Institutions and structures as barriers? A comparison of native-born and immigrant unemployment durations across 12 European countries

This study investigated the effect of institutions on the unemployment duration gap between non-EU immigrants and native-born in 12 European countries. Going further than the existing literature, our study encompassed unemployment duration, distinguishing between exits to inactivity, primary and secondary employment. Additionally, we have provided a stronger micro-foundation to the comparative literature by introducing institutional measures for unemployment-related benefits at the individual level rather than merely using aggregate proxies. Our analysis found no disincentive effects of benefits for immigrants. Furthermore, the employment prospects of immigrants were better when the demand for low-skilled labour was high, and immigration policy was labour market-oriented. In contrast, employment protection legislation did not affect the unemployment duration of immigrants

Development and validation of a simple and economical spectrofluorimetric method for estimation of quinine in pharmaceutical dosage forms

A new simple, sensitive, precise, economic and “green” spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of quinine both as a bulk drug and in tablet formulations was developed and validated using water as solvent. At a predetermined excitation wavelength (330 nm) and emission wavelength (380 nm), it was proved linear in the concentration range of 50-500 ng/mL, exhibited good correlation coefficient (R2= 0.999) and excellent mean recovery (97.5-103%). The results of the recovery studies showed that the method was not affected by the presence of common excipients. The method was applied for the analysis of the drug in the pure, tablet and injectable forms. The method was validated for precision, accuracy and recovery studies. Limit of Detection and Limit of Quantification for quinine were found to be 16.6 ng/mL and 19.8 ng/mL respectively. The method has been successfully applied for the analysis of marketed formulations available in Senegal. © 2013 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.Keywords: Spectrofluorometric analysis, validation, quinine, green method

Future research to underpin successful peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) eradication

Peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) is a significant pathogen of small ruminants and is prevalent in much of Africa, the Near and Middle East and Asia. Despite the availability of an efficacious and cheap live-attenuated vaccine, the virus has continued to spread, with its range stretching from Morocco in the west to China and Mongolia in the east. Some of the world’s poorest communities rely on small ruminant farming for subsistence and the continued endemicity of PPRV is a constant threat to their livelihoods. Moreover, PPRV’s effects on the world’s population are felt broadly across many economic, agricultural and social situations. This far-reaching impact has prompted the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to develop a global strategy for the eradication of this virus and its disease. PPRV is a morbillivirus and, given the experience of these organizations in eradicating the related rinderpest virus, the eradication of PPRV should be feasible. However, there are many critical areas where basic and applied virological research concerning PPRV is lacking. The purpose of this review is to highlight areas where new research could be performed in order to guide and facilitate the eradication programme. These areas include studies on disease transmission and epidemiology, the existence of wildlife reservoirs and the development of next-generation vaccines and diagnostics. With the support of the international virology community, the successful eradication of PPRV can be achieved

Effet du chlorure de sodium sur la germination de graines de Ricinus communis L.

Ricinus communis L (ricin) figure parmi les espèces du Programme biocarburant au  Sénégal. Sa culture sur des terrains incultes (terres salées) constitue une alternative pour éviter une concurrence sur les terres à vocation agricole. C’est pourquoi le taux de germination (TG) de sept accessions de graines de ricin a été étudié pendant 15 jours sous des concentrations croissantes de NaCl (0; 20; 50; 80; 100; 150 et 200 mM). Les résultats ont montré une large variabilité de tolérance au sel au stade de la germination. Les accessions 3 et 8 ont été très sensibles avec des TG réduits seulement à la concentration 20 mM NaCl. Les accessions 1, 6 et 7 n’ont pas toléré la concentration 50 mM. L’accession 5 n’a toléré que les teneurs < 80 mM. L’accession 4 a germé dans les milieux ≤ 100 mM NaCl. Elle n’a manifesté une perte significative de TG qu’en présence de 150 mM NaCl. Elle a été la moins affectée par l’effet ralentisseur du sel sur la vitesse de germination. Ces résultats permettent de dire que le mode d’action de NaCl sur la germination est de nature osmotique et/ou toxique.Mots clés : Ricin, espèce, biocarburant, tolérance au sel, teneur en sel, Sénégal

“Ezakiella massiliensis” sp. nov., a new bacterial species isolated from human female genital tract

AbstractWe report the primary characteristics of “Ezakiella massiliensis” strain Marseille P2951 (= DSM 103122 = CSUR P2951), a new member of the Ezakiella genus. Strain Marseille P2951 was isolated from a vaginal sample taken from an asymptomatic 20-year-old woman who had sex with another woman who had bacterial vaginosis

Pan-Africanism: a contorted delirium or a pseudonationalist paradigm? Revivalist critique

This essaic-article goes against established conventions that there is anything ethno-cultural (and hence national) about the so-called African tribes. Drawing largely from the culture history of precolonial/prepolitical Africans—that is, the Bantu/Cushitic-Ethiopians (Azanians)—the author has demonstrated vividly that far from being distinct ethno-culture national communities, the so-called tribes of African states are better considered subculture groups, whose regional culture practices erstwhile paid tribute to their nation’s main culture center in Karnak. For example, using the culture symbols and practices of some local groups and linking them to the predynastic and dynastic Pharaonic periods, I argued that there is compelling evidence against qualifying Africa’s tribes as distinct ethno-culture national entities. In genuine culture context, I stressed that the Ritual of Resurrection and its twin culture process of the mummification of deceased indigenous Pharaohs tend to suggest that the object of the Bantu/Cushitic-Ethiopians national culture was life (in its eternal manifestation) and then resurrection later, and that there are recurring (culturally sanctioned) ethical examples among the culture custodians of these subculture groups that generally pay tribute to the overarching culture norm. Furthermore, the fact that the Ritual of Resurrection began in the Delta region and ended at the Sources of the Nile, where the spirit of the deceased indigenous Pharaohs was introduced into the spiritual world of their ancestors, contradicts conventional perceptions that ancient Egypt was a distinct national community isolated from precolonial/prepolitical Africa/Azania

Chromosomal analysis of embryos produced by artificially inseminated superovulated cattle

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