Med/Architecture: the Typological evolution of Paradoxical Buildings

“The challenge for all of us is to look back at history but envision the path ahead. There seems to be no question that our future depends on this vision” (Guenther, Vittori, 2008). This sentence summarizes the revolution that is happening in the world of healthcare architecture since few years. The development of the design of new hospital buildings is growing as well as the interest for the specific field. Flexibility, adaptability, cost effectiveness, standardization are just some of the criteria to which a new hospital nowadays has to respond. However, the architectonical research with the development of new plans for large hospitals is still prerogative of the northern European countries. In the southern countries of Europe the attention for this sector is still too much neglected and the solutions obsolete. Moreover, in this field often the architectonical solutions are the expression of political choices. In the Contemporary Age hospitals became complex bulwarks of science and medical technology. The era of designing them as techno-buildings has finished and Architecture is moving towards patient-oriented solutions, looking back at old and simpler typologies. However hospitals still remain paradoxical buildings. They have to be small in order to be more human and large and general for cost effectiveness. They have to be more open in their spatial layout, but also safe in order to avoid the spread of infections. They have to contain a high number of facilities and at the same time decentralize secondary departments in order to reduce the costs. This paper aims at analyzing some of the architectonical trends on going in hospital architecture, by looking back at the historical evolution of their typologies

Analysis of the regulation and function of the diguanylate cyclase DgcZ from Escherichia coli

Cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP) is a widespread second messenger regulating several processes including bacterial motility, biofilm formation, and virulence. The enzymes responsible for c-di-GMP production and degradation, diguanylate cyclases (DGCs) and phosphodiesterases (PDEs), respectively, are abundant and often present in multiple copies within bacterial genomes. DGCs possess a characteristic GGDEF domain, whereas PDEs have either an EAL or an HD-GYP domain. In the Escherichia coli K-12 strain MG1655, 29 proteins containing GGDEF and/or EAL domains have been identified. In E. coli, the diguanylate cyclase DgcZ (formerly YdeH) is the major DGC controlling the production of the exopolysaccharide poly-N-Acetylglucosamine (poly-GlcNAc, PGA), which is involved in biofilm formation. DgcZ contains a GGDEF domain, responsible for c-di-GMP production, and a sensory domain. First identified in the chemoreceptor TlpD of Helicobacter pylori, this domain was named chemoreceptor zinc-binding (CZB) domain after its capability to bind zinc. Researchers from the University of Basel’s Biozentrum solved the three-dimensional structure of the DgcZ protein and indeed found a zinc ion bound to the 3His/1Cys motif of the CZB domain. Additionally, zinc was shown to inhibit the activity of DgcZ in vitro with a subfemtomolar constant Ki. This study investigates the regulation and function of the diguanylate cyclase DgcZ in E. coli. To ascertain the role of zinc in the function of DgcZ activity in vivo, site-directed mutagenesis was employed to construct dgcZ alleles encoding protein variants with amino acid exchanges in the CZB domain involved in zinc coordination, thus reducing or abolishing binding. The activity of these DgcZ variants was derived by measuring the levels of PgaD, an enzyme involved in exopolysaccharide production, and of the exopolysaccharide poly-GlcNAc (PGA) produced, both proportional to DgcZ-derived c-di-GMP. Although single exchanges of zinc binding amino acids did not strongly affect the protein activity, a DgcZ variant carrying two such exchanges (H79L and H83L) displayed a significant increase of protein activity. The influence of zinc ions on DgcZ activity was further tested by applying increasing concentrations of ZnSO4 and measuring the ability of bacteria to form a PGA biofilm. Externally applied zinc inhibited PGA biofilm formation in a DgcZ- and c-di-GMP-dependent fashion. The evidence obtained in vivo therefore confirms the results from the in vitro experiments showing that the diguanylate cyclase DgcZ is allosterically regulated by zinc. The relevance of this regulatory mechanism is still unsettled, but potential explanations are that it might help the bacteria discriminate among different niches, characterized by high or low levels of zinc, or that it could “signal” the cell´s own physiological condition. Following these studies on allosteric regulation, the physiological role of DgcZ was examined, as its primary function and the conditions in which the protein is active are still not well defined. Analyses of DgcZ protein localization performed in this study revealed that a combination of carbon starvation and alkaline pH (8.7) induces localization at one bacterial cell pole. Polar localization occurred in non-dividing bacteria and disappeared after restoring nutrient-sufficient conditions. The role of this localization phenotype until now remains elusive. Further, Co-Immunoprecipitation analyses were performed and 11 proteins identified with a significant score. Among these, FrdB, a subunit of the fumarate reductase complex (FRD), interacted with DgcZ within a bacterial two-hybrid system. The FRD complex proved essential in the superoxide-stimulated increase of DgcZ-dependent biofilm, suggesting new roles of this complex and oxidative stress in DgcZ-mediated biofilm formation. Finally, the role of DgcZ in CpxAR-mediated surface adhesion was investigated, as it had already been established that dgcZ is transcriptionally regulated by this two-component system. The Cpx complex in turn had been shown to be responsible for surface sensing and to stimulate bacterial adhesion through an up to now unknown mechanism. This work reveals an involvement of DgcZ in Cpx-mediated surface adhesion, providing evidence for a physiological function of this diguanylate cyclase in connecting the processes of surface sensing and surface attachment

Make no bones about it: a study of the use of indirectness in invitations and proposals through WhatsApp

En este artículo nos proponemos analizar una selección de interacciones tomadas de diferentes grupos de WhatsApp para dar cuenta de las diferentes estrategias discursivas utilizadas por los participantes para hacer invitaciones o propuestas, utilizando los recursos que componen el paradigma de opciones de este medio de comunicación. Sostenemos que la indireccionalidad puede analizarse como un rasgo que se encuentra presente en todas las estrategias discursivas que emplean los participantes de una conversación con un propósito interaccional específico. Es decir, en toda estrategia discursiva analizada en el marco de una interacción es posible reconocer cierto grado de indireccionalidad. La metodología de trabajo que aplicamos es de tipo interpretativa y de análisis cualitativo de los datos. Caracterizaremos las estrategias con el propósito de establecer recurrencias y correlacionar las diferentes realizaciones con dos factores interaccionales: la preservación de la imagen propia y la reafirmación del vínculo con los otros participantes. A partir de los resultados obtenidos, concluimos que, aun cuando ambos factores están siempre presentes, a un mayor grado de indireccionalidad de la estrategia utilizada aumenta el propósito de reafirmar el vínculo y disminuye, en cierta medida, el de proteger la propia imagen.In this article we propose to analyze interactions taken from different groups of WhatsApp to account for the different discursive strategies used by the participants to make invitations or proposals, using the resources that make up the paradigm of options of this medium. We argue that indirectness can be analyzed as a feature that is present in all the discourse strategies that participants use in a conversation with a specific interactional purpose. That is, in any discursive strategy analyzed in the context of an interaction it is possible to recognize some degree of indirectness. The methodology we apply is interpretative and of qualitative analysis of the data. We will characterize the strategies with the purpose of establishing recurrences and correlating the different realizations with two interactional factors: the preservation of the own face and the reaffirmation of the relationship with the other participants. From the results obtained, we conclude that, although both factors are always present, a greater degree of indirectness of the strategy used increases the purpose of reaffirming the relationship at the expense of the protection of one’s face.Fil: Lacanna, Georgina Analía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Lingüística; Argentin

El fenómeno de la indireccionalidad en la interacción conversacional y su incumbencia en la clase de Español Lengua Segunda y Extranjera

El objetivo de este artículo es presentar una definición de indireccionalidad en tanto  fenómeno discursivo e interaccional y discutir la pertinencia de su incorporación en la clase de Español como Lengua Segunda y Extranjera (ELSE). Este fenómeno, de carácter gradual, se representa a través de una escala que permite evaluar el grado de indireccionalidad de toda estrategia discursiva en relación con el tipo de interpretación con la que se encuentra asociado. A partir de la aplicación de una propuesta de actividad didáctica en cuatro experiencias de clase, intentamos mostrar la relevancia de la indireccionalidad en la enseñanza del español rioplatense. Para ello apelamos a su ejemplificación a través de escenas provenientes de películas argentinas que nos proveen de acciones comunicativas debidamente contextualizadas y enmarcadas en contextos socioculturales concretos y variados.The goal of this paper is to present a definition of indirectness as a discursive and interactional phenomenon and to discuss the relevance of its incorporation into the Spanish Second and Foreign Language (SSFL) class. This phenomenon, of a gradual nature, is represented through a scale that allows evaluating the degree of indirectness of any discursive strategy in relation to the type of interpretation with which it is associated. Through the application of a didactic activity proposal in four class experiences, we seek to show the relevance of indirectness in the teaching of Rioplatense Spanish. In order to do so, we appeal to its exemplification through scenes from Argentine films that provide us with communicative actions, contextualized and framed in concrete and varied sociocultural contexts

The phenomenon of indirectness in conversational interaction and its role in Spanish Second and Foreign Language class

El objetivo de este artículo es presentar una definición de indireccionalidad en tanto fenómeno discursivo e interaccional y discutir la pertinencia de su incorporación en la clase de Español como Lengua Segunda y Extranjera (ELSE). Este fenómeno, de carácter gradual, se representa a través de una escala que permite evaluar el grado de indireccionalidad de toda estrategia discursiva en relación con el tipo de interpretación con la que se encuentra asociado. A partir de la aplicación de una propuesta de actividad didáctica en cuatro experiencias de clase, intentamos mostrar la relevancia de la indireccionalidad en la enseñanza del español rioplatense. Para ello apelamos a su ejemplificación a través de escenas provenientes de películas argentinas que nos proveen de acciones comunicativas debidamente contextualizadas y enmarcadas en contextos socioculturales concretos y variados.The goal of this paper is to present a definition of indirectness as a discursive and interactional phenomenon and to discuss the relevance of its incorporation into the Spanish Second and Foreign Language (SSFL) class. This phenomenon, of a gradual nature, is represented through a scale that allows evaluating the degree of indirectness of any discursive strategy in relation to the type of interpretation with which it is associated. Through the application of a didactic activity proposal in four class experiences, we seek to show the relevance of indirectness in the teaching of Rioplatense Spanish. In order to do so, we appeal to its exemplification through scenes from Argentine films that provide us with communicative actions, contextualized and framed in concrete and varied sociocultural contexts.Fil: Lacanna, Georgina Analía. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Lingüística; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Dynamic Identification as a Tool to Constrain Numerical Models for Structural Analysis of Historical Buildings

Operational modal analysis (OMA), also known as output-only or ambient vibration test (AVT), has become in last decades a powerful approach for a wide range of applications in the field of civil engineering. When historical structures are investigated this approach is particularly appealing avoiding shaking the structure artificially. This paper discusses the assessment of the dynamic behavior of the Baptistery of San Giovanni in Firenze (Italy). Based on experimental results obtained through a temporary network of seismic sensors, the enhanced frequency domain decomposition (EFDD) technique is employed to evaluate frequencies and mode shapes. These modal parameters are subsequently used to calibrate a 3D finite element (FE) model of the Baptistery. Genetic algorithm (GA) technique is employed for calibration, thus allowing to obtain an accurate and robust numerical model. To verify the effects introduced by the number of identified modal parameters on the model updating procedure several analyses are in addition performed. This paper, providing an illustrative case study in the field of health monitoring of monumental structures, confirms that the OMA technique is able to derive effective information on the dynamic behavior of historical buildings, which in turn is useful to tune reliable and robust numerical models to be employed for structural analysis

Analyse der von den polnischen Betreuerinnen für die häusliche Altenpflege in Deutschland benötigten kommunikativen Kompetenzen

Die häusliche Altenpflege wird vor allem von ausländischen weiblichen Betreuungskräften verrichtet, die weder sprachlich noch fachlich ausreichend vorbereitet sind. Da eine gelungene Kommunikation in der Pflege aber eine tragende Rolle spielt, stellt sich die Frage, wie die Betreuerinnen ihren beruflichen Alltag kommunikativ bewältigen können. Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit unterschiedlichen Aspekten der Kommunikation zwischen polnischen Haushaltspflegehilfen und deutschen Pflegebedürftigen sowie deren Angehörigen. Der Blick richtet sich dabei besonders auf die kommunikative Kompetenz der Betreuungskräfte. Diese Fokussierung auf die polnischen Haushaltspflegehilfen ist einerseits auf die Tatsache zurückzuführen, dass diese in der häuslichen Pflege als Gruppe stark vertreten sind, andererseits beruht sie auf den vielseitigen Beobachtungen der Problematik, ihrer Präsenz im gesellschaftlichen Diskurs in beiden Ländern sowie der Art und Weise, wie die polnischen Betreuerinnen und die deutschen Pflegebedürftigen und deren Familien einander wahrnehmen. Außerdem geht diese Arbeit der Frage nach, wie die polnischen Haushaltspflegehilfen auf angemessene Weise auf ihre Tätigkeit kommunikativ vorbereitet werden können. Sie untersucht die kommunikativen Situationen in der häuslichen Pflege. Das Hauptaugenmerk der empirischen Studie liegt darauf, die kommunikativen Handlungen, die von den polnischen Haushaltspflegehilfen als schwierig empfunden werden, zu ermitteln und zu beschreiben. Ziel war es, einen Plan für die sprachliche und kommunikative Vorbereitung der Haushaltspflegehilfen zu entwickeln. Dieser sollte empirisch fundiert sein, die besondere Situation der Haushaltspflegehilfen, ihre Vorlieben und ihre Möglichkeiten, Sprachen zu lernen, berücksichtigen und sich daran orientieren, für welche Situationen sie sich selbst eine bessere Vorbereitung wünschen. In der Studie wurde auch versucht, die Frage, welches Lehrangebot diese spezielle Berufsgruppe zufriedenstellen würde, zu beantworten