The Image of the Tiger in Thomas Mann\u27s Tod in Venedig

Mann integrates the image of the tiger (according to Nietzsche a concomitant of the Dionysian) that is associated with Aschenbach into Tod in Venedig, commencing with the poet\u27s anticipatory vision. Throughout the course of the novella, the city becomes Aschenbach\u27s envisioned jungle. Of particular significance is the triangular relationship between the viewer, the birds, and the tiger in the vision,which is found again at the end of the novella. Here, there are many repetitions of expressions suggestive of the triangular relationship found in Aschenbach\u27s vision. The tiger in the vision, repeatedly mentioned or alluded to in Tod in Venedig, remains crouching and makes no move until the conclusion. Here, then, this «open» aspect is resolved: Aschenbach, whose latent Dionysian side is represented by the tiger on the mythical level, ultimately dies. Citing Euripides\u27 Bacchae, which, as Manfred Dierks demonstrated, served as a «structural model» for Tod in Venedig, we can say that just as Pentheus dons the bacchante\u27s dress offered by Dionysus, Aschenbach symbolically assumes the garb of the tiger. Pentheus adopts the disguise to observe secretly Dionysus\u27 bacchantes. The way in which Aschenbach tracks Tadzio is evocative of the manner in which a tiger tracks its prey. By assuming the female disguise Pentheus guarantees his own death. Aschenbach acts in a like manner to Pentheus. Finally, both protagonists begin in their respective stories as hunters and both end as the hunted

Isomeric effects in the gas-phase reactions of dichloroethene, C2H2Cl2, with a series of cations

A study of the reactions of a series of gas-phase cations (NH$_4^+$, H$_3$O$^+$, SF$_3^+$, CF$_3^+$, CF$^+$, SF5$^+$, SF$_2^+$, SF$^+$, CF$_2^+$, SF$_4^+$, O$_2^+$, Xe$^+$, N$_2$O$^+$, CO$_2^+$, Kr$^+$, CO$^+$, N$^+$, N$_2^+$, Ar$^+$, F$^+$ and Ne$^+$) with the three structural isomers of dichloroethene, i.e. 1,1-C$_2$H$_2$Cl$_2$, cis-1,2-C$_2$H$_2$Cl$_2$ and trans-1,2-C$_2$H$_2$Cl$_2$ is reported. The recombination energy of these ions spans the range 4.7-21.6 eV. Reaction rate coefficients and product branching ratios have been measured at 298 K in a selected ion flow tube. Collisional rate coefficients are calculated by modified average dipole orientation theory and compared with experimental data. Thermochemistry and mass balance have been used to predict the most feasible neutral products. Threshold photoelectron-photoion coincidence spectra have also been obtained for the three isomers of C$_2$H$_2$Cl$_2$ with photon energies in the range 10-23 eV. The fragment ion branching ratios have been compared with those of the flow tube study to determine the importance of long-range charge transfer. A strong influence of the isomeric structure of dichloroethene on the products of ion-molecule reactions has been observed for H$_3$O$^+$, CF$_3^+$, and CF$^+$. For 1,1-C$_2$H$_2$Cl$_2$ the reaction with H$_3$O$^+$ proceeds at the collisional rate with the only ionic product being 1,1-C$_2$H$_2$Cl$_2$H$^+$. However, the same reaction yields two more ionic products in the case of cis-1,2- and trans-1,2-C$_2$H$_2$Cl$_2$, but only proceeds with 14 % and 18 % efficiency, respectively. The CF$_3^+$ reaction proceeds with 56-80 % efficiency, the only ionic product for 1,1-C$_2$H$_2$Cl$_2$ being C$_2$H$_2$Cl$^+$ formed via Cl- abstraction, whereas the only ionic product for both 1,2-isomers is CHCl$_2^+$ corresponding to a breaking of the C=C double bond. Less profound isomeric effects, but still resulting in different products for 1,1- and 1,2-C$_2$H$_2$Cl$_2$ isomers, have been found in the reactions of SF$^+$, CO$_2^+$, CO$^+$, N$_2^+$, and Ar$^+$. Although these five ions have recombination energies above the ionization energy of any of the C$_2$H$_2$Cl$_2$ isomers and hence the threshold for long-range charge transfer, the results suggest that the formation of a collision complex at short range between these ions and C$_2$H$_2$Cl$_2$ is responsible for the observed effects

Application of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy in screening of fresh cassava (Manihot esculenta crantz) storage roots for provitamin A carotenoids

A developed Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy (NIRS) calibration equation was used for determining provitamin A carotenoids contents of different trials of fresh yellow root cassava genotypes using a total of 50 cassava genotypes scanned twice by NIRS from 400 nm to 2498 nm. The NIRS calibration equations were used to predict the β-cryptoxanthin, 13-cis β-carotene, trans β-carotene, 9-cis β -carotene, total β-carotene and total carotenoid concentrations of the samples. The predicted values for total carotenoids (TC-pred) ranged from 3.93 μg g–1 to 10.51 μg g–1 with mean of 7.07 ± 2.55 μg g–1 for International Collaborative Trials (ICT), 7.97–11.03 μg g–1 fresh weight with mean of 9.40 ± 0.76 μg g–1 for yellow root trial 8 (Multi-location Uniform Yield Trial) and 6.38–10.44 μg g–1 with mean of 8.74 ± 1.07 μg g–1 for yellow root trial 9 (Multilocation Advanced Yield Trial). Total carotenoids results using reference spectrophotometric method (TC-spec) ranged from 2.57 μg g–1 to 9.97 μg g–1 with mean of 5.66 ± 2.99 μg g–1 for ICT, 6.55–8.74 μg g–1 with mean of 7.74 ± 0.64 μg g–1 for yellow root trial 8 and 4.22–11.00 μg g–1 with mean of 7.57 ± 1.54 μg g–1 for yellow root trail 9. There is significant (P ≤ 0.001) positive correlation (r = 0.55) between TC-pred by NIRS and TC-spec. Also, significant (P ≤ 0.001) positive correlation (r = 0.52) exist between trans β-carotene predicted by NIRS and high-performance liquid chromatography reference. The developed NIRS calibration equations could be used to predict total carotenoids and trans β-carotene content of yellow root cassava and serve as rapid and cost-effective screening method for large cassava sample sets

Genetic variability, stability and heritability for quality and yield characteristics in provitamin A cassava varieties

Open Access Article; Published online: 25 Jan 2020Cassava is widely consumed in many areas of Africa, including Ghana, and is a major part of most household diets. These areas are characterized by rampant malnutrition, because the tuberous roots are low in nutritional value. Provitamin A biofortified cassava varieties have been developed by the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, but adoption of these varieties in Ghana will largely depend on their agronomic performance, including fresh root yield, dry matter content, resistance to major pests and diseases, mealiness, starch content and the stability of these traits. Eight provitamin A varieties with two white checks were planted in three environments for two seasons to determine stability and variability among the varieties for important traits. There were significant variations in performance between varieties and between environments for cassava mosaic disease, root number, fresh root yield and starch content. High broad-sense heritability and genetic advance were observed in all traits, except for storage root number, and could be exploited through improvement programs. This study identified the best performing enhanced provitamin A varieties for traits that are key drivers of variety adoption in Ghana. In view of this, some varieties can be recommended for varietal release after on-farm testing. The study also showed the possibility of tapping heterosis after careful selection of parents

Threshold photoelectron photoion coincidence spectroscopy and selected ion flow tube reactions of CHF3: comparison of product branching ratios

The threshold photoelectron and threshold photoelectron photoion coincidence spectra of CHF$_3$ in the range 13.5 – 24.5 eV have been recorded. Ion yields and branching ratios have been determined for the three fragments CF$_3^+$, CHF2$^+$ and CF$^+$. The mean kinetic energy releases into fragment ions involving either C-H or C-F bond cleavage have been measured, and compared with statistical and impulsive models. CHF$_3^+$ behaves in a non-statistical manner characteristic of the small-molecule limit, with the ground electronic state and low-lying excited states of CHF$_3^+$ being largely repulsive along the C-H and C-F coordinates, respectively. The rate coefficients and product ion branching ratios have been measured at 298 K in a selected ion flow tube for the reactions of CHF$_3$ with a large number of gas-phase cations whose recombination energies span the range 6.3 through 21.6 eV. A comparison between the branching ratios from the two experiments, together with an analysis of the threshold photoelectron spectrum of CHF$_3$, shows that long-range charge transfer probably occurs for the Ar$^+$ and F$^+$ atomic ions whose recombination energies lie above ca. 15 eV. Below this energy, the mechanism involves a combination of short-range charge transfer and chemical reactions involving a transition state intermediate

Life cycle assessment of integrated waste management systems for alternative legacy scenarios of the London Olympic Park.

This paper presents the results of the life cycle assessment (LCA) of 10 integrated waste management systems (IWMSs) for 3 potential post-event site design scenarios of the London Olympic Park. The aim of the LCA study is to evaluate direct and indirect emissions resulting from various treatment options of municipal solid waste (MSW) annually generated on site together with avoided emissions resulting from energy, materials and nutrients recovery. IWMSs are modelled using GaBi v6.0 Product Sustainability software and results are presented based on the CML (v.Nov-10) characterisation method. The results show that IWMSs with advanced thermal treatment (ATT) and incineration with energy recovery have the lowest Global Warming Potential (GWP) than IWMSs where landfill is the primary waste treatment process. This is due to higher direct emissions and lower avoided emissions from the landfill process compared to the emissions from the thermal treatment processes. LCA results demonstrate that significant environmental savings are achieved through substitution of virgin materials with recycled ones. The results of the sensitivity analysis carried out for IWMS 1 shows that increasing recycling rate by 5%, 10% and 15% compared to the baseline scenario can reduce GWP by 8%, 17% and 25% respectively. Sensitivity analysis also shows how changes in waste composition affect the overall result of the system. The outcomes of such assessments provide decision-makers with fundamental information regarding the environmental impacts of different waste treatment options necessary for sustainable waste management planning

Defining a quantitative framework for evaluation and optimisation of the environmental impacts of mega-event projects

This paper presents a novel quantitative methodology for the evaluation and optimisation of the environmental impacts of the whole life cycle of a mega-event project: construction and staging the event and post-event site redevelopment and operation. Within the proposed framework, a mathematical model has been developed that takes into account greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from use of transportation fuel, energy, water and construction materials used at all stages of the mega-event project. The model is applied to a case study - the London Olympic Park. Three potential post-event site design scenarios of the Park have been developed: Business as Usual (BAU), Commercial World (CW) and High Rise High Density (HRHD). A quantitative summary of results demonstrates that the highest GHG emissions associated with the actual event are almost negligible compared to those associated with the legacy phase. The highest share of emissions in the legacy phase is attributed to embodied emissions from construction materials (almost 50% for the BAU and HRHD scenarios) and emissions resulting from the transportation of residents, visitors and employees to/from the site (almost 60% for the CW scenario). The BAU scenario is the one with the lowest GHG emissions compared to the other scenarios. The results also demonstrate how post-event site design scenarios can be optimised to minimise the GHG emissions. The overall outcomes illustrate how the proposed framework can be used to support decision making process for mega-event projects planning

Expressiveness And Robustness of First-Price Position Auctions

Since economic mechanisms are often applied to very different instances of the same problem, it is desirable to identify mechanisms that work well in a wide range of circumstances. We pursue this goal for a position auction setting and specifically seek mechanisms that guarantee good outcomes under both complete and incomplete information. A variant of the generalized first-price mechanism with multi-dimensional bids turns out to be the only standard mechanism able to achieve this goal, even when types are one-dimensional. The fact that expressiveness beyond the type space is both necessary and sufficient for this kind of robustness provides an interesting counterpoint to previous work on position auctions that has highlighted the benefits of simplicity. From a technical perspective our results are interesting because they establish equilibrium existence for a multi-dimensional bid space, where standard techniques break down. The structure of the equilibrium bids moreover provides an intuitive explanation for why first-price payments may be able to support equilibria in a wider range of circumstances than second-price payments.Engineering and Applied Science

Real-time observation of fluid flows in tissue during stress relaxation using Raman spectroscopy

This paper outlines a technique to measure fluid levels in articular cartilage tissue during an unconfined stress relaxation test. A time series of Raman spectrum were recorded during relaxation and the changes in the specific Raman spectral bands assigned to water and protein were monitored to determine the fluid content of the tissue. After 1000 s unconfined compression the fluid content of the tissue is reduced by an average of 3.9% ± 1.7%. The reduction in fluid content during compression varies between samples but does not significantly increase with increasing strain. Further development of this technique will allow mapping of fluid distribution and flows during dynamic testing making it a powerful tool to understand the role of interstitial fluid in the functional performance of cartilage