Green Party Factionalism. The Case of the Federation of Ecologists Alternatives, Greece

To date, the Federation of Ecologists Alternatives (FEA) is the only Greek green party to have achieved representation in Parliament. Based on written accounts of the period and in-depth interviews with the main protagonists, this article offers a theoretical explanation of FEA's short-lived trajectory (1989-92), describing it as a case of 'primordial factionalism': a case of intraparty factionalism stemming from externally imposed stresses rather than any internal debate about ideological purity (the classical Realo/Fundi conflict). The article maintains that in such cases, it is highly probable for an emerging green party to disintegrate during its formative period, thus adding a new perspective to classical green party factionalism theories.

The visual representation of the “indignados”. A visual analysis about the characterization of the participants of the 15-M movement.

The aim of this work is to show the type of media coverage done by the newspapers La Razón, El País and Público about the 15-M social movement during the time that the camping at Sol took place. Specifically, in terms of how the characterization of the “indignados” (outraged) got made. Based on our previous descriptive observations, we approached a visual analysis of the photographs published on the paper editions of those mainstream media from May 15-June 12 of the 2011. we started from a total sample of 379 items, developing:1) A content analysis of La Razón, El País, and Público; the most frequents words of each media, articles classifications from the reviews found on them (expositive, positive-evaluation, negative-evaluation).2) An analysis of the 408 images obtained from the total sample, which establishes a clear evolution of the “indignados” profile and how differently each media took the movement as such. That’s, when they stop naming them “indignados”, and recognize its nature as social movement by calling it: “Movimiento 15-M"...

Internal mammary artery smooth muscle cells resist migration and possess high antioxidant capacity

Objective: This study investigated whether differences exist in atherogen-induced migratory behaviors and basal antioxidant enzyme capacity of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from human coronary (CA) and internal mammary (IMA) arteries. Methods: Migration experiments were performed using the Dunn chemotaxis chamber. The prooxidant [NAD(P)H oxidase] and antioxidant [NOS, superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase] enzyme activities were determined by specific assays. Results: Chemotaxis experiments revealed that while both sets of VSMC migrated towards platelet-derived growth factor-BB (1-50 ng/ml) and angiotensin II (1-50 nM), neither oxidized-LDL (ox-LDL, 25-100 ng/ml) nor native LDL (100 ng/ml) affected chemotaxis in IMA VSMC. However, high dose ox-LDL produced significant chemotaxis in CAVSMC that was inhibited by pravastatin (100 nM), mevastatin (10 nM), losartan (10 nM), enalapril (1 micro.M), and MnTBAP (a free radical scavenger, 50 micro.M). Microinjection experiments with isoprenoids i.e. geranylgeranylpyrophosphate (GGPP) and farnesylpyrophosphate (FPP) showed distinct involvement of small GTPases in atherogeninduced VSMC migration. Significant increases in antioxidant enzyme activities and nitrite production along with marked decreases in NAD(P)H oxidase activity and superoxide levels were determined in IMA versus CA VSMC. Conclusions: Enhanced intrinsic antioxidant capacity may confer on IMAVSMC resistance to migration against atherogenic agents. Drugs that regulate ox-LDL or angiotensin II levels also exert antimigratory effects.

'A Job in Politics is not for Woman': Analysing Barriers to Women's Political Representation in CEE

This article discusses women’s political representation in Central and Eastern Europe in the fifteen years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the adoption of liberal democratic political systems in the region. It highlights the deepseated gender stereotypes that define women primarily as wives and mothers, with electoral politics seen as an appropriate activity for men, but less so for women. The article explores the ways in which conservative attitudes on gender roles hinders the supply of, and demand for, women in the politics of Central and Eastern Europe. It also discusses the manner in which the internalisation of traditional gender norms affects women’s parliamentary behaviour, as few champion women’s rights in the legislatures of the region. The article also finds that links between women MPs and women’s organisations are weak and fragmented, making coalition-building around agendas for women’s rights problematic.

Quantum teleportation via mixed two-mode squeezed states in the coherent-state representation

Quantum teleportation for continuous variables is generally described in phase space by using the Wigner functions. We study quantum teleportation via a mixed two-mode squeezed state in Hilbert-Schmidt space by using the coherent-state representation and operators. This shows directly how the teleported state is related to the original state.

The (in)visible scar. Representation of the body in blogs by women with breast cancer

In this paper we analyze the representation of the body in blogs by women with breast cancer. Taking into account both texts and images, we study the representation of the body on the basis of the body problems proposed by Frank (1995): control, body-relatedness, other-relatedness and desire. In the blogs studied we find a desiring and dyadic body, which is understood as part of a network of affection and care. The diagnosis of cancer can generate both dissociation, when the body is experienced as a threat, and association, a wish to be connected to it. In relation to control, a clear will of predictability is observed but traces of assumption of contingency also appear.