OLD AND NEW GODS IN AN AGE OF UNCERTAINTY: MIXED CONTENT TALES IN LEBOR NA HUIDRE

This thesis will demonstrate that the mixed pagan and Christian content of LU, as examined through two selected exemplar tales, provides evidence of the unique merger of politics and religion in the localized setting of late eleventh century Clonmacnoise. Further, and more specifically, we will see that the mBocht family, influenced by its 2 participation in the Céli Dé movement and seeking to protect the societal standing and holdings of themselves and their monastery, used portions of these tales to send subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, messages to the Irish Church, to chieftains and kings across Ireland, and specifically to the nobles of Munster

Just War Theory and Explosive Remnants of War

For centuries, philosophers and political theorists have pondered the ethical considerations of waging war. Just War theory, expounded upon by contemporary thinkers, addresses three ethical components of war-making: the conditions for going to war, acceptable violence during combat, and the eventual resolution and remediation of conflict. These issues and their overlap with humanitarian demining and small arms/light weapons control are examined below

3D laser scanning technology : calculating the area of origin for bloodstains using FARO Zone 3D.

Bloodstain pattern analysis possesses a subjective nature in the calculation of are of origin and has inherently received criticism in the scientific community. Current software used in analyzing area of origin (AO) for medium energy spatter stains does not account for alteration during formation of the stains across different target mediums. This calls into question the validity and reliability of the methods used in evaluating bloodstain patterns. Previous literature of bloodstain pattern analysis has examined different software and compared the results of AO calculation to one another and to a known point of origin. The majority of this analysis has been conducted by Eugene Liscio in correlation with other associates in the BPA community. The methodology has usually consisted of single planar target surfaces of a homogeneous material. A few studies have used surfaces along different axes and curved surfaces for analysis, again with homogeneous material. The results of previous research has validated the software that was being tested by providing measurements of the calculated AO within an acceptable statistical variability of the known point of origin. The current thesis research consists of two parts, the first is a validation of the software for a bloodstain on a single planar surface, while the second is for a bloodstain deposited across multiple target mediums of perpendicular planes. The thesis statements for each are as follows: Validation: H0: When a medium energy impact bloodstain pattern is analyzed using Faro Zone 3D to determine area of origin, there will be no significant statistical variance of measurement along the x, y, and z axes compared to the known point of origin. Multiple Mediums: H0: When using Faro Zone 3D to analyze and determine the area of origin for a single source, medium energy impact spatter pattern, there will be no significant statistical variance of measurement along the x, y, and z axes compared to the known point of origin. The present research methodology is analysis of quantitative data with measurements and statistical analysis being compared to determine validity. Based on the results for bloodstain pattern one, it is clear that the software lacks validity when analyzing this type of single directionality bloodstain. The less than accurate results are based on the large displacement value for the x-axis. The y and z-axis displacement values are within an acceptable variance based on the 7-cm boundary explained by Dubyk and Liscio (2016), stating that measurement is about the average size of a human skull. The x-axis produced the greatest amount of variability for bloodstain pattern 1 because the area of origin could not be triangulated with analyzed stains on the opposite side of where the spatter originated from along the planar target medium. This triangulation effect is what controls the accuracy of the x-axis coordinate. The y-axis is controlled by the elliptical overlay of each individual stain for which the angle of impact is calculated with the Balthazard Formula. The z- axis is primarily sourced from the stains selected as suitable for analysis and their angle of convergence along a two-dimensional surface. While the validity of Bloodstain Pattern 1 was less than reassuring, Bloodstain Pattern 2 exemplified much more confident results of validity based on the Dubyk and Liscio defined acceptable variance. However, based on the statistical analysis of a 95% confidence interval for each of the bloodstain patterns, neither AO analysis by FARO Zone 3D met the intervals of validity for all axes. In fact, Bloodstain Pattern 1 did not have any of the axes displacement measurements for the AO sphere fall within the range produced by the confidence interval. Bloodstain Pattern 2 did produce an accurate analysis along the z-axis, but both the x and y-axis measurements were outside the acceptable confidence ranges. Therefore, the analytical research rejects the null hypothesis of validity. The findings of this research reject validity in the science of bloodstain pattern analysis by limiting the subjective nature of analysis by using software that calculates the area of origin for medium energy spatter stains. The results also show that bloodstains deposited across multiple target mediums are capable of being analyzed as a single source stain and the alteration of stain formation does not impact the AO calculation enough to be statistically significant. An additional aspect of the FARO Zone 3D software is the ability to reproduce a two-dimensional sketch that is to scale of a scene with the BPA analysis visible, as well as a digital three-dimensional representation of the scene. As instances of BPA are often used in court to assist in interpretation of the facts, visual representation is an important so full understanding during testimony can be achieved

Specialization in the vicarious learning of novel arbitrary sequences in humans but not orangutans

Sequence learning underlies many uniquely human behaviours, from complex tool use to language and ritual. To understand whether this fundamental cognitive feature is uniquely derived in humans requires a comparative approach. We propose that the vicarious (but not individual) learning of novel arbitrary sequences represents a human cognitive specialization. To test this hypothesis, we compared the abilities of human children aged 3–5 years and orangutans to learn different types of arbitrary sequences (item-based and spatial-based). Sequences could be learned individually (by trial and error) or vicariously from a human (social) demonstrator or a computer (ghost control). We found that both children and orangutans recalled both types of sequence following trial-and-error learning; older children also learned both types of sequence following social and ghost demonstrations. Orangutans' success individually learning arbitrary sequences shows that their failure to do so in some vicarious learning conditions is not owing to general representational problems. These results provide new insights into some of the most persistent discontinuities observed between humans and other great apes in terms of complex tool use, language and ritual, all of which involve the cultural learning of novel arbitrary sequences

Endothelial Glycocalyx Degradation in Critical Illness and Injury

The endothelial glycocalyx is a gel-like layer on the luminal side of blood vessels that is composed of glycosaminoglycans and the proteins that tether them to the plasma membrane. Interest in its properties and function has grown, particularly in the last decade, as its importance to endothelial barrier function has come to light. Endothelial glycocalyx studies have revealed that many critical illnesses result in its degradation or removal, contributing to endothelial dysfunction and barrier break-down. Loss of the endothelial glycocalyx facilitates the direct access of immune cells and deleterious agents (e.g., proteases and reactive oxygen species) to the endothelium, that can then further endothelial cell injury and dysfunction leading to complications such as edema, and thrombosis. Here, we briefly describe the endothelial glycocalyx and the primary components thought to be directly responsible for its degradation. We review recent literature relevant to glycocalyx damage in several critical illnesses (sepsis, COVID-19, trauma and diabetes) that share inflammation as a common denominator with actions by several common agents (hyaluronidases, proteases, reactive oxygen species, etc.). Finally, we briefly cover strategies and therapies that show promise in protecting or helping to rebuild the endothelial glycocalyx such as steroids, protease inhibitors, anticoagulants and resuscitation strategies

Endothelial Glycocalyx Degradation in Critical Illness and Injury

The endothelial glycocalyx is a gel-like layer on the luminal side of blood vessels that is composed of glycosaminoglycans and the proteins that tether them to the plasma membrane. Interest in its properties and function has grown, particularly in the last decade, as its importance to endothelial barrier function has come to light. Endothelial glycocalyx studies have revealed that many critical illnesses result in its degradation or removal, contributing to endothelial dysfunction and barrier break-down. Loss of the endothelial glycocalyx facilitates the direct access of immune cells and deleterious agents (e.g., proteases and reactive oxygen species) to the endothelium, that can then further endothelial cell injury and dysfunction leading to complications such as edema, and thrombosis. Here, we briefly describe the endothelial glycocalyx and the primary components thought to be directly responsible for its degradation. We review recent literature relevant to glycocalyx damage in several critical illnesses (sepsis, COVID-19, trauma and diabetes) that share inflammation as a common denominator with actions by several common agents (hyaluronidases, proteases, reactive oxygen species, etc.). Finally, we briefly cover strategies and therapies that show promise in protecting or helping to rebuild the endothelial glycocalyx such as steroids, protease inhibitors, anticoagulants and resuscitation strategies