A Case Study Analysis of Dehumanization in Rwanda and Darfur

From April-July 1994, over 800,000 people were killed in a genocide in Rwanda. Since 2004, over 450,000 people have been killed in a genocide in Darfur, Sudan. In both instances, physical and sexual dehumanization were used against the targeted groups. While dehumanization in genocide has been studied, most literature on dehumanization looks at it from a psychological viewpoint, and does not include the socio-economic factors that can lead to a population being dehumanized and targeted for genocide. In addition, research on the different types of dehumanization, especially sexual dehumanization, is needed in order to fully understand the role that dehumanization plays in encouraging and facilitating genocide. The purpose of this dissertation was to compare how dehumanization was/is used in the genocides in Rwanda and Darfur. Thus, in this study, I analyzed the literature on Rwanda and Darfur and explain how dehumanization was spread from the top down by both governments, the role structural violence played in the genocides, and the types of dehumanization, both physical and sexual, used in each genocide. This dissertation is a qualitative study that used case study methodology in order to review the existing literature on Rwanda and Darfur, as well as the literature on dehumanization. I argued that rape in Rwanda and Sudan was an act of genocide, done to inflict severe physical and mental harm upon the groups, as well as a measure intended to prevent births within the targeted group. I concluded with some policy recommendations, including mental health care for the survivors, steps to recognize and stop the spread of dehumanization of a targeted group, and the need to rehumanize not only the victims, but also the perpetrators, in order to build a lasting peace

A gravity model of remittance determinants: evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean

A gravity model of remittance determinants: evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean. Regional Studies. This paper constructs a microeconomic model of the motivation for remittances and uses it to explore the macroeconomic determinants. In addition, a new measure of bilateral remittances is used to estimate a gravity model of remittances for 27 Latin American and Caribbean countries and 18 industrialized countries. The results suggest remittances are motivated by a combination of altruism and self-interest, both of which are encapsulated by economic and non-economic variables

A gravity model of remittance determinants: evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean

This paper constructs a microeconomic model of the motivation for remittances and uses it to explore the macroeconomic determinants. In addition, a new measure of bilateral remittances is used to estimate a gravity model of remittances for 27 Latin American and Caribbean countries and 18 industrialised countries. The results suggest remittances are motivated by a combination of altruism and self-interest, both of which are encapsulated by economic and non-economic variables

Methotrexate therapy associated with a reduced rate of new-onset uveitis in patients with biological-naïve juvenile idiopathic arthritis

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of methotrexate (MTX) therapy on new-onset uveitis in patients with biological-naïve juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). METHODS: In this matched case-control study, we compared MTX exposure between cases with JIA-associated chronic uveitis (JIA-U) and patients with JIA and without JIA-U at the time of matching (controls). Data were collected from electronic health records of the University Medical Centre Utrecht, the Netherlands. Cases with JIA-U were matched 1:1 to JIA control patients based on JIA diagnosis date, age at JIA diagnosis, JIA subtype, antinuclear antibodies status and disease duration. The effect of MTX on JIA-U onset was analysed using a multivariable time-varying Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: Ninety-two patients with JIA were included and characteristics were similar between cases with JIA-U (n=46) and controls (n=46). Both ever-use of MTX and exposure years were lower in cases with JIA-U than in controls. Cases with JIA-U significantly more often discontinued MTX treatment (p=0.03) and out of those who did, 50% afterwards developed uveitis within 1 year. On adjusted analysis, MTX was associated with a significantly reduced new-onset uveitis rate (HR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.17 to 0.75). No different effect was observed between a low (<10 mg/m2/week) and standard MTX dose (≥10 mg/m2/week). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates an independent protective effect of MTX on new-onset uveitis in patients with biological-naïve JIA. Clinicians might consider early initiation of MTX in patients at high uveitis risk. We advocate more frequent ophthalmologic screening in the first 6-12 months after MTX discontinuation

Genome-wide association and linkage analyses localize a progressive retinal atrophy locus in Persian cats

Hereditary eye diseases of animals serve as excellent models of human ocular disorders and assist in the development of gene and drug therapies for inherited forms of blindness. Several primary hereditary eye conditions affecting various ocular tissues and having different rates of progression have been documented in domestic cats. Gene therapy for canine retinopathies has been successful, thus the cat could be a gene therapy candidate for other forms of retinal degenerations. The current study investigates a hereditary, autosomal recessive, retinal degeneration specific to Persian cats. A multi-generational pedigree segregating for this progressive retinal atrophy was genotyped using a 63 K SNP array and analyzed via genome-wide linkage and association methods. A multi-point parametric linkage analysis localized the blindness phenotype to a ~1.75 Mb region with significant LOD scores (Z ≈ 14, θ = 0.00) on cat chromosome E1. Genome-wide TDT, sib-TDT, and case–control analyses also consistently supported significant association within the same region on chromosome E1, which is homologous to human chromosome 17. Using haplotype analysis, a ~1.3 Mb region was identified as highly associated for progressive retinal atrophy in Persian cats. Several candidate genes within the region are reasonable candidates as a potential causative gene and should be considered for molecular analyses. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00335-014-9517-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Applications and efficiencies of the first cat 63K DNA array

Correction, Volume: 8 Article Number: 8746 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26885-5 Published: JUN 4 2018The development of high throughput SNP genotyping technologies has improved the genetic dissection of simple and complex traits in many species including cats. The properties of feline 62,897 SNPs Illumina Infinium iSelect DNA array are described using a dataset of over 2,000 feline samples, the most extensive to date, representing 41 cat breeds, a random bred population, and four wild felid species. Accuracy and efficiency of the array's genotypes and its utility in performing population-based analyses were evaluated. Average marker distance across the array was 37,741 Kb, and across the dataset, only 1% (625) of the markers exhibited poor genotyping and only 0.35% (221) showed Mendelian errors. Marker polymorphism varied across cat breeds and the average minor allele frequency (MAF) of all markers across domestic cats was 0.21. Population structure analysis confirmed a Western to Eastern structural continuum of cat breeds. Genome-wide linkage disequilibrium ranged from 50-1,500 Kb for domestic cats and 750 Kb for European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris). Array use in trait association mapping was investigated under different modes of inheritance, selection and population sizes. The efficient array design and cat genotype dataset continues to advance the understanding of cat breeds and will support monogenic health studies across feline breeds and populations.Peer reviewe