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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.
Dieser fünfte Beitrag in unserer Reihe über neue Vogeltaxa gibt eine Übersicht der im Jahre 2009 neu beschriebenen Familien, Gattungen, Arten und Unterarten rezenter Vögel und basiert auf umfangreicher Literaturrecherche. Im Berichtszeitraum wurden eine neue Familie, sechs Gattungen, sechs Arten und sechs Unterarten den Nomenklaturregeln entsprechend benannt. Die neue Familie, Pnoepygidae, wurde von den Timaliidae abgetrennt, die „Timaliidae“ und die „Sylviidae“ wurden gänzlich neu definiert; sie bestehen in der alten Zusammensetzung nicht mehr. Neue Gattungen wurden für Arten bzw. Artengruppen in den Familien der Habichtartigen (Accipitridae), Tyrannen (Tyrannidae), Töpfervögel (Furnariidae), Papageischnabeltimalien (Paradoxornithidae) bzw. in der Unterfamilie der Kleidervögel (Drepanidinae: Fringillidae) eingeführt. Geordnet nach Zahl der Gattungen, Arten und Unterarten gliedert sich die Herkunft der Taxa wie folgt: Neotropis and Karibik 4/2/3, Paläarktis -/-/1, Indo-Malaya 1/2/2, Nearktis -/1/-, Afrotropis -/1/-, Pazifische Inseln 1/-/-. Neue Namen wurden für eine neotropische Gattung, eine nearktische Art und jeweils eine paläarktische und eine indo-malayische Unterart vorgeschlagen. Die neuen Taxa haben zumeist kleine Verbreitungsgebiete in abgelegenen und schwer zu erreichenden Gebieten, oft Sonderbiotope, die nur selten besucht werden. Ebenfalls genetische Untersuchungen führten dazu, dass Arten als unberechtigt erkannt wurden und eingezogen werden mussten (Leucosticte, Eisfinken). Für die Paläarktische Region und die Indomalayische Region erfassten wir erneut die Aufspaltungen bereits bekannter Arten in Tochterarten, zumeist Allospzies. Im Berichtszeitraum sind davon Seeschwalben (Thalasseus), Eulen (Athene), Muscicapidae (Cyornis), Turdidae (Copsychus), Phylloscopidae (Phylloscopus) und Corvidae (Pica, Nucifraga) betroffen. Diese Aufspaltungen verändern das Bild der Vogel-Taxonomie und damit die lokale Vogel-Diversität weltweit besonders nachhaltig, und die Intensität nomenklatorischen Handlungen lässt nicht nach. Alle bedürfen genauer und kritischer Beobachtung, Dokumentation und Abwägung.
Do firms buy their stock at bargain prices? : Evidence from actual stock repurchase disclosure
(2011)
We use new data from SEC filings to investigate how S&P 500 firms execute their open market repurchase programs. We find that smaller S&P 500 firms repurchase less frequently than larger firms, and at a price which is significantly lower than the average market price. Their repurchase activity is followed by a positive and significant abnormal return which lasts up to three months after the repurchase. These findings do not hold for large S&P 500 firms. Our interpretation is that small firms repurchase strategically, whereas the repurchase activity of large firms is more focused on the disbursement of free cash. JEL Classification: G14, G30, G35 Keywords: Stock Repurchases, Stock Buybacks, Payout Policy, Timing, Bid-Ask Spread, Liquidity
DNA damage in oocytes induces a switch of the quality control factor TAp63α from dimer to tetramer
(2011)
TAp63a, a homolog of the p53 tumor suppressor, is a quality control factor in the female germline. Remarkably, already undamaged oocytes express high levels of the protein, suggesting that TAp63a’s activity is under tight control of an inhibitory mechanism. Biochemical studies have proposed that inhibition requires the C-terminal transactivation inhibitory domain. However, the structural mechanism of TAp63a inhibition remains unknown. Here, we show that TAp63a is kept in an inactive dimeric state. We reveal that relief of inhibition leads to tetramer formation with ~20-fold higher DNA affinity. In vivo, phosphorylation-triggered tetramerization of TAp63a is not reversible by dephosphorylation. Furthermore, we show that a helix in the oligomerization domain of p63 is crucial for tetramer stabilization and competes with the transactivation domain for the same binding site. Our results demonstrate how TAp63a is inhibited by complex domain-domain interactions that provide the basis for regulating quality control in oocytes.
This paper studies the impact of the concentration of control, the type of controlling shareholder and the dividend tax preference of the controlling shareholder on dividend policy for a panel of 220 German firms over 1984-2005. While the concentration of control does not have an effect on the dividend payout, there is strong evidence that the type of controlling shareholder matters as family controlled firms have high dividend payouts whereas bank controlled firms have low dividend payouts. However, there is no evidence that the dividend preference of the large shareholder has an impact on the dividend decision. JEL Classification: G32, G35 Keywords: Dividend Policy, Payout Policy, Lintner Dividend Model, Tax Clientele Effects, Corporate Governance
Reproductive isolation among locally adapted populations may arise when immigrants from foreign habitats are selected against via natural or (inter-)sexual selection (female mate choice). We asked whether also intrasexual selection through male-male competition could promote reproductive isolation among populations of poeciliid fishes that are locally adapted to extreme environmental conditions [i.e., darkness in caves and/or toxic hydrogen sulphide (H(2)S)]. We found strongly reduced aggressiveness in extremophile P. oecilia mexicana, and darkness was the best predictor for the evolutionary reduction of aggressiveness, especially when combined with presence of H(2)S. We demonstrate that reduced aggression directly translates into migrant males being inferior when paired with males from non-sulphidic surface habitats. By contrast, the phylogenetically old sulphur endemic P. sulphuraria from another sulphide spring area showed no overall reduced aggressiveness, possibly indicating evolved mechanisms to better cope with H(2)S.
The southern Appalachian millipeds Boraria stricta (Brölemann, 1896) and B. infesta (Chamberlin, 1918) (Diplopoda: Polydesmida: Xystodesmidae) have become established in Westchester Co., New York, and Hartford Co., Connecticut, respectively. Only three individuals are available for the latter, but B. stricta has established a reproducing population in southern New York state. This species is also recorded from Bland Co., Virginia, in the Ridge and Valley Physiographic Province. Boraria profuga (Causey, 1955) comprises two allopatric populations, one in Montgomery Co., Arkansas, and the other in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana. Distributional records and gonopod drawings are presented for these species plus B. deturkiana (Causey, 1942).
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.
Diskus : Nr. 1.11
(2011)
Es ist bekannt, daß sich der theoretische Dissens zwischen Michel Foucault und Jacques Derrida, wie er seit den sechziger Jahren, seit Foucaults Buch "Wahnsinn und Gesellschaft", in den Texten beider Autoren seinen Niederschlag gefunden hat, anhand von Fragen entzündet hat, die die Problematik der Lektüre einiger Passagen der "Meditationes de Prima Philosophia" von René Descartes betreffen. Diese durchaus von polemischer Schärfe getragene Auseinandersetzung, deren z.T. unversöhnbar scheinende Rhetorik angesichts einer strategischen Nähe, die man prima facie zwischen den theoretischen Projekten beider vermuten könnte, verwundern mag, findet ihren Ausgangspunkt in Foucaults frühem Projekt einer Rekonstruktion des für die klassische und moderne Epoche angeblich konstitutiven Ausschlusses des Wahnsinns aus der Vernunft. [...]
Im folgenden werde ich zunächst die Position Foucaults in Bezug auf den Zusammenhang des Ausschlusses der wahnsinnigen Sprache aus der Vernunft und der Entstehung einer spezifischen Literatur erläutern. Die Erläuterung der Beziehung von Wahnsinn, Sprache, Vernunft und Literatur macht es notwendig, weitere Texte Foucaults heranzuziehen, trotz eines gewissen Vorbehalts bezüglich der Zulässigkeit einer Art der Rekonstruktion der Thesen Foucaults, die über verschiedene Texte hinweg zeitlich divergierende Stadien seiner Theorie als eine einheitliche und kohärente Theorie behandelt. Der dritte Teil widmet sich einer Rekonstruktion der theoretischen Verschiebung, die Derrida an Foucaults Projekt vornimmt. Schließlich folgt im letzten Teil eine Rekonstruktion der gegenseitig erhobenen Einwände im Rahmen eines Vergleichs beider Positionen und ein Aufriß der Strategie und Methodik.
The aim of this paper is to examine what has been the role of information provision to the market throughout the crisis. We consider two main sources of information to the market, financial statements and information provided by credit rating agencies. We examine how these sources of information work and the effectiveness of their disclosure process during the crisis. Contrary to the commonly held view, fair value accounting did not have a major impact on the crisis development and severity. However, the structure and lack of accountability of credit rating agencies had a profound impact on their incentives, which may have jeopardized the accuracy of the whole rating process. We claim that the crisis experience has changed the way we think about information as well as market discipline and discuss policy implications and proposals for regulation. JEL Classification: G01, G24, G28, M41, M48
Disability, Society and Theology: Voices from Africa is the result of a workshop which brought together African theologians, persons with disabilities and disability expertise in the Region to prepare resource materials to enrich the disability study process in the context of the Africa region. The book is in six parts and includes contributions from scholars across the continent. The parts are: Disability Theology: Issue to Debate; The Able Disabled and the Disabled Church: The Church's Response to Disability; Disability and Society; Disability Theology: Some Interfaces; Disability and Caregiving; and Disability in the African Experience.
STAR's measurements of directed flow (v1) around midrapidity for π±, K±, K0S, p and p¯ in Au + Au collisions at $\sqrtsNN = 200$ GeV are presented. A negative v1(y) slope is observed for most of produced particles (π±, K±, K0S and p¯). The proton v1(y) slope is found to be much closer to zero compared to antiprotons. A sizable difference is seen between v1 of protons and antiprotons in 5-30% central collisions. The v1 excitation function is presented. Comparisons to model calculations (RQMD, UrQMD, AMPT, QGSM with parton recombination, and a hydrodynamics model with a tilted source) are made. Anti-flow alone cannot explain the centrality dependence of the difference between the v1(y) slopes of protons and antiprotons.
Taspase1 ist eine Threonin-Aspartase, die das MLL-Protein an zwei konservierten Erkennungssequenzen (CS1 und CS2) hydrolysiert. Die daraus entstehenden Spaltprodukte, p320N und p180C bilden ein stabiles Heterodimer und fügen sich mit zahlreichen Proteinen zu einem Multiproteinkomplex zusammen, der die epigenetischen Prozesse während der Embryogenese, Zellzyklus und Stammzell-Wachstum steuert. Der MLL-Komplex weist eine spezifische Histon-Methyltransferase-Aktivität für Lysin-4 des Histon 3 Proteins auf (H3K4me3). Diese spezifische Aktivität hält ein Muster der aktiven Gene während der Entwicklung und Zelldifferenzierung aufrecht. Das AF4-MLL Fusionsprotein, welches durch die chromosomale Translokation t(4;11) gebildet wird, ist ebenfalls ein Substrat von Taspase1. Die Hydrolyse dieses Fusionsproteins führt ebenfalls zu Spaltprodukten, die zunächst miteinander ein Heterodimer bilden, um anschliessend einen onkogenen Multiproteinkomplex auszubilden. Dieser Komplex scheint hämatopoietische Stammzellen zu "reprogrammieren" und den Ausbruch einer lymphoblastischen Leukämie auszulösen.
Die Aktivität der Taspase1 selbst wird durch Eigen-Proteolyse reguliert. Es wird zunächst als Proenzym (p50) hergestellt, das anschliessend durch Autoproteolyse in die enzymatisch aktive Form konvertiert wird. Taspase1 ist ein enzymatisch strikt kontrolliertes Enzym mit geringer Substratanzahl. Neben MLL gibt es nur wenige, bekannte Substrate; allerdings scheint Taspase1 in den Zellen solider Tumoren überexprimiert zu sein. Daraus kann postuliert werden, dass Taspase1/MLL-Aktivität für diese Tumorarten von bedeutung ist. Taspase1 ist die einzige bislang bekannte Protease in Säugerzellen, die dazu befähigt ist, das Leukämie-spezifische AF4-MLL proteolytisch zu spalten und damit seine onkogenen Eigenschaften zu aktivieren. Eine spezifische Inhibierung der Taspase1 könnte deshalb eine mögliche Methode zur Therapie von t(4;11)-Leukämie darstellen. Aus diesem Grund war Taspase1 als ein potentielles Wirkstoffziel interessant und wurde im Rahmen dieser Arbeit genauer untersucht.
Um die Funktionsweise von Taspase1 zu untersuchen, wurde die 2005 veröffentlichte Kristallstruktur der Taspase1 als Grundlage für alle weiteren Arbeiten verwendet. Da die Struktur allerdings nur unvollständig aufgelöst war, wurden die unaufgelösten Bereiche mittels bioinformatischer Tools in Kooperation mit Tim Geppert (Arbeitskreis von Prof. Dr. Gisbert Schneider) modelliert. Die Modellierung führte zu einem detaillierteren Modell des Taspase1-Proenzyms, also dem Zustand vor der autokatalytischen Aktivierung.
Taspase1 weist interessanterweise nur Homologien zu L-Asparaginasen-2 (Familie der Hydrolasen), darunter Glycosylasparaginase, auf. Glycosylasparaginase durchläuft ebenfalls einen Autokatalyse-Prozess, allerdings nach einem N-O-Acyl-shift-Mechanismus. Daher wurde Taspase1 zunächst anhand geeigneter Experimente daraufhin überprüft, ob hier ebenso ein solcher Mechanismus für die Autokatalyse in Betracht kommt. Allerdings widerlegten die durchgeführten Experimente diese Vermutung.
Um die molekulare Funktionsweise der Taspase1 zu eruieren, wurde nun das modellierte Taspase1-Proenzym verwendet. Dies erlaubte die Identifizierung von kritischen Aminosäuren. Durch Mutationsanalysen konnte so die Funktion von Taspase1 aufgeklärt werden. So wurde ein intrinsischer Serin-Protease-Mechanismus für den Prozess der Autokatalyse entdeckt. Dabei spielt Serin-291 - unmittelbar in der Nähe des katalytischen Zentrums - eine wesentliche Rolle.
Anhand weiterer Mutationsanalysen konnte dann schrittweise der Aktivierungsmechanismus von Taspase1 aufgeklärt werden. Dabei scheint die Homodimerisierung zweier Taspase1- Proenzyme der wesentliche Schlüssel für die vollständige Aktivierung der Taspase1 zu sein. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wurden die Aminosäuren Tryptophan-173, Arginin-262, und Glutaminsäure-295 als kritische Aminosäuren identifiziert.
Weiterhin konnte anhand der funktionellen Analyse aller Mutanten zuletzt eine trans-dominant-negative Taspase1-Variante (C163E-S291A; tdn-TASP1) hergestellt werden. Das proenzymatische Monomer dieser Mutante ist dabei befähigt, mit einem Wildtyp-Taspase1-Monomer zu heterodimerisieren und seine Aktivität vollständig zu inhibieren. Die Funktion dieser trans-dominant-negativen Mutante validierte den in dieser Arbeit postulierten Aktivierungsmechanismus der Taspase1, der nun zukünftig für ein rationales Wirkstoff-Design verwendet werden kann.
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.
Difficult Gifts
(2011)
Background: Even in the presence of oxygen, malignant cells often highly depend on glycolysis for energy generation, a phenomenon known as the Warburg effect. One strategy targeting this metabolic phenotype is glucose restriction by administration of a high-fat, low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diet. Under these conditions, ketone bodies are generated serving as an important energy source at least for non-transformed cells. Methods: To investigate whether a ketogenic diet might selectively impair energy metabolism in tumor cells, we characterized in vitro effects of the principle ketone body 3-hydroxybutyrate in rat hippocampal neurons and five glioma cell lines. In vivo, a non-calorie-restricted ketogenic diet was examined in an orthotopic xenograft glioma mouse model. Results: The ketone body metabolizing enzymes 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 (BDH1 and 2), 3-oxoacid-CoA transferase 1 (OXCT1) and acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase 1 (ACAT1) were expressed at the mRNA and protein level in all glioma cell lines. However, no activation of the hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) pathway was observed in glioma cells, consistent with the absence of substantial 3-hydroxybutyrate metabolism and subsequent accumulation of succinate. Further, 3-hydroxybutyrate rescued hippocampal neurons from glucose withdrawal-induced cell death but did not protect glioma cell lines. In hypoxia, mRNA expression of OXCT1, ACAT1, BDH1 and 2 was downregulated. In vivo, the ketogenic diet led to a robust increase of blood 3-hydroxybutyrate, but did not alter blood glucose levels or improve survival. Conclusion: In summary, glioma cells are incapable of compensating for glucose restriction by metabolizing ketone bodies in vitro, suggesting a potential disadvantage of tumor cells compared to normal cells under a carbohydrate-restricted ketogenic diet. Further investigations are necessary to identify co-treatment modalities, e.g. glycolysis inhibitors or antiangiogenic agents that efficiently target non-oxidative pathways.
Working memory (WM) contributes to countless activities during everyday live: reading, holding a conversation, making tea and so on. The core processes of WM comprise the phases of encoding, maintenance and retrieval. Successful recognition of stored objects requires several subprocesses such as stimulus encoding and evaluation, memory search and the organisation of a decision and a response. Much research has focused on encoding and maintenance of information but little interest has been directed to the retrieval of information. This is why the present dissertation investigated the neuronal correlates of retrieval of previously stored information and its modulation by load and probe-item similarity.
Here memory load and probe-item similarity were manipulated in order to investigate the neuronal correlates of the recognition process using electroencephalography (EEG). We tested the hypothesis recognition is influenced differently by probe-item similarity and by memory load and that these factors are re Effected by distinct neuronal correlates. Furthermore we tested whether distinct neuronal responses could be related to a summed similarity model.
The analysis of high-density ERP recordings showed both a load effect (load 1>load 3) and a similarity effect In addition, there was an interaction between load and similarity. The load effect was present during the whole epoch and did not change over time, whereas the similarity effect showed two distinct components between 300-600ms. In contrast to the load effect the similarity effect changed its sign over time. For the rest component, match probes elicited the strongest ERP responses, whereas for the second component dissimilar probes yielded the strongest ERP responses. The timing of the similarity effect corresponded well with the early and late P3b complex. The P3b complex is associated with stimulus categorisation and evaluation (early subcomponent) and memory search and criterion testing (late subcomponent).
The results suggest that the difficulty of a task is not only determined by load but also enhanced by probe-item similarity. Since increasing the number of samples (i.e. memory load) can also increase the probe-item similarity (i.e. the probability that one of the samples is perceptually similar to the probe), an independent manipulation of both factors is indispensable to disentangle their particular impact on short-term recognition. Furthermore, I propose that the two distinct neural correlates of the P3b complex reeffects different stages of task processing connected with probe-item similarity. As suggested by summed similarity VI models, these components might reflect the subprocesses of similarity summation (early P3b) and criterion testing (late P3b).
Prison-reformation has been a controversial and politically charged issue in Kenya. In the past it has elicited such legendary and emotional responses as 'What reforms? Prisons are not supposed to be five star hotels!' Recently, however, there has been a greater consensus between the public sector and the civic society in Kenya - than has ever in the past - of the need to revisit the human rights of inmates in various Kenyan prisons. Since 2003 a number of ground breaking reforms have been introduced in Kenyan prisons and more reforms seem to be on the way. Jacqueline Korir in this book takes a serious and despassionate look into a single variable: the quality of catering in Kenyan prisons. Her findings were both shocking and challenging. The food was lacking in both nutritive value as well aesthetic appeal. The site of food samples was only reminiscent of a grotesque meaning of the famous Council in Church History - The Diet of Worms! This book, grounded, in empirical data analysis by hard statistics and backed by rare photographs from inside Kenyan prisons serves as an eye-opener to both the prison-reformists as well as students and teachers of African sociology and institutional catering all over the world.