Home sweet home?: Returning refugees and the challenges of sustainable (re)integration into Kismayo, Somalia

Southern Somalia is currently facing a massive influx of returning refugees, particularly from the Dadaab refugee complex in Northern Kenya. The majority settle in the war-torn city of Kismayo, which significantly increases the demand for goods and access to basic services. Based on research conducted in Kenya between February and March 2020 in cooperation with GIZ, this study examines the status of social and economic (re)integration of returnees in Kismayo while identifying key challenges. Although voluntary repatriation of refugees to their country of origin is proclaimed by UNHCR and host countries as the preferred durable solution to the “refugee crisis” questions of return and (re)integration remain an area of scarce research. Return is associated with “homecoming”, a supposedly uncomplicated event that re-creates a shattered natural bond between returnees and their former social and economic roles and territories. Such simplistic assumptions are misleading and do not adequately reflect the subjective decision-making processes of refugees and the complexity of (re)integration processes. To test the hypothesis that a lack of human security in Kismayo prevents a sustainable (re-)integration of returnees, a survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The respondents included governmental representatives, the international community, and returnees themselves. Not only five aspects of human security (education, economy, environment, food and water, and community security) but also individual motivations of returnees were examined. This paper places the challenges of (re)integration into a larger theoretical framework, concluding that despite the efforts and best intentions, Kismayo does not yet offer the necessary conditions for large-scale return.Actualmente, no sul da Somália observa-se um afluxo maciço de refugiados que regressam ao país, particularmente desde os campos de Dadaab, no Norte do Quénia. A grande maioria estabelece-se na cidade de Kismayo, devastada pela guerra, aumentando significativamente a procura de bens e o acesso a serviços básicos. Com base em investigação realizada no Quénia entre Fevereiro e Março de 2020 em cooperação com a GIZ, este estudo analisa os processos de (re)integração social e económica dos retornados em Kismayo, procurando identificar também os principais desafios. Embora o repatriamento voluntário de refugiados seja tido pela UNHCR e países de acolhimento como a solução duradoura mais desejável, são escassos os estudos que abordam os processos de regresso e (re)integração. O repatriamento é associado ao "regresso a casa", o que suspostamente recriaria um conjunto de vínculos naturais, entre os regressados e os seus antigos territórios, posições sociais e económicas. Estes pressupostos simplistas são enganadores e não reflectem adequadamente os processos subjectivos de decisão dos refugiados e a complexidade dos processos de (re)integração. Para compreender se a falta de segurança humana em Kismayo impede uma (re)integração sustentável dos retornados, foi realizado um inquérito e entrevistas semi-estruturadas tendo como interlocutores refugiados/regressados e staff humanitário. Os inquiridos incluíam representantes governamentais, a comunidade internacional e os próprios repatriados. Foram examinados cinco aspectos da segurança humana (educação, economia, ambiente, alimentação e água, e segurança comunitária), bem como as motivações individuais dos regressados. Este documento analisa os desafios da (re)integração a partir de um quadro teórico mais amplo, constatando que as condições em Kismayo não são actualmente as mais propícias ao retorno em grande escala

Feeding studies of dietary diacylglycerol oil in normal and lipoprotein lipase-deficient cats

The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file."December 2008"Thesis (M.S.) University of Missouri-Columbia 2008.Diacylglycerol (DAG) oil has been investigated in humans and animals as a potential therapy for hypertriglyceridemia and related disorders. DAG oil was evaluated in healthy cats and in a feline model of hypertriglyceridemia as a result of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficiency. In the first study, eight adult cats were offered a commercial dry diet enriched with either DAG or triglyceride (TAG) oil (48% metabolizable energy [ME] from fat) in a two-bowl palatability feeding trial. After 14 days, total food intakes were similar (DAG diet 470 [plus or minus]52 g, TAG diet 380 [plus or minus]88 g, P = 0.4). Both diets were well-accepted and no changes in health or fecal quality were observed. In the second study, eleven adult LPL-deficient male cats were fed a semipurified diet containing either DAG or TAG oil as the sole fat source (25% ME) in a crossover design for 8 days each after a 21-day acclimation period. Serum concentrations of TAG, cholesterol, and nonesterified fatty acids were measured on days 6, 7, 8 and days 14, 15, 16. No significant effects were observed on any measurements, and a reduction in hypertriglyceridemia was not demonstrated (DAG: 3282 [plus or minus]400 mg/dl, TAG: 3001 [plus or minus]302 mg/dl). Dietary fat source did not significantly affect food intake, body weight, fecal quality, or general health. Further studies of DAG oil in cats are needed to evaluate long-term safety and benefits.Includes bibliographical reference

STUDY OF THE FLUXSET MAGNETIC PROBE SPEED–SENSITIVITY DEVELOPED FOR DETECTION OF MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLES IN SURGERY

Markers for imaging are vital parts of surgical processes. S ince radioactive compound pose considerable risk to both the recipient and the surgical staff, alternative marking te chniques are of interest. In NANOMAGDYE project, magneto- optically active nano-particles were created for this reas on. The detection of the magnetic interaction of low mass nan o- particles in surgical environment is very challenging; so f ar only quasi-stationary measurements were taken. This pap er shows a measurement setup for measurements with continuous ly moving probe at lower velocities (5–10 mm/s) and at hand movement velocity (20–30 cm/s). It was found that at the velo city of hand movement there is only probe response amplitude reduction of at most 10–15 % of the original amplitude. These results indicate that the probe used for the detection of the nano-particles is sufficient to be used in practical purposes in surgery

Polaritonic Enhancement of Near-field Scattering of Small Molecules Encapsulated in Boron Nitride Nanotubes

Near-field spectroscopy has been extensively applied recently to analyze collective optical properties of materials at the nanoscale. However, vibrations of small molecules were only recognizable in close proximity to a metallic resonator. We show that encapsulation in boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) enhances the near-field vibrational spectra of C$_{60}$ fullerene, reaching a sensitivity limit of a few hundred molecules. Furthermore, products of chemical reactions inside the tubes can be identified, so long as their vibrational signatures lie in the polariton gap of the BNNT.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure