Ausbilderinnen und Ausbilder in Betrieben in der Schweiz: Vielfältige Möglichkeiten der Ausbildung und Sozialisierung von Auszubildenden

The Dual system, which involves courses at vocational schools and in-company training, is the most popular form of post-compulsory education in Switzerland. The role of in-company trainers has not been extensively studied to date. This article aims to fill this research gap by highlighting their role as socialization agents. Qualitative and typological analyses point out the different practices and contents of young apprentices’ socialization, structured around four ideal-typical profiles of trainers called "entrepreneurs", "artisans", "converted" and "resigned". This typology was constructed based on their perception of apprentices and their satisfaction with the training function. (DIPF/Orig.)Das duale System, das den Unterricht in der Berufsschule und im Betrieb umfasst, ist die häufigste Form der nachobligatorischen Ausbildung in der Schweiz. Die Rolle der betrieblichen Ausbilderinnen und Ausbilder wurde bislang nicht eingehend untersucht. Dieser Artikel soll diese Lücke schliessen, indem er ihre Rolle als Sozialisationsagenten beleuchtet. Qualitative und typologische Analysen heben die unterschiedlichen Praktiken und Inhalte der Sozialisation von Auszubildenden hervor, die um vier idealtypische Profile von Ausbilder-innen und Ausbildern herum strukturiert sind, die als Selbstunternehmer*innen", "Garant*innen des Berufs", "Umsteiger*innen" und "Resignierte" bezeichnet werden. Diese Typologie wurde auf der Grundlage ihrer Wahrnehmung der Auszubildenden und ihrer Zufriedenheit mit der Ausbildungsfunktion erstellt. (DIPF/Orig.

GPU-powered Simulation Methodologies for Biological Systems

The study of biological systems witnessed a pervasive cross-fertilization between experimental investigation and computational methods. This gave rise to the development of new methodologies, able to tackle the complexity of biological systems in a quantitative manner. Computer algorithms allow to faithfully reproduce the dynamics of the corresponding biological system, and, at the price of a large number of simulations, it is possible to extensively investigate the system functioning across a wide spectrum of natural conditions. To enable multiple analysis in parallel, using cheap, diffused and highly efficient multi-core devices we developed GPU-powered simulation algorithms for stochastic, deterministic and hybrid modeling approaches, so that also users with no knowledge of GPUs hardware and programming can easily access the computing power of graphics engines.Comment: In Proceedings Wivace 2013, arXiv:1309.712

To Blaze Forever in a Blazing World : Queer Reconstruction and Cultural Memory in the Works of Alan Moore

This thesis is a queer analysis of two graphic novels by writer Alan Moore: The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen series (art by Kevin O’Neill, 1999-Present) and Lost Girls (art by Melinda Gebbie, 1992-3). These two works re-contextualize familiar characters such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Mina Murray, and Alice to uncover both the liberating desires and the sexist, homophobic, and imperialistic anxieties underlining historically popular fiction. Focusing on three characters utilized in Moore’s work, this thesis argues that the ideological associations with those chosen characters and the reconstructions of queerness in their narratives offer contemporary subjects resistance to limiting cultural tendencies and create an alternative space that call attention to phobic societal constructs. Both Lost Girls and the League series redefine discursively constituted identities and offer the potential to re-write normative codes of sex and sexuality

Some Notes on the Interplay Between P Systems and Chemotaxis in Bacteria

We describe some chemotactic behaviors of bacteria, that is, their movement response to changes in the environment, and the underlying molecular mechanisms. We outline how such processes could be linked to membrane computing, by taking inspiration from them for new type of rules or new features to be introduced in P systems, as well as by considering how the application of recent P system-based models can produce relevant results for the description and the analysis of chemotaxis processes

On Modelling Ion Fluxes Across Biological Membranes with P Systems

In this report we address the challenge of using P systems to integrate at the whole cell level both active and passive transport of different ions, done by different types of membrane transport proteins which work simultaneously and concurrently

Thermomechanical properties of amorphous metallic tungsten-oxygen and tungsten-oxide coatings

In this work, we investigate the correlation between morphology, composition, and the mechanical properties of metallic amorphous tungsten-oxygen and amorphous tungsten-oxide films deposited by Pulsed Laser Deposition. This correlation is investigated by the combined use of Brillouin Spectroscopy and the substrate curvature method. The stiffness of the films is strongly affected by both the oxygen content and the mass density. The elastic moduli show a decreasing trend as the mass density decreases and the oxygen-tungsten ratio increases. A plateaux region is detected in correspondence of the transition between metallic and oxide films. The compressive residual stresses, moderate stiffness and high local ductility that characterize compact amorphous tungsten-oxide films make them promising for applications involving thermal or mechanical loads. The coefficient of thermal expansion is quite high (i.e. 8.9 $\cdot$ 10$^{-6}$ K$^{-1}$), being strictly correlated to the amorphous structure and stoichiometry of the films. Under thermal treatments they show a quite low relaxation temperature (i.e. 450 K). They crystallize into the $\gamma$ monoclinic phase of WO$_3$ starting from 670 K, inducing an increase by about 70\% of material stiffness.Comment: The research leading to these results has also received funding from the European Research Council Consolidator Grant ENSURE (ERC-2014-CoG No. 647554). The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commissio

New Proposals for the Formalization of Membrane Proteins

This paper presents three new proposals to take advantage, in the framework of P systems, from proteins acting in bacteria. One attempt aims to focus on the transport protein that act as a logic AND gate at the cell membrane. The multiplicity of type of transporters involved in maintaining osmotic pressure within physiological values, both at short and long term level are also presented, as an example of parallelism occurring in living cell. Finally, the change of enzyme activity by reversible aggregation could be important for P systems as a new rule to follow, and process to model

Coefficient of thermal expansion of nanostructured tungsten based coatings assessed by thermally induced substrate curvature method

The in plane coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and the residual stress of nanostructured W based coatings are extensively investigated. The CTE and the residual stresses are derived by means of an optimized ad-hoc developed experimental setup based on the detection of the substrate curvature by a laser system. The nanostructured coatings are deposited by Pulsed Laser Deposition. Thanks to its versatility, nanocrystalline W metallic coatings, ultra-nano-crystalline pure W and W-Tantalum coatings and amorphous-like W coatings are obtained. The correlation between the nanostructure, the residual stress and the CTE of the coatings are thus elucidated. We find that all the samples show a compressive state of stress that decreases as the structure goes from columnar nanocrystalline to amorphous-like. The CTE of all the coatings is higher than the one of the corresponding bulk W form. In particular, as the grain size shrinks, the CTE increases from 5.1 10$^{-6}$ K$^{-1}$ for nanocrystalline W to 6.6 10$^{-6}$ K$^{-1}$ in the ultra-nano-crystalline region. When dealing with amorphous W, the further increase of the CTE is attributed to a higher porosity degree of the samples. The CTE trend is also investigated as function of materials stiffness. In this case, as W coatings become softer, the easier they thermally expand.Comment: The research leading to these results has also received funding from the European Research Council Consolidator Grant ENSURE (ERC-2014-CoG No. 647554

The never-ending story of the fight against tuberculosis: From Koch's bacillus to global control programs

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the oldest diseases known to affect humanity, and is still a major public health problem. It is caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MT), isolated in 1882 by Robert Koch. Until the 1950s, X rays were used as a cheap method of diagnostic screening together with the tuberculin skin sensitivity test. In the diagnosis and treatment of TB, an important role was also played by surgery. The late Nineteenth century saw the introduction of the tuberculosis sanatorium, which proved to be one of the first useful measures against TB. Subsequently, Albert Calmette and Camille Gu\ue9rin used a non-virulent MT strain to produce a live attenuated vaccine. In the 1980s and 1990s, the incidence of tuberculosis surged as a major opportunistic infection in people with HIV infection and AIDS; for this reason, a combined strategy based on improving drug treatment, diagnostic instruments and prevention was needed