Readerly Dialogues: Reception, Intertextuality, and the Other in Contemporary French Women’s Writing

This thesis focuses on the reading of fiction written by contemporary French women authors, namely Julia Kristeva, Marie Darrieussecq and Monique Wittig, establishing the reader as an active and engaged actor in meaning creation. The reader enters into dialogue with the text, the author, the narrator(s) and the characters, carving out an imaginative readerly space in fiction. The main aim of this thesis is to examine how this space comes into being, and what tools are needed for its exploration. Concepts from three main theoretical fields are used to set the parameters for this readerly space: reception studies, intertextuality, and theories of the other. As was observed by Elizabeth Fallaize, reception studies and women’s writing have not been meaningfully combined. This thesis responds to this gap in research, simultaneously expanding our interpretations of the texts by looking at the multitude of intertextual links that can be established, and at the way reading influences our relations to the other. The Introduction examines the above-mentioned three theoretical areas, alongside elements such as the tasks of the reader, the materiality of the book, and the impact of reading groups. Chapter One examines two of Kristeva’s most recent works of fiction — Meurtre à Byzance and Thérèse mon amour — studying the mise en abyme of reading and writing, the issues that can arise from extensive intertextual links and autobiographical projections, and introducing concepts such as the reading Carmel and the text as Trojan Horse. Chapter Two explores the Darrieussecq-ien aesthetic universe, starting with a consideration of the four different types of intertextuality identified in Darrieussecq’s fiction. Darrieussecq’s work with language is analysed, before introducing the concept of the fiction of honesty. The fiction of honesty allows us to explore the relationship of trust between the reader and the narrator, while an analysis of the inscriptions of time offers a better understanding of the chronologies of the reading process. Chapter Three investigates Wittig’s works, focusing on her linguistic innovations, rewriting of myths and foundational stories, extensive use of sensorial writing, and links established between fiction and socio-political activism. Chapter Four considers the media reception of the three authors, introducing resources that are not easily accessible to Anglophone audiences. The Conclusion offers an overview of the findings of this thesis, before opening onto further avenues for research

The Contribution Modelling Gasoline Injection at engines with spark lighting

The authors present the general aspects of theoretical modeling of gasoline injection, the principle modeling of some of the elements of gasoline injection, namely the gasoline pump model and the pressure regulator model. It is presented the general model of a spark engine with gasoline injection. The modeling of the motor cycles with spark engines and gasoline injection suggested by the authors is realized by executing a computer program for determining the variation of the three-dimensional and bi-dimensional parameters with the sub-programs: program for calculating the SIE (dependence according to n and lat to = -35...+45 ºC and po = 1·102 kPa); program for calculating the SIE (dependence according to n and to at l = 1 and po = 1·102 kPa); program for calculating the SIE cycle with gasoline injection. It was realized a study for calculating the pressure from the admission gallery pga and the admission pressure pa

Comparative Microstructural Study of the Diffusion Zone Between Ni-Cr Alloy and Different Dental Ceramics

Detailed knowledge of bonding mechanisms, between the metal and ceramic parts in conventional dental systems, can help the development of new, improved systems and the optimisation of recent technologies. Despite their allergic potential, the NiCr alloys are still amongst the most often used dental materials so their investigation is important. The aim of the study was to carry out a detailed microstructural investigation and to compare the reaction layer developed between three different dental ceramics and NiCr alloy under different firing conditions. For the measurements six identical samples were cast from WIRON 99 (Bego, Konstantz, Germany) alloy. Ceramic opaquers were fired on the polished surface using Vision (Wohlwend AG), Vita VMK 95 (Vita) and Carat(DeTrey/Dentsplay) materials. Two samples were produced from each type of opaquers by different firing conditions. The TEM investigations were performed by using a 2000FX-II microscope with a Link-lsis EDS system. Similar growth processes of the phases were observed in all of the investigated systems in the sense that an amorphous phase was formed on the metal-ceramic interface producing bubble like inclusions on the metal surface. The main component of this phase is silicon oxide in the case of Carat and Vita ceramics, while in the case of Vision potassium and nickel oxides were observed after the normal firing process. In all systems and at all firing conditions a nanocrystalline Cr2O3 layer (with about 50 nm grain size) was commonly observed. This investigation was supported in part by ETT Grant 2001-3

Nuclear Factor κB Inhibitors Alleviate and the Proteasome Inhibitor PS-341 Exacerbates Radiation Toxicity in Zebrafish Embryos

Inflammatory changes are a major component of the normal tissue response to ionizing radiation, and increased nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activity is an important mediator of inflammatory responses. Here, we used zebrafish embryos to assess the capacity of two different classes of pharmacologic agents known to target NF-κB to modify radiation toxicity in the vertebrate organism. These were proteasome inhibitors, including lactacystin, MG132, and PS-341 (Bortezomib/VELCADE), and direct inhibitors of NF-κB activity, including ethyl pyruvate (EP) and the synthetic triterpenoid CDDO-TFEA (RTA401), among others. The proteasome inhibitors either did not significantly affect radiation sensitivity of zebrafish embryos (MG132, lactacystin) or rendered zebrafish embryos more sensitive to the lethal effects of ionizing radiation (PS-341). Radiosensitization by PS-341 was reduced in fish with impaired p53 expression or function but not associated with enhanced expression of select p53 target genes. In contrast, the direct NF-κB inhibitors EP and CDDO-TFEA significantly improved overall survival of lethally irradiated zebrafish embryos. In addition, direct NF-κB inhibition reduced radiation-induced apoptosis in the central nervous system, abrogated aberrations in body axis development, restored metabolization and secretion of a reporter lipid through the gastrointestinal system, and improved renal clearance compromised by radiation. In contrast to amifostine, EP and CDDO-TFEA not only protected against but also mitigated radiation toxicity when given 1 to 2 hours postexposure. Finally, four additional IκB kinase inhibitors with distinct mechanisms of action similarly improved overall survival of lethally irradiated zebrafish embryos. In conclusion, inhibitors of canonical pathways to NF-κB activation may be useful in alleviating radiation toxicity in patients. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(9):2625-34] Reprinted with permission from the American Association of Cancer Research, “Nuclear factor κB inhibitors alleviate and the proteasome inhibitor PS-341 exacerbates radiation toxicity in zebrafish embryos”, Molecular Cancer Therapy, 2009;8(9), pages 2625-2634

Differential regulation of p53 function by the N-terminal ΔNp53 and Δ113p53 isoforms in zebrafish embryos

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The p53 protein family coordinates stress responses of cells and organisms. Alternative promoter usage and/or splicing of p53 mRNA gives rise to at least nine mammalian p53 proteins with distinct N- and C-termini which are differentially expressed in normal and malignant cells. The human N-terminal p53 variants contain either the full-length (FL), or a truncated (ΔN/Δ40) or no transactivation domain (Δ133) altogether. The functional consequences of coexpression of the different p53 isoforms are poorly defined. Here we investigated functional aspects of the zebrafish ΔNp53 ortholog in the context of FLp53 and the zebrafish Δ133p53 ortholog (Δ113p53) coexpressed in the developing embryo.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We cloned the zebrafish ΔNp53 isoform and determined that ionizing radiation increased expression of steady-state <it>ΔNp53 </it>and <it>Δ113p53 </it>mRNA levels in zebrafish embryos. Ectopic ΔNp53 expression by mRNA injection caused hypoplasia and malformation of the head, eyes and somites, yet partially counteracted lethal effects caused by concomitant expression of FLp53. FLp53 expression was required for developmental aberrations caused by ΔNp53 and for ΔNp53-dependent expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (CDKN1A, p21, Cip1, WAF1). Knockdown of p21 expression markedly reduced the severity of developmental malformations associated with ΔNp53 overexpression. By contrast, forced Δ113p53 expression had little effect on ΔNp53-dependent embryonal phenotypes. These functional attributes were shared between zebrafish and human ΔNp53 orthologs ectopically expressed in zebrafish embryos. All 3 zebrafish isoforms could be coimmunoprecipitated with each other after transfection into Saos2 cells.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Both alternative N-terminal p53 isoforms were expressed in developing zebrafish in response to cell stress and antagonized lethal effects of FLp53 to different degrees. However, in contrast to Δ113p53, forced ΔNp53 expression itself led to developmental defects which depended, in part, on p21 transactivation. In contrast to FLp53, the developmental abnormalities caused by ΔNp53 were not counteracted by concomitant expression of Δ113p53.</p

Radiation Therapy for Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer develops in the mucosa of the esophagus and spreads toward the muscle layer. The nonsurgical treatment for localized, deeply invasive esophageal cancer has been external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and concurrent chemotherapy. Recently, intraluminal brachytherapy showed a strong potential for the improvement of the therapeutic ratio. It was found that the fractionated high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy offered beneficial palliation for a longer period of time with more durable symptom control. A similar was concluded for advanced unresectable esophageal cancer in previously irradiated patients. HDR brachytherapy may be a useful salvage treatment option for inoperable patients diagnosed with local esophageal cancer. Although better local control can be achieved with higher brachytherapy dose, this increases the risk of acute morbidity and late morbidity, especially in the setting of recurrence cancer. It was found that the moderate dose of EBRT and HDR brachytherapy could give a better local response than EBRT alone

The Geographical Information System WIGeo-GIS at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration

Series: Discussion Papers of the Institute for Economic Geography and GIScienc

Cooper-Frye Formula and Non-extensive Coalescence at RHIC Energy

Transverse spectra are calculated for various types of hadrons stemming from Au Au collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200$ GeV. We utilize a quark recombination model based on generalized Boltzmann-Gibbs thermodynamics for local hadron production at various break-up scenarios.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur