»Von unten und von links«: Die Zapatistas – Konstrukteure einer alternativen Gesellschaft?

Die neue Initiative des Zapatistischen Heeres der Nationalen Befreiung – EZLN – in Mexiko, die im Gegenzug zur Kampagne für die Präsidentschaftswahlen im Juli 2006 als »Andere Kampagne« bezeichnet wird, könnte für linke Alternativen zum kapitalistischen neoliberalen Politik- und Wirtschaftsmodell von außergewöhnlicher praxisleitender und theoriebildender Bedeutung sein. Die Zapatisten, die auf 22 Jahre sowohl bewaffneten als auch zivilen Widerstandes und 12 Jahre der Errichtung von basisdemokratischen gesellschaftlichen Strukturen in ihren autonomen Gebieten verweisen können, haben den Aufbau eines landesweiten Netzes sozialer Bewegungen mit dem Ziel der Errichtung einer antikapitalistischen und außerparlamentarischen Alternative zur neoliberalen Politik angeschoben. Dieser Prozess war auf Jahre hin geplant. Nach der Phase der Sammlung und Abstimmung der sozialen Bewegungen sollte ein »nationaler Aktionsplan« ausgearbeitet werden. Dieser Prozess wurde durch den Konflikt um die gewaltsame Repression des mexikanischen Staates gegen ambulante Händler in Atenco und die tiefe politische Krise in der Elite im Vorfeld der Wahlen unterbrochen und eine unvorhergesehene Beschleunigung der angestrebten Umbruchprozesse ausgelöst. Das sich im Entstehen befindliche Netzwerk sozialer Bewegungen könnte damit trotz aller Überforderung, in die Lage gebracht werden, selbst die politische Initiative in Mexiko zu übernehmen und eine tief greifende antikapitalistische Entwicklung einzuleiten. Entsprechend der antistaatlichen und basisdemokratischen Verortung der »Anderen Kampagne« (AK) würde diese Entwicklung historisch neues Terrain betreten. Inhalt: * Die Basis der »Anderen Kampagne« – eine andere Guerilla * Die »Andere Kampagne – Netzwerk sozialer Bewegungen« * Teilnehmer der »Anderen Kampagne« * Zielsetzungen der »Anderen Kampagne« * Der Atenco-Konflikt verändert die »Andere Kampagne« * Wird es einen Flächenbrand in Mexiko geben und was wird aus der »Anderen Kampagne«? * Aussicht auf ein »historisches Experiment« in Mexiko * Chronologische Eckdaten der Geschichte der EZLN (Zapatistisches Heer der Nationalen Befreiung

Los zapatistas en méxico: correlación entre lo antisistémico y lo antiestatista

En mi artículo quiero demostrar que el movimiento zapatista posee, ahora como antes, un carácter paradigmático para un desarrollo postneoliberal y no-capitalista que surge principalmente de la conexión entre lo antisistémico y lo antiestatista. En este contexto quiero enfrentarme a diferentes antítesis que, por una parte, ponen en cuestión el carácter antisistémico de los zapatistas y, por otra, absolutizan, critican o rechazan lo antiestatista

Profibrotic effects of angiotensin II and transforming growth factor beta on feline kidney epithelial cells

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of angiotensin II (AT-II) and its main mediator, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1), in the development of feline renal fibrosis. METHODS: Expression of marker genes indicating epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), profibrotic mediators and matricellular proteins was measured in feline kidney epithelial cells (Crandell Rees feline kidney [CRFK] cells) after incubation with AT-II and/or TGF-β1. RESULTS: Cells incubated with TGF-β1 or the combination of TGF-β1 with AT-II showed clear EMT with more stretched fibroblastic cells, whereas the cells incubated without TGF-β1 and AT-II (control) showed more epithelial cells. Gene expression of collagen type I ( COL1), tenascin-C ( TNC), trombospondin-1 ( TSP-1), connective tissue growth factor ( CTGF) and alpha-smooth muscle actin ( α-SMA) increased significantly after incubation of the CRFK cells with TGF-β1 or TGF-β1 in combination with AT-II for 12 h. As incubation of the CRFK cells with only AT-II did not show any significant rise in gene expression of the above-mentioned genes, this was further investigated. In contrast to healthy feline kidney tissue, CRFK cells showed almost no expression of the AT-II type 1 (AT1) receptor. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: TGF-β1 significantly induced expression of the EMT marker gene α-SMA, profibrotic mediator CTGF, and fibrogenic proteins COL1, TNC and TSP-1 in CRFK cells. The effect of TGF-β1 on myofibroblast formation was also observed by the stretched appearance of the CRFK cells. As CRFK cells expressed almost no AT1 receptors, this cell line proved not suitable for testing the efficacy of drugs that interact with the AT1 receptor. As AT-II stimulates the effects of TGF-β1 in mammals, the results of this study suggest an indirect profibrotic effect of AT-II besides the demonstrated profibrotic effect of TGF-β1 and thus the development of feline renal fibrosis. Modulation of EMT or proliferation of myofibroblasts could serve as a diagnostic tool and a novel therapeutic target to inhibit renal fibrogenesis, and could possibly serve in the therapy of feline renal fibrosis

Atypical meiosis can be adaptive in outcrossed Schizosaccharomyces pombe due to wtf meiotic drivers

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.Killer meiotic drivers are genetic parasites that destroy ‘sibling’ gametes lacking the driver allele. The fitness costs of drive can lead to selection of unlinked suppressors. This suppression could involve evolutionary tradeoffs that compromise gametogenesis and contribute to infertility. Schizosaccharomyces pombe, an organism containing numerous gamete (spore)-killing wtf drivers, offers a tractable system to test this hypothesis. Here, we demonstrate that in scenarios analogous to outcrossing, wtf drivers generate a fitness landscape in which atypical spores, such as aneuploids and diploids, are advantageous. In this context, wtf drivers can decrease the fitness costs of mutations that disrupt meiotic fidelity and, in some circumstances, can even make such mutations beneficial. Moreover, we find that S. pombe isolates vary greatly in their ability to make haploid spores, with some isolates generating up to 46% aneuploid or diploid spores. This work empirically demonstrates the potential for meiotic drivers to shape the evolution of gametogenesis.Stowers Institute for Medical ResearchMarch of Dimes Foundation Basil O'Connor Starter Scholar Research Award No. 5-FY18-58Kinship Foundation Searle Scholars AwardNational Institute of General Medical Sciences R00GM114436National Institute of General Medical Sciences DP2GM132936National Cancer Institute F99CA234523University of Kansa

The Drosophila Zinc Finger Protein Trade Embargo Is Required for Double Strand Break Formation in Meiosis

Homologous recombination in meiosis is initiated by the programmed induction of double strand breaks (DSBs). Although the Drosophila Spo11 ortholog Mei-W68 is required for the induction of DSBs during meiotic prophase, only one other protein (Mei-P22) has been shown to be required for Mei-W68 to exert this function. We show here that the chromatin-associated protein Trade Embargo (Trem), a C2H2 zinc finger protein, is required to localize Mei-P22 to discrete foci on meiotic chromosomes, and thus to promote the formation of DSBs, making Trem the earliest known function in the process of DSB formation in Drosophila oocytes. We speculate that Trem may act by either directing the binding of Mei-P22 to preferred sites of DSB formation or by altering chromatin structure in a manner that allows Mei-P22 to form foci

Post-meiotic transcription in mouse testes detected with spermatid cDNA clones

cDNA clones to poly(A) + mRNA from spermatids have been obtained to study gene transcription in post-meiotic germ cells. Four cDNA clones detect mRNAs that increase in abundance in post-meiotic germ cells. One clone, pPM459, was shown to correspond to an mRNA that is transcribed after meiosis. Pulse-labelling experiments demonstrate transcription o5 the message in spermatids. These data constitute further evidence for post-meiotic gene transcription in spermatids.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44190/1/10540_2005_Article_BF01116696.pd