129 research outputs found
The Philosophy of the Western
The western is arguably the most iconic and influential genre in American cinema. The solitude of the lone rider, the loyalty of his horse, and the unspoken code of the West render the genre popular yet lead it to offer a view of Americaâs history that is sometimes inaccurate. For many, the western embodies America and its values. In recent years, scholars had declared the western genre dead, but a steady resurgence of western themes in literature, film, and television has reestablished the genre as one of the most important.
In The Philosophy of the Western, editors Jennifer L. McMahon and B. Steve Csaki examine philosophical themes in the western genre. Investigating subjects of nature, ethics, identity, gender, environmentalism, and animal rights, the essays draw from a wide range of westerns including the recent popular and critical successes Unforgiven (1992), All the Pretty Horses (2000), 3:10 to Yuma (2007), and No Country for Old Men (2007), as well as literature and television serials such as Deadwood. The Philosophy of the Western reveals the influence of the western on the American psyche, filling a void in the current scholarship of the genre.
Jennifer L. McMahon, associate professor and chair of the English and Languages Department at East Central University, is a contributor to The Philosophy of TV Noir, The Philosophy of Martin Scorsese, and The Simpsons and Philosophy.
B. Steve Csaki was most recently a visiting professor at Centre College, where he taught courses in philosophy, the humanities, and Japanese.
The writing is accessible to nonspecialists and should be of interest to general readers who enjoy thinking about philosophy, film, or westerns. --Karen D. Hoffman, Hood College
A delightful collection, one that goes a long way toward bridging the fields of philosophy and film studies. At once erudite and readable, many of its essays offer solid summaries of philosophic concepts and movements. . . .those familiar with the classic westerns will find the book a painless way to pick up some philosophy. --American Studies
The authors examine the rise and recent resurgence of the iconic genre of American cinemaâits popularity, its claims on encapsulating American values, and its historical inaccuracies. --Moving Image Archives
These essays, and others, connect rewardingly to ongoing discussions of Westerns in a broad context --Choice Magazine
The collection is evenly divided between classic and contemporary Westerns, providing a comprehensive overview of the history of the genre -- Western American Literature
For Western film fams and American scholars alike, The Philosophy of the Western is both enjoyable and enlightening. It will leave you longing to dust off the covers of your favorite Western films and rewatch them with a deeper sense of significance adn newfound appreciation. --Journal of American Studies Association of Texas
These essays make compelling cases --Western Historical Quarterly
Anyone interested in the mythic grip that Westerns have had and continue to have on the American imaginary will no doubt find something of interest in this collection. --Great Plains Quarterlyhttps://uknowledge.uky.edu/upk_american_popular_culture/1010/thumbnail.jp
DAzLE: The Dark Ages z (redshift) Lyman-alpha Explorer
DAzLE is an near infrared narrowband differential imager being built by the
Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge, in collaboration with the Anglo-Australian
observatory. It is a special purpose instrument designed with a sole aim; the
detection of redshifted Lyman-alpha emission from star forming galaxies at z>7.
DAzLE will use pairs of high resolution (R=1000) narrowband filters to exploit
low background `windows' in the near infrared sky emission spectrum. This will
enable it to reach sensitivities of ~2E-21 W/m^2, thereby allowing the
detection of z>7 galaxies with star formation rates as low as a few solar
masses per year. The design of the instrument, and in particular the crucial
narrowband filters, are presented. The predicted performance of DAzLE,
including the sensitivity, volume coverage and expected number counts, is
discussed. The current status of the DAzLE project, and its projected timeline,
are also presented.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures, to appear in Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 5492,
Ground-based Instrumentation for Astronom
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The association between pain-induced autonomic reactivity and descending pain control is mediated by the periaqueductal grey.
There is a strict interaction between the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and pain, which might involve descending pain modulatory mechanisms. The periaqueductal grey (PAG) is involved both in descending pain modulation and ANS, but its role in mediating this relationship has not yet been explored. Here, we sought to determine brain regions mediating ANS and descending pain control associations. Thirty participants underwent conditioned pain modulation (CPM) assessments, in which they rated painful pressure stimuli applied to their thumbnail, either alone or with a painful cold contralateral stimulation. Differences in pain ratings between âpressure-onlyâ and âpressure + coldâ stimuli provided a measure of descending pain control. In 18 of the 30 participants, structural scans and two functional MRI assessments, one pain-free and one during cold-pain were acquired. Heart rate variability (HRV) was simultaneously recorded. Normalised low-frequency HRV (LF-HRVnu) and the CPM score were negatively correlated; individuals with higher LF-HRVnu during pain reported reductions in pain during CPM. PAG-ventro-medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and PAG-rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) functional connectivity correlated negatively with the CPM. Importantly, PAG-vmPFC functional connectivity mediated the strength of the LF-HRVnu-CPM association. CPM response magnitude was also negatively correlated with vmPFC GM volume. Our multi-modal approach, using behavioural, physiological and MRI measures, provides important new evidence of interactions between ANS and descending pain mechanisms. ANS dysregulation and dysfunctional descending pain modulation are characteristics of chronic pain. We suggest that further investigation of body-brain interactions in chronic pain patients may catalyse the development of new treatments
The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor modulates DNA repair and radioresponsiveness.
PURPOSE: Perturbations in the retinoblastoma pathway are over-represented in advanced prostate cancer; retinoblastoma loss promotes bypass of first-line hormone therapy. Conversely, preliminary studies suggested that retinoblastoma-deficient tumors may become sensitized to a subset of DNA-damaging agents. Here, the molecular and in vivo consequence of retinoblastoma status was analyzed in models of clinical relevance.
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Experimental work was performed with multiple isogenic prostate cancer cell lines (hormone sensitive: LNCaP and LAPC4 cells and hormone resistant C42, 22Rv1 cells; stable knockdown of retinoblastoma using shRNA). Multiple mechanisms were interrogated including cell cycle, apoptosis, and DNA damage repair. Transcriptome analysis was performed, validated, and mechanisms discerned. Cell survival was measured using clonogenic cell survival assay and in vivo analysis was performed in nude mice with human derived tumor xenografts.
RESULTS: Loss of retinoblastoma enhanced the radioresponsiveness of both hormone-sensitive and castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation was not mediated by cell cycle or p53. Retinoblastoma loss led to alteration in DNA damage repair and activation of the NF-ÎșB pathway and subsequent cellular apoptosis through PLK3. In vivo xenografts of retinoblastoma-deficient tumors exhibited diminished tumor mass, lower PSA kinetics, and decreased tumor growth after treatment with ionizing radiation (P \u3c 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Loss of retinoblastoma confers increased radiosensitivity in prostate cancer. This hypersensitization was mediated by alterations in apoptotic signaling. Combined, these not only provide insight into the molecular consequence of retinoblastoma loss, but also credential retinoblastoma status as a putative biomarker for predicting response to radiotherapy
The Fungicide Chlorothalonil Is Nonlinearly Associated with Corticosterone Levels, Immunity, and Mortality in Amphibians
Background: Contaminants have been implicated in declines of amphibians, a taxon with vital systems similar to those of humans. However, many chemicals have not been thoroughly tested on amphibians or do not directly kill them
The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Detection of mm-wave transient sources
We report on the serendipitous discovery of three transient mm-wave sources
using data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope. The first, detected at RA =
273.8138, dec = -49.4628 at total, brightened from less than 5
mJy to at least 1100 mJy at 150 GHz with an unknown rise time shorter than
thirteen days, during which the increase from 250 mJy to 1100 mJy took only 8
minutes. Maximum flux was observed on 2019-11-8. The source's spectral index in
flux between 90 and 150 GHz was positive, . The second,
detected at RA = 105.1584, dec = -11.2434 at total, brightened
from less than 20 mJy to at least 300 mJy at 150 GHz with an unknown rise time
shorter than eight days. Maximum flux was observed on 2019-12-15. Its spectral
index was also positive, . The third, detected at RA =
301.9952, dec = 16.1652 at total, brightened from less than 8
mJy to at least 300 mJy at 150 GHz over a day or less but decayed over a few
days. Maximum flux was observed on 2018-9-11. Its spectrum was approximately
flat, with a spectral index of . None of the sources were
polarized to the limits of these measurements. The two rising-spectrum sources
are coincident in position with M and K stars, while the third is coincident
with a G star.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl
The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Microwave Intensity and Polarization Maps of the Galactic Center
We present arcminute-resolution intensity and polarization maps of the
Galactic center made with the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT). The maps cover
a 32 deg field at 98, 150, and 224 GHz with ,
. We combine these data with Planck observations at
similar frequencies to create coadded maps with increased sensitivity at large
angular scales. With the coadded maps, we are able to resolve many known
features of the Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) in both total intensity and
polarization. We map the orientation of the plane-of-sky component of the
Galactic magnetic field inferred from the polarization angle in the CMZ,
finding significant changes in morphology in the three frequency bands as the
underlying dominant emission mechanism changes from synchrotron to dust
emission. Selected Galactic center sources, including Sgr A*, the Brick
molecular cloud (G0.253+0.016), the Mouse pulsar wind nebula (G359.23-0.82),
and the Tornado supernova remnant candidate (G357.7-0.1), are examined in
detail. These data illustrate the potential for leveraging ground-based Cosmic
Microwave Background polarization experiments for Galactic science.Comment: 26 pages, 14 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
The Simons Observatory microwave SQUID multiplexing detector module design
Advances in cosmic microwave background (CMB) science depend on increasing
the number of sensitive detectors observing the sky. New instruments deploy
large arrays of superconducting transition-edge sensor (TES) bolometers tiled
densely into ever larger focal planes. High multiplexing factors reduce the
thermal loading on the cryogenic receivers and simplify their design. We
present the design of focal-plane modules with an order of magnitude higher
multiplexing factor than has previously been achieved with TES bolometers. We
focus on the novel cold readout component, which employs microwave SQUID
multiplexing (mux). Simons Observatory will use 49 modules containing
60,000 bolometers to make exquisitely sensitive measurements of the CMB. We
validate the focal-plane module design, presenting measurements of the readout
component with and without a prototype detector array of 1728
polarization-sensitive bolometers coupled to feedhorns. The readout component
achieves a yield and a 910 multiplexing factor. The median white noise
of each readout channel is 65 . This impacts the
projected SO mapping speed by , which is less than is assumed in the
sensitivity projections. The results validate the full functionality of the
module. We discuss the measured performance in the context of SO science
requirements, which are exceeded.Comment: Accepted to The Astrophysical Journa
The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Modeling the Gas Thermodynamics in BOSS CMASS galaxies from Kinematic and Thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Measurements
The thermal and kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effects (tSZ, kSZ) probe the
thermodynamic properties of the circumgalactic and intracluster medium (CGM and
ICM) of galaxies, groups, and clusters, since they are proportional,
respectively, to the integrated electron pressure and momentum along the
line-of-sight. We present constraints on the gas thermodynamics of CMASS
galaxies in the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) using new
measurements of the kSZ and tSZ signals obtained in a companion paper.
Combining kSZ and tSZ measurements, we measure within our model the amplitude
of energy injection , where is the stellar
mass, to be , and the amplitude of the
non-thermal pressure profile to be (2),
indicating that less than 20% of the total pressure within the virial radius is
due to a non-thermal component. We estimate the effects of including baryons in
the modeling of weak-lensing galaxy cross-correlation measurements using the
best fit density profile from the kSZ measurement. Our estimate reduces the
difference between the original theoretical model and the weak-lensing galaxy
cross-correlation measurements in arXiv:1611.08606 by half, but does not fully
reconcile it. Comparing the kSZ and tSZ measurements to cosmological
simulations, we find that they under predict the CGM pressure and to a lesser
extent the CGM density at larger radii. This suggests that the energy injected
via feedback models in the simulations that we compared against does not
sufficiently heat the gas at these radii. We do not find significant
disagreement at smaller radii. These measurements provide novel tests of
current and future simulations. This work demonstrates the power of joint, high
signal-to-noise kSZ and tSZ observations, upon which future cross-correlation
studies will improve.Comment: Accepted for publication in Physical Review D. Editors' Suggestion.
New Fig. 1-2, Tab.
Breeding progress and preparedness for massâscale deployment of perennial lignocellulosic biomass crops switchgrass, miscanthus, willow and poplar
UK: The UKâled miscanthus research and breeding was mainly supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the BBSRC CSP strategic funding grant BB/CSP1730/1, Innovate UK/BBSRC âMUSTâ BB/N016149/1, CERES Inc. and Terravesta Ltd. through the GIANTâLINK project (LK0863). Genomic selection and genomewide association study activities were supported by BBSRC grant BB/K01711X/1, the BBSRC strategic programme grant on Energy Grasses & Bioârefining BBS/E/W/10963A01. The UKâled willow R&D work reported here was supported by BBSRC (BBS/E/C/00005199, BBS/E/C/00005201, BB/G016216/1, BB/E006833/1, BB/G00580X/1 and BBS/E/C/000I0410), Defra (NF0424) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) (B/W6/00599/00/00). IT: The Brain Gain Program (Rientro dei cervelli) of the Italian Ministry of Education, University, and Research supports Antoine Harfouche. US: Contributions by Gerald Tuskan to this manuscript were supported by the Center for Bioenergy Innovation, a US Department of Energy Bioenergy Research Center supported by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research in the DOE Office of Science, under contract number DEâAC05â00OR22725. Willow breeding efforts at Cornell University have been supported by grants from the US Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Contributions by the University of Illinois were supported primarily by the DOE Office of Science; Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER); grant nos. DEâSC0006634, DEâSC0012379 and DEâSC0018420 (Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation); and the Energy Biosciences Institute. EU: We would like to further acknowledge contributions from the EU projects âOPTIMISCâ FP7â289159 on miscanthus and âWATBIOâ FP7â311929 on poplar and miscanthus as well as âGRACEâ H2020âEU.3.2.6. Bioâbased Industries Joint Technology Initiative (BBIâJTI) Project ID 745012 on miscanthus.Peer reviewedPostprintPublisher PD
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