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BACKGROUND: Cancer is the fourth leading cause of death in adolescents and young adults (AYA) worldwide. Although successful treatment of cancer in AYA has increased in recent years in most of the world, this is not true for many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) where over 80% of all AYA live. This study investigated the needs of AYA with cancer in parts of Latin America (LATAM) through the perspectives of non-physician health care providers and partners. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews (in Spanish) were conducted with non-physician partners from Mexico, Peru, Central America, and the Caribbean over Zoom. Participants were recruited through previously identified local physicians and international non-physician professionals working in these countries. Transcripts were coded and key themes identified until thematic saturation was reached (Atlas.ti). FINDINGS: Thirty participants representing eight countries were interviewed, providing 1202 min of transcript data. Data were organized into barriers, facilitators, and strategies to improve the delivery of health care for AYA with cancer in LATAM at the patient- (e.g., financial barriers, continued schooling), parent- (e.g., limited medical literacy, advocacy), and hospital-level (e.g., structural barriers, increasing funding). INTERPRETATION: There are many similarities in the barriers and facilitators to AYA care between LATAM and high-income countries (HIC); however, some characteristics are more unique to LATAM, for example, strict age restrictions for pediatric care and abandonment of therapy. As LATAM countries continue to build cancer control programs, there is an opportunity to consider our identified barriers, facilitators, and strategies to address the unique needs of AYA with cancer.

The evaluation of climate models is a crucial step in climate studies. It consists of quantifying the resemblance of model outputs to reference data to identify models with superior capacity to replicate specific climate variables. Clearly, the choice of the evaluation indicator significantly impacts the results, underscoring the importance of selecting an indicator that properly captures the characteristics of a "good model". This study examines the behaviour of six indicators, considering spatial correlation, distribution mean, variance and shape. Monthly data for precipitation, temperature and teleconnection patterns in Central America were utilized in the analysis. A new multicomponent measure was selected based on these criteria to assess the performance of 32 CMIP6 models in reproducing the annual seasonal cycle of these variables. The top six models were determined using multicriteria methods. It was found that even the best model reproduces one derived climatic variable poorly in this region. The proposed measure and selection method can contribute to enhancing the accuracy of climatological research based on climate models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present one year of δD, δ18O, d-excess, and Δʹ17O data from monthly precipitation at a Caribbean coastal site in Panama and from tap waters across the country to constrain geographic, climate, and moisture source controls on isotopic variability and better understand the sources and mechanisms of precipitation in Central America, a region facing significant modifications to the annual rainfall cycle due to climate change. Monthly precipitation δD ranged from –52.2 to +14.3 ‰, δ18O from –7.6 to +0.4 ‰, d-excess from +7.1 to +11.6 ‰, and Δ′17O from +11 to +29 per meg. Rainy season precipitation samples were found to have lower δD, δ18O, and d-excess due to Rayleigh distillation during the condensation and rainout of Pacific moisture over the central cordilleras, which results in decoupling between d-excess and Δ′17O. Outlier Δ′17O values during peak dry and rainy months may reflect seasonal changes in water vapor sourcing, from Caribbean to Pacific and/or locally recycled moisture, or may be a result of organic contamination. Tap water δD ranged from –82.3 to –14.3 ‰, δ18O from –11.6 to –2.4 ‰, d-excess from +4.3 to +12.2 ‰ and Δ′17O from –2 to +84 per meg. Tap water δD and δ18O values increase eastward due to lower orographic effects and Pacific and locally recycled moisture contributions to rainfall and greater secondary evaporation. Tap water d-excess and Δ′17O values are also de-coupled but lack clear spatial trends and controls. The results of this study indicate the promise of adding Δ′17O to the isotopic toolkit in tropical mountainous regions with complicated water cycling dynamics and provide a baseline for future triple oxygen isotope investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Surgical volume at Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) has been gradually decreasing for roughly the past 2 decades. The Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) Clinical Readiness Program linked surgical volume and readiness using a tool known as the KSA metric. However, the extent to which military medical missions contribute to the readiness of critical wartime specialties has not been evaluated using this metric. Methods In this study, a retrospective analysis was conducted using the surgical case logs from the US Naval Ship (USNS) Comfort missions in 2018 and 2019. The comprehensive case log data were categorized by year, surgeon, procedure, and location. The analysis focused on providing detailed descriptive statistics, including percentages pertaining to the types of procedures performed during these missions. The 2018 mission was 11 weeks in duration, and supported activities in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, and Honduras. The USNS Comfort mission in 2019 lasted 6 months (June-November 2019), and visited 12 countries in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Results The 2019 mission case log, spanning 6 months, was evaluated using the KSA score in order to assess readiness and compare against 6 months of MTF KSA values within the same calendar year. In 2019, the orthopedic surgeon aboard the USNS Comfort had a total KSA score of 44,006, but the 6-month USNS Comfort mission only contributed 5,364 points (12% of the annual score). The general surgery practice aboard the USNS Comfort produced lower KSA scores compared to each surgeon's respective MTF practice (Table III). Analyzing the cases logged by general surgeons also highlights minimal surgical diversity during these missions, with more than 90% of cases being hernia repairs or laparoscopic cholecystectomies (Table I). In addition, 35% of total procedures performed in 2018 and 2019 were performed laparoscopically. Conclusions The analysis of operative data from the 2019 USNS Comfort mission, in comparison with the surgeons' work at their respective MTFs, reveals limited benefit in the ability of hospital-ship missions to bolster surgical readiness as measured by the KSA score. However, this is not a reflection on the value of Global Health Engagement (GHE) itself but a review of the way in which it is leveraged to support surgical readiness. Military surgeons participate in GHE as part of a larger strategy to strengthen relationships with partner nations, improve military medical force interoperability, and bolster partner nation medical capacity and capabilities. The KSA score offers an excellent tool to compare readiness metrics across significantly different GHE missions, and facilitates the opportunity for future prospective studies to improve case volume, diversity, and ultimately readiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and implementation of targeted policies and programmes are crucial to addressing climate challenges. In this study, we sought to understand the means by and extent to which the Central American Climate-Smart Agriculture Strategy (EASAC) has contributed to addressing the specific climate challenges facing the regional agricultural sector. We applied a theory-based evaluation and contribution analysis to examine this policy and identified 252 changes at the national and regional levels that align with the EASAC theory of change (ToC). Contribution analysis revealed that none of the 23 changes we assessed could be attributed solely to the EASAC; however, it contributed directly, in combination with other actors and institutions, to 10 such changes. Our results question the efficacy of non-binding regional policies, such as the EASAC, in influencing national policy changes and highlight the dependency of climate policy implementation on international cooperation in the Central American Integration System region. Intersectoral and actor coordination, the availability of technical and research expertise, and research input appear critical to the successful implementation of regional climate policy. Key policy insights Theory-based assessments and contribution analyses are relevant and rigorous tools that can be effectively applied to climate policy. They enable a deeper understanding and more effective management of climate governance. International organizations play crucial roles in translating international agreements into policies, particularly in Central America, where public climate finance remains limited. Such organizations are responsible for developing and funding policies that align with these agreements. Many changes aligned with the EASAC ToC framework have been observed, reflecting the dynamic process of up-scaling regional climate-smart agriculture. Most changes have been focused on policy formulation and adjustment, with fewer related to establishing alliances and platforms for dialogue. The EASAC strategy of targeting non-binding regional governance to influence national governments is inherently limited and may be ineffective on its own. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last 16 years, Central American governments have increasingly embraced diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China to foster economic opportunities and national development. This analysis builds on ethnographic research in Costa Rica and Guatemala to trace the kinds of entrepreneurialism Central American governments are mobilizing to foment these transpacific commercial relations. This article explores those transpacific spaces and subjects deemed valuable for national development. Though a strong tradition of transnational business connects local ethnic Chinese Central Americans with firms in mainland China and Taiwan, these subjects have largely not been protagonists of incipient state‐led initiatives. I argue that the racialization of Chinese Central American businesspeople as ethnic entrepreneurs has precluded them from serving as appropriate subjects of national development. Instead, Central American governments have relied on white elites to develop desired commercial relations and class interests in this new era of transpacific relations. As such, I emphasize the racialized and classed underpinnings of entrepreneurial identity, showing how it positions some as always already suspect economic actors, while others are seen as national subjects capable of a process of entrepreneurial becoming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the relationship between the categorization of migrants under U.S. immigration laws and how Central American migrant youth understand and make decisions about their journeys through Mexico on their way to the U.S. Drawing from four years of ethnographic research in Mexico and Central America, this article shows how youth migrants learn about different legal classifications of migrants under U.S. immigration laws while transiting through Mexico and assess how such categories take (or do not take) into account their experiences during the migration journey. These assessments transform the migrant youths’ journeys – they change their routes through Mexico, and families split before crossing to the U.S. – and make them less likely to denounce or call attention to the violence they suffer in Mexico. This article ultimately shows how U.S. immigration law has an externalized effect that transforms migrants’ journeys well before migrants ever reach the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive survey of the octopus fauna around the Americas is presented to facilitate and accelerate the assessment of a full understanding of American octopus biodiversity. Brief accounts are provided summarizing research efforts on octopus species taxonomy, diversity and distribution in different regions of North and South America. Octopus americanus and O. insularis are compared and clearly distinguished from each other and from the closely-related European species, O. vulgaris. The use of genus names Paroctopus and Pinnoctopus is clarified. Included is a discussion of the recent application of genus name Paroctopus to warm-temperate and tropical species of small size, along with a cautionary note about species identifications in the light of past errors in misassigning large-to-giant cold-water species to genus Paroctopus. Related to problems with identifying species of Paroctopus, there is an appended note concerning misidentifications and the importance of thorough species descriptions to obtain species information at the levels of both phenotype and genotype. A lectotype is formally designated for Bathypolypus arcticus (Prosch, 1849); and the status of so-called 'Octopus giganteus' is reviewed briefly. A supplementary online database, AmeriCeph, provides basic information about all known octopus species of the Americas, including the institutional location of type material and the identification of voucher specimens and their depositories. DNA sequences registered in this database are not all fully compatible with barcoding standards. However, a subset of DNA sequences conforming to strict barcode identifications is provided in a second supplementary table, providing barcode sequences directly applicable also to improving standards of seafood traceability. This in turn contributes to building sustainability of exploited octopus fisheries stocks and identification of species suitable for aquaculture trials to meet the increasing commercial demand for octopus worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws on ethnographic fieldwork at a nongovernmental migrant shelter in Mexico to examine how aid workers coordinate apparently contradictory humanitarian orientations. Prior research has called attention to the institutionalization of grassroots humanitarian organizations as they take on the work of categorizing migrants as either 'good' or 'bad', 'worthy' or 'unworthy'. Studies also call attention to initiatives that oppose such institutionalization, with a particular focus on highly mediated acts of civil disobedience. We argue that in Mexico, where the ambiguous line between state and criminal authority makes such explicit claims potentially damaging and dangerous, knowledge practices that seem to signal the institutionalization of otherwise grassroots spaces—the work of registering, classifying, and documenting migrants—are also central to how aid workers discretely subvert such deservingness distinctions without taking explicit and potentially damaging moral and political stances. Our analysis engages with science and technology studies scholarship that understands knowledge practices to be performative in that knowing migration produces the reality that it describes, rather than merely reflecting a taken-for-granted reality. We suggest that attending to how aid workers enact and coordinate information about migrants illuminates how aid workers simultaneously resist and reify distinct legal and moral regimes in violent contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new species of oribatid mites of the genus Oribatella (Oribatida, Oribatellidae)—O. paradechambrierisp. nov. and O. parastrinatiisp. nov.—are described, based on adults collected from rainforest litter in Guatemala. Oribatella paradechambrierisp. nov. is similar to O. dechambrieri but differs by the smaller body size, the length of the teeth of the lamellae, the relative length of the free distal and fixed mediobasal parts of the lamella, the size of the trapezoid region in basal part of the prodorsum, and the length of the interlamellar seta. Oribatella parastrinatiisp. nov. is similar to O. strinatii but differs by the smaller body size, the morphology of the rostrum, the morphology of the tutorial cusp, the presence of large dense foveolae in the centrodorsal part of the notogaster and between the genital and anal apertures, and dense short transverse ridges on the medioposterior part of the notogaster, and the number of genital setae. Oribatella dechambrieri is the first record of the species for Guatemala. The belonging of O. paradechambrieri to the genus Fenestrobates is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Honduras, a country located in Central America, the prevalence of hydrometeorological disasters due to its geographical location poses a challenge in the context of climate change. However, the lack of local disaster data highlights the need to investigate the primary natural hazards impacting Honduran municipalities. In this regard, the disaster database DesInventar was utilized, covering the period between 1978 and 2015, to identify the most recurrent disasters in terms of frequency and severity. The findings indicate that the municipalities most affected by disasters are mainly located in regions with higher population density, particularly in the municipalities of Distrito Central, San Pedro Sula, Danlí, El Progreso, La Ceiba, and Puerto Cortés. The most common hazards in Honduras are floods, wildfires, landslides, droughts, and storms. The results of this analysis hold crucial value for decision-makers in disaster risk, territorial, and environmental management in Honduras. These data provide a solid foundation for designing effective policies and measures aimed at reducing the adverse impacts of disasters in the country. Moreover, this methodological approach can be applied in developing nations with similar characteristics in other tropical regions, thereby contributing to a more efficient management of risks associated with disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through a qualitative comparative analysis, we examine how Mexican and U.S. newspapers cover the massive arrival of Central Americans in 2014 and 2016. We find that the representation of these migrants in these two countries reflects the specific characteristics of each country's liberal media system model. In the U.S. coverage, characterized by a "Liberal" media system model that is relatively independent from government sources, the arrival of Central Americans is portrayed as a chaotic situation that overwhelmed border agencies and the immigration system. In doing so, it prevails a legacy discourse on the "illegality" of the phenomenon, highly characteristic of how U.S. media has historically depicted this population. In contrast, Mexican newspapers coverage is heavily influenced by official voices, depicting Central Americans as victims of human rights violations and as "in-transit" foreigners trying to reach the U.S. In this coverage, the government emerges as less accountable for the immigration crisis, reflecting its "Captured Liberal" media system model. By bringing together research in developed and developing nations, our comparative findings offer initial evidence about the influence of two media system models in shaping immigration news. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bolbelasmus is a group of small to medium-sized beetles distributed in the Holarctic and Oriental Regions and in Central America. It includes two subgenera (Bolbelasmus and Kolbeus) and 32 species known in the world fauna with seven species recorded from China. New information: The new species, Bolbelasmus guangdongensis sp. nov., is described from south China and compared with B. coreanus, B. meridionalis and B. chifengi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce a simple method to define the start and the end of the rainiest part of the year as the first and the last day of the year when the daily rain rate is more or less than the annual mean climatological rain rate for a region or at a given grid point of the rainfall analysis, respectively. A novelty of this work is the adoption of a perturbation technique to generate a total of 1001 ensemble members to account for observational and analysis uncertainties. This allows for a probabilistic estimate of the start and retreat dates of the rainy season at the granularity of the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (IMERG), version 6, rainfall analysis over Central America. The seasonal cycle of the IMERG rainfall analysis is also found to verify with in situ observations in the region. Many large-scale climate drivers affect regional rainfall, often with complex interactions that affect the onset date, retreat date, and magnitude of the seasonal rainfall cycle, making it difficult to predict the length or total quantity of seasonal rainfall using climate drivers alone. Once an onset date is established, however, this metric alone can be more indicative of both the length and total seasonal rainfall anomaly than predicting how the climate drivers will interact to affect the quantity and duration of upcoming seasonal rainfall. The local relationships of the start date with seasonal length and rainfall anomaly are leveraged to produce effective seasonal outlooks of the rainy season for the region by just monitoring the start date variations. Significance Statement: The start date and retreat date of the rainy season in Central America are defined every year, precisely to a specific date from our proposed definition of it. This is possible because the region exhibits a strong seasonality of the rainfall. As a result, the year-to-year (interannual) variation of the seasonal rainfall during the rainy season is also determined by the variations in the length of the season that are usually overlooked in fixed calendar seasons. We define the start or retreat date of the rainy season as the first or the last day of the year when the daily rain rate exceeds or falls below the average daily rainfall from 2001 to 2022, respectively. We also find that both start and retreat date variations independently influence the length and total seasonal rainfall of the rainy season. Consequently, these relationships are leveraged to provide an outlook of the forthcoming rainy season from the diagnosis of the variations of its onset date, which is shown to be an effective predictor with significant useful seasonal prediction skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical cyclones (TC) pose a persistent natural hazard to Costa Rica. Exposure to natural hazards, such as mass movements and floods, is compounded by a growing urban population and inadequate land use planning. This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of the economic impacts of TC of Costa Rica from Hurricane Joan in 1988 to Hurricane Eta in 2020, assessing the impact by municipality and economic sector using baseline information of the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy. According to the study, road infrastructure (933.8 US million), agriculture (280.5 US million), river rehabilitation (153.96 US million), housing 98.26 (US million), and health (81.74 US million) were among the sectors most severely affected by TC over the past 30 years. The Pacific basin municipalities in Costa Rica were found to be the most vulnerable, primarily due to the indirect impacts of TC. The study's results offer useful information on the economic sectors and municipalities that are most exposed from TC in Costa Rica and provide a replicable methodology for other regions and countries facing similar tropical phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Understanding the diversity, distribution, and ecological roles of leaf-mining Lepidoptera across different biomes is both intriguing and important for advancing our knowledge of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Despite extensive studies on leaf-mining Nepticulidae in tropical environments, no one had previously explored trapping in completely dry deciduous forests, especially during the peak of the dry season when trees are bare and even grass is dried out. This paper reveals an unexpected and astonishing abundance of minuscule plant-mining Nepticulidae moths in such dry deciduous forests. Our study ecoregion, the tropical dry forests of Honduras, includes the Pacific coastal lowlands and premontane areas extending into low-altitude regions further inland, known for their rich biodiversity and high levels of endemism. In these tropical dry forests, we identified five species of pygmy moths belonging to the genus Acalyptris Meyrick, including three new species. These moths are characterized by their distinctive grey coloration and exceptionally small size, classified as "extremely small". Despite their similarities, they exhibit significant differences in genital structures and molecular profiles, indicating distinct species groups. Our research also uncovered novel atypical morphological traits in Nepticulidae from this ecoregion. These findings highlight the unique and highly specific nature of the Nepticulidae fauna in tropical dry forests. A key question arises regarding the presence of Nepticulidae adults during the dry season: could they be mining plant bark instead of leaves? This paper aims to stimulate further exploration of micromoths in other tropical dry forests, which, despite their limited and fragmented distribution, are found not only in Central America but also in other regions worldwide. Our investigation centered on the tropical dry forests along the Pacific coast of Honduras, aiming to elucidate the presence and abundance of minuscule grey moths during the dry season. Through specimen dissections and the taxonomic identification of the collected material, we have described three new species: Acalyptris podenasi sp. nov., A. palpiformis sp. nov., and A. tortoris sp. nov. Additionally, we documented two species previously known from neighboring countries, A. lascuevella Puplesis & Robinson and A. basicornis Remeikis & Stonis. The females of A. lascuevella were previously unknown and are documented here for the first time. Morphological examinations were complemented by DNA barcoding, particularly highlighting variation in A. lascuevella. The paper's primary significance lies not only in the description of new species but also in uncovering their taxonomic, morphological, and molecular importance. We found that these species are unique and indicative of the previously unstudied dry forests as a distinct ecosystem. Our findings revealed several novel atypical morphological traits within the studied Nepticulidae, including unusually large signum cells in the female genitalia, a dorso-ventrally divided uncus, and asymmetrical valvae in the male genitalia. These discoveries underscore the morphological diversity of Acalyptris Meyrick and their significance in evolutionary biology. Consequently, the paper addresses a previously unknown phenomenon of the occurrence and astonishing abundance of minuscule plant-mining micromoths in dry deciduous forests during the peak of the dry season. We hope that this paper will encourage Lepidoptera taxonomists to explore micromoths in other tropical dry forests, which, while limited in distribution, hold global importance. The paper is extensively illustrated with photographs of Acalyptris adults and their genitalia, along with maps, habitats, and molecular phylogenetic trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phoretic interaction between Americhernes oblongus (Say) (Chernetidae) and Mallodon chevrolatti (Thomson) (Cerambycidae) is documented for the first time. Furthermore, with this record, the distribution of A. oblongus to western Panama is expanded. This study contributes to our knowledge of the pseudoscorpion fauna in the central part of America, particularly shedding light on phoretic interactions. Americhernes oblongus is now documented for the first time in West Panama, expanding the known distribution within the country. The discovery includes a female specimen found attached to a male Mallodon chevrolatii. This finding not only marks the initial occurrence of A. oblongus on the western side of the isthmus but also represents the first report of a phoretic interaction between these organisms. This study contributes to our knowledge of the pseudoscorpion fauna in the central part of America, particularly shedding light on phoretic interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the state of knowledge of climate change and tourism in South and Central America, with a special focus on the characteristics of the tourism sector, the particularities of climate risks of the region and the sectoral GHG contribution. We conducted a scientific literature review (by region and by country) in Spanish, Portuguese and English using publications in the Scopus and Google databases to the end of 2021. In parallel, we performed a search for institutional publications, programs, and strategies on climate change and tourism in South and Central American countries. This analysis identified the main challenges and potentialities between tourism and climate change in the region. Among the main findings is the limited number of studies and lack of primary data to inform policy formulation and tourism planning. Likewise, national, and regional public policies specific to tourism are scarce, while multisectoral climate plans have only recently been developed and, consequently, are difficult to evaluate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive literature has shown that women's employment contributes to increasing rates of household savings and economic growth. Likewise, evidence has been reported that in an economic integration scheme, such as that of Central America, the strong economic interdependence existing between countries, because of their relatively high trade flows of imports and exports, gives rise to the spread of economic developments occurring in a country. This paper investigates the extent to which the increase in female employment in the countries of the Northern Triangle of Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras) leads to the increase in growth rates in the other countries (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama). For this purpose, principal components, which is a data compression methodology, is used. The variables that are included in the vector of principal components are the female-to-male employment ratios in the industrial sectors of the Northern Triangle countries. All data used in the analyses were taken from the World Bank's World Development Indicators. The first principal component of these variables explains 77 percent of the variance, and its decrease represents the deindustrialization of the respective countries. The second principal component accounts for 17 percent of the variance, and its increase represents the expansion of the service sector in the countries. The estimation of error correction equations showed that the first principal component of the female-to-male employment ratios of the industrial sector in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Costa Rica, exerted positive impacts on the economic growth rates of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, while the second principal component exerted negative impacts. The results also showed that the ratios of female to male industrial employment, as well as the first principal component, fell as tariffs on imports were reduced, reflecting a process of deindustrialization which has led to losses in economic growth, and a decrease in trade flows, and rising youth unemployment and increases of the underground economy with adverse impacts on productivity. Likewise, trends towards economic stagnation and rising unemployment have led to increases in irregular emigration and remittances. Another important result is that the process of deindustrialization, fueled by the extreme openness of economies, has generated a substantial increase in the homicide rate. In summary, the results show that female employment generates increases in the economic growth rate of the respective country and in the other member countries. However, this process of regional employment induction is undermined by the extreme openness of economies, which means that the main beneficiaries of the economic dynamism imparted by the increase in female employment may be the countries from which it is imported. In other words, "globalization" or "openness" frustrates national efforts at economic and social development. It should be noted that in the 1960s and 1970s, when the model of import substitution prevailed, the Central American economies grew at rates twice as high as those prevailing after the "reforms." The economic policy recommendations are based on the promotion of women's employment by increasing the levels of female schooling, the establishment of national networks of childcare centers, combating discrimination against women in the workplace, etc. Efforts to increase women's employment will be better developed if they are structured within the framework of a national/regional employment strategy, in which objectives and targets would be established for each country, and the actions to be carried out in the areas of obtaining resources, identifying, approving and supervising projects would be outlined, and the results goals would be established with the respective indicators to be achieved in the medium and long term. But it should be pointed out that these actions cannot yield the results sought in the current structure of extreme openness of economies, which makes it necessary to design and implement policies to achieve the reindustrialization and re-agriculturalization of the economies, seeking, in addition to increasing economic dynamism, the increase of quality employment, and the reduction of violence and irregular emigration, the achievement of self-sufficiency and sustained increases in the production of goods of special importance. The results of this work have shown that in efforts to reignite economic growth, women's employment and Central American economic integration can play important roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social Impact Statement: Central America is renowned for producing some of the world's finest coffee, prized for its quality and flavor. With coffee being a major export crop for many countries, the region's economic, social, and cultural well‐being is closely linked to the success of its coffee industry. Coffee breeding supports the industry's long‐term sustainability and competitiveness by developing new varieties that are more productive, disease‐resistant, climate resilient, and adapted to the coffee producer's realities. Ongoing efforts in coffee breeding have significant implications for the livelihoods of thousands of coffee farmers and their families, the economies of Central American countries, and the preservation of the region's rich coffee tradition and culture. Summary: The central objective is to understand how coffee breeding programs have evolved to help coffee farmers adapt to the rapidly changing economic, political, institutional, and environmental conditions since 1990. Before then, coffee breeders focused primarily on productivity, developing dwarf varieties bred for intensive monoculture production. Since 1990, breeders have shifted their work to address climate change, new diseases and pests, a growing industry interest in cup quality, and unprecedented price volatility. Much of the breeding work has shifted from public institutions to international technical assistance agencies, international non‐governmental organizations (NGOs), and private companies. Their new programs focus on developing F1 coffees designed for agroforestry production and, which, can be developed quickly in response to changing conditions. This case study also complicates narratives about the place of hybrid coffees in agricultural modernization during the 20th and 21st centuries.Analyze documents produced over the past 30 years by key breeding organizations, governments, trade organizations, to assess the evolution of breeding programs in historical context, and the progress of the new coffees in the field.Some F1 hybrids have shown considerable promise, but challenges surrounding their propagation, distribution, and cost—as well as their suitability for the specialty coffee market—have so far prevented farmers from adopting them on a large scale.The switch to F1 coffee breeding represents a deep strategic shift in coffee breeding in Central America, more attuned to the needs of coffee farmers. While the F1 coffees can help farmers address many of the farmers' technical challenges, cost and logistical issues remain a challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Executive Summary: U.S. efforts to control unauthorized crossings of its southwest border have long rested on the idea of deterrence — if migrants know that a border is dangerous to cross and the likelihood of deportation is high, they will be dissuaded from trying in the first place. Despite the seemingly intuitive logic of this strategy, and the billions of dollars invested in it, deterrence efforts largely have failed, with the number of border crossings in recent years exceeding those of 30 years ago. To understand why this decades-old, bipartisan deterrence strategy has proven ineffective, we focus on individuals from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras who have previous migration experience, with a vast majority of them seeking entry into the U.S. These individuals have direct knowledge of the difficulties and dangers a border crossing poses, yet many report plans to try to cross the border again. To understand why they persist, we rely on survey data specifically collected to better understand the root causes of international migration. We find that citizens with previous migration experience are significantly more likely to report plans to emigrate, in particular women, younger cohorts, and those at the bottom of the economic ladder. In contrast, family reunification does not appear to play a significant role in driving the migration intentions of those with a prior migration experience. Further, deportation does not deter migrants from trying again, as individuals who have been deported are just as likely to report plans to emigrate again as those who returned to their home countries voluntarily and those who never reached their destination. Most importantly, our research indicates that human insecurity is at the core of why Central Americans who have migrated in the past are more likely to report migration plans for the future. Both the threat of violence and food insecurity are central drivers of their persistent predisposition to embark on the journey again. Individuals remain undeterred in their efforts to escape their country because upon returning to that country, they confront the same conditions that led them to attempt to flee in the first place. We draw two main policy implications from our research. First, the U.S. government should continue its prioritization of investments in tackling the root causes of forced migration through the empowerment of civil society organizations and the channeling of foreign aid to marginalized communities affected by human insecurity, such as those suffering food insecurity or fearing violence. The main objective of these investments should be to improve the living conditions of individuals, giving them a viable option of remaining in their country. Second, the U.S. must invest greater resources in its immigration system to reduce the current backlog of asylum cases, and expand H2-a and -b visa programs to provide a more expansive legal path to migration. Facilitating a legal pathway to immigrants who face heightened human insecurity, like the potential repeat migrants in our study, would prevent further deaths that lay at the hands of a border policy focused on deterrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phoretic interaction between Americhernes oblongus (Say) (Chernetidae) and Mallodon chevrolatti (Thomson) (Cerambycidae) is documented for the first time. Furthermore, with this record, the distribution of A. oblongus to western Panama is expanded. This study contributes to our knowledge of the pseudoscorpion fauna in the central part of America, particularly shedding light on phoretic interactions. Americhernes oblongus is now documented for the first time in West Panama, expanding the known distribution within the country. The discovery includes a female specimen found attached to a male Mallodon chevrolatii. This finding not only marks the initial occurrence of A. oblongus on the western side of the isthmus but also represents the first report of a phoretic interaction between these organisms. This study contributes to our knowledge of the pseudoscorpion fauna in the central part of America, particularly shedding light on phoretic interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to assess sexual risk behaviours among young people in Central America. Secondary data were analysed from 15,807 school adolescents (mean age = 14.4 years) who were part of the most recent cross-sectional Global School Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) in six Central American countries. Results show that almost a quarter (24.3%) of participants had sexual initiation, with 19.7% in Guatemala and 40.9% in Panama. Among those students who had sexual initiation, 51.7% had it early (≤14 years), 27.7% had non-condom use, 45.1% had non-birth control use and 41.5% had multiple sexual partners. Older age (≥15 years), male sex, psychological distress, suicide attempt, bullying victimization, school truancy, in physical fight, history of alcohol intoxication, trouble from alcohol use, no physical education, physical injury, soft drink intake and low parental support were associated with sexual risk behaviours. One in four adolescents in the Central America had sexual risk behaviours, calling for interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical cyclones (TC) pose a persistent natural hazard to Costa Rica. Exposure to natural hazards, such as mass movements and floods, is compounded by a growing urban population and inadequate land use planning. This study conducted a comprehensive analysis of the economic impacts of TC of Costa Rica from Hurricane Joan in 1988 to Hurricane Eta in 2020, assessing the impact by municipality and economic sector using baseline information of the Ministry of National Planning and Economic Policy. According to the study, road infrastructure (933.8 US million), agriculture (280.5 US million), river rehabilitation (153.96 US million), housing 98.26 (US million), and health (81.74 US million) were among the sectors most severely affected by TC over the past 30 years. The Pacific basin municipalities in Costa Rica were found to be the most vulnerable, primarily due to the indirect impacts of TC. The study's results offer useful information on the economic sectors and municipalities that are most exposed from TC in Costa Rica and provide a replicable methodology for other regions and countries facing similar tropical phenomena.

Mansonella ozzardi, a filarioid parasite, causes human mansonellosis in the Americas. We identified raccoons (Procyon lotor) as wildlife reservoirs of M. ozzardi in Costa Rica. Noting the sympatry of free-ranging raccoons and humans, we conclude that mansonellosis is a considerable public health risk in the region.

Social Impact Statement Central America is renowned for producing some of the world's finest coffee, prized for its quality and flavor. With coffee being a major export crop for many countries, the region's economic, social, and cultural well‐being is closely linked to the success of its coffee industry. Coffee breeding supports the industry's long‐term sustainability and competitiveness by developing new varieties that are more productive, disease‐resistant, climate resilient, and adapted to the coffee producer's realities. Ongoing efforts in coffee breeding have significant implications for the livelihoods of thousands of coffee farmers and their families, the economies of Central American countries, and the preservation of the region's rich coffee tradition and culture. Summary The central objective is to understand how coffee breeding programs have evolved to help coffee farmers adapt to the rapidly changing economic, political, institutional, and environmental conditions since 1990. Before then, coffee breeders focused primarily on productivity, developing dwarf varieties bred for intensive monoculture production. Since 1990, breeders have shifted their work to address climate change, new diseases and pests, a growing industry interest in cup quality, and unprecedented price volatility. Much of the breeding work has shifted from public institutions to international technical assistance agencies, international non‐governmental organizations (NGOs), and private companies. Their new programs focus on developing F1 coffees designed for agroforestry production and, which, can be developed quickly in response to changing conditions. This case study also complicates narratives about the place of hybrid coffees in agricultural modernization during the 20th and 21st centuries. Analyze documents produced over the past 30 years by key breeding organizations, governments, trade organizations, to assess the evolution of breeding programs in historical context, and the progress of the new coffees in the field. Some F1 hybrids have shown considerable promise, but challenges surrounding their propagation, distribution, and cost—as well as their suitability for the specialty coffee market—have so far prevented farmers from adopting them on a large scale. The switch to F1 coffee breeding represents a deep strategic shift in coffee breeding in Central America, more attuned to the needs of coffee farmers. While the F1 coffees can help farmers address many of the farmers' technical challenges, cost and logistical issues remain a challenge.

This article examines the socio-political and urban-cultural transformation of space in Guatemala City between 1871 and 1920, spearheaded by the rise of a new political regime known as the liberal reform period. By focusing on the social construction of the new public spaces of power, this study explores how the transformation of the capital city was one of the key instruments of the authoritarian regimes to legitimise their authority, power and new secular values in the urban space. The urban transformation redefined the use of land for capitalist development (expropriation of church properties and privatisation of communal lands), setting up new boundaries and reorganizing the capital in a new dynamic of urban segregation. It also meant the exclusion of the Indigenous population from living in the city. This study pays special attention to the role of three figures as the main protagonists and promoters of the localized urban transformations in Guatemala City during their respective reigns: Justo Rufino Barrios (1873-1885), Jose Maria Reyna Barrios (1892-1898) and Manuel Estrada Cabrera (1898-1920). Lefebvre's conception of the social production of space is mobilized to analyze the creation of the material setting and the construction of those new spaces of power carefully planned and embedded with political meaning during the first period of modern urban growth in Guatemala City. Drawing on a variety of primary sources such as official records (Laws and Decrees, Memoirs of Public Works, Municipal records), newspapers, commercial guides, illustrated journals, city plans, postcards and photo albums, the article demonstrate how the new modern urban space was reorganized with clear political and economic interests, setting up a new process of urban segregation. The study also highlights the limitations and contradictions of the selected urban transformations, which ended abruptly with the earthquakes of 1917-18. Keywords: Guatemala City, public space, social production of space, urban modernization, urban segregation, nation-building Cet article examine la transformation sociopolitique et urbanoculturelle de l'espace dans la ville de Guatemala City entre 1871 et 1920, transformation suscitee par l'emergence de l'ere politique connue sous le nom de << la reforme liberale >>. Se concentrant sur la construction sociale des nouveaux lieux publics du pouvoir, cette etude montre que la transformation de la capitale est l'un des instruments cles utilises par les regimes autoritaires pour legitimer leur autorite, leur pouvoir et leurs nouvelles valeurs laiques dans l'espace urbain. La transformation urbaine redefinit l'utilisation des terres en vue d'un developpement capitaliste (expropriation des biens ecclesiastiques et privatisation des terres communales), etablit de nouvelles limites et reorganise la capitale dans une nouvelle dynamique de segregation urbaine. L'une de ses consequences est l'exclusion la population autochtone de la vie urbaine. Cette etude accorde une attention particuliere au role de protagonistes et de promoteurs des transformations urbaines localisees de Guatemala City qu'ont joue trois hommes au cours de leur regne respectif : Justo Rufino Barrios (18731885), Jose Maria Reyna Barrios (1892-1898) et Manuel Estrada Cabrera (1898-1920). La conception de la production sociale de l'espace, formulee par Lefebvre, est mobilisee dans l'analyse de la production du cadre materiel et de la construction de ces nouveaux lieux du pouvoir, soigneusement planifies et charges de signification politique, au cours de la premiere periode de croissance urbaine moderne de Guatemala City. S'appuyant sur diverses sources primaires telles que des documents officiels (lois et decrets, memoires de travaux publics, archives municipales), des journaux, des guides commerciaux, des revues illustrees, des plans de villes, des cartes postales et des albums de photos, l'article montre que l'espace urbain modernise est reorganise pour servir des interets politiques et economiques precis, et qu'il instaure un nouveau processus de segregation urbaine. L'etude souligne egalement les limites et les contradictions des transformations urbaines selectionnees, interrompues abruptement par les tremblements de terre de 1917-1918. Mots-cles : Guatemala City, espace public, production sociale de l'espace, modernization urbaine, segregation urbaine, formation de la nation, Introduction The period from 1880 until 1930 was a landmark in the transformation of the urban landscape in Latin America, especially in the capital cities. (1) One striking case is [...]

The eight member countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA)—Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and the Dominican Republic—are signatories to the Convention for the Protection of World Heritage and the Convention on Biological Diversity. Both binding international instruments use the terms ‘cultural landscape’ and ‘protected landscape’, respectively. For this reason, the environmental/natural and cultural legislation of the SICA region has been analyzed to identify the legal frameworks that allow for the declaration of the categories mentioned above for the protection of landscapes. In five of the eight SICA member states, 38 ‘protected landscapes’ were found to exist under environmental law. No designation has been reported for cultural legislation in this region. In addition, the designations and management plans for ‘protected landscapes’ were reviewed, and it was noted that most of them were similar in denomination, but their protection objectives were not aligned with the binding instruments from which they were derived. Thus, we conclude that, given the particular natural and cultural wealth of the SICA region, it is necessary to identify and map landscapes and establish common guidelines for managing them to foster harmony between nature and mankind and according to the international conventions’ objectives.

Pleradenophora membranifolia (Müll. Arg.) Esser & A.L. Melo (Euphorbiaceae) was previously only known from central South America (Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru). Our new botanical collections from the seasonal dry forests in Garachiné, Darién Province, Panama increase the distribution of this species to Central America and include the first record of this genus for the country. We also provide photographs of field and herbarium specimens, an occurrence map, a description, and comments on the morphology and taxonomy of P. membranifolia.

We confirm the presence of the genus Plectrohyla Brocchi, 1877 in Nicaragua and report the first records of Plectrohyla guatemalensis Brocchi, 1877 in the country based on three specimens collected in 1983 from the central mountain range of Matagalpa department. These specimens collected over 40 years ago are the southernmost records for the species and expand its geographic distribution by approximately 175 km southeast from its nearest recorded locality in Honduras.

Abstract. neighboring countries. Recently, an increase in biological surveys and access to natural preserves has led to a better understanding of species distributions in Nicaragua and across Central America. Here, we provide new departmental records for three species of didelphid, 18 chiropterans (Phyllostomidae, Molossidae, Vespertilionidae), one geomyid, and one mustelid from 21 sites across the country. This work underscores the need for additional sampling across Nicaragua to fill gaps in the known distribution of many species. This information can facilitate or inform conservation actions in established and proposed preserves in Nicaragua.

Background: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory skin condition, often multifactorial in origin, and most commonly manifests during childhood. Although there remains a deficit in literature, current data suggest Honduras may have the highest prevalence and severity of AD among all Latin American countries. Objective: To assess the current prevalence of pediatric AD in Honduras and evaluate existing gaps in available literature to monitor disease burden. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed in March 2023. Articles were removed if they were published before 2007, were of the incorrect study design, or were focused on countries outside of Honduras. The articles were independently reviewed by 2 authors. Results: The initial literature search yielded 174 studies, of which 7 met inclusion criteria. AD prevalence rates in children in Honduras ranged from 0.7% to 40.0%. Limitations: Limitations include elements of study design, analytic methods, study populations, and limited articles. Conclusion: There appears to be a disproportionately higher prevalence and disease burden of pediatric AD in Honduras. Future research should acquire accurate data to further understand the prevalence, incidence, and severity of AD in Honduras.

At the start of the Zika virus (ZIKV) epidemic in 2015, ZIKV spread across South and Central America, and reached parts of the southern United States placing pregnant women at risk for fetal microcephaly, fetal loss, and other adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with congenital ZIKA syndrome (CZS). For this reason, testing of a safe and efficacious ZIKV vaccine remains a global health priority. Here we report that a single immunization with Ad26.M.Env ZIKV vaccine, when administered prior to conception, fully protects pregnant rhesus macaques from ZIKV viral RNA in blood and tissues with no adverse effects in dams and fetuses. Furthermore, vaccination prevents ZIKV distribution to fetal tissues including the brain. ZIKV associated neuropathology was absent in offspring of Ad26.M.Env vaccinated dams, although pathology was limited in fetuses from non-immunized, challenged dams. Vaccine efficacy is associated with induction of ZIKV neutralizing antibodies in pregnant rhesus macaques. These data suggest the feasibility of vaccine prevention of CZS in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central America and the Caribbean are regularly battered by megadroughts, heavy rainfall, heat waves, and tropical cyclones. Although 21st‐century climate change is expected to increase the frequency, intensity, and duration of these extreme weather events (EWEs), their incidence in regional protected areas (PAs) remains poorly explored. We examined historical and projected EWEs across the region based on 32 metrics that describe distinct dimensions (i.e., intensity, duration, and frequency) of heat waves, cyclones, droughts, and rainfall and compared trends in PAs with trends in unprotected lands. From the early 21st century onward, exposure to EWEs increased across the region, and PAs were predicted to be more exposed to climate extremes than unprotected areas (as shown by autoregressive model coefficients at p < 0.05 significance level). This was particularly true for heat waves, which were projected to have a significantly higher average (tested by Wilcoxon tests at p < 0.01) intensity and duration, and tropical cyclones, which affected PAs more severely in carbon‐intensive scenarios. PAs were also predicted to be significantly less exposed to droughts and heavy rainfall than unprotected areas (tested by Wilcoxon tests at p < 0.01). However, droughts that could threaten connectivity between PAs are increasingly common in this region. We estimated that approximately 65% of the study area will experience at least one drought episode that is more intense and longer lasting than previous droughts. Collectively, our results highlight that new conservation strategies adapted to threats associated with EWEs need to be tailored and implemented promptly. Unless urgent action is taken, significant damage may be inflicted on the unique biodiversity of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]