Disentangling the drivers of urban bird diversity in the non-breeding season: A general synthesis.

Current knowledge about the impacts of urbanisation on bird assemblages is based on evidence from studies partly or wholly undertaken in the breeding season. In comparison, the non-breeding season remains little studied, despite the fact that winter conditions at higher latitudes are changing more rapidly than other seasons. During the non-breeding season, cities may attract or retain bird species because they offer milder conditions or better feeding opportunities than surrounding habitats. However, the range of climatic, ecological and anthropogenic mechanisms shaping different facets of urban bird diversity in the non-breeding season are poorly understood. We explored these mechanisms using structural equation modelling to assess how urbanisation affects the taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity of avian assemblages sampled worldwide in the non-breeding season. We found that minimum temperature, elevation, urban area and city age played a critical role in determining taxonomic diversity while a range of factors-including productivity, precipitation, elevation, distance to coasts and rivers, socio-economic (as a proxy of human facilitation) and road density-each contributed to patterns of phylogenetic and functional diversity. The structure and function of urban bird assemblages appear to be predominantly shaped by temperature, productivity and city age, with effects of these factors differing across seasons. Our results underline the importance of considering multiple hypotheses, including seasonal effects, when evaluating the impacts of urbanisation on biodiversity.

Urban air pollution evaluation in downtown streets of a medium-sized Latin American city using AERMOD dispersion model.

The transport sector is considered the largest contributor of air pollutants in urban areas, mainly on-road vehicles, affecting the environment and human health. Bahía Blanca is a medium-sized Latin American city, with high levels of traffic in the downtown area during peak hours. In this regard, it is necessary to analyze air pollution using an air quality model considering that there are no air pollutant measurements in the central area. Furthermore, this type of study has not been carried out in the region and since the city is expected to grow, it is necessary to evaluate the current situation in order to make effective future decisions. In this sense, the AERMOD model (US-EPA version) and the RLINE source type were used in this work. This study analyzes the variations of pollutant concentrations coming from mobile sources in Bahía Blanca's downtown area, particularly carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) during the period Jul-2020 to Jun-2022. It is interesting to note the results show the maximum concentration values detected are not directly associated with maximum levels of vehicle flow or emission rates, which highlights the importance of meteorological parameters in the modeling. In addition, alternative scenarios are proposed and analyzed from a sustainable approach. Regarding the scenario analysis, it can be concluded that diesel vehicles have a large influence on NOx emissions. Moreover, restrictions as strict as those proposed for a Low Emission Zone would be less applicable in the city than alternative temporary measures that modify traffic at peak hours.

Comparative evaluation of two lures to attract female mosquitoes in an urban natural reserve during daytime.

The most widely used attractant to capture adult female mosquitoes is CO2. However, there are also baits available on the market that emit a scent resembling human skin. These baits were specifically designed to attract highly anthropophilic species such as Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti. In this study, we compare the effectiveness of CDC traps baited either with CO2 or with a commercial blend simulating skin odor, BG-Sweetscent, for trapping female mosquitoes during daylight hours in an urban reserve in the City of Buenos Aires. We employed a hurdle generalized linear mixed model to analyze trap capture probability and the number of mosquitoes captured per hour, considering the effects of attractant, mosquito species, and their interaction. Traps baited with CO2 captured ten mosquito species, while those baited with BG-Sweetscent captured six in overall significantly lower abundance. The odds of capturing mosquitoes were 292% higher for the CO2-baited traps than for those baited with BG-Sweetscent. No evidence of a combined effect of attractant type and species on female mosquito captures per hour was found. Results indicated that CDC traps baited with CO2 were more effective than those baited with BG-Sweetscent in capturing more mosquito species and a higher number of mosquitoes within each species, even if the species captured with CO2 exhibited a certain level of anthropophilia. This result has practical implications for mosquito surveillance and control in urban natural reserves.

Destinos e distâncias da caminhada recreativa e utilitária: estudo empírico na cidade de Londrina-Paraná / Destinations and distances of recreational and utilitarian walking: empirical study in the city of Londrina-Paraná

Pesquisas indicam correlatos ambientais distintos para caminhada utilitária e recreativa. Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar locais, destinos e distância percorrida em caminhadas recreativas e uti-litárias, e comparar espacialmente a percepção sobre os locais caminhados. Para isso, foi realizado um estudo observacional transversal, conduzido em Londrina, Brasil. Os dados foram coletados através de questionário aplicado na plataforma Survey123, que contemplou pessoas maiores de 18 anos que reportassem ao menos uma rota de caminhada realizada no município de Londrina. A análise dos deslocamentos reportados foi feita pela estimativa de densidade de Kernele as distâncias de cami-nhada foram analisadas através do coeficiente de correlação ponto-bisserial ­ rpb. A espacialização dos dados perceptivos, obtidos através do questionário Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale­ NEWS, foi realizada pela identificação de agrupamentos significativos através do indicador Gi*. A amostra totalizou 182 participantes e 305 deslocamentos a pé, dos quais, 61 classificados como ca-minhada recreativa e 244 como utilitária. Os locais de maior densidade de deslocamentos recreativos possuem ampla infraestrutura para pedestres, enquanto os de concentração de deslocamentos utili-tários são caracterizados pela diversidade de uso do solo. A caminhada recreativa registrou distância média de 3.955,3 ± 2.503,5m sendo que, para a caminhada utilitária, a média foi 1.247,0 ± 1.034,0m. A correlação ponto-bisserial obteve rpb = 0,611 e p<0,001, moderada a forte, indicando correlação po-sitiva entre a realização de viagens recreativas e uma maior distância média de caminhada. A pesquisa contribui para a investigação do comportamento de caminhada pela associação de variáveis objetivas e subjetivas e pela captura dos trajetos de deslocamento a pé.

Studies indicate distinct environmental correlates for utilitarian and recreational walking. This study aimed to identify the locations, destinations and the distance traveled in recreational and utilitarian walks, and to compare spatially the perception about the walked places. To achieve this, a cross-sectional observational study was conducted in Londrina, Brazil. Data was collected through a questionnaire applied on the Survey123 platform, including people aged 18 or over that reported at least one walking route performed in Londrina. The route analysis was made by Kernel density estimation and walking distances were analyzed through the point-bisserial correlation coefficient - rpb. The spatialization of perception data, obtained through the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale - NEWS form, was performed by identifying significant clus-ters through the Gi* indicator. The sample totaled 182 participants who reported 305 walk routes, of which 61 were classified as recreational walking and 244 as utilitarian. The places of higher recreational walking density have ample infrastructure for pedestrians, and the places with utilitarian walking concentration are characterized by the diversity of land use. Recreational walking recorded mean distance of 3.955.3 ± 2.503.5m, and for utilitarian walking, the average was 1.247.0 ± 1.034.0m. The point-bisserial correlation obtained rpb = 0.611 and p<0.001, moderate to strong, indicating a positive correlation between recreational trips and a greater average walking distance. This research contributes to the investigation of walking behav-ior through the association of objective and subjective variables and through the capture of walking routes.

Sleep Quality, Nutrient Intake, and Social Development Index Predict Metabolic Syndrome in the Tlalpan 2020 Cohort: A Machine Learning and Synthetic Data Study.

This study investigated the relationship between Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), sleep disorders, the consumption of some nutrients, and social development factors, focusing on gender differences in an unbalanced dataset from a Mexico City cohort. We used data balancing techniques like SMOTE and ADASYN after employing machine learning models like random forest and RPART to predict MetS. Random forest excelled, achieving significant, balanced accuracy, indicating its robustness in predicting MetS and achieving a balanced accuracy of approximately 87%. Key predictors for men included body mass index and family history of gout, while waist circumference and glucose levels were most significant for women. In relation to diet, sleep quality, and social development, metabolic syndrome in men was associated with high lactose and carbohydrate intake, educational lag, living with a partner without marrying, and lack of durable goods, whereas in women, best predictors in these dimensions include protein, fructose, and cholesterol intake, copper metabolites, snoring, sobbing, drowsiness, sanitary adequacy, and anxiety. These findings underscore the need for personalized approaches in managing MetS and point to a promising direction for future research into the interplay between social factors, sleep disorders, and metabolic health, which mainly depend on nutrient consumption by region.

Smart cities and innovative urban management: Perspectives of integrated technological solutions in urban environments.

The increasing urbanization in a poorly planned way accentuates the imbalance between the population's needs and the organized development in urban spaces. The present study is based on the development of a situational diagnosis in the scope of a smart city, for the contextualization of potential opportunities for actions and innovation strategies in urban spaces. This article presents a literature overview covering the innovative actions developed in the scope of smart cities in scientific publications. Furthermore, the scope of the study is identifying innovation initiatives in the performance of actions and solutions for urban spaces. A literature review was developed supported by mappings, couplings, and diagrams, through the use of VOSViewer and SciMat software, and 115 articles were selected and analyzed, considering the articles based on the criterion of the coefficient of the number of citations concerning the year of publication. In the literature overview developed, it was found that the research within the scope of smart cities has been deepened over the years, with the evolution of the number of words related to the theme in the period from 2014 to 2021, as the advance in the number of publications from 2018 is noticeable, which highlights the increase in popularity regarding the topic, as well as its current relevance. The study identified thematic axes with an emphasis on technology and innovation, environment, urbanism, energy, governance, mobility, and accessibility. The results contributed by assembling innovative smart city actions and practices in an interrelated way with technology, innovation, and market-oriented constructs aimed to reach urban demands, as well as the development of innovative solutions between public institutions and business organizations to integrate urban spaces.

Os jovens e suas práticas de lazer: um olhar diante os decretos da PBH / Young people and their leisure practices: a look at the PBH Decree

O vírus da Covid-19 afetou de diversas formas a população mundial e, com isso, surgiu a necessidade da implementação de medidas sanitárias para evitar sua propagação. Em Belo Horizonte, essas medidas vieram por meio de decretos municipais, que proibiram o funcionamento de serviços considerados não essenciais. A partir desse momento, os jovens acostumados a frequentar bares, festas, shoppings ­ lugares que geram intensa aglomeração ­ se depararam com uma situação inusitada, sendo obrigados a adaptarem suas práticas à rotina do lar. Com o intuito de compreender melhor essas mudanças, realizamos um estudo que analisa os impactos da pandemia nas práticas de lazer desses jovens. Por meio de um questionário aplicado em diversos pontos de lazer da cidade, conseguimos observar como as práticas de lazer dos jovens foram afetadas pela pandemia. Esses resultados enfatizam a importância da adaptabilidade e resiliência dos jovens diante novos desafios.

The Covid-19 virus has affected the global population in various ways, leading to the need for the implementation of sanitary measures to prevent its spread. In Belo Horizonte, these measures came through municipal decrees, which banned the operation of non-essential services. From that moment on, young people accustomed to frequenting bars, parties, and malls ­ places that generate intense crowding ­ found themselves in an unusual situation, being forced to adapt their practices to home life. In order to better understand these changes, we conducted a study analyzing the impacts of the pandemic on the leisure practices of these young people. Through a questionnaire applied at various leisure points in the city, we were able to observe how the leisure practices of young people were affected by the pandemic. These results emphasize the importance of adaptability and resilience of young people in face of new challenges.

Speed limits and their effect on air pollution in Mexico City: A quasi-experimental study.

Speed limits are an evidence-based intervention to prevent traffic collisions and deaths, yet their impact on air pollution in cities is understudied. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between lower speed limits and air pollution. We leverage the introduction of a new road safety policy in Mexico City in December 2015 which lowered speed limits, increased fines, and installed speed radars to enforce compliance. We tested whether the policy had an impact on particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at the city level, and whether air-quality monitoring stations' proximity to speed radars moderated this effect due to more acceleration and deceleration around radars. NO2 and PM2.5 concentrations from January 2014 to December 2018 were obtained from the National System of Air Quality Information. Air-quality monitoring stations were classified as in close-proximity or far-from-speed radars. Interrupted time series analyses were conducted for each outcome separately, using linear mixed models and adjusting for seasonality and time-varying confounders: registered vehicles, temperature, wind-speed and relative humidity. The results suggest improvement in both contaminants after the speed limits policy. For NO2, the pre-policy trend was flat, while the post-policy trend showed a decline in concentrations of 0.04 ppb/week. For PM2.5, concentrations were increasing pre-policy by 0.08 µg/m3 per week, then this trend flattened in the post-policy period to a weekly, non-significant, increase of 0.03 µg/m3 (p = 0.08). Air-quality monitors' proximity to speed radars did not moderate the effect of the policy on either of the pollutants. In conclusion, the speed limits policy implemented in Mexico City in 2015 was associated with improvements in air pollution.

Analysis of 26 STR loci (PowerPlex® Fusion 6C System) in a mestizo population from Mexico city.

BACKGROUND: Short tandem repeats (STRs) are the most widely used genetic markers in forensic genetics. Therefore, it is essential to document genetic population data of new kits designed for human identification purposes to enable laboratories to use these genetic systems to interpret and solve forensic casework. However, in Mexico, there are no studies with the PowerPlex Fusion 6C System, which includes 26 STRs (23 autosomal STRs and 3 Y-STRs). METHODS AND RESULTS: 600 DNA samples from Mexico City were subjected to genotyping using the PowerPlex Fusion 6C System. For autosomal STRs, 312 different alleles were observed. Combined PE and PD were 99.999999809866% and 99.99999999999999999999999818795%, respectively. Genetic distances and AMOVA test showed low but significant differentiation between Mexican populations. CONCLUSIONS: The results reported in this work demonstrate the efficacy of this system for human identification purposes in the population studied and justify its possible application in other Mexican Mestizo populations.

A cidade não pode parar: a Maratona do Rio de Janeiro em 2020 na era da pandemia / The city cannot stop: the Rio de Janeiro Marathon in the era of the pandemic / La ville ne peut pas s'arrêter: le Marathon de Rio de Janeiro à l'ère de la pandémie

Neste artigo, iremos apresentar como ocorreu a edição virtual da Maratona do Rio de Janeiro em 2020, ainda sem autorizações sanitárias para a realização de grandes eventos. Para isso, analisaremos o Guia do corredor, apresentado aos corredores na época. A competição é realizada por meio de uso de aplicativos, mas o atleta é estimulado a correr com o slogan "Não correr nunca foi uma opção". Abordamos os conceitos de necrodemografia e necropolítica. Entende-se que a Maratona do Rio pratica uma espécie de necropolíti-ca ao organizar a competição em pleno período pandêmico do Brasil, apesar de valorizar a paisagem da rua em suas plataformas comunicacionais.

In this article, we will present how the virtual edition of the Rio de Janeiro Marathon took place in 2020 in the middle of the pandemic, still without health permits to hold major events. For this, we will analyze the Runner's Guide presented to the runners at the time. The competition is carried out using applications, but the athlete is encouraged to run with the slogan "Not running was never an option". We approach the concepts of necrodemography and necropolitics. It is understood that the Rio Marathon practices a kind of necropolitics when organizing the competition in the middle of the pandemic period in Brazil, despite valuing the street landscape in its communication platforms.

Dans cet article, nous allons vous présenter comment s'est déroulée l'édition virtuelle du Marathon de Rio de Janeiro en 2020, toujours sans autorisations sanitaires pour les grands événements. Pour cela, nous analyserons le Guide du marathonien, présenté aux marathoniens à l'époque. La compétition se déroule à l'aide d'applications, mais l'athlète est encouragé à courir avec le slogan "Ne pas courir n'a jamais été une option". Nous abordons les concepts de nécrodémographie et de nécropolitique. Il est entendu que le Marathon de Rio pratique une sorte de nécropolitique en organisant la compétition en pleine pandémie au Brésil, malgré la valorisation du paysage de rue dans ses plateformes de communication.

Gentrification and access to housing in Mexico City during 2000 to 2022.

We conducted a spatial and temporal analysis of housing patterns in Mexico City by utilizing an extensive database of 16,000 prices for flats and houses, covering the period from 2000 to 2022. Our findings reveal a striking trend: The average housing prices have quadrupled over a 20-y period, without considering inflation. In contrast, the per capita labor income of Mexican citizens has declined relative to inflation. As a result, the average family encountered four times greater challenges in accessing housing in 2015 as compared to 2005. Furthermore, our research demonstrates that areas that have undergone significant gentrification or super-gentrification contribute to a widespread increase in land value on neighboring zones, leading to the emergence of clusters of highly expensive neighborhoods.

Geographical approach analysis of the impact of air pollution on newborn intrauterine growth and cord blood DNA damage in Mexico City.

BACKGROUND: Few epidemiologic studies have focused on the specific source of ambient air pollution and adverse health effects in early life. Here, we investigated whether air pollutants from different emission sources were associated with decreased birth anthropometry parameters and increased DNA adduct formation in mother-child pairs residing in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA). METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 190 pregnant women recruited during their last trimester of pregnancy from two hospitals at MCMA, and a Modeling Emissions Inventory (MEI) to calculate exposure to ambient air pollutants from different emissions sources (area, point, mobile, and natural) for two geographical buffers 250 and 750 m radii around the participants households. RESULTS: Contaminants were positively correlated with umbilical cord blood (UCB) adducts, but not with maternal blood (MB) adducts. PM10 emissions (area and point sources, overall emissions), PM2.5 (point sources), volatile organic compounds (VOC), total organic compounds (TOC) from point sources were positively correlated with UCB adducts. Air pollutants emitted from natural sources were correlated with a decrease in MB and UCB adducts. PM10 and PM2.5 were correlated (p < 0.05) with a decrease in birth weight (BW), birth length (BL) and gestational age at term (GA). In multivariate analyses adjusted for potential confounders, PM10 was associated with an increase in UCB adducts. PM10 and PM2.5 from overall emissions were associated with a decrease in BW, BL and GA at term. IMPACT: Results suggested higher susceptibility of newborns compared to mothers to damage related to ambient air pollution. PMs are associated with birth anthropometry parameters and DNA damage in adjusted models, highlighting the need for more strict regulation of PM emissions.

Dataset of conditions and characteristics of street vendors located in public spaces in Colombia.

The objective of this document is to introduce the datasets and the methods for accessing them, derived from the article "Social, commercial, and economic diversity. Poverty and expectations among street vendors in Florencia, Caquetá, Colombia." These datasets aim to provide insights into the conditions and characteristics of street vending in Colombia. The data collection process involved both mapping and personal surveys conducted on 190 street vendors. Additionally, practical recommendations are provided for tailoring the implementation of each survey instrument based on the specific attributes of the study's target demographic. The collected data holds the potential for comparative and longitudinal analyses, not only within different Colombian cities but also in cities worldwide facing similar circumstances to those of intermediate cities like Florencia. These datasets offer a valuable resource for understanding the dynamics of street vending and its implications, fostering more comprehensive research and informed policymaking.

SARSCoV-2 antibody prevalence and titers in persons living with HIV cared for at a large tertiary reference center in Mexico City.

OBJECTIVE: To assess SARS-CoV-2 antibody prevalence and titers in people living with HIV (PLWHIV) on antiretroviral treatment (ART) enrolled at a tertiary reference hospital in Mexico. METHODS: Two plasma aliquots per person, used for HIV viral load follow-up between 01/2020 and 09/2021, were used to assess total anti-N and neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Sociodemographic, clinical, and SARS-CoV-2 exposure risk information were collected. The risk associated with SARS-CoV-2 exposure and associations with antibody titers were analyzed with logistic, Cox, and linear multivariable models. RESULTS: 803 PLWHIV participated; 233 had detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (prevalent cases), and 132 seroconverted (incident cases). Overall, the adjusted prevalence was 46.45%, with an incidence rate of 3.78 cases/100 person-months. Factors associated with prevalent cases included lower age, location (western zone of Mexico City and the neighboring Mexico State), use of public transport, attendance at meetings without social distancing, and higher CD4 + T cell counts (p < 0.05; multivariable logistic model). BNT162b2 vaccination reduced incident cases (Cox adjusted HR = 0.4; p = 0.013). Notably, previously infected and vaccinated individuals showed maximization of neutralizing activity (p < 0.001). No associations between SARS-CoV-2 neutralization and HIV-related variables (CD4 + T cell counts, viral load, number of years in viral suppression, ART regimen) were found in multivariable analysis. CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 infection was associated with community risk rather than HIV-associated variables in PLWH on ART and clinical follow-up. Antibody neutralization activity in vaccinated participants was maximized with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection.

A machine learning approach to personalized predictors of dyslipidemia: a cohort study.

Introduction: Mexico ranks second in the global prevalence of obesity in the adult population, which increases the probability of developing dyslipidemia. Dyslipidemia is closely related to cardiovascular diseases, which are the leading cause of death in the country. Therefore, developing tools that facilitate the prediction of dyslipidemias is essential for prevention and early treatment. Methods: In this study, we utilized a dataset from a Mexico City cohort consisting of 2,621 participants, men and women aged between 20 and 50 years, with and without some type of dyslipidemia. Our primary objective was to identify potential factors associated with different types of dyslipidemia in both men and women. Machine learning algorithms were employed to achieve this goal. To facilitate feature selection, we applied the Variable Importance Measures (VIM) of Random Forest (RF), XGBoost, and Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM). Additionally, to address class imbalance, we employed Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE) for dataset resampling. The dataset encompassed anthropometric measurements, biochemical tests, dietary intake, family health history, and other health parameters, including smoking habits, alcohol consumption, quality of sleep, and physical activity. Results: Our results revealed that the VIM algorithm of RF yielded the most optimal subset of attributes, closely followed by GBM, achieving a balanced accuracy of up to 80%. The selection of the best subset of attributes was based on the comparative performance of classifiers, evaluated through balanced accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity metrics. Discussion: The top five features contributing to an increased risk of various types of dyslipidemia were identified through the machine learning technique. These features include body mass index, elevated uric acid levels, age, sleep disorders, and anxiety. The findings of this study shed light on significant factors that play a role in dyslipidemia development, aiding in the early identification, prevention, and treatment of this condition.

Five-year airborne pollen calendar for a Sonoran Desert city and the relationships with meteorological variability.

Aerobiological studies are still scarce in northwestern Mexico where allergenic pollen have great impacts on health. Current global pollution and climate change problems are closely related to many allergic diseases, enhancing the need to continue researching these issues and improve life quality. This study provides the first Pollen Calendar for Hermosillo, Sonora, México. Airborne pollen were continuously collected for 5 years (2015-2019). The standardized methodology with a Hirst-type spore trap proposed for global aerobiological studies was used. Weather data were also taken from a station located in the city and used to explore correlations between climate and airborne pollen concentrations in different seasons. The most important pollen taxa recorded in air belongs to herbaceous pollen, such as Poaceae, Ambrosia, Asteraceae, Chenopodiaceae-Amaranthaceae, and some shrub trees typical of this arid region, such as Nyctaginaceae, Prosopis, Parkinsonia, and Fabaceae. The most critical herbaceous pollen related to allergies have a long mean pollen season throughout the years, and the most critical periods with high pollen concentration in air occur in two seasons, spring (March-April) and summer-fall (August-October). In these 5 years, the correlation analyses for these two peaks indicate that a link exists between pollen in the air and decreases in precipitation and temperatures, and an increase in relative humidity. An inter-annual variability in pollen concentrations was recorded related to different weather conditions. Although pollen calendars are location-specific, they are useful for future research on biological air quality scenarios in different cities. Using this standardized method for other regions can provide pollen calendars that have been proven clinically important in allergic disease management worldwide.

Smoke emissions from biomass burning in Central Mexico and their impact on air quality in Mexico City: May 2019 case study.

Smoke emissions from biomass burning considerably influence regional and local air quality. Many natural wildfires and agricultural burns occur annually in Central Mexico during the hot, dry season (March to May), potentially leading to air quality problems. Nevertheless, the impact of these biomass burning emissions on Mexico City's air quality has not been investigated in depth. This study examines a severely deteriorated air quality case from 11 to 16 May 2019, during which fine particle concentrations (PM2.5) exceeded the 99th percentile of the available official dataset (2005-2019). Specifically, this work aims to highlight the role of fires and regional pollution in the severe episode observed in Mexico City, identifying the fires that were the sources of regional pollution, the type of fuel burned in those fires, and the dominant atmospheric transport pattern. Biomass burning emissions were calculated for different land cover types using satellite data from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). PM2.5 increased by a factor of 2 at some monitoring sites, and ozone concentration increased to 40 % in Mexico City during the poor air quality episode. Our results indicate that over 50 % of the fire activity observed during the 2019 fire season was concentrated in May in Central Mexico. The burning activity was mainly seen over shrubland and forest between 10 and 15 May. Moreover, the fire radiative power analysis indicates that most energy was associated with burning shrubland and forests. Organic carbon emissions were estimated highest on 14 and 15 May, coinciding with the largest number of fires. Back trajectory analysis indicates that enhanced concentration of air pollutants in Mexico City originated from biomass burning detected in neighboring states: Guerrero, Michoacán, and the State of Mexico. Smoke from fires on the specific vegetation cover was advected into Mexico City and contributed to the bad air quality episode. Further meteorological analysis evidenced that the fire intensity and emissions were worsened by low humidity and the late onset of the rainy season in Central Mexico.

15-min Cities: the Potential of a Medium-Sized Polycentric Latin American City.

Urban sustainability and sustainable mobility have become the central focus of sustainable development initiatives. The city of 15 models seeks to ensure that urban development is sustainable. This paper evaluates the current state of mobility and the use of sustainable transport in the specific context of the city of Antofagasta, which, due to its characteristics of urban expansion and its mining activity, has been considered an international reference case. In particular, we study how the current urban structure shapes the city's travel patterns and identify opportunities for public policy actions to focus their investment and urban intervention efforts on the essential aspects that make it possible to achieve 15- or 20-min territories. The results reveal the need for urban development initiatives to focus on improving the supply of goods and services in areas with low installed capacity, promoting the culture of micro-neighbourhoods, and encouraging cycling. In particular, only 10% of trips, for all purposes and all modes of transport, are completed in less than 15 min. And about 58% of trips, for all purposes and all modes, are completed in less than 30 min. In the marginal effects of the multinomial logit model, a one-unit increase in travel time increases the probability of choosing to travel by public transport by 63% and decreases the probability of walking by 41%.

APOE Peripheral and Brain Impact: APOE4 Carriers Accelerate Their Alzheimer Continuum and Have a High Risk of Suicide in PM2.5 Polluted Cities.

This Review emphasizes the impact of APOE4-the most significant genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD)-on peripheral and neural effects starting in childhood. We discuss major mechanistic players associated with the APOE alleles' effects in humans to understand their impact from conception through all life stages and the importance of detrimental, synergistic environmental exposures. APOE4 influences AD pathogenesis, and exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), manufactured nanoparticles (NPs), and ultrafine particles (UFPs) associated with combustion and friction processes appear to be major contributors to cerebrovascular dysfunction, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress. In the context of outdoor and indoor PM pollution burden-as well as Fe, Ti, and Al alloys; Hg, Cu, Ca, Sn, and Si UFPs/NPs-in placenta and fetal brain tissues, urban APOE3 and APOE4 carriers are developing AD biological disease hallmarks (hyperphosphorylated-tau (P-tau) and amyloid beta 42 plaques (Aß42)). Strikingly, for Metropolitan Mexico City (MMC) young residents ≤ 40 y, APOE4 carriers have 4.92 times higher suicide odds and 23.6 times higher odds of reaching Braak NFT V stage versus APOE4 non-carriers. The National Institute on Aging and Alzheimer's Association (NIA-AA) framework could serve to test the hypothesis that UFPs and NPs are key players for oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, protein aggregation and misfolding, faulty complex protein quality control, and early damage to cell membranes and organelles of neural and vascular cells. Noninvasive biomarkers indicative of the P-tau and Aß42 abnormal protein deposits are needed across the disease continuum starting in childhood. Among the 21.8 million MMC residents, we have potentially 4 million APOE4 carriers at accelerated AD progression. These APOE4 individuals are prime candidates for early neuroprotective interventional trials. APOE4 is key in the development of AD evolving from childhood in highly polluted urban centers dominated by anthropogenic and industrial sources of pollution. APOE4 subjects are at higher early risk of AD development, and neuroprotection ought to be implemented. Effective reductions of PM2.5, UFP, and NP emissions from all sources are urgently needed. Alzheimer's Disease prevention ought to be at the core of the public health response and physicians-scientist minority research be supported.

Digital health in smart cities: Rethinking the remote health monitoring architecture on combining edge, fog, and cloud.

Purpose: Smart cities that support the execution of health services are more and more in evidence today. Here, it is mainstream to use IoT-based vital sign data to serve a multi-tier architecture. The state-of-the-art proposes the combination of edge, fog, and cloud computing to support critical health applications efficiently. However, to the best of our knowledge, initiatives typically present the architectures, not bringing adaptation and execution optimizations to address health demands fully. Methods: This article introduces the VitalSense model, which provides a hierarchical multi-tier remote health monitoring architecture in smart cities by combining edge, fog, and cloud computing. Results: Although using a traditional composition, our contributions appear in handling each infrastructure level. We explore adaptive data compression and homomorphic encryption at the edge, a multi-tier notification mechanism, low latency health traceability with data sharding, a Serverless execution engine to support multiple fog layers, and an offloading mechanism based on service and person computing priorities. Conclusions: This article details the rationale behind these topics, describing VitalSense use cases for disruptive healthcare services and preliminary insights regarding prototype evaluation.