Making Memory by Dissociating the Past from the Present: Narratives of Movement Intellectuals of the Post-Fukushima Protest Cycle in Japan

The impact of collective memory on mobilisation processes is an emerging research field in social movement studies. Adopting the perspective of "memory in activism", which tackles the question of how memories of previous struggles shape present social movements (as proposed by Ann Rigney), this research note provides a first idea of the eff ect of the collective memory of the violent 1960s "New Left" protest cycle in Japan on the most recent protest cycle triggered by the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011. At their peak, these protests drew up to 200,000 participants during the summer of 2012 - a fact often downplayed in Western media coverage. As an access point to the study of the memory work pursued by and within the movement, this research note analyses written narratives of two activist intellectuals of the post-Fukushima protest cycle. The analysis shows a clear dissociation from the violent legacy of the 1960s that emphasises the distinctively peaceful character of the present protests and claims for them an equally important status in history

Maturação das castas Arinto dos Açores e Verdelho na Ilha do Pico

Mestrado em Engenharia de Viticultura e Enologia. Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Agronomia. Universidade do Porto, Faculdade de CiênciasA ilha do Pico possui uma viticultura particular pela sua localização atlântica e pelo crescimento das videiras em rocha basáltica de origem vulcânica, junto ao mar. Em face do reduzido número de estudos no tema, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a influência da distância ao mar na maturação das castas brancas mais frequentes (Arinto dos Açores e Verdelho) em vinhas na Zona Oeste e em São Mateus/São Caetano, na vindima de 2022. As uvas foram colhidas em diferentes vinhas com distância variável à orla marítima e em diferentes tipos de substrato (lajido, biscoito ou areia). A maturação foi avaliada ao longo do tempo determinando-se a densidade, o álcool provável (% v/v), a acidez total (g/L ácido tartárico), o pH e o índice de maturação. Como esperado, observou-se um aumento do álcool provável e do índice de maturação e uma diminuição da acidez total durante a maturação. No entanto, este aumento foi dependente da distância ao mar, nalguns casos. Com efeito, na Zona Oeste, a maturação foi mais reduzida em Arinto dos Açores para vinhas jovens (cerca de 6 anos) distantes do mar (mais de 600 m). As diferentes taxas de maturação, permitiram estimar uma redução de 0,02 % (v/v) de álcool provável por dia e por cada 100 m de afastamento em relação à orla costeira. Pelo contrário, a maturação foi independente dessa distância na Zona Oeste, em vinhas velhas de Arinto dos Açores, e em São Mateus/São Caetano com Arinto dos Açores e na Zona Oeste com Verdelho. Em face dos resultados, trabalhos futuros devem ter em conta a diversidade topográfica, a natureza dos solos e a idade das vinhas com o fim de esclarecer as razões subjacentes às diferentes maturações. Em conclusão, os resultados obtidos permitiram quantificar as maturações das castas brancas mais comuns na ilha do Pico, contribuindo, de forma preliminar, para a caracterização de uma forma peculiar de viticultura.Pico Island has distinctive viticulture due to its Atlantic location and the growth of vines in the basaltic rock of volcanic origin by the sea. Due to the small number of studies related to the subject, this study aimed to evaluate the influence of the distance from the sea on grape ripening of the most frequently planted white varieties (Arinto dos Açores and Verdelho) in vineyards located on the west side of the island and in São Mateus/São Caetano during the harvest of 2022. The grapes were taken from different vineyards with variable distances from the coastline and different types of soil (lajido, biscuit, sand). The state of grape ripening was evaluated over time by determining density, potential alcohol (%v/v), total acidity (g/L tartaric acid), pH, and maturation index. As expected, there was an increase in potential alcohol and maturation index and a decrease in total acidity during grape ripening. However, in some cases, this increase was dependent on the distance from the sea. The maturation of Arinto dos Açores on the west side was reduced in young vineyards (about 6 years) far from the sea (more than 600 m). The different maturation rates allowed for an estimation of a reduction of 0,02% (v/v) of potential alcohol per day and for every 100 m of distance from the coast. On the contrary, the maturation was not correlated with the distance from the sea on the west side in the old vineyards of Arinto de Açores, and for Arinto dos Açores in São Mateus/São Caetano and for Verdelho on the west side. Regarding the results, future studies should consider topographic diversity, soil nature, and the vineyards' age in order to clarify the reasons underlying the different maturations. In conclusion, the results obtained allowed for a certain quantification of the maturation of the most common white varieties on Pico island; thus contributing in a preliminary way to the characterization of a peculiar form of viticulture.N/

JuSPARC - The Jülich Short-Pulsed Particle and Radiation Center

JuSPARC, the Jülich Short-Pulsed Particle and Radiation Center, is a laser-driven facility to enable research with short-pulsed photon and particle beams to be performed at the Forschungszentrum Jülich. The conceptual design of JuSPARC is determined by a set of state-of-the-art time-resolved instruments, which are designed to address the electronic, spin, and structural states of matter and their dynamic behaviour. From these instruments and experiments JuSPARC derives the need of operating several dedicated high pulse-power laser systems at highest possible repetition rates. They serve as core units for optimized photon up-conversion techniques generating the light pulses for the respective experiments. The applications also include experiments with spin polarized particle beams, which require the use of laser-based polarized gas targets. Thus, in its rst stage JuSPARC comprises four driving laser systems, called JuSPARC_VEGA, JuSPARC_DENEB, JuSPARC_SIRIUS and JuSPARC_MIRA, which are outlined in this article

Mitochondrial Control Region and microsatellite analyses on harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) unravel population differentiation in the Baltic Sea and adjacent waters

The population status of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the Baltic area has been a continuous matter of debate. Here we present the by far most comprehensive genetic population structure assessment to date for this region, both with regard to geographic coverage and sample size: 497 porpoise samples from North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, Belt Sea, and Inner Baltic Sea were sequenced at the mitochondrial Control Region and 305 of these specimens were typed at 15 polymorphic microsatellite loci. Samples were stratified according to sample type (stranding vs. by-caught), sex, and season (breeding vs. non-breeding season). Our data provide ample evidence for a population split between the Skagerrak and the Belt Sea, with a transition zone in the Kattegat area. Among other measures, this was particularly visible in significant frequency shifts of the most abundant mitochondrial haplotypes. A particular haplotype almost absent in the North Sea was the most abundant in Belt Sea and Inner Baltic Sea. Microsatellites yielded a similar pattern (i.e., turnover in occurrence of clusters identified by STRUCTURE). Moreover, a highly significant association between microsatellite assignment and unlinked mitochondrial haplotypes further indicates a split between North Sea and Baltic porpoises. For the Inner Baltic Sea, we consistently recovered a small, but significant separation from the Belt Sea population. Despite recent arguments that separation should exceed a predefined threshold before populations shall be managed separately, we argue in favour of precautionary acknowledging the Inner Baltic porpoises as a separate management unit, which should receive particular attention, as it is threatened by various factors, in particular local fishery measures. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009

Okinawa und die Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik der Hatoyama-Administration

After its landslide victory in the Lower House elections of August 2009, the Democratic Party of Japan strove for change in Japan’s foreign and security policies. Newly elected Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama challenged the way the forward deployment of US military to Japan was being put into practice in Japan. This political conflict was symbolized in the stalling process of relocating the US Marines Corps Air Station of Futenma, which is located in Ginowan city, one of Okinawa Prefecture’s most densely populated areas. Hatoyama vowed to work for a relocation of the Futenma units to a place outside of Okinawa Prefecture, while the US-side insisted on carrying out the relocation plan to Henoko, District of Nago in Okinawa, which was agreed upon in 2006 with the previous administration under the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan. This paper investigates Hatoyama’s negotiation efforts on the future of Futenma with the Obama administration on the one hand and with the local politicians and citizens of Okinawa on the other hand. The paper is a qualitative study following the concept of Two-Level Games. It will be argued that Okinawa became the symbol of the Hatoyama administration’s struggle (and failure) to implement Japan’s new foreign and security policy as an equal partner in the alliance with the US

Miega paradumu izpēte medicīnas studentiem

MedicīnaVeselības aprūpeMedicineHealth CareIr novērots skaita pieaugums starp medicīnas studentiem, kuriem ir grūtības ar miegu studiju laikā. Izpratne par miega ietekmi uz dzīves kvalitāti un veselību pieaug. Miega higiēna ir būtiska ne tikai medicīnas studentu veselībai, bet arī viņu mācīšanās spējām. Dzīves vietu un studiju programmu atšķirības tiek teorētiski analizētas, lai spriestu par to ietekmi uz medicīnas studentu miega kvalitāti. Šis pētījums tiek veikts, lai veiktu medicīnas studentu gulēšanas uzvedības kvantitatīvu un kvalitatīvu analīzi. Turklāt tiek analizētas atšķirības starp Vāciju un Latviju. Abām izlases grupām ir daudz līdzību. Medicīnas studenti Latvijā drīzāk guļ uz muguras (p = 0,001). Latvijas izlases grupa lasa vairāk gultā pirms miega (p = 0,025). Latvijas medicīnas studenti salīdzinoši biežāk atzīmēja savu miega uzvedību par neregulāru (p = 0,024). Kā arī viņiem ir pozitīva korelācija starp ĶMI un krākšanas biežumu (p <0,001). Ja medicīnas studenti Latvijā biežāk atzīmēja grūtības aizmigt (p <0,001), tad medicīnas studenti Vācijā biežāk atzīmēja miega noturības problēmas (p = 0,031). Latvijas medicīnas studenti biežāk sapņo un atceras sapņoto (p = 0,007). Viņi arī biežāk cieš no slimibām (p = 0,033), jo īpaši ar depresiju vai trauksmi (p = 0,005). Izlases grupu lielums ir mazs, lai ticami novērtētu to miega uzvedību. Latvijas medicīnas studentu vidū lielāks ir depresiju biežums salīdzinājumā uz kopējo iedzīvotāju skaitu. Miega kvalitāti turpmāk vajadzētu pētīt, izmantojot standartizētus rīkus, kā piemēram, Pitsburgas miega kvalitātes indekss (PSQI). Miega higiēnas un uzvedības izpratns ir jāpēta sīkāk. Tika pierādīts, ka medicīnas studenti Latvijā ir jutīgāki pret kofeīna saturošu dzērienu patēriņu nekā izlases grupa Vācijā.An increasing number of medical students experiencing difficulties with regards to their sleeping behavior throughout the years of medical studies has been realized. Awareness about the impact of sleep on ones’ quality of life and health is rising. Sleep hygiene is crucial with regards to, not only the health of medical students, but also their learning capacities. Differences in location and study programs are theorized to have an impact on the medical students’ quality of sleep. This research is conducted in order to develop a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the sleeping behavior of medical students. Furthermore, differences between Germany and Latvia will be analyzed. The two cohorts have many similarities. Medical students in Latvia rather sleep on their back (p=0,001). The cohort in Latvia also reads more in bed prior to sleep (p=0,025). Latvian medical students reported their sleeping behavior as irregular more often (p=0,024). As well they have a positive correlation between BMI and incidence of snoring (p<0,001). Where the medical students in Latvia reported to have trouble falling asleep more often (p<0,001), the medical students in Germany reported trouble remaining asleep more often (p=0,031). Latvian medical students dream and remember it more often (p=0,007). They are also suffering a disease more often (p=0,033), especially depression or anxiety (p=0,005). The cohorts themselves are too small of sample size to evaluate the different cohort’s sleeping behaviors reliably. The higher incidence of depression in medical students in Latvia is comparable to the general population. The quality of sleep should further be investigated by standardized tools like the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality index (PSQI). The awareness of sleep hygiene as well as according behavior needs further research, too. It was proven, that medical students in Latvia are more sensitive to the consumption of caffeinated beverages compared to the cohort in Germany

Laos on its way to WTO membership: challenges and opportunities for developing high-value agricultural exports

Accession to the WTO will make Laos more attractive for foreign investors and business partners overseas. Yet market reforms and trade liberalisation are necessary but not sufficient for successful integration into the regional and the global economy. Governments of the more advanced countries in the region have played a strategic role in the catching-up process by supporting and guiding the development of new exports. Advocating an active role for governments does not imply, however, that the Government of the Lao PDR should simply copy its neighbours’ industrialisation processes. A strategy of complementary specialization may be more promising for a late-coming country with untapped agricultural potential. Global competition between old industrialised and newly industrialising countries tends to squeeze the prices of manufactured goods, whereas food prices are bound to rise in the long run, with a world population that is growing and showing an increasing appetite for better food. In this global environment of increasing scarcities, the Lao government, and donors, may be well advised to promote export diversification within agriculture before venturing into manufactured exports