From Family, They Flee: Asylum for Victims of Forced Marriage

In 2016, 15.4 million people across the globe, the majority being young women and girls in impoverished communities, were victims of forced marriage. Many of these young victims were forced into marriages because of their place within a particular family that used the marriage to derive a benefit, economic or otherwise, for the family as a whole. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, to be granted asylum in the United States a person must prove (1) past persecution or fear of future persecution; (2) membership in one of five enumerated protect grounds; and (3) that the persecution is on account of the protected ground (the “nexus” requirement). Successful asylum claims alleging forced marriage as the persecution are granted primarily due to other harms that stem from forced marriage, such as female genital mutilation, domestic violence, and rape. Thus, it is difficult for a person to obtain asylum if the alleged persecution is solely forced marriage. Often these particular forced marriage-based claims are denied due to a failure to prove the “nexus” requirement of asylum claims, or in other words, to prove that the asylum seeker is being, or was, forced into the marriage due to a protected ground. In Matter of L-E-A, the Board of Immigration Appeals defined how the nexus requirement of asylum claims must be proven in cases where the protected ground alleged is membership in the particular social group of the “family unit.” Applying the BIA’s reasoning to the persecution of forced marriage, this note proposes that many forced marriage-based asylum claims can attach themselves to the protected ground of membership in the particular social group of the “family unit,” as a victim\u27s place within a particular family is often a central, motivating factor behind the practice of forced marriage

Experiment K-6-08. Biochemical and histochemical observations of vastus medialis

Muscles of the hindlimb in the rat have been used to demonstrate the effects of unloading in weightlessness and in animal models used to mimic weightlessness. The vastus medialis (VM) is discussed here. Samples were obtained from rats exposed to weightlessness for 12 days in Cosmos 1887 (Experiment K-6-08, coordinated by Dr. V.S. Oganov). The principal objective of this study was to ascertain if the vastus medialis responded to 12 days of microgravity exposure. The loss in muscle mass is greatest, -43 percent, when comparing F vs B, and least, -13 percent, when comparing F vs. V. Taken at face value these differences may be misleading. Due to the variability of the muscle weight in the basal group, these muscle mass losses may be exaggerated. In terms of percent water, there were no differences between the flight and the control groups. In spite of the limited sample, researchers conclude that muscle mass changes in the VM are not significant. Although some of the morphological parameters suggest a small degree of atrophy in the vastus medialis, the biochemical analyses (protein, RNA and DNA) suggest that these may be minimal and functionally nonsignificant. The relatively similar CS and LDH activities of VM from F and various control groups, as well as the lack of difference in LPL activity between F and S rats, suggests that there is little or no effect on the oxidative or glycolytic function of this muscle. Since the VM is chiefly a mixed fast twitch muscle, these metabolic indices of energy production are relatively unchanged. The results of VM studies are in agreement with previous observations of another type II fast twitch muscle, the EDL, from SL-3 rats which did not respond markedly to weightlessness and whole body suspension

Robustness and Enhancement of Neural Synchronization by Activity-Dependent Coupling

We study the synchronization of two model neurons coupled through a synapse having an activity-dependent strength. Our synapse follows the rules of Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity (STDP). We show that this plasticity of the coupling between neurons produces enlarged frequency locking zones and results in synchronization that is more rapid and much more robust against noise than classical synchronization arising from connections with constant strength. We also present a simple discrete map model that demonstrates the generality of the phenomenon.Comment: 4 pages, accepted for publication in PR

Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES): A framework for exploring transition, context, and impacts

Energy systems globally are becoming increasingly decentralised; experiencing new types of loads; incorporating digital or “smart” technologies; and seeing the demand side engage in new ways. These changes impact on the management and regulation of future energy systems and question how they will support a socially equitable, acceptable, net-zero transition. This paper couples a meta-narrative literature review with expert interviews to explore how socio-technical regimes associated with centralised systems of provision (i.e. the prevailing paradigm in many countries around the world) differ to those of smart local energy systems (SLES). Findings show how SLES regimes incorporate niche technologies, business models and governance structures to enable new forms of localised operation and optimisation (e.g. automated network management), smarter decision making and planning, by new actors (e.g. local authorities, other local stakeholders), and engaging users in new ways. Through this they are expected to deliver on a wide range of outcomes, both within the SLES boundary and to the wider system. However, there may be trade-offs between outcomes due to pressures for change originating from competing actors (e.g. landscape vs. incumbents in the regime); understanding the mapping between different outcomes, SLES elements and their interconnections will be key to unlocking wider benefits

Does influenza vaccination improve pregnancy outcome? Methodological issues and research needs

AbstractEvidence that influenza vaccination during pregnancy is safe and effective at preventing influenza disease in women and their children through the first months of life is increasing. Several reports of reduced risk of adverse outcomes associated with influenza vaccination have generated interest in its potential for improving pregnancy outcome. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, estimates maternal influenza immunization programs in low-income countries would have a relatively modest impact on mortality compared to other new or under-utilized vaccines, however the impact would be substantially greater if reported vaccine effects on improved pregnancy outcomes were accurate. Here, we examine the available evidence and methodological issues bearing on the relationship between influenza vaccination and pregnancy outcome, particularly preterm birth and fetal growth restriction, and summarize research needs. Evidence for absence of harm associated with vaccination at a point in time is not symmetric with evidence of benefit, given the scenario in which vaccination reduces risk of influenza disease and, in turn, risk of adverse pregnancy outcome. The empirical evidence for vaccination preventing influenza in pregnant women is strong, but the evidence that influenza itself causes adverse pregnancy outcomes is inconsistent and limited in quality. Studies of vaccination and pregnancy outcome have produced mixed evidence of potential benefit but are limited in terms of influenza disease assessment and control of confounding, and their analytic methods often fail to fully address the longitudinal nature of pregnancy and influenza prevalence. We recommend making full use of results of randomized trials, re-analysis of existing observational studies to account for confounding and time-related factors, and quantitative assessment of the potential benefits of vaccination in improving pregnancy outcome, all of which should be informed by the collective engagement of experts in influenza, vaccines, and perinatal health

Landslide societal risk in Portugal in the period 1865-2015

The existence of reliable databases on natural disasters is crucial to study mortality due to natural hazards in terms of temporal trends, spatial distribution and epidemiological topics. Features on fatalities caused by different types of hazards can be found for instance in natural hazard databases (e.g. EM-DAT, DISASTER) based on documental sources, demographic statistics, death certificates from hospitals and civil protection authorities. There are some constraints in the inclusion criteria of mortality data in natural disasters databases. For instance, the EM-DAT only record natural disasters that have caused at least 10 fatalities, while the Portuguese DISASTER database includes every occurrence that caused fatalities regardless of their number. In Portugal, social impacts caused by landslides occurred in the period 1865-2015 are gathered in the DISASTER database. This database includes social consequences (fatalities, injuries, missing people, evacuated people and homeless people) caused by landslides referred in newspapers. The DISASTER database contains 289 damaging landslides that caused 238 fatalities. In the present work we explore the mortality patterns resulting from damaging landslides in the country for an extended period. In this work we aim to: (i) analyse the spatio-temporal analysis of damaging landslides occurred in the last 155 years; (ii) analyse the frequency and the temporal evolution of fatal landslides; (iii) analyse the spatio-temporal distribution of fatalities generated by landslides; (iii) identify the most deadly landside types; (iv) verify gender tendencies in mortality resulting from landslides; and (v) evaluate the individual and societal risk. Individual risk is evaluated computing mortality rates for landslides, which are calculated based on the annual average population and the annual average of fatalities. The societal risk is evaluated by plotting the annual frequency of landslide cases that generated fatalities (F-N curves). The results demonstrate the absence of any exponential growth in time of both landslide cases and landslide mortality in Portugal. The highest number of landslide cases and related mortalities occurred in the period of 1935-1969 in relation to very wet years. After this period, the number of landslide mortalities decreased, although fatalities remained higher than those registered in the period of 1865-1934. The landslide fatalities mainly occurred in the north of the Tagus valley where the geologic and geomorphologic conditions are more prone to landslides. The Lisbon area registered a mortality hotspot, which is explained by natural conditions combined with the high exposure of population to landslide risk. In the South of Portugal landslide fatalities are constrained to coastal cliffs reflecting a careless intensive use of the coastal areas for tourism. Falls and flows were responsible for the highest number of fatalities associated with landslides. Males were found to have the highest frequency of fatalities and fatalities inside buildings were dominant, mostly in rural areas. In conclusion, the spatial patterns of landslide mortality can be related to the unequal distribution of predisposing conditions to landslides, changes in the land use and exposure and social vulnerability to landslide hazards.N/

Heart Failure in Hispanic Americans: Improving Cultural Awareness

Hispanic Americans are the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in the United States. Hispanic Americans have high rates of heart failure (HF) risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, obstructive sleep disorders, and dyslipidemia. Certain unique HF risk factors prominent among Hispanic Americans are uncommon in the general population, such as younger onset of valvular disease and Chagas disease. Advanced practice nurses providing care to Hispanic Americans have an ethical obligation to provide culturally competent care and assist these patients in overcoming barriers to health care so that they can effectively manage their HF