Gender Dimensions in the Appropriation and Use of ICT-Technology: A Qualitative Study in Great Britain, Germany and the Netherlands

Abstract ________________________________________ This thesis focuses on the roles that gender, age and culture play in informal knowledge acquisition in the field of everyday communications and entertainment technology. It concentrates on four such technologies: personal computers, mobile phones, digital cameras and MP3 players and was conducted in three countries: Great Britain, the Netherlands and Germany. It explores the strategies and networks that people develop and use to get the knowledge they need to acquire to be able to use newly available technology. The research was carried out using a qualitative approach and involved conducting 24 semi-structured interviews. The main body of analysis concentrates on three core topics: a) understanding the respondents’ childhood experiences with technical artefacts compared with the available technology, b) the different strategies developed by each individual to gain media literacy, and c) the interrelation of identity and technology, which includes the interviewees’ emotional relationships with technical artefacts. The first topic centres on the experiences of two different generations with technology and explores whether parents with technical interest conveyed this to their children. Further it investigates gender differences in these early encounters with technology. The second analysis chapter engages with the process of domesticating technical artefacts and the associated stages of knowledge acquisition. It explores the available knowledge sources for technical information in each country and which of them were used by my interviewees depending on age, gender and country. The third analysis chapter analyses the close connection between identity and the use of technical artefacts in everyday life. It examines the different perceptions respondents expressed about different generations and their use of technology, with younger generations often being dismissive of the technical competence of the older ones. The interviewees referred to their artefacts as though they were friends and described their relationship with them in terms that echo those used in object-relations theory. One important result of this study is that the perceived limitations stemming from individuals’ gender roles influenced their own attitude towards technology and technical competence. In summary, a picture emerged of interesting contradictions to some of the established stereotypes regarding the interplay of gender, age and technology

Regulation of translation initiation by phosphorylation of eIF4E and the eIF4E-binding proteins (4EBPs)

eIF4F is a complex of three polypeptides: eIF4E, the cap binding protein, eIF4A, an RNA helicase and eIF4G, a large polypeptide which serves as a molecular bridge between the mRNA and the ribosome. eIF4E is the least abundant of the initiation factors in most cell types making it a crucial target for translational control. Two important mechanisms involved in regulating eIF4E activity are its phosphorylation at serine 209 and the binding of the inhibitory 4E binding proteins (4EBPs).eIF4E becomes phosphorylated in response to extracellular stimuli such as growth factors, mitogens and hormones by the p38-MAP kinase pathway kinases Mnk1 and 2. Since the molecular consequences of this phosphorylation are not currently understood, a project to generate a knock-in mouse with a serine 209 to alanine mutation was initiated. This mutation is not expected to be lethal as an equivalent fly model was recently generated and shown to be viable though the mutants were smaller and slower developing than control flies. It is of great interest to see if the same effects on growth will be seen with the mouse model or if other tissue specific effects will be observed.The 4EBPs bind eIF4E and prevent the binding of eIF4G and the subsequent assembly of the eIF4F complex. Without 4EBP1, eIF4E should be more available to bind to the cap and initiate translation of specific mRNAs. Polysomal RNA from MEFs prepared from these mice was subjected to gene chip analysis in order to identify those mRNAs that are differentially translated in cells lacking 4EBP1. The ability of the MEFs to differentiate into adipocytes was also investigated. Our investigations and future work with the MEFs will shed light on the role of eIF4E and 4EBP in the regulation of protein synthesis and also aid in understanding the affects on adipose tissue and metabolism observed in the knockout mice. (Abstract shortened by UMI.

Verbundprojekt Plasmapolymerisation Teilprojekt: Membran- und Sperrschichten auf poroesen Graphitrohren. Abschlussbericht

Carbon tubes with highly porous walls (inner diameter 4 mm) which can be used for filtration purposes are to be modified by plasma treatment with respect to controlled mean pore sizes and pore size distribution. In a second step all pores are to be covered by a plasma polymer-layer forming a highly resistant pore-free composite membrane. Uniform pore sizes are to be obtained by bringing the porous substrate in contact with different gases: an etching gas, in particular oxygen, in the plasma, and a polymerizable gas at the non-plasma side of the substrate. Large pores are thus filled with polymerizable gas and narrowed by plasma polymerisation, whereas etching gas is preferably present in small pores and enlarging their diameter. Porosimetry using a newly developed analytical method allowed for determination of pore size modifications. It was verified that electrically conducting porous substrates can thus be modified with respect to porosity and mean pore sizes. There exists a critical maximum pore radius of about 60 nm, as larger pores can neither be reliably reduced in size nor covered. Provided suitable substrates are available new composite membranes can be produced. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F93B722+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Forschung und Technologie (BMFT), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman

Discordancy for a Villous Maturation Defect in a Dizygotic Twin Placenta

Background: Dizygotic twin pregnancies with discordant manifestation of abnormalities with unclear etiology are of interest because they arise in the same environment. Case report: We present a dizygotic third trimester twin placenta with discordant villous maturation, one placenta lacking developed syncytiocapillary membranes. The twins were eutrophic with no perinatal or postnatal complications. Conclusions: Discordant manifestation of villous maturation in dizygotic twin placentas could be a hint for a genetic rather than an environmental etiology. Villous maturation defect may be underrecognized and has been associated with perinatal morbidity and stillbirth in the late third trimester. Proper recognition is important because of the increased recurrence risk of villous dysmaturity