Major Motifs Research Articles

Enhancing the global and local robustness of networks: A network motif-based approach

In the real world, both natural and artificial networks, may experience degradation or failure due to faults or external perturbations, which may negatively impact people's lives. Therefore, optimizing network robustness to maintain functionality under such conditions is a crucial research area. With the deepening of network robustness research, more and more studies have found that the local robustness of networks is related to network motifs. Considering the optimization of the robustness based on the global network properties (global robustness) and local robustness of the network, this paper proposes a motif-based edge rewiring algorithm (MBER), which includes the Edge Selection Algorithm, Edge Rewiring Algorithm, Simplified Calculation Algorithm for the Number of Major Network Motifs and Adjusted Nondominated Sorting Algorithm. We optimize four synthetic networks and four real-world networks using MBER and four other optimization algorithms, respectively. The results demonstrate that the MBER algorithm is more effective in enhancing the global and local robustness of networks. Additionally, we analyse the time complexity of MBER and four other optimization algorithms, revealing that the MBER algorithm exhibits the highest time complexity due to its consideration of local robustness. This paper can provide a reference for enhancing the robustness of real-world networks more comprehensively and enriches the research on network robustness enhancement.

Short Repeat Ribonucleic Acid Reduces Cytotoxicity by Preventing the Aggregation of TDP-43 and Its 25 KDa Carboxy-Terminal Fragment.

TAR DNA/RNA-binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) proteinopathy is a hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in which cytoplasmic aggregates containing TDP-43 and its C-terminal fragments, such as TDP-25, are observed in degenerative neuronal cells. However, few reports have focused on small molecules that can reduce their aggregation and cytotoxicity. Here, we show that short RNA repeats of GGGGCC and AAAAUU are aggregation suppressors of TDP-43 and TDP-25. TDP-25 interacts with these RNAs, as well as TDP-43, despite the lack of major RNA-recognition motifs using fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy. Expression of these RNAs significantly decreases the number of cells harboring cytoplasmic aggregates of TDP-43 and TDP-25 and ameliorates cell death by TDP-25 and mislocalized TDP-43 without altering the cellular transcriptome of molecular chaperones. Consequently, short RNA repeats of GGGGCC and AAAAUU can maintain proteostasis by preventing the aggregation of TDP-43 and TDP-25.

Abstract P455: Integrins play a role in stress relaxation of perivascular adipose tissue

Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) is well known for being anti-contractile (reducing potency, maximum) in healthy tissues. We discovered a new function of PVAT, the ability to stress relax in response to a stretch. This is of note because stress relaxation has been attributed largely to smooth muscle, of which PVAT has none that is organized in a functional layer. Here we test the hypothesis that stress relaxation depends on the interactions of the cell membrane delimited heterodimer integrins with collagen. Our model is the thoracic aorta of the male Dahl SS rat on a normal diet. The PVAT and aorta were physically separated for most assays. Results from snRNA seq in PVAT, histochemistry and isometric contractility were used. Collagen was evident in PVAT as stained by Masson Trichrome. snRNA seq of whole PVAT determined expression of many collagen isoforms and integrins, with mRNA for both the α1 and β1 integrin being most highly expressed. Isolated aortic rings and separated PVAT were challenged with 2 or 4 grams of passive tension. Pharmacological inhibition of integrin/collagen interaction was effected by the specific α1β1 distintegrin obtustatin (5 uM) or general inhibitor RGD peptide (1 mM). RGD peptide but not obtustatin reduced the ability of the isolated PVAT ring to maintain applied tone at both the 2 and 4 gram challenge (~15% gain in relaxation/loss of tone, figure ). By contrast, stress relaxation in the aorta itself was not reduced by either inhibitor. In addition to a1b1 and collagen interaction, cell-cell communication inference identified integrins av and a5, two major RGD motif containing isoforms, as potential partners of collagens with fibroblast-like cells most likely involved. Collectively, these findings validate that stress relaxation can occur in a non-smooth muscle tissue, doing so at least in part through integrin-collagen interactions that may not include α1β1 heterodimers. The importance of this lies in considering PVAT as a vascular layer that possesses mechanical functions.

A Comprehensive View of Subaltern ‘Consciousness’

In the academic and scholarly realm, the word ‘Subaltern Studies’ has attracted widespread interest for discourses on South Asian and the post-colonial world few decades ago. The major motif of subaltern studies has been to challenge the conventional metanarratives in history by hegemonic communities and goes hand in glove with post-colonial discussions of the empire writing ack to the imperial power centers. One comes across the dominance of the subaltern in the master- slave relationships of Hegel, the blacks’ rebellion in Frantz Fanon, the east-west polarities in Edward Said, and the duality of ‘otherness’ of Homi Bhabha, and the voiceless subaltern in Spivak. In this process, the rise of ‘new’ subaltern comes into play and means one who resists or revolts.

ANALYZING RAGHU RAI'S PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPEDITION AND CULTURAL HERITAGE PRESERVATION IN INDIA

For many years, famous photographer Raghu Rai has used his camera to capture the spirit of India. His work has received widespread acclaim for its artistry, originality, and capacity to convey the nation's rich, varied cultural past. The goal of this analysis is to shed light on Raghu Rai's photographic journey and examine the major topics and motifs that characterize his distinctive aesthetic. In the study, Raghu Rai's efforts to safeguard India's cultural heritage for future generations are also emphasized. The study consults a variety of sources, such as the photographer's interviews, reviews of his work, and pertinent academic literature. This review highlights Raghu Rai's contributions to the field of photography as well as his work to protect and advance India's cultural heritage for future generations. Raghu Rai's distinctive aesthetic is marked by his keen eye for capturing the essence of Indian culture and traditions. His photographs often depict the vibrancy and diversity of the country, showcasing its rich heritage and timeless beauty. Through his work, Rai not only documents India's cultural legacy but also plays a crucial role in preserving it for future generations to appreciate and cherish. By highlighting Rai's significant contributions to photography and the preservation of India's cultural heritage, this study honors his tireless efforts to protect the country's cultural heritage.

Sustainable production of triazoles from lignin major motifs.

An efficiently catalyzed synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant 1,2,3-trazoles from renewable resources is highly desirable. However, due to incompatible catalysis conditions, this endeavor remained challenging so far. Herein, a practical access protocol to 1,2,3-triazoles, starting from lignin phenolic β-O-4 with γ-OH group utilizing a vanadium-based catalyst is presented. A broad substrate scope reaching up to 97 % yield of 1,2,3-triazoles are obtained. The reaction pathway includes selective cleavage of double C-O bonds, cycloaddition, and dehydrogenation. Mechanistic studies and density-functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the V-based complex acts as a bifunctional catalyst for both selective C-O bonds cleavage and dehydrogenation. This synthetic pathway has been applied for the synthesis of pharmacological and biological active carbohydrate derivatives starting from biomass components as feedstock, enabling a potential sustainable route to triazolyl carbohydrate derivatives, which paves the way for lignin-based heterocyclic aromatics in the pharmaceutical applications.

Sustainable production of carbazole-based BioAIEgens from lignin major motifs

A new strategy for multi-component synthesis of functionalized carbazole-based AIEgens from lignin phenolic β-O-4 model linkages was developed by a one-pot, two-step method with low-cost CuCl2 as catalyst.

Characterization of the Molecular Events Underlying the Establishment of Axillary Meristem Region in Pepper.

Plant architecture is a major motif of plant diversity, and shoot branching patterns primarily determine the aerial architecture of plants. In this study, we identified an inbred pepper line with fewer lateral branches, 20C1734, which was free of lateral branches at the middle and upper nodes of the main stem with smooth and flat leaf axils. Successive leaf axil sections confirmed that in normal pepper plants, for either node n, Pn (Primordium n) < 1 cm and Pn+1 < 1 cm were the critical periods between the identification of axillary meristems and the establishment of the region, whereas Pn+3 < 1 cm was fully developed and formed a completely new organ. In 20C1734, the normal axillary meristematic tissue region establishment and meristematic cell identity confirmation could not be performed on the axils without axillary buds. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed that "auxin-activated signaling pathway", "response to auxin", "response to abscisic acid", "auxin biosynthetic process", and the biosynthesis of the terms/pathways, such as "secondary metabolites", were differentially enriched in different types of leaf axils at critical periods of axillary meristem development. The accuracy of RNA-seq was verified using RT-PCR for some genes in the pathway. Several differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to endogenous phytohormones were targeted, including several genes of the PINs family. The endogenous hormone assay showed extremely high levels of IAA and ABA in leaf axils without axillary buds. ABA content in particular was unusually high. At the same time, there is no regular change in IAA level in this type of leaf axils (normal leaf axils will be accompanied by AM formation and IAA content will be low). Based on this, we speculated that the contents of endogenous hormones IAA and ABA in 20C1734 plant increased sharply, which led to the abnormal expression of genes in related pathways, which affected the formation of Ams in leaf axils in the middle and late vegetative growth period, and finally, nodes without axillary buds and side branches appeared.

“근본적인 계획”을 향하여

Director Bong Joon-ho acknowledges that he drew inspiration from the real-life murder case of the Papin sisters during the synopsis writing stage of his film Parasite. Just as Jean Genet captured the theatrical behavior exhibited by the Papin sisters and transformed it into the theatricality of his play The Maids, Bong also actively incorporates this theatricality as a major motif in his film Parasite. Furthermore, he expands the conflict between the upper and lower classes depicted in the murder case to encompass not only the conflict between the upper and lower classes, but also the conflict within the lower class itself, thereby criticizing the problems of contemporary capitalist society. In Parasite, there are no clear villains, but horrific things happen to the characters in the climax. In this respect, the film's world is morally ambiguous. Bong, however, presents these contradictory social problems as they are, leaving the search for solutions to the audience. Therefore, Parasite is an incomplete project in itself, and its completion can only be achieved only when the film's criticism leads to actions in real life. This project should be initiated by making “a radical plan” that is quite different from Ki-woo's. By entrusting this project to the audience, however, Bong demonstrates a clear awareness of his abilities and limitations as an artist. This is probably one of the reasons why he emphasizes the theatricality that breaks down the boundaries between reality and fiction in Parasite and encourages the audience to actively participate in the film.

Molecular Characterization and Haplotype Analysis of Low Phytic Acid-1 (lpa1) Gene Governing Accumulation of Kernel Phytic Acid in Subtropically-Adapted Maize

Maize is an important food, feed, fodder and industrial crop in addition to being a valuable source of micronutrients. Phytic acid (PA), an anti-nutritional factor in maize, makes crucial minerals inaccessible to monogastric animals. The low phytic acid-1 (lpa1) gene located on chromosome-1S is 7292 bp long with 11 exons, and the recessive lpa1-1 allele reduces the accumulation of PA thereby enhances the bioavailability of essential minerals in maize kernels. Here, we characterized the full-length Lpa1 gene sequence in three mutants (lpa1-1) and seven wild-type (Lpa1) maize inbreds. Sequence analysis revealed 607 polymorphic sites across Lpa1 sequences, indicating wide variability for Lpa1 among the inbreds. Further, SNP from “C” to “T” differentiated wild-type and mutant-type alleles at 1432 amino acid position. Gene-based diversity among 48 diverse maize inbreds using 15 InDel markers revealed the formation of 42 distinct haplotypes; six of which (Hap6, Hap16, Hap17, Hap19 Hap27 and Hap31) were shared by more than one genotype. The number of exons in Lpa1 ranged from 11–19 among maize genotypes and 6–14 among 26 orthologues. Major functional motifs of Lpa1 detected were ATP-binding Cassette (ABC) transporter trans-membrane region and ABC transporter. Phylogenetic tree using nucleotide and protein sequences revealed a closer relationship of maize Lpa1 sequences with Sorghum bicolor, Panicum hallii, Setaria italica and S. viridis. This study offered newer insights into the understanding of the genetic diversity of the Lpa1 gene in maize and related crop-species, and information generated here would further help in exploiting the lpa1 mutant for the enhancement of nutritional value in maize kernels.

290-OR: FoxK1-Associated Gene Regulatory Network—A New Transcriptional Regulator of Hepatic Insulin Action

Insulin acts on the liver to maintain glucose homeostasis, and disruption of insulin action in liver is central in the pathogenesis of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. While most previous studies of insulin action on gene expression in liver have focused on FoxO1, we have found that Forkhead box protein K1 (FoxK1) is another important regulator of hepatic gene expression which acts in a complementary manner. Thus, upon insulin stimulation, FoxK1 translocates from the cytoplasm to nucleus while FoxO1 translocates from nucleus to cytoplasm. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) sequencing shows that FoxK1 binds to &amp;gt;1000 gene regulatory elements in the proximal promoters and enhancers in hepatic chromatin, with TGTTTAC being the major FoxK1 DNA binding motif. De novo motif analysis suggested that HNF4A is also one of the major co-regulators for FoxK1 in mediating gene expression. Insulin stimulated binding of FoxK1 to promoters was observed in up-regulation of genes involved in steroid biosynthesis and cell cycle, and down-regulation of genes involved in autophagy. FoxK1 is also a potential transcription factor for insulin receptor (IRβ) mediated gene regulation as evidenced by its binding to LARS1 and TIMM22 promoters. Both FoxK1 and IRβ share regulation of genes involved in rRNA processing, mitotic cell cycle and nonsense-mediated decay. Interestingly, gene promoters of genes in glucose metabolism (PCK1, G6PC and PKM) are bound by FoxK1, but not by IRβ in response to insulin. FoxK1 can also work with FoxO1 in regulation of genes involved in mitochondrial translation, and with both IRβ and FoxO1 in insulin regulation of AHCY, PPRC1, and CDKN1A, i.e., genes involved in cell senescence, amino acid metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis. Thus, FoxK1 is a potential factor priming the response to insulin and helps with the recruitment of IRβ or FoxO1 in regulation of gene expression in liver in metabolism and other important biological pathways. Disclosure P.Allu: None. H.Pan: None. J.Dreyfuss: None. C.Kahn: None.

"Time of Theatre or How We Made a Fairy Tale with Auntie Ilonka, the Wild Woman"

"There is human time and there is wild time. But there is also the time of love and peace and care. And there is the time when stories are born. The text describes the puppet performance for adults called Ilonka. Ileana Lăcătuș, Ilona Lakatos was a Gypsy woman who lived with her daughters and their families in a small basement flat in a small street near the Slaughterhouse in Cluj Napoca. We had known each other for more than twenty years. For me she was the archetype of the Wild Woman, the timeless, who stands on the borderline between myth and reality like La Loba. This realization led me when I decided to bring her life stories to life in a puppet show, because who could convey this story, in which life can turn into death and death into life at any moment, more aptly and authentically than a puppet? Where can you step out of time (and space too) better than in a puppet theater? Aunt Ilonka’s life stories are minority stories and universal, because they are based on the same general female roles and situations, regardless of time and geographical coordinates, culture, social background, and skin color. These are built on four major Motifs: 1. “I was afraid” 2. “I say, it’s good” 3. Moving on, progress 4. Fairy godmothers The puppet show for adults entitled Ilonka 96 was co-created by Kata Palocsay, who selected the text from Csilla Könczei and Ilonka Lăcătuș’s book entitled Aunt Ilonka and directed the performance. András Hatházi, who dramatized the selection. Emese Erdei, who performed in the play. The scenery was designed and created by Kata Palocsay, Emese Erdei and Rebeka Hatházi. The stage movement was set by Enikő Györgyjakab. Dorottya Balog assisted in moving the marionette. The technical assistant of the performance was Júlia Sipos. The video projections include animated images of Gypsy artists’ works and an excerpt from the film by Csilla Könczei and Tibor Schneider, starring Ilonka Lăcătuș. Because time passes in vain. We in the theater are always in the present tense."

Structural (XRD) Characterization and an Analysis of H-Bonding Motifs in Some Tetrahydroxidohexaoxidopentaborate(1-) Salts of N-Substituted Guanidinium Cations.

The synthesis and characterization of six new substituted guanidium tetrahydroxidohexaoxidopentaborate(1-) salts are reported: [C(NH2)2(NHMe)][B5O6(OH)4]·H2O (1), [C(NH2)2(NH{NH2})][B5O6(OH)4] (2), [C(NH2)2(NMe2)][B5O6(OH)4] (3), [C(NH2)(NMe2)2][B5O6(OH)4] (4), [C(NHMe)(NMe2)2][B5O6(OH)4]·B(OH)3 (5), and [TBDH][B5O6(OH)4] (6) (TBD = 1,5,7-triazabicyclo [4.4.0]dec-5-ene). Compounds 1-6 were prepared as crystalline salts from basic aqueous solution via self-assembly processes from B(OH)3 and the appropriate substituted cation. Compounds 1-6 were characterized by spectroscopic (NMR and IR) and by single-crystal XRD studies. A thermal (TGA) analysis on compounds 1-3 and 6 demonstrated that they thermally decomposed via a multistage process to B2O3 at >650 °C. The low temperature stage (<250 °C) was endothermic and corresponded to a loss of H2O. Reactant stoichiometry, solid-state packing, and H-bonding interactions are all important in assembling these structures. An analysis of H-bonding motifs in known unsubstituted guanidinium salts [C(NH2)3]2[B4O5(OH)4]·2H2O, [C(NH2)3][B5O6(OH)4]·H2O, and [C(NH2)3]3[B9O12(OH)6] and in compounds 1-6 revealed that two important H-bonding R22(8) motifs competed to stabilize the observed structures. The guanidinium cation formed charge-assisted pincer cation-anion H-bonded rings as a major motif in [C(NH2)3]2[B4O5(OH)4]·2H2O and [C(NH2)3]3[B9O12(OH)6], whereas the anion-anion ring motif was dominant in [C(NH2)3][B5O6(OH)4]·H2O and in compounds 1-6. This behaviour was consistent with the stoichiometry of the salt and packing effects also strongly influencing their solid-state structures.

A Critical Study on John Cheever’s The Swimmer within the Context of Narrative Theory

John Cheever is a remarkable American short story writer and novelist. He is recognized as one of the most significant short story authors of the previous century. His themes mainly involve the duality of human nature which is usually illustrated through the chasm between a character's comme il faut communal character and interior degradation. Most of his works also reflect nostalgia for a disappearing life style, demonstrated by following cultural customes and a deep communal feeling, in contrast to the estranging nomadism of contemporary backstreets. Being Cheever's most popular story, The Swimmer (1964) represents these backsteet stories, which discover the glory and sufferings of people living within the chaos of a so-called peaceful American suburbia. Mostly considered as Cheever's best work, The Swimmer mixes legend and reality while narrating Neddy Merrill's realtivley long trip along the pools of Westchester County. In this study, The Swimmer will be analysed in terms of major narrative theories in order to examine how authorial preferences support major themes and motifs within the short story. To do so, the study sets out to reveal narrative agents and their voices, analyse representation of consciousness, and finally discuss post-modern reality in American fiction.

Activation of PKCβII through nuclear trafficking guided by βγ subunits of trimeric G protein and 14-3-3ε

AimsConventional members of protein kinase C (PKC) family, including PKCβII, are constitutively phosphorylated on three major motifs and located in the cytosol in a primed state. In response to cellular stimuli, PKCβII is activated through inducible phosphorylation and Mdm2-mediated ubiquitination. In this study, we aimed to identify the activation mechanism of PKCβII, focusing on the signaling cascade that regulate the phosphorylation and ubiquitination. Materials and methodsLoss-of-function approaches and mutants of PDK1/PKCβII that display different regulatory properties were used to identify the cellular components and processes responsible for endocytosis. Key findingsPhorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced phosphorylation and ubiquitination of PKCβII, which are needed for its translocation to the plasma membrane, required the presence of both Gβγ and 14-3-3ε. Gβγ and 14-3-3ε mediated the constitutive phosphorylation of PKCβII by scaffolding PI3K and PDK1 in the cytosol, which is an inactive but required state for the activation of PKCβII by subsequent signals. In response to PMA treatment, the signaling complex translocated to the nucleus with dissociation of PI3K from it. Thereafter, PDK1 stably interacted with 14-3-3ε and was dephosphorylated; PKCβII interacted with Mdm2 along with Gβγ, leading to its ubiquitination at two lysine residues on its C-tail. Finally, PDK1/14-3-3ε and ubiquitinated PKCβII translocated to the plasma membrane. SignificanceAs PKCβII mediates a wide range of cellular functions and plays important roles in the pathogenesis of various diseases, our results will provide clues to understand the pathogenesis of PKCβII-related disorders and facilitate their treatment.

Accurate Crystal Structures of C12H9CN, C12H8(CN)2, and C16H11CN Valence Isomers Using Nonspherical Atomic Scattering Factors.

Fourteen crystal structures, mostly from good-quality datasets but including some marginal and twinned exemplars, from a series of novel polycyclic benzo- and naphtho-fused organic nitriles are presented and accurately described, including some related structures of a bromo-substituted and partially hydrogenated analogues. These structures represent a considerable increase in the number of published structures within their archetypes. This work highlights the significant advancement in structural refinement software proffered by NoSpherA2, which enables Hirshfeld Atom Refinement (HAR) of the structures within Olex2 v1.5. This results in the determination of C-H bond lengths with near to neutron diffraction accuracies at far lower experimental cost, and with an average improvement in C-C bond precision of 42% compared to Independent Atom Model refinements. H-atoms (apart from disordered components) refined well with anisotropic displacement parameters. Nonclassical H-bonding (C-H···N≡C) in this series is analyzed, and dipolar nitrile-nitrile interactions (C≡N···C≡N) in three major motifs described by (Wood, P. A. Acta Cryst. B, 2008, 64, 393-396) are found in 9 out of 13 nitrile-containing compounds of this series, a much higher proportion than the global average of 21% of nitrile-containing compounds. The HAR/NoSpherA2 approach shows increasing benefits with better data quality without apparent discontinuities.

Cholesterol-binding sequence is a key regulatory motif of cellular folding and conformational activation for C-reactive protein

Human, rat, and mouse C-reactive protein (CRP) possess distinct expression patterns, but have similar conformations and conserved in vivo functions. We have previously demonstrated that this level-function mismatch is delicately tuned by the hidden activities of unfolded CRP. The cholesterol-binding sequence (CBS; a.a. 35–47) is a major functional motif exposed on monomeric CRP, which is the unfolded and activated conformation of CRP. We replaced the CBS of rat CRP with that of either mouse or human CRP, yielding two grafting mutants with unaffected pentameric assembly. However, these mutants exhibited altered cellular foldability and conformational activation efficiency that matched those of the CRP that provided the grafted CBS. These results indicate that CBS is a critical regulatory motif, whose variation maintains the pentameric assembly of CRP but derives distinct cellular foldabilities and conformational activation efficiencies, therefore helping to ensure that CRPs with various expression patterns exhibit overall conserved functions.

A Mother Speaks, A Daughter Listens. Journeying Together through Dementia by Felicia Mitchell

Reviewed by: A Mother Speaks, A Daughter Listens. Journeying Together through Dementia by Felicia Mitchell Bailey Quinn Felicia Mitchell. A Mother Speaks, A Daughter Listens. Journeying Together through Dementia. Wising Up Press, 2022. 87 p. Author of Waltzing with Horses (2014) and the chapbook The Cleft of the Rock (2009), Felicia Mitchell debuts her newest collection, A Mother Speaks, A Daughter Listens. Journeying Together through Dementia, in which she chronicles the story of her mother, Audrey, and her struggle with dementia. Although dementia is a difficult experience to navigate, Mitchell weaves together a narrative arc that spans six sections and details not only her own memories, but her mother's memories as well. Mitchell plays with narrative perspective, utilizing an I-speaker to blur the line between reality and memory. At times, it is clear that the speaker is either Audrey or Mitchell herself; however, in some poems the speaker is not clearly defined. By shifting between perspectives, Mitchell is not only able to mimic the reality-distorting effects of dementia, but she also allows herself to fill in parts of the story on behalf of her mother, who was unable to remember those stories as her memory loss progressed. In Section V (of six), titled "wanting to find the words," Mitchell even steps directly into her mother's perspective, writing from Audrey's point of view. In these poems, Mitchell imagines Audrey's frustration with her cognitive decline: "I [End Page 342] am still here./My eyes are the keyhole/to a past we share" (53). By stepping into the role of her own mother, Mitchell is able to "find the words" that Audrey may not be able to find, due to the cognitive and linguistic decline that accompanies dementia. Memory and the way in which we pass on our memories is a major motif throughout. One way Mitchell explores memory is through the physical objects we tie to memories. In passing down familial heirlooms we are, in essence, passing down the stories of the people who owned them—so long as we share the stories attached to the objects. This idea comes through in poems such as "A Half of a Scarf" where the speaker details objects tied to her mother's memories of her family: In her uncle's well-worn sea chest,with sweaters and her sister's schoolworkfrom 1928, her son's last report card,a strand of glass pearls her husband gave her,and two hand-knitted shawlsmade by a cousin once removed. (12) Most importantly, however, is "a half of a scarf from her mother" which the speaker later reveals, is "the sort of heirloom whose history/my mother does not want me to forget" (12). The speaker explains that, despite not knowing where or how her grandmother came across the scarf, the scarf is tied to the "happy half" of her grandmother's story, and therefore must be kept and remembered. Each item in this poem is assigned a specific family member, and with it, we assume a story. Although those stories are never told to the reader, we can infer that each one has a special place in the mother's heart in the same way the scarf does. After her own mother dies, Mitchell considers keepsakes left behind that contain treasured memories in the poem "Inheritance": "Three place settings of silver,/often tarnished but always sparking/with memories of how I polished their silver/before my parents had to sell it" (73). Mitchell continues to explore the relationship between memory and objects in Section II, titled "why things so complicated." This section is comprised of found poems from Audrey's letters and notes from conversations throughout the years, ranging from 1990 to 2004. As the poems progress, each becomes more broken in language, representing the cognitive decline experienced by those who have dementia. In [End Page 343] utilizing the found poem structure, Mitchell is able to explore her own thoughts, feelings, and memories of her mother through her mother's own words. Her mother's story, in essence, becomes her own through her retelling. In this, the found poems represent a point made in the final poem, "Bedtime...

Psalms for restless memory: The logic of grace and rest in Augustine's Confessions

AbstractThe notion of rest frames Augustine's Confessions: the expression of the desire for rest and the prayer for God's bestowal of rest. Between these bookends is an extended account of Augustine's past expressed in the form of a confession, one that is saturated with the Psalms. How are these major motifs – rest, memory, confession and the Psalms – related? And how do they relate to the seemingly paradoxical depiction of Augustine's own striving towards rest and God's bestowal of rest? This essay answers these questions by delineating the logic of grace and rest embedded in the Confessions.

Eric C. Moore. Claiming Places: Reading Acts through the Lens of Ancient Colonization

In this revised dissertation completed at Emory University under the supervision of Carl R. Holladay, Eric Moore notes that numerous scholars label Acts a story of origins or foundations that emphasizes community replication but that very few seek to situate this aspect of the story within its ancient Mediterranean context. Thus, Moore argues, simply and convincingly, that Acts is illuminated when it is read “in light of a specific topos in Mediterranean antiquity: civic or community origins” (p. 2). Moore uses the term and concept “colonization” to refer to community replication and the variety of standard features found in these ancient stories.Moore argues that while “the subject matter of Acts is the foundation and replication of the Christian community” (p. 12), this insight is not one that can be used to determine the specific genre of Acts given that stories of colonization pervade a variety of different types of texts and nonliterary media. Moore unpacks his primary argument in four lengthy chapters (chs. 2–5). Moore first establishes a framework for understanding Acts and colonization through a detailed study of Greek and Roman stories of community/civic replication (ch. 2, “Colonization—An Analytic Framework”). The chapter is divided into two major sections: the first section examines three major colonization motifs. Most colonization stories, for example, emphasize the origins of the new community and often as a result of a crisis such as civic conflict, droughts, plagues, and threats from foreign countries. New communities are often replicated by means of divine sanction whether that be through oracles or the involvement of the gods. The stories also frequently refer to the founder of the new community as one who often has a divine calling to form and establish the colony’s identity. The second section of the chapter is a thorough examination of a variety of colonization stories from Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman sources and successfully shows how origins, divine sanction, and founders/leaders pervade the stories.In chs. 3–5, Moore tests his thesis with respect to Acts. Moore argues that the early chapters of Acts function “like a foundation account” (p. 88), which traces how the “mother community” of the Jerusalem church is replicated in other locations—especially Antioch (ch. 3, “The Origins of the Cult Community in Jerusalem [Acts 1–5]”). Acts 1–2 contains the colonization motifs of the founding figures (Jesus and the 12 apostles), origins (Jerusalem is specified as the site of divine activity), and divine sanction (the emphasis on the Holy Spirit). Intriguing here is the way in which the geographical list in Acts 2:9–11 previews the text’s emphasis on community replication.Chapter 4 (“Antioch of Syria—Colony and Mother Community”) examines how the Jerusalem church is replicated in Syrian Antioch due to the crisis of the persecution of the Jerusalem church. Luke shows that members of the Jerusalem community within Antioch results in Antioch maintaining its close ties with Jerusalem. Divine sanction for the new community is evident by means of the note that “the hand of the Lord was with them” (Acts 11:21) and “he [Barnabas] was full of the Holy Spirit” (11:24). The transfer of the worshiping community to Antioch leads to a mixed community of both Jews and Gentiles—mixed communities being another common motif among colonization stories. But Antioch of Syria is also a mother community as it sponsors colonizing missions, and these stories contain the same colonizing motifs (see Acts 13:1–4).The final chapter (ch. 5, “Pisidian Antioch and the Rhetoric of Second-Generation Colonization”) shows how Paul (and Barnabas) is depicted as replicating a Christian community in the Roman colony of Pisidian Antioch. The chapter offers an insightful analysis of Paul’s lengthy sermon (Acts 13:17–41) by showing how it resonates with familiar colonizing themes.Moore’s book is an excellent example of the profitability of reading Acts within a robust analysis of its broader ancient Mediterranean world. His third chapter on ancient colonizing motifs is a rich resource for others interested in cult transfer stories in antiquity. His argument that Acts is an example of ancient colonizing rhetoric enables him to give historical substance to the fairly obvious claim that Acts is a foundation document, which emphasizes community replication. Ancient colonization stories do not explain everything related to the origins of the church, of course (and Moore notes this), and so this study is one very useful supplement to our understanding of Acts 1–5 (and the emphasis on community replication).