Neighborhood Variation in Rate of Revascularization among Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients in New York City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdissa Negassa

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To identify modifiable neighborhood factors and quantify their effect on the rate of revascularization among acute myocardial infarction (AMI patients. Method. Using the New York City hospital discharge records during 1998–2002, we employed a hierarchical regression model that integrates patient-level risk factors and neighborhood-level factors to retrospectively examine revascularization patterns among AMI patients. Results. Access to revascularization varied substantially (27%–88% among neighborhoods. Ready access to a hospital with on-site capacity of revascularization increased the likelihood of receiving the procedure after adjusting for individual-level sociodemographic factors and comorbidity. More than 64% of the variation in rate of revascularization is explained by access to revascularization. Conclusion. Optimizing the AMI patients' delivery system to hospitals with on-site capacity of revascularization might enhance access to needed care thereby help to alleviate the prevailing variation in the rate of revascularization among New York City neighborhoods.

[The cholera epidemic of 1833 and mortality in Mexico City].

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco, M D

1992-01-01

The author examines the impact of the 1833 cholera epidemic in Mexico City, Mexico, on social, economic, and political aspects of life in that city. She finds that some five percent of the population died during the epidemic, and enumerates them by age and sex.

A survey of 222Rn in drinking water in mexico city

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasquez-Lopez, C.; Zendejas-Leal, B. E.; Golzarri, J. I.; Espinosa, G.

2011-01-01

In Mexico City there are more than 22 millions of inhabitants (10 in the metropolitan area and 12 in the suburban zone) exposed to drinking water. The local epidemiological authorities recognised that exposure to radon contaminated drinking water is a potential health hazard, as has been considered worldwide. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a limit of 11.1 Bq l -1 for the radon level in drinking water. In Mexico a maximum contamination level of radon in drinking water has not yet even considered. In this work, a 222 Rn study of drinking water in Mexico City has revealed a range of concentrations from background level to 3.8 Bq l -1 . 222 Rn was calculated using a portable degassing system (AquaKIT) associated with an AlphaGUARD measuring system. Samples from 70 wells of the water system of the south of the Valley Basin of Mexico City and from houses of some other political administrative divisions of Mexico City were taken. (authors)

Measurements of VOCs in Mexico City during the MILAGRO Campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, A. K.; Beyersdorf, A. J.; Blake, N. J.; Meinardi, S.; Atlas, E.; Rowland, F.; Blake, D. R.

2006-12-01

During March of 2006 we participated in MILAGRO (Megacities Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations), a multi-platform campaign to measure pollutants in and in outflow from the Mexico City metropolitan area. As part of MILAGRO we collected whole air canister samples at two Mexico City ground sites: the Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo, located in the city, northeast of the center, and the Universidad Technologica de Tecamac, a suburban site approximately 50 km northeast of the city center. Samples were also collected in various other locations throughout Mexico City. Over 300 whole air samples were collected and analyzed for a wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including methane, carbon monoxide, nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) and halocarbons. Propane was the most abundant NMHC at both the urban and suburban locations, with mixing ratios frequently in excess of 10 parts per billion at both locations. This is likely the result of the widespread use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) of which propane is the major component. For most species, median mixing ratios at the urban sites were significantly greater than at the suburban site. Here we compare results from both urban and suburban locations and also examine the influence of transport on the composition of outflow from Mexico City.

The Fragility of Turf: The Neighborhoods of New York City. New York State History Themes #1.

Science.gov (United States)

Winkleman, Michael

People continue to define themselves, their lifestyles, and their beliefs through their neighborhoods--their turf. In studying the history of New York City neighborhoods, it is important to consider the developmental trends and constraints (geography, economic structure, transportation, and technological advances) that contributed to the growth of…

The Urban Tree as a Tool to Mitigate the Urban Heat Island in Mexico City: A Simple Phenomenological Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Ballinas, Mónica; Barradas, Víctor L

2016-01-01

The urban heat island (UHI) is mainly a nocturnal phenomenon, but it also appears during the day in Mexico City. The UHI may affect human thermal comfort, which can influence human productivity and morbidity in the spring/summer period. A simple phenomenological model based on the energy balance was developed to generate theoretical support of UHI mitigation in Mexico City focused on the latent heat flux change by increasing tree coverage to reduce sensible heat flux and air temperature. Half-hourly data of the urban energy balance components were generated in a typical residential/commercial neighborhood of Mexico City and then parameterized using easily measured variables (air temperature, humidity, pressure, and visibility). Canopy conductance was estimated every hour in four tree species, and transpiration was estimated using sap flow technique and parameterized by the envelope function method. Averaged values of net radiation, energy storage, and sensible and latent heat flux were around 449, 224, 153, and 72 W m, respectively. Daily tree transpiration ranged from 3.64 to 4.35 Ld. To reduce air temperature by 1°C in the studied area, 63 large would be required per hectare, whereas to reduce the air temperature by 2°C only 24 large trees would be required. This study suggests increasing tree canopy cover in the city cannot mitigate UHI adequately but requires choosing the most appropriate tree species to solve this problem. It is imperative to include these types of studies in tree selection and urban development planning to adequately mitigate UHI. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Internal migration and occupational achievement in Mexico city

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julio Santiago Hernández

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this work is to analyze the effect of migration status on labor market insertion and occupational achievement. It is of interest to know whether the observed differences between people with a different migration status (from first-generation rural migrants to natives are due to their migratory condition per se or other sociodemographic variables associated with their status that could put migrants at disadvantage in the labor market of Mexico City. We elaborate on this by using data from the Survey on Inequality and Social Mobility in Mexico City, 2009. Unlike studies of major Mexican cities during the import substitution model, wich as sumed that upward occupational mobility rates benefited almost equally the born and raised in the city and the rural migrants our results suggest the opposite: that migrants do poorly, but not for the fact that they are migrants, but because they tend to have lower economic, cultural and social capital attributes in their families of origin due to certain factors that leave them unable to capitalize on their efforts to achieve an educational and occupational performance similar or superior to that of the natives. A suggestive finding is that, even after controlling for the disadvantageous social background, female rural migrants show a consistently unfavorable performance when compared to the native women of Mexico City.

Subjective neighborhood assessment and physical inactivity: An examination of neighborhood-level variance.

Science.gov (United States)

Prochaska, John D; Buschmann, Robert N; Jupiter, Daniel; Mutambudzi, Miriam; Peek, M Kristen

2018-06-01

Research suggests a linkage between perceptions of neighborhood quality and the likelihood of engaging in leisure-time physical activity. Often in these studies, intra-neighborhood variance is viewed as something to be controlled for statistically. However, we hypothesized that intra-neighborhood variance in perceptions of neighborhood quality may be contextually relevant. We examined the relationship between intra-neighborhood variance of subjective neighborhood quality and neighborhood-level reported physical inactivity across 48 neighborhoods within a medium-sized city, Texas City, Texas using survey data from 2706 residents collected between 2004 and 2006. Neighborhoods where the aggregated perception of neighborhood quality was poor also had a larger proportion of residents reporting being physically inactive. However, higher degrees of disagreement among residents within neighborhoods about their neighborhood quality was significantly associated with a lower proportion of residents reporting being physically inactive (p=0.001). Our results suggest that intra-neighborhood variability may be contextually relevant in studies seeking to better understand the relationship between neighborhood quality and behaviors sensitive to neighborhood environments, like physical activity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Cholera in Mexico City during the nineteenth century].

Science.gov (United States)

Marquez Morfin, L

1992-01-01

The author draws on epidemiological and historical records for this description of the demographic impact of the fatal cholera epidemics of 1833 and 1848-1850 on the population of Mexico City, Mexico. Consideration is given to political, economic, and social factors that influenced the spread of the disease.

Physical Exposure to Seismic Hazards of Health Facilities in Mexico City, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, S. M.; Novelo Casanova, D.

2010-12-01

Although health facilities are essential infrastructure during disasters and emergencies, they are also usually highly vulnerable installations in the case of the occurrence of large and major earthquakes. Hospitals are one of the most complex critical facilities in modern cities and they are used as first response in emergency situations. The operability of a hospital must be maintained after the occurrence of a local strong earthquake in order to satisfy the need for medical care of the affected population. If a health facility is seriously damaged, it cannot fulfill its function when most is needed. In this case, hospitals become a casualty of the disaster. To identify the level of physical exposure of hospitals to seismic hazards in Mexico City, we analyzed their geographic location with respect to the seismic response of the different type of soils of the city from past earthquakes, mainly from the events that occurred on September 1985 (Ms= 8.0) and April 1989 (Ms= 6.9). Seismic wave amplification in this city is the result of the interaction of the incoming seismic waves with the soft and water saturated clay soils, on which a large part of Mexico City is built. The clay soils are remnants of the lake that existed in the Valley of Mexico and which has been drained gradually to accommodate the growing urban sprawl. Hospital facilities were converted from a simple database of names and locations into a map layer of resources. This resource layer was combined with other map layers showing areas of seismic microzonation in Mexico City. This overlay was then used to identify those hospitals that may be threatened by the occurrence of a large or major seismic event. We analyzed the public and private hospitals considered as main health facilities. Our results indicate that more than 50% of the hospitals are highly exposed to seismic hazards. Besides, in most of these health facilities we identified the lack of preventive measures and preparedness to reduce their

Identifying Perceived Neighborhood Stressors Across Diverse Communities in New York City.

Science.gov (United States)

Shmool, Jessie L C; Yonas, Michael A; Newman, Ogonnaya Dotson; Kubzansky, Laura D; Joseph, Evelyn; Parks, Ana; Callaway, Charles; Chubb, Lauren G; Shepard, Peggy; Clougherty, Jane E

2015-09-01

There is growing interest in the role of psychosocial stress in health disparities. Identifying which social stressors are most important to community residents is critical for accurately incorporating stressor exposures into health research. Using a community-academic partnered approach, we designed a multi-community study across the five boroughs of New York City to characterize resident perceptions of key neighborhood stressors. We conducted 14 community focus groups; two to three in each borough, with one adolescent group and one Spanish-speaking group per borough. We then used systematic content analysis and participant ranking data to describe prominent neighborhood stressors and identify dominant themes. Three inter-related themes regarding the social and structural sources of stressful experiences were most commonly identified across neighborhoods: (1) physical disorder and perceived neglect, (2) harassment by police and perceived safety and (3) gentrification and racial discrimination. Our findings suggest that multiple sources of distress, including social, political, physical and economic factors, should be considered when investigating health effects of community stressor exposures and psychological distress. Community expertise is essential for comprehensively characterizing the range of neighborhood stressors that may be implicated in psychosocial exposure pathways.

Perceived Neighborhood Environmental Attributes Associated with Walking and Cycling for Transport among Adult Residents of 17 Cities in 12 Countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kerr, Jacqueline; Emond, Jennifer A; Badland, Hannah

2016-01-01

interventions. The aim of this study was to examine the strength and shape of the relationship between adults' neighborhood perceptions and walking and cycling for transport across diverse environments. METHODS: As part of the International Physical activity and Environment Network (IPEN) adult project, self......-report data were taken from 13,745 adults (18 - 65 years) living in physically and socially diverse neighborhoods in 17 cities across 12 countries. Neighborhood perceptions were measured using the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale, and walking and cycling for transport were measured using...... the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Long Form. Generalized additive mixed models were used to model walking or cycling for transport during the last seven days with neighborhood perceptions. Interactions by city were explored. RESULTS: Walking for transport outcomes were significantly associated...

Respiratory tract toxicity in rats exposed to Mexico City air.

Science.gov (United States)

Moss, O R; Gross, E A; James, R A; Janszen, D B; Ross, P W; Roberts, K C; Howard, A M; Harkema, J R; Calderón-Garcidueñas, L; Morgan, K T

2001-03-01

The rat has been used extensively as a health sentinel, indicator, or monitor of environmental health hazards, but this model has not been directly validated against human exposures. Humans in Mexico City show upper respiratory tract lesions and evidence of pulmonary damage related to their environmental inhalation exposure. In this study, male and female F344 rats were exposed (23 hr/day) in Mexico City to local Mexico City air (MCA)* for up to seven weeks. Controls were maintained at the same location under filtered air. Prior to these exposures, several steps were taken. First, the nasal passages of normal male rats shipped from the United States and housed in Mexico City were examined for mycoplasma infection; no evidence of infection was found. In addition, a mobile exposure and monitoring system was assembled and, with an ozone (O3) exposure atmosphere, was tested along with supporting histopathology techniques and analysis of rat nasal and lung tissues. Last, the entire exposure model (equipment and animals) was transported to Mexico City and validated for a three-week period. During the seven-week study there were 18 one-hour intervals during which the average O3 concentration of MCA in the exposure chamber exceeded the US National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) of 0.120 ppm 03 (hourly average, not to be exceeded more than once per year). This prolonged exposure of healthy F344 rats to MCA containing episodically low to moderate concentrations of 03 (as well as other urban air pollutants) did not induce inflammatory or epithelial lesions in the nasal airways or lung as measured by qualitative histologic techniques or quantitative morphometric techniques. These findings agree with those of previous controlled O3 inhalation studies, but they are in contrast to reports indicating that O3-polluted MCA causes significant nasal mucosal injury in adults and children living in southwestern Mexico City. Taken together, these findings may suggest that human

Structural Damage in Mexico City

OpenAIRE

Hall, John F.; Beck, James L.

1986-01-01

This paper describes the structural damage in Mexico City caused by the September 19, 1985 earthquake. Photographs which illustrate various features of structural behavior are included. One explanation is presented as to why buildings with fundamental periods of elastic vibration considerably below the predominant two‐second period of the ground motion were most vulnerable to damage.

Association of neighborhood-level factors with hospitalization for community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, New York City, 2006: a multilevel observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Farr, Amanda M; Marx, Melissa A; Weiss, Don; Nash, Denis

2013-02-13

Hospitalizations with community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) infection have increased in New York City, with substantial geographic variation across neighborhoods. While individual-level risk factors, such as age, sex, HIV infection, and diabetes have been described, the role of neighborhood-level factors (e.g., neighborhood HIV prevalence or income) has not been examined. To explore plausible neighborhood-level factors associated with CA-MRSA-related hospitalizations, a retrospective analysis was conducted using New York City hospital discharges from 2006 and New York City-specific survey and health department surveillance data. CA-MRSA-related hospitalizations were identified using diagnosis codes and admission information. Associations were determined by using sex-specific multilevel logistic regression. The CA-MRSA hospitalization rate varied by more than six-fold across New York City neighborhoods. Females hospitalized with CA-MRSA had more than twice the odds of residing in neighborhoods in the highest quintile of HIV prevalence (adjusted odds ratio [AOR](Q5 vs. Q1) 2.3, 95% CI: 1.2, 2.7). Both males and females hospitalized with CA-MRSA had nearly twice the odds of residing in neighborhoods with moderately high proportion of men who have sex with men (MSM) residing in the neighborhood (males: AOR(Q4 vs. Q1) 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.7; females: AOR(Q4 vs. Q1) 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1, 3.6); but this association did not hold for neighborhoods in the highest quintile (males: AOR(Q5 vs. Q1) 1.2, 95% CI: 0.76, 1.8; females: AOR(Q5 vs. Q1) 1.5, 95% CI: 0.82, 2.7). Neighborhood-level characteristics were associated with CA-MRSA hospitalization odds, independent of individual-level risk factors, and may contribute to the population-level burden of CA-MRSA infection.

A survey of ²²²Rn in drinking water in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Vázquez-López, C; Zendejas-Leal, B E; Golzarri, J I; Espinosa, G

2011-05-01

In Mexico City there are more than 22 millions of inhabitants (10 in the metropolitan area and 12 in the suburban zone) exposed to drinking water. The local epidemiological authorities recognised that exposure to radon contaminated drinking water is a potential health hazard, as has been considered worldwide. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a limit of 11.1 Bq l(-1) for the radon level in drinking water. In Mexico a maximum contamination level of radon in drinking water has not yet even considered. In this work, a (222)Rn study of drinking water in Mexico City has revealed a range of concentrations from background level to 3.8 Bq l(-1). (222)Rn was calculated using a portable degassing system (AquaKIT) associated with an AlphaGUARD measuring system. Samples from 70 wells of the water system of the south of the Valley Basin of Mexico City and from houses of some other political administrative divisions of Mexico City were taken.

Microcosms of democracy: imagining the city neighborhood in World War II-era America.

Science.gov (United States)

Looker, Benjamin

2010-01-01

This essay sketches the rise of a Popular Front-inflected vision of the U.S. city neighborhood's meaning and worth, a communitarian ideal that reached its zenith during World War II before receding in the face of cold-war anxieties, postwar suburbanization, and trepidation over creeping blight. During the war years, numerous progressives interpreted the ethnic-accented urban neighborhood as place where national values became most concrete, casting it as a uniquely American rebuff to the fascist drive for purity. Elaborations appeared in the popular press's celebratory cadences, in writings by educators and social scientists such as Rachel DuBois and Louis Wirth, and in novels, plays, and musicals by Sholem Asch, Louis Hazam, Kurt Weill, Langston Hughes, and others. Each offered new ways for making sense of urban space, yet their works reveal contradictions and uncertainties, particularly in an inability to meld competing impulses toward assimilation and particularism. Building on the volume's theme "The Arts in Place," this essay examines these texts as a collective form of imaginative "placemaking." It explores the conflicted mode of liberal nationalism that took the polyglot city neighborhood as emblem. And it outlines the fissures embedded in that vision, which emerged more fully as the provisional wartime consensus dissolved.

[Obesity or overweight and metabolic syndrome in Mexico City teenagers].

Science.gov (United States)

Cardoso-Saldaña, Guillermo C; Yamamoto-Kimura, Liria; Medina-Urrutia, Aida; Posadas-Sánchez, Rosalinda; Caracas-Portilla, Nacú A; Posadas-Romero, Carlos

2010-01-01

aim: To know the metabolic syndrome and its components prevalence in Mexico City adolescents sample. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 772 men and 1078 women, 12 to 16 years old, from 8 randomly selected public junior high schools in Mexico City. Anthropometric variables, lipids, lipoproteins, Apo AI and B, glucose and insulin were determined. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 12.5%, 11.15% in men and 13.5% en women (p ns). The most frequently metabolic syndrome component found in México City adolescents was low HDL-C levels (38%), followed by hypertriglyceridemia (25.5%), hypertension (19.2%), central obesity (11.8%) and elevated fasting glucose (1.7). Except by the hypertriglyceridemia, higher in woman than in men, 28.2% vs. 21.6%, p metabolic syndrome components was similar between males and females. The high prevalence of biochemical and physiological factors of metabolic syndrome, associated with overweight and obesity in Mexico City adolescents, increases the risk of premature development of coronary atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus in this population.

Mexico City Air Quality Research Initiative; Volume 5, Strategic evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-03-01

Members of the Task HI (Strategic Evaluation) team were responsible for the development of a methodology to evaluate policies designed to alleviate air pollution in Mexico City. This methodology utilizes information from various reports that examined ways to reduce pollutant emissions, results from models that calculate the improvement in air quality due to a reduction in pollutant emissions, and the opinions of experts as to the requirements and trade-offs that are involved in developing a program to address the air pollution problem in Mexico City. The methodology combines these data to produce comparisons between different approaches to improving Mexico City`s air quality. These comparisons take into account not only objective factors such as the air quality improvement or cost of the different approaches, but also subjective factors such as public acceptance or political attractiveness of the different approaches. The end result of the process is a ranking of the different approaches and, more importantly, the process provides insights into the implications of implementing a particular approach or policy.

Analysis of aerosol samples in Mexico City

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez, T.; Lartigue, J.; Zarazua, P.; Navarrete, M.; Ramirez, A.; Avila, P.

2000-01-01

Total solid particles and 9 metals potentially hazardous for health were determined in Mexico City dwellings by gravimetry and X-ray fluorescence techniques, respectively. Monitoring was performed in spring and winter, on districts covering center, northeast, southeast and southwest of the City. Results show that, in general, the average concentration of metallic contaminants have increased with time and, in the particular case of lead it is higher than the indicative WHO maximum level. The total solid particles figures are also above the U.S. norm of 75 μg.m -3 . Results obtained in samples taken in the same dwelling at different seasons show that lead was not present in a measurable concentration all the time. It seems to exist a correlation between the increase in lead and the increase in total solid particles whose distribution pattern in Mexico City follows wind directions. Another relevant correlation seems to exist between lead concentration and the rate of combustion of fuel in the transport system, which varies with the zone and the season. (author)

Lidar Monitoring of Mexico City's Atmosphere During High Air Pollution Episodes

Science.gov (United States)

Quick, C. R., Jr.; Archuleta, F. L.; Hof, D. E.; Karl, R. R., Jr.; Tiee, J. J., Jr.; Eichinger, W. E.; Holtkamp, D. B.; Tellier, L.

1992-01-01

Over the last two decades, Mexico City, like many large industrial and populous urban areas, has developed a serious air pollution problem, especially during the winter months when there are frequent temperature inversions and weak winds. The deteriorating air quality is the result of several factors. The basin within which Mexico City lies in Mexico's center of political, administrative and economic activity, generating 34 percent of the gross domestic product and 42 percent of the industrial revenue, and supporting a population which is rapidly approaching the 20 million mark. The basin is surrounded by mountains on three sides which end up preventing rapid dispersal of pollutants. Emissions from the transportation fleet (more than 3 million vehicles) are one of the primary pollution sources, and most are uncontrolled. Catalytic converters are just now working their way into the fleet. The Mexico City Air Quality Research Initiative in an international collaboration project between the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Mexican Petroleum Institute are dedicated to the investigation of the air quality problem in Mexico City. The main objective of the project is to identify and assess the cost and benefits of major options being proposed to improve the air quality. The project is organized into three main activity areas: (1) modeling and simulation; (2) characterization and measurements; and (3) strategic evaluation.

Durham Neighborhood Compass Neighborhoods

Data.gov (United States)

City and County of Durham, North Carolina — The Durham Neighborhood Compass is a quantitative indicators project with qualitative values, integrating data from local government, the Census Bureau and other...

Libraries in the Mexico City Earthquake.

Science.gov (United States)

de Zamora, Rosa Maria Fernandez

1990-01-01

As a result of damage from the Mexico City earthquake of September 1985, some of the busiest public and special libraries had to be closed. A National Committee for the Reconstruction of Libraries was established, and international support was received through the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions and other…

Public opinion on abortion in Mexico City after the landmark reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Kate S; García, Sandra G; Díaz Olavarrieta, Claudia; Villalobos-Hernández, Aremis; Rodríguez, Jorge Valencia; Smith, Patricio Sanhueza; Burks, Courtney

2011-09-01

This article presents findings from three opinion surveys conducted among representative samples of Mexico City residents: the first one immediately prior to the groundbreaking legalization of first-trimester abortion in April 2007, and one and two years after the reform. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess changes in opinion concerning abortion and correlates of favorable opinion following reform. In 2009 a clear majority (74 percent) of respondents were in support of the Mexico City law allowing for elective first-trimester abortion, compared with 63 percent in 2008 and 38 percent in 2007. A significant increase in support for extending the law to the rest of Mexico was found: from 51 percent in 2007 to 70 percent in 2008 and 83 percent in 2009. In 2008 the significant independent correlates of support for the Mexico City law were education, infrequent religious service attendance, sex (being male), and political party affiliation; in 2009 they were education beyond high school, infrequent religious service attendance, and ever having been married.

Neighborhood walkability and active travel (walking and cycling) in New York City.

Science.gov (United States)

Freeman, Lance; Neckerman, Kathryn; Schwartz-Soicher, Ofira; Quinn, James; Richards, Catherine; Bader, Michael D M; Lovasi, Gina; Jack, Darby; Weiss, Christopher; Konty, Kevin; Arno, Peter; Viola, Deborah; Kerker, Bonnie; Rundle, Andrew G

2013-08-01

Urban planners have suggested that built environment characteristics can support active travel (walking and cycling) and reduce sedentary behavior. This study assessed whether engagement in active travel is associated with neighborhood walkability measured for zip codes in New York City. Data were analyzed on engagement in active travel and the frequency of walking or biking ten blocks or more in the past month, from 8,064 respondents to the New York City 2003 Community Health Survey (CHS). A neighborhood walkability scale that measures: residential, intersection, and subway stop density; land use mix; and the ratio of retail building floor area to retail land area was calculated for each zip code. Data were analyzed using zero-inflated negative binomial regression incorporating survey sample weights and adjusting for respondents' sociodemographic characteristics. Overall, 44 % of respondents reported no episodes of active travel and among those who reported any episode, the mean number was 43.2 episodes per month. Comparing the 75th to the 25th percentile of zip code walkability, the odds ratio for reporting zero episodes of active travel was 0.71 (95 % CI 0.61, 0.83) and the exponentiated beta coefficient for the count of episodes of active travel was 1.13 (95 % CI 1.06, 1.21). Associations between lower walkability and reporting zero episodes of active travel were significantly stronger for non-Hispanic Whites as compared to non-Hispanic Blacks and to Hispanics and for those living in higher income zip codes. The results suggest that neighborhood walkability is associated with higher engagement in active travel.

Integrated model for characterization of spatiotemporal building energy consumption patterns in neighborhoods and city districts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fonseca, Jimeno A.; Schlueter, Arno

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A model to describe spatiotemporal building energy demand patterns was developed. • The model integrates existing methods in urban and energy planning domains. • The model is useful to analyze energy efficiency strategies in neighborhoods. • Applicability in educational, urban and energy planning practices was found. - Abstract: We introduce an integrated model for characterization of spatiotemporal building energy consumption patterns in neighborhoods and city districts. The model addresses the need for a comprehensive method to identify present and potential states of building energy consumption in the context of urban transformation. The focus lies on determining the spatiotemporal variability of energy services in both standing and future buildings in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors. This detailed characterization facilitates the assessment of potential energy efficiency measures at the neighborhood and city district scales. In a novel approach we integrated existing methods in urban and energy planning domains such as spatial analysis, dynamic building energy modeling and energy mapping to provide a comprehensive, multi-scale and multi-dimensional model of analysis. The model is part of a geographic information system (GIS), which serves as a platform for the allocation and future dissemination of spatiotemporal data. The model is validated against measured data and a peer model for a city district in Switzerland. In this context, we present practical applications in the analysis of energy efficiency measures in buildings and urban zoning. We furthermore discuss potential applications in educational, urban and energy planning practices

Crime and Context : The Impact of Individual, Neighborhood, City and Country Characteristics on Victimization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wilsem, Johan Arend van

2003-01-01

This book deals with the distribution of criminal victimization across social groups and spatial areas. Why do certain kinds of people run higher risk of victimization than others? Why do spatial units, such as neighborhoods, cities and countries, differ in their rates of victimization? The present

Studying neighborhood crime across different macro spatial scales: The case of robbery in 4 cities.

Science.gov (United States)

Hipp, John R; Wo, James C; Kim, Young-An

2017-11-01

Whereas there is a burgeoning literature focusing on the spatial distribution of crime events across neighborhoods or micro-geographic units in a specific city, the present study expands this line of research by selecting four cities that vary across two macro-spatial dimensions: population in the micro-environment, and population in the broader macro-environment. We assess the relationship between measures constructed at different spatial scales and robbery rates in blocks in four cities: 1) San Francisco (high in micro- and macro-environment population); 2) Honolulu (high in micro- but low in macro-environment population); 3) Los Angeles (low in micro- but high in macro-environment population); 4) Sacramento (low in micro- and macro-environment population). Whereas the socio-demographic characteristics of residents further than ½ mile away do not impact robbery rates, the number of people up to 2.5 miles away are related to robbery rates, especially in the two cities with smaller micro-environment population, implying a larger spatial scale than is often considered. The results show that coefficient estimates differ somewhat more between cities differing in micro-environment population compared to those differing based on macro-environment population. It is therefore necessary to consider the broader macro-environment even when focusing on the level of crime across neighborhoods or micro-geographic units within an area. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

76 FR 58772 - Safety & Security Trade Mission; Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-22

... dinner at a local restaurant--group transportation will be provided. On February 1, participants will.... Group dinner at local restaurant (no host). February 1 Mexico City/Monterrey. Breakfast (no host... ability to meet certain conditions and to satisfy the selection criteria as outlined below. This mission...

[The control of urban growth in Mexico City. Suppositions regarding poor planning].

Science.gov (United States)

Aguilar, A G; Olvera, G

1991-01-01

It is argued that mechanisms for planning land use and controlling urban expansion in Mexico City have failed to achieve their aims. Although in theory Mexico's urban planning process has recently attempted to go beyond purely physical aspects to include socioeconomic dimensions, it has in fact been inflexible and oriented to exclusively to technical and administrative aspects, to the detriment of social distribution goals. Planning instruments have not included important aspects such as specific mechanisms for altering employment structures or income levels or mechanisms for providing access to land or housing to the most disadvantaged groups. The urban planning process in Mexico City, instead of assuming a socially compensatory role in favor of disadvantaged groups, has maintained the status quo or discriminated in favor of the already advantaged. The spatial and technical orientation or urban planning in Mexico City does not leave room for a well-defined social policy. The population of the Mexico City metropolitan Zone increased from 3 million in 1950 to 18 million in 1985, while its total area increased from 11,750 hectares in 1940 to 125,000 in 1985. Transfer of population from the Federal District to the conurban municipios of the state of Mexico has been very significant since the 1970s. Around 20% of the total area of metropolitan Mexico City has been settled through illegal means, with communal and ejido lands accounting for a large share. Settlements on some 60% of lands in metroplitan Mexico City were illegal or irregular at some time. Low income housing is the cheapest form for the government because the frequently illegal status of settlers prevents them from making any demands for services or equipment for the 1st several years. Construction is undertaken and financed almost entirely by the settlers themselves, freeing the government of responsibility in regard to the constitutionally mandated right of all Mexicans to housing. The Urban Development

The prehospital emergency care system in Mexico City: a system's performance evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Peralta, Luis Mauricio Pinet

2006-01-01

Mexico City has one of the highest mortality rates in Mexico, with non-intentional injuries as a leading cause of death among persons 1-44 years of age. Emergency medical services (EMS) in Mexico can achieve high levels of efficiency by offering high quality medical care at a low cost through adequate system design. The objective of this study was to determine whether the prehospital EMS system in Mexico City meets the criteria standards established by the American Ambulance Association Guide for Contracting Emergency Medical Services (AAA Guide) for highly efficient EMS systems. This retrospective, descriptive study, evaluated the structure of Mexico City's EMS system and analyzed EMS response times, clinical capacity, economic efficiency, and customer satisfaction. These results were compared with the AAA guide, according to the soc ial, economic, and political context in Mexico. This paper describes the healthcare system structure in Mexico, followed by a description of the basic structure of EMS in Mexico City, and of each tenet described in the AAA guide. The p aper includesdata obtained from official documents and databases of government agencies, and operative and administrative data from public and private EMS providers. The quality of the data for response times (RT) were insufficient and widely varied among providers, with a minimum RT of 6.79 minutes (min) and a maximum RT of 61 min. Providers did not define RT clearly, and measured it with averages, which can hide potentially poor performance practices. Training institutions are not required to follow a standardized curriculum. Certifications are the responsibility of the individual training centers and have no government regulation. There was no evidence of active medical control involvement in direct patient care, and providers did not report that quality assurance programs were in place. There also are limited career advancement opportunities for EMS personnel. Small economies of scale may not allow

The economic impact of Mexico City's smoke-free law.

Science.gov (United States)

López, Carlos Manuel Guerrero; Ruiz, Jorge Alberto Jiménez; Shigematsu, Luz Myriam Reynales; Waters, Hugh R

2011-07-01

To evaluate the economic impact of Mexico City's 2008 smoke-free law--The Non-Smokers' Health Protection Law on restaurants, bars and nightclubs. We used the Monthly Services Survey of businesses from January 2005 to April 2009--with revenues, employment and payments to employees as the principal outcomes. The results are estimated using a differences-in-differences regression model with fixed effects. The states of Jalisco, Nuevo León and México, where the law was not in effect, serve as a counterfactual comparison group. In restaurants, after accounting for observable factors and the fixed effects, there was a 24.8% increase in restaurants' revenue associated with the smoke-free law. This difference is not statistically significant but shows that, on average, restaurants did not suffer economically as a result of the law. Total wages increased by 28.2% and employment increased by 16.2%. In nightclubs, bars and taverns there was a decrease of 1.5% in revenues and an increase of 0.1% and 3.0%, respectively, in wages and employment. None of these effects are statistically significant in multivariate analysis. There is no statistically significant evidence that the Mexico City smoke-free law had a negative impact on restaurants' income, employees' wages and levels of employment. On the contrary, the results show a positive, though statistically non-significant, impact of the law on most of these outcomes. Mexico City's experience suggests that smoke-free laws in Mexico and elsewhere will not hurt economic productivity in the restaurant and bar industries.

Containing a contagion : crime and homosexuality in post-revolutionary Mexico City

OpenAIRE

Cook, Stephen Sherrard

2008-01-01

Primarily based upon archival resources at the Archivo Histórico del Distrito Federal (AHDF) and the Archivo General de la Nación (AGN) in Mexico City, this thesis is a social and cultural history of the criminalization and punishment of homosexuality during the 1920s and 1930s in Mexico City. The bulk of the primary historical research is based upon two separate spheres of homosexual-related criminal cases, adult and juvenile homosexual 'criminal' cases. The Archivo Histórico houses adult cr...

The Association Between Neighborhood Poverty and HIV Diagnoses Among Males and Females in New York City, 2010–2011

Science.gov (United States)

Bocour, Angelica; Kersanske, Laura S.; Bodach, Sara D.; Xia, Qiang; Braunstein, Sarah L.

2016-01-01

Objective We assessed the association of neighborhood poverty with HIV diagnosis rates for males and females in New York City. Methods We calculated annual HIV diagnosis rates by ZIP Code, sex, and neighborhood poverty level using 2010–2011 New York City (NYC) HIV surveillance data and data from the U.S. Census 2010 and American Community Survey 2007–2011. Neighborhood poverty levels were percentage of residents in a ZIP Code with incomes below the federal poverty threshold, categorized as 0%–poverty), 10%–poverty), 20%–poverty), and 30%–100% (very high poverty). We used sex-stratified negative binomial regression models to measure the association between neighborhood-level poverty and HIV diagnosis rates, controlling for neighborhood-level education, race/ethnicity, age, and percentage of men who have sex with men. Results In 2010–2011, 6,184 people were newly diagnosed with HIV. Median diagnosis rates per 100,000 population increased by neighborhood poverty level overall (13.7, 34.3, 50.6, and 75.6 for low-, medium-, high-, and very high-poverty ZIP Codes, respectively), for males, and for females. In regression models, higher neighborhood poverty remained associated with higher diagnosis rates among males (adjusted rate ratio [ARR] = 1.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.34, 1.97) and females (ARR=2.14, 95% CI 1.46, 3.14) for very high- vs. low-poverty ZIP Codes. Conclusion Living in very high- vs. low-poverty urban neighborhoods was associated with increased HIV diagnosis rates. After controlling for other factors, the association between poverty and diagnosis rates was stronger among females than among males. Alleviating poverty may help decrease HIV-related disparities. PMID:26957664

[Availability of condoms in Mexico City].

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández-Girón, C; Cruz-Valdez, A; Quiterio-Trenado, M; Avila-Burgos, L; Peruga, A; Hernández-Avila, M

2001-12-01

At the beginning of 1999, Mexico occupied third place, after USA and Brazil, in the number of accumulated cases of AIDS (38,390 notified cases) in America. More than 80% of the cases corresponded to men between 20 and 44 years old. The transmission by sexual route has increased in both sexes, the proportion of men infected by sexual contact increased from 85% in 1991 to 90% in 1998 and in women this proportion increased from 41% in 1991 to 57% in 1998. The ratio male/female of cases of AIDS has varied from 17:1 in 1983 to 6:1 in 1998. Condom use is considered an effective method for the prevention of the transmission of STI's/HIV and therefore the availability is of paramount importance to promote use with the finality of combating these diseases. A simple randomized sampling was done in 612 establishments that included: drugstore, bars and nightclubs, hotels and motels, self-service shops and health centers in Mexico City, where am cross sectional study was performed during June and July of 1995, to evaluate the availability of condoms considering three important items: a) percent per capita required to buy an annual endowment of 100 condoms in comparison with this same indicator reported in other countries; b) physical availability, on behalf of the Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, that considers the volume of existing condoms to be utilized for a year by the public sector in this city; c) physical availability of condoms in different evaluated locations. In order to purchase an annual supply of condoms an individual needs the assign $500 (Pesos) which represents 2.3 to 2.6% of the annual GNP per capita for 1998 and 1997 respectively. The physical availability of condoms, on behalf of the Secretaría de Salud, Mexico City, was 94.9% in health centers. In drugstores, hotels and motels, self-service shops, bars and nightclubs the availability of condoms was 100%, 82.9%, 75% and 1.2%, respectively. It has been documented that the adequate use of condom is an

Connecting Schools to Neighborhood Revitalization: The Case of the Maple Heights Neighborhood Association

Science.gov (United States)

Pesch, Lawrence P.

2014-01-01

This case study focuses on the way a neighborhood association connects schools to broad change in an urban neighborhood of a large Midwestern city. The first section provides a review of the literature on community involvement in school and neighborhood reform. It reviews the historical origins of the current school-community relationship, the…

Urban air pollution, study of Mexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bauer, M [PUE-UNAM (Mexico); Guzman, F [Inst. Mexicano del Petroleo (Mexico); Navarro, B [Univ. Autonoma Metropolitana (Mexico)

1996-12-01

The Metropolitan Area of Mexico City (MAMC) is an outstanding case of a fast urban development with lagging, and thus insufficient, massive transportation facilities. This has given rise to a distorted transportation system that accounts for most of the air pollution problem of the city and constitutes a drag on economic development. In this paper, we first describe the MAMC geographical conditions, its growth in physical and economic terms, its transportation system, the ensuring air pollution problems together with some of the mitigation actions undertaken. Afterwards the results of a survey of the displacements of individuals within the city and the time spent on these are presented, to then draw some considerations on the negative economic impact it represents. (EG)

Epidemiology of major depression in four cities in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Slone, Laurie B; Norris, Fran H; Murphy, Arthur D; Baker, Charlene K; Perilla, Julia L; Diaz, Dayna; Rodriguez, Francisco Gutiérrez; Gutiérrez Rodriguez, José de Jesús

2006-01-01

Analyses were conducted to estimate lifetime and current prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) for four representative cities of Mexico, to identify variables that influence the probability of MDD, and to further describe depression in Mexican culture. A multistage probability sampling design was used to draw a sample of 2,509 adults in four different regions of Mexico. MDD was assessed according to DSM-IV criteria by using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview collected by trained lay interviewers. The prevalence of MDD in these four cities averaged 12.8% for lifetime and 6.1% for the previous 12 months. MDD was highly comorbid with other mental disorders. Women were more likely to have lifetime MDD than were men. Being divorced, separated, or widowed (compared to married or never married) and having experienced childhood trauma were related to higher lifetime prevalence but not to current prevalence. In addition, age and education level were related to current 12-month MDD. Data on the profile of MDD in urban Mexico are provided. This research expands our understanding of MDD across cultures.

Qualitative evidence on abortion stigma from Mexico City and five states in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Sorhaindo, Annik M; Juárez-Ramírez, Clara; Díaz Olavarrieta, Claudia; Aldaz, Evelyn; Mejía Piñeros, María Consuelo; Garcia, Sandra

2014-01-01

Social manifestations of abortion stigma depend upon cultural, legal, and religious context. Abortion stigma in Mexico is under-researched. This study explored the sources, experiences, and consequences of stigma from the perspectives of women who had had an abortion, male partners, and members of the general population in different regional and legal contexts. We explored abortion stigma in Mexico City where abortion is legal in the first trimester and five states-Chihuahua, Chiapas, Jalisco, Oaxaca, and Yucatán-where abortion remains restricted. In each state, we conducted three focus groups-men ages 24-40 years (n = 36), women 25-40 years (n = 37), and young women ages 18-24 years (n = 27)-and four in-depth face-to-face interviews in total; two with women (n = 12) and two with the male partners of women who had had an abortion (n = 12). For 4 of the 12 women, this was their second abortion. This exploratory study suggests that abortion stigma was influenced by norms that placed a high value on motherhood and a conservative Catholic discourse. Some participants in this study described abortion as an "indelible mark" on a woman's identity and "divine punishment" as a consequence. Perspectives encountered in Mexico City often differed from the conservative postures in the states.

An analysis of a low-energy, low-water use community in Mexico City

Science.gov (United States)

Bermudez Alcocer, Jose Luis

This study investigated how to determine a potential scenario to reduce energy, water and transportation use in Mexico City by implementing low-energy, low-water use communities. The proposed mixed-use community has multi-family apartments and a small grocery store. The research included the analysis of: case studies, energy simulation, and hand calculations for water, transportation and cost analysis. The previous case studies reviewed include: communities in Mexico City, Mexico, Austin, Texas, Phoenix, Arizona, New York City, New York and San Diego, California in terms of successful low-energy, low-water use projects. The analysis and comparison of these centers showed that the Multifamiliar Miguel Aleman is an excellent candidate to be examined for Mexico City. This technical potential study evaluated energy conserving measures such as low-energy appliances and efficient lighting that could be applied to the apartments in Mexico City to reduce energy-use. The use of the simulations and manual calculations showed that the application of the mixed-use concept was successful in reducing the energy and water use and the corresponding carbon footprint. Finally, this technical potential study showed taking people out of their cars as a result of the presence of the on-site grocery store, small recreation center and park on the ground floor also reduced their overall transportation energy-use. The improvement of the whole community (i.e., apartments plus grocery store) using energy-efficient measures provided a reduction of 70 percent of energy from the base-case. In addition a 69 percent reduction in water-use was achieved by using water-saving fixtures and greywater reuse technologies for the complex. The combination of high-efficiency automobiles and the presence of the on-site grocery store, small recreation center and park potentially reduced the transportation energy-use by 65 percent. The analysis showed an energy cost reduction of 82 percent reduction for

Seismic Hazard Management in Mexico City

Science.gov (United States)

Wintergerst, L.

2007-05-01

Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world. More than 8.5 million residents and 4.5 million floating population are in the city itself, but with the surrounding suburbs the number of people that could be affected by natural and man-made hazards rises to approximately 20 million. The main risk to the city as a whole is a large magnitude earthquake. Since there is reason to prepare for a credible seismic scenario of Mw = 8.2, which would exceed the damages caused during the 1985 earthquake (Mw = 8.1), we founded the Metropolitan Geologic Service (MGS) in 1998. The MGS has developed geologic and seismic hazard maps for the city (http:www.proteccioncivil.df.gob.mx). The maps include three separate risk maps for low height (3 stories), medium height (10 stories) and tall buildings (10 stories). The maps were prepared by using the maximum horizontal accelerations documented during the 1985 earthquake, and wave propagation modeling for buildings of different resonant periods (T = 0.0, 1.0 and 2.0 sec). In all cases, the risk zones were adjusted to include documented damage during the 1957, 1979 and 1985 earthquakes. All three maps show a high risk zone in the north-central portion of the city, elongated in a N-S direction, which corresponds with a narrow graben where the thickness of alluvial sediments is particularly large, and where wave amplification is accentuated. Preparation of these maps, and others used for planning, has been facilitated by the ongoing elaboration of a Dynamic Geographical Information System, which is based on geo-scientific information, includes all types of risks, and incorporates vulnerability models. From the risk management standpoint, we have elaborated the Permanent Contingency Plan for Mexico City, which in its Earthquakes chapter includes plans for coordination and for organizing attention to the population in the event of a seismic disaster. This Permanent Plan follows the philosophy of Descartes' Method, has 11 processes (6

Community, Democracy, and Neighborhood News.

Science.gov (United States)

Hindman, Elizabeth Blanks

1998-01-01

Contributes to scholarship on democracy, community, and journalism by examining the interplay between communication, democracy, and community at an inner-city neighborhood newspaper. Concludes that, through its focus on neighborhood culture, acknowledgment of conflict, and attempts to provide a forum for the neighborhood's self-definition, the…

[Scientific evidence on the legalization of abortion in Mexico City].

Science.gov (United States)

Gayón-Vera, Eduardo

2010-03-01

On April 24 2007, abortion before 12 weeks became legal in Mexico City. The arguments for this decision were: diminish the maternal morbidity and mortality, avoid a "severe health problem" and accomplish the women's physical, mental and social well being. To analyze the scientific evidences that support or reject this arguments. Retrospective study realized by bibliographic search of electronic data basis and Internet portals of interested groups. Mexico is considered by the World Health Organization, one of the countries in the world with low maternal mortality rates (abortion". In the hospitals of the Mexican Institute of Social Security, maternal deaths as consequence of induced abortions were, approximately, three every year. The evidences used as arguments in favor of abortion come from studies performed in Sub-Saharan African countries, which do not apply to Mexico. The scientific evidences show that induced abortion has important psychological sequels in women, a higher frequency of illegal drug abuse, alcoholism, child abuse, low birth weight in the following pregnancy, greater risk of subsequent miscarriage and greater mortality rate. There are no scientific evidences to support the arguments used for the legal approval of abortion in Mexico City.

Characterization of microbial and metal contamination in flooded New York City neighborhoods following Superstorm Sandy

Science.gov (United States)

Dueker, M.; O'Mullan, G. D.; Sahajpal, R.

2013-12-01

Large scale flooding of waterfront neighborhoods occurred in New York City (NYC) during Superstorm Sandy. While NYC waterways commonly experience combined sewer overflow (CSO) and associated water quality degradation during rain storms, Superstorm Sandy was unique in that these potentially contaminated waters were transported over the banks and into city streets and buildings. Sampling of waterways, storm debris on city streets, and flood water trapped in building basements occurred in the days following Sandy, including in neighborhoods bordering the Gowanus Canal and Newtown Creek, which are both Superfund sites known to frequently contain high levels of sewage associated bacteria and metal contamination. Samples enumerated for the sewage indicating bacterium, Enterococcus, suggest that well-flushed waterways recovered quickly from sewage contamination in the days following the storm, with Enterococci concentrations similar to background levels measured before flooding occurred. In contrast, storm debris on city streets and waters from flooded basements had much higher levels of sewage-associated bacteria days after flooding occurred. Analysis of 180,000 bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained from flood water samples and flood debris confirmed the presence of bacterial genera often associated with sewage impacted samples (e.g. Escherichia, Streptococcus, Clostridium, Trichococcus, Aeromonas) and a community composition similar to CSO discharge. Elemental analysis suggests low levels of metal contamination in most flood water, but much higher levels of Cu, Pb, and Cr were found in leach from some storm debris samples found adjacent to the Newtown Creek and Gowanus Canal superfund sites. These data suggest a rapid recovery of water quality in local waterways after Superstorm Sandy, but that trapped flood water and debris samples in urban neighborhoods retained elevated levels of microbial sewage pollution, and in some cases metal pollution, days after that

Neighborhoods, Social and Cultural Correlates of Obesity Risk among Latinos living on the U.S.-Mexico border in Southern California.

Science.gov (United States)

Baquero, Barbara; Molina, Marisa; Elder, John P; Norman, Gregory J; Ayala, Guadalupe X

2016-01-01

We explored the relationship between obesity and neighborhood-related, social, and cultural variables and possible moderation by acculturation and cross-national practices. We obtained data from the 2009 San Diego Prevention Research Center's community survey, which used multistage sampling methods to recruit 397 adult respondents and conducted multilevel logistic analytic methods. Nearly half of the respondents were obese. Respondents had low acculturation scores and reported crossing the U.S.-Mexico border about three times per month, mostly to visit family and friends. Neighborhoods where respondents lived were predominantly Latino and had 27% home ownership. A significant cross-level interaction emerged: those who reported crossing the border and reported higher levels of collective efficacy were more likely to be obese than those who had not crossed. Study findings provide evidence of the complex relationship among obesity risk factors in a U.S.-Mexico border community that warrant further examination to prevent and control obesity.

Energy and the environment: the case of the Metropolitan area of Mexico City

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bazan N, G.

1992-01-01

The inefficient use of energy by the different types of consumers of the Metropolitan area of Mexico City (ZMCM, this means, Mexico city and the municipalities of the Estado de Mexico, which constitute a single economic population unit), is one of the main causes for the production of polluting emissions into the atmosphere, specially of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide. This originates a deterioration of the environment, which injures the health of the population. As a consequence, the private and public sectors have been forced to establish programs in order to improve the use of energy, as well as to preserve the environment. (Author)

Environmental injustice along the US-Mexico border: residential proximity to industrial parks in Tijuana, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Grineski, Sara E.; Collins, Timothy W.; de Lourdes Romo Aguilar, María

2015-09-01

Research in the Global North (e.g., US, Europe) has revealed robust patterns of environmental injustice whereby low income and minority residents face exposure to industrial hazards in their neighborhoods. A small body of research suggests that patterns of environmental injustice may diverge between the Global North and South due to differing urban development trajectories. This study uses quantitative environmental justice methods to examine spatial relationships between residential socio-demographics and industrial parks in Tijuana, Baja California Norte, Mexico using 2010 census data for Tijuana’s 401 neighborhoods and municipality-provided locations of industrial parks in the city. Results of spatial lag regression models reveal that formal development is significantly associated with industrial park density, and it accounts for the significant effect of higher socioeconomic status (measured using mean education) on greater industrial density. Higher proportions of female-headed households are also significantly associated with industrial park density, while higher proportions of children and recent migrants are not. The formal development findings align with other studies in Mexico and point to the importance of urban development trajectories in shaping patterns of environmental injustice. The risks for female-headed households are novel in the Mexican context. One potential explanation is that women factory workers live near their places of employment. A second, albeit counterintuitive explanation, is the relative economic advantage experienced by female-headed households in Mexico.

Neighborhoods, US, 2017, Zillow, SEGS

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — This web service depicts nearly 17,000 neighborhood boundaries in over 650 U.S. cities. Zillow created the neighborhood boundaries and is sharing them with the...

Taking Control of Air Pollution in Mexico City

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Nancy Minogue

la Mujer del Distrito Federal (Women's Institute of Mexico City). The researchers ... nator of workplace health, who led the project's first module. Tangible ... mountains, they say it's a good day. If they can't, they ... Empowering women to foster social and politi- ... added to attract and motivate better consumption practices and.

Impact of residential displacement on healthcare access and mental health among original residents of gentrifying neighborhoods in New York City.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Sungwoo; Chan, Pui Ying; Walters, Sarah; Culp, Gretchen; Huynh, Mary; Gould, L Hannah

2017-01-01

As gentrification continues in New York City as well as other urban areas, residents of lower socioeconomic status maybe at higher risk for residential displacement. Yet, there have been few quantitative assessments of the health impacts of displacement. The objective of this paper is to assess the association between displacement and healthcare access and mental health among the original residents of gentrifying neighborhoods in New York City. We used 2 data sources: 1) 2005-2014 American Community Surveys to identify gentrifying neighborhoods in New York City, and 2) 2006-2014 Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System. Our cohort included 12,882 residents of gentrifying neighborhoods in 2006 who had records of emergency department visits or hospitalization at least once every 2 years in 2006-2014. Rates of emergency department visits and hospitalizations post-baseline were compared between residents who were displaced and those who remained. During 2006-2014, 23% were displaced. Compared with those who remained, displaced residents were more likely to make emergency department visits and experience hospitalizations, mainly due to mental health (Rate Ratio = 1.8, 95% confidence interval = 1.5, 2.2), after controlling for baseline demographics, health status, healthcare utilization, residential movement, and the neighborhood of residence in 2006. These findings suggest negative impacts of displacement on healthcare access and mental health, particularly among adults living in urban areas and with a history of frequent emergency department visits or hospitalizations.

Impact of residential displacement on healthcare access and mental health among original residents of gentrifying neighborhoods in New York City.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sungwoo Lim

Full Text Available As gentrification continues in New York City as well as other urban areas, residents of lower socioeconomic status maybe at higher risk for residential displacement. Yet, there have been few quantitative assessments of the health impacts of displacement. The objective of this paper is to assess the association between displacement and healthcare access and mental health among the original residents of gentrifying neighborhoods in New York City.We used 2 data sources: 1 2005-2014 American Community Surveys to identify gentrifying neighborhoods in New York City, and 2 2006-2014 Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System. Our cohort included 12,882 residents of gentrifying neighborhoods in 2006 who had records of emergency department visits or hospitalization at least once every 2 years in 2006-2014. Rates of emergency department visits and hospitalizations post-baseline were compared between residents who were displaced and those who remained.During 2006-2014, 23% were displaced. Compared with those who remained, displaced residents were more likely to make emergency department visits and experience hospitalizations, mainly due to mental health (Rate Ratio = 1.8, 95% confidence interval = 1.5, 2.2, after controlling for baseline demographics, health status, healthcare utilization, residential movement, and the neighborhood of residence in 2006.These findings suggest negative impacts of displacement on healthcare access and mental health, particularly among adults living in urban areas and with a history of frequent emergency department visits or hospitalizations.

Spatial Analysis of the Level of Exposure to Seismic Hazards of Health Facilities in Mexico City, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, S.; Novelo-Casanova, D. A.

2011-12-01

Although health facilities are essential infrastructure during disasters and emergencies, they are also usually highly vulnerable installations in the case of the occurrence of large and major earthquakes. Hospitals are one of the most complex critical facilities in modern cities and they are used as first response in emergency situations. The operability of a hospital must be maintained after the occurrence of a local strong earthquake in order to satisfy the need for medical care of the affected population. If a health facility is seriously damaged, it cannot fulfill its function when most is needed. In this case, hospitals become a casualty of the disaster. To identify the level of physical exposure of hospitals to seismic hazards in Mexico City, we analyzed their geographic location with respect to the seismic response of the different type of soils of the city from past earthquakes, mainly from the events that occurred on September 1985 (Ms= 8.0) and April 1989 (Ms= 6.9). Seismic wave amplification in this city is the result of the interaction of the incoming seismic waves with the soft and water saturated clay soils, on which a large part of Mexico City is built. The clay soils are remnants of the lake that existed in the Valley of Mexico and which has been drained gradually to accommodate the growing urban sprawl. Hospital facilities were converted from a simple database of names and locations into a map layer of resources. This resource layer was combined with other map layers showing areas of seismic microzonation in Mexico City. This overlay was then used to identify those hospitals that may be threatened by the occurrence of a large or major seismic event. We analyzed the public and private hospitals considered as main health facilities. Our results indicate that more than 50% of the hospitals are highly exposed to seismic hazards. Besides, in most of these health facilities we identified the lack of preventive measures and preparedness to reduce their

Heat and Humidity in the City: Neighborhood Heat Index Variability in a Mid-Sized City in the Southeastern United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Hass, Alisa L; Ellis, Kelsey N; Reyes Mason, Lisa; Hathaway, Jon M; Howe, David A

2016-01-11

Daily weather conditions for an entire city are usually represented by a single weather station, often located at a nearby airport. This resolution of atmospheric data fails to recognize the microscale climatic variability associated with land use decisions across and within urban neighborhoods. This study uses heat index, a measure of the combined effects of temperature and humidity, to assess the variability of heat exposure from ten weather stations across four urban neighborhoods and two control locations (downtown and in a nearby nature center) in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. Results suggest that trees may negate a portion of excess urban heat, but are also associated with greater humidity. As a result, the heat index of locations with more trees is significantly higher than downtown and areas with fewer trees. Trees may also reduce heat stress by shading individuals from incoming radiation, though this is not considered in this study. Greater amounts of impervious surfaces correspond with reduced evapotranspiration and greater runoff, in terms of overall mass balance, leading to a higher temperature, but lower relative humidity. Heat index and relative humidity were found to significantly vary between locations with different tree cover and neighborhood characteristics for the full study time period as well as for the top 10% of heat index days. This work demonstrates the need for high-resolution climate data and the use of additional measures beyond temperature to understand urban neighborhood exposure to extreme heat, and expresses the importance of considering vulnerability differences among residents when analyzing neighborhood-scale impacts.

Heat and Humidity in the City: Neighborhood Heat Index Variability in a Mid-Sized City in the Southeastern United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alisa L. Hass

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Daily weather conditions for an entire city are usually represented by a single weather station, often located at a nearby airport. This resolution of atmospheric data fails to recognize the microscale climatic variability associated with land use decisions across and within urban neighborhoods. This study uses heat index, a measure of the combined effects of temperature and humidity, to assess the variability of heat exposure from ten weather stations across four urban neighborhoods and two control locations (downtown and in a nearby nature center in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. Results suggest that trees may negate a portion of excess urban heat, but are also associated with greater humidity. As a result, the heat index of locations with more trees is significantly higher than downtown and areas with fewer trees. Trees may also reduce heat stress by shading individuals from incoming radiation, though this is not considered in this study. Greater amounts of impervious surfaces correspond with reduced evapotranspiration and greater runoff, in terms of overall mass balance, leading to a higher temperature, but lower relative humidity. Heat index and relative humidity were found to significantly vary between locations with different tree cover and neighborhood characteristics for the full study time period as well as for the top 10% of heat index days. This work demonstrates the need for high-resolution climate data and the use of additional measures beyond temperature to understand urban neighborhood exposure to extreme heat, and expresses the importance of considering vulnerability differences among residents when analyzing neighborhood-scale impacts.

Mexico City air quality: Progress of an international collaborative project to define air quality management options

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Streit, G.E.

1992-01-01

Mexico City, faces a severe air pollution problem due to a combination of circumstances. The city is in a high mountain basin at a subtropical latitude. The basin setting inhibits dispersion of pollution and contributes to frequent wintertime thermal inversions which further trap pollutants near the surface. The elevation and latitude combine to provide plentiful sunshine which, in comparison to more northern latitudes, is enhanced in the UV radiation which drives atmospheric photochemistry to produce secondary pollutants such as ozone. The Area Metropolitana de la Ciudad de Mexico AMCW is defined to include the 16 delegations of the Federal District (D.F.) and 17 highly urbanized municipalities in the State of Mexico which border the D.F. The 1990 census (XI Censo General de Poblacion y Vivienda de 1990) records that slightly over 15 million people live in the AMCM. There are numerous other nearby communities which are in the airshed region of Mexico City, but which are not included in the definition and population of the AMCM. The Mexico City Air Quality Research Initiative is one project that is examining the complex relationship between air pollution, economic growth, societal values, and air quality management policies. The project utilizes a systems approach including computer modeling, comprehensive measurement studies of Mexico City's air pollutants, environmental chemical reaction studies and socioeconomic analysis. Los Alamos National Laboratory (USA) and the Mexican Petroleum Institute are the designated lead institutions

Aerosol Light Absorption and Scattering in Mexico City: Comparison With Las Vegas, NV, and Los Angeles, CA.

Science.gov (United States)

Paredes-Miranda, G.; Arnott, W. P.; Gaffney, J. S.; Marley, N. A.; Campbell, D.; Fujita, E.

2007-12-01

Aerosol light scattering and absorption measurements were deployed in and near Mexico City in March 2006 as part of the Megacity Impacts on Regional and Global Environments (MIRAGE). The primary site in Mexico City was an urban site at Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo (Mexican Oil Institute, denoted by IMP). Similar campaigns were held in Las Vegas, NV in January-February, 2003; and Los Angeles, CA at numerous sites during all seasons from 2003 through 2007. The IMP site gave in-situ characterization of the Mexico City plume under favorable wind conditions. The photoacoustic instrument (PAS) used at IMP operates at 532 nm, and conveniently allowed for characterization of gaseous absorption at this wavelength as well. Light scattering measurements are accomplished within the PAS by the reciprocal nephelometery method. In Mexico City the aerosol absorption coefficient typically varies between 20 and 180 Mm-1 during the course of the day and significant diurnal variation of the aerosol single scattering albedo was observed probably as a consequence of secondary aerosol formation. We will present the diurnal variation of the scattering and absorption as well as the single scattering albedo and fraction of absorption due to gases at the IMP site and compare with Las Vegas diurnal variation. Mexico City 'breaths' more during the course of the day than Las Vegas, Nevada in part because the latitude of Mexico City resulted in more direct solar radiation. Further insight on the meteorological connections and population dynamics will be discussed.

Connecting Urbanization to Precipitation: the case of Mexico City

Science.gov (United States)

Georgescu, Matei

2017-04-01

Considerable evidence exists illustrating the influence of urban environments on precipitation. We revisit this theme of significant interest to a broad spectrum of disciplines ranging from urban planning to engineering to urban numerical modeling and climate, by detailing the simulated effect of Mexico City's built environment on regional precipitation. Utilizing the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) system to determine spatiotemporal changes in near-surface air temperature, precipitation, and boundary layer conditions induced by the modern-day urban landscape relative to presettlement conditions, I mechanistically link the built environment-induced increase in air temperature to simulated increases in rainfall during the evening hours. This simulated increase in precipitation is in agreement with historical observations documenting observed rainfall increase. These results have important implications for understanding the meteorological conditions leading to the widespread and recurrent urban flooding that continues to plague the Mexico City Metropolitan Area.

Beyond Neighborhood Food Environments: Distance Traveled to Food Establishments in 5 US Cities, 2009-2011.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jodi L; Han, Bing; Cohen, Deborah A

2015-08-06

Accurate conceptualizations of neighborhood environments are important in the design of policies and programs aiming to improve access to healthy food. Neighborhood environments are often defined by administrative units or buffers around points of interest. An individual may eat and shop for food within or outside these areas, which may not reflect accessibility of food establishments. This article examines the relevance of different definitions of food environments. We collected data on trips to food establishments using a 1-week food and travel diary and global positioning system devices. Spatial-temporal clustering methods were applied to identify homes and food establishments visited by study participants. We identified 513 visits to food establishments (sit-down restaurants, fast-food/convenience stores, malls or stores, groceries/supermarkets) by 135 participants in 5 US cities. The average distance between the food establishments and homes was 2.6 miles (standard deviation, 3.7 miles). Only 34% of the visited food establishments were within participants' neighborhood census tract. Buffers of 1 or 2 miles around the home covered 55% to 65% of visited food establishments. There was a significant difference in the mean distances to food establishments types (P = .008). On average, participants traveled the longest distances to restaurants and the shortest distances to groceries/supermarkets. Many definitions of the neighborhood food environment are misaligned with individual travel patterns, which may help explain the mixed findings in studies of neighborhood food environments. Neighborhood environments defined by actual travel activity may provide more insight on how the food environment influences dietary and food shopping choices.

Modeling Thermal Comfort and Optimizing Local Renewal Strategies—A Case Study of Dazhimen Neighborhood in Wuhan City

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Chong Peng

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Modeling thermal comfort provides quantitative evidence and parameters for effective and efficient urban planning, design, and building construction particularly in a dense and narrow inner city, which has become one of many concerns for sustainable urban development. This paper aims to develop geometric and mathematical models of wind and thermal comfort and use them to examine the impacts of six small-scale renewal strategies on the wind and thermal environment at pedestrian level in Dazhimen neighborhood, Wuhan, which is a typical case study of urban renewal project in a mega-city. The key parameters such as the solar radiation, natural convection, relative humidity, ambient crosswind have been incorporated into the mathematical models by using user-defined-function (UDF method. Detailed temperature and velocity distributions under different strategies have been compared for the optimization of local renewal strategies. It is concluded that five rules generated from the simulation results can provide guidance for building demolition and reconstruction in a neighborhood and there is no need of large-scale demolition. Particularly, combining the local demolition and city virescence can both improve the air ventilation and decrease the temperature level in the study area.

Liver Cancer Disparities in New York City: A Neighborhood View of Risk and Harm Reduction Factors

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Geetanjali R. Kamath

2018-06-01

Full Text Available IntroductionLiver cancer is the fastest increasing cancer in the United States and is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in New York City (NYC, with wide disparities among neighborhoods. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to describe liver cancer incidence by neighborhood and examine its association with risk factors. This information can inform preventive and treatment interventions.Materials and methodsPublicly available data were collected on adult NYC residents (n = 6,407,022. Age-adjusted data on liver and intrahepatic bile duct cancer came from the New York State Cancer Registry (1 (2007–2011 average annual incidence; and the NYC Vital Statistics Bureau (2015, mortality. Data on liver cancer risk factors (2012–2015 were sourced from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene: (1 Community Health Survey, (2 A1C registry, and (3 NYC Health Department Hepatitis surveillance data. They included prevalence of obesity, diabetes, diabetic control, alcohol-related hospitalizations or emergency department visits, hepatitis B and C rates, hepatitis B vaccine coverage, and injecting drug use.ResultsLiver cancer incidence in NYC was strongly associated with neighborhood poverty after adjusting for race/ethnicity (β = 0.0217, p = 0.013; and with infection risk scores (β = 0.0389, 95% CI = 0.0088–0.069, p = 0.011, particularly in the poorest neighborhoods (β = 0.1207, 95% CI = 0.0147–0.2267, p = 0.026. Some neighborhoods with high hepatitis rates do not have a proportionate number of hepatitis prevention services.ConclusionHigh liver cancer incidence is strongly associated with infection risk factors in NYC. There are gaps in hepatitis prevention services like syringe exchange and vaccination that should be addressed. The role of alcohol and metabolic risk factors on liver cancer in NYC warrants further study.

Perceived Neighborhood Environmental Attributes Associated with Walking and Cycling for Transport among Adult Residents of 17 Cities in 12 Countries: The IPEN Study

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Kerr, Jacqueline; Emond, Jennifer A.; Badland, Hannah; Reis, Rodrigo; Sarmiento, Olga; Carlson, Jordan; Sallis, James F.; Cerin, Ester; Cain, Kelli; Conway, Terry; Schofield, Grant; Macfarlane, Duncan J.; Christiansen, Lars B.; Van Dyck, Delfien; Davey, Rachel; Aguinaga-Ontoso, Ines; Salvo, Deborah; Sugiyama, Takemi; Owen, Neville; Mitáš, Josef; Natarajan, Loki

2015-01-01

Introduction Prevalence of walking and cycling for transport is low and varies greatly across countries. Few studies have examined neighborhood perceptions related to walking and cycling for transport in different countries. Therefore, it is challenging to prioritize appropriate built-environment interventions. Objectives The aim of this study was to examine the strength and shape of the relationship between adults’ neighborhood perceptions and walking and cycling for transport across diverse environments. Methods As part of the International Physical activity and Environment Network (IPEN) adult project, self-reported data were taken from 13,745 adults (18–65 years) living in physically and socially diverse neighborhoods in 17 cities across 12 countries. Neighborhood perceptions were measured using the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale, and walking and cycling for transport were measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Long Form. Generalized additive mixed models were used to model walking or cycling for transport during the last seven days with neighborhood perceptions. Interactions by city were explored. Results Walking-for-transport outcomes were significantly associated with perceived residential density, land use mix–access, street connectivity, aesthetics, and safety. Any cycling for transport was significantly related to perceived land use mix–access, street connectivity, infrastructure, aesthetics, safety, and perceived distance to destinations. Between-city differences existed for some attributes in relation to walking or cycling for transport. Conclusions Many perceived environmental attributes supported both cycling and walking; however, highly walkable environments may not support cycling for transport. People appear to walk for transport despite safety concerns. These findings can guide the implementation of global health strategies. Citation Kerr J, Emond JA, Badland H, Reis R, Sarmiento O, Carlson J, Sallis

[Migration expectations among nursing students in Mexico City].

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Rosales-Martínez, Yetzi; Nigenda, Gustavo; Galárraga, Omar; Ruiz-Larios, José Arturo

2010-01-01

To analyze the factors associated with the expectations to migrate abroad among nursing students in Mexico City. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a non-random sample of 420 students. A logistic regression model was estimated. A total of 69% of the informants expressed their intention to move abroad, to look for employment (65%) and/or to continue their studies (26%). Of those, 50% would choose Canada as their destination, followed by Spain and the United States. The variables associated with migration expectations were: age, income, having relatives abroad, and perception of poor labor conditions and low wages in Mexico. Results are consistent with international literature. Low wages, poor labor conditions and the limited possibilities for professional development in Mexico are factors that contribute to generate migration expectations among nursing students. Additionally, optimistic perceptions about the job market and the labor demand in more developed countries heighten expectations to migrate.

Mexico City aerosol study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Falcon, Y.I.; Ramirez, C.R.

1987-01-01

A major task in the field of air pollution monitoring is the development of devices for determining the mass and composition of airborne particulate matter as a function of size - and time. The sample collection device must be designed giving consideration to the nature of the aerosol and to the effects of the aerosol on human health. It has been established that particles smaller than 3.5 μm in diameter can penetrate deeply into the human respiratory system, and that larger particles are trapped in the upper respiratory passages. For these reasons, it is desirable to use a dichotomous sampler to collect particles in two size ranges, rather than to collect total particulates on a single filter. The authors discuss a study in Mexico City using a dichotomous sampler

The influence of aerosols on photochemical smog in Mexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castro, T.; Mar, B. [UNAM, Mexico, Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera (Mexico); Madronich, S.; Rivale, S. [National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States); Muhlia, A. [UNAM, Mexico, Inst. de Geofysica (Mexico)

2001-04-01

Aerosols in the Mexico City atmosphere can have a non-negligible effect on the ultraviolet radiation field and hence on the formation of photochemical smog. We used estimates of aerosol optical depths from sun photometer observations in a detailed radiative transfer model, to calculate photolysis rate coefficients (J{sub NO2}) for the key reaction NO{sub 2}+h{nu}{yields}NO+O ({lambda}<430nm). The calculated values are in good agreement with previously published measurements of J{sub NO2} at two sites in Mexico City: Palacio de Mineria (19 degrees 25'59''N, 99 degrees 07'58''W, 2233masl), and IMP (19 degrees 28'48''N, 99 degrees 11'07''W, 2277masl) and in Tres Marias, a town near Mexico City (19 degrees 03'N, 99 degrees 14'W, 2810masl). In particular, the model reproduces very well the contrast between the two urban sites and the evidently much cleaner Tres Marias site. For the measurement days, reductions in surface J{sub NO2} by 10-30% could be attributed to the presence of aerosols, with considerable uncertainty due largely to lack of detailed data on aerosol optical properties at ultraviolet wavelengths (esp. the single scattering albedo). The potential impact of such large reductions in photolysis rates on surface ozone concentrations is illustrated with a simple zero-dimensional photochemical model. (Author)

New information on regional subsidence and soil fracturing in Mexico City Valley

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G. Auvinet

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, updated information about regional subsidence in Mexico City downtown area is presented. Data obtained by R. Gayol in 1891, are compared with information obtained recently from surveys using the reference points of Sistema de Aguas de la Ciudad de México (2008 and on the elevation of a cloud of points on the ground surface determined using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR technology. In addition, this paper provides an overview of recent data obtained from systematic studies focused on understanding soil fracturing associated with regional land subsidence and mapping of areas susceptible to cracking in Mexico City Valley.

Functional Limitations, Depression, and Cash Assistance are Associated with Food Insecurity among Older Urban Adults in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Vilar-Compte, Mireya; Martínez-Martínez, Oscar; Orta-Alemán, Dania; Perez-Escamilla, Rafael

2016-01-01

To examine factors associated with food insecurity among urban older adults (65 years and older). Three hundred and fifty two older adults attending community centers in a neighborhood of Mexico City were surveyed for food insecurity, functional impairments, health and mental health status, cash-transfer assistance, socio-demographic characteristics, social isolation, and the built food environment. Having at least primary education and receiving cash-transfers were significantly associated with a lower probability of being moderately-severely food insecure (OR=0.478 and 0.597, respectively). The probability of moderate-severe food insecurity was significantly higher among elderly at risk of depression (OR=2.843), those with at least one activity of daily living impaired (OR=2.177) and those with at least one instrumental activity of daily living impaired (OR=1.785). Higher educational attainment and cash-transfers may have a positive influence on reducing food insecurity. Depression and functional limitations may increase the likelihood of food insecurity among older adults.

Family Structure and Female Labour Supply in Mexico City

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gong, X.; van Soest, A.H.O.

1997-01-01

This paper investigates labour supply of the wives of the heads of households in Mexico City, with a focus on the impact of family structure. A static neoclassical structural model is used. We assume that each woman chooses her labour supply and corresponding income so that her utility is maximized,

Taking control of air pollution in Mexico city | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Earlier efforts to assess the costs of pollution in Mexico City had focused on ... a range of health benefits and “savings,” including people's willingness to pay for ... $15 billion of public and private investments in air quality improvement projects.

[Beliefs about chili pepper consumption and health in Mexico City].

Science.gov (United States)

López-Carrillo, L; Fernández-Ortega M, C; Costa-Dias, R; Franco-Marina, J; Alejandre-Badillo, T

1995-01-01

Eating chili peppers is a cultural tradition in Mexico. Controversial characteristics have been empirically associated to chili pepper consumption and human health. In this paper, the beliefs about the health impacts of chili pepper consumption in two independent groups of Mexico City residents are described. The results confirm, on the one hand, that there is a wide variety of health benefits and damages associated with chili pepper consumption, but on the other hand, that the levels of chili pepper consumption are not related to beliefs about its human health impact.

{sup 14}C content in aerosols in Mexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gómez, V.; Solís, C.; Chávez, E.; Andrade, E.; Ortiz, M.E.; Huerta, A.; Aragón, J.; Rodríguez-Ceja, M. [Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 20-364, México, D.F. 01000 (Mexico); Martínez, M.A. [Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Mexico); Ortiz, E. [Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Azcapotzalco, Av. San Pablo 180, C. P. 02200 México, D.F. (Mexico)

2016-03-15

{sup 14}C-AMS of total carbon was determined in aerosols (PM{sub 10} fraction), collected in Mexico City during two weeks from 21 November to 3 December 2012. Other tracers such as total carbon (TC), organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC) and trace element contents were also determined. F{sup 14}C values varied from 0.39 to 0.48 with an average of 0.43. These values are slightly lower than those previously obtained for PM{sub 2.5} in 2003 and 2006 and reflect a high contribution of fossil CO{sub 2} to the carbonaceous matter in aerosols from Mexico City. In contrast, from 2006 to 2012 PM{sub 10} increased; EC, Ca, Ti and Fe concentrations remained constant, while OC, TC and K concentrations decreased. The use of potassium as an indicator of biomass burning showed that this source was negligible during this campaign. Combined analytical approaches allowed us to distinguish temporal variations of anthropogenic and natural inputs to the F{sup 14}C.

Simulated Climate Impacts of Mexico City's Historical Urban Expansion

Science.gov (United States)

Benson-Lira, Valeria

Urbanization, a direct consequence of land use and land cover change, is responsible for significant modification of local to regional scale climates. It is projected that the greatest urban growth of this century will occur in urban areas in the developing world. In addition, there is a significant research gap in emerging nations concerning this topic. Thus, this research focuses on the assessment of climate impacts related to urbanization on the largest metropolitan area in Latin America: Mexico City. Numerical simulations using a state-of-the-science regional climate model are utilized to address a trio of scientifically relevant questions with wide global applicability. The importance of an accurate representation of land use and land cover is first demonstrated through comparison of numerical simulations against observations. Second, the simulated effect of anthropogenic heating is quantified. Lastly, numerical simulations are performed using pre-historic scenarios of land use and land cover to examine and quantify the impact of Mexico City's urban expansion and changes in surface water features on its regional climate.

Co-control of urban air pollutants and greenhouse gases in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

West, J Jason; Osnaya, Patricia; Laguna, Israel; Martínez, Julia; Fernández, Adrián

2004-07-01

This study addresses the synergies of mitigation measures to control urban air pollutant and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, in developing integrated "co-control" strategies for Mexico City. First, existing studies of emissions reduction measures--PROAIRE (the air quality plan for Mexico City) and separate GHG studies--are used to construct a harmonized database of options. Second, linear programming (LP) is developed and applied as a decision-support tool to analyze least-cost strategies for meeting co-control targets for multiple pollutants. We estimate that implementing PROAIRE measures as planned will reduce 3.1% of the 2010 metropolitan CO2 emissions, in addition to substantial local air pollutant reductions. Applying the LP, PROAIRE emissions reductions can be met at a 20% lower cost, using only the PROAIRE measures, by adjusting investments toward the more cost-effective measures; lower net costs are possible by including cost-saving GHG mitigation measures, but with increased investment. When CO2 emission reduction targets are added to PROAIRE targets, the most cost-effective solutions use PROAIRE measures for the majority of local pollutant reductions, and GHG measures for additional CO2 control. Because of synergies, the integrated planning of urban-global co-control can be beneficial, but we estimate that for Mexico City these benefits are often small.

Porcine circovirus type 2 antibody detection in backyard pigs from Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez-Mendoza, H; Martínez, C; Mercado, C; Castillo-Juárez, H; Hernández, J; Segalés, J

2007-08-01

PCV2 antibodies have been found in pigs from all continents. However, this finding has been mainly studied in domestic swine reared under intensive production conditions. Mexico City, with a human population over 19 million in 2005, has both urban and rural areas. The pig production in its rural area is based on small family backyard farms. Taking into account this rather unique form of rearing pigs, the objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence in backyard pigs from the rural area of Mexico City. A total of 695 backyard pig serum samples from 108 small family farms belonging to seven municipal areas were studied by immunoperoxidase monolayer assay technique. One hundred six out of the 108 family farms (98.14%) had at least one positive serum sample. On the other hand, 136 (19.57%), 264 (37.99%) and 248 (34.82%) pigs had low, intermediate and high titres to PCV2, respectively. Only 53 samples (7.63%) were negative for PCV2 antibodies. No apparent differences in antibody titre groups were observed among backyard pigs from the different municipal areas. In conclusion, the present study, the first one performed in this kind of extensively produced pigs, indicates that PCV2 is ubiquitous in backyard pigs from Mexico City.

Neighborhood disparities in prevalence of childhood obesity among low-income children before and after implementation of New York City child care regulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Sekhobo, Jackson P; Edmunds, Lynn S; Dalenius, Karen; Jernigan, Jan; Davis, Christopher F; Giddings, Mark; Lesesne, Catherine; Kettel Khan, Laura

2014-10-16

New York City Article 47 regulations, implemented in 2007, require licensed child care centers to improve the nutrition, physical activity, and television-viewing behaviors of enrolled children. To supplement an evaluation of the Article 47 regulations, we conducted an exploratory ecologic study to examine changes in childhood obesity prevalence among low-income preschool children enrolled in the Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in New York City neighborhoods with or without a district public health office. We conducted the study 3 years before (from 2004 through 2006) and after (from 2008 through 2010) the implementation of the regulations in 2007. We used an ecologic, time-trend analysis to compare 3-year cumulative obesity prevalence among WIC-enrolled preschool children during 2004 to 2006 and 2008 to 2010. Outcome data were obtained from the New York State component of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System. Early childhood obesity prevalence declined in all study neighborhoods from 2004-2006 to 2008-2010. The greatest decline occurred in Manhattan high-risk neighborhoods where obesity prevalence decreased from 18.6% in 2004-2006 to 15.3% in 2008-2010. The results showed a narrowing of the gap in obesity prevalence between high-risk and low-risk neighborhoods in Manhattan and the Bronx, but not in Brooklyn. The reductions in early childhood obesity prevalence in some high-risk and low-risk neighborhoods in New York City suggest that progress was made in reducing health disparities during the years just before and after implementation of the 2007 regulations. Future research should consider the built environment and markers of differential exposure to known interventions and policies related to childhood obesity prevention.

Urban-Rural Humidity Contrasts in Mexico City

Science.gov (United States)

Jáuregui, E.; Tejeda, A.

1997-02-01

Data from one pair of urban-suburban (Tacubaya and Airport) andone pair of urban-rural (School of Mines and Plan Texcoco) temperature and humidity measuring stations were used to illustrate specific humidity(q) contrasts in Mexico City. Results show a marked seasonal variation of q from around 7.9 g kg-1 during the dry months to 10 g kg-1 in the wet season (May-October) on both urban and suburban sites. The mean monthly contrasts for this pair of stations, albeit small, show that the city air is somewhat drier during the first half of the year. Comparison of urban and rural q on an hourly basis shows that although urban air is more humid at night the reverse is true during the afternoon. Areal distribution of q shows two centres of maximum humidity over the city at night and a corresponding minimum during the afternoon. On average the urban-rural contrasts in q were found to be somewhat smaller than the estimated uncertainty. The above results are in agreement with mid-latitude experience.

NO2 and HCHO variability in Mexico City from MAX-DOAS measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Grutter, M.; Friedrich, M. M.; Rivera, C. I.; Arellano, E. J.; Stremme, W.

2015-12-01

Atmospheric studies in large cities are of great relevance since pollution affects air quality and human health. A network of Multi Axis Differential Optical Absorption Spectrometers (MAX-DOAS) has been established in strategic sites within the Mexico City metropolitan area. Four instruments are now in operation with the aim to study the variability and spatial distribution of key pollutants, providing results of O4, NO2 and HCHO slant column densities (SCD). A numerical code has been written to retrieve gas profiles of NO2 and HCHO using radiative transfer simulations. We present the first results of the variability of these trace gases which will bring new insight in the current knowledge of transport patterns, emissions as well as frequency and origin of extraordinary events. Results of the vertical column densities (VCD) valiability of NO2 and HCHO in Mexico City are presented. These studies are useful to validate current and future satellite observatopns such as OMI, TROPOMI and TEMPO.

Factors Contributing to the Catastrophe in Mexico City During the Earthquake of September 19, 1985

OpenAIRE

Beck, James L.; Hall, John F.

1986-01-01

The extensive damage to high‐rise buildings in Mexico City during the September 19, 1985 earthquake is primarily due to the intensity of the ground shaking exceeding what was previously considered credible for the city by Mexican engineers. There were two major factors contributing to the catastrophe, resonance in the sediments of an ancient lake that once existed in the Valley of Mexico, and the long duration of shaking compared with other coastal earthquakes in the last 50 years. Both of th...

NO2 DOAS measurements from ground and space: comparison of ground based measurements and OMI data in Mexico City

Science.gov (United States)

Rivera, C.; Stremme, W.; Grutter, M.

2012-04-01

The combination of satellite data and ground based measurements can provide valuable information about atmospheric chemistry and air quality. In this work we present a comparison between measured ground based NO2 differential columns at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City, using the Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) technique and NO2 total columns measured by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) onboard the Aura satellite using the same measurement technique. From these data, distribution maps of average NO2 above the Mexico basin were constructed and hot spots inside the city could be identified. In addition, a clear footprint was detected from the Tula industrial area, ~50 km northwest of Mexico City, where a refinery, a power plant and other industries are located. A less defined footprint was identified in the Cuernavaca basin, South of Mexico City, and the nearby cities of Toluca and Puebla do not present strong enhancements in the NO2 total columns. With this study we expect to cross-validate space and ground measurements and provide useful information for future studies.

Traumatic Events and Suicide-Related Outcomes among Mexico City Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Borges, Guilherme; Benjet, Corina; Medina-Mora, Maria Elena; Orozco, Ricardo; Molnar, Beth E.; Nock, Matthew K.

2008-01-01

Background: We report the prevalence and associations between traumatic events and suicidal ideation, suicide plans and suicide attempts among Mexican adolescents. Methods: The data are from a representative multistage probability household survey of 3,005 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years residing in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area that was…

Formative research for a healthy diet intervention among inner-city adolescents: the importance of family, school and neighborhood environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodson, Jennifer L; Hsiao, Ya-Chun; Kasat-Shors, Madhuri; Murray, Laura; Nguyen, Nga Kim; Richards, Adam K; Gittelsohn, Joel

2009-01-01

To understand influences on diet among low-income African-American adolescents in East Baltimore. Formative research was conducted for a food store-centered healthy diet intervention targeted to inner-city youth. Family, school and neighborhood influences on eating habits and health concepts were explored. Family structure, economic resources and past experiences influence what food means to adolescents. Healthy food in school and local stores is limited. Terminology to categorize foods was identified, including the term "home foods". Suggested adolescent nutritional interventions include promotion of home-based eating, improving availability of healthy foods in school and neighborhood stores, and targeted educational materials.

Inhalant drug use and street youth : Ethnographic insights from Mexico City

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gigengack, Roy; Preedy, Victor

2016-01-01

The inhalation of volatile substances with intentions of intoxication affects the lives of marginalized youths around the globe, but remains poorly understood. Based upon long-term ethnographic enquiry, this chapter describes the inhalant use of Mexico City's young street people from their

Ozone, area social conditions, and mortality in Mexico City

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Neill, M.S.; Loomis, Dana; Borja-Aburto, V.H.

2004-01-01

We investigated whether the association of daily mortality and ambient ozone differs by age and area social conditions of the region of residence using a time-series analysis. The study setting was metropolitan Mexico City, a high altitude city situated in a valley, with an estimated 20 million inhabitants, large socioeconomic gradients, and ozone levels frequently exceeding international standards. We stratified daily deaths by six census-derived socioeconomic indicators, based on characteristics of the county where decedents lived. We used Poisson regression to model the association between daily mortality and ozone levels (on the day of death and the previous day) in separate models, stratified by area socioeconomic level and age, and controlling for time trends and temperature. Ozone was positively associated with total mortality [0.65% increase per 10 ppb increment, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.02%, 1.28%] and for mortality among those over age 65 [1.39% increase per 10 ppb increment, 95% CI: 0.51%, 2.28%]. Associations between ozone and all-age mortality did not show any consistent patterns according to socioeconomic gradients. We conclude that elderly people are at higher risk for ozone-associated mortality. Though county-level social indicators in Mexico City were not strong markers of vulnerability to ozone-associated acute mortality in this analysis, complex associations between individual and area-level factors may exist that would require additional data and further analyses to elucidate

Assessing air quality index awareness and use in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Borbet, Timothy C; Gladson, Laura A; Cromar, Kevin R

2018-04-23

The Mexico City Metropolitan Area has an expansive urban population and a long history of air quality management challenges. Poor air quality has been associated with adverse pulmonary and cardiac health effects, particularly among susceptible populations with underlying disease. In addition to reducing pollution concentrations, risk communication efforts that inform behavior modification have the potential to reduce public health burdens associated with air pollution. This study investigates the utilization of Mexico's IMECA risk communication index to inform air pollution avoidance behavior among the general population living in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area. Individuals were selected via probability sampling and surveyed by phone about their air quality index knowledge, pollution concerns, and individual behaviors. The results indicated reasonably high awareness of the air quality index (53% of respondents), with greater awareness in urban areas, among older and more educated individuals, and for those who received air quality information from a healthcare provider. Additionally, behavior modification was less influenced by index reports as it was by personal perceptions of air quality, and there was no difference in behavior modification among susceptible and non-susceptible groups. Taken together, these results suggest there are opportunities to improve the public health impact of risk communication through an increased focus on susceptible populations and greater encouragement of public action in response to local air quality indices.

[Exposure to fluorides from drinking water in the city of Aguascalientes, Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

Trejo-Vázquez, R; Bonilla-Petriciolet, A

2001-08-01

Determine the fluoride content in all the wells that supply drinking water to the city of Aguascalientes, Mexico, in order to establish the population's degree of exposure. The fluoride content of the 126 wells that supply drinking water to the city of Aguascalientes was determined, using the SPADNS method, in accordance with two Mexican regulations, NMX-AA-77-1982 and NMX-014-SSAI-1993. Using that data, we created fluoride isopleth maps showing the distribution of fluoride concentrations in the water supplies for the city of Aguascalientes. We also estimated exposure doses for the city's inhabitants. The mean analysis uncertainty was 3.9%. Seventy-three wells had a fluoride concentration of" 1.5 mg/L, which was the maximum permissible value set by the Mexican standards then in effect. All the maximum exposure doses surpassed the minimum risk level set by Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) of the Department of Health and Human Services of the United States of America. In the children under 1 year of age, even the minimum does was slightly higher than the ATSDR risk level. From estimating the fluoride exposure doses caused by water consumption in the city of Aguascalientes and comparing those doses with ones from other states in Mexico, we concluded that the fluoride intake in Aguascalientes represents a potential risk for inhabitants' health. The fluoride content of the city's drinking water should be reduced to 0.69 mg/L.

Emerging patterns of crack use in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Valdez, Avelardo; Kaplan, Charles; Nowotny, Kathryn M; Natera-Rey, Guillermina; Cepeda, Alice

2015-08-01

Recent studies in Mexico have documented a significant increase in crack cocaine use, indicating the potential for an emerging drug epidemic. Ethnographic observations and interviews were used describe the profiles and patterns of use among street-recruited crack users in Mexico City. The data came from an international research collaboration funded by the National Institutes of Health. A polythetic typology was developed based on five dimensions central to categorizing patterns of crack use behavior: frequency of use, duration of use, context, social networks, and social contracts. Four types of users were discovered applying these dimensions: dabblers, stable users, crack heads, and old heads. Although several similarities were documented between patterns of crack use in Mexico and those in the United States and Western Europe, several key aspects distinguished crack users in this population: (1) self-regulated use; (2) non-linear progression of crack; and (3) the influence of the dimensions pertaining to setting, social networks, and social contract as contributing to understanding of the previous two. Further, we provide a discussion of how specific contextual factors in Mexico may be giving rise to these emerging patterns. Compared to the U.S. and Europe, this study finds that the majority of crack users were able to self-regulate their use without major disruption to daily social functioning. As crack use spreads in Mexico and other Latin American countries, we need to recognize the importance of social context in developing more tailored health and social responses that are specific to these developing countries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Healthy neighborhoods: walkability and air pollution.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Julian D; Brauer, Michael; Frank, Lawrence D

2009-11-01

The built environment may influence health in part through the promotion of physical activity and exposure to pollution. To date, no studies have explored interactions between neighborhood walkability and air pollution exposure. We estimated concentrations of nitric oxide (NO), a marker for direct vehicle emissions), and ozone (O(3)) and a neighborhood walkability score, for 49,702 (89% of total) postal codes in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. NO concentrations were estimated from a land-use regression model, O(3) was estimated from ambient monitoring data; walkability was calculated based on geographic attributes such as land-use mix, street connectivity, and residential density. All three attributes exhibit an urban-rural gradient, with high walkability and NO concentrations, and low O(3) concentrations, near the city center. Lower-income areas tend to have higher NO concentrations and walkability and lower O(3) concentrations. Higher-income areas tend to have lower pollution (NO and O(3)). "Sweet-spot" neighborhoods (low pollution, high walkability) are generally located near but not at the city center and are almost exclusively higher income. Increased concentration of activities in urban settings yields both health costs and benefits. Our research identifies neighborhoods that do especially well (and especially poorly) for walkability and air pollution exposure. Work is needed to ensure that the poor do not bear an undue burden of urban air pollution and that neighborhoods designed for walking, bicycling, or mass transit do not adversely affect resident's exposure to air pollution. Analyses presented here could be replicated in other cities and tracked over time to better understand interactions among neighborhood walkability, air pollution exposure, and income level.

Bacteriological quality of crops irrigated with wastewater in the Xochimilco plots, Mexico City, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosas, I; Báez, A; Coutiño, M

1984-05-01

Xochimilco county plots (Mexico City), one of the most fertile agricultural areas in the Valley of Mexico, produce a large portion of the fresh vegetables consumed in the city. These plots are generally irrigated with domestic wastewater, and for this reason, it was deemed important to examine and evaluate the bacteriological quality of the water, soil, and vegetables from these plots that are harvested and marketed. The soils were also examined for the classical parameters such as nitrates, ammonia, etc., and organic matter and texture. The crops selected for this study were radishes, spinach, lettuce, parsley, and celery because they are usually consumed raw. The highest bacterial counts were encountered in leafy vegetables, i.e., spinach (8,700 for total coliform and 2,400 for fecal coliform) and lettuce (37,000 for total coliform and 3,600 for fecal coliform). Statistically significant differences in bacterial counts between rinsed and unrinsed edible portions of the crops were observed even in rinsed vegetables, and high densities of fecal coliform were detected, indicating that their consumption represents a potential health hazard. The total coliform values found in irrigation water ranged from 4 X 10(4) to 29 X 10(4), and for fecal coliform the values ranged from 5 X 10(2) to 30 X 10(2).

The Autumn of Death: The 1779 Demographic Crisis in Mexico City

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Manuel Miño Grijalva

2012-10-01

Full Text Available This article is a historical approach to the 1779 smallpox epidemic and its different manifestations both in public health and in Mexico City's demography. It introduces new statistical data which reveals, beyond testimonies, the epidemic's impact and consequences, both in schoolchildren and adults throughout the city's different parishes during September-November, 1779. Further, this research reveals an association between the epidemic and a food crisis through the effects of weather and low crops in 1778 and June, 1779.

Frequency of functional bowel disorders among healthy volunteers in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmulson, Max; Ortíz, Orianna; Santiago-Lomeli, Mariana; Gutiérrez-Reyes, Gabriela; Gutiérrez-Ruiz, María Concepción; Robles-Díaz, Guillermo; Morgan, Douglas

2006-01-01

The frequency of functional bowel disorders (FBD) in Mexico using the Rome II criteria is unknown. The Rome II Modular Questionnaire (RII-MQ) was translated into Spanish in coordination with the Rome Committee and their Latin American program. Volunteers were recruited by advertisement in Mexico City, and administered the RII-MQ. The study population consisted of 324 healthy volunteers, with a mean age of 35.7; 66% were female. The most prevalent disorders were heartburn 35%, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) 35%, functional bloating 21%, proctalgia fugax 21%, and functional constipation 19%. Based on gender, IBS-C was 4 times more frequent in females than males (19 vs. 4.6%) and functional bloating 3 times more frequent (10 vs. 3.7%). Differences according to occupation included a higher prevalence of ulcer-like dyspepsia (p = 0.04), IBS-C (p = 0.018) and proctalgia fugax (p = 0.034) among students. This is the first study to use RII-MQ to determine the prevalence of FBD in urban Mexico. The prevalence of IBS was significant and is related to a number of factors, including the stress of living in an overpopulated city. Selection bias is likely operative. A community-based study is warranted. Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel

Typhus in Mexico City during the epoch of the Mexican Revolution, 1913-1916

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América Molina del Villar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This article studies the impact of the 1915-1916 typhus epidemic in Mexico City, examining its origin and propagation and placing the epidemic in the context of the great social and political vulnerability that originated with the fall of Victoriano Huerta and the capture of the city by a variety of revolutionary forces. The article focuses on the demographic impact of the epidemic, connecting its repercussions with the unhealthy conditions then prevailing in the country's capital, which could largely be attributed to poverty and the interruption of many sanitary measures due to budgetary shortfalls, armed conflict and changes of government. The article draws on sources of information from the historical archives of the Health Secretariat and the Mexico City government, as well as contemporary press reports and the bulletins issued by the Superior Health Council. This article aims to contribute to the historiography of the period from the perspective of social and demographic history.

Perception of neighborhood environment and health risk behaviors in Prague's teenagers: a pilot study in a post-communist city.

Science.gov (United States)

Spilkova, Jana; Dzúrova, Dagmar; Pitonak, Michal

2014-10-14

A youths' neighborhood can play an important role in their physical, health, and emotional development. The prevalence of health risk behavior (HRB) in Czech youth such as smoking, drug and alcohol use is the highest in Europe. To analyze differences in HRB in youth residents within different types of Prague's neighborhoods in relation to the perception of the built environment, quality of their school and home environments. The data is based on the on-line survey among elementary school students aged between 14-15 years, which was administered in19 selected schools in Prague, during the months of October 2013 to March 2014. Respondents were asked their opinions on various issues related to their HRB, about their indoor and outdoor housing and school environments. The questionnaire was completed by 407 students. Factor analysis with a principal components extraction was applied to determine the underlying structure in the variables. A consequent field research was conducted to map the opportunity hot spots and critical places around the elementary schools. Binge drinking has been reported mainly by the students living in the housing estates with blocks of flats. The most frequent occurrence of daily smokers was found in the neighborhoods of old city apartment houses. High prevalence of risky marijuana use almost in all the surveyed types of neighborhoods. The respondents were more critical in their evaluation of school characteristics. The neighborhoods critically evaluated by the students as regards the school outdoor environments were the older apartment houses in the historical centre and inner city, the school indoor environment was worst assessed within the housing estate neighborhoods. Our results suggest that perceptions of problems in both residential and school environment are associated with HRB. This fact makes this issue of a serious importance also from the policy point of view. Mainly the school surroundings have to be better managed by the local

Mexico City air quality research initiative. Volume 2, Problem definition, background, and summary of prior research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-06-01

Air pollution in Mexico City has increased along with the growth of the city, the movement of its population, and the growth of employment created by industry. The main cause of pollution in the city is energy consumption. Therefore, it is necessary to take into account the city`s economic development and its prospects when considering the technological relationships between well-being and energy consumption. Air pollution in the city from dust and other particles suspended in the air is an old problem. However, pollution as we know it today began about 50 years ago with the growth of industry, transportation, and population. The level of well-being attained in Mexico City implies a high energy use that necessarily affects the valley`s natural air quality. However, the pollution has grown so fast that the City must act urgently on three fronts: first, following a comprehensive strategy, transform the economic foundation of the city with nonpolluting activities to replace the old industries, second, halt pollution growth through the development of better technologies; and third, use better fuels, emission controls, and protection of wooded areas.

[Diabetes mellitus within low socioeconomic strata in Mexico City: a relevant problem].

Science.gov (United States)

Avila-Curiel, Abelardo; Shamah-Levy, Teresa; Galindo-Gómez, Carlos; Cuevas-Nasu, Lucia; Moreno-Macias, Hortensia; Chávez-Villasana, Adolfo

2007-01-01

To evaluate the feeding and nutrition conditions and its relation with diabetes mellitus (DM-2) in adult population (> 30 years) a sample belonging to the low socioeconomic stratum of the Mexico City metropolitan area was studied. They were participants in the Second Feeding and Nutrition Survey in the Mexico City metropolitan area. (ENURBAL-2002). Information collected by the ENURBAL 2002 was used in order to evaluate the relationship between some risk factors and diabetes mellitus in adult population of low economical level. Logistical regression analysis was applied. A complete set of 1279 individuals with ages over 30 years was studied. The 9.9% (IC 95% 7.9, 12.4) had been previously diagnosed as diabetics and 3.9% (IC 95% 2.9, 5.4) were not been diagnosed but their glycemia reached diabetic levels. Total diabetes prevalence observed in this study was 13.8% (IC 95% 11.7, 16.3). People with good score on its knowledge about nutrition, as well as high total fat intake, are significant and positively associated with DM-2 (RM = 2.41, IC 95% 1.09, 5.35 and RM = 2.14 IC 95% 1.24, 3.69, respectively). Diabetes mellitus was highly prevalent among adult (> 30 years population) mainly on the lower socioeconomic stratum of Mexico City. This result is important to promote changes in life style that allow to prevent its appearance by modifying the obesigenic environment and changes in the feeding patterns.

Incidence of leukemias in children from El Salvador and Mexico City between 1996 and 2000: Population-based data

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Bernáldez-Ríos Roberto

2005-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There are very few studies that report the incidence of acute leukemias in children in Latin America. This work assesses the incidence of acute leukemias, between 1996 and 2000, in children from 0–14 years old who were attended at the Mexican Social Security Institute in Mexico City and in children from 0–11 years old in El Salvador. Methods Design: Population-based data. Hospitals: In San Salvador, El Salvador, Hospital Nacional de Niños "Benjamín Bloom", the only center in El Salvador which attends all children, younger than 12 years, with oncologic disease. The Pediatric Hospital and the General Hospital of the Mexican Social Security Institute in Mexico City, the only centers in Mexico City which attend all those children with acute leukemia who have a right to this service. Diagnosis: All patients were diagnosed by bone marrow smear and were divided into acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL, acute myeloid leukemia (AML, chronic myeloid leukemia (CML, and unspecified leukemias (UL. The annual incidence rate (AIR and average annual incidence rate (AAIR were calculated per million children. Cases were stratified by age and assigned to one of four age strata: 1 Results The number of cases was 375 and 238 in El Salvador and Mexico City, respectively. AAIRs in Mexico City were 44.9, 10.6, 2.5, 0.5, and 58.4 per million children for ALL, AML, CML, UL, and total leukemias, respectively. The AAIRs in El Salvador could not be calculated because the fourth age stratum in El Salvador included children only from 0–11 years old. The incidence rates for the Salvadoran group of 0–11 year olds were 34.2, 7.1, 0.6, 0.2, and 43.2 per million children for ALL, AML, CML, UL, and total leukemias, respectively. Conclusion Reported AIRs for each age group in El Salvador were similar to those from other American countries. The AAIR of ALL in Mexico City is one of the highest reported for North America.

An indoor radon survey of the X-ray rooms of Mexico City hospitals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Juarez, Faustino [Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, Instituto Literario No. 100. Estado de Mexico, 50000, Mexico. Instituto de Geofisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Circuito (Mexico); Reyes, Pedro G. [Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico, Instituto Literario No. 100. Estado de Mexico, 50000 (Mexico); Espinosa, Guillermo [Instituto de Fisica, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Circuito Exterior Ciudad Universitaria, Mexico D.F. Cp.04510 (Mexico)

2013-07-03

This paper presents the results of measurements of indoor radon concentrations in the X-ray rooms of a selection of hospitals in the metropolitan area of Mexico City. The metropolitan area of Mexico City is Mexico's largest metropolitan area by population; the number of patients requiring the use of X-rays is also the highest. An understanding of indoor radon concentrations in X-ray rooms is necessary for the estimation of the radiological risk to which patients, radiologists and medical technicians are exposed. The indoor radon concentrations were monitored for a period of six months using nuclear track detectors (NTD) consisting of a closed-end cup system with CR-39 (Lantrack Registered-Sign ) polycarbonate as detector material. The indoor radon concentrations were found to be between 75 and 170 Bq m{sup -3}, below the USEPA-recommended indoor radon action level for working places of 400 Bq m{sup -3}. It is hoped that the results of this study will contribute to the establishment of recommended action levels by the Mexican regulatory authorities responsible for nuclear safety.

Human and remote sensing data to investigate the frontiers of urbanization in the south of Mexico City

OpenAIRE

Rodriguez Lopez, Juan Miguel; Heider, Katharina; Scheffran, J?rgen

2016-01-01

The data presented here were originally collected for the article “Frontiers of Urbanization: Identifying and Explaining Urbanization Hot Spots in the South of Mexico City Using Human and Remote Sensing” (Rodriguez et al. 2017) [4]. They were divided into three databases (remote sensing, human sensing, and census information), using a multi-method approach with the goal of analyzing the impact of urbanization on protected areas in southern Mexico City. The remote sensing database was prepared...

Spatial and temporal variability of particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Mexico City

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D. A. Thornhill

2008-06-01

Full Text Available As part of the Megacities Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO study in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area in March 2006, we measured particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs and other gaseous species and particulate properties, including light absorbing carbon or effective black carbon (BC, at six locations throughout the city. The measurements were intended to support the following objectives: to describe spatial and temporal patterns in PAH concentrations, to gain insight into sources and transformations of PAHs and BC, and to quantify the relationships between PAHs and other pollutants. Total particulate PAHs at the Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo (T0 supersite located near downtown averaged 50 ng m⁻³, and aerosol active surface area averaged 80 mm² m⁻³. PAHs were also measured on board the Aerodyne Mobile Laboratory, which visited six sites encompassing a mixture of different land uses and a range of ages of air parcels transported from the city core. A combination of analyses of time series, back trajectories, concentration fields, pollutant ratios, and correlation coefficients supports the concept of T0 as an urban source site, T1 as a receptor site with strong local sources, Pedregal and PEMEX as intermediate sites, Pico Tres Padres as a vertical receptor site, and Santa Ana as a downwind receptor site. Weak intersite correlations suggest that local sources are important and variable and that exposure to PAHs and BC cannot be represented by a single regional-scale value. The relationships between PAHs and other pollutants suggest that a variety of sources and ages of particles are present. Among carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides (NO_x, and carbon dioxide, particulate PAHs are most strongly correlated with NO_x. Mexico City's PAH/BC mass ratio of 0.01 is similar to that found on a freeway loop in the Los Angeles area and approximately 8–30

Spatial and temporal variability of particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Mexico City

Science.gov (United States)

Thornhill, D. A.; de Foy, B.; Herndon, S. C.; Onasch, T. B.; Wood, E. C.; Zavala, M.; Molina, L. T.; Gaffney, J. S.; Marley, N. A.; Marr, L. C.

2008-06-01

As part of the Megacities Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) study in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area in March 2006, we measured particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and other gaseous species and particulate properties, including light absorbing carbon or effective black carbon (BC), at six locations throughout the city. The measurements were intended to support the following objectives: to describe spatial and temporal patterns in PAH concentrations, to gain insight into sources and transformations of PAHs and BC, and to quantify the relationships between PAHs and other pollutants. Total particulate PAHs at the Instituto Mexicano del Petróleo (T0 supersite) located near downtown averaged 50 ng m-3, and aerosol active surface area averaged 80 mm2 m-3. PAHs were also measured on board the Aerodyne Mobile Laboratory, which visited six sites encompassing a mixture of different land uses and a range of ages of air parcels transported from the city core. A combination of analyses of time series, back trajectories, concentration fields, pollutant ratios, and correlation coefficients supports the concept of T0 as an urban source site, T1 as a receptor site with strong local sources, Pedregal and PEMEX as intermediate sites, Pico Tres Padres as a vertical receptor site, and Santa Ana as a downwind receptor site. Weak intersite correlations suggest that local sources are important and variable and that exposure to PAHs and BC cannot be represented by a single regional-scale value. The relationships between PAHs and other pollutants suggest that a variety of sources and ages of particles are present. Among carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides (NOx), and carbon dioxide, particulate PAHs are most strongly correlated with NOx. Mexico City's PAH/BC mass ratio of 0.01 is similar to that found on a freeway loop in the Los Angeles area and approximately 8 30 times higher than that found in other cities. Evidence also suggests that primary

Seeing Water in Early Twentieth-Century Mexico City: Henry Wellge's Perspective Plan of the City and Valley of Mexico, D.F. 1906

OpenAIRE

Widdifield, Stacie G.; Banister, Jeffrey M.

2015-01-01

We examine Henry Wellge's 1906 chromolithograph, Perspective Plan of the City and Valley of Mexico, D.F., a panoramic view that organizes the capital and its lacustrine environs through close up and distant perspectives. The Plan depicts a landscape integrated by canals, rivers, and lakes, recording a pivotal moment before modern hydraulic infrastructure would remove surface water from view. We thus interrogate this image as a visual register of hydraulic-control ideals in vogue around 1900, ...

Death in Mexico City in the Eighteenth Century

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Nadine Béligand

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Mexico City, “capital, court, and head”, core of Catholic monarchy on Earth, becomes a model for analyzing attitudes towards death in different social groups: peninsulares and criollos, religious and lay citizens, mestizos, castizos, and Indians. The capital, subject to a variety of cultural influences, is also seen as a model city; in this sense, it is one of the Ilustrado's experimental  fields. In her analysis, the author  distinguishes  between death (and all its associated beliefs and rituals and the dead (corpses, rotting,  fear of the dead. Beliefs and rituals concerning  death barely changed from the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries, but the issue of the dead was widely discussed during this last one. However, the expelling of the dead from the cities was a slow process that did not find a definite solution until the 1850s. Traditional, archaic, and baroque attitudes towards death survived in the hygienist policies, and the Ilustrados had to confront the Church, which ever since the sixteenth century had been imprinting in people's minds an image of the city's dead as a community of ancestors identified with the community of believers, thus actually articulating social and sacred practices.

Formaldehyde Surface Distributions and Variability in the Mexico City Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Junkermann, W.; Mohr, C.; Steinbrecher, R.; Ruiz Suarez, L.

2007-05-01

Formaldehyde ambient air mole fractions were measured throughout the dry season in March at three different locations in the Mexico City basin. The continuously running instruments were operated at Tenago del Aire, a site located in the Chalco valley in the southern venting area of the basin, at the Intituto Mexicano del Petroleo (IMP) in the northern part of the city and about 30 km north of the city at the campus of the Universidad Tecnològica de Tecamac (UTTEC). The technique used is the Hantzsch technology with a time resolution of 2 minutes and a detection limit of 100 ppt. Daily maxima peaked at 35 ppb formaldehyde in the city and about 15 to 20 ppb at the other sites. During night formaldehyde levels dropped to about 5 ppb or less. It is evident that the observed spatial and temporal variability in near surface formaldehyde distributions is strongly affected by local and regional advection processes.

Neighborhood change and the role of environmental stewardship: a case study of green infrastructure for stormwater in the City of Portland, Oregon, USA

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Vivek Shandas

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Throughout the history of cities, the ecological landscape has often been buried, removed, or taken for granted. A recent recognition that humans are part of the global ecosystem, and that human actions both cause and are affected by ecological change, brings with it an awareness of the value of nature in cities and of natural systems on which cities depend. The feedbacks between humans and their environment within an urban context can have profound implications for the growth of and change in cities, yet there is a limited understanding of the interactions between biophysical changes in cities and the implications of these changes on the quality of life for residents. The application of a coupled human and natural systems (CHANS framework provides a timely and fruitful opportunity to enrich the theory, methods, and understanding of these feedbacks and interconnections. Here, I integrated biophysical and social dimensions relevant to managing urban stormwater by examining a case study of Portland, Oregon, USA. I used empirical data from a pre-post survey (2-yr span of residents in eight urban neighborhoods to describe feedbacks and interactions between a localized biophysical change in the form of a large-scale decentralized stormwater program and the resulting changes in resident's perceptions in neighborhoods undergoing rapid change. My findings corroborate earlier findings suggesting that people with higher income and education levels are more likely to participate in stewardship actions. The results also suggest an overall and initial negative perception of neighborhoods facilities and services immediately following the construction of decentralized stormwater facilities, but conversely, high levels of anticipation for their construction. By describing these findings through a CHANS framework, I make explicit the importance of integrating scientific understanding, governance efforts, and human behaviors to address acute urban environmental

A Tale of two Cities: Photoacoustic and Aethalometer Measurements Comparisons of Light Absorption in Mexico City and Las Vegas, NV, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Paredes-Miranda, G.; Arnott, W. P.; Marley, N. A.; Gaffney, J. S.

2007-05-01

As part of the Megacity Impacts on Regional and Global Environments, MIRAGE-Mex deployment to Mexico City in the period of 30 days, March 2006, a suite of photoacoustic spectrometers (PAS; W. Arnott & G. Paredes), nephelometer scattering, and aetholemeter absorption instruments (N. Marley & J.Gaffney) were installed to measure at ground level the light absorption and scattering by aerosols at the urban site at Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo (Mexican Oil Institute, denoted by IMP). This IMP site gave in-situ characterization of the Mexico City plume under favorable wind conditions. The PAS used at IMP operates at 532 nm, and conveniently allowed for characterization of gaseous absorption at this wavelength as well. Light scattering measurements are accomplished within the PAS by the reciprocal nephelometery method. In the urban site the aerosol absorption coefficient typically varies between 20 and 180 Mm-1 during the course of the day and significant diurnal variation of the aerosol single scattering albedo was observed. The Las Vegas, NV site was located at East Charleston Street on January-February, 2003. In east Las Vegas typical westerly winds carry the city plume across the site. Comparisons of PAS aerosol light absorption and aetholemeter absorption measurements at 521 nm at both Las Vegas NV and Mexico City sites will be presented. We will also present a broad overview of the diurnal variation of the scattering and absorption as well as the single scattering albedo and fraction of absorption due to gases at the sites in relation to secondary aerosol formation.

Harnessing Technology and Citizen Science to Support Neighborhoods that Promote Active Living in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosas, Lisa G; Salvo, Deborah; Winter, Sandra J; Cortes, David; Rivera, Juan; Rodriguez, Nicole M; King, Abby C

2016-12-01

Middle- and low-income countries bear 80 % of the global chronic disease burden. Population-level, multi-sectoral approaches to promoting healthful lifestyles that take into local physical, socioeconomic, and sociocultural characteristics of both the environment and the population are needed. The "Nuestra Voz (Our Voice)" is one such approach that involves neighborhood residents acting as "citizen scientists" to systematically gather information on the barriers and facilitators of physical activity in their neighborhoods and then use their data to collectively advocate for local environmental- and policy-level changes to support active living. We pilot tested this approach in Cuernavaca, Mexico with adults and adolescents. This community-engaged and participatory approach is driven by residents, who utilize a GPS-enabled electronic tablet-based application with simple audio-based instructions to take photographs and record audio narratives of facets of their neighborhood that promote or hinder active living. After collecting these data, the citizen scientists come together in a community meeting and use their data to prioritize realistic, multi-level changes for promoting active living in their neighborhoods. A survey assessed participants' acceptability of the approach. Participating citizen scientists included 32 adults and 9 adolescents. The citizen scientists rated the acceptability of five of the nine acceptability survey items with an average of 4.0 or higher out of 5.0, indicating they thought it was "fun," were comfortable carrying the tablet, were likely to use it again, and would recommend it to friends and family. Items with average scores of less than 4 were all related to safety concerns. The most common barriers reported by citizen scientists using the tablet were poor sidewalk quality, presence of trash, negative characteristics of the streets, unpleasant aesthetics (e.g., graffiti), and presence of parks and recreational facilities. The Our Voice

Using High-Resolution Satellite Aerosol Optical Depth To Estimate Daily PM2.5 Geographical Distribution in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Just, Allan C; Wright, Robert O; Schwartz, Joel; Coull, Brent A; Baccarelli, Andrea A; Tellez-Rojo, Martha María; Moody, Emily; Wang, Yujie; Lyapustin, Alexei; Kloog, Itai

2015-07-21

Recent advances in estimating fine particle (PM2.5) ambient concentrations use daily satellite measurements of aerosol optical depth (AOD) for spatially and temporally resolved exposure estimates. Mexico City is a dense megacity that differs from other previously modeled regions in several ways: it has bright land surfaces, a distinctive climatological cycle, and an elevated semi-enclosed air basin with a unique planetary boundary layer dynamic. We extend our previous satellite methodology to the Mexico City area, a region with higher PM2.5 than most U.S. and European urban areas. Using a novel 1 km resolution AOD product from the MODIS instrument, we constructed daily predictions across the greater Mexico City area for 2004-2014. We calibrated the association of AOD to PM2.5 daily using municipal ground monitors, land use, and meteorological features. Predictions used spatial and temporal smoothing to estimate AOD when satellite data were missing. Our model performed well, resulting in an out-of-sample cross-validation R(2) of 0.724. Cross-validated root-mean-squared prediction error (RMSPE) of the model was 5.55 μg/m(3). This novel model reconstructs long- and short-term spatially resolved exposure to PM2.5 for epidemiological studies in Mexico City.

The impact of biogenic carbon emissions on aerosol absorption inMexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Marley, N; Gaffney, J; Tackett, M J; Sturchio, N; Hearty, L; Martinez, N; Hardy, K D; Machany-Rivera, A; Guilderson, T P; MacMillan, A; Steelman, K

2009-02-24

In order to determine the wavelength dependence of atmospheric aerosol absorption in the Mexico City area, the absorption angstrom exponents (AAEs) were calculated from aerosol absorption measurements at seven wavelengths obtained with a seven-channel aethalometer during two field campaigns, the Mexico City Metropolitan Area study in April 2003 (MCMA 2003) and the Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations in March 2006 (MILAGRO). The AAEs varied from 0.76 to 1.56 in 2003 and from 0.54 to 1.52 in 2006. The AAE values determined in the afternoon were consistently higher than the corresponding morning values, suggesting the photochemical formation of absorbing secondary organic aerosols (SOA) in the afternoon. The AAE values were compared to stable and radiocarbon isotopic measurements of aerosol samples collected at the same time to determine the sources of the aerosol carbon. The fraction of modern carbon (fM) in the aerosol samples, as determined from {sup 14}C analysis, showed that 70% of the carbonaceous aerosols in Mexico City were from modern sources, indicating a significant impact from biomass burning during both field campaigns. The {sup 13}C/{sup 12}C ratios of the aerosol samples illustrate the significant impact of Yucatan forest fires (C-3 plants) in 2003 and local grass fires (C-4 plants) at site T1 in 2006. A direct comparison of the fM values, stable carbon isotope ratios, and calculated aerosol AAEs suggested that the wavelength dependence of the aerosol absorption was controlled by the biogenically derived aerosol components.

Metals in aerosols of the Mexico City

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reyes L, J.

1998-01-01

The general purpose and scope of this work was to have a data base that includes enough information about the heavy metals which are disseminated in the atmospheric air in Mexico City, like it is what refers to its elements, its concentration and its particle size. For this were collected samples through collectors types: of the filters unit and the cascade impactor. Through the PIXE analysis for filters and films it was identified the presence of 20 elements in the majority of samples studied of the four seasons during the years 1993-1994. The metals were classified in two groups: those of natural origin and those of anthropogenic origin. (Author)

Determination of radon levels in Mexico City

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pena G, P.

1992-01-01

The study of the determination of radon levels in the houses room in Mexico City is part of the project Emanometry of the radon. To carry out this study, the passive method was used, which consists of: thin film dosemeter of cellulose nitrate, container of the same one and spark accountant. The method is based on the mensurations of exhibition of the number of marks of alpha track is of the open type and it allows to average the radon activity along several weeks and it presents low concentrations. This study was carried out in 4 periods of exhibition of 3 months each one. (Author)

The Uses of Informality : Urban Development and Social Distinction in Mexico City

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mueller, F.; Segura, R.

“Urban informality” is a signifier that is disputed by real estate developers, politicians, and residents in undertaking strategies of social distinction and gaining particular political and economic benefits. Research in the western periphery of Mexico City distinguishes three cases of such use of

Life in a Crime Scene: Stop, Question, and Frisk Activity in New York City Neighborhoods in the Aftermath of Homicides

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Johanna Lacoe

2016-02-01

Full Text Available An incident of extreme violence, such as a homicide, disrupts daily life not only through the incident itself but also through the chaos and disruption that emerge in the aftermath of violence. This article presents descriptive evidence about how communities are affected by increased police activity—specifically, stop, question, and frisk (SQF activity—following an incident of extreme violence. Our results show that SQF activity in a block group increases in the week following a homicide in New York City, with the largest increases in neighborhoods with high crime rates. Furthermore, neighborhoods with different racial and ethnic compositions have differential levels of average SQF activity and also experience differential responses from the police in the aftermath of a homicide. African American residents have a higher probability of being stopped following a homicide than do nonblack residents across neighborhoods of all types.

Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus in Women from Mexico City

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María Guadalupe López Rivera

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among Mexican women. The goal of the present study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of HPV types in women from Mexico City. Methods. Our study was conducted in the Clinica de Especialidades de la Mujer de la Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, Mexico. Random samples were taken from 929 healthy women requesting a cervical Papanicolaou examination. Detection and genotyping of HPV were performed by multiplex PCR, with the HPV4A ACE Screening kit (Seegene. Results. 85 of nine hundred twenty-nine women (9.1% were infected with HPV. Of HPV-positive women, 99% and 1% had high- and low-risk HPV genotypes, respectively. The prevalence of the 16 high-risk (HR HPV types that were screened was 43% : 42% (18 were HPV positive and 14% (16 were HPV positive, which includes coinfection. Multiple infections with different viral genotypes were detected in 10% of the positive cases. Abnormal cervical cytological results were found in only 15.3% of HPV-positive women, while 84.7% had normal cytological results. Conclusions. We found a similar prevalence of HPV to previous studies in Mexico. The heterogeneity of the HPV genotype distribution in Mexico is evident in this study, which found a high frequency of HPV HR genotypes, the majority of which were HPV 18.

Neighborhood Environmental Health and Premature Death From Cardiovascular Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaglioti, Anne H; Xu, Junjun; Rollins, Latrice; Baltrus, Peter; O'Connell, Laura Kathryn; Cooper, Dexter L; Hopkins, Jammie; Botchwey, Nisha D; Akintobi, Tabia Henry

2018-02-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minority groups. Healthy neighborhood conditions are associated with increased uptake of health behaviors that reduce CVD risk, but minority neighborhoods often have poor food access and poor walkability. This study tested the community-driven hypothesis that poor access to food at the neighborhood level and poor neighborhood walkability are associated with racial disparities in premature deaths from CVD. We examined the relationship between neighborhood-level food access and walkability on premature CVD mortality rates at the census tract level for the city of Atlanta using multivariable logistic regression models. We produced maps to illustrate premature CVD mortality, food access, and walkability by census tract for the city. We found significant racial differences in premature CVD mortality rates and geographic disparities in food access and walkability among census tracts in Atlanta. Improved food access and walkability were associated with reduced overall premature CVD mortality in unadjusted models, but this association did not persist in models adjusted for census tract population composition and poverty. Census tracts with high concentrations of minority populations had higher levels of poor food access, poor walkability, and premature CVD mortality. This study highlights disparities in premature CVD mortality and neighborhood food access and walkability at the census tract level in the city of Atlanta. Improving food access may have differential effects for subpopulations living in the same area. These results can be used to calibrate neighborhood-level interventions, and they highlight the need to examine race-specific health outcomes.

Neighborhood poverty, urban residence, race/ethnicity, and asthma: Rethinking the inner-city asthma epidemic.

Science.gov (United States)

Keet, Corinne A; McCormack, Meredith C; Pollack, Craig E; Peng, Roger D; McGowan, Emily; Matsui, Elizabeth C

2015-03-01

Although it is thought that inner-city areas have a high burden of asthma, the prevalence of asthma in inner cities across the United States is not known. We sought to estimate the prevalence of current asthma in US children living in inner-city and non-inner-city areas and to examine whether urban residence, poverty, or race/ethnicity are the main drivers of asthma disparities. The National Health Interview Survey 2009-2011 was linked by census tract to data from the US Census and the National Center for Health Statistics. Multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for sex; age; race/ethnicity; residence in an urban, suburban, medium metro, or small metro/rural area; poverty; and birth outside the United States, with current asthma and asthma morbidity as outcome variables. Inner-city areas were defined as urban areas with 20% or more of households at below the poverty line. We included 23,065 children living in 5,853 census tracts. The prevalence of current asthma was 12.9% in inner-city and 10.6% in non-inner-city areas, but this difference was not significant after adjusting for race/ethnicity, region, age, and sex. In fully adjusted models black race, Puerto Rican ethnicity, and lower household income but not residence in poor or urban areas were independent risk factors for current asthma. Household poverty increased the risk of asthma among non-Hispanics and Puerto Ricans but not among other Hispanics. Associations with asthma morbidity were very similar to those with prevalent asthma. Although the prevalence of asthma is high in some inner-city areas, this is largely explained by demographic factors and not by living in an urban neighborhood. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Mexico City-Based Immersion Education Program: Training Mental Health Clinicians for Practice with Latino Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Platt, Jason James

2012-01-01

This article describes the philosophical foundations and educational methods of a Spanish language and cultural immersion program based in Mexico City, Mexico. The program is designed to assist U.S. graduate students in marriage and family therapy and clinical psychology programs to improve clinical service delivery with Latino clients. Utilizing…

Pioneers of Gentrification: Transformation in Global Neighborhoods in Urban America in the Late Twentieth Century.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Jackelyn

2016-02-01

Few studies have considered the role of immigration in the rise of gentrification in the late twentieth century. Analysis of U.S. Census and American Community Survey data over 24 years and field surveys of gentrification in low-income neighborhoods across 23 U.S. cities reveal that most gentrifying neighborhoods were "global" in the 1970s or became so over time. An early presence of Asians was positively associated with gentrification; and an early presence of Hispanics was positively associated with gentrification in neighborhoods with substantial shares of blacks and negatively associated with gentrification in cities with high Hispanic growth, where ethnic enclaves were more likely to form. Low-income, predominantly black neighborhoods and neighborhoods that became Asian and Hispanic destinations remained ungentrified despite the growth of gentrification during the late twentieth century. The findings suggest that the rise of immigration after 1965 brought pioneers to many low-income central-city neighborhoods, spurring gentrification in some neighborhoods and forming ethnic enclaves in others.

Drinking water quality in a Mexico city university community: perception and preferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Espinosa-García, Ana C; Díaz-Ávalos, Carlos; González-Villarreal, Fernando J; Val-Segura, Rafael; Malvaez-Orozco, Velvet; Mazari-Hiriart, Marisa

2015-03-01

A transversal study was conducted at the University City campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City, with the goal of estimating the university community preference for drinking either tap water or bottled water and the reasons for their selection. A representative sample of three university community subpopulations (students, workers/administrative staff, and academic personnel) were interviewed with respect to their water consumption habits. The results showed that 75% of the university community drinks only bottled water and that the consumption of tap water is low. The interviewees responded that the main reason for this preference is the organoleptic features of tap water independent of quality. In general, the participants in this study do not trust the quality of the tap water, which could be caused by the facilities that distribute bottled water encouraging a general disinterest in learning about the origin and management of the tap water that is distributed on campus.

An adaptive large neighborhood search heuristic for Two-Echelon Vehicle Routing Problems arising in city logistics

Science.gov (United States)

Hemmelmayr, Vera C.; Cordeau, Jean-François; Crainic, Teodor Gabriel

2012-01-01

In this paper, we propose an adaptive large neighborhood search heuristic for the Two-Echelon Vehicle Routing Problem (2E-VRP) and the Location Routing Problem (LRP). The 2E-VRP arises in two-level transportation systems such as those encountered in the context of city logistics. In such systems, freight arrives at a major terminal and is shipped through intermediate satellite facilities to the final customers. The LRP can be seen as a special case of the 2E-VRP in which vehicle routing is performed only at the second level. We have developed new neighborhood search operators by exploiting the structure of the two problem classes considered and have also adapted existing operators from the literature. The operators are used in a hierarchical scheme reflecting the multi-level nature of the problem. Computational experiments conducted on several sets of instances from the literature show that our algorithm outperforms existing solution methods for the 2E-VRP and achieves excellent results on the LRP. PMID:23483764

An adaptive large neighborhood search heuristic for Two-Echelon Vehicle Routing Problems arising in city logistics.

Science.gov (United States)

Hemmelmayr, Vera C; Cordeau, Jean-François; Crainic, Teodor Gabriel

2012-12-01

In this paper, we propose an adaptive large neighborhood search heuristic for the Two-Echelon Vehicle Routing Problem (2E-VRP) and the Location Routing Problem (LRP). The 2E-VRP arises in two-level transportation systems such as those encountered in the context of city logistics. In such systems, freight arrives at a major terminal and is shipped through intermediate satellite facilities to the final customers. The LRP can be seen as a special case of the 2E-VRP in which vehicle routing is performed only at the second level. We have developed new neighborhood search operators by exploiting the structure of the two problem classes considered and have also adapted existing operators from the literature. The operators are used in a hierarchical scheme reflecting the multi-level nature of the problem. Computational experiments conducted on several sets of instances from the literature show that our algorithm outperforms existing solution methods for the 2E-VRP and achieves excellent results on the LRP.

Durham Neighborhood Compass Block Groups

Data.gov (United States)

City and County of Durham, North Carolina — The Durham Neighborhood Compass is a quantitative indicators project with qualitative values, integrating data from local government, the Census Bureau and other...

Final Opportunity to Rehabilitate an Urban River as a Water Source for Mexico City

Science.gov (United States)

Mazari-Hiriart, Marisa; Pérez-Ortiz, Gustavo; Orta-Ledesma, María Teresa; Armas-Vargas, Felipe; Tapia, Marco A.; Solano-Ortiz, Rosa; Silva, Miguel A.; Yañez-Noguez, Isaura; López-Vidal, Yolanda; Díaz-Ávalos, Carlos

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the amount and quality of water in the Magdalena-Eslava river system and to propose alternatives for sustainable water use. The system is the last urban river in the vicinity of Mexico City that supplies surface water to the urban area. Historical flow data were analyzed (1973–2010), along with the physicochemical and bacteriological attributes, documenting the evolution of these variables over the course of five years (2008–2012) in both dry and rainy seasons. The analyses show that the flow regime has been significantly altered. The physicochemical variables show significant differences between the natural area, where the river originates, and the urban area, where the river receives untreated wastewater. Nutrient and conductivity concentrations in the river were equivalent to domestic wastewater. Fecal pollution indicators and various pathogens were present in elevated densities, demonstrating a threat to the population living near the river. Estimates of the value of the water lost as a result of mixing clean and contaminated water are presented. This urban river should be rehabilitated as a sustainability practice, and if possible, these efforts should be replicated in other areas. Because of the public health issues and in view of the population exposure where the river flows through the city, the river should be improved aesthetically and should be treated to allow its ecosystem services to recover. This river represents an iconic case for Mexico City because it connects the natural and urban areas in a socio-ecological system that can potentially provide clean water for human consumption. Contaminated water could be treated and reused for irrigation in one of the green areas of the city. Wastewater treatment plants and the operation of the existing purification plants are urgent priorities that could lead to better, more sustainable water use practices in Mexico City. PMID:25054805

Final opportunity to rehabilitate an urban river as a water source for Mexico City.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marisa Mazari-Hiriart

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate the amount and quality of water in the Magdalena-Eslava river system and to propose alternatives for sustainable water use. The system is the last urban river in the vicinity of Mexico City that supplies surface water to the urban area. Historical flow data were analyzed (1973-2010, along with the physicochemical and bacteriological attributes, documenting the evolution of these variables over the course of five years (2008-2012 in both dry and rainy seasons. The analyses show that the flow regime has been significantly altered. The physicochemical variables show significant differences between the natural area, where the river originates, and the urban area, where the river receives untreated wastewater. Nutrient and conductivity concentrations in the river were equivalent to domestic wastewater. Fecal pollution indicators and various pathogens were present in elevated densities, demonstrating a threat to the population living near the river. Estimates of the value of the water lost as a result of mixing clean and contaminated water are presented. This urban river should be rehabilitated as a sustainability practice, and if possible, these efforts should be replicated in other areas. Because of the public health issues and in view of the population exposure where the river flows through the city, the river should be improved aesthetically and should be treated to allow its ecosystem services to recover. This river represents an iconic case for Mexico City because it connects the natural and urban areas in a socio-ecological system that can potentially provide clean water for human consumption. Contaminated water could be treated and reused for irrigation in one of the green areas of the city. Wastewater treatment plants and the operation of the existing purification plants are urgent priorities that could lead to better, more sustainable water use practices in Mexico City.

Final opportunity to rehabilitate an urban river as a water source for Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazari-Hiriart, Marisa; Pérez-Ortiz, Gustavo; Orta-Ledesma, María Teresa; Armas-Vargas, Felipe; Tapia, Marco A; Solano-Ortiz, Rosa; Silva, Miguel A; Yañez-Noguez, Isaura; López-Vidal, Yolanda; Díaz-Ávalos, Carlos

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the amount and quality of water in the Magdalena-Eslava river system and to propose alternatives for sustainable water use. The system is the last urban river in the vicinity of Mexico City that supplies surface water to the urban area. Historical flow data were analyzed (1973-2010), along with the physicochemical and bacteriological attributes, documenting the evolution of these variables over the course of five years (2008-2012) in both dry and rainy seasons. The analyses show that the flow regime has been significantly altered. The physicochemical variables show significant differences between the natural area, where the river originates, and the urban area, where the river receives untreated wastewater. Nutrient and conductivity concentrations in the river were equivalent to domestic wastewater. Fecal pollution indicators and various pathogens were present in elevated densities, demonstrating a threat to the population living near the river. Estimates of the value of the water lost as a result of mixing clean and contaminated water are presented. This urban river should be rehabilitated as a sustainability practice, and if possible, these efforts should be replicated in other areas. Because of the public health issues and in view of the population exposure where the river flows through the city, the river should be improved aesthetically and should be treated to allow its ecosystem services to recover. This river represents an iconic case for Mexico City because it connects the natural and urban areas in a socio-ecological system that can potentially provide clean water for human consumption. Contaminated water could be treated and reused for irrigation in one of the green areas of the city. Wastewater treatment plants and the operation of the existing purification plants are urgent priorities that could lead to better, more sustainable water use practices in Mexico City.

On the Sound Environment of the City of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico

OpenAIRE

Boullosa, R. R.; Alvarado Z., C.

2011-01-01

An exploration of the sound environment in the city of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, is presented. A series of interviews were held with 19 residents, of which 7 were undergraduate students, related to the perception of sound in or around places of different zones in the so-called "Viejo Vallarta" ("Old Vallarta"). The purpose was twofold, firstly, to explore the ideas people have relating to the sounds they hear in the city -and in general, the ideas they have relating to peace and tranq...

Systemic Competitiveness of SMEs in Mexico City, Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Luisa Saavedra García

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to apply the model of systemic competitiveness, SMEs in Mexico City. Developing four levels of competitiveness: macro level (economic environment, meso level (regional environment, Level Goal (Environment Socioeconomic and micro Level (internal factors. Data collection was done through fieldwork and archival research. The main findings are among the major strengths of the economic environment: high level of gross domestic product, high labor productivity and fiscal autonomy, the main weaknesses: the unions and the unemployment rate; meanwhile stand between foreign investment opportunities between threats and insecurity, corruption and difficulty in business transactions. In the regional setting a positive and 1 perfect relationship between the number of economic units and per capita GDP was found. With regard to socio-cultural factors, presents lower levels of poverty and unemployment to the rest of the country. Finally, at the micro level, the competitiveness of SMEs is in direct relation to the size of the company and the industry sector shows higher competitiveness trade and services sectors.

Assessment of water supply as an ecosystem service in a rural-urban watershed in southwestern Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Jujnovsky, Julieta; González-Martínez, Teresa Margarita; Cantoral-Uriza, Enrique Arturo; Almeida-Leñero, Lucia

2012-03-01

Studies from the ecosystem services perspective can provide a useful framework because they allow us to fully examine the benefits that humans obtain from socio-ecological systems. Mexico City, the second largest city in the world, has faced severe problems related to water shortages, which have worsened due to increasing population. Demand for space has forced changes in land cover, including covering areas that are essential for groundwater recharge. The city has 880 km(2) of forest areas that are crucial for the water supply. The Magdalena River Watershed was chosen as a model because it is a well-preserved zone within Mexico City and it provides water for the population. The general aim of this study was to assess the ecosystem service of the water supply in the Magdalena River Watershed by determining its water balance (SWAT model) and the number of beneficiaries of the ecosystem services. The results showed that the watershed provides 18.4 hm(3) of water per year. Baseflow was dominant, with a contribution of 85%, while surface runoff only accounted for 15%. The zone provides drinking water to 78,476 inhabitants and could supply 153,203 potential beneficiaries. This work provides an example for understanding how ecosystem processes determine the provision of ecosystem services and benefits to the population in a rural-urban watershed in Mexico City.

Sources and transformations of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Mexico City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. C. Marr

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Understanding sources, concentrations, and transformations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs in the atmosphere is important because of their potent mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. The measurement of particle-bound PAHs by three different methods during the Mexico City Metropolitan Area field campaign in April 2003 presents a unique opportunity for characterization of these compounds and intercomparison of the methods. The three methods are (1 collection and analysis of bulk samples for time-integrated gas- and particle-phase speciation by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry; (2 aerosol photoionization for fast detection of PAHs on particles' surfaces; and (3 aerosol mass spectrometry for fast analysis of size and chemical composition. This research represents the first time aerosol mass spectrometry has been used to measure ambient PAH concentrations and the first time that fast, real-time methods have been used to quantify PAHs alongside traditional filter-based measurements in an extended field campaign. Speciated PAH measurements suggest that motor vehicles and garbage and wood burning are important sources in Mexico City. The diurnal concentration patterns captured by aerosol photoionization and aerosol mass spectrometry are generally consistent. Ambient concentrations of particle-phase PAHs typically peak at ~110 ng m-3 during the morning rush hour and rapidly decay due to changes in source activity patterns and dilution as the boundary layer rises, although surface-bound PAH concentrations decay faster. The more rapid decrease in surface versus bulk PAH concentrations during the late morning suggests that freshly emitted combustion-related particles are quickly coated by secondary aerosol material in Mexico City's atmosphere and may also be transformed by heterogeneous reactions.

Remotely-triggered Slip in Mexico City Induced by the September 2017 Mw=7.1 Puebla Earthquake.

Science.gov (United States)

Solano Rojas, D. E.; Havazli, E.; Cabral-Cano, E.; Wdowinski, S.

2017-12-01

Although the epicenter of the September 19th, 2017 Mw=7.1 Puebla earthquake is located 100 km from Mexico City, the earthquake caused severe destruction in the city, leading to life loss and property damage. Mexico City is built on a thick clay-rich sedimentary sequence and, hence, is susceptible to seismic acceleration during earthquakes. The sediment layer also causes land subsidence, at rates as high as 350 mm/yr, and surface faulting. The earthquake damage in the eastern part of the city, characterized by the collapse of several buildings, can be explained by seismic amplification. However, the damage in the southern part of the city, characterized by the collapse of small houses and surface faulting, requires a different explanation. We present here geodetic observations suggesting that the surface faulting in Mexico City triggered by the Puebla earthquake occurred in areas already experiencing differential displacements. Our study is based on Sentinel-1A satellite data from before and after the earthquake (September 17th and 29th, 2017). We process the data using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) to produce a coseismic interferogram. We also identify phase discontinuities that can be interpreted as surface faulting using the phase gradient technique (Price and Sandwell, 1998). The results of our analysis reveal the locations and patterns of coseismic phase discontinuities, mainly in the piedmont of the Sierra de Santa Catarina, which agree with the location of earthquake's damage reported by official and unofficial sources (GCDMX, 2017; OSM, 2017). The observed phase discontinuities also agree well with the location of preexisting, subsidence-related faults identified during 10 years of field surveys (GCDMX, 2017) and coincide with differential displacements identified using a Fast Fourier Transform residual technique on high-resolution InSAR results from 2012 (Solano-Rojas et. al, 2017). We propose that the seismic energy released by the 2017

A scenario of human thermal comfort in Mexico City for 2CO{sub 2} conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jauregui, Ernesto [Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera de la UNAM, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Tejeda, Adalberto [Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz (Mexico)

2001-07-01

Applying the concept of effective temperature (ET), a scenario of human bioclimatic conditions for Mexico City is presented by using results from both GCM regional predictions for CO{sub 2} doubling and temperature trend projections from an urban station. Current and future bioclimatic maps for Mexico City and their conurbation are presented. Current environmental conditions will likely change toward a warmer atmosphere due to both the urbanization process and global greenhouse effect. The impact on the population will be more important during the warm season (March- May) when the bioclimate of the city will likely shift away from current neutrality to the next comfort scale category (ET 24-27 Celsius degrees) of warm conditions covering most of the capital city. [Spanish] A partir de la aplicacion del concepto de temperatura efectiva (ET) se presenta un escenario de las condiciones de bioclima humano para la Ciudad de Mexico y zona conurbada para la segunda mitad del proximo siglo. Se usaron resultados de predicciones regionales de modelos de circulacion general (GCM) para una duplicacion del CO{sub 2} y tambien las tendencias de temperatura de una estacion urbana. Se muestran mapas de las condiciones actuales y futuras de confort termico. La combinacion del efecto invernadero y la urbanizacion, muy probablemente impacten en la poblacion principalmente en la estacion calida (marzo a mayo), cuando se pase de la categoria de confort actual a la inmediata superior (ET 24-27 Celsius degrees) en la mayor parte de la capital del pais.

Neighborhood Environmental Health and Premature Death From Cardiovascular Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Junjun; Rollins, Latrice; Baltrus, Peter; O’Connell, Laura Kathryn; Cooper, Dexter L.; Hopkins, Jammie; Botchwey, Nisha D.; Akintobi, Tabia Henry

2018-01-01

Introduction Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minority groups. Healthy neighborhood conditions are associated with increased uptake of health behaviors that reduce CVD risk, but minority neighborhoods often have poor food access and poor walkability. This study tested the community-driven hypothesis that poor access to food at the neighborhood level and poor neighborhood walkability are associated with racial disparities in premature deaths from CVD. Methods We examined the relationship between neighborhood-level food access and walkability on premature CVD mortality rates at the census tract level for the city of Atlanta using multivariable logistic regression models. We produced maps to illustrate premature CVD mortality, food access, and walkability by census tract for the city. Results We found significant racial differences in premature CVD mortality rates and geographic disparities in food access and walkability among census tracts in Atlanta. Improved food access and walkability were associated with reduced overall premature CVD mortality in unadjusted models, but this association did not persist in models adjusted for census tract population composition and poverty. Census tracts with high concentrations of minority populations had higher levels of poor food access, poor walkability, and premature CVD mortality. Conclusion This study highlights disparities in premature CVD mortality and neighborhood food access and walkability at the census tract level in the city of Atlanta. Improving food access may have differential effects for subpopulations living in the same area. These results can be used to calibrate neighborhood-level interventions, and they highlight the need to examine race-specific health outcomes. PMID:29389312

Poverty concentration in an affluent city: Geographic variation and correlates of neighborhood poverty rates in Hong Kong

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Yingqi; Chang, Shu-Sen; Sha, Feng

2018-01-01

Previous investigations of geographic concentration of urban poverty indicate the contribution of a variety of factors, such as economic restructuring and class-based segregation, racial segregation, demographic structure, and public policy. However, the models used by most past research do not consider the possibility that poverty concentration may take different forms in different locations across a city, and most studies have been conducted in Western settings. We investigated the spatial patterning of neighborhood poverty and its correlates in Hong Kong, which is amongst cities with the highest GDP in the region, using the city-wide ordinary least square (OLS) regression model and the local-specific geographically weighted regression (GWR) model. We found substantial geographic variations in small-area poverty rates and identified several poverty clusters in the territory. Factors found to contribute to urban poverty in Western cities, such as socioeconomic factors, ethnicity, and public housing, were also mostly associated with local poverty rates in Hong Kong. Our results also suggest some heterogeneity in the associations of poverty with specific correlates (e.g. access to hospitals) that would be masked in the city-wide OLS model. Policy aimed to alleviate poverty should consider both city-wide and local-specific factors. PMID:29474393

Poverty concentration in an affluent city: Geographic variation and correlates of neighborhood poverty rates in Hong Kong.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Yingqi; Chang, Shu-Sen; Sha, Feng; Yip, Paul S F

2018-01-01

Previous investigations of geographic concentration of urban poverty indicate the contribution of a variety of factors, such as economic restructuring and class-based segregation, racial segregation, demographic structure, and public policy. However, the models used by most past research do not consider the possibility that poverty concentration may take different forms in different locations across a city, and most studies have been conducted in Western settings. We investigated the spatial patterning of neighborhood poverty and its correlates in Hong Kong, which is amongst cities with the highest GDP in the region, using the city-wide ordinary least square (OLS) regression model and the local-specific geographically weighted regression (GWR) model. We found substantial geographic variations in small-area poverty rates and identified several poverty clusters in the territory. Factors found to contribute to urban poverty in Western cities, such as socioeconomic factors, ethnicity, and public housing, were also mostly associated with local poverty rates in Hong Kong. Our results also suggest some heterogeneity in the associations of poverty with specific correlates (e.g. access to hospitals) that would be masked in the city-wide OLS model. Policy aimed to alleviate poverty should consider both city-wide and local-specific factors.

Double Exposure and the Climate Gap: Changing demographics and extreme heat in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Timothy W.; McDonald, Yolanda J.; Aldouri, Raed; Aboargob, Faraj; Eldeb, Abdelatif; Aguilar, María de Lourdes Romo; Velázquez-Angulo, Juárez Gilberto

2013-01-01

Scholars have recognized a climate gap, wherein poor communities face disproportionate impacts of climate change. Others have noted that climate change and economic globalization may mutually affect a region or social group, leading to double exposure. This paper investigates how current and changing patterns of neighborhood demographics are associated with extreme heat in the border city of Juárez, Mexico. Many Juárez neighborhoods are at-risk to triple exposures, in which residents suffer due to the conjoined effects of the global recession, drug war violence, and extreme heat. Due to impacts of the recession on maquiladora employment and the explosion of drug violence (since 2008), over 75% of neighborhoods experienced decreasing population density between 2000 and 2010 and the average neighborhood saw a 40% increase in the proportion of older adults. Neighborhoods with greater drops in population density and increases in the proportion of older residents over the decade are at significantly higher risk to extreme heat, as are neighborhoods with lower population density and lower levels of education. In this context, triple exposures are associated with a climate gap that most endangers lower socioeconomic status and increasingly older aged populations remaining in neighborhoods from which high proportions of residents have departed. PMID:25642135

The chemo and the mona : Inhalants, devotion and street youth in Mexico city

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gigengack, Roy

This paper understands inhalant use - the deliberate inhalation of volatile solvents or glues with intentions of intoxication - as a socially and culturally constituted practice. It describes the inhalant use of young street people in Mexico City from their perspective ("the vicioso or inhalant

Impact of Urban Neighborhood Disadvantage on Late Stage Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Virginia.

Science.gov (United States)

DeGuzman, Pam Baker; Cohn, Wendy F; Camacho, Fabian; Edwards, Brandy L; Sturz, Vanessa N; Schroen, Anneke T

2017-04-01

Research suggests that residents of inner-city urban neighborhoods have higher rates of late stage cancer diagnosis. Identifying urban neighborhoods with high rates of both concentrated disadvantage and late stage cancer diagnosis may assist health care providers to target screening interventions to reduce disparities. The purposes of this study were to (1) create an index to evaluate concentrated disadvantage (CD) using non-racial measures of poverty, (2) determine the impact of neighborhood CD on late stage breast cancer diagnosis in US cities, and (3) to understand the role of obesity on this relationship. We used census block group- (CBG) level poverty indicators from five Virginia cities to develop the index. Breast cancer cases of women aged 18-65 who lived in the five cities were identified from the 2000-2012 Virginia Cancer Registry. A logistic regression model with random intercept was used to evaluate the impact of disadvantage on late stage breast cancer diagnosis. CBG-level maps were developed to geographically identify neighborhoods with both high rates of CD and late breast cancer staging. Over 900 CBGs and 6000 breast cases were included. Global fit of the concentrated disadvantage model was acceptable. The effect of disadvantage on late stage was significant (OR = 1.0083, p = 0.032). Inner-city poverty impacts risk of late stage breast cancer diagnosis. Area-level obesity is highly correlated with neighborhood poverty (ρ = 0.74, p diagnosis for urban poor and for minorities living in these underserved neighborhoods, but more study is needed to understanding the complex relationship between concentrated neighborhood poverty, obesity, and late stage diagnosis.

The distribution of potential West Nile virus vectors, Culex pipiens pipiens and Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae), in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz-Badillo, Alvaro; Bolling, Bethany G; Perez-Ramirez, Gerardo; Moore, Chester G; Martinez-Munoz, Jorge P; Padilla-Viveros, America A; Camacho-Nuez, Minerva; Diaz-Perez, Alfonso; Beaty, Barry J; Munoz, Maria de Lourdes

2011-05-09

Culex spp. mosquitoes are considered to be the most important vectors of West Nile virus (WNV) detected in at least 34 species of mosquitoes in the United States. In North America, Culex pipiens pipiens, Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus, and Culex tarsalis are all competent vectors of WNV, which is considered to be enzootic in the United States and has also been detected in equines and birds in many states of Mexico and in humans in Nuevo Leon. There is potential for WNV to be introduced into Mexico City by various means including infected mosquitoes on airplanes, migrating birds, ground transportation and infected humans. Little is known of the geographic distribution of Culex pipiens complex mosquitoes and hybrids in Mexico City. Culex pipiens pipiens preferentially feed on avian hosts; Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus have historically been considered to prefer mammalian hosts; and hybrids of these two species could theoretically serve as bridge vectors to transmit WNV from avian hosts to humans and other mammalian hosts. In order to address the potential of WNV being introduced into Mexico City, we have determined the identity and spatial distribution of Culex pipiens complex mosquitoes and their hybrids. Mosquito larvae collected from 103 sites throughout Mexico City during 2004-2005 were identified as Culex, Culiseta or Ochlerotatus by morphological analysis. Within the genus Culex, specimens were further identified as Culex tarsalis or as belonging to the Culex pipiens complex. Members of the Culex pipiens complex were separated by measuring the ratio of the dorsal and ventral arms (DV/D ratio) of the male genitalia and also by using diagnostic primers designed for the Ace.2 gene. Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus was the most abundant form collected. Important WNV vectors species, Cx. p. pipiens, Cx. p. quinquefasciatus and Cx. tarsalis, are all present in Mexico City. Hybrids of Cx. p. pipiens and Cx. p. quinquefasciatus were also collected and identified. The

The distribution of potential West Nile virus vectors, Culex pipiens pipiens and Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae, in Mexico City

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Diaz-Perez Alfonso

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Culex spp. mosquitoes are considered to be the most important vectors of West Nile virus (WNV detected in at least 34 species of mosquitoes in the United States. In North America, Culex pipiens pipiens, Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus, and Culex tarsalis are all competent vectors of WNV, which is considered to be enzootic in the United States and has also been detected in equines and birds in many states of Mexico and in humans in Nuevo Leon. There is potential for WNV to be introduced into Mexico City by various means including infected mosquitoes on airplanes, migrating birds, ground transportation and infected humans. Little is known of the geographic distribution of Culex pipiens complex mosquitoes and hybrids in Mexico City. Culex pipiens pipiens preferentially feed on avian hosts; Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus have historically been considered to prefer mammalian hosts; and hybrids of these two species could theoretically serve as bridge vectors to transmit WNV from avian hosts to humans and other mammalian hosts. In order to address the potential of WNV being introduced into Mexico City, we have determined the identity and spatial distribution of Culex pipiens complex mosquitoes and their hybrids. Results Mosquito larvae collected from 103 sites throughout Mexico City during 2004-2005 were identified as Culex, Culiseta or Ochlerotatus by morphological analysis. Within the genus Culex, specimens were further identified as Culex tarsalis or as belonging to the Culex pipiens complex. Members of the Culex pipiens complex were separated by measuring the ratio of the dorsal and ventral arms (DV/D ratio of the male genitalia and also by using diagnostic primers designed for the Ace.2 gene. Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus was the most abundant form collected. Conclusions Important WNV vectors species, Cx. p. pipiens, Cx. p. quinquefasciatus and Cx. tarsalis, are all present in Mexico City. Hybrids of Cx. p. pipiens and Cx. p

Asymmetric correlations in the ozone concentration dynamics of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area

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Meraz, M.; Alvarez-Ramirez, J.; Echeverria, J. C.

2017-04-01

Mexico City is a megalopolis with severe pollution problems caused by vehicles and industrial activity. This condition imposes important risks to human health and economic activity. Based on hourly-sampled data during the last decade, in a recent work (Meraz et al., 2015) we showed that the pollutant dynamics in Mexico City exhibits long-term and scale-dependent persistence effects resulting from the combination of pollutants generation by vehicles and removal by advection mechanisms. In this work, we analyzed the dynamics of ozone, a key component reflecting the degree of atmospheric contamination, to determine if its long-term correlations are asymmetric in relation to the actual concentration trend (increasing or decreasing). The analysis is conducted with detrended fluctuation analysis. The results showed that the average ozone dynamics is uncorrelated when the concentration is increasing. In contrast, the ozone dynamics shows long-term anti-persistence effects when the concentration is decreasing.

Contribution of garbage burning to chloride and PM2.5 in Mexico City

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N. Bei

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The contribution of garbage burning (GB emissions to chloride and PM2.5 in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA has been investigated for the period of 24 to 29 March during the MILAGRO-2006 campaign using the WRF-CHEM model. When the MCMA 2006 official emission inventory without biomass burning is used in the simulations, the WRF-CHEM model significantly underestimates the observed particulate chloride in the urban and the suburban areas. The inclusion of GB emissions substantially improves the simulations of particulate chloride; GB contributes more than 60% of the observation, indicating that it is a major source of particulate chloride in Mexico City. GB yields up to 3 pbb HCl at the ground level in the city, which is mainly caused by the burning of polyvinyl chloride (PVC in the garbage. GB is also an important source of PM2.5, contributing about 3–30% simulated PM2.5 mass on average. More modeling work is needed to evaluate the GB contribution to hazardous air toxics, such as dioxin, which is found to be released at high level from PVC burning in laboratory experiments.

Experiences of street harassment and associations with perceptions of social cohesion among women in Mexico City

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Paola A Campos

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To document the frequency and forms of street harassment and examine the association between street harassment experiences and perceptions of social cohesion. Materials and methods. Baseline survey data collected among women seeking care in public health clinics in Mexico City were used for analysis. Results. Nearly two-thirds (62.8% of women reported experiencing some form of street harassment in the prior month; women with street harassment experiences reported significantly lower perceived social cohesion (b=-0.46; 95%CI:0.69,-0.22. Conclusions. Findings indicate reducing street harassment may have important implications for improving women’s perceived social cohesion and their safety in Mexico City.

Microscopic Characterization of Carbonaceous Aerosol Particle Aging in the Outflow from Mexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moffet, R. C.; Henn, T. R.; Tivanski, A. V.; Hopkins, R. J.; Desyaterik, Y.; Kilcoyne, A. L. D.; Tyliszczak, T.; Fast, J.; Barnard, J.; Shutthanandan, V.; Cliff, S.S.; Perry, K. D.; Laskin, A.; Gilles, M. K.

2009-09-16

This study was part of the Megacities Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations (MILAGRO) field campaign conducted in Mexico City Metropolitan Area during spring 2006. The physical and chemical transformations of particles aged in the outflow from Mexico City were investigated for the transport event of 22 March 2006. A detailed chemical analysis of individual particles was performed using a combination of complementary microscopy and micro-spectroscopy techniques. The applied techniques included scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) coupled with near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS) and computer controlled scanning electron microscopy with an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer (CCSEM/EDX). As the aerosol plume evolves from the city center, the organic mass per particle increases and the fraction of carbon-carbon double bonds (associated with elemental carbon) decreases. Organic functional groups enhanced with particle age include: carboxylic acids, alkyl groups, and oxygen bonded alkyl groups. At the city center (T0) the most prevalent aerosol type contained inorganic species (composed of sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, and potassium) coated with organic material. At the T1 and T2 sites, located northeast of T0 (~;;29 km and ~;;65 km, respectively), the fraction of homogenously mixed organic particles increased in both size and number. These observations illustrate the evolution of the physical mixing state and organic bonding in individual particles in a photochemically active environment.

Neighborhood and Friendship Composition in Adolescence

OpenAIRE

Edling, Christofer; Rydgren, Jens

2010-01-01

The social surroundings in which an individual grows up and spends his or her everyday life have an effect on his or her life chances. Much of the research into this phenomenon focuses on so-called neighborhood effects and has put particular emphasis on the negative effects of growing up in a poor neighborhood. Originating from the sociological study of inner-city problems in the United States, the research has recentl...

Saturday Driving Restrictions Fail to Improve Air Quality in Mexico City

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Davis, Lucas W.

2017-02-01

Policymakers around the world are turning to license-plate based driving restrictions in an effort to address urban air pollution. The format differs across cities, but most programs restrict driving once or twice a week during weekdays. This paper focuses on Mexico City, home to one of the oldest and best-known driving restriction policies. For almost two decades Mexico City’s driving restrictions applied during weekdays only. This changed recently, however, when the program was expanded to include Saturdays. This paper uses hourly data from pollution monitoring stations to measure the effect of the Saturday expansion on air quality. Overall, there is little evidence that the program expansion improved air quality. Across eight major pollutants, the program expansion had virtually no discernible effect on pollution levels. These disappointing results stand in sharp contrast to estimates made before the expansion which predicted a 15%+ decrease in vehicle emissions on Saturdays. To understand why the program has been less effective than expected, the paper then turns to evidence from subway, bus, and light rail ridership, finding no evidence that the expansion was successful in getting drivers to switch to lower-emitting forms of transportation.

Population density, distance to public transportation, and health of women in low-income neighborhoods.

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DeGuzman, Pamela B; Merwin, Elizabeth I; Bourguignon, Cheryl

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research was to determine the impact of two neighborhood walkability (the extent to which the built environment is pedestrian friendly) metrics on health outcomes of women living in low-income urban neighborhoods, both before and after accounting for individual and neighborhood factors. A cross-sectional, retrospective design was used. The sample of 1800 low-income women was drawn from Welfare, Children and Families: A Three-City Study (a study of low-income women from three U.S. cities). Using multilevel modeling and geographic information systems, the study sought to determine the effect of distance to public transportation and residential density on health status, mental health symptoms, and health-related limitations. No significant relationship was found between the two walkability metrics and health outcomes. Instead, neighborhood problems that affect crime and safety impacted health status and mental health symptoms. As cities make changes to the built environment with the hope of affecting residents' health outcomes, public health nurses need to be aware that changing walkability characteristics in a neighborhood may not affect the health of residents of high crime, low-income neighborhoods. Without first addressing neighborhood crime, efforts to improve walkability in low-income neighborhoods may fail. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Cultural mechanisms and the persistence of neighborhood violence.

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Kirk, David S; Papachristos, Andrew V

2011-01-01

Sociologists have given considerable attention to identifying the neighborhood-level social-interactional mechanisms that influence outcomes such as crime, educational attainment, and health. Yet, cultural mechanisms are often overlooked in quantitative studies of neighborhood effects. This paper adds a cultural dimension to neighborhood effects research by exploring the consequences of legal cynicism. Legal cynicism refers to a cultural frame in which people perceive the law as illegitimate, unresponsive, and ill equipped to ensure public safety. The authors find that legal cynicism explains why homicide persisted in certain Chicago neighborhoods during the 1990s despite declines in poverty and declines in violence city-wide.

Childcare needs of female street vendors in Mexico City.

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Hernandez, P; Zetina, A; Tapia, M; Ortiz, C; Soto, I C

1996-06-01

This article reports on strategies developed by female street vendors (vendedoras ambulantes) in Mexico City to ensure the care of their young children in the absence of a specific and operational government policy to fulfil this need. The information concerning child care and health was gathered by a survey of 426 street traders selected by multi-stage random cluster sampling in four of the administrative districts (delegaciones politicas) of Mexico City during 1990. It was found that, as mothers of young children, street vendors most frequently looked after their children personally on the street or left them with other members of the family. Related factors were availability of alternative child care providers in the family, the age of the children and working conditions of the mother. Children who remained on the streets with their mothers suffered more frequently from gastro-intestinal diseases and accidents than the national average. The incidence of acute respiratory diseases, however, was similar in the cases of maternal care in the street and care by family members in another environment. Existing public health measures show a greater concern for the health of food consumers than that of workers in this area. Current public policy seeks to regulate street vending activities and to concentrate traders in ad hoc areas and facilities. Our research results document the need for actions that can contribute to an improvement in the care and health conditions of these young children.

The heat spells of Mexico City

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Ernesto Jáuregui

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The warning of urban air has been documented to increase in intensity and area as cities grow (Oke, 1982. As the cities grow the so called “heat island” tends to increase the risk of more frequent heat waves as well as their impacts (IPCC, 2001. Threshold values to define a heat wave vary geographically. For the case of Mexico City located in a high inland valley in the tropics, values above 30° C (daily maximum observed for three or more consecutive days and 25° C or more as mean temperature have been adopted to define the phenomenon. These events occur at the end of the dry season during March to May when afternoon relative humidity is quite low (∼20% and thus reducing the stress. Maximum temperatute data from the Observatory of the National Meteorological Service were used. Results show that during the second half of the XXth century the frequency of heat waves as defined above has doubled from 6 events/decade to 16/decade in the 1990s with a marked increase in the last third of the last century when population of the city grew from 8.5 to 18.5 million (CONAPO, 2000. During this time the average urban/rural contrast grew considerably from about 6° C to 10° C (Jáuregui, 1986. While these heat waves may be considered as “mild”they receive attention from the media and prompt actions by the population to relieve the heat stress. Application of heat indices based on the human energy balance (PET and PMV result in moderate to strong heat stress during these events. Because climate change is expected to raise nighttime minimum temperatures more than daytime highs (as suggested by the IPCC, 2001 urban heat islands and their related heat waves are likely to be a significant health concern in days to come in large urban centers especially in the developing countries.

The Chemo and the Mona: Inhalants, devotion and street youth in Mexico City

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gigengack, R.A.

2014-01-01

This paper understands inhalant use – the deliberate inhalation of volatile solvents or glues with intentions of intoxication – as a socially and culturally constituted practice. It describes the inhalant use of young street people in Mexico City from their perspective (“the vicioso or inhalant

Coupled seismic modes and earthquake hazard in Mexico City

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Lomnitz, C.

2007-05-01

Wave-to-wave coupling can arise when an acoustic pulse selects a Rayleigh mode of the same speed and both travel together swapping energy across an interface. A similar effect may cause severe damage at distances of several hundred kilometers when an Lg wavetrain incides upon a soft remote sedimentary waveguide, as in Mexico City. Energy at a single dominant frequency is then trapped in the waveguide. When the input power exceeds the damping losses, the trapped mode reverberates in the layer for up to five minutes, causing severe resonant damage to structures.

Neighborhood Poverty and Maternal Fears of Children's Outdoor Play

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Kimbro, Rachel Tolbert; Schachter, Ariela

2011-01-01

Investigating children's outdoor play unites scholarship on neighborhoods, parental perceptions of safety, and children's health. Utilizing the Fragile Families and Child Well-being Study (N = 3,448), we examine mothers' fear of their 5-year-old children playing outdoors, testing associations with neighborhood social characteristics, city-level…

Social capital across urban neighborhoods: A comparison of self-report and observational data

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Hill, J.M.; Jobling, R.; Pollet, T.V.; Nettle, D.

2014-01-01

Previous self-report survey research has demonstrated significant variation in social trust and neighborhood social ties between two neighborhoods of contrasting socioeconomic fortunes within the same English city. Residents in a deprived neighborhood reported that they trusted their neighbors less

Measurement of ambient aerosols in northern Mexico City by single particle mass spectrometry

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R. C. Moffet

2008-08-01

Full Text Available Continuous ambient measurements with aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ATOFMS were made in an industrial/residential section in the northern part of Mexico City as part of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area-2006 campaign (MCMA-2006. Results are presented for the period of 15–27 March 2006. The submicron size mode contained both fresh and aged biomass burning, aged organic carbon (OC mixed with nitrate and sulfate, elemental carbon (EC, nitrogen-organic carbon, industrial metal, and inorganic NaK inorganic particles. Overall, biomass burning and aged OC particle types comprised 40% and 31%, respectively, of the submicron mode. In contrast, the supermicron mode was dominated by inorganic NaK particle types (42% which represented a mixture of dry lake bed dust and industrial NaK emissions mixed with soot. Additionally, aluminosilicate dust, transition metals, OC, and biomass burning contributed to the supermicron particles. Early morning periods (2–6 a.m. showed high fractions of inorganic particles from industrial sources in the northeast, composed of internal mixtures of Pb, Zn, EC and Cl, representing up to 73% of the particles in the 0.2–3μm size range. A unique nitrogen-containing organic carbon (NOC particle type, peaking in the early morning hours, was hypothesized to be amines from local industrial emissions based on the time series profile and back trajectory analysis. A strong dependence on wind speed and direction was observed in the single particle types that were present during different times of the day. The early morning (3:30–10 a.m. showed the greatest contributions from industrial emissions. During mid to late mornings (7–11 a.m., weak northerly winds were observed along with the most highly aged particles. Stronger winds from the south picked up in the late morning (after 11 a.m., resulting in a decrease in the concentrations of the major aged particle types and an increase in the number fraction of fresh

How Neighborhood Disadvantage Reduces Birth Weight

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Emily Moiduddin

2008-06-01

Full Text Available In this analysis we connect structural neighborhood conditions to birth outcomes through their intermediate effects on mothers’ perceptions of neighborhood danger and their tendency to abuse substances during pregnancy. We hypothesize that neighborhood poverty and racial/ethnic concentration combine to produce environments that mothers perceive as unsafe, thereby increasing the likelihood of negative coping behaviors (substance abuse. We expect these behaviors, in turn, to produce lower birth weights. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a survey of a cohort of children born between 1998 and 2000 and their mothers in large cities in the United States, we find little evidence to suggest that neighborhood circumstances have strong, direct effects on birth weight. Living in a neighborhood with more foreigners had a positive effect on birth weight. To the extent that neighborhood conditions influence birth weight, the effect mainly occurs through an association with perceived neighborhood danger and subsequent negative coping behaviors. Poverty and racial/ethnic concentration increase a mother’s sense that her neighborhood is unsafe. The perception of an unsafe neighborhood, in turn, associates with a greater likelihood of smoking cigarettes and using illegal drugs, and these behaviors have strong and significant effects in reducing birth weight. However, demographic characteristics, rather than perceived danger or substance abuse, mediate the influence of neighborhood characteristics on birth weight.

Neighborhood Environments and Objectively Measured Physical Activity in 11 Countries

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Cerin, Ester; Cain, Kelli L; Conway, Terry L; Dyck, Delfien Van; Hinckson, Erica; Schipperijn, Jasper; Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse De; Owen, Neville; Davey, Rachel C; Hino, Adriano Akira Ferreira; Mitáš, Josef; Orzanco-Garralda, Rosario; Salvo, Deborah; Sarmiento, Olga L; Christiansen, Lars B; Macfarlane, Duncan J; Schofield, Grant; Sallis, James F

2014-01-01

Purpose Environmental changes are potentially effective population-level physical activity (PA) promotion strategies. However, robust multi-site evidence to guide international action for developing activity-supportive environments is lacking. We estimated pooled associations of perceived environmental attributes with objectively-measured PA outcomes; between-site differences in such associations; and, the extent to which perceived environmental attributes explain between-site differences in PA. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted in 16 cities located in Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, China, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom, and USA. Participants were 6,968 adults residing in administrative units stratified by socio-economic status and transport-related walkability. Predictors were 10 perceived neighborhood environmental attributes. Outcome measures were accelerometry-assessed weekly minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and meeting the PA guidelines for cancer/weight gain prevention (420 min/week of MVPA). Results Most perceived neighborhood attributes were positively associated with the PA outcomes in the pooled, site-adjusted, single-predictor models. Associations were generalizable across geographical locations. Aesthetics and land use mix – access were significant predictors of both PA outcomes in the fully-adjusted models. Environmental attributes accounted for within-site variability in MVPA corresponding to a 3 min/d or 21 min/week standard deviation. Large between-site differences in PA outcomes were observed: 15.9% to 16.8% of these differences were explained by perceived environmental attributes. All neighborhood attributes were associated with between-site differences in the total effects of the perceived environment on PA outcomes. Conclusions Residents’ perceptions of neighborhood attributes that facilitate walking were positively associated with objectively-measured MVPA and meeting the guidelines

Winter Dew Harvest in Mexico City

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Arias-Torres Jorge Ernesto

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study presents experimental and theoretical results of winter dew harvest in México City in terms of condensation rate. A simplified theoretical model based on a steady-state energy balance on a radiator-condenser was fitted, as a function of the ambient temperature, the relative humidity and the wind velocity. A glass sheet and aluminum sheet white-painted were used as samples over the outdoor experiments. A good correlation was obtained between the theoretical and experimental data. The experimental results show that there was condensation in 68% of the winter nights on both condensers. The total winter condensed mass was 2977 g/m2 and 2888 g/m2 on the glass sheet and aluminum sheet white-painted, respectively. Thus, the condensed mass on the glass was only 3% higher than that on the painted surface. The maximum nightly dew harvests occurred during December, which linearly reduced from 50 g/m2 night to 22 g/m2 night as the winter months went by. The condensation occurred from 1:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., with maximum condensation rates between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. The dew harvest can provide a partial alternative to the winter water shortage in certain locations with similar climates to the winter in Mexico City, as long as pollution is not significant.

MEASUREMENTS OF MICROTREMORS IN BUILDINGS IN MEXICO CITY AFTER THE SEPTEMBER 19,1985 MICHOACAN EARTHQUAKE

OpenAIRE

Tadao, MINAMI; Toshihide, KASHIMA; Earthquake Research Institute, University of Tokyo; Building Research Institute, Ministry of Construction

1990-01-01

We had the opportunity to measure the microtremors of 46 buildings in Mexico City as members of the Technical Cooperation Mission that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) dispatched to work in Mexico from 19 October to 22 November 1985. Fourier analyses of the recorded microtremor data provided useful information about the dynamic properties of buildings damaged or undamaged by the 1985 Michoacan earthquake. The measured natural periods suggested that the rigidity of the undamag...

Planning and Partnerships for the Renewal of Urban Neighborhoods

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Sterrett, Stephen A.

2009-01-01

Urban universities are a key resource for municipal government, businesses, community organizations, and citizens to foster partnerships for successful renewal of distressed urban neighborhoods. From its experience over the past decade, the Ohio State University has created a successful model for engagement with its neighborhoods and the City of…

Perceived School and Neighborhood Safety, Neighborhood Violence and Academic Achievement in Urban School Children

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AJ, Milam; CDM, Furr-Holden; PJ, Leaf

2010-01-01

Community and school violence continue to be a major public health problem, especially among urban children and adolescents. Little research has focused on the effect of school safety and neighborhood violence on academic performance. This study examines the effect of the school and neighborhood climate on academic achievement among a population of 3rd-5th grade students in an urban public school system. Community and school safety were assessed using the School Climate Survey, an annual city-wide assessment of student’s perception of school and community safety. Community violence was measured using the Neighborhood Inventory for Environmental Typology, an objective observational assessment of neighborhood characteristics. Academic achievement was measured using the Maryland State Assessment (MSA), a standardized exam given to all Maryland 3rd-8th graders. School Climate Data and MSA data were aggregated by school and grade. Objective assessments of neighborhood environment and students’ self-reported school and neighborhood safety were both strongly associated with academic performance. Increasing neighborhood violence was associated with statistically significant decreases from 4.2%-8.7% in math and reading achievement; increasing perceived safety was associated with significant increases in achievement from 16%-22%. These preliminary findings highlight the adverse impact of perceived safety and community violence exposure on primary school children’s academic performance. PMID:21197388

Hepatitis C antibody prevalence among Mexico City prisoners injecting legal and illegal substances.

Science.gov (United States)

Silverman-Retana, Omar; Serván-Mori, Edson; McCoy, Sandra I; Larney, Sarah; Bautista-Arredondo, Sergio

2017-12-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is highly prevalent among prisoners and this prevalence estimates reach 64% among prisoners who inject illicit drugs. Prisons are important sites for HCV transmission in the absence of access to sterile injecting equipment; hence, it can be transmitted between prisoners who share contaminated needles and syringes. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of risk factors for anti-HCV prevalence, with particular interest on injecting behavior, and to assess correlates of anti-HCV positivity among Mexico City prisoners. Cross-sectional study based on information -collected in three male and two female prisons in Mexico City during 2010-2011- about sexually transmitted infections, socio-demographics, criminal history, substance use, vitamin injection, tattooing, among others (n=3,910). Weighted multivariable adjusted logistic regression models were estimated to assess the overall and differential odds for anti-HCV due to injecting behavior. Overall prevalence of anti-HCV was 3.3%. This figure rose to 43.1% among prisoners with a history of illicit drug injection. Prisoners with history of vitamin injection showed a similar prevalence of anti-HCV (43.8%). After stratifying by substance injected, the adjusted odds ratio was 9.8 (95% CI: 4.0, 23.8) for illicit drug injection and 11.9 (95% CI: 5.8, 23.8) for illicit drug and vitamin injection. Based on data from the most populous prisons in Mexico City, this study showed that anti-HCV is highly prevalent among prisoners with history of injecting behavior. In this sense, injecting behavior per-se, independent of the substance used, is associated with increased odds of anti-HCV positivity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Urban guides: image and space invention in Mexico City

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Héctor Mendoza Vargas

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This article analyzes the urban guides of Mexico City from a wide time-lapse perspective, from the end ofthe eighteenth century to the nineteenth century and up to 1940, in order to detect major themes and the change of urban perception. In foreigner’s guide outlines, from 1792 to 1793, the Cathedral’s central position conferred strength to the maps inserted in such editions. It is worth noting the subliminal role of this document regarding urban perception, social behavior and the maintenance of religious devotion in the capital of New Spain. After Mexico’s independence these guides lacked novelty. During the years between 1842 and 1854, this editorial genre was reactivated in the Mexican capital. In those years the guides were included in an attempt to fulfill the increasing need for information about the city regarding political, judicial, ecclesiastical and military aspects including, as the main novelty, the continuously expansive commercial sector. While guide editions were modified in order to satisfy the consumption and preferences of the nascent urban bourgeoisie, both editors and authors detected novel concerns among readers, not only about commercial life but they also looked for pleasant and ludic experiences in the city.

Atmospheric electric field effects of cosmic rays detected in Mexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonzalez, L. X; Valdes-Galicia, J. F [Instituto de Geofisica, Universidad National Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico D.F(Mexico)

2006-10-15

We studied the possible effects of atmospheric electric fields, generated in thunderstorms, on the cosmic ray intensity detected at the Earth's surface by investigating the variations of the counting rates of the cosmic-ray nucleonic component, obtained from the neutron monitor installed in Mexico City, for thunderstorms during 1996 and 1997. These were years of minimum solar activity. We compare our experimental results with the general theory of cosmic ray meteorological effects by Dorman (1995). The observed intensity variation is about 0.2%. According to Dorman (1995), the effect should be between 0.27% and 0.81% on the counting rate of the neutron monitor when the atmospheric electric field intensities are around 100 to 300 Vcm-1.Our results show that either the electric field in Mexico City had less intensity than assumed by Dorman (1995), or the electric field is not uniform in time and height during the development of the thunderstorm. [Spanish] Estudiamos los posibles efectos de los campos electricos atmosfericos, generados en las tormentas electricas, sobre la intensidad de los rayos cosmicos detectados en la superficie terrestre, analizando las variaciones de las razones de conteo de la componente nucleonica de los rayos cosmicos, obtenidas por el monitor de neutrones instalado en la ciudad de Mexico, durante tormentas electricas ocurridas entre 1996 y 1997, anos del minimo solar. Comparamos nuestros resultados experimentales con la teoria general de los efectos meteorologicos en los rayos cosmicos, desarrollada por Dorman (1995). Se observo una variacion en la intensidad de alrededor de 0.2%. De acuerdo con Dorman (1995), el efecto puede estar entre 0.27 % y 0.81% en las razones de conteo del monitor de neutrones cuando las intensidades del campo electrico atmosferico se encuentran al rededor de 100 a 300 Vcm-1. Nuestros resultados muestran que los campos electricos en la ciudad de Mexico tuvieron menos intensidad que los campos electricos asumidos

Biophysical, infrastructural and social heterogeneities explain spatial distribution of waterborne gastrointestinal disease burden in Mexico City

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Baeza, Andrés; Estrada-Barón, Alejandra; Serrano-Candela, Fidel; Bojórquez, Luis A.; Eakin, Hallie; Escalante, Ana E.

2018-06-01

Due to unplanned growth, large extension and limited resources, most megacities in the developing world are vulnerable to hydrological hazards and infectious diseases caused by waterborne pathogens. Here we aim to elucidate the extent of the relation between the spatial heterogeneity of physical and socio-economic factors associated with hydrological hazards (flooding and scarcity) and the spatial distribution of gastrointestinal disease in Mexico City, a megacity with more than 8 million people. We applied spatial statistics and multivariate regression analyses to high resolution records of gastrointestinal diseases during two time frames (2007–2009 and 2010–2014). Results show a pattern of significant association between water flooding events and disease incidence in the city center (lowlands). We also found that in the periphery (highlands), higher incidence is generally associated with household infrastructure deficiency. Our findings suggest the need for integrated and spatially tailored interventions by public works and public health agencies, aimed to manage socio-hydrological vulnerability in Mexico City.

Urban structure analysis of mega city Mexico City using multisensoral remote sensing data

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Taubenböck, H.; Esch, T.; Wurm, M.; Thiel, M.; Ullmann, T.; Roth, A.; Schmidt, M.; Mehl, H.; Dech, S.

2008-10-01

Mega city Mexico City is ranked the third largest urban agglomeration to date around the globe. The large extension as well as dynamic urban transformation and sprawl processes lead to a lack of up-to-date and area-wide data and information to measure, monitor, and understand the urban situation. This paper focuses on the capabilities of multisensoral remotely sensed data to provide a broad range of products derived from one scientific field - remote sensing - to support urban managing and planning. Therefore optical data sets from the Landsat and Quickbird sensors as well as radar data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) and the TerraSAR-X sensor are utilised. Using the multi-sensoral data sets the analysis are scale-dependent. On the one hand change detection on city level utilising the derived urban footprints enables to monitor and to assess spatiotemporal urban transformation, areal dimension of urban sprawl, its direction, and the built-up density distribution over time. On the other hand, structural characteristics of an urban landscape - the alignment and types of buildings, streets and open spaces - provide insight in the very detailed physical pattern of urban morphology on higher scale. The results show high accuracies of the derived multi-scale products. The multi-scale analysis allows quantifying urban processes and thus leading to an assessment and interpretation of urban trends.

Aerosol Light Absorption and Scattering at Four Sites in and Near Mexico City: Comparison with Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Arnott, W. P.; Miranda, G. P.; Gaffney, J. S.; Marley, N. A.

2007-05-01

Four photoacoustic spectrometers (PAS) for aerosol light scattering and absorption measurements were deployed in and near Mexico City in March 2006 as part of the Megacity Impacts on Regional and Global Environments (MIRAGE). The four sites included: an urban site at Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo (Mexican Oil Institute, denoted by IMP); a suburban site at the Technological University of Tecamac; a rural site at "La Biznaga" ranch; and a site at the Paseo de Cortes (altitude 3,810 meters ASL) in the rural area above Amecameca in the State of Mexico, on the saddle between the volcanoes Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl. A similar campaign was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA in January-February, 2003. The IMP site gave in-situ characterization of the Mexico City plume under favorable wind conditions while the other sites provided characterization of the plume, mixed in with any local sources. The second and third sites are north of Mexico City, and the fourth site is south. The PAS used at IMP operates at 532 nm, and conveniently allowed for characterization of gaseous absorption at this wavelength as well. Instruments at the second and third sites operate at 870 nm, and the one at the fourth site at 780 nm. Light scattering measurements are accomplished within the PAS by the reciprocal nephelometery method. In the urban site the aerosol absorption coefficient typically varies between 20 and 180 Mm-1 during the course of the day and significant diurnal variation of the aerosol single scattering albedo was observed probably as a consequence of secondary aerosol formation. Comparisons with TSI nephelometer scattering at the T0 site will be presented. We will present the diurnal variation of the scattering and absorption as well as the single scattering albedo and fraction of absorption due to gases at the IMP site and compare with Las Vegas diurnal variation. Mexico City 'breaths' more during the course of the day than Las Vegas, Nevada in part because the latitude of

Natural hazards and urban policies in Mexico City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

François Mancebo

2009-07-01

Full Text Available L’agglomération de Mexico, à plus de 2 000 mètres d’altitude, adossée à la Sierra Madre et la Cordillère Volcanique est assise sur un site accueillant mais redoutable. Il s’agit d’un des endroits les plus exposés du globe, soumis à une combinaison de risques naturels, de risques technologiques souvent mal maîtrisés dus à des industries lourdes, de nuisances, de cumul des polluants et d’un épuisement des ressources locales utilisables, tout particulièrement les ressources en eau. Après le séisme dévastateur de 1985, les acteurs de l’aménagement de Mexico tentent d’intégrer risques et durabilité dans la définition de nouvelles politiques urbaines. Mais, si les risques sont bien identifiés et des réponses sont données, leur applicabilité est quasi-nulle. Une approche normative et n’incluant pas l’ensemble de l’agglomération, mais utilisant les périphéries pour améliorer la durabilité des centres (sorte de durabilité importée à l’échelle de la métropole explique cette situation. Comme dans le mythe de Sisyphe, acteurs locaux et nationaux tentent de faire remonter la pente au rocher du risque mais ce dernier finit toujours par redescendre ? C’est qu’en réalité le problème n’est pas le rocher. Le problème, c’est la pente, c’est-à-dire le substrat fait de représentations territoriales et d’usages de l’espace qui fondent la société mexicaine, sur laquelle roule le rocher.Mexico City is located at an altitude of over 2 000 metres where it occupies an attractive but hazardous site hemmed in by the Sierra Madre and volcanic mountain ranges.The site is one of the most disaster-prone locations in the world, threatened by a combination of natural hazards, poorly controlled technological hazards created by the city’s heavy industry, pollution – particularly air pollution and diminishing local resources, the most seriously threatened being water. Since the devastating earthquake

Overview of the 2006 MILAGRO Campaign in Mexico City: Transport and Transformation of Emissions from a Megacity

Science.gov (United States)

Molina, L.; MILAGRO Science Team

2009-04-01

Megacities (metropolitan areas with population over 10 million) and large urban centers present a major challenge for the global environment. Population growth, increasing motorization and industrialization have resulted in a higher demand for energy, greater use of fossil fuels, and more emission of pollutants into the atmosphere. As a result, air pollution has become not only one of the central environmental problems of the century, but also presents serious consequences to human health and ecosystems and economic costs to society. MILAGRO (Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations) is the first international effort to study the impact of air pollutants generated and exported by megacity. The Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) - one of the largest megacities in the world - was selected as the initial case study for MILAGRO. The measurement phase consisted of a month-long series of carefully coordinated observations of the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere in and near Mexico City during March 2006, using a wide range of instruments at ground sites, on aircraft and satellites, complemented by meteorological forecasting and numerical simulations. Together, these research observations have provided the most comprehensive characterization of Mexico City's urban and regional air pollution that will take years to analyze and evaluate fully. Initial analysis of the data is focused on understanding meteorology, emissions, urban and regional photochemistry, aerosol evolution and radiative effects - spanning the urban to regional scale transition. Many interesting aspects of atmospheric chemistry in and near the MCMA are emerging and have already added significantly to our understanding of the chemical and physical properties of the city's reactive atmosphere and the regional impacts. The information can be useful for decision-makers in Mexico in developing air quality management strategies as well as provide insights to air pollution problems in

From Reproductive Rights to Responsibilization: Fashioning Liberal Subjects in Mexico City's New Public Sector Abortion Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Singer, Elyse Ona

2017-12-01

Building on medical anthropology literature that analyzes doctor-patient interactions as a charged site for the production of political subjectivities, I demonstrate how a central feature of Mexico City's new public sector abortion program involves "responsibilization." In accordance with entrenched Ministry of Health objectives, providers transmit a suite of values about personal responsibility and self-regulation through the use of birth control, hinging abortion rights to responsible reproductive subjectivity. Based on 18 months of ethnographic research across program clinics, including 75 interviews with patients and providers, I show how interrupción legal del embarazo protocols fashion "responsibilized" liberal subjects. I argue that the recent granting of abortion rights in Mexico City-ostensibly a new moment for the construction of women's citizenship-instead reflects and extends long-standing state agendas of "reproductive governance." My analysis of reproductive rights as the newest framing of ongoing population policies in Mexico adds to a critical anthropology of human rights and of liberal projects of governance. © 2016 by the American Anthropological Association.

Geographically Apart, Attitudinally Very Close: A Comparison of Attitudes toward Animals between Romania and Mexico City

OpenAIRE

Rusu, Alina Simona; Pop, Denisa; Turner, Dennis C.

2017-01-01

Among other regions, Romania and Mexico (particularly Mexico City) are often cited as problematic areas in surveys and reports on the growing population of stray animals in urban areas. The aim of our study was to adapt for Romanian and Spanish languages usage of an instrument that includes significant psychological and social dimensions of the attitudes toward animals (i.e., Attitudes toward Animals questionnaire [ATA]; Fehlbaum, Waiblinger, & Turner, 2010; Turner, 2010) and compare these at...

Concentrations of benzene and toluene in the atmosphere of the southwestern area at the Mexico City Metropolitan Zone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bravo, H.; Sosa, R.; Sanchez, P. [Universidad Autonoma de Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria (Mexico). Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera; Bueno, E.; Gonzalez, L. [Centro Nacional de Investigacion y Capacitacion Ambiental, Instituto Nacional de Ecologia, SEMARNAP, Mexico (Mexico)

2002-08-01

The Mexico City Metropolitan Zone (MCMZ) presents important emissions of hazardous air pollutants. It is well documented that the MCMZ suffers a critical air pollution problem due to high ozone and particulate matter concentrations. However, toxic air pollutants such as benzene and toluene have not been considered. Benzene has accumulated sufficient evidence as a human carcinogen, and the ratio benzene/toluene is an excellent indicator to evaluate control strategies efficiency. In order to evaluate the levels of these two air toxic pollutants in the MCMZ, ambient air samples were collected in canisters and analyzed with a gas chromatograph with a flame ionization detector, according to procedures described in the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) method TO-15. Quality assurance was performed collecting duplicate samples which were analyzed in replicate to quantify the precision of air-quality measurements. Three different sites located in the Southwestern area in the MCMZ were selected for the sampling: the University campus, a gas station, and a vertical condominium area, in the same neighborhood, which presents different activities. At these sites, grab air samples were collected during the morning hours (7-8 a.m.), while for the University area, 24 h integrated air samples were collected simultaneously, with grab samples. Benzene concentrations (24 h sampling) in the atmosphere around the University campus have similar present levels as in other cities of North America. Mean values in this site were about 1.7 ppb. A significant variation exists between the benzene and toluene concentrations in the studied sites, being the more critical values than those registered at the gas station (an average of 25.8 ppb and a maximum of 141 ppb of benzene). There is a fuel regulation for gasoline in Mexico, which allows a maximum of 1 percent of benzene. However, since more than 60 percent of vehicles do not have catalytic converters (models before 1991

Measurements of indoor radon and radon progeny in Mexico City

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Y.S.; Rodriguez, G.P.

1996-01-01

Indoor radon has been a public concern associated with increased lung cancer risks. Radon decay products interact with indoor aerosols to form progeny with different size distributions, which may influence the lung dosimetry when the progeny are inhaled. Air pollution in Mexico City is a serious problems with high particulate concentrations, but there are few reports of indoor radon measurement. The purposes of this study were to measure the aerosol concentration, radon concentration, and radon activity size distribution in the living area of three houses in Mexico City. The radon concentration was monitored by a RGM-3 radon gas monitor (Eberline, Inc., Santa Fe, NM). A graded diffusion battery was used to determine the progeny concentration and activity size distribution. The concentration and size distribution of the indoor aerosols were monitored by a quartz, crystal microbalance cascade impactor. Our measurements showed high concentrations of indoor aerosols (20-180 gg m -3 ). However, the radon concentrations-were low ( -1 ), but showed a clear diurnal pattern with peak concentrations from 2-10 AM. The activity size distributions of radon progeny were trimodal, with peaks of 0.6 nm, 4-5 nm, and 100 rim. Most activities were associated with large particle sizes. Our results indicated that indoor radon concentration was not high, due in part to a relatively high air exchange with outdoor air. The high aerosol concentration may also play an important part in the activity size distribution of radon progeny

Diabetes and hypertension care among male prisoners in Mexico City: exploring transition of care and the equivalence principle.

Science.gov (United States)

Silverman-Retana, Omar; Servan-Mori, Edson; Lopez-Ridaura, Ruy; Bautista-Arredondo, Sergio

2016-07-01

To document the performance of diabetes and hypertension care in two large male prisons in Mexico City. We analyzed data from a cross-sectional study carried out during July-September 2010, including 496 prisoners with hypertension or diabetes in Mexico City. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were used to assess process-of-care indicators and disease control status. Hypertension and diabetes prevalence were estimated on 2.1 and 1.4 %, respectively. Among prisoners with diabetes 22.7 % (n = 62) had hypertension as comorbidity. Low achievement of process-of-care indicators-follow-up visits, blood pressure and laboratory assessments-were observed during incarceration compared to the same prisoners in the year prior to incarceration. In contrast to nonimprisoned diabetes population from Mexico City and from the lowest quintile of socioeconomic status at the national level, prisoners with diabetes had the lowest performance on process-of-care indicators. Continuity of care for chronic diseases, coupled with the equivalence of care principle, should provide the basis for designing chronic disease health policy for prisoners, with the goal of consistent transition of care from community to prison and vice versa.

Shifting corporate geographies in global cities of the South: Mexico City and Johannesburg as case studie

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parnreiter, Christof

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Global city research links the expansion of advanced producer services in major cities to the internationalisation of real estate markets as well as to the spread of (mainly high-rise office complexes. This research, however, has based its findings mainly on cases of the Global North. This paper examines, based on Grant and Nijman’s (2002 suggestion that the “internal spatial organisation of gateway cities in the less-developed world” reflects “the city’s role in the global political economy”, which patterns occur in two metropoles of the Global South. In addition to this, the analysis focuses especially on the driving forces behind the changes in corporate geographies. The analysis is placed in Mexico City and Johannesburg and based on real estate market data (offices as well as background documents on urban development. The outcome shows that in these cities, local transformation processes of the real estate market and office space location are indeed considerably shaped by global market dynamics. However, the findings also indicate that there is no clear scale dependence of the territorial form. In order to comprehensively understand the changes in the corporate geographies therefore, it is necessary to direct more attention to local and national dynamics. The restructuring of the built environment in both cities can only be grasped fully by considering the particular role of local and national governments. This additional entry point to an understanding of shifting corporate geographies helps to put recent dynamics of global capitalism and politics of urban neoliberalism in perspective.

Protocol for a prospective longitudinal study of risk factors for hypertension incidence in a Mexico City population: the Tlalpan 2020 cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Colín-Ramírez, Eloisa; Rivera-Mancía, Susana; Infante-Vázquez, Oscar; Cartas-Rosado, Raúl; Vargas-Barrón, Jesús; Madero, Magdalena; Vallejo, Maite

2017-07-31

Systemic hypertension (HTN) is a common risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In Mexico, HTN prevalence has increased over time and is currently 31%. Nonetheless, information about the country's HTN incidence and its associated risk factors is scarce. Understanding this condition is a priority for identifying the scope of primary prevention. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of traditional and non-traditional risk factors on the incidence of HTN in a cohort of healthy Mexico City residents under biannual follow-up for 10 years. A prospective longitudinal study is proposed in which clinically healthy residents of Mexico City between 20 and 50 years old will be recruited; the participants will be evaluated every 2 years over a period of 10 years or until they develop HTN. Evaluations regarding sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric, biochemical, diet, physical activity, stress, sleep quality, alcohol and tobacco consumption factors will be performed. The participants will be recruited from the 16 municipalities of Mexico City through promotional strategies aimed at the community and will be clinically evaluated at a tertiary care institution, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez (National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chavez), located in Mexico City, Mexico. Sample size estimated for this study is 3436, and the Cox proportional hazards model will be used to estimate HRs for the association between explanatory variables and HTN using both raw and adjusted data. This study was approved by the Institutional Bioethics Committee of the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez (National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chavez) under number 13-802. Findings from this study will be disseminated through scientific papers and research conferences. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise

[Social representation of AIDS among students of Mexico City].

Science.gov (United States)

Flores-Palacios, Fátima; Leyva-Flores, René

2003-01-01

To analyze the social representation of AIDS in a group of high school students aged 16 to 23 years in Mexico City. A non-probabilistic, cross-sectional research was carried out in a public high school in Mexico City. Students of all grades were invited to participate in the study, which took place between 1999 and 2000. Forty-six students participated; 28% male and 72% female. This exploratory field study consisted of three phases, each to address one of three dimensions: cognitive using free association techniques, representational field using semi-structured interviews; and context attitude by means of two discussion groups. In the latter, the information was previously collected for discussion. The cognitive nucleus on AIDS included the association between sex, disease, and death. The representational field of AIDS is constructed around the transmission-prevention unit. Construct elements are virus, contagion, sex, protection, and condom. An ambivalent attitude was identified towards HIV prevention and transmission: "We are only half responsible". Situations such as "rape, blood transfusions, infected syringes" were prominent in the discussion group, deemed beyond their control to prevent transmission, thus explaining the group's ambivalent attitude towards prevention. The usefulness of condoms was associated with prevention of pregnancy rather than with prevention of sexually transmitted infections. The social representation of HIV/AIDS in young students conforms a multidimensional corpus where different elements of scientific order and common sense converge and interact, such as beliefs, myths, taboos, and fears. All of these contribute to construct the meaning of AIDS. The English version of this paper is available at:http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.

Risk to a Changing Climate in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area

Science.gov (United States)

Vargas, N. D.

2016-12-01

The issue of climate change has dominated the atmospheric sciences agenda in recent decades. The concern about an increase in climate related disasters, mainly in large population centers, has led to ask whether they are mainly due to changes in climate or in vulnerability.The Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) is an example of megalopolis under high climate risk, where floods, landslides, health problems, high air pollution events, socioeconomic droughts are becoming important environmental and social problems. As urbanization spreads and population increases exposure to natural hazards increases, and so the magnitude of risk to a changing climate and the negative impacts. Since the late nineteenth century, in the MCMA an average maximum temperature could be around 22°C, whereas today it is about 24.5ºC. That is, the increase in the average temperature in Mexico City is around 3°C in a hundred years. But there are areas where an increase in the average temperature is similar in only thirty years. The heating rate of the city can vary depending on the change in land use. Areas that conserve forested regions in the process of urbanization tend to warm less than areas where the transformation into concrete and cement is almost complete. Thus, the climate of the MCMA shows important changes mainly in relation to land use changes. Global warming and natural climate variability were also analyzed as possible forcing factors of the observed warming by comparing low frequency variations in local temperature and indices for natural forcing. The hydrological cycle of the MCMA has also changed with urbanization. The "bubble of hot air" over the urban area has more capacity to hold moisture now than before the UHI. However, the increased risk to floods, heat or drought appears to be related not only to more frequent intense climatic hazards induced by the urbanization effect. This process also induces increased vulnerability to a changing climate. The establishment of

Exploratory study of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in different environments of Mexico City

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco, Erik; Siegmann, Philip; Siegmann, Hans C.

2004-09-01

Several studies regarding particulate matter in air pollution have been performed in Mexico City, but none have focused on environment exposure to particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAH), which are related to the occurrence of cardiopulmonary diseases and mortality. On this account, this study presents measurements of personal exposure to PPAH in different outdoor and indoor environments, as well as along roadways in Mexico City. The measurements were done with portable sensors based on photoelectric charging and diffusion charging to determine the PPAH concentrations and the joint active surface of all particles, respectively. The use of these two sensors in parallel is a useful tool to qualitatively identify the major sources and to describe the physical and chemical characteristics of the particles. The highest exposures were found in ambient air near traffic sources, mainly at sites with great influence of diesel vehicles, such as urban transfer bus stations. Roadway measurements showed that Mexican PPAH pollution levels are between those in large cities in Europe and USA. For indoor environments such as residences, shopping centers, restaurants and hospitality venues, it was found that secondhand smoke is the major contributor, however badly calibrated pilot stoves, inefficient ventilation and faulty air-conditioning systems can be additional sources of PPAH.

Mercury Levels in Pregnant Women, Children, and Seafood from Mexico City

Science.gov (United States)

Basu, Niladri; Tutino, Rebecca; Zhang, Zhenzhen; Cantonwine, David E.; Goodrich, Jaclyn M.; Somers, Emily C.; Rodriguez, Lauren; Schnaas, Lourdes; Solano, Maritsa; Mercado, Adriana; Peterson, Karen; Sánchez, Brisa N.; Hernández-Avila, Mauricio; Hu, Howard; Téllez-Rojo, Martha Maria

2014-01-01

Background Mercury is a global contaminant of concern though little is known about exposures in México. Objectives To characterize mercury levels in pregnant women, children, and commonly consumed seafood samples. Methods Use resources of the Early Life Exposures in Mexico to Environmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) birth cohorts to measure total mercury levels in archived samples from 348 pregnant women (blood from three trimesters and cord blood), 825 offspring (blood, hair, urine) and their mothers (hair), and 91 seafood and canned tuna samples from Mexico City. Results Maternal blood mercury levels correlated across three trimesters and averaged 3.4μg/L. Cord blood mercury averaged 4.7μg/L and correlated with maternal blood from trimester 3 (but not trimesters 1 and 2). In children, blood, hair and urine mercury levels correlated and averaged 1.8μg/L, 0.6μg/g, and 0.9μg/L, respectively. Hair mercury was 0.5μg/g in mothers and correlated with child's hair. Mean consumption of canned tuna, fresh fish, canned sardine, and shellfish was 3.1, 2.2, 0.5, and 1.0 times per month respectively in pregnant women. Mean mercury content in 7 of 23 seafood species and 5 of 9 canned tuna brands purchased exceeded the U.S. EPA guidance value of 0.3 μg/g. Conclusions Mercury exposures in pregnant women and children from Mexico City, via biomarker studies, are generally 3-5 times greater than values reported in population surveys from the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere. In particular, mercury levels in 29-39% of the maternal participants exceeded the biomonitoring guideline associated with the U.S. EPA reference dose for mercury. PMID:25262076

Exposure to Rats and Rat-Associated Leptospira and Bartonella Species Among People Who Use Drugs in an Impoverished, Inner-City Neighborhood of Vancouver, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

McVea, David A; Himsworth, Chelsea G; Patrick, David M; Lindsay, L Robbin; Kosoy, Michael; Kerr, Thomas

2018-02-01

Rat infestations are common, particularly in impoverished, inner-city neighborhoods. However, there has been little research into the nature and consequences of rat exposure in these neighborhoods, particularly in Canada. In this study, we sought to characterize exposure to rats and rat-associated Leptospira interrogans and Bartonella tribocorum, as well as risk factors associated with exposure, in residents (n = 202) of the Downtown Eastside (DTES) neighborhood of Vancouver, Canada. There was no evidence of exposure to rat-associated L. interrogans but 6/202 (3.0%) of participants were exposed to B. tribocorum, which is known to be circulating among DTES rats. We also found that frequent and close rat exposure was common among DTES residents, and that this exposure was particularly associated with injection drug use and outdoor income-generating activities (e.g., drug dealing). These risk factors may be good targets for interventions geared toward effectively reducing rat exposure.

Report of the second joint meeting of the Working Party on Assessment of Fish Resources and the Working Party on Stock Assessment of Shrimp and Lobster Resources, Mexico City, Mexico, 26-29 November 1979

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1981-01-01

The final formal report of the WECAFC Working Parties on Assessment of Fish Resources and on Stock Assessment of Shrimp and Lobster Resources, held in Mexico City, Mexico, 26-29 November 1979 is presented...

Identification of elements in polutants of Mexico City's atmosphere, using the pixe analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diaz-Godoy, R.V.

1990-01-01

A review of the fundamentals and actual state in Mexico of the pixe (particle induced X- ray emission) technique are done. Elemental identification in samples of Mexico City's atmosphere taken in two sites is performed using this technique. A 3 MeV proton beam is used to irradiate the samples. Factors (Bremsstrahlung and interference) that difficult the use of the technique are discussed. The sensitivity of the method is enhanced as a main characteristic. It is shown that tje pixe technique together with an appropriate sampling system can be used to study environmental aerosols. Identified elements are bromine, lead, copper, iron, zinc, titanium, vanadium, calcium, potassium, chlorine, sulfur and silicon. Temporal variations of these elements are discussed. (Author)

The policy of the rights of the government of Mexico City

OpenAIRE

Enríquez, Lucía

2017-01-01

This text deals with the analysis of the policy of the rights of the government of Mexico City which took place during the last three administrations. This government is considered as an institution identified with the political left of the country since it bases its government strategy on two core pillars: the democratization of the government and the design of new redistributive policies, mainly the social policy. With these referents, an analysis is made with the most important political g...

Metals in aerosols of the Mexico City; Metales en aerosoles de la Ciudad de Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reyes L, J. [Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Salazar, Estado de Mexico C.P. 52045 (Mexico)

1998-07-01

The general purpose and scope of this work was to have a data base that includes enough information about the heavy metals which are disseminated in the atmospheric air in Mexico City, like it is what refers to its elements, its concentration and its particle size. For this were collected samples through collectors types: of the filters unit and the cascade impactor. Through the PIXE analysis for filters and films it was identified the presence of 20 elements in the majority of samples studied of the four seasons during the years 1993-1994. The metals were classified in two groups: those of natural origin and those of anthropogenic origin. (Author)

Serenity: Violence, Inequality, and Recovery on the Edge of Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Angela

2015-12-01

Over the last decade, there has been a sharp increase in drug addiction in Mexico, especially among the urban poor. During the same period, unregulated residential treatment centers for addiction, known as anexos, have proliferated throughout the country. These centers are utilized and run by marginalized populations and are widely known to engage in physical violence. Based on long-term ethnographic research in Mexico City, this article describes why anexos emerged, how they work, and what their prevalence and practices reveal about the nature of recovery in a context where poverty, drugs, and violence are existential realities. Drawing attention to the dynamic relationship between violence and recovery, pain, and healing, it complicates categories of violence and care that are presumed to have exclusive meaning, illuminating the divergent meanings of, and opportunities for, recovery, and how these are socially configured and sustained. © 2015 by the American Anthropological Association.

Neighborhood socio-environmental vulnerability and infant mortality in Hermosillo, Sonora Vulnerabilidad socioambiental y mortalidad infantil en barrios de Hermosillo, Sonora

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Lara-Valencia

2012-08-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: This paper explores the impact of contextual variables at the neighborhood level on a health marker in the city of Hermosillo, Mexico and discusses the importance of collaboration between planners and health professional to minimize the negative effect of contextual factors on urban health. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Few studies in Mexico have assessed health outcomes at the intra-urban scale and their interaction with neighborhood-level contextual variables. Using spatial analysis and geographical information systems, the paper explores the association between infant mortality and an index of socio-environmental vulnerability used to measure urban contextual factors. RESULTS: Two high infant mortality clusters were detected within neighborhoods characterized by relatively good environmental conditions and one in a neighborhood with a poor environment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show the clustering of high infant mortality areas and some association with built environment factors in Hermosillo. The results support the need to reconnect public health and urban planning as a way to create healthier environments in Mexican cities.OBJETIVO: Este artículo explora el papel de factores contextuales a nivel de colonia sobre un marcador de salud en la ciudad de Hermosillo, México y discute la importancia de la colaboración entre planificadores urbanos y profesionales de la salud para minimizar el impacto negativo de factores contextuales sobre la salud de la población urbana. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Pocos estudios en México han evaluado las condiciones de salud a escala intra-urbana y su interacción con variables contextuales a nivel de colonia. Utilizando análisis espacial y sistemas de información geográfica, el artículo explora la relación entre mortalidad infantil y un índice de vulnerabilidad socio-ambiental construido para medir factores contextuales urbanos. RESULTADOS: Dos conglomerados de alta mortalidad infantil fueron detectados

@City: technologising Barcelona

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rojas, Jesús

2007-05-01

Full Text Available This article is about the concept of the contemporary city - the influence that technology has when one thinks about, plans and lives in a city. The conjunction of technology and city reformulates customs and social practices; it can even determine the way one constitutes one's own identity. One can see how close the relation is between technology (specifically, TICS and the structures of the city in a wide variety of situations: in social interactions on the street, in transport, and in ways of buying, of working and entertainment. "@City" is a concept that very well reflects the emergent properties of a current city, that is, the coexistence of a physical and a virtual urban space. The "22@Barcelona" project attempts to bring together different types of spaces. By combining the physical with the virtual, 22@Barcelona, as a neighborhood of @City, creates an uncertain and blurred border between both spaces.The article also examines the impact that these spaces have on the psycho-social processes involved in the daily life of a traditionally working-class neighborhood, now strongly limited by technological boundaries.

Levels and source apportionment of volatile organic compounds in southwestern area of Mexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodolfo Sosa, E. [Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P. 04510, D.F. (Mexico); Humberto Bravo, A. [Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P. 04510, D.F. (Mexico)], E-mail: hbravo@servidor.unam.mx; Violeta Mugica, A. [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Azcapotzalco, D.F. (Mexico); Pablo Sanchez, A. [Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P. 04510, D.F. (Mexico); Emma Bueno, L. [Centro Nacional de Investigacion y Capacitacion Ambiental, Instituto Nacional de Ecologia (Mexico); Krupa, Sagar [Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108 (United States)

2009-03-15

Thirteen volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were quantified at three sites in southwestern Mexico City from July 2000 to February 2001. High concentrations of different VOCs were found at a Gasoline refueling station (GS), a Condominium area (CA), and at University Center for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS). The most abundant VOCs at CA and CAS were propane, n-butane, toluene, acetylene and pentane. In comparison, at GS the most abundant were toluene, pentane, propane, n-butane, and acetylene. Benzene, a known carcinogenic compound had average levels of 28, 35 and 250 ppbC at CAS, CA, and GS respectively. The main contributing sources of the measured VOCs at CA and CAS were the handling and management of LP (Liquid Propane) gas, vehicle exhaust, asphalt works, and use of solvents. At GS almost all of the VOCs came from vehicle exhaust and fuel evaporation, although components of LP gas were also present. Based on the overall results possible abatement strategies are discussed. - Volatile organic compounds were quantified in order to perform their source apportionment in southwestern area of Mexico City.

Levels and source apportionment of volatile organic compounds in southwestern area of Mexico City

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodolfo Sosa, E.; Humberto Bravo, A.; Violeta Mugica, A.; Pablo Sanchez, A.; Emma Bueno, L.; Krupa, Sagar

2009-01-01

Thirteen volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were quantified at three sites in southwestern Mexico City from July 2000 to February 2001. High concentrations of different VOCs were found at a Gasoline refueling station (GS), a Condominium area (CA), and at University Center for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS). The most abundant VOCs at CA and CAS were propane, n-butane, toluene, acetylene and pentane. In comparison, at GS the most abundant were toluene, pentane, propane, n-butane, and acetylene. Benzene, a known carcinogenic compound had average levels of 28, 35 and 250 ppbC at CAS, CA, and GS respectively. The main contributing sources of the measured VOCs at CA and CAS were the handling and management of LP (Liquid Propane) gas, vehicle exhaust, asphalt works, and use of solvents. At GS almost all of the VOCs came from vehicle exhaust and fuel evaporation, although components of LP gas were also present. Based on the overall results possible abatement strategies are discussed. - Volatile organic compounds were quantified in order to perform their source apportionment in southwestern area of Mexico City

Corporative Trends in Urban Distribution of Goods in Mexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Antun, J.P.

2016-07-01

The Logistics processes in urban-metropolitan distribution are constantly changing, both technological support and technical implementation in the processes themselves and in the management of these. It is necessary to monitor the substantive changes outlined in the metropolitan urban-physical distribution of goods, because they contribute to a better competitive position of companies in the market, and also to a better development of city life. It is a professional scientific and technical task that contributes, by its impact on {sup b}enchmarking{sup ,} the improvement of engineering practices in the professional community of executives in logistics and supply chains. Based on three extensive field research (ANTÚN, JP; LOZANO, A; HERNÁNDEZ, R; ALARCÓN, R et al 2007; ANTÚN, JP; LOZANO, A; MAGALLANES, R; ALARCÓN, R; GRANADOS, F 2009, ANTUN JP ALARCON R; 2014) on Logistics Distribution of Goods in Mexico City, this article presents and discusses major corporate trends on a set of key logistics processes, and bring examples from Case Studies. (Author)

The deadly Morelos-Puebla, Mexico Intraslab Earthquake of 19 September 2017 (Mw7.1): Was the Earthquake Unexpected and Were the Ground Motions and Damage Pattern in Mexico City Abnormal?

Science.gov (United States)

Perez-Campos, X.; Singh, S. K.; Arroyo, D.; Cruz-Atienza, V. M.; Ordaz, M.; Hjorleifsdottir, V.; Iglesias, A.

2017-12-01

On 19 September 2017, thirty two years after the 1985 Michoacan interplate earthquake (Mw8.0), the city was once again devastated but this time by a Mw7.1 intraslab earthquake. The 2017 earthquake was located near the border of the states of Morelos and Puebla (18.410N, -98.710E; H=57 km), to SSE of Mexico City, at a hypocentral distance of about 127 km. It caused great panic in Mexico City, collapse of 44 buildings, and severely damaged many others. More than 200 persons were killed in the city. It was the second most destructive earthquake in the history of Mexico City, next only to the 1985 earthquake. A strong-motion station at CU located on basalt lava flows on main campus UNAM has been in continuous operation since 1964. PGA of 59 gal at CU during the 2017 earthquake is the largest ever, two times greater than that recorded during the 1985 earthquake (29 gal). The 2017 earthquake raised questions that are critical in fathoming the seismic vulnerability of the city and in its reconstruction. Was such an intraslab earthquake (Mw 7 at a hypocentral distance of 127 km) unexpected? Were the recorded ground motions in the city unusually high for such an earthquake? Why did the damage pattern during the earthquake differ from that observed during the 1985 earthquake? The earthquake was the closest M>5 intraslab earthquake to Mexico City ever recorded. However, Mw 5.9 events have occurred in recent years in the vicinity of the 2017 earthquake (R 145 km). Three Mw≥6.9 earthquakes have occurred since 1964 in the distance range 184-225 km. Thus, Mw and R of the earthquake was not surprising. However, a comparison of Fourier acceleration spectra at CU of 10 intraslab earthquakes with largest PGA, reduced to a common distance of R=127 km, shows that the amplitudes of the 2017 events were abnormally high in 1-2s range. Spectra of intraslab events at CU are enriched at higher frequencies relative to interplate ones because of closer distance, greater depth and higher

STRONG-MOTION OBSERVATION DEMONSTRATION OF THE LONG-PATH EFFECTS FROM THE PACIFIC OCEAN TO MEXICO CITY

OpenAIRE

Masahiro, IIDA; Yoshinori, FURUMOTO; Hitoshi, TANIGUCHI; Carlos, GUTIERREZ; Earthquake Res. Inst., University of Tokyo; Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.; United Nations, Centre for Regional Development; National Disaster Prevention Center

1997-01-01

During the 1985 Michoacan earthquake (M=8.1), seismic waves were remarkably amplified in the lakebed zone of Mexico City, approximately 400 km from the epicenter, and the long duration of the lakebed seismograms was a great surprise. Many researchers thought that the origin of the long coda seen in the lakebed zone was surface waves caused by the deep Mexico basin and the soft surficial layers, but this explanation was not adequate. Another possible cause of the long coda is the long-distance...

Trajectories of Neighborhood Change : Spatial Patterns of Increasing Ethnic Diversity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zwiers, M.D.; van Ham, M.; Manley, D.J.

Western cities are increasingly ethnically diverse and in most cities the share of ethnic minorities is growing. Studies analyzing changing ethnic geographies often limit their analysis to changes in ethnic concentrations in neighborhoods between two points in time. Such a static approach limits our

Implementation of a radiological safety management system in a hospital of Mexico City

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez V, D.; Rivera M, T.; Velez D, V.

2007-01-01

Full text: The reflection of this work is based in some radiological accidents that its have happened in some hospital centers or of research. The over exposure of some people is due to the pursuit of the procedures, the lack of quality assurance of the equipment or the inappropriate actions of the technicians. In Mexico one has seen in several hospitals the lack of existence of a Quality Assurance Program to prevent the accidents, the execution of the same ones and those good practices and the lack of Safety Culture makes that the hospital radiological safety it is faulty. The objective of the present work is the implementation of a radiological safety management in a hospital of Mexico City. (Author)

In depth analysis of the role of the mountain gap south of the Valley of Mexico on the air quality in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerardo Ruiz Suarez, Luis

2010-05-01

38 days of air quality observations in Tenango del Aire (TENAI), south of Mexico City during MILAGRO were analyzed. That site was managed by FQA-CCA-UNAM's team with a mobile laboratory equipped with standard air quality monitors: O3, NOx, NOy, CO, SO2 and surface meteorological parameters. Hosted additional instruments were: CH2O, column NO2 (DOAS), backscatter (Lidar) and pilot balloons. Also, an ultra light plane from IMK-IFU, equipped with O3, PM10, CN, Dew Point monitors flew around the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes and above of TENAI some days during MILAGRO. Atop of TENAI, the ultra light descended in spiral until near ground and ascended to resume its path. In addition to these measurements, UNAM team ran air quality numerical simulations using the Mesoscale Climate and Chemistry Model (MCCM) and an online coupled Wind Erosion Processor to MCCM we call WEPS-MCCM. The combined observations on the ground, the ultra light plane and the models results enabled us to carry out an in depth analysis of air quality in such important region south of Mexico City. Comparison were made with the episodes classification proposed by De Foy; Ozone North and South, Convection North and South, Cold Surge and South Venting to characterize dynamics in the Valley of Mexico. The aim was to define how well connected is TENAI with the air quality network in the MCMA. The influence of the mountain gap on ozone and PM10 levels in Mexico City is analyzed by episode type. Also, the impact of the mega city of Mexico on the nearby region to the south can be understood by observations in TENAI. More polluted episode types in TENAI are those called: Cold Surge, Ozone South and South Venting due to a wind shift occurring in early afternoon that brings back polluted air that was drained south during the morning and returns back to TENAI rich in aged air parcels. March 17 was chosen to show the integrated analysis of all variables observed and modeled (MCCM) in TENAI. In that day

The possible influence of volcanic emissions on atmospheric aerosols in the city of Colima, Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miranda, Javier; Zepeda, Francisco; Galindo, Ignacio

2004-01-01

An elemental composition study of atmospheric aerosols from the City of Colima, in the Western Coast of Mexico, is presented. Samples of PM 15 -PM 2.5 and PM 2.5 were collected with Stacked Filter Units (SFU) of the Davis design, in urban and rural sites, the latter located between the City of Colima and the Volcan de Colima, an active volcano. Elemental analyses were carried out using Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). The gravimetric mass concentrations for the fine fraction were slightly higher in the urban site, while the mean concentrations in the coarse fraction were equal within the uncertainties. High Cl contents were determined in the coarse fraction, a fact also observed in emissions from the Volcan de Colima by other authors. In addition to average elemental concentrations, cluster analysis based on elemental contents was performed, with wind speed and direction data, showing that there is an industrial contributor to aerosols North of the urban area. Moreover, a contribution from the volcanic emissions was identified from the grouping of S, Cl, Cu, and Zn, elements associated to particles emitted by the Volcan de Colima. - Elemental analyses of PM 15 in the City of Colima, Mexico, were done to identify possible contributions from the Volcan de Colima, an active volcano

Differential subsidence in Mexico City and implications to its Collective Transport System (Metro).

Science.gov (United States)

Solano Rojas, D. E.; Wdowinski, S.; Cabral-Cano, E.; Osmanoglu, B.

2017-12-01

Mexico City is one of the fastest subsiding metropolis in the world. At displacement rates ranging from 0 to -380 [mm/yr], the complex geological setting is subjected to differential subsidence, which has led to damage, operation interruptions, and accidents to the Collective Transport System, or Metro. The Metro plays a critical role in Mexico City, carrying more than four million passengers per day. However, no previous study has focused on the deformation monitoring along the 93 km of the Metro surface railways, mainly because of the limitations of the traditional geodetic techniques. In this study, we use high-resolution Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) observations to monitor land subsidence throughout the city and quantify differential subsidence along surface Metro lines. Our analysis is based on 34 TerraSAR-X StripMap scenes acquired from May 2011 to June 2013 and 36 COSMO-SkyMed Stripmap scenes acquired from June 2011 to June 2012. The data were processed using the StaMPS InSAR time series technique, obtaining point densities of up to 4827 points/km2. Our post-processing methodologies include the following two components: (1) Detection of differential subsidence along the metro lines by calculating subsidence gradients, and (2) Detection of apparent uplift—areas subsiding slower than their surroundings—by using spatial frequency filtering. The two analyses allow us to recognize four main consequences of differential subsidence in the Metro system: 1. Deflection in elevated railways, 2. Deflection in street-level railways, 3. Columns with decreased loading capacity, and 4. Apparent uplift affecting surrounding infrastructure. Our results aim at shortening the large gap between scientific geodetic studies and applicable engineering parameters that can be used by local authorities in the city for maintenance and new lines development.

Renewal strategies and neighborhood participation on urban blight

OpenAIRE

Ali Hosseini; Ahmad Pourahmad; Ali Taeeb; Milad Amini; Sara Behvandi

2017-01-01

Urban blight had its own rational and hierarchical function in the past. Nowadays it is featured with structural and functional shortage. Therefore, it has lost the capacity to meet the residents’ needs. Along with intensification of urban blight problems in cities, and downtowns in particular, which affects different aspects of urban life, many urban planners have shown special attention to such districts. Laleh-Zar neighborhood is an example of these neighborhoods, which on the one hand due...

Teenagers’ access to contraception in Mexico City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofía Gómez-Inclán

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Objective. To study and understand the phenomenon of access to contraceptive methods in Mexican teenages, through the use of the Levesque model, which allows for the observation of both the system and the system and the user´s participation in the access process. Materials and methods. A qualitative study was conducted with focus groups technique in a middle and high school of Mexico City. Results. The perception of ability to access to health care is limited, teenagers do not know the mechanisms of care or supply of contraceptive methods. Prejudices of service providers provoke a negative reaction. The family is a source of information for adolescents to make decisions. Conclusions. The model allowed the assessment of access to contraceptive methods in teenagers. It were identified dif­ferent aspects that act as barriers to access and may inform health care providers about this population in their sexual and reproductive health.

A Tale of Two Cities: San Diego (USA) and Tijuana (Mexico) El Niño Readiness

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, C.; Kinoshita, A. M.; Nishikawa, T.; Briones-Gamboa, F.

2016-12-01

This research seeks to define the characteristics of an El Niño Ready City (ENRC) by comparing two neighboring cities, San Diego, United States and Tijuana, Mexico, with diverse management and social conditions, yet similar climatology. Notable El Niño years, 1982-83 and 1997-98, brought heavy precipitation and consequently significant flooding in southern California and northwest Mexico. Using the 2015-16 El Niño, we were able to investigate both Cities' historical and current preparation for hazardous events and identify lessons learned from previous events. Preparation activities include steps taken to prepare storm-related infrastructure, develop emergency protocols, establish communication and coordination efforts, and encourage public outreach and awareness. Literature, media searches, and interviews with local and regional agencies such as the San Diego Department of Transportation and Storm Water, San Diego Lifeguard Services and River Rescue Team, Tijuana State Civil Protection, and Mexican Meteorological Service Departments provided insight into the current and ongoing management for these urban Cities during the 2015-2016 El Niño. Both San Diego and Tijuana were cognizant of the 2015-2016 El Niño and anticipated above-average precipitation and had public agencies that were concerned with potential El Niño related impacts. Common challenges of inter-agency communication and coordination were noted for both Cities. By tracking the electronic media in Tijuana, we observed that local institutions respond proactively, but in a specific period of time. While, in the case of San Diego, the media analysis indicated a focus on El Niño related weather and its implications for the City as evidenced by the total number of articles related to weather across four decades. A challenge for both Cities will be to develop readiness capacities for long-term periods even if El Niño signals are weak or not present.

Mexico City air quality research initiative. Volume IV. Characterization and measurement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mauzy, A. [ed.

1994-04-01

This volume describes the methods and the data gathered in an attempt to measure and characterize the meteorological factors and the concentration of different pollutants in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area. The main objective of this document was to provide input for the simulation models and to obtain information that could be used to test and improve the models` performance. Four field campaigns were conducted, as well as routine monitoring, in order to obtain a database of atmospheric dynamics and air pollution characteristics. Sections include Airborne measurements, Remote sensing measurements, and Traditional (in situ) measurements.

A driving cycle for vehicle emissions estimation in the metropolitan area of Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Schifter, I; Díaz, L; Rodríguez, R; López-Salinas, E

2005-02-01

A driving cycle derived from driving behavior and real traffic conditions in Mexico City (MC) is proposed. Data acquisition was carried out over diverse MC routes, representing travel under congested and uncongested conditions, using the chase-car approach. Thirteen different on-road patterns, including the four main access roads to MC, trips in both directions and different timetables, a total of 108 trips spanning 1044 km were evaluated in this study. The MC cycle lasts 1360 seconds with a distance of 8.8 km and average speed of 23.4 km h(-1). Both maximum speed (73.6 km h(-1)) and maximum acceleration (2.22 km h(-1)s(-1)) are lower than those of the new vehicles certification employed in Mexico ,FTP-75 cycle., that is, the MC cycle exhibits less cruising time and more transient events than the FTP cycle. A total of 30 light duty gasoline vehicles were classified into different technological groups and tested in an FTP-75 and MC driving cycles in order to compare their emission factors A potential concern is that in Mexico manufacturers design vehicles to meet the emission standards in the FTP, but emission levels increase significantly in a more representative cycle of present driving patterns in the Metropolitan Area of Mexico City (MAMC). The use of a more representative cycle during certification testing, would provide an incentive for vehicle manufacturers to design emissions control systems to remain effective during operation modes that are not currently represented in the official test procedures used in the certification process. Based on the results of the study, the use of MC cycle, which better represents current day driving patterns during testing of vehicle fleets in emissions laboratories, would improve the accuracy of emissions factors used in the MAMC emissions inventories.

[Prehospital emergency care in Mexico City: the opportunities of the healthcare system].

Science.gov (United States)

Pinet, Luis M

2005-01-01

Unintentional vehicle traffic injuries cause 1.2 million preventable deaths per year worldwide, mostly affecting the population in their productive years of life. In Mexico, unintentional vehicle traffic injuries are one of the main causes of death; in Mexico City they account for 8% of deaths. Prehospital systems are set up to provide hospital medical care to the population, by means of a complex network that includes transportation, communications, resources (material, financial and human), and public participation. These systems may be designed in a variety of ways, depending on availability, capacity and quality of resources, according to specific community needs, always abiding by laws and regulations. In Mexico, several institutions and organizations offer prehospital services without being overseen in terms of coordination, regulation and performance evaluation, despite the high rates of morbidity and mortality due to injuries and preventable conditions amenable to effective therapy during the prehospital period. Prehospital care may contribute to decrease the morbidity and mortality rates of injuries requiring prompt medical care. Emphasis is made on the importance of assessing the performance of prehospital care, as well as on identification of needs for future development.

View From a Megacity: Aerosol Light Absorption and Scattering at Four Sites in and Near Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Paredes-Miranda, G.; Arnott, W. P.; Gaffney, J. S.; Marley, N. A.

2006-12-01

As part of the Megacity Impacts on Regional and Global Environments, MIRAGE-Mex deployment to Mexico City in the period of 30 days, March 2006, a suite of photoacoustic spectrometers (PAS) were installed to measure at ground level the light absorption and scattering by aerosols at four sites: an urban site at Instituto Mexicano del Petroleo (Mexican Oil Institute, denoted by IMP), a suburban site at the Technological University of Tecamac, a rural site at "La Biznaga" ranch, and a site at the Paseo de Cortes (altitude 3,810 meters ASL) in the rural area above Amecameca in the State of Mexico, on the saddle between the volcanoes Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl. The IMP site gave in-situ characterization of the Mexico City plume under favorable wind conditions while the other sites provided characterization of the plume, mixed in with any local sources. The second and third sites are north of Mexico City, and the fourth site is south. The PAS used at IMP operates at 532 nm, and conveniently allowed for characterization of gaseous absorption at this wavelength as well. Instruments at the second and third sites operate at 870 nm, and the one at the fourth site at 780 nm. Light scattering measurements are accomplished within the PAS by the reciprocal nephelometery method. In the urban site the aerosol absorption coefficient typically varies between 40 and 250 Mm-1 during the course of the day and significant diurnal variation of the aerosol single scattering albedo was observed. Comparisons with TSI nephelometer scattering and Aetholemeter absorption measurements at the T0 site will be presented. We will present a broad overview of the diurnal variation of the scattering and absorption as well as the single scattering albedo and fraction of absorption due to gases at the IMP site. Insight on the dynamical connections will be discussed.

Preventable Hospitalization Rates and Neighborhood Poverty among New York City Residents, 2008-2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Bocour, Angelica; Tria, Maryellen

2016-12-01

Knowing which demographic groups have higher rates of preventable hospitalizations can help identify geographic areas where improvements in primary care access and quality can be made. This study assessed whether preventable hospitalization rates by neighborhood poverty decreased from 2008 to 2013 and whether the gap between very high and low poverty neighborhoods changed. We examined trends in age-adjusted preventable hospitalization rates and rate ratios by neighborhood poverty overall and by sex using JoinPoint regression. Prevention Quality Indicators (PQIs) developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality were applied to inpatient hospitalization data from the New York State Department of Health's Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System. PQIs were classified into composites. From 2008 to 2013, preventable hospitalization rates per 100,000 adults across each poverty group decreased. For very high poverty neighborhoods (ZIP codes with ≥30 % of persons living below the federal poverty level (FPL)), there were significant decreases overall (3430.56 to 2543.10, annual percent change [APC] = -5.91 %), for diabetes (676.15 to 500.83, APC = -5.75 %), respiratory (830.78 to 660.29, APC = -4.85 %), circulatory (995.69 to 701.81, APC = -7.24 %), and acute composites (928.18 to 680.17, APC = -5.62 %). The rate ratios also decreased over time; however, in 2013, the rates for very high poverty neighborhoods were two to four times higher than low poverty neighborhoods (ZIP codes with still exist. These findings underscore the need to ensure adequate access to quality and timely primary care among individuals living in high poverty neighborhoods.

Policy support, norms, and secondhand smoke exposure before and after implementation of a comprehensive smoke-free law in Mexico city.

Science.gov (United States)

Thrasher, James F; Pérez-Hernández, Rosaura; Swayampakala, Kamala; Arillo-Santillán, Edna; Bottai, Matteo

2010-09-01

We assessed attitudes and beliefs about smoke-free laws, compliance, and secondhand smoke exposure before and after implementation of a comprehensive smoke-free law in Mexico City. Trends and odds of change in attitudes and beliefs were analyzed across 3 representative surveys of Mexico City inhabitants: before implementation of the policy (n=800), 4 months after implementation (n=961), and 8 months after implementation (n=761). Results indicated high and increasing support for 100% smoke-free policies, although support did not increase for smoke-free bars. Agreement that such policies improved health and reinforced rights was high before policy implementation and increased thereafter. Social unacceptability of smoking increased substantially, although 25% of nonsmokers and 50% of smokers agreed with smokers' rights to smoke in public places at the final survey wave. Secondhand smoke exposure declined generally as well as in venues covered by the law, although compliance was incomplete, especially in bars. Comprehensive smoke-free legislation in Mexico City has been relatively successful, with changes in perceptions and behavior consistent with those revealed by studies conducted in high-income countries. Normative changes may prime populations for additional tobacco control interventions.

Hydrogeochemical and stream sediment reconnaissance basic data for Silver City Quadrangle, New Mexico; Arizona

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

Field and laboratory data are presented for 405 water samples and 736 sediment samples from the Silver City Quadrangle, New Mexico; Arizona. Uranium values have been reported by Los Alamos National Laboratory in Report GJBX-69(78). The samples were collected by Los Alamos National Laboratory; laboratory analysis and data reporting were performed by the Uranium Resource Evaluation Project at Oak Ridge, Tennessee

Real Estate Underwriting Discrimination and Neighborhood Change: Their Impact on Education

Science.gov (United States)

Bradford, Calvin

1977-01-01

Redlining undermines the neighborhood schools in the city and erodes the tax base for education. It also helps to provide a place for the higher social classes to flee, robbing the city of the populations essential for creating diverse school systems. (Author/AM)

Aerosol effects on the photochemistry in Mexico City during MCMA-2006/MILAGRO campaign

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Li

2011-06-01

Full Text Available In the present study, the impact of aerosols on the photochemistry in Mexico City is evaluated using the WRF-CHEM model for the period from 24 to 29 March during the MCMA-2006/MILAGRO campaign. An aerosol radiative module has been developed with detailed consideration of aerosol size, composition, and mixing. The module has been coupled into the WRF-CHEM model to calculate the aerosol optical properties, including optical depth, single scattering albedo, and asymmetry factor. Calculated aerosol optical properties are in good agreement with the surface observations and aircraft and satellite measurements during daytime. In general, the photolysis rates are reduced due to the absorption by carbonaceous aerosols, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon hours with a long aerosol optical path. However, with the growth of aerosol particles and the decrease of the solar zenith angle around noontime, aerosols can slightly enhance photolysis rates when ultraviolet (UV radiation scattering dominates UV absorption by aerosols at the lower-most model layer. The changes in photolysis rates due to aerosols lead to about 2–17 % surface ozone reduction during daytime in the urban area in Mexico City with generally larger reductions during early morning hours near the city center, resulting in a decrease of OH level by about 9 %, as well as a decrease in the daytime concentrations of nitrate and secondary organic aerosols by 5–6 % on average. In addition, the rapid aging of black carbon aerosols and the enhanced absorption of UV radiation by organic aerosols contribute substantially to the reduction of photolysis rates.

A Methodological Approach to the Study of Urban Memory: Narratives about Mexico City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha de Alba

2012-05-01

Full Text Available This article serves a dual purpose. On the one hand, I seek to understand social representations and the collective memory of a sample of older adults, resident in the metropolitan area of Mexico City. On the other hand, I wish to reflect on the methodology used to achieve that objective, placing special emphasis on the combination of two complementary techniques: Atlas.ti, a tool used to carry out a semantic analysis of the interviews, and Alceste, a program that makes it possible to observe a classification of the terms used by respondents based on a statistical analysis of co-occurrences. The article is structured in the following order. Firstly, I explain the theoretical presuppositions that sustain the study. Secondly, I look at the methodology used, the reasons why I decided to use the software in question, and the analysis strategies for the interviews. Finally, I present the results obtained, and close with a final discussion on the relevance of the general methodology of the study for analyzing urban memory. The results indicate different levels of analysis of extensive narratives about the past experience of a great city like Mexico City; from the individual level that allows Atlas.ti up to a collective level (gender differences, location or socioeconomic status that prioritizes Alceste. I discuss the limitations of these software tools to analyze experiences that have continuity in time and space, as well in the incorporation of space as a complex category of analysis. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1202276

Examining public open spaces by neighborhood-level walkability and deprivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Badland, Hannah M; Keam, Rosanna; Witten, Karen; Kearns, Robin

2010-11-01

Public open spaces (POS) are recognized as important to promote physical activity engagement. However, it is unclear how POS attributes, such as activities available, environmental quality, amenities present, and safety, are associated with neighborhood-level walkability and deprivation. Twelve neighborhoods were selected within 1 constituent city of Auckland, New Zealand based on higher (n = 6) or lower (n = 6) walkability characteristics. Neighborhoods were dichotomized as more (n = 7) or less (n = 5) socioeconomically deprived. POS (n = 69) were identified within these neighborhoods and audited using the New Zealand-Public Open Space Tool. Unpaired 1-way analysis of variance tests were applied to compare differences in attributes and overall score of POS by neighborhood walkability and deprivation. POS located in more walkable neighborhoods have significantly higher overall scores when compared with less walkable neighborhoods. Deprivation comparisons identified POS located in less deprived communities have better quality environments, but fewer activities and safety features present when compared with more deprived neighborhoods. A positive relationship existed between presence of POS attributes and neighborhood walkability, but the relationship between POS and neighborhood-level deprivation was less clear. Variation in neighborhood POS quality alone is unlikely to explain poorer health outcomes for residents in more deprived areas.

Preventing HIV Transmission Among Partners of HIV-Positive Male Sex Workers in Mexico City: A Modeling Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Monteiro, João Filipe G; Marshall, Brandon D L; Escudero, Daniel; Sosa-Rubí, Sandra G; González, Andrea; Flanigan, Timothy; Operario, Don; Mayer, Kenneth H; Lurie, Mark N; Galárraga, Omar

2015-09-01

Mexico has a concentrated HIV epidemic, with male sex workers constituting a key affected population. We estimated annual HIV cumulative incidence among male sex workers' partners, and then compared incidence under three hypothetical intervention scenarios: improving condom use; and scaling up HIV treatment as prevention, considering current viral suppression rates (CVS, 60.7 %) or full viral suppression among those treated (FVS, 100 %). Clinical and behavioral data to inform model parameterization were derived from a sample (n = 79) of male sex workers recruited from street locations and Clínica Condesa, an HIV clinic in Mexico City. We estimated annual HIV incidence among male sex workers' partners to be 8.0 % (95 % CI: 7.3-8.7). Simulation models demonstrated that increasing condom use by 10 %, and scaling up HIV treatment initiation by 50 % (from baseline values) would decrease the male sex workers-attributable annual incidence to 5.2, 4.4 % (CVS) and 3.2 % (FVS), respectively. Scaling up the number of male sex workers on ART and implementing interventions to ensure adherence is urgently required to decrease HIV incidence among male sex workers' partners in Mexico City.

Influence of solid waste and topography on urban floods: The case of Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Zambrano, Luis; Pacheco-Muñoz, Rodrigo; Fernández, Tania

2018-02-24

Floods in cities are increasingly common as a consequence of multifactor watershed dynamics, including geomorphology, land-use changes and land subsidence. However, urban managers have focused on infrastructure to address floods by reducing blocked sewage infrastructure, without significant success. Using Mexico City as a case study, we generated a spatial flood risk model with geomorphology and anthropogenic variables. The results helped contrast the implications of different public policies in land use and waste disposal, and correlating them with flood hazards. Waste disposal was only related to small floods. 58% of the city has a high risk of experiencing small floods, and 24% of the city has a risk for large floods. Half of the population with the lowest income is located in the high-risk areas for large floods. These models are easy to build, generate fast results and are able to help to flood policies, by understanding flood interactions in urban areas within the watershed.

A review study of the current research on energy hub for energy positive neighborhoods

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Walker, S.W.W.; Labeodan, T.; Maassen, W.H.; Zeiler, W.

2017-01-01

Energy positive neighborhoods and cities are emerging concepts aimed at addressing the current energy and environmental sustainability challenges. In this paper, the concept and current research on energy hubs relating to energy positive neighborhoods are presented. In addition to discussing

Development of pollution reduction strategies for Mexico City: Estimating cost and ozone reduction effectiveness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thayer, G.R.; Hardie, R.W.; Barrera-Roldan, A.

1993-01-01

This reports on the collection and preparation of data (costs and air quality improvement) for the strategic evaluation portion of the Mexico City Air Quality Research Initiative (MARI). Reports written for the Mexico City government by various international organizations were used to identify proposed options along with estimates of cost and emission reductions. Information from appropriate options identified by SCAQMD for Southem California were also used in the analysis. A linear optimization method was used to select a group of options or a strategy to be evaluated by decision analysis. However, the reduction of ozone levels is not a linear function of the reduction of hydrocarbon and NO x emissions. Therefore, a more detailed analysis was required for ozone. An equation for a plane on an isopleth calculated with a trajectory model was obtained using two endpoints that bracket the expected total ozone precursor reductions plus the starting concentrations for hydrocarbons and NO x . The relationship between ozone levels and the hydrocarbon and NO x concentrations was assumed to lie on this plane. This relationship was used in the linear optimization program to select the options comprising a strategy

Evaluation of a social marketing campaign to support Mexico City's comprehensive smoke-free law.

Science.gov (United States)

Thrasher, James F; Huang, Liling; Pérez-Hernández, Rosaura; Niederdeppe, Jeff; Arillo-Santillán, Edna; Alday, Jorge

2011-02-01

We aimed to assess the level of awareness and impact of a social marketing campaign to promote Mexico City's 2008 comprehensive smoke-free law. Four months after the smoke-free law was implemented but before the campaign launch, we collected data from a population-based, random sample of 961 inhabitants of Mexico City. We analyzed data from 786 respondents who completed follow-up at the end of the campaign to determine campaign exposure and the association between campaign exposure and changes in campaign-targeted knowledge and attitudes. Recall of any of the 5 campaign materials was 69%, with a uniform distribution of exposure to 1, 2, and 3 or more campaign materials (25%, 25%, and 19%, respectively). Exposure to a greater number of campaign materials was associated in a monotonic relation with campaign-targeted knowledge of ammonia and arsenic in cigarette smoke. In models assessing support for, perceived benefits of, and perceived right to smoke-free places, campaign exposure accounted for a positive change in half of the indicators within each of these domains. Social marketing campaigns can reinforce knowledge and attitudes that favor smoke-free laws, thereby helping to establish smoke-free norms.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in captive mammals in three zoos in Mexico City, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme; Gayosso-Dominguez, Edgar Arturo; Villena, Isabelle; Dubey, J P

2013-09-01

Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii were determined in 167 mammals in three zoos in Mexico City, Mexico, using the modified agglutination test (MAT). Overall, antibodies to T. gondii were found in 89 (53.3%) of the 167 animals tested. Antibodies were found in 35 of 43 wild Felidae: 2 of 2 bobcats (Lynx rufus); 4 of 4 cougars (Puma concolor); 10 of 13 jaguars (Panthera onca); 5 of 5 leopards (Panthera pardus); 7 of 7 lions (Panthera leo); 2 of 3 tigers (Panthera tigris); 2 of 3 ocelots (Leopardus pardalis); 2 of 2 Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae); lof 2 Jaguarundi (Herpailurus jagouaroundi); but not in 0 of 2 oncillas (Leopardus tigrinus). Such high seroprevalence in wild felids is of public health significance because of the potential of oocyst shedding. Four of 6 New World primates (2 of 2 Geoffroy's spider monkeys [Ateles geoffroyi], 1 of 3 Patas monkeys [Erythrocebus patas], and 1 of 1 white-headed capuchin [Cebus capucinus]) had high MAT titers of 3,200, suggesting recently acquired infection; these animals are highly susceptible to clinical toxoplasmosis. However, none of these animals were ill. Seropositivity to T. gondii was found for the first time in a number of species.

Public policy performance for social development : solar energy approach to assess technological outcome in Mexico City Metropolitan Area

OpenAIRE

Arenas-Aquino, A.R.; Matsumoto-Kuwabara, Y.; Kleiche Dray, Mina

2017-01-01

Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) is the most populated urban area in the country. In 2010, MCMA required 14.8% of total energy domestic demand, but greenhouse gas emissions accounted for 7.7% of domestic emissions. Mexico has massive renewable energy potential that could be harnessed through solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. The problem to explore is the relationship between local and federal public strategies in MCMA and their stance on energy transition concern, social empowerment, ne...

Shrinking cities examined from a shrinking scale – the impact ...

Science.gov (United States)

Urban populations continue to increase globally and cities have become the dominant human habitat. However, the growth of cities is not universal. Shrinking cities face decreased income, reduced property values, and decreased tax revenue. Fewer people per unit area creates inefficiencies and higher costs for infrastructure maintenance and the provision of public amenities. However, population losses and economic distress are not equal in all neighborhoods, and in fact are quite heterogeneously distributed across the landscape. Broader statements about the trajectory of a shrinking city may mask underlying differences in economic, cultural, and environmental impacts as well as the ability of some neighborhoods to be resilient and adaptive to economic changes as well as climate change and other environmental stressors. This paper examines the recent impact of population loss in neighborhoods in the Río Piedras watershed in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on the provision of ecosystem services, material and energy flows, and ecological impacts, using public data and data collected previously in two household surveys. Using scenarios, we estimate future population changes and their potential positive and negative impacts on the environment and human well-being in these neighborhoods. This paper expands on prior research on shrinking cities by examining the impacts of population loss on urban social-ecological systems at the household and neighborhood scales. The purpose

[Effects of air pollution on human health and their importance in Mexico City].

Science.gov (United States)

Vallejo, Maite; Jáuregui-Renaud, Kathrine; Hermosillo, Antonio G; Márquez, Manlio F; Cárdenas, Manuel

2003-01-01

The impact of air pollution on human health is a complicated problem. In this review, we describe the main health effects of exposure to ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, lead and particulate matter. Geographical characteristics of the metropolitan area of Mexico City that favor pollutant persistence with adverse effects on the population are described; the use of the Indice Metropolitano de la Calidad del Aire (IMECA), current norms, and present programs to diminish this problem are discussed. Evidence shows that through these actions, air quality has improved. However, some pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter, still exceed the standard. To further improve air quality in the city, existing programs should continue and multidisciplinary research, both basic and applied, is required.

A New Neighborhood Every Fall: Aging in Place in a College Town.

Science.gov (United States)

Powell, Kathleen H

Older adults who live in residential neighborhoods adjacent to college and university campuses have a unique experience that makes them vulnerable to marginalization and displacement. As these neighborhoods become increasingly dominated by college students living in rental properties, older adults find themselves in the minority in a neighborhood where they have lived for many years. In addition, these neighborhoods are attractive to universities, city governments, and private companies for their development potential, which can result in gentrification. A year-long ethnographic study of a campus-adjacent neighborhood in a small US college town that is home to a medium-sized public university sheds light on the relationships between members of 5 stakeholder groups that have a vested interest in the neighborhood. The study highlights the need for additional research on different types of neighborhoods and their effects on aging in place in addition to outlining social work interventions in campus-adjacent neighborhoods that are designed to enhance these intergenerational spaces.

Sensitization to Casuarina equisetifolia and Pinus spp Pollen in Patients with Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma in Mexico City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Aída Velasco-Medina

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Pollinosis studies at Mexico City have found a considerable amount of Casuarina equisetifolia and Pinus spp pollen, its sensitization frequency is unknown. In Mexico, some allergens are not considered related to asthma or allergic rhinitis, even though reports in other coun- tries have been demonstrated their relevance as aeroallergens. Objective: To estimate the frequency of sensitization to Casuarina eq- uisetifolia and Pinus spp pollen. Patients and method: A transversal, descriptive trial was done at Hos- pital General de Mexico. Previous informed consent 142 patients with allergic rhinitis and asthma, 3 to 55 years old, were included to the study. A complete clinical evaluation, laboratory tests and skin prick tests were performed. Results: We included 142 patients, 44 children (64% males and 98 adults (73% females. We found that 8 (18.18% children and 35 (35.7% adults had a positive skin prick test to Casuarina equisetifolia. None of the patients included in the study had a positive skin prick test to Pinus spp. Conclusions: Sensitization to Casuarina equisetifolia is as important as other pollens found in Mexico City. These results suggest that it should be included when skin prick tests are performed. Pinus spp pollen is considered an aeroallergen in European countries but we did not cor- roborate sensitization in our population.

Organochlorine pesticides residues in bottled drinking water from Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Díaz, Gilberto; Ortiz, Rutilio; Schettino, Beatriz; Vega, Salvador; Gutiérrez, Rey

2009-06-01

This work describes concentrations of organochlorine pesticides in bottled drinking water (BDW) in Mexico City. The results of 36 samples (1.5 and 19 L presentations, 18 samples, respectively) showed the presence of seven pesticides (HCH isomers, heptachlor, aldrin, and p,p'-DDE) in bottled water compared with the drinking water standards set by NOM-127-SSA1-1994, EPA, and World Health Organization. The concentrations of the majority of organochlorine pesticides were within drinking water standards (0.01 ng/mL) except for beta-HCH of BW 3, 5, and 6 samples with values of 0.121, 0.136, and 0.192 ng/mL, respectively. It is important monitoring drinking bottled water for protecting human health.

Determination of radon levels in Mexico City; Determinacion de niveles de radon en la Ciudad de Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pena G, P

1992-01-15

The study of the determination of radon levels in the houses room in Mexico City is part of the project Emanometry of the radon. To carry out this study, the passive method was used, which consists of: thin film dosemeter of cellulose nitrate, container of the same one and spark accountant. The method is based on the mensurations of exhibition of the number of marks of alpha track is of the open type and it allows to average the radon activity along several weeks and it presents low concentrations. This study was carried out in 4 periods of exhibition of 3 months each one. (Author)

The contribution of the International Atomic Energy Agency to peace and development. Address at the conference of the Diplomatic Academy at the Institute of 'Matias Romero', Mexico City, Mexico, 13 October 1999

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

ElBaradei, M.

1999-01-01

In his address at the Conference of the Diplomatic Academy at the Institute of 'Matias Romero' (Mexico City, Mexico, 13 October 1999), the Director General of the IAEA described the role of the IAEA and its contribution to peace and development, focussing in four areas: technology transfer, nuclear power and sustainable energy development, nuclear safety, and the Agency's verification system

Cost of neurocysticercosis patients treated in two referral hospitals in Mexico City, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattarai, Rachana; Carabin, Hélène; Proaño, Jefferson V; Flores-Rivera, Jose; Corona, Teresa; Flisser, Ana; Budke, Christine M

2015-08-01

To estimate annual costs related to the diagnosis, treatment and productivity losses among patients with neurocysticercosis (NCC) receiving treatment at two referral hospitals, the Instituto Nacional de Neurologia y Neurocirugia (INNN) and the Hospital de Especialidades of the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (HE-IMSS), in Mexico City from July 2007 to August 2008. Information on presenting clinical manifestations, diagnostic tests, hospitalisations, surgical procedures and other treatments received by NCC outpatients was collected from medical charts, and supplemented by an individual questionnaire regarding productivity losses and out-of-pocket expenses related to NCC. The annual average per-patient direct costs were US$ 503 (95% CI: 414-592) and US$ 438 (95% CI: 322-571) for patients without a history of hospitalisation and/or surgery seen at the INNN and the HE-IMSS, respectively. These costs increased to US$ 2506 (95% CI: 1797-3215) and US$ 2170 (95% CI: 1303-3037), respectively, for patients with a history of hospitalisation and/or surgery. The average annual per-patient indirect costs were US$ 246 (95% CI: 165-324) and US$ 114 (95% CI: 51-178), respectively, using minimum salary wages for individuals not officially employed. The total annual cost for patients who had and had not been hospitalised and/or undergone a surgical procedure for the diagnosis or treatment of NCC corresponded to 212% and 41% of an annual minimum wage salary, respectively. The disease tends to affect rural socioeconomically disadvantaged populations and creates health disparities and significant economic losses in Mexico. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Itinerant physicians, the art of healing and doctors in national history (Mexico City, 1877-1911)].

Science.gov (United States)

Agostoni, Claudia

2008-01-01

The uncertainty and mistrust towards the presence and activities of academic medical practitioners in Mexico City during the Porfirio Díaz government (1877-1911) convinced these professionals that is was essential to create, strengthen and transmit a respectable, competent and homogeneous image of the profession. To this purpose they recovered, recreated and adapted the ethical maxims of the occidental medical culture to their professional work, and rescued eminent medical figures of Mexico's convulse nineteenth century from being lost in the oblivion of history. Their goal - as it will be expounded in the following pages - was to respond, oppose and neutralize the criticism and disbelief expressed by the public against their professional performance.

Factors Associated With Poor Child Motor Vehicle Restraint on the USA-Mexico Border.

Science.gov (United States)

Schrodt, Alexander; Huynh, Tam; Fitzgerald, Tamara N

Motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) are a significant cause of pediatric morbidity, particularly in low- to middle-income countries. We describe car seat use in children on the USA-Mexico border. A retrospective review was conducted for children 0-9 years old, admitted to the region's only Level I trauma center. Simultaneously, data were obtained from the SAFE KIDS database, a program that encourages car seat use through city checkpoints. There were 250 MVC admissions and nine fatalities in children 0-9 years old from 2010 to 2015. Nine percent of MVCs occurred in Mexico and 49% in El Paso, TX. Comparing trauma admissions to SAFE KIDS, there was some correlation between the location of MVCs and screening checkpoints (r = .50). There was a weaker correlation between injured children's neighborhoods and screening locations (r = .32). Only 37% of parents knew the crash history of the car seat and 3% were using a car seat previously involved in an MVC. While 96% of inspected children were placed appropriately in the backseat, 80% of children were found to be inappropriately restrained. Younger children more likely to be restrained (p < .05). Children from New Mexico and Mexico had the lowest rates of proper restraint and the highest injury severity scores. Proper use of car seats is a public health concern on the USA-Mexico border, and children are not properly restrained. Screening may be improved by focusing where at-risk children live and where most accidents occur. Restraint education is needed, particularly in New Mexico and Mexico.

Monitoring Colonias Development along the United States-Mexico Border: A Process Application using GIS and Remote Sensing in Douglas, Arizona, and Agua Prieta, Sonora

Science.gov (United States)

Norman, Laura M.; Donelson, Angela J.; Pfeifer, Edwin L.; Lam, Alven H.; Osborn, Kenneth J.

2004-01-01

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) have developed a joint project to create Internet-enabled geographic information systems (GIS) that will help cities along the United States-Mexico border deal with issues related to colonias. HUD defines colonias as rural neighborhoods in the United States-Mexico border region that lack adequate infrastructure or housing and other basic services. They typically have high poverty rates that make it difficult for residents to pay for roads, sanitary water and sewer systems, decent housing, street lighting, and other services through assessment. Many Federal agencies recognize colonias designations and provide funding assistance. It is the intention of this project to empower Arizona-Sonora borderland neighborhoods and community members by recognizing them as colonias. This recognition will result in eligibility for available economic subsidies and accessibility to geospatial tools and information for urban planning. The steps to achieve this goal include delineation of colonia-like neighborhoods, identification of their urbanization over time, development of geospatial databases describing their infrastructure, and establishment of a framework for distributing Web-based GIS decision support systems. A combination of imagery and infrastructure information was used to help delineate colonia boundaries. A land-use change analysis, focused on urbanization in the cities over a 30-year timeframe, was implemented. The results of this project are being served over the Internet, providing data to the public as well as to participating agencies. One of the initial study areas for this project was the City of Douglas, Ariz., and its Mexican sister-city Agua Prieta, Sonora, which are described herein. Because of its location on the border, this twin-cities area is especially well suited to international manufacturing and commerce, which has, in turn, led to an uncontrolled spread of

Social Capital and Economic Development: A Neighborhood Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew J. Hanka

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Sean Safford’s 2009 book Why the Garden Club Couldn’t Save Youngstown introduces a revolutionary idea that much of a community’s economic resilience is tied to the social capital that exists within it. Recent research suggests that social capital not only benefits those who develop it, but it can serve as a source of economic development in the communities in which it arises. Past quantitative research on the economic benefit of social capital has only examined the city or higher levels of aggregation. This study measures social capital in three diverse socioeconomic neighborhoods to better understand how social capital can serve as a tool for economic development. An ordered probit regression model was developed to examine how individual and neighborhood levels of social capital benefit households within these communities. Moreover, this study addresses how differences in social capital across neighborhoods are explained by both individual and neighborhood characteristics.

Air Quality in Megacities: Lessons Learned from Mexico City Field Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Molina, L. T.

2014-12-01

More than half of the world's population now lives in urban areas because of the opportunities for better jobs, access to city services, cultural and educational activities, and a desire for more stimulating human interaction. At the same time, many of these urban centers are expanding rapidly, giving rise to the phenomenon of megacities. In recent decades air pollution has become not only one of the most important environmental problems of megacities, but also presents serious consequences to human health and ecosystems and economic costs to society. Although the progress to date in combating air pollution problems in developed and some developing world megacities has been impressive, many challenges remain including the need to improve air quality while simultaneously mitigating climate change. This talk will present the results and the lessons learned from field measurements conducted in Mexico City Metropolitan Area - one of the world's largest megacities - over the past decade. While each city has its own unique circumstances, the need for an integrated assessment approach in addressing complex environmental problems is the same. There is no single strategy in solving air pollution problems in megacities; a mix of policy measures based on sound scientific findings will be necessary to improve air quality, protect public health, and mitigate climate change.

Characterization of Fine Particulate Matter (PM) and Secondary PM Precursor Gases in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area

Science.gov (United States)

Molina, Luisa T.; Volkamer, Rainer; de Foy, Benjamin; Lei, Wenfang; Zavala, Miguel; Velasco, Erik; Molina; Mario J.

2008-10-31

This project was one of three collaborating grants funded by DOE/ASP to characterize the fine particulate matter (PM) and secondary PM precursors in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) during the MILAGRO Campaign. The overall effort of MCMA-2006, one of the four components, focused on i) examination of the primary emissions of fine particles and precursor gases leading to photochemical production of atmospheric oxidants and secondary aerosol particles; ii) measurement and analysis of secondary oxidants and secondary fine PM production, with particular emphasis on secondary organic aerosol (SOA), and iii) evaluation of the photochemical and meteorological processes characteristic of the Mexico City Basin. The collaborative teams pursued the goals through three main tasks: i) analyses of fine PM and secondary PM precursor gaseous species data taken during the MCMA-2002/2003 campaigns and preparation of publications; ii) planning of the MILAGRO Campaign and deployment of the instrument around the MCMA; and iii) analysis of MCMA-2006 data and publication preparation.

Diversity-Based Characteristics of Mexican Children's Drawings: A Qualitative Analysis of Drawings Collected in Mexico City

Science.gov (United States)

Hass-Cohen, Noah; Chandler-Ziegler, Karina; Veeman, Thomas; Funk, Sterling

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of the diversity of characteristics in the drawings of children in Mexico City. The authors conducted a thematic analysis of 174 drawings from children ages 6 to 11 that revealed two main discrete themes: nature and stress. A personalized, supportive relationship with nature emerged as a…

"The City of Colors": a good practical experience of youth integration in the local context of a marginal neighborhood in the city of Alicante / “La Ciudad de los Colores”: una experiencia de buena práctica de integración juvenil en el marco local de un barrio marginal en la ciudad de Alicante

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Virgilio Francisco Candela Sevila

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This article explains the birth, evolution and subsequent project management of a juvenile intervention in the Northern of the city of Alicante, born in 2007 and remains in effect within a specific Municipal Comprehensive Plan. A project managed by a local social organization nonprofit (Danae Cultural Association and is formed by a group of 80 people, including students, parents or guardians, monitors and coordinators. The program is developed with the official support of the City Council of Alicante and the Generalitat Valenciana in a neighborhood context degraded and economically disadvantaged (North Zone of the city which hosts a significant number of immigrants that in some neighborhoods, exceeds 45% and live more than 120 nationalities. It is a very socially recognized project and has been awarded by municipal and regional institutions.

Beristain, Godoy, and the Virgin of Guadalupe. A Confrontation for Public Space in Mexico City in the Late Eighteenth Century

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Torres Puga

2002-07-01

Full Text Available During the festivities of the virgin of Guadalupe in 1795, a group of criollos garnished a balcony in Mexico City in order to discredit the cathedral's canon, Mariano  Beristain.  The reason for this quarrel was the recent homage paid by Beristain to Spain's ministers' chief, Manuel  Godoy, who had been  accused of insulting religion and devotion to the virgin. The complaints filed with the Inquisition against  Beristain  afford the  possibility of observing some of informal channels of expression at a time when there was a tightening of the control over the press. Moreover, these complaints illustrate the fierce dispute over control of public opinion in Mexico City at the end of the eighteenth century.

Neighborhood Sustainability Assessment: Evaluating Residential Development Sustainability in a Developing Country Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tan Yigitcanlar

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Rapid urbanization, improved quality of life, and diversified lifestyle options have collectively led to an escalation in housing demand in our cities, where residential areas, as the largest portion of urban land use type, play a critical role in the formation of sustainable cities. To date there has been limited research to ascertain residential development layouts that provide a more sustainable urban outcome. This paper aims to evaluate and compare sustainability levels of residential types by focusing on their layouts. The paper scrutinizes three different development types in a developing country context—i.e., subdivision, piecemeal, and master-planned developments. This study develops a “Neighborhood Sustainability Assessment” tool and applies it to compare their sustainability levels in Ipoh, Malaysia. The analysis finds that the master-planned development, amongst the investigated case studies, possesses the potential to produce higher levels of sustainability outcomes. The results reveal insights and evidence for policymakers, planners, development agencies and researchers; advocate further studies on neighborhood-level sustainability analysis, and; emphasize the need for collective efforts and an effective process in achieving neighborhood sustainability and sustainable city formation.

An Overview of the MILAGRO 2006 Campaign: Mexico City Emissions and their Transport and Transformation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Molina, Luisa T.; Madronich, Sasha; Gaffney, Jeffrey; Apel, Eric; de Foy, B.; Fast, Jerome D.; Ferrare, R.; Herndon, Scott C.; Jimenez, Jose L.; Lamb, Brian K.; Orsonio-Vargas, A. R.; Russell, P. B.; Schauer, James J.; Stevens, P. S.; Volkamer, Rainer M.; Zavala, Miguel A.

2010-03-25

The world’s population is projected to increase 33% during the next three decades, to 8.1 billion. Nearly all of the projected growth is expected to be concentrated in urban centers. These rapidly expanding urban regions and surrounding suburban areas are leading to the phenomenon of megacities (metropolitan areas with populations exceeding 10 million inhabitants). Well governed, densely populated settlements can reduce the need for land conversion and provide proximity to infrastructure and services. However, many urban areas experience uncontrolled sprawl and their activities are the leading cause of environmental problems. These mega-centers of human population are tied directly to increasing demands for energy and associated industrial activities and motorization that lead to more emission of pollutants into the atmosphere. Air pollution is one of the most important environmental challenges of this century. This challenge is particularly acute in the developing world where the rapid growth of megacities is producing atmospheric pollution of unprecedented severity and extent. MILAGRO (Megacity Initiative: Local And Global Research Observations) is the first international collaborative project to examine the behavior and the export of atmospheric pollutants generated in megacities. The Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) - one of the world’s largest megacities and North America’s most populous city -- was selected as the initial case study to characterize the sources and processes of emissions from the urban center and to evaluate the regional and global impacts of the Mexico City air pollution plume

Vulnerability and social resilience: comparison of two neighborhoods in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leroy Jeanne

2016-01-01

Full Text Available On August 29th of 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast of the United States leading to one of the most powerful disasters in history. Damage costs reached more than 100 billion dollars, as well as 150,000 flooded houses and 1,330 deaths. 10 years later, the damage remains visible in the city of New Orleans, and the rate of recovery is highly varied throughout different neighborhoods in the city. A popular idea is to associate this to the neighborhood social class, i.e. the poorer an area is, the more difficult the recovery process is. However the reality is more complex. This study looks at two economically similar and highly damaged neighborhoods, with two deeply different recoveries. The Lower 9th Ward, an isolated, and poor neighborhood surrounded by water with the Mississippi River and the industrial canal, has experienced an extremely slow recovery. However, in the isolated and relatively poor neighborhood known as Village de l’Est, located on former marshes at the edge of the city between Lake Pontchartrain and the Bayou Bienvenue, the Vietnamese community ties and cohesion have brought the neighborhood back to fruition faster than anyone would have expected. Despite many common features weakening their technical resilience, such as relatively modern and fast urbanization on former natural and low lands protected mostly by levees, their radically different reaction following Katrina points out the key role of social resilience. This communication will aim to present decisive social aspects of resilience aside from geophysical and physical features such as risk awareness, social link and community culture.

Simulation of Mexico City plumes during the MIRAGE-Mex field campaign using the WRF-Chem model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

X. Tie

2009-07-01

Full Text Available The quantification of tropospheric O₃ production in the downwind of the Mexico City plume is a major objective of the MIRAGE-Mex field campaign. We used a regional chemistry-transport model (WRF-Chem to predict the distribution of O₃ and its precursors in Mexico City and the surrounding region during March 2006, and compared the model with in-situ aircraft measurements of O₃, CO, VOCs, NO_x, and NO_y concentrations. The comparison shows that the model is capable of capturing the timing and location of the measured city plumes, and the calculated variability along the flights is generally consistent with the measured results, showing a rapid increase in O₃ and its precursors when city plumes are detected. However, there are some notable differences between the calculated and measured values, suggesting that, during transport from the surface of the city to the outflow plume, ozone mixing ratios are underestimated by about 0–25% during different flights. The calculated O₃-NO_x, O₃-CO, and O₃-NO_z correlations generally agree with the measured values, and the analyses of these correlations suggest that photochemical O₃ production continues in the plume downwind of the city (aged plume, adding to the O₃ already produced in the city and exported with the plume. The model is also used to quantify the contributions to OH reactivity from various compounds in the aged plume. This analysis suggests that oxygenated organics (OVOCs have the highest OH reactivity and play important roles for the O₃ production in the aging plume. Furthermore, O₃ production per NO_x molecule consumed (O₃ production efficiency is more efficient in the aged plume than in the young plume near the city. The major contributor to the high O₃ production efficiency in the aged plume is the

Urban Income Inequality and the Great Recession in Sunbelt Form: Disentangling Individual and Neighborhood-Level Change in Los Angeles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert J. Sampson

2017-02-01

Full Text Available New social transformations within and beyond the cities of classic urban studies challenge prevailing accounts of spatial inequality. This paper pivots from the Rust Belt to the Sunbelt accordingly, disentangling persistence and change in neighborhood median income and concentrated income extremes in Los Angeles County. We first examine patterns of change over two decades starting in 1990 for all Los Angeles neighborhoods. We then analyze an original longitudinal study of approximately six hundred Angelenos from 2000 to 2013, assessing the degree to which contextual changes in neighborhood income arise from neighborhood-level mobility or individual residential mobility. Overall we find deep and persistent inequality among both neighborhoods and individuals. Contrary to prior research, we also find that residential mobility does not materially alter neighborhood economic conditions for most race, ethnic, and income groups. Our analyses lay the groundwork for a multilevel theoretical framework capable of explaining spatial inequality across cities and historical eras.

Time series analysis of Mexico City subsidence constrained by radar interferometry

Science.gov (United States)

Doin, Marie-Pierre; Lopez-Quiroz, Penelope; Yan, Yajing; Bascou, Pascale; Pinel, Virginie

2010-05-01

In Mexico City, subsidence rates reach up to 40 cm/yr mainly due to soil compaction led by the over exploitation of the Mexico Basin aquifer. The Mexico Valley, an endoreic basin surrounded by mountains, was in the past covered by large lakes. After the Spanish conquest, the lakes have almost completely disappeared, being progressively replaced by buildings of the current Mexican capital. The simplified hydrogeologic structure includes a superficial 50 to 300 m thick lacustrine aquitard overlying a thicker aquifer made of alluvial deposits. The aquitard layer plays a crucial role in the subsidence process due to the extremely high compressibility of its clay deposits separated by a less compressible sand layer where the biggest buildings of the city are anchored. The aquifer over-exploitation leads to a large scale 30m depression of its piezometric level, inducing water downwards flow in the clays, yielding compaction and subsidence. In order to quantitatively link subsidence to water pumping, the Mexico city subsidence needs to be mapped and analyzed through space and time. We map its spatial and temporal patterns by differential radar interferometry, using 38 ENVISAT images acquired between end of 2002 and beginning of 2007. We employ both a Permanent Scatterer (PS) and a small baseline (SBAS) approach. The main difficulty consists in the severe unwrapping problems mostly due to the high deformation rate. We develop a specific SBAS approach based on 71 differential interferograms with a perpendicular baseline smaller than 500 m and a temporal baseline smaller than 9 months, forming a redundant network linking all images: (1) To help the unwrapping step, we use the fact that the deformation shape is stable for similar time intervals during the studied period. As a result, a stack of the five best interferograms can be used to reduce the number of fringes in wrapped interferograms. (2) Based on the redundancy of the interferometric data base, we quantify the

Using GPS Data to Study Neighborhood Walkability and Physical Activity.

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Rundle, Andrew G; Sheehan, Daniel M; Quinn, James W; Bartley, Katherine; Eisenhower, Donna; Bader, Michael M D; Lovasi, Gina S; Neckerman, Kathryn M

2016-03-01

Urban form characteristics intended to support pedestrian activity, collectively referred to as neighborhood walkability, are thought to increase total physical activity. However, little is known about how neighborhood walkability influences utilization of neighborhood space by residents and their overall physical activity. Sociodemographic information and data on mobility and physical activity over 1-week periods measured by GPS loggers and accelerometers were collected from 803 residents of New York City between November 2010 and November 2011. Potentially accessible neighborhood areas were defined as land area within a 1-kilometer distance of the subject's home (radial buffer) and within a 1-kilometer journey on the street network from the home (network buffer). To define actual areas utilized by subjects, a minimum convex polygon was plotted around GPS waypoints falling within 1 kilometer of the home. A neighborhood walkability scale was calculated for each neighborhood area. Data were analyzed in 2014. Total residential neighborhood space utilized by subjects was significantly associated with street intersection density and was significantly negatively associated with residential density and subway stop density within 1 kilometer of the home. Walkability scale scores were significantly higher within utilized as compared with non-utilized neighborhood areas. Neighborhood walkability in the utilized neighborhood area was positively associated with total weekly physical activity (32% [95% CI=17%, 49%] more minutes of moderate-equivalent physical activity across the interquartile range of walkability). Neighborhood walkability is associated with neighborhood spaces utilized by residents and total weekly physical activity. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A tale of two epidemics: gender differences in socio-demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors among HIV positive individuals in Mexico City.

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Bautista-Arredondo, Sergio; Servan-Mori, Edson; Beynon, Fenella; González, Andrea; Volkow, Patricia

2015-12-16

To date, the HIV epidemic in Mexico has been concentrated mainly among men who have sex with men, butheterosexual transmission, particularly to women, is increasingly important. This study examine gender differences in socio-demographic characteristics and risk behaviors of HIV positive individuals in Mexico City. We analyzed data from a cross-sectional survey of 1,490 clinic patients (male:female ratio 8:1) with HIV inMexico City in 2010. We examined socio-demographic characteristics, risk behavior, and history of HIV infection.From multivariate non-linear probability (probit) models we calculated predicted probabilities by sex of several outcomes: marginalization, demographic and sexual risk behaviors. Significant differences were found between men and women. Multivariate models suggest that women had lower schooling levels; were less likely to have been employed in the past month and earn more than the minimal wage; more likely to have children, to have been sexually abused, to never have used condoms and to report having been infected by a stable partner. Additionally, women were less likely to report having a partner with a history of migration to the USA and to have engaged in transactional sex. Significant differences exist between men and women with HIV in Mexico City in terms of their socioeconomicand behavioral profiles, which translate into differences in terms of exposure to HIV infection. Women face social and economic vulnerability while men tend to have riskier sexual behavior. Gender issues must be approached in prevention and treatment efforts, using diverse methods to target those most vulnerable and at risk.

The role of a peri-urban forest on air quality improvement in the Mexico City megalopolis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baumgardner, Darrel; Varela, Sebastian; Escobedo, Francisco J.; Chacalo, Alicia; Ochoa, Carlos

2012-01-01

Air quality improvement by a forested, peri-urban national park was quantified by combining the Urban Forest Effects (UFORE) and the Weather Research and Forecasting coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) models. We estimated the ecosystem-level annual pollution removal function of the park’s trees, shrub and grasses using pollution concentration data for carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O 3 ), and particulate matter less than 10 microns in diameter (PM 10 ), modeled meteorological and pollution variables, and measured forest structure data. Ecosystem-level O 3 and CO removal and formation were also analyzed for a representative month. Total annual air quality improvement of the park’s vegetation was approximately 0.02% for CO, 1% for O 3, and 2% for PM 10 , of the annual concentrations for these three pollutants. Results can be used to understand the air quality regulation ecosystem services of peri-urban forests and regional dynamics of air pollution emissions from major urban areas. - Highlights: ► Air quality regulation functions and ecosystem structure of a peri-urban forest in Mexico were quantified. ► Air pollution removal-formation dynamics were estimated using the UFORE and WRF-Chem models. ► Peri-urban forests positively contributed to air qualtiy improvement in Mexico City. ► Results can be used to quantify the ecosystem services of peri-urban forests. - Coupled models estimated air quality improvement and pollution removal-formation by peri-urban forest ecosystems in the Mexico City airshed.

Neighborhood differences in social capital in Ghent (Belgium): a multilevel approach.

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Neutens, Tijs; Vyncke, Veerle; De Winter, Dieter; Willems, Sara

2013-11-13

Little research has focused on the spatial distribution of social capital, despite social capital's rising popularity in health research and policy. This study examines the neighborhood differences in social capital and the determinants that explain these differences. Five components of neighborhood social capital are identified by means of factor and reliability analyses using data collected in the cross-sectional SWING study from 762 inhabitants in 42 neighbourhoods in the city of Ghent (Belgium). Neighborhood differences in social capital are explored using hierarchical linear models with cross-level interactions. Significant neighborhood differences are found for social cohesion, informal social control and social support, but not for social leverage and generalized trust. Our findings suggest that neighborhood social capital depends on both characteristics of individuals living in the neighborhood (attachment to neighborhood) and characteristics of the neighborhood itself (deprivation and residential turnover). Our analysis further shows that neighborhood deprivation reinforces the negative effect of declining neighborhood attachment on social cohesion and informal social control. This study foregrounds the importance of contextual effects in encouraging neighborhood social capital. Given the importance of neighborhood-level characteristics, it can be anticipated social capital promoting initiatives are likely to be more effective when tailored to specific areas. Second, our analyses show that not all forms of social capital are influenced by contextual factors to the same extent, implying that changes in neighborhood characteristics are conducive to, say, trust while leaving social support unaffected. Finally, our analysis has demonstrated that complex interrelationships between individual- and neighborhood-level variables exist, which are often overlooked in current work.

Ghettoizing outdoor advertising: disadvantage and ad panel density in black neighborhoods.

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Kwate, Naa Oyo A; Lee, Tammy H

2007-01-01

This study investigated correlates of outdoor advertising panel density in predominantly African American neighborhoods in New York City. Research shows that black neighborhoods have more outdoor advertising space than white neighborhoods, and these spaces disproportionately market alcohol and tobacco advertisements. Thus, understanding the factors associated with outdoor advertising panel density has important implications for public health. We linked 2000 census data with property data at the census block group level to investigate two neighborhood-level determinants of ad density: income level and physical decay. Results showed that block groups were exposed to an average of four ad spaces per 1,000 residents and that vacant lot square footage was a significant positive predictor of ad density. An inverse relationship between median household income and ad density did not reach significance, suggesting that relative affluence did not protect black neighborhoods from being targeted for outdoor advertisements.

Neighborhood Condition and Geographic Locale in Assessing HIV/STI Risk Among African American Adolescents.

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Kerr, Jelani C; Valois, Robert F; Siddiqi, Arjumand; Vanable, Peter; Carey, Michael P; DiClemente, Ralph J; Romer, Daniel; Brown, Larry K; Farber, Naomi B; Salazar, Laura F

2015-06-01

Although region and neighborhood condition's effect on HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk has been studied separately, there is little research examining their interplay. African American adolescents (n = 1,602) from four matched cities in the Northeastern and Southeastern US completed Audio Computer Assisted Self-Interviews and submitted biospecimen samples to detect Sexually Transmitted Infections (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomonas). Logistic and negative binomial regressions determined HIV/STI risk differences by region, neighborhood stress, and stress-region dyads. Northeastern participants demonstrated lower HIV/STI risk while participants from higher stress neighborhoods exhibited greater risk. Relationships between neighborhood condition and ever having anal sex (p use (p partners (p partners than participants in comparable Southeastern neighborhoods (p risk.

Analysis of Wedge-like Response in Mexico City during the September 19th, 2017 Puebla-Morelos Earthquake

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Baena-Rivera, M.; Sanchez-Sesma, F. J.; Ramirez-Guzman, L.

2017-12-01

The September 19th, 2017 Puebla-Morelos earthquake (Mw7.1) caused severe structural and nonstructural damage in Mexico City in the Transition and border of the Lake geotechnical zones. Previously recorded ground motion had not reached similar high intensities. The Transition zone surrounds the base of mountain ranges and is composed of alluvial sands and silts, limited by layers of hard soil of the Hill Zone and highly compressible clay deposits of the Lake Zone. These transition configurations are modeled as dipping layers where the soft sediments progressively thicken away from the edge.We present a preliminary analysis of 2D SH and P-SV dipping layer models with homogeneous and lateral variations that resemble the known structure of the basin. Our results show the emergence of surface waves in the edges, and the spread of the energy, broadening the frequency range as compared to 1D models. The latter is a plausible explanation of the frequency content in the recorded ground motion in sites of observed damage. Acknowledgments: Records used in this research are obtained, processed and maintained by the Seismic Instrumentation Unit of the Institute of Engineering at the National Autonomous University of Mexico. This Project was funded by the Secretaría de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (SECITI) of Mexico City. Project SECITI/073/2016.

Securing water for the cities.

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Satterthwaite, D

1993-01-01

Many cities in developing countries have grown so much that they can no longer provide adequate, sustainable water. Over pumping in Dakar and Mexico City has forced those cities to obtain water from ever more distant sources. In Dakar, the result has been saltwater intrusion. Overpumping has caused Mexico City to sink, in some areas by as much as 9 m, resulting in serious damage to buildings and sewage and drainage pipes. Other cities facing similar water problems are coastal cities in Peru (e.g., Lima), La Rioja and Catamarca in Argentina, cities in Northern Mexico, and cities in dry areas of Africa. For some cities, the problem is not so much ever more distant water supplies but insufficient funds to expand supplies. Bangkok and Jakarta both face saltwater intrusion into their overdrawn aquifers. Even through agriculture is the dominant user of water in most countries, demand concentrated in a small area exhausts local and regional sources and pollutes rivers, lakes, and coasts with untreated human and industrial waste. Most cities in Africa and Asia do not have a sewerage system. Further, most cities do not have the drains to deal with storm water and external floodwater, causing frequent, seasonal flooding. The resulting stagnant water provides breeding grounds for insect vectors of diseases (e.g., malaria). The problems in most cities are a result of poor management, not lack of water. Reducing leaks in existing piped distribution systems from the usual 60% loss of water to leaks to 12% would increase the available water 2-fold. Another way to address water shortages would be commercial, industrial, and recreational use of minimally treated waste water, such as is the case in Madras and Mexico City. Political solutions are needed to resolve inadequate water supply and waste management.

Towards Providing Solutions to the Air Quality Crisis in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area: Carbon Sequestration by Succulent Species in Green Roofs.

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Collazo-Ortega, Margarita; Rosas, Ulises; Reyes-Santiago, Jerónimo

2017-03-31

In the first months of 2016, the Mexico City Metropolitan Area experienced the worst air pollution crisis in the last decade, prompting drastic short-term solutions by the Mexico City Government and neighboring States. In order to help further the search for long-term sustainable solutions, we felt obliged to immediately release the results of our research regarding the monitoring of carbon sequestration by green roofs. Large-scale naturation, such as the implementation of green roofs, provides a way to partially mitigate the increased carbon dioxide output in urban areas. Here, we quantified the carbon sequestration capabilities of two ornamental succulent plant species, Sedum dendroideum and Sedum rubrotinctum, which require low maintenance, and little or no irrigation. To obtain a detailed picture of these plants' carbon sequestration capabilities, we measured carbon uptake on the Sedum plants by quantifying carbon dioxide exchange and fixation as organic acids, during the day and across the year, on a green roof located in Southern Mexico City. The species displayed their typical CAM photosynthetic metabolism. Moreover, our quantification allowed us to conservatively estimate that a newly planted green roof of Sedum sequesters approximately 180,000,000 ppm of carbon dioxide per year in a green roof of 100 square meters in the short term. The patterns of CAM and carbon dioxide sequestration were highly robust to the fluctuations of temperature and precipitation between seasons, and therefore we speculate that carbon sequestration would be comparable in any given year of a newly planted green roof. Older green roof would require regular trimming to mantain their carbon sink properties, but their carbon sequestration capabilities remain to be quantified. Nevertheless, we propose that Sedum green roofs can be part of the long-term solutions to mitigate the air pollution crisis in the Mexico City Metropolitan area, and other "megacities" with marked seasonal drought.

Obesity increases metabolic syndrome risk factors in school-aged children from an urban school in Mexico city.

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Perichart-Perera, Otilia; Balas-Nakash, Margie; Schiffman-Selechnik, Esther; Barbato-Dosal, Annarella; Vadillo-Ortega, Felipe

2007-01-01

To characterize the nutritional status of school-aged children from an urban public school in Mexico City, Mexico, and to assess the influence of obesity on health status in a subgroup of these children. Cross-sectional descriptive study. A nutrition screening was done for all children, including anthropometric (ie, weight, height, and waist circumference) and blood pressure assessment. In the subgroup of children, complementary dietary and biochemical assessment (ie, glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, insulin, albumin, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels) was done. Children from an urban school in Mexico City (N=561) aged 6 to 13 years. The representative subgroup (n=88) was selected based on age (9 to 12 years) and weight status (ie, normal, overweight, or obese). Descriptive statistics, correlations, mean differences tests (analysis of variance, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U), and chi(2) tests (categorical variables) were done with SPSS version 13 (2005, SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL). In the whole school, overweight and obesity prevalence were 27.1% and 21.4%, respectively. High systolic blood pressure was seen in 8.4% of children and 6.2% of children had prehypertension. Higher hypertension risk was seen in children with body mass index > or =95th percentile and waist circumference > or =90th percentile (88 cm). Significantly higher waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, insulin resistance indexes, and triglyceride levels were found among the obese when compared with normal-weight children. Childhood obesity prevalence is high in Mexico and it is having an influence on children's health. It is urgent to design, implement, and evaluate specific childhood obesity prevention programs.

The effect of neighborhood context on children's academic achievement in China: Exploring mediating mechanisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Lei

2018-05-01

Along with the economic reforms, rapid urbanization, and the growth of a free land market, Chinese cities witness new forms of neighborhood poverty and increasing residential segregation by social class, migration status, and housing tenure. But little is known about the consequences of the growing social-spatial differentiation for children's educational achievement in China. Using national-scale survey data from the China Family Panel Studies in 2010, this study examines the relationship between neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) and children's test scores in urban China, and explores the mechanisms through which neighborhood environment is associated with children's academic achievement. The results show that neighborhood SES is positively associated with children's verbal and math test scores after accounting for myriad individual and family characteristics. The relationship between neighborhood SES and test scores is partially explained by neighborhood educational institutions and collective socialization. Peer contagion, neighborhood social organization, or neighborhood physical environment do not explain this relationship. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

NEIGHBORHOOD TEST DESIGN BASED ON HISTORIC PRECEDENTS

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Besim S. Hakim

2012-07-01

Full Text Available There have been various attempts to emulate traditional architecture and to experiment with the form and aesthetics of building design. However, learning from precedents of urban morphology is rare. This design study is a test at the neighborhood level using the pattern of traditional courtyard housing that is prevalent in the majority of historic towns and cities of North Africa and the Middle East. The study is undertaken at five levels of design enquiry: dwelling types, dwelling groups, neighborhood segment and community center. All of which are synthesized into a full prototype neighborhood comprising of 428 dwelling units covering an area that includes circulation and the community center, of 17.6 hectares. The test demonstrates that the traditional pattern of neighborhoods that are based on the typology of the courtyard dwelling as the initial generator of urban form may be used to develop a contemporary settlement pattern that is compatible with current necessities of lifestyle, vehicular circulation,  including parking and infrastructure achieving an attractive livable environment with an overall gross density, that includes a community center, of about 24 dwelling units per hectare.

ADAPTATION STRATEGY OF MOSQUE ARCHITECTURE IN THE MINORITY NEIGHBORHOOD Case Studies: Mosques in Denpasar City and Badung Regency, Province of Bali.

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Andika Saputra

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Mosque for Muslims who living in the middle of minority neighborhood in Province of Bali not only function as a signifier for the presence a Muslims community, but also have a central role because mosque is the only gathering place for fellow Muslims. In the present, Muslims in the province of Bali is facing various challenge that cause adaptation strategies of mosque architecture for the existence of mosque in the neighborhood can be accepted by society from other faith. This preliminary study aim to knowing the adaptation strategies of mosque architecture undertaken Muslims in the province of Bali along with the factor that drive adaptation. Study conducted using qualitative-inductive method. Locus of study in the Denpasar City and Badung Regency where is the center of activity and concentration of Muslims in the province of Bali with a different background neighborhood. Object of study used a large mosque that are the central of Muslims activity. The finding this study showed that there are three types of mosque architecture adaptation strategies undertaken by Muslims in the Province of Bali are (1 external factor are responded by applying dominate elements of Balinese style architecture, (2 internal factor is awareness to applying elements of Balinese style architecture to show identity as a Muslims who appreciate local value, and (3 internal factor to applying the characteristic architectural style of the Middle East mosque is considered ideal to represent identity as Muslims.

Film and social mobility: From Oaxaca to Mexico City with the Zúñiga's, father and son, 1920-1970

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Mary Kay Vaughan

2016-04-01

Full Text Available If between 1940 and 1980 upward social mobility in Mexico City is owed to expanding opportunities for education and employment, the mass media also played a role. This essay focuses on the experiences with cinema of two men, José Zúñiga Heredia (1914-1985, a tailor who migrated from Oaxaca to Mexico City in 1939, and his son Pepe (b. 1937 who became a student, later a professor and director (1991-1993 of the Escuela de Pintura, Escultura, y Grabado La Esmeralda. I examine the role of Hollywood and Mexican film in the formation of their sensibilities, desires, aspirations, and notions of rights and dignity, and argue that cinema had an important role in the formation of a spirit of rebellion and a new masculine sensibility among male youth who entered higher education at the end of the 1950s.

The Role of School in Educational Decisions during the Transition to High School Public Institutions in Mexico City context

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Eduardo Rodríguez Rocha

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This article analyzes the role of schools in educational choices in the transition to public high schools in Mexico City. Secondary schools have the potential to influence educational choices, through the development of certain educational functions. This influence comes in different ways, and is relatively independent of adscriptive characteristics and previous academic performance of students.  Schools serve i as agents contributing to decision making, facilitating continuity on educational trajectories ii or as instances that do not develop explicit actions aimed to link their students to any of the options offered in the post-secondary educational system. While some schools teaching resources are destined to accompany their students during their decision process, others lack of them, abandoning them in this crucial educational event. The article is based on data provided by an ethnographic study conducted in seven high schools in southern Mexico City between January and July 2012

77 FR 27475 - Announcement of Funding Awards; Choice Neighborhoods Grant Program for Fiscal Years (FY) 2010 and...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-10

... poverty into viable mixed-income neighborhoods with access to economic opportunities by revitalizing...-functioning services, effective schools and education programs, public assets, public transportation, and.... Housing Authority of the City 170,000 Civic Park Apartments; of Salisbury, NC, 200 S. Westend neighborhood...

Lattice Wind Description and Characterization of Mexico City Local Wind Events in the 2001–2006 Period

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Alejandro Salcido

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Urban transformation and expansion in Mexico City continuously affect its urban morphology, and therefore the modes of wind circulation inside it and their occurrence probabilities. Knowledge on these topics is an important issue for urban planning and for other urban studies, such as air quality assessment. In this paper, using a lattice wind model at a meso-β scale, we develop a simple description and characterization of Mexico City local wind events that occurred during the period 2001–2006, including an estimation of the occurrence probabilities. This region was modeled as a 2D lattice domain of identical cells, and wind conditions in each cell were described by four wind attributes: the horizontal velocity components, divergence, and vorticity. Models of one and four cells were applied to wind data furnished by the meteorological network of the city. Results include the following: Early morning: low intensity winds (75% from N, NW, W and SW (75%, convergent (93%, with a slight predominance of cyclonic vorticity (54%. Morning and early afternoon: winds from N, NE and E (72% with speeds from 0.5 to 3.5 m/s, slight prevailing of convergent winds (51%, and slight predominance of cyclonic vorticity (57%. Late afternoon and night: winds blowing from N, NW, and S (63% with speeds from 1.5 to 3.5 m/s (66%, convergent (90%, and cyclonic (72%.

The influence of neighborhood unemployment on mortality after stroke.

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Unrath, Michael; Wellmann, Jürgen; Diederichs, Claudia; Binse, Lisa; Kalic, Marianne; Heuschmann, Peter Ulrich; Berger, Klaus

2014-07-01

Few studies have investigated the impact of neighborhood characteristics on mortality after stroke. Aim of our study was to analyze the influence of district unemployment as indicator of neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES-NH) on poststroke mortality, and to compare these results with the mortality in the underlying general population. Our analyses involve 2 prospective cohort studies from the city of Dortmund, Germany. In the Dortmund Stroke Register (DOST), consecutive stroke patients (N=1883) were recruited from acute care hospitals. In the Dortmund Health Study (DHS), a random general population sample was drawn (n=2291; response rate 66.9%). Vital status was ascertained in the city's registration office and information on district unemployment was obtained from the city's statistical office. We performed multilevel survival analyses to examine the association between district unemployment and mortality. The association between neighborhood unemployment and mortality was weak and not statistically significant in the stroke cohort. Only stroke patients exposed to the highest district unemployment (fourth quartile) had slightly higher mortality risks. In the general population sample, higher district unemployment was significantly associated with higher mortality following a social gradient. After adjustment for education, health-related behavior and morbidity was made the strength of this association decreased. The impact of SES-NH on mortality was different for stroke patients and the general population. Differences in the association between SES-NH and mortality may be partly explained by disease-related characteristics of the stroke cohort such as homogeneous lifestyles, similar morbidity profiles, medical factors, and old age. Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the Chemical Characterization of Organic Matter in Rain at Mexico City.

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Montero-Martinez, G.; Andraca-Ayala, G. L.; Hernández-Nagay, D. P.; Mendoza-Trejo, A.; Rivera-Arellano, J.; Rosado-Abon, A.; Roy, P. D.

2016-12-01

The chemical composition of the aerosol plays a central role in atmospheric processes and has influence on the hydrological cycle. Clouds form through the nucleation of water vapor on certain atmospheric aerosol particles, called cloud condensation nuclei (CCN). Also, precipitating particles scavenge some other aerosol particles on their way to the surface. Atmospheric particles are a mixture of organic and inorganic materials, both soluble and insoluble in water. Aerosol chemical characterization indicates a larger variety of compounds in urban areas respect to other regions. Thus, chemical composition of rainwater may represent an important aspect for estimating atmospheric air pollution. It has been recognized that organic species present in aerosol particles are important in the formation of cloud droplets. Therefore, the information about the organic compounds in precipitation samples may be helpful to understand their effects on the formation of clouds and rain, as well as their sources. Organic acids are ubiquitous components of aerosols and have been identified in precipitation water. In this work, preliminary results of the content of soluble organic (neutral and acidic) matter in rainwater samples collected in Mexico City during 2015 will be presented. The organic compounds content was performed by using an ionic chromatographic methodology with gradient elution; so the total amount was evaluated as the sum of four fractions: neutral/basic, mono-, bi-, and poly-acid compounds. The outcomes suggest that most of the amount of organic substances soluble in water is contained by the neutral/basic and mono-acid fractions. Regarding the total amount of water soluble organic compounds, the rain samples collected in Mexico City are in agreement with some others reported for large urban areas.

Escherichia coli in settled-dust and air samples collected in residential environments in Mexico City.

OpenAIRE

Rosas, I; Salinas, E; Yela, A; Calva, E; Eslava, C; Cravioto, A

1997-01-01

Escherichia coli, an important indicator of the presence of fecal material, was isolated from indoor and outdoor environments in Mexico City. The heterogeneity of E. coli was represented by 89 serotypes, most of them coming from settled-dust indoor samples; 21% of them presented antibiotic multiresistance. The numbers of plasmids were higher among the antibiotic-resistant strains. The results of this study suggest that intestinal infections produced by environmental strains could be of more e...

Vertical Profile Measurements of Volatile Organic Compounds in Southwest Mexico City with a semiautomatic sampling system

Science.gov (United States)

Solano-Murillo, M.; Torres-Jardón, R.; Gutiérrez-López, W.; García-Espinosa, M.

2017-12-01

A prototype for the simultaneous sampling of VOC at different heights using a Tethered meteorological balloon was integrated and tested in a smog urban receptor site in southwest Mexico City. A selection of COV species measured at three different heights was used to estimate the chemical aging using the expression:Δt=[ln(ER1,2)-ln(VOC1/VOC2)]/[(K1-K2)[OH

Characterization of fine particle components in Mexico City

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saitoh, K.; Sera, K.; Perales, J.G.; Garcia, F.A.; Suzuki, H.

1999-01-01

Particulate matter (PM-3.9 and PM-15.8) samples were collected in the three zones at the Northeast, Southwest and Southeast suburbs of Mexico City, from July to August 1998, for one week for each sampling site. The concentrations of several elements in the PM-3.9 and PM-15.8 samples were determined by Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). In the PM-3.9 samples, 21 elements were determined for each zone, and Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Cu, Zn and Pb are found to be the major elemental components. On the other hand, 22 elements including P were determined on the PM-15.8 samples, and the dominant elements were the same as in the PM-3.9. Factor analysis is applied to the 28 variables (14 elements for each PM-3.9 and PM-15.8 groups) and for 21 samples (seven days for three zones) in order to identify possible sources of the particles. The result of factor analysis allows to identify five major sources, being soil the major contributor. (author)

Characterization of fine particle components in Mexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saitoh, K. [Akita Prefectural Institute of Environmental Science, Yabase-Shimoyabase, Akita (Japan); Sera, K. [Iwate Medical Univ., Cyclotron Research Center, Takizawa, Iwate (Japan); Perales, J.G.; Garcia, F.A. [Centro Nacional de Investigacion y Capacitacion Ambiental (CENICA), Av. Michoacan y la Purisima Col. Vicentina C.P. 09340 Mexico (Mexico); Suzuki, H. [Environmental Data Analysis Laboratory, System Design, Inc., Shinagawa, Tokyo (Japan)

1999-07-01

Particulate matter (PM-3.9 and PM-15.8) samples were collected in the three zones at the Northeast, Southwest and Southeast suburbs of Mexico City, from July to August 1998, for one week for each sampling site. The concentrations of several elements in the PM-3.9 and PM-15.8 samples were determined by Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE). In the PM-3.9 samples, 21 elements were determined for each zone, and Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Cu, Zn and Pb are found to be the major elemental components. On the other hand, 22 elements including P were determined on the PM-15.8 samples, and the dominant elements were the same as in the PM-3.9. Factor analysis is applied to the 28 variables (14 elements for each PM-3.9 and PM-15.8 groups) and for 21 samples (seven days for three zones) in order to identify possible sources of the particles. The result of factor analysis allows to identify five major sources, being soil the major contributor. (author)

NEIGHBORHOOD NAMES OF BURSA IN THE WRITINGS OF GAZZIZÂDE ABDULLATIF EFENDI - GAZZİZÂDE ABDÜLLATİF EFENDİ’NİN KALEMİNDEN BURSA MAHALLE ADLARI

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Ayşe Nur SIR DÜNDAR

2015-08-01

Full Text Available During the Ottoman period, cities were administrative units representing the existence of central authority and hegemony. It collected several activities and services within the domain and constituted a whole with its sub units in terms of administrative and civil duties. The development of city was dependent on the development of common life areas, which are neighborhoods. It was possible to see this structure, which is the basis of Ottoman urbanism, in Bursa, Edirne, Istanbul and some other Anatolian cities. Particularly Bursa has rapidly grown within the two centuries following the conquest and displayed a fine example of urbanization as a historical and cultural center. The idle fields in the city were allocated to Turkish tribes, new neighborhoods were established and the nearby villages were transformed into neighborhoods, increasing the total number of neighborhoods in the city. Beside this physical development, the newly established neighborhoods were given Turkish names as the old neighborhoods’ names were also made Turkish. Within this context, it was important to create a neighborhood in the localization of Bursa and the names given to those neighborhoods were also important. Because the names of places are the living documents for the habitation (settlement history of a nation. Studies to be conducted on neighborhood names are the research subjects of several social sciences such as sociology and anthropology and also the linguistics. Evaluation of the names of places phonetically and morphologically will contribute to the development of toponomy, which is an important branch of linguistics. This study has reviewed the neighborhood names in Hulâsatü’l-Vefeyât, a work of Gazzizâde Abdüllatif Effendi, which is considered as an urban monograph among the monographs on Bursa. The review was conducted on the copy of the author which was registered in Süleymaniye Library Assad Effendi, numbers 2257. First, information is provided

Microbiological determinations of some vegetables from the Xochimilco zone in Mexico City, Mexico.

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García-Gómez, Rolando; Chávez-Espinosa, José; Mejía-Chávez, Adriana; Duránde-Bazúa, Carmen

2002-01-01

Vegetables intake is widely recommended because of its high content of vitamins, minerals and fiber. However, the irrigation of these vegetables, using wastewaters that have received inadequate treatment often carries unseen microbial pollution that becomes a high risk potential for humans. In the present research, two of the most consumed fresh vegetables cultivated in Mexico City were analyzed, lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and Mexican coriander (Eryngium foetidum). These vegetables are commonly consumed raw. The vegetable choice and the disinfection's method were carried out by the application of two tests to two hundred people in an aleatory form. Similarly, vegetable sampling was carried out by means of a random sampling from the cultivated areas in a chosen "chinampa" (from Náhuatl or Aztec, chinamitl, bulrush or cattail stalks lattice for hydroponics cultivation). Vegetable samples were transferred, in dark plastic bags and in cool boxes at 4 +/- 1.5 degrees C, to the laboratory. Microbiological analysis for Salmonella typhi, mesophilic microorganisms, and fecal coliforms were done according to the "NOM-093SSA1-1994" (Mexico). Results obtained demonstrated that samples treated with the most preferred disinfectant, a colloidal silver based one, had a partial elimination of pathogenic microorganisms found in both vegetables lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and coriander (Eryngium foetidum) samples (mesophyllic microorganisms from 200,000 to 96,500 UFC/g and from 175,000 to 125,000 UFC/g and fecal coliforms from 75 to 0.43 NMP/g and from 150 to 2.10 NMP/g, respectively). Salmonella typhi for all samples gave a positive result. Therefore, it was recommended to the cultivators of the Xochimilco (Náhuatl or Aztec name that means "place where flowers bloom") zone, either stop using contaminated water for irrigation or to use more efficient methods in order to eliminate pathogenic microorganisms, such as diluted chlorine solutions made with commercial cotton clothing bleachers.

Nearby, Well Known. The Parochial Realm of Neighborhoods

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Margarethe Kusenbach

2011-03-01

urba neighborhoods often fail to notice that their research areas are typically slices of the parochial realm, meaning a social territory that is not unique to cities but also common in suburbs and even small towns. Of course, there can be huge differences between an urban hood and a small town quarter yet both share important characteristics which some urban scholars overlook in their belief that city boundaries, density and diversity, or a certain look and feel guarantee the urban-ness of their research areas.

The polycentric structure of local labour markets in Mexico City's Metropolitan Area

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José María Casado Izquierdo

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Commuting data at a district level and an algorithm designed to delineate self–contained areas show that Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA was organized in 2007 in twelve local labour market areas. Although six exployment subcenters were identified, the MCMA is still clearly dominated by its Central Business District (CBD, being located the remaining five subcenters close to the CBD. Assessment of this spatial structure is not a positive one: diminishing co–location, decrease in speed and increase in commuting time and distance. Nevertheless, the rising percentage of intra–district commuting is a positive sign, even if this trend is not uniform throughout the metropolitan area.

Climate change and its impact on water infrastructure: the case of Alcala de Henares (Spain) and Mexico City (Mexico)

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Naranjo, M.; Tortajada, C.

2012-04-01

Climate change and its possible impacts on precipitation are still a matter of controversy due to lack of data as well as models which are considered reliable. Even though the science of climate change has advanced significantly in recent years, many uncertainties still prevail, ranging from reliable prediction of extreme river flow events to downscaling of rainfall to smaller planning areas. That is, present knowledge is still insufficient to understand and accurately predict how global changes, climate change one of them, may affect precipitation and streamflows over specific geographical units. In terms of planning and investment in urban areas, where more than 50 percent of the population live at present, freshwater supply and flood risk management have to be considered on long-term basis. This includes development of water infrastructure for drinking water supply and drainage as well as flood control which responds to the needs of the growing populations and their economies. Impacts of climate change are slow over time and take place over thousands of years. However, their study is relatively recent, mostly in terms of impacts on the hydrological cycle and therefore in terms of run-off. In the case of urban centres, the rationale is that governments will have to adapt the water infrastructure according to the expected changes and thus have to plan for them. For example, in the case of Mexico City, the way the drainage system was designed 100 years ago is very different from the way it would be done at present and the way it would be planned in about 50 years time. In the case of the city of Alcalá de Henares in the region of Madrid, the analysis of precipitations has shown a slight tendency towards a wet period from the decade of the 60´s. Due to this tendency, the calculations for the design of water infrastructures have remained virtually unchanged. In the case of this specific city, there is no indication that there will be dramatic or rapid changes in

Are neighborhood-level characteristics associated with indoor allergens in the household?

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Rosenfeld, Lindsay; Rudd, Rima; Chew, Ginger L; Emmons, Karen; Acevedo-García, Dolores

2010-02-01

Individual home characteristics have been associated with indoor allergen exposure; however, the influence of neighborhood-level characteristics has not been well studied. We defined neighborhoods as community districts determined by the New York City Department of City Planning. We examined the relationship between neighborhood-level characteristics and the presence of dust mite (Der f 1), cat (Fel d 1), cockroach (Bla g 2), and mouse (MUP) allergens in the household. Using data from the Puerto Rican Asthma Project, a birth cohort of Puerto Rican children at risk of allergic sensitization (n = 261), we examined associations between neighborhood characteristics (percent tree canopy, asthma hospitalizations per 1,000 children, roadway length within 100 meters of buildings, serious housing code violations per 1000 rental units, poverty rates, and felony crime rates), and the presence of indoor allergens. Allergen cutpoints were used for categorical analyses and defined as follows: dust mite: >0.25 microg/g; cat: >1 microg/g; cockroach: >1 U/g; mouse: >1.6 microg/g. Serious housing code violations were statistically significantly positively associated with dust mite, cat, and mouse allergens (continuous variables), adjusting for mother's income and education, and all neighborhood-level characteristics. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, medium levels of housing code violations were associated with higher dust mite and cat allergens (1.81, 95%CI: 1.08, 3.03 and 3.10, 95%CI: 1.22, 7.92, respectively). A high level of serious housing code violations was associated with higher mouse allergen (2.04, 95%CI: 1.15, 3.62). A medium level of housing code violations was associated with higher cockroach allergen (3.30, 95%CI: 1.11, 9.78). Neighborhood-level characteristics, specifically housing code violations, appear to be related to indoor allergens, which may have implications for future research explorations and policy decisions.

75 FR 43939 - The Americas Business Trade Mission to Mexico

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2010-07-27

... Mexico AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice. Mission... will recruit and organize a multiple industry trade mission to Mexico City with an optional second stop... local business climate. In Mexico City, there will also be a networking reception for the delegation...

Qualitative Inquiry with Women in Poverty in Mexico City: Reflections on the Emotional Responses of a Research Team

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Martinez-Salgado, Carolina

2009-01-01

While conducting a qualitative inquiry involving in-depth interviews on the perceptions of health risks within a group of profoundly poor urban families in the southern part of Mexico City, Martinez-Salgado and her interdisciplinary team of women interviewers got involved in emotionally complex situations with the women participants in the study.…

Loss of Trust in the Neighborhood: The Experience of Older African Americans in Detroit.

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Fritz, Heather; Cutchin, Malcolm P; Cummins, Emily R

2018-02-19

Although evidence suggests that neighborhood conditions are related to stress and health, the processes connecting neighborhood conditions and stress for older minorities is little explored. The purpose of this analysis is to contribute new insights into this issue. We conducted a qualitative analysis as part of a larger mixed methods study of 100 African Americans aged 55 and older living in neighborhoods of varying quality in Detroit, Michigan. A subsample of (n = 20) older adults took photographs of bothersome aspects of their neighborhoods and participated in in-depth photo-elicitation interviews. Data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. 'Loss of trust in the neighborhood' emerged as the core category to explain how older African Americans in our sample experienced neighborhood stressors in their daily lives. Loss of trust in physical, social, and institutional dimensions of the neighborhood contributed to the core category. The life course of neighborhoods and the trust placed in them appears to be intimately connected to the well-being of older African Americans. We therefore hypothesize that a fundamental pathway through which neighborhood stressors are experienced for older African Americans in U.S. 'Rust Belt' cities is the multifaceted loss of trust in the neighborhood.

Non-methane hydrocarbons in the atmosphere of Mexico City: Results of the 2012 ozone-season campaign

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Jaimes-Palomera, Mónica; Retama, Armando; Elias-Castro, Gabriel; Neria-Hernández, Angélica; Rivera-Hernández, Olivia; Velasco, Erik

2016-05-01

With the aim to strengthen the verification capabilities of the local air quality management, the air quality monitoring network of Mexico City has started the monitoring of selected non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs). Previous information on the NMHC characterization had been obtained through individual studies and comprehensive intensive field campaigns, in both cases restricted to sampling periods of short duration. This new initiative will address the NMHC pollution problem during longer monitoring periods and provide robust information to evaluate the effectiveness of new control measures. The article introduces the design of the monitoring network and presents results from the first campaign carried out during the first six months of 2012 covering the ozone-season (Mar-May). Using as reference data collected in 2003, results show reductions during the morning rush hour (6-9 h) in the mixing ratios of light alkanes associated with the consumption and distribution of liquefied petroleum gas and aromatic compounds related with the evaporation of fossil fuels and solvents, in contrast to olefins from vehicular traffic. The increase in mixing ratios of reactive olefins is of relevance to understand the moderate success in the ozone and fine aerosols abatement in recent years in comparison to other criteria pollutants. In the case of isoprene, the typical afternoon peak triggered by biogenic emissions was clearly observed for the first time within the city. The diurnal profiles of the monitored compounds are analyzed in terms of the energy balance throughout the day as a surrogate of the boundary layer evolution. Particular features of the diurnal profiles and correlation between individual NMHCs and carbon monoxide are used to investigate the influence of specific emission sources. The results discussed here highlight the importance of monitoring NMHCs to better understand the drivers and impacts of air pollution in large cities like Mexico City.

Spanish Professionals in Mexico City: Narratives on Work and Labour Markets

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Cristóbal Mendoza

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Using qualitative information, this paper studies the labour experiences of a group of skilled Spanish migrants in Mexico City. The paper identifies two types of migrants amongst the interviewed Spaniards: TNCs transferees and “migrants in the middle” (“those who are neither low-skilled migrants nor high-skilled migrants”; Conradson and Latham, 2005a. This somehow challenges assumptions about skilled workers, by showing the multiple work trajectories and experiences of highly qualified and educated workers. The article also stresses that the labour mobility of those in the middle is more horizontal and less conventional than the more typical career-path mobility of TNCs transferees. Furthermore, it is argued that labour mobility is not only related to educational background or performance in Mexico’s labour markets, but also to non-economic reasons (e.g. extensive use of social networks. Of special interest for this study are relations at the workplace as they represent a “contact zone” where “difference” is constantly encountered and negotiated (Yeoh and Willis, 2005b. For the interviewed Spaniards, workplace relations are substantially (and unexpectedly different from those in their home country. This causes tension and problems that may affect their intentions to remain in Mexico.

[Food preferences and nutritional status in school-age children living in Mexico City].

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Sánchez-García, Rocío; Reyes-Morales, Hortensia; González-Unzaga, Marco Aurelio

Childhood is a basic period for the development of habits and their continuation during the course of life. The objective of this study was to identify food preferences and their variations according to the nutritional status in school-age children living in Mexico City. A cross-sectional study was carried out including 1465 school-age children attending eight public elementary schools in Mexico City. Children were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their preferences to 70 selected different foods. Anthropometric measurements were also carried out. Parents of the children provided sociodemographic information. For each food, the preference was evaluated using a Likert scale. Frequencies were calculated for the total sample and for different nutritional status levels. Median age of children was 9 years old. Forty-eight percent of the children were overweight or obese. The most preferred foods were fruits, pizzas, flavored milk, and French fries. The least preferred foods were vegetables, whole-grain cereals, fish, meat, and panela cheese. Plain water (72%) and sugar-sweetened beverages (71%) had a high level of preference. There was no preference variation according to nutritional status. Food preference patterns of school-age children are a risk for unhealthy food consumption as well as for the increase in obesity prevalence in this population. Interventions focused on the promotion of a healthy food environment are necessary, aimed at improving food preferences from early childhood. Copyright © 2014 Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

NEIGHBORHOOD CHOICE AND NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE

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Bruch, Elizabeth; Mare, Robert D.

2006-01-01

This paper examines the relationships between the residential choices of individuals and aggregate patterns of neighborhood change. We investigate the conditions under which individuals’ preferences for the race-ethnic composition of their neighborhoods produce high levels of segregation. Using computational models, we find that high levels of segregation occur only when individuals’ preferences follow a threshold function. If individuals make finer-grained distinctions among neighborhoods th...

Volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere of Mexico City

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Garzón, Jessica P.; Huertas, José I.; Magaña, Miguel; Huertas, María E.; Cárdenas, Beatriz; Watanabe, Takuro; Maeda, Tsuneaki; Wakamatsu, Shinji; Blanco, Salvador

2015-10-01

The Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) is one of the most polluted megacities in North America. Therefore, it is an excellent benchmark city to understand atmospheric chemistry and to implement pilot countermeasures. Air quality in the MCMA is not within acceptable levels, mainly due to high ground levels of ozone (O3). Tropospheric O3 is a secondary pollutant formed from the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of nitrogen oxides and sunlight. To gain a better understanding of O3 formation in megacities, evaluate the effectiveness of already-implemented countermeasures, and identify new cost-effective alternatives to reduce tropospheric O3 concentrations, researchers and environmental authorities require updated concentrations for a broader range of VOCs. Moreover, in an effort to protect human health and the environment, it is important to understand which VOCs exceed reference safe values or most contribute to O3 formation, as well as to identify the most probable emission sources of those VOCs. In this work, 64 VOCs, including 36 toxic VOCs, were measured at four sites in the MCMA during 2011-2012. VOCs related to liquefied petroleum gas leakages exhibited the highest concentrations. Toxic VOCs with the highest average concentrations were acetone and ethanol. The toxic VOC benzene represented the highest risk to Mexican citizens, and toluene contributed the most to O3 formation. Correlation analysis indicated that the measured VOCs come from vehicular emissions and solvent-related industrial sources.

Correlation of Secondary Organic Aerosol with Odd Oxygen in Mexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herndon, Scott C.; Onasch, Timothy B.; Wood, Ezra C.; Kroll, Jesse H.; Canagaratna, M. R.; Jayne, John T.; Zavala, Miguel A.; Knighton, W. Berk; Mazzoleni, Claudio; Dubey, Manvendra K.; Ulbrich, Ingrid M.; Jimenez, Jose L.; Seila, Robert; de Gouw, Joost A.; de Foy, B.; Fast, Jerome D.; Molina, Luisa T.; Kolb, C. E.; Worsnop, Douglas R.

2008-08-05

Data collected from a mountain location within the Mexico City limits are used to demonstrate a correlation between secondary organic aerosol and odd-oxygen (O3 + NO2). Positive matrix factorization techniques are employed to separate organic aerosol components: hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol; oxidized-organic aerosol; and biomass burning organic aerosol. The measured hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol is correlated with urban CO (8±1) µg m-3 ppmv-1. The measured oxidized-organic aerosol is associated with photochemical oxidation products and correlates with odd-oxygen with an apparent slope of (70-120) µg m-3 ppmv-1. The dependence of the oxidized-organic aerosol to odd-oxygen correlation on the nature of the gas-phase hydrocarbon profile is discussed.

[Between the stigma and the law: legal abortion in Mexico City].

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Lamas, Marta

2014-01-01

The present contribution is part of a research developed with qualitative social research methods. It offers part of the results attained in a study performed at a clinic belonging to Mexico City´s Government, and explores the effects on staff of the implementation of Legal Pregnancy Termination (ILE, for its initials in Spanish). The results highlights that, besides diminishing health risks in the women who abort, the use of misoprostol prompted assertive attitudes in many women, that reduced the negative effects produced by the stigma of abortion. It also acknowledges the persistence of stigma in the opinions of the health personnel. The empowering of the self-image of women who become subject to this procedure is due to the full exercise of their legal right.

Perceptions of neighborhood safety and asthma among children and adolescents in Los Angeles: a multilevel analysis.

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Marlene Camacho-Rivera

Full Text Available Research examining the impact of neighborhoods on asthma has shown an increased interest in the role of the psychosocial environment. We examined the associations between various measures of neighborhood safety, individual and family characteristics, and asthma outcomes among children in Los Angeles.Multilevel logistic regression models were used to analyze data on 3,114 children across 65 neighborhoods from Wave 1 of the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (2000 to 2002. Primary caregivers reported asthma outcome and all individual covariates; home environmental characteristics were observed by the interviewer.In fully adjusted models, parents who reported their neighborhood fairly safe or somewhat dangerous had lower odds of reported lifetime asthma compared to those who reported their neighborhood completely safe (OR 0.71; 95% CI 0.52-0.96 and OR 0.60; 95% CI 0.42-0.88 respectively. Conversely, parents who reported they could not trust their neighbors to keep their children safe had a nearly 40% increase in lifetime asthma compared to those who reported they could trust their neighbors to keep their children safe (OR 1.39; 95% CI 1.07-1.81.The study demonstrates a complex pattern between various measures of neighborhood safety and asthma and suggests that these relationships may operate differently in Los Angeles. As an increasing proportion of children are growing up in newer Western and Southwestern cities, which have different physical layouts and residential segregation patterns compared to Northeast and Midwestern cities, future studies should continue to examine neighborhood psychosocial stressors and asthma in diverse contexts.

Characteristics of prepared food sources in low-income neighborhoods of Baltimore City.

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Lee, Seung Hee; Rowan, Megan T; Powell, Lisa M; Newman, Sara; Klassen, Ann Carroll; Frick, Kevin D; Anderson, Jennifer; Gittelsohn, Joel

2010-01-01

The food environment is associated with obesity risk and diet-related chronic diseases. Despite extensive research conducted on retail food stores, little is known about prepared food sources(PFSs). We conducted an observational assessment of all PFSs(N = 92) in low-income neighborhoods in Baltimore. The most common PFSs were carry-outs, which had the lowest availability of healthy food choices. Only a small proportion of these carry-outs offered healthy sides, whole wheat bread, or entrée salads (21.4%, 7.1%, and 33.9%, respectively). These findings suggest that carry-out-specific interventions are necessary to increase healthy food availability in low-income urban neighborhoods.

Antibiotic of resistence profile of Salmonella spp. serotypes isolated from retail beef in Mexico City.

OpenAIRE

Nova Nayarit-Ballesteros; María Salud Rubio-Lozano; Enrique Delgado-Suárez; Danilo Méndez-Medina; Diego Braña-Varela; Oscar Rodas-Suárez

2016-01-01

Objective. To determine the serotype and antibiotic resistance profile of Salmonella spp. isolated from retail ground beef in Mexico City. Materials and methods. A total of 100 samples of ground beef were analyzed. The pathogen was isolated by conventional methods and confirmed by PCR (invA gene, 284 bp). The antibiotic resistance profile was determined by the Kirby-Bauer method while serotyping was performed according to the Kauffman-White scheme. Results. We isolated a total of 19 strains o...

Seven Year Performance of City of Shoreview’s Pervious Concrete Project

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2017-12-01

Stormwater runoff from the Woodbridge neighborhood of Shoreview had previously been drained to Lake Owasso. City of Shoreview built the Woodbridge neighborhoods local roads using pervious concrete pavements in 2009. Pervious concrete pavements exh...

Sports participation, perceived neighborhood safety, and individual cognitions: how do they interact?

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Mackenbach Johan P

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Little is known about the interaction between individual and environmental determinants of physical activity, although this may be important information for the development of effective interventions. The goal of this paper is to investigate whether perceived neighborhood safety modifies associations between individual cognitions and sports participation. Methods Cross-sectional data were obtained from residents (age 25-75 of 87 neighborhoods in the city of Eindhoven, who participated in the Dutch GLOBE study in 2004 (N = 2474. We used multilevel logistic regression to analyze the interactions between perceived neighborhood safety and individual cognitions (attitude, self-efficacy, social influence, and intention on sports participation (yes/no. Results In its association with sports participation, perceived neighborhood safety interacted significantly with self-efficacy and attitude (p Conclusions Associations between individual cognitions and sports participation depend on neighborhood circumstances, such as perceived neighborhood safety. Interventions to promote sports participation in adults should take the interaction between environmental and individual characteristics into account. More research is needed to find out the causal pathways in individual-environment interactions.

Quality over Quantity: Contribution of Urban Green Space to Neighborhood Satisfaction.

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Zhang, Yang; Van den Berg, Agnes E; Van Dijk, Terry; Weitkamp, Gerd

2017-05-16

There is increasing evidence that the quality of green space significantly contributes to neighborhood satisfaction and well-being, independent of the mere amount of green space. In this paper, we examined residents' perceptions of the quality and beneficial affordances of green space in relation to objectively assessed accessibility and usability. We used data from a survey in two neighborhoods ( N = 223) of a medium-sized city in the Netherlands, which were similar in the amount of green space and other physical and socio-demographic characteristics, but differed in the availability of accessible and usable green spaces. Results show that residents of the neighborhood with a higher availability of accessible and usable green spaces were more satisfied with their neighborhood. This difference was statistically mediated by the higher level of perceived green space quality. Neighborhood satisfaction was significantly positively related to well-being. However, residents of the two neighborhoods did not differ in self-reported well-being and beneficial affordances of green space. These analyses contribute to a further understanding of how the accessibility and usability of green spaces may increase people's neighborhood satisfaction. It highlights the importance of perceived quality in addition to the amount of green space when examining the beneficial effects of green space.

Neighborhood Characteristics and Disability in Older Adults

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Blaney, Shannon; Cerda, Magda; Frye, Victoria; Lovasi, Gina S.; Ompad, Danielle; Rundle, Andrew; Vlahov, David

2009-01-01

Objective To characterize the influence of the residential neighborhood of older adults on the prevalence of disability. Methods We combined Census data on disability in older adults living in New York City with environmental information from a comprehensive geospatial database. We used factor analysis to derive dimensions of compositional and physical neighborhood characteristics and linear regression to model their association with levels of disability. Measures of neighborhood collective efficacy were added to these models to explore the impact of the social environment. Results Low neighborhood socioeconomic status, residential instability, living in areas with low proportions of foreign born and high proportions of Black residents, and negative street characteristics were associated with higher prevalence of both “physical” disability and “going outside the home” disability. High crime levels were additionally associated with physical disability, although this relationship disappeared when misdemeanor arrests were removed from the crime variable. Low levels of collective efficacy were associated with more going-outside-the-home disability, with racial/ethnic composition dropping out of this model to be replaced by an interaction term. Conclusion The urban environment may have a substantial impact on whether an older adult with a given level of functional impairment is able to age actively and remain independent. PMID:19181694

Source apportionment of fine organic aerosol in Mexico City during the MILAGRO experiment 2006

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E. A. Stone

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Organic carbon (OC comprises a large fraction of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5 in Mexico City. Daily and select 12-h PM_2.5 samples were collected in urban and peripheral sites in Mexico City from 17–30 March 2006. Samples were analyzed for OC and elemental carbon (EC using thermal-optical filter-based methods. Real-time water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC was collected at the peripheral site. Organic compounds, particularly molecular markers, were quantified by soxhlet extraction with methanol and dichloromethane, derivitization, and gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GCMS. A chemical mass balance model (CMB based on molecular marker species was used to determine the relative contribution of major sources to ambient OC. Motor vehicles, including diesel and gasoline, consistently accounted for 49% of OC in the urban area and 32% on the periphery. The daily contribution of biomass burning to OC was highly variable, and ranged from 5–26% at the urban site and 7–39% at the peripheral site. The remaining OC unapportioned to primary sources showed a strong correlation with WSOC and was considered to be secondary in nature. Comparison of temporally resolved OC showed that contributions from primary aerosol sources during daylight hours were not significantly different from nighttime. This study provides quantitative understanding of the important sources of OC during the MILAGRO 2006 field campaign.

Neighborhood diversity of potentially pathogenic bacteria in drinking water from the city of Maroua, Cameroon.

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Healy-Profitós, Jessica; Lee, Seungjun; Mouhaman, Arabi; Garabed, Rebecca; Moritz, Mark; Piperata, Barbara; Lee, Jiyoung

2016-06-01

This study examined the spatial variation of potential gastrointestinal pathogens within drinking water sources and home storage containers in four neighborhoods in Maroua, Cameroon. Samples were collected from source (n = 28) and home containers (n = 60) in each study neighborhood. Pathogen contamination was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, targeting Campylobacter spp., Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (virulence genes, stx1 and stx2), and Salmonella spp. Microbial source tracking (MST) targeted three different host-specific markers: HF183 (human), Rum2Bac (ruminant) and GFD (poultry) to identify contamination sources. Staphylococcus aureus and the tetracycline-resistance gene (tetQ) were assessed to measure human hand contact and presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Pathogen/MST levels were compared statistically and spatially, and neighborhood variation was compared with previously collected demographic information. All the test fecal markers and pathogens (except Arcobacter) were detected in home and source samples. Two neighborhoods tested positive for most pathogens/MST while the others only tested positive for one or two. Spatial variation of pathogens/MST existed between sources, storage containers, and neighborhoods. Differing population density and ethno-economic characteristics could potentially explain variation. Future research should explore the influence of demographic and ethno-economic factors on water quality during microbial risk assessments in urban Africa.

Coverage and accessibility levels of health services in the metropolitan periphery of Mexico City

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Flor López

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is two fold: first, to analyze the spatial distribution of health services that different public institutions offer in the metropolitan peripheral municipalities of Mexico City; and second, give some reasons that explain that distribution. The analysis tries to demonstrate a lack of territorial approach in the construction of the social policy in the particular case of the health sector. The spatial range of health service, coverage and accessibility in the eastern part of the State of Mexico was calculate through variables much as number of doctors, nurses, beds and medical center, that the different public institution particularly IMSS, ISSSTE and ISSEMYM, offer. Results tend to show an unequal distribution of health resources either human or material, as well as a territorial disorden in their distribution with a high concentration in urban areas. Thus, analysis shows that space plays a fundamental role as a structuring factor in the application of health policies and in the planning of such services.

Adaptive pathways and coupled infrastructure: seven centuries of adaptation to water risk and the production of vulnerability in Mexico City

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Beth Tellman

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Infrastructure development is central to the processes that abate and produce vulnerabilities in cities. Urban actors, especially those with power and authority, perceive and interpret vulnerability and decide when and how to adapt. When city managers use infrastructure to reduce urban risk in the complex, interconnected city system, new fragilities are introduced because of inherent system feedbacks. We trace the interactions between system dynamics and decision-making processes over 700 years of Mexico City's adaptations to water risks, focusing on the decision cycles of public infrastructure providers (in this case, government authorities. We bring together two lenses in examining this history: robustness-vulnerability trade-offs to explain the evolution of systemic risk dynamics mediated by feedback control, and adaptation pathways to focus on the evolution of decision cycles that motivate significant infrastructure investments. Drawing from historical accounts, archeological evidence, and original research on water, engineering, and cultural history, we examine adaptation pathways of humans settlement, water supply, and flood risk. Mexico City's history reveals insights that expand the theory of coupled infrastructure and lessons salient to contemporary urban risk management: (1 adapting by spatially externalizing risks can backfire: as cities expand, such risks become endogenous; (2 over time, adaptation pathways initiated to address specific risks may begin to intersect, creating complex trade-offs in risk management; and (3 city authorities are agents of risk production: even in the face of new exogenous risks (climate change, acknowledging and managing risks produced endogenously may prove more adaptive. History demonstrates that the very best solutions today may present critical challenges for tomorrow, and that collectively people have far more agency in and influence over the complex systems we live in than is often acknowledged.

Ethnic Socialization in Neighborhood Contexts: Implications for Ethnic Attitude and Identity Development Among Mexican-Origin Adolescents.

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White, Rebecca M B; Knight, George P; Jensen, Michaeline; Gonzales, Nancy A

2018-05-01

Neighborhood Latino ethnic concentration, above and beyond or in combination with mothers' and fathers' ethnic socialization, may have beneficial implications for minority adolescents' ethnic attitude and identity development. These hypotheses, along with two competing hypotheses, were tested prospectively (from x¯age = 12.79-15.83 years) in a sample of 733 Mexican-origin adolescents. Neighborhood ethnic concentration had beneficial implications for ethnic identity processes (i.e., ethnic exploration and perceived peer discrimination) but not for ethnic attitudes. For Mexico-born adolescents, high maternal ethnic socialization compensated for living in neighborhoods low on ethnic concentration. Findings are discussed vis-à-vis the ways in which they address major gaps in the neighborhood effects literature and the ethnic and racial identity development literature. © 2017 The Authors. Child Development © 2017 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

An evaluation of the hybrid car technology for the Mexico Mega City

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Jazcilevich, Aron D.; Reynoso, Agustin Garcia; Grutter, Michel; Delgado, Javier; Ayala, Ulises Diego; Lastra, Manuel Suarez; Zuk, Miriam; Oropeza, Rogelio Gonzalez; Lents, Jim; Davis, Nicole

The introduction of hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technology in the private car fleet of Mexico City is evaluated in terms of private costs, energy, public health and CO 2 emission benefits. In addition to constructing plausible scenarios for urban expansion, emission, car fleet, and fuel consumption for year 2026 and comparing them with a 2004 base case, a time series is built to obtain accumulated economic benefits. Experimental techniques were used to build a vehicle library for a car simulator that included a Prius 2002, chosen as the HEV technology representative for this work. The simulator is used to estimate the emissions and fuel consumption of the car fleet scenarios. In the context of an urban scenario for year 2026, a complex air quality model obtains the concentrations of criterion pollutants corresponding to these scenarios. Using a technology penetration model, the hybridized fleet starts unfolding in year 2009 reaching to 20% in 2026. In this year, the hybridized fleet resulted in reductions of about 10% of CO 2 emissions, and yielded reductions in daytime mean concentrations of up to 7% in ozone and 3.4% in PM 2.5 compared to the 2004 base case. These reductions are concentrated in the densely populated areas of Mexico City. By building a time series of costs and benefits it is shown that, depending on fuel prices and using a 5% return rate, positive accumulated benefits (CO 2 benefits + energy benefits + public health benefits - private costs) will start generating in year 2015 reaching between 2.8 and 4.5 billion US Dlls in 2026. Another modernized private fleet consisting exclusively of Tier I and II cars did not yield appreciable results, signaling that a change in private car technology towards HEV's is needed to obtain significant accumulated benefits.

History of nonnative Monk Parakeets in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Hobson, Elizabeth A; Smith-Vidaurre, Grace; Salinas-Melgoza, Alejandro

2017-01-01

Nonnative Monk Parakeets have been reported in increasing numbers across many cities in Mexico, and were formally classified as an invasive species in Mexico in late 2016. However, there has not been a large-scale attempt to determine how international pet trade and national and international governmental regulations have played a part in colonization, and when the species appeared in different areas. We describe the changes in regulations that led the international pet trade market to shift to Mexico, then used international trade data to determine how many parakeets were commercially imported each year and where those individuals originated. We also quantified the recent increases in Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) sightings in Mexico in both the scientific literature and in citizen science reports. We describe the timeline of increased reports to understand the history of nonnative Monk Parakeets in Mexico. As in other areas where the species has colonized, the main mode of transport is through the international pet trade. Over half a million Monk Parakeets were commercially imported to Mexico during 2000-2015, with the majority of importation (90%) occurring in 2008-2014, and almost all (98%) were imported from Uruguay. The earliest record of a free-flying Monk Parakeet was observed during 1994-1995 in Mexico City, but sightings of the parakeets did not become geographically widespread in either the scientific literature or citizen science databases until 2012-2015. By 2015, parakeets had been reported in 97 cities in Mexico. Mexico City has consistently seen steep increases in reporting since this species was first reported in Mexico. Here we find that both national and international legal regulations and health concerns drove a rise and fall in Monk Parakeet pet trade importations, shortly followed by widespread sightings of feral parakeets across Mexico. Further monitoring of introduced Monk Parakeet populations in Mexico is needed to understand the

The First National Study of Neighborhood Parks: Implications for Physical Activity.

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Cohen, Deborah A; Han, Bing; Nagel, Catherine J; Harnik, Peter; McKenzie, Thomas L; Evenson, Kelly R; Marsh, Terry; Williamson, Stephanie; Vaughan, Christine; Katta, Sweatha

2016-10-01

An extensive infrastructure of neighborhood parks supports leisure time physical activity in most U.S. cities; yet, most Americans do not meet national guidelines for physical activity. Neighborhood parks have never been assessed nationally to identify their role in physical activity. Using a stratified multistage sampling strategy, a representative sample of 174 neighborhood parks in 25 major cities (population >100,000) across the U.S. was selected. Park use, park-based physical activity, and park conditions were observed during a typical week using systematic direct observation during spring/summer of 2014. Park administrators were interviewed to assess policies and practices. Data were analyzed in 2014-2015 using repeated-measure negative binomial regressions to estimate weekly park use and park-based physical activity. Nationwide, the average neighborhood park of 8.8 acres averaged 20 users/hour or an estimated 1,533 person hours of weekly use. Walking loops and gymnasia each generated 221 hours/week of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Seniors represented 4% of park users, but 20% of the general population. Parks were used less in low-income than in high-income neighborhoods, largely explained by fewer supervised activities and marketing/outreach efforts. Programming and marketing were associated with 37% and 63% more hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity/week in parks, respectively. The findings establish national benchmarks for park use, which can guide future park investments and management practices to improve population health. Offering more programming, using marketing tools like banners and posters, and installing facilities like walking loops, may help currently underutilized parks increase population physical activity. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The traffic crisis and a tale of two cities: Traffic and air quality in Bangkok and Mexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pendakur, V.S.; Badami, M.G.

1995-12-31

This paper focuses on congestion management techniques, traffic congestion levels and air quality. By using data from Bangkok and Mexico City, it illustrates the need for drastic changes in transportation policy tools and techniques for congestion management and for improving environmental quality. New approaches to investment and regulatory policy analysis and implementation are suggested. This requires the inclusion of all costs and benefits (economic and ecological) in the policy matrix so that investment and regulatory policies act in unison. Megacities are dominant in social, political and economic terms. 30 to 60% of national GDP is typically produced in these cities. Their human and motor vehicle populations have been doubling every 15-20 and 6-10 years respectively. They also have the most severe traffic congestion and air quality problems. They have the nation`s highest incidence of poverty and absolute poverty. Large portions of their populations endure severely unhealthy housing and sanitation conditions. Following are important characteristics of urban transportation systems in the megacities: the city centres are heavily congested with motorized traffic; traffic crawl rates vary from 2 to 10 km/hr; car and motorcycle ownership are increasing at annual rates of 10-12% and 15-20% respectively; significant air pollution with no relief in sight; TDM strategies are primarily creating new supply of road capacity; fairly high transit trips with substantial transit investments; weak air pollution monitoring and enforcement; and fairly cheap fuel and high costs of vehicles.

Frequency of isolation of Campylobacter from roasted chicken samples from Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Quiñones-Ramírez, E I; Vázquez-Salinas, C; Rodas-Suárez, O R; Ramos-Flores, M O; Rodríguez-Montaño, R

2000-01-01

The presence of Campylobacter spp. was investigated in 100 samples of roasted chicken tacos sold in well-established commercial outlets and semisettled street stands in Mexico City. From 600 colonies displaying Campylobacter morphology only 123 isolates were positive. From these isolates, 51 (41%) were identified as C. jejuni, 23 (19%) as C. coli, and 49 (40%) as other species of this genus. All of the 27 positive samples came from one location where handling practices allowed cross-contamination of the cooked product. The results indicate that these ready-to-consume products are contaminated with these bacteria, representing a potential risk for consumers, especially in establishments lacking adequate sanitary measures to prevent cross-contamination.

Between Practices, Institutions and Discourses: Child Labor in Mexico City (1920-1934

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Susana Sosenski

2010-10-01

Full Text Available This paper reveals the social action of children in Mexico City once the armed period of the Revolution was over. it analyzes the different  forms of economic participation among Mexican children and shows the various public attitudes and policies towards them. Moreover, the essay presents a quantitative and qualitative approach to urban child labor and examines the different governmental attempts to institutionalize it in schools and reformatories. The children’s role as social actors is foregrounded by studying children and teenagers as individuals who participate in their own lives, in their families’ lives, in the economic life of the country, and in the construction of the Mexican State.

SURVIVAL STRATEGIES OF MICROENTREPRENEURS IN SOUTHERN MEXICO CITY: INFLUENCE OF APPRECIATED LEARNING

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Arcelia López-Cabello

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The strategies of family reproduction are various ways in which families cope with the problems of everyday life, where the preservation of life and development of essential economic practices is ensured to optimize the material and non-material conditions of the family unit and of each of its members. Through in-depth interviews it was learned how some microentrepreneurs in Mexico City, have used their knowledge appreciated to implement various business generates economic resources to survive, but also have inherited the children. Technical and family secrets on how to make some product knowledge are transmitted from generation to generation, and part of the heritage of a family, becoming livelihood strategies.

Neighborhood Environment and Self-Rated Health Among Urban Older Adults

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Arlesia Mathis PhD

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study examines associations between neighborhood environment and self-rated health (SRH among urban older adults. Method: We selected 217 individuals aged 65+ living in a de-industrialized Midwestern city who answered questions on the 2009 Speak to Your Health survey. The relationship between neighborhood environment and SRH was analyzed using regression models. Neighborhood variables included social support and participation, perceived racism, and crime. Additional models included actual crime indices to compare differences between perceived and actual crime. Results: Seniors who have poor SRH are 21% more likely to report fear of crime than seniors with excellent SRH ( p = .01. Additional analyses revealed Black seniors are 7% less likely to participate in social activities ( p = .005 and 4% more likely to report experiencing racism ( p < .001. Discussion: More than 80% of older adults live in urban areas. By 2030, older adults will account for 20% of the U.S. population. Given the increasing numbers of older adults living in urban neighborhoods, studies such as this one are important. Mitigating environmental influences in the neighborhood that are associated with poor SRH may allow urban older adults to maintain health and reduce disability.

Blood lead levels in pregnant women of high and low socioeconomic status in Mexico City.

OpenAIRE

Farias, P; Borja-Aburto, V H; Rios, C; Hertz-Picciotto, I; Rojas-Lopez, M; Chavez-Ayala, R

1996-01-01

This study examined the determinants of blood lead (BPb) in 513 pregnant women in Mexico City: 311 from public hospital prenatal clinics, representing primarily women of low socioeconomic status (SES), and 202 from private hospitals, primarily women of high SES. Overall, BPb levels ranged from 1.38 to 29 micrograms/dl, with geometric means of 6.7 and 11.12 micrograms/dl for women from private and public hospitals, respectively. The crude geometric means difference obtained by t-test was 4.42 ...

Aerosol climatology over the Mexico City basin: Characterization of optical properties

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Carabali, Giovanni; Estévez, Héctor Raúl; Valdés-Barrón, Mauro; Bonifaz-Alfonzo, Roberto; Riveros-Rosas, David; Velasco-Herrera, Víctor Manuel; Vázquez-Gálvez, Felipe Adrián

2017-09-01

Climatology of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), Single Scattering Albedo (SSA), and aerosol particle-size distribution were analyzed using a 15-year (1999-2014) dataset from AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET) observations over the Mexico City (MC) basin. The atmosphere over this site is dominated by two main aerosol types, represented by urban/industrial pollution and biomass-burning particles. Due to the specific meteorological conditions within the basin, seasons are usually classified into three as follows: Dry Winter (DW) (November-February); Dry Spring (DS) (March-April), and the RAiny season (RA) (May-October), which are mentioned throughout this article. Using a CIMEL sun photometer, we conducted continuous observations over the MC urban area from January 1999 to December 2014. Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), Ångström exponent (α440-870), Single Scattering Albedo (SSA), and aerosol particle-size distribution were derived from the observational data. The overall mean AOD500 during the 1999-2014 period was 0.34 ± 0.07. The monthly mean AOD reached a maximal value of 0.49 in May and a minimal value of 0.27 in February and March. The average α440-870 value for the period studied was 1.50 ± 0.16. The monthly average of α440-870 reached a minimal value of 1.32 in August and a maximal value of 1.61 in May. Average SSA at 440 nm was 0.89 throughout the observation period, indicating that aerosols over Mexico City are composed mainly of absorptive particles. Concentrations of fine- and coarse-mode aerosols over MC were highest in DS season compared with other seasons, especially for particles with radii measuring between 0.1 and 0.2 μm. Results from the Spectral De-convolution Algorithm (SDA) show that fine-mode aerosols dominated AOD variability in MC. In the final part of this article, we present a classification of aerosols in MC by using the graphical method proposed by Gobbi et al. (2007), which is based on the combined analysis of α and its spectral curvature

[Family planning in a suburban development of Mexico City].

Science.gov (United States)

Gutiérrez Avila, J H; González Cortés, A; González Cortés, A

1982-01-01

To study the prevalence of contraceptive use among women in reproductive age, 15-50, and living in urban slums, the female population of Colonia Ajusco was surveyed. Colonia Ajusco is situated south of Mexico City; 70% of its population comes from the interior of the country; there is no drinkable water and no sewage system; housing conditions and urban services are very poor. 606 women were investigated; 58% of them were below age 36, and 53.5% were parity 4 and over. 56.4% used contraception; of these 36.7% used the IUD, 23.1% the pill, and 16.7% had been sterilized. The contraceptive method used seemed to be strictly related to the type of medical services used; women using the IUD were mostly patients of the Social Security medical services, while women using the pill were mostly clients of private physicians. There was no association between age and the method used. 88.4% of women not using contraception did not have easy availability of medical services. The percentage of women using contraception, 56.4% seems high in relation to other Latin American countries, but it is very low in relation to the percentage of contraceptive users in more developed countries (93% in England). The use of the IUD as the method of choice can be explained by several factors: the massive national advertising campaign, low cost, ease of insertion, and no need for sustained motivation to use contraception. From all studies on contraceptive prevalence in Mexico it appears that women start to regulate their fertility after the 1st child, or even after the 4th child. Women below 20 still tend to resort to illegal abortion.

Cohesive Neighborhoods Where Social Expectations Are Shared May Have Positive Impact On Adolescent Mental Health.

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Donnelly, Louis; McLanahan, Sara; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Garfinkel, Irwin; Wagner, Brandon G; Jacobsen, Wade C; Gold, Sarah; Gaydosh, Lauren

2016-11-01

Adolescent mental health problems are associated with poor health and well-being in adulthood. We used data from a cohort of 2,264 children born in large US cities in 1998-2000 to examine whether neighborhood collective efficacy (a combination of social cohesion and control) is associated with improvements in adolescent mental health. We found that children who grew up in neighborhoods with high collective efficacy experienced fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms during adolescence than similar children from neighborhoods with low collective efficacy. The magnitude of this neighborhood effect is comparable to the protective effects of depression prevention programs aimed at general or at-risk adolescent populations. Our findings did not vary by family or neighborhood income, which indicates that neighborhood collective efficacy supports adolescent mental health across diverse populations and urban settings. We recommend a greater emphasis on neighborhood environments in individual mental health risk assessments and greater investment in community-based initiatives that strengthen neighborhood social cohesion and control. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Designing Freshwater Resilience for the Mexico City Metropolitan Area

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Freeman, S.; Wi, S.; Brown, C.

2017-12-01

There are few places in the world where the water management challenges associated with global urbanization are as fully visible as in the Greater Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA). MCMA has a population of 22 million of which only 82% have daily water provision and this figure is projected by local agencies to decrease drastically in the next decade due to population growth, infrastructure degradation and climate change. The city is served by a massive water delivery system, consisting of complex network of infrastructure in the surrounding basins that provides about 40% of the supply for MCMA and is characterized by increasing land use change and competition for water. The remaining 60% of MCMA's water is sourced internally from already depleted groundwater resources whose exploitation also results in significant subsidence throughout the city, further damaging already degraded infrastructure. Consequently, there is interest and need for investments that improve the performance of the freshwater delivery system, including local resources and connected basins, in the face of change and shocks that can be only partially anticipated. The quest for such resilience is a common theme in urban infrastructure design yet practical approaches for achieving it remain nascent. In this study, we use MCMA and the Cutzamala Water supply system to demonstrate a quantitative framework to evaluate investment strategies which seek resilience for the water supply system of MCMA. Multiobjective optimization and decisions under deep uncertainty approaches are used to evaluate the best performing investment portfolios across different resilience performance metrics which encompass social equity, environmental and economic objectives. This analysis shows dynamic system responses that result from different investment portfolios, elucidating difficult planning and management decisions around tradeoffs between allocations as well as performance metrics (e.g short period of total failure

Who is that masked person: the use of face masks on Mexico City public transportation during the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak.

Science.gov (United States)

Condon, Bradly John; Sinha, Tapen

2010-04-01

This article examines three issues: (1) the use, over time, of facemasks in a public setting to prevent the spread of a respiratory disease for which the mortality rate is unknown; (2) the difference between the responses of male and female subjects in a public setting to unknown risks; and (3) the effectiveness of mandatory and voluntary public health measures in a public health emergency. The use of facemasks to prevent the spread of respiratory diseases in a public setting is controversial. At the height of the influenza epidemic in Mexico City in the spring of 2009, the federal government of Mexico recommended that passengers on public transport use facemasks to prevent contagion. The Mexico City government made the use of facemasks mandatory for bus and taxi drivers, but enforcement procedures differed for these two categories. Using an evidence-based approach, we collected data on the use of facemasks over a 2-week period. In the specific context of the Mexico City influenza outbreak, these data showed mask usage rates mimicked the course of the epidemic and gender difference in compliance rates among metro passengers. Moreover, there was not a significant difference in compliance with mandatory and voluntary public health measures where the effect of the mandatory measures was diminished by insufficiently severe penalties, the lack of market forces to create compliance incentives and sufficient political influence to diminish enforcement. Voluntary compliance was diminished by lack of trust in the government. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the correlation between odd oxygen and secondary organic aerosol in Mexico City and Houston

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E. C. Wood

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Many recent models underpredict secondary organic aerosol (SOA particulate matter (PM concentrations in polluted regions, indicating serious deficiencies in the models' chemical mechanisms and/or missing SOA precursors. Since tropospheric photochemical ozone production is much better understood, we investigate the correlation of odd-oxygen ([O_x]≡[O₃]+[NO₂] and the oxygenated component of organic aerosol (OOA, which is interpreted as a surrogate for SOA. OOA and O_x measured in Mexico City in 2006 and Houston in 2000 were well correlated in air masses where both species were formed on similar timescales (less than 8 h and not well correlated when their formation timescales or location differed greatly. When correlated, the ratio of these two species ranged from 30 μg m⁻³/ppm (STP in Houston during time periods affected by large petrochemical plant emissions to as high as 160 μg m⁻³/ppm in Mexico City, where typical values were near 120 μg m⁻³/ppm. On several days in Mexico City, the [OOA]/[O_x] ratio decreased by a factor of ~2 between 08:00 and 13:00 local time. This decrease is only partially attributable to evaporation of the least oxidized and most volatile components of OOA; differences in the diurnal emission trends and timescales for photochemical processing of SOA precursors compared to ozone precursors also likely contribute to the observed decrease. The extent of OOA oxidation increased with photochemical aging. Calculations of the ratio of the SOA formation rate to the O_x production rate using ambient VOC measurements and traditional laboratory SOA yields are lower than the observed [OOA]/[O_x] ratios by factors of 5 to 15, consistent with several other models' underestimates of SOA. Calculations of this ratio using emission factors for organic compounds from gasoline and diesel exhaust do not reproduce the observed

[Use of social marketing to increase water consumption among school-age children in Mexico City].

Science.gov (United States)

Carriedo, Ángela; Bonvecchio, Anabelle; López, Nancy; Morales, Maricruz; Mena, Carmen; Théodore, Florence L; Irizarry, Laura

2013-01-01

To increase water consumption in school children in Mexico City through a social marketing intervention. Cluster quasi-experimental design. Intervention of three months in schools, including water provision and designed based on social marketing. Reported changes in attitude, knowledge and behavior were compared pre and post intervention. Children of the intervention group (n=116) increased in 38% (171 ml) water consumption during school time, control group (n=167) decreased its consumption in 21% (140 ml) (pwater consumption among children, strategy that might contribute to mitigate childhood obesity.

Neighborhood Environment and Disparities in Health Care Access Among Urban Medicare Beneficiaries With Diabetes: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ryvicker, Miriam; Sridharan, Sridevi

2018-01-01

Older adults' health is sensitive to variations in neighborhood environment, yet few studies have examined how neighborhood factors influence their health care access. This study examined whether neighborhood environmental factors help to explain racial and socioeconomic disparities in health care access and outcomes among urban older adults with diabetes. Data from 123 233 diabetic Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older in New York City were geocoded to measures of neighborhood walkability, public transit access, and primary care supply. In 2008, 6.4% had no office-based "evaluation and management" (E&M) visits. Multilevel logistic regression indicated that this group had greater odds of preventable hospitalization in 2009 (odds ratio = 1.31; 95% confidence interval: 1.22-1.40). Nonwhites and low-income individuals had greater odds of a lapse in E&M visits and of preventable hospitalization. Neighborhood factors did not help to explain these disparities. Further research is needed on the mechanisms underlying these disparities and older adults' ability to navigate health care. Even in an insured population living in a provider-dense city, targeted interventions may be needed to overcome barriers to chronic illness care for older adults in the community.

The Zapatista Social Netwar in Mexico

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1998-01-01

on the Internet. 4From a statement by Subcommandante Marcos, March 4, 1994, as reported by the Academia Mexicana de Derechos Humanos , Special...Indigenas de Mexico, Mexico City: Comisiön Nacional de Derechos Humanos , 1995. Evan, William M., "An Organization-Set Model of Interorganizational...City: Comision Nacional de Dere- chos Humanos , 1995. Meisel, James, The Fall of the Republic: Military Revolt in France, Ann Arbor: University of

Do Sleep and Psychological Distress Mediate the Association Between Neighborhood Factors and Pain?

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Brooks Holliday, Stephanie; Dubowitz, Tamara; Ghosh-Dastidar, Bonnie; Beckman, Robin; Buysse, Daniel; Hale, Lauren; Buman, Matthew; Troxel, Wendy

2018-05-14

Pain affects millions of American adults. However, individuals from socioeconomically disadvantaged groups experience higher rates of pain, and individuals from racial/ethnic minorities report greater pain severity and pain-related disability. Some studies find an association between neighborhood socioeconomic status and pain. The present study aimed to further understand the association between neighborhood disadvantage and pain, including the role of objective (e.g., crime rates) and subjective neighborhood characteristics (e.g., perceived safety, neighborhood satisfaction), and to examine sleep and psychological distress as potential mediators of these associations. The sample included 820 participants from two predominantly African American socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Trained data collectors interviewed participants on a number of self-report measures, and objective neighborhood characteristics were obtained from city crime data and street segment audits. Subjective characteristics, specifically perceived infrastructure and perceived safety, were associated with pain. Based on bootstrapped regression models, sleep efficiency and psychological distress were tested as mediators of the association between these neighborhood factors and pain. Results of mediation testing indicated that psychological distress served as a significant mediator. Though sleep efficiency was not a mediator, it had a significant independent association with pain. Understanding the contribution of sleep problems and psychological distress to pain among at-risk individuals living in disadvantaged neighborhoods is important to identifying ways that individual- and neighborhood-level interventions may be leveraged to reduce pain-related disparities.

Water management for a megacity: Mexico City Metropolitan Area.

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Tortajada, Cecilia; Castelán, Enrique

2003-03-01

The paper presents an overview of the present situation of the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA). The analysis indicates an urgent need to radically improve the current water supply and wastewater management practices, to become sustainable. The MCMA is one of the most rapidly growing urban centers of the world, with a population of about 21 million people, a very high rate of immigration and numerous illegal settlements. In order to meet the increasing water demand, successive governments have focused almost exclusively on supply management and engineering solutions, which have resulted in investments of hundreds of millions of USD and the construction of major infrastructure projects for interbasin water transfer. Environmental, economic and social policies associated with water management are mostly inadequate and insufficient, which is resulting in increasing deterioration in the environment, health and socioeconomic conditions of a population living in one of the largest urban agglomerations of the world. Surprisingly, however, no long-term strategies on demand-management, reuse, conservation, and improved water-management practices have been developed so far.

Seasonal variations of rotifers from a high altitude urban shallow water body, La Cantera Oriente (Mexico City, Mexico)

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Gutiérrez, Sergio González; Sarma, S. S. S.; Nandini, S.

2017-11-01

La Cantera Oriente is a shallow freshwater volcanic water body located at an altitude of 2 270 m above sea level in the Ecological Reserve of San Angel Pedregal of Mexico City (Mexico). In order to ensure the conservation of its biological heritage including zooplankton, the present work was undertaken to quantify the seasonal changes in the diversity and density of rotifers and the selected physico-chemical variables during 2013-2014. Qualitative analysis of the zooplankton samples yielded 68 rotifer species which represented 24 genera in 15 families. B rachionus calyciflorus Pallas, 1766, B. quadridentatus Hermann, 1783, Polyarthra vulgaris Carlin, 1943, Lecane closterocerca (Schmarda, 1859) and Keratella cochlearis (Gosse, 1851) were the most common species. Preston plots of species frequency-density revealed that as many as 30% of the rotifer taxa were dominant throughout the year. The species with high population densities were Brachionus quadridentatus, Lecane closterocerca, Keratella cochlearis, and Lepadella patella; their peak densities were 2 000, 1 000, 180 and 90 ind./L, all occurring in summer. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that Platyias quadricornis was related to the concentration of phosphates available in the environment and the conductivity, while B. quadridentatus was positively correlated with chlorophyll- a. The trophic status of the lake was eutrophic based on Chl- a content but oligotrophic with relation to the Brachionus: Trichocerca ratio.

On the usefulness of atmospheric measurements for air quality evaluation in the context of recent urban meteorology findings in Mexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cruz Nunez, X.; Jazcilevich Diamant, A. [Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico)]. E-mail: xochitl@atmosfera.unam.mx

2007-10-15

In many cities, the main tool used to assess pollution abatement policies is the air quality information obtained from local monitoring network. However, in the context of a complex meteorology and land use such as those prevailing in Mexico City, the point-wise character and lack of detailed chemistry of this information may confer conflictive or biased information. The approach to understand the problem could be not based on solid ground. It is not until the measurement effort is complemented with detailed meteorological and air quality modeling that proper use of the information can be assured. In order to provide an example of this assertion, the usefulness of measured air quality data is gauged in a simplified manner, constructing three dimensional graphs containing local emission concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}), volatile organic compounds (VOC) and maximum ozone (O{sub 3}) concentrations, that we call ozone isopleths, for three sites in Mexico City. Together with corresponding wind rose data, an interpretation of the air pollution transport in the Valley of Mexico using only measured data is attempted. This interpretation, based on measured information subject to local influences, is compared with recent air quality modeling results showing that when measured data is used in conjunction with air quality modeling a better interpretation of air pollution problem can be obtained. A correct strategy to study the air quality problem, especially in the case of Mexico City where complex meteorology and land use is present, should be that both endeavors, measuring and modeling, are pursued with equal vigor. [Spanish] En muchas ciudades la herramienta principal en la evaluacion de las politicas para el control de la contaminacion es la informacion de calidad del aire proveniente de las redes locales de mediciones. Sin embargo, en el contexto de una meteorologia compleja y el uso de suelo de la Ciudad de Mexico, el caracter puntual y la carencia de

The Subsidence Signature Due To Groundwater Extraction as Inferred from Remote Sensing Data in Mexico City

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Patel, V.; Chen, J.

2015-12-01

Mexico City is facing a severe water shortage; current drought conditions in the city have led to an increase in the demand for groundwater, the pumping of which can cause significant land subsidence. In this study we explored what new information interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data collected by the TerraSAR-X satellite could bring to water resource managers in the city so that they can efficiently and sustainably allocate water resources. Previous work done over Mexico City indicates that InSAR can be used to detect deformation due to groundwater pumping. Cabral-Cano et al. (2008) processed InSAR data acquired from ERS between 1996-2000 and from ENVISAT between 2003-2005. They compared the deformation map to geology maps of the region with information obtained by seismic methods. They found that a spatial correlation between the land deformation and the presence of young lacustrine clay beds, which indicate that the subsidence was caused by fluid pressure loss in the aquitard. They also concluded that the subsidence, for the most part, had no seasonal variation and continues to occur at near-constant, high rates. TerraSAR-­X satellite data is known to be more sensitive to small deformations than the data from satellites used in previous studies in the region because of its frequent revisit cycle, short wavelength, and accurate orbital information. For this project, we derived long sequences of crustal deformation time series from TerraSAR-­X data between May 2011 and December 2012 using the Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) method. The resulting time series was then compared to GPS data for calibration and validation. We observed a long-term deformation that was similar to those found in previous studies. The next step in our work is to determine whether the increased sensitivity of the TerraSAR-­X data allows us to detect a seasonal deformation pattern over the study area.

Frequency and risk factors associated with dry eye in patients attending a tertiary care ophthalmology center in Mexico City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martinez JD

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Jaime D Martinez,1 Anat Galor,2,3 Nallely Ramos-Betancourt,1 Andrés Lisker-Cervantes,1 Francisco Beltrán,1 Jorge Ozorno-Zárate,1 Valeria Sánchez-Huerta,1 Marco-Antonio Torres-Vera,1 Everardo Hernández-Quintela1 1Cornea and External Diseases Service, Asociación Para Evitar la Ceguera en Mexico (Association to prevent blindness in Mexico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 3Cornea and External Diseases Division, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA Purpose: The purpose of this study was to ascertain the frequency and risk factors of dry eye (DE among patients attending a tertiary care ophthalmology center in Mexico.Methods: Approximately 338 consecutive new patients attending a tertiary care ophthalmology center in Mexico City underwent an ocular surface examination, which included tear film break-up time, fluorescein corneal staining, Schirmer’s test, and evaluation of meibum quality. Symptoms of DE were evaluated by the Ocular Surface Disease Index and Dry Eye Questionnaire-5. Information on demographics, exposures, past medical and ocular history, and medications was also collected.Results: The frequency of severe DE symptoms was found to be 43% based on the Ocular Surface Disease Index and 30% based on Dry Eye Questionnaire-5. Risk factors significantly associated with increased DE symptoms included dry mouth and gastrointestinal ulcer medications. With regard to signs, aqueous tear deficiency was a less-frequent finding (22% in our population than evaporative deficiency (94%. Risk factors associated with aqueous tear deficiency were dry mouth and diuretic use. No risk factors were associated with evaporative deficiency. Risk factors associated with meibomian gland dysfunction included old age, male sex, arthritis, and use of an antihypertensive. The only risk factor associated with corneal staining was dry

Urban land use, air toxics and public health: Assessing hazardous exposures at the neighborhood scale

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corburn, Jason

2007-01-01

Land use data are increasingly understood as important indicators of potential environmental health risk in urban areas where micro-scale or neighborhood level hazard exposure data are not routinely collected. This paper aims to offer a method for estimating the distribution of air toxics in urban neighborhoods using land use information because actual air monitoring data rarely exist at this scale. Using Geographic Information System spatial modeling tools, we estimate air toxics concentrations across neighborhoods in New York City and statistically compare our model with the US Environmental Protection Agency's National Air Toxic Assessment and air monitoring data across three NYC neighborhoods. We conclude that land use data can act as a good proxy for estimating neighborhood scale air toxics, particularly in the absence of monitoring data. In addition, the paper suggests that land use data can expand the reach of environmental impact assessments that routinely exclude analyses of potential exposures to urban air toxics at the neighborhood scale

Association of Mothers’ Perception of Neighborhood Quality and Maternal Resilience with Risk of Preterm Birth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Namrata Bhatia

2015-08-01

Full Text Available We examined the associations of mothers’ perception of neighborhood quality and maternal resilience with risk of preterm birth and whether maternal resilience moderated the effect of neighborhood quality perception. We analyzed data from 10,758 women with singleton births who participated in 2010–2012 Los Angeles Mommy and Baby surveys. Multilevel logistic regression models assessed the effects of mothers’ perception of neighborhood quality and maternal resilience on preterm birth (yes/no, controlling for potential confounders and economic hardship index, a city-level measure of neighborhood quality. Interaction terms were assessed for moderation. Mothers’ perception of neighborhood quality and maternal resilience were each uniquely associated with preterm birth, independent of potential confounders (p-values < 0.05. The risk of preterm birth among mothers who perceived their neighborhood as of poor quality was about 30% greater compared to mothers who perceived their neighborhood as of good quality; the risk was 12% greater among mothers with low resilience compared to those with high resilience. Effects of neighborhood quality were not modified by maternal resilience. The findings suggest that mothers’ perception of neighborhood quality and resilience are associated with the risk of preterm birth. Further research should explore whether initiatives aimed at improving neighborhood quality and women’s self-esteem may improve birth outcomes.

A comparative simple method for human bioclimatic conditions applied to seasonally hot/warm cities of Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tejeda Martinez, A. [Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz (Mexico); Garcia Cueto, O.R. [Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, Mexicali, B.C. (Mexico)

2002-01-01

The climate of a region is an environmental resource with important implications for things such as thermal comfort, health and productivity of the population. In this work, the bioclimatic comfort was evaluated for seven seasonally warm/hot cities of Mexico by means of the following current indexes: Discomfort Index, Enthalpy Index and Heat Strain Index. Also, the periods during which it is necessary to use air conditioning in the studied cities were calculated from estimated global radiation and hourly data of temperature and relative humidity which made it possible to establish them with high precision. Finally, the useful of the Heat Strain Index is shown. It is a simple index needing available meteorological data to compare bioclimatic conditions of similar sites. [Spanish] El clima regional tiene implicaciones en el confort, la salud y la productividad de la poblacion. En este articulo se presentan las evaluaciones bioclimaticas comparativas de siete ciudades calidas de Mexico. Se aplicaron los indices bioclimaticos de disconfort, entalpia y esfuerzo frente al calor. Se calcularon los periodos para los cuales es necesario el uso de aire acondicionado, a partir de estimaciones de radiacion solar global y de temperatura y humedad horarias medias mensuales. Finalmente se muestra la utilidad y calidad del Indice de esfuerzo frente al calor, el cual requiere solo de datos climatologicos comunes para poder comparar condiciones bioclimaticas de sitios similares.

The Influence of Neighborhood Aesthetics, Safety, and Social Cohesion on Perceived Stress in Disadvantaged Communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Heather; Child, Stephanie; Moore, Spencer; Moore, Justin B; Kaczynski, Andrew T

2016-09-01

Limited research has explored how specific elements of physical and social environments influence mental health indicators such as perceived stress, or whether such associations are moderated by gender. This study examined the relationship between selected neighborhood characteristics and perceived stress levels within a primarily low-income, older, African-American population in a mid-sized city in the Southeastern U.S. Residents (n = 394; mean age=55.3 years, 70.9% female, 89.3% African American) from eight historically disadvantaged neighborhoods completed surveys measuring perceptions of neighborhood safety, social cohesion, aesthetics, and stress. Multivariate linear regression models examined the association between each of the three neighborhood characteristics and perceived stress. Greater perceived safety, improved neighborhood aesthetics, and social cohesion were significantly associated with lower perceived stress. These associations were not moderated by gender. These findings suggest that improving social attributes of neighborhoods may have positive impacts on stress and related benefits for population health. Future research should examine how neighborhood characteristics influence stress over time. © Society for Community Research and Action 2016.

Gender performativity, medicalization and health in transsexual women in Mexico City

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Arturo Granados Cosme

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The World Health Organization and the American Psychological Association consider transsexuality a pathology and suggest sex-gender reassignment for the biopsychic adjustment of trans people. Through the discursive analysis of experience, this study describes the processes of medicalization and gender performativity in relation to the health of a group of trans women from Mexico City. For this purpose, a qualitative study was conducted in which 10 semi-structured interviews were carried out in 2015. As part of medicalization, the pathologization of transsexuality generated psychic suffering; on the other hand, sex-gender reassignment also entailed additional risks. It is possible to conclude that in trans women, violence and exclusion constitute the primary experiences explaining their foremost health problems. Therefore, it is suggested that it is necessary for discrimination be reduced and for advancements to be made in safer medical interventions.

[Gender performativity, medicalization and health in transsexual women in Mexico City].

Science.gov (United States)

Cosme, José Arturo Granados; Ramírez, Pedro Alberto Hernández; Muñoz, Omar Alejandro Olvera

2017-01-01

The World Health Organization and the American Psychological Association consider transsexuality a pathology and suggest sex-gender reassignment for the biopsychic adjustment of trans people. Through the discursive analysis of experience, this study describes the processes of medicalization and gender performativity in relation to the health of a group of trans women from Mexico City. For this purpose, a qualitative study was conducted in which 10 semi-structured interviews were carried out in 2015. As part of medicalization, the pathologization of transsexuality generated psychic suffering; on the other hand, sex-gender reassignment also entailed additional risks. It is possible to conclude that in trans women, violence and exclusion constitute the primary experiences explaining their foremost health problems. Therefore, it is suggested that it is necessary for discrimination be reduced and for advancements to be made in safer medical interventions.

Temporal variations in elemental concentrations of atmospheric aerosols in Mexico City

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aldape U, F.

1992-05-01

Measurements are reported of elemental concentrations of airborne particulates in Mexico City and their time variation over a one-week period in the spring of 1988. Proton-induced X-ray emission analysis, PIXE, was used to analyse the atmospheric aerosols which were bombarded with 2.5 MeV protons from the 12 MV Tandem Van de Graaff accelerator at the National Institute of Nuclear Research, ININ. Variations in the elemental concentrations were observed over the time period studied. An intercomparison was made in the case of the element lead with PIXE results obtained at the Crocker Nuclear Laboratory, CNL, University of California for the same set of samples. Excellent agreement was obtained both for the time variation of the relative concentration and the absolute lead concentrations. These results give added confidence to the protocol adopted at ININ. (Author)

Large Neighborhood Search

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pisinger, David; Røpke, Stefan

2010-01-01

Heuristics based on large neighborhood search have recently shown outstanding results in solving various transportation and scheduling problems. Large neighborhood search methods explore a complex neighborhood by use of heuristics. Using large neighborhoods makes it possible to find better...... candidate solutions in each iteration and hence traverse a more promising search path. Starting from the large neighborhood search method,we give an overview of very large scale neighborhood search methods and discuss recent variants and extensions like variable depth search and adaptive large neighborhood...

Modeling and measurements of urban aerosol processes on the neighborhood scale in Rotterdam, Oslo and Helsinki

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Karl, M.; Kukkonen, J.; Keuken, M.P.; Lützenkirchen, S.; Pirjola, L.; Hussein, T.

2016-01-01

This study evaluates the influence of aerosol processes on the particle number (PN) concentrations in three major European cities on the temporal scale of 1 h, i.e., on the neighborhood and city scales. We have used selected measured data of particle size distributions from previous campaigns in the

Incorporating Neighborhood Choice in a Model of Neighborhood Effects on Income.

Science.gov (United States)

van Ham, Maarten; Boschman, Sanne; Vogel, Matt

2018-05-09

Studies of neighborhood effects often attempt to identify causal effects of neighborhood characteristics on individual outcomes, such as income, education, employment, and health. However, selection looms large in this line of research, and it has been argued that estimates of neighborhood effects are biased because people nonrandomly select into neighborhoods based on their preferences, income, and the availability of alternative housing. We propose a two-step framework to disentangle selection processes in the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and earnings. We model neighborhood selection using a conditional logit model, from which we derive correction terms. Driven by the recognition that most households prefer certain types of neighborhoods rather than specific areas, we employ a principle components analysis to reduce these terms into eight correction components. We use these to adjust parameter estimates from a model of subsequent neighborhood effects on individual income for the unequal probability that a household chooses to live in a particular type of neighborhood. We apply this technique to administrative data from the Netherlands. After we adjust for the differential sorting of households into certain types of neighborhoods, the effect of neighborhood income on individual income diminishes but remains significant. These results further emphasize that researchers need to be attuned to the role of selection bias when assessing the role of neighborhood effects on individual outcomes. Perhaps more importantly, the persistent effect of neighborhood deprivation on subsequent earnings suggests that neighborhood effects reflect more than the shared characteristics of neighborhood residents: place of residence partially determines economic well-being.

Demarcation of local neighborhoods to study relations between contextual factors and health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chor Dora

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Several studies have highlighted the importance of collective social factors for population health. One of the major challenges is an adequate definition of the spatial units of analysis which present properties potentially related to the target outcomes. Political and administrative divisions of urban areas are the most commonly used definition, although they suffer limitations in their ability to fully express the neighborhoods as social and spatial units. Objective This study presents a proposal for defining the boundaries of local neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro city. Local neighborhoods are constructed by means of aggregation of contiguous census tracts which are homogeneous regarding socioeconomic indicators. Methodology Local neighborhoods were created using the SKATER method (TerraView software. Criteria used for socioeconomic homogeneity were based on four census tract indicators (income, education, persons per household, and percentage of population in the 0-4-year age bracket considering a minimum population of 5,000 people living in each local neighborhood. The process took into account the geographic boundaries between administrative neighborhoods (a political-administrative division larger than a local neighborhood, but smaller than a borough and natural geographic barriers. Results The original 8,145 census tracts were collapsed into 794 local neighborhoods, distributed along 158 administrative neighborhoods. Local neighborhoods contained a mean of 10 census tracts, and there were an average of five local neighborhoods per administrative neighborhood. The local neighborhood units demarcated in this study are less socioeconomically heterogeneous than the administrative neighborhoods and provide a means for decreasing the well-known statistical variability of indicators based on census tracts. The local neighborhoods were able to distinguish between different areas within administrative neighborhoods

Demarcation of local neighborhoods to study relations between contextual factors and health.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Simone M; Chor, Dora; Werneck, Guilherme Loureiro

2010-06-29

Several studies have highlighted the importance of collective social factors for population health. One of the major challenges is an adequate definition of the spatial units of analysis which present properties potentially related to the target outcomes. Political and administrative divisions of urban areas are the most commonly used definition, although they suffer limitations in their ability to fully express the neighborhoods as social and spatial units. This study presents a proposal for defining the boundaries of local neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro city. Local neighborhoods are constructed by means of aggregation of contiguous census tracts which are homogeneous regarding socioeconomic indicators. Local neighborhoods were created using the SKATER method (TerraView software). Criteria used for socioeconomic homogeneity were based on four census tract indicators (income, education, persons per household, and percentage of population in the 0-4-year age bracket) considering a minimum population of 5,000 people living in each local neighborhood. The process took into account the geographic boundaries between administrative neighborhoods (a political-administrative division larger than a local neighborhood, but smaller than a borough) and natural geographic barriers. The original 8,145 census tracts were collapsed into 794 local neighborhoods, distributed along 158 administrative neighborhoods. Local neighborhoods contained a mean of 10 census tracts, and there were an average of five local neighborhoods per administrative neighborhood.The local neighborhood units demarcated in this study are less socioeconomically heterogeneous than the administrative neighborhoods and provide a means for decreasing the well-known statistical variability of indicators based on census tracts. The local neighborhoods were able to distinguish between different areas within administrative neighborhoods, particularly in relation to squatter settlements. Although the literature on

Basin of Mexico: A history of watershed mismanagement

Science.gov (United States)

Luis A. Bojorquez Tapia; Exequiel Ezcurra; Marisa Mazari-Hiriart; Salomon Diaz; Paola Gomez; Georgina Alcantar; Daniela Megarejo

2000-01-01

Mexico City Metropolitan Zone (MCMZ) is located within the Basin of Mexico. Because of its large population and demand for natural resources, several authors have questioned the viability of the city, especially in terms of water resources. These are reviewed at the regional and the local scales. It is concluded that a multi-basin management approach is necessary to...

Association Between Depression and Elder Abuse and the Mediation of Social Support: A Cross-Sectional Study of Elder Females in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Vilar-Compte, Mireya; Giraldo-Rodríguez, Liliana; Ochoa-Laginas, Adriana; Gaitan-Rossi, Pablo

2018-04-01

We assessed the association between depression and elder abuse, and the mediation effect of social support among elder women in Mexico City. A total of 526 noninstitutionalized elder women, residing in Mexico City and attending public community centers were selected. Logistic regressions and structural equation models (SEM) were estimated. One fifth of the elderly women were at risk of depression, one third suffered some type of abuse in the past 12 months, and 82% reported low social support. Logistic models confirmed that depression was statistically associated with elder abuse and vice versa (odds ratio [OR] = 1.97 and 1.96, respectively). In both models, social support significantly reduced the association between these variables leading to study these associations through SEM. This approach highlighted that social support buffers the association between depression and elder abuse. Findings underline the relevance of programs and strategies targeted at increasing social support among urban older adults.

Effect of cross-level interaction between individual and neighborhood socioeconomic status on adult mortality rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Winkleby, Marilyn; Cubbin, Catherine; Ahn, David

2006-12-01

We examined whether the influence of neighborhood-level socioeconomic status (SES) on mortality differed by individual-level SES. We used a population-based, mortality follow-up study of 4476 women and 3721 men, who were predominately non-HIspanic White and aged 25-74 years at baseline, from 82 neighborhoods in 4 California cities. Participants were surveyed between 1979 and 1990, and were followed until December 31, 2002 (1148 deaths; mean follow-up time 17.4 years). Neighborhood SES was defined by 5 census variables and was divided into 3 levels. Individual SES was defined by a composite of educational level and household income and was divided into tertiles. Death rates among women of low SES were highest in high-SES neighborhoods (1907/100000 person-years), lower in moderate-SES neighborhoods (1323), and lowest in low-SES neighborhoods (1128). Similar to women, rates among men of low SES were 1928, 1646, and 1590 in high-, moderate-, and low-SES neighborhoods, respectively. Differences were not explained by individual-level baseline risk factors. The disparities in mortality by neighborhood of residence among women and men of low SES demonstrate that they do not benefit from the higher quality of resources and knowledge generally associated with neighborhoods that have higher SES.

Sustainable passenger road transport scenarios to reduce fuel consumption, air pollutants and GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chavez-Baeza, Carlos; Sheinbaum-Pardo, Claudia

2014-01-01

This paper presents passenger road transport scenarios that may assist the MCMA (Mexico City Metropolitan Area) in achieving lower emissions in both criteria air pollutants (CO, NO x , NMVOC (non-methane volatile organic compounds), and PM 10 ) and GHG (greenhouse gas) (CH 4 , N 2 O and CO 2 ), while also promoting better mobility and quality of life in this region. We developed a bottom-up model to estimate the historical trends of energy demand, criteria air pollutants and GHG emissions caused by passenger vehicles circulating in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA) in order to construct a baseline scenario and two mitigation scenarios that project their impact to 2028. Mitigation scenario “eff” considers increasing fuel efficiencies and introducing new technologies for vehicle emission controls. Mitigation scenario “BRT” considers a modal shift from private car trips to a Bus Rapid Transport system. Our results show significant reductions in air pollutants and GHG emissions. Incentives and environmental regulations are needed to enable these scenarios. - Highlights: • More than 4.2 million passenger vehicles in the MCMA (Mexico City Metropolitan Area) that represent 61% of criteria pollutants and 44% of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions. • Emissions of CO, NO x and NMVOC (non-methane volatile organic compounds) in baseline scenario decrease with respect to its 2008 value because emission standards. • Emissions of PM 10 and GHG increase in baseline scenario. • Emissions of PM 10 and GHG decrease in eff + BRT scenario from year 2020. • Additional reductions are possible with better standards for diesel vehicles and other technologies

Diagnosis and treatment of presumed STIs at Mexican pharmacies: survey results from a random sample of Mexico City pharmacy attendants

OpenAIRE

Turner, A; Ellertson, C; Thomas, S; Garcia, S

2003-01-01

Objectives: People in developing countries often seek medical advice for common ailments from pharmacies. As one example, pharmacists routinely diagnose and treat symptomatic sexually transmitted infections (STIs). We aimed to assess the quality of advice provided in Mexico City pharmacies by presenting hypothetical STI related syndromes and recording pharmacy attendants' suggested diagnoses and treatments.

Determinants of activity-friendly neighborhoods for children: Results from the SPACE study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vries, S.I. de; Bakker, I.; Mechelen, W. van; Hopman-Rock, M.

2007-01-01

Purpose. To examine the association between children's physical activity and factors of the built environment. Design. Cross-sectional study. Setting. Ten neighborhoods in six cities in the Netherlands. Subjects. Four hundred twenty-two children (age range, 6-11 years; 49% male). Measures. Physical

Basic statistics of PM2.5 and PM10 in the atmosphere of Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Vega, E; Reyes, E; Sánchez, G; Ortiz, E; Ruiz, M; Chow, J; Watson, J; Edgerton, S

2002-03-27

The high levels of fine particulate matter in Mexico City are of concern since they may induce severe public health effects as well as the attenuation of visible light. Sequential filter samplers were used at six different sites from 23 February to 22 March 1997. The sampling campaign was carried out as part of the project 'Investigación sobre Materia Particulada y Deterioro Atmosferico-Aerosol and Visibility Evaluation Research'. This research was a cooperative project sponsored by PEMEX and by the US Department of Energy. Sampling sites represent the different land uses along the city, the northwest station, Tlalnepantla, is located in a mixed medium income residential and industrial area. The northeast station, Xalostoc, is located in a highly industrialized area, Netzahualcoyotl is located in a mixed land use area, mainly commercial and residential. Station La Merced is located in the commercial and administrative district downtown. The southwest station is located in the Pedregal de San Angel, in a high-income neighborhood, and the southeast station located in Cerro de la Estrella is a mixed medium income residential and commercial area. Samples were collected four times a day in Cerro de la Estrella (CES), La Merced (MER) and Xalostoc (XAL) with sampling periods of 6 h. In Pedregal (PED), Tlalnepantla (TLA) and Netzahualcoyot1 (NEZ) sampling periods were every 24 h. In this paper the basic statistics of PM2.5 and PM10 mass concentrations are presented. The average results showed that 49, 61, 46, 57, 51 and 44% of the PM10 consisted of PM2.5 for CES, MER, XAL, PED, TLA and NEZ, respectively. The 24-h average highest concentrations of PM25 and PM10 were registered at NEZ (184 and 267 microg/m3) and the lowest at PED (22 and 39 microg/m3). The highest PM10 correlations were between XAL-CES (0.79), PED-TLA (0.80). In contrast, the highest PM2.5 correlations were between CES-PED (0.74), MER-CES (0.73) and TLA-PED (0.72), showing a lower correlation than the PM10

Cohesive Neighborhoods Where Social Expectations Are Shared May Have Positive Impact On Adolescent Mental Health

OpenAIRE

Donnelly, Louis; McLanahan, Sara; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne; Garfinkel, Irwin; Wagner, Brandon G.; Jacobsen, Wade C.; Gold, Sarah; Gaydosh, Lauren

2016-01-01

Adolescent mental health problems are associated with poor health and well-being in adulthood. This study uses data from a birth cohort of children born in large U.S. cities (N=2,264) to examine whether neighborhood collective efficacy (social cohesion and control) is associated with improvements in adolescent mental health. We find that children who grow up in high collective efficacy neighborhoods experience fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms during adolescence than sim...

Parent Management Training-Oregon Model (PMTO™) in Mexico City: Integrating Cultural Adaptation Activities in an Implementation Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Baumann, Ana A; Domenech Rodríguez, Melanie M; Amador, Nancy G; Forgatch, Marion S; Parra-Cardona, J Rubén

2014-03-01

This article describes the process of cultural adaptation at the start of the implementation of the Parent Management Training intervention-Oregon model (PMTO) in Mexico City. The implementation process was guided by the model, and the cultural adaptation of PMTO was theoretically guided by the cultural adaptation process (CAP) model. During the process of the adaptation, we uncovered the potential for the CAP to be embedded in the implementation process, taking into account broader training and economic challenges and opportunities. We discuss how cultural adaptation and implementation processes are inextricably linked and iterative and how maintaining a collaborative relationship with the treatment developer has guided our work and has helped expand our research efforts, and how building human capital to implement PMTO in Mexico supported the implementation efforts of PMTO in other places in the United States.

Opportunities for making ends meet and upward mobility: differences in organizational deprivation across urban and suburban poor neighborhoods.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Alexandra K; Wallace, Danielle

2010-01-01

Objectives. Given the recent rise of poverty in U.S. suburbs, this study asks: What poor neighborhoods are most disadvantageous, those in the city or those in the suburbs? Building on recent urban sociological work demonstrating the importance of neighborhood organizations for the poor, we are concerned with one aspect of disadvantage—the lack of availability of organizational resources oriented toward the poor. By breaking down organizations into those that promote mobility versus those that help individuals meet their daily subsistence needs, we seek to explore potential variations in the type of disadvantage that may exist.Methods. We test whether poor urban or suburban neighborhoods are more likely to be organizationally deprived by breaking down organizations into three types: hardship organizations, educational organizations, and employment organizations. We use data from the 2000 U.S. County Business Patterns and the 2000 U.S. Census and test neighborhood deprivation using logistic regression models.Results. We find that suburban poor neighborhoods are more likely to be organizationally deprived than are urban poor neighborhoods, especially with respect to organizations that promote upward mobility. Interesting racial and ethnic composition factors shape this more general finding.Conclusion. Our findings suggest that if a poor individual is to live in a poor neighborhood, with respect to access to organizational resources, he or she would be better off living in the central city. Suburban residence engenders isolation from organizations that will help meet one's daily needs and even more so from those offering opportunities for mobility.

Active living neighborhoods: is neighborhood walkability a key element for Belgian adolescents?

Science.gov (United States)

De Meester, Femke; Van Dyck, Delfien; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Deforche, Benedicte; Sallis, James F; Cardon, Greet

2012-01-04

In adult research, neighborhood walkability has been acknowledged as an important construct among the built environmental correlates of physical activity. Research into this association has only recently been extended to adolescents and the current empirical evidence is not consistent. This study investigated whether neighborhood walkability and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with physical activity among Belgian adolescents and whether the association between neighborhood walkability and physical activity is moderated by neighborhood SES and gender. In Ghent (Belgium), 32 neighborhoods were selected based on GIS-based walkability and SES derived from census data. In total, 637 adolescents (aged 13-15 year, 49.6% male) participated in the study. Physical activity was assessed using accelerometers and the Flemish Physical Activity Questionnaire. To analyze the associations between neighborhood walkability, neighborhood SES and individual physical activity, multivariate multi-level regression analyses were conducted. Only in low-SES neighborhoods, neighborhood walkability was positively associated with accelerometer-based moderate to vigorous physical activity and the average activity level expressed in counts/minute. For active transport to and from school, cycling for transport during leisure time and sport during leisure time no association with neighborhood walkability nor, with neighborhood SES was found. For walking for transport during leisure time a negative association with neighborhood SES was found. Gender did not moderate the associations of neighborhood walkability and SES with adolescent physical activity. Neighborhood walkability was related to accelerometer-based physical activity only among adolescent boys and girls living in low-SES neighborhoods. The relation of built environment to adolescent physical activity may depend on the context.

[Origins of institutional Pediatrics: Maternity and Childhood Hospital of Mexico City in the nineteenth century].

Science.gov (United States)

Baeza Bacab, Manuel Antonio

In June of 1866, the empress Carlota founded the Maternity House in the Department of Secret Births at the Hospice of the Poor. Upon the reinstatement of a republican government, Dr. Ramon Pacheco was appointed director of the Maternity House. Shortly after, in February of 1868, Dr. Luis Fernandez Gallardo established a pavilion for sick children in the Hospital of San Andres. After realizing this pavilion didn't have the adequate conditions to operate properly, and in the need of a children's hospital in Mexico City, Dr. Pacheco merged both institutions in April 2, 1869 -with the help of Ms. Luciana Arrazola- and founded the Maternity and Childhood Hospital, the first institution for the care of ill children in the independent Mexico. Ever since it was founded, Dr. Eduardo Liceaga was in charge of the children's health. Later, with the help of the presidents Juarez, Lerdo de Tejada and Díaz, he was able to consolidate the hospital in academic and health services aspects. This noble institution closed its doors on February 5, 1905, upon its incorporation to the General Hospital of Mexico, after 36 years of working for the welfare of Mexican children. Copyright © 2017 Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.

A "Great Roads" Approach to Teaching Modern World History and Latin American Regional Survey Courses: A Veracruz to Mexico City Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, James Seay, Jr.; Sullivan-Gonzalez, Douglass

2002-01-01

Outlines an innovative way of teaching "World History Since 1500" at Samford University (Birmingham, Alabama) called the "great roads" approach, centered upon important roads in a country's history. Presents the "Veracruz to Mexico City corridor" case study used to teach a Latin American modern history course. (CMK)

Multi-Gas analysis of ambient air using FTIR spectroscopy over Mexico City

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grutter, Michel [Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Mexico, D.F. (Mexico)

2003-01-01

A Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer was used to analyze the composition of ambient air at a specific site in Mexico City metropolitan area. A continuous flow of air was passed through a multi-pass cell and the absorption spectra were collected over a period of two weeks. Quantitative analysis was performed by means of the classical-least square (CLS) method using synthetically generated spectra as references and calibration sources. Ambient levels of CO, CO{sup 2}, CH{sub 4} and N{sub 2}O are reported with a time resolution of five minutes for September 2001, showing interesting results in their diurnal patterns. Comments on the precision, detection limits and signal to noise of the instrument are included for the evaluation of this technique. Water concentrations were estimated and compared with those obtained with a relative humidity sensor. The technique of extractive FTIR for ambient trace gas monitoring was utilized in Mexico for the fist time and some potential applications are given. [Spanish] Se utilizo un espectrometro en el infrarrojo por transformadas de Fourier (FTIR) para analizar la composicion de aire ambiente en un sitio de la zona metropolitana de la Ciudad de Mexico. Para ello se introdujo un flujo constante de aire a una celda de gases de paso multiple y se colectaron los espectros durante un periodo de dos semanas. Para el analisis cuantitativo, se aplico el metodo clasico de minimos cuadrados (CLS) utilizando espectros sinteticos como referencias y fuentes de calibracion. Se observaron patrones interesantes en los niveles ambientales de CO, CO{sup 2}, CH{sub 4} y N{sub 2}O, los cuales son reportados con una resolucion temporal de cinco minutos para el mes de septiembre del 2001. En la evaluacion de esta tecnica se incluyen comentarios sobre la precision, los limites de deteccion, asi como de la relacion senal/ruido del instrumento. Se estimaron concentraciones de vapor de agua a traves de sus absorciones en el infrarrojo y se

Meeting Report: Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE on Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, Mexico City, Mexico, 3rd to 4th October 2016

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alvarado Ibarra Martha

2017-06-01

Full Text Available From October 3 to 4, 2016, the fourth meeting of haematologists who belonged to the institute for social security and services for state workers (ISSSTE was held, the meeting was held in Mexico City, Mexico. Attending this working meeting, medical fellows of the specialty of Haematology and Paediatric Haematology, as well as attached doctors of both specialties that work in different hospitals in Mexico City and the rest of the country, the purpose of the attendees to this consensus was discuss, update, and homogenize the protocols of diagnostic and therapeutic approach in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia of all ages. All participants appreciated the opportunity to participate in one of the most important cooperation projects of the ISSSTE and to be able to offer updated treatment protocols to this population or, failing that, to send them a Medical Center that can provide hospital care as soon as possible. Physicians took advantage of this meeting for the scientific exchange, the discussion on projects in course and were planned the development of other consensuses being the closest the one of lymphomas. As in the previous consensuses that were published in a National magazine. The coordinator of this project raised to the attendees the possibility of a publication in magazines of greater prestige international since in countries like Mexico the cooperative work is not frequent and the group of haematologists belonging to ISSSTE are working towards this goal. This consensus was considered as a very well-organized platform to support the research of young fellows in the specialty to stimulate the team work in protocols of the different haematological pathologies and to inform the world the results achieved in a population of patients attended by the ISSSTE. In agreement with the main objective of this consensus on acute lymphoblastic leukaemia once finished and discussed throughout the haematological group, the coordinator for the

Antibiotic of resistence profile of Salmonella spp. serotypes isolated from retail beef in Mexico City.

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Nova Nayarit-Ballesteros

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Objective. To determine the serotype and antibiotic resistance profile of Salmonella spp. isolated from retail ground beef in Mexico City. Materials and methods. A total of 100 samples of ground beef were analyzed. The pathogen was isolated by conventional methods and confirmed by PCR (invA gene, 284 bp. The antibiotic resistance profile was determined by the Kirby-Bauer method while serotyping was performed according to the Kauffman-White scheme. Results. We isolated a total of 19 strains of Lomita (6, Derby (4, Senftenberg (2, Javiana and Cannsttat (1 and undeter- mined (5 serotypes. The strains showed a high resistance rate to ampicillin (18/19, carbenicillin (16/19, tetracyclin (13/19, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (13/19. Multidrug resistance was observed in 14 isolates. Conclusions. Several Salmonella spp. serotypes of public health significance are circulating in ground beef sold in the major Mexican city. Some of these strains are multi-drug resistance.

Active living neighborhoods: is neighborhood walkability a key element for Belgian adolescents?

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De Meester Femke

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In adult research, neighborhood walkability has been acknowledged as an important construct among the built environmental correlates of physical activity. Research into this association has only recently been extended to adolescents and the current empirical evidence is not consistent. This study investigated whether neighborhood walkability and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES are associated with physical activity among Belgian adolescents and whether the association between neighborhood walkability and physical activity is moderated by neighborhood SES and gender. Methods In Ghent (Belgium, 32 neighborhoods were selected based on GIS-based walkability and SES derived from census data. In total, 637 adolescents (aged 13-15 year, 49.6% male participated in the study. Physical activity was assessed using accelerometers and the Flemish Physical Activity Questionnaire. To analyze the associations between neighborhood walkability, neighborhood SES and individual physical activity, multivariate multi-level regression analyses were conducted. Results Only in low-SES neighborhoods, neighborhood walkability was positively associated with accelerometer-based moderate to vigorous physical activity and the average activity level expressed in counts/minute. For active transport to and from school, cycling for transport during leisure time and sport during leisure time no association with neighborhood walkability nor, with neighborhood SES was found. For walking for transport during leisure time a negative association with neighborhood SES was found. Gender did not moderate the associations of neighborhood walkability and SES with adolescent physical activity. Conclusions Neighborhood walkability was related to accelerometer-based physical activity only among adolescent boys and girls living in low-SES neighborhoods. The relation of built environment to adolescent physical activity may depend on the context.

Neighborhood Design, Physical Activity, and Wellbeing: Applying the Walkability Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Zuniga-Teran, Adriana A; Orr, Barron J; Gimblett, Randy H; Chalfoun, Nader V; Guertin, David P; Marsh, Stuart E

2017-01-13

Neighborhood design affects lifestyle physical activity, and ultimately human wellbeing. There are, however, a limited number of studies that examine neighborhood design types. In this research, we examine four types of neighborhood designs: traditional development, suburban development, enclosed community, and cluster housing development, and assess their level of walkability and their effects on physical activity and wellbeing. We examine significant associations through a questionnaire ( n = 486) distributed in Tucson, Arizona using the Walkability Model. Among the tested neighborhood design types, traditional development showed significant associations and the highest value for walkability, as well as for each of the two types of walking (recreation and transportation) representing physical activity. Suburban development showed significant associations and the highest mean values for mental health and wellbeing. Cluster housing showed significant associations and the highest mean value for social interactions with neighbors and for perceived safety from crime. Enclosed community did not obtain the highest means for any wellbeing benefit. The Walkability Model proved useful in identifying the walkability categories associated with physical activity and perceived crime. For example, the experience category was strongly and inversely associated with perceived crime. This study provides empirical evidence of the importance of including vegetation, particularly trees, throughout neighborhoods in order to increase physical activity and wellbeing. Likewise, the results suggest that regular maintenance is an important strategy to improve mental health and overall wellbeing in cities.

Early radioisotope uses in Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Segovia, N.; Tejera, A.; Bulbulian, S.; Palma, F.

1991-10-01

Mexico is traditionally a mining country and the first information about the presence of uranium is related to mine exploitation. Around 1945 when uranium became economically important, a rumor had spread that large amounts of black ceramics from Oaxaca were being purchased and sent abroad because of its assumed high uranium content. It was only in 1949 when minerals containing thorium and uranium were declared by law as 'National Reserves'. In those years a radium emanation plant was installed at the 'Hospital General' in Mexico City with the main purpose of carrying out radon seed implantation in tumors. In the fifties a radium dial painting facility was operating in the city of Toluca some 70 km from Mexico City. In 1955, when the National Commission of Nuclear Energy (CNEN) was founded by a government decree, two main activities were in sight: a training program on 'Radioisotope Techniques and Nuclear Instrumentation' and the creation of specialized laboratories. In this paper a general description of these events and undertakings spanning the decades 1940 to 1970 is given. (Author)

Early radioisotope uses in Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Segovia, N; Tejera, A; Bulbulian, S; Palma, F

1991-10-15

Mexico is traditionally a mining country and the first information about the presence of uranium is related to mine exploitation. Around 1945 when uranium became economically important, a rumor had spread that large amounts of black ceramics from Oaxaca were being purchased and sent abroad because of its assumed high uranium content. It was only in 1949 when minerals containing thorium and uranium were declared by law as 'National Reserves'. In those years a radium emanation plant was installed at the 'Hospital General' in Mexico City with the main purpose of carrying out radon seed implantation in tumors. In the fifties a radium dial painting facility was operating in the city of Toluca some 70 km from Mexico City. In 1955, when the National Commission of Nuclear Energy (CNEN) was founded by a government decree, two main activities were in sight: a training program on 'Radioisotope Techniques and Nuclear Instrumentation' and the creation of specialized laboratories. In this paper a general description of these events and undertakings spanning the decades 1940 to 1970 is given. (Author)

Inequalities in neighborhood child asthma admission rates and underlying community characteristics in one US county.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck, Andrew F; Moncrief, Terri; Huang, Bin; Simmons, Jeffrey M; Sauers, Hadley; Chen, Chen; Kahn, Robert S

2013-08-01

To characterize variation and inequalities in neighborhood child asthma admission rates and to identify associated community factors within one US county. This population-based prospective, observational cohort study consisted of 862 sequential child asthma admissions among 167 653 eligible children ages 1-16 years in Hamilton County, Ohio. Admissions occurred at a tertiary-care pediatric hospital and accounted for nearly 95% of in-county asthma admissions. Neighborhood admission rates were assessed by geocoding addresses to city- and county-defined neighborhoods. The 2010 US Census provided denominator data. Neighborhood admission distribution inequality was assessed by the use of Gini and Robin Hood indices. Associations between neighborhood rates and socioeconomic and environmental factors were assessed using ANOVA and linear regression. The county admission rate was 5.1 per 1000 children. Neighborhood rates varied significantly by quintile: 17.6, 7.7, 4.9, 2.2, and 0.2 admissions per 1000 children (P asthma admission rates varied 88-fold across neighborhood quintiles in one county; a reduction of the county-wide admission rate to that of the bottom quintile would decrease annual admissions from 862 to 34. A rate of zero was present in 15 neighborhoods, which is evidence of what may be attainable. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

[Abortion and physicians in training: the opinion of medical students in Mexico City

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González De León Aguirre D; Salinas Urbina AA

1997-04-01

This research project explores doctors' views regarding induced abortion. Abortion's penalization in Mexico greatly conditions its relevance as a social and public health problem. Physicians constitute a professional sector that can play an important role in reforming current laws on abortion. As a professional group, they have taken a conservative stance towards abortion. Their attitudes are to a great extent influenced by the medical training they receive. In this article we present results from a survey of 96 medical students from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Xochimilco, in Mexico City. Data were processed with the SPSS program. Simple frequencies show that students have limited knowledge concerning the legal status of abortion and that they tolerate it with restrictions and in limited situations. Women students apparently take a more conservative stance, but statistical analysis with the c-square test did not show significant differences by gender. The article poses the need to modify doctors' training in the reproductive health field, allowing future doctors to acquire a broader view of health problems related to sexuality and reproduction. In the long run, this should also promote a kind of comprehensive health care practice in medical services, thus responding more satisfactorily to women's needs.

Solar Activity, Ultraviolet Radiation and Consequences in Birds in Mexico City, 2001- 2002

Science.gov (United States)

Valdes, M.; Velasco, V.

2008-12-01

Anomalous behavior in commercial and pet birds in Mexico City was reported during 2002 by veterinarians at the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. This was attributed to variations in the surrounding luminosity. The solar components, direct, diffuse, global, ultraviolet band A and B, as well as some meteorological parameters, temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation, were then analyzed at the Solar Radiation Laboratory. Although the total annual radiance of the previously mentioned radiation components did not show important changes, ultraviolet Band-B solar radiation did vary significantly. During 2001 the total annual irradiance , 61.05 Hjcm² to 58.32 Hjcm², was 1.6 standard deviations lower than one year later, in 2002 and increased above the mean total annual irradiance, to 65.75 Hjcm², 2.04 standard deviations, giving a total of 3.73 standard deviations for 2001-2002. Since these differences did not show up clearly in the other solar radiation components, daily extra-atmosphere irradiance was analyzed and used to calculate the total annual extra-atmosphere irradiance, which showed a descent for 2001. Our conclusions imply that Ultraviolet Band-B solar radiation is representative of solar activity and has an important impact on commercial activity related with birds.

[Prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in Veracruz City, Mexico: a community-based survey].

Science.gov (United States)

Valerio-Ureña, J; Vásquez-Fernández, F; Jiménez-Pineda, A; Cortázar-Benítez, L F; Azamar-Jácome, A A; Duarte-Velázquez, M E; Torres-Medina, V

2010-01-01

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is recognized as the most frequent functional digestive disorder around the world. In Latin America and Mexico there are few studies in order to demonstrate its real prevalence in general population. To determine the prevalence of IBS in general population from Veracruz City Mexico, using the Rome II criteria. Using basic information given by bureau for planning urban services from Veracruz country, a 10% random population sample was obtained. Subjects between 16-80 years old were interviewed using a questionnaire based on Rome II criteria and a visual analogous scale in order to estimate the negative effect of IBS symptoms on daily activities. We interviewed 459 subjects with a median age of 31.2 +/- 13.6 years old detecting 78 subjects (16.9%) with IBS symptoms: 25 males and 53 females (gender prevalence of 11.3% and 22.1%, respectively). 28.2% of them had IBS with diarrhea, 50% had IBS with constipation and 21.8% alternating bowel movements, diarrhea and constipation. Negative effect of IBS symptoms on daily activities was significant. The prevalence of IBS in open population was 16.9% according to Rome II criteria, being higher in those older than 35 years old. Constipation was the predominant pattern. Further studies should evaluate associated factors of these findings.

Neighborhood choices, neighborhood effects and housing vouchers

OpenAIRE

Davis, Morris A.; Gregory, Jesse; Hartley, Daniel A.; Tan, Kegon T. K.

2017-01-01

We study how households choose neighborhoods, how neighborhoods affect child ability, and how housing vouchers influence neighborhood choices and child outcomes. We use two new panel data sets with tract-level detail for Los Angeles county to estimate a dynamic model of optimal tract-level location choice for renting households and, separately, the impact of living in a given tract on child test scores (which we call "child ability" throughout). We simulate optimal location choices and change...

Aerosol composition and source apportionment in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area with PIXE/PESA/STIM and multivariate analysis

OpenAIRE

Johnson , K. S.; De Foy , B.; Zuberi , B.; Molina , L. T.; Molina , M. J.; Xie , Y.; Laskin , A.; Shutthanandan , V.

2006-01-01

Aerosols play an important role in the atmosphere but are poorly characterized, particularly in urban areas like the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA). The chemical composition of urban particles must be known to assess their effects on the environment, and specific particulate emissions sources should be identified to establish effective pollution control standards. For these reasons, samples of particulate matter ≤2.5 μm (PM_2.5) were collected dur...

Using high-resolution satellite aerosol optical depth to estimate daily PM2.5 geographical distribution in Mexico City

OpenAIRE

Just, Allan C.; Wright, Robert O.; Schwartz, Joel; Coull, Brent A.; Baccarelli, Andrea A.; Tellez-Rojo, Martha María; Moody, Emily; Wang, Yujie; Lyapustin, Alexei; Kloog, Itai

2015-01-01

Recent advances in estimating fine particle (PM2.5) ambient concentrations use daily satellite measurements of aerosol optical depth (AOD) for spatially and temporally resolved exposure estimates. Mexico City is a dense megacity that differs from other previously modeled regions in several ways: it has bright land surfaces, a distinctive climatological cycle, and an elevated semi-enclosed air basin with a unique planetary boundary layer dynamic. We extend our previous satellite methodology to...

Positive Neighborhood Norms Buffer Ethnic Diversity Effects on Neighborhood Dissatisfaction, Perceived Neighborhood Disadvantage, and Moving Intentions.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Assche, Jasper; Asbrock, Frank; Roets, Arne; Kauff, Mathias

2018-05-01

Positive neighborhood norms, such as strong local networks, are critical to people's satisfaction with, perceived disadvantage of, and intentions to stay in their neighborhood. At the same time, local ethnic diversity is said to be detrimental for these community outcomes. Integrating both frameworks, we tested whether the negative consequences of diversity occur even when perceived social norms are positive. Study 1 ( N = 1,760 German adults) showed that perceptions of positive neighborhood norms buffered against the effects of perceived diversity on moving intentions via neighborhood satisfaction and perceived neighborhood disadvantage. Study 2 ( N = 993 Dutch adults) replicated and extended this moderated mediation model using other characteristics of diversity (i.e., objective and estimated minority proportions). Multilevel analyses again revealed consistent buffering effects of positive neighborhood norms. Our findings are discussed in light of the ongoing public and political debate concerning diversity and social and communal life.

Mass movement processes triggered by land subsidence in Iztapalapa, the eastern part of Mexico City

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M. González-Hernández

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Geological and structural conditions in the Basin of Mexico coupled with natural and anthropogenic factors, such as groundwater exploitation, provokes land subsidence and differential deformation. The study area is located in to the north of Iztapalapa, a municipality within Mexico City, in a site called "El Eden" with irregular topography. Where volcanic sequences overlie the lacustrine deposits of clays and silts and show displacements by the action of gravity. The displacement zone was delimited at the top of the slope by the formation of circular tensile fractures with stair -shaped geometries. At the base of the slope, compressive processes damaged housing, sidewalks and inclined light poles and trees. A NW-SE system of fractures was identified in which displacement velocities vary from a few millimeters to several centimeters per year. Which affects urban facilities. In this work a conceptual model of deformation is presented that integrates the geological and mechanical factors leading to landslide and land subsidence. A geophysical survey leads to evidence of how land subsidence processes increase the sliding slope.

Fracture hydraulic conductivity in the Mexico City clayey aquitard: Field piezometer rising-head tests

Science.gov (United States)

Vargas, Carlos; Ortega-Guerrero, Adrián

A regional lacustrine aquitard covers the main aquifer of the metropolitan area of Mexico City. The aquitard's hydraulic conductivity (K') is fundamental for evaluating the natural protection of the aquifer against a variety of contaminants present on the surface and its hydraulic response. This study analyzes the distribution and variation of K' in the plains of Chalco, Texcoco and Mexico City (three of the six former lakes that existed in the Basin of Mexico), on the basis of 225 field-permeability tests, in nests of existing piezometers located at depths of 2-85 m. Tests were interpreted using the Hvorslev method and some by the Bouwer-Rice method. Results indicate that the distribution of K' fits log-Gaussian regression models. Dominant frequencies for K' in the Chalco and Texcoco plains range between 1E-09 and 1E-08 m/s, with similar population means of 1.19E-09 and 1.7E-09 m/s, respectively, which are one to two orders of magnitude higher than the matrix conductivity. In the Mexico City Plain the population mean is near by one order of magnitude lower; K'=2.6E-10 m/s. The contrast between the measured K' and that of the matrix is attributed to the presence of fractures in the upper 25-40 m, which is consistent with the findings of previous studies on solute migration in the aquitard. Un imperméable régional d'origine lacustre recouvre le principal aquifère de la zone urbaine de la ville de Mexico. La conductivité hydraulique K' de cet imperméable est fondamentale pour évaluer la protection naturelle de l'aquifère, contre les différents contaminants présents en surface, et sa réponse hydraulique. Cette étude analyse et les variations de K' dans les plaines de Chalco, Texcoco et Mexico (trois des six anciens lacs qui existaient dans le Bassin de Mexico), sur la base de 225 essais de perméabilité sur le terrain, réalisés en grappes dans des piézomètres existants entre 2 et 85 m de profondeur. Les essais ont été interprétés avec la m

Assessment of spatial and physical neighborhood characteristics that influence sound quality and herewith well-being and health

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Jeroen Devilee

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Environmental noise and health studies seldom address the positive effect of environments with high acoustic quality. Sound quality, in turn, is influenced by a large number of factors, including the spatial–physical characteristics of a neighborhood. In general, these characteristics cannot be retrieved from existing databases. In this article, we describe the design of an audit instrument and demonstrate its value for gathering information about these characteristics of neighborhoods. The audit instrument used was derived from research in other fields than environmental health. The instrument was tested in 33 neighborhoods in the Dutch cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Arnhem. In these neighborhoods, more or less homogeneous subareas were identified that were subject of the audit. The results show that the audit approach is suitable to gather neighborhood data that are relevant for the sound quality of neighborhoods. Together with survey data, they provide information that could further the field of soundscape and health. Several suggestions for improvement of the audit instrument were made.

Association of Walkability With Obesity in Baltimore City, Maryland

Science.gov (United States)

Gittelsohn, Joel; Zonderman, Alan B.; Evans, Michele K.; Gary-Webb, Tiffany L.

2011-01-01

Objectives. To investigate the association between walkability and obesity, we studied adults residing in Baltimore City, Maryland, in neighborhoods of varying racial and socioeconomic composition. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 3493 participants from the study Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span. We used the Pedestrian Environment Data Scan to measure neighborhood walkability in 34 neighborhoods of diverse racial and socioeconomic composition in which the study participants lived. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to determine walkability scores. Multilevel modeling was used to determine prevalence ratios for the association between walkability and obesity. Results. Among individuals living in predominately White and high-socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods, residing in highly walkable neighborhoods was associated with a lower prevalence of obesity when compared with individuals living in poorly walkable neighborhoods, after adjusting for individual-level demographic variables (prevalence ratio–[PR] = 0.58; P = walkability and obesity for individuals living in low-SES neighborhoods was not significant after accounting for main mode of transportation (PR = 0.85; P = .060). Conclusions. Future research is needed to determine how differences in associations by neighborhood characteristics may contribute to racial disparities in obesity. PMID:21164099

[Neighborhood Systematic Social Observation; The Case of Chile and its Perspectives for Social Work.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanhueza, Guillermo E; Delva, Jorge; Andrade, Fernando H; Grogan-Kaylor, Andrew; Bares, Cristina; Castillo, Marcela

2011-12-01

The study of neighborhood characteristics and their effects on individuals has become an area of increasing attention by scholars from various disciplines in developed countries. Although there are various methods to study neighborhoods and their impact on human populations, one of the most used is the Systematic Social Observation -Observación Sistemática de Vecindarios (OSV), in Spanish-because it allows the collection of information about various features of the physical, social, environmental and economic characteristics of neighborhoods. The purpose of this article is to (i) briefly present some research on neighborhood effects influential in the U.S., ii) describe how they Systematic Social Observation was designed and implemented in the city of Santiago, Chile, iii) discuss some facilitators and obstacles of the implementation process and, finally iv) list possible contributions and limitations this approach would offer the profession of social work in Chile.

A study of indoor radon in greenhouses in Mexico City, Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guillermo Espinosa; Allan Chavarria; Jose-Ignacio Golzarri

2013-01-01

Enclosed spaces in contact with soil, the main source of radon, like greenhouses have potentially high radon ( 222 Rn) concentrations. Greenhouses are frequented by visitors and also are workplaces. The study of radon concentrations in greenhouses is, thus, a relevant concern for public health and environmental radiation authorities. For this study, the radon concentrations in 12 greenhouses in different locations within Mexico City were measured using nuclear track methodology. The detectors used for the study consisted of the well-known closed-end cup device, with CR-39 Lantrack R as detector material. The measurements were carried out over a period of one year, divided into four three-month sub-periods. The lowest and highest annual mean radon concentrations found in individual greenhouses were 17.0 and 45.1 Bq/m 3 , respectively. The annual mean averaged over all 12 greenhouses was 27.3 Bq/m 3 . No significant seasonal variation was observed. Using the highest annual mean radon concentration found in an individual greenhouse, and an equilibrium factor of 0.4, the effective dose from 222 Rn and its progenies was calculated to be 339.9 nSv/h. This corresponds to an annual dose rate of 679.8 μSv/y (0.057 WLM/y) for a worker spending 4 h a day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year, inside the greenhouse. For a visitor spending 12 h a year inside the greenhouse the annual dose is 2.469 μSv/y. The study of indoor radon concentrations in closed buildings such as greenhouses, which are both workplaces and open to visitors, is an important public health consideration. (author)

Air pollution problem in the Mexico City metropolitan zone: Photochemical pollution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alvarez, H.B.; Alvarez, P.S.; Echeverria, R.S.; Jardon, R.T. [Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera (Mexico). Seccion de Contaminacion Ambiental

1997-12-31

Mexico City Metropolitan Zone (MCMZ) represents an example of a megacity where the air pollution problem has reached an important evolution in a very short time, causing a risk in the health of a population of more than 20 million inhabitants. The atmospheric pollution problem in the MCMZ, began several decades ago, but it increased drastically in the middle of the 80`s. It is important to recognize that in the 60`s, 70`s and the first half of the 80`s the main pollutants were sulfur dioxide and total suspended particles. However since the second half of the 80`s until now, ozone is the most important air pollutant besides of the suspended particles (PM{sub 10}) and other toxic pollutants (1--8). The purpose of this paper is to discuss the evolution of the ozone atmospheric pollution problem in the MCMZ, as well as to analyze the results of several implemented air pollution control strategies.

The role of landscape spatial patterns on obesity in Hispanic children residing in inner-city neighborhoods.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jun-Hyun; Lee, Chanam; Olvara, Norma E; Ellis, Christopher D

2014-11-01

Childhood obesity and its comorbidities have become major public health challenges in the US. While previous studies have investigated the roles of land uses and transportation infrastructure on obesity, limited research has examined the influence of landscape spatial patterns. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between landscape spatial patterns and obesity in Hispanic children. Participants included 61 fourth- and fifth-grade Hispanic children from inner-city neighborhoods in Houston, TX. BMI z-scores were computed based on objectively-measured height and weight from each child. Parental and child surveys provided sociodemographic and physical activity data. Landscape indices were used to measure the quality of landscape spatial patterns surrounding each child's home by utilizing Geographic Information Systems and remote sensing analyses using aerial photo images. After controlling for sociodemographic factors, in the half-mile airline buffer, more tree patches and well-connected landscape patterns were negatively correlated with their BMI z-scores. Furthermore, larger sizes of urban forests and tree patches were negatively associated with children's BMI z-scores in the half-mile network buffer assessment. This study suggests that urban greenery requires further attention in studies aimed at identifying environmental features that reduce childhood obesity.

Urban cholera transmission hotspots and their implications for reactive vaccination: evidence from Bissau city, Guinea bissau.

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Andrew S Azman

Full Text Available Use of cholera vaccines in response to epidemics (reactive vaccination may provide an effective supplement to traditional control measures. In Haiti, reactive vaccination was considered but, until recently, rejected in part due to limited global supply of vaccine. Using Bissau City, Guinea-Bissau as a case study, we explore neighborhood-level transmission dynamics to understand if, with limited vaccine and likely delays, reactive vaccination can significantly change the course of a cholera epidemic.We fit a spatially explicit meta-population model of cholera transmission within Bissau City to data from 7,551 suspected cholera cases from a 2008 epidemic. We estimated the effect reactive vaccination campaigns would have had on the epidemic under different levels of vaccine coverage and campaign start dates. We compared highly focused and diffuse strategies for distributing vaccine throughout the city. We found wide variation in the efficiency of cholera transmission both within and between areas of the city. "Hotspots", where transmission was most efficient, appear to drive the epidemic. In particular one area, Bandim, was a necessary driver of the 2008 epidemic in Bissau City. If vaccine supply were limited but could have been distributed within the first 80 days of the epidemic, targeting vaccination at Bandim would have averted the most cases both within this area and throughout the city. Regardless of the distribution strategy used, timely distribution of vaccine in response to an ongoing cholera epidemic can prevent cases and save lives.Reactive vaccination can be a useful tool for controlling cholera epidemics, especially in urban areas like Bissau City. Particular neighborhoods may be responsible for driving a city's cholera epidemic; timely and targeted reactive vaccination at such neighborhoods may be the most effective way to prevent cholera cases both within that neighborhood and throughout the city.

Implementation of a radiological safety management system in a hospital of Mexico City; Implementacion de un sistema de gestion de seguridad radiologica en un hospital de la Ciudad de Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinez V, D.; Rivera M, T. [CICATA-IPN, 11500 Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Velez D, V. [INER, 14000 Mexico D.F. (Mexico)

2007-07-01

Full text: The reflection of this work is based in some radiological accidents that its have happened in some hospital centers or of research. The over exposure of some people is due to the pursuit of the procedures, the lack of quality assurance of the equipment or the inappropriate actions of the technicians. In Mexico one has seen in several hospitals the lack of existence of a Quality Assurance Program to prevent the accidents, the execution of the same ones and those good practices and the lack of Safety Culture makes that the hospital radiological safety it is faulty. The objective of the present work is the implementation of a radiological safety management in a hospital of Mexico City. (Author)

Exploring Neighborhood Unit’s Planning Elements and Configuration Methods in Seoul and Singapore from a Walkability Perspective

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Jeeun Lee

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This paper is to explore how the neighborhood-unit concept, which had been initially promoted by North America and the United Kingdom, was adopted and utilized in the Asian cities of high-density developments, such as Seoul and Singapore from a walkability perspective. Among various environmental elements of walkability in a given neighborhood unit, 10 planning elements, as well as their configuration methods, were drawn from the review of the existing studies, which became an analytical framework for this paper. The findings of the analysis are as follows. First, there were similarities, yet also marked distinctions between the cases of Seoul and Singapore, on the one hand, and those in North America and the UK on the other, with respect to the configuration methods, categorized into four groups of typologies: ‘Neighborhood Size’, ‘Neighborhood Structure’, ‘Neighborhood Network’, and ‘Neighborhood Facilities’. The differences largely resulted from the high-density developments in Seoul and Singapore. In the years since the 1990s, however, when the concept of sustainable development was strengthened, the configuration methods, related to ‘Neighborhood Structure’ and to ‘Neighborhood Facilities’ in most cases, were enhanced to suit more neighborhood walking. The initial concept of the neighborhood unit was actively modified to accommodate the high-density urban situations in Seoul and Singapore, having both positive and negative impacts on neighborhood walkability.

Choice Neighborhood Grantees

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Housing and Urban Development — Choice Neighborhoods grants transform distressed neighborhoods, public and assisted projects into viable and sustainable mixed-income neighborhoods by linking...

Health Reform in Mexico City, 2000-2006

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Asa Cristina Laurell

2008-07-01

Full Text Available With the goal of fully guaranteeing the constitutional right to health protection, Mexico City’s leftist administration (2000-2006 undertook a reform to provide health services to people without insurance. The reform had four components: free medicine and health services; the introduction of a new service model (MAS; the strengthening, expansion, and improvement of services, and legislation to ensure that the city government become guarantor of this constitutional right. The reform resulted in 95% of eligible families being enrolled in free care; expansion of health care infrastructure with the construction of five new health care centers and a 1/3 increase in the number of public hospital beds in impoverished and disadvantaged areas; increased access to and use of health services particularly by the poor and for expensive interventions; and the legal guarantee of the continuity of this policy. The implementation of this new policy was made possible through an 80% budget increase, improvements in efficiency, and a successful fight against corruption. The health impact of the reform was seen in decline of mortality rates in all age groups between 1997 and 2005 (22% for child mortality, 11% for economically active age groups, and 7.9% for retired age groups and by a 16% decline in AIDS related mortality between 2000 and 2005. This reform contrasts with the health care reform promoted by the right wing Federal government in the rest of the country; the latter was based on voluntary health insurance, cost-sharing by families, access to a limited package of services, and gradual enrollment of the population

Aerosol composition and source apportionment in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area with PIXE/PESA/STIM and multivariate analysis

OpenAIRE

K. S. Johnson; B. de Foy; B. de Foy; B. Zuberi; B. Zuberi; L. T. Molina; L. T. Molina; M. J. Molina; M. J. Molina; Y. Xie; A. Laskin; V. Shutthanandan

2006-01-01

Aerosols play an important role in the atmosphere but are poorly characterized, particularly in urban areas like the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA). The chemical composition of urban particles must be known to assess their effects on the environment, and specific particulate emissions sources should be identified to establish effective pollution control standards. For these reasons, samples of particulate matter ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5) were collected during the MCMA-2003 Field Campaign f...

Pioneers of Gentrification: Transformation in Global Neighborhoods in Urban America in the Late Twentieth Century

OpenAIRE

Hwang, Jackelyn

2016-01-01

Few studies have considered the role of immigration in the rise of gentrification in the late twentieth century. Analysis of U.S. Census and American Community Survey data over 24 years and field surveys of gentrification in low-income neighborhoods across 23 U.S. cities reveal that most gentrifying neighborhoods were “global” in the 1970s or became so over time. An early presence of Asians was positively associated with gentrification; and an early presence of Hispanics was positively associ...

Neighborhood perceptions and hypertension among low-income black women: a qualitative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maliyhah Al-Bayan

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The majority of studies examining the role of neighborhoods and hypertension-related outcomes have been quantitative in nature and very few studies have examined specific disadvantaged populations, including low-income housing residents. The objective of this study was to use qualitative interviews to explore low-income Black women’s perceptions of their neighborhoods and to understand how those perceptions may affect their health, especially as it relates to blood pressure. Methods Seventeen Black female participants, living in public housing communities in New York City, completed one semi-structured, audiotaped interview in July of 2014. All interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed for emerging themes using N’Vivo 10 software. Results Three major themes emerged: (1 social connectedness, (2 stress factors, and (3 availability of food options. For example, factors that caused stress varied throughout the study population. Sources of stress included family members, employment, and uncleanliness within the neighborhood. Many participants attributed their stress to personal issues, such as lack of employment and relationships. In addition, the general consensus among many participants was that there should be a greater density of healthy food options in their neighborhoods. Some believed that the pricing of fresh foods in the neighborhoods should better reflect the financial status of the residents in the community. Conclusions Various neighborhood influences, including neighborhood disorder and lack of healthy food options, are factors that appear to increase Black women’s risk of developing high blood pressure. Implications of this research include the need to develop interventions that promote good neighborhood infrastructure (e.g. healthy food stores to encourage good nutrition habits and well-lit walking paths to encourage daily exercise, in addition to interventions that increase hypertension awareness in

Neighborhood Characteristics, Alcohol Outlet Density, and Alcohol-Related Calls-for-Service: A Spatiotemporal Analysis in a Wet Drinking Country

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Miriam Marco

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Alcohol outlets have been associated with different social problems, such as crime, violence, intimate partner violence, and child maltreatment. The spatial analysis of neighborhood availability of alcohol outlets is key for better understanding of these influences. Most studies on the spatial distribution of alcohol outlets in the community have been conducted in U.S. cities, but few studies have assessed this spatial distribution in other countries where the drinking culture may differ. The aim of this study was to analyze the spatiotemporal distribution of alcohol outlets in the city of Valencia, Spain, and its relationship with neighborhood-level characteristics, as well as to examine the influence of alcohol outlet density on alcohol-related police calls-for-service. Spain is characterized by having a “wet” drinking culture and greater social acceptance of drinking compared to the U.S. Data on alcohol outlets between 2010–2015 in three categories (off-premise, restaurants and cafes, and bars were used for the analysis. We used the 552 census block groups allocated within the city as neighborhood unit. Data were analyzed using Bayesian spatiotemporal regression models. Results showed different associations between alcohol outlets categories and neighborhood variables: off-premise density was higher in areas with lower economic status, higher immigrant concentration, and lower residential instability; restaurant and cafe density was higher in areas with higher spatially-lagged economic status, and bar density was higher in areas with higher economic status and higher spatially-lagged economic status. Furthermore, restaurant and cafe density was negatively associated with alcohol-related police calls-for-service, while bar density was positively associated with alcohol-related calls-for-service. These results can be used to inform preventive strategies for alcohol-related problems at the neighborhood-level in Spain or other countries

Perceptions as the crucial link? The mediating role of neighborhood perceptions in the relationship between the neighborhood context and neighborhood cohesion.

Science.gov (United States)

Laméris, Joran; Hipp, John R; Tolsma, Jochem

2018-05-01

This study examines the effects of neighborhood racial in-group size, economic deprivation and the prevalence of crime on neighborhood cohesion among U.S. whites. We explore to what extent residents' perceptions of their neighborhood mediate these macro-micro relationships. We use a recent individual-level data set, the American Social Fabric Study (2012/2013), enriched with contextual-level data from the U.S. Census Bureau (2010) and employ multi-level structural equation models. We show that the racial in-group size is positively related to neighborhood cohesion and that neighborhood cohesion is lower in communities with a high crime rate. Individuals' perceptions of the racial in-group size partly mediate the relationship between the objective racial in-group size and neighborhood cohesion. Residents' perceptions of unsafety from crime also appear to be a mediating factor, not only for the objective crime rate but also for the objective racial in-group size. This is in line with our idea that racial stereotypes link racial minorities to crime whereby neighborhoods with a large non-white population are perceived to be more unsafe. Residents of the same neighborhood differ in how they perceive the degree of economic decay of the neighborhood and this causes them to evaluate neighborhood cohesion differently, however perceptions of neighborhood economic decay do not explain the link between the objective neighborhood context and neighborhood cohesion. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Stress and health behaviors as potential mediators of the relationship between neighborhood quality and allostatic load.

Science.gov (United States)

Buschmann, Robert N; Prochaska, John D; Cutchin, Malcolm P; Peek, M Kristen

2018-03-29

Neighborhood quality is associated with health. Increasingly, researchers are focusing on the mechanisms underlying that association, including the role of stress, risky health behaviors, and subclinical measures such as allostatic load (AL). This study uses mixed-effects regression modeling to examine the association between two objective measures and one subjective measure of neighborhood quality and AL in an ethnically diverse population-based sample (N = 2706) from a medium-sized Texas city. We also examine whether several measures of psychological stress and health behaviors mediate any relationship between neighborhood quality and AL. In this sample, all three separate measures of neighborhood quality were associated with individual AL (P < .01). However, only the subjective measure, perceived neighborhood quality, was associated with AL after adjusting for covariates. In mixed-effects multiple regression models there was no evidence of mediation by either stress or health behaviors. In this study, only one measure of neighborhood quality was related to a measure of health, which contrasts with considerable previous research in this area. In this sample, neighborhood quality may affect AL through other mechanisms, or there may be other health-affecting factors is this area that share that overshadow local neighborhood variation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neighborhood Environmental Watch Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, L.D.

1993-01-01

The Neighborhood Environmental Watch Network (NEWNET) is a regional network of environmental monitoring stations and a data archival center that supports collaboration between communities, industry, and government agencies to solve environmental problems. The stations provide local displays of measurements for the public and transmit measurements via satellite to a central site for archival and analysis. Station managers are selected from the local community and trained to support the stations. Archived data and analysis tools are available to researchers, educational institutions, industrial collaborators, and the public across the nation through a communications network. Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Environmental Protection Agency have developed a NEWNET pilot program for the Department of Energy. The pilot program supports monitoring stations in Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, and California. Additional stations are being placed in Colorado and New Mexico. Pilot stations take radiological and meteorological measurements. Other measurements are possible by exchanging sensors

Neighborhood solutions for neighborhood problems: an empirically based violence prevention collaboration.

Science.gov (United States)

Randall, J; Swenson, C C; Henggeler, S W

1999-12-01

Youth antisocial behavior is influenced, in part, by neighborhood context. Yet, rather than attempting to ameliorate factors contributing to youth antisocial behavior, service dollars are primarily devoted to expensive and often ineffective out-of-home placements. This article describes the development and implementation of a collaborative partnership designed to empower an economically disadvantaged neighborhood to address violent criminal behavior, substance abuse, and other serious antisocial problems of its youth while maintaining youth in the neighborhood. Through a collaboration between a university research center and neighborhood stakeholders, services are being provided to address the key priorities identified by neighborhood residents, and extensive efforts are being made to develop family and neighborhood contexts that are conducive to prosocial youth behavior.

Complete Genome Sequence of Paenibacillus larvae MEX14, Isolated from Honey Bee Larvae from the Xochimilco Quarter in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Peréz de la Rosa, D; Pérez de la Rosa, J J; Cossio-Bayugar, R; Miranda-Miranda, E; Lozano, L; Bravo-Díaz, M A; Rocha-Martínez, M K; Sachman-Ruiz, B

2015-08-27

Paenibacillus larvae strain MEX14 is a facultative anaerobic endospore-forming bacterium that infects Apis mellifera larvae. Strain MEX14 was isolated from domestic bee larvae collected in a backyard in Mexico City. The estimated genome size was determined to be 4.18 Mb, and it harbors 4,806 protein coding genes (CDSs). Copyright © 2015 Peréz de la Rosa et al.

Neighborhood Design, Physical Activity, and Wellbeing: Applying the Walkability Model

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Adriana A. Zuniga-Teran

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Neighborhood design affects lifestyle physical activity, and ultimately human wellbeing. There are, however, a limited number of studies that examine neighborhood design types. In this research, we examine four types of neighborhood designs: traditional development, suburban development, enclosed community, and cluster housing development, and assess their level of walkability and their effects on physical activity and wellbeing. We examine significant associations through a questionnaire (n = 486 distributed in Tucson, Arizona using the Walkability Model. Among the tested neighborhood design types, traditional development showed significant associations and the highest value for walkability, as well as for each of the two types of walking (recreation and transportation representing physical activity. Suburban development showed significant associations and the highest mean values for mental health and wellbeing. Cluster housing showed significant associations and the highest mean value for social interactions with neighbors and for perceived safety from crime. Enclosed community did not obtain the highest means for any wellbeing benefit. The Walkability Model proved useful in identifying the walkability categories associated with physical activity and perceived crime. For example, the experience category was strongly and inversely associated with perceived crime. This study provides empirical evidence of the importance of including vegetation, particularly trees, throughout neighborhoods in order to increase physical activity and wellbeing. Likewise, the results suggest that regular maintenance is an important strategy to improve mental health and overall wellbeing in cities.

Neighborhood walkability, income, and hour-by-hour physical activity patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Arvidsson, Daniel; Eriksson, Ulf; Lönn, Sara Larsson; Sundquist, Kristina

2013-04-01

This study aimed to investigate both the mean daily physical activity and the hour-by-hour physical activity patterns across the day using accelerometry and how they are associated with neighborhood walkability and individual income. Moderate physical activity (MPA) was assessed by accelerometry in 2252 adults in the city of Stockholm, Sweden. Neighborhood walkability (residential density, street connectivity, and land use mix) was objectively assessed within 1000m network buffers around the participants' residence and individual income was self-reported. Living in a high walkability neighborhood was associated with more mean daily MPA compared with living in a low walkability neighborhood on weekdays and weekend days. Hour-by-hour analyses showed that this association appeared mainly in the afternoon/early evening during weekdays, whereas it appeared across the middle of the day during weekend days. Individual income was associated with mean daily MPA on weekend days. On weekdays, the hour-by-hour analyses showed that high income was associated with more MPA around noon and in late afternoon/early evening, whereas low income was associated with more MPA at the hours before noon and in the early afternoon. During the weekend, high income was more consistently associated with higher MPA. Hour-by-hour accelerometry physical activity patterns provides a more comprehensive picture of the associations between neighborhood walkability and individual income and physical activity and the variability of these associations across the day.

Diabetes and Cause-Specific Mortality in Mexico City.

Science.gov (United States)

Alegre-Díaz, Jesus; Herrington, William; López-Cervantes, Malaquías; Gnatiuc, Louisa; Ramirez, Raul; Hill, Michael; Baigent, Colin; McCarthy, Mark I; Lewington, Sarah; Collins, Rory; Whitlock, Gary; Tapia-Conyer, Roberto; Peto, Richard; Kuri-Morales, Pablo; Emberson, Jonathan R

2016-11-17

Most large, prospective studies of the effects of diabetes on mortality have focused on high-income countries where patients have access to reasonably good medical care and can receive treatments to establish and maintain good glycemic control. In those countries, diabetes less than doubles the rate of death from any cause. Few large, prospective studies have been conducted in middle-income countries where obesity and diabetes have become common and glycemic control may be poor. From 1998 through 2004, we recruited approximately 50,000 men and 100,000 women 35 years of age or older into a prospective study in Mexico City, Mexico. We recorded the presence or absence of previously diagnosed diabetes, obtained and stored blood samples, and tracked 12-year disease-specific deaths through January 1, 2014. We accepted diabetes as the underlying cause of death only for deaths that were due to acute diabetic crises. We estimated rate ratios for death among participants who had diabetes at recruitment versus those who did not have diabetes at recruitment; data from participants who had chronic diseases other than diabetes were excluded from the main analysis. At the time of recruitment, obesity was common and the prevalence of diabetes rose steeply with age (3% at 35 to 39 years of age and >20% by 60 years of age). Participants who had diabetes had poor glycemic control (mean [±SD] glycated hemoglobin level, 9.0±2.4%), and the rates of use of other vasoprotective medications were low (e.g., 30% of participants with diabetes were receiving antihypertensive medication at recruitment and 1% were receiving lipid-lowering medication). Previously diagnosed diabetes was associated with rate ratios for death from any cause of 5.4 (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.0 to 6.0) at 35 to 59 years of age, 3.1 (95% CI, 2.9 to 3.3) at 60 to 74 years of age, and 1.9 (95% CI, 1.8 to 2.1) at 75 to 84 years of age. Between 35 and 74 years of age, the excess mortality associated with previously

Black carbon network in Mexico. First Results

Science.gov (United States)

Barrera, Valter; Peralta, Oscar; Granado, Karen; Ortinez, Abraham; Alvarez-Ospina, Harry; Espinoza, Maria de la Luz; Castro, Telma

2017-04-01

After the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change celebrated in Paris 2016, many countries should adopt some mechanisms in the next years to contribute to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and support sustainable development. Mexico Government has adopted an unconditional international commitment to carry out mitigation actions that would result in the reduction of 51% in black carbon (BC) emissions by year 2030. However, many BC emissions have been calculated by factor emissions. Since optical measurements of environmental BC concentrations can vary according the different components and their subsequence wavelength measure, it's important to obtain more accurate values. BC is formally defined as an ideally light-absorbing substance composed by carbon (Bond et al., 2013), and is the second main contributor (behind Carbon Dioxide; CO2) to positive radiative forcing (Ramanathan and Carmichael, 2008). Recently, BC has been used as an additional indicator in air quality management in some cities because is emitted from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuel and biomass burning in both anthropogenic and it is always emitted with other particles and gases, such as organic carbon (OC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Black Carbon, PM2.5 and pollutant gases were measured from January 2015 to December 2015 at three main cities in Mexico, and two other places to evaluate the BC concentration levels in the country. The urban background sites (Mexico City, Monterrey, Guadalajara, MXC-UB, GDL-UB, MTY-UB), a sub-urban background site (Juriquilla, Queretaro, JUR-SUB) and a regional background site (Altzomoni, ALT-RB). Results showed the relationship between BC and PM2.5 in the 3 large cities, with BC/PM2.5 ratios near 0.14 to 0.09 and a high BC-CO relationship in all the year in Mexico City, who showed that mobile sources are a common, at least in cities with a non-significant biomass burning emission related to agriculture or coal

Comparison of lead levels in human permanent teeth from Strasbourg, Mexico City, and rural zones of Alsace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frank, R.M.; Sargentini-Maier, M.L.; Turlot, J.C.; Leroy, M.J.

1990-01-01

A comparative study of the mean lead concentrations in enamel and dentin of human premolars and permanent molars was conducted by means of a systematic sampling procedure with energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence analysis. In a first series of analyses, no significant statistical differences in mean lead concentrations at various levels of enamel and dentin were noted between young patients of Strasbourg and those of small villages of Alsace, nor between elderly patients living in these two locations, despite the fact that motor traffic was significantly lower in the rural zones. However, in both locations, a significantly higher concentration of lead was observed in enamel and dentin in relation to age. In a second series of analyses, the mean lead concentrations of both dental hard tissues of premolars and permanent molars of young individuals from Strasbourg, rural Alsace, and Mexico City were compared. Significantly higher mean lead concentrations were found in enamel and dentin samples from Mexico City. This was most evident for inner coronal dentin (5.7 and 6.1 times greater than in teeth of Strasbourg and rural zones of Alsace, respectively) and for pulpal root dentin (6.9 and 8.9 times greater than in teeth of Strasbourg and rural zones of Alsace). It is proposed that the higher lead concentrations are related to the higher lead content of motor gasoline and to more intense traffic conditions. The dental hard tissues appear to be of value for the study of environmental lead pollution

Application of an extension of the MAI method to the Acapulco City, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Contreras, M.; Aguirre, J.

2001-12-01

The site effects and the source parameters, are inverted from a Fourier displacement spectra of seismograms that are corrected by geometrical spreading and regional attenuation valid for south center of Mexico(Ordaz and Singh, 1992). We used Genetic Algorithms (GA) to perform the non-linear inversion, like in the MAI method (Moya et al., 2000) . The GA have proved to produce better results than other traditional methods which are frequently trapped in a local minimum. GA is a method that mimics the evolution laws in living creatures. The best individuals reproduce and develop themselves with every generation. In our case each individual correspond to one source and the genes correspond to the source parameters. As in nature, the best source remain and are improved with each iteration. We assume that the site effect at each station are the same independently of the earthquake, because of that we can search for the combination of sources that can produce the smaller standard deviation of the estimated site effects from the different Fourier displacement earthquake spectra. Then we use the obtained site effects to generate a Fourier displacement spectra of an earthquake scenario. With this, we are able to compute the response spectra by means of random vibration theory (Reinoso et al., 1990). We apply this method to four stations located in the Acapulco City, Mexico, that recorded four earthquakes with epicenter located in the Guerrero Subduction Zone. The site effect estimated for one of the stations, called ACAZ, shows a good agreement with the estimated by Chávez-García et al. (1994) using spectral ratios between the ACAZ station and a rock reference site. Also we compare the response spectra from other earthquake, obtained by the former method and the response spectra computed using the acceleration record. We find an acceptable correlation between them. Chávez-García, J. Cuenca y M. Cárdenas (1994), "Estudio complementario de efectos de sitio en Acapulco

Proceedings of the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program Meeting for Era of Hope, Held in Baltimore, Maryland on 25-28 June 2008

Science.gov (United States)

2008-06-01

of Medicine, 2Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (Cochin, India), 3Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa, 4Centro Medico Nacional Siglo ...according to religion , marital status, health insurance, neighborhood socioeconomic status, and residence. A likeli- hood of a late-stage diagnosis...and 4Centro Medico Nacional Siglo XXI (Mexico City, Mexico) Breast cancer is a disease with a complex etiology that consists of lifestyle and genetic

Intersection of neighborhood dynamics and socioeconomic status in small-area walkability: the Heart Healthy Hoods project.

Science.gov (United States)

Gullón, Pedro; Bilal, Usama; Cebrecos, Alba; Badland, Hannah M; Galán, Iñaki; Franco, Manuel

2017-06-06

Previous studies found a complex relationship between area-level socioeconomic status (SES) and walkability. These studies did not include neighborhood dynamics. Our aim was to study the association between area-level SES and walkability in the city of Madrid (Spain) evaluating the potential effect modification of neighborhood dynamics. All census sections of the city of Madrid (n = 2415) were included. Area-level SES was measured using a composite index of 7 indicators in 4 domains (education, wealth, occupation and living conditions). Two neighborhood dynamics factors were computed: gentrification, proxied by change in education levels in the previous 10 years, and neighborhood age, proxied by median year of construction of housing units in the area. Walkability was measured using a composite index of 4 indicators (Residential Density, Population Density, Retail Destinations and Street Connectivity). We modeled the association using linear mixed models with random intercepts. Area-level SES and walkability were inversely and significantly associated. Areas with lower SES showed the highest walkability. This pattern did not hold for areas with an increase in education level, where the association was flat (no decrease in walkability with higher SES). Moreover, the association was attenuated in newly built areas: the association was stronger in areas built before 1975, weaker in areas built between 1975 and 1990 and flat in areas built from 1990 on. Areas with higher neighborhood socioeconomic status had lower walkability in Madrid. This disadvantage in walkability was not present in recently built or gentrified areas.

The effect of composition, size, and solubility on acute pulmonary injury in rats following exposure to Mexico city ambient particulate matter samples.

Science.gov (United States)

Snow, Samantha J; De Vizcaya-Ruiz, Andrea; Osornio-Vargas, Alvaro; Thomas, Ronald F; Schladweiler, Mette C; McGee, John; Kodavanti, Urmila P

2014-01-01

Particulate matter (PM)-associated metals can contribute to adverse cardiopulmonary effects following exposure to air pollution. The aim of this study was to investigate how variation in the composition and size of ambient PM collected from two distinct regions in Mexico City relates to toxicity differences. Male Wistar Kyoto rats (14 wk) were intratracheally instilled with chemically characterized PM10 and PM2.5 from the north and PM10 from the south of Mexico City (3 mg/kg). Both water-soluble and acid-leachable fractions contained several metals, with levels generally higher in PM10 South. The insoluble and total, but not soluble, fractions of all PM induced pulmonary damage that was indicated by significant increases in neutrophilic inflammation, and several lung injury biomarkers including total protein, albumin, lactate dehydrogenase activity, and γ-glutamyl transferase activity 24 and 72 h postexposure. PM10 North and PM2.5 North also significantly decreased levels of the antioxidant ascorbic acid. Elevation in lung mRNA biomarkers of inflammation (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α and macrophage inflammatory protein [MIP]-2), oxidative stress (heme oxygenase [HO]-1, lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor [LOX]-1, and inducibile nitric oxide synthase [iNOS]), and thrombosis (tissue factor [TF] and plasminogen activator inhibitor [PAI]-1), as well as reduced levels of fibrinolytic protein tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), further indicated pulmonary injury following PM exposure. These responses were more pronounced with PM10 South (PM10 South > PM10 North > PM2.5 North), which contained higher levels of redox-active transition metals that may have contributed to specific differences in selected lung gene markers. These findings provide evidence that surface chemistry of the PM core and not the water-soluble fraction played an important role in regulating in vivo pulmonary toxicity responses to Mexico City PM.

Variability of the Mixed-Layer Height Over Mexico City

Science.gov (United States)

García-Franco, J. L.; Stremme, W.; Bezanilla, A.; Ruiz-Angulo, A.; Grutter, M.

2018-06-01

The diurnal and seasonal variability of the mixed-layer height in urban areas has implications for ground-level air pollution and the meteorological conditions. Measurements of the backscatter of light pulses with a commercial lidar system were performed for a continuous period of almost six years between 2011 and 2016 in the southern part of Mexico City. The profiles were temporally and vertically smoothed, clouds were filtered out, and the mixed-layer height was determined with an ad hoc treatment of both the filtered and unfiltered profiles. The results are in agreement when compared with values of mixed-layer height reconstructed from, (i) radiosonde data, and (ii) surface and vertical column densities of a trace gas. The daily maxima of the mean mixed-layer height reach values > 3 km above ground level in the months of March-April, and are clearly lower (behaviour, which is characterized together with the mixed-layer-height anomalies. A clear residual layer is evident from the backscattered signals recorded in days with specific atmospheric conditions, but also from the cloud-filtered mean diurnal profiles. The occasional presence of a residual layer results in an overestimation of the reported mixed-layer height during the night and early morning hours.

Infrared Absorption by Atmospheric Aerosols in Mexico City during MILAGRO.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelley, K. L.; Mangu, A.; Gaffney, J. S.; Marley, N. A.

2007-12-01

Past research in our group using cylindrical internal reflectance spectroscopy has indicated that aqueous aerosols could contribute to the radiative warming as greenhouse species (1,2). Although aerosol radiative effects have been known for sometime and are considered one of the major uncertainties in climate change modeling, most of the studies have focused on the forcing due to scattering and absorption of radiation in the uv- visible region (3). Infrared spectral information also allows the confirmation of key functional groups that are responsible for enhanced absorption observations from secondary organics in the uv-visible region. This work extends our efforts to evaluate the infrared absorption by aerosols, particularly organics, that are now found to be a major fraction of urban and regional aerosols in the 0.1 to 1.0 micron size range and to help identify key types of organics that can contribute to aerosol absorption. During the MILAGRO campaign, quartz filter samples were taken at 12-hour intervals from 5 am to 5 pm (day) and from 5 pm to 5 am (night) during the month of March 2006. These samples were taken at the two super-sites, T-0 (Instituto Mexicano de Petroleo in Mexico City) and T-1 (Universidad Technologica de Tecamac, State of Mexico). The samples have been characterized for total carbon content (stable isotope mass spectroscopy) and natural radionuclide tracers, as well as for their UV-visible spectroscopic properties by using integrating sphere diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (Beckman DU with a Labsphere accessory). These same samples have been characterized in the mid and near infrared spectral ranges using diffuse reflection spectroscopy (Nicolet 6700 FTIR with a Smart Collector accessory). Aerosol samples were removed from the surfaces of the aerosol filters by using Si-Carb sampler. The samples clearly indicate the presence of carbonyl organic constituents and the spectra are quite similar to those observed for humic and fulvic acids

Popular health education and propaganda in times of peace and war in Mexico city, 1890s-1920s.

Science.gov (United States)

Agostoni, Claudia

2006-01-01

Health education and propaganda acquired importance during the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Mexico City, as physicians, hygienists, and schoolteachers attempted to teach the principles of public health to a culturally and socially heterogeneous urban population.I explore the organization of the Popular Hygiene Exhibition of 1910 and the importance of health education before and after the armed phase of the Mexican Revolution, and why children and the indigenous populations became the main recipients of health education programs.

Geography should not be destiny: focusing HIV/AIDS implementation research and programs on microepidemics in US neighborhoods.

Science.gov (United States)

Nunn, Amy; Yolken, Annajane; Cutler, Blayne; Trooskin, Stacey; Wilson, Phill; Little, Susan; Mayer, Kenneth

2014-05-01

African Americans and Hispanics are disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Within the most heavily affected cities, a few neighborhoods account for a large share of new HIV infections. Addressing racial and economic disparities in HIV infection requires an implementation program and research agenda that assess the impact of HIV prevention interventions focused on increasing HIV testing, treatment, and retention in care in the most heavily affected neighborhoods in urban areas of the United States. Neighborhood-based implementation research should evaluate programs that focus on community mobilization, media campaigns, routine testing, linkage to and retention in care, and block-by-block outreach strategies.

Assessing the Play Provisions for Children in Urban Neighborhoods of India: Case Study Nagpur, Maharashtra

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kirti D. Bhonsle

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The creation of satisfying urban environments calls for the planners, designers and policy makers to understand the structures that cause residents to feel satisfied with their environments. The paper focuses on qualitative aspects of the childrens play spaces in the urban neighborhoods of Nagpur which were analysed with the background of their daily activity schedule survey, their assement of the existing play provisions and their aspirations from their neighborhood environment quality. Apart from these studies, the childrens and their parents perceptions of the quality of urban residential environments was also studied. The literature review gave an extract of relevant attributes of environmental quality (EQ which became the theoritical basis for the work. The research generates an approach to assessing the child friendliness of our urban neighborhoods, which in certain ways is not even catering to the most fundamental right of the child to play; it also generates a matrix of children’s needs and parameters relevant to Indian context. A theoretical model of the residents satisfaction is also generated which forms the base for the qualitative questionnaire analysis in SPSS 20 with a set of dependent and independent variables which shows the correlation of the resident’s satisfaction with child friendliness of neighborhoods in the Indian context. The regression model and mathematical equation as an outcome of the qualitative analysis was also validated upon two other urban neighborhoods of the city of Nagpur. The research with all its tools used and the approach adopted can help in undertaking such child-centered researches in other cities of India which have their own unique issues and characteristics of urban growth.

Kansas City Transportation and Local-Scale Air Quality Study (KC-TRAQS) Fact Sheet

Science.gov (United States)

In fall 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the Kansas City Transportation Local-Scale Air Quality Study (KC-TRAQS) to learn more about local community air quality in three neighborhoods in Kansas City, KS.

The future of fuel cell in Mexico in the third millennium

Science.gov (United States)

Ramírez-Salgado, J.; Marín-Cruz, J.; Estrada-Martínez, A.

The warming of the earth due to green house gas emission is mainly produced by CO 2. In Mexico City, 71% of the total harmful emissions is from internal combustion engines of car and buses. Benefits from the use of fuel cells (FCs) in transportation and stationary power generating sectors will achieve satisfactory air quality standards not only in Mexico City but also throughout the country. This paper suggests a scenario for FC technology penetration in Mexico. There are two potential markets for FCs: (i) FC transportation; and (ii) stationary power plant for electrical production. In Mexico City, 3.2 million vehicles are in circulation and represent 19.5% (16.3 million) of the country's total vehicles, and 9.02 million of natural gas users are a potential market for acquiring stationary power generation by FC systems.

Social conflict in response to urban sprawl in rural areas: urban reconfiguration of the Mezquital valley as influence area of the megalopolis of Mexico City

OpenAIRE

Carrasco, Brisa; Cadena, Edel; Campos, Juan; Hinojosa, Raquel

2016-01-01

The urban sprawl of metropolitan areas involves complex processes of coexistence between urban and rural dynamics, the functional redefining of central urban areas and rural areas or urban-rural surrounding transition generates land conflicts. In this paper the context of Mexico City megalopolis and its expansion process, will be discussed in the new specialization of the central city to tertiary services and increasing the value of land, it has resulted in the expulsion of the industry and s...

Emission and chemistry of organic carbon in the gas and aerosol phase at a sub-urban site near Mexico City in March 2006 during the MILAGRO study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. A. de Gouw

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Volatile organic compounds (VOCs and carbonaceous aerosol were measured at a sub-urban site near Mexico City in March of 2006 during the MILAGRO study (Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Objectives. Diurnal variations of hydrocarbons, elemental carbon (EC and hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA were dominated by a high peak in the early morning when local emissions accumulated in a shallow boundary layer, and a minimum in the afternoon when the emissions were diluted in a significantly expanded boundary layer and, in case of the reactive gases, removed by OH. In comparison, diurnal variations of species with secondary sources such as the aldehydes, ketones, oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC stayed relatively high in the afternoon indicating strong photochemical formation. Emission ratios of many hydrocarbon species relative to CO were higher in Mexico City than in the U.S., but we found similar emission ratios for most oxygenated VOCs and organic aerosol. Secondary formation of acetone may be more efficient in Mexico City than in the U.S., due to higher emissions of alkane precursors from the use of liquefied petroleum gas. Secondary formation of organic aerosol was similar between Mexico City and the U.S. Combining the data for all measured gas and aerosol species, we describe the budget of total observed organic carbon (TOOC, and find that the enhancement ratio of TOOC relative to CO is conserved between the early morning and mid afternoon despite large compositional changes. Finally, the influence of biomass burning is investigated using the measurements of acetonitrile, which was found to correlate with levoglucosan in the particle phase. Diurnal variations of acetonitrile indicate a contribution from local burning sources. Scatter plots of acetonitrile versus CO suggest that the contribution of biomass burning to the enhancement of most gas and aerosol species was not dominant and perhaps

Emission and Chemistry of Organic Carbon in the Gas and Aerosol Phase at a Sub-Urban Site Near Mexico City in March 2006 During the MILAGRO Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

de Gouw, Joost A.; Welsh-Bon, Daniel; Warneke, Carsten; Kuster, W. C.; Alexander, M. L.; Baker, Angela K.; Beyersdorf, Andreas J.; Blake, D. R.; Canagaratna, Manjula R.; Celada, A. T.; Huey, L. G.; Junkermann, W.; Onasch, Timothy B.; Salcido, A.; Sjostedt, S. J.; Sullivan, Amy; Tanner, David J.; Vargas-Ortiz, Leroy; Weber, R. J.; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Yu, Xiao-Ying; Zaveri, Rahul A.

2009-05-28

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbonaceous aerosol were measured at a sub-urban site near Mexico City in March of 2006 during the MILAGRO study (Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Objectives). Diurnal variations of hydrocarbons, elemental carbon (EC) and hydrocarbon-like organic aerosol (HOA) were dominated by a high peak in the early morning when local emissions accumulated in a shallow boundary layer, and a minimum in the afternoon when the emissions were diluted in a significantly expanded boundary layer and, in case of the reactive gases, removed by OH. In comparison, diurnal variations of species with secondary sources such as the aldehydes, ketones, oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA) and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) stayed relatively high in the afternoon indicating strong photochemical formation. Emission ratios of many hydrocarbon species relative to CO were higher in Mexico City than in the U.S., but we found similar emission ratios for most oxygenated VOCs and organic aerosol. Secondary formation of acetone may be more efficient in Mexico City than in the U.S., due to higher emissions of alkane precursors from the use of liquefied petroleum gas. Secondary formation of organic aerosol was similar between Mexico City and the U.S. Combining the data for all measured gas and aerosol species, we describe the budget of total observed organic carbon (TOOC), and find that the enhancement ratio of TOOC relative to CO is conserved between the early morning and mid afternoon despite large compositional changes. Finally, the influence of biomass burning is investigated using the measurements of acetonitrile, which was found to correlate with levoglucosan in the particle phase. Diurnal variations of acetonitrile indicate a contribution from local burning sources. Scatter plots of acetonitrile versus CO suggest that the contribution of biomass burning to the enhancement of most gas and aerosol species was not dominant and perhaps not dissimilar

Factors Associated with Depression Among Mexican Americans Living in U.S.-Mexico Border and Non-Border Areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaeth, Patrice A C; Caetano, Raul; Mills, Britain A

2016-08-01

Factors associated with CES-D depression among Mexican Americans living on and off the U.S.-Mexico border are examined. Data are from two studies of Mexican American adults. The Border Survey conducted face-to-face interviews in urban U.S.-Mexico border counties of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas (N = 1307). The non-border HABLAS survey conducted face-to-face interviews in Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, and Miami (N = 1288). Both surveys used a multistage cluster sample design with response rates of 67 and 76 %, respectively. The multivariate analysis showed that border residence and higher perceived neighborhood collective efficacy were protective for depression among men. Among men, lower education, unemployment, increased weekly drinking, and poor health status were associated with depression. Among women, alcohol-related problems and poorer health status were also associated with depression. Further examinations of how neighborhood perceptions vary by gender and how these perceptions influence the likelihood of depression are warranted.

Concentration levels of radon in air, indoors and outdoors in houses of Mexico City

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pena Garcia, P.

1992-01-01

Concentration levels of radon in air, indoors and outdoors have been obtained in houses from Mexico City, with the purpose of relating them with the local environment. Measurements were performed both outdoors and indoors in 60 unifamiliar houses. Track detectors, LR-115, Type II, were used in several detection arrangements during four recording periods with times of exposure of three months each, with the purpose of analyzing the fluctuations due to seasonal changes. Data were obtained about the construction materials were the detection systems were located in order to establish a correlation of radon levels with the climatic parameters and the construction materials. The results of radon concentrations both indoors or outdoors were lower than the international recommendations (148 Bq/m 3 ) (Author)

Emissions inventory for the Mexico City Metropolitan Area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Figueroa, V.H.P.; Renteria, J.S. [Secretaria de Medio Ambiente, Col. Tiacopac San Angel (Mexico); Hernandez, C.G. [Departamento del Distrito Federal, Col. Centro (Mexico)] [and others

1996-12-31

The emissions inventory bears a broad relationship to the energy balance, reflecting the dependence of the emissions with reference to the use of energy. Actually the consumption of gasoline and diesel fuel in the transport sector represents collectively, the greatest comparative expense of energy and the major contributor of the ozone precursor pollutants HC, NO{sub x} and CO, relative to the total volume of emissions in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA). Also, the industrial sector introduces significant emissions of SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x} due to its energy consumption of fuel oils and natural gas. In contrast, the great majority of suspended particulate in the MCMA emanate from degradation processes of surface soil along the periphery of the urban zone. To the federal and local authorities charged with the design of strategies for prevention and control of atmospheric pollution, the emissions inventory is a strategic tool that reflects the relative intensity of the various emitters to the load capacity of the atmosphere. A comprehensive inventory was compiled for 1995, categorizing the emissions generated by four sectors: industry, services, transport and surface soils and vegetation, considering the following pollutants: TSP, SO{sub 2}, NO{sub x}, HC and CO. The combined pollutant emissions are 4,009,628 tons/year of which 3% are generated by the industry, 10% by the services sector, 75% by the transport sector, and 12% by surface soils and vegetation.

Service use among Mexico City adolescents with suicidality

Science.gov (United States)

Borges, Guilherme; Benjet, Corina; Medina-Mora, Maria Elena; Orozco, Ricardo; Familiar, Itziar; Nock, Matthew K.; Wang, Philip S.

2009-01-01

Background We report the lifetime and 12-month prevalence and associations of mental health treatment among Mexican adolescents with suicide-related outcomes (SROs; including ideation, plans, gestures and attempts). Methods A representative multistage probability household survey of 3005 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years residing in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area was carried out in 2005. Discrete time survival analyses were used to assess the relationships between SROs and receiving treatment for emotional, alcohol, or drug problems. Results The prevalence of lifetime service use among respondents with SROs was 35% for those with ideation only, 44% for those with ideation and plan, 49% for those with gesture and 50% for those with attempt; the prevalence of 12-month service use was 10%, 24%, 6% and 21%, respectively. Timing between onset of SRO and receiving treatment for emotional, alcohol, or drug problems showed that about 50% of adolescents will have contact with a service provider before developing any SRO. Healthcare professionals were the most likely to be consulted, followed by school-based programs. Limitations This survey was limited to adolescents living in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world and the analyses used data on retrospectively reported ages of onset that are subject to recall errors. Conclusions Most suicidal adolescents do not receive treatment, and many adolescents develop their suicidality in spite of prior contacts with service providers. Interventions to increase treatment, prevention, and monitoring are sorely needed for this vulnerable population. PMID:19411113

Surface albedo measurements in Mexico City metropolitan area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castro, T; Mar, B; Longoria, R; Ruiz Suarez, L. G [Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera, UNAM, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Morales, L [Instituto de Geografia, UNAM, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico)

2001-04-01

Optical and thermal properties of soils are important input data for the meteorological and photochemical modules of air quality models. As development of these models increase on spatial resolution good albedo data become more important. In this paper measurements of surface albedo of UV (295-385 nm) and visible (450-550 nm) radiation are reported for different urban and rural surfaces in the vicinity of Mexico City. It was found for the downtown zone and average albedo value of 0.05 which is in very good agreement with reported values for urban surfaces. Our albedo values measured in UV region for grey cement and green grass are of 0.10 and 0.009, respectively, and quite similar to those found at the literature of 0.11 and 0.008 for those type of surfaces. [Spanish] Las propiedades opticas y termicas de suelos son datos importantes para los modulos meteorologicos y fotoquimicos de los modelos de calidad del aire. Conforme aumenta la resolucion espacial del modelo se vuelve mas importante contar con buenos datos de albedo. En este articulo se presentan mediciones de albedo superficial de radiacion Ultravioleta (295-385 nm) y visible (450-550 nm) para diferentes superficies urbanas. Los valores medidos de albedo en la region UV para cemento gris y pasto verde son de 0.10 y 0.009, respectivamente, y son muy similares a los reportados en la literatura, 0.11 y 0.008 para este tipo de superficies.

La ciudad de México a través de cuatro cuentos / Mexico City as seen through four short stories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofía Tierno Tejera

2011-01-01

Full Text Available RESUMEN: Desde el siglo XIX hasta nuestros días, la ciudad se ha convertido en protagonista de innumerables relatos. A través de cuatro cuentos sobre la ciudad de México, que abarcan desde finales del siglo XIX hasta mediados del siglo XX, analizo cómo el crecimiento de la urbe ha ido acompasado con la transformación de los temas y de las técnicas narrativas de los relatos sobre esta gran metrópoli. ABSTRACT: From the nineteenth century to today, the city has become the leading character in countless narratives. Through four short stories about Mexico City, which were written between the end of the nineteenth century and the mid fifties, I analyse how the growth of the city has run parallel to the transformation of the themes and the narrative techniques in stories about this great metropolis.

Using ground-based solar and lunar infrared spectroscopy to study the diurnal trend of carbon monoxide in the Mexico City boundary layer

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W. Stremme

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Carbon monoxide (CO is an important pollutant in urban agglomerations. Quantifying the total burden of this pollutant in a megacity is challenging because not only its surface concentration but also its vertical dispersion present different behaviours and high variability. The diurnal trend of columnar CO in the boundary layer of Mexico City has been measured during various days with ground-based infrared absorption spectroscopy. Daytime CO total columns are retrieved from solar spectra and for the first time, nocturnal CO total columns using moonlight have been retrieved within a megacity. The measurements were taken at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM campus located in Mexico City (19.33° N, 99.18° W, 2260 m a.s.l. from October 2007 until February 2008 with a Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer at 0.5 cm⁻¹ resolution. The atmospheric CO background column was measured from the high altitude site Altzomoni (19.12° N, 98.65° W, 4010 m a.s.l. located 60 km southeast of Mexico City. The total CO column within the city presents large variations. Fresh CO emissions at the surface, the transport of cleaner or more polluted air masses within the field-of-view of the instrument and other processes contribute to this variability. The mean background value above the boundary mixing layer was found to be (8.4±0.5×10¹⁷ molecules/cm², while inside the city, the late morning mean on weekdays and Sundays was found to be (2.73±0.41×10¹⁸ molecules/cm² and (2.04±0.57×10¹⁸ molecules/cm², respectively. Continuous CO column retrieval during the day and night (when available, in conjunction with surface CO measurements, allow for a reconstruction of the effective mixing layer height. The limitations from this simplified approach, as well as the potential of using continuous column measurements in order to derive top-down CO emissions from a large urban area

Improving the Neighborhood Environment for Urban Older Adults: Social Context and Self-Rated Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathis, Arlesia; Rooks, Ronica; Kruger, Daniel

2015-12-22

By 2030, older adults will account for 20% of the U.S. Over 80% of older adults live in urban areas. This study examines associations between neighborhood environment and self-rated health (SRH) among urban older adults. We selected 217 individuals aged 65+ living in a deindustrialized Midwestern city who answered questions on the 2009 Speak to Your Health survey. The relationship between neighborhood environment and self-rated health (SRH) was analyzed using regression and GIS models. Neighborhood variables included social support and participation, perceived racism and crime. Additional models included actual crime indices to compare differences between perceived and actual crime. Seniors who have poor SRH are 21% more likely to report fear of crime than seniors with excellent SRH (p = 0.01). Additional analyses revealed Black seniors are 7% less likely to participate in social activities (p = 0.005) and 4% more likely to report experiencing racism (p older adults living in urban neighborhoods, studies such as this one are important for well-being among seniors. Mitigating environmental influences in the neighborhood which are associated with poor SRH may allow urban older adults to maintain health and reduce disability.

[The clinico-epidemiological characteristics of cholera patients in Mexico City].

Science.gov (United States)

Vilchis-Guizar, A E; Uribe-Márquez, S; Pérez-Sánchez, P L

1999-01-01

To compare the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of cholera patients and patients with diarrhea of different etiology (controls), treated at Mexican Institute of Social Security medical units in northeast Mexico City, from 1995 to 1998. Cross-sectional analytical study design. Data were collected using the official form "Immediate Notification of Cholera Cases" that each medical unit reports to the Coordination of Community Health. Statistical analysis consisted of comparisons of means and proportions between both groups. In 4,952 notifications, there were 588 cholera cases and 4,364 controls. The age range of cases was 39 to 51 years and 54% were females. During 1995 and 1997 (years with higher proportion of cases) patients with cholera had a greater frequency of watery evacuations than controls (97% vs. 73%), "rice water" appearance (31% vs. 13%), vomiting (72% vs. 63%), muscular spasms (49% vs. 26%), dehydration (83% vs. 71%), hypovolemic shock (10% vs. 1%) and death (0.85% vs. 0.25%). These differences were statistically significant. Cholera presents a biannual cyclic behavior; greater frequencies are associated with greater severity and complications. It is necessary to increase epidemiologic surveillance and medical efforts for opportune diagnosis and treatment.

Assessing Vulnerability to Heat: A Geospatial Analysis for the City of Philadelphia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Barron

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Urban heat island (UHI effect is an increasingly prominent health and environmental hazard that is linked to urbanization and climate change. Greening reduces the negative impacts of UHI; trees specifically are the most effective in ambient temperature reduction. This paper investigates vulnerability to heat in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and identifies where street trees can be planted as a public intervention. We used geospatial information systems (GIS software to map a validated Heat Vulnerability Index to identify vulnerability at the block level. Using a high-low geospatial cluster analysis, we assessed where the City of Philadelphia can most effectively plant street trees to address UHI. This information was then aggregated to the neighborhood level for more effective citizen communication and policymaking. We identified that 26 of 48 (54% neighborhoods that were vulnerable to heat also lacked street trees. Of 158 Philadelphia neighborhoods, 63 (40% contained block groups of high vulnerability to either heat or street tree infrastructure. Neighborhoods that were ranked highest in both classifications were identified in two adjacent West Philadelphia neighborhoods. Planting street trees is a public service a city can potentially reduce the negative health impacts of UHI. GIS can be used to identify and recommend street tree plantings to reduce urban heat.

Ozone concentrations at a selected high-elevation forest site downwind Mexico City

Science.gov (United States)

Torres-JArdon, R.

2013-05-01

Torres-Jardón, R.*, Rosas-Pérez, I., Granada-Macías, L. M., Ruiz-Suárez, L. G. Centro de Ciencias de la Atmósfera, UNAM, México D. F. México * rtorres@unam.mx For many years, the vegetation of forest species such as Abies religiosa in natural parks located in the southwest mountains of Mexico City has attracted much attention since these parks have been experiencing a severe decline of unclear etiology. The high ozone levels in the area and the observed naked eye macroscopic, histological and cytological injuries on these species, strongly suggest an important contribution of tropospheric ozone to this deterioration process. Apart of historical short monitoring campaigns for measuring ozone levels in these mountains, it is known just a little is known about the present exposure levels at which the local vegetation is exposed. A continuous ozone analyzer has been in operation since 2011 at a high-elevation forest site (Parque Nacional Miguel Hidalgo, PNMH; 3110 m above mean sea level) located downwind of Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA), in order to characterize the local ozone diel amplitude and its seasonal trend, as well as the influence of MCMA on the local O3 concentrations. Hourly average ozone data in PNMH shows that in general, the diel of ozone concentrations in the forest site has a statistical significant correlation with the pattern of ozone levels observed in several monitoring sites (smog receptor sites) within the MCMA, although the high elevation O3 levels are relatively lower than those in the urban area (around 2200 m above mean sea level). It is possible that a part of the oxidants in the air masses are removed by sink deposition processes during the air mass transport across the hills. The diel amplitude of ozone concentrations is small in the cold season, increasing as the seasons advance to June. As in the city, the highest ozone concentrations occur in April or May and the lowest levels during the rainy season, which extends from

Acceso universal al Programa de VIH/SIDA de la Ciudad de México: resultados a seis años Universal access, six years results in the Mexico City HIV/AIDS Program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen Soler Claudín

2009-02-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Analizar los resultados del Programa de Medicamentos Antirretrovirales Gratuitos del Programa de VIH/SIDA de la Ciudad de México (PVSCM en la población afectada del Distrito Federal. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se sistematizaron y analizaron datos de la Coordinación del PVSCM sobre atención médica, tratamiento antirretroviral (ARV y resultados de laboratorio especializado en un análisis retrospectivo del periodo 2001-2006, para evaluar su efecto en los pacientes atendidos. RESULTADOS. Se incluyen datos de 5 146 pacientes que recibieron tratamiento ARV. Al final del periodo, 74% de ellos permanecía vigente, 12.1% se perdió en el seguimiento y 13.9% había fallecido. CONCLUSIONES: En el Distrito Federal, durante el periodo evaluado se logró la ampliación de cobertura, eficacia en el tratamiento ARV e incremento de la sobrevida de los pacientes.OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of the Free Antiretroviral Medication Program of the Mexico City HIV/AIDS Program among the affected population in Mexico City. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of medical attention, antiretroviral treatment and specialized laboratory results data from 2001 to 2006 from patients who sought services from the Mexico City HIV/AIDS Program. RESULTS: Data from 5 146 patients who were undergoing ARV are presented. At the end of the period studied, 74% were current, 12.2% were not found for follow-up and 13.9% had died. CONCLUSIONS: During the period evaluated, wider coverage was achieved in Mexico City as well as increased efficiency in ARV treatment and increased patient survival.

Socio-Environmental Health Analysis in Nogales, Sonora, Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Norman, Laura M; Caldeira, Felipe; Callegary, James; Gray, Floyd; O' Rourke, Mary Kay; Meranza, Veronica; Van Rijn, Saskia

2012-06-01

In Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, some neighborhoods, or colonias, have intermittent delivery of water through pipes from the city of Nogales's municipal water-delivery system while other areas lack piped water and rely on water delivered by truck or pipas. This research examined how lifestyles, water quality, and potential disease response, such as diarrhea, differs seasonally from a colonia with access to piped water as opposed to one using alternative water-delivery systems. Water samples were collected from taps or spigots at homes in two Nogales colonias. One colonia reflected high socio-environmental conditions where residents are supplied with municipal piped water (Colonia Lomas de Fatima); the second colonia reflected low socio-environmental conditions, lacking access to piped water and served by pipas (Colonia Luis Donaldo Colosio). A survey was developed and implemented to characterize perceptions of water quality, health impacts, and quality of life. Water samples were analyzed for microbial and inorganic water-quality parameters known to impact human health including, Escherichia coli (E. coli), total coliform bacteria, arsenic, and lead. A total of 21 households agreed to participate in the study (14 in Colosio and 7 in Fatima). In both colonias metal concentrations from water samples were all well below the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (US EPA's) maximum contaminant levels. E. coli concentrations exceeded the US EPA's drinking-water standard in Colosio but not Fatima. Total coliform bacteria were present in over 50 % of households in both colonias. Microbial contamination was significantly higher in the summer than in the winter in both colonias. Resulting analysis suggests that residents in colonias without piped water are at a greater risk of gastrointestinal illness from consumption of compromised drinking water. Our survey corroborated reports of gastrointestinal illness in the summer months but not in the winter. Chloride was found

Cities, Towns, Villages with 1990 Census Population (GNIS)

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — This data set contains points for 1600 populated places, cities and towns, in New Mexico. The points were generated from latitude and longitude coordinates contained...

Counting Calories: Resident Perspectives on Calorie Labeling in New York City

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Cynthia; Hayes, Roger

2012-01-01

Objective: The present study investigates consumer responses to New York City's 2008 calorie labeling regulation in 2 lower-income neighborhoods of New York City. Methods: Focus groups were conducted, and 34 fast-food consumers participated. Group summaries and descriptive and analytic depictions of group responses and interactions were developed…

A Picture of the Healthful Food Environment in Two Diverse Urban Cities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca E. Lee