Steroid Hormones and Endocrine Disruptors: Recent Advances in Receptor–Mediated Actions

It has been accepted that receptor-mediated action of steroid hormones depends on both the receptor and the hormonal level. The mechanism of transcription by steroid receptors is mediated by cofactors, which function as co-activators or co-repressors, while their non-genomic actions depend on receptors localized to the cell membrane. Recently, a number of environmental chemicals, which are now termed as endocrine disruptors, have been identified, and their unwanted effects on our lives have become serious problems all over the world. Their adverse effects on endocrine systems in animals, mostly estrogenic or anti-estrogenic, have resulted in reproductive malfunction and developmental disorders. Although aryl hydrocarbons exhibit estrogenic or anti- estrogenic activity through specific interaction with aryl hydrocarbon receptors, other chemicals seem to interact directly with estrogen receptors, α and β forms. In this paper, we surveyed the most recent understanding of endocrine disruptors from the viewpoint of steroid receptor systems. We suggest two potential mechanisms of action for endocrine disruptors. Endocrine distruptors i) directly associate with steroid receptor systems and/or ii) associate with the growth factor or the neurotransmitter receptor systems, and then upregulate the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascades, leading to the ligand-independent activation of steroid receptor systems. Using these steroid receptor-dependent mechanisms, it appears that endocrine disruptors disorder our endocrine systems. We have proposed future suggestions to further understand endocrine disruptors from the viewpoint of steroid receptor systems. Key words: endocrine disruptors; receptor-mediated actions; steroid hormone

The lost generation phenomena in the early 20th century as seen through f. scott fitzgerald's this side of paradise

This research is about "The Lost Generation Phenomena In The Early 20th Century As Seen Through F. Scott Fitzgerald's This Side of Paradise and the researcher will focus on finding how far the "Lost Generation" phenomena can be seen through the situation of American young generation in the early of 20th century. This research will focus on the case of religion, social norm, and education in the social and cultural condition. Since this thesis carries out American Study, thus it will use more than one theories and approaches because it discusses more than one issue, namely the structural theory and sociological approach. The structural theory contributes in understanding the novel by analyzing the intrinsic elements of the novel. The sociological approach helps the researcher to understand the human relations in the American conditions in the early 20th century and discusses the interactions among the characters of the novel. Using those methods, the researcher explains the parts in the novel which were included in the lost of religion, lost of norm and lost of education. The lost of religion�s behavior are enjoying life too much, smoking, drinking too much. The lost of social norm's behavior are having a date, kissing. The lost of education's behavior are quitting from the study and cutting the class. As the result of the analysis, the researcher concludes that some of young generations in the novel have left their puritan mind which explain about the religion, norm and education. They became lost because they had forgotten the forefather's inheritance. This phenomena is found in the young generation, so they are called as the 'Lost Generation' by their society

THE INFLUENCE OF SPECIAL ITEMS TO CORE EARNINGS IN EARNINGS MANAGEMENT AT MANUFACTURING COMPANIES LISTED IN JAKARTA STOCK EXCHANGE

This paper examines the classification of items within the income statement as an earnings management tool. Evidence is consistent with managers opportunistically shifting expenses from core expenses (cost of goods sold and selling, general, and administrative expenses) to special items. This vertical movement of expenses does not change bottom-line earnings, but overstates ‘‘core’’ earnings. Keywords: earnings management; earnings components; special items

Intestinal Effects of Dietary Betaine in Piglets

The study was conducted to investigate the effects of graded dietary inclusion levels of betaine on ileal and total tract nutrient digestibilities and intestinal bacterial fermentation characteristics in piglets. A total of 8 barrows (BW 7.9 kg) was fitted with simple T-cannulas at the distal ileum. The animals were randomly allocated to 1 of the 4 assay diets with 2 pigs per treatment in 4 repeated measurement periods. The assay diets included a basal diet based on wheat, barley and soybean meal alone, or supplemented with a liquid betaine product at dietary levels of 1.5, 3.0, or 6.0 g betaine kg–1 diet (as–fed). Ileal digestibilities of dry matter (DM) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) increased both quadratically and linearly (P<0.05), and ileal digestibility of glycine increased linearly as dietary betaine level increased (P<0.05). Moreover, there were linear increases in the concentrations of ileal D–lactic acid (P<0.05), indicating intensified intestinal bacterial activities as dietary betaine level increased. At the fecal level, total tract crude protein (CP) digestibility increased quadratically (P<0.05), and digestibility of amino acids (AA) tended to increase quadratically (P=0.06 to P=0.11), except for proline (P>0.05), as dietary betaine level increased. The increased bacterial degradation of CP and AA in the large intestine coincides with the linear increase (P<0.05) in fecal diaminopimelic acid concentrations, indicating enhanced intestinal bacterial growth with increasing dietary betaine levels. In most cases, there was a response in the variables that were measured up to 3.0 g betaine per kg diet, whereas increasing the betaine level from 3.0 to 6.0 g betaine per kg diet had no additional effect. It can be concluded that dietary betaine stimulates microbial fermentation of fiber in the small intestine, leaving less fermentable fiber to reach the large intestine and therefore, increased microbial degradation of protein in the large intestine may occur. Keywords: piglets, betaine, digestibility, bacterial fermentation, microflor