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Inorganic urban solid waste (IUSW) is a serious problem in developing countries, and IUSW in the street that does not have adequate final disposal is responsible for serious environmental effects. The aim of this work was to determine the dynamics of the generation of IUSW in the streets of two neighborhoods of different socioeconomic strata in Mexico City during 5 weeks in 2006. The amount of IUSW was recorded every day from 9:00 to 12:00h, separated, classified, and registered. It was found that plastic (50%) and paper (44.5%) wastes were found most frequently, whereas, textiles (0.4%) and glass (0.5%) wastes were present less frequently in all samples. The IUSWs without commercial brands were more abundant. Branded plastic wrappers of PepsiCo and Bimbo, as well as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers of Coca Cola, registered the highest values, while Gatorade, Barrilitos, and Peñafiel registered the lowest. The neighborhood with a higher income and more vegetation on sidewalks or in jardinières, which are used to hide solid waste, had more IUSW than the neighborhood with lower income, where IUSW was thrown out directly into the street. The knowledge of the real generation and composition of IUSW will contribute to the prevention of its negative environmental and social impacts, as well as guarantee the efficiency of its sustainable management. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study the wood anatomical description of 12 species characteristics from cloud forest in the State of México was carried out. For each species the qualitative and quantitative microscopic characters of wood are described. On the basis of the Runkel relationship, the quality of their fibers is classified to obtain pulp for paper. The morphological characteristics of each species are given, as well as their common names and national distribution. Eight species have growth rings formed by bands of fibers with lumens reduced and thick walls, or compressed radially, in the late wood. The porosity is diffuse; the vessels are small, with less than 100 µm diameter, and numerous. Several species presented vessel elements with scalariform perforation plates Vessel elements and fibers were medium and long. In general the axial parenchyma is scarce and in seven species the rays are heterogeneous type I. These results are similar to those obtained in other regions. According to the relationship of Runkel it was found out that the fibers are of medium to good quality for paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cysticercosis is an infestation of Cysticercus cellulosae. When it occurs in the brain, chronic neurological complications can ensue, most commonly seizures. Neurocysticercosis is usually diagnosed by neuroimaging, a technique not available in most endemic countries. Hence immunological tests are valuable for diagnosis and epidemiological surveys. We evaluated the suitability of paper for storing blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) until subsequent testing by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), by testing whole blood samples on filter paper from 305 patients and CSF samples from 117 patients stored on ordinary white typing paper and on filter paper. Optimal preservation of biological samples is achieved when whole blood is stored on filter paper, CSF on white paper, and when samples are frozen within 1 week after collection. Our results could improve diagnostic capabilities and facilitate epidemiological surveys in endemic countries where immunodiagnostic tests cannot be rapidly performed because of inadequate laboratory infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses some of the consequences of the use of paper in Mexico. Emphasis on the materiality of the paper; Paper as the point of orientation for examining different worldviews; Confrontation with the otherness of Nahua people of Ixhualtlan de Madero in Mexico; Significance of paper in the Nahua culture.

El artículo habla de brujerías con papel indígena en San Pablito, Puebla, México. El papel hecho de corteza de árbol tenía gran importancia en el país antes de la llegada de los europeos. Estos papeles fueron utilizados en las ceremonias religiosas como ofrendas a los dioses. También se emplearon para adornar los ídolos, templos y palacios en varios días festivos. Después de la conquista, el papel europeo reemplazó el producto nativo.

The article the history of Ixtle, a perennial plant in Mexico. It states that the ixtle fiber was used in manufacturing paper during the 20th century and the Chinantla Region, Mexico was the center of the prosperous ixtle cottage industry during colonial times until the 20th century. It says that in 1990, the Europeans discovered the potential of ixtle as an industrial hard fiber and during the World War I, it was used in building the wings of German aeroplanes.

The authors' aim was to isolate and identify bacteria or yeast that may be present on the surface of 20-peso banknotes from the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Mexico. They randomly studied a total of 70 20-peso banknotes for the presence of bacteria and species of Candida by conventional methods. Out of the 70 banknotes, 48 (69%) were found to be contaminated. The most prevalent species observed was Candida kruseii (19 bills, 27%) followed by Burkholderia cepacia (9 bills, 13%); 22 (31%) bills showed no growth. Of the 48 contaminated bills, four (5.7%) yielded bacteria considered pathogenic and the other 44 bills (63%) yielded bacteria considered potentially pathogenic. Eleven bills showed more than one microbial species. The results of the authors' study show that contamination occurs on paper currency in the metropolitan area of Monterrey. The authors' findings provide evidence that currency banknotes may represent a threat to human health.

A randomized, crossover study comparing the acceptability of two presentations of the same oral contraceptive, a paper formulation and the conventional tablet, was carried out among two-hundred-and-seventy women attending two urban family planning clinics in Mexico City. During the first three cycles of use, the percentage of women discontinuing the medication for side effects was almost identical in the two groups. Although the paper formulation failed to demonstrate any major advantage in terms of continuation or acceptability, it was preferred by a majority of the women who began oral contraception with its use.