Victor or victim? Foregrounding the independent escort experience outside of the polarised debate

The sex worker as a sociocultural ‘phenomenon’ occupies a liminal space, simultaneously absent from sociopolitical acceptability yet ever present in often inflammatory, ‘condemn/celebrate’ discourses. In this paper we aim to contribute to a destabilising of the dichotomisation of these representations by referring to the lived experience of independent escorts. In addition we attempt to contextualize the sex worker in consumer capitalism through which notions of choice and exploitation, that arise from both sides of the ‘condemn’/’celebrate’ debate, are rendered oblique. We draw upon the author’s own experience of being an escort as well as accounts from a popular escort internet forum1 to illustrate the issues escorts share with women as a wider social demographic, including violence and abuse, appearance pressures, and economic hardship. By situating escorting as a form of self-employment labour, within the practical reality of neoliberal, consumer capitalism, we aid in the nuancing of the debate, foregrounding the escort experience over prior, moral ideologies. We also promote the merging of the academic debate surrounding the sex work industry, with the grassroots debate that forum member escorts have on a daily basis. We conclude it is important to demystify and destigmatise escorts so they are not regarded as 'victims or victors' or other grotesque parodies, but a real, diverse people and members of a labour force

Suppression of carrier induced ferromagnetism by composition and spin fluctuations in diluted magnetic semiconductors

We suggest an approach to account for spatial (composition) and thermal fluctuations in "disordered" magnetic models (e.g. Heisenberg, Ising) with given spatial dependence of magnetic spin-spin interaction. Our approach is based on introduction of fluctuating molecular field (rather than mean field) acting between the spins. The distribution function of the above field is derived self-consistently. In general case this function is not Gaussian, latter asymptotics occurs only at sufficiently large spins (magnetic ions) concentrations $n_i$. Our approach permits to derive the equation for a critical temperature $T_c$ of ferromagnetic phase transition with respect to the above fluctuations. We apply our theory to the analysis of influence of composition fluctuations on $T_c$ in diluted magnetic semiconductors (DMS) with RKKY indirect spin-spin interaction.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure

Evolution of Atomic Motion in an Intense Standing Wave

We have investigated the effect of the dipole force and its fluctuation on the motion of Li atoms in an intense, one-dimensional, near-resonant standing light wave. The duration of the interaction of the atoms with the standing wave was varied from several tens of spontaneous-emission lifetimes to several hundreds. For a standing-wave frequency blue detuned from resonance, diffusive heating can dominate the time-averaged dissipative dipole force so that there is no steady-state momentum distribution. However, for sufficiently large blue detunings, the rate of diffusion is so slow that the resulting distribution approaches a quasisteady state. For red detunings, the diffusion is balanced with the force and a true steady state is achieved. We apply a Monte Carlo method based on the density-matrix equations in the dressed-state representation to simulate the atomic motion. The dynamics of atom channeling is discussed

Evolution of Atomic Motion in an Intense Standing Wave

We have investigated the effect of the dipole force and its fluctuation on the motion of Li atoms in an intense, one-dimensional, near-resonant standing light wave. The duration of the interaction of the atoms with the standing wave was varied from several tens of spontaneous-emission lifetimes to several hundreds. For a standing-wave frequency blue detuned from resonance, diffusive heating can dominate the time-averaged dissipative dipole force so that there is no steady-state momentum distribution. However, for sufficiently large blue detunings, the rate of diffusion is so slow that the resulting distribution approaches a quasisteady state. For red detunings, the diffusion is balanced with the force and a true steady state is achieved. We apply a Monte Carlo method based on the density-matrix equations in the dressed-state representation to simulate the atomic motion. The dynamics of atom channeling is discussed

Spectroscopy of the 6p\u3csub\u3e3/2\u3c/sub\u3enp States of Barium

The 6p3/2np states of barium have been observed for n values between 14 and 21. The energies, linewidths, and transition strengths have been measured and characterized in terms of one- and two-electron interactions, using a single-configuration approximation

The Effect of Diethylstilbestrol on the Digestibility of Dry Matter and Nitrogen and on Nitrogen Retention in Lambs

Although the usefulness of orally administered diethylstilbestrol (stilbestrol) in increasing weight gains and feed efficiency of fattening cattle has been established, little is known concerning the mechanism by which it exerts its beneficial effect. Two possible modes of action may exist. First, the stilbestrol may have some effect on the rumen microorganisms which might cause an increased digestion of feed in the rumen. Brooks et al. (1954) have shown that stilbestrol increased the digestibility of cellulose in the artificial rumen. They also obtained increased cellulose and protein digestion in sheep when stilbestrol was fed. However the levels fed the sheep were considerably above the mg. per lamb per day reported to be effective with lambs (Hale et al. 1955). Sykes et al. (1956) reported an increase in crude fiber digestibility and a decrease in protein digestibility with lactating cows when stilbestrol was fed. Digestibility of the dry matter of the ration tended to be improved but the differences were not statistically significant. Erwin et al. (1956) reported stilbestroI had no effect on digestibility of dry matter, crude fiber, crude protein or ether extract with steers. Secondly, the orally fed stilbestrol may exert some action on the metabolism of the animal\u27s tissue which is thought to occur when the stilbestrol is implanted (Clegg and Cole, 19 54). It has been shown that implanted stilbestrol increased nitrogen retention but had no effect on ration digestibility (Jordan 1953: Whitehair et al. 1953). Bell et al. (1955) found that orally fed stilbestrol increased nitrogen retention in lambs. Presumably this action is brought about by the absorbed stilbestrol acting similar to that on the implanted stilbestrol. The objectives of this report were to study the effects of different levels of stilbestrol upon the digestibility of dry matter and crude protein and on nitrogen retention with wether lambs

Inhibition of release of vasoactive and inflammatory mediators in airway and vascular tissues and macrophages by a Chinese herbal medicine formula for allergic rhinitis

Herbal therapies are being used increasingly for the treatment of allergic rhinitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible pharmacological actions and cellular targets of a Chinese herbal formula (RCM-101), which was previously shown to be effective in reducing seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms in a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Rat and guinea pig isolated tissues (trachea and aorta) were used to study the effects of RCM-101 on responses to various mediators. Production of leukotriene 134 in porcine neutrophils and of prostaglandin E-2 and nitric oxide (NO) in Raw 264.7 cells were also measured. In rat and guinea pig tracheal preparations, RCM-101 inhibited contractile responses to compound 48/80 but not those to histamine (guinea pig preparations) or serotonin (rat preparations). Contractile responses of guinea pig tracheal preparations to carbachol and leukotriene C-4. and relaxant responses to substance P and prostaglandin E2 were not affected by RCM-101. In rat aortic preparations, precontracted with phenylephrine, endothelium-dependent relaxant responses to acetylcholine and endothelium-independent relaxant responses to sodium nitroprusside were not affected by RCM-101. However, RCM-101 inhibited relaxations to L-arginine in endothelium-denuded rat aortic preparations, which had been pre-incubated with lipopolysaccharide. RCM-101 did not affect leukotriene 134 formation in isolated porcine neutrophils, induced by the calcium ionophore A23187; however, it inhibited prostaglandin E-2 and NO production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine macrophages (Raw 264.7 cells). The findings indicate that RCM-101 may have multiple inhibitory actions on the release and/or synthesis of inflammatory mediators involved in allergic rhinitis

Realization of a Measurement of a Weak Value

We present the first realization of a measurement of a weak value, a concept recently introduced by Aharonov, Albert, and Vaidman (AAV). Our experiment uses a birefringent crystal to separate the two linear-polarization components of a laser beam by a distance small compared to the laser-beam waist. This weak measurement is followed by a strong measurement which translates the centroid of the beam by a distance far larger than the birefringence-induced separation. In addition, we present data corresponding to orthogonal initial and final states, for which the weak value is not defined. This interference effect may have application in the amplification and detection of weak effects

Realization of a Measurement of a Weak Value

We present the first realization of a measurement of a weak value, a concept recently introduced by Aharonov, Albert, and Vaidman (AAV). Our experiment uses a birefringent crystal to separate the two linear-polarization components of a laser beam by a distance small compared to the laser-beam waist. This weak measurement is followed by a strong measurement which translates the centroid of the beam by a distance far larger than the birefringence-induced separation. In addition, we present data corresponding to orthogonal initial and final states, for which the weak value is not defined. This interference effect may have application in the amplification and detection of weak effects