2,128 research outputs found
Dr. Elisabeth Gruner - Faculty Author Interview
No full textDr. Elisabeth Gruner, Associate Professor of English, discusses her new book, Constructing the Adolescent Reader in Contemporary Young Adult Fiction, published recently by Palgrave Macmillan. The book considers a range of contemporary titles in order to explore the types of reading sparked through various forms of adolescent fiction
Inter-generational family support provided by older people in Indonesia
No full textMost social research on ageing in Asia has focused on the support provided by adult children to their parents, and thereby suggests that as a matter of course older people are in need of support. This paper offers a different perspective. Drawing on ethnographic and quantitative data from a village in East Java, it examines the extent of older people's dependence on others and highlights the material and practical contributions that they make to their families. It is shown that only a minority of older people are reliant on children or grandchildren for their daily survival. In the majority of cases, the net flow of inter-generational support is either downwards – from old to young – or balanced. Far from merely assisting with childcare and domestic tasks, older people are often the economic pillars of multi-generational families. Pension and agricultural incomes serve to secure the livelihoods of whole family networks, and the accumulated wealth of older parents is crucial for launching children into economic independence and underwriting their risks. Parental generosity does not generally elicit commensurate reciprocal support when it is needed, leaving many people vulnerable towards the end of their lives
Ambiguity of Scale:Thomas Mann's The Magic Mountain — an Anthropocene Novel?
No full textThomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain is obsessed with questions of scale. Whether in its incessant reflection on days, weeks, months, years, minutes, or depths of fathoms and meters of altitude, the novel is driven by questions of the measurability of time and space. At the same time, one would hardly want to speak of measurability with regard to The Magic Mountain, either in terms of time or space. What, then, is this obsession with scale? The Magic Mountain, Strowick will argue, generates literary scales beyond measurability that address what the novel calls the ‘dual nature’ [Zwienatur] of time and space. The talk will explore this ambiguity of scale and its consequences for the question of narrative and the form of the novel. About 100 years after the publication of Thomas Mann’s novel, questions of scale are often discussed in theories of the Anthropocene. In fact, ‘scale critique’ is one of the most promising ways to analyse the Anthropocene. Is The Magic Mountain a setting for ‘scale critique’, an Anthropocene novel avant la lettre? Elisabeth Strowick is a Professor of German in the Department of German at New York University. Before joining NYU, she was Professor of German and Humanities, Chair of the Department of German and Romance Languages and Literatures, and Co-Director of the Max Kade Center for Modern German Thought at Johns Hopkins University. Elisabeth Strowick has held numerous academic positions, including visiting professorships, at universities in the United States, Germany (FU Berlin, Zentrum für Literatur- und Kulturforschung Berlin, University of Hamburg), and Switzerland (University of Zurich, University of Basel). She was awarded a Feodor Lynen Fellowship by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Yale, Johns Hopkins, 2004-2006). Her areas of expertise are German literature, culture, and thought from the 19th century to the present, with special emphasis on literary theory, psychoanalysis, aesthetics, the poetics of knowledge, and ecocriticism. She is the author of Passagen der Wiederholung: Kierkegaard — Lacan — Freud (Metzler, 1999), Sprechende Körper — Poetik der Ansteckung (Fink, 2009), Gespenster des Realismus. Zur literarischen Wahrnehmung von Wirklichkeit (Fink, 2019) and has (co-)edited numerous volumes and special issues of peer-reviewed journals. Elisabeth Strowick is currently working on a book on ‘Literary Scale Critique: The Anthropocene as Deep War Time’.00:00 Introduction by Claudia Peppel07:29 Talk by Elisabeth Strowick1:09:48 Discussio
St. Elisabeth Heritage Garden: Refurbish of St. Elisabeth complex
No full textSt. Elisabeth complex is located at the edge of Nieuwstad. The site includes valuable heritages such as Berkelpoort, city wall and tower from the 14th century. However St. Elisabeth building has separated these monuments from the public since 1993, and these cultural assets are not being properly maintained. Is cultural property justified by means of private use?Heritages are a national asset. Everyone has the right to learn history through heritage. Therefore, when the circumstances allow it, heritage must be shared in public. The historical elements in this complex can provide great future opportunities to Nieuwstad. In this project, I suggest a ‘Heritage garden’ as a cultural hub of the Nieuwstad. Architecture, Urbanism and Building Science
Efficacité in situ des TAPs (Targeted-Antibacterial- Plasmids) pour cibler et éliminer spécifiquement les souches résistantes aux antimicrobiens
No full textThe increasing emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, combined with the low rate of discovery of new molecules, makes it urgent to develop innovative, non-antibiotic antibacterial strategies that allow specific targeting of pathogenic and/or resistant strains. In this context, antibacterial plasmids, named TAPs (Targeted-Antibacterial-Plasmids), enable selective targeting of multidrug-resistant bacteria while preserving the commensal microbiota. During my PhD, my first objective was to optimize TAPs for the delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 systems capable of killing or resensitizing clinical strains: Escherichia coli producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) encoded by the blaCTX-M-15 gene. TAPs encoding the Cas9 endonuclease induce double-strand breaks in the chromosomal blaCTX-M-15 gene, leading to bacterial death. When the target gene is plasmid-borne, Cas9-mediated cleavage results in plasmid loss and bacterial resensitization, accompanied by partial elimination through toxin–antitoxin systems. In contrast, TAPs encoding the mutated endonuclease dCas9 inhibit the expression of blaCTX-M-15 without affecting cell viability, thereby restoring sensitivity to cefotaxime. Targeting by TAPs is specific and, in mixed cultures, selectively affects strains carrying blaCTX-M-15 while sparing other bacterial species. Conjugation assays in a human fecal environment demonstrated strong suppression of cefotaxime-resistant E. coli by TAPs, highlighting their effectiveness in complex microbial environments. After demonstrating efficient transfer and antimicrobial activity in vitro, the second objective was to evaluate TAP performance in another complex and relevant environment known to harbor pathogenic E. coli: the rhizosphere. More specifically, we investigated whether TAP conjugation and antibacterial activity can occur in this soil-associated ecosystem. Our objectives included characterizing interactions between TAPs and indigenous soil bacteria, detecting and quantifying TAPs in environmental samples, and assessing the potential impact of TAPs on the structure and diversity of the rhizosphere microbial community. Studying the spectrum of interactions among rhizosphere bacteria is an important prerequisite for better understanding this complex environment. Although TAP efficacy had previously been demonstrated in vitro, this PhD work explored the potential of this strategy against clinical strains, for elimination or resensitization purposes, using different transfer machineries. Moreover, the first application results of this system in situ, within rhizospheric soil, provided insights into TAP distribution and their impact on endogenous microbial communities.L’émergence croissante de bactéries résistantes aux antibiotiques, combinée au faible rythme de découverte de nouvelles molécules, rend urgente la mise au point de stratégies antibactériennes innovantes, non antibiotiques, permettant un ciblage spécifique des souches pathogènes et/ou résistantes. Dans ce contexte, les plasmides antibactériens, nommés TAPs (Targeted-Antibacterial-Plasmids), permettent un ciblage sélectif des bactéries multirésistantes tout en préservant le microbiote commensal. Durant ma thèse, mon premier objectif a été d’optimiser les TAPs pour délivrer des systèmes CRISPR/Cas9 permettant de tuer ou de resensibiliser des souches cliniques : les Escherichia coli productrices de bêta-lactamases à spectre étendu (BLSE) codées par le gène blaCTX-M-15. Les TAPs codant l’endonucléase Cas9 induisent des cassures double brin dans le gène blaCTX-M-15 chromosomique, entraînant la mort bactérienne. Lorsque le gène cible est plasmidique, la coupure par Cas9 provoque la perte du plasmide et la resensibilisation de la bactérie, laquelle est accompagnée d’une élimination partielle via des systèmes toxine-antitoxine. En revanche, les TAPs codant l’endonucléase mutée dCas9 inhibent l’expression de blaCTX-M-15 sans affecter la viabilité cellulaire, restaurant ainsi la sensibilité à la céfotaxime. Le ciblage par les TAPs est spécifique et permet, dans des cultures mixtes, d’affecter sélectivement les souches portant blaCTX-M-15, tout en épargnant les autres espèces bactériennes présentes. Des essais de conjugaison dans un milieu fécal humain ont montré une forte suppression des E. coli résistants à la céfotaxime par les TAPs, démontrant leur efficacité dans des environnements microbiens complexes. Après avoir démontré un transfert efficace et une activité antimicrobienne in vitro, le second objectif a été d'évaluer les performances des TAPs dans un autre environnement complexe et pertinent, connu pour abriter des E. coli pathogènes : la rhizosphère. Plus précisément, nous avons déterminé si la conjugaison et l’activité antibactérienne des TAPs peuvent avoir lieu dans cet écosystème associé au sol. Nos objectifs ont inclus : la caractérisation des interactions entre les TAPs et les bactéries indigènes du sol, la détection et la quantification des TAPs dans des échantillons environnementaux, et l'évaluation de l’impact potentiel des TAPs sur la structure et la diversité de la communauté microbienne de la rhizosphère. Étudier le spectre d'interactions entre les bactéries de la rhizosphère est un prérequis important, permettant de mieux comprendre cet environnement complexe. Bien que l'efficacité des TAPs ait été précédemment démontrée in vitro, ces travaux de thèse ont permis d'explorer le potentiel de cette stratégie envers des souches cliniques, à des fins d'élimination ou de resensibilisation avec différentes machineries de transfert. De plus, les premiers résultats d'application de ce système in situ, dans le sol rhizosphérique, ont permis de mieux comprendre la distribution des TAPs et leur impact sur les communautés microbiennes endogènes
Detection of rare mutations using bead emulsion amplification : optimization of water-in-oil emulsion stability for simultaneous detection of rare mutations
No full textAuthor Elisabeth Palzenberger, B.Sc.Abstract in deutscher und englischer SpracheMasterarbeit Universität Linz 201
"Harmonious coexistence" - St. Elisabeth nursing home renovation project
No full textThe renovation project of St. Elisabeth in Zutphen is guided by the concept of "sustainable city". Meanwhile as a graduation project in the studio of heritage and architecture, how to deal with the relation between historic relics and modern architectures is important. During the whole process of my project, I started my design assignment with previous analysis and research.Architecture, Urbanism and Building Science
Efficacité in situ des TAPs (Targeted-Antibacterial- Plasmids) pour cibler et éliminer spécifiquement les souches résistantes aux antimicrobiens
No full textThe increasing emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, combined with the low rate of discovery of new molecules, makes it urgent to develop innovative, non-antibiotic antibacterial strategies that allow specific targeting of pathogenic and/or resistant strains. In this context, antibacterial plasmids, named TAPs (Targeted-Antibacterial-Plasmids), enable selective targeting of multidrug-resistant bacteria while preserving the commensal microbiota. During my PhD, my first objective was to optimize TAPs for the delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 systems capable of killing or resensitizing clinical strains: Escherichia coli producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) encoded by the blaCTX-M-15 gene. TAPs encoding the Cas9 endonuclease induce double-strand breaks in the chromosomal blaCTX-M-15 gene, leading to bacterial death. When the target gene is plasmid-borne, Cas9-mediated cleavage results in plasmid loss and bacterial resensitization, accompanied by partial elimination through toxin–antitoxin systems. In contrast, TAPs encoding the mutated endonuclease dCas9 inhibit the expression of blaCTX-M-15 without affecting cell viability, thereby restoring sensitivity to cefotaxime. Targeting by TAPs is specific and, in mixed cultures, selectively affects strains carrying blaCTX-M-15 while sparing other bacterial species. Conjugation assays in a human fecal environment demonstrated strong suppression of cefotaxime-resistant E. coli by TAPs, highlighting their effectiveness in complex microbial environments. After demonstrating efficient transfer and antimicrobial activity in vitro, the second objective was to evaluate TAP performance in another complex and relevant environment known to harbor pathogenic E. coli: the rhizosphere. More specifically, we investigated whether TAP conjugation and antibacterial activity can occur in this soil-associated ecosystem. Our objectives included characterizing interactions between TAPs and indigenous soil bacteria, detecting and quantifying TAPs in environmental samples, and assessing the potential impact of TAPs on the structure and diversity of the rhizosphere microbial community. Studying the spectrum of interactions among rhizosphere bacteria is an important prerequisite for better understanding this complex environment. Although TAP efficacy had previously been demonstrated in vitro, this PhD work explored the potential of this strategy against clinical strains, for elimination or resensitization purposes, using different transfer machineries. Moreover, the first application results of this system in situ, within rhizospheric soil, provided insights into TAP distribution and their impact on endogenous microbial communities.L’émergence croissante de bactéries résistantes aux antibiotiques, combinée au faible rythme de découverte de nouvelles molécules, rend urgente la mise au point de stratégies antibactériennes innovantes, non antibiotiques, permettant un ciblage spécifique des souches pathogènes et/ou résistantes. Dans ce contexte, les plasmides antibactériens, nommés TAPs (Targeted-Antibacterial-Plasmids), permettent un ciblage sélectif des bactéries multirésistantes tout en préservant le microbiote commensal. Durant ma thèse, mon premier objectif a été d’optimiser les TAPs pour délivrer des systèmes CRISPR/Cas9 permettant de tuer ou de resensibiliser des souches cliniques : les Escherichia coli productrices de bêta-lactamases à spectre étendu (BLSE) codées par le gène blaCTX-M-15. Les TAPs codant l’endonucléase Cas9 induisent des cassures double brin dans le gène blaCTX-M-15 chromosomique, entraînant la mort bactérienne. Lorsque le gène cible est plasmidique, la coupure par Cas9 provoque la perte du plasmide et la resensibilisation de la bactérie, laquelle est accompagnée d’une élimination partielle via des systèmes toxine-antitoxine. En revanche, les TAPs codant l’endonucléase mutée dCas9 inhibent l’expression de blaCTX-M-15 sans affecter la viabilité cellulaire, restaurant ainsi la sensibilité à la céfotaxime. Le ciblage par les TAPs est spécifique et permet, dans des cultures mixtes, d’affecter sélectivement les souches portant blaCTX-M-15, tout en épargnant les autres espèces bactériennes présentes. Des essais de conjugaison dans un milieu fécal humain ont montré une forte suppression des E. coli résistants à la céfotaxime par les TAPs, démontrant leur efficacité dans des environnements microbiens complexes. Après avoir démontré un transfert efficace et une activité antimicrobienne in vitro, le second objectif a été d'évaluer les performances des TAPs dans un autre environnement complexe et pertinent, connu pour abriter des E. coli pathogènes : la rhizosphère. Plus précisément, nous avons déterminé si la conjugaison et l’activité antibactérienne des TAPs peuvent avoir lieu dans cet écosystème associé au sol. Nos objectifs ont inclus : la caractérisation des interactions entre les TAPs et les bactéries indigènes du sol, la détection et la quantification des TAPs dans des échantillons environnementaux, et l'évaluation de l’impact potentiel des TAPs sur la structure et la diversité de la communauté microbienne de la rhizosphère. Étudier le spectre d'interactions entre les bactéries de la rhizosphère est un prérequis important, permettant de mieux comprendre cet environnement complexe. Bien que l'efficacité des TAPs ait été précédemment démontrée in vitro, ces travaux de thèse ont permis d'explorer le potentiel de cette stratégie envers des souches cliniques, à des fins d'élimination ou de resensibilisation avec différentes machineries de transfert. De plus, les premiers résultats d'application de ce système in situ, dans le sol rhizosphérique, ont permis de mieux comprendre la distribution des TAPs et leur impact sur les communautés microbiennes endogènes
Zagłada, ofiara i zwierzęta w myśli Elisabeth de Fontenay
No full textThe Shoah, the Sacrifice, and the Animal in Elisabeth de Fontenay’s ThoughtThe article aims at presenting the views of a French philosopher Elisabeth de Fontanay on the issue of proximity between the Shoah and the inhuman, industrial treatment of animals.The author not only explains the history of such a contextualisation of the problem, but also tackles the question of the meaning of a sacrifice, which is a term often used to define both the extermination of the Jews and the mass animal slaughter.
Key words: Elisabeth de Fontenay, Shoah, sacrifice, animals, mass slaughte
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