Confessional Mentality as a (Dis)Integration Factor

U tekstu se razmatra religiocentralizam kao faktor (dez)integrativnih procesa. Religiocentrizam se može pratiti na dva nivoa: na nivou celog kontinenta (Evropa) i na nivou jedne zemlje. U oba slučaja važe dva podnivoa analize: najpre, analiza odnosa među religijama (hrišćanstvo i islam), a zatim između krakova, konfesija svake od njih (pravoslavlje, katoličanstvo, protestantizam; suniti i šiiti). Na konkretnijem nivou, konfesionalni mentalitet kao faktor dez/integracije demonstrira se na primeru Jugoslavije, u kojoj se prožimaju bar tri kulturna kruga: 1. zapadno-evropski, odnosno katoličko-protestantski, 2. vizantijsko-pravoslavni, 3. otomansko-islamski. Predlaže se originalno definisanje konfesionalne pripadnosti (identifikacije) i daje konfesionalna panorama jugoslovenskog stanovništva. Kritikuje se način određivanja konfesionalne pripadnosti u oficijalu verskih zajednica koji, poistovećivanjem konfesionalne i nacionalne pripadnosti, može dezintegrisati ljude po nacionalnoj osnovi, sukobljavati po verskoj, kao što ih suprostavlja na liniji konfesionalno opredeljenih i bezkonfesionalaca, teista, indiferentnih i ateista. Ukazuje se na sociološku činjenicu o narušavanju monokonfesionalizma nacija, koje se odigrava dvema konverzijama. Jedan put konfesionalne konverzije vodi deo određene nacije u gubljenje prvobitnog etniciteta i vodi u drugu naciju. Drugi put vodi u izmenu konfesije, ali uz zadržavanje izvorne etničke pripadnosti. Obe konverzije se demonstriraju na primeru Srba (i Crnogoraca). U zaključku se tvrdi da je u, višenacionalnim i višekonfesionalnim zemljama, poput Jugoslavije, moguće graditi zajedništvo ukoliko dođe do odustajanja od: ekstremnog favorizovanja konfesionalnog mentaliteta, nekritičkog poistovećivanja nacije i religije, netolerantne identifikacije nacionalne i konfesionalne pripadnosti, nehumane podele ljudi sa konfesionalnim poreklom i bez njega, nerazložnog suprostavljanja teista, indiferentnih i ateista. Takvo zajedništvo gradilo bi se onda među susednim zemljama, regionima i u celoj Evropi. Autor insistira na gajenju svesti u Evropljana o potrebi opisanog zajedništva.This paper discusses religiocentrism as a (dis)integration factor. The religiocentrism can be viewed at the two levels: at the level of the whole continent and at the level of one country. In both cases there arc two sublevels: first, the analysis of the relationship between the major religions (Christianity and Islam) and second, the analysis of the relationships between their branches (the Orthodox Church, Catholicism, Protestantism; the Shiites and the Sunni). At the concrete level, the confessional mentality as a (dis) - integration factor is illustrated in the Yugoslav example in which at least three cultural circles are intertwined: West-European, that is, Catholic-Protestant, Byzantine-Orthodox and Ottomanic-Islamic. It suggests a genuine defining of the confessionality (identification) and it also gives the confessional panorama of the Yugoslav population. The paper criticizes the way of determining the confessionality used by officials of religious communities: by identifying the confessionality and nationality this method causes disintegration of people on the national and religious grounds dividing them into the confessionally determined and undetermined people, theists, atheists, indifferents and others. This paper also points out to the sociological fad that the monoconfessionalism of nations is being violated by two types of conversion. One type of conversion makes a pari of one nation lose its original ethnical belonging and become members of another nation. The other type causes the change of confession while the original ethnical belonging is being preserved. Both types are illustrated in the example of Serbians (and Montenegroes). The conclusion claims that it is possible in multinational and multiconfessional countries such as Yugoslavia to build a unity only if the following altitudes are eliminated: extreme favouritism of the confessional mentality, noncritical identification of nation and religions, non-tolerant identification of nationality and confessionalily, norihumane divisions of people into the ones with a confessional background and those without it, and unduly opposing of theists, atheists and indifferents. This kind of unity can be then cherished among the neighbouring countries, regions and in Europe on the whole. The authors insists on a greater awareness of the Europeans of the need for this unity

Corticosterone level alters optimal heat shock protein 90/glucocorticoid receptor ratio in hippocampus of stressed rats

Hippocampus (HIPPO) is one of the key brain structures, rich in glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a transcriptional factor involved in negative feedback of hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in response to stress. Heat shock proteins accompany GR maintaining its optimal conformation, ligand binding ability and translocation to the nucleus. In order to evaluate the expression of GR, Hsp90 and their ratio we exploited three diverse types of stress (acute immobilization, chronic isolation and combination of the two). Our results indicated the same pattern of expression and compartmental distribution for both proteins, as well as for their ratio, under acute and combined stress when the level of corticosterone (CORT) was high. On the contrary, when CORT was low, such as in chronic stress, Hsp90/GR ratio exhibited opposite pattern of expression and GR was not translocated to the nucleus.Physical chemistry 2008 : 9th international conference on fundamental and applied aspects of physical chemistry; Belgrade (Serbia); 24-28 September 200

Effect of different types of stress on adrenal gland parameters and adrenal hormones in the blood serum of male Wistar rats

In the present study, we examined gross changes in the mass of whole adrenal glands and that of the adrenal cortex and medulla in mature male Wistar rats subjected to three different stress types: acute, chronic, and combined, i.e., chronic followed by acute stress. These parameters were correlated with adrenal activity as judged from serum levels of corticosterone and catecholamine, respectively, as well as with serum levels of ACTH and glucose. Under all three conditions, we observed bilaterally asymmetric and stress-type-independent hypertrophy of whole adrenals, as well as adrenal cortices and medullas. Under acute and combined stress, adrenal hypertrophy was followed by increase of adrenal hormones in the blood serum. However, under chronic stress, both cortical and medullar activities as judged from low or unaltered levels of the respective hormones and glucose were compromised and disconnected from the input signal of ACTH. Since all of the studied adrenal activities could be restored by subsequent acute stress, it is concluded that chronic isolation can be viewed as partly maladaptive stress with characteristics resembling stress resistance rather than the stress exhaustion stage of the general adaptation syndrome

Antioxidant enzymes expression in liver of stressed wistar rat

The antioxidant enzymes (AOEs) expression was studied in Wistar rat liver under two types of stress: acute (immobilization) and chronic (isolation). The acute stress induced increase in blood corticosterone (CORT) and glucose (GLU), but decreased AOEs expression, and such conditions may result in oxidative stress. In contrast to acute stress, in chronic stress conditions, when both CORT and GLU were low, the AOEs expression was markedly induced. This increase in MnSOD, CuZnSOD, and catalase exhibited similar trend implying efficient detoxification of O2 .- and H2O2.Physical chemistry 2008 : 9th international conference on fundamental and applied aspects of physical chemistry; Belgrade (Serbia); 24-28 September 200

Stress effects on the phosphorylation of c-jun-nterminal kinases and on nuclear translocation of hsp70 in rat hippocampus

Glucocorticoids have diverse effects in cellular processes in hippocampus (HIPPO) under stress. Beside genomic pathways, their effects are also mediated by direct activation of subfamily of mitogen-activated protein kinases termed, c-Jun-Nterminal kinases (JNKs). We analysed the phosphorylation status of cytoplasmic and nuclear JNK isoforms, and expression of its inhibitor Hsp70 protein in HIPPO of rats exposed to diverse types of stress. Activity of JNK1 in cytoplasm and nucleus was decreased in all types of stress, while the activity of cytoplasmic JNK2/3 was markedly higher in acute stress, and unaltered or lowered in chronic and combined stress. Hsp70 was significantly decreased in cytoplasm and increased in nucleus under all stress conditions indicating its cytoplasmic-nuclear translocation.Physical chemistry 2008 : 9th international conference on fundamental and applied aspects of physical chemistry; Belgrade (Serbia); 24-28 September 200

The Plight of Sociology at the University

U tekstu se izveštava o rezultatima socio-empirijskog istraživanja tzv. marksističkog obrazovanja na Univerzitetu u Nišu. Iz obimnog materijala proučavanja ovde se interpretiraju neki podaci vezani za sociologiju, a zanemaruju oni o marksističkoj filozofiji, političkoj ekonomiji i političkom sistemu SFRJ. Sociološka zajednica poseduje institucije za edukaciju svojih pripadnika, ali kao ni jedna druga zajednica dozvoljava prevelik profesionalni nered u svom sektoru. Pravo da se krsti sociologom podjednako ima onaj čija se edukacija odvijala na matičnim fakultetima kao i onaj ko se našao u sociologiji igrom slučaja. Istraživanje je potvrdilo da se na Univerzitetu u Nišu upravo tako nešto zbiva. Ako se za jugoslavensku sociologiju postavlja pitanje koliko je zrela kao nauka nalazi istraživanja pokazuju da je u njoj mnogo opštih mesta, sterilnog pozivanja na autoritete, teorijske poze, kompilacije, ali veoma malo materijala o bazičnim problemima s kojima se sociolozi suočavaju svakodnevno. Sociologija se na Univerzitetu u Nišu predaje i u kombinovanim predmetima sa naslovima »Marksizam i sociologija«, »Marksistička filozofija i sociologija«, »Sociologija i teorija i praksa samoupravljanja«, »Sociologija i filozofija prirodnih nauka«. Pitanje je: ko to treba i da li iko može uspešno da predaje kombinovane predmete? Može li se nastava na kombinovanim predmetima zasnivati na rezultatima naučnoistraživačkog rada? Nisu li zapravo sociolozi kao nastavnici ovih kombinovanih predmeta primorani da kao »univerzalni neznalice« predaju ono za što su nestručni, bitno doprineli udesu sociologije na Univerzitetu u Nišu. Ideološki, eksterni razlog nepovoljnog položaja sociologije je u tezi o neprimerenosti socioloških disciplina koncepciji tzv. integralnog marksističkog obrazovanja. Tako je i sociologija na Univerzitetu u Nišu ustuknula od opšteobrazovnog predmeta koji je bio zastupljen na svim fakultetima i bio tretiran kao matematika na tehničkim fakultetima, do situacije da se bori za svoj dignitet u bezličnom marksističkom obrazovanju i svakojakim veštačkim kombinacijama.The article reports on the results of a socio-empirical research project concerning so-called Marxist education at the University of Niš. From an abundance of data, those referring to sociology are interpreted in this article, and those referring to Marxist philosophy, political economy and the political system of the SFR Yugoslavia are put aside. The sociological community has institutions for educating its members, but as any other community, it does not allow to big a professional disorder within its sector. The right to be christened a sociologist is equally given to both those whose education took place on »parent« faculties, and those who found themselves »in« sociology by chance. This research project confirms that precisely such a process in under way at the University of Niš. If asking ourselves how mature a science Yugoslav sociology is, the results of our research point out that it embodies too many generalities, a sterile reference to authority, theoretical pose, compilation, but very little material concerning fundamental issues sociologists are confronted with daily. At the University of Niš, sociology is also lectured as part of the following composite subjects titled: »Marxism and Sociology«, »Marxist Philosophy and Sociology«, »Sociology and the Theory and Practice of Self-Management«, »Sociology and the Philosophy of Natural Sciences«. The question is: who should and can any one successfully lecture on composite subjects? Can such lecturing be based on research? Haven\u27t sociologists, in fact, as lecturers of these composite subjects, having been compelled, as »universal ignoramuses«, to teach what they have no qualification for, sufficiently contributed to the plight of sociology at the University of Niš? Ideologically, the external reason for such an unpropitious position of sociology can be found in the thesis of the unsuitability of sociological disciplines when the concept of the so-called integral Marxist education is concerned. Thus, at the University of Niš, sociology has also yielded to the »general-education« subject represented at all the faculties, and treated as mathematics at the faculties of technical sciences, and has reached a stage in which it is fighting for dignity surrounded by a nondescript Marxist education and all sorts of artificial combinations

Some Types of Introductory Formulas in Greek Klephtic (Heroic) Epic

Certain types of introductory formulas typical of klephtic epic songs are synoptically demonstrated and analyzed. The introduction outlines the historical development of this category of folk songs, based on occasionally opposing views of literary historians and scholars concerned with the study of Greek folklore. The analysis, performed on a selected corpus of Greek klephtic epic songs, reveals basic structural principles that the anonymous folk singer abided by whilst composing these songs

New data on distribution and ecology of Batrachospermum (Rhodophyta) in Serbia

The paper describes the distribution and ecology of populations of the genus Batrachospermum collected in Serbia from 2006 to 2015 at 10 sites, all of which represent new localities of Batrachospermum in Serbia. The records of this genus in the Boračka River and in a spring near Kragujevac (Cerovac) are the first in Central Serbia. Batrachospermum was recorded at altitudes of from 235 to 1600 m at localities mainly in partial or full shade on stone, gravel or concrete substrata in cold water (10.50 - 15.40oC) that was neutral to weakly alkaline (pH 7.2 – 8.65) with conductivity of from 55 to 539 μS/cm. Species of the genus Batrachospermum in Serbia have to date been recorded in clean, well-aerated waters with a low concentration of biogenic salts and in habitats without anthropogenic impact. Any factors altering abiotic parameters of their habitats can lead to changes and the loss of populations of the sensitive species of this genus

Sintering of fly ash based composites with zeolite and bentonite addition for application in construction materials

Due to pozzolanic characteristics, fly ash is commonly used as a cement replacement in construction composites. Addition of natural clays with sorption ability (i.e. zeolite and bentonite) in to the fly ash based construction materials is of both scientific and industrial interest. Namely, due to the application of sorptive clay minerals, it is possible to immobilize toxic heavy metals from the composite structure. The thermal compatibility of fly ash and zeolite, as well as fly ash and bentonite, within the composite was observed during sintering procedure. The starting components were used in 1:1 ratio and they were applied without additional mechanical treatment. The used compaction pressure for the tablets was 2 t•cm-2. The sintering process was conducted at 1000ºC and 1200ºC for two hours in the air atmosphere. The mineralogical phase composition of the non-treated and sintered samples was analyzed using X-ray diffraction method. Scanning electron microscopy was applied in the analysis of the microstructure of starting and sintered samples. The thermal behavior was observed via DTA method. The influence of temperature on the properties of fly ash-zeolite and fly ash-bentonite composites was investigate

Shungite - a Russian mineral: possible application as a microwave absorber

The paper presents results of investigation of the influence of mechanical activation of shungite, a Russian natural mineral rich in silica and carbon, on its sintering behavior. The mechanical activation of the starting powder was performed in a high-energy ball mill in time intervals from 0 to 480 minutes. The phase composition of the starting mixtures and sintered samples was analyzed by the X-ray diffraction method. The scanning electron microscopy was performed in order to determine changes in the microstructure. Sintering was performed at various temperatures for 2 h, in an Ar and vacuum atmosphere. Dielectric properties of the sintered samples were measured in the frequency range from 1 to 500 MHz. The obtained results indicate that sintered shungite powder is a good candidate for applications as an absorber of electromagnetic waves in microwave engineering