From the Dawn Chorus to the Canary Choir: Notes on the Unnatural History of Birdsong

Birdsong is exemplary in its quotidian familiarity, and yet enigmatic almost to the point of obscurity, the heroic efforts of the ornithologists notwithstanding (Stap).⁠ Even the term “birdsong” is debatable, if by this we make the claim that nonhuman animals produce music, which is a canonical example of question begging. Naturalists still disagree even on why birds sing (Araya-Salas; Higgins 31-32; Rothenberg, Why Birds Sing; Taylor, Is Birdsong Music?), and they might be placed on a spectrum from the behaviorists and evolutionary biologists, who insist that the sounds birds make are no more than a territorial warning or a sexual invitation, to those who see or hear something else, some excessive exuberance, either approximately or exactly equivalent to our human act of singing for pleasure. Birdsong is, for such aficionados, perhaps even an analogy to art itself (Okanoya; Zeigler; Marler).⁠ They rightly lean on the venerable authority of Darwin here. For him, it is the voices of the passeriformes, the perching or singing birds, that explain nothing less than the evolution of the aesthetic. But they also follow the lead of Kant and his fulsome appreciation of the “free beauties of nature,” “pulchritudo vaga”: “things of nature into which no human has placed any meaning whatsoever” (cf. Figal 54, 55).⁠ This natural beauty might even be moresublime than human art, since “a bird’s song, which we can reduce to no musical rule, seems to have more freedom in it, and thus to offer more for taste, than the human voice singing in accordance with all the rules that the art of music prescribes” (Kant 73-74). Hegel, in his appreciation of the “blithe self-enjoyment” of the birds, sounds the same note, exactly: “voice is not a mere declaration of a need, no mere cry; on the contrary, bird-song is the disinterested utterance whose ultimate determination is the immediate enjoyment of self” (Philosophy of Nature 409).

Socio-spatial differentiation and public accessibility of urban spaces in the post-transformational city: case study Saint-Petersburg

In present-day Saint-Petersburg socio-spatial differentiation can be observed in various morphological post-transformational urban zones, but has not yet led to full-fledged special polarization or segregation. At the same time, the extent of socio-spatial differentiation varies in morphologically different urban housing types and can only be understood on the basis of the historical context and residents’ preferences. In order to understand their impact on socio-spatial differentiation of various urban areas more concretely, two studies were conduc- ted (one in 2007, another in 2009) with the participation of the authors of the present contribution. The results of these studies, which are based on two different samples of model zones or building types in Saint-Petersburg, showed that residents’ preferences were driving socio-spatial differentiation or segregation both on a microscopic (for example, closed staircases in an open court with otherwise open staircases) and macroscopic scale (for example, closed suburban settlements or new high-rise buildings). The degree to which this segregation is spatially implemented depends on the income levels of residents and, of course, strongly correlates with real estate prices. No other significant drivers of socio-spatial differentiation or segregation have been identified, besides a desire by wealthier city residents to increase the security of person and property. No other significant drivers of such tendencies have been identified. For example, no mentionable correlation between the degree of commercial activity and the proportion of closed vs. publicly accessible spaces was discovered. Further research is proposed in order to better understand the impact of recent legislation on socio-spatial differentiation in Saint-Petersburg.Im heutigen Sankt Petersburg kann die sozialräumliche Differenzierung in verschiedenen morphologischen posttransformativen städtischen Zonen beobachtet werden, was bisher jedoch nicht zu einer vollständigen speziellen Polarisierung oder Segregation geführt hat. Gleichzeitig unterscheidet sich das Ausmaß der sozialräumlichen Differenzierung in morphologisch unterschiedlichen urbanen Wohnformen und kann nur im historischen Kontext und auf der Grundlage der Präferenzen der Anwohner verstanden werden. Um ihren Einfluss auf die sozialräumliche Differenzierung verschiedener urbaner Gebiete besser verstehen zu können, wurden zwei Studien unter der Mitarbeit der Autoren des vorliegenden Beitrags durchgeführt (die eine 2007, die andere 2009). Das Ergebnis dieser Studien, welche sich auf zwei unterschiedliche Beispiele von Mustergebieten bzw. -gebäudetypen in Sankt Petersburg stützen, zeigt, dass die Antriebskraft für eine sozialräumliche Differenzierung oder Segregation im Mikrokontext einerseits (z.B. geschlossenes Treppenhaus in einem offenen Hof, der sonst offene Treppen hat) und im Makrokontext andererseits (z.B. ein abgeschlossenes urbanes Wohnviertel oder neue Hochhäuser) die Präferenzen der Anwohner waren. Der Grad, in dem diese Segregation räumlich umgesetzt wird, hängt von den Einkommensverhältnissen der Anwohner ab und steht selbstverständlich in engem Zusammenhang mit den Immobilienpreisen. Außer dem Wunsch wohlhabenderer Stadtbewohner, die persönliche Sicherheit und die Sicherheit ihres Eigentums besser zu gewährleisten, konnten keine weiteren nennenswerten Antriebskräfte sozialräumlicher Differenzierung oder Segregation ausfindig gemacht werden. So konnte beispielsweise kein nennenswerter Zusammenhang zwischen dem Grad der Geschäftstätigkeit und dem Verhältnis zwischen abgeschlossenen und öffentlich zugänglichen Räumen ausgemacht werden. Für ein besseres Verständnis der Auswirkungen neuester gesetzgeberischer Vorschriften auf sozialräumliche Differenzierung in Sankt Petersburg werden weitere Untersuchungen diesbezüglich vorgeschlagen

Discipline and Discretionary Power in Policing Homosexuality in Late Imperial St. Petersburg.

This article explores queer sexual policing in late Imperial St. Petersburg (c.1900-1917). The focus is on the street-level constables who bore the principal responsibility for policing male homosexual offenses in the city's public and semi-public spaces. This emphasis on the street-level policing of homosexuality contrasts with other discussions of gay urban history and the oppression of queer men by the authorities. The article draws on new evidence from precinct-level police archives to complement and challenge previous discussions of queer sexual policing in the Imperial capital. By taking the fate of queer men in an autocratic city, this article refines our understanding of the ways in which homosexual practices and identities emerged in modern times. Specifically, it builds on Michel Foucault's descriptions of constables as "arbiters of illegalities," where the term arbiter suggests rule-based and yet discretionary coercion. Here, the influential model of disciplinary policing of sexuality is complemented by an emphasis on the role of discretionary power in the history of homosexuality

Astroprincin (FAM171A1, C10orf38): A regulator of human cell shape and invasive growth

Our group originally found and cloned cDNA for a 98-kDa type 1 transmembrane glycoprotein of unknown function. Because of its abundant expression in astrocytes, it was called the protein astroprincin (APCN). Two thirds of the evolutionarily conserved protein is intracytoplasmic, whereas the extracellular domain carries two N-glycosidic side chains. APCN is physiologically expressed in placental trophoblasts, skeletal and hearth muscle, and kidney and pancreas. Overexpression of APCN (cDNA) in various cell lines induced sprouting of slender projections, whereas knockdown of APCN expression by siRNA caused disappearance of actin stress fibers. Immunohistochemical staining of human cancers for endogenous APCN showed elevated expression in invasive tumor cells compared with intratumoral cells. Human melanoma cells (SK-MEL-28) transfected with APCN cDNA acquired the ability of invasive growth in semisolid medium (Matrigel) not seen with control cells. A conserved carboxyterminal stretch of 21 amino acids was found to be essential for APCN to induce cell sprouting and invasive growth. Yeast two-hybrid screening revealed several interactive partners, of which ornithine decarboxylase antizyme-1, NEEP21 (NSG1), and ADAM10 were validated by coimmunoprecipitation. This is the first functional description of APCN. These data show that APCN regulates the dynamics of the actin cytoskeletal and, thereby, the cell shape and invasive growth potential of tumor cells.Peer reviewe

Tuberculosis multisistémica: una forma inusual de presentación

RESUMEN: En todo el mundo la tuberculosis continúa siendo una causa inaceptablemente alta de enfermedad y muerte en los niños. Ellos son particularmente vulnerables a la enfermedad diseminada y grave. Los dos principales factores de riesgo para su progresión son el estado inmunológico y la edad: con mayor frecuencia se afectan los neonatos y lactantes. La enfermedad diseminada, que a menudo es consecuencia de una primoinfección en la infancia, puede ser fatal o dejar secuelas permanentes. El tratamiento apropiado mejora la supervivencia y reduce la mortalidad a largo plazo. Por la importancia de esta forma de presentación de la TB en niños y por el bajo índice de sospecha, describimos el caso de una lactante indígena colombiana con enfermedad tuberculosa extensa, y discutimos acerca de los factores de riesgo y las manifestaciones clínicas de la tuberculosis diseminada en esta población.ABSTRACT: Worldwide, tuberculosis is still an important cause of illness and death among children. They are particularly vulnerable to this disease when it is disseminated and severe. The two main risk factors for the progression of the disease are age and the immune status; neonates and infants are most frequently affected. Disseminated disease is often the result of a primary infection in childhood and may be fatal or leave permanent sequelae. Proper treatment improves survival and reduces long-term mortality. Given the importance of this type of tuberculosis in children, and the low index of suspicion, the description of clinical cases is important in order to get a better understanding of its mechanisms. We report the case of a Colombian indigenous infant with an extensive tuberculosis; risk factors and clinical manifestations of disseminated tuberculosis in this population are discussed

Persistency of artificial aeration at hypertrophic Lake Tuusulanjärvi : A sociohistorical analysis

Peer reviewe

The past, present, and future of a lake : Interdisciplinary analysis of long-term lake restoration

The history and future of the restoration efforts at the hypereutrophic southern Finnish lake, Tuusulanjarvi, are investigated. The interdisciplinary study is conducted within a modified DPSIR-framework, which allows us to both trace back and envision the future of the dynamics of the complex socio-ecological processes involved in restoration. The study covers the time period from the early 1970s up to 2030. The longitudinal study integrates environmental historical, limnological, and futures studies. The analyses reveal the multiple time scales of social and ecological processes present in long term restoration, the changing perceptions of and emphasis on restoration goals and outcomes over time, and the challenges that incidental and uncertain parameters, such as weather conditions, pose to sustainable and efficient restoration endeavors.Peer reviewe

GABA(B) receptor positive allosteric modulators with different efficacies affect neuroadaptation to and self-administration of alcohol and cocaine

Drugs of abuse induce widespread synaptic adaptations in the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) neurons. Such drug-induced neuroadaptations may constitute an initial cellular mechanism eventually leading to compulsive drug-seeking behavior. To evaluate the impact of GABA(B) receptors on addiction-related persistent neuroplasticity, we tested the ability of orthosteric agonist baclofen and two positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of GABA(B) receptors to suppress neuroadaptations in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and reward-related behaviors induced by ethanol and cocaine. A novel compound (S)-1-(5-fluoro-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-yl)-4-methyl-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]quinazolin-5(4H)-one (ORM-27669) was found to be a GABA(B) PAM of low efficacy as agonist, whereas the reference compound (R,S)-5,7-di-tert-butyl-3-hydroxy-3-trifluoromethyl-3H-benzofuran-2-one (rac-BHFF) had a different allosteric profile being a more potent PAM in the calcium-based assay and an agonist, coupled with potent PAM activity, in the [S-35] GTP gamma S binding assay in rat and human recombinant receptors. Using autoradiography, the high-efficacy rac-BHFF and the low-efficacy ORM-27669 potentiated the effects of baclofen on [S-35] GTP gamma S binding with identical brain regional distribution. Treatment of mice with baclofen, rac-BHFF, or ORM-27669 failed to induce glutamate receptor neuroplasticity in the VTA DA neurons. Pretreatment with rac-BHFF at non-sedative doses effectively reversed both ethanol- and cocaine-induced plasticity and attenuated cocaine i.v. self-administration and ethanol drinking. Pretreatment with ORM-27669 only reversed ethanol-induced neuroplasticity and attenuated ethanol drinking but had no effects on cocaine-induced neuroplasticity or self-administration. These findings encourage further investigation of GABA(B) receptor PAMs with different efficacies in addiction models to develop novel treatment strategies for drug addiction.Peer reviewe

Persistency of artificial aeration at hypertrophic Lake Tuusulanjärvi: A sociohistorical analysis

With present-day scientific evidence challenging the efficiency of artificial aeration as an effective restoration method for eutrophicated lakes, our sociohistorical investigation traces the reasons for the persistent support for this method in Finland, where about one hundred lakes are subject to this treatment. Our study employed the concepts of technological path and aeration frame to analyze the extensive restoration and aeration history of the hypertrophic Tuusulanjarvi in southern Finland. Continuously aerated since 1972, it has the longest history of aeration in Finland. Qualitative analysis of documentary and archival sources revealed that the longstanding preference for aeration in the context of increasing scientific controversy was based on its functional versatility and seemingly unproblematic applicability in regard to shifting emphasis and goal setting of restoration. Additionally, the stability of the aeration frame has been supported by the practical and emotional attachment of local residents to lake restoration, particularly aeration, and finally the problems and contradicting interests related to alternative restoration methods

Aseptic meningitis outbreak associated with echovirus 4 in Northern Europe in 2013-2014

Picornaviruses (family Picornaviridae) are small, nonenveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses. The members of this family are currently classified into 47 genera and 110 species. Of picornaviruses, entero-and parechoviruses are associated with aseptic meningitis. They are transmitted via fecal-oral and respiratory routes, and occasionally, these viruses may cause a brief viremia and gain access to central nervous system (CNS). During the diagnostic screening of entero-and parechovirus types in Finland in year 2013-14, we detected a cluster of echovirus 4 (E4) infections in young adults and adolescents. As E4 is infrequently detected in Finland, we contacted several Northern and Central European laboratories that conduct routine surveillance for enteroviruses and, for those who have had E4 cases, we send a query for E4 sequences and data. Here we report CNS infections caused by E4 in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Germany in 2013 and 2014, and show that the E4 detected in these countries form a single lineage. In contrast, E4 strains circulating in these countries preceding the year 2013, and those circulating elsewhere in Europe during 2013-2014, formed several independent clusters.Peer reviewe