bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glucocorticoids Induce Human Glycoprotein Hormone α-Subunit Gene Expression in the Gonadotrope
Authors: Sasson Ravid , Luu Sang H. , Thackray Varykina G. , Mellon Pamela L.
Published: April 2008

The human glycoprotein hormone α-subunit (αGSU) gene is transcriptionally regulated by glucocorticoids in a cell type-specific fashion. In direct contrast to repression of αGSU by glucocorticoids in placenta, glucocorticoid receptor (GR) modulation in the pituitary is little understood. We show that glucocorticoids stimulate the αGSU promoter in immortalized pituitary gonadotrope-derived LβT2 cells, whereas estrogens, androgens, and progestins have no significant effect. Moreover, GR acts in a dose-dependent manner at physiological concentrations of glucocorticoids. Transient transfection of GR with dexamethasone (Dex) treatment further stimulates the αGSU promoter, but this induction is severely diminished using a receptor mutated in the DNA-binding domain. Truncation and cis mutations demonstrate that glucocorticoid response element 2 (GRE2) and cAMP-response element 2 (CRE2) within −168 bp of the human αGSU promoter are critical for induction. Moreover, dominant-negative CRE-binding protein markedly inhibits basal but also Dex induction of αGSU promoter activity. Additionally, GR specifically binds to GRE2 in the human αGSU promoter in vitro and to the 5′ region of the endogenous mouse αGSU gene in vivo. Furthermore, overexpression of the homeobox factor, Distal-less 3 that regulates this gene in placental cells through a site partially overlapping GRE2, blocks Dex induction of αGSU in gonadotrope cells, indicating that placenta-specific expression of Dlx3 may interfere with GR, resulting in repression in placental cells vs. induction in gonadotrope cells. These results demonstrate the stimulatory role played by glucocorticoids in αGSU gene expression in the pituitary gonadotrope, in contrast to repression in placental cells, and highlight the tissue-specific nature of steroid hormone action.
Dexamethasone-Induced Expression of Endothelial Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase-1 Involves Activation of the Transcription Factors Activator Protein-1 and 3′,5′-Cyclic Adenosine 5′-Monophosphate Response Element-Binding Protein and the Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species
Authors: Fürst Robert , Zahler Stefan , Vollmar Angelika M.
Published: April 2008

We have recently identified the MAPK phosphatase (MKP)-1 as a novel mediator of the antiinflammatory properties of glucocorticoids (dexamethasone) in the human endothelium. However, nothing is as yet known about the signaling pathways responsible for the up-regulation of MKP-1 by dexamethasone in endothelial cells. Knowledge of the molecular basis of this new alternative way of glucocorticoid action could facilitate the identification of new antiinflammatory drug targets. Thus, the aim of our study was to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Using Western blot analysis, we found that dexamethasone rapidly activates ERK, c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAPK in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. By applying the kinase inhibitors PD98059 (MAPK kinase-1) and SP600125 (JNK), ERK and JNK were shown to be crucial for the induction of MKP-1. Using EMSA and a decoy oligonucleotide approach, the transcription factors activator protein-1 (activated by ERK and JNK) and cAMP response element-binding protein (activated by ERK) were found to be involved in the up-regulation of MKP-1 by dexamethasone. Interestingly, dexamethasone induces the generation of reactive oxygen species (measured by dihydrofluorescein assay), which participate in the signaling process by triggering JNK activation. Our work elucidates a novel alternative mechanism for transducing antiinflammatory effects of glucocorticoids in the human endothelium. Thus, our study adds valuable information to the efforts made to find new antiinflammatory principles utilized by glucocorticoids. This might help to gain new therapeutic options to limit glucocorticoid side effects and to overcome resistance.
Introduction to a Forum on “Bargaining for Absolutism”
Authors: Salvucci Richard J.
Published: April 2008

Cliometrics, the union of history and economics, has impressive successes to its credit. But it also displays a worrisome disregard for historical nuance, sometimes to the point of caricature. “Bargaining for Absolutism” by Alejandra Irigoin and Regina Grafe looks at this question from the standpoint of Douglass North’s work on institutions and particularly, Spanish fiscal institutions in the Americas. The result is an effective critique of the notion of early modern Spain as a centralized monarchy.
Selective Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol by Heteropolytungstate as Reaction-Controlled Phase-Transfer Catalyst with Hydrogen Peroxide
Authors: Weng Zhihuan , Wang Jinyan , Zhang Shouhai , Jian Xigao
Published: April 2008

The catalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde was studied using heteropolytungstates as reaction-controlled phase-transfer catalysts with 35% aqueous H2O2 as oxidant. Under optimal conditions, 95.0% conversion of benzyl alcohol based on H2O2 and over 99% selectivity of benzaldehyde was obtained with [C7H7N(CH3)3]9PW9O34 as catalyst. In this system, once the H2O2 was consumed, the catalyst could be recovered from the system easily as a solid deposit. The catalysts were characterized by FT-IR, 31P NMR, XRD, and TGA, and the results indicated that the insoluble catalyst [C7H7N(CH3)3]9PW9O34 formed a soluble active species [C7H7N(CH3)3]3[(PO4){WO(O2)2}4] under the action of H2O2; the structure of the fresh catalyst was maintained well after the reaction. The results of catalyst recycling showed that this catalyst exhibits good stability. The effects of various reaction factors, such as solvent and the amount of H2O2 used, were studied.
Optimale Ablaufplanung für zyklische Prozesse mit Pooling-Ressourcen (Optimal Scheduling of Cyclic Processes with Pooling-Resources)
Authors: Mayer Eckart , Wulff Kai , Horst Christoph , Raisch Jörg
Published: April 2008

Dieser Beitrag behandelt die zeitoptimale Ablaufplanung für zyklische Prozesse mit Pooling-Ressourcen. Wir stellen einen Ansatz vor, mit dem eine große Klasse zyklischer Ablaufplanungsprobleme modelliert werden kann. Wir zeigen, wie das resultierende Modell durch Reduktion der Freiheitsgrade und Reparametrierung vereinfacht werden kann, ohne die optimale Lösung auszuschließen. Durch eine geeignete Transformation wird das reduzierte Problem auf ein lineares gemischt-ganzzahliges Optimierungsproblem abgebildet, das mit etablierten Verfahren effizient gelöst werden kann. Pooling-Ressourcen, d. h. Ressourcen, die bei jeder Aktivierung eine vorgegebene Anzahl von Werkstücken/Proben verarbeiten müssen, lassen sich ebenfalls in den vorgestellten Ansatz integrieren.

The topic of this contribution is the time-optimal scheduling of cyclic processes with pooling resources. We present a modelling framework that captures a large class of cyclic scheduling problems. We show how the resulting model can be considerably simplified without cutting the optimal solution. This involves a reduction and a reparametrisation of the degrees of freedom. The reduced model can be transformed into a linear mixed-integer program (MILP), for which a globally optimal solution can be efficiently computed using standard algorithms and tools. We also show how pooling resources can be treated in our framework. Pooling resources have a capacity greater than one and must, at each activation, be loaded to capacity.
Impact of metformin and rosiglitazone treatment on glucose transporter 4 mRNA expression in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
Authors: Jensterle Mojca , Janez Andrej , Mlinar Barbara , Marc Janja , Prezelj Janez , Pfeifer Marija
Published: April 2008

Objective

The insulin-resistant state of the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was found to be associated with a decreased glucose transporter GLUT4 expression in the insulin target tissues. This study was performed to explore whether the well-known clinical, hormonal and metabolic efficacy of metformin or rosiglitazone treatment is reflected in the modulation of adipocyte GLUT4 mRNA expression in patients with PCOS.

Methods

We enrolled 35 women with PCOS. They received either metformin or rosiglitazone for 6 months. A history, blood samples for the measurement of androgens and s.c. adipose tissue samples were taken at baseline and end point. Quantification of GLUT4 mRNA expression in adipose tissue was performed using real-time quantitative PCR. Homeostasis model assessment (HOMAIR) score calculation was applied as a measure for insulin resistance (IR).

Results

GLUT4 mRNA expression in adipose tissue increased significantly in both groups (P<0.001). The increase was more pronounced in the rosiglitazone group (P=0.040). There was a statistically significant improvement of HOMAIRin both groups (P=0.008). After treatment, frequencies of menstrual bleeding were significantly higher (P<0.001) and serum total testosterone levels significantly lower in both groups (P=0.001).

Conclusions

A 6-month therapy with insulin sensitizers resulted in marked improvement in adipose tissue GLUT4 mRNA expression in PCOS patients, rosiglitazone being more effective when compared with metformin. The augmentation of the insulin signal transduction was accompanied by a significant improvement of HOMAIR, menstrual pattern and androgen profile.
Presence, processing, and localization of mouse ADAM15 during sperm maturation and the role of its disintegrin domain during sperm–egg binding
Authors: Pastén-Hidalgo Karina , Hernández-Rivas Rosaura , Roa-Espitia Ana Lilia , Sánchez-Gutiérrez Manuel , Martínez-Pérez Francisco , Monrroy Alma Olivia , Hernández-González Enrique O , Mújica Adela
Published: April 2008

Successful fertilization requires gametes to complete several stages, beginning with maturation and transport along the male and female reproductive tracts and ending with the interaction between the sperm and the egg. This last step involves sperm–egg adhesion and membrane fusion. ADAMs (disintegrin and metalloprotease domain proteins) are a family of membrane-anchored glycoproteins that are thought to play diverse roles in cell–cell adhesion through their interaction with integrins. This study analyzes the presence, location, processing, and possible role of ADAM15 in mouse sperm. The presence of ADAM15 in mouse spermatozoa was detected by Western blotting, which revealed that ADAM15 is post-translationally processed, during epididymal sperm maturation and the acrosome reaction. The 35 kDa antigen present in the acrosome-reacted sperm is the last proteolytic product of the 110/75 kDa ADAM15 found in non-capacitated sperm. This 35 kDa protein contains the disintegrin domain. By indirect immunofluorescence, ADAM15 was identified in the acrosomal region and along the flagellum of mouse spermatozoa. In acrosome-reacted sperm, ADAM15 was lost from the acrosomal region, but remained diffusely distributed throughout the head and flagellum. Furthermore, the ADAM15 disintegrin domain (RPPTDDCDLPEF) partially inhibited fusion and almost completely inhibited sperm–oolemma adhesion. In conclusion, our data indicate that ADAM15 is present in the testis and in spermatozoa from the caput, corpus, and cauda epididymis, as well as in non-capacitated and acrosome-reacted gametes. Results also indicate that ADAM15 is processed during epididymal maturation and acrosome reaction and that it may play a role during sperm–egg binding.
Central and peripheral administration of kisspeptin activates gonadotropin but not somatotropin secretion in prepubertal gilts
Authors: Lents Clay A , Heidorn Neely L , Barb C Richard , Ford J Joe
Published: April 2008

It is well established that kisspeptin signaling is necessary for the onset of puberty in laboratory animals. However, the role that kisspeptin may have in regulating puberty in large domestic animals is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that either central or peripheral infusion of kisspeptin would stimulate gonadotropin and GH secretion in prepubertal gilts. In experiment 1, prepubertal gilts were fitted with i.c.v. cannula and indwelling jugular catheters. Animals were randomly assigned to receive 0, 10, or 100 μg kisspeptin in saline. In experiment 2, prepubertal gilts, fitted with indwelling jugular catheters, randomly received 0, 1, 2.5, or 5 mg kisspeptin in saline intravenously. Serial blood samples were collected every 15 min for 3 h before and 5 h after infusions, and serum concentrations of LH, FSH, and GH were determined. Mean concentrations of LH and FSH remained at basal levels for control animals but were increased (P<0.001) for animals receiving i.c.v. infusion of kisspeptin. Area under the LH and FSH curves following i.c.v. infusion of kisspeptin increased (P<0.001) in a dose-dependent manner. Concentrations of GH were unaffected by i.c.v. treatment. Peripheral administration of kisspeptin increased (P<0.05) serum concentrations of LH but not FSH or GH. Thus, kisspeptin can activate gonadotropic but not somatotropic hormone secretion in prepubertal gilts. The present data support the concept that kisspeptin plays a role in the mechanism involved in initiating puberty in swine.
Two pathways for prostaglandin F2α synthesis by the primate periovulatory follicle
Authors: Dozier Brandy L , Watanabe Kikuko , Duffy Diane M
Published: April 2008

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) has been identified as a PG necessary for ovulation, but the ovulatory gonadotropin surge also increases PGF2α levels in primate periovulatory follicles. To better understand the role of PGF2α in ovulation, pathways utilized for PGF2α synthesis by the primate follicle were examined. Monkeys were treated with gonadotropins to stimulate multiple follicular development; follicular aspirates and whole ovaries were removed before and at specific times after administration of an ovulatory dose of hCG to span the 40 h periovulatory interval. Human granulosa cells were also obtained (typically 34–36 h after hCG) from in vitro fertilization patients. PGF2α can be synthesized from PGH2 via the aldo-keto reductase (AKR) 1C3. AKR1C3 mRNA and protein levels in monkey granulosa cells were low before hCG and peaked 24–36 h after hCG administration. Human granulosa cells converted PGD2 into 11β-PGF2α, confirming that these cells possess AKR1C3 activity. PGF2α can also be synthesized from PGE2 via the enzymes AKR1C1 and AKR1C2. Monkey granulosa cell levels of AKR1C1/AKR1C2 mRNA was low 0–12 h, peaked at 24 h, and returned to low levels by 36 h after hCG administration. Human granulosa cell conversion of [3H]PGE2 into [3H]PGF2α was reduced by an AKR1C2-selective inhibitor, supporting the concept that granulosa cells preferentially express AKR1C2 over AKR1C1. In summary, the ovulatory gonadotropin surge increases granulosa cell expression of AKR1C1/AKR1C2 and AKR1C3. Both of these enzyme activities are present in periovulatory granulosa cells. These data support the concept that follicular PGF2α can be synthesized via two pathways during the periovulatory interval.
Myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate, but not Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II, is the mediator in cortical granules exocytosis
Authors: Tsaadon Lina , Kaplan-Kraicer Ruth , Shalgi Ruth
Published: April 2008

Sperm–egg fusion induces cortical granules exocytosis (CGE), a process that ensures the block to polyspermy. CGE can be induced independently by either a rise in intracellular calcium concentration or protein kinase C (PKC) activation. We have previously shown that myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) cross-links filamentous actin (F-actin) and regulates its reorganization. This activity is reduced either by PKC-induced MARCKS phosphorylation (PKC pathway) or by its direct binding to calmodulin (CaM; CaM pathway), both inducing MARCKS translocation, F-actin reorganization, and CGE. Currently, we examine the involvement of Ca2+/CaM-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and MARCKS in promoting CGE and show that PKC pathway can compensate for lack of Ca2+/CaM pathway. Microinjecting eggs with either overexpressed protein or complementary RNA of constitutively active αCaMKII triggered resumption of second meiotic division, but induced CGE of an insignificant magnitude compared with CGE induced by wt αCaMKII. Microinjecting eggs with mutant-unphosphorylatable MARCKS reduced the intensity of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate or ionomycin-induced CGE by 50%, indicating that phosphorylation of MARCKS by novel and/or conventional PKCs (n/cPKCs) is a pivotal event associated with CGE. Moreover, we were able to demonstrate cPKCs involvement in ionomycin-induced MARCKS translocation and CGE. These results led us to propose that MARCKS, rather than CaMKII, as a key mediator of CGE.
Dietary unsaturated fatty acids influence preovulatory follicle characteristics in dairy cows
Authors: Zachut M , Arieli A , Lehrer H , Argov N , Moallem U
Published: April 2008

Dietary unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) have been implicated in several reproductive processes in dairy cows through a variety of mechanisms. This study examined the effects of periparturient supplementation of rumen bypass fats low or high in proportion of UFAs (oleic and linoleic) on preovulatory follicle characteristics. Forty-two 256-day pregnant dairy cows were divided into three groups and were fed a control diet (n=14) or supplemented with fats either low (LUFA;n=14) or high (HUFA;n=14) in UFAs. At 14–15 days following behavior estrus, the cows received a prostaglandin F2αinjection and 48 h later >7 mm follicles were aspirated. Progesterone (P4), androstenedione (A4), and estradiol (E2) were determined in the follicular fluid. Out of 75 follicles, 37 follicles that were aspirated between 55 and 70 dayspost partumwere regarded as E2-active follicles (E2/P4ratio >1) and subjected for further analysis. The diameter of preovulatory follicles was greater in cows fed HUFA than in those fed control or LUFA. The concentrations and content of A4and E2in follicles and E2/P4ratio were higher in the HUFA group than in the other two groups. The P450 aromatase mRNA expression in granulosa cells that were collected from the aspirated preovulatory follicles was also higher in the HUFA cows than in the other groups. A significant correlation was observed between E2concentrations in preovulatory follicles and E2concentrations in plasma at aspiration. In conclusion, dietary UFA increased the size of and elevated steroid hormones in preovulatory follicles, which may be beneficial to consequent ovarian function.
The tonicity of murine epididymal spermatozoa and their permeability towards common cryoprotectants and epididymal osmolytes
Authors: Cooper T G , Barfield J P , Yeung C H
Published: April 2008

The permeability of murine cauda epididymidal spermatozoa was determined from the swelling caused by penetrating agents at isotonicity, which lies between 422 and 530 mmol/kg. Spermatozoa were permeable to a range of solutes with size <200 Da. Relative entry rates of cryoprotective agents (CPAs) were ethylene glycol≈DMSO>propane-1,2-diol>glycerol>propane-1,3-diol. More polar compounds including major epididymal secretions were impermeant. None of the compounds entered spermatozoa through quinine-sensitive channels; rather, quinine increased the size of solute-swollen spermatozoa, suggesting that regulatory volume decrease and osmolyte loss occurred under these conditions. Volume responses to lowered osmolality revealed a greater volume-regulating ability of spermatozoa from the B6D2F1 strain than the C57BL6 strain. As the former strain displays better post-thaw fertility, their spermatozoa may have greater osmolyte loads enabling them to cope better with osmotic stress. Inadequate volume regulation, due to CPA-induced osmolyte loss, may affect post-thaw fertility. Knowing the permeability towards cryoprotectants will help to make a better choice of CPAs that are less damaging to sperm during cryopreservation.
A single, mild, transient scrotal heat stress causes DNA damage, subfertility and impairs formation of blastocysts in mice
Authors: Paul Catriona , Murray Alison A , Spears Norah , Saunders Philippa T K
Published: April 2008

Infertility represents a major clinical problem and 50% of cases are attributable to the male partner. Testicular function is temperature dependent, and in both man and mouse the position of the testes in the scrotum ensures that they are kept at between 2 and 8 °C below core body temperature. We used a mouse model to investigate the impact of a single, transient, mild, scrotal heat stress (38, 40 or 42 °C for 30 min) on testicular function, sperm DNA integrity and embryo survival. We detected temperature-dependent changes in testicular architecture, number of apoptotic cells and a significant reduction in testis weight 7 and 14 days after heat stress at 42 °C. We report for the first time that DNA strand breaks (γ-H2AX-positive foci) were present in spermatocytes recovered from testes subjected to 40 or 42 °C. Fertility of heat-stressed males was tested 23–28 d after treatment (sperm at this time would have been spermatocytes at time of heating). Paternal heat stress at 42 °C resulted in reduced pregnancy rate, placental weight and litter size; pregnancies from the 40 °C group had increased resorptions at e14.5. Abnormalities in embryonic development were detected at e3.5 and in vitro fertilisation with sperm recovered 16 h or 23 d after scrotal stress at 42 °C revealed a block in development between the 4-cell and blastocyst stages. This study has provided evidence of temperature-dependent effects on germ cell DNA integrity and highlighted the importance of an intact paternal genome for normal embryo development.
The Colonial Mythology of Feminist Witchcraft
Authors: Klassen Chris
Published: April 2008

This article explores the religious and political identities of feminist Witches through a discussion of the way feminist Witchcraft constructs prehistoric Goddess societies as colonized by patriarchal societies and early modern European witch hunts as maintaining that colonization. Feminist Witches often use colonial and postcolonial language to indicate the relationship between patriarchal religion(s) and/or system(s) and that of women and women-centered religious systems. Thus, though often problematic, colonialism stands in for patriarchy in many instances; similarly, postcolonialism stands in for the shaping of a new future in which feminist Witches are engaged. This article explores how feminist Witchcraft uses the metaphor of colonialism and postcolonialism with an aim to understand how feminist Witches understand their own identities both as members of a marginal new religious movement and as predominantly white women in a postcolonial setting.
Jone Salomonsen, Enchanted Feminism: Ritual, Gender and Divinity among the Reclaiming Witches of San Francisco
Authors: Bado-Fralick Nikki
Published: April 2008

Jone Salomonsen, Enchanted Feminism: Ritual, Gender and Divinity among the Reclaiming Witches of San Francisco (London and New York: Routledge, 2002), x + 318 pp., £52.50 (cloth), £15.99 (paper), £15.99 (ebook).
James L. Pearson, Shamanism and the Ancient Mind: A Cognitive Approach to Archaeology
Authors: Hill David
Published: April 2008

James L. Pearson, Shamanism and the Ancient Mind: A Cognitive Approach to Archaeology (Lanham, MD: AltaMira Press, 2002), ix + 198 pp., $72 (cloth), $27.95 (paper)
Carol P. Christ, She Who Changes: Re-imagining the Divine in the World
Authors: Baden-Fralick Nikki
Published: April 2008

Carol P. Christ, She Who Changes: Re-imagining the Divine in the World (New York: Palgrave MacMillan, 2003), 277 pp., $24.95 (cloth) $18.95 (paper).
Book Excerpt
Authors: Cowan Douglas E
Published: April 2008

Since its popular inception in the mid-1990s, the World Wide Web has been subject to a set of interrelated mythologies about its potential as a social technology. Virtual reality has been confused with online activity, the question of computer-mediated community has been debated, and researchers have begun to explore the Internet’s impact on religious belief and practice. This excerpt addresses some of these concerns in terms of the Internet more generally and modern Paganism on the Internet more specifically. While some Pagans regard the Net as the next leap in magickal evolution, others consider it little more than a global notice board for the privileged classes.
The Goddess and/as the Cyborg
Authors: Klassen Chris
Published: April 2008

Feminist Witchcraft is a nature religion that posits a holism based on the immanence of the Goddess. This article outlines how these concepts—’nature’ and ‘holism’—are understood by feminist Witches and then explores the implications of these concepts in the context of two novels. A holism based on the inclusion of humanity and the rest of the natural world in the body of the Goddess implies that humans, and their cultural and mechanical constructions, are also part of nature. Thus a dismissal of mechanistic technology as inherently unnatural does not fit with the declared holism. Yet both of these novels show suspicion, to varying degrees, of mechanistic technology. A conversation with Donna Haraway and her cyborg theory provides a way to rethink the divide between natural and technological sometimes found in these novels and in feminist Witchcraft in general.
Nature and Ethnicity in East European Paganism
Authors: Ivakhiv Adrian
Published: April 2008

Paganism is frequently cast by Anglo-American scholars as a form of “nature religion.” Some have also identified its political leanings as left rather than right. This article tests these preconceptions against the evidence provided by East European, especially Ukrainian, Paganism or “Native Faith.” The author examines Native Faith notions of nature as land, as “blood,” and as “tradition,” and argues that these are underpinned by a concept of “territorialized ethnicity”—the belief that ethnic communities are natural and biological entities rooted in specific geographical territories. The article traces this idea to its precursors in European and Soviet thought, and suggests that it may be more commonly found around the world than Western theorists presume. In light of such a different understanding of nature, the concept of “nature religion” may need to be rethought.
Jenny Blain, Douglas Ezzy, and Graham Harvey, eds., Researching Paganisms
Authors: Strmiska Michael F
Published: April 2008

Jenny Blain, Douglas Ezzy, and Graham Harvey, eds., Researching Paganisms (Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2004), 256 pp., $79 (cloth), $29.95 (paper)
I Still Worship Zeus, directed by Jamil Said
Authors: Strimska Michael
Published: April 2008

I Still Worship Zeus, directed by Jamil Said (Washington, DC: Jamil Said Productions, 2004).
Leslie Brown, Gordon MacLellan, Tom Mason and Chris Vis, eds., StarMatter: Towards a New Perspective
Authors: Greenwood Susan
Published: April 2008

Leslie Brown, Gordon MacLellan, Tom Mason and Chris Vis, eds., StarMatter: Towards a New Perspective (London: StillWell, 2005), xi + 97 pp., £9.95 (paper).
Popular Witchcraft and Environmentalism
Authors: Ezzy Douglas
Published: April 2008

Witchcraft is often described as a ‘nature religion’ that is attractive because of its environmentally oriented mythology. This article examines the popular literature of contemporary Witchcraft to identify the extent to which Witchcraft reflects a substantial change from the dominant Western anthropocentric orientation to the other-than-human environment. I examine the rituals and worldviews in popular Witchcraft texts by Vivianne Crowley, Janet and Stewart Farrar, Scott Cunningham and Starhawk. I argue that there is substantial variation in the degree to which Witchcraft can be classified as providing an environmentalist ethic. While Witchcraft mythology is oriented toward nature, the focus of much Witchcraft on self-development leaves it open to becoming a religion of selfish individualism rather than a spirituality of respectful relationships.
Journey into the Neither-Neither
Authors: Miles Christopher J
Published: April 2008

The English artist and occultist Austin Osman Spare (1886–1956) created a dense and fecund body of work that is built upon a foundation of automatism, the pursuit of a state of Vacuity, and the reification of what Spare termed “Self-Love.” Although a one-time student of Aleister Crowley and clearly influenced by some aspects of Western European esoteric currents, Spare has remained on the margins of the twentieth-century occult revival due both to the complexity of his language and idiosyncratic nature of his system of magical theory and practice. A number of voices have, however, sought to locate Spare and his system within a “shamanic” framework linked to perceptions/constructions of “witchcraft” and “Amerindian sorcery.” This article seeks to examine what this might mean through a discussion of the dual influence of Michael Harner’s core-shamanism and Kenneth Grant’s mediation of Spare, while also providing an overview of Spare’s writings on “trance” techniques designed to address the apparent evidence for his “shamanic” identity.
Challenging the Morals of Western Society
Authors: Bogdan Henrik
Published: April 2008

This paper discusses the historical roots of the use of ritualized sex in contemporary occultism, with special focus on the teachings of Aleister Crowley (1875–1947), Gerald B. Gardner (1884–1964) and Kenneth Grant (b. 1924). The notion that sexual magic is related to Hindu Tantric practices is addressed, and a detailed historical development of the use of ritualized sex—as illustrated by Crowley, Gardner, and Grant—is presented.
Graham Harvey, Animism: Respecting the Living World
Authors: Wallis Robert J
Published: April 2008

Graham Harvey, Animism: Respecting the Living World (New York: Columbia University Press, 2005), 262 pp., $69.50 (cloth), $28.50 (paperback).
Expanding Religious Studies: The Obsolescence of the Sacred/Secular Framework for Pagan, Earthen and Indigenous Religion
Authors: Zitukawa Mikirou , York Michael
Published: April 2008

Through an examination of the concepts of universality and indigenousness, the authors' argument is that a more comprehensive definition of ?religion? is possible than there is via traditional Western academic understanding. Instead of the more restricted, confrontational and inadequate ?sacred?/ ?secular? framework, the Japanese principle of Irekawari suggests the possibility of a mutual conversion between the sacred and the profane. The author explores two conceptual dyads: that of hare ?festive? and ke ?ordinary? that includes magic and sorcery along with religion and the sacred within a broader framework; and that between i/yu (a Japanese religious linguistic element) and ke that allows the consideration of defilement, pollution, danger, and obstacle as religiously significant, ?for example, the funeral ceremony, spiritual curing, and so on. The authors' endeavour is to avoid the necessity of positing a transcendent or supernatural reality for the study of religion in its fullest understanding.
A Política Externa Independente em ação: a Conferência de Punta del Este de 1962
Authors: Franchini Neto Hélio
Published: April 2008

Considerada por San Tiago Dantas como "uma reunião que marcou época na formação do americanismo", a Conferência de Punta del Este, de janeiro de 1962, dedicou-se a tratar dos efeitos da Revolução Cubana no hemisfério. Declarou-se a incompatibilidade do comunismo com os princípios americanos e suspendeu-se Cuba da Junta Interamericana de Defesa (JID) e da OEA. A participação brasileira teve grande destaque e repercussão tanto interna quanto internacionalmente. Procura-se analisar as razões que levaram o Brasil a adotar a posição de condenar o comunismo cubano e aprovar a suspensão de Cuba da JID, sem, porém, concordar com sua suspensão da OEA.
O Brasil e o Conselho de Segurança da Organização das Nações Unidas: dos anos 90 a 2002
Authors: Arraes Virgílio Caixeta
Published: April 2008

A obtenção de um assento permanente no Conselho de Segurança da Organização das Nações Unidas tem sido uma aspiração constante da política externa brasileira desde o fim da Guerra Fria. Todavia, a ênfase interna na consecução de tal intento depende do êxito da aplicação da política econômica conjugado com alterações externas, como o atentado terrorista de setembro de 2001.
A política internacional, a conjuntura econômica e a Argentina de Néstor Kirchner
Authors: Vadell Javier Alberto
Published: April 2008

No trabalho pretende-se avaliar o período do governo Néstor Kirchner na Argentina à luz da conjuntura política e econômica internacional. Nesse sentido, pretende-se discutir se a Argentina - e os países da América Latina - tem alguma margem de manobra para a implementação de políticas alternativas ao modelo neoliberal econômico, numa conjuntura econômica favorável.
A responsabilidade social é uma questão de estratégia? Uma abordagem crítica
Authors: Faria Alexandre , Sauerbronn Fernanda Filgueiras
Published: April 2008

Após longo período de desinteresse por questões sociais ou políticas e devido aos recentes escândalos protagonizados por grandes corporações, observamos nos últimos 10 anos a aproximação da área de estratégia, em especial nos EUA, do tema responsabilidade social empresarial (RSE). Fenômeno similar começa a ser observado no Brasil. Este artigo argumenta que essa aproximação deve ser desafiada. Baseando-se na análise crítica da área de estratégia feita recentemente por pesquisadores europeus, os autores mostram que a não-neutralidade da área de estratégia, vista como um campo organizacional, ajuda a explicar o escândalo da Enron, por exemplo. O desinteresse da literatura dominante por esse tipo de crítica pode esclarecer por que importantes abordagens teóricas em RSE vêm sendo negligenciadas pela literatura de estratégia na era da globalização. Por meio de uma análise histórica interdisciplinar este artigo mostra que a abordagem contemporânea mais conhecida de RSE e a área de estratégia dividem uma mesma diretriz problemática: a legitimação das grandes empresas e o desprezo pela dimensão pública e pelo Estado. Ao final, os autores argumentam que a aproximação da área de estratégia do tema RSE deve contemplar a dimensão pública para que questões sociais não se transformem em meros recursos estratégicos e políticos de grandes corporações.
Participação no gerenciamento de bacia hidrográfica: o caso do Comitê Lago Guaíba
Authors: Flores Rafael Kruter , Misoczky Maria Ceci
Published: April 2008

Os modelos de gestão de recursos hídricos têm sofrido transformações em vários países, tornando-se cada vez mais complexos. O sistema adotado pela legislação brasileira é caracterizado por descentralização, planejamento por bacias, utilização de instrumentos normativos e econômicos, e participação da sociedade. Assumindo como situação problemática a participação de atores com interesses distintos no planejamento da bacia, este artigo analisa o processo participativo no Comitê Lago Guaíba como parte integrante do Sistema Estadual de Recursos Hídricos do Rio Grande do Sul. Como procedimento metodológico, analisaram-se as atas de reuniões do comitê na gestão 2001/02 e os conceitos, tipologias e fatores condicionantes do sucesso da participação sugeridos por diversos autores. A partir de índices de presença e contribuições na plenária identificaram-se membros omissos e atuantes e caracterizou-se a influência da sociedade e a atuação do governo do estado. Uma efetiva participação de grupos e organizações da sociedade civil, bem como dos usuários da água nas decisões do comitê, foi um ponto positivo no caso estudado. Entretanto, o artigo revela que governo do estado não participa no processo do comitê.
Eficiência dos gastos municipais em saúde e educação: uma investigação através da análise envoltória no estado do Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Faria Flavia Peixoto , Jannuzzi Paulo de Martino , Silva Silvano José da
Published: April 2008

Este artigo analisa a eficiência dos gastos públicos nos municípios fluminenses no período 1999/2000, por meio da aplicação da análise envoltória de dados. O estudo adota os indicadores sociais e de gastos municipais das seguintes áreas temáticas da realidade social: educação e cultura; saúde e saneamento. O artigo apresenta uma revisão de várias aplicações de DEA no campo das políticas públicas e, em seguida, os indicadores e modelos propostos para análise da eficiência dos gastos sociais. Aplicou-se o modelo BCC da DEA, com orientação output, isto é, visando maximizar os outputs sem diminuir os inputs. Foram selecionados indicadores de despesas per capita com educação e cultura e com saúde e saneamento como inputs do modelo em questão. Já as variáveis "candidatas" a outputs foram definidas como: taxa de alfabetização de 10 a 14 anos; proporção de domicílios particulares permanentes com esgotamento sanitário adequado; proporção de domicílios particulares permanentes com saneamento adequado; o inverso da taxa de mortalidade por causas hídricas; a proporção de crianças de dois a cinco anos matriculadas em creches ou escolas de educação infantil. O artigo destaca como "boas práticas", no que se refere à eficiência das políticas públicas, pelos resultados que alcançam em termos do que alocam como recursos ou pelas condições de renda média, os municípios de São Gonçalo, Japeri, Queimados, Cantagalo, São João de Meriti e Resende.
Estrutura foliar de curauá em diferentes intensidades de radiação fotossinteticamente ativa
Authors: Oliveira Elaine Cristina Pacheco de , Lameira Osmar Alves , Sousa Fernanda Ilkiu Borges de , Silva Rolf Junior Ferreira
Published: April 2008

O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar a anatomia foliar de Ananas comosus var. erectifolius e comparar as características anatômicas de suas fibras foliares, quando submetidas a dois índices de radiação fotossinteticamente ativa (54 e 100%). Para a análise das estruturas anatômicas, especialmente as fibras, foram utilizadas técnicas de dissociação da epiderme foliar, contagem do número de estômatos por milímetro quadrado, cortes histológicos e microscopia eletrônica de varredura no material botânico fixado. A epiderme estava revestida por cutícula espessa e bem desenvolvida nas folhas nos dois índices de radiação. Nas folhas a 100% de radiação fotossinteticamente ativa, foi observado aumento de espessura nas regiões apical e basal. Foram observadas diferenças no número de camadas e altura do parênquima paliçádico e na quantidade de feixes fibrosos relativas aos índices de radiação. A quantidade de feixes fibrosos foi maior na condição de 54% do que em 100% de radiação fotossinteticamente ativa.
Parâmetros de bioquímica sérica de machos, fêmeas e filhotes de Araras canindé (Ara ararauna) saudáveis mantidas em cativeiro comercial
Authors: Valle Stella de Faria , Allgayer Mariângela da Costa , Pereira Rosecler Alves , Barcellos Leonardo José Gil , Hlavac Nicole Regina Capacchi , França Raqueli Teresinha , Locatelli Marcelo Lauxen
Published: April 2008

O Brasil possui um considerável número de espécies de psitacídeos catalogados, perfazendo cerca de 80 espécies, sendo que as Araras canindé (Ara ararauna), uma das maiores representantes dessa ordem, podem ser encontradas em florestas nas diversas regiões brasileiras. O Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA) normalizou a comercialização de animais da fauna silvestre provenientes de criadouros e conseqüentemente ocorreu um aumento do número destes animais como de estimação. Atualmente, há pouco conhecimento sobre os parâmetros clínicos e laboratoriais de espécies silvestres em cativeiro. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo determinar parâmetros de bioquímica sangüínea de Araras canindé (Ara ararauna) saudáveis de sexo e faixa etária distintas mantidas em um criatório comercial com alimentação e manejo controlados e padronizados. Foram colhidas amostras de sangue de 35 araras canindé (11 filhotes e 24 adultos) e remetidas ao Laboratório de Análises Clínicas Veterinárias da Universidade de Passo Fundo (UPF) para determinação dos seguintes indicadores bioquímicos: ácido úrico (AU), albumina (ALB), aspartato aminotransferase (AST), cálcio (Ca), colesterol (Col), creatina quinase (CK), fosfatase alcalina (FA), fósforo inorgânico (Pi), frutosamina (Fru), gama glutamil transferase (GGT), proteínas totais (PT) e uréia (UR). Entre as aves adultas, foram encontradas diferenças significativas nos valores de CK (superior nos machos), Ca e AU (superiores nas fêmeas). Entre aves adultas e filhotes foram constatadas diferenças significativas nos valores de AU, Ca, ALB, COL, FA, Pi e FRU. A maioria das alterações detectadas pode ser relacionada à diferença na dieta fornecida e à condição fisiológica de cada categoria de aves. Os dados obtidos podem ser utilizados como parâmetros de referência para as araras canindé brasileiras.
Canine ehrlichiosis: clinical, hematological, serological and molecular aspects
Authors: Nakaghi Andréa Cristina Higa , Machado Rosangela Zacarias , Costa Mirela Tinucci , André Marcos Rogério , Baldani Cristiane Divan
Published: April 2008

The aim of the present study was to compare the direct detection methods of Ehrlichia canis (blood smears and nested PCR), serological tests (Dot-ELISA and Immunofluorescent Antibody Test - IFAT), and demonstrate the most suitable test for the diagnosis of different stages of infection. Blood samples and clinical data were collected from 30 dogs examined at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil. The clinical signs most frequently observed were apathy, anorexia, pale mucous membrane, fever, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, hemorrhages and uveitis. Evaluating the humoral immune response, 63.3% of the sera were IFAT positive, while 70% were Dot-ELISA positive. By nestedPCR 53.3% of the samples were positive. Comparing these techniques it was concluded that serology and nPCR are the most suitable tests to confirm the diagnosis of canine ehrlichiosis, however it should be always treated as a complementary data to clinical and hematological evaluation. Serology has an important role in the subclinical and in the chronic phase, nPCR is recommended in the acute stage, and, especially, to identify the ehrlichia specie.
Consumo de energia elétrica e produção de alface hidropônica com três intervalos entre irrigações
Authors: Luz Gean Lopes da , Medeiros Sandro Luís Petter , Manfron Paulo Augusto , Borcioni Elis , Müller Liziany , Amaral Alan Dischkaln do , Morais Katiule Pereira
Published: April 2008

Com o objetivo de avaliar a ação do regime de irrigação na produção da alface cv. "Regina" em sistema hidropônico NFT, foi conduzido um experimento no Departamento de Fitotecnia da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, de maio a junho (outono) de 2005. Os tratamentos constituíram-se de três diferentes intervalos entre irrigações; 15min, 30min e 45min a cada irrigação de 15min. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso com três repetições. Foram realizadas as medidas fenométricas área foliar, fitomassa seca da parte aérea e fitomassa seca total, no momento do transplante e aos seis, nove, 16, 20 e 23 dias após o transplante. Não houve diferença significativa entre as variáveis fenométricas. O intervalo de 45 min entre irrigações destacou-se por ter proporcionado diminuição no custo da energia elétrica de 42,1%, sem prejuízos à produtividade.
Morfologia duplex Doppler dos principais vasos sanguíneos abdominais em pequenos animais
Authors: Carvalho Cibele Figueira , Chammas Maria Cristina , Cerri Giovanni Guido
Published: April 2008

A ultra-sonografia duplex Doppler é capaz de fornecer informações anatômicas e hemodinâmicas em tempo real. O conhecimento do espectro Doppler normal de cada vaso sanguíneo é importante na sua identificação, pois cada vaso possui um sinal Doppler específico. Reconhecer as alterações de morfologia do espectro somente é possível mediante o conhecimento das variações na normalidade. O objetivo deste artigo foi revisar as informações publicadas em literatura que descrevem o padrão Doppler normal dos principais vasos sanguíneos abdominais de pequenos animais.
A convergência de referências na promoção da saúde
Authors: Marcondes Willer Baumgarten
Published: April 2008

A constituição de um campo para a saúde pública de conhecimentos e práticas de promoção da saúde pode ser entendido pelo acúmulo histórico de contribuições da saúde comunitária, da medicina preventiva e da epidemiologia social, entre outros, que colaboraram para a conformação de uma abordagem da saúde de forma ampliada. Nesta confluência de referenciais variados, abordo neste artigo uma proposta de síntese entre algumas das principais questões que, radicalmente interligadas, conformariam os contornos da promoção da saúde. Postulo, desta forma, que o interesse na promoção da saúde seja justamente a construção desta interface entre a incorporação de boas práticas e questões para a saúde pública, fazendo, ao mesmo tempo, proposições articuladas e coerentes com o nosso momento histórico, marcado por um modelo neoliberal de globalização e pela hegemonia das tecnologias biomédicas. Este artigo está apoiado em três questões que considero fundamentais para abordar a promoção da saúde: as limitações do modelo biomédico, a ampliação do conceito de saúde e a diferença entre prevenção e promoção. Para tanto, recorro aos principais documentos históricos de referência à promoção da saúde para problematizar o que estamos discutindo como qualidade de vida, além das críticas ao "modismo" neoliberal que justificariam ideologicamente a retração do Estado e a culpabilização da população. Um caminho apontado a partir destas considerações é o de que a participação social na saúde pode oferecer um potencial para enfrentar os desafios e adequar o campo da promoção da saúde ao nosso contexto latino-americano.
O cuidado, os modos de ser (do) humano e as práticas de saúde
Authors: Ayres José Ricardo de Carvalho Mesquita
Published: April 2008

As práticas de saúde contemporâneas estão passando por uma importante crise em sua história. Em contraste com seu expressivo desenvolvimento científico e tecnológico, estas práticas vêm encontrando sérias limitações para responder efetivamente às complexas necessidades de saúde de indivíduos e populações. Recentes propostas de humanização e integralidade no cuidado em saúde têm se configurado em poderosas e difundidas estratégias para enfrentar criativamente a crise e construir alternativas para a organização das práticas de atenção à saúde no Brasil. Este ensaio de reflexão tem como objetivo examinar, desde uma perspectiva hermenêutica, alguns dos desafios filosóficos e práticos no sentido da humanização das práticas de saúde. O conceito ontológico de Cuidado (Sorge), de Heidegger, em suas relações com os modos de ser (do) humano, é a base da revisão crítica empreendida acerca das características atuais da atenção à saúde. O desenvolvimento da análise é orientado por um estudo de caso de atenção primária à saúde, extraído da experiência profissional do próprio autor. Projeto de vida, construção de identidade, confiança e responsabilidade são apontados como traços principais a serem considerados na compreensão das interações entre profissionais de saúde e pacientes e como pontos-chave para a reconstrução ética, política e técnica do cuidado em saúde.