Erziehung in einer biologisch determinierten Welt. Herausforderung für die Theoriebildung einer evolutionären Pädagogik aus biologischer Perspektive

[Die Autoren] benennen vier Herausforderungen für die Theoriebildung einer evolutionären Pädagogik, die sich aus dem Theoriefortschritt der Biowissenschaften ergeben: Subjektiv wahrgenommene Autonomie - konstitutiv für die Pädagogik - stößt auf biologische Determination. Belehrbarkeit - grundlegend für pädagogisches Handeln - scheint biologisch unwahrscheinlich; Vorbereitung auf zukünftiges Leben - eine Zielperspektive von Erziehung - bedient sich biologisch historischer Information; und schließlich ist die Begegnung zwischen Biologie und Erziehungswissenschaft zwangsläufig mit der Seins-/ Sollens-Aporie belastet. [Die Autoren] sehen in diesen Konfrontationen theoretische Herausforderungen für die weitere Entwicklung evolutionärer Pädagogik. (DIPF/Orig.)The authors designate four challenges for a theory of evolutionary pedagogics which result from the theoretical progress made in biological science: subjectively perceived autonomy – constitutive for pedagogics – meets with biological determination; teachability – fundamental for pedagogical action – seems biologically unlikely; preparation for future life – a target perspective of education – uses biological-historical information; and finally, the meeting of biology and pedagogcis is necessarily burdened with the reality-norm-dilemma. These confrontations are considered theoretical challenges for the further development of evolutionary pedagogy. (DIPF/Orig.

"The husband’s mother is the devil in house" - Data on the impact of the mother-in-law on stillbirth mortality in historical Krummhörn (C18-C19 Germany) and some thoughts on the evolution of postgenerative female life

-Germany

Opposite effects of maternal and paternal grandmothers on infant survival in historical Krummhörn

On the basis of church register entries from the Krummhörn region (Ostfriesland, Germany, 1720-1874) we looked at the question whether the existence or non-existence of grandmothers had an impact on the reproductive success of a family. We found that fertility (measured by intervals between births) was not influenced by grandmothers. However, maternal grandmothers tended to reduce infant mortality when the children were between six and twelve months of age. During these six months, the relative risk of dying was approximately 1.8 times higher if the maternal grandmother was dead at the time of the child’s birth compared to if she was alive. Interestingly, the existence of paternal grandmothers approximately doubled the relative risk of infant mortality during the first month of life. We interpret this as being the result of a tense relationship between mother- and daughter- in-laws. We found that Krummhörn grandmothers could be both helpful and a hindrance at the same time. Geographic proximity tended to increase the effects found. If this ambivalent impact of grandmothers on familial reproduction could be generalized beyond the Krummhörn population, the hypothesis that the evolution of the postgenerative life span could be explained by grandmotherly kin-effects would have to be stated more precisely: the costs of social stress in the male descendency would have to be subtracted from the benefits of aid and assistance in the female descendency. At any rate, the Krummhörn data do not offer a role model for grandmothers who provide unconditional assistance, an effort which in itself could have explained the evolutionary extension of the human life span.

A multilevel event history analysis of the effects of grandmothers on child mortality in a historical German population

We analyzed data from the historic population of the Krummhörn (Ostfriesland, Germany, 1720-1874) to determine the effects of grandparents in general and grandmothers in particular on child mortality. Multilevel event-history models were used to test how the survival of grandparents in general influenced the survival of the children. Random effects were included in some models in order to take the potentially influential effect of unobserved heterogeneity into account. It could be shown that while maternal grandmothers indeed improved the child’s survival, paternal grandmothers worsened it. Both grandfathers had no effect. These findings are not only in accordance with the assumptions of the "grandmother hypothesis" but also may be interpreted as hints for differential grandparental investment strategies."evil mother-in-law", child mortality, Germany, grandmother hypothesis, grandparents, infant and child mortality, kin selection, Krummhörn, life history theory, menopause, multilevel event history models

A multilevel event history analysis of the effects of grandmothers on child mortality in a historical German population (Krummhörn, Ostfriesland, 1720-1874)

We analyzed data from the historic population of the Krummhörn (Ostfriesland, Germany, 1720-1874) to determine the effects of grandparents in general and grandmothers in particular on child mortality. Multilevel event-history models were used to test how the survival of grandparents in general influenced the survival of the children. Random effects were included in some models in order to take the potentially influential effect of unobserved heterogeneity into account. It could be shown that while maternal grandmothers indeed improved the child’s survival, paternal grandmothers worsened it. Both grandfathers had no effect. These findings are not only in accordance with the assumptions of the “grandmother hypothesis” but also may be interpreted as hints for differential grandparental investment strategies.

Genese und Geltung – Das Legitimationsdilemma der Evolutionären Ethik und ein Vorschlag zu seiner Überwindung

In dieser Arbeit wird die Position verteidigt, in der Evolutionären Ethik die Trennung zwischen Fakten und Normen einzuebnen, weil moralische Subjekte faktisch (und nicht etwa normativ) ihren moralischen Intuitionen unterliegen. Diese sind nicht-rationalen Ursprungs und gehören als neuronale Prozesse zur Natur des Menschen. Als biologische Merkmale können moralische Intuitionen nicht Gegenstand der Frage nach normativer Geltung sein

Learning in the Community

Community educators refer fondly to William Carr\u27s words as the drawbridge analogy. As community involvement specialists, they are committed to keeping the drawbridge down, so that adults from the mainland can both provide and use resources in the school, and so that young people from the school can go regularly to the mainland, learning to apply and understand-what they have read in their books

Stability, vibration and passive damping of partially restrained imperfect columns

A theoretical and experimental study of slender tubular columns for possible use in space structures is conducted in the presence of partial rotational end restraints. Explicit formulas are derived for computing the buckling load and the lowest natural frequency of perfectly straight uniform elastic members with rotational end restraints possessing linear moment-rotation characteristics. An exact solution in the form of a transcendental equation, and a numerical solution using second-order finite-differences are also presented. The presence of an initial imperfection is also incorporated into the numerical procedure. Vibration tests are conducted on an imperfect tubular steel member in the absence of an axial load. A damping concept consisting of a string-mass assembly is explored. Three passive damping configurations involving combinations of three lead shots were investigated. The three lead shot configurations provided considerably greater damping than the single lead shot

Correlation of Matrix Metalloproteinases and Tissue Inhibitors of Matrix Metalloproteinase Expression in Ileal Carcinoids, Lymph Nodes and Liver Metastasis with Prognosis and Survival

Purpose: Ileal carcinoids are gut epithelial tumors originating from serotonin-containing enterochromaffin (EC) cells. Therapeutic options for effectively inhibiting the growth and spread of metastatic carcinoids are still limited. We aimed to identify the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their endogenous tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) during tumor development and metastasis. Patients and Methods: Tissue samples were obtained from surgically treated patients. Expression of the EC-cell marker, vesicular monoamine transporter-1 (VMAT-1), was used to verify ileal carcinoids. We investigated the differential expression of MMP-2, 7, 9, 11, and 13 and their endogenous inhibitors (TIMP-1, 2, and 3) by quantitative real-time RT-PCR in 25 primary tumors, their corresponding lymph node metastases and/or liver metastases and matched normal mucosa. Results: Significantly increased expression of VMAT-1, MMP-2, MMP-11, TIMP-1 and TIMP-3 was determined by quantitative RT-PCR in EC-cell carcinoids compared to normal intestinal mucosa (p < 0.05). In contrast, MMP-2 and MMP-9 as well as TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and TIMP-3 expression in primary tumors of patients with liver metastases (M1) was significantly lower than in patients lacking liver metastases (M0). EC-cell tumors were significantly larger in the M1 group of tumors, while VMAT-1 expression was significantly decreased. We found an inverse correlation between tumor size and prognosis. Univariate analysis further revealed that decreased expression of VMAT-1, MMP-2 and TIMP-3 in primary tumors was significantly associated with a reduced survival time of the patients. Conclusion: Our data reveal that MMP-2 and TIMP-3 expression together with VMAT-1 expression are of potential prognostic and clinical value in ileal carcinoids. Copyright (C) 2008 S. Karger AG, Base

...scheuen das Licht der Öffentlichkeit: eine kurze Geschichte des Liebesbriefs

'Im Liebesbrief manifestiert sich die privateste und intimste Form schriftlicher Nachrichtenübermittlung. Er war im Laufe der Zeit sowohl kultur- als auch bedeutungsgeschichtlichen Modifikationen unterworfen. Entgegen vielfach geäußerter Prognosen ist er nie ausgestorben, ein stetiger Wandel in seiner Gestalt ist allerdings unübersehbar.' (Autorenreferat