1,213 research outputs found
The Sociology of Sexual Polarity
This thesis presents an attempt to create a general approach
to the sexes in society through the sociology of Max Weber. This
falls into three main sections: a consideration of methodological
issues; a set of comparative historical studies located in the
Ancient Civilization; and, between them, an essay in sociological
theory.
The first section diagnoses a traditional paralysis in the
general theory of gender due to the irrational relationship between sociology and anthropology, and turns to Weber's methodological practice for the cure: the comparative historical method
of enquiry and a formal conception of the relationship of biology
to society in Interpretive terms. This last entails seeing biology not as supervising society, but as an input into social action under the supervision of history; this entails replacing the
strategic notion of "reproduction" with a treatment of demographics. Under this strategy, the biological basis is developed
through Jungian psychology to give the conception of "sexual polarity" in four elements: fertility and maternity, maturation,
sexuality, and aggression; and a basic typology of social action
based on or oriented to these is raised.
The second section develops these conceptions and compares
them in City-states and Bureaucratic Kingdoms. The first issue is
how different power systems impact upon the economy to produce
different demographic regimes, in which sex, fertility, and women
must either be controlled or accepted; the struggle for control
of the state then makes for different types of family, household,
and community arrangements - here the family sociology of Zimmerman is recalled. Local community, household, and family patterns
are then compared on their own account; then contrasting patterns
in motherhood, childhood and adolescence, sexual relationships,
and violence, the protection of personal security, and citizenship.
Finally, sexual divisions are examined: in the structures
of the state apparatus, the various aspects of the economy, and
the "bearing of these for stratification.
The third section presents three studies in the position of
women in Antiquity: New Kingdom Egypt, classical Athens, and the
Roman Empire. Finally, two appendices present, respectively, an
outline of the general sociology of Antiquity, and a "brief account of the Analytical Psychology of Carl Jung
Enhanced removal of acetaminophen from synthetic wastewater using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) chemically modified with NaOH, HNO3/H2SO4, ozone, and/or chitosan
peer-reviewedThis study investigates the technical feasibility of MWCNTs for acetaminophen (Ace) removal
from synthetic wastewater in batch mode. To improve their removal performance, the surface of
the MWCNTs was chemically modified with NaOH, HNO3/H2SO4, ozone and/or chitosan. The
effects of pertinent parameters such as reaction time, dose, pH, and agitation speed on the Ace
removal were evaluated. Their removal performance on Ace was compared to those of previous
studies. The adsorption mechanisms of Ace removal by the MWCNTs are also presented. It is
evident from this study that after chemical modification on its surface, the treated nano-adsorbent
significantly enhanced Ace removal from wastewater. Among all types of those adsorbents, the
ozone-treated MWCNT stands out for the highest Ace removal (95%) under the same initial Ace
concentration of 10 mg/L. Their adsorption capacities, applicable to the Freundlich isotherm
model, are listed as: ozone-treated MWCNT (250 mg/g) > chitosan-coated MWCNT (205 mg/g) >
acid-treated MWCNT (160 mg/g) > NaOH-treated MWCNT (130 mg/g) > as-received MWCNT
(90 mg/g). Although the ozone-treated MWCNT has the most outstanding performance in Ace
removal, its treated effluent still could not meet the required effluent limit of less than 0.2 mg/L
set by China’s legislation. This suggests that further treatment using biological processes needs to
be carried out to complement Ace removal from the wastewater samples
Complementary structural and functional abnormalities to localise epileptogenic tissue
When investigating suitability for surgery, people with drug-refractory focal
epilepsy may have intracranial EEG (iEEG) electrodes implanted to localise
seizure onset. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) may be
acquired to identify key white matter tracts for surgical avoidance. Here, we
investigate whether structural connectivity abnormalities, inferred from dMRI,
may be used in conjunction with functional iEEG abnormalities to aid
localisation and resection of the epileptogenic zone (EZ), and improve surgical
outcomes in epilepsy.
We retrospectively investigated data from 43 patients with epilepsy who had
surgery following iEEG. Twenty five patients (58%) were free from disabling
seizures (ILAE 1 or 2) at one year. For all patients, T1-weighted and
diffusion-weighted MRIs were acquired prior to iEEG implantation. Interictal
iEEG functional, and dMRI structural connectivity abnormalities were quantified
by comparison to a normative map and healthy controls respectively.
First, we explored whether the resection of maximal (dMRI and iEEG)
abnormalities related to improved surgical outcomes. Second, we investigated
whether the modalities provided complementary information for improved
prediction of surgical outcome. Third, we suggest how dMRI abnormalities may be
useful to inform the placement of iEEG electrodes as part of the pre-surgical
evaluation using a patient case study.
Seizure freedom was 15 times more likely in those patients with resection of
maximal dMRI and iEEG abnormalities (p=0.008). Both modalities were separately
able to distinguish patient outcome groups and when combined, a decision tree
correctly separated 36 out of 43 (84%) patients based on surgical outcome.
Structural dMRI could be used in pre-surgical evaluations, particularly when
localisation of the EZ is uncertain, to inform personalised iEEG implantation
and resection.Comment: 5 figure
Complementary structural and functional abnormalities to localise epileptogenic tissue
BACKGROUND: When investigating suitability for epilepsy surgery, people with drug-refractory focal epilepsy may have intracranial EEG (iEEG) electrodes implanted to localise seizure onset. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) may be acquired to identify key white matter tracts for surgical avoidance. Here, we investigate whether structural connectivity abnormalities, inferred from dMRI, may be used in conjunction with functional iEEG abnormalities to aid localisation of the epileptogenic zone (EZ), improving surgical outcomes in epilepsy. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated data from 43 patients (42% female) with epilepsy who had surgery following iEEG. Twenty-five patients (58%) were free from disabling seizures (ILAE 1 or 2) at one year. Interictal iEEG functional, and dMRI structural connectivity abnormalities were quantified by comparison to a normative map and healthy controls. We explored whether the resection of maximal abnormalities related to improved surgical outcomes, in both modalities individually and concurrently. Additionally, we suggest how connectivity abnormalities may inform the placement of iEEG electrodes pre-surgically using a patient case study. FINDINGS: Seizure freedom was 15 times more likely in patients with resection of maximal connectivity and iEEG abnormalities (p = 0.008). Both modalities separately distinguished patient surgical outcome groups and when used simultaneously, a decision tree correctly separated 36 of 43 (84%) patients. INTERPRETATION: Our results suggest that both connectivity and iEEG abnormalities may localise epileptogenic tissue, and that these two modalities may provide complementary information in pre-surgical evaluations. FUNDING: This research was funded by UKRI, CDT in Cloud Computing for Big Data, NIH, MRC, Wellcome Trust and Epilepsy Research UK
Heteroepitaxial growth of ferromagnetic MnSb(0001) films on Ge/Si(111) virtual substrates
Molecular beam epitaxial growth of ferromagnetic MnSb(0001) has been achieved on high quality, fully relaxed Ge(111)/Si(111) virtual substrates grown by reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition. The epilayers were characterized using reflection high energy electron diffraction, synchrotron hard X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, and magnetometry. The surface reconstructions, magnetic properties, crystalline quality, and strain relaxation behavior of the MnSb films are similar to those of MnSb grown on GaAs(111). In contrast to GaAs substrates, segregation of substrate atoms through the MnSb film does not occur, and alternative polymorphs of MnSb are absent
Networked buffering: a basic mechanism for distributed robustness in complex adaptive systems
A generic mechanism - networked buffering - is proposed for the generation of robust traits in complex systems. It requires two basic conditions to be satisfied: 1) agents are versatile enough to perform more than one single functional role within a system and 2) agents are degenerate, i.e. there exists partial overlap in the functional capabilities of agents. Given these prerequisites, degenerate systems can readily produce a distributed systemic response to local perturbations. Reciprocally, excess resources related to a single function can indirectly support multiple unrelated functions within a degenerate system. In models of genome:proteome mappings for which localized decision-making and modularity of genetic functions are assumed, we verify that such distributed compensatory effects cause enhanced robustness of system traits. The conditions needed for networked buffering to occur are neither demanding nor rare, supporting the conjecture that degeneracy may fundamentally underpin distributed robustness within several biotic and abiotic systems. For instance, networked buffering offers new insights into systems engineering and planning activities that occur under high uncertainty. It may also help explain recent developments in understanding the origins of resilience within complex ecosystems. \ud
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