Narco-Messages: Competition and Public Communication by Criminal Groups

Criminal groups often avoid the limelight, shunning publicity. However, in some instances they overtly communicate, such as through banners or signs. We explain the competition dynamics behind public criminal communication, and provide theory and evidence of the conditions under which it emerges. Relying on a new data set of approximately 1,800 banners publicly deployed by Mexican criminal groups from 2007 to 2010, we identify the conditions behind such messaging. The findings suggest that criminal groups “go public” in the presence of interorganizational contestation, violence from authorities, antagonism toward the local media, local demand for drugs, and local drug production. Some of these factors are only associated with communication toward particular audiences – rivals, the state, or the public. Interestingly, we find that the correlates of criminal propaganda are sometimes distinct from those of criminal violence, suggesting that these phenomena are explained by separate dynamics

Cultura del privilegio y simbiosis entre poder político y poder económico en México: recomendaciones para su superación

En este documento se estudia la influencia política del poder económico en México. Para ello, se presenta información empírica de cinco áreas en que la influencia del poder económico es evidente en los resultados de política pública: la falta de progresividad del sistema fiscal, la precariedad de las condiciones laborales, la discriminación por fenotipo y tono de piel, la incapacidad para contener monopolios y poder de mercado, y la regresividad del gasto público. El estudio culmina con una serie de recomendaciones para limitar la influencia de las élites económicas en las decisiones de política pública y erradicar, con ello, la cultura del privilegio prevalente en México.Resumen .-- Introducción .-- I. Breves consideraciones sobre el estado del arte en la reflexión empírica sobre la relación entre el poder político y el económico .-- II. Ámbitos principales en los que podría expresarse la cultura del privilegio. A. Tributario. B. Laboral. C. Discriminación por fenotipo. D. Competencia económica. E. Gasto público e inversión .-- III. Desafíos y principales lecciones .-- IV. Conclusiones y recomendaciones

“Persona física con actividad empresarial y profesional”

La presente tesina está enfocada a todas aquellas físicas que ti profesión y su trabajo lo desempeñan en cualquier ámbito laboral que se mencionan para efectos fiscales, con la finalidad de abarcar los aspectos más importante y legales que tienen que observar todos aquellos que se encuentren en los supuestos de asimilables a salarios y aquellos que obtienen ingresos por sus servicios profesionales y que también por alguna actividad empresarial que realicen

Cenophengus mumui Vega-Badillo & Zaragoza-Caballero & Ríos-Ibarra 2021, sp. nov.

Cenophengus mumui sp. nov. ( Figs. 18–22) Etymology. The term Mumui means sand in the Pame language (Xi’úi) which is spoken in Tamosopo, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. This term refers to the sandy color of the body in the new species. Diagnosis. Cenophengus mumui is similar in appearance to Cenophengus munizi Zaragoza-Caballero 2008. These two species can be differentiated by the shape and color of the head, which is square and brown in the new species, while C. munizi exhibits a rectangular shaped head, which is amber colored like the rest of the body. Additionally, in C. mumui the antennal rami are 1.5 times as long as respective antennomere, whereas in C. munizi they are twice as long as respective antennomere. Description, male. Total length 3.5 mm; total width 0.58 mm. Yellow body, except for the head which is brown colored (Figs. 18, 19). Head. Surface concave, wider (0.61 mm) than long (0.49 mm), measured dorsally to exterior margins almost wider (0.61 mm) than the pronotum (0.58 mm), integument smooth, coarsely punctuate, each puncture bearing an amber seta; interantennal distance longer than half of 1 st antennomere length, (0.1 mm); small eyes, hemispherical, prominent, finely faceted, longer (0.2 mm) than wide (0.15 mm); interocular distance greater than the eyes length (0.36 mm); antennae (1.8 mm) extending beyond pronotal posterior margin; 1 st antennomere (0.15 mm) as long as next two combined, 3 rd cup-shaped, 4 th in length (0.12 mm), 5 th to 11 th about equal in length (0.17 mm), 12 th (terminal) lanceolate (0.25 mm), antennal rami lanceolate, one and a half times longer than respective antennomere; anterior border of frons concave; clypeus bilobed; terminal maxillary palpomere robust and securiform, as long as the preceding three combined (0.16 mm); terminal labial palpomere cylindrical (0. 05 mm) and two times longer than the preceding. Thorax. Pronotum as long (0.58 mm) as wide (0.56 mm); tegument smooth, coarsely punctuate; each puncture bearing an amber seta, convex disc, with one longitudinal excavation on each side of the midline, anterior border concave, posterior almost straight with a middle notch, lateral margins almost parallel, anterior and posterior angles rounded; scutellum almost quadrangular, posterior border truncated, shiny integument, thickly dotted, each puncture with an amber seta; elytra almost four times as long (1.62 mm) as wide (0.37 mm), convex; hindwings with radial cell closed and slightly defined, r3 and r4 veins absent, the posterior radial vein (RP) reduced (length less than half the size of the vein MP1+2), those of the anterior anal and posterior anal sectors, absent, only AA well marked, AP3+4 short.; 1 st and 2 nd tarsomeres of pro-, meso- and metathoracic legs about equal in length. Abdomen. Integument shiny, punctured, densely setose, penultimate sternite with posterior margin sinuate, last sternite cleft. Aedeagus: with three teeth at the apex of paramere (Figs. 20–22). Immatures and females. Unknown Distribution: San Luis Potosí, Mexico (Fig. 17). Type material. Holotype (male) ( COL-TIP-03596): Mexico, San Luis Potosí,/ Tamasopo. Cerro al noroeste/ del cafetal, 01-06-15, N 21°55.47’ / W 99°24.95’ Col./ Jessica Ríos. Deposited at CNIN.Published as part of Vega-Badillo, Viridiana, Zaragoza-Caballero, Santiago & Ríos-Ibarra, Jessica Jazmín, 2021, New species of the genus Cenophengus LeConte 1881 (Coleoptera; Phengodidae) from Mexico and Guatemala, pp. 223-238 in Zootaxa 5023 (2) on page 231, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5023.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/522582

Cenophengus mboi Vega-Badillo & Zaragoza-Caballero & Ríos-Ibarra 2021, sp. nov.

Cenophengus mboi sp. nov. ( Figs. 12–16) Etymology. The term mboi means black in the Hñähñu (Otomí) language, which is spoken in the valley of Mezquital, Hidalgo, Mexico. This term refers to the color of the body in this new species. Diagnosis. Cenophengus mboi is similar in appearance to Cenophengus pedregalensis Zaragoza 1975, but can be distinguished by the color of the body and terminal maxillary palpomere. In C. mboi the body is dark brown, whereas in C. pregalensis it is dark brown and the pronotum yellow-orange. Terminal maxillary palpomere is as long as the preceding three combined in C. mboi, in C. pedregalensis it is longer than the preceding three combined. The first tarsomere of the middle and hind legs are clearly longer than the second. In C. pedregalensis the two longitudinal excavations are near the center of the pronotum and the first and second tarsomeres of the middle and hind legs are of similar length. Description, male. Total body length 9.6 mm; total body width 1 mm. Dark body (Figs. 12, 13). Head. Surface concave, as wider (0.8 mm) as long (0.8 mm) measured dorsally to exterior margins almost as wide (0.8 mm) as pronotum (1 mm), integument chagrined, coarsely punctuate, each puncture bearing a black seta; interantennal distance (0.1 mm), half of the length of 1 st antennomer; small eyes, hemispherical, finely faceted, longer (0.32 mm) than wide (0.14 mm); interocular distance greater than to the length of the eyes; long antennae (2.80 mm) extending slightly beyond the pronotal posterior margin; 1 st antennomere (0.25 mm) longer than the next two combined, 3 rd cup-shaped, 4 th to 11 th about equal in length (0.23 mm), 12 th (terminal) lanceolate (0.27 mm), antennal rami lanceolate, two times longer than respective antennomere; anterior border of frons concave; clypeus bilobed; terminal maxillary palpomere robust and securiform, as long as the preceding three combined (0.35 mm); terminal labial palpomere spindle-shaped (0. 15), three times longer than the preceding. Thorax. Pronotum longer (1.3 mm) than wide (1 mm); integument chagrined, coarsely punctuate; each puncture bearing a black seta, convex disc, with one longitudinal excavation on each side of the midline, anterior border concave, the posterior almost straight with a middle notch, lateral margins almost parallel, anterior and posterior angles rounded; scutellum almost quadrangular, posterior border truncated; elytra almost four times as long (2.6 mm) as wide (0.62 mm), convex; shiny integument, thickly dotted, each puncture with a black seta; hindwings with radial cell closed, r3 vein present, r4 vein developed, the posterior radial vein (RP) developed (length equal to or longer than half the size of the vein MP1+2), medial field containing six main veins: MP3, MP4, CuA1, CuA2, CuA3+4, and AA 3+4; CuA and AA well marked and cubitoanal cell closed, AP3+4 long.; 1 st and 2 nd tarsomeres of prothoracic legs about equal in length, 1st tarsomere of meso- and metathoracic legs longer than 2nd. Abdomen. Integument shiny, punctured, densely setose, penultimate sternite with posterior margin sinuate, last sternite cleft. Aedeagus: with three teeth at the apex of paramere (Figs. 14–16). Immatures and females. Unknown. Distribution: Hidalgo, Mexico (Fig. 17). Type material. Holotype (male): “ Mexico Santiago de Anaya / Hgo.20°24´0761´´N/ 98°53´1797´´O, 28–29 agosto/ 2017 Col. A. Ibarra Vázquez ”. Deposited at CNIN (COL-TIP-03590). Paratype (male): “ Mexico, Atotonilco / El Grande, 3km NE de Montecillos. / Bosque Juniperus-Quercus. N 20° / 18´9´´, 98° 36´17´´ W. Trampa de Intercepción de/ vuelo 12 al 19/ VII/ 2010. / J. Márquez y J. Asiain ”. Deposited in CC-UAEH (PHE-001-CC-UAEH).Published as part of Vega-Badillo, Viridiana, Zaragoza-Caballero, Santiago & Ríos-Ibarra, Jessica Jazmín, 2021, New species of the genus Cenophengus LeConte 1881 (Coleoptera; Phengodidae) from Mexico and Guatemala, pp. 223-238 in Zootaxa 5023 (2) on pages 227-231, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5023.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/522582

Cenophengus tupae Vega-Badillo & Zaragoza-Caballero & Ríos-Ibarra 2021, sp. nov.

Cenophengus tupae sp. nov. ( Figs. 23–27) Etymology. The term Tu-pae means mud in the Pame language (Xi’úi), which is spoken in Tamosopo, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. This term refers to the color of the body in the new species. Diagnosis. Cenophengus tupae is similar in appearance to Cenophengus wittmeri Zaragoza, 1984, but can be distinguished by its shorter size, interocular distance and the terminal maxillary palpomere. In C. tupae interocular distance is 2.5 times longer than eye width, whereas in C. wittmeri it is twice longer than eye width. The terminal maxillary palpomere is shorter than the preceding three combined in C. tuape, whereas in C. longicollis it is as long as the preceding three combined. Additionally in C. tupae the antennal rami is three times as long as respective antennomere, whereas in C. wittmeri it is twice longer than the respective antennomere. Description, male. Total body length 5.2 mm; total body width 0.6 mm. Brown body, except for the antennae and a stripe on the pronotum that are amber colored (Figs. 23, 24). Head. Surface concave, wider (0.6 mm) than long (0.4 mm), measured dorsally to exterior margins almost as wide (0.6 mm) as the pronotum (0.62 mm), integument chagrined, coarsely punctuate, each puncture bearing an amber seta; interantennal distance a third of 1 st antennomere length (0.05 mm); medium sized eyes, hemispherical prominent, finely faceted, longer (0.3 mm) than wide (0.25 mm); interocular distance greater than the eyes length (0.4 mm); long antennae (1.6 mm) extending beyond pronotal posterior margin; 1 st antennomere (0.16 mm) longer than the next two combined, 3 rd cup-shaped, 4 th in length (0.12 mm), 5 th to 11 th about equal in length (0.15 mm), 12 th (terminal) lanceolate (0.15 mm); antennal rami lanceolate, three times longer than respective antennomere; anterior border of frons concave; clypeus bilobed; terminal maxillary palpomere securiform, as long as the preceding two combined (0.25 mm); terminal labial palpomere spindle-shaped, three times longer than the preceding. Thorax. Pronotum longer (0.72 mm) than wide (0.6 mm); tegument chagrined, coarsely punctuate; each puncture bearing an amber seta, convex disc, with two longitudinal excavations one on each side of the midline, anterior border concave, the posterior almost straight with a middle notch, lateral margins almost parallel, anterior angles rounded and posterior angles acute; scutellum almost quadrangular, posterior border truncated, shiny integument, thickly dotted, each puncture with an amber colored seta; elytra almost four times as long (1.9 mm) as wide (0.46 mm), convex; hindwings with radial cell closed, r3 vein present, r4 vein developed, the posterior radial vein (RP) reduced (length less than half the size of the vein MP1+2), medial field containing six main veins: MP3, MP4, CuA1, CuA2, CuA3+4, and AA 3+4; CuA and AA well marked and cubitoanal cell closed, AP3+4 long; 1 st and 2 nd tarsomeres of prothoracic legs about equal in length, 1st tarsomere of meso- and metathoracic legs longer than 2nd. Abdomen. Integument shiny, punctured, densely setose, penultimate sternite with posterior margin sinuate, last sternite cleft. Aedeagus: with one tooth at the apex of paramere (Figs. 25–27). Immatures and females. Unknown. Distribution: San Luis Potosí, Mexico (Fig. 17). Type material. Holotype (male) ( COL-TIP-03594): Mexico, San Luis Potosí,/ Tamasopo. Cerro al noroeste/ del cafetal, 01-06-15, N 21°55.47’ / W 99°24.95’ Col./ Jessica Ríos. Paratype ( COL-TIP-03595): male, same data. Deposited at CNIN.Published as part of Vega-Badillo, Viridiana, Zaragoza-Caballero, Santiago & Ríos-Ibarra, Jessica Jazmín, 2021, New species of the genus Cenophengus LeConte 1881 (Coleoptera; Phengodidae) from Mexico and Guatemala, pp. 223-238 in Zootaxa 5023 (2) on page 233, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5023.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/522582

New species of the genus Cenophengus LeConte 1881 (Coleoptera; Phengodidae) from Mexico and Guatemala

Vega-Badillo, Viridiana, Zaragoza-Caballero, Santiago, Ríos-Ibarra, Jessica Jazmín (2021): New species of the genus Cenophengus LeConte 1881 (Coleoptera; Phengodidae) from Mexico and Guatemala. Zootaxa 5023 (2): 223-238, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5023.2.

Cenophengus xiinbali Vega-Badillo & Zaragoza-Caballero & Ríos-Ibarra 2021, sp. nov.

Cenophengus xiinbali sp. nov. (Figs. 28–32) Etymology. The term “Aj xíinbal” means traveler in the Maya language. This species is named in honor of the South American migrant people who have gone missing or perished in the pursuit of a better life. Diagnosis. Cenophengus xiinbali is similar in appearance to Cenophengus longicollis Wittmeri 1976, but can be distinguished by the interocular distance and terminal maxillary palpomere. In C. xiinbali the interocular distance is 3.5 times longer than eye width, whereas in C. longicollis it is three times longer. The terminal maxillary palpomere is as long as the preceding three combined in C. xiinbali, whereas in C. longicollis it is longer than the preceding three combined. Description, male. Total body length 8.3 mm; total body width 0.93 mm. Brown body, except for the pronotum, legs and last two abdominal segments, which are orange colored (Figs. 28, 29). Head. Surface concave, longer (0.8 mm) than wide (0.73 mm), measured dorsally to exterior margins thinner (0. 73 mm) than pronotum (0.93 mm), integument chagrined, coarsely punctuate, each puncture bearing an amber seta; interantennal distance half-length of 1 st antennomere (0.12 mm); small sized eyes, hemispherical, finely faceted, almost as long (0.33 mm) as wide (0.12 mm); interocular distance greater than eyes length (0.6 mm); antennae (2.4 mm) extending beyond pronotal posterior margin; 1 st antennomere (0.21 mm) as long as next two combined, 3 rd cup-shaped, 4 th in length (0.1 mm), 5 th to 11 th about equal in length (0.21 mm), 12 th (terminal) lanceolate (0.26 mm), antennal rami lanceolate, ramus two times longer than respective antennomere; anterior border of frons concave; clypeus bilobed; terminal maxillary palpomere securiform, as long as the preceding three combined (0.3 mm); terminal labial palpomere spindle-shaped, three times longer than the preceding (0.06 mm). Thorax. Pronotum longer (1.14 mm) than wide (0.93 mm); tegument chagrined, coarsely punctuate; each puncture bearing an amber seta, convex disc, with one longitudinal excavation on each side of the midline, anterior border concave, posterior border almost straight with a middle notch, lateral margins almost parallel, anterior angles rounded and posterior angles acute; scutellum almost quadrangular, posterior border truncated, shiny integument, thickly dotted, each puncture with a black seta; elytra almost four and a half times as long (2.68 mm) as wide (0.64 mm), convex; hindwings with radial cell closed, r3 vein absent, r4 vein reduced, the posterior radial vein (RP) reduced (length less than half the size of the vein MP1+2), medial field containing six main veins: MP3, MP4, CuA1, CuA2, CuA3+4, and AA 3+4; CuA and AA well marked and cubitoanal cell closed, AP3+4 long.; 1 st and 2 nd tarsomeres of prothoracic legs about equal in length, 1st tarsomere of meso- and metathoracic legs longer than 2nd. Abdomen. Integument shiny, punctured, densely setose, penultimate sternite with posterior margin sinuate, last sternite cleft. Aedeagus: with three teeth at the apex of paramere (Figs. 30–32). Immatures and females. Unknown Distribution: Puerta Parada, Guatemala (Fig. 17). Type material. Holotype (male) ( COL-TIP-03597): “ Guatemala: Guatemala Dept./ Puerta Parada Km 14.5 carr. a/ El Salvador 1840 m alt./ 8-15/VI/2013 Col. J.C Schster ”. Paratype (COL-TIP-03598): male, same data. Deposited at CNIN.Published as part of Vega-Badillo, Viridiana, Zaragoza-Caballero, Santiago & Ríos-Ibarra, Jessica Jazmín, 2021, New species of the genus Cenophengus LeConte 1881 (Coleoptera; Phengodidae) from Mexico and Guatemala, pp. 223-238 in Zootaxa 5023 (2) on pages 233-236, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5023.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/522582

Exploring the impact of encapsulation on the stability and bioactivity of peptides extracted from botanical sources: trends and opportunities

Bioactive peptides derived from plant sources have gained significant attention for their potential use in preventing and treating chronic degenerative diseases. However, the efficacy of these peptides depends on their bioaccessibility, bioavailability, and stability. Encapsulation is a promising strategy for improving the therapeutic use of these compounds. It enhances their stability, prolongs their shelf life, protects them from degradation during digestion, and enables better release control by improving their bioaccessibility and bioavailability. This review aims to analyze the impact of various factors related to peptide encapsulation on their stability and release to enhance their biological activity. To achieve this, it is necessary to determine the composition and physicochemical properties of the capsule, which are influenced by the wall materials, encapsulation technique, and operating conditions. Furthermore, for peptide encapsulation, their charge, size, and hydrophobicity must be considered. Recent research has focused on the advancement of novel encapsulation methodologies that permit the formation of uniform capsules in terms of size and shape. In addition, it explores novel wall materials, including polysaccharides derived from unconventional sources, that allow the precise regulation of the rate at which peptides are released into the intestine