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Illness narratives feature different strategies of making narrative sense out of a contingent experience. Such strategies have a lineage that goes back to narrative patterns known in medieval literature, and which retain validity in describing recent narrative attempts to generate meaning. This article argues that narrative sense is the product of a process of construction which is formed not solely by the narrator him- or herself, but is rather the result of a cooperative practice between narrator and listener or interviewer respectively. In support of this perspective, we draw on medieval literature and aspects of historical narratology to examine interviews with people suffering from epilepsy and inflammatory bowel disease. The main focus lies on the narrative patterns deployed by the narrators to report on their experiences with illness, as well as on the strategies of presentation chosen by the interviewers and scientists who summarize those interviews and present them in so-called mystories on the homepage http://www.krankheitserfahrungen.de

Women with cystic fibrosis (CF) have a significantly lower life expectancy compared to men, which is indicated by an earlier impairment of lung function due to chronic colonization with biofilm formed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. There is growing evidence that blood serum concentrations of the steroid sex hormone estradiol (E2) correlate with the occurrence of pulmonary exacerbations in CF but also play a role in the mucoid switch of P. aeruginosa. This study aims to shed light on possible microbiological reasons for sexual dimorphism in CF by investigating the influence of E2 on biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa CF isolates. For this purpose, 10 CF isolates of the respiratory tract derived from different CF patients have been treated with E2 in a microtiter plate biofilm model. Biofilms have been examined by crystal violet assays, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), 3D laser scanning microscopy (LSM), and quorum sensing (QS) reporter assays of the supernatants taken from biofilms. This allowed us to simultaneously investigate the effects of E2 on attached biofilm mass, biofilm ultrastructure, and QS activity. Upon E2 treatment, six out of 10 investigated CF isolates showed an increase of attached biofilm mass, whereas biofilms from two tested non-CF laboratory strains (PAO1 and ATCC19660) did not. Moreover, FE-SEM and 3D LSM analyses of the E2 responsive CF biofilms revealed ultrastructural remodeling of biofilm structure at different scales with increased formation of prominent biofilm spots, enhanced coverage with extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), and extended average surface roughness. QS activity measurements performed in biofilm supernatants via luminescence acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) reporter assays further showed that E2 treatment may also modulate QS signaling, as shown in an E2 sensitive CF isolate. Together, our results suggest the biofilm modulating effects of E2 on various clinical CF isolates that are documented by both biomass and ultrastructural changes of biofilms. The gained new insight into the influence of steroid hormones on P. aeruginosa biofilm phenotypes might pave the way for novel future approaches in personalized medicine based on the patients’ sex and hormonal status.

Background The impact on survival of complete resection (CR) in patients with malignant glioma and MGMT promoter methylation on adjuvant therapy strategies has been proven in the past. However, it is not known whether a MGMT promoter methylation can compensate a subtotal resection. Therefore, we analyzed the progress of postoperative residual tumor tissue depending on the molecular tumor status. Methods We included all glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype (WHO grade IV) patients with postoperative residual tumor tissue, who were treated at our neurooncological department between 2010 and 2018. Correlation of molecular patterns with clinical data and survival times was performed. The results were compared to patients following CR. Results 267 patients with glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype (WHO grade IV) received surgery of whom 81 patients with residual tumor were included in the analysis. MGMT promoter was methylated in 31 patients (38.27%). Median OS and PFS were significantly increased in patients with methylated MGMT promoter (mOS: 16 M vs. 13 M, p = 0.009; mPFS: 13 M vs. 5 M, p = 0.003). In comparison to survival of patients following CR, OS was decreased in patients with residual tumor regardless MGMT methylation. Conclusion Our data confirm impact of MGMT promoter methylation in patients with glioblastoma, IDH-wildtype on OS and PFS. However, in comparison to patients after CR, a methylated MGMT promoter cannot compensate the disadvantage due to residual tumor volume. In terms of personalized medicine and quality of life as major goal in oncology, neuro-oncologists have to thoroughly discuss advantages and disadvantages of residual tumor volume versus possible neurological deficits in CR.

Objective: Patients with diagnosis of malignant cerebral brain tumour tend to show high rates of perioperative psychooncological distress, particularly in cases with concomitant neurological deficits. In the present study we aimed to analyse psychooncological screening parameter in the long-term course [for full text, please go to the a.m. URL]

Das Ende ist für den Sinnbildungsprozess narrativer Texte von entscheidender Bedeutung. Als Basiselement einer Geschichte sichert es die Narrativität des Textganzen ab. Durch seine Position innerhalb einer Erzählung kommt ihm zudem eine evaluierende Funktion zu. Ausgehend von narratologischen Überlegungen zu Formen und Funktionen des narrativen Endes möchte der Beitrag den Blick auf Textschluss und Handlungsende in der Vita Adelheits von Freiburg richten. Schluss und Ende fallen hier nicht in eins. Die Suche nach dem Ende führt vielmehr in die Mitte des Textes, das Geschehen danach scheint sodann in einer Gegenbewegung an der Auflösung der narrativen Strukturen zu arbeiten. Welche Konsequenzen diese Positionierung des Endes sowie die Überlagerung von narrativierenden und ent-narrativierenden Strategien für die Sinnproduktion des Textes hat, soll im Folgenden diskutiert werden., Beiträge zur mediävistischen Erzählforschung, Bd. 4 (2021)

Die vorliegende Dissertation analysiert die reihenfolgestabile Variantenfließfertigung im automobilen Umfeld und entwickelt neue Ansätze zur Stabilisierung der Produktion. In der Automobilindustrie ermöglichen flexible Fertigungslinien die Produktion variantenreicher, individuell ausgestatteter Fahrzeugmodelle mit kleinem Produktionsvolumen bis hin zur Losgröße eins. Dies verursacht einen zunehmenden logistischen Aufwand, da die Anzahl unterschiedlicher Teile und Komponenten stark ansteigt. Um Fertigungslinien weiterhin effizient mit Teilen zu versorgen, werden neue Produktionsstrategien und Logistikkonzepte entwickelt. Die Anwendung der Auftragsfertigung und die frühzeitige Festlegung der Fertigungsreihenfolge ermöglicht die Umsetzung von bedarfs- und reihenfolgesynchronen (JIS) Anlieferungsstrategien sowie die Einrichtung von Supermärkten an den Fertigungslinien. Basis hierfür ist eine konstante Fertigungsfolge nach der sich die internen sowie externen Logistikprozesse ausrichten. Dies erfordert eine hohe Prozessstabilität, die kontinuierlich gemessen werden muss. Aufgrund von stochastischen Prozesszeiten, Reihenfolgeverwirbelungen und Staueffekten im Produktionsfluss wird die Stabilität gemindert. Durch die gezielte Allokation von Puffern lassen sich diese Effekte reduzieren. Diese Arbeit untersucht Kennzahlen zur Messung von Stabilität, die Allokation von Puffern sowie Versorgungsstrategien von JIS Teilen in der reihenfolgestabilen Automobilproduktion., In order to produce mass customized products cost-efficiently automotive manufacturer establish mixed-model assembly lines with small production volumes up to batch size one. This causes an increasing logistical effort as the number of different parts and components rises. Production concepts such as the stabilized production system ensure the efficiency and transparency of these complex production sites. The material requirement forecast that derives from the initial production sequence enables a lean material flow with just-in-sequence (JIS) delivery and the establishment of JIS supermarkets. To successfully apply these strategies production processes need to be stable and the schedule of customer orders reliable. Since stability is one determining factor of efficiency manufacturers need performance indicators to quantify and visualize stability. There are two effects which reduce the stability level: unreliable production lines and sequence scrambling. These effects can be reduced by allocating buffers. This work examines key indicators for measuring stability, the allocation of buffers and supply strategies for JIS parts in stabilized automotive production systems.