Challenges for the protection of unaccompanied foreign minors in the streets of Ceuta

Ceuta, as a Spanish enclave in Africa face specific challenges in terms of immigration. Due the proximity of Ceuta and Morocco, the residents of Moroccan provinces adjoining are exempted from visa requirements and can be authorized to enter and exit the Spanish city, on a daily basis, but not the rest of the national territory. A number of the people that cross this border are minors, many of them come from adjoining provinces and enter legally, with their passports, accompanied by their parents or a relative who abandon them in Spanish territory, with the aim that they could get a better life and help their family economically. Others come from other provinces and undertake this trip alone, often with the same responsibility, of helping their family, and stay on the land border between Morocco and Spain for days or even months trying to sneak across the border illegally. These minors scape from the system, they are unprotected, exposed to criminal and victimological risk. Besides, their presence on the streets generate a sense of public insecurity and social alarm, although the crime rate of this group is low, negative labels are applied to them. In this context, Ceuta, specifically the Department of Health, Social Affairs, Minors and Equality, has signed an agreement with the University of Málaga, implemented by the Observatory of the Crime control system towards Immigration (OCSPI), to develop a pilot project of research and social intervention to prevent juvenile delinquency and protect these minors.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Effects of a new thiazolidine compound (GQ-11) on tissue repair process in models of insulin resistance and ischemia/reperfusion

The thiazolidinediones (TZDs) class comprises drugs with hypoglycemic effects, reducing insulin resistance in peripheral tissues. Our group has demonstrated in preliminary in vivo data that a new TZD, GQ-11, improves insulin resistance as well as modulates cytokines involved in inflammatory process, suggesting an interesting approach for therapeutic alternatives in tissue repair, especially in metabolic decompensation cases, as insulin resistance and ischemia-reperfusion. In this context, the aim of this study was to investigate GQ-11 effects in tissue repair in three different models: insulin resistance in db/db mice, reconstructed human epidermis (RHE) in glycated collagen matrix and ischemia/reperfusion in Wistar rats. In insulin resistance context, GQ-11 treatment showed to upregulate expression of anti-inflammatory mediators, such as IL-10, TGF- and Arg-1, besides downregulating expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines both in db/db mice wounds and in macrophages, besides increasing re-epithelization and collagen deposition. In addition, the treatment also induced keratinocytes proliferation and fibroblasts differentiation in RHE. In ischemia-reperfusion model, same anti-inflammatory effect was observed along anti-oxidant properties through regulation of enzymes, such as catalase, GPx and TBARS formation decrease, besides 18F-FDG uptake decrease in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging, suggesting decrease of inflammation process related to reperfusion after aorta clamping. Concluding, the treatment with a dual PPAR/ agonism, such as GQ-11, promotes a central anti-inflammatory effect, suggesting a new approach to tissue repair management in diabetes and in prevention of ischemia-reperfusion syndrome post-surgery

Alternative oxidase (AOX) constitutes a small family of proteins in Citrus clementina and Citrus sinensis L. Osb

The alternative oxidase (AOX) protein is present in plants, fungi, protozoa and some invertebrates. It is involved in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, providing an alternative route for the transport of electrons, leading to the reduction of oxygen to form water. The present study aimed to characterize the family of AOX genes in mandarin (Citrus clementina) and sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) at nucleotide and protein levels, including promoter analysis, phylogenetic analysis and C. sinensis gene expression. This study also aimed to do the homology modeling of one AOX isoform (CcAOXd). Moreover, the molecular docking of the CcAOXd protein with the ubiquinone (UQ) was performed. Four AOX genes were identified in each citrus species. These genes have an open reading frame (ORF) ranging from 852 bp to 1150 bp and a number of exons ranging from 4 to 9. The 1500 bp-upstream region of each AOX gene contained regulatory cis-elements related to internal and external response factors. CsAOX genes showed a differential expression in citrus tissues. All AOX proteins were predicted to be located in mitochondria. They contained the conserved motifs LET, NERMHL, LEEEA and RADE-H as well as several putative post-translational modification sites. The CcAOXd protein was modeled by homology to the AOX of Trypanosona brucei (45% of identity). The 3-D structure of CcAOXd showed the presence of two hydrophobic helices that could be involved in the anchoring of the protein in the inner mitochondrial membrane. The active site of the protein is located in a hydrophobic environment deep inside the AOX structure and contains a diiron center. The molecular docking of CcAOXd with UQ showed that the binding site is a recessed pocket formed by the helices and submerged in the membrane. These data are important for future functional studies of citrus AOX genes and/or proteins, as well as for biotechnological approaches leading to AOX inhibition using UQ homologs. (Résumé d'auteur

Human smugglers or smuggled persons? An approach to the situation of youth accused of human smuggling in southern Spain

Spain's southern border is a gateway for irregular immigration through unauthorized routes. The maritime routes from Africa to the Canary Islands and Andalusia represent a door to Europe through which different profiles of people try to cross using small boats. The mafias that charge for facilitating these dangerous transfers profit from the lack of secure routes for safe immigration. In a recent report, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) notes that a large number of people are being arrested just after arriving thought the Canary Island route, accused of smuggling migrants. The report questions whether the weight of the law is falling on people who have little to do with the criminal networks that move the boats. During fieldwork in a prison in Andalusia in the framework of the JEPRAN project (Former Foster Youths in Andalusian Prisons, 2021-2023) and seeking to identify different profiles of young people in prison, a surprising number of young people accused of human smuggling were identified. In a second structured interview with them, we inquired about the circumstances of their detention. This communication will focus on presenting the results found, seeking to approach from their testimonies, this worrying situation

Circlator: automated circularization of genome assemblies using long sequencing reads

The assembly of DNA sequence data is undergoing a renaissance thanks to emerging technologies capable of producing reads tens of kilobases long. Assembling complete bacterial and small eukaryotic genomes is now possible, but the final step of circularizing sequences remains unsolved. Here we present Circlator, the first tool to automate assembly circularization and produce accurate linear representations of circular sequences. Using Pacific Biosciences and Oxford Nanopore data, Circlator correctly circularized 26 of 27 circularizable sequences, comprising 11 chromosomes and 12 plasmids from bacteria, the apicoplast and mitochondrion of Plasmodium falciparum and a human mitochondrion. Circlator is available at http://sanger-pathogens.github.io/circlator/

Menores marroquíes solos y en peligro: un programa de política pública para la prevención de su delincuencia y victimización en las calles de Ceuta

La existencia de menores extranjeros en la calle, en situación de desprotección y exposición a situaciones de riesgo victimológico y delictivo es una realidad en algunas ciudades españolas. Ceuta y Melilla son ciudades peculiares debido a las características físicas ypolíticas de estos enclaves en el continente africano. Las exigencias de protección de estos niños, niñas y adolescentes, alejadas de cualquier otra consideración por su condición de extranjeros, ha puesto en jaque a los sistemas de protección españoles, garantes del bienestar de todo menor en situación de desamparo. En este contexto, la Ciudad Autónoma de Ceuta ha suscrito con la Universidad de Málaga (UMA) un convenio para poner en marcha un programa piloto de intervención comunitaria para prevenir la delincuencia infanto-juvenil de estos menores. El diseño, ejecución y evaluación de este programa corre a cargo del Observatorio criminológico del sistema penal ante la inmigración (OCSPI) - UMA. La intervención, que durará dos años (2018-2019), se basa en las recomendaciones realizadas por la Comisión del Consejo de Europa en abril de 2017 y en los fundamentos teóricos criminológicos sobre la prevención de la delincuencia de menores de edad e inmigración. El programa busca realizar un diagnóstico de la situación de los menores en situación de calle y darles respuestas individualizadas. A partir de la intervención, se recogen los datos fruto de la observación participante, y necesarios para la evaluación del programa. Los primeros resultados apuntan a que un programa de política pública de estas características permite conocer la cambiante realidad de los menores en situación de calle, fruto de una gran movilidad transfronteriza, y detectar menores invisibles para el sistema de protección. Además, permite proteger a menores en situaciones de especial vulnerabilidad, rebajar la tensión callejera y reducir oportunidades de delincuencia y victimización.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Adaptation to Cesarean Birth: Implementation of an International Multisite Study

The purpose of this column is to describe the implementation of an international multisite Roy adaptation model-based study of women’s perceptions of and responses to cesarean birth. The need for the study arose from the concern that women’s childbearing needs may not be met to their full satisfaction, especially if the infant is born by cesarean. Serendipity and networking played a part in the selection of four study sites in the United States (Boston, Milwaukee, Norfolk, Oklahoma City) and two in other countries (Finland, Australia). Data were collected by nursing students and staff nurses. Post-hoc consideration of the diversity of study sites revealed opportunities for examination of the influence of the contextual stimuli of culture and geographic region on the women’s adaptation to cesarean birth. Strategies used to foster integration of teaching, practice, and research are discussed