Fluctuación del ser, amoralidad del devenir. Sabiduría dionisíaca en Judith de Friedrich Hebbel

Judith's denomination as a tragedy may seem ambiguous: the supposed heroine appears triumphant, and the supposed villain impersonates a hero during part of the play. Nietzsche's notion of the Dionysian, and George Steiner's thoughts on tragedy allow us to see the clash of two perspectives in Judith: a moral worldview, of Hebrew origin, and another, pagan and tragic, based on an aesthetic justification of existence. The play's tragic element lies in the seduction of Judith by Holofernes, as it implies the triumph of a Dionysian worldview over a Hebrew one: thus an atrocious knowledge –that man's greatest crime is to be born– prevails over the demand for divine justice.Que Judith sea una tragedia puede resultar ambiguo: la supuesta heroína parece triunfar, y el supuesto villano parece el héroe durante parte de la obra. Partiendo de la noción nietzscheana de lo dionisíaco, complementada por las consideraciones de George Steiner, puede verse que en Judith se contraponen dos perspectivas: una visión moral del mundo, de raíz hebrea, y otra, pagana y trágica, basada en la justificación estética de la existencia. Lo trágico yace en la seducción de Judith por Holofernes, pues implica el triunfo de la cosmovisión dionisíaca sobre la hebrea; el triunfo de la sabiduría que enseña que el mayor delito del hombre es haber nacido sobre la exigencia de una justicia divin

Al rescate del futuro romántico: The Triumph of Life y las utopías de Shelley

Traditional exegesis of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s The Triumph of Life have been overdetermined by the poet’s early death and its surrounding myth. This posthumous fragment has been read as Shelley’s capitulation, a final surrender of the political ideals animating such poems as QueenMab or Prometheus Unbound that, in spite of the widespread disenchantment following the Congress of Vienna, argued against tyranny and in favor of a new world. His death thus became part of most critical readings of his works, and the sum of his poetry appears to reflect the rise and fall of revolutionary and political enthusiasm in the face of a hostile world (this despite the fact that the very year of his death Shelley published Hellas, another political poem centered on the possible emancipation of Greece from Ottoman rule). Certain critics’ involuntary Romanticism may have contributed to this phenomenon. However, if we pull back the mythical curtain, it is possible to reconsider both The Triumph of Life and Shelley's life work. More accurate reconstructions of his death, such as Wu's (2015), shed a completely different light on the shipwreck that ended his life. Thus we can claim for Shelley’s poetry the utopian horizonshe always sought, instead of confining it to the tragic narrative in which it has been locked, and to fight against those critical readings that seek to neutralize the political power of his poetry.Las interpretaciones tradicionales de The Triumph of Life de Percy Bysshe Shelley han sido determinadas por la muerte temprana del poeta y el mito que se construyó en torno a este evento. El fragmento ha sido leído como una abjuración, la renuncia final de Shelley a los ideales políticos que expusiera en obras como Queen Mab o Prometheus Unbound donde postulaba, contra el desencanto que imperaba en la Europa del Congreso de Viena, un colapso de la tiranía y el advenimiento de un mundo nuevo. Su muerte se vio así incorporada a la exégesis de su obra poética, dándole la forma total del auge y caída del entusiasmo revolucionario y político frente al mundo, a pesar de que ese mismo año Shelley publicó Hellas, otro poema de temática política centrado en la posible emancipación de Grecia, lo cual argumentaría en contra del relato derrotista. Cierto romanticismo involuntario de la crítica posiblemente contribuya a este fenómeno. En cambio, si corremos la cortina del mito, es posible reconsiderar tanto The Triumph of Life como la obra poética de Shelley. Las reconstrucciones más precisas de su muerte, como la de Wu (2015), arrojan una luz completamente distinta sobre el naufragio que dio fin a su vida. Esto nos permite recuperar para su obra los horizontes utópicos que Shelley siempre buscó, en vez de confinarla al relato trágico en el que ha quedado encerrada, y luchar contra las lecturas que buscan neutralizar la potencia política de su poesía

L’Émergence et l’évolution du format bilingue de la poésie traduite en Argentine

Aunque gran parte de los libros de poesía traducida en Argentina y el resto de América Latina se editan actualmente de manera bilingüe, no existe un estudio que analice esta práctica editorial de forma integral en Argentina ni en otros países hispanohablantes. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo caracterizar el formato bilingüe de poesía contemporánea a partir de hipótesis teóricas sobre su función y sus efectos posibles en la publicación y la lectura de poesía traducida, y contrastar estas hipótesis con una perspectiva histórica del surgimiento y la evolución de esta práctica en el sector editorial argentino. Para ello, se establece un corpus a partir del relevamiento de los catálogos de bibliotecas públicas, de catálogos editoriales y consultas a editoriales particulares, que permite identificar el surgimiento de este formato en los años treinta con las traducciones de Langston Hughes por Jorge Luis Borges y Le cimetière marin de Paul Valéry por Néstor Ibarra, para luego consolidarse en Sur y otras revistas. Las publicaciones en este formato fueron en aumento, hasta que en el siglo xxi hubo una explosión de editoriales independientes que trajo consigo su mayor expansión. El estudio de un solo espacio editorial no permite arribar a conclusiones definitivas, pero es posible plantear que el significado de la edición bilingüe, originalmente asociado al cotejo, cambió con el paso del tiempo, y que la visibilización del texto extranjero en este formato tiene hoy en día un valor intrínseco.A large number of books of translated poetry in Argentina and the rest of Latin America are currently published bilingually; however, despite this being so common, there is no study that analyzes this publishing practice comprehensively in Argentina or in other Spanish-speaking countries. This paper aims to characterize the bilingual format of contemporary poetry, starting with theoretical assumptions about its function, as well as its possible effects on the publication and reading of translated poetry, and then contrasting these assumptions with a historical perspective of the emergence and evolution of this practice in the Argentine publishing sector. With this goal, a corpus is established from a survey of public library catalogs, editorial catalogs and consultations with private publishers, which allows us to identify the emergence of this format in the thirties with the translations of Langston Hughes by Jorge Luis Borges (Sur, 1931) and Paul Valéry’s Le cimetière marin by Néstor Ibarra (1932); in the 1940s it became established in Sur and other magazines. Publications in this format were on the rise until the 21st century, when there was an explosion of independent publishing houses that brought its greatest expansion. The study of a single publishing market does not allow us to arrive at definitive conclusions, but it is possible to suggest that the meaning of the bilingual edition, originally associated with comparison, changed over time, and that currently the visibility of the foreign text in this format has an intrinsic value.Bien qu’un grand nombre de livres de poésie traduite en Argentine et dans le reste de l’Amérique latine soient actuellement publiés en version bilingue, il n’existe aucune étude analysant de manière exhaustive cette pratique de publication en Argentine ou dans d’autres pays hispanophones. Cet article vise à caractériser le format bilingue de la poésie contemporaine sur la base d’hypothèses théoriques concernant sa fonction et ses effets possibles sur la publication et la lecture de la poésie traduite, ainsi qu’à confronter ces hypothèses à une perspective historique de l’émergence et de l’évolution de cette pratique dans le secteur de l’édition argentin. À cette fin, un corpus est établi sur la base d’une enquête sur les catalogues de bibliothèques publiques, les catalogues éditoriaux et les consultations d’éditeurs privés, qui permet d’identifier l’émergence de ce format dans les années 1930 avec les traductions de Langston Hughes par Jorge Luis Borges et Le cimetière marin de Paul Valéry par Néstor Ibarra, et consolidées par la suite dans Sur et d’autres revues. Les publications dans ce format se sont multipliées jusqu’au XXIe siècle, où l’on a assisté à une explosion d’éditeurs indépendants, ce qui a entraîné une forte expansion. L’étude d’un seul espace éditorial ne nous permet pas de tirer des conclusions définitives, mais il est possible de suggérer que la signification de l’édition bilingue, associée à l’origine à la collation, a changé avec le temps, et que la visibilité du texte étranger dans ce format a aujourd’hui une valeur intrinsèque.Fil: Rucavado Rojas, Mario. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Defect passivation in zinc tin oxide: improving the transparency-conductivity trade-off and comparing with indium-based materials

Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) are essential in technologies coupling light and electricity. Due to their good optoelectronic properties and the production scalability, Sn-doped indium oxide (In2O3:Sn) is the preferred TCO in industrial applications. Nonetheless indium is scarce in the Earth's crust and its availability might be compromised over the next decades. To address this issue, this doctoral project aims to (i) improve the optoelectronic properties of In-free TCOs seeking to match those of In2O3:Sn, and (ii) refine the optoelectronic properties of In2O3-based films to decrease the In consumption in applications. To accomplish this, we investigated the links between the defects, the microstructure and the optoelectronic properties of two families of TCOs, indium- and tin-based oxides. First, we studied the evolution in the optoelectronic properties and microstructure of amorphous zinc tin oxide (a-ZTO) when annealed up to 500C in oxidizing, neutral, and reducing atmospheres. We show that annealing in atmospheric pressure at temperatures > 300C decreases the detrimental subgap absorptance while increasing the electron mobility (mu). Thermal treatments in reducing atmospheres increase the free-carrier density (Ne) and the subgap absorptance. None of the thermal treatments resulted in important changes in the amorphous microstructure. Combining these results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, oxygen deficiencies (VO) were identified as the source of detrimental subgap absorption. VO can act as donors but also as electron scattering centres. Based on these results, a-ZTO with Ό up to 35 cm2/Vs, is demonstrated by high-temperature defect passivation. Profiting from the microstructure stability of a-ZTO, this material was used as a recombination junction in a tandem solar cell which require a high-temperature step in its processing. The passivation scheme might be problematic for temperature-sensitive technologies. Therefore, we demonstrated an alternative low-temperature passivation method, which relies on co-sputtering a-ZTO with SiO2 . Using two Sn-based oxides with different composition and microstructure: a-ZTO and SnO2 , and results of DFT calculations, we demonstrate that SiO2 contribution is twofold. (i) The oxygen from SiO2 passivate the VO in SnO2 and a-ZTO. (ii) The formation energy of the ionized VO is lowered by the silicon-atoms, enabling defects that do not contribute to the subgap absorptance. This passivation scheme improves the optical properties without affecting the electrical conductivity, overcoming the optoelectronic trade-off in Sn-based TCOs. Finally, we study an In-based high-Ό TCO: Zr-doped In2O3. Films of In2O3:Zr with thickness from 15 nm-100 nm were sputtered in the amorphous state and annealed in different atmospheres. Annealing in air yields fully crystalline films with high transparency and a high-mu limited by phonon and ionized impurity scattering. 15 nm-thick films exhibit an average absorptance of < 0.5 % (between 390 nm-2000 nm) and an mu of 50 cm2/Vs increasing to 105 cm2/Vs for 100 nm-thick films. Alternatively, annealing in a neutral or reducing atmospheres result in higher mu for films thinner than 50 nm as a high Ne is maintained. The demonstration of thickness reduction while keeping high lateral mu makes In2O3:Zr is an alternative to reduce In in applications such as flexible displays, solar cells and light emitting diodes

Tissue Localization and Extracellular Matrix Degradation by PI, PII and PIII Snake Venom Metalloproteinases: Clues on the Mechanisms of Venom-Induced Hemorrhage

20 páginas, 4 figuras, 3 tablas y 7 tablas en material suplementario.Snake venom hemorrhagic metalloproteinases (SVMPs) of the PI, PII and PIII classes were compared in terms of tissue localization and their ability to hydrolyze basement membrane components in vivo, as well as by a proteomics analysis of exudates collected in tissue injected with these enzymes. Immunohistochemical analyses of co-localization of these SVMPs with type IV collagen revealed that PII and PIII enzymes co-localized with type IV collagen in capillaries, arterioles and post-capillary venules to a higher extent than PI SVMP, which showed a more widespread distribution in the tissue. The patterns of hydrolysis by these three SVMPs of laminin, type VI collagen and nidogen in vivo greatly differ, whereas the three enzymes showed a similar pattern of degradation of type IV collagen, supporting the concept that hydrolysis of this component is critical for the destabilization of microvessel structure leading to hemorrhage. Proteomic analysis of wound exudate revealed similarities and differences between the action of the three SVMPs. Higher extent of proteolysis was observed for the PI enzyme regarding several extracellular matrix components and fibrinogen, whereas exudates from mice injected with PII and PIII SVMPs had higher amounts of some intracellular proteins. Our results provide novel clues for understanding the mechanisms by which SVMPs induce damage to the microvasculature and generate hemorrhage.This work was performed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the PhD degree for Cristina Herrera at Universidad de Costa Rica.Peer reviewe

Increments in cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases in skeletal muscle after injection of tissue-damaging toxins from the venom of the snake Bothrops asper.

Envenomations by the snake Bothrops asper are characterized by prominent local tissue damage (i.e. myonecrosis), blistering, hemorrhage and edema. Various phospholipases A2 and metalloproteinases that induce local pathological alterations have been purified from this venom. Since these toxins induce a conspicuous inflammatory response, it has been hypothesized that inflammatory mediators may contribute to the local pathological alterations described. This study evaluated the local production of cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) as a consequence of intramuscular injections of an Asp-49 myotoxic phospholipase A2 (myotoxin III (MT-III)) and a P-I type hemorrhagic metalloproteinase (BaP1) isolated from B. asper venom. Both enzymes induced prominent tissue alterations and conspicuous increments in interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6 and a number of MMPs, especially gelatinase MMP-9, rapidly after injection. In contrast, no increments in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon-gamma were detected. In agreement, MT-III and BaP1 did not induce the synthesis of TNF-alpha by resident peritoneal macrophages in vitro. Despite the conspicuous expression of latent forms of MMPs in muscle, evidenced by zymography, there were no increments in activated MMP-2 and only a small increase in activated MMP-9, as detected by a functional enzymatic assay. This suggests that MMP activity was regulated by a highly controlled activation of latent forms and, probably, by a concomitant synthesis of MMP inhibitors. Since no hemorrhage nor dermonecrosis were observed after injection of MT-III, despite a prominent increase in MMP expression, and since inflammatory exudate did not enhance hemorrhage induced by BaP1, it is suggested that endogenous MMPs released in the tissue are not responsible for the dermonecrosis and hemorrhage characteristic of B. asper envenomation. Moreover, pretreatment of mice with the peptidomimetic MMP inhibitor batimastat did not reduce myotoxic nor edema-forming activities of MT-III, suggesting that MMPs do not play a prominent role in the pathogenesis of these effects in this experimental model. It is concluded that MT-III and BaP1 induce a local inflammatory response associated with the synthesis of IL-1beta, IL-6 and MMPs. MMPs do not seem to play a prominent role in the acute local pathological alterations induced by these toxins in this experimental model

Supplementary data for article: Villalta-Romero, F.; Borro, L.; Mandić, B.; Escalante, T.; Rucavado, A.; Gutierrez, J. M.; Neshich, G.; Tasic, L. Discovery of Small Molecule Inhibitors for the Snake Venom Metalloprotease BaP1 Using in Silico and in Vitro Tests. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters 2017, 27 (9), 2018–2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmcl.2017.03.007

Supplementary material for: [ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmcl.2017.03.007]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2449]Related to accepted version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3001

Metaloproteinasas dependientes de Zinc: Protagonistas centrales en la Fisiopatología de Envenenamientos por Serpientes de la familia Viperidae

Se presenta y discute el papel que juegan las metaloproteinasas de los venenos de serpientes (SVMPs) de la familia Viperidae en la fisiopatología de los envenenamientos inducidos por mordeduras de estos reptiles. Se hace especial énfasis en los mecanismos mediante los cuales estas enzimas inducen hemorragia. Así mismo, se discuten otros efectos que resultan de la acción de estas enzimas, tales como la necrosis muscular, la formación de ampollas y flictenas, y la coagulopatía. Finalmente, se analiza el rol que juegan las SVMPs en la deficiente regeneración de tejido muscular que caracteriza estos envenenamientos.The role played by snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) in the pathophysiology of envenomings induced by snakes of the family Viperidae is discussed. The mechanisms involved in the ability of these enzymes to generate hemorrhage are presented, together with an analysis of other pathological effects induced by SVMPs, such as myonerosis, blistering and coagulopathy. Finally, the role played by these enzymes in the poor skeletal muscle regeneration characteristic of viperid snakebite envenomings is analyzed.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto Clodomiro Picado (ICP)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Salud::Facultad de Microbiologí

Assessment of metalloproteinase inhibitors clodronate and doxycycline in the neutralization of hemorrhage and coagulopathy induced by Bothrops asper snake venom

Snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) play a prominent role in the local and systemic manifestations of viperid snakebite envenomations. Thus, the possibility of using metalloproteinase inhibitors in the treatment of these envenomations is a promising therapeutic alternative. This study assessed the ability of two metalloproteinase inhibitors, the biphosphonate clodronate and the tetracycline doxycycline, to inhibit proteolytic, hemorrhagic, coagulant and defibrinogenating effects of Bothrops asper venom. Both compounds were able to inhibit these activities, at concentrations in the mM range, when incubated with venom prior to testing. However, when inhibition of hemorrhage was assessed in assays involving independent injection of venom and drug, inhibition was poor, even when these compounds were injected immediately after envenomation. These findings support the concept that the effectiveness of compounds, such as clodronate and doxycycline, whose inhibitory action on SVMPs is based on zinc chelation alone, is limited, and stress the view that more specific molecules are required for an effective inhibition of SVMPs in vivo.Universidad de Costa Rica, Vicerrectoría de Investigación, projects 741-A4-061 and 741-A7-604International Foundation for Science, project F/4096-1NeTropica, project 2-N-2008UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto Clodomiro Picado (ICP

Bothrops asper snake venom and its metalloproteinase BaP-1 activate the complement system. Role in leucocyte recruitment.

The venom of the snake Bothrops asper, the most important poisonous snake in Central America, evokes an inflammatory response, the mechanisms of which are not well characterized. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether B. asper venom and its purified toxins--phospholipases and metalloproteinase--activate the complement system and the contribution of the effect on leucocyte recruitment. In vitro chemotaxis assays were performed using Boyden's chamber model to investigate the ability of serum incubated with venom and its purified toxins to induce neutrophil migration. The complement consumption by the venom was evaluated using an in vitro haemolytic assay. The importance of complement activation by the venom on neutrophil migration was investigated in vivo by injecting the venom into the peritoneal cavity of C5-deficient mice. Data obtained demonstrated that serum incubated with crude venom and its purified metalloproteinase BaP-1 are able to induce rat neutrophil chemotaxis, probably mediated by agent(s) derived from the complement system. This hypothesis was corroborated by the capacity of the venom to activate this system in vitro. The involvement of C5a in neutrophil chemotaxis induced by venom-activated serum was demonstrated by abolishing migration when neutrophils were pre-incubated with antirat C5a receptor antibody. The relevance of the complement system in in vivo leucocyte mobilization was further demonstrated by the drastic decrease of this response in C5-deficient mice. Pre-incubation of serum with the soluble human recombinant complement receptor type 1 (sCR 1) did not prevent the response induced by the venom, but abolished the migration evoked by metalloproteinase-activated serum. These data show the role of the complement system in bothropic envenomation and the participation of metalloproteinase in the effect. Also, they suggest that the venom may contain other component(s) which can cause direct activation of C5a