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Objectives: Cranial morphology has previously been used to estimate phylogenetic relationships among populations, and has been an important tool in the reconstruction of ancient human dispersals across the planet. In the Americas, previous morphological studies support a scenario of people entering the Americas and dispersing from North America into South America through Meso America, making the Mexican territory the natural funnel through which biological diversity entered South America., Materials and Methods: We explore the cranial morphological affinities of three late Holocene Mexican series, in relation to ancient and modern crania from North and South America, Australo-Melanesia, and East Asia. Morphological affinities were assessed through Mahalanobis Distances, and represented via Multidimensional Scaling and Ward's Linkage Cluster analysis. Minimum F ST values were also calculated for each series., Results: Our results show Mexican groups share morphological affinities with the Native American series, but do not cluster together as would be expected. The minimum F ST estimates show between-group variation in the Americas is higher than the Asian or Australo-Melanesian populations, and that Mexican series have high between-group variance (F ST  = 0.124), compared to the geographically larger South America (F ST  = 0.116) and North America (F ST  = 0.076)., Discussion: These results show that the Mexican series share morphological affinities with the East Asian series, but maintains high levels of between-group variation, similar to South America. This supports the suggestion that the high phenotypic variation seen the Americas is not a result of its size, as it can be found in more constricted areas, such as the Mexican territory., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Few studies using psychographic segmentation have been conducted; even fewer in minority samples. Study aims were to identify psychographic clusters and their relation to tobacco and alcohol use within a predominantly Hispanic (87%) young adult (ages 18-25) sample. Participants (N=754; 72.5% female; Mage=20.7 [2.2]) completed the following measures online: sociodemographics, tobacco use history, the Daily Drinking Questionnaire (Collins, Parks, & Marlatt, 1985), a social activities scale, a psychographic survey, a music preference item, the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale (Hoyle, Stephenson, Palmgreen, Lorch, & Donohew, 2002), and the Mini-International Personality Item Pool (Donnellan, Oswald, Baird, & Lucas, 2006). Two step cluster analysis identified two groups. 'Popular Extroverts' (49.3% of sample) reported higher: extroversion scores F(1, 652)=40.03, sensation seeking scores F(1, 652)=20.38, alcohol use (greater number of drinks per week [F(1, 652)=9.69]; and past month binge drinking [χ² (1)=12.80]), and lifetime tobacco use (χ² [1]=10.61) (all ps≤0.002). 'Mainstream/Conventionals' (50.7% of sample) reported greater intentions to smoke in the next month F(1, 284)=11.81, p=0.001. 'Popular Extroverts' may benefit from prevention/cessation messaging promoting peer support and intensity-oriented activities. For 'Mainstream/Conventionals,' messaging communicating negative attitudes toward smoking and the tobacco industry may be effective. Future directions include testing targeted messages which may be incorporated into mass media tobacco and alcohol interventions for young adults on the U.S./México border., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Tobacco control (TC) networks (in which multiple agencies collaborate) are essential components within comprehensive TC efforts. The aim of this study was to assess the internal coalition outcomes hierarchy model (via the Internal Coalition Effectiveness [ICE] scale) in the present sample. Participants (members of a TC Network on the U.S.-México border; independent Waves 1 [N = 30] and 2 [N = 33; at a 1-year subsequent assessment]) completed a background questionnaire and an adapted version of the ICE scale. Mean values for ICE subscales suggested a strong enthusiasm of Network members and recognition of the importance of a cohesive social vision, employment of efficient practices, a need for improved and maintained knowledge/training, and stable social relationships among members. However, no significant differences were observed between data waves in the ICE subscales, multivariate analysis of variance: λ = .97, F(4, 43) = 0.31, p > .86. Considering a multifaceted assessment may enhance the understanding of the dynamics and strengths of the Network. Finally, including an assessment of the leadership's perspective regarding internal coalition outcome hierarchy model constructs to compare them with members' perspective is warranted., (© 2014 Society for Public Health Education.)

Background: Enteropathogens cannot be identified in 40% to 50% of subjects with travelers' diarrhea (TD)., Methods: We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods to look for the presence of two bacterial causes of diarrhea in a large group of international travelers after failing to detect a pathogen by conventional tests. DNA was isolated from the diarrheal stool and subjected to PCR from 162 subjects from whom we earlier failed to identify a pathogen in a previous study and included 54 from Antigua, Guatemala, 39 from Guadalajara, Mexico, 29 from Kolkata, India, and 40 from Goa, India. Gene products for enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)--LT (heat-labile enterotoxin) and ST (heat-stable enterotoxin)--and diffusely adherent E. coli (DAEC), afa/dr (Afa fimbrial and Dr nonfimbrial family of adhesins), were used., Results: At least one gene product was identified in diarrhea stool samples of 47 of 162 (29%) subjects. ETEC virulence genes (LT, ST) were found in 34 (21%) samples studied, with rates of occurrence ranging from 8% in Goa to 39% for the samples from Guatemala (p = 0.0006). A large number of ST-only strains explained the high ETEC rate in Guatemala. DAEC afa/dr family of adhesions was identified in between 8 and 14% of the samples., Conclusions: ETEC and DAEC were implicated in nearly one-third of the subjects initially diagnosed as pathogen negative. Direct PCR results from stools are consistent with the previous assumption that most undiagnosed TD is bacterial in nature and also highlights the potential value that PCR can add to studies designed to evaluate treatment and preventive interventions for TD, including vaccines.

A better knowledge of cystic fibrosis of the pancreas has contributed to raise the detection of cystic fibrosis in adults. We describe nine Mexican patients older than 15 years with cystic fibrosis. Respiratory symptoms were predominant and they were secondary to bronchiectasis. All patients were infected by mucoid Pseudomona aeruginosa and in some cases, the finding of this microorganism in sputum suggested the diagnosis. In Mexican population the cystyc fibrosis of the pancreas can be found in adult patients, and it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic respiratory diseases in adults.