680 research outputs found
At home in national parks : a study of power, knowledge and discourse in Banff National Park and Cairngorms National Park
No full textNational Parks bear greater implications than simply preserving or conserving pockets
of
landscape. They
evoke values of conservation versus development, livelihood
economics, environmental stewardship and personal enrichment; they fulfil
positions
in
relation to the national and the international
stage.
Social
characteristics are
revealed though this comparative study of
Banff National Park
and the Cairngorms
National Park. Perceptions of space, place and boundaries crucially
imply different
meanings to the people
living inside the national park
boundaries
and those living
outside the boundaries. 'Insiders'
are
long-term
permanent residents
for
whom
being
in the park
is
a practical activity;
'outsiders' include
scientists, conservationists,
bureaucrats,
and tourists, who take various
ideological
positions regarding the park's
purpose.
Both
sides take a serious
interest in the park and
how it is
managed and
regard
it
as a place where they are
'at home'. Groups
within these spaces considers
their values and rights superior to others and conflict often arises.
Non-violent
means
of gaining power as theorized by Foucault
and
Bourdieu,
employing
knowledge
and
discourse,
are
highly
suggestive
in the study of national parks.
Discourse
of nature
is
strategically significant as
it influences
purpose and policy that drive
government's
decisions
on
how the park will
be
managed - in
this way
discourse
shapes the culture
of
how
we use nature.
Knowledge,
as symbolic capital and as the basis for truth,
sparks
divisiveness - in
particular scientific
knowledge
versus experiential
knowledge.
Changes to the exclusive
North American
model, such as those instituted in the
Caimgorms,
mark the increased
social utility and
inclusive
nature of national parks.
The
challenge remains
for
park managers to reconcile values connected with
nationalism and environmental ethics with values connected with
local livelihoods
Creeps (1976)
No full text1. Poster [attached]. 2. Unidentified Author. (1977, March 3). Glendon student discovered by Stratford. Pro Tem. 3. Mallet, Gina. (1976, Nov. 5). Glendon College show a taut production. The Toronto Star. 4. Walters, Frank. (1976, Sept. 30). "Creeps" staggers on. Pro Tem. 5. Melvin, David. (1976, Nov. 4). Glendon's first hit of the season. Pro Tem. 6. Gayton, D.P. (1976). Slap-in-the-face. Pro Tem. 7. Parker, Ara Rose. (1976, Nov.). Glendon has "creeps". Excalibur. 8. Moore, Colleen. (1976, Oct. 21). Creeps, to tell the truth. Excalibur. 9. Scenes from Creeps [10 photocopies].Archival file for the Glendon College production of Creeps by David Freeman and directed by Charles Northcote. The play was performed from November 1-7 at 8:30 PM in 1976
Cult: A Composite Novel
No full textCult (redacted)
The first component of the thesis is a composite novel called Cult which falls into two parts with seven narratives in each. Part 1 tracks the protagonist, Ellen, from her first involvement with the cult through to her eventually leaving it. Although fiction, the first half of the book answers the kinds of questions the author is asked when people discover that she was once a sannyasin (a follower of the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh). While the experiences of meditation, group therapy and communal living are all faithfully rendered within the stories, the need for strong characters, narrative drive and a lightness of touch takes precedence.
Part 2 picks up Ellen’s story some twenty or so years later and explores what becomes of her in middle age. It also looks at other groups in society, such as academia, the law and the internet dating community which each have their own jargon, hierarchies, rituals and rules but are not considered to be cults.
The book examines the question raised in the Epigraph, ‘how do we be together when we feel so alone’ with a focus on relationships other than the familial and the romantic.
Collisions, Chasms and Connections: a Performative Exploration of the Composite Novel Form
The second part of the thesis is both a critical and creative response to three contemporary American books: Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout; A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan; and Legend of a Suicide by David Vann. The critical element comprises a close reading of the three books; a chronological reconstruction of their overarching storylines; and a consideration of what their authors have said about writing the books. It concludes that, in the composite novel, the simultaneous presentation of multiple views and storylines operate much like a 3D image to give the impression of depth to the characters and situations rendered. The creative element of the essay is a playful and personal response to the texts
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Large-scale High-resolution Electrophysiology Reveals Short Time-scale Brain States and Independent Circuit Activity
No full textThis body of work presents evidence that the minimal unit of brain state is much shorter than the time scales associated with traditional oscillatory patterns—delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma waves. We demonstrate that shorter time scales are sufficient by showing that raw data segments down to 40 ms carry useful information to resolve brain state, and 400 ms segments do so without substantial loss of accuracy. Employing long-term, high-fidelity electrophysiological recordings from freely behaving mice, we provide evidence that brain state is not purely a global phenomenon. Rather, individual circuits act independently of the whole for brief periods on the order of tenths of seconds, correlating with certain behaviors, such as brief pauses in wakefulness, as well as nighttime twitches and movements. These findings challenge entrenched notions that waveforms are fundamental descriptors of brain state and that brain state is globally synchronized—concepts deeply ingrained in conventional analytical methods, representing an investigative bias applied over decades. Overcoming this bias by employing modern neural network models is a cornerstone of this thesis. Although neural networks are widely criticized for being hard to interpret, we employ them in computational ablative studies by systematically modifying the input to observe how the models perform under varying conditions. This approach allows us to draw logical conclusions through extensive analysis. Recognizing that neural networks excel at processing raw signal data, we applied similar techniques to quasar spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, which are structurally analogous to electrophysiological recordings. This interdisciplinary approach enabled us to develop a model that informed our core neuroscience findings. We processed raw electrophysiology and signal data with compute-intensive neural network models, which required substantial computational resources. Utilizing the UC-run National Research Platform—a highly distributed compute cluster—we processed tens of terabytes of data. This significant computational effort was essential for handling high-volume data efficiently and contributed to the development and publication of a scalable architecture for large-scale electrophysiology recordings
Developing a partnership of indigenous peoples, conservationists, and land use planners in Latin America
No full textIllustrating from a rich body of case material, Poole's report reflects a shift away from the traditional view - represented by certain national parks and similar protected areas - that indigenous peoples be allowed to occupy and use an area's resources following rules set by conservationists. Under the new paradigm that is developing, indigenous peoples are seen as an integral part of protected area planning through agreements worked out in partnership with conservation authorities. An example of this new approach is the role that indigenous peoples are playing in the design of biosphere reserves. Poole suggests that the Bank and other development organizations pay more attention to vernacular economies - economies based on local resources, used either for subsistence or as a source of revenue. He also recommends more research into economics and resource implications of these local activities to harvest wild resources, especially in environmentally delicate areas such as tropical rainforests.Environmental Management,Tourism and Ecotourism,Water Conservation,Natural Resources Management,Wetlands
Conference in Honour of the 90th Birthday of Freeman Dyson
No full textProfessor Freeman Dyson, a great physicist, thinker and futurist, has been very active in scientific, literary and public policy activities throughout his career. As a tribute to him on the occasion of his 90th birthday and to celebrate his lifelong contributions in physics, mathematics, astronomy, nuclear engineering and global warming, a conference covering a wide range of topics was held in Singapore from 26 to 29 August 2013. Distinguished scientists from around the world, including Nobel Laureate Professor David Gross, joined Professor Dyson in the celebration with a festival of lectures. This memorable volume collects an interesting lecture by Professor Dyson, Is a Graviton Detectable?, contributions by speakers at the conference, as well as guest contributions by colleagues who celebrated Dyson's birthday in Princeton. About Freeman Dyson Freeman John Dyson FRS, born December 15, 1923, is an eminent English-born American physicist, mathematician, and futurist. He is famous for his work in quantum electrodynamics, solid-state physics, mathematics, astronomy and nuclear engineering, as well as a renowned and best-selling author. He has spent most of his life as a professor of physics at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, taking time off to advise the US government and write books for the public. He has won numerous notable awards including the Enrico Fermi Award, Templeton Prize, Wolf Prize, Pomeranchuk Prize, and Henri Poincaré Prize
Adjunctive treatment with oral AKL1, a botanical nutraceutical, in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
No full textClaire Brockwell,1 Sundari Ampikaipakan,1,2 Darren W Sexton,1 David Price,3,4 Daryl Freeman,5 Mike Thomas,6 Muzammil Ali,4 Andrew M Wilson1,21Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK; 2Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK; 3Academic Primary Care, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK; 4Research in Real Life, Cambridge, UK; 5Mundesley Medical Centre, Mundesley, Norwich, UK; 6Primary Care Research, Aldermoor Health Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UKPurpose: The objective of this pilot trial was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AKL1, a patented botanical formulation containing extracts of Picrorhiza kurroa, Ginkgo biloba, and Zingiber officinale, as add-on therapy for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic cough.Patients and methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled male and female patients >18 years old with COPD and Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) score of <18. The 10-week study period comprised a 2-week single-blind placebo run-in period followed by add-on treatment with AKL1 or placebo twice daily for 8 weeks. The primary study endpoint was the change from week 0 to week 8 in cough-related health status, as assessed by the LCQ.Results: Of 33 patients enrolled, 20 were randomized to AKL1 and 13 to placebo. Patients included 19 (58%) men and 14 (42%) women of mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of 67 (9.4) years; 15 (45%) patients were smokers and 16 (49%) were ex-smokers. The mean (SD) change from baseline in LCQ score at 8 weeks was 2.3 (4.9) in the AKL1 group and 0.6 (3.7) in the placebo group, with mean difference in change of 1.8 (95% confidence interval: –1.5 to 5.1; P=0.28). The St George's Respiratory Questionnaire score improved substantially in the AKL1 treatment group by a mean (SD) of –7.7 (11.7) versus worsening in the placebo group (+1.5 [9.3]), with mean difference in change of –9.2 (95% confidence interval: –19.0 to 0.6; P=0.064). There were no significant differences between treatment groups in change from baseline to week 8 in other patient-reported measures, lung function, or the 6-minute walk distance.Conclusion: Further study is needed with a larger patient population and over a longer duration to better assess the effects of add-on therapy with AKL1 in COPD.Keywords: Leicester Cough Questionnaire, anti-inflammatory, Picrorhiza kurroa, Ginkgo biloba, Zingiber officinal
Exploring visual representation of sound in computer music software through programming and composition
No full textPresented through contextualisation of the portfolio works are developments of a practice in which the acts of programming and composition are intrinsically connected. This practice-based research (conducted 2009–2013) explores visual representation of sound in computer music software.
Towards greater understanding of composing with the software medium, initial questions are taken as stimulus to explore the subject through artistic practice and critical thinking. The project begins by asking: How might the ways in which sound is visually represented influence the choices that are made while those representations are being manipulated and organised as music? Which aspects of sound are represented visually, and how are those aspects shown?
Recognising sound as a psychophysical phenomenon, the physical and psychological aspects of aesthetic interest to my work are identified. Technological factors of mediating these aspects for the interactive visual-domain of software are considered, and a techno-aesthetic understanding developed.
Through compositional studies of different approaches to the problem of looking at sound in software, on screen, a number of conceptual themes emerge in this work: the idea of software as substance, both as a malleable material (such as in live coding), and in terms of outcome artefacts; the direct mapping between audio data and screen pixels; the use of colour that maintains awareness of its discrete (as opposed to continuous) basis; the need for integrated display of parameter controls with their target data; and the tildegraph concept that began as a conceptual model of a gramophone and which is a spatio-visual sound synthesis technique related to wave terrain synthesis. The spiroid-frequency-space representation is introduced, contextualised, and combined both with those themes and a bespoke geometrical drawing system (named thisis), to create a new modular computer music software environment named sdfsys
Persistent progressives: the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union
No full textIncludes bibliographical references and index.Persistent Progressives tells the story of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union's evolution from an early movement against monopolists and wholesalers to a regional trailblazer for agriculture ideologies built on social democracy, the family farmer, and cooperative enterprises. As a continuing advocate for saving the family farm, the Farmers Union legacy provides a unique window into the transformation of the agriculture and rural communities in Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. Using data spanning decades, author John Freeman covers the founding of the RMFU in 1907 until the present, demonstrating how members continually sought to control the means of production and marketing by forming cooperatives, providing consumer services, and engaging in politics. Powering this evolution was a group of 'practical idealists'--the Farmers Union leaders and titular persistent progressives who shaped the organization's growth and expansion. Initiated by Jim Patton, who brought the organization out of its oppositional roots and into its cooperative advocacy, the RMFU passed to John Stencel and then David Carter, joining hands with agricultural conservationists and small organic producers along the way to carry the torch for progressive agrarianism in today's urbanized world. Shaken but undeterred by some notable failures, its leadership remains convinced of the efficacy of cooperatives as a means to achieve justice for all. Discussing the broader social, economic, political, and environmental issues related to farming, ranching, and urbanization, Persistent Progressives seamlessly blends regional history with ongoing issues of agricultural and economic development.--Provided by publisher
David Mabberley. Painting By Numbers: The Life and Art of Ferdinand Bauer
No full textPainting by Numbers is the epitome of a good book on the history of science illustration. It has superbly reproduced images and an eminently scholarly text, but one that is accessible and engaging, venturing into the present and giving its subject contemporary relevance. This success is perhaps not surprising. Its author, David Mabberley, is a plant specialist and science historian who has undertaken extensive field work in Africa, Asia and Australasia; worked at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew; was CEO of Greening Australia (NSW); is the former director of the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney and was awarded a prize for ‘successful efforts to popularize botany to non-scientists’
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