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During the first decades of the 20th century, the supply of paper for the printing industries in Mexico became a problematic issue. Production difficulties, price increases and poor distribution during the monopoly of the San Rafael factory started a deep debate on the modernization and interference of the State in the paper industry. This article analyzes the transition between the private monopoly and the creation of the public company, Productora e Importadora de Papel Sociedad Anónima (PIPSA) in 1935, during the government of Lázaro Cárdenas (1934-1940). Through parliamentary debates, press articles and ministerial reports, the questioning of the monopoly as a public policy, the birth of PIPSA and the results in its first years of operation will be explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of enzyme-based biosensors for the detection and quantification of analytes of interest such as contaminants of emerging concern, including over-the-counter medication, provides an attractive alternative compared to more established techniques. However, their direct application to real environmental matrices is still under investigation due to the various drawbacks in their implementation. Here, we report the development of bioelectrodes using laccase enzymes immobilized onto carbon paper electrodes modified with nanostructured molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). The laccase enzymes were two isoforms (LacI and LacII) produced and purified from the fungus Pycnoporus sanguineus CS43 that is native to Mexico. A commercial purified enzyme from the fungus Trametes versicolor (TvL) was also evaluated to compare their performance. The developed bioelectrodes were used in the biosensing of acetaminophen, a drug widely used to relieve fever and pain, and of which there is recent concern about its effect on the environment after its final disposal. The use of MoS2 as a transducer modifier was evaluated, and it was found that the best detection was achieved using a concentration of 1 mg/mL. Moreover, it was found that the laccase with the best biosensing efficiency was LacII, which achieved an LOD of 0.2 µM and a sensitivity of 0.108 µA/µM cm2 in the buffer matrix. Moreover, the performance of the bioelectrodes in a composite groundwater sample from Northeast Mexico was analyzed, achieving an LOD of 0.5 µM and a sensitivity of 0.015 µA/µM cm2. The LOD values found are among the lowest reported for biosensors based on the use of oxidoreductase enzymes, while the sensitivity is the highest currently reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.)

Engineers make things, make things work, and make things work better and easier. This kind of knowledge is crucial for innovation, and much of the explicit knowledge developed by engineers is embodied in scientific publications. In this paper, we analyze the evolution of publications and citations in engineering in a middle-income country such as Mexico. Using a database of all Mexican publications in Web of Science from 2004 to 2017, we explore the characteristics of publications that tend to have the greatest impact; this is the highest number of citations. Among the variables studied are the type of collaboration (no collaboration, domestic, bilateral, or multilateral), the number of coauthors and countries, controlling for a coauthor from the USA, and the affiliation institution of the Mexican author(s). Our results emphasize the overall importance of joint international efforts and suggest that publications with the highest number of citations are those with multinational collaboration (coauthors from three or more countries) and when one of the coauthors is from the USA. Another interesting result is that single-authored papers have had a higher impact than those written through domestic collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.)

For the interval 1962-2022 y, during the continuos publication last 60 years, in Metalurgija Journal Authors from 40 countries from Mexico to China (all 5 continent ) have publish. The goal of the Article is give List of Papers published in this interval, 199 issues or 238 numbers, 2721 scientifi c and technical, and 287 contributions (total 3008 papers ) of Authors whose investigation results and ideas have been examined and found on the pages of this Journal. Thanks for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper recycling has increased in recent years. A principal consequence of this process is the problem of addressing some polymeric components known as stickies. A deep characterization of stickies sampled over one year in a recycled paper industry in México was performed. Based on their chemical structure, an enzymatic assay was performed using lipases. Compounds found in stickies by Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry were poly (butyl-acrylate), dioctyl phthalate, poly (vinyl-acetate), and poly (vinyl-acrylate). Pulp with 4% (w/w) consistency and pH = 6.2 was sampled directly from the mill once macrostickies were removed. Stickies were quantified by counting the tacky macrostructures in the liquid fraction of the pulp using a Neubauer chamber before the paper was made, and they were analyzed with rhodamine dye and a UV lamp. Of the two commercial enzymes evaluated, the best treatment condition used Lipase 30 G (Specialty Enzymes & Biotechnologies Co®, Chino, CA, USA) at a concentration of 0.44 g/L, which decreased 35.59% of stickies. SebOil DG (Specialty Enzymes & Biotechnologies®) showed a stickies reduction of 21.5% when used at a concentration of 0.33 g/L. Stickies in kraft paper processes were actively controlled by the action of lipases, and future research should focus on how this enzyme recognizes its substrate and should apply synthetic biology to improve lipase specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although developing countries have established scores of new protected areas over the past three decades, they often amount to little more than “paper parks” that are chronically short of the financial, human, and technical resources needed for effective management. It is not clear whether and how severely under-resourced parks affect deforestation. In principle, they could either stem it by, for example, creating an expectation of future enforcement, or they could spur it by, for example, creating open access regimes. We examine the effect of Mexico's natural protected areas (NPAs) on deforestation from 1993 to 2000, a period when forest clearing was rampant and the vast majority of protected areas had negligible resources or management. We use high-resolution satellite data to measure deforestation and (covariate and propensity score) matching to control for NPAs’ nonrandom siting and for spillovers. Our broad finding is that Mexico's paper parks had heterogeneous effects both inside and outside their borders. More specifically, at the national-level, we cannot reject the null hypothesis that NPAs had zero average effect on clearing inside their borders, nor can we reject a similar hypothesis for spillover clearing outside their borders. However, we can detect statistically and economically significant inside- and outside-NPA effects for certain geographic regions. Moreover, these effects have different signs depending on the region. Finally, we find that NPAs with certain characteristics were more effective at stemming deforestation inside their borders, namely, those that were large, new, mixed use, and relatively well-funded. Taken together, these results suggest that paper parks have the potential to either reduce or exacerbate tropical deforestation and highlight the need for further research on the conditions that lead to each outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.

Radiofrequency (RF) power amplifiers (PAs) are important elements of modern communication systems. The most important components in PAs are the transistors, which are operated under large-signal regimes in such applications. Designing and optimizing PAs are challenging tasks that demand the highest accuracy on large-signal measurements at both device and circuit levels. Large-signal power transistor characterization demands the development and utilization of high-frequency and low-frequency load-pull systems. Furthermore, the static and dynamic characterization of two-input PAs requires the development of new measurement systems that consist of an nonlinear vector network analyzer (NVNA) and an arbitrary waveform generators (AWG). This paper reviews the research activities, achievements, and current research goals at CICESE Research Center in Mexico in the large-signal microwave metrology field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: Interspecific interactions among tropical mesocarnivorous species and other mammalian trophic guilds have been poorly studied, despite their important implications in the survival, structure, demography, and distribution of these species. Objective: To analyze if sympatric mesocarnivores coexist or compete in the axis of the temporal and spatial niche. Methods: From January 2015 to December 2016 we recorded mammals with 26 stations of camera traps (in pairs, facing each other) along roads and animal trails, at Reserva de la Biosfera El Cielo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. We calculated temporal and spatial overlaps with the Czekanowski and Pianka indices. Results: We obtained 239 margay, 118 ocelot and 22 yaguarundi records. Margay and ocelot were nocturnal (75 % of their records) and had a high temporal overlap (0.85); whereas yaguarundi was fully diurnal, suggesting it may be able to coexist with the other two species. The three species used similar habitats: yaguarundi had 0.81 spatial overlap with margay and 0.72 with ocelot; spatial overlap between margay and ocelot was intermediate (0.53). Conclusions: There is no interspecific competition among these tropical mesocarnivores, probably due to antagonistic interactions leading to use of different parts of the temporal and spatial axes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos Judaicos (0718-8749) is the property of Universidad de Chile, Facultad de Filosofia y Humanidades and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Transboundary pollution is a major global challenge and monitoring beach litter along international borders can reveal some of the pathways by which litter enters water bodies, and hence advance the implementation of measures to prevent pollution emissions into international waters. Methods: In this paper, participatory mapping was used to detect beach litter in Imperial Beach, California, along the U.S.-Mexico international border. This study implemented a 3-step protocol including an introductory awareness workshop, a macro-debris survey to categorize and remove beach litter, and a qualitative assessment of pollution drivers. Results: Results show that plastic litter is the most dominant across all transects (304 debris, 52.6% of all litter observations), with an average density of 76 pieces/transect, with plastic being the most common material. Participants identified some of the major causes of pollution with paucity of waste management facilities, tourism activities near/on the beach, and inflow of pollution across the border. Discussion: The paper highlights the role of citizen science in monitoring pollution along large and border regions. Implications of this study include methodological and practical contributions to the study of marine pollution to supplement the current paucity of information on pollution movement and distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Research Topic on "Enabling Technologies and Business Models for Energy Communities" presents a comprehensive exploration of critical facets in the realm of sustainable energy transitions. The Research Topic encompasses diverse topics, ranging from smart energy frameworks for urban communities and off-grid renewable energy deployment in Mexico to the impact of institutional support on the coalbed methane industry. It further investigates complex grid investment decisions, solar-based irrigation adoption in water-scarce regions, and risk management in power supply projects. Additionally, the Research Topic delves into financial aspects, exploring the pricing of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) project Asset-backed Securities (ABS) products, the impact of managerial competence on corporate carbon performance, and equity-based predictions for the energy industry. The influence of innovation on fossil fuel abandonment in low and middle-income countries and the significance of climate risk for green innovation in heavy-polluting industries are also examined. A regional perspective is provided on the technological convergence of hydrogen energy, and the interplay between renewable energy, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and CO2 emissions in highly-globalized countries is scrutinized. Lastly, the effects of green credit policy on the risk of stocks prices crash are investigated. Together, these contributions offer a holistic understanding of the challenges and opportunities in enabling technologies and business models for energy communities, contributing valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders striving for a sustainable energy future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tapuya: Latin American Science, Technology & Society is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: This study employed bibliometric analysis to ascertain the research focus areas among a group of Mexican physicians affiliated with the Instituto de Seguridad y Servicios Sociales de los Trabajadores del Estado (ISSSTE). ISSSTE, a healthcare institution catering to a diverse range of diseases, offers a distinctive perspective on the investigated specialties within the realm of health. The primary objective was to identify knowledge gaps in medical care disciplines through a comprehensive examination of scholarly publications. Methods: We retrieved Scopus papers affiliated with "ISSSTE" and saved them as.CSV files. Subsequently, we employed VOSviewer, biblioshiny, and bibliometrix for bibliometric analysis. This enabled us to identify prominent institutions, prolific authors, highly cited researchers, and their respective affiliations. Results: Our analysis identified 2063 publications; the specialty internal medicine accounted for the greatest proportion with 831 publications. Original papers accounted for 82% of the total, with 52% of them being written in Spanish. The majority of scientific output, 92%, originated from Mexico City. The annual production has steadily increased since 2010, peaking in 2021 with over 200 publications. However, papers on prevalent conditions, such as metabolic syndrome, received limited citations, and the L0 index (percentage of uncited items) for all papers is close to 60%. Scopus mislabeled one affiliation, and some cases show a low paper-to-author ratio of 0.5 Discussion: Additional concerns, such as honorary authorship due to excessive authors per paper, and the underlying causes of low citation rates in Mexican publications, warrant further examination. Moreover, our research emphasizes the urgency of bolstering research and development funding, which was consistently below 0.5% of GDP for the past four decades, falling short of legal mandates and international benchmarks. We endorse the establishment of robust research collectives in Latin America to address these challenges, foster regional scientific output, and transition from knowledge consumers to knowledge producers, thereby reducing dependence on foreign technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Plants, People, Planet is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This Special Issue is intended to highlight both recent work to advance the physical understanding of transboundary aquifers and factors relevant in successful collaboration on transboundary groundwater resource use. The collected papers address: (1) the identification and prioritization of the needs and strategies for sustainable groundwater development and use, along with the complexities introduced by working across borders with differing governance frameworks, institutions, cultures, and sometimes languages; (2) the characterization of the physical framework of the aquifer, stressors on the aquifer system, and how those stressors influence the availability of groundwater in terms of its quantity and quality; and (3) the incorporation of stakeholder input and prioritization directly into the process of aquifer assessment and model building. The papers provide insights into the state of knowledge regarding the physical characterization of important transboundary aquifers, primarily along the U.S.–Mexico border and the opportunities for greater stakeholder involvement in resource evaluation and prioritization. They point the way towards a future focus that combines both of these aspects of transboundary aquifer assessment for informing groundwater management discussions by policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food fortification in low-income settings is limited due to the lack of simple quality control sensing tools. In this study, we field validated a paper-based, smartphone-assisted colorimetric assay (Nu3Px) for the determination of iron in fortified flours against the gold standard method, atomic emission spectrometry (AES). Samples from commercial brands (n = 6) were collected from supermarkets, convenience stores, and directly from companies in Mexico and characterized using both Nu3Px and AES. Nu3Px's final error parameters were quantified (n = 45) via method validation final experiments (replication and comparison of methods experiment). Qualitative pilot testing was conducted, assessing Nu3Px's accept/reject batch decision making (accept ≥ 40 μg Fe/g flour; reject < 40 μg Fe/g flour) against Mexico's fortification policy. A modified user-centered design process was followed to develop and evaluate an alternative sampling procedure using affordable tools. Variation of iron content in Mexican corn flours ranged from 23% to 39%. Nu3Px's random error was 12%, and its bias was 1.79 ± 9.99 μg Fe/g flour. Nu3Px had a true mean difference from AES equal to 0 and similar variances. AES and Nu3Px made similar classifications based on Mexico's policy. Using simple, affordable tools for sampling resulted in similar output to the traditional sampling preparation (r = 0.952, p = 0.01). The affordable sample preparation kit has similar precision to using analytical tools. The sample preparation kit coupled with the smartphone app and paper-based assay measure iron within the performance parameters required for the application to corn flour fortification programs, such as in the case of Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought monitoring and early detection have improved greatly in recent decades through the development and refinement of numerous indices and indicators. However, a lack of guidance, based on user experience, exists as to which drought-monitoring tools are most appropriate in a given location. This review paper summarizes the results of targeted user engagement and the published literature to improve the understanding of drought across North America and to enhance the utility of drought-monitoring tools. Workshops and surveys were used to assess and make general conclusions about the perceived performance of drought indicators, indices and impact information used for monitoring drought in the five main Köppen climate types (Tropical, Temperate, Continental, Polar Tundra, Dry) found across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. In Tropical, humid Temperate, and southerly Continental climates, droughts are perceived to be more short-term (less than 6 months) in duration rather than long-term (more than 6 months). In Polar Tundra climates, Dry climates, Temperate climates with dry warm seasons, and northerly Continental climates, droughts are perceived to be more long-term than short-term. In general, agricultural and hydrological droughts were considered to be the most important drought types. Drought impacts related to agriculture, water supply, ecosystem, and human health were rated to be of greatest importance. Users identified the most effective indices and indicators for monitoring drought across North America to be the U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) and Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) (or another measure of precipitation anomaly), followed by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) (or another satellite-observed vegetation index), temperature anomalies, crop status, soil moisture, streamflow, reservoir storage, water use (demand), and reported drought impacts. Users also noted the importance of indices that measure evapotranspiration, evaporative demand, and snow water content. Drought indices and indicators were generally thought to perform equally well across seasons in Tropical and colder Continental climates, but their performance was perceived to vary seasonally in Dry, Temperate, Polar Tundra, and warmer Continental climates, with improved performance during warm and wet times of the year. The drought indices and indicators, in general, were not perceived to perform equally well across geographies. This review paper provides guidance on when (time of year) and where (climate zone) the more popular drought indices and indicators should be used. The paper concludes by noting the importance of understanding how drought, its impacts, and its indicators are changing over time as the climate warms and by recommending ways to strengthen the use of indices and indicators in drought decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polish Statistician / Wiadomości Statystyczne is the property of State Treasury - Statistics Poland and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Methane, sulfate and chloride concentrations in sediment porewater from two coastal mangrove ecosystems (Celestún and Chelem Lagoons) on the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico were measured. In these sediments methane exists in shallow sediments where sulfate is not depleted, and sulfate reduction is actively occurring. A transport-reaction model depicting the various production and consumption processes for methane and sulfate is used to elucidate processes responsible for this observation. The model illustrates that methane in the upper sediments is produced in-situ supported by high dissolved organic matter as well as by non-competitive substrates. In addition methane is contributed to porewater in the upper sediments, where sulfate reduction occurs, by transport from deeper zones within the sedimentary column through bubbles dissolution and diffusion. The shallow methane production and accumulation depths in these sediments promote high methane fluxes to the water column and atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Interspecific interactions among tropical mesocarnivorous species and other mammalian trophic guilds have been poorly studied, despite their important implications in the survival, structure, demography, and distribution of these species. Objective: To analyze if sympatric mesocarnivores coexist or compete in the axis of the temporal and spatial niche. Methods: From January 2015 to December 2016 we recorded mammals with 26 stations of camera traps (in pairs, facing each other) along roads and animal trails, at Reserva de la Biosfera El Cielo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. We calculated temporal and spatial overlaps with the Czekanowski and Pianka indices. Results: We obtained 239 margay, 118 ocelot and 22 yaguarundi records. Margay and ocelot were nocturnal (75 % of their records) and had a high temporal overlap (0.85); whereas yaguarundi was fully diurnal, suggesting it may be able to coexist with the other two species. The three species used similar habitats: yaguarundi had 0.81 spatial overlap with margay and 0.72 with ocelot; spatial overlap between margay and ocelot was intermediate (0.53). Conclusions: There is no interspecific competition among these tropical mesocarnivores, probably due to antagonistic interactions leading to use of different parts of the temporal and spatial axes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the predictions of real business cycle theory on the roles of total factor productivity (TFP) and financial frictions to explain business cycles in emerging market economies (EMEs). I obtain evidence about TFP, price of capital, risk premium, and collateral constraint shocks by estimating structural vector autoregressions (SVARs) on a Brazilian sample from 1999Q1 to 2018Q4 and a Mexican sample from 1997Q1 to 2018Q4. On each sample, two SVARs are estimated. One SVAR identifies shocks by imposing restrictions on their short-run impact. The other SVAR is grounded on restrictions that shocks have long-run effects on business cycles in EMEs. Estimates of the SVARs show the TFP shock is the main driver of business cycle movements in Brazil and Mexico. However, this evidence is produced by the SVAR under the long-run restrictions, which indicates the identification of shocks matters to the explanation of business cycles in EMEs. Next, the Brazilian and Mexican business cycles are markedly different, as the contributions of shocks to aggregate fluctuations vary across the two countries. Hence, findings of this paper suggest although not all business cycles are alike in EMEs, "the cycle is the trend" view on aggregate fluctuations in EMEs remains valid. The empirical results of this paper are in support of the economic policies that aim to robustify the productivity process of EMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we tackle the problem of forecasting future pandemics by training models with a COVID-19 time series. We tested this approach by producing one model and using it to forecast a non-trained time series; however, we limited this paper to the eight states with the highest population density in Mexico. We propose a generalized pandemic forecasting framework that transforms the time series into a dataset via three different transformations using random forest and backward transformations. Additionally, we tested the impact of the horizon and dataset window sizes for the training phase. A Wilcoxon test showed that the best transformation technique statistically outperformed the other two transformations with 100% certainty. The best transformation included the accumulated efforts of the other two plus a normalization that helped rescale the non-trained time series, improving the sMAPE from the value of 25.48 attained for the second-best transformation to 13.53. The figures in the experimentation section show promising results regarding the possibility of forecasting the early stages of future pandemics with trained data from the COVID-19 time series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We modelled the carbon (C) cycle in Mexico with a process-based approach. We used different available products (satellite data, field measurements, models and flux towers) to estimate C stocks and fluxes in the country at three different time frames: present (defined as the period 2000-2005), the past century (1901-2000) and the remainder of this century (2010-2100). Our estimate of the gross primary productivity (GPP) for the country was 2137±1023 TgCyr-1 and a total C stock of 34 506±7483 TgC, with 20 347±4622 PgC in vegetation and 14 159±3861 in the soil. Contrary to other current estimates for recent decades, our results showed that Mexico was a C sink over the period 1990-2009 (+31 TgCyr-1) and that C accumulation over the last century amounted to 1210±1040 TgC. We attributed this sink to the CO2 fertilization effect on GPP, which led to an increase of 3408±1060 TgC, while both climate and land use reduced the country C stocks by -458±1001 and -1740±878 TgC, respectively. Under different future scenarios the C sink will likely continue over 21st century, with decreasing C uptake as the climate forcing becomes more extreme. Our work provides valuable insights on relevant driving processes of the C-cycle such as the role of drought in marginal lands (e.g. grasslands and shrublands) and the impact of climate change on the mean residence time of C in tropical ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite ample knowledge of the effect of warm-dry storage on breaking dormancy in chincuya (Annona purpurea Moc. & Sessé ex Dunal) seeds, this paper investigates an important new aspect of this process—the applicability of seed treatment with gibberellic acid and its influence on seed viability and fatty acid profile. Chincuya is an underutilized, tropical wild species native to Mexico, with potential as a biopesticide. The impact of warm-dry storage and gibberellic acid treatment on seed viability and germination was determined to improve that knowledge further. Also, the content and kinetics of fatty acids in chincuya seeds were profiled during warm-dry storage. Seed treatments included storage time (0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months), seed imbibition for 72 h in gibberellic acid at 350 mg L−1, and distilled water imbibition for 72 h for the control treatment. Seed viability was determined using the TTZ classic test. Imbibed seeds were germinated on paper towels and incubated at 30 °C during the day and 25 °C at night in a 12:12 h dark/light photoperiod. The lipid profile was obtained by gas chromatography. During the storage treatment, seeds stayed in darkness at 25 ± 3 °C. Results showed that high viability remained up to month 9 in storage when it significantly decreased. Freshly harvested seeds germinated at a statistically significantly lower rate (26.1%) than six-month-old seeds (65.6%). The profile of fatty acids breaks down as palmitic acid (33.41%), stearic acid (7.72%), and arachidic acid (1.30%), for a total of 42.44% of saturated fatty acids. The detected unsaturated fatty acids (52.15%) were palmitoleic acid (1.52%), oleic acid (43.37%), and linoleic acid (7.24%). No significant changes were detected in fatty acid content; however, the highest fatty acid content (92.84%) occurred with the highest germination rate. Regression analysis showed significant content changes: palmitoleic and palmitic acids increased while oleic acid decreased during dry storage. Arachidic acid showed a slight downward trend. Also, fatty acid content significantly differed between intact seeds (unstored and unincubated) and latent seeds (unstored, incubated, and ungerminated). The total fatty acids content for latent seeds was significantly lower. These results show that Annona purpurea seeds present morphophysiological dormancy. Also, we document the highest germination rate reported (65.6%) and report the presence of arachidic and palmitoleic acids in chincuya seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women in Mexico are subject to unusually high and traumatic levels of violence. This paper reviews a workshop process done in Mexico City that addressed the problem of violence against women using the Anticipatory Experimentation methodology. Based on a workshop at Centro University in Mexico City on the eve of historic protests against violence against women, the paper provides an overview of contemporary challenges, historical changes, as well as deep mythological images and assumptions within Mexican society that are pathways to reconceptualization. Leveraging emerging issues and recovered narratives to address and reframe the problem, the paper concludes with the metaphor of the Chamana as the narrative seed from which new ideas and experiments might be developed to address violence against women in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Estudios Económicos is the property of El Colegio de Mexico AC and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Ioannidis et al. (2020) reported a standardized estimate of scientific productivity obtained from a worldwide database of 6,880,389 scientists who published at least 5 papers picked up by the Scopus database, and elaborated a ranking of ca. 120,000 scientists by both whole trajectory (career-long) impact and their current impact at year 2019. The goal of our paper is to contextualize Latin American ecologists' contribution at the world level based on the four most scientifically productive countries in the region. Methods and findings: Ioannidis et al. (2020) proposed a composite index that is the sum of six scientometric indicators: (1) The number of allocites, (2) the h index, (3) a per capita corrected version of h, (4) the allocites received as single author, (5) those received as single + first author, and (6) those as single + first + last author. We selected data for ecologists from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico and comparatively analyzed their productivity according to the proposed index. We also compared these data with those obtained from a global sample of the top ecologists worldwide. Conclusions: Based on Ioannidis et al.'s proposition to evaluate scientific productivity we extract three lessons: (1) It does not pay to publish many papers; what counts is the number of allocites (i.e., self-citations do not add up). (2) Either be single, first, or last author; it does not pay to be in the middle of an authorship line. (3) Even worse it is to be among many co-authors because the proposed index allocates credits on a per capita basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the role of specific structural distortions in explaining Mexico's weak productivity growth through the misallocation of resources across firms. The paper makes two contributions. First, we show that there is a close correlation between the level of resource misallocation and per capita income across Mexican states. Second, we exploit the large variation in resource misallocation within industries and across states, together with unusually rich data at the establishment, local, and industry levels, to shed light on its determinants. We identify several well-defined and observable distortions that have a statistically and economically meaningful effect on productivity via resource misallocation. In particular, we find that misallocation rises with the prevalence of labor informality, crime, corruption, and market concentration and with weaker access to financial and telecommunications services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses how the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) supports digital trade and cross-border data flows, while also giving governments the scope to restrict data flows to achieve legitimate regulatory objectives. The USMCA has made significant progress developing rules for digital trade, yet more is needed. In particular, trade policy needs to address the drivers behind the significant growth in restrictions on digital trade by supporting the development of international standards and encouraging international regulatory cooperation as well as good regulatory practice. This paper outlines the key USMCA rules that are applicable to digital trade and analyses what more is needed to support digital trade and data flows consistent with domestic regulatory objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Salud Mental is the property of Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria Ramon de la Fuente and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper argues that the null or weak response of emerging market currencies to domestic monetary policy documented in the literature is the result of wide event windows. An event study with intraday data for Mexico shows that an unanticipated tightening appreciates the currency and flattens the yield curve, consistent with the evidence for advanced economies. With daily event windows, however, only the yield curve responds to monetary policy. Noise in daily exchange rate returns explains the lack of response of the currency. Such noise gives rise to a bias that declines after controlling for potential omitted variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tapuya: Latin American Science, Technology & Society is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Oil theft refers to the exploitation of crude oil or refined petroleum products for criminal purposes. In Mexico, oil theft—referred to as huachicolero—is endemic and widespread. By framing it within the energy security and transition context, this paper offers a new perspective on the problem of oil theft in Mexico. Focusing on crude oil and refined petroleum, the paper demonstrates that Mexico's energy security—as framed around the 4As (availability, accessibility, affordability, and acceptance)—has deteriorated over the past decade. Application of the 4As framework in the Mexican context shows that the increasing frequency of oil theft has contributed to this deterioration. The proposed solution to the energy security and oil theft problems is centred on Mexico moving from gasoline and diesel to electrification in the transportation sector. The paper demonstrates that, while transport electrification in Mexico has been lagging behind other countries, recent developments in the country point to growing momentum among the country's political and business elites, in tandem with US partners, in support for the energy transition. Areas where further emphasis should be placed to accelerate Mexico's energy transition in the transportation sector are identified. Finally, the feasibility of and potential limitations associated with implementing the transition are evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]