Undressing the moves - an ethnographic study of lap-dancers and lap-dancing club culture

The lap-dancing club phenomenon is relatively new in the UK and as a result, in the last decade, it has aroused much public debate. Despite this, the study of this industry here in the UK has been neglected, with the body of research confined to the U.S and Canada. In spite of gaining some academic attention abroad, the literature, which has emerged from the research, suggests a narrow field of interest, concerned with exploitation, risk and dancer motivation. Further to this, there has also been a tendency to address dancer-customer interaction; the relationship between dancers has been ignored. Finally, the general approach of researchers has been to stress the negative implications of a lap-dancing career on the dancers; reflected in the deviant and implicit anti-sex work/exploitation frameworks which have dominated academic thinking in this field of study. Through the use of ethnographic methods the research on which this thesis is based redresses these issues. The data for this research was generated in a UK lap-dancing club using extensive participant observation, estimated at over 2000 hours, along with in-depth interviews to supplement the core findings. The main focus of study was on the relationships between dancers and the culture with which they mutually engage. Through this exploration, some of the key areas of academic interest including dancer motivation, risk and exploitation were directly or implicitly challenged. Further to this, through delving into the relationship between dancers, an understanding of the way in which these relationships are used to cultivate and reinforce dancer status roles in the club was developed. In relation to this, a dancer hierarchy has been identified, comprising of three stages: new girl, transition and old school. Finally, the lap-dancing club culture, which is not only signified by some of the duties of the job, but also by the „social‟ and „emotional‟ rituals with which dancers mutually engage, is also addressed. Although the negative implications of lap-dancing club culture are acknowledged, the social fulfilment and subcultural attachment dancers have to their occupation is also emphasised. This research therefore starts to shift our understanding of the lap-dancing club phenomenon and reconstruct it within a UK context.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceEconomic and Social Research CouncilGBUnited Kingdo

Extensive central nervous system involvement in Merkel cell carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare malignant cutaneous neoplasm that is locally invasive and frequently metastasizes to lymph nodes, liver, lungs, bone and brain. The incidence of Merkel cell carcinoma has increased in the past three decades.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 65-year-old Caucasian man presented with a sudden onset of severe headache and a three-month history of balance disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a large meningeal metastasis. The radiologic workup showed retroperitoneal and inguinal lymph node metastases. Biopsy of the inguinal lymph nodes showed metastases of Merkel cell carcinoma. Biopsy from three different suspected skin lesions revealed no Merkel cell carcinoma, and the primary site of Merkel cell carcinoma remained unknown. Leptomeningeal metastases, new axillary lymph node metastases, and intraspinal (epidural and intradural) metastases were detected within six, seven and eight months, respectively, from the start of symptoms despite treating the intracranial metastasis with gamma knife and the abdominal metastases with surgical dissection and external radiotherapy. This indicates the aggressive nature of the disease.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature of an intracranial meningeal metastasis of Merkel cell carcinoma treated with gamma knife and of intraspinal intradural metastases of Merkel cell carcinoma. Despite good initial response to radiotherapy, recurrence and occurrence of new metastases are common in Merkel cell carcinoma.</p

Effects of different fertilizer treatments on ectomycorrhizal colonization potential in 2 Scots pine forests in Sweden

Ectomycorrhizal fungal colonization potential was studied in two low-productivity Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests in Sweden treated with different fertilizers. Young Pinus sylvestris seedlings were used as baits for ectomycorrhizal fungi for one growing season and the total ectomycorrhizal colonization level and frequencies of different types were recorded. One of the experimental sites had been fertilized once with 600 kg nitrogen (N) ha-1, either as ammonium nitrate or urea, 13 years previously. At this site no difference in the total number of ectomycorrhizal root tips was found between the different treatments and approximately 70% of all root tips were ectomycorrhizal. The other experimental site had been continuously fertilized for 15 years with a balanced nutrient mixture, applied either daily as a solution (IF treatment), or as solid fertilizers once a year (F treatment). The IF treatment had received 1700 kg N ha-1 and the F treatment 950 kg N ha-1 until our study was conducted. At this site a significant decrease in total ectomycorrhizal infection level was found as an effect of the fertilizer treatment. In the non-fertilized plots, 70% of all root tips were ectomycorrhizal and the corresponding figure for fertilized plots was 55%. At both sites the frequency of one of the eight classified ectomycorrhizal types decreased significantly in all fertilized plots except in the urea treatment

The influence of nitrogen-fertilization on ectomycorrhizal mycelial colonization and infection

Total ectomycorrhizal infection level and the composition of individual infection types were investigated in young Pinus sylvestris seedlings planted in a mature Scots pine forest in southern Sweden, which was N-fertilized 13 years ago. Total ectomycorrhizal infection frequency, approximately 85%, did not differ between the fertilized and non-fertilized plots, but the infection types differed between the treatments. The different fertilizers, NH4NO3 and urea, influenced the composition of ectomycorrhizal types in different ways. There were also differences in ectomycorrhiza type composition between seedlings grown in the field and seedlings grown in soil brought into the lab

Changes in microfungal community structure after fertilization of Scots pine forest soil with ammonium-nitrate or urea

The microfungal population structure of two Scots pine forest soils in Southern Sweden was studied 8–13 yr after nitrogen fertilization. The different fertilizers used. ammonium nitrate and urea. influenced the species composition in different ways. The main effect of the NH4NO3 treatment was an increased isolation frequency of Penicillium spinulosum and 4Oidiodendron echinulatum, while Penicillium cf. brevi-compactum. Mortierella subgenus Mortierella. Chaunopycnis alba and Oidiodendron griseum were isolated less frequently in ammonium nitrate-amended treatments compared to the non-fertilized control. In the urea-fertilized plots the isolation frequency of P. cf. brevi-compactum increased, while that of C. alba. O. echinulatum, O. griseum and P. spinulosum decreased in comparison with control plots. The changes in species composition were most evident at the highest rate of application, 600 kg N ha−1, especially when NH4NO3 was used as a fertilizer

Energy policies affecting biomass gasification applications in district heating systems

Biomass gasification is considered a key technology in reaching targets for renewable energy and CO2 emissions reduction. This study evaluates policy instruments affecting the profitability of biomass gasification applications integrated in a Swedish district heating (DH) system for the medium-term future (around year 2025). Two gasification applications are included: co-production of SNG (synthetic natural gas) for use as transportation fuel and DH heat in a biorefinery, and BIGCC CHP (biomass integrated gasification combined cycle, combined heat and power). Using an optimisation model the level of policy support necessary to make biofuel production competitive to electricity generation, and the level of tradable green electricity certificates necessary to make gasification based electricity generation competitive to conventional steam cycle technology, are identified. The results show that in order for investment in SNG production to be competitive to investment in electricity production in the DH system, support policies promoting biofuels in the range of 16-22 EUR/MWh are needed. For investment in BIGCC CHP to be competitive to investment in conventional steam cycle CHP tradable green electricity certificates in the range of 4-15 EUR/MWh are necessary. The necessary policy support levels are very sensitive to variations in investment costs. It is concluded that the large capital commitment and strong dependency on policy tools makes it necessary that DH suppliers believe in the long-sightedness of future policy tools, in order for investments in large-scale biomass gasification in DH systems to be realised

Stationsutveckling och stationslokalisering : Påverkan på resande och stadsutveckling

En tillgänglig, effektiv och bra kollektivtrafik är en viktig förutsättning för att skapa en attraktiv region och bidra till utveckling av staden och regionen. För individen är tillgänglighet en viktig faktor vid val av bostads-, arbets- eller studieplats. För att resenären ska uppfatta kollektivtrafiken som attraktiv och tillgänglig spelar lokalisering, utformning och kvalitet på bytespunkten – stationen, resecentrum, busshållplatsen – en viktig roll. I arbetet med Den Attraktiva Regionen har frågan om lokalisering av stationer och hållplatser aktualiserats i flera av pilotprojekten. Genomgående bedömer man att frågan har stor betydelse, men också att vi saknar kunskap om effekterna av olika utformning och lokalisering. Mot denna bakgrund har föreliggande rapport, Stationsutveckling och stationslokalisering, tagits fram. I rapporten jämförs sex städer där nya järnvägsstationer byggts eller planeras. I tre av dessa ligger stationen centralt i staden, i de andra tre har den förlagts utanför staden. Vidare har busshållplatslokaliseringen i fyra mindre orter studerats

Stationsutveckling och stationslokalisering : Påverkan på resande och stadsutveckling

En tillgänglig, effektiv och bra kollektivtrafik är en viktig förutsättning för att skapa en attraktiv region och bidra till utveckling av staden och regionen. För individen är tillgänglighet en viktig faktor vid val av bostads-, arbets- eller studieplats. För att resenären ska uppfatta kollektivtrafiken som attraktiv och tillgänglig spelar lokalisering, utformning och kvalitet på bytespunkten – stationen, resecentrum, busshållplatsen – en viktig roll. I arbetet med Den Attraktiva Regionen har frågan om lokalisering av stationer och hållplatser aktualiserats i flera av pilotprojekten. Genomgående bedömer man att frågan har stor betydelse, men också att vi saknar kunskap om effekterna av olika utformning och lokalisering. Mot denna bakgrund har föreliggande rapport, Stationsutveckling och stationslokalisering, tagits fram. I rapporten jämförs sex städer där nya järnvägsstationer byggts eller planeras. I tre av dessa ligger stationen centralt i staden, i de andra tre har den förlagts utanför staden. Vidare har busshållplatslokaliseringen i fyra mindre orter studerats