The German Paradox (A Problem in National Character)

ABSTRACT - There has been considerable argument since World War II over whether the concept of a national character, such as might distinguish the Germans, the Japanese, the Russians, or any other contemporary national group, has any reality in fact. The present paper, operating on the assumption that there is a distinctive German character, one essentially different from that of the English, the Italians, the French, or the Russians, seeks to show, in terms of the processes of culture defined by anthropology, where German uniqueness lies. This, it is contended, rests not so much in factors of native psychology and social organization as it does in geographic position and in the German position in the stream of European history. The marginal position of the Germans, both in time and space, is a vital element in producing both excellence and excess

Some Relations of School and Family in American Culture

Virtually any statement made about the contemporary American system of education can be subjected to infinite documentation. What the school should accomplish, what is has accomplished, what its curricula ought to be, how far it should or has become a kind of surrogate for the family, church or other institution, emerge as vital questions for the professional educators, questions, clearly, for which there is no single answer. Judgments become normative, ameliorative, critical, and certainly, nearly always fraught with overtones of emotionalism. This leaves the non-specialist who attempts to gain an over-view of the nature and image of the educator and his field in the dilemma of adequately finding his way. Still, the school is a social institution. As such, it can be subjected to analysis in quite the same behavioral terms as any other human group activity. Rather, therefore, than to move into the areas of the ideal-what a school and the system associated with it ought to be---it may be possible to consider the educational institutions in terms of their structure and function, thereby analyzing the interrelations between school system and other institutional facets of contemporary society. This paper is written from the point of view of the behavioral sciences, specifically, from the vantage point of the anthropologist whose concern lies in the comparison of the various aspects of human behavior at all times and places. For indeed, if a society seeks to learn about itself, it gains perspective only through an observation of alternative solutions to human problems which have been reached by human groups possessing different historical backgrounds and whose view of man, his nature and destiny, is couched in fundamental assumptions and premises different from those of Homo americanus

Microstructural evolution under low shear rates during Rheo processing of LM25 alloy

© ASM InternationalMicrostructural features of LM25 alloy processed by two different routes: (1) conventional casting, and(2)shear casting based on inclined heated surface are studied. The microstructures of the primary phase for the shear-cast samples show rosette or ellipsoidal morphologies. Heat transfer of contacting melt with the inclined tube surface and shear stress exerted on the layers of the melt as result of gravitational force are crucial parameters for the microstructural evolution. Compared to those produced by conventional casting, shear-cast samples have a much improved tensile strength and ductility due to globular microstructure

Cross-class metallo-β-lactamase inhibition by bisthiazolidines reveals multiple binding modes

Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) hydrolyze almost all β-lactam antibiotics and are unaffected by clinically available β-lactamase inhibitors (βLIs). Active-site architecture divides MBLs into three classes (B1, B2, and B3), complicating development of βLIs effective against all enzymes. Bisthiazolidines (BTZs) are carboxylate-containing, bicyclic compounds, considered as penicillin analogs with an additional free thiol. Here, we show both L- and D-BTZ enantiomers are micromolar competitive βLIs of all MBL classes in vitro, with Ki sof6-15 μM or 36-84 μM for subclass B1 MBLs (IMP-1 and BcII, respectively), and 10-12 μM for the B3 enzyme L1. Against the B2 MBL Sfh-I, the L-BTZ enantiomers exhibit 100-fold lower Ki s (0.26-0.36 μM) than D-BTZs (26-29 μM). Importantly, cell-based time-kill assays show BTZs restore β-lactam susceptibility of Escherichia coli-producing MBLs (IMP-1, Sfh-1, BcII, and GOB-18) and, significantly, an extensively drug-resistant Stenotrophomonas maltophilia clinical isolate expressing L1. BTZs therefore inhibit the full range of MBLs and potentiate β-lactam activity against producer pathogens. X-ray crystal structures reveal insights into diverse BTZ binding modes, varying with orientation of the carboxylate and thiol moieties. BTZs bind the di-zinc centers of B1 (IMP-1; BcII) and B3 (L1) MBLs via the free thiol, but orient differently depending upon stereochemistry. In contrast, the L-BTZ carboxylate dominates interactions with the monozinc B2 MBL Sfh-I, with the thiol uninvolved. D-BTZ complexes most closely resemble β-lactam binding to B1 MBLs, but feature an unprecedented disruption of the D120-zinc interaction. Cross-class MBL inhibition therefore arises from the unexpected versatility of BTZ binding.Fil: Hinchliffe, Philip. University of Bristol; Reino UnidoFil: Gonzalez, Javier Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Mojica, María. Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Estados Unidos. Case Western Reserve University; Estados UnidosFil: Gonzalez, Javier Marcelo. Universidad Nacional de Santiago del Estero. Instituto de Bionanotecnología del Noa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Bionanotecnología del Noa; ArgentinaFil: Castillo, Valerie. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Saiz Garcia, Cecilia. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Kosmopoulou, Magda. University of Bristol; Reino UnidoFil: Tooke, Catherine. University of Bristol; Reino UnidoFil: Llarrull, Leticia Irene. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Mahler, Graciela. Universidad de la República; UruguayFil: Bonomo, Robert. Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Estados Unidos. Case Western Reserve University; Estados UnidosFil: Vila, Alejandro Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Spencer, James. University of Bristol; Reino Unid

Heat Transfer to Fuel Sprays Injected into Heated Gases

This report presents the results of a study made of the influence of several variables on the pressure decrease accompanying injection of a relatively cool liquid into a heated compressed gas. Indirectly, this pressure decrease and the time rate of change of it are indicative of the total heat transferred as well as the rate of heat transfer between the gas and the injected liquid. Air, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide were used as ambient gases; diesel fuel and benzene were the injected liquids. The gas densities and gas-fuel ratios covered approximately the range used in compression-ignition engines. The gas temperatures ranged from 150 degrees c. to 350 degrees c

Anti-adenoviral artificial microRNAs Expressed from AAV9 vectors inhibit human adenovirus infection in immunosuppressed Syrian hamsters

Infections of immunocompromised patients with human adenoviruses (hAd) can develop into life-threatening conditions, whereas drugs with anti-adenoviral efficiency are not clinically approved and have limited efficacy. Small double-stranded RNAs that induce RNAi represent a new class of promising anti-adenoviral therapeutics. However, as yet, their efficiency to treat hAd5 infections has only been investigated in vitro. In this study, we analyzed artificial microRNAs (amiRs) delivered by self-complementary adeno-associated virus (scAAV) vectors for treatment of hAd5 infections in immunosuppressed Syrian hamsters. In vitro evaluation of amiRs targeting the E1A, pTP, IVa2, and hexon genes of hAd5 revealed that two scAAV vectors containing three copies of amiR-pTP and three copies of amiR-E1A, or six copies of amiR-pTP, efficiently inhibited hAd5 replication and improved the viability of hAd5-infected cells. Prophylactic application of amiR-pTP/amiR-E1A- and amiR-pTP-expressing scAAV9 vectors, respectively, to immunosuppressed Syrian hamsters resulted in the reduction of hAd5 levels in the liver of up to two orders of magnitude and in reduction of liver damage. Concomitant application of the vectors also resulted in a decrease of hepatic hAd5 infection. No side effects were observed. These data demonstrate anti-adenoviral RNAi as a promising new approach to combat hAd5 infection