The Affective Dimensions of Social Controversy

Social controversy is a sustained, mediated debate between at least two oppositional parties which is more than just a difference of opinion; rather it is a persistent conflict over the political and cultural implications that dominant forms of communicative reasoning, practices, and norms have for a public. Simply put, during social controversies the norms guiding public life can be negotiated, reaffirmed, negated, and/or transformed. This can lead to progressive political, cultural, and/or social change in some instances, while establishing or reifying conservative and even oppressive norms, practices, and laws in others. Building upon Olson and Goodnight's (1994) theoretical and methodological framework of social controversy, this dissertation argues that scholars should analyze the role affect plays in this type of conflict as a means to address the regulation of public conduct as well as public discourse. The rhetorical and argumentative significance of the affective dimensions of social controversy have been conceptualized and analyzed via an examination of emotion-based claims and affective states that have become salient, discernable and/or apprehendable during specific public disagreements. Such a conceptualization demonstrates that critical insights regarding the norms that guide public conduct, the role risk and vulnerability play in the regulation of individuals' public behavior, and the relationship between affect and citizenship can be gained by focusing on a controversy's affective dimensions. To highlight the importance of the study of affect in social controversy as well as better understand the larger critical significance affect theory has for rhetorical and argumentation studies, this dissertation has analyzed the affective dimensions of three conflicts. They are: the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse social controversy, the International Freedom Center social controversy, and the controversy over the 2004 French ban on conspicuous religious attire in public schools. The findings from this dissertation that have specific and general implications for future work in the field of controversy as well as rhetoric and argumentation, respectively.

Phase Transitions in Disordered Systems: The Example of the Random-Field Ising Model in Four Dimensions

By performing a high-statistics simulation of the D = 4 random-field Ising model at zero temperature for different shapes of the random-field distribution, we show that the model is ruled by a single universality class. We compute to a high accuracy the complete set of critical exponents for this class, including the correction-to-scaling exponent. Our results indicate that in four dimensions (i) dimensional reduction as predicted by the perturbative renormalization group does not hold and (ii) three independent critical exponents are needed to describe the transition.

Bundeswehr 3.0: The political, military and social dimensions of the reform of the German armed forces. OSW Point of View Number 28, May 2012

This reform of the Bundeswehr, launched in 2011, is the latest of the three decisive stages in the post-war transformation of the German armed forces. The reform aims at “constructing” the armed forces anew in the political, military and social dimensions.The present paper presents the evolution of the role of the armed forces in German foreign and security policy and the ongoing process of “constructing” a new Bundeswehr. It analyses the process of redefining the objectives and principles of: the Bundeswehr’s participation in international operations, its current military transformation, and changes in its image and social identity. It also presents the implications of this broader transformation for political and military.

3D models created from ROV videos and their corresponding subtransect dimensions

Underwater video transects have become a common tool for quantitative analysis of the seafloor. However a major difficulty remains in the accurate determination of the area surveyed as underwater navigation can be unreliable and image scaling does not always compensate for distortions due to perspective and topography. Depending on the camera set-up and available instruments, different methods of surface measurement are applied, which make it difficult to compare data obtained by different vehicles. 3-D modelling of the seafloor based on 2-D video data and a reference scale can be used to compute subtransect dimensions. Focussing on the length of the subtransect, the data obtained from 3-D models created with the software PhotoModeler Scanner are compared with those determined from underwater acoustic positioning (ultra short baseline, USBL) and bottom tracking (Doppler velocity log, DVL). 3-D model building and scaling was successfully conducted on all three tested set-ups and the distortion of the reference scales due to substrate roughness was identified as the main source of imprecision. Acoustic positioning was generally inaccurate and bottom tracking unreliable on rough terrain. Subtransect lengths assessed with PhotoModeler were on average 20% longer than those derived from acoustic positioning due to the higher spatial resolution and the inclusion of slope. On a high relief wall bottom tracking and 3-D modelling yielded similar results. At present, 3-D modelling is the most powerful, albeit the most time-consuming, method for accurate determination of video subtransect dimensions.

Assessment of vehicle interior dimensions and lap/shoulder belt fit. Final report.

Mode of access: Internet.

Testing Independence in High Dimensions & Identifiability of Graphical Models

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Comparison of three commercial sparse-matrix crystallization screens

Sparse-matrix sampling using commercially available crystallization screen kits has become the most popular way of determining the preliminary crystallization conditions for macromolecules. In this study, the efficiency of three commercial screening kits, Crystal Screen and Crystal Screen 2 (Hampton Research), Wizard Screens I and II (Emerald BioStructures) and Personal Structure Screens 1 and 2 (Molecular Dimensions), has been compared using a set of 19 diverse proteins. 18 proteins yielded crystals using at least one crystallization screen. Surprisingly, Crystal Screens and Personal Structure Screens showed dramatically different results, although most of the crystallization formulations are identical as listed by the manufacturers. Higher molecular weight polyethylene glycols and mixed precipitants were found to be the most effective precipitants in this study.

Stem and crown dimensions as predictors of thinning responses in a crowded tropical rainforest plantation of Flindersia brayleyana F. Muell.

A 67-year-old plantation of Flindersia brayleyana F. Muell. in the wet tropics of north-cast Queensland had developed with minimal management. Before thinning, the stand had a canopy stem density of 770 stems ha(-1) of which 564 were F brayleyana, a stand basal area of 78 m(2) ha(-1), a mean stem diameter at breast height (dbh) of 36 cm, and a mean dbh increment of 5.2 mm year(-1) over the life of the plantation and 0.5 mm year I at the time of thinning. Sixty-three percent of the trees had crown ratios (crown diameter determined from foliage projected area: dbh) of less than 12. Thinning treatments removed 57% of the canopy stems and 45% of the stand basal area. Mean dbh increment over 2.5 years after thinning on basaltic soil was 5.8 +/- 0.3 mm year(-1), but for trees with crown ratio

Explaining variations in the knowledge economy in three small wealthy countries

At a broad level, it has been shown that different institutional contexts, policy regimes and business systems affect the kinds of activities in which a nation specialises. This paper is concerned with the way in which different national business systems affect the nature of participation of a nation in the knowledge economy. The paper seeks to explain cross-national variations in the knowledge economy in the Australia, Denmark and Sweden with reference to dominant characteristics of the business system. Although Australia, Denmark and Sweden are all small wealthy countries, they each have quite distinctive business systems. Australia has been regarded as a variant of the competitive business system and has generally been described as an entrepreneurial economy with a large small firm population. In contrast Sweden has a coordinated business system that has favoured large industrial firms. The Danish variant of the coordinated model, with its well-developed vocational training system, is distinguishable by its large population of networked small and medium size enterprises. The three countries also differ significantly on two dimensions of participation in the knowledge economy. First, there is cross-national variation in patterns of specialisation in knowledge intensive industries and services. Second, the institutional infrastructure of the knowledge economy (or the existing stock of knowledge and competence in the economy, the potential for generation and diffusion a new knowledge and the capacity for commercialisation of new ideas) differs across the three countries. This paper seeks to explain variations in these two dimensions of the knowledge economy with reference to characteristics of the business system in the three countries.

The Short-EMBU in Australia, Spain, and Venezuela - Factorial invariance, and associations with sex roles, self-esteem, and Eysenckian personality dimensions

The short(s)-EMBU (Swedish acronym for Egna Minnen Betraffande Uppfostran [My memories of upbringing]) consists of 23 items, is based on the early 81-item EMBU, and was developed out of the necessity of having a brief measure of perceived parental rearing practices when the clinical and/or research context does not adequately permit application of time-consuming test batteries. The s-EMBU comprises three subscales: Rejection., Emotional Warmth, and (Over)Protection. The factorial and/or construct validity and reliability of the s-EMBU were examined in samples comprising a total of 1950 students from Australia, Spain, and Venezuela. The data were presented for the three national groups separately. Findings confirmed the cross-national validity of the factorial structure underlying the s-EMBU. Rejection by fathers and mothers was consistently associated with high trait-neuroticism and low self-esteem in recipients of both sexes in each nation, as was high parental emotional warmth with high femininity (humility). The findings on factorial validity are in keeping with previous ones obtained in East Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Italy, and Sweden. The s-EMBU is again recommended for use in several different countries as. a reliable, functional equivalent to the original 81-item EMBU.

Various topological excitations in the SO(4) gauge field in higher dimensions

Following the original analysis Of Zhang and Hu for the 4-dimensional generalization of Quantum Hall effect, there has been much work from different viewpoints on the higher dimensional condensed matter systems. In this paper, we discuss three kinds of topological excitations in the SO(4) gauge field of condensed matter systems in 4-dimension-the instantons and anti-instantons, the 't Hooft-Polyakov monopoles, and the 2-membranes. Using the phi-mapping topological theory, it is revealed that there are 4-, 3-, and 2-dimensional topological currents inhering in the SO (4) gauge field, and the above three kinds of excitations can be directly and explicitly derived from these three kinds of currents, respectively. Moreover, it is shown that the topological charges of these excitations are characterized by the Hopf indices and Brouwer degrees of phi-mapping. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modelling predicts positive and negative interactions between three Australian tropical tree species in monoculture and binary mixture

Computer modelling promises to. be an important tool for analysing and predicting interactions between trees within mixed species forest plantations. This study explored the use of an individual-based mechanistic model as a predictive tool for designing mixed species plantations of Australian tropical trees. The 'spatially explicit individually based-forest simulator' (SeXI-FS) modelling system was used to describe the spatial interaction of individual tree crowns within a binary mixed-species experiment. The three-dimensional model was developed and verified with field data from three forest tree species grown in tropical Australia. The model predicted the interactions within monocultures and binary mixtures of Flindersia brayleyana, Eucalyptus pellita and Elaeocarpus grandis, accounting for an average of 42% of the growth variation exhibited by species in different treatments. The model requires only structural dimensions and shade tolerance as species parameters. By modelling interactions in existing tree mixtures, the model predicted both increases and reductions in the growth of mixtures (up to +/- 50% of stem volume at 7 years) compared to monocultures. This modelling approach may be useful for designing mixed tree plantations. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Dimensions of perception and recognition of danger

Despite abundant literature on human behaviour in the face of danger, much remains to be discovered. Some descriptive models of behaviour in the face of danger are reviewed in order to identify areas where documentation is lacking. It is argued that little is known about recognition and assessment of danger and yet, these are important aspects of cognitive processes. Speculative arguments about hazard assessment are reviewed and tested against the results of previous studies. Once hypotheses are formulated, the reason for retaining the reportory grid as the main research instrument are outlined, and the choice of data analysis techniques is described. Whilst all samples used repertory grids, the rating scales were different between samples; therefore, an analysis is performed of the way in which rating scales were used in the various samples and of some reasons why the scales were used differently. Then, individual grids are looked into and compared between respondents within each sample; consensus grids are also discussed. the major results from all samples are then contrasted and compared. It was hypothesized that hazard assessment would encompass three main dimensions, i.e. 'controllability', 'severity of consequences' and 'likelihood of occurrence', which would emerge in that order. the results suggest that these dimensions are but facets of two broader dimensions labelled 'scope of human intervention' and 'dangerousness'. It seems that these two dimensions encompass a number of more specific dimensions some of which can be further fragmented. Thus, hazard assessment appears to be a more complex process about which much remains to be discovered. Some of the ways in which further discovery might proceed are discussed.

Three-dimensional brain fiber tracking modeling in diffusion tensor imaging

This dissertation establishes the foundation for a new 3-D visual interface integrating Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI). The need for such an interface is critical for understanding brain dynamics, and for providing more accurate diagnosis of key brain dysfunctions in terms of neuronal connectivity. ^ This work involved two research fronts: (1) the development of new image processing and visualization techniques in order to accurately establish relational positioning of neuronal fiber tracts and key landmarks in 3-D brain atlases, and (2) the obligation to address the computational requirements such that the processing time is within the practical bounds of clinical settings. The system was evaluated using data from thirty patients and volunteers with the Brain Institute at Miami Children's Hospital. ^ Innovative visualization mechanisms allow for the first time white matter fiber tracts to be displayed alongside key anatomical structures within accurately registered 3-D semi-transparent images of the brain. ^ The segmentation algorithm is based on the calculation of mathematically-tuned thresholds and region-detection modules. The uniqueness of the algorithm is in its ability to perform fast and accurate segmentation of the ventricles. In contrast to the manual selection of the ventricles, which averaged over 12 minutes, the segmentation algorithm averaged less than 10 seconds in its execution. ^ The registration algorithm established searches and compares MR with DT images of the same subject, where derived correlation measures quantify the resulting accuracy. Overall, the images were 27% more correlated after registration, while an average of 1.5 seconds is all it took to execute the processes of registration, interpolation, and re-slicing of the images all at the same time and in all the given dimensions. ^ This interface was fully embedded into a fiber-tracking software system in order to establish an optimal research environment. This highly integrated 3-D visualization system reached a practical level that makes it ready for clinical deployment. ^

Lump solitons in a higher-order nonlinear equation in 2+1 dimensions

We propose and examine an integrable system of nonlinear equations that generalizes the nonlinear Schrodinger equation to 2 + 1 dimensions. This integrable system of equations is a promising starting point to elaborate more accurate models in nonlinear optics and molecular systems within the continuum limit. The Lax pair for the system is derived after applying the singular manifold method. We also present an iterative procedure to construct the solutions from a seed solution. Solutions with one-, two-, and three-lump solitons are thoroughly discussed.