Online Rituals in Virtual Worlds. Christian Online Service between Dynamics and Stability.

In the article ”Online Rituals in Virtual Worlds. Christian Online Services between Dynamics and Stability“ Nadja Miczek reflects on Christian ritual settings in two case studies analysing different Online Services: “Church of Fools” and “Second Life.” She thereby focuses on recent concepts of ritual theory, like Ritual Dynamics and Ritual Transfer and broaches the issues of invention, transformation and exclusion at different stages of ritual action

New numerical solver for flows at various Mach numbers

Many problems in stellar astrophysics feature flows at low Mach numbers. Conventional compressible hydrodynamics schemes frequently used in the field have been developed for the transonic regime and exhibit excessive numerical dissipation for these flows. While schemes were proposed that solve hydrodynamics strictly in the low Mach regime and thus restrict their applicability, we aim at developing a scheme that correctly operates in a wide range of Mach numbers. Based on an analysis of the asymptotic behavior of the Euler equations in the low Mach limit we propose a novel scheme that is able to maintain a low Mach number flow setup while retaining all effects of compressibility. This is achieved by a suitable modification of the well-known Roe solver. Numerical tests demonstrate the capability of this new scheme to reproduce slow flow structures even in moderate numerical resolution. Our scheme provides a promising approach to a consistent multidimensional hydrodynamical treatment of astrophysical low Mach number problems such as convection, instabilities, and mixing in stellar evolution.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication by A&

Introduction to the Special Issue: Religions on the Internet - Aesthetics and the Dimensions of the Senses

Introduction to the special issue on "Aesthetics and the Dimensions of the Senses

Non-pharmacological factors that determine drug use and addiction

Based on their pharmacological properties, psychoactive drugs are supposed to take control of the natural reward system to finally drive compulsory drug seeking and consumption. However, psychoactive drugs are not used in an arbitrary way as pure pharmacological reinforcement would suggest, but rather in a highly specific manner depending on non-pharmacological factors. While pharmacological effects of psychoactive drugs are well studied, neurobiological mechanisms of non-pharmacological factors are less well understood. Here we review the emerging neurobiological mechanisms beyond pharmacological reinforcement which determine drug effects and use frequency. Important progress was made on the understanding of how the character of an environment and social stress determine drug self-administration. This is expanded by new evidence on how behavioral alternatives and opportunities for drug instrumentalization generate different patterns of drug choice. Emerging evidence suggests that the neurobiology of non-pharmacological factors strongly determines pharmacological and behavioral drug action and may, thus, give rise for an expanded system’s approach of psychoactive drug use and addiction

Effect of social instigation and aggressive behavior on hormone levels of lactating dams and adult male Wistar rats

Among rodents, maternal aggression in the postpartum period represents a species-typical adaptation, but when aggressive behavior increases beyond this adaptive level, it can represent a model of excessive aggression. This study assessed the neuroendocrine response of lactating rats and socially instigated male rats. The aim of the present study was to assess neuroendocrine responses and the behavioral pattern of lactating rats and males that were subjected to an emotional stressor using the social instigation protocol. We measured plasma corticosterone levels as the key hormonal parameter of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and oxytocin, prolactin, and progesterone, which are released in response to several types of stressors. Our results showed that lactating rats that were subjected to only social instigation or aggressive confrontation in the presence of their pups had lower plasma corticosterone levels, and this response was similar to oxytocin, prolactin, and progesterone levels. By contrast, male rats showed increased corticosterone levels after being subjected only to social instigation. Male rats also engaged in aggressive behavior compared with the control group. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that lactating rats subjected to social instigation exhibited an attenuation of the HPA axis response, which is considered to be crucial to the dam's welfare so that it can care for its offspring. Thus, we can infer that lactation is a relevant factor in neuroendocrine responses to stress because of the increased levels of corticosterone in males.Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES

Effect of social instigation and aggressive behavior on hormone levels of lactating dams and adult male Wistar rats

Among rodents, maternal aggression in the postpartum period represents a species-typical adaptation, but when aggressive behavior increases beyond this adaptive level, it can represent a model of excessive aggression. This study assessed the neuroendocrine response of lactating rats and socially instigated male rats. The aim of the present study was to assess neuroendocrine responses and the behavioral pattern of lactating rats and males that were subjected to an emotional stressor using the social instigation protocol. We measured plasma corticosterone levels as the key hormonal parameter of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and oxytocin, prolactin, and progesterone, which are released in response to several types of stressors. Our results showed that lactating rats that were subjected to only social instigation or aggressive confrontation in the presence of their pups had lower plasma corticosterone levels, and this response was similar to oxytocin, prolactin, and progesterone levels. By contrast, male rats showed increased corticosterone levels after being subjected only to social instigation. Male rats also engaged in aggressive behavior compared with the control group. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that lactating rats subjected to social instigation exhibited an attenuation of the HPA axis response, which is considered to be crucial to the dam's welfare so that it can care for its offspring. Thus, we can infer that lactation is a relevant factor in neuroendocrine responses to stress because of the increased levels of corticosterone in males.Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES

Benefits of pervious concrete for urbanized habitats

Pervious (draining) concrete is a new generation concrete which, for its structure, allows rainwater to enter the subsoil and at the same time is determining the final surface without the need for any additional layer. Pervious concrete allows to drain off up to 95 % of precipitation, which represents a significant contribution to ecology and sustainability. Therefore, its use is particularly suitable in city parks, bike paths, in the vicinity of apartment buildings, swimming pools and parking lots. Rainwater is not purposelessly be drained by the city sewer system, but it is absorbed directly in place and contributing to the environmental improvement of the urban habitat (replenishment of groundwater supplies, water for roots of plants and trees, reduction of the thermal island of the city, etc.). Unlike prefabricated paving blocks (interlocking and flat paving), pervious concrete makes it possible to realize structured and complex shapes of finished surfaces without the need for laborious cutting, waste, dust and with generally faster laying. This paper summarizes the current achievements within the Buzzi Unicem Group and the use of pervious concrete in the Czech and Slovak Republic

Von betenden Avataren in virtuellen Welten. Methodologische und methodische Überlegungen zur religionswissenschaftlichen Forschung in virtuellen 3D Welten

Spätestens seit dem ‚Medienhype’ im Jahr 2007 dürfte vielen Menschen die virtuelle Welt ‚Second Life’ (SL) ein Begriff sein. Es war die Rede vom „Digitalen Maskenball“ i, den die Menschen in SL veranstalten würden und die virtuelle Mafia stand ebenso wie das digitale Studium ii im Mittelpunkt der Aufmerksamkeit der Printmedien. Nach einer anfänglichen Euphorie, in der SL teilweise als ein neues Utopia stilisiert wurde, kehrte sich die Berichterstattung bald ins Gegenteil um. iii Nun war die Rede von verödeten virtuellen Landschaften, in denen kaum Menschen anzutreffen seien. Auch die zuvor noch bewunderten Chancen im unternehmerischen Bereich wurden nun als Spinnereien und Zeitverschwendung abgetan. Jenseits des mittlerweile abgeebten Medienhypes bleibt jedoch zu fragen, wie Menschen, die regelmäßig in virtuellen 3D Welten besuchen, diese nutzen und welche Kommunikations- und Aushandlungsprozesse dort stattfinden. Wie erste Untersuchungen belegen konnten iv, stellen solche soziokulturellen Austauschprozesse einen der wichtigsten Faktoren innerhalb dieser Welten dar. Die daraus resultierenden Fragstellungen ergeben daher ein neues, spannendes Feld für kulturwissenschaftlich orientierte Forschung. Auch die Religionswissenschaft sollte dieses noch junge Forschungsfeld nicht außer Acht lassen, denn nicht nur SL, sondern auch weitere virtuelle 3D Welten v bieten den Wissenschaftlern ein breites Spektrum Untersuchungsperspektiven. In vielen dieser Welten zählen religiöse Gemeinschaften zu den Pionieren vi, die den virtuellen Raum für sich erobert haben. Es finden regelmäßige Treffen statt, bei denen über religiöse Themen gesprochen wird und in vielen Fällen ist zu beobachten, dass auch die religiöse Praxis zumeist in Form von Online-Ritualen Einzug in die virtuellen Welten gefunden hat. So stellen religiöse Vergemeinschaftungs-formen ebenso wie einzelne religiöse Akteure mit ihren diskursiven Aushandlungs- und Deutungsprozessen von Religiosität in virtuellen Welten einen spannenden und lohnenden Untersuchungsfokus für religionswissenschaftliches Arbeiten dar. Dies setzt allerdings voraus, dass Forscher bereit sind, bekannte Forschungsfelder und -methoden zu verlassen und sich auf virtuelles Neuland zu begeben

Rituals Online – Dynamic Processes Reflecting Individual Perspectives

Within the field of the new media, the Internet is recognised by a growing number of researchers both as source and tool for examining and analysing religions and religious activities. Today a wide range of religious rituals is crossing the border from the offline to the online realm. On personal homepages as well as on institutional websites (e.g. churches) one can find classical ritual texts, different descriptions of rituals and a lot of ritual prescripts, which together inform or guide the user in ritual behaviour. It becomes evident that by the change of media the rituals as well as the religions as a whole undergo certain processes of change, adaptation and innovation.On webpages containing Rituals Online, a wide range of highly complex transfer and design processes take place which affect the planning and accomplishment of religiousness and religious performance on the Internet. Besides tracing the different patterns and structures of these processes, one also has to think about the new theoretical and methodological challenges the researchers in Religious and Ritual Studies are confronted with since the Internet offers a new and nearly boundless field and space for academic study