A lógica do duelo e o enigma da política

Raymond Aron inicia o Capítulo 1 de Paz e guerra entre as nações citando a célebre definição de Clausewitz, segundo a qual “a guerra é um ato de violência destinado a obrigar o adversário a realizar nossa vontade”, tomando-a como o “ponto de partida para este estudo”. Embora Aron advirta, em seguida, que “esta dialética da luta é puramente abstrata e não se aplica às guerras reais”, a definição clausewitziana, repetida à exaustão, provocaria inúmeros mal-entendidos. Não obstante esses mal-entendidos subsistam, em sua maioria, à revelia da obra de Aron e tributáveis a intérpretes belicitas e a duzentos anos de guerras totais, Paz e guerra não passará incólume a eles. De fato, em suas Memórias, ao comentar Paz e guerra, Aron registrará que “Clausewitz trouxe-lhe a idéia germinal de toda teoria das relações interestatais”, a “alternância da paz e da guerra, a complementaridade da diplomacia e estratégia”, etc. Trata-se, porém, de um Clausewitz incompleto. Não surpreende, portanto, que não haja aí menção à definição trinitária da guerra, única que contempla a infinita diversidade das guerras reais. As insuficiências e incorreções na compreensão da teoria clausewitziana da guerra levarão Aron a debruçar-se sobre a sua obra nos anos dos 70. Clausewitz escreveu sob o impacto da Revolução Francesa, das guerras napoleônicas e da emergência do povo na guerra. É sob o impacto das guerras totais do século XX que Aron escrevera a sua obra. É o espectro da guerra absoluta a assombrar a Europa e o mundo. A compreensão da alternância da guerra e da paz exige, portanto, que exorcizemos esse espectro.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación (FAHCE

Investigation of the relationship between serum adropin levels, oxidative stress biomarkers, and blood pressure in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats

Background/Aim: Adropin is involved in the pathophysiology and development of cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of adropin in serum, potential use as a biochemical biomarker of oxidative stress, and effects on blood pressure in deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) salt hypertensive rats.&#x0D;Methods: Eighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups: (1) Control (C) and (2) Hypertensive (H). Systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP, respectively), and mean blood pressure (MBP) were measured using the tail-cuff method. At the end of the study, serum endothelin-1 (ET-1), adropin, nitric oxide (NO), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) were also analyzed.&#x0D;Results: Significant increases in SBP, DBP, MBP, cardiac hypertrophy index (CHI), and left ventricular hypertrophy index (LVCI) in the H group compared with the C group were found. Serum levels of ET-1, TOS, and OSI were significantly higher in the H group and serum levels of NO, adropin, and TAS were lower than in the C group. A negative correlation between serum adropin levels and the variables SBP, DBP, MBP, TOS, OSI, CHI, and LVHI was found. Adropin levels were positively correlated positively with serum NO levels in both groups.&#x0D;Conclusion: Serum adropin levels decreased in hypertensive DOCA-salt rats. Lower serum adropin levels were found to be significantly associated with hypertension and may play a role in this disease. However, further comprehensive and diverse studies are needed.</jats:p

The association of TNFα -238 G/A gene polymorphism with alopecia areata

Background/Aim: Alopecia areata (AA), which is characterized by hair loss, is an inflammatory autoimmune disease. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) is a potent proinflammatory cytokine that has a highly significant role in inflammatory and immune responses. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether there is a relationship between TNFα -238 G/A gene polymorphism and AA in the Turkish population.Methods: In this case-control study, the frequency of TNFα-238 G/A gene polymorphism and its relationship with some clinical parameters of AA patients were investigated. Seventy-eight AA patients and 78 healthy individuals were included in our study. TNFα -238 G/A polymorphism was evaluated by the PCR-RFLP method.Results: The distribution of TNFα -238 G/A genotypes was significantly different between patients and control subjects (P&lt;0.001). Frequency of genotypes GG and AA in AA patients (53.8 and 6.4%, respectively) were evidently lower compared to the controls (59 and 25.6%, respectively). Individuals with AA genotype had a lower risk of AA disease (odds ratio (OR)=0.27; 95% CI=0.09-0.79; relative risk (RR)=0.65 (0.49-0.86); P=0.013). GA genotype was significantly higher in patients with AA (39.7%) compared to the control group (15.4%) and an increased risk of patchy AA was observed (OR=2.82, 95% CI=1.28-6.21; RR=1.87 (1.11-3.15); P=0.008).Conclusion: These results suggest that the TNFα -238 G/A gene polymorphism is associated with AA and individuals with GA genotype may have an increased risk of AA.</p

Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) gene Q192R polymorphism in patients with vitiligo

Background/Aim: Vitiligo is a prevalent inflammatory illness that can affect the skin and mucosal surfaces and is characterized by patchy loss of skin pigmentation. Paraoxonase1 (PON1) is an esterase enzyme with antioxidant properties that binds to high-density lipoproteins. We examined whether the PON1 gene Q192R polymorphism is a risk factor for vitiligo among Turkish people.&#x0D;Methods: The study included 70 controls and 60 vitiligo cases. Polymerase chain reaction and the restriction fragment length polymorphism technique were used to genotype the PON1 gene Q192R polymorphism.&#x0D;Results: PON1 gene Q192R genotype distribution was 66.7% QQ, 33.3% QR, and 0% RR in the vitiligo and 81.4% QQ, 18.6% QR, and 0% RR in the control (P = 0.05). When vitiligo patients were compared with controls, the prevalence of the PON1 QR genotype was substantially higher and was linked to a 2.19-fold greater risk of developing vitiligo (odds ratio: 2.19, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.97–4.91).&#x0D;Conclusion: These findings imply that Q192R polymorphisms in the PON-1 gene may be linked to vitiligo in the Turkish population. The PON1 QR genotype may be a major genetic risk factor for vitiligo susceptibility and progression. Further studies with larger populations should more thoroughly clarify the association.</jats:p