Beyond the stomp: the Nobbs Suzuki Praxis as an Australian variant of the Suzuki method of actor training

This article provides a brief overview of the Nobbs Suzuki Praxis (NSP), an Australian variant of the Suzuki Method of Actor Training (SMAT) developed by John Nobbs in collaboration with Jacqui Carroll from the mid-1990s onwards. After a brief introduction to SMAT and the context in which NSP evolved from it, the article outlines NSP’s key differences in exercise practice and design, particularly in the use of signature physical and vocal tools, and the increased use of structured improvisation within NSP formats. It goes on to examine two concepts specific to NSP—‘feeling’ and ‘opposites and paradox’—and outlines how these enable advanced engagement with the training, especially the cultivation of a heightened awareness of self and the performance environment. The article concludes (with reference to Crothers [2021]) by suggesting that NSP adds softness to and is a more playful version of SMAT. By providing room for invention and creativity, NSP embeds creative application of SMAT’s principles within the training itself, rather than seeing it as part of a separate rehearsal process

Récolte et traitement des données statistiques de la pêche des palangriers asiatiques dans l'Atlantique

The authors report on the computer programmes developed in the Oceanographic Research Centre of Abidjan for the collection and treatment of statistical data on the fisheries of the asiatic trawlers in the Atlantic. They provide yield by boat, by fishing sector (5 degrees x 5 degrees) and by 15 days fishing in the Atlantic

Effects of ionizing radiation on charge-coupled imagers

The effects of ionizing radiation on three different charge coupled imagers have been investigated. Device performance was evaluated as a function of total gamma ray dose. The principal failure mechanisms have been identified for each particular device structure. The clock and bias voltages required for high total dose operation of the devices are presented

Approche numérique de la plasticité induite par transformation diffusionnelle : investigations dans le cas de l’interaction plasticité classique TRIP

Le phénomène mécanique appelé TRIP (Transformation Induced Plasticity), correspondant à une déformation permanente induite par une transformation de phase, peut apparaître lors d’une transformation sous chargement extérieur comme lorsque la phase parente a été pré-écrouie. Le TRIP peut apparaître en particulier pendant des opérations de soudage d’aciers, lors de la ou des étapes de refroidissement. Le modèle le plus courant qui permet de tenir compte d'un pré-écrouissage de l'austénite pour prédire le développement de TRIP (modèle de Leblond) s'est montré imparfait pour reproduire les résultats expérimentaux dans le cas d’une phase parente pré-écrouie, d’après ce qu’ont montré Taleb et Petit-Grostabussiat. Ceci a donc motivé le développement de méthodes alternatives, à savoir par éléments finis, pour tenter de mieux rendre compte par modélisation de ces effets de pré-écrouissage. Cet article présente les investigations numériques concernant la transformation bainitique d’un macrovolume cubique dans le cas idéalisé où un seul germe est présent au centre du volume d’étude (ceci constitue un cas test), ainsi que dans le cas où des germes apparaissent aléatoirement dans l’espace et dans le temps selon une loi de distribution donnée.Mots clés: Plasticité induite par transformation; modélisation micromécanique; transformation diffusionnelle; éléments finis. The mechanical phenomenon called TRIP (Transformation Induced Plasticity), corresponding to a permanent strain induced by a phase transformation, can be due to an externally applied load or to a pre-hardening of the parent phase. TRIP can appear particularly during a welding operation on steels, during the cooling step(s). The most currently used model which allows to take into account the pre-hardening of austenite for the prediction of TRIP (Leblond model) has shown to be incorrect to reproduce the experimental results in the case of a pre-hardened austenite, according to the work of Taleb and Petit-Grostabussiat. This has motivated the development of alternative methods, with finite elements analysis, to try to improve the prediction of this effect of pre-hardening. This article presents the numerical investigations concerning the bainitic transformation of a cubic macro-volume. Two cases are treated: the ideal case where a single nucleus is present at the center of the volume (test case); the case where nuclei appear randomly in space and in time, according to a given distribution law.Keywords: Transformation induced plasticity; micromechanical modelling; diffusive transformation; finite elements

Can Bio-labels help companies to gain competitive advantage in the organic food market in Germany?

Consumers’ attitudes towards food underwent large changes in Germany. This has resulted in an increase of demand for organic food. However, some analysts claim that the organic food market in Germany might be maturing. Within this context, this paper has two main objectives: first, to explore the attitude of German consumers towards organic food and bio-labels; and second to identify potential areas for improvement to help organic food companies to become more competitive. This study used a quantitative research approach. 627 German consumers completed the survey. The results of this study indicate that there is potential for the organic food market to carry on growing. Findings have also revealed that a large percentage of participants do not trust some bio-labels. Trust and brand recognition are the most important factors that have helped Bioland and Demeter to develop a competitive advantage against other labels

Ibuprofen as a Treatment for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: Effectiveness versus Caveats

Work-related upper limb disorders (WMSDs), also known as repetitive strain injuries, affect a large subsection of the US population. These disorders are a significant source of injury, morbidity, loss of work, and pain. We have developed a rat model of upper extremity repetitive work at high forces, and observed exposure-dependent increased inflammatory responses in all tissues involved in performing the task. A 2- to 8-week regimen of oral ibuprofen provided to rats while they continued to perform a high-repetition high-force task ameliorated these inflammatory responses as well as several motor declines. Ibuprofen treatment also attenuated task-induced tissue fibrosis, cartilage degeneration, and bone osteopenia, indicating their link to inflammatory processes. However, ibuprofen did not significantly attenuate persistent nocifensive pain behaviors (reflexive grip strength results are presented) likely because of persistent increases in inflammatory cytokines in the spinal cord, suggestive of central sensitization. Since long-term ibuprofen use can induce a number of negative side effects, such as gastritis, multi-pronged approaches should be considered with anti-inflammatory drugs included for only short time periods

Can Social Capital and Psychological Capital Improve the Entrepreneurial Performance of the New Generation of Migrant Workers in China?

The new generation of migrant workers may play a crucial role in boosting China’s rural economy. With the rise of knowledge economy and the advent of the information age, it is difficult for human capital and economic capital alone to gain advantages in entrepreneurship. Thus, the study of social capital and psychological capital becomes more prominent. Within this context, this paper explores the relationships among entrepreneurs’ psychological capital, social capital, and entrepreneurial outcomes for the new generation of migrant workers in the Shaanxi province. This study uses a quantitative research approach. Primary data were collected from 525 rural households in the Shaanxi province. A structural equation model is used to verify the association between social capital, psychological capital, and entrepreneurial performance. The psychological capital of the new generation of migrant workers is found to exert a more significant impact on their entrepreneurial opportunity recognition and entrepreneurial environment perception than social capital. Both entrepreneurial opportunity recognition and entrepreneurial environment perception of the new generation of migrant workers are conducive to the improvement of entrepreneurial performance. Nevertheless, the intermediary role of entrepreneurial opportunity recognition is more prominent than entrepreneurial environment perception

The competitiveness of the Uruguayan rural tourism sector and its potential to attract German tourists

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the competitiveness of the Uruguayan rural tourism sector against its main competitors from Argentina and Brazil, as perceived by Uruguayan stakeholders on the supply side. The paper will also evaluate the potential of Uruguay as a rural tourism destination in attracting German tourists. Design/methodology/approach – Two different questionnaires were administered, one to Uruguayan rural tourism stakeholders and another one to potential German tourists in Germany. Findings – The findings indicate that the main strengths of Uruguayan rural tourism offer, compared to Argentina and Brazil, are the hospitality and friendliness of local people, the natural and cultural attractions and the country’s security and safety. Main weaknesses identified were the poor management of several destination components that are key to create a successful tourism destination and poor management of the “demand conditions” component of Dwyer and Kim’s (2003) integrated model. Originality/value – There is very limited research done on the competitiveness of Uruguay as a rural tourist destination in attracting foreign tourists (Mackinnon et al., 2009). The objective of this study is to partially fill this gap by assessing how competitive Uruguayan rural tourism is and evaluating whether Uruguay represents an attractive market for German tourists looking for agro tourism and farm holiday destinations. The German market was chosen because it is one of the top tourist-generating countries and one of the biggest spenders in international tourism (The World Tourism organization, 2010). Moreover, most tourists – from outside South America – selecting Uruguay as a tourist destination come from Germany, USA and Australia (Peralta, 2012)

An Exploratory Research of the Potential Strategic Benefits of Specialising in Riesling Grape: A Case Study from the Niagara Wine Region

Abstract The main purpose of this paper is to evaluate the current business strategy of the Niagara wine region and to explore the potential of the Niagara wine region to specialise in Riesling grape variety. Questionnaires were administered to a range of different types of experts with a specialty in wine. Quantitative data from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario supplemented the core interviews. The results of this study indicate that differentiation through specialisation is the best strategy to develop the Niagara wine region. However, the structure of the wine industry encourages wineries to produce a vast array of grape varieties to cater to the needs of the domestic market. This has resulted in a loss of identity for the region. Though because Niagara Riesling is differentiable, world class, the most consistently awarded grape and unreproducible elsewhere, it is the prime candidate to become the representative grape for the region. By developing the Niagara style of Riesling and focusing on exporting small amounts of the variety, the region would benefit by developing an identity and increasing consumer confidence and sales. Keyword