Discourse and identity in a corpus of lesbian erotica

This article uses corpus linguistic methodologies to explore representations of lesbian desires and identities in a corpus of lesbian erotica from the 1980s and 1990s. We provide a critical examination of the ways in which “lesbian gender,” power, and desire are represented, (re-)produced, and enacted, often in ways that challenge hegemonic discourses of gender and sexuality. By examining word frequencies and collocations, we critically analyze some of the themes, processes, and patterns of representation in the texts. Although rooted in linguistics, we hope this article provides an accessible, interdisciplinary, and timely contribution toward developing understandings of discursive practices surrounding gender and sexuality

Increasing security of supply by the use of a local power controller during large system disturbances

This paper describes intelligent ways in which distributed generation and local loads can be controlled during large system disturbances, using Local Power Controllers. When distributed generation is available, and a system disturbance is detected early enough, the generation can be dispatched, and its output power can be matched as closely as possible to local microgrid demand levels. Priority-based load shedding can be implemented to aid this process. In this state, the local microgrid supports the wider network by relieving the wider network of the micro-grid load. Should grid performance degrade further, the local microgrid can separate itself from the network and maintain power to the most important local loads, re-synchronising to the grid only after more normal performance is regained. Such an intelligent system would be a suitable for hospitals, data centres, or any other industrial facility where there are critical loads. The paper demonstrates the actions of such Local Power Controllers using laboratory experiments at the 10kVA scale

Analysis of surface tris (2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate on chlorobutyl rubber SCAPE suits

Tris (2,30-dibromopropyl) phosphate was used to confer flame retardant properties on butyl rubber formulations used in protective clothing such as the self-contained atmospheric protective ensembles (SCAPE suits) worn at Kennedy Space Center in support of Apollo, Skylab, and Apollo-Soyuz missions since 1966. Because tris (2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate is mutagenic, surface concentrations of the compound in SCAPE suits were investigated as were as potential methods of removing or isolating it. Analytical procedures for determining surface concentrations of the tris compound on non-porous materials are described. Soap-and-water washing is the most efficient method of removing the compound from fabricated SCAPE suits and unused material

Prosthesis coupling

A coupling for use in an apparatus for connecting a prosthesis to the bone of a stump of an amputated limb is described which permits a bio-compatible carbon sleeve forming a part of the prosthesis connector to float so as to prevent disturbing the skin seal around the carbon sleeve. The coupling includes a flexible member interposed between a socket that is inserted within an intermedullary cavity of the bone and the sleeve. A lock pin is carried by the prosthesis and has a stem portion which is adapted to be coaxially disposed and slideably within the tubular female socket for securing the prosthesis to the stump. The skin around the percutaneous carbon sleeve is able to move as a result of the flexing coupling so as to reduce stresses caused by changes in the stump shape and/or movement between the bone and the flesh portion of the stump

LANDSAT/coastal processes

The author has identified the following significant results. Correlations between the satellite radiance values water color, Secchi disk visibility, turbidity, and attenuation coefficients were generally good. The residual was due to several factors including systematic errors in the remotely sensed data, errors, small time and space variations in the water quality measurements, and errors caused by experimental design. Satellite radiance values were closely correlated with the optical properties of the water

The RCB star V854 Cen is surrounded by a hot dusty shell

Aims : The hydrogen-deficient supergiants known as R Coronae Borealis (RCB) stars might be the result of a double-degenerate merger of two white dwarfs (WDs), or a final helium shell flash in a planetary nebula central star. In this context, any information on the geometry of their circumstellar environment and, in particular, the potential detection of elongated structures, is of great importance. Methods : We obtained near-IR observations of V854 Cen with the AMBER recombiner located at the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) array with the compact array (B$\leq$35m) in 2013 and the long array (B$\leq$140m) in 2014. At each time, V854 Cen was at maximum light. The $H$- and $K$-band continua were investigated by means of spectrally dependant geometric models. These data were supplemented with mid-IR VISIR/VLT images. Results : A dusty slightly elongated over density is discovered both in the $H$- and $K$-band images. With the compact array, the central star is unresolved ($\Theta\leq2.5$\,mas), but a flattened dusty environment of $8 \times 11$ mas is discovered whose flux increases from about $\sim$20% in the $H$ band to reach about $\sim$50% at 2.3\micron, which indicates hot (T$\sim$1500\,K) dust in the close vicinity of the star. The major axis is oriented at a position angle (P.A.) of 126$\pm$29$\deg$. Adding the long-array configuration dataset provides tighter constraints on the star diameter ($\Theta\leq1.0$ mas), a slight increase of the overdensity to $12 \times 15$ mas and a consistent P.A. of 133$\pm$49$\deg$. The closure phases, sensitive to asymmetries, are null and compatible with a centro-symmetric, unperturbed environment excluding point sources at the level of 3% of the total flux in 2013 and 2014. The VISIR images exhibit a flattened aspect ratio at the 15-20% level at larger distances ($\sim$1\arcsec) with a position angle of 92$\pm$19$\deg$, marginally consistent with the interferometric observations. Conclusions : This is the first time that a moderately elongated structure has been observed around an RCB star. These observations confirm the numerous suggestions for a bipolar structure proposed for this star in the literature, which were mainly based on polarimetric and spectroscopic observations.Comment: Accepted by A\&A, new version after language editing, Astronomy and Astrophysics (2014

Active Closed-Loop Stator Vane Flow Control Demonstrated in a Low-Speed Multistage Compressor

Closed-loop flow control was successfully demonstrated on the surface of stator vanes in NASA Glenn Research Center's Low-Speed Axial Compressor (LSAC) facility. This facility provides a flow field that accurately duplicates the aerodynamics of modern highly loaded compressors. Closed-loop active flow control uses sensors and actuators embedded within engine components to dynamically alter the internal flow path during off-nominal operation in order to optimize engine performance and maintain stable operation

Effective Hamiltonian Approach to Hyperon Beta Decay with Final-State Baryon Polarization

Using an effective Hamiltonian approach, we obtain expressions for hyperon beta decay final-state baryon polarization. Terms through second order in the energy release are retained. The resulting approximate expressions are much simpler and more compact than the exact expressions, and they agree closely with them.Comment: 1 Figure Will appear in Phys Rev D 60 Article 117505 (Dec 1, 1999