207 research outputs found
Landscape in Spatial Planning: Some Evidence on Methodological Issues and Political Challenges
No full textIn recent decades, the landscape has given a new impulse to the renewal of spatial planning. This process has nevertheless raised several methodological issues about how to deal with sensitive non-functional aspects in spatial planning tools and procedures, as well as new challenges for policy design. Placemaking, landscape urbanism, and landscape planning do not differ just in scale but in their very idea of public/collective interest and the action that is required to reach them. Reflecting on some evidence from the recent Italian experience of landscape plans and policies, based on direct involvement in practice and academic debate, the author will highlight several main issues at stake today in this field. The conclusions will argue some potentially promising innovation perspectives, on both processes and contents regarding landscape-based spatial planning and policies, as well as some critical conditions of an institutional context
Cultural and gender politics in a neglected archive of Jamaican women's poetry : Una Marson and her Creole contemporaries
No full textThis thesis considers the gender and cultural politics of selected Jamaican
women's poetry published during the first half of the twentieth century and
seeks to establish that an approach to this poetry sensitive to these issues will
illuminate aspects of their work previously neglected by canonical and colonial
modes of interpretation. The central interest of this thesis is the poetry of Una
Marson, a black woman poet whose work has been critically neglected and
devalued to date. My project is to read Marson's work in some detail, and to
explore to what extent her poetry, which often works within colonial models and
with conventional notions of feminine fulfilment, employs received aesthetic
and ideological paradigms both strategically and subversively. In the belief
that critics of Jamaican women's writing should be as attentive to the gender
and cultural politics of their ways of reading, as of the texts they wish to read,
the first chapter of this thesis engages in a sustained analysis of theoretical
positions and attempts to map out the various problems and possibilities
which critical discourses present in relation to this material. The second
chapter examines the various social and literary contexts in which Jamaican
poetry was produced and received during this period, and the third chapter
looks in more detail at contemporary notions of aesthetic and cultural forms.
The fourth and fifth chapters are structured aromd close textual readings
which explore the variety and complexity of Marson's, and her Creole
contemporaries', poetic engagement with the issues of cultural and gender
identities. The thesis concludes that Marson's poetry questions dominant
notions both of identity and of aesthetics, and consequently that her poetry
offers an example of Jamaican literary expression which moves beyond the
nationalization of consciousness which has come to mark the literary
achievement of this period
Fully immersed: State absorption and electrophysiological effects of the OVO Whole-Body Perceptual Deprivation chamber
No full textAbsorption, the ability to highly focus attention, as well as openness to self-altering experiences, is an important psychological construct, closely related to deep-meditation states and other altered states of consciousness. Yet, little is known about the electrophysiological profile of states of absorption, possibly due to the difficulty to induce this state in the lab. While most studies have used a visual Ganzfeld (homogeneous perceptual field), here we use a novel technique of full immersion-the OVO Whole-Body Perceptual Deprivation (OVO-WBPD) chamber, which is an altered sensory environment in the form of a human-sized egg. Consequently, the aims of the current study were to investigate whether the OVO-WBPD chamber induces state absorption, using first-person reports, as well as to examine electrophysiological change following immersion in this altered sensory environment. Fourteen participants volunteered to participate in the study. Trait absorption was measured using the Tellegen Absorption Scale (TAS). State absorption was assessed by analyzing the content of the subjective reports, using sub-categories of the absorption construct (e.g., synesthesia). EEG was measured before and during a 20-min OVO-WBPD experience. Using exact low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (eLORETA), we analyzed change in oscillatory EEG activity and localized the generators of the scalp EEG power spectra following the OVO-WBPD. Our results show that OVO-WBPD immersion leads to a state of absorption in all participants. We also report significant increased oscillatory activity in the delta and beta bands, in the left inferior frontal cortex, with a peak in the sub-lobar of the left insula. In addition, a positive correlation was found between change in delta activity and trait absorption. The results are discussed in light of other meditative practices and altered states of consciousness
Birmingham News sleeve BN0021413
No full textTryouts for [Heart Is a Lonely Hunter] / Young punks leaning against light post / Hunter / Clark Theatre [theater] / Bill Eisenberg / Mark Marson / Joseph Strick / Ben Fuhrman / Jan Jones / Mark Merson / Boys trying out / [Work order included
Quadrato motor training (QMT) influences IL-1β expression and creativity: Implications for inflammatory state reduction and cognitive enhancement
No full textMind-body practices and meditation have been increasingly studied in recent years due to their
beneficial effects on cognition, and physical and psychological health. Growing evidence
suggests that these practices could be utilized as interventions to impact age-related biological
processes, such as cognitive decline, inflammation, and homeostatic dysregulation. Indeed,
it has been reported that mindful meditation may induce neuroplasticity in brain regions
involved in control of attention, emotional regulation, and self-awareness.
In the current research we studied the effects of a recently developed movement meditation,
named the Quadrato Motor Training (QMT), on the proinflammatory cytokine Interleukin-
1beta (IL-1β), utilizing a pre-post design. In addition to its role in the immune system,
IL-1β is also an important mediator of neuroimmune responses related to sickness behavior,
and plays a role in complex cognitive processes, such as synaptic plasticity, neurogenesis, and
neuromodulation. Thirty healthy participants were divided in two groups, one performing QMT for 2 months,
and one passive control group. Salivary IL-1β expression was examined by ELISA to measure
protein levels and by qRT-PCR to quantify mRNA. In addition, the methylation profile of the
IL-1β promoter was examined. All participants further conducted the Alternate Uses Task
(AUT) and Hidden Figure Test (HFT), to measure their creativity and spatial cognition.
The results showed that, following QMT practice, IL-1β protein level decreased and creativity
increased, compared to the control group. These data demonstrate that QMT may help reduce
inflammatory states and promote cognitive improvement, highlighting the importance of nonpharmacological
approaches to health and well-being
I caratteri morfotipologici dei paesaggi rurali
No full textIl contributo al libro, illustra i concetti chiave su cui si è basato lo studio del paesaggio rurale portato avanti dalla IV invariante, quali la considerazione del valore patrimoniale e di bene collettivo del paesaggio agrario, la necessità di trovare un’articolazione virtuosa del rapporto tra tutela del paesaggio e attività agricola, il problema fondamentale di quali regole, caratteri ed elementi debbano e possano essere conservati o, più spesso, riprodotti in modo innovativo. Tra questi, si individuano tre ordini di fattori come caratteri identitari del paesaggio rurale toscano la cui riproduzione non solo non va a detrimento delle attività imprenditoriali ma può offrire loro ulteriori vantaggi in termini di multifunzionalità: 1) un rapporto stretto e coerente tra territorio agricolo e sistema insediativo; 2) la presenza di un’infrastruttura rurale di tipo multifunzionale; 3) la diversificazione degli usi del suolo a scala ridotta (dell’unità poderale o dell’azienda agricola) posta alla base della biodiversità del territorio.
Nel contributo, si vuole evidenziare il potenziale ruolo che esercita il paesaggio agrario nel fornire servizi eco-sistemici (MAE, 2005) e, al tempo stesso il ruolo che gli agricoltori possono avere nel garantire l’erogazione di tali servizi attraverso le modalità di gestione delle attività produttive sul territorio rurale. Tali modalità di gestione, quando orientate verso un’agricoltura eco-compatibile e multifunzionale, assumono una valenza fondamentale nel garantire la riproduzione nel tempo di una paesaggio agrario (rurale) ben infrastrutturato che, oltre a garantire la coerenza rispetto ai valori storico- identitari e culturali delle “territorialità” toscane, ha effetti positivi sul piano ecologico, nel preservare la biodiversità, nel garantire il presidio idrogeologico, nel rafforzare l’immagine legata alla qualità e al valore dei prodotti agroalimentari, nel migliorare l’aspetto estetico – percettivo del territorio e, quindi, aumentare il gradimento dei cittadini e dei turisti
Toward stem cell systems biology: from molecules to networks and landscapes
No full textThe last few years have seen significant advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of stem-cell-fate specification. New and emerging high-throughput techniques, as well as increasingly accurate loss-of-function perturbation techniques, are allowing us to dissect the interplay among genetic, epigenetic, proteomic, and signaling mechanisms in stem-cell-fate determination with ever-increasing fidelity (Boyer et al. 2005, 2006; Ivanova et al. 2006; Loh et al. 2006; Cole et al. 2008; Jiang et al. 2008; Johnson et al. 2008; Kim et al. 2008; Liu et al. 2008; Marson et al. 2008; Mathur et al. 2008). Taken together, recent reports using these new techniques demonstrate that stem-cell-fate specification is an extremely complex process, regulated by multiple mutually interacting molecular mechanisms involving multiple regulatory feedback loops. Given this complexity and the sensitive dependence of stem cell differentiation on signaling cues from the extracellular environment, how are we best to develop a coherent quantitative understanding of stem cell fate at the systems level? One approach that we and other researchers have begun to investigate is the application of techniques derived in the computational disciplines (mathematics, physics, computer science, etc.) to problems in stem cell biology. Here, we briefly sketch a few pertinent results from the literature in this area and discuss future potential applications of computational techniques to stem cell systems biolog
Behavior of Historic Buildings in Zones with Moderate Seismic Activity. Case Study: Banat Region, Romania
No full textAbstractHistoric buildings from seismic zones have recorded important damages after earthquakes. Due to this aspect, in current design codes for consolidations of some countries there are special calculations for historic buildings. The development of the investigation methods for the damages developed in the historic bearing structures revealed the fact that these damages are differentiated by the type and intensity of the earthquake. Information on these different failure modes of the historic bearing structures is not given in the current design codes for zones with medium and reduced seismic activity. In Romania there are no specific provisions for the design of the consolidation works of historic bearing structures, even though there are two important seismic zones: Vrancea region and Banat region. The Vrancea region is characterized by deep earthquakes while the Banat region is characterized by shallow earthquakes. These two types of earthquakes produce different failure modes for similar historic buildings. In this article there are presented specific failure modes of historic buildings such as orthodox churches, catholic churches, synagogues, residential buildings, and aggregate buildings from Banat region which has moderate seismic activity. The evaluation methodology of the seismic vulnerability of buildings from historic centers developed by the University of Padova was confirmed by in situ identification of failure mechanisms recorded in historic bearing structures from Timisoara. There are also presented specific recommendations regarding the design philosophy of the consolidations for zones with moderate seismic activity, by the control of the fundamental requirements for buildings: rigidity and ductility
Supportive bandage, removable splint, or walking casts for low-risk ankle fractures in children: A feasibility randomized controlled trial
No full textAims: It is unclear if a supportive bandage, removable splint, or walking cast offers the best outcome following low-risk ankle fractures in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial to compare these treatments., Methods: Children aged five to 15 years with low-risk ankle fractures were recruited to this feasibility trial from 1 February 2020 to 30 March 2023. Children were randomized to supportive bandage, removable splint, or walking cast for two weeks. Follow-up at two, six, and 12 weeks was undertaken to determine feasibility for a definitive trial. Outcomes collected included complications, the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) mobility score, Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory, youth version of the EuroQol five-dimension health questionnaire, and Activities Scale for Kids - Performance., Results: A total of 87 children from six hospitals were randomized at a rate of 0.9 participants per site per month. Two children in the supportive bandage group crossed over to an alternative device. Complications were reported in six children. One child in the cast group developed skin blisters. One child in cast and one in bandage sustained a reinjury during the 12-week follow-up, and two children (one splint and one cast) required additional immobilization after the two-week treatment for persistent pain. Of the 84 participants who remained in the study at six weeks, 43 (51.2%) returned follow-up questionnaires at six weeks. Of the patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), proxy-reported PROMIS mobility showed good responsiveness, low ceiling effects, and low missing item rates. In an exploratory analysis, small differences were observed between groups, with no evidence that any of the treatments were superior., Conclusion: This feasibility study showed acceptable recruitment and retention rates. There remains equipoise regarding the best treatment of these injuries. All three treatments appear well tolerated with similar complication rates. A primary outcome of complications or treatment failure would provide the highest study retention with secondary PROMs and economic analysis. Copyright © 2025 Marson et al.https://doi.org/10.1302/0301-620X.107B1.BJJ-2024-0354.R
Trade-off Analysis between Security and Efficiency of Airport Operations: A methodological underpinned modelling approach to identify, analyse and evaluate trade-offs based on empirical choice observations
No full textThis Master Thesis document presents a research on trade-off analysis between security and efficiency factors during airport operations. Over the past few decades there has been an increase in security in the air transportation industry, with even more measures taken since 9/11. Besides affecting the operational costs of airports, the stricter controls also have been having an impact on the efficiency of the operations. Although that security and efficiency factors influence each other and on a frequent basis are being compared and considered in combination to take airport security operational decisions, the trade-offs made in order to take such decisions are not fully explicit. In order to make these security and efficiency trade-offs (which these decisions are based on) more explicit; a trade-off analysis formalized by Discrete Choice Modelling was conducted. Based on this analysis; implications were provided to evaluate, by the means of Agent-based Modelling, the effects of security and efficiency trade-offs made by airport security screeners on the operations of airports.Agent-based Modelling for Airport TerminalsTransport, Infrastructure and Logistic
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