Nationality Groups Research Articles

Student academic performance and professional training year

This paper studies the relationship between students’ academic performance and the likelihood of attaining work experience as part of their undergraduate studies. The econometric analysis based on a sample of students from the School of Economics at the University of Surrey shows that the average of first-year marks is positively associated with subsequently securing a placement year. The mean predicted probability of obtaining a placement position is approximately 50% if a student's average first-year grade is 50, and the probability rises to 67% and 80% if the student achieves an average first-year grade of 60 and 70, respectively. Other relevant factors that affect the likelihood of securing a placement year are the course of study, the student's nationality and ethnic group. On the other hand, school type and A-level grades in mathematics or in economics have no effect on the chance of securing a placement year.

FUNDAMENTAL POLITICO-LEGAL PRINCIPLES FOR SELF-DETERMINATION RIGHTS OF NATIONS AND NATIONALITIES

The article “Fundamental politico-legal principles for self-determination rights of nations and nationalities” provides description of principles for self-determination rights of nations and nationalities during different epochs. The principles for self-determination rights of nations and nationalities was formulated during the Age of Enlightenment and French Revolution as a theoretical weapon against Feudal State laws and against the Tsar regime and serfdom in Russia during the first quarter of XIX century. The Democratic movements in Russia, USA and European countries were mostly interested in overthrowing monarchies rather than in rights of nations. Soviet government required class and dialectic approach serving to the interest of Bolsheviks. 
 When speaking about “rights of nations” or “rights of nationalities” W. Wilson intentionally forgot the “rights” of the native minor nations and nationalities and national minorities. So the issue of self-determination right for nations and nationalities remained unsettled.
 In early XX century Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and now Azerbaijan İndependent Republic provided the nations and nationalities living in the territory with the free space for development “regardless their sex, race, nationality, religious belief, social origin, political belief and other circumstances. In this case each nation, nationality and ethnic group must implement the level of their quality characteristics: steps and extent of development, number, occupied territory etc

Unequal networks: comparing the pre‐migration overseas networks of Indonesian and Filipino migrant domestic workers

AbstractPrevious studies of Asian migrant domestic workers' pre‐migration overseas networks have tended to be ethnographic, small‐n case studies such that it is unclear if network differences between migrants are due to individual‐ or country‐level differences or both. This article draws from an original survey of 1,206 Filipino and Indonesian domestic workers in Singapore and Hong Kong to reveal statistically significant differences in the pre‐migration overseas networks of these two nationality groups even after controlling for migrants' educational attainment, marital status, employment status, age, year of first migration, and survey location. Multiple regression analysis highlights how Filipino respondents are more likely than Indonesian respondents to have known existing migrants prior to their first migration from their homeland. Filipino respondents' overseas networks are also significantly larger, more geographically dispersed, and comprise more white‐collar contacts. These findings open up new terrain for migration scholars to study the impact of these nationality‐based network differences on the two groups' divergent migration experiences and aspirations.

A comparative study on the relationship between cerebral vascular hemodynamics and risk factors of stroke in Han and Hani nationality groups in south Yunnan

Objective To investigate the difference between Han nationality residents and the Hani nationality residents in southern Yunnan about the effects of stroke risk factors on cerebral vascular hemodynamic indicators. Methods In the cohort crowds, Hani nationality outpatient patients were selected as the Hani nationality group, the Han nationality outpatient patients with the same gender and similar age were randomly selected as the Han nationality group with the ratio of nearly 1︰3.The risk factors of stroke and the differences of the hemodynamic indicators were compared between the two groups. Results The dyslipidemia proportion of the Hani nationality group was lower than that of the Han nationality group[48 cases(11.5%) vs.257 cases(17.5%), χ2=8.867, P=0.003], and the drinking proportion of the Hani nationality group was higher than that of the Han nationality group[79 cases(18.9%) vs.214 cases(14.6%), χ2=4.498, P=0.034], the other risk factors exposure rates had no statistically significant differences between the two groups(all P>0.05). The ratio of numbers of cerebral vascular hemodynamic indicators below 75 points(optimum truncation points) in the Hani nationality group and the Han nationality group were 30.3% and 31.9%, respectively, the proportion of the two groups of integral value distribution had statistically significant difference (χ2=12.614, P<0.01); Vmean(left: t=0.632, P=0.527; right: t=0.642, P=0.532), Vmin(left: t=-0.349, P=0.727; right: t=-0.540, P=0.589), Wv(left: t=0.297, P=0.767; right: t=1.119, P=0.263), Zcv(left: t=0.297, P=0.767; right: t=1.247, P=0.213), Rv(left: t=0.837, P=0.403; right: t=1.222, P=0.222), DR(left: t=0.720, P=0.482; right: t=0.396, P=0.692), Cp(left: t=0.614, P=0.539; right: t=1.486, P=0.138) and other indicators of the two groups had no statistically significant differences. Conclusion The Hani nationality residents' stroke risk factors and CVHI integral distribution in different age groups are different from Han people in southern Yunnan. Key words: Stroke; Ethnic groups; Risk factors; Hemodynamics

The Mixed Motives of Unaccompanied Child Migrants from Central America's Northern Triangle

A growing body of literature has argued that the distinction between forced and voluntary migration can be, in practice, unclear. This literature points out that each individual migrant may have mixed motives for migrating, including both forced and voluntary reasons. Few studies, however, have actually set out to analyze mixed-motive migration. This paper examines the mixed-motive migration of unaccompanied minors from Central America's Northern Triangle states (Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador), using data from a small 2016 survey carried out in 10 shelters for unaccompanied child migrants run by a Mexican government child welfare agency. Using this survey, the paper identifies the immigrating minor's motives, which are oftentimes mixed, and details differences by nationality, gender, and age groups. Some of the key findings include: • Around one-third of the child migrants surveyed had mixed motives, including both forced and voluntary reasons for migrating. • Violence appears most often as a reason for migrating among minors with mixed motives, as opposed to the search for better opportunities, which appears more often as an exclusive motive. • Significant differences between the three nationalities are observed. Relatively few Guatemalan minors indicated violence as a motive, and few displayed mixed motives, as opposed to Hondurans, and especially Salvadorans. • The minors fleeing violence, searching for better opportunities, and indicating both motives at the same time were largely mature male adolescents. • The minors mentioning family reunification as their sole motive were predominantly girls and young children. The results indicate that binary formulations regarding forced and voluntary migration are often inadequate. This has important implications, briefly addressed in the conclusions. These implications include: • the need for migration scholars to consider forced reasons for migrating in the context of mixed-motive migration; • the fact that mixed motives call into question the established, clear-cut categories that determine whether someone is worthy of humanitarian protection or not; • the need to have in-depth, attentive, and individual asylum screening because motives may be interconnected and entangled, and because forced reasons may be hidden behind voluntary motives; and • the need for a more flexible policy approach, so that immigration systems may be more inclusive of migrants with mixed motives.

An Overview of Infant Mortality Trends in Qatar from 2004 to 2014.

BackgroundInfant mortality is an important health indicator that estimates population well-being. Infant mortality has declined globally but is still a major public health challenge. This article provides the characteristics, causes, burden, and trends of infant mortality in Qatar.MethodsFrequencies, percentages, and rates were calculated using data from birth-death registries over 2004–2014 to describe infant mortality by nationality, gender, and age group. We calculated the relative risks of the top causes of infant mortality among subgroups according to the 10th Revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-10, Version 2016).ResultsDuring 2004–2014, 204,224 live births and 1,505 infant deaths were recorded. The infant mortality rate (IMR) averaged 7.4/1000 live births (males 8.1, females 6.6, non-Qataris 7.7, and Qataris 6.8). IMR declined 20% from 2004 to 2014. The decline in IMR was significant for the overall population of infants (p=0.006), male infants (p=0.04), females (p=0.006), and for non-Qatari males (p=0.007) and non-Qatari females (p=0.007). The leading causes of infant mortality were congenital malformations (all types) (34.5%), low birth weight (LBW) (27%), and respiratory distress of newborns (2.8%). Male infants had a higher risk of mortality than female infants due to a congenital malformation of lungs (p=0.02), other congenital malformations, not elsewhere classified (p=0.01), and cardiovascular disorders (p=0.05).ConclusionThe study shows that infant mortality among male infants is high due to the top infant mortality-related disorders, and male infants have a higher risk of mortality than female infants.

The Rise and Fall of Ethnoterritorial Federalism: A Comparison of the Soviet Union (Russia), China, and India

The early Soviet Union, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and independent India inherited vast territories and multi-ethnic populations from the preceding empires. Their maintenance was a political and administrative challenge. The Soviet Union devised an archetype of ethnoterritorial federalism, in which nationality groups were granted their own administrative territories and subnational governments. The PRC and India imitated this system selectively, aware of its dangerous centrifugal tendency. The collapse of the Soviet Union discredited ethnoterritorial federalism, but none of the three countries has since devised a new system of multinational integration to replace it.

Lipid Profile Analysis of Patients in a Saudi University Clinic

Dyslipidemia is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of mortality in Saudi Arabia. Abnormal lipid levels are asymptomatic but detected by fasting lipid profile analysis. This study sought to determine the patterns of lipid levels of King Faisal University (KFU) clinic patients and to identify any gender, nationality and age group differences in the mean levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). The results of lipid profile examination of 1,541 KFU clinic patients were compiled and subjected to descriptive and analytical statistics using SPSS version 20. The National Institutes of Health Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) was used for classifying the lipid profiles. Majority of the patients had desirable and borderline high levels of TC and TG as well as optimal and near optimal LDL-C. Most of the patients had borderline and low HDL-C. Hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia were more common among men than in women. Men also tend to have low HDL-C and high LDL-C. Hypercholesterolemia, low HDL-C, high and very high LDL-C were more common among Saudis while hypertriglyceridemia was more common among non-Saudi patients. Hypercholesterolemia was more common in the 50 – 59 age group. High TG, high LDL-C, and low HDL-C were more common among 40 – 49 year old patients. The mean values of TC, TG, and HDL-C differed significantly across gender and nationality groups. The mean values of all four components of the lipid profile differed significantly across age groups. Lipid profile varies across gender, nationality and age. The risk for CVD related to lipid abnormalities is greater for Saudi men who are 40 – 59 years old. The university should develop age and gender-specific strategies for primary and secondary prevention of CVD such as therapeutic lifestyle change and lipid screening guidelines.

중국 이족(彝族) 여성 두식(頭飾)의 형성요인과 특징에 관한 연구

The headdress is one of the most important clothing characters in China, as it was used to distinguish the 55 minority groups in China. Each minority group has a unique headdress culture. Among the 55 minority groups, the Zang, the Yi, and the Miao focus their ethnic costumes on the headdress, and have a more distinctive headdress culture compared to be other nationality groups. The Yi is one of the minority groups that linvd in Southwest China. They usually lived in compact communities in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou provinces, as well as the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous region. The total population of the Yi is the sixth largest among the 55 minority groups. Modern scholars believe that the Yi people are descendants of the ancient Qiang people, which is a group that lived in Northwest China six or seven thousand years before. It is believed that the Qiang went down to the southern part of China and allied with the aboriginals in that region, and this group of people became the Yi, Due to its long history, cultural background, and the large number of people and settlements, they have produced a unique costume culture. The women's headdress culture is considered to be the one of the most important characteristics of their costume culture. There are four forming element of the Yi women's headdress, religious faith, myths, geographical distribution and customs & festivals. The first three elements play an important role in the protection and spread of headdress, while the fourth element provides potential for the modern headdress development. Because of much influence factors, more than 100 types of Yi women headdresses have developed. Depends on categories, Yi woman headdress can be divided into kerchief, hat, fascinator and other accessories wore on the hand. This study investigated the development of the Yi women's headwear, and screened and analyzed representative Yi women accessories, such as the headscarf, hat, and fascinator. This analysis will provide basic materials for further studies of Yi women's headdress or costume.

Predictors of satisfaction with life among older adults

IntroductionIncreasing longevity brings challenges for older adults’ satisfaction with life (SWL).AimsThis study aims at exploring a structural model of predictors of SWL in a cross-national sample of older adults.MethodsA community-dwelling sample of 1234 older adults was assessed regarding SWL, sense of coherence (SOC) and socio-demographic, lifestyle and health-related characteristics. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate a structural model of the self-reported SWL, comprising SOC, socio-demographic characteristics (age, sex, education, marital and professional status, household, adult children, income, living setting and religion), lifestyle and health-related characteristics (physical activity, recent disease and medication).ResultsSignificant predictors are SOC (β = .733; P &lt; .001), religion (β = .725; P &lt; .001), income (β = .551; P &lt; .001), adult children (β = .546; P &lt; .001), education (β = –.403; P &lt; .001), living setting (β = –.292; P &lt; .001) and medication (β = –.197; P &lt; .001). The variables accounted for 24.8% of the variability of SWL. Moreover, differences between the four nationality groups (F(3, 671) = 3.671, P = .066) were not found concerning SWL.ConclusionsSense of coherence is the strongest predictor of self-reported SWL. Other predictors are religion, income, adult children, education, living setting and medication. The four nationalities did not present significant differences, concerning SWL. This study highlights the factors that influence older adults’ SWL, namely, SOC, religion and income, as promoters of aging well, within a salutogenic model of health for older populations.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Migration due to sexual orientation and gender identity

The concept of the term refugee is set out in Art. 1, item I of the Law 9.474 / 97 of the Foreign Statute of Brazil, which defines a refugee as any individual with a well-founded fear of persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion or social group. The Convention of 1951 does not establish a specific category for persecution related to sexual orientation or gender identity. In many countries homosexuality is punished by imprisonment, or the death penalty (Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen, Mauritania and Sudan, as well as in regions of Nigeria and Somalia), among other penalties that deny full citizenship, segregate, discriminate and deny rights to this group. Due to the persecution these individuals suffer in their home countries, it is possible to ask: were gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals included in the social group category due to its flexible criteria? The United States, Canada and several European countries have been accepting refugee applications for individuals with well-founded fear of persecution because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. By employing this criterion, the CONARE (National Committee for Refugees of Brazil) has granted refuge to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex individuals who are persecuted in their home countries due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. This article explores the concept of the term refugee and its expansion over the past years, focusing especially on the basis of the refugee criterion related to social group. The aim is therefore to analyze the category of social group in the concept of refugee. It also aims to examine the possibility of framing said populations in the category of social group in order to facilitate their obtainment of a Refugee status.

SPORT IN VOLYN IN THE YEARS 1921–1939. OUTLINE HISTORY

Introduction. The aim of this paper is to outline the history of sport in Volyn (the area of the Volhynian province in the period of the Second Polish Republic) in the years 1921–1939. The Volhynian province was established on 19 February 1921. As of April 1, 1939 its area covered 35,754 km2 and had a population of 2,085,600 people (as of 9 December 1931). The population of Polish nationality was 16,6 %, of Ukrainian nationality – 68,4 % , of Jewish nationality – 9,9 %, of German nationality – 2,3 %, of Czech nationality – 1,5 %, of Russian nationality – 1,1 %, the remaining nationalities – 0,2%. Townspeople of the province represented only 13,3 % of the population. The province consisted of the following counties: Dubno, Horochów, Kostopil, Kovel, Kremenets, Liuboml, Lutsk, Rivne, Sarny, Volodymyr and Zdolbuniv. The county of Sarny (formerly included in Polesia province) became a part of the Volhynian province in December 1930. Methods and Research Problems. As part of preparation of this study the following research methods have been used: analysis of historical sources, the method of synthesis and comparison. The following research areas have been put forward: What did the development of sport in Volyn in the years 1921–1939 look like? What conditions influenced the development of sport in the Volhynian province in the years 1921–1939? What clubs and associations were engaged in sports activity in Volyn in the years 1921–1939? As far as the research is concerned preliminary research into archive sources was conducted. The literature used has been the one taking into account the issues of contributions to the history of physical education and sport in Volhynian province in the years 1921–1939. Findings and Conclusions. The years 1921–1939 saw the development of sport in Volyn. The development of sports infrastructure as well as trainings of personnel for the purpose of physical education and sport could be observed. The sports structures established in Volyn – in the form of district sports associations and the operation of Provincial, County and Municipal Committees of Physical Education and Military Training (after 1927) were conducive to the development of this field of sports activity. A significant role in sports activity was played by sports, youth and social clubs and associations. Sport was practised by all nationality groups residing in the Volhynian province.

Suicide mortality in Belgium at the beginning of the 21st century: differences according to migrant background.

Suicidal behaviour has long been recognized to vary widely between countries. Yet, rates of suicidal behaviour do not only vary between, but also within countries. Gender and socioeconomic differences in suicidal behaviour are well established, but the literature on suicidal behaviour and migrants is sparse, particularly in Belgium. The present study maps out the occurrence of suicide mortality across three of the largest migrant groups (Italians, Turks and Moroccans) versus the native population in Belgium, and verifies whether this association persists after accounting for socioeconomic variables. Census-linked mortality follow-up data covering the period 2001–2011 were used to probe into suicide mortality. To compare absolute differences by migrant background, indirect standardisation analyses were carried out. To assess relative differences, Cox proportional hazards models were performed. Analyses were restricted to 18- to 64-year-olds. Belgian men and women have the highest suicide mortality risk, persons of Moroccan/Turkish origin the lowest, and Italians are somewhere in between. When migration generation is considered, the risk is higher for second-generation groups compared to that of the first-generation. Accounting for socioeconomic determinants, the difference between the native population and the various nationality groups intensifies. Although the risk is generally lower for minorities compared to the majority population, the results across migration generations underscore minorities’ increased vulnerability to suicide over time. Future research should focus on understanding the risks and protective factors of suicidal behaviour across different nationality groups. This way, tailored policy recommendations can be developed in order to tackle the burden of suicide.

Correlation of gastric cancer and effects of vitamin D receptor gene FokⅠ polymorphism on C-reactive protein and D-dimer in Uygur nationality patients

This study aimed to determine the correlation of Uygur gastric cancer and the polymorphism effects of vitamin D receptor gene FokⅠ on C-reactive protein and D-dimer. Method of random sampling was used to select 147 Uygur patients with gastric cancer who admitted at Tumor Hospital of Xinjing Medical University (Group A) and 151 healthy controls with the same nationality (Group B). Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to determine FokⅠ loci polymorphism in both groups to identify the gastric cancer susceptibility gene. All patients were divided into Group FF (Group a) and Group Ff+ ff (Group b) by PCR-RFLP according to the f-gene carrier to compare the expression level of C-reactive protein and D-dimer. The expression frequency of the f allelic gene of patients with gastric cancer was higher than that of healthy control patients (57.8% vs 47.4%, P<0.05). The carriers of the f allelic gene (Ff+ ff) had increased risk of gastric cancer (OR=2.85). Measurement levels of C-reactive protein and D-dimer in the f allelic gene group were higher than those of the non-f allelic gene group (4.72±1.65 vs 2.81±0.93, and 2.79±1.21 vs 1.09±0.65, respectively), and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The FokⅠ loci polymorphism of vitamin D receptor gene was related to gastric cancer susceptibility in Uygur. f allelic gene may be one of the risk factors of gastric cancer in Uygur. Moreover, f allelic gene may be a factor that increased the level of C-reactive protein and D-dimer in Uygur patients with gastric cancer.

Teaching Grammar in Non-Western Educational Settings: An Enquiry on Evidenced-Based Teaching Approaches

Educators teaching English, or via English worldwide are often subject to highly contrasting ideas on ‘the best teaching practices’ to use, particularly for grammar pedagogy. Four different nationality groups of learners and three diverse groups of educators of English from non-Western educational institutions were included in the study. A questionnaire was administered to enquire on preferences for grammar pedagogical instruction which was presented in various combinations or alternatives of: explicit or implicit instruction, deductive or inductive pedagogy, and with or without local cultural contextualization. In all learner groups there was a strong preference for explicit vs. implicit, deductive vs. inductive and local contextualized vs. foreign/non-contextualized pedagogy. Therefore among groups there was no significant difference in the proportion of deductive choices and proportion of inductive choices (p = 0.09), no significant difference in the proportion of deductive choices and proportion of delayed deductive choices (p = 0.18), no significant difference in the proportion of explicit choices and proportion of implicit choices (p = 0.16), no significant difference in the proportion of local context choices and proportion of other/no context choices (p = 0.74), and no significant difference in the proportion of explicit deductive choices and proportions of explicit inductive choices across all groups (p = 0.051 ≥ 0.01, Bonferroni correction ). Paradoxically, among the educator groups, there was a significant difference in all the above proportions (p = 0.00, p = 0.00, p = 0.00, p = 0.01, p = 0.00, respectively). Descriptive statistics suggest the difference rests mainly with educators that have undergone substantial Western-type ‘communicative language training’. Exposure to exogenous forms of grammar pedagogy may influence educators more than learners, accentuating differences between educators’ grammar-teaching practices and learners’ expectations in non-Western educational scenarios; this study found a significant difference between learners’ and educators’ pedagogical choices for teaching grammar (p = 0.00).

Nuosu Yi

The Nuosu (Nosu) Yi language, or Northern Yi (北部彝语), is spoken by approximately two million people in southern Sichuan Province and northern Yunnan Province, China, the majority of whom are monolingual. Yi is a member of the Yi Branch of the Lolo-Burmese subgroup of the Tibeto-Burman family (Benedict 1972/2009, Bradley 1979), which includes some 50 languages, also called the Nisoic languages (Lama 2012) or Ngwi Group. The large (5 million) ethnic Yi nationality groups of Yunnan Province are distantly related. The third author, Lama Ziwo, who was 31 at the time of recording, produced, translated and transcribed the recorded audio data phonemically and participated in the laryngoscopic filming of the video data. He is a native speaker of the Suondip/Suondi dialect, and a fluent speaker of the Shypnra/Shengza dialect. It is the Shypnra/Shengza standard dialect that is being represented in this paper. The most distinguishing phonetic feature of Northern Yi is its systematic vocal register contrast (Matisoff 1972, Dai 1990) between two settings of the laryngeal constrictor mechanism, which are referred to as a lax (unconstricted) series and a tense (constricted) series (Edmondson et al. 2000, 2001). The contrast is realized as a distinction in resonance (spectral quality) rather than as contrasting phonation types as in some other forms of Yi or in other Tibeto-Burman languages (e.g. Bai). The consonantal inventory is large, with complex vocalic interactions, including interactions with two pairs of fricativized vowels. Northern Yi has 43 initial consonants, five pairs of vowels (or syllable rhymes), and three tones: 55, 33, and 21. Relevant reports on voice quality in related languages can be found in Maddieson &amp; Ladefoged (1985) and Sun &amp; Liu (1986).

Validating Academic Integrity Survey (AIS): An Application of Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analytic Procedures

This study concerned validating academic integrity survey (AIS), a measure developed in 2010 to investigate academic integrity practices in a Malaysian university. It also examined the usefulness of the measure across gender and nationality of the participants (undergraduates of Nigerian and Malaysian public universities). The sample size comprised 450 students selected via quota sampling technique. The findings supported the multidimensionality of academic dishonesty. Also, strong evidence of convergent and discriminant validity, and construct reliability were generated for the revised AIS. The testing of moderating effects yielded two outcomes. While the gender invariant analysis produced evidence that the three-dimensional model was not moderated by gender; the nationality effect was inconclusive, probably due to a noticeable imbalance in respondent distribution for the nationality group. The significance of this study lies not only in the rigorous statistical methods deployed to validate the dimension and psychometric properties of the AIS; but establishing the gender invariance of the model. It is understood from the findings that although male and female students may vary in their academic misconducts, the underlying factors for these conducts are the same and can be addressed effectively using a non-discriminating approach.

ENDOCRINE PROFILE OF THE MALE POPULATION IN RUSSIA DEPENDING ON THE GEOGRAPHIC LATITUDE OF OCCUPATION

The goal of research is to examine the characteristics of the hormones of the pituitary-gonadal and pituitary-thyroid gland systems in the peripheral blood of the male population living in different areas of Russia, taking into account the population groups. The study involved 136 men aged 22 to 50 years old, who are permanently resident in the North no less than three generations. Among them there are 80 local residents of Arkhangelsk (64° 32' N), 19 local residents of Vologda (59° 13' N) and 37 local residents of Nes, Nenets Autonomous Okrug (66° 36' N). According to the basis of nationality group of men living in Nes was divided into: Russian - 23 people and settled aboriginal population (Nenets, Komi) - 14 people. We have shown that functional activity of the pituitary-thyroid axis (thyrotropin, thyroxine, free triiodothyronine) in the male Caucasoid and settled aboriginal population of the polar region exceeds its level in the inhabitants of the circumpolar area (Arkhangelsk). At the same time, men living in the mid-latitude area (Vologda) had minimal activity of the pituitary-thyroid axis (triiodothyronine, free thyroxine), compared with polar and circumpolar areas. It was shown that the functional activity of the pituitary-gonadal axis in men living in Vologda (luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, inhibin B, free testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate) and in Nes (follicle-stimulating hormone, inhibin B, testosterone, free testosterone, sex-hormone-binding globuline) was higher compared with the inhabitants of the city of Arkhangelsk. The levels of sperm antibodies were minimal in men living in Nes. At the same time, changing the traditional way of life from nomadic to a settled one leads to the negative tendencies such as the decrease of the synthesis reserves of steroid hormones in the settled aboriginal population that is shown by the decreased serum levels of progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate.

Editorial: Institutional Determinants of Social Inequalities.

Editorial: Institutional Determinants of Social Inequalities.

Models for Migrant Leadership: The Cape Town Women's Platform

Since 2011, South Africa has increasingly moved toward an immigration system of enforcement and exclusion, seeking to discourage immigration through punitive policies that make daily life for migrants difficult to bear. The closing of refugee reception offices in urban centers and restriction of job offers to South African ID holders have caused many asylum seekers to become undocumented migrants and prevented them from working in the formal economy. In this context, some services that refugee organisations traditionally offer, such as job training and placement, become less useful for migrants who are undocumented and/or unable to work. This paper explores a new initiative of a Cape Town refugee organisation designed to support grassroots organising and to foment new networks of support and entrepreneurship for migrant women. Members of eleven nationality groups currently participate in the Scalabrini Centre Women’s Platform, coming together across differences in migration status, religion, socio-economic class and language to fight the isolation often caused by migration and to support business and personal development. Our research uses interviews and participant observation to explore the role of mediating institutions in facilitating migrant leadership and organising. We suggest that efforts such as The Women’s Platform are setting the groundwork for long-term leadership development among migrants and refugees. Nonetheless, the restrictions of the political and economic climate of South Africa, as well as the professionalised expectations of mediating institutions, make this a slow process that may favor individual advancement over collective action for systemic change.