Literature as a place to remember : memory of the GDR in Thomas Brussig’s Am kürzeren Ende der Sonnenallee

This dissertation is concerned with the relationship between cultural memory and literature. Focussing on the memory of the Cold War-period, the present work examines a piece of contemporary German literature, namely Thomas Brussig’s 1999 novel Am kürzeren Ende der Sonnenallee, and analyzes it according to three central research questions: First, how is life in the GDR represented in Brussig’s novel? Second, what are the narrative, stylistic and linguistic tools, motifs and themes through which this very representation is achieved? And finally, how does the novel and its representation of the GDR contribute to the cultural/collective memory of this specific moment in time and space? In order to be able to conduct a well-grounded analysis of the literary object, a thorough theoretical and methodological framework has to be established. Following Mieke Bal’s approach on cultural analysis, the cultural memory concept is discussed by taking into consideration different perspectives and conceptualizations surrounding it, including early theoretical approaches on collective memory as well as contemporary insights. After taking into consideration the most important theoretical aspects of the cultural memory concept, the interlink between memory and literature is further explored. Literature, and fictional literature in particular, is examined as a medium of memory, and the essential characteristics of the literary representation of memory contents are pinpointed. Finally, the question of how literature impacts contemporary memory culture will be at the center of interest, for these theoretical reflections guide the following literary analysis. The second part of the dissertation is dedicated to the analysis of the literary object. In order to be able to evaluate the novel’s contribution to memory culture, a structural analysis as well as an analysis of the novel’s content are conducted, taking into consideration the central plotlines, motifs and narrative techniques the novel’s representation of the GDR is based on. The outcomes of the analysis are then brought together with the memory concepts established in the theoretical section of the work in order to be able to assess the interplay between cultural memory dynamics and the novel’s characteristics. Finally, the results of the literary analysis are summarized and final conclusions regarding the novel’s impact on memory culture are drawn

"¡Guay del que duerme solo!": The Discourse of Antifeminism and the Collapse of the Narrator in Arcipreste de Talavera

No posee resumen

Woran ist Authentizität gebunden? Von der Authentizität zu den Authentizitäten des Denkmals

Der Beitrag will die Authentizität eines Denkmals als eine geistige und kulturelle Eigenschaft unterstreichen. Während die Authentizität eines Artefakts durchaus in seiner Substanz, in seiner Materialität in Form, Gestaltung und Funktion zu sehen ist, ist die Authentizität eines Denkmals in seiner entsprechenden Deutung, in der dem Artefakt zugemessenen, gesellschaftlich ausgehandelten Bedeutung zu sehen. Die in verschiedenen Disziplinen geführte Diskussion von Authentizität als einer arbiträren Wertsetzung bestätigt die auch in der Denkmalpflege schon angedachte Erkenntnis, dass einem Objekt neben der "offiziellen" Authentizität der Denkmalpflege noch verschiedene weitere, auch mehr oder weniger subjektbezogene Authentizitäten zukommen können

Intercultural aspects of online communication a comparison of mandarin‐speaking, US, Egyptian and German user preferences

This paper sums up the results of a survey conducted with four samples of website users, i.e. young urban academics from the PR of China, the United States, Egypt and Germany. The survey analyses the ways in which users from such distinctly dissimilar cultural environments view websites. The websites researched are those of global operators that either offer international services, high price utility items or technologically advanced products. The results gained in the course of this research project demonstrate how the targeted users’ cultural environments may impact on their preferred navigation tools, their perceived quality of web designs and on the perception and processing of the information provided online. A brief overview of the consequences which derive from this culture‐bound user behaviour for corporate communication policies conclude this paper. First Published Online: 14 Oct 201

A Modular Converter- and Signal-Processing-Platform for Academic Research in the Field of Power Electronics

For academic research it is mandatory that the theoretical evaluation and modelling of new control methods, modulation schemes, electrical machines, power electronic topologies, etc. is validated with accurate measurements. To guarantee a high quality and high performance research it is necessary to have a modular, scalable, user-friendly, adaptable and affordable system. This allows to put the focus on the research topics themselves rather than spending a high effort on the pure implementation of the theoretical research results. The system described in this paper consists of a software environment/toolchain and a hardware platform. The hardware platform can be subdivided into a power electronics platform and a System on Chip based signal processing system. Besides the hardware platform also a user-friendly software environment/toolchain for modelbased research is developed and illustrated in this paper. This new system enables rapid-prototyping of new algorithms, hardware and topologies

Poractant alfa (Curosurf®) increases phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils by alveolar macrophages in vivo

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Clearance of apoptotic neutrophils in the lung is an essential process to limit inflammation, since they could become a pro-inflammatory stimulus themselves. The clearance is partially mediated by alveolar macrophages, which phagocytose these apoptotic cells. The phagocytosis of apoptotic immune cells by monocytes in vitro has been shown to be augmented by several constituents of pulmonary surfactant, e.g. phospholipids and hydrophobic surfactant proteins. In this study, we assessed the influence of exogenous poractant alfa (Curosurf^®) instillation on the in vivo phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils by alveolar macrophages.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Poractant alfa (200 mg/kg) was instilled intratracheally in the lungs of three months old adult male C57/Black 6 mice, followed by apoptotic neutrophil instillation. Bronchoalveloar lavage was performed and alveolar macrophages and neutrophils were counted. Phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils was quantified by determining the number of apoptotic neutrophils per alveolar macrophages.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Exogenous surfactant increased the number of alveolar macrophages engulfing apoptotic neutrophils 2.6 fold. The phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils was increased in the presence of exogenous surfactant by a 4.7 fold increase in phagocytosed apoptotic neutrophils per alveolar macrophage.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We conclude that the anti-inflammatory properties of surfactant therapy may be mediated in part by increased numbers of alveolar macrophages and increased phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils by alveolar macrophages.</p

Ureaplasma-driven neonatal neuroinflammation: novel insights from an ovine model

Ureaplasma species (spp.) are considered commensals of the adult genitourinary tract, but have been associated with chorioamnionitis, preterm birth, and invasive infections in neonates, including meningitis. Data on mechanisms involved in Ureaplasma-driven neuroinflammation are scarce. The present study addressed brain inflammatory responses in preterm lambs exposed to Ureaplasma parvum (UP) in utero. 7 days after intra-amniotic injection of UP (n = 10) or saline (n = 11), lambs were surgically delivered at gestational day 128–129. Expression of inflammatory markers was assessed in different brain regions using qRT-PCR and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by multiplex immunoassay. CSF was analyzed for UP presence using ureB-based real-time PCR, and MRI scans documented cerebral white matter area and cortical folding. Cerebral tissue levels of atypical chemokine receptor (ACKR) 3, caspases 1-like, 2, 7, and C–X–C chemokine receptor (CXCR) 4 mRNA, as well as CSF interleukin-8 protein concentrations were significantly increased in UP-exposed lambs. UP presence in CSF was confirmed in one animal. Cortical folding and white matter area did not differ among groups. The present study confirms a role of caspases and the transmembrane receptors ACKR3 and CXCR4 in Ureaplasma-driven neuroinflammation. Enhanced caspase 1-like, 2, and 7 expression may reflect cell death. Increased ACKR3 and CXCR4 expression has been associated with inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) diseases and impaired blood–brain barrier function. According to these data and previous in vitro findings from our group, we speculate that Ureaplasma-induced caspase and receptor responses affect CNS barrier properties and thus facilitate neuroinflammation