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Building Castles in the Air: (De)Construction in "Howl's Moving Castle"
No full textThis article examines Diana Wynne Jones's novel from a post-structuralist, Derridean perspective, suggesting that she is always aware of the power of words to define and determine our reality. Concentrating on Howl's Moving Castle, it is shown that there is never a base reality that underpins Jones's fantastical forays into this imaginary, Ingary land; rather, her imaginative constructions proceed to undercut what we once thought was solid ground beneath our feet. In this particular novel, she pays especial attention to the way that words construct the reality of women who, too often, are enslaved by a patriarchal establishment that might not be as secure and overbearing as it first appears
Development of an advanced personal protection equipment garment for protection against slashes and pathogenic bacteria
No full textKnife is the most commonly used single weapon in the UK, being 32% of the weapons employed in a violent incident. The use of a knife during a crime has more than doubled in the past two years from 25,500 to 64,000. Studies reveal that the majority (63.3%) of knife inflicted wounds were slash type and could be disfiguring or life threatening if the blood vessels are ruptured. The stab resistant armours currently available do not protect the arms, neck and face as they are very rigid to be worn comfortably and they are expensive and heavy for everyday use by the civilian population. The main objectives of this research programme are; a) to develop and characterise a novel cut resistant and slash proof material that is lightweight, comfortable and efficient; and b) to integrate barrier properties in such garments which would incorporate suitable antimicrobial and other suitable chemicals to provide protection against a range of viruses known as prokaryotes. Various composite yarns consisting of; a) blends of Spectra® (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene), glass and polyamide; b) Stainless steel core with wraps of Dyneema® (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) and polyester; and c) Kevlar®, in different compositions, were thoroughly investigated to determine the most appropriate yarn for the slash proof material. The slash proof fabric structure was developed by using knitting technology as it offers significant advantages in terms of cost, design flexibility and versatility. The fabric was characterised by using the most stringent test method stipulated for a slash proof application, namely, Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB) Slash Resistance Standard for UK Police (2006), Publication No. 48/05. The paper discusses the design, production and full characterisation of the novel textile materials developed during this research programme and the novelty of the slash proof material, which is also protective against certain biological agents, for the police, armed forces, children and the public, which is lightweight, comfortable and efficient, and can be utilised for long periods
A Sense of (Be)longing in Shaun Tan's The Lost Thing
No full textAlmost all Shaun Tan's work explores notions of belonging, and related ideas about feeling at home (or not) in time and space. But these issues are most starkly explored in his first solo picture book, The Lost Thing (2000), where the narrator, Shaun, relates his discovery of a mysterious, large, red, hybrid being. This article undertakes a close reading of Tan's text, drawing on the work of theorists like May Douglas, Zygmunt Bauman, Giorgio Agamben and Judith Butler to show how societies, through their classificatory logic, manage to deal with any 'matter out of place'. It also explores the particular poignancy of 'misplaced' things in the context of Australia, not only through the Howard Government's draconian treatment of refugees, but also in terms of the country's long-standing guilt about its treatment of the Aboriginal 'stolen generation', and of others, like the forcibly deported British children. In contrast to the more optimistic reading usually given to Tan's work, a darker, more menacing interpretation is suggested though a note of hope is still detected in the narrator's need to record his story. In this way, The Lost Thing is not concerned solely with social issues, but engages with a more existential sense of longing that we can all experience
On Surrealism in Greece and Young Greek Poets
No full textThe views of modern Greek literature from within and from abroad are opposing ideas. In terms of poetry, the most famous modern Greek poets, Cavafy and Seferis, represent internationally a mythic vision in which they are the modern protagonists of a tradition that goes back to ancient times, capturing the imaginations of a range of international poets in this way. But this version of events ignores other literary developments in modern Greece. One of the most significant, the impact of Surrealism and French literature of the twentieth century, was a major influence for the 1979 Nobel Laureate Odysseus Elytis, for example, a poet read and studied avidly in Greece, but now forgotten internationally because his work, like so many others, falls into the gap between the national literature and the view from afar. These two recent anthologies, however, can be seen as attempts to close that gap, to resuscitate the international audience for Greek poetry by presenting alternatives to the presiding view
Development of Three-Dimensional Structures for Single-Layer Compression Therapy
No full textVenous leg ulceration is a common problem throughout the western world. The chronic nature of venous ulcers creates considerable demands upon all healthcare authorities in terms of treatment costs and nursing resources. Compression bandaging is considered as the “gold standard” for managing venous leg ulcers and treating the underlying venous insufficiency. The main function of a compression bandage is to exert external pressure onto the limb. The ability to generate and to maintain this sub-bandage pressure is determined by the bandage structure, the elastomeric properties of the yarns, as well as the finishing treatments applied to the fabric. Non-woven materials are currently used in combination with compression bandages in an attempt to evenly distribute pressure and provide protection over bony prominences of the leg (tibia). However, these multilayered bandage systems are uncomfortable to wear due to their bulkiness and undesirable thermo-physiological characteristics. They are also difficult to apply and are associated with relatively high costs due to the requirement for specific bandage types for each layer. The requirement for a single-layer compression bandage that incorporates the performance characteristics of multi-layered compression bandage systems is of paramount importance.Three-dimensional knitted spacer fabrics are becoming increasingly important for developing novel medical textile products. In comparison to traditional woven or knitted fabrics, the range of physical and thermo-physiological properties which can be achieved is considerably wider. These novel structures consist of two independent faces with interconnecting threads joining them. They can be exceptionally soft, incorporate large volumes of air, and provide good resilience to compression, temperature control, and moisture management. The layer of air that lies between the two independent textile faces creates a comforting, climate-controlling effect which prevents sweating and overheating of the skin. Spacer fabrics also provide an excellent cushioning effect which means that there is no need to use multiple layers of padding and compression bandages. When elasticated yarns are incorporated into the spacer fabric structure it is also possible to produce similar pressure-generating characteristics to those of traditional compression bandages.The focus of this paper is to discuss the design criteria and important functional properties of three-dimensional single-layer compression systems. A range of both weft and warp knitted spacer-fabrics were tested in order to determine their basic functional properties. Mechanical testing was also undertaken in order to assess the elastic and elongation properties of these spacer-fabrics. Load elongation hysteresis is important since it not only relates to the materials ability to generate external pressure, but also how this pressure maybe affected from any changes in tension, extension, and elastic properties. The tension, and hence external pressure, generated within traditional compression bandages normally decays slowly over an extended period of time after application onto the limb. The tension decay test simulates bandage application and highlights a materials ability to sustain tension throughout a pre-determined time period (15hours).Thermo-physiological and climate-controlling properties of the spacer-fabrics will also be discussed in this paper. These tests directly relate to the functional comfort characteristics of the spacer-fabric structures which include thermal resistance, thermal absorpitivity, water vapour permeability, and evaporative heat loss. In all of the tests undertaken, comparisons are made to results obtained for traditional compression bandages and padding bandage materials
Investigating Teachers' Understanding of IMS Learning Design: Yes They Can
No full textIn order to understand whether conceptual obscurity is truly the reason for the slow uptake of IMS Learning Design (LD), we have initiated an investigation into teachers' understanding of IMS LD outside of technological environments. Using paper representations ("snippets") of IMS LD component and method elements at levels A and B, 21 higher education teachers from nine countries recreated a prescribed textual learning design. Results showed that the teachers achieved an average conformity of 78% with a prototypical expert solution after watching a 45-minute IMS LD introduction. Despite successfully using IMS LD's elements, teachers reported having difficulties understanding the concepts environment; property; role-part, and condition. We conclude that the specification per se does not present an insuperable obstacle for teachers, and that from a usability perspective the calls for a new or modified LD specification might be premature, since most obstacles can be overcome with appropriate abstractions in LD tools
Learning technology standards adoption process improvement and output legitimacy.
No full textIn the context of a theoretical model on process and product legitimacy of Learning technology standards development and adoption proposed by the authors in 2008, this paper discusses recent activity and progress in the Learning, Educational and Training (LET) standards domain. In January 2010 experts from Europe and USA gathered in the United Kingdom to discuss the “Future of Interoperability and Standards in Education”. It is the presented position papers, case studies and recorded discourse from this conference, which provides data to which is used to test the validity of the model itself. The Process and Product Legitimacy model was found to still support necessary discourse towards an improved LET standardisation process, even if a new area of discourse related to Intellectual Property Rights was identified as not covered in the model and thus calls for further work