To save from oblivion : thoroughness as the (not only) aesthetic value

The aim of the paper is to stress that in the crisis of verbality observed specially in mass communication there is an urgent need for changing the direction of the discussion about the aesthetic value of verbal texts which is in progress in philological community. The change proposed is that the priority should be given to intellectual value manifested by the gradual category which could be named for the purposes of presented considerations as the thoroughness of the text. The novelty lies in the fact that the thoroughness of the verbal content is viewed in the context of a possible application to detect AI-generated text which is the real challenge posed to the 21st century communication researchers

Explicitation : phenomenon → concept → term from the perspective of the methodology of propositional syntax : a linguistic contribution to the dispute over translation universals

Celem artykułu jest wykazanie, iż warto dokonać komparatystycznej inwentaryzacji zapleczy pojęciowoterminologicznych przekładoznawstwa i lingwistycznych badań nad tekstem. Punktem wyjścia takiej operacji winno być dążenie do konfrontacji stosowanych metajęzyków w ramach dyskursów naukowych obu obszarów badawczych pod kątem identyfikacji wspólnych kategorii pojęciowych i eliminacji sprzecznych z kluczowym w analizie tekstu założeniem oddzielania płaszczyzny formy od płaszczyzny treści założeń metodologicznych. Pozwoliłoby to na wypracowanie wartości dodanej w postaci wspólnej płaszczyzny komunikacji do wymiany doświadczeń badawczych, której istnienie wydaje się konieczne dla rozwoju obu dyscyplin. Wątkiem empirycznym w prezentowanych rozważaniach jest – stosownie do ich tytułu – wykazanie przy pomocy aparatu metodologicznego składni predykatowo-argumentowej amorficzności stosowanego w badaniach przekładoznawczych terminu „eksplicytacja” i propozycja doprecyzowania odpowiadającej mu kategorii pojęciowej.The article aims to demonstrate that it is worthwhile to carry out a comparative analysis of the conceptual and terminological inventories of translatology and text linguistics. The inquiry should start by juxtaposing the metalanguages used in the research within these two areas of study, with a view to identifying conceptual categories common to both fields and eliminating those methodological assumptions which contradict the key assumption of text analysis, i.e. the separation of the plane of form from the plane of content. Through this it would be possible to achieve an added value by establishing a common ground for sharing research experiences, which appears to be the sine qua non for the development of both disciplines. The empirical strand of the article consists in demonstrating – with the help of the methodological apparatus of predicate-argument syntax – the amorphousness of the term ‘explicitation’ used in translation studies and in outlining a proposal for defining more precisely the conceptual category associated with the term

A mutation in the mitochondrial fission gene Dnm1l leads to cardiomyopathy

Mutations in a number of genes have been linked to inherited dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, such mutations account for only a small proportion of the clinical cases emphasising the need for alternative discovery approaches to uncovering novel pathogenic mutations in hitherto unidentified pathways. Accordingly, as part of a large-scale N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea mutagenesis screen, we identified a mouse mutant, Python, which develops DCM. We demonstrate that the Python phenotype is attributable to a dominant fully penetrant mutation in the dynamin-1-like (Dnm1l) gene, which has been shown to be critical for mitochondrial fission. The C452F mutation is in a highly conserved region of the M domain of Dnm1l that alters protein interactions in a yeast two-hybrid system, suggesting that the mutation might alter intramolecular interactions within the Dnm1l monomer. Heterozygous Python fibroblasts exhibit abnormal mitochondria and peroxisomes. Homozygosity for the mutation results in the death of embryos midway though gestation. Heterozygous Python hearts show reduced levels of mitochondria enzyme complexes and suffer from cardiac ATP depletion. The resulting energy deficiency may contribute to cardiomyopathy. This is the first demonstration that a defect in a gene involved in mitochondrial remodelling can result in cardiomyopathy, showing that the function of this gene is needed for the maintenance of normal cellular function in a relatively tissue-specific manner. This disease model attests to the importance of mitochondrial remodelling in the heart; similar defects might underlie human heart muscle disease

Pitx2 confers left morphological, molecular, and functional identity to the sinus venosus myocardium

AIMS: The sinus venous myocardium, comprising the sinoatrial node (SAN) and sinus horns (SH), is a region subject to congenital malformations and cardiac arrhythmias. It differentiates from symmetric bilateral mesenchymal precursors, but morphological, molecular, and functional left/right differences are progressively established through development. The role of the laterality gene Pitx2 in this process is unknown. We aimed to elucidate the molecular events driving left/right patterning in the sinus venosus (SV) myocardium by using a myocardial Pitx2 knockout mouse. METHODS AND RESULTS: We generated a myocardial specific Pitx2 knockout model (cTP mice). cTP embryos present several features of Pitx2 null, including right atrial isomerism with bilateral SANs and symmetric atrial entrance of the systemic veins. By in situ hybridization and optical mapping analysis, we compared throughout development the molecular and functional properties of the SV myocardium in wt and mutant embryos. We observed that Pitx2 prevents the expansion of the left-SAN primordium at the onset of its differentiation into myocardium; Pitx2 promotes expansion of the left SH through development; Pitx2 dose-dependently represses the autorhythmic properties of the left SV myocardium at mid-gestation (E14.5); Pitx2 modulates late foetal gene expression at the left SH-derived superior caval vein. CONCLUSION: Pitx2 drives left/right patterning of the SV myocardium through multiple developmental steps. Overall, Pitx2 plays a crucial functional role by negatively modulating a nodal-type programme in the left SV myocardium

Maternal iron deficiency perturbs embryonic cardiovascular development in mice.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common class of human birth defects, with a prevalence of 0.9% of births. However, two-thirds of cases have an unknown cause, and many of these are thought to be caused by in utero exposure to environmental teratogens. Here we identify a potential teratogen causing CHD in mice: maternal iron deficiency (ID). We show that maternal ID in mice causes severe cardiovascular defects in the offspring. These defects likely arise from increased retinoic acid signalling in ID embryos. The defects can be prevented by iron administration in early pregnancy. It has also been proposed that teratogen exposure may potentiate the effects of genetic predisposition to CHD through gene-environment interaction. Here we show that maternal ID increases the severity of heart and craniofacial defects in a mouse model of Down syndrome. It will be important to understand if the effects of maternal ID seen here in mice may have clinical implications for women

Starting Day Care in Espoo from the Viewpoint of Chinese Parents

The thesis is a small-scale evaluative research. The day care start folder, which provided practical and detailed information about starting Finnish day care to support multicultural parents in Otaniemi day-care centre and Servin-Maija day-care centre, was assessed among nine Chinese parents of children in five municipal and outsourced day-care centres in the City of Espoo. The purposes of the current research were to find out how Chinese parents perceive starting day care in the City of Espoo and their difficulties and suggestions concerning starting day care in the City of Espoo; to evaluate how the day care start folder is experienced as a working method in opinion of Chinese parents living in the City of Espoo; and to further improve the day care start folder as a working method for multicultural families and personnel in Otaniemi day-care centre and possibly for other day-care centres in the similar situation. Two types of interview, namely semi-structured individual interview and focus group interview, were utilised as the primary qualitative data-collecting methods in the current research. In addition, questionnaire as an assistant quantitative data-collecting method was employed as well to ensure verification of the consistency of the data, and supplement the abundance of the narrative data collected from interviews. The qualitative data gathered from the six interviews was coded, categorised and analysed in accordance with the method of content analysis. The results showed that the participating Chinese parents basically concerned about the information on starting day care; their child’s language learning; their communication and cooperation with day-care staff; cultures, religions and festivals; playing, learning and friends; child protection and legislation and so forth. Furthermore, these Chinese parents also put forward some important problems and suggestions on Finnish day care, such as problems caused by cultural differences, different opinions on learning by playing and Finnish as a second language-teaching, difficulties to obtain enough English information about Finnish day care, and the lack of mediums for foreign families to receive help concerning Finnish day care. In addition, these Chinese parents perceived the day care start folder as useful and adequate. The results based on the questionnaires supported and verified the results generated from the qualitative data analysis

Maternal iron deficiency perturbs embryonic cardiovascular development in mice

Funder: Novo Nordisk; doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100004191Funder: National Heart Foundation of Australia (Heart Foundation); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100001030Funder: NSW Health; doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100009287Funder: Oxford University | John Fell Fund, University of Oxford (John Fell OUP Research Fund); doi: https://doi.org/10.13039/501100004789Funder: The Federated FoundationAbstract: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common class of human birth defects, with a prevalence of 0.9% of births. However, two-thirds of cases have an unknown cause, and many of these are thought to be caused by in utero exposure to environmental teratogens. Here we identify a potential teratogen causing CHD in mice: maternal iron deficiency (ID). We show that maternal ID in mice causes severe cardiovascular defects in the offspring. These defects likely arise from increased retinoic acid signalling in ID embryos. The defects can be prevented by iron administration in early pregnancy. It has also been proposed that teratogen exposure may potentiate the effects of genetic predisposition to CHD through gene–environment interaction. Here we show that maternal ID increases the severity of heart and craniofacial defects in a mouse model of Down syndrome. It will be important to understand if the effects of maternal ID seen here in mice may have clinical implications for women

The beginning or from the beginning? : lexical semantics in the context of the so-called "empirical turn" in the 21st century linguistics

The paper explores the issue of the development of semantics under the circumstances of „the new linguistic thinking”, which promotes the idea of semantics without borders, and the so-called „empirical-turn” in linguistic investigation. The uncritical fascination with corpus-data, which could be considered as a natural reaction against the promotion of subject-oriented nature of meaning, leads to the substitution of the quest for meaning for the statistical data. On the other hand, the idea of „no borders” endangers the autonomy of semantics as a science. The paper explores the issue of the development of semantics under the circumstances of „the new linguistic thinking”, which promotes the idea of semantics without borders, and the so-called „empirical-turn” in linguistic investigation. The uncritical fascination with corpus-data, which could be considered as a natural reaction against the promotion of subject-oriented nature of meaning, leads to the substitution of the quest for meaning for the statistical data. On the other hand, the idea of „no borders” endangers the autonomy of semantics as a science