RECENT ADVANCES IN KHAT RESEARCH

Khat leaves are widely used as a stimulant in East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and the effect of the material was formerly believed to be due to its content of norpseudoephed-rine. Recently, however, a new alkaloid, cathinone, has been discovered in khat, and this substance was found to be a potent compound with a pharmacological profile closely resembling that of amphetamine. It was also found that cathinone has the same mechanism of action as amphetamine, i.e. that it causes release at physiological catecholamine storage sites. The present report summarizes the pharmacology of cathinone and shows that this alkaloid must be considered to be the main active constituent of kha

MECHANISM OF ACTION OF (−)CATHINONE, A NEW ALKALOID FROM KHAT LEAVES

A new alkaloid, (−)cathinone, has recently been isolated from khat leaves and has been shown to induce amphetamine-like behavioural effects. The actions of this alkaloid at the cellular level are discussed here and it is concluded that (−)cathinone resembles amphetamine in influencing catecholamine release both centrally and peripherally. As it is likely that the central and peripheral symptoms observed during khat consumption are due to these effects of (−)cathinone, it can be assumed that the widespread habit of khat chewing is pharmacologically analogous to amphetamine abus

Retos etnográficos: analizando el movimiento slow food en Brasil y Alemania

In this article we discuss the benefits and challenges involved in conducting a comparative ethnography between Latin American and European countries. Our starting point is the study of the Slow Food movement, which began in Italy in the late 1980s and has been an international movement since 1989. Today it is present in over 160 countries around the world. We focus our study on this food movement in Brazil and Germany, two countries whose different contexts ensure that richness is brought to this comparison. Our aim is to understand how the structures, agenda and modes of action differ in Latin America and Europe. The challenges involved in conducting a comparative study of this nature begin with the research design and how to select units of analysis that can be compared with research methods conducted in situ. The work presented in this paper is the result of a multisite ethnography (which often needed to become a virtual ethnography) that used direct observations and in-depth interviews to collect the data for analysis. The challenge of conducting ethnography in such diverse contexts was always a component of this project – even before the pandemic. Here we report those challenges and their solutions, as well as the opportunities that emerged from this comparison.En este artículo se discuten los retos y beneficios de hacer una etnografía comparativa entre países latinoamericanos y europeos. Para ello, se toma como punto de partida el estudio del movimiento slow food, que comenzó en Italia a finales de la década de 1980 y se internacionalizó a partir de 1989. Hoy está presente en más de 160 países del mundo. Este artículo parte del estudio de este movimiento alimentario en Brasil y Alemania. La selección de los dos países se basó en la riqueza que estos contextos distintos podían aportar a la comparación. El objetivo es entender cómo difieren las estructuras, agenda y modos de acción de Latinoamérica y Europa. El reto de hacer un estudio comparativo de esta naturaleza empieza en el diseño de la investigación, desde la selección de unidades de análisis que puedan ser comparables a métodos de investigación in situ. El trabajo que aquí se presenta es el resultado de una etnografía multisituada, que muchas veces tuvo que convertirse en una etnografía virtual, con observaciones directas y entrevistas en profundidad para poder extraer los datos analizados. El reto de hacer una etnografía en contextos tan diversos ya formaba parte del proyecto, incluso antes de la pandemia. Aquí se discutirán los desafíos, las soluciones y las posibilidades que emergen de este tipo de comparación

Os inventários do patrimônio alimentar brasileiro : possibilidades para o incremento do turismo gastronômico?

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Centro de Excelência em Turismo, Mestrado Profissional em Turismo, 2016.O aumento do número de programas de televisão, blogs e sites especializados demonstram um crescimento do interesse da população brasileira pela gastronomia. No entanto, o que se observa, numa análise rápida, é um movimento de homogeneização da alimentação baseado em padrões internacionais e pouca exploração do potencial gastronômico do país pelo turismo. Diante desse cenário, este trabalho analisa os processos de inventariação do Patrimônio Alimentar Brasileiro desenvolvidos pelo IPHAN, INPI e Slow Food, compara-os e analisa como eles são utilizados para o desenvolvimento políticas públicas de fomento do turismo gastronômico no país. Para isso, analisam-se também os projetos e ações voltados a esse segmento desenvolvidos pelos ministérios do Turismo, da Cultura e do Desenvolvimento Agrário. Como sustentação teórica, discute-se a importância da gastronomia como parte da cultura, memória e identidade de uma população, os processos de patrimonialização que se desenvolveram no último século, o papel do turismo nessa relação e as possibilidades para a democratização do patrimônio. Parte-se da metodologia da análise documental para examinar esses inventários e políticas públicas e compará-los. Dessa forma, é possível verificar nossa hipótese de que esses inventários não se comunicam e que, portanto, as ações de promoção do turismo gastronômico no Brasil ainda não os levam em conta.The increase of TV shows, blogs, and specialized websites shows a rise of Brazilian population interesting for gastronomy. However, in quick analyses, it is possible to observe a food homogenization movement, based on international standards and almost none exploration of the country’s gastronomic potential by tourism. Given this scenario, this dissertation analyses the inventory process of Brazilian Food Heritage developed by IPHAN, INPI and Slow Food, compares then and analyses how they are used to improve public policies of food tourism’s promotion in Brazil. To achieve that, the projects related to this segment developed by Tourism, Culture and Agrarian Development cabinets are also included in the field of analysis. The importance of gastronomy as part of a population’s culture, memory and identity, the heritage’s inventory process that took place in the last century, the tourism role in this relation and the possibilities to democratizing the national heritage are discussed as theoretical underpinning. Methodologies of documental analysis were applied to investigate the inventories and public policies. Therefore, it is possible to verify the hypothesis that these inventories do not touch base one with the others, and, consequently, the projects aiming to promote food tourism in Brazil do not take them into account yet

Evaluation of the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of Khat (Catha edulis Forsk) extracts on human T lymphoblastoid cell line

This paper reports on an investigation of the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of khat extract using a human T lymphoblastoid cell line (CEM). Exponentially growing CEM cells were cultured for 12 h in the presence of khat extract (0-2000 μg ml-1). Statistically significant, dose-dependent increases in; CEM cell death at dose (> 400 μg ml-1), in DNA damage at dose (>200 μg ml-1) and in micronuclei frequency, at dose (>200 μg ml-1) were observed. The genetic damage effects of khat extract on human cell line observed in this study could serve as a major contribution towards the understanding and creating of awareness of an increased risk of cancer amongst long-term khat consumers

As relações entre cultura alimentar e turismo

This paper aims to discuss the connections between Food Culture and Tourism. In a context in which Brazilian Gastronomy has had an international evidence, would it have in the country any relation between Food Culture and tourism? In an attempt to answer this question, this paper draws a theoretical review of Food as cultural construction. To do so, it goes through the concepts of culture, identity and memory ”“ and how they build up some aspects of Brazilians Food Cultures. From there, it presents the discussion of Tourism formation and how it relates to Food Culture. It ends analyzing how this relation’s process is constructed in Brazil. It is pointed out that the diversity of Brazilian Food Culture aspects can be used by public politics to foment the Gastronomic Tourism in the country: valuing the cultural identity and empowering local populations.O presente artigo tem a finalidade de aprofundar na discussão das relações entre cultura alimentar e turismo. Em um contexto de maior evidência comercial da gastronomia brasileira internacionalmente, haveria uma aliança entre ela e o turismo no país? Para responder à essa inquietação, trata-se, através de uma revisão teórica, da formação de cultura alimentar e como, a partir dos conceitos de cultura, identidade e memória, foram se construindo alguns dos aspectos das culturas alimentares brasileiras. A partir disso, discute-se a formação do turismo, sua relação com a cultura alimentar e o processo de construção de entendimento dessa relação no Brasil

Deaths of individuals aged 16-24 years in the UK after using mephedrone

Objective: Mephedrone is a stimulant drug chemically related to amphetamine, with effects similar to those of amphetamine and cocaine. This study aims to analyse fatalities following ingestion of mephedrone in the UK amongst 16-24 year olds in 2009-13, providing an update on data presented at the 2nd International Conference on Novel Psychoactive Substances. Methods: A literature search was undertaken to identify published information on pharmacology, toxicity, and fatalities associated with mephedrone. Fatalities involving mephedrone were extracted from the National Programme on Substance Abuse Deaths database, which receives information on drug-related deaths from Coroners in the UK and Islands and other data suppliers. Selection criteria: deceased aged 16-24 at time of death; mephedrone directly implicated in the cause of death and/or mentioned in the Coroner’s verdict. Results: Thirty cases met the study criteria and, when known, all were of White ethnicity, most (85%) had a history of drug use and 73% were male. Two-thirds (63%) were accidental poisonings. Mephedrone was used with other substances in most cases (87%); other substances were implicated in 60% of deaths. Conclusions: Mephedrone use can have potentially fatal consequences, especially in combination with other substances. Deaths in the 16-24 years age-group continue to occur from its use in the UK, despite it being a controlled drug. Health professionals and potential consumers should be alert to this risk.Peer reviewe

Traditional values of virginity and sexual behaviour in rural Ethiopian youth: results from a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Delaying sexual initiation has been promoted as one of the methods of decreasing risks of HIV among young people. In traditional countries, such as Ethiopia, retaining virginity until marriage is the norm. However, no one has examined the impact of this traditional norm on sexual behaviour and risk of HIV in marriage. This study examined the effect of virginity norm on having sex before marriage and sexual behaviour after marriage among rural Ethiopian youth.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We did a cross-sectional survey in 9 rural and 1 urban area using a probabilistic sample of 3,743 youth, 15–24 years of age. Univariate analysis was used to assess associations between virginity norm and gender stratified by area, and between sexual behaviour and marital status. We applied Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis to estimate age at sexual debut and assessed the predictors of premarital sex among the never-married using SPSS.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that maintaining virginity is still a way of securing marriage for girls, especially in rural areas; the odds of belief and intention to marry a virgin among boys was 3–4 times higher among rural young males. As age increased, the likelihood of remaining a virgin decreased. There was no significant difference between married and unmarried young people in terms of number of partners and visiting commercial sex workers. Married men were twice more likely to have multiple sexual partners than their female counterparts. A Cox regression show that those who did not believe in traditional values of preserving virginity (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] = 2.91 [1.92–4.40]), alcohol drinkers (AHR = 2.91 [1.97–4.29]), Khat chewers (AHR = 2.36 [1.45–3.85]), literates (AHR = 18.01 [4.34–74.42]), and the older age group (AHR = 1.85 [1.19–2.91]) were more likely to have premarital sex than their counterparts.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Although virginity norms help delay age at sexual debut among rural Ethiopian youth, and thus reduces vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections and HIV infection, vulnerability among females may increase after marriage due to unprotected multiple risky sexual behaviours by spouses. The use of preventive services, such as VCT before marriage and condom use in marriage should be part of the HIV/AIDS prevention and control strategies.</p

Khat and alcohol use and risky sex behaviour among in-school and out-of-school youth in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Khat (an evergreen plant with amphetamine-like properties) and alcohol are widely consumed among the youth of Ethiopia. However, their relationship to risky sexual behaviour is not well described. This study was conducted to describe the magnitude of risky sexual behaviour (unprotected sex and early initiation of sexual activity) and its association with Khat and alcohol consumption in Ethiopian youths. METHODS: A probabilistic national sample of 20,434 in-school and out-of-school youths aged between 15 and 24 years of age was selected and interviewed regarding their sexual behavior and substance use. RESULTS: Over 20% of out-of-school youth had unprotected sex during the 12-month period prior to interview compared to 1.4% of in-school youth. Daily Khat intake was also associated with unprotected sex: adjusted OR (95% CI) = 2.26 (1.92, 2.67). There was a significant and linear association between alcohol intake and unprotected sex, with those using alcohol daily having a three fold increased odds compared to those not using it: adj. OR (95% CI) = 3.05 (2.38, 3.91). Use of substances other than Khat was not associated with unprotected sex, but was associated with initiation of sexual activity: adj. OR (95% CI) = 2.54 (1.84, 3.51). CONCLUSION: A substantial proportion of out-of-school youth engage in risky sex. The use of Khat and alcohol and other substances is significantly and independently associated with risky sexual behaviour among Ethiopian youths