A cooperative Peru: Is centralisation of cooperatives better for local development?

Research shows that some agricultural cooperatives implement development projects in their local communities. What remains to be explained is why certain cooperatives pursue local development while others do not. Through a comparison of coffee cooperatives in two regions of Peru, this study examines the implications of a regional cooperative for local development. The creation of a regional cooperative leads to a concentration of resources and a decrease in the need and ability of local cooperatives to pursue independent development projects. At the same time, it allows for more equal access to those resources and to the benefits of cooperative-led development projects.     

Application of BioRobot M48 to forensic DNA extraction

The development of a nucleic acid extraction method based on magnetic separation has opened up possibilities forl automation of DNA extraction. The BioRobot M48 is one of robotic stations applicable to automated DNA extraction in forensics. However, each new method should be thoroughly validated before application to routine casework. Our aim was to compare the effectiveness of the currently utilized organic/Microcon 100 based extraction procedure and magnetic extraction with BioRobot M48. The DNA concentration of DNA extracts obtained from different kinds of typical forensic material was evaluated followed by amplification with the SGM Plus or Identifiler kit and capillary electrophoresis using ABI 3100 Avant. We can conclude that BioRobot M48 is a very effective instrument for DNA extraction from most specimens and can be successfully applied in forensic laboratories.     

Polymorphism of four X-chromosomal STR loci in Belarusians and Slovaks

We have investigated four X-chromosomal STR loci (a tetranucleotide repeat marker HPRTB, DXS7423 and trinucleotide repeat systems DXS101, DXS8377) in population samples of unrelated Belarusian and Slovak males (N = 180 and 116, respectively).Markers were amplified in a multiplex PCR reaction with primers labeled with fluorescent dyes 5-FAM and 5-JOE (dye set F). The separation and detection of PCR products were performed by capillary electrophoresis on a 3130 Genetic Analyzer (Applied Biosystems), using positive controls (K562 and NA9947A) and the GeneScan-500 ROX internal lane standard. Allele designation was based on comparison with the constructed allelic ladder. We performed statistical analysis estimating power of discrimination for males (PD_male). Our data was compared with European populations from Poland and Germany. The obtained data are useful in forensic practice and they contribute to creation of national X-STR databases in Belarus and Slovakia.     

Evidence of a “new” allele of red cell acid phosphatase AcPk

Phenotypes of members of one Polish family have revealed a “new” allele in the AcP system: called AcP^k. Quantitative data of the phenotypes are given.     

Ultrastructural changes in liver after the test exposition of laser irradiation

The aim of this research was to verify characteristic morphological changes in the liver with regard to survival time after laser irradiation. The duration of irradiation was constant. For the purpose of irradiation we used a helium-neon laser. The value of the energy absorbed during the exposition amounted to about 2.5 J. Segments from the irradiated liver field of rats were taken directly after decapitation following different times of survival, and the changes were estimated in an ultrastructural microscope. Our results showed dependence of certain morphological changes (perceptible only by ultrastructural examination) on the time of survival after irradiation.     

Gendered perceptions: women in the labour market in Poland

Abstract

This paper considers the consequences of economic and political change in the early 1990s for women's situation in the Polish labour market. New types of employment emerged in various sectors of the Polish economy around the mid-1970s. Some, such as finance, insurance, education and health care became highly feminised. Under the Communist system, many regulations were introduced to allow women to combine paid labour with taking care of the household. In the new post-Communist economic situation, these gender-specific regulations work against women, making them less attractive to employers. In a situation of high unemployment, employers in the growing private sector can afford to make specific demands of their employees: that they be young, male, and mobile. Women are thus in a worse situation in the labour market even though they are often more educated than the men with whom they must compete for work. There is urgent need to introduce mechanisms to create a more equal labour market.     

The Struggle for the Legal Status of Religion in the Polish Constitution

The use of specific language in the democratic Polish Constitution enacted on 2 April 1997 has created the essential differences in the status of religions and Churches in Poland to this in some other countries. It accepts the modern principles and values (tolerance, freedom, mutual independence of state and churches) but precludes the atheistic, hostile or indifferent to religions interpretations and implementations of these values and principles.