Definitions, good practices, and global estimates on the status of social protection for international migrants

This paper analyzes the issue of social protection for migrants by looking at formal and informal social protection provisions. In particular, it presents the latest global data on the social protection status on migrants, including undocumented migrants. The paper gives special attention to lower-income countries drawing upon recent studies from the Southern African Development Community (SADC). It finds that migrants in poorer countries have very limited access to formal social protection such as social security systems, and that the legal social protection frameworks are far from making benefits portable. Rather, migrants have to rely on informal social protection, and it is often migration itself that constitutes a form of social protection for migrants and their families. This means that making migration safer for low-income migrants is vital to allow migrants to fully benefit from their migration experience and to ultimately enhance their social protection.Population Policies,,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Emerging Markets,International Migration

Migration pressures and immigration policies : new evidence on the selection of migrants

This paper aims to better understand emigration pressures in migrant sending countries by looking at the determinants of the propensity to migrate at the individual level. The analysis is based on survey data from Albania, Moldova, Egypt and Tunisia collected by the European Training Foundation (ETF) in 2006. Within this context the study focuses on: (i) the self-selection of migrants in terms of skills; and (ii) the impact of selective immigration policies on the migration process. The paper finds that migration pressures, or the intent to migrate, are not subject to any self-selection. However, immigration policies exert a strong out-selection that is likely part of the reasons why positive selection is found in many studies. Further, the study confirms that the European Union (EU) attracts comparatively lower skilled migrants than other destinations.Population Policies,Voluntary and Involuntary Resettlement,Human Migrations&Resettlements,International Migration,Gender and Development

Chemical and Biological Activity of Triterpene Saponins from Medicago Species

Naturally occurring saponins are a large group of triterpene and steroid glycosides characterized by several biological and pharmacological properties. The Medicago genus represents a valuable source of saponins which have been extensively investigated. This review summarizes the chemical features of saponins from Medicago species and their biological activity, with particular attention to their antimicrobial, insecticidal, allelopathic and cytotoxic effects. Influence of saponins on animal metabolism is also reported

Black hole information loss paradox and its avoidance in LQG - based models

In this thesis work we will try to understand what the information paradox is and what it means that information must be preserved. In particular, we will analyze the first historical escape routes to the paradox and how these did not satisfy the scientific community. Then we will focus on the solutions of professors Carlo Rovelli, Edward Wilson Ewing and coworkers in the Theory of Loop Quantum Gravity. In the end, we will try to understand which of the two could be the more acceptable solution, bringing to light the strengths and weaknesses of both

A Fute: de empresa tradicional a negócio virtual

Mestrado em Línguas e Relações EmpresariaisO trabalho que apresentamos insere-se nos estudos do segundo ano do Mestrado em Línguas e Relações Empresariais da Universidade de Aveiro. Trata-se portanto de um relatório que advém da realização de um estágio curricular numa empresa, Fute -Fábrica de utilidades de Tubo, Lda., sediada no concelho de Oliveira de Azeméis, no distrito aveirense. Fruto do empenho da atual equipa reitoral da UA são os protocolos que permitem aos estudantes de 2º Ciclo beneficiar de um período de prática pré-profissional sumamente proveitosa para os estagiários que, como eu, perseguimos uma formação na que possamos evoluir em termos de autonomia pessoal, em primeiro lugar, e, simultaneamente, sendo participantes do dinamismo empresarial, num contacto real e ativo. Tive a imensa sorte de poder realizar este estágio num ambiente de colaboração e de disponibilidade – por parte dos administradores da empresa assim como dos empregados - de extraordinário relacionamento. Não em vão a Fute é distinguida como uma PME familiar, onde a gestão, e quase tudo, é “personalizado”. É preciso destacar que o facto de ter vivido experiências empresariais no seio da minha própria família me ajudou muito, na hora de desenvolver hábitos de trabalho profissional já observados em casa, junto dos meus progenitores. Tive a satisfação pessoal de poder aplicar os conhecimentos adquiridos acerca da ‘venda online’ ao longo deste mestrado, através da criação de um site para a empresa onde fiz o estágio; e, embora não tenha assistido ao seu funcionamento, esta experiencia tão marcante ficará, com certeza, gravada na memória, para, talvez, poder utilizá-la no meu próprio negócio, uma vez que o empreendedorismo faz parte do meu ambiente familiar.El trabajo que presentamos se inserta en los estudios del 2º año del Mestrado em Línguas e Relações Empresariais de la Universidade de Aveiro. Se trata, por tanto, de un informe que viene exigido tras la realización del periodo de Prácticas, en Fute -Fábrica de utilidades de Tubo, Lda., una empresa ubicada en Oliveira de Azeméis (distrito de Aveiro). Fruto del empeño del actual equipo rectoral de la UA son los protocolos que permiten a los estudiantes de 2º Ciclo beneficiarse de un periodo de prácticas preprofesionales sumamente provechosas para los alumnos que, como yo, perseguimos una formación en la que nos sea posible desarrollar la autonomía personal, en primer lugar; siendo, al mismo tiempo, partícipes del dinamismo empresarial, mediante un contacto real y activo en dicho ámbito. Tuve la gran suerte de poder realizar estas Prácticas en un ambiente de colaboración y de disponibilidad – tanto por parte de los administradores de la empresa como del conjunto de los empleados o trabajadores- extraordinariamente grato. No en vano a la empresa Fute se la encuadra como una típica PYME familiar, en la que la gestión, como casi todo, es algo “personalizado”. Conviene destacar que el hecho de haber vivido experiencias empresariales dentro de mi propia familia fue algo que me ayudó mucho, a la hora de desarrollar hábitos de trabajo profesional ya observados en casa y en mis progenitores. He tenido asimismo la satisfacción personal de poder aplicar los conocimientos adquiridos durante el Mestrado sobre ‘la venta online’, mediante la creación de un site para la empresa en la que hice mis Prácticas; no obstante, aunque no haya asistido a su funcionamiento, esta experiencia tan valiosa quedará, sin duda, grabada en mi memoria, para, tal vez, poder utilizarla algún día en mi propio negocio, toda vez que el espíritu emprendedor forma parte del ambiente en que vivo.This project is part of the 2º year of the Master's degree of Languages and Business Relations of the University of Aveiro. Therefore, this report comes from an internship performed at Fute - Fábrica de Utilidades de Tubo, Lda., a company that is located in the municipality of Oliveira de Azeméis, in Aveiro district. The efforts of the current rectoral team resulted in protocols that allow the students of the 2nd Cycle to benefit of a pre-professional practice period extremely useful for students, like myself, that pursue an education in which we may develop personal autonomy, in first place, and, simultaneously, participating in the business dynamics, through a real and active contact. I was lucky to accomplish this Internship in an environment of cooperation and availability - from the administrators of the company as well as the group of workers - to whom I am thankful. Not in vain Fute is perceived as a typical family SME, in which management, and almost anything else, is seen in a "personal" manner. It is worth noting the fact that I had previous business experiences within my family has really helped me, when the time came to develop my own habits of professional labor already observed at home and in my parents. I was satisfied since I was able to apply the knowledge acquired about online sales during the Master's degree, through the creation of a website for the company where I conducted my internship; although, I was not there to observe the website working, this experience was so precious, that will be remembered, so I may use it in my own company one day, since entrepreneurship is a characteristic that defines the environment in which I live

Importancia de la recuperación de agua en la minería del uranio

En el presente trabajo se estudia la recuperación del agua en la industria minera, específicamente en la minería del uranio. En primera instancia, se realiza un estudio del estado del arte con respecto al suministro, consumo, reutilización, gestión y tratamiento del agua en la industria minera. Continuando con el estudio del proceso de producción de concentrados de uranio a partir de minerales con el fin de comprender la participación del agua en los distintos procesos involucrados, así como también, de evaluar la generación y la calidad de sus aguas residuales. Luego, mediante un caso de estudio real de un proyecto en desarrollo llevado adelante por la Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA) de Argentina, se aplican estos conceptos con el objetivo de estudiar el balance de agua de la futura instalación. Las fuentes de suministro externas y la capacidad de extracción de agua del ambiente en la zona son estudiados en base a un estudio realizado con anterioridad, con el objetivo de definir la máxima capacidad de extracción de agua disponible. Un primer modelo del balance de agua es desarrollado en el entorno Matlab®-Simulink® en base a la memoria descriptiva del proceso. Este balance de agua es estudiado en profundidad con el fin de detectar sus puntos débiles, y se presentan propuestas de mejora con el fin de cumplir con los requerimientos de extracción máxima para el acuífero. Se propone un nuevo sistema de distribución de las aguas para la instalación, agrupando las aguas en función de su calidad, y aumentando la recuperación del agua por el agregado de una etapa de tratamiento por Destilación con Membrana. En base a este nuevo balance de agua se desarrolla un segundo modelo con el cual se realiza un análisis de sensibilidad en función del factor de recuperación del proceso de Destilación por Membrana. El objetivo de este análisis es identificar la recuperación mínima que se debe exigir al proceso de Destilación por Membrana para cumplir con los requerimientos de extracción de agua del acuífero. En forma adicional, se realiza un nuevo análisis de sensibilidad, eliminando del modelo el proceso de destilación por membrana, con el objetivo de estudiar cuanto hay que reducir la capacidad de procesamiento del mineral para que cumpla con los requisitos de extracción máxima del acuífero. Finalmente, se plantea una propuesta final para el balance de agua de la instalación en la cual se logra mejor las condiciones del proceso original

Relationship between chemical composition and nematicidal activity of different essential oils

In this study, the relationship between nematicidal activity and chemical composition of ten essential oils (EOs) from different plant species was investigated both in in vitro assays on juveniles (J2) and eggs of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and in experiments on tomato in soil infested by M. incognita. Nematode J2 were exposed for 4, 8 or 24 h to 0.78–100 µg mL−1 concentrations of each EO, whereas 24, 48 or 96 h exposures to 250, 500 and 1000 µg mL−1 solutions were tested on M. incognita egg masses. Treatments with 50, 100 or 200 µg kg soil rates of each EO were applied in the experiment on potted tomato. The highest nematicidal potential resulted for the C. verum EO, as highly toxic to both M. incognita J2 and eggs and strongly suppressive on nematode multiplication on tomato roots. The infestation of M. incognita on tomato roots was also strongly reduced by the EOs from E. citriodora and S. aromaticum, both highly toxic to M. incognita J2 but less active on nematode eggs. Adversely, R. graveolens EO strongly inhibited the egg hatch but was limitedly toxic to the infective J2. Chemical composition of the EOs was determined by GC-FID and GC-MS. The ten EOs showed a very different chemical composition in terms of major phytochemicals, with one or two dominant components totally amounting up to 85%. The structure–activity relationship based on the main phytochemicals identified in the assayed EOs and their nematicidal effects on M. incognita was also discussed. Results from this study confirmed that the selection of suitable EO raw materials can lead to the formulation on new effective nematicidal products

Neolatin group on headache - the spoken languages of men and the international transmission of scientific knowledge.

This initiative stems from previous projects[1] designed to benefit a category of people who live a particular linguistic ‘‘disadvantage’’: the immigrants. Even more so, those immigrants who suffer from Chronic Headache and its comorbidities (physical/psychological disorders)

Unraveling the response of plant cells to cytotoxic saponins: role of metallothionein and nitric oxide

A wide range of pharmacological properties are ascribed to natural saponins, in addition to their biological activities against herbivores, plant soilborne pathogens and pests. As for animal cells, the cytotoxicity and the chemopreventive role of saponins are mediated by a complex network of signal transduction pathways which include reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO). The involvement of other relevant components of the saponin-related signaling routes, such as the Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)α, the interleukin (IL)-6 and the Nuclear Transcription FactorκB (NFκB), has been highlighted in animal cells. By contrast, information concerning the response of plant cells to saponins and the related signal transduction pathways is almost missing. To date, there are only a few common features which link plant and animal cells in their response to saponins, such as the early burst in ROS and NO production and the induction of metallothioneins (MTs), small cysteine-rich, metal-binding proteins. This aspect is discussed in the present paper in view of the recent hypothesis that MTs and NO are part of a novel signal transduction pathway participating in the cell response to oxidative stress

Headache in history and the arts. The artemicranica project

The project ‘‘ARTeMICRANICA’’ originates from the exhibition of Giorgio De Chirico ‘ARTeMICRANIA. Opere e parole tra mal di testa e metafisica.’’ held in Rome in September 2003 at the XI Congress of the International Headache Society / IHC 2003