Scientific and religious aspects of the poetry of Beroalde De Verville

The thesis takes as its subject three long poems by Beroalde de Verville (1556-1629) - Les Cognoissances Necessaires (l 583), De L'Ame et de ses facultes (1563), and De I'Ame et de ses excellences (l593). On the evidence of these three texts, but with reference also to Béroalde's other writings, it shows that the scientific and the religious are allied themes which play a central part in Béroalde's work. Les Cognoissances Necessaires is situated in the tradition represented by the Microcosme of Scéve and the Sepmaine of Du Bartas. At the same time its individuality is demonstrated. Order is its constant theme, and order is itself associated with function and mechanism. We suggest that throughout the poem Béroalde prefers the analytic to the pictorial, and that this is in keeping with an initial emphasis on active enquiry. But enquiry is kept within the framework of a universe superintended by God, in a way that suggests a Calvinist ethic. We go on to show that in De L'Ame et de ses facultes the emphasis remains firmly on function. Béroalde uses the model of medieval and Renaissance treatises on soul, but in order to explain the operation of the cosmos seen as a totality. The accent of the poem is more properly scientific, and in it the alchemical, the medical and the psychological each play their part. In De L'Ame et de ses excellences the accent shifts to the ethical. We argue for a connection with a current of neo-stoic writing. But a central concern for the place of enquiry remains. Béroalde makes knowledge the basis of a code of conduct, and stresses that it is positive and practical value. The thesis ends by arguing that Béroalde's reputation is unjustly limited to that of the author of Le Moyen de Parvenir alone, and that he should be given credit as properly scientific writer

The modular synthesis of rare earth-transition metal heterobimetallic complexes utilizing a redox-active ligand

We report a robust and modular synthetic route to heterometallic rare earth-transition metal complexes. We have used the redox-active bridging ligand 1,10-phenathroline-5,6-dione (pd), which has selective N,N′ or O,O′ binding sites as the template for this synthetic route. The coordination complexes [Ln(hfac)3(N,N’-pd)] (Ln = Y [1], Gd [2]; hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetonate) were synthesised in high yield. These complexes have been fully characterised using a range of spectroscopic techniques. Solid state molecular structures of 1 and 2 have been determined by X-ray crystallography and display different pd binding modes in coordinating and non-coordinating solvents. Complexes 1 and 2 are unusually highly coloured in coordinating solvents, for example the vis-NIR spectrum of 1 in acetonitrile displays an electronic transition centred at 587 nm with an extinction coefficient consistent with significant charge transfer. The reaction between 1 and 2 and VCp2 or VCpt2 (Cpt = tetramethylcyclopentadienyl) resulted in the isolation of the heterobimetallic complexes, [Ln(hfac)3(N,N′-O,O′-pd)VCp2] (Ln = Y [3], Gd [4]) or [Ln(hfac)3(N,N′-O,O′-pd)VCpt2] (Ln = Y [5], Gd [6]). The solid state molecular structures of 3, 5 and 6 have been determined by X-ray crystallography. The spectroscopic data on 3–6 are consistent with oxidation of V(II) to V(IV) and reduction of pd to pd2− in the heterobimetallic complexes. The spin-Hamiltonian parameters from low temperature X-band EPR spectroscopy of 3 and 5 describe a 2A1 ground state, with a V(IV) centre. DFT calculations on 3 are in good agreement with experimental data and confirm the SOMO as the dx2−y2 orbital localised on vanadium

A Morphometric Assessment of the Intended Function of Cached Clovis Points

A number of functions have been proposed for cached Clovis points. The least complicated hypothesis is that they were intended to arm hunting weapons. It has also been argued that they were produced for use in rituals or in connection with costly signaling displays. Lastly, it has been suggested that some cached Clovis points may have been used as saws. Here we report a study in which we morphometrically compared Clovis points from caches with Clovis points recovered from kill and camp sites to test two predictions of the hypothesis that cached Clovis points were intended to arm hunting weapons: 1) cached points should be the same shape as, but generally larger than, points from kill/camp sites, and 2) cached points and points from kill/camp sites should follow the same allometric trajectory. The results of the analyses are consistent with both predictions and therefore support the hypothesis. A follow-up review of the fit between the results of the analyses and the predictions of the other hypotheses indicates that the analyses support only the hunting equipment hypothesis. We conclude from this that cached Clovis points were likely produced with the intention of using them to arm hunting weapons

Loddon Mallee healthcare worker COVID-19 study:Protocol for a prospective cohort study examining the health and well-being of rural Australian healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic is creating immense psychosocial disturbance. While global, broad-based research is being conducted, little is known about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and well-being or how protective and resilience factors influence the human response in Australian rural and regional communities. Rural and regional communities often have less resources to deal with such public health emergencies and face additional environmental adversity. Healthcare workers, including those in rural and regional areas, have felt the immediate impacts of COVID-19 in a multitude of ways and these impacts will continue for years to come. Therefore, this study aims to describe and understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the rural and regional healthcare workforce within the Loddon Mallee region, Victoria, Australia.Methods and analysis This prospective cohort of rural and regional healthcare workers will be recruited and followed over 3 years to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their health and well-being. Self-administered online questionnaires will be administered every 6 months for a 36-month period. Multiple outcomes will be assessed; however, the primary outcomes are emotional health and well-being and psychological resilience. Emotional health and well-being will be measured using validated instruments that will assess multiple domains of the emotional health and well-being continuum.Linear and logistic regression and latent growth curve modelling will be used to examine the association between baseline and follow-up participant emotional health, well-being and resilience while adjusting for potentially time-varying confounding variables. Participant characteristics measured at baseline will also be tested for association with incident health, morbidity, mortality and health service utilisation outcomes at follow-up.Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been obtained through the Bendigo Health Human Research Ethics Committee. The study findings will be disseminated through international conferences, international peer-reviewed journals and social media.Trial registration number ACTRN12620001269921