Uncles ex Machina: Familial Epiphany in Euripides' Electra

At the close of Euripides’ Electra, the Dioscuri suddenly appear ‘on high’ to their distraught niece and nephew, who have just killed their mother, the divine twins’ mortal sister. This is in fact the second longest extant deus ex machina (after the final scene in Hippolytus), and the only scene in which a tragedian attempts to resolve directly the aftermath of the matricide. In this article, I argue that Castor's and Polydeuces’ sudden apparition to Orestes and Electra constitutes a specialised point of intersection between the mortal and immortal realms in Greek tragedy: familial epiphany, an appearance by a god who has an especially intimate relationship with those on stage. Euripides’ focus on the familial divine as a category accentuates various contradictions inherent to both ancient Greek theology and dramaturgy. The Dioscuri are a living paradox, ambiguously traversing the space between dead heroes and gods, managing at the same time to occupy both. They oscillate uniquely between the mortal and immortal worlds, as different sources assign different fathers to each brother, and others speak of each one possessing divinity on alternate days. As I propose, the epiphany of these ambiguous brothers crystallises the problem of the gods’ physical presence in drama. Tragedy is the arena in which gods burst suddenly into the mortal realm, decisively and irrevocably altering human action. The physical divine thus tends to be both marginal and directorial, tasked with reining in the plot or directing its future course. The appearance of the familial divine, on the other hand, can in fact obscure the resolution and future direction of a play, undermining the authority of the tragic gods. In the specific case of Electra, I contend that the involvement of the Dioscuri, who are Electra's and Orestes’ maternal uncles, produces a sense of claustrophobia at the close of the play, which simultaneously denies the resolution that is expected from a deus ex machina while also revealing the pessimistic nature of what is typically considered a reassuringly ‘domestic’ and character driven drama

Ciencia sobre ruedas en Granada. Una experiencia de actualización científica y tecnológica en el aula

Describimos una experiencia de colaboración entre el Parque de las Ciencias de Granada y el centro educativo Ciencias sobre Ruedas de Puerto Rico para llevar a siete centros educativos de Andalucía la tecnología de experimentación asistida por ordenador, EXAO, conectándola con temas de investigación real en el área de química. El proceso comenzó con la formación del profesorado en el uso de esta tecnología dentro de un enfoque de enseñanza orientado hacia la investigación en el aula. La actividad ha estado a cargo de profesores universitarios de Puerto Rico que desarrollan actualmente sus investigaciones de doctorado. Se ofrece la experiencia como un modelo de actualización y formación del profesorado no universitario de ciencias

Slotted Circularly Polarized Microstrip Antenna for RFID Application

A single layer coaxial fed rectangular microstrip slotted antenna for circular polarization (CP) is proposed for radio frequency identification (RFID) application. Two triangular shaped slots and one rectangular slot along the diagonal axis of a square patch have been embedded. Due to slotted structure along the diagonal axis and less surface area, good quality of circular polarization has been obtained with the reduction in the size of microstrip antenna by 4.04 %. Circular polarization radiation performance has been studied by size and angle variation of diagonally slotted structures. The experimental result found for 10-dB return loss is 44 MHz with 10MHz of 3dB Axial Ratio (AR) bandwidth respectively at the resonant frequency 910 MHz. The overall proposed antenna size including the ground plane is 80 mm x 80 mm x 4.572 mm

Early decelerations of the fetal heart rate from occlusion of the umbilical cord

Peer Reviewe

Site‐specific weed management—constraints and opportunities for the weed research community: Insights from a workshop

The adoption of site‐specific weed management (SSWM) technologies by farmers is not aligned with the scientific achievements in this field. While scientists have demonstrated significant success in real‐time weed identification, phenotyping and accurate weed mapping by using various sensors and platforms, the integration by farmers of SSWM and weed phenotyping tools into weed management protocols is limited. This gap was therefore a central topic of discussion at the most recent workshop of the SSWM Working Group arranged by the European Weed Research Society (EWRS). This insight paper aims to summarise the presentations and discussions of some of the workshop panels and to highlight different aspects of weed identification and spray application that were thought to hinder SSWM adoption. It also aims to share views and thoughts regarding steps that can be taken to facilitate future implementation of SSWM

First-order structural transition in the multiferroic perovskite-like formate [(CH3)2NH2][Mn(HCOO)3]

In this work we explore the overall structural behaviour of the [(CH3)2NH2][Mn(HCOO)3] multiferroic compound across the temperature range where its ferroelectric transition takes place by means of calorimetry, thermal expansion measurements and variable temperature powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The results clearly proof the presence of structural phase transition at Tt ~187 K (temperature at which the dielectric transition occurs) that involves a symmetry change from R-3c to Cc, twinning of the crystals, a discontinuous variation of the unit cell parameters and unit cell volume, and a sharp first-order-like anomaly in the thermal expansion. In addition, the calorimetric results show a 3-fold order-disorder transition. The calculated pressure dependence of the transition temperature is rather large (dTt/dP = 4.6 $\pm$ 0.1 K/kbar), so that it should be feasible to shift it to room temperature using adequate thermodynamic conditions, for instance by application of external pressure

Spatial Analysis of Digital Imagery of Weeds in a Maize Crop

Modern photographic imaging of agricultural crops can pin-point individual weeds, the patterns of which can be analyzed statistically to reveal how they are affected by variation in soil, by competition from other species and by agricultural operations. This contrasts with previous research on the patchiness of weeds that has generally used grid sampling and ignored processes operating at a fine scale. Nevertheless, an understanding of the interaction of biology, environment and management at all scales will be required to underpin robust precise control of weeds. We studied the spatial distributions of six common weed species in a maize field in central Spain. We obtained digital imagery of a rectangular plot 41.0 m by 10.5 m (= 430.5 m2) and from it recorded the exact coordinates of every seedling: more than 82,000 individuals in all. We analyzed the resulting body of data using three techniques: an aggregation analysis of the punctual distributions, a geostatistical analysis of quadrat counts and wavelet analysis of quadrat counts. We found that all species were aggregated with average distances across patches ranging from 3 cm–18 cm. Species with small seeds tended to occur in larger patches than those with large seeds. Several species had aggregation patterns that repeated periodically at right angles to the direction of the crop rows. Wheel tracks favoured some species (e.g., thornapple), whereas other species (e.g., johnsongrass) were denser elsewhere. Interactions between species at finer scales (<1 m) were negligible, although a negative correlation between thornapple and cocklebur was evident. We infer that the spatial distributions of weeds at the fine scales are products both of their biology and local environment caused by cultivation, with interactions between species playing a minor role. Spatial analysis of such high-resolution imagery can reveal patterns that are not immediately evident from sampling at coarser scales and aid our understanding of how and why weeds aggregate in patches

The Preparation of the Cryomagnets and the Assembly of the LHC Test String 2

The numerous complex activities required to prepare the cryomagnets for the installation in String 2 are described. These include the configuration of the mechanical interfaces, thee conditioning of the beam tubes, the installation of beam screens and the instrumentation as well as the final checks. The preparation of the cryomagnets for String 2 has been a dress rehearsal for the preparation that the cryomagnets will undergo before their installation in the tunnel. After a description of the interconnection procedures of the components for String 2, the tests carried-out to release the String for operation are described. A brief account of the lessons learnt is also given

Dimensionality of Carbon Nanomaterials Determines the Binding and Dynamics of Amyloidogenic Peptides: Multiscale Theoretical Simulations

Experimental studies have demonstrated that nanoparticles can affect the rate of protein self-assembly, possibly interfering with the development of protein misfolding diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and prion disease caused by aggregation and fibril formation of amyloid-prone proteins. We employ classical molecular dynamics simulations and large-scale density functional theory calculations to investigate the effects of nanomaterials on the structure, dynamics and binding of an amyloidogenic peptide apoC-II(60-70). We show that the binding affinity of this peptide to carbonaceous nanomaterials such as C60, nanotubes and graphene decreases with increasing nanoparticle curvature. Strong binding is facilitated by the large contact area available for π-stacking between the aromatic residues of the peptide and the extended surfaces of graphene and the nanotube. The highly curved fullerene surface exhibits reduced efficiency for π-stacking but promotes increased peptide dynamics. We postulate that the increase in conformational dynamics of the amyloid peptide can be unfavorable for the formation of fibril competent structures. In contrast, extended fibril forming peptide conformations are promoted by the nanotube and graphene surfaces which can provide a template for fibril-growth

The Global COVID-19 Observatory and Resource Center for Childhood Cancer: A response for the pediatric oncology community by SIOP and St. Jude Global

The COVID-19 pandemic quickly led to an abundance of publications and recommendations, despite a paucity of information on how COVID-19 affects children with cancer. This created a dire need for a trusted resource with curated information and a space for the pediatric oncology community to share experiences. The Global COVID-19 Observatory and Resource Center for Childhood Cancer was developed, launched, and maintained by the International Society of Pediatric Oncology and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The three components (Resource Library, Global Registry, and Collaboration Space) complement each other, establishing a mechanism to generate and transfer knowledge rapidly throughout the community.Fil: Moreira, Daniel C.. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Sniderman, Elizabeth. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Mukkada, Sheena. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Chantada, Guillermo Luis. Universidad Austral. Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional; ArgentinaFil: Bhakta, Nickhill. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Foster, Whitney. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Avula, Meghana. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Homsi, Maysam R.. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Faughnan, Lane. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Happ, Brooke. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Andujar, Allyson. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Sonnenfelt, Jason. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Dalvi, Rashmi. Bombay Hospital And Medical Research Centre; IndiaFil: Frazier, A. Lindsay. No especifíca;Fil: Hessissen, Laila. Universite Mohammed V. Rabat; Otros paises de ÁfricaFil: Kearns, Pamela R.. No especifíca;Fil: Luna Fineman, Sandra. No especifíca;Fil: Moreno, Arturo. Hospital Universitario de Puebla; MéxicoFil: Saghir Khan, Muhammad. No especifíca;Fil: Sullivan, Michael. Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne; AustraliaFil: Devidas, Meenakshi. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Santana, Victor. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Caniza, Miguela. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados UnidosFil: Pritchard Jones, Kathy. University College London; Estados UnidosFil: Rodriguez Galindo, Carlos. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; Estados Unido