Texas is getting serious about stopping sex trafficking, but we need more resources

Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (IDVSA

Perceived cognitive functioning in breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy compared to matched healthy women: Evidence from a Portuguese study

Aim: Cognitive concerns are one of the most frequently reported symptoms by breast cancer survivors. This study aimed to evaluate perceived cognitive functioning in Portuguese women with breast cancer treated with chemotherapy. Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolling 146 women (73 with breast cancer and 73 healthy) was conducted from August to October 2017, invited to participate through online dissemination. Participants completed self-reported questionnaires to collect sociodemographic and clinical data and assess perceived cognitive functioning and psychological adjustment variables (anxiety and depression). Results: Compared to healthy women, women with breast cancer showed significantly lower scores on the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) subscales and higher levels of depression. Both groups showed significant negative correlations between perceived cognitive functioning and anxiety and depression. Health status and depression seem to better explain perceived cognitive functioning, with health status adding significantly more explained variance beyond sociodemographic and psychological adjustment variables. Conclusion: The current findings provide evidence for the existence of more cognitive complaints among Portuguese women with breast cancer, compared to healthy individuals. Anxiety, depression, age and education also explain perceived cognitive functioning. Considering that health status and psychological adjustment seem to significantly explain perceived cognitive functioning, special attention should be given by health-care professionals, including nurses, to designing clinical interventions for breast cancer patients to help manage cognitive impairment

“To the Public, Nothing was Wrong with Me”: Life Experiences of Minors and Youth in Texas At Risk for Commercial Sexual Exploitation

This study describes child sex trafficking in three regions across Texas using empirically grounded qualitative and quantitative research methods. It is intended to expand the body and depth of knowledge that can that can help anti-trafficking professionals better identify individuals at risk for, or experiencing, child sex trafficking. The report explores the life experiences of individuals – both young adults and minors, ages 13-27 years – who are survivors of child sex trafficking in three regions of Texas: Houston, Lubbock, and the Texas-Mexico border region. It provides data and analysis on the prevalence of trafficking and exploitation within communities at high risk for victimization. The study examines specific experiences of minor and youth sex trafficking survivors, including risk factors, push/pull factors, help-seeking behaviors, and reasons for multiple exits and re-entries into trafficking and/or exploitative situations.Office of the Texas Governor, Criminal Justice DivisionBureau of Business Researc

The jigsaw of PRRSV virulence

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is the causative agent of the, probably, most economically important disease for the pig industry worldwide. This disease, characterised by producing reproductive failure in sows and respiratory problems in growing pigs, appeared in the late 1980s in the United States and Canada. Since its appearance, strains capable of producing higher mortality rates as well as greater severity in clinical signs and lesions than classical strains have been identified. However, since the first reports of these “virulent” PRRSV outbreaks, no homogeneity and consensus in their description have been established. Moreover, to the authors’ knowledge, there is no published information related to the criteria that a PRRSV strain should fulfil to be considered as a “virulent” strain. In this review, we revise the terminology used and gather the information related to the main characteristics and differences in clinical signs, lesions, viral replication and tropism as well as immunological parameters between virulent and classical PRRSV strains and propose a first approximation to the criteria to define a virulent PRRSV strain

Activation of T-bet, FOXP3, and EOMES in Target Organs From Piglets Infected With the Virulent PRRSV-1 Lena Strain

Transcription factors (TFs) modulate genes involved in cell-type-specific proliferative and migratory properties, metabolic features, and effector functions. Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is one of the most important pathogen agents in the porcine industry; however, TFs have been poorly studied during the course of this disease. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the expressions of the TFs T-bet, GATA3, FOXP3, and Eomesodermin (EOMES) in target organs (the lung, tracheobronchial lymph node, and thymus) and those of different effector cytokines (IFNG, TNFA, and IL10) and the Fas ligand (FASL) during the early phase of infection with PRRSV-1 strains of different virulence. Target organs from mock-, virulent Lena-, and low virulent 3249-infected animals humanely euthanized at 1, 3, 6, 8, and 13 days post-infection (dpi) were collected to analyze the PRRSV viral load, histopathological lesions, and relative quantification through reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) of the TFs and cytokines. Animals belonging to both infected groups, but mainly those infected with the virulent Lena strain, showed upregulation of the TFs T-bet, EOMES, and FOXP3, together with an increase of the cytokine IFN-g in target organs at the end of the study (approximately 2 weeks post-infection). These results are suggestive of a stronger polarization to Th1 cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs), but also CD4+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), effector CD8+ T cells, and gdT cells in virulent PRRSV-1-infected animals; however, their biological functionality should be the object of further studies

Vs30 estimation using ambient vibrations and seismic refraction experiments - Application to the lower Tagus Valley (Portugal)

The town of Lisbon has been affected by several strong earthquakes in the past originated either offshore or inland. The main inland seismogenic zone is the Lower Tagus Valley (LTV) region oriented NNE-SSW and reaching the northern part of Lisbon at its southern end. It is composed by a system of faults mainly oriented according to the valley trend, but the identification of the particular seismogenic structures able to produce large earthquakes are still under debate. The strongest reported event was the January 31st, 1531 earthquake (Mw = 7.0) that produced large damage in the southern part of the valley, in particular in Lisbon. In recent years the seismic activity in the LTV is characterised by several small earthquakes. The last strong earthquake occurred on April 23rd, 1909 (Mw = 6.1) and destroyed several small towns located in the valley. Due to the concentration of economic and industrial facilities and population density, this region presents high seismic risk in the Portuguese context. Besides, this region can be also affected by large offshore earthquakes, as the 1755 earthquake which source is located southern of Portugal mainland, in the Atlantic Ocean, about 250 km far from Lisbon. In order to estimate soil ground motion associated to different seismic sources, a map of Vs30 is need. We present here a methodology to estimate Vs30 based on ambient vibrations surveys (single-station and arrays measurements), seismic refraction experiments and geologic and geotechnical information. This work was partially financed by the Portuguese project PTDC/CTE-GIX/102245/2008 NEFITAG - Strong ground motion and near field effects in the Lower Tagus Valley Region, and the Spanish funded Complementary Action CGL2010-11831-E Identificacion de efectos de sitio en los registros de intensidad sismica en Iberia

Activation of pro- and anti-inflammatory responses in lung tissue injury during the acute phase of PRRSV-1 infection with the virulent strain Lena

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) plays a key role in porcine respiratory disease complex modulating the host immune response and favouring secondary bacterial infections. Pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAMs) are the main cells supporting PRRSV replication, with CD163 as the essential receptor for viral infection. Although interstitial pneumonia is by far the representative lung lesion, suppurative bronchopneumonia is described for PRRSV virulent strains. This research explores the role of several immune markers potentially involved in the regulation of the inflammatory response and sensitisation of lung to secondary bacterial infections by PRRSV-1 strains of different virulence. Conventional pigs were intranasally inoculated with the virulent subtype 3 Lena strain or the low virulent subtype 1 3249 strain and euthanised at 1, 3, 6 and 8 dpi. Lena-infected pigs exhibited more severe clinical signs, macroscopic lung score and viraemia associated with an increase of IL-6 and IFN-γ in sera compared to 3249-infected pigs. Extensive areas of lung consolidation corresponding with suppurative bronchopneumonia were observed in Lena-infected pigs. Lung viral load and PRRSV-N-protein+ cells were always higher in Lena-infected animals. PRRSV-N-protein+ cells were linked to a marked drop of CD163+ macrophages. The number of CD14+ and iNOS+ cells gradually increased along PRRSV-1 infection, being more evident in Lena-infected pigs. The frequency of CD200R1+ and FoxP3+ cells peaked late in both PRRSV-1 strains, with a strong correlation between CD200R1+ cells and lung injury in Lena-infected pigs. These results highlight the role of molecules involved in the earlier and higher extent of lung lesions in piglets infected with the virulent Lena strain, pointing out the activation of routes potentially involved in the restraint of the local inflammatory response.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Efecto del eugenol en la vida util de una salsa de chile jalapeño (Capsicum annum) y papaya (Carica papaya)

This work aimed to measure the effect of eugenol on the shelf life of a hot sauce from jalapeño pepper (Capsicum annuum) and papaya (Carica papaya). Cloves were tested as test material, using different forms of eugenol extraction as essential oil. Its use as a preservative in a sauce was evaluated by means of accelerated methods for 30 days at a temperature of 280 C ± 20 C and was compared with sodium benzoate (control) according to the Codex Alimentarius regulations (250 mg / kg). The results determined that eugenol had an inhibitory effect on the change in hot sauce, prolonged its shelf life, indicating its potential application in the food industry, making it a natural preservation alternative, the use of which will help to decrease the toxicological risks provided by synthetic preservatives.Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo medir el efecto del eugenol sobre la vida útil de una salsa picante a partir de chile jalapeño (Capsicum annuum) y papaya (Carica papaya). Se utilizó clavo de olor como material de prueba, empleando diferentes formas de extracción del eugenol como aceite esencial. Se evaluó su uso como preservante en una salsa, mediante métodos acelerados durante 30 días a temperatura de 280 C ± 20 C y se comparó con el benzoato de sodio (testigo) según normativa del Codex Alimentarius (250 mg/kg). Los resultados determinaron que el eugenol presentó efecto inhibitorio del deterioro de la salsa picante prolongado su vida útil, lo que indica su potencial aplicación en la industria alimentaria, convirtiéndolo en una alternativa de conservación natural, cuyo uso ayudaría en la disminución de riesgos toxicológicos aportados por conservantes sintéticos

Atomic X-ray Spectroscopy of Accreting Black Holes

Current astrophysical research suggests that the most persistently luminous objects in the Universe are powered by the flow of matter through accretion disks onto black holes. Accretion disk systems are observed to emit copious radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, each energy band providing access to rather distinct regimes of physical conditions and geometric scale. X-ray emission probes the innermost regions of the accretion disk, where relativistic effects prevail. While this has been known for decades, it also has been acknowledged that inferring physical conditions in the relativistic regime from the behavior of the X-ray continuum is problematic and not satisfactorily constraining. With the discovery in the 1990s of iron X-ray lines bearing signatures of relativistic distortion came the hope that such emission would more firmly constrain models of disk accretion near black holes, as well as provide observational criteria by which to test general relativity in the strong field limit. Here we provide an introduction to this phenomenon. While the presentation is intended to be primarily tutorial in nature, we aim also to acquaint the reader with trends in current research. To achieve these ends, we present the basic applications of general relativity that pertain to X-ray spectroscopic observations of black hole accretion disk systems, focusing on the Schwarzschild and Kerr solutions to the Einstein field equations. To this we add treatments of the fundamental concepts associated with the theoretical and modeling aspects of accretion disks, as well as relevant topics from observational and theoretical X-ray spectroscopy.Comment: 63 pages, 21 figures, Einstein Centennial Review Article, Canadian Journal of Physics, in pres

Supermassive black holes in scalar field galaxy halos

Ultra-light scalar fields provide an interesting alternative to WIMPS as halo dark matter. In this paper we consider the effect of embedding a supermassive black hole within such a halo, and estimate the absorption probability and the accretion rate of dark matter onto the black hole. We show that the accretion rate would be small over the lifetime of a typical halo, and hence that supermassive central black holes can coexist with scalar field halos.Comment: 5 pages RevTex4, no figures. Updated file to match published versio