The Politics of Consciousness

How does the corporate co-option of mindfulness impact our society, and what does this co-option mean for those who practice

A prospective study

Titelblatt, Inhaltsverzeichnis, Lebenslauf 1\. Einleitung 2\. Schrifttum 3\. Eigene Untersuchungen 4\. Ergebnisse 5\. Diskussion 6\. Zusammenfassung / Summary LiteraturverzeichnisDie Osteoarthritis (OA) ist eine chronische primär nicht entzündliche Gelenkerkrankung mit multifaktorieller Ätiologie. OA ist die Folge von abnormen Streß auf einen gesunden Gelenkknorpel, z.B. nach Trauma, Luxation, Fraktur, oder Folge einer physiologischen Krafteinwirkung auf ein abnormales Gelenk, z.B. bei Hüftdysplasie (HD), Osteochondrosis dissecans (OCD), fragmentiertem Processus Coronoideus (FPC) oder isoliertem Processus anconaeus (IPA). Sekundäre entzündliche Reaktionen folgen und erklären so die Bezeichnung OA. Untersucht wurde, ob die Myeloperoxidase (MPO)-Aktivität mit dem Grad der osteoarthritischen Veränderungen und der Ausprägung klinischer Symptome korreliert. Zusätzlich wurde die MPO-Aktivität in Synovia und Serum bestimmt. Synovia- und Serumproben wurden von 137 an OA erkrankten Hunden gewonnen und ausgewertet. Die Hunde wurden in Patienten mit OCD/Schultergelenk (n = 12), OCD/Ellenbogengelenk (n = 10), FPC (n = 37), IPA (n = 3), HD (n = 13), Kreuzbandruptur (KBR/Lahmheitsdauer < 5 Tage, n = 23), KBR/Lahmheitsdauer > 5 Tage (n = 21), Patellaluxation (n = 5) sowie Kontrolltiere (n = 11) gruppiert. Bei den Kontrolltieren konnten klinisch und röntgenologisch keine Hinweise einer orthopädischen Funktionsstörung oder Zeichen einer OA gefunden werden. Untersucht wurden das klinische Allgemeinbefinden, die Lahmheitsdauer, speziell der Bewegungsapparat und röntgenologisch die erkrankten Gelenke. Die gewonnene Synovia wurde makroskopisch beurteilt, die Zahl kernhaltiger Zellen ermittelt und differenziert. Eiweißgehalt, spezifisches Gewicht, Viskosität und MPO-Aktivität wurden bestimmt. Im zeitgleich abgenommenem Serum wurde ebenfalls die MPO-Aktivität gemessen. Die MPO-Werte wurde mittels eines O -Dianisidine-Assays in einer photometrischen Aktivitätsmessung bestimmt. Sowohl klinische, als auch röntgenologische und operative Befunde wurden je nach Schweregrad in die Grade 0 (osteoarthritisfrei) bis 3 (hochgradige OA) eingeteilt. Makroskopisch war die Synovia bei Patienten leicht eingetrübt und von geringgradig verminderter Viskosität. Die Zellzahl schwankte zwischen 250 - 4325/μl (Median: 1380/μ?l), der Anteil mononukleärer Zellen betrug 95 - 99 %. Der Proteingehalt lag zwischen 2,0 - 4,8 g/dl (Median: 3,4 g/dl). Die Synovia-MPO-Aktivität bei Patienten variierte zwischen 0,23 - 2,88 μU/200μl, die Mediane lagen zwischen 0,74 μU/200μl bis 1,49 μU/200μl. Ein signifikanter Unterschied der MPO-Aktivität in Synovia von Patienten krankheitskorreliert wurde nicht entdeckt. Kontrolltiere wiesen Synovia-MPO-Werte von 0,02 - 0,23 μU/200 μl bei einem Median von 0,05 μU/200μl auf. Somit bestand in der Synovia von Patienten im Vergleich zu den Kontrolltieren eine signifikant hohe MPO- Aktivität. Die Werte waren 15 bis 30 fach höher als die der Kontrolltiere. Im Serum lagen MPO-Aktivitiäten bei Patienten zwischen 0,88 - 2,26 μU/200μl und bei Kontrolltieren zwischen 0,70 - 1,62 μU/200μl. Eine Korrelation zwischen Synovia-MPO-Aktivität und der im Serum wurde nicht entdeckt. Die Synovia-MPO- Aktivität korreliert mit einem Synovia-Viskositätsverlust. Ursache ist die Zerstörung von Hyaluronsäure durch Oxidationsprodukte der MPO. Bei erhöhten Zellzahlen in der Synovia wurden auch höhere MPO-Werte gemessen, da die MPO in der Granula von neutrophilen Granulozyten und Monozyten gespeichert und Ausdruck ihrer Sekretionsaktivität ist. Eine Korrelation zwischen röntgenologischen sowie intraoperativen makroskopischen Befunden und MPO- Aktivität bei Patienten bestand nicht. Ermittelt wurde ein Zusammenhang zwischen klinischem Erscheinungsbild und Synovia-MPO-Aktivität. Patienten mit klinischem OA Befund Grad 3 hatten eine deutlich höhere Synovia-MPO-Aktivität. Die Synovia-MPO-Aktivität kann als Gradmesser der klinischen Erscheinungsbilder, wie Schmerzhaftigkeit und Funktionsstörung angesehen werden.Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic primary non-inflammatory joint disease with varying etiologies. OA is caused by unphysiologicaly increased stress on healthy cartilage, e.g. trauma, luxation and fracture. Another cause is pressure exerted on an anatomically abnormal joint, e.g. hip dysplasia (HD), osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), fragmented coronoid process (FPC) or ununited anconeal process (UAP). Secondary reactions follow and so explain the term OA. In this study the Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was examined and correlated to the degree of osteoarthirtic changes and the severity of clinical symptoms. Furthermore the MPO activity of synovia and serum were determined. Synovia and serum samples were collected and examined from 137 dogs suffering from OA. The dogs were devided into groups of patients suffering from either OCD/Shoulder (n = 12), OCD/Elbow (n = 10), FPC (n = 37), UPA (n = 3), HD (n = 13), Rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL)/duration of lameness < 5 d (n = 23), CCL/duration of lameness > 5 d (n = 21), Patella Luxation (n = 5) and control group (n = 11). As control group, dogs were used which did not show orthopedic disfunctions or signs of OA in clinical or X-ray examination. The clinical examination comprised the general condition, duration of lameness, inspection of the musculoskeletal system and X-ray examination of the diseased joint. The synovia was macroscopically examined, the nucleated cells counted and differentiated. Total protein, viscosity, specific weight and MPO activity were also determined. In the serum the MPO activity was also examined. The MPO activity was assessed by utilising the H2O2-dependent oxidation of O-dianisidine. Clinical, surgical and X-ray findings were scaled according to the severity of the case, ranging from grade 0 (free) to grade 3 (high-grade OA). Macroscopically the synovia of all patients was slightly opaque and showed minimally reduced viscosity. The cell count ranged from 250 - 4325/μl (M: 1380/μl), the fraction of mononuclear cells averaged around 97 - 99 %. The amount of total protein was between 2,0 - 4,8 g/dl (M: 3,4 g/dl). The synovial MPO activity of the patients varied between 0,23 - 2,88 μU/200μl, the median ranged from 0,74 μU/200μl to 1,49 μU/200μl. A significant difference in MPO activity of the synovia between patients with the different diseases could not be determined. The MPO values of control animals were between 0,02 - 0,23 μU/200μl, the median was 0,05 μU/200μl. Therefore the MPO activity in the synovia of the patients was significantly higher than in the control animals. The values were 15-30 fold higher than those of the control groups. The MPO activity of the patients in the serum ranged between 0,88 - 2,26 μU/200μl and in the control group between 0,70 - 1,62 μU/200μl. A correlation between MPO activity in the synovia and the serum could not be found. The synovial MPO activity correlates with a loss of synovial viscosity, which is due to the destruction of hyaluronan by the oxidative products of MPO. Elevated MPO activity was detected during increased cell counts in the synovia. This is a sign of MPO secretion, as MPO is stored in granules of neutrophils or monocytes. A correlation between X-ray and intraoperative macroscopic findings and MPO activity was not found. Correlations could be found between clinical OA signs and MPO activity in the synovia. Patients with a high grade OA had a strikingly increased synovial MPO activity. Therefore the MPO activity in the synovia can be used as a measurement of clinical features, such as pain and impaired function

Pidato Pengukuhan Doctor Honoris Causa Gunar Spellmeyer "Reinforcing Creativity-Handling The Age of Chaos"

Artikel ini ditulis sebagai bagian dari kerjasama antara Institut Indonesia Seni, Yogyakarta (ISI) dan Universitas Sains Terapan dan Seni Hanover (HsH), lebih tepatnya program Magister Desain dan Media (mdm), yaitu didirikan pada tahun 2013. Kerjasama tersebut ditandai dengan komitmen intrinsik yang tinggi banyak orang di kedua bagian dunia. Kerjasama ini sangat bersemangat karena ke banyak lokakarya pemikiran desain, yang didukung oleh sikap transkultural berpikiran terbuka yang fundamental. Kerjasama akademik telah diintensifkan melalui tambahan yang menyertai simposium, fakultas dan pertukaran mahasiswa

Neural Substrates of Action Event Knowledge

Human concepts can be roughly divided into entities (prototypically referred to in language by nouns) and events (prototypically referred to in language by verbs). While much work in cognitive neuroscience has investigated how the brain represents different categories of entities, less attention has been given to the more basic distinction between entities and events. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine brain activity while subjects performed a conceptual matching task that required them to access knowledge of objects and actions, using either pictures or words. Since action events involve movement through space, we hypothesized that accessing knowledge of actions would cause greater activation in brain regions involved in motion or spatial processing. In comparison to objects, accessing knowledge of actions through pictures was accompanied by increased activity bilaterally in the human MT/MST and nearby regions of the lateral temporal cortex. Accessing knowledge of actions through words activated areas just anterior and dorsal to area MT/MST on the left, within the posterior aspect of the middle and superior temporal gyri. We propose that the lateral occipital temporal cortex contains a mosaic of neural regions that processes different kinds of motion, ranging from the perception of objects moving in the world to the conception of movement implied in action verbs. The lateral occipital temporal cortex mediates the perceptual and conceptual features of action events, similar to the way that the ventral occipital temporal cortex processes the perceptual and conceptual features of entities

Classically Forbidden Recurrences in the Photoabsorption Spectrum of Lithium

We present data on the photoabsorption spectrum of lithium atoms in an electric field at energies between the saddle point of the Stark potential and below the field-free ionization threshold. The spectrum displays a sequence of sharp resonances and a sequence of broad ones. We find that the broad resonances arise from the classically forbidden reflection of waves above a dynamical potential barrier. The recurrence spectrum is also observed and it is dramatically affected by above-barrier reflections. We have developed a semiclassical theory that interprets the spectra using quasiclassical trajectories that undergo above-barrier reflection

Extracting Classical Trajectories from Atomic Spectra

We describe how to reconstruct individual classical trajectories from spectroscopic data. The ac dipole moment of a trajectory can be found from the effect of an oscillating field on the spectrum. The inverse Fourier transform of such data yields the component of the electron trajectory along the direction of the oscillating field. We demonstrate the method by experimentally extracting z(t) for two electron trajectories that influence the Stark spectrum of Rydberg lithium. Within the experimental resolution, the reconstructed orbits agree well with classical predictions

Rydberg atoms in an oscillating field : extracting classical motion from quantum spectra

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Physics, 1998.Includes bibliographical references (p. 191-199).by Neal W. Spellmeyer.Ph.D

Attention to change: a neurological investigation

Neglect, a dramatic manifestation of attention, is a primary source of strokerelated long-term disability (Katz, Hartman-Maeir, Ting, & Soroker, 1999). Subtle attention deficits (extinction) may recover more slowly than overt symptoms (neglect). (Heir, Mondlock, & Caplan, 1983) While often not captured by traditional bedside tests, subtle deficits have real-world implications. To guide rehabilitation efforts, it is clinically relevant to examine attention in a 6-month post-lesion population.The visual attention tasks in this study were a simple detection task and a change detection task. A novel component of this study was vigilance, sustaining attention over extended periods of time. The frontal lobes are associated with vigilance (e.g. Manly & Robertson, 1997), and the frontal-parietal cortex mediates spatial attention (e.g. Beck, Rees, Frith, & Lavie, 2001). This study examined the role of the frontal-parietal network in detecting change at spatial locations over time.Nine frontal-lesioned, seven parietal-lesioned, and twenty-nine non-lesioned individuals were administered the Detection and Monitoring Tasks. The Detection Task required participants to report whether the letter ‘T’ appeared, and if so, in which hemispace. The Monitoring Task involved bilateral stimuli presentation of two blinking red ‘T’s. The participants were asked to report whether either letter changed to green, and if so, in which hemispace. The temporal component of both tasks was for the stimuli to appear (Detect Task) or change (Monitor Task) over the time intervals of 200, 800, 1400, or 2000 msec.Detection Task: No participants showed an accuracy performance difference over time or hemispace. Contralesional accuracy performance was worse than Ipsilesional performance for Parietals, but not Frontals. Contralesional RT performance, relative to Ipsilesional, was worse for all patients. Parietals performed significantly worse (accuracy and RT) than Controls.Monitoring Task: No participants showed a performance difference over time. Surprisingly, all participants showed a hemispheric difference. Accuracy performance for right hemispace was significantly worse than left hemispace. This left-hemispace advantage may explain why patients did not demonstrate worse Contralesional accuracy performance, relative to Ipsilesional, despite slower Contralesional RT performance. Parietals performed worse (accuracy and RT) than Controls. A trend suggested better accuracy performance for Frontals relative to Parietals.Ph.D., Clinical Psychology -- Drexel University, 200

Closed Orbit Bifurcations in Continuum Stark Spectra

We report an experimental and theoretical study of the effect of bifurcations of closed classical orbits in continuum Stark spectra. Our findings provide a natural way to understand how the spectrum evolves from a simple sinusoidal modulation at positive energy to a quasidiscrete spectrum below the classical ionization limit. The experiment employs scaled-energy spectroscopy of lithium. The results provide the first experimental confirmation of a formulation of closed-orbit theory that provides a quantitative description of the behavior of the spectrum at a bifurcation

Recurrence Spectroscopy of a Time-Dependent System: A Rydberg Atom in an Oscillating Field

We report the results of an experimental and theoretical investigation of the recurrence spectra of Rydberg atoms in a static plus weak oscillating electric field. Experiments reveal the systematic weakening of orbits in a recurrence spectrum as the oscillating field strength and frequency are changed. We describe a generalization of closed orbit theory to time-dependent systems and show that it provides a qualitative and quantitative description of the phenomena