Changing blood lead levels and DNA damage (comet assay) among immigrant women in Taiwan

Background

International marriage has had a rapid growth in recent years in Taiwan. However, little is known about the blood lead levels and DNA damage levels among immigrant women from resource-limited countries.

Objective

This study (a) explored differences between immigrant women and native women in demographic characteristics, blood lead levels, and DNA damage levels, and (b) identified risk factors that are associated with blood lead concentrations and DNA damage levels after immigration.

Methods

We used a structured questionnaire to collect data on socio-demographic status from (a) 71 immigrant women who had resettled in 2006 in Taichung, Taiwan and (b) 83 native women who live in the same area. Each study participant provided blood samples for lead and metal measurements, complete blood count examination, and the comet assay to measure degree of DNA damage.

Results

Immigrant women had higher mean blood lead concentration (2.23 ± 1.63 vs. 1.63 ± 1.00 μg/dl; p = 0.04) and lower mean blood zinc level (6.22 ± 2.22 vs. 6.89 ± 2.44 mg/l; p = 0.07) than native women. Resettlement time was a determinant to decrease blood lead and DNA damage levels among immigrants in Taiwan. Multiple linear regression analysis confirmed a statistically significant association between blood lead level and DNA damage, while zinc had a protective effect.

Conclusions

Public health agencies should focus on primary prevention and providing screening programs for this vulnerable population. An immigrant women's cohort should been established to follow-up and improve for elevated lead exposure families.     

A study on typology of areas densely populated with foreigners in Seoul,South Korea

This study identifies the types of areas in Seoul where foreigners are concentrated by reflecting the characteristics of their region of origin and residence in Seoul. Lack of cultural understanding and uniform policies for various immigrant communities are causing some social issues. Hence, this study aims to prepare the basic data from which the government can predict changes in ethnic areas and prepare policies suitable for each derived type. The 14 most populous immigrant communities in Seoul were investigated, and cluster analysis and ANOVA test were performed. This examination resulted in four immigrant community types. Each type has specific characteristics, which have influenced the creation and change of the built environment. Types 1 and 4 are collectivistic. These types gradually tend to change urban environments to emulate the environment in their region of origin. In addition, they make little effort to improve their degraded environments, and such areas become increasingly backward. In contrast, types 2 and 3 are individualistic and prefer to assimilate into a migrant region. The formation and change of the urban environment for each type can be predicted on the basis of these characteristics. From this information, the government can prepare an appropriate urban architecture policy for each type.     

他乡?原乡!--生存型移民及其建成环境

在对闽粤地区的几个宋末皇族移民村进行实地测绘调查的基础上，总结了生存型移民村落在空间格局和建筑形式形态上所表现出来的一些特性，诸如安全防卫功能，对原乡的模拟和对现实环境的调适等。还分析了生存型移民在遭遇新环境时，外界的压力、主体的意原以及时间因素等对再建家园方式的影响。     

Housing Careers: Immigrants in Local Swedish Housing Markets

Immigration to Sweden has changed character between the 1960s and today. Early immigration occurred as a response to labour market need whereas immigrants arriving during the last decade have had difficulties entering the labour market. The aim of this study is to analyse the housing careers of different immigrant groups within different local housing markets. The housing careers of immigrant groups are then compared and related to the housing career of the total population. Earlier studies have shown that the year of immigration is of importance for the type of housing career made as well as the cultural distance between the immigrant group and the Swedish population. The immigrants included in this study have arrived from Finland, ex-Yugoslavia, Chile, Africa, Iran and Turkey, representing the three different phases of immigration to Sweden. The analyses here show that both the structure of the local housing market and time spent in Sweden are important to the housing careers of immigrants.     

重庆抗战时期外来移民住房的营建

抗战时期,重庆成为中国的战时首都,国民政府移驻重庆,众多机关、工矿企业、各类学校、文化机构、金融机构纷纷内迁,随之而来的是沦陷区大量人口涌入重庆。房荒日趋严重,要解决众多移民的居住问题,成为当时政府所面临的艰巨任务。文章通过调研和文献查询,分析论述了大量移民对城市的影响,特殊时期解决住房问题的方法,所面临的巨大难度和所存在的诸多问题。清理出当时分不同层次解决住房问题的大致脉络。     

改进型遗传算法在弹药集装中的应用研究

针对遗传算法在求解最优化集装问题时收敛速度慢,易陷入局部最优的不足,对标准遗传算法进行了改进,将交叉概率和变异概率进行自适应调节,再结合移民策略,提出了可自适应调节参数的改进遗传算法,并把该算法应用于弹药集装问题之中,实验结果表明其能够提高装箱的利用率。     

Culinary acculturation assessment inventory (CAAI): Construction and validation in first generation immigrant consumers in Turkey

The effect of immigration upon immigrants’ choice of food should be captured not only with dietary intake, but also through assessing culturally-based culinary exposures. This approach would advance dietary acculturation research towards culinary acculturation. For this purpose, Culinary Acculturation Assessment Inventory (CAAI) is developed, using visual items. Validity and reliability of CAAI relating to the Turkish Cuisine were determined in a group of first-generation immigrants. Recommended scale development methods were employed. The initial version, including 40 items across two domains of dietary intake and culinary exposures was administered to 256 participants (162 immigrants from 53 countries, 94 Turkish participants). Exploratory factor analyses were performed to identify dietary and culinary practice patterns. Final version of CAAI included 37 items, comprising five factors in dietary domain as basic, meat-heavy, starch-heavy, and accessory foods patterns (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.834), and one factor in cuisine-related practices domain (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.732). Construct validity was investigated by Multiple Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) comparing CAAI factor scores between the immigrant and Turkish participants. Among immigrants, comparisons were made according to acculturation proxies, while accounting for potential covariates. Factor scores that differed significantly between the immigrants and Turkish people (basic and cuisine-related practices patterns) also differed significantly among immigrants with high vs. low fluency in Turkish. In conclusion, CAAI is a reliable and valid measure of culinary acculturation of immigrant population. This novel instrument and its short version can be adapted and used in other countries to capture the culinary acculturation of their immigrants.     

北京流动儿童就学的校车线路研究——基于网络法的分析及校车设施布局建议

流动儿童的就学可达性关系到社会公平与和谐发展的重要话题。针对当前校车问题频发的情况,研究从城市规划的空间角度出发,通过对学生住址和同学情况的访谈,采取ArcGis中的网络分析说明根据周边道路情况和学生住址设计校车路线的方法,并对学校服务区和校车设施布局提出相应策略,不仅提高了流动儿童就学可达性,还为校车安全提供了保障。     

基于可持续发展的陕南移民安置农村社区规模研究

该文以陕南移民安置工程背景下形成的的农村社区为研究对象,在总结安康市近三年移民安置社区建设问题的基础上,对移民工程背景下所形成的安置农村社区进行合理定位,并从经济、生态、社会三个可持续发展的层面分析配套设施、产业结构、生态保护、居民归属感和认同感、社区行政管理各方面对安置社区规模的影响,同时结合目前陕西省村庄规模等级标准,确定陕南移民安置农村社区的规模等级体系,为陕南移民安置工程提供理论和实践的参考。     

An exploratory study of the impact of information communication technology (ICT) or computer mediated communication (CMC) on the level of violence and access to service among intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors in Canada

This paper presents exploratory research on the use of information communication technologies (ICTs) or computer mediated technologies (CMCs) (i.e., cell phones and the internet) among immigrant women who are intimate partner violence survivors (IPV) in Canada. The discussion begins with a presentation of initial data examining the impact of such technology on the level and extent of violence experienced by IPV survivors, and on their ability to access appropriate services. Furthermore, an assessment of whether this form of technology aided in the development of a prevention or safety plan, is explored. The data is based on non-random sample surveys of immigrant women IPV survivors with Canada. While the limited scholarship on ICT or CMC usage indicates that there is a digital divide and that various socio-demographic factors do play a role in utilizing the technology, our data does not display a black and white or any streamlined pattern with regards to the digital divide and sociodemographics factors. An examination of the participants' various sociodemographics indicates that the digital divide within this population is not influenced by access or knowledge to the technology but by other factors often not discussed in the intersectionality models. An intersectional model of race and immigration status along with the existing literature on intimate partner violence among immigrant women especially issues of isolation and social networking inform this paper.