The enigma of development :building a reflexive point of view across remote contexts

PhD ThesisThis thesis singles out point of view (POV) as the governing technical choice in creative writing. As such it integrates creative practice with an essay on the theoretical basis for a POV across remote contexts. The methodology follows Mikhail Bakhtin’s call for a new story telling position through an enquiry into Western literary history, Classical Chinese novels and Gao Xingjian’s partitioning of POV by narrative angle. Part One Chapter one establishes the importance of POV to motives in my own creative work and sets out the case for Bakhtin over normative theorists, calling for a reconfiguration of POV to withstand contextual aberrations arising from cultural or historical differences, or from the boundaries of what Bakhtin refers to as Small Time presentism. Further, it argues against Tzvetan Todorov’s generic view of the novel as a property of discourse, an ahistorical constant, by considering Bakhtin’s meta-historic survey of Western literature with periods of intensified novelistic discourse in given contexts. Chapter two considers POV in the separate context of Chinese literature focussing on the historiographic POV taken in Classical Chinese novels, namely The Four Great Works. Comparisons are drawn between these and Western short story cycles noting forms given in Andrew Plaks’ Chinese Narrative (1977) and aesthetics in François Cheng’s Chinese Poetic Writing (1982). Critical contemporary concerns arising between Classical and Modern Chinese are addressed with reference to essays by Xi Chuan, Yang Liang and Henry Zhao. Chapter three begins with reflexivity as an inherent property of what Bakhtin identifies as discrete double voicing and draws parallels with the bi-polar unity of Daoism and its Chan iv (Zen) hybrid, consulting Victor Sōgen Hori’s studies of capping phrases and contemporary techniques in the fiction, drama and essays of Gao Xingjian. Part Two Creative enquiry takes the form of a novel, Interesting Times, (working title: The Enigma of Development), in which a first person protagonist’s narrative alternates with third person short stories embedded in a historical schema. The novel depicts economic development through the construction of a power station, following a schema of short story settings in one location from pre-industrial salt making to sophisticated intellectual piracy, indentured peasant labour to chaotic collateral debt finance. These short stories alternate with chapters from the linking protagonist whose narrative encircles the whole from the rural location of his family’s ancient English heritage. With the cognitive ground of one POV set against that of the other, the resulting novel is intended to create an interpretive domain for the reflex between the two, in this case a cyclical relationship between exploiter and exploited, interchangeable as subjects and objects

Development of Strategies for the Control and Eradication of Japanese Knotweed

This work has investigated a range of aspects of the physiology and management of Fallopia japonica (Ronse Decraene) and closely related invasive introduced plant species, colloquially referred to as Japanese knotweed. Prior to this work very little detailed scientific research had been done into the nature of the plant and its related species or into the effectiveness of control methods over the long term. This work has highlighted the need for education of the public to prevent further spread by inappropriate disposal, and advice on suitable and practical methods of control in a wide range of environments. The creation of an online GIS database has led to an increase in reporting of sites on private land by the public and this has in turn strengthened the Cornwall database which is the most comprehensive of its type ever created. This database has enabled detailed analysis of distribution, identification of likely areas of colonisation and indicated mechanisms of spread. It has also provided a basis for targeting of resources and prioritisation of treatment. Initial field observations also prompted research on physiological aspects of the plant which have particular implication for determining methods for its control. The work has shown that much smaller fragments of rhizome than those previously tested are capable of regeneration (down to 0.01g) and that there is a significant likelihood of fragments of 0.06g regenerating in suitable conditions which has implications for separation techniques. It has demonstrated that typical rhizome material is capable of survival for at least three months under saline conditions thus highlighting a risk of marine spread along coasts. Extension rates of above ground material of up to 13.8 cm over a 24 hour period have been recorded. Cutting of above ground material caused a stimulation of new above ground stems – thus any proposed treatment should continue consistently over a number of years. A temperature of 40C maintained over a period of 7 days removed rhizome viability in chopped fragments of up to 10cm thus suggesting that temperature controlled in-vessel composting may be a possible disposal route for chopped rhizome. Main underground extension growth has been shown to occur in the Autumn with no particular orientation to the growth. Up to 50kg (wet weight) of underground material has been discovered in a cubic metre of excavated material. Rhizome disturbance has been shown to promote underground extension. The way in which rhizome desiccates, leaving viable buds separated by necrotic material, means that underground connections within an area cannot be assumed. This has implications for the effectiveness of chemical treatment. The suggested regeneration from leaf material has not been demonstrated, nor has a reliable chemical method of testing the viability of rhizome material. The implications of these physiological aspects on a wide range of treatment methodologies have been considered and control methods have been tested. Excavation and separation of material can be effective in appropriate soil conditions. The need to use glyphosate based herbicides primarily in the Autumn has been demonstrated. This work has called into question the current methods of assessment of effectiveness of control and the use of viability assessments on sites. It has highlighted that monitoring of treated sites needs to be continued over a number of years in order to determine whether eradication has been achieved. In view of the legal proscriptions about the plant, it is considered that some control measures currently deployed could have the potential to breach current legislation by being likely to cause the plant to spread

The role of src kinases in controlling neutrophil function in acute inflammation

PhD ThesisThe src family kinases are key cellular regulators of acute neutrophilic inflammation. When uncontrolled, this causes numerous inflammatory disorders, including the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This is associated with an unacceptably high 90-day mortality and prolonged hospital admissions. ARDS currently has no effective pharmacological treatment. The work contained in this thesis aimed to characterise the anti-inflammatory, pro-resolutionary effects of src kinase inhibition on various neutrophil functions, using novel in vitro and in vivo models of acute inflammation and resolution. Results show that the src kinase inhibitors, PP1 and dasatinib, attenuate in vitro neutrophil extracellular degranulation in response to stimulation with formylated peptide, lipopolysaccharide and live bacteria. They also exert additional effects on integrin-dependent neutrophil functions, but have no effect on neutrophil fate or bacterial killing efficiency. Src kinase inhibition of neutrophils also attenuates in vitro epithelial cell damage and promotes a pro-resolutionary environment, with improved macrophage efferocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils, by inhibiting the release of an unidentified soluble factor believed to be a product of neutrophil degranulation. Extending these findings to in vivo murine models of bacteria- and acid-induced experimental lung inflammation, dasatinib exerts an inhibitory effect on markers of neutrophil degranulation in each model, at doses of 1mg/kg and 5mg/kg, respectively. At 10mg/kg, a detrimental effect is observed, as evidenced by reduced bacterial clearance, increased alveolar leak and extrapulmonary toxicity in the infection model and increased neutrophil influx, degranulation and alveolar haemorrhage in the acid model. These findings highlight a possible therapeutic role of src kinase inhibition in inflammatory conditions driven by neutrophil influx and degranulation that is worthy of further study in other models of lung inflammation. Future work should focus on developing more specific inhibitors to offer selective control over neutrophil granule processing, and careful dosing to avoid undesired effects on bacterial killing mechanisms.Wellcome Trus

Managing the Future Imaginary: Does ‘Post-Normal’ Science need Public Relations?

Contemporary conditions of so-called ‘post-normal’ science characterised by fundamental uncertainty and high decision stakes have been met by the call for an ‘extended peer community’ to include a full range potential stakeholders in the assessment and evaluation of future research policy (Functowicz and Ravetz, 1993; 1994). Correspondingly, the term ‘Anticipatory Governance’ (AG) has entered currency within Science and Technology Studies (STS) circles, where the phrase refers sympathetically to the fields involvement with an array of novel practices routinely carried-out in the name of increasingly public-focused, conscientious management of emerging science and technology. Existing literature in this area has typically focused on perceived benefits of social-scientist driven AG as ‘Real Time Technology Assessment’ (RTTA), rather than address how such participation — in line with STS’s contemporary post-social, object-centred, anti-normative research character — relates to a lack of institutional protection for most STS practitioners today. I argue the activities of social science researchers enrolled in AG-styled programmes appears to closely resemble those of PR professionals, and as such, in today’s knowledge economy the field could have much to gain by turning to clarify and formalise the unique cognitive-base and normative horizons befitting of a closed occupational group. I suggest an occupational restructuring in line with the ‘professional project’ (Macdonald, 1995) could bring about increased autonomy for STS practitioners, as well as purposeful direction for future research

The techno-centred imagination: a multi-sited ethnographic study of technological human enhancement advocacy (THEA)

This thesis explores the social construction and performance of Technological Human Enhancement Advocacy through multi-sited ethnographically inspired participant observation across a range of sites. It argues that advocacy efforts surrounding the ideal of technological human enhancement share the ideational feature of Techno-centrism – an object-level belief embedded in the material present while simultaneously future-oriented and thus principally immaterial. This purposive neo-dualism blurs ‘real' and ‘imagined' futures to satiate the materialist ontological grounding associated with the scientific worldview, while granting extended licence to more indulgent, compelling visions for technology as an enabler of affirmative, forward-facing action – including revivifying pursuit of humanist ideals associated with the modernisation project. The thesis makes contributions to three areas. Firstly, in substantive terms, it contributes towards sociological knowledge by detailing the intersubjective values, semiotic framing mechanisms and narrative tropes evoked to both justify and promote the notion of Technological Human Enhancement Advocacy (THEA), an area which remains under-researched. Secondly, the thesis makes a theoretical contribution through its modelling of a non- spatially determined constant which recurs across sites associated with THEA: The Techno-centred Imagination (TCI). Finally, the thesis offers a methodological contribution through its novel and creative application of multi-sited research strategy for the study of non-spatially determined cultures of extreme support for science and technology. A 24-month programme of fieldwork was undertaken, comprising multi-locational participant-observation, interviews and surveys. The thesis concludes that far from being new, the emerging social forms associated with THEA capture ambivalences which have long cast a shadow over late-modern society and culture. Although TCI appears most pronounced in the practice of transhumanism – where it is acted out in extreme, almost hyperbolic ways – the phenomena mirrors broader concerns around the future of science, technology and human self-identity in the new millennium. As such, it is deserving of further study

Modeling solutions to Tanzania's physician workforce challenge.

BACKGROUND:There is a great need for physicians in Tanzania. In 2012, there were approximately 0.31 physicians per 10,000 individuals nationwide, with a lower ratio in the rural areas, where the majority of the population resides. In response, universities across Tanzania have greatly increased the enrollment of medical students. Yet evidence suggests high attrition of medical graduates to other professions and emigration from rural areas where they are most needed. OBJECTIVE:To estimate the future number of physicians practicing in Tanzania and the potential impact of interventions to improve retention, we built a model that tracks medical students from enrollment through clinical practice, from 1990 to 2025. DESIGN:We designed a Markov process with 92 potential states capturing the movement of 25,000 medical students and physicians from medical training through employment. Work possibilities included clinical practice (divided into rural or urban, public or private), non-clinical work, and emigration. We populated and calibrated the model using a national 2005/2006 physician mapping survey, as well as graduation records, graduate tracking surveys, and other available data. RESULTS:The model projects massive losses to clinical practice between 2016 and 2025, especially in rural areas. Approximately 56% of all medical school students enrolled between 2011 and 2020 will not be practicing medicine in Tanzania in 2025. Even with these losses, the model forecasts an increase in the physician-to-population ratio to 1.4 per 10,000 by 2025. Increasing the absorption of recent graduates into the public sector and/or developing a rural training track would ameliorate physician attrition in the most underserved areas. CONCLUSIONS:Tanzania is making significant investments in the training of physicians. Without linking these doctors to employment and ensuring their retention, the majority of this investment in medical education will be jeopardized

Proverbs I-IX : Septuagint, Peshitta and Targum

The thesis examines the translational style and characteristics of the Septuagint, Peshitta and Targum texts of Proverbs I - IX. It also investigates inter-relationships between the various texts. The Septuagint : For differences between the Greek and Hebrew texts, the traditional approach of scholarly emendation of the texts to produce exact equation between the two is contrasted with the attempt to gain understanding of such differences by considering the exegetical style and method of the Greek translator. A special class of differences between the texts, viewed as a problem in its own right, is the existence of Greek doublets. In considering translational style two major cultural factors emerge in the form of Hellenistic influence and Jewish influence. A background of Hellenism can be observed in the translator's use of Greek proverbs and allegory, as well as peculiarly Greek metaphors and concepts. A Jewish background can be observed in the extensive use of the literary device of parallelism, as well as numerous Biblical quotations and allusions. Other translational traits noted include problems of vocalisation of the consonantal text, the use of heightened emphasis in comparisons, basic mistranslations of various Hebrew words (including the technique known as homoeophony), and grammatical restructuring of the syntax of extended passages of text. The Peshitta and Targum : As well as the general question of the relationship of the Peshitta and Targum to the Masoretic text, the major problem of their interaction with each other is also investigated. It is clear that literary dependence exists on the part of one text or the other. The question which is examined is which text has priority. A significant part of this problem is centred on the extensive number of Syriacisms, and various corruptions, in the Targum text. In looking at the Syriac translation a further characteristic of its text is the large number of Greek readings to be found there. Attention is directed to determining how these readings have come into the Peshitta text. It is argued that only a small number of these readings take the form of later interpolations and that the majority can be shown to stem from the translator himself. Detailed examination of the Syriac, Greek and Hebrew texts is undertaken to determine these interconnections with reasonable certainty. Other traits of the Syriac translator which are scrutinized include abbreviated renderings of the Hebrew, repetitions of the same word where one would expect the use of synonyms, harmonisation of parallel or related texts, smoothing out of grammatical difficulties in the Hebrew, and textual rearrangement of various kinds. The Targum, considered on its own, is shown to lack the expansions and paraphrastic renderings characteristic of many other Targum texts. It is suggested that this feature of the Targum to Proverbs is bound up with the question of its relation to the Syriac version. The few additions which do occur in its text are very concise, often no more than one word. The question of anthropomorphism is considered but it is shown that there is no particular effort to avoid this kind of reference to the Deity. One possible example of the translator's style may be found in the use of word play, and some instances of this are considered. The main case which is presented, however, is that the Targum is a heavily edited version, derived from the Peshitta and that this accounts in the main for its lack of spontaneity and freedom of expression

Designing for Safety:Implications of a Fifteen Year Review of Swallowed and Aspirated Dentures

Objectives: Dentures are worn by around 20% of the population, yet if they become displaced they may enter the gastrointestinal or respiratory system, sometimes with grave consequences. The aim of this study was to review recent published literature in order to identify the epidemiology of patients and characteristics of swallowed and aspirated dental prostheses, and propose strategies to minimise these risks. Material and Methods: A fifteen year retrospective of published case series and case reports was carried out. Photographs, radiographs and descriptions of the dental prostheses were gathered, as well as the patient’s presenting complaint, the anatomical site where the denture was caught and the procedure required to remove the denture. Results: Ninety one separate events of swallowed or aspirated dentures were identified from 83 case reports and series from 28 countries. Average age was 55 years, and these were 74% male. Photographs were retrieved for 49 of these dentures. Clasps were present in 25 of the dentures. There was no significant difference between clasped and unclasped dentures for perforation rates, need for open surgery and spontaneously passed dentures. Conclusions: We discuss the implications of this study regarding denture designs, specifically the importance of using a radiopaque acrylic, using clasps when required even if there is a risk of aspiration, advising patients to return if a denture is loose or damaged, and finally that all patients who wear a denture are at risk of aspiration and swallowing events, and associated morbidity and mortality

Oscillatory and Transient Phenomena in Dynamo Circuits

It has been indicated by mathematical analysis and proved, in some cases, by experiment that: (1) A dynamo, the field of which is excited through a transformer, will produce and maintain low frequency oscillations of controllable magnitude and frequency. (2) A shunt wound dynamo, having a mutual inductive link between the load and field circuits will self-excite, produce, and maintain low frequency oscillations of controllable amplitude and frequency. (3) A plain shunt dynamo, although capable of oscillatory discharge, will not maintain oscillations without external aid. (4) A plain series dynamo can neither produce an oscillatory discharge nor maintain oscillations without external aid. (5) In a compound dynamo the fields of which are mutually linked, the tendency to maintain oscillations through the presence of mutual inductance is balanced, or partially balanced, by the impulse from the series winding. (6) In a compound dynamo the fields of which are not mutually linked, the tendency to produce and maintain oscillations is present due to the impulse from the series winding. Analysis indicates that this impulse must be positive, that is, obtained from cumulative series coils, and in Chapter 6, would appear that a further condition is necessary for the maintenance of oscillations. This is that although the dynamo is cumulatively wound, the field must fall with increase of load current. (7) A separately excited dynamo can produce and maintain oscillations if either the transformer or series impulse method is correctly applied. In testing the above statements 6 generators of various types and sizes were examined, some of these having completely laminated field structures and compensating windings, others with salient poles and solid yokes, and one having neither compensating nor interpole windings. These generators varied in output from 6 to 320 Kw, in speed from 1000 to 3000 r. p. m. and all have been known or caused (for the purpose of this investigation) to self-excite, produce and maintain low frequency oscillations under various conditions of excitation. These results indicate that any shunt dynamo-electric machine may self-excite under suitable conditions and that there exists a value of M which can be inserted between the load and field circuits to cause this condition, For the compound wound dynamo it will not be so easy to arrange for an oscillatory condition because of the difficulty of providing a series winding without interfering with the shunt winding and at the same time assuring that the dynamo is naturally capable of oscillatory discharge. It has been further indicated by theory and proved in some cases, by experiment, that: (a) The linear theory, under the quoted assumptions, gives reasonably good results for the Chapter 6. transient values of current and voltage during switching. (b) The linear equation, although giving a good indication that maintained oscillations may be expected under certain conditions, does not correctly predict either the wave shape or the frequency of the resulting oscillation. (c) To obtain rapid response to sudden changes of load it is necessary that the magnetic energy stored in the armature and field circuits must be kept as low, and that in the load circuit relatively as high as possible. (d) For extreme rapidity of response in larger dynamos, the use of high ceiling voltage exciters and injector transformers are indicated. Concluding, the oscillograms taken from the three welding dynamos of recent but quite different design, indicate that the criteria evolved for good welding performance are reasonable