Fear Of Extinction Research Articles

Contribution of endophytes towards improving plant bioactive metabolites: a rescue option against red-taping of medicinal plants.

Medicinal plants remain a valuable source for natural drug bioprospecting owing to their multi-target spectrum. However, their use as raw materials for novel drug synthesis has been greatly limited by unsustainable harvesting leading to decimation of their wild populations coupled with inherent low concentrations of constituent secondary metabolites per unit mass. Thus, adding value to the medicinal plants research dynamics calls for adequate attention. In light of this, medicinal plants harbour endophytes which are believed to be contributing towards the host plant survival and bioactive metabolites through series of physiological interference. Stimulating secondary metabolite production in medicinal plants by using endophytes as plant growth regulators has been demonstrated to be one of the most effective methods for increasing metabolite syntheses. Use of endophytes as plant growth promotors could help to ensure continuous supply of medicinal plants, and mitigate issues with fear of extinction. Endophytes minimize heavy metal toxicity in medicinal plants. It has been hypothesized that when medicinal plants are exposed to harsh conditions, associated endophytes are the primary signalling channels that induce defensive reactions. Endophytes go through different biochemical processes which lead to activation of defence mechanisms in the host plants. Thus, through signal transduction pathways, endophytic microorganisms influence genes involved in the generation of secondary metabolites by plant cells. Additionally, elucidating the role of gene clusters in production of secondary metabolites could expose factors associated with low secondary metabolites by medicinal plants. Promising endophyte strains can be manipulated for enhanced production of metabolites, hence, better probability of novel bioactive metabolites through strain improvement, mutagenesis, co-cultivation, and media adjustment.

ETHNOVETERINARY PRACTICES: A REVIEW OF PHYTOTHERAPEUTICAL APPROACHES IN THE TREATMENT OF LIVESTOCK IN AFRICA: CASE OF CAMEROON

Livestock health is a vital production factor in all production units. In the developed world, a lot of resources are invested in preventive measures unlike in the developing countries where resources are geared toward curative methods of livestock health care. Smallholder livestock production is an important sector of Cameroon’s economy, therefore for a sustainable production there should be a good livestock health care system. In Cameroon, livestock production is entrusted to poor, old and illiterate’s farmers with their indigenous methods of keeping livestock healthy and productive. For Cameroon to increase production, ethno veterinary medicine, which is adapted and affordable to smallholder breeders, should be developed for a sustainable smallholder production. Over 90% of the materials used in ethno veterinary medicine are from plants, hence there is an urgent need to conserve and propagate the medicinal plants already identified for fear of extinction due to random harvesting. Since ethno veterinary plants will be continuously used by smallholder livestock producers, there is a need to development ethno veterinary gardens for a sustainable use and conservation of these plants’ species for future generations. More research is needed to evaluate and validate the ethno veterinary properties of these plants’ preparations through collaboration between the ethno veterinary practitioners and researchers.

Prenatal alcohol exposure enhanced alcohol preference and susceptibility to PTSD in a sex-dependent manner through the synaptic HCN1 channel

BackgroundPrenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) adversely affects the neurobiological and behavioral functions of offspring. Increasing evidence indicates that alcohol-use disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) commonly co-occur. Enhanced function of hyperpolarization-activated gated channel 1 (HCN1) may be involved in the pathogenesis of PTSD. This study aimed to explore the effect of PAE on fear extinction, spontaneous recovery, alcohol preference, and function of HCN1 channels in offspring of both sexes. MethodsThe PAE model was established with a 20 % (m/V) ethanol solution, and offspring were treated with 0.5, 1, and 2 μg/mL ZD7288 to block the HCN1 channel. Behavioral tests were used to detect the mental state and fear of extinction of the mice. Western blot was used to detect HCN1 expression in the synaptosomes. The BDNF/TrkB-pmTOR pathway was also examined. ResultsZD7288 administration ameliorated PAE-induced impairment of fear extinction and depression-like behavior. ZD7288 administration also alleviated PAE-induced inhibition of the HCN1 channel in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the BDNF/TrkB-pmTOR pathway in the hippocampus of offspring. In addition, the therapeutic effect of ZD7288 in males was better than that in females. ConclusionsOverall, these results suggest that PAE enhances alcohol preference and susceptibility to PTSD through synaptic HCN1 channels in the PFC. In addition, ZD7288 may be a promising candidate for preventing alcohol-associated PTSD-like syndrome, particularly in males. LimitationsThe effects of ZD7288 were only studied in PAE animals and not in healthy animals.

International Listening Posts global report summary: the world at the dawn of 2022 … let's wake up

In this third year of the global Covid-19 pandemic, we are in touch with the tragedy of life, our fear of extinction, and the anxieties associated with the regression of human civilisation. Fatigue and exhaustion, coupled with existential burnout and profound sadness is apparent in all thirteen global reports. Covid has interrupted our sense of personal continuity and omnipotence, confronting us with our vulnerabilities and exigencies, fuelled by our failed economic, political, and social models. The weakening of shared values, fragmentation of relations, increasing aggression, and social chaos augment divisions and splitting. As we connect with inequality and privilege, some experience guilt and discomfort. Many are awakening to the interconnectedness of all things, and our individual and collective responsibilities. We need credible and reliable leadership to rebuild trust, and responsible, functioning political authorities and institutions to help foster belonging, protection, and agency. We are struggling to think enough, care enough, and act enough. "Let's wake up" to the available resources within us and externally, rediscovering positive energies and the courage to live with contradictions, engaging our "inoculated selves against seeing injustices" and acting responsibly towards our common home and the common good. Will we succeed?

THE INCESSANT CRISIS: A MACHEREYAN READING OF MARY SHELLEY S THE LAST MAN

First published in 1826, Mary Shelley’s The Last Man is a dystopian novel that depicts the life of Lionel Verney in 2100, who is living in the last days of the Anthropocene as the human population has been eradicated due to a pandemic. While the novel is regarded as the first post-apocalyptic science fiction novel, it had been neglected until the 1960s. Despite owing its context to the nineteenth century, the novel addresses several modern-man issues. The anxiety produced by apocalyptic visions and the fear of extinction are two of the significant twenty-first-century issues due to the ecological crisis and COVID-19 pandemic, which are accurately relatable. Moreover, Lionel’s existential dread and identity crisis represent and predict the confusion of modern man. Since the work was written a century before the twenty-first century’s traumatic incidents, its perspective on the twenty-first-century man’s issues is outstanding. In this study, The Last Man would be scrutinized in the light of Pierre Macherey’s post-Marxist theory of gaps to see the socio-political elements addressed by the novel that aided Shelley in predicting successive generations’ miseries. Moreover, it is discussed if the twenty-first-century man, situated in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, could escape the ecological crisis and build a better future on earth by attending political changes.

In vivo blockade of 5HT3 receptors in the infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex enhances fear extinction in a rat model of PTSD.

Objective(s):Treatments that reverse deficits in fear extinction are promising for the management of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 5-Hydroxytryptamine type 3 (5-HT3) receptor is involved involved in the extinction of fear memories. The present work aims to investigate the role of 5HT3 receptors in the infralimbic part of the medial prefrontal cortex (IL-mPFC) in extinction of conditioned fear in the single prolonged stress (SPS) model of PTSD in rats.Materials and Methods: The effect of SPS administration was evaluated on the freezing behavior in contextual and cued fear conditioning models. After the behavioral tests, levels of 5HT3 transcription in IL-mPFC were also measured in the same animals using the real-time RT-PCR method. To evaluate the possible role of local 5HT3 receptors on fear extinction, conditioned freezing was evaluated in another cohort of animals that received local microinjections of ondansetron (a 5HT3 antagonist) and ondansetron plus a 5HT3 agonist (SR 57227A) after extinction sessions. Results:Our findings showed that exposure to SPS increased the freezing response in both contextual and cued fear models. We also found that SPS is associated with increased expression of 5HT3 receptors in the IL-mPFC region. Ondansetron enhanced the fear of extinction in these animals and the enhancement was blocked by the 5HT3 agonist, SR 57227A.Conclusion:It seems that up-regulation of 5HT3 receptors in IL-mPFC is an important factor in the neurobiology of PTSD and blockade of these receptors could be considered a potential treatment for this condition.

Conservation of endangered species through somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT)

Currently, the conservation of biodiversity is a pressing issue due to the extinction and endangerment of many species. There are multiple reasons for the extinction or endangerment of species including anthropogenic (poaching, hunting, and deforestation) and natural causes (forest fire, invasion of non-local species, climate change, and global warming). The somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is an emerging tactic, which requires the nucleus from a donor somatic cell, which is transferred to the enucleated oocyte in vitro, for the conservation of biodiversity, especially related to the wildlife which is gradually decreasing with the fear of extinction. Somatic cell nuclear transfer has a broad spectrum of potential applications, including the rescue of endangered species, the resurrection of extinct species, the production of transgenic animals, drug production, and regenerative medicine. Reproductive cloning of animals by SCNT can also offer permanent gene editing, genetic modification, and gene derives for the production of species adaptive to their native habitats and the destruction of unwanted invasive species. The overall potential of this technique has not been explored yet, probably due to its limitations. In this review, we discussed cloning through SCNT, the preservation of endangered species through SCNT, and the use of modern genetical concepts in SCNT for the preservation of biodiversity.

Metabolic Engineering of Microorganisms to Produce Isoprene

Isoprene is an industrially important five carbon compound primarily used for production of high quality synthetic rubber. Two major pathways are involved in isoprene synthesis. The mevalonate pathway is present in eukaryotes, archaebacteria and cytosol of higher plants whereas the non-mevalonate pathway exists in many eubacteria and plastids in algae/plants. There have been continuous efforts to study and understand the phenomenon of biological production of isoprene for more than half a century. Although, the current feasibility and cost advantage of chemical processes leading to production of isoprene seems to be far from being dominated by a suitable biological substitute, the fear of extinction of non-renewable resources (raw material for chemical processes) in the near future prompts for a colossal expectation from the synthetic biology community. Technological advances in the field of metabolic engineering have made it possible to vigorously modify and swap genes among different organisms and push the limits for microorganisms to over-produce isoprene to an enormous extent. This review touches upon the limitations faced while improving isoprene titres and the meticulous strategies used to overcome them. It analyzes recent approaches that have resulted in significant improvement of biologically produced isoprene, summarizes the lessons learned from them, and compiles an exhaustive list of potential gene targets that could facilitate prospective research in this widespread arena.

EMIL KRAEPELIN’S SUCCESSOR PROF. VLADIMIR CHIZH, HIS RESEARCH METHODS AND –OBJECTS

1. Introduction Psychiatry at the turn of the 19th century left a strong impression on Estonian national emancipation. The emergence of modern Estonian nation took place in the German-dominated Baltic Provinces of Russia, where political processes were strongly influenced by a linguistic division ('ethnicity') based on social hierarchy. The upper layers being historically German speaking, the lower ranks, the indigenous peasantry, were starting to evolve into modem Estonian (and Latvian) nations only in the 19th century. Parallelly, a third player was strengthening its positions in the Baltic political stage--it was the Russian state, escalating the policy of Russification (see also the article by Erki Tammiksaar in this volume of Trames). All three parties used rhetorics which included biologisation of national discourse, that is--race theories, the so-called degeneration theory and eugenical ideas. From the last decade of the 19th century the second rise in Estonian national movement witnessed an increased involvement of academic circles (incl. medical professionals) and the Estonian abstinence movement. The latter did a lot in educating people in the matters of science and public health. As a result of the characteristic of the Estonian nationalism--the so-called perception of a small nation (i.e.: fear of extinction)--and a depreciative standpoint by which Estonians, who seemingly lack political history must be viewed as a Naturvolk (instead of Kulturvolk), an environment emerged, where the young Estonian elites transferred the paradigms deriving from the then natural sciences into national discourse. It was the context where topics related to psychiatry (i.e. degeneration theory) also found a place in the theoretical foundations of Estonian nation-building (Kalling 2013; Kalling and Heapost 2013). The article studies the Estonian people both as reasearch objects for the past psychiatrists and--as a reaction to it--the Estonian reception of particular academic scholarship. The main attention shall be on the works in the field of criminal anthropology by Vladimir Chizh (1855-1922), the successor of Emil Kraepelin (1856-1926) as a professor of psychiatry at the University of Tartu. (1) Studies by Chizh were among the triggers to initiate Estonian-language discussions on the biological qualities of the nation. Analysis of these discussions can contribute not only to the history of ideas in Estonia, but also to the international historiography of the 'nature versus nurture' controversy. 2. Some facts about Vladimir Chizh Vladimir Chizh was the professor of psychiatry and head of the Psychiatry Clinic at the University of Tartu during the years 1891-1916. He was a graduate (1878) from a Military Medical Academy in St Petersburg (defended in 1883 also his doctoral degree there). In 1884-1885 Chizh visited Europe and studied at the institutes of several outstanding psychiatrists of the era, e.g. Wilhelm Wundt (1832-1920), Paul Flechsig (1847-1929), Joseph Delboef (1831-1896), Alfred Vulpian (1826-1887) and Jean-Martin Charcot (1825-1893). Before receiving a position in Tartu Chizh practiced at St Panteleimon Hospital in St Petersburg, and lectured as a private docent in forensic psychopathology at the University of St Petersburg. In Tartu Chizh read the courses of psychiatry and physiological psychology (Aadamsoo 1973; Slabinskii 2015). The latter discipline--according to Konstantin Ramul (1879-1975), professor of psychology at the University of Tartu during 1928-1965--must in fact be viewed as experimental psychology. Ramul sees it important to stress that Chizh thus continued the work of Kraepelin in Tartu. Under Chizh's supervision 8 dissertations (added by several minor studies) were written in the field of experimental psychology. Chizh also retained the psychology laboratory founded by Kraepelin in Tartu (Ramul 1974). As a scholar, Chizh was notoriously versatile. …

Circassians and the Politics of Genocide Recognition

This article examines the evolution and significance of the genocide recognition initiative among Circassians at the turn of the twenty-first century. It argues that, on the most basic level, the Circassian genocide recognition initiative is an identity-driven project, resulting from a fear of extinction that grows out of the experience of being a vulnerable, ethno-national group living with memories of massacres, deportations, exile and fragmentation. Genocide, in effect, becomes a frame used to articulate a seemingly universal Circassian grievance—the fear of extinction—but one that manifests itself in diverse ways on the homeland–diaspora continuum.

Análise comparativa de clubes de futebol com escalões de formação de diferentes contextos

ResumoNo decorrer da sua existência e funcionamento os clubes estão sujeitos a influências provenientes do contexto onde estão inseridos, todavia também podem influenciar os sujeitos envolvidos no clube através da sua cultura organizacional. Pelas especificidades dos contextos dos clubes revela-se necessário obter dados sobre a sua cultura e o seu funcionamento para poder perceber os seus efeitos no envolvimento e desenvolvimento dos indivíduos. Para este artigo pretendeu-se a análise e comparação de três clubes de futebol de contextos diferentes, um clube profissional e dois amadores, em que um provém de meio rural e outro de meio urbano. Recorreu-se à observação participante e a entrevistas semiestruturadas para recolher os dados. A AAC-OAF diferencia-se dos clubes amadores pela sua orientação para o esporte de rendimento/espetacularização. Os últimos são suportados no voluntariado, dependendo mais das autarquias e políticas locais e revelam maiores dificuldades na angariação de voluntários, os quais aderem por amizade. A assunção dos cargos dirigentes nos clubes amadores são motivados pelo receio da extinção do clube. A estabilidade financeira da UCE contribui para mudanças na sua cultura e funcionamento organizacional. Todos os clubes demonstram falhas no processo de avaliação na implementação dos programas com vista ao desenvolvimento do jovem atleta, centrando-se esta essencialmente nos resultados desportivos obtidos.

Los ensayos de Joaquín de Villalba (1752-1807) sobre la vacuna de la viruela en la Escuela de Veterinaria de Madrid

The rapid spread of the empirical method to combat smallpox released by Edward Jenner, led some difficulties. The need to obtain acceptance among the population, was added to perform with accuracy as well as producing, transporting and keep the vaccine fluid with quality guarantees.Stock up vaccine was a concern solved partly thanks to shipments made from institutions located in London or Paris. After receive it vaccinations chains were initiated using the technique arm to arm. Fear of extinction of the vaccine fluid, however, aroused the interest in indigenous production. It was necessary to find cows affected by cowpox or learn to preserve the vaccine matter in cows or other animals. Several initiatives explored this possibility. The collection of the National Library of Spain preserves a text that reflects 2 of these trials in the Royal Veterinary School in Madrid by the doctor Joaquín de Villalba and the veterinary Antonio Roura in 1802 and 1803. The attempt was not successful.

Reckoning with the Inevitable: Death and Dying among Syrian Christians during the Uprising

ABSTRACTSince 15 March 2011, Syria has seen a humanitarian crisis escalate and we are now witnessing outright civil war in many parts of the country. From a relatively peaceful start, the whole affair has turned ugly. Bombs are exploding not just in remote parts of Syria but in its largest cities. Death and dying has now become a salient feature of Syrian life, both inside and outside its national borders. It is this salience of death and dying that I explore in this paper. My focus will be on Syrian Christians and their ways of perceiving the materiality of death. Most centrally, I argue that the fear of extinction that death and dying evoke in the minority prevents them from embracing oppositional politics and is instead used by the regime to propagate the fact that it alone will be able to ensure a future for all of the country's citizens.

The earth as a polder

Will over-exploitation and global warming end – or severely reduce – life on earth? That is the big question of our age. Though the fear of an apocalyptic end has no doubt been part of the lore of every civilization in every age, the last fifty years has perhaps been the first age to confront a real fear of extinction. Between the 1950s and 1980s the world was constantly in danger of a nuclear conflagration. Now for the first time it seems possible that the resources of the earth as a whole will be exhausted, in the sameway as it was in the Indus Valley Civilization or the Mayan Civilization. Only, this time, there will be nowhere to go.

Elderly People's Death and Dying Anxiety: A Comparison between Elderly Living within the Community and in Nursing Homes in Israel

Due to our fear of extinction or annihilation, there is a great deal of preoccupation with the subject of death, through which we attempt to learn to feel more at ease with the concept, and allowing us to cope with our fear of death. The study assumptions seek to emphasize the correlations between: a) demographic characteristics and anxiety of death and dying; b) innerpersonality characteristics and death and dying anxiety variable; and c) intrapersonal characteristics and death and dying anxiety. The study sample comprised 217 participants, of which 119 elderly participants lived within the community and 98 lived in nursing homes. The study's data was collected via face-to-face interviews. Findings indicate that elderly people with a high level of self-evaluation and sense of mastery will experience lower levels of death and dying anxiety. It appears that death and dying anxiety is present regardless of the type of residential arrangement. Policy makers in the field of geriatrics ought to focus on finding ways to increase satisfaction with life, a variable shown to be related to reduction of the psychological distress associated with the end of life.

P03-265 Elderly people’s death anxiety and dying anxiety in Israe: A comparison between before and after the second Lebanon war

Background:Due to our fear of extinction or annihilation, there is a great deal of preoccupation with the subject of death, through which we attempt to learn to feel more at ease with the concept, and allowing us to cope with our fear of death.Method:The study assumptions seek to emphasize the correlations between:A.Demographic characteristics and anxiety of death and dying;B.Inner - personality characteristics and death and dying anxiety variable; andC.Intrapersonal characteristics and death and dying anxiety.The connections between all of those variables were examined before and after the second Lebanon war. The study sample comprised 217 participants as the "before" group and, 151 participants as the "after" group. The study's data was collected via face-to-face interviews. All of the "after" group participant were at the "before" group.Results:Findings indicate that the war increased the death and dying anxieties especially among those elderly women and those who live within nursing homes. In general elderly people with a high level of self-evaluation and sense of mastery will experience lower levels of death and dying anxieties.Conclusion:In spite of age, experience and knowledge, war has a powerful influence on elderly people. The phenomena in which innocent citizens became more and more involved in politics violence must be in front of policy makers.

Actual Situation and Future Issues of “The Green Corridor” Policy

Biological diversity has inherent value and becomes the basis of various ecosystem services that humans assume support their survival. On the other hand, biological diversity is being lost throughout the world, and the conservation of biological diversity is an extreme problem. National Strategy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Diversity 2008 Version (Ministry of the Environment, November, 2008) raises “The conservation in an important area and the formation of the ecological network” as one of seven main themes for conservation of biological diversity and sustainable use. As a part of the construction of an ecosystem network, a policy to set “a green corridor” in the national forests was enforced in 2000 by the Forestry Agency. In this study, “The green corridor of Shikoku Mountainous District” (Tokushima/Ehime/Kochi) was selected from the green corridors set in 22 places in Japan for investigation. Local populations of the Asiatic black bear inhabiting the Shikoku mountainous district are listed in the Red Data Book of Ministry of the Environment for fear of extinction and the fear of extinction is on the rise. Distribution of the Asiatic black bear appears to be limited to the Mt. Tsurugi-san area of “The green corridor of Shikoku Mountainous District” and the surrounding area and “The green corridor” is highly associated with the conservation of this population. The current corridor may not be able to network a suitable habitat for securing a minimum viable population size (MVP) of the Asiatic black bear as calculated by the individual base model. In addition, when it thought about building of the ecological network, there were the places to overlap with the natural park and so on in the corridor. It is necessary to set a broad corridor that includes private and communal forests in the area by cooperating with other measures of the natural park or natural conservation area, the sanctuary. However, most of the private and communal forests in this area are economic forests and forestry is a major local industry. An estimate of the expenses and the burdens to push forward this policy must be considered.JEL Classification: Q2, Q5

The Coyote Came Back The Return of an Ancient Song Dog in the Post-Colonial Literature and Landscape of North America

The buffalo herds have gone; they have succumbed to the rifles of the hunters. The antelope droves are nearly gone; hound and lead were too much for them. The blacktail bands have dwindled before axe and fence. The ancient dwellers of the badlands have faded like snow under the new conditions, but the coyotes are no more in fear of extinction. Their morning and evening song still surrounds from the level buttes, as it did long years ago when every plain was a teeming land of game. They have learned the deadly secrets of traps and poisons, they know how to bajfle the gunner and the hound, they have matched their wits with the hunter's wits. They have learned how to prosper in a land of man-made plenty, in spite of the worst that man can do. Ho, ho, ho! You can never kill us coyotes' we live forever

Mental health nursing clinical specialization: extinction or adaptation?

Mental health nursing as a distinct clinical specialty appears to be headed for oblivion, unless adaptive responses are made to the current crisis. A systems model is used to depict nursing's response to the crisis; components of the model include within-system changes and environmental changes affecting the system. The entropic input of mental health practitioners' exodus to the private sector, integrated curricula, decreased graduate enrollment, paucity of research and accountability, unclear identity, lack of cohesion, and economic pressures precipitate the output of fear of extinction. However, fear of extinction may stimulate a response that would produce facilitative feedback to provide a strengthening transformation of the system. Recommendations regarding clinical practice options and educational preparation are offered.

Scientific Cosmogony, Mythology, and Immortality

Some current scientific theories of cosmogony demonstrate significant similarities to the cosmological theories of mythology and of certain religions. The notion that the universe originated in a specific cataclysmic explosion raises the mental construct of a center of the universe. This concept plays an important role in mythology and is related to the idea of the cyclical renewal of time. Such concepts, both scientific and mythological, serve as reassurance against the fear of extinction. Aspirations to immortality re-emerge in disguised form in the search for life elsewhere in the universe. Some of the cosmological theories resemble metaphorical elaborations of childhood concepts of procreation.