The Effects of Immigration Policy on Migration Systems

This thesis examines the unintended effects of immigration policy. It develops a new theoretical framework to examine how aspiring migrants respond to immigration policy restrictions and the role social ties play in this process. It formalises this framework as an agent-based computational model (ABM) embedded with a range of experimental and other empirical designs that purposefully target different challenges in causal identification and measurement. This combination of methods allows us to examine policy scenarios and their counterfactuals and clandestine populations. To help researchers combine empirical instruments with ABM, this thesis develops a general “Proactive Approach to Empirical Embeddedness,” which relies on the co-evolution of empirical and ABM designs to generate target- ted data collection strategies. The ‘proactive’ approach guides the research process of this thesis. The thesis is informed by an original nation-wide survey of Jamaica, a country with rich history of migration, designed with the primary aim of informing the model. Issues of endogeneity in measuring the effects of policy are addressed through the design of an audiovisual experiment, which showed that policy affects individuals’ perceived ability but not their desire to move. Theory expects these feelings of ‘involuntary immobility’ will drive unauthorised migration. Issues of social desirability bias in asking about this sensitive topic are mitigated through the design of a list experiment, which finds support for these expectations. The ABM, with these and other analyses embedded, shows that barriers to family and low- skilled migration produce the most unauthorised migration and that border enforcement is an inefficient solution. In the last chapter, this thesis ex- amines another response to policy: reorientation to alternative countries. Theory expects robust spatial corridors to emerge from path-dependent net- work migration. Using ABM, this chapter shows policy restrictions can break path-dependence under dynamic conditions

La responsabilidad social empresarial y el comportamiento del cliente del grifo Villa Hermosa E.I.R.L., Ate 2020

Esta investigación tiene la finalidad principal analizar la relación entre la responsabilidad social empresarial y el comportamiento del cliente en el grifo Villa Hermosa E.I.R.L., Ate 2020. El estudio tuvo una metodología de tipo aplicada, con un diseño de investigación no experimental de corte transversal y un nivel de investigación descriptivo - correlacional con un enfoque cuantitativo. El estudio desarrollado se contó con 80 principales clientes del grifo Villa Hermosa E.I.R.L., Ate 2020. Donde se utilizó como técnica la encuesta y como instrumento el cuestionario de escala Likert como medición a nuestras preguntas. Los resultados obtenidos determinan que existe una relación positiva perfecta entre la responsabilidad social empresarial y el comportamiento del cliente del grifo Villa Hermosa E.I.R.L., Ate 2020 con un nivel de relación Rho Spearman 0,986

Are we all disfluent in our own special way and should dialogue systems also be?

Betz S, Lopez Gambino MS. Are we all disfluent in our own special way and should dialogue systems also be? In: Jokisch O, ed. Elektronische Sprachsignalverarbeitung (ESSV) 2016. Studientexte zur Sprachkommunikation. Vol 81. Dresden: TUD Press; 2016: 168-174

Lo que cuentan las mujeres. Vivencias y trayectorias terapéuticas de usuarias de los servicios de Interrupción Voluntaria del Embarazo en Montevideo, Cerro Largo y Paysandú.

En el último año, Uruguay se ha posicionado a la vanguardia garantizando ejercicio de los derechos sexuales y reproductivos, al aprobar una ley que despenaliza la interrupción voluntaria del embarazo (IVE). A más de un año del inicio de la implementación de estos servicios, este reporte presenta los hallazgos de una investigación realizada por Médicos del Mundo Francia en Uruguay, que pretende relevar las vivencias y las trayectorias de las mujeres usuarias de los servicios de salud sexual y reproductiva (SSR) y la prestación de IVE que se brinda a través de este servicio.El presente estudio ha sido posible gracias a la ayuda de muchas personas. Principalmente agradecemos la colaboración de la organización Iniciativas Sanitarias, la direccion del CHPR, las direcciones de los centros de salud de ASSE de Cerro Largo y Paysandú, los profesionales dentro de los servicios de SSR accedidos, a la organización Mujeres en el Horno y a la Facultad de Psicología de la Universidad de la República. Un agradecimiento muy especial a las mujeres que estuvieron dispuestas a compartir con nosotros sus vivencias

DNA methylation and gene expression changes derived from assisted reproductive technologies can be decreased by reproductive fluids

[EN]The number of children born since the origin of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) exceeds 5 million. The majority seem healthy, but a higher frequency of defects has been reported among ART-conceived infants, suggesting an epigenetic cost. We report the first wholegenome DNA methylation datasets from single pig blastocysts showing differences between in vivo and in vitro produced embryos. Blastocysts were produced in vitro either without (C-IVF) or in the presence of natural reproductive fluids (Natur-IVF). Natur-IVF embryos were of higher quality than C-IVF in terms of cell number and hatching ability. RNA-Seq and DNA methylation analyses showed that Natur-IVF embryos have expression and methylation patterns closer to in vivo blastocysts. Genes involved in reprogramming, imprinting and development were affected by culture, with fewer aberrations in Natur-IVF embryos. Methylation analysis detected methylated changes in C-IVF, but not in Natur-IVF, at genes whose methylation could be critical, such as IGF2R and NNAT.SIThe authors thank CEFU, SA and El Pozo, SA for providing the biological material; Juan Antonio Carvajal and Soledad Rodriguez for collecting the oviducts, uteri and ovaries at the slaughterhouse; Carmen Mata´ s for technical support with IVF and Kristina Tabbada for sequencing RNA-Seq and BS-seq libraries. Funding: Work in GK’s laboratory was supported by the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and Medical Research Council. Work in PC’s laboratory was supported by grants AGL2012–40180 C03-01 and AGL2015–66341-R from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Spain), and 20040/GERM/16 from Fundacio´ n Se´ neca. PC stay at The Babraham Institute was funded by a mobility grant of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports (PRX14/00348

Agua para producciones bajo riego en el Alto Valle de Río Negro y Neuquén

En la Argentina, las alteraciones y variabilidad en el clima afectan al territorio de múltiples formas y diversas medidas. En los Andes patagónicos se observa una variación negativa en la precipitación media anual que incide negativamente en los caudales de los ríos de la cuenca, afectando la disponibilidad de agua (MAyDS, 2020). Esta tendencia negativa lleva 15 años, intensificando la sequía, con un impacto contundente sobre el ambiente, las poblaciones y las producciones. Los valles irrigados de la Norpatagonia concentran gran parte de la actividad económica y productiva de las provincias de Río Negro y Neuquén, con 127.000 ha y 27.610 ha bajo riego, respectivamente, cultivadas con frutales, cultivos hortícolas, forrajes y pasturas. Al mismo tiempo, constituyen una de las regiones más vulnerables al cambio climático. En el Alto Valle de Río Negro y Neuquén hay 38.446 ha cultivadas con frutales de pepita y carozo (SENASA, 2020) que representan la principal cadena productiva de la región. En la zona de Valle Medio y Río Colorado se estima que hay más de 20.000 ha irrigadas que actualmente se destinan a la producción frutícola, hortícola y, en menor medida, de otros cultivos como forrajes y pasturas. En este contexto de crisis hídrica, la merma en los caudales medios de los ríos de la cuenca podría afectar la operación de los sistemas de riego debido a una menor disponibilidad de agua. Además, de acuerdo con la dinámica del acuífero del Alto Valle, variaciones en la operación de los sistemas de riego y en los caudales de los ríos podrían disminuir el aporte de agua capilar a los cultivos, que se estima puede cubrir entre 35 % y 65 % de la necesidad de agua de los cultivos frutales en riegos localizados y hasta 75 % en riegos gravitacionales (Mañueco et al., 2021).EEA Alto ValleFil: Mañueco, María Lucía. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; ArgentinaFil: Montenegro, Ayelen. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; ArgentinaFil: Guiñazú Licames, Maira Soledad. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto De Investigación Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Agricultura Familiar Región Patagonia; ArgentinaFil: Córdoba, Joaquín Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto De Investigación Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Agricultura Familiar Región Patagonia; ArgentinaFil: Buda, Vicente Sebastián. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle; ArgentinaFil: Martínez, Roberto Simón. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Valle Inferior del Río Negro; ArgentinaFil: Sheridan, Miguel Mariano. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Alto Valle. Agencia de Extensión Rural Cipolletti; Argentin

Predicting the impact of COVID-19 interruptions on transmission of gambiense human African trypanosomiasis in two health zones of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Many control programmes against neglected tropical diseases have been interrupted due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, including those that rely on active case finding. In this study we focus on gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (gHAT), where active screening was suspended in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) due to the pandemic. We use two independent mathematical models to predict the impact of COVID-19 interruptions on transmission and reporting and achievement of the 2030 elimination of transmission (EOT) goal for gHAT in two moderate-risk regions of the DRC. We consider different interruption scenarios, including reduced passive surveillance in fixed health facilities, and whether this suspension lasts until the end of 2020 or 2021. Our models predict an increase in the number of new infections in the interruption period only if both active screening and passive surveillance were suspended, and with a slowed reduction—but no increase—if passive surveillance remains fully functional. In all scenarios, the EOT may be slightly pushed back if no mitigation, such as increased screening coverage, is put in place. However, we emphasise that the biggest challenge will remain in the higher-prevalence regions where EOT is already predicted to be behind schedule without interruptions unless interventions are bolstered

DNA methylation and gene expression changes derived from assisted reproductive technologies can be decreased by reproductive fluids.

The number of children born since the origin of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) exceeds 5 million. The majority seem healthy, but a higher frequency of defects has been reported among ART-conceived infants, suggesting an epigenetic cost. We report the first whole-genome DNA methylation datasets from single pig blastocysts showing differences between in vivo and in vitro produced embryos. Blastocysts were produced in vitro either without (C-IVF) or in the presence of natural reproductive fluids (Natur-IVF). Natur-IVF embryos were of higher quality than C-IVF in terms of cell number and hatching ability. RNA-Seq and DNA methylation analyses showed that Natur-IVF embryos have expression and methylation patterns closer to in vivo blastocysts. Genes involved in reprogramming, imprinting and development were affected by culture, with fewer aberrations in Natur-IVF embryos. Methylation analysis detected methylated changes in C-IVF, but not in Natur-IVF, at genes whose methylation could be critical, such as IGF2R and NNAT

Therapeutic Recommendations for the Management of Older Adult Patients with Sjogren's Syndrome

Primary Sjogren's syndrome (SjS) is a systemic autoimmune disease most commonly diagnosed in middle-aged women. Although the disease can occur at all ages, it is diagnosed between 30 and 60 years of age in two-thirds of patients. In more than 20% of cases, the people are older than 65 years. In this review, we focus on the therapeutic management of primary SjS in older patients, following the recently published 2020 European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations for the management of the disease with topical and systemic therapies. These recommendations are applicable to all patients with primary SjS regardless of age at diagnosis, although the therapeutic management in older patients requires additional considerations. Older patients are more likely to have pulmonary, liver, kidney, or heart-related comorbidities (even cognitive disturbances); caution is required when most drugs are used, including muscarinic agents, systemic corticosteroids and synthetic immunosuppressants. It is also important to monitor the use of eye drops containing steroids due to the increased risk of developing cataracts, a frequent ocular complication in the older population. In contrast, the majority of drugs that can be used topically (pilocarpine rinses, eye drops containing topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or cyclosporine A, topical dermal formulations of NSAIDs) have shown an acceptable safety profile in older patients, as well as rituximab. A rigorous evaluation of the medical history of older patients is essential when drugs included in the EULAR guidelines are prescribed, with special attention to factors frequently related to ageing, such as polypharmacy, the existence of organ-specific comorbidities, or the enhanced susceptibility to infections.</p

Modelling to quantify the likelihood that local elimination of transmission has occurred using routine gambiense human African trypanosomiasis surveillance data

Background The gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (gHAT) elimination programme in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) routinely collects case data through passive surveillance and active screening, with several regions reporting no cases for several years, despite being endemic in the early 2000s. Methods We use mathematical models fitted to longitudinal data to estimate the probability that selected administrative regions have already achieved elimination of transmission (EOT) of gHAT. We examine the impact of active screening coverage on the certainty of model estimates for transmission and therefore the role of screening in the measurement of EOT. Results In three example health zones of Sud-Ubangi province we find there is a moderate (>40%) probability that EOT has been achieved by 2018, based on 2000–2016 data. Budjala and Mbaya reported zero cases during 2017–18 and this further increases our respective estimates to 99.9% and 99.6% (Model S); and to 87.3% and 92.1% (Model W). Bominenge had recent case reporting, however if zero cases were found in 2021 it would substantially raise our certainty that EOT has been met there (99.0% for Model S and 88.5% for Model W), and this could be higher with 50% coverage screening that year (99.1% for Model S and 94.0% for Model W). Conclusions We demonstrate how routine surveillance data coupled with mechanistic modelling can estimate the likelihood that EOT has already been achieved. Such quantitative assessment will become increasingly important for measuring local achievement of EOT as 2030 approaches