Drug cultures in Estonia : contexts, meanings and patterns of illicit drug use.

In Estonia, illicit drug use hardly existed before the social changes of the 1990s when, as a result of economic and cultural transformations, the country became part of a world order centred in the West. On the one hand, this development is due to the spread of international youth culture, which many young people have perceived as being associated with drugs; on the other hand, it results from the marginalisation of a part of the population. The empirical part of the study is based mostly on in-depth interviews with different drug users conducted during between 1998 and 2002. Complementary material includes the results of participant observations, interviews with key experts, and the results of previous quantitative studies and statistics. The young people who started experimenting with illicit drugs from the 1990s and onwards perceived them as a part of an attractive lifestyle - a Western lifestyle, a point which is worth stressing in the case of Estonia. Although the reasons for initiation into drug use were similar for the majority of young people, their drug use habits and the impact of the drug use on their lives began to differ. I argue that the potential pleasure and harm which might accompany drug use is offset by the meanings attached to drugs and the sanctions and rituals regulating drug use. In the study both recreational and problem use have been analysed from different aspects in seven articles. I have investigated different types of drug users: new bohemians, cannabis users, in whose case partying and restrictive drug use is positively connected to their lives and goals within established society; stimulant-using party people for whom drugs are a means of having fun but who do not have the same restrictive norms regulating their drug use as the former and who may get into trouble under certain conditions; and heroin users for whom the drug rapidly progressed from a means of having fun to an obligation due to addiction. The research results point at the importance not only of the drug itself and the socio-economic situation of the user, but also of the cultural and social context within which the drug is used. The latter may on occasions be a crucial factor in whether or not initial drug use eventually leads to addiction.

Algunos significados originarios y enseñanzas actuales : hermeneútica de la historia de las apariciones de Nuestra Madre de Guadalupe

Deseamos colaborar a una mejor profundización y aprovechamiento de los tesoros del acontecimiento guadalupano, auténtica posibilidad y modelo para nuestro presente. Al especificar, titular y jerarquizar algunos aspectos de una interpretación inicial sobre el mismo, partiendo de lo anterior, y conversando con su contenido desde nuestros intereses de hoy, completamos esta propuesta hermenéutica. Concretamos, en suma, un recorrido que proporciona criterios para apropiarse de la relevante, vigente y siempre actual dinámica de diálogo, que revela la historia de las apariciones de la Virgen Morena. Busca incentivar, de esta manera, a redescubrir y recrear sagazmente dicha dinámica, con todas sus importantes consecuencias, y con la pedagogía que la subyace y hace posible; para movernos a decisiones prudenciales que, al comenzar el tercer milenio, en cada cultura y situación, nos lleven a vivir más lúcidamente nuestra identidad, acontecer y servicio como Pueblo de Dios. Deseamos favorecer la llegada a existenciales conclusiones que nos guíen, en el contexto de un mundo con muchos y cercanos diferentes unos al lado del otro, hacia la construcción de un mundo auténticamente plural, viviendo una evangelización inculturante e inculturada.

Bending solution of high-order refined shear deformation-theory for rectangular composite plates

A new high-order refined shear deformation theory based on Reissner's mixed variational principle in conjunction with the state- space concept is used to determine the deflections and stresses for rectangular cross-ply composite plates. A zig-zag shaped function and Legendre polynomials are introduced to approximate the in-plane displacement distributions across the plate thickness. Numerical results are presented with different edge conditions, aspect ratios, lamination schemes and loadings. A comparison with the exact solutions obtained by Pagano and the results by Khdeir indicates that the present theory accurately estimates the in-plane responses.

Tracing the Basque presence in eastern Canada during the 16th and 17th centuries, through ceramic remains: the example of the glazed pottery produced in Bilbao

Poster presentado en Society for Post-Medieval Archaeology Conference, in St John's, Newfoundland,(Canadá)(June 2010)

High Order Multi-Moment Constrained Finite Volume Method. Part I: Basic Formulation

A new high-order finite volume method based on local reconstruction is presented in this paper. The method, so-called the multi-moment constrained finite volume (MCV) method, uses the point values defined within single cell at equally spaced points as the model variables (or unknowns). The time evolution equations used to update the unknowns are derived from a set of constraint conditions imposed on multi kinds of moments, i.e. the cell-averaged value and the point-wise value of the state variable and its derivatives. The finite volume constraint on the cell-average guarantees the numerical conservativeness of the method. Most constraint conditions are imposed on the cell boundaries, where the numerical flux and its derivatives are solved as general Riemann problems. A multi-moment constrained Lagrange interpolation reconstruction for the demanded order of accuracy is constructed over single cell and converts the evolution equations of the moments to those of the unknowns. The presented method provides a general framework to construct efficient schemes of high orders. The basic formulations for hyperbolic conservation laws in 1- and 2D structured grids are detailed with the numerical results of widely used benchmark tests. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis and characterization of photorefractive polymer based on chemically hybridized CdS-PVK nanocomposite with a new azo chromophore

We report an organic/inorganic polymer composite based on the chemically hybridized photoconductor CdS-PVK nanocomposite doped with a new second-order optically nonlinear chromophore 1-n-butoxy-2-methyl-(4-p-nitrophenylazo)benzene (BMNPAB) and plasticizer 9-ethyl-carbazole (ECZ) to manifest a photorefractive (PR) effect. A detailed description of the synthesis and characterization of BMNPAB is presented. The poled film including PVK-10-CdS nanocomposite and BMNPAB exhibits a high second harmonic generation (SHG) coefficient of 31 pm/V The photoconductivity of PVK-CdS nanocomposite also was studied here. Two-beam coupling experiment clearly indicated an asymmetric optical energy exchange between two beams on the polymer composite at zero electrical field, and the two-beam coupling gain of 50.0 cm(-1) and diffraction efficiencv of 4.2% were obtained at 647.1 nm wavelength. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

O espaço geográfico e o processo saúde-doença na atualidade: as leishmanioses no estado do Rio de Janeiro

As leishmanioses são doenças consideradas antropozoonoses, ou seja, doenças primárias de animais que podem ser transmitidas ao homem. São causadas por microorganismos do gênero Leishmania e transmitidas através da picada de flebotomíneos, que são insetos alados da ordem Diptera (mesmo grupo das moscas, mosquitos e borrachudos). Apresentam-se sob duas formas clínicas: Leishmaniose Visceral ou Calazar (LV) e Leishmaniose Tegumentar Americana (LTA). As leishmanioses apresentam distribuição geográfica vasta pelo Velho e Novo Mundo, sendo estimado dessa maneira que aproximadamente 350 milhões de pessoas estejam sob iminente risco de contrair algum tipo de leishmaniose. No Brasil, as leishmanioses são encontradas em todas as unidades federadas, e o estado do Rio de Janeiro vem apresentando franca expansão dessas doenças em áreas urbanas, devido principalmente ao desmatamento ocasionado pela expansão não planejada da malha urbana. Nesse contexto, faz-se necessário desenvolver estudos sobre o espaço e o processo saúde-doença, relação estabelecida pela Geografia da Saúde, a fim de que se compreenda a correlação entre o homem e o ambiente vivido.

Padronização do Direito em tempos de grande encarceramento: os influxos da nova ordem global

O presente trabalho pretende analisar alguns reflexos da incorporação dos influxos da nova ordem globalizada e do neoliberalismo na ordem jurídica nacional. Será demonstrado que os valores sugeridos ainda que essa sugestão tenha caráter quase cogente pelo Banco Mundial, por meio de sua atividade paranormativa, são incorporados pela ordem legal brasileira através de reformas processuais que priorizam a justiça quantitativa. Essas reformas, somadas a outros fatores tais como o aumento das demandas levadas ao Poder Judiciário, a influência da economia na análise do Direito, a utilização equivocada, irrefletida e mecânica de discursos de fundamentação prévia, a pobreza do ensino jurídico e a submissão dos juízes ao que ditam os tribunais, resultam em um patamar de jurisdição padronizada. Paralelamente a esse processo, a população carcerária brasileira cresce em acelerado ritmo, o que pode ser relacionado com o avanço dos valores neoliberais e da retração do estado do bem estar social.Diante desse quadro, é proposto, como forma de aproximação da teoria jurídica com a prática forense e de maneira a proporcionar abertura do direito penal ao mundo dos fatos, a dogmática funcional redutora, de modo que o Direito Penal atue como dique de contenção do estado de polícia que subjaz a cada estado de direito. Ademais, propõe-se que essa adoção se dê nas salas de aula dos cursos de direito, utilizando-se, tanto quanto possível, de diversos recursos didáticos para tornar mais palpáveis e inteligíveis os conceitos e ideias propostos.

Evolution of genome organizations of squirrels (Sciuridae) revealed by cross-species chromosome painting

With complete sets of chromosome-specific painting probes derived from flow-sorted chromosomes of human and grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), the whole genome homologies between human and representatives of tree squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis, Callosciurus erythraeus), flying squirrels (Petaurista albiventer) and chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus) have been defined by cross-species chromosome painting. The results show that, unlike the highly rearranged karyotypes of mouse and rat, the karyotypes of squirrels are highly conserved. Two methods have been used to reconstruct the genome phylogeny of squirrels with the laboratory rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) as the out-group: ( 1) phylogenetic analysis by parsimony using chromosomal characters identified by comparative cytogenetic approaches; ( 2) mapping the genome rearrangements onto recently published sequence-based molecular trees. Our chromosome painting results, in combination with molecular data, show that flying squirrels are phylogenetically close to New World tree squirrels. Chromosome painting and G-banding comparisons place chipmunks ( Tamias sibiricus), with a derived karyotype, outside the clade comprising tree and flying squirrels. The superorder Glires (order Rodentia + order Lagomorpha) is firmly supported by two conserved syntenic associations between human chromosomes 1 and 10p homologues, and between 9 and 11 homologues.

Molecular evolution of growth hormone gene family in old world monkeys and hominoids

Growth hormone is a classic molecule in the study of the molecular clock hypothesis as it exhibits a relatively constant rate of evolution in most mammalian orders except primates and artiodactyls, where dramatically enhanced rate of evolution (25-50-fold) has been reported. The rapid evolution of primate growth hormone occurred after the divergence of tarsiers and simians, but before the separation of old world monkeys (OWM) from new world monkeys (NWM). Interestingly, this event of rapid sequence evolution coincided with multiple duplications of the growth hormone gene, suggesting gene duplication as a possible cause of the accelerated sequence evolution. Here we determined 21 different GH-like sequences from four species of OWM and hominoids. Combining with published sequences from OWM and hominoids, our analysis demonstrates that multiple gene duplications and several gene conversion events both occurred in the evolutionary history of this gene family in OWM/hominoids. The episode of recent duplications of CSH-like genes in gibbon is accompanied with rapid sequence evolution likely resulting from relaxation of purifying selection. GHN genes in both hominoids and OWM are under strong purifying selection. In contrast, CSH genes in both lineages are probably not. GHV genes in OWM and hominoids evolved at different evolutionary rates and underwent different selective constraints. Our results disclosed the complex history of the primate growth hormone gene family and raised intriguing questions on the consequences of these evolutionary events. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rola Unii Europejskiej w budowie nowego ładu międzynarodowego - stan obecny i perspekytywy

W nauce o stosunkach międzynarodowych porządek, czy też ład międzynarodowy, to zbiór podmiotów państwowych i niepaństwowych złączonych wzajemnymi relacjami o różnorodnym charakterze i działających według wspólnie wypracowanych lub narzuconych z zewnątrz reguł. Po zakończeniu zimnej wojny i utracie na znaczeniu ładu jałtańskiego rozgorzała dyskusja nad kształtem jaki ma przybrać ład postzimnowojenny. Z poczynionych rozważań wynika, że polityczny i gospodarczy ład międzynarodowy w najbliższych dekadach będzie wielobiegunowy. Szczególne znaczenie odgrywać w nim będą USA, Chiny , a także Unia Europejska, Japonia, Indie i Brazylia. Obecnie UE odgrywa jedną z najważniejszych ról w budowie ładu międzynarodowego. Widać to zwłaszcza pod względem gospodarczym jako że Unia UE jest obecnie największym światowym eksporterem i drugim (po USA) importerem. Wydaje się jednak, że tradycyjne opisywanie Unii Europejskiej jako przykładu obszaru sukcesu gospodarczego może w najbliższym czasie ulec zmianie. Europa w długiej perspektywie ulegnie marginalizacji jeśli nie wróci do projektów ściślejszej integracji, nie wykorzysta lepiej swojego potencjału intelektualnego i gospodarczego oraz nie przyspieszy rozwoju poprzez stawianie na nowe technologie. Dla podtrzymania swojej pozycji powinna ona aktywniej współpracować z USA, utrzymywać poprawne stosunki z krajami azjatyckimi a także zaangażować się we współpracę z organizacjami między- i pozarządowymi, które w najbliższych latach będą zyskiwać na znaczeniu

Claude McKay and the transnational novel

This thesis considers the three works of fiction of the Jamaican author Claude McKay (1889-1948) as a coherent transnational trilogy which dramatises the semi-autobiographical complexities of diasporic exile and return in the period of the 1920s and 1930s. Chapter One explores McKay’s urban North American novel, Home to Harlem (1928). I suggest that we need to ‘reworld’ conceptions of McKay’s writing in order to release him from his canonical confinement in the Harlem Renaissance. Querying the problematics of the city space, of sexuality and of race as they emerge in the novel, this chapter considers McKay’s percipient understanding of the need to reconfigure diasporic identity beyond the limits set by American nationalism. Chapter Two engages with McKay’s novel of portside Marseilles, Banjo (1929), and considers the homosocial interactions of the vagabond collective. A comparison of North America and France as supposed exemplars of individual liberty highlights the unsuitability of nationalistic prerogatives to an internally diverse black diaspora. Paul Gilroy’s Black Atlantic construct provides a suggestive space in which to re-imagine the possibilities of affiliation in the port. The latter section of the chapter examines McKay’s particular influence on, and relationship, to the Négritude movement and Pan-African philosophies. Chapter Three focuses on McKay’s third novel, Banana Bottom (1933). I suggest here that the three novels comprise a coherent New World Trilogy comparable to Edward (Kamau) Brathwaite’s trilogy, The Arrivants. This chapter considers both the Caribbean and the transnational dimensions to McKay’s work.

Image denoise by fourth-order PDE based on the changes of laplacian

Fourth-order partial differential equation (PDE) proposed by You and Kaveh (You-Kaveh fourth-order PDE), which replaces the gradient operator in classical second-order nonlinear diffusion methods with a Laplacian operator, is able to avoid blocky effects often caused by second-order nonlinear PDEs. However, the equation brought forward by You and Kaveh tends to leave the processed images with isolated black and white speckles. Although You and Kaveh use median filters to filter these speckles, median filters can blur the processed images to some extent, which weakens the result of You-Kaveh fourth-order PDE. In this paper, the reason why You-Kaveh fourth-order PDE can leave the processed images with isolated black and white speckles is analyzed, and a new fourth-order PDE based on the changes of Laplacian (LC fourth-order PDE) is proposed and tested. The new fourth-order PDE preserves the advantage of You-Kaveh fourth-order PDE and avoids leaving isolated black and white speckles. Moreover, the new fourth-order PDE keeps the boundary from being blurred and preserves the nuance in the processed images, so, the processed images look very natural.

Canna tandilensis Ciciar. (Cannaceae-Zingiberales), a new species from Argentina.

Canna tandilensis is proposed as a species new to science. Plants grow wild terrestrial, in rocky places exposed to solar radiation forming dense colonies whose individuals of small to medium length, produce reduced inflorescences with large and few yellow to bright orange flowers and narrow and reflexed staminodes. The specific epithet refers to the city of Tandil at the south of Buenos Aires Province where the holotype comes from. It is related to other species having reduced inflorescences, narrow leaves and staminodes, and nectar guides in androecium pieces such as C. lineata. A detailed description of the new species is given, along with a study of the morphological vegetative and floral characters. These characters were compared with those from two other species C. glauca and C. lineata. According to these new evidences two groups of similar species of the genus are suggested. The number of species surveyed until now in Argentina rises to sixteen.