The Implementation and Legacy of Mexico’s Southern Border Program, PRP 208

Over the last two decades, Mexico has enacted multiple domestic programs and international initiatives to manage the movement of migrants and illicit goods across its southern border states. In July 2014, Mexico launched its most recent major initiative, the Southern Border Program (Programa Frontera Sur), amid the arrival of an unprecedented number of Central American minors traveling through Mexico to the U.S.-Mexico border. This report provides an analysis of Mexico’s Southern Border Program, setting it within a historical context, describing the program and its consequences, and examining its legacy.Public Affair

Clumped isotope thermometry as a new tool for reconstructing Miocene climate change

Postponed access: the file will be accessible after 2022-01-27This PhD thesis focuses on the clumped isotope paleothermometer and its application to foraminiferal carbonates buried in ocean sediments. Based on new proxy evidence for ocean temperature, the thesis aims at improving our understanding of the mechanisms driving the climate system in a warmer world. In the first paper, the effects of diagenetic processes on clumped isotope temperatures are examined in order to assess the fidelity and robustness of the paleothermometer for applications deeper in geological time. For this purpose, clumped isotope temperature data measured on middle Eocene benthic and planktic foraminifera from six ODP/IODP sites in the Atlantic Ocean are compared. Our results demonstrate that benthic and well-preserved planktic foraminiferal carbonates are likely to yield robust temperature estimates of initial calcification, whereas temperatures derived from planktic foraminiferal tests with clear signs of diagenetic alteration appear to be biased towards cool temperatures. These observations are supplemented with end-member mixing modeling. In the second paper, we use planktic foraminiferal clumped isotope and organic biomarker-based temperature records from ODP Site 1171 on the South Tasman Rise to constrain the thermal evolution of the upper waters of the Southern Ocean across the middle Miocene climate transition, which is a large-scale climate shift towards colder conditions. Our results suggest that upper ocean cooling was gradual and coupled to the expansion of the Antarctic ice sheet. These observations contrast with previous Mg/Ca-based temperature reconstructions that indicate much more abrupt cooling preceding ice sheet expansion. We show that Mg/Ca- based paleotemperature estimates can be brought into agreement with those based on clumped isotopes and TEX86 when taking into account pH as a non-thermal influence on Mg/Ca in planktic foraminifera. Integrating our upper ocean temperature records with recent reconstructions of atmospheric CO2 indicates that the effect of CO2 forcing on southern high latitude climate may have been more important than previously assumed. In the third paper, the focus is on middle Miocene bottom water temperatures and ice volume. We present clumped as well as oxygen and carbon isotope data measured on benthic foraminiferal tests from ODP Site 747 located on the Kerguelen Plateau in the Southern Ocean. Our results suggest that Middle Miocene Southern Ocean bottom waters were substantially warmer than today, and then cooled by ~3-5°C. This cooling seems to precede ice growth during the middle Miocene climate transition, and was followed by a transient warming. We hypothesize that bottom water temperatures at Site 747 may have been influenced by regional processes, and specifically changes in heat transport between the upper and deep ocean. Taken together, the results of this thesis provide new constraints on the robustness of the clumped isotope paleothermometer towards burial diagenesis, and demonstrate the potential of the paleothermometer to provide key insights into Earth's climate history. Continued clumped isotope analyses on foraminiferal carbonates from past greenhouse climates may further improve our understanding of the impacts of future warming on sensitive regions such as Antarctica

Firm Control

How has the Xi Jinping administration recentralised authority over China’s politics and economy? Studies of Xi’s rule often suggest that his “core leader” status, revolutionary heritage, and informal network of loyalists underpin this consolidation of central control. In contrast, this article focuses on the state sector to highlight how the Xi administration’s recentralisation of authority is grounded in existing governance mechanisms and techniques: central leading small groups, the cadre management system, Party committees, and campaigns. Using policy documents and an original dataset on central state-owned enterprise leaders, I provide evidence that the Xi administration has leveraged each of these four methods to reclaim central authority relative to the preceding Hu Jintao administration. These findings contribute to scholarship on adaptive authoritarian governance and economic reform in China by underscoring that administrations can use existing instruments of central control in divergent ways

Evaluation of transrectal examination of cervical diameter by palpation in dairy cows

The objective of the study was to evaluate the reliability of a manual assessment of cervical diameter through palpation. In an in vivo trial, 64 Holstein-Friesian cows between 2 and 5d in milk (DIM) and between 21 and 27 DIM were examined by transrectal palpation by 3 investigators. For calculation of sensitivity and specificity, ultrasound-generated measurements were used as reference standard; a cervix >7.5 cm was categorized as large. The Pearson coefficient of correlation between the results of the 3 investigators and ultrasound-generated measurements was moderate (r=0.71, 0.74, and 0.51). The estimates generated by palpation by the 3 different investigators did not differ and were similar to measurements obtained by ultrasound. The coefficient of variation (CV) between the investigators and ultrasound was high (20.9, 18.7, and 32.0%). The mean difference between the investigators and the ultrasound was 0.60 cm (95% confidence interval: -2.4 to 3.6). Sensitivity was 28.6, 42.9, and 42.9%, and specificity was 100, 96.2, and 92.6% for the ability of the 3 investigators, respectively, to detect the 7.5-cm cutoff by palpation. Overall sensitivity and specificity for all 3 investigators, considering ultrasound as the reference, were 37.5 and 96.2%, respectively. In vitro, 24 wooden cylinders were used to represent cervical diameter and to examine the reliability, as well as sensitivity and specificity, of manual assessment of different diameters. The Pearson coefficient of correlation between the results of the investigators (n=11) and the actual diameters of the cylinders was 0.78. The CV between the investigators and the cylinders was 27.8%. The variation in the results was greater for cylinders with a larger diameter (3.5-cm diameter: mean ± standard deviation = 2.6 ± 0.9 cm; 10.5-cm diameter: mean ± standard deviation = 13.2 ± 4.0 cm). The estimate obtained by palpation for the 7.5-cm cylinder was 7.4 ± 2.1cm. Sensitivity was 79.4% and specificity 92.5%. After training one group of investigators, sensitivity and specificity improved to 85.9 and 94.4%, respectively. Transrectal palpation of the cervical diameter shows moderate repeatability and correlation and high variation between the investigators and the reference standards. Variability increased with larger diameters

Central American Refugees in Mexico: Barriers to Legal Status, Rights, and Integration, PRP 206

Mexico’s migratory laws outline a robust framework for refugee integration, but there are challenges with fulfilling the legal mandates. One primary challenge is a lack of institutional support for improving refugee integration at the federal, state, and municipal levels of government. In particular, financial resources and personnel have not kept pace with the increasing number of refugee applications, leaving COMAR without the capacity to fully address the current situation. To fill the gaps, civil society actors have stepped in, but their efforts cannot substitute for developing long-term institutional capacity. In addition to large-scale structural barriers, refugees face challenges in attempting to access employment, healthcare, and education. These challenges include but are not limited to low wages, informality, job market saturation, difficulty accessing financial institutions, burdensome bureaucracy, and a general lack of information about rights and procedures. This combination of challenges complicates refugees’ integration into Mexican society.Public Affair

Un ferme contrôle des firmes : la gestion des entreprises publiques sous Xi Jinping

Quelles sont les mesures adoptées par l’administration de Xi Jinping pour renforcer son contrôle sur la vie politique et économique en Chine ? Les travaux consacrés à son règne font référence à son statut de leader central, son héritage révolutionnaire ainsi que le réseau informel de soutiens fidèlement attachés à sa cause pour rendre compte de ce renforcement. À contre-pied de ces études, cet article analyse la gestion des entreprises publiques pour illustrer la manière dont l’affirmation de la primauté du pouvoir central repose sur la mobilisation de mécanismes et techniques de gouvernance classiques : l’instrumentalisation des groupes dirigeants du pouvoir central, la gestion des carrières des cadres, le renforcement des comités du Parti et la mise en œuvre de campagnes anti-corruption. En s’appuyant sur des documents administratifs et un ensemble original de données sur les dirigeants d’entreprises publiques, nous démontrons que l’administration Xi a recouru à ces quatre moyens pour renforcer son autorité, contrairement aux pratiques en cours lors des précédents mandats exercés par Hu Jintao. Mettant en lumière la manière dont les gouvernements peuvent employer des instruments existants pour resserrer le contrôle sur l’appareil d’État, ce travail contribue à étoffer les connaissances sur les capacités d’adaptation des régimes autoritaires et sur la mise en œuvre de la réforme économique en Chine

Evaluation of vaginoscopy for the diagnosis of clinical endometritis in dairy cows

The objective of the study was to evaluate the visual assessment of vaginal discharge by vaginoscopy for the diagnosis of clinical endometritis (CE) in dairy cows. In an in vivo trial, inter- and intraobserver repeatability of vaginoscopic examination (VE) was determined and the effect of transrectal palpation and experience of the investigator evaluated. Holstein-Friesian cows (n=380) were examined by vaginoscopy between 21 and 27 d in milk by 3 investigators twice. Vaginal discharge was categorized on a 4-point classification system (0=clear mucus, 1=mucus containing flecks of pus, 2=discharge containing less than 50% pus, 3=discharge containing more than 50% pus). Cows with a vaginal discharge score (VDS) of 0 were classified as healthy, whereas cows with a VDS of 1 to 3 were classified as having CE. Vaginal discharge score on a scale from 0 to 3 has moderate intra- (Cohen's kappa coefficient, κ=0.55-0.60) and interobserver (κ=0.44) repeatability. The prevalence of CE was comparable between the 3 investigators (first VE: 42.6, 34.8, and 38.7; second VE 46.8, 36.9, and 43.7%). Transrectal palpation (relative risk=0.96-1.03) or experience of the investigator (relative risk=0.9-1.1) did not affect results of VE. In an in vitro trial, sensitivity and specificity of visual assessment were determined utilizing 33 images showing yellow and pink areas in certain percentages as a reference standard. Pus was represented by yellow areas and the mucosa, including clear mucus, by pink areas. These images were visually assessed by 30 investigators via PowerPoint presentation (experiment 1) and by 23 investigators via a simulated vaginal examination (experiment 2) utilizing the same 4-point classification system. Sensitivity was 99.6 and 96.3% and specificity was 96.7 and 90.1% in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. The results provide evidence that a visual assessment conducted by vaginoscopic examination is not perfect but can be considered a reasonable measurement of vaginal discharge and is a practical tool to distinguish healthy from diseased cows

Mexico’s Migratory Policy Regarding Unaccompanied Minors: Obstacles to Accessing Services & Protections, PRP 205

This report explores the dynamics surrounding Central American unaccompanied minors in Mexico and their access to the country’s protection system. Since 2009, the number of unaccompanied minors from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras has increased significantly. Between 2009 and 2018, Mexican immigration officials apprehended approximately 80,000 unaccompanied minors, and hundreds of thousands more migrated through Mexico undetected. This report focuses specifically on Mexico’s immigration system for unaccompanied minors who are apprehended, and these minors’ ability to access legally guaranteed protections.Public Affair

Anwendbare pflegerische Interventionen im akutsomatischen Setting zur Unterstützung von Menschen nach einem Suizidversuch

Ausgangslage: Die Suizid- und Suizidversuchsrate steigt in der Schweiz stetig an. Personen, die nach einem solchen Versuch im akutsomatischen Setting hospitalisiert werden, fühlen sich nicht ganzheitlich betreut. Gleichzeitig haben Pflegefachpersonen in diesem Bereich nur wenig Wissen über die Betreuung dieser Menschen. Individuelle evidenzbasierte Pflegeinterventionen können helfen, den Bedürfnissen der betroffenen Menschen und der Pflegefachpersonen gerecht zu werden. Ziel: In dieser Arbeit werden evidenzbasierte Pflegeinterventionen recherchiert, die Menschen nach einem Suizidversuch im akutsomatischen Setting unterstützen. Methode: In den Datenbanken CINAHL Complete, PubMed und PsycInfo wurde in einer systematisierten Literaturrecherche nach Primärliteratur gesucht. Die Studienergebnisse werden mit Bartholomeyczik et al. (2008) beziehungsweise Lincoln & Guba (1985) kritisch gewürdigt. Mit Hilfe des Modelles von Rycroft-Malone et al. (2004) werden in einem nächsten Schritt praxisrelevante Empfehlungen dargestellt. Ergebnisse: In der Literatur wurden evidenzbasierte Interventionen gefunden, um Personen nach einem Suizidversuch zu unterstützen. Diese wurden in drei Kategorien eingeteilt: haltungsorientierte, konzeptorientierte und weiterbildende Interventionen. Schlussfolgerungen: Diverse evidenzbasierte Interventionen, um Menschen nach einem Suizidversuch zu unterstützen, sind in der Literatur beschrieben. Es besteht ein Mangel an pflegerischen Interventionen im akutsomatischen Setting, deshalb wurden Studien aus anderen Bereichen inkludiert und bezogen auf die Fragestellung transferiert

Southern Ocean bottom-water cooling and ice sheet expansion during the middle Miocene climate transition

The middle Miocene climate transition (MMCT), around 14 Ma, was associated with a significant climatic shift, but the mechanisms triggering the event remain enigmatic. We present a clumped isotope (Δ47) bottom-water temperature (BWT) record from 16.0 to 12.2 Ma from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 747 in the Southern Ocean and compare it to existing BWT records from different latitudes. We show that BWTs in the Southern Ocean reached 8–10 ∘C during the Miocene climatic optimum. These high BWT values indicate considerably warmer bottom-water conditions than today. Nonetheless, bottom-water δ18O (calculated from foraminiferal δ18O and Δ47) suggests substantial amounts of land ice throughout the interval of the study. Our dataset further demonstrates that BWTs at Site 747 were variable with an overall cooling trend across the MMCT. Notably, a cooling of around 3–5 ∘C preceded the stepped main increase in benthic δ18O, interpreted as global ice volume expansion, and appears to have been followed by a transient bottom-water warming starting during or slightly after the main ice volume increase. We speculate that a regional freshening of the upper water column at this time may have increased stratification and reduced bottom-water heat loss to the atmosphere, counteracting global cooling in the bottom waters of the Southern Ocean and possibly even at larger scales. Feedbacks required for substantial ice growth and/or tectonic processes may have contributed to the observed decoupling of global ice volume and Southern Ocean BWT.publishedVersio