103 research outputs found
Recommended from our members
The Joy of the Dharma: Esoteric Buddhism and the Early Medieval Transformation of Japanese Literature
No full textThis dissertation explores the nexus between Buddhism and literature in Japan’s early medieval period. Specifically, it elucidates the process by which forms of court literature such as Chinese-language verse (kanshi), Japanese poetry (waka), and romance tales (monogatari) were incorporated into Buddhist rites and liturgies from the tenth through twelfth centuries and attempts to show how this process supported and was supported by Esoteric Buddhist discourse. I call special attention to a discourse on ritual performance that understands the chanting of a mantra, hymn, or poem as an act of giving the joy of the Dharma (hōraku) to the kami and buddhas. By attending to this discourse and the rituals through which it was articulated, this dissertation sheds light on the doctrinal reasons why and the practical paths by which even literary genres that were considered to be “worldly” such as nature poetry, love poetry, and romance tales were reconceived as vehicles for offering the joy of the Buddha’s teachings.
The three body chapters examine a variety of rites and liturgies intended for a lay audience—often called “Dharma assemblies” (hōe) in Japanese-language scholarship—and endeavor to demonstrate how they contributed to key transformations in Japanese literature. Chapter 1 investigates the liturgy of the lecture assembly (kō-e) at Shinto shrines and elucidates how it shaped the formation of a key genre of medieval Japanese poetry called “Dharma joy” waka (hōraku waka). Chapter 2 analyzes repentance rites dedicated to Fugen (Sk. Samantabhadra) bodhisattva and considers their impact on the invention of Buddhist love poetry. Finally, Chapter 3 looks at sutra-offering ceremonies and clarifies their role in the consecration of the exemplary Heian-period romance tale, The Tale of Genji, and the imagination of its author, Murasaki Shikibu.
In addition to situating a particular transformation of court literature in its ritual context, each chapter also locates a given example of ritual in its discursive locus. I show that at the center of this locus lies a system of Esoteric Buddhist doctrine and ritual concerned with demonstrating the identity of the esoteric teachings (mikkyō) with those of the Lotus Sūtra. Terming this system “Lotus-Esoteric discourse,” I show how it provided the epistemic framework for the practice of using a mantra, hymn, or poem as a medium for giving the joy of the Dharma to others, rather than receiving it for oneself (jiju hōraku), as was stressed in Japanese Esoteric Buddhism of the late ancient period.
In short, through its attention to Lotus-Esoteric discourse on Dharma joy, this study offers a corrective to an over-emphasis on the liturgical formula of “wild words and fanciful phrases” (kyōgen kigo), which has been the focus of many previous studies on the relationship between Buddhism and medieval Japanese literature, and clarifies the concrete discursive strategies and ritual practices by which Buddhism in early medieval Japan consecrated new liturgical uses for three representative genres of court literature—kanshi verse, waka poetry, and monogatari tales. In this way, it endeavors to show how Buddhist discourse on Dharma joy—in both its doctrinal and ritual dimensions—may constitute a new paradigm for understanding the early medieval transformation of Japanese literature.East Asian Languages and CivilizationsBuddhism; Japanese Literature; Esoteric Buddhism; Japanese Religion; Poetry; Narrative; Ritual; Liturgy; Waka; Monogatari; Discourse Analysis; Apparatu
An annotated translation: Natural Forms, in: Ethan Matt Kavaler, Renaissance Gothic. Architecture and the Arts in Northern Europe 1470 - 1540. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2012, pp. 199-229. (ISBN 978-0-300-16792-4)
No full text(in English): The purpose of this bachelor thesis is to translate a part of the chapter Natural Forms from the book Renaissance Gothic. Architecture and the Arts in Northern Europe 1470 - 1540 written by Ethan Matt Kavaler, a Canadian professor of art history. In the commentary that follows the translation the author considers the specific factors that have influenced the genesis of the original. Then, she analyses its lexical and stylistic features and characterizes the text as an essay of considerable qualities. Drawing upon the analysis the author describes the translation problems and the translator's strategies employed to solve them. She attempts to identify the translation shifts and discusses the reasons of their occurrence. It is observed that the translation tends to be more explicit, uses more variable language solutions and some solutions of increased expressive intensity. This tendency is consistent with the effort to adapt the translation to the target language culture and to preserve the quality of the original
WS40: The Medicalization of Cannabis (24-Mar-2009)
No full textSelection of photos taken at the Witness Seminar “The Medicalization of Cannabis” held by the History of Twentieth Century Medicine Group, 24-Mar-2009. Participants: Professor David Baker, Professor Virginia Berridge (co-chair), Dr Vincenzo Di Marzo, Professor Griffith Edwards, Professor John Galloway, Dr Edward Gill, Dr Geoffrey Guy, Dr Clare Hodges, Dr Anita Holdcroft, Ms Victoria Hutchins, Professor Raphael Mechoulam, Professor Anthony Moffat, Dr William Notcutt, Professor Roger Pertwee, Dr Philip Robson, Dr Ethan Russo, Professor Tilli Tansey (co-chair), and Ms Suzanne Taylor.The History of Modern Biomedicine Research Group is funded by the Wellcome Trust, which is a registered charity (no. 210183). The creation and curation of the current photo collection has been funded by the Wellcome Trust Strategic Award entitled “Makers of modern biomedicine: testimonies and legacy” (2012-2017; awarded to Professor Tilli Tansey)
The medicalization of cannabis
No full textCannabis has been considered as both an illicit drug and a medicine throughout its history. Introduced to the UK as a medicine in the nineteenth century, its medical utility was limited and it was not until tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of the principal active components in cannabis, was isolated in 1964 by Raphael Mechoulam and his team in Israel that scientific research on the drug expanded. Further major developments came in the 1980s, when the cannabinoid receptors in the brain were discovered.
Scientists, clinicians, policy makers and patients interested in exploring and utilizing cannabis as an orthodox medication attended this seminar. Several were involved with the early elucidation of the structures of the components of the cannabis plant, or with the two MRC-funded trials in the 1990s into the therapeutic effect of cannabis on multiple sclerosis (MS) and postoperative pain. The founding director of GW Pharmaceuticals discussed the problems of growing cannabis plants and standardizing extracts to produce a medicine that could gain regulatory approval. Two MS patients related their experiences of cannabinoid medications and the significance of patient activism and self-medication in renewing research interest in the potential medical benefits of cannabis, against the backdrop of increasing recreational use, was also considered.
The meeting was suggested by Professor Virginia Berridge, who chaired the meeting jointly with Professor E. M. Tansey. Contributors include: Professor David Baker, Professor Virginia Berridge Dr Vincenzo Di Marzo, Professor Griffith Edwards, Professor John Galloway, Dr Edward Gill, Dr Geoffrey Guy, Dr Clare Hodges, Dr Anita Holdcroft, Ms Victoria Hutchins, Professor Raphael Mechoulam, Professor Anthony Moffat, Dr William Notcutt, Professor Roger Pertwee, Dr Philip Robson, Dr Ethan Russo, Professor Tilli Tansey, Ms Suzanne Taylor. One appendix gives diagrams of the structures of the major plant cannabinoids and structurally-related synthetic cannabinoids
Fish Tank: Studying the Conveyance of Theme Through Film
No full textIn this Honors Project the author\u27s objective was to successfully helm a short film that effectively and fluidly conveyed a ciomplex thematic idea. Taking into account the research the author conducted on theories of film criticism as well as close viewings of thematically rich films. The author produced, directed, and edited a short film that expressed an intricate thematic idea. The author then tested the effectiveness of the film\u27s thematic communication by screening a polished cut for a closed audience and subsequently engaging the audience about their interpretations of the film\u27s theme via questionnaire. This report will outline the process of how the author developed the theme, used David Bordwell\u27s theory of audience interpretation to construct a thematically strong film, and then conducted a test screening to gauge the effectiveness of the film\u27s communication
Local, open economies within the U.S.: how do industries respond to immigration?
No full textA series of studies has found that relative wages and employment rates in different local labor markets of the US are surprisingly unaffected by local factor supplies. This paper evaluates two explanations for this puzzling empirical fact: (1) Interregional trade mitigates the local impact of supply shocks. (2) Production technology rapidly adapts to the local mix of workers. The author tests these alternative explanations by estimating the effect of increases in relative supplies of particular skill groups on the relative growth rates of different industries and on the relative utilization of these skill groups within industries. Labor supply shocks are identified with a component of foreign immigration driven by the historical regional settlement patterns of immigrants from different countries. Using establishment-level output and capital stock data from the Longitudinal Research Database, augmented with employment and labor force data from the 1980 and 1990 Censuses of Population, changes in local labor supply during the 1980s are shown to have had little influence on local industry mix. Instead, citywide increases in the relative supply of a particular skill group lead to increases in relative factor intensity, with little or no effect on relative wages. These patterns suggest that industries adapt their use of labor inputs to local supplies, as predicted by theoretical models of endogenous technological change. Consistent with this A series of studies has found that relative wages and employment rates in different local labor markets of the US are surprisingly unaffected by local factor supplies. This paper evaluates two explanations for this puzzling empirical fact: (1) Interregional trade mitigates the local impact of supply shocks. (2) Production technology rapidly adapts to the local mix of workers. The author tests these alternative explanations by estimating the effect of increases in relative supplies of particular skill groups on the relative growth rates of different industries and on the relative utilization of these skill groups within industries. Labor supply shocks are identified with a component of foreign immigration driven by the historical regional settlement patterns of immigrants from different countries. Using establishment-level output and capital stock data from the Longitudinal Research Database, augmented with employment and labor force data from the 1980 and 1990 Censuses of Population, changes in local labor supply during the 1980s are shown to have had little influence on local industry mix. Instead, citywide increases in the relative supply of a particular skill group lead to increases in relative factor intensity, with little or no effect on relative wages. These patterns suggest that industries adapt their use of labor inputs to local supplies, as predicted by theoretical models of endogenous technological change. Consistent with this interpretation, on-the-job computer use expanded most rapidly over the 1980s in cities where the relative supply of educated labor grew fastest.Emigration and immigration
Nonprotonophoric electrogenic chloride transport mediated by valinomycin-like carriers
No full textSynthetic transmembrane anion transporters (anionophores) have potential as tools for biomedical research and as therapeutic agents for diseases associated with anion channel dysfunction. However the possibility of H+ or OH? transport by anionophores has received little attention and an anionophore selective for Cl? over H+/OH? is currently unavailable. Here, we show that depending on anionophore acidity, many anionophores facilitate electrogenic H+ or OH? transport, potentially leading to toxicity. Nevertheless, using several liposome membrane-based assays, we identify two newly-developed small molecules that promote electrogenic Cl? transport without effectively dissipating the transmembrane pH gradient, essentially mimicking the electrogenic cationophore valinomycin. The Cl? > H+/OH? selectivity of anionophores showed a consistent positive correlation with the degree of Cl? encapsulation and a negative correlation with the acidity of hydrogen bond donors. Our study demonstrates for the first time that a valinomycin equivalent for Cl?-selective transport is achievable.<br/
Development of a Modular Dual-Phase and Single-Phase Buck Converter Laboratory Module
No full textThis senior project entails the design, creation, and testing of a circuit board to exhibit the differences and advantages of the multiphase buck converter over the single-phase buck converter for use in a future power electronic laboratory experiment at Cal Poly State University. As energy demand requirements continually increase from more advanced and widespread use of technology, it is important to find a method of power delivery that maximizes efficiency while taking up as little area on a circuit board as possible. This is where the multiphase buck converter topology is desirable over the traditional single-phase buck converter topology. For this project, a dual-phase and single-phase converter were both built onto the same printed circuit board to compare various converter performance metrics such as efficiency, line regulation, and load regulation. After verifying the design with SIMPLIS, hardware tests were conducted whose results demonstrate that the dual-phase circuit outperformed the single-phase circuit in almost every tested metric, with a peak full-load efficiency of 85.29% vs. 79.03%, line regulation of 0.08% vs. 0.09%, load regulation of 1.18% vs. 1.44%, and output voltage ripple of 3.85% vs. 3.59% for the dual-phase and single-phase circuits, respectively. These results further illustrate the functionality of the laboratory module, which will serve as an educational tool for future Cal Poly students in understanding the multiphase buck converter
Passive Facebook usage undermines affective well-being: Experimental and longitudinal evidence
No full textPrior research indicates that Facebook usage predicts declines in subjective well-being over time. How does this come about? We examined this issue in 2 studies using experimental and field methods. In Study 1, cueing people in the laboratory to use Facebook passively (rather than actively) led to declines in affective well-being over time. Study 2 replicated these findings in the field using experience-sampling techniques. It also demonstrated how passive Facebook usage leads to declines in affective well-being: by increasing envy. Critically, the relationship between passive Facebook usage and changes in affective well-being remained significant when controlling for active Facebook use, non-Facebook online social network usage, and direct social interactions, highlighting the specificity of this result. These findings demonstrate that passive Facebook usage undermines affective well-being.sponsorship: This research was supported by funds provided by the University of Michigan to EK and a postdoctoral research fellowship to PV from the Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders (FWO). Author contributions: Conceived and designed Study 1: PV, DSL, JP, JB, HS, AO, OY, JJ, EK; conceived and designed Study 2: PV, DSL, JP, HS, JB, OY, JJ, EK; performed Study 1: DSL, HS, AO; performed Study 2: HS; analyzed the data: PV, DSL; wrote the article: PV, DSL, AO, EK; discussed the results and commented on the manuscript: PV, DSL, JP, HS, AO, JB, JJ, EK. (University of Michigan, Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders (FWO))status: Publishe
Elliptic curves with a given number of points over finite fields
No full textGiven an elliptic curve E and a positive integer N, we consider the problem of counting the number of primes p for which the reduction of E modulo p possesses exactly N points over p. On average (over a family of elliptic curves), we show bounds that are significantly better than what is trivially obtained by the Hasse bound. Under some additional hypotheses, including a conjecture concerning the short-interval distribution of primes in arithmetic progressions, we obtain an asymptotic formula for the average. © 2012 The Author(s)
- …
