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The article discusses the study which examined the metal production in Mesoamerica at the Tarascan region of western Mexico. It notes that mining and metallurgy appear to have evolved into a state industry highlighting the metal adornments like insignia of political and social status for public ritual and political control. It adds that the specific metallurgy is directly associated with the Tarascan Imperial system because of the multi-scalar and interrelated nature of its metal production.

Fireflies are charismatic and conspicuous animals that often evoke childhood memories, which make firefly watching an emotional and even transformative experience. Citizen science projects have the potential to enhance transformative interactions with nature. Like many insects, firefly populations are declining due to land-use change, urbanization and watershed pollution, but ecological data for this group is scarce, particularly in Mexico. Virtual Citizen Science (VCS) initiatives can serve as a scientific instrument, yield reliable and relevant scientific data, and may also offer a platform to promote broader educational outcomes. We established a VCS project to document fireflies through a Facebook page named Buscando Luciernagas with the following hashtag in every post #veobrillar in 2015. After seven years we complied the gathered data and analyzed the results. We had 647 reports in total, with strong fluctuations from year to year that were correlated with the number of posts and publicity we made each year. The largest number of sightings (319) occurred in 2021, coinciding with a change in our reporting format. Most of the reports came from central Mexico (91.5%), but we had reports from eight states and also received some international reports from nine different countries. Fireflies were most frequently seen in habitats characterized as grasslands (35%) or forests (27%), followed by gardens (17%), vacant lots (9%) and parks (5%) but also paved areas and agricultural lands were reported (3% each). Most citizen scientists reported few fireflies, 1-5 individuals (31%) while only 11% reported more than 50 fireflies per sighting. Our study can serve as a preliminary approach to explore more focused research areas in the future. For example, in areas with no sightings, we could reach out to specific local people to corroborate that there are no fireflies in the region, or in areas with high sightings we could promote conservation measures. Notably, we found it intriguing to discover numerous sightings of fireflies in urban areas, which could offer a potential avenue for further research in urban ecology., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 del-Val et al.)

The population has aged; there is a greater risk of osteoporosis and hip fracture. We describe the standards of care for hip fractures in various hospitals of Mexico. A total of 1042 subjects participated. The acute mortality was 4.3%., Significance: Hip fracture registries provide a means to compare care and establish improvement processes., Background: The Mexican population has aged; thus, there is a greater risk of osteoporosis, and its main consequence is hip fracture due to fragility. Its incidence is high, and it is expected to increase due to aging in our country. International guidelines provide standardized recommendations for the care of people with hip fractures, while hip fracture registries provide a means to compare care with local, national, and international clinical standards and establish improvement processes., Objective: Describe the standards of care for hip fractures in various hospital centers of the Mexican Social Security Institute., Methods: This was an observational, multicenter, longitudinal, and descriptive study. It included 24 hospital centers in Mexico. Informed consent was obtained. Data were recorded during the hospital stay, epidemiological data, and management, and follow-up was carried out 30 and 120 days after discharge. The information was analyzed using SPSS version 22.0., Results: A total of 1042 subjects aged 79.5 ± 7.6 years participated, mostly women (n = 739; 70.9%) from the community (n = 1,021; 98.0%) and with functional independence (Barthel 80.9 ± 22.2). The transfer time to the emergency room was 4.6 ± 14.6 days. Pertrochanteric hip fracture was the most common (n = 570, 54.7%). The most common type of procedure was dynamic hip screw (DHS) (n = 399; 40.1%). Documented thromboprophylaxis was granted in 91.5% (n = 953) and antibiotic prophylaxis in 53.0% (n = 552) of the patients. The goal of 36 h for the surgical procedure was achieved in 7.6% of the subjects (n = 76), with the most frequent cause being a delay in scheduling (n = 673, 67.6%). The mean time from emergency room to surgery was 7.8 ± 7.0 days. The acute mortality rate was 4.3%. Secondary pharmacologic prevention upon discharge occurred in 64.2% of patients. At 30 days, 370 subjects (37.1%) were lost to follow-up, with a mortality of 3%, while at 120 days, 166 subjects (27.8%) were lost, with a mortality of 2.8%., Conclusion: In the hospital centers where the study was carried out, there are still no standards of care for hip fractures, which makes it necessary to rethink the care for this population group through a strategy focused on meeting those standards., (© 2024. International Osteoporosis Foundation and Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation.)

Purpose: Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an inherited immunodeficiency caused by pathogenic variants of genes encoding the enzyme complex NADPH oxidase. In countries where tuberculosis (TB) is endemic and the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is routinely administered, mycobacteria are major disease-causing pathogens in CGD. However, information on the clinical evolution and treatment of mycobacterial diseases in patients with CGD is limited. The present study describes the adverse reactions to BCG and TB in Mexican patients with CGD., Methods: Patients with CGD who were evaluated at the Immunodeficiency Laboratory of the National Institute of Pediatrics between 2013 and 2024 were included. Medical records were reviewed to determine the clinical course and treatment of adverse reactions to BCG and TB disease., Results: A total of 79 patients with CGD were included in this study. Adverse reactions to BCG were reported in 55 (72%) of 76 patients who received the vaccine. Tuberculosis was diagnosed in 19 (24%) patients. Relapse was documented in three (10%) of 31 patients with BGC-osis and six (32%) of 19 patients with TB, despite antituberculosis treatment. There was no difference in the frequency of BCG and TB disease between patients with pathogenic variants of the X-linked CYBB gene versus recessive variants., Conclusions: This report highlights the importance of considering TB in endemic areas and BCG complications in children with CGD to enable appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to improve prognosis and reduce the risk of relapse., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Arterial hypertension is highly prevalent in Mexico; nevertheless, there are limited insights regarding its management during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we estimate the prevalence of clinical and treatment profiles of arterial hypertension and explore associated factors for undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension using a cross-sectional survey endorsed by the Collaborative Group on Arterial Hypertension from the Mexican Institute of Social Security., Methods: Our survey was conducted from May to November 2021 using the May-Measurement Month 2021 protocols of the International Society of Hypertension. Arterial hypertension (defined as: blood pressure [BP] ≥140/90 mmHg, previous diagnosis, or taking antihypertensives) and its clinical and treatment profiles were classified according to the World Hypertension League Expert Committee. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to explore associated factors for undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension., Results: Among 77,145 screened participants (women: 62.4%; median age: 46 [IQR: 32-59] years), the prevalence of arterial hypertension was 35.7% (95% CI: 35.3-36.0, n = 27,540). Among participants with arterial hypertension, 30.9% (95% CI: 30.4-31.5, n = 8,533) were undiagnosed, 6.6% (95% CI: 6.3%-6.9%, n = 1,806) were diagnosed but untreated, 43.4% (95% CI: 42.9-44.0, n = 11,965) had uncontrolled hypertension, and only 19% (95% CI: 18.6%-19.5%, n = 5,236) achieved hypertension control (BP < 130/80 mmHg). Explored associated factors for undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension include being men, living in the central and southern regions, lower educational attainments, higher use of pharmacological agents, and previous COVID-19 infection., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that adverse arterial hypertension profiles, mainly undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension, were highly prevalent during the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Palomo-Piñón, Antonio-Villa, Rangel-Zertuche, Berumen-Lechuga, Medina-Serrano, García-Cortés, Mejia-Rodríguez, León-Vázquez, González-Dzib, González-Coronado, Álvarez-Aguilar, Paniagua-Sierra, Alcocer and the Collaborative Group on Arterial Hypertension from the Mexican Institute of Social Security.)

People spend most of their time indoors, especially during the coronavirus disease. Prolonged exposure to heavy metal-contaminated dust can be harmful to human health. The objectives of this study were to identify the contamination level in outdoor and indoor dust, compare contamination in both environments, and assess the human health risk. Two-hundred thirty-nine samples of dust were taken by Mexico City citizens in 38 homes on the weekends of May 2020. Heavy metal concentrations were measured through XRF. The contamination level was set using the contamination factor with a local and global background value, mixed linear models were used to identify indoor and outdoor differences, and USEPA human health risk methodology was used. Pb, Zn, and Cu had the highest contamination levels, followed by Sr and Mn, using both the local and global background values. The Pb, Zn, and Cu contamination was greater indoors, while higher Mn, Sr, and Fe were detected outdoors. According to the outdoor/indoor ratios, the main sources of Ca, Pb, Zn, and Cu must be indoors, while the main sources of Fe, Mn, Sr, Y, and Ti are outdoors. A human health risk was not detected, as the hazard index was lower than one. However, ailments can be developed due to exposure to Pb, Mn, and Fe in children (hazard index > 0.1). A higher risk due to Pb exposition was found indoors. Indoor environments in Mexico City were more contaminated by heavy metals and represented a higher risk to human health than outdoors during the pandemic isolation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Coleopterans are the most diverse animal group on Earth and constitute good indicators of environmental change. However, little information is available about Coleopteran communities' responses to disturbance and land-use change. Tropical dry forests have undergone especially extensive anthropogenic impacts in the past decades. This has led to mosaic landscapes consisting of areas of primary forest surrounded by pastures, agricultural fields and secondary forests, which negatively impacts many taxonomic groups. However, such impacts have not been assessed for most arthropod groups. In this work, we compared the abundance, richness and diversity of Coleopteran morphospecies in four different successional stages in a tropical dry forest in western Mexico, to answer the question: How do Coleopteran assemblages associate with vegetation change over the course of forest succession? In addition, we assessed the family composition and trophic guilds for the four successional stages. We found 971 Coleopterans belonging to 107 morphospecies distributed in 28 families. Coleopteran abundance and richness were greatest for pastures than for latter successional stages, and the most abundant family was Chrysomelidae, with 29% of the individuals. Herbivores were the most abundant guild, accounting for 57% of the individuals, followed by predators (22%) and saprophages (21%) beetles. Given the high diversity and richness found throughout the successional chronosequence of the studied tropical dry forest, in order to have the maximum number of species associated with tropical dry forests, large tracts of forest should be preserved so that successional dynamics are able to occur naturally., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2023 Díaz-Álvarez et al.)

In this study, we report the carbapenemase-encoding genes and colistin resistance in Escherichia coli , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Acinetobacter baumannii , and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical isolates included carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae , carbapenem-resistant E. coli , carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii , and carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa . Carbapenemase-encoding genes were detected by PCR. Carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae and carbapenem-resistant E. coli isolates were analyzed using the Rapid Polymyxin NP assay. mcr genes were screened by PCR. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and whole-genome sequencing were performed on representative isolates. A total of 80 carbapenem-resistant E. coli , 103 carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae , 284 carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii , and 129 carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa isolates were recovered. All carbapenem-resistant E. coli and carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates were included for further analysis. A selection of carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii and carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa strains was further analyzed (86 carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii and 82 carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa ). Among carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae and carbapenem-resistant E. coli isolates, the most frequent gene was bla NDM (86/103 [83.5%] and 72/80 [90%], respectively). For carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii , the most frequently detected gene was bla OXA-40 (52/86, 60.5%), and for carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa , was bla VIM NDM was detected in Mexico. High virulence sequence types (STs), such as A. baumannii , five indistinguishable pulsotypes were detected. Circulation of K. pneumoniae New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) and E. coli NDM was detected in Mexico. High virulence sequence types (STs), such as K. pneumoniae ST307, E. coli ST167, P. aeruginosa ST111, and A. baumannii ST2, were detected. Among K. pneumoniae isolates, 18/101 (17.8%) were positive for the Polymyxin NP test (two, 11.0% positive for the mcr-1 gene, and one, 5.6% with disruption of the mgrB NDM were detected in Mexico, with the circulation of highly virulent STs. These results are relevant in clinical practice to guide antibiotic therapies considering the molecular mechanisms of resistance to carbapenems.E. coli isolates were negative for the Polymyxin NP test. In conclusion, K. pneumoniae NDM and E. coli NDM were detected in Mexico, with the circulation of highly virulent STs. These results are relevant in clinical practice to guide antibiotic therapies considering the molecular mechanisms of resistance to carbapenems.

Background: After the initial outbreak in China (December 2019), the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11 th , 2020. This paper aims to describe the first 2 years of the pandemic in Mexico., Design and Methods: This is a population-based longitudinal study. We analyzed data from the national COVID-19 registry to describe the evolution of the pandemic in terms of the number of confirmed cases, hospitalizations, deaths and reported symptoms in relation to health policies and circulating variants. We also carried out logistic regression to investigate the major risk factors for disease severity., Results: From March 2020 to March 2022, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Mexico underwent four epidemic waves. Out of 5,702,143 confirmed cases, 680,063 were hospitalized (11.9%), and 324,436 (5.7%) died. Even if there was no difference in susceptibility by gender, males had a higher risk of death (CFP: 7.3 vs. 4.2%) and hospital admission risk (HP: 14.4 vs. 9.5%). Severity increased with age. With respect to younger ages (0-17 years), the 60+ years or older group reached adjusted odds ratios of 9.63 in the case of admission and 53.05 (95% CI: 27.94-118.62) in the case of death. The presence of any comorbidity more than doubled the odds ratio, with hypertension-diabetes as the riskiest combination. While the wave peaks increased over time, the odds ratios for developing severe disease (waves 2, 3, and 4 to wave 1) decreased to 0.15 (95% CI: 0.12-0.18) in the fourth wave., Conclusion: The health policy promoted by the Mexican government decreased hospitalizations and deaths, particularly among older adults with the highest risk of admission and death. Comorbidities augment the risk of developing severe illness, which is shown to rise by double in the Mexican population, particularly for those reported with hypertension-diabetes. Factors such as the decrease in the severity of the SARS-CoV2 variants, changes in symptomatology, and advances in the management of patients, vaccination, and treatments influenced the decrease in mortality and hospitalizations., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Loza, Wong-Chew, Jiménez-Corona, Zárate, López, Ciria, Palomares, García-López, Iša, Taboada, Rosales, Boukadida, Herrera-Estrella, Mojica, Rivera-Gutierrez, Muñoz-Medina, Salas-Lais, Sanchez-Flores, Vazquez-Perez, Arias and Gutiérrez-Ríos.)

Objective: Epidemiological data on aneurysmal disease affecting the abdominal aorta in Latin American countries are limited. In our institution, the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubiran (INCMNSZ), we have reported an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) prevalence of 3.26% in patients at risk from our Ultrasound (US) screening program. We aim to determine and compare the prevalence of undetected AAA in four different Metropolitan areas in Mexico to justify further US screening efforts., Methods: A cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted in 9 different academic institutions. Abdominal Computed Tomographies (CT) from patients with age equal or greater than 55 years in our center (INCMNSZ), and in 65 year old patients and older in the remainder institutions were systematically reviewed. Abdominal aortic diameters were measured at the level of the superior (SMA) and inferior mesenteric arteries (IMA) in nonaneurysmal aortas and maximum diameters in the found AAA. Categorical data were analyzed by nonparametric statistic test at significance level (P < 0.05), the Pearson test was used to determine the correlation of age and aortic diameters., Results: The cohort included a total of 12, 936 patients paired with respect gender (53% females, with a mean age of 69 years), the AAA prevalence found in the studied Mexican population was 3.08% (399 AAA patients). In centers where more than 200 CTs scans were reviewed, the prevalence was 4.03%, compared to the 4.63% found in centers with less than 200 studies (P = 0.41). In patients between the ages of 55 to 64 from INCMNSZ (3889 total), the prevalence was 0.77%, supporting the need of focused US-screening programs in individuals at the age of 65 and older in our country., Conclusions: The introduction of a national US Screening Program for the detection of AAA in Mexico represents a challenge in our current health system. This Multicenter initiative demonstrates that our AAA prevalence is not different to other international reports; imaging screening might represent cost-effective strategy for reduction of aneurysm-related mortality., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we analyzed the sequences of SARS-CoV-2 isolates of the Delta variant in Mexico, which has completely replaced other previously circulating variants in the country due to its transmission advantage. Among all the Delta sublineages that were detected, 81.5 % were classified as AY.20, AY.26, and AY.100. According to publicly available data, these only reached a world prevalence of less than 1%, suggesting a possible Mexican origin. The signature mutations of these sublineages are described herein, and phylogenetic analyses and haplotype networks are used to track their spread across the country. Other frequently detected sublineages include AY.3, AY.62, AY.103, and AY.113. Over time, the main sublineages showed different geographical distributions, with AY.20 predominant in Central Mexico, AY.26 in the North, and AY.100 in the Northwest and South/Southeast. This work describes the circulation, from May to November 2021, of the primary sublineages of the Delta variant associated with the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexico and highlights the importance of SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance for the timely identification of emerging variants that may impact public health.

Oligonychus punicae (Hirst) (Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae) is a common pest in Mexican avocado orchards. Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) is frequently found associated with avocado orchards in Mexico and may be an important aid for controlling O. punicae. Given the lack of information in the scientific literature, this study evaluated the predation and oviposition of N. californicus when fed O. punicae at different developmental stages in a no-choice experiment. We also assessed fluctuations in the population size of O. punicae and N. californicus in commercial avocado orchards; correlations among mite density and air temperature, humidity, and precipitation in commercial avocado orchards; and the correlations between prey and predator populations. The no-choice test revealed that N. californicus adult females fed on O. punicae of all developmental stages, with higher levels of predation being recorded for eggs, followed by larvae. The highest oviposition values of N. californicus females were observed when females were fed O. punicae eggs. In orchards, the populations of both mites increased between February and June. The populations peaked during the warmest months of the year, with O. punicae populations peaking between June and July and N. californicus peaking in August. In addition, the population size of N. californicus was significantly and positively correlated with rainfall, air temperature, and the population densities of O. punicae. Meanwhile, O. punicae population size was positively correlated with air temperature, and the population of its predator N. californicus., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Abstract: This study investigated the presence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) for the first time in two types of unpasteurized fresh cheese produced in the state of Michoacan, Mexico. We tested for this pathogen, along with the others, to broaden the study of microbiological quality in 60 samples of cheese, 30 fresh and 30 Adobera, which were collected from six artisanal cheese factories (ACFs). The hygienic conditions of these establishments and the practices of cheese manufacture were generally poor. Although Mycobacterium bovis was not detected, four cheese samples harbored NTM isolates. The four NTM isolates were identified using three molecular markers (hsp65, rrs, and rpoB genes) that corresponded to Mycolicibacterium fortuitum (n = 3) and Mycolicibacterium mageritense (n = 1). All 60 cheese samples analyzed had unsatisfactory microbiological quality according to the Mexican Official Guideline. Regarding fresh cheeses, all 30 samples analyzed were positive for aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and yeasts and molds. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were present in 23 and 21 samples, respectively. Listeria monocytogenes was identified in a sample and was isolated from a bulk milk tank in the same ACF. With regard to Adobera cheeses, all samples were positive for aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, yeasts and molds, and S. aureus. E. coli was isolated from 28 samples. Salmonella was isolated from a sample and from a wooden shovel used in the manufacture of the cheeses in the same ACF. Thus, the consumption of unpasteurized fresh cheese may represent a public health risk. Because of this, health authorities should enforce the legislation that forbids the processing of cheese with unpasteurized milk and encourage producers to follow good manufacturing practices from original ingredients, through the production process of the cheese, to its sale to assure a safe product., (Copyright ©, International Association for Food Protection.)

Among COVID-19 hospitalized patients, high incidence of alterations in inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers correlates with a poor prognosis. Comorbidities such as chronic degenerative diseases are frequently associated with complications in COVID-19 patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate inflammatory and procoagulant biomarkers in COVID-19 patients from a public hospital in Mexico. Blood was sampled within the first 48 h after admission in 119 confirmed COVID-19 patients that were classified in 3 groups according to oxygen demand, evolution and the severity of the disease as follows: 1) Non severe: nasal cannula or oxygen mask; 2) Severe: high flow nasal cannula and 3) Death: mechanical ventilation eventually leading to fatal outcome. Blood samples from 20 healthy donors were included as a Control Group. Analysis of inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers including D-dimer, interleukin 6, interleukin 8, PAI-1, P-selectin and VWF was performed in plasma. Routine laboratory and clinical biomarkers were also included and compared among groups. Concentrations of D-dimer (14.5 ± 13.8 µg/ml) and PAI-1 (1223 ± 889.6 ng/ml) were significantly elevated in severe COVID-19 patients (P < 0.0001). A significant difference was found in interleukin-6, PAI-1 and P-selectin in non-severe and healthy donors when compared to Severe COVID-19 and deceased patients (P < 0.001). VWF levels were also significantly different between severe patients (153.5 ± 24.3 UI/dl) and non-severe ones (133.9 ± 20.2 UI/dl) (P < 0.0001). WBC and glucose levels were also significantly elevated in patients with Severe COVID-19. Plasma concentrations of all prothrombotic biomarkers were significantly higher in patients with a fatal outcome.

A study was carried out to determine Sarcophagidae diversity attracted to the different stages of decomposition of a Boa constrictor cadaver during late winter in the Yucatan Peninsula. As a result of this study, seven species of Sarcophagidae were documented, Oxysarcodexia conclausa (Walker, 1861) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Peckia (Euboettcheria) volucris (Wulp, 1895) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Blaesoxipha (Gigantotheca) plinthopyga (Wiedemann, 1830) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Oxysarcodexia amorosa (Schiner, 1868) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Ravinia derelicta (Walker, 1853) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), Ravinia effrenata (Walker, 1861) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), and Titanogrypa (Cucullomyia) placida (Aldrich, 1925) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), The last five species listed are the first documentation of their presence in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Sarcophagids were present throughout the decomposition process; however, the greatest abundance and diversity of this family were present during the advanced decay stage. This is the first work on flesh flies in the region and the first in the country that has focused on wildlife., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America.All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is one of the main microorganisms that causes bovine mastitis, and its well-known virulence characteristics and interactions with the environment are used to aid the design of more efficient therapies., Objectives: To determine whether the virulence traits, such as antibiotic resistance and biofilm-forming and internalization abilities, of S. aureus isolated from bovine mastitis are related to dairy production system types., Methods: The study was performed in the Mexican states of Guanajuato and Michoacan. Semi-intensive dairy farms (SIDFs) and family dairy farms (FDFs) (454 and 363 cows, respectively) were included. The 194 milk samples from mastitis affected quarters were collected and 92 strains of S. aureus were isolated and identified by biochemical and molecular tests. Antibiotic resistance, biofilm and internalization assays were performed on 30 randomly selected isolated strains to determine virulence traits, and these strains were equally allocated to the 2 dairy production systems., Results: All 30 selected strains displayed a high degree of resistance (50%-91.7%) to the antibiotics tested, but no significant difference was found between SIDF and FDF isolates. S. aureus strains from SIDFs had an average biofilm forming capacity of up to 36% (18.9%-53.1%), while S. aureus strains from FDFs registered an average of up to 53% (31.5%-77.8%) ( p > 0.05). Internalization assays revealed a higher frequency of internalization capacity for strains isolated from FDFs (33.3%) than for those isolated from SIDFs (6.7%) ( p > 0.05). fnbpA gen was detected in 46.6% of FDF strains and 33.3% of SIDF strains, and this difference was significant ( p < 0.05)., Conclusions: Our findings show that the virulence traits of S. aureus isolates analyzed in this study, depend significantly on several factors, such as phenotype, genotype, and environmental conditions, which are significantly related to dairy production system type and daily management practices., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2020 The Korean Society of Veterinary Science.)

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.

The state government of San Luis Potosí (SLP), Mexico implemented an improved cookstove (ICS) program in rural areas. As part of the comprehensive program evaluation, we compared fine particulate material (PM 2.5 ) concentrations in kitchens and patios in treated (TH), and non-treated households (NTH), and analyzed pollutant levels according to patterns of fuels and devices use reported by the women. A panel study was conducted in 728 households (357 TH and 371 NTH) in three regions of SLP including two sampling rounds in 2015-16. Data on exposure determinants, ICS conditions and cooking practices were collected. Daily PM 2.5 in kitchen and patio was measured in a subsample. The average treatment effect was estimated using the double difference method. We constructed a mixed linear model to estimate PM 2.5 levels for the entire study sample and obtained personal exposure according to time-activity logs. NTH had lower socioeconomic status compared to TH. The average daily PM 2.5 concentrations in NTH compared to TH were 155.2 and 92.6 μg/m 3 for kitchen and 35.4 and 39.8 μg/m 3 for patio, respectively. PM 2.5 levels showed significant regional differences but no significant treatment effect. In many cases, the ICS was added to previous open fire and LPG use (stacking). The household size, kitchen ventilation, relative humidity, temperature and the ratio of indoor/outdoor PM 2.5 concentration were significant predictors of kitchen PM 2.5 levels. The daily PM 2.5 personal exposure was significantly reduced using ICS in good conditions or LPG (57 μg/m 3 ) compared to the traditional open fire (86 μg/m 3 ). This study strengthens the evidence on the potential daily PM 2.5 exposure reduction for women using an ICS in good conditions or LPG, displacing the polluting open fire. Comprehensive strategies tailored to the sociocultural context of the communities are needed to implement clean energy programs that achieve adoption and sustained use of ICS or LPG., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Hñahñu (Otomi) farmers organize their experiences and ecological learning into a farmland system designed to grow food in areas of scarce water and low soil fertility. The purpose of this paper is to examine Hñahñu concepts and categories pertaining to the farming landscape and the ecological foundations underlying the system, its management implications, and categorial organization in Huitexcalco de Morelos, Mezquital Valley, Mexico., Methods: Native terms and their links to landscape were recorded and discussed in various workshops. Open interviews and field trips with local experts were used to explain soil and water management practices that allow Hñahñu farmers to maintain sustained yields throughout the year. We then used participatory mapping in order to explore the semantic relations of the terms with the space and its validity in the productive landscape., Results: We elicited 7 Hñahñu language terms related to landforms, 4 related to land use categories, and 17 related to their constituent components organized in two hierarchical levels. We found that mothe as a term of land usage was followed by mothee, ñut'athee, gadñhe, or muiñhe; these primarily refer to the topographic position of the parcel and the form of access to water for irrigation. Stone barriers and earth channels represent the functional structures that are most commonly used by Hñahñu farmers to retain soil and water. In the participatory mapping results, mothe muiñhe displayed a robust spatial link with the gullies. Identifying other landscape categories required a substantial understanding both of management practices of soil and water and forms of organization., Conclusions: This study revealed a complex system of knowledge that contributes to the continued proper management of the local landscape. The terms and their elicited meanings are key to understand the ways in which Hñahñu farmers conceptualize and relate the reality of their landscape and its cultural meanings. Scale and perception were found to have a determining role in defining their taxonomic organization, semantic structure, and relations in space.

The benefits of improved biomass cookstoves (ICS) depends on their adoption and sustained use. Few studies have documented if and how they are used more than five years after being introduced. We conducted a 9-year prospective cohort study among young rural women in the highlands of Michoacan, Mexico. Participants had received a Patsari ICS during a community trial either in 2005 or 2006. With retrospective information collected in 2012-13, we studied the households' energy use, ICS survival, and cooking practices during the follow-up period. Using an exposure model constructed with personal PM 2.5 measurements in a subsample of homes at the time of the initial trial in 2005, we estimated the exposure associated with different energy use patterns during the follow-up period. The ICS had a mean lifespan of 4 years, after which more than half of the stoves were not in use; therefore, the use of open fire increased, particularly among the indigenous communities. ICS use peak was achieved two years after the initial trial, either exclusively or combined with open fire. Yearly household energy use and other variables were used to estimate chronic air pollution exposure. Mean PM 2.5 exposure during the follow-up period ranged from 51 to 319 μg/m 3 ; the median was 102 and 146 μg/m 3 for mainly ICS and mainly open fire use, respectively. The ICS has a useful period after which it needs maintenance, repair, or replacement. Unfortunately, many programs have not afforded a follow-up component. Exposure to biomass smoke air pollutants can be reduced by using an ICS instead of the traditional open fire. Household energy strategies should ensure equitable access to clean energy options adapted to local needs and preferences with culturally appropriate technology implemented on a sustainable perspective., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: There was a need for a solid asthma guideline in Mexico to update and unify asthma management. Because high-quality asthma guidelines exist worldwide, in which the latest evidence on asthma management is summarized, the ADAPTE approach allows for the development of a national asthma guideline based on evidence from already existing guidelines, adapted to national needs., Objective: To fuse evidence from the best asthma guidelines and adapt it to local needs with the ADAPTE approach., Methods: The Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II asthma guidelines were evaluated by a core group to select 3 primary guidelines. For each step of asthma management, clinical questions were formulated and replied according to (1) evidence in the primary guidelines, (2) safety, (3) Cost, and (4) patient preference. The Guidelines Development Group, composed of a broad range of experts from medical specialties, primary care physicians, and methodologists, adjusted the draft questions and replies in several rounds of a Delphi process and 3 face-to-face meetings, taking into account the reality of the situation in Mexico. We present the results of the pediatric asthma treatment part., Results: Selected primary guidelines are from the British Thoracic Society and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (BTS/SIGN), Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), and Spanish Guidelines on the Management of Asthma (GEMA) 2015, with 2016 updates. Recommendations or suggestions were made for asthma treatment in Mexico. In this article, the detailed analysis of the evidence present in the BTS/SIGN, GINA, and GEMA sections on the (non) pharmacologic treatment of pediatric asthma, education, and devices are presented for 2 age groups: children 5 years or younger and children 6 to 11 years old with asthma., Conclusion: For the pediatric treatment and patient education sections, applying the AGREE II and Delphi methods is useful to develop a scientifically sustained document, adjusted to the Mexican situation, as is the Mexican Guideline on Asthma., (Copyright © 2018 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This open-label multicenter clinical trial conducted in Mexico assessed the immunogenicity and safety of a 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in adults ≥ 50 years of age not previously vaccinated with the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23). The PCV13 elicited a robust immune response in this study population, as reflected by the magnitude of fold rises in functional antibody levels measured by serotype-specific opsonophagocytic activity (OPA) assays before and 1 month after vaccination. Although the prevaccination OPA geometric mean titers (GMTs) for the majority of the serotypes were significantly lower in the 50- to 64-year age group than those in the ≥ 65-year age group, the postvaccination immune responses were generally similar. The overall immune responses were higher for the majority of the serotypes in the Mexican study population than those in similar adult study populations who received the PCV13 in Europe and the United States. PCV13 was well tolerated, and there were no vaccine-related serious adverse events. In conclusion, PCV13 is safe and immunogenic when administered to adults ≥ 50 years of age in Mexico and has the potential to protect against vaccine-type pneumococcal disease. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT01432262.)., (Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.)

Baird's tapir (Tapirus bairdii) is one of the most emblematic mammals of Mesoamerica, but like other large-bodied animals, it is facing an increasing risk of extinction due primarily to habitat loss. Mexico's 'ortion of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor (MBC-M) is located in one of the main strongholds for Bairds tapir. To assess the MBC-M's effectiveness for tapir conservation, we estimated the distribution of the species' potential habitat by applying 2 modelling approaches (random forest and Maxent) to a set of uncorrelated environmental variables and a 157-point presence dataset. We calculated the extent of tapir habitat in within the MBC-M and modelled new corridors and conservation areas, which we compared to the MBC-M. Moreover, we assessed deforestation patterns in the region. Twenty-seven percent of highly suitable tapir habitat occurred in protected areas, 15% in corridors and 58.3% was outside the MBC-M and associated reserves. The spatial configuration of the MBC-M was partially concordant with the modelled set of conservation areas and corridors. The main dissimilarity was that the modelled corridors traversed forests in Belize and Guatemala to connect conservation areas. Analyses of deforestation since 1993 and human population density in the vicinity of the MBC-M indicated that future conservation efforts should give particular attention to the Montes Azules-El Triunfo Corridor due to greater habitat threat. The MBC-M has a great potential to play a prominent role in the conservation of tapir habitat but there is an urgent need to implement management plans that reinforce and complement this conservation initiative., (© 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd, ISZS and IOZ/CAS.)

The Monterrey Metropolitan Area (MMA) has shown a high concentration of PM2.5 in its atmosphere since 2003. The contribution of possible sources of primary PM2.5 and its precursors is not known. In this paper we present the results of analyzing the chemical composition of sixty 24-hr samples of PM2.5 to determine possible sources of PM2.5 in the MMA. The samples were collected at the northeast and southeast of the MMA between November 22 and December 12, 2007, using low-volume devices. Teflon and quartz filters were used to collect the samples. The concentrations of 16 airborne trace elements were determined using x-ray fluorescence (XRF). Anions and cations were determined using ion chromatography. Organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) were determined by thermal optical analysis. The results show that Ca had the maximum mean concentration of all elements studied, followed by S. Enrichment factors above 50 were calculated for S, Cl, Cu, Zn, Br and Pb. This indicates that these elements may come from anthropogenic sources. Overall, the major average components of PM2.5 were OC (41.7%), SO4(2-) (22.9%), EC (7.4%), crustal material (11.4%), and NO3- (12.6%), which altogether accounted for 96% of the mass. Statistically, we did not find any difference in SO4(2-) concentrations between the two sites. The fraction of secondary organic carbon was between 24% and 34%. The results of the factor analysis performed over 10 metals and OC and EC show that there are three main sources of PM2.5: crustal material and vehicle exhaust; industrial activity; and fuel oil burning. The results show that SO4(2-), OC, and crustal material are important components of PM2.5 in MMA. Further work is necessary to evaluate the proportion of secondary inorganic and organic aerosol in order to have a better understanding of the sources and precursors of aerosols in the MMA.

The aim of the present work was to evaluate milk yield, postpartum (pp) ovarian activity and pregnancy rate in dual-purpose cows grazing Cynodon nlemfuensis and browsing L. leucocephala, with or without energy supplementation. Twenty-four Bos taurus × B. indicus cows were divided in two groups from calving to 70 days post-calving: supplemented group (SG) with ground sorghum grain offered at 0.4% of live weight at calving and control group (CG) without supplement. There was a trend for milk yield (kg day(-1)) to be greater (p = 0.08) for SG (10.55 ± 0.51) compared to CG (9.53 ± 0.61), although without differences in fat (0.42 ± 0.02 vs. 0.38 ± 0.03 kg day(-1)), protein (0.29 ± 0.02 vs. 0.29 ± 0.02 kg day(-1)) or lactose (0.49 ± 0.02 vs. 0.49 ± 0.03 kg day(-1)) concentration. Populations of large, medium and small follicles were similar between treatments. Percentage of cows which showed corpus luteum tended to be greater in SG (50%), compared to CG (33%). Supplemented cows tended to have a shorter calving-first corpus luteum interval (40 ± 10 vs. 51 ± 10 days) and had a significantly higher (χ (2) = 0.03) pregnancy rate (42% vs. 0%). It is concluded that energy supplementation helped to improve ovarian activity and pregnancy rate. Since supplementation did not avoid loss of body condition, the higher pregnancy rate in SG suggests beneficial effects of supplementation probably mediated by metabolic hormones.

The Raman (RMP), infrared (IR) and XRD analysis have been applied to the examination of mineralogical composition of El Pozo meteorite (an ordinary chondrite L5 type; village Valle of Allende, founded in State of Chihuahua, Mexico: 26°56'N and 105°24'W, 1998). RMP measurements in the range of 100-3500 cm(-1) revealed principal characteristic bands of the major minerals: olivine, two polymorph modifications of pyroxene (OPx and CPx) and plagioclase. Some bands of the minor minerals (hematite and goethite) were also identified. All these minerals were clearly distinguished using IR and XRD techniques. XRD technique has shown the presence of some metallic phases such as kamacite and taenite as well as troilite and chromite. These minerals do not have characteristic Raman spectra because Fe-Ni metals have no active modes for Raman spectroscopy and troilite is a weak Raman scatterer. Raman mapping microspectroscopy was a key part in the investigation of El Pozo meteorite's spatial distribution of the main minerals because these samples are structurally and chemically complex and heterogeneous. The mineral mapping by Raman spectroscopy has provided information for a certain spatial region on which a spatial distribution coexists of the three typical mineral assemblages: olivine; olivine+orthopyroxene; and orthopyroxene., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Premise of the Study: Seed dispersal distance-a key process in plant population dynamics-remains poorly understood because of the difficulty of finding a source plant so well isolated from conspecifics that seeds or seedlings can be unambiguously attributed to it. Inverse modeling (IM) of seed dispersal, a simple statistical technique for parameterizing dispersal kernels, has been widely used since 1992; surprisingly, however, this approach has never been verified in the field., Methods: We released from 20 nearby trees the winged seeds of a liana species, Entada polystachya, near the coast in a tropical, dry forest in Jalisco, Mexico., Key Results: With a two-parameter log-normal function, we found that IM predicted both the shape and scale parameters well as long as we used the entire data set. When, however, we subsampled (thus simulating the use of transects for seedlings or an array of seed traps), the estimates of the scale and shape parameters were often more than double the real values. The problem was due to the marked anisotropy (directional bias; in this case, in the direction of the diurnal sea breeze) of the individual dispersal curves. When we randomized the direction of dispersal of individual seeds from the trees (keeping dispersal distances unchanged), predictions of parameter values were excellent., Conclusions: Inverse modeling must include directional parameters when dealing with areas where strong anisotropy is to be expected, e.g., for wind dispersal of seeds near coasts or pollination by any vector where a plant species is limited to a strongly linear habitat such as river banks.

Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are frequently found in healthy populations. To define the prevalence, pattern, and titer of ANA in different groups of the healthy Mexican population, we studied 304 individuals, classified into 3 groups: 104 blood donors, 100 hospital personnel working at The State General Hospital, which included doctors, laboratory technicians, and nurses; and 100 relatives of patient diagnosed either with systemic lupus erythematosus or rheumatoid arthritis, all of them apparently healthy at the time of study. We determined ANA using immunofluorescence microscopy performed on HEp-2 cells. Fluorescence was detected in 165 serum samples (54.3%). The most frequent pattern was the speckled (50.3%). The most frequent dilution was 1:40 (35.4%), followed by 1:80 (13.4%), 1:160 (3.2%), and 1:320 (1.3%).Regarding the results by study group, we found a trend toward higher ANA levels in group 2 (hospital personnel), compared with group 1 (blood donors) and group 3 (relatives of patients), a trend also reflected by the increasing frequency of serum titers of 1:80 and higher (P = 0.074). According to occupation, medical doctors showed a higher incidence of speckled pattern when compared with other occupations (P = 0.022). Medical doctors (n = 75) showed also higher titers of this particular pattern (P = 0.03). In group 3, relatives of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus showed the speckled pattern more frequently than relatives of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, in low titers (P = 0.017). We suggest that ANA tests showing speckled pattern should be at a 1:160 titer or higher to be considered positive; other patterns such as homogeneous, peripheral, or centromeric might be considered positive even at low titers (

Raman, infrared and XRD analysis have been applied to the examination of deterioration on historical monuments (Morelia, Mexico). Forty-three samples pyroclastic volcanic rocks (ignimbrites) have been studied, all originating from two ex-convents San Francisco and San Agustin, which were the first architectonic complexes in the city of Morelia. Several new mineral neoformation such as sulfates, carbonates, halides, and phosphates were identified in these samples with spectrometric and XRD technique. The observed Raman and infrared spectra are reported and some mineral compound assignments in unaltered and deteriorated volcanic rocks have been made. This survey is the first Raman and infrared spectrometric examination of the environmental mineralogy in Mexico under conditions of urban weathering that are characterized mainly by one secondary alteration formations of low scale.

D-(+)-Pinitol, a natural product of the group of cyclitols, was purified for the first time from an aqueous extract of the heartwood of Enterolobium cyclocarpum, and its chemical structure was determined.

An enduring puzzle in gynodioecious species is the great variation in female frequency seen among populations. We quantified sex ratio in 44 populations of gynodioecious Kallstroemia grandiflora. Then, we measured pollinator visitation, pollen deposition, autonomous selfing rate and pollen limitation of females. Finally, using experimental populations, we tested whether female fitness responds to the frequency of female plants. We found broad variability in sex ratio among populations (0-44% female). Hermaphrodite flowers received more pollinator visits and pollen grains than females, and bagged hermaphrodite flowers produced fruits. However, we found no evidence of pollen limitation in females. In experimental populations, female plants showed no evidence of frequency-dependent pollinator visitation, fruit set, seed set or total seed mass. These results do not support frequency-dependent variation in fitness as a major mechanism affecting female frequencies in K. grandiflora. Within the context of this study, pollinators are abundant and pollinator movement appears to operate at a large enough scale to overcome the potential reproductive disadvantages of producing solely female flowers.

Mexico is currently facing a crisis in the waste management field. Some efforts have just commenced in urban and in rural settlements, e.g., conversion of open dumps into landfills, a relatively small composting culture, and implementation of source separation and plastic recycling strategies. Nonetheless, the high heterogeneity of components in the waste, many of these with hazardous properties, present the municipal collection services with serious problems, due to the risks to the health of the workers and to the impacts to the environment as a result of the inadequate disposition of these wastes. A generation study in the domestic sector was undertaken with the aim of finding out the composition and the generation rate of household hazardous waste (HHW) produced at residences. Simultaneously to the generation study, a socioeconomic survey was applied to determine the influence of income level on the production of HHW. Results from the solid waste generation analysis indicated that approximately 1.6% of the waste stream consists of HHW. Correspondingly, it was estimated that in Morelia, a total amount of 442ton/day of domestic waste are produced, including 7.1ton of HHW per day. Furthermore, the overall amount of HHW is not directly related to income level, although particular byproducts do correlate. However, an important difference was observed, as the brands and the presentation sizes of goods and products used in each socioeconomic stratum varied.

A series of natural volcanic opal samples with the destabilization phenomena from Mexican deposits (states of Queretaro and Jalisco) was investigated by Raman microprobe (RMP), infrared spectrometry and XRD analysis. These techniques show that at low and room temperatures the unaltered transparent opals may be transformed into destabilized white opals, which are a mixture of different polymorphs of tridymite and alpha-cristobalite with various degrees of crystallinity. We found systematic changes in frequencies of both the Raman and the infrared bands, caused by increasing regularities of bond-lengths and bond-angles Si-O-Si groups under the effect of stability. Micro-Raman spectrometry confirms that in the destabilized opal the principal mineral phases are MC (monoclinic ordered)- and MX (incommensurate monoclinic)-tridymites that are characterized by more structural order in comparison with other structural modification of this phase in unaltered opal (POn pseudo-orthorhombic disordered tridymite). XRD investigations show that in the sequence from unaltered to destabilized opal the position of principal maximum (4.30, 4.10 and 2.50 A) shifts towards higher d-spacing. This XRD shifting to higher d-spacing can largely be explained by an increasing amount of tridymite stacking and unresolved superposition of cristobalite and tridymite reflections. The destabilization phenomena in volcanic opals is due to the structural ordering/disordering that is characterized mainly by the formation of the different tridymite polymorphs (MC and MX) in the destabilized opal-CT as well as the decreasing content of molecular water in the structure.

The main continental nesting rookeries of the east Pacific green turtle (EPGT), Chelonia mydas, on the Michoacan (Mexico) coast suffered drastic population declines following intense exploitation in the 1960s--1970s with annual abundance of nesting females plummeting from about 25,000 to an average of about 1400 between 1982 and 2001. Analyses of data from three nDNA microsatellite loci and 400 bp mtDNA control region sequences from a total of 123 nesting females sampled from four Michoacan rookeries found no evidence of population sub-structuring. The recent order of magnitude reduction in the population size shows no apparent impact on genetic diversity in either control region sequences (overall h = 0.48; pi = 0.0036) or microsatellite loci (overall Na = 20.8; Hexp = 0.895). Our estimates of annual effective female population size (Nef; from theta = 2Nemicron) of 1.9-2.3 x 10(3), in spite of being an order of magnitude below historical records, appear to be sufficient to allow recovery of this population without significant loss of genetic diversity. These findings highlight the importance of continued conservation to reverse the decline of this population before it becomes vulnerable to genetic erosion.