'A small space of chaos’ : Elizabeth Grosz’s chaos, territory, art : Deleuze and the framing of the earth

Review of Elizabeth Grosz’s Chaos, Territory, Art: Deleuze and the Framing of the Earth

Combining word semantics within complex Hilbert space for information retrieval

Complex numbers are a fundamental aspect of the mathematical formalism of quantum physics. Quantum-like models developed outside physics often overlooked the role of complex numbers. Specifically, previous models in Information Retrieval (IR) ignored complex numbers. We argue that to advance the use of quantum models of IR, one has to lift the constraint of real-valued representations of the information space, and package more information within the representation by means of complex numbers. As a first attempt, we propose a complex-valued representation for IR, which explicitly uses complex valued Hilbert spaces, and thus where terms, documents and queries are represented as complex-valued vectors. The proposal consists of integrating distributional semantics evidence within the real component of a term vector; whereas, ontological information is encoded in the imaginary component. Our proposal has the merit of lifting the role of complex numbers from a computational byproduct of the model to the very mathematical texture that unifies different levels of semantic information. An empirical instantiation of our proposal is tested in the TREC Medical Record task of retrieving cohorts for clinical studies.

Artful surfaces : an ethnographic study exploring the use of space in design studios

A largely overlooked aspect of creative design practices is how physical space in design studios plays a role in supporting designers' everyday work. In particular, studio surfaces such as designers' desks, office walls, notice boards, clipboards and drawing boards are full of informative, inspirational and creative artefacts such as, sketches, drawings, posters, story-boards and Post-it notes. Studio surfaces are not just the carriers of information but importantly they are sites of methodic design practices, i.e. they indicate, to an extent, how design is being carried out. This article describes the results of an ethnographic study on the use of workplace surfaces in design studios, from two academic design departments. Using the field study results, the article introduces an idea of ‘artful surfaces’. Artful surfaces emphasise how artfully designers integrate these surfaces into their everyday work and how the organisation of these surfaces comes about helping designers in accomplishing their creative and innovative design practices. Using examples from the field study, the article shows that artful surfaces have both functional and inspirational characteristics. From the field study, three types of artful surfaces are identified: personal; shared; and project-specific. The article suggests that a greater insight into how these artful surfaces are created and used could lead to better design of novel display technologies to support designers' everyday work.

Space as a resource in creative design practices

Based on longitudinal ethnographic fieldwork in two industrial design departments and two design companies, we explore the role of spatial arrangements for supporting creative design practices within different design studios. From our results, we show that designers explicitly make use of the physical space for: 1) communicating and inspiring design ideas; 2) exploring design solutions, and; 3) managing design projects. We believe that these design practices could bring insightful implications for developing ubiquitous technologies to support the design profession.

A question of agency : applying Sen’s theory of human capability to the concept of secondary school student career ‘choice’

In this paper, we seek to operationalize Amartya Sen's concept of human capability to guide a scholarly investigation of student career choice capability. We begin by outlining factors affecting youth labour markets in Australia; a prosperous country that is affected by a ‘two-speed’ national economy. We then examine recent government initiatives that have been designed to combat youth unemployment and cyclical disadvantage by enhancing the aspirations and career knowledge of secondary school students. We argue that these policy measures are based on four assumptions: first, that career choice capability is a problem of individual agency; second, that the dissemination of career information can empower students to act as ‘consumers’ in an unequal job market; third, that agency is simply a question of will; and finally, that school education and career advice – as a means to freedom in the space of career development – is of equal quality, distribution and value to an increasingly diverse range of upper secondary school students. The paper concludes by outlining a conceptual framework capable of informing an empirical research project that aims to test these assumptions by measuring and comparing differences between groups in the range of freedom to achieve and, therefore, to choose.

Questions of Science [third edition]

Table of Contents Timeline of Thinkers Timeline of Thoughts Evolution of Science Chapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Humans: the measure of all things Chapter 3. Men with beards: long beards Chapter 4. I doubt it Chapter 5. With good reason Chapter 6. Here be dragons Chapter 7. Stirrings of science Chapter 8. Degrees of separation Chapter 9. The Greek legacy Chapter 10. A scientific focus Chapter 11. Questions of science Chapter 12. Creatures of habit Chapter 13. A scientific method Chapter 14. Outside the square Chapter 15. Probably Chapter 16. Human, all too human Chapter 17. Cultures of science Chapter 18. 21st Century Science Chapter 19. Science in question Chapter 20. How do we know? Chapter 21. Sources

Tracking spatio temporal movement of human in terms of space utilization using media access control address data

Using Media-Access-Control (MAC) address for data collection and tracking is a capable and cost effective approach as the traditional ways such as surveys and video surveillance have numerous drawbacks and limitations. Positioning cell-phones by Global System for Mobile communication was considered an attack on people's privacy. MAC addresses just keep a unique log of a WiFi or Bluetooth enabled device for connecting to another device that has not potential privacy infringements. This paper presents the use of MAC address data collection approach for analysis of spatio-temporal dynamics of human in terms of shared space utilization. This paper firstly discuses the critical challenges and key benefits of MAC address data as a tracking technology for monitoring human movement. Here, proximity-based MAC address tracking is postulated as an effective methodology for analysing the complex spatio-temporal dynamics of human movements at shared zones such as lounge and office areas. A case study of university staff lounge area is described in detail and results indicates a significant added value of the methodology for human movement tracking. By analysis of MAC address data in the study area, clear statistics such as staff’s utilisation frequency, utilisation peak periods, and staff time spent is obtained. The analyses also reveal staff’s socialising profiles in terms of group and solo gathering. The paper is concluded with a discussion on why MAC address tracking offers significant advantages for tracking human behaviour in terms of shared space utilisation with respect to other and more prominent technologies, and outlines some of its remaining deficiencies.

Time-domain hydroelastic analysis of a flexible marine structure using state-space models

This article deals with time-domain hydroelastic analysis of a marine structure. The convolution terms associated with fluid memory effects are replaced by an alternative state-space representation, the parameters of which are obtained by using realization theory. The mathematical model established is validated by comparison to experimental results of a very flexible barge. Two types of time-domain simulations are performed: dynamic response of the initially inert structure to incident regular waves and transient response of the structure after it is released from a displaced condition in still water. The accuracy and the efficiency of the simulations based on the state-space model representations are compared to those that integrate the convolutions.

Hybrid frequency–time domain models for dynamic response analysis of marine structures

Time-domain models of marine structures based on frequency domain data are usually built upon the Cummins equation. This type of model is a vector integro-differential equation which involves convolution terms. These convolution terms are not convenient for analysis and design of motion control systems. In addition, these models are not efficient with respect to simulation time, and ease of implementation in standard simulation packages. For these reasons, different methods have been proposed in the literature as approximate alternative representations of the convolutions. Because the convolution is a linear operation, different approaches can be followed to obtain an approximately equivalent linear system in the form of either transfer function or state-space models. This process involves the use of system identification, and several options are available depending on how the identification problem is posed. This raises the question whether one method is better than the others. This paper therefore has three objectives. The first objective is to revisit some of the methods for replacing the convolutions, which have been reported in different areas of analysis of marine systems: hydrodynamics, wave energy conversion, and motion control systems. The second objective is to compare the different methods in terms of complexity and performance. For this purpose, a model for the response in the vertical plane of a modern containership is considered. The third objective is to describe the implementation of the resulting model in the standard simulation environment Matlab/Simulink.

Revascularization and tissue regeneration of an empty root canal space is enhanced by a direct blood supply and stem cells

Background Regenerative endodontics is an innovative treatment concept aiming to regenerate pulp, dentin and root structures. In the diseased or necrotic tooth, the limitation in vascular supply renders successful tissue regeneration/generation in a whole tooth challenging. The aim of this study is to evaluate the ability of vascularized tissue to develop within a pulpless tooth using tissue engineering techniques. Materials and methods A pulpless tooth chamber, filled with collagen I gel containing isolated rat dental pulp cells (DPC) and angiogenic growth factors, was placed into a hole created in the femoral cortex or into its own tooth socket, respectively. The gross, histological and biochemical characteristics of the de novo tissue were evaluated at 4 and 8weeks post-transplantation. Results Tooth revascularization and tissue generation was observed only in the femur group, confirming the important role of vascular supply in tissue regeneration. The addition of cells and growth factors significantly promoted connective tissue production in the tooth chamber. Conclusion Successful revascularization and tissue regeneration in this model demonstrate the importance of a direct vascular supply and the advantages of a stem cell approach. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Bit-stream-based space vector modulators

Bit-stream-based control, which uses one bit wide signals to control power electronics applications, is a new approach for controller design in power electronic systems. This study presents a novel family of three-phase space vector modulators, which are based on the bit-stream technique and suitable for three-phase inverter systems. Each of the proposed modulators simultaneously converts a two-phase reference to the three-phase domain and reduces switching frequencies to reasonable levels. The modulators do not require carrier oscillators, trigonometric functions or, in some cases, sector detectors. A complete three-phase modulator can be implemented in as few as 102 logic elements. The performance of the proposed modulators is compared through simulation and experimental testing of a 6 kW, three-phase DC-to-AC inverter. Subject to limits on the modulation index, the proposed modulators deliver spread-spectrum output currents with total harmonic distortion comparable to a standard carrier-based space vector pulse width modulator.

Diode-clamped three-level inverter-based battery/supercapacitor direct integration scheme for renewable energy systems

This paper describes a diode-clamped three-level inverter-based battery/supercapacitor direct integration scheme for renewable energy systems. The study is carried out for three different cases. In the first case, one of the two dc-link capacitors of the inverter is replaced by a battery bank and the other by a supercapacitor bank. In the second case, dc-link capacitors are replaced by two battery banks. In the third case, ordinary dc-link capacitors are replaced by two supercapacitor banks. The first system is supposed to mitigate both long-term and short-term power fluctuations while the last two systems are intended for smoothening long-term and short-term power fluctuations, respectively. These topologies eliminate the need for interfacing dc-dc converters and thus considerably improve the overall system efficiency. The major issue in aforementioned systems is the unavoidable imbalance in dc-link voltages. An analysis on the effects of unbalance and a space vector modulation method, which can produce undistorted current even in the presence of such unbalances, are presented in this paper. Furthermore, small vector selection-based power sharing and state of charge balancing techniques are proposed. Experimental results, obtained from a laboratory prototype, are presented to verify the efficacy of the proposed modulation and control techniques.

An arteriovenous loop in a protected space generates a permanent, highly vascular, tissue-engineered construct

A major obstacle to 3-dimensional tissue engineering is incorporation of a functional vascular supply to support the expanding new tissue. This is overcome in an in vivo intrinsic vascularization model where an arteriovenous loop (AVL) is placed in a noncollapsible space protected by a polycarbonate chamber. Vascular development and hypoxia were examined from 3 days to 112 days by vascular casting, morphometric, and morphological techniques to understand the model's vascular growth and remodeling parameters for tissue engineering purposes. At 3 days a fibrin exudate surrounded the AVL, providing a scaffold to migrating inflammatory, endothelial, and mesenchymal cells. Capillaries formed between 3 and 7 days. Hypoxia and cell proliferation were maximal at 7 days, followed by a peak in percent vascular volume at 10 days (23.20±3.14% compared with 3.59±2.68% at 3 days, P<0.001). Maximal apoptosis was observed at 112 days. The protected space and spontaneous microcirculatory development in this model suggest it would be applicable for in vivo tissue engineering. A temporal window in a period of intense angiogenesis at 7 to 10 days is optimal for exogenous cell seeding and survival in the chamber, potentially enabling specific tissue outcomes to be achieved.

Spontaneous large volume adipose tissue generation from a vascularized pedicled fat flap inside a chamber space

A novel method of spontaneous generation of new adipose tissue from an existing fat flap is described. A defined volume of fat flap based on the superficial inferior epigastric vascular pedicle in the rat was elevated and inset into a hollow plastic chamber implanted subcutaneously in the groin of the rat. The chamber walls were either perforated or solid and the chambers either contained poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) sponge matrix or not. The contents were analyzed after being in situ for 6 weeks. The total volume of the flap tissue in all groups except the control groups, where the flap was not inserted into the chambers, increased significantly, especially in the perforated chambers (0.08 ± 0.007 mL baseline compared to 1.2 ± 0.08 mL in the intact ones). Volume analysis of individual component tissues within the flaps revealed that the adipocyte volume increased and was at a maximum in the chambers without PLGA, where it expanded from 0.04 ± 0.003 mL at insertion to 0.5 ± 0.08 mL (1250% increase) in the perforated chambers and to 0.16 ± 0.03 mL (400% increase) in the intact chambers. Addition of PLGA scaffolds resulted in less fat growth. Histomorphometric analysis rather than simple hypertrophy documented an increased number of adipocytes. The new tissue was highly vascularized and no fat necrosis or atypical changes were observed.