bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Absolute and Relative Measures of Instructional Sensitivity
Authors: Naumann Alexander , Hartig Johannes , Hochweber Jan
Published: November 2017

Valid inferences on teaching drawn from students’ test scores require that tests are sensitive to the instruction students received in class. Accordingly, measures of the test items’ instructional sensitivity provide empirical support for validity claims about inferences on instruction. In the present study, we first introduce the concepts of absolute and relative measures of instructional sensitivity. Absolute measures summarize a single item’s total capacity of capturing effects of instruction, which is independent of the test’s sensitivity. In contrast, relative measures summarize a single item’s capacity of capturing effects of instruction relative to test sensitivity. Then, we propose a longitudinal multilevel item response theory model that allows estimating both types of measures depending on the identification constraints.
Optimal Pressure Measurement Layout Design in Water Distribution Network Systems
Authors: Klapcsik Kálmán , Varga Roxána , Hős Csaba
Published: November 2017

This paper addresses the problem of locating the optimal pressure measurement points in a hydraulic system to help system management, calibration/validation of hydraulic models and measurement planning. Two approaches are discussed in the present work. The first method splits the hydraulic system by means of community concept borrowed from graph theory and uses merely the topology of the network. The resulting subsystems will have minimum number of external and maximum number of internal connections and leaves the choice of locating the single pressure measurement location per subsystem to a higher-level decision. The second technique is based on the sensitivity analysis of the hydraulic network and places the measurement points at the most sensitive locations, while trying to preserve the spatial diversity of the layout, i.e. preventing the accumulation of the measurement points within a small area of high sensitivity. The performance of both techniques is demonstrated on real-size hydraulic networks. The proposed sampling layouts are compared to classic D-optimality, A-optimality and V-optimality criterion.
Research on Single-Phase PWM Converter with Reverse Conducting IGBT Based on Loss Threshold Desaturation Control
Authors: Huang Xianjin , Chang Dengwei , Ling Chao , Zheng Trillion
Published: November 2017

In the application of vehicle power supply and distributed power generation, there are strict requirements for the pulse width modulation (PWM) converter regarding power density and reliability. When compared with the conventional insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) module, the Reverse Conducting-Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (RC-IGBT) with the same package has a lower thermal resistance and higher current tolerance. By applying the gate desaturation control, the reverse recovery loss of the RC-IGBT diode may be reduced. In this paper, a loss threshold desaturation control method is studied to improve the output characteristics of the single-phase PWM converter with a low switching frequency. The gate desaturation control characteristics of the RC-IGBT’s diode are studied. A proper current limit is set to avoid the ineffective infliction of the desaturation pulse, while the bridge arm current crosses zero. The expectation of optimized loss decrease is obtained, and the better performance for the RC-IGBTs of the single-phase PWM converter is achieved through the optimized desaturation pulse distribution. Finally, the improved predictive current control algorithm that is applied to the PWM converter with RC-IGBTs is simulated, and is operated and tested on the scaled reduced power platform. The results prove that the gate desaturation control with the improved predictive current algorithm may effectively improve the RC-IGBT’s characteristics, and realize the stable output of the PWM converter.
100% Renewable Energy Supply for Brazil—The Role of Sector Coupling and Regional Development
Authors: Gils Hans , Simon Sonja , Soria Rafael
Published: November 2017

With its abundance of renewable energy potentials, not only for hydropower and bioenergy, but also for wind and solar, Brazil provides good prospects for a carbon neutral energy system. The role of an enhanced coupling of the power, heat and transport sectors in such systems is not yet fully understood. This paper analyses the least-cost composition and operation of a fully renewable power supply system as part of a carbon neutral energy supply in Brazil. It relies on the application of the high-resolution energy system model REMix. Our analysis reveals that the expansion of wind and solar power is more cost-efficient than the construction of additional hydroelectric plants. This is favoured because the existing hydroelectric plants offer large capacity of dispatchable power to compensate for fluctuations, and thus no additional storage is necessary. Furthermore, the REMix analysis indicates that varying shares of solar and wind power technologies as well as the spatial distribution of power generation have only a small influence on supply costs. This implies that the transformation strategy in Brazil can be primarily based on other criteria such as regional development, public acceptance, environmental impact or industrial policy without major impacts on system costs.
Physical Activity of German Children and Adolescents 2003–2012: The MoMo-Study
Authors: Schmidt Steffen , Henn Annette , Albrecht Claudia , Woll Alexander
Published: November 2017

Organized and unorganized physical activity (PA) hold an important role in the daily life of children and adolescents. Regular representative tracking of PA in different settings is important to evaluate social trends and implemented interventions. In this paper, representative PA data of German children and adolescents from the MoMo Baseline-Study (2004, n = 4528) are compared to those of Wave 1 (2010, n = 3994). Participants aged 4–17 were drawn out of 167 sample points in Germany and the data was weighted to ensure representativeness. PA was measured via questionnaire and was differentiated between organized (sports clubs and schools) and unorganized (unorganized sports and playing outside). Organized PA in extracurricular activities and sports clubs increased by eight percent, while unorganized PA decreased by seven percent. In addition to sports clubs, schools became a more prevalent setting for participation in physical activity in Germany.
Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Growth and Osteogenic Differentiation on Piezoelectric Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Microsphere Substrates
Authors: Sobreiro-Almeida R. , Tamaño-Machiavello M. , Carvalho E. , Cordón L. , Doria S. , Senent L. , Correia D. , Ribeiro C. , Lanceros-Méndez S. , Sabater i Serra R. , Gomez Ribelles J. , Sempere A.
Published: November 2017

The aim of this work was to determine the influence of the biomaterial environment on human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) fate when cultured in supports with varying topography. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) culture supports were prepared with structures ranging between 2D and 3D, based on PVDF films on which PVDF microspheres were deposited with varying surface density. Maintenance of multipotentiality when cultured in expansion medium was studied by flow cytometry monitoring the expression of characteristic hMSCs markers, and revealed that cells were losing their characteristic surface markers on these supports. Cell morphology was assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Alkaline phosphatase activity was also assessed after seven days of culture on expansion medium. On the other hand, osteoblastic differentiation was monitored while culturing in osteogenic medium after cells reached confluence. Osteocalcin immunocytochemistry and alizarin red assays were performed. We show that flow cytometry is a suitable technique for the study of the differentiation of hMSC seeded onto biomaterials, giving a quantitative reliable analysis of hMSC-associated markers. We also show that electrosprayed piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) is a suitable support for tissue engineering purposes, as hMSCs can proliferate, be viable and undergo osteogenic differentiation when chemically stimulated.
Effect of Relative Humidity on Adsorption Breakthrough of CO2 on Activated Carbon Fibers
Authors: Chiang Yu-Chun , Chen Yu-Jen , Wu Cheng-Yen
Published: November 2017

Microporous activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were developed for CO2 capture based on potassium hydroxide (KOH) activation and tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) amination. The material properties of the modified ACFs were characterized using several techniques. The adsorption breakthrough curves of CO2 were measured and the effect of relative humidity in the carrier gas was determined. The KOH activation at high temperature generated additional pore networks and the intercalation of metallic K into the carbon matrix, leading to the production of mesopore and micropore volumes and providing access to the active sites in the micropores. However, this treatment also resulted in the loss of nitrogen functionalities. The TEPA amination has successfully introduced nitrogen functionalities onto the fiber surface, but its long-chain structure blocked parts of the micropores and, thus, made the available surface area and pore volume limited. Introduction of the power of time into the Wheeler equation was required to fit the data well. The relative humidity within the studied range had almost no effects on the breakthrough curves. It was expected that the concentration of CO2 was high enough so that the impact on CO2 adsorption capacity lessened due to increased relative humidity.
Potential Applications and Limitations of Electronic Nose Devices for Plant Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Cellini Antonio , Blasioli Sonia , Biondi Enrico , Bertaccini Assunta , Braschi Ilaria , Spinelli Francesco
Published: November 2017

Electronic nose technology has recently been applied to the detection of several plant diseases and pests, with promising results. However, in spite of its numerous advantages, including operational simplicity, non-destructivity, and bulk sampling, drawbacks include a low sensitivity and specificity in comparison with microbiological and molecular methods. A critical review of the use of an electronic nose for plant disease diagnosis and pest detection is presented, describing the instrumental and procedural advances of sensorial analysis, for the improvement of discrimination between healthy and infected or infested plants. In conclusion, the use of electronic nose technology is suggested to assist, direct, and optimise traditionally adopted diagnostic techniques.
Cost-Effective and Handmade Paper-Based Immunosensing Device for Electrochemical Detection of Influenza Virus
Authors: Devarakonda Sivaranjani , Singh Renu , Bhardwaj Jyoti , Jang Jaesung
Published: November 2017

Although many studies concerning the detection of influenza virus have been published, a paper-based, label-free electrochemical immunosensor has never been reported. Here, we present a cost-effective, handmade paper-based immunosensor for label-free electrochemical detection of influenza virus H1N1. This immunosensor was prepared by modifying paper with a spray of hydrophobic silica nanoparticles, and using stencil-printed electrodes. We used a glass vaporizer to spray the hydrophobic silica nanoparticles onto the paper, rendering it super-hydrophobic. The super-hydrophobicity, which is essential for this paper-based biosensor, was achieved via 30–40 spray coatings, corresponding to a 0.39–0.41 mg cm−2 coating of nanoparticles on the paper and yielding a water contact angle of 150° ± 1°. Stencil-printed carbon electrodes modified with single-walled carbon nanotubes and chitosan were employed to increase the sensitivity of the sensor, and the antibodies were immobilized via glutaraldehyde cross-linking. Differential pulse voltammetry was used to assess the sensitivity of the sensors at various virus concentrations, ranging from 10 to 104 PFU mL−1, and the selectivity was assessed against MS2 bacteriophages and the influenza B viruses. These immunosensors showed good linear behaviors, improved detection times (30 min), and selectivity for the H1N1 virus with a limit of detection of 113 PFU mL−1, which is sufficiently sensitive for rapid on-site diagnosis. The simple and inexpensive methodologies developed in this study have great potential to be used for the development of a low-cost and disposable immunosensor for detection of pathogenic microorganisms, especially in developing countries.
A Miniaturized Nickel Oxide Thermistor via Aerosol Jet Technology
Authors: Wang Chia , Hong Guan-Yi , Li Kuan-Ming , Young Hong-Tsu
Published: November 2017

In this study, a miniaturized thermistor sensor was produced using the Aerosol Jet printing process for temperature sensing applications. A nickel oxide nanoparticle ink with a large temperature coefficient of resistance was fabricated. The thermistor was printed with a circular NiO thin film in between the two parallel silver conductive tracks on a cutting tool insert. The printed thermistor, which has an adjustable dimension with a submillimeter scale, operates over a range of 30–250 °C sensitively (B value of ~4310 K) without hysteretic effects. Moreover, the thermistor may be printed on a 3D surface through the Aerosol Jet printing process, which has increased capability for wide temperature-sensing applications.
Highly Efficient Multi Channel Packet Forwarding with Round Robin Intermittent Periodic Transmit for Multihop Wireless Backhaul Networks
Authors: Maruta Kazuki , Furukawa Hiroshi
Published: November 2017

Round Robin based Intermittent Periodic Transmit (RR-IPT) has been proposed which achieves highly efficient multi-hop relays in multi-hop wireless backhaul networks (MWBN) where relay nodes are 2-dimensionally deployed. This paper newly investigates multi-channel packet scheduling and forwarding scheme for RR-IPT. Downlink traffic is forwarded by RR-IPT via one of the channels, while uplink traffic and part of downlink are accommodated in the other channel. By comparing IPT and carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) for uplink/downlink packet forwarding channel, IPT is more effective in reducing packet loss rate whereas CSMA/CA is better in terms of system throughput and packet delay improvement.
HDOMO: Smart Sensor Integration for an Active and Independent Longevity of the Elderly
Authors: Frontoni Emanuele , Pollini Rama , Russo Paola , Zingaretti Primo , Cerri Graziano
Published: November 2017

The aim of this paper is to present the main results of HDOMO, an Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) project that involved 16 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and 2 research institutes. The objective of the project was to create an autonomous and automated domestic environment, primarily for elderly people and people with physical and motor disabilities. A known and familiar environment should help users in their daily activities and it should act as a virtual caregiver by calling, if necessary, relief efforts. Substantially, the aim of the project is to simplify the life of people in need of support, while keeping them autonomous in their private environment. From a technical point of view, the project provides the use of different Smart Objects (SOs), able to communicate among each other, in a cloud base infrastructure, and with the assisted users and their caregivers, in a perspective of interoperability and standardization of devices, usability and effectiveness of alarm systems. In the state of the art there are projects that achieve only a few of the elements listed. The HDOMO project aims to achieve all of them in one single project effectively. The experimental trials performed in a real scenario demonstrated the accuracy and efficiency of the system in extracting and processing data in real time to promptly acting, and in providing timely response to the needs of the user by integrating and confirming main alarms with different interoperable smart sensors. The article proposes a new technique to improve the accuracy of the system in detecting alarms using a multi-SO approach with information fusion between different devices, proving that this architecture can provide robust and reliable results on real environments.
Hierarchical Probabilistic Inference of the Color–Magnitude Diagram and Shrinkage of Stellar Distance Uncertainties
Authors: Leistedt Boris , Hogg David W.
Published: November 2017

We present a hierarchical probabilistic model for improving geometric stellar distance estimates using color–magnitude information. This is achieved with a data-driven model of the color–magnitude diagram, not relying on stellar models but instead on the relative abundances of stars in color–magnitude cells, which are inferred from very noisy magnitudes and parallaxes. While the resulting noise-deconvolved color–magnitude diagram can be useful for a range of applications, we focus on deriving improved stellar distance estimates relying on both parallax and photometric information. We demonstrate the efficiency of this approach on the 1.4 million stars of theGaiaTGAS sample that also have AAVSO Photometric All Sky Survey magnitudes. Our hierarchical model has 4 million parameters in total, most of which are marginalized out numerically or analytically. We find that distance estimates are significantly improved for the noisiest parallaxes and densest regions of the color–magnitude diagram. In particular, the average distance signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and uncertainty improve by 19% and 36%, respectively, with 8% of the objects improving in S/N by a factor greater than 2. This computationally efficient approach fully accounts for both parallax and photometric noise and is a first step toward a full hierarchical probabilistic model of theGaiadata.
The X-Ray Polarization of the Accretion Disk Coronae of Active Galactic Nuclei
Authors: Beheshtipour Banafsheh , Krawczynski Henric , Malzac Julien
Published: November 2017

Hard X-rays observed in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) are thought to originate from the Comptonization of the optical/UV accretion disk photons in a hot corona. Polarization studies of these photons can help to constrain the corona geometry and the plasma properties. We have developed a ray-tracing code that simulates the Comptonization of accretion disk photons in coronae of arbitrary shapes, and use it here to study the polarization of the X-ray emission from wedge and spherical coronae. We study the predicted polarization signatures for the fully relativistic and various approximate treatments of the elemental Compton scattering processes. We furthermore use the code to evaluate the impact of nonthermal electrons and cyclo-synchrotron photons on the polarization properties. Finally, we model the NuSTAR observations of the Seyfert I galaxy Mrk 335 and predict the associated polarization signal. Our studies show that X-ray polarimetry missions such as NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer and the X-ray Imaging Polarimetry Explorer proposed to ESA will provide valuable new information about the physical properties of the plasma close to the event horizon of AGN black holes.
Lyman-break Galaxies at z ∼ 3 in the Subaru Deep Field: Luminosity Function, Clustering, and [O iii] Emission
Authors: Malkan Matthew A. , Cohen Daniel P. , Maruyama Miyoko , Kashikawa Nobunari , Ly Chun , Ishikawa Shogo , Shimasaku Kazuhiro , Hayashi Masao , Motohara Kentaro
Published: November 2017

We combined deep U-band and optical/near-infrared imaging, in order to select Lyman Break Galaxies (LBGs) at

z
∼
3

using U − V and

V
−

R

c

colors in the Subaru Deep Field. The resulting sample of 5161 LBGs gives a UV luminosity function (LF) down to

M

UV

=
−
18

, with a steep faint-end slope of

α
=
−
1.78
±
0.05

. We analyze UV-to-NIR energy distributions (SEDs) from optical photometry and photometry on IR median-stacked images. In the stacks, we find a systematic background depression centered on the LBGs. This results from the difficulty of finding faint galaxies in regions with higher-than-average surface densities of foreground galaxies, so we corrected for this deficit. Best-fit stellar population models for the LBG SEDs indicate stellar masses and star formation rates of

log

10

(

M

*

/

M

⊙

)
≃
10

and

≃
50

M
⊙ yr−1 at

〈

i

AB

′

〉
=
24

, down to

log

10

(

M

*

/

M

⊙

)
≃
8

and

≃
3

M

⊙

yr−1 at

〈

i

AB

′

〉
=
27

. The faint LBGs show a ∼1 mag excess over the stellar continuum in K-band. We interpret this excess flux as redshifted [O iii]

λ
λ
4959,5007

lines. The observed excesses imply equivalent widths that increase with decreasing mass, reaching

EW

0

(
[
O

iii
]
4959
,
5007
+
H
β
)
≳
1500

 Å (rest-frame). Such strong [O iii] emission is seen only in a miniscule fraction of local emission-line galaxies, but is probably universal in the faint galaxies that reionized the universe. Our halo occupation distribution analysis of the angular correlation function gives a halo mass of

log

10

(
〈

M

h

〉

/

h

−
1

M

⊙

)
=
11.29
±
0.12

for the full sample of LBGs, and

log

10

(
〈

M

h

〉

/

h

−
1

M

⊙

)
=
11.49
±
0.1

for the brightest half of the sample.
Activité rémunérée et temps consacré aux études supérieures
Authors: Wolff François-Charles
Published: November 2017

Cet article étudie un mécanisme causal par l’intermédiaire duquel le travail d’un étudiant peut influencer la réussite aux examens. Les étudiants qui ont une activité rémunérée vont a priori faire face à des difficultés accrues pour assister aux cours et pour leur travail personnel. L’analyse empirique, qui s’appuie sur cinq enquêtes transversales réalisées en France de 1997 à 2010, examine la décision conjointe de travail et des temps consacrés aux études pour près de 80 000 étudiants inscrits de la première à la cinquième année après le baccalauréat. Nous nous tournons vers l’estimation de modèles de sélection sur inobservables et sur observables pour tenir compte de l’endogénéité de l’activité rémunérée. Nous trouvons que les étudiants ayant un emploi rémunéré consacrent moins de temps à la fois à assister aux cours et en travail personnel. L’impact négatif sur les temps d’études apparaît beaucoup plus élevé pour ceux qui ont une activité rémunérée au moins à mi-temps.
Le scrutin binominal paritaire : un regard d’ingénierie électorale
Authors: Le Breton Michel , Lepelley Dominique , Merlin Vincent , Sauger Nicolas
Published: November 2017

À partir du cas du changement du mode d’élection des conseillers départementaux français, cet article propose un cadre analytique d’évaluation des réformes de système électoral. Dans une perspective d’ingénierie électorale, deux indices sont utilisés, les indices de dismajorité et de disproportionnalité. On montre ainsi que l’exigence de parité entre hommes et femmes introduite par le scrutin binominal paritaire a pu être réalisée aux dépens d’autres qualités attendues d’un système électoral. L’analyse systématique de ces arbitrages forme le cœur de cet article, avec une première application à notre cas d’étude.
Proinflammatory T Cell Status Associated with Early Life Adversity
Authors: Elwenspoek Martha M. C. , Hengesch Xenia , Leenen Fleur A. D. , Schritz Anna , Sias Krystel , Schaan Violetta K. , Mériaux Sophie B. , Schmitz Stephanie , Bonnemberger Fanny , Schächinger Hartmut , Vögele Claus , Turner Jonathan D. , Muller Claude P.
Published: November 2017

Early life adversity (ELA) has been associated with an increased risk for diseases in which the immune system plays a critical role. The ELA immune phenotype is characterized by inflammation, impaired cellular immunity, and immunosenescence. However, data on cell-specific immune effects are largely absent. Additionally, stress systems and health behaviors are altered in ELA, which may contribute to the generation of the ELA immune phenotype. The present investigation tested cell-specific immune differences in relationship to the ELA immune phenotype, altered stress parameters, and health behaviors in individuals with ELA (n = 42) and those without a history of ELA (control, n = 73). Relative number and activation status (CD25, CD69, HLA-DR, CD11a, CD11b) of monocytes, NK cells, B cells, T cells, and their main subsets were assessed by flow cytometry. ELA was associated with significantly reduced numbers of CD69+CD8+ T cells (p = 0.022), increased numbers of HLA-DR+ CD4 and HLA-DR+ CD8 T cells (p < 0.001), as well as increased numbers of CD25+CD8+ T cells (p = 0.036). ELA also showed a trend toward higher numbers of CCR4+CXCR3−CCR6+ CD4 T cells. Taken together, our data suggest an elevated state of immune activation in ELA, in which particularly T cells are affected. Although several aspects of the ELA immune phenotype were related to increased activation markers, neither stress nor health-risk behaviors explained the observed group differences. Thus, the state of immune activation in ELA does not seem to be secondary to alterations in the stress system or health-risk behaviors, but rather a primary effect of early life programming on immune cells.
Impro
Authors: Johnstone Keith
Published: November 2017

A leading figure in the theatre, Keith Johnstone lays bare his techniques and exercises to foster spontaneity and narrative skill for actors. These techniques and exercises were evolved in the actors’ studio, when he was Associate Director of the Royal Court and then in demonstrations to schools and colleges and ultimately in the founding of a company of performers called The Theatre Machine.

Divided into four sections, “Status”, “Spontaneity”, “Narrative Skills” and “Masks and Trance”, arranged more or less in the order a group might approach them, the book sets out the specific approaches which Johnstone has himself found most useful and most stimulating. The result is a fascinating exploration of the nature of spontaneous creativity.

“If teachers were honoured in the British theatre along-side directors, designers and playwrights, Keith Johnstone would be as familiar a name as are those of … Jocelyn Herbert, Edward Bond and other young talents who were drawn to the great lodestone of the Royal Court Theatre in the late 1950s. As head of the script department, Johnstone played a crucial part in the development of the ‘writers’ theatre …” Irving Wardle
The Director and the Stage
Authors: Braun Edward
Published: November 2017

Beginning with the triple impulses of Naturalism, symbolism and the grotesque, the bulk of the book concentrates on the most famous directors of this century – Stanislavski, Reinhardt, Graig, Meyerhold, Piscator, Brecht, Artuaud and Grotowski. Braun’s guide is more practical than theoretical, delineating how each director changed the tradition that came before him.
Voice and the Young Actor
Authors: Cook Rena
Published: November 2017

‘Many high school theatre teachers do not have access to intensive voice instruction. Rena’s book will fill that void. It is instructive, concise, easy to understand, and most importantly for the high school student, fun. High school teachers will find the book an invaluable voice and acting resource. It would be beneficial to all high school theatre programs to have Voice and the Young Actor as a textbook.’ Kim Moore, High School Teacher, Colorado

There are thousands of students enrolled in school drama classes in yet very often young actors cannot be heard, are culturally encouraged to trail off at the ends of sentences, and habitually use only the lowest pitches of the voice. Drama teachers, frequently ask, ‘How can I get my students to speak up, to be clear, to articulate?’

Voice and the Young Actor is written for the school actor, is inviting in format, language and illustration and offers clear and inspiring instructions. A DVD features 85 mins and 28 filmed voice workshop excersises with the author and two students. These students log their reflections in the book on what they have learned throughout their training and there is space for the reader to do the same.

A workbook in format, Voice and the Young Actor provides simple, interactive vocal exercises and shows young performers how to take voice work into acting.
John Gielgud
Authors: Croall Jonathan
Published: November 2017

New in paperback, John Gielgud: Matinee Idol to Movie Star is the most authoritative and comprehensive account of the finest classical actor of the twentieth century. This entertaining but critical biography charts the ups and downs of Gielgud's long and glittering career, from his young ground-breaking Hamlet to his later success in plays by Pinter, Storey, Bond and Bennett, and his recognition as a major movie star following his role in Arthur. It also reassesses his complex relationship with his great rival Laurence Olivier and throws fresh light on his personal relationships and the turbulent episodes of his private life that threatened to shatter his career.

For this biography Jonathan Croall's exhaustive research has included over a hundred new interviews with key people from his life and career, including Peter Brook, Kenneth Branagh, Alec Guinness, Joan Plowright and Eileen Atkins, and it draws on several hundred letters to and from Gielgud that have never been published, including correspondences with Noël Coward, Somerset Maugham, Siegfried Sassoon, Edith Evans and Edward Gordon Craig. What emerges is an intimate, complex and often startling portrait of this great actor and much-loved man.

Gielgud's interpretations of Shakespeare's great roles made Shakespeare's plays a commercial success on London's West End for the first time. He was also hugely influential as a director and an actor-manager and worked extensively in film and television later in life. Since Jonathan Croall's first biography of Gielgud was published in 2000 a considerable amount of new material has come to light and the result is a much more rounded, candid and richly textured portrait of this celebrated stage and screen actor.
The Art of Writing Drama
Authors: Wandor Michelene
Published: November 2017

The Art of Writing Drama is an indispensable textbook for wherever writing for the stage is taught, but also serves as a foundational book for any student taking courses in performance media – radio, television and film.

Coupling theory with practice, the book opens with a survey of the current methodologies of teaching playwriting and of textual analysis. The theories of Bakhtin, Foucault and Derrida are examined as are the agendas of play reviewers from the national press. In the second section of the book, a wealth of guidance with practical exercises on the skills of writing for the stage is provided.

Throughout the text, Wandor draws on her extensive experience as both playwright and teacher of creative writing to provide a guide that is both a scholarly and an immensely practical guide to writing for the theatre.
Screen Adaptations Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations
Authors: McFarlane Brian
Published: November 2017

A close study of the relationship between text and film versions of Great Expectations. 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 David Lean's film of Great Expectations, 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.
The Worst It Can Be Is A Disaster
Authors: Murray Braham
Published: November 2017

The Worst It Can Be is a Disaster is the autobiography of Braham Murray, founding director of the Royal Exchange Manchester which in 2006 celebrated its thirtieth anniversary. With a foreword by Sir Tom Courtenay.

Born into a Jewish family, Braham Murray struggled against his parents’ expectations that he should follow them into the world of commerce; instead he became at twenty-two the youngest artistic director in the country when he took over Century Theatre, a theatre company based in Manchester.

Detailing his relationships and the theatrical successes and flops along the way, the narrative takes us through his early years with Century Theatre, with the 69 Theatre Company, and the birth of the Royal Exchange Manchester in the heart of Manchester in 1976. Twenty years later, the theatre rose from the ashes of the IRA bomb brilliantly opening a new production on time just ten days after the bomb had destroyed the city centre.

The role and influence of the author’s Jewish heritage and of his key collaborators – including Caspar Wrede and Michael Elliott – are explored in this illuminating and inspiring account of one of English theatre’s great directors.

‘Braham’s passion is sometimes overwhelming, sometimes annoying but completely inspirational. It’s his passion that the Royal Exchange has thrived on, and this book is full of his passion for the theatre.’ Robert Lindsay
Essential Shakespeare
Authors: Bickley Pamela , Stevens Jenny
Published: November 2017

An introductory critical study for first year undergraduates which bridges the gap between A Level and university study. The book offers an accessible overview of key critical perspectives, early modern contexts, and methods of close reading, as well as screen and stage performances spanning several decades. Organised around the discussion of fourteen major plays, it introduces readers to the diverse theoretical approaches typical of today’s English studies. This is a go-to resource that can be consulted thematically or by individual play or genre.

Critical approaches can overwhelm students who are daunted by the quantity and complexity of current scholarship; Bickley and Stevens are experienced teachers at both A and university level and are thus uniquely qualified to show how a mix of critical ideas can be used to inform ways of thinking about a play.
British Theatre Companies: 1965–1979
Authors: Bull John
Published: November 2017

This series of three volumes provides a groundbreaking study of the work of many of the most innovative and important British theatre companies from 1965 to the present. Each volume provides a survey of the political and cultural context; an extensive survey of the variety of theatre companies from the period, and detailed case studies of six of the major companies drawing on the Arts Council Archives to trace the impact of funding on the work produced.

1965–1979, covers the period often accepted as the ‘golden age’ of British Fringe companies, looking at the birth of companies concerned with touring their work to an ever-expanding circuit of ‘alternative’ performance venues.

Leading academics provide case studies of six of the most important companies, including:

* CAST, by Bill McDonnell (University of Sheffield, UK)

* The People Show, by Grant Tyler Peterson (Brunel University London, UK)

* Portable Theatre, by Chris Megson (Royal Holloway, University of London, UK)

* Pip Simmons Theatre Group, by Kate Dorney (The Victoria and Albert Museum, UK)

* Welfare State International, by Gillian Whitely (Loughborough University, UK)

* 7:84 Theatre Companies, by David Pattie (University of Chester, UK).
British Theatre Companies 1995–2014
Authors: Tomlin Liz
Published: November 2017

This series of three volumes provides a groundbreaking study of the work of many of the most innovative and important British theatre companies from 1965 to 2014. Each volume provides a survey of the political and cultural context, an extensive survey of the variety of theatre companies from the period, and detailed case studies of six of the most important companies. Volume Three, 1995-2014, charts the expansion of the sector in the era of Lottery funding and traces the resistant influences of earlier movements in the emergence of new companies and an independent theatre ecology that seeks to reconfigure the mainstream.

Leading academics provide case studies of six of the most important companies, including:

* Mind the Gap, by Dave Calvert (University of Huddersfield, UK)

* Blast Theory, by Maria Chatzichristodoulou (University of Hull, UK)

* Suspect Culture, by Clare Wallace (Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic)

* Punchdrunk, by Josephine Machon (Middlesex University, UK)

* Kneehigh, by Duška Radosavljevic (University of Kent, UK)

* Stan’s Cafe, by Marissia Fragkou (Canterbury Christ Church University, UK)
Shakespeare and the Language of Translation
Authors: Hoenselaars Ton
Published: November 2017

Shakespeare's international status as a literary icon is largely based on his masterful use of the English language, yet beyond Britain his plays and poems are read and performed mainly in translation. Shakespeare and the Language of Translation addresses this apparent contradiction and is the first major survey of its kind.

Covering the many ways in which the translation of Shakespeare's works is practised and studied from Bulgaria to Japan, South Africa to Germany, it also discusses the translation of Macbeth into Scots and of Romeo and Juliet into British Sign Language. The collection places renderings of Shakespeare's works aimed at the page and the stage in their multiple cultural contexts, including gender, race and nation, as well as personal and postcolonial politics. Shakespeare's impact on nations and cultures all around the world is increasingly a focus for study and debate. As a result, the international performance of Shakespeare and Shakespeare in translation have become areas of growing popularity for both under- and post-graduate study, for which this book provides a valuable companion.
Replay: Classic Modern Drama Reimagined
Authors: Zinman Toby
Published: November 2017

Replay: Classic Modern Drama Reimagined spans over a century of great theatre to explore how iconic plays have been adapted and versioned by later writers to reflect or dissect the contemporary zeitgeist.

Starting with A Doll’s House, Ibsen’s much-reprised masterpiece of marital relations from 1879, Toby Zinman explores what made the play so controversial and shocking in its day before tracing how later reimaginings have reworked Ibsen’s original. The spine of plays then includes such landmark works as Strindberg’s Miss Julie, Oscar Wilde’s comic The Importance of Being Earnest, Chekhov’s Three Sisters and Uncle Vanya, Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, the Rattigan centenary revivals, Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, ultimately arriving at Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. Taking each modern play as the starting point, Zinman explores the diverse renderings and reworkings by subsequent playwrights and artists –including prominent directors and their controversial productions as well as acknowledging reworkings in film, opera and ballet.Through the course of this groundbreaking study we discover not only how theatrical styles have changed but how society’s attitude towards politics, religion, money, gender, sexuality and race have radically altered over the course of the century. In turn Replay reveals how theatre can serve as both a reflection of our times and a provocation to them.
The Story of Drama
Authors: Day Gary
Published: November 2017

Tracing the history of tragedy and comedy from their earliest beginnings to the present, this book offers readers an exceptional study of the development of both genres, grounded in analysis of landmark plays and their context. It argues that sacrifice is central to both genres, and demonstrates how it provides a key to understanding the grand sweep of Western drama. For students of literature and drama the volume serves as an accessible companion to over two millennia of drama organised by period, and reveals how sacrifice represents a through-line running from classical drama to today’s reality TV and blockbuster movies.

Across the chapters devoted to each period, Day explores how the meanings of sacrifice change over time, but never quite disappear. He charts the influences of religion, social change and politics on the status and purposes of theatre in each period, and on the drama itself. But it is through a close study of key plays that he reveals the continuities centred around sacrifice that persist and which illuminate aspects of human psychology and social organisation.

Among the many plays and events considered are Aeschylus’ trilogy The Oresteia, Aristophanes’ Women at the Thesmorphia, Menander’s The Bad-Tempered Man, the spectacles of the Roman Games, Seneca’s The Trojan Women, Plautus’s The Rope, the Cycle plays and Everyman from the Middle Ages, Shakespeare’s King Lear and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Middleton’s The Revenger’s Tragedy, Jonson’s Every Man in His Humour, Thomas Otway’s The Orphan, William Wycherley’s The Country Wife, Wilde’s A Woman of No Importance, Beckett’ Waiting for Godot, Tennessee Williams’s A Streetcar Named Desire, Suzan-Lori Parks’s Topdog/Underdog, Sarah Kane’s Blasted and Charlotte Jones’ Humble Boy. A conclusion examines the persistence of ideas of sacrifice in today’s reality TV and blockbuster movies.
Postdramatic Theatre and the Political
Authors: Jürs-Munby Karen , Carroll Jerome , Giles Steve
Published: November 2017

Is postdramatic theatre political and if so how? How does it relate to Brecht's ideas of political theatre, for example? How can we account for the relationship between aesthetics and politics in new forms of theatre, playwriting, and performance?

The chapters in this book discuss crucial aspects of the issues raised by the postdramatic turn in theatre in the late twentieth and early twenty-first century: the status of the audience and modes of spectatorship in postdramatic theatre; the political claims of postdramatic theatre; postdramatic theatre's ongoing relationship with the dramatic tradition; its dialectical qualities, or its eschewing of the dialectic; questions of representation and the real in theatre; the role of bodies, perception, appearance and theatricality in postdramatic theatre; as well as subjectivity and agency in postdramatic theatre, dance and performance.

Offering analyses of a wide range of international performance examples, scholars in this volume engage with Hans-Thies Lehmann's theoretical positions both affirmatively and critically, relating them to other approaches by thinkers ranging from early theorists such as Brecht, Adorno and Benjamin, to contemporary thinkers such as Fischer-Lichte, Rancière and others.
Creating Musical Theatre
Authors: Cramer Lyn
Published: November 2017

Creating Musical Theatre features interviews with the directors and choreographers that make up today's Broadway elite. From Susan Stroman and Kathleen Marshall to newcomers Andy Blankenbuehler and Christopher Gattelli, this book features twelve creative artists, mostly director/choreographers, many of whom have also crossed over into film and television, opera and ballet.

To the researcher, this book will deliver specific information on how these artists work; for the performer, it will serve as insight into exactly what these artists are looking for in the audition process and the rehearsal environment; and for the director/choreographer, this book will serve as an inspiration detailing each artist's pursuit of his or her dream and the path to success, offering new insight and a deeper understanding of Broadway today.

Creating Musical Theatre includes a foreword by four-time Tony nominee Kelli O'Hara, one of the most elegant and talented leading ladies gracing the Broadway and concert stage today, as well as interviews with award-winning directors and choreographers, including: Rob Ashford (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying); Andy Blankenbuehler (In the Heights); Jeff Calhoun (Newsies); Warren Carlyle (Follies); Christopher Gattelli (Newsies); Kathleen Marshall (Anything Goes); Jerry Mitchell (Legally Blonde); Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon); Randy Skinner (White Christmas); Susan Stroman (The Scottsboro Boys); Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys); and Anthony Van Laast (Sister Act).
Actor-Musicianship
Authors: Harrison Jeremy
Published: November 2017

Actor-musicianship is a permanent feature of the musical theatre landscape. Actor-musician shows can be seen from Bradford to Broadway, from village halls to international arena tours. However, with the exception of a couple of academic papers, there has been nothing written about this fascinating area of theatre practice.

Jeremy Harrison’s book addresses this deficit, operating as both a record of the development of the actor-musician movement and as a practical guide for students, educators, performers and practitioners. It explores the history of actor-musicianship, examining its origins, as well as investigating – and offering guidance on – how this specialist form of music theatre is created.

It, in turn, acts as a means of defining an art form that has to date been left to lurk in the shadows of musical theatre; a subset with its own distinctive culture of performer, maker and audience, but as yet no formal recognition as a specialism in its own right. The actor-musician show is multifarious and as such this book targets those interested in mainstream commercial work, as well as alternative and avant-garde theatre practice.

The book draws together expertise from a range of disciplines with contributions from many of the leading figures in this field, including performers, directors, teachers, MDs, producers and writers. It also features a foreword by theatre director John Doyle.
Edward Bond: The Playwright Speaks
Authors: Tuaillon David
Published: November 2017

Over 50 years after his first appearance on the theatre scene, Edward Bond remains a hugely significant figure in the history of modern British playwriting. His plays are the subject of much debate and frequent misinterpretation, with his extensive use of allegory and metaphor to comment on the state of society and humanity in general leading to many academics, theatre practitioners and students trying - and often failing - to make sense of his plays over the years.

In this unique collection, David Tuaillon puts these pressing questions and mysteries to Edward Bond himself, provoking answers to some of his most elusive dramatic material, and covering an extraordinary range of plays and subjects with real clarity. With a particular focus on Bond’s later plays, about which much less has been written, this book draws together very many questions and issues within a thematic structure, while observing chronology within that.

Edward Bond: The Playwright Speaks is potentially the most comprehensive, precise and clear account of the playwright’s work and time in the theatre to date, distilling years and schools of thought into one single volume.

Published to mark the 50th anniversary of the first performance of Edward Bond’s Saved at the Royal Court Theatre in 1965.