The Phenomenon of Late Soviet Mysticism

This article studies the phenomenon of mysticism in Soviet culture of the 1960s – 1980s. The starting point are the elements of mystical discourse in late Soviet cinematography, which captured both Soviet life and the Afghan War. This is surprising since official Soviet ideology strongly rejected mysticism. The very definition of mysticism in Soviet dictionaries was not entirely correct, since it gravitated towards theistic mysticism, focused on experiencing mystical unity with the Absolute. Meanwhile, starting from 1965, the Soviet Union saw a “mystical renaissance” due to the popularization of mystical literature (W. Messing, M. Bulgakov, D. Andreyev). Special mention must be made of A. Martynov, who outlined the paranormal phenomena of the Soviet period. One of the factors of this “mystical renaissance” was the traumatic experience of World War II, which was channelled into the Great Victory cult. This quasireligious practice included the meditative moment of silence, the eternal flame and monuments to the Motherland. Among other factors can be named a certain acceptance of religion as a form of culture and the New Age movement that came from the West. To a large extent, the revival of mysticism in the Soviet Union was facilitated by the crisis of science: the paradoxes of the vacuum theory and synergetics with its idea of generating order out of chaos. The main form of expression of late Soviet mysticism was the idea of a parallel world as a source of “paranormal phenomena”: for Messing and Martynov it is a mystical field, for Bulgakov, the fifth dimension, while for Andreyev, Shadanakar. In the Soviet Union, mass hypnosis associated with telepathy, as well as telekinesis, teleportation, levitation, and poltergeist were regarded as mystical phenomena. In addition, this article analyses the correlation between the notions of mysticism, spirituality and occultism. Their meanings overlap to a certain degree, since all three imply the existence of another world and the possibility of communicating with it. However, spirituality, which is actively used in world religions, belongs to the light side, while occultism is thought of as the dark side of mystical phenomena.

A four-dimensional survey of the Almeria-Oran front by underwater gliders: Tracers and circulation

A four-dimensional survey by a fleet of 7 underwater gliders was used to identify pathways of subduction at the Almeria-Oran front in the western Mediterranean Sea. The combined glider fleet covered nearly 9000 km over ground while doing over 2500 dives to as deep as 700 m. The gliders had sensors to measure temperature, salinity, velocity, chlorophyll fluorescence and acoustic backscatter. Data from the gliders were analyzed through objective maps that were functions of across-front distance, along-front distance, and time on vertical levels separated by 10 m. Geostrophic velocity was inferred using a variational approach, and the quasigeostrophic omega equation was solved for vertical and ageostrophic horizontal velocities. Peak downward vertical velocities were near 25 m day-1 in an event that propagated in the direction of the frontal jet. An examination of an isopycnal surface that outcropped as the front formed showed consistency between the movement of the tracers and the inferred vertical velocity. The vertical velocity tended to be downward on the dense side of the front and upward on the light side so as to flatten the front in the manner of a baroclinic instability. The resulting heat flux approached 80 W m-2 near 100 m depth with a structure that would cause restratification of the front. One glider was used to track an isotherm over a day for a direct measure of vertical velocity as large as 50 m day-1, with a net downward displacement of 15 m over the day.

Afrikaner nationalism and the light side of the colonial/modern gender system: understanding white patriarchy as colonial race technology

There is a growing body of feminist scholarship and literature exploring the ways in which Western patriarchal technologies of gender differentiation and sexual violence structure the racial categorisation and dehumanisation that define South Africa’s history of slavery, colonialism and apartheid. In this article, I consider the gendered history of white Afrikaner nationalism in the context of these insights. Using the decolonial feminist lens of María Lugones, I interpret the historical and contemporary patriarchal subjugation of the white Afrikaner woman as a site of the production and maintenance of colonial racial categories and hierarchies. Gaining a better understanding of how gender operated as a colonial mode of organisation in the process of forging the ethno-racialised white identity of the Afrikaner in the early nineteenth century in opposition to the black indigenous majority population helps to explain how the continued patriarchal subjugation of white Afrikaner women by Afrikaner men in postcolonial/postapartheid South Africa works to reassert and maintain colonial racial categories and inequalities that continue to plague the country.

A New Disease Concept in the Age of Processed Foods—Phosphorus-Burden Disease; CKD–MBD Concrete Analysis and the Way to Solution

In 2012, the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy (JSDT) established the order of correction of P, corrected Ca (cCa), and whole PTH (w-PTH) in the treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease-Metabolic Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD) as P-first. However, there is no report that analyzes whether this rule is in line with reality and what the adequate rate of P is. Therefore, we analyzed the test values of our 48 patients during the year of 2019 and examined the validity of the results. The results showed that the adequate range rates were 70.8% for P, 100% for cCa, and 89.6% for w-PTH. This result is better than the JSDT Web-based Analysis of Dialysis Data Archives (WADDA) P adequacy rate of 66.2%. Although the guideline is P-first, it is often the case that we cannot reach the adequate level; therefore, healthcare professionals and patients often blame each other. We believe that this is due to the mismatch between the modern era of processed foods covered with P additives and treatment methods (P intake restriction and P-binders). The development of processed foods with P additives has brought light and darkness to mankind. The light side is freedom from starvation, and the dark side is a new condition caused by P burden: P burden disease (CKD-MBD).

Anxiety mouse model was constructed employing single intraperitoneal injection of m-Chlorophenpiperazine

Background Anxiety disorder is a common mental disorder. It is necessary to establish a rapid, stable and specific anxiety model to provide theoretical basis for further research on the pathogenesis of anxiety and drug development. Aim Establish a rapid, stable, specific anxiety model. Methods A single intraperitoneal injection of m-chlorophenylpipera-zine(mCPP) (1, 2, 4 mg/kg) was given to male ICR mice to establish an anxiety model, and the effects of mCPP on anxiety behavior, pain, athletic ability, passive avoidance response ability and depressive behavior of male ICR mice were evaluated. Results A single intraperitoneal injection of mCPP shortened time in open arms and decreased the percentage of time in open arms of mice in elevated plus-maze test, mCPP also shortened center zone distance and reduced the number of entries to central zone in open field test. Moreover, mCPP reduced head-dip counts and increased head-dip latency of mice in hole-board test. After administrated with a single intraperitoneal injection of mCPP for 24h, the mice showed no significant difference for the entry into the light side and the percentage of time in light side of light-dark box test. A single intraperitoneal injection of mCPP had no effects on tail flick latency, rotating time, number of errors and the step-down latency, the immobility time of mice in tail-flick test, rotarod test, step-down test and TST respectively. Conclusion A rapid, stable and specific anxiety mouse model can be constructed by using a single intraperitoneal injection of mCPP.

Neurobehavioral assessment of Danio rerio intoxicated by sodium arsenate and the use of Arsenicum Album to reverse the condition of anxiety

Background: Various studies have indicated that the zebrafish serves as a useful and easily executable experimental model. Environmental pollution caused by heavy metal waste is very relevant due to the widespread use of heavy metals in industrial and agricultural practices, and the fact that many effluents are released into the environment without any treatment. Sodium arsenate changes behavioral parameters and brain ectonucleotidase activities in zebrafish1. Aims: The objective of this paper is to assess behavioral changes in zebrafish (Danio rerio) induced by sodium arsenate, through an analysis of locomotor activity and anxiety-related parameters, and determine whether ultra-diluted substances are able to mitigate neurobehavioral effects. Materials and methods: Zebrafish were held in aquariums with controlled temperature and pH, until the time of the toxicological experiment. The animals were exposed for 96 hours to the heavy metal sodium arsenate and divided into four groups with eight fish in each: Arsenicum Album 6 cH, Arsenicum Album 30 cH and inert aqueous solution (positive control) groups received drugs made in distilled water, according to the Brazilian Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia; the experiment was blinded. The fourth white control group (negative control) did not receive the sodium arsenate or drugs. All the homeopathic drugs that treated the heavy metal toxicity were initiated 5 days before the end of the experiment (therefore, the animals were already taking the medication one day before exposure). Afterwards, the animals underwent behavioral tests (locomotion and anxiety) to assess neurotoxicity. All the animals went through various steps: assessment of neurotoxicity signs where the following was observed: time and frequency on the surface and erratic movements; general activity test in an Open Field, where it was observed: time in seconds of locomotion and immobility; and light/dark test (anxiety-like behavior), where it was observed: the number of times the animals crossed from the light to the dark compartment, how long they spent on each side, number of attempts to enter each compartment and immobility time on the light side. The data obtained was analyzed statistically by ANOVA, followed by Bartlett's Test and the Tukey Test, with p?0.052. CEUA Protocol No. 07/2016. Results and Discussion: The heavy metal sodium arsenate produced an anxiogenic effect in the animals that were subjected to it without medication (aqueous solution, positive control group). This effect was observed in the light/dark test through increased time (sec) of the animals on the dark side (245.361.82) in relation to the control group (101.162.3) and a consequent decrease in time of the animals on the light side (54.336.3) compared to the control group (198.962.3). There was also a decrease in locomotion (quadrants) on the light side (96.263.7) in relation to the control group (201.889.2). In the Open Field, there was a decrease in the total of quadrants crossed (346.241.33) compared to the control group (520.5131.6), as well as an increase in the erratic movements (3.50.7) in relation to the control group (1.70.9), proving the toxic effect of heavy metals in the animals. The group that was medicated with Arsenicum Album 30 cH showed a decrease in the erratic movements (0.661.0) in relation to the intoxicated animals, resulting values close to the control group. The group that took Arsenicum Album 6 cH reversed all the positive control parameters (aqueous solution) in a statistically significant way, maintaining the values of the dark side time, the light side time and the clear side locomotion (161.663.7; 138.496.3; 121.049.8, respectively) close to the values of the control animals. Arsenicum 6 cH also increased the total number of quadrants in the Open Field (525.0142.3) and reduced the erratic movements (2.51.1), demonstrating anxiolytic ability. Clear side time for the animals treated with Arsenicum Album 6 cH, in relation to the control group, was more similar, and the same occurred in regard to the dark side time. When fish are treated with anxiolytics, they tend to remain more time on the light side, which indicates decreased anxiety (Serra et al. 1999). In relation to locomotion on the light side, there was a greater similarity between the control group and the fish treated with Arsenicum Album 6 cH, as well as in the displacement behavior in the Open Field with respect to the total number of quadrants of the fish displacement, which coincides with data from the literature that reports increased locomotor activity, as anxiety decreases. Locomotion or swimming activity is also used as an anxiety index and suppression of this activity is indicative of anxiety3. In relation to erratic movements, it was observed that this behavior decreased in animals treated with a concentration of 6 cH as well as with those treated with a concentration of 30 cH, compared to the positive control. Conclusion: The animals intoxicated by the heavy metal sodium arsenate showed increased anxiety, which was reversed by Arsenicum Album that in a concentration of 6cH proved to be more effective as a possible anxiolytic. Other studies are already being conducted by our group. Keywords: Homeopathy, High Dilution, Zebrafish, Intoxication. References 1. Baldissarelli, L.A.; Capiotti, K.M.; Bogo, M.R.; Ghisleni, G; Bonan, C.D. Arsenic alters behavioral parameters and brain ectonucleotidases activities in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C 155: 566-572, 2012. 2. Zar, J. H. Biostatistical analysis. 5 ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2010. 944 p. 3. Blaser R.E., Chadwick L., Mcginnis G.C. Behavioral measures of anxiety in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Behav Brain Res. 2009.

Pain and Pleasure in Kamala Das’ My Story

Pain and Pleasure are the two psychological terms, used in English language and literature to show or describe the state of human mind with the perception of occurring incidents in their lives. In the relation of meaning, both of the terms are adversative adjectives to each other but both have the most important elements in the existence of human beings in the absence of each other. Pain describes the dark side of life or mental the state of human sufferings while pleasure is expressed during the mental state of joy and entertainment or light side of the life. Both of the terms have been well expressed in the autobiographical work of Kamala Das, My Story published in February 1973. This paper is going to explore the human state of mind in the most autobiographical work of Kamala Das, the female Keats and Lawrence of Indian English literature.

High-Throughput Screening of Psychotropic Compounds: Impacts on Swimming Behaviours in Artemia franciscana

Animal behaviour is becoming increasingly popular as an endpoint in ecotoxicology due to its increased sensitivity and speed compared to traditional endpoints. However, the widespread use of animal behaviours in environmental risk assessment is currently hindered by a lack of optimisation and standardisation of behavioural assays for model species. In this study, assays to assess swimming speed were developed for a model crustacean species, the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana. Preliminary works were performed to determine optimal arena size for this species, and weather lux used in the experiments had an impact on the animals phototactic response. Swimming speed was significantly lower in the smallest arena, whilst no difference was observed between the two larger arenas, suggesting that the small arena was limiting swimming ability. No significant difference was observed in attraction to light between high and low light intensities. Arena size had a significant impact on phototaxis behaviours. Large arenas resulted in animals spending more time in the light side of the arena compared to medium and small, irrespective of light intensity. The swimming speed assay was then used to expose specimens to a range of psychotropic compounds with varying modes of action. Results indicate that swimming speed provides a valid measure of the impacts of behaviour modulating compounds on A. franciscana. The psychotropic compounds tested varied in their impacts on animal behaviour. Fluoxetine resulted in increased swimming speed as has been found in other crustacean species, whilst oxazepam, venlafaxine and amitriptyline had no significant impacts on the behaviours measured. The results from this study suggest a simple, fast, high throughput assay for A. franciscana and gains insight on the impacts of a range of psychotropic compounds on the swimming behaviours of a model crustacean species used in ecotoxicology studies.

Memantine in neurological disorders – schizophrenia and depression

Memantine is used in Alzheimer’s disease treatment as a non-competitive modern-affinity strong voltage-dependent N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist. The fundamental role of these receptors is to bind glutamate: the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, believed to play a crucial role in neuronal plasticity and learning mechanisms. Glutamate transmission plays an important role in all internal CNS structures and maintains the physiological state of the brain. Excessive glutamate transmission can lead to enlarged calcium ion current which may cause neurotoxicity; however, insufficient transmission can drastically alter the information flow in neurons and the brain, potentially causing schizophrenia-like symptoms by replacing lost information with completely new stimuli. Hence, it is possible that the modulation of NMDA activity may give rise to pathophysiological states. Available literature and clinical trials indicate that memantine is well tolerated by patients, with very few and light side effects. There is a belief that memantine may also benefit other conditions such as schizophrenia and depression.