Collegium antropologicum
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The transition from communism to democracy has raised numerous discussions regarding the nature of postcommunism in Eastern Europe. According to the author, the two main approaches used to explain the collapse of communism--one that claims that resurrected civil society triumphed over totalitarianism, and, the other that avers Eastern Europe's propensity for irrationalism and a political behaviour based on ethnic exclusion and hatred--overlook the unique nature of postcommunism. In order to properly grasp the nature of this phenomena, the author argues that one must first understand the intrinsic nature of Eastern Europe's transformation. ⋯ Identifying the circumstances within which nationalism begins to act as an obstacle to the establishment of full-fledge democracy is key to understanding the political reality of today's Croatia and of many other East European "new democracies". Nationalism works differently in different socio-political conditions--differently in countries that recently achieved independence from countries with a long tradition of sovereign statehood, differently in countries with an underdeveloped or non-existent civil society from those with a strong civil society, differently in countries that are economically prosperous from those that are experiencing economic hardship. All these factors, not nationalism per se, determine the overall prospects for liberal democracy in Eastern Europe.
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Collegium antropologicum · Jun 1999
Color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) of the vertebral arteries--the normal appearance, normal values and the proposal for the standards.
In order to assess mean diameters and blood flow velocities (BFV), Color Doppler Flow Imaging (CDFI) of vertebral arteries (VA) was performed. Five hundred and ninety six persons without carotid disease or symptoms related to vertebrobasilar system were analyzed by CDFI of VA. Mean right VA diameter was 3.37 +/- 0.6 mm and left 3.55 +/- 0.61 mm. ⋯ Left VA was wider. Women had thinner VA. Hypoplasia was present in 2.34% and asymmetry in 15%.