Modelling Foot and Mouth Disease in the Context of Active Immigrants

This study employs mathematical modeling to analyze the impact of active immigrants on Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) transmission dynamics. We calculate the reproduction number (R0) using the next-generation matrix approach. Applying the Routh-Hurwitz Criterion, we establish that the Disease-Free Equilibrium (DFE) point achieves local asymptotic stability when R0 α1 and α2) are closely associated with reduced susceptibility in animal populations, underscoring the link between immigrants and susceptibility. Furthermore, our findings emphasize the interplay of disease introduction with population response and adaptation, particularly involving incoming infectious immigrants. Swift interventions are vital due to the limited potential for disease establishment and rapid susceptibility decline. This study offers crucial insights into the complexities of FMD transmission with active immigrants, informing effective disease management strategies.

Immigrants＇ assimilation in New York after 1960s

America is a nation of immigrants and New York is the destination of many immigrants. In this article, immigrants to New York from three countries are examined. The third wave of immigrants has brought a lot of changes. The newly arrived immigrants employ different patterns of assimilation while assimilating into American society. This is due to the fact that the problems they face are different from those of old immigrants.

交互式数字叙事:加拿大Writing New Body Worlds阅读治疗新探索

文章基于相关研究文献与语料,对加拿大WNB阅读治疗实践进行梳理与归纳。WNB首次使用交互式数字叙事技术,构建面向公众的阅读治疗平台,以其交互式特征,融合了阅读和治疗引导两个过程,提供可访问的非临床方式,可面向大规模人群实现预防性健康干预。基于数据与计算的精准化阅读治疗是数字人文视角下的新变革,更具推广应用价值;以在线阅读平台建设为依托,推进实施平台化的阅读和治疗应成为未来发展方向之一;基于阅读形态与体验因技术赋能而改变的现状,图书馆应发挥引领作用,积极收集、创建或协助创建数字故事,推进阅读推广、服务与治疗的融合性发展,成为社区建设促进者、历史欣赏者和社区参与倡导者,也使阅读借助交互式数字叙事这一新载体,更好地发挥变革的力量,促进健康与幸福。

A Hybrid Immigrants Scheme for Genetic Algorithms in Dynamic Environments

Dynamic optimization problems are a kind of optimization problems that involve changes over time. They pose a serious challenge to traditional optimization methods as well as conventional genetic algorithms since the goal is no longer to search for the optimal solution（s） of a fixed problem but to track the moving optimum over time. Dynamic optimization problems have attracted a growing interest from the genetic algorithm community in recent years. Several approaches have been developed to enhance the performance of genetic algorithms in dynamic environments. One approach is to maintain the diversity of the population via random immigrants. This paper proposes a hybrid immigrants scheme that combines the concepts of elitism, dualism and random immigrants for genetic algorithms to address dynamic optimization problems. In this hybrid scheme, the best individual, i.e., the elite, from the previous generation and its dual individual are retrieved as the bases to create immigrants via traditional mutation scheme. These elitism-based and dualism-based immigrants together with some random immigrants are substituted into the current population, replacing the worst individuals in the population. These three kinds of immigrants aim to address environmental changes of slight, medium and significant degrees respectively and hence efficiently adapt genetic algorithms to dynamic environments that are subject to different severities of changes. Based on a series of systematically constructed dynamic test problems, experiments are carried out to investigate the performance of genetic algorithms with the hybrid immigrants scheme and traditional random immigrants scheme. Experimental results validate the efficiency of the proposed hybrid immigrants scheme for improving the performance of genetic algorithms in dynamic environments.

Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori in female Vietnamese immigrants to Korea

AIM： To investigate the seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori （H. pylorl） and its relationship to nutritional fac- tors in female Vietnamese immigrants to Korea. METHODS： A total of 390 female immigrants from Vietnam and 206 Korean male spouses participated in the study. Blood samples from 321 female immigrants and 201 Korean male spouses were analyzed for H. py- Iori antibodies. Data on age, sex, alcohol consumption, smoking status, dietary nutritional factors and gastro- intestinal symptoms were collected using question- naires. The daily intakes of the following nutrients were estimated： energy, protein, niacin, lipid, fiber, calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, zinc, folate, cholesterol, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C and E. RESULTS： The prevalence of H. py/ori positivity was lower in the immigrants than in age-matched Koreanfemales （55.7% vs 71.4%, respectively; P 〈 0.0001） and the domestic population of Vietnam. The preva- lence of H. pylori positivity among married couples was 31.7% for both spouses. There were no statistically sig- nificant differences in the incidence of smoking, amount of alcohol consumed, or nutritional factors between the H. pylori-positive and negative groups. CONCLUSION： The prevalence of H. pylori positivity was lower among female Vietnamese immigrants than among Korean females. Nutritional factors did not differ between the H. pylori-positive and negative groups.

The Agony of Early Chinese Immigrants--A Review on Shanghai Girls

The article aims at exploring by the way of a traditional approach—Historical-Biographical the agony confronted by early Chinese immigrants in America based on the novel Shanghai Girls.Early Chinese Americans encountered numerous pains:hardship in their work,discrimination in their lives,and the threat of deportation from the host government.Generally,the sufferings of theirs derive from three sources,namely,their powerless homeland,the hostility of the white and their low education status.Due to the poverty and powerless their homeland,both the sisters encountered countless insults.

网络新媒体视阈下客家议题在日传播特征分析——基于日本Google News的考察

以日本Google News中的客家相关日文报道为语料,通过文本挖掘工具KH Coder进行文本数据挖掘,发现日本网络新闻媒体的客家议题日文报道具有分布零散性及以图片报道为主的特点。报道关注的客家区域主要涉及台湾地区、福建、香港地区、广东等地,其中,台湾地区的客家关注度最高。报道聚焦客家的观光旅游、产业振兴、客家书籍出版等相关内容,形成了客家传统建筑类、台湾地区客家文化交流类、客家文学作品推介类、客家观光旅游类等四大主要议题。本文提出要充分运用Google News等网络新媒体强大的技术功能和传播优势加大客家文化的传播力度。

Health Status Inequality among Immigrants in Switzerland

Objective: To assess self-rated health and impairments for six large immigrant groups (Germany, Italy, Kosovo, Portugal, Serbia, Turkey) in Switzerland. Methods: We used population-based survey data from the Swiss Migrant Health Survey 2010 and the Swiss Health Survey 2007. The sample comprised permanent residents aged 17 - 64 years (n = 14,637). Multivariate logistic regressions have been used to estimate odds ratios (OR). Results: Ill health and activities of daily living (ADL) impairments were associated with older age in all groups. However, nationals from Turkey and nationals from Kosovo were substantially more likely than Swiss to report ill health (OR = 1.05;CI = 1.02 - 1.09;P = 0.001 and OR = 1.05;CI = 1.01 - 1.10;P = 0.016) and ADL impairments (OR = 1.06;CI = 1.03 - 1.09;P = 0.000 and OR = 1.04;CI = 1.01 - 1.07;P = 0.004) with increasing age. Furthermore, Portuguese women were more likely (OR = 2.65;CI = 1.40 - 5.03;P = 0.003) to report ill health than Swiss women. Conclusions: Immigrant-specific preventive and health promotion initiatives should target vulnerable immigrants from Turkey, Portugal, and Kosovo. Furthermore, groups with few economic and psychosocial resources in the general population of Switzerland should be more involved in interventions to reduce health risk.

Cigarette use attitudes and effects of acculturation among Arab immigrants in USA: A preliminary study

The purpose of this study is to explore cigarette use patterns, which include current use, beliefs, attitudes, attempts to quit, and acculturation, among Arab immigrants. A sample of self-identified Arab immigrants (221) living in the Richmond, VA metropolitan area was recruited from Middle Eastern groceries, restaurants/lounges, and faith and charitable organizations. Men in this sample had higher rates of cigarette smoking (67.6%) than the rest of the general adult US population. Many smokers in the study had the desire to quit and had made attempts to quit. Further analysis of acculturation in relation to the risk of not considering quitting was performed using logistic regression. The older an individual was when he/she moved to the US (OR = 0.93, CI: 0.87, 0.98) and the more time an individual had spent in the US (OR = 0.93, CI: 0.88, 0.98) contributed significantly to the least number of quit attempts. Further random sampling and study is needed to confirm the high prevalence of tobacco use among this minority group.

Immigrants’ Satisfaction from the National Health System in Greece: In the Quest of the Contributing Factors

Immigrants deserve special attention as they constitute a very sensitive social group, facing an increasing risk of social exclusion. The access of immigrants to health services is one of the most important factors, which contributes to their integration into the society of induction. The purpose of this study is to track and assess the immigrants’ satisfaction from the health services provided by the Greek National Health System (NHS). The satisfaction level assessment is examined in conjunction with demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the study participants, as well as with the characteristics that are related to their personal experience with the National Health System in Greece. The research was conducted from March 2012 to May 2013. The sample of the research comprises of 126 “first-generation” immigrants on legal permit of residence in Greece, who lived in the prefecture of Attica. It is panel study based on “snowball sampling” and the statistical analysis was conducted with the use of the Stata (ver. 11), while the statistical analysis used probit estimation techniques. The demographic and social variables—particularly the variables of gender, “understanding the Greek language”, “education”, “participation in the community of origin” and “insurance”—the variables of “health” and specifically “long-term diseases” and the variable of “trust” are found to be highly related with immigrants’ satisfaction degree from the Greek health system. Our research concludes that health is a fundamental, human right and immigrants’ access to health services is essential not only for their instant and effective treatment of their health problems and the improvement of their lives but also for ensuring the public health in Greece. In order to properly incorporate immigrants in Greece in particular, the health policy decision-makers have to pay attention to the contributing factors.

Changes in fat but not fruit and vegetable intakes linked with body weight change in Mexican women immigrants in Quebec

The objective of the present study was to identify dietary parameters for predicting body weight change (ΔBW) in Mexican-born women (Mexicans) following immigration to Quebec City, Canada. Methods: Changes in fruit (ΔF), vegetable (ΔV), fruit and vegetable (ΔFV), and fat (ΔFat) intake were assessed according to post-immigration periods (1-5 years, 6-10 years, 11-20 years) using a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Anthropometric measures were also conducted in 87 Mexicans (study group) and 88 native-born Quebecers (comparison group) aged 18-65 years. Associations were calculated using full and partial robust regression models adjusting for potential confounders (origin, education, income, age, length of residence in Quebec City). Results: There was no difference in ΔBW between the groups. Body weight (BW) increased significantly in both Mexican (5.5 ± 0.9 kg, P < 0.0001) and Quebec women (4.7 ± 0.8 kg, P < 0.0001). ΔBW was positively correlated with ΔFat (β = 0.03, P = 0.003), but not correlated with origin, ΔF, or ΔV. ΔBW was negatively associated with education (β = –4.33, P = 0.007) and positively associated with length of residence (β = 0.3, P = 0.003). Partial models indicated ΔF (β = –1.35, P β = –1.04, P = 0.0001), and ΔFV (β = –2.27, P < 0.0001) were associated with origin, whereas net annual household income (β = 0.16, P = 0.04) was positively associated with ΔFat. Conclusions: Change in body weight could be predicted by length of residence, education, and change in fat intake in Mexican immigrant women and native-born Quebecers whereas changes in fruit and vegetable intakes could be predicted by Mexican or Quebec origin.

From “Employer-Employee” to “Family of Choice”: The Development of the Relationship between Philippine Worker Immigrants and Elderly Care Recipients

The current study adds to the pool of findings regarding experiences of female Philippine work immigrants employed in elderly caregiving in Israel, as they cope with their role as caregivers. Based on an analysis of the qualitative interviews with 27 Philippine women, three themes emerged. The first is the manner in which these caregivers perceive the treatment and care they give their elderly employers, taking into account the initial stage of the professional relationship, the various types of support, and the employer-employee interactions. The second theme deals with the manner in which these caregivers perceive their role once the relationship with the elderly care recipient is established and the employer’s needs and preferences become familiar;that is, once there is a clear caregiver-client relationship. The third theme deals with the manner in which the caregivers perceive their relationship with their elderly employers and with the employers’ family members, and the way they believe their employer and family perceive their role as caregivers. This stage of the relationship they define as “family of choice”. The combination of the three themes presents a comprehensive picture of positive change in terms of the caregivers perception of their role, and a shift in the manner in which they perceive their employers: from a “source of income” to “parent”.

A Mathematical Modelling of the Effect of Treatment in the Control of Malaria in a Population with Infected Immigrants

In this work, we developed a compartmental bio-mathematical model to study the effect of treatment in the control of malaria in a population with infected immigrants. In particular, the vector-host population model consists of eleven variables, for which graphical profiles were provided to depict their individual variations with time. This was possible with the help of MathCAD software which implements the Runge-Kutta numerical algorithm to solve numerically the eleven differential equations representing the vector-host malaria population model. We computed the basic reproduction ratio R0 following the next generation matrix. This procedure converts a system of ordinary differential equations of a model of infectious disease dynamics to an operator that translates from one generation of infectious individuals to the next. We obtained R0 = , i.e., the square root of the product of the basic reproduction ratios for the mosquito and human populations respectively. R0m explains the number of humans that one mosquito can infect through contact during the life time it survives as infectious. R0h on the other hand describes the number of mosquitoes that are infected through contacts with the infectious human during infectious period. Sensitivity analysis was performed for the parameters of the model to help us know which parameters in particular have high impact on the disease transmission, in other words on the basic reproduction ratio R0.

Immigrants and the utilization of hospital emergency departments

BACKGROUND：Immigrants with language barriers are at high risk of having poor access to health care services. However, several studies have indicated that immigrants tend to use emergency departments （EDs） as their primary source of care at the expense of primary care. This may place an additional burden on already overcrowded EDs and lead to a low level of patient satisfaction with ED care. The study was to review if immigrants utilize ED care differently from host populations and to assess immigrants＇ satisfaction with ED care. METHODS：Studies about immigrants＇ utilization of EDs in Australia and worldwide were reviewed.RESULTS：There are conflicting results in the literature about the pattern of ED care use among immigrants. Some studies have shown higher utilization by immigrants compared to host populations and others have shown lower utilization. Overall, immigrants use ED care heavily, make inappropriate visits to EDs, have a longer length of stay in EDs, and are less satisfied with ED care as compared to host populations.CONCLUSION：Immigrants might use ED care differently from host populations due to language and cultural barriers. There is sparse Australian literature regarding immigrants＇ access to health care including ED care. To ensure equity, further research is needed to inform policy when planning health care provision to immigrants.

Chronic Stress and Its Symptoms among Mexican Immigrants in Edmonton, Canada

Immigration-related stress is the result of an environment that imposes demands surpassing the psychological resources of those suffering from it with a destabilizing effect on their physical and psychological health. The purpose of this study is to determine what the chronic stress levels are and their association with psychophysiological symptoms and gender in Mexican immigrants living in Edmonton, Canada. A representative random sample was made of 237 immigrants in 2012. The stress symptoms inventory was used and a multiple regression and multivariate analysis was made. Results indicated that chronic stress levels were: 14% high, 46% medium and 40% low and psychophysiological predictor symptoms were: fatigue, constipation, frequent colds, cold hands and feet and insomnia, and the female gender. Therefore one may conclude that a precise identification of the predictor symptoms of chronic stress may help promote and implement programs aimed at timely prevention of stress before they affect the health and occupational safety of Mexican immigrants living in Edmonton, Canada.

Mathematical Analysis of Control Strategies of HCV in a Community with Inflow of Infected Immigrants

In this paper, we derive and analyse rigorously a mathematical model of control strategies (screening, education, health care and immunization) of HCV in a community with inflow of infected immigrants. Both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the model is performed with respect to stability of the disease free and endemic equilibria. The results show that the disease free equilibrium is locally stable at threshold parameter less than unity and unstable at threshold parameter greater than unity. Using Lyapunov method, endemic equilibrium is globally stable under certain conditions. Numerical simulation of the model is implemented to investigate the sensitivity of certain key parameters on the HCV model in a community with inflow of infected immigrants. However, analysis shows that screening, education, health care and immunization have the effect of reducing the transmission of the disease in the community.

Phantoms Without a History： Immigrants and Media in Italy

In this paper we will investigate the state of Italian media space with respect to the narration of the Foreigner. Desperation and absolute misery seem to be the icon of immigration. The events of which immigrants are protagonists are often out of context and lacking in critical analysis. The media hyper-simplification concurs to a social representation of migration that is currently distorting real-life experiences to such an extent that the spectacularization of migrants brings about problems in terms of their negative self-representations. A distorted, criminalizing and offensive representation is derived. The narrative register alternates victimization and safety. The result is a mediascape made up of suffering, desperation, poverty and fear. This paper aims to show that the invisibility about which so much has been written, as a characteristic of the identity of the immigrant, finds in their negation as media users once again a space they are excluded from.

The New Chinese Immigrations in Laos Present-day

Laos was once unique in Southeast Asia for its remarkably small overseas Chinese communities. Most of them fled this country when the communist forces seized power in 1975. Since Laos opened its economy in 1986, the Chinese in Laos have been able to develop in many areas. Especially, the visit of Premier LI Peng to Vientiane in 1990 marked a turning point in China-Laos relations. Unlike Cambodia, the reawakening of a Chinese community in Laos did not come from the Huaqiao, this arose from a new cycle of immigrants, who started pouring into northern Laos in the late 1990s at an unprecedented scale. Compared with other Southeast Asian nations, the Chinese in Laos are less in number and weaker in economic power. In this study, we focus on （1） Analysis the ways of the new Chinese immigrants in Laos; （2） Assess the role of new Chinese immigrants in the process of China increasing their influence in Laos and how Laos response to this issue; and （3） The trend of new Chinese immigrants in Laos in the near future. Firstly, the rapid of Chinese investment to Laos in the last two decades is the most important factor driving the Chinese migrants into this country. The first new Chinese immigrants arrived in the mid-1990s as workers or technicians on road construction projects and as part of the industrial cooperation between Yunnan and the northern provinces of Laos. Since the 2000s, China has been pouring aid and investment into Laos. Chinese companies are involved in almost all areas of this country＇s economy, from hydropower to mining, agriculture, service, and hospitality. The increasing of Chinese exports, investment, aids and Chinese contracted project constructions in Laos led to mass Chinese immigrants going to Laos to work in all the economic sectors which the Chinese are involved in this country. Most of them chose to stay on and started their own businesses. Secondly, the wave of new Chinese immigrants in Laos helps Chinese government to relieve the pressure of solving jobs for their citizens. The semi-skilled and unskilled labor can go to Laos to work for the Chinese companies. Moreover, the outflow of petty traders has been prompted by the oversupply of certain goods in China as well as intense domestic competition. The investors also can find the better developing business opportunities. Although, the increasing of new Chinese immigrants make the local society change so much. Some Laotians feel cautious about the presence of so many Chinese people in Laos. Thirdly, with the increasing of Chinese＇s influence in Laos, especially in the economic, the position of the Chinese community in Laos will grow stronger in both quantity and economic and political status. Assessing the trend of increasing of new Chinese immigrations in Laos and the growth of the Chinese community are seen by the Laos government creating favorable conditions for China＇s investment, commercial activity, tourism activities, and cultural exchanges.

Boehmeria nivea var. strigosa (Urticaceae), a new variety from Southwest China

Boehmeria nivea var.strigosa Zeng Y.Wu&Y.Zhao,a new variety of B.nivea(Urticaceae)from Southwest China,is here described based on evidence from morphology and molecular phylogeny.This new variety is mainly characterized by its green abaxial leaf blade,partly connate stipules,and densely patent strigose hairs on stems and potioles.The phylogenetic analysis based on rbc L,nrDNA and rbc L+nrDNA datasets,revealed that all individuals of B.nivea var.strigosa formed a monophyletic group.The conservation status of B.nivea var.strigosa is assessed as“Near Threatened”(NT)according to IUCN evaluation criteria.The discovery of this new variety is not only crucial for the taxonomy of ramie,but also provides reference for the exploration and utilization of ramie.