Frauen im Spiegel: Der Perseus-Zyklus von Edward Burne-Jones

Die 2002 vorgelegte Dissertation Frauen im Spiegel beschäftigt sich mit der Entstehung und dem Gehalt des Perseus-Zyklus von Edward Burne-Jones, einer achtteiligen Folge von zum Teil unvollendet gebliebenen Ölgemälden und Kartons, an denen der Maler von 1875 bis zu seinem Tod 1898 arbeitete. Der Zyklus befindet sich seit 1971 in der Staatsgalerie Stuttgart und ist zweifelsohne das bedeutendste britische Kunstwerk der viktorianischen Epoche in einem deutschen Museum. Nach einer einleitenden Betrachtung des Forschungsstandes wird zunächst der Künstler selbst vorgestellt, seine Biografie und seine künstlerische Entwicklung. Die folgenden, unter der Überschrift „Der Perseus-Zyklus: Kontext und Entstehung“ zusammengefassten Kapitel sollen die Basis schaffen für die spätere Betrachtung einzelner Bilder. Sie beschäftigen sich zunächst mit der Mythenrezeption der Viktorianer und dem Wechselspiel von Kunst, Kritik und Publikum. Neben dem Zusammenhang von Antikenrezeption und der Krise der christlichen Religion durch die Erkenntnisse der Wissenschaften spielt hier die etwa zur Jahrhundertmitte einsetzende Diskussion um die Rolle der Frau und um die Frage, welche Ideale von Weiblichkeit und Männlichkeit angestrebt werden sollten, eine große Rolle. Gerade die griechischen Mythen wurden – sei es von Malern, Dichtern, Historikern oder Kunsttheoretikern – benutzt, um „ewige Wahrheiten“ festzuschreiben. Zwei Autoren, die hier eine herausragende Rolle spielen, sind John Ruskin und Walter Pater. Weitere Kapitel widmen sich Arthur Balfour, dem Auftraggeber des Perseus-Zyklus, William Morris, dem Verfasser der wichtigsten literarischen Quelle (The Earthly Paradise) sowie dem Entstehungsprozess des Zyklus und seinem Einfluss auf andere Künstler. Der Hauptteil der Arbeit wird an den einzelnen Bildern entlang erzählt. Im Verlauf dieser „Erzählung“ werden verschiedene Themen im Detail diskutiert, die jeweils zum Verständnis beitragen, beispielsweise das Verhältnis von Burne-Jones zum Symbolismus oder zu Richard Wagner, seine Rezeption von Michelangelo, Botticelli oder der klassischen Antike, die biografischen Bezüge einzelner Gemälde, die Ausstellungspraxis im viktorianischen England, die leidenschaftlich geführten Debatten um Aktmalerei, Rittertum, Prostitution, Androgynität oder Ehe. Um dem stilistischen Eklektizismus ebenso wie den verschiedenen Bedeutungsebenen des Zyklus gerecht zu werden, wird eine möglichst umfassende und ergebnisoffene Herangehensweise sowie Pluralität in der Methodik angestrebt. Psychoanalytische Ansätze, um nur ein Beispiel zu nennen, werden aufgegriffen, wenn sie tatsächlich Erkenntnis über den eigentlichen Untersuchungsgegenstand versprechen, aber auch mit kritischer Distanz diskutiert, wenn sie den Interpretationshorizont einzuengen drohen. Der Perseus-Zyklus soll aus seiner Zeit heraus erklärt und zugleich soll ein Bild der viktorianischen Epoche anhand ihrer Kunst gezeichnet werden. Der 1973 und 1999 von Kurt Löcher veröffentlichte Bestandskatalog aller bekannten Vorarbeiten zum Perseus-Zyklus soll dabei nicht ersetzt, sondern inhaltlich ergänzt und in einen größeren Zusammenhang gestellt werden. Im Zentrum steht dabei (für Burne-Jones und ebenso für diese Dissertation) das Verhältnis der Geschlechter, das der Maler in seinen Möglichkeiten erkundet und in seiner vorgeblich starren Polarität in Frage stellt. Die Bandbreite weiblicher Gestalten, die der Perseus-Mythos bietet, ermöglicht es dem Künstler, verschiedene Konstellationen und Möglichkeiten der Begegnung durchzuspielen und unterschiedliche Aspekte seines Frauen- und Männerbildes darzustellen. Die Herausforderung, der sich der Held gegenüber sieht, ist weniger der Kampf mit Ungeheuern als der Umgang mit weiblicher Schönheit. Sie kann, so eine mögliche Deutung, den Mann zerstören &#61485 - aber in Verbindung mit Disziplin, Einfühlung, Vorsicht und Glück auch Leitbild sein und zur Erfüllung führen &#61485 - einer Erfüllung unter Vorbehalt: Von einer „vereinten Selbstbetrachtung“, davon, dass die Frau die Versunkenheit des Mannes teilt, wie eine Interpretin über das dargestellte Liebespaar im Schlussbild, The Baleful Head (Das Schreckenshaupt), schreibt, kann man im Grunde nicht sprechen. Die Versunkenheit ist eine jeweils andere. Die in allen Gemälden formulierte Einsicht, dass Männer und Frauen nie ganz zueinander finden können, oder, wie man es in den Worten Walter Paters allgemeiner formulieren könnte, dass niemand in der Lage ist, „die enge Kammer des eigenen Geistes“ zu verlassen, lässt sich auch hier nicht verdrängen. Die von Burne-Jones erschaffene Idylle ist melancholisch und bedrohlich eingefärbt; das „irdisches Paradies“, in dem die Liebenden zueinander gefunden haben, ist kein Ort des immer währenden Glücks, es ist gefährdet und vergänglich. Für die Online-Veröffentlichung wurde die Dissertation um ein Nachwort zur Rezeption des Perseus-Zyklus zwischen 2002 und 2009 ergänzt

AMICI: High-Performance Sensitivity Analysis for Large Ordinary Differential Equation Models

Ordinary differential equation models facilitate the understanding of cellular signal transduction and other biological processes. However, for large and comprehensive models, the computational cost of simulating or calibrating can be limiting. AMICI is a modular toolbox implemented in C++/Python/MATLAB that provides efficient simulation and sensitivity analysis routines tailored for scalable, gradient-based parameter estimation and uncertainty quantification. AMICI is published under the permissive BSD-3-Clause license with source code publicly available on https://github.com/AMICI-dev/AMICI. Citeable releases are archived on Zenodo

De-novo malignancies after kidney transplantation: A long-term observational study

Background: De-novo malignancies after kidney transplantation represent one major cause for mortality after transplantation. However, most of the studies are limited due to small sample size, short follow-up or lack of information about cancer specific mortality. Methods: This long-term retrospective analysis included all adult patients with complete follow-up that underwent kidney transplantation between 1995 and 2016 at our centre. All patients with diagnosis of malignancy excluding non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) were identified and a matched control group was assigned to the kidney transplant recipients with post-transplant malignancies. Results: 1417 patients matched the inclusion criteria. 179 malignancies posttransplant were diagnosed in 154 patients (n = 21 with two, n = 2 patients with three different malignancies). Mean age at cancer diagnosis was 60.3±13.3 years. Overall incidence of de-novo malignancies except NMSC was 1% per year posttransplant. Renal cell carcinoma was the most common entity (n = 49, incidence 4.20 per 1000 patient years; cancer specific mortality 12%), followed by cancer of the gastro-intestinal tract (n = 30, 2.57; 50%), urinary system (n = 24, 2.06; 13%), respiratory system (n = 18, 1.54; 89%), female reproductive system (n = 15, 1.29; 13%), posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders and haematological tumours (n = 14, 1.20; 21%), cancers of unknown primary (n = 7, 0.60 100%) and others (n = 22, 1.89; 27%). Male sex, re-transplantation and time on dialysis were associated with de-novo malignancies after transplantation. Conclusion: De-novo malignancies continue to be a serious problem after kidney transplantation. To improve long-term outcome after Kidney transplantation, prevention and cancer screening should be more tailored and intensified

What happens after graft loss? A large, long‐term, single‐center observation

The number of patients returning to dialysis after graft failure increases. Surprisingly, little is known about the clinical and immunological outcomes of this cohort. We retrospectively analyzed 254 patients after kidney allograft loss between 1997 and 2017 and report clinical outcomes such as mortality, relisting, retransplantations, transplant nephrectomies, and immunization status. Of the 254 patients, 49% had died 5 years after graft loss, while 27% were relisted, 14% were on dialysis and not relisted, and only 11% were retransplanted 5 years after graft loss. In the complete observational period, 111/254 (43.7%) patients were relisted. Of these, 72.1% of patients were under 55 years of age at time of graft loss and only 13.5% of patients were >= 65 years. Age at graft loss was associated with relisting in a logistic regression analysis. In the complete observational period, 42 patients (16.5%) were retransplanted. Only 4 of those (9.5%) were >= 65 years at time of graft loss. Nephrectomy had no impact on survival, relisting, or development of dnDSA. Patients after allograft loss have a high overall mortality. Immunization contributes to long waiting times. Only a very limited number of patients are retransplanted especially when >= 65 years at time of graft loss

PEtab -- interoperable specification of parameter estimation problems in systems biology

Reproducibility and reusability of the results of data-based modeling studies are essential. Yet, there has been -- so far -- no broadly supported format for the specification of parameter estimation problems in systems biology. Here, we introduce PEtab, a format which facilitates the specification of parameter estimation problems using Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) models and a set of tab-separated value files describing the observation model and experimental data as well as parameters to be estimated. We already implemented PEtab support into eight well-established model simulation and parameter estimation toolboxes with hundreds of users in total. We provide a Python library for validation and modification of a PEtab problem and currently 20 example parameter estimation problems based on recent studies. Specifications of PEtab, the PEtab Python library, as well as links to examples, and all supporting software tools are available at https://github.com/PEtab-dev/PEtab, a snapshot is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3732958. All original content is available under permissive licenses

First Search for Axion-Like Particles in a Storage Ring Using a Polarized Deuteron Beam

Based on the notion that the local dark-matter field of axions or axion-like particles (ALPs) in our Galaxy induces oscillating couplings to the spins of nucleons and nuclei (via the electric dipole moment of the latter and/or the paramagnetic axion-wind effect), we performed the first experiment to search for ALPs using a storage ring. For that purpose, we used an in-plane polarized deuteron beam stored at the Cooler Synchrotron COSY, scanning momenta near 970 MeV/c. This entailed a scan of the spin precession frequency. At resonance between the spin precession frequency of deuterons and the ALP-induced EDM oscillation frequency there will be an accumulation of the polarization component out of the ring plane. Since the axion frequency is unknown, the momentum of the beam and consequently the spin precession frequency were ramped to search for a vertical polarization change that would occur when the resonance is crossed. At COSY, four beam bunches with different polarization directions were used to make sure that no resonance was missed because of the unknown relative phase between the polarization precession and the axion/ALP field. A frequency window of 1.5-kHz width around the spin precession frequency of 121 kHz was scanned. We describe the experimental procedure and a test of the methodology with the help of a radiofrequency Wien filter located on the COSY ring. No ALP resonance was observed. As a consequence an upper limit of the oscillating EDM component of the deuteron as well as its axion coupling constants are provided.Comment: 25 pages, 24 figures, 7 tables, 67 reference

BioSimulators: a central registry of simulation engines and services for recommending specific tools

Computational models have great potential to accelerate bioscience, bioengineering, and medicine. However, it remains challenging to reproduce and reuse simulations, in part, because the numerous formats and methods for simulating various subsystems and scales remain siloed by different software tools. For example, each tool must be executed through a distinct interface. To help investigators find and use simulation tools, we developed BioSimulators (https://biosimulators.org), a central registry of the capabilities of simulation tools and consistent Python, command-line and containerized interfaces to each version of each tool. The foundation of BioSimulators is standards, such as CellML, SBML, SED-ML and the COMBINE archive format, and validation tools for simulation projects and simulation tools that ensure these standards are used consistently. To help modelers find tools for particular projects, we have also used the registry to develop recommendation services. We anticipate that BioSimulators will help modelers exchange, reproduce, and combine simulations

Energetic particle influence on the Earth's atmosphere

This manuscript gives an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the effects of energetic particle precipitation (EPP) onto the whole atmosphere, from the lower thermosphere/mesosphere through the stratosphere and troposphere, to the surface. The paper summarizes the different sources and energies of particles, principally galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), solar energetic particles (SEPs) and energetic electron precipitation (EEP). All the proposed mechanisms by which EPP can affect the atmosphere are discussed, including chemical changes in the upper atmosphere and lower thermosphere, chemistry-dynamics feedbacks, the global electric circuit and cloud formation. The role of energetic particles in Earth’s atmosphere is a multi-disciplinary problem that requires expertise from a range of scientific backgrounds. To assist with this synergy, summary tables are provided, which are intended to evaluate the level of current knowledge of the effects of energetic particles on processes in the entire atmosphere

Racial differences in systemic sclerosis disease presentation: a European Scleroderma Trials and Research group study

Objectives. Racial factors play a significant role in SSc. We evaluated differences in SSc presentations between white patients (WP), Asian patients (AP) and black patients (BP) and analysed the effects of geographical locations.Methods. SSc characteristics of patients from the EUSTAR cohort were cross-sectionally compared across racial groups using survival and multiple logistic regression analyses.Results. The study included 9162 WP, 341 AP and 181 BP. AP developed the first non-RP feature faster than WP but slower than BP. AP were less frequently anti-centromere (ACA; odds ratio (OR) = 0.4, P < 0.001) and more frequently anti-topoisomerase-I autoantibodies (ATA) positive (OR = 1.2, P = 0.068), while BP were less likely to be ACA and ATA positive than were WP [OR(ACA) = 0.3, P < 0.001; OR(ATA) = 0.5, P = 0.020]. AP had less often (OR = 0.7, P = 0.06) and BP more often (OR = 2.7, P < 0.001) diffuse skin involvement than had WP.AP and BP were more likely to have pulmonary hypertension [OR(AP) = 2.6, P < 0.001; OR(BP) = 2.7, P = 0.03 vs WP] and a reduced forced vital capacity [OR(AP) = 2.5, P < 0.001; OR(BP) = 2.4, P < 0.004] than were WP. AP more often had an impaired diffusing capacity of the lung than had BP and WP [OR(AP vs BP) = 1.9, P = 0.038; OR(AP vs WP) = 2.4, P < 0.001]. After RP onset, AP and BP had a higher hazard to die than had WP [hazard ratio (HR) (AP) = 1.6, P = 0.011; HR(BP) = 2.1, P < 0.001].Conclusion. Compared with WP, and mostly independent of geographical location, AP have a faster and earlier disease onset with high prevalences of ATA, pulmonary hypertension and forced vital capacity impairment and higher mortality. BP had the fastest disease onset, a high prevalence of diffuse skin involvement and nominally the highest mortality

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)1.

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field