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This study examined the association of perceived social support and community empowerment among urban middle-school students living in Matamoros, Mexico and the risk behaviors of fighting, alcohol and tobacco use, and sexual activity. Middle school students (n = 1,181) from 32 public and private Mexican schools were surveyed. Weighted multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted. Among girls, lack of parent/teacher interactions regarding school increased odds for fighting, alcohol and tobacco use. Among boys, lack of empowerment increased odds of alcohol and tobacco use and lack of parent/teacher interactions regarding school increased odds for sexual activity. Community empowerment and perceived social support are uniquely associated with risk behaviors for girls and boys. Additionally, perceived social support from individuals most immediate to the youth are associated with protection against risk for some behaviors, while perceived social support from individuals more removed from youth have mixed association with risk behaviors.

Background: Providing optimal care for type 2 diabetes (DM2) patients remains a challenge for all healthcare systems. Patients often encounter various barriers in adhering to self-management programs due to lack of knowledge and understanding of self-care activities, lack of individualized and coordinated care, inconvenient and costly education sessions, and poor patient-provider communication. Mobile technologies such as cell phones/smartphones, handheld tablets, and other wireless devices offer new and exciting opportunities for addressing some of these challenges. The purpose of this study is to compare a diabetes management strategy using an information board and a mobile application versus standard care in patients with uncontrolled DM2.Method: The SANENT (Sistema de Análisis de Enfermedades No Transmisibles) trial is a primary care-based, prospective, two-arm, randomized controlled, open-label, blinded-endpoint study. We aim to recruit 1440 DM2 patients during a period of 6 months until the requested number of participants has been achieved. The total length of the intervention will be 1 year. Both men and women treated for DM2 with an HbA1c > 8.5% and ≥ 20 years of age are eligible to participate in the study. The primary outcome of the study is improved diabetes control measured by changes in HbA1c in the study participants. HbA1c will be measured at baseline, 3-month, 6-month, 9-month, and 12-month follow-up visits in all participants. The main analysis will be based on the intention-to-treat principle. The primary endpoint of the study will be the change in HbA1C within the groups and the differences between the groups. This will be assessed by a repeated measurement approach based on mixed models which contain both fixed effects and random effects.Discussion: The overall goal of this project is to contribute to the evidence for the use of mobile technology to improve the treatment and regulation of poorly controlled DM2 patients living in Mexico. Our proposed project will show how mobile health technology tools can be used in the treatment of patients with uncontrolled DM2 in primary health care in a Latin American population, and particularly how they could help diabetes patients take better care of themselves.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov , US National Institutes of Health NCT04974333 . Prospectively registered on July 13, 2021. Protocol version number 1, dated August 15th, 2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) is an exquisite food, which provides health benefits, making it the berry with the highest production and export in Mexico. However, it is highly perishable, susceptible to postharvest damage, mainly by Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer, among others. The use of pesticides in preharvest is the control strategy of these pathogens; however, pesticides are documented to harm human health and the ecosystem, showing the need to explore friendly alternatives. Reagent grade chitosan (QGR) is an innocuous polymer with widely reported antifungal activity, while sodium octanoate (8:0) (OS) also has this property; however, so far it is unknown whether commercial grade chitosan (QGC) (the most suitable candidate to conduct a larger commercial study, due to its cost), available in Mexico, has the same effect. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of QGR and the QGR-OS composite in the protection of strawberry in postharvest and compare it with that of QGC and that of the QGCOS composite. The compounds were sprayed on the fruits and incubated simulating export conditions. The results showed significant reduction in the severity and incidence of postharvest strawberry fungal diseases after the application of QGR, QGC and QGR-OS, QGC-OS, but not that of OS applied alone. QGC and the QGC-OS composite are excellent candidates for use in a larger commercial study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we highlight results from our recent survey of public housing residents living in the U.S.-Mexico border region. Our data inform our interdisciplinary (public health, education, environmental engineering, sociology) efforts to improve health and educational equity in our community, and provide ripe opportunities for policy advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among Mexican women. The goal of the present study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of HPV types in women from Mexico City. Methods. Our study was conducted in the Clinica de Especialidades de la Mujer de la Secretar'ıa de la Defensa Nacional, Mexico. Random samples were taken from 929 healthy women requesting a cervical Papanicolaou examination. Detection and genotyping of HPV were performed by multiplex PCR, with the HPV4A ACE Screening kit (Seegene). Results. 85 of nine hundred twenty-nine women (9.1%) were infected with HPV. Of HPVpositive women, 99% and 1% had high- and low-risk HPV genotypes, respectively. The prevalence of the 16 high-risk (HR) HPV types that were screened was 43% : 42% (18) were HPV positive and 14% (16) were HPV positive, which includes coinfection. Multiple infections with different viral genotypes were detected in 10% of the positive cases. Abnormal cervical cytological results were found in only 15.3% of HPV-positive women, while 84.7% had normal cytological results. Conclusions. We found a similar prevalence of HPV to previous studies in Mexico. The heterogeneity of the HPV genotype distribution in Mexico is evident in this study, which found a high frequency of HPV HR genotypes, the majority of which were HPV 18. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We determined the secular trend in blood lead levels in a cohort of 321 children born in Mexico City between 1987 and 1992. Blood lead level was measured every 6 months during a 10-year period. We modeled the effect of yearly air lead concentration nested within the calendar year in which the child was born, family use of lead-glazed pottery, socioeconomic status, year in which the child was born, age of the child at the time of blood lead measurement, place of residence, and an indicator variable for subjects with complete or incomplete blood lead values. The yearly mean of air lead of the Valley of Mexico decreased from its highest level of 2.80 µg/m³ in 1987 to 0.07 µg/m³ in 2002. The contribution of air lead to blood lead according to year of birth was strongest for subjects born in 1987 and fell to nearly zero for children born in 1992. The geometric mean of the entire cohort rose from 8.4 µg/dL in the first year of life to 10.1 µg/dL in the second and decreased thereafter until it reached 6.4 µg/dL at 10 years of age. Children of families who used lead-glazed ceramics had blood lead levels 18.5% higher than did children of nonusing families. Children who belonged to the lowest socioeconomic levels had blood lead levels 32.2% higher than did those of highest socioeconomic levels. Children who lived in the northeast part of the city had blood lead levels 10.9% higher compared with those who lived in the southwest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel COVID-19, detected in Wuhan, China, has reached almost every city across the globe, and researchers from many countries have used several epidemiologic models to describe the epidemic trends. In this context, it is also important to know the geographic extent of the infected population. Following this approach, a Gumpertz model was adapted with official data from the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, in order to estimate the people infected during this COVID-19 pandemic. We found, based on the adjusted data, the highest value in infected people according to official and theoretical data. Furthermore, using a geographical analysis based on geostatistical measures related to density of demographic and economic data, traffic level and geolocation, raster files were generated to estimate probability of coronavirus cases occurrence using the areas where the contagion may occur. We also distributed the maximum contagion obtained by the epidemic model, using these raster files, and a regression model to weight factors according their importance. Based on this estimated distribution, we found that most of the infected people were located in the southern border, a trend related to the economic strip in the southern part of Hidalgo State, associated with its vicinity to the Megacity of Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutritional anaemias affect more than one third of women of reproductive age worldwide as a result of a lack of one or various nutrients involved in the haematopoiesis, mainly iron. Women are at higher risk because of menstruation. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the association between the perception of the amount of menstrual bleeding and iron, folic acid, vitamin B12, ferritin and hemoglobin deficiencies, among women from Mexico City. This cross-sectional study included 12-49 year old women, that were not pregnant or breastfeeding. Hemoglobin, ferritin, iron, folate, and vitamin B12 were quantified. Self reported menstrual bleeding was estimated by using a 10 cm long visual analogue scale. Associations were calculated by Student's T test, Chi2 and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Sensibility and specificity were depicted in a ROC curve. Results showed that anaemic women perceived a larger menstrual blood loss than those non anaemic (p<0.05). No differences were observed in any other of the micronutrients studied.The visual analogue scale is an easy-to-answer and cheap screening test that could be used in apparently healthy populations to detect the risk of anaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To describe childhood trauma and depressive symptoms in Mexican women and to explore the relationships between number and type of childhood traumatic events and depressive symptoms. Methods. A community-based sample of 100 women was interviewed using a demographic questionnaire, the Life Stressor Checklist-Revised (LSC-R), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Childhood trauma (trauma at or before 16 years of age) and depressive symptoms were described, and logistic and linear regressions were used to analyze the relationship between childhood traumatic events and current depressive symptoms. Results. Participants reported a mean of 9.46 (standard deviation (SD): 4.18) lifetime traumas and 2.76 (SD: 2.34) childhood traumas. The mean CES-D score was 18.9 (SD: 12.0) and 36.0% of participants had clinically significant depression (CES-D ≥ 24). Depression scores were correlated with lifetime trauma, childhood trauma, education level, employment status, and number of self-reported current medical conditions. Depression scores were not significantly correlated with age, marital status, number of children, or socioeconomic status. For every additional childhood trauma experienced, the odds of clinically significant depressive symptoms (CES-D ≥ 24) increased by 50.0% (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.50; 95% confidence interval: 1.14-1.96), after controlling for number of children, age, education level, employment status, and number of self-reported medical conditions. Conclusions. The results indicated that the number of childhood trauma exposures is associated with current depression among urban Mexican women, suggesting a need for trauma-informed care in this setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mexico is the second largest producer of Capsicum sp. fruit, the main consumer worldwide of Capsicum , and the country with the highest genetic diversity of Capsicum . Polymorphism was evaluated in two Serrano and two Jalapeño cultivars of Capsicum annuum and one cultivar of Capsicum pubescens . Cultivar differentiation was performed using molecular characterization with ISSR and SSR markers. Using eight ISSR anchored primers, a total of 38 bands were obtained. Band number varied from 15 to 23 by primer and fragment size from 150 to 6000 bp. Two markers provided polymorphic data. Mean values were 0.77 for PIC, 0.74 for MI and 16.08 for Rp . The number of alleles per marker identified using SSR markers in both species ranged from 1 to 10. Average PIC values for the SSR were 0.5. Both techniques were useful in distinguishing the two tested Capsicum species. Based on PCA and cluster analysis, both techniques efficiently allowed differentiation of the varieties of C. annuum from the C. pubescens , and among varieties of C. annuum , except one variety of Serrano that was grouped with the Jalapeno ones. SSRs used in this study, originally designed for C. annuum , resulted in amplification in C. pubescens , which demonstrated their usefulness for this species as well because these markers include genes that preserve the same coding regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION: Cases of child abuse and neglect have increased in Mexico, but few studies have been carried out to examine the factors associated with this health problem. OBJECTIVE: With this study we sought to identify social factors associated with child abuse and neglect and to construct a predictor model of child maltreatment in children younger than 7 years in Guadalajara, Mexico. METHODS: A case-control study was designed; cases were selected randomly from the register of maltreated children younger than 7 years by the DIF (the public institution that provides assistance to families in Mexico) during 2002 (N = 205). Controls were chosen randomly from the register of children assisted in other DIF programs in 2002 (N = 379). A multivariate logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: In the multivariate analysis, 6 factors were statistically associated with child maltreatment: maternal drug addiction (OR: 15.3 [95% CI: 1.8-127.6]), mother without steady partner (OR: 3.0 [95% CI: 1.9-4.6]), bad family relationships (OR: 1.3 [95% CI: 1.1-4.2]), the child has "tantrums" (OR: 1.8 [95% CI: 1.2-2.8]), the child's behavior irritates the parents (OR: 1.5 [95% CI: 1.1-2.1]), and overcrowding (OR: 1.5 [95% CI: 1.1-2.2]). CONCLUSIONS: According to the constructed model, if a child were simultaneously exposed to all these risk factors, he or she would have a very high probability of being a maltreated child. The findings show that public health institutions can play an important role in designing timely intervention strategies directed at avoiding or reducing the cases of child abuse and neglect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The objective of this study was to determine the demographic and clinical features of youth supported by member associations of the Federación Mexicana de Diabetes and the Life for a Child Program (LFAC). Methods An analysis of 2017 Annual Clinical Data Sheets of 306 subjects from five Mexican centers was performed. Results Type 1 diabetes (T1D) was diagnosed in 292 subjects; 54.6% were female, with six diagnosed aged <6 months (genetic tests not yet conducted). Type 2 diabetes (T2D) or other types were diagnosed in 11 and three subjects, respectively. T1D diagnosis age ranged 0.0-22.6 years with a peak at 8 years. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) diabetes duration was 5.3 ± 3.5 years (range 0.0-21.0 years), with a mean ± SD subject age at check-up of 13.3 ± 4.3 years. Of the T1D subjects, 1.0%, 6.7%, 13.7% and 78.6% were receiving 1, 2, 3 and ≥4 insulin injections/day with a mean ± SD daily dose of 0.92 ± 0.34 U/kg. The median number of blood glucose tests/week was 40. The mean/median hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels for those with duration ≥6 months were 8.7/8.4% (72/68 mmol/mol) and were higher in adolescents vs. children. Elevated body mass index SD, triglycerides (≥150 mg/dL) and non-high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (≥130 mg/dL) were common: 7.6%, 11.0% and 12.7% (n = 288, 218 and 180, respectively). Serum creatinine levels were normal in all tested subjects (n = 194). Conclusions Youth with diabetes in less-resourced families in Mexico are achieving reasonable glycemia. Most T1D patients use a basal bolus insulin regimen and test blood glucose several times daily. Some subjects have adverse vascular risk factor profiles. Further attention is needed to prevent chronic complications. Monogenic diabetes is very likely in some youth, and genetic testing is indicated.

This study examined the association of perceived social support and community empowerment among urban middle-school students living in Matamoros, Mexico and the risk behaviors of fighting, alcohol and tobacco use, and sexual activity. Middle school students (n = 1,181) from 32 public and private Mexican schools were surveyed. Weighted multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted. Among girls, lack of parent/teacher interactions regarding school increased odds for fighting, alcohol and tobacco use. Among boys, lack of empowerment increased odds of alcohol and tobacco use and lack of parent/teacher interactions regarding school increased odds for sexual activity. Community empowerment and perceived social support are uniquely associated with risk behaviors for girls and boys. Additionally, perceived social support from individuals most immediate to the youth are associated with protection against risk for some behaviors, while perceived social support from individuals more removed from youth have mixed association with risk behaviors.

Introduction: Disturbed sleep is a public health problem, but few studies describe the prevalence of sleep problems among Hispanic adolescents. We estimated the prevalence of disturbed sleep and associated factors among ninth graders living on the Texas-Mexico border., Methods: We used probabilistic sampling to conduct 2 cross-sectional, school-based surveys: 1 during the 2000-2001 school year in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas (n = 4,901), and 1 during the 2002-2003 school year in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico (n = 669). We assessed disturbed sleep during the 4 weeks before the survey., Results: The prevalence of disturbed sleep in Matamoros was 36% and in the Lower Rio Grande Valley was 28%. Factors associated with disturbed sleep in both populations were smoking cigarettes, having ever used cocaine, having been forced to have sex, considering attempting suicide, feeling sad, and going without eating for 24 hours or more., Conclusion: This study revealed a high prevalence of disturbed sleep in high school students living on the Texas-Mexico border. This public health issue should be further investigated in both communities.