2,283 research outputs found
Red Golem: Criticism of Industrial Civilization in Soviet Culture and Misticism During the Civil War
This article describes an early Soviet version of the critique of the industrial culture, based on the works by Alexander Bogdanov and George Gurdjieff. Bogdanov’s analysis of Taylorism is explored within the context of the development of the concept of ‘proletarian culture’. Terminological apparatus of George Gurdjieff’s theory is described as a form of radical criticism of the early XXth-century culture. We also highlight the place of the ‘man-machine’ metaphor within the intellectual life of the post-revolutionary Soviet Russia.
Keywords: Taylorism, Soviet culture, 1919, А. Bogdanov, proletarian culture, G. Gurdjief
Essential spectra and exponential estimates of eigenfunctions of lattice operators of quantum mechanics
This paper is devoted to estimates of the exponential decay of eigenfunctions
of difference operators on the lattice Z^n which are discrete analogs of the
Schr\"{o}dinger, Dirac and square-root Klein-Gordon operators. Our
investigation of the essential spectra and the exponential decay of
eigenfunctions of the discrete spectra is based on the calculus of so-called
pseudodifference operators (i.e., pseudodifferential operators on the group
Z^n) with analytic symbols and on the limit operators method. We obtain a
description of the location of the essential spectra and estimates of the
eigenfunctions of the discrete spectra of the main lattice operators of quantum
mechanics, namely: matrix Schr\"{o}dinger operators on Z^n, Dirac operators on
Z^3, and square root Klein-Gordon operators on Z^n
Liberty, Equality and Not Too Much Fraternity: An Experience in Practical Application of Liberal Education Teaching Techniques
The paper explores an experience in practical application of liberal education teaching techniques. We describe the most frequently used techniques and present sample classroom assignments based on this framework. We also discuss the opportunities and limitations provided by the use of these methods in a classroom setting.
Keywords: teaching techniques, liberal education, writing and analytical reading, humanities teaching
“Galectin-1 Induces Central and Peripheral Cell Death: Implications in T-Cell Physiopathology”
The immune system has a remarkable capacity to maintain a state of equilibrium even as it
responds to a diverse array of foreign proteins and despite its contact exposure to self-antigens.
Apoptosis is one of the mechanisms aimed at preserving the homeostasis after the completion
of an immune response, thus returning the immune system to a basal state and
warranting the elimination of autoagressive cells in both central and peripheral lymphoid
organs. Targeted deletions in critical genes involved in the apoptotic death machinery
together with natural spontaneous mutations have clearly shown the importance of apoptosis
in the regulation of the immune response. This complex scenario of stimulatory and inhibitory
genes has been enriched with the finding that galectin-1, a 14.5 kDa β-galactoside-binding
protein, is able to induce apoptosis of immature cortical thymocytes and mature T cells by
cross-linking cell surface glycoconjugates. Galectin-1 is present not only in central and
peripheral lymphoid organs, but also at sites of immune privilege. In the present article we
will discuss the implications of galectin-1-induced apoptosis in T-cell physiopathology in an
attempt to validate its therapeutic potential in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
Pattern formation without heating in an evaporative convection experiment
We present an evaporation experiment in a single fluid layer. When latent
heat associated to the evaporation is large enough, the heat flow through the
free surface of the layer generates temperature gradients that can destabilize
the conductive motionless state giving rise to convective cellular structures
without any external heating. The sequence of convective patterns obtained here
without heating, is similar to that obtained in B\'enard-Marangoni convection.
This work present the sequence of spatial bifurcations as a function of the
layer depth. The transition between square to hexagonal pattern, known from
non-evaporative experiments, is obtained here with a similar change in
wavelength.Comment: Submitted to Europhysics Letter
Essential spectra of difference operators on \sZ^n-periodic graphs
Let (\cX, \rho) be a discrete metric space. We suppose that the group
\sZ^n acts freely on and that the number of orbits of with respect to
this action is finite. Then we call a \sZ^n-periodic discrete metric
space. We examine the Fredholm property and essential spectra of band-dominated
operators on where is a \sZ^n-periodic discrete metric space.
Our approach is based on the theory of band-dominated operators on \sZ^n and
their limit operators.
In case is the set of vertices of a combinatorial graph, the graph
structure defines a Schr\"{o}dinger operator on in a natural way. We
illustrate our approach by determining the essential spectra of Schr\"{o}dinger
operators with slowly oscillating potential both on zig-zag and on hexagonal
graphs, the latter being related to nano-structures
Comparison of the experimental data for the Casimir pressure with the Lifshitz theory at zero temperature
We perform detailed comparison of the experimental data of the experiment on
the determination of the Casimir pressure between two parallel Au plates with
the theoretical values computed using the Lifshitz formula at zero temperature.
Computations are done using the optical data for the complex index of
refraction of Au extrapolated to low frequencies by means of the Drude model
with both most often used and other suggested Drude parameters. It is shown
that the experimental data exclude the Lifshitz formula at zero temperature at
a 70% confidence level if the Drude model with most often used values of the
parameters is employed. If other values of the Drude parameters are used, the
Lifshitz formula at zero frequency is experimentally excluded at a 95%
confidence level. The Lifshitz formula at zero temperature combined with the
generalized plasma-like model with most often used value of the plasma
frequency is shown to be experimentally consistent. We propose a decisive
experiment which will shed additional light on the role of relaxation
properties of conduction electrons in the Casimir effect.Comment: 22 pages, 6 figures; Phys. Rev. B, to appea
Where Are You From? An Investigation into the Intersectionality of Accent Strength and Nationality Status on Perceptions of Non-native Speakers in Britain
We explore how interpersonal and intergroup perceptions are affected by a non-native speaker’s
accent strength and the status of their home country. When nationality information was absent
(Study 1), natives who heard a strong (vs. weak) accent rated the speaker as warmer but
immigrants as a group as more threatening. This result was replicated when the speaker’s
nationality was familiar (Study 2) but in this study, country status further shaped accent-based
perceptions: the strong (vs. weak) accented speaker evoked more positive interpersonal
perceptions when her country status was low, but more negative intergroup perceptions when her
country status was high. When the status of the speaker’s nationality was manipulated (Study 3),
we replicated the interpersonal perceptions found in Study 1 and the intergroup perceptions
found in Study 2. Findings support a holistic approach to investigating perceptions of non-native
speakers: one that considers nationality as well as accent strength
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