Reframing Chinese animation: from classicism to postmodernism in post-1949 non-commercial Chinese animated films

This thesis focuses on Chinese non-commercial animated films produced from 1949 to date, with the aim of remapping and reframing Chinese animation in the light of existing theories, critiques, and frameworks drawn from studies in animation, film, and screen media. I suggest that Chinese animation has experienced three aesthetic transformations since 1949, primarily influenced by traditional Chinese culture, by Western modernist art and literature and, most recently, by postmodernism, respectively. Thus, the research traces and thoroughly investigates these three distinctive phases of Chinese animation in chronological order, from the classical period (1950s– 1980s) to modernism (1980s–2000s) and postmodernism (after 2000s). More in detail, I first rethink and re-evaluate the success of classical Chinese animation and the Chinese school of animation and, at the same time, I explore the influence of the political situation of the time on Chinese animation. Through careful analysis of A Da (1934–87) and other Chinese animators’ practices and theory, then, I argue that a remarkable modernist transformation took place in Chinese animation between the 1980s and 2000s, mainly driven by Western modernism and the Chinese “cultural fever” movement. Finally, through a discussion of the latest non-commercial animations produced after 2005, and especially those of Bu Hua (1973– ), for the first time I classify and theorize contemporary Chinese animations within a postmodern framework. By reframing existing views and broadening the scope of the analysis to encompass new areas and frameworks, this thesis aims to provide the reader with a comprehensive and systematic understanding of post-1949 Chinese animation and to offer an original contribute to scholarship, also working as a starting point for further research in this area.

Hermes, a Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra

This thesis consists of a large composition for violoncello and orchestra, together with an analytical paper in which I discuss my compositional techniques and some of their historical antecedents. The composition draws on the genres of imaginary musical theater, the symphonic poem, and the concerto. It was also inspired by the story of Hermes, the messenger god from Greek mythology. While the myth partially informs the compositional structure, the work is ultimately meant to showcase the versatility of the cello, the coloristic range of the orchestra (in some cases emulating the orchestral styles of previous composers), the balance of cello and orchestra together, and the eclectic invocation of many compositional techniques separately and simultaneously. These techniques encompass set theory (the use of unordered pitch collections), polytonality, and serialism. It is composed in a post-romantic style.

Molybdenum and sulphur isotope ratios of early Pleistocene sapropels of ODP Hole 160-969D

Organic-rich sediments (sapropels) deposited in the Mediterranean are presumed to have formed during periods of increased productivity, and/or deep water oxygen depletion, possibly including the development of sulfidic conditions (euxinia). Geochemical redox proxies (Re, Mo, Mo isotopes, V, Fe/Al, and multiple S isotopes) in 8 sapropels from the Pleistocene confirm water column euxinic conditions of varying intensity during sapropel deposition. These same proxies indicate an oxic origin for hemipelagic sediments deposited between sapropel-forming episodes. In one intensively sampled sapropel, deposited between 1.450 and 1.458 Ma, changing concentrations of organic carbon, Ba, Re, Mo, V, and Fe/Al track one another closely, reflecting coupling between water column euxinia and biological productivity. Multiple S isotope data from this sapropel suggest that the redox interface where oxidative sulfur cycling occurred was present in the sediments during hemipelagic sedimentation, but moved into the water column during sapropel deposition. Molybdenum isotopes of these 8 sapropels encompass a range of values (d98Mo = +0.2 to +1.7), but are all 98Mo-depleted relative to seawater (d98Mo = +2.3 per mil), suggesting that quantitative removal of Mo did not occur. This finding contrasts with modern Black Sea sediments. In general, Re/Mo ratios in sapropels are greater than in modern seawater, implying that the water column was not sufficiently sulfidic during sapropel-forming episodes to induce complete removal of both these elements. Surprisingly, the heaviest d98Mo values are found within hemipelagic sediments. Very few of the hemipelagic samples preserve the negative d98Mo values commonly associated with modern oxic marine sediments. Many of the hemipelagic samples also contained higher concentrations of Re and Mo than are common in oxic sediments. These features may be attributable to diffusion from the sapropels of a 98Mo-enriched component into the hemipelagic sediments.

Learning Environments in Design Studio Culture

The paper reports on a study of design studio culture from a student perspective. Learning in design studio culture has been theorised variously as a signature pedagogy emulating professional practice models, as a community of practice and as a form of problem-based learning, all largely based on the study of teaching events in studio. The focus of this research has extended beyond formally recognized activities to encompass the student’s experience of their social and community networks, working places and study set-ups, to examine how these have contributed to studio culture and how there have been supported by studio teaching. Semi-structured interviews with final year undergraduate students of architecture formed the basis of the study using an interpretivist approach informed by Actor-network theory, with studio culture featured as the focal actor, enrolling students and engaging with other actors, together constituting an actor-network of studio culture. The other actors included social community patterns and activities; the numerous working spaces (including but not limited to the studio space itself); the equipment, tools of trade and material pre-requisites for working; the portfolio enrolling the other actors to produce work for it; and the various formal and informal events associated with the course itself. Studio culture is a highly charged social arena: The question is how, and in particular, which aspects of it support learning? Theoretical models of situated learning and communities of practice models have informed the analysis, with Bourdieu’s theory of practice, and his interrelated concepts of habitus, field and capital providing a means of relating individually acquired habits and modes of working to social contexts. Bourdieu’s model of habitus involves the externalisation through the social realm of habits and knowledge previously internalised. It is therefore a useful model for considering whole individual learning activities; shared repertoires and practices located in the social realm. The social milieu of the studio provides a scene for the exercise and display of ‘practicing’ and the accumulation of a form of ‘practicing-capital’. This capital is a property of the social milieu rather than the space, so working or practicing in the company of others (in space and through social media) becomes a more valued aspect of studio than space or facilities alone. This practicing-capital involves the acquisition of a habitus of studio culture, with the transformation of physical practices or habits into social dispositions, acquiring social capital (driving the social milieu) and cultural capital (practicing-knowledge) in the process. The research drew on students’ experiences, and their practicing ‘getting a feel for the game’ by exploring the limits or boundaries of the field of studio culture. The research demonstrated that a notional studio community was in effect a social context for supporting learning; a range of settings to explore and test out newly internalised knowledge, demonstrate or display ideas, modes of thinking and practicing. The study presents a nuanced interpretation of how students relate to a studio culture that involves a notional community, and a developing habitus within a field of practicing that extends beyond teaching scenarios.

Moral Emotions in Palliative Care: Empirical Insights from Austria and Canada

Research aims: Moral emotions as one specific group of emotions play a vital role in delivering palliative care as e.g. ethical issues and moral distress belong to daily routine.
Moral emotions are oriented to the welfare of other persons or the society as a whole. To better understand moral emotions in Palliative Care the aims of the presented study are to ana- lyze care situations from Austria and Canada in different care settings and identify families of moral emotions on one hand and describe influencing contextual factors on the other hand. Methods: Within a qualitative study design a reanalysis of Austrian narratives on ethical issues and Canadian narra- tives on moral distress were conducted. Data in Austria encompass 36 narratives that were generated through qual- itative questionnaires in nursing homes. Canadian data are based on qualitative interviews with home care palliative specialists and encompass 47 critical incidents. The reanal- ysis of data was conducted with narrative analysis. Results: Preliminary results show that moral emotions in palliative care can be found in families around “empathy and relatedness”, “sadness, isolation and bereavement”, “anger, frustration and powerlessness”, “guilt and shame” and “being touched and feel close”. Contextual factors influencing moral emotions can be summarized as “suffer- ing and decline of client”, “expectations and dynamics of family”, “structural conflicts and power issues” and “lack of resources and information”.
Conclusion: The diversity of moral emotions reflects the everyday experiences in palliative care. It became obvious that most of the moral emotions that have been expressed appear to be interconnected within a bundle of other emo- tions. Contextual factors influencing moral emotions in pal- liative care are relatively independent of care settings. In Palliative Care moral emotions and their contextual factors constitute an important source of insight for reflection in organizational ethics.

Current status of gene therapy for breast cancer: progress and challenges

Breast cancer is characterized by a series of genetic mutations and is therefore ideally placed for gene therapy intervention. The aim of gene therapy is to deliver a nucleic acid-based drug to either correct or destroy the cells harboring the genetic aberration. More recently, cancer gene therapy has evolved to also encompass delivery of RNA interference technologies, as well as cancer DNA vaccines. However, the bottleneck in creating such nucleic acid pharmaceuticals lies in the delivery. Deliverability of DNA is limited as it is prone to circulating nucleases; therefore, numerous strategies have been employed to aid with biological transport. This review will discuss some of the viral and nonviral approaches to breast cancer gene therapy, and present the findings of clinical trials of these therapies in breast cancer patients. Also detailed are some of the most recent developments in nonviral approaches to targeting in breast cancer gene therapy, including transcriptional control, and the development of recombinant, multifunctional bio-inspired systems. Lastly, DNA vaccines for breast cancer are documented, with comment on requirements for successful pharmaceutical product development.

“I am in a constant state of insecurity trying to make ends meet, like our service users”: Shared austerity reality between social workers and service users: Towards a preliminary conceptualization

This article introduces the concept of an emerging shared austerity reality, which refers to the socio-economic context of austerity that is shared both by social workers and service users, albeit to different degrees. Traditionally, the concept of the shared reality has been utilized to encompass the experiences of welfare professionals working in situations where both they and service users are exposed to the adverse effects of a natural disaster, war or terrorist attack. Here, the concept of shared reality is expanded through the introduction of the context of austerity. Drawing on 21 in-depth interviews with public sector social work practitioners in Greece it discusses, among other things, social anxieties about their children’s future, and their inability to take care of their elderly relatives that suggest an emerging shared austerity reality, reflecting the deterioration of socio-economic conditions. The paper ends with a discussion about the possibilities of alliance and division that emerge from the concept and future research directions. Moreover, it concludes with a reflection on the role of the social work profession and recent political developments in Greece in anti-austerity struggles.

Danças Circulares e o Eco-humanismo nas Organizações

A presente dissertação pretende avaliar como os membros das organizações relacionam a prática das danças circulares com elementos do comportamento organizacional. A pertinência desta investigação consiste no fato de estudos e intervenções direcionadas ao comportamento organizacional poderem impactar positivamente o desempenho tanto dos servidores quanto da organização como um todo. As organizações estão enfrentando desafios que demandam teorias e práticas que as fortaleçam, buscando-se atender às necessidades de todos que a compõe. A profundidade dessas mudanças faz com que seja necessário alinhar-se o esforço individual ao grupal. Necessita-se o aprendizado em grupo, o pensamento sistêmico. As danças circulares parecem proporcionar efeitos de bem-estar, segurança, solicitude, cooperação, abertura ao diálogo e eles são extremamente importantes em relação a diversos aspectos da organização, como liderança, hierarquia, motivação, poder, clima organizacional, cultura, comunicação, etc. Seus efeitos, por conseguinte, podem fazê-las importante instrumento que melhore os ambientes de trabalho, além de proporcionarem uma conscientização quanto à importância de levar às organizações o tema da sustentabilidade. A sustentabilidade insere-se no paradigma eco-humanista, alinhado, por sua vez, ao resgate da inteireza do homem. As danças circulares, podem expressar e materializar tal paradigma, de modo a favorecer o comprometimento, a motivação e a participação nas organizações. / This dissertation aims evaluate how the members of organizations relate the practice of circle dances with elements of organizational behavior. Its importance derives in the fact that studies and interventions addressed to the organizational behavior may impact positively both the performance of the workers as well of the organization as a whole. The organizations are facing challenges that need theories and practices to strengthen them, in order to fill the needs of all its members. The depth of the changes makes it necessary to encompass the individual and the grupal efforts. It is necessary the group learning and the systemic thinking. The circle dances seems to provide effects such as well being, security, solicitude, cooperation, openness to dialogue and they are extremely important related to various aspects of organization, as leadership, hierarchy, motivation, power, organizational climate, culture, communication, etc. Its effects, thus, may make them important tool to the betterment of the work environment, besides allow the awareness of the importance to bring to organizations the theme of sustainability. The sustainability is a part of the eco-humanistic paradigm, related to the integrity of man. The circle dance may express and materialize this paradigm, helping commitment, motivation and participation in the organizations.

Situated Intersectionality and Social Inequality

In this article1 I introduce and discuss some of the ways situated intersectional analysis can help to describe – and even explain – different kinds of social, economic, political and personal inequalities. As I have been working on intersectionality for many years – both before and after the issues discussed under this term were to be so labelled, I shall focus primarily on my own version rather than conduct a review of the literature. The paper starts by discussing the ways sociological studies traditionally describe inequality focusing on issues of class. It then introduces intersectionality as a theoretical framework that can encompass different kinds of inequalities, simultaneously (ontologically), but enmeshed (concretely). The latter part of the article examines the ways different kinds of systemic domains provide multiple grounds for the production and reproduction of these inequalities. (1An earlier version of this paper was presented at an ISA plenary in Yokohama, Summer 2014.)

Inside out and outside in. Thinking a Tagorean Future of Education.

Rabindranath Tagore’s ideas can still inspire education in the East as well as in the West today. In this paper, I survey Tagore’s philosophical anthropology and argue that there is more coherence to his philosophy and pedagogy than is usually seen. For Tagore, the highest goal is to make the world one’s own, as well as to enlarge one’s self to encompass the world. The educational practices through which this ideal can be reached can be classified as “creative action,” “love,” and “freedom.” On the basis of such an ideal, realms such as the arts, nature, and movement no longer remain expendable additions to the kind of knowledge-driven education that aims primarily at making everyone economically productive.One of the problems with such a pedagogical strategy is that it treats human beings as means and not as ends. Tagore’s educational approach (his “method of nature”) refrains from turning children into adults as soon as possible and accepts the deceleration of learning and the simplification of living asmost forward-leading approach to a successful and comprehensive education.

Equipment quality control

Mammography equipment must be evaluated to ensure that images will be of acceptable diagnostic quality with lowest radiation dose. Quality Assurance (QA) aims to provide systematic and constant improvement through a feedback mechanism to address the technical, clinical and training aspects. Quality Control (QC), in relation to mammography equipment, comprises a series of tests to determine equipment performance characteristics. The introduction of digital technologies promoted changes in QC tests and protocols and there are some tests that are specific for each manufacturer. Within each country specifi c QC tests should be compliant with regulatory requirements and guidance. Ideally, one mammography practitioner should take overarching responsibility for QC within a service, with all practitioners having responsibility for actual QC testing. All QC results must be documented to facilitate troubleshooting, internal audit and external assessment. Generally speaking, the practitioner’s role includes performing, interpreting and recording the QC tests as well as reporting any out of action limits to their service lead. They must undertake additional continuous professional development to maintain their QC competencies. They are usually supported by technicians and medical physicists; in some countries the latter are mandatory. Technicians and/or medical physicists often perform many of the tests indicated within this chapter. It is important to recognise that this chapter is an attempt to encompass the main tests performed within European countries. Specific tests related to the service that you work within must be familiarised with and adhered too.

Oceans of energy? The non-linear trajectory of the emerging wave energy technology

This paper addresses the construction and structuring of a technological niche – i.e. a protected space where promising but still underperforming technologies are stabilized and articulated with societal needs – and discusses the processes that influence niche development and may enable niche breakout. In theoretical terms the paper is grounded on the multi-level approach to sustainability transitions, and particularly on the niche literature. But it also attempts to address the limitations of this literature in what concerns the spatial dimension of niche development. It is argued that technological niches can transcend the narrow territorial boundaries to which they are often confined, and encompass communities and actions that span several spatial levels, without losing some territorial embeddedness. It is further proposed that these features shape the niche trajectory and, therefore, need to be explicitly considered by the niche theoretical framework. To address this problem the paper builds on and extends the socio-cognitive perspective to technology development, introducing a further dimension – space – which broadens the concept of technological niche and permits to better capture the complexity of niche behaviour. This extended framework is applied to the case of an emerging renewable energy technology – wave energy - which exhibits a particularly slow and non-linear development trajectory. The empirical analysis starts by examining how an “overall niche space” in wave energy was spatially constructed over time. Then it investigates in greater detail the niche development processes that took place in Portugal, a country that was among the pioneers in the field, and whose actors have been, from very early stages, engaged in the activities conducted at various spatial levels. Through this combined analysis, the paper seeks to understand whether and how niche development is shaped by processes taking place at different spatial levels. More specifically it investigates the interplay between territorial and relational elements in niche development, and how these different dynamics influence the performance of the niche processes and impact on the overall niche trajectory. The results confirm the niche multi-spatial dynamics, showing that it is shaped by the interplay between a niche relational space constructed by actors’ actions and interactions on/across levels, and the territorial effects introduced by these actors’ embeddedness in particular geographical and institutional settings. They contribute to a more precise understanding of the processes that can accelerate or slow down the trajectory of a technological niche. In addition, the results shed some light into the niche activities conducted in/originating from a specific territorial setting - Portugal - offering some insights into the behaviour of key actors and its implications for the positioning of the country in the emerging field, which can be relevant for the formulation of strategies and policies for this area.

Role of mitochondrial antioxidant defense systems in fatty acid β-oxidation defects

Mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO) plays a pivotal role in energy homeostasis, namely during periods of fasting or metabolic stress. FAO defects are a group of inherited metabolic disorders that encompass at least twelve distinct enzyme or transporter deficiencies, and can present with a wide range of clinical symptoms with various degrees of severity. Besides recent advances, many doubts still remain on the degree and characteristics of mitochondrial dysfunction on FAOD and its contribution to the clinical phenotype.

Life Stories, Cultural Metissage, and Personal Identities

This article encompasses an underlying notion of personal identities and processes of interaction, which distinguish essentialist identity from relational identity in contexts involving subjects, fields of possibilities, and cultural metamorphosis. It addresses the idea of the individual and her/his transformations: “I am who I want to be if I can be that person.” Any one of us could hypothetically have been someone else. The question of the reconstruction of individual identities is a vital aspect in the relationship between objective social conditions and what each person subjectively does with them, in terms of auto-construction. The complexity of this question reflects the idea of a cultural kaleidoscope, in which similar social conditions experienced by different individuals can produce differentiated identities. The title and structure of this text also seek to encompass the idea that in a personal life story, the subject lives between various spheres and sociocultural contexts, with a composite, mestizo, and superimposed or displaced identity, in each context. This occurs as the result of a cultural metamorphosis, which is constructed both by the individual as well as by heterogeneous influences between the context of the starting and finishing points at a given moment. This complex process of cultural metamorphosis—the fruit of interweaving subjective and objective forces—reveals a new dimension: the truly composite nature of personal identities.

Canções de fogo: a apreensão de saberes através da performance da escuta no contexto da União do Vegetal

O ritual onde se utiliza a cocção conhecida por ayahuasca vem sendo ressignificado em contextos urbanos há mais de oito décadas, sobretudo após sua expansão iniciada pelos movimentos organizados. Essa experiência derivante dos povos da floresta amazônica, vem ultrapassando tanto fronteiras geográficas como culturais, sendo constantemente reinventada por diferentes agentes. Contemporaneamente, o fenômeno abarca indivíduos provenientes de várias partes do mundo incorporando legados doutrinários de mestres originários da América Latina. A linha doutrinária conhecida por União do Vegetal - UDV, na qual este trabalho se centra, vem ganhando espaço entre os circuitos europeus neo esotéricos. Atualmente o ritual é vivenciado por mais de 18 mil pessoas espalhadas pelo globo e tem como característica, após a ingestão da cocção, a utilização da música como uma das ferramentas mediadoras para a apreensão dos princípios doutrinários. Usualmente os mestres da UDV têm como característica a utilização de fonogramas de variadas categorias musicais que adquirem uma dimensão simbólica e funcional no momento do ritual. A comunidade estabelecida em Portugal - foco desta tese – e as comunidades digitais Musincante e Músicas do Alto, permitiram-me perceber, através do trabalho de campo e de observação participante, elementos constitutivos que abrangem toda a comunidade da UDV. O enfoque parte da perspectiva de observar essa doutrina como um lugar de conhecimento sistematizado e formal. No sentido de compreender os processos de construção desse saber, foi verificado o protagonismo do ato da escuta como elemento central para a apreensão da doutrina. Neste sentido, esta tese adota o conceito de performance da escuta como meio de explorar as formas como o indivíduo e o coletivo absorvem um saber doutrinário a partir da música e de como esta assume o papel de mediadora dos saberes transmitidos no contexto da UDV e de manutenção deste conhecimento num contexto extra ritual.