1,747,771 research outputs found
Understanding indeterminate music through performance: Cage’s Solo for piano
Full text linkThis article demonstrates how performance may further understanding of – and offer new perspectives on – indeterminate music, and in particular the ways in which performers realize the indeterminate aspects of the scores. Cage’s Solo for Piano (1957–8), one of the most celebrated indeterminate scores, is used as the model for such an approach. The close involvement that performers have with the score and the music over what is often a prolonged period of time leads to a particular kind of understanding, different from that of nonperformers, which, when articulated, can offer valuable insights. After a brief outline of the score, the article begins by discussing the performances of other pianists, notably David Tudor. It then examines in detail the author’s own approach to making a realization, discussing the implications of such an approach from both practical and aesthetic perspectives
Determining an Indeterminate Sentence
Full text linkThis article compares the administration of indeterminate sentences in Hong Kong with developing practices in the United Kingdom and critiques the Hong Kong decisions in the light of recent rulings of the European Court of Human Rights. The author explains that while the Hong Kong courts have ruled on some aspects of the constitutional validity of an indeterminate sentence, the ultimate question of the Chief Executive's power to detain prisoners after a recommendation of the Long Term Prison Sentences Review Board to substitute a determinate sentence for an indeterminate one has yet to be addressed. The author concludes that should the Chief Executive's right to effectively determine the release date of life-sentenced prisoners be challenged, it would likely be judged invalid for inconsistency with the Bill of Rights and the Basic Law.published_or_final_versio
The conundrum of indeterminate QuantiFERON-TB Gold results before anti-tumor necrosis factor initiation
No full textShahrad Hakimian,1 Yevgeniy Popov,1 Abbas H Rupawala,2 Karen Salomon-Escoto,3 Steven Hatch,4 Randall Pellish1,2 1Department of Medicine, 2Division of Gastroenterology, 3Division of Rheumatology, 4Division of Infectious Disease, UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, MA, USA Background: Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) is a key cytokine in both the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the host defense against tuberculosis (TB). Consequently, anti-TNFα medications result in an increased risk of latent TB infection (LTBI) reactivation. Here, we sought to evaluate the factors affecting the results of QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) assay as a screening tool for LTBI. Methods: We conducted an observational, retrospective study in patients with IBD and RA who underwent LTBI screening using QFT-GIT at UMass Memorial Medical Center between 2008 and 2016 prior to initiation of anti-TNF medications. Results: We included 107 and 89 patients with IBD and RA, respectively. We found that a higher proportion of IBD patients had indeterminate QFT-GIT result compared to RA patients. Furthermore, we found that the majority of patients with indeterminate results were tested during an acute flare of IBD (88%) and while taking corticosteroids. Of all patients receiving ≥20 mg equivalent prednisone dose (n=32), 63% resulted in indeterminate QFT-GIT, compared to only 6% indeterminate testing in patients receiving <20 mg of equivalent prednisone dose (n=164, P<0.001). There was no correlation between indeterminate results and age, gender, disease duration, or distribution, or smoking status within each population. Conclusion: We observed that high-dose corticosteroids may affect QFT-GIT outcomes leading to a high proportion of indeterminate results. We propose that IBD patients should be tested prior to initiation of corticosteroids to avoid equivocal results and prevent potential delays in initiation of anti-TNF medications. Keywords: indeterminate QuantiFERON-TB Gold, latent TB infection, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, corticosteroids, IBD flar
VPRS 12199 Inward and Outward Unregistered Correspondence
No full textThis series consists of inward and outward correspondence created and received by the Indeterminate Sentences Board. A precursor to the Adult Parole Board (VA 1087), this agency was established under s.22 of the Indeterminate Sentences Act 1907 (no 2106). This Act came into operation in July 1908, and regulated the detention and control of habitual criminals, established Reformatory Prisons in Victoria (whose prisoners were detained during the Governors pleasure s.15) and established the Indeterminate Sentences Board. The Board reported annually to Victorian Parliament.<br/><br/>The correspondence in this series covers a variety of subjects, some of which are described briefly below:<br/><br/>Some relates to the Boards call for nominations for suitable persons to become probation officers. The Governor in Council could appoint probation officers under s 27 of the Indeterminate Sentences Act and s 536 of the Crimes Act 1915. Their duties included visiting or receiving reports from persons under supervision as required, seeing that conditions of recognisance were observed, and to advise, assist and befriend persons on probation and when necessary to endeavour to find him suitable employment (s28).The Board wrote to agencies in different areas, such as the police, asking for nominations for probation officers, setting out the duties of this position, and the desirable qualities for nominees.<br/><br/>Following on from the Boards call for nominations, this series contains acceptance letters from/letters of appointment to probation officers.<br/><br/>There are lists of the names of probation officers and the regions in which they were working.<br/><br/>There are recommendations by the Board for the release of prisoners.<br/><br/>Recognisances: these documents were issued by the courts in order to suspend the sentence of first-time offenders. Sections 23-25 of Indeterminate Sentences Act 1907 deals with recognisances. The Act provided that courts may suspend the sentence of first-offenders upon the offender entering into a recognisance. This required a surety, the persons good behaviour for a fixed period, may require supervision by probation officer. The Recognisances record the offenders name, amount of surety, offence, conditions, etc.<br/><br/>There are copies of relevant Rules and Regulations, for example for Probation Officer Regulations. The Governor in Council had power to make regulations under the Act, for example for the management of reformatory prisons and classification of habitual prisoners, and such matters incidental to the appointment resignation and removal of members of the Indeterminate Sentences Board and of probation officers (s 32). Such regulations were required to be published in the Government Gazette.<br/><br/>This series contains copies of portions of the Indeterminate Sentences Act 1907.<br/><br/>Certificates of Discharge on Probation (has details of from where discharged, any conditions, etc).<br/><br/>There are also some information sheets on prisoners detained in Reformatory Prisons. These are of a similar format to those bound together in VPRS 10858 Central Register of Prisoners. These contain information such as the prisoners offence, religion, country of origin, previous convictions, parents, relatives, medical reports, etc
Reliability assessment of ‘simple’ statically indeterminate structures
No full textProbability calculations are used to determine the possible failure of civil structures which includes bridges. The Eurocode uses a conservative form of these probability calculations and this could have a negative economic impact. Having said this, more advanced probability calculation methods are developed to decrease the negative economic impact this could have.Nowadays structural analysis in daily practise is mostly done through the finite element method. The finite element method uses either linear or non-linear structural analysis. The latter mentioned analysis is used for the analysis of materials in which the nonlinear effects have significant impact. However not only finite element analyses are used to determine structural behaviour. Analytical models remain an important tool to examine civil structures. Since the analytical models cannot address all the influences of the nonlinear parameters, conservative assumptions were made.On the one hand the modern design code uses semi-probabilistic in combination with the analytical model. Finite element analysis together with semi-probabilistic assessment is a possible use for design purposes as well. On the other hand full-probabilistic assessments, are not possible to execute in combination with nonlinear, finite element analyses. The reason for that the computation time becomes too large.The research question that is tried to answer in this thesis: “How does a semi-probabilistic compare to a full-probabilistic safety assessment for a statically indeterminate beam structure?”The 2-span statically indeterminate reinforced concrete beams that are studied in this thesis find their origin from the research done by Monnier between 1965 and 1970. This research had as goal to see what the influence of shear force would be on the bending capacity. This specific research is chosen because here statically indeterminate beams are dealt with. The experiments’ data generated during the execution of the four-point bending test is the starting point of this thesis.To answer the research question, the components of a reliability model have been investigated. The levels of model approximation (LoA) as stated in the model code 2010 together with the level of reliability calculations (Steenbergen 2011) were used. Two combinations between LoA and reliability methods have been analysed to assess their strengths and weaknesses. These two reliability analyses were both were based on an analytical model (LoA I). The reliability level I and III, the so called semi-probabilistic and full-probabilistic, calculations were used.In conclusion, the full-probabilistic reliability calculation is all cases applicable to determine the probability of failure of a statically indeterminate structure. However, semi-probability reliability are useful as well but it does allow only partly redistribution of forces. In case of statically indeterminate structures this can have significant impact on the failure load. The best reliability method for a statically indeterminate structure is dependent on the amount of redistribution of forces.The semi-probabilistic calculations treat structures, where a lot of redistribution can occur, conservatively. For instance, the semi-probabilistic calculation procedure that is used in this thesis allows for only partly redistribution of forces. The full-probabilistic calculation procedure is therefore beneficial to use for structures where a lot of redistribution can occur in the ultimate limit state.It turned out that the full-probabilistic calculation determines a higher reliability of the structure. In the full-probabilistic analysis, the limit state function is used in its analytical form. Whereas in the semi-probabilistic analysis is made with the use of approximations of the limit state function. However, when the cross-section of a statically indeterminate structure is designed in such a way that little redistribution will take place, the difference between the full- and semi-probabilistic is insignificant
Indeterminate waiting: social experiences, politics, and visualizations
No full textIt has been acknowledged that waiting is extremely challenging to study due to its common presence in our daily lives, seeming passivity, and tendency to escape our awareness. In addition, the huge diversity of waiting obscures the indeterminate waiting, which I define as the anticipation that a salient and desirable event will happen in an indeterminate period of time. When imposed, this type of waiting has been recognized as fostering relations of social power and having detrimental consequences for those who wait. In this Dissertation, I aim at bringing more sociological and social visibility to indeterminate waiting.
The Dissertation is comprised of two studies, the first one addressing defining social elements of indeterminate waiting experiences. In the second study, I examine the political aspects of indeterminate waiting from the perspective of those who wait. I also explore the potential of maps to bring more visibility to this social phenomenon. In the first study, I have applied in-depth content analysis to four memoirs from various social contexts: political solitary confinement, war, emigration, and organ transplants. In the second study, I use a more interdisciplinary approach, bringing in concepts from critical cartography and political sciences. I have applied the study to the context of Romanian citizenship reacquisition by Moldovans and the migration associated with it. I also have applied mapping exercises intertwined with interviews, meant to reveal experiences of waiting and migration in the same context.
My findings reveal that indeterminate waiting, especially when it extends over prolonged periods of time, is experienced in a complex dynamic, alternating acute and receding awareness of the wait. Indeterminate waiting creates a socio-temporal disruption in the lives of those who wait, changing the perceptions of time and social reality. Those who wait perceive the time with an acute awareness and may even have a distanced perception of the society. In the same time, those who wait develop coping mechanisms, such as: having a meaningful occupation, being focused on present, looking for temporal points of reference, etc.
In the study of the Romanian citizenship reacquisition process by Moldovans, I have found a strong relationship between the indeterminate periods and stages of the process and acute experiences of indeterminate waiting. Salience of reacquiring the Romanian citizenship, which is socially produced, plays a crucial role in how waiting has been experienced. The maps sketched on by the participants use a variety of marks and images to portray waiting, creating valuable insights for the conventional mapping of migration.Ph.D.Includes bibliographical referencesby Lilia Railean
Panacea or pandemic: Comparing “equitable waiver of tort” to “aggregate liability” in cases of mass torts with indeterminate causation
Full text linkThe equitable doctrine of “waiver of tort”, in which a plaintiff surrenders the right to tort damages and seeks instead a disgorgement of the defendant’s wrongful profits, has received a mixed reception in Canadian courts. In this article, the author explains the doctrine and its difficult history, and proposes that the problem against which waiver of tort is usually being applied — indeterminate causation in mass tort claims — is very real. However, the author concludes that the use of the doctrine of waiver is a partial solution at best, and advocates instead for a more fundamental rethinking of our approach to causation in class actionsPeer reviewe
Panacea or Pandemic: Comparing “Equitable Waiver of Tort” to “Aggregate Liability” in Cases of Mass Torts with Indeterminate Causation
Full text linkThe equitable doctrine of “waiver of tort”, in which a plaintiff surrenders the right to tort damages and seeks instead a disgorgement of the defendant’s wrongful profits, has received a mixed reception in Canadian courts. In this article, the author explains the doctrine and its difficult history, and proposes that the problem against which waiver of tort is usually being applied — indeterminate causation in mass tort claims — is very real. However, the author concludes that the use of the doctrine of waiver is a partial solution at best, and advocates instead for a more fundamental rethinking of our approach to causation in class actionsPeer reviewe
Sonographically indeterminate scrotal masses: how MRI helps in characterization
Full text linkMagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the scrotum represents a useful supplemental imaging technique in the characterization of scrotal masses, particularly recommended in cases of nondiagnostic ultrasonographic findings. An accurate characterization of the benign nature of scrotal masses, including both intratesticular and paratesticular ones may improve patient management and decrease the number of unnecessary radical surgical procedures. Alternative treatment strategies, including follow-up, lesion biopsy, tumor enucleation, or organ sparing surgery may be recommended. The aim of this pictorial review is to present how MRI helps in the characterization of sonographically indeterminate scrotal masses and to emphasize the key MRI features of benign scrotal masses
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