Slavery and human trafficking international law and the role of the World Bank

This paper reviews the international legal framework applicable to the World Bank and member states on contemporary forms of slavery, in particular, trafficking. The Palermo trafficking protocol is specially analyzed. Moreover, the paper refers to the preventive framework constituted by human rights obligations, particularly those of international labor law. The World Bank's mandate appears to permit preventive action. The articles expressly refer to the goal of improving conditions of labor. On one hand, the Bank's present practice includes work in areas linked to human rights, which reveals tacit agreement by member states. In addition, human rights obligations have been widely accepted by the international community, though implementation is poor. Moreover, poverty causes vulnerability to slavery-like practices, and they perpetuate poverty. A modest set of recommendations and areas in which further research is needed are included. The paper encourages mainstreaming the issues analyzed strategically in the Bank's core operations (concerning processes and results), with country-led and country specific efforts, identifying the issues important for poverty reduction and growth.Human Rights,Population Policies,Child Labor,Gender and Law,Post Conflict Reconstruction

Railway track condition assessment at network level by frequency domain analysis of GPR data

The railway track system is a crucial infrastructure for the transportation of people and goods in modern societies. With the increase in railway traffic, the availability of the track for monitoring and maintenance purposes is becoming significantly reduced. Therefore, continuous non-destructive monitoring tools for track diagnoses take on even greater importance. In this context, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technique results yield valuable information on track condition, mainly in the identification of the degradation of its physical and mechanical characteristics caused by subsurface malfunctions. Nevertheless, the application of GPR to assess the ballast condition is a challenging task because the material electromagnetic properties are sensitive to both the ballast grading and water content. This work presents a novel approach, fast and practical for surveying and analysing long sections of transport infrastructure, based mainly on expedite frequency domain analysis of the GPR signal. Examples are presented with the identification of track events, ballast interventions and potential locations of malfunctions. The approach, developed to identify changes in the track infrastructure, allows for a user-friendly visualisation of the track condition, even for GPR non-professionals such as railways engineers, and may further be used to correlate with track geometric parameters. It aims to automatically detect sudden variations in the GPR signals, obtained with successive surveys over long stretches of railway lines, thus providing valuable information in asset management activities of infrastructure managers

Building information modeling (BIM) and green building index (GBI) assessment framework for non-residential new construction building (NRNC)

The global construction industry endorsed Building Information Modeling (BIM) and its many advantages. However, despite this endorsement, BIM still failed to attract Malaysian companies to use BIM in green building assessment, especially for the assessment of Green Building Index (GBI), and maintain GBI certification during building occupancy using BIM features. The main issue of utilizing BIM as a GBI assessment tool is the applicability of BIM Tools to digitalize GBI credit by design team, which results in the digitization of GBI criteria into BIM Model. This study aims to identify common components related to the capability of BIM to digitalize and assess GBI criteria. These components include BIM uses and tools and GBI criteria and processes. This study applied quantitative and qualitative approaches to collect data. The quantitative approach used questionnaires, which were distributed to 900 GBI members, i.e. GBI certifiers and facilitators. The survey generated a response rate of 32% during eight months of data collection. The results were analyzed using SPSS and SmartPLS. Four model categories were identified, namely, BIM uses, BIM tools, GBI criteria and GBI certification process. These categories were used to assess the BIM–GBI framework. The results obtained from the questionnaire showed that only 16 BIM uses must be included in the BIM execution plan of the GBI project for assessment purposes. The results also showed that the BIM tools present different levels of effect on the GBI criteria. The capability of BIM to assess GBI could be stronger in the design assessment (DA) than in the operation assessment, which supports the suggested BIM–GBI assessment framework. The second data collection was conducted through a focus group interview with BIM and GBI experts. Two interview sessions were conducted. Results show that the assessment method has a significant correlation in the BIM– GBI framework. The following categories were identified for the BIM assessment framework: BIM uses, BIM tools, and control, which were based on the GBI criteria for scoring and certification. Findings from the BIM and GBI assessment method framework show that GBI credits can be digitalized using different BIM uses directly and indirectly assessed by BIM tools for each GBI credit in both GBI assessment process. Based on the qualitative result of this research showed that BIM can help the design team to achieve 55% point in design assessment (DA) only and this helps the building to achieve GBI certification in level 4 of certified rating. On the other hand, 45% points of GBI credits can be digitals in completion and verification assessment (CVA). The framework provides a guide for the design team and facility management in digitalizing and assessing GBI criteria using BIM application during design assessment (DA) and completion and verification assessment (CVA) for new nonresidential constructions. The framework also offers and provides insights that will enable designers to understand the relationship between BIM and GBI criteria, which will contribute to BIM integration in Stage 3 and automate GBI assessment for the Malaysian construction industry

Formal vs self-organised knowledge systems: a network approach

In this work we consider the topological analysis of symbolic formal systems in the framework of network theory. In particular we analyse the network extracted by Principia Mathematica of B. Russell and A.N. Whitehead, where the vertices are the statements and two statements are connected with a directed link if one statement is used to demonstrate the other one. We compare the obtained network with other directed acyclic graphs, such as a scientific citation network and a stochastic model. We also introduce a novel topological ordering for directed acyclic graphs and we discuss its properties in respect to the classical one. The main result is the observation that formal systems of knowledge topologically behave similarly to self-organised systems.Comment: research pape

Life, Death and Preferential Attachment

Scientific communities are characterized by strong stratification. The highly skewed frequency distribution of citations of published scientific papers suggests a relatively small number of active, cited papers embedded in a sea of inactive and uncited papers. We propose an analytically soluble model which allows for the death of nodes. This model provides an excellent description of the citation distributions for live and dead papers in the SPIRES database. Further, this model suggests a novel and general mechanism for the generation of power law distributions in networks whenever the fraction of active nodes is small.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Antifungal effect and reduction of Ulmus minor symptoms to Ophiostoma novo-ulmi by carvacrol and salicylic acid

There are still no effective means to control Dutch elm disease (DED), caused by the vascular fungi Ophiostoma ulmi and O. novo-ulmi. Plant phenolics may provide a new strategy for DED control, given their known antifungal activity against pathogens and their involvement in plant defence mechanisms. The in vitro antifungal activity of salicylic acid, carvacrol, thymol, phenol, o-cresol, m-cresol, p-cresol, and 2,5-xylenol against the DED pathogens was tested. Also, the protective effect of watering Ulmus minor seedlings with these compounds was tested against O. novo-ulmi. Salicylic acid, carvacrol, and thymol showed the strongest antifungal in vitro activity, while carvacrol and salicylic acid provided the strongest in vivo protection against O. novo-ulmi (63 and 46% reduction of leaf wilting symptoms with respect to controls, respectively). The effect of the treatments on tree phenology was low, and a significant negative relation was observed between the number of days to bud burst and the leaf wilting symptoms after inoculation, probably determined by genetic differences among the elm tree progenies used. The treatments with salicylic acid, carvacrol and thymol induced the highest shift in phenolic metabolite profile with respect to control trees. The protective effect of carvacrol and salicylic acid is discussed in terms of their combined activity as antifungal compounds and as inductors of tree defence responses

Espacios disidentes en los procesos de ordenación territorial

En este artículo se destaca la construcción de disidencias en relación con la producción de espacios de exclusión principalmente en los ámbitos urbanos. En este marco, el estudio discute la producción y uso de espacios urbanos, y en menor medida rurales, por parte de dos grupos significativos: okupas y gays. Ambos hacen de la apropiación de ciertos espacios urbanos una estrategia de empowerment. Se resalta la relación que se establece entre lo privado y lo público, así como la importancia de los procesos de gentrificación a la luz de la perspectiva de estos sectores disidentes. Los límites, a veces muy estrechos, que se establecen entre los significados de inclusión, exclusión y disidencia también son destacados, analizándose tanto la relación de estos grupos con el resto de la sociedad como sus propias contradicciones internas.En aquest article es destaca la construcció de dissidències en relació amb la producció d'espais d'exclusió principalment en els àmbits urbans. En aquest marc, l'estudi discuteix la producció i ús d'espais urbans, i en menor mesura rurals, per part de dos grups significatius: okupes i gais. Tots dos fan de l'apropiació de certs espais urbans una estratègia d'empowerment. S'hi ressalta la relació que s'estableix entre el privat i el públic, així com la importància dels processos de gentrificació segons la perspectiva d'aquests sectors dissidents. Els límits, a vegades molt estrets, que s'estableixen entre els significats d'inclusió, exclusió i dissidència també són destacats. S'hi analitza tant la relació d'aquests grups amb la resta de la societat com les seves pròpies contradiccions internes.Cet article envisage la construction de dissidences en rapport avec la production d'espaces d'exclusion, notamment en milieu urbain. Dans ce cadre, cette étude vise la production et l'usage d'espaces urbains -et aussi ruraux, mais moins en détail- de la part de deux groupes significatifs: les squatteurs et les gais. Tous les deux font de l'appropriation de certains espaces urbains une stratégie d'autonomisation. D'ailleurs, on souligne le rapport qui s'établit entre ce qui est privé et publique, de même que l'importance des processus de gen- trification du point de vue de ces secteurs dissidents. Les limites, parfois trés étroites, que l'on fixe entre les significations d'inclusion, exclusion et dissidence sont aussi mis en relief tout en analysant les relations de ces groupes avec le reste de la société aussi bien que leurs propres contradictions internes.The present paper aims to highlight the formation of dissident sectors hand in hand with the creation of exclusive spaces in urban environments. Within this general framework, the paper discusses the creation and use of urban spaces, and to a lesser extent rural ones, on the part of two significant groups: the gay and the squatting movements. Both regard the appropriation of certain city areas as a «strategy of empowerment». It also underlines the relation established between public and private property as well as the importance of the gentrification processes from the viewpoint of these dissident sectors. The sometimes very thin boundaries established between the meanings of inclusion, exclusion and dissidence are also pointed out, and both the relationship of these groups with the rest of society and their own internal contradictions are analysed

Influence of exercise on cognitive function in patients with acquired brain injury

[Resumen] Objetivo: Determinar los beneficios del ejercicio físico sobre la función cognitiva en pacientes con daño cerebral adquirido. Material y Métodos: Revisión de la influencia del ejercicio físico sobre las funciones cognitivas en personas mayores de 18 años con daño cerebral adquirido. La búsqueda se efectuó en las bases de datos PubMed, Scopus y la Biblioteca Cochrane, seleccionando estudios publicados entre el año 2005 y la actualidad (2015) en lengua española, inglesa, francesa o portuguesa. Resultados: Se seleccionaron 9 estudios, la mayoría de baja calidad y con pocos sujetos de estudio. La población mayoritaria es de mediana/tercera edad, pacientes con daño cerebral adquirido. El tipo de ejercicio físico empleado es el aeróbico de forma aislada o en combinación con otro tipo de ejercicios tanto de fuerza-resistencia, como de estiramientos y corte recreacional Las funciones cognitivas evaluadas son muy diversas, al igual que las escalas de medida, aunque se obtienen resultados positivos en 8 de 9 estudios en áreas como atención, concentración, orientación y memoria Conclusión/ Discusión: No existe suficiente evidencia para afirmar que el ejercicio físico mejora la función cognitiva de sujetos con daño cerebral adquirido ni qué modalidad es más efectiva aunque se observa una tendencia positiva del ejercicio aeróbico en exclusiva o combinado con otros tipos de ejercicio.Traballo fin de grao (UDC.FCS). Fisioterapia. Curso 2014/2015

A renormalization group model for the stick-slip behavior of faults

A fault which is treated as an array of asperities with a prescribed statistical distribution of strengths is described. For a linear array the stress is transferred to a single adjacent asperity and for a two dimensional array to three ajacent asperities. It is shown that the solutions bifurcate at a critical applied stress. At stresses less than the critical stress virtually no asperities fail on a large scale and the fault is locked. At the critical stress the solution bifurcates and asperity failure cascades away from the nucleus of failure. It is found that the stick slip behavior of most faults can be attributed to the distribution of asperities on the fault. The observation of stick slip behavior on faults rather than stable sliding, why the observed level of seismicity on a locked fault is very small, and why the stress on a fault is less than that predicted by a standard value of the coefficient of friction are outlined