This commentary focuses on whether the full set of categories is available to beginning L2 learners. After critiquing Epstein et al.'s experimental evidence for the presence of functional categories, I outline the results of an experiment involving English speakers learning Japanese as a second language that does indeed point toward the early presence of fuuctional categories.

Amino-terminal heteroacylation has been identified in retinal proteins including recoverin and α subunit of G-protein, transducin. The tissue-specific modification seems to mediate not only a proteinmembrane interaction but also a specific protein-protein interaction. The mechanism generating the heterogeneity and its physiological role are still unclear, but an interesting idea for the latter postulates a fine regulation of the signal transduction pathway by distinct N-acyl groups.

Face recognition is impaired in patients with prosopagnosia, which may occur as a side effect of neurosurgical procedures. Face selective regions on the ventral temporal cortex have been localized with electrical cortical stimulation, electrocorticography, and functional magnetic resonance imagining. This is the first group study using within-patient comparisons to validate face selective regions mapping, utilizing the aforementioned modalities. Five patients underwent surgical treatment of intractable epilepsy and joined the study. Subdural grid electrodes were implanted on their ventral temporal cortices to (...) localize seizure foci and face selective regions as part of the functional mapping protocol. Face selective regions were identified in all patients with fMRI, four patients with ECoG, and two patients with ECS. From 177 tested electrode locations in the region of interest, which is defined by the fusiform gyrus and the inferior temporal gyrus, 54 face locations were identified by at least one modality in all patients. fMRI mapping showed the highest detection rate, revealing 70.4% for face selective locations, whereas ECoG and ECS identified 64.8 and 31.5%, respectively. Thus, 28 face locations were co-localized by at least two modalities, with detection rates of 89.3% for fMRI, 85.7% for ECoG and 53.6 % for ECS. All five patients had no face recognition deficits after surgery, even though five of the face selective locations, one obtained by ECoG and the other four by fMRI, were within 10 mm to the resected volumes. Moreover, fMRI included a quite large volume artifact on the ventral temporal cortex in the ROI from the anatomical structures of the temporal base. In conclusion, ECS was not sensitive in several patients, whereas ECoG and fMRI even showed activation within 10 mm to the resected volumes. Considering the potential signal drop-out in fMRI makes ECoG the most reliable tool to identify face selective locations in this study. A multimodal approach can improve the specificity of ECoG and fMRI, while simultaneously minimizing the number of required ECS sessions. Hence, all modalities should be considered in a clinical mapping protocol entailing combined results of co-localized face selective locations. (shrink)

This paper examines the normative constraints that mass society places on movies and artistic animation. Benjamin’s ideas on audience control in relation to technical media products are used to highlight the specific limitation of animations. Because they are entirely created by the artist (without employing preexistent elements, such as in movies), they can more easily simplify the scheme of representation-intention, and be bearers of politically or morally acceptable messages.

While empathy is considered a critical determinant of the quality of medical care, growing evidence suggests it may be associated with both one’s own positive and negative moods among healthcare professionals. Meanwhile, sense of coherence plays an essential role in the improvement of both psychological and physical health. Reportedly, individual SOC reaches full stability after around age 30. The aim of this study was first to evaluate the mediatory role of SOC on the association between empathy and individual moods among (...) 114 healthcare professionals in a general hospital, and then to examine the moderating effect of age on this association. Participants completed a range of self-report demographic questionnaires, Empathy Process Scale, the 13-item Antonovsky’s SOC, and Profile of Mood States. Findings showed that SOC mediated the relations between empathy and both POMS-Vigor and POMS-Depression. Notably, moderated mediation analysis revealed that there was a significant interaction on self-vigor mood in healthcare professionals. The indirect effect of empathy on self-vigor mood through SOC was significant at over mean age “32.83.” Although there was no significant interaction with age regarding the indirect effect of empathy on self-depression mood, in the sub-category level analysis of empathy, we found a significant interaction item [age × empathy for other’s negative affect ] on SOC. This indirect effect was also significant at over mean age “32.83.” Taken, together, the current study highlighted the significant mediator of SOC on that empathy amplifies self-vigor mood and attenuates self-depression mood as a protective factor among the Japanese healthcare professionals. Some components of these processes may depend on the moderating role of age, indicating that we may need to consider the SOC development with age for more effective empathy performance interventions among healthcare professionals. (shrink)

1. Mono jitai no sonzai shōmei -- 2. Kazu no taishō to sono kiso -- 3. Kikagaku to ronri.

1. Oto, chinmoku to hakariaeru hodo ni ; Ki no kagami, sōgen no kagami -- 2. Ongaku no yohaku kara ; Ongaku o yobisamasu mono -- 3. Tōi yobigoe no kanata e ; Toki no entei ; Yume no in'yō -- 4. Oto, kotoba, ningen ; Opera o tsukuru -- 5. Yume to kazu ; Uta no tsubasa, kotoba no tsue.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1808-1711.2008v12n2p217 O presente ensaio fornece uma reconstrução do argumento de Strawson no capítulo 3 de Individuals , destacando um aspecto de sua análise que tem recebido relativamente pouca atenção na literatura: o papel atribuído à atitude “não-distanciada” ou “envolvida” em relação a outros sujeitos na constituição de uma consciência não-solipsista do mundo. Além disso, o ensaio apresenta algumas das principais linhas de desenvolvimento disponíveis para uma melhor articulação desse aspecto da análise strawsoniana, concluindo com a sugestão de que a principal (...) fraqueza do argumento defendido em Individuals poderia ser sanada a partir de uma maior atenção ao exame posterior, por parte de Strawson, das variedades de atitudes e sentimentos “reativos” para com outros sujeitos (sobretudo como este exame é apresentado no artigo “Freedom and Resentment”). (shrink)

Discutir métodos em filosofia não é algo comumente promovido em cursos de graduação. O filosofar, tal como se faz na academia, exige um tipo de escrita e linguagem próprias, uma técnica. Os empecilhos que os alunos enfrentam é uma realidade que muitos professores verificam em salas de aula e avaliações, sobretudo nos primeiros anos de curso. Em geral, as dificuldades manifestam-se tanto na escrita da dissertação filosófica, como no comentário filosófico. Tais dificuldades, entretanto, são sanadas com o auxílio do método (...) – que ensina ou indica possibilidades ao estudante – criando um percurso a ser efetuado para a elaboração, o desenvolvimento e a solução de um determinado problema. Assim, em Filosofia, o método apresentar-se-ia como uma proposta reflexiva e não dogmática ante um fenômeno observado no ensino e cuja importância é vital para a sobrevivência do filosofar: a reflexão e a escrita filosóficas. Motivada por esse problema, Jacqueline Russ escreveu a obra Les méthodes en philosophie, traduzido para o português em 2010 sob o título de Os métodos em filosofia. É interessante destacar que a obra foi composta com base na docência efetuada pela autora na França. Deste modo, semelhante aos manuais didáticos, o texto de Russ faz uma apresentação daquilo que seria uma teoria do método em filosofia, fornecendo, inclusive, técnicas de pesquisa e escrita filosóficas. Para tanto, fundamenta-se no pensamento de Descartes, Hegel e, por fim, na teoria retórica. Em Descartes, o método da análise e síntese é evocado como meio para se pensar conceitos filosóficos. Deste modo, o encadeamento lógico torna-se evidente, apresentando o caráter demonstrativo do texto. (shrink)