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Introduction: Management of the patient with cirrhosis of the liver that requires surgical treatment has been relatively unexplored. In Mexico, there is currently no formal stance or expert recommendations to guide clinical decision-making in this context., Aims: The present position paper reviews the existing evidence on risks, prognoses, precautions, special care, and specific management or procedures for patients with cirrhosis that require surgical interventions or invasive procedures. Our aim is to provide recommendations by an expert panel, based on the best published evidence, and consequently ensure timely, quality, efficient, and low-risk care for this specific group of patients., Results: Twenty-seven recommendations were developed that address preoperative considerations, intraoperative settings, and postoperative follow-up and care., Conclusions: The assessment and care of patients with cirrhosis that require major surgical or invasive procedures should be overseen by a multidisciplinary team that includes the anesthesiologist, hepatologist, gastroenterologist, and clinical nutritionist. With respect to decompensated patients, a nephrology specialist may be required, given that kidney function is also a parameter involved in the prognosis of these patients., (Copyright © 2024 Asociación Mexicana de Gastroenterología. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.)

The deposition of trace elements around a pulp and paper industry in Morelia, Mexico, was evaluated using two lichen species as biomonitors. Samples of the foliose lichen Flavopunctelia praesignis and the fruticose lichen Usnea ceratina were collected in two remote areas and transplanted at different distances and directions from the pollution source. Lichen samples were exposed for 4 months (1) around the industrial area and (2) in their native habitats (control sites). We investigated the bioaccumulation of 11 trace elements in lichen thalli, and we compared the response of the two lichen species. To identify possible common sources, we evaluated the relationships between trace elements by correlations and cluster analyses. Our results showed that Cd was a good tracer for air pollution from the pulp and paper mills. In samples of Usnea ceratina exposed around the industrial area, Cd was significantly higher than in the remote area. Within the study area, trace element contents increase with the distance from the source, and they showed high depositions in the direction of prevailing winds. Moreover, we were able to detect groups of elements with similar behavior and common origins. Our results indicated that Flavopunctelia praesignis showed a higher capacity to accumulate trace elements than Usnea ceratina., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Background: Global polio eradication efforts rely in part on molecular methods of detecting polioviruses, both wild and vaccine strains, from human and environmental samples. Previous assays used for detection of Sabin oral polio vaccine (OPV) in fecal samples have been labor and time intensive and vary in their sensitivity and specificity., Methods: We developed a high-throughput, multiplex reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay able to detect all 3 OPV strains in fecal samples. The assay used a KingFisher Duo Prime system for viral RNA isolation and extraction. Positive samples were retested and Sanger sequenced for verification of Sabin serotype identity., Results: The 95% lower limit of detection was determined to be 3 copies per reaction for Sabin 1 and 3 and 4 copies per reaction for Sabin 2, with no cross-reactivity between the 3 serotypes and their primers. A total of 554 samples (3.6%) were positive, with 304 positive samples (54.9%) containing >1 serotype. Of the positive samples, 476 (85.9%) contained enough RNA to be sequenced, and of these all sequences were Sabin serotypes. The previous assay we used could process 48 samples in a 10-hour period, whereas the new assay processed >100 samples in 6 hours., Conclusions: The new high-throughput, multiplex reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay allowed for sensitive and specific detection of OPV serotypes while greatly decreasing sample handling and processing time. We were able to sequence 72.4% of the 210 positive samples in the cycle threshold range of 35-37.

Background: We aimed to elucidate household and community-level shedding and transmission of trivalent oral polio vaccine (tOPV) in communities with inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) routine immunization after tOPV is administered during a national health week (NHW)., Methods: We conducted a 3-arm, randomized trial with data collected at baseline through 10 weeks post-NHW in households with at least 1 child <5 years old in 3 semi-rural communities in Orizaba, Mexico. Selected communities were geographically isolated but socio-demographically similar. Each community was assigned an oral polio vaccine (OPV) immunization rate: 10, 30, or 70% of participating households. From 2653 households in the 3 communities, ~150 households per community were selected, for 466 in total. Households were randomized as vaccinated or unvaccinated, with only 1 child under 5 in the vaccinated household receiving OPV during the February 2015 NHW. No other community members received OPV during this NHW. Stool samples were collected up to 10 weeks post-vaccination for all members of the 466 study households and were analyzed for the presence of OPV serotypes using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay., Results: We will report on the factors associated with, and incidence and duration of, household and community shedding and transmission of OPV. The secondary outcomes will characterize temporal and geospatial OPV serotype shedding patterns., Conclusions: The current global polio eradication plan relies on transitioning away from OPV to IPV. This study contributes to understanding patterns of OPV shedding and transmission dynamics in communities with primary IPV immunity, in order to optimize the reduction of OPV transmission.

In 2014 the Mexican government implemented taxes to reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and nonessential energy-dense foods. In this manuscript, we analyze the scientific evidence linking the consumption of these products to chronic diseases, and summarize the studies that have evaluated the observed and expected impact of food taxes in Mexico. The implementation of taxes to unhealthy foods has reduced purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages in 7.6% and nonessential energy-dense foods in 7.4%. A reduction in consumption could decrease obesity prevalence by 2.5%; prevent 20 000 cardiovascular disease events; 189 000 diabetes cases; and 20 000 cardiovascular deaths. Additionally, this impact could save nearly 1 173 million dollars from healthcare costs. Taxes to unhealthy foods should be strengthened up and remain as an integral part of the national strategy to reduce obesity and chronic diseases in Mexico., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflict of interests. The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Cysticercosis is an infestation of Cysticercus cellulosae. When it occurs in the brain, chronic neurological complications can ensue, most commonly seizures. Neurocysticercosis is usually diagnosed by neuroimaging, a technique not available in most endemic countries. Hence immunological tests are valuable for diagnosis and epidemiological surveys. We evaluated the suitability of paper for storing blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) until subsequent testing by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), by testing whole blood samples on filter paper from 305 patients and CSF samples from 117 patients stored on ordinary white typing paper and on filter paper. Optimal preservation of biological samples is achieved when whole blood is stored on filter paper, CSF on white paper, and when samples are frozen within 1 week after collection. Our results could improve diagnostic capabilities and facilitate epidemiological surveys in endemic countries where immunodiagnostic tests cannot be rapidly performed because of inadequate laboratory infrastructure.

A randomized, crossover study comparing the acceptability of two presentations of the same oral contraceptive, a paper formulation and the conventional tablet, was carried out among two-hundred-and-seventy women attending two urban family planning clinics in Mexico City. During the first three cycles of use, the percentage of women discontinuing the medication for side effects was almost identical in the two groups. Although the paper formulation failed to demonstrate any major advantage in terms of continuation or acceptability, it was preferred by a majority of the women who began oral contraception with its use.

In the context of medical studies, the topographic aspect (a study about the special circumstances that contributes to the beginning, develop, and ending of diseases belonging to a country) acquired particular significance in New Spain through the work of Diego Cisneros (1618). Juan de Melgarejo, professor, protophysician, priest, and author of two medical writings, continued with the work of Cisneros. The one that concerns us in this paper is called Parecer que ejecutó el Dr. D. Juan de Melgarejo por mandato de su Santidad y orden del Proto Medicato sobre la incorrupción del Ayate de María Santísima de Guadalupe, por los años de 1666. This text remained unpublished and it is closely related to the line of Melgarejo's works on the Virgin of Guadalupe. In this work he analyzes the ayate (cloak) of Juan Diego from a topographic perspective inserted in theoretical and experimental aspects of the hippocratical-galenic slope that prevailed in the medicine perspective of the Baroque New Spain. This research includes aspects on the university education of the author and regarding his tasks as protophysician, one of which was, precisely, the development of the Guadalupean manuscript. All the sources we have used are original. They come from México's General Archive of the Nation, and they all were interpreted by the author. They show the training given by doctors at the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico and the link between this and the tasks of the Royal Protomedicato Tribunal.

The authors' aim was to isolate and identify bacteria or yeast that may be present on the surface of 20-peso banknotes from the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Mexico. They randomly studied a total of 70 20-peso banknotes for the presence of bacteria and species of Candida by conventional methods. Out of the 70 banknotes, 48 (69%) were found to be contaminated. The most prevalent species observed was Candida kruseii (19 bills, 27%) followed by Burkholderia cepacia (9 bills, 13%); 22 (31%) bills showed no growth. Of the 48 contaminated bills, four (5.7%) yielded bacteria considered pathogenic and the other 44 bills (63%) yielded bacteria considered potentially pathogenic. Eleven bills showed more than one microbial species. The results of the authors' study show that contamination occurs on paper currency in the metropolitan area of Monterrey. The authors' findings provide evidence that currency banknotes may represent a threat to human health.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the application of gender perspective in public health papers in four journals published by the Mexican National Health Institutes., Material and Methods: A total of 999 papers published in the four journals between 2000 and 2003 was reviewed. Two levels of analysis were considered: (a) data presented by sex, providing description of differences between women and men, and (b) the analysis of these differences from gender perspective., Results: One quarter (25.4%) of the articles described results by sex. The largest percentage was published in Salud Pública de México (48.8%) and the smallest in Revista de Investigación Clínica (16.1%). Gender perspective was used in only 4.2% of papers; of these, drug addictions, health behaviour and violence were the topics that occurred most frequently., Conclusions: This is the first study to assess the application of gender perspective in Mexican health articles. Similarly to other countries, a very small percentage of authors analyzed sex differences, and a smaller proportion applied gender perspective. Results demonstrate the importance of promoting interdisciplinary research that may promote the elucidation of health inequalities between men and women.

Background: The quality of the presentation of a free paper in a medical congress is not necessarily related to the quality of the methodology., Objective: To analyze the quality of the presentation of the free papers in the National Congress of Gastroenterology in Mexico (Morelia-1997)., Methods: A prospective study was designed to evaluate the following aspects: Limitation to time assigned, adequate use and design of slides, and mentioning of the main methodologic characteristics., Results: There was a high quality of presentation in the majority of papers. The most frequent problems identified, amenable to improvement, were non-limitation to assigned time (24%), as well as problems in the design of slides (too many lines/columns in 32% and excessive number in 23%)., Conclusions: The knowledge of the results may help to improve the presentations of the free papers in the national congresses of gastroenterology.

Objective: To explore ability to read clinical research papers by pediatric residents at different stages of their training., Setting: Four hospitals of the Mexican Social Security System located in Mexico City., Material and Methods: An instrument to evaluate the ability to read critically pediatric research papers was developed and validated by four experts. It contained four abstracts generated from research articles and was integrated by 30 interpretation items, 30 judgment items and 30 alternative proposals items, to be answered by the true-false- don't know system., Results: Sixty seven residents participated (21 first year, 20 second year and 26 third year level). There were no significant differences in interpretation, judgment and overall scores between groups. There was a significant degree of agreement in the ordinality of the residents for the scores in interpretation, judgment and proposals (Kendall W = 0.55, p < 0.001)., Conclusions: We conclude that the residents were not influenced by the training received during their residence in regard to their ability for critical reading of clinical research papers.

The presence in the New World of a variant strain of Plasmodium vivax (VK247) containing a unique circumsporozoite (CS) repeat domain was determined by the detection of antibodies to the variant CS protein and by genetic analysis of the CS gene from field isolates. Whole blood specimens were collected on filter paper from patients infected with P. vivax in Mexico and Peru. Plasmodium vivax DNA was eluted from filter paper samples and the CS gene was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and analyzed for the presence of VK247 or VK210 DNA by oligoprobe hybridization. Sera eluted from a companion filter paper sample were screened for antibodies reactive with the predominant and variant repeat peptides by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and with sporozoites by the immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test. All 24 patients were positive by PCR and oligoprobe hybridization for either VK210 (16 of 24), VK247 (3 of 24), or both (5 of 24). Mixed infections were common (5 of 7) in Peru, but were not observed in the Mexican isolates (0 of 17). All three VK247 infections from Mexico occurred in residents of the foothills above Tapachula (P = 0.02). Of patients with smear-positive P. vivax infection, 42% (10 of 24) had detectable antibodies eluted from dried blood dots that were reactive with the CS protein by IFA or ELISA. These findings establish the widespread distribution of the P. vivax variant CS protein in the New World and indicate that dried blood filter paper samples represent a valuable source of material for the serologic and molecular analysis of plasmodial infections.

This paper proposes a pseudo-birth-cohort approach to deal with a lack of longitudinal data to measure health inequities over time. Using Roemer's framework for inequality of opportunity, this study measures ex-ante and ex-post inequalities in malnutrition, a concept that spans both sides of the nutrition continuum. The total contribution of observed circumstances and the direct contribution of observed efforts to the variation of malnutrition are disentangled for people born between 1983 and 1988 in Mexico. Results indicate that inequality of opportunity has been persistent across this 30-year lifespan for that cohort. Some evidence suggests that a lack of opportunities has been transmitted from parents to children and that people's circumstances account for most of the explained variation in the double burden of malnutrition. However, stratifying the analysis by sex shows that efforts account for more of the explained variation of inequality of opportunity for women in their middle adulthood than for men in most of the outcomes analyzed., (© 2024 The Author(s). Health Economics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The aim of this study is to present the current views of a diverse group of experts on the diagnosis and treatment of Cow's Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA) in children under 2 years of age in Mexico., Material and Methods: The study, led by a scientific committee of five experts in CMPA, was divided into six phases, including a modified Delphi process. A total of 20 panelists, all of whom were pediatric specialists, participated in administering a comprehensive 38-item questionnaire. The questionnaire was divided into two blocks: Diagnosis and Treatment (20 items each)., Results: Consensus was reached on all the proposed items, with an agreement rate of over 70% for each of them. As a result, a diagnostic and treatment algorithm was developed that emphasized the reduction of unnecessary diagnostic studies and encouraged breastfeeding whenever possible. In cases where breast milk is not available, appropriate use of hypoallergenic formulas was recommended. In addition, recommendations on treatment duration and gradual reintroduction of cow's milk protein were provided., Conclusions: The recommendations endorsed by 20 Mexican pediatricians through this study are applicable to everyday clinical practice, thereby enhancing the diagnosis and treatment of children under 2 years of age with CMPA. This, in turn, will foster improved health outcomes and optimize the utilization of healthcare resources., Competing Interests: All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Disaster corruption is a vexing problem, damaging state legitimacy and exacerbating human suffering. Mexico has a history of both major disasters and persistently high levels of corruption. A magnitude 7.1 earthquake in 2017 provided an opportunity to study change over time in expectations and tolerance of corruption in disaster relief. Twenty years earlier, Mexico City residents expected, on average, essentially three out of 10 hypothetical trucks loaded with humanitarian assistance to be lost to corruption but expressed near zero tolerance of such conduct. By 2018-19, Mexico City residents expected more than one-half of all relief, six out of 10 trucks, to be stolen, and could tolerate three out of 10 trucks being pilfered. Similar results were found at the national level. Hence, Mexicans appear to be giving up on the state. Addressing corruption in disaster risk reduction and humanitarian relief specifically might provide a template for improving public trust across other state institutions., (© 2023 The Authors Disasters © 2023 ODI.)

Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) are a widely used approach to incentivize conservation efforts such as avoided deforestation. Although PES effectiveness has received significant scholarly attention, how PES design modifications can improve program outcomes is less explored. We present findings from a randomized trial in Mexico that tested whether a PES contract that requires enrollees to enroll all of their forest is more effective than the traditional PES contract that allows them to choose which forest parcels to enroll. The modification's aim is to prevent landowners from enrolling only parcels they planned to conserve anyway while leaving aside other parcels to deforest. We find that the full-enrollment treatment significantly reduces deforestation compared to the traditional contract (41% less deforestation; p = 0.01). As a result, cost-effectiveness of the PES program quadruples. This result highlights the potential to substantially improve the efficacy of conservation payments through simple contract modifications., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The massive influx of Sargassum natans and S. fluitans to the shores of the Mexican Caribbean has raised concerns regarding their potential impact on soil quality and health in coastal and agroecosystems. The effects of Sargassum accumulation remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to assess the impact of Sargassum on soil ecosystems by examining the behavior and survival of the epigean earthworm Eisenia fetida. The earthworm was exposed to varying concentrations of Sargassum (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%) in two toxicological tests. Results from the avoidance test demonstrated that E. fetida exhibited strong aversion (> 80%) to a diet containing 100% Sargassum. Conversely, the acute test revealed minimal mortality, but growth decreased with increasing Sargassum concentrations. These findings can serve as early warning bioindicators for assessing the environmental risk posed by Sargassum in soil ecosystems., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

We compare the social determinants of health (SDOH) and the social determination of health (SDET) from the school of Latin American Social Medicine/Collective Health. Whereas SDET acknowledges how capitalist rule continues to shape global structures and public health concerns, SDOH proffers neoliberal solutions that obscure much of the violence and dispossession that influence contemporary migration and health-disease experiences. Working in simultaneous ethnographic teams, the researchers here interviewed Honduran migrants in their respective sites of Honduras, Mexico, and the United States. These interlocutors connected their experiences of disaster and health-disease to lack of economic resources and political corruption. Accordingly, we provide an elucidation of the liberal and dehumanizing foundations of SDOH by relying on theorizations from Africana philosophy and argue that the social determination of health model better captures the intersecting historical inequalities that structure relationships between climate, health-disease, and violence., (© 2024 American Anthropological Association.)

The Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey (MINT) economies are recognized to be bedevilled with many obstacles hampering the economic expansion. In the meantime, many of these problems have not been comprehensively scrutinized in the context of the countries. In recent years, natural resources and tourism development have significantly increased in MINT economies. This study scrutinizes the relationship between natural resource rent, mobile use, foreign direct investment, international tourism, and economic growth in a balanced panel data of four MINT nations from 1971 to 2019. The key finding of this study shows that there is a positive and significant impact of foreign direct investment, natural resource rent, mobile use, and international tourism on MINT's economic growth. Furthermore, the tourism-led growth hypothesis is supported empirically in the case of MINT nations. Furthermore, the Granger causality analysis demonstrates that unidirectional causality is discovered from economic growth to tourism. The study recommends that MINT nations implement some practical tourism strategies to push up economic development, and in turn economic growth will positively contribute to the tourism sector., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Humanitarian and development agencies intervening in Latin American cities increasingly face the challenge posed by criminal armed groups (CAGs). Yet, there is a need for evidence-based comparative studies on how international agencies deal with them. Drawing on data collected in Colombia, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, and Mexico, this paper presents a novel typology of humanitarian organisations' access strategies that distinguishes between different levels of interaction with CAGs. The paper shows how humanitarian agencies assess a variety of risks and balance the potential consequences of their engagement with CAGs with the need to maintain constructive and trustful relationships with the state and the community with which they work. It finds that indirect dialogue or negotiation with CAGs via community leaders who act as intermediaries might provide a low-risk alternative to direct negotiation with CAG leaders, provided that 'do no harm' and humanitarian protection considerations vis-à-vis communities and intermediaries play a central role., (© 2022 The Authors Disasters © 2022 ODI.)

Drinking water with a high natural concentration of fluoride (F - ) has serious consequences for the health of the rural population in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, where the water contains levels of F - that are not allowed by national and international regulations (1.5 mg/L). This health problem is very common in multiple states throughout Mexico where drinking water is generally extracted from aquifers that are hosted in fractured volcanic rocks of the Tertiary. These aquifers show similar geological characteristics: deep basins that formed as a result of felsic eruptive events and the extensional deformation of the Basin and Range and are now filled with unconsolidated sediments. In this study, we assessed the occurrence of F in volcanic rocks collected at 11 sampling sites along the Sierra de Codornices in Guanajuato (ranging between 0.01299 and 0.146 wt%, average 0.039 wt%, and SD = 0.039 wt%; n = 10), a region where both rural and urban communities consume drinking water with a high F - content (up to 7.1 (mg/L). The F content is dispersed in volcanic rocks, and the highest levels are present in felsic rocks. The statistical and hydrogeochemical results of a sampling campaign of 32 wells in the Juventino Rosas (JR) and Villagran (Vill) municipalities in 2019 suggest that F - mobilization in groundwater is the product of silicate weathering and the dissolution of volcanic glass, alkaline desorption in the surfaces of F-containing minerals, and possibly ion exchange of minerals and clays or deep fluids enriched with F - , in addition to the precipitation of carbonates that decrease the Ca 2+ concentration in groundwater. All of these processes can be accelerated by groundwater geothermal characteristics within the study area. The hydrogeochemical, fluoride exposure risk, and fluoride pollution index (FPI) results, as well as the epidemiological survey, indicate that teenagers and older adults from Praderas de la Venta are at risk of exposure to F - due to the high concentrations ingested over a long period, the toxicity of the element, and its ability to accumulate in the bones. Extended exposure to elevated levels increases the risk. This work allows us to observe how the populations of JR and Vill can be exposed to high F - contents in drinking water due to the geological characteristics of the region., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

An update of the age and growth for juveniles of the short fin mako shark (I. oxyrinchus) from the Mexican Pacific is presented, based on the analysis of growth band counts from dorsal vertebrae of 198 individuals [110 females, 74-231 cm of total length (TL) and 88 males, 72-231 cm TL) caught during 2008-2018. New available information on vertebral growth band periodicity (biannual deposition in juveniles) and the convenience of using vertebrae form the dorsal region over the cervical region to count growth bands, as well as a multimodel approach, were used. The von Bertalanffy (VB) growth model, Gompertz, logistic and two parameters of VB (2-VB) were fitted to the length-at-age. Only ages ≤6 years were used for the fitting of the models and their performance was compared with the small-sample bias-corrected form of the Akaike information criterion (AICc), their differences ( ∆ i ) and weights ( w i ). Following a multimodel inference approach, the model averaged asymptotic length ( L ¯ inf ), length-at-age 0 ( L ¯ 0 ) and their unconditional standard error ( SE ¯ ), were estimated for each sex scenario using the three-parameter version of each model. The precision of growth band counts was acceptable for the different methods used and by two different readers. The centrum edge analysis (CEA) and marginal increment analysis (MIA) did not support the hypothesis of biannual band pair formation for juveniles, likewise for adults the periodicity could not be verified due to the small sample of large animals. Age was estimated assuming the formation of two pairs of growth bands per year during the first 5 years and one pair of bands per year afterwards considering direct validation information. The estimated ages in years ranged from 0-14 for females and 0-6 for males. The Kimura likelihood ratio test showed no differences in the growth curves of juveniles by sex (P > 0.05). According to the AICc, the 2-VB model better fitted the length-at-age data for combined sexes (L inf  = 386.4 cm, k = 0.12 years -1 , L 0  = 70 cm). The model averaged L ¯ inf and L ¯ 0 were 378.3 cm ( SE ¯ = 64.5 ) and 69.5 cm ( SE ¯ = 6.3 ), respectively. The growth parameters determined for juveniles of I. oxyrinchus are similar to those estimated in other regions, showing relatively fast growth rate as previously reported, medium longevity in comparison to other shark species and natural mortality close to that reported in the last stock assessment for the North Pacific Ocean. These life-history parameters should be considered to evaluate the population in the region and to develop better fishery management and conservation measures., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

Conservation biology is a mission-driven discipline that must navigate a new relationship between conservation and science. Because conservation is a social and political as well as an ecological project, conservation biologists must practice interdisciplinarity and collaboration. In a comparative study of 7 cases (Jaguars in the Chaco, Grevy's zebra in Kenya, Beekeeping in Tanzania, Andean cats in Argentina, Jaguars in Mexico, Lobster fishing, and Black bears in Mexico), we examined motivations for collaboration in conservation, who can collaborate in conservation, and how conservation professionals can work well together. In 5 case studies, successful conservation outcomes were prioritized over livelihood benefits. In the other 2 cases, livelihoods were prioritized. All case studies employed participatory approaches. There were multiple external actors, including local and Indigenous communities, nongovernmental organizations, agencies, regional and national governments, and international organizations, which enhanced conservation and wider sustainability outcomes. Key collaboration aspects considered across the case studies were time (mismatch between relationship building and project schedules), trust required for meaningful partnerships, tools employed, and transformative potential for people, nature, and the discipline of conservation biology. We developed guidelines for successful collaboration, including long-term commitment, knowledge integration, multiscalar and plural approaches, cultivation of trust, appropriate engagement, evaluation, supporting students, and efforts for transformation., (© 2022 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.)

Aquatic ecosystems have been suffering deleterious effects due to the development of different economic activities. Metal(loid)s are one of the most persistent chemicals in environmental reservoirs, and may produce adverse effects on different organisms. Since fishes have been largely used in studies of metal(loid)s exposure, tilapia and largemouth bass were collected in three ecosystems from the Yaqui River Basin to measure the concentrations of metal(loid)s (chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn) arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), and selenium (Se)) and some biomarkers (somatic indices, metallothionein expression and histopathological analysis) in tissues of both species. Metal(loid) concentrations varied seasonally among ecosystems in tissues of both species. The elements varied seasonally and spatially in tissues of both species, with a general distribution of liver > gills > gonads. Also, biomarkers showed variations indicative that the fish species were exposed to different environmental stressor conditions. The highest values of some biomarkers were in largemouth bass, possibly due to differences in their biological characteristics, mainly feeding habits. The multivariate analysis showed positive associations between metal(loid)s and biomarkers, which are usually associated to the use of these elements in metabolic and/or regulatory physiological processes. Both fish species presented histological damage at different levels, from SI types (changes that are reversible for organ structure) to SII types (changes that are more severe but may be repairable). Taken together, the results from this study suggest that the Yaqui River Basin is moderately impacted by metals and metalloids., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Mexico ranks among the OECD countries with the highest prevalence of teenage pregnancies, exhibiting a fertility rate of 70.6 births for every 1000 adolescents. Mexican adolescents with a history of pregnancy are twice as likely to lag behind in their studies as those who have not been pregnant. Research on adolescent maternity and its explanatory mechanisms is required as a basis for implementing policies and programs that effectively curb teenage pregnancy-related behaviors, prevent educational gaps, and reduce the intergenerational transmission of poverty. Based on quasi-experimental methodology and a non-recursive structural equation model with instrumental variables, this paper analyzed the intergenerational transmission of teenage pregnancy from mothers to daughters, as well as the relationship between teenage pregnancy and educational attainment. Using data from the 2009 National Survey of Demographic Dynamics in Mexico, our estimated model indicated a unidirectional relationship from teenage pregnancy to educational attainment. An association was observed between teenage pregnancy and an increased probability of a moderate or severe educational gap (≥ 1 year) by 21% ± 5 and a severe educational gap (≥ 2 years) by 33% ± 8. Adolescents whose mothers reported teenage pregnancy at < 15 years of age were approximately 84% more likely to experience teenage pregnancy themselves than other adolescents. Relevant explanatory mechanisms included low socioeconomic status and a low level of education in the household. Mexico needs to formulate, implement, and expand comprehensive and early prevention strategies as well as teenage pregnancy care throughout its most vulnerable regions. Efforts should be made at the individual, family, and community levels; incorporate alliances with teenage networks; actively engage parents, teachers, and health care providers; and reinforce educational initiatives on sexual and reproductive health for adolescents. It would be convenient for the Government to implement public policies that emphasize the results obtained. There is no better instrument than to show the evidence of the gradual deterioration of human capital in Mexico associated with adolescent pregnancy., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The three most important grouper fishery species in southern Gulf of Mexico, Epinephelus morio, Mycteroperca bonaci and Mycteroperca microlepis, do not have life history parameters data reported such as growth, age and natural mortality essential to management. Individuals from the three species were captured in the Campeche Bank (CB) at different times from 1988 to 2001. Sagittae were thin-sectioned to count annuli: n = 1081 for E. morio, n = 920 for M. bonaci and n = 251 for M. microlepis. Otoliths from the three species exhibited successive opaque and translucent bands deposited with an annual frequency, occurring between January and April for E. morio and M. bonaci, and between January and March for M. microlepis. Estimated age in the three grouper species ranged from 0 + to 20 years. The most frequent ages were 7-10 years for E. morio and 8-12 years for M. bonaci and M. microlepis. The von Bertallanfy Growth Function model parameters (L ∞ , K and t 0 ) were consistent with reported growth patterns for Epinephelidae family species, as established by growth performance Ф' (near 3). The CB groupers appear to reach maximum ages over 13 years with K values between 0.09 and 0.12 year -1 , indicating all three studied species displayed relatively slow growth rate and medium longevity. Lifespan values ranged from 13 to 33 years for E. morio, from 18 to 30 years for M. bonaci and from 17 to 33 years for M. microlepis. A 50 was 6.1 years for E. morio and 5.5 years for both M. bonaci and M. microlepis. Age at which all females were mature was 8 years for M. bonaci and 10 years for E. morio and M. microlepis. P 50 was 9.3 years for E. morio, 13.6 years for M. bonaci and 11.6 years for M. microlepis. Age at which 100% of individuals were male was 13 years for E. morio, 19 years for M. bonaci and 15 years for M. microlepis. Values of M at age exhibited an exponential decrease with age for all three species, but overall values were 0.13 year -1 for E. morio, 0.14 year -1 for M. bonaci and 0.17 year -1 for M. microlepis. For the three species size at age varied by geographical distribution area, but particularly for E. morio the discrepancy in average size between published studies may be the consequence of the fishing effort exerted on the stock and/or the lack of regulation for the fishery prior to 2001; after this stock biomass fell below the reference limit point and was declared overexploited. Resource managers could use the information provided in this study as a reference, representing pre-overexploitation values, to evaluate the current status of these populations and ensure sustainable management actions for the CB grouper fisheries., (© 2022 Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

In order to analyze the environmental performance of Smallholder Dairy Farms (SHDFs) located in the State of Mexico, a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) was carried out using two methodological approaches (A1 and A2) to estimate and interpret environmental impacts. A1 consisted in obtaining the average inputs and outputs of 15 SHDFs to generate a representative farm life cycle inventory, while A2 included an individual environmental impact analysis per SHDF to obtain average values of the contributions per analyzed midpoint impact category. The feed production subsystem generated the highest contributions to environmental impacts per liter of raw milk produced. Estimated emissions based on A2 approach, resulted in higher environmental impacts compared to results obtained with A1. The estimated values for the midpoint impact categories obtained with A2: Climate change, Fossil depletion, Terrestrial acidification, and Agricultural land occupation, were 8.73%, 30.77%, 100%, and 20.49% higher compared to A1 approach, respectively. While A2 provides more accurate results, it requires more time and resources compared to the integration of a panel of representative dairy farms., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Separation of domestic effluents at the source and the utilization of low-flush toilets offer alternative approaches for developing efficient wastewater treatment systems while promoting energy generation through anaerobic digestion. This study focused on assessing toilet usage in Mexico and exploring the potential of anaerobic co-digestion of brown water (feces) and toilet paper as influential factors in wastewater treatment systems. A survey was conducted on a representative sample of Mexicans to gather information on toilet usage frequency, toilet paper use and disposal practices, as well as the type and quantity of commercial disinfectants and pharmaceutical compounds they use or consume. The survey revealed that per capita toilet paper consumption is 2.9 kg annually, that 58 % of respondents do not dispose used paper in the toilet, and that about 47 % use two to three cleaning and disinfection products. Notably, 97 % of the sampled Mexican population expressed a willingness to transition to more eco-friendly toilet options. Subsequently, in a second step, the anaerobic co-digestion of brown water with toilet paper was evaluated, demonstrating a relatively high production of volatile fatty acids but low methane production. This suggests an efficient hydrolysis/acidogenesis process coupled with restrained methanogenesis, probably due to pH decrease caused by acidogenesis. This study underscores that toilet paper and brown water are potential suitable substrates for anaerobic co-digestion. Furthermore, it sheds light on the behaviors of Mexican society regarding bathroom use and cleaning, contributing to the establishment of foundations for wastewater treatment systems with effluent separation at the source., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Psychiatric disorders have a great impact in terms of mortality, morbidity, and disability across the lifespan. Considerable effort has been devoted to understanding their complex and heterogeneous genetic architecture, including diverse ancestry populations. Our aim was to review the psychiatric genetics research published with Latin American populations from 2010 to 2019, and classify it according to country of origin, type of analysis, source of funding, and other variables. We found that most publications came from Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia. Also, local funds are generally not large enough for genome-wide studies in Latin America, with the exception of Brazil and Mexico; larger studies are often done in collaboration with international partners, mostly funded by US agencies. In most of the larger studies, the participants are individuals of Latin American ancestry living in the United States, which limits the potential for exploring the complex gene-environment interaction. Family studies, traditionally strong in Latin America, represent about 30% of the total research publications. Scarce local resources for research in Latin America have probably been an important limitation for conducting bigger and more complex studies, contributing to the reduced representation of these populations in global psychiatric genetics studies. Increasing diversity must be a goal to improve generalizability and applicability in clinical settings., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Motivating effortful behaviour is a problem employers, governments and nonprofits face globally. However, most studies on motivation are done in Western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic (WEIRD) cultures. We compared how hard people in six countries worked in response to monetary incentives versus psychological motivators, such as competing with or helping others. The advantage money had over psychological interventions was larger in the United States and the United Kingdom than in China, India, Mexico and South Africa (N = 8,133). In our last study, we randomly assigned cultural frames through language in bilingual Facebook users in India (N = 2,065). Money increased effort over a psychological treatment by 27% in Hindi and 52% in English. These findings contradict the standard economic intuition that people from poorer countries should be more driven by money. Instead, they suggest that the market mentality of exchanging time and effort for material benefits is most prominent in WEIRD cultures., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: There is a lack of clinical and epidemiological knowledge about nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) in developing countries including Mexico, which has the highest prevalence of epilepsy in the Americas. Our aim was to describe the clinical findings, EEG features, and outcomes of NCSE in a tertiary center in Mexico., Methods: We conducted a retrospective case series study (2010-2020) including patients (≥15 years old) with NCSE according to the modified Salzburg NCSE criteria 2015 with at least 6 months of follow-up. We extracted the clinical data (age, sex, history of epilepsy, antiseizure medications, clinical manifestations, triggers, and etiology), EEG patterns of NCSE, and outcome. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression were used., Results: One hundred thirty-four patients were analyzed; 74 (54.8%) women, the total mean age was 39.5 (15-85) years, and 71% had a history of epilepsy. Altered state of consciousness was found in 82% (including 27.7% in coma). A generalized NCSE pattern was the most common (32.1%). The NCSE etiology was mainly idiopathic (56%), and previous uncontrolled epilepsy was the trigger in 48% of patients. The clinical outcome was remission with clinical improvement in 54.5%. Multinomial logistic regression showed that the patient's age (P = 0.04), absence of comorbidities (P = 0.04), history of perinatal hypoxia (P = 0.04), absence of clinical manifestations (P = 0.01), and coma (P = 0.03) were negatively correlated with the outcome and only the absence of generalized slowing in the EEG (P = 0.001) had a significant positive effect on the prognosis., Conclusions: Age, history of perinatal hypoxia, coma, and focal ictal EEG pattern influence negatively the prognosis of NCSE., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding or conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 by the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society.)

Although 1-14% of adolescents may experience problematic pornography use (PPU), psychometrically sound instruments for assessing PPU in Spanish-speaking adolescents are scarce. Given the advantages of the different forms of the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale (PPCS), the aim of the present study was to assess the psychometric properties of the PPCS and PPCS-6, and to examine associations between PPU and age among boys and girls. Two school-based adolescent samples were recruited in Spain (n = 650; M age  = 16.0 [SD = 1.1]; 50% girls and 50% boys) and Mexico (n1, 160; M age  = 15.8 [SD = 1.1]; 68% girls) to assess the psychometric properties of the PPCS and PPCS-6. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied and convergent and discriminant validity with other measures related to PPU was also tested. The results provided empirical support for the six-factor structure of the PPCS and the one-factor structure of the PPCS-6. Boys with older age showed higher levels of tolerance than girls on the PPCS in both countries. Both the PPCS and the PPCS-6 may be considered valid psychometric instruments for the assessment of PPU in Spanish-speaking adolescents from Spain and Mexico., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: This paper examines the association between drinking context use by Whites and Hispanics on and off the US/Mexico border and alcohol problems., Methods: Data come from a household sample of 1209 adults 18 to 39 years of age resident in Imperial County on the California/Mexico border; and Kern, Tulare, and Madera in California's Central Valley. Data were collected on the phone or online and analyzed with an ordinal generalized linear model., Results: The pattern of statistically significant associations between the frequency and the volume of drinking in different contexts varies across problem types. Furthermore, some contexts of drinking are associated with problems in more than one area. For instance, frequency of drinking at bars/pubs is associated with social problems, risky sex, and fights, but not with injuries. Injuries are associated with the frequency of drinking at home alone or with family and at restaurants. Volume of drinking at bars/pubs is also significantly associated with three different contexts: social problems, injury, and fights. But the volume of drinking at the home of friends or relatives is associated with fights only. Border location is an effect modifier, changing the effect of frequency of drinking at bars and pubs from protective to a factor of risk for social problems and fights., Conclusion: These results provide support for the social ecology of drinking and micro environmental factors or risk. The effect of border location on frequency of drinking in bars/pubs underlines the importance of the macro environment in problem generation., (© 2023. W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute.)

This study investigates the nexus between tourism, CO 2 emissions and health spending in Mexico. We applied a nonlinear ARDL approach for the empirical analysis for the time period 1996-2018. Mexico receives a large number of tourists each year, tourism improves foreign exchange earnings and contributes positively to the economic growth. However, tourist activities impose a serious environmental cost in terms of CO 2 emissions which increase health spending. The empirical findings suggest that tourism leads to CO 2 emissions which resultantly causes a high level of health spending in Mexico. Both short-run and long-run findings reported a significant positive association between tourism, CO 2 emissions, and health expenditures. Therefore, the government needs legislation to reduce CO 2 emissions, besides the use of renewable energy could also help to reduce the CO 2 emissions and health expenditures in society. This study does not support to reduce the health expenditure, rather it suggests optimal utilization of the funds allocated to the health sector., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: We examine the prevalence and sociodemographic risk factors of skeletal indicators of stress in forensic samples of undocumented migrants from Mexico and Central America., Materials and Methods: Cranial and dental remains of 319 migrants recovered in the Arizona and Texas borderlands were assessed for porotic hyperostosis (PH), cribra orbitalia (CO), and linear enamel hypoplasias (LEH). Logistic regression models for each condition were estimated to test for associations with biological sex, age, recovery location, and whether individuals were identified. Additional models estimated for a subsample of identified migrants included region of origin, residential context, and community indigeneity., Results: The full sample shows moderate crude prevalence of CO (9.6%) and LEH (34.1%), and a high prevalence of PH (49.6%). Significantly higher odds of PH are associated with being male (2.16 times higher), unidentified (1.89 times higher), and recovered in Arizona (3.76 times higher). Among identified migrants, we fail to find associations significant at the p < 0.05 level between skeletal stress and all sociodemographic variables except age., Discussion: The factors associated with PH may be related to influences on decisions to migrate and diversity among migrant sending regions. The skeletal evidence for early life stress is generally consistent with common public health concerns among impoverished communities in the region. The lesions themselves are viewed as embodied risk of physiological disturbance when resource access is structured by higher-level social, economic, and political forces. Forensic anthropologists would benefit from increased sensitivity to embodied structural violence among the vulnerable individuals and communities they serve., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The aim was to analyze the distribution and trends of deaths reported for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Mexico in 1998-2017. We carried out a cross-sectional study. Data were obtained from Dynamic Cubes, General Direction of Health Information, on deaths related to RA in Mexico. Seropositive RA was diagnosed using the International Classification of Diseases version 10. Variables were categorized by diagnosis, age, and gender. Time trends of age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) were analyzed for RA, and the annual percent change (APC) was estimated using Joinpoint trend analysis. We found 714 deaths mentioned as RA and 9,749,956 non-RA deaths between 1998 and 2017. Overall RA mortality decreased from 0.14 in 2004 to 0.04 per 100 000 in 2017 (APC: - 10.3%; 95% CI - 16.5%, - 3.3%), while the non-RA ASMR remained stable. In females, there was an initial increase of 27.3% per year through 1998-2004 and a reduction of - 11.7% per year subsequently, while in males, the APC remained stable between 1998 and 2017. The trend for RA mortality resulted in a cumulative change in the ratio of RA ASMR to non-RA ASMR of - 20.6% in females and + 3.2% in males. Although mortality attributable to RA increased from 1998 to 2004 in Mexico, it began to improve after 2004, particularly in females. Prospective, population-based data could help to identify risk factors that could be altered to improve outcomes., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The association of insurance expansions and the distribution of health status is still a matter we know little about. This paper draws upon new measures of pure (univariate) inequality and mobility which accommodate categorical data to understand how an expansion of public insurance may be related to both health inequality and mobility. These measures require a definition of individual's status that is either "downward looking" or "upward looking". Using data from the Mexican Family Life Survey, a nationally representative longitudinal survey, we find that the distribution of health has worsened in Mexico between 2002 and 2009, although the change is only consistent for an upward looking definition status. Together with the lack of mobility in self-reported health, we can thus conclude that Mexico has become more rigid over time despite the rapid public health expansion that took place over the 2000s decade. While further research on the potential drivers of health inequalities is needed, our findings suggest that insurance coverage alone may be not enough to reduce health disparities and promote health mobility. Indeed, health inequality and mobility likely depend on a myriad of factors beyond health care., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

One of the most obvious impacts of roads is roadkill, a problem that is recently being addressed in Mexico. However, there are economic and human resource limitations to monitor the entire road network, assess its impacts, and propose mitigation measures. The black bear (Ursus americanus) is a top predator and the largest terrestrial mammal distributed in Mexico, currently the only of the Ursidae family. In recent years, its presence near human settlements and incidents on roads has increased. We generated a single MaxEnt model to identify characteristics of sites with high black bear roadkill risk and to identify these areas within protected natural areas. We obtained 83 bear roadkill records between 2008 and 2022, and we used a set of 16 variables that included landscape, road variables, and human variables. The model had an area under curve value of 0.96 indicating good performance and the Jacknife analysis identified influence on the roadkill risk of the distance to water bodies, protected areas, scrubland, drainages, and speed limit. We identified 3883.25 km of roads at high roadkill risk for black bears of which, 373.10 (9.6%) km were inside protected areas. We suggest placing speed bumps and effective signage on high-risk sections as a short-term, low-cost strategy. The results help to focus conservation efforts to specific sections of the road network, as roadkill is an increasing source of mortality that has not been evaluated for black bear in Mexico. This information is applicable for mitigating the impacts of existing roads and for planning new projects that have less impact on wild black bear populations and, at the same time, increase the safety of vehicle drivers., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

Objectives: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is an important cause of maternal mortality. There are several guidelines for its diagnosis and management, but there is little information regarding follow-up and frequency of long-term complications. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of long-term cardiovascular symptoms in patients who had obstetric PE., Methods: Cross-sectional study including patients who had PE during pregnancy or the puerperium. A telephone interview was conducted at least one year after PE, to determine the frequency of cardiovascular symptoms, general health, and COVID-19 infection, considering the study was conducted during the 2020 pandemic., Results: In five years (2015-2019) there were eleven patients with PE, two died during the acute phase, and the rest (nine) were alive and able to answer our interview. Cardiovascular symptoms were common (6, 67 %), the most frequent were fatigue, edema, and mild dyspnea. Four patients (44 %) had slight limitation of physical activity and one (11 %) had PE recurrence. Of the six symptomatic patients four had obesity and one was overweight., Conclusions: There is a high frequency of long-term cardiovascular symptoms in patients who had PE during pregnancy or the puerperium. Stronger evidence is needed to design a long-term care pathway after obstetric PE., (© 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.)

Because the vertical distribution and diversity of blood-sucking flies are poorly known, we determined the diversity, structure, and composition of culicids between vertical vegetation strata. We evaluated the influence of microclimatic variables during different times of the day over a year. We used eight CDC traps baited with CO 2 at a height of 1.5 m and 12-15 m. We conducted rank-abundance curves, similarity analysis (ANOSIM and SIMPER), and multivariate clustering with incidence and abundance data. We used GAM models to analyze the influence of strata (understory vs canopy), humidity, and temperature on insect richness and abundance. During the day, the difference between strata was mainly due to higher abundance of Wyeomyia arthrostigma and Wyeomyia ca . adelpha in the understory. During the night, the differences were mainly due to higher abundance of Culex stigmatosoma , Culex salinarius , and Aedes allotecnon in the canopy, and Wyeomyia arthrostigma in the understory. Seasonality played a role in the similarity between the strata. Diversity during the day was positively related to humidity and temperature, and nocturnal diversity increased with temperature but decreased with higher humidity. The effects of environmental factors on the spatiotemporal distribution of fly species are essential for epidemiological surveillance.