Shokutaku Jigoku Visions of Family Meals in Japanese Cinema

Cooking and dining scenes have been a ubiquitous presence in Japanese cinema since its inception, and the relationship between Japanese people and food has been frequently exploited to play out family dynamics, rites of passage, etc. Therefore, the dining room often becomes the place where drama unfolds in striking contrast with this supposedly safe environment. This paper focuses on three films where dining scenes are particularly relevant – Ozu Yasujirō’s The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice (1952), Morita Yoshimitsu’s The Family Game (1983) and Miike Takashi’s Visitor Q (2001) – in order to analyse how Japanese cinema has documented the transformation of family relations in time.

Dissecting the drivers of rural demographic decline: the case of the New England & North West region of New South Wales

Background In the contemporary academic literature, rural population decline has generally been regarded as a long-running and almost natural phenomenon. Aims This paper examines the complex temporal, spatial and cultural dynamics of the population of an inland, largely agriculturally-dependent rural region, the New South Wales New England & North West Statistical Division (SD), from the late 1990s to the 2016 Census. It investigates the key demographic processes that have driven the region’s spatially and temporally-uneven experiences of population change – including decline – over this tumultuous period, using these as portents of the regional population’s likely future trajectories. Data and methods The analysis draws on Australian Bureau of Statistics Census data for the SD’s population as a whole, and for the non-Indigenous and Indigenous segments of the population. Results The analysis identifies that a profound ageing process is underway across the entire region, is becoming more severe with the passing years, and leading to natural decrease for some Shires. However, the SD’s Indigenous population presents a striking contrast to the non-indigenous one, growing rapidly, increasing its share of the population and is a force for demographic rejuvenation. Conclusions The analysis reveals that a profound ageing process is underway across the entire SD and is becoming more severe with the passing years. The SD’s Indigenous population presents a striking contrast to the non-Indigenous, growing rapidly, increasing its share of the population – particularly in the western-most LGAs – and is a force for demographic rejuvenation.

Reconstructing the Origins of a Neuropeptide Signaling System Using the Accelerated Evolution of Biodiverse Cone Snail Venoms

Somatostatin and its related peptides (SSRPs) form a family of hormones with diverse physiological roles. The ubiquitous presence of SSRPs in vertebrates and several invertebrate deuterostomes suggests an ancient origin of the SSRP signaling system. However, the existence of SSRP genes outside of deuterostomes has not been established and the evolutionary history of this signaling system remains poorly understood. Our recent discovery of SSRP-like toxins (consomatins) in venomous marine cone snails (Conus) suggested the presence of a homologous signaling system in mollusks and potentially other protostomes. Here we identify the molluscan SSRP-like signaling gene that gave rise to the consomatin family. Following recruitment into venom, consomatin genes experience strong positive selection and repeated gene duplications resulting in the formation of a hyper-diverse family of venom peptides. Intriguingly, the largest number of consomatins was found in worm-hunting species (> 400 sequences), indicating a homologous system in annelids, another large protostome phylum. Comprehensive sequence mining enabled the identification of orthologous SSRP-like sequences (and their corresponding orphan receptor) in annelids and several other protostome phyla. These results establish the existence of SSRP-like sequences in many major branches of bilaterians, including xenacoelomorphs, a phylum believed to have emerged before the divergence of protostomes and deuterostomes, ~ 600 My ago. Finally, having a large set of predator-prey SSRP sequences available, we show that while the cone snail's signaling SSRP-like genes are under purifying selection, in striking contrast, the consomatin genes experience rapid directional selection to target receptors in a changing mix of prey.

Experimental observation of the origin and structure of elastoinertial turbulence

Turbulence generally arises in shear flows if velocities and hence, inertial forces are sufficiently large. In striking contrast, viscoelastic fluids can exhibit disordered motion even at vanishing inertia. Intermediate between these cases, a state of chaotic motion, “elastoinertial turbulence” (EIT), has been observed in a narrow Reynolds number interval. We here determine the origin of EIT in experiments and show that characteristic EIT structures can be detected across an unexpectedly wide range of parameters. Close to onset, a pattern of chevron-shaped streaks emerges in qualitative agreement with linear and weakly nonlinear theory. However, in experiments, the dynamics remain weakly chaotic, and the instability can be traced to far lower Reynolds numbers than permitted by theory. For increasing inertia, the flow undergoes a transformation to a wall mode composed of inclined near-wall streaks and shear layers. This mode persists to what is known as the “maximum drag reduction limit,” and overall EIT is found to dominate viscoelastic flows across more than three orders of magnitude in Reynolds number.

ГОЛОВНІ ТЕХНІКИ СТВОРЕННЯ ПОРТРЕТУ ГЕРОЯ У ХУДОЖНІЙ ЛІТЕРАТУРІ

Вступ. Філологічний аналіз словесних та художніх описів емоційного стану героїв може допомогти виявити ті якості, які сприяють характеристиці літературного персонажа та основної ідеї твору в цілому. Мета. Мета дослідження – пролити світло на мовно-стилістичні засоби, які сприятимуть створенню психологічного пор-трета головного героя в художньому тексті. Для виконання завдання потрібно з’ясувати найпотужніші прийоми, які використовує автор, і ґрунтовно пояснити наміри автора під час створення психологічного портрету головного героя або героїв роману.Методи. Перелік методів, що використовуються у дослідженні, різноманітний. Серед найбільш ефективних є метод індукції та метод синтезу. Контекстуальний аналіз мовних одиниць розглядається як надзвичайно важливий. Це дослідження має важливе значення з точки зору його практичного та теоретичного значення. Дослідження може бути практично використано для лінгвостилістичного аналізу художньої літератури.Результати. Майстерно зображені автором психологічні портрети протагоністів допомагають зрозуміти глибоку психологічну суть самого роману. Головною ідеєю твору є мотив дружби, на якому ґрунтується опис персонажів. Створюючи харак-теристики літературних образів, автор використав засіб опису середовища та емоцій головних героїв. Таким чином, психологічний портрет образу Джорджа та Ленні був створений за допомогою лінгвостилістичних засобів та поетичних прийомів. Щодо останніх, вони включали дискретний груповий портрет та опис природи, щоб підкреслити схожість характерів героїв, а також показати вражаючий контраст у їх зовнішності. Найчастіше використовуються лінгвостилістичні засоби: порівняння, персоніфікація, епітети, метафори та зооморфне порівняння.Висновки. Мовно-стилістичні засоби відіграють важливу роль у створенні психологічного портрета літературного персо-нажа. Мовна виразність і яскравість висловлювань досягається не лише завдяки виразним стилістичним та оцінно-стилістичним компонентам, а й тому, що слова і словосполучення можуть набувати переносних значень, бути частиною стилістичних фігур, що провокують створення образного значення. Для створення психологічного портрета використовуються різні мовно-стилістичні засоби, такі як епітет, метафора, метонімія, оксиморон та інші, які допомагають розкрити суть персонажів, роз-пізнати їхній внутрішній світ та спосіб їхнього мислення та дій.Ключові слова: психологічний портрет, літературний текст, стилістичні засоби, поетична мова, літературний герой. Introduction. The philological analysis of verbal and artistic descriptions of the characters’ emotional state can help profoundly identify those qualities that contribute to the characterization of the literary character and the main idea of the work as a whole.Purpose. The research aims to shed some light on the linguistic and stylistic means that will contribute to creating the psychological portrait of the main character in the literary text. To accomplish the task we need to figure out the most powerful techniques the author uses and thoroughly explain the intentions of the author while creating the psychological portrait of the personage.Methods. The list of methods used in the research is diverse. Amongst the most efficient are the method of induction and the method of synthesis. The contextual analysis of linguistic units is viewed yet as one of paramount importance. This study is important in terms of its practical and theoretical value. The research can be practically used to deal with linguostylistic analysis of the literature.Results. Skillfully written psychological portraits have been used to focus on deep psychological meaning of the novel “Of Mice and Men”. The main idea of the novel is the motive of friendship, on which the description of characters is based. Meanwhile, creating the personages’ characteristics, the author used the means of identifying the description of the environment and emotions of characters. Thus, the psychological portraits of the images of George and Lenny were created with the help of linguo-stylistic means and poetic devices. Regarding the latter, they included a discrete group portrait and a description of nature to emphasize the similarity of the characters of the heroes, as well as to show a striking contrast in their appearance. The most commonly used linguo-stylistic means are: comparison, personification, epithets, metaphors, and zoomorphic comparison.Conclusions. Linguistic and stylistic means play an important role in creating a psychological portrait of a literary character. Linguistic expressiveness and brightness of utterances are achieved not only due to expressive stylistic and evaluative-stylistic components, but also due to the fact that words and phrases can acquire figurative meanings, be part of stylistic figures that provoke the creation of figurative meaning. To create a psychological portrait, various linguistic and stylistic means are used, such as epithet, metaphor, metonymy, oxymoron and others, which help to reveal the essence of the characters, recognize their inner world and the way they think and act.Key words: psychological portrait, literary text, stylistic means, poetic language, literary personage.

Nucleotide proofreading functions by nematode RAD51 paralogs facilitate optimal RAD51 filament function

The RAD51 recombinase assembles as helical nucleoprotein filaments on single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and mediates invasion and strand exchange with homologous duplex DNA (dsDNA) during homologous recombination (HR), as well as protection and restart of stalled replication forks. Strand invasion by RAD51-ssDNA complexes depends on ATP binding. However, RAD51 can bind ssDNA in non-productive ADP-bound or nucleotide-free states, and ATP-RAD51-ssDNA complexes hydrolyse ATP over time. Here, we define unappreciated mechanisms by which the RAD51 paralog complex RFS-1/RIP-1 limits the accumulation of RAD-51-ssDNA complexes with unfavorable nucleotide content. We find RAD51 paralogs promote the turnover of ADP-bound RAD-51 from ssDNA, in striking contrast to their ability to stabilize productive ATP-bound RAD-51 nucleoprotein filaments. In addition, RFS-1/RIP-1 inhibits binding of nucleotide-free RAD-51 to ssDNA. We propose that ‘nucleotide proofreading’ activities of RAD51 paralogs co-operate to ensure the enrichment of active, ATP-bound RAD-51 filaments on ssDNA to promote HR.

Archaeal pseudomurein and bacterial murein cell wall biosynthesis share a common evolutionary ancestry

Bacteria near-universally contain a cell wall sacculus of murein (peptidoglycan), the synthesis of which has been intensively studied for over 50 years. In striking contrast, archaeal species possess a variety of other cell wall types, none of them closely resembling murein. Interestingly though, one type of archaeal cell wall termed pseudomurein found in the methanogen orders Methanobacteriales and Methanopyrales is a structural analogue of murein in that it contains a glycan backbone that is cross-linked by a L-amino acid peptide. Here, we present taxonomic distribution, gene cluster and phylogenetic analyses that confirm orthologues of 13 bacterial murein biosynthesis enzymes in pseudomurein-containing methanogens, most of which are distantly related to their bacterial counterparts. We also present the first structure of an archaeal pseudomurein peptide ligase from Methanothermus fervidus DSM1088 (Mfer336) to a resolution of 2.5 Å and show that it possesses a similar overall tertiary three domain structure to bacterial MurC and MurD type murein peptide ligases. Taken together the data strongly indicate that murein and pseudomurein biosynthetic pathways share a common evolutionary history.

Introduction

No philosophical dictum is better known than Descartes’s assertion about the intimate relation between thinking and existing. What remains unknown is how we are to understand the “I” who thinks and exists. This book is about the ways that the concept of an “I” or a “self” has been developed and deployed at different times in the history of western philosophy. It also offers a striking contrast case, the “interconnected” self, who appears in some expressions of African philosophy. Appealing to philosophy to illuminate the concept of a “self” may seem unnecessary. Anyone who can read this book is a self, so why ...

The Self

This book is about the ways that the concept of an ‘I’ or a ‘self’ has been developed at different times in the history of western philosophy; it also offers a striking contrast case, the ‘interconnected’ self, who appears in some expressions of African philosophy. If ‘human being’ is a biological classification, ‘I’ is a mental one. What I’s do is think. The most common theme across western accounts of ‘I’s that think’ is that they are self-conscious. A second theme (in the west) is that selves have unity: There is one self who recalls past experiences and anticipates future actions. Despite being self-conscious selves, it has proven difficult to say what a self is without paradox. Normally, the object of consciousness pre-exists the consciousness, but we cannot be a self without being self-conscious, so it seems that a self and the consciousness thereof must be coeval. How can we be self-aware and yet have no idea of what a self is? (It cannot just be a body, since a live human body might not be able to think.) The essays in this volume engage many philosophical resources—metaphysics, epistemology, phenomenology, philosophy of psychology and philosophy of language—to illuminate these puzzles. The Reflections present attempts to approach some aspects of these puzzles scientifically and also provide a sense of how central they are to human life.

Unravelling relativistic fermions in Weyl semimetal TaAs by magnetostriction measurements

In the topological semimetals, electrons in the vicinity of the Weyl or Dirac nodes behave like massless relativistic fermions that are of interest both for basic research and future electronic applications. Thus far, a detection of these Dirac or Weyl quasiparticles in topological semimetals is often elusive since in these materials, conventional charge carriers exist as well. Here, considering a prototype topological Weyl semimetal TaAs as an example, we show that when the massless quasiparticles reach the ultra-quantum limit, the magnetostriction of the semimetal is appreciably produced by the relativistic fermions. This field-induced expansion of TaAs measured along the [001] direction exhibits a weak dependence on the magnetic-field orientation and is in striking contrast to the magnetostriction measured along the [100] axis. The latter quantity experiences immense changes from large positive to large negative values with minute deviations of the applied field from the [001] direction. Employing a rigid-band approximation, we work out a theory of the magnetostriction for the Weyl semimetals and point out the features of this thermodynamic probe that can serve as hallmarks of the Weyl quasiparticles. Using the theory, we quantitatively describe a part of the obtained experimental data and find a number of the parameters characterizing TaAs. The derived dependence of the Fermi level on the magnetic field should be also relevant to understanding some other field-dependent properties of this topological semimetal, in particular, the negative longitudinal magnetoresistance. Our results illustrate how a magnetostriction may be used to unveil Weyl fermions in topological semimetals with a noncetrosymmetric crystal structure.