A Comet of Wonder Fallen to Earth: The Diaries of Miles Franklin.

Franklin published fifteen books in her lifetime becoming a respected literary figure in Australia in her last twenty years. But none of the books would be quite the success that "My Brilliant Career" was, at least in her own mind. In the period immediately following its publication, when Franklin was taken into Rose Scott’s glittering circle, she was regarded, she believed, as a ‘comet of wonder’ by many people. She rather liked that. By the time she wrote about this in her diary in April 1949, she added the phrase ‘God knows why’. The comet had plummeted to earth. Now she had the gnawing doubt that perhaps she really was not a great writer. Franklin's diaries bring her to life in all her infinite variety.‘I bewilder myself, I’m so complex,’ she wrote to Emma Pischel, a friend from Chicago days, in May 1947, ‘so how cd he who knows me not, be able to unravel me?’ The diaries help in the unravelling process.Australia Council, La Trobe University, National Library of Australia, Holding Redlich, Arts Victori

Sensory and ATP derivative-based indicators for assessing the freshness of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and cod (Gadus morhua)

peer-reviewedIrish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research | Volume 58: Issue 1 Sensory and ATP derivative-based indicators for assessing the freshness of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and cod (Gadus morhua) Colin Fogarty , Conor Smyth , Paul Whyte , Nigel Brunton and Declan Boltonemail DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ijafr-2019-0008 | Published online: 31 Oct 2019 PDF Abstract Article PDF References Recommendations Abstract To estimate the shelf life of fresh fish, the processor must know the period of time between catch/harvest and arrival at the processing plant. This information is not always available, necessitating the provision of methods to estimate the time since catch or harvest. The objectives of this study were therefore to develop and/or validate sensory and ATP derivative-based methods for rapidly assessing the freshness of fish. A quality index method (QIM; raw fish) and a quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA; cooked fish) were developed and validated (against bacterial count [total viable count (TVC)] and time) for salmon (Salmo salar) and cod (Gadus morhua). The production of inosine monophosphate (IMP), inosine and hypoxanthine (Hx) and associated ratios (IMP/Hx, K1-value or H-value) were also investigated for use as freshness markers. There was a linear relationship between QIM and TVC (R2 = 0.93 for salmon and R2 = 0.89 for cod), QIM and time (R2 = 0.96 for salmon and R2 = 0.98 for cod), QDA and TVC (R2 = 0.93 for salmon and R2 = 0.77 for cod) and QDA and time (R2 = 0.94 for salmon and R2 = 0.87 for cod), suggesting that the QIM and QDA schemes developed could be used to monitor/assess freshness. The H-value also increased linearly with TVC (R2 = 0.88 for salmon and R2 = 0.89 for cod) and time (R2 = 0.93 for salmon and R2 = 0.84 for cod). It was therefore concluded that both the QIM/QDA approach and monitoring ATP degradation, specifically expressed as the H-value, could be used as rapid methods to assess the freshness of salmon and cod arriving at the processing plan

Absolute Configuration of Falcarinol (9Z-heptadeca-1,9-diene-4,6- diyn-3-ol) from Pastinaca sativa

Falcarinol (9Z-heptadeca-1,9-diene-4,6-diyn-3-ol; 1) is a polyacetylene commonly found in several plant families. The absolute configuration of naturally occurring 1 is not clear and contradictory results have been reported in the literature. Determination of the absolute configuration of 1 from Pastinaca sativa L. was carried out. Isolation of 95% pure 1 was performed via successive fractionation and preparative-HPLC. A racemic mixture comprised of 3R-1 and 3S-1 was synthesized in order to confirm the absolute configuration of the isolated natural product using chiral HPLC. Based on a combination of chiral HPLC and specific rotation, 1 present in P. sativa was found to have a 3R absolute configuration (i.e. (3R, 9Z)-heptadeca-1,9-diene-4,6-diyn-3-ol)

Picosecond laser cutting and drilling of thin flex glass

AbstractWe investigate the feasibility of cutting and drilling thin flex glass (TFG) substrates using a picosecond laser operating at wavelengths of 1030nm, 515nm and 343nm. 50μm and 100μm thick AF32®Eco Thin Glass (Schott AG) sheets are used. The laser processing parameters such as the wavelength, pulse energy, pulse repetition frequency, scan speed and the number of laser passes which are necessary to perform through a cut or to drill a borehole in the TFG substrate are studied in detail. Our results show that the highest effective cutting speeds (220mm/s for a 50μm thick TFG substrate and 74mm/s for a 100μm thick TFG substrate) are obtained with the 1030nm wavelength, whereas the 343nm wavelength provides the best quality cuts. The 515nm wavelength, meanwhile, can be used to provide relatively good laser cut quality with heat affected zones (HAZ) of <25μm for 50μm TFG and <40μm for 100μm TFG with cutting speeds of 100mm/s and 28.5mm/s, respectively. The 343nm and 515nm wavelengths can also be used for drilling micro-holes (with inlet diameters of ⩽75µm) in the 100μm TFG substrate with speeds of up to 2 holes per second (using 343nm) and 8 holes per second (using 515nm). Optical microscope and SEM images of the cuts and micro-holes are presented

Edge selective gas detection using Langmuir films of graphene platelets

Recent advances in large-scale production of graphene have led to the availability of solution processable platelets at the commercial scale. Langmuir-Schaefer (L-S) deposition is a scalable process for forming a percolating film of graphene platelets which can be used for electronic gas sensing. Here, we demonstrate the use of this deposition method to produce functional gas sensors, using a chemiresistor structure from commercially-available graphene dispersions. The sensitivity of the devices and repeatability of the electrical response upon gas exposure has been characterized. Raman spectroscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) show doping of the basal plane using ammonia (n-dopant) and acetone (p-dopant). The resistive signal is increased upon exposure to both gases showing that sensing originates from the change in contact resistance between nanosheets. We demonstrate that Arrhenius fitting of the desorption response potentially allows measurements of the desorption process activation energies for gas molecules adsorbed onto the graphene nanosheets

The effect of organic acid and sodium chloride dips on the shelf-life of refrigerated Irish brown crab (Cancer pagurus) meat

peer-reviewedCrab (Cancer pagurus) meat (white and brown) has a short shelf-life. Chemical treatments may inhibit microbial spoilage and extend shelf-life. The effect of 5% organic acids (lactic acid (LA), acetic acid (AA) and citric acid (CA)) and 5% sodium chloride (NaCl) on TVC (mesophiles and psychrophiles), Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp. and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were investigated during storage (2 °C for 12 days). AA was the most effective treatment for white meat, reducing the initial TVCm and TVCp by 1.6 and 1.8 log10 cfu/g, respectively, and extended the shelf life to 8–11.5 days, compared to 5 days for untreated control samples. LA treatment also significantly (P  0.05). A similar pattern was observed for brown meat samples, although the shelf life was increased by a maximum of 1–3 days. The growth of Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp. and LAB was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced on AA treated samples only. It was concluded that the shelf-life of crab meat may be extended by up to 3 days using lactic acid and more than doubled using acetic acid.Funding for this project was provided by the Food Institutional Research Measure (FIRM), project number 13F529, administered by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Ireland

Spoilage indicator bacteria in farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) stored on ice for 10 days

peer-reviewedThis study investigated the growth of indicator and spoilage bacteria on whole Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) stored aerobically at 2 °C. On days 0, 2, 3, 6, 8 and 10 microbiological analysis was carried out on inner flesh and outer skin samples as well as outer skin swabs (25 cm2 surface areas). Mesophilic total viable counts (TVCm) on skin, flesh and swab samples increased from 1.9, 1.1 and 2.7 log10 CFUcm2 to 6.0, 5.1 and 5.7 log10 CFU/cm2 after 10 days, respectively. Psychrotrophic counts (TVCp), increased from 2.2, 1.8 and 3.1 log10 CFU/cm2 to 6.2, 5.3 and 5.9 log10 CFU/cm2, for skin, flesh and swab samples respectively. Hydrogen sulphide producing bacteria (HSPB), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Pseudomonas spp., Brochothrix thermosphacta and Photobacterium spp. grew well with similar growth rates (mean generation times of 17.2–26 h). It was concluded that the shelf-life of salmon at 2 °C was approximately 10 days and that HSPB, LAB, Pseudomonas spp., Br. thermosphacta and Photobacterium spp. may be a better indicator of fish spoilage rather than TVC growth, with a count of 5–6 log10 CFU/cm2 indicating the end of shelf-life

The meaning of place in supporting sociality

While social isolation in an ageing population is a concern in many locations, it is greater in towns where divisive local geography and declining investment conspire against meeting places and mutual awareness. This research into the design of location-based tools to support sociality asks whether embedded digital tools that make neighbourhood activities and/or people’s movements more visible have the potential to increase serendipitous encounters and deepen a sense of community cohesion. Taking to the streets of a small town to explore if digital tools might improve the situation, we used participatory and provocation methods to inspire engagement with the theme and compare design concepts for sociality. Participants showed great passion for the town and its people, but also caution about publicly revealing even basic information, because of anticipated local consequences. They preferred an indirect approach. We use these insights to analyze “place” and discuss the specifics of designing for sociality in challenging contexts

The INCENTIVE Study: a mixed methods evaluation of an innovation in commissioning and delivery of primary dental care compared to traditional dental contracting

Background Over the past decade, commissioning of primary care dentistry has seen contract currency evolving from payment for units of dental activity (UDAs) towards blended contracts that include key performance indicators such as access, quality and improved health outcome. Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate a blended/incentive-driven model of dental service provision. To (1) explore stakeholder perspectives of the new service delivery model; (2) assess the effectiveness of the new service delivery model in reducing the risk of and amount of dental disease and enhancing oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL) in patients; and (3) assess cost-effectiveness of the new service delivery model. Methods Using a mixed-methods approach, the study included three dental practices working under the blended/incentive-driven (incentive) contract and three working under the UDAs (traditional) contract. All were based in West Yorkshire. The qualitative study reports on the meaning of key aspects of the model for three stakeholder groups [lay people (patients and individuals without a dentist), commissioners and the primary care dental teams], with framework analysis of focus group and semistructured interview data. A non-randomised study compared clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of treatment under the two contracts. The primary outcome was gingivitis, measured using bleeding on probing. Secondary outcomes included OHQoL and cost-effectiveness. Results Participants in the qualitative study associated the incentive contract with more access, greater use of skill mix and improved health outcomes. In the quantitative analyses, of 550 participants recruited, 291 attended baseline and follow-up. Given missing data and following quality assurance, 188 were included in the bleeding on probing analysis, 187 in the caries assessment and 210 in the economic analysis. The results were mixed. The primary outcome favoured the incentive practices, whereas the assessment of caries favoured the traditional practices. Incentive practices attracted a higher cost for the service commissioner, but were financially attractive for the dental provider at the practice level. Differences in generic health-related quality of life were negligible. Positive changes over time in OHQoL in both groups were statistically significant. Limitations The results of the quantitative analysis should be treated with caution given small sample numbers, reservations about the validity of pooling, differential dropout results and data quality issues. Conclusions A large proportion of people in this study who had access to a dentist did not follow up on oral care. These individuals are more likely to be younger males and have poorer oral health. Although access to dental services was increased, this did not appear to facilitate continued use of services. Future work Further research is required to understand how best to promote and encourage appropriate dental service attendance, especially among those with a high level of need, to avoid increasing health inequalities, and to assess the financial impact of the contract. For dental practitioners, there are challenges around perceptions about preventative dentistry and use of the risk assessments and care pathways. Changes in skill mix pose further challenges. Funding The National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme