Emergence of the colonizer and the colonized in three texts: William Shakespeare's the tempest , Aphra Behn's Oroonoko: or, the royal slave and Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe

This thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in English, 2006.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (page 66).Colonization is a practice of power and domination, which defines the subjugation of one people to another. It gives rise two inseparable groups of people- the colonizer and the colonized. Postcolonial critics Edward Said have defined these two groups by portraying the images of 'self' and 'other'. On the other hand, Homi Bhabha tries to define the psychological process of the colonizer and the colonized by reflecting both groups in the 'mirror-image'. In my paper, I have read three texts- William Shakespeare's The Tempest, Aphra Behn's Oroonoko: or,the Royal Slave and Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe in the light of both Edward Said's concept of 'self and other' and Homi Bhabha's 'mirror image' in the short essay "Remembering Fanon: Self, Psyche and the Colonial Condition".Nowshin NeharB.A. in Englis

Factors affecting the spontaneous combustion index

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillnent of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, 1992The self-heating of coal is a problem which concerns the mining industry not only in South Africa, but also in many other countries. This thesis deals with the contouring of spontaneous combustion liabilities (WITS-ERAC index values) of different seams at the Durban Navigation Colliery and the relationship between the WITS-EHAC index values and the properties of the coal samples. In the determination of the spontaneous combustion liabilities 58 different coal samples were tested with an ignition-temperature test apparatus, crossing-point temperature tests and differential thermal analysis were conducted simultaneously. [Abbreviated abstract. Open document to view full version]MT201

Experimental study and modeling of the mechanical behavior of recycled aggregates-based high-strength concrete

Concrete, a material of prime importance, is widely used in various works. Among the raw materials composing concrete, aggregates come first. It is widely acknowledged that the consumption of natural aggregates increases with the growth in the amount of concrete needed. It has recently emerged that concrete waste can be recycled and reused in civil engineering works after a series of treatments. Moreover, in order to protect the environment and based on the principles of sustainable development, it was considered urgent to produce a High Strength Concrete incorporating recycled materials in addition to silica fume and a high-efficiency superplasticizer. This would certainly help to establish a harmonious sustainable development that guaranties the ecological balance and environmental protection, and prevents the depletion of natural resources. This study is part of a larger research program that that seeks to recover, recycle and valorize construction and demolition wastes. The main objective sought in this article is firstly to use aggregates from demolition concrete in the manufacture of a new concrete with high mechanical and rheological performance, and secondly, to model the behavior of this type of concrete using the Finite Element Method. This modeling aims to evaluate the maximum compressive strengths and compare them with those obtained experimentally

Ir-Ni oxide as a promising material for nerve and brain stimulating electrodes

Tremendous potential for successful medical device development lies in both electrical stimulation therapies and neuronal prosthetic devices, which can be utilized in an extensive number of neurological disorders. These technologies rely on the successful electrical stimulation of biological tissue (i.e. neurons) through the use of electrodes. However, this technology faces the principal problem of poor stimulus selectivity due to the currently available electrode’s large size relative to its targeted population of neurons. Irreversible damage to both the stimulated tissue and electrode are limiting factors in miniaturization of this technology, as charge density increases with decreasing electrode size. In an attempt to find an equilibrium between these two opposing constraints (electrode size and charge density), the objective of this work was to develop a novel iridium-nickel oxide (Ir0.2-Ni0.8-oxide) coating that could intrinsically offer high charge storage capacity. Thermal decomposition was used to fabricate titanium oxide, iridium oxide, nickel oxide, and bimetallic iridium-nickel oxide coatings on titanium electrode substrates. The Ir0.2-Ni0.8-oxide coating yielded the highest intrinsic (material property) and extrinsic (material property + surface area) charge storage capacity (CSC) among the investigated materials, exceeding the performance of the current state-of-the-art neural stimulating electrode, Ir-oxide. This indicates that the Ir0.2-Ni0.8-oxide material is a promising alternative to currently used Ir-oxide, Pt, Au and carbon-based stimulating electrodes

Cultural Diversity and Intercultural Discourse in the Shorter Fiction of Joseph Conrad

Cultural difference is a major preoccupation of Joseph Conrad's fiction. This may be related to Conrad's own experience of foreignness in Britain. Whatever the possible influences of Conrad's life upon his work, attempts at communication and positive intercultural exchange on the part of Conrad's fictional characters of different cultures, races and ethnic backgrounds, most often fail. Misunderstanding, fear of the foreign and the unfamiliar, intolerance, ignorance of other cultures, and the supremacist assumptions of the colonizing nations, these barriers to any meaningful communication often also lead, ironically, to the loss of cultural identity for individual characters, even to alienation and the inability to survive. Cultural difference and failed intercultural bonding also contribute to the development of other themes in Conrad's fiction, especially that of self-recognition. The isolation of characters in unfamiliar surroundings brings them face to face with themselves, stripped of all cultural trappings and support systems. Some seek self discovery in exotic worlds where the romantic notion of the 'mirror of the other' is revealed to be yet another cultural mindset that closes the door on alternative perspectives. Conrad's own inherent romanticism is offset by his strong sense of moral and creative responsibility and his awareness of the snare of romantic exoticism in which several of his characters become entangled. Although some reference is made to the novels, this study centres around the shorter fiction, concentrating on the less frequently discussed short stories. The multiplicity of viewpoints and voices in Conrad's narrative method resembles, and often matches in its ultimate function and purpose, the presentation of different cultural viewpoints and perspectives in his characterisation. Conrad reveals through his fiction that the most tolerant person cannot be rid of all cultural prejudice, which is a limitation imposed by the inevitable social construction of individual identity. In some cases cultural prejudice relates more closely to class distinctions than to ethnic background. Whatever its source, Conrad embraces every opportunity to challenge that prejudice, whether directly or by quietly undermining its underlying assumptions. He remains aware to the last that the problems it raises are greater when disregarded, that they cannot be considered defeated and should never be laid to rest

A TRNSYS dynamic simulation model for a parabolic trough solar thermal power plant

This paper presents a validated TRNSYS model for a thermodynamic plant with parabolic trough solar thermal power (PT). The system consist of trough solar collector (PTC) as well as auxiliary components.. The simulation of the system has been done during the day (01/01) under the meteorological conditions of Ain Témouchent city (Algeria). The model compared the energy performance of the systems: case (1) - Rankine cycle facility with solar field and case (2)- Rankine cycle facility without solar field. The results showed that the present model has a good agreement with the experimental data of the literature. In case (1), PTC fluid outlet temperature reach the maximum value 330 ° C, Work of the steam turbine increase from the 9hr to reach its maximum value 856 KJ/Kg at 13 hr. In case (2), the maximum value of the power remains constant from the beginning of the simulation to 1hr00. Since the flow of fuel (gas natural) consumed does not change throughout the operating period.

Diversity and Ecology of Diatoms in Northwest of Algeria: case of El-Hammam stream and Estuary of Cheliff River

P. 37-52Ecological research on algae from Algeria and in particular on freshwater and estuarine diatoms remains insufficient. The aim of our work is to contribute to the taxonomy and ecology of benthic diatoms from freshwaters and estuaries in Algeria. For this purpose, we studied two sites of water courses in north-western Algeria: El-Hammam stream at Mascara and the estuary of Cheliff river at Mostaganem. Our inventory of benthic diatoms during dry season at the middle of El-Hammam stream during April, June and August 2010 led to the identification of 44 cosmopolitan species, while 30 species occurred at the mouth of Cheliff river. 10 taxa were recorded for the first time in Algeria. Diversity values (Species richness, Shannon's index and Equitability index) for the two study sites are generally medium to low. The results of the 17 diatom-based metrics tested show that ROTT trophic index (TID) and the Trophic Diatom Index (TDI) best mirrored water quality, but a revision of taxa autecological values is requiredS

The Th1/Tfh-like biased responses elicited by the rASP-1 innate adjuvant are dependent on TRIF and Type I IFN receptor pathways.

Ov-ASP-1 (rASP-1), a parasite-derived protein secreted by the helminth Onchocerca volvulus, is an adjuvant which enhances the potency of the influenza trivalent vaccine (IIV3), even when used with 40-fold less IIV3. This study is aimed to provide a deeper insight into the molecular networks that underline the adjuvanticity of rASP-1. Here we show that rASP-1 stimulates mouse CD11c(+) bone marrow-derived dendritic (BMDCs) to secrete elevated levels of IL-12p40, TNF-α, IP-10 and IFN-β in a TRIF-dependent but MyD88-independent manner. rASP-1-activated BMDCs promoted the differentiation of naïve CD4(+) T cells into Th1 cells (IFN-γ(+)) that was TRIF- and type I interferon receptor (IFNAR)-dependent, and into Tfh-like cells (IL21(+)) and Tfh1 (IFN-γ(+) IL21(+)) that were TRIF-, MyD88- and IFNAR-dependent. rASP-1-activated BMDCs promoted the differentiation of naïve CD4(+) T cells into Th17 (IL-17(+)) cells only when the MyD88 pathway was inhibited. Importantly, rASP-1-activated human blood cDCs expressed upregulated genes that are associated with DC maturation, type I IFN and type II IFN signaling, as well as TLR4-TRIF dependent signaling. These activated cDCs promoted the differentiation of naïve human CD4(+) T cells into Th1, Tfh-like and Th17 cells. Our data thus confirms that the rASP-1 is a potent innate adjuvant that polarizes the adaptive T cell responses to Th1/Tfh1 in both mouse and human DCs. Notably, the rASP-1-adjuvanted IIV3 vaccine elicited protection of mice from a lethal H1N1 infection that is also dependent on the TLR4-TRIF axis and IFNAR signaling pathway, as well as on its ability to induce anti-IIV3 antibody production

Baseline immune states (BIS) associated with vaccine responsiveness and factors that shape the BIS.

Vaccines are among the greatest inventions in medicine, leading to the elimination or control of numerous diseases, including smallpox, polio, measles, rubella, and, most recently, COVID-19. Yet, the effectiveness of vaccines varies among individuals. In fact, while some recipients mount a robust response to vaccination that protects them from the disease, others fail to respond. Multiple clinical and epidemiological factors contribute to this heterogeneity in responsiveness. Systems immunology studies fueled by advances in single-cell biology have been instrumental in uncovering pre-vaccination immune cell types and genomic features (i.e., the baseline immune state, BIS) that have been associated with vaccine responsiveness. Here, we review clinical factors that shape the BIS, and the characteristics of the BIS associated with responsiveness to frequently studied vaccines (i.e., influenza, COVID-19, bacterial pneumonia, malaria). Finally, we discuss potential strategies to enhance vaccine responsiveness in high-risk groups, focusing specifically on older adults