Theorizing Literacy, Politics and Social Process: revisiting Maktab literacy in Rian in search of a paradigm

Literacy as a social practice is integrally linked with social, economic and political institutions and processes. As such, it has a material base which is fundamentally constituted in power relations. Literacy is therefore interwoven with the text and context of everyday living in which multi-levelled meanings are organically produced at both individual and societal level. This paper argues that if language thus mediates social reality, then it follows that literacy defined as a social practice cannot really be addressed as a reified, neutral activity but that it should take account of the social, cultural and political processes in which literacy practices are embedded. Drawing on the work of key writers within the field, the paper foregrounds the primary role of the state in defining the forms and levels of literacy required and made available at particular moments within society. In a case-study of the social construction of literacy meanings in pre-revolutionary Iran, it explores the view that the discourse about societal literacy levels has historically constituted a key terrain in which the struggle for control over meaning has taken place. This struggle, it is argued, sets the interests of the state to maintain ideological and political control over the production of knowledge within the culture and society over and against the needs identified by the individual for personal development, empowerment and liberation. In an overall sense, the paper examines existing theoretical perspectives on societal literacy programmes in terms of the scope that they provide for analyses that encompass the multi-levelled power relations that shape and influence dominant discourses on the relative value of literacy for both the individual and society

Enhanced phytoextraction: In search of EDTA alternatives

Enhanced phytoextraction proposes the use of soil amendments to increase the heavy-metal content of above-ground harvestable plant tissues. This study compares the effect of synthetic aminopolycarboxylic acids [ethylenediamine tetraacetatic acid (EDTA), nitriloacetic acid (NTA), and diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA)] with a number of biodegradable, low-molecular weight, organic acids (citric acid, ascorbic acid, oxalic acid, salicylic acid, and NH4 acetate) as potential soil amendments for enhancing phytoextraction of heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Ni) by Zea mays. The treatments in this study were applied at a dose of 2 mmol/kg(-1) 1 d before sowing. To compare possible effects between presow and postgermination treatments, a second smaller experiment was conducted in which EDTA, citric acid, and NH4 acetate were added 10 d after germination as opposed to 1 d before sowing. The soil used in this screening was a moderately contaminated topsoil derived from a dredged sediment disposal site. This site has been in an oxidized state for more than 8 years before being used in this research. The high carbonate, high organic matter, and high clay content characteristic to this type of sediment are thought to suppress heavy-metal phytoavailability. Both EDTA and DTPA resulted in increased levels of heavy metals in the above-ground biomass. However, the observed increases in uptake were not as large as reported in the literature. Neither the NTA nor organic acid treatments had any significant effect on uptake when applied prior to sowing. This was attributed to the rapid mineralization of these substances and the relatively low doses applied. The generally low extraction observed in this experiment restricts the use of phytoextraction as an effective remediation alternative under the current conditions, with regard to amendments used, applied dose (2 mmol/kg(-1) soil), application time (presow), plant species (Zea mays), and sediment (calcareous clayey soil) under study.

In search of simple structures in climate: Simplifying EOFs

Empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) are widely used in climate research to identify dominant patterns of variability and to reduce the dimensionality of climate data. EOFs, however, can be difficult to interpret. Rotated empirical orthogonal functions (REOFs) have been proposed as more physical entities with simpler patterns than EOFs. This study presents a new approach for finding climate patterns with simple structures that overcomes the problems encountered with rotation. The method achieves simplicity of the patterns by using the main properties of EOFs and REOFs simultaneously. Orthogonal patterns that maximise variance subject to a constraint that induces a form of simplicity are found. The simplified empirical orthogonal function (SEOF) patterns, being more 'local'. are constrained to have zero loadings outside the main centre of action. The method is applied to winter Northern Hemisphere (NH) monthly mean sea level pressure (SLP) reanalyses over the period 1948-2000. The 'simplified' leading patterns of variability are identified and compared to the leading patterns obtained from EOFs and REOFs. Copyright (C) 2005 Royal Meteorological Society.

The potential role of the intestinal gut microbiota in obesity and the metabolic syndrome

The incidence of obesity has reached alarming levels worldwide, thus increasing the risk of development of metabolic disorders (e.g. type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease (CHD) and cancer). Among the causes of obesity, diet and lifestyle play a central role. Although the treatment of obesity may appear quite straightforward, by simply re-addressing the balance between energy intake and energy expenditure, practically it has been very challenging. In the search for new therapeutic targets for treatment of obesity and related disorders, the gut microbiota and its activities have been investigated in relation to obesity. The human gut microbiota has already been shown to influence total energy intake and lipid metabolism, particularly through colonic fermentation of undigestible dietary constituents and production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA). Recent studies have highlighted the contribution of the gut microbiota to mammalian metabolism and energy harvested from the diet. A dietary modulation of the gut microbiota and its metabolic output could positively influence host metabolism and, therefore, constitute a potential coadjutant approach in the management of obesity and weight loss.