Ordres contradictoires et coordination destructive: le malaise iranien

The concept of ‘mode of coordination’ captures the way economy is embedded in social relationships and influences the integration of society through an ‘instituted process.’ Three main typical or ideal modes of coordination have been identified in the literature, namely the market, the bureaucratic and the ethical (reciprocity) modes of coordination (Polanyi 1944, [1957] 1968, Lindblom 1977, and Kornai, 1984, 1992). Our purpose is to introduce another type of coordination that we name ‘destructive mode of coordination’. It is social organisation through intimidation, threat and the use of coercive means. This type of coordination has almost been entirely neglected in the literature, although it has existed since ancient times in different forms and varieties. A typical recent illustration is the social order under the Islamic Republic of Iran. Iran is not the sole example in the Middle East; many others can be cited in that region as well as in Africa and Latin America. Destructive coordination also describes sectoral logic of the Military Industrial Complex in developed market economies like the United States, and in Post Socialist economies such as Russia and China. Historically, colonialism, the ‘primitive accumulation of capital’, and the Stalinist regime from 1933 to1938 may be invoked as examples from the recent past. Looting tribes and pirate colonies in the past and present provide other illustrations. Although I will refer to all these evidences, my main focus will be Iran since the 1979 revolution

Monitoring mountains in a changing world: new horizons for the Global Network for Observations and Information on Mountain Environments (GEO-GNOME)

Mountains are globally distributed environments that provide significant societal benefits, a function that is increasingly compromised by climatic change, environmental stress, political and socioeconomic transformations, and unsustainable use of natural resources. Gaps in our understanding of these processes and their interactions limit our capacity to inform decisions, where both generalities of mountain regions (eg climate processes) and specificities (eg context-specific manifestations of climate risks) matter. The Global Network for Observations and Information on Mountain Environments (GEO-GNOME), a Group on Earth Observations initiative, aims to fill these gaps through accessible Earth Observation (EO) as well as in-situ data and information on global change drivers, conditions, and trends. A workshop convened by the Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) revised GEO-GNOME's work plan, galvanizing a network that promotes relevant monitoring of global change in mountains and is responsive to the integrated knowledge needs of policy, research, and management

Neuroinflammation, Mast Cells, and Glia: Dangerous Liaisons

The perspective of neuroinflammation as an epiphenomenon following neuron damage is being replaced by the awareness of glia and their importance in neural functions and disorders. Systemic inflammation generates signals that communicate with the brain and leads to changes in metabolism and behavior, with microglia assuming a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Identification of potential peripheral-to-central cellular links is thus a critical step in designing effective therapeutics. Mast cells may fulfill such a role. These resident immune cells are found close to and within peripheral nerves and in brain parenchyma/meninges, where they exercise a key role in orchestrating the inflammatory process from initiation through chronic activation. Mast cells and glia engage in crosstalk that contributes to accelerate disease progression; such interactions become exaggerated with aging and increased cell sensitivity to stress. Emerging evidence for oligodendrocytes, independent of myelin and support of axonal integrity, points to their having strong immune functions, innate immune receptor expression, and production/response to chemokines and cytokines that modulate immune responses in the central nervous system while engaging in crosstalk with microglia and astrocytes. In this review, we summarize the findings related to our understanding of the biology and cellular signaling mechanisms of neuroinflammation, with emphasis on mast cell-glia interactions

Infant feeding practices and growth outcomes of Rastafarian children

This study was undertaken to determine Rastafarian infancy and childhood feeding practices and to analyze the effects of this vegan diet on the nutrient intake and growth of Rastafarian infants and children. The Rastafarian cult originated in Jamaica, West Indies. Rastafarians have special religious, dietary and social guidelines, including many dietary prohibitions. The daily spiritual ritual includes smoking marijuana. Forty children of immigrant Rastafarians living in Miami were assessed to analyze their vegan diet and its effects on their nutrient intake and growth. All children had been breast-fed for an average of two years in conjunction with the early addition of foods. Bush teas were preferred to soy formulas and were used medicinally. Excluding the three infants, the children were grouped according to age; one to three years old, n=ll; four to six years old, n=16; over six years, n=10. Among all groups, calories, calcium and B12 intakes were below 100% of the RDA. In the two older groups, B12 intake was less than 67% of the RDA and in the oldest group, calories were also less than 67% of the RDA. Z-scores were used to compare anthropometric data obtained at various ages. Although weights, lengths and weight of length were above the means, there was a negative correlation of weight for length with age. Growth percentile categories for weight, weight for length, and triceps skinfold decreased with age. The B12 intake and weight of one to three year olds were correlated (p=.01). Among four to six year olds, there was a correlation between B12 intake and both length (p=.01) and weight for length (p=.04). Among the oldest group, there are a negative correlation between B12 and weight (p=.O4); calories and length (p=.O3); and calories and weight for length (p=.006). Sub-optimal nutrient intakes of B12, calories and calcium in this population are similar to findings in other vegan groups

Master of Philosophy

dissertationThe current focus of health care reform is on improving quality of care, health care processes, and outcomes while decreasing costs. Researchers have found that 'caring' is an important component of quality health care from the consumer's perspective. Patient responses to 'caring' experiences may facilitate recovery and well-being. Responses to 'noncaring' may actually interfere with therapeutic outcomes and the patient's well-being. Experiences during hospitalization can greatly influence the consumer's perception of the quality of health care received, and his or her ability to cope and adapt in an unfamiliar and sometimes threatening environment. This study describes the responses of consumers to 'caring' and 'noncaring' experiences during hospitalization from the perspective of consumers. The researcher interviewed 20 patients who had undergone orthopedic surgery in an inpatient setting at approximately 5 days postadmission to the orthopedic unit, and again 8 weeks later in their home environment. Participants were asked to describe their responses to caring and noncaring experiences during hospitalization; how they elicit caring from providers; what they do to prevent or protect themselves from noncaring; and what helps them recover from noncaring experiences. The researcher also examined how Swanson's mid-range theory of caring fit with consumers' descriptions of caring and noncaring experiences in an orthopedic surgical setting. Four themes emerged from responses to caring experiences: 'The Way,' 'Mutual Knowing,' 'Demonstrating Expertise,' and 'Being in Tune.' The themes emerging from noncaring experiences are, 'The Way,' 'Not Knowing Me,' 'Doubting the Provider's Expertise,' and 'Being Unresponsive.' Patients responded to caring experiences by being encouraged to get through or endure, having decreased anxiety and more calming, developing a positive attitude, having hope for recovery, understanding the plan of care, building trust, and perceiving healing faster. In contrast, when receiving noncaring patients described feeling emotionally upset, suffering physically, not understanding the plan of care, losing trust and security, feeling unsafe, having anxiety about subsequent health care and providers, and utilizing protective and preventive approaches to cope and protect themselves. Interventions emerged that may allow providers to begin to facilitate recovery from noncaring. Responses to caring and noncaring greatly influenced the consumer's well-being, perception of the quality of health care received, and his or her satisfaction

SHARING THE WEALTH: FACTORS INFLUENCING RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN THE SHARING GAME

Students chose between two allocation options, one that gave the allocator more and another participant still more (the “optimal” choice) and one which gave the allocator less and the other participant still less (the “competitive” choice). In a within-subjects design, students' behavior patterns were significantly correlated across the two rounds of decision-making; however, students allocated more optimally when the allocation involved real rather than hypothetical money, suggesting that both motivational context and individuals' personality and/or experience influence preference patterns. The nature of the putative other participant did not affect the allocation: students allocated in a comparable fashion whether the other participant was said to be male, female, or a computer