16 research outputs found
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
Coded aperture and coded exposure photography : an investigation into applications and methods
No full textThis dissertation presents an introduction to the field of computational photography, and provides a survey of recent research. Specific attention is given to coded aperture and coded exposure theory and methods, as these form the basis for the experiments performed
Development and Characterization of Self -assembled Bacterial Cellulose Nonwoven Film
No full textBacterial cellulose is one of the widely discussed biomaterials due to its unique physical, mechanical and chemical characteristics. In this research, bacterial cellulosic film (BCF) was developed using Acetobacter xylinum strain in green tea as a source of carbon under static culture conditions. The developed BCF was evaluated for their morphological properties using a scanning electron microscope and the approximate fiber diameter noted as 38–40 nm. The purity of the cellulose evaluated through an X-ray diffraction method identified that the developed cellulose is Iα rich – triclinic type with 89.61% of crystallinity. The thermal behavior of the BCF was evaluated using TGA and DSC. The results indicated that the major weight loss occurred from 250 to 500°C. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the developed BCF was very high and it was 165°C. Concerning the mechanical properties, the BCF had lower tensile strength (13.82 Kgf/Cm2), Elongation (10.13 mm) and air (19.72 cm3/cm2/sec) and water vapor permeability value (151 g/m2/day) than the woven cotton fabric. However, the water absorbency (0.7 s) and water holding capacity (320%) are superior to the cotton fabric. The contact angle of the BCF was noted around 28.53°, which is an indication of the higher hydrophilic nature of the BCF. These results provide an insight into the potential applications of bacterial cellulosic material in the apparel and textile sector
Hindu students in a further education college : an ethographic enquiry
No full textThis is an ethnographic study of a sample of Hindu students in a Further Education
college. The students are all following a course leading to the Certificate of Pre-
Vocational Education. The data consists of transcripts of informal interviews and of
classroom teaching situations; and is analysed from the perspective of an interpretive
paradigm. The purpose of the study is to reveal the methods used by the students in
reaching an understanding of their own social world. The study seeks to construct a
series of world views which reflect the ways in which the students perceive their own
sense of reality. The research attempts to explore the views of students on several areas
including religion and culture, their feelings about the education system, and their
aspirations for employment and a career.
Generally speaking, research studies in the sociology of education tend to focus on the
schools sector, and it is the intention of this research to redress the balance somewhat in
the direction of Further Education. Moreover, studies in multicultural education often
describe their samples in non-specific ways such as "Asian students" or "ethnic
minorities", and place little emphasis upon the social influences of specific religion and
culture. By investigating a particular religious group it is hoped to encourage more
studies which place an emphasis upon the importance of religion in defining the social life
of Asian people.
The study of this sample of Hindu students suggests that there exists a specifically Hindu
perception of the world, and that the maintenance of this is of importance to the
students. The students appeared to have a profound desire to succeed in the educational
system, and to apply that success to particular vocational contexts. An apparently
strong motivation to achieve something of value in life was sustained in part by a sense
of parental support and interest. The students did not appear to be preoccupied with the
racism which they encountered in society. It was also noted that the female students
tended to reject firmly the traditional Hindu gender roles. Generally there was a tendency
for these young people to develop considerably greater proficiency in spoken rather than
written English. The thesis concludes with a reflexive account which seeks to describe
the particular perspectives and approaches of the author in arriving at an understanding
of the data
Theory of Equitable Quality Level and Errors- Areas Under the Operating Characteristic Curves of Lot Acceptance Sampling Plans.
No full textThis monograph deals with the theory of Equitable Quality Level and error-areas under the operating characte- ristic curves of lot acceptance sampling plans. A brief sumnary of the contents is given in Sections 1.2b (pages 15-16) and 2.9 (pages 107-111). A fairly good idea of the topics considored in this monograph can be obtained from the detailod list of contents given in pagos iv- xi.Most of the results given in the monograph are new and have not been published anywhe re. They are based on author\u27s own research work and are contained in his doctoral dissertation.Most of the work connected with the monograph was done during ny stay at the Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta, while I was on legve from the University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana. I am grateful to the Vice-Chancellor, University of Ghana for granting mo study leave during the preparation of this monograph and also to Professor C. R. Rao, P. R. S., Director of the Research and Training School, Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta, for providing me all the necessary fecilities for research.I am indebted to Professor S. K. Mitra of the Indian Statistical Institute for many useful discussions I have had wi th him during ny stay at the India Statistical Institute, Calcutta.Thanks are also due to Dr. V. J. Chacko of the United Nations, at present attached to the University of Ghana, for holpful suggestions.finally I wish to thank Shree G. M. Das of the Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta, for his efficient typing of the manuscript
Nitrogen effect on carbon-water coupling in forests, grasslands, and shrublands in the arid western United States
No full textAuthor Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2011. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research 116 (2011): G03023, doi:10.1029/2010JG001621.As greenhouse gases, including CO2, accumulate in the atmosphere, the western United States is predicted to undergo large-scale climate warming and reduced summer precipitation in the coming decades. In this study we explore the role of these climate changes with elevated CO2 to determine the plant physiological response on primary productivity and associated feedbacks on evapotranspiration (ET) and runoff using a biogeochemistry model, TEM-Hydro, with downscaled climate data for the western United States from the NCAR CCSM3 A2 scenario. Net primary productivity increases by 32% in forests due to feedbacks between warmer temperatures and enhanced nitrogen mineralization but decreases in shrublands by 24% due to excessive drying and reduced nitrogen mineralization. Warming directly increases nitrogen mineralization rates but indirectly decreases them by reducing soil moisture, so the net effect is highly dependent on climatic conditions within each biome. Increased soil moisture resulting from larger water use efficiency from the elevated CO2 leads to more net nitrogen mineralization in forests, which reduces N-limiting conditions. The effect of CO2 on stomatal conductance is therefore enhanced because of its effect on reducing nitrogen limiting conditions. Runoff decreases over the 21st century by 22% in forests, 58% in grasslands, and 67% in shrublands due to the reduced precipitation in each region but is modulated by the plant-induced changes in ET. The role of moisture limitation is therefore a crucial regulator of nitrogen limitation, which determines the future productivity and water availability in the West.This study was funded by the Department
of Energy, Basic Research and Modeling to Support Integrated Assessment,
DE‐FG02‐08ERG64648
Gamified interventions to educate healthcare professionals on the rational use of antimicrobials
No full textBackgroundAntimicrobial resistance [AMR] is a global health problem. It is important to train health care professionals on the rational use of antimicrobials to curb AMR.MethodsThis prospective interventional study was conducted with clinical practitioners, undergraduates [MBBS/Interns], postgraduates and pharmacy Students. A total of 50 participants were included in the study. The innovative games were administered for the management of infections of all the different systems of the body under the Indian Council Medical Research (ICMR) treatment guidelines of 2022 and the latest Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) guidelines involving different components. Pre-test and post-test questionnaires were administered and evaluated.ResultsAfter the intervention, the knowledge on the ability to differentiate between bacterial and viral symptoms in respiratory tract infections and gastroenteritis improved from 48 to 94%. The practice of using the right empirical choice of antimicrobials at the right dose for the right duration, on the basis of the severity of the infection, improved from 34 to 82%. The awareness/practice of using the right and rational combination of antibiotics improved from 44 to 84%. Knowledge of suspected multidrug-resistant gram-negative infections and other priority pathogens, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] and Candida infection, has improved from 32 to 78%. The practice of using certain antibiotics at specific infection sites based on the basis of their pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics improved from 20 to 76%. The knowledge of the intrinsic resistance of certain microorganisms to specific antimicrobial agents has improved from 15 to 80%.ConclusionThe gamified intervention successfully improved participants’ knowledge and awareness of rational antimicrobial use. The substantial improvements in all the aforementioned components highlight the positive impact of the intervention in promoting optimal antimicrobial use and curbing AMR. Innovative gamified interventions create better and long-lasting awareness, ensuring the appropriate use of antimicrobials
Gamified interventions to improve the knowledge, attitude and practice on rational use of antibiotics among school children in Mysuru, South India, to curb the growing antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
No full textBackgroundAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global emergency, and the general public and School children are limited in their awareness of the rational use of antibiotics. Gamified education can effectively address this issue. This study aimed to improve knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding rational antibiotic use through innovative games.MethodologyA gamified educational intervention was conducted with 2,195 high school students (13–16 years) in Mysuru, South India. The session included a blackboard introduction to microbes and antibiotics, an animated video on irrational antibiotic use, and games like Bucketing the Ball and Monkeying with Donkey to teach when antibiotics are unnecessary (e.g., respiratory tract infections and gastroenteritis). Pre- and post-test questionnaires were administered and analysed.ResultsResults showed significant improvements: knowledge of antibiotic effects increased from 2.5 to 82.5%; understanding of antibiotics for bacterial infections rose from 11.5 to 82.5%; awareness of when to avoid antibiotics for common infections improved from 5.1 to 96.77%; and awareness of their use for urinary, skin, and soft tissue infections increased from 19.6 to 90.38%. Practices like not buying antibiotics without a prescription and completing the course improved from 20.3 to 91.92%.ConclusionGamified education effectively enhances knowledge, awareness, and practice of rational antibiotic use. With rising AMR, such innovative interventions are crucial to educating the general public and School children, ensuring a long-lasting impact on this global issue
Case Report: Management of recurrent UTI with tigecycline in a kidney transplant recipient
No full textThis case report describes a 37-year-old man who underwent renal transplantation and subsequently developed complicated recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae. Despite initial treatment with fosfomycin and meropenem, the patient experienced persistent UTIs, leading to multiple hospitalizations. The management of these recurrent infections eventually required the use of tigecycline. Although tigecycline is not typically considered a urinary antibiotic owing to its limited urinary excretion, it was successfully employed in this case to manage the recurrent infections. The patient was treated with tigecycline for several episodes of UTI, which provided a crucial therapeutic option in the context of antibiotic resistance. This case underscores the challenges of managing recurrent MDR UTIs in immunocompromised patients and highlights tigecycline as an effective treatment strategy when standard therapies fail
Representations of migrant and nation in selected works of Rohinton Mistry and Salman Rushdie
No full textThis thesis explores the representations of, and the relationship between. the migrant and the nation in selected works of the Bombay-born novelists Rohinton Mistry and Salman Rushdie. I explore each writer's engagement with contemporary debates surrounding the material, political, social and imaginative consequences of the crisis in secularism in India during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and consider how this engagement is informed by their
migrant positions beyond India's borders. A primary concern is the way in which Mistry's and Rushdie's representations of the nation, and of migrant and diasporic subjects, intersects with the representation of Bombay in their work.
This thesis is divided into five chapters. The first two chapters concentrate on Mistry's fiction, the remaining three on Rushdie's work. Published between 1988 and 2002, the central novels examined are situated within debates regarding the founding principles of the Indian nation, and notions of Indianness, the rise of communalism in general and Hindu nationalism in particular, and the renaming of Bombay as Mumbai. My readings foreground the necessity of a
close understanding of the historical and political transformations taking place within Bombay and India during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, but also during the 1950s and 1960s. I argue that Mistry's and Rushdie's work is informed by a deepening anxiety over these socio-political transformations, and over how reconfigurations of Indianness increasingly position minority communities, and migrant and diasporic subjects, outside of definitions of national identity.
This anxiety extends into the negotiation of their own migrant positions. My reading of the differing representations of the migrant in Mistry's and Rushdie's work engages with ideas of accountability, political responsibility, and with notions of cosmopolitanism. In doing so, I question familiar assumptions regarding the migrant condition as one of predominantly empowering political agency. I argue that, while both authors emphasise the importance of the migrant sustaining a critical engagement with India's politics, they also foreground the anxious difficulties of doing so. This difficulty informs Mistry's and Rushdie's divergent negotiation of their own position as migrant writers, and I examine how their fiction is marked by an anxiety over the adequacy of writing as a mode of political engagement with the crisis in secularism and the parochialisation of Bombay, and as a means of negotiating the politics of migrancy
