Prevalence and distribution pattern of Sarcocystis spp. in slaughtered cattle from the Peruvian tropical Andes, Peru.

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and distribution patterns of Sarcocystis spp. in cattle tissues in Chachapoyas province in the Peruvian tropical Andes. Additionally, the risk factors associated with the prevalence and the correlation of two diagnostic techniques (direct microscopy of squashed fresh muscle tissues and histopathology) were explored. The tongue, heart, esophagus, Latissimus dorsi muscle, and diaphragm of 210 animals slaughtered in the municipal slaughterhouse of Chachapoyas were evaluated by both techniques. Macroscopic sarcocysts were detected in 16.7% of tissues (CI 95% 11.7-21.7%). The total prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. was 96.2% (95% CI 93.6-98.8%) by direct light microscopy and 100% by histopathology. The highest Sarcocystis prevalence was detected in the esophagus. No significant statistical differences were found in the prevalence of Sarcocystis related to sex, age, or provenance. Both techniques demonstrated a very weak Kappa correlation (κ ≤ 0.24) in predicting the presence of the parasite in each of the five evaluated muscles. Direct microscopy can be implemented at slaughterhouses as a rapid screening test, but it is essential to confirm by histopathology the absence of the parasite in direct-microscopy-negative samples. It is also recommended that beef from the Peruvian Andes be thoroughly cooked for both human and animal consumption because of the zoonotic potential of some species of Sarcocystis.

Nototriche chancoae (Malvoideae, Malvaceae), una especie nueva de los Andes de Lima, Perú / Nototriche chancoae (Malvoideae, Malvaceae), a new species from the Andes of Lima, Peru

Resumen Se describe e ilustra a Nototriche chancoae, una nueva especie de los Andes de Lima, Perú. Esta especie se relaciona con N. glacialis, N. nigrescens y N. congesta por presentar láminas flabeliformes, hipófilo piloso, lado interno del cáliz piloso hacia el ápice de los lóbulos y corola con tubo presente; se distingue por tener vaginas más anchas y lado externo del cáliz con tubo glabro. Se incluyen la descripción, ilustración y fotografías de la especie nueva, así como también, una clave dicotómica de las especies de Nototriche más afines en morfología a N. chancoae.

Abstract Nototriche chancoae, a new species from the Andes of Lima, Peru, is described and illustrated. This species is related to N. glacialis, N. nigrescens and N. congesta in having flabellate laminae, hairy hypophyllum, inner side of the hairy calyx towards the apex of the lobes and corolla with tube present; It is distinguished by having wider vaginas and the outer side of the calyx with glabrous tube. The description, illustration and photographs of the new species are included, as well as a dichotomous key to the Nototriche species most similar in morphology to N. chancoae.

Taxonomic Review of Zabrotica Hull 1958 (Diptera: Asilidae: Stenopogoninae), a Senior Synonym of Aymarasilus Artigas 1974, with Descriptions of Six New Species.

Zabrotica Hull, 1958 is revised and six new species are described from Peru: Zabrotica artigasi sp. nov. from Junín, Zabrotica floresi sp. nov. from Huánuco, Zabrotica hockingi sp. nov. from Huánuco and Pasco, Zabrotica hulli sp. nov. from Pasco, Zabrotica maidecita sp. nov. from Cajamarca, and Zabrotica mariae sp. nov. from Apurímac, Cuzco and Puno. Additionally, Aymarasilus Artigas, 1974 syn. nov., is herein proposed as a junior synonym of Zabrotica. A diagnosis for the genus is provided, as well as an identification key to the known species and distribution maps.

Control, power, and responsibility: a qualitative study of local perspectives on problem drinking in Peruvian Andean highlands.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol control has emerged as an important global health challenge due to the expanding influence of alcohol companies and limited control measures imposed by governments. In the Peruvian Andean highland, the ritual function of collective drinking is reported to have been weakened in response to the increased availability of alcohol and the experience of political violence. This study seeks to merge the broader political economy with local experience and culture to provide a deeper understanding of the dynamic between global processes and local realities. METHODS: We used purposive sampling to recruit participants. We conducted in-depth interviews (n = 28) and focus group discussions (n = 19) with community participants, teachers, health workers, alcohol vendors and police officers. Thematic analysis identified patterns of individual and collective meaning situated in relation to social, political and economic factors. RESULTS: Local perspectives and behaviour regarding loss of control over alcohol are shaped through the complex patterns of power and meaning exerted and experienced by different actors. Participants' emphasis on parents' lack of control over alcohol use by "abandoned" children reflects the structural vulnerability of some Andean families struggling with economic hardships. Participants also emphasized how alcohol consumption was tied to forms of control exerted by men in households. Participants expressed that some men demonstrated their masculine identity and symbolic power as the breadwinner through spending on alcohol. The third emphasis was tied to the market economy. Participants expressed that the expansion of the alcohol market and perceived absence of government control coupled with macroeconomic conditions, like poverty, shaped patterns of alcohol consumption. CONCLUSION: Our findings illustrate how problem drinking is shaped not simply by an individual drinker's lack of self-control but also by a regulatory environment that enables the unrestrained marketing of alcohol products and the creation of a culture of consumption. Harmful consumption is mediated by the reshaping of the Andean cultural practice of collective drinking. Attending to local perspectives is essential for policies and interventions that connect structural dynamics with the cultural and experiential aspects of alcohol consumption.

Intermediate-Salinity Systems at High Altitudes in the Peruvian Andes Unveil a High Diversity and Abundance of Bacteria and Viruses.

Intermediate-salinity environments are distributed around the world. Here, we present a snapshot characterization of two Peruvian thalassohaline environments at high altitude, Maras and Acos, which provide an excellent opportunity to increase our understanding of these ecosystems. The main goal of this study was to assess the structure and functional diversity of the communities of microorganisms in an intermediate-salinity environment, and we used a metagenomic shotgun approach for this analysis. These Andean hypersaline systems exhibited high bacterial diversity and abundance of the phyla Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Balneolaeota, and Actinobacteria; in contrast, Archaea from the phyla Euryarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, and Crenarchaeota were identified in low abundance. Acos harbored a more diverse prokaryotic community and a higher number of unique species compared with Maras. In addition, we obtained the draft genomes of two bacteria, Halomonas elongata and Idiomarina loihiensis, as well as the viral genomes of Enterobacteria lambda-like phage and Halomonas elongata-like phage and 27 partial novel viral halophilic genomes. The functional metagenome annotation showed a high abundance of sequences associated with detoxification, DNA repair, cell wall and capsule formation, and nucleotide metabolism; sequences for these functions were overexpressed mainly in bacteria and also in some archaea and viruses. Thus, their metabolic profiles afford a decrease in oxidative stress as well as the assimilation of nitrogen, a critical energy source for survival. Our work represents the first microbial characterization of a community structure in samples collected from Peruvian hypersaline systems.

Bryophyte stable isotope composition, diversity and biomass define tropical montane cloud forest extent.

Liverworts and mosses are a major component of the epiphyte flora of tropical montane forest ecosystems. Canopy access was used to analyse the distribution and vertical stratification of bryophyte epiphytes within tree crowns at nine forest sites across a 3400 m elevational gradient in Peru, from the Amazonian basin to the high Andes. The stable isotope compositions of bryophyte organic material (13C/12C and 18O/16O) are associated with surface water diffusive limitations and, along with C/N content, provide a generic index for the extent of cloud immersion. From lowland to cloud forest δ13C increased from -33‰ to -27‰, while δ18O increased from 16.3‰ to 18.0‰. Epiphytic bryophyte and associated canopy soil biomass in the cloud immersion zone was estimated at up to 45 t dry mass ha-1, and overall water holding capacity was equivalent to a 20 mm precipitation event. The study emphasizes the importance of diverse bryophyte communities in sequestering carbon in threatened habitats, with stable isotope analysis allowing future elevational shifts in the cloud base associated with changes in climate to be tracked.

Leguminosas (Fabaceae) silvestres de uso medicinal del distrito de Lircay, provincia de Angaraes (Huancavelica, Perú) / Wild medicinal Legumes species (Fabaceae) in the district of Lircay, province of Angaraes (Huancavelica, Peru)

Se presenta un estudio etnobotánico sobre las Leguminosas (Fabaceae) silvestres de uso medicinal de una región altoandina del Perú (distrito de Lircay, provincia de Angaraes, departamento de Huancavelica). La metodología se basó en entrevistas semiestructuradas a 33 informantes clave, calculando el índice de Importancia Cultural. Se registran 12 géneros con 17 especies. Todas las plantas poseen por lo menos un nombre vernáculo y tienen usos adicionales a la categoría medicinal. Dos especies son comercializadas en Lircay: Desmodium molliculum y Otholobium pubescens. Se reportan nueve categorías de uso, siendo la categoría medicinal la que presentó mayor número de especies (17 especies) y la que tuvo más reportes de uso (125 reportes). La Leguminosa con mayor Importancia Cultural es Senna versicolor, lo que demuestra que es la especie más arraigada al conocimiento tradicional de los pobladores locales.

What follows is an ethnobotanical study of wild medicinal Legumes from a high Andean region of Peru (district of Lircay, province of Angaraes, department of Huancavelica). The methodology was based on 33 semi-structured interviews with key informants, and the Cultural Importance Index was calculated. A total of 12 genera with 17 species were recorded. All of the plants possessed at least one vernacular name and in addition to their medicinal function had other uses. Two species are traded in the Lircay: Desmodium molliculum and Otholobium pubescens. Nine categories of use were reported, with the medicinal category registering the highest number of species (17 species) and the greatest number of reported uses (125 reports). The legume of greatest cultural importance is Senna versicolor, which was shown to be the most deeply-rooted plant in the traditional knowledge of the local.

The influence of floral traits on specialization and modularity of plant-pollinator networks in a biodiversity hotspot in the Peruvian Andes.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Modularity is a ubiquitous and important structural property of ecological networks which describes the relative strengths of sets of interacting species and gives insights into the dynamics of ecological communities. However, this has rarely been studied in species-rich, tropical plant-pollinator networks. Working in a biodiversity hotspot in the Peruvian Andes we assessed the structure of quantitative plant-pollinator networks in nine valleys, quantifying modularity among networks, defining the topological roles of species and the influence of floral traits on specialization. METHODS: A total of 90 transects were surveyed for plants and pollinators at different altitudes and across different life zones. Quantitative modularity (QuanBiMo) was used to detect modularity and six indices were used to quantify specialization. KEY RESULTS: All networks were highly structured, moderately specialized and significantly modular regardless of size. The strongest hubs were Baccharis plants, Apis mellifera, Bombus funebris and Diptera spp., which were the most ubiquitous and abundant species with the longest phenologies. Species strength showed a strong association with the modular structure of plant-pollinator networks. Hubs and connectors were the most centralized participants in the networks and were ranked highest (high generalization) when quantifying specialization with most indices. However, complementary specialization d' quantified hubs and connectors as moderately specialized. Specialization and topological roles of species were remarkably constant across some sites, but highly variable in others. Networks were dominated by ecologically and functionally generalist plant species with open access flowers which are closely related taxonomically with similar morphology and rewards. Plants associated with hummingbirds had the highest level of complementary specialization and exclusivity in modules (functional specialists) and the longest corollas. CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated that the topology of networks in this tropical montane environment was non-random and highly organized. Our findings underline that specialization indices convey different concepts of specialization and hence quantify different aspects, and that measuring specialization requires careful consideration of what defines a specialist.

Nuevos registros de la liquenobiota del Santuario Histórico de Machu Picchu, Perú

Los líquenes (hongos liquenizados) son organismos que presentan una alta diversidad, especialmente en las regiones tropicales; sin embargo, en Perú su conocimiento aún es escaso. Utilizando una metodología convencional, así como literatura actualizada sobre la descripción de géneros y especies, se presenta una lista de los macro-líquenes presentes en el Santuario Histórico de Machu Picchu (Cusco, Perú). Se reportan 67 especies de macro-líquenes, 9 de los cuales son nuevos registros para el Perú. Las familias Parmeliaceae, Physiciaceae y Lobariaceae son las que presentan mayor riqueza de especies en el área de estudio.

While high species diversity of lichen - lichenized fungi - is reported especially in the tropics, the studies on these organisms are still scarce in Peru. Using conventional methodology and current literature on the description of genera and species, we reported macro-lichens collected from Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu (Cusco, Peru). Sixty seven species of macro-lichens are reported to SHMP, nine new records to Peru are documented. Parmeliaceae, Physciaceae and Lobariaceae are the families with major number of species.

Chromosomal aberrations in peripheral lymphocytes from male native miners working in the Peruvian Andes

We analyzed the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in peripheral lymphocytes from underground miners from the Casapalca (n = 8, mean age = 45 y, range = 36 y to 55 y) and Bellavista (n = 8, mean age = 28 y, range 23 y to 34 y) high-altitude mining camps in the Peruvian Andes. This population was occupationally exposed to heavy metals such as lead and zinc as well as diesel emission particles, organic solvents and mine dust. The control groups consisted of individuals from a high altitude farming community in the Peruvian village of Tinco (n = 8, mean age = 37 y, range = 25 y to 52 y) and the sea level city of Lima (n = 14, mean age = 26 y, range = 20 y to 35 y). All individuals were male native Peruvians. A significantly higher incidence (1.88 percent, p < 0.05) of chromosomal aberrations (chromatid deletions and breaks, chromosome breaks and acentric fragments) were detected in lymphocytes from miners at the Casapalca camp as compared to miners from the Bellavista camp (0.5 percent, chromatid deletions and acentric fragments only) and the Lima sea level (0.07 percent, chromatid deletions only) and Tinco high altitude (no aberrations) controls. These results suggest that male native Peruvians occupationally exposed to underground mining activity have an increased frequency of chromosomal aberrations, which could be related to both age and exposure time. The increased chromosomal damage observed in the mining populations studied may be attributable to the complex mixture of genotoxic agents to which the miners may have been exposed.