“Understanding the Fabric of the Natural World.” The Role of the Collective Protagonist in Annie Proulx’s Barkskins

Contemporary Anthropocene narratives often choose to engage with large scales of space and time. As a consequence, according to Ursula K. Heise, “the single protagonist may decrease in importance, since epic-style narratives over the last century have tended to shift the major narrative actants from individual human characters to collective and sometimes nonhuman actors.” Annie Proulx’s latest novel, Barkskins (2016), is a fitting example of this tendency. Despite its commitment to several human characters, Barkskins never forgets about the story of the forest, which in Proulx’s words is “the character, the underpinning of life.” In this essay, I will explore the role this multifaceted collective protagonist plays in Barkskins’ narrative. First, thanks to the many human characters at the center of the plot, the narrative can geographically and historically map people’s past and present movements across America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, taking the timber business as an example of the technological and cultural development of capitalism in different parts of the world and its long-term effects. Second, the making of the forest and several indigenous people into central characters enriches and diversifies Proulx’s discussion of the human impact on the natural world. Finally, its twofold perspective on the actions of single human beings as well as the impact of humanity as a whole bring Barkskins to raise the question of individual/collective agency vis-à-vis the present environmental crisis.&nbsp

Every Cancer Narrative Is an Act of Life: A conversation with Nancy K. Miller (January and February 2020)

Every Cancer Narrative Is an Act of LifeA conversation with Nancy K. Miller (January and February 2020) by Leonardo NoléEvery Cancer Narrative Is an Act of LifeA conversation with Nancy K. Miller (January and February 2020) by Leonardo Nol

Ciclo de vida y dinámica poblacional de la enigmática tanaide Chondrochelia dubia (Tanaidacea: Leptocheliidae) en un lecho de algas tropicales

The present study describes the population dynamics and life history parameters of the enigmatic tanaid Chondrochelia dubia collected in Paiva Beach, tropical coast of Brazil. The region was impacted by a large, unexpected oil spill from August to October 2019. Samples were taken monthly between July 2019 and July 2020 in beds of the red seaweed Jania capillacea. The abundance of individuals was negatively correlated with monthly rainfall, with higher abundances in drier months. There was an unexpected significant drop in abundance in September, possibly caused by contact with the crude oil, but the population recovered fully within two months. The parameters of the von Bertallanfy growth equation, calculated for the first time for the species, were Linf=5.26 mm; k=3.36 year–1; t0=0.0. Compared with other studies, the specimens are very small (2.04 ± 0.95 mm in length), females reach sexual maturity very early (L50=2.3 mm), and natural mortality is high (Z=M=5.77 year–1), indicating an opportunistic life strategy. This study reinforces the bioindication potential of C. dubia and the use of bootstrapped length-based methods to estimate key population parameters in small marine invertebrates.El presente estudio describió la dinámica poblacional y los parámetros del ciclo de vida del enigmático tanaidáceo Chondrochelia dubia recolectado en la playa de Paiva, costa tropical de Brasil. La región se vio afectada por un gran derrame de petróleo inesperado de agosto a octubre de 2019. Se tomaron muestras mensualmente entre julio de 2019 y julio de 2020 en lechos de algas rojas Jania capillacea. La abundancia de individuos se correlacionó negativamente con la precipitación mensual, con mayor abundancia en los meses más secos. Hubo una inesperada caída significativa de la abundancia en septiembre, posiblemente causada por el contacto con el petróleo crudo, sin embargo, la población se recuperó por completo en dos meses. Los parámetros de la ecuación de crecimiento de von Bertallanfy, calculados por primera vez para la especie, fueron: Linf=5.26 mm; k=3.36 año–1; t0=0,0. En comparación con otros estudios, los ejemplares son muy pequeños (2.04 ± 0.95 mm de longitud), las hembras alcanzan la madurez sexual muy temprano (L50=2.3 mm), y la mortalidad natural es relativamente alta (Z=M=5.77 año–1), lo que indica una estrategia de vida oportunista. Este estudio refuerza el potencial de bioindicación de C. dubia y el uso de métodos bootstrap basados en la longitud para estimar parámetros de población clave en pequeños invertebrados marinos

Effects of Classroom Design on the Memory of University Students: From a Gender Perspective

[EN] Classroom design has important effects on the cognitive functions of students. However, this relationship has rarely been analysed in terms of gender. The aim of the present study, therefore, is to analyse the influence of different design variables (classroom geometry, wall colour, and artificial lighting) on university students' memories from a gender perspective. To do so, 100 university students performed a memory task while visualising different design configurations using a virtual reality setup. Key results show that certain parameters, such as 5.23 m classroom width, 10,500 Kelvin lighting colour temperature, or the blue hue on the walls influence men and women in a similar way, while a purple hue or walls with low colour saturation can generate significantly different behaviour, especially in cognitive processes such as short-term memory. In this study, the use of virtual reality proved to be a useful tool to explore the design effects of virtual learning environments, increasingly present due to training trends and catalysed by the 2020 pandemic. This is a turning point and an international novelty as it will enable the design of classrooms (both physical and virtual) that maximise the cognitive functions of learners, regardless of gender.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness (Project BIA2017-86157-R, and PRE2018-084051). The first author is supported by Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain (FPU19/03531)Nolé-Fajardo, ML.; Higuera-Trujillo, JL.; Llinares Millán, MDC. (2021). Effects of Classroom Design on the Memory of University Students: From a Gender Perspective. International Journal of Environmental research and Public Health (Online). 18(17):1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18179391S117181

New Frontiers in Prostate Cancer Treatment: Are We Ready for Drug Combinations with Novel Agents?

Medical treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients has progressively been evolving from a nonspecific clinical approach to genomics-oriented therapies. The scientific community is in fact increasingly focusing on developing DNA damage repair (DDR) defect-driven novel molecules, both as single-agent therapy and in combined treatment strategies. Accordingly, research is under way into combined drug therapies targeting different pathways, e.g. androgen receptor signaling (ARS) and poly (adenosine diphosphate [ADP]-ribose) polymerase (PARP) enzymes, immune checkpoint (IC) and PARP, IC, and ARS, and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). In an attempt to formulate evolving treatment paradigms in mCRPC patients, here we selected clinical research into patients undergoing therapies with emerging molecules, with particular emphasis towards PARP-, IC-, and PSMA-inhibitors. In order to focus on those molecules and drug combinations most likely to be translated into routine clinical care in the near future, we selected only those clinical studies currently recruiting patients. A PubMed search focusing on the keywords “prostate cancer”, “metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer”, “DDR pathways”, “ARS inhibitors”, “PARP inhibitors”, “IC inhibitors”, “PSMA-targeting agents”, and “drug combinations” was performed

Update on Circulating Tumor Cells in Genitourinary Tumors with Focus on Prostate Cancer

Current developments in the treatment of genitourinary tumors underline the unmet clinical need for biomarkers to improve decision-making in a challenging clinical setting. The detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has become one of the most exciting and important new approaches to identifying biomarkers at different stages of disease in a non-invasive way. Potential applications of CTCs include monitoring treatment efficacy and early detection of progression, selecting tailored therapies, as well as saving treatment costs. However, despite the promising implementation of CTCs in a clinical scenario, the isolation and characterization of these cells for molecular studies remain expensive with contemporary platforms, and significant technical challenges still need to be overcome. This updated, critical review focuses on the state of CTCs in patients with genitourinary tumor with focus on prostate cancer, discussing technical issues, main clinical results and hypothesizing potential future perspectives in clinical scenarios

Clinical benefit of fulvestrant in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer and primary or acquired resistance to aromatase inhibitors: final results of phase II Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research Trial (SAKK 21/00)

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of fulvestrant, an estrogen receptor antagonist, in postmenopausal women with hormone-responsive tumors progressing after aromatase inhibitor (AI) treatment. Patients and methods: This is a phase II, open, multicenter, noncomparative study. Two patient groups were prospectively considered: group A (n = 70) with AI-responsive disease and group B (n = 20) with AI-resistant disease. Fulvestrant 250 mg was administered as intramuscular injection every 28 (±3) days. Results: All patients were pretreated with AI and 84% also with tamoxifen or toremifene; 67% had bone metastases and 45% liver metastases. Fulvestrant administration was well tolerated and yielded a clinical benefit (CB; defined as objective response or stable disease [SD] for ≥24 weeks) in 28% (90% confidence interval [CI] 19% to 39%) of patients in group A and 37% (90% CI 19% to 58%) of patients in group B. Median time to progression (TTP) was 3.6 (95% CI 3.0 to 4.8) months in group A and 3.4 (95% CI 2.5 to 6.7) months in group B. Conclusions: Overall, 30% of patients who had progressed following prior AI treatment gained CB with fulvestrant, thereby delaying indication to start chemotherapy. Prior response to an AI did not appear to be predictive for benefit with fulvestran

Memory-enhancing activities of the aqueous extract of Albizia adianthifolia leaves in the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesion rodent model of Parkinson’s disease

BACKGROUND: Albizia adianthifolia (Schumach.) W. Wright (Fabaceae) is a traditional herb largely used in the African traditional medicine as analgesic, purgative, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial and memory-enhancer drug. This study was undertaken in order to evaluate the possible cognitive-enhancing and antioxidative effects of the aqueous extract of A. adianthifolia leaves in the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesion rodent model of Parkinson’s disease. METHODS: The effect of the aqueous extract of A. adianthifolia leaves (150 and 300 mg/kg, orally, daily, for 21 days) on spatial memory performance was assessed using Y-maze and radial arm-maze tasks, as animal models of spatial memory. Pergolide - induced rotational behavior test was employed to validate unilateral damage to dopamine nigrostriatal neurons. Also, in vitro antioxidant activity was assessed through the estimation of total flavonoid and total phenolic contents along with determination of free radical scavenging activity. Statistical analyses were performed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Significant differences were determined by Tukey’s post hoc test. F values for which p < 0.05 were regarded as statistically significant. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and regression analysis were used in order to evaluate the association between behavioral parameters and net rotations in rotational behavior test. RESULTS: The 6-OHDA-treated rats exhibited the following: decrease of spontaneous alternations percentage within Y-maze task and increase of working memory errors and reference memory errors within radial arm maze task. Administration of the aqueous extract of A. adianthifolia leaves significantly improved these parameters, suggesting positive effects on spatial memory formation. Also, the aqueous extract of A. adianthifolia leaves showed potent in vitro antioxidant activity. Furthermore, in vivo evaluation, the aqueous extract of A. adianthifolia leaves attenuated the contralateral rotational asymmetry observed by pergolide challenge in 6-OHDA-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results suggest that the aqueous extract of A. adianthifolia leaves possesses antioxidant potential and might provide an opportunity for management neurological abnormalities in Parkinson’s disease conditions

Hábitos alimenticios y aspectos poblacionales del salmonete manchado, Pseudupeneus maculatus (Perciformes: Mullidae) sobre la plataforma continental del noreste de Brasil

This study provides information about the feeding habits, population aspects and spatial distribution of the spot­ted goatfish, Pseudupeneus maculatus, along the coast of the tropical Brazilian continental shelf. Distribution patterns are described using length frequencies and catch rates. Stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N), along with stomach contents, were analysed to determine the diet of the spotted goatfish. Multivariate analysis and numerical indicators of the diet, such as numerical frequency, frequency of occurrence and weight percentage, were computed to evaluate the diet composition. The mean trophic position was defined using both stable isotope ratios and stomach content analysis. The length at first maturity for the species was determined as 13.7 cm. A slight pattern in size distribution was observed, with mean size increasing with depth along the shelf. The diet was mainly composed of crustaceans, teleosts and Polychaeta. No clear dietary difference was found between habitat types, water depth or latitude. Both trophic positions estimated by stable isotopes and stomach contents analysis ranged between levels 3 and 4. P. Maculatus was found to be feeding on many rare and infrequent prey items, classifying it as a generalist zoobenthivorous predator, probably due to its efficient search strategy.En este estudio se analizaron los hábitos alimenticios y aspectos biológicos del salmonete manchado (Pseudu­peneus maculatus) frente a la costa brasileña. Para describir los patrones de distribución se analizó la estructura de tallas y las tasas de captura. El nivel trófico y la dieta alimenticia se determinaron mediante análisis isotópicos de carbono (δ13C) y nitrógeno (δ15N), además del contenido estomacal. La composición de la dieta fue determinada con análisis multivariados e indicadores numéricos, como la frecuencia numérica, frecuencia de ocurrencia y el porcentaje del peso. Los resultados indicaron que la talla de primera madurez se encuentra en 13.7 cm. Se observó que la talla media incrementó en relación con el fondo. Por otro lado, la dieta estuvo compuesta por crustáceos, teleósteos y poliquetos, asimismo no se evidenciaron diferencias significativas por tipo de hábitats, profundidad y grado de latitud. Los niveles tróficos estimados oscilaron entre 3 y 4, determinándose que P. Maculatus se alimentó de diversas presas, probablemente debido a su eficiente estrategia de búsqueda, clasificándose como depredador zoobentívoro generalista

New Insights into the Exploitation of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Aglianico Leaf Extracts for Nutraceutical Purposes

The leaves of Vitis vinifera L. have been used for a long time in traditional medicine for the treatment of many ailments. Grape polyphenols, indeed, have been demonstrated to be able to defend against oxidative stress, responsible for various disorders such as cancer, diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases. The effects of different extraction techniques, Soxhlet (SOX), Accelerated Solvent (ASE 40, ASE 50) and Ultrasound Assisted Extraction (UAE) were studied in this work to evaluate their impact on the chemical profile and bioactive potential of Vitis vinifera L. (cv. Aglianico) leaf extracts. The phytochemical profile was investigated by HPLC-DAD and 9 phenolic compounds were identified and quantified in the extract. Moreover, the antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antityrosinase activities were evaluated. In detail, the total polyphenol content and antioxidant activity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacities and β-Carotene Bleaching assays) were evaluated and compared to assess the Relative Antioxidant Capacity Index (RACI). To test the inhibitory activity of extracts towards cholinesterases, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibition assays were performed. SOX and ASE 50 have shown the highest value of RACI, 0.76 and 0.65, respectively. Regarding enzymatic inhibitory activity, ASE 50 (IC50 = 107.16 ± 8.12 μg/mL) and SOX (IC50 = 171.34 ± 12.12 μg/mL) extracts exhibited the highest AChE and BChE inhibitory activity, respectively, while UAE (IC50 = 293.2 ± 25.6 μg/mL, followed by SOX (IC50 = 302.5 ± 38.3 μg/mL) showed the highest tyrosinase inhibition value. Our results demonstrated for the first time that Aglianico leaves are important sources of phenols that could be used to prevent oxidative stress and be potentially helpful in diseases treatable with tyrosinase and cholinesterase inhibitors, like myasthenia gravis or Alzheimer’s.Italian Ministry of the Economic Development F/200099/03/X45—CUP, B31B19000590008 COR, C31G1800021000