Green Owl and the Corn Maiden

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to engage a different notion of feminism in accounting by addressing the issues of feminism, balance, and integration as a means of understanding differently the world for which one accounts. The ideas are communicated by the sharing of experiences through myth and storytelling.

Design/methodology/approach: An alternative lens for understanding the giving of accounts is proposed, drawing on earlier feminist accounting literature as well as storytelling and myth.

Findings: Including the subjective and intersubjective approaches to experiencing and understanding the world recommends an approach whereby both the feminine-intuitive and the masculine-rational processes are integrated in constructing decision models and accounts.

Research limitations/implications: Through an expanded view of values that can be included in reporting or recounting a different model is seen, and different decisions are enabled. The primary limitation is having to use words to convey one’s subjective and intersubjective understandings. The written medium is not the most natural language for such an undertaking.

Practical implications: By enabling the inclusion of more feminine values, a way is opened to engage more holistically with the society in which decisions are embedded.

Originality/value: Drawing on the storytelling tradition, a holistic model is suggested that can lead to emergence of a more balanced societal reporting.

Keywords: Feminism, Integration, Accounting, Storytelling, Myths

Paper type: Research paper

Informational masking in young and elderly listeners for speech masked by simultaneous speech and noise

Three experiments measured the effects of age on informational masking of speech by competing speech. The experiments were designed to minimize the energetic contributions of the competing speech so that informational masking could be measured with no large corrections for energetic masking. Experiment 1 used a "speech-in-speech-in-noise" design, in which the competing speech was presented in noise at a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of -4 dB. This ensured that the noise primarily contributed the energetic masking but the competing speech contributed the informational masking. Equal amounts of informational masking (3 dB) were observed for young and elderly listeners, although less was found for hearing-impaired listeners. Experiment 2 tested a range of SNRs in this design and showed that informational masking increased with SNR up to about an SNR of -4 dB, but decreased thereafter. Experiment 3 further reduced the energetic contribution of the competing speech by filtering it into different frequency bands from the target speech. The elderly listeners again showed approximately the same amount of informational masking (4-5 dB), although some elderly listeners had particular difficulty understanding these stimuli in any condition. On the whole, these results suggest that young and elderly listeners were equally susceptible to informational masking. © 2009 Acoustical Society of America.

Solventless synthesis of acyl phosphonamidates, precursors to masked bisphosphonates

A series of acyl phosphonamidates, the synthetic precursors to bisphosphonates, have been readily prepared from phosphoramidite type reagents and a range of acid chlorides. These reactions were performed using solventless conditions, where purification was easily achieved using column chromatography with yields ranging from 71-90%. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that these acyl phosphonamidates could be used for the preparation of unsymmetrical bisphosphonates, which do date are scarcely reported in the literature.

Neural Network Based Attack on a Masked Implementation of AES

Masked implementations of cryptographic algorithms are often used in commercial embedded cryptographic devices to increase their resistance to side channel attacks. In this work we show how neural networks can be used to both identify the mask value, and to subsequently identify the secret key value with a single attack trace with high probability. We propose the use of a pre-processing step using principal component analysis (PCA) to significantly increase the success of the attack. We have developed a classifier that can correctly identify the mask for each trace, hence removing the security provided by that mask and reducing the attack to being equivalent to an attack against an unprotected implementation. The attack is performed on the freely available differential power analysis (DPA) contest data set to allow our work to be easily reproducible. We show that neural networks allow for a robust and efficient classification in the context of side-channel attacks.

Visual functioning and quality of life in the subfoveal radiotherapy study (SFRADS): SFRADS report 2

Aims: To determine whether or not self reported visual functioning and quality of life in patients with choroidal neovascularisation caused by age related macular degeneration (AMD) is better in those treated with 12 Gy external beam radiotherapy in comparison with untreated subjects. Methods: A multicentre single masked randomised controlled trial of 12 Gy of external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) delivered as 6x2 Gy fractions to the macula of an affected eye versus observation. Patients with AMD, aged 60 years or over, in three UK hospital units, who had subfoveal CNV and a visual acuity equal to or better than 6/60 (logMAR 1.0). Methods: Data from 199 eligible participants who were randomly assigned to 12 Gy teletherapy or observation were available for analysis. Visual function assessment, ophthalmic examination, and fundus fluorescein angiography were undertaken at baseline and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after study entry. To assess patient centred outcomes, subjects were asked to complete the Daily Living Tasks Dependent on Vision (DLTV) and the SF-36 questionnaires at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months after enrolment to the study. Cross sectional and longitudinal analyses were conducted using arm of study as grouping variable. Regression analysis was employed to adjust for the effect of baseline co-variates on outcome at 12 months and 24 months. Results: Both control and treated subjects had significant losses in visual functioning as seen by a progressive decline in mean scores in the four dimensions of the DLTV. There were no statistically significant differences between treatment and control subjects in any of dimensions of the DLTV at 12 months or 24 months after study entry. Regression analysis confirmed that treatment status had no effect on the change in DLTV dimensional scores. Conclusions: The small benefits noted in clinical measures of vision in treated eyes did not translate into better self reported visual functioning in patients who received treatment when compared with the control arm. These findings have implications for the design of future clinical trials and studies.

Statistical Monitoring of Dynamic Multivariate Processes: Part II: Identifying Fault Magnitude and Signature

This paper builds on work presented in the first paper, Part 1 [1] and is of equal significance. The paper proposes a novel compensation method to preserve the integrity of step-fault signatures prevalent in various processes that can be masked during the removal of both auto- and cross correlation. Using industrial data, the paper demonstrates the benefit of the proposed method, which is applicable to chemical, electrical, and mechanical process monitoring. This paper, (and Part 1 [1]), has led to further work supported by EPSRC grant GR/S84354/01 involving kernel PCA methods.

S XI emission lines in active region spectra obtained with the Solar EUV Rocket Telescope and Spectrograph (SERTS)

Theoretical electron density sensitive emission line ratios involving a total of eleven 2s(2)2p(2)-2s2p(3) transitions in S XI between 187 and 292 Angstrom are presented. A comparison of these with solar active region observations obtained during rocket flights by the Solar EUV Rocket Telescope and Spectrograph (SERTS) reveals generally good agreement between theory and experiment. However, the 186.87 Angstrom line is masked by fairly strong Fe XII emission at the same wavelength, while 239.83 Angstrom is blended with an unknown feature, and 285.58 Angstrom is blended with possibly N IV 285.56 Angstrom. In addition, the 191.23 Angstrom line appears to be more seriously blended with an Fe XIII feature than previously believed. The presence of several new S XI lines is confirmed in the SERTS spectra, at wavelengths of 188.66, 247.14 and 291.59 Angstrom, in excellent agreement with laboratory measurements. In particular, the detection of the 2s(2)2p(2) P- 3(1) -2s2p(3) P-3(0,1) transitions at 242.91 Angstrom is the first time (to our knowledge) that this feature has been identified in the solar spectrum. The potential usefulness of the S XI line ratios as electron density diagnostics for the solar transition region and corona is briefly discussed.

Let your feet do the walking: constraints on the stability of bipedal coordination

In this paper we consider whether the behaviour of the neural circuitry that controls lower limb movements in humans is shaped primarily by the spatiotemporal characteristics of bipedal gait patterns, or by selective pressures that are sensitive to considerations of balance and energetics. During the course of normal locomotion, the full dynamics of the neural circuitry are masked by the inertial properties of the limbs. In the present study, participants executed bipedal movements in conditions in which their feet were either unloaded or subject to additional inertial loads. Two patterns of rhythmic coordination were examined. In the in-phase mode, participants were required to flex their ankles and extend their ankles in synchrony. In the out-of-phase mode, the participants flexed one ankle while extending the other and vice versa. The frequency of movement was increased systematically throughout each experimental trial. All participants were able to maintain both the in-phase and the out-of-phase mode of coordination, to the point at which they could no longer increase their frequency of movement. Transitions between the two modes were not observed, and the stability of the out-of-phase and in-phase modes of coordination was equivalent at all movement frequencies. These findings indicate that, in humans, the behaviour of the neural circuitry underlying coordinated movements of the lower limbs is not constrained strongly by the spatiotemporal symmetries of bipedal gait patterns.

Vitamins C and E for prevention of pre-eclampsia in women with type 1 diabetes (DAPIT): a randomised placebo-controlled trial.

Background
Results of several trials of antioxidant use during pregnancy have not shown a reduction in pre-eclampsia, but the eff ect in women with diabetes is unknown. We aimed to assess whether supplementation with vitamins C and E reduced incidence of pre-eclampsia in women with type 1 diabetes.

Methods
We enrolled women from 25 UK antenatal metabolic clinics in a multicentre randomised placebo-controlled trial. Eligibility criteria were type 1 diabetes preceding pregnancy, presentation between 8 weeks’ and 22 weeks’ gestation, singleton pregnancy, and age 16 years or older. Women were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive1000 mg vitamin C and 400 IU vitamin E (a-tocopherol) or matched placebo daily until delivery. The randomisation sequence was stratifi ed by centre with balanced blocks of eight patients. All trial personnel and participants were masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was pre-eclampsia, which we defi ned as gestational hypertension with proteinuria. Analysis was by modifi ed intention to treat. This study is registered, ISRCTN27214045.

Findings
Between April, 2003, and June, 2008, 762 women were randomly allocated to treatment groups (379 vitamin supplementation, 383 placebo). The primary endpoint was assessed for 375 women allocated to receive vitamins, and 374 allocated to placebo. Rates of pre-eclampsia did not differ between vitamin (15%, n=57) and placebo (19%, 70)groups (risk ratio 0·81, 95% CI 0·59–1·12). No adverse maternal or neonatal outcomes were reported.

Interpretation
Supplementation with vitamins C and E did not reduce risk of pre-eclampsia in women with type 1 diabetes. However, the possibility that vitamin supplementation might be benefi cial in women with a low antioxidant status at baseline needs further testing.

Genomic instability after targeted irradiation of human lymphocytes: Evidence for inter-individual differences under bystander conditions

Environmental (222)radon exposure is a human health concern, and many studies demonstrate that very low doses of high LET alpha-particle irradiation initiate deleterious genetic consequences in both radiated and non-irradiated bystander cells. One consequence, radiation-induced genomic instability (RIGI), is a hallmark of tumorigenesis and is often assessed by measuring delayed chromosomal aberrations We utilised a technique that facilitates transient immobilization of primary lymphocytes for targeted microbeam irradiation and have reported that environmentally relevant doses, e.g. a single He-3(2+) particle traversal to a single cell, are sufficient to Induce RIGI Herein we sought to determine differences in radiation response in lymphocytes isolated from five healthy male donors Primary lymphocytes were irradiated with a single particle per cell nucleus. We found evidence for inter-individual variation in radiation response (Rid, measured as delayed chromosome aberrations) Although this was not highly significant, it was possibly masked by high levels of intra-individual variation While there are many studies showing a link between genetic predisposition and RIGI, there are few studies linking genetic background with bystander effects in normal human lymphocytes In an attempt to investigate inter-individual variation in the induction of bystander effects, primary lymphocytes were irradiated with a single particle under conditions where fractions of the population were traversed We showed a marked genotype-dependent bystander response in one donor after exposure to 15% of the population The findings may also be regarded as a radiation-induced genotype-dependent bystander effect triggering an instability phenotype (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.