Silent Protest and the Art of Paper Folding: The Golden Venture Paper Sculptures at the Museum of Chinese in America

Housed in the Museum of Chinese in America is the Fly to Freedom collection of paper art, which were produced by a traditional folk method of Chinese paper folding. The 123 paper works were created by detainees of the Golden Venture, a freighter used to smuggle undocumented immigrants into the U.S. On the evening of June 6, 1993, the ship ran aground off the Rockaways in New York City and nearly 300 migrants, gaunt from the four-month ordeal at sea, poured out of the cramped windowless hold of the vessel. Several drowned that night, a few escaped, but the majority was detained by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (a precursor to ICE), some for nearly four years, some in rural communities hostile to the refugees. To help pass the time as they sought political asylum, many of the Golden Venture detainees resorted to the folk art of paper folding and produced sculpture from torn pieces of paper recycled from magazines and newspapers. Using paper folded into small triangles, the paper units were pieced together to create multi-faceted, modular statues of intricate complexity. With the addition of glue, wire, and paint, the detainees produced sculptures of ships, fruit, and birds, especially eagles, which their advocates called “freedom birds.” The eagle, an American symbol of freedom and individuality, was a poignant contrast to the persona non grata status of the detainees, who were caught within the escalating anti-immigration policies of George W. Bush’s and William J. Clinton’s administrations. The blending of Western themes and Eastern craft techniques reflects the transitory nature of the refugees’ status for many were scattered in detention centers across the northeast. The Golden Venture paper works were given to attorneys and supporters who fought on behalf of the detainees. Detainees, old and young, produced paper sculptures that served as both markers of alterity and expressions of self. By reviving the craft of paper folding, the detainees steadfastly applied a technique associated with their homeland and their culture, simultaneously demonstrating their personal connections to China and their hopes to begin a new home in the States. The elaborate materiality of the papers sculpture speaks to the intensive level of craft production, a metaphor for the labor-intensive employment many detainees expected upon arrival in America. This essay examines issues of transmission (cultural and artistic); the communal and individual agency of the disenfranchised; and the importance of gift giving across cultures of this group who were caught in the political redtape of shifting immigration policy. Left to languish in detention centers with an unknown timetable, the Golden Venture refugees turned to a basic folk technique to express their deepest fears, anxiety, and hope

The Cult of the Monstrous: Caricature, Physiognomy, and Monsters in Early Modern Italy

Caricature emerged as a pictorial genre in early modern Italy and became a potent form of social satire practiced by the period’s foremost draftsmen, including the Carracci and Guercino. The deformed and misshapen subjects of caricature drawings coincided with a fascination with monstrosity. Monsters, aberrations, and anomalies reflected a cultural appreciation for the curious. The monster that slowly took shape in scientific literature was first alluded to in comparative physiognomic texts that related man to beast, then made brief appearances in the discourse on medical conditions, and finally became the primary focus of specialty publications. The attention given to physical aberrance led to the birth of teratology, the medical study of abnormal development, and the subsequent publication of several well-known monster histories by Fortunio Liceti and Ulisse Aldrovandi. This article considers the rise of the monstrous by examining several trends in contemporary scientific discourse: the vogue for comparative physiognomy, the investigation of anatomical abnormalities, the rise of monster literature, and the transmission of monstrosity in popular culture. Scholars have long explored the use of anatomical studies by Renaissance artists. The article expands on this research to suggest that artists were aware of medical advances that investigated the conditions of healthy as well as diseased bodies. Liceti’s and Aldrovandi’s histories demonstrate a change in the status of the monster—from freak omen to marvelous creature of Nature—revealing the naturalization of the beast in the sciences. Lastly, monster phenomena were disseminated beyond the elite science of scholarly Latin publications through a variety of media, including pamphlets and broadsides in the vernacular. These publications were rich with visual material that begs comparison with caricature drawings

Book Review of A. Victor Coonin, From Marble to Flesh: The Biography of Michelangelo’s David

Beginning of Book Review: “What makes an icon?” is the underlying question of A. Victor Coonin’s book dedicated to Michelangelo’s statue of David. The larger-than-life-size David has a status akin to Leonardo’s Mona Lisa. Its image, whether whole or fragmented, is instantaneously recognizable, making it difficult to look at it afresh, but Coonin manages to reflect on well-trodden ground in a captivating manner. This study demonstrates how the David is more than an embodiment of masculinity but a statue imbued with multi-faceted symbolism that continues to resonate with viewers today

Synthesis and First Hyperpolarizabilities of Acceptor-substituted β-apo-8’-Carotenal Derived Compounds

The synthesis and second-order nonlinear optical properties of acceptor-substituted biologically derived β-apo-8′-carotenal compounds are reported; electric field-induced second harmonic generation (EFISH) measurements give values of β(0) which are 2–6 times greater than for 4-N,N-dimethylamino-4′-nitrostilbene (DANS)

Journal Staff

Discoba (Excavata) is an ancient group of eukaryotes with great morphological and ecological diversity. Unlike the other major divisions of Discoba (Jakobida and Euglenozoa), little is known about the mitochondrial DNAs(mtDNAs) of Heterolobosea. We have assembled a complete mtDNA genome from the aggregating heterolobosean amoeba, Acrasis kona, which consists of a single circular highly AT-rich (83.3%) molecule of 51.5 kb. Unexpectedly, A. kona mtDNA is missing roughly 40% of the protein-coding genes and nearly half of the transfer RNAs found in the only other sequenced heterolobosean mtDNAs, those of Naegleria spp. Instead, over a quarter of A. kona mtDNA consists of novel open reading frames. Eleven of the 16 protein-coding genes missing from A. kona mtDNA were identified in its nuclear DNA and polyA RNA, and phylogenetic analyses indicate that at least 10 of these 11 putative nuclear-encoded mitochondrial (NcMt) proteins arose by direct transfer from the mitochondrion. Acrasis kona mtDNA also employs C-to-U type RNA editing, and 12 homologs of DYW-type pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins implicated in plant organellar RNA editing are found in A. kona nuclear DNA. A mapping of mitochondrial gene content onto a consensus phylogeny reveals a sporadic pattern of relative stasis and rampant gene loss in Discoba. Rampant loss occurred independently in the unique common lineage leading to Heterolobosea + Tsukubamonadida and later in the unique lineage leading to Acrasis. Meanwhile, mtDNA gene content appears to be remarkably stable in the Acrasis sister lineage leading to Naegleria and in their distant relatives Jakobida

Consumer Preferences and Marketing Opportunities for Premium “Tree-Ripened Peaches” in New York State

R.B. 2004-10Fruit growers in New York State are adding alternative fruit crops to their production acreage in an effort to diversify their apple orchards. Peach (Prunus persica L.) is a major crop used for that purpose because of the collaboration between growers and the Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station to develop new varieties that possess higher eating quality and more eye-appealing characteristics for the consumer market and because they are suitable for the growing environment in New York State. The goal of this study is to explore consumer interests in New York-grown premium tree-ripened peaches and develop strategic marketing recommendations on how the New York stone fruit industry can expand markets for these peaches. This research is divided into two parts: a qualitative study (focus group discussion) and a quantitative study (consumer phone survey). The purpose of the focus groups was to obtain in depth responses from consumers on their attitudes and purchase behaviors for fruit, peaches and New York-grown premium tree-ripened peaches. The consumer phone survey was designed to verify results from the focus group discussion among the general population and to determine consumers’ interests and willingness to pay a higher price for “quality-guaranteed premium treeripened peaches.” The focus groups and consumer phone surveys show that consumers, especially frequent fruit shoppers, are generally very interested in good quality peaches as well as “quality-guaranteed premium tree-ripened peaches”. Although it is usually recognized that good quality tree-ripened peaches are available at farm stands or farmers’ markets, they appear to be less available in the supermarkets where respondents in this study typically shop. This presents an opportunity for New York stone fruit growers to supply good and consistent quality fresh peaches through the supermarket channel. Peaches are prized for their juiciness, sweetness, and good flavor. However, consumers are frustrated by the difficulty they perceive in selecting peaches at the proper ripening stage to get the qualities they like. Quality and consistency of the product are key factors for consumer satisfaction, and a high level of satisfaction, in turn, increases consumer demand and repeat purchases for fresh peaches. If quality and consistency exist, consumers seem to be willing to pay higher prices and buy fewer peaches in order to get the product they like. Most consumers in this study recognized New York State as a region where peaches are grown and referred to these peaches as “local” or “homegrown.” Awareness of these shoppers about peaches grown in New York and their “local” nature clearly constitutes an advantage to build on when marketing New York-grown peaches. However, there are challenges when designing a marketing program to receive a premium price for high quality New York-grown tree-ripened peaches. Many consumers could not correctly identify tree-ripened peaches, and some expected a lower price for locally grown products. Moreover, some focus group participants viewed California peaches as larger and Pennsylvania peaches as more flavorful and predictable than New York peaches. iii Therefore, when promoting “quality-guaranteed New York-grown premium tree-ripened peaches” through the supermarkets channel, a good position statement, innovative packaging, and clear labeling at the point of purchase will be the major means of informing and influencing a potential buyer. It should emphasize high quality and be used as boldly and as creatively as possible to justify the higher price and stimulate sales for the “New York-grown qualityguaranteed premium tree-ripened peaches”. Moreover, given the narrow marketing window when fresh New York peaches are available and the excitement the arrival of the peach season appears to generate, both run-of-the-crop and premium varieties can benefit from intensive promotion of their arrival. Results from this study show that demographic factors generally do not affect consumer behavior in terms of purchasing peaches or tree-ripened peaches. Therefore, promotional programs targeting specific consumer groups are not necessary. Generating consumer satisfaction through good and consistent quality products is the key to successfully marketing “New York-grown quality-guaranteed premium tree-ripened peaches.

La Touche satirique du Bernin: dessin et caricature comme acte performatif au début de l\u27époque modern

This short article examines the performative aspects of Gianlorenzo Bernini\u27s caricature production

Single photon measurements: from spin-orbit lattices to ultrafast pulses

Single photons are naturally suited to quantum information processes as they can carry entanglement in multiple degrees of freedom and maintain coherence easily. In order to fully harness single photons for this use, it is vital to be able to mould, manipulate and measure their properties in all of these degrees of freedom. In the spirit of working towards this overarching goal, this thesis consists of two experiments that control and evaluate entangled single photon pairs. In the first, we generate lattices of spin-orbit entangled photon states which are used in a remote state preparation protocol. The success of the protocol is confirmed by using an electron-multiplying intensified CCD camera and a pixelwise tomography technique. We propose that these hybrid lattice states be used in quantum communications, and quantum sensing and control. The pixelwise analysis may also be helpful for observing other spatially-dependent entangled states. In the second, one partner of an energy-time entangled pair is sent through an ultrafast switch which functions by the optical Kerr effect. It is a work-in-progress with the goal of demonstrating a sub-picosecond switching speed for the further manipulation of single photons. All-optical switching is not limited by electronic speed which makes it important for applications for classical and quantum communications, and imaging and microscopy applications. In particular, we propose that this all-optical Kerr switch is used for the reconstruction of a two-photon entangled state in a third-order cross-correlation

Suppression of ILC2 differentiation from committed T cell precursors by E protein transcription factors

Current models propose that group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are generated in the bone marrow. Here, we demonstrate that subsets of these cells can differentiate from multipotent progenitors and committed T cell precursors in the thymus, both in vivo and in vitro. These thymic ILC2s exit the thymus, circulate in the blood, and home to peripheral tissues. Ablation of E protein transcription factors greatly promotes the ILC fate while impairing B and T cell development. Consistently, a transcriptional network centered on the ZBTB16 transcription factor and IL-4 signaling pathway is highly up-regulated due to E protein deficiency. Our results show that ILC2 can still arise from what are normally considered to be committed T cell precursors, and that this alternative cell fate is restrained by high levels of E protein activity in these cells. Thymus-derived lung ILC2s of E protein-deficient mice show different transcriptomes, proliferative properties, and cytokine responses from wild-type counterparts, suggesting potentially distinct functions

Examining Rater Performance on the CELBAN Speaking: A Many-Facets Rasch Measurement Analysis

Internationally educated nurses’ (IENs) English language proficiency is critical to professional licensure as communication is a key competency for safe practice. The Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN) is Canada’s only Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) referenced examination used in the context of healthcare regulation. This high-stakes assessment claims proof of proficiency for IENs seeking licensure in Canada and a measure of public safety for nursing regulators. Understanding the quality of rater performance when examination results are used for high-stakes decisions is crucial to maintaining speaking test quality as it involves judgement, and thus requires strong reliability evidence (Koizumi et al., 2017). This study examined rater performance on the CELBAN Speaking component using a Many-Facets Rasch Measurement (MFRM). Specifically, this study identified CELBAN rater reliability in terms of consistency and severity, rating bias, and use of rating scale. The study was based on a sample of 115 raters across eight test sites in Canada and results on 2698 examinations across four parallel versions. Findings demonstrated relatively high inter-rater reliability and intra-rater reliability, and that CLB-based speaking descriptors (CLB 6-9) provided sufficient information for raters to discriminate examinees’ oral proficiency. There was no influence of test site or test version, offering validity evidence to support test use for high-stakes purposes. Grammar, among the eight speaking criteria, was identified as the most difficult criterion on the scale, and the one demonstrating most rater bias. This study highlights the value of MFRM analysis in rater performance research with implications for rater training. This study is one of the first research studies using MFRM with a CLB-referenced high-stakes assessment within the Canadian context.Les compétences linguistiques dans la langue anglaise chez des infirmiers et infirmières ayant reçu leur éducation à l’étranger s’avèrent critiques à l’acquisition du permis professionnel d’exercer leur profession, car les compétences communicatives sont clé à la pratique sécuritaire. L’examen langagier des compétences de langue anglaise The Canadian English Language Benchmark Assessment for Nurses (CELBAN) demeure le seul examen langagier référentiel canadien auquel on fait référence dans le contexte canadien des règlements de contrôle du système de santé. Cet examen à enjeux élevés offre une preuve de compétence langagière de langue anglaise de la part des infirmiers et infirmières ayant reçu leur formation professionnelle à l’étranger et qui sont à la recherche d’un permis pour exercer leur profession au Canada, ainsi qu’une mesure de sécurité publique destinée aux régulateurs de la profession d’infirmiers et infirmières. Comprendre la qualité de la performance des évaluateurs/trices étant donné que les résultats servent à des décisions sur des enjeux importants demeure fondamental au maintien de la qualité de l’épreuve des compétences orales, car celle-ci implique le jugement et donc nécessite de fortes évidences de fiabilité (Koizumi, et coll. 2017). Cette étude a examiné la performance d’évaluateur/trice sur la composante des compétences orales du CELBAN en utilisant la mesure multifacette Rasch (MMFR). Spécifiquement, cette étude a identifié la fiabilité des évaluateurs/trices, la difficulté des critères, le parti pris de l’évaluation et l’usage de l’échelle de classification. Cette étude s’est basée sur un échantillon de 115 évaluateurs/trices dans huit centres d’évaluation au Canada et sur les résultats de 2.698 évaluations dans quatre versions parallèles. Les résultats démontrent une haute fiabilité relative entre évaluateurs/trices ainsi que sur le plan des intraévaluateurs/trices. De plus, les descripteurs des compétences orales de base des Compétences linguistiques canadiennes (CLC 6-9) ont fourni suffisamment d’information afin de permettre aux évaluateurs/trices de préciser le niveau de compétences du candidat / de la candidate. Il n’y a pas eu d’influence du site de l’examen ni de la version de celui-ci, ce qui offre de l’évidence de validité afin d’affirmer l’usage de cette épreuve pour des enjeux importants. La grammaire, une des huit critères, a été relevée comme étant celle la plus difficile sur l’échelle, et celle qui a mis en lumière le plus grand parti pris de la part des évaluateurs/trices. Cette étude accentue la valeur de l’analyse en effectuant la mesure multifacette Rasch dans des recherches de performance ayant des implications pour l’entraînement des évaluateurs/trices. Cette étude est parmi les premières se servant de la MMFR avec une évaluation à enjeux élevés à base des CLC dans le contexte canadien