47 research outputs found
Complex networks: Author-editor relations and cultural change in the golden age of Victorian periodicals--Elizabeth Gaskell and Charles Dickens; Anthony Trollope and William Makepeace Thackeray; George Eliot and John Blackwood
No full textThis thesis examines three pairs of author-editor relationships, whose authors published one of their major works through a form of serialization in the Victorian periodical press. The three pairs, their works, and their respective periodicals are Elizabeth Gaskell, author of North and South, and Charles Dickens, editor of Household Words; Anthony Trollope, author of Framley Parsonage, and William Makepeace Thackeray, editor of The Cornhill Magazine; and, George Eliot, author of Middlemarch, and John Blackwood, editor of Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine. For each of these relationships, I analyze one-to-one correspondence and other primary sources, concluding that in tandem these pairs of authors and editors contribute to the ever-changing cultural growth occurring in the nineteenth century. Elizabeth Gaskell and Charles Dickens notoriously had a tempestuous relationship, but, in spite of their difficulties in serializing North and South, their shared legacy should be as the twin social commentators of their time. By contrast, Anthony Trollope and W. M. Thackeray maintained a businesslike relationship, with Trollope offering Framley Parsonage as the quintessential English novel to the fledgling Cornhill Magazine. In parallel fashion, Thackeray and Trollope worked to promote the new gentlemanly ideal to their middle-class public. Finally, George Eliot maintained a long and robust correspondence with her editor, John Blackwood, relying on him for encouragement to keep writing. With his consistent and abundant affirmation of her true-to-life writing style that is most fully represented in Middlemarch, Eliot and Blackwood contributed to the establishment of literary realism that was developing towards the end of the nineteenth century. Each of these authors, editors, novels, and periodicals has a story to tell, and, in combination, they helped to create a publishing culture that reflected the dynamic social and literary transformations arising in nineteenth-century Britain
Tradition, imitation and innovation : Jane Austin and the development of the novel.
No full textSIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:D87643 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo
Remarks Concerning the Process of the Reformation in Słupsk
No full textThe author makes an attempt to interpret the Reformation events in Słupsk. The scholars reconstructed the religious changes from the end of 1524 to the end of the 1530s in Słupsk in a similar way, but they differed in the interpretation of those events. The author of the article found the source which hitherto had not been exploited. It comes from the resources stored in the Archive of Szczecin’s Dukes in Szczecin. The author maintains that it was in 1521 that the Reformation ideas appeared in Słupsk. Their initiator was the monk from Białobok – Christian Ketelhut. Next, the article addresses the activity of the first advocates and opponents of the Reformation in Słupsk. In the years 1524–1525 social unrest took place. The organizer of the religious tumult was Johannes Amandus, who had arrived from Konigsberg. The significance of his activity arises a great deal of debate. The author underlines the fact that Amandus talked with the old city council about the introduction of the new religion – not with the new Civil Committee. There is no evidence that the Civil Committee was active in this field. Participants of the tumult of the end of December 1524 committed iconoclasm in Our Lady’s Church and burnt down the Dominican church. It was not until the Pomeranian duke’s intervention and his regulations introduced in mid-1525 that the situation in the city stabilized. The Civil Committee was dissolved; the authority returned to the old city council, and the duke ordered that one preacher be chosen. The act of 25 November 1525 allowed to establish the Lutheran commune formally. Its parson became a Jacob Hogense. The article presents the process of the gradual taking over of various church institutions by the Evangelicals. It was a quite prolonged process. Catholic religious life functioned in Słupsk without major disturbances until 1537, and it is hard to talk about the extinction of the Catholicism in Słupsk after 1525. In the city there dominated two denominations. In 1539 the canon Natzmer was made to leave the parsonage of Słupsk. From 1535 it was the convent of the Norbertines in Słupsk that constituted the spiritual and material support for Catholic clergymen in Słupsk
Performance of Risk Stratification for Acute Coronary Syndrome with Two-hour Sensitive Troponin Assay Results
No full textBackground: Risk stratification processes for patients with possible acute coronary syndrome (ACS) recommend the use of serial sensitive troponin testing over at least 6. h. Troponin assays vary in their analytical performance. Utility in accurate risk stratification at 2. h post-presentation is unknown. Methods: A diagnostic accuracy study of patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with symptoms of ACS was performed. Troponin was measured at 0, 2 and 6. h post-presentation. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was adjudicated by cardiologists and incorporated the 0 and 6. h troponin values measured by a sensitive troponin assay. Results were described using standard measures of test accuracy. Results: Of the 685 patients, 51 (7.4%) had 30-day AMI or cardiac death, and 76 (11.1%) had secondary outcomes (all cause death, ACS and revascularisation procedures). There was no significant difference in the diagnostic accuracy of early versus late biomarker strategies when used with the current risk stratification processes. Incorporation of a significant delta did not improve the stratification at 2. h post-presentation. Conclusions: Accelerated risk stratification of patients with ACS symptoms may occur at 2. h post-presentation using troponin results measured by a sensitive assay. Incorporation of such a strategy could support improvements in patient flow within EDs
A.W.N. Pugin's English residential architecture in its context
No full textThis Dissertation investigates all of A.W.N. Pugin’s known English residential
architecture for the first time, placing it in the context of the domestic and institutional
architecture of comparable small buildings, particularly Anglican parsonages, of the
period in which he lived and worked.
The Dissertation is preceded by a summary of the theoretical issues that architects
were addressing from the beginning of the nineteenth century, in particular those
which Pugin was later to make a central part of his own theoretical writings.
Following an examination of the conventions of the domestic architecture of the
period, the Dissertation analyses Pugin’s own buildings, primarily categorising them
by plan type. Pugin’s attitude to the orientation, location and landscape of his work is
then considered, followed by an analysis of his preferred building forms, their
materials, their detailing, and their decoration. In addition, the Dissertation
investigates the extent to which Pugin’s architecture was actually historicist, reviving
English or Continental Gothic forms and details.
The Dissertation further investigates Pugin’s professional practice as a domestic
architect, defining the nature of his partnership with his favoured building contractor,
George Myers, in the context of contemporary contracting practice. The practical
problems of Pugin’s constructions, and the character of his professional relationship
with his clients are also assessed.
The thesis proposes that elements of Pugin’s architectural theory existed previous to
his career amongst English architectural writers and critics, but that medium and
small houses designed between 1800 and the mid-1840s were overwhelmingly based
on a limited number of conventionalised plans. It will show that Pugin’s residential
planning was inherently different from that of these conventional buildings, and that it
is classifiable into a number of distinct categories. This thesis furthermore argues that
Pugin’s residential architecture was often far from functional and was not essentially
historicist.
This thesis will show that the planning of medium and small houses changed radically
from the 1840s, incorporating aspects of planning which Pugin had pioneered; a
conclusion suggests to what extent Pugin’s architectural creativity was expressive of
cultural change and preoccupation beyond the realm of architecture.
An Appendix is attached which summarises the chronology of all of Pugin’s known
residential works
2-hour accelerated diagnostic protocol to assess patients with chest pain symptoms using contemporary troponins as the only biomarker: The ADAPT trial
No full textObjectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether a new accelerated diagnostic protocol (ADP) for possible cardiac chest pain could identify low-risk patients suitable for early discharge (with follow-up shortly after discharge). Background: Patients presenting with possible acute coronary syndrome (ACS), who have a low short-term risk of adverse cardiac events may be suitable for early discharge and shorter hospital stays. Methods: This prospective observational study tested an ADP that included pre-test probability scoring by the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) score, electrocardiography, and 0 + 2 h values of laboratory troponin I as the sole biomarker. Patients presenting with chest pain due to suspected ACS were included. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiac event (MACE) within 30 days. Results: Of 1,975 patients, 302 (15.3%) had a MACE. The ADP classified 392 patients (20%) as low risk. One (0.25%) of these patients had a MACE, giving the ADP a sensitivity of 99.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 98.1% to 99.9%), negative predictive value of 99.7% (95% CI: 98.6% to 100.0%), specificity of 23.4% (95% CI: 21.4% to 25.4%), and positive predictive value of 19.0% (95% CI: 17.2% to 21.0%). Many ADP negative patients had further investigations (74.1%), and therapeutic (18.3%) or procedural (2.0%) interventions during the initial hospital attendance and/or 30-day follow-up. Conclusions: Using the ADP, a large group of patients was successfully identified as at low short-term risk of a MACE and therefore suitable for rapid discharge from the emergency department with early follow-up. This approach could decrease the observation period required for some patients with chest pain. (An observational study of the diagnostic utility of an accelerated diagnostic protocol using contemporary central laboratory cardiac troponin in the assessment of patients presenting to two Australasian hospitals with chest pain of possible cardiac origin; ACTRN12611001069943
Cost and outcomes of assessing patients with chest pain in an Australian emergency department
No full textObjectives: We sought to characterise the demographics, length of admission, final diagnoses, long-term outcome and costs associated with the population who presented to an Australian emergency department (ED) with symptoms of possible acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Design, setting and participants: Prospectively collected data on ED patients presenting with suspected ACS between November 2008 and February 2011 was used, including data on presentation and at 30 days after presentation. Information on patient disposition, length of stay and costs incurred was extracted from hospital administration records. Main outcome measures: Primary outcomes were mean and median cost and length of hospital stay. Secondary outcomes were diagnosis of ACS, other cardiovascular conditions or non-cardiovascular conditions within 30 days of presentation. Results: An ACS was diagnosed in 103 (11.1%) of the 926 patients recruited. 193 patients (20.8%) were diagnosed with other cardiovascular-related conditions and 622 patients (67.2%) had non-cardiac-related chest pain. ACS events occurred in 0 and 11 (1.9%) of the low-risk and intermediate-risk groups, respectively. Ninety-two (28.0%) of the 329 high-risk patients had an ACS event. Patients with a proven ACS, high-grade atrioventricular block, pulmonary embolism and other respiratory conditions had the longest length of stay. The mean cost was highest in the ACS group (11 794–7283; 95% CI, 8415) and non-cardiovascular conditions (2976–$3685). Conclusions: Most ED patients with symptoms of possible ACS do not have a cardiac cause for their presentation. The current guideline-based process of assessment is lengthy, costly and consumes significant resources. Investigation of strategies to shorten this process or reduce the need for objective cardiac testing in patients at intermediate risk according to the National Heart Foundation and Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand guideline is required
Scanning densitometric and calorimetric studies of poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(propylene oxide)/poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymers (poloxamers) in dilute aqueous solution
No full textThe phase transition properties of poloxamers, in dilute aqueous solution (1% w/v), detected by high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry (HSDSC) and differential scanning densitometry (DSD) at a scan rate of 30 K h -1 are reported. Poloxamers are ABA block copolymers of poly(oxyethylene) (A) and poly(oxypropylene) (B). The molecular weights of the poloxamers examined range from 2400 to 14 000. The solutions are transparent over the temperature range of the observed phase transition. By HSDSC, the temperatures (T m) at which the differential excess heat capacity (C p,m) is a maximum range from 297 to 313 K and show good agreement with T m values obtained by DSD. The observed T m values decrease with increasing poly(oxypropylene) content. The calorimetric enthalpy (ΔH cal) of the phase transitions, which range from 133 to 337 kJ mol -1, increases with increasing poly(oxypropylene) content. The partial specific volume changes (Δῡ) of the phase transitions range from 5.6 × 10 -3 to 6.2 × 10 -2 cm 3 g -1. The experimentally determined partial specific volumes (ῡ) for the poloxamers in dilute aqueous solution, at temperatures below the phase transition, agree reasonably well with those calculated for β and γ lattice structure forms (orthorhombic perpendicular or monoclinic lattice, respectively). At temperatures above the T m, experimental ῡvalues agree more closely with those calculated for the theoretical α form of hexagonally packed chains based on alkanols, characteristic of the more expanded form. The DSD data are discussed in terms of partial molal volume (V̄ 2 0) and expansibility (Ē 2 0) at inifinte dilution in water. Both parameters show a dependence on temperature. This suggests that the poloxamers undergo a gradual change in molecular size as a function of temperature, possibly accompanied by a rapid conformational change around the observed T m. Cooperatively values (ΔH vH/ΔH cal) of the phase transitions from HSDSC data are between 1.2 and 2.8; this together with the asymmetry of the transitions is indicative of an aggregation process. The relationships between ΔV̄ 2 0 and ΔH cal per average monomer unit vs poly(oxypropylene) (POP)/poly(oxyethylene) (POE) ratio indicate that the observed phase transition is associated with the POP portion of the polymer, as both parameters approach zero as the POP/POE ratio approaches 0:1. The observed phase transitions are reversible and are unaffected by scan rate (10, 30 and 60 K h -1) using both techniques and hence show no kinetic limitations. The parameters derived from HSDSC and DSD data for the poloxamers are analyzed in terms of possible microscopic and macroscopic phenomena occurring during the phase transitions. © 1993 American Chemical Society
Emily Brontë : the mind of a visionary
No full textBibliography: leaves 216-226.This dissertation is an investigation of the visionary and philosophical aspects of Emily Brontë's works. The first five chapters deal with the visionary process such as visions, spirit guides, dreams, imagination, encounters with the darker side of the self and a union with the divine. There is considerable evidence of these mystical avenues in both her poetry and in Wuthering Heights which have been explored. It is shown how Emily Brontë's mysticism is a direct result of personal experiences which augment her reputation as one of the leading mystics in the world of literature. There are however tensions in her works, such as the cynicism of her own intellect in accepting the visionary experiences as authentic and periods of suffering when her faith is tested. These tensions have been considered within the context of her mystical encounters and philosophy. The remaining four chapters deal with the philosophy of Emily Brontë per se. Her beliefs in respect of heaven and hell, mercy and justice, power and survival, and pantheism are considered in depth. It is argued that she is an unorthodox thinker who does not believe in an eternal hell and that she has drawn inspiration for this idea from Frederick Maurice and Ralph Waldo Emerson. It is also shown how issues of power have been of interest to her from a young age and how this needs to be integrated within her philosophy. To the writer power needs to be tempered by compassion if it is to be of use to society or the individual. Her pantheistic spirit is also investigated and related to the mystical ideas
Determining the Discount Rate for Government Projects
No full textDiscount rates are widely used in the public sector to assess policy proposals where costs and benefits accrue over long time periods. Socially optimal policy choices require an appropriate choice of discount rate. This paper assesses the applicability of the two key theoretical approaches to selecting discount rates in the public sector. The two key theoretical approaches considered are the social rate of time preference and the social opportunity cost. Estimation issues in determining the rate using these two approaches are reviewed. The social rate of time preference is considered to be the appropriate approach. When estimates of the social rate of time preference are unavailable or clearly unreliable and the Government is considering financing a project, the social opportunity cost should be used. The social opportunity cost can be used as a proxy for the social rate of time preference. The paper presents an example using the capital asset pricing model in a weighted average cost of capital formula to determine a social opportunity cost.Discount rate; Social opportunity cost; Social rate of time preference
