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Mezcal is an alcoholic beverage produced only in selected regions of Mexico under appellation of origin status from the Word Intellectual Property Organization. While it has been produced in Mexico for many centuries, mezcal's appellation of origin was only granted in 1995. Therefore efforts to produce and market it as a premium product have a relatively short history. This case study examines developments in the production and marketing of this unique product, and the activities of the marketing cooperative El Tecuán in Guerrero State in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution in developing countries is a growing concern. It is associated with urbanization and social and economic structures. The understanding of how social factors can influence the perception and the potential impact of air pollution have not been addressed sufficiently. This paper addresses the social vulnerability and exposure to PM 10 association and its influence on the air quality perception of residents in Mexicali, a Mexico-US border city. This study used individual variables and population census data, as well as statistical and spatial analyses. A cluster of socially vulnerable populations with high exposure to coarse particulate matter (PM 10 ) was found in the city's peripheral areas. The spatial distribution of the local perception of air quality varied by the exposure zones of the estimated PM 10 concentrations. Respondents living in very high exposure areas perceive air quality as "poor," contrarily to a worse perception in areas of intermediate and lower exposure to PM 10 . Proximity to stationary sources of pollution was associated with a poor perception of air quality. Results also indicate that low household income and poor air quality perceived at the place of residence negatively influences the perceived changes in the air quality over time. The knowledge of chronic health effects related to air pollution was scarce in the sampled population, especially in the areas with very high exposure and high social vulnerability. These findings can serve as a support in local air quality management., Competing Interests: The are no conflicts to disclose.

Studies have shown associations between respiratory diseases and air pollutants in Mexicali, México; however, none have addressed relative risk (RR) of death. By using Poisson regression models, we quantified the RR by exposure for: particulate matter (PM(10), PM(2.5)), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)), ozone (O(3)), and sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) over a 5-year period and by climate (winter or summer). RRs were estimated utilizing each pollutant (single-pollutant model) on the same day as pollutant concentration were measured (lag 0) and up to 7 days later to the pollutant measurements (lag 7). Significant associations were found in RRs for one interquartile range increment of the corresponding pollutant, such as: PM(2.5) lagged 5 days in winter and for the 5-year period (RR, 1.041 and 1.028, respectively); CO lagged 1 day in winter and for the 5-year period (RR, 1.044 and 1.032, respectively); NO(2) on the current day (lag 0) in summer (RR = 1.037); and SO(2) lagged one day for the 5-year period (RR = 1.023).

Compelling evidence indicates that exposure to urban airborne particulate matter (PM) affects health. However, how PM components interact with PM-size to cause adverse health effects needs elucidation, especially when considering soil and anthropogenic sources. We studied PM from Mexicali, Mexico, where soil particles contribute importantly to air pollution, expecting to differentiate in vitro effects related to PM-size and composition. PM samples with mean aerodynamic diameters ≤2.5μm (PM(2.5)) and ≤10μm (PM(10)) were collected in Mexicali (October 2005-March 2006) from a semi-urban (expected larger participation of soil sources) and an urban (predominately combustion sources) site. Samples were pooled by site and size, analyzed for elemental composition (particle-induced X-ray emission) and tested in vitro for: induction of human erythrocytes membrane disruption (hemolysis) (colorimetrically); inhibition of cell proliferation (ICP) (crystal violet) and TNFα/IL-6 secretion (ELISA) using J774.A1 murine monocytic cells; and DNA degradation using Balb/c3T3 cell naked DNA (electrophoretically). Results of PM elemental composition principal component analysis were used in associating cellular effects. Sixteen elements identified in PM grouped in two principal components: Component(1) (C(1)): Mg, Al, Si, P, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Fe, and Component(2) (C(2)): Cu, Zn. Hemolysis was predominately induced by semi-urban-PM(10) (p<0.05) and was associated with urban-PM(10)C(1) (r=0.62, p=0.003). Major ICP resulted with semi-urban PM(2.5) (p<0.05). TNFα was mainly induced by urban samples regardless of size (p<0.05) and associated with urban-PM(2.5)C(2) (r=0.48, p=0.02). Both PM(10) samples induced highest DNA degradation (p<0.05), regardless of location. We conclude that PM-size and PM-related soil or anthropogenic elements trigger specific biological-response patterns., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)