Ruptured Spaces: cracking Deleuze and Guattari's lines of flight in contemporary art practice

In what ways can a relationship be drawn between contemporary art practice dealing with ruptured/destabilised space and Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari’s concept of lines of flight? This is the starting point of my thesis. Central to the question is the control of space through mapping, measurement or invention of categories (classification systems) that fulfill a vital pragmatic role of organising, locating and identifying. Postmodern cultural theorists recognise that these categories can also condition and place boundaries on the way we relate to or understand our environment, and for that reason they seek to examine and shake the foundations of Western systems of organisation. For Postmodern theorists the key to alleviating the unwanted symptoms is to identify the locus of power and overturn it. Deleuze and Guattari stand in opposition to an externally imposed system of organisation, however their approach takes into account organisation at a micro level. They developed a toolbox of concepts that could potentially be deployed to bring forth a subjectivity based on creativity rather than control.The focus of my writing is on Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of lines of flight. They propose a way of being and thinking that allows for these creative connections to emerge. These molecular connections have the potential to reconfigure habitual or molar ways of being or imagining. Deleuze and Guattari define space in terms of striated or smooth (space that is interchangeable, and in constant flow). Their spatial approach is indispensable in providing a context for my discussion of lines of flight. Deleuze and Guattari also recognise a social dimension to space that allows for connections to be made between actual (architectural) spaces and socially constructed value systems.In my practice I am interested in how a sense of destabilisation and deterritorialisation can be activated in space via installation to challenge the placement of socially conditioned or self-constructed boundaries. This thesis consists of 25,000 word thesis and 3 DVDs evidencing the creative component of my practice-led research and associated exhibitions. Both the written thesis and creative practice respond to the same question and explore the analytical and pragmatic effectiveness of the concept of lines of flight in relation to contemporary art dealing with ruptured space

Investigation of solar active regions at high resolution by balloon flights of the solar optical universal polarimeter, definition phase

The definition phase of a scientific study of active regions on the sun by balloon flight of a former Spacelab instrument, the Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter (SOUP) is described. SOUP is an optical telescope with image stabilization, tunable filter and various cameras. After the flight phase of the program was cancelled due to budgetary problems, scientific and engineering studies relevant to future balloon experiments of this type were completed. High resolution observations of the sun were obtained using SOUP components at the Swedish Solar Observatory in the Canary Islands. These were analyzed and published in studies of solar magnetic fields and active regions. In addition, testing of low-voltage piezoelectric transducers was performed, which showed they were appropriate for use in image stabilization on a balloon

SITUATION OF UNCERTAINTY: PRAGMATIC, SEMANTIC, AND SYNTACTIC ASPECTS OF INVESTIGATION

The paper focuses on uncertainty as a complex and multifaceted phenomenon which is analyzed from the pragmatic, semantic, and syntactic points of view, therefore in the semiotic domain of language.Pragmatic aspect of the investigation of uncertainty phenomenon displays the regulation of speech behaviour with the help of a tactics-situational approach to describing the communicative interactions.Semantic aspect of the research indicates uncertainty as an abstract semantic formation (conceptual structure) or, in terms of cognitive linguistics, a prototypical situation made by a definite number of semantic segments as its components.Syntactic aspect of the investigation presents means of its (uncertainty) linguistic representation – an uncertain statement which rests on a particular bulk of lingual means of expression that are perfectly adapted to its realization and affects the addressee’s behaviour with the help of hesitancy, courtesy, understatement, and unpredictability

Experimental study and kinetic modelling of chemical vapor deposition process of silicon oxide and oxynitride thin films for aqueous corrosion barriers

The deposition of silica-based materials is widely used in numerous industrial sectors, including microelectronics, food packaging, gas separation and pharmaceutics. Depending on the targetapplication, these materials are required to fulfil specific requirements in terms of mechanical properties, durability, and composition. The implementation of such coatings in pharmaceutics applications require, more specifically, good aqueous barrier and anti-diffusion properties, as well as effective corrosion resistance. The hydrolytic resistance and the durability of the coatings is directly linked to the level of densification of the ceramic network. In the case of amorphous SiO2, an improved network cross-linking, and by consequence densification, can be induced through the partial replacement of the O2- anions by N3- (or C4-) ones, producing denser amorphous silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy) or silicon oxycarbide (SiOxCy) coatings that can meet the performance requirements dictated by the various pharmaceutical applications. However, very little information is available in the literature concerning the deposition of SiOxNy coatings in accordance to the application-specific constraints: namely the production of chemically inert films on complex, 3D substrates, deposited at atmospheric pressure and at moderate temperatures (<570°C), with high deposition rates. To achieve the above goals, the deposition of amorphous silica-based films is undertaken via the utilization of a thermal CVD process defined around reactive, novel chemistries. The reactive chemical pathways aids in the production of SiOxNy at temperatures lower than the conventional ones, and more importantly, compatible with thermosensitive substrates. The gradual increase in N and C contents in the deposits is carried out through carefully selected precursor molecules and reagent gas compositions. Innovative deposition routes, based on single or dual-precursor combinations of classic silicon-containing precursors such as tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) or hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), and more novel compounds such as tris(dimethylsilyl)amine (TDMSA) are explored. Since the progressive incorporation of nitrogen and carbon in the films is at the core of this work, the resulting evolution of the silicate network is extensively studied through physicochemical, structural and mechanical characterization protocols. A multidisciplinary approach is embraced, combining materials science, analytical chemistry and process engineering in a way that involves the simultaneous development of resistant barrier films through CVD experiments, alongside gas phase analysis, simulation and numerical computation. The experimental information obtained through this approach is utilized in order to enrich previous literature models or define completely novel deposition mechanisms. Through 3D representation of the reactor spatial domain, the developed chemical models are implemented in order to replicate the deposition process via simulation. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations are used to understand the particularities of film formation in confined spaces and complex 3D-parts, obtain predictions in terms of gas phase and solid phase composition, as well as investigate potentials and solutions for optimization of the deposition process. The established correlations between process conditions, films structure, composition and properties, alongside the integration of a coupled computational and experimental approach, are used to arrive at durable silica-based materials with sustainable barrier performance, flexible for utilization in diverse application domains

EMOTIONAL CONDITIONALITY OF VERBAL BEHAVIOUR

The relation between the categoricity and non-categoricity of verbal behaviour can be investigated through the opposition of their emotional or, rather, sensual, components – certainty and uncertainty phenomena, which are analyzed in terms of prototypical scenario. A feeling of uncertainty arises as a reaction to such basic emotions as fright and shame – social fears of a personal nature and displays person’s inability to fight them. A feeling of certainty, in its turn, is a capability of a person to control negative emotions and to return to a stable emotional state. Certainty and uncertainty phenomena are realized on all levels of linguistic system, the means of their linguistic representation are, respectively, categorical and non-categorical statements

Tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) exhibit novelty preference in the novel location memory task with 24-h retention periods

Novelty preference is pervasive in mammalian species, and describes an inherent tendency to preferentially explore novelty. The novel location memory task studied here assesses the ability of animals to form accurate memories of a spatial configuration, consisting of several identical objects placed within an arena. Tree shrews were first familiarized with a particular object configuration during several sessions, and then an object was displaced during a test session. Tree shrews exhibited enhanced exploration when confronted with this novel configuration. The most reliable indicator associated with novelty preference was an enhancement in directed exploration towards the novel object, although we also observed a non-specific overall increase in exploration in one experiment. During the test session, we also observed an exploration of the location, which had previously been occupied by the displaced object, an effect termed empty quadrant. Our behavioral findings suggest multiple stages of spatial memory formation in tree shrews that are associated with various forms of behavioral responses to novelty. Reduced novelty preference has been linked to major depressive disorder in human patients. Given the established social conflict depression model in tree shrews, we anticipate that the study of the neural circuits of novelty preference and their malfunction during depression may have implications for understanding or treating depression in humans

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in children population – current knowledge summary

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelits (CFS/ME) is a chronic disease with complex pathophysiology and unknown etiology. It occurs both in children and adolescents, as well as in adults, with equal frequency. The clinical course is characterized by progressive fatigue, a significant reduction in the body's efficiency, lack of relief despite rest, and numerous accompanying symptoms. Pathognomonic symptom for PE is the increase in fatigue after physical or mental exertion and the persistence of these symptoms for several hours or days. The basis for effective treatment is primarily non-pharmacological treatment, including determining the optimal balance between physical activity and rest, which is aimed at preventing post-workout fatigue. Pain, insomnia, IO, and other symptoms can be treated with medication. So far, little research has been done on the diagnosis and treatment of this disease in children. This publication aims to summarize the knowledge currently available on the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in children and adolescents

Small Satellite Constellations, Infrastructure Shift and Space Market Regulation

With the commissioning of the first constellations of hundreds or even thousands of small satellites, we are witnessing today an infrastructure shift. While it has not completely distanced the exploration and use of outer space from the dramatic geopolitical and military implications they once entailed for States, it is undoubtedly transforming this realm into a new economic frontier of competition, with its predominant players, this time being private profit-driven actors sensitive to market forces. As the exploitation of outer space becomes more economically viable, new commercial services should emerge through the deployment of SmallSat constellations and the provision of services by means thereof, creating a risk of increased dependency of the services consumed on earth on these newinfrastructures. Therefore, new legal challenges pertaining to competition, foreign investment and the global economy as a whole do arise

On the intensity contrast of solar photospheric faculae and network elements

Sunspots, faculae and the magnetic network contribute to solar irradiance variations. The contribution due to faculae and the network is of basic importance, but suffers from considerable uncertainty. We determine the contrasts of active region faculae and the network, both as a function of heliocentric angle and magnetogram signal. To achieve this, we analyze near-simultaneous full disk images of photospheric continuum intensity and line-of-sight magnetic field provided by the Michelson Doppler Interferometer (MDI) on board the SOHO spacecraft. Starting from the surface distribution of the solar magnetic field we first construct a mask, which is then used to determine the brightness of magnetic features, and the relatively field-free part of the photosphere separately. By sorting the magnetogram signal into different bins we are able to distinguish between the contrasts of different concentrations of magnetic field. We find that the contrasts of active region faculae (large magnetogram signal) and the network (small signal) exhibit a very different CLV, showing that the populations of magnetic flux tubes are different. This implies that these elements need to be treated separately when reconstructing variations of the total solar irradiance with high precision. We have obtained an analytical expression for the contrast of photospheric magnetic features as a function of both position on the disk and magnetic field strength, by performing a 2-dimensional fit to the observations.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures, uses aa.cl

Falls among the elderly

Falls are a significant problem among the elderly. Every third person falls at least once a year. Falls lead to injuries, limiting the mobility of the elderly. As a result of falls, serious fractures occur, which cause hospitalization and are the main cause of death due to accidents. The causes of falls are complex and most often arise from several overlapping factors. Efforts should be made to eliminate external factors in order to minimize the risk of falling among people over 60 years of age. Daily physical activity, individual assessment of risk factors and optimal adaptation of the environment play an important role in preventing falls. The aim of the study was to discuss the problem of falls in the population of geriatric patients