Women Equity Strive in Society Depicted through Animation Film Characters

The purpose of this research is to identify the female representation depicted in the Disney Renaissance and to investigate why Disney characters struggle to claim their equity as women in their society. The research methods used in this study are classified as qualitative and descriptive. The documentation method and taking notes techniques are used to collect data. The research also employs two method concepts to analyze the collected data, including a gender equity approach analysis and Simone de Beauvoir's second-wave feminism theory. The data consists of linguistic units from various Disney Renaissance stories. The writer discovered three parts in the description of female representations based on data analysis of the female representations depicted in Disney Renaissance: rebel, wise, and adventurous women; confident, intelligent, and repellent of domestication women; and masculine, loyal, and ambitious women. Furthermore, data analysis of Disney characters' struggles in claiming their equality as women in their society reveals that they outperform patriarchal expectations, reject domestication, and practice emancipation by appropriating masculine attributes and roles

Soil biological quality in short- and long-term field trials with conventional and organic fertility input types

Soils of the DOK trial and three other field trials with manure input were analysed for effects on soil biology. While long-term effects indicate a new steady state at the DOK trial site, differences at the other field trials suggest that fresh manure at the Bonn trial and chicken manure at the UK sites are at least temporarily advantageous, probably due to their relatively fast mineralization

Antinociceptive activity of the S1P-receptor agonist FTY720

FTY720 is a novel immunosuppressive drug that inhibits the egress of lymphocytes from secondary lymphoid tissues and thymus. In its phosphorylated form FTY720 is a potent S1P receptor agonist. Recently it was also shown that FTY720 can reduce prostaglandin synthesis through the direct inhibition of the cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2). Since prostaglandins are important mediators of nociception, we studied the effects of FTY720 in different models of nociception. We found that intraperitoneal administration of FTY720 reduced dose-dependently the nociceptive behaviour of rats in the formalin assay. Although the antinociceptive doses of FTY720 were too low to alter the lymphocyte count, prostanoid concentrations in the plasma were dramatically reduced. Surprisingly, intrathecally administered FTY720 reduced the nociceptive behaviour in the formalin assay without altering spinal prostaglandin synthesis, indicating that additional antinociceptive mechanisms beside the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis are involved. Accordingly, FTY720 reduced also the nociceptive behaviour in the spared nerve injury model for neuropathic pain which does not depend on prostaglandin synthesis. In this model the antinociceptive effect of FTY720 was similar to gabapentin, a commonly used drug to treat neuropathic pain. Taken together we show for the first time that FTY720 possesses antinociceptive properties and that FTY720 reduces nociceptive behaviour during neuropathic pain

School, media and society. A systematic research overview of media-pedagogical attributions to the functions of school environments

Das vorliegende Review analysiert, wie sich die medienpädagogischen Zuschreibungen an die Funktion der Schule in Bezug auf die Vermittlung von kompetent-kritischer sowie selbstbestimmter und mitbestimmungsorientierter Mediennutzung konstituieren. Mithilfe des ENTREQ-Statements und einiger Methodiken der Grounded Theory wurden 14 Beiträge untersucht, die sich mit dem Spannungsfeld Schule-Medien-Gesellschaft beschäftigen. Als Analysematrix dienen dabei Fends (2008) vier Funktionen der Schule. Im Ergebnis zeigte sich, dass die Enkulturations- und die Integrationsfunktion stark angesprochen werden, während die Qualifikations- und die Allokationsfunktion weniger im Fokus stehen. Ausserdem wird den Lehrkräften eine starke Rolle zugeschrieben. Zum Schluss werden einerseits die Implikationen für die Demokratie, andererseits für weitere Forschungen diskutiert. (DIPF/Orig.)The review analyses how media-pedagogical attributions to the function of school are being constituted in relation of the conveyance of the competent for criticism as well as self-determined and participation-oriented media use. Using the ENTREQ-Statement and a selection of the methods of grounded theory, 14 papers were analysed with regard to their handling of the tension between school, media and society. An analytical matrix was established based on Fend’s (2008) Four Functions of School. The results established that Fend’s function of enculturation and integration are addressed the strongest, whereas the qualification and allocation are being focused less. In addition, a strong role is assigned to teaching staff. The review also offers a discussion of the implications the findings have for democracy and highlights areas for further research. (DIPF/Orig.

Schule, Medien und Gesellschaft

Das vorliegende Review analysiert, wie sich die medienpädagogischen Zuschreibungen an die Funktion der Schule in Bezug auf die Vermittlung von kompetent-kritischer sowie selbstbestimmter und mitbestimmungsorientierter Mediennutzung konstituieren. Mithilfe des ENTREQ-Statements und einiger Methodiken der Grounded Theory wurden 14 Beiträge untersucht, die sich mit dem Spannungsfeld Schule-Medien-Gesellschaft beschäftigen. Als Analysematrix dienen dabei Fends (2008) vier Funktionen der Schule. Im Ergebnis zeigte sich, dass die Enkulturations- und die Integrationsfunktion stark angesprochen werden, während die Qualifikations- und die Allokationsfunktion weniger im Fokus stehen. Ausserdem wird den Lehrkräften eine starke Rolle zugeschrieben. Zum Schluss werden einerseits die Implikationen für die Demokratie, andererseits für weitere Forschungen diskutiert

Consequences of altered eicosanoid patterns for nociceptive processing in mPGES-1-deficient mice

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-dependent prostaglandin (PG) E2 synthesis in the spinal cord plays a major role in the development of inflammatory hyperalgesia and allodynia. Microsomal PGE2 synthase-1 (mPGES-1) isomerizes COX-2-derived PGH2 to PGE2. Here, we evaluated the effect of mPGES-1-deficiency on the noci-ceptive behavior in various models of nociception that depend on PGE2 synthesis. Surprisingly, in the COX-2-dependent zymosan-evoked hyperalgesia model, the nociceptive behavior was not reduced in mPGES-1-deficient mice despite a marked decrease of the spinal PGE2 synthesis. Similarly, the nociceptive behavior was unaltered in mPGES-1-deficient mice in the formalin test. Importantly, spinal cords and primary spinal cord cells derived from mPGES-1-deficient mice showed a redirection of the PGE2 synthesis to PGD2, PGF2α and 6-keto-PGF1α (stable metabolite of PGI2). Since the latter prostaglandins serve also as mediators of noci-ception they may compensate the loss of PGE2 synthesis in mPGES-1-deficient mice

Do pulsar timing arrays observe merging primordial black holes?

In this letter we evaluate whether the gravitational wave background recently observed by a number of different pulsar timing arrays could be due to merging primordial supermassive black hole binaries. We find that for homogeneously distributed primordial black holes this possibility is inconsistent with strong cosmological and astrophysical constraints on their total abundance. If the distribution exhibits some clustering, however, the merger rate will in general be enhanced, opening the window for a consistent interpretation of the PTA data in terms of merging primordial black holes.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Biologische Qualität: Mögliche Auswirkungen biologisch erzeugter Lebensmittel auf die menschliche Gesundheit

The greatly increased market share of organic food, has prompted increasing interest in investigating whether there are actual differences in the effects of organic and conventional food on health. Previous studies have focussed on composition analyses and have therefore not been able to provide definitive proof for differences between these two food production systems in terms of long-term impact on human health. Also the designs of some of these studies were inadequate to provide proof for definite composition differences. There are virtually no human dietary intervention and cohort studies, which can provide definite proof for potential health impacts. When taking into account the present knowledge in nutrition, toxicology, physiology and ecological science, there are ample examples that the methods used for production of food do impact on food composition or other aspects of food quality, and that these differences are large enough to make a real difference for the consumer in terms of health. Fertilisation methods affect the composition of plant foods, and also the risks of contamination by mycotoxin-producing fungi. Feed and housing similarly affect the composition and microbiology of animal foods. Our understanding of what is good or bad for health advances continuously, and in several cases new data have overturned old dogmas, which were revealed to have been based on (wrong) assumptions rather than good science. For example, probably due to the generally lower availability of nitrogen to the plants, levels of certain secondary metabolites in organic fresh plant foods are consistently higher than in corresponding conventional products (typically 10-50% more). Based on epidemiological data, the increase in life expectancy by a doubling of the intake of (conventional) vegetables has been estimated to 1-2 years. So if the bioactive secondary metabolites are responsible for this effect, changing to organic vegetables without changing intake will increase the life span by 1-12 months. While the differences between production methods are likely to cause general differences in food quality between organic and conventional products, many of the methods that benefit food quality are not necessarily restricted to either organic or conventional systems. Understanding the links between production methods and food quality therefore allows improvement of the products of any system, whether organic or conventional

The autism burden in the family: A critical review and a new model proposal

Pervasive developmental disorders, including autism, consist of a severe impairment in three developmental areas: impairment of social skills; impairment of communication; and stereotypical behaviors, interests and activities (DSM-IV-TR, 2002). The behavior characteristics associated with the disorder severity may be potential stressors for family, relatives and caregivers. The burden on the family depends upon a range of interacting factors which require an explaining model which takes into account the variables involved in the family’s adaptation to this chronic condition. We argue that the Bradford’s biopsychosocial model (1997), although originating in the health psychology field, may be useful for understanding developmental disorders to the extend that it emphasizes interactions between the following contextual factors; health beliefs, social support, disease challenges, coping strategies, and family communication patterns. The purpose of the present study is to make a critical review on studies regarding the impact of Pervasive Developmental Disorders in the family. As this phenomenon involves a range of interacting factors, in and outside the family and affect it’s vital cycle, we conclude that understanding could not be based upon linear relations between causes and its outcomes. As an alternative, this paper suggests the need of an explaining model with respect to the range of variables involved on the family adaptative process when facing chronic disease. We emphasize the Bradford’s model (1997), which provides a psychosocial framework that integrates cognitive and systemic conceptions in a metamodel, specifically developed for a study of the impact of chronic illness in family.Keywords: Autism; family stress; burden of care.Os Transtornos Globais do Desenvolvimento, dos quais o autismo faz parte, caracterizam-se pelo comprometimento severo em três áreas do desenvolvimento: habilidades de interação social recíproca, habilidades de comunicação e presença de comportamentos, interesses e atividades estereotipadas (DSM-IV-TR, 2002). As características próprias do comportamento, somadas à severidade do transtorno podem constituir estressores em potencial para familiares e/ou cuidadores. O presente estudo tem como objetivo revisar as pesquisas sobre o impacto dos Transtornos Globais do Desenvolvimento, em especial do autismo, na família. A partir da noção de que este fenômeno envolve uma série de fatores interatuantes, intra e extrafamiliares os quais afetam a família ao longo de seu ciclo vital, conclui-se que a sua compreensão não pode ocorrer com base em relações lineares entre possíveis causas e seus efeitos, de forma reducionista. Como alternativa, o estudo aponta para a necessidade da adoção de um modelo explicativo que contemple as diversas variáveis envolvidas no processo de adaptação da família frente a uma condição crônica. Destaca-se o modelo de Bradford (1997), o qual propõe uma abordagem psicossocial, que integra concepções cognitivas e sistêmicas, na área da Psicologia da Saúde, num metamodelo especificamente desenvolvido para o estudo do impacto da doença crônica na família.Palavras-chave: Autismo; estresse familiar; impacto na família.