This article explores the experience of shame and guilt that is associated with producing explicit erotic animated content. By employing the reflective practice journaling method, this ...autoethnographic essay discusses cultural and psychological challenges that need to be overcome by an animator from the Western cultural sphere in order to be able to produce content with sexual overtones. Findings suggest that to create erotic content, it is necessary first to overcome psychological barriers. But even then, the ability to portray animated sexual rapport requires specific animation skills and aesthetical understanding that are difficult to transfer from previous experience. The article concludes with a discussion on how to approach erotic content and what possible challenges the creative team may face in a project with erotic overtones.
Today, adult animation is the fastest growing segment in the industry. However, adult animation is also the least researched topic in animation field. In this article, the author explores what key ...elements hinder the growth in this animation segment with a focus on self-censorship and how it affects modern adult animation creative output and overall production. Also, the author discusses the concept of censorship in animation and its historical development. In other words, the genesis, and then reform of formal censorship systems into the age rating systems. And, while technically, with the abolition of the formal censorship system, today animators can create content of any kind, adult animation in the Western world has only begun to grow relatively recently. This paper investigates the key reasons that motivate self-censorship in animation to exist today, even when all the data shows that never before in the history of this medium, has the adult animation segment had such good conditions to get funded and reach an audience. Additionally, the author examines the concept of mature themes from the perspective of Western censorship apparatus.
Background & Aims : Pancreatic cancer creates desmoplasia by stimulating stellate cells (PSCs), thereby influencing tumor aggressiveness. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of the ...PSC-specific matrix protein periostin on tumor responses to radiochemotherapy. Methods : PSCs and cancer cells in primary and metastatic lesions of patients treated with or without neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Periostin messenger-RNA levels determined by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction were correlated to patient survival. Interactions between PSCs and cancer cells and the effects of periostin in modulating cellular responses under conditions of hypoxia, starvation, and radiochemotherapy were assessed by immunoblotting and by growth, clonogenicity, and invasion assays. Results : Periostin messenger-RNA levels were elevated 42-fold in cancer, and patients with increased expression had a tendency toward shorter survival (19 vs 12 months; P = .14). Stromal cells were the only source of periostin in the pancreas and in metastatic sites. Cancer cell supernatants stimulated periostin secretion from PSCs. Recombinant periostin increased α–smooth muscle actin, periostin, collagen-1, fibronectin, and transforming growth factor-β1 expression while decreasing PSC invasiveness. These effects were reversed by silencing periostin expression and secretion by small interfering RNA transfection. In cancer cells, periostin stimulated growth and conferred resistance to starvation and hypoxia. In addition, the periostin downstream target collagen-1 significantly increased chemoresistance. Conclusions : Once stimulated by cancer cells, PSCs remain active via an autocrine periostin loop even under radiotherapy and produce excessive extracellular matrix proteins, creating a tumor-supportive microenvironment. Increased periostin expression may therefore reflect a more aggressive tumor phenotype.
Pancreatic cancer (PaCa) is a fatal human cancer due to its exceptional resistance to all current anticancer therapies. The cytoprotective enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is significantly ...overexpressed in PaCa and seems to play an important role in cancer resistance to anticancer treatment. The inhibition of HO-1 sensitized PaCa cells to chemo- and radiotherapy in vitro. Therefore, we investigated the effects of HO-1 and its metabolites biliverdin, carbon monoxide and iron on PaCa cells. PaCa cell lines with divergent HO-1 expression patterns were used in a murine orthotopic cancer model. HO-1 expression and activity was regulated by zinc (inhibition) and cobalt (induction) protoporphyrin. Furthermore, the influence of cellular HO-1 levels and its metabolites on effects of standard chemotherapy with gemcitabine was tested in vivo and in vitro.
High HO-1 expression in PaCa cell lines was associated with increased chemoresistance in vitro. Chemoresistance to gemcitabine was increased during HO-1 induction in PaCa cells expressing low levels of HO-1. The inhibition of HO-1 activity in pancreatic tumors with high HO-1 boosted chemotherapeutic effects in vivo significantly. Furthermore, biliverdin and iron promoted PaCa resistance to chemotherapy. Consequently, specific iron chelation by desferrioxamine revealed profound anticancerous effects.
In summary, the inhibition of HO-1 and the chelation of iron in PaCa cells were associated with increased sensitivity and susceptibility of pancreatic tumors to chemotherapy in vivo. The metabolites biliverdin and iron seem to be involved in HO-1-mediated resistance to anticancer treatment. Therefore, HO-1 inhibition or direct interference with its metabolites may evolve new PaCa treatment strategies.
In this paper authors analyse work environment in late Soviet period Lithuanian film industry. This study looks at primary sources (session memos, annual reports, professional film union’s memos ...etc.) and analyses what key elements influenced work ethics of Soviet Lithuanian film crew. Findings suggest that censorship, tolerance of low work ethics and strict annual production planning influenced work environment that accepted low film creative value and negative attitude towards administration.
This article is a continuation of a 2011 publication about the Lithuanian film industry that examined the cultural and economic aspects of the Lithuanian film industry’s national and global situation ...and developments in the 21st century. The authors review changes in the political, legal, tax, and other circumstances in 2011–2014 that led to qualitative changes in the film industry over the last four years. The authors conducted quantitative research in order to properly evaluate the symbolic and cultural national film industry output level. The survey data is analyzed and compared with survey data from the previous year.
This paper explores changes of the political, legal, taxation and other circumstances in film industries of Central and Eastern Europe that kick-started qualitative changes over the last decade. ...Research conducted by European Union (EU) on European film industry suggests that in terms of film industry Central and Eastern Europe region at this stage is generally non-competitive and not commercially orientated. We argue that the region filmmakers systematic believe in concept that film art and film business is a combination of polar opposites is a key reason that holds back industry's potential to make a considerable economical and cultural contribution to national prosperity.
The article analyses the causes of conflicts arising between client and contractors in the construction industry. An analysis of articles on this topic has revealed that most of contemporary authors ...refer to externally visible signs of conflicts as to the causes thereof. The authors of the present article look at the conflict in construction in a different light – from the aspect of communication. A construction contract agreement which regulates the relationships between the client and the contractor is also viewed as a product of communication. The authors hypothesize that the main cause of conflicts in the construction industry is unsuccessful communication between the client and the contractor. The hypothesis has been confirmed by the conducted research studies. In addition, unfair behavior of the parties to a construction contract agreement and psychological defense mechanisms have been also identified as likely causes of conflicts in the construction industry.
This article is a continuation of a 2011 publication about the Lithuanian film industry that examined the cultural and economic aspects of the Lithuanian film industry's national and global situation ...and developments in the 21st century. The authors review changes in the political, legal, tax, and other circumstances in 2011-2014 that led to qualitative changes in the film industry over the last four years. The authors conducted quantitative research in order to properly evaluate the symbolic and cultural national film industry output level. The survey data is analyzed and compared with survey data from the previous year.
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