Going global: the Brazilian scripted film

This article departs from the assumption that a certain section of world cinema, usually defined as ‘independent’, has been evolving on the basis of good scripts. Between the late 1980s and early 90s, there has been a boom of new cinemas in the world, such as the new Iranian, Taiwanese, Japanese, Mexican, Argentine and Brazilian cinemas. A significant part of this production shows a renewed interest in local and national peculiarities of their respective countries, going against the grain of globalisation and its typical cultural dilution. Most of these films are also engaged in reassessing narrative cinema, as a kind of reaction against the deconstructive work carried out by postmodern cinema of the 1980s.Recent new cinemas are supported by a combination of local and international resources, derived from public and private sponsors at home, and funding agencies, festivals and TV channels abroad. In most cases funds are granted after the film script has been analysed and approved by commissions of experts. The New Brazilian Cinema, or cinema da retomada as it is locally called, has been enormously affected by this scheme, which has even caused a ‘script boom’ in Brazil in the past decade. The chapter examins the results of this process.

Sesquiterpenoids lactones: benefits to plants and people

Sesquiterpenoids, and specifically sesquiterpene lactones from Asteraceae, may play a highly significant role in human health, both as part of a balanced diet and as pharmaceutical agents, due to their potential for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and cancer. This review highlights the role of sesquiterpene lactones endogenously in the plants that produce them, and explores mechanisms by which they interact in animal and human consumers of these plants. Several mechanisms are proposed for the reduction of inflammation and tumorigenesis at potentially achievable levels in humans. Plants can be classified by their specific array of produced sesquiterpene lactones, showing high levels of translational control. Studies of folk medicines implicate sesquiterpene lactones as the active ingredient in many treatments for other ailments such as diarrhea, burns, influenza, and neurodegradation. In addition to the anti-inflammatory response, sesquiterpene lactones have been found to sensitize tumor cells to conventional drug treatments. This review explores the varied ecological roles of sesquiterpenes in the plant producer, depending upon the plant and the compound. These include allelopathy with other plants, insects, and microbes, thereby causing behavioural or developmental modification to these secondary organisms to the benefit of the sesquiterpenoid producer. Some sesquiterpenoid lactones are antimicrobial, disrupting the cell wall of fungi and invasive bacteria, whereas others protect the plant from environmental stresses that would otherwise cause oxidative damage. Many of the compounds are effective due to their bitter flavor, which has obvious implications for human consumers. The implications of sesquiterpenoid lactone qualitiesfor future crop production are discussed.

Validity of the ice shelf water plume concept beneath Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf

In winter, brine rejection from sea ice formation and export in the Weddell Sea, offshore of Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf (FRIS), leads to the formation of High Salinity Shelf Water (HSSW). This dense water mass enters the cavity beneath FRIS by sinking southward down the sloping continental shelf towards the grounding line. Melting occurs when the HSSW encounters the ice shelf, and the meltwater released cools and freshens the HSSW to form a water mass known as Ice Shelf Water (ISW). If this ISW rises, the ‘ice pump’ is initiated (Lewis and Perkin, 1986), whereby the ascending ISW becomes supercooled and deposits marine ice at shallower locations due to the pressure increase in the in-situ freezing temperature. Sandh¨ager et al. (2004) were able to infer the thickness patterns of marine ice deposits at the base of FRIS (figure 1), so the primary aim of this work is to try to understand the ocean flows that determine these patterns. The plume model we use to investigate ISW flow is described fully by Holland and Feltham (accepted) so only a relatively brief outline is presented here. The plume is simulated by combining a parameterisation of ice shelf basal interaction and a multiplesize- class frazil dynamics model with an unsteady, depth-averaged reduced-gravity plume model. In the model an active region of ISW evolves above and within an expanse of stagnant ambient fluid, which is considered to be ice-free and has fixed profiles of temperature and salinity. The two main assumptions of the model are that there is a well-mixed layer underneath the ice shelf and that the ambient fluid outside the plume is stagnant with fixed properties. The topography of the ice shelf that the plume flows beneath is set to the FRIS ice shelf draft calculated by Sandh¨ager et al. (2004) masked with the grounding line from the Antarctic Digital Database (ADD Consortium, 2002). To initiate the plumes, we assume that the intrusion of dense HSSW initially causes melting at the points on the grounding line where the glaciological tributaries feeding FRIS go afloat.

Development of frazil modelling in ice shelf water plumes

Abstract Preliminary results are presented from a modelling study directed at the spatial variation of frazil ice formation and its effects on flow underneath large ice shelves. The chosen plume and frazil models are briefly introduced, and results from two simplified cases are outlined. It is found that growth and melting dominate the frazil model in the short term. Secondary nucleation converts larger crystals into several nuclei due to crystal collisions (microattrition) and fluid shear and therefore governs the ice crystal dynamics after the initial supercooling has been quenched. Frazil formation is found to have a significant depth-dependence in an idealised study of an Ice Shelf Water plume. Finally, plans for more extensive and realistic studies are discussed.

Finding the 'first voice' in rural England: the challenges of safeguarding intangible heritage in a national museum

This paper is an attempt to explore the challenges of defining intangible heritage and ‘community’ in England. It uses as its case study the Museum of English Rural Life, University of Reading: an urban museum with a rural theme. The paper examines current theoretical discourse around the concept of the ‘first voice’ and debate about the role of museums in the preservation of intangible heritage. It then examines the relevance of these concepts to the identification of ‘rural’ intangible heritage stake holders in England. In this way, it shows the potential for concepts of intangible heritage to influence national museums. However, by applying theory and practice which is designed to support work with well-defined ‘originating communities’ to a national museum, it also highlights the challenges of initiating community engagement in a multicultural society.

Volatile profile of Spanish Cistus plants as sources of antimicrobials for industrial applications

Cistus is a plant genus traditionally used in folk medicine as remedy for several microbial disorders and infections. The abundance of Cistus spp. in the Iberian Peninsula together with their ability to renew after wildfire contribute to their profitability as suppliers of functional ingredients. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive characterization of the volatile profile of different Cistus plants grown in Spain:Cistus ladanifer L., Cistus albidus L., Cistus salviifolius L., and Cistus clusii Dunal (the latter has not been studied before). A system combining headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC–MS) was implemented; thereby, the volatile compounds were extracted and analyzed in a fast, reliable and environment-friendly way. A total of 111 volatile compounds were identified, 28 of which were reported in Cistus for the first time. The most abundant components of the samples (mono and sesquiterpenes) have been previously reported as potent antimicrobial agents. Therefore, this work reveals the potential use of the Cistus spp. studied as natural sources of antimicrobial compounds for industrial production of cosmeceuticals, among other applications.

Do non-philosophers think epistemic consequentialism is counterintuitive?

Direct epistemic consequentialism is the idea that X is epistemically permissible iff X maximizes epistemic value. It has received lots of attention in recent years and is widely accepted by philosophers to have counterintuitive implications. There are various reasons one might suspect that the relevant intuitions will not be widely shared among non-philosophers. This paper presents an initial empirical study of ordinary intuitions. The results of two experiments demonstrate that the counterintuitiveness of epistemic consequentialism is more than a philosophers' worry---the folk seem to agree!

An ethnomedicinal survey of a Tashelhit-speaking community in the High Atlas, Morocco

Traditional knowledge about medicinal plants from a poorly studied region, the High Atlas in Morocco, is reported here for the first time; this permits consideration of efficacy and safety of current practices whilst highlighting species previously not known to have traditional medicinal use. Our study aims to document local medicinal plant knowledge among Tashelhit speaking communities through ethnobotanical survey, identifying preferred species and new medicinal plant citations and illuminating the relationship between emic and etic ailment classifications. Ethnobotanical data were collected using standard methods and with prior informed consent obtained before all interactions, data were characterized using descriptive indices and medicinal plants and healing strategies relevant to local livelihoods were identified. 151 vernacular names corresponding to 159 botanical species were found to be used to treat 36 folk ailments grouped in 14 biomedical use categories. Thirty-five (22%) are new medicinal plant records in Morocco, and 26 described as used for the first time anywhere. Fidelity levels (FL) revealed low specificity in plant use, particularly for the most commonly reported plants. Most plants are used in mixtures. Plant use is driven by local concepts of disease, including “hot” and “cold” classification and beliefs in supernatural forces. Local medicinal plant knowledge is rich in the High Atlas, where local populations still rely on medicinal plants for healthcare. We found experimental evidence of safe and effective use of medicinal plants in the High Atlas; but we highlight the use of eight poisonous species.

COMPOSITION OF SUPERCRITICAL CARBON DIOXIDE EXTRACTS OF PITANGA (EUGENIA UNIFLORA L.) LEAVES

The leaves of the Pitanga bush (Eugenia uniflora L.) are considered to be effective against many diseases. Extracts from Pitanga leaves have been found to show pronounced anti-inflammatory action and to have antimicrobial and antifungal activities, among other properties. In this work, extracts from Pitanga leaves were obtained by hydrodistillation and by extraction with supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO(2)) at three conditions of temperature and pressure. In the SC-CO(2) extractions also were collected the components that are lost with the CO(2) in the exit of the system using Porapak-Q polymer trap. All extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Thirty-nine compounds were found in the extracts and twenty-six were identified. The main components identified in the extracts in decreasing quantitative order were: curzerene, germacrene B, C(15)H(20)O(2) and beta-elemene for hydrodistillation; C(15)H(20)O(2) and curzerene for SC-CO(2) extracts and 3-hexen-1-ol, curzerene, C(15)H(20)O(2), beta-elemene and germacrene B for SC-CO(2) extracts captured in Porapak-Q. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The natural extracts are a potential source of compounds possessing biological activities. They can be used in foods, pharmaceutics and cosmetics. Pitanga is an exotic fruit from Brazil and extracts from its leaves have been used against many diseases in Brazilian folk medicine. Supercritical extraction is an interesting process for the production of natural extracts because it is a clean process and the knowledge of composition of extracts is crucial for the identification of the probable active components.

Antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties of the ethanolic extract, dichloromethane fraction and costunolide from Magnolia ovata (Magnoliaceae)

Aim of the study: Magnolia ovata (A.St.-Hil.) Spreng (formerly Talauma ovata), known as ""pinha-do-brejo"" or ""baguacu"", is a large tree widely distributed in Brazil. Its trunk bark has been used in folk medicine against fever. However, no data have been published to support the antipyretic ethnopharmacological use. This study investigated the antipyretic and anti-inflammatory effects of the ethanolic extract (EEMO). dichloromethane fraction (DCM), and the isolated compound costunolide. Materials and methods: The antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activities were evaluated in experimental models of fever and inflammation in mice. Results: The oral administration of EEMO, DCM and costunolide inhibited carrageenan (Cg)-induced paw oedema (ID(50) 72.35 (38.64-135.46) mg/kg, 5.8 (2.41-14.04) mg/kg and 0.18 (0.12-0.27) mg/kg, respectively) and was effective in abolishing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced fever (30 mg/kg, 4.5 mg/kg and 0.15 mg/kg, respectively). EEMO was also effective in reducing cell migration in the pleurisy model. Intraplantar injection of costunolide also reduced the paw oedema, myeloperoxidase and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase activity induced by Cg in mice. Conclusions: Collectively, these results show, for the first time, that extracts obtained from Magnolia ovata possess antipyretic and anti-inflammatory properties, and costunolide appears to be the compound responsible for these effects. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular Characterization of Propolis-Induced Cell Death in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Propolis, a natural product of plant resins, is used by the bees to seal holes in their honeycombs and protect the hive entrance. However, propolis has also been used in folk medicine for centuries. Here, we apply the power of Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a model organism for studies of genetics, cell biology, and genomics to determine how propolis affects fungi at the cellular level. Propolis is able to induce an apoptosis cell death response. However, increased exposure to propolis provides a corresponding increase in the necrosis response. We showed that cytochrome c but not endonuclease G (Nuc1p) is involved in propolis-mediated cell death in S. cerevisiae. We also observed that the metacaspase YCA1 gene is important for propolis-mediated cell death. To elucidate the gene functions that may be required for propolis sensitivity in eukaryotes, the full collection of about 4,800 haploid S. cerevisiae deletion strains was screened for propolis sensitivity. We were able to identify 138 deletion strains that have different degrees of propolis sensitivity compared to the corresponding wild-type strains. Systems biology revealed enrichment for genes involved in the mitochondrial electron transport chain, vacuolar acidification, negative regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, regulation of macroautophagy associated with protein targeting to vacuoles, and cellular response to starvation. Validation studies indicated that propolis sensitivity is dependent on the mitochondrial function and that vacuolar acidification and autophagy are important for yeast cell death caused by propolis.

Thermal behavior and structural properites of plant-derived eugenyl acetate

Eugenol is an allyl chain-substituted guaiacol in the biosynthesized phenylpropanoid compound class derived from Syzygium aromaticum L. and widely used in folk medicine. Nonetheless, its pharmacological use is limited by some problems, such as instability when exposed to light and high temperature. In order to enhance stability, the eugenol molecule was structurally modified, resulting in eugenyl acetate. The eugenyl acetate`s thermal behavior and crystal structure was then characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and compared to a commercial sample.

Grafisk profilering med praktisk tillämpning på Rookiefestivalen

This degree project includes both a theoretic component and a practical component within the graphicprofiling domain. Literature on graphic design has been studied for the theoretical part and the achievedknowledge has been used for the practical part. The project has been to produce graphic materialfor “Rookiefestivalen” in Hultsfred.In modern society it is important for a corporation to distinguish itself from others by using a graphicprofile. Through using a graphic profile the company can have an affect on how it is perceived byothers. This is true not only for corporations as both organisations, societies and other events will benefitfrom the use of a graphic profile.The material that’s been produced is not within the traditional boundaries of graphic profiling. It israther marketing material for the festival. The graphic profile was applied to a variety of things suchas posters, flyers, ad’s and the festival’s website. The result is to be seen in the appendix of this degreeproject and on the Internet: http://www.rookierockparty.se