Look, the World is Watching How We Treat Migrants! The Making of the Anti-Trafficking Legislation during the Ma Administration

Employing the spiral model, this research analyses how anti-human trafficking legislation was promulgated during the Ma Ying-jeou (Ma Yingjiu) presidency. This research found that the gov- ernment of Taiwan was just as accountable for the violation of mi- grants’ human rights as the exploitive placement agencies and abusive employers. This research argues that, given its reliance on the United States for political and security support, Taiwan has made great ef- forts to improve its human rights records and meet US standards for protecting human rights. The reform was a result of multilevel inputs, including US pressure and collaboration between transnational and domestic advocacy groups. A major contribution of this research is to challenge the belief that human rights protection is intrinsic to dem- ocracy. In the same light, this research also cautions against Taiwan’s subscription to US norms since the reform was achieved at the cost of stereotyping trafficking victimhood, legitimising state surveillance, and further marginalising sex workers

Effect of Adipose Tissue-Derived Inflammatory and Proangiogenic Cytokines on Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

Objective: To determine the vitreous and serum concentrations of TNF-alpha, IL-6, VEGF, IL-1 beta, IL-8, IL-17, MCP-1, IL-1Ra, IL-10 in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and to investigate the effect of adipose tissue on the pathogenesis of PDR. Methods: Twenty-two patients with PDR were prospectively evaluated. Seven cadavers and 11 patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane or macular hole served as the controls. Multiplex bead array technology was employed to assess the concentrations of the cytokines. Results: The intravitreal levels of VEGF, IL-8, IL-6 were significantly higher in PDR group than control groups. In PDR group, the levels of IL-17, IL-8, IL-6 were significantly elevated in the vitreous, whereas the intravitreal levels of IL-10, IL-1Ra were found to be significantly lower than the serum concentrations. No significant correlation was found between cytokine levels and body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose (FBG), or glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) of diabetic patients. Conclusion: In PDR the balance between the intravitreal pro-and anti-inflammatory adipo-cytokines is disturbed in favor of proinflammatory and proangiogenic cytokines in the vitreous humour. This study supports the role of adipocytokines in vascular pathology in PDR. It seems that PDR is a local inflammatory disease. However, obesity may not be the root of the inflammatory mediators in PDR.WoSScopu

Integration of structural, hydrogeological and thermal remote sensing data for the determination of geothermal capacity A case study of the Edremit (Balıkesir) Basin

Basins formed on active strike-slip faults are important prospect areas for geothermal energy exploration since the crust gets thinner in these areas and tectonic structures provide favorable conditions for heat-fluid circulation and transport. The Edremit (Balıkesir) Basin holds a great promise for the discovery of new geothermal energy sources. The objective of the recent study is to evaluate the geothermal capacity of the Edremit Basin utilizing tectonic, geological, and hydrogeological studies, combining remote sensing (land surface temperature-LST, hydrothermal alteration, and multi-temporal InSAR (MT-InSAR) assessments). We present structural literature data and the results of field mapping, which revealed the geometry, kinematics, and dynamics of structural features, geological units as geothermal system components, thermal and cold water chemistry, and thermal infrared remote sensing analysis. For the purpose of assessing new targets and recent geothermal capacity, these data are combined and evaluated. According to the outcomes of the study, the fault pattern in the Edremit Basin is generated by N-S extension, which produced E-W dominant striking normal faults with a heritage of paleostructures oriented in various directions. According to remote sensing analyses, the primary LST regions in the basin are defined by the active faults. Therefore, a high sodium sulfate ratio recorded in the chemical analyses of the water samples indicates a deep circulation and high possibility for the presence of thermal water. Consequently, our findings are consistent with the work to include thorough field geology surveys, structural patterns, LST, and water chemistry to refined exploration process

Disappearance of Biodiversity and Future of Our Foods

“I. Uluslararası Organik Tarım ve Biyoçeşitlilik Sempozyumu 27-29 Eylül Bayburt