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The Role of Scientific Evidence in Canada\u27s West Coast Energy Conflicts
Full text linkWith salience, credibility, and legitimacy as organizing themes, we investigated how opposing communities engaged with scientific information for two contentious proposed energy projects in western Canada, and how their perceptions of science influenced its use in decision-making. The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, to carry diluted bitumen from northern Alberta’s oil sands to tankers on British Columbia’s (BC) south coast, was expected to adversely impact biodiversity and contribute to climate change. The Bute Inlet hydroelectric project, a large renewable energy project planned for BC’s Central Coast, was anticipated to impact biodiversity but was largely seen as climate-friendly. Based on surveys and interviews with 68 participants who had made one or more personal or professional decisions pertaining to the projects, we discovered that values, cultural cognition, and media effects permeated all aspects of using scientific evidence—from commissioning scientific research to selecting, assessing, and weighing it with other forms of information. As a result, science was developed and used to support positions rather than to inform decisions. We discuss ways to improve the use of science in environmental assessments and other planning and development processes where engaged communities are divided by oppositional positions. We hope this research will lead to community-university partnerships that identify broadly salient, credible, and legitimate sources of information about energy and climate issues, and foster knowledge mobilization across conflict divides
2E: Curse or Chemicals: An Examination of Religious Treatment of Mental Illness as Described in Women Talking”
Full text linkThere are innumerable viewpoints that the countless cultures around the world take in regards to mental illness. The Mennonite community, like any other religion, takes an approach that varies through colonies and sects. The book Women Talking by Miriam Toews describes an approach that an orthodox sect in Bolivia stands by, in which mental illness is referred to as a curse or spiritual weakness. One such character, a young woman named Ona, is afflicted with what the book refers to as “Narfa,” which can be plainly seen as anxiety. Ona is often regarded as insane or irrational, unfit to be among society: “She is perceived by most of the colonists to have a gentle disposition and an inability to function in the real world (although in Molotschna that argument is a red herring),” (Toews 28). The negative stigma in regards to Ona’s anxiety is paired with the humiliation and general disgust towards the depression suffered by the narrator, August. Women Talking not only examines the challenges that mental illness itself places on these characters, especially in regards to Ona’s discreditation of her testimony against her rapists, but additionally reveals the shame and guilt that is cast upon the sufferer’s of the illness by the Molotschna colony, and ultimately by religion itself. This research paper will dissect the stance on mental illness that is taken by the Mennonite community as seen through the lens of Women Talking, and thusly investigate the treatment of mental illness by religion as a whole
3L: Participatory Budgeting: Analysis of Institutional Fragility through Crises
No full textIn the 1990s, the Workers’ Party (PT) of Brazil introduced an idea that changed democracy in the country and eventually in the world. Participatory Budgeting (PB) was first introduced in Porto Alegre, a city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS). After its successes in Porto Alegre, the institution spread throughout Brazil, and eventually to the rest of the world. For many years, Participatory Budgeting was celebrated as a revolutionary re-definition of the ways in which democracy can function. In addition, scholars have highlighted its successes (even when noticeably limited) in regards to wealth redistribution and decreasing poverty around the globe. However, recent political, economic, and health crises in Brazilian and the world have affected the functioning of PB. Thus, the present study asks whether these crises had a positive or negative effect in the survival and effectiveness of these participatory institutions. The research will focus on cases from Brazilian municipalities but will also compare their results to those of other cities in the world.
Keywords: participatory budgeting, democracy, Workers’ Party, COVID-19, crises, Brazil, Porto Alegre, participation
23. The Effects of Low Frequency Ultrasound on Pseudomonas aeruginosa Pathogenicity Factors
No full textPseudomonas aeruginosa is a common bacterium found in wound infections and is becoming increasingly difficult to treat. P. aeruginosa is naturally resistant to many antibiotics due to several factors including its efflux pumps as well as the alginate matrix surrounding each cell. This species is also known to form biofilms which increases its resistance to antibiotics and can be problematic in antimicrobial chemotherapy and wound care. Low frequency ultrasound (LFU) wound irrigation devices (35 kHz) convert electrical energy into mechanical energy via resonance while using sterile saline as the transduction medium. Previous work has shown that these devices can cause mechanical cell death of pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus. Due to these findings, exposing P. aeruginosa to the energy from an LFU wound irrigation device may also make them more susceptible to antibiotics including aztreonam, cefepime, and gentamicin, which are specifically used in the treatment of P. aeruginosa infections. In our work, exposure to the ultrasound energy resulted in a gradation of cell death and increased susceptibility to the previously mentioned antibiotics. Out of five time exposures, 15 second intervals (15-75 seconds), we observed a constant increase in antibiotic susceptibility and cell death. Seventy-five second exposure yielded the highest kill rate as well as the largest zones of inhibition. These results provide a theoretical framework that could be employed in future treatment of P. aeruginosa infections by decreasing antibiotic resistance and reducing treatment duration
09. Molecular characterization of songbird Mycoplasma gallisepticum isolates
No full textMycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is a pathogenic bacterium that infects respiratory organs and causes infectious sinusitis and conjunctivitis in both wild and domestic avian populations. Previous research by our group evaluated the effectiveness of detecting MG in songbirds using Flinders Technology Associates filter paper (FTAⓇ cards). Our research found them to be as reliable and more cost effective than traditional tissue sampling methods. Our goal for this project is to sequence the positive samples and be able to better understand the molecular differences in MG strains between songbirds and other avian species. Sequencing will be carried out by first cleaning DNA samples to acquire pure PCR products using Qiagen’s PCR amplicon clean-up kit. Following clean-up the pure PCR products will be sent for sequencing to GENEWIZ. The results from GENEWIZ will be analyzed by us using MEGA-X, where we can compare similarities or differences between our strains to known isolates
27. Nature Book Walk for Elementary-Aged Students
No full textBecause of recent events and limitations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students are having less and less time to be able to read. At Long Branch Elementary School, the children are only permitted a restricted time to visit the library, which could potentially cause them to show disinterest towards reading or potentially simulate lower academic success. Even with a pandemic occurring, it is critical that these students get the reading time that they need to keep their brain active. By creating an outdoor reading space where COVID guidelines are less restrictive, the children may be able to start reading more often. This reading space at Long Branch Elementary School would consist of a series of pages mounted on podiums, forming a pathway for a themed “book walk” along a nature trail. Not only would this activity allow students to be less restricted by COVID guidelines, but it would also get the kids to go outside and be more physically active. Studies have shown that physical activity can help an individual’s academic achievements, and children usually thrive when they get to go outside of the classroom. This project could be an activity that a teacher uses during their class time or it could be something that the students partake in instead of going to the library. The main idea is that this group experience will help students build on their motor skills and their cognitive skills, all while engaging the children in readings that will increase their overall academic success.
Keywords: COVID-19, elementary education, book walk, academic success, outdoor class activitie
12. Mag Stripe Hacking: Exposing the Fatal Flaw with Student ID Cards
No full textWhile badge cloning is an issue for magnetic cards, the fatal flaw is often the person holding the card who swipes without thinking. Student IDs act as a form of identification and serve many functions at the University of North Georgia. Students use their IDs when accessing their meal plan, Campus Cash, Dining Dollars, and even for authenticating at club events and resident halls. Faculty members also use their university IDs when accessing faculty-only areas in addition to the use of hard keys.
This paper contains an overview of magnetic stripe cards and their track formats, the information stored on each of the three tracks on the student ID, and which tracks of information within the card are required for use in varying scenarios. This goal is achieved by creating partial card clones and exploring the use of those card on the various systems which use them. This research also outlines the steps needed to carry out a badge cloning attack. The research process flow begins with the initial credential harvesting process using a standard card reader. Then, parsing and managing the stolen credentials using a database. Finally, ending the cloning process by writing the stolen credentials to a new blank card. Included in the research is a survey of the student body using the results to gauge the effectiveness of this proposed attack. Concluding this paper will be potential security recommendations to prevent and mitigate this attack