495 research outputs found
Species of Selenophoma on North American grasses
No full textby Roderick Sprague and A. G. Johnson.This archived document is maintained by the State Library of Oregon as part of the Oregon Documents Depository Program. It is for informational purposes and may not be suitable for legal purposes.Includes bibliographical references (pages 41-43).Mode of access: Internet from the Oregon Government Publications Collection.Text in English
Polyphony and the anxiety of influence in the fiction of Henry James
No full textJames's fiction, especially in the Middle Phase, centres
on the figure of the artist and is characterized by, the two
interrelated aspects which previous criticism has largely
overlooked: the Bakhtinian 'polyphonic' -creation of
'author-thinkers'; and the conflict between ephebes and
precursors, for which Harold-Bloom's concept of 'the-anxiety of
influence' is the most illuminating model. Polyphony is the
narrative mode, and influence is the intra-artistic, theme.
These, as the Introduction to the thesis makes clear, are
rehearsed in James's inaugural novel, Roderick Hudson. Rowland
Mallet is an author-thinker, and his failure is caused by
authorial limitations. His monologism -is impaired by his
mistaking empathy for the authorial sympathy. Likewise,
Hudson's failure does not arise from a mercurial temperament,
but from a polyphonic shortcoming: not possessing the power of
fiction to contain the fiction of power in, his mentor. And the
relationships among the three artists - Gloriani, Hudson and
Singleton - perfectly exemplify the Bloomian-theme. It is these
two concepts, polyphony and influence, which are the major
preoccupation in the Middle Phase; as, the works chosen
demonstrate. These are a novella, a novel, and a number of
short stories all of which have been unjustifiably neglected.
Chapter One, on The Aspern Papers, argues that Tina Bordereau,
far from being, the artless victim seen by many critics,
actually challenges and defeats the narrator by the very form
of her narrative. Her 'realist' discourse undermines his
language of 'romance', and shows up its internal unstability.
Chapter Two is an extensive study of the critical reception of
The Tragic Muse. The most common areas of critical attention
have been its contemporary topicality, its relation to previous
novels on similar themes, and the possible genealogy of Gabriel
Nash. Those have all missed the core of the work. - Chapter Three
demonstrates how polyphony and the anxiety of influence make
the novel what it really is. Influence arises from the
juxtaposition of, and the wrestling between, artistic ephebes
and their precursors (Nick and Nash,, Miriam and Madame Carre).
The dialogic quality defined by Bakhtin is crucial to the
proper, and even-handed, characterization of all, the conflicts
in the novel. And since most of James's tales in the eighties
and nineties -are about 'masters - and acolytes, the anxiety of
influence remains central. Chapter Four is a study of 'The
Author of Beltraffiol' and 'The Lesson of the Master'. Again the
characters' manipulations are a crucial focus in a way that
G6rard Genette's terminology helps to illuminate. The fact that
the ephebe is the author-thinker emphasizes the inextricability
of the Bakhtinian and the Bloomian in James. Just as
polyphony offers a different focus for explicating the poetics
of James's fiction; so the ephebal conflict provides the basis
for a fresh perception of James's own artistic struggle
Assessing young people’s learning needs related to sexuality and relationships on the Maltese Islands
No full textThis research explored young people’s learning needs related to sexuality and relationships withinthe current rapidly changing social, cultural and religious context of the Maltese Islands. It alsoexplored the challenges, opportunities and alternative means by which these needs can be met. Adefinitional matrix for needs assessment that adopts a sociological perspective to people’s needs,which is widely used in health promotion, was employed. This thesis was framed around theunderlying principles of youth involvement, participation and empowerment, and thus emphasisedyoung people’s own perspective of their learning needs.The mixed-methodology approach was adopted in this research. The first stage of investigationsought to achieve an overview of sexual behaviour and knowledge among young Maltese peopleaged 14 - 16 attending secondary schools. A stratified random sample of 1310 pupils (68% responserate) provided a first-ever snapshot of young people’s sexual behaviour in Malta. The second stagesought to explore young people’s felt and expressed learning needs within and outside the schoolsetting by way of sixteen focus groups involving another 166 pupils.Findings suggest a relatively low rate of pupils who would have practiced sexual intercourse byschool-leaving age in Malta (12.3%). Mean age at first intercourse seems similar to that of otherEuropean countries (14 years) for both genders. Only a fifth used condoms every time they had sex.Knowledge of STIs was scant. The pupils were more informed about HIV. Girls were moreknowledgeable. Boys had sex with more sexual partners. No gender differences were noted insubstance abuse with sex. Discussions among pupils revealed a high degree of perceived unmetlearning need. Participants valued highly learning about sexuality but thought it received much lessattention than their other academic learning needs. Disparities between schools were evidenced.Learning was sporadic and uncoordinated with conflicting messages from different teachers. Oftensessions started timely to pupils’ needs, but ended prematurely. Learning from parents was scantyand associated with the overall relationship and bonding between parents and the child. Gaps werenoted between perceived ideal sources (teachers, parents and visiting speakers) and actual /preferred sources (friends and the media). Needs were perceived in relation to the content andtiming of learning, sources of knowledge, learning styles and resources. Maltese pupils had diversevalues and called for a variety of approaches.Recommendations were made for a national sexuality education policy to standardize theframework of sexuality education among Maltese schools; more initial teacher training and inservicetraining in sexuality education to meet the needs of a diverse group of adolescents throughvarious approaches; more collaboration among teachers within schools; parenting skills and lifelonglearning opportunities for parents; more active involvement of adolescents and a widerconsultation with schools and families in the evaluation of sexuality education
Social exclusion in british tennis: A history of privilege and prejudice
No full textThis thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.This study focuses on the issue of social exclusion in British tennis. It commences with
a critique of current LTA policy, presenting exclusion as static, ahistorical and
underpinned by false dichotomies of age and social class. Aspects of Norbert Elias’s
theoretical approach are employed throughout as an analytical framework. Initially, the
roots of exclusion in British tennis are sought through historical analysis. Aspects of the
Civilising Process help direct attention towards wider social processes to explain the
prevalence of exclusion, particularly in tennis clubs. Cost was a crucial factor in
determining early access, but as tennis became more accessible to lower classes, codes of
behavioural etiquette helped demarcate members along status lines. Into the mid-20th
century, the globalisation, professionalisation and commercialisation of tennis pushed
the LTA to adopt a more performance-oriented outlook, but this has come to oppose the
more relaxed culture of tennis clubs. Thus, a power struggle emerged between these two
institutions, and, underpinned by thirty interviews with leading figures in British tennis
as well as extensive documentary analysis, the third section documents these
developments from the 1980s. Crucially, tennis clubs remain largely amateur and
voluntary-run organisations, yet are important locations for the implementation of the
LTA’s demanding talent development objectives. These recent developments are
understood with the help of Elias’s Game Models theory. The fourth section presents
findings from a ten-month ethnographic study of social exclusion in a tennis club; a
micro-analysis of club member relations underpinned by Elias’s Established-Outsider
Relations theory. Overall findings suggest that social exclusion in British tennis is far
more complex, multi-faceted and historically-rooted than what current LTA discourse
presents. Differences in age and class are less central, and instead preconceived notions
of social status based on longevity of membership, adherence to behavioural norms and
playing standard are powerful determinants of inclusion
Leishmania CRK3:CYC6 cyclin-dependent kinase as a drug target
No full textLeishmania species are protozoan parasites which have a complex life cycle, which is coordinated with its cell cycle. There are 11 cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) and 11 cyclins present in the Leishmania genome reflecting the complexity of cell cycle control in this parasite, perhaps due to the requirement for synchronisation with the life cycle. Leishmania mexicana CRK3, a cdc2-related serine/threonine protein kinase of the CDK family, is essential for transition through the G2-M-phase checkpoint of the Leishmania cell cycle. The Trypanosoma brucei homologue of CRK3, with 78% identity to L. mexicana CRK3, has been shown to form an active kinase complex with the CYC6 cyclin. Using this knowledge a putative mitotic cyclin, CYC6, from Leishmania major was identified. Monomeric CRK3 does not have protein kinase activity, but was activated in vitro with CYC6 to produce a protein kinase complex with histone H1 kinase activity. CRK3his and CYC6his were co-expressed and co-purified from Escherichia coli via metal affinity and gel filtration chromatography to obtain a 1:1 ratio of CRK3:CYC6 proteins, which formed a stable protein kinase complex. Using histone H1 as a substrate, active CRK3:CYC6 was used to develop a radiometric assay suitable for low to medium throughput compound screening and then an assay suitable for high throughput screening (HTS) using IMAPTM fluorescence polarization technology. This HTS assay was used to screen a 25,000 compound chemical library to identify hits which significantly reduced CRK3:CYC6 protein kinase activity. Two main pharmacophores with the highest potency towards CRK3:CYC6 protein kinase activity were identified from the high throughput screen. Structure Activity Relationship (SAR) analysis of the hits identified the chemical groups attached to the scaffold structures which are essential for the inhibition of CRK3:CYC6 protein kinase activity. The CRK3:CYC6 hits were subsequently counter-screened against a panel of 11 mammalian kinases including human CDK1:CYCB (the functional orthologue of CRK3:CYC6), human CDK2:CYCA and human CDK4:CYCD1 to determine their selectivity. Compound hits that were selective towards CRK3:CYC6, were tested against Leishmania in vitro. Progress towards synthesising potent and selective derivatives of the HTS hits will be discussed, with the view to evaluating their potential for the development of novel therapeutics against leishmaniasis
Arthur William Upfield: a biography
No full textThis dissertation is an exhaustive account of the life and work of Arthur William Upfield (1890-1964). It is presented as a critical biography and narrates the life of the writer, in his socio-cultural milieu, from birth. It also positions Upfield as a writer who dealt with issues of Aboriginality at a time when this was a singularly polemical subject. My work is informed by the theory of Zygmunt Bauman and others and is posited in the context of late-modern biography theory.
English-born, Upfield arrived in Australia in 1911 and took work in the bush, serving overseas with the Australian army at the outbreak of World War I and marrying an Australian army nurse in Egypt. Returning with his wife and son to Australia in 1921 he intermittently carried his swag until he was employed patrolling the Western Australian number 1 rabbit-proof fence for three years to 1931. By that time he had published four novels, including two crime novels featuring his fictional creation, the part-Aboriginal, part-European, Detective-Inspector Napoleon Bonaparte ('Bony'), arguably the first fully-developed character in Australian popular fiction.
Leaving the fence, Upfield settled with his family in Perth and wrote full-time until joining the Melbourne Herald in 1933. Retrenched, he resumed career writing to be further interrupted by a war-time intelligence posting in 1939. In 1943 the first Bony mysteries were published in America, where Upfield's critical success was maintained until his death. In 1945 he left his wife for Jessica Uren, to whom he remained devoted.
Upfield's in all twenty-nine Bony novels, many of which have been translated across eleven languages, afforded him notable success both at home and abroad, in good part due to his descriptive gifts and the uniqueness of his fictional character, the part-Aboriginal Bony
The use of response surface methodology in the evaluation of captopril microparticles manufactured using an oil in oil solvent evaporation technique
No full textCaptopril (CPT) microparticles were manufactured by solvent evaporation using acetone (dispersion phase) and liquid paraffin (manufacturing phase) with Eudragit® and Methocel® as coat materials. Design of experiments and response surface methodology (RSM) approaches were used to optimize the process. The microparticles were characterized based on the percent of drug released and yield, microcapsule size, entrapment efficiency and Hausner ratio. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Infrared (IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and in vitro dissolution studies were conducted. The microcapsules were spherical, free-flowing and IR and DSC thermograms revealed that CPT was stable. The percent drug released was investigated with respect to Eudragit® RS and Methocel® K100M, Methocel® K15M concentrations and homogenizing speed. The optimal conditions for microencapsulation were 1.12 g Eudragit® RS, 0.67 g Methocel® K100M and 0.39 g Methocel® K15M at a homogenizing speed of 1643 rpm and 89% CPT was released. The value of RSM-mediated microencapsulation of CPT was elucidated
Development of an Aeroservoelastic Platform: From Concept to Final Product
No full textWith the increased focus on sustainability, aircraft are designed to reduce their emissions. One way to accomplish this is by increasing the wing aspect ratio, thereby increasing the aerodynamic efficiency, however this is not without consequences. Increased aspect ratio wings have a higher structural mass, are more susceptible to gust and maneuver loads and generally flutter at lower velocities. Due to the advent of both passive and active control techniques these issues can fortunately be solved by using gust load allevation (GLA), maneuver load alleviation (MLA) and flutter suppression. Current aeroelastic testing facilities at Delft University of Technology include a gust generator and aeroelastic apparatus, used to suspend a passive wing section in the wind tunnel. The need for ad¬ ditional research on aeroelastic control in order to improve the sustainability and safety of aviation necessitates the development of a new wing section with aileron and spoiler control surfaces that is compatible with current facilities. The development, manufacturing and initial characterization and test¬ ing of this wing section is the subject of the present work. As the new wing section includes a spoiler, a literature review is performed on this subject. Spoilers function by deflecting into the flow, causing separation aft of the spoiler and creating a large turbulent wake, resulting in a drastic decrease of lift. A linear potential flow model for spoiler aerodynamics developed by Brown and Parkinson was implemented in MATLAB with the intent of implementing this in future aeroelastic models. Verification of this model showed good agreements with original data presented in the paper describing the model. The passive wing section was chosen as a basis for the new design. The position and size of the control surfaces are determined based on a review of experimental and operational applications. The new wing section was designed, resulting in a self¬contained model, including a single¬board computer, sensors and power supply. Actuation mechanisms were developed for the control surfaces, with a parametric device for control surface free play included in the aileron actuation mechanism. The new wing section was manufactured successfully and control software was implemented using Simulink. A series of tests were performed to characterize the dynamic behavior of the wing section. Due to a combination of higher inertia and kinematics of the actuation mechanism, the usable bandwidth of the aileron is shown to be lower than that of the spoiler. Aerodynamic results show that the combined use of aileron and spoiler result in a reduction or reversal of the aerodynamic response of the wing. Gust load alleviation results with proportional control show an increase in damping by 1300% and a reduction in peak amplitude of 50% when using the spoiler. Results for the aileron are notice¬ ably less, with a decrease in amplitude of 15% and an increase of damping of 145%. The differences are attributed to both the differences in kinematics of the mechanisms as well as the greater absolute change in lift coefficient obtainable by the spoiler. Aerospace Engineerin
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