Introduction: self-translating, from minorisation to empowerment

This introductory chapter discusses the implications of self-translation in multilingual contexts in Europe, aiming at mapping out innovative perspectives to the study of power and, by so doing, empowering self-translation. We start by critically engaging with the ‘cultural’ and ‘power turns’ in translation studies, as a way of delineating what the particularities of self-translation are when practised by author-translators in multilingual spaces. Focusing on the European milieu, defined broadly in terms of its geographies, we then discuss multilingualism, cultural awareness and ethnic diversity as staple terms in both academic and political ideologies across Europe, emphasising that one of the aspects of multilingualism is precisely the power differentials between languages and cultures. We explore these unequal power relations and centre–periphery dichotomies of Europe’s ‘minorised’ languages, literatures and cultures, suggesting the usage of ‘minorised’ in preference to the others discussed, inasmuch as it highlights both hegemonic power hierarchies and also the continual resistance to them. This is followed by a brief overview of the emerging debates in the subdiscipline of self-translation in recent times. It is within them that we situate our contribution, arguing that the self-translators’ double affiliation as authors and translators turns them into powerful cultural and ideological mediators and places them in a privileged position to challenge (or submit to) power. Here another term, ‘self-censorship,’ is suggested as invaluable to self-translation studies where self-editing often occurs before translation is begun. Finally, the introduction presents the organisation of the book and the main ideas discussed by the 11 authors in their individual chapters

Descriptive and functional morphometry of skeletal muscle fibres in wild birds

The fibre types of four forelimb and two hind-limb muscles involved in locomotion were morphometrically analyzed in three species of wild birds: the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), common coot (Fulica atra), and yellow-legged gull (Larus cachinnans). Fibre cross-sectional area and perimeter, maximal diffusion distance, and number of capillaries per fibre were measured and the functional implications and physiological demands of the muscles of each species were inferred. In general, all morphometric values were lower in oxidative fibres than in anaerobic fibres, indicating that the supply of oxygen and metabolites available to aerobically working muscles is enhanced. The lower level of activity required during gliding as opposed to flapping flight, and the need to maintain the wings in an outstretched position, presumably by means of isometric contractions, may explain the greater size of the oxidative fibres of the pectoralis and scapulotriceps muscles of the gull. In contrast, the high oxidative demand imposed on mallards and coots by sustained flapping flight is met by small oxidative fibres, possibly at the expense of a reduction in the ability of each fibre to generate force. Anaerobic fibres of the gastrocnemius muscle had greater cross-sectional areas in the mallard and coot than in the gull. This is interpreted as an adaptive response to force generation during burst locomotion, which is usually performed by both mallards and coots, in sharp contrast to the buoyant swimming and postural activities undertaken by gull's legs. The fast oxidative fibres of the gastrocnemius muscle were, in general, larger than those of the iliotibialis muscle in the three species, which matches the different mechanical and functional roles of these muscles during swimming.</jats:p

A histochemical ATPase method for the demonstration of the muscle capillary network.

A histochemical method for demonstration of the capillaries in skeletal muscle of birds is proposed. The present method, which is a modification of a previously reported myosin ATPase technique used for simultaneous staining of capillaries and fiber types, provides an accurate count of capillaries associated with different fiber types in avian skeletal muscles. We have applied the original and the modified method to serial adjacent sections of certain skeletal muscles and our results show that after the application of the original technique: (a) in muscles having dark Type II fibers, these fibers produce a masking effect on their adjacent capillaries; (b) a consistent and significant undercounting in capillary densities can be seen even in muscles having no dark Type II fibers; and (c) the staining quality and capillary count are substantially improved with the use of the modified method. We attribute the better results obtained with our modification to differences in thermosensitivity of ATPase activity from the capillary endothelium and of the myofibers. A mathematical treatment is therefore proposed to correct the values of capillary count obtained with the original method. </jats:p

¡Cuidado con los piercings bucales! Be careful of the oral piercings!

Se identificaron los principales aspectos relacionados con el uso del piercing en jóvenes del municipio de Santiago de Cuba mediante visitas a centros estudiantiles y laborales. El universo de estudio estuvo conformado por 40 de ellos, de los cuales se escogió una muestra de 14, quienes accedieron a participar en la investigación. Se halló que este aditamento suele ser usado entre los 15 - 18 años, con frecuencia similar en los dos sexos; pero dadas las complicaciones que pueden producirse, se recomendó aumentar las actividades de promoción de salud y prevención de enfermedades, dirigidas a lograr un adecuado conocimiento sobre temas sanitarios en general y una mayor participación comunitaria en ese sentido.<br>Main aspects related to the use of the piercing were identified in young people from Santiago de Cuba municipality by means of visits to student and work centers. The case material was 40 teenagers, and 14 of them were selected as a sample. They consented to participate in the study. It was found that this piercing is usually used between 15 and 18 years of age with similar frequency in both sexes, but because of the complications it was recommended to increase activities of health promotion and disease prevention aimed at achieving an appropriate knowledge of health topics in general and a greater community participation in that respect

Functional Analysis of OleY l-Oleandrosyl 3-O-Methyltransferase of the Oleandomycin Biosynthetic Pathway in Streptomyces antibioticus

Oleandomycin, a macrolide antibiotic produced by Streptomyces antibioticus, contains two sugars attached to the aglycon: l-oleandrose and d-desosamine. oleY codes for a methyltransferase involved in the biosynthesis of l-oleandrose. This gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli to form inclusion bodies and in Streptomyces lividans, producing a soluble protein. S. lividans overexpressing oleY was used as a biotransformation host, and it converted the precursor l-olivosyl-erythronolide B into its 3-O-methylated derivative, l-oleandrosyl-erythronolide B. Two other monoglycosylated derivatives were also substrates for the OleY methyltransferase: l-rhamnosyl- and l-mycarosyl-erythronolide B. OleY methyltransferase was purified yielding a 43-kDa single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The native enzyme showed a molecular mass of 87 kDa by gel filtration chromatography, indicating that the enzyme acts as a dimer. It showed a narrow pH range for optimal activity, and its activity was clearly stimulated by the presence of several divalent cations, being maximal with Co(2+). The S. antibioticus OleG2 glycosyltransferase is proposed to transfer l-olivose to the oleandolide aglycon, which is then converted into l-oleandrose by the OleY methyltransferase. This represents an alternative route for l-oleandrose biosynthesis from that in the avermectin producer Streptomyces avermitilis, in which l-oleandrose is transferred to the aglycon by a glycosyltransferase

Morphofunctional responses to anaemia in rat skeletal muscle

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to two groups: control and anaemic. Anaemia was induced by periodical blood withdrawal. Extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscles were excised under pentobarbital sodium total anaesthesia and processed for transmission electron microscopy, histochemical and biochemical analyses. Mitochondrial volume was determined by transmission electron microscopy in three different regions of each muscle fibre: pericapillary, sarcolemmal and sarcoplasmatic. Muscle samples sections were also stained with histochemical methods (SDH and m-ATPase) to reveal the oxidative capacity and shortening velocity of each muscle fibre. Determinations of fibre and capillary densities and fibre type composition were made from micrographs of different fixed fields selected in the equatorial region of each rat muscle. Determination of metabolites (ATP, inorganic phosphate, creatine, creatine phosphate and lactate) was done using established enzymatic methods and spectrophotometric detection. Significant differences in mitochondrial volumes were found between pericapillary, sarcolemmal and sarcoplasmic regions when data from animal groups were tested independently. Moreover, it was verified that anaemic rats had significantly lower values than control animals in all the sampled regions of both muscles. These changes were associated with a significantly higher proportion of fast fibres in anaemic rat soleus muscles (slow oxidative group = 63.8%; fast glycolytic group = 8.2%; fast oxidative glycolytic group = 27.4%) than in the controls (slow oxidative group = 79.0%; fast glycolytic group = 3.9%; fast oxidative glycolytic group = 17.1%). No significant changes were detected in the extensor digitorum longus muscle. A significant increase was found in metabolite concentration in both the extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscles of the anaemic animals as compared to the control group. In conclusion, hypoxaemic hypoxia causes a reduction in mitochondrial volumes of pericapillary, sarcolemmal, and sarcoplasmic regions. However, a common proportional pattern of the zonal distribution of mitochondria was maintained within the fibres. A significant increment was found in the concentration of some metabolites and in the proportion of fast fibres in the more oxidative soleus muscle in contrast to the predominantly anaerobic extensor digitorum longus