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The uncanny workplace
Get PDFThe fact that dictionaries fail to agree completely on a definition of uncanny is perhaps, in and of itself, an uncanny occurrence, at least in the sense of uncanny that we hope to use consistently throughout this paper. (Whether we do use this slipperiest of concepts consistently is a matter for the reader to decide.) The writers and compilers of dictionaries, of course, have a job to make their contributions stand out from other similar publications, and a nod towards originality is expected.[1] However, a failure to align semantically – which we might describe as a non-event, as something that did not happen – feels rich with hidden meaning, especially given that “the uncanny” attracts synonyms such as “weird”, “eerie” and (in particular) “unsettling”. [1] For a fascinating account of the professional disagreements between dictionary writers, please see “Authority and American Usage” by David Foster Wallace. “[P]robing the seamy underbelly of US lexicography reveals ideological strife and controversy and intrigue and nastiness and fervor…” (Wallace, 2014, p.885)
Stoneage site detected by high resolution seismic method
Get PDFIn 2014, we first noticed on high resolution seismic profiles acquired by a Teledyne high-resolution Chirp III subbottom profiler in the well-documented Stone Age settlement of Atlit-Yam, located off Israel’s Carmel coast irregular disturbances in the water column and we named it “haystacks”. We speculated if these disturbances could be related to the flint debitage (blades) documented at the flint workshop in the survey area. The ChirpIII instrument sweeps the frequency interval 2 kHz – 20 kHz and operate in two bands 2-8 and 8-20 KHz. Acoustic experiments in laboratory had previously shown that flint blades could exhibit resonance when exposed to certain frequencies (3–23 kHz, with the main area being 7–12 kHz). Acoustic modeling confirmed this and modelling showed that even flint debitage buried below 2 m of sand could resonance. In Demark practical ChirpIII (that sweep the frequency interval 2 kHz – 20 kHz) used on flint debitage and natural cracked flint placed at the seafloor showed that flint debitage produced “haystacks” on seismic profiles whereas the natural cracked flint did not. Test of buried debitage showed that it created resonance and produced “haystacks”. In the dredged part of the Svanemøllen Harbour, Copenhagen we by coincidence located “haystacks” while testing instrumentation setting. In the following three years, we recorded data on three days to outline the area where “haystacks” are present and to confirm that the “haystacks” were a permanent phenomenon. The interpretation of the seismic data reveal that the haystacks are related sub bottom areas characterized by shallow basins and rivers in a near coastal setting and that the “haystacks” are located at the rim of the basins or in the basins. In order to test if there was a correspondence between the “haystacks” and possible debitage 11 shallow vibrocores, with a max length of 1 m, were drilled below locations of “haystacks”. Based on the cores we found up to 36 cm of silt below the dredged seafloor before we reached a sandy cover of up to 80 cm representing part of the basin configuration. The sandy interval is underlain by till clay. Two cores centrally placed in the surveyed area confirmed the presence of man knapped flint at a depth of 80-90 cm below the sea floor. The Svanemøllen Harbour site is a hitherto unknown buried Stone Age settlement and this is the first time that such a site has been acoustically detected (Teledyne Chirp III) and verified by drilling. Acoustic modelling of the retrieved pieces of man knapped flint is carried out to confirm that the debitage can be brought to resonance. Due to the relative sea level rise a significant part of the submerged Stone Age sites must worldwide be expected to be buried in the seafloor sediments. This paper underlines the importance of the development of cost-effective methods for detecting such buried cultural deposits
Complete mitochondrial genome and phylogenetic position of Nurudea zhengii Ren (Insecta, Hemiptera, Aphididae)
Get PDFNurudea zhengii Ren was identified by aphid morphological characteristics as well as the gall shape and host plant species, and placed in the tribe Fordini (Hemiptera, Aphididae, Eriosomatinae). Here, its whole genome was firstly sequenced by a genome-skimming method and its mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) was assembled to examine its genetic variation and phylogenetic position. The complete mitogenome of Nurudea zhengii is 15,392 bp in length, and consists of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs and one D-loop region. The gene order follows the mitogenomes of the other Rhus gall aphids, and similarly has an AT bias with the content of 83.9%. The majority strand is A-skewed and C-skewed, and shows opposite skewness for G-skewed in the minority strands. The ratios of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitution rates of protein-coding genes are lower than one except for ATP8, which indicated that ATP8 was undergoing positive selection. Phylogenetic analysis among the Rhus gall aphids based on 13 protein-coding genes and two rRNA genes showed that N. zhengii was sister to N. shiraii, and then clustered with N. yanoniella as a group with high support value. The two species, N. shiraii and N. yanoniella, share the same host plant Rhus chinensis, while the host of N. zhengii is R. hypoleuca. However, the phylogenetic relationship indicated that the taxa sharing the same host plant were not absolutely clustered as the closest taxa at least at species level
The role of arts-based methods in supporting safe and participatory research addressing sexual violence with young people
Get PDFBackground: The use of participatory visual methods in humanities, health, education and social science research to study ‘sensitive’ subject matter with children and young people is growing. Such approaches have been widely – though sometimes uncritically – celebrated for contributing to safe data elicitation, promoting participant influence and strengthening research dissemination and impact. Some authors have pointed to their political contributions – challenging the traditional politics of representation and fostering critical consciousness and thinking. Methods: This article explores these claims, reflecting on a study using creative and participatory methods to explore the concept of ‘resistance’ among young people affected by sexual violence. It begins by outlining the background, rationale and use of creative methods in the project, moving from plans to utilise ‘Photovoice’ methods to a more diverse and responsive set of creative methods. Findings: The paper presents evidence for the contribution of such methods to creating safety and fostering participation while developing new conceptual thinking among researchers and participants. Conclusion: In this project, the success of creative methods is rooted in the dynamics of what we term spaciousness and playfulness which support dialogical practice. These dynamics are critical to enabling a safe participatory culture that bridges divides between stakeholders of different status, identity and ownership
A study of employee attitudes towards AI, its effect on sustainable development goals and non-financial performance in independent hotels
Get PDFThis study explores the effect of hotel employees' readiness for and acceptance of Artificial Intelligence (AI), on hotels’ adoption of AI, and its subsequent impact on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as well as impact on non-financial performance (NFP), within the U.S. independent hotel sector. A novel survey instrument was devised, validated and administered to 1600 employees in independent hotels across the United States. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was employed to test the hypotheses derived from a conceptual framework. The results confirmed that employee readiness and acceptance of AI significantly affects AI and SDG adoption, and also positively impacted NFP metrics such as employee optimism, satisfaction and engagement. The study finds evidence of a pathway from employee engagement with AI to greater SDG adoption, and in turn, enhanced NFP. This highlights the significance of leveraging employee attitudes toward AI for more sustainable and effective performance in the hospitality sector
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