Immigration, Ethnicity, and Marginalization: The Maya K’iche of New Bedford

On Tuesday, March 6, 2007, more than 300 armed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested 361 presumed undocumented immigrant workers at the Michael Bianco Inc. factory in New Bedford, Massachusetts. More than half of the workers detained were from Guatemala, the majority belonging to the Maya K’iche (we will use K’iche) community, an ethnic group originally from the mountains of western Guatemala whose members began arriving in the New Bedford area from Providence, Rhode Island, where there is an older K’iche community, during the late 1980s and early 1990s, at the height of a violent confrontation in Guatemala between an increasingly militarized state and predominantly Mayan guerrillas and civilians. Once a number of male K’iche became established in New Bedford, the immigration flow began to include women and children. Poor and unskilled immigrants have few options but to take lowwage jobs and settle in declining urban areas. In the case of the K’iche, as it became clear in our fieldwork, their undocumented status in addition to a lack of formal education compounded their marginal status and led to their acceptance of poor working conditions and dead-end jobs in the fish-packing and apparel industries (the Michael Bianco factory being an example) that have survived a prolonged economic decline in New Bedford

Self-​assembly of thiacyanine dyes in water for the synthesis of active hybrid nanofibres

Water-​sol. self-​assembled nanostructures were synthesized by simple counter ion exchange of thiacyanine dyes which helps in the formation of nematic (N) and hexagonal (M) chromonic liq.-​cryst. (CLCs) phases. Conjugated double bonds as central spacers connected between two benzothiazole segments affect water soly. and liq. crystal formation. Aggregation-​dependent properties characterised by UV-​visible, fluorescence and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Sol-​gel reaction of dye aggregates with silica species furnishes entangled nanotubular fibers with const. diam. and their length in excess of micrometres, having templates of pore sizes below the mesoporous range. The π-​π stacked chromonic aggregate dyes are also of importance in shape selective catalysis, adsorption, desorption micro-​patterned materials, and provide a significant step towards biosensor medical applications because of their water-​sol. nature

Hábitos de atividade física e nutricionais: relação com perfil metabólico e aptidão física relacionada com a saúde em caminhantes adultos

Introdução: A inatividade física é um dos principais fatores etiológicos da morbilidade e mortalidade, na sociedade atual. A atividade física é uma grande aliada no controlo do peso e prevenção da obesidade, diminui o risco de desenvolver doenças cardiovasculares, diabetes, aumentando a capacidade cardiorrespiratória e a probabilidade de viver mais anos e de forma mais saudável. Este trabalho, visa conceber e testar uma proposta metodológica, para caracterizar e analisar as associações dos diferentes fatores cardiometabólicos e nutricionais, com os hábitos de atividade física, considerando 3 grupos distintos (sedentários, caminhantes e caminhantes com pratica de atividade física regular e estruturada). Objetivo: Numa primeira fase, procedeu-se ao levantamento e confrontação entre diferentes metodologias e instrumentos de quantificação das variáveis em estudo, selecionado de forma sustentada na literatura a conceção da proposta metodológica. Para testagem e determinação da consistência dos instrumentos, dos procedimentos protocolares e da equipa de avaliação, recorreu ao desenvolvimento do estudo piloto em população adulta (idade entre os 18 e os 35 anos), de ambos os sexos. Neste contexto, no estudo piloto foram avaliados, os dados sociodemográficos, estado de saúde em geral, ingestão alimentar (Block & Subar, 1992) (n=30), a prática de atividade física (Baecke, Burema & Frijters, 1982) (n=38), medições antropométricas (Fragoso & Vieira, 2005) (n=27) e aptidão cardiorrespiratória (YMCA) (Golding, Myers, & Sinning, 1989) (n=23). Conclusão: O coeficiente de correlação intraclasse (763 ³R≥1.000; p <.05) e de Pearson (.457³ r≥.704; p<.05), revelaram-se elevados, bem como reduzidos valores Erro Técnico de Medida (.028>ETM‘Me error’<2.392) e Coeficiente de variação (.156%>CV<6.275%), testam a consistência e fiabilidade dos procedimentos protocolares, instrumentos e equipa de avaliação. Devido a elevada fiabilidade inerente a acelerometria e a medição de indicadores bioquímicos, bem como a limitações de recursos materiais e temporais não foi realizado estudo piloto destas variáveis.Introduction: Physical Inactivity is one of the main etiological factors of morbidity and mortality in today’s society. Physical activity is a great ally in weight management and obesity prevention, decreasing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, increasing cardiorespiratory fitness and the likelihood of living longer and healthier. This study aims to design and test a methodological proposal to characterize and analyze the associations of different cardio metabolic and nutritional factors with physical activity habits, considering three distinct groups (sedentary, walkers and walkers with regular and structured physical activity). Objective: In the initial phase, it was proceeded a survey and confrontation between different methodologies and quantifying tools of the studied variables, selected in a sustained manner in the literature the design of the proposed methodology. For the testing and determination of the consistency of the tools, protocol procedures and the evaluation team, the development of a pilot study in adult population (ages between 18 and 35 years) of both sexes was used. In this context, the socio-demographic data, health status in general, food intake (Block & Subar, 1992) (n=30), physical activity (Baecke, Burema & Frijters, 1982) (n=38), anthropometric measurements (Fragoso & Vieira, 2005) (n=27) and cardiorespiratory fitness (YMCA) (Golding, Myers, & Sinning, 1989) (n=23), were evaluated in the pilot study. Conclusion: The interclass (763 R≥1.000; p<.05) and Pearson (.457³ r ≥.704; p<.05) correlation coeficiente were found high, as well as reduced values of Technical Error of Measure (.028>ETM‘Me error’<2.392) and Coefficient of variation (.156%>CV<6.275%), test the consistency and reliability of protocol procedures, instruments and evaluation team. Due to the high reliability inherent in the accelerometry and measurement of biochemical indicators, as well as the limitations of material and temporal resources, no pilot study of these variables was carried out

TV interaction as a non-invasive sensor for monitoring elderly well-being at home

The number of technical solutions to remotely monitoring elderly citizens and detecting hazard situations has been increasing in the last few years. These solutions have dual purposes: to provide a feeling of safety to the elderly and to inform their relatives about potential risky situations, such as falls, forgotten medication, and other unexpected deviations from daily routine. Most of these solutions are based on IoT (Internet of Things) and dedicated sensors that need to be installed at the elderly’s houses, hampering mass adoption. This justifies the search for non-invasive technical alternatives with smooth integration that relying only on existent devices, without the need for any additional installations. Therefore, this paper presents the SecurHome TV ecosystem, a technical solution based on the elderly’s interactions with their TV sets—one of the most used devices in their daily lives—acting as a non-invasive sensor enabling one to detect potential hazardous situations through an elaborated warning algorithm. Thus, this paper describes in detail the SecurHome TV ecosystem, with special emphasis on the warning algorithm, and reports on its validation process. We conclude that notwithstanding some constraints while setting the user’s pattern, either upon the cold start of the application or after an innocuous change in the user’s TV routine, the algorithm detects most hazardous situations contributing to monitor elderly well-being at home

GMO Technology. Venezuelans' Consumers Perceptions: Situation in Caracas

The main benefits generated by the genetically modified organisms (GMO`s) include greater yields harvested, foods with greater content of nutrients, vaccines, resistant plants to virus or plagues and resistant plant to high levels of salts in ground. However, there is a controversial discussion regarding its acceptation and welcoming and is missing information in regard the topic especially in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to measure the level of knowledge or acceptance towards GMO’s and biotechnology by consumer from Caracas, Venezuela. The researchers will use a survey that was previously applied to consumers from USA, Japan and some other South American countries. The results of the study demonstrated that Venezuelan’ consumers are misinformed about this topic; however, they are more informed about microbial contamination and pesticides than other topics.El principal beneficio generado por los organismos genéticamente modificados (OGM) incluyen el aumento del rendimiento de las cosechas, alimentos con mayor contenido nutricional, vacunas, plantas resistentes a virus o plagas y a altos niveles de sales en los suelos. Sin embargo, existe una discusión controversial en relación a su aceptación y a la carencia de información con respecto al tema particular de los países en desarrollo. El propósito del siguiente estudio es de medir el nivel de conocimiento y aceptación de los OGM y la biotecnología por parte de los consumidores en Caracas, Venezuela. Los investigadores emplearon un sondeo aplicado previamente a consumidores de Estados Unidos, Japón y algunos países Sudamericanos. Los resultados del estudio demuestran que los consumidores Venezolanos están pobremente informados acerca de éste tema; sin embargo están mayormente informados acerca de la contaminación microbiana y pesticidas por sobre el resto de los tópicos.The main benefits generated by the genetically modified organisms (GMO`s) include greater yields harvested, foods with greater content of nutrients, vaccines, resistant plants to virus or plagues and resistant plant to high levels of salts in ground. However, there is a controversial discussion regarding its acceptation and welcoming and is missing information in regard the topic especially in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to measure the level of knowledge or acceptance towards GMO’s and biotechnology by consumer from Caracas, Venezuela. The researchers will use a survey that was previously applied to consumers from USA, Japan and some other South American countries. The results of the study demonstrated that Venezuelan’ consumers are misinformed about this topic; however, they are more informed about microbial contamination and pesticides than other topics

Phase II Trial of Atezolizumab Combined With Carboplatin and Pemetrexed for Patients With Advanced Nonsquamous Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer With Untreated Brain Metastases (Atezo-Brain, GECP17/05)

Atezolizumab; Non-small-cell lung cancer; Brain metastasesAtezolizumab; Cáncer de pulmón de células no pequeñas; Metástasis cerebralAtezolizumab; Càncer de pulmó de cèl·lules no petites; Metàstasi cerebralPURPOSE The Atezo-Brain study evaluated atezolizumab combined with chemotherapy in patients with advanced non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with untreated brain metastases, a population traditionally excluded from trials. METHODS This single-arm phase II clinical trial enrolled patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC with untreated brain metastases without neurologic symptoms or asymptomatic with medical treatment. Dexamethasone was allowed up to 4 mg once daily. Atezolizumab plus carboplatin and pemetrexed was given for four to six cycles followed by atezolizumab plus pemetrexed until progression for a maximum of 2 years. The primary end points were to determine the progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 12 weeks and the incidence of grade ≥3 adverse events during the first 9 weeks. Intracranial outcomes were assessed using response assessment in neuro-oncology brain metastases criteria. RESULTS Forty patients were enrolled and 22 (55%) were receiving corticosteroids at baseline. The overall 12-week PFS rate was 62.2% (95% credibility interval [CrI], 47.1 to 76.2). The rate of grade 3/4 adverse events during the first 9 weeks was 27.5%. Most neurologic events were grade 1 and 2 but five patients (12.5%) experienced grade 3-4 neurologic events. With a median follow-up of 31 months, intracranial median PFS was 6.9 months and response rate was 42.7% (95% CrI, 28.1 to 57.9). Systemic median PFS was 8.9 months and response rate was 45% (95% CrI, 28.1 to 57.9). The median overall survival (OS) was 11.8 months (95% CI, 7.6 to 16.9) and the 2-year OS rate was 27.5% (95% CI, 16.6 to 45.5). CONCLUSION Atezolizumab plus carboplatin and pemetrexed demonstrates activity in patients with advanced nonsquamous NSCLC with untreated brain metastases with an acceptable safety profile

Fossil group origins V. The dependence of the luminosity function on the magnitude gap

In nature we observe galaxy aggregations that span a wide range of magnitude gaps between the two first-ranked galaxies of a system ($\Delta m_{12}$). There are systems with gaps close to zero (e.g., the Coma cluster), and at the other extreme of the distribution, the largest gaps are found among the so-called fossil systems. Fossil and non-fossil systems could have different galaxy populations that should be reflected in their luminosity functions. In this work we study, for the first time, the dependence of the luminosity function parameters on $\Delta m_{12}$ using data obtained by the fossil group origins (FOGO) project. We constructed a hybrid luminosity function for 102 groups and clusters at $z \le 0.25$. We stacked all the individual luminosity functions, dividing them into bins of $\Delta m_{12}$, and studied their best-fit Schechter parameters. We additionally computed a relative luminosity function, expressed as a function of the central galaxy luminosity, which boosts our capacity to detect differences, especially at the bright end. We find trends as a function of $\Delta m_{12}$ at both the bright and faint ends of the luminosity function. In particular, at the bright end, the larger the magnitude gap, the fainter the characteristic magnitude $M^\ast$. We also find differences at the faint end. In this region, the larger the gap, the flatter the faint-end slope $\alpha$. The differences found at the bright end support a dissipationless, dynamical friction-driven merging model for the growth of the central galaxy in group- and cluster-sized halos. The differences in the faint end cannot be explained by this mechanism. Other processes, such as enhanced tidal disruption due to early infall and/or prevalence of eccentric orbits, may play a role. However, a larger sample of systems with $\Delta m_{12} > 1.5$ is needed to establish the differences at the faint end.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in A&