system and qualitative discourse analysis. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We elicited input from transdisciplinary team members to develop an initial adaptation of a TGC print booklet and intervention protocol for use with high-risk Latina breast cancer survivors with limited English proficiency. The booklet contains low-literacy information about HBOC, risk factors, pros and cons of testing, and management strategies. Based on these materials and prior work, we anticipate TGC will consist of one 1 hour or less TGC session by phone. Participants interested in pursuing testing will receive a saliva kit and will participate in a second TGC session (30 min) to discuss test results and management options. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Given access barriers and the shortage of Spanish-speaking genetic counselors, adapting and translating TGC intervention is a promising strategy that could reduce disparities by broadening the reach and accessibility to genetic counseling while enhancing the quality of the service for Latinas with limited English proficiency.