Sleepwalking certainties: agency, aesthetics, and incapacity in W.G. Sebald’s 'Austerlitz' and Hermann Broch’s 'The Sleepwalkers'

When we first encounter the narrator of Austerlitz, he is wandering around the unfamiliar town of Antwerp with, he tells us, “unsicheren Schritten” (1; 9). As well as reflecting the unfamiliarity of the locale, these “uncertain steps” evince a proud modesty characteristic of the classic Sebaldian narrator, a wanderer who discreetly relays the stories of the people and places he is privileged to encounter. Although Sebald does not use the phrase, steps of this sort, unpurposed yet unerring, are made with what is commonly known in German as somnambule Sicherheit: the legendary surefootedness of the sleepwalker. The convergence of sleepwalking and certainty in a single phrase poses an interesting challenge to one of the central tenets of the English-language canonization of Sebald, for his writing has been most highly valued for its ability to move the reader through apparent certainties towards a salutary uncertainty. But somnambule Sicherheit also presents the possibility that the current may be reversed, that narrative may move under cover of uncertainty towards certainty. That Sebald criticism has not been more troubled by this possibility is in no small part due to the fact that it tends to deploy the notion of sleepwalking with a minimum of reflection on its theoretical ramifications. To evoke some of the complexities of this matter, I first offer a brief cultural history of sleepwalking, as well as a brief account of the topic of uncertainty in Sebald criticism. Most of my argument, however, involves an extended comparative analysis of sleepwalking in Sebald's Austerlitz and Hermann Broch's 1933 trilogy The Sleepwalkers. Although these writers have not previously been the object of any sustained comparison, sleepwalking in Broch's novels illuminates much that is left implicit on the topic in Sebald's fiction and points toward some difficult questions regarding the role of aesthetics and agency in Sebald's work.

The importance of temperature and moisture to the egg-laying behaviour of a pest slug, Deroceras reticulatum

Oviposition behaviour is important when modelling the population dynamics of many invertebrates. The numbers of eggs laid are frequently used to describe fecundity, but this measure may differ significantly from realised fecundity. Oviposition has been shown to be important when describing the dynamics of slug populations, which are important agricultural pests. The numbers of eggs laid by Deroceras reticulatum and their viability were measured across a range of 16 temperature (4, 10, 15 and 23 degrees C) by moisture (33%, 42%, 53% and 58% by dry soil weight) experimental combinations. A fitted quadratic response surface model was used to estimate how D. reticulatum adjusted its egg laying to the surrounding temperature and moisture conditions, with most eggs being laid at a combination of 53% soil moisture and 18 degrees C. The number and proportion of viable eggs also covaried with temperature and moisture, suggesting that D. reticulatum may alter their investment in reproduction to maximise their fitness. We have shown that the number of viable eggs differs from the total number of eggs laid by D. reticulatum. Changes in egg viability with temperature and moisture may also be seen in other species and should be considered when modelling populations of egg-laying invertebrates.

Differential effects of temperature on fruit development and bean quality of contrasting genotypes of cacao (Theobroma cacao)

The effects of temperature and light integral on fruit growth and development of five cacao genotypes (Amelonado, AMAZ 15/15, SCA 6, SPEC 54/1 and UF 676) were studied in semi-controlled environment glasshouses in which the thermal regimes of cacao-growing regions of Brazil, Ghana and Malaysia were simulated. Fruit losses because of physiological will (cherelle will) were greater at higher temperatures and also differed significantly between genotypes, reflecting genetic differences in competition for assimilates between vegetative and reproductive components. Short-term measurements of fruit growth indicated faster growth rates at higher temperatures. In addition, a significant negative linear relationship between temperature and development time was observed. There was an effect of genotype on this relationship, such that time to fruit maturation at a given temperature was greatest for the clone UF 676 and least for AMAZ 15/15. Analysis of base temperatures, derived from these relationships indicated genetic variability in sensitivity of cacao fruit growth to temperature (base temperatures ranged from 7.5 degrees C for Amelonado and AMAZ 15/15 to 12.9 for SPEC 54/1). Final fruit size was a positive function of beam number for all genotypes and a positive function of light integral for Amelonado in the Malaysia simulated environment (where the temperature was almost constant). In simulated environments where temperature was the main variable (Brazil and Ghana) increases in temperature resulted in a significant decrease in final pod size for one genotype (Amelonado) in Brazil and for two genotypes (SPEC 54/1 and UF 676) in Ghana. It was hypothesised that pod growth duration (mediated by temperature), assimilation and beam number are all determinants of final pod size but that under specific conditions one of these factors may override the others. There was variability between genotypes in the response of beam size and beam lipid content to temperature. Negative relationships between temperature and bean size were found for Amelonado and UF 676. Lipid concentration was a curvilinear function of temperature for Amelonado and UF 676, with optimal temperatures of 23 degrees C and 24 degrees C, respectively. The variability observed here of different cacao genotypes to temperature highlights the need and opportunities for appropriate matching of planting material with local environments.

Histone H4 gene expression and morphological changes on shoot apices of strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) during floral induction

To investigate flower induction in June-bearing strawberry plants, morphological changes in shoot apices and Historic H4 expression in the central zone during flower initiation were observed. Strawberry plants were placed under flower inducible, short-day conditions (23 degrees C/17 degrees C, 10 h day length) for differing number of days (8, 16, 20, 24 or 32 days) and then these plants were transferred to non-inducible, long-day conditions (25 degrees C/20 degrees C, 14 h day length). The shoot apices of plants placed under short-day conditions for 8 days were flat, similar to shoot apices of plants in the vegetative phase of development, and Histone H4 was not expressed in the central zone during the experimental period. On the other hand, the shoot apices of plants placed under short-day conditions for 16 days remained flat, similar to shoot apices of plants placed under short-day conditions for 8 days, but Histone H4 was expressed in the central zone at the end of the short-day treatment. Morphological changes in the shoot apices of these plants were observed 8 days after the change in day-length. These plants developed differentiated flower organs after they were grown for another 30 days under long-day conditions. These results indicate that changes in the expression pattern of the Histone H4 gene occur before morphological changes during flower induction and that the expression of the gene in the central zone can be used as one of the indicators of the flowering process in strawberries. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The dynamics and relationships of precipitation, temperature and convection boundaries in the dayside auroral ionosphere

A continuous band of high ion temperature, which persisted for about 8 h and zigzagged north-south across more than five degrees in latitude in the dayside (07:00– 15:00MLT) auroral ionosphere, was observed by the EISCAT VHF radar on 23 November 1999. Latitudinal gradients in the temperature of the F-region electron and ion gases (Te and Ti , respectively) have been compared with concurrent observations of particle precipitation and field-perpendicular convection by DMSP satellites, in order to reveal a physical explanation for the persistent band of high Ti , and to test the potential role of Ti and Te gradients as possible markers for the open-closed field line boundary. The north/south movement of the equatorward Ti boundary was found to be consistent with the contraction/expansion of the polar cap due to an unbalanced dayside and nightside reconnection. Sporadic intensifications in Ti , recurring on _10-min time scales, indicate that frictional heating was modulated by time-varying reconnection, and the band of high Ti was located on open flux. However, the equatorward Ti boundary was not found to be a close proxy of the open-closed boundary. The closest definable proxy of the open-closed boundary is the magnetosheath electron edge observed by DMSP. Although Te appears to be sensitive to magnetosheath electron fluxes, it is not found to be a suitable parameter for routine tracking of the open-closed boundary, as it involves case dependent analysis of the thermal balance. Finally, we have documented a region of newly-opened sunward convecting flux. This region is situated between the convection reversal boundary and the magnetosheath electron edge defining the openclosed boundary. This is consistent with a delay of several minutes between the arrival of the first (super-Alfv´enic) magnetosheath electrons and the response in the ionospheric convection, conveyed to the ionosphere by the interior Alfv´en wave. It represents a candidate footprint of the low-latitude boundary mixing layer on sunward convecting open flux

Decomposition in soil and chemical characteristics of pollen

The input to soils made by pollen and its subsequent mineralization has rarely been investigated from a soil microbiological point of view even though the small but significant quantities of C and N in pollen may make an important contribution to nutrient cycling. The relative resistance to decomposition of pollen exines (outer layers) has led to much of the focus of pollen in soil being on its preservation for archaeological and palaeo-ecological purposes. We have examined aspects of the chemical composition and decomposition of pollen from birch (Betula alba) and maize (Zea mays) in soil. The relatively large N contents, small C-to-N ratios and large water-soluble contents of pollen from both species indicated that they would be readily mineralized in soil. When added to soil and incubated at 16 degrees C an amount of C equivalent to 22-26% of the added pollen C was lost as CO2 within 22 days, with the Z. mays pollen decomposing faster. For B. alba pollen, the water-soluble fraction decomposed faster than the whole pollen and the insoluble fraction decomposed more slowly over 22 days. By contrast, there were no significant differences in the decomposition rates of the different fractions from Z. mays pollen. Solid-state C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) revealed no gross chemical differences between the pollen of these two species, with strong resonances in the alkyl- and methyl-C region (0-45 p.p.m.) indicative of aliphatic compounds, the O-alkyl-C (60-90 p.p.m.) and the acetal- and ketal-C region (90-110 p.p.m.) indicative of polysaccharides, and the carbonyl-C region indicative of peptides and carboxylic acids. In addition, both pollens gave a small but distinct resonance at 55 p.p.m. attributed to N-alkyl-C. The resonances attributed to polysaccharides were lost completely or substantially reduced after decomposition.

Decomposition in soil and chemical characteristics of pollen

The input to soils made by pollen and its subsequent mineralization has rarely been investigated from a soil microbiological point of view even though the small but significant quantities of C and N in pollen may make an important contribution to nutrient cycling. The relative resistance to decomposition of pollen exines (outer layers) has led to much of the focus of pollen in soil being on its preservation for archaeological and palaeo-ecological purposes. We have examined aspects of the chemical composition and decomposition of pollen from birch (Betula alba) and maize (Zea mays) in soil. The relatively large N contents, small C-to-N ratios and large water-soluble contents of pollen from both species indicated that they would be readily mineralized in soil. When added to soil and incubated at 16 degrees C an amount of C equivalent to 22-26% of the added pollen C was lost as CO2 within 22 days, with the Z. mays pollen decomposing faster. For B. alba pollen, the water-soluble fraction decomposed faster than the whole pollen and the insoluble fraction decomposed more slowly over 22 days. By contrast, there were no significant differences in the decomposition rates of the different fractions from Z. mays pollen. Solid-state C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) revealed no gross chemical differences between the pollen of these two species, with strong resonances in the alkyl- and methyl-C region (0-45 p.p.m.) indicative of aliphatic compounds, the O-alkyl-C (60-90 p.p.m.) and the acetal- and ketal-C region (90-110 p.p.m.) indicative of polysaccharides, and the carbonyl-C region indicative of peptides and carboxylic acids. In addition, both pollens gave a small but distinct resonance at 55 p.p.m. attributed to N-alkyl-C. The resonances attributed to polysaccharides were lost completely or substantially reduced after decomposition.

Selenium persistency and speciation in the tissues of lambs following the withdrawal of dietary high-dose selenium-enriched yeast

The objective was to determine the concentration of total selenium (Se) and the proportion of total Se comprised as selenomethionine (SeMet) and selenocysteine (SeCys) in post mortem tissues of lambs in the six weeks period following the withdrawal of a diet containing high dose selenized yeast (SY), derived from a specific strain of Saccharomyces cerevisae CNCM (Collection Nationale de Culture de Micro-organism) I-3060. Thirty Texel x Suffolk lambs used in this study had previously received diets (91 days) containing either high dose SY (HSY; 6.30 mg Se/kg DM) or an unsupplemented control (C; 0.13 mg Se/kg DM). Following the period of supplementation all lambs were then offered a complete pelleted diet, without additional Se (0.15 mg Se/kg DM), for 42 days. At enrollment and 21 and 42 days later, five lambs from each treatment were blood sampled, euthanased and samples of heart, liver, kidney and skeletal muscle (Longissimus Dorsi and Psoas Major) tissue were retained. Total Se concentration in whole blood and tissues was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in HSY lambs at all time points that had previously received long term exposure to high dietary concentrations of SY. The distribution of total Se and the proportions of total Se comprised as SeMet and SeCys differed between tissues, treatment and time points. Total Se was greatest in HSY liver and kidney (22.64 and 18.96 mg Se/kg DM, respectively) and SeCys comprised the greatest proportion of total Se. Conversely, cardiac and skeletal muscle (Longissimus Dorsi and Psoas Major) tissues had lower total Se concentration (10.80, 7.02 and 7.82 mg Se/kg DM, respectively) and SeMet was the predominant selenized amino acid. Rates of Se clearance in HSY liver (307 µg Se/day) and kidney (238 µg Se/day) were higher compared with HSY cardiac tissue (120 µg Se/day) and skeletal muscle (20 µg Se/day). In conclusion differences in Se clearance rates were different between tissue types, reflecting the relative metabolic activity of each tissue, and appear to be dependant upon the proportions of total Se comprised as either SeMet or SeCys.

Flux comparison of Eulerian and Lagrangian estimates of Agulhas leakage: A case study using a numerical model

Estimating the magnitude of Agulhas leakage, the volume flux of water from the Indian to the Atlantic Ocean, is difficult because of the presence of other circulation systems in the Agulhas region. Indian Ocean water in the Atlantic Ocean is vigorously mixed and diluted in the Cape Basin. Eulerian integration methods, where the velocity field perpendicular to a section is integrated to yield a flux, have to be calibrated so that only the flux by Agulhas leakage is sampled. Two Eulerian methods for estimating the magnitude of Agulhas leakage are tested within a high-resolution two-way nested model with the goal to devise a mooring-based measurement strategy. At the GoodHope line, a section halfway through the Cape Basin, the integrated velocity perpendicular to that line is compared to the magnitude of Agulhas leakage as determined from the transport carried by numerical Lagrangian floats. In the first method, integration is limited to the flux of water warmer and more saline than specific threshold values. These threshold values are determined by maximizing the correlation with the float-determined time series. By using the threshold values, approximately half of the leakage can directly be measured. The total amount of Agulhas leakage can be estimated using a linear regression, within a 90% confidence band of 12 Sv. In the second method, a subregion of the GoodHope line is sought so that integration over that subregion yields an Eulerian flux as close to the float-determined leakage as possible. It appears that when integration is limited within the model to the upper 300 m of the water column within 900 km of the African coast the time series have the smallest root-mean-square difference. This method yields a root-mean-square error of only 5.2 Sv but the 90% confidence band of the estimate is 20 Sv. It is concluded that the optimum thermohaline threshold method leads to more accurate estimates even though the directly measured transport is a factor of two lower than the actual magnitude of Agulhas leakage in this model.

Observation and origin of an interannual salinity anomaly in the Mozambique Channel

A positive salinity anomaly of 0.2 PSU was observed between 50 and 200 m over the years 2000–2001 across the Mozambique Channel at a section at 17°S which was repeated in 2003, 2005, 2006, and 2008. Meanwhile, a moored array is continued from 2003 to 2008. This anomaly was most distinct showing an interannual but nonseasonal variation. The possible origin of the anomaly is investigated using output from three ocean general circulation models (Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean, Ocean Circulation and Climate Advanced Modeling, and Parallel Ocean Program). The most probable mechanism for the salinity anomaly is the anomalous inflow of subtropical waters caused by a weakening of the northern part of the South Equatorial Current by weaker trade winds. This mechanism was found in all three numerical models. In addition, the numerical models indicate a possible salinization of one of the source water masses to the Mozambique Channel as an additional cause of the anomaly. The anomaly propagated southward into the Agulhas Current and northward along the African coast.

Managing invasive alien species with professional and hobby farmers: insights from ecological-economic modelling

Biosecurity is a great challenge to policy-makers globally. Biosecurity policies aim to either prevent invasions before they occur or to eradicate and/or effectively manage the invasive species and diseases once an invasion has occurred. Such policies have traditionally been directed towards professional producers in natural resource based sectors, including agriculture. Given the wide scope of issues threatened by invasive species and diseases, it is important to account for several types of stakeholders that are involved. We investigate the problem of an invasive insect pest feeding on an agricultural crop with heterogeneous producers: profit-oriented professional farmers and utility-oriented hobby farmers. We start from an ecological-economic model conceptually similar to the one developed by Eiswerth and Johnson [Eiswerth, M.E. and Johnson, W.S., 2002. Managing nonindigenous invasive species: insights from dynamic analysis. Environmental and Resource Economics 23, 319-342.] and extend it in three ways. First, we make explicit the relationship between the invaded state carrying capacity and farmers' planting decisions. Second, we add another producer type into the framework and hence account for the existence of both professional and hobby fanners. Third, we provide a theoretical contribution by discussing two alternative types of equilibria. We also apply the model to an empirical case to extract a number of stylised facts and in particular to assess: a) under which circumstances the invasion is likely to be not controllable; and b) how extending control policies to hobby farmers could affect both types of producers. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chill unit models for blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) cultivars 'Ben Gairn', 'Ben Hope' and 'Ben Tirran'

Temperate-zone crops require a period of winter chilling to terminate dormancy and ensure adequate bud break the following spring. The exact chilling requirement of blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum), a commercially important crop in northern Europe, is relatively unknown. Chill unit models have been successfully utilized to determine the optimum chilling temperature of a range of crops, with one chill unit equating to I h exposure to the optimum temperature for chill satisfaction. Two-year-old R. nigrum plants of the cultivars 'Ben Gairn', 'Ben Hope' and 'Ben Tirran' were exposed to temperatures of -10.1 degrees C. -3.4 degrees C. 0.1 degrees C, 1.5 degrees C, 2.1 degrees C, 3.4 degrees C or 8.9 degrees C (+/- 0.7 degrees C) for durations of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 weeks and multiple regression analyses used to determine the optimum temperature for chill satisfaction. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial and management factors associated with exposure of smallholder dairy cattle in Tanzania to tick-borne pathogens

A cross-sectional study of serum antibody responses of cattle to tick-borne pathogens (Theileria parva, Theileria mutans, Anaplasma marginale, Babesia bigemina and Babesia bovis) was conducted on smallholder dairy farms in Tanga and Iringa Regions of Tanzania. Seroprevalence was highest for T. parva (48% in Iringa and 23% in Tanga) and B. bigemina (43% in Iringa and 27% in Tanga) and lowest for B. bovis (12% in Iringa and 6% in Tanga). We use spatial and non-spatial models, fitted using classical and Bayesian methods, to explore risk factors associated with seroprevalence. These include both fixed effects (age, grazing history and breeding status) and random effects (farm and local spatial effects). In both regions, seroprevalence for all tick-borne pathogens increased significantly with age. Animals pasture grazed in the 3 months prior to the start of the sampling period were significantly more likely to be seropositive for Theileria spp. and Babesia spp. Pasture grazed animals were more likely to be seropositive than zero-grazed animals for A. marginale, but the relationship was weaker than that observed for the other four pathogens. This study did not detect any significant differences in seroprevalence associated with other management-related variables, including the method or frequency of acaricide application. After adjusting for age, there was weak evidence of localised (< 5 km) spatial correlation in exposure to some of the tick borne diseases. However, this was small compared with the 'farm-effect', suggesting that risk factors specific to the farm were more important than those common to the local neighbourhood. Many animals were seropositive for more than one pathogen and the correlation between exposure to the different pathogens remained after adjusting for the identified risk factors. Identifying the determinants of exposure to multiple tick-borne pathogens and characterizing local variation in risk will assist in the development of more effective control strategies for smallholder dairy farms. (c) 2005 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Epidemiological risk assessment using linked network and grid based modelling: Phytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora kernoviae in the UK

We developed a stochastic simulation model incorporating most processes likely to be important in the spread of Phytophthora ramorum and similar diseases across the British landscape (covering Rhododendron ponticum in woodland and nurseries, and Vaccinium myrtillus in heathland). The simulation allows for movements of diseased plants within a realistically modelled trade network and long-distance natural dispersal. A series of simulation experiments were run with the model, representing an experiment varying the epidemic pressure and linkage between natural vegetation and horticultural trade, with or without disease spread in commercial trade, and with or without inspections-with-eradication, to give a 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 factorial started at 10 arbitrary locations spread across England. Fifty replicate simulations were made at each set of parameter values. Individual epidemics varied dramatically in size due to stochastic effects throughout the model. Across a range of epidemic pressures, the size of the epidemic was 5-13 times larger when commercial movement of plants was included. A key unknown factor in the system is the area of susceptible habitat outside the nursery system. Inspections, with a probability of detection and efficiency of infected-plant removal of 80% and made at 90-day intervals, reduced the size of epidemics by about 60% across the three sectors with a density of 1% susceptible plants in broadleaf woodland and heathland. Reducing this density to 0.1% largely isolated the trade network, so that inspections reduced the final epidemic size by over 90%, and most epidemics ended without escape into nature. Even in this case, however, major wild epidemics developed in a few percent of cases. Provided the number of new introductions remains low, the current inspection policy will control most epidemics. However, as the rate of introduction increases, it can overwhelm any reasonable inspection regime, largely due to spread prior to detection. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.