Geochemical Characterization of Soils in the Playa Lake Environment of Laguna de Encinillas, Chihuahua, Mexico

Laguna de Encinillas, located in Chihuahua, Mexico, is an ephemeral lake situated within a playa lake sedimentary depositional environment. This region plays a significant role in the aquifer supplying water to Chihuahua City. A surficial soil sampling campaign was conducted in 2017, 2018, and 2021 to assess the potential impact of surface soil composition on groundwater quality. The collected soil samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) following microwave-assisted digestion. The analytical results were employed to generate spatial distribution maps of elemental concentrations using QGIS, applying interpolation methods such as inverse distance weighting (IDW) and Kriging. The analysis revealed elevated concentrations of beryllium (Be), calcium (Ca), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), magnesium (Mg), and strontium (Sr) in the eastern part of the study area. In contrast, arsenic (As) and iron (Fe) were more prevalent in the western sector. Notably, high levels of barium (Ba), silver (Ag), cobalt (Co), potassium (K), and scandium (Sc) were identified in the northeastern region. At the same time, nickel (Ni), titanium (Ti), and vanadium (V) were concentrated in the northern portion. Manganese (Mn) was particularly prominent in the southern area. The geogenic source of these elements is likely linked to the volcanic rocks from the surrounding mountain ranges.

Groundwater Quality and Its Impact on Health: A Preliminary Evaluation of Dental Fluorosis in Julimes, Chihuahua, Mexico

Medical Geology can be defined as the branch of geology dealing with the relationship between natural geological aspects and health in organisms (humans and animals), trying to determine the influence of ordinary environmental factors on the geographical distribution of health issues. The main goals of this research were: 1) to evaluate the severity of dental fluorosis (DF) and fluoride concentration in groundwater, used for human consumption, as an indicator of overexposure to fluorides, 2) to estimate the Community Fluorosis Index (CFI) in the Julimes municipality in Chihuahua, Mexico. Nine water samples were collected in four locations in the Julimes area: Hacienda Humboldt, La Regina, Colonia San Jose, and Julimes. Samples were collected and stored in accordance with the Mexican standard (NOM-014-SSA1-1993). All the samples exceeded the maximum permissible limit established in the modified Mexican standard (NOM-127-SSA1-1994) of 1.5 mgL-1 for fluoride in water for human consumption. Average concentrations of 2.74 mgL-1 were found in Colonia San Jose, 2.19 mgL-1 in La Regina, 2.17 mgL-1 in Julimes and 2.06 mgL-1 in Hacienda Humboldt. Dental Fluorosis diagnosis was evaluated using the Dean Index and the CFI applied to residents. A total of 100 inhabitants were examined, with interviews and oral examinations also carried out. Dental Fluorosis prevalence was 92% overall for the municipality, while for Colonia San Jose was of 100%, of 88.89% for Hacienda Humboldt, 88.24% for Julimes and 96% for La Regina. Dental Fluorosis’ severity for the Julimes municipality was distributed as follows: 2% normal, 6% questionable, 8% very mild, 13% mild, 19% moderate, and 52% severe. An average CFI was found for the four localities of 3.02 points, with a very notable impact on public health.

Analysis of the Temporal and Spatial Evolution of Recovery and Degradation Processes in Vegetated Areas Using a Time Series of Landsat TM Images (1986-2011): Central Region of Chihuahua, Mexico

This paper analyzed the temporal and spatial evolution of vegetation dynamics in various land covers in the basin of the Laguna Bustillos, Region of Cuauhtémoc, Chihuahua, Mexico. We used an NDVI time series for the months of March to April (early spring). The series was constructed from Landsat TM images for the period 1986-2011. The results show an increase of NDVI for vegetated areas, especially in conifer cover, while shrub and grassland showed a positive trend but with lower statistical significance. The increase in minimum temperatures in early spring, during the study period, was the most important factor in explaining the increase of NDVI in vegetated areas. A spatially distributed analysis shows large areas without an NDVI trend, corresponding to areas with sparse vegetation cover (degraded areas). Moreover, there are also areas with a negative trend (loss of vegetation), explained by the exploitation of trees to produce firewood which is mainly carried out by the ejidos in the region. These results help to focus human and financial resources in places where the benefit will be greatest.

A Comparison among Manual and Automatic Calibration Methods in VISSIM in an Expressway (Chihuahua, Mexico)

Traffic microsimulation is an essential tool in urban transportation and road planning. Its calibration is essential to attain representative results validated with real-world conditions. VISSIM (Verkehr in Städten—SIMulationsmodell) operates with the Wiedemann’s psycho-physical car-following model for freeway travel that considers safety distances (standstill and movement) during simulation. Calibration in this paper was achieved by using two different approaches: a) manual and b) genetic algorithm (with the GEH statistic formula) calibration techniques. Calibration and validation of this model were performed at the Periferico de la Juventud expressway in Chihuahua City, in northern Mexico. The Periferico de la Juventud (PDJ) has a N-S orientation and a length of ca. 20 km, with its northern section being its most congested portion. Its highest vehicle volume occurs at noon, with 3700 vehicles per hour, with 95% being passenger cars and the other 5% heavy goods vehicles. PDJ’s speed limit is 70 km·h-1, but the driver’s behavior has a tendency towards the aggressive performance. A total of 82 standstill and 82 look-ahead distances were obtained from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) images, with values ranging from 0.8 to 4.7 m and from 0.2 to 28 m, respectively. VISSIM calibrated parameter values were calculated for this expressway, being slightly above than the VISSIM default ones;and was validated with travel times and look-ahead distances. Results contribute information for the city’s future installment of public transportation systems, and should help decision makers deal with future urban planning.

Volcaniclastic Deposit Analysis Using Grain Size, Digital and Stereological Techniques

This study undertook a comprehensive sedimentological and grain-size analysis of two previously uncharacterized volcanoclastic deposits exposed in the northwestern sector of Chihuahua City, Mexico. The primary objective was to propose a systematic genetic classification for these deposits, employing traditional sedimentological techniques and an advanced computerized granulometric analysis technique based on orthogonal images to discern their grain size distribution. Through these studies, evidence was sought to classify them genetically, presenting arguments to define them either as a lahar or a volcanic debris avalanche. Results were critically compared against existing literature data pertaining to lahars and debris avalanches, yielding moderate success. The analysis identified one of the deposits as a non-eruptive or post-eruptive lahar. This identification was substantiated by the delineation of distinct overbank and transition facies within the deposit, providing compelling evidence for its genetic classification.

1例犬前列腺增生伴有心脏病的诊断和治疗

前列腺增生是一种犬常见的前列腺疾病,形成增生的潜在因素包括性激素比例失常、雄性激素受体增加及组织对雄性激素的敏感性增加等,主要症状包括尿频、尿急、排尿困难、尿不尽、尿流变细等。文章记录一例14岁吉娃娃犬经临床检查及血常规检查、超声检查、X射线检查进行诊断,确诊患有心脏病及前列腺增生,通过去势手术和药物控制心脏病进行治疗,患犬康复出院。

犬细小病毒病的病理学观察

文章对一例吉娃娃幼犬细小病毒病肠炎综合征病例进行了病理学诊断和检查,发现肠道广泛坏死,有充血出血现象,心脏心肌柔软,凝血不良,心房扩张,且伴有慢性出血性肺炎。光镜下见肠绒毛上皮细胞广泛变性、坏死、脱落,肠腔中有大量脱落的绒毛上皮细胞和炎性渗出物,固有层有多少不等的炎性细胞浸润,肠腺和肠绒毛上皮均可见特征性的核内包涵体;心肌纤维也有程度不等的变性、坏死,炎症细胞浸润。

Spatial and Temporal Evolution of the Static Water Level of the Cuauhtemoc Aquifer during the Years 1973, 1991 and 2000: A Geographical Approach

In hydrogeology it is of great interest to examine the temporal and spatial evolution of aquifers. There are different ways of modeling an aquifer: physical models, models based on analog and mathematical techniques. Usually, mathematical techniques involve complex operations difficult to understand for some people, such as differential or partial equations. In contrast, our method requires only a basic knowledge of geometry and trigonometry. Moreover, it is only necessary to know the static level of the aquifer at three different dates. Of course, the results may be limited compared to those that use advanced mathematical methods;however, our method provides a first approximation to determine the behavior of the aquifer through time. Overall, our results allowed us to follow the evolution of the aquifer in detail of various areas of increased extraction and in which removal has been increasing, but also of areas with a considerable recharge during the study period.

Development of a Water Quality Index (WQI) of an Artificial Aquatic Ecosystem in Mexico

A Water Quality Index (WQI) is a simple numeric expression reflecting the quality of water in any ecosystem at a given time. The objective of this study was to develop a WQI for the man-made dam Francisco I. Madero located in Chihuahua, Mexico. Eight points were randomly selected in the dam area and at each point water samples were collected monthly from March 2011 to February 2012 at three depths;0.30 m, 5 m and 10 m. The following physical-chemical variables were measured: potential hydrogen (pH), electrical conductivity (EC), dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature (T), turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH) and chlorides (Cl-). In a first step for data analysis, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed for each variable considering a factorial treatment design 12 × 3 in which factor A was the month with 12 levels (sampling months) and factor B was the depth with three levels (0.30 m, 5 m and 10 m). In a second statistical step, the WQI was calculated for each month only for the surface sampling (0.30 m) and the resulting value was classified under three categories;2.5 as excellent water. The results showed the following ranges for single variables: pH of 7.63 - 10.65, EC of 190 - 320 μS·cm-1, DO of 1.30 - 12.1 mg·L-1, T of 11.30°C - 30°C, Turbidity of 0-1, 120 NTU, TDS of 170 - 220 mg·L-1, TH of 240 - 900 mg·L-1 and Cl- of 7.28 - 7034 mg·L-1. The calculated WQI demonstrated that water quality varies seasonally and was classified as poor in the rainy season to good in winter season. We conclude that in general the water from the dam is acceptable and suitable for ecological and a broad spectrum of other purposes.