bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Looking backward, looking forward: African media studies and the question of power
Authors: Musa Mohammed
Published: March 2010

The emergence and development of communication and media studies in Africa is related to the continent's colonial experience. Concerns with domination and the denial of their right to self-determination under European colonialism gingered Africans into establishing media institutions
and to acquiring training to equip themselves with the professional competence and theoretical and methodological tools to enquire into the roles and relationship of modern media and society. To that extent, in the early days, concern with power relations and the desire to bring change played
a role in the rise of communication and media studies.

The replications of curricula from Western universities, as well as the training of many African scholars in the field, were major factors in the reproduction of some conservative scholarship in communication and media studies. The
importation and imposition of social scientific models of development in the post-independence era resulted in the negative appropriation of the earlier focus of communication and media studies on power relations, but the field has also suffered under-funding and the intimidation and harassment
of radical scholarship by some African ruling elites. The ascendancy of a neo-liberal market system has only exacerbated and consolidated domination suffered by Africa in most facets of social life. This paper examines the extent to which the present era has provided communication and media
studies in Africa with an opportunity to return to its earlier focus on unequal power relations and how these could be changed.
Missing links: African media studies and feminist concerns
Authors: Gadzekpo Audrey
Published: March 2010

Political and economic developments in many African countries in the last two decades have led to significant transformations in the media and enhanced academic scholarship in the field. Despite the tremendous growth and the changes in media and communication systems, there is a dearth
of feminist media scholarship in Africa that needs to be addressed. This article provides a feminist reappraisal of African media in the context of democratic and economic change and proposes a tall research agenda for Africanist feminists aimed at filling the gaps in media and gender scholarship.
The author argues that research should interrogate afresh old concerns as well as new opportunities and challenges brought about by redemocratization, an expanded public sphere of civil society activism, rapid technological developments and legal and policy reforms of the media.
South African media in transition
Authors: Sparks Colin
Published: March 2010

The development of the South African media since 1990 is one instance of a more general process of democratization observable in many parts of the world during the same period. The theory of elite continuity in such political changes is presented and tested against the evidence. While
the mass movement in the final years of the Apartheid regime influenced early debates about broadcasting, subsequent developments have made SABC more and more a prisoner of the economic realities of the new South Africa, where white economic power remains largely intact. In the press, ownership
has mostly been transferred to Black Economic Empowerment enterprises, who have also gained from new commercial broadcasting licences. As divisions have opened in the ANC, so there have been increasing signs of the politicization of SABC. The evidence fits the theory of elite continuity, but
the South African situation necessitates modification to fit this reality better. The importance of elite renewal is very clear in this case: political power has shifted completely to a new governing elite. Secondly, the fact that the apartheid regimes faced protracted mass opposition means
that there are still traces of potentially radical changes to the media, for example in community media.
Think imperially: the private press mediation of state policy and the global economy within colonial and postcolonial Nigeria
Authors: Hall Philippa
Published: March 2010

Many writers have argued that critical voices in the private press denouncing the military state indicated the presence of a resilient civil society in Nigeria since 1985. This article locates the advocacy of the press as watchdog of the state within the discourse of structural adjustment
policy in order to examine the extent to which the private press constitutes an autonomous public sphere of debate within Nigerian civil society. It is argued that under structural adjustment programmes, education budget cuts and higher living costs diminish popular participation in press
debates. While some civil society groups have contested government policies under colonialism and structural adjustment, this article examines how private Nigerian press publications have worked within the terms of successive political regimes to mediate the interests of the commercial elite
within the global economy.
Regulatory independence and the public interest: the case of South Africa's ICASA
Authors: Moyo Dumisani , Hlongwane Siphiwe
Published: March 2010

The emergence of independent regulatory authorities (IRAs) in many countries is but one of the many effects of globalisation in the communications sector. As a result of the process of globalization, developing countries like South Africa have recently also instituted IRAs. The challenge
everywhere, though, has been the question of the independence of these regulatory authorities. This is particularly evident in developing countries, where traditionally regulation of the communications sector has been the preserve of the state. Using a combination of institutional analysis,
informant interviews and document analysis, this paper explores the independence of the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). The assessment of ICASA's independence is mainly based on three indicators identified by the Constitutional Court in relation to regulatory
and other state institutions in South Africa, namely institutional independence, administrative independence and financial independence. The paper argues that ICASA's independence is severely undermined by interference from the Minister of Communication in its regulatory activities, lack of
clear constitutional protection and under-funding.
Film Review
Authors: Amner Rod
Published: March 2010

Hollywood on Safari
Gendered roles, images and behavioural patterns in the soap opera Generations
Authors: Motsaathebe Gilbert
Published: March 2010

This article evaluates gender stereotyping in Generations, South Africa's leading soap opera. Making use of the results of an analysis and survey method, the article examines subtle areas of denigration and other negative connotations in the speech, emotions and habits of the
characters that are highlighted as displaying typically male or female behaviour. The article explores whether male and female characters featured in Generations display the same level of positive behavioural patterns, and tries to establish whether the general image of either sex is
in any way denigrated or compromised to the benefit of the other with a view to stimulate actions in improving the portrayal of both males and females in popular South African television programmes. The article reveals that whilst both males and females are generally fairly portrayed, males
are portrayed as more dominant when compared to their female counterparts. The last part of the article suggests that (1) the research division of Generations should ensure constant viewer feedback; (2) preview sessions should include communication experts, regulation experts and women's
lobby groups; (3) Generations should consider having its own in-house guidelines on the portrayal of women, men and children; and (4) the soap opera should consider having more women actively involved as writers, directors and producers.
Keeping Your Wits
Authors: Imre Suna
Published: March 2010

This article sets out to begin a validation of why the application of somatic processes to dance and movement is so important to recognize and nurture in the twenty-first century. It takes as its subject an interview with one of the leading practitioners in the field, Miranda Tufnell.
The conversation generates discussion about improvisation and performance, our relationship with each other and ourselves, our connection with the environment, our spiritual selves; and how somatic processes can help us develop and heal as human beings.
Reflections on Evoking the wisdom of body and imagination Anna Halprin Summer Programs; San Francisco, 23rd June 17th July, 2008 (funded by a Lisa Ullman Travel Scholarship)
Authors: Macfarlane Cecilia
Published: March 2010

This article has been written as a result of studying with Anna Halprin and her colleagues in Tamalpa, San Francisco, in the Summer of 2008. I wished to further my research into dance in the landscape. The course gave me an insight into different aspects of the Halprin process, and
when taken as a whole, provided a multifaceted view of the Tamalpa work. The course was in three parts, Dance as Ritual with Anna Halprin, Self-portraits and Movement led by Jaime Nissenbaum and Expressive Arts in Nature, led by Jamie McHugh.
Formative support and connection: somatic movement dance education in community and client practice
Authors: Williamson Amanda
Published: March 2010

This article articulates some of the key features and philosophical standpoints currently employed by Somatic Movement Dance Educators in community and client-based practice. Community and client practice is a newly formed profession in the UK. This article explains some of the defining features of community practice, particularly formative processes of connective support such as: biologic movement, relaxation support, heart-felt connections, inter-connective support and open-ended models of self-discovery. In doing so, the article also addresses many unspoken elements of international practice namely the cultivation of human qualities such as companionship, gentleness, heart, vitality, pleasure, empathy and compassion. Further to this, there is a discussion of key skills required to work within contemporary practice and generic international concerns pertaining to the field at large.
A brief history of somatic practices and dance: historical development of the field of somatic education and its relationship to dance
Authors: Eddy Martha
Published: March 2010

This article outlines the historical development of somatic movement practices especially as they relate to dance, dancers, and dance education organizations. It begins with historical events, cultural trends, and individual occurrences that led up to the emergence of the classic somatic
methods at the turn of the twentieth century (Alexander to Trager). It then defines somatic movement education and therapy, and the growth of three generations of somatic movement programmes. Interview data reveals how a second generation included a large proportion of dancers and speaks to
how the bodymind thinking of dance professionals continues to shape the training and development of somatic education, as well as dance somatics. Finally it raises the question of the marginalizing of both dance and somatic education, and points to combining forces with their shared characteristics
to alter this location in western culture. Another finding seeks to assess the potency and placement of somatic dance in a global schema.
A Description of China's Digital Cable TV Services
Authors: Wei Wang
Published: March 2010

Over one third of China's cable households have now been converted to digital TV. Most are served by a one-way network but a growing number have two-way interactive systems and China's goal is two-way interactivity and a full service. This article will introduce some widely operated
and typical services of China's advanced digital cable systems and their business models. There are five service types: digital TV broadcasting; personalized viewing services; information service; interactive value-added service and telecommunications service. Their business models can be
divided into subscription fees and advertising rates. Then the author will discuss development trends.
Not the Apocalypse: Television Futures in the Digital Age
Authors: Tay Jinna , Turner Graeme
Published: March 2010

This article begins by challenging what we describe as a developing analytical orthodoxy around the development of digital television, an orthodoxy which produces a story about the end of television. We argue that the social practice of television is far from over, and that it is changing
in ways which reflect continuities with past practices as well as the effects of emerging economic, technological and cultural formations of production and use. The article draws upon our research into some Asian television markets (part of a collaborative international research project on
post-broadcast television) in order to highlight the contingency of these changes and thus the importance of a highly nuanced, locally grounded, and culturally informed analysis of what is becoming of television in the digital age. The article also draws attention to the current difficulties
confronting such comparative analysis, in that we lack a common, simple and comprehensive means of measuring, benchmarking and mapping the various formations of what we still call television around the globe.
White Spaces the New Wi-Fi?
Authors: Stirling Andrew
Published: March 2010

This article is an introduction to a major spectrum opportunity that is now catching the eye of regulators, worldwide, as they seek capacity for more ubiquitous and affordable broadband Internet access.

At a time when the demand for spectrum has never been greater, white spaces in
television broadcast spectrum are a prime, largely unused, resource. Wireless technologies have advanced rapidly over the last decade, to the point where the technical capabilities to harness white spaces now exist. The missing piece of the jigsaw has been a regulatory framework that would
allow the new applications to share the UHF bands with the broadcast television and supporting services. However, spectrum regulators are now laying the foundations for this, with the United States (FCC) and the United Kingdom (Ofcom) leading the way.

The most pressing potential application
of white spaces is the extension of broadband Internet access. Broadcasters may benefit from this, as the popularity of interactive services grows.
China's Digital Switchover: International Context
Authors: Starks Michael
Published: March 2010

This short article introduces the subject of digital switchover in China to readers from other countries, providing some context and highlighting some of the distinctive characteristics of the Chinese transition, to complement the two following articles, submitted as a pair, by academics
from the Communication University of China.
The Positioning and Current Situation of China's Digital TV
Authors: Yan Zhou
Published: March 2010

Digital television research and development started in China in the 1980s. Implementation has been underway over the last decade and the digitalization of the three platforms (cable, terrestrial and satellite) is in progress. Focusing on the strategic positioning of these three digital
TV platforms, this article outlines the current situation, including take-up, coverage, service pattern, government support, and the main techniques and then expounds the two problems confronting digital TV in China.
World of Maskcraft vs. World of Queercraft? Communication, sex and gender in the online role-playing game World of Warcraft
Authors: Schmieder Christian
Published: March 2010

This article examines the construction, representation and commingling of gender identity in the online role-playing game (RPG) World of Warcraft. I show how players on German-speaking non-RPG servers blend gender by using linguistic markers of gender (like specific articles
and suffixes) in an interchangeable way. Subsequent to this analysis, possible consequences for the online world as an opposition to offline reality and as a space for negotiation of gender identity are discussed. Focusing on different modes of communication while playing, I develop a more
differentiated view on communication, sex and gender in online communities a view that goes beyond an assumption of simplistic, one-dimensional gender bending.
DiGRA 2007 Digital Games Research Association International Conference: Situated Play
Authors: Schultheiss Daniel
Published: March 2010

Location: The University of Tokyo, Hongo campus City: Tokyo/Japan

Date: September, 2428th 2007
A life no longer worth playing: some remarks on in-game suicide
Authors: Nagenborg Michael , Hoffstadt Christian
Published: March 2010

While references to life and death are often made in texts dealing with video games, and violence in video games is still among the most discussed issues, there are, to date, only a few accounts of the act of virtual self-killing or in-game suicide. In fact, in most video games the
player's task is to keep his or her character alive. However, there are some very prominent examples of video games that include the suicide of player and non-player characters. By in-game suicide we refer to any kind of self-harming behaviour with intended lethal outcome for a virtual, human-like
character in a game. This article will begin by building a typology of different modes of in-game suicide, before going on to take a closer look at several examples. One major distinction for this research is based on the motivation of the character, whereby we distinguish between game-world's
internal motivation and game-world's external motivation. Therefore, some basic considerations on the relationship between player and character are given. In the third section we will analyze three different kinds of games involving suicide: first, we will address games where the act of self-killing
is the main task of the player; this is followed by an examination of suicide attackers in video games; and finally, we will address the issue of (attempted) in-game suicide as part of the practice of playing, which includes rituals of self-destruction as well as the dramatic staging of a
character's departure from the game's world.
Holding a mirror to ourselves: how digital networks chAng writiN
Authors: Byrne Chris
Published: March 2010

Handwriting has been largely replaced by electronic writing media. As these media converge in digital social networks, writing itself becomes increasingly conversational and informal. What implications does this have for knowledge in general and, more specifically, for educators attempting
to encourage and develop new writing practices in creative art and design contexts?
Hampstead Revisited
Authors: Pollard Alex , Hetherington Iain , Figgis Laurence , Murray Stuart
Published: March 2010

In 2002, Hampstead Achieved opened at K Jackson's pub in Edinburgh, a popular artists' hangout. The exhibition was a showcase of zine activity from Scotland and beyond. Curated by Alex Pollard and Neil Mulholland, the show was packed with the naughty ideas that one associates
with samizdat or under the counter visual material and writing by artists. Fake bands, fake fanzines, biting critique, nonsense visual poetry and unabashed nerdiness provided an intellectual jolt for those who had forgotten their Dadaist spirit (Pollard and Mulholland 2003).

The zine culture
of Scotland has now moved on somewhat, sprouting newer and even naughtier zines. The samizdat material included in this journal provides a sample of the kind of sport that would certainly be included if there was ever to be a Hampstead Revisited exhibition.
Rocket to Variant: artists' writing in Scotland 19631984
Authors: Thompson Susannah
Published: March 2010

The antagonistic and oppositional mode of publications of the 1960s, such as Rocket, and later manifestations of this voice of dissent and discontent in the pages of magazines like Stigma are almost indistinguishable in certain texts. Stigma was the direct precursor
for Scotland's most long-standing visual art publication, Variant, established by students at the Glasgow School of Art in 1984. Examining some of the writings of artists who contributed to these publications is a way of identifying the ways in which art theory and criticism in Scotland
both reflected and responded to broader Anglophone critical shifts. It is also a means of understanding the crucial generative nature of art writing in establishing an internationally renowned ecology of artistic practice in Scotland.
Parallel lines: form and field in contemporary artwriting
Authors: Mulholland Neil
Published: March 2010

Artists who write as part of their practice have long made a very significant contribution to art theory and criticism. Artwriting has re-emerged as a practice in its own right and is growing in popularity and controversy among theorists, critics and artists today, leading to a convergence
of these professional roles. I use the concept of mise-en-scne to investigate the ways in which artwriting might be better understood as a practice, one that enables emerging creative practitioners to manufacture a field within which to situate their form, to conceive of the production
of an imaginative writerly context for their practice as their practice. I consider ways in which newly developing publishing media, practices and cultures enable artwriting to flourish and speculate upon what impact this might have on the hierarchical world of visual art practice as
it integrates with new fields of horizontal distribution.
Reviews
Authors: Hind Claire
Published: March 2010

Walking, Writing & Performance: Autobiographical Texts, Deirdre Heddon, Carl Lavery and Phil Smith, ed. Roberta Mock 2009 edition 1 Bristol: Intellect Books, (184 pp.), ISBN: 978-1-84150-155-0, Paperback 19.95
Reviews
Authors: Butler Sarah , Hultzsch Anne , Edwards Harriet
Published: March 2010

Writing Design: Object, Process, Discourse, Translation
The Design History Society's Annual Conference, University of Hertfordshire, 35 September 2009
Bollywood, Tibet, and the spatial and temporal dimensions of global modernity
Authors: Morcom Anna
Published: March 2010

While Bollywood is established as global popular culture, its journey into Tibet has been an idiosyncratic and complex one. Unlike the well-known manifestations of transnational Bollywood, in Tibet, Bollywood is not underpinned by an Indian diaspora or indeed Islamicate-based crossovers in the cultural and linguistic expression of romance. Furthermore, there is no legal import of Bollywood films or music into China's still protectionist cultural market, and zero attempts by Bombay producers to target China as yet.

This ethnographically-based article describes Bollywood in Tibet in live and recorded performing arts, analyzing in historical perspective the legal and illegal flows of people and goods, as well as other ties between Tibet and India and South Asia that drive this fashionable corner of Tibetan popular culture. This article also explores how Bollywood (and India) slot into the context of Chinese multiculturalism as an exotic and also erotic other.

The article as a whole highlights the historical as well as the modern forces of globalization, seeing the roots of Bollywood in Tibet as lying in ancient ties between Tibet and India and also Nepal, as well as in modern tourism and trade. This points to the fluidity of cultural topographies and trajectories in the pre-modern world. The article also emphasizes how far the globalization of Bollywood is due to specific regional and national issues, most notably, the nationalist project of the PRC which brought into being exile Tibet in India and Nepal as a kind of collateral damage.
Looking for Love in All the White Places: A Study of Skin Color Preferences on Indian Matrimonial and Mate-Seeking Websites
Authors: Jha Sonora , Adelman Mara
Published: March 2010

A preference for light skinned females is a global bias that affects all areas of human relationships, especially in marital mate selection. Further intensified by the meteoric rise in Internet dating and mate selection, this bias often serves an invalidating function for darker-skinned
women. This study (1) analyzed profiles and preferences of brides and grooms (N=200), and (2) coded success story wedding photos (N=200) posted on four Indian matrimonial websites. Results showed an overwhelming bias among males for brides lighter-skinned than themselves. Males were also more
likely than females to state a preference for skin color in their prospective brides, and to use qualitative words like beautiful and lovely to describe their preferred match. Most significantly, the success story wedding photos consistently had lighter-skinned brides than grooms. Dark-skinned
women were almost non-existent in these success stories. This research points to a technology-abetted intensification of colorism. That is to say that the powerful profile menu options and the visual imagery of predominantly light-skinned, successful brides illustrated on current websites
visually reinforce the invalidation of dark skinned women.
Nationalism and Hindi Cinema: Narrative Strategies in Fanaa
Authors: Khan Shahnaz
Published: March 2010

This discussion draws upon the narrative strategies of the Bombay cinema blockbuster Fanaa and examines larger questions of culture, nation and citizenship in contemporary India including: What kinds of gender, class and nationalist politics does it reinforce? What kinds of imagined
communities does it give rise to? How does it regulate the borders of those communities? On what terms are Muslims offered citizenship in contemporary India? How might Bombay Cinema films function as a transnational cultural product?
Cartooning Mumbai's 9/11: an exploration of image decolonization
Authors: Chatterjee Sushmita
Published: March 2010

Photographs and TV footage of the Mumbai terror attacks (November 2008) reflect the image(ination) of the US's 9/11. How do we account for the colonization of tragedy in a postcolonial democracy? Can an alternative mode of imagery question and move beyond the usurpation of tragedy fixated
by the imperial homogenization of images throughout the world? In my article, I study Ajit Ninan's cartoon images in the context of the Mumbai terror attacks, and explore the potentials in political cartooning as a mode of image (de)building. I explore how the apparently simple form of cartooning
illuminates complex reality with breathtaking dexterity and thus engages in image de-colonization or an unwrapping of the political exigencies that shroud the event.
Guns and guys in the jungle; news and terrorism in north-east India
Authors: Hasan Daisy
Published: March 2010

This article examines representations of terror in north-east India on state and privately owned television channels. North-east India sustains many subnational insurgencies against the Indian state. Most of these separatist movements, which are a response to structural and cultural
inequalities, have faced brutal military repression. The article looks at the silences and absences surrounding the use of terror in the region on the state-owned broadcaster, Doordarshan. It contrasts this with the surge in representations of terror (perpetuated both by the Indian army and
by insurgent groups) on privately owned national television networks. While stories of terror are considered newsworthy by private channels the region does not otherwise receive regular coverage as it is generally regarded as culturally remote and politically insignificant. Regional television
enterprises operating in local languages, on the other hand, are often able to achieve a more complex representation of issues around the use of terror by state and non-state actors.

The article critically examines the aesthetics of terror constructed both by state-owned television and
privately owned media. State-owned television's representation of terror, it is argued, tends to lobby for a particular point of view one that emphasizes the authority of particular figures and symbols of the state. The local media offers a more nuanced picture of terror but has received a
mixed response from the public. It has, however, encouraged people to question violent political means and exclusive identities thereby promoting the growth of civil society in the region.
Striatal Activity during Intentional Switching Depends on Pattern Stability
Authors: De Luca Cinzia , Jantzen Kelly J. , Comani Silvia , Bertollo Maurizio , Kelso J. A. Scott
Published: March 2010

The theoretical framework of coordination dynamics posits complementary neural mechanisms to maintain complex behavioral patterns under circumstances that may render them unstable and to voluntarily switch between behaviors if changing internal or external conditions so demand. A candidate neural structure known to play a role in both the selection and maintenance of intentional behavior is the basal ganglia. Here, we use functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore the role of basal ganglia in intentional switching between bimanual coordination patterns that are known to differ in their stability as a function of movement rate. Key measures of pattern dynamics and switching were used to map behavior onto the associated neural circuitry to determine the relation between specific behavioral variables and activated brain areas. Results show that putamen activity is highly sensitive to pattern stability: greater activity was observed in bilateral putamen when subjects were required to switch from a more to a less stable pattern than vice versa. Since putamen activity correlated with pattern stability both before and during the switching process, its role may be to select desired actions and inhibit competing ones through parametric modulation of the intrinsic dynamics. Though compatible with recent computational models of basal ganglia function, our results further suggest that pattern stability determines how the basal ganglia efficiently and successfully select among response alternatives.
A Nonlinear Relationship between Cerebral Serotonin Transporter and 5-HT2AReceptor Binding: AnIn VivoMolecular Imaging Study in Humans
Authors: Erritzoe David , Holst Klaus , Frokjaer Vibe G. , Licht Cecilie L. , Kalbitzer Jan , Nielsen Finn Å. , Svarer Claus , Madsen Jacob , Knudsen Gitte M.
Published: March 2010

Serotonergic neurotransmission is involved in the regulation of physiological functions such as mood, sleep, memory, and appetite. Within the serotonin transmitter system, both the postsynaptically located serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor and the presynaptic serotonin transporter (SERT) are sensitive to chronic changes in cerebral 5-HT levels. Additionally, experimental studies suggest that alterations in either the 5-HT2Areceptor or SERT level can affect the protein level of the counterpart. The aim of this study was to explore the covariation between cerebral 5-HT2Areceptor and SERTin vivoin the same healthy human subjects. Fifty-six healthy human subjects with a mean age of 36 ± 19 years were investigated. The SERT binding was imaged with [11C]3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethyl-phenylsulfanyl)-benzonitrile (DASB) and 5-HT2Areceptor binding with [18F]altanserin using positron emission tomography. Within each individual, a regional intercorrelation for the various brain regions was seen with both markers, most notably for 5-HT2Areceptor binding. An inverted U-shaped relationship between the 5-HT2Areceptor and the SERT binding was identified. The observed regional intercorrelation for both the 5-HT2Areceptor and the SERT cerebral binding suggests that, within the single individual, each marker has a set point adjusted through a common regulator. A quadratic relationship between the two markers is consistent with data from experimental studies of the effect on SERT and 5-HT2Areceptor binding of chronic changes in 5-HT levels. That is, the observed association between the 5-HT2Areceptor and SERT binding could be driven by the projection output from the raphe nuclei, but other explanations are also at hand.
Endogenous Neuromagnetic Activity for Mental Hierarchy of Timing
Authors: Fujioka Takako , Zendel Benjamin Rich , Ross Bernhard
Published: March 2010

The frontal-striatal circuits, the cerebellum, and motor cortices play crucial roles in processing timing information on second to millisecond scales. However, little is known about the physiological mechanism underlying human's preference to robustly encode a sequence of time intervals into a mental hierarchy of temporal units called meter. This is especially salient in music: temporal patterns are typically interpreted as integer multiples of a basic unit (i.e., the beat) and accommodated into a global context such as march or waltz. With magnetoencephalography and spatial-filtering source analysis, we demonstrated that the time courses of neural activities index a subjectively induced meter context. Auditory evoked responses from hippocampus, basal ganglia, and auditory and association cortices showed a significant contrast between march and waltz metric conditions during listening to identical click stimuli. Specifically, the right hippocampus was activated differentially at 80 ms to the march downbeat (the count one) and ∼250 ms to the waltz downbeat. In contrast, basal ganglia showed a larger 80 ms peak for march downbeat than waltz. The metric contrast was also expressed in long-latency responses in the right temporal lobe. These findings suggest that anticipatory processes in the hippocampal memory system and temporal computation mechanism in the basal ganglia circuits facilitate endogenous activities in auditory and association cortices through feedback loops. The close interaction of auditory, motor, and limbic systems suggests a distributed network for metric organization in temporal processing and its relevance for musical behavior.
Variability of Visual Responses of Superior Colliculus Neurons Depends on Stimulus Velocity
Authors: Mochol Gabriela , Wójcik Daniel K. , Wypych Marek , Wróbel Andrzej , Waleszczyk Wioletta J.
Published: March 2010

Visually responding neurons in the superficial, retinorecipient layers of the cat superior colliculus receive input from two primarily parallel information processing channels, Y and W, which is reflected in their velocity response profiles. We quantified the time-dependent variability of responses of these neurons to stimuli moving with different velocities by Fano factor (FF) calculated in discrete time windows. The FF for cells responding to low-velocity stimuli, thus receiving W inputs, increased with the increase in the firing rate. In contrast, the dynamics of activity of the cells responding to fast moving stimuli, processed by Y pathway, correlated negatively with FF whether the response was excitatory or suppressive. These observations were tested against several types of surrogate data. Whereas Poisson description failed to reproduce the variability of all collicular responses, the inclusion of secondary structure to the generating point process recovered most of the observed features of responses to fast moving stimuli. Neither model could reproduce the variability of low-velocity responses, which suggests that, in this case, more complex time dependencies need to be taken into account. Our results indicate that Y and W channels may differ in reliability of responses to visual stimulation. Apart from previously reported morphological and physiological differences of the cells belonging to Y and W channels, this is a new feature distinguishing these two pathways.
Alleviation of Neurotoxicity by Microglial Human Siglec-11
Authors: Wang Yiner , Neumann Harald
Published: March 2010

Sialic acid-binding Ig superfamily lectins (Siglecs) are members of the Ig superfamily that recognize sialic acid residues of glycoproteins. Siglec-11 is a recently identified human-specific CD33-related Siglec that binds to α2,8-linked polysialic acids and is expressed on microglia, the brain resident innate immune cells. Polysialylated neuronal cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) is a putative ligand of Siglec-11. We observed gene transcription and protein expression of Siglec-11 splice variant 2 in human brain tissue samples by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Siglec-11 was detected on microglia in human brain tissue by immunohistochemistry. Human Siglec-11 splice variant 2 was ectopically expressed by a lentiviral vector system in cultured murine microglial cells. Stimulation of Siglec-11 by cross-linking suppressed the lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced gene transcription of the proinflammatory mediators interleukin-1β and nitric oxide synthase-2 in microglia. Furthermore, phagocytosis of apoptotic neuronal material was reduced in Siglec-11 transduced microglia. Expression of PSA-NCAM was detected on microglia and neurons by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Coculture of microglia transduced with Siglec-11 and neurons demonstrated neuroprotective function of Siglec-11. The neuroprotective effect of Siglec-11 was dependent on polysialic acid (PSA) residues on neurons, but independent on PSA on microglia. Thus, data demonstrate that human Siglec-11 ectopically expressed on murine microglia interacts with PSA on neurons, reduces LPS-induced gene transcription of proinflammatory mediators, impairs phagocytosis and alleviates microglial neurotoxicity.
Cisplatin Ototoxicity Blocks Sensory Regeneration in the Avian Inner Ear
Authors: Slattery Eric L. , Warchol Mark E.
Published: March 2010

Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic agent that is widely used in the treatment of solid tumors. Ototoxicity is a common side effect of cisplatin therapy and often leads to permanent hearing loss. The sensory organs of the avian ear are able to regenerate hair cells after aminoglycoside ototoxicity. This regenerative response is mediated by supporting cells, which serve as precursors to replacement hair cells. Given the antimitotic properties of cisplatin, we examined whether the avian ear was also capable of regeneration after cisplatin ototoxicity. Using cell and organ cultures of the chick cochlea and utricle, we found that cisplatin treatment caused apoptosis of both auditory and vestibular hair cells. Hair cell death in the cochlea occurred in a unique pattern, progressing from the low-frequency (distal) region toward the high-frequency (proximal) region. We also found that cisplatin caused a dose-dependent reduction in the proliferation of cultured supporting cells as well as increased apoptosis in those cells. As a result, we observed no recovery of hair cells after ototoxic injury caused by cisplatin. Finally, we explored the potential for nonmitotic hair cell recovery via activation of Notch pathway signaling. Treatment with the γ-secretase inhibitorN-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-l-alanyl]-S-phenylglycinet-butyl ester failed to promote the direct transdifferentiation of supporting cells into hair cells in cisplatin-treated utricles. Taken together, our data show that cisplatin treatment causes maintained changes to inner ear supporting cells and severely impairs the ability of the avian ear to regenerate either via proliferation or by direct transdifferentiation.
Opposing Effects of Contextual Surround in Human Early Visual Cortex Revealed by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging with Continuously Modulated Visual Stimuli
Authors: Tajima Satohiro , Watanabe Masataka , Imai Chihiro , Ueno Kenichi , Asamizuya Takeshi , Sun Pei , Tanaka Keiji , Cheng Kang
Published: March 2010

Spatial context in vision has profound effects on neural responses and perception. Recent animal studies suggest that the effect of surround on a central stimulus can dramatically change its character depending on the contrast of the center stimulus, but such a drastic change has not been demonstrated in the human visual cortex. To examine the dependency of the surround effect on the contrast of the center stimulus, we conducted an functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment by using a low or a high contrast in the center region while the surround contrast was sinusoidally modulated between the two contrasts. We found that the blood oxygen level-dependent response in human V1 corresponding to the center region was differentially modulated by the surround contrast, depending crucially on the center contrast: whereas a suppressive effect was observed in conditions in which the center contrast was high, a facilitative effect was seen in conditions where the center contrast was low.
MicroRNA-183 Family Members Regulate Sensorineural Fates in the Inner Ear
Authors: Li Haiqiong , Kloosterman Wigard , Fekete Donna M.
Published: March 2010

Members of the microRNA (miRNA) 183 family (miR-183, miR-96, and miR-182) are expressed abundantly in specific sensory cell types in the eye, nose, and inner ear. In the inner ear, expression is robust in the mechanosensory hair cells and weak in the associated statoacoustic ganglion (SAG) neurons; both cell types can share a common lineage during development. Recently, dominant-progressive hearing loss in humans and mice was linked to mutations in the seed region of miR-96, with associated defects in both development and maintenance of hair cells in the mutant mice. To understand how the entire triplet functions in the development of mechanosensory hair cells and neurons of the inner ear, we manipulated the levels of these miRNAs in zebrafish embryos using synthesized miRNAs and antisense morpholino oligonucleotides (MOs). Overexpression of miR-96 or miR-182 induces duplicated otocysts, ectopic or expanded sensory patches, and extra hair cells, whereas morphogenesis of the SAG is adversely affected to different degrees. In contrast, knockdown of miR-183, miR-96, and miR-182 causes reduced numbers of hair cells in the inner ear, smaller SAGs, defects in semicircular canals, and abnormal neuromasts on the posterior lateral line. However, the prosensory region of the posterior macula, where the number of hair cells is reduced by ∼50%, is not significantly impaired. Our findings suggest both distinct and common roles for the three miRNAs in cell-fate determination in the inner ear, and these principles might apply to development of other sensory organs.
Distinct Region-Specific α-Synuclein Oligomers in A53T Transgenic Mice: Implications for Neurodegeneration
Authors: Tsika Elpida , Moysidou Maria , Guo Jing , Cushman Mimi , Gannon Patrick , Sandaltzopoulos Raphael , Giasson Benoit I. , Krainc Dimitri , Ischiropoulos Harry , Mazzulli Joseph R.
Published: March 2010

Aggregation of α-synuclein (α-syn), a process that generates oligomeric intermediates, is a common pathological feature of several neurodegenerative disorders. Despite the potential importance of the oligomeric α-syn intermediates in neuron function, their biochemical properties and pathobiological functionsin vivoremain vastly unknown. Here we used two-dimensional analytical separation and an array of biochemical and cell-based assays to characterize α-syn oligomers that are present in the nervous system of A53T α-syn transgenic mice. The most prominent species identified were 53 Å detergent-soluble oligomers, which preceded neurological symptom onset, and were found at equivalent amounts in regions containing α-syn inclusions as well as histologically unaffected regions. These oligomers were resistant to SDS, heat, and urea but were sensitive to proteinase-K digestion. Although the oligomers shared similar basic biochemical properties, those obtained from inclusion-bearing regions were prominently reactive to antibodies that recognize oxidized α-syn oligomers, significantly accelerated aggregation of α-synin vitro, and caused primary cortical neuron degeneration. In contrast, oligomers obtained from non-inclusion-bearing regions were not toxic and delayed thein vitroformation of α-syn fibrils. These data indicate that specific conformations of α-syn oligomers are present in distinct brain regions of A53T α-syn transgenic mice. The contribution of these oligomers to the development of neuron dysfunction appears to be independent of their absolute quantities and basic biochemical properties but is dictated by the composition and conformation of the intermediates as well as unrecognized brain-region-specific intrinsic factors.
Amyloid-β Aggregates Cause Alterations of Astrocytic Metabolic Phenotype: Impact on Neuronal Viability
Authors: Allaman Igor , Gavillet Mathilde , Bélanger Mireille , Laroche Thierry , Viertl David , Lashuel Hilal A. , Magistretti Pierre J.
Published: March 2010

Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides play a key role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and exert various toxic effects on neurons; however, relatively little is known about their influence on glial cells. Astrocytes play a pivotal role in brain homeostasis, contributing to the regulation of local energy metabolism and oxidative stress defense, two aspects of importance for neuronal viability and function. In the present study, we explored the effects of Aβ peptides on glucose metabolism in cultured astrocytes. Following Aβ25-35exposure, we observed an increase in glucose uptake and its various metabolic fates, i.e., glycolysis (coupled to lactate release), tricarboxylic acid cycle, pentose phosphate pathway, and incorporation into glycogen. Aβ increased hydrogen peroxide production as well as glutathione release into the extracellular space without affecting intracellular glutathione content. A causal link between the effects of Aβ on glucose metabolism and its aggregation and internalization into astrocytes through binding to members of the class A scavenger receptor family could be demonstrated. Using astrocyte-neuron cocultures, we observed that the overall modifications of astrocyte metabolism induced by Aβ impair neuronal viability. The effects of the Aβ25-35fragment were reproduced by Aβ1-42but not by Aβ1-40. Finally, the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) pathway appears to be crucial in these events since both the changes in glucose utilization and the decrease in neuronal viability are prevented by LY294002, a PI3-kinase inhibitor. This set of observations indicates that Aβ aggregation and internalization into astrocytes profoundly alter their metabolic phenotype with deleterious consequences for neuronal viability.
Type 3 Deiodinase, a Thyroid-Hormone-Inactivating Enzyme, Controls Survival and Maturation of Cone Photoreceptors
Authors: Ng Lily , Lyubarsky Arkady , Nikonov Sergei S. , Ma Michelle , Srinivas Maya , Kefas Benjamin , St. Germain Donald L. , Hernandez Arturo , Pugh Edward N. , Forrest Douglas
Published: March 2010

Maturation of the mammalian nervous system requires adequate provision of thyroid hormone and mechanisms that enhance tissue responses to the hormone. Here, we report that the development of cones, the photoreceptors for daylight and color vision, requires protection from thyroid hormone by type 3 deiodinase, a thyroid hormone-inactivating enzyme. Type 3 deiodinase, encoded byDio3, is expressed in the immature mouse retina. InDio3−/−mice, ∼80% of cones are lost through neonatal cell death. Cones that express opsin photopigments for response to both short (S) and medium-long (M) wavelength light are lost. Rod photoreceptors, which mediate dim light vision, remain essentially intact. Excessive thyroid hormone in wild-type pups also eliminates cones. Cone loss is mediated by cone-specific thyroid hormone receptor β2 (TRβ2) as deletion of TRβ2 rescues cones inDio3−/−mice. However, rescued cones respond to short but not longer wavelength light because TRβ2 under moderate hormonal stimulation normally induces M opsin and controls the patterning of M and S opsins over the retina. The results suggest that type 3 deiodinase limits hormonal exposure of the cone to levels that safeguard both cone survival and the patterning of opsins that is required for cone function.