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In Deutschland nahezu unbekannt, gehört der Schriftsteller Laurent Tailhade (1854-1919) zu den interessantesten Persönlichkeiten des literarischpolitischen Anarchismus im Frankreich des späten 19. Jahrhunderts. Er verfasste zahlreiche Gedichte und Essays, trat aber auch als Autor polemischer Zeitungsartikel und als aggressiver Redner hervor, sodass sich an seiner Person exemplarisch das Zusammenspiel von literarisch-ästhetischer und politisch-provokativer Praxis darstellen lässt.
Berühmt wurde Tailhade durch seinen zynischen Ausspruch "Qu’importent les victimes si le geste est beau!" anlässlich des Attentats von Auguste Vaillant auf die Französische Nationalversammlung im Dezember 1893: Gegenüber der "Schönheit" des terroristischen Aktes spielten humanitäre Erwägungen für Tailhade scheinbar keine Rolle. Nur wenige Monate später, im April 1894, wurde er selbst Opfer eines Anschlags in dem Pariser Restaurant Foyot, wobei er ein Auge einbüßte, sich aber dennoch - dies ist neben der 'Ironie des Schicksals' der eigentlich entscheidende Aspekt - weiterhin für anarchistische Ideen einsetzte. Im Folgenden soll versucht werden aufzuzeigen, wie sich die zur viel zitierten ästhetizistischen Provokationsformel geronnene Aussage Tailhades in dessen literarisch-intellektueller Entwicklung und im künstlerischen und politischen Kontext des 19. Jahrhunderts verorten lässt.
Ich spreche im Folgenden über ein Thema, das 'Hermeneutik nach Luther' heißen soll. Als Hermeneutik verstehe ich dabei im Anschluss an Friedrich Schleiermacher - also im Anschluss an einen protestantischen Theologen, der seine eigene Hermeneutikkonzeption vorwiegend mit Bezug auf die Auslegung des Neuen Testamentes entwickelt hat, das heißt in einem dezidiert christlichen und zugleich mehrfachen, noch näher zu klärenden nach-Luther'schen Sinn - die "Kunst des Verstehens". Die Bestimmung verdeutlicht, dass das Verstehen nichts Selbstverständliches ist. Verstehen versteht sich nicht von selbst. Es muss selbst verstanden werden. Hermeneutik bezeichnet nach diesem Verständnis eine Aufgabe, und zwar, wie Schleiermacher zu betonen nicht müde wird, eine niemals abgeschlossene, immer weiter fortzusetzende Aufgabe.
Im Frankfurter Städel Museum ist ein Papst-Porträt zu sehen, das viele Geschichten erzählt: von Julius II., der als ebenso kriegerisch wie kunstsinnig galt, von einem Bildmotiv, das bis heute Standards setzt, und von technischen Methoden, die zeigen, dass hier wohl mehr Raffael drinsteckt, als manche wahrhaben wollen – wodurch das Bild rund 500 Jahre nach seiner Entstehung vielleicht selbst Geschichte schreibt.
O biênio de 2016-2017 marca o duplo centenário da publicação original da Viagem à Itália, de Goethe. Depois de décadas de distância, Goethe finalmente publica esse que seria seu testemunho formativo, a autobiografia de uma transformação radical. A história do texto e da viagem que lhe deu origem revela, porém, que esse enredo não é tão simples e unidirecional, mas está permeado de hesitações e retomadas, cenas míticas e retornos anacrônicos. A intenção desse artigo é mapear, assim, as múltiplas camadas - para usar o modelo geológico de Reinhart Koselleck - de tempo e, principalmente, de extemporaneidade que se entretecem no relato italiano. Pretendemos chamar a atenção para algumas (outras) riquezas da obra goethiana: seu intenso páthos memorativo, sua oposição aos grandes de seu século, sua entronização na literatura alemã, entre outras.
The contributions of Korean and Taiwanese authors to the many and varied formulations of interwar pan-Asianism have so far remained a relatively unexplored subject of scholarly research, despite an unbroken interest in the trajectory of state-based Japanese pan-Asianism. Focusing on Korean students and independence activists, this article discusses alternative configurations of regional unity and solidarity that emanated from the interactions among Korean, Taiwanese, and other Asian actors who resided in Tokyo during the 1910s and 1920s. When the ethnic-nationalist interpretations of the Wilsonian principle of self-determination failed to materialize, a portion of anti-colonial activists in Asia began to emphasize the need for solidarity by drawing on what they perceived as traditional and shared “Asian” values. While challenging the Western-dominated international order of nation-states that perpetuated imperialism, such notions of Asian solidarity at the same time served as an ideology of liberation from Japanese imperialism. Examining journals published by Korean students and activists, including The Asia Kunglun, this article adds another layer to the history of pan-Asianism from below, a perspective that has often been neglected within the larger context of scholarship on pan-Asianism and Japanese imperialism in Asia.
Als Peter Härtling am 7.11.2014 mit dem Hessischen Kulturpreis ausgezeichnet wird, spielt er auf die reformpädagogischen "fromme[n] Wünsche" an, die mit dem von Ellen Key 1902 ausgerufenen "Jahrhundert des Kindes" für das 20. Jahrhundert postuliert worden waren, und die, wie er selbst als Kind während und nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg erfahren musste, "unerfüllbar" gewesen seien. Sein Rückblick lässt ihn allerdings zu dem Schluss kommen, dass das 21. Jahrhundert noch "schlimmer" sei, denn es handele sich um das "Jahrhundert des Flüchtlingskindes". Es liegt folglich nahe, angesichts seines im Herbst 2016 erschienenen "Romans für Kinder", Djadi, Flüchtlingsjunge, auf den erinnernden Autor zu blicken, der mit 13 Jahren kurz nach Ende des Zweiten Weltkriegs zum Waisen wurde. ...
Der Artikel stellt aktuelle stilometrische Studien im Delta-Kontext vor. Diskutiert wird, warum die Verwendung des Kosinus-Abstands zu einer Verbesserung der Erfolgsquote führt; durch Experimente zur Vektornormalisierung gelingt es, die Funktionsweise von Delta besser zu verstehen. Anhand von mittelhochdeutschen Texten wird gezeigt, dass auch metrische Eigenschaften zur Autorschaftsattribution eingesetzt werden können. Zudem wird untersucht, inwieweit die mittelalterliche, nicht-normierte Schreibung die Erfolgsquote von Delta beeinflusst. Am Beispiel von arabisch-lateinischen Übersetzungen wird geprüft, inwieweit eine selektive Merkmalseliminierung dazu beitragen kann, das Übersetzersignal vom Genresignal zu isolieren.
"ein wort / ergibt das andere / wort" : über die Majuskelschrift in den Gedichten von Gerhard Eike
(2017)
Gerhard Eike’s poetry volume, 6 & 60 konelliptische Landschaften, published by the Kriterion Publishing House in Bucharest in 1975, follows the trend of German language literature of Romania of those times, in terms of literary experimentation. Eike’s primary technique consists of capitalizing certain words, sentences or syllables, thus trying to take them out of the context and recontextualize them in new semantic frameworks. The author does not always use the mechanism in a befitting manner, but there are plenty of felicitous cases when language is refreshed and the internal relations of the text are redefined.
Wenn der heilige Martin im frühen Mittelalter zum Hausheiligen der Karolinger und Merowinger avanciert und als Schlachtenhelfer angerufen wird, dann liegt das in seiner allgemeinen Anrufbarkeit als Heiliger begründet und dem Vertrauen in seine Wunderkraft, derer man sich durch seine Reliquien – allen voran die Mantelhälfte – versichern wollte, während es für die von ihm erhoffte Schlachtenhilfe "in seiner Lebensgeschichte keinen beweiskräftigen Rückhalt" gibt. Dass er selbst einst Soldat war, spielt dabei keinerlei Rolle – nicht einmal in einer jener seltsam schief anmutenden Übertragungen, die das Patronat eines Heiligen mit dessen Folterinstrument verknüpfen, so im Falle des Soldaten-Märtyrers Sebastian, der zum Patron der Bogenschützen wird, durch deren Pfeile er doch zu Tode kam. Allenfalls wäre von einer in der Latenz bleibenden ikonischen, auf Ähnlichkeit beruhenden, Zeichenrelation auszugehen, die im einstigen Soldaten und nunmehr spirituellen Gottesstreiter Martin ein kriegerisches Handeln im Namen Gottes vorgebildet sieht. Explizit gemacht wird ein solcher Zusammenhang aber nicht. Martin bleibt der wundertätige und barmherzige Mönchsbischof, sein "Streiten" bleibt metaphorisch und erinnert daran, dass in der christlichen Tradition Gewalt gerade kein Heilsweg ist.
Unter dem Terminus "Apokryphen" versteht man in der alttestamentlichen protestantischen Wissenschaft jene biblischen Bücher, die in der griechischen Übersetzung der Hebräischen Bibel, der sog. Septuaginta, bzw. der lateinischen Übersetzung, der Vulgata, zu finden sind, jedoch nicht im Kanon der Hebräischen Bibel. In der Septuaginta sind dies die vier Makkabäerbücher, das 3. Esrabuch, Jesus Sirach, die Weisheit Salomos, die Psalmen Salomos, Tobit, Judit, Baruch, der Brief Jeremias und Baruch sowie die Zusätze zu Daniel und zu Ester. Wie alt dieser Kanon ist und ob er bereits auf einen jüdischen Kanon zurückgeht, ist eine offene Frage der Forschung; in jedem Fall gehören diese Schriften der Septuaginta bis heute zum Kanon der Ostkirche. Im Westen dagegen setzte sich der etwas weniger umfangreiche Kanon der Vulgata durch, in dem das 3. und 4. Makkabäerbuch und das 3. Esrabuch fehlen. Da diese Texte nicht auf Hebräisch überliefert wurden und auch nicht Bestandteil der jüdischen Bibel sind, haben die Reformatoren, die unter dem Einfluss des Humanismus mit seinem Leitgedanken "ad Fontes", der Hinwendung zu den Quellen, standen, diese aus ihrem Kanon ausgeschieden.
In dem folgenden werkgenetischen und forschungskritischen Beitrag geht es um das sonderbare und revisionsbedürftige Schicksal, das eine von Mozart nach dessen Rückkehr aus Mannheim in Salzburg ohne Auftrag begonnene und bis Sommer 1780 fast vollendete Oper durch ihre Rezeption bei der Nachwelt bis heute erlitten hat. Für meine Hypothese, bei Mozarts Zaïde handele es sich um eine ernste (nicht-komische), höchstwahrscheinlich einaktig konzipierte Kurzoper ("Operette", W. A. M.) ohne glücklichen Ausgang, ist es ebenso unmöglich, einen "Nachweis" zu erbringen, wie für die bisher geltende, als einzig denkbare Wahrheit auftretende These, sie sei ein stark fragmentarisches, höchstwahrscheinlich dreiaktiges Singspiel, dem nicht nur die Ouvertüre und die meisten Dialoge fehlten, sondern auch die entweder in mehreren fehlenden Schlussnummern eines zweiten oder in einem dritten Akt sich vollziehen sollende glückliche Wende. Darum wird hier nicht versucht, gegen eine bestehende beanspruchte "Deutungshoheit" eine andere zu setzen, sondern lediglich angezeigt und begründet, warum es ratsam ist, eine andere Interpretationsmöglichkeit bekannter Quellen, von denen einige bisher berücksichtigt, andere vernachlässigt wurden, ins Auge zu fassen. Es kann lediglich anhand von Indizien, welche die Quellen und Teile der bisherigen Forschung aufweisen, eine neue, bisher verworfene Möglichkeit von dem über sie verhängten Verdikt befreit werden. ...
Seiner Gattung nach ist das Monumentaldrama von Karl Kraus "Die letzten Tage der Menschheit" unzweifelhaft eine Satire. Einen Zugang zum Verständnis kann denn auch Schillers berühmte Satirebestimmung eröffnen. Sie steht in seiner Abhandlung "Über naive und sentimentalische Dichtung", die erstmals 1795/96 in den "Horen" erschien. Darin lautet die Definition der Satire als einer sentimentalischen Gattung folgendermaßen:
"In der Satire wird die Wirklichkeit als Mangel dem Ideal als der höchsten Realität gegenübergestellt. Es ist übrigens gar nicht nötig, daß das letztere ausgesprochen werde, wenn der Dichter es nur im Gemüt zu erwecken weiß; dies muß er aber schlechterdings, oder er wird gar nicht poetisch wirken. Die Wirklichkeit ist also hier ein notwendiges Objekt der Abneigung, aber, worauf hier alles ankömmt, diese Abneigung selbst muß wieder notwendig aus dem entgegengesetzten Ideale entspringen. […] Die pathetische Satire muß also jederzeit aus einem Gemüte fließen, welches von dem Ideal lebhaft durchdrungen ist. Nur ein herrschender Trieb nach Übereinstimmung kann und darf jenes tiefe Gefühl moralischer Widersprüche und jenen glühenden Unwillen gegen moralische Verkehrtheit erzeugen, welche in einem Juvenal, Swift, Rousseau, Haller und andern zur Begeisterung wird".
Vom 16. bis 18. März 2017 fand am Institut für Germanistik der Universität Wroclaw eine internationale sprachwissenschaftliche Konferenz statt. Die Tagung mit dem Rahmenthema 'Intra- und interlinguale Zugänge zur deutschen Phraseologie und Parömiologie' wurde vom Lehrstuhl für Angewandte Linguistik des Instituts für Germanistik der Universität Wroclaw in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Institut für Slawistik (FR Westslawistik) der Universität Leipzig veranstaltet.
Sie rast, sie schleicht, sie fließt, sie tröpfelt: Obwohl der Tag immer 24 Stunden hat, nehmen wir die Zeit sehr unterschiedlich wahr. In der Kindheit tickt die innere Uhr anders als in der Rushhour des Lebens oder kurz vor dem Tod. Aber nicht nur das Alter spielt eine Rolle, sondern viele weitere Faktoren beeinflussen unser Zeitempfinden.
Der vorliegende Beitrag setzt sich Zweifaches zum Ziel: erstens, Karl Dedecius' Weg zum renommierten Übersetzer der polnischen Lyrik in Deutschland sowie sein Konzept der Übersetzungskunst zu skizzieren, und daran anschließend – an zwei Gedichten von Wisława Szymborska in der Übersetzung von Dedecius ('Das erste Foto' und 'Katze in der leeren Wohnung') – aufzuzeigen, wie selbst eine große Meisterschaft an bestimmte Grenzen stößt, die dem Übertragen der Lyrik in eine andere Sprache innewohnen.
Heute am 14. Dezember kommt der Film "Leaning into the Wind" über den britischen Landart Künstler Andy Goldsworthy in die Kinos. Exklusiv stand der Regisseur Thomas Riedelsheimer bei der Vorpremiere am vergangenen Samstag seinem Publikum Rede und Antwort. Bereits 2001 hatten Goldsworthy und Riedelsheimer einen Film über das Schaffen des außergewöhnlichen Künstlers produziert. Nach 16 Jahren knüpfen sie nun an die Erfolgsgeschichte von damals an und schaffen 90 Minuten eindrucksvolles Bildmaterial, das durch seine vielfältigen Kameraeinstellungen ein umfassendes und intimes Porträt des Künstlers und seiner nahezu symbiotischen Arbeit in und mit der Natur kreiert. ...
Im Jahr 1894 stellt Frank Wedekind mit seinem Drama "Die Büchse der Pandora. Eine Monstretragödie" seine erste literarische Auseinandersetzung mit dem Lulu-Stoff fertig, später folgen die Bearbeitungen »Der Erdgeist« im Jahr 1895, "Die Büchse der Pandora" aus dem Jahr 1903 und 1913 die Zusammenführung "Lulu". Diese Urfassung markiert somit den Beginn einer knapp 20 Jahre andauernden Beschäftigung mit jener Thematik, die Wedekinds umstrittenen Ruf als Autor beim Publikum und den Zensurbehörden gleichermaßen begründet.
Angesichts der jegliche Deutung des Stückes überlagernden Sitten- und Schamlosigkeit des Stoffes wird häufig übersehen, dass Wedekinds erste Beschäftigung mit der Thematik im Rahmen der "Monstretragödie" zugleich einen zentralen Kulminationspunkt seiner bis dahin andauernden literarischen Beschäftigungen darstellt. Es sind in erster Linie zwei Themengebiete, die seine ersten Arbeiten bis dahin prägen: In seinem literarischen Erstling "Frühlings Erwachen" setzt er sich 1891 intensiv mit den Fragen der Sexualität und damit zusammenhängend der gesellschaftlichen Sexualmoral auseinander und schafft damit einen wichtigen thematischen Grundpfeiler - auch für spätere Werke
Kernarbeitszeit oder Überstunden – solche Begriffe tauchen heute in Arbeitsverträgen kaum noch auf. Ist ein Problem zu lösen, dann geschieht das eben auch nachts oder am Wochenende. 84 Prozent der Arbeitnehmer sind mit ihrem Smartphone auch außerhalb der Arbeitszeit im Standby-Modus. Flexible Arbeitszeiten und individualisierte Arbeitsmodelle bringen zwar dem Einzelnen mehr Freiheiten, um den Alltag seinen Lebensumständen anzupassen, führen aber auch zur Entgrenzung der Arbeit, nicht selten mit gravierenden sozialen und besonders gesundheitlichen Folgen.
Köşker 2015 yılında yayımlanan "Yabancı Dil Öğretiminde Kültür Aktarımı: Fransız Dili Örneği" başlıklı makalesinde geçmişten günümüze süregelen hedeflerin aksine dil öğrenmenin temel amacının artık öğrenilen dili konuşan kişilerle yazılı veya sözlü iletişim kurabilmek olduğunu belirtmiş, ancak Zeuner (1997) gibi o da konuşma ve anlama üzerine kurulu yazılı ve sözlü iletişim yetisini kullanabilmek için sadece dilbilgisi kurallarını bilmenin yetmediğini, bunun yanı sıra etkileşime girilen kişilerin yaşadıkları topluma ilişkin kültürel değerler hakkında da bilgi sahibi olmak ve dili konuşanların sözel olmayan mesajlarını da anlamak gerektiğini vurgulamıştır. Köşker ve Zeuner'in bu görüşlerinden hareketle bu çalışmada Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı Talim ve Terbiye Kurulu Başkanlığının 2016-2017 öğretim yılından itibaren 5 (beş) yıl süreyle ders kitabı olarak kabul ettiği ve okullarda 2016-2017 eğitim-öğretim yılında yaygın olarak kullanılan Türkiye'de hazırlanmış ve basılmış olan Schritt für Schritt Deutsch Ortaöğretim A1.1 Düzeyi Almanca Ders Kitabı (Çelen Öztürk, 2016) içerdiği kültürel öğeler bakımından Tomková'nın (1992) ve Arıkan ve Saraç'ın (2010) geliştirmiş oldukları ölçütler doğrultusunda mercek altına alınmış ve veriler betimsel analiz yöntemi ile çözümlenerek, yorumlanmıştır. Veriler, Schritt für Schritt Deutsch Ortaöğretim A1.1 Düzeyi Almanca Ders Kitabında hedef dilin konuşulduğu ülkenin günlük yaşamına ve kültürüne ilişkin Türkçede 'Ülke Bilgisi' olarak karşılık bulan Landeskunde kavramı bağlamında coğrafi, tarihsel, sayısal, istatistiksel vs. gibi bilgilere yer verildiğini, bunun ötesinde öğrencilerin hedef dil kültürel öğeleri görmelerini ve duymalarını ve bu yolla zihinlerinde hayal edebilmelerini sağlayan ve kendi kültürü ile hedef dilin kültürünü karşılaştırabileceği ve empati kurabileceği düzenlemelere gidildiğini, ancak gerek 'Kültürlerarasılık' kavramı bağlamında yapılması öngörülen etkinliklerin gerekse ‘Ülke Bilgisi’ olarak karşılık bulan Landeskunde kavramı bağlamında sunulan coğrafi, tarihsel, sayısal, istatistiksel vs. gibi bilgilerin sayıca oldukça sınırlı olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Araştırma kitapta yabancı olanı doğru anlayabilmek için mutlaka bilinmesi gereken hedef dilin konuşulduğu ülkeye has kültürel değerlere çok az değinildiğini ve erek dili konuşanların sözel olmayan mesajlarını da anlayabilme becerisini de geliştirecek türde düzenlemelere gidilmesi gerektiğini ortaya koymuştur.
Im Jahr 1926 erschien in der 'Revista de Occidente', einer von José Ortega y Gasset in Madrid herausgegebenen Zeitschrift mit kulturpolitischer und philosophischer Ausrichtung, eine merkwürdige Publikation unter dem rätselhaften Titel "Cancionero apócrifo de Abel Martín. Recopilación y estudio de Juan de Mairena." Auf den ersten Blick scheint es so, als fungiere Antonio Machado hier lediglich als Herausgeber einer von Juan de Mairena kompilierten Sammlung, welche wiederum der Autorschaft eines Abel Martín zugeschrieben wird. Trotz der rätselhaften doppelten Herausgeberfiktion hatte das damalige Lesepublikum offenbar keine Probleme damit, Antonio Machado als den eigentlichen Autor der genannten "apokryphen" Prosa- und Gedichttexte zu identifizieren. Denn die Namen Juan de Mairena und Abel Martín bezeichnen nicht etwa reale Dichterpersönlichkeiten der damaligen Epoche oder der spanischen Literatur- geschichte, sondern sie sind – wie die damaligen Leser durch Ausschlussverfahren selbst erraten konnten – Konstrukte von Machados Phantasie, fiktive Autorprojektionen, deren Erfindung und Gestaltung er mit erstaunlichem gedanklichen Aufwand und Akribie betrieben hatte. Abel Martín und sein 'Schüler' Mairena gehören zu einem ganzen Spektrum von imaginierten Dichtern und Philosophen, deren fingierte Werke ihr Erfinder Machado als "apokryph" bezeichnete. Die bemerkenswerte Praktik, eigene Hervorbringungen, Lyrik und Prosa, nicht unter dem eigenen Namen zu publizieren, sondern einem Kreis fingierter Autorpersönlichkeiten zuzuordnen, hebt sich von dem gewöhnlichen Gebrauch von Pseudonymen, von künstlerischen Decknamen, deutlich ab. Zumal der Autor in jenem Zeitraum in den 1910er und 1920er Jahren keineswegs mehr ein Unbekannter war.
Das Buch "Kohelet" des Alten Testaments, auch unter den Titeln "Der Prediger Salomo" oder "Ecclesiastes" überliefert, entstand wahrscheinlich im 3. Jahrhundert vor Christus. Vor allem die Eingangskapitel gehören zu den bekanntesten Texten der sogenannten biblischen Weisheitsbücher. Das kann allein schon die Tradition einiger 'Geflügelter Worte' durch die Jahrhunderte bezeugen wie etwa die folgenden Sätze oder Wendungen: "Es ist alles ganz eitel"; "Nimmersatt"; "Und geschiehet nichts Neues unter der Sonne"; "Ein jegliches hat seine Zeit"; "Sich gütlich tun"; "Viel Büchermachens ist kein Ende".
Spuren eines Einflusses auf das Werk Hofmannsthals scheinen sich etwa im Auftrittsmonolog des "Jedermann" zu finden, wenn er mit seinem stattlichen "Haus", seinem "Hausgesind" oder seinen "Meierhöf voll Vieh" prahlt; denn auch "Kohelet" rühmt sich der von ihm gebauten "Häuser", in denen sein "Gesinde, im Hause geboren" für ihn arbeitet, sowie seiner großen "Habe an Rindern und Schafen".
Diese Übereinstimmungen oder Ähnlichkeiten sind allerdings nur indirekt, weil die direkte Vorlage für Jedermanns Eingangsmonolog eine Dichtung des Hans Sachs ist. Die Textpassage findet sich nicht in Hofmannsthals Hauptquelle, dem "Everyman" aus dem 15. Jahrhundert. So gestaltete sie Hofmannsthal nach seiner zweiten "Jedermann"-Quelle, dem 1549 gedichteten Geistlichen Spiel "Ein comedi von dem reichen sterbenden menschen, der Hecastus genannt".
Werbung stellt in einer von Globalisierung und Transkulturalität geprägten Welt ein Phänomen dar, das nicht nur omnipräsent ist und uns mit Glücksversprechen und Idealbildern in Plastik(-schein-)welten verführt, sondern zunehmend als populäre Form der Kunst gepriesen wird, deren Wirkung durch ausgefeilte Formen der Rhetorik sowie eine suggestive bzw. manipulative Bildersprache gekennzeichnet ist. Fach- und insbesondere Fremdsprachen bilden einen wesentlichen Bestandteil im sprachlichen und stilistischen Repertoire der Werbesprache. Der Beitrag gliedert sich denn auch in zwei Abschnitte: Im ersten Teil der Untersuchung wird das sprachliche und stilistische Repertoire (Fachsprachen, Jugendsprache, Dialekt, Fremdsprachen (Anglizismen) der Werbesprache dargestellt. Der zweite Teil der Untersuchung beinhaltet eine exemplarische Analyse von türkischen und deutschen bzw. deutschsprachigen Werbeanzeigen im Hinblick auf die Verwendung von Anglizismen.
Themen wie Antisemitismus, Exil, Flucht oder Vertreibung wurden in der deutschsprachigen und vor allem in der österreichischen Kinder- und Jugendliteratur nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg relativ spät und nur sehr zögerlich aufgegriffen. Das hängt sehr stark mit dem damaligen politischen Klima zusammen. Die meisten ÖsterreicherInnen fühlten sich als erste Opfer von Hitlers Annexionspolitik, die jüngste Vergangenheit wurde weder in der Öffentlichkeit, in der Literatur, noch in Schulen thematisiert, sondern meist verschwiegen und verdrängt. Vor allem der Kinder- und Jugendliteratur wurde die Aufgabe zugesprochen, eine heile Welt zu schaffen – vorrangig für jene Kinder, die den Krieg selbst miterlebt hatten. Dabei richtete sich der Fokus auf jene, die während der NS-Zeit in Österreich verblieben waren und nicht auf jene, die selbst von Anfeindungen aller Art betroffen waren. AutorInnen, die aus eigener Erfahrung berichten hätten können, waren noch nicht in ihre ursprüngliche Heimat zurückgekehrt bzw. wurden auch nicht eingeladen, wieder zurückzukommen. In diesem Klima gab es kaum einen Markt für Kinderund Jugendbücher, die von einer Realität berichteten, die damals und auch lange nach Kriegsende kaum jemand hören wollte. Ein Beispiel dafür ist Mira Lobes Insu-pu. Die Insel der verlorenen Kinder. Das Buch war bereits im Exil verfasst worden und erschien zunächst 1948 in Tel Aviv. In der ursprünglichen Form weist es direkte Verbindungen zu Vertreibung und Exil auf, die in den deutschen Versionen ab 1951 verschwinden. In der Originalversion ist zu lesen, dass eine Kindergruppe aus einem bombengefährdeten Gebiet per Schiff evakuiert wird. In den späteren Ausgaben fehlt dieser Bezug zur Realität. Die Kinder geraten zufällig auf eine Insel, wo sie aus eigener Kraft einen Kinderstaat aufbauen und das eigene Überleben sichern. Der historische Bezug wurde damit gelöscht und mit ihm auch die Chance, sich in der Kinder- und Jugendliteratur kritisch mit der eigenen Vergangenheit zu befassen. Österreichischen AutorInnen wie Alex Wedding, Fred Wander oder der aus politischen Gründen ins Exil gegangenen Hermynia Zur Mühlen, die 1945 in ihrem Buch Little Allies Flüchtlingskinder aus 14 Nationen einander ihre Märchen erzählen lässt, wurden eher in der DDR als in ihrem Heimatland Österreich eine Stimme gegeben. ...
Der vorliegende Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit der Präsenz der Gewaltproblematik im Zusammenhang mit der Verbreitung der Literatur von unerwünschten DDR-Autoren in der VR Polen. Die Gründung einer alternativen polnischen Kulturszene Mitte der 1970er Jahre konnte teilweise eine Lücke schließen, die das in beiden Ländern verhängte Einreiseverbot für diese Schriftsteller und ihre Texte hinterlassen hatte. Da solche Aktivitäten als eine Straftat mit aller Schärfe verfolgt wurden, waren verschiedene Formen der Gewaltanwendung ein Bestandteil der staatlichen Überwachung und Einschüchterung von Schriftstellern, Verlegern, Übersetzern und Publizisten.
"Wir haben diesen Dichter geliebt" : Hugo von Hofmannsthal und Eduard Korrodi ; Briefe und Dokumente
(2017)
Der Schweizer Journalist, Essayist und Literaturkritiker Eduard Korrodi, geboren am 20. November 1885 in Zürich, ist heute, mehr als 60 Jahre nach seinem Tod am 4. September 1955, selbst in Literaten- oder Germanistenkreisen nahezu unbekannt. Seinen Zeitgenossen hingegen galt er als wegweisender Mentor und Anreger, als "schweizerischer Geisteswärter", als "das literarische Bundesgericht" der Schweiz und allmächtiger "Literaturpapst". Diese einzigartige Position eines "Entdeckers" und "Erweckers", "Richters" und "Vernichters" hat er in der Feuilletonredaktion der "Neuen Zürcher Zeitung" zwischen 1915 und 1950 über 35 Jahre hin behauptet - "geliebt, geehrt" und "angegriffen", immer aber "ernst genommen", so dass kaum ein Schweizer Schriftsteller der ersten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts ihn nicht in Tagebüchern oder Memoiren "erwähnt" oder "in gereizter Weise 'behandelt'".
Als jüngster Sohn des angesehenen Lehrers, Schulbuchautors und Lyrikers "für den Hausgebrauch" Johann Heinrich Korrodi (1834-1910) und der Marie Zurgilgen (1852-1950), die der Vater 1882 in dritter Ehe geheiratet hatte, besucht Korrodi die Schule in Zürich und ab Oktober 1898 das Kollegium "Maria Hilf" in Schwyz. Ab dem Wintersemester 1905/06 studiert er deutsche Philologie, Alt-Isländisch und Kunstgeschichte in seiner Heimatstadt und wird hier, nach einem Berliner Auslandssemester im Winter 1907/08 bei Erich Schmidt und Richard Moritz Meyer,10 im Januar 1910 mit der von Adolf Frey (1855-1920) betreuten Dissertation "Stilstudien zu C.F. Meyers Novellen" zum Dr. phil. promoviert.
Robert Anton ist zuständig für die Pflege und Entwicklung der Außenanlagen aller Campi der Universität und Technischer Leiter des Wissenschaftsgartens am Riedberg. Mit seinem Team sorgt er nicht nur dafür, dass die Grünanlagen schön aussehen, sondern er stellt auch Pflanzen für Vorlesungen und Praktika bereit, unterstützt die Wissenschaftler bei Freilandversuchen und bildet Gärtner aus. Diese Aufgaben füllen seine Zeit aus. Sein oberster Taktgeber ist dabei der Rhythmus der Natur. An diesem Wintertag hat er deswegen auch Zeit, sich mit mir zu unterhalten. "Im Winter geht alles etwas geruhsamer. Da räumen wir auf, spülen Blumentöpfe und bereiten die Aussaat im Frühling vor." ...
Von Natur aus, so Döblin, kannte das Epische in seiner "unbegrenzten Form" kein bestimmtes Ende. Realität, Traum und Phantasie waren noch nicht voneinander geschieden; berichtet wurden "Elementarsituationen des menschlichen Daseins" in "immer neuen Abwandlungen", in der "Serienarbeit" der mündlichen und kollektiven Erzählungen und Nacherzählungen, im Grunde der "Wahrheit" ohne Begründung. Auf Einladung des Germanistikprofessors Julius Petersen hielt Döblin am 10. Dezember 1928 seinen Vortrag "Der Bau des epischen Werks" im Auditorium Maximum der Berliner Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität. Darin erstellt er ein Programm zur Erneuerung des Romans unter den Bedingungen der modernen Kollektiverfahrungen von Masse, Technik und medialer Öffentlichkeit, in Verbindung mit den Wissensbeständen von Medizin, Psychiatrie und Soziologie und deren "Resonanz", wie er in seiner ganz persönlichen Universalschrift 'Unser Dasein' von 1933 schrieb, seiner letzten in Deutschland vor dem Exil erschienenen Publikation. Die Literatur hätte die Aufgabe, die neu entstandene Wirklichkeit zu "durchstoßen", das Menschenmögliche, auch die destruktiven Energien zur Sprache zu bringen: im Produktionsprozess eines als "dynamisches Netzwerk" zu begreifenden und plastisch zu gestaltenden Weltganzen, der Dinge und Vorgänge mit den in ihnen wirkenden Kräften. Die Vitalisierung und Elementarisierung der Sprache sollte den Ursprung des Epischen wiedergewinnen und die vorherrschende Repräsentationslogik der medialen Vermittlung außer Kraft setzen: "Das Buch ist der Tod der wirklichen Sprache."
In the present research a pronunciation training, which was implemented within the scope of the seminar "Reading skills II", is being discussed. Turkish students in their first year, studying German Language Teaching at Uludağ University participated in this research. After a theoretical grounding, the conception of the pronunciation training and how it was implemented in the seminar will be introduced. The aim of this study is to examine, how the detected phonetic problems of the students can be eliminated through a targeted pronunciation training and how it can be perceived by the students. Orientated on the Qualitative Evaluation by Kuckartz et al. (2007) the analysis has been carried out. Therefore a questionnaire and a group-interview have been applied. Considering the evaluated results, possible perspectives for the specific field of research and teaching practice have been presented.
"Ästhetisch ist, was hilft"
(2017)
Wenn Rechtstexte auf literarische Texte treffen, dann treffen Wahrheitsformen aufeinander. Es treffen unterschiedliche Weisen, Wahrheit zu produzieren, aufeinander. Zu den zahlreichen Unterschieden gehören, historisch bedingt, unterschiedliche Stile, die sich um die Objektivierung und "Subjektivierung" der Aussagen bilden. Das fängt bei den banalen "wir" und "man" rechtswissenschaftlicher Texte an, geht über allgemein gehaltene, enthistorisierende und systematisierende Definitionen bis zu einem Fussnotenapparat, der in manchen Rechtstexten beinahe jede Aussage als nachweisbare Aussage absichern soll. Die Rechtswissenschaft, zumal die deutsche, pflegt bei ihren Wahrheitsformen objektivierende Stile, die Literaturwissenschaft tut das nicht, nicht in dem Maße, sie lässt das Subjekt stärker in die Aussage einbrechen. Die Lage zwischen diesen beiden Disziplinen ist allerdings kompliziert, weil wiederum das Recht eine wirksame Subjektivierungsinstanz ist, die eben die Instrumente zur Verfügung stellt, um Aussagen an Subjekte zu binden. Sie hat die Unterschrift und den Urheber erfunden. In dieser Lage kann man also nicht einfach das Subjektive gegen das Objektive ausspielen. Von Anfang aber über das Zusammentreffen von Literatur und Recht in objektivierenden Stilen zu schreiben, schafft eine asymmetrische Ausgangslage, die ich gerne zugunsten einer symmetrischen Ausgangslage umgehen möchte – soweit das möglich ist. ...
Als Beginn der Theatermoderne gelten der Forschung gemeinhin Max Reinhardts vielgestaltige Versuche, das etablierte Modell des Repräsentationstheaters zu überwinden. Konzeptionell niedergeschlagen haben sie sich erstmals in den Überlegungen zur innenarchitektonischen Ausgestaltung des Berliner 'Kleinen Theaters', die Reinhardt in seinem Brief an den mit dem Projekt betrauten Freund Berthold Held vom 4. August 1901 anstellt: "Von der Bühne müssen meiner Ansicht nach unbedingt Stufen ins Publikum führen. Das können wir gut brauchen und erhöht die Intimität, vielleicht an jeder Seite ein paar Stufen, worauf in der Skizze gleich Rücksicht genommen werden möge." Die von Reinhardt gewünschten Stufen sollen die Einheit des den Bühnen- und Zuschauerraum umfassenden Raum-Zeit-Kontinuums markieren und so die programmatische Revision der im Laufe des 18. Jahrhunderts erfolgten Ausgliederung des Zeichenraums Bühne aus dem weltlichen Raum-Zeit-Kontinuum symbolisieren. In gleicher Weise markiert wird diese Revision der etablierten Kommunikationssituation Theater schon in Hugo von Hofmannsthals frühem lyrischen Drama 'Der Tod des Tizian' (1892), in dem dieser die Figur des Pagen ins Proszenium treten und das Publikum direkt ansprechen lässt, um die den Zuschauerraum vom Zeichenraum Bühne trennende Rampe in metaleptischer Geste zu überspielen. Bestimmt man das Repräsentationsparadigma, das durch diese Operationen überwunden werden soll, mit Jacques Derrida semiologisch als ein wesentlich durch die "Exteriorität des Signifikanten" bestimmtes Zeichenmodell, dann ist es wohl angemessen, die (im gemeinsamen Konzept der Salzburger Festspiele kulminierenden) Versuche Reinhardts und Hofmannsthals, mit dem Repräsentationsparadigma zu brechen, als ein von der Intention zur Interiorisierung des Signifikanten gesteuertes Programm zu bezeichnen.
Dieser Beitrag geht nun vor allem begrifflich-historischen Aspekten des Zusammenhangs von 'Sicherheit' und 'Unverfügbarkeit' nach, wobei ich historisch und konzeptuell vor allem an 'Sicherheit' interessiert bin. 'Unverfügbarkeit' oder 'Nichtverfügbarkeit' wird unterdessen in weiten Teilen heuristisch gebraucht, zum Zwecke der Zusammenschau bestimmter Phänomene.
Die Kulturabteilung der Deutschen Botschaft Ankara, das DAAD-Informationszentrum Ankara und die Hacettepe Universität boten im Wintersemester 2016 für interessierte Masterstudierende und Doktoranden ein Workshop-Seminar zu transkulturellen Konzepten von Zeit und Raum in den Werken Ilija Trojanows an. Konzepte von Fremdheit, Migration, Transkulturalität sowie Raum und Zeit standen besonders im Fokus der Veranstaltung. In seinen Werken wirft Trojanow den Blick auf die Ausbildung interkultureller Identitäten und die damit einhergehenden Dimensionen von Fremdheit, Ablehnung und Identitäts- bzw. Zugehörigkeitsdiffusionen. Die Entfremdung von der eigenen Kultur und den damit verbundenen Perspektivwechsel thematisiert Trojanow unter anderem in seinem Werk Der Weltensammler.
In diesem Seminar stand jedoch nicht nur der Roman Der Weltensammler im Vordergrund, sondern unterschiedlichste Literatur Trojanows. Angeleitet wurden die Nachwuchswissenschaftler über zwei Präsenzseminare zum Thema Kulturanalyse und Anwendung von Methoden in der Literaturwissenschaft. Der Mehrwert des Workshop-Seminars bestand darin, dass die Studierenden Fragen aus den Werken anhand von Hypothesen direkt an den Autor stellen konnten. Um diese auch anderen Wissenschaftlern nicht vorzuenthalten, entschied man den Workshop aufzunehmen und im Anschluss zu transkribieren. Dieses Transkript bietet eine Stellungnahme über die Literatur und Philosophie Ilija Trojanows an und trägt gleichzeitig zum Textverständnis seiner Werke bei.
Folgende Werke Trojanows wurden für den Workshop ausgewählt:
Meine Olympiade: Ein Amateur, vier Jahre, 80 Disziplinen
Der Weltensammler
Der überflüssige Mensch
Macht und Widerstand
Zu den heiligen Quellen des Islam: Als Pilger nach Mekka und Medina
Die Versuchungen der Fremde: Unterwegs in Arabien, Indien und Afrika
Döner in Walhalla oder welche Spuren hinterlässt der Gast, der keiner mehr ist.
Die Studierenden, die sich eingehend mit der Literatur in Vorlauf-Präsenzseminaren beschäftigt hatten, entwarfen (kontroverse) Hypthesen, die sie Herrn Trojanow im Workshop vortrugen. Folgende Transkription wiederspiegelt einen Abriss über die Literatur Trojanows und zeigt gleichzeitig Antworten, die zum Teil auch aus einem sehr philosophischen Terminus entspringen.
The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C21H28N4O, consists of two unique molecules linked by an O—H⋯N hydrogen bond. The conformation of both C=N bonds is E and the azomethine functional groups lie close to the plane of their associated benzene rings in each of the independent molecules. The dihedral angles between the two benzene rings are 83.14 (4) and 75.45 (4)°. The plane of the one of the N(CH3)2 units is twisted away from the benzene ring by 18.8 (2)°, indicating loss of conjugation between the lone electron pair and the benzene ring. In the crystal structure, O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds together with C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link neighbouring supramolecular dimers into a three-dimensional network.
Mathematical models of virus dynamics have not previously acknowledged spatial resolution at the intracellular level despite substantial arguments that favor the consideration of intracellular spatial dependence. The replication of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) viral RNA (vRNA) occurs within special replication complexes formed from membranes derived from endoplasmatic reticulum (ER). These regions, termed membranous webs, are generated primarily through specific interactions between nonstructural virus-encoded proteins (NSPs) and host cellular factors. The NSPs are responsible for the replication of the vRNA and their movement is restricted to the ER surface. Therefore, in this study we developed fully spatio-temporal resolved models of the vRNA replication cycle of HCV. Our simulations are performed upon realistic reconstructed cell structures—namely the ER surface and the membranous webs—based on data derived from immunostained cells replicating HCV vRNA. We visualized 3D simulations that reproduced dynamics resulting from interplay of the different components of our models (vRNA, NSPs, and a host factor), and we present an evaluation of the concentrations for the components within different regions of the cell. Thus far, our model is restricted to an internal portion of a hepatocyte and is qualitative more than quantitative. For a quantitative adaption to complete cells, various additional parameters will have to be determined through further in vitro cell biology experiments, which can be stimulated by the results deccribed in the present study.
The Karl Schwarzschild Meeting 2017 (KSM2017) has been the third instalment of the conference dedicated to the great Frankfurter scientist, who derived the first black hole solution of Einstein's equations about 100 years ago.
The event has been a 5 day meeting in the field of black holes, AdS/CFT correspondence and gravitational physics. Like the two previous instalments, the conference continued to attract a stellar ensemble of participants from the world's most renowned institutions. The core of the meeting has been a series of invited talks from eminent experts (keynote speakers) as well as the presence of plenary research talks by students and junior speakers.
List of Conference photo and poster, Sponsors and funding acknowledgments, Committees and List of participants are available in this PDF.
Das im zweijährigen Turnus stattfindende International Symposium on Place Names (ISPN) wurde unter Leitung von Prof. Herman Breyer ausgerichtet.
In zahlreichen Vorträgen wurde herausgearbeitet, welche hohe Bedeutung die Namengebung für Straßen, Schulen und andere öffentliche Einrichtungen für die Identitätsstiftung besitzen kann. Ein weiterer Aspekt, der in vielfältiger Weise diskutiert wurde, ist die Relevanz von Toponymen als Teil des historischen Erbes.
Gemeinsam mit dem Fach Germanistik an der Universität Stockholm richten die Fächer Germanistik und Translation Deutsch der Universität Helsinki in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Goethe-Institut Finnland und der Botschaft der Republik Österreich in Finnland vom 23. bis 25. August 2017 die siebente internationale Tagung zur kontrastiven Medienlinguistik aus. Der thematische Rahmen dieser Tagung lautet: Medienkulturen - Multimodalität und Intermedialität.
The Cosmological Lithium Problem refers to the large discrepancy between the abundance of primordial 7Li predicted by the standard theory of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis and the value inferred from the so-called “Spite plateau” in halo stars. A possible explanation for this longstanding puzzle in Nuclear Astrophysics is related to the incorrect estimation of the destruction rate of 7Be, which is responsible for the production of 95% of primordial Lithium. While charged-particle induced reactions have mostly been ruled out, data on the 7Be(n,α) and 7Be(n,p) reactions are scarce or completely missing, so that a large uncertainty still affects the abundance of 7Li predicted by the standard theory of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. Both reactions have been measured at the n_TOF facility at CERN, providing for the first time data in a wide neutron energy range.
Die Floristisch-soziologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft wurde am 13. August 1927 in Göttingen gegründet und besteht nun, mit einer Unterbrechung zwischen 1941 und 1948, seit 90 Jahren. In diesem Rückblick wird vor allem die Entwicklung nach dem 2. Weltkrieg näher dargestellt. Hauptkapitel sind Verein, Satzung und Vorstände, Mitgliederentwicklung, Jahrestagungen, Arbeitskurse und Workshops, die Publikation der Mitteilungen und von Tuexenia mit ihren Beiheften sowie der Synopsis der Pflanzengesellschaften Deutschlands. Insgesamt wird eine sehr erfolgreiche Entwicklung mit Konstanz wesentlicher, schon zu Beginn formulierter Ziele und dynamischen Anpassungen an neue Gegebenheiten festgestellt.
Theodor W. Adorno publicou o ensaio “Teoria da semiformação” (Theorie der Halbbildung) em 1959. A partir da publicação deste texto, observou-se sua relevância, sobretudo para que se pudesse compreender a maneira como a indústria cultural determinava a produção de prejuízos significativos no processo formativo. Desde então, a conquista do espírito feita pelo caráter fetichista dos produtos da indústria cultural, sendo esta uma das definições de Adorno sobre o conceito de Halbbildung, impulsionou a realização de muitas pesquisas sobre os danos decorrentes desta conquista na formação. Porém, investigar as atuais características do processo semiformativo não resulta na aplicação direta dos conceitos propostos por Adorno no final da década de 1950. Sendo assim, é preciso que tais conceitos sejam revitalizados por meio da análise das atuais mediações históricas. Seguindo essa linha de raciocínio, o principal objetivo deste artigo é argumentar que a reflexão crítica sobre o modo como a semiformação se renova, na atual sociedade da chamada cultura digital, torna-se fundamental para que se possam elaborar considerações sobre o renascimento da formação (Bildung).
In this work we present, for the first time, the non-perturbative renormalization for the unpolarized, helicity and transversity quasi-PDFs, in an RI′ scheme. The proposed prescription addresses simultaneously all aspects of renormalization: logarithmic divergences, finite renormalization as well as the linear divergence which is present in the matrix elements of fermion operators with Wilson lines. Furthermore, for the case of the unpolarized quasi-PDF, we describe how to eliminate the unwanted mixing with the twist-3 scalar operator.
We utilize perturbation theory for the one-loop conversion factor that brings the renormalization functions to the MS-scheme at a scale of 2 GeV. We also explain how to improve the estimates on the renormalization functions by eliminating lattice artifacts. The latter can be computed in one-loop perturbation theory and to all orders in the lattice spacing.
We apply the methodology for the renormalization to an ensemble of twisted mass fermions with Nf = 2 + 1 + 1 dynamical quarks, and a pion mass of around 375 MeV.
Background: Invasive off- or on-pump cardiac surgery (elective and emergency procedures, excluding transplants are routinely performed to treat complications of ischaemic heart disease. Randomised controlled trials (RCT) evaluate the effectiveness of treatments in the setting of cardiac surgery. However, the impact of RCTs is weakened by heterogeneity in outcome measuring and reporting, which hinders comparison across trials. Core outcome sets (COS, a set of outcomes that should be measured and reported, as a minimum, in clinical trials for a specific clinical field) help reduce this problem. In light of the above, we developed a COS for cardiac surgery effectiveness trials.
Methods: Potential core outcomes were identified a priori by analysing data on 371 RCTs of 58,253 patients. We reached consensus on core outcomes in an international three-round eDelphi exercise. Outcomes for which at least 60% of the participants chose the response option "no" and less than 20% chose the response option "yes" were excluded.
Results: Eighty-six participants from 23 different countries involving adult cardiac patients, cardiac surgeons, anaesthesiologists, nursing staff and researchers contributed to this eDelphi. The panel reached consensus on four core outcomes: 1) Measure of mortality, 2) Measure of quality of life, 3) Measure of hospitalisation and 4) Measure of cerebrovascular complication to be included in adult cardiac surgery trials.
Conclusion: This study used robust research methodology to develop a minimum core outcome set for clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of treatments in the setting of cardiac surgery. As a next step, appropriate outcome measurement instruments have to be selected.
The Gini index is a measure of the inequality of a distribution that can be derived from Lorenz curves. While commonly used in, e.g., economic research, it suffers from ambiguity via lack of Lorenz dominance preservation. Here, investigation of large sets of empirical distributions of incomes of the World’s countries over several years indicated firstly, that the Gini indices are centered on a value of 33.33% corresponding to the Gini index of the uniform distribution and secondly, that the Lorenz curves of these distributions are consistent with Lorenz curves of log-normal distributions. This can be employed to provide a Lorenz dominance preserving equivalent of the Gini index. Therefore, a modified measure based on log-normal approximation and standardization of Lorenz curves is proposed. The so-called UGini index provides a meaningful and intuitive standardization on the uniform distribution as this characterizes societies that provide equal chances. The novel UGini index preserves Lorenz dominance. Analysis of the probability density distributions of the UGini index of the World’s counties income data indicated multimodality in two independent data sets. Applying Bayesian statistics provided a data-based classification of the World’s countries’ income distributions. The UGini index can be re-transferred into the classical index to preserve comparability with previous research.
Background: Modulation of cortical excitability by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is used for investigating human brain functions. A common observation is the high variability of long-term depression (LTD)-like changes in human (motor) cortex excitability. This study aimed at analyzing the response subgroup distribution after paired continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) as a basis for subject selection.
Methods: The effects of paired cTBS using 80% active motor threshold (AMT) in 31 healthy volunteers were assessed at the primary motor cortex (M1) corresponding to the representation of the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle of the left hand, before and up to 50 min after plasticity induction. The changes in motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were analyzed using machine-learning derived methods implemented as Gaussian mixture modeling (GMM) and computed ABC analysis.
Results: The probability density distribution of the MEP changes from baseline was tri-modal, showing a clear separation at 80.9%. Subjects displaying at least this degree of LTD-like changes were n = 6 responders. By contrast, n = 7 subjects displayed a paradox response with increase in MEP. Reassessment using ABC analysis as alternative approach led to the same n = 6 subjects as a distinct category.
Conclusion: Depressive effects of paired cTBS using 80% AMT endure at least 50 min, however, only in a small subgroup of healthy subjects. Hence, plasticity induction by paired cTBS might not reflect a general mechanism in human motor cortex excitability. A mathematically supported criterion is proposed to select responders for enrolment in assessments of human brain functional networks using virtual brain lesions.
Three basic elements should be part of researching in contexts where power asymmetries and colonial connotations are relevant (which applies to many, if not the majority of research contexts in conflict studies): a thorough reflexivity of the researcher’s own role and social conditioning, the construction of research as a political act as it intervenes in scientific and political discourse, and the fact that (especially empirical) research is a product of many (Kaltmeier 2012, Abu Lughod 1991)...
O presente estudo tem como objetivo investigar a ideia de reconhecimento jurídico na teoria de Axel Honneth, o que se dará mediante análise da obra Luta por Reconhecimento. Honneth, ancorado nas teorias de Hegel e Mead, estabelece o papel do direito como esfera de reconhecimento individual e seu potencial de asseguramento do autorrespeito. Empreende-se uma reconstrução da teoria honnethiana no atinente aos papéis desempenhados pelo direito na teoria da Luta por Reconhecimento de Axel Honneth, para em seguida, a partir da leitura que o autor desenvolve da teoria de Thomas Marshall, analisar o papel desempenhado pelos direitos subjetivos fundamentais como medium de sedimentação e ampliação de novas formas de reconhecimento e cidadania.
Schopenhauer afirma que uma ética não dogmática requer leis demonstráveis derivadas da experiência. Nesse sentido o fundamento de uma ética deve ser uma metafísica imanente, que sustente, na experiência possível, suas afirmações, e que seja, por isso mesmo, capaz de dar de uma vez por todas um fundamento legítimo à moral. A fundamentação da moral schopenhaueriana segue, portanto, uma argumentação muito próxima de uma metodologia científica. Para Schopenhauer a filosofia deve se aproximar mais de uma cosmologia do que da teologia. Max Horkheimer em “O pensamento de Schopenhauer em relação à ciência e à religião” destaca a fecundidade de tal posição filosófica e atualiza a importância de Schopenhauer tanto para sua formação quanto para uma legítima interpretação da modernidade. Acompanhamos, neste artigo tanto os aspectos fundamentais da fundamentação schopenhaueriana da moral, quanto aspectos da interpretação de Horkheimer da empreitada do filósofo.
It is with great joy and imbued with the contagious Christmas spirit lived in Macaronesia that I present the second issue of the sixth volume of this journal. This issue consolidates the new path tracked the beginning of 2016, which focused on the renewal of the editorial board and the broadening of the scope of the journal to new scientific areas.
Viewing of ambiguous stimuli can lead to bistable perception alternating between the possible percepts. During continuous presentation of ambiguous stimuli, percept changes occur as single events, whereas during intermittent presentation of ambiguous stimuli, percept changes occur at more or less regular intervals either as single events or bursts. Response patterns can be highly variable and have been reported to show systematic differences between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. Existing models of bistable perception often use detailed assumptions and large parameter sets which make parameter estimation challenging. Here we propose a parsimonious stochastic model that provides a link between empirical data analysis of the observed response patterns and detailed models of underlying neuronal processes. Firstly, we use a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) for the times between percept changes, which assumes one single state in continuous presentation and a stable and an unstable state in intermittent presentation. The HMM captures the observed differences between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls, but remains descriptive. Therefore, we secondly propose a hierarchical Brownian model (HBM), which produces similar response patterns but also provides a relation to potential underlying mechanisms. The main idea is that neuronal activity is described as an activity difference between two competing neuronal populations reflected in Brownian motions with drift. This differential activity generates switching between the two conflicting percepts and between stable and unstable states with similar mechanisms on different neuronal levels. With only a small number of parameters, the HBM can be fitted closely to a high variety of response patterns and captures group differences between healthy controls and patients with schizophrenia. At the same time, it provides a link to mechanistic models of bistable perception, linking the group differences to potential underlying mechanisms.
Este texto busca caracterizar a imagem de pensamento (Denkbild) como um gênero particular de composição que mistura filosofia e literatura, conceito e imagem. O argumento central é o de que, devido às suas peculiaridades formais, a imagem de pensamento possui tanto um forte teor intersubjetivo, quanto a capacidade como de fazer surgir o não-idêntico em experiências cotidianas. Desse combinação surge um tipo de escrita prática, que merece ser recuperada no presente.
The ability to learn sequential behaviors is a fundamental property of our brains. Yet a long stream of studies including recent experiments investigating motor sequence learning in adult human subjects have produced a number of puzzling and seemingly contradictory results. In particular, when subjects have to learn multiple action sequences, learning is sometimes impaired by proactive and retroactive interference effects. In other situations, however, learning is accelerated as reflected in facilitation and transfer effects. At present it is unclear what the underlying neural mechanism are that give rise to these diverse findings. Here we show that a recently developed recurrent neural network model readily reproduces this diverse set of findings. The self-organizing recurrent neural network (SORN) model is a network of recurrently connected threshold units that combines a simplified form of spike-timing dependent plasticity (STDP) with homeostatic plasticity mechanisms ensuring network stability, namely intrinsic plasticity (IP) and synaptic normalization (SN). When trained on sequence learning tasks modeled after recent experiments we find that it reproduces the full range of interference, facilitation, and transfer effects. We show how these effects are rooted in the network’s changing internal representation of the different sequences across learning and how they depend on an interaction of training schedule and task similarity. Furthermore, since learning in the model is based on fundamental neuronal plasticity mechanisms, the model reveals how these plasticity mechanisms are ultimately responsible for the network’s sequence learning abilities. In particular, we find that all three plasticity mechanisms are essential for the network to learn effective internal models of the different training sequences. This ability to form effective internal models is also the basis for the observed interference and facilitation effects. This suggests that STDP, IP, and SN may be the driving forces behind our ability to learn complex action sequences.
A motivação do aluno é apontada como central para que o processo de aprendizagem ocorra de forma satisfatória e, por essa razão, muitos professores buscam constantemente o aprimoramento de suas práticas. Neste trabalho buscamos lançar luzes sobre um projeto de multiletramentos, que consistiu na produção de um videoclipe, e que teve como objetivo aumentar a motivação dos alunos de alemão de um Centro de Estudo de Línguas de uma escola pública do interior paulista. Para apoiar as nossas reflexões, buscamos sustentação teórica prioritariamente nos conceitos de motivação (DÖRNYEI 1994, 2001, 2014; VALLERAND 1997 e outros) e de multiletramentos (ROJO 2012, 2013). A pesquisa, de natureza qualitativa, desenvolveu-se a partir de dados coletados com alunos do Ensino Fundamental II e Médio de um Centro de Estudo de Línguas do interior de São Paulo durante o ano de 2015. Os resultados apontam para o grande impacto de projetos de multiletramentos na motivação dos alunos.
Peer review of research articles is a core part of our scholarly communication system. In spite of its importance, the status and purpose of peer review is often contested. What is its role in our modern digital research and communications infrastructure? Does it perform to the high standards with which it is generally regarded? Studies of peer review have shown that it is prone to bias and abuse in numerous dimensions, frequently unreliable, and can fail to detect even fraudulent research. With the advent of Web technologies, we are now witnessing a phase of innovation and experimentation in our approaches to peer review. These developments prompted us to examine emerging models of peer review from a range of disciplines and venues, and to ask how they might address some of the issues with our current systems of peer review. We examine the functionality of a range of social Web platforms, and compare these with the traits underlying a viable peer review system: quality control, quantified performance metrics as engagement incentives, and certification and reputation. Ideally, any new systems will demonstrate that they out-perform current models while avoiding as many of the biases of existing systems as possible. We conclude that there is considerable scope for new peer review initiatives to be developed, each with their own potential issues and advantages. We also propose a novel hybrid platform model that, at least partially, resolves many of the technical and social issues associated with peer review, and can potentially disrupt the entire scholarly communication system. Success for any such development relies on reaching a critical threshold of research community engagement with both the process and the platform, and therefore cannot be achieved without a significant change of incentives in research environments.
The detailed biophysical mechanisms through which transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) activates cortical circuits are still not fully understood. Here we present a multi-scale computational model to describe and explain the activation of different pyramidal cell types in motor cortex due to TMS. Our model determines precise electric fields based on an individual head model derived from magnetic resonance imaging and calculates how these electric fields activate morphologically detailed models of different neuron types. We predict neural activation patterns for different coil orientations consistent with experimental findings. Beyond this, our model allows us to calculate activation thresholds for individual neurons and precise initiation sites of individual action potentials on the neurons’ complex morphologies. Specifically, our model predicts that cortical layer 3 pyramidal neurons are generally easier to stimulate than layer 5 pyramidal neurons, thereby explaining the lower stimulation thresholds observed for I-waves compared to D-waves. It also shows differences in the regions of activated cortical layer 5 and layer 3 pyramidal cells depending on coil orientation. Finally, it predicts that under standard stimulation conditions, action potentials are mostly generated at the axon initial segment of cortical pyramidal cells, with a much less important activation site being the part of a layer 5 pyramidal cell axon where it crosses the boundary between grey matter and white matter. In conclusion, our computational model offers a detailed account of the mechanisms through which TMS activates different cortical pyramidal cell types, paving the way for more targeted application of TMS based on individual brain morphology in clinical and basic research settings.
The detailed biophysical mechanisms through which transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) activates cortical circuits are still not fully understood. Here we present a multi-scale computational model to describe and explain the activation of different pyramidal cell types in motor cortex due to TMS. Our model determines precise electric fields based on an individual head model derived from magnetic resonance imaging and calculates how these electric fields activate morphologically detailed models of different neuron types. We predict neural activation patterns for different coil orientations consistent with experimental findings. Beyond this, our model allows us to calculate activation thresholds for individual neurons and precise initiation sites of individual action potentials on the neurons’ complex morphologies. Specifically, our model predicts that cortical layer 3 pyramidal neurons are generally easier to stimulate than layer 5 pyramidal neurons, thereby explaining the lower stimulation thresholds observed for I-waves compared to D-waves. It also shows differences in the regions of activated cortical layer 5 and layer 3 pyramidal cells depending on coil orientation. Finally, it predicts that under standard stimulation conditions, action potentials are mostly generated at the axon initial segment of cortical pyramidal cells, with a much less important activation site being the part of a layer 5 pyramidal cell axon where it crosses the boundary between grey matter and white matter. In conclusion, our computational model offers a detailed account of the mechanisms through which TMS activates different cortical pyramidal cell types, paving the way for more targeted application of TMS based on individual brain morphology in clinical and basic research settings.
The idea of setting up a scientific society in Cabo Verde in the field of Zoology was born on the initiative of Dr Cornelis J. Hazevoet, a Dutch biologist living in Portugal who has been studying the biodiversity of the Cabo Verde Islands since the 1980s. Hazevoet’s research has mainly focused on the phylogeography of avian fauna and marine mammals, and to a lesser extent in areas of Biogeography, Systematics and Evolution from a Paleontological framework.
The fractional release factor (FRF) gives information on the amount of a halocarbon that is released at some point into the stratosphere from its source form to the inorganic form, which can harm the ozone layer through catalytic reactions. The quantity is of major importance because it directly affects the calculation of the ozone depletion potential (ODP). In this context time-independent values are needed which, in particular, should be independent of the trends in the tropospheric mixing ratios (tropospheric trends) of the respective halogenated trace gases. For a given atmospheric situation, such FRF values would represent a molecular property.
We analysed the temporal evolution of FRF from ECHAM/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC) model simulations for several halocarbons and nitrous oxide between 1965 and 2011 on different mean age levels and found that the widely used formulation of FRF yields highly time-dependent values. We show that this is caused by the way that the tropospheric trend is handled in the widely used calculation method of FRF.
Taking into account chemical loss in the calculation of stratospheric mixing ratios reduces the time dependence in FRFs. Therefore we implemented a loss term in the formulation of the FRF and applied the parameterization of a mean arrival time to our data set.
We find that the time dependence in the FRF can almost be compensated for by applying a new trend correction in the calculation of the FRF. We suggest that this new method should be used to calculate time-independent FRFs, which can then be used e.g. for the calculation of ODP.
Mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from the bone marrow to the peripheral blood is a complex mechanism that involves adhesive and chemotactic interactions of HSCs as well as their bone marrow microenvironment. In addition to a number of non-genetic factors, genetic susceptibilities also contribute to the mobilization outcome. Identification of genetic factors associated with HSC yield is important to better understand the mechanism behind HSC mobilization. In the present study, we enrolled 148 Korean participants (56 healthy donors and 92 patients) undergoing HSC mobilization for allogeneic or autologous HSC transplantation. Among a total of 53 polymorphisms in 33 candidate genes, one polymorphism (rs11264422) in relaxin/insulin-like family peptide receptor 4 (RXFP4) gene was significantly associated with a higher HSC yield after mobilization in Koreans. However, in a set of 101 Europeans, no association was found between circulating CD34+ cell counts and rs11264422 genotype. Therefore, we suggest that the ethnic differences in subjects’ genetic background may be related to HSC mobilization. In conclusion, the relaxin—relaxin receptor axis may play an important role in HSC mobilization. We believe that the results of the current study could provide new insights for therapies that use relaxin and HSC populations, as well as a better understanding of HSC regulation and mobilization at the molecular level.
One of the notable features of penguin evolution is the occurrence of very large species in the early Cenozoic, whose body size greatly exceeded that of the largest extant penguins. Here we describe a new giant species from the late Paleocene of New Zealand that documents the very early evolution of large body size in penguins. Kumimanu biceae, n. gen. et sp. is larger than all other fossil penguins that have substantial skeletal portions preserved. Several plesiomorphic features place the new species outside a clade including all post-Paleocene giant penguins. It is phylogenetically separated from giant Eocene and Oligocene penguin species by various smaller taxa, which indicates multiple origins of giant size in penguin evolution. That a penguin rivaling the largest previously known species existed in the Paleocene suggests that gigantism in penguins arose shortly after these birds became flightless divers. Our study therefore strengthens previous suggestions that the absence of very large penguins today is likely due to the Oligo-Miocene radiation of marine mammals.
The former and current multiple sclerosis (MS) classifications are essential for describing different phenotypes and disease dynamics. To establish personalized treatment regimes, further clinical and paraclinical parameters have to be considered such as imaging, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings, past disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), and disease activity under these therapies. In clinical practice, this information is often difficult to overview. Especially, patients with a long course of disease offer an extensive medical history so that comprehending all of the necessary information can be very time consuming.
Background: Kyrgyzstan, where HIV is concentrated in prisons and driven by injection drug use, provides a prison-based methadone maintenance therapy program as well as abstinence-oriented therapeutic community based on the 12-step model called the “Clean Zone.” We aimed to qualitatively assess how prisoners navigate between these treatment options to understand the persistence of the Clean Zone despite a lack of evidence to support its effectiveness in treating opioid use disorders.
Methods: We conducted an analysis of policy documents and over 60 h of participant observation in February 2016, which included focus groups with a convenience sample of 20 therapeutic community staff members, 110 prisoners across three male and one female prisons, and qualitative interviews with two former Clean Zone participants. Field notes containing verbatim quotes from participants were analyzed through iterative reading and discussion to understand how participants generally perceive the program, barriers to entry and retention, and implications for future treatment within prisons.
Results: Our analyses discerned three themes: pride in the mission of the Clean Zone, idealism regarding addiction treatment outcomes against all odds, and the demonization of methadone.
Conclusion: Despite low enrollment and lack of an evidence base, the therapeutic community is buttressed by the strong support of the prison administration and its clients as an “ordered” alternative to what is seen as chaotic life outside of the Clean Zone. The lack of services for Clean Zone patients after release likely contributes to high rates of relapse to drug use. The Clean Zone would benefit from integration of stabilized methadone patients combined with a post-release program.
A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of trichuris suis ova in active crohn's disease
(2017)
BACKGROUND AND AIMS To investigate the efficacy and safety of three different dosages of embryonated, viable eggs of Trichuris suis [TSO] versus placebo for induction of remission in mildly-to-moderately active ileocolonic, uncomplicated Crohn's disease [CD].
METHODS Adults with active CD [n = 252] randomly received six fortnightly doses of 250, 2500, or 7500 TSO/15 ml suspension/day [TSO 250, TSO 2500, TSO 7500], or 15 ml placebo solution/day, in a double-blind fashion, with 4 weeks' follow-up. Primary endpoint was the rate of clinical remission [Crohn's Disease Activity Index [CDAI] < 150] at end of treatment, ie at Week 12 or withdrawal. Secondary endpoints included the course of clinical remission, rate of clinical response, change in CDAI, change in markers of inflammation, mucosal healing, and Physician's Global Assessment.
RESULTS Clinical remission at Week 12 occurred in 38.5%, 35.2%, and 47.2% of TSO 250, TSO 2500, and TSO 7500 patients, respectively, and in 42.9% of placebo recipients. TSO induced a dose-dependent immunological response. There was no response regarding laboratory markers of inflammation. Other secondary efficacy variables also showed no advantage of TSO over placebo for treatment of active CD. Administration of TSO did not result in any serious adverse drug reaction. Review of non-serious suspected adverse drug reactions following TSO did not reveal any safety concerns.
CONCLUSIONS Administration of 250-7500 TSO fortnightly over 12 weeks was safe and showed a dose-dependent immunological response, but no TSO dose showed a clinically relevant effect over placebo for induction of clinical remission or response in mildly-to-moderately active, ileocolonic CD.
Wet grasslands once covered a large area in the lowlands of northern Germany, but have declined since several decades as a result of land use intensification. Permanent plot data from such grasslands in the region that would allow to assess the extent of changes in species composition and richness are still rare. Here, we present a re-visitation study of 52 quasi-permanent plots from the Stedinger Land area in the basin of the river Weser near Bremen, comparing quadrat data between 1948 and 2015. In 1948, the grasslands were characterized by species typical of wet, moderately fertile grasslands belonging to the Bromo-Senecionetum aquatici (Bromion racemosi), including 15 species currently classified as threatened. Until 2015, the vegetation had changed strongly: almost all indicators of wet grasslands had either declined or completely vanished, whereas more nutrient-demanding species of less wet soils had increased, especially grasses. The cumulative number of species had declined by 50%, while mean plot species richness had decreased by 64.6%, mainly resulting from the pronounced loss of many herbs. A comparison of mean Ellenberg indicator values suggested that the plots had become drier, but also more base- and nutrient-rich, most likely triggered by the intensification of land use with drainage and fertilization as well as more frequent and earlier cutting. Our study reflects the dramatic loss of plant species diversity in wet grasslands over the past 60−70 years in areas not preserved and properly managed, and it documents the need for protecting remnants of these grasslands and for restoring wet grassland areas by re-wetting, nutrient removal and the transition to a less intensive land use.
Com o advento da modernidade a filosofia passou a exigir que a religião prestasse contas à razão. A filosofia da religião de Kant é um exemplo desse tipo de iniciativa. Kant propôs julgar a religião no tribunal da razão. Mais de 200 anos depois, Habermas buscou renovar o projeto kantiano. Nosso trabalho visa esclarecer o modo como cada autor realiza o julgamento da religião no tribunal da razão. Além disso, discutiremos a relevância desse tipo de abordagem proposta por ambos os filósofos.
Recently the Universal Linear Accelerator (UNILAC) serves as a powerful high duty factor (25%) heavy ion beam accelerator for the ambitious experiment program at GSI. Beam time availability for SHE (Super Heavy Element)-research will be decreased due to the limitation of the UNILAC providing Uranium beams with an extremely high peak current for FAIR simultaneously. To keep the GSI-SHE program competitive on a high level and even beyond, a standalone superconducting continuous wave (100% duty factor) LINAC in combination with the upgraded GSI High Charge State injector is envisaged. In preparation for this, the first LINAC section (financed by HIM and GSI) will be tested with beam in 2017, demonstrating the future experimental capabilities. Further on the construction of an extended cryo module comprising two shorter Crossbar-H cavities is foreseen to test until end of 2017. As a final R&D step towards an entire LINAC three advanced cryo modules, each comprising two CH cavities, should be built until 2019, serving for first user experiments at the Coulomb barrier.
Working memory and conscious perception are thought to share similar brain mechanisms, yet recent reports of non-conscious working memory challenge this view. Combining visual masking with magnetoencephalography, we investigate the reality of non-conscious working memory and dissect its neural mechanisms. In a spatial delayed-response task, participants reported the location of a subjectively unseen target above chance-level after several seconds. Conscious perception and conscious working memory were characterized by similar signatures: a sustained desynchronization in the alpha/beta band over frontal cortex, and a decodable representation of target location in posterior sensors. During non-conscious working memory, such activity vanished. Our findings contradict models that identify working memory with sustained neural firing, but are compatible with recent proposals of ‘activity-silent’ working memory. We present a theoretical framework and simulations showing how slowly decaying synaptic changes allow cell assemblies to go dormant during the delay, yet be retrieved above chance-level after several seconds.
Introduction: DACCORD is an observational, non-interventional study being conducted in German primary and secondary care centres. The study aims to describe the impact of disease (including exacerbations) and treatments over 2 years on ‘real-life’ patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Materials and methods: Patients had a clinical and spirometry diagnosis of COPD, were aged ≥40 years and, on recruitment, were initiating or changing COPD maintenance medication. The only exclusion criteria were asthma and randomised clinical trial participation. Exacerbations data were collected every 3 months. COPD medication, COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) were recorded at baseline and after 1 and 2 years.
Results: A total of 6122 patients were recruited, 3137 (51.2%) of whom completed the 2-year visit. The mean age of these patients was 65.6 years, 59% were male, 69% had mild or moderate airflow limitation, and their mean COPD Assessment Test (CAT) total score was 20.3. Overall, there was a trend towards decreasing COPD exacerbation rates over the 2-year follow-up period, with rates of 0.390 during Year 1 and 0.347 during Year 2. Rates were lower in patients with no exacerbation during the 6 months prior to entry (0.263 and 0.251 during Years 1 and 2, respectively), with 51.6% of patients having no exacerbation during the 6 months prior to entry and over the 2-year follow-up. Approximately 50% of the overall population experienced a clinically relevant improvement from baseline in CAT total score at Year 1 and 2. When assessed by treatment class (or classes), persistence to medication was high (77.8% in Year 1 and 71.4% in Year 2).
Conclusions: Overall, the 2-year follow-up data from DACCORD suggest that for most patients with COPD exacerbations are a rare event. For the majority of patients, the focus should be on managing symptoms, and the impact that these symptoms have on their daily lives. Even for those patients who do exacerbate, although prevention of exacerbations is an important factor, management of symptoms should be a key consideration. DACCORD also suggests that COPD disease progression is not inevitable – providing patients are receiving pharmacological treatment.
Gleichungen mit mehreren Unbekannten zu lösen, üben Schüler schon in der Mittelstufe. Für die einen ist es eine spannende mathematische Knobelei, für die anderen eher Quälerei. Doch den wenigsten ist bewusst, wie viele Leben dadurch jeden Tag gerettet werden. Die moderne medizinische Bildgebung beruht darauf, sehr viele Gleichungen nach sehr vielen Unbekannten aufzulösen.
Die Mühlen des Rechts mahlen langsam, aber gerecht. Zu dieser Abwandlung eines berühmten Sprichworts mag derjenige greifen, wer das jüngste Urteil des Bundesverwaltungsgerichts zum Versammlungsrecht liest. Am 25.10.2017 entschied das Bundesverwaltungsgericht über den Tornado-Einsatz vom G8-Gipfel in Heiligendamm – über zehn Jahre, nachdem die damaligen Bundessprecher*innen der GRÜNEN JUGEND Jan Philipp Albrecht und Paula Riester gegen den Einsatz geklagt hatten. Gerade weil sich die staatliche Praxis im Umgang mit Versammlungen in jüngster Zeit immer stärker militarisiert und zugleich präventiv ausgerichtet hat, kommt dem leider in der Öffentlichkeit nicht hinreichend rezipierten Urteil (Pressemitteilung des BVerwG zu 6 C 45.16) eine grundsätzliche Bedeutung zu. ...
Solenogastres (Aplacophora) is a small clade of marine, shell-less worm-molluscs with close to 300 valid species. Their distribution ranges across all oceans, and whereas the vast majority of species has been collected and described from the continental shelf and slope, only few species are known from depths below 4,000 m. Following traditional taxonomy, identification of specimens to species level is complex and time-consuming and requires detailed investigations of morphology and anatomy—often resulting in the exclusion of the clade in biodiversity or biogeographic studies. During the KuramBio expedition (Kuril-Kamchatka Biodiversity Studies) to the abyssal plain of the Northwest Pacific and the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench, 33 solenogaster specimens were sampled from 4,830 m to 5,397 m. Within this study we present an efficient workflow to address solenogaster diversity, even when confronted with a high degree of singletons and minute body sizes, hampering the use of single individuals for multiple morphological and molecular approaches. We combine analyses of external characters and scleritome with molecular barcoding based on a self-designed solenogaster specific set of mitochondrial primers. Overall we were able to delineate at least 19 solenogaster lineages and identify 15 species to family level and beyond. Based on our approach we identified three key lineages from the two regionally most species-rich families (Acanthomeniidae and Pruvotinidae) for deeper taxonomic investigations and describe the novel abyssal species Amboherpia abyssokurilensis sp. nov. (Cavibelonia, Acanthomeniidae) using microanatomical 3D-reconstructions. Our study more than doubles the previous records of solenogaster species from the Northwest Pacific and its marginal seas. Almost all lineages are reported for the first time from the region of the (Northwest) Pacific, vastly expanding distribution ranges of the respective clades. Moreover it doubles the number of Solenogastres collected from abyssal depths on a global scale and underlines the lack of exploratory α-diversity work in the abyssal zone for reliable species estimates in marine biodiversity.
Background: Health care accessibility is known to differ geographically. With this study we focused on analysing accessibility of general and specialized obstetric units in England and Germany with regard to urbanity, area deprivation and neonatal outcome using routine data.
Methods: We used a floating catchment area method to measure obstetric care accessibility, the degree of urbanization (DEGURBA) to measure urbanity and the index of multiple deprivation to measure area deprivation.
Results: Accessibility of general obstetric units was significantly higher in Germany compared to England (accessibility index of 16.2 vs. 11.6; p < 0.001), whereas accessibility of specialized obstetric units was higher in England (accessibility index for highest level of care of 0.235 vs. 0.002; p < 0.001). We further demonstrated higher obstetric accessibility for people living in less deprived areas in Germany (r = − 0.31; p < 0.001) whereas no correlation was present in England. There were also urban–rural disparities present, with higher accessibility in urban areas in both countries (r = 0.37–0.39; p < 0.001). The analysis did not show that accessibility affected neonatal outcomes. Finally, our computer generated model for obstetric care provider demand in terms of birth counts showed a very strong correlation with actual birth counts at obstetric units (r = 0.91–0.95; p < 0.001).
Conclusion: In Germany the focus of obstetric care seemed to be put on general obstetric units leading to higher accessibility compared to England. Regarding specialized obstetric care the focus in Germany was put on high level units whereas in England obstetric care seems to be more balanced between the different levels of care with larger units on average leading to higher accessibility.
Background: Cytogenetic aberrations such as deletion of chromosome 5q (del(5q)) represent key elements in routine clinical diagnostics of haematological malignancies. Currently established methods such as metaphase cytogenetics, FISH or array-based approaches have limitations due to their dependency on viable cells, high costs or semi-quantitative nature. Importantly, they cannot be used on low abundance DNA. We therefore aimed to establish a robust and quantitative technique that overcomes these shortcomings.
Methods: For precise determination of del(5q) cell fractions, we developed an inexpensive multiplex-PCR assay requiring only nanograms of DNA that simultaneously measures allelic imbalances of 12 independent short tandem repeat markers.
Results: Application of this method to n=1142 samples from n=260 individuals revealed strong intermarker concordance (R²=0.77–0.97) and reproducibility (mean SD: 1.7%). Notably, the assay showed accurate quantification via standard curve assessment (R²>0.99) and high concordance with paired FISH measurements (R²=0.92) even with subnanogram amounts of DNA. Moreover, cytogenetic response was reliably confirmed in del(5q) patients with myelodysplastic syndromes treated with lenalidomide. While the assay demonstrated good diagnostic accuracy in receiver operating characteristic analysis (area under the curve: 0.97), we further observed robust correlation between bone marrow and peripheral blood samples (R²=0.79), suggesting its potential suitability for less-invasive clonal monitoring.
Conclusions: In conclusion, we present an adaptable tool for quantification of chromosomal aberrations, particularly in problematic samples, which should be easily applicable to further tumour entities.
The formation of acquired drug resistance is a major reason for the failure of anti-cancer therapies after initial response. Here, we introduce a novel model of acquired oxaliplatin resistance, a sub-line of the non-MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-AS that was adapted to growth in the presence of 4000 ng/mL oxaliplatin (SK-N-ASrOXALI4000). SK-N-ASrOXALI4000 cells displayed enhanced chromosomal aberrations compared to SK-N-AS, as indicated by 24-chromosome fluorescence in situ hybridisation. Moreover, SK-N-ASrOXALI4000 cells were resistant not only to oxaliplatin but also to the two other commonly used anti-cancer platinum agents cisplatin and carboplatin. SK-N-ASrOXALI4000 cells exhibited a stable resistance phenotype that was not affected by culturing the cells for 10 weeks in the absence of oxaliplatin. Interestingly, SK-N-ASrOXALI4000 cells showed no cross resistance to gemcitabine and increased sensitivity to doxorubicin and UVC radiation, alternative treatments that like platinum drugs target DNA integrity. Notably, UVC-induced DNA damage is thought to be predominantly repaired by nucleotide excision repair and nucleotide excision repair has been described as the main oxaliplatin-induced DNA damage repair system. SK-N-ASrOXALI4000 cells were also more sensitive to lysis by influenza A virus, a candidate for oncolytic therapy, than SK-N-AS cells. In conclusion, we introduce a novel oxaliplatin resistance model. The oxaliplatin resistance mechanisms in SK-N-ASrOXALI4000 cells appear to be complex and not to directly depend on enhanced DNA repair capacity. Models of oxaliplatin resistance are of particular relevance since research on platinum drugs has so far predominantly focused on cisplatin and carboplatin.
The adaptor protein Src homology 2 domain-containing leukocyte phosphoprotein of 76 kDa (SLP-76) plays a crucial role in T cell activation by linking antigen receptor (T cell receptor, TCR) signals to downstream pathways. At its N terminus, SLP-76 has three key tyrosines (Tyr-113, Tyr-128, and Tyr-145, “3Y”) as well as a sterile α motif (SAM) domain whose function is unclear. We showed previously that the SAM domain has two binding regions that mediate dimer and oligomer formation. In this study, we have identified SAM domain-carrying non-receptor tyrosine kinase, activated Cdc42-associated tyrosine kinase 1 (ACK1; also known as Tnk2, tyrosine kinase non-receptor 2) as a novel binding partner of SLP-76. Co-precipitation, laser-scanning confocal microscopy, and in situ proximity analysis confirmed the binding of ACK1 to SLP-76. Further, the interaction was induced in response to the anti-TCR ligation and abrogated by the deletion of SLP-76 SAM domain (ΔSAM) or mutation of Tyr-113, Tyr-128, and Tyr-145 to phenylalanine (3Y3F). ACK1 induced phosphorylation of the SLP-76 N-terminal tyrosines (3Y) dependent on the SAM domain. Further, ACK1 promoted calcium flux and NFAT-AP1 promoter activity and decreased the motility of murine CD4+ primary T cells on ICAM-1-coated plates, an event reversed by a small molecule inhibitor of ACK1 (AIM-100). These findings identify ACK1 as a novel SLP-76-associated protein-tyrosine kinase that modulates early activation events in T cells.
Background: Self-myofascial release (SMR) aims to mimic the effects of manual therapy and tackle dysfunctions of the skeletal muscle and connective tissue. It has been shown to induce improvements in flexibility, but the underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. In addition to neuronal mechanisms, improved flexibility may be driven by acute morphological adaptations, such as a reduction in passive tissue stiffness or improved movement between fascial layers. The aim of the intended study is to evaluate the acute effects of SMR on the passive tissue stiffness of the anterior thigh muscles and the sliding properties of the associated fasciae.
Methods: In a crossover study de sign, 16 participants will receive all of the following interventions in a permutated random order: (1) one session of 2 × 60 s of SMR at the anterior thigh, (2) one session of 2 × 60 s of passive static stretching of the anterior thigh and (3) no intervention. Passive tissue stiffness, connective tissue sliding, angle of first stretch sensation, as well as maximal active and passive knee flexion angle, will be evaluated before and directly after each intervention.
Discussion: The results of the intended study will allow a better understanding of, and provide further evidence on, the local effects of SMR techniques and the underlying mechanisms for flexibility improvements.
Background: Many fungal species occur across a variety of habitats. Particularly lichens, fungi forming symbioses with photosynthetic partners, have evolved remarkable tolerances for environmental extremes. Despite their ecological importance and ubiquity, little is known about the genetic basis of adaption in lichen populations. Here we studied patterns of genome-wide differentiation in the lichen-forming fungus Lasallia pustulata along an altitudinal gradient in the Mediterranean region. We resequenced six populations as pools and identified highly differentiated genomic regions. We then detected gene-environment correlations while controlling for shared population history and pooled sequencing bias, and performed ecophysiological experiments to assess fitness differences of individuals from different environments.
Results: We detected two strongly differentiated genetic clusters linked to Mediterranean and temperate-oceanic climate, and an admixture zone, which coincided with the transition between the two bioclimates. High altitude individuals showed ecophysiological adaptations to wetter and more shaded conditions. Highly differentiated genome regions contained a number of genes associated with stress response, local environmental adaptation, and sexual reproduction.
Conclusions: Taken together our results provide evidence for a complex interplay between demographic history and spatially varying selection acting on a number of key biological processes, suggesting a scenario of ecological speciation.
Although existing research has established that aesthetic pleasure and aesthetic interest are two distinct positive aesthetic responses, empirical research on aesthetic preferences usually considers only aesthetic liking to capture participants’ aesthetic response. This causes some fundamental contradictions in the literature; some studies find a positive relationship between easy-to-process stimulus characteristics and aesthetic liking, while others suggest a negative relationship. The present research addresses these empirical contradictions by investigating the dual character of aesthetic liking as manifested in both the pleasure and interest components. Based on the Pleasure-Interest Model of Aesthetic Liking (PIA Model; Graf and Landwehr, 2015), two studies investigated the formation of pleasure and interest and their relationship with aesthetic liking responses. Using abstract art as the stimuli, Study 1 employed a 3 (stimulus fluency: low, medium, high) × 2 (processing style: automatic, controlled) × 2 (aesthetic response: pleasure, interest) experimental design to examine the processing dynamics responsible for experiencing aesthetic pleasure versus aesthetic interest. We find that the effect of stimulus fluency on pleasure is mediated by a gut-level fluency experience. Stimulus fluency and interest, by contrast, are related through a process of disfluency reduction, such that disfluent stimuli that grow more fluent due to processing efforts become interesting. The second study employed product designs (bikes, chairs, and lamps) as stimuli and a 2 (fluency: low, high) × 2 (processing style: automatic, controlled) × 3 (product type: bike, chair, lamp) experimental design to examine pleasure and interest as mediators of the relationship between stimulus fluency and design attractiveness. With respect to lamps and chairs, the results suggest that the effect of stimulus fluency on attractiveness is fully mediated by aesthetic pleasure, especially in the automatic processing style. Conversely, disfluent product designs can enhance design attractiveness judgments due to interest when a controlled processing style is adopted.
Die folgende Darstellung argumentiert nicht mit Blick auf eine Metahistorik im Koselleck'schen Sinn, sondern beschränkt sich auf die Nachzeichnung einer kurzen Debatte, die unmittelbar an der Wende zum 19. Jahrhundert über die Bedeutung und den angemessenen Gebrauch von 'ahnen' und 'ahnden' geführt wurde. Genauer in den Blick genommen werden drei Fußnoten, in denen Johann Gottfried Herder und Immanuel Kant ihre Einschätzungen zur Gleichheit oder Ungleichheit der Wörter austauschten. Die Passagen entstammen Texten der Jahre 1797 bis 1799 - zweien von Herder, einem vom Kant - die auch sonst einschlägige Positionsbestimmungen zu Problemen der Zukunftserkenntnis vornehmen.
AirCore-HR : a high-resolution column sampling to enhance the
vertical description of CH₄ and CO₂
(2017)
An original and innovative sampling system called AirCore was presented by NOAA in 2010 (Karion et al., 2010). It consists of a long ( > 100 m) and narrow (< 1 cm) stainless steel tube that can retain a profile of atmospheric air. The captured air sample has then to be analyzed with a gas analyzer for trace mole fraction. In this study, we introduce a new AirCore aiming to improve resolution along the vertical with the objectives to (i) better capture the vertical distribution of CO2 and CH4, (ii) provide a tool to compare AirCores and validate the estimated vertical resolution achieved by AirCores. This (high-resolution) AirCore-HR consists of a 300 m tube, combining 200 m of 0.125 in. (3.175 mm) tube and a 100 m of 0.25 in. (6.35 mm) tube. This new configuration allows us to achieve a vertical resolution of 300 m up to 15 km and better than 500 m up to 22 km (if analysis of the retained sample is performed within 3 h). The AirCore-HR was flown for the first time during the annual StratoScience campaign from CNES in August 2014 from Timmins (Ontario, Canada). High-resolution vertical profiles of CO2 and CH4 up to 25 km were successfully retrieved. These profiles revealed well-defined transport structures in the troposphere (also seen in CAMS-ECMWF high-resolution forecasts of CO2 and CH4 profiles) and captured the decrease of CO2 and CH4 in the stratosphere. The multi-instrument gondola also carried two other low-resolution AirCore-GUF that allowed us to perform direct comparisons and study the underlying processing method used to convert the sample of air to greenhouse gases vertical profiles. In particular, degrading the AirCore-HR derived profiles to the low resolution of AirCore-GUF yields an excellent match between both sets of CH4 profiles and shows a good consistency in terms of vertical structures. This fully validates the theoretical vertical resolution achievable by AirCores. Concerning CO2 although a good agreement is found in terms of vertical structure, the comparison between the various AirCores yields a large and variable bias (up to almost 3 ppm in some parts of the pro- files). The reasons of this bias, possibly related to the drying agent used to dry the air, are still being investigated. Finally, the uncertainties associated with the measurements are assessed, yielding an average uncertainty below 3 ppb for CH4 and 0.25 ppm for CO2 with the major source of uncertainty coming from the potential loss of air sample on the ground and the choice of the starting and ending point of the collected air sample inside the tube. In an ideal case where the sample would be fully retained, it would be possible to know precisely the pressure at which air was sampled last and thus to improve the overall uncertainty to about 0.1 ppm for CO2 and 2 ppb for CH4
The paper provides an updated checklist of the alien flora of Turkey with information on its structure. The alien flora of Turkey comprises 340 taxa, among which there are 321 angiosperms, 17 gymnosperms and two ferns. Of the total number of taxa, 228 (68%) are naturalized and 112 (32%) are casual. There are 275 neophytes (172 naturalized and 103 casual) and 61 archaeophytes (52 naturalized and 9 casual); four species could not be classified with respect to the residence time. In addition, 47 frequently planted taxa with a potential to escape are also listed. The richest families are Asteraceae (38 taxa), Poaceae (30), Fabaceae (23) and Solanaceae (22). As for the naturalized alien plants, the highest species richness is found in Asteraceae (31 taxa), Poaceae (22), Amaranthaceae (18) and Solanaceae (15). The majority of alien taxa are perennial (63.8% of the total number of taxa with this life history assigned, including those with multiple life histories), annuals contribute 33.8% and 2.4% are biennial aliens. Among perennials the most common life forms are phanerophytes, of which 20.3% are trees and 12.6% shrubs; woody vines, stem succulents, and aquatic plants are comparatively less represented. Most of the 340 alien taxa introduced to Turkey have their native ranges in Americas (44.7%) and Asia (27.6%). Of other regions, 9.1% originated in Africa, 4.4% in Eurasia, 3.8% in Australia and Oceania and 3.5% in the Mediterranean. The majority of taxa (71.9%) were introduced intentionally, whereas the remaining (28.1%) were introduced accidentally. Among the taxa introduced intentionally, the vast majority are ornamental plants (55.2%), 10.0% taxa were introduced for forestry and 6.7% as crops. Casual alien plants are most commonly found in urban and ruderal habitats (40.1%) where naturalized taxa are also often recorded (27.3%). Plants that occur as agricultural weeds are typically naturalized rather than casual (16.0% vs 7.1%, respectively). However, (semi)natural habitats in Turkey are often invaded by alien taxa, especially by those that are able to naturalize.
Following up on earlier investigations, the present paper analyzes construct validity of the impostor phenomenon. It examines the question whether the impostor phenomenon is a homogeneous construct or whether different types of persons with impostor self-concept can be distinguished on the basis of related characteristics. The study was conducted with professionals in leadership positions exhibiting a pronounced impostor self-concept (n = 183). Cluster-analytic procedures indicated the existence of two different types: one group which, in line with the literature (e.g., Clance, 1985), possessed traits classified as fairly unfavorable (“true impostors”) and another group which can be described as largely unencumbered (“strategic impostors”). The present study suggests two types of impostorism: “True” impostors characterized by the negative self-views associated with the construct definition, and more “strategic” impostors who seem to be less encumbered by self-doubt. It is assumed that “strategic impostors” are characterized by a form of deliberate self-presentation. Therefore, the impostor self-concept cannot principally be viewed as a dysfunctional personality style. This distinction should be more carefully considered in further research and in therapeutic interventions.
Bu makalede geleneksel Alman genç kız romanının temel eserlerinden birisi olan Emmy von Rhoden'in "Der Trotzkopf" (1885) adlı romanı ile modern dönemi temsilen Dagmar Chidolue'nun "Lady Punk" (1985) adlı romanı toplumsal cinsiyet araştırmaları ile yeniden okunmuştur. Bu okuma ve analiz süreci sonucunda kurgusal genç kız imgesinin gelenekselden moderne doğru geçirdiği değişim karşılaştırmalı olarak ortaya konmaya çalışılmıştır. Diğer bir hedef ise modern döneme gelindiğinde genç kız imgesinin lehine olan özgürleşmesinde rol oynayan etmenleri ve kazandığı özgürlüğün niteliklerini vurgulamaktır. Sonuçların toplumsal cinsiyet araştırmalarına dayanılarak yorumlanması sürecinde ise çalışmaya her iki romandan elde edilen bulgular rehberlik etmiştir.
The production of 77,79,85,85mKr and 77Br via the reaction Se(a, x) was investigated between Ea = 11 and 15 MeV using the activation technique. The irradiation of natural selenium targets on aluminum backings was conducted at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig, Germany. The spectroscopic analysis of the reaction products was performed using a high-purity germanium detector located at PTB and a low energy photon spectrometer detector at the Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany. Thicktarget yields were determined. The corresponding energy-dependent production cross sections of 77,79,85,85mKr and 77Br were calculated from the thicktarget yields. Good agreement between experimental data and theoretical predictions using the TALYS-1.6 code was found.
Alternância dativa sob a perspectiva da gramática de construções : uma análise do verbo senden
(2017)
Este trabalho apresenta uma análise da alternância dativa do verbo senden da língua alemã. Os pressupostos teóricos da Gramática de Construções postulados por GOLDBERG (1995) no que concerne aos bitransitivos e suas paráfrases preposicionais e a abordagem da sensitividade ao núcleo verbal de RAPPAPORT HOVAV E LEVIN (2008) são comparados e utilizados como ferramenta de análise do corpus.Por meio deles, analisa-se se as construções constituídas pelo verbo senden e o sintagma preposicional an denotam um evento de posse causada ou de movimento causado. Apresentam-se preceitos abordados por Adler (2011) em seus estudos sobre a alternância dativa na língua alemã, que auxiliam na distinção do evento denotado pela construção. Assim, a pesquisa realizada corrobora as reflexões da autora sobre a nova faceta da preposição an que aparece em verbos de transferência - o addressee-an, sustentando sua argumentação sobre o fato de que não são as variantes do objeto duplo (dativo), ou do sintagma preposicional (no caso, an) as responsáveis pelo evento denotado pela construção, mas sim os argumentos que a constituem. Essa pesquisa também propõe outro tipo de classificação para a análise de verbos da língua alemã que denotam eventos de transferência em orações destituídas de agente volitivo: evento causal como transferência (GOLDBERG 1995), no qual X CAUSA Y (AFETADO)A RECEBER Z (EFEITO).
Background: Caloric restriction is associated with broad therapeutic potential in various diseases and an increase in health and life span. In this study, we assessed the impact of caloric restriction on acute and inflammatory nociception in mice, which were either fed ad libitum or subjected to caloric restriction with 80% of the daily average for two weeks.
Results: The behavioral tests revealed that inflammatory nociception in the formalin test and in zymosan-induced mechanical hypersensitivity were significantly decreased when mice underwent caloric restriction. As potential mediators of the diet-induced antinociception, we assessed genes typically induced by inflammatory stimuli, AMP-activated kinase, and the endocannabinoid system which have all already been associated with nociceptive responses. Zymosan-induced inflammatory markers such as COX-2, TNFα, IL-1β, and c-fos in the spinal cord were not altered by caloric restriction. In contrast, AMPKα2 knock-out mice showed significant differences in comparison to C57BL/6 mice and their respective wild type littermates by missing the antinociceptive effects after caloric restriction. Endocannabinoid levels of anandamide and 2-arachidonyl glyceroldetermined in serum by LC-MS/MS were not affected by either caloric restriction alone or in combination with zymosan treatment. However, cannabinoid receptor type 1 expression in the spinal cord, which was not altered by caloric restriction in control mice, was significantly increased after caloric restriction in zymosan-induced paw inflammation. Since increased cannabinoid receptor type 1 signaling might influence AMP-activated kinase activity, we analyzed effects of anandamide on AMP-activated kinase in cell culture and observed a significant activation of AMP-activated kinase. Thus, endocannabionoid-induced AMP-activated kinase activation might be involved in antinociceptive effects after caloric restriction.
Conclusion: Our data suggest that caloric restriction has an impact on inflammatory nociception which might involve AMP-activated kinase activation and an increased activity of the endogenous endocannabinoid system by caloric restriction-induced cannabinoid receptor type 1 upregulation.
Rationale: The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is stimulated by hypoxia, and although the AMPKα1 catalytic subunit has been implicated in angiogenesis, little is known about the role played by the AMPKα2 subunit in vascular repair.
Objective: To determine the role of the AMPKα2 subunit in vascular repair.
Methods and Results: Recovery of blood flow after femoral artery ligation was impaired (>80%) in AMPKα2-/- versus wild-type mice, a phenotype reproduced in mice lacking AMPKα2 in myeloid cells (AMPKα2ΔMC). Three days after ligation, neutrophil infiltration into ischemic limbs of AMPKα2ΔMC mice was lower than that in wild-type mice despite being higher after 24 hours. Neutrophil survival in ischemic tissue is required to attract monocytes that contribute to the angiogenic response. Indeed, apoptosis was increased in hypoxic neutrophils from AMPKα2ΔMC mice, fewer monocytes were recruited, and gene array analysis revealed attenuated expression of proangiogenic proteins in ischemic AMPKα2ΔMC hindlimbs. Many angiogenic growth factors are regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α induction was attenuated in AMPKα2-deficient cells and accompanied by its enhanced hydroxylation. Also, fewer proteins were regulated by hypoxia in neutrophils from AMPKα2ΔMC mice. Mechanistically, isocitrate dehydrogenase expression and the production of α-ketoglutarate, which negatively regulate hypoxia-inducible factor-1α stability, were attenuated in neutrophils from wild-type mice but remained elevated in cells from AMPKα2ΔMC mice.
Conclusions: AMPKα2 regulates α-ketoglutarate generation, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α stability, and neutrophil survival, which in turn determine further myeloid cell recruitment and repair potential. The activation of AMPKα2 in neutrophils is a decisive event in the initiation of vascular repair after ischemia.
Molluscs are the second most species-rich phylum in the animal kingdom, yet only 11 genomes of this group have been published so far. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of the pulmonate freshwater snail Radix auricularia. Six whole genome shotgun libraries with different layouts were sequenced. The resulting assembly comprises 4,823 scaffolds with a cumulative length of 910 Mb and an overall read coverage of 72×. The assembly contains 94.6% of a metazoan core gene collection, indicating an almost complete coverage of the coding fraction. The discrepancy of ∼690 Mb compared with the estimated genome size of R. auricularia (1.6 Gb) results from a high repeat content of 70% mainly comprising DNA transposons. The annotation of 17,338 protein coding genes was supported by the use of publicly available transcriptome data. This draft will serve as starting point for further genomic and population genetic research in this scientifically important phylum.
In order to achieve the goals of social commentary and moral judgement pursued in her novels, Jane Austen describes and evaluates different aspects of her characters’ personalities: social attitude, intellectual qualities and moral traits (Lodge 1966). Mansfield Park (1814) is one of her novels in which this moral awareness is most acute. In order to construct a community of shared values with her readers, Austen skilfully alternates different points of view as sources of evaluation. We propose an analysis of the first chapter of Mansfield Park that addresses this dialogic dimension by focusing on the resources of engagement, the subsystem of Appraisal Theory with which speakers/writers express their commitment to the truth of a proposition and their willingness to open the negotiation space to other voices (Martin & White 2005: 97).
The linguistic subtlety and complexity of Jane Austen’s writing is a challenge to translators, who must try to identify all the concurrent interpretation possibilities and reproduce them in the target language. In this article we compare the English source text with various translations into Spanish, Catalan and German. Our analysis focuses on the lexicogrammatical realisations of engagement such as verba dicendi, epistemic expressions, lexical choices with a distinct attitudinal load, and also on the development of narration – as far as that is possible in a study centering on the first chapter –, since it is often the case that narrator stance is modified as the text unfolds.
We discuss fragments of narrator discourse, direct speech and indirect/free indirect speech and consider the advantages of the framework to uncover changes in the evaluative dimension of meaning that affect the readings the translations will afford in their target society, from character building to the articulation of points of view.
Alien plants were first recorded in 1937 in the 2 million ha Kruger National Park (KNP, a savanna protected area in South Africa), and attempts to control them began in the mid-1950s. The invasive alien plant control program expanded substantially in the late 1990s, but its overall efficacy has not been determined. We present an assessment of invasive alien plant control operations over several decades in KNP. We based our assessment on available information from a range of control programs funded from various sources, including national public works programs, KNP operational funds, and foreign donor funds. Over ZAR 350 million (~ US$ 27 million) has been spent on control interventions between 1997 and 2016. We found evidence of good progress with the control of several species, notably Opuntia stricta, Sesbania punicea, Lantana camara and several aquatic weeds, often because of effective biological control. On the other hand, we found that over one third (40%) of the funding was spent on species that have subsequently been recognised as being of lower priority, most of which were alien annual weeds. The allocation of funds to non-priority species was sometimes driven by the need to meet additional objectives (such as employment creation), or by perceptions about relative impact in the absence of documented evidence. We also found that management goals were limited to inputs (funds disbursed, employment created, and area treated) rather than to ecological outcomes, and progress was consequently not adequately monitored. At a species level, four out of 36 species were considered to be under complete control, and a further five were under substantial control. Attempts to control five annual species were all considered to be ineffective. On the basis of our findings, we recommend that more studies be done to determine impacts associated with individual invasive alien species; that the criteria used to prioritise invasive alien species be documented based on such assessments, so that management can justify a focus on priority species; and that funding be re-directed to those species that clearly pose greater threats, and for which other solutions (such as biological control) are not an option.
Introduction: Preclinical CT-guided radiotherapy platforms are increasingly used but the CT images are characterized by poor soft tissue contrast. The aim of this study was to develop a robust and accurate method of MRI-guided radiotherapy (MR-IGRT) delivery to abdominal targets in the mouse.
Methods: A multimodality cradle was developed for providing subject immobilisation and its performance was evaluated. Whilst CT was still used for dose calculations, target identification was based on MRI. Each step of the radiotherapy planning procedure was validated initially in vitro using BANG gel dosimeters. Subsequently, MR-IGRT of normal adrenal glands with a size-matched collimated beam was performed. Additionally, the SK-N-SH neuroblastoma xenograft model and the transgenic KPC model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were used to demonstrate the applicability of our methods for the accurate delivery of radiation to CT-invisible abdominal tumours.
Results: The BANG gel phantoms demonstrated a targeting efficiency error of 0.56 ± 0.18 mm. The in vivo stability tests of body motion during MR-IGRT and the associated cradle transfer showed that the residual body movements are within this MR-IGRT targeting error. Accurate MR-IGRT of the normal adrenal glands with a size-matched collimated beam was confirmed by γH2AX staining. Regression in tumour volume was observed almost immediately post MR-IGRT in the neuroblastoma model, further demonstrating accuracy of x-ray delivery. Finally, MR-IGRT in the KPC model facilitated precise contouring and comparison of different treatment plans and radiotherapy dose distributions not only to the intra-abdominal tumour but also to the organs at risk.
Conclusion: This is, to our knowledge, the first study to demonstrate preclinical MR-IGRT in intra-abdominal organs. The proposed MR-IGRT method presents a state-of-the-art solution to enabling robust, accurate and efficient targeting of extracranial organs in the mouse and can operate with a sufficiently high throughput to allow fractionated treatments to be given.
We present an implementation of an interpreter LRPi for the call-by-need calculus LRP, based on a variant of Sestoft's abstract machine Mark 1, extended with an eager garbage collector. It is used as a tool for exact space usage analyses as a support for our investigations into space improvements of call-by-need calculi.
We present a dataset of free-viewing eye-movement recordings that contains more than 2.7 million fixation locations from 949 observers on more than 1000 images from different categories. This dataset aggregates and harmonizes data from 23 different studies conducted at the Institute of Cognitive Science at Osnabrück University and the University Medical Center in Hamburg-Eppendorf. Trained personnel recorded all studies under standard conditions with homogeneous equipment and parameter settings. All studies allowed for free eye-movements, and differed in the age range of participants (~7–80 years), stimulus sizes, stimulus modifications (phase scrambled, spatial filtering, mirrored), and stimuli categories (natural and urban scenes, web sites, fractal, pink-noise, and ambiguous artistic figures). The size and variability of viewing behavior within this dataset presents a strong opportunity for evaluating and comparing computational models of overt attention, and furthermore, for thoroughly quantifying strategies of viewing behavior. This also makes the dataset a good starting point for investigating whether viewing strategies change in patient groups.
Background: Imbalances in female career promotion are a key factor of gender disparities at the workplace. They may lead to stress and stress-related diseases including burnout, depression or cardiovascular diseases. Since this problem cannot be generalized and varies between different fields, new approaches are needed to assess and describe the magnitude of the problem in single fields of work.
Methods: To construct a new index, operating figures of female and male medical students were collected for Germany in a period over 15 years and their progression throughout their studies towards specialization and academic chair positions. By the use of different female to male ratios (f:m), we constructed an index that describes the extend by which women can ascent in their academic career by using the field of academic medicine as an example.
Results: A medical student f:m ratio of 1.54 (52,366 female vs. 34,010 male) was found for Germany in 2013. In 1998, this f:m ratio was 0.999. In the same year (2013), the OB/GYN hospital specialists’ f:m ratio was 1.566 (3347 female vs. 2137 male physicians) and 0.577 (516 female vs 894 male physicians) for ENT hospital specialists, respectively. The f:m ratios concerning chairs of OB/GYN and ENT were 0.105 and 0.1, respectively. Then an index was generated that incorporated these operating figures with the student f:m ratio as denominator and the chair f:m ratio as numerator while the hospital specialist f:m ratio served as a corrector in the numerator in order to adjust to the attraction of a given field to female physicians. As a result, the index was 0.044 for OB/GYN and 0.113 for ENT instead of ideally ~1 in a completely gender harmonized situation.
Conclusion: In summary, a new index to describe female career advancement was established for academic medicine. By the use of this index, different academic and medical fields can now be compared to each other and future benchmarks could be proposed. Also, country differences may be examined using the proposed index and the success of specific funding programs.
Catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) is a condition of abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), induced by physical activity or stress. Mutations in ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2), a Ca2+ release channel located in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), or calsequestrin 2 (CASQ2), a SR Ca2+ binding protein, are linked to CPVT. For specific drug development and to study distinct arrhythmias, simple models are required to implement and analyze such mutations. Here, we introduced CPVT inducing mutations into the pharynx of Caenorhabditis elegans, which we previously established as an optogenetically paced heart model. By electrophysiology and video-microscopy, we characterized mutations in csq-1 (CASQ2 homologue) and unc-68 (RyR2 homologue). csq-1 deletion impaired pharynx function and caused missed pumps during 3.7 Hz pacing. Deletion mutants of unc-68, and in particular the point mutant UNC-68(R4743C), analogous to the established human CPVT mutant RyR2(R4497C), were unable to follow 3.7 Hz pacing, with progressive defects during long stimulus trains. The pharynx either locked in pumping at half the pacing frequency or stopped pumping altogether, possibly due to UNC-68 leakiness and/or malfunctional SR Ca2+ homeostasis. Last, we could reverse this ‘worm arrhythmia’ by the benzothiazepine S107, establishing the nematode pharynx for studying specific CPVT mutations and for drug screening.
The population size and distribution of Phaethon aethereus on Raso Islet was studied from August to December 2016. In total, 42 biometric measures were collected from 38 adults and four juveniles. No recapture was identified although some individuals were ringed in 2014. The means of biometrics variables obtained for the different body segments and eggs were within the ranges of P. aethereus mesonauta from tropical North Atlantic. The two largest agglomerations of P. aethereus identified on Raso were overlapping colonies of brown boobies Sula leucogaster which allowed the maximum direct count of only 90 individuals. The inaccessibility of some breeding areas conditioned the identification and monitoring of just 117 nests. Thus, we estimate the population by the number of nests in more than 100 pairs. However, without an annual census, it is difficult to estimate the population size of this species. So, annual studies are recommended to better understand the population dynamics of P. aethereus on Raso.