Spatiotemporal evolution, mineralogical composition, and transport mechanisms of long-runout landslides in Valles Marineris, Mars

Long-runout landslides with transport distances of >50 km are ubiquitous in Valles Marineris (VM), yet the transport mechanisms remain poorly understood. Four decades of studies reveal significant variation in landslide morphology and emplacement age, but how these variations are related to landslide transport mechanisms is not clear. In this study, we address this question by conducting systematic geological mapping and compositional analysis of VM long-runout landslides using high-resolution Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter imagery and spectral data. Our work shows that: (1) a two-zone morphological division (i.e., an inner zone characterized by rotated blocks and an outer zone expressed by a thin sheet with a nearly flat surface) characterizes all major VM landslides; (2) landslide mobility is broadly dependent on landslide mass; and (3) the maximum width of the outer zone and its transport distance are inversely related to the basal friction that was estimated from the surface slope angle of the outer zone. Our comprehensive Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) compositional analysis indicates that hydrated silicates are common in landslide outer zones and nearby trough-floor deposits. Furthermore, outer zones containing hydrated minerals are sometimes associated with longer runout and increased lateral spreading compared to those without detectable hydrated minerals. Finally, with one exception we find that hydrated minerals are absent in the inner zones of the investigated VM landslides. These results as whole suggest that hydrated minerals may have contributed to the magnitude of lateral spreading and long-distance forward transport of major VM landslides

“It Depends How You’re Saying It”: The Complexities of Everyday Racism

While racism is widely recognised as a complex social phenomenon, the basis for defining and identifying everyday racism from a lay perspective is not well understood. This exploration of factors used to frame everyday racism draws on seven cognitive interviews and four focus groups conducted in November 2010 and January 2011 with Australian adults predominantly from Anglo ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The study reveals lay theorising centring on tropes of intentionality, effect of speech, relationality and acceptability. Participants were more likely to think of racism as having negative, overtly offensive and emotional connotations. Racialised speech that was not considered to be blatantly racist was more contested, with participants engaging in complex theorising to determine whether or not such speech constituted racism. The study also highlights the potential of qualitative research to inform survey development as an unobtrusive method for in-depth participant reflection. The ambiguous nature of everyday racism demonstrated in this paper indicates a need to foster more nuanced lay understandings of racism that encompass the subtle, rational and complementary expressions that can be situated within institutions and society

Strategic understanding of Malaysian online customers’ service quality preference through demographic customer profiling and e-product bundling

In order to stay competitive in the arena of e-commerce, conventional e-marketing research have provided solutions to online businesses and marketing practitioners by understanding online purchasing behavior and thereby proposing various determinants influencing online purchasing behavior. Little research has been done in order to assist marketing practitioners to identify the precise online customer segmentation, making market targeting and positioning and use of effective marketing campaigns complex. Hence, this study aims to identify the appropriate online customer segmentation (product bundles) based on three determinants of online purchasing behavior, i.e. e-service quality, demographic profiles and types of product purchased. 680 useful data was collected from existing online shoppers and data mining technique was employed to identify the product bundles and decision trees were used for customer profiling. Findings have identified Tickets, Clothing and Travel product bundles as the basis of segmentation. Result from this study will assist online marketing practitioners to be conscious of online customers needs and astutely create marketing campaigns aiming at their targeted online customers segment

Spatiotemporal evolution, mineralogical composition, and transport mechanisms of long-runout landslides in Valles Marineris, Mars

Long-runout landslides with transport distances of >50 km are ubiquitous in Valles Marineris (VM), yet the transport mechanisms remain poorly understood. Four decades of studies reveal significant variation in landslide morphology and emplacement age, but how these variations are related to landslide transport mechanisms is not clear. In this study, we address this question by conducting systematic geological mapping and compositional analysis of VM long-runout landslides using high-resolution Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter imagery and spectral data. Our work shows that: (1) a two-zone morphological division (i.e., an inner zone characterized by rotated blocks and an outer zone expressed by a thin sheet with a nearly flat surface) characterizes all major VM landslides; (2) landslide mobility is broadly dependent on landslide mass; and (3) the maximum width of the outer zone and its transport distance are inversely related to the basal friction that was estimated from the surface slope angle of the outer zone. Our comprehensive Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) compositional analysis indicates that hydrated silicates are common in landslide outer zones and nearby trough-floor deposits. Furthermore, outer zones containing hydrated minerals are sometimes associated with longer runout and increased lateral spreading compared to those without detectable hydrated minerals. Finally, with one exception we find that hydrated minerals are absent in the inner zones of the investigated VM landslides. These results as whole suggest that hydrated minerals may have contributed to the magnitude of lateral spreading and long-distance forward transport of major VM landslides

Negative regulation of TLR signaling in myeloid cells--implications for autoimmune diseases

Toll-like receptors (TLR) are transmembrane pattern recognition receptors that recognize microbial ligands and signal for production of inflammatory cytokines and type I interferon in macrophages and dendritic cells (DC). Whereas TLR-induced inflammatory mediators are required for pathogen clearance, many are toxic to the host and can cause pathological inflammation when over-produced. This is demonstrated by the role of TLR-induced cytokines in autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Because of the potent effects of TLR-induced cytokines, we have diverse mechanisms to dampen TLR signaling. Here, we highlight three pathways that participate in inhibition of TLR responses in macrophages and DC, and their implications in autoimmunity; A20, encoded by the TNFAIP3 gene, Lyp encoded by the PTPN22 gene, and the BCAP/PI3K pathway. We present new findings that Lyp promotes TLR responses in primary human monocytes and that the autoimmunity risk Lyp620W variant is more effective at promoting TLR-induced interleukin-6 than the non-risk Lyp620R protein. This suggests that Lyp serves to downregulate a TLR inhibitory pathway in monocytes, and we propose that Lyp inhibits the TREM2/DAP12 inhibitory pathway. Overall, these pathways demonstrate distinct mechanisms of negative regulation of TLR responses, and all impact autoimmune disease pathogenesis and treatment

Efficiency Comparisons of Secondary Biofuels

Biofuels are essential for the energy production of the future. This report is a meta-study of the efficiencies of first, second and third generation secondary biofuels used for transportation purposes. We present and compare data from several studies concerning the efficiency of converting raw biomass info biofuels. We also compare this data to the efficiencies of hydrogen and solar power transportation systems. The efficiency data was presented as percentages from ratios of different data types, primarily exergy and energy efficiency ratios, which are defined for each study throughout the report. The highest efficiency percentages were displayed by second-generation wood knot rejects that did not require pretreatment input energy and resulted in high-energy ethanol output. The lowest efficiency percentages were from quasi-solar thermophotovoltaic radiator technology, heightening the reputation of biofuels as the efficient, renewable transportation energy source of tomorrow

Soundscapes of feminist protests in London: collective identity construction through sonic resonance

Soundscapes of Feminist Protests in London: Collective Identity Construction through Sonic Resonance Aiming to fill the gaps in sound studies of protests, and contribute to understand the relationship between rationality, meaning, affect, and emotion in social movement studies, in this thesis, I explore the role of, sound, rationality, meaning, affect, and emotion in creating a collective identity, within Feminist Protests in London. Based on, in-depth interviews, participant observation, sonic ethnography, and the analysis of sonic diaries, this research question was investigated from, organizational, sonically descriptive, and participative perspectives. From an organizational perspective, and with the intent to build collective identity, sound is strategically used to produce Sonic Performances including Collective Singing, Music Broadcasting, Speech, and Drumming, which taken together constitute the Feminist protest soundscapes. The meanings of songs and speeches are articulated in such a way as to connect and embed participating individuals to the overall protest frame of gender inequality. Meanwhile, emotionality and affectability of musical styles, voices of speakers, and drum sounds are strategically considered, to unite individuals in collective experiences. From a sonically descriptive angle, and via protest soundscape analysis, it was concluded that the meanings of the general protest frame and the expression of collective emotions and affects correspond, which dominate the protest soundscapes at once. It generates a collective, rational voice, responding to sonic surroundings including the leader’s calls, other participant’s sonic contributions, and the sounds of opponents. From a participative point of view, by partaking in Sonic Performances, participants relate protest claim such as, unequal pay, and women migrant's injustice, to the general protest claim of gender inequality. Furthermore, being affected by positive emotions and sonic affect, participants felt that they were sharing similar experiences, thereby creating a sense of belonging. In this process, however, rational reflection takes place, as some participants chose not to attune (align themselves) with the sonic collective, if and when the meanings articulated in Sonic Performances misrepresented their identity. As rationality, meaning, affect, and emotion resonate in Sonic Performances, Sonic Resonance was conceptualized to explain, the sonic strategies of activists, the fabric of the protest soundscapes, and the process of collective identity formation through the resonating experience of rationality, meaning, affect, and emotion, as enabled by the protest soundscapes. These entities are mutually reflecting and dialectically reinforcing in sound, constructing collective identity. In sum, this thesis contributes to explore 1) the relationship between the rational and the affective dimensions of contentious action; and 2) the interaction between affect, meaning, rationality, and emotion in exploring collective identity formation, especially from an experiential account

(Re)canonizing World Literature with Digital Archives and Online Magazines from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China

This chapter argues that digital labor plays a pivotal role in the worlding mechanism of regional and national literatures in the East Asian context. Yeung probes the role of digital labor in canonizing Third-World literature, or what she conceives as an “East Asian digital literary field,” with reference to four sets of digital archives and databases and two literary magazines from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Mainland China. Yeung is especially interested in whether the digital laborers have succeeded in elevating their respective local, national, or regional national literatures to the status of world literature. Referring to Pierre Bourdieu’s concepts of field, doxa, and capital, Yeung conceives the East Asian digital literary field. This chapter attends to three problems in canon formation—translation, the problematic notion of the ‘world,’ and various forms of ‘-centrisms.’ Hence an objective of this chapter is to initiate the discussion on the significance of digital labor and the products of such labor in the context of East Asian digital archives and literary magazines by providing some primary data for further studies on this emerging field