Contextual Effects on Hopelessness in the Second Half of the Life

Depression and suicidal ideation are tightly linked to the lack of hope in the future. Hopelessness begins with the occurrence of negative life events and develops through the perception that negative outcomes are stable and pervasive. Most of the research has investigated individual factors predicting hopelessness. However, other studies have shown that the social context may also play an important role: disadvantaged contexts exacerbate the feeling that future is unreachable and hopeless. In this study we investigate the role of shared emotions (emotional climates) on the sense of hopelessness during the second half of the life. Emotional climates have been defined as the emotional relationships constructed between members of a society and describe the quality of the environment within a particular community. We present results of multilevel analyses using data from the NCCR-LIVES769 project «Vulnerability and growth», the Swiss Household Panel and official statistics, that explore the relationship between characteristics of the Swiss cantons and hopelessness. Although hopelessness is mainly affected by individual factors as life events and personality, results show that canton socio-economic conditions and climates of optimism or pessimism have an effect on the individual perception of hopelessness. Individuals are more likely to feel hopeless after having experienced critical events (i.e., loss of the partner in the late life) in cantons with high rates of unemployment and with a high share of negative emotions. On the contrary, positive emotional climates play a protective role against hopelessness.

Predictors of death among patients who completed tuberculosis treatment: a population-based cohort study.

Background: Mortality among patients who complete tuberculosis (TB) treatment is still high among vulnerable populations. The objective of the study was to identify the probability of death and its predictive factors in a cohort of successfully treated TB patients. Methods: A population-based retrospective longitudinal study was performed in Barcelona, Spain. All patients who successfully completed TB treatment with culture-confirmation and available drug susceptibility testing between 1995 1997 were retrospectively followed-up until December 31, 2005 by the Barcelona TB Control Program. Socio-demographic, clinical, microbiological and treatment variables were examined. Mortality, TB Program and AIDS registries were reviewed. Kaplan-Meier and a Cox regression methods with time-dependent covariates were used for the survival analysis, calculating the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Among the 762 included patients, the median age was 36 years, 520 (68.2%) were male, 178 (23.4%) HIV-infected, and 208 (27.3%) were alcohol abusers. Of the 134 (17.6%) injecting drug users (IDU), 123 (91.8%) were HIV-infected. A total of 30 (3.9%) recurrences and 173 deaths (22.7%) occurred (mortality rate: 3.4/100 person-years of follow-up). The predictors of death were: age between 4160 years old (HR: 3.5; CI:2.15.7), age greater than 60 years (HR: 14.6; CI:8.924), alcohol abuse (HR: 1.7; CI:1.22.4) and HIV-infected IDU (HR: 7.9; CI:4.713.3). Conclusions: The mortality rate among TB patients who completed treatment is associated with vulnerable populations such as the elderly, alcohol abusers, and HIV-infected IDU. We therefore need to fight against poverty, and promote and develop interventions and social policies directed towards these populations to improve their survival.

2010 Energy Independence Plan

Iowans today operate in a world of change. From evolving economic conditions to environmental issues and demographic trends in our communities, we live and work in an atmosphere that constantly challenges us to think anew about our future. In Iowa, we are doing more than embracing these changes – we are seeking them. As a state focused on being the hub of investment and innovation for a new clean energy economy, our long term success depends on us staying ahead of these transformative waves. We do this all with attention to ensuring that we are investing in the right work to guarantee Iowa remains relevant, vibrant and connected to our vision for the next quarter of a century, not just the next quarter.

Evaluación del Proyecto Epikouros de Inserción Sociolaboral de Inmigrantes

El proyecto Epikouros del Ayuntamiento de Barcelona representa un modelo de servicio específico de orientación para la inserción sociolaboral dirigido a personas procedentes de la inmigración exterior y con situación socioeconómica deficitaria. El proyecto pretendía responder a las necesidad peculiares que estas personas tienen en su proceso de inserción sociolaboral en la ciudad de Barcelona. Su finalidad fue acercar a los colectivos, asociaciones y personas inmigrantes los distintos servicios de inserción sociolaboral normalizados del Ayuntamiento de Barcelona, a la vez que facilitar la coordinación y adaptación de éstos a las necesidades diferenciales que tiene esta población. El proyecto atendió a un total de 235 personas inmigrantes.

Una fuente histórica sobre la formación de la ideologia anarquista barcelonesa: Emili Salut i su obra

Quien busque en la respectiva sección bibliográfica las fuentes en que se basan las últimas obras sobre Salvador Seguí no encontrarán en ninguna de las tres el libro de emili SALUT: "Vivers de revolucionaris", aunque MOLAS y HUERTAS hacen referencia al mismo en el interior de sus respectivos textos.

“Nunca nos fuimos. Frontera, Memoria y Resistencia en la Flor de Maig”

El Ateneu Flor de Maig fue construido en Poblenou (Barcelona) hace más de cien años como sede de una de las mayores cooperativas de Catalunya. Desde su fundación hasta hoy día siempre ha estado ligado a la memoria del barrio, representando un símbolo de resistencia y cooperación para muchos de los vecinos del Poblenou. El pasado 2012 en el contexto de recortes que llevan a cabo las distintas administraciones públicas del Estado, el dinero municipal que proveía del pago del alquiler a los dueños del edificio y que ponía a disposición de los vecinos su uso, deja de llegar y éstos cierran sus puertas y con ello el espacio de articulación vecinal que suponía. Meses después, diversos colectivos del barrio agrupados bajo la Plataforma Recuperem La Flor de Maig, deciden “okupar” el edificio y convertirlo, según sus discursos, en un elemento de “transformación”, una alternativa frente al contexto de intervención y reforma urbana que representa el 22@ donde se dan la mano formas de gestión asamblearias, usos alternativos del espacio y una reivindicación del espíritu cooperativo inicial, dando así continuidad a toda una tradición de resistencia común. Sin embargo, los colectivos que okupan el Ateneu mantienen intereses y formas de entender su uso enfrentadas, lo que provoca conflictos y roces, no solo entre ellos sino también con otros vecinos del entorno, originando determinadas respuestas. Activistas, jóvenes de la izquierda independentista, desempleados, cooperativistas, emprendedores y artistas se mezclan en la Assemblea y Comisiones de la Flor de Maig. Desde la antropología nos podemos acercar a esa situación bajo la consideración de “frontera” en el uso del espacio. Este experimento “transformador” podría llegar a suponer, por otro lado, un “caballo de Troya” involuntario que ahonde en el proceso de desplazamiento de la población original del barrio iniciado hace unos años, favoreciendo su terciariación y aburguesamiento.

Estudi sociològic del lleure al món rural de Catalunya i Guatemala. L'oci a la població de 50 a 70 anys de Malla i San Juan la Laguna, semblances i diferències

L’estudi que es presenta a continuació té l’objectiu de comprendre quina és la realitat ociosa de les persones de 50 a 70 anys als municipis de Malla (Catalunya, Espanya) i de San Juan la Laguna (Sololá, Guatemala) des de la perspectiva humanista en termes de concepció i pràctica, i veure quina és la influència i la força que prenen les característiques de la societat en la qual es desenvolupa. Per tal de dur-ho a terme, primerament s’ha realitzat un procés d’aproximació respecte el concepte de l’oci, i una recerca concreta vers l’oci humanista. A partir d’aquí, s’ha fet l’estudi amb una mostra formada per deu persones del municipi de Malla i deu membres de San Juan la Laguna que es troben entre els 50 i 70 anys, i amb unes condicions econòmiques i uns estils de vida diferents. Per tal de realitzar la recerca i l’anàlisi de l’oci humanista en els contexts de Malla i San Juan la Laguna s’ha emprat una metodologia qualitativa, i s’ha utilitzat l’instrument corresponent a l’entrevista. Aquesta ha estat elaborada prenent com a marc de referència la metodologia de la Grounded Theory (Glaser y Strauss, 1967). El projecte també compte amb una vessant d’etnografia. Els resultats que s’han obtingut demostren que hi ha una presència significativa de l’oci humanista en els contexts analitzats, però que en el cas de San Juan la Laguna aquest esdevé un element en construcció.

Medio siglo de cambios paisajísticos en la montaña mediterránea. Percepción y valoración social del paisaje en la alta Garrotxa (Girona)

Rural depopulation and abandonment of farming activities have resulted in an intense transformation of the characteristic landscapes of Mediterranean mountains. A dynamic characterized by an intense process of expansion of forested cover in detriment to livestock and agricultural areas. This process, which produces effects such as biodiversity and cultural heritage loss and contributes to the spread of wildfires, can be mapped, quantified and described with high accuracy through the means of digital mapping, geographic information systems and landscape indexes. But what is the perception and valuation of these changes by the stakeholders involved in the management of these territories? This article attempts to answer this question in the protected area of Alta Garrotxa (Girona), where a strong correlation between landscape dynamics and their perception by the stakeholders is revealed. On the other hand, the valuation and future prospects produce diverse and often contradictory points of views that illustrate the existing difficulties to management

European Integration Without EU Membership : Models, Experiences, Perspectives

At the beginning of the 1990s, the concept of "European integration" could still be said to be fairly unambiguous. Nowadays, it has become plural and complex almost to the point of unintelligibility. This is due, of course, to the internal differentiation of EU membership, with several Member States pulling out of key integrative projects such as establishing an area without frontiers, the "Schengen" area, and a common currency. But this is also due to the differentiated extension of key integrative projects to European non-EU countries - Schengen is again a case in point. Such processes of "integration without membership", the focus of the present publication, are acquiring an ever-growing topicality both in the political arena and in academia. International relations between the EU and its neighbouring countries are crucial for both, and their development through new agreements features prominently on the continent's political agenda. Over and above this aspect, the dissemination of EU values and standards beyond the Union's borders raises a whole host of theoretical and methodological questions, unsettling in some cases traditional conceptions of the autonomy and separation of national legal orders. This publication brings together the papers presented at the Integration without EU Membership workshop held in May 2008 at the EUI (Max Weber Programme and Department of Law). It aims to compare different models and experiences of integration between the EU, on the one hand, and those European countries that do not currently have an accession perspective on the other hand. In delimiting the geographical scope of the inquiry, so as to scale it down to manageable proportions, the guiding principles have been to include both the "Eastern" and "Western" neighbours of the EU, and to examine both structured frameworks of cooperation, such as the European Neighbourhood Policy and the European Economic Area, and bilateral relations developing on a more ad hoc basis. These principles are reflected in the arrangement of the papers, which consider in turn the positions of Ukraine, Russia, Norway, and Switzerland in European integration - current standing, perspectives for evolution, consequences in terms of the EU-ization of their respective legal orders1. These subjects are examined from several perspectives. We had the privilege of receiving contributions from leading practitioners and scholars from the countries concerned, from EU highranking officials, from prominent specialists in EU external relations law, and from young and talented researchers. We wish to thank them all here for their invaluable insights. We are moreover deeply indebted to Marise Cremona (EUI, Law Department, EUI) for her inspiring advice and encouragement, as well as to Ramon Marimon, Karin Tilmans, Lotte Holm, Alyson Price and Susan Garvin (Max Weber Programme, EUI) for their unflinching support throughout this project. A word is perhaps needed on the propriety and usefulness of the research concept embodied in this publication. Does it make sense to compare the integration models and experiences of countries as different as Norway, Russia, Switzerland, and Ukraine? Needless to say, this list of four evokes a staggering diversity of political, social, cultural, and economic conditions, and at least as great a diversity of approaches to European integration. Still, we would argue that such diversity only makes comparisons more meaningful. Indeed, while the particularities and idiosyncratic elements of each "model" of integration are fully displayed in the present volume, common themes and preoccupations run through the pages of every contribution: the difficulty in conceptualizing the finalité and essence of integration, which is evident in the EU today but which is greatly amplified for non-EU countries; the asymmetries and tradeoffs between integration and autonomy that are inherent in any attempt to participate in European integration from outside; the alteration of deeply seated legal concepts, and concepts about the law, that are already observable in the most integrated of the non-EU countries concerned. These issues are not transient or coincidental: they are inextricably bound up with the integration of non-EU countries in the EU project. By publishing this collection, we make no claim to have dealt with them in an exhaustive, still less in a definitive manner. Our ambition is more modest: to highlight the relevance of these themes, to place them more firmly on the scientific agenda, and to provide a stimulating basis for future research and reflection.

Anàlisis antropològica de les restes neolítiques de la Caserna de Sant Pau (Biometria, Dentició, ADN i Microestriació Dentària).

Les restes esquelètiques analitzades corresponen tant al nivell neolític (n=26) com a l"època del bronze (n=2), encara que aquí es presenten tan sols els resultats de la població neolítica (taula 1). En tots els casos les sepultures són individuals, amb l"única excepció de la sepultura 20, on s"han recuperat les restes corresponents a un individu femení adult (CSP201) i un fetus (CSP202) (taula 1). Per tal de caracteritzar biomètricament la població s"ha emprat la metodologia proposada per Martin i Saller (1959), Brothwell (1981) i Bass (1971). La determinació del sexe s"ha realitzat a través dels caràcters sexuals secundaris del crani i de la pelvis, i se"n pot trobar una descripció més detallada a Estebaranz et alii (2007). En el cas específic de les paleopatologies es van seguir les recomanacions de Campillo (Campillo, 1977).

De què vas, tio?

My study is based on an ethnography of two groups of young people from working-class neighbourhoods in Barcelona. I was interested in researching the impact of Catalan language policies on the identities of young people of Spanish-speaking immigrant families. I sought to go beyond the constraints of traditional structuralist approaches in Sociolinguistics in order to make my analysis relevant to people working for gender equality, the promotion of the Catalan language, or other social causes. I combine ideas from Bakhtin, Bourdieu, Fairclough, Foucault and Goffman to build a dialectical, historical, process-centred perspective that conceptualises practices in terms of social and political struggles.I analyse young people's peer-group activities in terms of their significance for the construction of gender identities. I propose a variety of forms of masculinity and femininity according to the various ways in which members organised their gender displays in face-to-face interaction.I also show how their use of argot and dialectal Spanish was part of the processes whereby members defined their relationships, constructed particular subject positions in interaction and struggled to legitimate their own values.I explore the meanings constructed through Catalan and Spanish by looking into the code-switching practices of my participants. I analysed their talk in terms of narratives that present particular sequential dramatisations of events for conversational audiences. These narratives follow the expressive intention of the author, and are populated with multiple voices of animated characters. I argue that, in the groups I studied, Catalan was generally not used to animate the voices that were central to the identities of the peer-group, and particularly to masculine identities.In order to contextualise these practices within the wider society, I also look into the processes of language choice in face-to-face encounters. I argue that existing conventions made it difficult for people to find opportunities to speak Catalan. I also pointed to the difficulties that my participants had to find employment, which were particularly acute amongst the more politically aware individuals. I conclude that these young working-class people had little possibilities of investing in more egalitarian forms of identity given their lack of resources and opportunities to develop their identities in other social spaces, such as the workplace.

Art, història i ideologia. Programes de les cases i palaus barcelonins al segle XVIII

El fet que la pintura decorativa del darrer quart del Set-cents sigui una de les manifestacions plàstiques més interessants de la producción catalana del moment ha estat el motor impulsor de la nostra dedicació al tema dins el marc del projecte de recerca ACAF/ART. Així, centrarem la nostra ponéncia en els programes decoratius del palaus barcelonins d'aquest període.

Antipsychotic polypharmacy in a regional health service: a population-based study

Background To analyse the extent and profile of outpatient regular dispensation of antipsychotics, both in combination and monotherapy, in the Barcelona Health Region (Spain), focusing on the use of clozapine and long-acting injections (LAI). Methods Antipsychotic drugs dispensed for people older than 18 and processed by the Catalan Health Service during 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. First and second generation antipsychotic drugs (FGA and SGA) from the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification (ATC) code N05A (except lithium) were included. A patient selection algorithm was designed to identify prescriptions regularly dispensed. Variables included were age, gender, antipsychotic type, route of administration and number of packages dispensed. Results A total of 117,811 patients were given any antipsychotic, of whom 71,004 regularly received such drugs. Among the latter, 9,855 (13.9%) corresponded to an antipsychotic combination, 47,386 (66.7%) to monotherapy and 13,763 (19.4%) to unspecified combinations. Of the patients given antipsychotics in association, 58% were men. Olanzapine (37.1%) and oral risperidone (36.4%) were the most common dispensations. Analysis of the patients dispensed two antipsychotics (57.8%) revealed 198 different combinations, the most frequent being the association of FGA and SGA (62.0%). Clozapine was dispensed to 2.3% of patients. Of those who were receiving antipsychotics in combination, 6.6% were given clozapine, being clozapine plus amisulpride the most frequent association (22.8%). A total of 3.800 patients (5.4%) were given LAI antipsychotics, and 2.662 of these (70.1%) were in combination. Risperidone was the most widely used LAI. Conclusions The scant evidence available regarding the efficacy of combining different antipsychotics contrasts with the high number and variety of combinations prescribed to outpatients, as well as with the limited use of clozapine. Background To analyse the extent and profile of outpatient regular dispensation of antipsychotics, both in combination and monotherapy, in the Barcelona Health Region (Spain), focusing on the use of clozapine and long-acting injections (LAI). Methods Antipsychotic drugs dispensed for people older than 18 and processed by the Catalan Health Service during 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. First and second generation antipsychotic drugs (FGA and SGA) from the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification (ATC) code N05A (except lithium) were included. A patient selection algorithm was designed to identify prescriptions regularly dispensed. Variables included were age, gender, antipsychotic type, route of administration and number of packages dispensed. Results A total of 117,811 patients were given any antipsychotic, of whom 71,004 regularly received such drugs. Among the latter, 9,855 (13.9%) corresponded to an antipsychotic combination, 47,386 (66.7%) to monotherapy and 13,763 (19.4%) to unspecified combinations. Of the patients given antipsychotics in association, 58% were men. Olanzapine (37.1%) and oral risperidone (36.4%) were the most common dispensations. Analysis of the patients dispensed two antipsychotics (57.8%) revealed 198 different combinations, the most frequent being the association of FGA and SGA (62.0%). Clozapine was dispensed to 2.3% of patients. Of those who were receiving antipsychotics in combination, 6.6% were given clozapine, being clozapine plus amisulpride the most frequent association (22.8%). A total of 3.800 patients (5.4%) were given LAI antipsychotics, and 2.662 of these (70.1%) were in combination. Risperidone was the most widely used LAI. Conclusions The scant evidence available regarding the efficacy of combining different antipsychotics contrasts with the high number and variety of combinations prescribed to outpatients, as well as with the limited use of clozapine.

Can wild ungulate carcasses provide enough biomass to maintain avian scavenger populations? An empirical assessment using a bio-inspired computational model

Background: The reduction in the amount of food available for European avian scavengers as a consequence of restrictive public health policies is a concern for managers and conservationists. Since 2002, the application of several sanitary regulations has limited the availability of feeding resources provided by domestic carcasses, but theoretical studies assessing whether the availability of food resources provided by wild ungulates are enough to cover energetic requirements are lacking. Methodology/Findings: We assessed food provided by a wild ungulate population in two areas of NE Spain inhabited by three vulture species and developed a P System computational model to assess the effects of the carrion resources provided on their population dynamics. We compared the real population trend with to a hypothetical scenario in which only food provided by wild ungulates was available. Simulation testing of the model suggests that wild ungulates constitute an important food resource in the Pyrenees and the vulture population inhabiting this area could grow if only the food provided by wild ungulates would be available. On the contrary, in the Pre-Pyrenees there is insufficient food to cover the energy requirements of avian scavenger guilds, declining sharply if biomass from domestic animals would not be available. Conclusions/Significance: Our results suggest that public health legislation can modify scavenger population trends if a large number of domestic ungulate carcasses disappear from the mountains. In this case, food provided by wild ungulates could be not enough and supplementary feeding could be necessary if other alternative food resources are not available (i.e. the reintroduction of wild ungulates), preferably in European Mediterranean scenarios sharing similar and socio-economic conditions where there are low densities of wild ungulates. Managers should anticipate the conservation actions required by assessing food availability and the possible scenarios in order to make the most suitable decisions.

Du retraité méritant au senior actif : genèse et transformations de la figure sociale de la vieillesse en Suisse

«Crise de l'assurance-vieillesse », «déséquilibre démographique», «vieillissement de la population », « faillite des systèmes de retraite », voilà des expressions qui occupent une place prépondérante dans tes discours portant sur l'avenir de la sécurité sociale aujourd'hui. Les autorités politiques suisses comme européennes font part de leur inquiétude face à la situation d'urgence que présenteraient les « sociétés vieillissantes ». En effet, alors que F assurance-vieillesse s'adressait initialement à une catégorie résiduelle de personnes qui parvenait à vivre plusieurs années au-delà de 65 ans, elle couvre maintenant près d'un cinquième de la population globale. Partant, les autorités fédérales appellent à une restriction des conditions d'accès à la rente de vieillesse. À première vue, les débats qui portent sur cette question dans l'arène politique relèvent de considérations essentiellement techniques liées aux conditions économiques de perpétuation de l'assurances-vieillesse. Il s'agit de modifier les règles d'accès à l'assurance ainsi que le montant des prestations afin d'assainir les caisses tout en faisant face à l'augmentation du nombre de retraités. Ce travail de thèse aborde cette question par une autre approche. Nous partons du postulat que les débats portant sur l'avenir de la politique de la vieillesse sont révélateurs d'une lutte entre acteurs du champ de régulation sociale qui participent d'un travail d'élaboration d'une pensée d'Etat, au sens de P Bourdieu. Cette lutte a pour objet l'imposition de catégories de pensées, soit la définition de ce qu'est un âgé aujourd'hui et de ce qu'il est moralement acceptable d'attendre de lui Nous montrons que cette question peut être comprise à l'aune de l'histoire du traitement social de la vieillesse dont nous relatons ici la genèse et les transformations. Nous soulignons également combien cette pensée d'Etat marque la manière dont les retraités aujourd'hui cherchent à se valoriser face à la déstabilisation de leur statut social. Summary "Crisis of social insurance for older people", "demographic imbalance", "aging of the population", "bankruptcy of pensions systems" ; these are some of the many expressions that today play a importance part in discussion about the future of social security. The Swiss and European political authorities show they are concerned about the crisis that "aging societies" are said to be facing. Indeed, while social insurance for old age used to concern a residual category of people who managet! to live to more than 65 years old, it now covers about a fifth of the global population. Hence, the Federal authorities are calling for a tightening of the conditions for access to retirement benefits. At first glance, the debates in the political arena »elated to (his question mainly deal with technical considerations linked to the economic conditions for the perpetuation of the insurance for old age. Ease of access and the level of the benefits have to be reduced in order to balance the funds, in the face of the rise of the number beneficiaries. This thesis study addresses this question through a different approach. We start from the proposition that debates concerning the future of social policy for old age reveal a struggle between those involved in (he field of social regulation ; this struggle is part of the development of the thought of the State as conceived by P. Bourdieu. The aim of this fight is to impose normative categories of thought, that is to say in relation to our subject, the definition of what an older person is today and what is morally acceptable to expect of him or her. We show that this question can be understood in the light of the the history of the social treatment of old age that we report here. Moreover, we show that this thought of the State explains the way retired people seek to value themselves and confront the destabilisation of their social status.