Building New Concepts: Concepts in Indigenous Architecture as Interdisciplinary Enhancement Factor?

In contrast to the marginalization of indigenous cultures in architectural analysis, research on indigenous architecture has revealed extraordinary uses of concepts. The difficulty of analyzing the often decategorized buildings not only uncovers the need to improve methods of analysis, but also offers new approaches to analytical methodologies. In particular, the unconventional way of conveying concepts in indigenous architecture offers parameters for rebuilding the limiting boundaries. Following challenges in and research on new methodologies in other disciplines, as represented by Mieke Bal in cultural analysis with the idea of ‘travelling concepts,’ indigenous architecture promises new perspectives. This contribution therefore presents selected indigenous architectural traditions in Central America, along with their conceptual contents and potential to expand analytic criteria. To stress the diversity of concepts, the first part introduces selected buildings by presenting differences and similarities between architectural principles and intentions. After exposing the limits of typological analysis and the potential of entangled concepts, the article analyzes case studies through terms from Bal’s book Travelling Concepts in order to converge the character of indigenous architecture. Finally, the article considers how entangling concepts could generate new perspectives in the architectural discourse as well as in other disciplines

Comparison of personality traits among patients with psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and stress: a pilot study

Background: Psoriasis and atopic dermatitis are chronic skin diseases that greatly affect the quality of life. Both diseases can be triggered or exacerbated by stress. Objective: We aimed to differentiate personality traits between patients with chronic skin conditions and people treated for stress in a pilot study. Methods: Patients participating voluntarily in educational programs in Belgium and Switzerland were recruited to complete personality trait questionnaires, including the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). A comparison was made with patients treated for work-related stress. Results: A total of 48 and 91 patients suffering from skin diseases and work-related stress, respectively, were included in the study. Based on the questionnaires, we found that dermatology patients were less persistent and impulsive than those with work-related stress. Dermatology patients also exhibited more rigidness and less focus on performance. Finally, patients with work-related stress seem more likely to change in response to health-promoting programs than patients with chronic dermatoses. Conclusion: Patients with chronic skin diseases may perceive and cope with stress differently in comparison to patients with work-related stress due to inherent personality traits. Therefore, stress coping mechanisms may differ among different diseases. More research is needed into the design of educational interventions and the impact of personality traits in disease-specific groups

Semantically Enhanced Software Documentation Processes

High-quality software documentation is a substantial issue for understanding software systems. Shorter time-to-market software cycles increase the importance of automatism for keeping the documentation up to date. In this paper, we describe the automatic support of the software documentation process using semantic technologies. We introduce a software documentation ontology as an underlying knowledge base. The defined ontology is populated automatically by analysing source code, software documentation and code execution. Through selected results we demonstrate that the use of such semantic systems can support software documentation processes efficiently

Intramolekulare Beweglichkeit und chemische Reaktivität bootförmiger Siebenringsysteme

10.11-dehydro-5 H-dibenzo | a. d | cycloheptenone-5 (1a, X = CO) and similar heterocyclic systems with a carboncarbon triple bond (1c, X = SO2; 1d, X = O) are useful intermediates for the synthesis of substituted di- and tribenzocycloheptenes and corresponding heterocycles. The energy parameters for the ring inversion of the boat-shaped seven-membered ring of di- and tri-benzocycloheptenes can be determined using temperature-dependent 1H-NMR-spectroscopy. Seven-membered ring systems with three anellated benzene rings show high energy barriers for conformational inversion (ΔG≠ ≥ 20 kcal/mol), so that conformational isomers or enantiomers of suitable model substances can be isolated at room temperature. In these cases the corresponding energy parameters are obtained from classical equilibration studies or from racemisation kinetics. For 1.2.3.4-tetraphenyl-9H-tribenzo | a.c.e | cycloheptenes (27) to (47) the boat conformation is completely “frozen” at room temperature (ΔG≠ ≥ 30 kcal/mol for ring inversion). Such conformational rigid compounds are thus suitable for a study of the reactivity of dia- stereotopic substituents on the tetrahedral C-9 of the system and permit predictions about the relation between conformation and reactivity among benzologous cycloheptatrienes. Remarkable differences are found in many reactions with conformational isomers of type A (quasi-equatorial C–X bond) and type B (quasi-axial C–X bond). In general the isomers B react much faster than the isomers A; these reactivity differences are discussed on the basis of model considerations. – Finally the syntheses and spectral properties of the flattened tribenzotropone-derivatives (49) and (50) are mentioned briefly

Architectural Design of BERD Information Portal

The management of Business, Economic, and Related Data can be a complex task involving various types of data and diverse research needs. BERD@NFDI develops a powerful platform to collect, process, analyze, and preserve such data in one place

Online Communities and the "un"-importance of e-Moderators

Within educational settings the use of social software often requires a time-consuming e-moderation, e.g. to keep discussions on a thematic track. This paper introduces a new methodology which helps to reduce the workload of e-moderators. To develop this methodology we present a community-communication model defining our problem space. Based upon this model we broaden our understanding about which effects are triggered by which actions of e-moderators. This leads to a set of "effect-equivalent" interventions associated to specific actions of e-moderators. Such "effect-equivalent" interventions reduce the workload ofe-moderators as they can be taken without help of an e-moderator but result in the same effects as an explicit action of an e-moderator

Central extracorporeal life support with left ventricular decompression for the treatment of refractory cardiogenic shock and lung failure

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the effects and functional outcome of central extracorporeal life support (ECLS) with left ventricular decompression for the treatment of refractory cardiogenic shock and lung failure. METHODS: Between August 2010 and August 2013, 12 consecutive patients (2 female) with a mean age of 31.6 ± 15.1 years received central ECLS with left ventricular decompression for the treatment of refractory cardiogenic shock and lung failure. Underlying disease was acute cardiac decompensation due to dilated cardiomyopathy (n = 3, 25%), coronary artery disease with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (n = 3, 25%), and acute myocarditis (n = 6, 50%). We routinely implemented ECLS by cannulating the ascending aorta, right atrium and inserting a left ventricular decompression cannula vent via the right superior pulmonary vein. RESULTS: All patients were successfully bridged to either recovery (n = 3, 25%), long-term biventricular support (n = 6, 50%) or cardiac transplantation (n = 3, 25%). Seven patients (58.3%) were discharged after a mean hospital stay of 42 ± 11.9 days. The overall survival from ECLS implantation to the end of the study was 58.3%. The cumulative ICU stay was 23.1 ± 9.6 days. The length of support was 8.0 ± 4.3 days (range 3-17 days). CONCLUSIONS: We strongly recommend left ventricular decompression in refractory cardiogenic shock and lung failure to avoid pulmonary edema, left heart distension and facilitate myocardial recovery