Golding\u27s The Spire as an Architectonic Novel

In his article Golding\u27s The Spire as an Architectonic Novel Stephan Schaffrath analyzes William Golding\u27s work as an excellent example of one of Mikhail Bakhtin\u27s early critical concepts. In contrast to most literary entertainment which thrives on the readers\u27 suspension of disbelief, The Spire challenges readers to actively and consciously interpret its text, thus raising readers\u27 awareness as participants in the reading act. The Spire achieves this by presenting readers with a novelistic world seen more or less through the eyes of a pseudo narrator, a third-person narration style that consistently and regularly — yet subtly — delves into the main character\u27s mind. The Spire constitutes a commentary on the human tendency to take positivistic shortcuts in epistemological endeavors by building into its narrative fabric Bakhtin\u27s notion of the once-occurrent, never-repeatable nature of one and every act

Guidelines and Recommendations on Yeast Cell Death Nomenclature

Elucidating the biology of yeast in its full complexity has major implications for science, medicine and industry. One of the most critical processes determining yeast life and physiology is cellular demise. However, the investigation of yeast cell death is a relatively young field, and a widely accepted set of concepts and terms is still missing. Here, we propose unified criteria for the definition of accidental, regulated, and programmed forms of cell death in yeast based on a series of morphological and biochemical criteria. Specifically, we provide consensus guidelines on the differential definition of terms including apoptosis, regulated necrosis, and autophagic cell death, as we refer to additional cell death routines that are relevant for the biology of (at least some species of) yeast. As this area of investigation advances rapidly, changes and extensions to this set of recommendations will be implemented in the years to come. Nonetheless, we strongly encourage the authors, reviewers and editors of scientific articles to adopt these collective standards in order to establish an accurate framework for yeast cell death research and, ultimately, to accelerate the progress of this vibrant field of research

Guidelines and recommendations on yeast cell death nomenclature

Elucidating the biology of yeast in its full complexity has major implications for science, medicine and industry. One of the most critical processes determining yeast life and physiology is cel-lular demise. However, the investigation of yeast cell death is a relatively young field, and a widely accepted set of concepts and terms is still missing. Here, we propose unified criteria for the defi-nition of accidental, regulated, and programmed forms of cell death in yeast based on a series of morphological and biochemical criteria. Specifically, we provide consensus guidelines on the differ-ential definition of terms including apoptosis, regulated necrosis, and autophagic cell death, as we refer to additional cell death rou-tines that are relevant for the biology of (at least some species of) yeast. As this area of investigation advances rapidly, changes and extensions to this set of recommendations will be implemented in the years to come. Nonetheless, we strongly encourage the au-thors, reviewers and editors of scientific articles to adopt these collective standards in order to establish an accurate framework for yeast cell death research and, ultimately, to accelerate the pro-gress of this vibrant field of research

The Methodology of Architectonic Truth-Finding in Grass\u27s The Tin Drum (Die Blechtrommel)

Stephan Schaffrath, in his paper The Methodology of Architectonic Truth-Finding in Grass\u27s The Tin Drum (Die Blechtrommel), discusses how Günter Grass\u27s The Tin Drum (Die Blechtrommel) negotiates the treacherous terrains that lie between positivism and nihilistic relativism by means of a truth-finding methodology. Schaffrath proposes that truth-finding methodology applies approximative, and therefore architectonic, approaches to conventional concepts of narration and history. Grass\u27s novel breaks down and reassembles playfully the conventions of narration and history, not to negate or devalue them, but to reappraise them by means of an approximative truth-finding methodology, an approach that corresponds to Mikhail Bakhtin\u27s concept of the architectonic. An architectonic historical narrative is achieved here by re-creating consciously recent German history instead of a conventional historical narration that claims a certain degree of objectivity. Grass shows us that the genre of the novel can indeed convey history in a fictitious format (an otherwise standard recognition in the humanities today), yet be a useful and insightful medium to those who wish to learn about history in the sense of a factual genre. Grass achieves this by educating his readers about the fine line between fact and fiction as he interweaves a most intricate epistemological commentary into the narrative of his narrator

A simple protocol for venom peptide barcoding in scorpions

Scorpion venoms contain many species-specific peptides which target ion channels in cell membranes. Without harming the scorpions, these peptides can easily be extracted and detected by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. So far, only few studies compared the venom of different species solely for taxonomic purposes. Here, we describe a very simple protocol for venom extraction and mass fingerprinting that was developed for peptide barcoding (venom code for species identification) and facilitates reproducibility if sample preparation is performed under field conditions. This approach may serve as suitable basis for a taxonomy-oriented scorpion toxin database that interacts with MALDI-TOF mass spectra

Intraspecific venom variation in southern African scorpion species of the genera Parabuthus, Uroplectes and Opistophthalmus (Scorpiones: Buthidae, Scorpionidae)

Scorpion venoms comprise cocktails of proteins, peptides, and other molecules used for immobilizing prey and deterring predators. The composition and efficacy of scorpion venoms appears to be taxon-specific due to a coevolutionary arms race with prey and predators that adapt at the molecular level. The taxon-specific components of scorpion venoms can be used as barcodes for species identification if the amount of intraspecific variation is low and the analytical method is fast, inexpensive and reliable. The present study assessed the extent of intraspecific variation in newly regenerated venom collected in the field from geographically separated populations of four southern African scorpion species: three buthids, Parabuthus granulatus (Ehrenberg, 1831), Uroplectes otjimbinguensis (Karsch, 1879), and Uroplectes planimanus (Karsch, 1879), and one scorpionid, Opistophthalmus carinatus (Peters, 1861). Although ion signal patterns were generally similar among venom samples of conspecific individuals from different populations, MALDI-TOF mass spectra in the mass range m/z 700-10,000 revealed only a few ion signals that were identical suggesting that species identification based on simple venom mass fingerprints (MFPs) will be more reliable if databases contain data from multiple populations. In general, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) of the ion signals in mass spectra was more reliable for species identification than counts of mass-identical substances in MFPs. The statistical approach revealed conclusive information about intraspecific diversity. In combination with a comprehensive database of MALDI-TOF mass spectra in reflectron mode, HCA may offer a method for rapid species identification based on venom MFPs. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

New data for action. Data collection for KiGGS Wave 2 has been completed

The fieldwork of the second follow-up to the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) was completed in August 2017. KiGGS is part of the Robert Koch Institute’s Federal Health Monitoring. The study consists of the KiGGS cross-sectional component (a nationally representative, periodic crosssectional survey of children and adolescents aged between 0 and 17) and the KiGGS cohort (the follow-up into adulthood of participants who took part in the KiGGS baseline study). KiGGS collects data on health status, healthrelated behaviour, psychosocial risk and protective factors, health care and the living conditions of children and adolescents in Germany. The first interview and examination survey (the KiGGS baseline study; undertaken between 2003 and 2006; n=17,641; age range: 0-17) was carried out in a total of 167 sample points in Germany. Physical examinations, laboratory analyses of blood and urine samples and various physical tests were conducted with the participants and, in addition, all parents and participants aged 11 or above were interviewed. The first follow-up was conducted via telephone-based interviews (KiGGS Wave 1 2009-2012; n=11,992; age range: 6-24) and an additional sample was included (n=4,455; age range: 0-6). KiGGS Wave 2 (2014-2017) was conducted as an interview and examination survey and consisted of a new, nationwide, representative cross-sectional sample of 0- to 17-year-old children and adolescents in Germany, and the second KiGGS cohort follow-up. The completion of the cross-sectional component of KiGGS Wave 2 means that the health of children and adolescents in Germany can now be assessed using representative data gained from three study waves. Trends can therefore be analysed over a period stretching to over ten years now. As the data collected from participants of the KiGGS cohort can be individually linked across the various surveys, in-depth analyses can be conducted for a period ranging from childhood to young adulthood and developmental processes associated with physical and mental health and the associated risk and protective factors can be explored. As such, KiGGS Wave 2 expands the resources available to health reporting, as well as policy planning and research, with regard to assessing the health of children and adolescents in Germany

Neue Daten für Taten. Die Datenerhebung zur KiGGS Welle 2 ist beendet

Im August 2017 wurde die Feldphase der zweiten Folgeerhebung der Studie zur Gesundheit von Kindern und Jugendlichen in Deutschland (KiGGS) beendet. KiGGS wird im Rahmen des bundesweiten Gesundheitsmonitorings am Robert Koch-Institut durchgeführt. Die Studie beinhaltet wiederholt durchgeführte, für Deutschland repräsentative Querschnitterhebungen bei Kindern und Jugendlichen von 0 bis 17 Jahren (KiGGS-Querschnitt) und die Weiterbeobachtung der Teilnehmenden der KiGGS-Basiserhebung bis ins Erwachsenenalter (KiGGS-Kohorte). Es werden Daten zum Gesundheitszustand, zum Gesundheitsverhalten, zu psychosozialen Schutz- und Risikofaktoren, zur Gesundheitsversorgung und zu den Lebensbedingungen der Kinder und Jugendlichen in Deutschland erhoben. Der erste Untersuchungs- und Befragungssurvey (KiGGS-Basiserhebung, 2003 – 2006; n = 17.641; Altersbereich 0 – 17 Jahre) wurde in insgesamt 167 Städten und Gemeinden in Deutschland durchgeführt. Neben körperlichen Untersuchungen, Laboranalysen und verschiedenen Tests wurden die Eltern und zusätzlich ab 11 Jahren die Teilnehmenden selbst befragt. Die erste Wiederbefragung der Studienpopulation fand im Rahmen der KiGGS Welle 1 (2009 – 2012; n = 11.992; Altersbereich 6 – 24 Jahre) als telefonbasiertes Interview statt; zusätzlich wurde eine neue Stichprobe einbezogen (n = 4.455; Altersbereich 0 – 6 Jahre). Die als Untersuchungs- und Befragungssurvey durchgeführte KiGGS Welle 2 (2014 – 2017) setzt sich zusammen aus einer neuen bundesweit repräsentativen Querschnittstudie für 0- bis 17-jährige Kinder und Jugendliche in Deutschland und dem zweiten Follow-up der KiGGS-Kohorte. Mit Abschluss der Querschnittstudie von KiGGS Welle 2 ist es möglich, auf der Basis von repräsentativen Daten von drei Messzeitpunkten, Aussagen zur gesundheitlichen Lage der Kinder und Jugendlichen in Deutschland zu treffen. Es können Trends über einen Zeitraum von etwas mehr als zehn Jahren berichtet werden. Die individuell verknüpfbaren Erhebungen der KiGGS-Kohorte bieten zusätzlich die Möglichkeit für vertiefende Analysen von Entwicklungsverläufen der körperlichen und psychischen Gesundheit und deren Schutz- und Risikofaktoren von der Kindheit bis ins junge Erwachsenenalter. Mit der KiGGS Welle 2 erweitern sich die Datenressourcen zur Einschätzung der gesundheitlichen Situation in der Gruppe der Kinder und Jugendlichen in Deutschland für die Gesundheitsberichterstattung, Politikplanung und Forschung