On a railroad to nowhere: Irmgard Keun's 'D-Zug Dritter Klasse'

D-Zug dritter Klasse, the second novel Irmgard Keun published in exile from Nazi Germany, describes seven passengers on a Berlin-Paris express in 1937. Although it begins like a wide-ranging narrative of persecution and emigration, many of the passengers' stories develop in non-political, inconsequential, and downright farcical directions, a shift which scholars have struggled to explain. This article suggests that D-Zug is a novel of emigration in a personal and literary sense, interpreting the narrative's erratic trajectory as a conscious expression of Keun's fear that her continuing exile could stifle her political effectiveness and professional abilities as an antifascist author.

Discussion of "Hydrodynamic loading on river bridges" by Stefano Malavasi and Alberto Guadagnini

Abstract not available.

Dimeric allylpalladium(II) complexes with pyrazolate bridges: Synthesis, characterization, structure and thermal behaviour

The synthesis, characterization and thermal behaviour of some new dimeric allylpalladium (II) complexes bridged by pyrazolate ligands are reported. The complexes [Pd(mu-3, 5-R'(2)pz)(eta(3)-CH2C(R)CH2)](2) [R = H; R'= CH(CH3)(2) (1a); R = H, R' = C(CH3)(3) (1b), R = H; R' = CF3 (1c); R = CH3, R' = CH(CH3)(2) (2a); R = CH3, R' = C(CH3)(3) (2b); and R = CH3, R' = CF3 (2c)] have been prepared by the room temperature reaction of [Pd(eta(3)-CH2C(R)CH2)(acac)](acac = acetylacetonate) with 3,5-disubstituted pyrazoles in acetonitrile solution. The complexes have been characterized by NMR (H-1, C-13{H-1}), FT-IR, and elemental analyses. The structure of a representative complex, viz. 2c, has been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The dinuclear molecule features two formally square planar palladium centres which are bridged by two pyrazole ligands and the coordination of each metal centre is completed by allyl substituents. The molecule has non-crystallographic mirror symmetry. Thermogravimetric studies have been carried out to evaluate the thermal stability of these complexes. Most of the complexes thermally decompose in argon atmosphere to give nanocrystals of palladium, which have been characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM. However, complex 2c can be sublimed in vacuo at 2 mbar without decomposition. The equilibrium vapour pressure of 2c has been measured by the Knudsen effusion technique. The vapour pressure of the complex 2c could be expressed by the relation: In (p/Pa)(+/- 0.06) = -18047.3/T + 46.85. The enthalpy and entropy of vapourization are found to be 150.0 +/- 3 kJ mol(-1) and 389.5 +/- 8 J K-1 mol(-1), respectively. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Queensland's music outcomes: building pedagogical bridges

This paper discusses the challenges surrounding the implementation of the Music strand of the new syllabus for secondary teachers within the context of emerging trends in pedagogical reform in Queensland, and identifies several areas where research is needed to inform classroom music teaching practice and to guide teacher training programs. Secondary music teachers (Years 8-10) have not had the same systemic, school-based curriculum guidance that was given to teachers in years 1-7. This has resulted in a plethora of teaching and learning practices in lower secondary classrooms, many of which may be more experiential than developmental in approach and which may have little reference to the types of music programs common in primary classrooms.