734 research outputs found
Researching ‘bogus’ asylum seekers, ‘illegal’ migrants and ‘crimmigrants’
Both immigration and criminal laws are, at their core, systems of inclusion and exclusion. They are designed to determine whether and how to include individuals as members of society or exclude them from it, thereby, creating insiders and outsiders (Stumpf 2006). Both are designed to create distinct categories of people — innocent versus guilty, admitted versus excluded or, as majority would say, ‘legal’ versus ‘illegal’ (Stumpf 2006). Viewed in that light, perhaps it is not surprising that these two areas of law have become inextrica- bly connected in the official discourses. When politicians and policy makers (and also law enforcement authorities and tabloid press) seek to raise the barriers for non-citizens to attain membership in society, it is unremarkable that they turn their attention to an area of the law that similarly func- tions to exclude the ‘other’ — transforming immigrants into ‘crimmigrants’.1 As a criminological researcher one then has to rise up to the challenges of disentangling these so-called officially constructed (pseudo) realities, and breaking free from a continued dominance of authoritative discourses, and developing an alternative understanding of ‘crimmigration’ by connecting the processes of criminal is ation and ‘other ing’ with poverty, xe no-racism and other forms of social exclusion (see Institute of Race Relations 1987; Richmond 1994; Fekete 2001; Bowling and Phillips 2002; Sivanandan 2002; Weber and Bowling 2004)
The elastic constants of MgSiO3 perovskite at pressures and temperatures of the Earth's mantle
The temperature anomalies in the Earth's mantle associated with thermal
convection1 can be inferred from seismic tomography, provided that the elastic
properties of mantle minerals are known as a function of temperature at mantle
pressures. At present, however, such information is difficult to obtain
directly through laboratory experiments. We have therefore taken advantage of
recent advances in computer technology, and have performed finite-temperature
ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of the elastic properties of MgSiO3
perovskite, the major mineral of the lower mantle, at relevant thermodynamic
conditions. When combined with the results from tomographic images of the
mantle, our results indicate that the lower mantle is either significantly
anelastic or compositionally heterogeneous on large scales. We found the
temperature contrast between the coldest and hottest regions of the mantle, at
a given depth, to be about 800K at 1000 km, 1500K at 2000 km, and possibly over
2000K at the core-mantle boundary.Comment: Published in: Nature 411, 934-937 (2001
Numerical instability of the Akhmediev breather and a finite-gap model of it
In this paper we study the numerical instabilities of the NLS Akhmediev
breather, the simplest space periodic, one-mode perturbation of the unstable
background, limiting our considerations to the simplest case of one unstable
mode. In agreement with recent theoretical findings of the authors, in the
situation in which the round-off errors are negligible with respect to the
perturbations due to the discrete scheme used in the numerical experiments, the
split-step Fourier method (SSFM), the numerical output is well-described by a
suitable genus 2 finite-gap solution of NLS. This solution can be written in
terms of different elementary functions in different time regions and,
ultimately, it shows an exact recurrence of rogue waves described, at each
appearance, by the Akhmediev breather. We discover a remarkable empirical
formula connecting the recurrence time with the number of time steps used in
the SSFM and, via our recent theoretical findings, we establish that the SSFM
opens up a vertical unstable gap whose length can be computed with high
accuracy, and is proportional to the inverse of the square of the number of
time steps used in the SSFM. This neat picture essentially changes when the
round-off error is sufficiently large. Indeed experiments in standard double
precision show serious instabilities in both the periods and phases of the
recurrence. In contrast with it, as predicted by the theory, replacing the
exact Akhmediev Cauchy datum by its first harmonic approximation, we only
slightly modify the numerical output. Let us also remark, that the first rogue
wave appearance is completely stable in all experiments and is in perfect
agreement with the Akhmediev formula and with the theoretical prediction in
terms of the Cauchy data.Comment: 27 pages, 8 figures, Formula (30) at page 11 was corrected, arXiv
admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1707.0565
The Use of Antisense Oligonucleotides in Evaluating Survivin as a Therapeutic Target for Radiation Sensitization in Lung Cancer
Elucidating the mechanism of over and under expression of proteins is critical in developing a better understanding of cancer. Multiple techniques are used to examine differential expression of proteins in cells and assess changes in protein expression in response to therapies such as radiation. Reduced expression can be caused by protein inactivation, mRNA instability, or reduced transcription. The following protocol was used to determine the mechanism for the reduced expression of an antiapoptotic factor, survivin, in normal tissues in response to radiation and the defect in cancer cells that prevents this reduction. We also examined ways to overcome survivin over expression in cancer cells in order to sensitize them to radiation. We will focus on the use of antisense oligonucleotides, cell cycle analysis, and luciferase reporter genes
Molecular characterisation of protist parasites in human-habituated mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), humans and livestock, from Bwindi impenetrable National Park, Uganda
Over 60 % of human emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, and there is growing evidence of the zooanthroponotic transmission of diseases from humans to livestock and wildlife species, with major implications for public health, economics, and conservation. Zooanthroponoses are of relevance to critically endangered species; amongst these is the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei) of Uganda. Here, we assess the occurrence of Cryptosporidium, Cyclospora, Giardia, and Entamoeba infecting mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), Uganda, using molecular methods. We also assess the occurrence of these parasites in humans and livestock species living in overlapping/adjacent geographical regions
Association of c-Raf expression with survival and its targeting with antisense oligonucleotides in ovarian cancer
c-Raf is an essential component of the extracellular related kinase (ERK) signal transduction pathway. Immunohistochemical staining indicated that c-Raf was present in 49/53 ovarian adenocarcinomas investigated and high c-Raf expression correlated significantly with poor survival (P = 0.002). c-Raf protein was detected in 15 ovarian cancer cell lines. Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) (ISIS 5132 and ISIS 13650) reduced c-Raf protein levels and inhibited cell proliferation in vitro. Selectivity was demonstrated by the lack of effect of ISIS 5132 on A-Raf or ERK, while a random ODN produced only minor effects on growth and did not influence c-Raf expression. ISIS 5132 produced enhanced apoptosis and cells accumulated in S and G 2/M phases of the cell cycle. In vivo, ISIS 5132 inhibited growth of the s.c. SKOV-3 xenograft while a mismatch ODN had no effect. These data indicate that high levels of c-Raf expression may be important in ovarian cancer and use of antisense ODNs targeted to c-Raf could provide a strategy for the treatment of this disease. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co
Influenza A H5N1 Immigration Is Filtered Out at Some International Borders
Geographic spread of highly pathogenic influenza A H5N1, the bird flu strain, appears a necessary condition for accelerating the evolution of a related human-to-human infection. As H5N1 spreads the virus diversifies in response to the variety of socioecological environments encountered, increasing the chance a human infection emerges. Genetic phylogenies have for the most part provided only qualitative evidence that localities differ in H5N1 diversity. For the first time H5N1 variation is quantified across geographic space.We constructed a statistical phylogeography of 481 H5N1 hemagglutinin genetic sequences from samples collected across 28 Eurasian and African localities through 2006. The MigraPhyla protocol showed southern China was a source of multiple H5N1 strains. Nested clade analysis indicated H5N1 was widely dispersed across southern China by both limited dispersal and long distance colonization. The UniFrac metric, a measure of shared phylogenetic history, grouped H5N1 from Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and Vietnam with those from southeastern Chinese provinces engaged in intensive international trade. Finally, H5N1's accumulative phylogenetic diversity was greatest in southern China and declined beyond. The gradient was interrupted by areas of greater and lesser phylogenetic dispersion, indicating H5N1 migration was restricted at some geopolitical borders. Thailand and Vietnam, just south of China, showed significant phylogenetic clustering, suggesting newly invasive H5N1 strains have been repeatedly filtered out at their northern borders even as both countries suffered recurring outbreaks of endemic strains. In contrast, Japan, while successful in controlling outbreaks, has been subjected to multiple introductions of the virus.The analysis demonstrates phylogenies can provide local health officials with more than hypotheses about relatedness. Pathogen dispersal, the functional relationships among disease ecologies across localities, and the efficacy of control efforts can also be inferred, all from viral genetic sequences alone
A cohort study to evaluate persistence of hepatitis B immunogenicity after administration of hexavalent vaccines
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In 2001, two hexavalent vaccines were licensed in Italy (Hexavac<sup>®</sup>, Infanrix Hexa<sup>®</sup>), and since 2002 were extensively used for primary immunization in the first year of life (at 3, 5, 11/12 months of age). In 2005, the market authorization of Hexavac<sup>® </sup>was precautionary suspended by EMEA, because of doubts on long-term protection against hepatitis B virus. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the persistence of antibodies to anti-HBs, in children in the third year of life, and to investigate the response to a booster dose of hepatitis B vaccine.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Participant children were enrolled concomitantly with the offering of anti-polio booster dose, in the third year of life. Anti-HBs titers were determined on capillary blood samples. A booster dose of hepatitis B vaccine was administered to children with anti-HBs titers < 10 mIU/ml, with the monovalent precursor product of the previously received hexavalent vaccine. HBsAb titers were tested again one month after the booster.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Sera from 113 children previously vaccinated with Hexavac<sup>®</sup>, and from 124 vaccinated with Infanrix Hexa<sup>® </sup>were tested for anti-HBs. Titers were ≥ 10 mIU/ml in 69% and 96% (p < 0,0001) respectively. The proportion of children with titers ≥ 100 mIU/ml did also significantly differ among groups (27% and 78%; p < 0,0001).</p> <p>Post-booster, 93% of children achieved titers ≥ 10 mIU/ml, with no significant difference by vaccine group.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Fifteen months after third dose administration, a significant difference in anti-HBs titers was noted in the two vaccine groups considered. Monovalent hepatitis B vaccine administration in 3-year old children induced a proper booster response, confirming that immunologic memory persists in children with anti-HBs titers < 10 mIU/ml. However, long-term persistence of HBV protection after hexavalent vaccines administration should be further evaluated over time.</p
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