Building Support Networks 25 Years After Beijing: The Case of Women Domestic Workers in Ethiopia and Tanzania

In view of the Beijing +25 celebration, I draw upon ethnographic research in Ethiopia and Tanzania to examine various forms of action mobilised by governments and formal and informal women’s labour movements for the improvement of domestic workers’ rights. Domestic work is one of the most important sources of employment for women in both countries. Yet the lack of adequate protection leaves domestic workers open to several forms of abuse and exploitation. Various activists are lobbying governments for the improvement of domestic workers’ conditions in terms of payment, enforcement of written contracts, access to social protection, and the right to a safe work environment. Labour activists are currently advocating for the ratification of the ILO Convention No. 189 ‘Concerning Decent Work for Domestic Workers’. In particular, they mobilise support networks at local, regional, national and international level, and emphasise the need for domestic workers themselves to be on the frontline. Despite their efforts, they face many challenges in organising domestic workers, and there is little awareness of their actions among domestic workers themselves; much remains to be done to achieve significant advances in the rights of domestic workers. The article argues that in the absence of institutional social protection, domestic workers’ mobilisation of other strategies of action outside of formal channels, such as neighborhood interactions and informal gatherings which work as sources of emotional, practical and material support, are also important in the advancing of domestic workers’ rights. It is argued that both formal and informal approaches have relevance for academic research and activists who seek to foster new solutions to achieve improvements in domestic workers’ rights

Studio in vitro di nanoparticelle di oro: analisi citotossica, genotossica e potenziale cancerogeno

Lo scopo di questa tesi è quello di valutare gli effetti tossicologici di nanoparticelle di oro, utilizzando metodi in vitro (colture cellulari) alternativi all’ uso di test su animali. Con il termine nanoparticelle si identificano, per convenzione, delle particelle formate da aggregati atomici o molecolari aventi un diametro compreso tra 1 nm e 100 nm. Tali materiali hanno particolari caratteristiche chimico-fisiche che li differenziano dagli elementi chimici di cui sono formati e li rendono ottimi candidati per lo sviluppo delle nanotecnologie. Le interessanti e talvolta inaspettate proprietà delle nanoparticelle sono dovute alla grande area di superficie del materiale, che prevale rispetto alla piccola massa. Le particelle di oro utilizzate per questo studio hanno le dimensioni di 5 nm, 15 nm e 40 nm. Gli studi in vitro sono di grande interesse scientifico poiché molte informazioni sulla tossicologia delle nanoparticelle sono frammentarie o addirittura sconosciute. Dati sperimentali ottenuti su linee cellulari che corrispondono ai diversi organi bersaglio servono a comprendere la potenziale tossicità dei nanomateriali ed il loro meccanismo d’azione per valutarne il potenziale rischio sull’uomo. In questo studio abbiamo sintetizzato e caratterizzato le nanoparticelle di oro in termini di dimensione, carica superficiale e rilascio di ioni di oro in acqua e nei mezzi di coltura. Inoltre abbiamo valutato gli effetti delle nanoparticelle di oro misurando la vitalità cellulare, dopo aver selezionato il test di Efficienza di Formazione di Colonie come uno dei più promettenti; il potenziale cancerogeno utilizzando il test di Trasformazione Morfologica e la genotossicità con i test del Micronucleo e della Cometa. Si è avuta induzione di citotossicità dipendente dal modello cellulare utilizzato solo per le particelle di 5 nm; il potenziale cancerogeno è risultato negativo per tutte le nanoparticelle di oro testate mentre è stata osservata genotossicità per le nanoparticelle di oro di 40 nm. Questi risultati sottolineano l’ importanza dello studio di diverse caratteristiche dei nanomateriali tra cui la dimensione e dell’aspetto multidisciplinare (chimica, fisica e biologia) necesario per la compresione degli effetti tossicologici dei nanomateriali

Developing support strategies. Personal networks of female domestic workers in Ethiopia and Tanzania

Based on ethnographic research in Ethiopia and Tanzania, this paper draws attention to the personal networks that female domestic workers employ and mobilize to achieve their goals and face challenges, focusing in particular on support strategies among women. Domestic work is often hidden and open to abuse. Women describe their lives as isolated and subject to the will of their employers. However, mobility is a central element in their lives. Despite all the limitations, they continuously find alternative ways to explore urban space, develop new relationships and activate strategies of mutual support. Network resources turn out to be both enabling and constraining; however they are always part of women’s strategies for negotiating their own position and achieving their goals, which are the result of a dialectical relationship, within specific gendered contexts, between personal aspirations and social obligations, opportunities and constraints

Flux through a time-periodic gate: Monte Carlo test of a homogenization result

We investigate via Monte Carlo numerical simulations and theoretical considerations the outflux of random walkers moving in an interval bounded by an interface exhibiting channels (pores, doors) which undergo an open/close cycle according to a periodic schedule. We examine the onset of a limiting boundary behavior characterized by a constant ratio between the outflux and the local density, in the thermodynamic limit. We compare such a limit with the predictions of a theoretical model already obtained in the literature as the homogenization limit of a suitable diffusion problem

Monte Carlo study of gating and selection in potassium channels

The study of selection and gating in potassium channels is a very important issue in modern biology. Indeed such structures are known in all types of cells in all organisms where they play many important functional roles. The mechanism of gating and selection of ionic species is not clearly understood. In this paper we study a model in which gating is obtained via an affinity-switching selectivity filter. We discuss the dependence of selectivity and efficiency on the cytosolic ionic concentration and on the typical pore open state duration. We demonstrate that a simple modification of the way in which the selectivity filter is modeled yields larger channel efficiency

Migration of phthalates, alkylphenols, bisphenol A and di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate from food packaging

The migration of plastic components or additives from packaging to food can produce a risk for human health, in fact many of these plasticizers and additives are "Endocrine Distruptors", such as phthalates (PAEs), alkylphenols (APs), 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane (bisphenol A or BPA) and di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DENA). The evaluation of some PAEs, some APs, BPA and DEHA levels in common food packaging (oil and natural tuna cans, marmalade cap, yogurt packaging, polystyrene dish, teat, bread bag, film, baby's bottle, aseptic plastic laminate paperboard carton and plastic wine top) was carried out by migration tests. Furthermore to evaluate the potential migration of plasticizers and additives from plastic wine tops, two extraction methods were used, one through incubation at 40 degrees C for 10 days and one by ultrasounds extraction. The simulants employed were distilled water, acetic acid at 3%, ethanol at 15% for wine top. The food simulant was extracted by solid phase extraction (SPE) and analyzed by GC-MS. Comparing these results with EU restrictions all samples showed contaminant migration lower than SML and OML established. Finally, about the comparison of two extraction methods, the extraction carried out for 10 days at 40 degrees C may be better than the other one in order to detect all compounds. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Differences between computed tomoghaphy and surgical findings in acute complicated diverticulitis

Summary Background/Objective: A preoperative reliable classification system between clinical and computed tomography (CT) findings to better plan surgery in acute complicated diverticulitis (ACD) is lacking. We studied the inter-observer agreement of CT scan data and their concordance with the preoperative clinical findings and the adherence with the intraoperative status using a new classification of diverticular disease (CDD). Methods: 152 patients operated on for acute complicated diverticulitis (ACD) were retrospectively enrolled. All patients were studied with CT scan within 24 h before surgery and CT images were blinded reanalyzed by 2 couples of radiologists (A/B). Kappa value evaluated the inter-observer agreement between radiologists and the concordance between CDD, preoperative clinical findings and findings at operation. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to evaluate the predicting values of CT classification and CDD stage at surgery on postoperative outcomes. Results: Overall inter-observer agreement for the CDD was high, with a kappa value of 0.905 (95% CI Z 0.850e0.960) for observers A and B, while the concordance between radiologica

A singular case of cavernous internal carotid artery aneurysm in patient with cavernous sinus syndrome and bacterial meningitis

AbstractWe report the uncommon case of an acute cavernous sinus syndrome in a patient who was consequently discovered to have both a cavernous internal carotid artery aneurysm and bacterial meningitis. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Which of the two, the aneurysm or the meningitis, gave rise to the patient’s symptoms? We briefly reviewed the literature of similar cases and tried to analyze the possible pathophysiological relationship between these findings. Moreover, this case highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary management of these patients to better decide between a medical and a surgical and/or endovascular treatment

Root inoculation with Azotobacter chroococcum 76A enhances tomato plants adaptation to salt stress under low N conditions

Background: The emerging roles of rhizobacteria in improving plant nutrition and stress protection have great potential for sustainable use in saline soils. We evaluated the function of the salt-tolerant strain Azotobacter chroococcum 76A as stress protectant in an important horticultural crop, tomato. Specifically we hypothesized that treatment of tomato plants with A. chroococcum 76A could improve plant performance under salinity stress and sub-optimal nutrient regimen. Results: Inoculation of Micro Tom tomato plants with A. chroococcum 76A increased numerous growth parameters and also conferred protective effects under both moderate (50 mM NaCl) and severe (100 mM NaCl) salt stresses. These benefits were mostly observed under reduced nutrient regimen and were less appreciable in optimal nitrogen conditions. Therefore, the efficiency of A. chroococcum 76A was found to be dependent on the nutrient status of the rhizosphere. The expression profiles of LEA genes indicated that A. chroococcum 76A treated plants were more responsive to stress stimuli when compared to untreated controls. However, transcript levels of key nitrogen assimilation genes revealed that the optimal nitrogen regimen, in combination with the strain A. chroococcum 76A, may have saturated plant’s ability to assimilate nitrogen. Conclusions: Roots inoculation with A. chroococcum 76A tomato promoted tomato plant growth, stress tolerance and nutrient assimilation efficiency under moderate and severe salinity. Inoculation with beneficial bacteria such as A. chroococcum 76A may be an ideal solution for low-input systems, where environmental constraints and limited chemical fertilization may affect the potential yield