1522 research outputs found
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Performing Landscape : An Analysis of Performance Practice in Non-Traditional Environments
Get PDFThe research for this thesis is motivated by a detection of an alternative space for live art performance in the environment of the landscape, as it is not traditionally used live art performance. The aim of this research is to investigate the intimate dialogue between artist and landscape and how this dialogue enhances the work of the artist. Through the medium of performance art, this project will examine the transaction that manifests itself throughout the process of the artist interacting with the landscape and analyse the visual and emotional impact of a given space, which although to most observers seems arbitrarily placed as a backdrop to the art piece, in fact constitutes an essential element of the performance. The selected landscape is tested by theory, definition and performative practice as research.
The research project concentrates on critical thinking supported by systematic experimentation, which the researcher can utilize to establish a new work practice and adding systematic observations of nature to create a metaphysical bridge between nature and the artist, which becomes a resource to decipher the communicative non-verbal language between artist and the environment.
The research having considered significant sources, is left with the question, what is the relevance of my performance practice in non-traditional live art environments? The response to this question provided by the research findings is that the landscape is a performer. The artist cannot deduce that the landscape is a mere space in live art practice, but has to personalise this alternative environment and interpret it as a partner in art performance. This affirms the conviction that the characteristics of the landscape as a performer aids in building a metaphoric dialogue giving access to the landscape as a partner in performance art
Designing Novel Smart Hydrogel Formulations for the Controlled Delivery of Ocular Therapies in Contact Lens Devices
Get PDFThe major challenge to ocular drug delivery is poor bio-availability of the delivered drug, due to the anatomy of the eye. This work presents an approach to address this problem, using novel contact lens drug delivery vehicles. Antihistamines were used as a model drug due to their physical properties and molecular weight. 15% of the world’s population suffer from allergic reactions confirming antihistamines as a relevant ocular pharmaceutical. A novel pilot scale wet cast moulding process and methods to measure critical lens parameters were developed. This facilitated comparison of the manufactured lenses to commercial lenses. The refractive index of the lenses fabricated and commercial lenses was 1.33. Equilibrium water content was 70 % for both commercial and fabricated lenses. % of light transmitted varied from 96 - 97.5 % for fabricated lenses, which compared to 98 % for commercial lenses ACUVUE©. This is significant to the field of study as the novel manufacturing system developed allowed for an accurate assessment of drug delivery from contact lenses. Other research groups have performed drug release studies on films and discs which do not have the same thickness and shape as contact lenses. Another advantage of the manufacturing system developed was that it allowed control over lens composition and drug loading via direct casting. Drug-laden polymer particles were investigated as a means of attenuating drug release. Zero order drug release from these drug-laden polymer particles was achieved. Drug loaded polymer particles were loaded onto contact lenses to create novel drug delivery vehicles which delivered 5.84 μg of cetirizine over 24 hours. The activation energy for the polymerisation of HEMA with AIBN initiator was calculated to be 70.8 kJ.mol-1. When drug-laden polymer particles were added to the HEMA monomer, the activation energy dropped to 60.7 kJ.mol-1. This result proved that the activation energy for the polymerisation of contact lens monomers could be decreased by the presence of polymer particles. This reduction in activation energy could result in lower cost hydrogel formation, as less energy would be required. Furthermore, it was observed that formulations with two monomers exhibited an increase in activation energy of up to 17.82 KJ.mol-1. Results obtained in this study determined that polymer particles can impact the polymerisation reaction of contact lens monomers and affect the polymers physical properties and this area warrants further investigation
Developing a refined questionnaire to investigate the layers of a market oriented organisational culture
Get PDFStrategically develops a refined questionnaire that can be used to investigate the layers of a Market-Oriented Organisational Culture, specifically: values, norms, artifacts and behaviours. A self-administered questionnaire was identified as being the most prominent tool used to explore Organisational Culture. However, questionnaires for exploring Market Orientation are limited, with Homburg and Pflesser’s (2000) being the first and virtually only instrument to incorporate each of the four layers of this specific culture. Yet, this 78-item survey instrument is admittedly lengthy in nature and, more significantly, fails to capture some of the fundamental characteristics of these layers that are stressed in the literature. This paper strategically develops and, consequently, presents a refined questionnaire aimed at addressing these shortcomings. The author’s refined questionnaire can be used to investigate the relationships between the layers of a Market-Oriented Organisational Culture. A deeper insight into the relationship(s) between these layers would provide a better understanding of the role that each one plays in creating and driving this culture. This would ultimately allow clear guidance to be offered to managers who are seeking to change their organisation’s culture and/or become Market-Oriented. Such guidance is desirable due to the strong, positive relationship between Market Orientation and organisational performance. Moreover, the questionnaire presented in this paper can be employed in a practical manner by managers who wish to assess their level of Market Orientation. This would allow specific areas of weakness to be identified, improvement of which may result in an overall stronger degree of Market Orientation
Getting the measure of analytics: using bibliometrics and usage statistics to evaluate e-journals
Get PDFFacilitating cross-border rural micro-firm knowledge exchange: A community of practice perspective
Get PDFKnowledge sharing enhances the capability of rural microfirms
to facilitate economic growth, competitiveness and employment.
Knowledge exchange research predominantly focuses on larger firms in
the same or related industries, and is of limited relevance in a rural
micro-firm context, owing to significant differences in resource availability
which can result in strategic knowledge constraints and the meagre
development of micro-firms and the regions in which they reside/operate.
The aim of this research is to explore the knowledge exchange criteria of
rural micro-firms in a cross-border facilitated learning network (FLN).
Drawing on the ‘community of practice’ perspective and the closely
connected learning network literature, the authors observe and map FLN
knowledge exchange activities over a three-year period. The resultant
rural FLN knowledge exchange framework demonstrates that discipline
and sector-specific barriers can be overcome through cyclical FLN
interventions sensitive to the social proximity requirements necessary for
effective cross-border knowledge exchange
Cognitive Function and Its Relationship with Macular Pigment Optical Density and Serum Concentrations of its Constituent Carotenoids
Get PDFAbstract
Background: Macular pigment (MP) levels correlate with brain concentrations of lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z), and have also been shown to correlate with cognitive performance in the young and elderly.
Objective: To investigate the relationship between MP, serum concentrations of L and Z, and cognitive function in subjects free of retinal disease with low MP (Group 1, n = 105) and in subjects with AMD (Group 2, n = 121).
Methods: MP was measured using customized heterochromatic flicker photometry and dual-wavelength autofluorescence; cognitive function was assessed using a battery of validated cognition tests; serum L and Z concentrations were determined by HPLC.
Results: Significant correlations were evident between MP and various measures of cognitive function in both groups (r = –0.273 to 0.261, p≤0.05, for all). Both serum L and Z concentrations correlated significantly (r = 0.187, p≤0.05 and r = 0.197, p≤0.05, respectively) with semantic (animal) fluency cognitive scores in Group 2 (the AMD study group), while serum L concentrations also correlated significantly with Verbal Recognition Memory learning slope scores in the AMD study group (r = 0.200, p = 0.031). Most of the correlations with MP, but not serum L or Z, remained significant after controlling for age, gender, diet, and education level.
Conclusion: MP offers potential as a non-invasive clinical biomarker of cognitive health, and appears more successful in this role than serum concentrations of L or Z
The effect of timing and pruning regimes on the yield and quality of Ozothamnus hookeri ‘Sussex Silver' for the cut foliage trade
Get PDFOzothamnus spp. are globally important plants in the cut foliage industry. Highly regarded for its grey foliage, Ozothamnus hookeri ‘Sussex Silver’ is grown commercially in Ireland for domestic and European markets. Much is known about Ozothamnus spp. yield potential in Australian climates. However more research is required to fully understand the potential of this cut foliage crop when grown in Ireland’s temperate climate. This study investigates the effects of pruning timings and regimes on the stem and spray yield of Ozothamnus hookeri ‘Sussex Silver’ on young and mature plantations grown in the South East of Ireland. The effect of tip-pruning on the type of stems produced, and the impact of rejuvenation pruning on a mature O.hookeri ‘Sussex Silver’ plantation were also examined. Ozothamnus hookeri ‘Sussex Silver’ plants were pruned in March or June using three pruning regimes: ‘hard pruning’ to 200 mm, ‘light pruning’ to 500 mm, or tip-pruning which involved removal of the top 5cm of each stem. Yields of saleable stems and sprays were calculated for each plant and results indicated that higher yields of saleable single stems and sprays are obtained when O. hookeri ‘Sussex Silver’ was pruned in March rather than in June, regardless of whether it was pruned to 200 mm or 500 mm. Upon comparing younger and mature O. hookeri ‘Sussex Silver’ plantations, it was found that the younger plantation produced almost twice as many saleable stems as the mature plantation showing that the age of O. hookeri ‘Sussex Silver’ plants may impact yield. Interestingly, tip pruning did not consistently produce more sprays than single stems and rejuvenation pruning did not produce any harvestable stems in the subsequent year. These results suggest that O. hookeri ‘Sussex Silver’ is a commercially viable product, which could be grown successfully in Ireland; however, growers need to be aware that a managed pruning regime on younger plantations is required to obtain maximum yield from this cut foliage plant
An examination of the influence of market oriented behaviours on the layers of an organisation's culture.
Get PDFExamines the influence that market oriented behaviours have on the layers of an organisation's culture, specifically: values, norms and artifacts. This paper considers a causal relationship between behaviour and culture. However, the relationships between market oriented behaviours and the three layers of an organisation's culture remain unexplored from this perspective. Consequently, the role that behaviours play in creating and driving market oriented culture remains unclear. This research gap is addressed utilising a large scale quantitative survey. Multiple regression analysis indicates that market oriented behaviours have a positive influence on all three layers of culture. Drawing upon these findings, managers are advised to assess the degree to which they engage in the relevant behaviours and, then, proactively work to strengthen this degree. Strong implementation of behaviour will encourage the development of associated norms and artifacts. These will, in turn, encourage market oriented values to transpire, ultimately, embedding a market oriented organisational culture. This is desirable due to the strong, positive relationship between market orientation and organisational performance
A new perspective on steady-state cosmology: from Einstein to Hoyle
Get PDFWe recently reported the discovery of an unpublished manuscript by Albert Einstein in which he attempted a 'steady-state' model of the universe, i.e., a cosmic model in which the expanding universe remains essentially unchanged due to a continuous formation of matter from empty space. The manuscript was apparently written in early 1931, many years before the steady-state models of Fred Hoyle, Hermann Bondi and Thomas Gold. We compare Einstein’s steady-state cosmology with that of Hoyle, Bondi and Gold and consider the reasons Einstein abandoned his model. The relevance of steady-state models to today’s cosmology is briefly discussed