Securing the Prohibition of Labour Exploitation in Law and Practice: Slavery, Servitude, Forced Labour and Human Trafficking in Italy, Spain and the UK

The fight against contemporary forms of slavery is a top priority in the current global agenda. This article reviews and assesses the domestic diversity of labour exploitation regulation. In part 1, the article reviews the concept of labour exploitation in international and European law, whilst part 2 provides an overview of three legal frameworks - Italy, Spain and the UK. A comparative analysis considers the extent to which these countries implement international legal obligations both in law and practice. Finally, the article seeks to promote cross-fertilisation of experiences and dialogue among legal practitioners, both domestically and between different countries

The Khartoum Process and human trafficking

The Khartoum Process’s emphasis on stopping northward migration comes at great cost to vulnerable refugees and asylum seekers

Prevention of road crashes in older adults: perspectives on facilitators, barriers and the role of the family doctor

This work was supported by the SEMERGEN-UGR Chair of Teaching and Research in Family Medicine (Catedra de Docencia e Investigacion en Medicina de Familia SEMERGEN-UGR), University of Granada, Spain.Background: People over 64 years have a high fatality rate when they are involved in traffic accidents. Besides, older victims of road crashes are expected to rise in the future due to population aging. The purpose of the study was to document their perception on the role of the family doctor, the main facilitating factors, and the perceived barriers to the temporary or permanent restriction of their driving. Methods: This qualitative study used focus group methodology. A sample of 16 people over 65 years old was obtained through a series of segmentation criteria at an active participation centre for older adults in a small town in Jaén province (Spain). All were invited to participate in a discussion during which they were asked to express their opinions and subjective experiences concerning the role of their family doctor. The group conversation was taped, fully transcribed and analysed, and codes were generated with both deductive and inductive methods. Results: After merging the codes to generate themes, we identified 9 relevant categories: perception of age-related risk, road safety, role of public authorities, driver assessment centre, role of the family doctor, role of the family, proposals for addressing traffic accidents in older adults, consequences of the driving prohibition, and public transport. All categories help to explain the subjective driving and traffic safety experiences of older road users. Conclusions: Although family doctors do not usually ask their older patients about road driving, they are highly valued by these patients. Thus, family doctors have a great potential to act, along with the family members, for the benefit of older patients’ traffic safety, in ways that can prevent their involvement in road crashes and reduce the negative consequences of having to stop driving if necessary.SEMERGEN-UGR Chair of Teaching and Research in Family Medicine (Catedra de Docencia e Investigacion en Medicina de Familia SEMERGEN-UGR), University of Granada, Spai

Anti-Inflammatory (M2) Response Is Induced by a sp(2)-Iminosugar Glycolipid Sulfoxide in Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common complications of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and is directly associated with inflammatory processes. Currently, neuro-inflammation is considered an early event in DR and proceeds via microglia polarization. A hallmark of DR is the presence of retinal reactive gliosis. Here we report the beneficial effect of (S (S),1R)-1-docecylsulfiny-5N,6O-oxomethylidenenojirimycin ((Ss)-DS-ONJ), a member of the sp(2)-iminosugar glycolipid (sp(2)-IGL) family, by decreasing iNOS and inflammasome activation in Bv.2 microglial cells exposed to pro-inflammatory stimuli. Moreover, pretreatment with (Ss)-DS-ONJ increased Heme-oxygenase (HO)-1 as well as interleukin 10 (IL10) expression in LPS-stimulated microglial cells, thereby promoting M2 (anti-inflammatory) response by the induction of Arginase-1. The results strongly suggest that this is the likely molecular mechanism involved in the anti-inflammatory effects of (S (S))-DS-ONJ in microglia. (S (S))-DS-ONJ further reduced gliosis in retinal explants from type 1 diabetic BB rats, which is consistent with the enhanced M2 response. In conclusion, targeting microglia polarization dynamics in M2 status by compounds with anti-inflammatory activities offers promising therapeutic interventions at early stages of DR

Las políticas educativas TIC en España después del Programa Escuela 2.0: las tendencias que emergen

En este artículo se analiza la situación actual de las políticas educativas destinadas a la incorporación de las TIC a las escuelas en una muestra de ocho comunidades autónomas de España (Andalucía, Canarias, Cataluña, Extremadura, Madrid, País Valenciano, País Vasco y Principado de Asturias) después del proceso impulsado por el Programa Escuela 2.0. Este programa estuvo vigente durante el periodo 20092012 y respondió al modelo 1:1, de un ordenador por estudiante. Este análisis se guió por las siguientes cuestiones: ¿Qué efectos permanecen de las experiencias de políticas educativas del modelo 1:1?; ¿Qué nuevos proyectos o programas están vigentes en los sistemas educativos de las comunidades autónomas? ¿Qué nuevas tendencias con relación a las TIC están emergiendo en la agenda educativa de las políticas autonómicas? Se concluye que las nuevas políticas TIC, entre otras acciones, apuntan a centrar su atención en la incorporación de las PDI a todas las aulas, a la dotación de tabletas a los estudiantes en vez de miniportátiles, a políticas de sustitución de los libros de texto de papel por plataformas de contenidos digitales y a la creación de portales de recursos en la nube. Se constata también la ausencia de un programa o política educativa TIC coordinada a nivel de todo el estado como fue la experiencia del Programa Escuela 2.0. In this article the current situation of educational policies for the incorporation of ICT in schools in a sample of eight regions of Spain (Andalusia, Canary Islands, Catalonia, Extremadura, Madrid, Valencia, the Basque Country and the Principality of analyzes Asturias) after the process driven by the Escuela 2.0 program. This program was in effect during the period 20092012 and responded to the 1:1 model of a computer per student. This analysis was guided by the following questions: What effects remain from the experiences of educational policies of the 1:1 model?; What new projects or programs are in place in the educational systems of the regions? What new trends in relation to ICT are emerging in the educational agenda of regional policies? We conclude that the new ICT policy, among other things, aim to focus on the integration of IDPs to all classrooms to equipping students tablets instead of netbooks, a substitution policies textbooks paper for digital content platforms, to create portals of cloud resources. The absence of an educational program or policy level ICT coordinated statewide as was the experience of School Program 2.0 has been observed

Neuroprotective effects of insulin-like growth factor II in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease

Progressive degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway is a core, currently irreversible pathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD) that leads to a variety of motor and non-motor symptoms. Here, we aimed to study the potential neuroprotective effects of insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) in a PD mouse model based on the chronic administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine and probenecid (MPTP/p), which induces loss of dopaminergic neurons in the Substantia Nigra pars compacta (SNc). Male C57BL6/J mice (N=36) received a 5-week treatment with MPTP/p (or vehicle) and were co-treated with chronic IGF-II (or saline) from either the beginning of the procedure (plus an additional week, days 1-44) or once the MPTP/p insult was already triggered (days 21-44). Baseline and post-treatment measurements for motor performance in the Rotarod and self-grooming in an Open Field were taken. Likewise, dopaminergic (TH, DAT) and neuroinflammatory-related (GFAP) markers in the SNc and the dorsal striatum were studied by immunohistochemistry. Our results revealed that both early and delayed IGF-II co-treatment were successful in preventing motor and behavioral impairment in the MPTP/p model. Moreover, chronic IGF-II protected against MPTP/p-induced loss of dopaminergic neurons in the SNc and promoted a significant recovery of dopaminergic activity in the terminals located in the dorsal striatum, further reducing reactive astrocytosis in these brain regions. Thus, we demonstrated the neuroprotective role of IGF-II in a mouse model of PD, highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutical target for treating this disease. Funding: UMA18-FEDERJA-004, PID2020-113806RB-I00. Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech