bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Lab-on-a-Chip-Based Non-Invasive Optical Sensor for Measuring Glucose in Saliva
Authors: Jung Dong , Jung Daewoong , Kong Seong
Published: November 2017

A lab-on-a-chip (LOC)-based non-invasive optical sensor for measuring glucose in saliva was fabricated. Existing glucose sensors utilizing blood require acquisition of a blood sample by pricking the finger, which is painful and inconvenient. To overcome these limitations, we propose a non-invasive glucose sensor with LOC, micro-electro-mechanical system and optical measurement technology. The proposed sensor for measuring glucose in saliva involves pretreatment, mixing, and measurement on a single tiny chip. Saliva containing glucose and glucose oxidase for glucose oxidation are injected through Inlets 1 and 2, respectively. Next, H2O2 is produced by the reaction between glucose and glucose oxidase in the pretreatment part. The saliva and generated H2O2 are mixed with a colorizing agent injected through Inlet 3 during the mixing part and the absorbance of the colorized mixture is measured in the measurement part. The absorbance of light increases as a function of glucose concentration at a wavelength of 630 nm. To measure the absorbance of the colorized saliva, a light-emitting diode with a wavelength of 630 nm and a photodiode were used during the measurement part. As a result, the measured output current of the photodiode decreased as glucose concentration in the saliva increased.
Impact Assessment of Pollutant Emissions in the Atmosphere from a Power Plant over a Complex Terrain and under Unsteady Winds
Authors: Ghermandi Grazia , Fabbi Sara , Arvani Barbara , Veratti Giorgio , Bigi Alessandro , Teggi Sergio
Published: November 2017

The development of a natural gas-fired tri-generation power plant (520 MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbines + 58 MW Tri-generation) in the Republic of San Marino, a small independent country in Northern Italy, is under assessment. This work investigates the impact of atmospheric emissions of NOx by the plant, under the Italian and European regulatory framework. The impact assessment was performed by the means of the Aria Industry package, including the 3D Lagrangian stochastic particle dispersion model SPRAY, the diagnostic meteorological model SWIFT, and the turbulence model SURFPRO (Aria Technologies, France, and Arianet, Italy). The Republic of San Marino is almost completely mountainous, 10 km west of the Adriatic Sea and affected by land-sea breeze circulation. SPRAY is suitable for simulations under non-homogenous and non-stationary conditions, over a complex topography. The emission scenario included both a worst-case meteorological condition and three 10-day periods representative of typical atmospheric conditions for 2014. The simulated NOx concentrations were compared with the regulatory air quality limits. Notwithstanding the high emission rate, the simulation showed a spatially confined environmental impact, with only a single NOx peak at ground where the plume hits the hillside of the Mount Titano (749 m a.s.l.), 5 km west of the future power plant.
Analysis and Optimization of Entry Stability in Underground Longwall Mining
Authors: Gao Yubing , Liu Dongqiao , Zhang Xingyu , He Manchao
Published: November 2017

For sustainable utilization of limited coal resources, it is important to increase the coal recovery rate and reduce mine accidents, especially those occurring in the entry (gateroad). Entry stabilities are vital for ventilation, transportation and other essential services in underground coal mining. In the present study, a finite difference model was built to investigate stress evolutions around the entry, and true triaxial tests were carried out at the laboratory to explore entry wall stabilities under different mining conditions. The modeling and experimental results indicated that a wide coal pillar was favorable for entry stabilities, but oversize pillars caused a serious waste of coal resources. As the width of the entry wall decreased, the integrated vertical stress, induced by two adjacent mining panels, coupled with each other and experienced an increase on the entry wall, which inevitably weakened the stability of the entry. Therefore, mining with coal pillars always involves a tradeoff between economy and safety. To address this problem, an innovative non-pillar mining technique by optimizing the entry surrounding structures was proposed. Numerical simulation showed that the deformation of the entry roof decreased by approximately 66% after adopting the new approach, compared with that using the conventional mining method. Field monitoring indicated that the stress condition of the entry was signiﬁcantly improved and the average roof pressure decreased by appropriately 60.33% after adopting the new technique. This work provides an economical and effective approach to achieve sustainable exploitation of underground coal resources.
Setting the Scene for a Healthier Indoor Living Environment: Citizens’ Knowledge, Awareness, and Habits Related to Residential Radon Exposure in Romania
Authors: Petrescu Dacinia , Petrescu-Mag Ruxandra
Published: November 2017

The present research is based on the premise that people perceive radiation risks in different ways, depending on their cultural background, information exposure, economic level, and educational status, which are specific to each country. The main objective was to assess and report, for the first time, the Romanians’ attitude (perceptions, knowledge, and behaviors) related to residential radon, in order to contribute to the creation of a healthier living environment. A convenience sample of 229 people from different parts of Romania, including radon prone areas, was used. Results profiled a population vulnerable to radon threats from the perspective of their awareness and perceptions. Thus, study results showed that most participants did not perceive the risk generated by radon exposure as significant to their health; only 13.1% of interviewed people considered the danger to their health as “high” or “very high”. Additionally, it was found that awareness of radon itself was low: 62.4% of the sample did not know what radon was. From a practical perspective, the study shows that in Romania, increasing awareness, through the provision of valid information, should be a major objective of strategies that aim to reduce radon exposure. The present study takes a bottom-up perspective by assessing Romanian citizens’ attitudes toward radon. Therefore, it compensates for a gap in the behavioral studies literature by providing practical support for radon risk mitigation and creating the premises for a healthier living environment.
Hydropower Generation Vulnerability in the Yangtze River in China under Climate Change Scenarios: Analysis Based on the WEAP Model
Authors: Zhang Yue , Gu Alun , Lu Hui , Wang Wei
Published: November 2017

Global warming caused by human activities exacerbates the water cycle, changes precipitation features, such as precipitation amount, intensity and time, and raises uncertainties in water resources. This work uses run-off data obtained using climate change models under representative concentration pathways (RCPs) and selects the Yangtze River Basin as the research boundary to evaluate and analyse the vulnerability of hydropower generation in 2016–2050 on the basis of the water evaluation and planning model. Results show that the amount of rainfall during 2016–2050 in the Yangtze River Basin is estimated to increase with fluctuations in RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. In the RCP4.5 scenario, hydropower stations exhibit large fluctuations in generating capacity, which present the trend of an increase after a decrease; in the RCP8.5 scenario, the generating capacity of hydropower stations in the Yangtze River Basin presents a steady increase. Over 50% of the generating capacity in the Yangtze River Basin is produced from the Three Gorges Dam and 10 other hydropower stations. Over 90% is generated in eight river basins, including the Jinsha, Ya-lung and Min Rivers. Therefore, climate change may accelerate changes in the Yangtze River Basin and further lead to vulnerability of hydropower generation.
Two-Stage Integer Programing Model for Building Retrofit Planning for Energy Saving in South Korea
Authors: Kim Joonrak , Son Dongmin , Jeong Bongju
Published: November 2017

Due to the heightened concerns of global environmental problems caused by the heavy use of fossil fuels, the sharp increase of energy use in the building sector has been recognized as an important environmental issue. One solution for efficient energy consumption in the building sector is building retrofits. This study proposes a two-stage integer programing model to select building retrofit materials and retrofit planning. The first model is based on a multi-objective optimization that derives an optimal retrofit strategy considering both energy savings and retrofit costs. Using the results of the first model, the second model finds an optimal retrofit plan to minimize losses for the building owner. Based on a real general hospital building in Korea, a simplified case building was used to verify the proposed models and for experimental analyses. According to the results of the second model, the building owner could adopt a building retrofit with less than 30–40% of the initial budget when compared to the total retrofit costs.
Proteomic Characterization of the Venom of Five Bombus (Thoracobombus) Species
Authors: Barkan Nezahat , Bayazit Mustafa , Ozel Demiralp Duygu
Published: November 2017

Venomous animals use venom, a complex biofluid composed of unique mixtures of proteins and peptides, to act on vital systems of the prey or predator. In bees, venom is solely used for defense against predators. However, the venom composition of bumble bees (Bombus sp.) is largely unknown. The Thoracobombus subgenus of Bombus sp. is a diverse subgenus represented by 14 members across Turkey. In this study, we sought out to proteomically characterize the venom of five Thoracobombus species by using bottom-up proteomic techniques. We have obtained two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel (2D-PAGE) images of each species’ venom sample. We have subsequently identified the protein spots by using matrix assisted laser desorption ionization/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). We have identified 47 proteins for Bombus humilis, 32 for B. pascuorum, 60 for B. ruderarius, 39 for B. sylvarum, and 35 for B. zonatus. Moreover, we illustrated that intensities of 2DE protein spots corresponding to putative venom toxins vary in a species-specific manner. Our analyses provide the primary proteomic characterization of five bumble bee species’ venom composition.
Structures and Functions of the Envelope Glycoprotein in Flavivirus Infections
Authors: Zhang Xingcui , Jia Renyong , Shen Haoyue , Wang Mingshu , Yin Zhongqiong , Cheng Anchun
Published: November 2017

Flaviviruses are enveloped, single-stranded RNA viruses that widely infect many animal species. The envelope protein, a structural protein of flavivirus, plays an important role in host cell viral infections. It is composed of three separate structural envelope domains I, II, and III (EDI, EDII, and EDIII). EDI is a structurally central domain of the envelope protein which stabilizes the overall orientation of the protein, and the glycosylation sites in EDI are related to virus production, pH sensitivity, and neuroinvasiveness. EDII plays an important role in membrane fusion because of the immunodominance of the fusion loop epitope and the envelope dimer epitope. Additionally, EDIII is the major target of neutralization antibodies. The envelope protein is an important target for research to develop vaccine candidates and antiviral therapeutics. This review summarizes the structures and functions of ED I/II/III, and provides practical applications for the three domains, with the ultimate goal of implementing strategies to utilize the envelope protein against flavivirus infections, thus achieving better diagnostics and developing potential flavivirus therapeutics and vaccines.
EBV and Apoptosis: The Viral Master Regulator of Cell Fate?
Authors: Fitzsimmons Leah , Kelly Gemma
Published: November 2017

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) was first discovered in cells from a patient with Burkitt lymphoma (BL), and is now known to be a contributory factor in 1–2% of all cancers, for which there are as yet, no EBV-targeted therapies available. Like other herpesviruses, EBV adopts a persistent latent infection in vivo and only rarely reactivates into replicative lytic cycle. Although latency is associated with restricted patterns of gene expression, genes are never expressed in isolation; always in groups. Here, we discuss (1) the ways in which the latent genes of EBV are known to modulate cell death, (2) how these mechanisms relate to growth transformation and lymphomagenesis, and (3) how EBV genes cooperate to coordinately regulate key cell death pathways in BL and lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Since manipulation of the cell death machinery is critical in EBV pathogenesis, understanding the mechanisms that underpin EBV regulation of apoptosis therefore provides opportunities for novel therapeutic interventions.
Drought Evolution Due to Climate Change and Links to Precipitation Intensity in the Haihe River Basin
Authors: Liu Bin , Yan Zhihong , Sha Jinxia , Li Su
Published: November 2017

Droughts often have a substantial impact on normal socio-economic activities and agricultural production. The Haihe River Basin, one of the primary food production areas in China, has become increasingly sensitive to alternating droughts and floods, and the sharp transitions between them, due to rapid economic development and population growth combined with climate change. In this study, we employ the self-organizing map (SOM) neural network method to perform a cluster analysis on 43 meteorological stations in the study area, dividing the basin into five sub-regions. Then daily precipitation data (1960–2015) are collected, and the number of continuous dry days is used as a drought index to investigate drought evolution trends. Lastly, the Pearson-III curve is used to analyze the first daily precipitation after different drought duration, and the relationships between precipitation intensity, drought duration, and interdecadal drought frequency are observed. The results demonstrate that under the climate warming of the Haihe River Basin, the frequency of droughts increases throughout the whole basin, while the droughts are of shorter duration, the probability of more intense first daily precipitation after droughts increases during the dry–wet transition. The research provides a useful reference for the planning and management of water resources in the Haihe River Basin.
Future Projection with an Extreme-Learning Machine and Support Vector Regression of Reference Evapotranspiration in a Mountainous Inland Watershed in North-West China
Authors: Yin Zhenliang , Feng Qi , Yang Linshan , Deo Ravinesh , Wen Xiaohu , Si Jianhua , Xiao Shengchun
Published: November 2017

This study aims to project future variability of reference evapotranspiration (ET0) using artificial intelligence methods, constructed with an extreme-learning machine (ELM) and support vector regression (SVR) in a mountainous inland watershed in north-west China. Eight global climate model (GCM) outputs retrieved from the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) were employed to downscale monthly ET0 for the historical period 1960–2005 as a validation approach and for the future period 2010–2099 as a projection of ET0 under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. The following conclusions can be drawn: the ELM and SVR methods demonstrate a very good performance in estimating Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)-56 Penman–Monteith ET0. Variation in future ET0 mainly occurs in the spring and autumn seasons, while the summer and winter ET0 changes are moderately small. Annually, the ET0 values were shown to increase at a rate of approximately 7.5 mm, 7.5 mm, 0.0 mm (8.2 mm, 15.0 mm, 15.0 mm) decade−1, respectively, for the near-term projection (2010–2039), mid-term projection (2040–2069), and long-term projection (2070–2099) under the RCP4.5 (RCP8.5) scenario. Compared to the historical period, the relative changes in ET0 were found to be approximately 2%, 5% and 6% (2%, 7% and 13%), during the near, mid- and long-term periods, respectively, under the RCP4.5 (RCP8.5) warming scenarios. In accordance with the analyses, we aver that the opportunity to downscale monthly ET0 with artificial intelligence is useful in practice for water-management policies.
Cadmium and Lead Sorption/Desorption on Non-Amended and By-Product-Amended Soil Samples and Pyritic Material
Authors: Núñez-Delgado Avelino , Romar-Gasalla Aurora , Santás-Miguel Vanesa , Fernández-Sanjurjo María , Álvarez-Rodríguez Esperanza , Nóvoa-Muñoz Juan , Arias-Estévez Manuel
Published: November 2017

Batch-type experiments were used to study cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) sorption/desorption on forest soil, vineyard soil and pyritic material samples, on the by-products mussel shell, oak ash, pine bark and hemp waste, and on forest soil, vineyard soil and pyritic material amended with 48 t ha−1 of oak ash, mussel shell, and hemp waste. The main results were that the forest soil showed higher Cd and Pb retention than the vineyard soil and the pyritic material. Regarding the byproducts, sorption was in the following order: oak ash > mussel shell > hemp waste > pine bark, with desorption following an inverse sequence. The pH was the parameter that most influenced Cd and Pb sorption. Cd and Pb sorption curves showed better fitting to the Freundlich than to the Langmuir model, indicating the dominance of multilayer interactions. Oak ash and mussel shell were the amendments causing higher increase in Cd and Pb sorption on both soils and the pyritic material (close to 100% with the oak ash amendment), as well as more a pronounced decrease in desorption. These results could be used to favor an effective management of the by-products studied, which could retain Cd and Pb in soils and degraded areas, preventing water pollution.
Properties of Whistler Waves in Warm Electron Plasmas
Authors: Zhao Jinsong
Published: November 2017

Dispersion relation and electromagnetic properties of obliquely propagating whistler waves are investigated on the basis of a warm electron fluid model. The magnetic field of whistler waves is nearly circularly polarized with respect to the wave vector in a plasma where the electron plasma frequency

is much larger than the electron cyclotron frequency

, and the magnetic field polarization can become elliptical, or even linear, polarization as

. In the plasmas with

, the resonant frequency is about

, which is different from

predicted by the cold electron fluid model. Near the resonant frequency, the whistler wave approximates a quasi-magnetostatic mode, not a quasi-electrostatic mode in the cold electron plasmas. Moreover, the detailed mode properties are given in Earth’s magnetosphere, the solar active region, and Jupiter’s polar cap. Furthermore, the study proposes that the ratio of the electrostatic to electromagnetic component of the electric field can be used to distinguish the whistler mode from the Z-mode in the frequency range of

in the solar active region and Jupiter’s polar cap.
Understory dominance and the new climax: Impacts of Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) invasion on native plant diversity and recruitment in a riparian woodland
Authors: Wilson Matthew , Freundlich Anna , Martine Christopher
Published: November 2017

Riparian forests exhibit levels of ecological disturbance that leave them especially prone to biological invasions. Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) is particularly suited to these habitats and is an aggressive invader along watercourses throughout its now-global range as an exotic invader. Using one of the few Silver Maple Floodplain Forest communities that has not been invaded by F. japonica in the West Branch Susquehanna River valley (Pennsylvania, USA) as a baseline, this study examines whether and how this primarily intact riparian forest community differs from nearby invaded communities in terms of 1) native species richness, 2) native species density, and 3) riparian forest tree recruitment. Defining a baseline (intact) community composition will inform restoration plans for local riparian forests where knotweed might be eradicated or reduced. Invaded and non-invaded sites differed statistically across species richness, species density, and tree recruitment. Our results suggest that F. japonica has reduced the diversity and abundance of native understory riparian plant species. The species also appears to have suppressed long-term tree recruitment, setting up a trajectory whereby the eventual decline of trees currently in the canopy could shift this community from a tree-dominated riparian forest to a knotweed-dominated herbaceous shrubland.
Ce que le vote par approbation révèle des préférences des électeurs français
Authors: Lebon Isabelle , Baujard Antoinette , Gavrel Frédéric , Igersheim Herrade , Laslier Jean-François
Published: November 2017

Cet article vise à déterminer une répartition, le long d’un axe politique, des candidats à l’élection présidentielle de 2012 qui soit fondée sur les opinions exprimées par les électeurs à travers une expérimentation de vote par approbation, plutôt que sur un positionnement a priori . L’axe endogène représentatif du paysage politique obtenu s’avère correspondre à un axe gauche-droite classique. Cependant, des analyses plus précises du comportement des électeurs remettent en cause l’hypothèse d’unimodalité des préférences politiques qui est généralement associée à cette structure. En particulier, l’attitude qui consiste à approuver simultanément des candidats situés des deux côtés de l’échiquier politique mais sans soutenir les candidats intermédiaires sur l’axe est largement répandue, et nettement plus fréquente chez les hommes que chez les femmes.
Pediatric Orbital Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumors
Authors: Afghani Tayyab , Mansoor Hassan , Raza Hamdani Syed Naeem
Published: November 2017

Purpose:

To present the clinical, radiological, histopathological, immunohistochemical features and the follow-up of orbital primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) in pediatric patients along with a review of the literature.

Methods:

A retrospective analysis of all diagnosed cases of orbital PNET was done. Patients' ophthalmic findings, imaging, immunohistochemistry, metastatic work-up, treatment, globe salvation, and survival were documented and a mini literature review of orbital PNET was performed.

Results:

Four diagnosed cases of orbital PNET presented with proptosis and visual impairment were treated during the study period. The radiological imaging showed primary orbital involvement. There were three males and one female with a mean age of 63.75 months (range: 3 to 244 months). Histopathology of all studied patients showed round malignant cells with hyperchromatic nuclei, increased nuclear cytoplasmic ratio, and positive test results for CD99 and FLI-1. The studied patients underwent orbital surgery for excision of tumors followed by chemotherapy. One of the patients also had external radiation in addition to chemotherapy after a second recurrence. The follow-up period of these patients varied from 1 to 5 years. Only one child who had recurrence twice was followed up to 5 years, but was lost to follow-up after that.

Conclusions:

The authors believe that most orbital peripheral PNET tumors present as well-defined masses on both imaging and perioperatively and are easily removed surgically. The apparently disguised “benign profile” of orbital PNET may prove deceptive and the shorter duration of symptoms remains a strong reminder of the malignant nature of the lesion.

[
J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus.
2018;55(2):128-134.]
Nueva ordenación taxonómica del subgénero Elongasida Escalera, 1906 del género Alphasida Escalera, 1905 (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae)
Authors: Pérez-Vera Francisco , Ávila José M. , Martínez Juan Carlos
Published: November 2017

Como consecuencia de nuestra actual remodelación taxonómica de la tribu Asidini, la composición específica y la posición sistemática de los subgéneros Elongasida Escalera, 1906 y Pseudoelongasida Escalera, 1922, habían ya cambiado en relación con lo señalado en el último Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera de Löbl & Smetana. El subgénero Elongasida ha perdido las especies A. asperata Solier, 1836 y A. inesperata Escalera, 1921 incorporadas al subgénero Glabrasida y el subgénero Pseudoelongasida ha pasado de ser un subgénero del género Asida a ser un subgénero del género Alphasida, recuperando como válida la especie A. tenuecostata Fairmaire, 1880 que había sido considerada antes incertae sedis. En este trabajo se hace una revisión de los dos subgéneros y se propone la fusión de ambos en el único subgénero Elongasida, que se convertiría así en ibérico-marroquí. Pseudoelongasida pasa a ser nova synonymia y el nuevo subgénero resultante de la fusión cuenta con 12 especies: las 2 norteafricanas, las 8 ibéricas ya conocidas y 2 especies nuevas descritas aquí, conservadas como nomen in litteris en las colecciones del MNCN de Madrid: Alphasida (Elongasida) levantina sp. nov. y Alphasida (Elongasida) moroderi sp. nov.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:837DA75B-EC1F-4573-8FDD-21604D2BB934
Between primitive and 2-transitive: Synchronization and its friends
Authors: Araújo João , Cameron Peter J. , Steinberg Benjamin
Published: November 2017

An automaton (consisting of a finite set of states with given transitions) is said to be synchronizing if there is a word in the transitions which sends all states of the automaton to a single state. Research on this topic has been driven by the
Černý conjecture
, one of the oldest and most famous problems in automata theory, according to which a synchronizing

n

-state automaton has a reset word of length at most

(n-1)^2

.The transitions of an automaton generate a transformation monoid on the set of states, and so an automaton can be regarded as a transformation monoid with a prescribed set of generators. In this setting, an automaton is synchronizing if the transitions generate a constant map.

A permutation group

G

on a set

\Omega

is said to synchronize a map

f

if the monoid

\langle G,f\rangle

generated by

G

and

f

is synchronizing in the above sense; we say

G

is synchronizing if it synchronizes every non-permutation.

The classes of synchronizing groups and friends form an hierarchy of natural and elegant classes of groups lying strictly between the classes of primitive and 2-homogeneous groups. These classes have been floating around for some years and it is now time to provide a unified reference on them.

The study of all these classes has been prompted by the Černý conjecture, but it is of independent interest since it involves a rich mix of group theory, combinatorics, graph endomorphisms, semigroup theory, finite geometry, and representation theory, and has interesting computational aspects as well. So as to make the paper self-contained, we have provided background material on these topics.

Our purpose here is to present recent work on synchronizing groups and related topics. In addition to the results that show the connections between the various areas of mathematics mentioned above, we include a new result on the Černý conjecture (a strengthening of a theorem of Rystsov), some challenges to finite geometers (which classical polar spaces can be partitioned into ovoids?), some thoughts about infinite analogues, and a long list of open problems to stimulate further work.
Numerical infinities and infinitesimals: Methodology, applications, and repercussions on two Hilbert problems
Authors: Sergeyev Yaroslav D.
Published: November 2017

In this survey, a recent computational methodology paying a special attention to the separation of mathematical objects from numeral systems involved in their representation is described. It has been introduced with the intention to allow one to work with infinities and infinitesimals numerically in a unique computational framework in all the situations requiring these notions. The methodology does not contradict Cantor's and non-standard analysis views and is based on the Euclid's Common Notion no. 5 "The whole is greater than the part" applied to all quantities (finite, infinite, and infinitesimal) and to all sets and processes (finite and infinite). The methodology uses a computational device called the Infinity Computer (patented in USA and EU) working
numerically
(recall that traditional theories work with infinities and infinitesimals only symbolically) with infinite and infinitesimal numbers that can be written in a positional numeral system with an infinite radix. It is argued that numeral systems involved in computations limit our capabilities to compute and lead to ambiguities in theoretical assertions, as well. The introduced methodology gives the possibility to use
the same
numeral system for measuring infinite sets, working with divergent series, probability, fractals, optimization problems, numerical differentiation, ODEs, etc. (recall that traditionally
different
numerals

\infty, \aleph_0, \omega

, etc. are used in different situations related to infinity). Numerous numerical examples and theoretical illustrations are given. The accuracy of the achieved results is continuously compared with those obtained by traditional tools used to work with infinities and infinitesimals. In particular, it is shown that the new approach allows one to observe mathematical objects involved in the Hypotheses of Continuum and the Riemann zeta function with a higher accuracy than it is done by traditional tools. It is stressed that the hardness of both problems is not related to their nature but is a consequence of the weakness of traditional numeral systems used to study them. It is shown that the introduced methodology and numeral system change our perception of the mathematical objects studied in the two problems.
Queer Theatre
Authors: Brecht Stefan
Published: November 2017

Stefan Brecht (1924-2009) was born in Berlin, Germany, and from 1941 spent most of his time in the USA. A doctor of philosophy, he published both criticism and philosophy, and performed with Charles Ludlam and Robert Wilson. He wrote many books including Bread and Puppet Theatre (volumes 1 and 2); Queer Theatre and Theatre of Visions, all published by Methuen Drama.
Playing Shakespeare
Authors: Barton John
Published: November 2017

John Barton is Advisory Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company and has directed some of the greatest Shakespeare productions of our time. His book, Playing Shakespeare, is a transcript of his televised workshops with some of our finest Shakespearean actors: Peggy Ashcroft, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Ben Kingsley, Patrick Stewart and David Suchet. "What the programmes and published text reveal, is the method and principle approach of acting Shakespeare which has been fundamental to the Royal Shakespeare Company since it was formed" Trevor Nunn.

This new edition contains a DVD with 80mins of video featuring John Barton in conversation with Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart and Jane Lapotaire discussing changes in approaches to Shakespeare's text since the book first published. This edition also features a foreword by Michael Boyd.

A highly readable and non-academic approach to understanding Shakespeare's text - unlocking the hidden stage directions and actors clues that reside in his verse. "When an actor becomes aware of them, s/he will find that Shakespeare himself starts to direct them" John Barton.
Working in American Theatre
Authors: Voltz Jim
Published: November 2017

“I cannot think of a better book for aspiring and working actors, craftspeople, artists, and managers” Kent Thompson, Artistic Director, Denver Center Theatre Company, Past President TCG Board of Directors

“It’s time for a new look at the complexity and richness of America’s growing theatrical landscapre and Jim Volz is just the person to provide that overview” Lesley Schisgall Currier, Managing Director, Marin Shakespeare Company

Working in American Theatre is a coast-to-coast overview of the opportunities awaiting theatre practitioners in every discipline.

Featuring tips from America’s top theatre professionals, this resource offers job-search and career-planning strategies, as well as detailed information on over 1,000 places to work in the American theatre, including regional companies, Broadway and commerical theatre, Shakespeare festivals, touring theatres, university/resident theatres, youth and children’s theatres, and outdoor theatres. Offering an overview of the evolution of American theatre and behind-the-scenes stories of the regional movement, this single volume is an indispensable tool at every stage of your career.
Singing on Stage
Authors: Streeton Jane , Raymond Philip
Published: November 2017

Singing on stage can be a daunting prospect for actors, particularly for those who have not sung before. Yet singing should be an essential part of every actor's toolkit.

Singing on Stage: An Actor's Guide gives an insight for the first time into the vocal techniques and practical approaches that have been developed over generations as an integral part of the training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Jane Streeton and Philip Raymond are highly experienced performers and teachers; their book encourages each actor to explore their own authentic voice as opposed to offering a 'one-size-fits-all' or 'quick-fix' approach.

Written in an accessible, friendly and enabling style, Singing on Stage: An Actor's Guide is packed with exercises to develop the actor's skills and gives an overview of:

• elements of technique

• how to work on a song

• the process of singing theatrically

• how to choose the best songs for you

Featuring inspirational listening suggestions and the observations of successful performers and practitioners, Singing on Stage: An Actor's Guide is the must-have companion for complete beginners as well as for experienced actors who wish to develop their understanding of singing on stage.
The Arden Shakespeare Miscellany
Authors: Armstrong Jane
Published: November 2017

An ideal reference companion for students and enthusiasts of Shakespeare, this informative and entertaining Miscellany gives a wealth of contextual and biographical information to enhance your understanding and enjoyment of his work. There is an entry for every play, summarising its plot and outlining its major characters and themes. Whether you need to know the plot of Cymbeline, the names of characters in As You Like It, or something about the actors Shakespeare wrote for, this book provides the perfect quick reference. If you need to know more about Shakespeare's life and times, details are given of the debates surrounding his identity and appearance, the known and fanciful facts of his life, the theatres in which he worked and the acting companies of which he was a member.

The book is arranged thematically rather than alphabetically, with a full index making it easy to navigate if you want an answer to a particular question, or intriguing just to dip in and out of. The core topics covered are: Theatres and Players; Controversies; Shakespeare the Writer; Facts and Figures; Shakespeare and Language; Afterlife; Chronology of Shakespeare's Plays; A Biographical Chronology.
Screen Adaptations Shakespeare’s King Lear
Authors: Griggs Yvonne
Published: November 2017

This close study of film adaptations of King Lear looks at several different versions (mainstream, art-house and cinematic ‘offshoots’) and discusses: the literary text in its historical context, key themes and dominant readings of the text, how the text is adapted for screen and how adaptations have changed our reading of the original text.

There are many references to the literary text and screenplays and the book also features quotations from directors and critics. There is plenty of discursive material here to support student work on both film and literature courses.
The Body Speaks
Authors: Marshall Lorna
Published: November 2017

‘Stimulating and intelligent’ Yoshi Oida

Seventy percent of everyday conversation is conveyed through body language, twenty percent is the voice and only ten percent is the meaning of the words. In The Body Speaks, expert RADA trainer Lorna Marshall, shows how to recognise and lose unwanted physical inhibitions that our background, education or family have taught us and presents a fundamental re-thinking of our relationship to the body and its role in performance.

Good performers - be they trapeze artists, Shakespearean actors, Butoh dancers or film stars - are able to fully reach their audience and engage with them because they have learnt to use their bodies to its best effect. Through a series of practical exercises, Lorna Marshall encourages us to unleash our potential, discover new possibility for the body and express ourselves more clearly. This new edition has been fully revised to include the latest thinking on the subject and more exercises particularly for performers in TV and film.
Screen Adaptations Shakespeare’s the Tempest
Authors: Hopkins Lisa
Published: November 2017

Literature and film studies students will find plenty of material to support their courses and essay writing on how the film versions provide different readings of the original text.

Focussing on numerous film versions, from Percy Stow’s 1908 adaptation to Peter Greenaway’s Prospero’s Books, the book discusses: the literary text in its historical context, key themes and dominant readings of the text, how the text is adapted for screen and how adaptations have changed our reading of the original text. There are numerous excerpts from the literary text, screenplays and shooting scripts, with suggestions for comparison. The book also features quotations from authors, screenwriters, directors, critics and others linked with the chosen film and text.
Acting Characters
Authors: Elsam Paul
Published: November 2017

Recently selected as an Edexcel set text, Paul Elsam’s Acting Characters is an introductory handbook for the aspiring actor, compiled of twenty steps grouped into six sections to help create, present and sustain a believable character in most circumstances. It is fundamentally practical and avoids heavy discussion of theory, looking instead at how to use different voices and body language to convey character. According to a peer reviewer, the book is “both interesting for the casual enquirer and illuminating for the more serious practitioner”. It de-mystifies the fundamental concepts of Stanislavski’s teaching in an accessible way and it is this clarity and empathy with its readership that sets this book apart from its main competition, which the author describes as containing “a lot of rather mystical ideas on how actors go about their craft, but very little on the actual moment-by-moment skills you can work on”.
Alan Ayckbourn
Authors: Allen Paul
Published: November 2017

Now in paperback, the hugely acclaimed, authorised biography of Britain’s most popular playwright

Alan Ayckbourn is Britain’s most popular playwright and its most private. He has won numerous awards for his plays and has worked with some of theatre’s most celebrated names, yet he spends most of his time away from the limelight in a Yorkshire seaside town not writing at all but running a small repertory theatre.

This is a portrait of a man who – from Relatively Speaking in 1965 to his double play House and Garden at the National Theatre in 2000 – has chronicled human behaviour, our aspirations and insecurities, while shaping the theatrical experience of millions.

“Mr Allen’s book makes me want to start reading the entire Ayckbourn canon over again...splendid stuff” Hugh Leonard, Sunday Independent

“Paul Allen has come up with a wise, well-informed book that not only persuades us of Ayckbourn’s genius but also helps to explain this complex, driven man” Michael Billington, Country Life

“Lucid, meticulously researched ... this impressively detailed account benefits from Paul Allen’s rich inside knowledge of theatre” Terry Eagleton, Times Literary Supplement

“Thorough and enjoyable” Christopher Hirst, Independent
Meyerhold
Authors: Braun Edward
Published: November 2017

Edward Braun’s acclaimed work on Meyerhold available for the first time in paperback

Vsevolod Meyerhold began his career in theatre as an actor with the Moscow Art Theatre, and after a spell in the remote provinces, he returned to Moscow at Stanislavski’s invitation and founded a new, experimental studio for the Art Theatre. This book takes us through Meyerhold’s extraordinary life of experiment and discovery, describing his rehearsal techniques and exercises and provides an acute assessment of his continuing influence on contemporary theatre.
Acting With Passion
Authors: Flacks Niki
Published: November 2017

Based on the latest research from the fields of neuroscience and mind-body psychology, Acting With Passion offers a revolutionary new approach to the age-old problems of the actor: dealing with nerves, engaging the body, quieting the inner critic, auditioning, creating a character, and even playing comedy.

With this step-by-step guide, actors who have struggled with ‘visualization’ and ‘emotional recall’ can learn an alternative method of accessing feelings through the release of chronic, subtle muscular tensions that connect into the brain at lightning fast speed and can actually produce emotions on cue.

Written with verve and accessibility, and using practical exercises to guide the actor through each stage, Acting With Passion is the must-have text for actors seeking that magical ‘state of aliveness’.
Dramatic Dance
Authors: Royston Darren
Published: November 2017

Dance is part of the art of theatre, a part which connects to movement, to communication, to improvisation, and to performance. It cannot exist on its own in the context of dramatic performance, but works in conjunction with other elements to enable meanings to be created in performance.

Dramatic Dance sets a programme for actors to perform dance as part of the drama, offering several approaches which can contribute to developing this understanding, to training this skill, and always ensuring that the whole active and thinking body and mind are fully engaged with the task of making dance an integral and vital part of theatre. To study dance in this way allows students to develop further their understanding of logic and structure in a dramatic text.

Many books deal with one aspect of dance or another: some on dance training, some on dance history, some on Rudolf Laban's ideas, some as dance manuals, and some as academic papers. Dramatic Dance is the first book to act as a comprehensive guide for theatre practice, bringing together these different, complementary disciplines.
Vocal Arts Workbook and Video
Authors: Carey David , Carey Rebecca Clark
Published: November 2017

“Refreshing and imaginative, this book teaches through enhanced awareness, and instructs through clear and specific exercises” Cicely Berry

This practical workbook and DVD helps actors to fully develop expressive voice skills to communicate thoughts and feelings with precision and power. At the heart of the book are practical projects, with examples supplied on the accompanying DVD, which enables you to:

- connect your breath with your voice

- meet the demands of your performance

- use your voice expressively with pitch and range

Each chapter consists of an introductory Framework; Explorations; Exercises; Follow Up work; Suggested Texts; and Further Reading: a unique, student-centred approach not found in other voice books.

The Vocal Arts Workbook + DVD is a complete learning programme drawing on the work of a wide range of practitioners to be used at home, as a course text, or as a way to integrate 20-30 mins of voice work into an acting class.

The DVD contains: 85 mins of video and 38 physical exercises. Download them to your ipod and copy the movements as you go along.
Applied Theatre: Development
Authors: Prentki Tim
Published: November 2017

At once both guide book and provocation, this is an indispensable companion for students and practitioners of applied theatre. It addresses all key aspects: principles, origins, politics and aesthetics in a concise and accessible style designed to appeal both to those who have recently discovered this sub-discipline and to experienced practitioners and academics.

Part 1 is divided into two chapters. The first introduces the sub-discipline of Theatre for Development, covering its origins, principles and history, and providing an overview of theatre for development in Western contexts as well as in Africa, Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and Latin America. The second focuses upon theoretical and philosophical issues confronting the discipline and its relationship to contemporary politics, as well as considering its future role.

Part 2 consists of seven chapters contributed by leading figures and current practitioners from around the world and covering a diverse range of themes, methodologies and aesthetic approaches. One chapter offers a series of case studies concerned with sexual health education and HIV prevention, drawn from practitioners working in Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Southern Africa, and China. Other chapters include studies of intercultural theatre in the Peruvian Amazon; a programme of applied theatre conducted in schools in Canterbury, New Zealand, following the 2010 earthquake; an attempt to reinvigorate a community theatre group in South Brazil; and an exchange between a Guatemalan arts collective and a Dutch youth theatre company, besides others.
Applied Theatre: Aesthetics
Authors: White Gareth
Published: November 2017

Applied Theatre: Aesthetics re-examines how the idea of 'the aesthetic' is relevant to performance in social settings. The disinterestedness that traditional aesthetics claims as a key characteristic of art makes little sense when making performances with ordinary people, rooted in their lives and communities, and with personal and social change as its aim. Yet practitioners of applied arts know that their work is not reducible to social work, therapy or education. Reconciling the simultaneous autonomy and heteronomy of art is the problem of aesthetics in applied arts.

Gareth White’s introductory essay reviews the field, and proposes an interdisciplinary approach that builds on new developments in evolutionary, cognitive and neuro-aesthetics alongside the politics of art. It addresses the complexities of art and the aesthetic as everyday behaviours and responses.

The second part of the book is made up of essays from leading experts and new voices in the practice and theory of applied performance, reflecting on the key problematics of applying performance with non-performers. New and innovative practice is described and interrogated, and fresh thinking is introduced in response to perennial problems.
Voice Into Acting
Authors: Gutekunst Christina , Gillett John
Published: November 2017

How can actors bridge the gap between themselves and the text and action of a script, integrating fully their learned vocal skills? How do we make an imaginary world real, create the life of a role, and fully embody it vocally and physically so that voice and acting become one?

Christina Gutekunst and John Gillett unite their depth of experience in voice training and acting to create an integrated and comprehensive approach informed by Stanislavski and his successors - the acting approach widely taught to actors in drama schools throughout the world. The authors create a step-by-step guide to explore how voice can:

respond to our thoughts, senses, feelings, imagination and will

fully express language in content and form

communicate imaginary circumstances and human experience

transform to adapt to different roles

connect to a variety of audiences and spaces

Featuring over fifty illustrations by German artist Dany Heck, Voice into Acting is an essential manual for the actor seeking full vocal identity in characterization, and for the voice teacher open to new techniques, or an alternative approach, to harmonize with the actor's process.