Rhizome / MyZone : the production of subjectivity in dance

[No Abstract]

Potential for agricultural production on disturbed soils mined for apatite using legumes and beneficial microbe

Christmas Island has been mined for rock phosphate for over 100 years, and as mining will finish in the next few decades there is a need to develop alternative economies on the island, such as high value crop production. However, to conserve the unique flora and fauna on the island, only land previously mined will be considered for this purpose. As these soils have been severely perturbed by mining, strategies to improve soil quality parameters need to be undertaken before plant based industries can be considered. For instance, legumes and beneficial microbes have demonstrated a positive role in the remediation of degraded soils. Therefore, this study aimed to establish the scientific basis upon which agriculture can effectively be developed on s oils post phosphate mining. Six legume species (Glycine max (Soybean), Vigna radiata (Mungbean), V. unguiculata (Cowpea), Phaseolus vulgaris (Navybean), Cajanus cajan (Pigeon pea), and Lablab purpureus (Lablab)) were sown onto a two ha rehabilitated site t hat had previously been mined for rock phosphate. The soil had a pH of 7.0, and was high in P but low in Bo, Cu, K, Mg, N and S and had low organic C. The legumes were inoculated with their respective rhizobial inoculant or co-inoculated with the rhizobia and a plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) at three different fertilizer rates (nil, a low rate, and five times the low rate). With the exception of P. vulgaris, all the legume species survived. The application of fertilizer was essential for maximum biomass yields 18 weeks after sowing, however the lower fertilizer rate was sufficient to obtain maximum yields for some cultivars. The PGPB increased yields and nodulation of some of the legumes at different fertilizer levels. Although the legumes (except P. vulgaris) grew in the Christmas Island environment, selection of appropriate legume cultivars and inoculants plus optimization of the fertilizer regime is required for reliable agricultural productivity on the island.

Influence of stocking rate and mixed grazing of Angora goats and Merino sheep on animal and pasture production in southern Australia : 3 : mohair and wool production and quality

The effects of animal species (AS; Angora goats, Merino sheep, mixed-grazed goats and sheep at the ratio of 1:1) and stocking rate (SR; 7.5, 10 and 12.5 animals/ha) on fibre production and quality were determined in a replicated experiment on improved annual temperate pastures in southern Australia from 1981 to 1984. Separately grazed sheep produced the most total clean fibre/ha at each SR. Mixed-grazed treatments produced amounts of clean fibre/ha similar to the arithmetic mean of sheep and goat treatments at 7.5/ha (21.9 versus 21.3 kg/ha), 10% more at 10/ha (28.3 versus 25.3 kg/ha, P < 0.05) and 7% more at 12.5/ha (31.6 versus 29.6 kg/ha, P < 0.10). Clean wool production/head was affected by AS and SR but not year. Clean mohair production was affected by SR and year but not AS. Variation in mean fibre diameter (MFD) accounted for 67 and 71%, respectively, of the variation in clean wool and clean mohair production/head. There was an AS SR interaction for clean fibre production/t pasture. Growth rate of mohair was highest in autumn and least in summer. In each season, an increase in the SR reduced the clean mohair growth rate. Growth rate of wool was highest in spring and least in summer. Wool and mohair MFD were affected by an AS SR interaction. Mohair MFD was also affected by year and season. At 10/ha, wool from mixed-grazed sheep had a greater MFD than wool from separately grazed sheep (20.2 versus 18.9 μm) and mixed-grazed goats grew mohair 1 μm coarser than separately grazed goats. At 12.5/ha mixed-grazed goats grew mohair 1.9 μm finer than separately grazed goats. Mohair MFD was predicted by a multiple regression that included average liveweight for the period of fleece growth, season of growth (summer 1 μm finer than winter) and year (range 1.27 μm). Mohair MFD increased 4.7 μm/10 kg increase in average fleece-free liveweight (P = 6.4 10-14). Fleece-free liveweight alone accounted for 76.4% of the variation in mohair MFD. There was an AS SR interaction for the incidence of kemp and medullated fibres; under severe grazing pressure their incidence was suppressed. This experiment indicated that the principles associated with the effects of SR on wool production on annual temperate pastures apply to mohair production. Mixed grazing of Merino sheep and Angora goats produced complementary and competitive effects depending on the SR. Angora goats should not be grazed alone or mixed-grazed with sheep on annual temperate pastures at SR greater than that recommended for Merino sheep.

A new modelling approach to simulate preferential flow and transport in water repellent media: parameter sensitivity, and effects on crop growth and solute leaching

A modified version of the popular agrohydrological model SWAP has been used to evaluate modelling of soil water flow and crop growth at field situations in which water repellency causes preferential flow. The parameter sensitivity in such situations has been studied. Three options to model soil water flow within SWAP are described and compared: uniform flow, the classical mobile-immobile concept, and a recent concept accounting for the dynamics of finger development resulting from unstable infiltration. Data collected from a severely water-repellent affected soil located in Australia were used to compare and evaluate the usefulness of the modelling options for the agricultural management of such soils.

The study shows that an assumption of uniform flow in a water-repellent soil profile leads to an underestimation of groundwater recharge and an overestimation of plant transpiration and crop production. The new concept of modelling taking finger dynamics into account provides greater flexibility and can more accurately model the observed effects of preferential flow compared with the classical mobile–immobile concept. The parameter analysis indicates that the most important factor defining the presence and extremity of preferential flow is the critical soil water content.

Comparison of the modelling results with the Australian field data showed that without the use of a preferential flow module, the effects of the clay amendments to the soil were insufficiently reproduced in the dry matter production results. This means that the physical characteristics of the soil alone are not sufficient to explain the measured increase in production on clay amended soils. However, modelling with the module accounting for finger dynamics indicated that the preferential flow in water repellent soils that had not been treated with clay caused water stress for the crops, which would explain the decrease in production.

Separating the contributions of hearing, lexical knowledge and speech production to speech perception scores in children with hearing impairments.

Open-set word and sentence speech-perception test scores are commonly used as a measure of hearing abilities in children and adults using cochlear implants and/or hearing aids. These tests are usually presented auditorily with a verbal response. In the case of children, scores are typically lower and more variable than for adults with hearing impairments using similar devices. It is difficult to interpret children's speech-perception scores without considering the effects of lexical knowledge and speech-production abilities on their responses. This study postulated a simple mathematical model to describe the effects of hearing, lexical knowledge, and speech production on the perception test scores for monosyllabic words by children with impaired hearing. Thirty-three primary-school children with impaired hearing, fitted with hearing aids and/or cochlear implants, were evaluated using speech-perception, reading-aloud, speech-production, and language measures. These various measures were incorporated in the mathematical model, which revealed that performance in an open-set word-perception test in the auditory-alone mode is strongly dependent on residual hearing levels, lexical knowledge, and speech-production abilities. Further applications of the model provided an estimate of the effect of each component on the overall speech-perception score for each child.

De Chirico and Walker in light of Nietzsche and Guattari: the enigma of partial bodies in illogical spaces

If one concedes that the Freudian unconscious is inseparable from a society attached to its past, for example, its phallocentric traditions, Guattari’s alternative model dealing with "the production of subjectivity" offers a new perspective (1995: 11). From this vantage point, it is possible to map the way "every individual and social group" models the creation of subjectivity, a subjectivity "composed of cognitive references as well as mythical, ritual and symptomatological references" (1995: 11).

The lactation cycle of the fur seal

The fur seal is a mammal with an unusual ability to turn its milk production on and off without significantly altering the gross morphology of the mammary gland. This atypical lactation cycle is due to the fact that maternal foraging and infant nursing are spatially and temporally separate (Bonner, 1984). Maternal care involves the suckling of offspring over a period of at least 4 months, but lactation can extend to more than 12 months. Following a perinatal fast of approximately 1 week, females depart the breeding colony to forage at sea and, for the remainder of lactation, alternate between short periods ashore suckling their young with longer periods of up to 4 weeks foraging at sea. Whilst foraging at sea, milk production in the fur seal mammary gland either ceases or is reduced (Arnould & Boyd, 1995b).

Fur seal adaptations to lactation: insights into mammary gland function

The fur seal (Arctocephalus spp. and Callorhinus spp., members of the pinniped family) is a mammal with the unusual capability to modulate its lactation cycle by turning milk production on and off without the typical mammalian regression and involution of the mammary gland. Lactation has evolved from constraints arising from the spatial and temporal separation of infant nursing and maternal foraging as the mother gives birth and feeds the pup on land while acquisition of nutrients for milk production occurs at sea. The lactation cycle begins with the female fur seal undergoing a perinatal fast of approximately 1 wk, after which time she departs the breeding colony to forage at sea. For the remainder of the long lactation period (116–540 days), the mother alternates between short periods ashore suckling the young with longer periods of up to 4 wk of foraging at sea. Milk production continues while foraging at sea, but at less than 20% the rate of production on land. Fur seals produce one of the richest milk reported, with a very high lipid content contributing up to 85% of total energy. This feature serves as an adaptation to the young's need to produce an insulating blubber layer against heat loss and to serve as an energy store when the mother is away foraging at sea. This atypical pattern of lactation means mothers have long periods with no suckling stimulus and can transfer high-energy milk rapidly while on land to minimize time away from foraging grounds. The absence of suckling stimulus and milk removal during foraging does not result in the onset of involution with associated apoptosis of mammary secretory cells and a subsequent progressive breakdown of the cellular structure of the mammary gland. The mechanisms controlling lactation in the fur seal mammary gland have been investigated using molecular and cellular techniques. These findings have shed light on the processes by which the unique features of lactation in the fur seal are regulated.

Elastic behaviour in mechanical draw presses

This thesis explores the elastic behaviour of the mechanical double action press and draw die system commonly used to draw sheet metal components in the automotive industry. High process variability in production and excessive time spent in die try-out are significant problems in automotive stamping. It has previously been suggested that the elastic behaviour of the system may contribute to these problems. However, the mechanical principles that cause the press system to affect the forming process have not been documented in detail. Due to a poor understanding of these problems in industry, the elasticity of the press and tools is currently not considered during the die design. The aim of this work was to explore the physical principles of press system elasticity and determine the extent to which it contributes to problems in try-out and production. On the basis of this analysis methods were developed for controlling or accounting for problems during the design process. The application of frictional restraining force to the edges of the blank during forming depends on the distribution and magnitude of the clamping force between the binders surfaces of the draw die. This is an important control parameter for the deep drawing process. It has been demonstrated in this work that the elasticity of the press and draw die can affect clamping force in two ways. The response of the press system, to the forces produced in the press during forming, causes the magnitude of clamping force to change during the stroke. This was demonstrated using measured data from a production press. A simple linear elastic model of the press system was developed to illustrate a definite link between the measured force variation and the elasticity of the press and tools. The simple model was extended into a finite element model of the complete press system, which was used to control a forming simulation. It was demonstrated that stiffness variation within the system could influence the final strains in a drawn part. At the conclusion of this investigation a method is proposed for assessing the sensitivity of a part to clamping force variation in the press during die design. A means of reducing variation in the press through the addition of a simple linear spring element is also discussed. The second part of the work assessed the influence of tool structure on the distribution of frictional restraining forces to the blank. A forming simulation showed that tool stiffness affects the distribution of clamping pressure between the binders. This was also shown to affect the final strains in a drawn part. However, the most significant influence on restraining force was the tendency of the blank to increase in thickness between the binders during forming. Using a finite element approximation of the try-out process it was shown that the structure of the tool would also contribute to the problems currently experienced in try-out where uneven contact pressure distributions are addressed by manually adjusting the tool surfaces. Finally a generalised approach to designing draw die structures was developed. Simple analysis methods were combined with finite element based topology optimisation techniques to develop a set of basic design guidelines. The aim of the guidelines was to produce a structure with uniform stiffness response to a pressure applied at the binder surface. The work concludes with a recommendation for introducing the methods developed in this thesis into the standard production process.

Migrant mothers: family photographs and the intra-active fashioning of a visual-material ethics

Migrant mothers play crucial roles within the social landscape of schools, particularly in providing care, education and a transition between home and school for their children. My research considers the relevance of theories of space, place, temporality and mobility in Iranian migrant mothers’ production of subjectivity for themselves and their children in and through their family photograph collections. Gillian Rose’s anthropological approach to visual objects is put to use in an exploration of the co-constitution of migrant women and their photographs. In this paper, I trace the shaping of a visual-material ethics within the research context and appropriate to the sensibilities and needs of the participant women who each moved from Iran to Australia with their children. Karen Barad’s notion of a posthumanist ‘ethics of mattering’ is drawn upon in conceptualising a visual-material ethics as fashioned in the intra-actions of people and visual objects. Specific ethical issues considered include the collaborative process of producing a family photograph, and the shaping and reshaping of images from photograph to line drawing to hybridised photograph-line drawing. A research ethics committee’s application of a liberal individualist, utilitarian and positivist biomedical paradigm in considering the research project is discussed as not only inadequate but also incompatible with the fashioning of a visual-material ethics in concert with the participant women and their photographs.

Socratic ironies: reading Hadot, reading Kierkegaard

This paper examines the seemingly unlikely rapport between the ‘Christian existentialist’, radically Protestant thinker, Søren Kierkegaard and French classicist and historian of philosophy, Pierre Hadot, famous for advocating a return to the ancient pagan sense of philosophy as a way of life. Despite decisive differences we stress in our concluding remarks, we argue that the conception of philosophy in Hadot as a way of life shares decisive features with Kierkegaard’s understanding of the true ‘religious’ life: as something demanding existential engagement from its proponent, as well as the learning or recitation of accepted doctrines. The mediating figure between the two authors, the paper agrees with Irina (2012), is Socrates and his famous irony. In order to appreciate Kierkegaard’s rapport with Hadot, then (and in contrast to Gregor, who has also treated the two figures) we first of all consider Hadot’s treatment of the enigmatic ‘old wise man’ who remains central to Kierkegaard’s entire authorship. (Part 1) However, to highlight Hadot’s Socratic proximity to Kierkegaard (in contrast to Irina), we set up Hadot’s Socrates against the contrasting portrait readers can find in John M. Cooper’s recent work on Socrates and philosophy as a way of life. Part II of the essay turns back from Hadot’s and Kierkegaard’s Socrates towards Hadot’s own work, and argues—again moving beyond both Gregor and Irina’s works on Hadot and Kierkegaard—that the shape of Hadot’s ‘authorship’, including his remarkably classical style, can be understood by way of Kierkegaard’s notion of indirect communication. In our concluding remarks, in the spirit of Kierkegaard, we pinpoint the fundamental difference between the two thinkers, arguing that for Hadot in contrast to Kierkegaard, a stress on existential commitment in no way speaks against the philosophical defence of a form of rational universalism. Reading Hadot via Kierkegaard allows us to appreciate Hadot’s novelty as attempting to ‘squaring the circle’ between an emphasis on subjectivity and, as it were, the subjective dimensions of philosophers’ pursuit of rational universality.

Animals in international development: ethics, dilemmas and possibilities

This paper explores the role and perceptions of animals in international development efforts and the possible contradictions between differing priorities of agencies involved in international charitable efforts. Although there is a wide range of purposes for a charitable organization, as shown in the (England and Wales) Charities Act 2011 (c.25) and having one purpose does not preclude a second, organizations concerned with animal welfare are quite distinct from those working for poverty alleviation in the developing world (and indeed the developed world). A fun and novel gift of a donkey may equally be perceived as a cruel, environmentally unsustainable and misguided development effort, a valuable asset, or a burden to a household struggling to feed existing mouths. Exacerbating this situation is the fact that much of the debate around animals in a developing context is heavily polarized between livestock welfare, and animal rights, with a very limited middle ground. This chapter analyzes the underlying tensions between human development, animal welfare, and poverty alleviation, exploring cultural tensions, philosophical tensions and where areas of common ground may be found, with specific reference to development programming. The chapter is framed by contemporary debate on ethics and international development. International development interventions are driven by human welfare concerns, within the broader context of an increasingly globalized world economy. There is a danger in not engaging with ethical considerations with regard to animals and development , as there are potentially complex, interrelated and unintended outcomes. Such outcomes include rising inequality for those who depend on livestock for livelihoods in a business-as-usual scenario of increasing production and intensification; a focus on animal welfare in isolation, with potential accusations of forcing limitations on animal production on low income communities and countries;, and, finally, a moral debate surrounding the issue of whether it is reasonable to require animal welfare standards of people who live in poverty, as a pathway out of poverty. Discourse and practice needs to engage with how to link debate on international development with ethics of livestock production, beyond animal welfare, with global sustainability as core.

Using Butler to understand the multiplicity and variability of policy reception

Understanding how teachers make sense of education policy is important. We argue that an exploration of teacher reactions to policy requires an engagement with theory focused on the formation of ‘the subject’ since this form of theorisation addresses the creation of a seemingly coherent identity and attitude while acknowledging variation across different places and people. In this paper, we propose the utility of Butlerian ideas because of the focus on subjectivity that her work entails and the account she gives for social norms regulating people’s actions and attitudes. We use Butler’s stance on how ‘cultural intelligibility’ is formed to account for the complex, messy and sometimes contradictory ‘take up’ of curriculum policy by 10 teachers at a secondary school case study in Queensland, Australia. We use the phrase ‘policy reception’ to signify a particular theoretical line of thought we are forming with our application of Butlerian theory to the analysis of teacher attitudes toward curriculum policy, and to distinguish it from ‘policy interpretation’, ‘policy translation’ and ‘policy enactment’.

Preliminary study on the use of synthetic substrate for juvenile stage production of the yabby, Cherax destructor (Clark) (Decapoda: Parastacidae)

Juvenile Cherax destructor (commonly called the yabby) (mean weight 48.3 mg) were cultured intensively (stocking density 360/m²) under controlled conditions for 48 days. The animals were provided with a combination of food (high protein pellets and/or natural feed organisms attached to a conditioned synthetic substrate) and refuge. Fastest growth and highest yield was recorded when both pellets and the conditioned synthetic material were provided. Although the yabbies sheltered in the synthetic substrate, it did not increase survival. Juvenile yabbies (< 200 mg) were able to graze on small organisms attached to the synthetic material but this ability appeared to decline as the yabbies grew to a larger size. The use of artificial substrates in the intensive nursery phase production of juvenile freshwater crayfish is discussed.