702 research outputs found
Introduction: Tricksters, humour and activism
This special issue, entitled âThe Trickster Activist in Global Humour and Comedyâ, investigates the relevance of the concept of the trickster for explaining activist expressions that emanate from comedians, or that appear in comedy and humour more generally. Comedy has traditionally been viewed as an aesthetic or entertainment medium. It has often been charged with encouraging stereotype and the affirmation of mainstream audience beliefs. Despite this, we argue, there have been moments in recent history where comedians have given their performances an increased level of social and political consciousness that resonates with the public at large, or with sections of the public. Comedians, we argue, are able to reach this level of social commentary due to their potential to become tricksters. Paradoxically, the mythical trickster is a liminal entity, one that is adept at destruction as well as creation, or at conservativism as well radicalism. The articles in this issue explore the complexity of the trickster concept, showing some of the polysemy involved in the social activism enabled by comedy and humour
Characterization of Iranian grapevine cultivars using microsatellite markers
Sixty-two grapevine (Vitis spp.) accessions from Iran and the USA were characterized at 9 highly polymorphic microsatellite loci using fluorescent primers and a capillary electrophoresis fragment sizing system. The number of alleles observed per locus ranged from 4 to 16 and heterozygosity values ranged from 0.47 to 0.86. Genetic similarity was estimated for each pair of accessions as the proportion of shared alleles. A phenogram constructed from genetic dissimilarity values revealed three clusters, one each for table grapes, wine grapes and rootstocks. The phenogram also revealed three clonal sets (Askari, Bidane and Yaghoti) as well as some synonyms and homonyms among Iranian table grape cultivars.
Synthesis and Structure of Hexatungstochromate(III), [H3CrIIIW6O24]6â
The hexatungstochromate(III) [H3CrIIIW6O24]6- (1) was synthesized in aqueous, basic medium by simple reaction of chromium(III) nitrate nonahydrate and sodium tungstate dihydrate in a 1:6 ratio. Polyanion 1 represents
the first Anderson-Evans type heteropolytungstate with a trivalent hetero element. The sodium salt of 1 with the formula Na6[H3CrIIIW6O24]·22H2O (1a) was fully characterized in the solid state by single crystal XRD, FT-IR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis
pH Regulation by NHX-Type Antiporters Is Required for Receptor-Mediated Protein Trafficking to the Vacuole in Arabidopsis
Heat protection behaviour in the UK: Results of an online survey after the 2013 heatwave
Background: The Heatwave Plan for England provides guidance for personal and home protection measures during heatwaves. Although studies in the USA, Australia and Europe have surveyed heat-related behaviours during heatwaves, few have been conducted in the UK. This study assesses personal and housing (at-home) behaviour and housing characteristics of the UK population during the 2013 heatwave. Methods: This paper analyses data from 1497 respondents of an online survey on heat protection measures and behaviour. Participants were asked questions about their behaviour during the 2013 heatwave, the characteristics of their current housing as well as about any negative health outcomes experienced due to the hot weather. We used multinomial logit regression to analyse personal and home heat protection behaviour and logistic regression to analyse characteristics of participants' current home (installed air conditioner, curtains etc.). We stratified the outcomes by age, sex, ethnicity, income, education and regional location. Results: In 2013, for all heat-related illness (except tiredness), a higher proportion of those in the younger age groups reported symptoms compared with those in the older age groups. Women, higher income groups and those with higher education levels were found to be more likely to report always/often taking personal heat protective measures. The elderly were less likely to take some personal and home protective measures but were more likely to live in insulated homes and open windows at night to keep their home cool. Conclusion: Our study has found a high level of awareness of the actions to take during heatwaves in the UK, and has identified important demographic indicators of sections of the UK population that might benefit from additional or more targeted information. The health agencies should attempt to provide better information about heatwaves to those vulnerable (elderly, those at risk living in London, low income earners) or identify any barriers that might be preventing them from undertaking protective behaviour
Controlled laser heating of carbon nanotubes
We investigate laser heating of double wall carbon nanotubes deposited on surfaces and immerged in liquids as a function of laser wavelength. Observing the Raman spectrum we find that laser heating of agglomerated double wall carbon nanotubes is six times larger at 488 nm than at 647 nm. The wavelength dependence of the Raman G band is linear in the visible spectral range. The frequency shift of the Raman G band obtained in methanol as a function of temperature is close to what is observed for graphite
National Forest Funds: mechanisms adapted to todayâs challenges - Overview of the situation of 4 Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries: Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey
National Forest Funds (NFFs) are mechanisms that could be adapted to address todayâs many challenges: their role as funding instruments, they can also act as catalysts to harness international funding such as the REDD+. If properly set, an NFF can also be an efficient tool to rationalize the use of these funds in a context of good governance and to ensure, for example, a redistribution to environmental service providers such as through payments for ecosystem services. Well equipped to deal with global changes, such as increasing anthropogenic stress with poverty in Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries, which increase wooded areas degradation and withering and desertification due to climate change. An overview of the situation of 4 Southern and Eastern Mediterranean countries (Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey) was compiled in order to take stock of the context and of the purpose of the implementation or the reinforcement of a national forest fund in terms of development opportunities, structuring, cross sectoral approach, objectives and schedule
The enrichment of an alkaliphilic biofilm consortia capable of the anaerobic degradation of isosaccharinic acid from cellulosic materials incubated within an anthropogenic, hyperalkaline environment.
Anthropogenic hyper-alkaline sites provide an environment that is analogous to proposed cementitious geological disposal facilities (GDF) for radioactive waste. Under anoxic, alkaline conditions cellulosic wastes will hydrolyse to a range of cellulose degradation products (CDP) dominated by isosaccharinic acids (ISA). In order to investigate the potential for microbial activity in a cementitious GDF, cellulose samples were incubated in the alkaline (âŒpH 12), anaerobic zone of a lime kiln waste site. Following retrieval, these samples had undergone partial alkaline hydrolysis and were colonised by a Clostridia dominated biofilm community, where hydrogenotrophic, alkaliphilic methanogens were also present. When these samples were used to establish an alkaline CDP fed microcosm, the community shifted away from Clostridia, methanogens became undetectable and a flocculate community dominated by Alishewanella sp. established. These flocs were composed of bacteria embedded in polysaccharides and protein stabilised by extracellular DNA. This community was able to degrade all forms of ISA with >60% of the carbon flow being channelled into extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) production. This study demonstrated that alkaliphilic microbial communities can degrade the CDP associated with some radioactive waste disposal concepts at pH 11. These communities divert significant amounts of degradable carbon to EPS formation, suggesting that EPS has a central role in the protection of these communities from hyper-alkaline conditions
Les Fonds forestiers nationaux : des mĂ©canismes adaptĂ©s aux dĂ©fis dâaujourdâhui - Tour dâhorizon de la situation de quatre pays du sud et de lâest de la MĂ©diterranĂ©e : Liban, Maroc, Tunisie et Turquie
Les fonds forestiers nationaux (FFN) sont des mĂ©canismes adaptĂ©s aux dĂ©fis dâaujourdâhui : en plus dâĂȘtre un instrument de financement, ils peuvent Ă©galement ĂȘtre un catalyseur en appelant des financements internationaux tels que la REDD+ par exemple. Correctement habilitĂ©, un FFN peut Ă©galement ĂȘtre un outil efficient pour rationaliser lâutilisation des fonds dans le cadre dâune bonne gouvernance et assurer par exemple une redistribution vers les fournisseurs des services environnementaux dans le cadre de mĂ©canismes de paiements pour services Ă©cosystĂ©miques. Autant dâatouts pour mieux faire face aux changements globaux, tels que les pressions anthropiques croissantes et les phĂ©nomĂšnes de pauvretĂ© dans les pays du sud et de lâest de la MĂ©diterranĂ©e, qui accroissent les dĂ©gradations aux espaces boisĂ©s mais Ă©galement les phĂ©nomĂšnes de dĂ©pĂ©rissements et de dĂ©sertification inhĂ©rents au changement climatique. Un tour dâhorizon de la situation de quatre pays du sud et de lâest de la MĂ©diterranĂ©e (Liban, Maroc, Tunisie et Turquie) est rĂ©alisĂ© afin de faire le point sur le contexte dans chaque pays et lâintĂ©rĂȘt de la mise en place ou du renforcement dâun fonds forestier national en termes dâopportunitĂ©s de dĂ©veloppement, de structuration, dâapproche intersectorielle, dâobjectifs et de calendrier
Ni-Containing 54-Tungsto-6-Silicate: Synthesis, Structure, Magnetic and Electrochemical Studies
The 36-Ni-containing 54-tungsto-6-silicate, [Ni(OH)(HO)(SiWO)] (Ni) was synthesized by a simple one-pot reaction of the Ni-pivalate complex [Ni(ÎŒ-OH)(OCCMe)(HOCCMe)] with the trilacunary [SiWO] polyanion precursor in water and structurally characterized by a multitude of physicochemical techniques including single-crystal XRD, FTIR, TGA, elemental analysis, magnetic and electrochemical studies. Polyanion Ni comprises six equivalent {NiSiW} units which are linked by NiâOâW bridges forming a macrocyclic assembly. Magnetic studies demonstrate that the {Ni} building blocks in Ni remain magnetically intact while forming a hexagonal ring with antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between adjacent {Ni6} units. Electrochemical studies indicate that the first reduction is reversible and associated with the WVI/V couple, whereas the second reduction is irreversible attributed to the Ni couple
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