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Exchanging Symbolic Patriarchy for Narrative Patriarchy in The Royal Tenenbaums
Full text linkThis essay critiques the ideological basis of the conventional family unit by dissecting the presentation of patriarchy in Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums. The film’s portrayal of patriarchy is analysed through reference to deeply embedded cultural attitudes that permeate societal structures through storytelling. The prevalence of Christianity within American society is acknowledged to justify both situating Tenenbaum’s narrative within a predominantly Judeo-Christian tradition and referencing the Old Testament as a key influence upon standards of patriarchy. The research of biblical scholars is consulted to outline the various privileges afforded to Hebrew patriarchs within the thirteenth century B.C.E., revealing that the standards of patriarchy within this era informed the archetype of idealised patriarchy within the Old Testament. The attitudes of Royal Tenenbaum are recognised as acquiescent with the expectations of the idealised biblical patriarch, close analysis of the film revealing the ways in which he exhibits such entitlement. Analysis reveals that whilst the removal of Royal’s conventional privileges occurs within the film, this reduction and realtering of his position as a father-figure allows for a subliminal patriarchal privilege to emerge. The film exposes the narrative privilege allocated to the patriarch in conventional storytelling, such that the portrayal of growth and redemption within the father-figure is heightened and glorified, and the patriarch is privileged as the focal point to the viewer’s narrative catharsis. The film exposes the functioning of this process on an ideological level
Silenced Bodies, Profitable Flesh: A Feminist Response to Child Sexual Exploitation Through Oryx’s Reimagined Voice
Full text linkThis paper examines child sexual exploitation through a feminist lens, interweaving an analysis of Japan\u27s JK (joshi kosei) business with a reimagined monologue based on Margaret Atwood\u27s character Oryx. Through creative exposition, the author explores how family structures simultaneously perpetuate and protect against exploitation. The work identifies critical gaps in Japanese legislation that enable child exploitation despite surface-level reforms, revealing how patriarchal structures commodify bodies typically protected within family units. The author argues that pornography and prostitution function as forms of "sexual cannibalism" that dehumanize bodies into consumable parts. By examining Oryx\u27s fictional journey alongside real-world exploitation in Japan, the article advocates for educational initiatives, strengthened family support systems, and ethical consumer choices to restore the protective function of family and combat sexual exploitation
Crossing the line: Multi-layer analysis and the identification of different borderlines
Full text linkThis paper introduces a volume that brings together specialists in lithic studies to explore how this proxy can reveal different spatial patterns across a large European territory. It examines how diverse behaviours in various environmental and geographical areas can enhance our understanding of social processes during European neolithisation. Initially, we investigate the concept of borders and borderlines, proposing models based on the space considered as a border, the presence of sought-after resources within this space, the agents present, and the nature of interactions between these agents. Subsequently, we discuss the potential of lithic analysis for identifying social groups and different types of borders. Neolithic cultural entities have primarily been defined through typo-stylistic analysis of pottery, while lithics are underutilised in this context. Lithics, however, offer a valuable proxy for understanding the spatial distribution of these entities. Petrographic studies now allow us to precisely define lithic sources, and all actions carried out on these raw materials are readable. Lithics thus enable the tracking of raw material origins and the movement of these materials within a given area. Establishing these circulation networks is crucial for understanding the spaces occupied by prehistoric people and the nature of their interactions. This approach allows us to map and compare spatial groupings based on consumer and producer perspectives. We argue for the necessity of multi-proxy studies and modelling to gain new insights into spatial grouping patterns and their evolution, particularly by considering borderlines at the scale of social groups.Cet article introduit un volume qui rassemble des spécialistes des études lithiques néolithiques pour explorer comment ce proxy peut révéler différentes organisations spatiales à travers un vaste territoire européen. Il examine si les comportements sont les mêmes selon les différentes zones géographiques et environnementales étudiées et en quoi ils peuvent enrichir notre compréhension des processus sociaux au cours de la néolithisation de l\u27Europe. Dans un premier temps, nous définissons le concept de frontières, en proposant des modèles basés sur l\u27espace considéré comme une frontière, la présence de ressources recherchées dans cet espace, les agents présents, et la nature des interactions entre ces agents. Ensuite, nous discutons du potentiel de l\u27analyse de l’industrie lithique pour identifier les groupements et différents types de frontières. Les entités culturelles néolithiques ont principalement été définies par l\u27analyse typo-stylistique de la poterie, tandis que les études lithiques ont été sous-utilisées dans ce contexte. Le lithique, pourtant, représente un proxy précieux pour comprendre la distribution spatiale des entités préhistoriques. Les études pétrographiques nous permettent maintenant de définir précisément l’origine des sources de matières premières exploitées, et toutes les actions réalisées sur ces matières siliceuses ne peuvent être supprimées et sont donc lisibles. Les industries lithiques permettent ainsi de suivre l\u27origine des matières premières et le mouvement de ces matériaux au sein d\u27une zone donnée. Établir ces réseaux de circulation est crucial pour comprendre les espaces occupés et traversés par les populations préhistoriques et la nature de leurs interactions. Cette approche nous permet de cartographier et de comparer les groupements spatiaux obtenus selon différentes perspectives, et notamment celles des consommateurs ou des producteurs. Nous plaidons pour la nécessité d\u27études multi-proxy et de modélisation afin de renouveler nos interprétations des groupements spatiaux et de leur évolution au cours du temps. Plus particulièrement, c’est par le prisme d’une cartographie des différents groupes sociaux qu’une première clef de lecture est proposée
Disrupting fatalism:: what can community-based learning and development do?
No full textThis contribution draws on a talk I gave at Edinburgh University on 16th May 2025 that was reviewing the role of the Alexander Report on its 50th anniversary. My talk initially drew on the two main underpinning impulses of the Report: to challenge poverty and disadvantage through participation in education and to promote human flourishing. For example, the report argued: ‘We have acted on our belief that education enables man [sic] to increase his understanding of his own nature, to develop to the full his potentialities and to participate in the shaping of his own future’ (Scottish Education Department,1975: 35). 
Class Frizzled GPCRs in GtoPdb v.2025.3
Full text linkReceptors of the Class Frizzled (FZD, nomenclature as agreed by the NC-IUPHAR subcommittee on the Class Frizzled GPCRs [184]), are GPCRs highly conserved across species and were originally identified in Drosophila [21]. While SMO shows structural resemblance to the 10 FZDs, it is functionally separated as it is involved in Hedgehog signaling [184]. SMO exerts its effects by activating heterotrimeric G proteins or stabilization of GLI by sequestering catalytic PKA subunits [191, 6, 62]. While SMO itself is bound by sterols and oxysterols [28, 96], FZDs are activated by WNTs, which are cysteine-rich lipoglycoproteins with fundamental functions in ontogeny and tissue homeostasis. FZD signaling was initially divided into two pathways, being either dependent on the accumulation of the transcription regulator β-catenin or being β-catenin-independent (often referred to as canonical vs. non-canonical WNT/FZD signaling, respectively). Nevertheless, it makes pharmacologically more sense to define downstream signaling by transducer coupling to either DVL or heterotrimeric G proteins [185]. WNT stimulation of FZDs can, in cooperation with the low density lipoprotein receptors LRP5 (O75197) and LRP6 (O75581), lead to the inhibition of a constitutively active destruction complex, which results in the accumulation of β-catenin and subsequently its translocation to the nucleus. β-catenin, in turn, modifies gene transcription by interacting with TCF/LEF transcription factors. WNT/β-catenin-dependent signalling can also be activated by FZD subtype-specific WNT surrogates [142]. β-catenin-independent FZD signalling is far more complex with regard to the diversity of the activated pathways. WNT/FZD signalling can lead to the activation of heterotrimeric G proteins [35, 188, 159], the elevation of intracellular calcium [194], activation of cGMP-specific PDE6 [2] and elevation of cAMP as well as RAC-1, JNK, Rho and Rho kinase signalling [61]. Novel resonance energy transfer-based tools have allowed the study of the GPCR-like nature of FZDs in greater detail. Upon ligand stimulation, FZDs undergo conformational changes and signal via heterotrimeric G proteins [248, 249, 110, 183, 108, 56, 13]. Furthermore, the phosphoprotein Dishevelled constitutes a key transducer in WNT/FZD signaling towards planar-cell-polarity-like pathways. Importantly, FZDs adopt distinct conformational landscapes that regulate pathway selection [249, 54]. As with other GPCRs, members of the Frizzled family are functionally dependent on the arrestin scaffolding protein for internalization [24], as well as for β-catenin-dependent [15] and -independent [93, 16] signalling. The pattern of cell signalling is complicated by the presence of additional ligands, which can enhance or inhibit FZD signalling (secreted Frizzled-related proteins (sFRP), Wnt-inhibitory factor (WIF), sclerostin or Dickkopf (DKK)), as well as modulatory (co)-receptors with Ryk, ROR1, ROR2 and PTK7, which may also function as independent signaling proteins. An important FZD4-selective non-WNT agonist is the norrin cysteine knot protein, which is a key player in FZD4-mediated vascularization for example in the retina and which is functionally related to familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR)
Galanin receptors in GtoPdb v.2025.3
Full text linkGalanin receptors (provisional nomenclature as recommended by NC-IUPHAR [57]) are activated by the endogenous peptides galanin and galanin-like peptide. Human galanin is a 30 amino-acid non-amidated peptide [52]; in other species, it is 29 amino acids long and C-terminally amidated. Amino acids 1-14 of galanin are highly conserved in mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibia and fish. Shorter peptide species (e.g. human galanin-1-19 [21] and porcine galanin-5-29 [171]) and N-terminally extended forms (e.g. N-terminally seven and nine residue elongated forms of porcine galanin [22, 171]) have been reported. More recently, the newly-identified peptide, spexin (SPX), has been reported to activate human GAL2 and GAL3 (but not GAL1) receptors in heterologous expression systems; and to alter GAL2/3 receptor-related behaviours in animals [90]. Galanin and spexin neuropeptides are important regulators of energy homeostasis [58]
Prolactin-releasing peptide receptor in GtoPdb v.2025.3
Full text linkThe precursor (PRLH, P81277) for PrRP generates 31 and 20-amino-acid versions. QRFP43 (43RFa) (named after a pyroglutamylated arginine-phenylalanine-amide peptide) is a 43 amino acid peptide derived from QRFP (P83859) and is also known as P518 or 26RFa. RFRP is an RF amide-related peptide [30] derived from a FMRFamide-related peptide precursor (NPVF, Q9HCQ7), which is cleaved to generate neuropeptide SF, neuropeptide RFRP-1, neuropeptide RFRP-2 and neuropeptide RFRP-3 (neuropeptide NPVF)
Two-pore domain potassium channels (K2P) in GtoPdb v.2025.3
Full text linkThe 4TM family of K channels mediate many of the background potassium currents observed in native cells. They are open across the physiological voltage-range and are regulated by a wide array of neurotransmitters and biochemical mediators. The pore-forming α-subunit contains two pore loop (P) domains and two subunits assemble to form one ion conduction pathway lined by four P domains. It is important to note that single channels do not have two pores but that each subunit has two P domains in its primary sequence; hence the name two-pore domain, or K2P channels (and not two-pore channels). Some of the K2P subunits can form heterodimers across subfamilies (e.g. K2P3.1 with K2P9.1). The nomenclature of 4TM K channels in the literature is still a mixture of IUPHAR and common names. The suggested division into subfamilies, described in the More detailed introduction, is based on similarities in both structural and functional properties within subfamilies and this explains the "common abbreviation" nomenclature in the tables below
1A. Thyroid hormone receptors in GtoPdb v.2025.3
Full text linkThyroid hormone receptors (TRs, nomenclature as agreed by the NC-IUPHAR Subcommittee on Nuclear Hormone Receptors [13, 2]) are nuclear hormone receptors of the NR1A family, with diverse roles regulating macronutrient metabolism, cognition and cardiovascular homeostasis. TRs are activated by thyroxine (T4) and thyroid hormone (triiodothyronine). Once activated by a ligand, the receptor acts as a transcription factor either as a monomer, homodimer or heterodimer with members of the retinoid X receptor family. NH-3 has been described as an antagonist at TRs with modest selectivity for TRβ [43]