An Existential Phenomenological Examination of Parkour and Freerunning

Recently, there has been growing interest among scholars in the concept of edgework to examine voluntary risk-taking behavior. Parkour is an emerging sport that finds a nexus between transgression, risk, and accessibility that may represent a unique form of edgework. Few scholars have examined sport as an edgework pursuit, and fewer still have attempted to portray the lived and embodied experiences of edgeworkers. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to expand sport and edgework research by qualitatively examining the lived, sporting experiences of parkour practitioners. Phenomenological interviews were conducted with 11 (9 male, 2 female) intermediate-to-advanced traceurs (parkour practioners) ranging from 18 to 33 years old. Two dimensions emerged: bodily experience and interactive experience. Several supporting themes also emerged, including play, movement, and risk within the bodily experience dimension, and community, public, and world within the interactive experience dimension. The findings of this study provide new perspectives on the experiences and meanings associated with participating in parkour and freerunning

Estimating unreported catches in Norwegian fisheries

A discard ban for fish was introduced in Norway in 1987, which requires that all commercial catches must be landed and reported. In theory, this regulation creates a full record of total removals from all fisheries. However, exemptions and varying compliance rates create a risk that unreported catches still occur. Estimating unreported catches of all species in multiple fisheries is a large task that is complexified by the many influential factors related to unique fishery regulations, market demands, fishing gear, and species biology. There is therefore a need to standardise the estimation procedure, but this requires compromises that affect the bias and precision variably across individual species which must be understood if results are used as scientific advice. In Norwegian fisheries, the largest source of detailed data on unreported catches comes from the Norwegian Reference Fleet, a group of active fishing vessels that are paid to sample their catches at sea. However, participation in the programme is voluntary, meaning there are uncertainties about how representative the Norwegian Reference Fleet are of the wider fisheries. In such a complex system, it is important to address uncertainties in the entire estimation process, including from sampling data and the estimators used. The aim of this thesis is to develop standardised estimators for unreported catches in Norwegian fisheries. To identify the current knowledge gaps in Norwegian fisheries, global best practices for estimating unreported catches were collated and applied to Norwegian fisheries. Following from this, two research paths were identified. Firstly, there is a demand to understand the quality of data collected by the Norwegian Reference Fleet. Based on the available data, this was confined to quantifying the representativeness of samples. Secondly, previous studies estimating unreported catches have used bespoke model-based approaches to improve predictive performance, but simple design-based approaches have been applied based on assumptions that have not yet been tested. There is therefore a demand to evaluate the assumptions behind the current design-based estimators. To evaluate representativeness, the sampling design of the Norwegian Reference Fleet was simulated using reported catches, for which fleet-level information is available. The simulation study identified that nonprobability sampling of vessels in the Norwegian Reference Fleet results in a tendency to overestimate reported catches, but the bias is still within the bounds of expected variation from probability sampling. Representativeness varied greatly across species and years, and there was evidence that the estimators traditionally used for unreported catches may be introducing bias due to assumptions being unmet. These results provide support for the development of improved estimators and consideration of a more conservative estimation of uncertainty. Applying a cluster-based estimator that better describes true variations between sampled vessels produces a more realistic, albeit more uncertain estimate of unreported catches. This is also the case for additional uncertainty incurred from converting numbers of fish to biomass, which must use an additional modelling step due to a lack of information on fish weights. The current methodology for estimating discards in coastal fisheries is restricted by the fishery-level data that is used for extrapolating estimated discard rates. However, current developments in mandatory reporting requirements suggest that future model-based approaches could improve discard estimates. Therefore, an exploratory model was fitted to the sampling data to identify potentially important variables that explain variations in discarding. This model can then inform the variable selection in a future model-based approach when fishery-level data collection is improved. The estimation methodologies presented in this thesis form the basis of a national routine for estimating unreported catches in Norwegian fisheries. Quantifying the bias of estimators and accounting for additional, important sources of uncertainty provides a standardised design-based estimator for unreported catches in Norwegian fisheries. Predictive performance is now supported by quantitative evidence and further improvements have been identified to optimise estimators in the future such as accounting for rare occurrences and size-based estimates. Furthermore, the lessons learnt throughout this doctoral research highlight the importance of creating a standardised framework for estimating unreported catches. This ensures that improvements are centralised rather than being hidden within individual case studies.I Norge ble det innført et utkastforbud for fisk fanget allerede i 1987. I henhold til dette skal all kommersiell fangst føres på land. I teorien oppnår denne forskriften en fullstendig oversikt over totale uttak fra alle fiskerier. Unntak og varierende etterlevelse skaper imidlertid en risiko for at det fortsatt forekommer urapporterte fangster. Å estimere urapporterte fangster av alle arter i flere fiskerier er en stor og komplisert oppgave på grunn av de mange innflytelsesrike faktorene knyttet til unike fiskerireguleringer, markedskrav, fiskeredskaper og artsbiologi. Det er derfor behov for å standardisere estimeringsprosedyren, men dette krever kompromisser som påvirker nøyaktighet og presisjonen i varierende grad på tvers av individuelle arter, og som må forstås hvis resultatene brukes som vitenskapelig råd. I norske fiskerier er Referanseflåten den største kilden til detaljerte data om urapporterte fangster. Referanseflåten er en gruppe aktive fiskefartøyer som får betalt for å ta prøver fra fangstene sine. Siden deltakelse i programmet er frivillig, er det usikkerhet om hvor representativ Referanseflåten er for hele fiskeflåten. I et så komplekst system er det viktig å adressere usikkerhet i hele estimeringsprosessen, inkludert data og estimatorene som brukes. Målet med denne oppgave er å utvikle standardiserte estimatorer for urapportert fangst i norske fiskerier. For å kartlegge dagens kunnskapshull i norske fiskerier, ble den globale beste praksis for estimering av urapportert fangst sammenstilt og brukt på norske fiskerier. Etter dette ble det definert to forskningsretninger. Det første er nødvendigheten om å forstå kvaliteten på data som samles inn av Referanseflåten. Basert på tilgjengelige data ble dette begrenset til å kvantifisere hvor representativt de innsamlede data er. For det andre har tidligere studier som estimerte urapportert fangst tatt i bruk tilpassede modellbaserte tilnærminger for å forbedre prediktiv ytelse, men noen designbaserte tilnærminger som har blitt brukt er basert på antakelser som ennå ikke er testet. Det er derfor et behov for å evaluere forutsetningene bak designbaserte estimatorer som brukes i dag. For å vurdere Referanseflåten sin representativitet, ble data innsamlingsdesignet simulert med bruk av rapporterte fangster som er tilgjengelig for hele flåten. Simuleringene viste en tendens til å overestimere rapportert fangst fordi båtene ble ikke valgt ved bruk av sannsynlighet. Likevel er nøyaktigheten fortsatt innenfor rammen av forventet variasjon hvis båtene ble valgt ved bruk av sannsynlighet. Representativiteten varierte sterkt på tvers av arter og år, og det var bevis på at estimatorene som tradisjonelt ble brukt for urapportert fangst, kan innføre unøyaktighet på grunn av at forutsetningene ikke er oppfylt. Disse resultatene gir støtte til utvikling av forbedrede estimatorer og vurdering av en mer konservativ estimering av usikkerhet. Bruk av en klyngebasert estimator som bedre beskriver sanne variasjoner mellom utvalgte fartøyer gir et mer realistisk, om enn mer usikkert estimat av urapporterte fangster. Dette er også tilfellet for ytterligere usikkerhet som følge av konvertering av antall fisk til biomasse, som må bruke et ekstra modelleringstrinn på grunn av mangel på informasjon om fiskevekten. Dagens metodikk for å estimere utkast i kystfiske er begrenset av kvaliteten på dataene på fiskerinivå som brukes for å ekstrapolere estimerte utkastrater. Pågående utvikling i obligatoriske rapporteringskrav tyder imidlertid på at fremtidige modellbaserte tilnærminger kan forbedre estimatene på utkast. Derfor ble en utforskende modell tilpasset prøvetakingsdataene for å identifisere mulige viktige variabler som forklarer grunnene til utkast. Denne modellen kan deretter informere variabelutvalget i en fremtidig modellbasert tilnærming når datainnsamlingen på fiskerinivå forbedres. Metodene for utkastestimering fremlagt i denne oppgaven kan danne grunnlaget for en nasjonal rutine for å estimere urapportert fangst i norske fiskerier. Å kvantifisere nøyaktigheten til estimatorer og redegjøre for ytterligere viktige kilder til usikkerhet gir en standardisert designbasert estimator for urapporterte fangster i norske fiskerier. Prediktiv ytelse støttes nå av kvantitative bevis og ytterligere forbedringer er identifisert for å optimalisere estimatorer i fremtiden, for eksempel regnskap for sjeldne hendelser og størrelsesbaserte estimater. Erfaringene gjennom denne forskningsoppgave fremhever viktigheten av å skape et standardisert rammeverk for å estimere urapportert fangst. Dette sikrer at forbedringer er sentralisert, i stedet for å være skjult i individuelle casestudier.Doktorgradsavhandlin

Through the Roof and Underground : Translocal Hardcore Punk in Los Angeles and Ljubljana

ABSTRACT Punk moved from a marginal subculture to an underground counter-culture -- hardcore punk -- which shared musical culture and sense of a communal identity. Local punk scenes grew, in part due to attention from mass media. New kids in the scene brought new tensions and attracted the attention of authorities. Two police incidents signaled a shift in the punks\u27 view of themselves. I examine two punk scenes from 1975 to 1985 in Los Angeles, USA and Ljubljana, Yugoslavia by looking at newspapers, television programs, fanzines, music, and clothing. I show that a loosely connected group of individuals, self-identified as punk, became increasingly similar as the parent cultures put increasing pressure on punks

Reversible stalling of transcription elongation complexes by high pressure

We have investigated the effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the stability of RNA polymerase molecules during transcription, RNA polymerase molecules participating in stalled or active ternary transcribing complexes do not dissociate from the template DNA and nascent RNA at pressures up to 180 MPa. A lower limit for the free energy of stabilization of an elongating ternary complex relative to the quaternary structure of the free RNAP molecules is estimated to be 20 kcal/mol. The rate of elongation decreases at high pressure; transcription completely halts at sufficiently high pressure. The overall rate of elongation has an apparent activation volume (Delta V double dagger) of 55-65 ml.mol(-1) (at 35 degrees C), The pressure-stalled transcripts are stable and resume elongation at the prepressure rate upon decompression. The efficiency of termination decreases at the rho-independent terminator tR2 after the transcription reaction has been exposed to high pressure. This suggests that high pressure modifies the ternary complex such that termination is affected in a manner different from that of elongation. The solvent and temperature dependence of the pressure-induced inhibition show evidence for major conformational changes in the core polymerase enzyme during RNA synthesis. It is proposed that the inhibition of the elongation phase of the transcription reaction at elevated pressures is related to a,reduction of the partial specific volume of the RNA polymerase molecule; under high pressure, the RNA polymerase molecule does not have the necessary structural flexibility required for the protein to translocate. [References: 45] 4

Scalable Peer-to-Peer Streaming for Live Entertainment Content

We present a system for streaming live entertainment content over the Internet originating from a single source to a scalable number of consumers without resorting to centralized or provider-provisioned resources. The system creates a peer-to-peer overlay network, which attempts to optimize use of existing capacity to ensure quality of service, delivering low startup delay and lag in playout of the live content. There are three main aspects of our solution: first, a swarming mechanism that constructs an overlay topology for minimizing propagation delays from the source to end consumers; second, a distributed overlay anycast system that uses a location-based search algorithm for peers to quickly find the closest peers in a given stream; and finally, a novel incentive mechanism that encourages peers to donate capacity even when the user is not actively consuming content

Fascicles and the interfascicular matrix show adaptation for fatigue resistance in energy storing tendons

Tendon is composed of rope-like fascicles, bound together by interfascicular matrix (IFM). Our previous work shows that the IFM is critical for tendon function, facilitating sliding between fascicles to allow tendons to stretch. This function is particularly important in energy storing tendons, which experience extremely high strains during exercise, and therefore require the capacity for considerable inter-fascicular sliding and recoil. This capacity is not required in positional tendons. Whilst we have previously described the quasi-static properties of the IFM, the fatigue resistance of the IFM in functionally distinct tendons remains unknown. We therefore tested the hypothesis that fascicles and IFM in the energy storing equine superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) are more fatigue resistant than those in the positional common digital extensor tendon (CDET). Fascicles and IFM from both tendon types were subjected to cyclic fatigue testing until failure, and mechanical properties were calculated. The results demonstrated that both fascicles and IFM from the energy storing SDFT were able to resist a greater number of cycles before failure than those from the positional CDET. Further, SDFT fascicles and IFM exhibited less hysteresis over the course of testing than their counterparts in the CDET. This is the first study to assess the fatigue resistance of the IFM, demonstrating that IFM has a functional role within tendon and contributes significantly to tendon mechanical properties. These data provide important advances into fully characterising tendon structure-function relationships

Organizational zemblanity

© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. We introduce the concept of zemblanity to organization studies to refer to the enactment of disaster when, in systems designed to impede risk, key actors nonetheless construct their own misfortune. The case of the Costa Concordia provides an opportunity to discuss organizational zemblanity. Active as well as passive behaviours by the Costa Concordia's Captain created a vicious circle of inappropriate decision-making with traumatic effects. These were complemented by structural elements to be found both in the individual behaviours of others (mainly, the vessel's first line of command) and the lack of other effective organizational controls, both in terms of structures and routines. As our discussion illuminates, there are two overarching elements in play: an excess of individual discretion and a lack of proper organizational controls. We go on to consider the significant implications for both theory and practice that flow from our analysis