773 research outputs found
The Role of Narrative Fiction and Semi-Fiction in Organizational Studies
In this chapter, we discuss the use of narrative fiction and semi-fiction in organizational research and explore the strengths and weaknesses of these alternative approaches. We begin with an introduction reviewing the existing literature and clarifying what we mean by fiction and semi-fiction. We then present and discuss examples of fiction and semi-fiction focusing on how these approaches can be used in organizational research. We argue that fiction is more useful as a source of data and as a way of representing theory to an audience. Semi-fiction, on the other hand, provides a novel approach to the production and representation of theory. In both cases, researchers face a number of challenges, but also gain access to new and powerful techniques for developing insights into organizational topics.Organizational studies;Narrative fiction;Semi-fiction
The Role of Narrative Fiction and Semi-Fiction in Organizational Studies
In this chapter, we discuss the use of narrative fiction and semi-fiction in organizational research and explore the strengths and weaknesses of these alternative approaches. We begin with an introduction reviewing the existing literature and clarifying what we mean by fiction and semi-fiction. We then present and discuss examples of fiction and semi-fiction focusing on how these approaches can be used in organizational research. We argue that fiction is more useful as a source of data and as a way of representing theory to an audience. Semi-fiction, on the other hand, provides a novel approach to the production and representation of theory. In both cases, researchers face a number of challenges, but also gain access to new and powerful techniques for developing insights into organizational topics
Position clamping of optically trapped microscopic non-spherical probes
We investigate the degree of control that can be exercised over an optically trapped microscopic non-spherical force probe. By position clamping translational and rotational modes in different ways, we are able to dramatically improve the position resolution of our probe with no reduction in sensitivity. We also demonstrate control over rotational-translational coupling, and exhibit a mechanism whereby the average centre of rotation of the probe can be displaced away from its centre
A compact holographic optical tweezers instrument
Holographic optical tweezers have found many applications including the construction of complex micron-scale 3D structures and the control of tools and probes for position, force, and viscosity measurement. We have developed a compact, stable, holographic optical tweezers instrument which can be easily transported and is compatible with a wide range of microscopy techniques, making it a valuable tool for collaborative research. The instrument measures approximately 30Ă30Ă35 cm and is designed around a custom inverted microscope, incorporating a fibre laser operating at 1070 nm. We designed the control software to be easily accessible for the non-specialist, and have further improved its ease of use with a multi-touch iPad interface. A high-speed camera allows multiple trapped objects to be tracked simultaneously. We demonstrate that the compact instrument is stable to 0.5 nm for a 10 s measurement time by plotting the Allan variance of the measured position of a trapped 2 ÎŒm silica bead. We also present a range of objects that have been successfully manipulated
Error of truncated Chebyshev series and other near minimax polynomial approximations
AbstractIt is well known that a near minimax polynomial approximation p is obtained by truncating the Chebyshev series of a function Æ; after n + 1 terms. It is shown that if Æ; Ï” C(n + 1)[â1, 1], then â„Æ; â p â„ may be expressed in terms of Æ;(n + 1) in the same manner as the error of minimax approximation. The result is extended to other types of near minimax approximation
A multi-modal stereo microscope based on a spatial light modulator
Spatial Light Modulators (SLMs) can emulate the classic microscopy techniques, including differential interference (DIC) contrast and (spiral) phase contrast. Their programmability entails the benefit of flexibility or the option to multiplex images, for single-shot quantitative imaging or for simultaneous multi-plane imaging (depth-of-field multiplexing). We report the development of a microscope sharing many of the previously demonstrated capabilities, within a holographic implementation of a stereo microscope. Furthermore, we use the SLM to combine stereo microscopy with a refocusing filter and with a darkfield filter. The instrument is built around a custom inverted microscope and equipped with an SLM which gives various imaging modes laterally displaced on the same camera chip. In addition, there is a wide angle camera for visualisation of a larger region of the sample
Is environmental radon gas associated with the incidence of neurodegenerative conditions? A retrospective study of multiple sclerosis in radon affected areas in England and Wales
To test whether an association exists between radon gas concentration in the home and increased multiple sclerosis (MS) incidence, a retrospective study was undertaken of MS incidence in known areas of raised domestic radon concentration in England and Wales, using The Health Improvement Network (THIN) clinical research database.The study population comprised 20,140,498 person-years of clinical monitoring (males: 10,056,628: 49.93%; females: 10,083,870: 50.07%), representing a mean annual population of 2.5 million individuals. To allow for the possible latency of MS initiation following exposure, data extraction was limited to patients with at least five years registration history with the same GP practice before first diagnosis. Patient records were allocated to one of nine radon concentration bands depending on the average radon level in their postcode sector.MS incidence was analysed by searching for patients with first MS diagnosis over the eight calendar years 2005-2012 inclusive. 1512 new MS cases were diagnosed, 1070 females, 442 males, equivalent to raw incidence rates of 7.51, 10.61 and 4.40 per 105person-years respectively, comparable to previously reported results. Of these new cases, 115 could be allocated to one of the radon bands representing high radon areas.Standardising to the UK 2010 population, excess relative risk (ERR) figures for MS were calculated for each radon band. Linear regression of ERR against mean band radon concentration shows a positive gradient of 0.22 per 100 Bq·m-3(R2= 0.25, p = 0.0961) when forced through the origin to represent a linear-no-threshold response. The null hypothesis falls inside the 95% confidence interval for the linear fit and therefore this fit is not statistically significant. We conclude that, despite THIN sampling around 5% of the population, insufficient data was available to confirm or refute the hypothesised association between MS incidence and radon concentration
Superluminality and UV Completion
The idea that the existence of a consistent UV completion satisfying the
fundamental axioms of local quantum field theory or string theory may impose
positivity constraints on the couplings of the leading irrelevant operators in
a low-energy effective field theory is critically discussed. Violation of these
constraints implies superluminal propagation, in the sense that the
low-frequency limit of the phase velocity exceeds . It is
explained why causality is related not to but to the
high-frequency limit and how these are related by the
Kramers-Kronig dispersion relation, depending on the sign of the imaginary part
of the refractive index \Ima n(\w) which is normally assumed positive.
Superluminal propagation and its relation to UV completion is investigated in
detail in three theories: QED in a background electromagnetic field, where the
full dispersion relation for n(\w) is evaluated numerically for the first
time and the role of the null energy condition T_{\m\n}k^\m k^\n \ge 0 is
highlighted; QED in a background gravitational field, where examples of
superluminal low-frequency phase velocities arise in violation of the
positivity constraints; and light propagation in coupled laser-atom
\L-systems exhibiting Raman gain lines with \Ima n(\w) < 0. The possibility
that a negative \Ima n(\w) must occur in quantum field theories involving
gravity to avoid causality violation, and the implications for the relation of
IR effective field theories to their UV completion, are carefully analysed.Comment: 42 pages, 14 figure
Pulse-mode quantum projection synthesis: Effects of mode mismatch on optical state truncation and preparation
Quantum projection synthesis can be used for phase-probability-distribution
measurement, optical-state truncation and preparation. The method relies on
interfering optical lights, which is a major challenge in experiments performed
by pulsed light sources. In the pulsed regime, the time frequency overlap of
the interfering lights plays a crucial role on the efficiency of the method
when they have different mode structures. In this paper, the pulsed mode
projection synthesis is developed, the mode structure of interfering lights are
characterized and the effect of this overlap (or mode match) on the fidelity of
optical-state truncation and preparation is investigated. By introducing the
positive-operator-valued measure (POVM) for the detection events in the scheme,
the effect of mode mismatch between the photon-counting detectors and the
incident lights are also presented.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
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