7,995 research outputs found
The sense of a beginning : Bakhtinian dialogic criticism on 'the gospel' in Mark.
Full text linkContemporary literary approaches have caused paradigm shifts in Biblical Studies in the last two decades as it appears in a great deal of Markan studies using narrative, reader-response, deconstructive, feminist, and new historicist approaches. However, literary studies on the Gospel of Mark have not taken into account theoretical questions underlying those approaches. As a result biblical critics are driven by new trends without ever having a chance to examine the critical baggage of the approaches. Consequently, there is a gap of communication between the old and the new one. Therefore this thesis is an attempt to meet the need of enhancing the quality of critical endeavour in biblical studies. In the light of most recent competing critical theories of literature, the first contribution of this thesis is the methodological finding that Bakhtinian dialogic criticism contains the most profound philosophical and practical foundations for solving some crucial theoretical problems in contemporary literary theories. It is a critique to a Saussurian linguistic system of language which becomes the very foundation of modern and postmodern literary criticism. Bakhtinian literary theory shifts the foundation of literary criticism on linguistic signs into the creative activity of the socio-cultural production of human communication. The shift into socio-cultural reality of language communication makes the notion of 'genre' very important to unlock the problem of text and context in literary studies. Since the Gospel of Mark has fascinated most literary critics in Biblical Studies, the problem of 'genre' of this gospel is chosen as the focus of this study. Secondly, as no agreement is reached as to what 'genre' the Gospel of Mark belongs, this thesis makes its contribution to the discussion by locating the problem of 'genre' of Mark in the context of genre theories and argues that the Bakhtinian suggestion to find genre in the socio-cultural sphere by analysing artistic intercourse between narrative agents in Mark has freed the competing analysis from the unresolved problem between the kerygmatic (content oriented) approach and the analogical (form oriented) approach. To achieve finding 'genre' in the socio-cultural sphere, this thesis focuses on Bakhtinian analysis of the process of artistic intercourse between narrative agents. The narrative communicative interrelationships between narrative agents is constructed in this thesis as a 'stereophonic' Bakhtinian model of dialogic communication. This model is an original contribution of this thesis for revising the traditional two dimensional model of narrative communication. Based on this dialogical model of communication, a special role is given to the Bakhtinian 'author-creator' in the realization process of genre through the interaction of polyphonic voices. Through the interaction of voices of the author-artist and the hero we are led to discover a relatively stable type of portraying and controlling reality in Mark, known as the genre of Roman 'satire'. The closest literary affinity is Satyrica by Petronius. This narrative strategy of 'satire' in Mark has its root in the prophetic discourse of the Old Testament which is saturating the speech of the narrator, John the Immerser, the centurion, the people, and even Jesus. Finally, the whole search for Markan 'genre' culminates in the analysis of the realization of genre through the analysis of Bakhtinian chronotope. The reality of the genre of Mark is its social reality that is in its role as dpxrj/ 'beginning'. As the Gospel of Mark proclaims itself as 'a beginning', it defines its claim of socio-cultural 'authority' in early Christianity. It is this 'sense of beginning' which enables the narrating and the narrated world of Mark to interact dialogically
Well-known trade mark protection: confusion in EU and Japan
No full textIn this thesis concerning the protection of well-known trade marks against confusion in the European Community Trade Mark (CTM) and Japanese trademark systems, the author critically considers the difficulties in comprehensively defining ‘well-known trade mark’ in the relevant international trade mark instruments. After critical analysis of various definitions of both ‘trade mark’ and ‘well-known trade mark’, she undertakes a comparison of the definitions of the parallel concepts of ‘trade mark of repute’ and ‘syuchi-syohyo’, and also undertakes an assessment as to the extent to which these trade marks are protected against confusion and kondo in the CTM and Japanese systems, respectively. It is concluded that the protection of well- known trade marks against confusion in the CTM and Japan cannot be said to be completely clear, and the author identifies some areas for legal refor
The Gospel on the Margins: The Ideological Function of the Patristic Tradition on the Evangelist Mark
Full text linkIn spite of the virtually unanimous patristic opinion that the evangelist Mark was the interpreter of Peter, one of the most prestigious apostolic founding figures in Christian memory, the Gospel of Mark was mostly neglected in the patristic period. Not only is the text of Mark the least well represented of the canonical Gospels in terms of the number of patristic citations, commentaries and manuscripts, the explicit comments about the evangelist Mark reveal some ambivalence about its literary or theological value. In my survey of the reception of Mark from Papias of Hierapolis until Clement of Alexandria, I will argue that the reason why the patristic writers were hesitant to embrace the Gospel of Mark was that they perceived the text to be amenable to the Christological beliefs and social praxis of rival Christian factions. The patristic tradition about Mark may have little historical basis, but it had an important ideological function in appropriating the text in the name of an apostolic authority from the margins or periphery
The importance of serine 776 in Ataxin-1 partner selection: A FRET Analysis
Full text linkAnomalous expansion of a polymorphic tract in Ataxin-1 causes the autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia type 1. In addition to polyglutamine expansion, requirements for development of pathology are phosphorylation of serine 776 in Ataxin-1 and nuclear localization of the protein. The phosphorylation state of serine 776 is also crucial for selection of the Ataxin-1 multiple partners. Here, we have used FRET for an in cell study of the interaction of Ataxin-1 with the spliceosome-associated U2AF65 and the adaptor 14-3-3 proteins. Using wild-type Ataxin-1 and Ser776 mutants to a phosphomimetic aspartate and to alanine, we show that U2AF65 binds Ataxin-1 in a Ser776 phosphorylation independent manner whereas 14-3-3 interacts with phosphorylated wild-type Ataxin-1 but not with the mutants. These results indicate that Ser776 acts as the molecular switch that discriminates between normal and aberrant function and that phosphomimetics is not a generally valid approach whose applicability should be carefully validated.</p
Early presynaptic and late postsynaptic components contribute independently to Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor-induced synaptic plasticity
No full textTrophin-induced synaptic plasticity consists of both presynaptic and postsynaptic processes. The potential interdependence of these mechanisms and their temporal relationships are undefined. The synaptic vesicle protein Rab3A is required for the early, initial 10 min phase, but not for the later phase of BDNF-enhanced transmission. We now examine the temporal distinction and mechanistic relationships between these phases of BDNF action. Rab3A mutant cells did not exhibit increased mEPSC frequency in response to BDNF in cell culture, indicating absence of the presynaptic component. In contrast, BDNF enhanced post-synaptic glutamate-induced current in the mutant neurons as in the wildtype, indicating that the postsynaptic component of the response was intact. Finally, the postsynaptic NMDA receptor subunit NR2B was phosphorylated at Tyr1472 by BDNF in Rab3A knockouts, as previously shown in wildtype. Our results are the first to demonstrate that presynaptic and postsynaptic components of BDNF-enhanced synaptic activity are independent and temporally distinct.Peer reviewe
EXCHANGE-RATES FORECASTING: EXPONENTIAL SMOOTHING TECHNIQUES AND ARIMA MODELS
Full text linkThe exchange rate reflects the ratio at which one currency can be exchanged with another currency, namely the ratio of currency prices. The relevant literature implies, by the purchasing power parity theory, that in the long-run exchange rates converge to an equilibrium level. The question that arises is related to the behavior in the short-term of the exchange rates, and how these fluctuations might affect the financial market players, the investors as well as those directly influenced by changes in the exchange rate In this study we want to highlight the methods for exchange rate forecasting, using the exchange rates of Romanian Leu versus the most important currencies in terms of international trade, namely the Euro, United States Dollar, British Pound, Japanese Yen, Chinese Renminbi and the Russian Ruble. The relevant literature on currency forecasting issues includes a wide range of methods, the majority concentrating on models that are based on the random walk hypothesis in forecasting exchange rates, respectively those based on macroeconomic indicators. (Chinn and Meese:1995), (Mark:1995) (Hwang: 2001) consider the last ones more efficient, while (Meese and Rogof: 1983), (Goldberg and Frydman: 1996) indicate that the models based on the random walk hypothesis are superior. Others, like (Marsh and Power:1996), (Kilian and Taylor: 2001), (Zhang, Simoff and Debenham: 2006) use hybrid models. In the literature both types of models are used, but in the long-term the models based on macroeconomic indicators outperform those based on random walk, while in the short-term a more efficient predictability is achieved by the models based on random walk. To forecast the exchange rates the single exponential smoothing technique, double exponential smoothing technique, Holt -Winters simple exponential smoothing technique, Holt -Winters multiplicative exponential smoothing technique, Holt -Winters additive exponential smoothing technique namely the the autoregressive integrated moving average models were used. The forecasting results were measured by the indicators: Sum of squared errors, Root mean squared error, Mean absolute error, Bias Proportion, Variance Proportion, Covariance Proportion and the Theil Inequality Coefficient. All the results indicate the apreciation of the Romanian Leu against the other currencies. In the case of the first five forecast techniques the results are similar, from the point of view of the forecast coefficients, which points out that the optimal models were found. The exponential smoothing techniques in some cases outperform the ARIMA models, because of the speed eith which they addapt to the smallest changes to the market conditions. In addition, the ARIMA models present some difficulties in estimating and validating the model, are more effective in rendering the medium-term trend, in our case 4 months. So these models show the changes in trend, while the forecasting models based on exponential smoothing techniques are an effective tool for those interested in the evolution of the exchange rate. This work was possible with the financial support of the Sectoral Operational Programme for Human Resources Development 2007-2013, co-financed by the European Social Fund, under the project number POSDRU/107/1.5/S/77946 with the title "Doctorate: an Attractive Research Career ".Forecasting, Simple Exponential Smoothing, Double Exponential Smoothing, Holt-Winters Additive, Holt-Winters Multiplicative
Should i publish in an open access journal?
No full textAn “author pays” publishing model is the only fair way to make biomedical research findings accessible to all, say Matthew Kurien and David S Sanders, but James J Ashton and R Mark Beattie worry that it can lead to bias in the evidence base towards commercially driven results
Incomprehension or resistance? : the Markan disciples and the narrative logic of Mark 4:1—8:30
No full textThe characterization of the Markan disciples has been and continues to be the object of much scholarly reflection and speculation. For many, the Markan author’s presentation of Jesus’ disciples holds a key, if not the key, to unlocking the purpose and function of the gospel as a whole. Commentators differ as to whether the Markan disciples ultimately serve a pedagogical or polemical function, yet they are generally agreed that the disciples in Mark come off rather badly, especially when compared to their literary counterparts in Matthew, Luke, and John.
This narrative-critical study considers the characterization of the Markan disciples within the Sea Crossing movement (Mark 4:1–8:30). While commentators have, on the whole, interpreted the disciples’ negative characterization in this movement in terms of lack of faith and/or incomprehension, neither of these, nor a combination of the two, fully accounts for the severity of language leveled against the disciples by the narrator (6:52) and Jesus (8:17–18). Taking as its starting point an argument by Jeffrey B. Gibson (1986) that the harshness of Jesus’ rebuke in Mark 8:14–21 is occasioned not by the disciples’ lack of faith or incomprehension but by their active resistance to his Gentile mission, this investigation uncovers additional examples of the disciples’ resistance to Gentile mission, offering a better account of their negative portrayal within the Sea Crossing movement and helping explain many of their other failures.
In short, this study argues that in Mark 4:1–8:26, the disciples are characterized as resistant to Jesus’ Gentile mission and to their participation in that mission, the chief consequence being that they are rendered incapable of recognizing Jesus’ vocational identity as Israel’s Messiah (Thesis A). This leads to a secondary thesis, namely, that in Mark 8:27–30, Peter’s recognition of Jesus’ messianic identity indicates that the disciples have finally come to accept Jesus’ Gentile mission and their participation in it (Thesis B).
“Chapter One: Introduction” offers a selective review of scholarly treatments of the Markan disciples, which shows that few scholars attribute resistance, let alone purposeful resistance, to the disciples.
“Chapter Two: The Rhetoric of Repetition” introduces the methodological tools, concepts, and perspectives employed in the study. It includes a section on narrative criticism, which focuses upon the story-as-discoursed and the implied author and reader, and a section on Construction Grammar, a branch of cognitive linguistics founded by Charles Fillmore and further developed by Paul Danove, which focuses upon semantic and narrative frames and case frame analysis.
“Chapter Three: The Sea Crossing Movement, Mark 4:1–8:30” addresses the question of Markan structure and argues that Mark 4:1–8:30 comprises a single, unified, narrative movement, whose action and plot is oriented to the Sea of Galilee and whose most distinctive feature is the network of sea crossings that transport Jesus and his disciples back and forth between Jewish and Gentile geopolitical spaces.
Following William Freedman, “Chapter Four: The Literary Motif” introduces two criteria (frequency and avoidability) for determining objectively what constitutes a literary motif and provides the methodological basis and starting point for the analyses performed in chapters five and six.
“Chapter Five: The Sea Crossing Motif” establishes and then carries out a lengthy narrative analysis of the Sea Crossing motif, which is oriented around Mark’s use of θάλασσα (thalassa) and πλοῖον (ploion), and “Chapter Six: The Loaves Motif” does the same for The Loaves motif, oriented around Mark’s use of ἄρτος (artos).
Finally, “Chapter Seven: The Narrative Logic of the Disciples (In)comprehension” draws together all narrative, linguistic, and exegetical insights of the previous chapters and offers a single coherent reading of the Sea Crossing movement that establishes Theses A and B.
Rab3A is required for brain-derived neurotrophic factor-induced synaptic plasticity: transcriptional analysis at the population and single-cell levels
No full textBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) modulates synaptic strength in hippocampal neurons, in addition to promoting survival and differentiation. To identify genes involved in trophic regulation of synaptic plasticity, we have used a multidisciplinary approach of differential display and family-specific slot blots in combination with whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of dissociated hippocampal neurons. Three hour exposure to BDNF elicited a 2.6-fold increase in synaptic charge and a concomitant induction of 11 genes as revealed by differential display, including the small GTP-binding vesicular trafficking protein Rab3A and the enzymeguanylate cyclase (GC). Slot blot analysis on a population of neurons confirmed an average of 3.1-fold induction of these clones. In contrast, individual pyramidal-like neurons that were first characterized electrophysiologically in the presence of BDNF and subjected to transcriptional analysis displayed more robust increases (4.8-fold), emphasizing the neuronal heterogeneity. Transcriptional changes of Rab3A and GC were accompanied by translational regulation, shown by Western blot analysis. Furthermore, a number of GC-associated and Rab3A effector molecules were induced by BDNF at either the gene or protein levels. The functional role of Rab3A in BDNF-induced synaptic plasticity was assessed using cells derived from Rab3A knock-out mice. These neurons failed to show an increase in synaptic charge in response to BDNF at 10 min; however a late response to BDNF was detected at 20 min. This late response was similar in time course to that induced by postsynaptic activation of glutamate receptors. Our results demonstrate a requirement for Rab3A and may reveal a temporal distinction between presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms of BDNF-induced synaptic plasticity associated with learning and memory.Peer reviewe
Supplemental material for Cardiopulmonary remodeling in fattened beef cattle: a naturally occurring large animal model of obesity-associated pulmonary hypertension with left heart disease
No full textSupplemental Material for Cardiopulmonary remodeling in fattened beef cattle: a naturally occurring large animal model of obesity-associated pulmonary hypertension with left heart disease by Greta M. Krafsur, Joseph M. Neary, Franklyn Garry, Timothy Holt, Daniel H. Gould, Gary L. Mason, Milton G. Thomas, R. Mark Enns, Rubin M. Tuder, Michael P. Heaton, R. Dale Brown and Kurt R. Stenmark in Pulmonary Circulation</p
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