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In October 2023, several colonies of an alien soft coral species were reported on shallow reefs in southwest Puerto Rico. The soft coral was identified as a xeniid octocoral (species undetermined), resembling the octocoral Unomia stolonifera, which has invaded and overgrown reefs in Venezuela in recent years. To conclusively characterize the species of the invading xeniid, we employed multilocus barcoding targeting four genes (ND2, mtMutS, COI, and 28S) of three separate colonies across three locations in southwest Puerto Rico. Sequence comparisons with xeniid sequences from GenBank, including those from the genera Xenia and Unomia, indicated a 100% sequence identity (>3,000 bp combined) with the species Xenia umbellata (Octocorallia : Malacalcyonacea : Xeniidae). Xenia umbellata is native to the Red Sea and to our knowledge, this represents the first confirmed case of this species as an invader on Caribbean reefs. Similar to U. stolonifera, X. umbellata is well known for its ability to rapidly overgrow substrate as well as tolerate environmental extremes. In addition, X. umbellata has recently been proposed as a model system for tissue regeneration having the ability to regenerate completely from a single tentacle. These characteristics greatly amplify X. umbellata's potential to adversely affect any reef it invades. Our findings necessitate continued collaborative action between local management agencies and stakeholders in Puerto Rico, as well as neighboring islands, to monitor and control this invasion prior to significant ecological perturbation.

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BACKGROUND: Transportation policies can impact health outcomes while simultaneously promoting social equity and environmental sustainability. We developed an agent-based model (ABM) to simulate the impacts of fare subsidies and congestion taxes on commuter decision-making and travel patterns. We report effects on mode share, travel time and transport-related physical activity (PA), including the variability of effects by socioeconomic strata (SES), and the trade-offs that may need to be considered in the implementation of these policies in a context with high levels of necessity-based physical activity. METHODS: The ABM design was informed by local stakeholder engagement. The demographic and spatial characteristics of the in-silico city, and its residents, were informed by local surveys and empirical studies. We used ridership and travel time data from the 2019 Bogotá Household Travel Survey to calibrate and validate the model by SES. We then explored the impacts of fare subsidy and congestion tax policy scenarios. RESULTS: Our model reproduced commuting patterns observed in Bogotá, including substantial necessity-based walking for transportation. At the city-level, congestion taxes fractionally reduced car use, including among mid-to-high SES groups but not among low SES commuters. Neither travel times nor physical activity levels were impacted at the city level or by SES. Comparatively, fare subsidies promoted city-level public transportation (PT) ridership, particularly under a 'free-fare' scenario, largely through reductions in walking trips. 'Free fare' policies also led to a large reduction in very long walking times and an overall reduction in the commuting-based attainment of physical activity guidelines. Differential effects were observed by SES, with free fares promoting PT ridership primarily among low-and-middle SES groups. These shifts to PT reduced median walking times among all SES groups, particularly low-SES groups. Moreover, the proportion of low-to-mid SES commuters meeting weekly physical activity recommendations decreased under the 'freefare' policy, with no change observed among high-SES groups. CONCLUSIONS: Transport policies can differentially impact SES-level disparities in necessity-based walking and travel times. Understanding these impacts is critical in shaping transportation policies that balance the dual aims of reducing SES-level disparities in travel time (and time poverty) and the promotion of choice-based physical activity.

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This paper examines scaling behaviors of urban landscape and street design metrics with respect to city population in Latin America. We used data from the SALURBAL project, which has compiled and harmonized data on health, social, and built environment for 371 Latin American cities above 100,000 inhabitants. These metrics included total urbanized area, effective mesh size, area in km2 and number of streets. We obtained scaling relations by regressing log(metric) on log (city population). The results show an overall sub-linear scaling behavior of most variables, indicating a relatively lower value of each variable in larger cities. We also explored the potential influence of colonization on the current built environment, by analyzing cities colonized by Portuguese (Brazilian cities) or Spaniards (Other cities in Latin America) separately. We found that the scaling behaviors are similar for both sets of cities.

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BACKGROUND: Cable cars are part of the transport system in several cities in Latin America, but no evaluations of their effects on physical activity are available. TransMiCable is the first cable car in Bogotá, Colombia, and the wider intervention includes renovated parks and playgrounds. We assessed the effects of TransMiCable and the wider intervention on physical activity. METHODS: The Urban Transformations and Health natural experiment was a prospective quasi-experimental study conducted from Feb 1, 2018, to Dec 18, 2018 (baseline, pre-intervention) and from July 2, 2019, to March 15, 2020 (post-intervention follow-up) in the TransMiCable intervention area (Ciudad Bolívar settlement) and a control area without TransMiCable (San Cristóbal settlement). A multistage strategy was used to sample households in each area, with one adult (aged ≥18 years) per household invited to participate. Eligible participants had lived in the intervention or control areas for at least 2 years and were not planning to move within the next 2 years. Physical activity was assessed among participants in the intervention and control areas before and after the inauguration of TransMiCable in Ciudad Bolívar with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (long form) and with wearable accelerometers. Complete cases (those with baseline and follow-up data) were included in analyses. Respondents were classed as being physically active if they met 2020 WHO guidelines (≥150 min per week of moderate activity, ≥75 min per week of vigorous activity, or equivalent combinations); and accelerometery data were classified with the Freedson cut-points for adults. Data were also gathered in zonal parks (area ≥10 000 m2) and neighbourhood parks (area <10 000 m2) in the intervention and control areas by direct observation with the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities, to assess levels of physical activity before and after the TransMiCable intervention. Multilevel regression models were used to assess changes in physical activity associated with the TransMiCable intervention. FINDINGS: Physical activity questionnaires were completed by 2052 adult participants (1289 [62·8%] women and 763 [37·2%] men; mean age 43·5 years [SD 17·7]) before the inauguration of TransMiCable. After the inauguration, the follow-up (final) questionnaire sample comprised 825 adults in the intervention group and 854 in the control group, including 357 adults in the intervention group and 334 in the control group with valid accelerometery data. 334 (40·5%) of 825 participants in the intervention group reported levels of physical activity that met the 2020 WHO guidelines during walking for transport before the intervention, and 426 (51·6%) afterwards (change 11·1 percentage points [95% CI 6·4 to 15·9]). A similar change was observed in the control group (change 8·0 percentage points [3·4 to 12·5]; adjusted odds ratio [OR] for the time-by-group interaction, intervention vs control group: 1·1 [95% CI 0·8 to 1·5], p=0·38). Time spent doing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, measured with accelerometers, did not change in the intervention group after the inauguration of TransMiCable (change -0·8 min per day [-4·6 to 3·0]) and did not change compared with the control group (adjusted ß for the time-by-group interaction: 1·4 min per day [95% CI -2·0 to 4·9], p=0·41). Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was 52·1 min per day (SD 24·7) before and 59·4 min per day (35·2) after the inauguration of TransMiCable in new regular users who reported using TransMiCable during mandatory trips for work or education (n=32; change 7·3 min per day [-22·5 to 7·9]). After the intervention, an increase in the proportion of male individuals engaging in moderate or vigorous physical activity was observed in a renovated zonal park (adjusted OR for the time-by-group interaction, intervention vs control park: 2·7 [1·1 to 6·8], p=0·033). Female users of a renovated neighbourhood park were less likely to become engaged in moderate or vigorous physical activity than female users of the control area neighbourhood park (adjusted OR for the time-by-group interaction: 0·4 [0·1 to 0·6], p=0·019). INTERPRETATION: It is encouraging that walking for transport remained high in the TransMiCable intervention area when the use of private motorised transport had increased elsewhere in Bogotá. In low-income urban areas, where transport-related walking is a necessity, transport interventions should be focused on efforts to maintain participation in active travel while improving conditions under which it occurs. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust (as part of the Urban Health in Latin America project); Bogotá Urban Planning Department; Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Colombia; Universidad de Los Andes; Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá; and Universidad del Norte. TRANSLATION: For the Spanish translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

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El síndrome de Eagle o síndrome estilohioideo o sín-drome de la arteria carótida es un trastorno que se origina por la mineralización y elongación del pro-ceso estiloides. Factores traumáticos agudos y cró-nicos, así como otras teorías, han sido propuestos para explicar la etiología y patogenia de esta altera-ción. El conjunto de síntomas puede incluir: dolor fa-ríngeo, odinofagia, disfagia, cefalea, con irradiación a oreja y zona cervical. Si bien existen varias clasifi-caciones, de manera universal se acepta que existen principalmente dos formas de presentación de esta patología: el tipo I o clásico, generalmente asociado a un trauma faríngeo y acompañado de dolor en la zona faríngea y cervical, y el tipo II o carotídeo, que sue-le presentar molestia cervical, cefalea y alteración de la presión arterial, con riesgo de daño de la ac-tividad cardíaca. La identificación de este síndrome suele ser confusa dada la similitud de los síntomas con otras afecciones. El diagnóstico debe realizarse en base a los síntomas y a los estudios por imágenes específicos. El tratamiento puede ser conservador y actuar simplemente sobre los síntomas, o bien, qui-rúrgico. El objetivo del presente trabajo es realizar una revisión actualizada de la literatura sobre el sín-drome de Eagle y presentar tres casos clínicos con distintas manifestaciones (AU)

Eagle's syndrome or styloid syndrome or stylo-carotid artery syndrome is a disease caused by mineralization and elongation of the styloid process. Acute and chronic traumatic factors, along with other hypothesis, have been proposed to explain the aetiology and pathogenesis of this condition. Symptoms can include: pharynx pain, odynophagia, dysphagia, headache, with radiating pain to the ear and neck. Despite there are several classifications, it is universally accepted that this pathology can present in two forms: the type I or classic, generally associated to tonsillar trauma and characterized by pharyngeal and neck pain, and the type II or carotid artery type, which frequently presents with neck pain, headache, blood pressure variation, with risk of damage to cardiac function. Identifying of Eagle's syndrome is often confusing because some symptoms are shared with other pathologies. Diagnosis must be made on the basis of symptoms and imaging studies. Treatment can be conservative, acting only on symptoms, or surgical. The aim of this paper is to provide an updated review of the literature on Eagle syndrome and to present three clinical cases with different manifestations (AU)

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Latin America is the world's most urbanized region and its heterogeneous urban development may impact chronic diseases. Here, we evaluated the association of built environment characteristics at the sub-city -intersection density, greenness, and population density- and city-level -fragmentation and isolation- with body mass index (BMI), obesity, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Data from 93,280 (BMI and obesity) and 122,211 individuals (T2D) was analysed across 10 countries. Living in areas with higher intersection density was positively associated with BMI and obesity, whereas living in more fragmented and greener areas were negatively associated. T2D was positively associated with intersection density, but negatively associated with greenness and population density. The rapid urban expansion experienced by Latin America provides unique insights and vastly expand opportunities for population-wide urban interventions aimed at reducing obesity and T2D burden.

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There is limited empirical evidence on how travel time affects dietary patterns, and even less in Latin American cities (LACs). Using data from 181 LACs, we investigated whether longer travel times at the city level are associated with lower consumption of vegetables and higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and if this association differs by city size. Travel time was measured as the average city-level travel time during peak hours and city-level travel delay time was measured as the average increase in travel time due to congestion on the street network during peak hours. Vegetables and sugar-sweetened beverages consumption were classified according to the frequency of consumption in days/week (5-7: "frequent", 2-4: "medium", and ≤1: "rare"). We estimate multilevel ordinal logistic regression modeling for pooled samples and stratified by city size. Higher travel time (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.65; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.49-0.87) and delay time (OR = 0.57; CI 0.34-0.97) were associated with lower odds of frequent vegetable consumption. For a rare SSB consumption, we observed an inverse association with the delay time (OR = 0.65; CI 0.44-0.97). Analysis stratified by city size show that these associations were significant only in larger cities. Our results suggest that travel time and travel delay can be potential urban determinants of food consumption.

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BACKGROUND: Road-traffic injuries are a key cause of death and disability in low-income and middle-income countries, but the effect of city characteristics on road-traffic mortality is unknown in these countries. The aim of this study was to determine associations between city-level built environment factors and road-traffic mortality in large Latin American cities. METHODS: We selected cities from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, and Peru; cities included in the analysis had a population of at least 100 000 people. We extracted data for road-traffic deaths that occurred between 2010 and 2016 from country vital registries. Deaths were grouped by 5-year age groups and sex. Road-traffic deaths were identified using ICD-10 codes, with adjustments for ill-defined codes and incomplete registration. City-level measures included population, urban development, street design, public transportation, and social environment. Associations were estimated using multilevel negative binomial models with robust variances. FINDINGS: 366 cities were included in the analysis. There were 328 408 road-traffic deaths in nearly 3·5 billion person-years across all countries, with an average crude rate of 17·1 deaths per 100 000 person-years. Nearly half of the people who died were younger than 35 years. In multivariable models, road-traffic mortality was higher in cities where urban development was more isolated (rate ratio [RR] 1·05 per 1 SD increase, 95% CI 1·02-1·09), but lower in cities with higher population density (0·94, 0·90-0·98), higher gross domestic product per capita (0·96, 0·94-0·98), and higher intersection density (0·92, 0·89-0·95). Cities with mass transit had lower road mortality rates than did those without (0·92, 0·86-0·99). INTERPRETATION: Urban development policies that reduce isolated and disconnected urban development and that promote walkable street networks and public transport could be important strategies to reduce road-traffic deaths in Latin America and elsewhere. FUNDING: Wellcome Trust.

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The presence of the prostate in female mammals has long been known. However, pieces of information related to its development are still lacking. The aim of this study was to explore the budding dynamic during the initial prostate development in female gerbils. Pregnant females were timed, the fetuses were euthanized, and the urogenital sinus was dissected out between the embryonic days 20 and 24 (E20-E24 groups). Newborn pups (1-day-old; P1 group) underwent the same procedures. The female prostate development was based on epithelial buds which arose far from the paraurethral mesenchyme (PAM). The epithelial buds reached the PAM at prenatal day 24, crossing a small gap in the smooth muscle layer between the periurethral mesenchyme (PEM) and the PAM. Steroid nuclear receptors such as the androgen receptor and estrogen receptor alpha were localized in the PEM through the urethral wall, although some epithelial labeling was also present in the urogenital sinus epithelium (UGE). P63-positive cells were found only in the UGE, becoming restricted to the basal compartment after the 23rd prenatal day. The results showed that the gerbil female prostate exhibits a distinct budding pattern as compared to the male prostate development.

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Being a Re-Emerging Infectious Disease, dengue causes 390 million cases globally and is prevalent in many urban areas in South America. Understanding the fine-scale relationships between dengue incidence and environmental and socioeconomic factors can guide improved disease prevention strategies. This ecological study examines the association between dengue incidence and satellite-based vegetation greenness in 3826 census tracts nested in 474 neighborhoods in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, during the 2010 dengue epidemic. To reduce potential bias in the estimated dengue-greenness association, we adjusted for socioeconomic vulnerability, population density, building height and density, land cover composition, elevation, weather patterns, and neighborhood random effects. We found that vegetation greenness was negatively associated with dengue incidence in a univariate model, and this association attenuated after controlling for additional covariates. The dengue-greenness association was modified by socioeconomic vulnerability: while a positive association was observed in the least vulnerable census tracts, the association was negative in the most vulnerable areas. Using greenness as a proxy for vegetation quality, our results show the potential of vegetation management in reducing dengue incidence, particularly in socioeconomically vulnerable areas. We also discuss the role of water infrastructure, sanitation services, and tree cover in lowering dengue risk.