Poesis in diegesis : real-time interactive dance performance

This paper describes the processes of creating a hybrid experience of live performance and virtual imagery in 1 + x: Mid-range Projections, a dance work that uses real-time processing of live feed video to create a duet between dancers and their virtual images. 1 + x is about creating experiences of interiority and intimacy, ironically, through the juxtaposition of virtual images of performers with their real selves. This paper examines how the ideal of reinserting intimacy, humanity and 'presence' into a technologically generated image space, in the case of 1 + x, depends on the precise and delicate manipulation of live-feed video in collaboration with the audience's experience of interactivity. The result is a performance work that creates a poesis of 'presence', through a diegesis that melds real and virtual images on the same screen and the same conceptual and spatial plane - a 'becoming virtual'.

Interactive dance performance : movement data and the 'materiality' of the system

This paper describes a recent performance work I made using dance and live feed video
processing, 1 + x: mid-range projections, commissioned by the Seoul Contemporary Dance
Company and first performed in Melbourne in July 2005. This work forms a basis for discussing
my interest in creating performance images that reveal 'interiority'. I am interested in how you
embed the 'feel' of the human systematically in an interactive structure, and how that process
can produce a poetic that arises from the detailed and nuanced play between real and virtual
images on the same screen. How do you abstract and play with a performer's movement, play
with it in real and virtual time, so that it gives the work an emotional charge? Its like playing with
the process of 'becoming virtual' - and I'm being deliberately Deleuzian about that - how do you
'become virtual' in the sense of melding performer and image so that the meaning exists
between - in the connection between the two?

This quest to get the energy, the 'lived', 'felt' quality of the movement into the imagery gives rise
to research questions about how 'presence' is perceived in movement. What elements of the
raw movement data do you need to keep and what can you throwaway, and still keep the
personality, the emotion, the 'life' of that movement? How do you make a virtual, interactive
performance system that has its own 'materiality'?

Forest of gestures : video installation and performance work

Invitation to contribute to Alexander Harrisions' program 'What's Coming' resulted in 'Forest of Gestures' a 3 channel video projection and installation with a live feed component

Changes in lipid class content and composition of Isochrysis sp. (T-Iso) grown in batch culture

© 2015, Springer International Publishing Switzerland. For decades, the microalgae Isochrysis spp. have been widely utilised as a live feed in aquaculture practices. This species possesses a number of favourable characteristics, notably its long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC n-3 PUFA) content; primarily docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3). This article describes the lipid class content and composition of this microalga grown in batch culture, covering the entirety of lag, log and stationary growth phases. The total lipid was highest in the lag phase (27 pg/cell). Total lipid significantly decreased in the exponential growth (7 pg/cell), then steadily increasing for the remainder of growth. The increase in total lipid was due to the accumulation of neutral lipid in the form of triacylglycerides. The DHA content (pg/cell) of the neutral lipid remained relatively unchanged for the duration of growth, with the influx of fatty acids being primarily myristic and palmitic acids. DHA (pg/cell) was found at relatively uniform amounts across all lipid classes. However, the DHA content as a percentage differed greatly between classes. The polar lipid class had a significantly higher DHA content, which peaked at 38 % of all polar lipid in log growth. The primary PUFA species present in the glycolipid class was stearidonic acid (18:4n-3). This work gives an overview of the lipid content and composition of Isochrysis sp. (T-Iso) over the entirety of its growth under batch culture. The lipid profile for this species at different stages of culture provides a basal data set that is useful for comparative studies using this organism.

Use of wild fish and other aquatic organisms as feed in aquaculture; a review of practices and implications in the Asia Pacific

Global and Asian aquaculture have witnessed a ten-fold increase in production from 1980 to 2004. However, the relative percent contribution to production of each of the major commodities has remained almost unchanged. For example, the contribution of freshwater finfish has declined from 71 to 66 percent in Asia but has remained unchanged globally over the last 20 to 30 years. This fact has dictated trends in the use of fish as a feed for cultured stocks. The growth in the sector has gone hand in hand with an increasing dependence on fish as feed, either directly or indirectly. In a number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the aquaculture sector has surpassed the capture fisheries sector in its respective contributions to the gross domestic product (GDP). Aquaculture’s increased contribution to national GDPs can be taken as a clear indication of the contribution of the sector to food security and poverty alleviation. The use of finfish and other aquatic organisms as a feed source can be through direct utilization of whole or chopped raw fish in wet form, through fishmeal and fish oil in formulated feeds, and/or as live fish, although the latter is uncommon and the overall amounts used are relatively small. In the first two categories, the fish used are often termed “trash fish/low-value fish”. Although attempts have been made to define this term, all definitions have a certain degree of ambiguity and/or subjectivity. In this regional review, the amount of fish used as feed sources based on the above categories was estimated primarily from the production data, supported by assumptions on the inclusion levels of fishmeal in formulated feeds and observed feed conversion efficiencies for both formulated feeds and for stock fed trash fish/low-value fish directly. A scenario for the use of fish as feed was developed by starting from the levels of aquaculture production recorded in 2004 and assuming increases in production volumes of 10, 15 and 20 percent by 2010, respectively, for the three trajectories. In parallel, the pattern of wild fish use as feed was projected to change as fish and shrimp farmers increasingly replace farmmade feeds by incorporating trash fish/low-value fish with manufactured feeds that include fishmeal. Also, the fishmeal inclusion rates in manufactured feeds are falling slowly, and this has been incorporated into the projections. The regional review also deals with the production of fishmeal using trash fish/low-value fish in the Asia-Pacific region. Regional fishmeal production as a whole is relatively low when compared with that of major fishmeal-producing countries such as Chile, Iceland and Norway, amounting to approximately 1 million tonnes per year. However, there is a trend towards increasing the use of fish industry waste, such as from the tuna canning industry in Thailand. The fishmeal produced in the region is priced considerably lower than globally traded fishmeal, but its quality is poorer. Total fishmeal use in Asian aquaculture in 2004 was estimated as 2 388 million tonnes, the highest proportion of this being used for crustacean aquaculture (1 418 million tonnes). Based on growth predictions (to year 2010) in the sector and improvements to feed quality and management, it is expected that the quantity of fishmeal used in Asian aquaculture will be slightly less than at present. An estimated 240 000 tonnes of fish oil is used in Asian aquaculture, principally in shrimp feeds. Based on production estimates of commodities in 2004 that rely on trash fish/low-value fish as the main feed source, this regional review suggests that Asian aquaculture currently uses between 2 465 and 3 882 million tonnes, an amount that is predicted to decrease to between 1.890 and 2 795 million tonnes by 2010. The use of trash fish/low-value fish and fishmeal by the aquaculture sector has been repeatedly adjudicated as a non-sustainable practice, and globally the sector is seeking to reduce its dependence on fish as feed through improved feed management practices and development of better quality feeds and feed formulations using alternative ingredients. Over the next few years, decreases in the use of trash fish/low-value fish are also expected to be achieved through better conversion of raw materials into fishmeal and fish oil during the reduction processes. The “way forward” in addressing the issue of the use of fish as feed in aquaculture in the Asia-Pacific region includes the need for a concerted regional research thrust to reduce the use of fish as feed sources in aquaculture, as has been achieved in the animal husbandry sector. Secondly, there is a need to increase farmer awareness on the use of trash fish as feed. This is achievable, considering the similar progress that has been made by the region’s shrimp farming sector, which almost exclusively involves small-scale practitioners who are often clustered in a given locality. The analysis also suggests that the use of trash fish/low-value fish in aquaculture may be compatible with improving food security and alleviating poverty. In Asia, trash fish/low-value fish is mostly landed in areas where there are other suitable fish commodities for human consumption. To make the trash fish/low-value fish suitable and available for human consumption would involve some degree of value-adding and transportation costs, which are likely to increase the price to beyond the means of the consumer, particularly in remote rural areas. Under such a scenario, the direct or indirect use of this perishable resource as a feed source to produce a consumable commodity appears to make economic sense and appears to be the most logical use for overall human benefit. In this manner, trash fish/low-value fish contributes to food security by increasing income generation opportunities and hence contributes to poverty alleviation. Another factor that needs to be taken into account is the large numbers of artisanal fishers who harvest this raw material. The continued use of trash fish/low-value fish, therefore, allows these fishers to maintain their livelihoods¹. Admittedly, this is an area that warrants more detailed investigation, from resource use, livelihoods and economic viewpoints.

How to live : being happy and dealing with moral dilemmas

"This work provides clear answers to difficult moral and social issues that we face in our personal lives - that governments need to address when balancing the interests of the community. By demystifying moral discourse, How to Live provides a clear moral pathway for students of philosophy, medicine, and law, as well as the general reader. The moral framework of How to Live is developed from an interdisciplinary perspective. The culmination presents a forward-thinking theory that will maximize the success and happiness of the individual and the community within a society."--BOOK JACKET

A PAL1 gene promoter-green fluorescent protein reporter system to analyse defence responses in live cells of Arabidopsis thaliana

Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype Columbia-0 was transformed with a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene under control of a phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) promoter. PAL is a key enzyme of the phenylpropanoid pathway and is induced to high levels during plant stress. Constitutive expression of PAL1 promoter-controlled GFP occurred in vascular tissues within stems, leaves and roots and in developing flowers. PAL1 promoter–GFP expression was examined in leaves of transgenic plants subjected to an abiotic elicitor, mechanical wounding or to inoculation with the pathogens Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato or Peronospora parasitica. Wounding of leaves and treatment with an abiotic elicitor and compatible interactions produced low to moderate levels of GFP. However, in incompatible interactions there were high levels of GFP produced. In incompatible interactions, the intensity of GFP fluorescence was similar to that produced in transgenic plants expressing GFP driven by the CaMV promoter. The bright green fluorescence produced in live cells and tissues was readily visualised using conventional fluorescence microscopy and was quantified using spectroflourometry. This is the first report of the use of GFP as a reporter of defence gene activation against pathogens. It has several advantages over other reporter genes including real time analysis of gene expression and visualisation of defence gene activation in a non-invasive manner.

Energy, protein, calcium, vitamin D and fibre intakes from meals in residential care establishments in Australia

Residents from high level (nursing homes) and low-level care facilities (hostel) being served the three common diet texture modifications (full diet, soft-minced diet and pureed diet) were assessed. Individual plate waste was estimated at three meals on one day. Fifty-six males and 156 females, mean age 82.9+/-9.5 (SD) years, of which 139 lived in nursing homes (NH) and 76 in hostels (H) were included. Mean total energy served from meals was 5.3 MJ/day, 5.1 to 5.6 MJ/day, 95% confidence intervals (CI), in NH which was less than in H, 5.9 MJ/day (CI 5.6 to 6.2 MJ/day) (P=0.007). Protein and calcium intakes were lower in NH, 44.5g (CI 41.5 to 47.5g), 359.0mg (CI 333.2 to 384.8mg), versus 50.5g (CI 46.6 to 54.3g), 480.5mg (CI 444.3 to 516.7mg) in H (P=0.017, P<0.001 respectively). There was no difference in nutrient/energy ratios, except for protein/energy, which was higher in NH 11.7 (CI 11.3 to 12.2) than in H 9.8 (CI 9.4 to 10.3) (P<0.001). Ability to self-feed had no significant effect on nutrient intakes in NH. The self fed group (N=63) had the following nutrient intakes: energy 4.0 MJ (CI 3.6 to 4.3 MJ), protein 44.6g (CI 40.3 to 48.9g), calcium 356.9mg (CI 316.3 to 397.4mg), fibre 14.9g (CI 13.2 to 16.5g). The assisted group (N=64) had the following nutrient intakes: energy 3.9MJ (CI 3.6 to 4.2MJ), protein 46.0g (CI 40.7 to 49.6), calcium 361.9mg (CI 327.8 to 396.1mg), fibre 14.9g (CI 13.2 to 16.1g). Of NH classified as eating impaired, 36% received no assistance with feeding and had lower intakes of protein 37.8g (CI 33.0 to 42.1g) compared to those receiving some assistance 46.1g (CI 41.3 to 50.9g) (P=0.026). Reduced energy intake accounted for the differences in nutrient intakes between nursing homes and hostels, except for protein. Strategies to effectively monitor nutrient intakes and to identify those with eating impairment are required in order to ensure adequate nutrition of residents in nursing homes and hostels.

Can we live together? Towards a global curriculum

Arguing that globalization has been conceived of largely in economic terms this article examines the possibility of a global curriculum in the light of Touraine’s assertion that the major global problem is not economic but social: can we live together? I argue that a global curriculum conceived in social terms is possible and that it will involve: (a) the inclusion of currently ‘subjugated knowledges’; (b) the ability to cross cultural boundaries within and between societies; and (c) a commitment to development as freedom. Such a curriculum would be a recognition of the need to rescue society and personality from the ravages of global markets through education.

A facility for the integration of live and virtual environments in realtime

This paper describes a research facility which has been established to explore the integration of live and virtual environments in real-time. The facility combines digital ontput from both live and electronic sources such as video, animatinos and 3D virtual environments and enables the monitoring and control of the interaction between live actors and the digital enviromnents. This provides a research environment in which the interaction between participants in the design and construction process and 3D virtual buildings can be investigated. This will lead to the enhancement of decision making and planning in the design and construction process.

Growth performance, feed efficiency and fatty acid composition of juvenile Murray cod, Maccullochella peelii peelii, fed graded levels of canola and linseed oil

n two independent experiments, the effects of dietary inclusion of canola and linseed oil were evaluated in juvenile Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii peelii, Mitchell) over a 112-day period. In each experiment, fish received one of five semi-purified diets in which the dietary fish oil was replaced with canola oil (Experiment A) or linseed oil (Experiment B) in graded increments of 25% (0–100%). Murray cod receiving the graded canola and linseed oil diets ranged in final weight from 112.7 ± 7.6 to 73.8 ± 9.9 g and 93.9 ± 3.6 to 74.6 ± 2.2 g, respectively, and exhibited a negative trend in growth as the inclusion level increased. The fatty acid composition of the fillet and liver were modified extensively to reflect the fatty acid composition of the respective diets. Levels of oleic acid (18:1 n-9) and linoleic acid (18:2 n-6) increased with each level of canola oil inclusion while levels of α-linolenic acid (18:3 n-3) increased with each level of linseed oil inclusion. The concentration of n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids in the fillet and liver decreased as the amount of vegetable oil in the diets increased. It is shown that the replacement of fish oil with vegetable oils in low fish meal diets for Murray cod is possible to a limited extent. Moreover, this study reaffirms the suggestion for the need to conduct ingredient substitution studies for longer periods and where possible to base the conclusions on regression analysis in addition to anova.

Dystopian visions of global capitalism : Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines and M. T. Anderson's Feed

This article examines Philip Reeve’s novel for children, Mortal Engines, and M.T. Anderson’s young adult novel, Feed, by assessing these dystopias as prototypical texts of what Ulrich Beck calls risk society. Through their visions of a fictional future, the two narratives explore the hazards created by contemporary techno-economic progress, predatory global politics and capitalist excesses of consumption. They implicitly pose the question: “In the absence of a happy ending for western civilisation, what kind of children can survive in dystopia?”

Live high: train low increases muscle buffer capacity and submaximal cycling efficiency

This study investigated whether hypoxic exposure increased muscle buffer capacity (βm) and mechanical efficiency during exercise in male athletes. A control (CON, n=7) and a live high:train low group (LHTL, n=6) trained at near sea level (600 m), with the LHTL group sleeping for 23 nights in simulated moderate altitude (3000 m). Whole body oxygen consumption (V˙O₂) was measured under normoxia before, during and after 23 nights of sleeping in hypoxia, during cycle ergometry comprising 4×4-min submaximal stages, 2-min at 5.6 ± 0.4 W kg^–1, and 2-min 'all-out' to determine total work and V˙O_2peak. A vastus lateralis muscle biopsy was taken at rest and after a standardized 2-min 5.6 ± 0.4 W kg^–1 bout, before and after LHTL, and analysed for βm and metabolites. After LHTL, βm was increased (18%, P < 0.05). Although work was maintained, V˙O_2peak fell after LHTL (7%, P < 0.05). Submaximal V˙O₂ was reduced (4.4%, P < 0.05) and efficiency improved (0.8%, P < 0.05) after LHTL probably because of a shift in fuel utilization. This is the first study to show that hypoxic exposure, per se, increases muscle buffer capacity. Further, reduced V˙O₂ during normoxic exercise after LHTL suggests that improved exercise efficiency is a fundamental adaptation to LHTL.