"Diederich und sein Prolet”. Zur judenfeindlichen Markierung Napoleon Fischers in Heinrich Manns Untertan

In the few existing studies on Jewish characters in Heinrich Mann's narratives, the novel Der Untertan, written between 1912 and 1914, is cited as evidence that by this time, the author had overcome the blatant antisemitism expressed in his early essays. Yet an analysis of the social democrat Napoleon Fischer, a character neglected in the studies mentioned, contradicts this assumption: With his black skin and beard, his deformed arms and legs, his affinity to betrayal and falseness and his craving for power, Fischer bears the marks of a traditional ‹dangerous Jew', thereby confirming the notion of social democracy being a ‹party of Jews

Multiplexed microfabricated cell culture device for stem cell process development

In this thesis, a multiplexed micro-fabricated cell culture device is presented to probe the soluble micro-environment of stem cells. A large number of biological, physical and chemical variables determine the micro-environment of stem cells and affect therefore their fate. The soluble micro-environment is believed to play a pivotal role in controlling stem cell fate and its optimisation may therefore allow exploitation of applications such as regenerative medicine or drug discovery. However, novel tools are required to probe and optimise the soluble micro-environment. The ability to move small volumes of liquid and the minimal use of resources are important characteristics of microfluidic systems and thus, they are perfectly suited to study the micro-environment of stem cells. A microfluidic cell culture device must ful fil three important requirements to be of utility in stem cell bioprocess development. The first aspect addresses the need for adaptability and flexibility to implement changes in microfluidic designs to take account of the rapid progress in stem cell research. To this end, a packaging solution specifi cally designed for a microfluidic cell culture device has been developed. The packaging system has thus been complemented with a rapid fabrication method using a micro-milling machine to quickly fabricate disposable and easily reconfi gurable microfluidic chips. The packaging solution has a maximum burst pressure of approximately 7.5 bar and the fabrication method has a dimensional fidelity with less than 10% deviation from the nominal value. The second aspect focuses on the scalability and comparability of results and the feasibility of continuous culture of stem cells - both critical elements for the success of a microfluidic cell culture system for stem cell bioprocess development. A novel cell seeding method has been developed using a pipette to directly and carefully seed cells into a culture chamber within a microfluidic cell culture device. To prevent a wash-out of viable cells during continuous culture, a low hydrodynamic shear stress microfluidic chip has been developed. The cell culture device has been successfully tested using human embryonic stem cells (hESC) on feeder cells. The third aspect concerns the automated monitoring of stem cell bioprocesses in the cell culture device. A multiplexed micro fluidic bioreactor platform with time-lapse imaging has been developed to obtain data-rich experimental sets. The platform consisting of a cooled media reservoir and a pumping mechanism has been characterised and tested using mouse embryonic stem cells (mESC) as a proof of concept. The combination of these three aspects provides a basis towards a multiplexed microfabricated cell culture device, which allows data-rich experimentation and comparability with current benchscale culture vessels for stem cell expansion and di fferentiation

Guide de projet Internet dans l'Administration

Ce guide présente les aspects qui devraient déjà être maîtrisés avant le début du projet. Il vise à définir une meilleure planification, une méthodologie de travail, une surveillance plus efficace, des garde-fous et des conseils judicieux pour le chef de projet. Il définit également les rôles et tâches des différents intervenants y compris des membres de la direction de l'organisation, ainsi que les compétences et connaissances requises des intervenants. Par ailleurs, il souligne l’importance que revêt le contenu d'un site pour son succès (contenant vs. contenu / fond vs. forme) et aborde la thématique de la centralisation de l’information. Le guide est divisé en quatre parties qui découlent des conclusions de l’étude: avant-projet - recommandations avant de commencer un projet Internet: objectifs du site, public cible, image que l’unité administrative veut donner, informations à publier, typologie du site, choix technologiques, organisation du site, organisation du service, standardisation, ressources, organisation de projet; projet - principes à suivre durant les différentes phases de la construction du site: cahier des charges, choix des fournisseurs, contrats, aspects techni¬ques, suivi de projet, appui de la direction, tests, budget ; phase opérationnelle - points à prévoir lors de la phase d'exploitation du site: ressources nécessaires à la maintenance du site, problématique des liens, statistiques, conférence des webmasters, organisation type d’un service ; une liste de contrôle - les 100 questions importantes auxquelles il faut répondre durant toutes les phases d’un projet Internet, qui en constitue une annexe très précieuse. Le guide décrit les différents aspects du projet, les difficultés potentielles qui y sont liées et la manière de les éviter pour chacune des phases

Institucionalização dos cursos de graduação na modalidade a distância : políticas públicas federais e suas aplicações em uma universidade pública no estado do Paraná

Orientadora: Profª Drª Glaucia da Silva BritoDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Educação, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação. Defesa: Curitiba, 30/10/2014Inclui referênciasÁrea de concentração: Educação cultura e tecnologiaResumo: A Educação a Distância está presente nos grandes centros universitários. Seus modelos e técnicas de aplicação rendem pesquisas e questionamentos sobre o futuro desta modalidade. Este trabalho caracteriza-se por uma pesquisa nas políticas públicas e legislação que ajudaram a construir o cenário da educação a distância nas universidades federais brasileiras. Observamos que as leis e políticas são aplicadas pelas gestões e os professores seguem essas determinações, porém, não são questionados sobre a aplicação de novos modelos e se querem determinadas mudanças. Verificamos a importância de analisar o processo de institucionalização da educação a distância em uma universidade pública federal no Estado do Paraná em relação à aplicação das leis e programas de fomento estabelecidos pelo Governo Federal. A partir disso, definimos como problema de pesquisa: Qual a percepção dos professores de uma Instituição Federal de Ensino Superior sobre a Institucionalização da Educação a Distância? O objetivo foi analisar qual a percepção que os docentes dos cursos de graduação possuem a respeito da modalidade a distância no âmbito da instituição pesquisada. O referencial teórico para relacionar as políticas públicas e legislação federal foram os documentos legais que deram origem a essas iniciativas públicas. A abordagem metodológica selecionada foi a pesquisa qualitativa e esta desenvolveu-se em duas etapas. Antes de aplicá-las, definimos qual o conceito de institucionalização iria nos guiar para analisar os dados coletados a partir dos autores Tolbert e Zucker (1999). Na primeira etapa da pesquisa realizamos a análise documental buscando descrever os trâmites da legislação, quais os entendimentos que se formaram sobre os conceitos de educação a distância e de universidade aberta, os impedimentos para realização das propostas e quais as resoluções que regulamentam a modalidade na IFES selecionada. Na segunda etapa aplicamos um questionário aos professores vinculados aos dois cursos de graduação na modalidade a distância ofertados pela instituição com o objetivo de coletarmos dados para analisar quais as opiniões sobre a institucionalização e como atuam de acordo com orientações das resoluções institucionais. Para a análise dos dados foram utilizadas as três etapas do processo de institucionalização propostos por Tolbert e Zucker. A análise apontou que é possível verificar essas três etapas na instituição pesquisada, sendo que a análise documental aponta para uma transição entre a etapa de Objetificação para Sedimentação e a análise dos dados coletados pelo questionário apontam que a visão dos professores diverge das informações registradas pelos gestores nos relatórios institucionais. Palavras-chave: Educação a Distância, Institucionalização, Políticas Públicas de Educação a Distância.Abstract: Distance education is present in large university centers. Models and their application techniques yield surveys and questions about the future of this modality. This work is characterized by research on public policy and legislation that helped build the scenario of distance education in the Brazilian federal universities. We observed that laws and policies are applied by the managements and the teachers follow these determinations, however, are not asked about the implementation of new models and if they want some changes. Verified the importance of analyzing the process of institutionalization of distance education in a Public University in Paraná State in relation to the application of laws and incentive programs established by the Federal Government. Based on this, we define the research problem: What is the perception of teachers of a Federal Higher Education Institution on the Institutionalization of Distance Education? The objective was to analyze the perception that teachers of graduate courses have concerning the distance education within the research institution. The theoretical referential to relate public policy and federal legislation have been legal documents that gave rise to these public initiatives. The selected methodological approach was qualitative research and this was developed in two stages. Before applying them, which we define the concept of institutionalization would guide us to analyze the data collected from the authors Tolbert and Zucker (1999). In the first stage of the research we conducted document analysis trying to describe the procedures of legislation which understandings that have been formed on the concepts of distance education and open university, impediments to realization the proposed and which resolutions regulating the mode in IFES selected. In the second step we applied a questionnaire to teachers linked to two undergraduate courses in the distance mode offered by the institution for the purpose of collect data to analyze which opinions about the institutionalization and how to act in accordance with institutional guidelines resolutions. The three stages of the institutionalization process proposed by Tolbert and Zucker were used for data analysis. The analysis indicated that it is possible to verify these three steps in the research institution, and document analysis indicates a transition between the stage and the Objectification for Sedimentation analysis of data collected by the questionnaire indicate that the vision of teachers differs from information reported by managers in institutional reports. Key word: Distance Education, Institutionalization, Public Policies for Distance Education

Prevalence and associated factors of viral hepatitis and transferrin elevations in 5036 patients admitted to the emergency room of a Swiss university hospital: cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology of liver disease in patients admitted to emergency rooms is largely unknown. The current study aimed to measure the prevalence of viral hepatitis B and C infection and pathological laboratory values of liver disease in such a population, and to study factors associated with these measurements. METHODS: Cross-sectional study in patients admitted to the emergency room of a university hospital. No formal exclusion criteria. Determination of anti-HBs, anti-HCV, transferrin saturation, alanine aminotransferase, and obtaining answers from a study-specific questionnaire. RESULTS: The study included 5'036 patients, representing a 14.9% sample of the target population during the study period. Prevalence of anti-HBc and anti-HCV was 6.7% (95%CI 6.0% to 7.4%) and 2.7% (2.3% to 3.2%), respectively. Factors independently associated with positive anti-HBc were intravenous drug abuse (OR 18.3; 11.3 to 29.7), foreign country of birth (3.4; 2.6 to 4.4), non-white ethnicity (2.7; 1.9 to 3.8) and age > or =60 (2.0; 1.5 to 2.8). Positive anti-HCV was associated with intravenous drug abuse (78.9; 43.4 to 143.6), blood transfusion (1.7; 1.1 to 2.8) and abdominal pain (2.7; 1.5 to 4.8). 75% of all participants were not vaccinated against hepatitis B or did not know their vaccination status. Among anti-HCV positive patients only 49% knew about their infection and 51% reported regular alcohol consumption. Transferrin saturation was elevated in 3.3% and was associated with fatigue (prevalence ratio 1.9; 1.2 to 2.8). CONCLUSION: Emergency rooms should be considered as targets for public health programs that encourage vaccination, patient education and screening of high-risk patients for liver disease with subsequent referral for treatment if indicated

Low NO bioavailability in CCl(4 )cirrhotic rat livers might result from low NO synthesis combined with decreased superoxide dismutase activity allowing superoxide-mediated NO breakdown: A comparison of two portal hypertensive rat models with healthy controls

BACKGROUND: In cirrhotic livers, the balance of vasoactive substances is in favour of vasoconstrictors with relatively insufficient nitric oxide. Endothelial dysfunction has been documented in cirrhotic rat livers leading to a lower activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase but this might not be sufficient to explain the low nitric oxide presence. We compared the amount of all nitric oxide synthase isoforms and other factors that influence nitric oxide bioavailability in livers of two portal hypertensive rat models: prehepatic portal hypertension and carbon tetrachloride induced cirrhosis, in comparison with healthy controls. RESULTS: Endothelial nitric oxide synthase was the solely detected isoform by Western blotting in all livers. In cirrhotic livers, the amount of endothelial nitric oxide synthase protein was lower than in healthy controls, although an overlap existed. Levels of caveolin-1 messenger RNA were within the normal range but endothelin-1 messenger RNA levels were significantly higher in cirrhotic livers (p < 0.05). A markedly lower superoxide dismutase activity was observed in cirrhotic livers as compared to healthy controls (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to prehepatic portal hypertension, cirrhotic livers had decreased endothelial nitric oxide synthase protein and enhanced endothelin-1 messenger RNA amount. We hypothesise that a vasodilator/vasoconstrictor imbalance may be further aggravated by the reduced activity of superoxide dismutase. Decreased activity allows enhanced superoxide action, which may lead to breakdown of nitric oxide in liver sinusoids

Indocyanine Green Plasma Disappearance Rate During the Anhepatic Phase of Orthotopic Liver Transplantation

Non-invasive pulse spectrophotometry to measure indocyanine green (ICG) elimination correlates well with the conventional invasive ICG clearance test. Nevertheless, the precision of this method remains unclear for any application, including small-for-size liver remnants. We therefore measured ICG plasma disappearance rate (PDR) during the anhepatic phase of orthotopic liver transplantation using pulse spectrophotometry. Measurements were done in 24 patients. The median PDR after exclusion of two outliers and two patients with inconstant signal was 1.55%/min (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.8-2.2). No correlation with patient age, gender, body mass, blood loss, administration of fresh frozen plasma, norepinephrine dose, postoperative albumin (serum), or difference in pre and post transplant body weight was detected. In conclusion, we found an ICG-PDR different from zero in the anhepatic phase, an overestimation that may arise in particular from a redistribution into the interstitial space. If ICG pulse spectrophotometry is used to measure functional hepatic reserve, the verified average difference from zero (1.55%/min) determined in our study needs to be taken into accoun

Sensitivity to endothelin-1 is decreased in isolated livers of endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase knockout mice

BACKGROUND: Hepatic sinusoidal resistance is regulated by vasoactive factors including endothelin-1 (ET-1) and nitric oxide (NO). In the absence of NO, vasoconstrictor response to endothelin is expected to predominate. Therefore, we hypothesized sensitivity to endothelin to be increased in mice lacking the endothelial cell NO synthase gene. Response of vascular resistance to endothelin was assessed in the in situ perfused liver of endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS) knockout and wild type mice. Livers were also harvested for RNA and protein isolation for quantitative PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The expression of endothelin receptors, isoenzymes of NO synthase, heme-oxygenase and adrenomedullin was quantified. RESULTS: Endothelin increased hepatic vascular resistance in a dose-dependent manner in both strains; however, this increase was significantly less in ecNOS knockout mice at physiologic concentrations. Expression of heme-oxygenases and adrenomedullin was similar in both groups, whereas inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein was not detectable in either strain. mRNA levels of pre-pro-endothelin-1 and ET(B )receptor were comparable in both strains, while mRNA for ET(A )receptor was decreased in ecNOS knockouts. CONCLUSION: Livers of ecNOS knockout mice have a decreased sensitivity to endothelin at physiologic concentrations; this is associated with a decreased expression of ET(A )receptors, but not with other factors, such as iNOS, ET(B )receptors, adrenomedullin or heme-oxygenase. Further studies targeting adaptive changes in ET(A )receptor distribution and/or intracellular signaling downstream of the receptor are indicated