Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trafficking of Ethiopian women to Europe – making choices, taking risks, and implications

ABSTRACT This piece focuses on the Ethiopian women victims of trafficking – the agency of these women in the whole trafficking process, and issues of choice – ‘trying a chance’, or just taking a risk to get out of poverty or difficult social circumstances, considering that they are lured, tricked, coerced, or even forced into the hands of traffickers by a wide range of circumstances and people, including family and friends. Traffickers target girls with economic, social, and family problems. Most of the trafficking of women and girls from Ethiopia is carried out through the use of service ‘agencies’ and human smugglers who facilitate the process of migration through a number of routes. Many of those who use the ‘desert route’ often begin from Sudan to North Africa from where they cross to Europe. The data for this contribution were generated in a study – ‘Captured in Flight: Experiences of violence among African women in Sweden’ – funded by the Swedish crime prevention agency (Brottsoffermyndgheten). The research for the project has been carried out in Sweden, but the women whose case studies are presented here have been in the Middle East, Turkey, Italy, Finland, and Greece before coming to Sweden.
Remapping Racial Boundaries: Teachers as Border Police and Boundary Transgressors in Post‐Emancipation Black Education, USA, 1861–1876

Access to education formed a substantial boundary in the slave‐holding South prior to the American Civil War (1861–1865). After emancipation, African‐Americans demanded full access to formal schooling as one symbol of their freedom, seeking thereby to redraw the region’s social map. Three groups of teachers in the freed people’s schools participated in that historic process of redrawing social boundaries: southern white teachers, northern white teachers and black teachers from both the North and the South. In the process of teaching in the new black schools, each group was crossing racial and social boundaries. Further, each group was mediating the freed people’s educational designs, struggling to establish and police educational boundaries that, in many cases, did not push as deeply into traditional territory as the freed people intended.
The influence of household pets on the composition and quantity of allergenic mite fauna within Irish homes: a preliminary investigation

Allergenic mites are responsible for inducing hypersensitive reactions in genetically predisposed people worldwide. Mites in dust from 30 Irish homes with pets (dogs, n = 23; cats, n = 7) were compared with those in 30 homes without pets. House dust mites constituted 78% of all mites recorded, with Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Acariformes: Pyroglyphidae) representing 57–72% of mites in furniture and mattresses in both home types compared with only 22% of mites in pet beds. Although storage mites accounted for just 13% of all mites recorded, they represented 46% of mites recorded in pet beds. Median levels of the dust mite allergen Der p 1 (µg/g) in dust samples from mattresses in homes without pets were significantly greater than in mattresses from homes with pets, reflecting the greater densities of D. pteronyssinus found in the former home category. Mite species richness was greater in homes with pets (17 species) than in homes without pets (13 species). This suggests that although the presence of pets can result in a wider variety of epidemiologically important mite species within households, increased competition among mite species may result in a more balanced mite fauna in the home, inhibiting the dominance of any one species and hence lowering allergen‐associated risks.
Loss of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase-1 Protects from Hepatic Steatosis by Repression of Cell Death-inducing DNA Fragmentation Factor A (DFFA)-like Effector C (CIDEC)/Fat-specific Protein 27*

The integration of metabolic signals required for the regulation of hepatic lipid homeostasis is complex. Previously, we showed that mice lacking expression of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) have increased fatty acid oxidation and are protected from the development of hepatic steatosis. Here, we show that leptin receptor-deficient (db/db) mice lacking MKP-1 are also resistant to the development of hepatic steatosis. Microarray analyses of livers from db/db mice lacking MKP-1 showed suppression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) target genes. We identified the fat-specific protein 27 (Fsp27), which promotes PPARγ-mediated hepatic steatosis, as repressed in livers of both db/db and high fat diet-fed mice lacking MKP-1. Hepatocytes from MKP-1-deficient mice exhibited reduced PPARγ-induced lipid droplet formation. Mechanistically, loss of MKP-1 inhibited PPARγ function by increasing MAPK-dependent phosphorylation on PPARγ at its inhibitory residue of serine 112. These results demonstrate that in addition to inhibiting hepatic fatty acid oxidation, MKP-1 promotes hepatic lipogenic gene expression through PPARγ. Hence, MKP-1 plays an important role in MAPK-mediated control of hepatic lipid homeostasis.
Is “Generation Me” Really More Narcissistic Than Previous Generations?

ABSTRACT In this commentary, we identify several methodological and conceptual issues that undermine Twenge, Konrath, Foster, Campbell, and Bushman's (this issue) claim that narcissism levels have been rising over the past few decades. Specifically, we discuss (a) the limitations of convenience samples for making inferences about generational differences, (b) our failure to replicate other cross-temporal meta-analytic findings using data from a nationally representative sample, and (c) issues surrounding the interpretation of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory. It is important to consider these issues given the extensive media coverage of Twenge et al.'s claim that today's youth are particularly narcissistic, which has wide-ranging implications for how this generation of young adults views itself and is viewed by society at large.
Chirp-Like Jammer Excision in DSSS Communication Systems using Combined HHT Spectrum and Hough Transform

The Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) is employed for chirp-like jammer excision in direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) communication systems in this paper. The proposed method iteratively decomposes the received signal into intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) and applies Hilbert transform to each IMF to yield Hilbert spectrum, by which the embedded jammer can be well localized in the time-frequency plane. With the Hough transform to the Hilbert spectrum, the parameters of the jammer are estimated and the jammer in time domain is restructed. The restructed jammer is excised from the received signal, and an excised signal goes through the detector for a decision. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated in the presence of chirp-like jammer plus Gaussian noise.
Quantifying the Effect of Period Ratios on Schedulability of Rate Monotonic

In this paper, we study the effect of period ratio and utilization of the tasks on the schedulability of rate monotonic (RM) in uni-processor systems with preemptive periodic or sporadic tasks. By quantifying this effect, we show that there exist other task sets (other than harmonic tasks in which each period is an integer multiple of the smaller periods) which are RM-friendly, i.e., they can be scheduled by RM up to 100% utilization. Furthermore, in order to quantify non-RM-friendly task sets, we derive a necessary schedulability test for RM. Our results can be used as a set of design hints for system designers during the parameter assignment phase where periods are assigned. We also show how our results can be used to reduce the computational cost of the schedulability analysis if particular properties hold between the periods. From theoretical perspective, our work improves the understanding about outputs of different random task set generation methods. We provide examples to show how the hidden effect of period ratio may lead to an inaccurate judgment about RM schedulability.
Intracellular soluble α‐synuclein oligomers reduce pyramidal cell excitability

The presynaptic protein α‐synuclein forms aggregates during Parkinson's disease. Accumulating evidence suggests that the small soluble oligomers of α‐synuclein are more toxic than the larger aggregates appearing later in the disease. The link between oligomer toxicity and structure still remains unclear. In the present study, we have produced two structurally‐defined oligomers that have a similar morphology but differ in secondary structure. These oligomers were introduced into neocortical pyramidal cells during whole‐cell recording and, using a combination of experimentation and modelling, electrophysiological parameters were extracted. Both oligomeric species had similar effects on neuronal properties reducing input resistance, time constant and increasing capacitance. The net effect was a marked reduction in neuronal excitability that could impact on network activity.
Cellular composition of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis pyogranulomas in sheep

The cellular composition of 46 pyogranulomas experimentally induced with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis in sheep was determined by immunohistochemistry. Lesions localized in inoculation sites or draining lymph nodes consisted of macrophage and lymphocyte layers distributed around a necrotic center and surrounded by a fibrous capsule. In immature lesions, T cells of the CD4+ subset predominated, whereas in mature lesions proportions of CD8+ T lymphocytes and cells expressing the γ/δ chains for the T cell receptor increased. Numerous pyogranuloma cells expressed the interleukin‐2 receptor. In addition to these general characteristics, a large individual variability in the proportions of macrophage and T cell subsets was observed for lesions of the same age, in particular for epithelioid macrophages. This heterogeneity suggests a different cellular pattern in relation to the persistence or the elimination of bacteria by the host. J. Leukoc. Biol. 56: 666–670; 1994.
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP - AN INGENIOUS TOOL AND A SUSTAINABILITY APPROACH TOWARDS DEVELOPING AN ENTREPRENEURIAL CULTURE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Social Entrepreneurship is undoubtedly a very promising avenue for effecting social change. But the very efficiency that is its hallmark is also a critical cause for concern. The most common way as Prahalad defined the motive behind Social Entrepreneurs included the desire to change society and discomfort with the status quo as the main stimuli for SEs to innovate . This makes them more sensitive to entrepreneurial opportunities that deal with social problems and unsatisfied social needs. Social Entrepreneurs create value by building portfolios of resources to address unmet social needs. To a large extent from the literature available it can be said that certain factors guide and direct the working, functioning and sustainability of SE like background of the social entrepreneur and his aptitude and experience, orientation , understanding , collaborative skills and leadership and their background, the problem that is to be solved which decides the opportunity, the form of organization they are planning to shape, the possible barriers like economic, public, social, institutional etc. and how far the problem and the resulting opportunity is inter-sectorial in nature which helps in assessing the social outcome and resource planning and leveraging s well. Because of its inter-sectorial nature, SE needs a strong ability to establish and manage multiple relationships, stand out for focusing their attention on a different set of possibilities, innovative ways to create or sustain social change by bringing two different cultures-business and nonprofit. Given the shifting and deeply contested nature of the "social" good, attention to politics and values will be critical if SE is to fulfill its potential as a driving force for positive social change. The three major issues that are of concern and are actually the starting points for any Social Entrepreneur includes defining the opportunity, launching the organization and its effective functioning and financial resource allocation and leveraging. Thus, the success of any SE will depend on right identification of opportunity, evaluating the opportunity and pursuit of that opportunity. Thus it is important for any entrepreneur before venturing in any social venture to first cognitively assess the market before it enters the market, and strategic navigation while entering and designing thus executing the market strategy.
RNA-Seq analysis and annotation of a draft blueberry genome assembly identifies candidate genes involved in fruit ripening, biosynthesis of bioactive compounds, and stage-specific alternative splicing

BackgroundBlueberries are a rich source of antioxidants and other beneficial compounds that can protect against disease. Identifying genes involved in synthesis of bioactive compounds could enable the breeding of berry varieties with enhanced health benefits.ResultsToward this end, we annotated a previously sequenced draft blueberry genome assembly using RNA-Seq data from five stages of berry fruit development and ripening. Genome-guided assembly of RNA-Seq read alignments combined with output from ab initio gene finders produced around 60,000 gene models, of which more than half were similar to proteins from other species, typically the grape Vitis vinifera. Comparison of gene models to the PlantCyc database of metabolic pathway enzymes identified candidate genes involved in synthesis of bioactive compounds, including bixin, an apocarotenoid with potential disease-fighting properties, and defense-related cyanogenic glycosides, which are toxic. Cyanogenic glycoside (CG) biosynthetic enzymes were highly expressed in green fruit, and a candidate CG detoxification enzyme was up-regulated during fruit ripening. Candidate genes for ethylene, anthocyanin, and 400 other biosynthetic pathways were also identified. Homology-based annotation using Blast2GO and InterPro assigned Gene Ontology terms to around 15,000 genes. RNA-Seq expression profiling showed that blueberry growth, maturation, and ripening involve dynamic gene expression changes, including coordinated up- and down-regulation of metabolic pathway enzymes and transcriptional regulators. Analysis of RNA-seq alignments identified developmentally regulated alternative splicing, promoter use, and 3′ end formation.ConclusionsWe report genome sequence, gene models, functional annotations, and RNA-Seq expression data that provide an important new resource enabling high throughput studies in blueberry.
A comparison of recall and summary protocols as measures of second language reading comprehension

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of test method on the reading performance of two levels of early-stage L2 readers of French. L2 reading research examining test methods has focused primarily on discrete- point modes of response. This study compared two global response modes, the summary and the recall protocol. Half of the 80 subjects were asked to read a passage and to write a summary of the passage and the other half were asked to read the passage and to recall it. The written protocols were analysed for total number of idea units as well as the number of main ideas, supporting ideas and details. The total number of idea units was submitted to a two-way analysis of variance. The three levels of idea units were submitted to separate two-way analyses of variance. Results indicate a significant qualitative difference in the performance on the two tasks. The summaries contained significantly more main ideas than the recall protocols. Fur thermore, the summaries contained a higher percentage of main ideas than details whereas the recall protocols contained a higher percentage of details than main ideas. The results have research and pedagogical implications.
c-fos Expression in Rat Brain Nuclei Following Incisor Tooth Movement

O tooth movement causes clinical sensations described as discomfort and pain. These sensations usually appear one day after the application of orthodontic force; they last for a few days and then disappear gradually (Ngan et al., 1989; Brown and Moerenhout, 1991). Previous studies correlated these clinical sensations with experimental findings on drastic changes in the distribution and formation of periodontal neural elements (Kato et al., 1996; Kobayashi et al., 1998). Tooth movement can be experimentally induced in rats by a procedure known as Waldo's method, which consists of inserting a piece of elastic rubber between the upper molars (Waldo, 1953). Using this methodology, several investigators observed a temporally and spatially defined distribution of Fos-like immunoreactive neurons in the subnuclei of the trigeminal complex, in the parabrachial nucleus (PB), amygdala, paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, and the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (Kato et al., 1994; Yamashiro et al., 1997, 1998; Aihara et al., 1999; Fujiyoshi et al., 2000; Hiroshima et al., 2001). These pioneering studies established a correlation between brain activation and clinical sensation of discomfort and pain resulting from tooth movement. Since orthodontic correction usually involves the entire dental arch and targets teeth other than the molars, these studies need to be extended. We investigated c-fos expression in response to incisor tooth movement induced by an orthodontic appliance previously activated (or not) with defined force, and compared activated pathways with the ones already reported in studies using Waldo's method. Furthermore, we decided to extend the investigation to brain regions related to antinociception which were not previously studied in this context, such as the peri-aqueductal gray matter, dorsal raphe, and locus coeruleus.
Viral Infection of the Central Nervous System Exacerbates Interleukin-10 Receptor Deficiency-Mediated Colitis in SJL Mice

Theiler´s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV)-infection is a widely used animal model for studying demyelinating disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS). The immunosuppressive cytokine Interleukin (IL)-10 counteracts hyperactive immune responses and critically controls immune homeostasis in infectious and autoimmune disorders. In order to investigate the effect of signaling via Interleukin-10 receptor (IL-10R) in infectious neurological diseases, TMEV-infected SJL mice were treated with IL-10R blocking antibody (Ab) in the acute and chronic phase of the disease. The findings demonstrate that (i) Ab-mediated IL-10 neutralization leads to progressive colitis with a reduction in Foxp3+ regulatory T cells and increased numbers of CD8+CD44+ memory T cells as well as activated CD4+CD69+ and CD8+CD69+ T cells in uninfected mice. (ii) Concurrent acute TMEV-infection worsened enteric disease-mediated by IL-10R neutralization. Virus-triggered effects were associated with an enhanced activation of CD4+ T helper cells and CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes and augmented cytokine expression. By contrast, (iii) IL-10R neutralization during chronic TMEV-infection was not associated with enhanced peripheral immunopathology but an increased CD3+ T cell influx in the spinal cord. IL-10R neutralization causes a breakdown in peripheral immune tolerance in genetically predisposed mice, which leads to immune-mediated colitis, resembling inflammatory bowel disease. Hyperactive immune state following IL-10R blockade is enhanced by central nervous system-restricted viral infection in a disease phase-dependent manner.
Deep and wide valleys drive nested phylogeographic patterns across a montane bird community

Montane species distributions interrupted by valleys can lead to range fragmentation, differentiation and ultimately speciation. Paleoclimatic fluctuations may accentuate or reduce such diversification by temporally altering the extent of montane habitat and may affect species differentially. We examined how an entire montane bird community of the Western Ghats—a linear, coastal tropical mountain range—responds to topographic valleys that host different habitats. Using genetic data from 23 species (356 individuals) collected across nine locations, we examined if different species in the community reveal spatial concordance in population differentiation, and whether the timing of these divergences correlate with climatic events. Our results reveal a nested effect of valleys, with several species (10 of 23) demonstrating the oldest divergences associated with the widest and deepest valley in the mountain range, the Palghat Gap. Further, a subset of these 10 species revealed younger divergences across shallower, narrower valleys. We recovered discordant divergence times for all valley-affected montane birds, mostly in the Pleistocene, supporting the Pliestocene-pump hypotheses and highlighting the role of climatic fluctuations during this period in driving species evolution. A majority of species remain unaffected by valleys, perhaps owing to geneflow or extinction–recolonization dynamics. Studying almost the entire community allowed us to uncover a range of species’ responses, including some generalizable and other unpredicted patterns.
Comparison of different doses of remifentanil on the cardiovascular response to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation.

We have compared three bolus and infusion regimens of remifentanil on the cardiovascular response to laryngoscopy and orotracheal intubation in three groups of 20 ASA I-II female patients, in a randomized, double-blind study. Patients in group 1 received glycopyrolate 200 micrograms i.v. followed by a bolus dose of remifentanil 1 microgram kg-1 over 30 s and an infusion of remifentanil at a rate of 0.5 microgram kg-1 min-1. The other patients received remifentanil 0.5 microgram kg-1 over 30 s and an infusion of 0.25 microgram kg-1 min-1 with (group 2) or without (group 3) pretreatment with glycopyrrolate 200 micrograms. All patients then received a sleep dose of propofol, rocuronium 0.6 mg kg-1 and 1% isoflurane with 67% nitrous oxide in oxygen. Laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation were performed 3 min later. Heart rate and arterial pressure were recorded at 1-min intervals from before induction of anaesthesia until 5 min after intubation. Baseline heart rate was similar in all groups, but decreased in group 3 (no glycopyrrolate) after induction and remained significantly lower after intubation compared with the other groups (P < 0.05). Heart rate and arterial pressure increased slightly after intubation in each group but there were no significant differences in mean arterial pressure between groups at any time. The incidence of bradycardia (one patient in group 2) and hypotension (two patients in groups 1 and 2 and three patients in group 3) was low.
Teenage pregnancy, romantic love and social science : an uneasy relationship

L'A. montre de quelle maniere les sciences sociales envisagent le lien entre grossesse a l'adolescence et amour romantique. Il passe en revue les travaux menes par les services de sante, au Royaume-Uni, concernant la grossesse chez l'adolescente. Il envisage la notion d'amour et decrit comment l'absence d'amour contribue a changer la nature de la relation d'intimite