Beyond the either/or?! : Literatur über Hermaphroditismus am Beispiel von Ulrike Draesners Roman "Mitgift" (2002)

Hermaphroditismus stellt einen in der wissenschaftlichen Praxis kontroversiell diskutierten Gegenstand dar. Während die Medizin Hermaphroditismus als Aberration wertet, der therapeutisch im Sinne einer geschlechtlichen Vereindeutigung entgegengewirkt werden muss, feiert die poststrukturalistische Theoriebildung Hermaphroditen als Phänomen der Grenzüberschreitung und Sinnbild der Auflösung starrer (Geschlechter-)Dichotomien. Der Literatur kommt in diesem Sinne eine re-integrierende Funktion zu: Im Sinne eines Interdiskurses werden Elemente verschiedener Diskurse um das Thema aufgenommen und kritisch beleuchtet. Ziel des folgenden Beitrages ist es, mittels einer exemplarischen Lektüre von Ulrike Draesners Roman "Mitgift" aus dem Jahre 2002 zu zeigen, auf welche Weise das Thema des Hermaphroditismus in der Literatur des 21. Jahrhunderts verhandelt wird. Hauptaugenmerk der Lektüre soll dabei auf die narrative Konstitution des hermaphroditischen Körpers gelegt werden

Klone zwischen den Geschlechtern

— Wir experimentieren gerade mit geschlechtslosen Mäusen. Ob es andere Kräfte freisetzt, wenn man das Geschlecht wegnimmt. […]— Wäre doch schade, kein Geschlecht!— Nicht für alle, murmelte Ralph.— Und wie bekommt ihr das hin, ich meine, alle Säuger sind doch entweder xx weiblich oder xy männlich. – Keineswegs. Es gibt auch jede Menge natürlicher Mischformen […]. Schon mal was von (ermaphroditen gehört? […]— Aber weswegen probiert ihr das aus?— Du bist doch sonst ein schlaues Bürsch..

The effect of adipose tissue-derived stem cells in a middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke model depends on their engraftment rate

Background: In the field of experimental stem cell therapy, intra-arterial (IA) delivery yields the best results concerning, for example, migrated cell number at the targeted site. However, IA application also appears to be associated with increased mortality rates and infarction. Since many rodent studies systemically apply 1 × 106 cells, this could also be a consequence of engrafted cell number. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the effect of different doses of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) on engraftment rates and stroke outcome measured in vivo using 9.4-T high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: Male Wistar rats (n = 43) underwent a middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) for 45 or 90 min, followed by IA delivery of either saline or 1 × 106, 3 × 105, or 5 × 104 ASCs pre-labelled with very small superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (VSOPs). MRI (9.4-T) analysis was performed 48 h and 9 days post-MCAo. Lesion volumes were assessed by analysis of T2-weighted images and cell signal tracking showing cell engraftment and active cell migration by an improved T2*-analysis. Results: The ASC-derived signal intensity increased in the affected hemisphere 48 h post MCAo with injected cell number (p < 0.05). The analysis of stroke volumes revealed an increased infarction after injection of 1 × 106 ASCs compared to controls or application of 5 × 104 ASCs (p < 0.05). At 9 days post-MCAo, injection of 3 × 105 ASCs resulted in reduced infarct volumes (p < 0.05). Correspondingly, MRI analysis revealed no changes in cell numbers between both MRI examinations but showed active ASC migration to the site of infarction. Conclusion: Our results confirm that IA injection is an efficient way of targeting damaged brain tissue but its usefulness strongly depends on the right dose of delivered stem cells since this factor has a strong influence on migration rate and infarct volume, with better results for doses below 1 × 106 cells. Future challenges will include the determination of therapeutic doses for best cellular engraftment and stroke outcome

Improved calibration procedures for the EM27/SUN spectrometers of the COllaborative Carbon Column Observing Network (COCCON)

In this study, an extension on the previously reported status of the COllaborative Carbon Column Observing Network\u27s (COCCON) calibration procedures incorporating refined methods is presented. COCCON is a global network of portable Bruker EM27/SUN FTIR spectrometers for deriving column-averaged atmospheric abundances of greenhouse gases. The original laboratory open-path lamp measurements for deriving the instrumental line shape (ILS) of the spectrometer from water vapour lines have been refined and extended to the secondary detector channel incorporated in the EM27/SUN spectrometer for detection of carbon monoxide (CO). The refinements encompass improved spectroscopic line lists for the relevant water lines and a revision of the laboratory pressure measurements used for the analysis of the spectra. The new results are found to be in good agreement with those reported by Frey et al. (2019) and discussed in detail. In addition, a new calibration cell for ILS measurements was designed, constructed and put into service. Spectrometers calibrated since January 2020 were tested using both methods for ILS characterization, open-path (OP) and cell measurements. We demonstrate that both methods can detect the small variations in ILS characteristics between different spectrometers, but the results of the cell method indicate a systematic bias of the OP method. Finally, a revision and extension of the COCCON network instrument-to-instrument calibration factors for XCO2, XCO and XCH4 is presented, incorporating 47 new spectrometers (of 83 in total by now). This calibration is based on the reference EM27/SUN spectrometer operated by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and spectra collected by the collocated TCCON station Karlsruhe. Variations in the instrumental characteristics of the reference EM27/SUN from 2014 to 2017 were detected, probably arising from realignment and the dual-channel upgrade performed in early 2018. These variations are considered in the evaluation of the instrument-specific calibration factors in order to keep all tabulated calibration results consistent

The influence of the love-discourse on the subject-constitution of female, German speaking rap-artists

Hiphop as a globally present youth culture is traditionally male dominated. Thus, female rap artists can constitute themselves as subjects (as ›I‹) within the field of rap/hiphop only from a marginalized position. Butler (engl. 1993; dt. 1995) states that the constitution of subjects depends on one side on the acknowledgement by other persons, and on the other side on the appropriation and variation of social discourses. Especially within the highly socially coded love-discourse the relationship between subjects has been constantly scrutinized over the last hundreds of years. Hence, this article focuses on how female German speaking rappers grasp the love-discourse in their song-lyrics and explore the relation between ›I‹ and ›you‹. By a close reading of the love-lyrics published between 1998 and 2006 by six female German and Austrian rap-artists answers to the following questions are to be found: Which (historical) love-discourse is picked up by the rappers? Are the ›I‹ and the ›you‹ sexually marked? And if so, in which way? Does the relation between ›I‹ and ›you‹ strengthen or undermine the independent subject-position of the speaking ›I‹? It can be shown that the love-discourse expressed in German rap-lyrics is rather traditional, as many typical images of the traditional discourse of ›romantic love‹ prove. Both ›I‹ and ›you‹ are sexually marked in a surprisingly clear-cut way. Still, the analyses of some rare examples demonstrates the subversive potential of German rap in reference to a deconstruction of the traditional love-discourse as well as of overcome ideas of gender-identity.Hiphop as a globally present youth culture is traditionally male dominated. Thus, female rap artists can constitute themselves as subjects (as ›I‹) within the field of rap/hiphop only from a marginalized position. Butler (engl. 1993; dt. 1995) states that the constitution of subjects depends on one side on the acknowledgement by other persons, and on the other side on the appropriation and variation of social discourses. Especially within the highly socially coded love-discourse the relationship between subjects has been constantly scrutinized over the last hundreds of years. Hence, this article focuses on how female German speaking rappers grasp the love-discourse in their song-lyrics and explore the relation between ›I‹ and ›you‹. By a close reading of the love-lyrics published between 1998 and 2006 by six female German and Austrian rap-artists answers to the following questions are to be found: Which (historical) love-discourse is picked up by the rappers? Are the ›I‹ and the ›you‹ sexually marked? And if so, in which way? Does the relation between ›I‹ and ›you‹ strengthen or undermine the independent subject-position of the speaking ›I‹? It can be shown that the love-discourse expressed in German rap-lyrics is rather traditional, as many typical images of the traditional discourse of ›romantic love‹ prove. Both ›I‹ and ›you‹ are sexually marked in a surprisingly clear-cut way. Still, the analyses of some rare examples demonstrates the subversive potential of German rap in reference to a deconstruction of the traditional love-discourse as well as of overcome ideas of gender-identity

Determining the influence of high volumes of bicycle traffic on motorized traffic at signalized intersections in Germany – conceptual approach

Bicycle traffic may have a significant influence on motorized traffic at signalized intersections. For instance, motorized vehicles carrying out right-turning maneuvers have to wait for bicyclists riding straight across the intersection. For this reason, infrastructure design (e.g. bicycle paths and lanes and queuing areas) and signalization of bicycle traffic at intersections is of essential importance, not only to ensure the safety of bicyclists, but also to protect performance aspects of motorized traffic. Currently, little is known about how different infrastructure design and signalization of bicycle traffic influence the motorized traffic or about the limitations these designs and signalizations. In this presentation, a conceptual approach is described for analyzing the effects of different bicycle infrastructure designs and signalization and for obtaining detailed knowledge to improve the quality of traffic flow while maintaining safety of all traffic participants. The approach can be divided into empirical and simulative analyses. In the empirical part, trajectory data from motorized vehicles and bicyclists will be analyzed to obtain empirical information about traffic flow related variables, e.g. journey times and waiting times, and traffic behavioral variables, e.g. accelerating, following and decelerating. Based on the results of the empirical analysis, an existing bicycle simulation model will be calibrated and validated in order to conduct several simulation experiments under various conditions, e.g. increasing traffic demand. The results of the empirical and simulative analyses will be used to develop a novel calculation method of traffic flow taking into account high volumes of bicycle traffic at signalized intersections as well as different infrastructure design and signalization

Detection of HPV16 in Esophageal Cancer in a High-Incidence Region of Malawi

This study was designed to explore the role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Fifty-five patients receiving diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at Zomba Central Hospital or Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Blantyre (Malawi) in 2010, were included in our study. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded biopsies were collected for histopathological diagnosis. HPV DNA was detected using multiplex Quantitative PCR (qPCR) and in situ hybridization (ISH). p16INK4a staining served as a surrogate marker for HPV oncogene activity. Cell proliferation was determined by Ki-67 staining. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status was evaluated by serology. Data on the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, and history of tuberculosis (TBC), oral thrush, and Herpes zoster, were obtained by questionnaire. Forty patients displayed ESCC, three displayed dysplastic epithelium, and 12 displayed normal epithelium. HPV16 was detected in six ESCC specimens and in one dysplastic lesion. Among HPV-positive patients, viral load varied from 0.001 to 2.5 copies per tumor cell. HPV DNA presence could not be confirmed by ISH. p16INK4a positivity correlated with the presence of HPV DNA (p = 0.03). Of particular note is that the Ki-67 proliferation index, in areas with diffuse nuclear or cytoplasmatic p16INK4a staining ≥50%, was significantly higher in HPV-positive tumors compared to the corresponding p16INK4a stained areas of HPV-negative tumors (p = 0.004). HPV infection in ESCC was not associated with the consumption of tobacco or alcohol, but there were significantly more patients drinking locally brewed alcohol among HPV-positive tumor patients compared to non-tumor patients (p = 0.02) and compared to HPV-negative tumor patients (p = 0.047). There was no association between HIV infection, history of TBC, Herpes zoster, oral thrush, or HPV infection, in ESCC patients. Our indirect evidence for viral oncogene activity is restricted to single tumor cell areas, indicative of the role of HPV16 in the development of ESCC. The inhomogeneous presence of the virus within the tumor is reminiscent of the “hit and run” mechanism discussed for β-HPV types, such as HPV38

Influence of varied human movement control on task performance and feeling of telepresence

One of the main objectives in telerobotics is the development of a telemanipulation system that allows a high task performance to be achieved by simultaneously providing a high degree of telepresence. Specific mechatronic design guidelines and appropriate control algorithms as well as augmented visual, auditory, and haptic feedback systems are typical approaches adopted in this context. This work aims at formulating new design guidelines by incorporating human factors in the development process and analyzing the effects of varied human movement control on task performance and on the feeling of telepresence. While it is well known that humans are able to coordinate and integrate multiple degrees of freedom (DOF), the focus of this work is on how humans utilize rotational degrees of freedom provided by a human-system interface and if and how varied human movement control affects task performance and the feeling of telepresence. For this analysis, a telemanipulation experiment with varying degrees of freedom has been conducted. The results indicate that providing the full range of movement, even though this range is not necessary to accomplish a task, has a beneficial effect on the feeling of telepresence and task performance in terms of measured interaction forces. Further, increasing visual depth cues provided to the human operator also had a positive effect. © 2010 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology