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A total of 366 individuals of Lutjanus argentiventris (Peters, 1869) were collected over a 5-yr period (October 2018 to June 2022) from Acapulco Bay, Mexico. Parasite communities in Lutjanus argentiventris were quantified and analyzed to determine the main factors that generate changes in species richness and/or species composition over time. The digeneans and copepods were the best-represented parasite groups. The parasite communities were characterized by a high numerical dominance of ectoparasites, mainly isopod larvae. Species richness at the component community level (9–23 species) was similar to the reported richness in other Lutjanus spp. The parasite communities of Lutjanus argentiventris exhibited high variability in species composition, suggesting that each parasite species may respond differently to environmental changes. However, the species richness and diversity were fairly stable over time; therefore, a clear pattern of interannual variation was not observed. Variations in the community structure probably were due to factors such as host traits (e.g., feeding behavior and body size), and possible interannual differences in environmental factors amplified by the occurrence of the anomalous event of La Niña. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This article aims to share the initial experience of the preperitoneal eTEP approach and its potential benefits in a selected group of patients. The eTEP Rives-Stoppa is a proven minimally invasive surgical technique for the treatment of ventral midline and off-midline hernias that has shown to be a solid, durable, and reproducible repair. The preperitoneal eTEP repair is a surgical technique that brings together the extraperitoneal access surgery with a preperitoneal repair for primary midline hernias avoiding posterior rectus sheath division and preservation of the retrorectus space while being able to treat simultaneous diastasis recti. Methods: The analysis included 33 patients operated with the preperitoneal eTEP approach from September 2022 to September 2023 in patients with primary small to medium (< 4 cm) midline hernias, single or multiple defects with or without diastasis recti. Age, gender, hernia characteristics, operative time, and surgical site occurrences will be discussed, as well as fine details and landmarks in the operative technique. Results: 33 consecutive patients were operated, 19 female (57.5%) and 14 males (42.5%) between 32 and 63 years of age, the most common comorbidity found was obesity (BMI > 30). In 70% of the cases, operative time was 90 min ± 25 min. The average hospital stay was one day, while 12 went home the same day, and so far, no reoccurrences have been reported. Conclusions: We believe the preperitoneal eTEP approach for small to medium primary midline hernias is an effective and solid repair that combines excellent features of proven surgical techniques and eliminates the need for posterior rectus sheath division while saving the retrorectus space, among other benefits that will be discussed. The reproducibility of the technique remains to be proven. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the impact of U.S. foreign policy, particularly economic sanctions, on the recent increase in migrants and asylum seekers from Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua at the U.S.-Mexico border. It argues that these sanctions have worsened the economic conditions in these countries, leading to a surge in migration. The article also highlights the historical role of U.S. intervention and neglect in Latin America as a contributing factor to the ongoing migration issues. It suggests several potential solutions, including ending economic warfare, providing more federal aid to local governments, expediting work permits for migrants, and increasing foreign aid to Latin America. [Extracted from the article]

We report the feeding of Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on Amaranthus sp. grain and its damage. Ephestia kuehniella completed its life cycle on the amaranth, which resulted in a reduction in the quality of the grain. Resumen Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) se encontró alimentándose de granos de amaranto (Amaranthus sp.), causando daño al grano. La plaga completó su ciclo biológico en el grano disminuyendo su calidad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affective computing seeks to create computational systems that adapt content and resources according to the affective states of the users. However, the detection of the user's affection such as motivation and emotion is challenging especially when an attention problem is present. An approach to convey learning resources to children with learning problems is by means of game-based tools. The first step towards building these ludic experiences is to identify the skills and limitations of potential users. In this work we describe a case based study carried out to observe and get understanding of the level of attention, cognition and memory of children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Fifteen children were invited to play physical and digital versions of the Stroop and Flanker tests as well as memory-based games. The interaction with KAPEAN is allowed with both a mouse and a hand gestures recognition device. To collect data from the user's experiences the system integrates a webcam, a Microsoft Kinect device, a video camera, and an Emotiv EEG headset. Data was analyzed offline in order to study which affective states are present while children with ADHD played with KAPEAN.

Copyright of Crustaceana is the property of Brill Academic Publishers 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.)

Objective. To examine the association between low life satisfaction with past-year dental visits in a rural-urban national sample of 50-year-old Mexican adults with diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods. Data are drawn from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), a cross-sectional study conducted in 2018 involving 3,592 older adults aged 50 years and older and living in urban and rural areas in Mexico. Life satisfaction was measured using the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and past-year dental visits dichotomized as none and ≥1 dental visits. The Poisson regression analyses were used to assess the association, adjusting for confounders. Results. 62.9% were women, mean age was 65.5 (±9.6), and 16.5% lived in a rural area, while the female subjects continue to present a higher probability of visiting a dentist (PR = 1.28 (95% CI 1.08–1.51)). In terms of age, the ≥70-year group presented 28% lower possibility of visiting a dentist (PR = 0.72 (95% CI 0.60–0.86)). The interaction showed that adults ≥50 years who reside in a rural area and have low life satisfaction were 40% less likely to have visited a dentist in the last year (PR = 0.60 (95% CI 0.37–0.98)) than adults ≥50 years who reside in an urban area and have high life satisfaction. Conclusions. The present study highlights the association between low life satisfaction and past-year dental visits in rural populations. Therefore, rurality should be considered a possible confounder in analysis of life satisfaction in the older adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eight specimens of Urobatis jamaicensis were collected from four localities of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, of which four specimens were infected with cestodes of two new species of Acanthobothrium. Acanthobothrium garciaprietoi sp. nov. differs from congeners by a combination of characters including the size of the scolex and bothridia, length of the cephalic peduncle, length of the axial and abaxial prongs and total length of the abaxial prongs of the hooks, size of the cirrus sac and testes in mature proglottids, and the total number of proglottids. The most prominent characteristic distinguishing A. pulidofloresae sp. nov. from other species of the Atlantic Ocean/Caribbean Sea/Gulf of Mexico is the form of the scolex, which has the "clover leaf" configuration. In addition, it can be distinguished by the total length of the worm, total number of proglottids, small accessory suckers, the form of the bothridia, length of the axial and abaxial prongs and total abaxial prong length of hooks, and the number of testes. According to the current category scheme, A. garciaprietoi sp. nov. and A. pulidofloresae sp. nov., belong to categories 1 and 5, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, there is no fishery regulation for Hexaplex (Muricanthus) nigritus in northwestern Mexico. The size composition of gastropod H. nigritus was recorded from five islands of Navachiste Bay, Sinaloa (Gulf of California, Mexico). Methods: Samples were taken every two months from February to December 2018. Islands established a georeferenced GPS station: Guasayeye, La Huitussera, Tesobiate, El Metate and San Lucas, Sinaloa, Mexico. The snail H. nigritus was collected in the littoral zone of the islands during the low tide syzygy tides. The organisms were collected directly at random and the total length (TL), width (WI) and height (HI) (0.01 mm) and total fresh weight (W) and muscle foot weight (FW) (0.1 g sensitivity). In addition, the shape of the growth was estimated with the equation that describes the relationship between length and weight. Result: The island of Guasayeye was a greater abundance (48%) and the least La Huitussera (4%). The mean total length (TL) was greater in San Lucas and La Huitussera (99.5±7.2 and 95.1±15.5 mm, respectively) and lower values were recorded in Tesobiate (73.8±11.4 mm). The maximum weight recorded was 347.2 g on El Metate island. A significance in length and weight were obtained between the islands. In addition, in H. nigritus high correlations were obtained relationships, indicating positive allometric growth. For their sizes and abundance, the snail H. nigritus is a potentially interesting fishing resource for the fishers of northwestern Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Caldasia is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia 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.)

Mexican oregano Poliomintha longiflora Gray located in the municipality of Higueras, Nuevo Leon, Mexico was collected during the autumn (September, OCO), winter (January, OCI) and summer (June, OCV) seasons, under cultivation conditions. It was also collected in wild conditions during the autumn (OSO). Essential oil (EO) was extracted from leaves and the color, refractive index and density were reported. The EO yield, antioxidant activity by ORAC assay, thymol and carvacrol concentration and antibacterial activity were statistically compared (p-value = 0.05). Among the various harvests, the highest EO yield, antioxidant activity, thymol and carvacrol content and antibacterial activity against Salmonella Typhi were observed in leaves harvested in autumn. In order to compare wild oregano with cultivated oregano, analyses were performed in the season with the highest essential oil yield and antioxidant activity, recorded in autumn. The main difference found was the ratio of thymol:carvacrol in wild oregano oil, which was 1:8.6, while in cultivated oregano, it was approximately 1:2, which was maintained in all three seasons. The EO on wild conditions showed the best antibacterial activity in Salmonella Typhi. On the other hand, wild and cultivated oregano showed similar antioxidant activity. One advantage of the use of cultivated oregano is that its supply is guaranteed, in contrast to that of wild oregano. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Mexico, shrimp catch is the main fishing activity, and the second important species is the blue shrimp, Penaeus stylirostris. Specimens of P. stylirostris collected in 2016-2018 from inland waters (bay) and offshore (littoral) in the Santa María la Reforma lagoon (SMLR) system were analysed. The sexes were separated, and then individuals were measured in total length (L , mm) and weighed (W , g). The data were transformed into a natural logarithm and were adjusted to seven candidate models with a multi-model approach (Linear, Quadratic, Cubic, Broken stick, Two segments, Three segments and Four segments: the last two proposed in this study as new equations). A total of 30 439 specimens were analysed. Statistical differences were found in L between areas (KS test, p < 0.0001). Positive and negative allometry was observed according to biometric relationship and sex. The best model was selected with the lowest value of the Akaike information criterion, resulting in the choice of the Four segments model. Resumen: En México la captura de camarón es la principal actividad pesquera y la segunda especie en importancia es el camarón azul Penaeus stylirostris. Se analizaron especímenes de P. stylirostris en aguas interiores (bahía) y exteriores (ribera) del sistema lagunar Santa María la Reforma de 2016 a 2018. A los organismos se les determinó la longitud total (L) en mm y su peso (P) en g. Los sexos se diferenciaron por dimorfismo sexual. Los datos fueron transformados a logaritmo natural y fueron ajustados a siete modelos candidatos con un enfoque múlti-modelo (Lineal, Cuadrático, Cúbico, Línea Rota, Dos segmentos, Tres segmentos y Cuatro segmentos). En total se analizaron 30 439 organismos. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticas en L entre las zonas de captura (prueba KS, p < 0.0001). Se observó una alometría positiva y negativa de acuerdo con la relación biométrica y sexo. El mejor modelo se seleccionó con el menor valor del criterio de información de Akaike, resultando ser el de Cuatro segmentos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the arrival of varroa (Varroa destructor) in Mexico, more than 33 % of the hives in the highland and northern regions of the country have been lost annually, due to the excessive use of synthetic acaricides, which have developed resistance in the populations of these mites. Due to this, the objective of this research was to evaluate the fall of V. destructor mites, as well as the percentage of infestation through the application of botanical grinds of garlic (Allium sativum), laurel (Laurus nobilis) and oregano (Origanum vulgare) in Apis mellifera colonies in winter season. 16 jumbo-type hives were used, thus four hives per treatment, where each hive was the experimental unit. The treatments were: 1) Control (no treatment); 2) garlic; 3) laurel, and 4) oregano. Treatments included powdered sugar in a 1:1 ratio. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design. The percentage of initial infestation (covariate) does not represent significance (p > 0.05). Laurel presented the highest value (42.46 ± 12.07) for the number of fallen mites. From day 7 the infestation percentages decrease, highlighting laurel (p < 0.01). The group of control hives showed an upward trend, with averages higher than 5 % (5.32 ± 1.16). At present, the research area regarding the efficacy of botanical grinds in beekeeping is limited, therefore, the use of bioacaricides as botanical grinds represents an alternative for the control of the V. destructor mite, since they are ingredients of easy accessibility, they present a low cost and a simple methodology of elaboration and application. In addition, being an organic treatment, it guarantees environmental, obtaining safety in honey and by-products derived from the hive previously treated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The parasite communities of marine fish in the tropical Pacific remain poorly studied. We did an initial study of the metazoan parasite communities of striped bonito Sarda orientalis from the Pacific coast of Mexico. Two hundred thirty individuals from two locations were collected between April 2017 and March 2018. Twenty-two metazoan parasite taxa (20 helminths and two Crustacea) were identified: one species of Monogenea, twelve of Digenea, one of Acanthocephala, two of Cestoda, four of Nematoda, one of Copepoda, and one of Isopoda. Didymozoid digeneans (six species) were the most frequent and abundant parasite species at both sampling locations. Parasite species richness at the component community level was similar in both locations (16–17 species). However, parasite community structure and species composition varied between them. Local fluctuations in some biotic (e.g. host feeding behaviour and body size) and abiotic environmental factors were probably responsible for these variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transmission of multidrug-resistant pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes is an emerging problem involving multiple factors (humans, domestic animals, wildlife). The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Escherichia coli isolates with different antimicrobial resistance genes from backyard poultry and to demonstrate the in vitro transduction phenomenon of these genes between phages from migratory wild birds and poultry E. coli isolates. We collected 197 E. coli isolates from chickens, turkeys, and ducks in backyard production units (northern region of the State of Mexico). Isolates were resistant to ampicillin (80.7%), tetracycline (64.4%), carbenicillin (56.3%), and nalidixic acid and trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole (both, 26.9%). Moreover, the genes blaTEM (56.3%), tetB (20.8%), tetA (19.2%), sulI (7.6%), sulII (10.1%), qnrA (9.6%), and qnrB (5.5%) were found. In vitro transduction using phages from migratory wild birds sampled in the wetland Chimaliapan (State of Mexico) was successfully achieved. It was possible to transduce qnrA, tetB, blaTEM, and sulII genes to E. coli isolates from poultry. This is the first report that describes the transduction of antimicrobial resistance genes from phages of migratory wild birds to poultry and suggests the possible transmission in backyard production units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismometers have detected the social response to lockdown measures implemented following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in cities around the world. This long-lasting pandemic has been a particular challenge in countries such as Mexico, where the informal economy constitutes most of the working population. This context motivated the monitoring of the mobility of populations throughout the various phases of lockdown measures independently of people's access to the internet and mobile technology. Here we use the variation of anthropogenic seismic noise in the city of Querétaro (central Mexico) recorded by a network of low-cost Raspberry Shake seismic stations to study the spatial and temporal variation of human activity in the city throughout the pandemic and during sporting events. The results emphasize the importance of densifying urban seismic networks and of tracking human activities without the privacy concerns associated with mobile technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) have been described mainly in bacteria, but are known to occur in temperate phages. Prevalence of the qnrB, qnrA and blaTEM genes was identified in Escherichia coli strains and temperate phages by lytic cycle induction. From a total of 48 samples collected from drinking water, wastewater and sewer water in slaughterhouses in the State of Mexico, Mexico, 37 contained E. coli isolates. Resistance was highest to tetracycline (32/37; 86.4 %), followed by trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (19/37; 51.3 %) and ampicillin and nalidixic acid (18/37; 48.6 %). Prevalence of the blaTEM gene was 37.8 % in the bacterial isolates and 3.5 % in the phage isolates. The bacterial isolates contained 8.1 % qnrA and 29.7 % qnrB genes, while the phage isolates contained 2.7 and 24.3 %, respectively. Presence of ARG in the bacterial isolates was linked to phage DNA, highlighting the significant role it plays in the spread of ARG in the studied slaughterhouses. Understanding the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance will contribute to developing effective control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismometers have detected the social response to lockdown measures implemented following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in cities around the world. This long-lasting lockdown has been a particular challenge in countries such as Mexico, where the informal economy constitutes most of the working population. This context motivated the monitoring of the mobility of populations throughout the various phases of lockdown measures, independently from people's access to the internet and mobile technologies. Here we use the variation of anthropogenic seismic noise in the city of Querétaro (central Mexico) recorded by a network of low-cost Raspberry Shake seismic stations to study the spatial and temporal variation of human activity in the city throughout the pandemic and during sportive events. The results emphasize the importance of densifying urban seismic networks and tracking human activities without the privacy concerns associated with mobile technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mexico is the world’s leading producer and exporter of avocado ‘Hass’. Due to its nutritional characteristics in human health, the avocado ‘Hass’ has gained great popularity around the world. The objective of this review was to know the current state of avocado harvest and post-harvest management, as well as to review the infection process of the fungi Colletotrichum spp. and Lasiodiplodia theobromae, which cause the diseases called anthracnose and pedicle rot, respectively. These pathologies manifest themselves during postharvest maturation and storage. Currently, the main means of control of these microorganisms is a complex of the fungicides azoxystrobin + fludioxonil, the application of which is allowed only for exports to the United States of America. In Mexico, only the state of Michoacán can export avocado to the United States of America, but it seeks to increase exports to other international markets and integrate other producing regions, so it is necessary to look for alternatives to control postharvest diseases. Through the knowledge of the intrinsic protection mechanisms of the fruit, the bases could be laid to develop and evaluate new control models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the nutrient composition of leaves of Moringa oleifera harvested at five different dates throughout the year. The leaves of M. oleifera were harvested from Güemez, Tamaulipas, Mexico during the rainy (3 dates) and dry season (2 dates) in 2016–2017. A proximate analysis was carried out on the processed samples using standard analytical procedures. Mineral constituents were wet digested and analyzed using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer and a flame photometer. Harvest date significantly influenced nutrient composition of M. oleifera leaves. The content of neutral detergent fiber increased (during third and fourth harvest dates) as well as acid detergent fiber (during third harvest date) and crude protein declined. The highest crude protein content (26.33%) was observed during the first harvest date. The mineral contents of Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn and Cu varied significantly across harvest dates, except Zn concentration. The ranges of Ca and Mg contents were 1.07–1.78% and 0.18–0.28%, respectively. The ranges of Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu contents were 126–414, 28.2–42.5, 67.9–95.5 and 1.03–5.46 ppm, respectively. The presence of these essential nutrients and minerals suggest that M. oleifera leaves could be utilized as source of feed supplement to improve growth performance and health status of small ruminants in harsh environments with limited feed supply in the dry season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Media can be a powerful communication tool to promote breastfeeding programs, influence mother's breastfeeding behaviour, and generate support among stakeholders for breastfeeding. Yet, there is little information on how media coverage influences a country's breastfeeding enabling environment. This study addressed this gap by conducting a retrospective content analysis of documents published between January 1, 2017 and January 1, 2018 to analyse the media coverage related to breastfeeding in Mexico. Content analysis was based on the breastfeeding gear model and a strategic planning technique to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for enabling the national breastfeeding environment. Media coverage of breastfeeding was more frequent in August (36% of all documents). The top three topics commonly covered by the media were advocacy events promoting breastfeeding, promotion campaigns, and changes in breastfeeding legislation and policy. In general, the media coverage focused on strengths of specific breastfeeding policies. There was limited news coverage of key factors that negatively influenced or threatened the breastfeeding environment. Findings support the need to design strategies to engage the media covering in more depth and breadth diverse aspects of breastfeeding protection, promotion, and support efforts in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compatible system consisting of stem taper, merchantable-, stem-, branch- and stem and coarse branch tree volume equations was developed for 11 major tropical species in southeast Mexico. A database corresponding to 6187 felled trees was used to develop the system of equations. Iterative seemingly unrelated regression was used to fit the system in two steps: the stem volume, branch volume and stem and coarse branch tree volume equations were first fitted simultaneously and the common estimated parameters were substituted in the stem taper and merchantable volume equations. In the second step, the remaining parameters were estimated by fitting the stem taper and merchantable volume equations simultaneously. Weighted regression and a second order autoregressive model were used in the model fitting to account for heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation. To assess whether the compatible system differs between ecoregions for the same species, a system with the same set of parameters for all the ecoregions was compared with a system with a different set of parameters for each ecoregion. The results of the comparisons indicated the need to fit a different system for each ecoregion and species. The proposed equations can be used to estimate stem-, branch- and merchantable volume at any upper diameter and height, as well as stem and coarse branch tree volume. If classification of the products by merchantable sizes is not required, the stem and coarse branch volume equation is preferred, thereby simplifying the calculations and making it more suitable for practical purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An initial study was done of the metazoan parasite communities of Caranx caninus from the Pacific coast of Mexico. Parasite communities were characterised and analyses were done to determine if these experience spatial or temporal variations in structure and/or species composition. Four hundred ninety-two C. caninus were collected between April 2014 and December 2018 from four locations. Thirty-five metazoan parasite species were identified: 6 species of Monogenea, 12 Digenea, 1 Acanthocephala, 4 Nematoda, 10 Copepoda and 2 Isopoda. Monogeneans were the most frequent and abundant parasite species at all locations and in all years. Parasite species richness at the component community level varied significantly from 7 (San Blas 2017) to 22 (Acapulco 2018a). The component communities and infracommunities of C. caninus exhibited similar patterns: low species numbers, low diversity, and dominance by a single species (the monogenean Protomicrocotyle manteri). Parasite community structure and species composition varied between locations and/or sampling years. Seasonal or local fluctuations in biotic and abiotic environmental factors were probably responsible for these variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two species of Acanthobothrium (Onchoproteocephalidea: Onchobothriidae) are described from the spiral intestine of Narcine entemedor Jordan & Starks, 1895, in Bahía de Acapulco, Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico. Based on the four criteria used for the identification of species of Acanthobothrium, A. soniae sp. nov. is a Category 2 species (less than 15 mm in total length with less than 50 proglottids, less than 80 testes, and with the ovary asymmetrical in shape). Acanthobothrium vidali sp. nov. is a Category 6 species (more than 15 mm in total length with more than 50 proglottids, fewer than 80 testes, and the ovary is asymmetrical). The new species differ from similar species from the Pacific Ocean by total length, the number of proglottids, diameter of the accessory sucker, the length of the cirrus sac, the number of testes per proglottid and the measurements of hooks. With the recognition of A. soniae sp. nov. and A. vidali sp. nov., 42 species of Acanthobothrium have been reported from the Pacific coast of the Americas. This is the first report of species of Acanthobothrium from a member of Narcine from Mexico and it brings the number of species reported from elasmobranchs from the Pacific Coast of Mexico to 13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Abanico Veterinario is the property of Sistema Superior Editorial 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.)

Accurate quantification of branch volume in trees is important for sustainable forest management, especially as these fractions are increasingly used for bioenergy, and for precise forest CO2 quantification. Whereas a large focus has been placed on the compatible estimation of tree taper and bole volume with and without bark, little effort has been made to develop models that allow a simultaneous prediction of these variables together with tree branch volume. In this study, 595 Pinus cooperi trees and 700 Pinus durangensis trees were sampled in pine-oak forests in the Sierra Madre Occidental, Mexico. A compatible system for predicting two segmented taper functions, over and under bark; the corresponding merchantable volumes; coarse branch volume and whole-tree volume was fitted using a modified continuous autoregressive structure to account for autocorrelation. The proposed compatible equations explained more than 97% of the observed variability in diameter over and under bark, volume over and under bark, and total tree volume and more than 64% of the observed variability in branch volume in both species. The method described can theoretically be replicated for any tree species, thus providing a better understanding of the patterns of volume distribution by components, potentially improving carbon accounting system and forest bioenergy planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High populations of the spittlebug (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) may reduce yields on sugar cane. This research was aimed to quantify the effect of biotic, abiotic and agronomic factors on adult populations of the spittlebugs. Data collected was related to the number of adults captured in traps, previous-year infestation level of the sampling plot, nymph counts, weed coverage within and on the border of the plots, sampling time, insecticide and entomopathogen applications, precipitation and temperature. Fifteen plots were sampled from July 2 to October 15, 2014 in Veracruz, Mexico. The data was analyzed as a linear mixed model. Most of the captured adults (98%) were Aeneolamia contigua (Walker, 1851). The analysis showed the following significant effects: a positive relationship between adult populations and spittlebug nymphs and previous-year infestation, and a direct relationship between within-plot weed coverage and spittlebug adult populations. Weed coverage on the borders showed fluctuating effects and had not significant effect on adult populations. Temperature had a positive, significant effect as well, but precipitation and sampling time did not affect adult populations. Results are discussed as related to preventive spittlebug management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents new equations for estimating above-ground biomass (AGB) and biomass components of seventeen forest species in the temperate forests of northwestern Mexico. A data set corresponding to 1336 destructively sampled oak and pine trees was used to fit the models. The generalized method of moments was used to simultaneously fit systems of equations for biomass components and AGB, to ensure additivity. In addition, the carbon content of each tree component was calculated by the dry combustion method, in a TOC analyser. The results of cross-validation indicated that the fitted equations accounted for on average 91%, 82%, 83% and 76% of the observed variance in stem wood and stem bark, branch and foliage biomass, respectively, whereas the total AGB equations explained on average 93% of the total observed variance in AGB. The inclusion of total height (h) or diameter at breast height2 x total height (d2h) as a predictor in the d-only based equations systems slightly improved estimates for stem wood, stem bark and total above-ground biomass, and greatly improved the estimates produced by the branch and foliage biomass equations. The predictive power of the proposed equations is higher than that of existing models for the study area. The fitted equations were used to estimate stand level AGB stocks from data on growing stock in 429 permanent sampling plots. Three machine-learning techniques were used to model the estimated stand level AGB and carbon contents; the selected models were used to map the AGB and carbon distributions in the study area, for which mean values of respectively 129.84 Mg ha-1 and 63.80 Mg ha-1 were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of anatomical variants of bronchial arteries using computed tomographic angiography in a population of northeastern Mexico. An observational, transversal, descriptive, comparative, retrospective study was performed using 139 imaging studies of Mexican patients in which we evaluated the following parameters from the left and right bronchial arteries: artery origin, branching pattern, arterial ostium, vertebral level of origin, diameter, and mediastinal trajectory. The anatomies of the bronchial arteries were similar in both genders, except distribution for vertebral origin level (p  0.006) and the diameter (p  0.013). Left and right arteries were similar, except for the mediastinal trajectory in reference to the esophagus (p<0.001) as well as the arterial diameter (p<0.001) and lumen diameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 802 individuals of Lutjanus guttatus (Steindachner, 1869) specimens were collected over a 10-year period (August 2012 to February 2021) from four locations on the south-central Pacific coast of Mexico. Their parasite communities were quantified and analyzed to determine if they experience significant spatial and inter-annual variations. Thirty-two taxa of metazoan parasite were recovered and identified: four species of Digenea, four Monogenea, one Cestoda, two Acanthocephala, seven Nematoda, one Hirudinea, and nine of Crustacea (six Copepoda, and three Isopoda). Species richness was greatest among the digenean group, which represented 25% of the total species recovered, followed by the nematodes (22% of total species). Species richness at the component community level (10 to 20 species) was similar to reported richness in other Lutjanus spp. The component communities and infracommunities exhibited a similar pattern: low species richness and diversity, and dominance by a single species, mainly the monogenean Haliotrematoides guttati. Parasite community structure and species composition varied through the years, as well as between sampling locations. Variations were possibly caused by a combination of biotic and abiotic factors which generated notable changes in the infection levels of several component species. However, the similarity in the parasite species composition was high locally for short-term periods (one or two years). This result, therefore, suggests that parasite communities of L. guttatus may be more predictable locally, but only for short-term periods. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) has been recognised worldwide as a tool that helps to assure the inclusion of environmental aspects in the formulation of policies, plans and programmes (PPPs) and citizen participation into the higher levels of decision-making processes. Despite of its relevance, Mexico is to date one of the few Latin-American countries which do not have this tool inserted in its legal and institutional frameworks. In this paper we present the results of a literature review of the historical development of SEA in the world and its legal framework and current state in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ordination, correlation, and regression analyses were used to identify trophic and taxonomic distributional patterns of fishes in the Tilostoc River (located west of Valle de Bravo Lake in the Middle Balsas Basin, central Mexico) and associations of these patterns with environmental variables. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis indicated that trophic and taxonomic assemblages corresponded similarly to measured environmental gradients, especially elevation and velocity of currents. We also compared the trophic structure of assemblages of fishes of the Tilostoc River to that of Terreros Creek, a temperate system of similar size and species richness but with a taxonomically different group of species. The two basins were significantly different, indicating strong historical constraint on trophic structure. Our trophic matrix for Tilostoc River was strongly correlated with the taxonomic matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The composition and species richness in helminth communities of two species of heron, Ardea alba and Nyctanassa violacea, in two coastal lagoons from Guerrero, Mexico were examined. Nineteen species of helminth (7,804 individuals) were identified in 43 adult birds: 15 digeneans, 1 acanthocephalan, 1 cestode, and 2 nematodes. Eight species co-occurred in herons of both species and lagoons. The prevalence values of seven species and the mean abundance of five species varied significantly between species of birds and between lagoons. The heterophyid, Ascocotyle ( Phagicola) longa, was the helminth numerically dominant in the helminth community of A. alba in both lagoons, while the cestode, Parvitaenia cochlearii, dominated the community of N. violacea. At the component community level, species richness varied significantly: 10 species in A. alba from Coyuca to 16 in N. violacea (Tres Palos). All of the birds examined were infected with helminth parasites: three to seven species per host in A. alba from Coyuca, and two to eight species in A. alba and N. violacea from Tres Palos. The results indicate that even though species composition was similar between both species of heron, the structure of their communities was not the same. Differences in the feeding behavior of the birds (day/night habits), as well as local differences in the abundance of species of fish, and infection levels of helminths in each lagoon are suggested as being responsible for the variations registered in the structure of the helminth communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The parasite community structure of the neotropical cormorant, Phalacrocorax brasilianus, from two lagoons (Coyuca and Tres Palos) from Guerrero state, México, was examined. Fourteen species of adult helminths (6,391 individuals) from 48 cormorants were identified: 9 digeneans, 1 acanthocephalan, 1 cestode, and 3 nematodes. A total of 11 species were collected in Coyuca Lagoon and 12 in Tres Palos Lagoon. Nine species co-occurred in cormorants of both lagoons but, with the exception of Contracaecum multipapillatum and Drepanocephalus olivaceus, species were not equally common in both lagoons. The prevalence values of six species of helminth and the mean abundance of four species varied significantly between lagoons, and C. multipapillatum was numerically dominant in both lagoons. The qualitative similarity between the two communities at the component level was 64%. All cormorants examined were infected, and parasite species richness was 3-5 in Coyuca and 4-9 in Tres Palos lagoon. The results indicate that both communities presented a similar structure at the component level, probably because the cormorants of both lagoons feed on the same species of fish and thus acquire almost the same species of parasites. Differences observed at the infracommunity level were attributed to variations in the degree of dominance of the particular species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During surveys of helminth parasites of marine fishes from the Pacific coast of the Guerrero State in Mexico, 2 undescribed species of Haliotrema Johnston and Tiegs, 1922 (sensu Young, 1968) (Dactylogyridae) were found infecting the gills of the giant hawkfish Cirrhitus rivulatus Valenciennes, 1846 (Perciformes, Cirrhitidae), i.e., Haliotrema cirrhitusi n. sp. and Haliotrema pollexinus n. sp. The new species are similar with respect to the morphology of the anchors with base-shaft junction crazed, hinged, or both; dorsal anchors with an elongate superficial root; a tubular male copulatory organ (MCO) with a cylinder-shaped base diagonally opening; and a membranous accessory piece, shaped like a vane, encircling MCO to form 2 complete spirals from the anterior margin of base to the terminal portion of the MCO. While H. cirrhitusi and H. pollexinus differ from all other species of the genus in the general morphology of the copulatory complex, only H. pollexinus notably differs from all these species in having a superficial, blade-like projection from the inner surface on the distal shaft of anchors. Haliotrema cirrhitusi and H. pollexinus are the only members of the genus recorded in the Mexican Pacific and from a cirrhitid host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ftershock locations, source parameters and slip distribution in the coupling zone between the overriding North American and subducted Rivera and Cocos plates were calculated for the 22 January 2003 Tecomán earthquake. Aftershock locations lie north of the El Gordo Graben with a northwest-southeast trend along the coast and superimposed on the rupture areas of the 1932 ( M = 8.2) and 1995 ( M = 8.0) earthquakes. The Tecomán earthquake ruptured the northwest sector of the Colima gap, however, half of the gap remains unbroken. The aftershock area has a rectangular shape of 42 ± 2 by 56 ± 2 km with a shallow dip of roughly 12° of the Wadati-Benioff zone. Fault geometry calculated with the Nábělek () inversion procedure is: (strike, dip, rake) = (277°, 27°, 78°). From the teleseimic body wave spectra and assuming a circular fault model, we estimated source duration of 20 ± 2 s, a stress drop of 5.4 ± 2.5 MPa and a seismic moment of 2.7 ± .7 × 10 Nm. The spatial slip distribution on the fault plane was estimated using new additional near field strong motion data (54 km from the epicenter). We confirm their main conclusions, however we found four zones of seismic moment release clearly separated. One of them, not well defined before, is located toward the coast down dip. This observation is the result of adding new data in the inversion. We calculated a maximum slip of 3.2 m, a source duration of 30 s and a seismic moment of 1.88 × 10 Nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fungal strain resistant to Cr (VI) and capable of removing the oxyanion from the medium was isolated from the environment near the Chemical Science Faculty, University San Luis Potosí in Mexico. The strain was identified as Paecilomyces sp, by macro and microscopic characteristics. It was concluded that this fungal biomass can be used for the removal of Cr (VI) in aqueous solutions, since 1 g of fungal biomass removes 100 y 1000 mg/100 mL of this metal after one and three hours of incubation, and removes 297 mg Cr (VI) from contaminated soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article evaluates the consistency of the species composition and richness of the helminth communities of adult yellowfin snook collected from Coastal Lagoons in Guerrero, Mexico. Monogenea, Digenea, Acanthocephala, and Nematoda are the species of helminth that were identified. A table showing the infection parameters for helminths, with different measurements of prevalence and abundance is presented. Characteristics of the component communities and infracommunities are discussed.

We analyze the Tecomán, Colima, earthquake (Mw 7.6) of January 22, 2003, one of the major seismic events that has occurred in the Colima-Jalisco region, México, during the last 100 years. We describe its rupture process by a classical waveform modeling of teleseismic body waves. A point source inversion indicates a shallow underthrust event (25 km); its fault plane is defined by a strike of 278°, a dip of 27°, and a rake of 78°. The source time function (STF) has a total duration of about 22 s and shows a relatively simple time history. The main moment release is preceded by a small onset of about 6.6 sec, located 17 km south of the main moment release. This precursor is associated with an initial rupture velocity of about 2.6 km/s. Slight azimuthal variations of relative source time functions (RSTF) indicate a weak directivity, probably produced by a bilateral asymmetrical rupture oriented NNE-SSW. The RSTFs confirm that the Tecomán earthquake is composed of three subevents that mainly ruptured down-dip. A finite line-source analysis along the strike and dip also confirms the orientation of the rupture propagation and shows the wide range of apparent rupture velocities along the fault. The Tecomán earthquake is an interesting case of a well-recorded event, with good quality data, but with results that are poorly constrained, which affects the uncertainty of several parameters, like directivity and hypocenter depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the genealogy and education of street children in various detention centers in Mexico. It mentions that these children faced problems within the detention centers which are part of various government bodies that offer children hospice programs. It stresses the problems concerning education and the need for the Secretariat of Public Education to address them through its human infrastructure and educational resources.

Species richness and composition were determined for parasite communities in the black snook Centropomus nigrescens collected from five coastal lagoons in the Guerrero state, Mexico. A total of 354 fish were collected between December 2007 and November 2008. Twenty-four species of parasite were identified: 2 monogeneans, 12 digeneans, 4 acanthocephalans, 1 cestode, 4 nematodes, and 1 pentastomid. The communities consisted mainly of autogenic parasites, and all were dominated by the digenean Paracrytogonimus yamagutii. Community species composition was similar among lagoons, although the influence of local conditions prevented them from being identical. Host traits such as predator feeding habits, body size, and vagility contributed to parasite community structure and species composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Western Mexico, where the young and small Rivera Plate and the adjacent large Cocos Plate are subducting beneath the North American Plate, is a unique region on Earth where tearing of subducting oceanic plates, as well as fragmentation of the overriding continental plate, is occurring today. Characterizing the mantle flow field that accompanies the subduction of the Rivera and adjacent Cocos plates can help to clarify the tectonics and magma genesis of this young plate boundary. Here we report observations of seismic anisotropy, as manifested by shear wave splitting derived from local S and teleseismic SKS data collected by the Mapping Rivera Subduction zone array that was deployed from 2006 January to 2007 June, in southwestern Mexico, and from data collected by two of Mexico's Servicio Sismológico Nacional stations. SKS and local S-wave splitting parameters indicate that the fast directions of the split SKS waves for stations that lie on the central and southern Jalisco Block are approximately trench-normal, following the convergence direction between the Rivera Plate and Jalisco Block. S-wave splitting from slab events show a small averaged delay time of ∼0.2 s for the upper 60 km of the crust and mantle. Therefore, the main source of anisotropy must reside in the entrained mantle below the young and thin Rivera Plate. Trench-oblique fast SKS split directions are observed in the western edge of the Rivera Plate and the western parts of the Cocos slab. The curved pattern of fast SKS split directions in the western Jalisco block and beneath the Rivera–Cocos slab gap indicates 3-D toroidal mantle flow, around the northwestern edge of the Rivera slab and the Rivera–Cocos gap, which profoundly affect the finite strain field in the northwestern edge of the Rivera slab and the mantle wedge. Both the tomographic images and shear wave splitting results support the idea that the Rivera and western Cocos plates not only moved in a downdip direction but also have recently rolled back towards the trench and that the Colima rift is intimately related to the tearing between the Rivera and Cocos plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A generalized height–diameter (h-d) model was developed in order to predict the total height of individual trees in uneven-aged stands in the region of El Salto, Durango (Mexico). Seven generalized h-d equations were evaluated and the equation proposed by Sharma and Parton, which includes the diameter at breast height of the tree and the quadratic mean diameter and the dominant height of the stand as independent variables, was selected as the best model. In order to address the among-plot variability, a non-linear mixed-effects modelling approach was used to fit the selected model for all the species or groups of species. The mixed model included a random parameter that affected the model asymptote. Calibration of the obtained h-d model for a particular species or group of species in a plot of interest was carried out with only a single randomly selected tree from the species or group of species within the plot. The stochastic component added to the mixed-effects model enabled the observed natural variability in heights within diameter classes for the same stand to be mimicked, thereby providing more realistic predictions. The equation developed represents a new tool for evaluation and management of uneven-aged stands in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present article analyzes, in view of the theory on social capital, the mobilization and civil protest that was staged at the end of the year 2007 in Guadalajara, to stop the attempt by the state government to reissue license plates for all the vehicles in the state of Jalisco. It is concluded that the success of the civil mobilization generated incentives and helped build social capital, contributing, in addition, to reinforce the civil confidence in protest and mobilization as the society's legitimate instruments of struggle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dormitator is among the most important fish genera in the Mexican Pacific coastal lagoon systems. In Tres Palos Lagoon, the Fat Sleeper Dormitator latifrons is one of the most significant species based on catch volume, although it is only consumed locally. Very little information exists on this species' parasitofauna. Composition and temporal variation in the metazoan parasite community structure of Dormitator latifrons from Tres Palos Lagoon (99°47′ W, 16°48 #x2032; N), Guerrero, Mexico, were determined using seasonal samples taken between April 2000 and June 2002. Ten parasite species (55 817 individuals) were recovered from 219 examined hosts. These species included eight helminths (Ascocotyle (Phagicola) longa, Echinochasmus leopoldinae, Clinostomum complanatum, Pseudoacanthostomum panamense, Saccocoelioides lamothei, Parvitaenia cochlearii, Contracaecum sp. and Neoechinorhynchus golvani) and two crustaceans (Argulus sp. and Ergasilus sp.). Five of the helminth species exhibited seasonal variation in their infection dynamics associated with environmental changes during the dry and rainy seasons. The variations in the infection dynamics generated changes in the community structure over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporal variation in the helminth parasite communities of the Pacific fat sleeper, Dormitator latifrons, from Tres Palos Lagoon, Guerrero, Mexico, was studied at the component community and infracommunity levels. In total, 185 host specimens were collected between April 2000 and March 2001. Eight parasite species were identified: Clinostomum complanatum, Echinochasmus leopoldinae, Ascocotyle (Phagicola) longa, Pseudoacanthostomum panamense, Saccocoelioides sp., Parvitaenia cochlearii, Neoechinorhynchus golvani, and Contracaecum sp. The communities had low numbers of parasite species and diversity, and contained only generalist parasites. Nested (nonrandom) species composition was observed in the infracommunities during all climatic seasons. The variation in nestedness intensity was attributed to a process of sequential colonization by the most common parasite species, because some were more abundant in the dry season, and others were more abundant in the rainy season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the course of the investigations into the fish parasites in the Tres Palos Lagoon in the State of Guerrero off the Pacific coast of Mexico, the following diplectanid species (Monogenoidea) from the gills of centropomids were found: Rhabdosynochus alterinstitus n. sp. from Centropomus nigrescens; Rhabdosynochus lituparvus n. sp., Rhabdosynochus volucris n. sp., and Rhabdosynochus siliquaus n. sp. from Centropomus robalito (Centropomidae). The apparent synapomorphic character supporting a sister relationship of these diplectanids is a single, sheathlike accessory piece comprising 3 distal branches of the male copulatory organ. The origin of the present diplectanid on centropomids is discussed, and it is suggested that this may be the result of allopatric speciation as a result of the uplift of the Panamanian Isthmus, thereby separating the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans during Pleistocene (3-5 million yr ago). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes a new diplectanid genus Cornutohaptor nigrescensi acquired from the gills of the black snook Centropomus nigrescens from the Pacific coast of Mexico. Cornutohaptor is proposed for this new species and is characterized by possessing two intestinal ceca terminating blindly, a germanium looping right intestinal cecum. bilobed testis, two seminal vesicles, seven pairs of hooks, a grooved ventral bar and coiled male copulatory organ, dorsal bars and no adhesive accessory organs on the haptor.

Seven algebraic difference equations were used to develop site index models for major pine species of the forest region of El Salto, Durango (Mexico). Data from stem analysis of 160 trees of Pinus cooperi, P. durangensis, P. engelmannii, P. leiophylla and P. herrerae were obtained and a data structure involving all possible growth intervals was used to fit the equations. Generalized nonlinear least square methods were used to take into account the error structure. Autocorrelation was corrected expanding the error term to allow a first-order autoregressive model adequate for the data structure. Different weighting factors were employed to satisfy the equal error variance assumption. Bias, root mean square error and Akaike''s information criterion were calculated and cross-validation residuals were used to evaluate the performance of the equations. The results indicate that models with multiple asymptotes achieve greater accuracy and precision. The best results were obtained with an algebraic difference equation derived from the base model of Hossfeld IV. Due to these species often constituting mixed stands with the same silvicultural treatments and rotation age, differences among species in the best dominant-height equation were examined and tested using the nonlinear extra sum of squares method. The model parameters were significantly different among species. Based on the analysis, the Cieszewski and Bella polymorphic equation can be recommended for all five pine species. This function is polymorphic and base-age invariant with multiple asymptotes. It provides compatible site index and height growth estimates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]