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Zum virologischen Nachweis einer akuten Influenza und zur Überprüfung des Immunstatus steht eine Vielzahl von Untersuchungsmethoden zur Verfügung. Bei Verdacht auf eine Influenzavirusinfektion liefert der Rachenabstrich das geeignete Untersuchungsmaterial. Das tiefe Nasopharynxaspirat ist etwas sensitiver, Sputum etwas weniger ergiebig. Die RT-PCR ermöglicht in 1–2 h nach Materialeingang ein sensitives und spezifisches Ergebnis. Typen, Subtypen und Driftvarianten lassen sich durch geeignete Primersonden, die kommerziell zur Verfügung stehen, einwandfrei identifizieren. Demgegenüber ist die Zellkultur-gestützte Virusisolierung zeitaufwendiger und stärker abhängig von einer sachgerechten Materialgewinnung und –überbringung (Kühlkette). PCR und Virusanzüchtung ermöglichen die geno- bzw. phänotypische Testung auf Therapieresistenzen. Der Antigentest ist eine einfache (bed-side) Schnellmethode. Seine Spezifität ist gut, die Sensitivität limitiert; daher kann der Antigentest nicht zur individuellen Ausschlussdiagnose eingesetzt werden. Influenzavirusspezifische Antikörper erscheinen im Blut erst in der zweiten Krankheitswoche. Die Serodiagnostik erfolgt typenspezifisch mit Komplementbindungsreaktion (KBR), IFT und ELISA über eine signifikante Titerbewegung oder den Nachweis von IgA-Antikörpern. IgG-spezifische IFT und ELISA Methoden geben Auskunft über die Influenzavirus-typspezifische Durchseuchung. Die klinisch relevantere subtypen- und variantenspezifische Influenzavirusimmunität wird mit dem HHT oder NT gemessen.
Die Labordiagnose einer Infektionskrankheit beruht auf dem Nachweis des Infektionserregers oder der spezifischen Immunreaktion unter Berücksichtigung der klinischen Plausibilität. Biologische Testverfahren wie der Zellkulturversuch erbringen nur näherungsweise ein quantitatives Ergebnis und sind mit einer relativ großen Streuung behaftet. Das gilt auch für Antikörperassays, soweit sie über ein biologisches Testsignal abgelesen werden (CPE, Agglutination, Komplementverbrauch). Moderne serologische und molekularbiologische Untersuchungsmethoden der Virologie werden i. d. R. über ein physikochemisches Testssignal abgelesen und quantitativ ausgewertet. Dadurch gelingt die nationale und internationale Standardisierung, die sich in Ringversuchen gut überprüfen lässt. Aus biologischen Gründen ist meist eine log. Ergebnisberechnung angezeigt, was für „ signifikante “ Unterschiede in Verlaufsuntersuchungen zu berücksichtigen ist: Da sowohl Infektion als auch Immunreaktion dynamische Prozesse darstellen, können Normalwerte in der virologischen Labordiagnostik nur restriktiv definiert werden. Ihre Ergebnisse sind mehr oder minder individuell interpretationsbedürftig.
Virus-infected cells are eliminated by cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which recognize viral epitopes displayed on major histocompatibility complex class I molecules at the cell surface. Herpesviruses have evolved sophisticated strategies to escape this immune surveillance. During the lytic phase of EBV infection, the viral factor BNLF2a interferes with antigen processing by preventing peptide loading of major histocompatibility complex class I molecules. Here we reveal details of the inhibition mechanism of this EBV protein. We demonstrate that BNLF2a acts as a tail-anchored protein, exploiting the mammalian Asna-1/WRB (Get3/Get1) machinery for posttranslational insertion into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane, where it subsequently blocks antigen translocation by the transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP). BNLF2a binds directly to the core TAP complex arresting the ATP-binding cassette transporter in a transport-incompetent conformation. The inhibition mechanism of EBV BNLF2a is distinct and mutually exclusive of other viral TAP inhibitors.
The E3 ubiquitin ligase MYCBP2 negatively regulates neuronal growth, synaptogenesis, and synaptic strength. More recently it was shown that MYCBP2 is also involved in receptor and ion channel internalization. We found that mice with a MYCBP2-deficiency in peripheral sensory neurons show prolonged thermal hyperalgesia. Loss of MYCBP2 constitutively activated p38 MAPK and increased expression of several proteins involved in receptor trafficking. Surprisingly, loss of MYCBP2 inhibited internalization of transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor 1 (TRPV1) and prevented desensitization of capsaicin-induced calcium increases. Lack of desensitization, TRPV internalization and prolonged hyperalgesia were reversed by inhibition of p38 MAPK. The effects were TRPV-specific, since neither mustard oil-induced desensitization nor behavioral responses to mechanical stimuli were affected. In summary, we show here for the first time that p38 MAPK activation can inhibit activity-induced ion channel internalization and that MYCBP2 regulates internalization of TRPV1 in peripheral sensory neurons as well as duration of thermal hyperalgesia through p38 MAPK.
Host cell invasion by the facultative intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes requires the invasion protein InlB in many cell types. InlB consists of an N-terminal internalin domain that binds the host cell receptor tyrosine kinase Met and C-terminal GW domains that bind to glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Met binding and activation is required for host cell invasion, while the interaction between GW domains and GAGs enhances this effect. Soluble InlB elicits the same cellular phenotypes as the natural Met ligand hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF), e.g. cell scatter. So far, little is known about the central part of InlB, the B-repeat. Here we present a structural and functional characterization of the InlB B-repeat. The crystal structure reveals a variation of the β-grasp fold that is most similar to small ubiquitin-like modifiers (SUMOs). However, structural similarity also suggests a potential evolutionary relation to bacterial mucin-binding proteins. The B-repeat defines the prototype structure of a hitherto uncharacterized domain present in over a thousand bacterial proteins. Generally, this domain probably acts as a spacer or a receptor-binding domain in extracellular multi-domain proteins. In cellular assays the B-repeat acts synergistically with the internalin domain conferring to it the ability to stimulate cell motility. Thus, the B-repeat probably binds a further host cell receptor and thereby enhances signaling downstream of Met.
Background: Patients with cancer have an increased risk of VTE. We compared VTE rates and bleeding complications in 1) cancer patients receiving LMWH or UFH and 2) patients with or without cancer.
Patients with cancer have an increased risk of VTE. We compared VTE rates and bleeding complications in 1) cancer patients receiving LMWH or UFH and 2) patients with or without cancer.
Methods: Acutely-ill, non-surgical patients ≥70 years with (n = 274) or without cancer (n = 2,965) received certoparin 3,000 UaXa o.d. or UFH 5,000 IU t.i.d. for 8-20 days.
Results: 1) Thromboembolic events in cancer patients (proximal DVT, symptomatic non-fatal PE and VTE-related death) occurred at 4.50% with certoparin and 6.03% with UFH (OR 0.73; 95% CI 0.23-2.39). Major bleeding was comparable and minor bleedings (0.75 vs. 5.67%) were nominally less frequent. 7.5% of certoparin and 12.8% of UFH treated patients experienced serious adverse events. 2) Thromboembolic event rates were comparable in patients with or without cancer (5.29 vs. 4.13%) as were bleeding complications. All cause death was increased in cancer (OR 2.68; 95%CI 1.22-5.86). 10.2% of patients with and 5.81% of those without cancer experienced serious adverse events (OR 1.85; 95% CI 1.21-2.81).
Conclusions: Certoparin 3,000 UaXa o.d. and 5,000 IU UFH t.i.d. were equally effective and safe with respect to bleeding complications in patients with cancer. There were no statistically significant differences in the risk of thromboembolic events in patients with or without cancer receiving adequate anticoagulation.
Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00451412
Solving the problem of consciousness remains one of the biggest challenges in modern science. One key step towards understanding consciousness is to empirically narrow down neural processes associated with the subjective experience of a particular content. To unravel these neural correlates of consciousness (NCC) a common scientific strategy is to compare perceptual conditions in which consciousness of a particular content is present with those in which it is absent, and to determine differences in measures of brain activity (the so called "contrastive analysis"). However, this comparison appears not to reveal exclusively the NCC, as the NCC proper can be confounded with prerequisites for and consequences of conscious processing of the particular content. This implies that previous results cannot be unequivocally interpreted as reflecting the neural correlates of conscious experience. Here we review evidence supporting this conjecture and suggest experimental strategies to untangle the NCC from the prerequisites and consequences of conscious experience in order to further develop the otherwise valid and valuable contrastive methodology.
RcsF, a proposed auxiliary regulator of the regulation of capsule synthesis (rcs) phosphorelay system, is a key element for understanding the RcsC-D-A/B signaling cascade, which is responsible for the regulation of more than 100 genes and is involved in cell division, motility, biofilm formation, and virulence. The RcsC-D-A/B system is one of the most complex bacterial signal transduction pathways, consisting of several membrane-bound and soluble proteins. RcsF is a lipoprotein attached to the outer membrane and plays an important role in activating the RcsC-d-A/B pathway. The exact mechanism of activation of the rcs phosphorelay by RcsF, however, remains unknown. We have analyzed the sequence of RcsF and identified three structural elements: 1) an N-terminal membrane-anchored helix (residues 3-13), 2) a loop (residues 14-48), and 3) a C-terminal folded domain (residues 49-134). We have determined the structure of this C-terminal domain and started to investigate its interaction with potential partners. Important features of its structure are two disulfide bridges between Cys-74 and Cys-118 and between Cys-109 and Cys-124. To evaluate the importance of this RcsF disulfide bridge network in vivo, we have examined the ability of the full-length protein and of specific Cys mutants to initiate the rcs signaling cascade. The results indicate that the Cys-74/Cys-118 and the Cys-109/Cys-124 residues correlate pairwise with the activity of RcsF. Interaction studies showed a weak interaction with an RNA hairpin. However, no interaction could be detected with reagents that are believed to activate the rcs phosphorelay, such as lysozyme, glucose, or Zn(2+) ions.
Secretins are a family of large bacterial outer membrane protein complexes mediating the transport of complex structures, such as type IV pili, DNA and filamentous phage, or various proteins, such as extracellular enzymes and pathogenicity determinants. PilQ of the thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus HB27 is a member of the secretin family required for natural transformation. Here we report the isolation, structural, and functional analyses of a unique PilQ from T. thermophilus. Native PAGE, gel filtration chromatography, and electrophoretic mobility shift analyses indicated that PilQ forms a macromolecular homopolymeric complex that binds dsDNA. Electron microscopy showed that the PilQ complex is 15 nm wide and 34 nm long and consists of an extraordinary stable "cone" and "cup" structure and five ring structures with a large central channel. Moreover, the electron microscopic images together with secondary structure analyses combined with structural data of type II protein secretion system and type III protein secretion system secretins suggest that the individual rings are formed by conserved domains of alternating α-helices and β-sheets. The unprecedented length of the PilQ complex correlated well with the distance between the inner and outer membrane of T. thermophilus. Indeed, PilQ was found immunologically in both membranes, indicating that the PilQ complex spans the entire cell periphery of T. thermophilus. This is consistent with the hypothesis that PilQ accommodates a PilA4 comprising pseudopilus mediating DNA transport across the outer membrane and periplasmic space in a single-step process.
The transporter associated with antigen processing (TAP) plays a key role in adaptive immunity by translocating proteasomal degradation products from the cytosol into the endoplasmic reticulum lumen for subsequent loading onto major histocompatibility (MHC) class I molecules. For functional and structural analysis of this ATP-binding cassette complex, we established the overexpression of TAP in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. Screening of optimal solubilization and purification conditions allowed the isolation of the heterodimeric transport complex, yielding 30 mg of TAP/liter of culture. Detailed analysis of TAP function in the membrane, solubilized, purified, and reconstituted states revealed a direct influence of the native lipid environment on activity. TAP-associated phospholipids, essential for function, were profiled by liquid chromatography Fourier transform mass spectrometry. The antigen translocation activity is stimulated by phosphatidylinositol and -ethanolamine, whereas cholesterol has a negative effect on TAP activity.
Dichlorido(3-phenylindenylidene)bis(triphenylphosphane)ruthenium(II) tetrahydrofuran disolvate
(2011)
The RuII atom in the title compound, [RuCl2(C15H10)(C18H15P)2]·2C4H8O, has a distorted square-pyramidal conformation. The P and Cl atoms are at the base of the pyramid and the Ru-Cindenylidene bond is in the axial position. The two Cl ligands and the two phosphane ligands are in trans positions. The Cl-Ru-Cl and P-Ru-P angles are 157.71 (2) and 166.83 (2)°, respectively. The two independent tetrahydrofuran (THF) solvent molecules are disordered. One THF molecule was refined using a split-atom model. The second THF molecule was accounted for by using program PLATON/SQUEEZE [Spek (2009). Acta Cryst. D65, 148-155]. The molecular conformation shows three intramolecular C-H...Cl contacts and two C-H...[pi] interactions while the crystal packing features an intermolecular C-H...Cl contact and two very weak intermolecular C-H...[pi] contacts.
The title compound, C30H16N4O4, reveals \overline1 crystallographic and molecular symmetry and accordingly the asymmetric unit comprises one half-molecule. The dihedral angle between the planes of the two geminal benzoxazole rings is 74.39 (5)°. The packing features weak C-H...N and [pi]-[pi] interactions [centroid-centroid distance = 3.652 (1) Å].
To examine their luminescence behavior, two air-stable BN addition compounds were synthesized by the reaction of 5-fluoro-2-(2′-pyridyl)indole with 1,4- and 1,3-bis(bromo(methyl)boryl)benzene, respectively. Both BN adducts are luminescent. Their emission maxima (1,3-substituted BN adduct: 495 nm; 1,4-substituted BN adduct: 497 nm) are comparable with the value (490 nm) of the related mono-borylated benzene species, which is composed of a BPh2 fragment and a 5-fluoro-2-(2′-pyridyl) indole unit. The starting materials 1,4- and 1,3-bis(bromo(methyl)boryl)benzene were accessible by treatment of 1,4- or 1,3-bis(dibromoboryl)benzene with two equivalents of SnMe4. In addition, the results of the X-ray structure analyses of the B,B′-bis-5-fluoro-2-(2′-pyridyl)indolyl-complexed meta-bismethylborylbenzene fragment (9, triclinic, P1̅) as well as of 5-chloro-2-(2′-pyridyl)indole (2, monoclinic, P21/c) and 5-fluoro-2-(2′-pyridyl)indole (1, orthorhombic, Pca21) are reported. The pyridylindole derivatives of this approach were synthesized by an optimized two-step procedure from 2-acetylpyridine and 4-fluoro- or 4-chlorophenylhydrazine hydrochloride.
Single crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction of (tBu2P)3Ga (monoclinic, space group Cc) were obtained from GaCl3 and two equivalents of Li[PtBu2] at room temperature in benzene. The phosphanylgallane (tBu2P)3Ga was also produced via a one-pot approach by reaction of GaCl3 with three or more than three equivalents of Li[PtBu2]. However, treatment of one equivalent of GaCl3 with one equivalent of Li[PtBu2] and subsequent protolysis yielded [tBu2PH2][tBu2P(GaCl3)2 - Li(Cl3Ga)2PtBu2]. Single crystals of this phosphonium salt (monoclinic, space group Cc) were obtained from benzene at room temperature.
The avian magnetic compass was analyzed by testing migratory birds, using their orientation as an indicator. These tests revealed some remarkable properties of the avian magnetic compass: (1) It is an inclination compass’, (2) it is light-dependent, with (3) receptors located in the right eye. These characteristics are in agreement with the Radical Pair model proposed by Ritz et al. (2000). Using the same experimental set-up, we tested the model by behavioral spectroscopy’, exposing migratory birds to radiofrequency fields of different frequencies and intensities. Such fields affected the orientation only when applied at an angle to the field lines. Tests with different frequencies led to an estimate of the life time of the crucial radical pair between 2-10 μs. We also could identify an extremely sensitive resonance at the Larmor frequency, which implies specific properties of the radical pair. Cryptochromes, a blue-light absorbing photopigment, has been proposed to be the receptor-molecule; it has been found to be present in the retina of birds.
ATP-binding cassette (ABC) systems translocate a wide range of solutes across cellular membranes. The thermophilic Gram-negative eubacterium Thermus thermophilus, a model organism for structural genomics and systems biology, discloses ∼46 ABC proteins, which are largely uncharacterized. Here, we functionally analyzed the first two and only ABC half-transporters of the hyperthermophilic bacterium, TmrA and TmrB. The ABC system mediates uptake of the drug Hoechst 33342 in inside-out oriented vesicles that is inhibited by verapamil. TmrA and TmrB form a stable heterodimeric complex hydrolyzing ATP with a Km of 0.9 mm and kcat of 9 s−1 at 68 °C. Two nucleotides can be trapped in the heterodimeric ABC complex either by vanadate or by mutation inhibiting ATP hydrolysis. Nucleotide trapping requires permissive temperatures, at which a conformational ATP switch is possible. We further demonstrate that the canonic glutamate 523 of TmrA is essential for rapid conversion of the ATP/ATP-bound complex into its ADP/ATP state, whereas the corresponding aspartate in TmrB (Asp-500) has only a regulatory role. Notably, exchange of this single noncanonic residue into a catalytic glutamate cannot rescue the function of the E523Q/D500E complex, implicating a built-in asymmetry of the complex. However, slow ATP hydrolysis in the newly generated canonic site (D500E) strictly depends on the formation of a posthydrolysis state in the consensus site, indicating an allosteric coupling of both active sites.
The anaerobic acetogenic bacterium Acetobacterium woodii employs a novel type of Na+-motive anaerobic respiration, caffeate respiration. However, this respiration is at the thermodynamic limit of energy conservation, and even worse, in the first step, caffeate is activated by caffeyl-CoA synthetase, which hydrolyzes ATP to AMP and pyrophosphate. Here, we have addressed whether or not the energy stored in the anhydride bond of pyrophosphate is conserved by A. woodii. Inverted membrane vesicles of A. woodii have a membrane-bound pyrophosphatase that catalyzes pyrophosphate hydrolysis at a rate of 70–120 milliunits/mg of protein. Pyrophosphatase activity was dependent on the divalent cation Mg2+. In addition, activity was strictly dependent on Na+ with a Km of 1.1 mm. Hydrolysis of pyrophosphate was accompanied by 22Na+ transport into the lumen of the inverted membrane vesicles. Inhibitor studies revealed that 22Na+ transport was primary and electrogenic. Next to the Na+-motive ferredoxin:NAD+ oxidoreductase (Fno or Rnf), the Na+-pyrophosphatase is the second primary Na+-translocating enzyme in A. woodii.
Pattern recognition approaches, such as the Support Vector Machine (SVM), have been successfully used to classify groups of individuals based on their patterns of brain activity or structure. However these approaches focus on finding group differences and are not applicable to situations where one is interested in accessing deviations from a specific class or population. In the present work we propose an application of the one-class SVM (OC-SVM) to investigate if patterns of fMRI response to sad facial expressions in depressed patients would be classified as outliers in relation to patterns of healthy control subjects. We defined features based on whole brain voxels and anatomical regions. In both cases we found a significant correlation between the OC-SVM predictions and the patients' Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), i.e. the more depressed the patients were the more of an outlier they were. In addition the OC-SVM split the patient groups into two subgroups whose membership was associated with future response to treatment. When applied to region-based features the OC-SVM classified 52% of patients as outliers. However among the patients classified as outliers 70% did not respond to treatment and among those classified as non-outliers 89% responded to treatment. In addition 89% of the healthy controls were classified as non-outliers.
Event-related potentials (ERPs) are widely used in basic neuroscience and in clinical diagnostic procedures. In contrast, neurophysiological insights from ERPs have been limited, as several different mechanisms lead to ERPs. Apart from stereotypically repeated responses (additive evoked responses), these mechanisms are asymmetric amplitude modulations and phase-resetting of ongoing oscillatory activity. Therefore, a method is needed that differentiates between these mechanisms and moreover quantifies the stability of a response. We propose a constrained subspace independent component analysis that exploits the multivariate information present in the all-to-all relationship of recordings over trials. Our method identifies additive evoked activity and quantifies its stability over trials. We evaluate identification performance for biologically plausible simulation data and two neurophysiological test cases: Local field potential (LFP) recordings from a visuo-motor-integration task in the awake behaving macaque and magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings of steady-state visual evoked fields (SSVEFs). In the LFPs we find additive evoked response contributions in visual areas V2/4 but not in primary motor cortex A4, although visually triggered ERPs were also observed in area A4. MEG-SSVEFs were mainly created by additive evoked response contributions. Our results demonstrate that the identification of additive evoked response contributions is possible both in invasive and in non-invasive electrophysiological recordings.
IL-22 is an immunoregulatory cytokine displaying pathological functions in models of autoimmunity like experimental psoriasis. Understanding molecular mechanisms driving IL-22, together with knowledge on the capacity of current immunosuppressive drugs to target this process, may open an avenue to novel therapeutic options. Here, we sought to characterize regulation of human IL22 gene expression with focus on the established model of Jurkat T cells. Moreover, effects of the prototypic immunosuppressant cyclosporin A (CsA) were investigated. We report that IL-22 induction by TPA/A23187 (T/A) or αCD3 is inhibited by CsA or related FK506. Similar data were obtained with peripheral blood mononuclear cells or purified CD3(+) T cells. IL22 promoter analysis (-1074 to +156 bp) revealed a role of an NF-AT (-95/-91 nt) and a CREB (-194/-190 nt) binding site for gene induction. Indeed, binding of CREB and NF-ATc2, but not c-Rel, under the influence of T/A to those elements could be proven by ChIP. Because CsA has the capability to impair IκB kinase (IKK) complex activation, the IKKα/β inhibitor IKKVII was evaluated. IKKVII likewise reduced IL-22 induction in Jurkat cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Interestingly, transfection of Jurkat cells with siRNA directed against IKKα impaired IL22 gene expression. Data presented suggest that NF-AT, CREB, and IKKα contribute to rapid IL22 gene induction. In particular the crucial role of NF-AT detected herein may form the basis of direct action of CsA on IL-22 expression by T cells, which may contribute to therapeutic efficacy of the drug in autoimmunity.
Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genetic variations near the IL28B gene which are strongly associated with spontaneous and treatment-induced clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Protective IL28B variations are strongly associated with on-treatment viral kinetics and approximately 2-fold increased sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in HCV genotype 1 and 4 patients. In HCV genotype 1 patients, IL28B variations were shown to be the strongest pre-treatment predictor of virologic response. In the treatment of HCV genotype 2 and 3 infected patients, IL28B variations play only a minor role. Preliminary data indicate that IL28B variations are also associated with treatment outcome of regimens, including directly acting antiviral (DAA) agents, though their impact seems to be attenuated compared to standard treatment. Here, we review these important findings and discuss possible implications for clinical decision making in the treatment of HCV infection.
Herb induced liver injury (HILI) is a particular challenge that also applies to purported cases presumably caused by black cohosh (BC), an herb commonly used to treat menopausal symptoms. We analyzed and reviewed all published case reports and spontaneous reports of initially alleged BC hepatotoxicity regarding quality of case details and causality assessments. Shortcomings of data quality were more evident in spontaneous reports of regulatory agencies compared to published case reports, but assessments with the scale of CIOMS (Council for the International Organizations of Sciences) or its updated version revealed lack of causality for BC in all cases. The applied causality methods are structured, quantitative, and liver specific with clear preference over an ad hoc causality method or the liver unspecific Naranjo scale. Reviewing the case data and the reports dealing with quality specifications of herbal BC products, there is general lack of analysis with respect to authentication of BC in the BC products used by the patients. However, in one single regulatory study, there was a problem of BC authentication in the analysed BC products, and other reports addressed the question of impurities and adulterants in a few BC products. It is concluded that the use of BC may not exert an overt hepatotoxicity risk, but quality problems in a few BC products were evident that require additional regulatory quality specifications.
Rapidity and transverse momentum dependence of inclusive J/ψ production in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV
(2011)
The ALICE experiment at the LHC has studied inclusive J/ψ production at central and forward rapidities in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV. In this Letter, we report on the first results obtained detecting the J/ψ through the dilepton decay into e+e− and μ+μ− pairs in the rapidity ranges |y|<0.9 and 2.5<y<4, respectively, and with acceptance down to zero pT. In the dielectron channel the analysis was carried out on a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity Lint=5.6 nb−1 and the number of signal events is NJ/ψ=352±32(stat.)±28(syst.); the corresponding figures in the dimuon channel are Lint=15.6 nb−1 and NJ/ψ=1924±77(stat.)±144(syst.). The measured production cross sections are σJ/ψ(|y|<0.9)=10.7±1.0(stat.)±1.6(syst.)−2.3+1.6(syst.pol.)μb and σJ/ψ(2.5<y<4)=6.31±0.25(stat.)±0.76(syst.)−1.96+0.95(syst.pol.)μb. The differential cross sections, in transverse momentum and rapidity, of the J/ψ were also measured.
Fragment mass distributions for fission after full momentum transfer were measured in the reactions of 30Si,34,36 S,31P,40Ar + 238U at bombarding energies around the Coulomb barrier. Mass distributions change significantly as a function of incident beam energy. The asymmetric fission probability increases at sub-barrier energy. The phenomenon is interpreted as an enhanced quasifission probability owing to orientation effects on fusion and/or quasifission. The evaporation residue (ER) cross sections were measured in the reactions of 30Si + 238U and 34S + 238U to obtain information on fusion. In the latter reaction, significant suppression of fusion was implied. This suggests that fission events different from compound nucleus are included in the masssymmetric fragments. The results are supported by a model calculation based on a dynamical calculation using Langevin equation, in which the mass distribution for fusion-fission and quasifission fragments are separately determined.
We give a brief overview of recent work examining the presence of α-clusters in light nuclei within the Skyrme-force Hartree-Fock model. Of special signif cance are investigations into α-chain structures in carbon isotopes and 16O. Their stability and possible role in fusion reactions are examined in static and time-dependent Hartree-Fock calculations. We f nd a new type of shape transition in collisions and a centrifugal stabilization of the 4α chain state in a limited range of angular momenta. No stabilization is found for the 3α chain.
The present limits of the upper part of the nuclear map are rather close to the beta stability line while the unexplored area of heavy neutron rich nuclides (also those located along the neutron closed shell N = 126 to the right hand side of the stability line) is extremely important for nuclear astrophysics investigations and, in particular, for the understanding of the r-process of astrophysical nucleogenesis. For elements with Z > 100 only neutron deficient isotopes (located to the left of the stability line) have been synthesized so far. The “north-east” area of the nuclear map can be reached neither in fusion–fission reactions nor in fragmentation processes widely used nowadays for the production of new nuclei. Multi-nucleon transfer processes in near barrier collisions of heavy ions seem to be the only reaction mechanism allowing us to produce and explore neutron rich heavy nuclei including those located at the superheavy island of stability. Neutron capture process can be also considered as an alternative method for the production of long-lived neutron rich superheavy nuclei. Strong neutron fluxes might be provided by nuclear reactors and nuclear explosions in laboratory frame and by supernova explosions in nature.
We found that a true ternary fission with formation of a heavy third fragment (a new kind of radioactivity) is quite possible for superheavy nuclei due to the strong shell effects leading to a three-body clusterization with the two doubly magic tin-like cores. The three-body quasifission process could be even more pronounced for giant nuclear systems formed in collisions of heavy actinide nuclei. In this case a three-body clusterization might be proved experimentally by detection of two coincident lead-like fragments in low-energy U+U collisions.
Wilhelm Raabe gehört zu den literarischen Experten, die dem durch beschleunigte Temporalisierungsprozesse bedingten neuen Stellenwert von Kuriositäten schreibend ihre Aufmerksamkeit widmen und dem Plunder bzw. Abfall eine bislang wenig bekannte poetische Seite abgewinnen. Raabe ist ein historistisch geschulter Virtuose in der Adaption und Transformation vorgegebener literarischer Dingdarstellungen. Er weiß die im Rokoko geschulte Koketterie mit dem Minutiösen und Seltenen, mit der Enthüllung und Verhüllung der Dinge zu nutzen, er greift auf die in der Empfindsamkeit betriebene emotionale Aufladung der Dinge zurück, er bedient sich der Traditionen exotischer Amulette und Fetische und er reizt das Erinnerungspotential der Dinge aus. Rezeptionspsychologisch kennt er die poetischen Möglichkeiten des Spiels und Widerspiels von Projektion auf die Dinge und Resonanz der Dinge, das heißt er weiß den Appell- und Signalcharakter der Dinge einzusetzen. Insbesondere vermag er die Dinge als narrative Kerne zu inszenieren, das
heißt sie so erzählerisch zu arrangieren, dass das noch nicht Erzählte oder nicht Erzählbare vom Leser substituiert wird. Zusammenfassend kann man sagen, Wilhelm Raabe ist ein virtuoser erzählerischer Choreograph, der die gesamte Breite an poetischen Dingsuggestionen vom Gebrauchsding zum Fetisch und von der Kuriosität bis zum Abfall, von der traditionellen Locke und dem empfindsamen Taschentuch bis zur modischen Vase aufzurufen weiß.
After the events of 1989 pupils exit German language schools with a degree of German language proficiency which is much lower than research suggests it should be, given the amount of exposure to the language they had throughout their years of schooling. Generally, the only reason put forward for this relative lack of success in acquiring the language is the loss of the ethnic German population, which would have, on the one hand, provided the bulk of learners, and on the other hand, offered a rich linguistic environment to the few pupils of other ethnicities who are not native German speakers. In the present work I intend to challenge this mono-causal explanation by presenting the complexity of variables discussed in SLA research.
Über Treue und Untreue in der Übersetzung : von den Belles Infidèles zum feministischen Paradigma
(2011)
The following paper tries to offer a short outlook on certain aspects of the feminist paradigm in translation theory such as it has emerged from the gender studies and to point out some of the limitations of this paradigm. After outlining the anti-feminist characteristics of the general discourse in translation studies in western culture, the paper discusses the contribution of the so called belles infidèles in the 18th century to the consolidation of a gender discriminating attitude towards translation. The feminist paradigm has been trying to offer an alternative approach, viewing the translation not as a mere copy of the original, but as a creation in itself and the translator as a creator equally important to the author of the source text. It leaves open the question wether it would be acceptable from an ethical point of view to replace the male dominated theoretical discourse in translation studies with an equally ideologically framed one.
Starting from the generally acknowledged fact that exact translation is not possible, this article presents the difficulties of translation between legal systems in general, which appear on different levels and are of such extent, that it has often been spoken about the untranslatability of law. The idea of untranslatability is a controversed one in the specialized literature, as some authors show that it is no case of absolute untranslatability, but one of relative untranslatability, since the translator – who has to bridge the gap between the source and the target legal system – must find a surrogate solution for the missing legal term.
The German film Offset (2005) is one of an increasing number of films which for various reasons can be called intercultural films or intercultural cinema. This contribution, while pleading for a more extended use of the term “intercultural cinema”, aims to focus on some of those features present in movies of this “genre”. The chosen example Offset serves as a starting point : Especially the notions of different languages used in such films (“multilingual” film) and the different purposes they can serve will be highlighted; secondly, such aspects of interculturalism that become visible in the production of the film itself, and for the purpose of audience building, which also make use of intercultural aspects in the present example will be analyzed. The transcultural film analysis of this movie will also deal with and reveal stereotypes and clichés that are part of the German-Romanian culture clash which is depicted in Offset.
This essay examines the emancipatory possibilities of interculturalism. The aim is to evaluate whether the philosophical discourse of interculturalism, which is still parasitic on a vocabulary of modernism, can achieve its emancipatory role in a postmodern world by trying to empower difference through consensus. Further, this essay aims to propose a way out of modernist dialecticism and towards a truly postmodern theory of interculturalism.
Starting from the peculiar presentation of the geographic spreading of the surname Lutsch in Germany (see the map), based on telephone books from 1995, the aim of the present paper is to reconstruct the history of this last name. Lutsch has its origin in the hypocoristic Lu(t)z(erm. Lud [wig]), it is a German surname specific to Transylvania, being spread especially in its south-western area. The fact that this surname is so rare today (Sibiu, Cindy, Apoldu de Sus, Slimnic, Sebeș, Gârbova, Pianu de Jos, Hunedoara, isolatedly and Brașov, Târgu Secuiesc, Bistrița) is due first of all to the settling of the German ethnics in The Federal Republic of Germany between 1970-1990. It is a coincidence that the name Lutsch can be found today especially in the south of Germany, overlapping with the spreading area of the surname Lutz, for the persons who have this surname do not represent the native population of Southern Germany, but the German emigrants from Transylvania.
The present paper focuses upon a translatological perspective of the cultureme theory, as initially presented by Els Oksaar and developed later by other linguists. By examining a few expressions from a novel of the Romanian-German writer Aglaja Veteranyi and their translations into Romanian, the paper illustrates the categories micro- and macro-cultureme.
The article presents 11 idiom workbooks (some of them displaying a comparative approach) of the 1990s as well as their underlying methodological-didactic concept. The workbooks examined, a number of which have been previously critically assessed by the phraseo-didactic literature, are presented in the chronological order of their publication.
This article is meant as a token of appreciation for the germanist, poet and translator Liana Corciu who taught for a long time at the University of Bucharest, German Department, then emigrated in the USA where she continued her work as a germanist and teacher of German and where she died in 2008. As a germanist she left us an original dissertation on the lyric poetry of Bertolt Brecht and a series of scientific articles, as a poet a number of thematically and stylistically very relevant poems, as a translator some valuable translations of literary texts from German into Romanian.
This article deals with the representation of motherdaughter relationships in novels by Herta Müller, Aglaja Veteranyi, Carmen Francesca Banciu and Gabriela Adamesteanu, all of them born in Romania. Herta Müller and Aglaja Veterani constantly wrote in German, while Carmen Francesca Banciu changed her language after emigrating to Germany and Gabriela Adameºteanu’s language has always been Romanian. Mother-daughter relationships are analysed in regard of female genealogy, but also considering their complexity and ambiguity. It is shown that representations of mother-daughter-relationships are depending rather on individual and psychological criteria than the author’s cultural or ethnic affiliation. Maybe a larger study, which could not be made in this article, could reveal more detailed results.
This study deals with two works, from the perspective of “magic realism”: Cronica unei morþi anunþate by Gabriel Garcia Márquez and Der Fürst der Welt by Erika Mitterer. Magic realism is mostly associated with Latin American literature, especially with the style of Gabriel Garcia Márquez, the 1982 Nobel Prize laureate in Literature. Magic realism techniques are used by the Viennese author Erika Mitterer in the abovementioned historical novel too, in order to render a “camouflaged” writing for avoiding the National Socialist censorship.
The nine stories of Kehlmann’s novel Ruhm. Ein Roman in neun Geschichten (2009) are contentwise independent, yet they are manifoldly linked up by several apparently coincidental elements. Modern means of communication as mobile phones or access to internet, initially invented to bring people together, have now the function to engulf people in misery and isolate them from each other. An analysis on Kehlmann’s social criticism of modern way of life and communication in his literary work is not so easy because of a special character of the novel: it is the fictional writer who ironically questions literature itself and its ethical function.
This work analyses the research done by the German-speaking researchers Pauline and Adolf Schullerus in Transylvania, especially in the field of Romanian fairy-tales. At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century several German-speaking scholars started to collect Romanian fairy tales and to translate them into German. Pauline Schullerus was one of them. Adolf Schullerus collected fairy tales himself and sorted them accordingly to the classification system developed by Antti Aarne. The borders of the verbal fixation were easily transgressed by storytellers. While collecting fairy tales, researchers became interested in the interethnic relations between the populations.
The Bucharest author Oscar Walter Cisek (1897-1966) does not write about the interests of the German minority in Romania to which he himself belongs, but describes the life of the Romanian, Turkish and Tartar population in the first half of the twentieth century. The aim of the present article is to determine foreign-cultural signs in the German versions of the novella Die Tatarin (1928/29) and to analyse how an internal linguistic cultural transfer is achieved. From the evaluation of the reviews to the novella Die Tatarin appeared in the German press between 1929-1930 arise three aspects of ”otherness”: the exotic space, the foreign culture and the oriental woman. The present article analyses especially the representation of the foreign culture in Cisek’s novella.
The present paper reflects upon the relevance of certain criteria that are decisive for the quality of a dictionary and interrelates them with the current bilingual lexicographic practice in Romania concerned with German language. The focus lies here on the lexicographic registration and presentation of phraseologisms in a general bilingual dictionary, which, contrary to phraseological dictionaries, is known not to be specialized in the codification of the phraseological stock. For illustration purpose the author provides a critical analysis of the new edition of the German-Romanian Comprehensive Dictionary published by the Romanian Academy (2007). The paper aims at showing to what extent the description of the selected phraseologisms is adequate with regard to potential users and the specifics of phraseological phenomena.
The importance of Transylvanian records of court proceedings from the end of the 17th century relies, in terms of content, on preserving the day by day life of ordinary people in Transylvania such as craftsmen, tradesmen, and peasants. Regarding linguistics, they are challenging due to the specific tension between feigned orality and literacy, when historical “spoken” language is documented. The research question pertains to describe, from a qualitative point of view, the complex sentences structure. Thereby, we look upon the different ways to construct complex sentences and their specific use according to the communicative functions of text parts: Which is the proportion between hypotaxis and parataxis in combining clauses? How deep is the hierarchy of subordinate clauses? Which subordinate clause functions are most used? Which composition types are relevant for complex sentence structure?
We start from the premise that the 240 Transylvanian-Saxon dialects in the Transylvanian-Saxon dictionary are treated according to scientific principles, while the Northern Transylvanian-Saxon dictionary documents the 48 Northern dialects. When reviewing the vocabulary of both dictionaries it could be noted that they complement each other with respect to vocabulary and meaning, especially as far as the “grammatical category of the verb” is concerned. Case in point is my research of the verbs meaning “to rummage for, to search, to dig” which I have grouped and analyzed according to specific criteria.
The present paper is part of an ample research in a field, which was so far mainly in the limelight of the historical analysis. It relates about the dignities and titles in the Romanian Principalities in the Middle Ages and focuses on the linguistic, etymological and historical point of view of the topic. The denominations borrowed from German are particularly highlighted in this paper.
Sibiu was in the 19th century an important centre, with a vivid cultural life, despite of the difficult political context in Transylvania. The close cohabitation of the Romanian and German people leads to a very important multicultural experience. The study deals with the ways of reception of German culture in the Romanian press of the 19th century reflected in the three most important publications of the time: Telegraful Român, Tribuna and Transilvania. The results of the research are presented in thematic groups (translations, theatre and concert announcements, reviews, travel literature, aphoristic or biographical writings).
The paper focuses on the way Romanians perceive their co-nationals of German origin and analyses the building up of auto-stereotypes and foreign-stereotypes. Starting point of the essay and corpus is an online-petition to back up the German Mayor of Sibiu as the Prime Minister of Romania in the autumn of 2009, a proposal made by a coalition of several political parties. The arguments of the petitioners for their support are being interpreted by using instruments and principles of imagology. The patterns of perception discovered show the interesting ways Romanians relate to their own ethnicity and their perceptions of ethnic minorities.
The purpose of the paper is to provide an overview of the situation of language teaching in the German-speaking schools in Transylvania during their historic evolution. The paper gives information especially on the qualifications of the teachers, on teaching methodology and language classes. The focus of the analysis are the teaching materials used, illustrated by means of a comparative approach based on two class books. The paper also emphasizes the importance of school for the continuity of this group.
The following essay is based on the narrative Die schiefe Fassade der Kindheit. Erfundene Familienkunde written by Eginald Schlattner. The action takes place in Transylvania, a region where several nations live together. The key concepts are identity and alterity, because only by analysing the other one can find and understand one’s own identify. The traits of the communities living together are portraited by Aunt Maly, a strong supporter of the German traditions and by Grisi, the grandmother, who presents the mentality of her people as opposed to the Romanian people. The story also reveals the conflicts between these two ethnical groups. Nevertheless life in Transylvania can be seen as an example of how people belonging to different cultures can peacefully live together.
The present article studies the language plays within the German poetry in Romania and Romanian Poetry during the 1970s. The paper focuses on the language plays resulting from both intertextuality and hypertextuality as well as on the deconstruction of language in poetry by the use of language in rhyme, alliteration, homophony and homonymy in order to find similarities between the verse of two literatures written within a decade. The study researches what significance language plays have for the German poetry of Romania and for the Romanian poetry during 1970s, how and why they manifest resemblances respectively differences.
Das Märchen Savia aus dem Band Das verlorene Land der Roma-Schriftstellerin Luminiţa Cioabă stellt den Versuch dar, den bei vielen Roma-Gemeinschaften eingetretenen Identitätsverlust durch Integration in die Lebenswelt des rumänischen Umfeldes auf dichterische Weise zu erklären. Die Untersuchung dieser Problematik im Rahmen einer literaturwissenschaftlichen Tagung beruht auf dem Verständnis, dass Literaturwissenschaft gleichermaßen auch kulturwissenschaftliche Aspekte untersucht.
The article focuses on Herta Müller and Mircea Cãrtãrescu, two authors from the same generation, who in their respective novels Herztier and Orbitor gave different accounts on the situation in Romania during the 70s, the 80s, of the terror during the Ceaușescu-dictatorship, and on the December revolution. Multiple factors allow a parallelized and comparative description of these two novels: biographical and work-immanently factors. A similarly described world, marked by Kafkaesque elements – Romania amid the dictatorship of Ceauºescu, as well as similarly handling elements of oppression, fear, humiliation, forms of survival, description of the totalitarian state representatives, accurate highlights of the December revolution connect the two autobiographical novels. While the reader can sense in Müllers book the fear and the terror very deeply, as the death and the emigration are solely alternatives for the protagonists, Cãrtãrescu’s universe has signs of grotesqueness and ridiculousness. Cãrtãrescu doesn’t accentuate the terror, the hopelessness, the fear, but mocks the reality, and he laughs at Ceausescu’s stupidity. The author satisfies his desire of revenge for his stolen youth in the communist period.
The paper deals with letters of the publicist, poet and translator Viktor Orendi-Hommenau addressed in 1944 to Rudolf Spek (1893-1953), the director of the Brukenthal-Museum in Sibiu. The letters are preserved in the handwritings collection of the Museum’s Library. Before the 23rd of August 1944, when Romania was an ally of the Axis in WWII, Orendi-Hommenau enjoyed high esteem, but when the country changed sides and joined the Allies, the German minority was considered the “Fifth Column” of Nazi Germany and consequently had to suffer. The poet became so poor, that he was forced to ask Spek for help in order to survive. In 1946 the worst was overcome and Orendi-Hommenau became optimistic again.
The paper attempts at outlining some aspects of experienced intercultural phenomena in Transsylvania starting with the late 50ies and deals with the question of cultural and linguistic choice of an individual born into a multilinguistic and multicultural family. The close connection between mother tongue and identity is analysed under the particular circumstances of the author’s biographical background. The paper should be read as an autobiographical statement which the author considers necessary for the understanding of her legitimate status within present day German literature written in Romania.
The present study makes reference to the scientific achievements of the Romanian Germanist Horst Schuller. As a journalist, university professor and translator, he developed an extensive research work that has brought forth studies of the Romanian-German criticism as well as many studies of intercultural research. In all of his studies of literary criticism dealing with intercultural themes, Schuller holds the opinion of a bilateral exchange between the ethnic groups of a multi-ethnic state as Romania is. He regards interculturality as a plea for tolerance and communication, i.e. living-with-one-another – not living side by side or living past one another.
Oscar Walter Cisek evolved as a German speaking author and art critic in the joint domain of two cultures. With his exquisite education and through his temperament doubled by aesthetic expertise Oscar Walter Cisek stood for the great European man, who acted as a go-between sitting astraddle the Eastern and Western parts of our continent. His effort for the publication of the German written monthly review Kulturnachrichten aus Rumänien (Cultural News from Romania) represents a unique event in the German culture from Romania. Unfortunately this periodical appeared only between 1925-1928 and rather at odd intervals but it had a decisive contribution to the promotion of the Romanian cultural heritage abroad. Beside the literary references current issues in the field of fine arts were also offered, which were partially identical to Cisek’s essays published in the Romanian press. Cisek undertakes a unique attempt among the German writers from Romania by making Romanian culture known to the Transylvanian Saxons by means of several essays published in the Kronstädter Zeitung (The Brasov Newspaper).
How prices can be set to allocate grid computing resources in a financial service institution
(2011)
GRID COMPUTING IS AN IT CONCEPT TO SHARE COMPUTING RESOURCES AMONG DEPARTMENTS AND USERS THAT REDUCES IT COSTS AND PROVIDES COMPUTING RESOURCES DYNAMICALLY WHEN THEY ARE NEEDED. RESOURCE MARKETS ARE AN EFFECTIVE MECHANISM TO REGULATE THE RESOURCE SHARING, BUT THE MOST OFTEN USED AUCTIONS ARE COMPLEX. WE HAVE DEVELOPED A STEPWISE APPROACH TO HELP FIRMS OFFERING INTERNAL GRID COMPUTING SERVICES TO SET TRANSPARENT BUT EFFECTIVE PAY-PER-USE PRICING SCHEMES AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO AUCTIONS.
IN RECENT YEARS, ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS THROUGH NEW WEB 2.0 SOLUTIONS. HEREBY, NEW ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS OPENED COMPLETELY NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR COMMUNICATION. HOWEVER, NEW RISKS (E.G., INFORMATION OVERLOAD) EMERGED AS WELL. THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION ON THE USE OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS FOR INFORMATION SHARING AND ON THE INFLUENCE ON EMPLOYEES’ PERFORMANCE.
THIS PROJECT PROVIDES A PERFORMANCE MEASURE ON THE EFFECT OF LATENCY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE OF IT. BASED ON A DATASET OF DEUTSCHE BÖRSE’S ELECTRONIC TRADING SYSTEM XETRA, AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS IS APPLIED. THAT WAY, WE QUANTIFY THE IMPACT OF LATENCY FROM A CUSTOMER’S POINT OF VIEW.
IN TWO-SIDED MARKETS SUCH AS EXCHANGES, AN INTERMEDIARY BRINGS TOGETHER TWO DISTINCT CUSTOMER POPULATIONS, E.G., BUYERS AND SELLERS. THESE CUSTOMER POPULATIONS INTERACT VIA A PLATFORM PROVIDED BY THE INTERMEDIARY, AND TYPICALLY NETWORK EFFECTS ARE OBSERVABLE IN THESE MARKETS; IF THE NUMBER OF BUYERS IS HIGH, MORE SELLERS ARE ATTRACTED TO THE PLATFORM, AND VICE VERSA. IN SUCH MARKETS IT IS DIFFICULT TO MEASURE THE ECONOMIC SUCCESS OF IT INVESTMENTS. THIS ARTICLE PROPOSES A SOLUTION.
Customer empowerment 2.0
(2011)
ESPECIALLY IN THE FINANCiAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, FAST ACCESS TO COMMUNICATION NETWORKS AS WELL AS THE AVAILABILITY OF A HIGH-PERFORMANCE INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) INFRASTRUCTURE IS INDISPENSABLE TO ACCELERATE DIGITAL BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED ORGANIZATIONS. SINCE COLOCATION AS AN ICT SOURCING STRATEGY MAY LEAD TO INCREASED OPERATIONAL AGILITY, WE CONDUCTED AN EMPIRICAL STUDY TO INVESTIGATE THE POTENTIAL BUSINESS VALUE GENERATION.
TRADITIONALLY, THE COST OF DEBT IS SOLELY SEEN DEPENDENT ON FIRM OR DEBT CHARACTERISTICS. HOWEVER, INCREASED PRICE TRANSPARENCY AS CAN BE FOUND IN THE U.S. CORPORATE BOND MARKET HAS REDUCED CORPORATE BOND YIELDS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS WORK IS TO MEASURE THE SPILL-OVER EFFECT OF INCREASED PRICE TRANSPARENCY IN CORPORATE BONDS ON THE COST OF CORPORATE BORROWING OF SYNDICATED LOANS BY MAKING USE OF A NATURAL EXPERIMENT, I.E., THE INTRODUCTION OF THE TRACE SYSTEM FOR BONDS.
THIS STUDY INVESTIGATES WHAT HAPPENS WHEN RETAIL CUSTOMERS ARE OFFERED FREE AND UNBIASED ADVICE. USING A LARGE FIELD EXPERIMENT IT SHOWS THAT THOSE WHO ACCEPT THE OFFER (5%) ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE MALE, OLDER, WEALTHIER, MORE EXPERIENCED AND MORE FINANCIALLY SOPHISTICATED. HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH THE ADVICE WOULD HAVE HELPED, IT ACTUALLY LARGELY FAILED TO HELP BECAUSE THE CUSTOMERS DID NOT LISTEN TO IT. OVERALL, OUR RESULTS SUGGEST THAT THE MERE AVAILABILITY OF UNBIASED FINANCIAL ADVICE IS A NECESSARY BUT NOT SUFFICIENT CONDITION FOR BENEFITING RETAIL CUSTOMERS.
Mediante una serie de diferenciaciones analíticas reconstruyo y presento la estructura elementaldel proyecto de teoría crítica desarrollado por Axel Honneth, quien es consideradohoy el representante más destacado de la tercera generación de la Escuela de Fráncfort. Enel marco de dicha reconstrucción, especifico el lugar que ocupa el esfuerzo de Honnethpor reactualizar el concepto lukácsiano de reificación en clave de teoría del reconocimiento.Afirmo que dicho esfuerzo está guiado por la tarea que se ha propuesto Honnethde dotar a su proyecto intelectual de una veta de crítica de la racionalidad instrumental;una veta propia a la mencionada tradición pero para cuyo tratamiento Honneth hasta ahíno había desarrollado una conceptualización adecuada.
Theodor W. Adorno’s criticism of human beings’ domination of nature is a familiar topic to Adorno scholars. Its connection to the central relationship between art and nature in his aesthetics has, however, been less analysed. In the following paper, I claim that Adorno’s discussion of art’s truth content (Wahrheitsgehalt) is to be understood as art’s ability to give voice to nature (both human and non-human) since it has been subjugated by the growth of civilization. I focus on repressed non-human nature and examine Adorno’s interpretation of Eduard Mörike’s poem ‘Mausfallen-Sprüchlein’ (Mousetrap rhyme). By giving voice to the repressed animal, Mörike’s poem manages to point towards the possibility of a changed relationship between mice and men, between nature and humanity, which is necessary in order to achieve reconciliation amongst humans as well.
Vinculada à tradição da Escola de Frankfurt (Horkheimer, Adorno, Habermas), a teoria de reconhecimento (Honneth) tem grande repercussão nas ciências sociais, pois propõe um novo tipo de fundamentação ética com vistas ao projeto de uma sociedade solidária e justa. Na pedagogia, porém,sua recepção é ainda modesta. O ensaio objetiva mudar a situação, querendo mostrar a importância da contribuição de Honneth para a práxis educativa. Primeiro, são apresentados alguns tópicos centrais da teoria. Depois, os conflitos entre as diretrizes ético-morais no trabalho profissional servem de exemplo para mostrar como a teoria de reconhecimento recorda aos pedagogos a necessidade de refletirem sobre o processo pedagógico como campo de experiência essencialmente social para os envolvidos.
Neste estudo expõe o a passagem da consciência expressionista para consciência crítica; isto é, a evolução do Expressionismo artístico até a criação da Teoria Crítica sociológica na Alemanha na República de Weimar. O texto faz uma revisão dos processos sociais e culturais que deram lugar a um tipo de Arte na qual se reflete as profundas e dramáticas contradições das primeiras décadas do século XX, destacando-se como a Escola de Frankfurt, em sua primeira Geração (Adorno, Horkheimer, Bejamin), significou o ponto de inflexão fundamental para analisar e endender filosófica e sociologicamente estas complexas e profundas contradições coletivas, assim como suas consequências históricas posteriores.
Ao contrário da sua propalada aversão à práxis, Adorno situa em sua obra a prática em um nexo fundamental com suas posições teóricas e vice-versa. O objeto de sua apreensão teórica é a sociedade como auto-produção humana em todas as suas dimensões. As próprias formas sociais da sociedade são também socialmente produzidas. Assim a política não deve ser encarada como prática no plano da sociedade, mas no plano da produção histórica e social da mesma. Na sociedade vigente, as formas sociais parecem formas naturais perenes; o que seria práxis política se instala como pseudo-atividade de sujeitos assujeitados objetivamente numa ordem meramente adaptativa. Como construção do todo social verdadeiro, a política deve levar em conta estas determinações sociais que a condicionam na sociedade atual, decifrando-as em sua gênese; não pode prescindir da teoria para conferir objetividade à ação ao intervir na própria produção destas determinações.
Reseña de "Patologías de la razón. Historia y actualidad de la Teoría Crítica" de Axel Honneth
(2011)
A tradição de pensamento conhecida como Teoria Crítica, que conta com os nomes de Horkheimer, Adorno, Marcuse e Habermas, entre muitos outros, é composta por diferentes modelos críticos. Encontramos, numa mesma geração ou ainda num mesmo autor, diferentes formulações da crítica social apoiadas em diagnósticos do tempo renovados. O presente artigo procura pensar as condições de renovação dos diagnósticos a partir da qual os obstáculos à emancipação ou potenciais emancipatórios, quando presentes numa dada sociedade, sejam considerados e analisados de modo crítico. Essa renovação implica desvincular a fundamentação normativa da crítica do "paradigma produtivista" e conceber as lutas emancipatórias na pluralidade de seus sentidos.
O presente artigo analisa o conceito de esclarecimento em Horkheimer, Adorno e Freud. Para tanto, traça um paralelo entre duas das mais representativas obras destes autores no âmbito da crítica cultural. Trata-se, respectivamente, dos textos O Conceito de Esclarecimento e O Futuro de uma Ilusão. Embora uma primeira leitura dos trabalhos citados possa sugerir diferentes perspectivas teóricas, aposta-se aqui na sua complementaridade em defesa de uma utilização mais adequada do pensamento conceitual.
Nossa pesquisa voltou-se para um grupo específico dentre os trabalhadores, aqueles atuantes na indústria do petróleo da Bacia de Campos (RJ), funcionários da PETROBRAS e de empresas prestadoras de serviços para a PETROBRAS, cujas entrevistas servem como material empírico para uma possível nova leitura acerca do mundo do trabalhador offshore, a partir de algumas questões suscitadas por Axel Honneth, atual expoente da Teoria Crítica, tais quais a vivência do desrespeito, o sentimento moral de indignação, sua articulação na busca de soluções a configurar ou não uma luta por reconhecimento. Atestamos o potencial analítico do instrumental honnethiano na orientação de investigações empíricas que possam redescobrir as relações de produção como espaço possível de experiências de reivindicação de sua humanização, no capitalismo avançado, em que pesem as tendências para as saídas individualistas ou conformistas provocadas pela concomitante precarização do trabalho.
Stadt, Universität, Archiv : das Archiv der Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main
(2011)
Uniwersytet we Frankfurcie nad Menem został założony w 1914 roku. Był to pierwszy uniwersytet fundacyjny w Niemczech, środki finansowe na utrzymanie tej instytucji miały pochodzić od obywateli tego miasta. Dzieje tej uczelni to nie tylko część historii Frankfurtu, lecz także historii nauki i oświaty XX wieku. Archiwum uniwersytetu frankfurckiego istnieje od 2002 roku i wypełnia zadania archiwum państwowego na Uniwersytecie. Od sierpnia 2003 można znaleźć informacje o nim na portalu internetowym UNESCO. Instytucja ta należy do największych archiwów uniwersyteckich w Niemczech. Archiwum posiada własny statut. Na jego zasób składa się ponad 5000 metrów bieżących akt, zbiór fotografii i liczący około 7500 jednostek oraz 50 spuścizn profesorskich. W archiwum działa również biblioteka podręczna, w której znajduje się ponad 3000 tytułów. Archiwum jest instytucją publiczną, z założenia dostępną wszystkim zainteresowanym. Służy badaniom naukowym, kształceniu ogólnemu i studiowaniu na uniwersytecie oraz wspomaga administrację w jej zadaniach. Archiwum uniwersytetu jest również jego skarbcem: obok dokumentów fundacyjnych czy umów, w jego magazynach są przechowywane pieczęcie, medale oraz dzieła sztuki.
O debate entre Nancy Fraser e Axel Honneth sobre redistribuição e reconhecimento abarca uma multiplicidade de questões. Tomando como fio condutor a pergunta acerca da possibilidade de compreender o conjunto de injustiças existentes a partir do conceito de reconhecimento ou da necessidade de recorrer, para isso, ao par conceitual redistribuição e reconhecimento, este artigo tem como objetivo defender que a disputa entre o monismo de Honneth e o dualismo de Fraser remete a discordâncias em suas teorias sociais. A partir de uma reconstrução das críticas dirigidas pelos autores ao dualismo social de Jürgen Habermas, bem como das diferentes teorias sociais que desenvolvem com o intuito de resolvê-las, procuraremos também mostrar que as saídas encontradas por eles a essas dificuldades estão no centro do debate sobre redistribuição e reconhecimento e que Fraser, ao desenvolver um dualismo social perspectivo, adota uma posição intermediária àquelas sustentadas por Honneth e Habermas.
Neste artigo procuramos apresentar o conceito de reificação desenvolvido por Axel Honneth. Segundo o autor (2008), o conceito de reificação da forma que foi apropriado e resignificado tanto pela tradição marxista como outras correntes de pensamento, perderam de vista aspectos importantes para o entendimento da idéia de individualidade, no sentido moderno do termo. Seguimos as intuições do autor em apresentar o conceito de reificação como o esquecimento de uma condição elementar de reconhecimento intersubjetivo e da conseqüente pluralidade do mundo social.
Anerkjennelse og menneskeverdets forankring : henimot en transnasjonal anerkjennelsespolitikk
(2011)
Anerkjennelse spiller en nøkkelrolle for menneskeverdet innenfor Frankfurterskolens kritiske teori. Men hvorledes skal «anerkjennelse» forstås? Og hvorledes kan anerkjennelse innløse menneskeverdets universelle og egalitære fordring? Jürgen Habermas' og Axel Honneths «familiekrangel» bidrar med relevant innsikt om relasjonen mellom menneskeverd og anerkjennelse. Dette er en innsikt med affinitet til menneskeverdets normative legitimering i dagens transnasjonaliserte verden.
Nachruf auf Ingo Fellrath
(2011)
Am 6. April 2010 ist Ingo Fellrath gestorben. Mit ihm ging ein profilierter, gesellschaftlich und politisch engagierter und überaus gründlicher Forscher der demokratischen Traditionen in der deutschen Literatur des 19. Jahrhunderts und der deutsch-französischen Beziehungen bis ins 20. Jahrhundert von uns.
Das Findenkönnen ist dem Seindürfen verwandt; wo die kulturelle Überformung das Einzelphänomen nur als Bejahung seiner strukturgebenden Funktionen zuläßt, schließt sich das persönliche Detail von den Ausdrucksmitteln ab, in denen es zu sich kommen könnte. Daß Detailerkenntnis nicht mehr Naherkenntnis ist, sondern das Detail den Betrachter gleichsam blind anschaut, läßt sich auf die Möglichkeit übertragen, den Lebensentwurf der Dichterin des Vormärz zu beschreiben: Fanny Lewalds Roman "Jenny" (1843/1872) kann von seiner Protagonistin nicht bruchlos reden, weil die sprachliche Ausdrucksform ihre Brüche dem Verständigungszweck unter ordnet. Sprachliche Kommunikation, die erscheint, hängt dem Störungsfreien an; die unvermeidlichen Mißverständnisse und Fehldeutungen der Sprachbenutzer scheinen zu den gelingenden Kommunikationssituationen nur als Ausnahmen zugelassen zu sein. In diese Situation hinein versucht die Vormärz-Autorin zu sprechen. Ihre Worte suchen einen Ort, den es nicht gibt, den sie schreibend konstituieren muß und doch in dem Wissen, daß keine Reaktionen des etablierten Gefüges ihr freundlich antworten werden. In doppelter Außenseiterposition, als Frau und Jüdin, hängen an ihrer Sprache Wünsche: nach Festigkeit des Ausdrucks, dem Gehörtwerden, dem Blick, der versteht.
Am 13. Oktober 1844 erschien in den liberalen "Sächsischen Vaterlandsblättern" ein Schreiben des suspendierten Priesters Johannes Ronge an Bischof Arnoldi, der in Trier die seit dem Jahre 1800 nicht mehr veranstaltete Ausstellung des "heiligen Rocks Christi" wieder ins Leben rief. [...] Ein regelrechter "Pressekrieg um Ronge" brach aus, in dessen Verlauf immer wieder die Instanz der Zensur angerufen wurde. Zum einen verbunden mit dem Ruf nach Verschärfung der Zensur, zum anderen mit mehr oder weniger offenen Forderungen nach größerem Handlungsspielraum für die Presse. In den folgenden Ausführungen soll der Frage nachgegangen werden, welche Partei in dieser Auseinandersetzung den Widersacher übertönte. Schon das Ausmaß des "Rongeschen Tumults" lässt vermuten, dass die Frage der Pressefreiheit nur einer der dabei zur Sprache gebrachten Aspekte ist. Nach Werner Bein fungierte die Rongesche Bewegung als "ein Rückhalt für die demokratisch-freiheitliche Bewegung" und "Sammelbecken für die Kräfte, die sich nach der Revolution von 1848 eigenständig artikulieren konnten." Ronges Auftritt wurde von den einen als charakteristisch für die "Windbeutelperiode für Deutschland" gebrandmarkt, von den anderen als "ein neues Ostern", ein die "Auferstehung der Nation ankündigender Frühling" gepriesen. Jadwiga Sucharzewska versucht, nachzuvollziehen, welche demokratisch-freiheitlichen Bestrebungen die Veröffentlichung von Ronges Artikel ausgelöst und gefördert hat und auf welche Weise es trotz aller Meinungskontrolle in die schlesische Presse eingedrungen ist.
Die "Börsen-Nachrichten der Ostsee/Ostsee-Zeitung" waren eine der wichtigsten publizistischen Stimmen Pommerns und Preußens. Ihre liberale Haltung und ihr Mut angesichts widriger Umstände machen deutlich, was Journalismus leisten konnte - und leisten sollte. In der publizistischen Konkurrenzsituation während der Medienrevolution 1848/49 war das weltoffene, fortschrittsfreundliche, die alte sogenannte Unparteilichkeit bekämpfende, freiheitliche Blatt führend; es wurde erst unter polizeilichem Druck aufgehalten. Stofffülle und argumentative Kraft der "Börsen-Nachrichten" ringen noch heute Respekt ab.
Hubers Rezensionen für die "Göttinger Gelehrten Anzeigen" bilden ein Durchgangsstadium seiner theoretischen und praktischen Entwicklung ab. Noch war sein sozialpolitischer Standpunkt darin nicht ausgereift, doch dokumentieren sie anschaulich eine Stufe auf dem Weg zu seinen späteren Einsichten: den Überzeugungen vom eingeschränkten Wert konstitutioneller Bestrebungen, der überragenden Bedeutung der sozialen Frage und eines tätigen (protestantischen) Christentums.
Sealsfields Mobilität, die ihn zwischen 1823 und 1858 viermal zwischen den Kontinenten pendeln lässt, rhythmisiert sein Leben und Arbeiten. Sie ist die Voraussetzung seiner transatlantischen Doppelperspektive, übernationalen Geschichtssicht wie international wirksamen publizistischen Vorgehensweise und liefert die Zäsuren für ein Agieren, das in zwei Phasen erfolgt, abhängig vom Wohnsitz in den USA und in Europa. Daran orientieren sich die nachfolgenden Ausführungen. Deren Ziel ist es an Hand der Buchveröffentlichungen zu erläutern, wie Sealsfield für seine innovative Schreib- und internationalisierte Vermarktungsstrategie potente Verlage als nützliche Dienstleister funktionalisiert und so das engagierte Erzählkonzept für die Selbstorganisation im literarsozialen Gefüge des Vormärz umsetzt.
"… einen bleibenden Verleger" : Notizen zur Ausgabe der "Schriften" von Karl Leberecht Immermann
(2011)
Karl Leberecht Immermanns parallel zu der juristischen Laufbahn verfolgte schriftstellerische Karriere war bereits in ihren Anfängen von der Schwierigkeit geprägt, eine verlässliche Verleger-Beziehung aufzubauen. Mit dem sicheren Blick für die nicht nur ökonomische Bedeutung einer kontinuierlichen Zusammenarbeit mit einem Verlagshaus benannte Julius Campe, in dessen Verlag ebenfalls einzelne Schriften Immermanns erschienen sind, diese Problematik bereits im Jahr 1826.
Die "historische Bedingtheit" ist nicht nur ein Charakteristikum der Texte Anastasius Grüns, sondern ließe sich auf die Beschäftigung mit der Literatur des österreichischen Vormärz insgesamt übertragen. Die politisch engagierte Literatur zwischen 1830 und 1848 ist dieser "historischen Bedingtheit" vielfach zum Opfer gefallen, und selbst innerhalb der Literaturwissenschaft sind zahlreiche dieser politischen Schriftsteller vollständig vergessen. Setzt man sich diesem Verdikt entgegen, stößt man auf eine ganze Reihe von Schriftstellern österreichischer Provenienz, die zwischen 1830 und 1848 aktiv - und zumeist aus dem Exil - gegen die Metternich'sche Restauration anschrieben. Exemplarisch richtet Andreas Macho in diesem Beitrag auf einen von ihnen den Fokus. Nicht weil seine Schriften mustergültig wären, sondern weil die verwendeten Formen und Themen tiefe Einblicke in den Buchmarkt und die Publikationsbedingungen im österreichischen Vormärz geben. Und auch die Vita des dargestellten Schriftstellers verdeutlicht die Produktionsbedingungen von Literatur unter einem System restriktiver Zensur und Überwachung, wie Österreich sie für den gesamten Deutschen Bund vorbildlich praktizierte.