Journal articles on the topic 'Liquid Christals'

Eighteen-month-old seedlings of Christmas Bell (Blandfordia grandiflora Sm.) in 800-ml containers were top dressed with 8- to 9-month Osmocote controlled-release fertilizer 18N-2.6P-10K at 0, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5.0, or 10 kg·m-3. Other plants were fertilized once or twice weekly with a complete liquid fertilizer supplying 100 mg N/liter based on an N : K ratio of either 1:0.6 or 1:1.5. The former ratio was the same as the Osmocote while the latter was the N : K ratio in tops of healthy wild-growing plants of B. grandiflora. The highest fresh weights occurred at the Osmocote rate of 5 kg·m-3 and with the once-weekly liquid feed of 1 N : 1.5 K ratio. Plants fertilized with low rates of Osmocote were pale green but had extensive root systems that were white and predominantly fibrous. As the rate of Osmocote was increased, plants became greener and produced smaller root systems in which fleshy storage organs were predominant over fibrous roots.

In this study, the components of the tubing head of the Wellhead Christmas tree are classified. Information on how to install the tubing head to the Christmas tree (oil and gas) is also provided. The tested tubing head ensures the passage of liquid or gas into the spaces between the tubes. They have to control the pressure and conduct the necessary well studies. The tubing header seals and hangs the riser columns, which is especially effective when inserting concentric or parallel columns into the well. As a result of the conducted studies, the tubing head fully controls the flow of the technological liquid. Tubing headers to perform these processes should be manufactured according to the working pressure requirements between 14 and 105 MPa. Using a tubing head, you can connect different numbers of pipelines, as well as control the distribution of the medium flow in the circular zone of the valve. Of the cost-effective methods we have mentioned one is connected to the upper flange of the pipeline column header with a lower mounting fixing component. The design of the tubing head is completed by threaded holes in the body through which you can quickly replace the side valves in the head tube. The tubing head is designed to stop one or more rows of riser (pump and compressor) tubes and is used to perform technological operations during the development, operation and repair of wells. The top of the tubing at the wellhead is screwed into the tubing cap of the Christmas tree (oil and gas). Once installed at the wellhead, the Christmas tree (oil and gas) tubing header is compressed to the allowable pressure for pressure testing the production casing. Tubing head design and strength characteristics are shown in this figure: a) working pressure (7, 14.21, 35, 70 and 105 MPa), b) numbers of pipes lowered into the well (one and two concentric rows of pipes), c) constructions of locking devices (valves and taps) dimensions of the flow section along the trunk (50... 150 mm) and side branches (50... 100 mm). The tubing head holds and takes over the pressure generated between the tubes and can be prohibitive, which is quite dangerous for people's lives and health. Keywords: Christmas tree (oil and gas), tubing header, pressure, flow, wellhead, test, well.

The article considers a method for calculating the hydrodynamic force, which makes it possible to estimate the value of this force during the flow of liquid in the channels of an adjustable valve, using numerical calculation methods. This method allowed us to justify the choice of the direction of fluid flow in the valve, based on the conditions for minimizing its force effect on the drive controlling the position of the shut-off and control element (ZRE). Also, the method of balancing the pressure level was considered, which allows unloading the ZRE and reducing the value of the hydrodynamic force for different variants of fluid flow in the valve.

The key reason to make this research is to find solutions for mechanical impurities, or commonly sand clogging in christmas trees. As it’s known, christmas trees are equipment made for controlling flow of oil and gas, which consists of several gauges and valves for specific purposes. This equipment installed on wells are constantly clogged with various impurities. These mechanical consistency interrupt christmas tree’s work and cause wears and tears which leads to failure of system and overall oil production delay. Thus, frequent maintenance is required. There are two main ways to release the clogging in wells: mechanical and chemical. In this research, mechanical way is applied. To improve and increase the performance of christmas trees, various types of filters are considered with their advantages and disadvantages according to previous experiences. Studies show that, for different type of wells different type of filters, separators etc. are used. Filters used to prevent sand particles are gravel filter, slot filter, perforated filter, wire well filter, well mesh filter, frame-rod filter, slot filter, support element filters and other filters which are considered in this research. According to the mesh principle, the filters which are a component of the ESP - are intended to prevent sand particles from entering the production stream by holding big particles and filtering the resulting liquid. To choose a filter with the best permeation rate and to stop particles larger than a specific size from penetrating, the size of the channels must be calculated. Modification and other movable factors are used to separate each group of filters. Keywords: Christmas tree (oil and gas), mechanical impurities, sand, filter, oil well, separators.

Al–7wt.-% Si–1wt.-% Fe alloy was solidified unidirectionally in the Crystallizer with High Rotating Magnetic Field (CHRMF). The diameter of sample was 8 mm and its length was 120 mm. The parameters of solidification were as follows: solid/liquid interface velocity ~0.082 mm/s, temperature gradient 7+/-1 K/mm, magnetic induction 0 and 150 mT, frequency of magnetic field 0 and 50 Hz. The structure solidified without rotating magnetic field (RMF) showed a homogeneous, columnar dendritic one. The structure solidified by using magnetic stirring showed a dual periodicity. On the one hand, the branches of the “Christmas tree”-like structure known from the earlier experiments contained Al+Si binary eutectic. On the other hand, bands with higher Fe- and Si-content formed in the sample, which were at a larger distance from each other than the branches of the “Christmas tree” structure. The developed microstructure was analyzed by SEM with EDS. The average Si- and Fe-concentrations were measured on the longitudinal section at given places along the length of sample. Furthermore the Si- and the Fe-concentrations close to the bands and among the bands as well as the composition of the compound phases were determined.

The study is intended to examine the survival of Aspergillus niger and its phosphate solubilizing ability when pelletedwith rock phosphate. An A. niger YD 17 obtainedfrom the Laboratory of Microbiology. Faculty of Agriculture, Gadjah MadaUniversity was used. The pellet was made by mixing rock phosphate (80%) with organic matter (J 3. 9% waste of tapioca. 6% rice bran, and 1% starch) and spore of A. niger. The experimental design was the Complete Randomized Design 5x4 with 3 replicatiOns. The first factor was sources of rock phosphate (Christmas Island. Jordan, China, Ciamis, and Madura). The secondfactor was the number ofinoculums i.e. control without inoculums, 107 • J(t and J(t cfu.g·'. The colony of A. niger that formed at medium of potatoes dextrose agar (PDA) and the amount of soluble phosphorus in the Pikovskaya liquid medium were parameters. Experimental results indicated that sources of rock phosphate and the number of inoculums itif1uence the A. niger survivability and its phosphorus solubilizing ability. Rock phosphate from Ciamis gave the best support for fungus survival and rock phosphate from Christmas Island was the best substrate for phosphate solubilization. The highest soluble phosphate was achieved by ul inoculums.

The subsea jumper has become an essential part of subsea production systems as a gas–liquid mixing pipeline connecting the pipeline end manifold (PLEM) to the Christmas tree. During oil and gas transportation, as a common flow pattern, the alternating flow characteristics of the slug flow easily cause pipeline vibration, resulting in pipeline instability or fatigue damage. The present study investigates experimentally and numerically the slug flow characteristics in the subsea M-shaped jumper and its induced vibrations of the jumper. The flow pattern evolution and slug characteristics of the inner slug flow under different gas–liquid velocities are obtained: the slug frequency and slug velocity, as well as the pressure fluctuation and vibration characteristics caused by the slug flow. The results show that the pressure fluctuations in the front and rear parts of the M-type jumper are obviously different. With the increase in the air–water mixing, the two characteristics, the slug frequency, and the slug velocity also increase. The gas velocity has a greater influence on the slug frequency than the liquid velocity. The slug length decreases as the slug frequency increases. Furthermore, numerical simulations under various experimental conditions are carried out. The results show that the simulation results of the pressure data, the slug characteristics, and the induced vibration amplitude are in good agreement with the experimental data.

Abstract Eleven treatments were applied to evaluate control of pine root collar weevil on heavily infested 8-12 ft Scotch pine Christmas trees. Individual treatments were applied to replicates after the duff below each tree was removed and bare ground was exposed. Liquid formulations were applied at the rate of 312 gal/acre (946 ml/tree) with a C02 compressed air sprayer with one 8004VS Teejet nozzle mounted on a 24 inch boom operating at 28 psi. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design, replicated four times. The following conditions existed on 15 May: clear skies; air temperature, 90°F; water pH, 7.0; and RH, 39%. Each tree was dug and burlapped at the field site on 14 Nov, loaded into a rental truck, and returned to the laboratory. Each tree was thoroughly examined by removing all the bark from the root collar areas and lateral roots to record the presence of larvae. The soil ball was examined for the presence of larvae and adults.

Abstract AIM Endocrine therapy (ET) represents the first line treatment for patients with ER+, HER2- breast cancer, however disease progression is observed in many cases. PIK3CA and ESR1 are the most encountered mutated genes that have been associated with targeted molecular treatment, as well as with resistance to Endocrine Therapy. Liquid biopsy is a non-invasive procedure, that can provide “real-time” monitoring of disease progression and response to treatment. The aim of this study is to determine the mutation rate of ESR1 and PIK3CA genes in a selected cohort of 200 Greek breast cancer patients, using liquid biopsies and NGS technology. PATIENTS AND METHODS Liquid biopsies were collected from 200 ER-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer patients who have received at least one previous line of endocrine treatment. cfDNA was extracted using the QIAamp Circulating Nucleic Acid Kit (Qiagen). Library preparation was performed using Oncomine™ Breast cfDNA Research Assay (Thermofisher Scientific) and sequencing was carried out using Ion GeneStudio™ S5 System (Thermofisher Scientific). Ion Torrent Oncomine Knowledgebase Reporter was used in sequence analysis and interpretation of Copy number variations, SNPs, and indels. RESULTS Preliminary data of the first 49 examined samples demonstrated the prevalence of ESR1 and PIK3CA mutations in 20.4% (10/49) and 38.7% (19/49) of the cases respectively. The most frequently mutated codon in the ESR1 gene is the Y537, while in the PIK3CA gene, the H1047 codon is mainly altered. ESR1 and PIK3CA genes were co-mutated in 10.2% of the cases. Mutations in KRAS (6.1%) and TP53 (24%) were also detected. CONCLUSION More than 20% of the ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer patients with metastatic disease are eligible for targeted treatment with elacestrant. In addition, the high prevalence of mutations detected in our cohort indicates that liquid biopsy NGS panel testing can be used to monitor treatment response, track the development of resistance, and identify emerging genetic alterations that may guide treatment adjustments or the selection of alternative targeted therapies in breast cancer patients. REFERENCES Demir Cetinkaya B, Biray Avci C. Molecular perspective on targeted therapy in breast cancer: a review of current status. Med Oncol. 2022 Jul 14;39(10):149. doi: 10.1007/s12032-022-01749-1. PMID: 35834030; PMCID: PMC9281252. Liao H, Huang W, Pei W, Li H. Detection of ESR1 Mutations Based on Liquid Biopsy in Estrogen Receptor-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer: Clinical Impacts and Prospects. Front Oncol. 2020 Dec 15;10:587671. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2020.587671. PMID: 33384956; PMCID: PMC7770162. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-approves-elacestrant-er-positive-her2-negative-esr1-mutated-advanced-or-metastatic-breast-cancer Citation Format: Nikolaos Tsoulos, Angeliki Meintani, Georgios Kapetsis, Chrysiis Chatzigiannidou-Florou, Aikaterini Tsantikidi, Stella Maxouri, Eleni Thanou, Kalliopi Aggelaina, Vasiliki Metaxa-Mariatou, Georgios Tsaousis, Ioannis Natsiopoulos, Vasileios Venizelos, Christos Markopoulos, Flora Zagouri, Eleftherios Kampletsas, Eirini Karyda, Dimitrios Tryfonopoulos, Konstantinos Papazisis, Dimitrios Ziogas, Ilias Athanasiadis, Eirini Papadopoulou, Georgios Nasioulas. Liquid Biopsy Testing in a Greek Cohort of ER-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-04-13.

The growth of the Li-ion batteries (LIB) market and the associated economies of scale have made possible the optimization of the production processes and significantly contributed to the reduction of the manufacturing costs. As a consequence, and facing the growing demand, developed countries will inevitably be confronted in the near future with huge quantities of waste LIBs (around 700k tons by 2035, against 15k tons currently)[1]. The development of efficient and environmentally friendly recycling processes is therefore a major challenge for the energy transition. This work processes a highly efficient way for the LiNi0.33Mn0.33Co0.33O2 cathode active material recycling by leaching in a choline chloride/ethylene glycol (ethaline) deep eutectic solvent, with a liquid/solid mass ratio of 50, that was doped with a small quantity of HCl. The addition of the latter at 4 molar equivalents (i.e. the final concentration of the acid in the DES is about 0.82 mol. L-1) allows to leach all the metals quickly at 80 °C with a yield >99%. Co-precipitation was induced by 0.2 M Li2CO3 addition with 99% efficiency. The recovered mixed carbonate was mixed with Li2CO3 and was then transformed into the oxide form by thermal annealing. The degree of transformation was monitored using in situ X-ray diffraction, recording the XRD spectra every 45 minutes. The obtained results indicate that the lithiation process occurs during the pre-annealing phase at 500 °C. Maintaining then the temperature at 900 °C for 10 hours results in a highly crystalline material free of any impurity. Finally, batteries made from the recycled powder exhibit a good discharge capacity of about 130 mAh.g-1 at a 0.2 C rate after 100 cycles as well as a coulombic efficiency of more than 99%. Reference: [1] Hearing of Ms Christel Bories (Eramet CEO) by the French Senate http://videos.senat.fr/video.1230390_5d1200992ac17.audition-de-mme-christel-bories

"Fountain fitting " - deep and ultra- deep in the waters oil and natural dig it up removal for needed which is main underwater of equipment is one Petrobras well in Brazil the mouth with (Wet Christmas Tree – fountain armature ) between WCT installed (Production Adapter Base - production adapter base ) (PAB) . This equipment is a wellhead equipment used to install oil and gas wellhead, control it and control the mode of operation. There are Fontan fittings for surface (for wells drilled on land) and subsea (offshore wells). According to its construction, it is horizontal and has three steps. Fountain accessories consist of tube and belt head, Christmas tree fountain. The belt head located at the bottom of the fountain shield is used to hang the protective belt, close the gap between the pipes, etc. It is for the Pipe head to hang and seal the pump compressor pipe lowered into the well attached to the belt head. The resource head directs the product from the well to the discharge line, enabling control and monitoring of the well. The fountain armature is equipped with a pressure gauge and thermometer. BOP and fountain of the armature absolutely different equipment that it is clarify need a lot people this two underwater equipment mix it up because it can each two of them the well in the mouth is installed . Dump Blow-Out Preventer (BOP) of wells digging , completion and processing during use which is security equipment . His main components drawers (rams), annular discharge against preventers and suffocation and don't kill are lines (choke & kill lines). Fountain pipes are lowered into the well where the fountain is expected to shoot. It is necessary to hang these pipes from something at the wellhead and direct the product of the well to the outside through it, and for this, it is necessary to mold the space between the fountain pipes and the production line. In order for the fountain to pump in an optimal mode, to regulate the use of reservoir energy, it is necessary to create counter pressure at the well mouth by any means. Therefore, the equipment at the mouth of the fountain well must be able to create any back pressure in the discharge line, including closing the well. In addition, the wellhead equipment should allow to measure the pressures behind the pipe, in the discharge line, and also to inject gas or liquid into the well if necessary.

As usual, I bought my wife Vogue magazine for Christmas. It always serves well as, in North America parlance, a ‘stocking stuffer’. This year it had further value as it highlighted the brain. A well-known psychiatrist, Nancy Andreasen, set out to inform America about modern psychiatry (Andreasen, 1990). The article is entitled ‘Brave New Brain’ with the subtitle being ‘Modern Psychiatry has Left the Couch for the Laboratory’. She takes the reader through neuro-imaging, molecular genetics and psycho-pharmacology. It is an elegant synopsis and worthy of someone who had a doctorate in English before she took up medicine. Importantly, however, she prefaced her serious material with a mock-comic story about a conversation she had had with someone at a New York hospital recently. She was phoning about the retrieval of a brain for research and the ingenuous person at the hospital just could not put the idea of psychiatry and brains together. Another sad tale of psychiatric breast-beating? Those of us who trained in psychiatry in Britain a generation ago might give a wry smile. After all, biological psychiatry was all that we ever knew. When I entered the Maudsley in 1964, part of the orientation for registrars consisted of going to the laboratories. A mouse was popped into a jar containing liquid nitrogen, it went rock hard and the group was advised that freezing the neurotransmitters in that way was the royal road to solving problems.

Abstract Background: Sacituzumab Govitecan (SG) is an antibody-drug conjugate targeting Trop-2 and has been approved for use in breast and bladder cancers. Trop-2 has been shown to be overexpressed in multiple solid tumors including prostate cancer. Here we report an interim analysis of longitudinal liquid biopsies collected in a phase II clinical trial of SG to identify biomarkers of response and resistance. Methods: We collected longitudinal blood samples from 20 patients for circulating tumor cell (CTC) and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) analysis as part of an open label Phase II trial of SG in patients with mCRPC (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03725761). Eligibility criteria for the trial included rising PSA and radiographic progression on abiraterone acetate or enzalutamide in the mCRPC setting. Liquid biopsies were collected at baseline, C1D8, and then every 3 cycles until disease progression. cfDNA was sequenced using a custom 822 gene targeted capture panel (IDT). CTCs were isolated with antibodies to either EpCAM or Trop-2 followed by parallel enumeration, EpCAM and Trop-2 protein phenotyping and RNA extraction for AR/NEPC marker transcriptional profiling. Results: Although no PSA50 responses were observed, the 6-month rPFS rate was 45% (64% in chemotherapy naïve patients). For this analysis, these patients will be termed responding patients. The number of Trop-2-postive CTCs at baseline was significantly higher in responding (24.3 ±13.4 per 7.5 mL blood) than non-responding (10.0±3.8) patients. During treatment the number of Trop-2 positive CTCs in responders significantly decreased by C3D1 to 10.0 ±3.8. Interestingly, while the number of Trop-2 positive CTCs continued to decline to 2.8±1.99 cells/7.5 mL, EpCAM-positive CTCs increased from 12.5±10.52 cells/7.5 mL to 23.2±19.49 at end of trial. Gene expression analysis demonstrated high expression of genes specific to adenocarcinoma including AR-splice variants, TMPRSS2, KLK2 and KLK3 in the majority of patients, with conversion to AR-variant negative CTCs identified in responders. Preliminary cfDNA analysis identified one patient with a mutation acquired in the gene encoding topoisomerase 1 (TOP1) upon progression on SG, with additional analysis ongoing. Conclusions: Patients who responded to SG had a more Trop-2 positive CTCs with adenocarcinoma characteristics with expression of AR pathway genes. Longitudinal analysis of liquid biopsy biomarkers identified multiple mechanisms of acquired SG resistance. Decline in Trop2-CTC population with parallel expansion of EpCAM-CTC population in multiple patients suggests loss of Trop2 surface protein expression as resistance mechanism, while identification of a cfDNA TOP1 mutation in one patient at time of progression is consistent with acquired resistance to the topoisomerase inhibitor payload as has been reported in metastatic triple negative breast cancer. Citation Format: Jamie M. Sperger, Amy K. Taylor, Yue Shi, Charlotte N. Stahlfeld, Kyle Helzer, Matthew Bootsma, Katherine R. Kaufmann, Marina N. Sharifi, Christos E. Kyriakopoulos, Susan Slovin, Scott Tagawa, Scott Dehm, Shuang G. Zhao, Joshua M. Lang. Liquid biopsy biomarker analysis of a phase II trial of sacituzumab govitecan in castrate resistant metastatic prostate cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Advances in Prostate Cancer Research; 2023 Mar 15-18; Denver, Colorado. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B016.

Abstract Six different treatments were evaluated for efficacy in controlling beetle white grubs in pasture scheduled for Fraser fir* Christmas tree plantings. Three treatments each of 1% granular and 2% emulsifiable concentrate were applied. The test pasture was thickly covered with a mixture of annual and perennial grasses accompanied by various broadleaf weeds. The pasture had been cut for hay 5 wk prior to insecticide applications. The mineral-organic Porter loamy soil (2-3% organic matter) located in Watauga Co. had a pH of 5.5, an average temperature of 15 deg C at a depth of 4 inches, and a moisture content of 22% by weight. Test plots measured 10 by 10 ft and contained an average of 2.1 grubs per sq ft. Each treatment was replicated 5 times; the plots were organized in a completely random design. Pre-treatment grub counts were acquired on 26 Sep, with insecticides applied the same day. One sq ft of sod per test plot was turned back to expose grubs feeding on the rootzone. The sod was replaced without injuring the grubs. Liquid formulations were mixed with 1 gal of water per test plot and applied with a hand-pressurized portable sprayer. Granular applications were accomplished with a 20-inch wide hand-pushed spreader. On 14 Oct, posttreatment grub counts were acquired by turning back a previously undisturbed sq ft of sod. Both surviving and dead grubs were counted. Percent population reduction was calculated from the number of surviving grubs and the number of pre-treatment live grubs.

Abstract Five soil-applied insecticides were evaluated for efficacy in controlling beetle white grubs in pastureland scheduled for Fraser fir* Christmas tree plantings. Grubs were found feeding on Fraser fir roots, causing tree mortality. The test pasture was thickly covered with a mixture of annual and perennial grasses accompanied by various broadleaf weeds. The pasture had been cut for hay 2 wk prior to insecticide applications. The mineral-organic Porter loamy soil (2-3% organic matter) located in Watauga Co. had a pH of 5.5, and average temperature of 15° C at a depth of 4 inches, and a moisture content of 22% by weight. Test plots measured 10 by 10 ft and contained average of 2.4 grubs per sq ft. Each treatment was replicated 5 times; the plots were organized in a completely random design. Pre-treatment grub counts were acquired on 2 Sep, with insecticides applied the same day. One sq ft of sod per test plot was turned back to expose grubs feeding in the rootzone. The sod was replaced without injuring the grubs. Liquid formulations were mixed with 1 gal of water per test plot and applied with a hand-pressurized portable sprayer. Granular formulations were applied with a 20-inch wide hand-pushed spreader. On 13 Oct, posttreatment grub counts were acquired by turning back a previously undisturbed sq ft of sod. Both surviving and dead grubs were counted. Percent population reduction was calculated from the number of surviving grubs and the number of pre-treatment live grubs.

Abstract Six soil-applied insecticides were evaluated for efficacy in controlling May beetle grubs in pastureland scheduled for Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) Christmas tree plantings. The test pasture was densely covered with a mixture of annual and perennial grasses accompanied by various broadleaf weeds. The pasture is harvested for hay once a year in early Sept and had been cut just prior to insecticide applications. The mineral-organic Porter loamy soil (2-3% organic matter) located in Watauga Co. had a pH of 5.4, an average temperature of 15.2 degrees C at a depth of 4 inch, and a moisture content of 21% by weight. Test plots measured 10 by 10 ft and contained an average of 5.8 late-stage grubs per sq ft. Each treatment was replicated 5 times; the plots were organized in a completely random design. Pre-treatment grub counts were acquired on 16 Sep, with insecticides applied the same day. One sq ft of sod per plot was turned back to expose feeding grubs. The sod was replaced without injuring the grubs. Liquid insecticides were mixed with 2 gal of water per plot and applied with a hand-pressurized portable sprayer. Granular formulations were applied with a 20” wide hand-pushed spreader. On 16 Oct, posttreatment grub counts were acquired by turning back a previously undisturbed sq ft of sod. Both surviving and dead grubs were counted and percent grub mortality calculated. Grubs at the observed high population density were causing extensive root damage and chlorotic conditions to the sod.

Background: Proper waste management is a major concern of public health. It is necessary to create positive behavioural changes towards waste management among public in order to control diseases. Objectives were to determine the attitude towards solid and liquid waste management among the households of Cheruthazham Panchayat in Northern Kerala.Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted in Cheruthazham Panchayat, under Kalliasseri block, located in Kannur district of Kerala state from June 2017 to July 2018. A total of 400 households were studied. Multistage sampling was done. Data was collected by direct interview using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS software.Results: The participants responsible for the waste management in household were women. Out of the 400 participants, 83%, 11% and 6% were Hindus, Muslims and Christians respectively. Majority of them (82%) had an educational qualification of high school and above. Most of them (82.5%) were housewives. About 47% of the study population belongs to upper middle class. Their major sources of information about solid waste management were kudumbasree class. In the study, 93.8% of the study population had above average attitude and 6.2% had below average attitude. Almost 70% had the belief that government is not doing anything to fix the garbage problem. About 97%, 88.6% and 92% were willing to do composting, segregation and recycling of waste respectively.Conclusions: Majority of the participants had above average attitude towards household waste management. Continuous awareness programmes have to be conducted on safe waste disposal and efforts should be made to sustain the supervision of household waste management.

Abstract Two formulations of Sevin and 4 other soil applied insecticides were evaluated for efficacy in controlling May beetle grubs in Christmas tree plantings of Fraser fir. The test area was former pasture planted to Fraser fir. The plantation had a density of 1700, 9-year-old firs per acre. The tree rows were sprayed with grass herbicide subsequent to tree plantings. The tractor rows and between-tree rows were left in sod consisting of a mixture of annual and perennial grasses and several broadleaf weeds. The sod had been recently cut at the time of insecticide applications. The mineral-organic Porter loamy soil (2-3% organic matter) located in Watagua Co. had a pH of 5.4, an average soil temperature of 16.9 degrees C at a depth of 4 inches, and a moisture content of 19% by weight. Test plots measured 20 by 30 ft and contained 25 firs each. The planting area contained an average of 6.9 late-stage grubs per sq ft. Each treatment was acquired on 14 Sept; insecticides were applied on 21 Sept. One sq ft of sod per plot was. turned back to expose and count grubs. The sod was replaced without injury to the grubs. Liquid insecticides were mixed with 2 gal of water per plot and applied with a hand-pressurized, portable sprayer. Granular formulations were applied with a 20 inch wide hand-pushed spreader. On 5 Oct, posttreatment grub counts were acquired by turning back a previously untouched sq ft of sod. Both surviving and dead grubs were counted. Percent grub mortality was calculated by dividing the number of dead post-treatment grubs by the sum of the surviving plus dead grubs, and multiplying by 100.

AbstractPressure buildup/annular pressure buildup in subsea oil and gas equipment occurs primarily due to the thermal expansion of trapped liquids. With the advent of modern computers, it has become increasingly possible to numerically analyze such problems with commercial codes available in the market. The objective of the present study is to propose a methodology for numerical prediction of structural damage in subsea oil and gas equipment due to pressure buildup. A judicious combination of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with structural finite element analysis code has been used to perform a sample numerical analysis that is truly representative of a wide class of problems encountered in subsea oil and gas applications. The mitigation of trapped pressure is one among the prime areas of concern in the subsea oil and gas industry. In the present study, CFD analysis is used to determine the maximum pressure buildup due to the thermal expansion of trapped liquids in small leak tight enclosed volumes with rigid walls and the pressure obtained is used as a boundary condition for the structural analysis. In a nutshell, the analysis has been split into three steps (1) a steady-state CFD analysis to determine the temperature distribution within the oil and gas equipment under consideration, (2) the temperature contours obtained from the steady-state analysis are imposed as a boundary condition for the transient analysis to calculate the trapped pressure in the small volumes of interest and finally and (3) a structural analysis is used to determine the damage to the oil and gas equipment. The methodology adapted is similar to a one-way coupled fluid structure interaction analysis, but provides the added advantage of a significant reduction in computational cost. In the present study, the proposed methodology has been extended to a subsea Christmas tree (XT) and the pressure buildup in the hydraulic lines has been calculated. The results obtained using the present technique has been compared with analytical solution. The proposed numerical technique can be applied to any subsea or surface oil and gas equipment where pressure buildup due to trapped volume is a major issue. The findings of this study can help for better understanding of pressure buildup in trapped volumes within subsea/surface oil and gas equipment. This study can be applied to predict the thermal expansion of trapped volumes in subsea XTs, manifolds, pipe line end manifolds (PLEM) and pipe line end termination (PLET) units.

Abstract Background: Diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCLs) are aggressive tumors that account for almost half of all lymphoma incidences. In particular, double-hit and triple-hit DLBCLs, with translocations involving BCL2, MYC and/or BCL6, have a very poor prognosis and occur in up to 7% of cases. Double expressor DLBCLs, with overexpression of BCL2 and MYC in the absence of chromosomal translocations, also have a poor prognosis. BCL2 inhibitors (BCL2i) have shown preclinical and clinical efficacy in lymphomas. Here, we synthesized and tested seven novel BCL2i in DLBCL cells with deregulated BCL2, and splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) cell lines with acquired resistance to idelalisib, copanlisib or ibrutinib. Methods: Using in silico-based drug design complemented by classical and kinetic target-guided synthesis (KTGS) led to the synthesis of seven potential BCL2 inhibitors (BCL2i). The MTT assay was used to assess the anti-proliferative activities of BCL2i: ST-59, ST-64, ST-65, R, Z-89, Z-103, Z-116-8 in BCL2-translocated DLBCLs: SU-DHL-4, Toledo, DOHH2, KARPAS422, WSUDLCL2, Pfeiffer; BCL2 amplified DLBCL: U2932 and resistant SMZLs. Cells were treated with increasing concentrations of BCL2i for 72 hours [h]. Results: Median IC50 values for the seven BCL2i ranged from 22 μM to 49 μM. ST-65 was the most potent BCL2i (range = 12 - 46 μM, median = 22 μM), showing anti-proliferative activity in DLBCL and SMZL. The other BCL2i were inactive in at least 2 cell lines (IC50 > 50 μM). The three least potent BCL2i were Z-89, Z-103 and R (median IC50 = 49, 44 and 45 μM, respectively). ST-65 was the only BCL2i synthesized by BCL2 using KTGS, indicating KTGS as a superior technique for generating BCL2i. The poor activity of R agreed with its inability to cross the cell membrane as determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Among the resistant SMZLs, parental KARPAS1718 were most sensitive to the BCL2i, responding to 5 out of 7 inhibitors (range = 11 - 47 μM, median = 22 μM). The activated B cell like (ABC)-DLBCL, U2932, was only sensitive to ST-65 (IC50 = 20 μM). U2932 lacks translocated BCL2, but BCL2 is amplified and overexpressed in this cell line. Conclusions: We report the in vitro anti-lymphoma activities of novel BCL2i, particularly ST-65, in DLBCL and SMZL cells. Our results suggest that these compounds are structures further exploitable for the design of improved anti-lymphoma drugs. Acknowledgements: The research work was supported by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.) under the “First Call for H.F.R.I. Research Projects to support Faculty members and Researchers and the procurement of high-cost research equipment grant” (Project Number: 991 to AGT). Citation Format: Afua Adjeiwaa Mensah, Christos M. Chatzigiannis, Dimitrios A. Diamantis, Vasileios K. Gkalpinos, Alberto Arribas, Andreas G. Tzakos, Francesco Bertoni. Novel BCL2 inhibitors with anti-lymphoma activity [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 3942.

Abstract Introduction: Detection of PIK3CA mutations in primary tumors (FFPEs) and liquid biopsy samples is of increasing importance for treatment decisions in breast cancer. Oncolipsy PIK3CA kit (Pharmassist Ltd, Greece) is based on the combination of allele-specific priming, asymmetric PCR, and melting curve analysis. The CE-IVD kit can detect the presence of four PIK3CA hotspot mutations (E542K, E545K, E545Q, H1047R). The aim of the present study was to: a) evaluate the performance of this novel CE-IVD kit both in FFPEs and plasma-cfDNA samples from patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and b) directly compare the derived results using the Oncolipsy PIK3CA kit with the cobas® PIK3CA mutation test (CE-IVD, Roche Diagnostics, Germany) in identical gDNAs isolated from FFPEs samples. Patients and methods: We analyzed 42 primary tumors (FFPEs) and 29 plasma-cfDNA samples from patients with estrogen receptor (ER) positive metastatic breast cancer. Genomic DNA was isolated from FFPEs using the QIAamp DNA FFPE Tissue Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany), while cfDNA was extracted from 2.00 mL of plasma using the QIAamp DSP cNA Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). PIK3CA hotspot mutations were detected in the LightCycler® 2.0 (IVD instrument, Roche Diagnostics, Germany) using the highly sensitive Oncolipsy PIK3CA kit (analytical sensitivity 0.05%). A direct comparison study was performed using the cobas® PIK3CA Mutation Test on the cobas z 480 analyzer (IVD instrument, Roche Diagnostics, Germany). Results: In primary tumors the E545K mutation was detected in 22/42 (52.4%), the E542K and H1047R mutations were detected in 11/42 (26.2%) and 4/42 (9.5%) of primary tumor samples, respectively, while the E545Q mutation was not detected in any FFPE sample tested. At least one PIK3CA mutation was detected in 14/29 (48.3%) plasma-cfDNA samples. More specifically the E545K mutation was detected in 11/29 (38%), the H1047R mutation in 3/29 (10.4%) and the E542K mutation in 2/29 (6.9%) while the E545Q mutation was not detected in any plasma-cfDNA sample tested. In FFPEs, as expected, PIK3CA mutation frequency was higher compared to plasma-cfDNA. Direct comparison of the results derived using these two commercially available kits, the Oncolipsy CE-IVD kit and the cobas PIK3CA mutation test, using the same gDNA isolated from 42 FFPEs revealed a concordance of 34/42 (81%). Conclusions: The commercially available Oncolipsy PIK3CA CE-IVD kit is highly sensitive and specific for the detection of four PIK3CA hotspot mutations in primary tumors and plasma-cfDNA. Acknowledgement: This study has been financially supported by the European Union and Greek national funds through the Operational Program Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, under the call RESEARCH - CREATE - INNOVATE (project code: T1RCI-02935). Citation Format: Stavroula Smilkou, Dimitra Stergiopoulou, Eleni Tzanikou, Loukas Kaklamanis, Ioanna Balgkouranidou, Helena Linardou, Flora Zagouri, Evangelia Razi, Stylianos Kakolyris, Amanda Psyrri, Christos Papadimitriou, Ioanna Koukli, Athina Markou, Evi Lianidou. Detection of hotspot PIK3CA mutations in primary tumors and plasma-cfDNA of breast cancer patients using a novel highly sensitive CE-IVD kit [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 2407.

Background:In fibrotic diseases, metabolic processes are altered with a tendency towards an anabolic state, which is partially reflected in serum. Circulating biomarkers for interstitial lung disease (ILD), the leading cause of death in systemic sclerosis (SSc), are still sparse and not established in routine care.Objectives:To assess the potential of serum metabolites as biomarkers for the presence and progression of SSc-ILD.Methods:Age and sex matched serum samples of SSc patients from the Zurich cohort and of healthy controls (HC) were analyzed. Progressive SSc-ILD was defined as either a relative decrease in forced vital capacity (FVC) >10%, a decrease in FVC of 5-9% and a concomitant decrease of carbon dioxide diffusion capacity >15%, or an increase of the extent of lung fibrosis on computed tomography from <20% to ≥20% compared to the last visit (mean follow-up interval = 14 months (range = 9-26)). Sera of HC, non-ILD SSc and stable vs. progressive SSc-ILD patients (n = 12 per group; total n = 48) were screened for 110 metabolites by targeted liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Peak areas were analyzed with R 3.6. For univariate analysis, FDR-corrected one-way ANOVA was used. In multivariate group-wise partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), variable importance in the projection (VIP) scores ≥2 were considered significant.Results:In total, 85 metabolites were detected. Univariate analysis of all groups were suggestive of changes for 1-methyladenosine, L-tryptophan, L-tyrosine, L-leucine and xanthosine (p = 0.077, 0.028, 0.077, 0.028 and 0.032, respectively). In PLS-DA, HCs and SSc patients differed in their levels of L-tyrosine and L-tryptophan, while levels of L-threonine, 3-aminoisobutyric acid, adenosine monophosphate and xanthosine were changed when comparing non-ILD and SSc-ILD patients. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis of significant metabolites from uni- and multivariate testing resulted in separation of SSc patients from HCs by L-tyrosine (area under the curve (AUC) = 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.67-0.96), L-tryptophan (AUC = 0.86, CI: 0.75-0.97) and 1-methyladenosine (AUC = 0.82, CI: 0.71-0.94). Progressive SSc-ILD patients were separated from stable patients by their levels of L-isoleucine, L-leucine, adenosine monophosphate and xanthosine (AUC = 0.83, 0.85, 0.79 and 0.77; CI: 0.66-1.00, 0.70-1.00, 0.60-0.97 and 0.55-0.99, respectively). Validation of increased values of the branched-chain amino acids L-leucine and L-isoleucine in progressive SSc-ILD vs. stable ILD using an enzymatic assay resulted in similar results as LC-MS/MS analysis, with higher values detected in progressive vs. stable patients (mean = 286.5 and 235.5 nM, respectively; p = 0.005). In ROC analysis (AUC = 0.81, CI: 0.62-1.00), a cut-off value of 250.3 nM separated stable from progressive patients with a sensitivity of 72.7% and a specificity of 83.3%.Conclusion:This study in SSc(-ILD) patients suggested alterations in serum metabolite levels corresponding with their current state of disease, indicating the potential use of serum metabolites as discriminating biomarkers upon further confirmation in larger multicenter studies.Disclosure of Interests:Chantal Meier: None declared, Katrin Freiburghaus: None declared, Cédric Bovet: None declared, Janine Schniering: None declared, Oliver Distler Grant/research support from: Grants/Research support from Actelion, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Competitive Drug Development International Ltd. and Mitsubishi Tanabe; he also holds the issued Patent on mir-29 for the treatment of systemic sclerosis (US8247389, EP2331143)., Consultant of: Consultancy fees from Actelion, Acceleron Pharma, AnaMar, Bayer, Baecon Discovery, Blade Therapeutics, Boehringer, CSL Behring, Catenion, ChemomAb, Curzion Pharmaceuticals, Ergonex, Galapagos NV, GSK, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Inventiva, Italfarmaco, iQvia, medac, Medscape, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, MSD, Roche, Sanofi and UCB, Speakers bureau: Speaker fees from Actelion, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Medscape, Pfizer and Roche, Christos Nakas: None declared, Britta Maurer Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Protagen, Novartis, congress support from Pfizer, Roche, Actelion, and MSD, Speakers bureau: Novartis

Abstract Background: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status is an important predictive biomarker in breast cancer (BC). Tumor heterogeneity has been described, with changes in HER2 expression levels between lesions and over the disease course. HER2 expression is assessed on tissue biopsies, at primary diagnosis and in metastatic lesions. A whole-body imaging technique such as PET/CT could help understand expression levels in different lesions. A 68Ga-labeled single domain antibody (sdAb) targeting the HER2 receptor has been developed and proven safe (Keyaerts et al., 2016). Imaging is performed at 90 min post-injection (pi). We report results of a phase II trial to assess the repeatability of the technique in 20 patients and the correlation of tracer uptake with HER2 tissue expression of the lesions present at the time of imaging. Methods: Twenty patients (pts) with a locally advanced or metastatic BC with at least one lesion of minimum 12 mm were included. Pts were injected intravenously with a typical protein mass of 100 µg and a radioactive dose ranging from 98-168 MBq 68GaNOTA-anti-HER2 sdAb. PET/CT images were obtained at 90 min pi. A second tracer injection followed by PET/CT was done with a maximal interval of 8 days. To assess repeatability, up to 5 lesions per pt were selected, with no more than 2 in a single organ. Peak Standard Uptake Values (SUVpeak) of the lesions were measured on both scans and compared with a t-test and Bland-Altman Plots. Images were compared to other available medical or imaging data and interpreted considering the subject’s disease course. Serum and plasma samples were collected before injection and between 60 and 365 days pi and stored for future detection of anti-drug antibodies (ADA) and liquid biopsies analysis for the presence of HER2 amplification. Tissue samples were assessed by central labs using mass spectrometry, immunohistochemistry and in fluorescence situ hybridization. Results: Twenty women with BC (6 HER2+, 14 HER2-) with a mean age of 58.6 y (37-81) were included. Three pts were scanned only once (2 due to withdrawal of consent, 1 due to covid pandemic). Repeatability of the technique was visually scored as excellent. For quantification, 50 lesions were compared on both scans in 17 pts without significant differences between the two measurements (p=0.40). The repeatability coefficient (RC) was 38.2%. The mean absolute percentage difference (MAPD) was 13.6%, comparable to repeat values reported for 18F-FDG. In 3 out of 6 HER2-positive (HER2+) patients, lesions showed high uptake, even better visible than using 18F-FDG in 2 of them. In 2 HER2+ subjects with a negative scan, lesions were confirmed to be true negatives: one patient did not relapse from BC but had tuberculosis; the other was confirmed to have a radiopneumonitis after radiotherapy and no relapse. In 1 HER2+ patient, the uptake was unexpectedly low. However, the HER2 status was also not reconfirmed in the metastatic setting for this subject. In 1 HER2-negative patient, the tumor HER2 status was changed from negative to positive based on a subsequent image-guided biopsy performed in this study. High tracer uptake was also seen in many of the patients presenting with HER2-low BC (IHC 1+ or 2+), indicating the potential of the tracer to detect low-level HER2 expression. Additional correlation to centrally performed tissue and blood analysis is ongoing. Conclusion: 68GaNOTA-Anti-HER2 PET/CT shows high uptake in HER2-expressing BC lesions but also in HER2-low lesions. The technique shows good repeatability and, in some cases, even better sensitivity than 18F-FDG PET/CT. Specificity was confirmed in relapse-free lesions such as tuberculosis and radiopneumonitis. Its sensitivity makes it a promising technique to assess HER2+ and HER2-low lesions in BC patients. Citation Format: Odrade Gondry, Catarina Xavier, Wim Waelput, Omar Al Dabssi, Marian Vanhoeij, Sandrine Aspeslagh, Sofie Joris, Christel Fontaine, Guy Verfaillie, Jacques De Grève, Katrien Glorieus, Ine Luyten, Frederik Vandenbroucke, Sophie Bourgeois, Laurens Raes, Sheeno Thyparambil, Nick Devoogdt, Ilse Vaneycken, Julie Cousaert, Vicky Caveliers, Hendrik Everaert, Tony Lahoutte, Marleen Keyaerts. Assessment of repeatability and uptake quantification of 68GaNOTA-anti-HER2 sdAb PET/CT in patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2021 Dec 7-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P3-02-05.

The volume of fluid (VOF) model and the adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) method are used to study the spray characteristics of a gas–liquid pintle injector and the effects of mass flow pulsation of liquid on it. A pintle injector is a thrust adjusting device that changes the injection area using movable parts. Pressure pulsation in the supply pipeline is simulated by periodically changing the mass flow rate of the inlet. Spray characteristics with constant and pulsating upstream flows are compared with each other. The effect of frequency and amplitude of upstream liquid flow pulsation on the spray performance was studied. The results reveal that holding the mass flow rate of the upstream liquid flow constant, under the impact of gas flow, the liquid block, the liquid filament, and a large number of small droplets are peeled off from the liquid film. The film breakup position stays relatively fixed, and the spray has a conical shape. However, when the upstream liquid flow is pulsating, the film breakup position changes periodically, and the spray has a “Christmas tree”-shape. The pulsation frequency has little effect on the spray angle. But it strongly determines the droplet size and the spatial distribution of the spray. In addition, the pulsation amplitude can enhance the phenomenon of “Christmas tree.” With the increase in pulsation amplitude, the liquid film at the outlet of the pintle injector appears with a periodic phenomenon of “contraction–expansion.”

Information on ability of Aspergillus niger to secrete organic acid is important in using A. niger as phosphate rock-solubilizing microorganism. This research was aimed to examine the ability of A. niger YD 17 secreting organic acid when it was grown with phosphate rock. An A. niger YD 17 was obtained from Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, GMU. The phosphate rock used was Christmas Island phosphate rock. Organic materials consisted of tapioca waste industry, rice bran, and starch. The study was conducted in Pikovskaya liquid medium and soils that were taken from Jasinga, Banten, West Java (ultisol) and Karang Jati, Ungaran, Central Java (inceptisol). The type and level of organic acid production were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results indicated that A. niger YD 17 was able to secrete organic acid when it was grown with phosphate rock. The level of organic acid in the Pikovskaya liquid medium reached 255.7 g.ml-1, whereas in the soil reached 2992.5 g.g-1. Malate dominated organic acid in the Pikovskaya liquid medium, while in the soils dominated by oxalate. The type and level of organic acid secreted by A. niger YD 17 were influenced by carbon and phosphorus sources, concentration of inoculums, and characteristic of the soils.

AbstractIn this study, we evaluated the ease of removal of soot layers from ancient wall paintings by employing double network gels as a controllable and safe cleaning method. The ceiling of the temple of Seti I (Abydos, Egypt) is covered with thick layers of soot; this is especially the case in the sanctuary of Osiris. These layers may have been accumulated during the occupation of the temple by Christians, fleeing the Romans in the first centuries A.D. Soot particulates are one of the most common deposits to be removed during conservation-restoration activities of ancient Egyptian wall paintings. They usually mask the painted reliefs and reduce the permeability of the painted surface. A Polyvinyl alcohol-borax/agarose (PVA-B/AG) double network gel was selected for this task since its properties were expected to be compatible with the cleaning treatment requirements. The gel is characterized by its flexibility, permitting to take the shape of the reliefs, while also having self-healing properties, featuring shape stability and an appropriate capacity to retain liquid. The gel was loaded with several cleaning reagents that proved to be effective for soot removal. Soot removal tests were conducted with these gel composites. The cleaned surfaces were evaluated with the naked eye, a digital microscope, and color measurements in order to select the best gel composite. The gel composite, loaded with a solution of 5% ammonia, 0.3% ammonium carbonate, and 0.3% EDTA yielded the most satisfactory results and allowed to safely remove a crust of thick soot layers from the surface. Thus, during the final phase of the study, it was used successfully to clean a larger area of the ceiling.

Resumo: O querigma é o anúncio central da fé cristã: o mistério pascal de JesusCristo e a salvação oferecida à humanidade por Deus. Este anúncio, o primeiroem ordem e valor, deve ecoar sempre na boca de cada discípulo-missionário. Emtempos de fluidez, de modernidade líquida, será necessário descobrir metodologiasque alcancem os interlocutores atuais e façam o anúncio pascal chegar a seuscorações. O Concílio Vaticano II, no retorno às fontes, redescobriu o catecumenatoprimitivo e o propôs como caminho para a formação dos novos cristãos. O primeiropasso desse processo é o anúncio de Jesus Cristo, o querigma, entendido como umpré-catecumenato, primeiro tempo da Iniciação à Vida Cristã, conforme o Ritual deIniciação Cristã de Adultos. Esta pesquisa visa a clarificar os conteúdos do querigma,bem como a maneira de anunciá-lo hoje.Palavras-chave: Querigma. Iniciação à Vida Cristã. Catecumenato.Abstract: The Kerygma is the central announcement of the Christian faith: the Eastermystery of Jesus Christ and the salvation that God offered to the humanity. This message, the first in order and value, must always echo in the mouth of any missionary--disciple. In times of liquid modernity, it is necessary to discover new methodologiesthat can reach the interlocutors today and bring the Easter message to their hearts.The Second Vatican Council, in its return to the foundations, rediscovered the catechumenate of the primitive Church and proposed it as a way for the formation of thenew Christians. The first step of this process is the announcement of Jesus Christ,the Kerygma, understood as a pre-catechumenate, first step in the Christian Initiation,according to the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. The present research wants toclarify the contents of the Kerygma, as well as the method for announcing it today.Keywords: Kerygma. Christian Initiation. Catechumenate.

OPSOMMING In Antjie Krog se bundel mede-wete verskyn 'n aantal gedigte waarin die ek-spreker se soeke na 'n nuwe soort spiritualiteit verwoord word en waarin die implisiete versugting na die eenheid van alle dinge voorkom. Die doel van hierdie artikel is om 'n teoretiese konsep aan die hand te doen waarvolgens die spirituele aspekte in hierdie bundel bespreek kan word. Teorieë oor outobiografie as spirituele praktyk, veral in die digter se laatwerk, sowel as postsekularisme en ekopsigologie sal vir hierdie doel ingespan word. Daar sal hoofsaaklik eksemplaries te werk gegaan word deurdat enkele kerngedigte in die bundel ontleed word, te wete "moniaal", " 'n eland staan by 'n kuil", "ongelowig is nie die regte woord nie" en "kerssonnet". Daar word aangetoon op welke wyse Krog kategorieë of gehele wat in moderne tye hulle relevansie verloor het, poëties nuut verwoord deur te fokus op die verbeelding van 'n groter geheel waarin plante, diere en mense interverbonde is en interafhanklik van mekaar bestaan. Sodoende word die grense van die paradigma van egosentrisme waarin moderne mense verval het, opgehef en bestaande religieuse grense word deurbreek deurdat holisme op kreatiewe wyse as nuwe werklikheid daargestel word. Trefwoorde: Antjie Krog, mede-wete, outobiografie, laatwerk, postsekularisme, ekopsigologie, spiritualiteit, interverbondenheid, holisme ABSTRACT In Antjie Krog's collection of poetry, mede-wete (English translation, Synapse, by Karen Press)1there are a number of poems in which the author's search for a new kind of spirituality is articulated and in which the implicit longing for unity of all living things is suggested. Even before Socrates, philosophers speculated that wholes do indeed exist, but that their independently functioning parts are nothing but theoretical speculation. In modern physics, this concept is embodied in quantum field theory, which implies that everything that exists can be compared to waves at sea that cannot exist independently of the ocean. For the seeker of spiritual truth, the holistic path is a mystical path on which life reveals itself in its deeper meaning and "where our thoughts, feelings and actions are integrated by a clear intelligence and knowledge, and where a feeling of intimacy and participation with something greater than our normal selves occurs" (Ashraf 2012). In this manner the individual pursues so-called "higher knowledge". The purpose of this article is to suggest a theoretical paradigm on the basis of which the spiritual aspects in mede-wete can be discussed. I mainly rely on theories of autobiography as a spiritual practice, especially as an aspect of authors' "late work", post-secularism and ecopsychology when analysing a number of core poems, namely "moniaal", ("postulant"), "'n eland staan by 'n kuil" ("an eland stands at a pool"), "ongelowig is nie die regte woord nie" ("faithless is not the right word"), and "kerssonnet" ("christmas sonnet"). It can be argued that, in these poems, it becomes evident that rigid categories have lost their relevance in modern times. New categories have been imagined by the poet and phrased in poetic similes suggesting a larger whole in which plants, animals and people exist in interrelated and interdependent ways. In this way the boundaries of egocentrism by which modern people have been trapped are lifted, and existing religious boundaries are re-imagined through the creation of holism as a new reality - a reality that is greater than the sum of its individual elements; a liquid, ever-changing reality, adapted to the situation as it presents itself. The first section of the article focuses on spiritual autobiography and the individual's search for transcendent meaning as an aspect of identity construction. Spirituality involves, among other things, the feeling of interconnectedness with something greater than ourselves, which often includes a search for the meaning of the individual's life. As such, it is a universal human experience that can deeply affect human beings emotionally. Spiritual autobiography is often practised by writers who, towards the end of their lives, focus on the past in the light of universal human experiences in order to make sense of their own lives. Especially in autobiographies written in the later phase of an author's life, family and family relationships often play an important role - not only the role of the poet's ancestors and origins is investigated and reflected upon, but often children and even grandchildren form part of a reflection on the future and the legacy of the individual to posterity. It is precisely these poems that are examined in this article. Although mede-wete is clearly not intended as a spiritual autobiography, there is ample reason to consider several poems in this collection through the lens of theories on this particular genre, as there are such a large number of poems that correspond to the poet's (Antjie Krog's) biographical details. What is interesting is that three of the poems analysed directly follow on a poem about the poet's grandchildren or other toddlers. Therefore, I argue that there is a rhetorical connection between these "child poems" and the poems on spiritual reflection that directly follow them. It seems that "child poems" often give rise to reflection on transcendent experiences and to the need to explain these experiences. Several poems in mede-wete can be interpreted as confessions of faith. In the second section, I discuss the poem "kerssonnet" ("Christmas sonnet") from which it would appear that biblical metanarratives no longer provide modern people adhering to a secular value system with the hermeneutics of trust necessary for a firm belief in biblical truths. In its stead, the speaker, for example in a poem such as "ongelowig is nie die regte woord nie" ("faithless is not the right word"), suggests an alternative paradigm that does not imply a return to traditional religions, but rather a greater awareness of the continuing relevance of religion in secular societies. Such "post-secular" discourse is characterised by individual preferences for particular aspects of spirituality, implying that spirituality is still important, although it does not depend on the hegemony of mainstream discourse. In a post-secular world, new metaphors must be found to talk about God. In "ongelowig is nie die regte woord nie" ("faithless is not the right word") the following metaphor is significant: "we all drink like babies at a breast we feel / the nipple between our gums and say: it's / God (...)". By means of this metaphor, then, postmodern feminist discourse enters the poem - a discourse that refers to Julia Kristeva's theory of the mother as abject. Abjection here is the personification of the radical Other, the non-Self - or God. The poem "'n eland staan by 'n kuil" ("an eland stands at a pool"), discussed in the third section, depicts a mystical experience, an ecstatic moment in which the speaker comes into direct contact with the Holy One and feels herself, in a mystical way, being united with the universe. It is interesting to note that the eland is considered by San people to be a sacred animal, but that it is also the animal associated with rites of passage and initiation. My argument being that one can also read this poem as the creed of a newly initiated, someone who begins to walk a new spiritual path. The poem expresses the insight, which also underlies the whole volume of poetry, that all things created are interconnected. Keywords: Antjie Krog, synapse, autobiography, late work, post-secularism, ecopsychology, spirituality, interconnectedness, holism

“...children’s play seems to become more and more a product of the educational and cultural orientation of parents...” — Stephen Kline, The Making of Children’s Culture We live in a world saturated by design and through design artefacts, one can glean unique insights into a culture's values and norms. In fact, some academics, such as British media and film theorist Ben Highmore, see the two areas so inextricably intertwined as to suggest a wholesale “re-branding of the cultural sciences as design studies” (14). Too often, however, everyday objects are marginalised or overlooked as objects of scholarly attention. The field of material culture studies seeks to change that by focussing on the quotidian object and its ability to reveal much about the time, place, and culture in which it was designed and used. This article takes on one such object, a mid-century children's toy tea set, whose humble journey from 1968 Sears catalogue to 2014 thrift shop—and subsequently this author’s basement—reveals complex rhetorical messages communicated both visually and verbally. As material culture studies theorist Jules Prown notes, the field’s foundation is laid upon the understanding “that objects made ... by man reflect, consciously or unconsciously, directly or indirectly, the beliefs of individuals who made, commissioned, purchased or used them, and by extension the beliefs of the larger society to which they belonged” (1-2). In this case, the objects’ material and aesthetic characteristics can be shown to reflect some of the pervasive stereotypes and gender roles of the mid-century and trace some of the prevailing tastes of the American middle class of that era, or perhaps more accurately the type of design that came to represent good taste and a modern aesthetic for that audience. A wealth of research exists on the function of toys and play in learning about the world and even the role of toy selection in early sex-typing, socialisation, and personal identity of children (Teglasi). This particular research area isn’t the focus of this article; however, one aspect that is directly relevant and will be addressed is the notion of adult role-playing among children and the role of toys in communicating certain adult practices or values to the child—what sociologist David Oswell calls “the dedifferentiation of childhood and adulthood” (200). Neither is the focus of this article the practice nor indeed the ethicality of marketing to children. Relevant to this particular example I suggest, is as a product utilising messaging aimed not at children but at adults, appealing to certain parents’ interest in nurturing within their child a perceived era and class-appropriate sense of taste. This was fuelled in large part by the curatorial pursuits of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, coupled with an interest and investment in raising their children in a design-forward household and a desire for toys that reflected that priority; in essence, parents wishing to raise modern children. Following Prown’s model of material culture analysis, the tea set is examined in three stages, through description, deduction and speculation with each stage building on the previous one. Figure 1: Porcelain Toy Tea Set. Description The tea set consists of twenty-six pieces that allows service for six. Six cups, saucers, and plates; a tall carafe with spout, handle and lid; a smaller vessel with a spout and handle; a small round bowl with a lid; a larger oval bowl with a lid, and a coordinated oval platter. The cups are just under two inches tall and two inches in diameter. The largest piece, the platter is roughly six inches by four inches. The pieces are made of a ceramic material white in colour and glossy in texture and are very lightweight. The rim or edge of each piece is decorated with a motif of three straight lines in two different shades of blue and in different thicknesses, interspersed with a set of three black wiggly lines. Figure 2: Porcelain Toy Tea Set Box. The set is packaged for retail purposes and the original box appears to be fully intact. The packaging of an object carries artefactual evidence just as important as what it contains that falls into the category of a “‘para-artefact’ … paraphernalia that accompanies the product (labels, packaging, instructions etc.), all of which contribute to a product’s discourse” (Folkmann and Jensen 83). The graphics on the box are colourful, featuring similar shades of teal blue as found on the objects, with the addition of orange and a silver sticker featuring the logo of the American retailer Sears. The cover features an illustration of the objects on an orange tabletop. The most prominent text that confirms that the toy is a “Porcelain Toy Tea Set” is in an organic, almost psychedelic style that mimics both popular graphics of this era—especially album art and concert posters—as well as the organic curves of steam that emanate from the illustrated teapot’s spout. Additional messages appear on the box, in particular “Contemporary DESIGN” and “handsome, clean-line styling for modern little hostesses”. Along the edges of the box lid, a detail of the decorative motif is reproduced somewhat abstracted from what actually appears on the ceramic objects. Figure 3: Sears’s Christmas Wishbook Catalogue, page 574 (1968). Sears, Roebuck and Co. (Sears) is well-known for its over one-hundred-year history of producing printed merchandise catalogues. The catalogue is another important para-artefact to consider in analysing the objects. The tea set first appeared in the 1968 Sears Christmas Wishbook. There is no date or copyright on the box, so only its inclusion in the catalogue allows the set to be accurately dated. It also allows us to understand how the set was originally marketed. Deduction In the deduction phase, we focus on the sensory aesthetic and functional interactive qualities of the various components of the set. In terms of its function, it is critical that we situate the objects in their original use context, play. The light weight of the objects and thinness of the ceramic material lends the objects a delicate, if not fragile, feeling which indicates that this set is not for rough use. Toy historian Lorraine May Punchard differentiates between toy tea sets “meant to be used by little girls, having parties for their friends and practising the social graces of the times” and smaller sets or doll dishes “made for little girls to have parties with their dolls, or for their dolls to have parties among themselves” (7). Similar sets sold by Sears feature images of girls using the sets with both human playmates and dolls. The quantity allowing service for six invites multiple users to join the party. The packaging makes clear that these toy tea sets were intended for imaginary play only, rendering them non-functional through an all-capitals caution declaiming “IMPORTANT: Do not use near heat”. The walls and handles of the cups are so thin one can imagine that they would quickly become dangerous if filled with a hot liquid. Nevertheless, the lid of the oval bowl has a tan stain or watermark which suggests actual use. The box is broken up by pink cardboard partitions dividing it into segments sized for each item in the set. Interestingly even the small squares of unfinished corrugated cardboard used as cushioning between each stacked plate have survived. The evidence of careful re-packing indicates that great care was taken in keeping the objects safe. It may suggest that even though the set was used, the children or perhaps the parents, considered the set as something to care for and conserve for the future. Flaws in the glaze and applique of the design motif can be found on several pieces in the set and offer some insight as to the technique used in producing these items. Errors such as the design being perfectly evenly spaced but crooked in its alignment to the rim, or pieces of the design becoming detached or accidentally folded over and overlapping itself could only be the result of a print transfer technique popularised with decorative china of the Victorian era, a technique which lends itself to mass production and lower cost when compared to hand decoration. Speculation In the speculation stage, we can consider the external evidence and begin a more rigorous investigation of the messaging, iconography, and possible meanings of the material artefact. Aspects of the set allow a number of useful observations about the role of such an object in its own time and context. Sociologists observe the role of toys as embodiments of particular types of parental messages and values (Cross 292) and note how particularly in the twentieth century “children’s play seems to become more and more a product of the educational and cultural orientation of parents” (Kline 96). Throughout history children’s toys often reflected a miniaturised version of the adult world allowing children to role-play as imagined adult-selves. Kristina Ranalli explored parallels between the practice of drinking tea and the play-acting of the child’s tea party, particularly in the nineteenth century, as a gendered ritual of gentility; a method of socialisation and education, and an opportunity for exploratory and even transgressive play by “spontaneously creating mini-societies with rules of their own” (20). Such toys and objects were available through the Sears mail-order catalogue from the very beginning at the end of the nineteenth century (McGuire). Propelled by the post-war boom of suburban development and homeownership—that generation’s manifestation of the American Dream—concern with home décor and design was elevated among the American mainstream to a degree never before seen. There was a hunger for new, streamlined, efficient, modernist living. In his essay titled “Domesticating Modernity”, historian Jeffrey L. Meikle notes that many early modernist designers found that perhaps the most potent way to “‘domesticate’ modernism and make it more familiar was to miniaturise it; for example, to shrink the skyscraper and put it into the home as furniture or tableware” (143). Dr Timothy Blade, curator of the 1985 exhibition of girls’ toys at the University of Minnesota’s Goldstein Gallery—now the Goldstein Museum of Design—described in his introduction “a miniaturised world with little props which duplicate, however rudely, the larger world of adults” (5). Noting the power of such toys to reflect adult values of their time, Blade continues: “the microcosm of the child’s world, remarkably furnished by the miniaturised props of their parents’ world, holds many direct and implied messages about the society which brought it into being” (9). In large part, the mid-century Sears catalogues capture the spirit of an era when, as collector Thomas Holland observes, “little girls were still primarily being offered only the options of glamour, beauty and parenthood as the stuff of their fantasies” (175). Holland notes that “the Wishbooks of the fifties [and, I would add, the sixties] assumed most girls would follow in their mother’s footsteps to become full-time housewives and mommies” (1). Blade grouped toys into three categories: cooking, cleaning, and sewing. A tea set could arguably be considered part of the cooking category, but closer examination of the language used in marketing this object—“little hostesses”, et cetera—suggests an emphasis not on cooking but on serving or entertaining. This particular category was not prevalent in the era examined by Blade, but the cultural shifts of the mid-twentieth century, particularly the rapid popularisation of a suburban lifestyle, may have led to the use of entertaining as an additional distinct category of role play in the process of learning to become a “proper” homemaker. Sears and other retailers offered a wide variety of styles of toy tea sets during this era. Blade and numerous other sources observe that children’s toy furniture and appliances tended to reflect the style and aesthetic qualities of their contemporary parallels in the adult world, the better to associate the child’s objects to its adult equivalent. The toy tea set’s packaging trumpets messages intended to appeal to modernist values and identity including “Contemporary Design” and “handsome, clean-line styling for modern little hostesses”. The use of this coded marketing language, aimed particularly at parents, can be traced back several decades. In 1928 a group of American industrial and textile designers established the American Designers' Gallery in New York, in part to encourage American designers to innovate and adopt new styles such as those seen in the L’ Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes (1925) in Paris, the exposition that sparked international interest in the Art Deco or Art Moderne aesthetic. One of the gallery founders, Ilonka Karasz, a Hungarian-American industrial and textile designer who had studied in Austria and was influenced by the Wiener Werkstätte in Vienna, publicised her new style of nursery furnishings as “designed for the very modern American child” (Brown 80). Sears itself was no stranger to the appeal of such language. The term “contemporary design” was ubiquitous in catalogue copy of the nineteen-fifties and sixties, used to describe everything from draperies (1959) and bedspreads (1961) to spice racks (1964) and the Lady Kenmore portable dishwasher (1961). An emphasis on the role of design in one’s life and surroundings can be traced back to efforts by MoMA. The museum’s interest in modern design hearkens back almost to the institution’s inception, particularly in relation to industrial design and the aestheticisation of everyday objects (Marshall). Through exhibitions and in partnership with mass-market magazines, department stores and manufacturer showrooms, MoMA curators evangelised the importance of “good design” a term that can be found in use as early as 1942. What Is Good Design? followed the pattern of prior exhibitions such as What Is Modern Painting? and situated modern design at the centre of exhibitions that toured the United States in the first half of the nineteen-fifties. To MoMA and its partners, “good design” signified the narrow identification of proper taste in furniture, home decor and accessories; effectively, the establishment of a design canon. The viewpoints enshrined in these exhibitions and partnerships were highly influential on the nation’s perception of taste for decades to come, as the trickle-down effect reached a much broader segment of consumers than those that directly experienced the museum or its exhibitions (Lawrence.) This was evident not only at high-end shops such as Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s. Even mass-market retailers sought out well-known figures of modernist design to contribute to their offerings. Sears, for example, commissioned noted modernist designer and ceramicist Russel Wright to produce a variety of serving ware and decor items exclusively for the company. Notably for this study, he was also commissioned to create a toy tea set for children. The 1957 Wishbook touts the set as “especially created to delight modern little misses”. Within its Good Design series, MoMA exhibitions celebrated numerous prominent Nordic designers who were exploring simplified forms and new material technologies. In the 1968 Wishbook, the retailer describes the Porcelain Toy Tea Set as “Danish-inspired china for young moderns”. The reference to Danish design is certainly compatible with the modernist appeal; after the explosion in popularity of Danish furniture design, the term “Danish Modern” was commonly used in the nineteen-fifties and sixties as shorthand for pan-Scandinavian or Nordic design, or more broadly for any modern furniture design regardless of origin that exhibited similar characteristics. In subsequent decades the notion of a monolithic Scandinavian-Nordic design aesthetic or movement has been debunked as primarily an economically motivated marketing ploy (Olivarez et al.; Fallan). In the United States, the term “Danish Modern” became so commonly misused that the Danish Society for Arts and Crafts called upon the American Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to legally restrict the use of the labels “Danish” and “Danish Modern” to companies genuinely originating in Denmark. Coincidentally the FTC ruled on this in 1968, noting “that ‘Danish Modern’ carries certain meanings, and... that consumers might prefer goods that are identified with a foreign culture” (Hansen 451). In the case of the Porcelain Toy Tea Set examined here, Sears was not claiming that the design was “Danish” but rather “Danish-inspired”. One must wonder, was this another coded marketing ploy to communicate a sense of “Good Design” to potential customers? An examination of the formal qualities of the set’s components, particularly the simplified geometric forms and the handle style of the cups, confirms that it is unlike a traditional—say, Victorian-style—tea set. Punchard observes that during this era some American tea sets were actually being modelled on coffee services rather than traditional tea services (148). A visual comparison of other sets sold by Sears in the same year reveals a variety of cup and pot shapes—with some similar to the set in question—while others exhibit more traditional teapot and cup shapes. Coffee culture was historically prominent in Nordic cultures so there is at least a passing reference to that aspect of Nordic—if not specifically Danish—influence in the design. But what of the decorative motif? Simple curved lines were certainly prominent in Danish furniture and architecture of this era, and occasionally found in combination with straight lines, but no connection back to any specific Danish motif could be found even after consultation with experts in the field from the Museum of Danish America and the Vesterheim National Norwegian-American Museum (personal correspondence). However, knowing that the average American consumer of this era—even the design-savvy among them—consumed Scandinavian design without distinguishing between the various nations, a possible explanation could be contained in the promotion of Finnish textiles at the time. In the decade prior to the manufacture of the tea set a major design tendency began to emerge in the United States, triggered by the geometric design motifs of the Finnish textile and apparel company Marimekko. Marimekko products were introduced to the American market in 1959 via the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based retailer Design Research (DR) and quickly exploded in popularity particularly after would-be First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy appeared in national media wearing Marimekko dresses during the 1960 presidential campaign and on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine. (Thompson and Lange). The company’s styling soon came to epitomise a new youth aesthetic of the early nineteen sixties in the United States, a softer and more casual predecessor to the London “mod” influence. During this time multiple patterns were released that brought a sense of whimsy and a more human touch to classic mechanical patterns and stripes. The patterns Piccolo (1953), Helmipitsi (1959), and Varvunraita (1959), all designed by Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi offered varying motifs of parallel straight lines. Maija Isola's Silkkikuikka (1961) pattern—said to be inspired by the plumage of the Great Crested Grebe—combined parallel serpentine lines with straight and angled lines, available in a variety of colours. These and other geometrically inspired patterns quickly inundated apparel and decor markets. DR built a vastly expanded Cambridge flagship store and opened new locations in New York in 1961 and 1964, and in San Francisco in 1965 fuelled in no small part by the fact that they remained the exclusive outlet for Marimekko in the United States. It is clear that Marimekko’s approach to pattern influenced designers and manufacturers across industries. Design historian Lesley Jackson demonstrates that Marimekko designs influenced or were emulated by numerous other companies across Scandinavia and beyond (72-78). The company’s influence grew to such an extent that some described it as a “conquest of the international market” (Hedqvist and Tarschys 150). Subsequent design-forward retailers such as IKEA and Crate and Barrel continue to look to Marimekko even today for modern design inspiration. In 2016 the mass-market retailer Target formed a design partnership with Marimekko to offer an expansive limited-edition line in their stores, numbering over two hundred items. So, despite the “Danish” misnomer, it is quite conceivable that designers working for or commissioned by Sears in 1968 may have taken their aesthetic cues from Marimekko’s booming work, demonstrating a clear understanding of the contemporary high design aesthetic of the time and coding the marketing rhetoric accordingly even if incorrectly. Conclusion The Sears catalogue plays a unique role in capturing cross-sections of American culture not only as a sales tool but also in Holland’s words as “a beautifully illustrated diary of America, it’s [sic] people and the way we thought about things” (1). Applying a rhetorical and material culture analysis to the catalogue and the objects within it provides a unique glimpse into the roles these objects played in mediating relationships, transmitting values and embodying social practices, tastes and beliefs of mid-century American consumers. Adult consumers familiar with the characteristics of the culture of “Good Design” potentially could have made a connection between the simplified geometric forms of the components of the toy tea set and say the work of modernist tableware designers such as Kaj Franck, or between the set’s graphic pattern and the modernist motifs of Marimekko and its imitators. But for a much broader segment of the population with a less direct understanding of modernist aesthetics, those connections may not have been immediately apparent. The rhetorical messaging behind the objects’ packaging and marketing used class and taste signifiers such as modern, contemporary and “Danish” to reinforce this connection to effect an emotional and aspirational appeal. These messages were coded to position the set as an effective transmitter of modernist values and to target parents with the ambition to create “appropriately modern” environments for their children. 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A young woman in bikini bottoms and a vest top scrunched up to just below her breasts stands facing the camera. Behind her lies the neatened clutter of domestic space with family photographs arranged next to a fish tank. As this gently buzzes in its fluorescent pool of light, she begins to speak: I’ve just finished eating my McDonald’s meal, which was one of the new quarter pounders with the bacon and the cheese and ten nuggets and a large fries but I have not finished my drink. Pausing to hold up her drink to the camera, she shakes the takeaway cup to assess how much remains inside. With her other hand she gently pats her uncovered stomach, saying: I’m feeling very full and very tight on the top… very very tight like, here and here too… like a drum …Very full! But I know that I can probably fit more with liquids so I’m going to top it off with the rest of this drink and them I’m going to fill in all the spaces with the rest of the drink. After drinking the Dr Pepper before the screen fades to black, she says: I think next time I gotta get the double quarter pounder. I probably could take it, I could probably take on that double quarter pounder with the nuggets. So I’ll have to try that next time for you guys. This video on You Tube is one of many on the Internet labelled BBW, which stands for Big Beautiful Woman. This term dates back to the 1979 launch of BBW Magazine, a fashion and lifestyle magazine for women. As it was then, BBW is also used within spaces of size acceptance, such as among the women participating in Alexandra Lescaze’s documentary All of Me, which charts the lives of friends who met through the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. In such spaces, as on Internet blogs and discussion pages, BBW is employed to assert the desirability, rather than abjection, of a fat female body; it thereby counters the “stigma that still is associated with being a large person in a small society” as one of the women in All of Me, Dawn, puts it. BBW is also a term that features frequently in ‘fat forums’. These are adult content cyberspaces for, as one homepage states, “plus size models and their admirers.” Alongside these, there is also a genre of BBW pornography in which sexually explicit activity takes place. This is found on dedicated websites as well as in sub-sections of more ‘mainstream’ porn sites. In these latter the videos that feature BBWs are often labelled “fat fetish.” Against this background, this article draws on content analysis conducted between 2013 and 2015 of forty videos posted on You Tube by women who self-identify as fat (see Longhurst) and, specifically, as BBWs. In particular, it focuses on videos to which eating is central. In these, eating is either performed on camera or has taken place just before filming began. In the latter instance eating and its bodily resonances are visible in two ways: the BBW might describe the meal just eaten or her feeling of fullness, or there may be a textual description such as “after a big mac.” These videos have so far received little scholarly attention other than through a lens of sex, as enactments of “fat pornography” (cf. Kulick). Yet, analysing them as porn risks privileging an imagised rather than lived body and implicitly engaging only with a spectator’s viewpoint. It thereby potentially repeats the power dynamics it seeks to interrogate. This article instead suggests that there are key distinctions between these videos and porn. Although a discussion of gender and sexuality is precluded by limited space, focusing on eating offers a way to unpick this analytic conflation whilst also recognising how wider entanglements among sex, power and fat may texture the videos. As such, whilst being careful not to reduce the BBWs in these videos to no more than eating bodies, this focus seeks primarily to pay attention to their agency and embodiment. Drawing on literature that has critically engaged with fat from a variety of perspectives (cf. Evans Braziel and LeBesco; Forth and Leitch; Rothblum and Solovay), this discussion is particularly shaped by recent work that has sought to take account of lived experiences of moving through and encountering the world with a fat female body (cf. Murray; Tischner). In order to think through this, the article reflects on the Internet as a space not only of visuality, but also of viscerality. Defined by Robyn Longhurst et al. as “the sensations, moods and ways of being that emerge from our sensory engagement with the material and discursive environments in which we live” (334), viscerality has been argued to be a way in which to reflect on identity and power by paying attention to the materiality of everyday experiences (Hayes-Conroy and Hayes-Conroy, taste and visceral). It attends to the simultaneity of politics and intimacy as social relations are forged “at the level of the guts” (Probyn 1). In turn, recent attention to eating has suggested this to be an act that forges social connections at myriad scales (see Abbots and Lavis) as people, places and objects are brought into encounter by ingestion and digestion. An attention to what eating is and does in these videos therefore recognises power dynamics between BBWs and viewing Others, whilst also not taking these to preclude other modalities of agency. It elucidates the co-production of bodily materialities and lived experiences, whilst also tracing the multi-directional slippages between consuming and becoming the Other. Engaging with affects and socialities set in motion by eating offers up a vision of this as an act that may be shared among bodies in ways at once disembodied but visceral. Visuality The homepage of a pornographic website describing itself as “the home of BBWs” suggests that the viewer click on links to see women diving into the kinkiest fetishes and activities you’d ever want to see BBWs do! From face-sitting and squashing, to eating anything and everything, these big fat chicks do it. It goes on to state that “these girls are massive, like their stomachs and appetites” and, illustrating assumptions regarding whose gaze is turned on this page, that “your dick won’t know what to do with itself!” The juxtaposition of the seemingly mundane, and also individual, activity of eating with overtly sexual and corporeally social activities such as face-sitting, suggests that to think through BBW videos focused on eating and trace their divergences from porn, we perhaps first need to attend to this wider landscape in which eating features as “kinky fetish”; it involves recognising intersections as well as disconnects. An undercurrent of sex does resonate through some of the eating videos posted on You Tube by BBWs. Although women are clothed and no sexual activity takes place, many of the titles contain the words “sexy BBW.” Likewise, the language used by participants to talk about their bodies during or after eating is often sexually inflected. Just as the BBW above said of her Dr Pepper that she could “take it,” others talk of being “filled” in a way that folds food into an imaginary of penetrative sex. Bodily boundaries are also shown to be porous in further ways as fat is described as “bursting out of trousers.” A woman eating ice cream directs the camera downwards, saying, “look at that, my underwear’s rolling right down […] my tummy cannot be contained anymore.” Furthermore, to shift our analytic positioning for a moment, it is clear that the BBWs in these videos are regarded as sexually desirable by viewers. A You Tube video in which a woman eats a burger is accompanied by a viewer’s comment: Hello beautiful, I wish that I was there so I could do the fondling and caressing of your beautiful, fat belly while you just concentrated on eating your food. This contrasts to other viewers whose derogatory comments range from the denigrating “you are so ugly and disgusting” to the rather less articulate “eww.” These clearly highlight the “derision and even repulsion” (Lupton 3. See also Cain et al., Erdman Farrell) often directed at, especially female, fat. In contrast, by establishing a fat female – and indeed eating – body as desirable, these videos instead denote themselves as spaces of fat acceptance. Self-identified BBW and adult actress April Flores links her work in porn films to a wider politics of fat acceptance, saying: I want to have my work be a catalyst for change in people seeing fat women as sexual beings. Because we are, and we're not viewed that way. Right now, fat women are relegated to being the punch line and I want my work to change that. (Flores quoted in Wischhover) Flores would seem to articulate a neoliberal narrative of pornography as female empowerment (see Gill) here and it is important to recognise the connections between this and a wider context of disempowerment and stigma. Yet, the power dynamics of gaining social and sexual acceptance through a desiring gaze are also problematic. They highlight, as Rachel Colls puts it, “what the risks are for fat, female bodies and a re-framing of fatness more generally when designating acceptance according to a particular space and to ‘an’ admiring audience” (19). This links the pornographic works of April Flores with the eating videos that are the focus of this article. In both spaces, being visually consumed by an Other is invested with the power to circumscribe one’s own body as acceptable. In one video, a woman who has just finished eating pulls up her top to show her belly. Looking directly into the camera, she asks “do you like that?” A well-known self-described BBW, Donna Simpson, has poignantly written about her decision to shut down her website after years of charging 19 dollars a month to watch her eat (Simpson). She states that “the bottom line is that it was a fantasy created for men […] It’s about control” (quoted in Rose). One way in which control manifested was in how largely-male members of her website not only watched her eat but also directed this, circumscribing what she did and did not put into her own body. Although the financial transaction of the membership fee underpinned this access to Donna Simpson by offering the possibility of one-on-one video chats, there is some similar interaction afforded by the comments posted in response to the eating videos on You Tube. Beneath a video of a woman eating cake, one viewer has written “you’re adorable” to which the BBW herself has replied “you're sweet! thank you.” As such, accompanying these videos there are many requests from viewers centred on eating and food, along the lines of “eat this for me.” These are sometimes responded to in follow-up videos or with links to a paying website like Donna Simpson’s. Such requests demonstrate diverse self-positionings on the part of viewers; the more overtly sexual, such as “eat me” and “I wish to be that cake,” are joined by the expression of desire to be close to the BBW: Wow you are one big sexy fatty with a Huge Blubber Belly!! that thing is soo sexy. I would kill to see you waddling to the buffet bar with your fat jiggling and leading the way. But, to more explicitly address the problematic dynamics of power that have resonated through this discussion so far, these comments are commonly joined by a desire to feed the woman in the video. One viewer writes, “I’d love to get a huge funnel and tube and pour gallons upon gallons of beer down your throat and watch your belly expand!!” These words (at least seek to) intervene in and shape the body of the BBW to whom they are directed. It has been suggested that food “and its relations to bodies is fundamentally about power” (Goody 37) and directions to “eat an éclair for me,” for example, draw forth the power dynamics here by illustrating the co-production of corporeal materialities; the BBWs’ body fat is (at least to a certain extent) made and mediated by viewers. Moreover, in this process, some viewers not only position themselves as feeders but also assume the existence of a feeder off-camera, thereby framing the woman’s eating as always directed by an Other rather than autonomous. This aligns these videos with a wider context of feederism (see Giovanelli and Peluso) and this is sometimes made explicit; beneath one video, a viewer writes somewhat aggressively “your feeder's nice with you, you'd be twice that size with me.” The first half of this article has recognised the setting of these videos within a wider cyber-landscape of porn/power/fat/stigma entanglements. Yet, to suggest that although “the single most striking thing about this genre of pornography is that the women who are pictured do not engage in sex” (Kulick 79) and argue that they instead “have food” (79) reveals the problem with calling them porn and ending our analysis there. It defines the videos, and thus the women in them, through that which is absent, swapping sex for food. This risks repeating in analysis “the kind of harmful behavior in which men reduce fat women to sexual objects” (Saguy 553) by implicitly aligning with the viewer. To avoid this necessitates engaging with the BBWs themselves, their modes of embodiment and lived materialities. As Don Kulick notes, “most of the camera work is focused on their stomachs” (79) and it is here that such an engagement begins. Viscerality Reclaiming the ubiquitous imagery of “headless fatties” (Cooper) in media discussions of obesity, one video begins with a full-screen shot of a woman’s stomach. The camera pans to reveal a box of chocolates balanced on her lap and a hand reaches down to take one. Over the next three wordless minutes, as her fingers move between half-glimpsed chocolate box and unseen mouth, the woman rubs her belly with her other hand, folding and kneading her fat before letting it tumble onto her thighs. In other videos BBWs hold their stomachs to the camera to show how “full of food,” as one woman puts it, these are. Others adjust their position, clothing and webcams to enable a better view of their stomachs, or as they are more habitually called, their “bellies.” Rather than read this focus simply as a fetishisation of dislocated body parts, which echoes pornography, here bellies take on significance precisely because they are the “site of incorporation” (Carden-Coyne and Forth 1); they are indexical of eating. Momentarily altering our viewpoint to elucidate this, on the comment board of another video a viewer has simply written “digestion yeah!” Bellies, thus, gain meaning from eating rather than the other way around. This shift from visuality to viscerality draws us back to the viewpoint of the BBWs; their agency, pleasure and lived materiality is brought literally into the line of the camera. In another video, a woman rubs her belly sensuously. To elucidate the contours of this embodied performance, the video’s tagline reads: A family size lasagne a double milkshake a pound of butter melted in mash potatoes with a can of cheese for lunch wait till i get finished stuffing myself becoming fat is the ultimate pleasure. This woman is not alone in asserting the pleasure of becoming fat. Juxtaposed with articulations of the pleasures of food, together these statements suggest that eating on camera is not so much directed outwards to a desiring gaze. Rather, it is turned inwards as women look down at their bodies, roll food around their mouths and lick their fingers. A video in which a woman eats in her parked car begins: Okay, for lunch I’ve got some fried chicken; it’s two pieces with fries, and there’s lots of ketchup here… I also got a gravy and a macaroni salad to go with it… on yeah and I did pay an extra dollar for an extra piece of chicken so it’s three pieces of chicken. Here the BBW’s eating and its pleasures map the space of this video as closed. Yet her simultaneous narration also opens up this savoured moment of ingestion to a listening and viewing Other. This suggests that it may be not so much bodies that are shared or desired in these videos (as they are in pornography, perhaps), but rather the act of eating itself; these spaces invoke a “mimetic desire” (Girard) to be in this food-consuming moment. In another video a woman talks the viewer through the various flavours of cotton candy in her hand before deciding to try the pink vanilla. After taking a bite she offers this to the camera, saying, “you can eat that part […] does it melt on your tongue?” Although the sharing of eating is verbally articulated here, there are many other instances in which this is less explicit but also present, as visceral viewing becomes a moment of eating from afar (Lavis). That viewers often leave comments such as “I can taste that burger” suggests that these videos engender “vicarious consumption” (Kirkwood) that may be a form of eating as affective as taking food into the mouth. As such, here we glimpse the multi-directional flows of agency, affect and sociality engendered by eating. Recent explorations of eating bodies have seen these as entangled in myriad social and material relations. By engaging with eating as instigating encounters between bodies and worlds, this work has thereby argued that “in the act of placing food in the mouth, landscapes, people, objects and imaginings not only juxtapose with and fold into one another, but are also reconstituted and reordered” (Abbots and Lavis 5. See also Probyn). Against this background, “vicarious consumption” (Kirkwood) offered by these videos folds the bodies of viewer and viewed together to reconfigure taken-for-granted notions of outsides and insides, eater and eaten. Visceral viewing as embodied consumption recognises eating as an act that may be shared and thereby take place among many bodies at once. It has been suggested that an attention to viscerality engages with “contextualized and interactive versions of the self and other” (Hayes-Conroy and Hayes-Conroy, visceral, 1273). As such, as consuming the Other slip-slides into becoming Other through mimetic eating, it is now viewers’ bodily materialities that are affected and reshaped; their hungering, salivating bodies are mediated by the BBWs’ moments of eating. In this reversal, our sense of the power dynamics of these videos shifts. As eating becomes shared and contingently and dynamically distributed across bodies, power too is dissipated between the actors that perhaps co-produce these (eating) spaces and bodies. Thus, these videos offer participants on both side of the lens the possibility of being caught up in affective flows, whilst also being “articulating subjects” (Probyn 17) who “reforge new meanings, new identities” (17) through eating. Conclusion By engaging with videos in which self-identified Big Beautiful Women eat online, this article has reflected on the diverse imaginings, socialities and flows of power that texture these spaces. Paying attention to eating has afforded an alternative view of these videos, challenging a pornographic reading by recognising other intimacies and affective connections. As such, this discussion has sought to re-prioritise the experiences and agency of the BBWs in the videos themselves, whilst also interrogating how their bodies may be patrolled and even produced by the gaze of Others. Thus, whilst being careful not to reduce the BBWs to no more than food – “dehumanised as symbols of cultural fear: the body, the belly, the arse, food” as Charlotte Cooper puts it - an attention to eating has responded to her suggestion to “try to get a hold of their humanity” in analysis. This article therefore set out to explore how a visceral attention might forge a more nuanced understanding of these videos. Yet, in so doing, it has also become clear that they inform wider theorisations of eating. Thinking through what eating is and where its boundaries lie in these spaces has illustrated that this is an act that may take diverse forms and be shared among bodies that are spatially and temporally apart. That the visceral viewing of an Other’s ingestion and digestion may itself be a form of eating offers a novel way to think through contingent and affective connections among foods, bodies and persons. References Abbots, Emma-Jayne, and Anna Lavis (eds.) Why We Eat, How We Eat: Contemporary Encounters between Foods and Bodies. Farnham: Ashgate, 2013. All of Me. Dir. Alexandra Lescaze. Mighty Fine Films, 2013. Cain, Trudie, Kerry Chamberlain and Ann Dupuis. “Bound Bodies: Navigating the Margins of Fat Bodies and Clothes.” Fat: Culture and Materiality, eds. Christopher Forth and Alison Leitch. London: Bloomsbury, 2014. 123-40. Carden-Coyne, Ana, and Christopher Forth. “The Belly and Beyond: Body, Self and Culture in Ancient and Modern Times.” Cultures of the Abdomen: Diet, Digestion and Fat in the Modern World, eds. Christopher Forth and Ana Carden-Coyne. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. 1-11. Colls, Rachel. “Big Girls Having Fun: Reflections on a ‘Fat Accepting Space’.” Somatechnics 2 (2012): 18–37. Cooper, Charlotte. “Headless Fatties.” 2012. 20 Dec. 2014 ‹http://www.charlottecooper.net/docs/fat/headless_fatties.htm›. Erdman Farrell, Amy. Fat Shame: Stigma and the Fat Body in American Culture. New York: New York UP, 2011. Evans Braziel, Jana, and Kathleen LeBesco. Bodies Out of Bounds: Fatness and Transgression. Berkeley: U of California P, 2001. Forth, Christopher, and Alison Leitch. Fat: Culture and Materiality. London: Bloomsbury, 2014. Gill, Rosalind. “Critical Respect: The Difficulties and Dilemmas of Agency and ‘Choice’ for Feminism.” European Journal of Women’s Studies 14 (2007): 69–80. Giovanelli, Dina, and Natalie Peluso. “Feederism: A New Sexual Pleasure and Subculture.” The Handbook of New Sexuality Studies, ed. Steven Seidman. Oxford: Routledge, 2006. 309–314.Girard, René. Anorexia and Mimetic Desire. East Lansing: Michigan State UP, 2013. Goody, Jack. Cooking, Cuisine and Class: A Study in Comparative Sociology. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1982. Hayes-Conroy, Allison, and Jessica Hayes-Conroy. “Taking Back Taste: Feminism, Food and Visceral Politics.” Gender, Place & Culture 15.5 (2008): 461–473. Hayes-Conroy, Jessica, and Allison Hayes-Conroy. “Visceral Geographies: Mattering, Relating, and Defying.” Geography Compass 4.9 (2010): 1273–83. Kirkwood, Katherine. “Tasting But Not Tasting: MasterChef Australia and Vicarious Consumption.” M/C Journal 17.1 (2014). 10 May 2015 ‹http://journal.media-culture.org.au/index.php/mcjournal/article/viewArticle/761›. Kulick, Don. “Porn.” Fat: The Anthropology of an Obsession, eds. Don Kulick and Anne Meneley. New York: Tarcher/Penguin, 2005. 77-92. Lavis, Anna. “Imagined Materialities and Material Imaginings: Food, Bodies and the ‘Stuff’ of (Not) Eating.” Gastronomica, forthcoming 2016. Longhurst, Robyn. “Fat Bodies: Developing Geographical Research Agendas”. Progress in Human Geography 29.3 (2005): 247-59. Longhurst Robyn, Lynda Johnston, and Elsie Ho. “A Visceral Approach: Cooking ‘at Home’ with Migrant Women in Hamilton, New Zealand.” Trans Inst Br Geog NSr 34 (2009): 333–345. Lupton, Deborah. Fat. London: Routledge, 2013. Murray, Samantha. “Doing Politics or Selling Out? Living the Fat Body.” Women's Studies 34 (2005): 265-77. Probyn, Elspeth. Carnal Appetites: FoodSexIdentities. London: Routledge, 2000. Saguy, Abigail. “Sex, Inequality, and Ethnography: Response to Erich Goode.” Qualitative Sociology 25.4 (2002): 549-56. Tischner, Irmgard. Fat Lives: A Feminist Psychological Exploration. Hove: Routledge, 2013. Rose, Lisa. “Once 600 Pounds, Mom from Old Bridge Puts Down the Fork and Turns Off the Webcam.” New Jersey.com 18 Dec. 2011. 29 Jan. 2014 ‹http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/12/once_600_pounds_mom_from_old_b.htm›. Rothblum, Esther, and Sandra Solovay (eds.). The Fat Studies Reader. New York: New York UP, 2009. Simpson, Donna. “A Fat Christmas Story!” The Huffington Post 21 Dec. 2011. 24 Jan. 2014 ‹http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donna-simpson/a-fat-christmas-story_b_1163496.html›. Wischhover, Cheryl. "I Want People to See Fat Women as Sexual Beings. Because We Are: April Flores, BBW Porn Performer of the Year, Talks about Reclaiming the Term ‘Fat Girl’.” Cosmopolitan 10 Mar. 2015. 22 Apr. 2015 ‹http://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/news/a37554/april-flores-bbw-porn-performer-fat-acceptance›.

Introduction Food has always been an essential component of daily life. Today, thinking about food is a much more complicated pursuit than planning the next meal, with food studies scholars devoting their efforts to researching “anything pertaining to food and eating, from how food is grown to when and how it is eaten, to who eats it and with whom, and the nutritional quality” (Duran and MacDonald 234). This is in addition to the work undertaken by an increasingly wide variety of popular culture researchers who explore all aspects of food (Risson and Brien 3): including food advertising, food packaging, food on television, and food in popular fiction. In creating stories, from those works that quickly disappear from bookstore shelves to those that become entrenched in the literary canon, writers use food to communicate the everyday and to explore a vast range of ideas from cultural background to social standing, and also use food to provide perspectives “into the cultural and historical uniqueness of a given social group” (Piatti-Farnell 80). For example in Oliver Twist (1838) by Charles Dickens, the central character challenges the class system when: “Child as he was, he was desperate with hunger and reckless with misery. He rose from the table, and advancing basin and spoon in hand, to the master, said, somewhat alarmed at his own temerity–‘Please, sir, I want some more’” (11). Scarlett O’Hara in Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind (1936) makes a similar point, a little more dramatically, when she declares: “As God is my witness, I’m never going to be hungry again” (419). Food can also take us into the depths of another culture: places that many of us will only ever read about. Food is also used to provide insight into a character’s state of mind. In Nora Ephron’s Heartburn (1983) an item as simple as boiled bread tells a reader so much more about Rachel Samstat than her preferred bakery items: “So we got married and I got pregnant and I gave up my New York apartment and moved to Washington. Talk about mistakes [...] there I was, trying to hold up my end in a city where you can’t even buy a decent bagel” (34). There are three ways in which writers can deal with food within their work. Firstly, food can be totally ignored. This approach is sometimes taken despite food being such a standard feature of storytelling that its absence, be it a lonely meal at home, elegant canapés at an impressively catered cocktail party, or a cheap sandwich collected from a local café, is an obvious omission. Food can also add realism to a story, with many authors putting as much effort into conjuring the smell, taste, and texture of food as they do into providing a backstory and a purpose for their characters. In recent years, a third way has emerged with some writers placing such importance upon food in fiction that the line that divides the cookbook and the novel has become distorted. This article looks at cookbooks and cookery in popular fiction with a particular focus on crime novels. Recipes: Ingredients and Preparation Food in fiction has been employed, with great success, to help characters cope with grief; giving them the reassurance that only comes through the familiarity of the kitchen and the concentration required to fulfil routine tasks: to chop and dice, to mix, to sift and roll, to bake, broil, grill, steam, and fry. Such grief can come from the breakdown of a relationship as seen in Nora Ephron’s Heartburn (1983). An autobiography under the guise of fiction, this novel is the first-person story of a cookbook author, a description that irritates the narrator as she feels her works “aren’t merely cookbooks” (95). She is, however, grateful she was not described as “a distraught, rejected, pregnant cookbook author whose husband was in love with a giantess” (95). As the collapse of the marriage is described, her favourite recipes are shared: Bacon Hash; Four Minute Eggs; Toasted Almonds; Lima Beans with Pears; Linguine Alla Cecca; Pot Roast; three types of Potatoes; Sorrel Soup; desserts including Bread Pudding, Cheesecake, Key Lime Pie and Peach Pie; and a Vinaigrette, all in an effort to reassert her personal skills and thus personal value. Grief can also result from loss of hope and the realisation that a life long dreamed of will never be realised. Like Water for Chocolate (1989), by Laura Esquivel, is the magical realist tale of Tita De La Garza who, as the youngest daughter, is forbidden to marry as she must take care of her mother, a woman who: “Unquestionably, when it came to dividing, dismantling, dismembering, desolating, detaching, dispossessing, destroying or dominating […] was a pro” (87). Tita’s life lurches from one painful, unjust episode to the next; the only emotional stability she has comes from the kitchen, and from her cooking of a series of dishes: Christmas Rolls; Chabela Wedding Cake; Quail in Rose Petal Sauce; Turkey Mole; Northern-style Chorizo; Oxtail Soup; Champandongo; Chocolate and Three Kings’s Day Bread; Cream Fritters; and Beans with Chilli Tezcucana-style. This is a series of culinary-based activities that attempts to superimpose normalcy on a life that is far from the everyday. Grief is most commonly associated with death. Undertaking the selection, preparation and presentation of meals in novels dealing with bereavement is both a functional and symbolic act: life must go on for those left behind but it must go on in a very different way. Thus, novels that use food to deal with loss are particularly important because they can “make non-cooks believe they can cook, and for frequent cooks, affirm what they already know: that cooking heals” (Baltazar online). In Angelina’s Bachelors (2011) by Brian O’Reilly, Angelina D’Angelo believes “cooking was not just about food. It was about character” (2). By the end of the first chapter the young woman’s husband is dead and she is in the kitchen looking for solace, and survival, in cookery. In The Kitchen Daughter (2011) by Jael McHenry, Ginny Selvaggio is struggling to cope with the death of her parents and the friends and relations who crowd her home after the funeral. Like Angelina, Ginny retreats to the kitchen. There are, of course, exceptions. In Ntozake Shange’s Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo (1982), cooking celebrates, comforts, and seduces (Calta). This story of three sisters from South Carolina is told through diary entries, narrative, letters, poetry, songs, and spells. Recipes are also found throughout the text: Turkey; Marmalade; Rice; Spinach; Crabmeat; Fish; Sweetbread; Duck; Lamb; and, Asparagus. Anthony Capella’s The Food of Love (2004), a modern retelling of the classic tale of Cyrano de Bergerac, is about the beautiful Laura, a waiter masquerading as a top chef Tommaso, and the talented Bruno who, “thick-set, heavy, and slightly awkward” (21), covers for Tommaso’s incompetency in the kitchen as he, too, falls for Laura. The novel contains recipes and contains considerable information about food: Take fusilli […] People say this pasta was designed by Leonardo da Vinci himself. The spiral fins carry the biggest amount of sauce relative to the surface area, you see? But it only works with a thick, heavy sauce that can cling to the grooves. Conchiglie, on the other hand, is like a shell, so it holds a thin, liquid sauce inside it perfectly (17). Recipes: Dishing Up Death Crime fiction is a genre with a long history of focusing on food; from the theft of food in the novels of the nineteenth century to the utilisation of many different types of food such as chocolate, marmalade, and sweet omelettes to administer poison (Berkeley, Christie, Sayers), the latter vehicle for arsenic receiving much attention in Harriet Vane’s trial in Dorothy L. Sayers’s Strong Poison (1930). The Judge, in summing up the case, states to the members of the jury: “Four eggs were brought to the table in their shells, and Mr Urquhart broke them one by one into a bowl, adding sugar from a sifter [...he then] cooked the omelette in a chafing dish, filled it with hot jam” (14). Prior to what Timothy Taylor has described as the “pre-foodie era” the crime fiction genre was “littered with corpses whose last breaths smelled oddly sweet, or bitter, or of almonds” (online). Of course not all murders are committed in such a subtle fashion. In Roald Dahl’s Lamb to the Slaughter (1953), Mary Maloney murders her policeman husband, clubbing him over the head with a frozen leg of lamb. The meat is roasting nicely when her husband’s colleagues arrive to investigate his death, the lamb is offered and consumed: the murder weapon now beyond the recovery of investigators. Recent years have also seen more and more crime fiction writers present a central protagonist working within the food industry, drawing connections between the skills required for food preparation and those needed to catch a murderer. Working with cooks or crooks, or both, requires planning and people skills in addition to creative thinking, dedication, reliability, stamina, and a willingness to take risks. Kent Carroll insists that “food and mysteries just go together” (Carroll in Calta), with crime fiction website Stop, You’re Killing Me! listing, at the time of writing, over 85 culinary-based crime fiction series, there is certainly sufficient evidence to support his claim. Of the numerous works available that focus on food there are many series that go beyond featuring food and beverages, to present recipes as well as the solving of crimes. These include: the Candy Holliday Murder Mysteries by B. B. Haywood; the Coffeehouse Mysteries by Cleo Coyle; the Hannah Swensen Mysteries by Joanne Fluke; the Hemlock Falls Mysteries by Claudia Bishop; the Memphis BBQ Mysteries by Riley Adams; the Piece of Cake Mysteries by Jacklyn Brady; the Tea Shop Mysteries by Laura Childs; and, the White House Chef Mysteries by Julie Hyzy. The vast majority of offerings within this female dominated sub-genre that has been labelled “Crime and Dine” (Collins online) are American, both in origin and setting. A significant contribution to this increasingly popular formula is, however, from an Australian author Kerry Greenwood. Food features within her famed Phryne Fisher Series with recipes included in A Question of Death (2007). Recipes also form part of Greenwood’s food-themed collection of short crime stories Recipes for Crime (1995), written with Jenny Pausacker. These nine stories, each one imitating the style of one of crime fiction’s greatest contributors (from Agatha Christie to Raymond Chandler), allow readers to simultaneously access mysteries and recipes. 2004 saw the first publication of Earthly Delights and the introduction of her character, Corinna Chapman. This series follows the adventures of a woman who gave up a career as an accountant to open her own bakery in Melbourne. Corinna also investigates the occasional murder. Recipes can be found at the end of each of these books with the Corinna Chapman Recipe Book (nd), filled with instructions for baking bread, muffins and tea cakes in addition to recipes for main courses such as risotto, goulash, and “Chicken with Pineapple 1971 Style”, available from the publisher’s website. Recipes: Integration and Segregation In Heartburn (1983), Rachel acknowledges that presenting a work of fiction and a collection of recipes within a single volume can present challenges, observing: “I see that I haven’t managed to work in any recipes for a while. It’s hard to work in recipes when you’re moving the plot forward” (99). How Rachel tells her story is, however, a reflection of how she undertakes her work, with her own cookbooks being, she admits, more narration than instruction: “The cookbooks I write do well. They’re very personal and chatty–they’re cookbooks in an almost incidental way. I write chapters about friends or relatives or trips or experiences, and work in the recipes peripherally” (17). Some authors integrate detailed recipes into their narratives through description and dialogue. An excellent example of this approach can be found in the Coffeehouse Mystery Series by Cleo Coyle, in the novel On What Grounds (2003). When the central protagonist is being questioned by police, Clare Cosi’s answers are interrupted by a flashback scene and instructions on how to make Greek coffee: Three ounces of water and one very heaped teaspoon of dark roast coffee per serving. (I used half Italian roast, and half Maracaibo––a lovely Venezuelan coffee, named after the country’s major port; rich in flavour, with delicate wine overtones.) / Water and finely ground beans both go into the ibrik together. The water is then brought to a boil over medium heat (37). This provides insight into Clare’s character; that, when under pressure, she focuses her mind on what she firmly believes to be true – not the information that she is doubtful of or a situation that she is struggling to understand. Yet breaking up the action within a novel in this way–particularly within crime fiction, a genre that is predominantly dependant upon generating tension and building the pacing of the plotting to the climax–is an unusual but ultimately successful style of writing. Inquiry and instruction are comfortable bedfellows; as the central protagonists within these works discover whodunit, the readers discover who committed murder as well as a little bit more about one of the world’s most popular beverages, thus highlighting how cookbooks and novels both serve to entertain and to educate. Many authors will save their recipes, serving them up at the end of a story. This can be seen in Julie Hyzy’s White House Chef Mystery novels, the cover of each volume in the series boasts that it “includes Recipes for a Complete Presidential Menu!” These menus, with detailed ingredients lists, instructions for cooking and options for serving, are segregated from the stories and appear at the end of each work. Yet other writers will deploy a hybrid approach such as the one seen in Like Water for Chocolate (1989), where the ingredients are listed at the commencement of each chapter and the preparation for the recipes form part of the narrative. This method of integration is also deployed in The Kitchen Daughter (2011), which sees most of the chapters introduced with a recipe card, those chapters then going on to deal with action in the kitchen. Using recipes as chapter breaks is a structure that has, very recently, been adopted by Australian celebrity chef, food writer, and, now fiction author, Ed Halmagyi, in his new work, which is both cookbook and novel, The Food Clock: A Year of Cooking Seasonally (2012). As people exchange recipes in reality, so too do fictional characters. The Recipe Club (2009), by Andrea Israel and Nancy Garfinkel, is the story of two friends, Lilly Stone and Valerie Rudman, which is structured as an epistolary novel. As they exchange feelings, ideas and news in their correspondence, they also exchange recipes: over eighty of them throughout the novel in e-mails and letters. In The Food of Love (2004), written messages between two of the main characters are also used to share recipes. In addition, readers are able to post their own recipes, inspired by this book and other works by Anthony Capella, on the author’s website. From Page to Plate Some readers are contributing to the burgeoning food tourism market by seeking out the meals from the pages of their favourite novels in bars, cafés, and restaurants around the world, expanding the idea of “map as menu” (Spang 79). In Shannon McKenna Schmidt’s and Joni Rendon’s guide to literary tourism, Novel Destinations (2009), there is an entire section, “Eat Your Words: Literary Places to Sip and Sup”, dedicated to beverages and food. The listings include details for John’s Grill, in San Francisco, which still has on the menu Sam Spade’s Lamb Chops, served with baked potato and sliced tomatoes: a meal enjoyed by author Dashiell Hammett and subsequently consumed by his well-known protagonist in The Maltese Falcon (193), and the Café de la Paix, in Paris, frequented by Ian Fleming’s James Bond because “the food was good enough and it amused him to watch the people” (197). Those wanting to follow in the footsteps of writers can go to Harry’s Bar, in Venice, where the likes of Marcel Proust, Sinclair Lewis, Somerset Maugham, Ernest Hemingway, and Truman Capote have all enjoyed a drink (195) or The Eagle and Child, in Oxford, which hosted the regular meetings of the Inklings––a group which included C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien––in the wood-panelled Rabbit Room (203). A number of eateries have developed their own literary themes such as the Peacocks Tearooms, in Cambridgeshire, which blends their own teas. Readers who are also tea drinkers can indulge in the Sherlock Holmes (Earl Grey with Lapsang Souchong) and the Doctor Watson (Keemun and Darjeeling with Lapsang Souchong). Alternatively, readers may prefer to side with the criminal mind and indulge in the Moriarty (Black Chai with Star Anise, Pepper, Cinnamon, and Fennel) (Peacocks). The Moat Bar and Café, in Melbourne, situated in the basement of the State Library of Victoria, caters “to the whimsy and fantasy of the fiction housed above” and even runs a book exchange program (The Moat). For those readers who are unable, or unwilling, to travel the globe in search of such savoury and sweet treats there is a wide variety of locally-based literary lunches and other meals, that bring together popular authors and wonderful food, routinely organised by book sellers, literature societies, and publishing houses. There are also many cookbooks now easily obtainable that make it possible to re-create fictional food at home. One of the many examples available is The Book Lover’s Cookbook (2003) by Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and Janet Kay Jensen, a work containing over three hundred pages of: Breakfasts; Main & Side Dishes; Soups; Salads; Appetizers, Breads & Other Finger Foods; Desserts; and Cookies & Other Sweets based on the pages of children’s books, literary classics, popular fiction, plays, poetry, and proverbs. If crime fiction is your preferred genre then you can turn to Jean Evans’s The Crime Lover’s Cookbook (2007), which features short stories in between the pages of recipes. There is also Estérelle Payany’s Recipe for Murder (2010) a beautifully illustrated volume that presents detailed instructions for Pigs in a Blanket based on the Big Bad Wolf’s appearance in The Three Little Pigs (44–7), and Roast Beef with Truffled Mashed Potatoes, which acknowledges Patrick Bateman’s fondness for fine dining in Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho (124–7). Conclusion Cookbooks and many popular fiction novels are reflections of each other in terms of creativity, function, and structure. In some instances the two forms are so closely entwined that a single volume will concurrently share a narrative while providing information about, and instruction, on cookery. Indeed, cooking in books is becoming so popular that the line that traditionally separated cookbooks from other types of books, such as romance or crime novels, is becoming increasingly distorted. The separation between food and fiction is further blurred by food tourism and how people strive to experience some of the foods found within fictional works at bars, cafés, and restaurants around the world or, create such experiences in their own homes using fiction-themed recipe books. Food has always been acknowledged as essential for life; books have long been acknowledged as food for thought and food for the soul. 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