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This paper aims to describe the development process of the Observation Protocol for Teaching Activities in Mathematics (POAEM) and to report the findings from the qualitative and statistical analyses used to provide evidence of validity and reliability of the information collected with the first version of the POAEM. As part of this development process, 20 teachers from Mexican primary schools were videotaped twice while teaching mathematics. The study assessed the reliability of the POAEM rubrics. Results showed that the dimensional structure of the instrument can be grouped in one factor. A generalizability study provided information on the different sources of error in the measurement, showing that the dimensions accounted for 78% of the variance. This study provides an exemplar of the design and validation of an instrument that can help other researchers develop their own instruments and data collection to generate evidence of validity and reliability in different sociocultural contexts.

The study's objective was to determine the relationships between the proposed variables that impact to the Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment and Burnout through the Psychological Empowerment mediator variable. The variables proposed as impact factors were Structural Empowerment and Remunerations for the case of teachers from public middle-higher education institutions in Mexico. The study had a non-experimental design, being a correlational and causal research. The measurement instrument was applied to a sample of 167 teachers, whose data were analyzed using the structural equations method. The findings show which of these direct and indirect effects are generating significant effects. Subsequently, the analysis of the contrast and impact differences between the segmentation groups was proposed: by gender, marital status, schooling and employment status. One limitation was to carry out the cross-sectional study, with the data collected in a single moment. One of the main contributions of the model was to determine the impact of the proposed variables on job satisfaction and commitment, seeking to analyze the behavior of teachers and its effects on the development of more satisfied, committed and healthy human capital, being a field, little Empirically studied in Mexico. In addition to this, look for factors and strategies that contribute to improving the behaviors that are related to Burnout, since it interferes with the worker's health and affects the teacher-student relationship. It is recommended to continue with the analysis of Burnout in other contexts and organizational areas.

Research capacity building is a process by which individuals and organizations develop skills and infrastructure resulting in greater ability to conduct useful research. Frequently, research quality and productivity measures focus on outcomes, such as peer-reviewed publications or grants awarded. Such distal measures are not informative when measuring initial stages of research, a common situation in low- and middle-income countries. This study used Cooke's six-principle framework to assess the progress of an autism research collaborative in northern Mexico. We established 64 criteria across the six principles and rated them as Not Started, In Progress, or Achieved, based on narratives and process documentation collected for this purpose. Ratings were established for the years 2018, 2020, and 2022, which correspond to Years 5, 7, and 9 since the beginning of the collaborative, respectively. As of 2022, Principles 2 and 3 ("Close to practice" and "Linkages, collaborations, and partnerships," respectively) had all begun; no criteria were rated as Not started. The principles with the highest Achieved rates were "Linkages, collaborations, and partnerships" (90%), and "Infrastructure" (Principle 6, 70%). Cooke's research capacity building framework is a useful way to monitor progress of research capacity building and contribute to harmonious development of relevant principles at different levels.

Positive personal characteristics such as happiness or wellbeing can motivate students to elevate their school performance in higher education. Orientation to happiness is a construct that combines three sources of happiness: pleasure, meaning, and engagement, all of which have been identified as a predictor of university students' engagement. However, most research in this area has been conducted during ideal situations or face-to-face education, and no crosscountry research has been published examining the relationship between these two concepts during the COVID-19 era, where online education was predominant. This study aimed to investigate the relation between orientation to happiness and student engagement after twelve months of distance education in a sample of 1723 students from six American countries, including the USA, Mexico, El Salvador, Colombia, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. Results indicate that university students' engagement is influenced by the orientation to happiness. Further implications of these results are discussed.

Mexico's national university (UNAM) is a public mega university with a 46-year history in open education. This article presents an analysis based on the open, online, flexible provision of technology-enhanced higher education (OOFAT) model, developed by Orr and his colleagues (2018). The aim of this analysis was to characterize UNAM's open and distance education system in terms of openness, flexibility, and its business model, in three distinct time periods. According to this analysis, the system has evolved in all areas, and at present has a content-focused approach in terms of flexibility and openness, which differs from the OOFAT at the center approach that is desired. The study also characterized the UNAM system's business model as a prospector-like approach, which highlights the possibilities for instilling innovation through the schools that comprise this system. The analysis allowed for mapping the current situation and thus sheds light on defining the steps necessary for creating an integrally open system.

With the aim of improving the teaching and learning of chemistry functional groups, a didactic strategy was designed based on real-life situations. This strategy was used at the high school level, in the subject of "Chemistry II." One group of students was taught functional groups using interactive board software through different dynamics (experimental group), and another group was taught traditionally (control group). Learning was evaluated through a series of questions, exercise solving, and scientific problems. Results indicate that the group of students in which the interactive board software was used achieved higher learning levels in comparison to the control group, which was traditionally taught.

A sample of 327 engineering bachelor students from a public university in Mexico took part in an information integration study to explore systematic thinking underlying propensity for cheating during a course exam. All study participants were provided with written descriptions of 12 scenarios pertaining to the academic evaluation criteria and were asked to rate the likelihood that they would cheat under such circumstances. The 12 scenarios reflected the experimental manipulation of three orthogonal factors: teacher's teaching style, type of exam, and modality of assessment. Analysis results revealed four distinct attitudes toward cheating among students, two of which were independent of context (low and high desire to cheat) while the remaining two were context-dependent (low and moderate desire to cheat). All groups showed systematic thinking underlying their possible desire to cheat that was typified by the use of a summative cognitive rule for integrating information related to academic cheating. However, evaluation of factor relevance varied across the groups.

Educational researchers need to pay more attention to understanding the perspectives of implementers as a means to preventing future implementation failures. In an attempt to elucidate the reasons for resistance to the implementation of the 2013 education reform in Mexico, qualitative methods were used to explore the lived experiences of dissenting teachers of the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE) over the cycle of policy in depth. This qualitative study analyzed the narratives of participants. The results revealed manifestations of power in four main categories: (1) agenda-setting imposition; (2) a policy formulation process led by social, economic, and political elites; (3) scientific legitimization; and (4) resistance to the implementation. Results showed that participants' resistance was primarily triggered by feeling that teachers' interests were excluded in the policymaking process. Therefore, in the future, democratization of the education policy-making process is a must within the Mexican context.

Emerging scientific studies have supported the hypothesis that exposure to environmental chemicals increases the incidence of diverse human metabolic disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the association between fluoride exposure and metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence in people from the Central Region of Mexico. This research included 575 adult individuals. Urinary fluoride concentrations were determined using a potentiometric method. Anthropometric measurements and blood pressure were also acquired. Serum fasting glucose and lipid levels were quantified. For the MetS screening, we used the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria. The mean urinary fluoride levels were 3.50 ± 2.50 mg/L. The prevalence of MetS was approximately 27 and 25% according to NCEP ATP III and IDF criteria, respectively. A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed significant associations (p < 0.05) between urinary fluoride concentrations and MetS occurrence using NCEP ATP III criteria (OR = 1.60; 95% CI 1.05–2.10) and IDF criteria (OR = 1.35; 95% CI 0.95–1.45). These findings emphasize the need to discover the underlying mechanisms that fluoride exposure has on MetS pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Context: Many studies have systematized the wide range of youth civic engagement mechanisms identified to date; however, how young people deal with a complex flux of sociocultural and personal variables which condition their scope of engagement has received less attention. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study: This article analyzes youths' appraisal of social issues and how this assessment influences the ways in which they engage with those issues. It also examines the elements of their inner worlds and their cultural settings that they consider deciding whether to get involved in one way or another. Research Design: A narrative discourse analysis is completed on two hundred Mexican and Spanish adolescents' explanations of an advertisement that sparked discussion on issues of undocumented immigration, discrimination, and past territorial disputes between the U.S.A. and Mexico. Youth civic engagement is categorized through 'ways of engagement,' a category that comprises the assessment of social issues performed by adolescents based on four constructs: civic knowledge, morals, discourse, and positioning. The analysis shows that four 'ways of engagement' are common to all the participants: pragmatic, complacent, critical-cynical, and empathetic. Findings/Results: The findings show how the participants assess the advertisement's possible intentions, positioning, and moral implications; at the same time, they explain the potential solutions they see possible while taking their own stands toward the advertisement. This type of personal appraisal makes them decide in what way they engage with this issue. Conclusions: Finally, reflections on the possible implications of the four 'ways of engagement' for citizenship education are presented.

The global pandemic caused by coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) disrupted both public and private life for many. Concerning medical students, practical teaching and classrooms were substituted with a virtual curriculum. However, how this new academic environment has affected students' health and lifestyles has yet to be studied. In this study, we surveyed 2,776 students from nine different countries about changes in their university curricula and potential alterations in their daily habits, physical health, and psychological status. We found negative changes across all countries studied, in multiple categories. We found that 99% of respondents indicated changes in their instruction delivery system, with 90% stating a transition to online education, and 93% stating a reduction or suspension of their practical activities. On average, students spent 8.7 hours a day in front of a screen, with significant differences among countries. Students reported worsened studying, sleeping, and eating habits with substantial differences in Latin American countries. Finally, the participants frequently expressed onset and increase in both mental and physical health symptoms: backache, asthenopia, irritability, and emotional instability. Altogether, these results suggest a potential risk in the health and academic performance of future doctors if these new academic modalities are maintained.

The application of virtual reality (VR) technologies is beneficial to the training related to industrial processes. Mainly because the technologies allow training complex threatening tasks within a safe environment. The interactive three-dimensional (3D) representation of a real world seems to be a more effective learning medium than other traditional tools. This paper presents the development and implementation of a training environment based on VR, applied to the maintenance of medium-tension overhead live-lines in power distribution networks. The architecture of the virtual environment includes three main components: the virtual warehouse of equipment, materials and tools; the interactive 3D environments; and a course management system. The system consists of 43 maintenance maneuvers, including the application of different techniques and equipment. It has three operation modes: learning, practice, and evaluation, which can be accessed according to the trainee's level of knowledge. The virtual environment is currently used to support training of thousands of power line operators with excellent results. The aim of the system is to improve the technical skills of operators and minimize safety risks while operating power distribution networks. The system has allowed a substantial reduction of the accident rates during live-line maintenance.

Background: The prevalence of obesity has been increasing worldwide. It has been reported that physiological and environmental factors such as diet, culture, physical activity, and genetics are the principal factors related to obesity. The fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gen variant (rs9939609: T>A) has been associated with class III obesity. The A variant has been correlated with anthropometric and metabolic alterations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze the association of the FTO rs9939609: T>A variant and environmental factors with clinical, anthropometric, and biochemical variables in subjects with class III obesity. Results: The A variant frequency was higher in the class III obesity group compared with the normal weight group (44% vs. 25%, p < 0.001). Subjects with the AA genotype had a higher body mass index (BMI) than those with the AT genotype (35.46 kg/m2 (31–39.8) vs. 26.91 kg/m2 (23.7–30), p = 0.005). Women with the AA genotype showed higher waist circumferences than the AT group (101.07 cm (90.9–111.1) vs. 85.45 cm (77–93.8) p = 0.047). The FTO A variant increases the risk by 3.54 times and physical inactivity increases the risk by 6.37 times for class III obesity. Conclusions: Our results suggest that among the studied variables, those most related to class III obesity were the FTO risk genotype (A allele) and physical inactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article demonstrates how digital information and communication technologies (ICTs) (Zoom/WhatsApp) unexpectedly and counterintuitively proved to be valuable tools for community-engaged health research when, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were integrated into a research study testing a peer support group intervention with female immigrants from Mexico. Because of pandemic restrictions, we changed the study protocol to hold meetings remotely via Zoom rather than in person as originally planned. Because we recognized that this would lack some opportunities for participants to interact and develop relationships, we created a WhatsApp chat for each group. Despite challenges for participants to use ICTs and participant-stated preference for in-person meetings, the results demonstrated that participants overwhelmingly endorsed these technologies as promoting access, participation, engagement, and satisfaction. Zoom/WhatsApp created a valuable environment both as a method for conducting research with this population, but also as part of the intervention for immigrant women to support and learn from each other. ICT adaptations have now permanently changed the way we conduct community-engaged health research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of avoidable blindness in children, particularly in Latin America, where hyperoxia is a significant risk factor. This study evaluated resource availability and use for administering and monitoring supplemental oxygen in Mexico. Methods: In 2011, an observational study in which 32 government neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across Mexico were visited. Data collected included occupancy, staffing levels, and equipment to deliver and monitor supplemental oxygen. Preterm infants receiving oxygen were observed. In 2023, 13 NICUs were revisited, and similar data collected. Staffing levels were benchmarked against Argentinian and US recommendations. Results: In 2011, only 38% of NICUs had adequate medical and staffing levels to meet recommended cot-to-staff ratios for all shifts. Staffing ratios were worse during weekends and at night than during weekdays. Only 25.5% of cots had blenders, and 80.1% had saturation monitors. 153 infants were observed 87% of whom were being monitored. Upper and lower oxygen saturations were ≥ 96% in 53%, and ≤ 89% in 8%, respectively. Alarm settings were inadequate, as 38% and 32% of upper and lower alarms were switched off and 16% and 53% were incorrectly set, respectively. In the 13 NICUs with data from 2011 and 2023, cot-to-staff ratios deteriorated over time, and in 2023 no unit had recommended ratios for all shifts. Equipment provision did not change, with similar proportions of babies in oxygen being monitored (79% 2011; 75% 2023). Rates of hyperoxia decreased slightly from 54% in 2011 to 49% in 2023. More upper alarms were set (46% 2011; 75% 2023), but a higher proportion were incorrectly set (52% 2011; 68% 2023). Conclusions: Between 2011 and 2023, cot-to-staff ratios worsened, and equipment for safe oxygen delivery and monitoring remained insufficient. Despite available monitoring equipment, oxygen saturations often exceeded recommended levels, and alarms were frequently not set or incorrectly configured. Urgent improvements are needed in healthcare workforce numbers and practices, along with ensuring adequate equipment for safe oxygen delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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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]

College laboratories are generally perceived to be low-risk environments in comparison to industrial laboratories and plant operations. However, accidents in college chemistry laboratories have revealed the safety conditions to which both students and staff may be exposed. Improving the effectiveness of laboratory safety training programs and chemical safety education requires gaining an understanding of how undergraduate students may perceive the risk associated with chemistry laboratory settings. This study characterized risk perceptions of safety hazards in chemistry laboratories among college students. Undergraduate college students from the chemistry and biology department of a university in Mexico were surveyed. The Workers' Risk Perception Dimensional Evaluation (EDRP-T) was used to characterize risk perceptions through nine dimensions and the overall perceived risk for three risk factors: laboratory work, chemical splashes, and chemical-substances inhalation. Perceived risk was characterized in a sample of 521 undergraduate students. Students felt confident in successfully dealing with the risk factors evaluated despite feelings of dread and vulnerability as well as concerns about the severity of the consequences of an injury. Their perceived ability to control and avoid these risks might have reflected the students' self-efficacy. Discrepancies in characterizing risk perception as a multidimensional construct or a direct, measurable characteristic were identified. Gaining an understanding about what undergraduate students do and do not perceive as hazardous is a valuable input to develop risk management and communication strategies with the potential to influence students' decision-making process that can result in safer behaviors. Successful design and implementation of chemical education programs requires recognizing gaps at all levels.

We aimed to analyze the association between the average lumbar subcutaneous fat tissue thickness (LSFTT) at each intervertebral level and the presence of hernias in patients with low back pain from an insurance network hospital in Mexico. This observational prospective study included 174 patients with non-traumatic lumbago who underwent magnetic resonance imaging with a 1.5T resonator. Two independent radiologists made the diagnosis, and a third specialist provided a quality vote when needed. The sample size was calculated with a 95% confidence interval using random order selection. Anonymized secondary information was used. Percentages and means with confidence intervals were tabulated. The area under the curve, specificity, and sensitivity of LSFTT were calculated. A regression analysis was performed to analyze the presence of hernias with LSFTT using each intervertebral level as a predictor. The odds of herniation at any intervertebral level increased directly with LSFTT. The average LSFTT predicted the overall presence of hernias; however, the LSFTT at each intervertebral level better predicted hernias for each intervertebral space. The area under the curve for LSFTT in predicting hernias was 68%. In conclusion, the average LSFTT was associated with the overall presence of hernias; patients with more hernias had higher LSFTT values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There are limited population-representative data that describe the potential burden of Post-COVID conditions (PCC) in Mexico. We estimated the prevalence of PCC overall and by sociodemographic characteristics among a representative sample of adults previously diagnosed with COVID-19 in Mexico. We additionally, characterized the PCC symptoms, and estimated the association between diagnosed type-2 diabetes and hypertension with PCC. Methods: We used data from the 2021 National Health and Nutrition Survey in Mexico, a nationally and regionally representative survey, from August 1st to October 31st, 2021. Using the WHO definition, we estimated the prevalence of PCC by sociodemographics and prevalence of PCC symptoms. We fit multivariable log-binomial regression models to estimate the associations. Results: The prevalence of PCC was 37.0%. The most common persistent symptoms were fatigue (56.8%), myalgia or arthralgia (47.5%), respiratory distress and dyspnea (42.7%), headache (34.0%), and cough (25.7%). The prevalence was higher in older people, women, and individuals with low socioeconomic status. There was no significant association between hypertension and PCC or diabetes and PCC prevalence. Conclusions: About one-third of the adult Mexican population who had COVID-19 in 2021 had Post-COVID conditions. Our population-based estimates can help assess potential priorities for PCC-related health services, which is critical in light of our weak health system and limited funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decline of honey bee populations significantly impacts the human food supply due to poor pollination and yield decreases of essential crop species. Given the reduction of pollinators, research into critical landscape components, such as floral resource availability and land use change, might provide valuable information about the nutritional status and health of honey bee colonies. To address this issue, we examine the effects of landscape factors like agricultural area, urban area, and climatic factors, including maximum temperature, minimum temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation, on honey bee hive populations and nutritional health of 326 honey bee colonies across varying landscapes in Mexico. DNA metabarcoding facilitated the precise identification of pollen from 267 plant species, encompassing 243 genera and 80 families, revealing a primary herb‐based diet. Areas characterized by high landscape diversity exhibited greater pollen diversity within the colony. Conversely, colonies situated in regions with higher proportions of agricultural and urban landscapes demonstrated lower bee density. The maximum ambient temperature outside hives positively correlated with pollen diversity, aligning with a simultaneous decrease in bee density. Conversely, higher relative humidity positively influenced both the bee density of the colony and the diversity of foraged pollen. Our national‐level study investigated pollen dietary availability and colony size in different habitat types, latitudes, climatic conditions, and varied levels and types of disturbances. This effort was taken to gain a better insight into the mechanisms driving declines in honey bee populations. This study illustrates the need for more biodiverse agricultural landscapes, the preservation of diverse habitats, and the conservation of natural and semi‐natural spaces. These measures can help to improve the habitat quality of other bee species, as well as restore essential ecosystem processes, such as pollination and pest control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sarcopenia is defined by the presence of decreased skeletal muscle mass, strength, and functionality in older people. Multicomponent interventions represent an alternative to non-pharmacological treatment for preventing disease progression. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a multicomponent intervention approach in women at risk of sarcopenia. Methods: A quasi-experimental pilot study of 12 weeks was conducted, with 24 sessions of dancing and resistance exercises and 12 sessions of nutritional education. The outcomes were changes in muscle mass, grip strength, gait speed, and body composition. The project was registered on Clinical Trials: NCT06038500 (14 September 2023). Results: Twelve women aged 55–75 years participated in this study; after the intervention, changes were found in the following variables: grip strength, from 18.70 (17.98–19.23) at baseline to 21.57 (20.67–23.16) kg (p = 0.002); gait speed, from 0.95 (0.81–1.18) at baseline to 1.34 (1.20–1.47) m/s (p = 0.003); and hip circumference, from 99.75 (94.75–110.37) at baseline to 97.65 (93.92–109.50) cm (p = 0.023). Other measurements that appeared without changes were appendicular skeletal muscle mass, from 21.17 (18.58–22.33) at baseline to 20.77 (18.31–22.39) kg (p = 0.875), and the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index, from 8.64 (8.08–9.35) at baseline to 8.81 (7.91–9.38) kg/m2 (p = 0.875) after the intervention. Conclusions: The three-month multicomponent intervention in women at risk of sarcopenia improved their grip strength and gait speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Mexican population exhibits several cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) including high blood pressure (HBP), dysglycemia, dyslipidemia, overweight, and obesity. This study is an extensive observation of the most important CVFRs in six of the most populated cities in Mexico. Methods: In a cohort of 297,370 participants (54% female, mean age 43 ± 12.6 years), anthropometric (body mass index (BMI)), metabolic (glycemia and total cholesterol (TC)), and blood pressure (BP) data were obtained. Results: From age 40, 40% and 30% of the cohort's participants were overweight or obese, respectively. HBP was found in 27% of participants. However, only 8% of all hypertensive patients were controlled. Fifty percent of the subjects 50 years and older were hypercholesterolemic. Glycemia had a constant linear relation with age. BMI had a linear correlation with SBP, glycemia, and TC, with elevated coefficients in all cases and genders. The β1 coefficient for BMI was more significant in all equations than the other β, indicating that it greatly influences the other CVRFs. Conclusions: TC, glycemia, and SBP, the most critical atherogenic factors, are directly related to BMI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic led countries' governments to rapidly establish lockdowns and social distancing, which altered family routines and the quality of family relationships worldwide. Objectives: This exploratory cross-sectional study aimed to identify the impacts of the social distancing and lockdown in parenting practices of caregivers from Brazil, Mexico, and the USA, and to analyze the continuity of parenting intervention support for children and their families at the beginning of the pandemic in these countries. Methods: The sample consisted of 704 caregivers of children (286 from Brazil, 225 from Mexico, and 193 from the USA) who answered an online survey about parenting practices before/after quarantine, caregiver/child routines, feelings related to quarantine, changes in everyday life since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, contact with health professionals, and sources of parenting information. Results: Data indicate that caregivers from the three countries experienced similar parenting practices during this time, and did not report significant changes before and after the lockdown. They sought information about parenting predominantly via social media. Those receiving previous mental health care perceived the transition from in-person to telehealth services during the pandemic as feasible and acceptable. Conclusion: This study will be helpful for clinicians and parents to contextualize their practices amid long-standing effects that the COVID-19 pandemic can have on children and their families during and post-pandemic from multiple cultural backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is a disease caused by hypersecretion of one or more parathyroid glands, it can be associated with ectopic mediastinal parathyroid glands (MEPA) in 2% of cases. The use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for the surgical resection of these glands is a safe, cost-effective, and low morbidity option for patients with MEPA. We report a case series of patients with this disease managed with VATS, the first in Mexico and Latinamerica. Methods: From 2008 to 2022, a retrospective study involving patients with MEPA and treated by VATS approach was performed in a tertiary hospital in Mexico city. Relevant biochemical and clinical variables such as imaging studies, pre and postoperative laboratory results, surgical strategy, outcomes and pathological analysis were analyzed. Results: Four cases of mediastinal parathyroid adenomas causing HPT were included. All patients were female with a median age of 52.5 years-old (range 46–59 years), half of the patients had primary HPT and the others tertiary HPT after kidney transplant. 75% of cases had a MEPA in the medium mediastinum, all had a preoperative positive SPECT-CT 99mTc Sestamibi scan. Mean preoperative PTH was 621.3pg/mL (182-1382pg/mL). All patients successfully underwent parathyroidectomy with a VATS approach, no deaths were reported. Conclusions: VATS is a minimally invasive surgery that provides adequate access to mediastinal located glands, optimal visualization of mediastinal structures and has a high resection success rate with less complications and morbidity than open approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education in Mexico is under an ongoing transition process influenced by global tendencies. The world is changing, and Mexico is striving to fulfill the latest requirements to be part of the "elite universities." Although higher education literature has tracked Mexico's progress, the tension between global tendencies and their effects on Mexican higher education institutions have not been explored. Drawing upon academic capitalism and the theory of power, this article examines not only the academic growth but also global tendencies in higher education--such as privatization, international ranking, and academic stratification--that act as policy-drivers to reshape educational policy in Mexico. Furthermore, it examines current strategies in higher education policy, seeking to decipher its focus on science and technology as result of globalization pressure. The authors suggest higher education policy in Mexico is shaped by dominant voices that exert their power to keep current hegemonic relations that benefit those in top positions. Also, they assert the detrimental effects of current policies deserve to be explored.

The Thinking Together educational approach was first developed in the UK to promote the use of exploratory talk in primary classrooms. The approach was then adapted and applied to the very different context of Mexican state primary education. This paper compares the program in Mexico with the program in the UK and concludes that, despite that fact that the relationship between teacher's practice and the approach was much closer in the UK than Mexico, the program appeared to have very similar positive effects on individual reasoning and on the capacity of children to collaborate effectively in groups.

The influence of deep and regional geological structures is becoming increasingly important in superhot geothermal systems due to their proximity to the transition between brittleness and ductility. In the Los Humeros geothermal field in Mexico, where subsurface fluids reach temperatures of over 350 °C, the surface structures resulting from the collapse of calderas have so far only been interpreted at the local scale. The aim of this work is to place the recent tectonic and volcano-tectonic geomorphologic evolution and structures in the Los Humeros volcanic area in a regional context. NE- and NW-striking dominant structures resulting from a morpho-structural analysis on a regional scale are confirmed by negative and positive anomalies, respectively, after Butterworth filtering of gravity field data with different wavelengths over a local area of about 1000 km2. By analyzing the slip and dilation trends of the observed directions, we show the relevance of the regional context for reservoir exploration. The magnitudes of the principal stresses we estimate indicate a trans-tensional fault regime, a combination of strike-slip and normal faulting. The structures derived from the gravity and morpho-structural analyses, which are parallel to the maximum horizontal stress, have the highest potential for tensile and shear failure. Therefore, the corresponding negative gravity anomalies could be related to fracture porosity. Consequently, we hypothesize that these structures near the transition between brittleness and ductility control fluid flow in the Los Humeros geothermal field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree diversity promotes predator abundance and diversity, but evidence linking these effects to increased predation pressure on herbivores remains limited. In addition, tree diversity effects on predators can vary temporally as a function of environmental variation, or due to contrasting responses by different predator types. In a multi-year study, we assessed temporal variation in tree diversity effects on bird community abundance, diversity, and predation rates as a whole and by functional group based on feeding guild (omnivores vs. insectivores) and migratory status (migrant vs. resident). To this end, we conducted bird point counts in tree monocultures and polycultures and assessed attacks on clay caterpillars four times over a 2-year period in a tree diversity experiment in Yucatan, Mexico. Tree diversity effects on the bird community varied across surveys, with positive effects on bird abundance and diversity in most but not all surveys. Tree diversity had stronger and more consistent effects on omnivorous and resident birds than on insectivorous and migratory species. Tree diversity effects on attack rates also varied temporally but patterns did not align with variation in bird abundance or diversity. Thus, while we found support for predicted increases in bird abundance, diversity, and predation pressure with tree diversity, these responses exhibited substantial variation over time and the former two were uncoupled from patterns of predation pressure, as well as contingent on bird functional traits. These results underscore the need for long-term studies measuring responses by different predator functional groups to better understand tree diversity effects on top-down control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heliopsis longipes is an endemic species from Sierra Gorda, México. Its collects imply the whole plant destruction due to people only use the root, which contains affinin, a pharmacologically important compound. Thus, H. longipes has been considered as a species in danger of extinction, due to unsustainable exploitation to obtain their roots for affinin commercialization. Moreover, no studies on the genetic diversity of H. longipes have been carried out. Taking together, these aspects suggest that it is urgent to develop strategies for sustainable production and exploitation of H. longipes. Based on the aforementioned, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of the greenhouse acclimation time and the controlled elicitation on morphological, and biochemical variables as well as the affinin content in populations of H. longipes from Central Mexico characterized in genetic diversity. Biochemical variables associated with plant stress response like superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activities were measured. Moreover, affinin content was quantified by HPLC and the activity of valine decarboxylase (VDC)-associated to affinin contents was also determined. Additionally, genetic variability of H. longipes populations evaluated using DNA markers was also analyzed to determine genetic diversity of accessions before greenhouse studies. Results on genetic diversity were calculated in the populations from Conca (0.27), SJB (0.15) and Beltran (0.11). The average genetic diversity was 0.21, which places this species in the genetic diversity in danger of extinction. Because of the low genetic diversity found among populations of H. longipes in Central México regions, suggests that any one of the H. longipes populations studied might be used for acclimation in a greenhouse to be used in controlled elicitation studies. Controlled elicitation with 200 mM H2O2 dose significantly increased PAL and VDC enzymatic activities as well as the affinin content in the roots of H. longipes at 7-months of acclimation time in greenhouse. Our results displayed that it was possible to increase affinin content after 7-months acclimation in greenhouse in H. longipes accessions from Central México. Thus also contributing to sustainable exploitation of this species and to decrease its danger of extinction for overexploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An unidentified γ-ray source 4FGL J1838.2+3223 has been proposed as a pulsar candidate. We present optical time-series multiband photometry of its likely optical companion obtained with the 2.1-m telescope of Observatorio Astronómico Nacional San Pedro Mártir, Mexico. The observations and the data from the Zwicky Transient Facility revealed the source brightness variability with a period of ≈4.02 h likely associated with the orbital motion of the binary system. The folded light curves have a single sine-like peak per period with an amplitude of about three magnitudes accompanied by fast sporadic flares up to one magnitude level. We reproduce them modelling the companion heating by the pulsar. As a result, the companion side facing the pulsar is strongly heated up to 11300 ± 400 K, while the temperature of its back side is only 2300 ± 700 K. It has a mass of 0.10 ± 0.05 M⊙ and underfills its Roche lobe with a filling factor of |$0.60^{+0.10}_{-0.06}$|⁠. This implies that 4FGL J1838.2+3223 likely belongs to the 'spider' pulsar family. The estimated distance of ≈3.1 kpc is compatible with Gaia results. We detect a flare from the source in X-rays and ultraviolet using Swift archival data and another one in X-rays in the eROSITA all-sky survey. Both flares have X-ray luminosity of ∼1034 erg s−1 which is two orders of magnitude higher than the upper limit in quiescence obtained from eROSITA assuming spectral shape typical for spider pulsars. If the spider interpretation is correct, these flares are among the strongest observed from non-accreting spider pulsars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research capacity building is a process by which individuals and organizations develop skills and infrastructure resulting in greater ability to conduct useful research. Frequently, research quality and productivity measures focus on outcomes, such as peer-reviewed publications or grants awarded. Such distal measures are not informative when measuring initial stages of research, a common situation in low- and middle-income countries. This study used Cooke's six-principle framework to assess the progress of an autism research collaborative in northern Mexico. We established 64 criteria across the six principles and rated them as Not Started, In Progress, or Achieved, based on narratives and process documentation collected for this purpose. Ratings were established for the years 2018, 2020, and 2022, which correspond to Years 5, 7, and 9 since the beginning of the collaborative, respectively. As of 2022, Principles 2 and 3 ("Close to practice" and "Linkages, collaborations, and partnerships," respectively) had all begun; no criteria were rated as Not started. The principles with the highest Achieved rates were "Linkages, collaborations, and partnerships" (90%), and "Infrastructure" (Principle 6, 70%). Cooke's research capacity building framework is a useful way to monitor progress of research capacity building and contribute to harmonious development of relevant principles at different levels. To inform improvement of care and public policy, quality research is required. Conducting research projects requires skills and infrastructure. Research capacity building is the process by which individuals and organizations develop greater ability to conduct useful research. However, in the scientific community, research quality and productivity measures are often focused on long-term products, such as publications or grants awarded. Those measures are not helpful when measuring initial stages of research, a common situation in low- and middle-income countries. We used a six-principle framework designed by J. Cooke to assess the progress of an autism research collaborative in northern Mexico. We established 64 criteria across the six principles, and rated them as Not Started, In Progress, or Achieved, based on narratives and process documentation collected for this purpose. Ratings were established for the Years 2018, 2020, and 2022. The principles with the highest Achieved rates were "Linkages, collaborations, and partnerships" (90%), and "Infrastructure" (Principle 6, 70%). Cooke's research capacity building framework is a useful way to monitor progress of research capacity building and contribute to harmonious development of relevant principles at different levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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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]

Answers from a set of questions about institutional management are analyzed, they were part of The Reconfiguration of the Academic Profession in Mexico survey, taken in 2007-2008. The study compares the perspective of technological public institutions professors and public state universities, relative to the communication, collegiality and administrative practices. The results show that the academicians of the first institutions perceived, with regard to the academicians of the seconds, the most complicated administrative processes, minor communication and a deficient participation on decisions making are discussed in the light of the federal policies and organizations concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abdala is a recently released RBD protein subunit vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. A few countries, including Mexico, have adopted Abdala as a booster dose in their COVID-19 vaccination schemes. Despite that, most of the Mexican population has received full-scheme vaccination with platforms other than Abdala; little is known regarding Abdala's immunological features, such as its antibody production and T- and B-cell-specific response induction. This work aimed to study antibody production and the adaptive cellular response in the Mexican population that received the Abdala vaccine as a booster. We recruited 25 volunteers and evaluated their RBD-specific antibody production, T- and B-cell-activating profiles, and cytokine production. Our results showed that the Abdala vaccine increases the concentration of RBD IgG-specific antibodies. Regarding the cellular response, after challenging peripheral blood cultures with RBD, the plasmablast (CD19+CD27+CD38High) and transitional B-cell (CD19+CD21+CD38High) percentages increased significantly, while T cells showed an increased activated phenotype (CD3+CD4+CD25+CD69+ and CD3+CD4+CD25+HLA-DR+). Also, IL-2 and IFN-γ increased significantly in the supernatant of the RBD-stimulated cells. Our results suggest that Abdala vaccination, used as a booster, evokes antibody production and the activation of previously generated memory against the SARS-CoV-2 RBD domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we analyse the effect of electoral integrity on electoral participation in violent contexts. Using data from Local Electoral Authorities on electoral results, Electoral Integrity rates, and the Peace Index, we develop an exploratory analysis for sub‐national elections in Mexico, in the 2015–2018 period. We conclude that, when elections are characterised by a high level of integrity, the negative impact of violence on turnout lessens, or almost disappears. By doing this, we contribute to the existing literature about the effects of violence on turnout at the sub‐national level and to the studies on electoral integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This manuscript describes an in-state nursing student global health-care experience. The 2021 Rio Grande Valley service learning team at Louise Herrington School of Nursing at Baylor University traveled from Dallas to McAllen, Texas to volunteer in a COVID vaccination clinic and refugee respite center on the U.S.-Mexican border. Method: A competency-based evaluation utilized the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education Featured Concepts , with a focus on social determinants of health, as a framework. Results: The evaluation of the service learning trip through the lens of social determinants of health and the Core Competencies can serve as a guideline for the design of future trips. Conclusion: The Rio Grande Valley service learning trip contributed to nursing students' self-reports of competency in global health education, in identifying the social determinants of health that characterized the immigrants and refugees, and in service and advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The US-Mexico border is the busiest in the world, with millions of people crossing it daily. However, little is known about cross-border utilization of cancer care, or about the reasons driving it. We designed a cross sectional online survey to understand the type of care patients with cancer who live in the US and Mexico seek outside their home country, the reasons why patients traveled across the border to receive care, and the barriers faced when seeking cross-border care. Results: The online survey was sent to the 248 cancer care providers working in the six Mexican border states who were registered members of the Mexican Society of Oncology. Responses were collected between September-November 2022. Sixty-six providers (response rate 26%) completed the survey. Fifty-nine (89%) reported interacting with US-based patients traveling to Mexico to receive various treatment modalities, with curative surgery (n = 38) and adjuvant chemotherapy (n = 31) being the most common. Forty-nine (74%) reported interacting with Mexico-based patients traveling to the US to receive various treatment modalities, with immunotherapy (n = 29) and curative surgery (n = 27) being the most common. The most frequently reported reason US-based patients sought care in Mexico was inadequate health insurance (n = 45). The most frequently reported reason Mexico-based patients sought care in the US was patients' perception of superior healthcare (n = 38). Conclusions: Most Mexican oncologists working along the Mexico-US border have interacted with patients seeking or receiving binational cancer care. The type of care sought, as well as the reasons for seeking it, differ between US and Mexico-based patients. These patterns of cross-border healthcare utilization highlight unmet needs for patients with cancer in both countries and call for policy changes to improve outcomes in border regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since many of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are unaware of the level of workload that their staff has, they do not know how to balance it; nor do they include among their responsibilities activities aimed at managing their knowledge, which ultimately affects the company and its competitiveness. The objective of this paper is to propose a methodology focused on SMEs for the analysis of workload oriented towards knowledge management. For this, a methodology consisting of three phases is developed: identification of activities carried out in each job, analysis of workload by task, and evaluation of the workload. To validate the methodology, it was implemented in a company located in the northwestern Mexico, dedicated to the production and distribution of natural beverages and the workload of the staff was analyzed through a series of values, which made it possible to determine the level of workload, better distribute the workload, and include activities related to knowledge management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children with language impairment (LI) often have lags in development of print knowledge, an important early-literacy skill. This study explores impacts of a print-focused intervention for Spanish-speaking children with LI in Southeastern Mexico. Aims: Aims were twofold. First, we sought to describe the print knowledge (print-concept knowledge, alphabet knowledge) of Spanish-speaking children with LI. Second, we determined the extent to which print-referencing intervention delivered by children's parents could improve print knowledge. Methods & Procedures: Using a pre-test--post-test delayed treatment research design, 13 parent-child dyads were assigned to an intervention (n = 8) versus control (n = 5) condition. Children were drawn from a speech-language clinic and all were receiving services for LI. Caregivers in the intervention group implemented an 8-week home-reading programme following a systematic scope and sequence for improving children's print knowledge. Outcomes & Results: Children showed individual differences in their print knowledge based on three baseline measures examining print-concept knowledge, alphabet knowledge and letter-sound knowledge. Those whose caregivers implemented the 8-week programme showed statistically and practically significant gains on two of the three measures over the intervention period. Conclusions & Implications: The results presented here may stimulate future research on the print knowledge of Spanish-speaking children with LI. Sources of individual differences are important to determine. Caregivers may use the intervention presented here as a potential avenue for improving children's print knowledge.

We are a group of 11 women in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Nine of us are immigrants from Mexico. One of us is from an immigrant household. One of us is neither. We have been working collaboratively on a research study called Tertulias (Spanish for " a social gathering "), which is an innovative women's peer support group approach we created to reduce social isolation, depression, and stress among women immigrants from Mexico, and to increase their resilience and sense of empowerment. In the process of implementing the Tertulias study, we are revealing the profound power of peer support, friendship, and small, quotidian kindnesses. But we are also exposing the immensity and scope of trauma, fear, loneliness, depression, and self-blame that exist in the Mexican immigrant community because of domestic violence. Our experience with domestic violence and with the consciousness-raising and support we found in Tertulias has made us want to be involved in a positive manner to do something about this issue in our community. We want our experience to mean something—to be used to make a difference. We are opening our hearts and sharing our stories and ideas. We wanted to be included as co-authors of this article because we want our stories to be received and heard by other women. We want to plant seeds to help other women find their inner strength to be able to escape from their chains. We have to return for others. It is a commitment—to understand how we were able to do it and share that with others. Through our experience participating in Tertulias, we learned that we could overcome what felt overwhelming and impenetrable. We could leave the violence and rediscover and recreate ourselves and our lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented on the importance of integrating palliative care into oncology and highlights the challenges in providing timely access to such care. It discusses a study that implemented an embedded palliative care clinic within an oncology clinic, resulting in a significant increase in referrals and shorter wait times for palliative care consultations, underlining the significance of location and integration in improving patient care.

The study's objective was to determine the relationships between the proposed variables that impact to the Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment and Burnout through the Psychological Empowerment mediator variable. The variables as impact factors were Structural Empowerment and Remunerations for the case of teachers from public middle-higher education institutions in Mexico. The study had a non-experimental design, being a correlational and causal research. The measurement instrument was applied to a sample of 167 teachers, whose data were analyzed using the structural equations method. The findings show which direct and indirect effects are generating significant effects. Subsequently, the analysis of the contrast and impact differences between the segmentation groups was proposed: by gender, marital status, schooling and employment status. One limitation was to carry out the cross-sectional study, with the data collected in a single moment. One of the main contributions of the model was to determine the impact of the proposed variables on job satisfaction and commitment, seeking to analyze the behavior of teachers and its effects on the development of more satisfied, committed and healthy human capital, being a field, little Empirically studied in Mexico. In addition to this, look for factors and strategies that contribute to improving the behaviors that are related to Burnout, since it interferes with the worker's health and affects the teacher-student relationship. It is recommended to continue with the analysis of Burnout in other contexts and organizational areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic, social, cultural and political milieus that influence injection drug-related HIV risk behaviors along the US–Mexico border in the previous decade have been studied comparing cities on an East–West axis. In an effort to inform interventions targeting factors beyond the individual level, we used a cross-sectional study design comparing people who inject drugs during 2016–2018, living on a North–South axis, in two cities—Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico and El Paso, Texas, USA—situated at the midpoint of the 2000 US–Mexico borderland stretch. We conceptualize injection drug use and its antecedents and consequences as influenced by factors operating at various levels of influence. Results of analysis comparing samples recruited from each border city indicated significant differences in demographic, socioeconomic, micro- and macro-level factors that affect risk. Similarities emerged in individual-level risk behaviors and some dynamics of risk at the drug use site most frequented to use drugs. In addition, analyses testing associations across samples indicated that different contextual factors such as characteristics of the drug use sites influenced syringe sharing. In this article, we reflect on the potential tailored interventions needed to target the context of HIV transmission risk among people who use drugs and reside in binational environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]