Quid cantus rusticorum cum Ovidio? : über die Nibelungenrezeption um 1200

Norbert Voorwinden erörtert die These, Ovids "Metamorphosen" seien die wichtigste Stoffquelle für den Dichter des Nibelungenliedes gewesen. Er kommt zwar zum Schluss, dass diese These unhaltbar ist, zeigt jedoch an einigen Beispielen, daß Kenntnis der antiken Dichtung die Interpretation mancher dunklen Stellen im Nibelungenlied erleichtert

The privatised city:Technology and public-private partnerships in the smart city

The ‘smart city’ movement asks new questions about the role of private actors in urban governance. Smart technology providers, because of their unique position, influence policymaking through their products and services. Yet, the effect of this role on public values remains unaddressed. This article considers how the use of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in smart city development challenges public values, particularly accountability and transparency. It shows how both PPPs and smart cities frame for-profit firms as central actors in creating efficient and innovative public services and infrastructure. The risks privatisation poses for public values have to be reassessed, in light of the issue of vendor lock-in and the value-embedding capacity of technology. Furthermore, this article suggests that to mitigate such risks, data protection legislation is insufficient: the wider notion of publicisation, namely the extension of public norms to private actors acting for public purposes, needs to be re-examined in the context of the smart city. Therefore, this article contributes to the literature with a novel discussion of the possibilities and limits of using smart city PPPs as tools to safeguard public values

The Innovative Development of the Jacquard Weaving Machine in Japan

The Jacquard machine is an innovative automatic weaving device traditionally controlled by punching cards. It was invented by Joseph Jacquard and first exhibited at the Paris Exposition in 1801. The machine quickly became popular, mainly around Lyon, France. In Japan, the first Jacquard loom was brought from Lyon to Nishijin by Tsuneshichi Sakura and others in 1873. Since then, the Jacquard loom for Kimono has evolved in its unique way. Before the introduction of the Jacquard loom, there was already a difference between the European-style draw-loom and the Japanese sorabiki-bata. Therefore, the Jacquard system was adopted carefully in Japan and developed independently. To compare machines and textile designs, we will review patents and utility models related to Jacquard looms, many of which are from the Meiji era (1868 - 1912), to clarify how the European-style Jacquard looms were adapted to fit the Japanese style. The structure, mechanism, and design methods of the punch card of the Japanese Jacquard differ significantly from the European-style Jacquard looms that are currently widely used in Japan and abroad. In recent years, the computerization of Jacquard looms has progressed, and the punching cards of Japanese and European-style Jacquard looms have been converted into computer data. This allows for an easy comparison of the machine structures and design methods between the two. By comparing the Japanese and European-style Jacquard looms, we would like to clarify the reasons why the previous generation of engineers further developed the Japanese Jacquard loom and lead it to the development of new fabrics that utilize the strengths of both Japanese, and European-style Jacquard looms.Session IV : Textile Design in Global Contex

Decision making, outcomes and result disclosure in the field surrounding genetic counselling

This thesis focuses on new developments (techniques, outcomes, procedures) in the field surrounding genetic counselling, in need of further research, to become part of evidence-based practice. The main aims are to examine: 1) what determines intended participation in expanded carrier screening and can this be influenced by message framing and narrative information, 2) the psychometric properties, outcomes and counselees profiles with the Dutch version of the Genetic Counselling Outcome Scale (GCOS); a potential valuable outcome measure for genetic counselling measuring empowerment, and 3) the introduction of a choice to receive predictive DNA test results by letter or face-to-face for pre-symptomatic counselees at risk of hereditary cancer compared to the traditional protocol in which counselees have to receive the results face-to-face by default

Cognitive and affective outcomes of genetic counselling in the Netherlands at group and individual level:a personalized approach seems necessary

We performed a large outcome study at group and individual level in which the goals of genetic counselling were operationalized into cognitive and affective outcomes: empowerment, perceived personal control and anxiety. We then examined which socio-demographic and clinical variables were associated with changes in these outcomes. Data came from 1479 counselees who completed questionnaires (GCOS-18, PPC and STAI) at three time points: before the start of genetic counselling, after the first consultation and after the results of genetic counselling were disclosed. Results showed that at group level empowerment, perceived personal control and anxiety improved significantly after the whole genetic counselling process. Effect-sizes were medium for empowerment and small for the other outcomes. At individual level, 48% of counselees improved in empowerment, 21% in perceived personal control and 17% in anxiety. Around 10% of counselees worsened on all outcomes. Only 'reason for referral' and 'genetic test result' were significantly associated with changes in outcomes. This study demonstrated improvements among counselees in cognitive and affective outcomes after genetic counselling at group level. However, our results also suggest that there are opportunities for improvement at individual level, as many counselees remained stable and some even worsened on all outcomes. Routine outcome monitoring could help to explore the needs of counselees and could help to identify counselees who worsen.</p

Prognostic Factors for Distress After Genetic Testing for Hereditary Cancer

The psychological impact of an unfavorable genetic test result for counselees at risk for hereditary cancer seems to be limited: only 10-20 % of counselees have psychological problems after testing positive for a known familial mutation. The objective of this study was to find prognostic factors that can predict which counselees are most likely to develop psychological problems after presymptomatic genetic testing. Counselees with a 50 % risk of BRCA1/2 or Lynch syndrome completed questionnaires at three time-points: after receiving a written invitation for a genetic counseling intake (T1), 2-3 days after receiving their DNA test result (T2), and 4-6 weeks later (T3). The psychological impact of the genetic test result was examined shortly and 4-6 weeks after learning their test result. Subsequently, the influence of various potentially prognostic factors on psychological impact were examined in the whole group. Data from 165 counselees were analyzed. Counselees with an unfavorable outcome did not have more emotional distress, but showed significantly more cancer worries 4-6 weeks after learning their test result. Prognostic factors for cancer worries after genetic testing were pre-existing cancer worries, being single, a high risk perception of getting cancer, and an unfavorable test result. Emotional distress was best predicted by pre-existing cancer worries and pre-existing emotional distress. The psychological impact of an unfavorable genetic test result appears considerable if it is measured as "worries about cancer." Genetic counselors should provide additional guidance to counselees with many cancer worries, emotional distress, a high risk perception or a weak social network

Anabaptist Spirituality and the Heidelberg Catechism

Although the Anabaptists are not explicitly mentioned in the Heidelberg Catechism, it is generally acknowledged that the catechism influenced by the debates with the so-called radical reformation. This paper assesses Zacharias Ursinus’ Commentary on the Heidelberg Catechism and the report of the 1571 Frankenthal disputation in order to get a clearer picture of this influence. It concludes that the implicit polemics against the Anabaptists regard the relationship between the Old and the New Testaments and Christology. The spirituality of the Heidelberg Catechism stresses the continuity between creation and recreation, between ‘Paradise Lost’ and ‘Paradise Regained’. Over against the restitution of the church it advocates its reformation and instead of a new creation it expects the redemption of the fallen world from the power of sin and death