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Ce texte est a la fois un hommage au sociologue et poete beninois Emile Desire Ologoudou, decede en 2019, et une reflexion sur une foisonnante figure d’intellectuel. A travers ses productions scientifique et litteraire, ses engagements politiques, ses voyages, ses echanges avec d’autres chercheurs et son implication dans l’institution culturelle contemporaine des cultes vodun, la biographie d’Emile Ologoudou s’est deployee a la croisee de formations identitaires contrastees.

Le livre de Bernard Maupoil, La Geomancie a l’ancienne cote des Esclaves (1943), et le long article de Pierre Verger, « L’influence du Bresil au golfe du Benin » (1953), traitent de contextes peu etudies, au sein de la recherche africaniste francaise, entre la fin de la Deuxieme Guerre mondiale et le tout debut des annees 1950 : les transformations sociales, politiques et religieuses ; les metissages culturels et biologiques ; les rapports entre ecriture et oralite ; les effets de la traite negriere et de la colonisation. A partir de la reception reelle ou manquee de ces travaux aupres d’autres chercheurs, du clivage entre les orientations methodologiques et conceptuelles a l’œuvre dans les textes de Maupoil et de Verger, ainsi que des perspectives theoriques preeminentes a la meme epoque, l’article interroge deux tendances possibles de la reflexion et de la pratique ethnologiques restees marginales au moment de leur apparition.

Depuis leurs conceptions recentes, le Memorial ACTe de Guadeloupe et le Memorial de l’Abolition de l’esclavage de Nantes catalysent des polemiques autour des usages publics du passe de la traite negriere transatlantique qu’ils suscitent. Conjointement a l’analyse de leurs mises en scene et effets de reception, l’article interroge des situations marquees a la fois par l’institution d’une memoire officielle de l’esclavage et par ses diverses variations ou ripostes locales.

espanolEn esta entrevista, el fotografo Nicola Lo Calzo presenta su proyecto Cham, aun en progreso, centrado en varios recuerdos contemporaneos del comercio de esclavos. Volviendo a su formacion y sus estancias en sociedades afectadas por el pasado de la esclavitud, asi como su relacion con las imagenes, Lo Calzo analiza su perspectiva documental y creativa. EnglishIn this interview, photographer Nicola Lo Calzo presents his Cham project, still in progress, focusing on various contemporary memories from the slave trade. Looking back at his research and visits to societies affected by slavery’s past, as well as his own relationship to images, Lo Calzo analyses his documentary and creative perspective. francaisDans cet entretien, le photographe Nicola Lo Calzo presente son projet Cham, toujours en cours, centre sur diverses memoires contemporaines issues des traites negrieres. En revenant sur sa formation et ses sejours dans des societes affectees par le passe de l’esclavage ainsi que sur son rapport aux images, Lo Calzo analyse sa perspective documentaire et creative.

Every morning, we prayed at the shrine. Most villagers do just that, asking for health, blessing and good fortune for their activities of day. We, having money, were expected to offer sacrifices too. Most villagers are too poor to do so on a daily basis and we were expected to pick up some of the slack. Every morning we purchased gin, chalk, and kola nuts, sometimes ourselves from various individuals that sold sacred commodities, sometim...

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Over the last few decades, due to its relevant function in male reproduction assessment, important molecular achievements have been made in the molecular characterization of estrogen receptor genes in various species. Our work focuses on a male seasonal breeder, the bioindicator Podarcis sicula, because of its peculiar gonadal anatomy, similar to that of humans. Based on the cloned lizard’s gene sequence fragment of estrogen receptor beta, esr2 (GenBank JN705543.1), we found DNA binding domain identity of 99% as well as a homologous sequence with humans. Furthermore, in order to better illustrate how this gene is regulated in the lizard’s reproductive system organs, we investigated the transcriptional activity of esr2 in brain and testis tissues during mating and winter stasis phases of the reproductive cycle. Quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses performed on male gonadal tissues demonstrate a significant increase in esr2 expression during mating compared to the winter stasis period, while in the brain, esr2 shows the opposite trend. Next, we provide morphological evidence of the detrimental effect on spermatogenesis of a pure anti-estrogen treatment (ICI 182,780) and the corresponding effect on esr2 expression in lizard specimens during the mating period which, upon treatment, was found to be no different from the expression levels in winter stasis both in the brain and in the testis. In this study, we explore the potential use of Podarcis sicula as a model for human testis development and maturation, as well as esr2 expression for toxicological screening in one-testis gonadectomy.

Important toxicological achievements have been made during the last decades using reptiles. We focus our investigation on gonadal reproductive health of the soil biosentinel Podarcis sicula which is very sensitive to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The aim of this study is to quantitatively detect, by sensitive microassays, reactive oxygen species and the glutathione antioxidants in the testis and investigate if they are differentially expressed before and after remediation of a site of the "Land of Fires" (Campania, Italy) subject to illicit dumping of unknown material. The oxidative stress level was evaluated by electron spin resonance spectroscopy applying a spin-trapping procedure able to detect products of lipid peroxidation, DNA damage and repair by relative mobility shift, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase enzymatic activity, respectively, the expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 transcript by real-time quantitative PCR analysis, the antioxidant glutathione S-transferase, a well-assessed pollution index, by enzymatic assay and the total soluble antioxidant capacity. Experimental evidences from the different techniques qualitatively agree, thus confirming the robustness of the combined experimental approach. Collected data, compared to those from a reference unpolluted site constitute evidence that the reproductive health of this lizard is impacted by pollution exposure. Remediation caused significant reduction of reactive oxygen species and downregulation of glutathione peroxidase 4 mRNAs in correspondence of reduced levels of glutathione S-transferase, increase of antioxidant capacity, and repair of DNA integrity. Taken together, our results indicate directions to define new screening approaches in remediation assessment.

Background Reactive oxygen species (ROS) in biological tissues of elected biosentinels represent an optimal biomarker for eco-monitoring of polluted areas. Electron spin resonance (ESR) is the most definitive method for detecting, quantifying and possibly identifying radicals in complex systems. Objective A non-invasive method for monitoring polluted areas by the quantitative determination of ROS in frog skin biopsy is presented. Methods We assessed by ESR spectroscopy the ROS level in adult male of Pelophylax bergeri, specie not a risk of extinction, collected from the polluted Sarno River (SA, Italy) basin. The spin-trap ESR method was validated by immunohistochemical analysis of the well-assessed pollution biomarkers cytochrome P450 aromatase 1A (CYP1A) and glutathione S-transferase (GST), and by determining the poly(ADPribose) polymerase (PARP) and GST enzymatic activity. Results ROS concentration in skin samples from frogs collected in the polluted area is significantly higher than that determined for the unpolluted reference area. Immunohistochemical analysis of CYP1A and GST supported the reliability of our approach, even in the absence of evident morphological and ultrastructural differences. PARP activity assay, connected to possible oxidative DNA damage, and the detoxification index by GST enzymatic assay give statistically significant evidence that higher levels of ROS are associated to alterations of the different biomarkers. Conclusions ROS concentration, measured by ESR on isolated frog skin, through the presented non-lethal method, is a reliable biomarker for toxicity screening and represents a useful basic datum for future modelling studies on environmental monitoring and biodiversity loss prevention.

Mediterranean fish species living along Italian (Gaeta) and Egyptian (Alexandria) coasts were analyzed using DNA barcodes for molecular identification. Mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was sequenced from 31 different marine species to test whether the morphology-based assignment of individuals into 19 families, 6 orders was supported by DNA-based species delimitation and Neighbour Joining cladogram. All COI rRNA gene barcodes were matched with reference sequences of expected species, according to morphological identification. Neighbour joining tree was drawn based on COI rRNA gene and the majority of specimens clustered in agreement with their taxonomic classification. Our results updated Mediterranean edible fish knowledge providing graphical resources, taxonomical and bioinformatics references, improving the genetic fish database and the basic molecular information to strengthen the science–policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services as conservation, blue economy, and long-term human well-being.

L’article presente une reflexion sur des manifestations ceremonielles et commemoratives observees au Benin dans les villes cotieres de Ouidah et de Grand-Popo. Significatives de l’emergence d'une relation discursive entre le passe de la traite negriere et les cultes vodun, ces situations expriment la quete d'une morale « diasporique » ainsi que d'une qualite « endogene » de la culture populaire (preexistante a la periode esclavagiste, a la diffusion des « religions mondiales » et a la domination coloniale) mises en scene ou en texte par des elites intellectuelles et par des dignitaires traditionnels.

Au Benin, depuis les debuts des annees 1990, le processus institutionnel de connexion memorielle entre le passe de l’esclavage et les pratiques cultuelles vodun a ete scande par le Festival Ouidah 92 et le lancement, sous l’egide de l’Unesco, de l’itineraire intercontinental de la Route de l’Esclave. Les notions de l’oubli et du retour mises en exergue sur la Route par les deux Arbres eponymes montrent comment cet itineraire, a la fois monumental et rituel, devrait permettre aujourd’hui a une histoire tragique de se « racheter » sous forme de discours mythique. Dans les diverses versions de ce mythe, ou un lien memoriel partage entre oubli et retour est raconte et donne a voir, les recits locaux de l’esclavage font surface en se metamorphosant dans l’actualite patrimoniale et politique de la situation. De tels recits n’adherent pas pourtant aux diverses rhetoriques internationales et nationales, officielles et diasporiques, pronant, en quelque sorte, une pacification et une democratisation de l’histoire.

The increase of seawater temperature as a result of global climate variation elucidates a major challenge for marine organisms survival in addition to consumers safety. Spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) and Seabream (Sparus aurata) were collected in water with different temperature variations at Suez Canal and Alexandria (Suez and Abu Qir bay) in Egypt with the aim to assess expression levels of heat shock proteins such as HSP47, HSP70 and HSP90 genes in addition to antioxidants value through enzymes activity: Glutathione-S-Transferase (GST) and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx). Research results revealed that expression of the HSP47, HSP70a and HSP90 genes increased in marine fishes tissues collected from Suez Canal, with higher water temperature (23:28ºC), compared with those collected from Alexandria (19:24°C) whereas the content of GPx and GST decreased. Our results show alteration of the marker examined suggesting that the increase of heat shock protein genes expression levels of fish collected from Suez Canal might be exposed mainly to thermal oxidative stress response more than those collect from Alexandria. The increase of heat shock protein-related genes expression could be considered as a factor in prohibiting the heat shock transcription factor that may lead to stimulation of heat-inducible genes in addition to heat acclimation. Thus, warming of water is also likely to alter the composition and abundance of food resources, e.g. fish muscles, available to higher trophic level consumers.

In all vertebrates, mature oocytes arrest at the metaphase of the II meiotic division, while some invertebrates arrest at metaphase-I, others at prophase-I. Fertilization induces completion of meiosis and entry into the first mitotic division. Several experimental models have been considered from both vertebrates and invertebrates in order to shed light on the peculiar aspects of meiotic division, such as the regulation of the cytostatic factor (CSF) and the maturation promoting factor (MPF) in metaphase I or II. Recently, we proposed the oocytes of ascidian Ciona intestinalis as a new model to study the meiotic division. Here, taking advantage of the recent publication of the C. intestinalis genome, we presented a phylogenetic analysis of key molecular components of the CSF-related machinery. We showed that the Mos/MAP kinase pathway is perfectly conserved in ascidians. We demonstrated the presence of a CSF-like activity in metaphase-I arrested C. intestinalis oocytes able to block cell division in two-cell embryos. We further investigated the regulation of CSF by demonstrating that both CSF and MPF inactivation, at the exit of metaphase-I, are independent from protein synthesis, indicating the absence of short-lived factors that regulate metaphase stability, as in other invertebrate species. The results obtained suggest that meiotic regulation in C. intestinalis resembles that of vertebrates, such as Xenopus accordingly to the position of this organism in the evolutionary tree.

La thematique des rapports entre les usages memoriaux du passe de l’esclavage et les reprises d’activites cultuelles s’est imposee a partir du debut des annees 1990 a Ouidah, au Benin, ou l’on peut observer une mise en relation entre les discours relatifs a l’histoire de la traite et les nouvelles formes de ritualisation de la religion percue comme traditionnelle. Aujourd’hui, la proliferation d’initiatives visant le developpement d’un tourisme culturel va avec la valorisation des sites sacres et des manifestations qui expriment la vivacite et la legitimite, parfois retrouvees, des croyances et des cultes anciens. Ainsi, la question memoriale de la traite negriere exerce son emprise sur les modalites de transmission et de representation des pratiques dites vodun. L’institution des lieux de memoire de la traite se presente comme une situation patrimoniale marquee par des ruptures entre les diverses restitutions collectives et religieuses de l’histoire des esclavages, transatlantique et locale. Ces espaces sont affectes par la precarite des structures censees devoir composer les identites du present avec la mise en memoire des faits du passe.

Au Benin, depuis le debut des annees 1990, on assiste au «renouveau» des cultes dits vodun. Le festival Ouidah 92 et le lancement de l’itineraire de La Route de l’Esclave, sous l’egide de l’Unesco, ont ete des evenements significatifs visant la connexion du vodun avec les commemorations de la traite negriere. A partir de l’examen des actes et des ecrits de l’anthropologie missionnaire, le texte esquisse la genealogie d’un heritage culturel affecte par l’alterite morale d’une epoque revolue. De nos jours, aupres d’une partie des elites intellectuelles du pays, la rememoration de l’histoire esclavagiste integre la matrice chretienne par la reconnaissance des qualites ethiques et esthetiques de la religion populaire. A travers l’analyse de situations ethnographiques observees principalement dans les villes de Ouidah et d’Abomey, cet article montre comment, au fil des decennies et au gre des conjonctures, on assiste au Benin a la transformation discursive du passe «paien». Un tel processus d’alteration patrimoniale de ce passe et de ses origines ne date pas d’aujourd’hui: il s’inscrit dans une longue duree ethnologique ayant agi aussi comme une pedagogie implicite.

Si « presque toutes les œuvres de fiction marquantes transmettent un “message” ou des “messages” qui sont transmis par le texte mais ne sont pas dans le texte », comment les ecritures romanesques generent-elles des significations et des jugements sur la realite ? Sans pretendre donner une reponse peremptoire a cette question, nous pouvons emettre l’hypothese que lorsque nous imaginons des transferts semantiques dont les figures d’un recit litteraire peuvent etre les vecteurs, nous sommes conf...

Many of the current procedures for territory management (see Horizon 2020) and marine organism reproductive health assessment are based upon receptor-mediated responses of target genes and are founded on the assumption that these responses accurately reflect exposure of endocrine disrupter that can be linked to different pathological effects. The role of estrogens and their functional mechanism of action in bivalves are therefore far from clear. Building on these observations, the aim of this study, in the frame work of an Italian National Research Project (PRIN 2010 – 2011), was to identify estrogen receptor genes (ER1 and ER2) and to quantify any changes in expression levels using the real-time quantitative PCR technique in response of marine bivalve, Mytilus galloprovincialis at different pollution degree areas. Using gametes obtained by mantle (gonad) tissue of mature bivalves we demonstrated, after sequencing and alignments, the presence of differentially expressed transcripts for ER1 and ER2, quantitative differences in male and female gamete gene expression and an increase in both gametes of ER levels in polluted area. The significance of these findings in terms of the utility of estrogen receptors as biomarkers of reproductive health assessment in bivalve species is discussed.

The caves have a significant economic importance in their role as tourist attraction and are of great importance for the presence of some rare species. The fauna identification in the “Grotta del Maresciallo” cave, situated in the Riviera di Ulisse Regional Park, started in march 2013 by a visual census and molecular approach. The studies allowed to detect 12 classes, 46 families, 47 species with their ecological niches, and the percentage contribution of each group to the Mediterranean marine cave diversity. Furthermore, we report the presence of two thermophilic species, as the star coral, Astroides calycularis (Pallas, 1766) and the goldblotch grouper, Epinephelus costae (Steindachner, 1878); the tropical species, the ringneck blenny Parablennius pilicornis (Cuvier, 1829); the endangered species, the dusky grouper Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) included in the IUCN Red List; the rare species, the black brotula Grammonus ater (Risso, 1810), and some uncommon species such as the golden coral shrimp, Stenopus spinosus (Risso, 1826) and the spotted bumblebee shrimp, Gnatophillum elegans (Risso, 1816). Species of economic and medical interest were also recorded. In a DNA barcoding approach, Neighbour Joining (NJ) phylogenetic tree of 25 mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I species sequences, indicates that COI gene is suitable for an unambiguous identification. This first geological and biological attempt at the Marine Area of the “Grotta del Maresciallo” provides useful indications to focus future investigations, and may become a potential management tool for local administrations to protect these habitats.

Durant la periode 1839-1848, dans quelques-unes des principales villes europeennes, un « musee » itinerant forme d’objets ethnographiques et de tableaux, recoltes et realises par le peintre americain George Catlin, est mis en scene. Animee par la presence de plusieurs troupes de « Peaux-Rouges », cette galerie s’inscrit dans la logique de la sujetion coloniale se declinant selon un style ou la production d’une authenticite sauvage est deja le produit d’une adaptation en marche. Les acteurs indiens sont montres par Catlin comme des temoins exotiques des mœurs « civilisees ». Leur adhesion explicite ou inconsciente au spectacle de la domination de l’homme blanc en Amerique impregne leurs postures morales – theâtrales et museales – representant le theme du choc culturel. En meme temps, dans cette « reserve indienne » mobile et permeable, l’exposition de la « tradition » est a la fois une source ancienne et une ressource economique et symbolique moderne sur laquelle les Indiens investissent. Le dynamisme des individus accultures occupes dans cette entreprise commerciale explique la necessite de se donner a voir comme entite folklorique.

Sexual behavior in vertebrates depends on the cyclic release of steroids and their binding to the brain receptors. Previously, we demonstrated the presence of specific binding of (3)H-testosterone and staining with PG-21 in the brain of the adult male frog, Rana esculenta. Here, we report our further receptor characterization using an anti-androgen receptor antiserum, PG-21, and the androgen site of action in frog brain. Nuclei, which contained cells labeled for the androgen receptor (AR), were mainly identified in the olfactory bulbs, preoptic-septal region, infundibulum, amygdala, thalamus, tectum, torus semicircularis, and medulla. The neuroanatomical AR staining appears similar to that in other lower vertebrates.

Les objets de la recherche ethnomuséographique sont ici scrutés à travers la lecture critique du conte Benito Cereno. Narration romanesque d’un événement qui s’est réellement produit durant l’époque de la traite négrière, ce texte d’Herman Melville met en scène l’altération des identités à l’oeuvre dans le processus colonial. Par son recours à l’utilisation fictionnelle des sources documentaires, le récit, brouillant la reconstruction historique et l’invention littéraire, interroge aussi les dénégations nécessaires aux savoir-faire de la domination et de ses masques. The Invisible Object, or the Captain’s Gambit. -- The subjects of research in the ethnological museum sciences are examined through a critical reading of Benito Cereno. Herman Melville’s narration of an event that actually happened during the slave trade hinges on the altering of identities via the colonial process. By using documents for the purpose of fiction, this story blurs the bounds between historical reconstruction and literary fabrication. It inquires into the disclaimers that are necessary to know how to exercise domination and wear the master’s masks.

Steroids secreted by the ovary, specifically estrogen and progesterone, influence the expression of behaviors associated with reproduction by interacting with a specific binding protein, or receptor, located in target cells in certain hypothalamic nuclei. The present paper reviews the progesterone receptor studies in the vertebrates brain, the progesterone receptor fluctuations throughout the reproductive cycle and suggests a role for progesterone receptors in the regulation of hypothalamic functions in amphibians. Furthermore, we report here a combined biochemical and immunohistochemical analysis of the hypothalamic progesterone receptor during the reproductive cycle of a lower vertebrate, the female amphibian anura Rana esculenta. 3H-Progesterone binding activity was found in both cytosol and nuclear extract samples. The progesterone binding moiety showed typical characteristics of a true receptor, such as high affinity, low capacity and specificity for progesterone. Further characterization was performed by using monoclonal antiserum raised against both the subunits A and B of the chicken progesterone receptor. Immunostained neurons were located mainly in two specific regions of the hypothalamus: the preoptic area and the infundibular hypothalamus. An immunoreactive band of about 67 kDa was observed using Western blotting, both in the cytosol and in the nuclear extract. Progesterone receptor levels fluctuated throughout the cycle along with plasma steroids and vitellogenin synthesis.

En 1956, a la mort en France de l’ethnologue Marcel Griaule, des funerailles symboliques furent organisees en son honneur a Sangha, agglomeration de villages du pays dogon, region de l’actuelle Republique du Mali. A partir de la presentation des allocutions prononcees durant cette ceremonie, l’auteur de l’article analyse les procedures discursives constitutives de la relation entre le devenir d’un mythe ethnologique et sa conservation in loco. Dans le contexte qui fait l’objet de sa reflexion, le deploiement et l’impact de cette production erudite aupres des elites nationales et regionales indiquent la presence et le poids, au sein de la societe malienne, d’operations d’inventaire d’une memoire qui se trouve, d’une maniere ou d’une autre, etre suscitee et reappropriee comme ressource materielle et symbolique. Autour de ce theme, les documents emanant d’intellectuels et des responsables maliens a la tutelle et a la valorisation de la tradition relevent d’une economie generale de l’exotisme, illustrant la complexe modernite patrimoniale et touristique de l’animisme dogon et de son paysage culturel.

A propos de Anne Doquet, Les masques dogon. Ethnologie savante et ethnologie autochtone, Preface de Sory Camara, Paris, Karthala, 1999, 314 p., bibl., pl., carte (« Hommes et societes »), et de Francoise Michel-Jones, Retour aux Dogon. Figures du double et ambivalence, Paris-Montreal, L'Harmattan, 1999, xivE+ 157 p., annexe, bibl. (« Connaissance des hommes »). [1re ed., Paris, Le Sycomore, 1978.]

In this paper we report the effect of gonadectomy and/or long-term sex steroid (testosterone and estradiol-17β) treatment and prolonged captivity (two months) on testosterone and estradiol-17β binding proteins (TBP and EBP, respectively) in the plasma of the male of the green frog Rana esculenta. Experiments were carried out during different periods of the reproductive cycle. Gonadectomy and prolonged captivity were carried out in winter, when the spermatogenic activity slowed down and the concentration of circulating androgens was high. Both gonadectomy and prolonged captivity resulted in a significant decrease in TBP binding activity, which could not be restored by the hormonal treatment. On the contrary, when the hormonal treatment was carried out in the early summer, when the spermatogenesis was active but the concentration of circulating androgens was low, a significant increase in TBP binding activity was observed. Neither gonadectomy, nor the prolonged captivity, nor the hormonal treatment affected EBP levels. Our data indicate that TBP apparent changes in response to testosterone and estradiol-17β treatment varied according to the period of the reproductive cycle, an indication that studies on sex steroid binding proteins regulation should take into consideration the internal endocrine condition before drawing any final conclusion especially in species with a seasonal mode of reproduction.

In this paper we report the effect of gonadectomy and/or long-term sex steroid (17β-estradiol and testosterone) treatment on binding activity of 17β-estradiol and testosterone binding proteins (EBP and TBP, respectively) in the plasma of the female of the green frog Rana esculenta. Experiments were carried out during different periods of the reproductive cycle when circulating levels of 17β-estradiol and androgens were : 1) low, 2) medium; 3) medium-high; 4) high. This study shows that EBP, but not TBP activity were affected by 17β-estradiol and testosterone treatment. The effect of the hormonal treatment changed according to the period of the reproductive cycle when it was carried out. Both 17β-estradiol and testosterone were ineffective when the circulating levels of 17β-estradiol and androgens were medium-high and high. On the contrary, the maximum effect was registered when circulating 17β-estradiol and androgens were at their minimum levels. Thus, our data indicate that binding activity of E...

Progesterone is a versatile hormone showing an ample variety of effects. One of the numerous functions attributed to progesterone is the modulation of vitellogenesis in oviparous vertebrates. As a prerequisite for the possible involvement of progesterone in vitellogenesis modulation, we investigated the presence of a progesterone receptor (PR) in the liver of the female green frog Rana esculenta. 3H-Progesterone (3H-P) binding activity was found in both cytosol and nuclear extract of the liver of Rana esculenta. The progesterone-binding moiety showed the typical characteristics of a true receptor, such as high affinity, low capacity, and specificity for progesterone. It also bound to DNA-cellulose and was eluted with a linear salt gradient at a concentration of 0.05 M of NaCl. The progesterone-binding moiety was down regulated by steroid hormones, in that ovariectomy resulted in a significant increase, in both cytosol and nuclear extract, of 3H-P binding activity with respect to intact females. On the contrary, 3H-P binding activity was almost undetectable after estradiol and/or progesterone treatment. The progesterone binding moiety of Rana esculenta was analyzed by Western blotting with the aid of a monoclonal antibody raised against the subunits A and B of the chicken PR. An immunoreactive band of about 67 kDa was observed in the liver of both intact and treated females. The 67 kDa band showed an increased intensity in ovariectomized animals, while it was faint following treatment with estradiol and/or progesterone. This is the first report on the presence of a progesterone receptor (PR) in the liver of an amphibian. PR of Rana esculenta is down regulated by estradiol and/or progesterone and shows peculiar immunological and biochemical characteristics, which make it rather different from the PR of other vertebrates.

Alburnus albidus is an endangered and little known cyprinid fish species endemic in southern Italy. Histological characteristics of testes of A. albidus from River Alento, Campania Region, were analysed every month between January‐July 1996. Depending on the relative abundance of spermatogonia, spermatocytes, sper‐matides and spermatozoa in the testes, we devided the gonadal cycle into four stages: 1. quiescence, when mainly spermatogonia were present (January‐February); 2. recrudescence, when spermatocytes were abundant, although spermatids were also detectable (March‐April); 3. spawning, when cysts contained all stages of germ cells (May‐June); 4. Postspawning, when testes contained spermatogonia only (July). The concentration of sex steroids (an‐drogens, 17 α‐hydroxyprogesterone and 17 β‐estradiol) fluctuated throughout the year. Androgen levels were high during the quiescence and the spawning periods. 17 α‐hydroxyprogesterone concentration showed a sharp increase just before the spawning peri...

The species identification is a key problem throughout the life cycle of fishes: from eggs and larvae to adults in ecosystem and fisheries research and control, as well as processed fish products labelling in consumer protection. Here, we report a rapid blue biotechnological method applied for egg and fish species discrimination. The amplification of a region of the mitochondrial genome, the cytochrome b, by using the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) permits seafood products species identification. The obtained PCR-products were cut with different restriction endonucleases resulting in species-specific Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLP), which allowed to discriminate, in one step, between different types of caviar substitute species. The following analysis of mitochondrial DNA to control the labelling between caviar substitute species of Cyclopterus lumpus, Mallotus villosus, Trisopterus minutus minutus and the caviar, Acipenser baerii and their monitoring and surveillance is suitable with only one restriction enzyme, MboII. This blue method, applied to a very significant number of samples, retrieved online, allowed a rapid and economic identification of the species, with high percentage of correct identification for fish caviar substitute.

The effects of the proopiomelanocortin-derived opioid peptide, beta-endorphin (β-EP), and of the opioid antagonist, naloxone (NAL), on both basal and pituitary-stimulated androgen secretion from superfused quiescent and active testes were assessed in the adult lizard, Podarcis sicula. In the absence of the homologous pituitary, in vitro treatment with β-EP and/or NAL did not affect basal secretion of androgens from quiescent and active testes. Conversely, in the presence of the homologous pituitary, treatment with β-EP brought about a decrease in androgen secretion in active testes, but no effect on quiescent ones Naloxone counteracted the inhibitory effect of β-EP in active testes, and enhanced maximal pituitary-stimulated secretion of androgens in quiescent but not in active testes. The effects produces by β-endorphin and naloxone were reversible. These results suggest that, in this lizard, opioids might be involved in the control of androgen release. The lack of effect of β-EP and naloxone when added directly to the testes seems to suggest that the opioid agonist and antagonist act on androgen release by modulating pituitary gonadotrophin output. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

In order to study the possible functional relationship between poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation and spermatogenesis, the three main germinal cell types have been isolated and characterized as haploid spermatids and diploid and tetraploid spermatocytes. Purified germinal cell populations and rats of different age were used for activity-, immuno-, and Northern blot experiments, to determine at which level poly(ADPR)polymerase (PARP) is regulated at various stages of spermatogenesis. Poly(ADPR)glycohydrolase (PARG) activity was also determined, as was the subcellular distribution of both PARP and PARG enzymes. The results show that the maximum of both PARP amount and PARP activity can be detected on tetraploid spermatocytes which undergo meiotic division, whereas PARG activity does not differ in germinal cells; the cytoplasmic form of this enzyme is prevalent in testis. Moreover, a difference in timing was observed in maximal level between PARP expression, determined on testis from 60-day-old rats, and PARP activity, detected on testis from 30-day-old animals. It seems that different mechanisms modulate the poly(ADPribosyl)ation system during spermatogenesis. Regulation of the poly(ADPribose) turnover, variations of PARP amount, as well as changes of PARP transcription level, seem to accompany germinal cell differentiation, possibly being implicated in DNA replication, repair, and transcription.

Phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (GPx4/PHGPx) is a most abundant selenoprotein in the brain and GPx4 null mice die in utero at midgestation or knockdown of GPx4 during mammalian embryogenesis disturbs brain development. The current experiments were designed to investigate, by semiquantitative RT-PCR, the cerebral function of GPx4 of the lizards collected in both polluted (Sarno River, Italy) and unpolluted (Lago Matese, Italy) areas in order to provide useful molecular information on this widely distributed seleno-enzyme in adult as well through the development of the lizard, Podarcis sicula. Our research demonstrates the lizard GPx4 hormonal control. Treatments with HCG increases immunoreactivity while the anti-estrogen ICI 182-780 induces its reduction. The partial region of the cloned cDNA is of 340 bp; conserved protein domains reports its membership to selenoprotein and analysis amino acid residues the value as an antioxidant. The semiquantitative expression of GPx 4 of adult lizard brain in polluted station resulted generally very high and let sustain its importance as lizard neuroendocrine disruptor alarm.

In mammals, proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-related peptides are involved in reproductive processes at both the hypothalamopituitary and ovarian levels. Through immunocytochemical and physiological in vitro studies, evidence for a diffuse POMC-related opioid system in the lizard Podarcis s sicula is provided. In the lizard ovary, ,-endorphin (-EP)-like immunoreactive cells were observed within the granulosa layer; the immunoresponse showed seasonal variation, being most pronounced in the winter ovary. HPLC followed by immunoassay showed that acetyl P-EP is the main form of POMC-related peptide in both pituitary and ovary. In vitro studies showed that picomolar amounts of P-EP stimulate follicular estrogen production during both the reproductive and winter phases; induction was found to be higher in the reproductive phase. The data reported here provide evidence for the physiological role played by -EP in the reproductive function of Podarcis s sicula via induction of ovarian production of estradiol-17, which is the main factor responsible for the vitellogenic process.

Through the career of “resource persons”, who balance native heritage and the transmission of scholarly knowledge, this article discusses how memorial and patrimonial uses of the past of slavery are connected to the renewal of ancient religious traditions such as voodoo in Ouidah, Benin. Maintaining a balance between the scholarly knowledge of tradition and the moral and ritual adherence to the voodoo “secrets”, the transmitters of cultural memories operate a charismatic reappropriation of cultural capital. Such cultural capital consists both of the “tradition” and the past of slave trade, of which they claim to be owners and witnesses at the same time.Key words: memories, slavery, voodoo religion, tradition.

An in vitro superfusion method was used to test sex hormone release from different kinds of ovarian follicle (growing follicles, postovulatory follicles, and atretic follicles) in the lizard Podarcis sicula sicula. Sex hormone output changes with the stage of follicle evolution and sexual cycle. Previtellogenetic follicles prevail in early‐spring quiescent ovaries and secrete mainly progesterone, which is probably utilized at that phase to delay ovarian resumption. In the active ovary, progesterone output from previtellogenetic follicles decreases, whereas vitellogenetic follicles produce a significant amount of 17β‐estradiol, which is necessary for sustaining vitellogenin synthesis by the liver and oviduct growth. As follicles become ripe, progesterone production is resumed, and it increases in young postovulatory follicles. This is in line with the functions assigned to the hormone at that phase of the sexual cycle, i.e., the induction of oocyte maturation and the regulation of egg retention in the oviduct. Postovulatory follicles can also synthetize 17β‐estradiol. After oviposition, this hormone, which is secreted by the old postovulatory follicles, can reinitiate vitellogenin synthesis, allowing the development of a new oocyte set. Our data confirm that active, although ephemeral, corpora lutea are also formed in oviparous species. A limited contribution to ovarian sex steroid production derives also from atretic follicles, at least at the early stages of the breeding cycle. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Copyright © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

A propos de Ferdinand de Jong & Michael Rowlands, eds., Reclaiming Heritage. Alternative Imaginaries of Memory in West Africa, Publications of the Institute of Archaelogy. London : Left Coast Press, Walnut Creek, California, 2007. Les processus d’institution patrimoniale investissent, en les re-modelant, des espaces publics au sein desquels des memoires collectives dites, ou imaginees, puisent constamment. Ceci pourrait etre considere comme le fil conducteur de l’ouvrage collectif dirige par ...