Locating the butt of ridicule: Humor and social class in early American literature

x, 196 p. A print copy of this thesis is available through the UO Libraries. Search the library catalog for the location and call number.This project critiques the performance of class identity through the works of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century colonial and early national period authors using the lens of humor, primarily as posed by Elliot Oring and Henri Bergson's theories of laughter and the ridiculous. My argument is that under the guise of laughter these works conceal the underpinnings of an American class system which can be revealed through close reading and historical research. In my dissertation, I examine the performance of each author in his or her own autobiography and the reflection of that performance within the larger frame of the development of American status structures. The characters in the texts of the authors I work with in this project demonstrate the use of the comic persona to, as scholar Robert Micklus states, "locate the butt of ridicule anywhere but in their own mirrors"; however, in my project I examine this within the context of class. Chapter I examines the work of Madame Sarah Knight, The Journal of Madame Knight, and William Byrd II's The Secret History of the Line --both of whom use humor to disguise their class insecurities. In Chapter II, I examine the performance of class hierarchy, as seen through Franklin's Autobiography and John Robert Shaw's John Robert Shaw: An Autobiography of Thirty Years, 1777-1807. In Chapter III, I examine the complications of race involved in class relations, using John Marrant's autobiography, A Narrative of the Life of John Marrant, a Free Black. Chapter IV examines David Crockett's humorous performance of the middle landscape frontiersman as part of a valorized national identity in The Narrative of David Crockett. The ideology that prompts the so-called invisibility of class in United States society today requires us to examine it under a critical lens; this project uses humor as that lens. In questioning the laughter of early American texts, we can see the class divides of early American society being created--an important step to realizing how these divides are maintained in our world today.Adviser: Gordon Sayr

Understanding radio art reception

Radio art is understood as radio made by artists. The term is typically applied to sound-based artifacts produced and broadcast by means of the creative use of radio media affordances, infrastructure, and technologies. Radio art is known as any sound work conceived to expand the creative and aesthetic possibilities of the medium through the use of the elements of radiophonic language (voice, words, music, sound effects, and silence) with the intention to produce aesthetic messages and to move radio listeners. This study introduces radio art reception as a subject of scientific scrutiny. It proposes a model of radio art processing that includes involvement, art reception, and positive emotions as predictors of the willingness to listen to such works. After listening to each of two pieces of radio art, 126 Singaporean undergraduate communication students (MAge = 22.7, SD = 1.7) completed a questionnaire measuring involvement, art reception, perceived emotions, and willingness to listen to another radio art feature. The main results confirm our model of radio art reception: involvement predicts the audience's cognitive stimulation generated by radio art, their artistic evaluation, and the positive attraction experienced by audiences towards them. The positive emotions experienced during consumption have a direct effect on the attraction towards radio art. Moreover, the specific radio art content affects the audiences' responses. These results allow us to understand psychological responses to sound art. The hope is to attract the attention of communication and art researchers and invite them to deepen the existing knowledge about artistic sound through empirical studies, since debates about radio art and sound works are almost lacking from scientific literature.Radioarte es el nombre que recibe la radio hecha por artistas. Usualmente, el término se aplica a los objetos sonoros producidos mediante el uso creativo de las aplicaciones, infraestructuras y tecnologías radiofónicas. El radioarte es un trabajo sonoro concebido para expandir las posibilidades creativas y estéticas del medio radiofónico gracias al uso de los elementos del lenguaje sonoro (voces, palabras, músicas, efectos sonoros y silencio) con la intención de producir mensajes estéticos y conmover a los oyentes radiofónicos. Este estudio presenta la recepción de radioartes como objeto de es-crutinio científico. Específicamente, propone un modelo de procesamiento de estas obras que incluye la implicación, la evaluación artística y las emociones positivas como predictores de la disposición a escucharlas. Después de oír cada uno de dos radioartes, 126 estudiantes de comunicación de Singapur (MEdad= 22,7, DT = 1,7) completaron un cuestionario que medía su implicación, su evaluación de la obra artística, las emociones experimentadas y la disposición a escuchar otros radioartes. Los principales resultados confirman nuestro modelo de recepción del arte sonoro: la implicación predice la estimulación cognitiva de las audiencias generadas por los radioartes, su percepción artística y la atracción positiva ex-perimentada hacia estas obras. Las emociones positivas experimentadas durante el consumo tienen un efecto directo en la atracción hacia los radioartes. Luego el contenido específico de la obra artística sonora afecta a las respuestas de sus audiencias. Estos resultados permiten comprender las respuestas psicológicas al arte sonoro. También, buscan atraer la atención de los investigadores de la comunicación y del arte e invitarles a profundizar empíricamente en el conocimiento del sonido artístico porque los debates sobre las artes radiofónicas y las obras sonoras son lamentablemente muy esca-sos en la bibliografía científic

Application of ¹⁴C analyses to source apportionment of carbonaceous PM_2.5 in the UK

Determination of the radiocarbon (<sup>14</sup>C) content of airborne particulate matter yields insight into the proportion of the carbonaceous material derived from fossil and contemporary carbon sources. Daily samples of PM<sub>2.5</sub> were collected by high-volume sampler at an urban background site in Birmingham, UK, and the fraction of <sup>14</sup>C in both the total carbon, and in the organic and elemental carbon fractions, determined by two-stage combustion to CO<sub>2</sub>, graphitisation and quantification by accelerator mass spectrometry. OC and EC content was also determined by Sunset Analyzer. The mean fraction contemporary TC in the PM<sub>2.5</sub> samples was 0.50 (range 0.27–0.66, n = 26). There was no seasonality to the data, but there was a positive trend between fraction contemporary TC and magnitude of SOC/TC ratio and for the high values of these two parameters to be associated with air-mass back trajectories arriving in Birmingham from over land. Using a five-compartment mass balance model on fraction contemporary carbon in OC and EC, the following average source apportionment for the TC in these PM<sub>2.5</sub> samples was derived: 27% fossil EC; 20% fossil OC; 2% biomass EC; 10% biomass OC; and 41% biogenic OC. The latter category will comprise, in addition to BVOC-derived SOC, other non-combustion contemporary carbon sources such as biological particles, vegetative detritus, humic material and tyre wear. The proportion of total PM<sub>2.5</sub> at this location estimated to derive from BVOC-derived secondary organic aerosol was 9–29%. The findings from this work are consistent with those from elsewhere in Europe and support the conclusion of a significant and ubiquitous contribution from non-fossil biogenic sources to the carbon in terrestrial aerosol

Tread Softly: Using Videography to Capture Shopping Behaviour

Rather than relying on participant recall or manual observations, a videographic study monitoring supermarket shoppers was undertaken. It revealed that whilst there are obvious advantages in capturing real-time activities, there are limitations as well. Depth interviews viewing the recording were held to discuss the reasons behind shopping activities and this actually limited the conversation rather than expanded the topics. When the video was taken from the interview, a broader exchange resulted and revealed richer results. This doesn't negate the benefits of videography, rather, it provides a complimentary methodology which be translated into discerning research that develops consumer understanding. [to cite]: Daniela Spanjaard and Lynne Freeman http://www.acrwebsite.org/volumes/12990/volumes/ap07/AP-07 [copyright notice]: This work is copyrighted by The Association for Consumer Research. For permission to copy or use this work in whole or in part, please contact the Copyright Clearance Center at http://www.copyright.com/. 26 TREAD SOFTLY: USING VIDEOGRAPHY TO CAPTURE SHOPPING BEHAVIOUR Daniela Spanjaard, University of Technology Sydney Lynne Freeman, University of Technology Sydney ABSTRACT Rather than relying on participant recall or manual observations, videography was implemented to monitor supermarket shoppers as part of larger project investigating the influence of emotions on brand loyalists. It revealed that whilst there are obvious advantages in capturing real-time activities, there are limitations as well. Depth interviews viewing the recording were held to discuss the reasons behind shopping activities and this actually limited the conversation rather than expanded the topics. When the video was taken from the interview, a broader exchange resulted and revealed richer results. This doesn't negate the benefits of videography, rather, it provides a complimentary methodology which be translated into discerning research that develops consumer understanding. INTRODUCTION It seems like the answer to a researcher's prayer, a technology that can enable us to capture all of those non verbal cues at the moment purchase, not just the smile or the hovering hand but also the aisle plan and the direct influence of others. The implementation of videography allows researchers to capture this. But can it deliver to all that it appears to offer? The focus of this paper is on the adaptation of videography necessitated by the realities of using it in the field

Codes of Commitment to Crime and Resistance: Determining Social and Cultural Factors over the Behaviors of Italian Mafia Women

This article categorizes thirty-three women in four main Italian Mafia groups and explores social and cultural behaviors of these women. This study introduces the feminist theory of belief and action. The theoretical inquiry investigates the sometimes conflicting behaviors of women when they are subject to systematic oppression. I argue that there is a cultural polarization among the categorized sub-groups. Conservative radicals give their support to the Mafia while defectors and rebels resist the Mafia. After testing the theory, I assert that emancipation of women depends on the strength of their beliefs to perform actions against the Mafiosi culture

Effects of Age, Race, and Ethnicity on the Optic Nerve and Peripapillary Region Using Spectral-Domain OCT 3D Volume Scans

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of age, race, and ethnicity on the optic nerve and peripapillary retina using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) three-dimensional (3D) volume scans in normal subjects. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study performed at a single institution in Boston. All patients received retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) scans and an optic nerve 3D volume scan. The SD-OCT software calculated peripapillary RNFL thickness, retinal thickness (RT), and retinal volume (RV). Custom-designed software calculated neuroretinal rim minimum distance band (MDB) thickness and area. Results: There were 272 normal subjects, including 175 whites, 40 blacks, 40 Asians, and 17 Hispanics. Rates of age-related decline were 2.3%, 2.0%, 1.7%, 3.3%, and 4.3% per decade for RNFL, RT, RV, MDB neuroretinal rim thickness, and MDB area, respectively. The RNFL was most affected by racial and ethnic variations, with Asians having thicker global, superior, and inferior RNFL, Hispanics having thicker inferior RNFL, and blacks having thinner temporal RNFL, compared to whites. For MDB thickness and area, Asians had smaller nasal values and blacks had smaller temporal values. Peripapillary RT and RV parameters were not influenced by race and ethnicity. Conclusions: All of the parameters exhibited age-related declines. RNFL, MDB thickness, and MDB area demonstrated racial and ethnic variations, while peripapillary RT and RV did not. Translational Relevance: This study demonstrates that both normal aging and ethnicity affect several novel 3D OCT parameters used to diagnose and monitor glaucoma (i.e., RT, RV, and MDB), and this should be factored in when making clinical decisions based on these parameters

Effects of Age, Race, and Ethnicity on the Optic Nerve and Peripapillary Region Using Spectral-Domain OCT 3D Volume Scans

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of age, race, and ethnicity on the optic nerve and peripapillary retina using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) three-dimensional (3D) volume scans in normal subjects. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study performed at a single institution in Boston. All patients received retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) scans and an optic nerve 3D volume scan. The SD-OCT software calculated peripapillary RNFL thickness, retinal thickness (RT), and retinal volume (RV). Custom-designed software calculated neuroretinal rim minimum distance band (MDB) thickness and area. Results: There were 272 normal subjects, including 175 whites, 40 blacks, 40 Asians, and 17 Hispanics. Rates of age-related decline were 2.3%, 2.0%, 1.7%, 3.3%, and 4.3% per decade for RNFL, RT, RV, MDB neuroretinal rim thickness, and MDB area, respectively. The RNFL was most affected by racial and ethnic variations, with Asians having thicker global, superior, and inferior RNFL, Hispanics having thicker inferior RNFL, and blacks having thinner temporal RNFL, compared to whites. For MDB thickness and area, Asians had smaller nasal values and blacks had smaller temporal values. Peripapillary RT and RV parameters were not influenced by race and ethnicity. Conclusions: All of the parameters exhibited age-related declines. RNFL, MDB thickness, and MDB area demonstrated racial and ethnic variations, while peripapillary RT and RV did not. Translational Relevance: This study demonstrates that both normal aging and ethnicity affect several novel 3D OCT parameters used to diagnose and monitor glaucoma (i.e., RT, RV, and MDB), and this should be factored in when making clinical decisions based on these parameters

Prevalence of MRI lesions in men responding to a GP-led invitation for a prostate health check: a prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE: In men with a raised prostate-specific antigen (PSA), MRI increases the detection of clinically significant cancer and reduces overdiagnosis, with fewer biopsies. MRI as a screening tool has not been assessed independently of PSA in a formal screening study. We report a systematic community-based assessment of the prevalence of prostate MRI lesions in an age-selected population. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Men aged 50–75 were identified from participating general practice (GP) practices and randomly selected for invitation to a screening MRI and PSA. Men with a positive MRI or a raised PSA density (≥0.12 ng/mL2) were recommended for standard National Health Service (NHS) prostate cancer assessment. RESULTS: Eight GP practices sent invitations to 2096 men. 457 men (22%) responded and 303 completed both screening tests. Older white men were most likely to respond to the invitation, with black men having 20% of the acceptance rate of white men. One in six men (48/303 men, 16%) had a positive screening MRI, and an additional 1 in 20 men (16/303, 5%) had a raised PSA density alone. After NHS assessment, 29 men (9.6%) were diagnosed with clinically significant cancer and 3 men (1%) with clinically insignificant cancer. Two in three men with a positive MRI, and more than half of men with clinically significant disease had a PSA <3 ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Prostate MRI may have value in screening independently of PSA. These data will allow modelling of the use of MRI as a primary screening tool to inform larger prostate cancer screening studies. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04063566