109 research outputs found
Verbal Mimesis: The Case of "Die Winzer."
No full textPaul Celan's "Die Winzer" (E. "The Vintagers") is a poem that narrates the story of its own composition and eventual reception through the metaphor of a ritual communion. At the same time, particularly in its rhythmic structure, the poem imitates that very communion by means of a traditional poetic device called "kinaesthesis" (in the recent semiotic terminology of W. K. Wimsatt). The essay is a reading of "Die Winzer" that develops its semiotic complexities and seeks to assign it a proper place in the general field of "verbal mimesis." The present author is not a philosopher, nor does he require a reader who is
Laserbasierte Ferndetektion im Weinbau - Entwicklung eines laserinduzierten Fluoreszenzspektroskopiesystems zur Detektion von Pilzkrankheiten
No full textPathogene Pilze, vor allem die des falschen Mehltaus, verursachen große Ertrags und Qualitätseinbußen im Weinbau. Dies bedeutet nicht nur hohe wirtschaftliche Schäden fur Winzer, sondern auch eine Belastung der Umwelt durch verstärkten Fungizidverbrauch.
Basierend auf dem physikalischen Prinzip der Fluoreszenz, wird in der vorliegenden Bachelorarbeit ein System konzipiert, mit dem es möglich ist, einen Pilzbefall auf Weinreben im fruhen Stadium zu detektieren. Dabei wurde anhand eines Vergleiches mit der Nutzung einer Hyperspektralkamera, die Reflexionsspektren von passiv beleuchteten Proben aufnimmt, die Vorteile der laserinduzierten Anregung hervorgehoben. Durch ein Datenmapping mit einem Fluoreszenzspektrometer wurde eine geeignete Laserwellenläange selektiert. Dadurch konnte das erarbeitete Konzept in einen Laboraufbau umgesetzt und spezifische Unterschiede in den Verhältnissen der
Fluoreszenzspektren herausgearbeitet werden. Hiermit konnte gezeigt werden, dass eine beruhrungslose Früherkennung von Pilzbefall auf Weinreben, die noch keine sichtbaren Symptome aufweisen, möglich ist
D2 Dopamine Receptor Mediation of Risky Decision-making
No full textExcessive risk-taking is a characteristic of several psychopathological disorders. In order to alleviate maladaptive risky behavior, a thorough understanding of the neurobiological and pharmacological substrates of risky choice must be developed. In this dissertation, the ���risky decision-making task��� was utilized to explore the mechanisms by which dopamine mediates risky choice.
In experiment 1, we characterized rats in risky decision-making as well as a variety of other behavioral traits. This was performed to determine if the behavioral patterns obtained in the risky decision-making task represent an independent cognitive construct rather than a function of a separate behavioral trait. Risky decision-making performance was not correlated with measures of motivation, anxiety, pain tolerance, or other types of decision-making. In contrast, risky choice was correlated with impulsive action as assessed by the Differential Rates of Low Responding Task, suggesting that risky choice may be mechanistically similar to impulsive action.
In experiment 2, the effects of various dopaminergic drugs on risky decision-making was investigated. Amphetamine administration attenuated risky choice, while the dopamine antagonist ��-flupenthixol had no effect on risky choice. Agonists and antagonists specific to D1 dopamine receptors had no effects on risky choice; however, the D2 dopamine receptor agonist bromocriptine reduced risky choice in a manner similar to amphetamine. Furthermore, coadministration of amphetamine with a D2 antagonist abolished amphetamine���s effects on risky choice, and amphetamine���s effects were unaffected by coadministration of a D1 antagonist. These data suggest that D2 signaling at the receptor is particularly critical to risky decision-making behavior.
In experiment 3, D2 dopamine receptor mRNA abundance was assessed in rats that had been previously characterized in risky decision-making using in situ hybridization. Levels of D2 cRNA hybridization in both orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) predicted risky decision-making behavior as assessed by nonlinear curve estimation analyses. Interestingly, opposite relationships between D2 mRNA abundance and risky choice were observed in these two cortical areas, with OFC D2 mRNA abundance showing a U-shaped relationship with risky choice, and mPFC D2 mRNA resembling an inverted U-curve. Additionally, increased levels of D2 mRNA in dorsal striatum were observed in risk-averse rats in comparison to risk-taking rats. In conclusion, these data suggest that signaling via D2 dopamine receptors is an important mediator of risky decision-making behavior, and that D2 signaling in frontostriatal circuitry may be particularly relevant toward these behaviors
Synergy and Group Size in Microbial Cooperation
No full textMicrobes produce many molecules that are important for their growth and development, and the exploitation of these secretions by nonproducers has recently become an important paradigm in microbial social evolution. Although the production of these public-goods molecules has been studied intensely, little is known of how the benefits accrued and the costs incurred depend on the quantity of public-goods molecules produced. We focus here on the relationship between the shape of the benefit curve and cellular density, using a model assuming three types of benefit functions: diminishing, accelerating, and sigmoidal (accelerating and then diminishing). We classify the latter two as being synergistic and argue that sigmoidal curves are common in microbial systems. Synergistic benefit curves interact with group sizes to give very different expected evolutionary dynamics. In particular, we show that whether and to what extent microbes evolve to produce public goods depends strongly on group size. We show that synergy can create an "evolutionary trap" that can stymie the establishment and maintenance of cooperation. By allowing density-dependent regulation of production (quorum sensing), we show how this trap may be avoided. We discuss the implications of our results on experimental design.</p
Blind Polarization Demultiplexing of Shaped QAM Signals Assisted by Temporal Correlations
No full textWhile probabilistic constellation shaping (PCS) enables rate and reach adaption with finer granularity [1] (Cho and Winzer, 2009), it imposes signal processing challenges at the receiver. Since the distribution of PCS-quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signals tends to be Gaussian, conventional blind polarization demultiplexing algorithms are not suitable for them [2] (Johnson et al., 1998). It is known that independently and identically distributed (iid) Gaussian signals, when mixed, cannot be recovered/separated from their mixture. For PCS-QAM signals, there are algorithms such as [3] and [4] Dris et al. (2019) and Athuraliya et al. (2004) which are designed by extending conventional blind algorithms used for uniform QAM signals. In these algorithms, an initialization point is obtained by processing only a part of the mixed signal, which have non-Gaussian statistics. In this article, we propose an alternative method wherein we add temporal correlations at the transmitter, which are subsequently exploited at the receiver in order to separate the polarizations. We will refer to the proposed method as frequency domain (FD) joint diagonalization (JD) probability aware-multi modulus algorithm (pr-MMA), and it is suited to channels with moderate polarization mode dispersion (PMD) effects. Furthermore, we extend our previously proposed JD-MMA [5] (Bajaj et al., 2022) by replacing the standard MMA with a pr-MMA, improving its performance. Both FDJD-pr-MMA and JD-pr-MMA are evaluated for a diverse range of PCS (entropy ) of 64-QAM over a first-order PMD channel that is simulated in a proof-of-concept setup. A MMA initialized with a memoryless constant modulus algorithm (CMA) is used as a benchmark. We show that at a differential group delay (DGD) of 10% of symbol period T and 18 dB SNR/pol., JD-pr-MMA successfully demultiplexes the PCS signals, while CMA-MMA fails drastically. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the newly proposed FDJD-pr-MMA is robust against moderate PMD effects by evaluating it over a DGD of up to 40% of T. Our results show that the proposed FDJD-pr-MMA successfully equalizes PMD channels with a DGD up to 20% of T.Team Sander WahlsTeam Raf Van de Pla
Exploiting phenotypic heterogeneity to improve production of glutathione by yeast
No full textBackground: Gene expression noise (variation in gene expression among individual cells of a genetically uniform cell population) can result in heterogenous metabolite production by industrial microorganisms, with cultures containing both low- and high-producing cells. The presence of low-producing individuals may be a factor limiting the potential for high yields. This study tested the hypothesis that low-producing variants in yeast cell populations can be continuously counter-selected, to increase net production of glutathione (GSH) as an exemplar product. Results: A counter-selection system was engineered in Saccharomyces cerevisiae based on the known feedback inhibition of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GSH1) gene expression, which is rate limiting for GSH synthesis: the GSH1 ORF and the counter-selectable marker GAP1 were expressed under control of the TEF1 and GSH-regulated GSH1 promoters, respectively. An 18% increase in the mean cellular GSH level was achieved in cultures of the engineered strain supplemented with D-histidine to counter-select cells with high GAP1 expression (i.e. low GSH-producing cells). The phenotype was non-heritable and did not arise from a generic response to D-histidine, unlike that with certain other test-constructs prepared with alternative markers. Conclusions: The results corroborate that the system developed here improves GSH production by targeting low-producing cells. This supports the potential for exploiting end-product/promoter interactions to enrich high-producing cells in phenotypically heterogeneous populations, in order to improve metabolite production by yeast
Talk to me so that I can understand: enhancing adult-child communication to include students with the label of 'Speech, Language & Communication Needs' in Sri Lankan Classrooms
No full textThe research is set in Sri Lanka, where official policy and legislation advocates’ inclusive education (National Policy on Education, 2003) but schools are not obligated to implement inclusive educational practices (Kulasekera, 2006; Stubbs, 2005). Within this backdrop a private boys’ school, which on its own initiative seeks to be inclusive, is selected for the research.
The thesis follows the journey of six primary grade teachers and their students, aged six to eleven years, who are identified with speech, language and communication difficulties. The research demonstrates the manner in which, as a school based consultant speech and language therapist I seek to inspire teachers to engage in more inclusionary practices in adult-child communication, because I agree with the author who explains that inclusive education is a call to identify and destroy exclusionary practices within education (Slee, 2011).
An action research methodology is selected to guide the research process, because action research is considered to be highly suitable when studying the social world to bring social change (Neuman, 2006). In keeping with the current trends in research (Moore 2011; Ghaziani, 2010; Martin and Miller, 2003; Slee, 1999; Freire, 1972) and the UN conventions (UN Standard Rules 1993 cited in Wertheimer, 1997; UNESCO, 1994; UNICEF, 1989), the voices of students and parents form a critical element in shaping the action process.
My commitment to learn and improve my practice as an effective consultant speech and language therapist is witnessed through two action cycles. Further, I provide empirical evidence for schools in Sri Lanka and countries in the South experiencing similar conditions, to initiate the process of becoming more inclusive. Therefore, the research has implications for schools locally and internationally and for students with speech, language and communication difficulties, for whom the research is meant
DIE DEUTSCHHERREN VON GROß SONNTAG, LAND- UND BERGHERREN
No full textV magistrski nalogi sem opisal velikonedeljski križniški red in njegovo delovanje na političnem, verskem in gospodarskem področju. Red, ki je nastal v času križarskih vojn, je prišel v ormoški okoliš na povabilo Friderika Ptujskega in ob njegovem boku premagal madžarske sovražnike. Po slavni zmagi v času velikonočnih praznikov je kraj, kjer se je bíla krvava bitka, dobil ime Velika Nedelja in je postal središče obsežne križniške posesti. Slednja se je iz leta v leto vztrajno povečevala, njena dobra organizacija pa je omogočila hiter razvoj agrarnih dejavnosti, med katerimi še posebej izstopa vinogradništvo. Sočasno se je razvijalo razmeram in posebnostim na vinski gori prilagojeno specialno pravo, ki je doživelo vrhunec z najpomembnejšim spomenikom v slovenski pravni zgodovini – gorskimi bukvami. V njih še posebej izstopajo členi, ki določajo začetek trganja grozdja, obveznosti vinogradnikov glede vzdrževanja vinogradov in skupnih delov, obveza navzočnosti na gorski pravdi ipd. Kljub njihovi obsežnosti pa je v praksi gorskih pravd pogosto prihajalo do odločanja v nasprotju s postavljenim pravom, predvsem pa do prilagajanja trenutnim potrebam in načelu pravičnosti. Zato so prav zapisniki gorskih pravd tisti, ki nam dajejo nazorno sliko o vsakdanjem pravnem življenju v vinski gorici. Pravde so celo na področju kazenskega prava pogosto inkriminirale dejanja, ki po bukvah sploh niso bila kazniva, ali pa so določala dodatne, pravičnosti ustrezajoče kazni. Še zlasti so zanimiva tudi nekatera procesna vprašanja gorskopravnega postopka, prilagojena specifikam življenjskih razmer v vinski gorici.
Križniki so bili dobri zemljiški in gorski gospodje, predvsem pa so kot skrbni gospodarji doumeli, da lahko dober pridelek zagotovijo le zadovoljni pridelovalci, zato na Velikonedeljskem nikoli niso bili organizirani kmečki punti.In meiner Magisterarbeit habe ich den Deutschen Orden beschrieben und seine Wirkung auf dem politischen, religiösen und wirtschaftlichen Bereich in der Region Velika Nedelja. Der Orden, der in der Zeit des Kreuzzuges entstanden ist, kam erst nach der Einladung von Friderik Ptujski in die Umgebung von Ormož und an seiner Seite haben sie die ungarischen Feinde bezwungen. Nach dem ruhmhaften Sieg in Zeiten der Osterfeiertage, hat der Ort, wo sich die blutige Schlacht ereignet hat, den Namen Velika Nedelja bekommen und wurde zum Zentrum des umfangreichen Besitzes des Deutschen Ordens. Der Besitz wurde Jahr für Jahr ständig größer, ihre gute Organisation hat ihnen eine schnelle Entwicklung auf dem Bereich der Landwirtschaft ermöglicht, unter denen der Weinbau hervor sticht. Gleichzeitig hat sich das auf die Umstände und Besonderheiten in Berg angepasste spezielle Recht entwickelt, das ihren Höhepunkt mit dem allerwichtigstem Denkmal in der slowenischen Rechtsgeschichte, das Bergrechts-Büchel. In denen die Artikel hervortreten, die den Anfang der Weinernte bestimmen, die Verpflichtung der Winzer für die Erhaltung der Weinberge und der gemeinsamen Landschaft, die Pflicht der Anwesenheit bei Bergrechten usw. Trotz ihres Umfangs kam es in der Praxis der Bergrechte sehr oft dazu, dass man sich gegen das gesetzte Recht entschieden hat, vor allem kam es zur Anpassung der momentanen Bedürfnisse und dem Prinzip der Gerechtigkeit. Deswegen sind Protokolle der Bergrechte, diejenigen die uns einen genauen Überblick des alltäglichen rechtlichen Lebens in dem Gebiet Berg verschaffen. Gerichtsverfahren haben auch in dem Bereich des Strafrechts oft Handlungen inkriminiert, die nach dem Bergrechts-Büchel überhaupt nicht strafbar waren oder zusätzliche, der Gerechtigkeit angemessene Strafen. Interessant sind auch einige Prozessfragen des Bergrechts-Verfahrens, angepasst an die spezifischen Lebensbedingungen in Berg
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