Official histories of parliament and the nature of the union of 1707:a forgotten episode in Anglo-Scottish academic relations

The Scottish Committee on the History of Parliament was established in 1936 as an offshoot of Col. Josiah Wedgwood's scheme for a collaborative ‘history of parliament’ researched and written on biographical lines. Circumstances, however, determined that the Scottish history would take a separate path. When Wedgwood's scheme was revived in 1951 an unsuccessful attempt was made to reintegrate the two projects. Discussions between the respective managing committees were conflicted and often bad-tempered, focussing on different interpretations of the nature of the united parliament created in 1707. The Scottish committee insisted that it was a new constitutional entity, while the English saw it as a continuation of the Westminster parliament with Scottish MPs added. This story of mutual incomprehension illustrates the profound differences between Scottish and English academics in the writing of parliamentary history, and also reveals a hitherto unobserved element in the development among leading Scottish jurists of a strain of ‘legal nationalism’ based on their interpretation of the constitutional significance of the Union.

The pre-reproductive period in a tropical bird: parental care, dispersal, survival, and avian life histories

The period between offspring birth and recruitment into the breeding population is considered one of the least understood components of animal life histories. Yet, examining this period is essential for studies of parental care, dispersal, demography, and life histories. Studies of the pre-reproductive period are particularly few in tropical regions, where the organization of life histories are predicted to differ compared to northern hemisphere species. For my dissertation I used radio-telemetry, mark-resighting, and field observations to study the pre-reproductive period in a Neotropical bird, the western slaty-antshrike (Thamnophilus atrinucha), in Panama. First, I found that parental care after offspring left the nest (the post-fledging period) was greater than care during the nestling period. Prolonged care resulted in a clear trade-off for parents as they did not nest again until fledglings from the first brood were independent. Parents fed offspring for a prolonged duration during the post-fledging period and higher post-fledging survival was observed compared to many northern hemisphere species. Second, I observed that offspring that remained with parents for longer periods on the natal territory had higher survival both while on the natal territory and after dispersal compared to those dispersing earlier. Parental aggression towards offspring increased with offspring age and offspring dispersed earlier when parents renested. Contrary to other family living species, only a small proportion of antshrike offspring remained on the natal territory until the following year and all dispersed to float. Floating is when juveniles wander within other breeding pairs’ territories. These results suggest that the benefits of delayed dispersal declined with offspring age and with renesting by parents. Third, I observed that survival during the dependent period and first year was greater in slaty antshrikes compared to that of northern hemisphere species. Pre-reproductive survival relative to adult survival was equal or greater than that observed in northern hemisphere species. The date offspring left the nest, mass, and age at dispersal influenced offspring survival, whereas offspring sex and year did not. Relatively high survival during the pre-reproductive period coupled with comparatively low annual productivity clarifies how many tropical species achieve replacement. High juvenile survival appears to obtain from extended post-fledging parental care, delayed dispersal, low costs of dispersal, and a less seasonal environment. Lastly, I experimentally manipulated begging at the nest to examine changes in parental behavior. Under elevated begging, parents increased provisioning rates and reduced the time between arrival to the nest and feeding of nestlings, potentially to reduce begging sounds. Furthermore, parents switched to preferentially feed the closest offspring during the begging treatment. This suggests parents either allowed sibling competition to influence feeding decisions, or feeding the closer nestling increased the efficiency of provisioning. In summary, I found that slaty antshrikes have delayed age at reproduction, higher post-fledging and first year survival, extended post-fledging parental care, equal or greater pre-reproductive survival relative to adult survival, and delayed dispersal compared to many northern hemisphere passerines. These results suggest that this tropical species has a strategy of high investment into few offspring. Furthermore, reproductive effort is equal or greater at least in slaty antshrikes compared to northern hemisphere species, suggesting that the latitudinal gradient in clutch size is not explained by a gradient in reproductive effort.

Electron microprobe investigations of metamorphic reactions and mineral growth histories, Kwoiek area, British Columbia

The Kwoiek Area of British Columbia contains a pendant or screen of metamorphosed sedimentary and volcanic rocks almost entirely surrounded by a portion of the Coast Range Batholith, and intruded by several dozen stocks. The major metamorphic effects were produced by the quartz diorite batholithic rocks, with minor and later effects by the quartz diorite stocks. The sequence of important metamorphic reactions in the metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks, ranging in grade from chlorite to sillimanite, is:

1. chlorite + carbonate + muscovite → epidote + biotite

2. chlorite + carbonate → actinolite + epidote

3. chlorite + muscovite → garnet + biotite

4. chlorite + epidote → garnet + hornblende

5. chlorite + muscovite → garnet + staurolite + biotite

6. chlorite + muscovite → aluminum silicate + biotite

7. muscovite + staurolite → garnet + aluminum silicate + biotite

8. staurolite → garnet + aluminum silicate

Continuous reactions, occurring between reactions 5 and 7, are:

A. chlorite + (high Ti) biotite + Al₂O₃ (from plagioclase?)→ garnet + staurolite + (low Ti) biotite + O₂

B. muscovite (phengitic) → garnet + staurolite +muscovite (less phengitic) + O₂ (?)

Detailed electron microprobe work on garnet, staurolite, biotite, and chlorite shows that:

(1) The garnet porphyroblasts are zoned according to a depletion model, called the Rayleigh depletion model, which assumes equilibrium between the edge of a growing garnet and the minerals which are unzoned, notably biotite, chlorite, and muscovite, but which assumes disequilibrium within the garnet.

(2) The staurolite porphyroblasts are also zoned, and from their zoning patterns reactions A, B, and 5 are documented. Progressive reduction of iron with increasing grade of metamorphism is also inferred from the staurolite zoning patterns.

(3) During a late period of falling temperature garnet continued to grow and the biotite and chlorite reequilibrated. The biotite, chlorite, and garnet edge compositions can vary from point to point in a given thin section, indicating that the volume of equilibrium at the final stage of metamorphism was only a few cubic microns.

(4) The horizon within the garnet that grew at maximum temperature can be identified. The Mg/Fe ratio of this horizon, if the garnet composition is a limiting composition in the Al₂O₃ - K₂O - FeO - MgO tetrahedron, increases systematically with increasing metamorphic grade. Biotite and chlorite compositions also show a general increase in Mg/Fe ratio with increasing metamorphic grade, but staurolite appears to show the reverse effect.

(5) The Mg/Fe ratio at the maximum temperature horizon of the garnet porphyroblasts is a function of its Mn content as evidenced from the study of five garnet-bearing rocks, collected from one outcrop area, with the same assemblage but with differing proportions of minerals.

An important implication of zoned minerals is that the effective composition of a system in a phase lies on the join between the homogeneous minerals (if there are two) and not within three-or- four-phase fields when a zoned mineral, such as garnet or staurolite, is present in the assemblage.

Study of the three aluminum silicates found in the Kwoiek Area showed that a constant pressure change in polymorphs from andalusite to kyanite to sillimanite took place with increasing temperature. This transition series is best explained by the metastable formation of andalusite.

Photographic materials on pages 15, 121, 160, 162, and 164 are essential and will not reproduce clearly on Xerox copies. Photographic copies should be ordered.

SAMPLING BIAS IN EVALUATING THE PROBABILITY OF SEISMICALLY INDUCED SOIL LIQUEFACTION WITH SPT & CPT CASE HISTORIES

Several deterministic and probabilistic methods are used to evaluate the probability of seismically induced liquefaction of a soil. The probabilistic models usually possess some uncertainty in that model and uncertainties in the parameters used to develop that model. These model uncertainties vary from one statistical model to another. Most of the model uncertainties are epistemic, and can be addressed through appropriate knowledge of the statistical model. One such epistemic model uncertainty in evaluating liquefaction potential using a probabilistic model such as logistic regression is sampling bias. Sampling bias is the difference between the class distribution in the sample used for developing the statistical model and the true population distribution of liquefaction and non-liquefaction instances. Recent studies have shown that sampling bias can significantly affect the predicted probability using a statistical model. To address this epistemic uncertainty, a new approach was developed for evaluating the probability of seismically-induced soil liquefaction, in which a logistic regression model in combination with Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic was used. This approach was used to estimate the population (true) distribution of liquefaction to non-liquefaction instances of standard penetration test (SPT) and cone penetration test (CPT) based most updated case histories. Apart from this, other model uncertainties such as distribution of explanatory variables and significance of explanatory variables were also addressed using KS test and Wald statistic respectively. Moreover, based on estimated population distribution, logistic regression equations were proposed to calculate the probability of liquefaction for both SPT and CPT based case history. Additionally, the proposed probability curves were compared with existing probability curves based on SPT and CPT case histories.

Suicide among young people and adults in Ireland: method characteristics, toxicological analysis and substance abuse histories compared

Objective: Information on factors associated with suicide among young individuals in Ireland is limited. The aim of this study was to identify socio-demographic characteristics and circumstances of death associated with age among individuals who died by suicide. Methods: The study examined 121 consecutive suicides (2007–2012) occurring in the southern eastern part of Ireland (Cork city and county). Data were obtained from coroners, family informants, and health care professionals. A comparison was made between 15-24-year-old and 25-34-year-old individuals. Socio-demographic characteristics of the deceased, methods of suicide, history of alcohol and drug abuse, and findings from toxicological analysis of blood and urine samples taken at post mortem were included. Pearson’s χ2 tests and binary logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: Alcohol and/or drugs were detected through toxicological analysis for the majority of the total sample (79.5%), which did not differentiate between 15-24-year-old and 25-34-year-old individuals (74.1% and 86.2% respectively). Compared to 25-34-year-old individuals, 15-24-year-old individuals were more likely to engage in suicide by hanging (88.5%). Younger individuals were less likely to die by intentional drug overdose and carbon monoxide poisoning compared to older individuals. Younger individuals who died between Saturday and Monday were more likely to have had alcohol before dying. Substance abuse histories were similar in the two age groups. Conclusion: Based on this research it is recommended that strategies to reduce substance abuse be applied among 25-34-year-old individuals at risk of suicide. The wide use of hanging in young people should be taken into consideration for future means restriction strategies.

Co-creative media : theorising digital storytelling as a platform for researching and developing participatory culture

This paper considers the question, ‘what is co-creative media, and why is it a useful idea in social media research’? The term ‘co-creative media’ is now used by Creative Industries researchers at QUT to describe their digital storytelling practices. Digital storytelling is a set of collaborative digital media production techniques that have been used to facilitate social participation in numerous Australian and international contexts. Digital storytelling has been adapted by Creative Industries researchers at QUT as a platform for researching the potential of vernacular creativity in a variety of contexts, including social inclusion of marginalized and disadvantaged groups; inclusion in public histories of narratives that might be overlooked; and articulation of voices that otherwise remain silent in the formulation of social and economic development strategies. The adaption of digital storytelling to different contexts has been shaped by the reflexive, recursive, and pragmatic requirements of action research. Amongst other things, this activity draws attention to the agency of researchers in facilitating these kinds of participatory media processes and outcomes. This discussion serves to problematise concepts of participatory media by introducing the term ‘co-creative media’ and differentiating these from other social media production practices.

Neo-Dandy

Neo-Dandy was a practice-led research project that explored histories of a quintessential men’s and womenswear garment from across the ages — the formal white dress shirt. The aim was to generate a body of radically new mens’ shirts that, whilst incorporating characteristics normally associated with womenswear, would remain acceptable to male wearers. A detailed study identified a broad spectrum of historical design approaches, ranging from the orthodox man’s shirt to the many variations of the women’s blouse. Within this spectrum a threshold was discovered where the men’s shirt morphed into the woman’s blouse — a ‘design moment’ that appeared to typify the dandy figure (a fashion character who subversively confronts dress norms of their day). The research analysed thousands of archive catwalk images from leading contemporary menswear designers, and of these, only a small number tampered appreciably with the men’s white dress shirt — suggesting a new realm of possibility for fashion design innovation. This led to the creation of a new body of work labelled ‘Neo-Dandy’. Sixty ‘concept shirts’ were produced, with differing styles and varying degrees of detailing, that fitted the brief of being acceptable to male wearers, eminently ‘wearable’ and on a threshold position between menswear and womenswear. These designs were each tested, documented, and assessed in their capacity to evolve the Neo-Dandy aesthetic. Based on these outcomes, a list of key design principles for achieving this aesthetic was identified to assist designers in further evolving this style. The creative work achieved substantial public acclaim with the ‘Neo Dandy Collection’ winning a prestigious Design Institute of Australia Award (Lifestyle category) and being one of four finalists in the prestigious overall field for design excellence. It was subsequently curated into three major Brisbane exhibitions — the ARC Biennial, at Artisan Gallery and the industry leader, the Mercedes Benz Fashion Festival. The collection was also exhibited at the Queensland Art Gallery.

Neo-Dandy

Neo-Dandy was a practice-led research project that explored histories of a quintessential men’s and womenswear garment from across the ages — the formal white dress shirt. The aim was to generate a body of radically new mens’ shirts that incorporated characteristics normally associated with womenswear, whist remaining acceptable to male wearers. A detailed study identified a broad spectrum of historical design approaches, ranging from the orthodox man’s shirt to the many variations of the women’s blouse. Within this spectrum a threshold was discovered where the men’s shirt morphed into the woman’s blouse — a ‘design moment’ that appeared to typify the dandy figure (a fashion character who subversively confronts dress norms of their day). The research analysed thousands of archive catwalk images from leading contemporary menswear designers, and of these, only a small number tampered appreciably with the men’s white dress shirt — suggesting a new realm of possibility for fashion design innovation. This led to the creation of a new body of work labelled ‘Neo-Dandy’. Sixty ‘concept shirts’ were produced, with differing styles and varying degrees of detailing, that fitted the brief of being acceptable to male wearers, eminently ‘wearable’ and on a threshold position between menswear and womenswear. These designs were each tested, documented, and assessed in their capacity to evolve the Neo-Dandy aesthetic. Based on these outcomes, a list of key design principles for achieving this aesthetic was identified to assist designers in further evolving this style. The creative work achieved substantial public acclaim with the ‘Neo Dandy Collection’ winning a prestigious Design Institute of Australia Award (Lifestyle category) and being one of four finalists in the prestigious overall field for design excellence. It was subsequently curated into three major Brisbane exhibitions — the ARC Biennial, at Artisan Gallery and the industry leader, the Mercedes Benz Fashion Festival. The collection was also exhibited at the Queensland Art Gallery.