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Pachytrechodes brevis Belousov & Nyundo, sp. n.
No full text<i>Pachytrechodes brevis</i> Belousov & Nyundo, sp. n. <p> <b>Type material: Holotype: TANZANIA:</b> 1(1)3, “ Tanzania, Udzungwa Mts Nat. Park; forest floor, 1500 m asl; E36º52´00´´ S7º45´30´´; 03.viii.1999 Coll. B.A. Nyundo; searching on ground, daytime; B.A. Nyundo Expedition (1998–2001)”(ZMUN). <b>Paratypes: TANZANIA:</b> 10(2)3, 14Ƥ, collected with the holotype (UDSM, ZISP, ZMUN); 1(1)3, 17Ƥ, same data but 4.viii.1999 Coll. Hashim Rashid (cBK, ZISP, ZMUN); 7(5)3, same data but 5.viii.1999 (cBK, UDSM; ZISP, ZMUN); 2Ƥ, same data but 19.iv.1999 Coll. Hezron Mwasomola (UDSM). 20 specimens measured.</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Very small-sized apterous species. Body length 2.02–2.18 mm. Body robust and briefly ovate (Fig. 1), weakly convex, with fairly long legs and antennae. Dorsal side unicolorous reddish brown to dark brown, with paler brown yellowish legs. First antennomere yellowish, antennomeres 2–7 more or less distinctly obscured, distal antennomeres beginning with 8–9 becoming gradually paler. Head and pronotum occasionally darker than elytra.</p> <p>Head rather small, much narrower than pronotum. Frontal furrows well and evenly impressed, arcuate, complete; frons convex. Eyes small, moderately protruding, more strongly in anterior third, slightly longer than tempora (eye length to temple length ratio 1.14–1.35), tempora strongly convex behind their mid-length, smooth, without any trace of pubescence. Labrum relatively narrow, its anterior margin deeply notched, bearing six setae, lateral lobes narrowly rounded. Mandibles (Fig. 2) rather short and thin, curved in apical quarter. Tooth on right mandible tridentate, with long base (i.e. proximal and distal denticles widely spaced). Last segment of maxillary palpi only little shorter than penultimate segment but much more narrow, subulate. Maxillary palpi completely glabrous. Penultimate segment of labial palpi quadrisetose. Mentum and submentum completely fused, without any trace of labial suture. Labial tooth simple, with anterior margin widely rounded to truncate. Four submental setae of which two are subangular. Glossum clearly notched at apex, with two large median setae and a few much smaller lateral setae. Paraglossae thin and long, faintly curved, protruding far beyond anterior margin of glossum. Two supraorbital setiferous pores on each side of head located on lines divergent posteriad. Anterior supraorbital setiferous pore strongly foveolate, posterior one without oblique fovea. Parietal transverse impression very shallow. Antennae rather long and thin, antennomeres 2 and 3 subequal in length, the latter being only marginally longer. Viewed from above, antennomere 2 nearly cylindrical, without distinct constriction in basal part.</p> <p>Pronotum strongly transverse and convex, with basal lobe rather narrow and feebly produced; sides broadly rounded in anterior and middle part, nearly straight in posterior part, without distinct sinuation before hind angles. Lateral gutter very narrow throughout, only marginally widened near hind angles; lateral border complete, continued to basal lobe and more or less reduced only in most median part. Basal margin of pronotum weakly concave medially, obliquely emarginated laterally, most strongly sinuate near basal foveae, the latter extraordinarily small but deep, pore-like, attached to lateral border. Hind angles of pronotum obtusangular, blunt at apices or even completely rounded off. Front angles broadly rounded but detectable, weakly produced anteriad. Anterior margin of pronotum moderately and evenly concave. Apical transverse impression shallow, normally distinct laterally, reduced medially. Prebasal transverse impression very shallow, consisting of a median triangular depression and occasionally irregular lateral foveae. Median line finely engraved, normally developed only in median part. Discal foveae missing. Base of pronoum smooth, or, at most, with a few very shallow wrinkles. Anterior lateral seta of pronotum located markedly before mid-length of pronotum, slightly before its broadest point, posterior one in hind angles.</p> <p>Elytra briefly ovate, more or less flattened on disk, steeply sloped laterally, with maximum width near midlength, sides broadly rounded at humeral area, nearly parallel in median part (though varying in this respect), broadly rounded at apex, with distinct preapical sinuation posteriorly. Lateral gutter evenly wide throughout its length, lateral margins moderately to weakly deflexed, without serration in humeral area. Basal border of elytra complete, with distinct sinuation at level of dorsal stria 4. Elytral striae rather well-impressed, at least five inner striae distinct in their median part, though becoming increasingly shallower and shorter toward sides, sixth stria distinguishable only fragmentary. First stria much more sharply engraved as compared to other striae, smooth, rectilinear, without distinct sinuation in anterior third while all other dorsal striae impressed more shallowly, waved and faintly punctured. Third stria angularly curved at anterior discal setiferous pore. Eighth stria distinct only in posterior half of elytra (only marginally extended anteriad beyond umbilicate pore 5) and some fragments may be distinguishable in humeral area. Interspaces flat. Parascutellar pore well developed, located anteriorly of basal border of elytra. Parascutellar striole sharply impressed, partially overlapped with basal portion of first discal stria. Apical striole clearly sinuate, moderately impressed posteriorly and very shallow anteriorly. Two discal setiferous pores in third stria (normally anterior one at level between umbilicate pores 3 and 4, and posterior one slightly before umbilicate pore 5) and one preapical pore located close to apex, in apical cross of third and second elytral striae at level slightly anteriorly of umbilicate pore 8. Both discal setiferous pores clearly foveolate, their setae very short and thin, shorter than parascutellar seta. Both apical pores present, located very closely to each other, anguloapical one being much less developed and located rather far from elytral suture. Umbilicate setiferous pores wellaggregated in longitudinal direction, but some pores (pores 3 and 4 weakly, pore 5 very strongly) translocated inward, onto disk of elytra.</p> <p>Metathoracical wings reduced to small vestiges shorter than one fourth of elytra.</p> <p>Legs rather thin and long, tibiae weakly curved. Protibiae without distinct pubescence on their anterior surface, sharply grooved exteriorly. Two basal segments in male protarsi dilated and dentate inward.</p> <p>Ventral side of abdomen rather evenly pubescent except for lateral parts, two paramedian setae on visible abdominal ventrites 4–6. Two setae along posterior margin of anal ventrite in male and four setae in female. Posterior margin of anal ventrite concave in male, rounded in female.</p> <p> <b>TABLE 1.</b> Morphometric characters of <i>Pachytrechodes brevis</i>, <b>sp. n.</b> The following abbreviations are used: <i>a_pr</i> —width of pronotum at apical margin; <i>ante</i> —length of antenna; <i>b_pr</i> —width of pronotum at basal margin; <i> d_ <i>i</i> p</i> —distance between level of <i> <i>i</i> -th</i> discal setiferous pore and basal border of elytra; <i>eye</i> —length of eye in dorsal view; <i>h_ta</i> —length of tarsus; <i>h_ti</i> —length of tibia; <i>height</i> —maximum height of body across elytra; <i>l_2a</i> —length of second antennal segment; <i>l_3a</i> —length of third antennal segment; <i>l_el</i> —length of elytra; <i>l_pr</i> —length of pronotum along median line; <i>s_pr</i> —distance between level of anterior lateral seta of pronotum and anterior margin of pronotum; <i>tmpr</i> —length of tempora; <i> um_ <i>i</i> —distance from basal border of elytra to level of <i>i</i> th umbilicate pore; <i>w_3a</i> —width of third antennal segment; <i>w_hd</i> —maximum width of head across eyes; <i>w_pr</i> —maximum width of pronotum.</i></p> <p>Microsculpture strongly reduced, making surface of body shining, only disc of pronotum with distinct microsculpture consisting of finely impressed transverse serrate lines.</p> <p>Male genitalia (Figs. 3–4). Median lobe of aedeagus rather short and straight, bent only at basal portion; basal bulb bilobed. Dorsal wall not sclerotized. Endophallus armature consisting of one large heavily sclerotized plate gradually narrowing and pointed apically and a few less distinct plates in median part. Right and left parameres differ significantly in shape, left slightly triangular, right with distinctly attenuated apical half, more typical for most trechines, each paramere bearing four apical setae.</p> <p>Sexual dimorphism. Male and female specimens are nearly identical in morphometric characters: males differ in having slightly larger eyes, longer antennae, smaller body size, and narrower head. Quantitative differences are indicated in Table 1.</p> <p> <b>Bionomics.</b> The specimens were collected by searching in moist leaf litter on the forest floor of a montane tropical forest at an altitude of ca. 1500 m above sea level, Udzungwa Mountains National Park (formerly Mwanihana Forest Reserve). The vegetation of the area was dominated by tall trees (<i>Dryptes</i> sp., <i>Vepris stolzii</i>, <i>Syzigium guineense</i>, and <i>Parinari excelsa</i>). Tree ferns (<i>Phoenix reclinata</i>) were also common. The beetles were active from dusk to midnight under trees where there was fruit windfall. During the day they hid in the forest litter and could be collected by sifting the litter.</p> <p> <b>Comparative notes.</b> The new species agrees well with the three other known congeners both in external and genitalic characters (Jeannel 1960; Uéno 1987). All four species of <i>Pachytrechodes</i> share the following character states: small and weakly produced eyes which are not significantly longer than convex tempora; small and robust body shape with relatively short legs and brief ovate elytra; microsculpture of dorsum more or less reduced, and inner elytral striae well impressed. The structure of the male genitalia is also very similar including both the shape of the aedeagus and the presence of the well-sclerotized copulatory pieces. In its small size (it is the smallest species of the genus) and a narrower pronotum, <i>Pachytrechodes brevis</i> <b>sp. n.</b> is more similar to <i>P. basilewskyi</i> Jeannel, 1960 and <i>P. leleupi</i> Uéno, 1987 than to <i>P. u n c i n a t u s</i> Uéno, 1987; however, <i>P. b re vi s</i> shares with the latter species the shape of the aedeagal median lobe with apex distinctly attenuated in lateral view and the presence of a large acuminate copulatory piece within the endophallus. Additionally, <i>Pachytrechodes brevis</i> differs from the other species of the genus in having clearly protruding eyes (versus very flat in <i>P. uncinatus</i> and <i>P. basilewskyi</i>), combined with the apex of the aedeagus attenuated in lateral view (versus very blunt, not produced in <i>P. leleupi</i>), and some other characters of minor importance. The shape of the aedeagus in dorsal view is intermediate between that of <i>P. u nc i na tu s</i> and <i>P. leleupi.</i> The large sclerotized plate in the endophallus of the new species does not seem to be homologous with that of <i>P. uncinatus</i>, as this plate is much longer in the new species and is located closer to the basal part of the aedeagus (this difference is even more noticeable when considering the position of the other copulatory pieces).</p> <p> <b>Distribution</b>. <i>Pachytrechodes brevis</i> <b>sp. n.</b> is the first member of the genus found outside of the Uluguru Mountains, where all the previously described species were found (Jeannel 1960, Uéno 1987). The type locality of the new species is situated in an eastern part of the Udzungwa Mountains, approximately 110 km southwest of the type localities of <i>P. uncinatus</i> and <i>P. l e l e u p i</i> (Fig. 5). The Uluguru and Udzungwa mountains are two distinct neighboring blocks of the Eastern Arc Mountains.</p> <p> <b> Key to species of <i>Pachytrechodes</i></b> (modified from Uéno, 1987)</p> <p>1 Smaller species, body length less than 2.50 mm; elytra smaller, ratio maximum elytral width / maximum pronotal width normally lower than 1.48; aedeagus smaller, not gutter-shaped; endophallus armature without large uncinate copulatory piece near apical orifice......................................................................................... 2</p> <p> - Larger species, body length 2.70 mm or more; elytra larger, ratio maximum elytral width / maximum pronotal width usually higher than 1.50; aedeagus larger and heavily sclerotized, gutter-shaped, nearly enveloping endophallus which bears a large uncinate copulatory piece near apical orifice. Southern part of the Uluguru Mts: Lukwangule Plateau..................................................................................................... <i>P. uncinatus</i> Uéno, 1987</p> <p>2 Body length 2.15–2.45 mm. Pronotum less transverse (on average ratio width/length 1.40). Elytra less wide, with more oblique humeri. Median lobe of aedeagus rather poorly sclerotized except for the ventral part, the apex not attenuated in profile, blunt or pointed. Endophallus armature without large acuminate copulatory piece in proximal part of aedeagus........ 3</p> <p> - The smallest species of the genus, body length 2.0– 2.2 mm. Pronotum more transverse (on average, ratio width/length 1.45), its shape approximately as in <i>P. uncinatus.</i> Elytra wider, with more distinct humeri. Median lobe of aedeagus more strongly sclerotized, its apex distinctly attenuated in profile. Endophallus armature with a large acuminate copulatory piece in proximal part of aedeagus (Figs. 3–4). Eastern part of the Udzungwa Mts..................................... <b> <i>P. brevis</i> sp. n.</b> </p> <p> 3 Eyes flat; elytral striae shallower, stria 1 abbreviated near base; aedeagal apical lobe narrow and slightly reflexed in profile; endophallus armed with a single claw-like copulatory piece near apical orifice; Central part of the Uluguru Mts: Kidunda Mt............................................................................... <i>P. basilewskyi</i> Jeannel, 1960</p> <p> - Eye slightly convex; elytral striae deeper, stria 1 usually traceable to base; median lobe of aedeagus very short and more or less blunt in profile; endophallus armed with at least two copulatory pieces lying one after the other at the median part. Southern part of the Uluguru Mts: ca. Chenzema Village............................................. <i>P. leleupi</i> Uéno, 1987 <b>Discussion</b></p> <p> Members of the subtribe Trechodina are mostly ripicolous. So far, only a very few humicolous trechodines are known. Apart from <i>Pachytrechodes</i>, <i>Himalotrechodes insignis</i> Uéno, 1981 and <i>Thalassophilus caecus</i> Jeannel, 1938, which were all discussed by Uéno (1987), there are three more species of the humicolous genus <i>Scaurotrechodes</i> Geginat, 2006 described from the South African Cape region (Geginat 2006, 2011). Surprisingly, the only known member of the humicolous genus <i>Himalotrechodes</i> Uéno, 1981, from the eastern Himalayas, demonstrates much more affinities with African <i>Pachytrechodes</i> (Uéno 1981) than the latter with members of <i>Scaurotrechodes.</i> This similarity is related to the reduction of hind wings, small eyes, swollen tempora, less strongly impressed frontal furrows etc., characters which may have evolved independently in various taxa when originally ripicolous lineages adapt to the humicolous microhabitats of the forest floor. On the other hand, the four species of <i>Pachytrechodes</i>, in addition to the above set of adaptive characters, share a similar shape of the aedeagus and the structure of the copulatory pieces, what suggests a monophyletic relationship between them, a hypothesis also supported by their geographic distribution restricted to the neighboring areas of the Uluguru and Udzungwa Mountains (Fig. 5). Since the latter is the largest block of the Eastern Arc Mountains, it is expected that new species of <i>Pachytrechodes</i> will be therein discovered in the next future.</p>Published as part of <i>Belousov, Igor A. & Nyundo, Bruno A., 2013, A new species of Pachytrechodes Jeannel, 1960 (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Trechinae) from Tanzania, with a key to species, pp. 65-73 in Zootaxa 3637 (1)</i> on pages 66-72, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3637.1.7, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/283602">http://zenodo.org/record/283602</a>
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Mitomycin C in highly myopic eyes - Author reply
No full textOphthalmology. 2005 Feb;112(2):208-18; discussion 219.
Mitomycin C modulation of corneal wound healing after photorefractive keratectomy in highly myopic eyes.
Gambato C, Ghirlando A, Moretto E, Busato F, Midena E.
SourceRefractive Surgery Service and Antimetabolite Therapy Research Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of topical mitomycin C in corneal wound healing (CWH) after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in highly myopic eyes.
DESIGN: Prospective, double-masked, randomized clinical trial.
PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-two eyes of 36 patients affected by high (>7 diopters) myopia.
METHODS: In each patient, one eye was randomly assigned to PRK with intraoperative topical 0.02% mitomycin C application, and the fellow eye was treated with a placebo. Postoperatively, mitomycin C-treated eyes received artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months), whereas the fellow eye was treated with fluorometholone sodium 2% and artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity, manifest refraction, and biomicroscopy. Contrast sensitivity was determined using the Pelli-Robson chart. Corneal confocal microscopy documented CWH.
RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 18 months (range, 12-36). No side effects or toxic effects were documented. At 12-month follow-up examination, UCVAs (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) were 0.4+/-0.48 and 0.5+/-0.53 (P = .03) in mitomycin C-treated eyes and corticosteroid-treated eyes, respectively. At 1 year, corneal haze developed in 20% of corticosteroid-treated eyes, versus 0% of mitomycin C-treated eyes. At 12, 24, and 36 months, corneal confocal microscopy showed activated keratocytes and extracellular matrix significantly more evident in untreated eyes (Ps = 0.004, 0.024, and 0.046, respectively).
CONCLUSION: Topical intraoperative application of 0.02% mitomycin C can reduce haze formation in highly myopic eyes undergoing PRK.
Comment in
Ophthalmology. 2006 Feb;113(2):357; author reply 357-8
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
No full textWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
A Multi-Language Comparison of Influences on Author Verification using Character N-Grams
No full textWe create a new multi-language corpus for author verification based on Wikipedia talkpages, and evaluate the influence that differences in topic and time have on character n-gram author profiles. Topic alignment between two texts is found to increase author verification precision, and an authors writing style is found to change over time, but not more significantly after 3 years than after 1 year.Information ArchitectureWISElectrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Scienc
A 0.12mm<sup>2</sup> Wien-Bridge Temperature Sensor with 0.1°C (3σ) Inaccuracy from -40°C to 180°C
No full text Resistor-based temperature sensors can achieve much higher resolution and energy efficiency than conventional BJT-based sensors [1], but they typically occupy more area (> 0.25 mm 2 ) and have lower operating temperatures (le 125 {circ} {C}) [2]-[4]. This work describes a 0.12mm 2 resistor-based sensor that uses a Wien-bridge (WB) filter to achieve 0.1 {circ} {C} (3 sigma) inaccuracy from - 40 {circ} {C} to 180 {circ} {C}. Compared to a state-of-the-art WB sensor [4], it occupies 6 × less area and achieves comparable relative accuracy over a 76% wider operating range. Session 10.3 Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Electronic InstrumentationMicroelectronic
A ±25A Versatile Shunt-Based Current Sensor with 10kHz Bandwidth and ±0.25% Gain Error from -40°C to 85°C Using 2-Current Calibration
No full textAccurate current sensing is critical in many industrial applications, such as battery management and motor control. Precise shunt-based current sensors have been reported with gain errors of less than 1% over the industrial temperature range (-40°C to 85°C) [1]–[4]. However, since they are intended for coulomb counting, their bandwidth is limited to a few tens of Hz, making them unsuitable for battery impedance or motor-current sensing. This paper presents a current sensor with a wide (10kHz) bandwidth and a tunable temperature compensation scheme (TCS), which allows it to be flexibly used with different types of shunts while maintaining high accuracy. A low-cost room-temperature calibration scheme is proposed to optimize gain flatness over temperature by exploiting the shunt's self-heating at large currents. Over the industrial temperature range and a ±25A current range, it achieves state-of-the-art gain error (±0.25%) with both low-cost PCB and stable metal-alloy shunts.Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Electronic InstrumentationMicroelectronic
An Article About Albertus C. Van Raalte, Author Unknown, Except for Parts Taken from an Article by Anna C. Post
No full textAn article about Albertus C. Van Raalte, author unknown, except for parts taken from an article by Anna C. Post. The author knew first generation persons in the Holland settlement and therefore, the article has some value.https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/vrp_1890s/1012/thumbnail.jp
Archivist, Archaeologist, Author and the Tactile Window
No full textThe idea that the predominant way of engaging with architecture is through vision is not uncommon but also not always the most appropriate given that buildings are also experienced through tactile interventions. This consequence that emphasises visual aesthetics in order to appreciate and understand architecture probably has much to do with the assumed but rather vaguely defined role of the architect as designer in the practice of architectural design. A resulting misapprehension is that architects designing for visual appreciation think that they are actually designing physical space for embodied tactile engagement.
This prioritisation of vision in the way architects think about and approach design is questioned through the design project of the Tactile Window in which the position of the architect is redefined through inhabiting the roles of archivist, archaeologist and author during the design process.
A 16th century portrait of Queen Elizabeth I known as the Ditchley portrait, currently on display at the National Portrait Gallery is used as the source from which the design of the Tactile Window is derived from and refers back to. Questioning the validity of vision as the sole means of engaging with the work, information about the portrait and working methods gathered from the three carefully chosen positions mentioned above are drawn on and applied to the making of this Tactile Window that becomes an alternative Ditchley portrait. Through exploring the hidden historical and current narratives of and in the existing portrait, the presence of the portrait is alluded to on an alternative physical site. Key to this are the working methods of an invented archival system of design reasoning, the unearthing of archaeological texts and assuming of authorship within the individual frameworks of the roles of archivist, archaeologist and author.
The redefined role of the architect as archaeologist takes onboard the unearthing of associated drawings and writings as well as the methods of organising and applying the recovered information to the system set up by the archivist. This analysis of the graphic and text based information is used to formulate historical narratives that are woven into the design project. Whereas traditional archaeology stresses on the study of a site from a site with quantifiable limits to the physical context, the notion of archaeological sites in this instance refers to the places where the stored information is unearthed. Through the careful process of archiving and analysing this information, a new site that is located within both the physical and historical contexts of interest is discovered. The author then draws upon the elements in the archival system that includes the findings of the archaeologist to construct the alternative Ditchley portrait in this new site of the Echoing Cedar, the result of which bears no visual resemblance to the existing work.
The Tactile Window is a reading of the Ditchley portrait in which information about and in the painting is transformed into a design proposal for an inhabited structure. The intended method of interaction with this alternative portrait is not merely restricted to vision but relies on engagement with the other senses. This experience is enhanced by the interplay with certain site conditions such as wind and rain in order to allude to specific aspects of the Ditchley portrait that are not visually apparent in the existing work.
In the processes of excavating, finding and revealing the hidden information to create this alternative portrait, the effects of the visuals afforded by the existing portrait inadvertently begin to fade as the validity of a single means of visual expression is questioned
The construction of Karen Karnak: The multi-author-function
No full textThis thesis is situated within the comparatively recent developments of Web 2.0 and the emergence of interactive WikiMedia, and explores the mode of authorship within a Read/Write culture compared to that of a Read/Only tradition. The hypothesis of this study is that the role of the audience has become merged with the author, and as such, represents new functions and attributes, distinct from a more conventional concept of authorship, in which the roles of audience and author are more separate. Read/Write and participatory culture, as defined by this study, is focused on collaboration, and includes the influences of D.I.Y. culture, Open-Source practices and the production of text by multiple authors. Multi-authorship presents a re-thinking of several concepts which support the notion of the individual author, since the focus of multi-authorship is not on attribution and ownership of a finished text, but on the continued malleability of a text. Modes of multi-authorship, demonstrated in the use of the pseudonyms Alan Smithee and Karen Eliot, represent declarative authors whose names signify multiple origins, whilst concurrently indicating a distinct body of work. The function of these names form an important context to this study, since primary research involves the construction of an experimental mode of multi-authorship utilising WikiMedia technology and the interaction of thirty nine participants, who are invited to create a body of work under the collective pseudonym Karen Karnak. The data generated by this experiment is analysed using aspects of Michel Foucault's author-function to identify and determine power structures inherent in the WikiMedia context. The interplay of power structures, including concepts such as identity, ownership and the body of work, affect the resulting mode of authorship and contribute to the construction of Karen Karnak, suggesting further areas of research into the emerging multi-author
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