Deletions and other pleasures : Episode 1: The pleasures of science fiction

"Christy Dena’s online-remix-narrative takes iconic images of popular culture and builds with them a strange world where the human fallibility is programmatically deleted. Both dystopic and playful, Dena’s work is an ironic reimagining of pleasure as a state of robotic flatlining, using tropes of science fiction to critique processes of social normalisation and increasing alienation from emotionality." This creative response began as a completely different story and form. What excited me in the end was the concept of deletion and how it could be an interesting mechanic: where the only thing you can do in the world is delete. I thought about deleting parts of robots to make them better. Healing comes from taking away, from removing things. Memories of Joseph Weizenbaum’s chatbot ELIZA came flooding back: where the (human) player is a patient talking to a Rogerian psychotherapist. But in this work I’m switching the roles and making the player the doctor, a doctor to robots…a doctor that can only prescribe deletions. I conceived of the work as a branching narrative, and started writing it in Twine. With every robot patient, the player chose one of many deletions. But when I realised I wouldn’t be able to arrange an artist and sound designer I looked for another option. I played with Zeega and felt that I could get the mood I was after with that platform. So the piece transformed into a work where the player/viewer is imprisoned in the decisions of the deleting protagonist…which has its own effect on the experience and meaning.

Influence of polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1 for risk of renal cell cancer in workers with long-term high occupational exposure to trichloroethene

Suspected nephrocarcinogenic effects of trichloroethene (TRI) in humans are attributed to metabolites derived from the glutathione transferase (GST) pathway. The influence of polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1 isoenzymes on the risk of renal cell cancer in subjects having been exposed to high levels of TRI over many years was investigated. GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes were determined by internal standard controlled polymerase chain reaction. Fourty-five cases with histologically verified renal cell cancer and a history of long-term occupational exposure to high concentrations of TRI were studied. A reference group consisted of 48 workers from the same geographical region with similar histories of occupational exposures to TRI but not suffering from any cancer. Among the 45 renal cell cancer patients, 27 carried at least one functional GSTM1 (GSTM1 +) and 18 at least one functional GSTT1 (GSTT1 +). Among the 48 reference workers, 17 were GSTM1 + and 31 were GSTT1 +. Odds ratios for renal cell cancer were 2.7 for GSTM1 + individuals (95% CI, 1.18-6.33; P < 0.02) and 4.2 for GSTT1 + individuals (95% CI, 1.16-14.91; P < 0.05), respectively. The data support the present concept of the nephrocarcinogenicity of TRI.

Nephrotoxicity and nephrocarcinogenicity of dinitrotoluene : new aspects to be considered

Technical dinitrotoluene (DNT) is a mixture of 2,4- and 2,6-DNT. In humans, industrial or environmental exposure can occur orally, by inhalation, or by skin contact. The classification of DNT as an 'animal carcinogen' is based on the formation of malignant tumors in kidneys, liver, and mammary glands of rats and mice. Clear signs of toxic nephropathy were found in rats dosed with DNT, and the concept was derived of an interrelation between renal toxicity and carcinogenicity. Recent data point to the carcinogenicity of DNT on the urinary tract of exposed humans. Between 1984 and 1997, 6 cases of urothelial cancer and 14 cases of renal cell cancer were diagnosed in a group of 500 underground mining workers in the copper mining industry of the former GDR and having high exposures to explosives containing technical DNT. The incidences of both urothelial and renal cell tumors in this group were 4.5 and 14.3 times higher, respectively, than anticipated on the basis of the cancer registers of the GDR. The genotyping of all identified tumor patients for the polymorphic enzymes NAT2, GSTM1, and GSTT1 identified the urothelial tumor cases as exclusively 'slow acetylates'. A group of 161 miners highly exposed to DNT was investigated for signs of subclinical renal damage. The exposures were categorized semi-quantitatively into 'low', 'medium', 'high', and 'very high'. A straight dose-dependence of the excretion of urinary biomarker proteins with the ranking of exposure was seen. Biomarker excretion (alpha1-microglobulin, glutathione S-transferases alpha and pi) indicated that DNT-induced damage was directed toward the tubular system. New data on DNT-exposed humans appear consistent with the concept of cancer initiation by DNT isomers and the subsequent promotion of renal carcinogenesis by selective damage to the proximal tubule. The differential pathways of metabolic activation of DNT appear to apply to the proximal tubule of the kidney and to the urothelium of the renal pelvis and lower urinary tract as target tissues of carcinogenicity.

Vibrational spectroscopy of the borate mineral priceite : implications for the molecular structure

Priceite is a calcium borate mineral and occurs as white crystals in the monoclinic pyramidal crystal system. We have used a combination of Raman spectroscopy with complimentary infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy with Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) to study the mineral priceite. Chemical analysis shows a pure phase consisting of B and Ca only. Raman bands at 956, 974, 991, and 1019 cm−1 are assigned to the BO stretching vibration of the B10O19 units. Raman bands at 1071, 1100, 1127, 1169, and 1211 cm−1 are attributed to the BOH in-plane bending modes. The intense infrared band at 805 cm−1 is assigned to the trigonal borate stretching modes. The Raman band at 674 cm−1 together with bands at 689, 697, 736, and 602 cm−1 are assigned to the trigonal and tetrahedral borate bending modes. Raman spectroscopy in the hydroxyl stretching region shows a series of bands with intense Raman band at 3555 cm−1 with a distinct shoulder at 3568 cm−1. Other bands in this spectral region are found at 3221, 3385, 3404, 3496, and 3510 cm−1. All of these bands are assigned to water stretching vibrations. The observation of multiple bands supports the concept of water being in different molecular environments in the structure of priceite. The molecular structure of a natural priceite has been assessed using vibrational spectroscopy.

Risk management and high reliability : a case study of Australian airport management

This thesis investigated risk management and organisational reliability in airports from the perspective of complex sociotechnical systems (CSSs). Two research studies were undertaken, the first focusing on the processes by which disruptive events occur, are detected and responded to; the second exploring the presence of organisational reliability traits within airports. A key result of the studies was the development of new approach: the Critical Incident Disturbance Process model that detailed a means to understand and analyse how disruptions in complex CSSs might be influenced by vulnerability reduction and enhanced risk management. Further, this thesis identified and defined the concept of 'compartmentalised reliability' in complex sociotechnical systems, extending existing knowledge of high reliability theory.

The expert searcher's experience of information

Expert searchers engage with information in a variety of professional settings, as information brokers, reference librarians, information architects and faculty who teach advanced searching. As my recent research shows, the expert searcher’s information experience is defined by profound discernment of critical concepts about information, and a fluid ability to apply this knowledge to their engagement with the information environment. The information experience of the expert searcher means active and intentional participation with the processes and players that created that information environment. Expert searchers become an integral and seamless part of their information environment and also play a role in facilitating the information experiences of others. In this chapter, after discussing my understanding of the concept of information experience, I outline how I used threshold concept theory to explore the information experience of expert searchers. Through the findings, I identify four threshold concepts in the acquisition of search expertise that provide new perspectives on the information experience of the expert searcher. These new perspectives have implications for search engine design and how advanced search skills are taught. Finally, I consider how the fresh insights about the expert searcher’s experiences contribute to wider understanding about information experience.

When size matters: exploring perceptions and justifications of deviant consumer behavior

Deterrence strategies for deviant consumer behavior are criticised for their ‘one size fits all’ approach. In two studies, this paper examines how the size of harm and size of victim influences consumer perceptions of deviant consumer behavior. Deterrence strategies are recommended that overcome the differences in consumer perceptions of deviance.

Investigating the interplay between transport, land use and the environment : a review of the literature

Integration of land use and transport decisions to achieve sustainable travel behavior has been considered an integral element for sustainable urban development. However, before the popularity of urban sustainability concept, land use and transport interaction had been scrutinized as strictly separate entities in the urban planning and development domains. Fortunately today the concept of sustainability has been pushed to the forefront of policy-making and politics as the world wakes up to the impacts of climate change and the effects of the rapid urbanization and modern urban lifestyles. The paper therefore aims to highlight the importance of the interplay between transport, land use and the environment. This review paper provides evidence from the literature including the Transport, Land Use and the Environment Special Issue contributions and global best practice cases to showcase new empirical approaches and investigations from different parts of the world that contribute to the wealth of knowledge in exploring the interplay between transport, land use and the environment thoroughly.

Superstars as drivers of organizational identification : empirical findings from professional soccer

This paper examines the effect of superstars on external stakeholders’ organizational identification through the lens of sport. Drawing on social identity theory and the concept of organizational identification, as well as on role model theories and superstar economics, several hypotheses are developed regarding the influence of soccer stars on their fans’ degree of team identification. Using a proprietary data set that combines archival data on professional German soccer players and clubs with survey data on more than 1,400 soccer fans, this study finds evidence for a positive effect of superstar characteristics and role model perception. Moreover, it is found that players who qualify for the definition of a superstar are more important to fans of established teams than to fans of unsuccessful teams. The player's club tenure, however, seems to have no influence on fans’ team identification. It is further argued that the effect of soccer stars on their fans is comparable to that of executives on external stakeholders, and hence, the results are applied to the business domain. The results of this study contribute to existing research by extending the list of personnel-related determinants of organizational identification.

Causes of rigidity in SMEs' export commencement decision

Today, small-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) collectively contribute to the largest percentage of job creation in OECD countries. SMEs have become increasingly international since the turn of the century despite being smaller in size in comparison to large multinational firms, and notably, exporting is the most favoured mode of international market entry utilised by SMEs in their internationalisation strategy. Governments around the world have acknowledged the importance of export promotion and have employed policies that are targeted at increasing the export activity of SMEs. However, in many countries, the involvement of SMEs in export operations remains rather low. Within Australia, for example, only about one-third of local SMEs are exporting and this raises an important question as to why there is such a huge percentage of non-exporters. Much scholarly research that focuses on this problem has concentrated on the broad concept of 'export barriers' that act as obstacles to a firm's export development. This paper takes a different approach to previous studies and proposes that a firm's resistance to commence exporting can be better understood through an analysis of the behavioural decision process during its pre-export state. Using a sample of Australian SMEs, the factors that are important in preventing a firm’s initial export commencement decision are categorised and discussed through the use of factor analysis.

Government grants - an abrogation or management of risks?

New public management (NPFM), with its hands-on, private sector-style performance measurement, output control, parsimonious use of resources, disaggreation of public sector units and greater competition in the public sector, has significantly affected charitable and nonprofit organisations delivering community services (Hood, 1991; Dunleavy, 1994; George & Wilding, 2002). The literature indicates that nonprofit organisations under NPM believe they are doing more for less: while administration is increasing, core costs are not being met; their dependence on government funding comes at the expense of other funding strategies; and there are concerns about proportionality and power asymmetries in the relationship (Kerr & Savelsberg, 2001; Powell & Dalton, 2011; Smith, 2002, p. 175; Morris, 1999, 2000a). Government agencies are under increased pressure to do more with less, demonstrate value for money, measure social outcomes, not merely outputs and minimise political risk (Grant, 2008; McGreogor-Lowndes, 2008). Government-community service organisation relationships are often viewed as 'uneasy alliances' characterised by the pressures that come with the parties' differing roles and expectations and the pressures that come with the parties' differing roles and expectations and the pressurs of funding and security (Productivity Commission, 2010, p. 308; McGregor-Lowndes, 2008, p. 45; Morris, 200a). Significant community services are now delivered to citizens through such relationships, often to the most disadvantaged in the community, and it is important for this to be achieved with equity, efficiently and effectively. On one level, the welfare state was seen as a 'risk management system' for the poor, with the state mitigating the risks of sickness, job loss and old age (Giddens, 1999) with the subsequent neoliberalist outlook shifting this risk back to households (Hacker, 2006). At the core of this risk shift are written contracts. Vincent-Jones (1999,2006) has mapped how NPM is characterised by the use of written contracts for all manner of relations; e.g., relgulation of dealings between government agencies, between individual citizens and the state, and the creation of quais-markets of service providers and infrastructure partners. We take this lens of contracts to examine where risk falls in relation to the outsourcing of community services. First we examine the concept of risk. We consider how risk might be managed and apportioned between governments and community serivce organisations (CSOs) in grant agreements, which are quasiy-market transactions at best. This is informed by insights from the law and economics literature. Then, standard grant agreements covering several years in two jurisdictions - Australia and the United Kingdom - are analysed, to establish the risk allocation between government and CSOs. This is placed in the context of the reform agenda in both jurisdictions. In Australia this context is th enonprofit reforms built around the creation of a national charities regulator, and red tape reduction. In the United Kingdom, the backdrop is the THird Way agenda with its compacts, succeed by Big Society in a climate of austerity. These 'case studies' inform a discussion about who is best placed to bear and manage the risks of community service provision on behalf of government. We conclude by identifying the lessons to be learned from our analysis and possible pathways for further scholarship.

Ecological approaches in planning for sustainable cities : a review of the literature

Rapid urbanization has brought environmentally, socially, and economically great challenges to cities and societies. To build a sustainable city, these challenges need to be faced efficiently and successfully. This paper focuses on the environmental issues and investigates the ecological approaches for planning sustainable cities through a comprehensive review of the relevant literature. The review focuses on several differing aspects of sustainable city formation. The paper provides insights on the interaction between the natural environment and human activities by identifying environmental effects resulting from this interaction; provides an introduction to the concept of sustainable urban development by underlining the important role of ecological planning in achieving sustainable cities; introduces the notion of urban ecosystems by establishing principles for the management of their sustainability; describes urban ecosystem sustainability assessment by introducing a review of current assessment methods, and; offers an outline of indexing urban environmental sustainability. The paper concludes with a summary of the findings.

Job embeddedness and the importance of retaining small firm employees

Small firms identify retention of staff as a significant problem. Voluntary turnover of talented staff can be costly, especially in small firms where there are few slack resources. However, there is scant research on retention in small firms. We use the concept of Job Embeddedness to understand why small firm employees stay. The concept refers to the totality of forces that embed employees in their jobs and it consists of three dimensions: fit, links, and sacrifice. Seven propositions are outlined comparing the ways fit, links and sacrifice might play out for small and large firm employees. Through testing these propositions small firm owner-managers may have a better understanding of what can be done to retain employees and maintain firm performance.

An evaluation of the neocognitron

We describe a sequence of experiments investigating the strengths and limitations of Fukushima's neocognitron as a handwritten digit classifier. Using the results of these experiments as a foundation, we propose and evaluate improvements to Fukushima's original network in an effort to obtain higher recognition performance. The neocognitron's performance is shown to be strongly dependent on the choice of selectivity parameters and we present two methods to adjust these variables. Performance of the network under the more effective of the two new selectivity adjustment techniques suggests that the network fails to exploit the features that distinguish different classes of input data. To avoid this shortcoming, the network's final layer cells were replaced by a nonlinear classifier (a multilayer perceptron) to create a hybrid architecture. Tests of Fukushima's original system and the novel systems proposed in this paper suggest that it may be difficult for the neocognitron to achieve the performance of existing digit classifiers due to its reliance upon the supervisor's choice of selectivity parameters and training data. These findings pertain to Fukushima's implementation of the system and should not be seen as diminishing the practical significance of the concept of hierarchical feature extraction embodied in the neocognitron. © 1997 IEEE.

Reason of state and a new notion of fortune : Historicising the risk society

Since the 1980s the concept of risk has produced a large and diverse volume of sociological research. Ulrich Beck’s groundbreaking risk society thesis provides a particularly engaging contribution, since it seems that nearly every sociological account of risk engages with this work. For Beck, we are living in second modernity – a new epoch that breaks with pre-modernity and industrial society due to the centrality, incalculability and reflexivity of globalised risk. While Beck’s theory is compelling, a reading of other theorists such as Foucault (2007[1978]) and Hacking (1975,1990) suggests that a difficulty with Beck’s work is that in attempting to explain what is novel about risk in contemporary times, he too quickly passes over the complexities and ruptures of historical change that impact on the history and contingency of risk. This paper begins by presenting a brief analysis of the present state of risk by introducing Beck’s historical narrative of risk from pre-modernity to the risk society; it then outlines the challenges with the “risk as epoch” argument by considering a range of literature, which suggests risk has a more complex history than proposed by Beck; and finally it highlights the value in examining strategies of statecraft in early modern Europe, specifically Machiavelli’s The Prince (2008[1513]) and Giovanni Botero’s political treatise, Della Ragion di Stato (1956[1589]) – as a means of more thoroughly understanding how our current concept of risk emerges. In doing so, this paper seeks to open up new trajectories in the historicisation of risk for other interested scholars.