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This study analyzes the outcomes of a service-learning course where Latinas in a higher education setting created a 16-page children's book for at-risk students as part of their education coursework in a regional public Hispanic-serving institution (HSI). There is a well-documented lack of Latina/o/x representation in children's literature, which has impacts on literacy gaps and student confidence, but little research on the potential of creating children's literature as a means to bridge divides. A series of qualitative focus groups at an HSI in a U.S.-Mexico border community were utilized to define the process of mirror making. Mirror making occurs when students draw from their own literacy journeys as the basis for writing while attempting to represent the experiences of emerging readers. As such, the process of mirror making represents a way of narrativizing sociopolitical issues of language, gender, and family that are relevant to their formative experiences.

The purpose of the present case study was to explore fourth-grade dual language learners' interactions with culturally relevant children's literature. The present study involved observations of six second- and third-generation immigrant students participating in read-aloud sessions with the teacher reading the text and the students responding out-loud about their insights. After each read-aloud session, we interviewed the participants about their perceptions of their readings. The findings showed the students engaging with the texts by drawing personal and cultural connections to their Hispanic heritage and by responding to contemporary socio-political issues, such as immigration and deportation. At times, the students experienced cultural distance from the narratives, especially when the stories differed from the students' own lives. When the teacher provided contextual background, the process of reading and discussing fictive narratives about Latino/as' life experiences cultivated the students' empathetic considerations for others.

Simple Summary: This study determined the influence of distance, environmental factors, and native vegetation on honeybee (Apis mellifera) foraging in arid shrublands and grasslands in Northern Mexico. Apiary distance from inflorescence sites was not a significant factor in foraging, while the honeybee response to environmental factors was influenced by apiary location and landscape. Air and minimum temperature, wind velocity, and relative humidity affected foraging in open areas in shrublands but not in grassland areas surrounded by hills (1820 to 2020 amsl). Nights with a minimum temperature of <20 °C increased foraging activity during the day. Minimum temperature is a driving variable that can be considered for further studies on the impact of climate change on bee activity. High intensity of honeybee foraging was observed in allthorn (Koeberlinia spinosa) and wait-a-minute bush (Mimosa aculeaticarpa) in shrublands and honey mesquite (Neltuma glandulosa) and wait-a-minute bush (Mimosa aculeaticarpa) in grasslands. The findings and baseline data contributed by this study may be used to identify suitable environments for increasing apiary productivity and other agricultural and ecological benefits. This study determined the influence of foraging distance, environmental factors, and native vegetation on honeybee (Apis mellifera) foraging in arid shrublands and grasslands in Northern Mexico. Apiary distance from inflorescence sites did not have a significant influence on the intensity of foraging. Apiary location and landscape were decisive factors in the response of honeybees to environmental factors. Air temperature, minimum temperature, wind velocity, and relative humidity explained foraging by 87, 80, 68, and 41% (R2), respectively, in shrubland sites in open landscapes but had no significant influence on foraging in the grassland sites in a valley surrounded by hills (1820–2020 amsl). Nights with a minimum temperature of <20 °C increased foraging activity during the day. Minimum temperature, which has the least correlative influence among climate elements, can be used to determine climate change's impact on bees. The quantity of available inflorescence explained the foraging intensity by 78% in shrublands and 84% in grasslands. Moreover, when honeybees depended mainly on native vegetation in grasslands, the quantity of inflorescence explained the intensity of foraging by 95%. High intensity of honeybee foraging was observed in allthorn (Koeberlinia spinosa) and wait-a-minute bush (Mimosa aculeaticarpa) in shrublands and honey mesquite (Neltuma glandulosa) and wait-a-minute bush (Mimosa aculeaticarpa) in grasslands. The findings and baseline data contributed by this study may be used to identify suitable environments for increasing apiary productivity and other agricultural and ecological benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: US-based Latinos have lower education and income combined with higher health risks than non-Latino whites, but often 'paradoxically' evidence better health-related outcomes. Less work has investigated this paradox for cognitive-related outcomes despite nativity diversity. Objective: We evaluated cognitive aging within older Latinos of diverse nativity currently living in the US and participating in Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center studies. Methods: Participants without baseline dementia, who completed annual neuropsychological assessments (in English or Spanish) were grouped by US-born (n = 117), Mexico-born (n = 173), and born in other Latin American regions (LAr-born = 128). Separate regression models examined associations between nativity and levels of (N = 418) or change in (n = 371; maximum follow-up ∼16 years) global and domain-specific cognition. Results: Demographically-adjusted linear regression models indicated that foreign-born nativity was associated with lower levels of global cognition and select cognitive domains compared to US-born Latinos. No associations of nativity with cognitive decline emerged from demographically-adjusted mixed-effects models; however, Mexico-born nativity appeared associated with slower declines in working memory compared to other nativity groups (p-values ≥ 0.051). Mexico-born Latinos had relatively higher vascular burden and lower education levels than other nativity groups; however, this did not alter results. Conclusions: Nativity differences in baseline cognition may be due, in part, to accumulated stressors related to immigration and acculturation experienced by foreign-born Latinos which may hasten meeting criteria for dementia later in life. In contrast, Mexico-born participants' slower working memory declines, taken in the context of other participant characteristics including vascular burden, suggests the Hispanic Paradox may relate to factors with the potential to affect cognition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buddleja cordata cell suspension cultures could be used as a tool for investigating the capabilities of this species to tolerate heavy metals (HMs) and for assessing the effects of HMs on the accumulation of phenolic compounds in this species. It grows in a wide range of habitats in Mexico, including ultramafic soils, and mobilizes some HMs in the soil. The mobilization of these HMs has been associated with phenolic substances. In addition, this species is used in Mexican traditional medicine. In the present study, a B. cordata cell suspension culture was grown for 18 days in a culture medium enriched with Cu (0.03–0.25 mM), Fe (0.25–1.5 mM), Mn (0.5–3.0 mM), or Zn (0.5–2.0 mM) to determine the effects of these HMs on growth and HM accumulation. We also assessed the effects of the HMs on phenolic compound accumulation after 1 and 18 days of HM exposure. Cells were able to grow at almost all tested HM concentrations and accumulated significant amounts of each HM. The highest accumulation levels were as follows: 1160 mg Cu kg−1, 6845 mg Fe kg−1, 3770 mg Mn kg−1, and 6581 mg Zn kg−1. Phenolic compound accumulation was affected by the HM exposure time and corresponded to each HM and its concentration. Future research should analyze whole plants to determine the capabilities of Buddleja cordata to accumulate abnormally high amounts of HM and to evaluate the physiological impact of changes in the accumulation of phenolic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer is a significant public health problem in low- and middle-income countries, accounting for 85% of new cases worldwide. Due to poorly organized screening programs, cervical cancer is more likely to develop in vulnerable groups who do not initiate or rarely undergo screening. Cervical cytology and detecting high-risk human papillomavirus types are the recommended screening tools. Further, these strategies allow for accurately identifying women at a higher risk of cervical cancer and establishing screening times. New detection tools, such as novel biomarkers or automatic HPV detection in the vagina or urine, can improve screening coverage. This review aims to identify the challenges faced by detection programs and screening tools in Mexico to provide evidence-based recommendations to improve early detection programs for cervical cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores whether hospitals with higher increases in obesity levels have higher cesarean section (CS) rates and the consequential effects on maternal and newborn health in Mexico for 2008–2015. It models how changes in the obesity level of hospitals' patient pools may affect the quantity and quality of care by focusing on the use of CS and the potential returns to specialization. And it creates a measure of hospital-level obesity, based on the fraction of obesity-related discharges for women of childbearing age. Exploiting temporal and hospital variation of this measure, results show that higher hospital-level obesity increases a woman's probability of having a CS. Also, delivery-related birth outcomes improve: maternal mortality, birth injuries, and birth trauma decrease. The evidence is consistent with hospital-level specialization in CS leading to better birth outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased need for water resources in urban sprawls and intense droughts has forced more aggressive groundwater extraction resulting in numerous urban areas undergoing land subsidence. In most cases, only some large metropolitan areas have been well-characterized for subsidence. However, there is no existing country-wide assessment of urban areas, population, and households exposed to this process. This research showcases a methodology to systematically evaluate urban localities with land subsidence higher than − 2.8 cm/year throughout Mexico. We used Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) tools with a dataset of 4611 scenes from European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 A/B SAR sensors acquired from descending orbits from September 2018 through October 2019. This dataset was processed at a supercomputer using InSAR Scientific Computing Environment and the Miami InSAR Time Series software in Python software. The quality and calibration of the resulting velocity maps are assessed through a large-scale comparison with observations from 100 continuous GPS sites throughout Mexico. Our results show that an urban area of 3797 km2, 6.9 million households, and 17% of the total population in Mexico is exposed to subsidence velocities of faster than − 2.8 cm/year, in more than 853 urban localities within 29 land subsidence regions. We also confirm previous global potential estimations of subsidence occurrence in low relief areas over unconsolidated deposits and where groundwater aquifers are under stress. The presented research demonstrates the capabilities for surveying urban areas exposed to land subsidence at a country-scale level by combining Sentinel-1 velocities with spatial national census data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Enfermagem Referência is the property of Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra 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.)

Forest management modifies tree cover, directly influencing various ecosystem services, such as water regulation. Evapotranspiration, water interception, surface runoff, stemflow, and throughfall are among those processes that depend on tree cover. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in water yield, defined as the difference between precipitation and evapotranspiration, after the application of silvicultural treatments in a temperate forest ecosystem in northern Mexico. Fifteen experimental plots were established in which the following treatments were applied: intensive management (clearcutting), semi-intensive management (selection, tree cutting of 59–61% of basal area), conservative management (selection, tree cutting of 29–31% of basal area), and no treatment (control group). Incident precipitation, throughfall, stemflow, net precipitation, interception, and surface runoff were analyzed. Results show that conservative management treatments increase water yield between 2 to 3.6 mm per m-2 ha-1 of tree basal area removed. Water flow distribution, in relation to the incident precipitation, ranged from 72.3 to 91.8% for throughfall, 0.2 to 0.4% for stemflow, 72.7 to 91.8% for net precipitation, 8.19 to 27.42% for interception or evaporation, and 0.54 to 1.93% for surface runoff. The conservative management treatment was the most viable alternative for increasing water yield without compromising timber harvesting and loss of soil due to hydric erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to determine the effect of extreme wealth on economic development (human development index and sub-indices) in 64 countries during 2005-2018, with special emphasis on Mexico and China. A dynamic estimation (sys-GMM) is followed. Estimations show that extreme national wealth acts as a constraint on human development for the entire sample of countries, including Mexico and China. Income is found to be most sensitive to this type of wealth, followed by the education index. The analysis confirms that democracy, economic freedom, investment and social spending are underlying factors of HDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Criminalization of drug use and punitive policing are key structural drivers of hepatitis C virus (HCV) risk among people who inject drugs (PWID). A police education program (Proyecto Escudo) delivering training on occupational safety together with drug law content was implemented between 2015 and 2016 in Tijuana, Mexico, to underpin drug law reform implementation. We used data from a longitudinal cohort of PWID in Tijuana to inform epidemic modeling and assess the long‐term impact of Escudo on HCV transmission and burden among PWID in Tijuana. Methods: We developed a dynamic, compartmental model of HCV transmission and incarceration among PWID and tracked liver disease progression among current and former PWID. The model was calibrated to data from Tijuana, Mexico, with 90% HCV seroprevalence. We used segmented regression analysis to estimate impact of Escudo on recent incarceration among an observational cohort of PWID. By simulating the observed incarceration trends, we estimated the potential impact of the implemented (2‐year reduction in incarceration) and an extended (10‐year reduction in incarceration) police education program over a 50‐year follow‐up (2016–2066) on HCV outcomes (incidence, cirrhosis, HCV‐related deaths and disability adjusted life‐years averted) compared with no intervention. Results: Over the 2‐year follow‐up, Proyecto Escudo reduced HCV incidence among PWID from 21.5 per 100 person years (/100py) (95% uncertainty interval [UI] = 15.3–29.7/100py) in 2016 to 21.1/100py (UI = 15.0–29.1/100py) in 2018. If continued for 10 years, Escudo could reduce HCV incidence to 20.0/100py (14.0–27.8/100py) by 2026 and avert 186 (32–389) new infections, 76 (UI = 12–160) cases of cirrhosis and 32 (5–73) deaths per 10 000 PWID compared with no intervention over a 50‐year time horizon. Conclusions: In Tijuana, Mexico, implementation of a police education program delivering training on occupational safety and drug law content appears to have reduced hepatitis C virus incidence among people who inject drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the use of technology in higher education to support an international collaboration between 2 graduate seminars in cognition and instruction, one in Mexico and another in Canada. The culture of both seminars is described in the context of using computer mediated collaboration systems. The online collaboration between and within the 2 groups happened through the use of the communications tools available in WebCT, a Web-based course management system. The analyses reveal the discursive patterns between instructors and students in both settings, with an examination of teacher presence as it pertains to a cognitive apprenticeship perspective, with particular attention to teacher's modeling and scaffolding. We also present the nature of the student interactions in terms of the cognitive elements present in the discourse and the types of social interactions that support the community of inquiry model. Students in both seminars revealed high levels of critical thinking in the types of discussions they engaged in and the types of questions they posed to others. Differences were noted in the types of teacher modeling in the 2 seminars. These differences are explored and future directions are stated for promoting international collaborations in higher education. (Contains 2 tables and 3 figures.)

Objectives: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has had a disproportionately negative impact on communities of color across the U.S., including Mexican Americans. The present study examined the influence of the pandemic on family relationships among individuals living in the U.S.–Mexico border region and how changes in family relationships were related to both familism values and mental health. Method: Two hundred ninety-one college Latino students participated in a survey that asked about changes in family relationships and mental health since the beginning of the pandemic. Results: Contrary to our initial hypothesis, the majority of respondents indicated their family relationships had not changed since the beginning of the pandemic. However, those who reported negative changes in their family relationships also reported worse mental health whereas those who reported positive changes reported higher familism values. Mediational models revealed an indirect effect of familism support values on depression via changes in family relationships. Conclusions: Although cross-sectional, these results provide preliminary evidence of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Mexican Americans in the border region, as well as cultural factors that promote resilience in times of stress. Public Significance Statement: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has had a disproportionately negative impact on communities of color across the U.S., including Mexican Americans. Findings suggest positive and negative shifts in family relationships since the beginning of the pandemic among Mexican Americans are related to both cultural values of familism and mental health, including depression and anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Health professionals in rural settings encounter a wide range of medical conditions requiring broad knowledge for their clinical practice. This creates the need for ongoing continuing professional development (CPD). In this study, we explored the barriers that health professionals in a rural healthcare context faced participating in CPD activities and their preferences regarding educational strategies to overcome these challenges. Methods: This mixed-methods (exploratory sequential) study in a community hospital in rural Mexico includes 22 interviews, 3 focus groups, 40 observational hours, and a questionnaire of healthcare staff. Results: Despite low engagement with CPD activities (67% not motivated), all participants expressed interest and acknowledged the importance of learning for their practice. Barriers to participating include a disparity between strategies used (lecture-based) and their desire for practical learning, institutional barriers (poor leadership engagement, procedural flaws, and lack of resources), and collaboration barriers (adverse interprofessional education environment, ineffective teamwork, and poor communication). Additional barriers identified were inconvenient scheduling of sessions (75%), inadequate classrooms (65%), high workload (60%), ineffective speakers (60%), and boring sessions (55%). Participants' preferred learning strategies highlighted activities relevant to their daily clinical activities (practical workshops, simulations, and case analysis). The questionnaire had an 18% response rate. Discussion: The barriers to CPD in this rural setting are multifactorial and diverse. A strong interest to engage in context-specific active learning strategies highlighted the need for leadership to prioritize interprofessional education, teamwork, and communication to enhance CPD and patient care. These results could inform efforts to strengthen CPD in other rural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the southeast region of the Gulf of California has a high fish diversity, due to the high biological productivity, the coastal area of Nayarit has few studies in this regard. The main objective of this work is to describe the variability of the structure of the ichthyofauna in the coastal zone of Nayarit during an annual cycle. Biological samples were collected at 10 stations during February, May, July, and December 2014. The temperature, depth, salinity, and organic material and carbonates in sediments were also recorded. The analysis of diversity includes three facets: ecological, taxonomic, and functional. A total of 82 species belonging to 56 genera, 31 families, 11 orders, and two classes were identified. The most abundant species included Selene peruviana, Stellifer wintersteenorum, Cathorops sp., and Larimus argenteus. Of the total of identified species, 62% were considered as rare according to their abundance and frequency. Although the environmental variables analyzed were variable, all diversity indices did not reveal an evident spatio-seasonal pattern. Likewise, most values of average taxonomic distinctness presented the expected values. However, some values showed a low taxonomic diversity. The indices of functional diversity showed a stable functional richness and redundancy in the attributes of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El crecimiento económico obedece a los estímulos provenientes de la oferta y la demanda. Desde el lado de la oferta, el crecimiento depende de la acumulación de factores y de la productividad de estos. Por el lado de la demanda, está en función del consumo, la inversión y el gasto del gobierno y las exportaciones netas. Con las tablas de insumo-producto se pueden explicar las contribuciones del crecimiento de los componentes de cada una de las variables y encontrar la senda de crecimiento que sigue la economía. A partir de esa senda se juzga si el tipo de crecimiento se inclina más por la oferta o por la demanda. En este trabajo se emplean las tablas de insumo-producto para demostrar que el crecimiento experimentado en México se ha basado en una mayor dinámica de los componentes de la oferta, lo que no favorece el desempeño del sistema económico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recurrent vasovagal syncope is common, responds poorly to treatment, and causes physical trauma and poor quality of life. Midodrine prevents hypotension and syncope during tilt tests in patients with vasovagal syncope.Objective: To determine whether midodrine can prevent vasovagal syncope in usual clinical conditions.Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01456481).Setting: 25 university hospitals in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.Patients: Patients with recurrent vasovagal syncope and no serious comorbid conditions.Intervention: Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to placebo or midodrine and followed for 12 months.Measurements: The primary outcome measure was the proportion of patients with at least 1 syncope episode during follow-up.Results: The study included 133 patients who had had a median of 6 syncope episodes in the prior year (median age, 32 years; 73% female). Compared with patients receiving placebo, fewer patients receiving midodrine had at least 1 syncope episode (28 of 66 [42%] vs. 41 of 67 [61%]). The relative risk was 0.69 (95% CI, 0.49 to 0.97; P = 0.035). The absolute risk reduction was 19 percentage points (CI, 2 to 36 percentage points), and the number needed to treat to prevent 1 patient from having syncope was 5.3 (CI, 2.8 to 47.6). The time to first syncope was longer with midodrine (hazard ratio, 0.59 [CI, 0.37 to 0.96]; P = 0.035; log-rank P = 0.031). Adverse effects were similar in both groups.Limitation: Small study size, young and healthy patients, relatively short observation period, and high proportion of patients from 1 center.Conclusion: Midodrine can reduce the recurrence of syncope in healthy, younger patients with a high syncope burden.Primary Funding Source: The Canadian Institutes of Health Research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: In Latin America, Mexico was first to launch a hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination strategy, where people who inject drugs (PWID) are a main risk group for transmission. In Tijuana, HCV seroprevalence among PWID is > 90%, with minimal harm reduction (HR). We evaluated cost‐effectiveness of strategies to achieve the incidence elimination target among PWID in Tijuana. Methods: Modeling study using a dynamic, cost‐effectiveness model of HCV transmission and progression among active and former PWID in Tijuana, to assess the cost‐effectiveness of incidence elimination strategies from a health‐care provider perspective. The model incorporated PWID transitions between HR stages (no HR, only opioid agonist therapy, only high coverage needle–syringe programs, both). Four strategies that could achieve the incidence target (80% reduction by 2030) were compared with the status quo (no intervention). The strategies incorporated the number of direct‐acting anti‐viral (DAA) treatments required with: (1) no HR scale‐up, (2) HR scale‐up from 2019 to 20% coverage among PWID, (3) HR to 40% coverage and (4) HR to 50% coverage. Costs (2019 US$) and health outcomes [disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs)] were discounted 3% per year. Mean incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios (ICER, $/DALY averted) were compared with one‐time per capita gross domestic product (GDP) ($9698 in 2019) and purchasing power parity‐adjusted per capita GDP ($4842–13 557) willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) thresholds. Results: DAAs alone were the least costly elimination strategy [$173 million, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 126–238 million], but accrued fewer health benefits compared with strategies with HR. DAAs + 50% HR coverage among PWID averted the most DALYs but cost $265 million, 95% CI = 210–335 million). The optimal strategy was DAAs + 50% HR (ICER $6743/DALY averted compared to DAAs only) under the one‐time per‐capita GDP WTP ($9698). Conclusions: A combination of high‐coverage harm reduction and hepatitis C virus treatment is the optimal cost‐effective strategy to achieve the HCV incidence elimination goal in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Cenotes are flooded caves in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. Many cenotes are interconnected in an underground network of pools and streams forming a vast belowground aquifer across most of the peninsula. Many plants in the peninsula grow roots that reach the cenotes water and live submerged in conditions similar to hydroponics. Our objective was to study the microbial community associated with these submerged roots of the Sac Actun cenote. We accomplished this objective by profiling the root prokaryotic community using 16S rRNA gene amplification and sequencing. Results: We identified plant species by DNA barcoding the total genomic DNA of each root. We found a distinctive composition of the root and water bacterial and archaeal communities. Prokaryotic diversity was higher in all plant roots than in the surrounding freshwater, suggesting that plants in the cenotes may attract and select microorganisms from soil and freshwater, and may also harbor vertically transmitted lineages. The reported data are of interest for studies targeting biodiversity in general and root-microbial ecological interactions specifically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Salud Pública de México is the property of Instituto Nacional de Salud Publica 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: Providing endovascular treatment (EVT) access for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a challenge in Latin America. Even though the Mexican Endovascular Reperfusion Registry (MERR) and the RESILIENT trial have demonstrated the feasibility of EVT of AIS in Latin America, the MERR has uncovered potential challenges to delivering EVT to AIS patients. Aim: To identify the perceived barriers to access EVT for AIS in Mexico. Methods: We surveyed endovascular neurologists in Mexico. The survey addressed the situation of thrombectomy in the country and the infrastructure and resources available in the participants' institutions. The questionnaire inquired about costs, barriers, and challenges to accessing EVT for AIS, emphasizing the prices and availability of medical devices needed for EVT. Results: We analyzed data from 21 hospitals. The most extreme identified barriers to access EVT were the lack of health coverage for EVT in the National Health System, the cost of the medical supplies for EVT, and inadequate knowledge of stroke symptoms in the general population. The median cost for EVT was USD 20,000 (IQR 7,500–20,000). From this amount, 60% (IQR 50–70%) corresponded to the costs involved with medical devices. EVT carried additional out-of-pocket costs in 90% of the hospitals, and in 57%, the costs exceed USD $10,000. Conclusion: Efforts at all government levels and society are required to tackle these barriers. An increase in and efficient use of public funding for EVT coverage and the deployment of continuous and targeted stroke education campaigns could reduce inequities in EVT access in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Burns are the most devastating form of trauma; they have existed since immemorial times and a crucial point in its study and treatment are the severity indexes and predictors of mortality. Methods: Patients admitted to a specialized burn unit in Mexico for 2 years were included, to whom the abbreviated burn severity index (ABSI) was calculated. The main variables to evaluate were days of hospital stay, sepsis development, mortality percentage, sex, age, percentage of burned body surface, and among others. Results: Seventy patients were divided into six risk groups, 80% men and 20% women, observing that the higher the ABSI score, the greater the number of days of hospital stay, the higher the percentage of sepsis development, the lower the percentage of skin graft integration and the higher mortality. Conclusions: Burning risk and mortality rates are essential in burned patients management, as they determine treatment priorities, standardizes patient treatment, and function as quality indicators. ABSI is a practical, fast, reproducible, low-cost, and effective screening system to stratify burned patients and correlates with the total days of hospital stay and in the intensive care unit. Level of evidence: Level IV, diagnostic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important challenge for silvicultural practices is the conservation of tree diversity while fulfilling the traditional objectives of forest management, most notably timber harvesting. The purpose of this study was to compare the tree diversity before and after the application of silvicultural treatments in a temperate forest in northern Mexico. Fifteen experimental plots, each measuring 2500 m2, were established to evaluate the immediate effect of four silvicultural treatments. These treatments were identified by their levels of management: intensive (clearcut, removal 100%), semi-intensive (removal of 59–61% of basal area), conservative (removal of 29–31% of basal area), and a control group. New forest guidelines, in contrast to conventional approaches, were applied to the semi-intensive and conservative treatments based on health and diversity conditions. Basal area, canopy cover, tree and total volume were measured in each plot. The Importance Value Index, alpha diversity, and evenness were estimated before and after treatments. Eighteen species belonging to five genera and five families were found in the study area. The species with the highest ecological values were Pinus durangensis, P. teocote, Quercus sideroxyla, and Quercus convallata with IVI numbers between 13.6 and 24.5%. Alpha diversity was intermediate (Margalef: 2.9 to 3.8), while dominance and evenness were above average compared to other studies (Simpson: 0.69 to 0.77; Shannon-Wiener: 1.44 to 1.6; Pielou: 0.76 to 0.85). The species evenness index in the conservative treatment was high (Sorensen, Jaccard, quantitative Sorensen and Morisita-Horn; 88 to 99%), although abundance decreased. Overall, there were no significant differences in IVI values and diversity indicators before and after treatments, with the exception of the clearcut treatment. When associating the diversity indices with stand variables, only the Pielou's evenness index showed a significant relationship between them. We concluded that both the conservative and semi-intensive treatments did not generate significant changes in tree diversity, but the former had slightly higher alpha diversity indices. These results can provide a better insight on silvicultural practices and their effects on species composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is inequality in access to recent advancements in endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS), and Mexico is unusually sensitive to such inequality. Aims: To report the initial experience of the Mexican Endovascular Reperfusion Registry (MERR). Methods: The MERR is an academic, independent, prospective, multicenter, observational registry of patients treated with endovascular reperfusion techniques in Mexican hospitals. The registry includes information on demographic and clinical characteristics, diagnostic procedures, treatments, selected time metrics, and outcomes. Results: In all, 49 (57.1% female) patients from 8 centers were included and had the following characteristics: median National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score, 16; median Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score score, 9; received intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator, 49%; and treated with mechanical devices, 39 (79.6%), including 20 treated with stent retriever alone, 2 with retriever and intra-arterial thrombolysis (IAt), 10 with catheter aspiration (4 in combination with IAt), 6 with a combination of catheter aspiration and stent retriever, and 1 with IAt followed by balloon angioplasty. Recanalization (TICI 2b or better) was achieved in 69.4% of the patients. The median clot to recanalization time was 30 minutes. A modified Rankin scale ≤2 was achieved in 44.9% of the patients, and 68.2% of these were treated with stent retriever (P =.011). Procedure-related morbidity was 12.2%, 7 patients presented intracerebral hemorrhage (71.4% asymptomatic), and all-cause mortality was 6.1%. Conclusions: Endovascular treatment of AIS in Mexico is feasible and has an efficacy comparable to that of other countries. Still, many challenges remain, especially pertaining to high costs and difficulties in equality in access to treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to explore the coping strategies utilized by Latino caregivers of people with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia (ADRD). We conducted 16 semi-structured interviews with Latinos family caregivers. The interviews explored the caregivers' experiences utilizing coping strategies. Coping strategies were identified based on a direct content analysis of the interviews. Participants were 50 to 75 years old, majority female, and from Mexico. The most common coping strategies adopted were: rationalization, social interactions, physical activity, and leisure activities. Other strategies used included avoidance, keeping busy, self-care, and spirituality or faith. Strategies such as using social interactions and spirituality and faith may be rooted in Latino cultural values such as familismo and fatalismo. The possible origin from cultural values might make some of the coping strategies more prevalent or effective in Latinos. Effective interventions aiming to reduce stress in Latino caregivers should prioritize culturally relevant problem-focused coping strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agrociencia is the property of Colegio de Postgraduados 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.)

Wesmaelius (Kimminsia) nanacamilpa Marquez & Contreras, sp. n., a brown lacewing from Tlaxcala state, Mexico is described and illustrated. This is the second recorded species of Wesmaelius from Mexico, and the third from Middle America. Males of the new species may be identified by parameres separate apically, styliform sclerites directed basally, as well as a rounded gonarcus with a short entoprocessus. Females may be distinguished from closely related species by a subgenital plate with the central plate broadly incised basally. There are now 16 species of Wesmaelius known from the New World. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mexico is the fifth largest producer of papaya worldwide and has recently reported problems with mucoralean fungi in this crop. These fungi are considered saprophytes in the soil and are ubiquitous in nature. In this work, they were isolated from soil in regions of intensive papaya cultivation in Mexico. Collections were made in the states of Colima, Oaxaca and Veracruz in Apr 2016. A total of 72 mucorales fungal isolates was obtained and morphologically characterized and then molecular characterization (28S ribosomal region) of 25 representative isolates was carried out. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequences confirmed the presence of the species Gilbertella persicaria , Rhizopus oryzae , Rhizopus stolonifer , Mucor circinelloides and Mucor hiemalis , which cause soft rot in papaya fruits, therefore, spores of these fungi found in the orchard soils can be considered as a constant source of contamination that affects healthy fruits. Additionally, Choanephora cucurbitarum , Mucor ellipsoideus , Rhizopus homothallicus , Rhizopus microsporus , Rhizopus schipperae , Lichteimia ramosa , Gongronella butleri , Cunninghamella bertholletiae and Cunninghamella blakesleeana were identified which are considered to have agricultural, biotechnological and medical importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Stroke has been scarcely studied in Latin America (LA). The Mexican Institute of Neurology Stroke Registry was established in 1990 as a prospective computer-based database to register data obtained from patients admitted with stroke. Using this data, we attempted to define the profile of risk factors and outcomes. Methods: The demographic data, stroke description, ancillary tests, vascular risk factors, and modified Rankin scale (mRs) were registered. Ischemic stroke subtyping was based on the Trial of Org 10,172 of the Acute Stroke Treatment classification. We followed-up patients using multiple overlapping methods. Primary outcomes included mRs, recurrence, and death at 30 days and at the end of follow-up. results: We included 4,481 patients with a median follow-up of 27 months, (17,281 person-years follow-up). The mean age was 52.8 ± 18 years. There were 2,229 males (50%) included in the study. CI was present in 64.9%, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in 25.6%, and cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) in 6.3%. Hypertension was the major risk factor (46.5%). The most common cause of CI was atherosclerosis (27%). ICH was mainly hypertensive (58%), and 60% of CVT were puerperal. Overall, the mortality rate was 24.5%. The recurrence rate was 16.9%. Poor outcome (mRs ≥ 3) was found in 56.2% of patients. The best outcomes were observed in CVT patients (74.5% mRs ≤ 2), whereas 72.1% ICH patients had mRs ≥3. conclusion: This is one of the largest hospital-based registries in LA and shows significant differences with other previously published registries, including a younger age, relatively less hypertension, and larger proportion of CVT. Poor functional outcome was common. This study adds to the understanding of geographic differences in stroke characteristics and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Californian single-leaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla var. californiarum), a subspecies of the single-leaf pinyon (the world's only one-needled pine), inhabits semi-arid zones of the Mojave Desert (southern Nevada and southeastern California, US) and also of northern Baja California (Mexico). This tree is distributed as a relict subspecies, at elevations of between 1,010 and 1,631 m in the geographically isolated arid Sierra La Asamblea, an area characterized by mean annual precipitation levels of between 184 and 288 mm. The aim of this research was (i) to estimate the distribution of P. monophylla var. californiarum in Sierra La Asamblea by using Sentinel-2 images, and (ii) to test and describe the relationship between the distribution of P. monophylla and five topographic and 18 climate variables. We hypothesized that (i) Sentinel-2 images can be used to predict the P. monophylla distribution in the study site due to the finer resolution (×3) and greater number of bands (×2) relative to Landsat-8 data, which is publically available free of charge and has been demonstrated to be useful for estimating forest cover, and (ii) the topographical variables aspect, ruggedness and slope are particularly important because they represent important microhabitat factors that can determine the sites where conifers can become established and persist. An atmospherically corrected a 12-bit Sentinel-2A MSI image with 10 spectral bands in the visible, near infrared, and short-wave infrared light region was used in combination with the normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI). Supervised classification of this image was carried out using a backpropagation-type artificial neural network algorithm. Stepwise multiple linear binominal logistical regression and Random Forest classification including cross validation were used to model the associations between presence/absence of P. monophylla and the five topographical and 18 climate variables. Using supervised classification of Sentinel-2 satellite images, we estimated that P. monophylla covers 6,653 ± 319 ha in the isolated Sierra La Asamblea. The NDVI was one of the variables that contributed most to the prediction and clearly separated the forest cover (NDVI > 0.35) from the other vegetation cover (NDVI < 0.20). Ruggedness was the most influential environmental predictor variable, indicating that the probability of occurrence of P. monophylla was greater than 50% when the degree of ruggedness terrain ruggedness index was greater than 17.5 m. The probability of occurrence of the species decreased when the mean temperature in the warmest month increased from 23.5 to 25.2 °C. Ruggedness is known to create microclimates and provides shade that minimizes evapotranspiration from pines in desert environments. Identification of the P. monophylla stands in Sierra La Asamblea as the most southern populations represents an opportunity for research on climatic tolerance and community responses to climate variability and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Currently, care for the community of transgender and transsexual patients has been specialized in different countries of the European Union, thereby favoring better medical care for this community of patients, however, in countries like Mexico there is still no these spaces, thereby favoring the lack of dignified treatment. Objective: To determine the correlation between knowledge and attitudes of doctors in the care of transgender and transsexual patients in doctors from the State of Veracruz Ignacio de la Llave. Material and methods: A cross-sectional, prospective, observational, analytical and correlational study was carried out. Doctors from the state of Veracruz were included and the tests of ‘Knowledge about transsexuality’ and ‘evaluation of attitudes towards the transgender and transsexual community’ (Cronbach’s alpha of 0.75 and 0.85) were applied by means of electronic surveys, being selected by non-probability sampling. Results: 359 doctors were included, of which 201 (56%) were men, with Catholic religion in 197 (54.4%) of the cases, cisgender in 333 (92.8%), hetero sexual 296 (82.5%) with older age. frequent between 23 to 29 years (56.3%). The correlation between the level of knowledge about transsexuality and the scale of attitude towards the transgender community was -0.08, while that of the level of knowledge about transsexuality and the scale of attitude towards the transgender community was - 0.39. The Catholic religion, being a biological man, and being heterosexual showed values of p < 0.05 with respect to the presence of prejudices for the transgender and transsexual community. Conclusions: There is no correlation between knowledge about transsexuality and the attitude towards this group by the doctors of the state of Veracruz. Key messages: • There is no correlation between knowledge about transsexuality and the attitude towards this group by the doctors of the state of Veracruz. • To practice the catholic religion, being a biological man, and being heterosexual its associated to the presence of prejudices for the transgender and transsexual community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis (OP) is highly prevalent in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is influenced by genetic factors. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2073618 in the TNFRSF11B osteoprotegerin (OPG) gene has been related to postmenopausal OP although, to date, no information has been described concerning whether this polymorphism is implied in abnormalities of bone mineral density (BMD) in RA. We evaluated, in a case-control study performed in Mexican-Mestizo women with RA, whether SNP rs2073618 in the TNFRSF11B gene is associated with a decrease in BMD. RA patients were classified as follows: (1) low BMD and (2) normal BMD. All patients were genotyped for the rs2073618 polymorphism by PCR-RFLP. The frequency of low BMD was 74.4%. Higher age was observed in RA with low BMD versus normal BMD (62 and 54 years, resp.; p < 0.001). Worse functioning and lower BMI were observed in RA with low BMD (p = 0.003 and p = 0.002, resp.). We found similar genotype frequencies in RA with low BMD versus RA with normal BMD (GG genotype 71% versus 64.4%, GC 26% versus 33%, and CC 3% versus 2.2%, resp.; p = 0.6). We concluded that in Mexican-Mestizo female patients with RA, the rs2073618 polymorphism of the TNRFS11B gene is not associated with low BMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Firewood is the main source of energy in rural communities of emerging economies. Rural people develop different strategies to select and use the available species. Analysis of the firewood consumption and its relation to the wood-energetic properties was performed in four rural villages in the El Ocote Biosphere Reserve. The relationship between the preferential use of species for firewood and wood properties (moisture, ash, volatile content and specific wood density) of 39 species was analyzed using a combination of interviews and laboratory analysis. Fuel value index (FVI) was used to rank species and compare them with a preference index obtained by 76 interviews. People recognized seven characteristics that define the choice of a species for firewood (the kind of flame, the length of the flame, the amount and duration of coal, the type of smoke produced, the ease of ignition, the flavor given to food, and the quantity of ash left). Preference criteria do not match with the FVI. Six of the preferred species have low FVI values (<60.0), 29 species have intermediate (60–300) while only four species showed the highest FVI values (>300). We conclude that the FVI is not related to the preference of the species used by people within the reserve. Availability, proximity to home and feasibility may influence the choice of species used for firewood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging professionals and new Certified Health Education Specialists often lack academic training in and actual experience in National Commission for Health Education Credentialing Area of Responsibility VII: Communicate, Promote, and Advocate for Health, Health Education/Promotion, and the Profession. For undergraduate and graduate students who have an opportunity to complete an internship or practicum experience, gaining experience in Competencies 7.2: Engage in advocacy for health and health education/promotion and 7.3: Influence policy and/or systems change to promote health and health education can have a profound impact on their career development and their ability to advocate for policies that promote health and health equity. Compelling evidence suggests that interventions that address social determinants of health such as poverty and education and those that change the context through improved policy or healthier environments have the greatest impact on public health, making it vital for emerging public health professionals to gain experience in policy advocacy and systems change. In this commentary, students and faculty from two large universities in the U.S.–Mexico border region reflect on the value of policy advocacy in academic internship/fieldwork experiences. Based on their experiences, they highly recommend that students seek out internship opportunities where they can participate in policy advocacy, and they encourage university faculty and practicum preceptors to provide more opportunities for policy advocacy in both classroom and fieldwork settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines how public performance and participation performance groups relate to gendered division of labor in the private sector within a particular Mexican subgroup. Literature on the gendered division of labor focuses on married couples but ignores men's social networks such as hypermasculine performance groups. This article will analyze Charro communities in Mexico. Charros, in this study, are Mexican urban horsemen that incorporate a rural or hacienda culture to both their public performances of masculinity, and those they perform within private households. Regardless of their exposure to urbanized gendered ideologies, Charro community members' traditional perceptions of gender coincide with those of hacienda culture. I conducted an ethnographic participatory observation and in-depth interviews with women and men of the Charro community. I analyzed the interactions between Charros, their performances, their practice sessions, and their personal lives and beliefs to consider how hacienda culture may produce particular views of gendered divisions of labor in the household. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we report a 2.3% case fatality rate among parturients with COVID‐19 in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anuario Turismo y Sociedad is the property of Universidad Externado de Colombia, Facultad de Empresas Turísticas y Hoteleras 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: During the SARS-COV 2 pandemic, schools in Mexico adapted to the online modality as a strategy to contain the epidemic, being this new modality for high school students, which could facilitate, together with their social context, a damage to their mental health. Objectives: To determine the association of cyberbullying with depression in high school adolescents. A comparative, observational, cross-sectional and prospective study was carried out in Veracruz, Mexico, between January and April 2021, including high school students with online classes, and those with a diagnosis of depression, anxiety or if they were consuming drugs that It could alter your mood. A non-probabilistic sampling was carried out and the DASS-21 test (Cronbach 0.87) was applied to determine stress, anxiety and depression and the ECIPQ test to determine cyberbullying (cronbach 0.87) Results: 311 students were included, of which 129 (41.5%) were men, with brown skin in 63.7%, white (32.2%) and yellow in 4.2%, with bisexual sexual preference in 8.4%, with depression in 43.4% %, anxiety 42.8%, stress 26.7%, being cyber victims 43.1% and cyberbullying 20.6%. Being a cybervictim presents OR for depression of 4.1 (95% CI 2.5-6.6), OR for anxiety of 3.8 (95% CI 2.4-6.2), stress OR of 4.2 (95% CI 2.5-7.3). The factors that facilitate cyberbullying were having yellow skin color with OR 4.6 (95% CI 1.2-17.3) and being bisexual with OR 5.0 (95% CI 1.9-12.8), all with a value of p < 0.05. Conclusions: being a cybervictim facilitates the presence of depression, anxiety and stress in adolescents. Having yellow skin color and being bisexual increases the risk of cyberbullying Key messages: Being a cybervictim facilitates the presence of depression, anxiety and stress in adolescents. Having yellow skin color and being bisexual increases the risk of cyberbullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synopsis: With 100% COVID‐19 vaccination among pregnant women during May and June of 2021, the overall predicted number of maternal deaths for 2021 in Mexico would significantly decrease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbicide resistance has the potential to impose fitness costs in plants. In Mexico, Phalaris minor Retz. has evolved resistance to acetyl-coa carboxylase (ACCase) inhibiting herbicides. However, it is unknown whether these changes may involve other ecological costs for resistant individuals under non-selective conditions. The aim of this study was to determine whether the evolution of resistance has reduced the ability of P. minor to compete for resources at the seedling stage. De Wit's replacement series experiments (susceptible:resistant 100:0, 50:50, 0:100) were performed under two initial conditions. In the first experiment, we examined the effect of differences in germination time between resistant and susceptible genotypes on canopy cover. In the second experiment, germination was synchronized, and all the replacement series began at the same time. Delayed germination of resistant accessions reduced their ability to compete for canopy space, competition intensity index, and relative productivity in relation to susceptible accessions. When germination was synchronized, the resistant accessions had the same canopy cover and productivity as susceptible accessions. The delayed germination may cause displacement of resistant individuals in the absence of the selective factor (herbicide). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polymorphisms in leptin (LEP G-2548A) and leptin-receptor (LEPR Gln223Arg) seem to influence obesity and lipid metabolism among others. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of these polymorphisms on adiposity, leptin (sLeptin), and leptin-receptor (sLeptin-receptor) serum concentrations as well as inflammation markers. We included 382 adults originally from Western Mexico. They were genotyped by PCR-RFLP. Obese individuals showed higher sLeptin (58.2±31.35 ng/mL) but lower sLeptin-receptor (12.6±3.74 ng/mL) levels than normal weight ones (17.6±14.62 ng/mL, 17.4±4.62 ng/mL, resp.), P<0.001. Obese subjects carriers of Arg/Arg genotype had more (P=0.016) sLeptin-receptor (14.7±4.96 ng/mL) and less (P=0.004) sLeptin (44.0±28.12 ng/mL) levels than Gln/Gln genotype (11.0±2.92 ng/mL, 80.3±33.24 ng/mL, resp.). Body fat mass was lower (P from 0.003 to 0.045) for A/A (36.5%±6.80) or Arg/Arg (36.8%±6.82) genotypes with respect to G/G (41.3%±5.52) and G/A (41.6%±5.61) or Gln/Gln (43.7%±4.74) and Gln/Arg (41.0%±5.52) genotypes carriers. Our results suggest that LEP -2548A and LEPR 223Arg could be genetic markers of less body fat mass accumulation in obese subjects from Western Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of a low‐cost simulation model and cumulative sum analysis enables training and monitoring of individual learning curves for transcervical chorionic villus sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jumbo squid is an important fishery resource in Mexico, and its muscle is lean and white and it has a very low price in the market. It is abundant, but with little or nothing added value, therefore is necessary to search alternatives of processing. Due to muscle characteristics, the aim of this study was to obtain protein concentrates using different methods. They were obtained by means of acidic (acid protein concentrates) and alkaline (alkaline protein concentrates) dissolution. Moreover, a protein concentrate was obtained by direct isoelectric precipitation and by the traditional method (neutral protein concentrates). The yield with better results was alkaline protein concentrates (63.58 ± 1.8%). The gel hardness was significantly different (p < 0.05), especially for the alkaline protein concentrates. The acid protein concentrates, isoelectric precipitation and alkaline protein concentrates were better with regard to the neutral protein concentrates, concerning the emulsifying and foaming properties. The protein concentrates by means of alkaline dissolution gave a better gelling property, but all the processes had the potential to obtain protein with emulsifying and foaming properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractal analysis of the total magnetic field (TMF) time series from 1997 to 2003 at Popocatépetl Volcano is performed and compared with the TMF-series of the Teoloyucan Magnetic Observatory, 100 km away. Using Higuchi's fractal dimension method (D). The D changes over time for both series were computed. It was observed, when the time windows used to compute D increase in length, both series show nearly the same behavior. Some criteria of comparison were employed to discriminate the local effects inherent to volcano-magnetism. The simultaneous maximum in D (1.8) of the TMF series at Popocatépetl Volcano and the recovered volcanic activity indicates a scaling relation of the TMF at Popocatépetl Volcano and demonstrates a link between the magnetic field and volcanic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study of contradictory elements influencing the efficiency of water investment in Mexico City, Mexico. It explores how the multiple objectives of various actors in water projects are being balanced to reach integrated water management, with particular focus on the Santa Cararina Water Supply Project. Results suggest that the efficient and effective delivery of water projects are being constrained by multiple objectives of difference actors involved in the water project.

In Input–Output analysis, the term ‘important coefficients’ refers to direct intersectoral connections, behind which lie substantial indirect connections, such that a small change in one of those coefficients would have a large impact on the output of a related sector. This paper employs important coefficients as indicators of the level of integration between the industries in an economic structure. An economic structure is defined as a set of interdependent sectors linked by a set of intermediate demand flows. Such flows define the character of the aforementioned structure. It is hypothesized that changes in the level of integration affect the ability an economy has to provide welfare opportunities to its population. The paper also shows that a reduction in the degree of integration of an economy weakens its ability to achieve steady growth, because of the loss of the propagating effects of an expanding demand, even if exports expand at high rates. This might explain the disappointing performance of the Mexican economy in regard to these issues even after structural reforms have been adopted and exports growth has become a central component of the development strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]