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A Case Study on Moral Disengagement and Rationalization in the Context of Portugese Bullfighting

Author(s): Luis Cordeiro-Rodrigues,Emanuele Achino / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2017

Bullfighting is increasingly seen as a contested practice in Portugal. The Portuguese public generally disapproves of the practice and the Portuguese animal rights movement has dedicated a significant number of their campaigns to protesting against it. Despite this opposition to the practice, however, there is still legal protection of the practice on grounds of preserving it as a national tradition. This contestation and legality has led bullfighting supporters to actively try to defend and rationalize the practice. This paper analyses this defence and rationalization by exploring a case study of the quasi-lobbyist Portuguese organization, Pr˘toiro. The aforementioned case study is analyzed through the use of critical discourse analysis and neutralization theory. The conclusion reached in this article is that the analysis of speech reveals that Pr˘toiro and its supporters try to morally disengage with the harm done to the bull by using justifications that bullfighting is an ethical activity

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Agoniści receptorów aktywowanych proliferatorami peroksysomów w farmakoterapii. Obecne znaczenie i perspektywy zastosowania

Author(s): Lukasz Dobrek / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 4/2017

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR), present in three major isoforms (α, β / δ and γ), are nuclear transcription factors involved in lipid and glucose metabolism.Those receptors are targeted by fibrates (PPAR-α agonists) used in the hypertriglyceridemia and by thiazolidinediones (glitazones, affecting PPAR-γ), used as hypoglycemicagents in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, there is ongoing work on the new double receptor PPAR-α/γ agonists (glitazars) or compounds affecting both PPAR-γand free fatty acids receptors 1 (FFAR1). The ability to stimulate PPAR, resulted in anti inflammatory, anti-atherogenic and anti-proliferative properties, is also demonstrated by other compounds, such as statins, sartans or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The revealed feature broadens their pharmaco dynamic description. To sum up, the agonistic effect on PPAR is an important element of the mechanism of action of many pharmacological agents, both drugs already applied in pharmaco therapy, and novel compounds that are currently in experimental studies and clinical trials.

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Aktuelni problemi abortusa, prenatalnog genetskog testiranja i upravljanja trudnoćom

Author(s): Vesna Klajn Tatic / Language(s): Serbian / Issue: 1/2011

Current ethical and legal issues with regard to abortion, prenatal genetic testing and managing pregnancy are discussed in this paper. These problems are considered from the legal theory point of view as well as from the standpoint of the Serbian Law, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, European Court of Human Rights, legal regulations of several EU countries, the USA, Japan, and their judicial practice. First, the pregnancy termination standards that exist in Serbia are introduced. Then the following issues are explained separately: the pro life and pro choice approaches to abortion; abortion according to the legal approach as a way of survival; the moral and legal status of the fetus; prenatal genetic testing, and finally matters regarding managing pregnancy today.Moral and legal principals of autonomy, namely freedom of choice of the individual, privacy and self-determination give women the right to terminate unwanted pregnancies. In addition, the basic question is whether the right of the woman to abortion clashes with the rights of others. Firstly, with the right of the "fetus to life". Secondly, with the right of the state to intervene in the interest of protecting "the life of the fetus". Third, with the rights of the woman’s partner. The fetus has the moral right to life, but less in relation to the same right of the woman as well as in relation to her right to control her life and her physical and moral integrity. On the other hand, the value of the life of the fetus increases morally and legally with the maturity of gestation; from the third trimester, the interest of the state prevails in the protection of the "life of the fetus" except when the life or health of the pregnant woman are at risk. As regards the rights of the woman’s partner, namely the husband’s opinion, there is no legal significance. The law does not request his participation in the decision on abortion because the decision is exclusively brought by the pregnant woman.Critics of prenatal genetic testing claim that the woman’s autonomous choice is seriously prejudiced, as the women are pressured first with genetic testing and then with abortion, if the test is positive. However, there are views that many parents are left to bring their decisions in a vacuum because the physicians do not discuss all possible available options with them out of fear that they will be perceived as orders. Genetic counseling has an aim to facilitate informed reproductive decisions. Rigid application of policies on non-directive genetic counseling make pregnant women and families unaware of the nature and consequences of the genetic state which could affect the future child. If the real goal is an informed choice then it is the obligation of the physician-specialist to inform the parents with the facts and familiarize them with the true state. Managing pregnancies today medicalizes and pathologizes all pregnancies, and not only the risky ones. Since these techniques are becoming a routine part of medicalized pregnancy managing, pregnant women find it difficult to resist undertaking such technologies or to refuse them. Thus the question on how much these technologies offer sensible choices is imposed. Generally speaking, it is stated that women are becoming observers rather than active participants in giving birth to a new life. Attempts of legal control over a pregnant woman for the protection of "the life of the fetus" violate the woman’s human rights in democratic societies.

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An Empirical Study of Latvian Consumers’ Attitudes and Perceptions Towards Genetically Modified Organisms

Author(s): Inese Aleksejeva / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2016

Genetic modification and genetically modified organisms (GMO) remains a controversial issue. Latvian consumers’ attitude towards genetic modification and GMO have been characterized as negative using Eurobarometer data, but so far no specific investigation of Latvian consumers has been done in this field. The aim of this study was to analyse Latvian consumers’ attitude towards genetic modification and GMO, the subjective and objective knowledge about this questions and acceptability of use of GMO in different application areas. Main task in frame of this research is to summarize different literature and data available to outline some of factors that influence attitudes towards GMO: mainly public subjective and objective knowledge, perception on risk and benefits, and ethical concerns. The survey method was chosen as a tool to collect data and elicit Latvian consumers’ attitude towards use of GMO in different industries. The survey was composed of 18 questions; seven of them have been structured on one to ten–point scale.The survey data of Latvia’s inhabitants (N = 1184) were collected by the telemarketing company from September 2014 until June 2015. To select the units to be included in the sample systematic sampling was applied – every twentieth inhabitant was approached by phone call and invited to answer on survey questions. The results of Latvian consumers’ survey showed that Latvians’ acceptability of genetic modification varies by application area; genetically modified (GM) non–food products are more accepted than GM food and feed products. Ethical and moral aspects play essential role among Latvian consumers. Respondents’ subjective and objective knowledge of genetic modification and GMO differs. The findings would be essential to policy makers when designing risk–communication strategies targeting different consumer segments to ensure proper discussion and addressing potential concerns about genetic modification.

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ANALIZA UČESTALOSTI DEFEKTNOG VIĐENJA BOJA U ROMSKIM POPULACIJAMA TUZLANSKE REGIJE

Author(s): Elbisa Hasukic / Language(s): Bosnian / Issue: 8/2016

Promjenjivost (varijacija, varijabilnost) jedna je od univerzalnih i najuočljivijih pojava u živom svijetu i osnovna karakteristika svih vrsta živih bića sa biparentalnim (spolnim) razmnožavanjem. Osnovno zapažanje o pojedinačnim osobinama jeste da se neke od njih kod svih pripadnika proučavane grupe javljaju u jednoj formi (varijanti) druge u dvije, a ostale u tri ili više međusobno različitih varijanti (fenotipova, modaliteta, oblika).

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Analysis of differences of growth and phenology of provenances of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) in provenance experiment at Žepče

Author(s): Senada Šito,Dalibor Ballian / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2017

This paper analyses the growth and phenology of fourteen European provenances of Scots pine at the international experimental plot at Zepce. The experiment with the provenances was developed during the spring of 2012 with two (2+0) year old plants. In total 1400 Scots pine saplings were planted in an experimental random block layout, fourteen provenances in four repetitions (4 x 25 plants). The experiment is composed of provenances from ten European countries: Austria (Traisen, Rein, Sistrans), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bugojno), Scotland (Shieldaig), Ukraine (IvanoFrankivsk), Slovakia (Hanusovce), Romania (Sacueini), Norway (Narvik), Germany (Trippstadt), Poland (Raciane – Nida) and Italy (Ca del Lupo, Fenestrelle, Piani – Valda). The morphological results relate to the differences in survival, height, diameter on the root neck and the ratio of these measurements to the height of the saplings of different provenances of Scots pine. Phenological details relate to the phenology of the buds and complete formation of pine needles. All of the details researched have yielded notably different findings. The results of the research can play a significant role in reforestation as well as the preservation of the genetic wealth of Scots pine.

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Archaeology, Evolution and Darwinism

Author(s): Aleksandar Palavestra,Marko Porcic / Language(s): English / Issue: 3/2008

This paper presents a short history of the influence evolutionary thinking has had on anthropology and archaeology. The focus is on four major "schools" in evolutionist thought: the classical evolutionism of the 19th century, Neo-evolutionism, social biology (sociobiology) and Neo-Darwinian archaeology. The basic conclusion of this text is that the idea of socio-cultural evolution, understood in the broadest sense, has left a lasting impression on anthropological and archeological theory, and that it still represents a useful theoretical framework for new research.

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Around the Bloc: Georgian Anti-Hep C Project an Overwhelming Success

Author(s): TOL TOL / Language(s): English / Issue: 05/16/2017

Large-scale elimination of virus is the result of pilot program launched by U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturer, which offered free treatment to hepatitis patients.

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Australian Kinship

Author(s): Lyle B. Steadman / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2005

There is a strange custom in Australia, among the Aborigines. A man and his wife give their five-year-old daughter to a young boy to be the little boy’s future mother-in-law. From that moment on, throughout their lives, the boy will call the girl “mother-in-law”, will show her extreme respect, will never be familiar with her, and will send her gifts of meat when he’s successful in hunting. Thirty or forty years later, when they have grown up, the boy’s “mother-in-law” will begin sending him her daughters as wives as they reach fifteen years of age or so. In my talk today I shall use Darwinian selection theory to offer an explanation of this strange custom, which may, until recently, have been extremely widespread, perhaps universal in the 500 or so tribes that covered Australia.

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BESLENMENİN ÖNEMİ VE ERGOJENİK BESLENME TAKVİYELERİNİN BESLENMEDEKİ YERİ İLE SPORDA KULLANIMI

Author(s): Onur Oral,Kerim Bakan,Anna Suza,Solmaz P. Hasdemir,George Nomikos,Nuray Öztasan / Language(s): Turkish / Issue: 31/2016

Sports activities in science and technology has brought great success. The distorting the concept of fair play by the strain of the limits of the athletes physical borders leads a new industry. It should be noted that in sports science should be used correctly and equitable. While it has been discovered the secrets of human physiology, scientists are trying to determine the limits of the right amount and form of nutrition and supplements. These studies are in line with the coach and athlete is necessary to define the limits of ergogenic supports the concept of fair play within the framework of this science.

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Biodiversity and dynamics of plant groups of Chebket El Melhassa region (Algeria)

Author(s): B. Maamar,B. Nouar,L. Soudani,M. Maatoug,M. Azzaoui,M. Kharytonov,O. Wiche,O. Zhukov / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2018

This article examines phytoecological aspects of plant groups in the Chebket El Melhassa region (Tiaret-Ouest Algérien) by several types of analysis: biological, biogeographic and statistical. From the plant analysis, a list of 103 taxa distributed in 36 families was compiled, biologically characterized by a dominance of therophytes (45.6%) with species of the Mediterranean biogeographic type 20 species (19.8%) assuming particular importance. The ordination of the plant community was performed in the search for the optimum solution based on correlation with environmental factors, estimated using the phytoindication approach. The results reveal that the plants represented in the community, mostly prefer strongly lit places. Phytoindication shows a warm sub Mediterranean climate. Continentality corresponds to the sub-oceanic climate. The moisture regime ranges from strongly dry to dry soil. The plant community is formed on moderately acid soils. Plants are able to grow on both strongly acidic and neutral soils. The soil is very poor or poor in nitrogen. A four dimension variant of multidimensional scaling procedure was selected as the most appropriate decision. Dimensions selected after nonmetric multidimensional scaling were interpreted by computing weighted average scores of ecological factors for ordination configuration. Four of the plant species clusters were found to be the optimal solution on the basis of the Calinsky-Harabasz criteria. The clusters can be viewed as a functional group. Functional group A is quite diverse and represented by 42 species. This functional group is closest to the community optimum because in all four space dimensions the corresponding cluster is near the origin, which corresponds to the most typical ecological conditions. Species that constitute the group B prefer minimum values of dimension 2. This indicates a preference for illuminated sites with high temperature regime and low soil humidity. This group includes 32 species. A feature of group С is that it is located in the area of maximum values for dimension 2. Thus, this functional group is opposite to functional group B. This indicates a preference of species included in the functional group C for wetter soils. Functional group C comprises 21 species. Functional group D differs considerably from all others in its ecological characteristics. The difference is in the preference for minimum values for measurement 1. This suggests that more acid soils are optimal for a given functional group. Functional group E comprises 8 species.

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BIODIVERZITET I DINAMIKA POPULACIJA VRSTA IZ PORODICE NYMPHALIDAE (INSECTA: LEPIDOPTERA) TUZLE I OKOLINE

Author(s): Zerina Terzic,Merima Terzic / Language(s): Bosnian / Issue: 8/2016

Considering the fact that butterflies are exceptionally diverse and significant swarm of insects, very little research is done in Tuzla and surrounding areas. So, the main aim of this research is to establish diversity, abundance as well as population dynamics of species of the family Nymphalidae. During the research which include period from May to October, 2012 we have obtained results that the family Nymphalidae is the most represented with 17 recorded species in Tuzla and surrounding areas. Maniola Jurtina isthe most represented species, whereas the other species like: Melitaea didyma, Apaturairis, Pararge aegeria, Lasiommata maera, Aphantopus hyperantus i Brintesia Circe are the least represented. So far as population dynamics of species of the family Nymphalidae is concerned, we have examined the density of population where are noticed remarkable fluctuations in different periods of spring and summer in 2012. So, taking into consideration the methods that have been used during the research, we can ascertain that they are the most important indicators of ecological state of an area and at the same time they represent the most interesting swarm of insects that can be examined in a certain area.

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Biologia czy kultura mózgu. W poszukiwaniu uwarunkowań działalności edukacyjnej

Author(s): Renata Michalak / Language(s): Polish / Issue: 2/2016

An unusual flowering neuroscience is perceived in many scientific areas and education also. The scientific disciplines such as neuro-pedagogic, neuroteaching or neuroprogramming are trying to use the data of neuroscience in optimizing educational process for children, teenagers,and adults. Improving the functions of human brain and maintaining its cognitive capacity are very important and attractive activities for both researchers and practitioners of education, now. However, it will not be possible without a good knowledge of the basics and the determinants of development of brain. This article presents neurobiological and cultural context of programming of educational process.

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Biosorption of heavy metals by marine algae Ulva rigida, Cystoseira barbata and C. crinita

Author(s): A. Simeonova,S. Petkova / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2007

Adsorption properties of three different marine algae (Ulva rigida (green algae); Cystoseira barbata (brown algae) and Cystoseira crinita (brown algae)) were investigated. They were collected from the Black Sea coastal area in Varna region, Bulgaria. Kinetics were studied to evaluate the ability of the three algae to sequester Cu (II), Zn (II), Pb (II), Ni (II), Cd (II) from aqueous solution. The maximum biosorption capacity obtained was 2.84 mgeq Ni2+/g for Cystoseira crinita and 2.28 mgeq Cu2+/g for Cystoseira barbata at a solution pH of 5 ± 0.5. The influence of pH of the solution and algae mass on the heavy metal sorption was investigated either. Desorption using 0.05 M HNO3 was carried out and was determined that regeneration of biomass for use in multiple cycles of Cd (II) biosorption –desorption should be feasible.

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Biosphere as semiosphere: Variations on Lotman

Author(s): Anton Markoš / Language(s): English / Issue: 4/2014

Th e analogy between semiosphere (world of cultures) and biosphere (world of life), coined by J. Lotman, is a courageous attempt to interconnect two seemingly incompatible worlds. In congruence with his view, I would like to convince the reader that the only possible general definition of life is “a system born, endowed with semiosis, with history”. Such a view requires considering biosphere and semiosphere as coextensive, which requires merging the cultural, scientific, historical, and linguistic approaches into a coherent whole.

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Birds from the Old East Slavic settlement “Igren 8” (12th–13th century AD; Ukraine)

Author(s): L. V. Gorobets,I. V. Matlaev / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2014

The work presents the results of the analysis of a species diversity of the Old East Slavic settlement “Igren 8”(Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine). The settlement occupied the area of nearly 15 ha which was relatively large for this region. In Medieval period around the mouths of tributaries to the delta of the Dnieperdense forests were located, although the region is located in the south forest-steppe zone and the steppe zone. The majority of hunted birds belong to the group Anatidae (at least 72% of the minimum possible number of individuals). Poultry played the minor role in the diet of the residents of the medieval settlement “Igren 8”. We have drawn the conclusion about birds from “Igren 8”inhabiting water with thickets of the hygrophyte vegetation on the periphery. Nowadays, there are many embryophytes such as Phragmites australis, Typha spp., Glyceria maxima, Acorus calamus and others in these places. Hygrophytes covering of reservoirs is typically less than 20%.

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Changes in the viability of the eggs of Ascaris suum under the influence of flavourings and source materials approved for use in and on foods

Author(s): V. V. Brygadyrenko,A. A. Boyko / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2017

One of the most common parasitic diseases of pigs globally is ascariasis. It is caused by the nematode Ascaris suum Goeze, 1782 (Nematoda, Ascaridata), which parasitises the small intestine of pigs in its mature form and the respiratory system at the larval stage. This helminthiasis causes immense damage to swine-rearing. Control of the ascariasis pathogen in the host’s organism and in the environment is essential for the health of the animals and successful swine rearing. The results of studying the effect of flavourings and source materials approved for use in and on foods – cinnamaldehyde (0656 Codex Alimentarius), benzoic acid (Е210 Codex Alimentarius) and methylparaben (Е218 Codex Alimentarius) on the viability of invasive eggs of A. suum are useful for determining the minimum concentration of solution of these substances for use against eggs of A. suum (10 g/l). The lowest efficiency against invasive eggs of A. suum was obtained for methylparaben (LD50 = 3850 ± 2130 mg/l), the highest was obtained with cinnamaldehyde (LD50 = 2437 ± 864 mg/l), and benzoic acid (LD50 = 1240 ± 680 mg/l).

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Characteristics of action of nitrosoalkylureas on cell level in winter wheat

Author(s): M. M. Nazarenko / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2016

Here we report the cytogenetic characteristics of variability of mutation induction in new wheat varieties and some relationships between the means of the cytogenetic characteristics and different doses and types of mutagens. Analysis of chromosomal aberrations caused by mutagenic action of any kind of mutagen by the meto-anaphase method is one of the best known and most precise methods which we can use for determining the fact of mutagenic action on plants, and identifying the nature of the mutagenic factor. The strategy of investigation combined the identification of genotypes with a specific low-sensitivity to mutagenic factors using cytological analysis screening of mutagen treated wheat populations with the approach of comparing different varieties by breeding methods to reveal their connections and differences, specific sensitivity to mutagenic effects on the cell level. Dry seeds of 8 varieties of winter wheat were treated by nitrosomethilurea at concentrations 0.0125%, 0.0250%, and nitrosoethilurea 0.010%, 0.025%, which are normal levels for mutagenic selection of winter wheat mutation. The frequency and spectra of chromosomal aberrations were investigated. The overall correlations between the frequency of chromosomal aberrations and the value of a concentration were at the level 0.7–0.8. It was established that the fragments-bridges ratio is a reliable parameter for identifying the nature of mutagen. We identified genotypes and groups of genotypes which have a resistance to different types of mutagenic action. The resistance of a group is dependant on the breeding method of the variety initially obtained. It expressed as a decrease in the frequency of aberrations. Varieties obtained through chemical mutagenesis were less sensitive to the same chemical mutagens. Higher rates of chromosomal aberrations were typical for varieties obtained through field hybridization without any mutagen treatment or when the initial material was changed by low temperatures.

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Chemical composition of essential oil and antimicrobial properties of Chrysantemum Coronarium (Asteraceae)

Author(s): I. V. Ivashchenko / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2017

Garland chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium L.), or edible chrysanthemum, is a valuable food, medicinal, decorative plant, containing a considerable amount of biologically active substances. The herb is widely used as a dietary food in South-East Asia, whereas in spite of being spread throughout Ukraine, it is known there rather as a decorative than a vegetable plant. Introductory studies of C. coronarium were conducted on experimental plots at the Botanical Gardens of Zhytomyr National Agroecological University, which is located in Ukrainian Polesia. Chromatographic analysis of the essential oil composition was performed on the gas-liquid chromatographer Agilent Technologies 6890 with mass spectrometric detector 5973. The material for chromatographic studies was represented by C. coronarium inflorescences. The antimicrobial properties of the ethanolic extract from the areal parts of C. coronarium were studied on test-cultures, collected from the Ukrainian Collection of Microorganisms (UCM, Institute of Microbiology and Virology of NAS Ukraine), the test-cultures being: Escherichia coli UCM B-906 (ATCC 25922), Staphilococcus aureus UCM B-904 (ATCC 25923), Pseudomonas aeruginosa UCM B-900 (ATCC 9027), Candida albicans UCM Y-1918 (ATCC 885-653). The antimicrobial effect of the investigated substances was studied by the method of serial successive dilutions which determined minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC). This article shows the results of chromatographic analysis of essential oil obtained from C. coronarium inflorescences and focuses on antimicrobial activity of the herb against the test cultures of the following microorganisms: E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, C. albicans. In the essential oil 26 compounds have been determined, 23 of which have been identified, the major components being: chrysanthemyl acetate (24.4%), chrysanthemol (21.8%), chrysanthenyl acetate (7.6%), camphor (7.3%), β-farnesene (5.9%), α-bisabolol (5.6%). C. coronarium ethanolic extract showed antimicrobial activity against gram-positive strains of S. aureus. In comparison with the solvent, the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) increased 4 and 2 times, respectively. We have observed only fungistatic activity against the fungus C. albicans – MBC values showed a twofold increase compared with the solvent. Inhibitory, bactericidal/fungicidal properties of the extract against gram-negative strains of E. coli and P. aeruginosa have not been detected. The experimental data prove that there is a good perspective for further study and application of C. coronarium in pharmacy and the food industry.

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Chlorella sphaerica та її місце у системі роду diplosphaera (chlorophyta, trebouxiophyceae)

Author(s): V. M. Karbovska,I. Y. Kostikov / Language(s): Ukrainian / Issue: 1/2012

Morophological and molecular genetic analyses of green alga Chlorella sphaerica Tschermak-Woess (authentic strain), which represents the taxonomically critical species, the phenotypic similarity and phylogenetic close relation with the genus Diplosphaera Bialosuknia were found but the significant difference from the genus Chlorella Bejerink was demonstrated. Discovery of new morphological features (presence of vegetative division, the ability to dyads and packages forming, as well as external mucous structures) indicates the position of Ch. sphaerica within the genus Diplosphaera. The analysis of nucleotide sequences of non-coding regions (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of nuclear-encoding ribosomal gene cluster confirms this conclusion. Based on these data the new nomenclature combination is suggested: Diplosphaera sphaerica (Tschermak-Woess) Karbovska et Kostikov, comb. nova (basionym: Chlorella sphaerica Tschermak-Woess).

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