Sotaques e sintaxes: acentuando o falar caboclo nas religiões afro-brasileiras

Os caboclos são espíritos e encantados afro-ameríndios que podem se manifestar por muitas formas nas religiões de matriz africana. Em comum têm a capacidade (nem sempre compartilhada por outras divindades, como os orixás) de falar. Mais do que uma capacidade, trata-se de uma habilidade codificada por meio da qual exercem sua agência sobre o mundo e sobre seus adeptos. Dentre os registros linguísticos mais notórios dos caboclos está o “sotaque”, categoria nativa que nomeia uma situação de desafio em forma de bravata que estabelece um diálogo, uma alternância entre (en)cantadores. Considerado como disputa, mais do que briga, o sotaque sempre dramatiza um conflito como alegoria e abre a possibilidade de encenar, de inovar, de versejar e de construir contextualmente sobre o texto da tradição. Por sua vez, essa enunciação depende sempre da materialidade de um “cavalo” que a vocalize, dando “passagem” ao sujeito oculto pelo racismo estrutural, epistêmico e cotidiano. O presente artigo toma as noções êmicas de “sotaque” e de “cavalo-de-santo” como conceitos rentáveis para projetar as tensões e atravessamentos da linguagem do candomblé, em cuja dinâmica o português é enredado com usos, sentidos e acentos e assentos afro-atlânticos, fazendo dele “pretoguês”, uma língua em modo de simbiose ou, como os autores defendem, uma “sintaxe cabocla”.Palavras-chave: religiões afro-brasileiras | caboclo | sotaque | Língua de santo | Pretoguês Abstract:Caboclos are Afro-Amerindian spirits that manifest in various ways in the African matrix religions of Brazil. They have the ability to speak (not always shared by other divinities of the cult, like Orixás). More than an ability, speaking in this case constitutes a codified mode of agency over the world, the people, and specially their believers. Among the most well-known  Caboclo linguistic registers is the sotaque (literally “accent”, but in this context more akin to “sneer”). Sotaque is a native category referring to situations in which one entity challenges another, in a swaggering way, resulting in a competitive dialogue between them. Considered a dispute, not a fight, a sotaque generally dramatizes conflicts in an allegorical way, opening up possibilities for performing, innovating, versifying, providing contexts for building on traditional texts. In turn, such enunciation depends on the materiality of the cavalo (“horse”) that verbalizes it, “clearing the path” for subjects hidden by structural, epistemic and quotidian racism. This paper draws from emic notions of sotaque and cavalo de santo as fruitful concepts for projecting the tensions that are part of the language of Candomblé, in which the use of Portuguese is coupled with Afro-Atlantic usages, meanings, and accents, in what could be termed “pretoguês“: a language of symbiosis, or, as the authors suggest, a “caboclo syntax”.Keywords:afro-brazilian Religions | caboclo | sotaque | Língua de santo | Pretoguês 

Novel role for the innate immune receptor toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in the regulation of the wnt signaling pathway and photoreceptor apoptosis

Recent evidence has implicated innate immunity in regulating neuronal survival in the brain during stroke and other neurodegenerations. Photoreceptors are specialized light-detecting neurons in the retina that are essential for vision. In this study, we investigated the role of the innate immunity receptor TLR4 in photoreceptors. TLR4 activation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) significantly reduced the survival of cultured mouse photoreceptors exposed to oxidative stress. With respect to mechanism, TLR4 suppressed Wnt signaling, decreased phosphorylation and activation of the Wnt receptor LRP6, and blocked the protective effect of the Wnt3a ligand. Paradoxically, TLR4 activation prior to oxidative injury protected photoreceptors, in a phenomenon known as preconditioning. Expression of TNFα and its receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2 decreased during preconditioning, and preconditioning was mimicked by TNFα antagonists, but was independent of Wnt signaling. Therefore, TLR4 is a novel regulator of photoreceptor survival that acts through the Wnt and TNFα pathways. © 2012 Yi et al

Hysteretic Behavior of Proprotein Convertase 1/3 (PC1/3)

The proprotein convertases (PCs) are calcium-dependent proteases responsible for processing precursor proteins into their active forms in eukariotes. The PC1/3 is a pivotal enzyme of this family that participates in the proteolytic maturation of prohormones and neuropeptides inside the regulated secretory pathway. In this paper we demonstrate that mouse proprotein convertase 1/3 (mPC1/3) has a lag phase of activation by substrates that can be interpreted as a hysteretic behavior of the enzyme for their hydrolysis. This is an unprecedented observation in peptidases, but is frequent in regulatory enzymes with physiological relevance. The lag phase of mPC1/3 is dependent on substrate, calcium concentration and pH. This hysteretic behavior may have implications in the physiological processes in which PC1/3 participates and could be considered an additional control step in the peptide hormone maturation processes as for instance in the transformation of proinsulin to insulin

The Influence of Radiographic Phenotype and Smoking Status on Peripheral Blood Biomarker Patterns in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by both airway remodeling and parenchymal destruction. The identification of unique biomarker patterns associated with airway dominant versus parenchymal dominant patterns would support the existence of unique phenotypes representing independent biologic processes. A cross-sectional study was performed to examine the association of serum biomarkers with radiographic airway and parenchymal phenotypes of COPD. Methodology/Principal Findings: Serum from 234 subjects enrolled in a CT screening cohort was analyzed for 33 cytokines and growth factors using a multiplex protein array. The association of serum markers with forced expiratory volume in one second percent predicted (FEV1%) and quantitative CT measurements of airway thickening and emphysema was assessed with and without stratification for current smoking status. Significant associations were found with several serum inflammatory proteins and measurements of FEV1%, airway thickening, and parenchymal emphysema independent of smoking status. The association of select analytes with airway thickening and emphysema was independent of FEV1%. Furthermore, the relationship between other inflammatory markers and measurements of physiologic obstruction or airway thickening was dependent on current smoking status. Conclusions/Significance: Airway and parenchymal phenotypes of COPD are associated with unique systemic serum biomarker profiles. Serum biomarker patterns may provide a more precise classification of the COPD syndrome, provide insights into disease pathogenesis and identify targets for novel patient-specific biological therapies. © 2009 Bon et al

Individualized ACL reconstruction

The pivot shift test is the only physical examination test capable of predicting knee function and osteoarthritis development after an ACL injury. However, because interpretation and performance of the pivot shift are subjective in nature, the validity of the pivot shift is criticized for not providing objective information for a complete surgical planning for the treatment of rotatory knee laxity. The aim of ACL reconstruction was eliminating the pivot shift sign. Many structures and anatomical characteristics can influence the grading of the pivot shift test and are involved in the genesis and magnitude of rotatory instability after an ACL injury. The objective quantification of the pivot shift may be able to categorize knee laxity and provide adequate information on which structures are affected besides the ACL. A new algorithm for rotational instability treatment is presented, accounting for patients' unique anatomical characteristics and objective measurement of the pivot shift sign allowing for an individualized surgical treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V

Effect of pigeon pea intercropping or shading with leucaena plants on the occurrence of the coffee leaf miner and on its predation by wasps in organic coffee plantings

<div><p>ABSTRACT: The infestation of coffee leaf miner and its predation by wasps were assessed in commercial organic coffee plantings shaded with leucaena or intercropped with pigeon pea. Plantings in northern Paraná were assessed every two weeks from June 2011 to December 2012. The percent of infested leaves, number of mines per leaf and the percent of predation by wasps (indicated by lacerations) were determined. Fewer coffee leaf miners and fewer mines per leaf were found in pigeon pea intercropped plantings (28.4% and 0.3, respectively) than in shaded plantings with leucaena (48.1% and 0.8, respectively). More predation by wasps was found in the shaded (27.2%) than in the intercropped (13.2%) plantings. Suggestions for new studies are presented along with suggestions for managing the leaf miner in coffee plantings.</p></div

Changes in plasma free fatty acid levels in septic patients are associated with cardiac damage and reduction in heart rate variability

Free fatty acids (FFAs) have been shown to produce alteration of heart rate variability (HRV) in healthy and diabetic individuals. Changes in HRV have been described in septic patients and in those with hyperglycemia and elevated plasma FFA levels. We studied if sepsis-induced heart damage and HRV alteration are associated with plasma FFA levels in patients. Thirty-one patients with sepsis were included. The patients were divided into two groups: survivors(n = 12) and nonsurvivors (n = 19). The following associations were investigated: (a) troponin I elevation and HRV reduction and (b) clinical evolution and HRV index, plasma troponin, and plasma FFA levels. Initial measurements of C-reactive protein and gravity Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation scores were similar in both groups. Overall, an increase in plasma troponin level was related to increased mortality risk. From the first day of study, the nonsurvivor group presented a reduced left ventricular stroke work systolic index and a reduced low frequency (LF) that is one of HRV indexes. The correlation coefficient for LF values and troponin was r(2) = 0.75 (P < 0.05). All patients presented elevated plasma FFA levels on the first day of the study (5.11 +/- 0.53 mg/mL), and this elevation was even greater in the nonsurvivor group compared with the survivors (6.88 +/- 0.13 vs. 3.85 +/- 0.48 mg/mL, respectively; P < 0.05). Cardiac damage was confirmed by measurement of plasma troponin I and histological analysis. Heart dysfunction was determined by left ventricular stroke work systolic index and HRV index in nonsurvivor patients. A relationship was found between plasma FFA levels, LFnu index, troponin levels, and histological changes. Plasma FFA levels emerged as possible cause of heart damage in sepsis