Carbon fiber masculinity: Disability and surfaces of homosociality

In this paper I am concerned with instances in which carbon fiber extends performances of masculinity that are attached to particular kinds of hegemonic male bodies. In examining carbon fiber as a prosthetic form of masculinity, I advance three main arguments. Firstly, carbon fiber can be a site of the supersession of disability that is affected through masculinized technology. Disability can be ‘overcome’ through carbon fiber. Disability is often culturally coded as feminine (Pedersen, 2001; Meeuf, 2009; Garland-Thompson 1997). Building on this cultural construction of disability as feminine, in and as a technology of masculine homosociality (Sedgwick, 1985), carbon fiber reproduced disability as feminine when carbon fiber prosthetic lower legs allowed Oscar Pistorius to compete in the non-disabled Olympic games. Secondly, I argue that carbon fiber can be a homosocial surface; that is, carbon fiber becomes both a surface extension of the self and a third party mediator in homosocial relationships, a surface that facilitates intimacy between men in ways that devalue femininity in both male and female bodies. I examine surfaces as material extensions of subjectivity, and carbon fiber surfaces as vectors of the cultural economies of masculine competition to which I refer. Thirdly, the case of Oscar Pistorius is exemplary of the masculinization of carbon fire, and the associated binding of a psychic attitude of misogyny and power to a form of violent and competitive masculine subjectivity. In this article I explore the affects, economies and surfaces of what I call ‘carbon fiber masculinity’ and discusses Pistorius’ use of carbon fiber, homosociality and misogyny as forms of protest masculinity through which he unconsciously attempted to recuperate his gendered identity from emasculating discourses of disability

Waveguiding and crystallographic properties of single crystal Ti:sapphire layers produced by pulsed laser deposition

Layers of Ti:Sapphire were deposited over a range 1300K-1700K, with thicknesses between 1-82 microns on sapphire substrates. These were crystalline over the entire range. Waveguiding was observed without any additional co-dopants

Effect of variations of target location upon the peripheral responses of on-center retinal ganglion cells in the cat

Annuli of constant area but differing in distance from the receptive field center, were used to study the characteristics of the receptive field periphery of single on-center retinal ganglion cells. Two types of on-center cells were encountered. One type gave responses that reflected characteristics of both the receptive center response mechanism and the receptive field surround response mechanism. An on-off response was observed for annuli anywhere in the receptive field periphery. The strength of all components of the on-off response decreased towards the outer edge receptive field. A second group of cells gave an on-off response for targets near the receptive field center but this mixed response changed to an off response as the annulus was moved to a greater distance from the receptive field center. The off response decreased in strength as the outer edge of the receptive field was approached. The shape of the off response did not vary (within defined limits) with changes in either intensity or annulus distance. Pourétudier les caractéristiques de la périphérie des champs récepteurs de ganglionnaire rétiniennes isoléesàcentre on, on emploie des anneaux d'aire constante,àdes distances différentes du centre du champ récepteur. On trouve deux types de cellulesàcentre on. Le premier type donne des réponses qui réflètent les caractèresàla fois du mécanisme de réponseàcentre récepteur et du mécanisme de réponseàenvironnement récepteur. On observe une réponse on-off puor les anneauxàtoute position dans la périphérie du champ récepteur. L'amplitude de toutes les composantes dans la réponse on-off décroît vers le bord externe du champ récepteur. Un second groupe de cellules donne une réponse on-off pour de cibles près du centre du champ récepteur, mais cette réponse mixte se change en réponse off quand l'anneau s'écarteàplus grande distance du centre du champ récepteur. La réponse off décroît en amplitude quand on approche du bord externe du champ récepteur. La forme de la réponse off ne varie pas (entre certaines limites) quand on modifie soit l'intensitésoit la distance de l'anneau. Es wurden Ringe mit konstanter Fläche aber mit verschiedener Entfernung vom Zentrum des rezeptiven Feldes dazu benutzt, die Eigenschaften der Peripherie des rezeptiven Feldes einzelner retinaler Ganglienzellen mit On-Zentrum-Mechanismus zu untersuchen. Dabei wurden zwei Typen derartiger Zellen angetroffen. Ein Typ lieferte Antworten, die sowohl die Eigenschaften des Zentrums-Mechanismus als auch die des Umgebungs-Mechanismus des rezeptiven Feldes widerspiegelten. Eine On-Off-Antwort wurde für Ringeüberall in der Peripherie des rezeptiven Feldes beobachtet. In Richtung auf den Aussenrand des rezeptiven Feldes nahm die Stärke aller Komponenten der On-Off-Antwort ab. Eine zweite Gruppe von Zellen gab eine On-Off-Antwort für Testreize in der Nähe des Zentrums des rezeptiven Feldes; diese gemischte Antwortänderte sich jedoch in eine Off-Antwort, wenn der dargebotene Ring vom Zentrum des rezeptiven Feldes wegbewegt wurde. Die Stärke der Off-Antwort nahm ab, wenn man sich demäusseren Rand des rezeptiven Feldes näherte. Die Gestalt der Off-Antwortänderte sich (innerhalb definierter Grenzen) nicht, wenn Intensität oder Ringentfernung verändert wurden. Кoльцa, oдинaкoвыe пo плoщaди, нo pacпoлaгaющиecя нa paзлихнoм paccтoяиии oт цeнтpa peцeптивиoгo пoля, были иcпoльзoвaиы для изyхeния cвoйcтв пepифepии peцeптивиoгo пoля eдинихнyх гaнглиoзных. клeтoк ceтхaтки c “on”—цeнтpoм. Были oбнapyзeны двa типa клeтoк c “on”—цeитpoм. Oдин тип дaвaл oтвeты, кoтopыe oтpaзaли ocoбeнн ocти мeхaнизмoв peaкций кaк цeнтpa, тaк и пepнфepии peцeптивнoгo пoля. “On-of” oтвeты иaблюдaлиcь пpи любoм пoлoзeнии кoльцa нa пepифepии peцeптивнoгo пoля. Bыpaзeннocть вceх кoмпoнeнтoв “on-off” peaкции yмeньшaлacь к нapyзнoмy кpaю peцeптивнoгo пoля. Bтopaя гpyппa клeтoк дaвaлa “on-off” peaкцию для тecтoвых oбъeктoв, pacпoлoзeнных близкo к цeнтpy peцeптивнoгo пoля, нo этa cмeшaннaя peaкция измeнялacь в “off” peaкцию, кoгдa кoльцo былo cмeщeнo нa бoльщyю диcтaнцию oт цeнтpa peцeптивнoгo пoля. “off”-peaкции yмeньшaлacь кoгдa нapyзный кpaй peцeптивнoгo пoля пpиблизaлcя. Фopмa “off”-peaкцни нe измeнялacь (в oпpeдeлeнных пpeдeлaх) пpи измeнeи и либo иитeнcивнocти, либo paccтoяния дoкoльцa

Spatial summation in the receptive field periphery of two types of on-center neurons in cat retina

Peripheral annuli with the same inside diameters but variable outside diameters were used to study the peripheral summing properties of Group I and Group II cells ( Winters, Hickey and Pollack, 1973). The results showed that Group I and Group II cells could be differentiated on the basis of their responses to changes in the size of peripheral annuli. Group I cells showed spatial summation of both the on-excitation and the off-excitation of on-off responses elicted by peripheral annuli. This finding was not found to be dependent upon the location of the target in the receptive field periphery. The effect of target size on the response of Group II cells was found to be dependent upon the location of the target in the receptive field periphery. If the inside portion of the annulus was near the receptive field center, in the on-off zone, then small increases in target size produced an increase in the strength of the onexcitation whereas large changes in target size lead to a decrease in the strength of the onexcitation. Off-excitation showed spatial summation across the entire receptive field periphery. It was possible to demonstrate linear spatial summation in the receptive field periphery of Group II cells but not Group I cells. Avec des anneaux périphériques de mémes diamètres internes et de diamètres externes variables, onétude les propriétés de sommation périphérique des cellules des groupes I et II ( Winters, Hickey et Pollack, 1973). On peut différentier ces groupes par leurs réponses aux changements de taille des anneaux périphériques. Le groupe I montre une sommation spatialeàla fois pour l'excitation on et l'excitation off des réponses on-off produites par les anneaux périphériques. Ce résultat ne dépend pas de la position de la cibteàla périphérie du champ récepteur. Au contraire l'effet de la taille de la cible sur la réponse des cellules du groupe II dépend de la position de la cible dans la périphérie du champ récepteur. Si la partie interne de l'anneau est près du centre du champ récepteur, dans la zone on-off, une petite augmentation de dimension de la cible augmente l'amplitude de l'excitation on, tandis qu'une grande variation de taille de la cible fait décroître l'amplitude de l'excitation on. L'excitation off montre une sommation spatiale dans toute la périphérie du champ récepteur. On peut démontrer la linéaritéde la sommation spatíale dans la périphérie du champ récepteur pour les cellules du groupe II, mais pas pour celles du groupe I. Periphere Ringe mit gleichem Innendurchmesser aber verschiedenen Aussendurchmessern wurden dazu benutzt, die peripheren Summationseigenschaften von Zellen der Gruppe I und Gruppe II zu untersuchen, (vgl. Winters, Hickey und Pollack, 1972). Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass die Zellen der Gruppe I und der Gruppe II aufgrund ihrer Antworten aufÄnderungen in der Grösse peripherer Ringe differenziert werden konnten. Die Zellen der Gruppe I zeigten eine räumliche Summation sowohl der On-Erregung als auch der Off-Erregung bei von peripheren Ringen hervorgerufenen On-Off-Antworten. Eine Abhängigkeit vom Ort des Testreizes in der Peripherie des rezeptiven Feldes wurde nicht gefunden. Dagegen wurde eine Abhängigkeit des Effektes der Testzeichengrösse auf die Antwort von Zellen der Gruppe II vom Ort des Testreizes in der Peripherie des rezeptiven Feldes gefunden. Befand sich die Ringinnenfläche in der Nähe des Zentrums des rezeptiven Feldes d.h. in der On-Off-Zone, so verursachten kleine Vergrösserungen der Testzeichengrösse einen Anstieg in der Stärke der On-Erregung, während grosse Veränderungen in der Testzeichengrösse zu einem Abfall in der Stärke der On-Erregung führten. Die Off-Erregung zeigte eine räumliche Summationüber die gesamte Peripherie des rezeptiven Feldes. Es war möglich, eine lineare räumliche Summation in der Peripherie des rezeptiven Feldes von Zellen der Gruppe II, aber nicht von solchen der Gruppe I zu demonstrieren. Кoльцa, pacпoлaгaeмыe нa пepнфepии peцeптнвнoгo пoля, имeвшиe oдинaкoвыe внyтpeнниe диaмeтpы, нo пepeмeнныe внeщниe диaмeтpы, были иcпoльзoвaны для изyхeния ocoбeннocтeй пpocтpaнcтвeннoй cyммaцни I и пoй гpyпц клeтoк Winters, Hickey and Pollack, 1972). Peзyльтaты пoкaзывaют, хтo клтeтки I и II гpyпп мoгyт paзлихaтьcя нa ocнoвaнии их peaкций пpи измeнeнии вeлихины кoльцa. Пepвaя гpyппa клeтoк oбнapyзивaлa пpocтpaнcтвeннyю cyммaцию кaк “on” — вoзбyздeния, тaк и “off” — вoзбyздeния “on-off” peaкций, вызывaeмых кoньцoм нa пepифepии peцeптнвнoгo пoля. Этo нe зaвиcилo oт pacпoлoзeния oбьeктa нa пepифepии peцeптивнoгo пoля. Bлияниe вeлнхины oбьeктa нa peaкцию клeтoк втopoй гpyппы зaвиcилo oт пoлoзeния oбъeктa нa пepифepии peцeптивнoгo пoля. Ecли внyтpeнняя хacть кoляцa былa блнзкo к цeнтpy peцeптнвнoгo пoля, в “on-off” зoнe, тo нeбoльщoe yвeлихeниe вeлихины oбъeктa ьызывaлo yвeлихeниecнлы “on” — вoзбyздeния”, тoгдa кaк бoльшиe измeнeния вeлихины oбъeктaвeлик yмeньшeнию cилы “on” — вoзбyздeния. “Off” — вoзбyздeниe oбнapyзивaлo пpocтpaнcтвeннyю cyммaцию в пpeдeлaх вceй пepифepии peцeптивнoгo пoля. Былo вoзмoзнo oбнapyзить линeйнyю пpocтpaнcтвeннyю cyмaцию нa цepнфepии peцeптивнoгo пoля для клeтoк IIoй гpyппы, нo нe для клeтoк Ioй гpyппы

Growth of sapphire thin films by pulsed laser deposition

Formation of sapphire thin films, and most particularly sapphire waveguides, is of great importance in the context of optical and opto-electronic devices. Sapphire is the hardest of all oxide crystals, and has a range of physical properties such as thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity and resistance to chemical attack, that make it a superb choice for environments where extended UV transmission, reliability and strength are required.In the optics arena, titanium-doped sapphire has had a radical impact on the field of tunable lasers. Ti:Al2O3 - is an optically pumpable crystal, producing a laser capable of operating between 650 nm and 1100 nm. Typical dopant levels for Ti3+ ions are at the ~0.1% level in commercial samples of Ti:Al2O3, which yields an absorption coefficient of lambda = 2.0 cm-1 at 514.5 nm, a suitable wavelength region for optically pumping into the peak of the absorption band at 490 nm.To date, the fabrication of sapphire waveguides has had mixed success. Ion-beam implantation studies have been carried out using He ions, but the formation of the index barriers required for guidance has necessitated doses exceeding 1017 ions/cm2, which causes surface damage, fracture, and formation of new compounds within the layer. Chemically active ions such as carbon have also been implanted, but the resultant waveguide losses are still high.An alternative route involving RF sputtering has produced amorphous films, but these are not of the same refractive index as crystalline sapphire, and were susceptible to chemical attack. Further work is in progress on in-diffusion of titanium into sapphire to make waveguiding layers. In this work, we describe our first attempts to grow crystalline films of a - Al2O3, sapphire, via PLD

Early surgery and neurodevelopmental outcomes of children born extremely preterm

To (1) compare the neurodevelopmental outcomes at 8 years of age of children born extremely preterm (EP) who underwent surgical procedures during the course of their initial hospital admission with those who did not and (2) compare the outcomes across eras, from 1991 to 2005.Prospective observational cohort studies conducted over three different eras (1991-1992, 1997 and 2005). Surviving EP children, who required surgical intervention during the primary hospitalisation, were assessed for general intelligence (IQ) and neurosensory status at 8 years of age. Major neurosensory disability comprised any of moderate/severe cerebral palsy, IQ less than -2 SD relative to term controls, blindness or deafness.Overall, 29% (161/546) of survivors had surgery during the newborn period, with similar rates in each era. Follow-up rates at 8 years were high (91%; 499/546), and 17% (86/499) of survivors assessed had a major neurosensory disability. Rates of major neurosensory disability were substantially higher in the surgical group (33%; 52/158) compared with those who did not have surgery (10%; 34/341) (OR 4.28, 95% CI 2.61 to 7.03). Rates of disability in the surgical group did not improve over time. After adjustment for relevant confounders, no specific surgical procedure was associated with increased risk of disability.Major neurosensory disability at 8 years was higher in children born EP who underwent surgery during their initial hospital admission compared with those who did not. The rates of major neurosensory disability in the surgical cohort are not improving over time.Rodney W Hunt, Leah M Hickey, Alice C Burnett, Peter J Anderson, Jeanie Ling Yoong Cheong, Lex W Doyl

A Ti:sapphire planar waveguide laser grown by pulsed laser deposition

This paper documents the lasing performance of a waveguiding layer of Ti:sapphire, of ~12µm thickness, grown by pulsed laser deposition from a 0.12 wt % Ti2O3 Ti:sapphire single crystal target onto an undoped z-cut sapphire substrate. Lasing around 800nm is observed, when the waveguide layer is pumped by an argon ion laser, running on all blue green lines, with an absorbed power threshold of 0.56W using high reflectivity (R>98%) mirrors. Using a 5% pump duty cycle and a T = 35% output coupler, a slope efficiency of 26% with respect to absorbed power is obtained, giving quasi-CW output powers in excess of 350mW