Tropos, circunvoluciones e ironía: sobre la traducción al español de lti. Notizbuch eines Philologen, de Victor Klemperer

Victor Klemperer (1881-1960) reunió en lti. Notizbuch eines Philologen sus ideas sobre el uso manipulador y propagandista que del idioma alemán se hiciera durante el Tercer Reich. En esta obra Klemperer examinó los cambios sutiles pero manifiestos, operados en el lenguaje en conjunto, así como en términos específicos, durante la época de referencia. Este trabajo introductorio estudia algunas características de la traducción al castellano (2001) de LTI por Adan Kovacsics, quien se decide mayormente por la variante de traducción conocida como «expuesta». Nos concentramos por igual en los aspectos culturales y en los lingüísticos. Repasamos, entre otros aspectos relevantes, la traducción del lenguaje figurado, la intensificación y atenuación del original, y la transferencia/ presencia de la ironía en la traducción.

Impact of infection on proteome-wide glycosylation revealed by distinct signatures for bacterial and viral pathogens

Mechanisms of infection and pathogenesis have predominantly been studied based on differential gene or protein expression. Less is known about posttranslational modifications, which are essential for protein functional diversity. We applied an innovative glycoproteomics method to study the systemic proteome-wide glycosylation in response to infection. The protein site-specific glycosylation was characterized in plasma derived from well-defined controls and patients. We found 3862 unique features, of which we identified 463 distinct intact glycopeptides, that could be mapped to more than 30 different proteins. Statistical analyses were used to derive a glycopeptide signature that enabled significant differentiation between patients with a bacterial or viral infection. Furthermore, supported by a machine learning algorithm, we demonstrated the ability to identify the causative pathogens based on the distinctive host blood plasma glycopeptide signatures. These results illustrate that glycoproteomics holds enormous potential as an innovative approach to improve the interpretation of relevant biological changes in response to infection

Relationship between molecular pathogen detection and clinical disease in febrile children across Europe: a multicentre, prospective observational study

BackgroundThe PERFORM study aimed to understand causes of febrile childhood illness by comparing molecular pathogen detection with current clinical practice.MethodsFebrile children and controls were recruited on presentation to hospital in 9 European countries 2016-2020. Each child was assigned a standardized diagnostic category based on retrospective review of local clinical and microbiological data. Subsequently, centralised molecular tests (CMTs) for 19 respiratory and 27 blood pathogens were performed.FindingsOf 4611 febrile children, 643 (14%) were classified as definite bacterial infection (DB), 491 (11%) as definite viral infection (DV), and 3477 (75%) had uncertain aetiology. 1061 controls without infection were recruited. CMTs detected blood bacteria more frequently in DB than DV cases for N. meningitidis (OR: 3.37, 95% CI: 1.92-5.99), S. pneumoniae (OR: 3.89, 95% CI: 2.07-7.59), Group A streptococcus (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.13-6.09) and E. coli (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.02-6.71). Respiratory viruses were more common in febrile children than controls, but only influenza A (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.11-0.46), influenza B (OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.02-0.37) and RSV (OR 0.16, 95% CI: 0.06-0.36) were less common in DB than DV cases. Of 16 blood viruses, enterovirus (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.23-0.72) and EBV (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.56-0.90) were detected less often in DB than DV cases. Combined local diagnostics and CMTs respectively detected blood viruses and respiratory viruses in 360 (56%) and 161 (25%) of DB cases, and virus detection ruled-out bacterial infection poorly, with predictive values of 0.64 and 0.68 respectively.InterpretationMost febrile children cannot be conclusively defined as having bacterial or viral infection when molecular tests supplement conventional approaches. Viruses are detected in most patients with bacterial infections, and the clinical value of individual pathogen detection in determining treatment is low. New approaches are needed to help determine which febrile children require antibiotics.FundingEU Horizon 2020 grant 668303

Genomic investigations of unexplained acute hepatitis in children

Since its first identification in Scotland, over 1,000 cases of unexplained paediatric hepatitis in children have been reported worldwide, including 278 cases in the UK1. Here we report an investigation of 38 cases, 66 age-matched immunocompetent controls and 21 immunocompromised comparator participants, using a combination of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and immunohistochemical methods. We detected high levels of adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) DNA in the liver, blood, plasma or stool from 27 of 28 cases. We found low levels of adenovirus (HAdV) and human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) in 23 of 31 and 16 of 23, respectively, of the cases tested. By contrast, AAV2 was infrequently detected and at low titre in the blood or the liver from control children with HAdV, even when profoundly immunosuppressed. AAV2, HAdV and HHV-6 phylogeny excluded the emergence of novel strains in cases. Histological analyses of explanted livers showed enrichment for T cells and B lineage cells. Proteomic comparison of liver tissue from cases and healthy controls identified increased expression of HLA class 2, immunoglobulin variable regions and complement proteins. HAdV and AAV2 proteins were not detected in the livers. Instead, we identified AAV2 DNA complexes reflecting both HAdV-mediated and HHV-6B-mediated replication. We hypothesize that high levels of abnormal AAV2 replication products aided by HAdV and, in severe cases, HHV-6B may have triggered immune-mediated hepatic disease in genetically and immunologically predisposed children

The Dichotomy Free and Literal Translation

Historically, the status of translation and translators has changed with the ascendance of monolingualism. Even today, translation is not fully recognized as an independent field of study, and translators as well as translation theorists are not without blame for this. The requirements for a good translation vary with each text. The concepts of free and literal translation are questionable and need to be rexamined. A cross-cultural study of translation including non-Indo-European languages may help us to break out of this dichotomy, as may the study of oral cultures.Le statut social de la traduction et des traducteurs varie suivant les époques et les sociétés. Aujourd'hui encore, la traduction n'est pas reconnue comme une discipline à part entière et les traducteurs et traductologues n'y sont pas pour rien. La perception de ce qu'est une bonne traduction varie elle aussi et la dichotomie traditionnelle entre traduction libre et traduction littérale peut être remise en cause. Une étude poussée, incluant les langues non indo-européennes et les cultures orales, pourrait nous aider à faire éclater cette dichotomie

Irony in conversational German: A linguistic approach

This study examines irony predominantly as it appears in German spontaneous spoken discourse. The main data employed for the study are four conversational texts, each of which has a different irony content. In Chapter One I survey the literature on irony in the fields of rhetoric, literature, and literary criticism, as well as its treatment in linguistic frameworks (based on Austin 1962/1975, Searle 1969). I then compare the function and use of irony in German spontaneous conversation with counterparts in pre-composed conversation. In Chapter Three I discuss some uses of irony in non-Western cultures as contrasted with the functions of irony in modern German culture. Irony emerges as a mode of experience that is closely related to the culture of its inception. This aspect of irony is particularly evident in the difficulties encountered in the internal translation (paraphrase) of ironic discourse (pre-composed as well as spontaneous) or translation from one language or culture to another. In Chapter Four I examine difficulties in translation of instances of irony. Finally, in Chapter Five I distinguish irony from related tropes and concepts. Irony employs a feature of quality, which has usually been associated with opposition. I have expanded the concept of opposition and added the feature of multilayeredness as a necessary condition. Irony is seen here for the most part as an intended incongruence. A pair of readings co-exist, producing the incongruence. Both remain present in an interactive way. I conclude that irony, even though extensively studied and described, remains resistant to precise definition and demarcation. Irony is not only employed as a nonce phenomenon at the propositional level, it can also function as a pervasive feature of discourse, a lifetime, an era, or even of life itself

Behavioural outcomes of subthalamic stimulation and medical therapy versus medical therapy alone for Parkinson's disease with early motor complications (EARLYSTIM trial): secondary analysis of an open-label randomised trial

Background Although subthalamic stimulation is a recognised treatment for motor complications in Parkinson's disease, reports on behavioural outcomes are controversial, which represents a major challenge when counselling candidates for subthalamic stimulation. We aimed to assess changes in behaviour in patients with Parkinson's disease receiving combined treatment with subthalamic stimulation and medical therapy over a 2-year follow-up period as compared with the behavioural evolution under medical therapy alone. Methods We did a parallel, open-label study (EARLYSTIM) at 17 surgical centres in France (n=8) and Germany (n=9). We recruited patients with Parkinson's disease who were disabled by early motor complications. Participants were randomly allocated (1: 1) to either medical therapy alone or bilateral subthalamic stimulation plus medical therapy. The primary outcome was mean change in quality of life from baseline to 2 years. A secondary analysis was also done to assess behavioural outcomes. We used the Ardouin Scale of Behavior in Parkinson's Disease to assess changes in behaviour between baseline and 2-year follow-up. Apathy was also measured using the Starkstein Apathy Scale, and depression was assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory. The secondary analysis was done in all patients recruited. We used a generalised estimating equations (GEE) regression model for individual items and mixed model regression for subscores of the Ardouin scale and the apathy and depression scales. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00354133. The primary analysis has been reported elsewhere; this report presents the secondary analysis only. Findings Between July, 2006, and November, 2009, 251 participants were recruited, of whom 127 were allocated medical therapy alone and 124 were assigned bilateral subthalamic stimulation plus medical therapy. At 2-year follow-up, the levodopa-equivalent dose was reduced by 39% (-363.3 mg/day [SE 41.8]) in individuals allocated bilateral subthalamic stimulation plus medical therapy and was increased by 21% (245.8 mg/day [40.4]) in those assigned medical therapy alone (p<0.0001). Neuropsychiatric fluctuations decreased with bilateral subthalamic stimulation plus medical therapy during 2-year follow-up (mean change -0.65 points [SE 0.15]) and did not change with medical therapy alone (-0.02 points [0.15]); the between-group difference in change from baseline was significant (p=0.0028). At 2 years, the Ardouin scale subscore for hyperdopaminergic behavioural disorders had decreased with bilateral subthalamic stimulation plus medical therapy (mean change -1.26 points [SE 0.35]) and had increased with medical therapy alone (1.12 points [0.35]); the between-group difference was significant (p<0.0001). Mean change from baseline at 2 years in the Ardouin scale subscore for hypodopaminergic behavioural disorders, the Starkstein Apathy Scale score, and the Beck Depression Inventory score did not differ between treatment groups. Antidepressants were stopped in 12 patients assigned bilateral subthalamic stimulation plus medical therapy versus four patients allocated medical therapy alone. Neuroleptics were started in nine patients assigned medical therapy alone versus one patient allocated bilateral subthalamic stimulation plus medical therapy. During the 2-year follow-up, two individuals assigned bilateral subthalamic stimulation plus medical therapy and one patient allocated medical therapy alone died by suicide. Interpretation In a large cohort with Parkinson's disease and early motor complications, better overall behavioural outcomes were noted with bilateral subthalamic stimulation plus medical therapy compared with medical therapy alone. The presence of hyperdopaminergic behaviours and neuropsychiatric fluctuations can be judged additional arguments in favour of subthalamic stimulation if surgery is considered for disabling motor complications

Programming parameters of subthalamic deep brain stimulators in Parkinson's disease from a controlled trial

Background: Programming algorithms have never been tested for outcome. The EARLYSTIM study showed superior outcomes of deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) over best medical treatment in early Parkinson's disease (PD). Patients were programmed according to common guidelines but customized for each patient. Methods: Stimulation parameters were systematically documented at 1, 5, 12, and 24 month in the cohort of 114 patients who had bilateral STN-DBS at 24 month. We investigated the influence of atypical programming, changes of stimulated electrode contacts and stimulation energy delivered. Outcomes were the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor and ADL-subscores, health-related quality of life (PDQ-39) summary index and mobility- and ADL-subscores. Results: At 1/5/12/24 months follow up, mean amplitude (1.8/2.5/2.6/2.8 V), impedance (1107/1286/1229/1189 Omega) and TEED (33.7/69.0/84.4/93.0 V2*mu s*Hz/Omega) mainly increased in the first 5 months, while mean pulse width (60.0/62.5/65.1/65.8 mu s), frequency (130/137.7/139.1/142.7 Hz) remained relatively stable. Typical programming (single monopolar electrode contact) was used in 80.7% of electrodes. Double monopolar (11/114) and bipolar (2/114) stimulation was only rarely required. There was no significant difference in clinical outcomes between the patient groups requiring contact changes (n = 32/28.1%) nor between (n = 83/72.8%) versus non-typical programming. Energy used for STN-DBS was higher for the dominant side of PD. Conclusion: In the first 5 months an increase in amplitude is required to compensate for various factors. Monopolar stimulation is sufficient in 80% of patients at 24 months. Homogeneous stimulation strategies can account for the favorable outcomes reported in the Earlystim study