Managing Work, Hedonism and 'the Borderline' Between the Legal and Illegal Markets: Two Case Studies of Recreational Heavy Drug Users

In the context of cultural and/or differential ‘normalisation’ of certain forms of drug use, this article describes two case-studies of heavy recreational drug users. The daily lives of these users blur the line between the legal and the illegal; their drug trading is generally as a consumer and ‘friend of a friend’ small dealer in the low-level market. In the first case, problems with management of employment, time and financial budgeting are described; in the second case, such management is accomplished. Discussion refers to: differences between the two in relation to resources and vulnerability to risks, and to leisure/pleasure cultures of hedonism. The research agenda should pay more attention to users who seek to maintain a legitimate lifestyle but who develop problems managing work and their drug-related leisure. Understanding the consumer demand and dealing activity of such users is important in trying to develop a fuller understanding of drug markets.

Physicochemical characterization of particulate emissions from a compression ignition engine employing two injection technologies and three fuels

Alternative fuels and injection technologies are a necessary component of particulate emission reduction strategies for compression ignition engines. Consequently, this study undertakes a physicochemical characterization of diesel particulate matter (DPM) for engines equipped with alternative injection technologies (direct injection and common rail) and alternative fuels (ultra low sulfur diesel, a 20% biodiesel blend, and a synthetic diesel). Particle physical properties were addressed by measuring particle number size distributions, and particle chemical properties were addressed by measuring polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Particle volatility was determined by passing the polydisperse size distribution through a thermodenuder set to 300 °C. The results from this study, conducted over a four point test cycle, showed that both fuel type and injection technology have an impact on particle emissions, but injection technology was the more important factor. Significant particle number emission (54%–84%) reductions were achieved at half load operation (1% increase–43% decrease at full load) with the common rail injection system; however, the particles had a significantly higher PAH fraction (by a factor of 2 to 4) and ROS concentrations (by a factor of 6 to 16) both expressed on a test-cycle averaged basis. The results of this study have significant implications for the health effects of DPM emissions from both direct injection and common rail engines utilizing various alternative fuels.

What health problems overcrowd hospital emergency departments in Queensland and has this changed over time? A case study of two hospitals in Queensland 2001 - 2009

Aim: to describe what health problems patients attending emergency department with and whether this changed over time. Methods: Electronic data was retrieved from EDIS (Emergency Department Information System) and HBCIS (Hospital Based Clinical Information System) in two hospitals in Queensland in the period 2001-2009. The ICD-10 code of patient's diagnosis was then extrapolated and then group into ICD-10 chapters, such that the health problem can be presented. Results: Among the specific health problems, Chapter XIX 'Injury and poisoning' ranked number one consistently (ranging from 22.1% to 31.2% of the total presentations) in both the urban and remote hospitals in Queensland. The top ten specific presenting health problems in both the urban and remote hospital include Chapter XI 'Digestive system', Chapter XIV 'Genitourinary system', Chapter IX 'Circulatory system', and Chapter XIII 'Musculoskeletal system and connective tissue'. Chapter X 'Respiratory system' made the top ten presenting Chapters in both hospitals, but ranked much higher (number four consistently for the eight years, ranging from 6.8% to 8.3%) in the remote hospital. Chapter XV 'Pregnancy childbirth and puerperium' made to the top ten in the urban hospital only while Chapter XII 'Skin and subcutaneous tissue', Chapter I 'Infectious and parasitic diseases' made the top ten in the remote hospital only. Conclusion: The number one health problem presenting to both the urban and remote hospitals in Queensland is Chapter XIX 'Injury and poisoning', and it did not change in the period 211 - 2009.

Surface plasmon hybridization and exciton coupling

We derive a semianalytical model to describe the interaction of a single photon emitter and a collection of arbitrarily shaped metal nanoparticles. The theory treats the metal nanoparticles classically within the electrostatic eigenmode method, wherein the surface plasmon resonances of collections of nanoparticles are represented by the hybridization of the plasmon modes of the noninteracting particles. The single photon emitter is represented by a quantum mechanical two-level system that exhibits line broadening due to a finite spontaneous decay rate. Plasmon-emitter coupling is described by solving the resulting Bloch equations. We illustrate the theory by studying model systems consisting of a single emitter coupled to one, two, and three nanoparticles, and we also compare the predictions of our model to published experimental data. ©2012 American Physical Society.