Vulnerability Factors and Pathways Leading to Underage Entry into Sex Work in two Mexican-US Border Cities

The current wave of interest in human trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children has exposed a lack of knowledge about the vulnerabilities leading to underage entry into sex work. This knowledge is necessary for the development of effective prevention programs to identify girls who are most at-risk, especially in Latin America, a region that is believed to be a large source of persons moved across international borders for the purposes of sexual and labor exploitation. The objective of this study was to explore and increase understanding of the vulnerability factors and pathways leading to underage entry into sex work experienced by women currently engaging in sex work in two cities on the northern border of Mexico. From August 2013 to October 2014, 20 female sex workers (FSWs) with a history of entry into sex work prior to age 18 were recruited for in-depth interviews from a larger time-location sample of female sex workers (FSWs) participating in a quantitative survey in Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez. The median age of entry into sex work was 14 (range 10-17); 12/21 participants reported being forced into sex work and, of these, 7 were transported to another city where they began engaging in sex work. Family dysfunction (e.g., domestic violence between parents, parent drug use, neglect, etc.), sexual and physical abuse, and teen pregnancy were among the key themes that emerged as vulnerabilities to underage entry into sex work. Women’s narratives clearly illustrated that the vulnerabilities and pathways leading to underage entry are manifold, complex, and often intersect with each other. Our findings begin to lay the groundwork for understanding the potential vulnerabilities and pathways leading to underage entry into sex, and may have relevance to Latin America in general. This study also provides a foundation for further research to explore what may mitigate these vulnerabilities as well as creating evidence-based interventions to prevent commercial sexual exploitation of minors in the region

Charged multifluids in general relativity

The exact 1+3 covariant dynamical fluid equations for a multi-component plasma, together with Maxwell's equations are presented in such a way as to make them suitable for a gauge-invariant analysis of linear density and velocity perturbations of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker model. In the case where the matter is described by a two component plasma where thermal effects are neglected, a mode representing high-frequency plasma oscillations is found in addition to the standard growing and decaying gravitational instability picture. Further applications of these equations are also discussed.Comment: 14 pages (example added), to appear in Class. Quantum Gra

Local adaptations of Mediterranean sheep and goats through an integrative approach

Small ruminants are suited to a wide variety of habitats and thus represent promising study models for identifying genes underlying adaptations. Here, we considered local Mediterranean breeds of goats (n = 17) and sheep (n = 25) from Italy, France and Spain. Based on historical archives, we selected the breeds potentially most linked to a territory and defined their original cradle (i.e., the geographical area in which the breed has emerged), including transhumant pastoral areas. We then used the programs PCAdapt and LFMM to identify signatures of artificial and environmental selection. Considering cradles instead of current GPS coordinates resulted in a greater number of signatures identified by the LFMM analysis. The results, combined with a systematic literature review, revealed a set of genes with potentially key adaptive roles in relation to the gradient of aridity and altitude. Some of these genes have been previously implicated in lipid metabolism (SUCLG2, BMP2), hypoxia stress/lung function (BMPR2), seasonal patterns (SOX2, DPH6) or neuronal function (TRPC4, TRPC6). Selection signatures involving the PCDH9 and KLH1 genes, as well as NBEA/NBEAL1, were identified in both species and thus could play an important adaptive role

Very high frequency gravitational wave background in the universe

Astrophysical sources of high frequency gravitational radiation are considered in association with a new interest to very sensitive HFGW receivers required for the laboratory GW Hertz experiment. A special attention is paid to the phenomenon of primordial black holes evaporation. They act like black body to all kinds of radiation, including gravitons, and, therefore, emit an equilibrium spectrum of gravitons during its evaporation. Limit on the density of high frequency gravitons in the Universe is obtained, and possibilities of their detection are briefly discussed.Comment: 14 page

Modulation of the gut microbiota of Pacific white shrimp ( Penaeus vannamei Boone, 1931) by dietary inclusion of a functional yeast cell wall‐based additive

Several eco-friendly natural substances can enhance the shrimp immune defence system therby acting as a prophylactic agent in feed additives. Agents such as (1, 3)-(1, 6)-D β-glucan and complex mannan-oligosaccharides located in yeast cell walls present such immunomodulatory and potential prebiotic properties. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of a commercial yeast cell wall extract (YCW) on shrimp performance and health status, and influence on gut microbiota. Juvenile Penaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) were raised at an intensive shrimp farm and fed with two different diet inclusions levels of YCW, that is, 0.5% and 1.0%, in addition to a yeast free control group. After 102 days, animals were sampled, and standard nutrition performance parameters were measured. Additionally, the phylogenetic profile and composition of shrimp gut microbiota were evaluated. Animal performance, including growth and survival, was significantly better on animals fed with YCW than the control group. Furthermore, beneficial bacteria phylotypes were stimulated by the presence of YCW, positively modulating the gut microbiota, with emphasis on 1.0% YCW treatment. Therefore, YCW can be regarded as a prophylactic functional agent in the intensive rearing of juvenile P. vannamei thus improving animal performance and contributing to a healthy intestinal microbiota

Gravitational wave detection using electromagnetic modes in a resonance cavity

We present a proposal for a gravitational wave detector, based on the excitation of an electromagnetic mode in a resonance cavity. The mode is excited due to the interaction between a large amplitude electromagnetic mode and a quasi-monochromatic gravitational wave. The minimum metric perturbation needed for detection is estimated to the order 7.10^(-23) using current data on superconducting niobium cavities. Using this value together with different standard models predicting the occurrence of merging neutron star or black hole binaries, the corresponding detection rate is estimated to 1-20 events per year, with a `table top' cavity of a few meters length.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, references adde

Signatures of selection and environmental adaptation across the goat genome post-domestication

Background: Since goat was domesticated 10,000 years ago, many factors have contributed to the differentiation of goat breeds and these are classified mainly into two types: (i) adaptation to different breeding systems and/or purposes and (ii) adaptation to different environments. As a result, approximately 600 goat breeds have developed worldwide; they differ considerably from one another in terms of phenotypic characteristics and are adapted to a wide range of climatic conditions. In this work, we analyzed the AdaptMap goat dataset, which is composed of data from more than 3000 animals collected worldwide and genotyped with the CaprineSNP50 BeadChip. These animals were partitioned into groups based on geographical area, production uses, available records on solid coat color and environmental variables including the sampling geographical coordinates, to investigate the role of natural and/or artificial selection in shaping the genome of goat breeds. Results: Several signatures of selection on different chromosomal regions were detected across the different breeds, sub-geographical clusters, phenotypic and climatic groups. These regions contain genes that are involved in important biological processes, such as milk-, meat- or fiber-related production, coat color, glucose pathway, oxidative stress response, size, and circadian clock differences. Our results confirm previous findings in other species on adaptation to extreme environments and human purposes and provide new genes that could explain some of the differences between goat breeds according to their geographical distribution and adaptation to different environments. Conclusions: These analyses of signatures of selection provide a comprehensive first picture of the global domestication process and adaptation of goat breeds and highlight possible genes that may have contributed to the differentiation of this species worldwide

Genome-wide SNP profiling of worldwide goat populations reveals strong partitioning of diversity and highlights post-domestication migration routes

Background: Goat populations that are characterized within the AdaptMap project cover a large part of the worldwide distribution of this species and provide the opportunity to assess their diversity at a global scale. We analysed genome-wide 50 K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from 144 populations to describe the global patterns of molecular variation, compare them to those observed in other livestock species, and identify the drivers that led to the current distribution of goats. Results: A high degree of genetic variability exists among the goat populations studied. Our results highlight a strong partitioning of molecular diversity between and within continents. Three major gene pools correspond to goats from Europe, Africa and West Asia. Dissection of sub-structures disclosed regional gene pools, which reflect the main post-domestication migration routes. We also identified several exchanges, mainly in African populations, and which often involve admixed and cosmopolitan breeds. Extensive gene flow has taken place within specific areas (e.g., south Europe, Morocco and Mali-Burkina Faso-Nigeria), whereas elsewhere isolation due to geographical barriers (e.g., seas or mountains) or human management has decreased local gene flows. Conclusions: After domestication in the Fertile Crescent in the early Neolithic era (ca. 12,000 YBP), domestic goats that already carried differentiated gene pools spread to Europe, Africa and Asia. The spread of these populations determined the major genomic background of the continental populations, which currently have a more marked subdivision than that observed in other ruminant livestock species. Subsequently, further diversification occurred at the regional level due to geographical and reproductive isolation, which was accompanied by additional migrations and/or importations, the traces of which are still detectable today. The effects of breed formation were clearly detected, particularly in Central and North Europe. Overall, our results highlight a remarkable diversity that occurs at the global scale and is locally partitioned and often affected by introgression from cosmopolitan breeds. These findings support the importance of long-term preservation of goat diversity, and provide a useful framework for investigating adaptive introgression, directing genetic improvement and choosing breeding targets

Reassessment of the Lineage Fusion Hypothesis for the Origin of Double Membrane Bacteria

In 2009, James Lake introduced a new hypothesis in which reticulate phylogeny reconstruction is used to elucidate the origin of Gram-negative bacteria (Nature 460: 967–971). The presented data supported the Gram-negative bacteria originating from an ancient endosymbiosis between the Actinobacteria and Clostridia. His conclusion was based on a presence-absence analysis of protein families that divided all prokaryotes into five groups: Actinobacteria, Double Membrane bacteria (DM), Clostridia, Archaea and Bacilli. Of these five groups, the DM are by far the largest and most diverse group compared to the other groupings. While the fusion hypothesis for the origin of double membrane bacteria is enticing, we show that the signal supporting an ancient symbiosis is lost when the DM group is broken down into smaller subgroups. We conclude that the signal detected in James Lake's analysis in part results from a systematic artifact due to group size and diversity combined with low levels of horizontal gene transfer.Exobiology Program (U.S.) (Grant NNX08AQ10G)Assembling the Tree of Life (Program) (Grant DEB 0830024

High-Resolution Mapping of Expression-QTLs Yields Insight into Human Gene Regulation

Recent studies of the HapMap lymphoblastoid cell lines have identified large numbers of quantitative trait loci for gene expression (eQTLs). Reanalyzing these data using a novel Bayesian hierarchical model, we were able to create a surprisingly high-resolution map of the typical locations of sites that affect mRNA levels in cis. Strikingly, we found a strong enrichment of eQTLs in the 250 bp just upstream of the transcription end site (TES), in addition to an enrichment around the transcription start site (TSS). Most eQTLs lie either within genes or close to genes; for example, we estimate that only 5% of eQTLs lie more than 20 kb upstream of the TSS. After controlling for position effects, SNPs in exons are ∼2-fold more likely than SNPs in introns to be eQTLs. Our results suggest an important role for mRNA stability in determining steady-state mRNA levels, and highlight the potential of eQTL mapping as a high-resolution tool for studying the determinants of gene regulation