Communication and language in Niklas Luhmann's systems theory

This article investigates the function and reality of language in Niklas Luhmann's systems theory. How can one interpret the systems-theoretical assumption that language is based on communication? Luhmann describes language as a dynamic media/form relationship, which is able to couple the social and psychological system. This structural coupling, which constructs consciousness and language as two autonomous systems, raises problems if one defines language from a cognitive point of view. This article discusses these problems and aims to develop assumptions and questions within the systems-theoretical approach.O presente artigo investiga a função e realidade da linguagem na teoria dos sistemas de Niklas Luhmann. Como se pode interpretar a suposição sistêmico-teórica de que a linguagem é baseada na comunicação? Luhmann descreve a linguagem como uma relação dinâmica entre meio e forma, a qual é capaz de ligar o sistema social e psicológico. Essa conexão estrutural, que constroi a consciência e a linguagem como dois sistemas autônomos, gera problemas quando se define a linguagem do ponto de vista cognitivo. Este artigo discute tais problemas e pretende desenvolver suposições e questões a partir da própria abordagem sistêmico-teórica

Theodor Fontane's representation of monuments in the Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg

Theodor Fontane war ein passionierter Besucher und Kenner historischer Denkmäler. Auch seine Texte weisen seine Begeisterung für das Historische auf, wie sein Werk Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg mit seinen enthalten zahlreiche Referenzen auf Skulpturen, Obelisken, Kirchen und Museen besonders gut demonstriert. In diesem Artikel soll gezeigt werden, dass Fontanes Beschreibungen der dortigen Monumente eine spezifische Sicht auf historische Erinnerungsstätten aufweisen, die eine teleologische und nationale Sichtweise auf die Geschichte zum Teil unterwandern. Fontanes Denkmäler repräsentieren vielmehr einen mehrdimensionalen Geschichtsperspektivismus, in dem eschatologische, allegorische und arabeske Geschichtsmodelle gegeneinander konkurrieren.Theodor Fontane was a passionate visitor of historical monuments, and his text Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg entail many references to sculptures, obelisks, churches, and museums. Fontane's description of monuments represents a specific view on history, which undermines a teleological perspective on the past. The article shows that Fontane's monuments embody eschatological, allegorical, and arabesque interpretations of the past, which in turn poetizes and de-historizes history

Einfluss von Diäten aus konventioneller und biologischer Erzeugung auf Fruchtbarkeitsparameter bei Kaninchen

In order to test the effect of organic vs. conventional diets on fertility traits, we conducted an on-farm study with female rabbits. Eight groups of seven to eight female rabbits kept in systems with litter were fed ad libitum with either organic or conventional pellets. Offspring was weaned with approx. 28 days. In the first series analysed, the conception rate was higher in the conventional groups. Diet type had no significant influence on that trait. Nevertheless, a significant influence of diet on litter size was found: organically fed female rabbits produced more offspring per litter. The organic groups also showed higher rates of weaned animals, despite of a slightly higher mortality of offspring in these groups, but differences for both traits were not significant compared to conventional animals. Inconsistency of findings in the first series of this study concerning the effect of different diets on fertility traits were also found in literature. Data from the currently running second series will show whether the slightly positive effect of organic diet will become more evident

Introduction: Debating Drones: Politics, Media, and Aesthetics

Introductio

The Advocate

Headlines Include: Laurels For Feerick: An Alumnus To Remember; Crime at Fordham; Who\u27s Next?, Film at 11https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/student_the_advocate/1007/thumbnail.jp

Hydrocephalus, cerebral vasospasm, and delayed cerebral ischemia following non-aneurysmatic spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhages: an underestimated problem

Non-aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (NASAH) is rare and mostly benign. However, complications such as cerebral vasospasm (CV), delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), or post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (HC) may worsen the prognosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the rate of these complications comparing perimesencephalic (PM) and non-perimesencephalic (NPM) SAH. Monocentric, retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with NASAH from 01/2010 to 01/2021. Diagnosis was set only if vascular pathologies were excluded in at least one digital subtraction angiography, and NASAH was confirmed by cranial computed tomography (cCT) or lumbar puncture (LP). One hundred patients (62 female) with a mean age of 54.9 years (27–84) were identified. Seventy-three percent had a World Federation of Neurological Surgeons (WFNS) grading scale score I, while 9% were WFNS score IV or V at the time of admission. SAH was diagnosed by cCT in 86%, in 14% by lumbar puncture. Twenty-five percent necessitated short-term CSF diversion by extraventricular drainage or lumbar drainage, whereof 7 suffered from long-term HC treated with ventriculoperitoneal shunting (VPS). One patient without a short-term CSF drainage developed long-term HC. Ten percent developed CV, four of whom received intraarterial spasmolysis. Radiological DCI was diagnosed in 2%; none of these correlated with CV. Despite a mortality of 3% occurring solely in NPM SAH, the analyzed complication rate was comparable in both groups. We observed post-hemorrhagic complications in 35% of cases during the first 3 weeks after bleeding, predominantly in patients with NPM SAH. For this reason, close observation and cranial imaging within this time may be indicated not to overlook these complications

Automated Counting of Bacterial Colony Forming Units on Agar Plates

Manual counting of bacterial colony forming units (CFUs) on agar plates is laborious and error-prone. We therefore implemented a colony counting system with a novel segmentation algorithm to discriminate bacterial colonies from blood and other agar plates

Investigating face-property specific processing in the right OFA

Within the neural face-processing network, the right occipital face area (rOFA) plays a prominent role, and it has been suggested that it receives both feed-forward and re-entrant feedback from other face sensitive areas. Its functional role is less well understood and whether the rOFA is involved in the initial analysis of a face stimulus or in the detailed integration of different face properties remains an open question. The present study investigated the functional role of the rOFA with regard to different face properties (identity, expression, and gaze) using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Experiment 1 showed that the rOFA integrates information across different face properties: performance for the combined processing of identity and expression decreased after TMS to the rOFA, while no impairment was seen in gaze processing. In Experiment 2 we examined the temporal dynamics of this effect. We pinpointed the impaired integrative computation to 170 ms post stimulus presentation. Together the results suggest that TMS to the rOFA affects the integrative processing of facial identity and expression at a mid-latency processing stage

The diagnosis and management of patients with idiopathic osteolysis

Idiopathic osteolysis or disappearing bone disease is a condition characterized by the spontaneous onset of rapid destruction and resorption of a single bone or multiple bones. Disappearing bone disorder is a disease of several diagnostic types. We are presenting three patients with osteolysis who have different underlying pathological features. Detailed phenotypic assessment, radiologic and CT scanning, and histological and genetic testing were the baseline diagnostic tools utilized for diagnosis of each osteolysis syndrome. The first patient was found to have Gorham-Stout syndrome (non-heritable). The complete destruction of pelvic bones associated with aggressive upward extension to adjacent bones (vertebral column and skull base) was notable and skeletal angiomatosis was detected. The second patient showed severe and aggressive non-hereditary multicentric osteolysis with bilateral destruction of the hip bones and the tarsal bones as well as a congenital unilateral solitary kidney and nephropathy. The third patient was phenotypically and genotypically compatible with Winchester syndrome resulting in multicentric osteolysis (autosomal recessive). Proven mutation of the (MMP2-Gen) was detected in this third patient that was associated with 3MCC deficiency (3-Methylcrontonyl CoA Carboxylase deficiency). The correct diagnoses in our 3 patients required the exclusion of malignant osteoclastic tumours, inflammatory disorders of bone, vascular disease, and neurogenic arthropathies using history, physical exam, and appropriate testing and imaging. This review demonstrates how to evaluate and treat these complex and difficult patients. Lastly, we described the various management procedures and treatments utilized for these patients