Winter is energetically demanding. Physiological and behavioural adaptations have evolved among nontropical animals to cope with winter because thermoregulatory demands increase when food availability decreases. Seasonal breeding is central within the suite of winter adaptations among small animals. Presumably, reproductive inhibition during winter conserves energy at a time when the odds of producing viable young are low. In addition to the well-studied seasonal cycles of mating and birth, there are also significant seasonal cycles of illness and death among many populations of mammas and birds in the field. Challenging winter conditions, such as low ambient temperatures and decreased food availability, can directly induce death via hypothermia, starvation or shock. In some cases, survival in demanding winter conditions puts individuals under great physiological stress, defined here as an adaptive process that results in elevated blood levels of glucocorticoids. The stress of coping with energetically demanding conditions can also indirectly cause illness and death by compromising immune function. Presumably, the increased blood concentrations of adrenocortical steroids in response to winter stressors compromise immune function and accelerate catabolic mechanisms in the field, although the physiological effects of elevated glucocorticoids induced by artificial stressors have been investigated primarily in the laboratory. However, recurrent environmental stressors could reduce survival if they evoke persistent glucocorticoid secretion. The working hypothesis of this article is that mechanisms have evolved in some animals to combat season stress-induced immunocompromise as a temporal adaptation to promote survival. Furthermore, we hypothesise that mechanisms have evolved that allow individuals to anticipate periods of immunologically challenging conditions. A review of the effects of photoperiod on immune system function in laboratory studies reveals that exposure to short day lengths enhances immune function in every species examined. Short day exposure in small mammals cause reproductive inhibition and concomitant reduction in plasma levels of prolactin and steroid hormones as well as alterations in the temporal pattern of pineal melatonin secretion. Conclusion: day length appears to affect immune function in many species, including animals that typically do not exhibit reproductive responsiveness to day length.

Participants judged contemporary personality descriptions of odd-numbered astrological Sun signs to be more favorable than descriptions of even-numbered signs. Those born with the Sun in an odd-numbered sign expressed more belief in astrology than those born under an even-numbered Sun sign. These findings suggest that one determinant of acceptance of astrology is the favorableness of the character analysis it offers. Implications for previous research on belief in astrology are discussed.

The Tu-Anima-Picture-Test (TUA-Test) has a history of more than 50 years. During that time the medical doctor, painter, astrologer and cosmobiologist Heinrich Reich
(1888-1961) meditated about ancient symbols in the sense of the archetypes (C. G. Jung) like Candle of Life, Alpha, Omega, Ring, Thistle, Corn (Grain), Snake. For us in the astrological world it will be especially striking that Reich meditated also about symbols as Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Trine, Square. This means 9 astrological symbols, one fourth of 36 pictures out of which the tests consists. Conclusion: continued use of the picture test in practice supports its value as a diagnostic tool in psychology.

This comment is an additional piece relatling to “Some Extreme Character Types” by Graham Douglas, an abstract of which can be found on this database. (See also “Developing the Geophysical Perspective” by the same author.)

Almost everything we do depends on our ability to remember the past. This experiment sought to contribute quantitative data exploring two issues concerning memory. Miller (1956) theorised that an average person can hold 7 chunks of information in STM. This experiment confirms that 7 is also the average when a distracter test pushes the learnt words into LTM.

This research also examines the possibility that the relationship between two planetary symbols, Neptune and Mercury, can indicate differences in ability to recall. The experimental hypothesis predicts impaired ability for those with a Mercury Neptune aspect in their horoscopes. However, the results showed the reverse to be the case, with the Mercury Neptune group achieving a mean average score of 8.27 compared to the other group`s score of 6.66 out of 20. The work of Westran (2001) provides an interesting reference, since he too produced results of significance when examining a correlation between Mercury Neptune aspects and police detectives.

It is therefore proposed that use of the astrological model of the universe could provide cognitive psychology with a new worldview from which to develop different perspectives for research.

With the advent of the personal computer and its tendency to discourage independent thought and manual calculation, the very idea of ‘the prenatal epoch’ might have long-since slipped into oblivion. However, the PNE has been revived by a number of software routines so it is time to remind interested researchers of a few of the pitfalls, the least of which is its assumed failure above latitudes 66½.

In this regard to the latter, the following endnote was appended to Global Horoscopes [Wackford, 2005].

“The semi-arc system provides for circumpolar Pre-natal Epochs because parts of the North/South Meridians can serve as edges of the 1st and 7th houses. Earlier writers (notably Charles Jayne) have suggested ad hoc use of the Meridian (or Prime Vertical) in cases where the Moon tenants a degree that cannot rise or set. Substitution of the Meridian is exactly what would occur under Placidus; but without the arbitrary component. Many astrologers, past and present, have not been convinced that there is any truth in the Pre-natal Epoch, though its complete theory does not appear to have been handed down. But if residents of the temperate zones were to have such a thing as a PNE, so then must Inuit and those born in Murmansk, etc.”

For reasons laid out below, the author has never enquired further into the Placidian solution to this problem.

In or about 1980 however, he calculated very many epoch charts, in order to confirm the worth or otherwise of pre-natal epoch theory and of Bailey’s additional rules. This investigation was occasioned at the time by the availability of accurate, ‘to-the-minute’(?) birth times as recorded by Americans’ birth certificates.

The writer soon tired of having to flip back and forth through Bailey’s instructions and instead devised the tables reproduced here.

This paper is a revision of an appendix to the late Dr. Margaret Millard’s The Moon and Childbirth (privately published) and is republished here, in part, to underscore the author’s opinion that the assertions ascribed to ‘Hermes Trismagistus1 are incomplete as they stand today.

The astrological classification system of polarities, elements and qualities is obviously of mathematical origin. It is based on the formula Nx mod 360 and Nx mod 30, respectively. It appears that after raising every individual degree of the circle (N) to a higher power and deducting the multiples of 360, the residual values show that only 14 configurations differing from each other are possible, as the constellations from the 3rd to the 14th power are repeated cyclically as of the 15th power onwards. It becomes evident that the whole Zodiac is interconnected like communicating tubes. Every sign contains all 4 elements, all 3 qualities and both polarities , but to a different percentage. All signs have more plus polarity than minus polarity. Only full degrees are considered contrary to Harmonics where also minutes and seconds are included and an interpretation of the underlying figure is done. A break-down of every degree into its components is available.

The classification system presently in use is a simplification as parts have been forgotten in the course of history. The presented method further could shed light on a number of questions like the composition of the 15th degree, the sign borders, etc. E.g. it becomes obvious that the 29th and 1st degrees of every sign are connected with every prime figure degree in every sign except for 3 and 5. The numerical strength of degrees may be judged according to the number of hits in the cyclic repetition.
The method has proven valuable, combined with traditional methods, in making correct predictions, e.g. in presidential elections, chart comparisons, etc.

An earlier article (Kollerstrom and Power, 2000) presented evidence that the full moon had an effect upon the fertility of thoroughbred mares (as used for breeding of racehorses).Here a further data-set from the same breeding station is here used to complement the original findings. These showed that there were peaks and troughs both in the likelihood of conception (‘fertility’) of the mares, and in the number of ‘coverings’ i.e. mating-pair events at the studfarm, at specific parts of the lunar month. The peak occurred around or just after the Full Moon. The data was taken from studbook records over fourteen consecutive years, 1986-1999 all from one single studfarm, in Newmarket UK. In all, 2318 mating-pair events are here examined. The results show that, while there is a dominant three-week rhythm in mare fertility that is endogenous, i.e. the estrus cycle, there is also a monthly, exogenous rhythm relating to the lunar cycle, which is significant for fertility and could be large enough to be of practical relevance. This article puts forward the evidence for this lunar-monthly effect.

The relevance of the golden ratio is presented in relation to the solar-llunar periods and the Jupiter Saturn cycles.

Eleven prison riot dates were examined to see if there were any associations between phases of the moon and incidence of riots. In this small exploratory study findings suggest a possible relationship between certain degree areas of the lunar cycle and incidence of rioting. Further research on larger samples is recommended.