This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of global human trafficking trends over a twenty-year period, leveraging a robust dataset from the Counter Trafficking Data Collaborative (CTDC). The study unfolds in a sys...This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of global human trafficking trends over a twenty-year period, leveraging a robust dataset from the Counter Trafficking Data Collaborative (CTDC). The study unfolds in a systematic manner, beginning with a detailed data collection phase, where ethical and legal standards for data usage and privacy are strictly observed. Following collection, the data undergoes a rigorous preprocessing stage, involving cleaning, integration, transformation, and normalization to ensure accuracy and consistency for analysis. The analytical phase employs time-series analysis to delineate historical trends and utilizes predictive modeling to forecast future trajectories of human trafficking using the advanced analytical capabilities of Power BI. A comparative analysis across regions—Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe—is conducted to identify and visualize the distribution of human trafficking, dissecting the data by victim demographics, types of exploitation, and duration of victimization. The findings of this study not only offer a descriptive and predictive outlook on trafficking patterns but also provide insights into the regional nuances that influence these trends. The article underscores the prevalence and persistence of human trafficking, identifies factors contributing to its evolution, and discusses the implications for policy and law enforcement. By integrating a methodological approach with quantitative analysis, this research contributes to the strategic planning and resource allocation for combating human trafficking. It highlights the necessity for continued research and international cooperation to effectively address and mitigate this global issue. The implications of this research are significant, offering actionable insights for policymakers, law enforcement, and advocates in the ongoing battle against human trafficking.展开更多
Objective To explore the possible differential trafficking properties of the dopamine D 1-like receptor subtypes, D 1 receptor and D5 receptor. Methods To visualize distributions of dopamine D 1-like receptor subtypes...Objective To explore the possible differential trafficking properties of the dopamine D 1-like receptor subtypes, D 1 receptor and D5 receptor. Methods To visualize distributions of dopamine D 1-like receptor subtypes at subcellular level, the yellow and cyan variants of green fluorescent protein (GFP) were used to tag D1 and D5 receptors. After transfection with the tagged dopamine receptors, the neuroblastoma cells NG108-15 were treated with D1 agonist SKF38393 or acetylcholine (ACh). Then we observed the subcellular distributions of the tagged receptors under the confocal microscopy and tried to determine trafficking properties by comparing their distribution patterns before and after the drug treatment. Results In resting conditions, D 1 receptors located in the plasma membrane of NG108-15 cells, while D5 receptors located in both plasma membrane and cytosol. With the pre-treatment of SKF38393, the subcellular distribution of D1 receptors was changed. The yellow particle-like fluorescence of tagged D 1 receptors appeared in the cytosol, indicating that D 1 receptors were internalized into cytosol from the cell surface. Same situation also occurred in ACh pre-treatment. In contrast, the subcellular distribution of D5 receptors was not changed after SKF38393 or ACh treatment, indicating that D5R was not translocated to cell surface. Interestingly, when D1 and D5 receptors were co-expressed in the same cell, both kept their distinct subcellular distribution patterns and the trafficking properties. Conclusion Our present study reveals that in NG108-15 nerve cells, dopamine D1 and D5 receptors exhibit differential subcellular distribution patterns, and only D1 receptor has a marked trafficking response to the drug stimulation. We further discuss the potential role of the differential trafficking properties of D1-like receptors in complex modulation of DA signaling.展开更多
Inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatases (5PTases) are enzymes of phosphatidylinositol metabolism that affect various aspects of plant growth and development. Arabidopsis 5PTasel3 regulates auxin homeostasis and hormon...Inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatases (5PTases) are enzymes of phosphatidylinositol metabolism that affect various aspects of plant growth and development. Arabidopsis 5PTasel3 regulates auxin homeostasis and hormonerelated cotyledon vein development, and here we demonstrate that its knockout mutant 5pt13 has elevated sensitivity to gravistimulation in root gravitropic responses. The altered responses of 5pt13 mutants to 1-N-naphthylphthalamic acid (an auxin transport inhibitor) indicate that 5PTase13 might be involved in the regulation of auxin transport. Indeed, the auxin efflux carrier PIN2 is expressed more broadly under 5PTasel3 deficiency, and observations of the internalization of the membrane-selective dye FM4-64 reveal altered vesicle trafficking in 5pt13 mutants. Compared with wild-type, 5pt13 mutant seedlings are less sensitive to the inhibition by brefeldin A of vesicle cycling, seedling growth, and the intracellular cycling of the PIN1 and PIN2 proteins. Further, auxin redistribution upon gravitropic stimulation is stimulated under 5PTasel3 deficiency. These results suggest that 5PTasel3 may modulate auxin transport by regulating vesicle trafficking and thereby play a role in root gravitropism.展开更多
Activity-dependent postsynaptic receptor trafficking is critical for long-term synaptic plasticity in the brain, but it is unclear whether this mechanism actually mediates the spinal cord dorsal hom central sensitizat...Activity-dependent postsynaptic receptor trafficking is critical for long-term synaptic plasticity in the brain, but it is unclear whether this mechanism actually mediates the spinal cord dorsal hom central sensitization (a specific form of synaptic plasticity) that is associated with persistent pain. Recent studies have shown that peripheral inflammation drives changes in ct-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) subunit trafficking in the dorsal horn and that such changes contribute to the hypersensitivity that underlies persistent pain. Here, we review current evi- dence to illustrate how spinal cord AMPARs participate in the dorsal hom central sensitization associated with persistent pain. Understanding these mechanisms may allow the development of novel therapeutic strategies for treating persistent pain.展开更多
Membrane trafficking is essential for plant growth and responses to external signals.The plant unique FYVE domain-containing protein FREE1 is a component of the ESCRT complex(endosomal sorting complex required for tr...Membrane trafficking is essential for plant growth and responses to external signals.The plant unique FYVE domain-containing protein FREE1 is a component of the ESCRT complex(endosomal sorting complex required for transport).FREE1 plays multiple roles in regulating protein trafficking and organelle biogenesis including the formation of intraluminal vesicles of multivesicular body(MVB),vacuolar protein transport and vacuole biogenesis,and autophagic degradation.FREE1 knockout plants show defective MVB formation,abnormal vacuolar transport,fragmented vacuoles,accumulated autophagosomes,and seedling lethality.To further uncover the underlying mechanisms of FREE1 function in plants,we performed a forward genetic screen for mutants that suppressed the seedling lethal phenotype of FREE1-RNAi transgenic plants.The obtained mutants are termed as suppressors of free1(sof).To date,229 putative sof mutants have been identified.Barely detecting of FREE1 protein with M3 plants further identified 84 FREE1-related suppressors.Also145 mutants showing no reduction of FREE1 protein were termed as RNAi-related mutants.Through next-generation sequencing(NGS)of bulked DNA from F2 mapping population of two RNAi-related sof mutants,FREE1-RNAi T-DNA inserted on chromosome 1 was identified and the causal mutation of putative sof mutant is being identified similarly.These FREE1-and RNAi-related sof mutants will be useful tools and resources for illustrating the underlying mechanisms of FREE1 function in intracellular trafficking and organelle biogenesis,as well as for uncovering the new components involved in the regulation of silencing pathways in plants.展开更多
Inhibitory neurotransmission ensures normal brain function by counteracting and integrating excitatory activity.-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system...Inhibitory neurotransmission ensures normal brain function by counteracting and integrating excitatory activity.-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system,and mediates its effects via two classes of receptors:the GABA A and GABA B receptors.GABA A receptors are heteropentameric GABA-gated chloride channels and responsible for fast inhibitory neurotransmission.GABA B receptors are heterodimeric G protein coupled receptors (GPCR) that mediate slow and prolonged inhibitory transmission.The extent of inhibitory neurotransmission is determined by a variety of factors,such as the degree of transmitter release and changes in receptor activity by posttranslational modifications (e.g.,phosphorylation),as well as by the number of receptors present in the plasma membrane available for signal transduction.The level of GABA B receptors at the cell surface critically depends on the residence time at the cell surface and finally the rates of endocytosis and degradation.In this review we focus primarily on recent advances in the understanding of trafficking mechanisms that determine the expression level of GABA B receptors in the plasma membrane,and thereby signaling strength.展开更多
The internalization of essential nutrients,lipids and receptors is a crucial process for all eukaryotic cells.Accordingly,endocytosis is highly conserved across cell types and species.Once internalized,small cargocont...The internalization of essential nutrients,lipids and receptors is a crucial process for all eukaryotic cells.Accordingly,endocytosis is highly conserved across cell types and species.Once internalized,small cargocontaining vesicles fuse with early endosomes(also known as sorting endosomes),where they undergo segregation to distinct membrane regions and are sorted and transported on through the endocytic pathway.Although the mechanisms that regulate this sorting are still poorly understood,some receptors are directed to late endosomes and lysosomes for degradation,whereas other receptors are recycled back to the plasma membrane;either directly or through recycling endosomes.The Rab family of small GTP-binding proteins plays crucial roles in regulating these trafficking pathways.Rabs cycle from inactive GDP-bound cytoplasmic proteins to active GTP-bound membraneassociated proteins,as a consequence of the activity of multiple specific GTPase-activating proteins(GAPs) and GTP exchange factors(GEFs).Once bound to GTP,Rabs interact with a multitude of effector proteins that carry out Rab-specific functions.Recent studies have shown that some of these effectors are also interaction partners for the C-terminal Eps15 homology(EHD) proteins,which are also intimately involved in endocytic regulation.A particularly interesting example of common Rab-EHD interaction partners is the MICALlike protein,MICAL-L1.MICAL-L1 and its homolog,MICAL-L2,belong to the larger MICAL family of proteins,and both have been directly implicated in regulating endocytic recycling of cell surface receptors and junctional proteins,as well as controlling cytoskeletal rearrangement and neurite outgrowth.In this review,we summarize the functional roles of MICAL and Rab proteins,and focus on the significance of their interactions and the implications for endocytic transport.展开更多
As a typical plant virus which has biocompatibility and high transfection efficiency,tobacco mosaic virus(TMV)has shown broad application potential in drug or gene delivery field.Elucidating its intracellular traffick...As a typical plant virus which has biocompatibility and high transfection efficiency,tobacco mosaic virus(TMV)has shown broad application potential in drug or gene delivery field.Elucidating its intracellular trafficking is of great importance in investigation of its cytotoxicity,targeting site,and delivery efficiency,and is advantageous to designing new TMV-based drug delivery systems with different targets.By taking advantage of the regulated pH value of different organelles in a mammalian cell,we exploit a pH detection strategy to investigate the intracellular trafficking pathway of TMV.Here,we report a single-wavelength excited ratiometric fluorescent pH probe.This probe is constructed by simultaneously coupling pH-sensitive fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC)and pH-insensitive rhodamine B isothiocyanate(RBIRC)onto the inner surface of TMV.The fluorescence intensity ratio of FITC to RBITC excited at 488 nm responds specifically towards pH value over other interferential agents.By taking use of this single-wavelength excited ratiometric pH probe and confocal laser scanning microscopy,it is shown that the endocytosed TMV is located in a pH decreasing microenvironment and eventually enters lysosomes.This work may provide important guidance on construction of TMV-based nano carriers.展开更多
Eukaryotic cells are confined by membranes that create hydrophobic barriers for substance and information exchange between the inside and outside of the cell.These barriers are formed by assembly of lipids and protein...Eukaryotic cells are confined by membranes that create hydrophobic barriers for substance and information exchange between the inside and outside of the cell.These barriers are formed by assembly of lipids and protein in aqueous environments.Lipids not only serve as building blocks for membrane construction,but also possess regulatory functions in cellular activities.These regulatory lipids are non-uniformly distributed in membrane systems;their temporal and spatial accumulation in specific membranes decodes environmental cues and changes cellular activity accordingly.Phosphoinositides(PIs)are phospholipids that exert regulatory effects.In recent years,research on PIs roles in regulating plant growth,development,and responses to environmental stress is increasing.Several reviews have been published on the composition of PIs,intermolecular transferring of PIs by lipid kinases(phosphatases)or PI-PLCs,subcellular localization,and specially their functions in plant developments.Herein,we review the crucial regulatory functions of PIs in plant stress responses,with a particular focus on PIs involved in membrane trafficking.展开更多
The membrane trafficking of cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor(CI-M6PR) between the transGolgi network(TGN) and endosomal compartments is not only critical for maintaining lysosomal function but also ...The membrane trafficking of cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor(CI-M6PR) between the transGolgi network(TGN) and endosomal compartments is not only critical for maintaining lysosomal function but also a well-known event for understanding molecular and cellular mechanisms in retrograde endosome-to-TGN trafficking.Although it has been well established in literature that the C-terminus of bovine CI-M6PR determines its retrograde trafficking,it remains unclear whether the luminal domain of the protein plays a role on these sorting events.In this study,we found that partial deletion of luminal domain of human CI-M6PR mistargeted the mutant protein to nonTGN compartments.Moreover,replacing the luminal domain of both bovine and human CI-M6PR with that from irrelevant membrane proteins such as CD8 or Tac also altered the TGN targeting of the chimeric proteins.On the other hand,only short sequence from HA fused with the transmembrane domain and C-terminus of the receptor,HA-hCIM6PR-tail,resulted in its preferential targeting to TGN as for the full length receptor,strongly suggesting that sorting of the receptor may be influenced by luminal sequence.Furthermore,using this luminal truncated form of HA-hCIM6 PR as a model cargo,we found that the trafficking of the chimeric protein was regulated by the retromer complex through interacting with SNX5.In conclusion,our study strongly suggested that the disrupted luminal domain from hCI-M6PR or other irrelevant membrane proteins interfere with the process of membrane trafficking and TGN targeting of CI-M6PR.展开更多
Increasing evidence suggests that the impaired neuroprotection of vesicular monoamine transporter 2(VMAT2)contributes to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.That has been linked to aberrant subcellular retrogra...Increasing evidence suggests that the impaired neuroprotection of vesicular monoamine transporter 2(VMAT2)contributes to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.That has been linked to aberrant subcellular retrograde trafficking as strongly indicated by recent genomic studies on familial Parkinson's diseases.However,whether VMAT2 function is regulated by retrograde trafficking is unknown.By using biochemistry and cell biology approaches,we have shown that VMAT2 was stringently localized to the trans-Golgi network and underwent retrograde trafficking in non-neuronal cells.The transporter also interacted with the key component of retromer,Vps35,biochemically and subcellularly.Using specific siRNA,we further showed that Vps35 depletion altered subcellular localization of VMAT2.Moreover,siRNA-mediated Vps35 knockdown also decreased the stability of VMAT2 as demonstrated by the reduced half-life.Thus,our work suggested that altered vesicular trafficking of VMAT2 may play a vital role in neuroprotection of the transporter as well as in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.展开更多
Parkinson's disease(PD) associated leucine-rich repeat kinase 2(LRRK2) mutants have shown pathogenic effects on a variety of subcellular processes. Two small GTPases Rac1 and Rab29 have been indicated as possible...Parkinson's disease(PD) associated leucine-rich repeat kinase 2(LRRK2) mutants have shown pathogenic effects on a variety of subcellular processes. Two small GTPases Rac1 and Rab29 have been indicated as possible downstream effectors participating in LRRK2 signaling but their detail mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we have used biochemical and cell biology approaches to address whether two GTPases interact with LRRK2 and hence function differently in LRRK2 mediated pathogenesis. Here we show that Rac1 and Rab29 specifically interact with LRRK2 with higher affinity for Rab29 and with different preference in functional domain binding. Mutant Rab29 but not Racl alters the endosome-to-TGN retrograde trafficking of a cargo protein cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor(CI-M6 PR) and its stability. On the other hand, overexpressed wild type Rab29 but not Racl rescued the altered retrograde membrane trafficking induced by the pathogenic mutant LRRK2^(G2019 S). Furthermore,both Rac1 and Rab29 rescued neurite shortening in differentiated SH-SY5 Y cells induced by LRRK2^(G2019 S). Our study strongly suggests that Rac1 and Rab29 are involved in distinct functions as downstream effectors in LRRK2 signaling pathways.展开更多
Retromer is an evolutionarily conserved multimeric protein complex that mediates intracellular transport of various vesicular cargoes and functions in a wide variety of cellular processes including polarized trafficki...Retromer is an evolutionarily conserved multimeric protein complex that mediates intracellular transport of various vesicular cargoes and functions in a wide variety of cellular processes including polarized trafficking,developmental signaling and lysosome biogenesis.Through its interaction with the Rab GTPases and their effectors,membrane lipids,molecular motors,the endocytic machinery and actin nucleation promoting factors,retromer regulates sorting and trafficking of transmembrane proteins from endosomes to the trans-Golgi network(TGN) and the plasma membrane.In this review.I highlight recent progress in the understanding of relromer-medialed protein sorting and vesicle trafficking and discuss how retromer contributes to a diverse set of developmental,physiological and pathological processes.展开更多
The endosomal trafficking of signaling membrane proteins, such as receptors, transporters and channels, is mediated by the retromer-mediated sorting machinery, composed of a cargo-selective vacuolar protein sorting tr...The endosomal trafficking of signaling membrane proteins, such as receptors, transporters and channels, is mediated by the retromer-mediated sorting machinery, composed of a cargo-selective vacuolar protein sorting trimer and a membrane-deforming subunit of sorting nexin proteins. Recent studies have shown that the isoforms, sorting nexin 5 (SNX5) and SNX6, have played distinctive regulatory roles in retrograde membrane trafficking. However, the molecular insight determined functional differences within the proteins remains unclear. We reported that SNX5 and SNX6 had distinct binding affinity to the cargo protein vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2). SNX5, but not SNX6, specifically interacted with VMAT2 through the Phox domain, which contains an alpha-helix binding motif. Using chimeric mutagenesis, we identified that several key residues within this domain were unique in SNX5, but not SNX6, and played an auxiliary role in its binding to VMAT2. Importantly, we generated a set of mutant SNX6, in which the corresponding key residues were mutated to those in SNX5. In addition to the gain in binding affinity to VMAT2, their overexpression functionally rescued the altered retrograde trafficking of VMAT2 induced by siRNA-mediated depletion of SNX5. These data strongly suggest that SNX5 and SNX6 have different functions in retrograde membrane trafficking, which is determined by the different structural elements within the Phox domain of two proteins. Our work provides a new information on the role of SNX5 and SNX6 in the molecular regulation of retrograde membrane trafficking and vesicular membrane targeting in monoamine neurotransmission and neurological diseases.展开更多
OBJECTIVE Investigate the effects of diazepam(DZP) on γ2 subunit containing GABA type A receptor(GABA A R) trafficking.METHODS Immunofluorescence microscopy measured surface GABA A Rs and gephyrin in rat cortical neu...OBJECTIVE Investigate the effects of diazepam(DZP) on γ2 subunit containing GABA type A receptor(GABA A R) trafficking.METHODS Immunofluorescence microscopy measured surface GABA A Rs and gephyrin in rat cortical neurons after 24 h exposure of 1.0 μmol·L^(-1) DZP.Biochemical studies of mice injected with 10 mg·kg^(-1) DZP vs vehicle were assessed for γ2 subunit and total gephyrin cortical levels 12 h post-injection.Ubiquitination of the γ2 subunit was studied by immunoprecipitation after 12 h of 1.0 μmol·L^(-1) DZP exposure.A γ2 subunit encoding an N terminal fluorogen-activating peptide and pH-sensitive green fluorescent protein(γ2 pH FAP) measured lysosomal targeting of γ2 containing GABA A Rs.RFP-gephyrin and γ2 pH FAP synaptic diffusion rates were examined using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching(FRAP).RESULTS Extrasynaptic levels of γ2 GABA A Rs decreased by 12.2%,while synaptic gephyrin S270 phosphorylation increased by 18.3% in DZP-treated neurons after 24 h compared to control(P<0.05).Dendritic levels of gephyrin were also reduced to 74.1% of control,while S270 phosphorylation was elevated by 25.2%(P<0.05;P<0.01).Mice 12 h post-DZP injection demonstrated a 12.7% and 26.1% decrease in total γ2 and gephyrin levels,respectively(P<0.05;P<0.01).12 h DZP treatment enhanced γ2 subunit ubiquitination 1.13-fold relative to control(P<0.05).Internalized γ2 pH FAP GABA A Rs associated with lysosomes was 8.0% higher in neurons treated with 12-16 h DZP compared to control.Pilot FRAP experiments suggest gephyrin and γ2 have increased mobility and turnover at synapses following DZP.CONCLUSION DZP treatment decreases γ2 GABA A R levels and gephyrin scaffolding function after one day of exposure,which may contribute to the formation of DZP tolerance.展开更多
Trafficking in persons, especially women and girls has been on for long and is still going on. Persons in the female group constitute the mostly trafficked humans. This study was conducted to determine the effects of ...Trafficking in persons, especially women and girls has been on for long and is still going on. Persons in the female group constitute the mostly trafficked humans. This study was conducted to determine the effects of human trafficking on household farm labor needs available among farming households. Arable farming households involved in human trafficking were identified and purposively selected for this study with the aid of key informants in purposively selected communities. This led to the selection of 60 arable farming household heads in Delta North Agricultural zone, 65 farming household heads in Delta Central Agricultural Zone, and 36 arable farming household heads in Delta south agricultural zone to give a total of 151 respondents. Data for the study were collected with the utilization of questionnaire and interview schedule. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis with the application of frequency counts, percentages and means derived from 4-point likert-type scale. The hypothesis was tested using Tobit regression analysis. Human trafficking was found to be age and sex selective and the causes of human trafficking included both push and pull factors, such as high income in destination countries poverty, low risk profit, nature of trafficking in persons, ease in control and manipulation of vulnerable women and girls, low risk involved in working in destination countries, lacking of legitimate and fulfilling employment, sex selective migration policies, less access to information and peer pressure. Shortage of household farm labor was experienced by farming households in clearing and brushing of farm land, sowing, weeding, harvesting and processing/storage. Human trafficking was found to affect household labor availability in clearing/brushing of farm land, sowing, weeding, harvesting and processing/storage of farm produce. It is recommended that poverty alleviation programs should be specially organized for poor women, government and NGOs and international agencies should develop strategies to mitigate human trafficking. The government needs to collaborate with community based organizations and law enforcement agencies to create anti-trafficking committee in fanning communities. Community education should be created for the farming communities to emphasize anti-human trafficking with the use of change agents; extension agents should integrate anti-trafficking messages in their interaction with farmers.展开更多
Neuropeptide galanin is widespread in the nervous system and has been suggested to be involved in numerous neuronal and endocrine functions as an intercellular
The aim of this study is to identify and analyze the pattern of visibility of the main actors in the photographic coverage of drug trafficking in six of Mexico’s national newspapers. The study was based on a sample o...The aim of this study is to identify and analyze the pattern of visibility of the main actors in the photographic coverage of drug trafficking in six of Mexico’s national newspapers. The study was based on a sample of 12,962,000 photographs published from 2006 to 2010. The images were processed by generating a codebook of key categories extracted from the informational context of drug trafficking and the war against drug trafficking. The technique used to explain the newspapers’ photographic coverage was the content analysis proposed by Johan Galtung in 1965, in its updated version of 2006. The limitations of the research are time constraints (only four years of President Felipe Calderón’s six-year term were analyzed) and information platforms (with the omission of online newspapers, supplements, and additional publications). The study offers an original analysis of the photographic coverage of drug trafficking in the Mexican press. The use of the Galtung Model reveals strong biases and imbalances in the coverage, with a clear tendency to defend the government’s position in the analyzed sample.展开更多
While there is no consensus on the number of domestic sex trafficking victims in India, the phenomenon is estimated to be widespread and the evidence of its impact on victims is devastating. This paper explored the na...While there is no consensus on the number of domestic sex trafficking victims in India, the phenomenon is estimated to be widespread and the evidence of its impact on victims is devastating. This paper explored the narratives of 10 sex trafficked women from a major non-government organization in New Delhi. Qualitative methodology was adopted and data were collected through open-ended unstructured interviews. The victimological paradigm including the Lifestyle Risk Model (LRM) by Van der Hoven and Maree provided the framework to discuss the key issues related to sex trafficking. Psychological experiences such as being abused by husbands, and in some cases, victims' own families; social conditions such as poverty and education; cultural practices such as vulnerability of women and marginalization; and lifestyle risk factors were observed throughout the stories of the victims. Furthermore, shame was found to be the core emotion in the stigmatization process. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.展开更多
Human trafficking, involving mostly women and children, is closely related to the tourism businesses, because traffickers use often through their complicity, which including various companies: airports, trains, hotel...Human trafficking, involving mostly women and children, is closely related to the tourism businesses, because traffickers use often through their complicity, which including various companies: airports, trains, hotels, etc.. This work1 aims to analyze the effectiveness of training as a tool for monitoring and preventing this crime. After data and information collecting on the issue of human trafficking and links with the tourism industry, we analyzed the main training toolkits provided by organizations which deal with the prevention and monitoring of this phenomenon, two questionnaires were built and sent: the first questionnaire was sent to 136 organizations that are training for the staff of tourism companies; it aims to detect the educational needs that the organizations want to satisfy, the educational target, teaching techniques, and the results obtained with the training; the second questionnaire was sent to 495 companies who participating in the courses, explores the motivations, the educational objectives, and results related to the training received. Through this work, the authors only present the first results obtained during the first phase, involving the point of view of seven organizations offering training courses. The answers provided by the companies show that the learning targets have been fully achieved, in particular with regard to raising awareness on the issue. Still, some gaps with regard to the support that the training may offer in the development of new attitudes and skills to prevent and monitor the phenomenon. The course contents and teaching techniques used appear to be consistent with the objectives. All of the organizations interviewed carried out the evaluation of the course learning demonstrate how companies training participants are satisfied with the results, especially in terms of knowledge and skills to contribute to the prevention of an increasing phenomenon, while less significant are the advantages about the decrease of concrete human trafficking situations.展开更多
文摘This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of global human trafficking trends over a twenty-year period, leveraging a robust dataset from the Counter Trafficking Data Collaborative (CTDC). The study unfolds in a systematic manner, beginning with a detailed data collection phase, where ethical and legal standards for data usage and privacy are strictly observed. Following collection, the data undergoes a rigorous preprocessing stage, involving cleaning, integration, transformation, and normalization to ensure accuracy and consistency for analysis. The analytical phase employs time-series analysis to delineate historical trends and utilizes predictive modeling to forecast future trajectories of human trafficking using the advanced analytical capabilities of Power BI. A comparative analysis across regions—Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe—is conducted to identify and visualize the distribution of human trafficking, dissecting the data by victim demographics, types of exploitation, and duration of victimization. The findings of this study not only offer a descriptive and predictive outlook on trafficking patterns but also provide insights into the regional nuances that influence these trends. The article underscores the prevalence and persistence of human trafficking, identifies factors contributing to its evolution, and discusses the implications for policy and law enforcement. By integrating a methodological approach with quantitative analysis, this research contributes to the strategic planning and resource allocation for combating human trafficking. It highlights the necessity for continued research and international cooperation to effectively address and mitigate this global issue. The implications of this research are significant, offering actionable insights for policymakers, law enforcement, and advocates in the ongoing battle against human trafficking.
文摘Objective To explore the possible differential trafficking properties of the dopamine D 1-like receptor subtypes, D 1 receptor and D5 receptor. Methods To visualize distributions of dopamine D 1-like receptor subtypes at subcellular level, the yellow and cyan variants of green fluorescent protein (GFP) were used to tag D1 and D5 receptors. After transfection with the tagged dopamine receptors, the neuroblastoma cells NG108-15 were treated with D1 agonist SKF38393 or acetylcholine (ACh). Then we observed the subcellular distributions of the tagged receptors under the confocal microscopy and tried to determine trafficking properties by comparing their distribution patterns before and after the drug treatment. Results In resting conditions, D 1 receptors located in the plasma membrane of NG108-15 cells, while D5 receptors located in both plasma membrane and cytosol. With the pre-treatment of SKF38393, the subcellular distribution of D1 receptors was changed. The yellow particle-like fluorescence of tagged D 1 receptors appeared in the cytosol, indicating that D 1 receptors were internalized into cytosol from the cell surface. Same situation also occurred in ACh pre-treatment. In contrast, the subcellular distribution of D5 receptors was not changed after SKF38393 or ACh treatment, indicating that D5R was not translocated to cell surface. Interestingly, when D1 and D5 receptors were co-expressed in the same cell, both kept their distinct subcellular distribution patterns and the trafficking properties. Conclusion Our present study reveals that in NG108-15 nerve cells, dopamine D1 and D5 receptors exhibit differential subcellular distribution patterns, and only D1 receptor has a marked trafficking response to the drug stimulation. We further discuss the potential role of the differential trafficking properties of D1-like receptors in complex modulation of DA signaling.
文摘Inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatases (5PTases) are enzymes of phosphatidylinositol metabolism that affect various aspects of plant growth and development. Arabidopsis 5PTasel3 regulates auxin homeostasis and hormonerelated cotyledon vein development, and here we demonstrate that its knockout mutant 5pt13 has elevated sensitivity to gravistimulation in root gravitropic responses. The altered responses of 5pt13 mutants to 1-N-naphthylphthalamic acid (an auxin transport inhibitor) indicate that 5PTase13 might be involved in the regulation of auxin transport. Indeed, the auxin efflux carrier PIN2 is expressed more broadly under 5PTasel3 deficiency, and observations of the internalization of the membrane-selective dye FM4-64 reveal altered vesicle trafficking in 5pt13 mutants. Compared with wild-type, 5pt13 mutant seedlings are less sensitive to the inhibition by brefeldin A of vesicle cycling, seedling growth, and the intracellular cycling of the PIN1 and PIN2 proteins. Further, auxin redistribution upon gravitropic stimulation is stimulated under 5PTasel3 deficiency. These results suggest that 5PTasel3 may modulate auxin transport by regulating vesicle trafficking and thereby play a role in root gravitropism.
基金supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (NS058886 and NS072206)Rita Allen Foundation+1 种基金Mr. David Koch and the Patrick C. Walsh Prostate Cancer Research Fundthe Blaustein Pain Research Fund
文摘Activity-dependent postsynaptic receptor trafficking is critical for long-term synaptic plasticity in the brain, but it is unclear whether this mechanism actually mediates the spinal cord dorsal hom central sensitization (a specific form of synaptic plasticity) that is associated with persistent pain. Recent studies have shown that peripheral inflammation drives changes in ct-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) subunit trafficking in the dorsal horn and that such changes contribute to the hypersensitivity that underlies persistent pain. Here, we review current evi- dence to illustrate how spinal cord AMPARs participate in the dorsal hom central sensitization associated with persistent pain. Understanding these mechanisms may allow the development of novel therapeutic strategies for treating persistent pain.
基金supported by grants from the NIH GM114660 to Y.Zhaothe Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (CUHK466011,465112,466613,CUHK2/CRF/11G,C401114R and Ao E/M-05/12)+2 种基金NSFC/RGC (N_CUHK406/12)NSFC (31270226 and 31470294)Shenzhen Peacock Project (KQTD201101) to L.Jiang
文摘Membrane trafficking is essential for plant growth and responses to external signals.The plant unique FYVE domain-containing protein FREE1 is a component of the ESCRT complex(endosomal sorting complex required for transport).FREE1 plays multiple roles in regulating protein trafficking and organelle biogenesis including the formation of intraluminal vesicles of multivesicular body(MVB),vacuolar protein transport and vacuole biogenesis,and autophagic degradation.FREE1 knockout plants show defective MVB formation,abnormal vacuolar transport,fragmented vacuoles,accumulated autophagosomes,and seedling lethality.To further uncover the underlying mechanisms of FREE1 function in plants,we performed a forward genetic screen for mutants that suppressed the seedling lethal phenotype of FREE1-RNAi transgenic plants.The obtained mutants are termed as suppressors of free1(sof).To date,229 putative sof mutants have been identified.Barely detecting of FREE1 protein with M3 plants further identified 84 FREE1-related suppressors.Also145 mutants showing no reduction of FREE1 protein were termed as RNAi-related mutants.Through next-generation sequencing(NGS)of bulked DNA from F2 mapping population of two RNAi-related sof mutants,FREE1-RNAi T-DNA inserted on chromosome 1 was identified and the causal mutation of putative sof mutant is being identified similarly.These FREE1-and RNAi-related sof mutants will be useful tools and resources for illustrating the underlying mechanisms of FREE1 function in intracellular trafficking and organelle biogenesis,as well as for uncovering the new components involved in the regulation of silencing pathways in plants.
基金Supported by The Swiss Science Foundation Grant,31003A_121963
文摘Inhibitory neurotransmission ensures normal brain function by counteracting and integrating excitatory activity.-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system,and mediates its effects via two classes of receptors:the GABA A and GABA B receptors.GABA A receptors are heteropentameric GABA-gated chloride channels and responsible for fast inhibitory neurotransmission.GABA B receptors are heterodimeric G protein coupled receptors (GPCR) that mediate slow and prolonged inhibitory transmission.The extent of inhibitory neurotransmission is determined by a variety of factors,such as the degree of transmitter release and changes in receptor activity by posttranslational modifications (e.g.,phosphorylation),as well as by the number of receptors present in the plasma membrane available for signal transduction.The level of GABA B receptors at the cell surface critically depends on the residence time at the cell surface and finally the rates of endocytosis and degradation.In this review we focus primarily on recent advances in the understanding of trafficking mechanisms that determine the expression level of GABA B receptors in the plasma membrane,and thereby signaling strength.
基金Supported by The National Institutes of Health grants R01GM074876 (Caplan S and Naslavsky N),R01GM087455 (Caplan S),the Nebraska Dept. of Health (Naslavsky N)P20 RR018759 from the National Center
文摘The internalization of essential nutrients,lipids and receptors is a crucial process for all eukaryotic cells.Accordingly,endocytosis is highly conserved across cell types and species.Once internalized,small cargocontaining vesicles fuse with early endosomes(also known as sorting endosomes),where they undergo segregation to distinct membrane regions and are sorted and transported on through the endocytic pathway.Although the mechanisms that regulate this sorting are still poorly understood,some receptors are directed to late endosomes and lysosomes for degradation,whereas other receptors are recycled back to the plasma membrane;either directly or through recycling endosomes.The Rab family of small GTP-binding proteins plays crucial roles in regulating these trafficking pathways.Rabs cycle from inactive GDP-bound cytoplasmic proteins to active GTP-bound membraneassociated proteins,as a consequence of the activity of multiple specific GTPase-activating proteins(GAPs) and GTP exchange factors(GEFs).Once bound to GTP,Rabs interact with a multitude of effector proteins that carry out Rab-specific functions.Recent studies have shown that some of these effectors are also interaction partners for the C-terminal Eps15 homology(EHD) proteins,which are also intimately involved in endocytic regulation.A particularly interesting example of common Rab-EHD interaction partners is the MICALlike protein,MICAL-L1.MICAL-L1 and its homolog,MICAL-L2,belong to the larger MICAL family of proteins,and both have been directly implicated in regulating endocytic recycling of cell surface receptors and junctional proteins,as well as controlling cytoskeletal rearrangement and neurite outgrowth.In this review,we summarize the functional roles of MICAL and Rab proteins,and focus on the significance of their interactions and the implications for endocytic transport.
基金the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2018YFC1105300)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51703230 and 21776021)+3 种基金the Bejjing Natural Science Foundation(No.7182110)the Cross Training Plan for High Level Talents in Beiingthe Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.2017039)the Presidential Foundation of Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry.
文摘As a typical plant virus which has biocompatibility and high transfection efficiency,tobacco mosaic virus(TMV)has shown broad application potential in drug or gene delivery field.Elucidating its intracellular trafficking is of great importance in investigation of its cytotoxicity,targeting site,and delivery efficiency,and is advantageous to designing new TMV-based drug delivery systems with different targets.By taking advantage of the regulated pH value of different organelles in a mammalian cell,we exploit a pH detection strategy to investigate the intracellular trafficking pathway of TMV.Here,we report a single-wavelength excited ratiometric fluorescent pH probe.This probe is constructed by simultaneously coupling pH-sensitive fluorescein isothiocyanate(FITC)and pH-insensitive rhodamine B isothiocyanate(RBIRC)onto the inner surface of TMV.The fluorescence intensity ratio of FITC to RBITC excited at 488 nm responds specifically towards pH value over other interferential agents.By taking use of this single-wavelength excited ratiometric pH probe and confocal laser scanning microscopy,it is shown that the endocytosed TMV is located in a pH decreasing microenvironment and eventually enters lysosomes.This work may provide important guidance on construction of TMV-based nano carriers.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32100553, 32171956, and 31770294)Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20200555)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, and a start-up fund for advanced talents from Nanjing Agricultural University (680-804016 to F.L.)
文摘Eukaryotic cells are confined by membranes that create hydrophobic barriers for substance and information exchange between the inside and outside of the cell.These barriers are formed by assembly of lipids and protein in aqueous environments.Lipids not only serve as building blocks for membrane construction,but also possess regulatory functions in cellular activities.These regulatory lipids are non-uniformly distributed in membrane systems;their temporal and spatial accumulation in specific membranes decodes environmental cues and changes cellular activity accordingly.Phosphoinositides(PIs)are phospholipids that exert regulatory effects.In recent years,research on PIs roles in regulating plant growth,development,and responses to environmental stress is increasing.Several reviews have been published on the composition of PIs,intermolecular transferring of PIs by lipid kinases(phosphatases)or PI-PLCs,subcellular localization,and specially their functions in plant developments.Herein,we review the crucial regulatory functions of PIs in plant stress responses,with a particular focus on PIs involved in membrane trafficking.
基金supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China to Y.Liu(Grant No.31371436 and No.8157051134)Y.Huang(Grant No.81500678)the laboratory start-up grant from Nanjing Medical University to Y.Liu
文摘The membrane trafficking of cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor(CI-M6PR) between the transGolgi network(TGN) and endosomal compartments is not only critical for maintaining lysosomal function but also a well-known event for understanding molecular and cellular mechanisms in retrograde endosome-to-TGN trafficking.Although it has been well established in literature that the C-terminus of bovine CI-M6PR determines its retrograde trafficking,it remains unclear whether the luminal domain of the protein plays a role on these sorting events.In this study,we found that partial deletion of luminal domain of human CI-M6PR mistargeted the mutant protein to nonTGN compartments.Moreover,replacing the luminal domain of both bovine and human CI-M6PR with that from irrelevant membrane proteins such as CD8 or Tac also altered the TGN targeting of the chimeric proteins.On the other hand,only short sequence from HA fused with the transmembrane domain and C-terminus of the receptor,HA-hCIM6PR-tail,resulted in its preferential targeting to TGN as for the full length receptor,strongly suggesting that sorting of the receptor may be influenced by luminal sequence.Furthermore,using this luminal truncated form of HA-hCIM6 PR as a model cargo,we found that the trafficking of the chimeric protein was regulated by the retromer complex through interacting with SNX5.In conclusion,our study strongly suggested that the disrupted luminal domain from hCI-M6PR or other irrelevant membrane proteins interfere with the process of membrane trafficking and TGN targeting of CI-M6PR.
基金supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31371436 and No.8157051134)by the laboratory start-up grant from Nanjing Medical University to Y.Liu
文摘Increasing evidence suggests that the impaired neuroprotection of vesicular monoamine transporter 2(VMAT2)contributes to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.That has been linked to aberrant subcellular retrograde trafficking as strongly indicated by recent genomic studies on familial Parkinson's diseases.However,whether VMAT2 function is regulated by retrograde trafficking is unknown.By using biochemistry and cell biology approaches,we have shown that VMAT2 was stringently localized to the trans-Golgi network and underwent retrograde trafficking in non-neuronal cells.The transporter also interacted with the key component of retromer,Vps35,biochemically and subcellularly.Using specific siRNA,we further showed that Vps35 depletion altered subcellular localization of VMAT2.Moreover,siRNA-mediated Vps35 knockdown also decreased the stability of VMAT2 as demonstrated by the reduced half-life.Thus,our work suggested that altered vesicular trafficking of VMAT2 may play a vital role in neuroprotection of the transporter as well as in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.
基金supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31371436 andNo. 8157051134)the laboratory start-up grant from Nanjing Medical University to Y.Liu
文摘Parkinson's disease(PD) associated leucine-rich repeat kinase 2(LRRK2) mutants have shown pathogenic effects on a variety of subcellular processes. Two small GTPases Rac1 and Rab29 have been indicated as possible downstream effectors participating in LRRK2 signaling but their detail mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we have used biochemical and cell biology approaches to address whether two GTPases interact with LRRK2 and hence function differently in LRRK2 mediated pathogenesis. Here we show that Rac1 and Rab29 specifically interact with LRRK2 with higher affinity for Rab29 and with different preference in functional domain binding. Mutant Rab29 but not Racl alters the endosome-to-TGN retrograde trafficking of a cargo protein cation-independent mannose-6-phosphate receptor(CI-M6 PR) and its stability. On the other hand, overexpressed wild type Rab29 but not Racl rescued the altered retrograde membrane trafficking induced by the pathogenic mutant LRRK2^(G2019 S). Furthermore,both Rac1 and Rab29 rescued neurite shortening in differentiated SH-SY5 Y cells induced by LRRK2^(G2019 S). Our study strongly suggests that Rac1 and Rab29 are involved in distinct functions as downstream effectors in LRRK2 signaling pathways.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.31325017,31471334 and 31530039)the National Basic Research Program(No.2014CB942802)
文摘Retromer is an evolutionarily conserved multimeric protein complex that mediates intracellular transport of various vesicular cargoes and functions in a wide variety of cellular processes including polarized trafficking,developmental signaling and lysosome biogenesis.Through its interaction with the Rab GTPases and their effectors,membrane lipids,molecular motors,the endocytic machinery and actin nucleation promoting factors,retromer regulates sorting and trafficking of transmembrane proteins from endosomes to the trans-Golgi network(TGN) and the plasma membrane.In this review.I highlight recent progress in the understanding of relromer-medialed protein sorting and vesicle trafficking and discuss how retromer contributes to a diverse set of developmental,physiological and pathological processes.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.31371436 and 8157051134 to Y.L.)by the laboratory start-up grant from Nanjing Medical University(to Y.L.).
文摘The endosomal trafficking of signaling membrane proteins, such as receptors, transporters and channels, is mediated by the retromer-mediated sorting machinery, composed of a cargo-selective vacuolar protein sorting trimer and a membrane-deforming subunit of sorting nexin proteins. Recent studies have shown that the isoforms, sorting nexin 5 (SNX5) and SNX6, have played distinctive regulatory roles in retrograde membrane trafficking. However, the molecular insight determined functional differences within the proteins remains unclear. We reported that SNX5 and SNX6 had distinct binding affinity to the cargo protein vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2). SNX5, but not SNX6, specifically interacted with VMAT2 through the Phox domain, which contains an alpha-helix binding motif. Using chimeric mutagenesis, we identified that several key residues within this domain were unique in SNX5, but not SNX6, and played an auxiliary role in its binding to VMAT2. Importantly, we generated a set of mutant SNX6, in which the corresponding key residues were mutated to those in SNX5. In addition to the gain in binding affinity to VMAT2, their overexpression functionally rescued the altered retrograde trafficking of VMAT2 induced by siRNA-mediated depletion of SNX5. These data strongly suggest that SNX5 and SNX6 have different functions in retrograde membrane trafficking, which is determined by the different structural elements within the Phox domain of two proteins. Our work provides a new information on the role of SNX5 and SNX6 in the molecular regulation of retrograde membrane trafficking and vesicular membrane targeting in monoamine neurotransmission and neurological diseases.
基金supported by National Institute of Health(T32GM008424)Whitehall Foundation+1 种基金William C DEGROAT Neuropharmacology Departmental FellowshipPharmacology and Chemical Biology Startup Funds
文摘OBJECTIVE Investigate the effects of diazepam(DZP) on γ2 subunit containing GABA type A receptor(GABA A R) trafficking.METHODS Immunofluorescence microscopy measured surface GABA A Rs and gephyrin in rat cortical neurons after 24 h exposure of 1.0 μmol·L^(-1) DZP.Biochemical studies of mice injected with 10 mg·kg^(-1) DZP vs vehicle were assessed for γ2 subunit and total gephyrin cortical levels 12 h post-injection.Ubiquitination of the γ2 subunit was studied by immunoprecipitation after 12 h of 1.0 μmol·L^(-1) DZP exposure.A γ2 subunit encoding an N terminal fluorogen-activating peptide and pH-sensitive green fluorescent protein(γ2 pH FAP) measured lysosomal targeting of γ2 containing GABA A Rs.RFP-gephyrin and γ2 pH FAP synaptic diffusion rates were examined using fluorescence recovery after photobleaching(FRAP).RESULTS Extrasynaptic levels of γ2 GABA A Rs decreased by 12.2%,while synaptic gephyrin S270 phosphorylation increased by 18.3% in DZP-treated neurons after 24 h compared to control(P<0.05).Dendritic levels of gephyrin were also reduced to 74.1% of control,while S270 phosphorylation was elevated by 25.2%(P<0.05;P<0.01).Mice 12 h post-DZP injection demonstrated a 12.7% and 26.1% decrease in total γ2 and gephyrin levels,respectively(P<0.05;P<0.01).12 h DZP treatment enhanced γ2 subunit ubiquitination 1.13-fold relative to control(P<0.05).Internalized γ2 pH FAP GABA A Rs associated with lysosomes was 8.0% higher in neurons treated with 12-16 h DZP compared to control.Pilot FRAP experiments suggest gephyrin and γ2 have increased mobility and turnover at synapses following DZP.CONCLUSION DZP treatment decreases γ2 GABA A R levels and gephyrin scaffolding function after one day of exposure,which may contribute to the formation of DZP tolerance.
文摘Trafficking in persons, especially women and girls has been on for long and is still going on. Persons in the female group constitute the mostly trafficked humans. This study was conducted to determine the effects of human trafficking on household farm labor needs available among farming households. Arable farming households involved in human trafficking were identified and purposively selected for this study with the aid of key informants in purposively selected communities. This led to the selection of 60 arable farming household heads in Delta North Agricultural zone, 65 farming household heads in Delta Central Agricultural Zone, and 36 arable farming household heads in Delta south agricultural zone to give a total of 151 respondents. Data for the study were collected with the utilization of questionnaire and interview schedule. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis with the application of frequency counts, percentages and means derived from 4-point likert-type scale. The hypothesis was tested using Tobit regression analysis. Human trafficking was found to be age and sex selective and the causes of human trafficking included both push and pull factors, such as high income in destination countries poverty, low risk profit, nature of trafficking in persons, ease in control and manipulation of vulnerable women and girls, low risk involved in working in destination countries, lacking of legitimate and fulfilling employment, sex selective migration policies, less access to information and peer pressure. Shortage of household farm labor was experienced by farming households in clearing and brushing of farm land, sowing, weeding, harvesting and processing/storage. Human trafficking was found to affect household labor availability in clearing/brushing of farm land, sowing, weeding, harvesting and processing/storage of farm produce. It is recommended that poverty alleviation programs should be specially organized for poor women, government and NGOs and international agencies should develop strategies to mitigate human trafficking. The government needs to collaborate with community based organizations and law enforcement agencies to create anti-trafficking committee in fanning communities. Community education should be created for the farming communities to emphasize anti-human trafficking with the use of change agents; extension agents should integrate anti-trafficking messages in their interaction with farmers.
文摘Neuropeptide galanin is widespread in the nervous system and has been suggested to be involved in numerous neuronal and endocrine functions as an intercellular
文摘The aim of this study is to identify and analyze the pattern of visibility of the main actors in the photographic coverage of drug trafficking in six of Mexico’s national newspapers. The study was based on a sample of 12,962,000 photographs published from 2006 to 2010. The images were processed by generating a codebook of key categories extracted from the informational context of drug trafficking and the war against drug trafficking. The technique used to explain the newspapers’ photographic coverage was the content analysis proposed by Johan Galtung in 1965, in its updated version of 2006. The limitations of the research are time constraints (only four years of President Felipe Calderón’s six-year term were analyzed) and information platforms (with the omission of online newspapers, supplements, and additional publications). The study offers an original analysis of the photographic coverage of drug trafficking in the Mexican press. The use of the Galtung Model reveals strong biases and imbalances in the coverage, with a clear tendency to defend the government’s position in the analyzed sample.
文摘While there is no consensus on the number of domestic sex trafficking victims in India, the phenomenon is estimated to be widespread and the evidence of its impact on victims is devastating. This paper explored the narratives of 10 sex trafficked women from a major non-government organization in New Delhi. Qualitative methodology was adopted and data were collected through open-ended unstructured interviews. The victimological paradigm including the Lifestyle Risk Model (LRM) by Van der Hoven and Maree provided the framework to discuss the key issues related to sex trafficking. Psychological experiences such as being abused by husbands, and in some cases, victims' own families; social conditions such as poverty and education; cultural practices such as vulnerability of women and marginalization; and lifestyle risk factors were observed throughout the stories of the victims. Furthermore, shame was found to be the core emotion in the stigmatization process. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.
文摘Human trafficking, involving mostly women and children, is closely related to the tourism businesses, because traffickers use often through their complicity, which including various companies: airports, trains, hotels, etc.. This work1 aims to analyze the effectiveness of training as a tool for monitoring and preventing this crime. After data and information collecting on the issue of human trafficking and links with the tourism industry, we analyzed the main training toolkits provided by organizations which deal with the prevention and monitoring of this phenomenon, two questionnaires were built and sent: the first questionnaire was sent to 136 organizations that are training for the staff of tourism companies; it aims to detect the educational needs that the organizations want to satisfy, the educational target, teaching techniques, and the results obtained with the training; the second questionnaire was sent to 495 companies who participating in the courses, explores the motivations, the educational objectives, and results related to the training received. Through this work, the authors only present the first results obtained during the first phase, involving the point of view of seven organizations offering training courses. The answers provided by the companies show that the learning targets have been fully achieved, in particular with regard to raising awareness on the issue. Still, some gaps with regard to the support that the training may offer in the development of new attitudes and skills to prevent and monitor the phenomenon. The course contents and teaching techniques used appear to be consistent with the objectives. All of the organizations interviewed carried out the evaluation of the course learning demonstrate how companies training participants are satisfied with the results, especially in terms of knowledge and skills to contribute to the prevention of an increasing phenomenon, while less significant are the advantages about the decrease of concrete human trafficking situations.