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Introduction: Integrating genetic data into conservation management decisions is a challenging task that requires strong partnerships between researchers and managers. Conservation in Latin America is of crucial relevance worldwide given the high biodiversity levels and the presence of hotspots in this region. Methods: We conducted a survey across Latin America to identify gaps and opportunities between genetic researchers and conservation managers. We aimed to better understand conservation managers' points of view and how genetic research could help conservation practitioners to achieve their goals, by implementing genetic assessments that could effectively inform conservation practices. We distributed an online survey via four regional collaborating organizations and 32 focal points based in 20 Latin American countries. The target respondents were conservation managers of species or areas in Latin America. Results: We collected a total of 468 answered questionnaires from 21 Latin American countries. Most respondents (44%) were from an academic or research institution while non-academics were mainly from non-governmental institutions (30%) and government agencies (25%). Most respondents (65%) have performed or used genetic assessments in their managed area or species, either alone, in partnership, contracting someone else or using published results. For the majority of this group, the genetic results were relevant to their conservation management goals, helping to inform management decisions. Respondents that had not performed genetic assessments (35%) were mainly from the non-academic group, and their main barriers were limited access to funds, genetic lab facilities, and trained personnel to design studies and conduct lab work. Discussion: From the findings, we describe the current situation and provide a general diagnosis of the conservation-genetics gap in Latin America. We describe the gender gap, academic-practitioner co-development of conservation questions and projects, and the nationality and residency of Latin American conservation managers in relation to the countries where they work. We discuss opportunities to co-create research questions and co-develop studies based on conservation practitioners' needs. We offer recommendations for overcoming barriers to integrate genetic information into conservation actions, and advance agendas that fit the needs and realities of the highly heterogeneous, biodiverse and challenging Latin American region.

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This study compares the variation of richness, abundance and diversity of butterfly species along an atmospheric pollution gradient and during different seasons in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area, Mexico. Likewise, we analyse the influence of environmental variables on the abundance and richness of butterfly species and quantify the indicator species for each atmospheric pollution category. Based on spatial analysis of the main atmospheric pollutants and the vegetation cover conditions, four permanent sampling sites were delimited. The sampling was carried out monthly in each of the sites using aerial entomological nets and ten Van Someren-Rydon traps during May 2018 to April 2019. A total of 8,570 specimens belonging to six families and 209 species were collected. Both species richness and abundance were significantly different between all sites, except for the comparison between the moderate contamination site and the high contamination site; diversity decreased significantly with increasing levels of contamination. The seasonality effect was absent on species richness; however, for species abundance the differences between dry season and rainy season were significant in each site excepting the moderate contamination site. Regarding diversity, the seasonal effect showed different distribution patterns according to each order. Relative humidity, vegetation cover and three pollution variables were highly correlated with both abundance and species richness. From the total number of species found, only 47 had a significant indicator value. This study constitutes the first faunistic contribution of butterflies as indicators of the environmental quality of urban areas in Mexico, which will help in the development of strategies for the management, planning and conservation of urban biodiversity.

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Butterflies are one of the most recognized and useful groups for the monitoring and establishment of important conservation areas and management policies. In the present study, we estimate the richness and diversity, as well as the association value of submontane scrub, oak forest, and cloud forest species at Cerro Bufa El Diente, within the Sierra de San Carlos priority land region, located in the Central-western region of Tamaulipas, Mexico. Three sampling sites were established based on criteria of vegetation distribution per altitudinal floor. One site for each altitudinal floor and vegetation type. Sampling was carried out in permanent transects on a monthly basis at each site, using an aerial entomological net and ten Van Someren-Rydon traps, during four sampling periods: early dry season, late dry season, early wet season and late wet season. In total, 7,611 specimens belonging to six families, 20 subfamilies, 32 tribes, 148 genera and 243 species of the study area were collected. Nymphalidae was the most abundant family with 3,454 specimens, representing 45.38% of total abundance in the study area. Lower abundance was recorded in Hesperiidae (19.17%), Pieridae (16.41%), Lycaenidae (10.17%), Papilionidae (5.12%), and finally Riodinidae (3.74%). The highest species richness was presented in the family Hesperiidae with 34.57% of the total obtained species followed by Nymphalidae (30.45%), Lycaenidae (15.23%), Pieridae (9.88%), Papilionidae (5.76%), and Riodinidae (4.12%). Twenty-seven species were categorized as abundant, these species, Anaea aidea (Guérin-Méneville, 1844), Libytheana carinenta larvata (Strecker, 1878), Pyrgus oileus (Linnaeus, 1767), Mestra amymone (Ménétriés, 1857) and Phoebis agarithe agarithe (Boisduval, 1836) presented the highest number of specimens. Sixty-five species were considered common, constituting 41.73% of the total number of butterflies, 63 frequent (9.76% of the total abundance), 55 limited (2.54%) and 33 rare (0.43%). The greatest number of specimens and species, as well as alpha diversity, were presented on the lowest altitudinal floor, made up of submontane scrub, and decreased significantly with increasing altitude. According to the cluster analysis, low and intermediate altitude sites constitute an area of distribution of species that prefer tropical conditions, while the third-floor site forms an independent group of high mountain species. The greatest abundance and richness of species, as well as alpha diversity, was obtained during the last wet season, decreasing significantly towards the early dry season. Moreover, through the use of the association value, 19 species were designated as indicators, three for the last altitudinal floor, three for the intermediate and 13 for the first. The present work represents the first report of the altitudinal variation in richness, abundance and diversity of butterflies in the northeast of Mexico. These results highlight the importance of the conservation of this heterogeneous habitat and establish reference data for the diurnal Lepidoptera fauna of the region.

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Proyecto que tiene como objetivo mejorar la salud sexual y reproductiva de los adolescentes varones de 12 a 19 años de Puerto Botánico (alrededores del centro de Asunción) con énfasis en paternidfad responsables, prevención de I.T.S-VIH_SIDA y embarazos no deseados, tiene como duración 3 años

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Se realizó una investigación descriptiva de los resultados obtenidos por los residentes de medicina general integral en el examen estatal teórico en la provincia de Sancti Spíritus, durante el curso 1997-1998. La promoción general en el componente fue de 58,2 %, siendo los municipios de peores resultados Cabaiguán y La Sierpe con 25,0 y 33,3 % respectivamente. El 60 % de las preguntas se comportaron con una dificultad media, evaluándose como difícil el contenido sobre cardiopatía isquémica; el 67 % de las preguntas discriminaron de forma nula, y el 20 % negativamente (asma bronquial, tuberculosis pulmonar y sepsis urinaria) se concluye que el examen teórico a pesar de sus malos resultados, metodológicamente estuvo bien estructurado. Se recomienda analizar multisectorialmente los resultados de la investigación para buscar alternativas de solución.

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Thirty soil samples from the Central Plateau of Costa Rica yielded 710 isolates of 34 clostridia species. These were Clostridium lituseburense, C. oceanicum and C. sardiniense (100, 73, and 60, respectively). The toxigenic species of the genus were present in at least one sample, except for C. botulinum, C. chauvoei and C. spiroforme. Diversity per sample (4-12 species) exceeded what has been reported in similar studies. No correlation has been found between the presence of a species and soil characteristics (organic matter, type of soil, pH, precipitation, altitude).

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Thirty soil samples from the Pacific Dry Forest, the Caribbean lowlands and the Central Plateau of Costa Rica yielded seven cases with botulinal toxins. Of these, five were type C, one A and one B. Type C samples were from the Dry Pacific coastal area, others from the Caribbean lowlands. C. botulinum was isolated from three out of seven positive soil samples. The main reason for the poor recovery of C. botulinum from toxigenic samples is attributable to a low concentration of spores in the samples, because the toxin detection method required ten bacterial spores. An association was found between the presence of C. botulinum and low contents of organic matter (p < 0.05), but not with pH or soil type (p > 0.05).

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Clinical evidence has long pointed to the existence of Clostridium tetani in Costa Rica. Thirty soil samples were studied for clostridia, and two yelded sis strains of C. tetani, four of which proved to be toxigenic when mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with the culture supemates. These four isolates could be neutralized when their toxic supemates were admixed with tetanus antitoxin

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