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Community well-being: The impacts of inequality, racism and environment on a Brazilian coastal slum
Get PDFPublished versionThis article applies the 3-dimensional well-being lens (based on material, relational and subjective dimensions of well-being) to examine the factors that affect well-being in a slum community (Vila dos Pescadores, in the city of Cubatão, Southeast Brazil). This well-being framework proves useful in understanding how community well-being is impacted by several negative factors: the perceptions of slums, the presence of systemic racism and growing inequality, and a range of environmental impacts arising from industrial and urban pollution, and environmental disasters. Within this mix of environmental and social impacts are links between poverty and exposure to environmental hazards, and effects of environmental racism. On the positive side, these threats to community well-being are countered to some extent through targeted measures carried out by the community association and its partnerships, and through beneficial governmental policy measures. Together, these responses help to reduce the detrimental effects of an unhealthy and dangerous environment, and of social concerns such as exclusion, poverty, urbanization and inequality. Key to the success of response measures are the contributions of the community leadership to improve the well-being of slum-dwellers by counterbalancing the effects of racism and social inequality, and implementing social programs and community facilities, thereby filling the gaps created by a lack of state support to slums. These actions illustrate what impoverished communities can do to improve livelihoods and well-being, and to combat problems such as environmental degradation and racial discrimination. This article also draws lessons for improving well-being analysis, particularly in slum communities, through a greater focus on (1) collective well-being and a community-focused view of well-being, (2) impacts of racism and inequality, and (3) interactions between community well-being and community leadership
Haida Gwaii (British Columbia, Canada): a Phanerozoic analogue of a subduction-unrelated Archean greenstone belt
Get PDFPublished versionUnderstanding the formation and evolution of Precambrian greenstone belts is hampered by gaps in the rock record and the uncertainty of the tectonic regime that was operating at the time. Thus identifying a modern analogue of a Precambrian greenstone belt can be problematic. In this paper we present geological, geochemical and petrological evidence outlining the case for Haida Gwaii (British Columbia, Canada) as a modern example of a greenstone belt. Haida Gwaii is comprised of two rift-related volcano-sedimentary sequences. The older (Early Triassic) Karmutsen volcanic sequence consists of subaqueous ultramafic-mafic volcanic rocks that are capped by marine carbonate and siliciclastic rocks. The younger (Paleogene) Masset bimodal volcanic sequence consists of tholeiitic and calc-alkaline basalt along with calc-alkaline silicic volcanic and intrusive rocks that are capped by epiclastic sandstones. The Karmutsen and Masset volcanic rocks have indistinguishable Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes demonstrating they were derived from a similar mantle source. Some of the Masset calc-alkaline rocks are compositionally similar to magnesian andesites (SiO2 = 56–64 wt%; Mg# = 0.50–0.64) that are typical of subduction-related Archean greenstone belts. We show that the calc-alkaline signature observed in the bimodal sequence of the Masset Formation is likely due to fractional crystallization of a tholeiitic parental magma under relatively oxidizing (ΔFMQ + 0.7) conditions indicating that a calc-alkaline signature is not prima facie evidence of a subduction setting. Given the geological and geochemical evidence, Haida Gwaii represents one of the best analogues of a modern subduction-unrelated Archean greenstone belt
First Spectroscopy of the Near Drip-line Nucleus <sup>40</sup>Mg
No full textAccepted versionOne of the most exotic light neutron-rich nuclei currently accessible for experimental study is 40Mg, which lies at the intersection of the nucleon magic number N=28 and the neutron drip line. Low-lying excited states of 40Mg have been studied for the first time following a one-proton removal reaction from 41Al, performed at the RIBF RIKEN with the DALI2 γ-ray array and the Zero-Degree spectrometer. Two γ-ray transitions were observed, suggesting an excitation spectrum that shows unexpected properties as compared to both the systematics along the Z=12, N≥20  Mg isotopes and available state-of-the-art theoretical model predictions. A possible explanation for the observed structure involves weak-binding effects in the low-lying excitation spectrum
Beckett, Censorship and the Problem of Parody
Get PDFPublished versionIn a forceful critique of previous scholarship, Lloyd (Meadhbh) Houston discerns evidence of “sectarian eugenicism” in Beckett’s writings. It is a startling claim, and there are problems to it. In particular, I suggest, Houston ignores the issue of tone: Beckett’s use of parody. Responding to Houston’s critique, I offer some thoughts on eugenicism, sectarianism and misogyny in Murphy and First Love. The aim is not to exculpate Beckett from all charges of prejudice, only to complicate issues of complicity in a theocratic hetero-patriarchal society
Toward Sustainable Environmental Quality: Priority Research Questions for North America
Get PDFPublished versionAnticipating, identifying, and prioritizing strategic needs represent essential activities by research organizations. Decided benefits emerge when these pursuits engage globally important environment and health goals, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. To this end, horizon scanning efforts can facilitate identification of specific research needs to address grand challenges. We report and discuss 40 priority research questions following engagement of scientists and engineers in North America. These timely questions identify the importance of stimulating innovation and developing new methods, tools, and concepts in environmental chemistry and toxicology to improve assessment and management of chemical contaminants and other diverse environmental stressors. Grand challenges to achieving sustainable management of the environment are becoming increasingly complex and structured by global megatrends, which collectively challenge existing sustainable environmental quality efforts. Transdisciplinary, systems-based approaches will be required to define and avoid adverse biological effects across temporal and spatial gradients. Similarly, coordinated research activities among organizations within and among countries are necessary to address the priority research needs reported here. Acquiring answers to these 40 research questions will not be trivial, but doing so promises to advance sustainable environmental quality in the 21st century
Characterization of Pancreatic Cancer Tissue Using Multiphoton Excitation Fluorescence and Polarization-Sensitive Harmonic Generation Microscopy
Get PDFPublished versionThin tissue sections of normal and tumorous pancreatic tissues stained with hematoxylin and eosin were investigated using multiphoton excitation fluorescence (MPF), second harmonic generation (SHG), and third harmonic generation (THG) microscopies. The cytoplasm, connective tissue, collagen and extracellular structures are visualized with MPF due to the eosin stain, whereas collagen is imaged with endogenous SHG contrast that does not require staining. Cellular structures, including membranous interfaces and nuclear components, are seen with THG due to the aggregation of hematoxylin dye. Changes in the collagen ultrastructure in pancreatic cancer were investigated by a polarization-sensitive SHG microscopy technique, polarization-in, polarization-out (PIPO) SHG. This involves measuring the orientation of the linear polarization of the SHG signal as a function of the linear polarization orientation of the incident laser radiation. From the PIPO SHG data, the second-order non-linear optical susceptibility ratio, χ(2)zzz'/χ(2)zxx', was obtained that serves as a structural parameter for characterizing the tissue. Furthermore, by assuming C6 symmetry, an additional second-order non-linear optical susceptibility ratio, χ(2)xyz'/χ(2)zxx', was obtained, which is a measure of the chirality of the collagen fibers. Statistically-significant differences in the χ(2)zzz'/χ(2)zxx' values were found between tumor and normal pancreatic tissues in periductal, lobular, and parenchymal regions, whereas statistically-significant differences in the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of χ(2)xyz'/χ(2)zxx' occurrence histograms were found between tumor and normal pancreatic tissues in periductal and parenchymal regions. Additionally, the PIPO SHG data were used to determine the degree of linear polarization (DOLP) of the SHG signal, which indicates the relative linear depolarization of the signal. Statistically-significant differences in DOLP values were found between tumor and normal pancreatic tissues in periductal and parenchymal regions. Hence, the differences observed in the χ(2)zzz'/χ(2)zxx' values, the FWHM of χ(2)xyz'/χ(2)zxx' values and the DOLP values could potentially be used to aid pathologists in diagnosing pancreatic cancer
Bulk compositional analysis of quartz–hosted fluid inclusions from the South Mountain Batholith, Nova Scotia
Get PDFxv, 257 leaves : illustrations (some colour), colour maps ; 29 cmIncludes abstract and appendices.Includes bibliographical references.The objective of this research is to further develop and assess the evaporate mound analysis protocol as an exploration tool, and apply the methodology to a batholith–wide survey of secondary quartz–hosted fluid inclusions in the mineralised South Mountain Batholith (SMB) of Nova Scotia. Results indicate a multi–element (Cl, Na, Ca, K, F, S, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Pb) diversity in hydrothermal fluids hosted in felsic intrusive bodies sampled at a regional scale. Significant was the detection of F (avg. 23 wt. % of the total mound) as an anion in many evaporate mounds, and novel is its widespread occurrence in barren areas. Contact–style, or fault–related, mineralisation associated with externally–derived fluids is recognizable in regional–scale (i.e., 1 sample per 100 km2) application of evaporate mound analysis, but an equivalent hydrothermal/magmatic signature in the bulk composition of fluid inclusions, at the regional–scale of observation, eludes detection despite an exhaustive analytical protocol and sampling density throughout various phases of the SMB
Biphenyl substituted cyclopentadienyl ligand complexes
Get PDF1 online resource (71 p.) : illustrations (some colour)Includes abstract and appendix.Includes bibliographical references (p. 57-60).The synthesis of biphenyl substituted cyclopentadienyl ligands are described. The synthetic route
is accomplished through the reaction of aryl lithium reagents with cobaltocenium salts, followed
by oxidation of the intermediate cobalt(I) species to give the corresponding cyclopentadiene.
Detailed information on their preparation, structural, and spectroscopic properties are described.
A preliminary reaction towards the biphenyl substituted cyclopentadienyl ligand complexes
yielding the corresponding alkali metal salt (K) is also described. Its structural and spectroscopic
properties are described briefly
Developing collaboratively a model of integration for asylum-seeking women in Greece
Get PDF147 leaves : colour illustrations ; 29 cmIncludes abstract and appendices.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 140-147).This thesis focuses on understanding the integration needs of asylum-seeking women in Greece, by developing collaboratively recommendations for a new integration model, using the strategies of the Canadian refugee resettlement system as a point of departure.
Through feminist action research in Greece, I explore the women’s own journeys to accessing better services for resettlement. Through focus group and workshop sessions, we embark upon a joint project of conceptualizing a resettlement system that better addresses the women’s needs.
Key findings indicate that successful integration of female asylum seekers in Greece is limited when there is a lack of access to information on the asylum process and limited availability of integration programs.
Overall, I conclude that, although the Canadian context and logistics of refugee integration is very different, there are useful Canadian resettlement policies which could be adapted to the Greek asylum-seeking integration framework to help solve some of these issues
Exploring women and adolescent girls’ attitudes and experiences with child and maternal health in Uganda
Get PDF106 leaves : illustrations, map ; 29 cmIncludes abstract and appendices.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-82).This research aims to better understand women and adolescent girls’ attitudes and experiences towards child and maternal health and education. It examines education through formal health services and education, as well as informal, community-led initiatives helping to improve child and maternal health and education outreach. Educating young women about communicable and non-communicable diseases and the health risks involved in childbirth and neonatal development will help women make informed decisions, which should ultimately reduce mortality. Thus if young women decide to become pregnant, the goal is that they have the information and tools to better care for their own health and sanitation during pregnancy, as well as during newborn development