Muddy waters and the Wadden Sea harbours

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eekelen, van E.; Baptist, M.J.; Dankers, P.; Grasmeijer, B.T.; Kessel, van T.; Maren, van D.S.

2016-01-01

Several harbours along the Dutch Wadden Sea deal with large siltation rates and limited possibilities for developments. However, development of new harbour activities is needed for these harbours to be able to survive in the long run. As these harbours lie in or close to areas with a protected

Toronto green roof construction standard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aster, D.

2007-01-01

Toronto City Council adopted a green roof strategy in February 2006. This paper reviewed the by-law governing the strategy as well as the work in progress to develop minimum standards for the design and construction of green roofs in Toronto. The strategy included a series of recommendations regarding the installation of green roofs on city buildings; a pilot grant program; using the development process to encourage green roofs; and, public education and promotion. It was noted that compared to Europe, the development of standards for green roofs in North America is in its early stages. As an emerging sustainable technology, there currently are no standards incorporated into Ontario's Building Code against which Toronto can measure the design and construction of green roofs. Therefore this paper included an analysis detailing how the recommended design requirements were able to support the City's green roof policy objectives and integrate the performance criteria for green roofs previously established and supported by Toronto City Council. The key policy objectives of the City's green roof strategy were to reduce the urban heat island effect; to address stormwater management implications in terms of quality and quantity; to improve the energy budgets of individual buildings; and, to improve air quality

The reconstruction of Amerongen Castle (1673-1685

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruud Meischke

2011-02-01

Full Text Available The proceedings during the reconstruction of Amerongen castle in the years 1673-1685 were exceptionally well-documented thanks to the extensive correspondence of the client Godert Adriaan van Reede with his wife Margaretha Turnor, his son, his secretary and his friend Johan Maurits van Nassau-Siegen, and thanks to some well-preserved reports and drawings of the building contractor Hendrick Schut. From the start the client had probably formed a idea of his new castle; its design, however, was supervised by Schut, who was also the building contractor and master carpenter of the work, assisted by the master mason Cornelis van Rietvelt and the stone mason Jan Prang. In February 1673 the castle was set fire to by French troops and completely destroyed. From September 1673 Van Reede himself was in the Netherlands for a few years and could therefore prepare the reconstruction in person and supervise the start of the work. First it was mostly a matter of clearing rubble and chiselling off all the still usable bricks. In spite of permanent financial problems he succeeded in keeping up the pace. In the autumn of 1676, two years after the commencement of the work, the shell of the building was completed. While the interior was worked at in stages during the subsequent years, from 1679 the stable building and the two staff residences were also erected on the outer bailey. With the placing of the marble chimneys in the large hall in 1685 the work was largely completed. Although the old foundations were used for the reconstruction, a completely new building, with a new plan was created, to some extent based on the example of The Hague Mauritshuis. Instead of a complex of four wings around an inner courtyard, a closed three-nave building block was constructed. This switch to a completely different type of house fits in with a wider tradition in the development of castle architecture in the Province of Utrecht in the seventeenth century. The history of

KINETIC ALGORITHMS FOR HARBOUR MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. M. Gold

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Modern harbour management for a busy port needs to resolve a variety of simultaneous problems. Harbour traffic may be busy and the waterways congested, both by the major shipping and by the attendant harbour tugs. The harbour channel may be narrow and tortuous, and rapidly changing tides may require frequent course adjustments. Navigation aids must be clearly specified and immediately identifiable, in order to permit safe passage for the vessels. This requires a GIS with attributes not easily available with traditional products. The GeoVS system is a kinetic GIS with full three-dimensional visualisation, so that ships, bathymetry and landscape may be viewed in a form that is immediately understandable to both harbour pilots and the harbour authority. The system is kinetic because the data structures used to preserve the topological relationships between ships, seafloor and coastline are able to be maintained on a real-time basis, taking account of ship movement recorded on the compulsory AIS (Automatic Information System beacons. Maintenance of this real-time topology allows for easy detection of potential collisions, as well as real-time bathymetric estimations, necessary to prevent ship grounding in highly tidal environments. The system, based on previous research into kinetic Voronoi diagrams, as well as development of a completely new graphical engine, is now in commercial production, where its advantages over simpler twodimensional models without automatic collision and grounding detection are becoming evident. Other applications are readily envisaged, and will be addressed in the near future.

Accessibility of tourist sites to persons with disability: the case of Cape Coast and Elmina Castles in Ghana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorreta Offei

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The term accessibility is used in the context of providing equal opportunity to enter into an environment. Much is not known about the accessibility of tourist sites such as castles and forts to people with disabilities. This study sought to examine the accessibility of the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles to people with disabilities through a qualitative approach which involved in-depth interviews and photovoice to collect data. The study revealed that the castles are inaccessible. Though ramps, spacious pathways and handrails in washrooms existed, there was however, no mutual relation between the design of the castles and the concept of accessibility as defined by the Disability Act. The creation of awareness on the rights of the disabled to participate in the tour of castles can perhaps draw the attention of local government authorities and other relevant stakeholders to effect the necessary changes.

Diana Wynne Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle (1986) or the Story of a New Mythology

OpenAIRE

Seda Yavaş

2015-01-01

Diana Wynne Jones’s Howl’s Moving Castle (1986) or The Story of a New Mythology Abstract  This paper focuses upon Diana Wynne Jones’s 1986 fantasy novel Howl’s Moving Castle, part of the trilogy including Castle in the Air (1990) and House of Many Ways (2008). Taking place in a utopian land, the story creates a new mythology built upon magic, objects coming to life, no space boundaries and the search for eternal life and the perfect human. As a consequence, the paper will deal with th...

Toronto Smog Summit Report Card

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

This 'report card' provides a summary of actions taken, and progress achieved by the federal government, the provincial government and the City of Toronto, respectively, in response to various previous commitments regarding air quality, sustainable transportation, climate and atmospheric research, investing in green infrastructure (federal government), environmental assessment regulations, transboundary air pollution, improved monitoring and reporting regulations. Ratings also cover efforts in imposing emissions caps on the electric industry, emissions reduction trading system, toll-free public air pollution hotline, regulation of ozone depleting substances (provincial government), public education campaign on smog reduction, energy efficiency initiatives, corporate smog alert response plan, and a number of other environmental issues (City of Toronto)

In vivo neutron activation at Toronto 1967-1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrison, J.E.; McNeill, K.G.

1986-01-01

Since the inception of work on in vivo neutron activation analysis at Toronto in 1967, the project has grown until these procedures are in routine diagnostic use at the Toronto General Hospital. Approximately 300 calcium tests and 600 nitrogen tests are carried out each year. Cadmium tests are also available. (author)

The capture of the Marienwerder Castle, or where the Teutonic Order’s expansion to the East was stopped

OpenAIRE

Vytenis Almonaitis

2017-01-01

The capture of the Marienwerder Castle, or where the Teutonic Order’s expansion to the East was stopped This paper analyzes the construction, features, and significance of the Marienwerder castle, and its capture by Lithuanian forces in 1384. Located in what is now Kaunas, the castle represented the furthest eastern point of the Teutonic Order’s penetration into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. As the sparse historiography on it suggests, the event seems to have been overlooked by contempora...

Coding Theory and Applications : 4th International Castle Meeting

CERN Document Server

Malonek, Paula; Vettori, Paolo

2015-01-01

The topics covered in this book, written by researchers at the forefront of their field, represent some of the most relevant research areas in modern coding theory: codes and combinatorial structures, algebraic geometric codes, group codes, quantum codes, convolutional codes, network coding and cryptography. The book includes a survey paper on the interconnections of coding theory with constrained systems, written by an invited speaker, as well as 37 cutting-edge research communications presented at the 4th International Castle Meeting on Coding Theory and Applications (4ICMCTA), held at the Castle of Palmela in September 2014. The event’s scientific program consisted of four invited talks and 39 regular talks by authors from 24 different countries. This conference provided an ideal opportunity for communicating new results, exchanging ideas, strengthening international cooperation, and introducing young researchers into the coding theory community.

The Torre de los Secretos in the context of Baena Castle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Manuel López Osorio

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The text addresses the structural consolidation carried out on the Torre de los Secretos of Baena Castle (Cordoba, as part of the restoration works planned for the castle complex. The intervention began with a comprehensive preliminary study that made it possible to glean rigorous knowledge of the materials and traditional building methods. The structural consolidation of this fabric, a mixture of masonry and rammed earth, was performed by means of a simple timber mesh system that remained concealed once the works were completed. The works also included the repair of the walls, showing the greatest possible respect for the existing materials and conserving the original textures and shapes.

Toronto air quality index health links analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pengelly, D [McMaster Inst. of Environment and Health, Hamilton, ON (Canada); Campbell, M; Macfarlane, R; Li-Muller, A [Toronto Public Health, ON (Canada)

2001-10-01

Based on data acquired in the year 1995, Toronto Public Health published a report called Air Pollution Burden of Illness in Toronto. In that report, it was estimated that up to 1000 Toronto residents die prematurely each year while another 5500 are admitted to hospitals due to six smog-related air pollutants. In the present document, the authors examined the air quality classifications of the Ontario Air Quality Index (AQI) in an attempt to determine whether the values adequately reflect the state of air quality and the associated burden of illness in Toronto. After careful examination of the results, it became apparent that 92 per cent of the premature mortality and hospitalization took place at times when the Air Quality Index was in the very good or good range. At times when the Air Quality Index was in the moderate or poor-very poor range, an estimated 8 per cent of the burden of illness occurred. These results indicate that the concentration range of a pollutant used to classify the good and very good categories is not always in agreement with the pollutant levels responsible for the adverse health effects. As demonstrated by this study, the air quality associated with the very good or good range described by the AQI is responsible for negative health effects in Toronto, and are lower than the provincial criteria of Ontario. The air quality conditions that may have an impact on health are not always correctly identified by the current AQI system. The authors are recommending a review of the provincial criteria for several air pollutants, and the current AQI system needs to be modified. 16 refs., tabs., figs.

Source of Aegean Sea harbour porpoises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lockyer, Christina; Rosel, P. E.; Frantzis, A.

2003-01-01

Documented sightings of harbour porpoises in the Mediterranean are rare, although the species is common in the neighbouring North Atlantic and Black Sea. However, in the past 2 decades, 4 harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena have been recorded in the northern Aegean Sea in the eastern Mediterranea...

The measures of the castle San Felice a Cancello

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Rossi

2015-07-01

Full Text Available  Geometric logic characterizes the function and standard structure of the castles built under Frederick II: a square form with four square towers inserted at the summit. Any changes made have been few and slight, all intended to optimize the adaption of the structure to the site. However, the Matinale Castle in San Felice a Cancello, province of Caserta, in the region of Campania, represents an innovative exception. The study of the ruins confirms a rather singular guiding principle: the position and shape of the foundations of the towers allowed them to halve the number of the inevitable sectors used for flank defence. This solution anticipates by more than two centuries the advent of the bastion, the key element of the trace italienne or star fort. In order to fully comprehend this sophisticated concept, unique of its type, for a restoration was made aware of the critical survey.

Solar energy heating system design package for a single-family residence at New Castle, Pennsylvania

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1977-08-01

The design of a solar heating and hot water system for the New Castle Redevelopment Authority's single-family dwelling located at New Castle, Pennsylvania is described. Documentation submitted by the contractor for Government review of plans, specifications, cost trade studies and verification status for approval to commit the system to fabrication is presented. Also included are system integration drawings, major subsystems drawings, and architect's specifications and plans.

Ringling School of Art and Design Builds a CASTLE.

Science.gov (United States)

Morse, Yvonne; Davis, Wendy

1984-01-01

Describes the development and installation of the Computer Automated Software for the Total Library Environment System (CASTLE), which uses a microcomputer to automate operations of small academic library in six main areas: circulation, online catalog, inventory and file maintenance, audiovisual equipment, accounting, and information and…

Dynamics and conceptual model of the Rossena castle landslide (Northern Apennines, Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Chelli, A.; Mandrone, G.; Ruffini, A.; Truffelli, G.

2005-11-01

In the Northern Apennines there are many historical villages and castles, which are of great value and represent a cultural heritage of great importance. Their presence within a territory greatly affected by landslide hazards creates, in many circumstances, the need to solve problems of land management and to act for the preservation of historical monuments. This paper describe an interesting landslide, failed during the night of 28 February 2004, that involved the village of Rossena: the failure damaged the village (Fig. 1), the road and the fields down to the stream but, fortunately, the castle just upslope the village was not involved at all. The 10th century massive castle of Rossena stands on the top of a cliff at about 500 m a.s.l., on the border between the provinces of Parma and Reggio Emilia, and it is surrounded by a small ancient village. The castle of Rossena is the best preserved stronghold of the Longobard times, enlarged and reinforced in the tenth century and partially rebuilt by Bonifacio, the father of Matilda of Canossa (the Vice-Queen of Italy and probably the most important woman in the Middle Ages) as a defensive structure guarding the Enza Valley. In addition, at Conossa, very close to Rossena, there was the meeting between Pope Gregory VII and the Emperor of Germany Henry IV, during the historical event known as "fight for the investitures". For these reasons, the area of Rossena is one of the most relevant from a historical point of view in the entire western part of the Emilia Romagna Region and it also has a high value as a geosite (Coratza et al., 2004).

Christian IV's Winter Room and Studiolo at Rosenborg Castle

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wadum, Jørgen

2015-01-01

An account of the creation of the highly decorated ensemble forming the Winter Room and the Writing Room, Christian 4s private quarters at Rosenborg Castle. Art historical, technical analysis reveals new evidence on the working practice of Danish and Antwerp artists and craftsmen in the first...

Carcinoma Showing Thymus-Like Differentiation (CASTLE of Thyroid: A Case Report and Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leong-Perng Chan

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Carcinoma showing thymus-like differentiation (CASTLE is a rare malignant neoplasm that occurs in the thyroid gland, or head and neck. This tumor arises from either ectopic thymus tissue or remnants of branchial pouches, which retain the potential to differentiate along the thymus line. Clinical presentation and imaging can be consistent with a malignant lesion such as thyroid cancer or thymic carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining with CD5 can differentiate CASTLE from other malignant thyroid neoplasms. A 54-year-old male had initially presented with a painless, left neck mass for 3 months. He underwent left thyroid lobectomy via a median sternotomy approach. Carcinoma showing thymus-like differentiation was the final histopathologic diagnosis. After 36 months of follow-up, no evidence of recurrence was observed. A median sternotomy is an excellent approach for CASTLE with anterior mediastinum involvement. Complete resection is important to improve the long-term survival rate and the locoregional recurrence rate.

Toronto 2001 Inter-governmental Declaration on Clean Air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-01-01

This formal declaration commits the municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area, the provincial government of Ontario, and the federal government in Ottawa to undertake certain specific actions to improve air quality in their respective areas of jurisdiction, recognizing the validity of claims made by experts in numerous studies, linking air pollution to premature deaths, illnesses and hospitalization in major Canadian cities. The declaration also recognizes the validity of scientific claims as to the relationship between solar radiation, ambient heat, ground level ozone and global climate change, and the role played in air pollution by fossil fuel combustion. The Declaration calls for cooperation of all governments operating in the Greater Toronto Area to take inter-governmental actions to improve air quality by following up on key issues identified at annual Summits and by supporting the planning of future Summits, by working together with the Toronto Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games to ensure that the 2008 Olympic Games will contribute to a legacy of clean air for the Toronto region, and by implementing a social marketing campaign to help householders reduce both home energy use and vehicle kilometres travelled by 20 per cent. Beyond these inter-governmental commitments, special commitments of individual municipalities, and the provincial and federal governments also form part of the Declaration

SECURITY SYSTEMS FOR MARITIME HARBOUR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Georgică SLĂMNOIU

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Infrastructure protection objectives are at the top of the agenda of those responsible in the European Union. Currently Romania is one of the countries on its eastern border of the Union and this has special implications in terms of security measures that are required to be implemented. Ships and harbours are important current conflict stage. An integrated system of protection of harbours must be prepared in advance in order to continuously provide information that will increase the overall performance of the intervention forces.

Dynamics and conceptual model of the Rossena castle landslide (Northern Apennines, Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Chelli

2005-01-01

Full Text Available In the Northern Apennines there are many historical villages and castles, which are of great value and represent a cultural heritage of great importance. Their presence within a territory greatly affected by landslide hazards creates, in many circumstances, the need to solve problems of land management and to act for the preservation of historical monuments. This paper describe an interesting landslide, failed during the night of 28 February 2004, that involved the village of Rossena: the failure damaged the village (Fig. 1, the road and the fields down to the stream but, fortunately, the castle just upslope the village was not involved at all. The 10th century massive castle of Rossena stands on the top of a cliff at about 500 m a.s.l., on the border between the provinces of Parma and Reggio Emilia, and it is surrounded by a small ancient village. The castle of Rossena is the best preserved stronghold of the Longobard times, enlarged and reinforced in the tenth century and partially rebuilt by Bonifacio, the father of Matilda of Canossa (the Vice-Queen of Italy and probably the most important woman in the Middle Ages as a defensive structure guarding the Enza Valley. In addition, at Conossa, very close to Rossena, there was the meeting between Pope Gregory VII and the Emperor of Germany Henry IV, during the historical event known as 'fight for the investitures'. For these reasons, the area of Rossena is one of the most relevant from a historical point of view in the entire western part of the Emilia Romagna Region and it also has a high value as a geosite (Coratza et al., 2004.  

Hydrology of Alkali Creek and Castle Valley Ridge coal-lease tracts, central Utah, and potential effects of coal mining

Science.gov (United States)

Seiler, R.L.; Baskin, R.L.

1988-01-01

The Alkali Creek coal-lease tract includes about 2,150 acres in the Book Cliffs coal field in central Utah, and the Castle Valley Ridge coal-lease tract includes about 3,360 acres in the Wasatch Plateau coal field, also in central Utah. Both the Alkali Creek and Castle Valley Ridge coal-lease tracts are near areas where coal is currently (1987) mined by underground methods from the Cretaceous Blackhawk Formation. The Alkali Creek and Castle Valley Ridge areas have intermittent streams in which flow after snowmelt runoff is locally sustained into midsummer by springflow. The only perennial stream is South Fork Corner Canyon Creek in the Castle Valley Ridge area. Peak flow in both areas generally is from snowmelt runoff; however, peak flow from thunderstorm runoff in the Alkali Creek area can exceed that from snowmelt runoff. Estimated annual source-area sediment yield was 0.5 acre-ft/sq mi in the Alkali Creek lease tract and it was 0.3 acre-ft/sq mi in the Castle Valley Ridge lease tract. Groundwater in the Alkali Creek area occurs in perched aquifers in the Flagstaff Limestone and in other formations above the coal-bearing Blackhawk Formation. The principal source of recharge to the aquifers is snowmelt on outcrops. Faults may be major conduits and control the movement of groundwater. Groundwater discharges at formation contacts, between zones of differing permeability within a formation, near faults and into mines. Water sampled from 13 springs in the Alkali Creek area contained dissolved solids at concentrations ranging from 273 to 5,210 mg/L. Water sampled from 17 springs in the Castle Valley Ridge area contained dissolved solids at concentrations ranging from 208 to 579 mg/L. The composition of water from a recently abandoned part of an active mine the Wasatch Plateau closely resembles that of water discharging from a nearby mine that has been abandoned for more than 30 years. Mining of the Alkali Creek and Castle Valley Ridge coal-lease tracts likely will

Eesti Kunstnike Koondis Torontos...

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2008-01-01

Eesti Kunstnike Koondis Torontos andis 2008. a. seitsmendat korda välja Margaret Kevendi nimelise stipendiumi, mille Eesti Kunstiakadeemiast pälvisid maalikunsti magistrant Saskia Järve ning maali- ja fotokunsti magistrant Flo Kasearu, Tartu Kõrgemast Kunstikoolist mööbli ja mööbli restaureerimise tudeng Karl Annus ning meedia- ja reklaamikunsti tudeng Kristjan Nagla

St. George at Prague Castle and Perseus: an Impossible Encounter?

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bažant, Jan

2015-01-01

Roč. 19, 1/2 (2015), s. 189-201 ISSN 1212-5865 Institutional support: RVO:67985955 Keywords : Bellerophon * St. George * iconography * Prague Castle * classical tradition Subject RIV: AB - History http://studiahercynia.ff.cuni.cz/wp-content/uploads/sites/79/2016/05/jan_bazant_189-201.pdf

Gothic green glazed tile from Malbork Castle: Multi-analytical study

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Svorová Pawełkowicz, S.; Rohanová, D.; Svora, Petr

2017-01-01

Roč. 5, č. 1 (2017), č. článku 27. ISSN 2050-7445 Institutional support: RVO:61388980 Keywords : Antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) * Green glazed tile * Malbork Castle * Medieval technology * Opacifiers * Silica-lead glaze Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry OBOR OECD: Inorganic and nuclear chemistry

Transfer pricing and safe harbours

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veronika Solilová

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Transfer prices are significant for both taxpayers and tax administrations because they determine in large part taxable profits of associated enterprises in different tax jurisdictions. Moreover, in the context of taxation, transfer prices must be complied with the arm’s length principle. However, Multinational Enterprises have been faced daily by conflicting rules and approaches to applying the arm’s length principle, burdensome documentation requirements, inconsistent audit standards and unpredictable competent authority outcomes. Therefore, the Committee on Fiscal Affairs launched another project on the administrative aspects of transfer pricing in 2010. On 16 May 2013 as a partial solution of this project was approved by the OECD Council the Revised Section E on Safe Harbours in Chapter IV of the Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Authorities. The paper is focused on significant changes of newly approved chapter IV of the Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Authorities, further on analysis of practice in this area, on advantages and disadvantages of safe harbours for taxpayers and competent authorities with aim to suggest recommendations on use of safe harbours in the Czech Republic.

Maria Spławska-Korczak, Zamek krzyżacki w Świeciu. Próba rekonstrukcji zamku wysokiego w średniowieczu [The Teutonic Order’s Castle in Schwetz. An attempt at reconstructing the High Castle in the Middle Ages], Wydawnictwo Naukowe UMK ...

OpenAIRE

Kwiatkowski, Krzyszof

2017-01-01

Maria Spławska-Korczak, Zamek krzyżacki w Świeciu. Próba rekonstrukcji zamku wysokiego w średniowieczu [ The Teutonic Order’s Castle in Schwetz. An attempt at reconstructing the High Castle in the Middle Ages ], Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika, Toruń 2014, 222 pp. + 70 illustrations, ISBN: 978-83-231-3247-9

Uncovering Lost Danish Castles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, Bo Nissen

Facing turbulence, strife and civil war in 14th century Denmark, local elites erected a large number of castles and fortifications. But many of these were destroyed in the – often very violent – process of reestablishing central authority towards the end of the century, and in 1396 Queen Margrethe...... to a pilot study. Cooperation between disciplines is crucial in extracting knowledge from what little is left for each, and archaeologists, historians, name scholars and geophysicists even had help from moles unearthing brick material! Results and new challenges will be the subject of this presentation......, with emphasis on the toponomastic studies. The analyzed place-name material falls into two categories: 1) Names of the fortifications – or the ruins – themselves and 2) Names in the surroundings indicating their presence. Most often the names, especially in the latter category, have been recorded 3-500 years...

2005 Toronto smog report card : final grade C-

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-10-01

This annual Smog Report Card for Toronto evaluates the progress made by the City toward reducing the environmental and health impacts of smog. The final grade for the City in 2005 was a C-, a decrease over the B+ issued in 2004. The report card evaluates City Council actions based on their clean air commitments. In particular, the performance on initiatives in the following six major areas were graded: energy; transit; walking and biking; fleets and fuels; intergovernmental action; and new air quality strategies. Although Toronto had a record number of smog days due to high-temperatures and high pollution levels, it had a better record on smog and climate change than either the provincial or federal levels. Greenhouse gas emissions in Toronto are actually going down, but they are up 12 and 24 per cent at the federal and provincial levels respectively. In 2005, the City of Toronto developed a new Air Quality Management Strategy to replace the Smog Plan. Future evaluations will depend on whether the strategy is effective. The report recommends that efforts should be made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions which cause global warming, as well measures to reduce the urban heat island effect by planting trees, improving energy efficiency and using lighter-coloured materials for roads, parking lots and roofs. The report card criticized that there has been no green power purchased for the City and that the transit ridership growth strategy is behind schedule. It also noted that the City is not pedestrian or bike friendly. refs., tabs., figs.

Bathymetric map and area/capacity table for Castle Lake, Washington

Science.gov (United States)

Mosbrucker, Adam R.; Spicer, Kurt R.

2017-11-14

The May 18, 1980, eruption of Mount St. Helens produced a 2.5-cubic-kilometer debris avalanche that dammed South Fork Castle Creek, causing Castle Lake to form behind a 20-meter-tall blockage. Risk of a catastrophic breach of the newly impounded lake led to outlet channel stabilization work, aggressive monitoring programs, mapping efforts, and blockage stability studies. Despite relatively large uncertainty, early mapping efforts adequately supported several lake breakout models, but have limited applicability to current lake monitoring and hazard assessment. Here, we present the results of a bathymetric survey conducted in August 2012 with the purpose of (1) verifying previous volume estimates, (2) computing an area/capacity table, and (3) producing a bathymetric map. Our survey found seasonal lake volume ranges between 21.0 and 22.6 million cubic meters with a fundamental vertical accuracy representing 0.88 million cubic meters. Lake surface area ranges between 1.13 and 1.16 square kilometers. Relationships developed by our results allow the computation of lake volume from near real-time lake elevation measurements or from remotely sensed imagery.

The False Panacea of City Charters? A Political Perspective on the Case of Toronto

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Sancton

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Toronto is unlike any other city, as its local boosters will not hesitate to point out. That was the basis, after all, of the “charter movement” that demanded special rights for a mega-city that the movement’s backers insisted was so vital that it even warranted a status similar to that of an entire province. Their efforts culminated in the province’s passage in 2006 of the City of Toronto Act, which appeared on its face to grant the metropolis the power it believed it required and merited. In reality, the Ontario government may have actually set Toronto back, leaving it more at the mercy of provincial power than other smaller municipalities. The few additional taxation powers that were granted by the ostensible Toronto “charter” — the City of Toronto Act — are, in reality, still overseen by the province, which retains the right to limit those revenue tools if it considers it “desirable in the provincial interest to do so.” But while Toronto may have been given just a small number of revenue tools, which it has used only sparingly, and the use of those tools is ultimately decided by Queen’s Park, their very existence has given the province licence to sidestep the city’s calls for more funding. The provincial Liberals have, in the past, insisted that Toronto make use of its own taxes before it demands more provincial funds. Meanwhile, the City of Toronto Act did nothing to curtail the power of the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB. Because municipal zoning decisions made in Toronto can be appealed to the OMB, which can substitute its own idea of “good planning” for elected local government, the City of Toronto is ultimately left with limited control over its planning decisions. In sum, virtually none of the desires that Toronto expected would be served by a city charter have been fulfilled. Quite the opposite, it would appear that the dreams once imagined by charter-city proponents have been snuffed out, and there is no

Chemical constituents in the Peedee and Castle Hayne aquifers: Porters Neck area, New Hanover County, North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, T.L.; Harris, W.B.

2004-01-01

Concerns about overuse and potential contamination of major aquifers in the southeastern part of North Carolina resulted in the initiation of a subsurface water quality study in February 2001. The focus of this study was to examine variations in nutrients (NO3-, TRP, SO42- Cl-, NH4+) and total dissolved Fe in the Cretaceous Peedee and Tertiary Castle Hayne Limestone aquifers of northeastern New Hanover County. Water samples were collected monthly for one year from sixteen wells located in the Porters Neck area (west of the Intracoastal Waterway and south of Futch Creek) and four springs located on the south side of Futch Creek. Variations in selective nutrient concentrations were measured between and within each aquifer. Concentrations of NH4+ and Fe increased in the Peedee sandstone aquifer during the warmer summer and early fall months. In late summer to early fall, Fe, NO 3-, NH4+, and TRP concentrations in the Castle Hayne Limestone aquifer were significantly higher than in the spring and winter months. Chloride and SO 42- concentrations for the Castle Hayne Limestone aquifer both increased during the warmer months, probably as a result of saltwater intrusion. Factors considered for nutrient and Fe variance include: temperature variation, anaerobic conditions, subsurface stratigraphy/structure, recharge locations, site location and surface fertilization. The shallower Castle Hayne Limestone aquifer showed seasonal variability in the study area, whereas the Peedee sandstone aquifer showed little to no seasonal variability. Increases in NO3- and TRP lagged slightly behind periods of high fertilization and were more prevalent down-dip of a major golf course. Nutrient content and seasonal variation of Futch Creek springs indicated that they originate from the Castle Hayne Limestone aquifer.

Trip attraction rates of shopping centers in Northern New Castle County, Delaware.

Science.gov (United States)

2004-07-01

This report presents the trip attraction rates of the shopping centers in Northern New : Castle County in Delaware. The study aims to provide an alternative to ITE Trip : Generation Manual (1997) for computing the trip attraction of shopping centers ...

Welcome to Toronto. Welcome to the CIHR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malcolm King

2000-01-01

Full Text Available May 6 to 10, 2000 is a great time for the Canadian respiratory community. It is the 100th anniversary of our Lung Association, and it is our chance to host the respiratory world at the American Lung Association, American Thoracic Society International Conference and the Canadian Thoracic Society Annual Meeting. The name Toronto comes from a Mohawk word meaning 'meeting place'. The rivers that run into Lake Ontario were traditional gathering places for the aboriginal peoples that lived in this area before the coming of the European settlers. My ancestors include both Mohawks and the Mississaugas of the Credit, the native tribe that occupied the Toronto area as its traditional territory until the late 18th century.

Pollution characteristics and water quality in the Visakhapatnam harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sarma, V.V.; Raju, G.R.K.; Babu, T.B.

The impact of organic pollution on the quality of waters in the Visakhapatnam harbour has been studied over a year at 8 stations. The enrichment of nutrients in these waters enhances the eutrophication. The construction of outer harbour retards...

Reuse of harbour sediments in the Greenlandic construction industry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Belmonte, Louise Josefine; Kirkelund, Gunvor Marie; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate possibilities of using harbour sediments from the Greenlandic harbours as substitutes in the Greenlandic construction industry, mainly for concrete production and road construction. Materials for use in the Greenlandic construction industry are shipped...

The birds of Blyth Harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Still, D.; Carver, H.; Little, B.; Lawrence, S.G.

1995-01-01

Blyth Harbour Wind Farm, constructed upon an exposed pier, is not a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is designated to become a RAMSAR location because of the presence of a significant population of the Purple Sandpiper. A study of the effect of the wind farm on the birds was started before the wind farm was constructed and is ongoing. Initial evidence of how the wind turbines have affected the 110 varieties of birds recorded within the harbour will be presented and compared to previous research carried out in Europe and the USA. Methodology has included intensive beach surveys, visits to wind farms in the UK and USA and consultations with wildlife advisory bodies. The study will continue until 1996. (Author)

Restorian of outdoor plaster pavement floors in a medieval Czech castle

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Slížková, Zuzana; Drdácký, Miloš

2008-01-01

Roč. 14, č. 3 (2008), s. 81-98 ISSN 1355-6207 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA103/06/1609 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20710524 Keywords : floor plaster * metakaoline modified mortar * medieval castle rampart * non-standard testing Subject RIV: AL - Art, Architecture, Cultural Heritage

Hubungan Kadar Ft4 Dengan Kejadian Tirotoksikosis berdasarkan Penilaian Indeks New Castle Padawanita Dewasa di Daerah Ekses Yodium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harsa Rusda

2013-05-01

Full Text Available AbstrakTirotoksikosis merupakan manifestasi klinis yang terjadi akibat peningkatan kadar hormon tiroid dalam darah. Kelebihan yodium merupakan salah satu penyebab terjadinya tirotoksikosis. Ini ditandai dengan hasil pemeriksaan kadar Ekskresi Yodium Urin (EYU > 199 μg/L. Tujuan: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan kadar FT4 dengan kejadian tirotoksikosis berdasarkan penilaian indeks New Castle pada wanita dewasa di daerah ekses yodium. Metode: Penelitian dilakukan dengan menganalisis data yang dikumpulkan secara Cross Sectional Study terhadap 37 wanita dewasa menggunakan metoda total sampling di Nagari Koto Salak, Kecamatan Koto Salak Kabupaten Dharmasraya yang merupakan daerah ekses yodium (median EYU 323,5 μg/L. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara menggunakan penilaian Indeks New Castle dan pengambilan darah untuk dilakukan pemeriksaan kadar FT4 dalam serum. Hasil: Analisis univariat didapatkan jumlah penduduk wanita dewasa dengan kadar FT4 meningkat sebanyak 14 persen dan nilai rata-rata 1,71 ng/dl. Penilaian indeks New Castle dalam kategori doubtful 16 persen dan tidak ditemukan penduduk yang termasuk dalam kategori toxic. Berdasarkan hasil uji statistik Chi-square, didapatkan p value=1. Kesimpulan: Tidak terdapat hubungan yang bermakna antara kadar FT4 dalam serum dengan kejadian tirotoksikosis pada wanita dewasa di derah ekses yodium. Saran: Perlu dilakukan penyuluhan mengenai asupan yodium kepada masyarakat dan diharapkan penelitian ini dapat menjadi masukan kepada pemerintah dalam mengambil kebijakan terhadap pemberian kapsul yodium serta melakukan kontrol kadar EYU secara teratur dan berkala.Kata kunci: FT4, tirotoksikosis, indeks New Castle, wanita, ekses yodium, tiroidAbstractThyrotoxicosis is a clinical manifestation that occurs due to elevated levels of thyroid hormones in the blood. Iodine excess is one of the causes of thyrotoxicosis. This is indicated by the results of urine iodine excretion levels (EYU

Application of instrumental neutron activation analysis to study ceramic fragments from Damascus Castle site, Syria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakraji, E.H.

2005-01-01

Thirty-three archaeological ceramic fragment samples from Damascus Castle archaeological site, Damascus city, Syria, were analyzed using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). 36 elements were determined. These elemental concentrations have been processed using two multivariate statistical methods, cluster and factor analysis in order to determine similarities and correlation between the various samples. Factor analysis confirms that 84.8% of the ceramics samples classified by cluster analysis are correctly classified by cluster analysis. The results provided persuasive evidence that Castle pottery used at least four different clay sources. Moreover, by means of systematic local analysis it will be clear whether these sources are local or not. (author)

Terminal (Mis)diagnosis and the Physician–Patient Relationship in LM Montgomery’s The Blue Castle

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

LM Montgomery’s The Blue Castle was first published in 1926, yet contains many insights into medical practice that remain relevant today. The protagonist, Valancy, mistakenly receives a terminal diagnosis in a letter from her physician, who has sent her a note intended for another patient. Her interactions with the physician raise issues that are still relevant in contemporary medical education and practice, primarily the importance of effective communication in the physician–patient relationship, especially in the context of diagnosing terminal illness and handling a diagnostic error. The Blue Castle offers a useful starting point for debate and discussion in medical education about these topics. PMID:20473640

Water Quality Observations in the Dekhaila Harbour, Alexandria, Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fahmy, M.A.; Abdel-Aziz, N.E.; Dorgham, M.M.

2004-01-01

The Dekhaila Harbour, which was recently constructed in Alexandria, had become a highly eutrophied areas due to intensive maritime activities, and the effect of a mixture of nutrients and different pollutants reaching the harbour through land-based effluent. Environmental observations which were carried monthly from April 1998 to March 1999 demonstrated extremely high nutrient level and productive phytoplankton, showing wide temporal and spatial variations. The variability of surface salinity was one of the characteristic features of the harbour, falling within the range of 17.3-39.2 ppt. Nutrients sustained pronouncedly high values, with annual average of 19.22uM for nitrate, 4.16um for nitrite, 38.69uM for ammonia, 6.44uM for phosphate and 49.52 for silicate. Chlorophyll a was exceptionally high (up to 13.23ug/1), having an annual average of 107.5ug/1. The harbour water was relatively turbid most of the year. The concentrations of dissolved oxygen revealed the alternations of good (5-10ml/1) aeration conditions. Consequently, low zooplankton abundance was found in the Dekhalia Harbour (annual average: 22,640 ind./m3). Statistical analysis showed that the envirnomental factors controlling both phyplankton and zooplankton biomass had different seasonal patterns. (author)

Characterisation of dust material emitted during harbour operations (HADA Project)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moreno, N.; Alastuey, A.; Querol, X.; Artinano, B.; Guerra, A.; Luaces, J.A.; Lorente, A.; Basora, J. [CSIC, Institute of Earth Science ' Jaume Almera' , Barcelona (Spain)

2007-09-15

The aim of this work is to compile an inventory of the main characteristics (chemical, morphological, mineralogical and grain size parameters) of the bulk cargo materials and of the material emitted during different port operations for possible use as tracers of the fugitive PM emission sources. For all cases, the tracer characteristics determined for each bulk material were also identified in the corresponding PM material emitted. This inventory could assist the harbour authorities to identify the origin of high PM events recorded by air quality monitoring networks in harbour areas, and could also help modellers to predict the impact of harbour activities on ambient PM levels. The harbour of Tarragona (north-east Spain) was selected for this study given the high volume of solids in bulk handled. To this end, 12 handling operations of selected materials (clinker, phosphate, pyrite ash, Mn mineral, fine Si-Mn, coke (coal), bituminous coal, tapioca, soybean, alfalfa, corn, andalusite) were selected for the characterisation of suspended and deposited PM. In spite of the coarse grain size distribution of these bulk cargo materials, with a very low % in the fraction {lt}10 {mu}m, manipulation of these materials during harbour operations may result in high emissions of PM 10 with relatively high levels of potential toxic elements. Furthermore, ambient PM 10 in the area with the highest traffic density of the harbour was also sampled and characterised.

Toronto Hydro annual report, 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

Toronto Hydro is the electric utility serving about 219,000 customers in Toronto, Ontario. In 1992, the utility purchased 9.6 billion kWh of electricity from Ontario Hydro, down 3.6% from 1990. Energy sales totalled 9.2 billion kWh, down 4.1% from 1990. Retail electricity rates increased an average of 6.7% in 1992, in spite of an increase in Ontario Hydro's wholesale rate by 8.2%, due to better than anticipated financial results and cost-control measures. The decline in electricity purchases and sales are attributed to economic factors, which also contributed to an increase in the utility's provision for bad debts. The third year of a 13.8-kV conversion project was completed in 1992; this project is converting the existing 4 kV distribution system to the higher voltage since maintenance and repair of the existing system is costly and the equipment is becoming less reliable. New construction, refurbishing, and modernization of equipment were performed at a number of substations. Other improvements in 1992 are reported in the areas of management and engineering systems, personnel policies, work safety, and energy management. Financial statements are included. 11 figs., 4 tabs

Vascular Plant and Vertebrate Inventory of Montezuma Castle National Monument

Science.gov (United States)

Schmidt, Cecilia A.; Drost, Charles A.; Halvorson, William Lee

2006-01-01

Executive Summary We summarize past inventory efforts for vascular plants and vertebrates at Montezuma Castle National Monument (NM) in Arizona. We used data from previous research to compile complete species lists for the monument and to assess inventory completeness. There have been 784 species recorded at Montezuma Castle NM, of which 85 (11%) are non-native. In each taxon-specific chapter we highlight areas of resources that contributed to species richness or unique species for the monument. Of particular importance are Montezuma Well and Beaver and Wet Beaver creeks and the surrounding riparian vegetation, which are responsible for the monument having one of the highest numbers of bird species in the Sonoran Desert Network of park units. Beaver Creek is also home to populations of federally-listed fish species of concern. Other important resources include the cliffs along the creeks and around Montezuma Well (for cliff and cave roosting bats). Based on the review of past studies, we believe the inventory for most taxa is nearly complete, though some rare or elusive species will be added with additional survey effort. We recommend additional inventory, monitoring and research studies.

Et in Arcadia Ego: El Mausoleo de Castle Howard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Teresa Muñoz

2012-12-01

Full Text Available

Resumen

Todas las construcciones que pueblan el jardín de Castle Howard de una forma aparentemente azarosa, colocadas siempre sobre  pequeñas colinas, transmiten la sensación de ser objetos permanentemente observados, más que de ser ellos mismos  lugares de observación del territorio circundante. Son más receptores de la mirada que origen de ella y esta situación es especialmente relevante en el caso del mausoleo de  Hawksmoor, algo más que un pabellón o un hito en el paisaje, ya que es la culminación de un itinerario que recorre todas ellas y el contrapunto a la casa principal. El mausoleo es el edificio  más habitado y también el más cualificado desde el punto de vista espacial, el más cerrado y al mismo tiempo el más vacío,  el más inaccesible y el más cercano. Esta construcción circular puede ser contemplada con emoción desde la lejanía, pero  también invita a aproximarse a sus límites, hasta sentir casi físicamente la vitalidad de quien habita en el interior de esa  jaula de piedra, y que habitará allí para siempre recordándonos que, como afirmaba Erwin Panofsky, la muerte es el auténtico
sujeto de la existencia en el paisaje arcádico.

Palabras clave

Castle Howard, paisaje, mausoleo, Hawksmoor, arcadia, muerte, Panofsky

Abstract

All buildings that populate the garden of Castle Howard in a seemingly random, always placed on small hills, convey the feeling of being constantly observed objects, rather than being themselves observation sites surrounding territory. They are  more the gaze receptors than its origin, and this is particularly relevant in the case of the mausoleum of Hawksmoor, more  than a pavilion or a landmark in the landscape as it is the culmination of an itinerary that covers all of them and the counterpoint to the main house. The mausoleum is the building most inhabited and the most qualified from the

Vuosaari Harbour Road Tunnel Traffic Management and Incident Detection System Design Issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caj Holm

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Helsinki is constructing in Vuosaari a new modem and effectivecargo harbour. All cargo harbour activities will be concentratedthere. The total project includes the harbour, a logisticsarea, traffic connections (road, railway and fairway and aBusiness Park. The road connection goes through the Porvarinlahtiroad tunnel. The harbour will commence operatingin 2008. This paper gives an oveTView of the tunnel design phasefunctional studies and risk analysis tunnel incident detectionsystem design issues and some specific environmental featuresof the tunnel.

Impact investigations of access channel modifications of Cochin harbour, India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

DineshKumar, P.K.

Though the modernization projects over the decades for harbour development also brought about several severe environmental modifications in Cochin harbour, along the west coast of India, so far, the physical processes involved are seldom...

Toronto area ozone: Long-term measurements and modeled sources of poor air quality events

Science.gov (United States)

Whaley, C. H.; Strong, K.; Jones, D. B. A.; Walker, T. W.; Jiang, Z.; Henze, D. K.; Cooke, M. A.; McLinden, C. A.; Mittermeier, R. L.; Pommier, M.; Fogal, P. F.

2015-11-01

The University of Toronto Atmospheric Observatory and Environment Canada's Centre for Atmospheric Research Experiments each has over a decade of ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy measurements in southern Ontario. We present the Toronto area FTIR time series from 2002 to 2013 of two tropospheric trace gases—ozone and carbon monoxide—along with surface in situ measurements taken by government monitoring programs. We interpret their variability with the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model and determine the atmospheric conditions that cause pollution events in the time series. Our analysis includes a regionally tagged O3 model of the 2004-2007 time period, which quantifies the geographical contributions to Toronto area O3. The important emission types for 15 pollution events are then determined with a high-resolution adjoint model. Toronto O3, during pollution events, is most sensitive to southern Ontario and U.S. fossil fuel NOx emissions and natural isoprene emissions. The sources of Toronto pollution events are found to be highly variable, and this is demonstrated in four case studies representing local, short-, middle-, and long-range transport scenarios. This suggests that continental-scale emission reductions could improve air quality in the Toronto region. We also find that abnormally high temperatures and high-pressure systems are common to all pollution events studied, suggesting that climate change may impact Toronto O3. Finally, we quantitatively compare the sensitivity of the surface and column measurements to anthropogenic NOx emissions and show that they are remarkably similar. This work thus demonstrates the usefulness of FTIR measurements in an urban area to assess air quality.

Whose Castle is it Anyway? : Local/Global Negotiations of a Shakespearean Location

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Refskou Anne Sophie

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Kronborg Castle in the Danish town of Elsinore is a location strongly associated with Shakespeare thanks to the setting of Hamlet. It is a place where fiction currently eclipses history, at least in the context of a cultural tourist industry where Shakespeare’s name is worth a great deal more than Danish national heritage sites. Indeed, Kronborg is now widely marketed as ‘Hamlet’s Castle’ and the town of Elsinore has acquired the suffix ‘Home of Hamlet’. This article examines the signifiers implied in the naming and renaming of Kronborg as a Shakespearean location, while also looking at its unique international Shakespearean performance tradition, which spans two centuries. It describes how the identity of the castle has been shaped by its Shakespearean connection against the backdrop of changing ideologies in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, and poses questions as to how this identity may continue to develop within the current contexts of renewed nationalism in Europe and the world.

A Greek physician's portrait in Windsor Castle.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartsocas, Christos S

2017-01-01

To the visitor to Windsor Castle, the Thomas Lawrence portraits in the Waterloo Chamber represent the most important contributors to the military defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte, by British, Prussian, Russian and Austrian forces at the Battle of Waterloo. Nevertheless, only few individuals realise that a Greek physician, Count Ioannis Capodistrias, a native of the island of Corfu, stands among these leading personalities as a diplomat, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, who contributed remarkably to European unity in the early nineteenth century and as a statesman ('Governor' of Greece) with a tragic end to his life, after establishing a Greek State practically from ruins.

Status of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in Atlantic Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mike O Hammill

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Harbour seals are associated with small islets, reefs and rocks exposed at low tide and estuarine habitats throughout eastern Canada. Evidence of harvesting by indigenous people has been found in pre-European contact archaeological excavations. A bounty harvest as well as subsistence and commercial hunting probably lead to a decline in the population from 1949 to the early 1970s. The bounty was removed in 1976, and harbour seals, in the southern parts of their range have been protected since then. There is little information available on total abundance and current population trend. Mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA research has shown separation between Northeast and Northwest Atlantic harbour seals. Within Canada, the subspecies Phoca vitulina concolor shows some population sub-structure with three distinct units that could be separated into Hudson Bay, Gulf of St. Lawrence and Sable Island. Urban development resulting in habitat degradation is probably the most important factor affecting harbour seal populations in AtlanticCanada, although other factors such as incidental catches in commercial fisheries and competition with grey seals may also be important.

Catch history and status of the harbour seal (Phoca vitulina in Greenland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aqqalu Rosving-Asvid

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The number of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in West Greenland declined rapidly after the 1950s and the seals have now abandoned their traditional haulout locations along the Greenland west coast. However, in recent years, a previously undetected group of about 60-100 harbour seals has been observed approximately 80 km upstream in a large river, and some traditional hauloutlocations are still in use near the south-eastern tip of Greenland. A small number of harbour seals is caught annually far from any of these locations, indicating that other groups might live unnoticed. Catch statistics provide the best evidence of the presence and locations of these remnant harbour seals. Therefore efforts were made to validate the recent catch statistics and to describe the catch history for the past 60 years. The catch statistics were also used to estimate plausibleranges of past and present numbers of harbour seals based on the assumption that hunting has caused the observed decline. The total number of harbour seals in Greenland according to these estimates was about 3,000 in 1950 and fewer than 1,000 in 2007. The number of harbour seals caught in the southernmost part of Greenland has, unlike in the rest of Greenland, increased significantly in some of the recent years. This change seems to be related to changes in the amount of drift ice. Drift ice reduces the frequency of contact between hunters and harbour seals in South Greenland and above normal quantities of drift ice from the mid 1960s to the mid 1980s probably allowed these seals to increase in numbers. Record low inflow of drift ice in some of the recent years, however, has resulted in record high catches, which likely have reduced the seals again. The remaining harbour seals in Greenland are few and without protection these sealsare potentially in danger of extinction.

Isolation and Identification of Phototrophic Microorganisms from Rudkhan Castle as a Biodeteriorating Agent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parisa Mohammadi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Phototrophic microorganisms are the first residents of different surfaces of ancient buildings’ walls. These organisms can expand to provide the colonization of other microorganisms and to form microbial biofilms. During biofilm growth, acids and metabolites production bore the substratum and cause surfaces damages. Rudkan Castle, the historic monument located in Gilan province, an area with a humid climate has an appropriate surfaces to grow these microorganisms. Materials and methods: In this study, morphological identification of algae and cyanobacteria which was isolated from different areas of the brick walls of Castle has been investigated. Samples were taken from 24 different areas of Castle walls and were aseptically cultured into Blue Green Medium (BGM and Bolds Basal Medium (BBM, and colonies were observed using light microscopy. Results: The dominant organisms which were isolated and identified, were Cladophora, Trentepohlia, Klebsormidium, Trebouxia, Pleurastrum, Chlorococcum as chlorophyta order and Scytonema, Tolypothrix, Leptolyngbya, Plectolyngbya, Phormidium, Gloeocapsa, Microcoleus, Nostoc as a cyanobacteria order. Discussion and conclusion: As expected, diversity of a large number of cyanobacteria and algae phototrophs was isolated. Diversity of organisms on the surface of monuments depends on many factors, including the weather condition such as moisture, the amount of radiation absorbed by the surface, temperature of area, the materials used in the monuments, the biological acceptance of surface and presence of variety of organisms in the soil surface and the air on. Study of destructive factors is the first step toward the protection and restoration of ancient monuments.

Fate and transport modelling of uranium in Port Hope Harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinilla, C.E.; Garisto, N.; Peters, R.

2010-01-01

Fate and transport modelling of contaminants in Port Hope Harbour and near-shore Lake Ontario was undertaken in support of an ecological and human health risk assessment. Uranium concentrations in the Harbour and near-shore Lake Ontario due to groundwater and storm water loadings were estimated with a state-of-the-art 3D hydrodynamic and contaminant transport model (ECOMSED). The hydrodynamic model was simplified to obtain a first estimate of the flow pattern in the Harbour. The model was verified with field data using a tracer (fluoride). The modelling results generally showed good agreement with the tracer field data. (author)

A Holocene pollen and sediment record of Whangape Harbour, far northern New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horrocks, M.; Nichol, S.L.; Gregory, M.R.; Creese, R.; Augustinus, P.C.

2001-01-01

The sediment record of Whangape Harbour shows that there were significant fluctuations in depositional energy in the harbour during the period from c. >8000 cal. yr BP to some time within the last millenium, and that fluvial influences increased as the harbour infilled. The pollen record (highly discontinuous) from Whangape Harbour indicates that conifer-hardwood forest covered the hills surrounding the harbour during this period. The main canopy conifers were Dacrydium and Prumnopitys taxifolia, with some Libocedrus, Dacrycarpus, and Phyllocladus. Agathis was also present. Common canopy hardwoods were Metrosideros and, in the latter part of the period, Elaeocarpus. Ascarina and Cyathea were abundant in the sub-canopy. Leptospermum grew on disturbed areas fringing the estuary. Marsh or swamp environments probably never developed on a large scale in the harbour. Avicennia, extremely under-represented in the pollen flora, has been present on tidal flats in the harbour since at least c. 2500 cal. yr BP. Large-scale anthropogenic deforestation by burning commenced in the Whangape catchment some time during or since 700-430 cal. yr BP. The associated increase in erosion rates in the catchment resulted in a change towards a sandier sediment regime in the harbour which has continued to the present day. Weinmannia and Ackama, previously rare in the catchment, expanded in remaining forest. (author). 39 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

Eesti filmi "Jade Warrior" esilinastus Torontos / Andres Laasik

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Laasik, Andres, 1960-2016

2006-01-01

Soome ja Hiina mütoloogiat ühendav fantaasiafilm "Igavese armastuse sõdalane - Jade Warrior" (Soome, Hiina ja Eesti ühistöö) esilinastus eile Toronto filmifestivalil. Andmed filmi tootmise ja levitamise kohta

Epizootics in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina: clinical aspects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ursula Siebert

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Epizootic diseases causing considerable mortality in harbour seal populations have mainly been reported from the waters of the United States and Europe. Such die-offs were largely attributable to viral infections. Several hundred individuals died from respiratory infections caused by Influenza A viruses at the coast of New England, USA, in 1979, 1980 and 1982. More than 53,000 harbour seals were killed in European waters by Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV, a morbillivirus,in two outbreaks in 1988 and 2002. For several other epizootics of smaller scale in the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific coast of the USA and, most recently, in Danish and Swedish waters in 2007 the causes remain unclear, although characteristic respiratory symptoms and interstitial pneumonia suspicious of viral etiology were detected as well as occasionally bacterial infections caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Mass mortalities caused by biotoxins, direct human interactions or changes in oceanographic conditions have so far not been described for harbour seals. However, high organochlorine loads detected in European harbour seal populations and suspected to impede immune functions, were considered an aggravating factor in the 1988 morbillivirus epizootic. Establishing supranational stranding networks is a key prerequisite for the detection of future unusual die-offs in marine mammals. Detailed post-mortem investigations of all organ systems are essential for targeted etiological studies towards the causes of mass mortalities in seals.

Faulting in unconsolidated sediments and bedrock east of Toronto - phase 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rogojina, C.; Mohajer, A.A.; Eyles, N.

1995-10-01

Increasing concern with the potential earthquake hazard in southern Ontario has focused attention on neotectonic structures affecting bedrock. Within the boundaries of the metropolitan Toronto area (632 km 2 ), about 2500 fracture orientations have been measured in more than 70 bedrock outcrops. An east-northeast systematic fracture set constitute the most commonly-oriented fundamental fracture system in the study area. The east-northeast systematic fracture set may be the product of the current compressive stress field combined with regional uplift, but this should be confirmed by further field investigation. Anomalous fracture patterns were identified at the periphery of Metropolitan Toronto, specifically along the West Humber and Rouge rivers. Four post-glacial pop-ups were identified within Metro Toronto. Careful mapping and description of these pop-ups show a possible relationship with the contemporary principal stresses in the area and the local fracture pattern. (author). 41 refs., 8 figs

A Study of the Curriculum and Contents in American Progressive Education : Focusing on Castle Kindergarten and Nursery School in Hawaii

OpenAIRE

塩路, 晶子

2010-01-01

This study aims to show the features of American progressive kindergarten in the early 20th century, through analyzing the curriculum and contents of Henry and Dorothy Castle Memorial Kindergarten and Nursery School in Hawaii. This kindergarten was established by Mary Castle at Honolulu in 1899 and influenced from John Dewey. And in 1927, the nursery school was established because educating younger children was important. Children could select the subject matter based on their own interest. A...

Pollution effects on ecobiology of benthic polychaetes in Visakhapatnam Harbour (Bay of Bengal)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raman, A.V.; Ganapati, P.N.

1983-02-01

Rapid urbanization and industrialization of Visakhapatnam and construction of an outer harbour, restricting water flow, have markedly increased the organic load in the inner harbour. Studies of the physico-chemical and biological characteristics of six selected stations along a decreasing gradient of organic pollution have been carried out over a period of two years. The predominantly polychaete benthic fauna occurs in three distinct assemblages: Capitella capitata-Nereis glandicincta in the inner harbour; Cossura coasta-Tharyx marioni in the outer harbour; and a Chloeia-Axiothella-Chaetozone-Nephtys assemblage in the open sea.

Organo chlorine pesticides (OCPs) contaminants in sediments from Karachi harbour, Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, N.; Khan, S.H.; Amjad, S.; Muller, J.; Nizamani, S.; Bhanger, M.I.

2010-01-01

Mangrove swamps, inter tidal mud flats and creeks of backwaters represent main feature of Karachi harbour area. Karachi harbour sediment is under continuous influence of untreated industrial effluents and domestic waste discharged into the Harbour area via Lyari River. Sediment samples from sixteen locations were collected to evaluate the levels of contamination of organo chlorine pesticides (OCPs) in Karachi harbour and adjoining areas. It has been observed that residual concentrations of various organo chlorine pesticides were considerably higher in the semi-enclosed area of the upper Harbour in the vicinity of the discharge point of Lyari River. The residue of DDT mainly its metabolites (DDE and DDD) were widely distributed and have been detected in most of the sediment samples in relatively higher concentrations as compared to other OCPs. The higher levels of the DDTs would attribute to low tidal flushing of the area. The high proportion of pp'-DDE in the most sediment sampled (41-95%) suggested old inputs of DDTs in the environment. Ratio of sigma DDT and DDT was in the range of 0.04 - 0.24 at all locations which also reflects that the discharges of DDT were negligible in the Harbour area. This may be due to the restrictions being implemented on the use of DDTs and Pakistan has also switched over to natural pest control or using safer formulas. The data obtained during the study showed that concentration levels of other pesticides such as HCHs, HCB and Cyclodienes in the sediment were generally lower than the threshold levels known to harm wildlife by OCPs. The results clearly indicate that elevated concentration of organo chlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the marine sediment of Karachi harbour and adjoining area was localized and much lower than the concentrations reported from neighbouring and regional countries which suggests/confirms that the present use of pesticide in Pakistan is environmentally safe. (author)

The hill forts and castle mounds in Lithuania: interaction between geodiversity and human-shaped landscape

Science.gov (United States)

Skridlaite, Grazina; Guobyte, Rimante; Satkunas, Jonas

2015-04-01

Lithuania is famous for its abundant, picturesque hill forts and castle mounds of natural origin. In Lithuania as well as in whole Europe the fortified hills were used as the society dwelling place since the beginning of the Late Bronze Age. Their importance increased when Livonian and Teutonic Orders directed a series of military campaigns against Lithuania with the aim of expansion of Christianity in the region at the end of 1st millennium AD, and they were intensively used till the beginning of the 15th c. when most of them were burned down during fights with the Orders or just abandoned due to the changing political and economical situation. What types of the geodiversity were used for fortified dwellings? The choice in a particular area depended on a variety of geomorphology left behind the retreating ice sheets. High spots dominating their surroundings were of prime interest. In E and SE Lithuania, the Baltic Upland hills marking the eastern margin of the last Weichselian glacier hosted numerous fortified settlements from the end of 2nd millennium BC to the Medieval Ages (Narkunai, Velikuskes etc). In W Lithuania, plateau-like hills of the insular Samogitian Upland had been repeatedly fortified from the beginning of 1st millennium AD to the 14th century (Satrija, Medvegalis etc). Chains of hill forts and castle mounds feature the slopes of glaciofluvial valleys of Nemunas, Neris and other rivers where the slopes were dissected by affluent rivulets and ravines and transformed into isolated, well protected hills (Kernave, Punia, Veliuona etc). Peninsulas and headlands formed by the erosion of fluvial and lacustrine deposits were used in the lowlands, e.g. in central and N Lithuania (Paberze, Mezotne etc). How much the landscape was modified for defense purposes? Long-term erosion and overgrowing vegetation damaged the former fortified sites, however some remains and the archeological excavations allowed their reconstruction. The fortified Bronze Age settlements

Status of the harbour seal (Phoca vitulina in Southern Scandinavia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morten Tange Olsen

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The harbour seal population in Southern Scandinavia has experienced repeated declines caused by hunting and epizootics. These events have shaped the current distribution and abundance of the population. This paper assesses the current status of the population. We estimate trends in abundance of harbour seals from long term survey data, compare these with historic trends inferred from previously published material, and discuss past and potential threats to the harbour seal population of Southern Scandinavia. It is evident that harbour seals have disappeared from haulout areas along the Danish shores of Kattegat and in the westernmost part of the Baltic Sea, where they were previously numerous. In the 1920-30s, when abundance was at its lowest, the population is estimated to have been only a fraction of its original size. Following 30 years of protection the population is currently approaching historic abundance and might have reached the carrying capacity in some areas. Further development depends largely on effects of future epizootics, anthropogenic disturbance, and availability of suitable haulout sites.

Mercury in Thana creek, Bombay harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Zingde, M.D.; Desai, B.N.

weight) with marked increased from harbour to the creek region suggests substantial mercury input in the head region. Chemical extraction by hydrogen peroxide indicated that more than 70% of mercury was leachable and probably organically bound...

Smart meter status report from Toronto

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Brien, D.

2006-01-01

An update of Toronto Hydro's smart metering program was presented. Electricity demand is expected to keep increasing, and there is presently insufficient generation to match supply needs in Ontario. The smart metering program was introduced to aid in the Ontario government's energy conservation strategy, as well as to address peak supply problems that have led to power outages. It is expected that the smart metering program will reduce provincial peak supply by 5 per cent, as the meters support both time-of-use rates and critical peak pricing. Over 800,000 smart meters will be supplied to customers by 2007, and all 4.3 million homes in Toronto will have a smart meter by 2010. In order to meet targets for 2010, the utility will continue to install more 15,000 meters each month for the next 4 years. While the Ontario government has planned and coordinated the rollout and developed smart metering specifications and standards, Toronto Hydro is responsible for the purchase, installation, operation and maintenance of the meters. Advance testing of each meter is needed to ensure billing accuracy, and customer education on meter use is also. The complexity of the metering program has led the utility to establish a rigid project management process. Customer education pilot program are currently being conducted. Experience gained during the earlier phases of the program have enabled the utility to select appropriate metering systems based on density, topography and physical conditions. Project expenditures have been within budget due to improved project estimating and planning. The metering program has been conducted in tandem with the utility's peakSAVER program, a residential and small commercial load control program that has been successful in reducing summer peak demand by cycling air conditioners without causing discomfort. It was concluded that the utility will continue with its mass deployment of smart meters, and is currently preparing its call center to handled

Destroy The Castle: A 3D Magic Carpet-like Game

OpenAIRE

Ondrčková, Simona

2017-01-01

Title: Destroy the Castle: A 3D Magic Carpet-like Game Author: Simona Ondrčková Department: Department of Distributed and Dependable Systems Supervisor: Mgr. Pavel Ježek, Ph.D., Department of Distributed and Dependable Systems Abstract: The goal of the thesis is to create a computer game based on a game called Magic Carpet. The game has two main interesting aspects from the programming point of view: artificial intelligence and an editor. The artificial intelligence uses different approaches ...

Sources of contamination and modelled pollutant trajectories in a Mediterranean harbour (Tarragona, Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

Mestres, M; Sierra, J P; Mösso, C; Sánchez-Arcilla, A

2010-06-01

The proximity of commercial harbours to residential areas and the growing environmental awareness of society have led most port authorities to include environmental management within their administration plan. Regarding water quality, it is necessary to have the capacity and tools to deal with contamination episodes that may damage marine ecosystems and human health, but also affect the normal functioning of harbours. This paper presents a description of the main pollutant sources in Tarragona Harbour (Spain), and a numerical analysis of several pollution episodes based on the Port Authority's actual environmental concerns. The results show that pollution generated inside the harbour tends to remain confined within the port, whereas it is very likely that oil spills from a nearby monobuoy may affect the neighbouring beaches. The present combination of numerical models proves itself a useful tool to assess the environmental risk associated to harbour activities and potential pollution spills.

Working with Spanish-Speaking Latin American Students in Toronto

Science.gov (United States)

Duran, Marcela S.

1978-01-01

The problems affecting the reception, adjustment, and placement of Spanish-speaking students into the Toronto school system are discussed, and include immigration patterns, Spanish values, and the Latin American school. (Author/HP)

University of Toronto mathematics competition (2001–2015)

CERN Document Server

Barbeau, Edward J

2016-01-01

This text records the problems given for the first 15 annual undergraduate mathematics competitions, held in March each year since 2001 at the University of Toronto. Problems cover areas of single-variable differential and integral calculus, linear algebra, advanced algebra, analytic geometry, combinatorics, basic group theory, and number theory. The problems of the competitions are given in chronological order as presented to the students. The solutions appear in subsequent chapters according to subject matter. Appendices recall some background material and list the names of students who did well. The University of Toronto Undergraduate Competition was founded to provide additional competition experience for undergraduates preparing for the Putnam competition, and is particularly useful for the freshman or sophomore undergraduate. Lecturers, instructors, and coaches for mathematics competitions will find this presentation useful. Many of the problems are of intermediate difficulty and relate to the first two...

Comparison of tropical nematode communities from three harbours, west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nanajkar, M.; Ingole, B.S.

The three major harbours from the central west coast of India were investigated for their benthic environmental status using nematodes as surrogate community. As these three harbours have shown deteriorated conditions revealed from macrobenthic...

Air pollution burden of illness from traffic in Toronto

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKeown, D.; Campbell, M.; Bassil, K.; Morgan, C.; Lalani, M.; Macfarlane, R.; Bienefeld, M.

2007-11-01

This paper examined the health impacts of air pollution from traffic in Toronto. The paper provided a review of scientific studies on the health effects of vehicle pollution as well as a quantitative assessment of the economic costs and the burden of illness attributed to traffic pollution in Toronto. The report also assessed air pollution and traffic trends in the city, and outlined initiatives being conducted to reduce vehicle-related pollution. The study used the new air quality benefits tool (AQBAT) which determines the burden of illness and the economic impacts of traffic-related air pollution. Air modelling specialists were consulted in order to determine the contribution of traffic-related pollutants to overall pollution levels using data on traffic counts and vehicle emissions factors. The air model also considered dispersion, transport and and the transformation of compounds emitted from vehicles. Results of the study showed that traffic pollution caused approximately 440 premature deaths and 1700 hospitalizations per year. Children in the city experienced more than 1200 acute bronchitis episodes per year as a result of air pollution from traffic. Mortality-related costs associated with traffic pollution in Toronto were estimated at $2.2 billion. It was concluded that the city must pursue the implementation of sustainable transportation policies and programs which foster and enable the expansion and use of public transport. 47 refs., 8 tabs., 9 figs

Subsurface geology of the Bombay Harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Almeida, F.; Ramana, M.V.; Vora, K.H.; Bhattacharya, G.C.; Subrahmanyam, V.

As part of engineering pre-design investigations, high resolution geophysical surveys were carried out in and around Bombay harbour, India. The depth in the area varies from dries over the mudflats to about 14m towards the offshore end. The seabed...

MODELLING FROM THE PAST: THE LEANING SOUTWEST TOWER OF CAERPHILLY CASTLE 1539-2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. E. C. Prizeman

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Caerphilly Castle (1268-70 is the first concentric castle in Britain and the second largest in the UK. The dramatic inclination of its ruinous south west tower has been noted since 1539. Comparing data from historical surveys and a terrestrial laser scan undertaken in 2015, this paper seeks to review evidence for the long-term stability of the tower. Digital documentation and archival research by architects is collated to provide data for structural analysis by engineers. A terrestrial laser scan was used to create a detailed three dimensional finite element model to enable structural analysis of the current shape of the tower made by tetrahedral elements. An automated strategy has been implemented for the transformation of the complex three dimensional point cloud into a three dimensional finite element model. Numerical analysis has been carried out aiming at understanding the main structural weaknesses of the tower in its present condition. Comparisons of four sets of data: 1539, 1830, 1870 and 2015 enabled us to determine change albeit between very different methods of measurement.

Torontos peeti eesti dokfilmifestivali "Estdoc's" / Olev Remsu

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Remsu, Olev, 1947-

2006-01-01

Toronto eesti dokumentaalfilmide festival "Estdoc's". Demonstreeriti filme: "Sinimäed" (Raimo Jõerand), "Tiim" (Peep Puks), "Mikk" (Rein Raamat, Peeter Brambat), "6 tundi" (Rein Kotov), "Erna retk" (Vaado Sarapuu), "Tõrjutud mälestused" (Imbi Paju), "Middendorfi jälgedes" (Riho Västrik), "Mehed unustatud armeest" (Indrek Treufeldt), "Nagu noor jumal" ja "Orjus Eestis" (mõlema autor Olev Remsu)

Toronto: A New Global City of Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Hamlin, Daniel; Davies, Scott

2016-01-01

Toronto, Canada, is emblematic of a new stratum of global cities. Unlike many world capitals, the city has gained stature only over the past half century, having successfully post-industrialized into a new economy and become a major world centre for immigration. Paradoxically, education has emerged as both a major driver of change and a divider of…

CASTLE3D - A Computer Aided System for Labelling Archaeological Excavations in 3D

Science.gov (United States)

Houshiar, H.; Borrmann, D.; Elseberg, J.; Nüchter, A.; Näth, F.; Winkler, S.

2015-08-01

Documentation of archaeological excavation sites with conventional methods and tools such as hand drawings, measuring tape and archaeological notes is time consuming. This process is prone to human errors and the quality of the documentation depends on the qualification of the archaeologist on site. Use of modern technology and methods in 3D surveying and 3D robotics facilitate and improve this process. Computer-aided systems and databases improve the documentation quality and increase the speed of data acquisition. 3D laser scanning is the state of the art in modelling archaeological excavation sites, historical sites and even entire cities or landscapes. Modern laser scanners are capable of data acquisition of up to 1 million points per second. This provides a very detailed 3D point cloud of the environment. 3D point clouds and 3D models of an excavation site provide a better representation of the environment for the archaeologist and for documentation. The point cloud can be used both for further studies on the excavation and for the presentation of results. This paper introduces a Computer aided system for labelling archaeological excavations in 3D (CASTLE3D). Consisting of a set of tools for recording and georeferencing the 3D data from an excavation site, CASTLE3D is a novel documentation approach in industrial archaeology. It provides a 2D and 3D visualisation of the data and an easy-to-use interface that enables the archaeologist to select regions of interest and to interact with the data in both representations. The 2D visualisation and a 3D orthogonal view of the data provide cuts of the environment that resemble the traditional hand drawings. The 3D perspective view gives a realistic view of the environment. CASTLE3D is designed as an easy-to-use on-site semantic mapping tool for archaeologists. Each project contains a predefined set of semantic information that can be used to label findings in the data. Multiple regions of interest can be joined under

Third Indian National Conference on Harbour and Ocean Engineering (INCHOE - 2004). Proceedings

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Mandal, S.; SanilKumar, V.; Jayakumar, S.

The two volumes contain 103 scientific papers in the field of harbour and ocean engineering, presented at the Third Indian National Conference on Harbour and Ocean Engineering (INCHOE - 2004), held at National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Dona...

The ''Amsterdam Castle'': A case study of wiggle matching and the proper calibration curve

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Plicht, J; Jansma, E|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/074965255; Kars, H

1995-01-01

We have performed a high-precision 14C wiggle-matching study on two oak beams from the "Castle of Amsterdam". These beams are also dated by dendrochronology. Our two dating methods can only be made consistent using the recommended calibration curve (1986) instead of the revised one (1993).

The Coffs Harbour 'Our Living City Settlement Strategy' Health Impact Assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tugwell, Andrew; Johnson, Pamela

2011-01-01

Aim: The short report reviews an experience of conducting a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in the local government context. The aim of this review was to identify if carrying out an HIA would result in recommendations that could influence council planning and help establish ongoing working relationships between North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) staff and the Coffs Harbour City Council. Methods: A process and impact evaluation was conducted on the Coffs Harbour 'Our Living City Settlement Strategy' HIA, which focused on the Coffs Harbour City Council's strategic planning document. Information gained through the evaluation was themed and the findings were reviewed against published information on HIA experience. Main findings: HIA has reported benefits for both the Coffs Harbour City Council and NCAHS as it provides a tool to address many of the issues facing these organisations. Local council has increasing responsibilities including the environment, housing and urban planning, which all have health implications. HIA has been demonstrated as an effective tool for NCAHS staff and the Coffs Harbour City Council to engage and build relationships, increase the understanding of all planning aspects related to health, and most importantly utilise evidence to inform decision making. Conclusion: HIA should be adopted as a key tool to facilitate effective working partnerships between organisations. Improved engagement, partnerships and use of evidence to produce shared outcomes can result from utilising this tool.

n-Alkanes in surficial sediments of Visakhapatnam harbour, east coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Punyu, V.R.; Harji, R.R.; Bhosle, N.B.; Sawant, S.S.; Venkat, K.

-alkanes mainly at C15, C17 and C19 Keywords. Sediments; lipids; n-alkanes; Visakhapatnam harbour. J. Earth Syst. Sci. 122, No. 2, April 2013, pp. 467–477 c© Indian Academy of Sciences 467 468 V R Punyu et al while terrestrial plants exhibit predominance of long... steel plant, a fertilizer plant and a lead and zinc smelter in the vicinity are discharged into this harbour. The harbour handles items such as man- ganese and iron ore, coal and oil products. Added to this, it receives most of the urban run...

Fouling Bryozoa from some Alexandria harbours, EGYPT. (I Erect species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

KH.M. ABDEL-SALAM

2008-05-01

Full Text Available The fouling erect Bryozoa settled on polystyrene test panels immersed half a meter deep in the water of Abu Qir Harbour, the Eastern Harbour and El-Dekheila Harbour were studied. The present study yields 5 species of erect bryozoa. These areAmathia pruvoti, Zoobotryon verticillatum, Bowerbankia gracilis,Bugula neritina and Bugula stolonifera. The first three ones pertain to 3 genera of the family Vesiculariidae belonging to suborder the Stolonifera; while the other two species affiliate to the genus Bugula belonging to the family Bugulidae of suborder Anasca. The present record of Amathia pruvoti is the first from the Egyptian Mediterranean waters. A re-description, supplied with full structural illustrations of the recorded species is given. Moreover, the temporal and spatial distributions of the species recorded are encountered.

76 FR 75543 - Castle Creek Hydroelectric Project; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-02

... Hydroelectric Project; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments... (FPA), proposing to study the feasibility of the Castle Creek Hydroelectric Project to be located on... be located adjacent to the original hydroelectric plant, with a single shaft Pelton turbine...

Eesti Vabariigi Presidendi Toomas Hendrik Ilvese kõned Toronto eestlastele / Toomas Hendrik Ilves ; foto: Vaado Sarapuu

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Ilves, Toomas Hendrik, 1953-

2008-01-01

Vabariigi Presidendi kõned Toronto Eesti Majas pidulikul õhtusöögil 27. mail 2008 ja Toronto Eesti koolis lõputunnistuste kätteandmisel 26. mail 2008. Vabariigi President töövisiidil Kanadas 26.-30.05.2008

A systematic study of wave conditions and sediment transport near Mormugao harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Reddy, M.P.M.

Wave conditions and the nature of sediment transport in the Mormugao Harbour area have been evaluated in view of the proposed development project of this harbour It has been found from this study that generally high waves will be experienced...

75 FR 4783 - Federal Consistency Appeal by Villa Marina Yacht Harbour, Inc.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-29

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Consistency Appeal by Villa Marina Yacht Harbour, Inc. AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA... days, closure of the decision record in an administrative appeal filed by Villa Marina Yacht Harbour...

Toronto smog report card 2003 : final grade C -

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-10-01

An annual Smog Report Card for Toronto has been published annually by the Toronto Environmental Alliance since 1997, evaluating the progress made by the City toward reducing the environmental and health impacts of smog. The final grade for the City in 2003 was a C -, an improvement over last year's D +. The evaluation examined the performance on 33 initiatives in six major areas: leadership, transit, electricity, fleets and fuels, bikes and pedestrians, and public education. Issues that stood out were: a $30 million increase in funding to the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), and the release of the TTC's Ridership Growth Strategy depicting how transit ridership can be increased through improved service and lower fares. The drive-through and pesticide by-laws were passed by Council, which should result in smog reduction from unnecessary activities. Leadership was found to be lacking at City Hall in the area of clean air, in view of its decision to proceed with the expansion of Island Airport. The decision to move forward on only 20 per cent of planned green power and energy efficiency measures was a low point in 2002. The City's budget process, which effectively screened out most environmental initiatives was in part responsible for the lack of progress. The following grades were awarded: transit and trip reduction (B), energy efficiency and green power received (D), fleets and fuels (C), bikes and pedestrians (C), public education (B). Recommendations for next year included: implementation of the TTC's Ridership Growth Strategy; creation of a Smog Plan Implementation Fund of $20 million per year to invest in energy efficiency, green fleets, green power and other related measures; and stop the expansion of Island Airport

Phytoremediation of TBT-contaminated Harbour Sediment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trapp, Stefan; Novak, Jana; DeClercq, Bartel

This sub-project of the TBT CLEAN project investigated the feasibility of growing plants on dredged harbour sediments and the influence of vegetation on TBT degradation. The toxicity of TBT to vascular plants was determined with the willow tree transpiration test. Compared to other species, the t...

Environmental Impact Statement. Disposal and Reuse of Castle Air Force Base, California

Science.gov (United States)

1994-11-01

rendering infectious waste noninfectious and disposable as nonhazardous waste 3-74 Castle AFB Disposal and Reuse FEIS * Discharge to the sewage system if...American Indians Volume 8: California, Robert F. Heizer , ed., Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Wedel, W.R., 1941. Arrha 3ological Investigations at...Undeswrable substances rendering something unfit for use Continental Control Area The arspace of the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columb.ia and

St George the dragon-slayer at Prague Castle - the eternal pilgrim without a home?

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Benešovská, Klára

2007-01-01

Roč. 55, č. 1 (2007), s. 28-39 ISSN 0049-5123 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z80330511 Keywords : Gothic bronze sculpture * St George the dragon -slayer * Martin and George of Cluj * Prague Castle Subject RIV: AL - Art, Architecture, Cultural Heritage http://www.umeni-art.cz/cz/soubory/benesovska.pdf

Harry Pye postkaart Londonist : Elevant ja Kindlus = Harry Pye's Postcard from London : The Elephant & Castle / Harry Pye

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Pye, Harry, 1973-

2008-01-01

Londoni kirjanik ja kunstnik Harry Pye Lõuna-Londoni linnaosast Elephant & Castle, mille võlu ta avastab koos sõpradega linnaosast näituse jaoks fotosid tehes. Fotod eksponeeritakse grupinäitusel "Tõeline elu"

History of Cardiovascular Surgery at Toronto General Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Myunghyun M; Alvarez, Juglans; Rao, Vivek

2016-01-01

The Division of Cardiovascular Surgery at Toronto General Hospital has enjoyed an enviable history of academic achievement and clinical success. The foundations of this success are innovation, creativity and excellence in patient care, which continue to influence the current members of the division. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biochemical indicators of pollution exposure in shorthorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius), caught in four harbours on the southwest coast of Iceland.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephensen; Svavarsson; Sturve; Ericson; Adolfsson-Erici; Förlin

2000-04-01

Shorthorn sculpins (Myoxocephalus scorpius) were caught in four Icelandic harbours, differing in size, use and traffic. Biochemical responses in liver were measured and chemicals analysed in bile. Eyrarbakki harbour, which has not been in use for many years was chosen as a control site. Njar partial differentialvík harbour is a small fishing harbour and a marina, Sandger partial differentiali harbour is a large fishing harbour, and Reykjavík harbour is a large fishing harbour and an international transport harbour. Higher levels of DNA-adducts and cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) in the fish from the harbours in Sandger partial differentiali, Njar partial differentialvík and Reykjavík, compared to Eyrarbakki harbour, indicate PAH exposure. This was confirmed by PAH analysis in bile. The higher activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) in fish caught in Sandger partial differentiali, than in fish caught in the other harbours, indicate exposure of sculpin to prooxidative compounds in Sandger partial differentiali harbour. Shorthorn sculpin seems to be a convenient species for monitoring pollution in northern coastal areas.

Application of geophysical methods to investigation of old castle, especially of the moat; Joshi no chosa ni okeru butsuri tansa no tekiyo (horiato no tansa)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanaka, A; Karube, F; Kobayashi, M; Toge, M [OYO Corp., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-05-01

An explanation is made about the application of geophysical methods to the investigation of the ruins of old castles especially of their moats. Techniques currently in use for exploration of the ruins of castles are mainly underground radar exploration and electric exploration. The underground radar method sends electromagnetic waves through the ground and receives the reflection for a high-precision exploration of the layers shallow in the ground. Therefore, this method is suitable for probing the ruins of castles relatively shallow in the flat land, hills, and mountains. The electric method (resistivity image method) do the probing by use of the two-electrode arrangement, performs inverse analysis on the basis of the obtained data for the determination of the underground resistivity distribution, and displays the distribution in an image easy to read. This method, when there is a great separation between the two electrodes, explores relatively deep into the ground. Thanks to this feature, this method is effective in probing relatively wide and deep ruins of moats, that is, the ruins of moats of castles built in later years, especially of those then filled with water. 2 refs., 5 figs.

Monitoring effects of offshore windfarms on harbour porpoises using PODs (porpoise detectors)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teilmann, J.; Damsgaard Henriksen, O. [National Environmental Res. Inst., Dept. of Arctic Enviroment, Roskilde (Denmark); Carstensen, Jacob [National Environmental Res. Lab., Dept. of Marine Ecology, Roskilde (Denmark); Skov, H. [Ornis Consult A/S, Copenhagen (Denmark)

2002-02-15

The areas designated for offshore windfarms in Denmark, are all known habitats for harbour porpoises. It is possible that some of the activities involved in erection and operation of offshore windfarms will have a negative impact on the harbour porpoises in and around the windfarms. The most significant sources of these effects are thought to be the physical presence and the noise from ships and construction work as well as temporary and even permanent loss of suitable habitats near the windfarms. The noise from existing offshore windturbines has been measured and a detection distance of 20 m was calculated in the EIA study regarding the Roedsand windfarm. In order to study possible effects from the erection and operation of windfarms on harbour porpoises a number of studies were suggested as part of the EIA background study on harbour porpoises. Among these suggestions was the use of acoustic dataloggers (PODs). The POD is recording click sounds of short duration. It is programmable and can be set to specifically record the echolocation signals that harbour porpoises uses for orientation and foraging. This method will potentially give data on harbour porpoise activity in a specific area on a diurnal and year-round basis. The construction work will take place over several months and since there is no available information on the seasonal sensitivity of porpoises to disturbance, the data necessary to detect and evaluate the effect of the windfarm would need to cover all seasons. No other method is feasible to provide data on the presence of harbour porpoises year round in a particular area. However, this method has its limitations in that only porpoises echolocating are recorded. No data exists on the seasonal, diurnal and area specific use of echolocation but since echolocation is believed to be the primary sense for porpoises we expect that porpoises used their echolocation most of the time and that it is correlated to the density of porpoises. However, the actual

Monitoring effects of offshore windfarms on harbour porpoises using PODs (porpoise detectors)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teilmann, J.; Damsgaard Henriksen, O.; Carstensen, Jacob; Skov, H.

2002-02-01

The areas designated for offshore windfarms in Denmark, are all known habitats for harbour porpoises. It is possible that some of the activities involved in erection and operation of offshore windfarms will have a negative impact on the harbour porpoises in and around the windfarms. The most significant sources of these effects are thought to be the physical presence and the noise from ships and construction work as well as temporary and even permanent loss of suitable habitats near the windfarms. The noise from existing offshore windturbines has been measured and a detection distance of 20 m was calculated in the EIA study regarding the Roedsand windfarm. In order to study possible effects from the erection and operation of windfarms on harbour porpoises a number of studies were suggested as part of the EIA background study on harbour porpoises. Among these suggestions was the use of acoustic dataloggers (PODs). The POD is recording click sounds of short duration. It is programmable and can be set to specifically record the echolocation signals that harbour porpoises uses for orientation and foraging. This method will potentially give data on harbour porpoise activity in a specific area on a diurnal and year-round basis. The construction work will take place over several months and since there is no available information on the seasonal sensitivity of porpoises to disturbance, the data necessary to detect and evaluate the effect of the windfarm would need to cover all seasons. No other method is feasible to provide data on the presence of harbour porpoises year round in a particular area. However, this method has its limitations in that only porpoises echolocating are recorded. No data exists on the seasonal, diurnal and area specific use of echolocation but since echolocation is believed to be the primary sense for porpoises we expect that porpoises used their echolocation most of the time and that it is correlated to the density of porpoises. However, the actual

German Castles, Customs and Culture: Introducing a New Approach to the Undergraduate Culture Course

Science.gov (United States)

Lalande, John F., II

2008-01-01

Courses on the culture of the German-speaking world (GSW) have long dotted the landscape of undergraduate course offerings at North American colleges and universities. The primary purpose of this article is to share information about a new kind of undergraduate culture course that uses castles as a vehicle for introducing students to past and…

A reading of calvino’s The castle of crossed destinies as a machine-text

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Otávio Guimarães Tavares

2011-06-01

Full Text Available This text has the objective of analising the compositinal processo of Italo Calvino’s work The Castle of Crossed Destinies as a machine-text, as a textual production that, through restrictions to the creative process, lends combinatorial procedures from tarot cards and mechanical processes as a means of expanding compositional possibilities.

University of Toronto Instructors' Experiences with Developing MOOCs

Science.gov (United States)

Najafi, Hedieh; Rolheiser, Carol; Harrison, Laurie; Håklev, Stian

2015-01-01

We interviewed eight University of Toronto (U of T) instructors who have offered MOOCs on Coursera or EdX between 2012 and 2014 to understand their motivation for MOOC instruction, their experience developing and teaching MOOCs, and their perceptions of the implications of MOOC instruction on their teaching and research practices. Through…

State of the Crown of the continent ecosystem : Flathead/Castle Transboundary Bioregion (draft)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Konrad, E.; Peck, B.; Stewart, A.; Stewart, C.

1999-01-01

This state of the ecosystem report describes the ecological composition of the Flathead/Castle Transboundary bioregion, including human activity. The ecosystem (which does not follow political boundaries) extends from western Alberta, eastern British Columbia and Montana. The region encompasses 5088 square km. and occupies two watersheds of the greater Crown of the Continent Ecosystem. Ecological components of the North Fork of the Flathead and of the Castle Drainage including such ecological processes as fire and disease, vegetation, species, wildlife, the aquatic environment, and a century of human activity in the two regions are described. Forestry practices, petroleum extraction, mining, recreational activities, land development, ranching practices, and road development in the two regions are reviewed, along with ecosystem-wide trends. The advantages of ecosystem based management integrated with human based management practices was demonstrated by describing the Rocky Mountain Grizzly Bear Planning Committee`s work . The Committee consists of representatives of wildlife agencies of Montana, BC, Alberta and Canadian and US federal government agencies who share responsibility for jointly mapping grizzly habitat, grizzly mortality sinks, pooling data on mortalities to ensure that the regional grizzly bear population is managed as one population regardless of political boundaries. 221 refs., tabs., figs.

Resilience and housing choices among Filipino immigrants in Toronto

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thomas, R.

2013-01-01

In Canada, where immigration plays a major role in population growth, immigrants’ housing choices and settlement patterns have been extensively researched. Using a case study of Filipino immigrants in the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area, this paper demonstrates that choices such as affordable

2006 Toronto smog report card : final grade C-

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2006-07-01

This annual report card evaluated the progress made by the City of Toronto toward reducing the environmental and health impacts of smog. The final grade for 2006 was a C-, the same as for 2005. The highest grade of B+ was issued in 2004. The report card evaluated City Council actions based on their clean air commitments. Although the summer of 2006 was one of the best on record, with only 11 smog days, the grade of C- was issued because the performance of the City's Air Quality Improvement record was poor. Toronto Environmental Alliance strongly recommended that important changes be made to improve air quality, transit and waste disposal. It recommended that the City should address the real causes of unclean air, which are motor vehicle exhaust and toxic pollution. This report card graded the performance on initiatives in the following six major areas: energy; transit; air quality plan; walking and biking; fleets and fuels; and, intergovernmental action. The report recommended that efforts should be made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions which cause global warming. refs., tabs., figs.

Seabed surveys of Victoria harbour, Mahe, Seychelles

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Hashimi, N.H.; Wagle, B.G.

The seabed surveys in the Victoria Harbour, Mahe, Seychelles shows that the prominent feature is the navigational channel aligned in the northeast-southwest direction with a width varying from 300 to 450m. The depth in the channel ranges from 14...

Role of commercial harbours and recreational marinas in the spread of non-indigenous fouling species.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrario, Jasmine; Caronni, Sarah; Occhipinti-Ambrogi, Anna; Marchini, Agnese

2017-09-01

The role of commercial harbours as sink and source habitats for non-indigenous species (NIS) and the role of recreational boating for their secondary spread were investigated by analysing the fouling community of five Italian harbours and five marinas in the western Mediterranean Sea. It was first hypothesised that NIS assemblages in the recreational marinas were subsets of those occurring in commercial harbours. However, the data did not consistently support this hypothesis: the NIS pools of some marinas significantly diverged from harbours even belonging to the same coastal stretches, including NIS occurring only in marinas. This study confirms harbours as hotspots for marine NIS, but also reveals that numbers of NIS in some marinas is higher than expected, suggesting that recreational vessels effectively facilitate NIS spread. It is recommended that this vector of NIS introduction is taken into account in the future planning of sustainable development of maritime tourism in Europe.

Castle Creek known geothermal resource area: an environmental analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spencer, S.G.; Russell, B.F. (eds.)

1979-09-01

The Castle Creek known geothermal resource area (KGRA) is part of the large Bruneau-Grand View thermal anomaly in southwestern Idaho. The KGRA is located in the driest area of Idaho and annual precipitation averages 230 mm. The potential of subsidence and slope failure is high in sediments of the Glenns Ferry Formation and Idaho Group found in the KGRA. A major concern is the potential impact of geothermal development on the Snake River Birds of Prey Natural Area which overlaps the KGRA. Any significant economic growth in Owyhee County may strain the ability of the limited health facilities in the county. The Idaho Archaeological survey has located 46 archaeological sites within the KGRA.

The effect of Kingston Harbour outflow on the zooplankton populations of Hellshire, south-east coast, Jamaica

Science.gov (United States)

Lindo, Mona K.

1991-06-01

Zooplankton sampling was conducted at 16 stations located at the mouth of Kingston Harbour and throughout the Hellshire area from November 1985 to March 1987. Parameters examined included total biomass, total numbers and numbers of numerically important zooplankton species. Maximum values were recorded west of the Harbour mouth (station 1) and these gradually decreased with distance from the Harbour especially at the 'offshore' stations, producing a gradient effect in this area. Mean biomass and abundance for the period sampled ranged from 14 g m -3 and 16 313 individuals m -3 at the western side of the Harbour mouth to 0·4 g m -3 and 172 individuals m -3 at Wreck Reef. Stations within the bays of Hellshire occasionally had values similar to those recorded at the mouth of Kingston Harbour and here there was less evidence of a gradual decline. Considerable monthly fluctuation occurred in these parameters but there was no discernible seasonal pattern. Copepods dominated the population at most stations and the sergestid Lucifer faxoni also proved an important member at the western Harbour mouth station.

Survey of research on the optimal design of sea harbours

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassan Diab

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The design of harbours, as with any other system design, must be an optimization process. In this study, a global examination of the different constraints in coastal engineering was performed and an optimization problem was defined. The problem has multiple objectives, and the criteria to be minimized are the structure cost and wave height disturbance inside a harbour. As concluded in this survey, the constraints are predefined parameters, mandatory constraints or optional constraints. All of these constraints are categorized into four categories: environmental, fluid mechanical, structural and manoeuvring.

Centre for nuclear engineering University of Toronto annual report 1984

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-12-01

The annual report of the Centre for Nuclear Engineering, University of Toronto covers the following subjects: message from the Dean; Chairman's message; origins of the centre; formation of the centre; new nuclear appointments; and activities of the centre, 1984

From ivory tower to castle: how scientists are helping their local communities through solving crime

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baylor, V.M.

2002-01-01

C.A.S.T.L.E. ( Centre for applied science and technology for law enforcement) was established in 1995 to use the resources within Oak Ridge to help local, state and federal law enforcement personnel solve crimes. It included several functions, which will be described in more detail below, casework support, short term feasibility tasks, technical advice and assistance to operations. As a further result of the CASTLE program and similar efforts at DOE laboratories throughout the U.S., the Department of Energy committed in May 1998 to a memorandum of understanding with the departments of treasury and Justice which covers a crime-fighting partnership initiative. Under this partnership, DOE charter is to provide preeminent science and technology that can be applied to the mitigation of crime and criminal activities through the establishment of collaborative partnerships between the DOE laboratories and the law enforcement and forensic sciences communities. One of the chief goals is to facilitate the flow of technologies produced through the partnership to law enforcement agencies at the state and local level. (N.C.)

Chemometric Analysis for Pollution Source Assessment of Harbour Sediments in Arctic Locations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Kristine B.; Lejon, Tore; Jensen, Pernille Erland

2015-01-01

Pollution levels, pollutant distribution and potential source assessments based on multivariate analysis (chemometrics) were made for harbour sediments from two Arctic locations; Hammerfest in Norway and Sisimiut in Greenland. High levels of heavy metals were detected in addition to organic...... pollutants. Preliminary assessments based on principal component analysis (PCA) revealed different sources and pollutant distribution in the sediments of the two harbours. Tributyltin (TBT) was, however, found to originate from point source(s), and the highest concentrations of TBT in both harbours were...... indicated relation primarily to German, Russian and American mixtures in Hammerfest; and American, Russian and Japanese mixtures in Sisimiut. PCA was shown to be an important tool for identifying pollutant sources and differences in pollutant composition in relation to sediment characteristics....

Phocine distemper virus (PDV) seroprevalence as predictor for future outbreaks in harbour seals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ludes-Wehrmeister, Eva; Dupke, Claudia; Harder, Timm C; Baumgärtner, Wolfgang; Haas, Ludwig; Teilmann, Jonas; Dietz, Rune; Jensen, Lasse F; Siebert, Ursula

2016-02-01

Phocine distemper virus (PDV) infections caused the two most pronounced mass mortalities in marine mammals documented in the past century. During the two outbreaks, 23,000 and 30,000 harbour seals (Phoca vitulina), died in 1988/1989 and 2002 across populations in the Wadden Sea and adjacent waters, respectively. To follow the mechanism and development of disease spreading, the dynamics of Morbillivirus-specific antibodies in harbour seal populations in German and Danish waters were examined. 522 serum samples of free-ranging harbour seals of different ages were sampled between 1990 and 2014. By standard neutralisation assays, Morbillivirus-specific antibodies were detected, using either the PDV isolate 2558/Han 88 or the related canine distemper virus (CDV) strain Onderstepoort. A total of 159 (30.5%) of the harbour seals were seropositive. Annual seroprevalence rates showed an undulating course: Peaks were seen in the post-epidemic years 1990/1991 and 2002/2003. Following each PDV outbreak, seroprevalence decreased and six to eight years after the epidemics samples were tested seronegative, indicating that the populations are now again susceptible to new PDV outbreak. After the last outbreak in 2002, the populations grew steadily to an estimated maximum (since 1975) of about 39,100 individuals in the Wadden Sea in 2014 and about 23,540 harbour seals in the Kattegat area in 2013. A re-appearence of PDV would presumably result in another epizootic with high mortality rates as encountered in the previous outbreaks. The current high population density renders harbour seals vulnerable to rapid spread of infectious agents including PDV and the recently detected influenza A virus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Earlier pupping in harbour seals, Phoca vitulina

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reijnders, P.J.H.; Brasseur, S.M.J.M.; Meesters, H.W.G.

2010-01-01

The annual reproductive cycle of most seal species is characterized by a tight synchrony of births. Typically, timing of birth shows little inter-annual variation. Here, however we show that harbour seals Phoca vitulina from the Wadden Sea (southeast North Sea) have shortened their yearly cycle,

In pursuit of the heritage and place synergy: the environmental impact of Panemunė Castle as a heritage property and entirety of values. A study

OpenAIRE

Vaida Ščiglienė; Vaida Almonaitytė-Navickienė; Kristina Daubarytė; Ieva Kuizinienė, Angelė Čepėnaitė; Angelė Čepėnaitė

2017-01-01

The study on Panemunė Castle examined this heritage object in an entirety of its values and their impact on the environment, with a possibility of their synergism for the benefit of the place. It found the contemporary national heritage protection framework failing to grant equal attention to elements constituting the multifaceted worth of the castle as a property, inclusive of the social, cultural, artistic values, the engagement of local communities, the important role of cultural tourism a...

Cost-effectiveness analysis of lopinavir/ritonavir and atazanavir+ritonavir regimens in the CASTLE study.

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Kit N; Rajagopalan, Rukmini; Dietz, Birgitta

2009-02-01

The purpose of the study was to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis and budget impact analysis comparing lopinavir with ritonavir (LPV/r) and atazanavir plus ritonavir (ATV+RTV) for antiretroviral-naïve patients with a baseline CD4+ T-cell distribution and total cholesterol (TC) profile as reported in the CASTLE study. This decision analysis study used a previously published Markov model of HIV disease, incorporating coronary heart disease (CHD) events to compare the short- and long-term budget impacts and CHD consequences expected for the two regimens. Patients were assumed to have a baseline CHD risk of 4.6% (based on demographic data) and it was also assumed that 50% of the population in the CASTLE study were smokers. The CHD risk differences (based on percent of patients with TC >240 mg/dL) in favor of ATV+RTV resulted in an average improvement in life expectancy of 0.031 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) (11 days), and an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $1,409,734/QALY. Use of the LPV/r regimen saved $24,518 and $36,651 at 5 and 10 years, respectively, with lifetime cost savings estimated at $38,490. A sensitivity analysis using a cohort of all smokers on antihypertensive medication estimated an average improvement in life expectancy of 31 quality-adjusted days in favor of ATV+RTV, and a cost-effectiveness ratio of $520,861/QALY: a ratio that is still above the acceptable limit within the US. The use of an LPV/r-based regimen in antiretroviral-naïve patients with a baseline CHD risk similar to patients in the CASTLE study appears to be a more cost-effective use of resources compared with an ATV+RTV-based regimen. The very small added CHD risk predicted by LPV/r treatment is more than offset by the substantial short- and long-term cost savings expected with the use of LPV/r in antiretroviral-naïve individuals with average to moderately elevated CHD risk.

Radon concentrations inside castles and other ancient buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malanca, A.; Pessina, V.; Dallara, G.

1992-01-01

Sixty-two measurements of Rn-222 concentrations were made in 24 castles and 13 ancient buildings in 30 different places situated in the provinces of Parma and Reggio Emilia (Northern Italy). The method used was that of activated carbon canisters which were placed in selected settings for at least 48 h in the period staring from December 1990 to May 1991. It was possible to determine the amount of radon in each canister via its daughters gamma emitters counted by Nal(Tl) and Ge(I) detectors. The mean radon concentrations were 72 Bq m -3 (arithmetic mean) and 49 Bq m -3 (geometric mean), a good deal higher than the values obtained from measurements carried out in modern dwellings in the same area; 30 Bq m -3 (arithmetic mean) and 19 Bq m -3 (geometric mean). (author). 20 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs

Proceedings of the Toronto TEAM/ACES workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turner, L.R.

1991-03-01

The third TEAM Workshop of the third round was held at Ontario Hydro in Toronto 25--26 October 1990, immediately following the Conference on Electromagnetic Field Computation. This was the first Joint Workshop with ACES (Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society), whose goals are similar to TEAM, but who tend to work at higher frequencies (Antennas, Propagation, and Scattering). A fusion problem, the eddy current heating of the case of the Euratom Large Coil Project Coil, was adapted as Problem 14 at the Oxford Workshop, and a solution to that problem was presented at Toronto by Oskar Biro of the Graz (Austria) University of Technology. Individual solutions were also presented for Problems 8 (Flaw in a Plate) and 9 (Moving Coil inside a Pipe). Five new solutions were presented to Problem 13 (DC Coil in a Ferromagnetic Yoke), and Koji Fujiwara of Okayama University summarized these solutions along with the similar number presented at Oxford. The solutions agreed well in the air but disagreed in the steel. Codes with a formulation in magnetic field strength or scalar potential underestimated the flux density in the steel, and codes based on flux density or vector potential overestimated it. Codes with edge elements appeared to do better than codes with nodal elements. These results stimulated considerable discussions; in my view that was the most valuable result of the workshop

Status of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in mainland Norway

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kjell Tormod Nilssen

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Harbour seals were counted along the entire Norwegian coast at known moulting haulout sites in the period mid-August to early September 2003-2006. In 2003-2005, almost all known moulting areas from Finnmark to Vestfold counties were covered by aerial photo surveys flown at altitudes of approximately 800-900 ft (243-274m, and at low tide (± 2 hours. Surveys in the Østfold County were flown in 2003-2006 at 300 ft (91m, and the small tidal amplitudes permitted counts to be carried out irrespective of the tidal cycle. In some sub-areas, two or three independent surveys were conducted. Visual counts using binoculars from smaller boats and islands were carried out in some selected areas. The surveys revealed a total minimum population of 6,705 harbour seals in Norwegian waters. Harbour seals were most abundant in the Nordland and Sør-Trøndelag counties with minimum estimates of approximately 2,500 and 1,500 seals, respectively. The presented minimum estimate is approximately 800 seals lower than an estimate obtained in a comparable study carried out during the moult in 1996-1999. Increased anthropogenic removals, and the phocine distemper virus (PDV epidemic in the Skagerrak region in 2002, may have contributed to the current lower estimate.

Consulting Whom? Lessons from the Toronto Urban Aboriginal Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mai T. Nguyen

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The research conducted here looks at the current Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS in Toronto. The purpose of this Strategy is to provide long-term investments to support Aboriginal communities in urban settings by focusing on three priority areas: improving life skills; promoting job training, skills, and entrepreneurship; and supporting Aboriginal women, children, and families. This article seeks to answer the following question: Does the UAS provide Aboriginal participants with the ability to effectively participant in the consultation process? It argues that the UAS process of consulting with the urban Aboriginal community does not allow for the effective participation of Aboriginal peoples because of problematics related to consulting in an urban setting and despite the language of partnership, the federal government still reserves the right to make final decisions. These problems diminish the ability to build renewed Aboriginal-State relations based on mutual respect and trust, which has been absent within the Aboriginal-State apparatus and resulted in the political exclusion of Aboriginals in Canada. Though consultation can be a vehicle for empowering participants with decision-making authority, this is not the case in Toronto. The lack of a common vision, political buy-in, and the aura of secrecy leads to a political relationship built on mistrust. Mistrust between members and government renders the consultation process ineffective. This article combines the literature on public consultations with official government documents to identify critical components that must be evident for consultations to be fruitful and participation effective. These criteria are the benchmarks upon which to measure effectiveness. Based on interviews with the Steering Committee, this article finds that the UAS process of consulting with the Toronto Aboriginal community does not enable Aboriginal participants to effectively participate in the democratic process.

In pursuit of the heritage and place synergy: the environmental impact of Panemunė Castle as a heritage property and entirety of values. A study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vaida Ščiglienė

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The study on Panemunė Castle examined this heritage object in an entirety of its values and their impact on the environment, with a possibility of their synergism for the benefit of the place. It found the contemporary national heritage protection framework failing to grant equal attention to elements constituting the multifaceted worth of the castle as a property, inclusive of the social, cultural, artistic values, the engagement of local communities, the important role of cultural tourism and the image of the place, and economic efficiency. The analysis of the different facets one by one and collectively has brought to the conclusion that the social, cultural, artistic and economic values of Panemunė Castle as a heritage property influence their environment, but are not experienced as a powerful driving force of the contemporary heritage protection. The process remains fragmented, sporadic and underdeveloped, with its elements failing to achieve synergism for the place.

The archetypal criticism of "Hooshroba Castle" story

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jalil Moshydy

2017-04-01

.“Universal archetypes are the collective unconscious and are inherited from our ancestors” (Cuddon, 1380: 39. The basic fact of life archetype such as birth, growing up, love, family and tribal life, death ...at the same concepts as the archetype known myths. Elements such as death and rebirth, hero's journey, an old wise man, anima and animus, shadow. The archetypal criticism based on inter-textuality to look at the literature and a relationship based on dialogue among literary works have been written based on archetypes believes. "Zat os-Sovar Castle" storyis one of the most mysterious talesof Masnavi and it is more mysteriously unfinished. Checking archetypal story of "Zat os-Sovar Castle"shows that archetype in this story has a special place. The story begins with the heroes of the adventure trip which is known archetypes. The old wise man in the form of three characters, namely the father, the old man will appear enlightened and king China. King of China's daughter the owner image of the beautiful castle, man is a manifestation of the female psyche Anima they say. Shadow of the dark side of the human psyche and the origin of evil traits, in the second brother to be seen and adverse effects on the soul leaves his. Mask or persona archetype also is seen in the behavior of the king of China When unaware that his show and the secret are their spiritual brothers. The loss of brothers and another brother replacing the frequently happens in the story, reminiscent of the archetype of death and rebirth is and in the end, according to the story's elements and characters, the myth of the creation of the first man to be seen. By analyzing this archetype can be hidden concepts in this part of the Masnavi and realized similar literary works and the benefit.

Shoreline stability in the vicinity of Cochin Harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

PrasannaKumar, S.; Vethamony, P.

, showing stability over a period of one year. The growth of shoreline north of Cochin harbour channel takes place at the cost of sediment that should have otherwise by-passed the estuarine mouth. During the southwest monsoon the development of opposing...

Energy solutions, neo-liberalism, and social diversity in Toronto, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Teelucksingh, Cheryl; Poland, Blake

2011-01-01

In response to the dominance of green capitalist discourses in Canada's environmental movement, in this paper, we argue that strategies to improve energy policy must also provide mechanisms to address social conflicts and social disparities. Environmental justice is proposed as an alternative to mainstream environmentalism, one that seeks to address systemic social and spatial exclusion encountered by many racialized immigrants in Toronto as a result of neo-liberal and green capitalist municipal policy and that seeks to position marginalized communities as valued contributors to energy solutions. We examine Toronto-based municipal state initiatives aimed at reducing energy use while concurrently stimulating growth (specifically, green economy/green jobs and 'smart growth'). By treating these as instruments of green capitalism, we illustrate the utility of environmental justice applied to energy-related problems and as a means to analyze stakeholders' positions in the context of neo-liberalism and green capitalism, and as opening possibilities for resistance.

Active tuberculosis among homeless persons, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1998-2007.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Kamran; Rea, Elizabeth; McDermaid, Cameron; Stuart, Rebecca; Chambers, Catharine; Wang, Jun; Chan, Angie; Gardam, Michael; Jamieson, Frances; Yang, Jae; Hwang, Stephen W

2011-03-01

While tuberculosis (TB) in Canadian cities is increasingly affecting foreign-born persons, homeless persons remain at high risk. To assess trends in TB, we studied all homeless persons in Toronto who had a diagnosis of active TB during 1998-2007. We compared Canada-born and foreign-born homeless persons and assessed changes over time. We identified 91 homeless persons with active TB; they typically had highly contagious, advanced disease, and 19% died within 12 months of diagnosis. The proportion of homeless persons who were foreign-born increased from 24% in 1998-2002 to 39% in 2003-2007. Among foreign-born homeless persons with TB, 56% of infections were caused by strains not known to circulate among homeless persons in Toronto. Only 2% of infections were resistant to first-line TB medications. The rise in foreign-born homeless persons with TB strains likely acquired overseas suggests that the risk for drug-resistant strains entering the homeless shelter system may be escalating.

Energy Solutions, Neo-Liberalism, and Social Diversity in Toronto, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Teelucksingh, Cheryl; Poland, Blake

2011-01-01

In response to the dominance of green capitalist discourses in Canada’s environmental movement, in this paper, we argue that strategies to improve energy policy must also provide mechanisms to address social conflicts and social disparities. Environmental justice is proposed as an alternative to mainstream environmentalism, one that seeks to address systemic social and spatial exclusion encountered by many racialized immigrants in Toronto as a result of neo-liberal and green capitalist municipal policy and that seeks to position marginalized communities as valued contributors to energy solutions. We examine Toronto-based municipal state initiatives aimed at reducing energy use while concurrently stimulating growth (specifically, green economy/green jobs and ‘smart growth’). By treating these as instruments of green capitalism, we illustrate the utility of environmental justice applied to energy-related problems and as a means to analyze stakeholders’ positions in the context of neo-liberalism and green capitalism, and as opening possibilities for resistance. PMID:21318023

Deciphering natural to anthropogenic control on sedimentation: the Late Holocene Magdala (Kinneret Lake, Israel) harbour hystory

Science.gov (United States)

Sarti, G.; Rossi, V.; Amorosi, A.; Bertoni, D.; Ribolini, A.; Sammartino, I.; Zanchetta, G.

2012-04-01

Using a multidisciplinary approach involving geologists, geomorphologists and archeologists, the late Holocene sedimentary succession buried beneath the ancient Magdala harbour area (Kinneret Lake, Israel) was studied, in order to highlight the strict relationships among harbour evolutive phases (e.g. foundation, siltation, abandonment), natural events (e.g. sea-level variations, climatic changes and earthquakes among the most important) and, obviously, archaeological history. Recent excavations performed within the "Magdala Project" have discovered a harbour structure with late Hellenistic-Roman mooring stones at altitudes of 208.100 m and 208.320 m bsl respectively, suggestive of a higher lake-level (about 212 m bsl) than previously hypothesized. Along the most representative sections of trenches, integrated sedimentological, micropalaeontological (benthic meiofauna and pollen) and geochemical analyses were carried out on sedimentary deposits underlying and overlying the harbour structures, to define the main depositional facies and evolution phases that took place during the last millennia. Spatial variability of coeval palaeoenvironments across the archaeological site allowed to reconstruct a comprehensive picture of the harbour complex, evidencing the occurrence of three main evolution phases, similar to those reported from several Mediterranean Sea harbour systems: 1) a pre-harbor foundation phase; 2) a sin-harbor activity phase and 3) an harbor-abandonment phase. The first phase corresponds to the development of a natural lacustrine sandy beach barren in archaeological remains and containing an ostracod fauna very similar to the one observed within the present-day lake basin at ca. 5 m water depth. The second phase was characterized by the formation of an early Hellenistic sheltered lacustrine basin, recording the first anthropogenic control exerted on coastal sedimentation by the construction of harbour structures ("anthropogenically forced sheltered basin

Detection and effects of harmful algal toxins in Scottish harbour seals and potential links to population decline.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Silje-Kristin; Lacaze, Jean-Pierre; Hermann, Guillaume; Kershaw, Joanna; Brownlow, Andrew; Turner, Andrew; Hall, Ailsa

2015-04-01

Over the past 15 years or so, several Scottish harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) populations have declined in abundance and several factors have been considered as possible causes, including toxins from harmful algae. Here we explore whether a link could be established between two groups of toxins, domoic acid (DA) and saxitoxins (STXs), and the decline in the harbour seal populations in Scotland. We document the first evidence that harbour seals are exposed to both DA and STXs from consuming contaminated fish. Both groups of toxins were found in urine and faeces sampled from live captured (n = 162) and stranded animals (n = 23) and in faecal samples collected from seal haul-out sites (n = 214) between 2008 and 2013. The proportion of positive samples and the toxins levels measured in the excreta were significantly higher in areas where harbour seal abundance is in decline. There is also evidence that DA has immunomodulatory effects in harbour seals, including lymphocytopenia and monocytosis. Scottish harbour seals are exposed to DA and STXs through contaminated prey at potentially lethal levels and with this evidence we suggest that exposure to these toxins are likely to be important factors driving the harbour seal decline in some regions of Scotland. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Potential for occupational and environmental exposure to ten carcinogens in Toronto

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muller, P. [ToxProbe Inc., Toronto, ON (Canada)

2002-03-01

A study was conducted in which several contaminants were assessed for their toxicological properties, potencies and occupational and environmental exposures in the city of Toronto. The contaminants included 1,3-butadiene, asbestos, benzene, cadmium, chromium, dioxins, formaldehyde, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), tetrachloroethylene, and trichloroethylene. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and Health Canada have classified 9 of the 10 substances as human carcinogens. Tetrachloroethylene was classified as a probable human carcinogen. It was noted that there is no level of exposure for these chemicals that is without some risk. The information on the levels of selected contaminants in the workplace were obtained from existing literature. The sectors with the highest number of potentially exposed workers to these contaminants include the textiles industry, footwear manufacturing, wood products manufacturing, rubber products manufacturing, non-metallic mineral products manufacturing, fabricated metal products manufacturing, construction, land transport, and household services. The report discussed sources of emissions, routes and pathways of exposures and environmental levels, including outdoor air levels water concentrations, soil concentrations, and food concentrations. The report does not estimate the actual risk to Toronto residents due to environmental exposure to these carcinogens because data are insufficient to conduct such an assessment. However, some previous studies have indicated that exposure from ambient and indoor air has the greatest impact on human health. It is recommended that the city of Toronto remain up to date on the regulatory status of these chemicals. refs., tabs., figs., appendices.

Harborsim, a generally applicable harbour simulation model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groenveld, R.

1983-01-01

Every planning of a port development or design of a new harbour is confronted with the unique physical properties and related problems to be solved. On the other hand every port can be defined as a link in the transport chain involved in the transfer of cargo from one medium of transport to another.

Lungworm seroprevalence in free-ranging harbour seals and molecular characterisation of marine mammal MSP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophia Arlena Ulrich

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina are frequently infected with the lungworms Otostrongylus circumlitus and Parafilaroides gymnurus. The infection is often accompanied by secondary bacterial infections and can cause severe bronchopneumonia and even death in affected animals. Hitherto, the detection of lungworm infections was based on post mortem investigations from animals collected within stranding networks and a valid detection method for live free-ranging harbour seals was not available. Recently, an ELISA was developed for detecting lungworm antibodies in harbour seal serum, using major sperm protein (MSP of the bovine lungworm, Dictyocaulus viviparus as recombinant diagnostic antigen. To determine lungworm seroprevalence in free-ranging harbour seals, serum was taken from four different seal age groups (n = 313 resulting in an overall prevalence of 17.9% (18.9% of males, 16.7% of females. 0.7% of harbour seals up to six weeks of age were seropositive, as were 89% of seals between six weeks and six months, 53.6% between six and 18 months and 24.2% of seals over 18 months of age. In the 18 months and over age group, seropositive animals showed statistically significant reductions in body weight (P = 0.003 and length (P < 0.001. Sera from lungworm infected harbour seals in rehabilitation (n = 6 revealed that duration of antibody persistence may be similar to that of lungworm infected cattle, but further studies are needed to confirm this. Phylogenetic analyses of MSP sequences of different marine and terrestrial mammal parasitic nematodes revealed that lungworm MSP of the genus Dictyocaulus (superfamily Trichostrongyloidea is more closely related to metastrongylid marine mammal lungworms than to trichostrongylid nematodes of terrestrial hosts.

Effects of wind farms on harbour porpoise behaviour and population dynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nabe-Nielsen, Jacob; Tougaard, Jakob; Teilmann, Jonas

We developed an individual-based simulation model in order to study the cumulative impacts of wind farms and ship traffic on the long-term survival and population dynamics of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in Kattegat and the Belt Seas. The model is based on knowl- edge of the porpoises...... at distances >1 km. Our simulations suggest that operating wind farms and wind farms under construction do not affect the size or dynamics of the harbour porpoise population in Kattegat. Ship traffic may, in contrast, cause the population size to decrease....

Codes of Practice related to Harbour and Coastal Engineering in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burcharth, H. F.

2000-01-01

Codes of practice for building and civil engineering works have been produced since 1893 by the "Danish Society of Engineers". Among the early codes are: Reinforces concrete structures (1908, 1943), calculation of reinforced concrete structures in harbour works (1926), Harbour Works (1927), Steel...... structures (1941). The codes were based on the principle of allowable stresses. However, already in 1948 a Danish consulting engineer used a partial safety factor concept for a power station design in order to secure satisfactory safety. The concept was in fact old as it was used by Gerber in his design...

Macro- and meiofaunal community features in the critical environmental system of a tourist harbour (Rapallo, Ligurian Sea, NW Mediterranean).

Science.gov (United States)

Harriague, Anabella Covazzi; Albertelli, Giancarlo; Misic, Cristina

2012-03-01

Two samplings were carried out in a tourist harbour, during low and high touristic activity periods, to study the macro- and meiofaunal communities in relation to the environmental features. A multivariate analysis showed close relationships: the maritime traffic disturbance and the food quality and availability drive the spatial differences of the assemblages, dividing the area into three sub-areas: the area near the Boate torrent that empties into the harbour, the harbour proper, and the external area (just outside the harbour). Macro- and meiofauna showed notably different temporal trends, indicating competition for the resources and the higher sensitivity of the macrofauna to environmental pressures. The macrofauna strongly decreased as a response to heavier harbour activities, with increasing turbidity also affecting the external station outside the harbour. Finally, comparing the macrofaunal communities to those sampled in the same area 10 years before, we found that their abundance, richness and biomass had notably decreased, highlighting the worsening of the harbour environment due to the increased organic load and turbidity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organochlorine residues in harbour porpoises from Southwest Greenland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borrell, Asuncion; Aguilar, Alex; Cantos, Gemma; Lockyer, Christina; Heide-Joergensen, Mads Peter; Jensen, Jette

2004-02-01

During the 1995 hunting season, 75 harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were sampled in three locations in West Greenland: Maniitsoq, Nuuk, and Paamiut. Sex, age, morphometrics, reproductive condition, and organochlorine compound (OC) levels in blubber were determined for each individual. OC levels were extremely low and, therefore considered unlikely to affect the population adversely: mean blubber concentrations, expressed on lipid weight basis were 1.98 (S.D.=1.1) mg/kg for PCBs, 2.76 (S.D.=1.66) mg/kg for tDDT and 0.21 (S.D.=0.11) mg/kg for HCB. No statistical differences were observed among individuals caught in the various locations. OC concentrations showed statistically significant positive associations with age in males but negative in females; consequently, mature females presented lower pollutant loads than their male counterparts. Juveniles did not show differences between sexes. A higher proportion of less chlorinated and more metabolizable polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) compared to tPCBs was found in calves (age<=1) than in mature females, indicating that the feeding habits of these two groups differ and that a greater transfer of less chlorinated compounds is passed from females to their pups through lactation and parturition. Harbour porpoises significantly contribute to the dietary intake of OCs by local Inuit populations. This contribution could be reduced if mature males were selectively avoided; however, current hunting procedures make this selection impracticable. - While organochlorine levels in W. Greenland harbour porpoises are low, their contribution to Inuit dietary intake should not be disregarded.

Organochlorine residues in harbour porpoises from Southwest Greenland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borrell, Asuncion; Aguilar, Alex; Cantos, Gemma; Lockyer, Christina; Heide-Joergensen, Mads Peter; Jensen, Jette

2004-01-01

During the 1995 hunting season, 75 harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were sampled in three locations in West Greenland: Maniitsoq, Nuuk, and Paamiut. Sex, age, morphometrics, reproductive condition, and organochlorine compound (OC) levels in blubber were determined for each individual. OC levels were extremely low and, therefore considered unlikely to affect the population adversely: mean blubber concentrations, expressed on lipid weight basis were 1.98 (S.D.=1.1) mg/kg for PCBs, 2.76 (S.D.=1.66) mg/kg for tDDT and 0.21 (S.D.=0.11) mg/kg for HCB. No statistical differences were observed among individuals caught in the various locations. OC concentrations showed statistically significant positive associations with age in males but negative in females; consequently, mature females presented lower pollutant loads than their male counterparts. Juveniles did not show differences between sexes. A higher proportion of less chlorinated and more metabolizable polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) compared to tPCBs was found in calves (age<=1) than in mature females, indicating that the feeding habits of these two groups differ and that a greater transfer of less chlorinated compounds is passed from females to their pups through lactation and parturition. Harbour porpoises significantly contribute to the dietary intake of OCs by local Inuit populations. This contribution could be reduced if mature males were selectively avoided; however, current hunting procedures make this selection impracticable. - While organochlorine levels in W. Greenland harbour porpoises are low, their contribution to Inuit dietary intake should not be disregarded

Metal contamination in harbours impacts life-history traits and metallothionein levels in snails.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Alexandra Bighiu

Full Text Available Harbours with limited water exchange are hotspots of contaminant accumulation. Antifouling paints (AF contribute to this accumulation by leaching biocides that may affect non-target species. In several leisure boat harbours and reference areas in the Baltic Sea, chronic exposure effects were evaluated using caging experiments with the snail Theodoxus fluviatilis. We analysed variations in ecologically relevant endpoints (mortality, growth and reproduction in concert with variation in metallothionein-like proteins (MTLP levels. The latter is a biomarker of exposure to metals, such as copper (Cu and zinc (Zn, which are used in AF paints as active ingredient and stabilizer, respectively. In addition, environmental samples (water, sediment were analysed for metal (Cu and Zn and nutrient (total phosphorous and nitrogen concentrations. All life-history endpoints were negatively affected by the exposure, with higher mortality, reduced growth and lower fecundity in the harbours compared to the reference sites. Metal concentrations were the key explanatory variables for all observed adverse effects, suggesting that metal-driven toxicity, which is likely to stem from AF paints, is a source of anthropogenic stress for biota in the harbours.

The spatial and temporal distribution of heavy metals in sediments of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Chloe Wing-yee; Ip, Carman Ching-man; Zhang Gan; Shin, Paul K.S.; Qian Peiyuan; Li Xiangdong

2008-01-01

Victoria Harbour has received substantial loadings of pollutants from industrial and municipal wastewater discharged since the 1950s. Inputs of contaminants have declined dramatically during the last two decades as a result of better controls at the source and improved wastewater treatment facilities. To assess the spatial and temporal changes of metal contaminants in sediments in Victoria Harbour, core and grab sediments were collected. The central harbour areas were generally contaminated with heavy metals. The spatial distribution of trace metals can probably be attributed to the proximity of major urban and industrial discharge points, and to the effect of tidal flushing in the harbour. In the sediment cores, the highest concentrations of trace metals were observed to have accumulated during the 1950s-1980s, corresponding with the period of rapid urban and industrial development in Hong Kong. From the late 1980s, there has been a major decline in the concentrations of trace metals, due to a reduction in industrial activities and to the enactment of wastewater pollution controls in the territory. The Pb isotopic compositions of the sediments revealed the anthropogenic inputs of Pb to the harbour. The 206 Pb/ 207 Pb ratios varied from 1.154 to 1.190, which were lower than those of background geological materials in Hong Kong ( 206 Pb/ 207 Pb: 1.201-1.279). The data also indicated that the Pb in the harbour sediments most likely originated from mixed sources, including the leaded gasoline used in the past and other anthropogenic sources

The spatial and temporal distribution of heavy metals in sediments of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Chloe Wing-yee; Ip, Carman Ching-man [Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon (Hong Kong); Zhang Gan [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Shin, Paul K.S. [Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon (Hong Kong); Qian Peiyuan [Department of Biology and Coastal Marine Laboratory, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon (Hong Kong); Li Xiangdong [Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon (Hong Kong)], E-mail: cexdli@polyu.edu.hk

2008-07-01

Victoria Harbour has received substantial loadings of pollutants from industrial and municipal wastewater discharged since the 1950s. Inputs of contaminants have declined dramatically during the last two decades as a result of better controls at the source and improved wastewater treatment facilities. To assess the spatial and temporal changes of metal contaminants in sediments in Victoria Harbour, core and grab sediments were collected. The central harbour areas were generally contaminated with heavy metals. The spatial distribution of trace metals can probably be attributed to the proximity of major urban and industrial discharge points, and to the effect of tidal flushing in the harbour. In the sediment cores, the highest concentrations of trace metals were observed to have accumulated during the 1950s-1980s, corresponding with the period of rapid urban and industrial development in Hong Kong. From the late 1980s, there has been a major decline in the concentrations of trace metals, due to a reduction in industrial activities and to the enactment of wastewater pollution controls in the territory. The Pb isotopic compositions of the sediments revealed the anthropogenic inputs of Pb to the harbour. The {sup 206}Pb/{sup 207}Pb ratios varied from 1.154 to 1.190, which were lower than those of background geological materials in Hong Kong ({sup 206}Pb/{sup 207}Pb: 1.201-1.279). The data also indicated that the Pb in the harbour sediments most likely originated from mixed sources, including the leaded gasoline used in the past and other anthropogenic sources.

Year-round spatiotemporal distribution of harbour porpoises within and around the Maryland wind energy area.

Science.gov (United States)

Wingfield, Jessica E; O'Brien, Michael; Lyubchich, Vyacheslav; Roberts, Jason J; Halpin, Patrick N; Rice, Aaron N; Bailey, Helen

2017-01-01

Offshore windfarms provide renewable energy, but activities during the construction phase can affect marine mammals. To understand how the construction of an offshore windfarm in the Maryland Wind Energy Area (WEA) off Maryland, USA, might impact harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), it is essential to determine their poorly understood year-round distribution. Although habitat-based models can help predict the occurrence of species in areas with limited or no sampling, they require validation to determine the accuracy of the predictions. Incorporating more than 18 months of harbour porpoise detection data from passive acoustic monitoring, generalized auto-regressive moving average and generalized additive models were used to investigate harbour porpoise occurrence within and around the Maryland WEA in relation to temporal and environmental variables. Acoustic detection metrics were compared to habitat-based density estimates derived from aerial and boat-based sightings to validate the model predictions. Harbour porpoises occurred significantly more frequently during January to May, and foraged significantly more often in the evenings to early mornings at sites within and outside the Maryland WEA. Harbour porpoise occurrence peaked at sea surface temperatures of 5°C and chlorophyll a concentrations of 4.5 to 7.4 mg m-3. The acoustic detections were significantly correlated with the predicted densities, except at the most inshore site. This study provides insight into previously unknown fine-scale spatial and temporal patterns in distribution of harbour porpoises offshore of Maryland. The results can be used to help inform future monitoring and mitigate the impacts of windfarm construction and other human activities.

Settling fluxes and ecotoxicological risk assessment of fine sedimentary metals in Tema Harbour (Ghana).

Science.gov (United States)

Botwe, Benjamin O; Nyarko, Elvis; Lens, Piet N L

2018-01-01

Sediment traps were deployed in the Tema Harbour to estimate the settling fluxes of silt-clay particles and associated metals (Fe, Mn, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni, Hg, Sn and As) and characterise their potential ecotoxicological risks. The mean daily settling fluxes of the silt-clay particles and associated metals ranged from 42.7 to 85.0gm -2 d -1 and 1.3×10 -2 to 49.4mgm -2 d -1 , respectively, and were characterised by large fluctuations at each station. The silt-clay and metal fluxes strongly correlated, indicating the important role of the silt-clay particles in metal transport and distribution in the harbour. Geochemical indices indicated anthropogenic influences on the harbour as the Pb, Cr, Zn, Hg, Sn and As content in the settling silt-clay particles exceeded their average crustal concentrations. Sediment quality guidelines indicated these metals pose appreciable ecotoxicological risks, particularly As. Increasing temporal trends in As necessitates increased pollution control efforts at the harbour. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Undergraduate otolaryngology education at the University of Toronto: a review using a curriculum mapping system.

Science.gov (United States)

Oyewumi, Modupe; Isaac, Kathryn; Schreiber, Martin; Campisi, Paolo

2012-02-01

The aim of Canadian medical school curricula is to provide educational experiences that satisfy the specific objectives set out by the Medical Council of Canada. However, for specialties such as otolaryngology, there is considerable variability in student exposure to didactic and clinical teaching across Canadian medical schools, making it unclear whether students receive sufficient teaching of core otolaryngology content and clinical skills. The goal of this review was to assess the exposure to otolaryngology instruction in the undergraduate medical curriculum at the University of Toronto. Otolaryngology objectives were derived from objectives created by the Medical Council of Canada and the University of Toronto. The University of Toronto's recently developed Curriculum Mapping System (CMap) was used to perform a keyword search of otolaryngology objectives to establish when and to what extent essential topics were being taught. All (10 of 10) major topics and skills identified were covered in the undergraduate medical curriculum. Although no major gaps were identified, an uneven distribution of teaching time exists. The majority (> 90%) of otolaryngology education occurs during year 1 of clerkship. The amount of preclerkship education was extremely limited. Essential otolaryngology topics and skills are taught within the University of Toronto curriculum. The CMap was an effective tool to assess the otolaryngology curriculum and was able to identify gaps in otolaryngology education during the preclerkship years of medical school. As a result, modifications to the undergraduate curriculum have been implemented to provide additional teaching during the preclerkship years.

Assessing urban forest effects and values: Toronto's urban forest

Science.gov (United States)

David J. Nowak; Robert E. III Hoehn; Allison R. Bodine; Eric J. Greenfield; Alexis Ellis; Theodore A. Endreny; Yang Yang; Tian Zhou; Ruthanne. Henry

2013-01-01

An analysis of trees in Toronto, Ontario, reveals that this city has about 10.2 million trees with a tree and shrub canopy that covers approximately 26.6 percent of the city. The most common tree species are eastern white-cedar, sugar maple, and Norway maple. The urban forest currently stores an estimated 1.1 million metric tons of carbon valued at CAD$25.0 million. In...

Pilot remediation of sediment from the Petroleum harbour in Amsterdam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hakstege, A.L.; Geldermalsen, L.A. van

1998-01-01

The Petroleum Harbour project is the third pilot remediation, which was carried out within the framework of POSW (the national development programme for treatment processes of polluted sediments). The main objectives of the pilot remediation are: to demonstrate the biological treatment of dredged materials on a practical scale; and to gain knowledge and experience for the future remediation of the total Petroleum harbour. A strict tender procedure was carefully executed in order to select the most effective and 'state of the art' biodegradation technology. The selected remediation chain was a combination of 'standard' soil treatment technology and newly developed biotechnology. Dredging, biotechnological treatment and the effects of the remediation on the environment were monitored in detail. The quality of the treated sand fraction complied with the Dutch standards for re-use and was actually applied in a project of Rijkswaterstaat. Biodegradation resulted in a substantial decrease of the oil and PAH's contents, but due to the lack of breakdown of a few high-molecular PAH's, the quality requirements of the contract were not achieved. It is concluded that the two main objectives of the project have been attained. Finally some recommendations for the future clean-up of the Petroleum harbour are given. (author)

Solar energy system demonstration project at Wilmington Swim School, New Castle, Delaware

Science.gov (United States)

1980-07-01

A solar energy system located at the Wilmington Swim School, New Castle, Delaware is described. The system was designed for a 40 percent heating and a 30 percent hot water solar contribution serving the heat loads in the following order: space heat - new addition, domestic water - entire facility, and pool heating - entire facility. On a cost basis for 2920 hours of operation, the heat reclaimed would cost $969.66 annually if provided by gas at 3.79 per million Btu's. At 5.5 centers per kwh, heat recovery costs of $481.80 percent a net savings of $487.86 annually.

n-Alkanes in surficial sediments of Visakhapatnam harbour, east ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Visakhapatnam harbour, a semi-enclosed water body is one of the .... PDB − 1. } × 1000. 2.5 Extraction of lipids. Total lipids (TL) were extracted from lyophilized sediments following ..... 2010 Sources of OM and microbial community structure.

Seasonal, diel, tidal, and geographical variation in male harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) vocalizations in southern Scandinavia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Faxe Sabinsky, Puk; Tougaard, Jakob; Wahlberg, Magnus

Male harbour seals make underwater calls in the mating season but remarkable little is known about the circumstances under which the calls are made and the role of the calls in mating. This study reports on the first recordings of harbour seal calls from Danish waters and investigates...... calling behavior of harbour seals. This gives prospects of a tool, which can aid in identifying essential underwater areas used in mating behavior by the seals, and can allow assessment of the need for adequate protection of these areas as required by the Habitats Directive....

Quasi-Bodies and Kafka’s Castle in Sion Sono’s Crime Noir Guilty of Romance (2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuo Chia-wen

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Sion Sono’s Guilty of Romance (Koi no tsumi, 2011 was adapted from an actual crime in Tokyo’s love hotel: an educated woman (a prostitute at night was found decapitated and her limbs were re-assembled with a sex-doll. Sono renders this through his cinematic narrative blurring the distinction between true crime and fictional sin like Rancière’s idea that everything is a narrative dissipating the opposition between “fact and fiction,” and “quasi-body” becomes a product of human literarity while an imaginary collective body is formed to fill the fracture in-between. In Sono’s story, the victim is a literature professor tormented by an incestuous desire for her father, whose favorite book is Kafka’s Castle. Thus she compares the love-hotel district where she turns loose at night as a castle of lusts. Here the narrative becomes a collective body that puppeteers human “quasi-bodies” in a Kafkaesque spatio-temporal aporia, and time’s spatialized horizontally with the germs of desire spread like a contagion on a Deleuzian “plane of immanence.”

New Plants at Prague Castle and Hradčany in the Early Modern Period. A History of Selected Species

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Beneš, J.; Čulíková, Věra; Kosňovská, J.; Frolík, Jan; Matiášek, Josef

2012-01-01

Roč. 3, č. 1 (2012), s. 103-114 ISSN 1804-848X Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z80020508 Keywords : Prague Castle * Early Modern Period * archaeobotany Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology http://www.iansa.eu/papers/IANSA-2012-01-benes.pdf

The capture of the Marienwerder Castle, or where the Teutonic Order’s expansion to the East was stopped

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vytenis Almonaitis

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The capture of the Marienwerder Castle, or where the Teutonic Order’s expansion to the East was stopped This paper analyzes the construction, features, and significance of the Marienwerder castle, and its capture by Lithuanian forces in 1384. Located in what is now Kaunas, the castle represented the furthest eastern point of the Teutonic Order’s penetration into the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. As the sparse historiography on it suggests, the event seems to have been overlooked by contemporary historians. In fact, this castle of the Teutonic Order was not just an ordinary fortress, but a mighty stronghold. A detailed analysis of primary sources allows classifying the capture of Marienwerder as a major event in the war between the Order and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania as well as one of the major victories scored by the latter. It may be concluded that the Teutonic Order’s expansion to the east, which had been started from Torun, was then stopped at Kaunas.   Zajęcie zamku Marienwerder albo gdzie zakończyła się ekspansja zakonu krzyżackiego na wschód W artykule analizowane są budowa, znaczenie i zajęcie w 1384 r. zamku zakonu krzyżackiego Marienwerder, który mieścił się na terytorium miasta Kowna. Był to najbardziej wysunięty na wschód zamek krzyżacki, który najgłębiej wchodził w terytorium Wielkiego Księstwa Litewskiego. Skromna historiografia świadczy o tym, że został on zapomniany przez współczesnych historyków. A jednak mowa jest tu nie o zwykłej rezydencji zakonu, a o potężnej twierdzy. Szczegółowa analiza źródeł pierwotnych pozwala uważać zajęcie zamku Marienwerder za jedno z najważniejszych wydarzeń w wojnie między zakonem krzyżackim a Wielkim Księstwem Litewskim, jak również jednym z największych zwycięstw tego ostatniego. Można również twierdzić, że ekspansja zakonu na wschód, rozpoczęta od Torunia, zakończyła się na Kownie.

Mumbai harbour, India: Gateway for introduction of marine organisms

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Gaonkar, C.; Sawant, S.S.; Anil, A; Venkat, K.; Harkantra, S.N.

Ships have been identified as one of the important vectors in the translocation of organisms from one bioregion to another leading to bioinvasion. In this context, harbours serve as a gateway for the introduction of alien species. Surveys were...

Economic study for the establishment of A food irradiation facility at port said harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

EL-Gameel, E.A.

2004-01-01

The present study discusses the economic aspects of establishing food irradiation facility at Port Said harbour and the effect of various parameters on the unit processing costs. The study is concerned with carrying out an economic evaluation for the application of food exports from Port Said harbour and the marketing and technical aspects where the suitable commodity mix has been determined for the agricultural crops which were proposed for irradiation. The investment criteria utilized for commercial evaluation were internal rate of return (IRR) and pay back period (PEP). The irradiation cost and the additional income are also discussed. The results of this analysis showed that the establishment of food irradiation unit in Port Said harbour in Egypt would be economically feasible

Workforce challenges and opportunities in the solar photovoltaic industry in Toronto

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saneinejad, Sheyda

2011-01-01

In December 2009, the city of Toronto adopted principles and targets for the city's sustainable energy future. The city plans to install 2 MW of solar photovoltaic panels in its facilities. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of such a project, as well as further expansion of solar photovoltaic energy generation, from the economic development perspective. A literature review, online surveys and interviews with solar industries were carried out and a job estimation model was developed. Results showed that the 2 MW installation would create 53 person years of employment locally while expansion of the technology throughout the city could generate 100,000 local jobs. However this research also pointed out a lack of suitably qualified and experienced personnel Canada-wide. This study demonstrated that the solar photovoltaic industry has the potential to provide significant economic benefits in Toronto but that certification programs must be put in place to address the lack of qualified personnel.

Development in Harbour Construction, Infrastructure and Topography on the Eve of the Early Modern Age in the Baltic (1450-1600)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Springmann, Maik Jens O R

2016-01-01

Ships are no Flying Dutchmen! They need a harbour. Therefore, the development of ship construction is pretty much connected with that of harbour construction, and beyond this, they influence the topography and infrastructure of a harbour. The transition between the Medieval period and the Early M...... construction, topography and infrastructure follow the development of ship construction. The paper focuses on the deep impact that larger multi-mast sailing ships had on the development of Baltic harbours...

Inventorying Toronto's single detached housing stocks to examine the availability of clay brick for urban mining.

Science.gov (United States)

Ergun, Deniz; Gorgolewski, Mark

2015-11-01

This study examines the stocks of clay brick in Toronto's single detached housing, to provide parameters for city scale material reuse and recycling. Based on consensus from the literature and statistics on Toronto's single detached housing stocks, city scale reusable and recyclable stocks were estimated to provide an understanding of what volume could be saved from landfill and reintroduced into the urban fabric. On average 2523-4542 m(3) of brick was determined to be available annually for reuse, which would account for 20-36% of the volume of virgin brick consumed in new house construction in 2012. A higher volume, 6187 m(3) of brick, was determined to be available annually for recycling because more of the prevalence of cement-based mortar, which creates challenges for brick reuse in Toronto. The results demonstrated that older housing containing reusable brick were being mostly landfilled and replaced with housing that contained only recyclable brick. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogeology, hydraulic characteristics, and water-quality conditions in the surficial, Castle Hayne and Peedee aquifers of the greater New Hanover County area, North Carolina, 2012-13

Science.gov (United States)

McSwain, Kristen Bukowski; Gurley, Laura N.; Antolino, Dominick J.

2014-01-01

A major issue facing the greater New Hanover County, North Carolina, area is the increased demand for drinking water resources as a result of rapid growth. The principal sources of freshwater supply in the greater New Hanover County area are withdrawals of surface water from the Cape Fear River and groundwater from the underlying Castle Hayne and Peedee aquifers. Industrial, mining, irrigation, and aquaculture groundwater withdrawals increasingly compete with public-supply utilities for freshwater resources. Future population growth and economic expansion will require increased dependence on high-quality sources of fresh groundwater. An evaluation of the hydrogeology and water-quality conditions in the surficial, Castle Hayne, and Peedee aquifers was conducted in New Hanover, eastern Brunswick, and southern Pender Counties, North Carolina. A hydrogeologic framework was delineated by using a description of the geologic and hydrogeologic units that compose aquifers and their confining units. Current and historic water-level, water-quality, and water-isotope data were used to approximate the present boundary between freshwater and brackish water in the study area. Water-level data collected during August–September 2012 and March 2013 in the Castle Hayne aquifer show that recharge areas with the highest groundwater altitudes are located in central New Hanover County, and the lowest are located in a discharge area along the Atlantic Ocean. Between 1964 and 2012, groundwater levels in the Castle Hayne aquifer in central New Hanover County have rebounded by about 10 feet, but in the Pages Creek area groundwater levels declined in excess of 20 feet. In the Peedee aquifer, the August–September 2012 groundwater levels were affected by industrial withdrawals in north-central New Hanover County. Groundwater levels in the Peedee aquifer declined more than 20 feet between 1964 and 2012 in northeastern New Hanover County because of increased withdrawals. Vertical gradients

Telemetry studies in harbour porpoises - An overview of the technical and practical state of the art

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lucke, K.

2013-01-01

Information on the life functions and ecology of harbour porpoises is still scarce. Only a limited number of animals are available for research in controlled situations. Satellite tracking allows to gather information on individual movements of harbour porpoises, hence providing direct insight into

Assessment of the environmental value of the Zichy Castle Park in Voivodeni, Romania – Brief description

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kovács Lóránt

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The Zichy Castle from Vajdaszentiväny (Voievodeni is located in Mure§ County, central Romania, south-west from the town of Reghin. Its constniction in classical baroque style dates back to the beginning of the X\\TH Century. The archaeological findings from the area show that Vajdaszentiväny was already populated in the Copper Age. The findings of gray dishes from the III and IV centuries were considered by Dr. Protase as indigenous Daco-Roman relics. The Roman presence here was demonstrated by residues of the hewn-stone road along the Maros River. After the Roman Age, several other populations (Goths, Slavonic peoples. Darghins and Huns settled down here. The feudal Hungarian state occupied this area around the XI Century. Several streams, terraces and old cemetery ruins demonstrate tliat the Hungarians used the region for protective purposes. The first mitten records of Vajdaszentiväny date back to 1332, when die Papal documents (Sacerdos de Sancto Johanne mention the settlement for the first time. In 1366. the name of the village was Märton-Szent-Ivän. and dunng the centuries it belonged to several old and noble families and dynasties as szentiväni Szekely. monoszlai Losonczi. Szakäcsi. the Bänffy and Dezsöfi, the Szentiväni, Butkai, Balog, Kecseti, Kerelöi, Szengyeli, Dengelegi, Fodor, vajdaszentivänyi Földväri, Koka, Piski, Järai or Järai Felsöjärai Abafäja. During the first half of the 19* Century, among former Hungarians noble owners of the village, the following can be mentioned: Count Sämuel Kemeny, Albert Horvath, Budai, Szocs (Käroly es Mihäly and Duke Löwenthäl. Later on, the village of Vajdaszentiväny became famous because of its castle, later named the “Zichy Castle,” but also because of its citizens as preservers of folk music, folk dance and folk tales.

Water quality effects of harbour activities assessed with integrated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ecological tools were developed to study the water quality in Cochin harbour, a complex aquatic ecosystems, through the integration of microbiological monitoring (faecal coliforms and Pseudomonas species) and heavy metal contamination (lead, cadmium and mercury). One way ANOVA indicates statistically significant ...

Echolocation by the harbour porpoise: Life in coastal waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee Anton Miller

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The harbour porpoise is one of the smallest and most widely spread of all toothed whales. They are found abundantly in coastal waters all around the northern hemisphere. They are among the 11 species known to use high frequency sonar of relative narrow bandwidth. Their narrow biosonar beam helps isolate echoes from prey among those from unwanted items and noise. Obtaining echoes from small objects like net mesh, net floats and small prey is facilitated by the very high peak frequency around 130 kHz with a wavelength of about 12 mm. We argue that such echolocation signals and narrow band auditory filters give the harbour porpoise a selective advantage in a coastal environment. Predation by killer whales and a minimum noise region in the ocean around 130 kHz may have provided selection pressures for using this frequency band for biosonar signals.

INTEGRATION OF GEODATA IN DOCUMENTING CASTLE RUINS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Delis

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Textured three dimensional models are currently the one of the standard methods of representing the results of photogrammetric works. A realistic 3D model combines the geometrical relations between the structure’s elements with realistic textures of each of its elements. Data used to create 3D models of structures can be derived from many different sources. The most commonly used tool for documentation purposes, is a digital camera and nowadays terrestrial laser scanning (TLS. Integration of data acquired from different sources allows modelling and visualization of 3D models historical structures. Additional aspect of data integration is possibility of complementing of missing points for example in point clouds. The paper shows the possibility of integrating data from terrestrial laser scanning with digital imagery and an analysis of the accuracy of the presented methods. The paper describes results obtained from raw data consisting of a point cloud measured using terrestrial laser scanning acquired from a Leica ScanStation2 and digital imagery taken using a Kodak DCS Pro 14N camera. The studied structure is the ruins of the Ilza castle in Poland.

Detection and direction discrimination of single vortex rings by harbour seals (Phoca vitulina).

Science.gov (United States)

Krüger, Yvonne; Hanke, Wolf; Miersch, Lars; Dehnhardt, Guido

2018-04-25

Harbour seals possess highly sensitive vibrissae that enable them to track hydrodynamic trails left behind by a swimming fish. Most of these trails contain vortex rings as a main hydrodynamic component. They may reveal information about their generator as the trails differ depending on the fish species, the fish's body shape, size and swimming style. In addition, fish generate single vortex rings in diverse natural situations. In this study, the ability of blindfolded stationary harbour seals to detect and analyse single vortex rings regarding directional information has been investigated. In three different behavioural experiments, the animals were trained to respond to single artificially generated vortex rings. The results show that harbour seals are able to respond to a variety of different vortex rings upon vibrissal stimulation. The investigation of the minimum hydrodynamically perceivable angle revealed that it is at least as small as 5.7 deg, which was the smallest adjustable angle. Moreover, harbour seals are capable of analysing the travel direction of a vortex ring perceived by the mystacial vibrissae irrespective of whether the vibrissae were stimulated ipsilaterally or contralaterally. In situations in which no complex hydrodynamic trail is available, it is advantageous for a hunting seal to be able to extract information from a single vortex ring. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

No serological evidence that harbour porpoises are additional hosts of influenza B viruses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rogier Bodewes

Full Text Available Influenza A and B viruses circulate among humans causing epidemics almost annually. While various hosts for influenza A viruses exist, influenza B viruses have been detected only in humans and seals. However, recurrent infections of seals in Dutch coastal waters with influenza B viruses that are antigenetically distinct from influenza B viruses circulating among humans suggest that influenza B viruses have been introduced into this seal population by another, non-human, host. Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena are sympatric with seals in these waters and are also occasionally in close contact with humans after stranding and subsequent rehabilitation. In addition, virus attachment studies demonstrated that influenza B viruses can bind to cells of the respiratory tract of these animals. Therefore, we hypothesized that harbour porpoises might be a reservoir of influenza B viruses. In the present study, an unique set of serum samples from 79 harbour porpoises, stranded alive on the Dutch coast between 2003 and 2013, was tested for the presence of antibodies against influenza B viruses by use of the hemagglutination inhibition test and for antibodies against influenza A viruses by use of a competitive influenza A nucleoprotein ELISA. No antibodies were detected against either virus, suggesting that influenza A and B virus infections of harbour porpoises in Dutch coastal waters are not common, which was supported by statistical analysis of the dataset.

Distribution of 137Cs in sediments in Xiangshan, Xiamen and Yangpu harbours, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, S.; Xu, Q.

1999-01-01

Xiangshan Harbour (Zhejing Province), Xiamen Harbour (Fujian Province) and Yangpu Harbour (Hainan Province) are tide-channel type bays, located on the southeast coast of China. Six sediment cores were collected in the Harbours in several projects respectively. Sediment samples were collected with a Lehigh gravity corer which utilized a 10.3 cm diameter, PVC core barrel. Styrofoam sediment core retainers were fitted into the top of the core barrel following core recovery to facilitate core sampling without loss of sediment from the barrel. The core barrels were split lengthwise using a circular saw. Following visual inspection for geological parameters (colour, texture, etc.) and photography of the cores, they were subsampled at 1-2 cm or 5 cm intervals for the entire length of the core. The sediment samples were stored in air-tight, plastic containers and returned to Nanjing University for 137 Cs and other types of analysis. The sediment samples were oven dried at approximately 100 deg. C. at the Nanjing University isotope laboratory and the % loss of water used to determine the wet and dry densities. The contents of 137 Cs were counted using an n-type HPGe γ-ray spectrometry system. The coaxial detector has an efficiency of 25%, with a lead shield 12 cm thick. Each sample was measured for 12h

Toronto hybrid taxi pilot

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevens, M.; Marans, B.

2009-10-01

This paper provided details of a hybrid taxi pilot program conducted to compare the on-road performance of Toyota Camry hybrid vehicles against conventional vehicles over a 1-year period in order to determine the business case and air emission reductions associated with the use of hybrid taxi cabs. Over 750,000 km worth of fuel consumption was captured from 10 Toyota Camry hybrids, a Toyota Prius, and 5 non-hybrid Camry vehicles over an 18-month period. The average real world fuel consumption for the taxis demonstrated that the Toyota Prius has the lowest cost of ownership, while the non-hybrid Camry has the highest cost of ownership. Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) reductions associated with the 10 Camry hybrid taxis were calculated at 236 tonnes over a 7-year taxi service life. Results suggested that the conversion of Toronto's 5680 taxis would yield annual CO 2 emission reductions of over 19,000 tonnes. All hybrid purchasers identified themselves as highly likely to purchase a hybrid again. 5 tabs., 9 figs.

Toronto hybrid taxi pilot

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stevens, M. [CrossChasm Technologies, Cambridge, ON (Canada); Marans, B. [Toronto Atmospheric Fund, ON (Canada)

2009-10-15

This paper provided details of a hybrid taxi pilot program conducted to compare the on-road performance of Toyota Camry hybrid vehicles against conventional vehicles over a 1-year period in order to determine the business case and air emission reductions associated with the use of hybrid taxi cabs. Over 750,000 km worth of fuel consumption was captured from 10 Toyota Camry hybrids, a Toyota Prius, and 5 non-hybrid Camry vehicles over an 18-month period. The average real world fuel consumption for the taxis demonstrated that the Toyota Prius has the lowest cost of ownership, while the non-hybrid Camry has the highest cost of ownership. Carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) reductions associated with the 10 Camry hybrid taxis were calculated at 236 tonnes over a 7-year taxi service life. Results suggested that the conversion of Toronto's 5680 taxis would yield annual CO{sub 2} emission reductions of over 19,000 tonnes. All hybrid purchasers identified themselves as highly likely to purchase a hybrid again. 5 tabs., 9 figs.

Radon survey in Metropolitan Toronto schools

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, E.; Moridi, R.

1992-01-01

The radon testing survey in Metropolitan Toronto public schools was the most intensive project of its kind ever undertaken in Canadian schools. It also included an extensive public education program on radiation and radon-in-schools. The radon levels at 632 schools were measured using the CAIRS Radon Monitors. Ninety percent of the locations measured were found to have a radon level equal to or less than 2 mWL. Two locations in two different schools were found to have a radon level at or above the Action Level (20 mWL). The remaining results were between the two extremes. Follow-up testing in those schools where more than 10 mWL of radon was found is in progress. (author)

Geodetic infrastructure at the Barcelona harbour for sea level monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Benjamin, Juan Jose; Gili, Josep; Lopez, Rogelio; Tapia, Ana; Pros, Francesc; Palau, Vicenc; Perez, Begona

2015-04-01

The presentation is directed to the description of the actual geodetic infrastructure of Barcelona harbour with three tide gauges of different technologies for sea level determination and contribution to regional sea level rise and understanding past and present sea level rise in the Barcelona harbour. It is intended that the overall system will constitute a CGPS Station of the ESEAS (European Sea Level) and TIGA (GPS Tide Gauge Benchmark Monitoring) networks. At Barcelona harbour there is a MIROS radar tide gauge belonging to Puertos del Estado (Spanish Harbours).The radar sensor is over the water surface, on a L-shaped structure which elevates it a few meters above the quay shelf. 1-min data are transmitted to the ENAGAS Control Center by cable and then sent each 1 min to Puertos del Estado by e-mail. The information includes wave forescast (mean period, significant wave height, sea level, etc.This sensor also measures agitation and sends wave parameters each 20 min. There is a GPS station Leica Geosystems GRX1200 GG Pro and antenna AX 1202 GG. The Control Tower of the Port of Barcelona is situated in the North dike of the so-called Energy Pier in the Barcelona harbor (Spain). This tower has different kind of antennas for navigation monitoring and a GNSS permanent station. As the tower is founded in reclaimed land, and because its metallic structure, the 50 m building is subjected to diverse movements, including periodic fluctuations due to temperature changes. In this contribution the 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 the necessary monitoring campaigns are described. In the framework of a Spanish Space Project, the instrumentation of sea level measurements has been improved by providing the Barcelona site with a radar tide gauge Datamar 2000C from Geonica S.L. in June 2014 near an acoustic tide gauge from the Barcelona Harbour installed in 2013. Precision levelling has been made several times in the last two years because the tower is founded in reclaimed land and

Dredging up the past -- removal of historic low-level radioactive sediment from the Port Hope harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Case, G.; Kolberg, M.

2011-01-01

Port Hope is located on the northern shore of Lake Ontario at the confluence of the Ganaraska River and has existed as a Port of Entry since at least 1819. Once operated as a major Lake Ontario port, through periods of vibrant industrial growth, it is now a recreational anchorage for the local yacht club. The history of the Port Hope harbour from the early 1800s to today is typical of other small-town ports along Lake Ontario that have experienced growth and decline in direct relation to Great Lake shipping volumes and the shift in industry and commerce to larger urban areas. However, in the case of the Port Hope harbour, the presence of low-level radioactive sediment, resulting from a former radium and uranium refinery that operated alongside the harbour, currently limits redevelopment and revitalization opportunities. The presence of low-level radioactive waste is not limited to only harbour sediments. Several other on-land locations within the community are also affected by the low-level radioactive waste management practices of the past. To address these situations, the Port Hope Area Initiative project is currently underway to implement a local, safe, long-term waste management solution. The Port Hope Area Initiative is a community initiated undertaking that will result in the consolidation of an estimated 1.2 million cubic metres of the low-level radioactive waste from the various sites in Port Hope into a new engineered above ground long-term waste management facility. The remedial cleanup of the estimated 120,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediments from the Port Hope harbour is one of the more challenging components of the Initiative. This paper demonstrates how the historical development of the harbour over the past 200 years, the nature and extent of the contaminated sediments, and Municipality of Port Hope’s desires for future redevelopment of the waterfront area have all played a role in the design of the remedial cleanup plan for the Port Hope

Dredging up the past -- removal of historic low-level radioactive sediment from the Port Hope harbour

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Case, G. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Port Hope, ON (Canada); Kolberg, M. [Baird, Oakville, ON (Canada)

2011-07-01

Port Hope is located on the northern shore of Lake Ontario at the confluence of the Ganaraska River and has existed as a Port of Entry since at least 1819. Once operated as a major Lake Ontario port, through periods of vibrant industrial growth, it is now a recreational anchorage for the local yacht club. The history of the Port Hope harbour from the early 1800s to today is typical of other small-town ports along Lake Ontario that have experienced growth and decline in direct relation to Great Lake shipping volumes and the shift in industry and commerce to larger urban areas. However, in the case of the Port Hope harbour, the presence of low-level radioactive sediment, resulting from a former radium and uranium refinery that operated alongside the harbour, currently limits redevelopment and revitalization opportunities. The presence of low-level radioactive waste is not limited to only harbour sediments. Several other on-land locations within the community are also affected by the low-level radioactive waste management practices of the past. To address these situations, the Port Hope Area Initiative project is currently underway to implement a local, safe, long-term waste management solution. The Port Hope Area Initiative is a community initiated undertaking that will result in the consolidation of an estimated 1.2 million cubic metres of the low-level radioactive waste from the various sites in Port Hope into a new engineered above ground long-term waste management facility. The remedial cleanup of the estimated 120,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediments from the Port Hope harbour is one of the more challenging components of the Initiative. This paper demonstrates how the historical development of the harbour over the past 200 years, the nature and extent of the contaminated sediments, and Municipality of Port Hope’s desires for future redevelopment of the waterfront area have all played a role in the design of the remedial cleanup plan for the Port Hope

Chemical tracers of shipping emissions in a Mediterranean harbour

Science.gov (United States)

Viana, M.; Amato, F.; Alastuey, A.; Querol, X.; Román, A.; García, M.

2009-04-01

Particle emissions from transport-related activities are known as one of the most important sources contributing to the PM mass concentrations in urban environments. However, only limited information is currently available in the literature on the contribution to PM levels by specific transport related sources such as shipping emissions, even though according to the latest IPCC report (Ribeiro et al., 2007), shipping emissions are receiving increased scrutiny by international and regional regulatory agencies because of their potential impact on air quality and human health in communities downwind from major shipping lanes and ports (Dominguez et al., 2008). One of the main reasons for this lack of information is the complexity in the detection of shipping emissions, given that no specific emission tracers have so far been identified as a consequence of the vast variability of combustion fuels burnt by vessels. The city of Melilla was selected for the study of shipping emissions due to its location on the South-Western sector of the Mediterranean basin, on the Northern coast of Morocco and less than 200 km from the Gibraltar Strait (35°17´40" N, 2°56´30" W). The city covers an extension of 13.4 km2, with a population of 70000 inhabitants. The monitoring station selected for the present study is representative of urban background levels, and it is located at approximately 150 m from the Melilla harbour. The harbour is mainly characterised by commercial traffic (passanger and container), although minerals and other loose materials are also stocked on the docks located farthest away from the monitoring site. PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 levels were determined on an hourly basis between 12/01/2008 and 19/12/2008 using a GRIMM laser spectrometer, which produced more than 8000 data points for each size fraction (24000 data points in total). In addition, PM10 and PM2.5 levels were sampled on quartz fibre filter substrates (Munktell) by means of high-volume samplers (PM1025 MCV

Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and tributyltin (TBT) in Barcelona harbour sediments and their impact on benthic communities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinez-Llado, Xavier [Environmental Technology Area, CTM-UPC, Avda. Bases de Manresa 1, 08240 Manresa (Spain); Gibert, Oriol [Environmental Technology Area, CTM-UPC, Avda. Bases de Manresa 1, 08240 Manresa (Spain); Marti, Vicens [Environmental Technology Area, CTM-UPC, Avda. Bases de Manresa 1, 08240 Manresa (Spain)]. E-mail: vicens.marti@upc.edu; Diez, Sergi [Environmental Chemistry Department, IIQAB-CSIC, c/Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona (Spain); Environmental Geology Department, ICTJA-CSIC, Lluis Sole i Sabaris, s/n, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Romo, Javier [Environmental Service of Barcelona Harbour Authority, Carretera de la Circumval.lacio, s/n, Tram VI, Sector 6, Barcelona (Spain); Bayona, Josep Maria [Environmental Chemistry Department, IIQAB-CSIC, c/Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona (Spain); Pablo, Joan de [Environmental Technology Area, CTM-UPC, Avda. Bases de Manresa 1, 08240 Manresa (Spain)

2007-09-15

Sediments have long been recognised as a sink for many contaminants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and tributyltin (TBT), which by virtue of their nature can strongly adsorb onto sediments affecting the benthic community inhabiting them. Using geographical information systems, this study reports and combines the results of several already existing studies along Barcelona harbour in order to assess the potential ecological impacts of these contaminants on the benthos of the harbour ecosystem. Chemical analysis indicated low to moderate contents of PAHs and high contents of TBT in sediments in Barcelona harbour. Comparison against existing sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) indicated that acutely toxic effects would not be expected for PAHs but for TBT, which represents a serious environmental threat for the benthic community. Benthos surveys revealed a deterioration of the benthic community throughout the harbour, especially in the inner port. - A possible correlation exists between TBT concentration in sediments and ecological effects on benthos in Barcelona harbour.

Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and tributyltin (TBT) in Barcelona harbour sediments and their impact on benthic communities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez-Llado, Xavier; Gibert, Oriol; Marti, Vicens; Diez, Sergi; Romo, Javier; Bayona, Josep Maria; Pablo, Joan de

2007-01-01

Sediments have long been recognised as a sink for many contaminants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and tributyltin (TBT), which by virtue of their nature can strongly adsorb onto sediments affecting the benthic community inhabiting them. Using geographical information systems, this study reports and combines the results of several already existing studies along Barcelona harbour in order to assess the potential ecological impacts of these contaminants on the benthos of the harbour ecosystem. Chemical analysis indicated low to moderate contents of PAHs and high contents of TBT in sediments in Barcelona harbour. Comparison against existing sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) indicated that acutely toxic effects would not be expected for PAHs but for TBT, which represents a serious environmental threat for the benthic community. Benthos surveys revealed a deterioration of the benthic community throughout the harbour, especially in the inner port. - A possible correlation exists between TBT concentration in sediments and ecological effects on benthos in Barcelona harbour

Harbour porpoise occurrence in relation to the Prinses Amaliawindpark

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Polanen Petel, van T.; Geelhoed, S.C.V.; Meesters, H.W.G.

2012-01-01

The potential effects of the construction and operation of wind farms at sea on marine life is a pertinent question in today’s world. Although for this report we focus on harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), wind farms have the potential to affect all marine life, including marine mammals, fish,

Comparative sensitivity of harbour and grey seals to several environmental contaminants using in vitro exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dufresne, M.M.; Frouin, H.; Pillet, S.; Lesage, V.; De Guise, S.; Fournier, M.

2010-01-01

In this study, we investigated the effects of cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ), mercury chloride (HgCl 2 ), methylmercury chloride (CH 3 HgCl), and PCBs on lymphocyte proliferation in phocids. PBMCs isolated from harbour and grey seals were exposed in vitro to varying concentrations of contaminants. A reduction of viability occurred when cells were exposed to 10 -4 M HgCl 2 or CH 3 HgCl or to 50 ppm of Aroclor 1254. In both grey and harbour seals, T-lymphocyte proliferation was suppressed when their cells were incubated with 5 x 10 -5 M CdCl 2 or 10 -4 M HgCl 2 . An inhibition of proliferation occurred with CH 3 HgCl from 10 -6 M in grey seals and from 10 -5 M in harbour seals. In grey seals, Aroclor 1254 reduced lymphocyte proliferation at 15 ppm. In both harbour and grey seals, CH 3 HgCl was ten times more immunotoxic that HgCl 2 . From IC 50 , chemicals were ranked in terms of toxicity as followed: CH 3 HgCl > CdCl 2 > HgCl 2 > Aroclor 1254.

Seabed surveys of Mormugao Harbour, Central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Wagle, B.G.; Gujar, A.R.; Subrahmanyam, V.; Mislankar, P.G.

Detailed echosounding, side scan sonar and shallow seismics (125 line km) covering an area of 6.2 km2 in the Mormugao harbour provided information on seabed topography, surficial distribution of sediments, their thickness and rock outcrops along...

Pengembangan Game Castle Defense “Jagaraga” pada Platform Android

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wiliem Indy

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Video game merupakan permainan dalam bentuk digital dan melakukan pengolahan pengubahan gambar. Game dengan judul “Jagaraga” merupakan game dengan genre Castle Defense dengan tema fantasy Bali dan penyisipan cerita Puputan Jagaraga. Cerita dalam permainan merupakan gabungan cerita fiksi dan beberapa kejadian atau event sejarah yang terjadi di Jagaraga. Pengembangan game memanfaatkan beberapa metode. Pergerakan animasi menggunakan pembuatan Kurva Bezier. Artificial Intelegent musuh dalam permainan memanfaatkan metode forward chaining yang sederhana dan penggunaan metode skala likert untuk format form penilaian game untuk mengukur tingkat keberhasilan pengembangan game. Pengembangan game pada penelitian ini sudah mencapai tahap yang memuaskan. Hasil perhitungan form penilaian, jumlah responden sebanyak 23 orang menyatakan aspek grafis bertemakan pasukan Bali mencapai nilai 88.70% yang termasuk dalam kategori sangat baik. Aspek cerita permainan yang menceritakan Puputan Jagaraga juga mendapat respon yang sangat positif dengan nilai 86.96% yang juga termasuk dalam kategori sangat baik. Kata kunci: Jagaraga, Forward Chaining, Bezier, skala Likert

Investigations on oil patches around 'M.T.Lajpatrai' Bombay harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Kadam, A.N.; Zingde, M.D.

Samples from three oil patches observed around the burning tanker 'M. T. Lajpatrai' at Bombay Harbour were characterised using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (PMR). Two of them were found to be from used lubricating oils. As indicated by gas...

Moving towards cleaner air: a progress report on the air quality strategy for the City of Toronto

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-06-01

The City of Toronto Environmental Plan was adapted in principle by City Council in April 2000. The Plan contains 66 recommendations on land, air, water, governance, sustainability, energy, transportation, green economic development and monitoring. As part of the actions on air, the Plan recommended that the City develop a comprehensive strategy to make Toronto's air clean and free of harmful levels of pollutants. This document reports on progress in the development of this comprehensive air quality standard. Work on the standards was undertaken by an Air Quality Strategy Interdepartmental Working Group (AQSI Working Group) consisting of city departmental representatives, which is one of several working groups reporting to the Toronto Interdepartmental Environmental Team (TIE). While the AQSI Working Group has not yet concluded its work, it is able to report a number of preliminary conclusions. Among them are: implementation of several successful city-wide programs. In this context preliminary indications are that program effectiveness will be limited by the availability of staff and appropriate funding. Policy and legal studies that will provide essential information relating to the legal/jurisdictional context are well underway. Modelling and monitoring of Toronto's air quality are in progress, and will be relied upon for information to guide policy development. Final strategy will have to be formulated in a regional context, in concert with the provincial and federal governments, and will have to take into account trans-boundary (inter-regional, inter-provincial and international) issues

Determining optimal pinger spacing for harbour porpoise bycatch mitigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Finn; Krog, Carsten; Eigaard, Ole Ritzau

2013-01-01

A trial was conducted in the Danish North Sea hake gillnet fishery in July to September 2006 to determine whether the spacing of the Aquatec AQUAmark100 pinger could be increased without reducing the effectiveness of the pinger in mitigating harbour porpoise bycatch. The trial was designed as a c...

Grannies, elders, and friends: aging Aboriginal women in Toronto.

Science.gov (United States)

Baskin, Cyndy; Davey, Caitlin J

2015-01-01

Based on a research project in Toronto, Canada, this article highlights the strengths and resiliency of 12 female Aboriginal Elders and seniors as they age together. For these women, being actively involved in their families and the Aboriginal community gives them a solid grounding in who they are, what their roles are and how they contribute to the whole. Of particular significance is the support and friendship the women offer each other through their commonalities, activities, and sense of humor.

Pollution studies on harbours and jetties in Nigeria | Agbagwa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The distribution of bacteria in the surface waters and sediment of selected harbours and landing jetties in the city of Port Harcourt was investigated. Nine water and sediments samples were allocated on each trip and cultured for various organisms on the rainy and dry season. The total heterotrophic count of the water ...

Beyond the Theme of The Castle%论《城堡》的主题意蕴

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

洪丽霁

2016-01-01

Many argue that The Castle is the most important novel of Franz Kafka,an outstanding novel that can be interpreted in many possibilities. It can be,interestingly,enlightening in terms of our understanding of ourselves and the surrounding world if this work of literary creation is interpreted together with the life of the mod-ern people. In The Castle,K,the hero makes a lot of efforts to enter the castle. By analyzing his attempts and their effect,we can feel the same feelings of human beings facing true life ! misfortune,misery,helplessness and a sense of loss ! on the one hand. But beyond these feelings,we also discovery tenacity in misfortune,per-sistence in misery,undauntedness in helplessness and fortitude in time of loss. These discoveries help lift our un-derstanding of life to a higher level.%不少人认为《城堡》是弗朗茨·卡夫卡最为重要的小说，也是一部具有多种理解和阐释之可能性的杰出作品。将作为文学创作的小说与现代人的现实处境相联系，通过对《城堡》中的主人公K为了进入城堡所作的种种尝试、努力及其效果进行分析和思考，不仅可以感受和见出与人类的真实生活密切相关的不幸、悲哀、无助与失落，同时还能体味到与之相连的另一面：不幸中的坚守、悲哀中的执着、无助中的不屈、失落中的刚毅，从而促使人们走向关于人生境遇的更深一层体验与解读，获得如何面对自身以及世界的一种真正富有意义的认识和启示。

Assessment of DDT, HCH and PAH contamination and associated ecotoxicological risks in surface sediments of coastal Tema Harbour (Ghana).

Science.gov (United States)

Botwe, Benjamin O; Kelderman, Peter; Nyarko, Elvis; Lens, Piet N L

2017-02-15

This study assessed DDTs, HCHs and PAHs contamination in sediments from the Tema Harbour (Ghana) and the associated ecotoxicological risks. The results showed widespread DDTs, HCHs and PAHs contamination in the harbour sediments with mean concentrations ranging from 6.0-12.8, 2.8-12.7 and 2750-5130μg·kg -1 d·w, respectively. The silt-clay and total organic carbon contents of the sediments poorly correlated with the pollutant concentrations. DDTs and HCHs contamination relate to past use of DDT and lindane, which under the anoxic harbour conditions resulted in disproportionately higher concentrations of p,p'-DDD and γ-HCH in the sediments. No conclusion could be drawn on the sources of PAHs as either petrogenic or pyrogenic. The pollutant concentrations in the harbour sediments, particularly γ-HCH, may pose high ecotoxicological risks. In comparison to a previous study, this study indicates there has been a considerable reduction in PAH contamination in the Tema Harbour since the last major oil spill in 2007. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Status report - FoodReach Toronto: lowering food costs for social agencies and community groups

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Coleman

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Toronto has the largest absolute number of food insecure households for any metropolitan census area in Canada: of its 2.1 million households, roughly 252 000 households (or 12% experience some level of food insecurity. Community organizations (including social agencies, school programs, and child care centres serve millions of meals per year to the city’s most vulnerable citizens, but often face challenges accessing fresh produce at affordable prices. Therefore in 2015, Toronto Public Health, in collaboration with public- and private-sector partners, launched the FoodReach program to improve the efficiency of food procurement among community organizations by consolidating their purchasing power. Since being launched, FoodReach has been used by more than 50 community organizations to provide many of Toronto’s most marginalised groups with regular access to healthy produce.

The world's northernmost harbour seal population-how many are there?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin Merkel

Full Text Available This study presents the first abundance estimate for the world's northernmost harbour seal (Phoca vitulina population, which resides in Svalbard, Norway, based on three digital stereoscopic photographic surveys conducted in 2009 and 2010. The counts from these high resolution 3D images were combined with a novel method for estimating correction factors for animals that were in the water at the time of the surveys, in which extensive behavioural data from radio-tagged harbour seals were used together with age distribution data to estimate the proportion of seals of various age and sex classes hauled out at the times of the surveys. To detect possible seasonal shifts in age distribution between surveys, lengths of hauled out seals were measured from the stereoscopic images. No body-length differences were detected between the surveys; but, this may be due to a high degree of sexual dimorphism exhibited in this population. Applying the modelled correction factors, a total of 1888 (95% CI: 1660-3023, 1742 (1381-3549 and 1812 (1656-4418 harbour seals were estimated for the surveys flown on 01 August 2009, 01 August 2010 and 19 August 2010, respectively. The similarity between the three survey estimates (despite significant differences in the number of animals actually counted on the photos from each survey effort suggests that the variation in numbers of hauled out seals is reasonably accurately adjusted for by the haul-out probability model. The low population size, the limited spatial distribution of the population and its reduced genetic diversity make this population vulnerable to chance events, such as disease epidemics.

Patterns of Occurrence of Sharks in Sydney Harbour, a Large Urbanised Estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Smoothey, Amy F; Gray, Charles A; Kennelly, Steve J; Masens, Oliver J; Peddemors, Victor M; Robinson, Wayne A

2016-01-01

Information about spatial and temporal variability in the distribution and abundance of shark-populations are required for their conservation, management and to update measures designed to mitigate human-shark interactions. However, because some species of sharks are mobile, migratory and occur in relatively small numbers, estimating their patterns of distribution and abundance can be very difficult. In this study, we used a hierarchical sampling design to examine differences in the composition of species, size- and sex-structures of sharks sampled with bottom-set longlines in three different areas with increasing distance from the entrance of Sydney Harbour, a large urbanised estuary. During two years of sampling, we obtained data for four species of sharks (Port Jackson, Heterodontus portusjacksoni; wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus; dusky whaler, Carcharhinus obscurus and bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas). Only a few O. maculatus and C. obscurus were caught, all in the area closest to the entrance of the Harbour. O. maculatus were caught in all seasons, except summer, while C. obscurus was only caught in summer. Heterodontus portusjacksoni were the most abundant species, caught in the entrance location mostly between July to November, when water temperature was below 21.5°C. This pattern was consistent across both years. C. leucas, the second most abundant species, were captured in all areas of Sydney Harbour but only in summer and autumn when water temperatures were above 23°C. This study quantified, for this first time, how different species utilise different areas of Sydney Harbour, at different times of the year. This information has implications for the management of human-shark interactions, by enabling creation of education programs to modify human behaviour in times of increased risk of potentially dangerous sharks.

Review on utilization and research on harbour seal (Phoca vitulina in Iceland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erlingur Hauksson

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina have been harvested in Iceland since the first settlers arrived in the 9th century. Pups were generally netted, clubbed and harpooned until 1875 when general use of guns for hunting began. Seal-hunting has been traditional amongst the farms legal rights. Seal hunting was an important supplement to other economic resources. Harbour seal skins, salted ordried, were exported and large dataset of catch statistics is available from trading logbooks since the late 19th century. In the early 20th century catch was about 6,000. In the ‘bounty’ period 1982 – 1989, maximum catches were of 4,000 animals with about 350 hunters participated; in 2006 catches were only about 100 animals with 18 hunters. After 1989 the population continued to decline even though catches decreased markedly. Unreported by-catch in fishing gear, hunt for local consumption and shooting of seals swimming in salmon rivers estuaries may have kept the total removal from the stock above sustainable levels. A considerable Icelandic knowledge base had been compiled about the biology of the harbour seal since the late 16th century, with the first written reference in 1588-1589. In the last decades, research on various aspects of its biology and monitoring have been intensified, with focus on abundance, distribution, diet and nematode infestation. The main results show that the Icelandic harbour seal population - has declined annually about 5% in the period 1980-2006, - was most abundant on the NW-coast, - feeds mainly on sand-eels and gadoids, - and was less infected with anisakid nematodes than grey seals. Seal watching, as a low-consumptive indirect utilization, may represent a new economical opportunity if properly regulated.

Water quality effects of harbour activities assessed with integrated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

moes2

Ecological tools were developed to study the water quality in Cochin harbour, a complex aquatic ecosystems ... contamination index is another important factor to assess ... Nutrient agar with the ... yeast extract 3.0 g; beef extract 2.0 g; agar 15.0 g; aged sea water .... ability to be incorporated into food chains (Kishe and.

Extractable organics in surface sediments from Thana creek and Bombay harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Rokade, M.A.; Bhosle, N.B.; Kadam, A.N.

Considerable variations in hydrocarbon and fatty acid levels in surface sediments from Thana creek and Bombay harbour were observed Sediments from the westernside nearshore locations yielded higher values The residues were characterised by infrared...

The Historical Destiny of the Romanovs in the Evolution of the Tobolsk Prison Castle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga N. Naumenko

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The penetration of European standards and norms in the life of Russian society, their influence on the culture, the legislation and administrative traditions, – these questions remain relevant over 300 years, since the beginning of the Europeanization of Russia by Peter I. The most important problem lies in the degree of adoption of the European experience, its relevance and adaptation to the Russian conditions. The question of penetration of the western norms into education, science, a family and other spheres which successfully functioned and were reproduced on a powerful internal resource of the Russian traditional culture is relevant too. The article is based on archival materials. It discusses the experience of the Russian emperors to reform Tobolsk prison castle in accordance with the European and Russian samples, and the results of this policy. The author draws attention to the pattern that emerged over 200 years: the attempt even a partial introduction to the prison castle European humanist values necessarily accompanied by a crisis of Imperial power and ended with its collapse in 1917. A return to the inquisitorial part of the prison and the rejection of the humane treatment of prisoners entailed the stabilization of the government. The author analyzes the causes of this phenomenon, comparing the cultural-historical conditions for prison reform in Russia and Europe, as well as differences in socio-economic and political development. The article also presents new data on the history of the exile of the Romanovs to Siberia in 1601 and 1918.

Radioactivity concentrations and their radiological significance in sediments of the Tema Harbour (Greater Accra, Ghana)

OpenAIRE

Benjamin O. Botwe; Antonio Schirone; Ivana Delbono; Mattia Barsanti; Roberta Delfanti; Peter Kelderman; Elvis Nyarko; Piet N.L. Lens

2017-01-01

Studies on environmental radioactivity in tropical Africa are scarce. Therefore, a baseline study of natural (238U, 210Pb, 226Ra, 232Th, 228Ra, 228Th, 40K) and anthropogenic (137Cs) radionuclides was carried out on Tema Harbour (Greater Accra, Ghana) surface sediments and on their radiological significance. Grab surface sediment samples were collected from 21 stations within the Tema Harbour and their radioactivity concentrations measured by gamma spectrometry. The mean sediment radioactivity...

The “Mayor” and “Real” castles of the town of Calatayud in 1371 in the light of two inventories of the Royal Archive

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Álvaro Cantos Carnicer

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The text shows the study of two interesting inventories mentioning the objects of two castles (“Mayor” and “Real” of Calatayud (Aragon, carried out in 1371. Firstly, the original text in Catalan of the Archive of the Crown of Aragon has been transcribed. The work is focused on the elements of armour, arms and artillery machines; the nature and function of every object have been researched, comparing, as far as possible, with other contemporary sources; the terminology has also been analysed and some evident Aragonese words have been found. This work has allowed to know the different elements existing in the castles, establishing their specificity, state and lacks, sometimes not easily explicable, as in the case of the crossbows. The meticulous description of the artillery machines is absolutely exceptional.

Recolonization of macrofauna in unpolluted sands placed in a polluted yachting harbour: A field approach using experimental trays

Science.gov (United States)

Guerra-García, J. M.; García-Gómez, J. C.

2009-01-01

A field experiment using trays was conducted at Ceuta's yachting harbour, North Africa, to study the effect in recolonization of placing trays with unpolluted defaunate sediments (fine and gross sands with low contents of organic matter) inside an enclosed yachting harbour characterized by high percentages of silt and clay and high concentrations of organic matter. Sediment recolonization in the trays was mainly undertaken by the species living naturally at the yachting harbour, which recolonized both uncontaminated gross and fine sand trays (such as the crustaceans Corophium runcicorne, Corophium sextonae and Nebalia bipes, the mollusc Parvicardium exiguum and the polychaete Pseudomalacoceros tridentata). However, other species like the polychaetes Cirriformia tentaculata and Platynereis dumerilii, although also abundant in the yachting harbour, were unable to colonize the trays through transport of larvae and/or adults in the water column. The recolonization was very quick, and after the first month, the values of abundance, species richness, diversity and evenness were similar in the experimental trays and in the reference area (yachting harbour). Although the multivariate analysis showed that the species composition differed between the trays and the reference area, there were no significant differences in recolonization of gross and fine sands, indicating that other factors different from the granulometry are modulating the recolonization patterns.

The impact of gentrification on ethnic neighbourhoods in Toronto: a case study of little Portugal.

Science.gov (United States)

Murdie, Robert; Teixeira, Carlos

2011-01-01

Despite extensive literature on the nature and impact of gentrification, there has been little consideration of the effects of gentrification on ethnic neighbourhoods. This study evaluates the negative and positive effects of gentrification on the Portuguese in west central Toronto. Details concerning the settlement patterns of the Portuguese, the characteristics of Portuguese residents and patterns of gentrification in inner-city Toronto were obtained from census data. Evaluations of neighbourhood change and attitudes of the residents towards gentrification were obtained from key informant and focus group interviews. The results suggest considerable ambivalence among the respondents, but most agreed that the long-term viability of Little Portugal as an immigrant reception area with a good supply of low-cost housing is in doubt.

Plastic ingestion by harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bravo Rebolledo, E.; Franeker, van J.A.; Jansen, O.E.; Brasseur, S.M.J.M.

2013-01-01

Abundance of ingested debris by seals has been mentioned as a potential indicator of marine litter in the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). A sample of 107 stomachs, 100 intestines and 125 scats of harbour seals from the Netherlands was analysed for the presence of plastics.

Replacing the nation in the age of migration: negotiating South Asian identities in Toronto

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ishan Ashutosh

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This essay examines the role of the national in shaping the geo-political divides and connections of the South Asian diaspora in Toronto. South Asian diaspora identities are explored through two contrasting political projects that reveal the ambivalent role of the nation in producing diasporic subjectivities and their shifting borders. First, by discussing the perceptions of South Asians in Toronto, it is contended that national and religious divides are reproduced in the diaspora as a means of national belonging to the society of settlement. Diasporic geo-political divides are not merely transposed from societies of origin to settlement, but rather lie at the intersection of transnational and multicultural politics that encompass societies of origin and settlement. The reproduction of national divides in the South Asian diaspora is situated in the neighbourhoods of immigrant settlement that are positioned as the objects of multicultural efficacy. The second political project reconstitutes the national through cross-national solidarities. Through a discussion of South Asian organizations and political initiatives in Toronto and other cities in North America, this section illuminates diasporic politics predicated on new understandings of history and connection that rejuvenate and politicize multicultural politics. The argument presented finds that national boundaries are re-inscribed in the diaspora at the intersection of the multiple claims of membership. Simultaneously, experiences and interactions in the diaspora provide the grounds for transforming and questioning the limits of national belonging.

Isotope Tracer Methods for Investigations Of Nitrogen Deficiency In Castle Lake, California

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Axler, R.P.; Goldman, C.R.

1981-01-01

Castle Lake is a subalpine lake located in northern California. Thermal stratification is well developed soon after ice-thaw and persists until fall overturn. The epilimnion during the major portion of the growing season (mid-June to mid-September) is characterized by relatively constant temperature and depth (19±3°C, 5±2m respectively), high transparency (η = 0.21 m -1 ), low phytoplankton productivity (∼3 mg C m -3 hr -1 at midday), and low levels of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (≲5 μg N 1 -1 ) and phosphorus (≲1 μg P 1 -1 ). Nitrogen-fixing algae are not present in the water column and nutrient inputs derived from precipitation and surface inflow are generally negligible by early July

Variation in PAH inputs and microbial community in surface sediments of Hamilton Harbour: Implications to remediation and monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slater, G.F.; Cowie, B.R.; Harper, N.; Droppo, I.G.

2008-01-01

Variations in concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and microbial community indicators were investigated in representative highly contaminated and less contaminated surface sediment sites of Hamilton Harbour. Inputs of PAH to the upper 3 cm of sediments up to four times the average upper sediment concentrations were observed. Associated PAH fingerprint profiles indicated that the source was consistent with the PAH source to the industrial region of the harbour. Increased PAH loadings were associated with decreased bacterial populations as indicated by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) concentrations. However, relatively minor impacts on overall community composition were indicated. Porewater methane concentrations and isotopic data indicated a difference in the occurrence of methane oxidation between the two sites. This study confirms temporally limited transport of contaminants from highly impacted regions as a vector for contaminants within the harbour and the impact on microbial carbon cycling and bed stability. - Variations in PAH inputs to harbour sediments have implications to implementation and monitoring of mitigation/remediation efforts

Organizing Capacities and Union Priorities in the Hotelsector in Oslo, Dublin, and Toronto

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ann Cecilie Bergene

2014-09-01

Full Text Available In this article, we draw international comparisons between industrial relations regimes in the hotel sector and compare relevant trade union experiences in the selected metropolitan areas of Oslo, Dublin, and Toronto. We ask how union strategies differ in these different hotel markets, and how strategic choices at a local level relate to industrial relations models, regulatory change, and corporate restructuring in the hotel market. The study is based on interviews with union representatives and key informants in Norway, Ireland, and Canada. The main argument we make is that the reorientation of union priorities and the willingness to engage in innovative strategies that has characterized hotel unionism in Toronto and Dublin is not detectable in the case of Oslo. This might be a result of the relatively strong position Norwegian trade unions have in national industrial relations, but can at the same time leave local hotel unions vulnerable as they are facing low unionization levels and corporate restructuring which they are unable to tackle effectively.

Oxygen levels versus chemical pollutants: do they have similar influence on macrofaunal assemblages? A case study in a harbour with two opposing entrances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guerra-Garcia, J.M.; Garcia-Gomez, J.C.

2005-01-01

Generally, harbours are polluted zones characterised by low values of hydrodynamism and oxygen in the water column and high concentrations of pollutants in sediments. The harbour of Ceuta, North Africa, has an unusual structure; it is located between two bays connected by a channel, which increases the water movement and exchange in the harbour, maintaining moderate oxygen levels in the water-sediment interface. Nevertheless, high concentration of organic matter, nutrients and heavy metals were measured in sediments from this harbour. Under these unusual conditions (high levels of pollution but total saturation of oxygen in the water column) we studied the responses of soft-bottom macrobenthic communities using uni and multivariate analyses. The number of species was similar inside and outside the harbour but the species composition differed between internal and external stations; oxygen levels seem to control the 'quantity' of species whereas pollutants control the 'quality' of them. - A high diversity of benthic animals was found in a polluted harbour where high oxygen levels occurred

Numerical simulation of ship motion in offshore and harbour areas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Erik Damgaard; Jensen, Bjarne; Mortensen, Simon Brandi

2008-01-01

A method for simulating the motions and mooring forces of a moored ship subject to wave forcing has been further developed and validated for both the open water case and inside harbour areas. The method was originally developed and reported in Bingham (2000). The simulation tool is named WAMSIM...

Management of fisheries in harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) marine protected areas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kindt-Larsen, Lotte

, Member States are obliged to nominate candidate protected areas in their waters to the EU Commission and within six years establish legislation to implement them as special areas of conservation and prepare management plans. Up to this point in time, however, no such management plans exist. This Ph...... thus be used as a tool to identify areas of porpoise bycatch risk and thereby support the management of both fisheries and harbour porpoises in accordance with the Habitats Directive. Thirdly, the behaviour of porpoises in relation to two different pinger types with different acoustic properties.......D. thesis focuses on research methods and management tools, which can contribute to a better scientific understanding in the preparation of fisheries management plans for Natura2000 sites designated for harbour porpoises. Firstly, it investigates the potential use of CCTV cameras to document bycatch...

Empirical data and optimal monitoring policies: the case of four Russian sea harbours

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deissenberg, C. [CEFI-CNRS, Les Milles (France); Gurman, V.; Shevchuk, E. [RAS, Program Systems Inst., Pereslavl-Zalessky (Russian Federation); Ryumina, E. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation). Inst. of Economic Market Problems; Shevlyagin, K. [State Committee of the Environment Protection of the Russian Federation, Moscow (Russian Federation). Marine Environment Dept.

2001-07-01

In this paper, we describe the present state of empirical information about oil spills and oil monitoring activities in Russian harbours. We explain how we gathered, organized, and estimated the data needed to run the monitoring efforts optimization model of Deissenberg et al. (2001). We present, analyse, and discuss the results of the optimizations carried out with this model on the basis of the empirical data. These results show, in particular, that the economic efficiency of the monitoring activities decreases rapidly as the corresponding budget increases. This suggests that, rather urgently, measures other than monitoring should be initiated to control sea harbour pollution. (Author)

Phytoplankton characteristics in a polluted Bombay Harbour-Thana-Bassein creek estuarine complex

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ramaiah, Neelam; Ramaiah, N.; Nair, V.R.

Annual variations in phytoplankton characteristics were studied from Bombay Harbour-Thana creek-Bassein creek (BHTCBC) estuarine confluence to assess the levels of pigment concentration, productivity and, qualitative and qunatitative nature...

Asian Martial Art Exhibitions at the Swiss Castle of Morges

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Nicolae Gothard Bialokur

2012-07-01

Full Text Available This article reports on two unique cultural exhibitions (2005 and 2007 held in Morges, Switzerland. The main theme for these exhibitions was Asian martial arts with a focus on those from Japan, including presentations by notable masters in aikido, karate, judo, kyudo, iaido, kenjutsu, jodo, juttejutsu, kusarigamajutsu, naginatajutsu, tameshigiri, and kendo. On exhibit were artifacts from Morges Castle museum collections as well as numerous ancient objects borrowed specifically for these exhibitions from other Swiss museums and private collections. There was also a lecture on Japanese sword collecting and care, and presentations of Japanese dance, flower arranging (ikebana, the art of tea (châ no yu, châdo, paper folding (origami, traditional kimono dress, and detailed demonstrations on the manufacture of bladed weapons. Text and photography were arranged to record these events for this article, showing how excellent organization and cooperation can introduce high-quality martial traditions to the public.

Exposing the grey seal as a major predator of harbour porpoises

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leopold, M.F.; Begeman, L.; van Bleijswijk, J.D.L.; IJsseldijk, L.L.; Witte, H.; Gröne, A.

2015-01-01

Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranding in large numbers around the southern North Sea with fatal, sharp-edged mutilations have spurred controversy among scientists, the fishing industry and conservationists, whose views about the likely cause differ. The recent detection of grey seal

Unlocking the electric mobility potential of Toronto: moving toward an electric mobility master plan for the city

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gleeson, A.; Scratch, K.

2010-10-01

This report is an analysis of the current state of electric transportation and its potential integration in the transportation system of the city of Toronto. In this document, electric vehicles include every mode of transport involving the use of energy drawn from the electricity grid, such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), extended range electric vehicles (EREV), battery electric vehicles (BEV), grid connected transit vehicles and electrified locomotives. An overview of the movement of people and goods, including the consideration of patterns of commuting and modes of transportation, is provided in the first section of this document. It has been demonstrated that most of the trips taking place in the city correspond to the predicted operating range of many EVs. Section one also provides a description of the local electricity grid system serving Toronto neighbourhoods and of the sources and movements of air contaminants. It gives a evaluation of the state of EV technologies and analyzes the economic and social factors that have an impact on the public perceptions regarding these technologies. Current policies and programs designed to promote market adoption of EVs around the world are outlined in the conclusion of this section. A simulation work was performed through a collaborative work with Toronto Hydro Electric System Limited in order to analyze the consequences of different EV charging scenarios on the electricity grid system. The results of this simulation are described in section two of the report. The document also presents the outcomes of the workshop on the implementation of an electric mobility master plan held in Toronto in April, 2010. 176 refs.

Scoping Study on DRDC Toronto Future Research Regarding Naval Mine Countermeasures

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-01

complete assigned missions. The exercise involved all of the NRF rotation 17: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway , Poland, Portugal...Toronto TR 2011-178 17 DARE is labour intensive to set up, populate with results and update. It can only produce results once enough MCM effort...operation (Scott, 2010). Since then, more than 10 Navies worldwide have acquired REMUS 100, creating a niche market for the UUVs. The use of UUVs

Sydney harbourings, rehabilitations and the politics of procurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine de Lorenzo

2002-09-01

Full Text Available In the last three years Sydney has been transformed to an unprecedented extent by public art projects, most of which have been developed by government instrumentalities, agencies or partnerships. The central city council has initiated a Sculpture Walk through the streets and around the rocky foreshores of the inner city; the Sydney Olympic site at Homebush Bay is home to a number of public art works; the government’s water utility company has sponsored an annual, temporary art installation walk along a spectacularly rugged ocean escarpment linking several medium-density suburbs; another instrumentality recently established to oversee the reuse of abandoned heavy industrial sites in the harbour, has established the ‘Promenart’ program along fifteen kilometres of harbour foreshores; and a government-appointed statutory authority responsible for the redevelopment of an extensive and highly polluted former industrial site between the CDB and the airport, has worked closely with designers and artists to develop comprehensive briefs addressing environmental rehabilitation and social interaction. This impressive list is by no means exhaustive. The surge in bureaucratic and artistic creative energy demands critical evaluation. In this paper I will contrast two sets of projects. This first concerns actual projects, in or near the spectacular Sydney Harbour setting, which are premised on placemaking principles and on the whole elicit actual or imagined histories for the delight and reverie of the promenader. Despite the popular and aesthetic success of these projects, one of them, the ambitious Sculpture Walk, is currently being re-evaluated. The second set, in more mundane suburban environments and centred on toxic waterways, concerns projects that at this stage are either being implemented or nearing commencement by interdisciplinary groups of artists, designers, engineers, environmentalists, community representatives, and other specialists. Their

The effect of wind turbines on the bird population at Blyth Harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Still, D.; Little, B.; Lawrence, S.

1996-01-01

Bird monitoring was carried out at Blyth Harbour Wind Farm which consists of a line of nine 300kW wind turbines distributed at 200m intervals along a 1.2km breakwater. The harbour breakwater is designated as part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest as it supports an internationally important winter population of Purple Sandpipers. The Blyth estuary is to be designated as part of a Special Protection Area under the EC Habitats Directive and as part of a proposed RAMSAR site due to its peak periods up to c.5000 bird movements/day occur adjacent to the windfarm. Mortality surveys (at one week intervals) were carried out on adjacent beaches to the wind farm in order to assess the background numbers of bird corpses and locate wind farm casualties. Supplementary mortality searches were carried out near power lines less than 2.5 km upstream from the wind farm. Tests of the efficiency of the mortality surveys have been carried out in order to assess the likely impact on the local bird populations. In spite of the large bird population supported by the harbour and its close proximity to the wind farm there have been relatively few collision victims (31) since the windfarm was commissioned. This is equivalent to less than 1.34 bird strike/wind turbine per annum. (author)

The National Trust and the Heritage of Sydney Harbour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cameron Logan

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Campaigns to preserve the legacy of the past in Australian cities have been particularly focused on the protection of natural landscapes and public open space. From campaigns to protect Perth’s Kings Park and the Green Bans of the Builders Labourers Federation in New South Wales to contemporary controversies such as the Perth waterfront redevelopment, Melbourne’s East West Link, and new development at Middle Harbour in Sydney’s Mosman, heritage activists have viewed the protection and restoration of ‘natural’ vistas, open spaces and ‘scenic landscapes’ as a vital part of the effort to preserve the historic identity of urban places. The protection of such landscapes has been a vital aspect of establishing a positive conception of the environment as a source of both urban and national identity. Drawing predominantly on the records of the National Trust of Australia (NSW, this paper examines the formation and early history of the Australian National Trust, in particular its efforts to preserve and restore the landscapes of Sydney Harbour. It then uses that history as a basis for examining the debate surrounding the landscape reconstruction project that forms part of Sydney’s highly contested Barangaroo development.

Application of a Spectral Wave Model to Assess Breakwater Configurations at a Small Craft Harbour on Lake Ontario

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amelia H. Cooper

2016-08-01

Full Text Available A surface wave model using three nested grids is applied to the eastern end of Lake Ontario to investigate wave propagation from an open lake environment to a small craft harbour protected by a breakwater. The Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN spectral wave model, coupled with the Delft3D hydrodynamic model, is applied to simulate a series of storms in November, 2013. The model results are compared to observations from two pressure sensors, and used to quantify wave properties around existing and future breakwaters to evaluate the bulk changes to the harbour configuration. Overall, the results indicate that the rubblemound breakwater reduces wave heights in the existing harbour by 63% compared to no breakwater, and that the addition of a surface breakwater extension could reduce wave heights by an additional 54%. Wave height attenuation was found to be highly dependent on the incident wave direction relative to breakwater orientation. The spectral wave model is useful for simulating wave transformation for broad directional spectra in wind-sea conditions over large scales to semi-protected areas such as small craft harbours.

Fishing for food : feeding ecology of harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena and white-beaked dolphins Lagenorhynchus albirostris in Dutch waters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, O.E.

2013-01-01

Harbour porpoises and white-beaked dolphins are the most common small cetaceans in the North Sea and Dutch coastal waters. The distribution and relative abundance of harbour porpoises and white-beaked dolphins from the Dutch coastal waters has changed significantly over the past decades. This

Introducing Darwinism to Toronto's post-1887 reconstituted medical school.

Science.gov (United States)

Court, John P M

2011-01-01

Charles Darwin's scientific paradigm was largely welcomed in Canadian academic biology and medicine, while reaction among other faculty and laypeople ranged from interest to outrage. In 1874, Ramsay Wright, a Darwinian-era biologist from Edinburgh, was appointed to the University of Toronto's Chair of Natural History. Over his 38-year career Wright integrated the evolutionary perspective into medical and biology teaching without accentuating its controversial source. He also applied the emerging German experimental research model and laboratory technology. This study identifies five categories of scientific and personal influences upon Wright through archival research on biographical sources and his writings.

Radioactivity concentrations and their radiological significance in sediments of the Tema Harbour (Greater Accra, Ghana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin O. Botwe

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Studies on environmental radioactivity in tropical Africa are scarce. Therefore, a baseline study of natural (238U, 210Pb, 226Ra, 232Th, 228Ra, 228Th, 40K and anthropogenic (137Cs radionuclides was carried out on Tema Harbour (Greater Accra, Ghana surface sediments and on their radiological significance. Grab surface sediment samples were collected from 21 stations within the Tema Harbour and their radioactivity concentrations measured by gamma spectrometry. The mean sediment radioactivity concentrations (Bq kg−1 dw were 34 for 238U, 210 for 210Pb, 14 for 226Ra, 30 for 232Th, 29 for 228Ra, 31 for 228Th, 320 for 40K, and 1.5 for 137Cs. Large 238U/226Ra disequilibria were observed in the harbour sediments and a complex dynamics of several mixed sources of sediments within the Tema Harbour can be inferred from the spatial variations in the radioactivity concentrations. The estimated total absorbed dose rate in air (D, radium equivalent activity (Raeq, external hazard index (Hex, annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE and annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE indicated no significant radiological risks from the sediment radioactivity concentrations. Application of the Environmental Risk from Ionising Contaminants Assessment and Management tool (ERICA confirmed that the potential dose rates to biota from the sediment radioactivity concentrations are unlikely to pose appreciable ecological risks. The radioactivity levels are compared with levels reported in sediments from other coastal areas of the world.

William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse astronomy and the castle in nineteenth-century Ireland

CERN Document Server

Mollan, R Charles

2015-01-01

This is a revealing account of the family life and achievements of the Third Earl of Rosse, a hereditary peer and resident landlord at Birr Castle, County Offaly, in nineteenth-century Ireland, before, during and after the devastating famine of the 1840s. He was a remarkable engineer, who built enormous telescopes in the cloudy middle of Ireland. The book gives details, in an attractive non-technical style which requires no previous scientific knowledge, of his engineering initiatives and the astronomical results, but also reveals much more about the man and his contributions - locally in the

The use of desorbing agents in electrodialytic remediation of harbour sediment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nystrøm, Gunvor Marie; Pedersen, Anne Juul; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.

2006-01-01

Electrodialytic removal of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd from contaminated harbour sediment was made with the emphasis of testing the effectiveness of different desorbing agents: HCl, NaCl, citric acid, lactic acid, ammonium citrate and distilled water. Extraction experiments with the desorbing agents were...

Sophie's Defense Mechanism in Her Struggle to Break the Curse in Diana Wynne Jones' Howl's Moving Castle

OpenAIRE

Perwita, Ratnanggana Ausiyyah Mustika

2015-01-01

The experience that young people get has an effect to their personality and their problem solving. This is why older people tend to be more mature than the young people. In Diana Wynne Jones' Howl's Moving Castle, the main character has a development in her personality through experiences. Her experiences lead her to how she solves her problems while she unconsciously uses defense mechanism. In this case, in this study will be analyzed the characteristic of the main character, Sophie, when sh...

Preliminary Results on Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Loki's Castle Arctic Vents and Host Sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Barriga, Fernando; Carvalho, Carlos; Inês Cruz, M.; Dias, Ágata; Fonseca, Rita; Relvas, Jorge; Pedersen, Rolf

2010-05-01

The Loki's Castle hydrothermal vent field was discovered in the summer of 2008, during a cruise led by the Centre of Geobiology of the University of Bergen, integrated in the H2Deep Project (Eurocores, ESF). Loki's Castle is the northernmost hydrothermal vent field discovered to date. It is located at the junction between the Mohns Ridge and the South Knipovich Ridge, in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea, at almost 74°N. This junction shows unique features and apparently there is no transform fault to accommodate the deformation generated by the bending of the rift valley from WSW-ENE to almost N-S. The Knipovich Rigde, being a complex structure, is an ultra-slow spreading ridge, with an effective spreading rate of only ~ 6 mm/y. It is partly masked by a substantial cover of glacial and post-glacial sediments, estimated to be between 12 and 20 ky old, derived from the nearby Bear Island fan, to the East of the ridge. The Loki's Castle vent site is composed of several active, over 10 m tall chimneys, producing up to 320°C fluid, at the top of a very large sulphide mound, which is estimated to be around 200 m in diameter. About a dozen gravity cores were obtained in the overall area. From these we collected nearly 200 subsamples. Eh and pH were measured in all subsamples. The Portuguese component of the H2Deep project is aimed at characterizing, chemically and mineralogically, the sulphide chimneys and the collected sediments around the vents (up to 5 meters long gravity cores). These studies are aimed at understanding the ore-forming system, and its implications for submarine mineral exploration, as well as the relation of the microbial population with the hydrothermal component of sediments. Here we present an overview of preliminary data on the mineralogical assemblage found in the analyzed sediments and chimneys. The identification of the different mineral phases was obtained through petrographic observations of polished thin sections under the microscope (with both

Uranium isotopes in El hamraween harbour sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salahel Din, K.

2009-01-01

Isotopes of uranium in marine sediments collected from El Hamraween harbour and Ras El-Bhar areas on the Egyptian coast of the Red Sea have been studied using radiochemical separation procedures and alpha-particle spectrometry. Activity concentrations of 238 U, 235 U, 234 U were calculated. The activities observed indicating the enhancement of radioactivity level in El Hamraween harbor area due to the activities of phosphate shipment operation. Secular equilibrium between 234 U and 238 U was found in the analyzed samples. The average activity ratio of 235 U/ 238 U was close to the value 0.046 for uranium in nature

Rapid reassessment of the eutrophication status of Kingston Harbour, Jamaica using the zooplankton community

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrice A. Francis

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Previous extensive studies of zooplankton distribution in the eutrophic Kingston Harbour established that it was being continuously contaminated. We assessed the community in 2011, 17 years after a previous study and five years after the introduction of a tertiary waste water system. Sampling was conducted for four weeks at eight stations identical to those sampled in a previous study. We used horizontal surface tows with a 200µm net. A total of 73 zooplankton taxa were identified and copepods dominated with 20 species. Mean total abundances were high, ranging from a minimum of 2 383 animals m-3 in the southern region of Hunts Bay to 194 166 animals m-3at the Inner Harbour. Five zooplankton taxa (Acartia tonsa, Paracalanus spp., Temora turbinata, Penilia avirostris and Lucifer faxoni that were previously identified as indicators, were again important in the Harbour. The overall zooplankton abundances were similar and in some cases higher than the previous study. There was no significant improvement in the water quality since the introduction of the treatment system at Soapberry. This may be a result of unknown nutrient inputs or of nutrient remaining in the sediments.

Feasibility analysis for a SolarShare co-operative in the City of Toronto

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brigham, M.; Gipe, P.

2007-01-01

This report provided details of a feasibility study conducted to assess a business model for a solar electric co-operative within the City of Toronto. The study focused on the development of a rooftop array of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. A portfolio of potential partners and projects representing approximately 4 MW was identified. Economic and financial models were used to determine the viability of the SolarShare rooftop design. Various tariffs and subsidies currently available for the development of renewable energy projects were reviewed. Despite growing environmental awareness and enthusiasm for solar energy projects amongst Toronto inhabitants, the analysis demonstrated that rooftop PV projects in Ontario are not profitable without a reduction in the costs of $3,500 to $5000 kW, subsidies, or an increase in tariff payments under the province's standard offer contract program. Revenues derived from energy sales under the SolarShare program were approximately half of what was required to undertake a profitable investment in solar PV. Recommendations for building profitable PV systems using a staged approach were included. 27 refs., 16 tabs., 1 fig

The prevalence and risks of early childhood caries (ECC) in Toronto, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Jewair, Thikriat S; Leake, James L

2010-10-14

To determine the prevalence and risks of early childhood caries (ECC) among children less than 71 months of age in Toronto, Canada, and to evaluate the association between parental/caregiver depression and ECC. A secondary analysis of data previously collected by the Toronto Public Health as part of the 2003 Toronto Perinatal and Child Health Survey was performed. The 90-item survey was conducted over the telephone to 1,000 families with children from zero years (birth) to six years of age. Parents/caregivers were asked about factors related to the development and health of their children. For this study, only children younger than six years of age (less than 71 months) were included (n=833). The primary outcome of interest was self-reported and measured by the response to the question of whether a physician/dentist had ever told the parent/caregiver his/her child had ECC. The prevalence of ECC was 4.7 percent (37 of 791 children). The child's age, his/her history of dental visits, teeth brushing, the use of fluoridated toothpaste, the parent's/caregiver's depressive tendencies, the language spoken at home, and the household annual income were all significant in the bivariate analysis. Multiple logistic regression identified four factors associated with ECC: the child's age (being three years of age or older), having at least one parent/caregiver with depression, not speaking English at home, and having an annual household income less than $40,000 in Canadian dollars (CAD). While a child's age, home language, and household income are known risks for ECC, the finding that parental/caregiver depression may be related to ECC is new. Multiple risk factors are involved in the development of early childhood caries. Of particular importance are demographic (e.g., child's age), social (e.g., annual household income), and psychosocial factors (e.g., parental/caregiver depression) that are indirectly linked to ECC. More attention needs to be placed on understanding the role

Did the suicide barrier work after all? Revisiting the Bloor Viaduct natural experiment and its impact on suicide rates in Toronto.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinyor, Mark; Schaffer, Ayal; Redelmeier, Donald A; Kiss, Alex; Nishikawa, Yasunori; Cheung, Amy H; Levitt, Anthony J; Pirkis, Jane

2017-06-19

This research aims to determine the long-term impact of the Bloor Street Viaduct suicide barrier on rates of suicide in Toronto and whether media reporting had any impact on suicide rates. Natural experiment. City of Toronto, Canada; records at the chief coroner's office of Ontario 1993-2003 (11 years before the barrier) and 2004-2014 (11 years after the barrier). 5403 people who died by suicide in the city of Toronto. Changes in yearly rates of suicide by jumping at Bloor Street Viaduct, other bridges including nearest comparison bridge and walking distance bridges, and buildings, and by other means. Suicide rates at the Bloor Street Viaduct declined from 9.0 deaths/year before the barrier to 0.1 deaths/year after the barrier (incidence rate ratio (IRR) 0.005, 95% CI 0.0005 to 0.19, p=0.002). Suicide deaths from bridges in Toronto also declined significantly (IRR 0.53, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.71, psuicide at the Bloor Street Viaduct were associated with an increase in suicide-by-jumping from bridges the following year. The current study demonstrates that, over the long term, suicide-by-jumping declined in Toronto after the barrier with no associated increase in suicide by other means. That is, the barrier appears to have had its intended impact at preventing suicide despite a short-term rise in deaths at other bridges that was at least partially influenced by a media effect. Research examining barriers at other locations should interpret short-term results with caution. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

A Method for Identifying Pollution Sources of Heavy Metals and PAH for a Risk-Based Management of a Mediterranean Harbour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ombretta Paladino

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A procedure for assessing harbour pollution by heavy metals and PAH and the possible sources of contamination is proposed. The procedure is based on a ratio-matching method applied to the results of principal component analysis (PCA, and it allows discrimination between point and nonpoint sources. The approach can be adopted when many sources of pollution can contribute in a very narrow coastal ecosystem, both internal and outside but close to the harbour, and was used to identify the possible point sources of contamination in a Mediterranean Harbour (Port of Vado, Savona, Italy. 235 sediment samples were collected in 81 sampling points during four monitoring campaigns and 28 chemicals were searched for within the collected samples. PCA of total samples allowed the assessment of 8 main possible point sources, while the refining ratio-matching identified 1 sampling point as a possible PAH source, 2 sampling points as Cd point sources, and 3 sampling points as C > 12 point sources. By a map analysis it was possible to assess two internal sources of pollution directly related to terminals activity. The study is the prosecution of a previous work aimed at assessing Savona-Vado Harbour pollution levels and suggested strategies to regulate the harbour activities.

Assessing Greenhouse Gas emissions in the Greater Toronto Area using atmospheric observations (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Vogel, F. R.; Chan, E.; Huang, L.; Levin, I.; Worthy, D.

2013-12-01

Urban areas are said to be responsible for approximately 75% of anthropogenic Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) emissions while comprising only two percent of the land area [1]. This limited spatial expansion should facilitate a monitoring of anthropogenic GHGs from atmospheric observations. As major sources of emissions, cities also have a huge potential to drive emissions reductions. To effectively manage emissions, cities must however, first measure and report these publicly [2]. Modelling studies and measurements of CO2 from fossil fuel burning (FFCO2) in densely populated areas does, however, pose several challenges: Besides continuous in-situ observations, i.e. finding an adequate atmospheric transport model, a sufficiently fine-grained FFCO2 emission model and the proper background reference observations to distinguish the large-scale from the local/urban contributions to the observed FFCO2 concentration offsets ( ΔFFCO2) are required. Pilot studies which include the data from two 'sister sites*' in the vicinity of Toronto, Canada helped to derive flux estimates for Non-CO2 GHGs [3] and improve our understanding of urban FFCO2 emissions. Our 13CO2 observations reveal that the contribution of natural gas burning (mostly due to domestic heating) account for 80%×7% of FFCO2 emissions in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) during winter. Our 14CO2 observations in the GTA, furthermore, show that the local offset of CO2 (ΔCO2) between our two sister sites can be largely attributed to urban FFCO2 emissions. The seasonal cycle of the observed ΔFFCO2 in Toronto, combined with high-resolution atmospheric modeling, helps to independently assess the contribution from different emission sectors (transportation, primary energy and industry, domestic heating) as predicted by a dedicated city-scale emission inventory, which deviates from a UNFCCC-based inventory. [1] D. Dodman. 2009. Blaming cities for climate change? An analysis of urban greenhouse gas emissions inventories

Identification of a novel gammaherpesvirus associated with (muco)cutaneous lesions in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena).

Science.gov (United States)

van Beurden, Steven J; IJsseldijk, Lonneke L; Ordonez, Soledad R; Förster, Christine; de Vrieze, Geert; Gröne, Andrea; Verheije, M Hélène; Kik, Marja

2015-12-01

Herpesviruses infect a wide range of vertebrates, including toothed whales of the order Cetacea. One of the smallest toothed whales is the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), which is widespread in the coastal waters of the northern hemisphere, including the North Sea. Here, we describe the detection and phylogenetic analysis of a novel gammaherpesvirus associated with mucocutaneous and skin lesions in stranded harbour porpoises along the Dutch coast, tentatively designated phocoenid herpesvirus 1 (PhoHV1). Phylogenetically, PhoHV1 forms a monophyletic clade with all other gammaherpesviruses described in toothed whales (Odontoceti) to date, suggesting a common evolutionary origin.

Integrating genetic data and population viability analyses for the identification of harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) populations and management units

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Morten Tange; Andersen, Liselotte Wesley; Dietz, Rune

2014-01-01

present a novel approach, integrating genetic, life-history and demographic data to identify populations and management units in southern Scandinavian harbour seals. First, 15 microsatellite markers and model- and distance-based genetic clustering methods were used to determine the population genetic...... structure in harbour seals. Second, we used harbour seal demographic and life-history data to conduct population viability analyses (PVAs) in the VORTEX simulation model in order to determine whether the inferred genetic units could be classified as management units according to Lowe and Allendorf's (2010......, and that the combined use of genetic data and PVAs constitute a promising approach for delineating populations and management units. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved....

Teachers' Views of the Challenges of Teaching Grade 9 Applied Mathematics in Toronto Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Stoilescu, Dorian; McDougall, Douglas; Egodawatte, Gunawardena

2016-01-01

Mathematics teachers, mathematics department heads, curriculum leaders, and administrators from 11 schools in four school boards from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, participated in a project to improve the teaching and learning in grade 9 mathematics classrooms. In each of these schools, an implementation team was created, so that at least three…

Removal of Historic Low-Level Radioactive Sediment from the Port Hope Harbour - 13314

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolberg, Mark [Baird and Associates, 1267 Cornwall Rd., Suite 100, Oakville ON, L6J7T5 (Canada); Case, Glenn [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Port Hope, ON (Canada); Ferguson Jones, Andrea [MMM Group Limited, Thornhill, ON (Canada)

2013-07-01

At the Port Hope Harbour, located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, the presence of low-level radioactive sediment, resulting from a former radium and uranium refinery that operated alongside the Harbour, currently limits redevelopment and revitalization opportunities. These waste materials contain radium-226, uranium, arsenic and other contaminants. Several other on-land locations within the community of Port Hope are also affected by the low-level radioactive waste management practices of the past. The Port Hope Project is a community initiated undertaking that will result in the consolidation of an estimated 1.2 million cubic metres of the low-level radioactive waste from the various sites in Port Hope into a new engineered above ground long-term waste management facility. The remediation of the estimated 120,000 m{sup 3} of contaminated sediments from the Port Hope Harbour is one of the more challenging components of the Port Hope Project. Following a thorough review of various options, the proposed method of contaminated sediment removal is by dredging. The sediment from the dredge will then be pumped as a sediment-water slurry mixture into geo-synthetic containment tubes for dewatering. Due to the hard substrate below the contaminated sediment, the challenge has been to set performance standards in terms of low residual surface concentrations that are attainable in an operationally efficient manner. (authors)

Removal of Historic Low-Level Radioactive Sediment from the Port Hope Harbour - 13314

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolberg, Mark; Case, Glenn; Ferguson Jones, Andrea

2013-01-01

At the Port Hope Harbour, located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, the presence of low-level radioactive sediment, resulting from a former radium and uranium refinery that operated alongside the Harbour, currently limits redevelopment and revitalization opportunities. These waste materials contain radium-226, uranium, arsenic and other contaminants. Several other on-land locations within the community of Port Hope are also affected by the low-level radioactive waste management practices of the past. The Port Hope Project is a community initiated undertaking that will result in the consolidation of an estimated 1.2 million cubic metres of the low-level radioactive waste from the various sites in Port Hope into a new engineered above ground long-term waste management facility. The remediation of the estimated 120,000 m 3 of contaminated sediments from the Port Hope Harbour is one of the more challenging components of the Port Hope Project. Following a thorough review of various options, the proposed method of contaminated sediment removal is by dredging. The sediment from the dredge will then be pumped as a sediment-water slurry mixture into geo-synthetic containment tubes for dewatering. Due to the hard substrate below the contaminated sediment, the challenge has been to set performance standards in terms of low residual surface concentrations that are attainable in an operationally efficient manner. (authors)

Geodetic Infrastructure in the Ibiza and Barcelona Harbours for Sea Level Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Benjamin, J. J.; Gili, J.; Lopez, R.; Tapia, A.; Perez, B.; Pros, F.

2013-12-01

The presentation is directed to the description of the actual situation and relevant information of the geodetic infrastructure of Ibiza and Barcelona sites for sea level determination and contribution to regional sea level rise. Time series are being analysed for mean sea level variations www.puertos.es. .In the framework of a Spanish Space Project, the instrumentation of sea level measurements has been improved by providing the Barcelona site with a radar tide gauge Datamar 2000C from Geonica s.l. near an acoustic tide gauge. Puertos del Estado installed in 2007 a MIROS radar tide gauge and the Barcelona Harbour Authority a GPS referente station in the roof of the new Control Tower situated in the Energy Pier. The radar sensor is over the water surface, on a L-shaped structure which elevates it a few meters above the quay shelf. 1-min data are transmitted to the ENAGAS Control Center by cable and then sent each 1 min to Puertos del Estado by e-mail. There is a GPS station Leica Geosystems GRX1200 GG Pro and antenna 1202. Precision levelling has been made several times in the last two years because the tower is founded in reclaimed land. The measured settlement rate is about 1cm/year that may be could mask the values registered by the tide gauge. A description of the actual infrastructure at Ibiza harbour at Marina de Botafoch, is presented and its applications to sea level monitoring and altimeter calibration in support of the main CGPS at Ibiza harbour. It is described the geometrical precision levelling made in June 2013 between the radar tide gauge and the GPS station. In particular, the CGPS located at Ibiza harbour is essential for its application to the marine campaign Baleares 2013, near Ibiza island. The main objective is to determine the altimeter bias for Jason-2, about 9:09 UTC September 15, 2013, and Saral/AltiKa, about 05:30 UTC September 16, UTC. These activities has been received funding of the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion under Spanish

Hydrology of the Ferron sandstone aquifer and effects of proposed surface-coal mining in Castle Valley, Utah, with sections on stratigraphy and leaching of overburden

Science.gov (United States)

Lines, Gregory C.; Morrissey, Daniel J.; Ryer, Thomas A.; Fuller, Richard H.

1983-01-01

Coal in the Ferron Sandstone Member of the Mancos Shale of Cretaceous age has traditionally been mined by underground techniques in the Emery Coal Field in the southern end of Castle Valley in east-central Utah. However, approximately 99 million tons are recoverable by surface mining. Ground water in the Ferron is the sole source of supply for the town of Emery, but the aquifer is essentially untapped outside the Emery area.The Ferron Sandstone Member crops out along the eastern edge of Castle Valley and generally dips 2 ? to 10 ? to the northwest. Sandstones in the Ferron are enclosed between relatively impermeable shale in the Tununk and Blue Gate Members of the Mancos Shale. Along the outcrop, the Ferron ranges in thickness from about 80 feet in the northern part of Castle Valley to 850 feet in the southern part. The Ferron also generally thickens in the subsurface downdip from the outcrop. Records from wells and test holes indicate that the full thickness of the Ferron is saturated with water in most areas downdip from the outcrop area.Tests in the Emery area indicate that transmissivity of the Ferron sandstone aquifer ranges from about 200 to 700 feet squared per day where the Ferron is fully saturated. Aquifer transmissivity is greatest near the Paradise Valley-Joes Valley fault system where permeability has been increased by fracturing. Storage coefficient ranges from about 10 .6 to 10 -3 where the Ferron sandstone aquifer is confined and probably averages 5 x 10-2 where it is unconfined.

Evaluation of trophic state and plankton abundance from the environmental parameters of Visakhapatnam Harbour and near-shore waters, east coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Tripathy, S.C.; KusumaKumari, B.A.V.L.; Sarma, V.V.; Murty, T.V.R.

The present work describes the nutrient indices of the Visakhapatnam harbour and near-shore waters. The inner channels of Visakhapatnam harbour are considered to be eutrophic while near-shore waters (coastal and inshore waters) associated...

An empirically tractable model of optimal oil spills prevention in Russian sea harbours

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deissenberg, C. [CEFI-CNRS, Les Milles (France); Gurman, V.; Tsirlin, A. [RAS, Program Systems Inst., Pereslavl-Zalessky (Russian Federation); Ryumina, E. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation). Inst. of Economic Market Problems

2001-07-01

Based on previous theoretical work by Gottinger (1997, 1998), we propose a simple model of optimal monitoring of oil-related activities in harbour areas that is suitable for empirical estimation within the Russian-Ukrainian context, in spite of the poor availability of data in these countries. Specifically, the model indicates how to best allocate at the steady state a given monitoring budget between different monitoring activities. An approximate analytical solution to the optimization problem is derived, and a simple procedure for estimating the model on the basis of the actually available data is suggested. An application using data obtained for several harbours of the Black and Baltic Seas is given. It suggests that the current Russian monitoring practice could be much improved by better allocating the available monitoring resources. (Author)

Effects of waves and currents on the siltation problem of Damietta harbour, Nile Delta coast, Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ABO BAKER.I. ABO ZED

2007-12-01

Full Text Available This study evaluates the effect of prevailing dynamic factors on the sedimentation process in Damietta Harbour along the Nile delta coast of Egypt. The monitoring program spanned the period between 1978 and 1999 and included measurements of waves, currents and bathymetric profiles. The evaluation was based on determination of erosion and accretion rates, current regime, sediment transport, wave characteristics and wave refraction. Results revealed that the predominant wave direction from N-NW sector (86 % throughout the year is responsible for generation of a longshore eastward current. Less frequent waves from the N-NE sector generate an opposing longshore westward current. The refraction pattern for the prevailing wave direction indicates that the harbour and its navigation channel are located within a divergence of wave orthogonal and in an accretion sediment sink area. The annual net rate of littoral drift on the western side of the harbour is about 1.43 * 105 m3 (accretion, while the annual net rate of littoral drift on the eastern side is about 2.54 * 105 m3 (erosion. Currents fluctuate tremendously in speed and direction, especially during the winter months. Hence, sediment transport takes place in offshore, eastward, and onshore directions. Progressive vector diagrams show that the largest near bottom offshore, onshore and easterly net drift occurs during summer, spring and winter respectively. The onshore sediment transport generated during spring and summer plays an important role in the redistribution of eroded sediments during the winter. The overall study of dynamic factors indicated that the harbour site is characterized by eastern, western, offshore and onshore sediment movements. Therefore, the north-south orientation of the navigation channel, with its depth greater than the surrounding area, interrupts sediment drift from different directions and reduces the current speed. Consequently, the sediments sink within the navigation

Sexually dimorphic proportions of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) skeleton

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Galatius, Anders

2005-01-01

Sexual differences in growth, allometric growth patterns and skeletal proportions were investigated by linear measurements of skeletal parts on 225 harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from the inner Danish and adjacent waters. Females show larger asymptotic sizes and extended period of growth...... to females is also found in the vertebral epiphyses that mature later in males than females, although the males finish growth at a younger age....

Dinoflagellate cyst assemblages in recent sediments of Visakhapatnam harbour, east coast of India: Influence of environmental characteristics

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

DeSilva, M.S.; Anil, A.C.; Sawant, S.S.

. There are 18 and 6 berths in the inner and outer harbour area with two moorings respectively. The climate in Visakhapatnam is governed by its location in the tropics and mainly affected by seasonal monsoons (south–west and north–east). There is inadequate... was classified based on geographic location and environmental characteristics into two zones; the inner (Stations 1–14) and outer (Stations 15–24) harbour stations (Fig. 1). 2.3. Sediment sampling, processing and analysis for dinocysts Sediment samples were...

Patterns of the non-indigenous isopod Cirolana harfordi in Sydney Harbour.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana B Bugnot

Full Text Available Biological introductions can alter the ecology of local assemblages and are an important driver of global environmental change. The first step towards understanding the impact of a non-indigenous species is to study its distribution and associations in the invaded area. In Sydney Harbour, the non-indigenous isopod Cirolana harfordi has been reported in densities up to 0.5 individuals per cm(2 in mussel-beds. Abundances of this species have, however, been largely overlooked in other key habitats. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the abundances and distribution of C. harfordi across different habitats representative of Sydney Harbour. Results showed that C. harfordi occurred in oyster and mussel-beds, being particularly abundant in oyster-beds. We also aimed to determine the role of C. harfordi as a predator, scavenger and detritus feeder by investigating the relationships between densities of C. harfordi and (i the structure of the resident assemblages, and (ii deposited organic matter in oyster-beds. Densities of C. harfordi were not related to the structure of the assemblages, nor amounts of deposited organic matter. These findings suggested little or no ecological impacts of C. harfordi in oyster-beds. These relationships may, however, affect other variables such as growth of individuals, or be disguised by high variability of assemblages among different locations. Future studies should, therefore, test the impacts of C. harfordi on the size of organisms in the assemblage and use manipulative experiments to control for spatial variation. This study is the first published work on the ecology of the invasion of C. harfordi and provides the starting-point for the study of the impacts of this species in Sydney Harbour.

Toronto's 2-1-1 healthcare services for immigrant populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Cortinois, Andrea A; Glazier, Richard H; Caidi, Nadia; Andrews, Gavin; Herbert-Copley, Mary; Jadad, Alejandro R

2012-12-01

Although access to information on health services is particularly important for recent immigrants, numerous studies have shown that their use of information and referral services is limited. This study explores the role played by 2-1-1 Toronto in supporting recent immigrants. The study objectives were to (1) understand whether 2-1-1 Toronto is reaching and supporting recent immigrants and (2) gain a better appreciation of the information needs of this population group. A phone survey was conducted in 2005-2006 to collect information on 2-1-1 users' characteristics and levels of satisfaction. Survey data were compared (in 2006) with census data to assess their representativeness. To achieve Objective 2, semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted and analyzed in 2006-2007, with a subset of Spanish-speaking callers. Recent immigrants were overrepresented among 2-1-1 callers. However, the survey population was substantially younger and had higher levels of formal education than the general population. Health-related queries represented almost one third of the total. The survey showed very high levels of satisfaction with the service. Many interviewees described their first experiences with the Canadian healthcare system negatively. Most of them had relied on disjointed, low-quality information sources. They trusted 2-1-1 but had discovered it late. Results are mixed in terms of 2-1-1's support to immigrants. A significant percentage of users do not take full advantage of the service. The service could become the information "entry point" for recent immigrants if it was able to reach them early in the resettlement process. Proactive, community-oriented work and a more creative use of technology could help. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.

Downsizing in the public sector: Metro-Toronto's hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Flint, Douglas H

2003-01-01

This study has two objectives. First, to predict the outcomes of a public sector downsizing; second to measure effects of downsizing at organizational and inter-organizational levels. Primary data to assess the organizational level effects was collected through interviews with senior executives at two of Metro-Toronto's hospitals. Secondary data, to assess the inter-organizational effects, was collected from government documents and media reports. Due to the exploratory nature of the study's objectives a case study method was employed. Most institutional downsizing practices aligned with successful outcomes. Procedures involved at the inter-organizational level aligned with unsuccessful outcomes and negated organizational initiatives. This resulted in an overall alignment with unsuccessful procedures. The implication, based on private sector downsizings, is that the post-downsized hospital system was more costly and less effective.

Historical underway surface temperature data collected aboard the ship Skelton Castle on a voyage from England to India, 28 February 1800 to 3 June 1800 (NODC Accession 0095925)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Underway surface air temperature and sea water temperature were collected aboard the Skelton Castle while in route from England to Bombay India as part of the East...

Penalobo "Castle Rocks" - First approach to valuing this geoforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinharandas, Carlos; Nobre, José; Gomes, Ana

2013-04-01

The village of Penalobo, located in the municipality of Sabugal (Portugal) is characterized by hercynian granites with interesting geological features, including pegmatite veins and quartz crystals with exotic forms, and presents some steep slopes and plateaus. From the mountainous configuration highlight some more pronounced elevations called "Castle Rocks". Such structures are composed by granites, which present greater fracturing at the top, which leads to the formation of large granite blocks. In less fractured zones it is possible to observe small folds. An excavation existing in one of those elevations allows us to observe a basic rock outcropping with clusters of crystals mottled with circular shape, which are indicative of the presence of late fluid during crystallization. In the zone of contact with the enclosing granite, there are small folds caused by magma intrusion. Those evidences led us to hypothesize that the peaks observed in the area of Penalobo village were due to the intrusion on basic magma. All this framework and geological environment becomes an asset for the scientific, educational and economic development of the region. On the other hand, it has a vital importance in the context of a strategy of forming a geological park, in the point of view of tourism, research and interpretation.

Mineralogy and Acid-Extractable Geochemistry from the Loki's Castle Hydrothermal Field, Norwegian Sea at 74 degrees N (South Knipovich Ridge)

Science.gov (United States)

Barriga, F. J.; Fonseca, R.; Dias, S.; Cruz, I.; Carvalho, C.; Relvas, J. M.; Pedersen, R.

2010-12-01

The Loki’s Castle hydrothermal vent field was discovered in the summer of 2008 during a cruise led by the Centre of Geobiology of the University of Bergen, integrated in the H2Deep Project (Eurocores, ESF; see Pedersen et al., 2010, AGU Fall Meeting, Session OS26). Fresh volcanic glasses analyzed by EPMA are basalts. The vent site is composed of several active, over 10 m tall chimneys, producing up to 320 C fluid, at the top of a very large sulfide mound (estimated diameter 200 m). Mineralogy: The main sulfide assemblage in chimneys consists of sphalerite (Sp), pyrite (Py) and pyrrhotite, with lesser chalcopyrite (Ccp). Sulphide-poor selected samples collected at the base of chimneys are mostly composed of anhydrite (Anh), gypsum and talc (Tlc). Association of quartz, anhydrite, gypsum and barite were also found in some of the samples. The sulphide-poor samples from the base of the chimneys denote seawater interaction with the hydrothermal fluid and consequent decrease in temperature, precipitating sulfates. Sphalerite compositions are Zn(0.61-0.70)Fe(0.39-0.30)S. The variations in Fe content are consistent with those of hot, reduced hydrothermal fluids. The observed sulfide assemblage is consistent with the temperature of 320C measured in Loki’s Castle vents. Compositional zonation in sphalerites suggests different pulses of activity of the hydrothermal system, with higher contents of Zn in the center of the crystals. Geochemistry: Here we report preliminary data part of a major analytical task of sequential extraction of metals from sediments in the vicinity of Loki’s Castle, in an attempt to detect correlations with microbial populations and/or subseafloor mineralized intervals. The abundances of Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr, Zn, Fe, Mn and Co in sediments were determined by aqua regia extraction on subsamples from 7 gravity cores. Several anomalous intervals were sampled, in which Cu<707ppm, Ni shows many weak peaks (<50ppm), Cr shows 6 peaks (<121ppm), Zn shows 4 well

Species composition, abundance and distribution of hydromedusae from Dharamtar estuarine system, adjoining Bombay Harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Santhakumari, V.; Tiwari, L.R.; Nair, V.R.

Species composition, abundance and distribution of hydromedusae from Dharamtar estuarine system, adjoining Bombay Harbour, Maharashtra, India were investigated during 1984-1985. Twenty six species belonging to 19 genera were obtained from this area...

Estimation of Wave Disturbance in Harbours

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helm-Petersen, Jacob

. Information on how the sponge layers perform with respect to reflection of short-crested waves are presented mainly in terms of overall reflection coefficients and main directions as functions of incident main direction relative to the structure. The influence of a irregular structure front has also been......The motivation for the present study has been to improve the reliability in using numerical wave propagation models as a tool for estimating wave disturbance in harbours. Attention has been directed towards the importance of the modelling of reflection in the applied mild-slope model. Methods have...... been presented for the analysis of reflected wave fields in 2D and 3D. The Bayesian Directional Wave Spectrum Estimation Method has been applied throughout the study. Reflection characteristics have been investigated by use of physical models for three types of coastal structures with vertical fronts...

From echolocation clicks to animal density – acoustic sampling of harbour porpoises with static dataloggers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kyhn, Line Anker; Tougaard, Jakob; Thomas, L.

2012-01-01

Monitoring abundance and population trends of small odontocetes is notoriously difficult and labour intensive. There is a need to develop alternative methods to the traditional visual line transect surveys, especially for low density areas. Here, the prospect of obtaining robust density estimates....... This provides a method suitable for monitoring in areas with densities too low for visual surveys to be practically feasible, e.g. the endangered harbour porpoise population in the Baltic....... for porpoises by passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is demonstrated by combining rigorous application of methods adapted from distance sampling to PAM. Acoustic dataloggers (T-PODs) were deployed in an area where harbour porpoises concurrently were tracked visually. Probability of detection was estimated...

Applicability of market-based instruments for safeguarding water quality in coastal waterways: Case study for Darwin Harbour, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Greiner, Romy

2014-02-01

Water pollution of coastal waterways is a complex problem due to the cocktail of pollutants and multiplicity of polluters involved and pollution characteristics. Pollution control therefore requires a combination of policy instruments. This paper examines the applicability of market-based instruments to achieve effective and efficient water quality management in Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia. Potential applicability of instruments is examined in the context of biophysical and economic pollution characteristics, and experience with instruments elsewhere. The paper concludes that there is potential for inclusion of market-based instruments as part of an instrument mix to safeguard water quality in Darwin Harbour. It recommends, in particular, expanding the existing licencing system to include quantitative pollution limits for all significant point polluters; comprehensive and independent pollution monitoring across Darwin Harbour; public disclosure of water quality and emissions data; positive incentives for landholders in the Darwin Harbour catchment to improve land management practices; a stormwater offset program for greenfield urban developments; adoption of performance bonds for developments and operations which pose a substantial risk to water quality, including port expansion and dredging; and detailed consideration of a bubble licensing scheme for nutrient pollution. The paper offers an analytical framework for policy makers and resource managers tasked with water quality management in coastal waterways elsewhere in Australia and globally, and helps to scan for MBIs suitable in any given environmental management situation.

Contribution of harbour activities to atmospheric aerosol in the Brindisi area

Science.gov (United States)

Donateo, Antonio; Cesari, Daniela; Nocioni, Alessandra; Grasso, Fabio M.; Merico, Eva; Giua, Roberto; Contini, Daniele

2013-04-01

The port areas are economic centres and transport hubs, that bring together different transport modes (sea, road, railway transport) and also industrial activities. Ship emissions when docked and during port manoeuvring can have a substantial negative effect on local air quality. The Fagerli and Tarrason (2001) simulation results indicated that ship traffic emissions contribute to 5% and 10% of PM10 concentrations in large parts of Great Britain, Portugal and Italy; similarly to what was obtained by Dalsoren et al. (2009). At the beginning of 2012 it was started the research project CESAPO (Contribution of Emission Sources on the Air quality of the POrt-cities in Greece and Italy), funded within the framework of Interreg Italy-Greece (2007/2013), having as objective the quantification of the contribution to atmospheric particles of emission sources in two important Mediterranean port-cities, namely Patra (Greece) and Brindisi (Italy). In this work the first results of the CESAPO project will be presented giving more emphasis on the analysis of the maritime transport and the activities within the harbour of Brindisi that is characterized by several emission sources operating concurrently. In 2010 and 2011, in the port of Brindisi freight traffic and total goods movement accounted for more than 9.5 million tons, with over 520,000 passengers. To recognize the contribution of harbour activities to PM2.5 and to the total number concentration of particles with respect to other emission sources (urban traffic and industrial pollution) it has been performed an intensive observation period (IOP) of 5 months (June 1 to October 31, 2012). During the IOP the data of 10 fixed monitoring stations (of the regional network managed by ARPA Puglia) and those from two additional stations specifically installed during the project inside the harbour area. A station was used to characterize the chemical composition of PM2.5 and PAHs (in the gaseous and aerosol phases) and the other was

Endoparasitic helminths of the harbour seal, Phoca vitulina, in the Netherlands

Science.gov (United States)

Borgsteede, F. H. M.; Bus, H. G. J.; Verplanke, J. A. W.; van Burg, W. P. J.

The endoparasitic helminth fauna of harbour seals which had died during the epidemic of the phocine distemper virus in 1988 was studied. Lungs, heart and gastrointestinal tracts of 94 animals collected along the Dutch coast were available for investigation. The following parasites and infection percentages were found: Nematoda: Dipetalonema spirocauda (24.5%), Otostrongylus circumlitus (6.4%), Parafilaroides gymnurus (24.5%), Ascaridoidea spec. (58.5%); Trematoda: Phagicola septentrionalis (66.0%), Cryptocotyle lingua (74.5%); Cestoda: Diphyllobothrium spec. (8.5%); Acanthocephala: Corynosoma strumosum (70.2%). The presence of worm species was not evenly distributed over the age classes. Seals younger than one year harboured fewer parasites. The highest percentages were found in 1 to 2 year old seals. The number of worms per seal varied greatly. The highest burden for ascarids was 253, for P. septentrionalis 123 000, for C. lingua 112 000 and for C. strumosum 251. A comparison of the present results with those described in the literature shows that in Dutch seals the same species were present and that numbers of worms were not higher than before the 1988 mass mortality. It is therefore concluded that helminth parasites did not cause the mass mortality.

Mixing in Visakhapatnam harbour and nutrient inputs to nearshore waters, east coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

RamaRaju, V.S.; Sarma, V.V.; Raju, G.R.K.; Rao, V.S.

The flushing time (t) and replacement time CD are computed for different seasons to understand mixing in Visakhapatnam harbour. Replacement times are higher than the flushing times indicating that the transverse mixing in the tidal flow...

Subaqueous volcanism in the Etnean area: evidence for hydromagmatic activity and regional uplift inferred from the Castle Rock of Acicastello

Science.gov (United States)

Corsaro, R. A.; Cristofolini, R.

2000-01-01

The subalkaline rocks outcropping at the Acicastello Castle Rock, Catania, Sicily, and on its abrasion platforms, are related to the oldest Etnean volcanism (500-300 ka; [Gillot, P.Y., Kieffer, G., Romano, R., 1994. The evolution of Mount Etna in the light of potassium-argon dating. Acta Vulcanol. 5, 81-87.]). Here, submarine lavas with pillows closely packed onto each other are associated with heterogeneous and poorly sorted volcaniclastic breccia levels with sub-vertical sharp boundaries. The present-day attitude was previously interpreted as due to a local tilt [Di Re, M., 1963. Hyaloclastites and pillow-lavas of Acicastello (Mt. Etna). Bull. Volcanol. 25, 281-284.; Kieffer, G., 1985. Evolution structurale et dynamique d'un grand volcan polygenique: stades d'edification et activitè actuelle de l'Etna (Sicile). Clermont Ferrand IIDoctorat Etat Tesi, Clermont Ferrand II.], or to the seaward sliding of the entire eastern Etnean flank [Borgia, A., Ferrari, L., Pasquarè, G., 1992. Importance of gravitational spreading in the tectonic and volcanic evolution of Mount Etna. Nature 357, 231-235.], on the assumption of originally horizontal boundaries. On the contrary, our observations do not match the hypothesis of a significantly tilted succession and lead us to conclude that, apart from the strong regional uplift, the present Castle Rock exposure did not suffer any substantial change of its attitude.

Movements and site fidelity of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in Kattegat, Denmark, with implications for the epidemiology of the phocine distemper virus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dietz, R.; Teilmann, J.; Andersen, S.M.

2013-01-01

Twenty-seven harbour seals were caught and tagged at the island of Anholt in central Kattegat, Denmark, the epicentre of the phocine distemper virus (PDV) outbreaks in 1988 and 2002 that killed 50–60% of the populations. The satellite tagging shows that harbour seals from Anholt moved widely across...

Reading the Urban Landscape: The Case of a Campus Tour at York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Bardekjian, Adrina; Classens, Michael; Sandberg, L. Anders

2012-01-01

This paper presents a campus tour assignment in a first-year undergraduate environmental studies course at York University, Toronto, Canada. As a pedagogical tool, the assignment enables students to interrogate the dominant narratives of a university's immediate physical spaces and to apply broader theoretical and practical concepts to their…

Analysis of Wave Reflection from Wave Energy Converters Installed as Breakwaters in Harbour

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zanuttigh, B.; Margheritini, Lucia; Gambles, L.

2009-01-01

loads on the structure, i.e. better survivability. Nevertheless these devices must comply with the requirements of harbour protection structures and thus cope with problems due to reflection of incoming waves, i.e. dangerous sea states close to harbors entrances and intensified sediment scour, which can...

Biological variables and health status affecting inorganic element concentrations in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from Portugal (western Iberian Peninsula)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferreira, Marisa; Monteiro, Silvia S.; Torres, Jordi; Oliveira, Isabel; Sequeira, Marina; López, Alfredo

2016-01-01

The coastal preferences of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) intensify their exposure to human activities. The harbour porpoise Iberian population is presently very small and information about the threats it endures is vital for the conservation efforts that are being implemented to avoid local extinction. The present study explored the possible relation between the accumulation of trace elements by porpoises and their sex, body length, nutritional state, presence of parasites and gross pathologies. The concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se) were evaluated in 42 porpoises stranded in Portugal between 2005 and 2013. Considering European waters, porpoises stranded in Portugal present the highest Hg concentrations and the lowest Cd concentrations, which may reflect dietary preferences and the geographic availability of these pollutants. While no effect of sex on trace element concentrations was detected, there was a positive relationship between porpoise body length and the concentration of Cd, Hg and Pb. Animals in worse nutritional condition showed higher levels of Zn. Harbour porpoises with high parasite burdens showed lower levels of Zn and As in all analysed tissues and also lower levels of renal Ni, while those showing gross pathologies presented higher Zn and Hg levels. This is the first data on the relationship between trace elements and health-related variables in porpoises from southern European Atlantic waters, providing valuable baseline information about the contamination status of this vulnerable population. - Highlights: • High levels of mercury in harbour porpoises from Portugal. • Evidence of bioaccumulation of non-essential trace elements. • Presence of parasites influenced some essential trace elements. • Evidence of nutritional state effect on Zn levels. • Presence of gross pathologies influenced Zn and Hg levels. - The small harbour

Adolescent growth: genes, hormones and the peer group. Proceedings of the 20th Aschauer Soiree, held at Glücksburg castle, Germany, 15th to 17th November 2013

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hermanussen, M.; Meitinger, T.; Veldhuis, J.D.; Low, M.J.; Pfäffle, R.; Staub, K.; Panczak, R.; Groth, D.; Brabec, Marek; von Salisch, M.; Loh, C.P.A.; Tassenaar, V.; Scheffler, C.; Mumm, R.; Godina, E.; Lehmann, A.; Tutkuviene, J.; Gervockaite, S.; Nierop, A.F.M; Holmgren, A.; Assmann, C.; van Buuren, S.; Koziel, S.; Zadzinska, E.; Varela-Silva, I.; Vignerová, J.; Salama, E.; El-Shabrawi, M.; Huijic, A.; Satake, T.; Bogin, B.

2014-01-01

Roč. 11, č. 3 (2014), s. 341-353 ISSN 1565-4753. [Aschauer Soiree /20./. Glücksburg castle, 15.11.2014-17.11.2013] Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : special statistics * Markov random field Subject RIV: FG - Pediatrics

A new species of Acartia (Copepoda, Calanoida) from Cochin Harbour, India, and adjacent areas

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Abraham, S.

During the course of a study of the family Acartiidae of Cochin harbour and its neighbourhood, a species of Acartia different from all other known species of Acartia, was found. Its characteristics, habitat and seasonal distribution form the theme...

Wave simulation for the design of an innovative quay wall: the case of Vlorë Harbour

Science.gov (United States)

Antonini, Alessandro; Archetti, Renata; Lamberti, Alberto

2017-01-01

Sea states and environmental conditions are basic data for the design of marine structures. Hindcasted wave data have been applied here with the aim of identifying the proper design conditions for an innovative quay wall concept. In this paper, the results of a computational fluid dynamics model are used to optimise the new absorbing quay wall of Vlorë Harbour (Republic of Albania) and define the design loads under extreme wave conditions. The design wave states at the harbour entrance have been estimated analysing 31 years of hindcasted wave data simulated through the application of WaveWatch III. Due to the particular geography and topography of the Bay of Vlorë, wave conditions generated from the north-west are transferred to the harbour entrance with the application of a 2-D spectral wave module, whereas southern wave states, which are also the most critical for the port structures, are defined by means of a wave generation model, according to the available wind measurements. Finally, the identified extreme events have been used, through the NewWave approach, as boundary conditions for the numerical analysis of the interaction between the quay wall and the extreme events. The results show that the proposed method, based on numerical modelling at different scales from macro to meso and to micro, allows for the identification of the best site-specific solutions, also for a location devoid of any wave measurement. In this light, the objectives of the paper are two-fold. First, they show the application of sea condition estimations through the use of wave hindcasted data in order to properly define the design wave conditions for a new harbour structure. Second, they present a new approach for investigating an innovative absorbing quay wall based on CFD modelling and the NewWave theory.

Stress level in wild harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) during satellite tagging measured by respiration, heart rate and cortisol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eskesen, Ida Grønborg; Teilmann, J.; Geertsen, B. M.

2009-01-01

During satellite tagging of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), heart rate, respiration rate and cortisol value were measured to evaluate stress effects during handling and tagging. Respiration rates were obtained using video recordings, heart rates were recorded and serum cortisol levels were...... between cortisol and month of year, sex and body length. As high individual variations occurred in response to tagging of harbour porpoises, it is not possible to give general advice based oil the factors investigated, on how to reduce stress during handling. However, pouring water over the animal...

Comparison of the iPCoD and DEPONS models for modelling population consequences of noise on harbour porpoises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nabe-Nielsen, Jacob; Harwood, John

Two different frameworks have been developed to assess the potential effects of noise associated with offshore renewable energy developments on harbour porpoise populations: The Interim Population Consequences of Disturbance (iPCoD) and Disturbance Effects of Noise on the Harbour Porpoise...... Population in the North Sea (DEPONS). Although both models simulate population dynamics based on the birth and survival rates of individual animals, they model survival in a different way. iPCoD uses average survival rates derived from data from North Sea animals. In the DEPONS model, survival emerges from...

Cycling to high school in Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Exploration of school travel patterns and attitudes by gender

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wittmann, K.; Savan, B.; Ledsham, T.; Liu, G.; Lay, J.

2015-01-01

This study surveyed attitudes, behaviors, social norms, and perceived control among the populations of students at three high schools in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The results showed a pattern of hesitancy to cycle on the part of female high school students compared with their male

The hydrogen village in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kimmel, T.B.; Smith, R.

2004-01-01

'Full text:' A Hydrogen Village (H2V) is a public/private partnership with an objective to accelerate the commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technology in Canada and firmly position Canada as the international leader in this sector. The first Hydrogen Village is planned for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and will make use of existing hydrogen and fuel cell deployments to assist in its creation. This five year GTA Hydrogen Village program is planned to begin operations in 2004. The Hydrogen Village will demonstrate and deploy various hydrogen production and delivery techniques as well as fuel cells for stationary, transportation (mobile) and portable applications. This paper will provide an overview of the Hydrogen Village and identify the missions, objectives, members and progress within the H2V. (author)

Hydrodynamic sensory threshold in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) for artificial flatfish breathing currents.

Science.gov (United States)

Niesterok, Benedikt; Dehnhardt, Guido; Hanke, Wolf

2017-07-01

Harbour seals have the ability to detect benthic fish such as flatfish using the water currents these fish emit through their gills (breathing currents). We investigated the sensory threshold in harbour seals for this specific hydrodynamic stimulus under conditions which are realistic for seals hunting in the wild. We used an experimental platform where an artificial breathing current was emitted through one of eight different nozzles. Two seals were trained to search for the active nozzle. Each experimental session consisted of eight test trials of a particular stimulus intensity and 16 supra-threshold trials of high stimulus intensity. Test trials were conducted with the animals blindfolded. To determine the threshold, a series of breathing currents differing in intensity was used. For each intensity, three sessions were run. The threshold in terms of maximum water velocity within the breathing current was 4.2 cm s -1 for one seal and 3.7 cm s -1 for the other. We measured background flow velocities from 1.8 to 3.4 cm s -1 Typical swimming speeds for both animals were around 0.5 m s -1 Swimming speed differed between successful and unsuccessful trials. It appears that swimming speed is restricted for the successful detection of a breathing current close to the threshold. Our study is the first to assess a sensory threshold of the vibrissal system for a moving harbour seal under near-natural conditions. Furthermore, this threshold was defined for a natural type of stimulus differing from classical dipole stimuli which have been widely used in threshold determination so far. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Behind the web store: the organisational and spatial evolution of multichannel retailing in Toronto

OpenAIRE

Andrew Currah

2002-01-01

In this paper I address two issues of general relevance to contemporary debates in economic geography: first, the organisational and spatial implications of new information technologies for the economic landscape; and, second, the enduring role of place to digital capitalism. Specifically, I examine the organisational evolution of multichannel retailing in Toronto from a geographical perspective. Bricks-and-mortar retailers are increasingly pursuing a multichannel strategy by operating an Int...

Echoes from the past: Regional variations in recovery within a harbour seal population.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophie M J M Brasseur

Full Text Available Terrestrial and marine wildlife populations have been severely reduced by hunting, fishing and habitat destruction, especially in the last centuries. Although management regulations have led to the recovery of some populations, the underlying processes are not always well understood. This study uses a 40-year time series of counts of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in the Wadden Sea to study these processes, and demonstrates the influence of historical regional differences in management regimes on the recovery of this population. While the Wadden Sea is considered one ecologically coupled zone, with a distinct harbour seal population, the area is divided into four geo-political regions i.e. the Netherlands, Lower Saxony including Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark. Gradually, seal hunting was banned between 1962 and 1977 in the different regions. Counts of moulting harbour seals and pup counts, obtained during aerial surveys between 1974 and 2014, show a population growth from approximately 4500 to 39,000 individuals. Population growth models were developed to assess if population growth differed between regions, taking into account two Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV epizootics, in 1988 and 2002 which seriously affected the population. After a slow start prior to the first epizootic, the overall population grew exponentially at rates close to assumed maximum rates of increase in a harbour seal population. Recently, growth slowed down, potentially indicative of approaching carrying capacity. Regional differences in growth rates were demonstrated, with the highest recovery in Netherlands after the first PDV epizootic (i.e. 17.9%, suggesting that growth was fuelled by migration from the other regions, where growth remained at or below the intrinsic growth rate (13%. The seals' distribution changed, and although the proportion of seals counted in the German regions declined, they remained by far the most important pupping region, with approximately

Echoes from the past: Regional variations in recovery within a harbour seal population.

Science.gov (United States)

Brasseur, Sophie M J M; Reijnders, Peter J H; Cremer, Jenny; Meesters, Erik; Kirkwood, Roger; Jensen, Lasse Fast; Jeβ, Armin; Galatius, Anders; Teilmann, Jonas; Aarts, Geert

2018-01-01

Terrestrial and marine wildlife populations have been severely reduced by hunting, fishing and habitat destruction, especially in the last centuries. Although management regulations have led to the recovery of some populations, the underlying processes are not always well understood. This study uses a 40-year time series of counts of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in the Wadden Sea to study these processes, and demonstrates the influence of historical regional differences in management regimes on the recovery of this population. While the Wadden Sea is considered one ecologically coupled zone, with a distinct harbour seal population, the area is divided into four geo-political regions i.e. the Netherlands, Lower Saxony including Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark. Gradually, seal hunting was banned between 1962 and 1977 in the different regions. Counts of moulting harbour seals and pup counts, obtained during aerial surveys between 1974 and 2014, show a population growth from approximately 4500 to 39,000 individuals. Population growth models were developed to assess if population growth differed between regions, taking into account two Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV) epizootics, in 1988 and 2002 which seriously affected the population. After a slow start prior to the first epizootic, the overall population grew exponentially at rates close to assumed maximum rates of increase in a harbour seal population. Recently, growth slowed down, potentially indicative of approaching carrying capacity. Regional differences in growth rates were demonstrated, with the highest recovery in Netherlands after the first PDV epizootic (i.e. 17.9%), suggesting that growth was fuelled by migration from the other regions, where growth remained at or below the intrinsic growth rate (13%). The seals' distribution changed, and although the proportion of seals counted in the German regions declined, they remained by far the most important pupping region, with approximately 70% of all pups

Screening of variable importance for optimizing electrodialytic remediation of heavy metals from polluted harbour sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Kristine B.; Lejon, Tore; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.

2015-01-01

Using multivariate design and modelling, the optimal conditions for electrodialytic remediation (EDR) of heavy metals were determined for polluted harbour sediments from Hammerfest harbour located in the geographic Arctic region of Norway. The comparative importance of the variables, current......) was computed and variable importance in the projection was used to assess the influence of the experimental variables. Current density and remediation time proved to have the highest influence on the remediation of the heavy metals Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the studied experimental domain. In addition......, it was shown that excluding the acidification time improved the PLS model, indicating the importance of applying a limited experimental domain that covers the removal phases of each heavy metal in the specific sediment. Based on PLS modelling, the optimal conditions for remediating the Hammerfest sediment were...

Establishment of gravity stations and inference of crustal thickness around Mormugao Harbour and NIO

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Subbaraju, L.V.; Krishna, K.S.

Complete descriptions and basic facts of nine gravity stations of Marmugao Harbour, Goa, India are presented. They exhibit a maximum Bouguer difference of 2.12 mGal in an overall distance of about 2 km. Keeping in view the limited amount of data...

Canine distemper virus ISCOMS induce protection in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) against phocid distemper but still allow subsequent infection with phocid distemper virus-1.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

I.K.G. Visser (Ilona); E.J. Vedder (Lies); C. Örvell; T. Barrett (Thomas); A.D.M.E. Osterhaus (Albert); M.W.G. van de Bildt (Marco)

1992-01-01

textabstractA candidate canine distemper virus (CDV) ISCOM vaccine has been shown to be effective in protecting harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) from phocid distemper in 1988. However, of the 35 harbour seals receiving this vaccine upon admission to a seal rehabilitation and research centre

Serratia marcescens harbouring SME-type class A carbapenemases in Canada and the presence of blaSME on a novel genomic island, SmarGI1-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Mataseje, L F; Boyd, D A; Delport, J; Hoang, L; Imperial, M; Lefebvre, B; Kuhn, M; Van Caeseele, P; Willey, B M; Mulvey, M R

2014-07-01

An increasing prevalence since 2010 of Serratia marcescens harbouring the Ambler class A carbapenemase SME prompted us to further characterize these isolates. Isolates harbouring bla(SME) were identified by PCR and sequencing. Phenotypic analysis for carbapenemase activity was carried out by a modified Hodge test and a modified Carba NP test. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined by Etest and Vitek 2. Typing was by PFGE of macrorestriction digests. Whole-genome sequencing of three isolates was carried out to characterize the genomic region harbouring the bla(SME)-type genes. All S. marcescens harbouring SME-type enzymes could be detected using a modified Carba NP test. Isolates harbouring bla(SME) were resistant to penicillins and carbapenems, but remained susceptible to third-generation cephalosporins, as well as fluoroquinolones and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Isolates exhibited diverse genetic backgrounds, though 57% of isolates were found in three clusters. Analysis of whole-genome sequence data from three isolates revealed that the bla(SME) gene occurred in a novel cryptic prophage genomic island, SmarGI1-1. There has been an increasing occurrence of S. marcescens harbouring bla(SME) in Canada since 2010. The bla(SME) gene was found on a genomic island, SmarGI1-1, that can be excised and circularized, which probably contributes to its dissemination amongst S. marcescens. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Characterization of contaminants in snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) from Canadian Lake Erie Areas of Concern: St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solla, Shane R. de; Fernie, Kimberly J

2004-11-01

PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins/furans in snapping turtle eggs and plasma (Chelydra serpentina) were evaluated at three Areas of Concern (AOCs) on Lake Erie and its connecting channels (St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour), as well as two inland reference sites (Algonquin Provincial Park and Tiny Marsh) in 2001-2002. Eggs from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs had the highest levels of p,p'-DDE (24.4 and 57.9 ng/g) and sum PCBs (928.6 and 491.0 ng/g) wet weight, respectively. Contaminant levels in eggs from St. Clair River AOC were generally higher than those from Algonquin Park, but similar to those from Tiny Marsh. Dioxins appeared highest from the Detroit River. The PCB congener pattern in eggs suggested that turtles from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs were exposed to Aroclor 1260. TEQs of sum PCBs in eggs from all AOCs and p,p'-DDE levels in eggs from the Wheatley Harbour and the Detroit River AOCs exceeded the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Furthermore, sum PCBs in eggs from Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour exceeded partial restriction guidelines for consumption. Although estimated PCB body burdens in muscle tissue of females were well below consumption guidelines, estimated residues in liver and adipose were above guidelines for most sites.

Characterization of contaminants in snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) from Canadian Lake Erie Areas of Concern: St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solla, Shane R. de; Fernie, Kimberly J

2004-11-01

PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins/furans in snapping turtle eggs and plasma (Chelydra serpentina) were evaluated at three Areas of Concern (AOCs) on Lake Erie and its connecting channels (St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour), as well as two inland reference sites (Algonquin Provincial Park and Tiny Marsh) in 2001-2002. Eggs from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs had the highest levels of p,p'-DDE (24.4 and 57.9 ng/g) and sum PCBs (928.6 and 491.0 ng/g) wet weight, respectively. Contaminant levels in eggs from St. Clair River AOC were generally higher than those from Algonquin Park, but similar to those from Tiny Marsh. Dioxins appeared highest from the Detroit River. The PCB congener pattern in eggs suggested that turtles from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs were exposed to Aroclor 1260. TEQs of sum PCBs in eggs from all AOCs and p,p'-DDE levels in eggs from the Wheatley Harbour and the Detroit River AOCs exceeded the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Furthermore, sum PCBs in eggs from Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour exceeded partial restriction guidelines for consumption. Although estimated PCB body burdens in muscle tissue of females were well below consumption guidelines, estimated residues in liver and adipose were above guidelines for most sites.

Characterization of contaminants in snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) from Canadian Lake Erie Areas of Concern: St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour.

Science.gov (United States)

de Solla, Shane R; Fernie, Kimberly J

2004-11-01

PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins/furans in snapping turtle eggs and plasma (Chelydra serpentina) were evaluated at three Areas of Concern (AOCs) on Lake Erie and its connecting channels (St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour), as well as two inland reference sites (Algonquin Provincial Park and Tiny Marsh) in 2001-2002. Eggs from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs had the highest levels of p,p'-DDE (24.4 and 57.9 ng/g) and sum PCBs (928.6 and 491.0 ng/g) wet weight, respectively. Contaminant levels in eggs from St. Clair River AOC were generally higher than those from Algonquin Park, but similar to those from Tiny Marsh. Dioxins appeared highest from the Detroit River. The PCB congener pattern in eggs suggested that turtles from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs were exposed to Aroclor 1260. TEQs of sum PCBs in eggs from all AOCs and p,p'-DDE levels in eggs from the Wheatley Harbour and the Detroit River AOCs exceeded the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Furthermore, sum PCBs in eggs from Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour exceeded partial restriction guidelines for consumption. Although estimated PCB body burdens in muscle tissue of females were well below consumption guidelines, estimated residues in liver and adipose were above guidelines for most sites.

Characterization of contaminants in snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) from Canadian Lake Erie Areas of Concern: St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solla, Shane R. de; Fernie, Kimberly J.

2004-01-01

PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins/furans in snapping turtle eggs and plasma (Chelydra serpentina) were evaluated at three Areas of Concern (AOCs) on Lake Erie and its connecting channels (St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour), as well as two inland reference sites (Algonquin Provincial Park and Tiny Marsh) in 2001-2002. Eggs from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs had the highest levels of p,p'-DDE (24.4 and 57.9 ng/g) and sum PCBs (928.6 and 491.0 ng/g) wet weight, respectively. Contaminant levels in eggs from St. Clair River AOC were generally higher than those from Algonquin Park, but similar to those from Tiny Marsh. Dioxins appeared highest from the Detroit River. The PCB congener pattern in eggs suggested that turtles from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs were exposed to Aroclor 1260. TEQs of sum PCBs in eggs from all AOCs and p,p'-DDE levels in eggs from the Wheatley Harbour and the Detroit River AOCs exceeded the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Furthermore, sum PCBs in eggs from Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour exceeded partial restriction guidelines for consumption. Although estimated PCB body burdens in muscle tissue of females were well below consumption guidelines, estimated residues in liver and adipose were above guidelines for most sites

Urban flood perceptions and mitigative behaviours: Peterborough, Edmonton, and Toronto

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandink, D.

2009-01-01

This abstract presents research from two studies investigating urban flood perceptions and mitigative behaviours of private individuals in Canada. The first study, completed in July, 2006, investigated perceptions of overland flooding and sewer backup resulting from extreme rainfall events in Peterborough, Ontario. The second, completed in November, 2007, investigated sewer backup perceptions of homeowners in Edmonton, Alberta and Toronto, Ontario. The research studies sought to explore: Hazard and risk perceptions of individuals affected by overland flooding and sewer backup; Knowledge of mitigative options, and mitigative actions taken by individual residents to reduce the risk of basement flood damage; Attributions of responsibility for urban flood damages; Awareness of municipal actions designed to reduce urban flood risk; Satisfaction with the cost sharing tools of insurance and government relief.

The Westward Movement of Chinese Export Harbour Views : Significant Paintings with a Social Function

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poel, van der R.H.M.

2012-01-01

Article (Chapter) in proceedings of the First Rombouts Graduate Conference Globalization and Glocalization in China, at Leiden University, held in Leiden on 6 and 7 September 2011. This article offers a closer examination of Chinese export harbour views and, in doing so, reveals that waterfronts and

Genetic variation in Phoca vitulina (the harbour seal) revealed by DNA fingerprinting and RAPDs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kappe, A.L.; van de Zande, L.; Vedder, E.J.; Bijlsma, R.; van Delden, Wilke

Genetic variation in two harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) populations from the Dutch Wadden Sea and Scotland was examined by RAPD analysis and DNA fingerprinting. For comparison a population of grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) was studied. The RAPD method revealed a very low number of polymorphic bands.

Temperature profiles from MBT casts from the CASTLE ROCK from Ocean Weather Station C (OWS-C) in the North Atlantic Ocean 1964-07-01 to 1964-08-06 (NODC Accession 6400054)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Bathythermograph data were collected from the CASTLE ROCK within a 1-mile radius of Ocean Weather Station C (5245N 0350W) and in transit. Data were collected by the...

Petroleum hydrocarbons and trace metals in Visakhapatnam harbour and Kakinada Bay, east coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sarma, V.V.; VaraPrasad, S.J.D.; Gupta, G.V.M.; Sudhakar, U.

High concentrations of PHC were observed in the inner channels (viz. South lighter canal, Northern arm, North Western arm and Western arm) of Visakhapatnam Harbour, Andhra Pradesh, India. The estimation of trace metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Co, Ni and Cr...

Boundary Spanners and Advocacy Leaders: Black Educators and Race Equality Work in Toronto and London, 1968-1995

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Lauri

2016-01-01

This comparative study examines the historical development of race equality efforts during the 1970s and 1980s in two global cities--Toronto and London--and the role of African Canadian and Black British educators in longstanding school-community partnerships. I characterize the leadership stance of Black educators as boundary spanners and…

Aztec castles and the dP3 quiver

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leoni, Megan; Musiker, Gregg; Neel, Seth; Turner, Paxton

2014-01-01

Bipartite, periodic, planar graphs known as brane tilings can be associated to a large class of quivers. This paper will explore new algebraic properties of the well-studied del Pezzo 3 (dP3) quiver and geometric properties of its corresponding brane tiling. In particular, a factorization formula for the cluster variables arising from a large class of mutation sequences (called τ-mutation sequences) is proven; this factorization also gives a recursion on the cluster variables produced by such sequences. We can realize these sequences as walks in a triangular lattice using a correspondence between the generators of the affine symmetric group A 2 -tilde and the mutations which generate τ-mutation sequences. Using this bijection, we obtain explicit formulae for the cluster that corresponds to a specific alcove in the lattice. With this lattice visualization in mind, we then express each cluster variable produced in a τ-mutation sequence as the sum of weighted perfect matchings of a new family of subgraphs of the dP3 brane tiling, which we call Aztec castles. Our main result generalizes previous work on a certain mutation sequence on the dP3 quiver in Zhang (2012 Cluster Variables and Perfect Matchings of Subgraphs of the dP3 Lattice http://www.math.umn.edu/~/REU/Zhang2012.pdf), and forms part of the emerging story in combinatorics and theoretical high energy physics relating cluster variables to subgraphs of the associated brane tiling. This article is part of a special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical devoted to ‘Cluster algebras in mathematical physics’. (paper)

Ready for policy? Stakeholder attitudes toward menu labelling in Toronto, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Mah, Catherine L; Vanderlinden, Loren; Mamatis, Dia; Ansara, Donna L; Levy, Jennifer; Swimmer, Lisa

2013-04-18

The purpose of this research was to assess key stakeholder attitudes regarding menu labelling in Toronto, the largest municipality in Canada. Menu labelling is a population health intervention where food-labelling principles are applied to the eating-out environment through disclosure of nutrient content of food items on restaurant menus at the point of sale. Menu-labelling legislation has been implemented in the United States, but has yet to be adopted in Canada. As provincial voluntary programs and federal analyses progress, municipal jurisdictions will need to assess the feasibility of moving forward with parallel interventions. Data were collected and analyzed in late 2011 to early 2012, including: a consumer eating-out module incorporated into a public health surveillance telephone survey (n=1,699); an online survey of independent restaurant operators (n=256); in-depth key informant interviews with executives and decision makers at chain restaurants (n=9); and a policy consultation with local restaurant associations. Toronto residents, particularly men, younger adults, and those with higher income or education, frequently eat out. A majority indicated that nutrition information is important to them; 69% note that they currently use it and 78% reported they would use it if it were readily available. Resistance to menu-labelling requirements at the municipal level was articulated by franchise/chain restaurant executives and industry associations. Despite overall low interest among independent restaurant operators, 57% reported feeling some responsibility to provide nutrition information and 50% believed it could be good for business. This research supports earlier literature that indicates strong public support for menu labelling alongside perceived barriers among the restaurant and foodservices sector. Leverage points for effective operator engagement for menu-labelling adoption were identified, nonetheless, highlighting the need for public health support.

Variation of physico-chemical characteristics with tide in Visakhapatnam harbour waters, east coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

RamaRaju, V.S.; Rao, T.V.N.; Rathod, V.

Variations in physico-chemical parameters (DO, BOD, NO2, SiO4, PO4 suspended solids, salinity and currents) observed in the waters of main channel of Visakhapatnam Harbour over a tidal cycle in different seasons from February 1982 to January 1983...

Fine-scale hydrodynamics influence the spatio-temporal distribution of harbour porpoises at a coastal hotspot

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jones, A.R.; Hosegood, P.; Wynn, R.B.; Boer, de M.N.; Butler-Cowdry, S.; Embling, C.B.

2014-01-01

The coastal Runnelstone Reef, off southwest Cornwall (UK), is characterised by complex topography and strong tidal flows and is a known high-density site for harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena); a European protected species. Using a multidisciplinary dataset including: porpoise sightings from a

Modelling the distribution of hard seabed using calibrated multibeam acoustic backscatter data in a tropical, macrotidal embayment: Darwin Harbour, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Siwabessy, P. Justy W.; Tran, Maggie; Picard, Kim; Brooke, Brendan P.; Huang, Zhi; Smit, Neil; Williams, David K.; Nicholas, William A.; Nichol, Scott L.; Atkinson, Ian

2018-06-01

Spatial information on the distribution of seabed substrate types in high use coastal areas is essential to support their effective management and environmental monitoring. For Darwin Harbour, a rapidly developing port in northern Australia, the distribution of hard substrate is poorly documented but known to influence the location and composition of important benthic biological communities (corals, sponges). In this study, we use angular backscatter response curves to model the distribution of hard seabed in the subtidal areas of Darwin Harbour. The angular backscatter response curve data were extracted from multibeam sonar data and analysed against backscatter intensity for sites observed from seabed video to be representative of "hard" seabed. Data from these sites were consolidated into an "average curve", which became a reference curve that was in turn compared to all other angular backscatter response curves using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness-of-fit. The output was used to generate interpolated spatial predictions of the probability of hard seabed ( p-hard) and derived hard seabed parameters for the mapped area of Darwin Harbour. The results agree well with the ground truth data with an overall classification accuracy of 75% and an area under curve measure of 0.79, and with modelled bed shear stress for the Harbour. Limitations of this technique are discussed with attention to discrepancies between the video and acoustic results, such as in areas where sediment forms a veneer over hard substrate.

Temperature profiles from MBT casts from the CASTLE ROCK from Ocean Weather Station C (OWS-C) in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1967-05-20 to 1967-06-17 (NODC Accession 6700230)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Bathythermograph data were collected from the CASTLE ROCK within a 1-mile radius of Ocean Weather Station C (5245N 0350W) and in transit. Data were collected by the...

Temperature profiles from MBT casts from the CASTLE ROCK from Ocean Weather Station D (OWS-D) in the North Atlantic Ocean from 1967-02-22 to 1967-03-21 (NODC Accession 6700148)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Bathythermograph data were collected from the CASTLE ROCK within a 1-mile radius of Ocean Weather Station D (4400N 04100W) and in transit. Data were collected by the...

Environmental implications and spatial distribution of natural radionuclides and heavy metals in sediments from four harbours in the Egyptian Red Sea coast.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Taher, Atef; Zakaly, Hesham M H; Elsaman, Reda

2018-01-01

Measurements of natural radionuclides concentrations ( 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K) in sediments collected from sea, rivers or ocean is significant to protect the sea water ecosystem and to human health from radiation. Thirty-three sample of sediment have been collected from four ports in the Red Sea coast, Egypt for investigation by gamma-ray spectrometer using NaI(Tl) detector. The average and range activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K were 26(5-58), 19(4-33) and 458(16-2665)Bqkg -1 in Quseir Harbour, 30(14-53), 20(14-34) and 430(378-511)Bqkg -1 in Abu-Tartour Harbour. However, the average and range activity concentrations were 23(14-35), 21(15-32), and 602(327-821)Bqkg -1 in Touristic Harbour and 14(5-26), 13(2-23) and 489(36-950)Bqkg -1 in Hurghada harbour. These results were compared with reported ranges in the literature from other location in the world. The radiation hazard parameters; radium equivalent activity annual dose, external hazard were also calculated and compared with the recommended levels by UNSCEAR reports. Eight heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Ni, Co, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd) have been measured and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometer. The concentration for the investigated heavy metals overtakes the allowable limits recommended by the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Because there are no existing databases for the natural radioactivity in the sediment samples from Egyptian Red Sea ports, our results are a start to establishing a database for Red Sea harbours environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A system shift in tidal choking due to the construction of Yangshan Harbour, Shanghai, China

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Wenyun; Wang, Xiao Hua; Ding, Pingxing; Ge, Jianzhong; Song, Dehai

2018-06-01

Tidal choking is a geometric feature caused by a narrowed channel. Construction of the Yangshan Harbour, Shanghai, China obstructed three key channels and intensively changed the local geometry and topography. In this study nine numerical experiments based on the Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model are conducted to study the project's influence on tidal characteristics. Results show that stronger tidal choking happened at the East Entrance after project, mainly due to the jet induced water-level drop forced by Bernoulli law and the longer and narrower geometry. The stronger tidal choking forces a faster flow and larger tidal energy flux at the choked channel while reducing the tidal amplitude in the Inner Harbour Area (IHA). The scouring on this channel reduces the choking effect but further enlarges tidal energy flux. Moreover, damming the channels decrease the tidal amplitude at the lee side of tidal propagating direction while increasing the amplitude on the stoss side. The dams also decrease the tidal current on both sides, and meanwhile develop two patches with stronger current aside the dam. The project induced changes in tidal characteristics are complex in space, and perturbations in bathymetry increase this complexity. Yangshan Harbour's construction induces little changes in the total tidal energy density in the IHA, but induces obvious changes in the spatial distribution of tidal energy. Although this study is site-specific, the findings may be applicable to tidal dynamics in land reclamation close to open seas, such as the dramatic reclamation of islands in the South China Sea.

Characterisation of microcontaminants in Darwin Harbour, a tropical estuary of northern Australia undergoing rapid development.

Science.gov (United States)

French, Veronica A; Codi King, Susan; Kumar, Anu; Northcott, Grant; McGuinness, Keith; Parry, David

2015-12-01

The detection of microcontaminants in aquatic environments raises concerns about their potential to exert ecotoxicological effects and impact human health. In contrast to freshwater habitats, little information is available on environmental concentrations in urban estuarine and marine environments. This study investigated an extensive range of organic and inorganic microcontaminants in the Darwin Harbour catchment, a tropical estuary in northern Australia undergoing rapid urbanisation and industrial development. We sampled wastewater effluent and surface water from seven sites in Darwin Harbour for pharmaceuticals and personal care products, alkylphenols, hormones, pesticides, herbicides and metals. In vitro bioassays were used to estimate the (anti)estrogenic and (anti)androgenic activities of samples. Seventy-nine of 229 organic microcontaminants analysed were detected at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 20 μg/L, with acesulfame, paracetamol, cholesterol, caffeine, DEET and iopromide detected at the highest concentrations in wastewater effluent (20 μg/L, 17 μg/L, 11 μg/L, 11 μg/L, 10 μg/L and 7.6 μg/L, respectively). Levels of estrogenic activity ranged from estradiol equivalency quotients (EEQs) of <0.10 to 6.29±0.16 ng/L while levels of androgenic activity ranged from dihydrotestosterone equivalency quotients (DHTEQs) of <3.50 to 138.23±3.71 ng/L. Environmental concentrations of organic microcontaminants were comparable to ranges reported from aquatic environments worldwide with sewage effluent discharges representing the dominant source of entry into Darwin Harbour. The measured concentration range of DEET was higher than ranges reported in previous studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Grey seal attacks on harbour porpoises in the Eastern Scheldt: cases of survival and mortality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Podt, Annemieke; IJsseldijk, L.L.

2017-01-01

In the southern North Sea, hundreds of mutilated harbour porpoise carcasses (Phocoena phocoena) are found each year on beaches. Recent studies have confirmed that these concern the remains of predation by grey seals (Halichoerus grypus). A retrospective study of post mortem photos helped to further

Determination of petroleum hydrocarbons in sediment samples from Bombay harbour, Dharamtar creek and Amba river estuary

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ingole, S.A.; Dhaktode, S.S.; Kadam, A.N.

The surface sediment samples were collected by van Veen grab sampler during premonsoon, monsoon and postmonsoon seasons from Bombay harbour, Dharamtar creek and Amba river estuary Moisture content of the samples ranges from 36 to 67.5...

Effects of the Horns Reef wind farm on harbour porpoises

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tougaard, J.; Teilmann, J.; Rye Hansen, J.

2004-09-01

Horns Reef offshore wind farm was established in 2002. It consists of 80 2 MW wind turbines, mounted on steel monopile foundations. A harbour porpoise monitoring program was set up in connection with the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the wind farm project. This monitoring program started in 1999 with collection of baseline data and has continued though construction and operational period. The program continues through 2005. Baseline studies showed that harbour porpoises are abundant in the area, including the area where the wind farm is now located. Significant effects on behaviour and distribution of the porpoises were observed during the construction of the wind farm. Changes could be linked to pile driving operations, where monopile foundations were rammed into the seabed. This procedure produced high levels of underwater noise and mitigation procedures in the form of a ramp up procedure and deployment of acoustic alarms were employed. During the construction period very few animals were observed inside the wind farm area. Acoustic monitoring data showed a significant increase in waiting time between porpoise encounters in connection with pile driving operations, followed by a rapid return to levels normal for the construction period as a whole. However, when the entire construction period was considered as a whole, T-POD activity increased relative to baseline. Observations during operation of the wind farm in 2003 showed a return to baseline levels on most of the indicators derived from the acoustic monitoring and animals were again seen inside the wind farm area. (au)

Study of a unique 16th century Antwerp majolica floor in the Rameyenhof castle's chapel by means of X-ray fluorescence and portable Raman analytical instrumentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van de Voorde, Lien, E-mail: lien.vandevoorde@ugent.be [Ghent University, Department of Analytical Chemistry, X-Ray Microspectroscopy and Imaging Research Group, Krijgslaan 281 S12, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium); Vandevijvere, Melissa [Ghent University, Department of Analytical Chemistry, X-Ray Microspectroscopy and Imaging Research Group, Krijgslaan 281 S12, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium); University of Antwerp, Faculty of Architecture and Design, Conservation Studies, Centre for Conservation Research (CCR), Blindestraat 9, 2000 Antwerp (Belgium); University of Antwerp, Department of Chemistry, X-ray and Instrumentation Lab (AXI2L), Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Vekemans, Bart [Ghent University, Department of Analytical Chemistry, X-Ray Microspectroscopy and Imaging Research Group, Krijgslaan 281 S12, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium); Van Pevenage, Jolien [Ghent University, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Raman Spectroscopy Research Group, Krijgslaan 281 S12, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium); Caen, Joost [University of Antwerp, Faculty of Architecture and Design, Conservation Studies, Centre for Conservation Research (CCR), Blindestraat 9, 2000 Antwerp (Belgium); Vandenabeele, Peter [Ghent University, Department of Archaeology, Archaeometry Research Group, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 35, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium); Van Espen, Piet [University of Antwerp, Department of Chemistry, X-ray and Instrumentation Lab (AXI2L), Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp (Belgium); Vincze, Laszlo [Ghent University, Department of Analytical Chemistry, X-Ray Microspectroscopy and Imaging Research Group, Krijgslaan 281 S12, B-9000 Ghent (Belgium)

2014-12-01

The most unique and only known 16th century Antwerp majolica tile floor in Belgium is situated in a tower of the Rameyenhof castle (Gestel, Belgium). This exceptional work of art has recently been investigated in situ by using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Raman spectroscopy in order to study the material characteristics. This study reports on the result of the analyses based on the novel combination of non-destructive and portable instrumentation, including a handheld XRF spectrometer for obtaining elemental information and a mobile Raman spectrometer for retrieving structural and molecular information on the floor tiles in the Rameyenhof castle and on a second, similar medallion, which is stored in the Rubens House museum in Antwerp (Belgium). The investigated material, majolica, is a type of ceramic, which fascinated many people and potters throughout history by its beauty and colourful appearance. In this study the characteristic major/minor and trace element signature of 16th century Antwerp majolica is determined and the pigments used for the colourful paintings present on the floor are identified. Furthermore, based on the elemental fingerprint of the white glaze, and in particular on the presence of zinc in the tiles – an element that was not used for making 16th century majolica – valuable information about the originality of the chapel floor and the two central medallions is acquired. - Highlights: • In situ, non-destructive investigation of a unique Antwerp majolica floor • Multi-methodological approach: make use of a mobile Raman and X-ray spectrometer • Obtaining information about layered structure of Antwerp majolica • The used pigments in the majolica floor in Rameyenhof castle are characterized. • The verification of the authenticity of the floor and two central medallions are performed.

Reaction to Crisis in Gothic Romance: Radcliffe’s The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tadej Braček

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Gothic romances were primarily women’s domain. This is proven by the fact that from the end of the eighteenth century to the beginning of the nineteenth century more than fifty female authors wrote Gothic romances. In the first part the paper depicts the emergence of romances, clarifies the notion of the Gothic and explains the theory of Gothic romances. The second part focuses on Ann Radcliffe’s first novel, The Castles of Athlin and Dunbayne. This section analyses in what way men and women react to crises. It concludes that reactions are primarily based not on sex but on the benevolence and malevolence of literary characters. The former react with higher intensity on the physical level (passing out, becoming ill and the latter react vehemently in emotional sense towards their rivals. The originality of the article lies in the systematic analysis of characters’ responses to crisis and in the study of atypical features of this Gothic novel.

Prof. Tiina Kirsi raamatuesitlus Toronto Ülikoolis : uus ingliskeelne raamat eesti naiste elulugudest / Eda Sepp ; fotod: Eda Sepp

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Sepp, Eda

2004-01-01

20. mail 2004 toimus Toronto Ülikooli Eesti Õppetooli juures Tiina Ann Kirsi toimetatud ja Tartu Ülikooli väljaandena 2004. a. ilmunud raamatu "She who remembers survives : interpreting Estonian women's post-soviet life stories" esitlus, kus toimetaja andis põhjaliku ülevaate teose olemusest ning eesmärkidest

Investigations of harbour porpoises at the planned site for wind turbines at Horns Reef. Status report. 1/1 2001 - 31/12 2001

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skov, H. [Ornis Consult A/S, Copenhagen (Denmark); Teilmann, J.; Damsgaard Henriksen, O. [National Environmental Res. Inst., Dept. of Arctic Environment, Roskilde (Denmark); Carstensen, Jacob [National Environmental Res. Inst., Dept. of Marine Ecology, Roskilde (Denmark)

2002-07-15

An offshore wind farm is currently being established at Horns Reef. EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) studies were carried out in 2000 following the guidelines jointly drawn up by the Danish Energy Agency and the National Forest and Nature Agency. Part of the demonstration program for the Horns Reef wind farm is to assess the effect of wind farms on the environment, and one of the tasks is to monitor whether wind farms will cause measurable, temporary or permanent, changes in the local stock of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). On the basis of two-years of ship-based surveys and analyses of historic data, the impact assessment regarding harbour porpoises for the Horns Reef wind farm was finalised in February 2000. The results of the impact assessment suggested that short-term effects on harbour porpoises would take place as a result of disturbance during the construction phase caused by a large number of service boats and sound emissions from the ramming activities. The EIA estimated that the animals would disappear from the wind farm area during construction, and subsequently return to the site after construction activities have ceased. On the basis of the fact that the sound emissions from the turbines during production are more regular and at a low level and a modest disturbance from service vessels the long-term effects on the number of harbour porpoises on Horns Reef during the production phase was estimated to be relatively small, or equivalent to 25% as compared to the base line level. Following the EIA, a monitoring programme was launched to measure the level of long-term effects on harbour porpoises on Horns Reef, and base-line investigations have been carried out up to the present time, - at the onset of the construction phase. This report deals with the results of the investigations on harbour porpoises on Horns Reef during the period from January 2001 to December 2001. These investigations involve a range of new field and analysis techniques

Investigations of harbour porpoises at the planned site for wind turbines at Horns Reef. Status report. 1/1 2001 - 31/12 2001

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skov, H.; Teilmann, J.; Damsgaard Henriksen, O.; Carstensen, Jacob

2002-07-01

An offshore wind farm is currently being established at Horns Reef. EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) studies were carried out in 2000 following the guidelines jointly drawn up by the Danish Energy Agency and the National Forest and Nature Agency. Part of the demonstration program for the Horns Reef wind farm is to assess the effect of wind farms on the environment, and one of the tasks is to monitor whether wind farms will cause measurable, temporary or permanent, changes in the local stock of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). On the basis of two-years of ship-based surveys and analyses of historic data, the impact assessment regarding harbour porpoises for the Horns Reef wind farm was finalised in February 2000. The results of the impact assessment suggested that short-term effects on harbour porpoises would take place as a result of disturbance during the construction phase caused by a large number of service boats and sound emissions from the ramming activities. The EIA estimated that the animals would disappear from the wind farm area during construction, and subsequently return to the site after construction activities have ceased. On the basis of the fact that the sound emissions from the turbines during production are more regular and at a low level and a modest disturbance from service vessels the long-term effects on the number of harbour porpoises on Horns Reef during the production phase was estimated to be relatively small, or equivalent to 25% as compared to the base line level. Following the EIA, a monitoring programme was launched to measure the level of long-term effects on harbour porpoises on Horns Reef, and base-line investigations have been carried out up to the present time, - at the onset of the construction phase. This report deals with the results of the investigations on harbour porpoises on Horns Reef during the period from January 2001 to December 2001. These investigations involve a range of new field and analysis techniques

Environmental Risk Assessment of dredging processes – application to Marin harbour (NW Spain)

OpenAIRE

A. G. Gómez; J. García Alba; A. Puente; J. A. Juanes

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT. A methodological procedure to estimate the environmental risk of dredging operations in aquatic systems has been developed. Environmental risk estimations are based on numerical models results, which provide an appropriated spatio-temporal framework analysis to guarantee an effective decision-making process. The methodological procedure has been applied on a real dredging operation in the port of Marin (NW Spain). Results from Marin harbour confirmed the suitabi...

CO2 emissions from a temperate drowned river valley estuary adjacent to an emerging megacity (Sydney Harbour)

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, E. L.; Mulhearn, P. J.; Eyre, B. D.

2017-06-01

The Sydney Harbour Estuary is a large drowned river valley adjacent to Sydney, a large urban metropolis on track to become a megacity; estimated to reach a population of 10 million by 2100. Monthly underway surveys of surface water pCO2 were undertaken along the main channel and tributaries, from January to December 2013. pCO2 showed substantial spatio-temporal variability in the narrow high residence time upper and mid sections of the estuary, with values reaching a maximum of 5650 μatm in the upper reaches and as low as 173 μatm in the mid estuary section, dominated by respiration and photosynthesis respectively. The large lower estuary displayed less variability in pCO2 with values ranging from 343 to 544 μatm controlled mainly by tidal pumping and temperature. Air-water CO2 emissions reached a maximum of 181 mmol C m-2 d-1 during spring in the eutrophic upper estuary. After a summer high rainfall event nutrient-stimulated biological pumping promoted a large uptake of CO2 transitioning the Sydney Harbour Estuary into a CO2 sink with a maximum uptake of rate of -10.6 mmol C m-2 d-1 in the mid-section of the estuary. Annually the Sydney Harbour Estuary was heterotrophic and a weak source of CO2 with an air-water emission rate of 1.2-5 mmol C m-2 d-1 (0.4-1.8 mol C m-2 y-1) resulting in a total carbon emission of around 930 tonnes per annum. CO2 emissions (weighted m3 s-1 of discharge per km2 of estuary surface area) from Sydney Harbour were an order of magnitude lower than other temperate large tectonic deltas, lagoons and engineered systems of China, India, Taiwan and Europe but were similar to other natural drowned river valley systems in the USA. Discharge per unit area appears to be a good predictor of CO2 emissions from estuaries of a similar climate and geomorphic class.

Breaking the Myth of Flexible Work: Contingent Work in Toronto. A Study Conducted by the Contingent Workers Project.

Science.gov (United States)

de Wolff, Alice

A survey of 205 people, 4 group interviews with approximately 30 people, and 6 design and analysis meetings involving approximately 40 people were conducted in a 1999 participatory study of contingent workers in Toronto. (Contingent work was defined to be lower-waged forms of non-permanent work arrangements that include contracting, employment…

Concentrations in air of organobromine, organochlorine and organophosphate flame retardants in Toronto, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Shoeib, Mahiba; Ahrens, Lutz; Jantunen, Liisa; Harner, Tom

2014-12-01

Concentrations of organobromine (BFRs), organochlorine (CFRs) and organophosphate esters flame retardants and plasticizers (PFRs) in air were monitored for over one year at an urban site in Toronto, Canada during 2010-2011. The mean value for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (BDEs) (gas + particle phase) was 38 pg/m3 with BDE-47 and BDE-99 as the dominant congeners. The mean concentrations in air for ∑non-BDE (BFRs and CFRs), was 9.6 pg/m3 - about four times lower than the BDEs. The brominated FRs: TBP-AE, BTBPE, EH-TBB, BEH-TEBP and the chlorinated syn- and anti-DP were detected frequently, ranging from 87% to 96%. Highest concentrations in air among all flame retardant classes were observed for the Σ-PFRs. The yearly mean concentration in air for ΣPFRs was 2643 pg/m3 with detection frequency higher than 80%. Except for TBP-AE and b- DBE-DBCH, non-BDEs (BFRs, CFRs and PFRs) were mainly associated with the particle phase. BDE concentrations in air were positively correlated with temperature indicating that volatilization from local sources was an important factor controlling levels in air. This correlation did not hold for most BFRs, CFRs and PFRs which were mainly on particles. For these compounds, air concentrations in Toronto are likely related to emissions from point sources and advective inputs. This study highlights the importance of urban air monitoring for FRs. Urban air can be considered a sentinel for detecting changes in the use and application of FRs in commercial products.

Integrating bioethics into postgraduate medical education: the University of Toronto model.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Frazer; McKneally, Martin F; Levin, Alex V

2010-06-01

Bioethics training is a vital component of postgraduate medical education and required by accreditation organizations in Canada and the United States. Residency program ethics curricula should ensure trainees develop core knowledge, skills, and competencies, and should encourage lifelong learning and teaching of bioethics. Many physician-teachers, however, feel unprepared to teach bioethics and face challenges in developing and implementing specialty-specific bioethics curricula. The authors present, as one model, the innovative strategies employed by the University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics. They postulate that centralized support is a key component to ensure the success of specialty-specific bioethics teaching, to reinforce the importance of ethics in medical training, and to ensure it is not overshadowed by other educational concerns.

Clicking in a killer whale habitat: narrow-band, high-frequency biosonar clicks of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena and Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Line A Kyhn

Full Text Available Odontocetes produce a range of different echolocation clicks but four groups in different families have converged on producing the same stereotyped narrow band high frequency (NBHF click. In microchiropteran bats, sympatric species have evolved the use of different acoustic niches and subtly different echolocation signals to avoid competition among species. In this study, we examined whether similar adaptations are at play among sympatric porpoise species that use NBHF echolocation clicks. We used a six-element hydrophone array to record harbour and Dall's porpoises in British Columbia (BC, Canada, and harbour porpoises in Denmark. The click source properties of all porpoise groups were remarkably similar and had an average directivity index of 25 dB. Yet there was a small, but consistent and significant 4 kHz difference in centroid frequency between sympatric Dall's (137±3 kHz and Canadian harbour porpoises (141±2 kHz. Danish harbour porpoise clicks (136±3 kHz were more similar to Dall's porpoise than to their conspecifics in Canada. We suggest that the spectral differences in echolocation clicks between the sympatric porpoises are consistent with evolution of a prezygotic isolating barrier (i.e., character displacement to avoid hybridization of sympatric species. In practical terms, these spectral differences have immediate application to passive acoustic monitoring.

Edmonton fills vacuum left by Toronto firm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lunan, D.

2000-01-01

EPCOR Energy Services, the retail marketing arm of Edmonton's municipal utility company, holds 30,000 residential customer contracts that it purchased from Alberta Natural Gas Savings Corporation last fall. It is also selling natural gas to 10,000 commercial customers. EPCOR now is interested in acquiring the customer base from Apollo Gas Marketing, a Toronto-based marketer recently forced out of the Alberta market by rising gas prices. EPCOR is eager to learn from the mistakes made by Apollo and other natural gas marketers and is putting together a contract package that would ensure a reasonable profit on operations even in the face of rising gas prices. Customers are offered the opportunity to sign fixed term contracts for one -, three-, or five years. The one year contract has a price tag of $6.75/gigajoule; the three-year term is priced at $5.99/gigajoule, and the five-year contract at $5.35/gigajoule. While the one-year price is a little high, compared to contracts available from other marketers, EPCOR's five-year term is worth customers' attention. EPCOR is able to make this offer since it has sufficient gas under a variety of futures contracts to meet it contractual obligations without being forced to buy gas on the spot market

Research on Foreign Language Teaching in North America : The University of Toronto and Michigan State University

OpenAIRE

Lauer, Joe; Yamada, Jun

1998-01-01

Both the Modern Language Centre at the University of Toronto's Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE/UT), and the English Language Center at Michigan State University, are acknowledged as being among the best centers for applied linguistics research and education in the world. The Modern Language Centre has published important findings in the areas of second language acquisition, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics and language curricula. Meanwhile, the English Language Center has ...

Oil spills in open seas and harbours - impact on marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siddiqui, S.H.

1995-01-01

In this article the environmental impacts of sea water near Karachi (Pakistan) harbour (Arabian Sea) are discussed. The water pollution is caused due to oil leakage from ships. The toxicity of various oils (crude oils and refined oils) to different species of marine varies greatly. The second main source of water is municipal waste water. For the control of sea water pollution, there must be education as lack of awareness of the public to ask for clean beaches and absence of coordination between concerned oil companies, tanker operating agencies, port authorities and government (A.B.)

Tide dependent seasonal changes in water quality and assimilative capacity of anthropogenically influenced Mormugao harbour water

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Shirodkar, P.V.; Deepthi, M.; Vethamony, P.; Mesquita, A.M.; Pradhan, U.K.; Babu, M.T.; Verlecar, X.N.; Haldankar, S.R.

Water quality data from Mormugao harbour area at the mouth of Zuari estuary in Goa have been obtained over two tidal cycles monthly for the year 2003 to 2004. R-mode factor analyses of the data indicated strong positive loadings of coliforms...

Habitat characteristics of the shelf distribution of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena in the waters around the Faroe Islands during summer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Henrik Skov

2003-07-01

Full Text Available Observations from a large number of seabird line-transect surveys conducted in Faroese waters are used to derive some general conclusions regarding the distribution of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena in the region using estimates of encounter rates (no./km-1 in different meso-scale habitats around the Faroes during the breeding season (May-September. Based on a sub-set of the data collected during calm conditions (sea states below Beaufort 3 we analysed the distribution of harbour porpoises in relation to 5 potentially important physical parameters: water depth, distance to shore, slope of the ocean floor, distance to tidal front and Beaufort sea state. These parameters were determined from data collected during the surveys, the literature as well as from the new bathymetry established for the Faroese shelf. In order to link the differently scaled physical parameters with the encounter rates and sea states recorded during the surveys we used a suite of geo-statistical and raster-based GIS techniques based on a uniform grid resolution of 1 km in UTM zone 29 N projection. After removing parameters with insignificant effects a model of main effects was produced with sea state and distance to the tidal front having a significant negative effect on the rate of encountering harbour porpoises during both sets of cruises analysed (August 1997 and other surveys. During both sets of cruises the distance to the tidal front had a larger effect on the distribution of the animals than sea state. The strong relationship between harbour porpoise distribution and the average position of the tidal front around the Faroes strongly suggests that the species concentrates near the quasi-stationary circular shelf front separating mixed from stratified waters around the Faroes. However, the importance of shelf fronts for the distribution of harbour porpoises needs to be studied in detail in order to establish the proportionof the populations associated with these

Exploring spatial patterns of sudden cardiac arrests in the city of Toronto using Poisson kriging and Hot Spot analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Przybysz, Raymond; Bunch, Martin

2017-01-01

Our study looked at out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest events in the City of Toronto. These are relatively rare events, yet present a serious global clinical and public health problem. We report on the application of spatial methods and tools that, although relatively well known to geographers and natural resource scientists, need to become better known and used more frequently by health care researchers. Our data came from the population-based Rescu Epistry cardiac arrest database. We limited it to the residents of the City of Toronto who experienced sudden arrest in 2010. The data was aggregated at the Dissemination Area level, and population rates were calculated. Poisson kriging was carried out on one year of data using three different spatial weights. Kriging estimates were then compared in Hot Spot analyses. Spatial analysis revealed that Poisson kriging can yield reliable rates using limited data of high quality. We observed the highest rates of sudden arrests in the north and central parts of Etobicoke, western parts of North York as well as the central and southwestern parts of Scarborough while the lowest rates were found in north and eastern parts of Scarborough, downtown Toronto, and East York as well as east central parts of North York. Influence of spatial neighbours on the results did not extend past two rings of adjacent units. Poisson kriging has the potential to be applied to a wide range of healthcare research, particularly on rare events. This approach can be successfully combined with other spatial methods. More applied research, is needed to establish a wider acceptance for this method, especially among healthcare researchers and epidemiologists.

Pilot study on indoor climate investigation and computer simulation in historical museum building: Amerongen Castle, the Netherlands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raha Sulaiman

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The indoor climate is one of the most important factors contributing to climate-induced damage to the building materials and cultural collections of a monumental building. The Dutch monumental building - Amerongen Castle, and the collections housed in it show severe deterioration caused by inappropriate historical indoor environment. Assessments of the indoor climate, especially on the room temperature and relative humidity, are necessary to analyze the causes and impacts of climate change. As the building was flooded in year 1993 and 1996, extra attention is paid to investigate the effects of flooding to it. This pilot study was aimed to identify the buildup linkages between the known past, historical data on indoor environment and indoor climate performance in the building through simulation based-prediction. This paper focuses on the methodology of indoor climate investigation from the past to the current situation. A hypothesis was developed on backcasting-based prediction simulation which can be used to identify the accepted historical indoor climate where during those times there probably was no damage to the building and the collection. A simulation method based on heat, air and moisture transport is used with the HAMBase program. The computer model representing the Grand Salon of Amerongen Castle was calibrated by comparing real measurements to simulation results. It shows that the differences were only to the minimum of -1.8C and maximum of 3.2C. The data for the historical outdoor weather files was obtained by interpolating outdoor ancient climatology constructed by MATLAB. Based on archival research, indoor thermal history was gathered as input for the profiles used in simulation. Further, the calibrated computer model can be used to simulate past indoor climate and investigate the process of the deterioration of the room and the collections mainly due to the fluctuation of indoor temperature and relative humidity. At the end

[A comparative study of primary care health promotion practices in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina State, Brazil, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada].

Science.gov (United States)

Heidemann, Ivonete Teresinha Schulter Buss; Cypriano, Camilla da Costa; Gastaldo, Denise; Jackson, Suzanne; Rocha, Carolina Gabriele; Fagundes, Eloi

2018-01-01

The study aimed to compare the experiences with the organization of universal public healthcare systems in relation to health promotion in primary care units in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina State, Brazil, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This was a descriptive exploratory study with a qualitative approach in primary care units. Data were collected with semi-structured interviews containing questions on health promotion practices, with 25 health professionals in Florianópolis and 10 in Toronto. The data were discussed using thematic analysis, identifying the practices, difficulties, and facilities in health promotion. In the two cities, 60% of health professionals and health administrators had not received any specific knowledge on health promotion during their training. As for health promotion skills, health professionals in Toronto identified them with autonomy and social determinants, while in Florianópolis they were related to health education and community participation. In both cities, health promotion practices are targeted to individual and collective activities. The motivation to act comes from interdisciplinarity and the demands raised by the population. Health promotion is a relevant form of care and stimulus for individual and community autonomy, in light of social determinants. Such practices aim at comprehensive health for the community, but there are limits in the teams that still conduct disease-centered activities. Resources are limited, requiring inter-sector actions to improve quality of life. Healthcare centers on the hegemonic model, and progress is needed to achieve a positive approach to health and social determinants.

Qualitative cross-sectional study of the perceived causes of depression in South Asian origin women in Toronto

Science.gov (United States)

Ekanayake, Samanthika; Ahmad, Farah

2012-01-01

Objective To explore how South Asian origin women in Toronto, Canada, understand and explain the causes of their depression. Design Cross-sectional in-depth qualitative interviews. Setting Outpatient service in Toronto, Ontario. Participants Ten women with symptoms of depression aged between 22 and 65 years of age. Seven were from India, two from Sri Lanka and one from Pakistan. Four were Muslim, three Hindu and three Catholic. Two participants had university degrees, one a high school diploma and seven had completed less than a high school education. Eight were married, one was unmarried and one a widow. Results Three main factors emerged from the participant narratives as the causes of depression: family and relationships, culture and migration and socioeconomic. The majority of the participants identified domestic abuse, marital problems and interpersonal problems in the family as the cause of their depression. Culture and migration and socioeconomic factors were considered contributory. None of our study participants reported spiritual, supernatural or religious factors as causes of depression. Conclusion A personal–social–cultural model emerged as the aetiological paradigm for depression. Given the perceived causation, psycho-social treatment methods may be more acceptable for South Asian origin women. PMID:22337816

A compact self-recording pressure based sea level gauge suitable for deployments at harbour and offshore environments

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Desa, E.; Peshwe, V.B.; Joseph, A.; Mehra, P.; Naik, G.P.; Kumar, V.; Desa, E.S.; Desai, R.G.P.; Nagvekar, S.; Desai, S.P.

A compact and lightweight self-recording pressure based sea level gauge has been designed to suit deployments from harbour and offshore environments. A novel hydraulic coupling device designed in-house was used to transfer the seawater pressure...

Human Brain Proteome Project - 12th HUPO BPP Workshop. 26 September 2009, Toronto, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Gröttrup, Bernd; Eisenacher, Martin; Stephan, Christian; Marcus, Katrin; Lee, Bonghee; Meyer, Helmut E; Park, Young Mok

2010-06-01

The HUPO Brain Proteome Project (HUPO BPP) held its 12th workshop in Toronto on 26 September 2009 prior to the HUPO VIII World Congress. The principal aim of this project is to obtain a better understanding of neurodiseases and ageing, with the ultimate objective of discovering prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers, in addition to the development of novel diagnostic techniques and new medications. The attendees came together to discuss progress in the human clinical neuroproteomics and to define the needs and guidelines required for more advanced proteomic approaches.

Monitoring water quality in Sydney Harbour using blue mussels during remediation of the Sydney Tar Ponds, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Tony R; MacAskill, Devin

2014-03-01

Using mussels as monitoring tools we measured water quality in Sydney Harbour during a large scale, multi-year remediation project of the Sydney Tar Ponds (STPs); one of Canada's most contaminated sites. Chemical contaminants were measured in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) in Sydney Harbour, which were used as monitoring tools to assess the spatio-temporal distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); metals (As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) and lipid content during baseline and 3 years of remediation. The overall spatio-temporal distribution of chemicals in mussels was also compared to contaminants in other marine indicators (e.g., sediment, water and crab tissue). Measured metal concentrations in mussels showed some minor temporal variability (4 years), but these did not appear to be directly related to remediation activities, with the highest concentrations of As, Hg and Zn measured at reference stations. Most measured contaminants showed stable or potentially decreasing concentrations during the study, except Pb and Zn. Individual PAH compounds were mostly undetected during baseline and remediation, except for fluoranthene and pyrene. Concentrations of fluoranthene in mussels and deep water samples were moderately related. Generally, PCBs were undetected (remediation at some near-field stations. Contaminants measured during this study were at much lower concentrations than previously reported in other studies of mussels in Sydney Harbour and eastern Canada. This is likely due to the ongoing natural recovery of Sydney Harbour and to a lesser extent because of the environmental mitigation protection measures implemented during remediation activities at the STPs. The lack of detection of most individual PAHs and PCBs, plus relatively low bio-accumulation of metals observed during baseline and remediation attest to the effectiveness of using mussels as monitoring tools for environmental quality.

Environmental drivers of harbour porpoise fine‑scale movements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Beest, Floris; Teilmann, Jonas; Dietz, Rune

2018-01-01

Quantifying intraspecific variation in movement behaviour of marine predators and the underlying environmental drivers is important to inform conservation management of protected species. Here, we provide the first empirical data on fine-scale movements of free-ranging harbour porpoises (Phocoena...... of various static and dynamic environmental conditions on the movement characteristics: speed, turning angle, dive duration, dive depth, dive wiggliness (a proxy for prey chasing behaviour), and post-dive duration. Despite substantial individual differences in horizontal and vertical movement patterns, we...... found that all the tracked porpoises responded similar to variation in environmental conditions and displayed movements that indicate a higher likelihood of foraging behaviour in shallower and more saline waters. Our study contributes to the identification of important feeding areas for porpoises...

Segregation or "Thinking Black"?: Community Activism and the Development Of Black-Focused Schools in Toronto and London, 1968-2008

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Lauri

2013-01-01

Background/Context: On January 29, 2008 the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) approved a city-wide Africentric elementary school under their Alternative School policy, sparking a contentious debate. Calls for Black-focused schools also arose in 2008 in London in response to the disengagement of African Caribbean youth. The historical record…

Environmental Risk Assessment of dredging processes - application to Marin harbour (NW Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez, A. G.; García Alba, J.; Puente, A.; Juanes, J. A.

2014-04-01

A methodological procedure to estimate the environmental risk of dredging operations in aquatic systems has been developed. Environmental risk estimations are based on numerical models results, which provide an appropriated spatio-temporal framework analysis to guarantee an effective decision-making process. The methodological procedure has been applied on a real dredging operation in the port of Marin (NW Spain). Results from Marin harbour confirmed the suitability of the developed methodology and the conceptual approaches as a comprehensive and practical management tool.

The Road to Responsive: University of Toronto Libraries’ Journey to a New Library Catalogue Interface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisa Gayhart

2014-01-01

Full Text Available With the recent surge in the mobile device market and an ever expanding patron base with increasingly divergent levels of technical ability, the University of Toronto Libraries embarked on the development of a new catalogue discovery layer to fit the needs of its diverse users. The result: a mobile-friendly, flexible and intuitive web application that brings the full power of a faceted library catalogue to users without compromising quality or performance, employing Responsive Web Design principles.

Nuclear power plants in Canada: how we address community issues and concerns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McFarlane, D.

2003-01-01

This presentation was developed by the public affairs staff of three Canadian utilities who offered case studies from three nuclear generating stations. Ontario Power Generation (OPG) facilities include Pickering Nuclear, with 8 units, and Darlington Nuclear, with 4 units, both located in the Region of Durham. The Pickering community is located east of Toronto on the shore of Lake Ontario. The facilities are located in the City of Pickering but are close to Ajax and the City of Toronto as well. They are surrounded by residences and businesses. The Darlington station is close to Pickering but further east of Toronto. It is located in a more rural environment in the Municipality of Clarington. Approximately 96% of installed capacity in Quebec is based on hydropower. Hydro-Quebec's Gentilly-2 is the only thermal nuclear generation station in operation. The station is located in Becancour on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and Montreal. The population of Becancour is 12 000, while Trois-Rivieres and Champlain, on the north shore, count 100 000 residents. New Brunswick Power's Point Lepreau generating station (PLGS) is the only nuclear facility in Atlantic Canada, and supplies some 30% of in-province energy. The station is located in a rural area on the Lepreau peninsula overlooking the Bay of Fundy. It is located within 10 kilometers of the small communities of Dipper Harbour, Maces Bay, Little Lepreau and Chance Harbour. Approximately 38 kilometers to the northeast is located Saint John with a population of about 120 000. Corporate-community relations objectives are similar across the three utilities. They include building trust, garnering support for ongoing operations, and being - as well as being viewed as - a good corporate citizen. Meeting these objectives implies knowing and caring for the community and the issues raised by residents - not just issues of interest to the company. (author)

Raman spectroscopy of gemstones on the necklaces from ancient graves at the Castle of Devin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregor, M.; Vanco, L.; Kadlecikova, M.; Breza, J.

2013-01-01

The subjects of Raman and X-ray analyses were the beads from two necklaces found in ancient graves from the 11'"t"h and 12"t"h centuries at the Castle of Devin. One of the necklaces, consisting of 23 beads, was found in tomb 12/1980. Inside the grave, an incomplete skeleton of a woman was found, oriented in the west - east direction. The skull, shoulder blades and lower limbs were preserved in good condition. The grave contained a rich inventory: a silver ear-ring at the left side of the skull, a necklace between the shoulder blades and a ring on the right side at the height of the right hand. The other necklace, consisting of six stones, was found in grave 145/1985 in which, similarly like in the first grave, a woman's skeleton was discovered. The stones were found below the mandible. All beads are drilled through axially. (authors)

Impact of water quality changes on harbour environment due to port activities along the west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Shirodkar, P.V.; Pradhan, U.K.; Vethamony, P.

modeling were used to understand the dominant parameters influencing water quality, trace the sources of contaminants, their impact on harbour environments and their fate. Factor analyses showed the dominance of anthropogenic nutrients, petroleum...

Coastal Changes due to the Construction of Artificial Harbour Entrances and Practical Solutions, including Beach Replenishment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bijker, E.W.; Van der Leijé, J.P.; Pilon, J.J.; Svasek, J.N.; In 't Veld, J.K.; Verhagen, H.J.

1981-01-01

When longshore sediment transport is interrupted by a construction along a coast, e.g harbour moles or a dredged approach channel, the equilibrium of the coastline may be disturbed. When the disruption is caused by breakwaters, the longshore transport that is held back will cause accretion updrift

Hydrodynamic determination of the moving direction of an artificial fin by a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina).

Science.gov (United States)

Wieskotten, S; Dehnhardt, G; Mauck, B; Miersch, L; Hanke, W

2010-07-01

Harbour seals can use their vibrissal system to detect and follow hydrodynamic trails left by moving objects. In this study we determined the maximum time after which a harbour seal could indicate the moving direction of an artificial fish tail and analysed the hydrodynamic parameters allowing the discrimination. Hydrodynamic trails were generated using a fin-like paddle moving from left to right or from right to left in the calm water of an experimental box. The blindfolded seal was able to recognise the direction of the paddle movement when the hydrodynamic trail was up to 35 s old. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) revealed that the seal might have perceived and used two different hydrodynamic parameters to determine the moving direction of the fin-like paddle. The structure and spatial arrangement of the vortices in the hydrodynamic trail and high water velocities between two counter-rotating vortices are characteristic of the movement direction and are within the sensory range of the seal.

Homeworking: Home Office or Home Sweatshop? Report on Current Conditions of Homeworkers in Toronto's Garment Industry. NALL Working Paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Roxana; Wong, Renita Yuk-Lin; Choi, Angela

The current conditions of home workers in the garment industry in Toronto, Canada, were examined through in-depth telephone interviews with 30 Chinese-speaking immigrant women who were employed as home workers in 1999. The paper dicusses the formal training and informal learning experiences of immigrant woman who are garment workers. A comparison…

Distribution of uranium at Mumbai Harbour Bay (MHB)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugandhi, S.; Prabhu, S.P.; Mishra, D.G.; Ravi, P.M.; Hegde, A.G.

2010-01-01

Mumbai Harbour Bay (MHB) is a recipient of low level treated effluents from BARC, Trombay. In addition, the Bay is also a recipient of domestic and industrial wastes from the city of Mumbai and adjoining areas. Uranium though considered as a rare element, occurs in seawater. The present study is dealt with the distribution of uranium in seawater of Mumbai Harbour Bay (MHB). Uranium is mainly present as Tricarbanato uranyl anion ((UO 2 (CO 3 ) 3 ) 4- ) in seawater and its concentration varies with the locality and depth. The average value of uranium concentration reported for Indian Bay water at Tarapur and Mumbai is ∼ 3.0 ppb which is comparable with the reported value for Arabian sea. As such the global average is reported to be ∼ 3.3 ppb by Oceanologists. A total of 18 seawater samples covering the upstream, downstream and middle stream of MHB were collected and filtered through 0.22 μm filter paper. 10 L of filtered sample was subjected to chemical separation using ion-exchange technique which involved the following steps: the filtered samples were acidified with conc. HNO 3 and digested. Ca 3 (PO 4 ) 2 was precipitated at pH 8-9 by addition of liquid ammonia which coprecipitates uranium. The precipitate was allowed to settle overnight, supernatant discarded; precipitate was washed thoroughly with distilled water twice, dissolved in electronic grade conc. HNO 3 and evaporated to dryness. Residue formed was heated with electronic grade conc. HCI and taken up in 8M HCI and loaded on to Dowex 1x8 (Cl -1 for, 1.5 g, 100-200 mesh, anion exchanger), preconditioned with 8M HCI. Uranium adsorbed on the resin was eluted with 1 M HNO 3 . The eluant was evaporated to dryness and electrodeposited on a stainless steel planchette and the uranium content was estimated by alpha spectrometry (PIPS, Type IPC). The uranium activity in MHB by alpha spectrometry was found to be between 1.0-4.4 ppb with an average concentration of 2.5 ppb which is comparable with the earlier

An X-Band Radar System for Bathymetry and Wave Field Analysis in a Harbour Area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Ludeno

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Marine X-band radar based systems are well tested to provide information about sea state and bathymetry. It is also well known that complex geometries and non-uniform bathymetries provide a much bigger challenge than offshore scenarios. In order to tackle this issue a retrieval method is proposed, based on spatial partitioning of the data and the application of the Normalized Scalar Product (NSP, which is an innovative procedure for the joint estimation of bathymetry and surface currents. The strategy is then applied to radar data acquired around a harbour entrance, and results show that the reconstructed bathymetry compares well with ground truth data obtained by an echo-sounder campaign, thus proving the reliability of the whole procedure. The spectrum thus retrieved is then analysed to show the evidence of reflected waves from the harbour jetties, as confirmed by chain of hydrodynamic models of the sea wave field. The possibility of using a land based radar to reveal sea wave reflection is entirely new and may open up new operational applications of the system.

Ending homelessness among people with mental illness: the At Home/Chez Soi randomized trial of a Housing First intervention in Toronto

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hwang Stephen W

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The At Home/Chez Soi (AH/CS Project is a randomized controlled trial of a Housing First intervention to meet the needs of homeless individuals with mental illness in five cities across Canada. The objectives of this paper are to examine the approach to participant recruitment and community engagement at the Toronto site of the AH/CS Project, and to describe the baseline demographics of participants in Toronto. Methods Homeless individuals (n = 575 with either high needs (n = 197 or moderate needs (n = 378 for mental health support were recruited through service providers in the city of Toronto. Participants were randomized to Housing First interventions or Treatment as Usual (control groups. Housing First interventions were offered at two different mental health service delivery levels: Assertive Community Treatment for high needs participants and Intensive Case Management for moderate needs participants. Demographic data were collected via quantitative questionnaires at baseline interviews. Results The effectiveness of the recruitment strategy was influenced by a carefully designed referral system, targeted recruitment of specific groups, and an extensive network of pre-existing services. Community members, potential participants, service providers, and other stakeholders were engaged through active outreach and information sessions. Challenges related to the need for different sectors to work together were resolved through team building strategies. Randomization produced similar demographic, mental health, cognitive and functional impairment characteristics in the intervention and control groups for both the high needs and moderate needs groups. The majority of participants were male (69%, aged >40 years (53%, single/never married (69%, without dependent children (71%, born in Canada (54%, and non-white (64%. Many participants had substance dependence (38%, psychotic disorder (37%, major depressive episode (36

A population on the edge: genetic diversity and population structure of the world's northernmost harbour seals (Phoca vitulina)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Liselotte Wesley; Lydersen, Christian; Frie, Anne Kirstine

2011-01-01

insight into consequences of population declines in a broader conservation context. The harbour seal population at Svalbard is the world's northernmost harbour seal population. Nothing is known about the genetic diversity, distinctiveness or origin of this small, marginalized mammalian population. Thus......  It is crucial to examine the genetic diversity and structure of small, isolated populations, especially those at the edge of their distribution range, because they are vulnerable to stochastic processes if genetic diversity is low and isolation level high, and because such populations provide...... microsatellites and variation in the D-loop. Each of the four locations was a genetically distinct population. The Svalbard population was highly genetically distinct, had reduced genetic diversity, received limited gene flow, had a rather low effective population size and showed an indication of having...

Uncovering governance mechanisms surrounding harbour porpoise conservation in the Danish Skagerrak Sea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Thomas Kirk; Kindt-Larsen, Lotte

2016-01-01

mainly by the economy and the varying perceptions of the bycatch issue, with great differences between government, NGO's and fishers. Interviews with fishers and fishing effort data reveal intra-sectoral conflicts pertaining to the incompatibility of active trawling and passive gillnetting in the areas......The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is the focus of a range of conservation efforts and policies, including the Habitats Directive, aimed at reducing the bycatch of non-target species in gillnet fisheries. This paper describes the governance process and analyses the governance mechanisms...

Correlation between the seasonal distribution of harbour porpoises and their prey in the Sound, Baltic Sea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sveegaard, Signe; Andreasen, Heidi; Mouritsen, Kim N.

2012-01-01

herring and Atlantic cod were equally important during the low-density season. Prey availability and predictability are suggested as the main drivers for harbour porpoise distribution, and this could be caused by the formation of frontal zones in spring in the northern part of the Sound, leading to prey...

Edmonton fills vacuum left by Toronto firm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lunan, D.

2000-06-19

EPCOR Energy Services, the retail marketing arm of Edmonton's municipal utility company, holds 30,000 residential customer contracts that it purchased from Alberta Natural Gas Savings Corporation last fall. It is also selling natural gas to 10,000 commercial customers. EPCOR now is interested in acquiring the customer base from Apollo Gas Marketing, a Toronto-based marketer recently forced out of the Alberta market by rising gas prices. EPCOR is eager to learn from the mistakes made by Apollo and other natural gas marketers and is putting together a contract package that would ensure a reasonable profit on operations even in the face of rising gas prices. Customers are offered the opportunity to sign fixed term contracts for one -, three-, or five years. The one year contract has a price tag of $6.75/gigajoule; the three-year term is priced at $5.99/gigajoule, and the five-year contract at $5.35/gigajoule. While the one-year price is a little high, compared to contracts available from other marketers, EPCOR's five-year term is worth customers' attention. EPCOR is able to make this offer since it has sufficient gas under a variety of futures contracts to meet it contractual obligations without being forced to buy gas on the spot market.

Bioprinting of Micro-Organ Tissue Analog for Drug Metabolism Study

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Wei

An evolving application of tissue engineering is to develop in vitro 3D cell/tissue models for drug screening and pharmacological study. In order to test in space, these in vitro models are mostly manufactured through micro-fabrication techniques and incorporate living cells with MEMS or microfluidic devices. These cell-integrated microfluidic devices, or referred as microorgans, are effective in furnishing reliable and inexpensive drug metabolism and toxicity studies [1-3]. This paper will present an on-going research collaborated between Drexel University and NASA JSC Radiation Physics Laboratory for applying a direct cell printing technique to freeform fabrication of 3D liver tissue analog in drug metabolism study. The paper will discuss modeling, design, and solid freeform fabrication of micro-fluidic flow patterns and bioprinting of 3D micro-liver chamber that biomimics liver physiological microenvironment for enhanced drug metabolization. Technical details to address bioprinting of 3D liver tissue analog, integration with a microfluidic device, and basic drug metabolism study for NASA's interests will presented. 1. Holtorf H. Leslie J. Chang R, Nam J, Culbertson C, Sun W, Gonda S, "Development of a Three-Dimensional Tissue-on-a-Chip Micro-Organ Device for Pharmacokinetic Analysis", the 47th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology, Washington, DC, December 1-5, 2007. 2. Chang, R., Nam, J., Culbertson C., Holtorf, H., Jeevarajan, A., Gonda, S. and Sun, W., "Bio-printing and Modeling of Flow Patterns for Cell Encapsulated 3D Liver Chambers For Pharmacokinetic Study", TERMIS North America 2007 Conference and Exposition, Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto, Canada, June 13-16, 2007. 3.Starly, B., Chang, R., Sun, W., Culbertson, C., Holtorf, H. and Gonda, S., "Bioprinted Tissue-on-chip Application for Pharmacokinetic Studies", Proceedings of World Congress on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, April 24-27, 2006.

Postglacial climate changes and rise of three ecotypes of harbour porpoises, Phocoena phocoena, in western Palearctic waters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fontaine, Michaël C; Roland, Kathleen; Calves, Isabelle; Austerlitz, Frederic; Palstra, Friso P; Tolley, Krystal A; Ryan, Sean; Ferreira, Marisa; Jauniaux, Thierry; Llavona, Angela; Öztürk, Bayram; Öztürk, Ayaka A; Ridoux, Vincent; Rogan, Emer; Sequeira, Marina; Siebert, Ursula; Vikingsson, Gísli A; Borrell, Asunción; Michaux, Johan R; Aguilar, Alex

Despite no obvious barriers to gene flow in the marine realm, environmental variation and ecological specializations can lead to genetic differentiation in highly mobile predators. Here, we investigated the genetic structure of the harbour porpoise over the entire species distribution range in

Changes in the occurrance of hard substratum fauna: A case study from Mumbai harbour, India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Gaonkar, C.A.; Sawant, S.S.; Anil, A.C.; Venkat, K.; Harkantra, S.N.

, John Wiley and Sons, New York, Toronto) 1971. pp. 372. SAWANT et al.: CHANGE IN THE OCCURRENCE OF HARD SUBSTRATUM 83 3 McGuinness K A & Underwood A J, Habitat structure and the nature of communities on intertidal boulders, J. Exp. Mar. Biol... seaweed community composition and seaweed temperature patterns at a geographical scale, Botanica Marina, 33 (1990) 447-457. 6 Denny M, Dairiki J & Distefano S, Biological consequences of topography on wave-swept rocky shores: I. Enhancement...

Toxic effects of tributyltin and its metabolites on harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) immune cells in vitro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frouin, Heloise [Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique - Institut Armand-Frappier, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7 (Canada); Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli, Quebec G5H 3Z4 (Canada)], E-mail: heloise.frouin@iaf.inrs.ca; Lebeuf, Michel [Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli, Quebec G5H 3Z4 (Canada); Saint-Louis, Richard [Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Universite du Quebec a Rimouski, Rimouski, Quebec G5L 3A1 (Canada); Hammill, Mike [Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli, Quebec G5H 3Z4 (Canada); Pelletier, Emilien [Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Universite du Quebec a Rimouski, Rimouski, Quebec G5L 3A1 (Canada); Fournier, Michel [Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique - Institut Armand-Frappier, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7 (Canada)

2008-11-21

The widespread environmental contamination, bioaccumulation and endocrine disruptor effects of butyltins (BTs) to wildlife are well documented. Although suspected, potential effects of BTs exposure on the immune system of marine mammals have been little investigated. In this study, we assessed the effects of tributyltin (TBT) and its dealkylated metabolites dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) on the immune responses of harbour seals. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from pup and adult harbour seals were exposed in vitro to varying concentrations of BTs. DBT resulted in a significant decrease at 100 and 200 nM of phagocytotic activity and reduced significantly phagocytic efficiency at 200 nM in adult seals. There was no effect in phagocytosis with TBT and MBT. In pups, the highest concentration (200 nM) of DBT inhibited phagocytic efficiency. A reduction of tumor-killing capacity of adult natural killer (NK) cells occurred when leukocytes were incubated in vitro with 50 nM DBT and 200 nM TBT for 24 h. In adult seals, T-lymphocyte proliferation was significantly suppressed when the cells were exposed to 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. In pups, the proliferative response increased after an exposure to 100 nM TBT and 50 nM DBT, but decreased with 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. The immune functions were more affected by BTs exposure in adults than in pups, suggesting that other unsuspected mechanisms could trigger immune parameters in pups. The toxic potential of BTs followed the order of DBT > TBT > MBT. BT concentrations of harbour seal pups from the St. Lawrence Estuary (Bic National Park) ranged between 0.1-0.4 ng Sn/g wet weight (ww) and 1.2-13.4 ng Sn/g ww in blood and blubber, respectively. For these animals, DBT concentrations were consistently below the quantification limit of 0.04 ng Sn/g ww in blood and 0.2 ng Sn/g ww in blubber. Results suggest that concentrations measured in pups are considered too low to induce toxic effects to their immune system

Toxic effects of tributyltin and its metabolites on harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) immune cells in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frouin, Heloise; Lebeuf, Michel; Saint-Louis, Richard; Hammill, Mike; Pelletier, Emilien; Fournier, Michel

2008-01-01

The widespread environmental contamination, bioaccumulation and endocrine disruptor effects of butyltins (BTs) to wildlife are well documented. Although suspected, potential effects of BTs exposure on the immune system of marine mammals have been little investigated. In this study, we assessed the effects of tributyltin (TBT) and its dealkylated metabolites dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) on the immune responses of harbour seals. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from pup and adult harbour seals were exposed in vitro to varying concentrations of BTs. DBT resulted in a significant decrease at 100 and 200 nM of phagocytotic activity and reduced significantly phagocytic efficiency at 200 nM in adult seals. There was no effect in phagocytosis with TBT and MBT. In pups, the highest concentration (200 nM) of DBT inhibited phagocytic efficiency. A reduction of tumor-killing capacity of adult natural killer (NK) cells occurred when leukocytes were incubated in vitro with 50 nM DBT and 200 nM TBT for 24 h. In adult seals, T-lymphocyte proliferation was significantly suppressed when the cells were exposed to 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. In pups, the proliferative response increased after an exposure to 100 nM TBT and 50 nM DBT, but decreased with 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. The immune functions were more affected by BTs exposure in adults than in pups, suggesting that other unsuspected mechanisms could trigger immune parameters in pups. The toxic potential of BTs followed the order of DBT > TBT > MBT. BT concentrations of harbour seal pups from the St. Lawrence Estuary (Bic National Park) ranged between 0.1-0.4 ng Sn/g wet weight (ww) and 1.2-13.4 ng Sn/g ww in blood and blubber, respectively. For these animals, DBT concentrations were consistently below the quantification limit of 0.04 ng Sn/g ww in blood and 0.2 ng Sn/g ww in blubber. Results suggest that concentrations measured in pups are considered too low to induce toxic effects to their immune system

Toxic effects of tributyltin and its metabolites on harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) immune cells in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Frouin, Héloïse; Lebeuf, Michel; Saint-Louis, Richard; Hammill, Mike; Pelletier, Emilien; Fournier, Michel

2008-11-21

The widespread environmental contamination, bioaccumulation and endocrine disruptor effects of butyltins (BTs) to wildlife are well documented. Although suspected, potential effects of BTs exposure on the immune system of marine mammals have been little investigated. In this study, we assessed the effects of tributyltin (TBT) and its dealkylated metabolites dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) on the immune responses of harbour seals. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from pup and adult harbour seals were exposed in vitro to varying concentrations of BTs. DBT resulted in a significant decrease at 100 and 200 nM of phagocytotic activity and reduced significantly phagocytic efficiency at 200 nM in adult seals. There was no effect in phagocytosis with TBT and MBT. In pups, the highest concentration (200 nM) of DBT inhibited phagocytic efficiency. A reduction of tumor-killing capacity of adult natural killer (NK) cells occurred when leukocytes were incubated in vitro with 50 nM DBT and 200 nM TBT for 24h. In adult seals, T-lymphocyte proliferation was significantly suppressed when the cells were exposed to 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. In pups, the proliferative response increased after an exposure to 100 nM TBT and 50 nM DBT, but decreased with 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. The immune functions were more affected by BTs exposure in adults than in pups, suggesting that other unsuspected mechanisms could trigger immune parameters in pups. The toxic potential of BTs followed the order of DBT>TBT>MBT. BT concentrations of harbour seal pups from the St. Lawrence Estuary (Bic National Park) ranged between 0.1-0.4 ng Sn/g wet weight (ww) and 1.2-13.4 ng Sn/g ww in blood and blubber, respectively. For these animals, DBT concentrations were consistently below the quantification limit of 0.04 ng Sn/g ww in blood and 0.2 ng Sn/g ww in blubber. Results suggest that concentrations measured in pups are considered too low to induce toxic effects to their immune system during

Identification and typing of Brucella spp. in stranded harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) on the Dutch coast

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maio, Elisa; Begeman, Lineke; Bisselink, Yvette; van Tulden, Peter; Wiersma, Lidewij; Hiemstra, Sjoukje; Ruuls, Robin; Gröne, Andrea; Roest, Hendrik-Ido-Jan; Willemsen, Peter; van der Giessen, Joke

2014-01-01

The presence of Brucella (B.) spp. in harbour porpoises stranded between 2008 and 2011 along the Dutch coast was studied. A selection of 265 tissue samples from 112 animals was analysed using conventional and molecular methods. In total, 4.5% (5/112) of the animals corresponding with 2.3% (6/265)

Identification and typing of Brucella spp. in stranded harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) on the Dutch coast.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maio, E.; Begeman, L.; Bisselink, Y.J.W.M.; Tulden, van P.W.; Wiersma, L.; Hiemstra, S.; Ruuls, R.; Gröne, A.; Roest, H.I.J.; Willemsen, P.T.J.; Giessen, van der J.

2014-01-01

The presence of Brucella (B.) spp. in harbour porpoises stranded between 2008 and 2011 along the Dutch coast was studied. A selection of 265 tissue samples from 112 animals was analysed using conventional and molecular methods. In total, 4.5% (5/112) of the animals corresponding with 2.3% (6/265)

Economic and marketing aspects of using food irradiation technology in treatment of Egyptian exports in domietta harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

EL-Khateeb, M.A.

2004-01-01

The present study discuss the economic and marketing aspects for the establishment of food irradiation facility in Domietta harbour and the effect of various parameters on unit processing costs. This study is concerned with carrying out an economic evaluation for the application of food exports from Domietta harbour. The study has been carried out according to the approach applied in the evaluation of economic projects and also considering the requirements of technology projects for food preservation.The study is divided into two sections.The first section: concerned with the marketing and technical aspects where the suitable commodity mix was determined for the agricultural crops which are proposed for irradiation. The marketing study comprised determination of the commodity mix, distributions of the commodity mix all over the year according to the harvest seasons and determination the type and capacity of the source. The second section: comprises the economic analysis according to the method adopted by the International Bank for Development taking into consideration the effect of applying radiation technology on the national income. It provides a model for calculating specific unit processing costs by correlating the known capital costs with the annual operation cost and annual throughputs. The cost benefit of the proposed food irradiation facility was analyzed taking into account the cost of the capital investment, operation cost and other additional parameters. The results of this study showed that there is no economic feasibility for the establishment of an irradiation facility for the radiation treatment of food commodities exported from Domietta harbour

Interactive Online Modules and Videos for Learning Geological Concepts at the University of Toronto Department of Earth Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Veglio, E.; Graves, L. W.; Bank, C. G.

2014-12-01

We designed various computer-based applications and videos as educational resources for undergraduate courses at the University of Toronto in the Earth Science Department. These resources were developed in effort to enhance students' self-learning of key concepts as identified by educators at the department. The interactive learning modules and videos were created using the programs MATLAB and Adobe Creative Suite 5 (Photoshop and Premiere) and range from optical mineralogy (extinction and Becke line), petrology (equilibrium melting in 2-phase systems), crystallography (crystal systems), geophysics (gravity anomaly), and geologic history (evolution of Canada). These resources will be made available for students on internal course websites as well as through the University of Toronto Earth Science's website (www.es.utoronto.ca) where appropriate; the video platform YouTube.com may be used to reach a wide audience and promote the material. Usage of the material will be monitored and feedback will be collected over the next academic year in order to gage the use of these interactive learning tools and to assess if these computer-based applications and videos foster student engagement and active learning, and thus offer an enriched learning experience.

Interculturalism and Physical Cultural Diversity in the Greater Toronto Area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuka Nakamura

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The Greater Toronto Area (GTA is one of the most multicultural communities in the world. Frequently, this description is based on ethnic, linguistic, and culinary diversity. Physical cultural diversity, such as different sports, martial arts, forms of dance, exercise systems, and other physical games and activities, remains ignored and understudied. Based on a living database of the GTA’s physical cultural diversity, this study identifies the trajectories of the lifecycle of activities that have been introduced into the GTA’s physical culture by immigrants. These pathways differ based on whether the activity is offered in a separate setting, where individuals may be participating with other immigrants of the same ethnocultural group, or mixed settings, where people are participating with people from outside of their ethnocultural group. We argue that the diversity and the lifecycle trajectories of physical cultural forms in the GTA serve as evidence of interculturalism and the contribution by immigrants to the social and cultural life of Canada.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay-A rapid detection tool for identifying red fox (Vulpes vulpes) DNA in the carcasses of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena).

Science.gov (United States)

Heers, Teresa; van Neer, Abbo; Becker, André; Grilo, Miguel Luca; Siebert, Ursula; Abdulmawjood, Amir

2017-01-01

Carcasses of wild animals are often visited by different scavengers. However, determining which scavenger caused certain types of bite marks is particularly difficult and knowledge thereof is lacking. Therefore, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay (target sequence cytochrome b) was developed to detect red fox DNA in carcasses of harbour porpoises. The MSwab™ method for direct testing without prior DNA isolation was validated. As a detection device, the portable real-time fluorometer Genie® II was used, which yields rapid results and can be used in field studies without huge laboratory equipment. In addition to in vitro evaluation and validation, a stranded and scavenged harbour porpoise carcass was successfully examined for red fox DNA residues. The developed LAMP method is a valuable diagnostic tool for confirming presumable red fox bite wounds in harbour porpoises without further DNA isolation steps.

Effects of granulometric gradient on macrofaunal assemblages in Los Cristianos harbour (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

OpenAIRE

Riera, Rodrigo; Monterroso, Óscar; Núñez, Jorge

2012-01-01

Along the rapid increase of coastal tourism worldwide, evidence is accumulating on the numerous environmental coastal impacts that it causes on marine environments. One of the most important anthropogenic pressures is the construction of marinas or recreational harbours. Typically, most of the studies provide snapshots of the spatial distribution of macrobenthic communities inside and outside of the marina area. However, there is no much information about sedimentary dynamics inside the harbo...

Hydrodynamic discrimination of wakes caused by objects of different size or shape in a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wieskotten, S.; Mauck, B.; Miersch, L.

2011-01-01

Harbour seals can use their mystacial vibrissae to detect and track hydrodynamic wakes. We investigated the ability of a harbour seal to discriminate objects of different size or shape by their hydrodynamic signature and used particle image velocimetry to identify the hydrodynamic parameters...... that a seal may be using to do so. Hydrodynamic trails were generated by different sized or shaped paddles that were moved in the calm water of an experimental box to produce a characteristic signal. In a two-alternative forced-choice procedure the blindfolded subject was able to discriminate size differences...... of down to 3.6. cm (Weber fraction 0.6) when paddles were moved at the same speed. Furthermore the subject distinguished hydrodynamic signals generated by flat, cylindrical, triangular or undulated paddles of the same width. Particle image velocimetry measurements demonstrated that the seal could have...

The harbours in Bremen as a 'neutral zone' for nuclear fuels?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruttloff, Marc

2013-01-01

The federal legislator has delivered his energy policy commitment as part of the energy turnaround with the decision on the forced backing out from nuclear energy to be completed until the end of 2022 at the latest. This was obviously not enough for the parliamentary groups of the SPD and Die Gruenen (Green party) of the Bremen City Parliament. With an Act dated 25 January 2012, the Bremen Parliament decided to amend the Harbour Operation Act insofar as '..the turnover of nuclear fuels in the sense of paragraph 2 Para. 1 of the Nuclear Act is excluded..'. This means that the turnover of nuclear fuels in the Bremer harbours is principally forbidden, unless the senate grants an explicit exception. However: Can a federal legislator enforce its energy policies like that? In order to receive an answer to this question, the representatives of the CDU parliamentary group of the Bremen Parliament lodged a complaint of unconstitutionality at the Bremen State Court of Justice. The decision was delivered on 12 April 2013 (AZ: St 1/12). And what answer did the CDU parliamentary group receive to their question? None. The Bremen State Court of Justice did not make a decision on this politically controversial issue. As its position, the State Court stated that the rules of the Basic Law on the limitations for the legislative jurisdiction between the Federation and the federal states do not constitute a component of the Bremen federal state constitution. And the legal criterion of the State Court of Justice is solely the Bremen constitution, not however, the Basic Law. In short: The State Court of Justice declares itself de facto not competent. (orig.)

Tapping into the ‘standing-reserve’: a comparative analysis of workers’ training programmes in Kolkata and Toronto

OpenAIRE

Maitra, Saikat; Maitra, Srabani

2015-01-01

This paper examines employment-related training programmes offered by state funded agencies and multinational corporations in Toronto (Canada) and Kolkata (India). In recent years both cities have witnessed a rise in the service sector industries aligned with global regimes of flexible work and the consequent reinvention of a worker subject that is no longer disciplined according to the needs of industrial production. A worker must now be self-regulated, competitive, flexible, with an ability...

Proliferation and survival molecules implicated in the inhibition of BRAF pathway in thyroid cancer cells harbouring different genetic mutations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Preto, Ana; Soares, Paula; Sobrinho-Simões, Manuel; Gonçalves, Joana; Rebocho, Ana P; Figueiredo, Joana; Meireles, Ana M; Rocha, Ana S; Vasconcelos, Helena M; Seca, Hugo; Seruca, Raquel

2009-01-01

Thyroid carcinomas show a high prevalence of mutations in the oncogene BRAF which are inversely associated with RAS or RET/PTC oncogenic activation. The possibility of using inhibitors on the BRAF pathway as became an interesting therapeutic approach. In thyroid cancer cells the target molecules, implicated on the cellular effects, mediated by inhibition of BRAF are not well established. In order to fill this lack of knowledge we studied the proliferation and survival pathways and associated molecules induced by BRAF inhibition in thyroid carcinoma cell lines harbouring distinct genetic backgrounds. Suppression of BRAF pathway in thyroid cancer cell lines (8505C, TPC1 and C643) was achieved using RNA interference (RNAi) for BRAF and the kinase inhibitor, sorafenib. Proliferation analysis was performed by BrdU incorporation and apoptosis was accessed by TUNEL assay. Levels of protein expression were analysed by western-blot. Both BRAF RNAi and sorafenib inhibited proliferation in all the cell lines independently of the genetic background, mostly in cells with BRAF V600E mutation. In BRAF V600E mutated cells inhibition of BRAF pathway lead to a decrease in ERK1/2 phosphorylation and cyclin D1 levels and an increase in p27 Kip1 . Specific inhibition of BRAF by RNAi in cells with BRAF V600E mutation had no effect on apoptosis. In the case of sorafenib treatment, cells harbouring BRAF V600E mutation showed increase levels of apoptosis due to a balance of the anti-apoptotic proteins Mcl-1 and Bcl-2. Our results in thyroid cancer cells, namely those harbouring BRAF V600E mutation showed that BRAF signalling pathway provides important proliferation signals. We have shown that in thyroid cancer cells sorafenib induces apoptosis by affecting Mcl-1 and Bcl-2 in BRAF V600E mutated cells which was independent of BRAF. These results suggest that sorafenib may prove useful in the treatment of thyroid carcinomas, particularly those refractory to conventional treatment and

Sporadic diffuse segmental interstitial cell of Cajal hyperplasia harbouring two gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST mimicking hereditary GIST syndromes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mafalda Costa Neves

2015-01-01

Conclusion: We describe a diffuse form of sporadic ICC hyperplasia harbouring multifocal GISTs, mimicking diffuse ICC hyperplasia in hereditary GIST syndromes. Detection of somatic c-KIT exon 11 mutation ruled out a hereditary disorder.

In search of virus carriers of the 1988 and 2002 phocine distemper virus outbreaks in European harbour seals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kreutzer, M.; Kreutzer, R.; Siebert, U.; Muller, G.; Reijnders, P.J.H.; Brasseur, S.M.J.M.; Harkonen, T.; Dietz, R.; Sonne, C.; Born, E.W.; Baumgartner, W.

2008-01-01

European harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) populations decreased substantially during the phocine distemper virus (PDV) outbreaks of 1988 and 2002. Different hypotheses have stated that various seals and terrestrial carnivore species might be the source of infection. To further analyse these hypotheses,

Vaccination of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) against phocid distemper with two different inactivated canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccines.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

I.K.G. Visser (Ilona); M.W.G. van de Bildt (Marco); H.N. Brugge; P.J.H. Reijnders; E.J. Vedder (Lies); J. Kuiper; P. de Vries (Petra); J. Groen (Jan); H.C. Walvoort; F.G.C.M. Uytdehaag (Fons); A.D.M.E. Osterhaus (Albert)

1989-01-01

textabstractTwo inactivated canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccines--an adjuvanted whole inactivated virus and a subunit ISCOM preparation--were tested for their ability to induce protective immunity in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) against phocid distemper, a disease that recently killed greater

Environmental quality assessment of Grand Harbour (Valletta, Maltese Islands): a case study of a busy harbour in the Central Mediterranean Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Romeo, Teresa; D'Alessandro, Michela; Esposito, Valentina; Scotti, Gianfranco; Berto, Daniela; Formalewicz, Malgorzata; Noventa, Seta; Giuliani, Silvia; Macchia, Simona; Sartori, Davide; Mazzola, Angelo; Andaloro, Franco; Giacobbe, Salvatore; Deidun, Alan; Renzi, Monia

2015-12-01

Contamination levels by plastic debris, trace elements and persistent organic pollutants were assessed and related to macrobenthic diversity within soft bottoms of Grand Harbour (Malta, Central Mediterranean). Sediment toxicity was evaluated by ecotoxicological method, deploying Bacteria (Vibrio fischeri), Echinodermata (Paracentrotus lividus) and Crustacea (Corophium orientale). Univariate analysis (Pearson's test) was used to test relationships between biodiversity indices, pollutants and grain size. A multivariate approach (PERMANOVA) was applied to investigate for any significant differences among sampling stations concerning plastic abundances and to test the relationship between infaunal abundances and pollutant concentrations (the BIOENV test). Significant differences in the plastic abundances were found between sampling stations. The lowest value for Shannon-Wiener biodiversity index was associated to the highest sediment pollution level. Multivariate analyses suggest that MBT and TBT were factors that most influenced macrozoobenthic abundance and biodiversity. The bivalve Corbula gibba and the introduced polychaete Monticellina dorsobranchialis were the most abundant found species.

Identification of high-risk areas for harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena bycatch using remote electronic monitoring and satellite telemetry data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kindt-Larsen, Lotte; Berg, Casper Willestofte; Tougaard, J.

2016-01-01

grounds, quantify fishing effort and document harbour porpoise bycatch. Movement data from 66 harbour porpoises equipped with satellite transmitters from 1997 to 2012 were used to model population density. A simple model was constructed to investigate the relationship between the response (number...... telemetry or REM data allow for identification of areas of potential high and low bycatch risk, and better predictions are obtained when combining the 2 sources of data. The final model can thus be used as a tool to identify areas of bycatch risk...... and lower risk of porpoise bycatch. From May 2010 to April 2011, 4 commercial gillnet vessels were equipped with remote electronic monitoring (REM) systems. The REM system recorded time, GPS position and closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of all gillnet hauls. REM data were used to identify fishing...

Respiratory transmission of an avian H3N8 influenza virus isolated from a harbour seal

Science.gov (United States)

Karlsson, Erik A.; Ip, Hon S.; Hall, Jeffrey S.; Yoon, Sun W.; Johnson, Jordan; Beck, Melinda A.; Webby, Richard J.; Schultz-Cherry, Stacey

2014-01-01

The ongoing human H7N9 influenza infections highlight the threat of emerging avian influenza viruses. In 2011, an avian H3N8 influenza virus isolated from moribund New England harbour seals was shown to have naturally acquired mutations known to increase the transmissibility of highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza viruses. To elucidate the potential human health threat, here we evaluate a panel of avian H3N8 viruses and find that the harbour seal virus displays increased affinity for mammalian receptors, transmits via respiratory droplets in ferrets and replicates in human lung cells. Analysis of a panel of human sera for H3N8 neutralizing antibodies suggests that there is no population-wide immunity to these viruses. The prevalence of H3N8 viruses in birds and multiple mammalian species including recent isolations from pigs and evidence that it was a past human pandemic virus make the need for surveillance and risk analysis of these viruses of public health importance.

"All Methods--and Wedded to None": The Deaf Education Methods Debate and Progressive Educational Reform in Toronto, Canada, 1922-1945

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Jason A.

2014-01-01

This article is about the deaf education methods debate in the public schools of Toronto, Canada. The author demonstrates how pure oralism (lip-reading and speech instruction to the complete exclusion of sign language) and day school classes for deaf schoolchildren were introduced as a progressive school reform in 1922. Plans for further oralist…

Generation X Leaders from London, New York and Toronto: Conceptions of Social Identity and the Influence of City-Based Context

Science.gov (United States)

Edge, Karen; Descours, Katherine; Oxley, Laura

2017-01-01

Inspired by scholarly calls to focus more intently on the influence of context on leaders' construction and negotiation of identity, this paper draws on evidence from our Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) project in London, New York City and Toronto. Throughout the paper, we strive to illuminate how the city-based context influences how…

Spatio-temporal variation of organotin compounds in seawater and sediments from Cape Town harbour, South Africa using gas chromatography with flame photometric detector (GC-FPD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hussein K. Okoro

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The spatio-temporal variation of two organotin compounds (OTCs of tributyltin and triphenyltin in the seawater and sediment of Cape Town harbour was investigated. The organotin compounds were determined by GC-FPD following prior extraction with 0.02% tropolone. The concentration of OTCs varies for locations in Cape Town harbour. The concentration of OTCs in seawater ranges from 0.067 ± 0.01 to 111.290 ± 32.20 × 10−3 μg/l for TBT while that of TPT ranges between between ND ± SD and 23008.0 ± 0.03 × 10−3 μg/l respectively between locations. Relatively higher concentrations were measured for TBT and TPT during summer than in winter and spring seasons (p ⩽ 0.05. Apparently, the observed high or low values recorded for TBT in Cape Town harbour could be the result of an increase or decrease in the traffic of ships and boats. TBT was detected in all the sediment samples analysed except for location 9 (entrance to harbour, the two control sites (which are located far away from the inner harbour where boating activities are taking place, and location 12 (Robinson dry dock 2 where the samples were not at all found. For the control sites, antifouling compounds TBT and TPT were not detected throughout except for TBT that was found in control A during summer. The seasonal variation of OTC abundance in sediment was also investigated. The results indicated that TBT is present throughout the seasons but is predominantly present in this order summer > winter > spring.

Public concern for air quality: explaining change in Toronto, Canada, 1967-1978

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dworkin, J M [Univ of Arizona, Tucson; Pijawka, K D

1982-01-01

The paper presents the results of an empirical study of the change in perception of air quality in Toronto, Canada from 1968-1978. The data show a shift in public concern with and awareness of air quality. Despite the fact that the 1978 population regarded air quality as degraded, air pollution declined as a public concern, requiring a less serious response by government than other societal problems. The results of the study were reviewed in the context of existing perception studies. In explaining change, the study found: (1) perception of ambient air quality was not related to air pollution levels; (2) air pollution declines as a public concern as other socioeconomic problems surface; and (3) the mass media has an important role in affecting public attitudes and behavior over environmental quality issues.

Building Castles Together: A sustainable collaboration as a perpetual work-in-progress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michelle Vazquez Jacobus

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The Building Castles Together project is a multidisciplinary collaboration between the University of Southern Maine at Lewiston-Auburn College and Sandcastle Clinical and Educational Services that aims to build solidarity and resilience in vulnerable young children, their families and their community. This article explores how the partnership exemplifies five key areas impacting the sustainability of community-university collaborations. 1 Mutuality and reciprocity are foundational elements in establishing trust and ensuring project relevance to both organisations. 2 Interdisciplinarity and diversity are constructs related to the core mission of both the University and Sandcastle. The multiple perspectives offer a range of holistic strategies for addressing complex social problems, but also create the potential for misunderstandings between disciplines and organisations. 3 Community integration at multiple levels is critical to the partnership’s sustainability as well as to achievement of its ideals. 4 Dynamic interaction is an evolutionary process, both internal and external to both organisations, that impacts their relative contributions and necessitates flexibility in planning and outcomes. 5 Asset enhancement describes the potential to increase capacity, but also the concern for overextension and resource exhaustion. We conclude that sustainability in university-community partnerships is not a goal in itself, but an ongoing process, and an attribute of a partnership based on common principles, continuous input and constant change. Keywords Community-university partnership, sustainability, diversity, vulnerable youth

Personal exposure to benzene and 1,3-butadiene during petroleum refinery turnarounds and work in the oil harbour.

Science.gov (United States)

Akerstrom, M; Almerud, P; Andersson, E M; Strandberg, B; Sallsten, G

2016-11-01

Petroleum refinery workers' exposure to the carcinogens benzene and 1,3-butadiene has decreased during normal operations. However, certain occupational groups or events at the refineries still involve a risk of higher exposures. The aim of this study was to examine the personal exposure to benzene and 1,3-butadiene at refinery turnarounds and during work in the oil harbour. Personal exposure measurements of benzene and 1,3-butadiene were taken during work shifts, with a priori assumed higher benzene exposure, using PerkinElmer diffusive samplers filled with Carbopack X. Mean exposure levels were calculated, and repeated exposure measurements, when available, were assessed using mixed effect models. Group and individual compliance with the Swedish occupational exposure limit (OEL) was tested for the different exposure groups. Mean benzene exposure levels for refinery workers during the three measured turnarounds were 150, 610 and 960 µg/m 3 , and mean exposures for oil harbour workers and sewage tanker drivers were 310 and 360 µg/m 3 , respectively. Higher exposures were associated with handling benzene-rich products. Most occupational groups did not comply with the Swedish OEL for benzene nor did the individuals within the groups. The exposure to 1,3-butadiene was very low, between Work within the petroleum refinery industry, with potential exposure to open product streams containing higher fractions of benzene, pose a risk of personal benzene exposures exceeding the OEL. Refinery workers performing these work tasks frequently, such as contractors, sewage tanker drivers and oil harbour workers, need to be identified and protected.

Microalgae on dimension stone of a medieval castle in Thuringia

Science.gov (United States)

Hallmann, C.; Stannek, L.; Fritzlar, D.; Hoppert, M.

2012-04-01

Phototrophic microorganisms are important primary producers on hard rock substrata as well as on building facades. These eukaryotic microalgae and cyanobacteria, along with lichens, have also been recognized as important factors for rock weathering and stone decay. The rock substratum itself mostly provides extreme environmental conditions. Composition and diversity of sub-aeric phototrophic microbial communities is up to now poorly understood. Here we present a comparative study addressing the composition of algal biofilms on sandstone substrata based on the analysis of rDNA clone libraries from environmental samples and enrichment cultures. From a W-exposed, shaded wall area of a medieval castle ruin (Burg Gleichen, Thuringia, Germany cf. Hallmann et al., 2011), green algae like Prasiococcus, Prasiola and Elliptochloris could be retrieved. A ESE, sun-exposed wall section was colonized mainly by Apatococcus, Phyllosiphon and the lichen alga Trebouxia and Myrmecia. Accordingly, cyanobacterial communities show clear differences between both wall areas: the sun exposed area was dominated by Synechococcus-like organisms while on the W-exposed area cyanobacteria were almost absent. Just a few species, in particular Stichococcus-related strains, are ubiquitous in both areas. It is obvious that, apart from few generalists, different species colonize the wall areas that are situated in close vicinity, but provide different microclimatic conditions. These differences are discussed in view of biogenic weathering phenomena: certain microalgal species colonize crusts and scales along fracture planes and may contribute to rapid detachment and turnover of dimension stone surfaces. Hallmann, C., Fritzlar, D., Stannek, L., Hoppert, M. (2011) Ascomycete fungi on dimension stone of the "Burg Gleichen", Thuringia. Env. Earth Sci. 63, 1713-1722.

Fostering Ecological Literacy: A Case Study of the Saint John Harbour in Two High School English Language Arts Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas, Velta

Integrating environmental education into curriculum in a way that tackles the holistic and complicated nature of multi-dimensional issues continues to be a challenge for educators and administrators. There is potential in using ecological literacy to introduce local environmental case studies into English Language Arts high school classrooms. This research examines the experiences of two ELA classrooms in one Saint John, NB, high school with a two-week unit based on stakeholder relationships within the Saint John Harbour. Through presentations by guest speakers and research sourced from local community groups, students learned about the highly complex environmental issues that inform management decisions for the Harbour. Using these materials as background, students participated in a mock stakeholders meeting. Case study methodology was used to explore student learning in both a higher-level and a lower-level grade 10 ELA class. Data for the analysis included: cognitive mapping exercises; oral and written classroom assignments and activities; a videotape of the mock stakeholder meetings; a focus group interview with selected students; and researcher field notes. Data demonstrated significant student learning about environmental issues including increased sophistication in describing links between and among environmental issues affecting the harbour, and much more complex understandings of the positions and roles of the various stakeholder groups. Some important areas of resistance to new learning were also evident. Implications for practice and policy and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Comparison of 2-compartment, 3-compartment and stack designs for electrodialytic removal of heavy metals from harbour sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Kristine B.; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.; Jensen, Pernille Erland

2015-01-01

Comparisons of cell and stack designs for the electrodialytic removal of heavy metals from two harbour sediments, were made. Multivariate modelling showed that sediment properties and experimental set-ups had the highest influence on the heavy metal removal indicating that they should be modelled...

Towards an adaptation action plan : climate change and health in the Toronto-Niagara region : summary for policy makers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiotti, Q.; Morton, I.; Maarouf, A.

2002-10-01

The current science regarding climate change and its potential health effects was assessed in an effort to provide information to decision-makers dealing with health infrastructure in the Toronto-Niagara region. This report also presents an assessment of how the health care system can adapt to handle the increased demand for services resulting from the projected negative human health effects of climate change. The first part of the report presents some background information on climate change and health issues and demonstrates how the current health care infrastructure cannot deal effectively with the full range of health effects that may occur in heavily populated areas such as the Toronto-Niagara region. The second part of the report summarizes the scientific knowledge about the expected impacts of climate change and associated health effects, such as heat stress, extreme weather events, poor air quality, vector-borne diseases, food and water-borne diseases, and increased exposure to ultra-violet radiation. It was noted that children and the elderly are most vulnerable. The final part of the report outlines an adaptation action plan to improve the health care infrastructure through public education and communication, surveillance and monitoring, ecosystem intervention, infrastructure development, technical engineering, and medical intervention. 100 refs., 1 fig

The role of air pollution in the relationship between a heat stress index and human mortality in Toronto

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rainham, D.G.C.; Smoyer-Tomic, Karen E.

2003-01-01

In this study we considered confounding from air pollutants and chronological variables in the relation between humidex, a summer temperature and humidity index, and nonaccidental mortality, from 1980-1996 in Toronto, Canada. Changes in the risk of death by age group, gender, and combined cardiac-respiratory cause of death were estimated for both 1 deg. C and 50-95th percentile increases in humidex using a generalized additive linear model. With air pollution terms in the models, relative risk (RR) point estimates narrowly exceeded 1.0 for all groups. Humidex effects were most apparent for females (RR=1.006, 95% CI=1.004-1.008 per 1 deg. C humidex and RR=1.089, 95% CI=1.058-1.121 for 50th to 95th percentile humidex). When air pollution was omitted from the model, RR in the 50-95th percentile analysis increased less than 1.71% for all groups except females, for which RR decreased 1.42%. Differences in RR per 1 deg. C humidex were all less than 0.12%. Confidence intervals narrowed slightly for all groups investigated. Heat stress has a statistically significant, yet minimal impact on Toronto populations, and air pollution does appear to have a small, but consistent confounding effect on humidex effect estimates

High-yielding Wheat Varieties Harbour Superior Plant Growth Promoting-Bacterial Endophytes

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Mehwish Yousaf

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the endophytic microbial flora of different wheat varieties to check whether a better yielding variety also harbours superior plant growth promoting bacteria. Such bacteria are helpful in food biotechnology as their application can enhance the yield of the crop.Material and Methods: Three wheat varieties (Seher, Faisalabad and Lasani were selected, Seher being the most superior variety. endophytic bacteria were isolated from the histosphere of the leaves and roots at different growth phases of the plants. The isolates were analyzed for plant growth promoting activities. Isolates giving best results were identified through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Excel 2013. All the experiments were conducted in triplicates.Results and Conclusion: The endophytes of Seher variety showed maximum plant growth promoting abilities. Among the shoot endophytes, the highest auxin production was shown by Seher isolate SHHP1-3 up to 51.9μg ml-1, whereas in the case of root endophytes, the highest auxin was produced by SHHR1-5 up to 36 μg ml-1. The bacteria showing significant plant growth promoting abilities were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. Bacillus, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria species were the dominant bacteria showing all the traits of plant growth promotion. It can be concluded that Seher variety harbours superior plant growth promoting endophytes that must be one of the reasons for its better growth and yield as compared to the other two varieties. The investigated results support possible utilization of the selected isolates in wheat growth promotion with respect to increase in agro-productivity. The application of such bacteria could be useful to enhance wheat yield and can help in food biotechnology.Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Developing a Social, Cultural and Economic Report Card for a Regional Industrial Harbour.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sean Pascoe

Full Text Available Report cards are increasingly used to provide ongoing snap-shots of progress towards specific ecosystem health goals, particularly in coastal regions where planners need to balance competing demands for coastal resources from a range of industries. While most previous report cards focus on the biophysical components of the system, there is a growing interest in including the social and economic implications of ecosystem management to provide a greater social-ecological system understanding. Such a report card was requested on the Gladstone Harbour area in central Queensland, Australia. Gladstone Harbour adjoins the southern Great Barrier Reef, and is also a major industrial and shipping port. Balancing social, economic and environmental interests is therefore of great concern to the regional managers. While environmental benchmarking procedures are well established within Australia (and elsewhere, a method for assessing social and economic performance of coastal management is generally lacking. The key aim of this study was to develop and pilot a system for the development of a report card relating to appropriate cultural, social and economic objectives. The approach developed uses a range of multicriteria decision analysis methods to assess and combine different qualitative and quantitative measures, including the use of Bayesian Belief Networks to combine the different measures and provide an overall quantitative score for each of the key management objectives. The approach developed is readily transferable for purposes of similar assessments in other regions.

Co-creating a psychiatric resident program with Ethiopians, for Ethiopians, in Ethiopia: the Toronto Addis Ababa Psychiatry Project (TAAPP).

Science.gov (United States)

Alem, Atalay; Pain, Clare; Araya, Mesfin; Hodges, Brian D

2010-01-01

Globalization in medical education often means a "brain drain" of desperately needed health professionals from low- to high-income countries. Despite the best intentions, partnerships that simply transport students to Western medical schools for training have shockingly low return rates. Ethiopia, for example, has sent hundreds of physicians abroad for specialty training over the past 30 years, the vast majority of whom have not returned. This represents a highly problematic net transfer of financial and human resources from the Ethiopian people to Western countries that have failed to develop their own adequate health human resource plans. With this background in mind, in 2003 Addis Ababa University invited the University of Toronto to collaborate on the first Ethiopian psychiatric residency program to be run entirely in Ethiopia. Called the Toronto Addis Ababa Psychiatry Project (TAAPP), it was established on the principle of supplementing the ability of the small Addis Ababa University Department of Psychiatry to teach, provide clinical supervision, and to help develop educational capacity. Over the last 6 years the model has involved a large number of University of Toronto faculty and residents who have spent blocks of 1 month each in Addis Ababa. This article describes the first three phases of TAAPP (I) Development of a model residency program; (II) Enhancing clinical, educational and leadership capacity; and (III) Sustainability, faculty development, and continuing education. Between 2003 and 2009, the number of psychiatrists in Ethiopia increased from 11 to 34; the Addis Ababa University Department of Psychiatry faculty increased members from three to nine. There are new departments of psychiatry established in four other university hospitals in Ethiopia outside the capital city. Mental health services are now being integrated within the national system of primary care. An important issue that underscores such a partnership is the risk of simply exporting

Bilingual Education Project: Evaluation of the 1973-74 French Immersion Program in Grades K-2 at Allenby Public School, Toronto.

Science.gov (United States)

Barik, Henri C.; And Others

The school performance of pupils in grades K-2 of the French immersion program in operation at Allenby Public School in Toronto is evaluated in comparison with that of pupils in the regular English program. The results indicate that by the end of kindergarten pupils in both programs are equally ready for beginning school work in grade 1. By the…

Sources of ambient concentrations and chemical composition of PM 2.5-0.1 in Cork Harbour, Ireland

Science.gov (United States)

Hellebust, S.; Allanic, A.; O'Connor, I. P.; Jourdan, C.; Healy, D.; Sodeau, J. R.

2010-02-01

Particulate matter (PM 10-2.5 and PM 2.5-0.1) has been collected over a period of one year in Cork Harbour, Ireland, using a high-volume cascade impactor and polyurethane foam collection substrate. Collected PM 2.5-0.1 was analysed for water-soluble inorganic ions and metal content using ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. On average approximately 50% by mass of the chemical content of PM was identified. The motivation for the study was to assess the potential impact of shipping emissions on air quality in Cork Harbour and City, with a view to informing public health impacts. The average ambient concentration of PM 10 between May 2007 and April 2008 was 4.6 µgm - 3 and the maximum concentration measured in one sample, representing a 4 day collection period, was 16 µgm - 3 . The major inorganic constituents identified in PM collected in Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour were sulfate, ammonium, nitrate, chloride and sodium ions, which were mainly attributable to sea salt and secondary inorganic aerosols from regional sources. The results were analysed by principal component analysis for the purpose of source apportionment. Four factors were identified explaining over 80% of the data set variance. The factors were: shipping, sea salt, crustal material and secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA). The smaller size fraction was frequently observed to dominate, as the average concentration was 2.77 µgm - 3 for PM 2.5-0.1 compared to 1.9 µgm - 3 for PM 10-2.5. Fresh ship plumes were not found to make a significant contribution to primary PM 2.5-0.1 concentrations adjacent to the shipping channel. However, this was partially attributed to the ultrafine nature of ship emissions and the majority of the toxic metal content was attributed to emissions associated with heavy oil combustion sources, which include ship engines.

Numerical simulation of possible resonance phenomena in the future eastern external dock of the harbour of Malaga

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia Manes, M.; Martin Soldevilla, M. J.

2009-01-01

Resonant frequencies of the new recreational external eastern dock of the harbour of Malaga (Spain), have been analyzed with a Biuniqueness numerical model. The computational area includes an important part of the Malagueta beach, placed in front of the mouth of the future dock, and considered as a possible generation source of infra gravity energy. In order to determined all possible oscillations modes of the sheltered area, a previous simulation with a colour spectrum with equal energy into 25s - 1 to 350s - 1 frequency range, was carried out. the analysis of the response spectra gotten in the control points showed an important application at 70s - 1. the simulation with monochromatic wave of 70s period pointed out a second transversal oscillation mode among the Malagueta beach and the inner quay of the new dock. Additional numerical running using measured data coming from Malaga Spanish buoy network, placed near of the harbour, leads similar amplifications in the range of 70s 1 -80s - 1 close to that obtained theoretically. (Author) 3 refs

Source apportionment of PAH in Hamilton Harbour suspended sediments: comparison of two factor analysis methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Sofowote, Uwayemi M; McCarry, Brian E; Marvin, Christopher H

2008-08-15

A total of 26 suspended sediment samples collected over a 5-year period in Hamilton Harbour, Ontario, Canada and surrounding creeks were analyzed for a suite of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and sulfur heterocycles. Hamilton Harbour sediments contain relatively high levels of polycyclic aromatic compounds and heavy metals due to emissions from industrial and mobile sources. Two receptor modeling methods using factor analyses were compared to determine the profiles and relative contributions of pollution sources to the harbor; these methods are principal component analyses (PCA) with multiple linear regression analysis (MLR) and positive matrix factorization (PMF). Both methods identified four factors and gave excellent correlation coefficients between predicted and measured levels of 25 aromatic compounds; both methods predicted similar contributions from coal tar/coal combustion sources to the harbor (19 and 26%, respectively). One PCA factor was identified as contributions from vehicular emissions (61%); PMF was able to differentiate vehicular emissions into two factors, one attributed to gasoline emissions sources (28%) and the other to diesel emissions sources (24%). Overall, PMF afforded better source identification than PCA with MLR. This work constitutes one of the few examples of the application of PMF to the source apportionment of sediments; the addition of sulfur heterocycles to the analyte list greatly aided in the source identification process.

Recent changes in estuarine benthic and suprabenthic communities resulting from the development of harbour infrastructure.

Science.gov (United States)

Dauvin, J C; Desroy, N; Janson, A L; Vallet, C; Duhamel, S

2006-01-01

Using a Before/During/After sampling protocol, the effects of the Le Havre harbour extension, which was started at the end of 2001, on the macrobenthic and suprabenthic communities in the eastern Bay of Seine (English Channel) were examined. As the construction phase has not yet been completed, the results presented here reflect only the data collected before and during the operations (September 2000 and 2002 for benthos sampling and March 2001, September 2001, October 2002 and March 2003 for suprabenthos sampling). Although bio-sedimentary changes did occur at the mouth of the Seine river, an analysis of benthic assemblages reveals that the dredging and construction operations do not seem to have influenced assemblage structure or the spatial distribution of organisms. Comparisons of the suprabenthic assemblages at each sampling date indicate that seasonal dynamics was mainly responsible for determining species distribution. We conclude that, 1 year into the harbour management plan, the observed changes in benthic and suprabenthic assemblage abundance do not exceed the range of spatial variability that exists naturally in the Seine estuary. Despite this compensatory actions designed to protect the aquatic habitats and to preserve a sustainable and healthy ecosystem have been added to the infrastructure development plan.

Variations of the entrepreneurial city: Goals, roles visions in Rotterdam’s Kop van Zuid and the Glasgow Harbour megaprojects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Doucet, B.M.

2013-01-01

Both Rotterdam’s Kop van Zuid and the Glasgow Harbour waterfront developments are examples of different forms of European urban entrepreneurial megaprojects. They are both situated on formerly vacant land in older industrial cities. In Rotterdam, the municipality has taken the initiative in

Structure and amount of genetic variation at minisatellite loci within the subspecies complex of Phoca vitulina (the harbour seal)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kappe, A.L.; Bijlsma, R.; Osterhaus, ADME; van Delden, W.; van de Zande, L.

The structure and amount of genetic variation within and between three subspecies of the harbour seal Phoca vitulina was assessed by multilocus DNA fingerprinting. Bandsharing similarity indicates that the subspecies Phoca vitulina richarhsi (Alaska, East Pacific) is clearly separated from the other

A cohort study of intra-urban variations in volatile organic compounds and mortality, Toronto, Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villeneuve, Paul J.; Jerrett, Michael; Su, Jason; Burnett, Richard T.; Chen, Hong; Brook, Jeffrey; Wheeler, Amanda J.; Cakmak, Sabit; Goldberg, Mark S.

2013-01-01

This study investigated associations between long-term exposure to ambient volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and mortality. 58,760 Toronto residents (≥35 years of age) were selected from tax filings and followed from 1982 to 2004. Death information was extracted using record linkage to national mortality data. Land-use regression surfaces for benzene, n-hexane, and total hydrocarbons were generated from sampling campaigns in 2002 and 2004 and assigned to residential addresses in 1982. Cox regression was used to estimate relationships between each VOC and non-accidental, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. Positive associations were observed for each VOC. In multi-pollutant models the benzene and total hydrocarbon signals were strongest for cancer. The hazard ratio for cancer that corresponded to an increase in the interquartile range of benzene (0.13 μg/m 3 ) was 1.06 (95% CI = 1.02–1.11). Our findings suggest ambient concentrations of VOCs were associated with cancer mortality, and that these exposures did not confound our previously reported associations between NO 2 and cardiovascular mortality. -- Highlights: ► We studied associations between long-term exposure to volatile organic compounds and mortality. ► The study was a population-based cohort of Toronto adults followed for up to 22 years. ► We used land-use regression estimates of benzene, total hydrocarbons and n-hexane. ► Benzene and total hydrocarbons were positively associated with cancer mortality. ► VOCs did not confound associations between NO 2 and cardiovascular mortality. -- Long-term exposure to ambient benzene was associated with non-accidental and cancer causes of death, and did not attenuate associations between NO 2 and cardiovascular mortality

Castle-palace of “La Calahorra”, Granada: influence of climatic and architectural factors in differential deterioration of their stone masonries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guardia, J. J.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The castle-palace of La Calahorra is a historical building (6th century with a dual-function. The exterior is a castle-fortress of late-medieval style, built with rubbles and rough ashlars of a crystalline limestone of great hardness and strength. The interior is a Renaissance palace, made of micritic limestone and dolomitic sandstone ashlars, both stone materials are porous, soft and low strength. The entire building has an orangey colored due to an iron patina that stains its stone masonries as a result of wind action. There is a differential deterioration among its external and internal, depending on the type of stone used factories, the rainwater and wind action and the building defects detected. While the exterior stone is in good state of conservation, the interior stones shows some important deterioration processes , mainly the micritic limestone present in the ornamental and decorative areas of the central courtyard.El castillo-palacio de La Calahorra es un edificio histórico (s. XVI con una doble funcionalidad. El exterior es un castillo-fortaleza de estilo tardo-medieval, construido con mampuestos y sillarejos de una caliza cristalina de gran dureza y resistencia. El interior es un palacio renacentista, hecho con sillares de caliza micrítica y arenisca dolomítica, ambos materiales pétreos son porosos, blandos y poco resistentes. Todo el edificio tiene una tonalidad anaranjada debido a la pátina de hierro que tiñe sus fábricas y que es consecuencia de la acción del viento. Existe un deterioro diferencial entre sus fábricas externas e internas, según el tipo de piedra empleado, la acción del agua de lluvia y el viento, y los defectos constructivos detectados. Mientras que la piedra exterior está en buen estado de conservación, las interiores sufren importantes procesos de deterioro, principalmente la caliza micrítica presente en las zonas ornamentales y decorativas del patio central.

Particular intervention plan of Cherbourg's military harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

The Particular intervention plan (PPI in French) is an emergency plan which foresees the measures and means to be implemented to address the potential risks of the presence and operation of a nuclear facility. This plan is implemented and developed by the Prefect in case of nuclear accident (or incident leading to a potential accident), the impact of which extending beyond the facility perimeter. It represents a special section of the organisation plan for civil protection response (ORSEC plan). The PPI foresees the necessary measures and means for crisis management during the first hours following the accident and is triggered by the Department Prefect according to the information provided by the facility operator. Its aim is to protect the populations leaving within 10 km of the facility against a potential radiological hazard. The PPI describes: the facility, the intervention area, the protection measures for the population, the conditions of emergency plan triggering, the crisis organisation, the action forms of the different services, and the post-accident stage. This document is the public version of the Particular intervention plan of the military harbour of Cherbourg (Manche, France) which hosts several nuclear facilities devoted to the construction and dismantling of nuclear submarines (without weapons)

Listeria monocytogenes isolates from food and food environment harbouring tetM and ermB resistance genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Haubert, L; Mendonça, M; Lopes, G V; de Itapema Cardoso, M R; da Silva, W P

2016-01-01

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that has become an important cause of human and animal diseases worldwide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the serotypes, virulence potential, antimicrobial resistance profile, and genetic relationships of 50 L. monocytogenes isolates from food and food environment in southern Brazil. In this study, the majority of L. monocytogenes isolates belonged to the serotypes 1/2b (42%) and 4b (26%), which are the main serotypes associated with human listeriosis. In addition, all isolates harboured internalin genes (inlA, inlC, inlJ), indicating a virulence potential. The isolates were sensitive to most of the antimicrobial compounds analysed, and five isolates (10%) were multi-resistant. Two isolates harboured antimicrobial resistance genes (tetM and ermB) and in one of them, the gene was present in the plasmid. Moreover, according to the pulsed field gel electrophoresis assay, two multi-resistant isolates were a single clone isolated from food and the processing plant. The isolates were susceptible to the most frequently used antibiotics for listeriosis treatment. However, the presence of multidrug-resistant isolates and antimicrobial resistance genes including in the plasmid could even be transferred between bacterial species, suggesting a potential health risk to consumers and a potential risk of spreading multi-resistance genes to other bacteria. Listeria monocytogenes is an important agent of foodborne diseases. The results of this study suggest a potential capacity of L. monocytogenes isolates from food and food environment to cause human infections. Antimicrobial multi-resistance profiles were detected in 10%, and two isolates harboured tetM and ermB resistance genes. Moreover, the present research can help to build up a better knowledge about antimicrobial resistance of L. monocytogenes. Additionally, we found one isolate carrying tetM resistance gene in a plasmid, that suggests a possible transmission

A Census of Midsize to Large Supermarkets in Toronto: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Consumer Nutrition Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Camden, Andi; Levy, Jennifer; Bassil, Kate; Vanderlinden, Loren; Barnett, Olanna White; Minaker, Leia M; Mulligan, Kate; Campbell, Monica

2018-02-26

Assess the consumer nutrition environment in midsize to large supermarkets by supermarket type and area-level socioeconomic variables. Cross-sectional census of 257 supermarkets using the Toronto Nutrition Environment Measures Survey in Stores. Toronto, Canada. Availability; price and linear shelf space of fruits and vegetables vs energy-dense snack foods by supermarket type; after-tax, low-income measure; and neighborhood improvement area. Multivariate linear regression. There was a high availability of fruits (7.7 of 8) and vegetables (9.5 of 11). There was similar linear shelf space for fruits and vegetables vs energy-dense snack foods (ratio, 1.1 m). Adjusted fruit prices were lowest in quintiles 1 (β = -$1.30; P = .008), 2 (β = -$1.41; P = .005), and 3 (β = -$1.89; P discount stores (β = -$5.64; P discount (β = -$5.49; P discount (β = -$1.16; P < .001) and higher in other stores (β = + $0.67; P < .001) vs conventional. Findings do not indicate inequities in shelf space, availability, or price across diverse neighborhoods. Practitioners can use findings to help consumers navigate supermarkets to make healthy choices. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

What a jerk: prey engulfment revealed by high-rate, super-cranial accelerometry on a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ydesen, Kristina S; Wisniewska, Danuta Maria; Hansen, Janni D

2014-01-01

in particular shaped dives or when the animal remains in an area for an extended interval. However, fast movements of the head and jaws may provide reliable feeding cues that can be detected by small low-power accelerometers mounted on the head. To test this notion, a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) was trained...

Differences in the response of a striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) and a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) to an acoustic alarm

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kastelein, R.A.; Jennings, N.; Verboom, W.C.; Haan, D.de; Schooneman, N.M.

2006-01-01

Small cetacean bycatch in gillnet fisheries may be reduced by deterring odontocetes from nets acoustically. However, different odontocete species may respond differently to acoustic signals from alarms. Therefore, in this study a striped dolphin and a harbour porpoise were subjected simultaneously

Differences in the response of a striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) and a harbour popoise (Phocoena phocoena) to an acoustic alarm

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kastelein, R.A.; Jennings, N.; Verboom, W.C.; Haan, de D.; Schooneman, N.M.

2006-01-01

Small cetacean bycatch in gillnet fisheries may be reduced by deterring odontocetes from nets acoustically. However, different odontocete species may respond differently to acoustic signals from alarms. Therefore, in this study a striped dolphin and a harbour porpoise were subjected simultaneously

Possible causes of a harbour porpoise mass stranding in Danish waters in 2005

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wright, Andrew J.; Maar, Marie; Mohn, Christian

2013-01-01

An unprecedented 85 harbour porpoises stranded freshly dead along approximately 100 km of Danish coastline from 7-15 April, 2005. This total is considerably above the mean weekly stranding rate for the whole of Denmark, both for any time of year, 1.23 animals/week (ranging from 0 to 20 during 2003......-2008, excluding April 2005), and specifically in April, 0.65 animals/week (0 to 4, same period). Bycatch was established as the cause of death for most of the individuals through typical indications of fisheries interactions, including net markings in the skin and around the flippers, and loss of tail flukes...

Characterization of lepidopteran-specific cry1 and cry2 gene harbouring native Bacillus thuringiensis isolates toxic against Helicoverpa armigera

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Showkat Ahmad Lone

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt based biopesticides are feasible alternatives to chemical pesticides. Here, we present the distribution of lepidopteran-specific cry1 and cry2 genes in native B. thuringiensis. Forty four out of 86 colonies were found to harbour crystals by phase contrast microscopy exhibiting a Bt index of 0.51. PCR analysis resulted in the amplification of cry1 in 24 and cry2 in 14 isolates. Twelve of the isolates showed presence of both cry1 and cry2, while 18 isolates did not show presence of either of the genes. Toxicity screening using spore-crystal mixtures against 2nd instar larvae of Helicoverpa armigera revealed that the isolates (50% were either mildly toxic or not toxic (36.36%, and only 13.63% were toxic. The results are interesting, particularly so because the same isolates were previously reported to contain lepidopteran specific vip3A genes also, hence can complement the toxicity of the isolates harbouring vip3A genes.

First case of bacteraemia due to Acinetobacter schindleri harbouring blaNDM-1 in an immunocompromised patient

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S. Montaña

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Clinically significant NDM-1-producing Acinetobacter schindleri has not yet been described in the literature. We report the first case of bacteraemia due to an A. schindleri strain harbouring blaNDM-1 recovered from an immunocompromised patient. Our report reinforces the fact that NDM-1 can easily be acquired by Acinetobacter species. Keywords: Acinetobacter schindleri, bacteraemia, blaNDM-1, clinically significant isolate, immunocompromised patient

University of Toronto Instructors’ Experiences with Developing MOOCs

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Hedieh Najafi

2015-06-01

Full Text Available We interviewed eight University of Toronto (U of T instructors who have offered MOOCs on Coursera or EdX between 2012 and 2014 to understand their motivation for MOOC instruction, their experience developing and teaching MOOCs, and their perceptions of the implications of MOOC instruction on their teaching and research practices. Through inductive analysis, we gleaned common motivations for MOOC development, including expanding public access to high quality learning resources, showcasing U of T teaching practices, and attempting to engage MOOC learners in application of concepts learned, even in the face of constraints that may inhibit active learning in MOOC contexts. MOOC design and delivery was a team effort with ample emphasis on planning and clarity. Instructors valued U of T instructional support in promoting systematic MOOC design and facilitating technical issues related to MOOC platforms. The evolution of MOOC support at U of T grew from a focus on addressing technical issues, to instructional design of MOOCs driven, first, by desired learning outcomes. Findings include changes in teaching practices of the MOOC instructors as they revised pedagogical practices in their credit courses by increasing opportunities for active learning and using MOOC resources to subsequently flip their classrooms. This study addresses the paucity of research on faculty experiences with developing MOOCs, which can subsequently inform the design of new forms of MOOC-like initiatives to increase public access to high quality learning resources, including those available through U of T.

Harbour porpoises on Horns Reef - Effects of the Horns Reef wind farm. Annual status report 2003

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tougaard, J.; Carstensen, J.; Henriksen, Oluf. D.; Teilmann, J.; Rye Hansen, J.

2004-06-01

Occurrence and distribution of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in and around the off-shore wind farm on Horns Reef, Denmark, was investigated. This report describes data collected in 2003 as part of an ongoing monitoring program, covering a period before construction of the wind farm (baseline), the construction period in 2002 and one year following construction of the wind farm. Data from acoustic dataloggers (T-PODs) and visual surveys conducted from ships confirmed the presence of harbour porpoises inside the wind farm area during all periods investigated. Comparison with baseline data from 1999-2001 and with control areas outside the wind farm did not show a statistical significant change in sighting rates inside the wind farm area in the first year following construction relative to baseline. T-POD data showed a pronounced effect of the construction of the wind farm on the indicators 'encounter duration' (measure of how long porpoises remain close to the POD) and 'waiting time' (measure of time interval between porpoise encounters). Both parameters seem to indicate higher levels of porpoise activity during construction (encounter duration went up, waiting time went down) compared to baseline. A partial return to baseline levels was seen for these two indicators in 2003. (au)

Harbour porpoises on Horns Reef - Effects of the Horns Reef wind farm. Annual status report 2003

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tougaard, J.; Carstensen, J.; Henriksen, Oluf. D.; Teilmann, J. [National Environmental Research Inst., Roskilde (Denmark); Rye Hansen, J. [DDH Consulting A/S, Roskilde (Denmark)

2004-06-15

Occurrence and distribution of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in and around the off-shore wind farm on Horns Reef, Denmark, was investigated. This report describes data collected in 2003 as part of an ongoing monitoring program, covering a period before construction of the wind farm (baseline), the construction period in 2002 and one year following construction of the wind farm. Data from acoustic dataloggers (T-PODs) and visual surveys conducted from ships confirmed the presence of harbour porpoises inside the wind farm area during all periods investigated. Comparison with baseline data from 1999-2001 and with control areas outside the wind farm did not show a statistical significant change in sighting rates inside the wind farm area in the first year following construction relative to baseline. T-POD data showed a pronounced effect of the construction of the wind farm on the indicators 'encounter duration' (measure of how long porpoises remain close to the POD) and 'waiting time' (measure of time interval between porpoise encounters). Both parameters seem to indicate higher levels of porpoise activity during construction (encounter duration went up, waiting time went down) compared to baseline. A partial return to baseline levels was seen for these two indicators in 2003. (au)

Generation X School Leaders as Agents of Care: Leader and Teacher Perspectives from Toronto, New York City and London

OpenAIRE

Edge, K. E.; Descours, K.; Frayman, K.

2016-01-01

This paper draws on evidence from our three-year Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)-funded research study of the lives, careers, experiences and aspirations of Generation X (under 40 years of age) principals and vice-principals in London, New York City, and Toronto. More specifically, the paper examines interview evidence from nine school-based studies in which nine leaders and 54 teachers discuss their perspectives on leaders’ care of their staff members. The evidence demonstrates t...

Measurements of boat motion in waves at Durban harbour for qualitative validation of motion model

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mosikare, OR

2010-09-01

Full Text Available in Waves at Durban Harbour for Qualitative Validation of Motion Model O.R. Mosikare1,2, N.J. Theron1, W. Van der Molen 1 University of Pretoria, South Africa, 0001 2Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Meiring Naude Rd, Brummeria, 0001... stream_source_info Mosikare_2010.pdf.txt stream_content_type text/plain stream_size 3033 Content-Encoding UTF-8 stream_name Mosikare_2010.pdf.txt Content-Type text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Measurements of Boat Motion...

Passive acoustic monitoring of bottlenose dolphin and harbour porpoise, in Cardigan Bay, Wales, with implications for habitat use and partitioning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Simon, Malene Juul; Nuuttila, Hanna; Reyes-Zamudio, Mercedes M

2010-01-01

Knowledge about harbour porpoise and bottlenose dolphin occurrence in Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Wales, is limited to daylight hours during summer, when conditions are suitable for traditional visual surveys. T-PODs are autonomous instruments programmed to log time-cues of s...

Biological and chemical characterization of harbour sediments from the Stockholm area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eklund, Britta; Elfstroem, Maria; Bengtsson, Bengt-Erik; Breitholtz, Magnus [Dept. of Applied Environmental Science (ITM), Stockholm Univ. (Sweden); Gallego, Irene [Granada Univ. (Spain)

2010-01-15

Purpose: The main objective of the current study was to assess the impact of pleasure boat activities on harbour sediment quality in the Stockholm area. Sediment contamination is a growing ecological issue, and there is consequently a need to use sediment bioassays in combination with chemical analysis to determine the impact on the ecosystem. To generate sediment toxicity data relevant for the Baltic Sea, a secondary objective was to further develop and evaluate two well-established bioassays for saltwater, with the macroalga Ceramium tenuicorne and the crustacean Nitocra spinipes, to be useful also for toxicity testing of whole sediment. A major concern has been to minimize any manipulation of the sediments. A third objective was to assess whether a simple leaching procedure could be used to simulate sediment toxicity by comparing results from whole sediment and leachate tests. Materials and methods: Surface sediments (0-2 cm) from five different types of pleasure boat harbours were collected. Chemical measurements of boat related compounds, i.e. tin organic substances (tributyltin (TBT), dibutyl tin, and monobutyl tin), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), copper, zinc, lead, tin and irgarol were conducted. The sediments were tested for toxic effects using the established Microtox {sup registered} test as well as the developed sediment tests with C. tenuicorne and N. spinipes. The endpoints are growth inhibition for the algal test and for the crustacean test mortality of larvae and rate of development expressed as the ratio between nauplia and copepodites. Two different procedures have been compared with both organisms, i.e. exposure to whole sediment and to leachate. The duration of both tests is around 1 week. Results and discussion: All harbour locations were more or less heavily contaminated with remnants from use of antifouling paints. The sediment in a smaller marina (ca. 250 boats) contained the highest levels of TBT (max 1,400 {mu}g/kg dry weight (dw

Toronto Civic Workers Bargaining Without a Base: The Significance of 2012

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Carlo Fanelli

2014-05-01

Full Text Available This article explores how the politics and economics of austerity has influenced collective bargaining between the CUPE Locals 79/416 and the city of Toronto. I explore the relationship between neoliberalism and workplace precarity, drawing attention to the importance of the municipal public sector to trade unionism and the political potential of urbanized Left-labour radicalism. Following this, I provide an overview of the repeated attempts by City Council to extract concessions from unionized workers with a focus on the concession-filled 2012 round of bargaining and its relationship to earlier rounds. In what follows I discuss the implications of austerity bargaining for Locals 79 and 416 members, drawing attention to the repercussions this may have for other public sector workers. To conclude, I propose an alternative political strategy for municipal public sector unions, stressing the importance of a radicalized labour approach. It is my contention that this requires the development of both alternative policies and an alternative politics rooted in demands for workplace democracy and social justice.

MULTIFUNCTIONAL LAND USE IN THE RENEWAL OF HARBOUR AREAS: PATTERNS OF PHYSICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE URBAN FUNCTIONS

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Antoni Remesar

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Being one of the most representative spatial processes of the last 30 years, which frequently occur in strategic parts of the cities and justify special financing investments, the operations of renewal of harbour areas can be seen as a laboratory of contemporary urban design. In the context of the activity developed by the IFHP Working Party on Multifunctional and Intensive Land Use, these operations are also an high potential field of research, justifying its closer analysis, as it has been done in the last two years with the technical visits to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Oslo, and now to Barcelona. Focusing on the multifunctional use of spaces, this paper analyses several operations of renewal of harbour areas, trying to identify the urban design solutions adopted in those operations regarding the physical distribution of the proposed urban functions. The case-study comparative analysis is the applied method, based on which are identified: (1 the different urban functions present on these operations, and; (2 the concept under which these different functions are disposed in the area and combined between themselves. The hypothesis is that it can be established a general classification on the forms how different functions are combined in these operations. The paper previously distinguishes two types of functions, regarding the relative its importance in the area: the dominant urban functions and the located urban functions. The dominant urban functions are those functions that generally dominate an urban area, although it can contain located urban functions within its perimeter on specific locations, e.g., residential areas, offices and shopping areas, industrial areas, public equipment areas and special use areas. The located urban functions are those specific functions that aren’t dominating functions and exist within the perimeter of a dominant urban function, e.g., schools, museums, public services, local shopping’s and others. The papers

Racial/ethnic variations in the main and buffering effects of ethnic and nonethnic supports on depressive symptoms among five ethnic immigrant groups in Toronto.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Il-Ho; Noh, Samuel

2016-01-01

This study examined variations in the main and buffering effects of ethnic and nonethnic social support on depressive symptoms associated with discrimination among five immigrant groups in Toronto. Data were taken from the Toronto Study of Settlement and Health, a cross-sectional survey of adult immigrants from five ethnic communities (Vietnamese, Ethiopian, Iranian, Korean, and Irish) in Toronto. A total of 900 surveys were collected through face-to-face interviews conducted between April and September 2001. Significant ethnic variations were observed in the effects of both ethnic and nonethnic social supports on discrimination-related depressive symptoms. Regarding the main effect, ethnic social support was significantly stronger for Iranian, Ethiopian, and Korean immigrants than for Irish immigrants. The benefits of nonethnic support were stronger for Iranian immigrants compared to the effect found in the Irish sample. With respect to stress-buffering or stress-moderating effects of social support, ethnic support was significant in all ethnic groups, except the Vietnamese group. Nonethnic support aggravated the negative impact of discrimination on depressive symptoms in the Irish group, but exerted a stress-buffering effect in the Iranian group. Overall, social supports received from fellow ethnic group members had significant main effects (suppressing depressive symptoms) and stress-buffering effects and were most pronounced in the minority ethnic immigrant groups of Ethiopians, Koreans, and Iranians. The effects were least evident among the Vietnamese and Irish. Evidence for the stress-suppressing and stress-buffering role of cross-ethnic group supports was unclear, and even inverted among Irish immigrants. Empirical evidence from the current study seems to support the sociocultural similarity hypothesis of social support.

Bringing hope and change: a study of youth probation officers in Toronto.

Science.gov (United States)

Umamaheswar, Janani

2013-09-01

Although youth probation (in some countries described as youth justice or youth offending work) has been widely discussed in older and more recent criminological literature, less attention has been paid to youth probation officers' accounts of their attitudes and strategies. In this study, the author uses in-depth interviews with 20 youth probation officers in Toronto, examining officers' attitudes toward the youth they work with and how these attitudes are reflected in the strategies that the officers use to achieve their professional goals. Findings reveal that the officers balance their authoritative and supportive roles not only to hold youth accountable, to encourage them to assert control over their lives, and to maintain optimism about the possibility of a nondeviant life, but also to assist the youth in attaining the means and resources necessary to make positive changes. These findings are interpreted within the framework of Canadian youth justice legislation as well as the broader desistance literature.

OPINIONS REGARDING THE TOURISTIC POTENTIAL OF THE DANUBIAN HARBOURS

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Elena MATEI

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In the context of European integration, the creation of transnational tourism products represents the brand of an inter-state collaboration, which, based on a common strategy, implies objectives that aim at achieving the global development of a destination, making thus possible an efficient and effective allocation of resources, in order to achieve a sustainable development, both from a touristic point of view and from an economic, social, cultural, technological, etc. one. The route of the Danube could represent one of the most important European destinations, appertaining to more than one country; therefore, in order to develop and sustain its touristic potential, a common strategy is necessary, with an integrated marketing image, associated to a consistent tourism product, inspiring common values, regardless of the territory of the country it is located in. In this direction, a quantitative marketing research, conducted on 992 respondents, aged 18-24, in order to determine the opinions concerning the touristic potential of the Danubian harbours – as a fundamental element, precursory to the market analysis.

Characterizing the spatial distribution of ambient ultrafine particles in Toronto, Canada: A land use regression model.

Science.gov (United States)

Weichenthal, Scott; Van Ryswyk, Keith; Goldstein, Alon; Shekarrizfard, Maryam; Hatzopoulou, Marianne

2016-01-01

Exposure models are needed to evaluate the chronic health effects of ambient ultrafine particles (bus routes as well as variables for the number of on-street trees, parks, open space, and the length of bus routes within a 100 m buffer. There was no systematic difference between measured and predicted values when the model was evaluated in an external dataset, although the R(2) value decreased (R(2) = 50%). This model will be used to evaluate the chronic health effects of UFPs using population-based cohorts in the Toronto area. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Options for modulating intra-specific competition in colonial pinnipeds: the case of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in the Wadden Sea

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Rory P. Wilson

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Colonial pinnipeds may be subject to substantial consumptive competition because they are large, slow-moving central place foragers. We examined possible mechanisms for reducing this competition by examining the diving behaviour of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina after equipping 34 seals (11 females, 23 males foraging from three locations; Rømø, Denmark and Lorenzenplate and Helgoland, Germany, in the Wadden Sea area with time-depth recorders. Analysis of 319,021 dives revealed little between-colony variation but appreciable inter-sex differences, with males diving deeper than females, but for shorter periods. Males also had higher vertical descent rates. This result suggests that males may have higher overall swim speeds, which would increase higher oxygen consumption, and may explain the shorter dive durations compared to females. Intersex variation in swim speed alone is predicted to lead to fundamental differences in the time use of three-dimensional space, which may help reduce consumptive competition in harbour seals and other colonial pinnipeds.

Kazimierz Pospieszny, Domus Malbork. Zamek krzyżacki w typie regularnym [Domus Malbork. Castle of the Teutonic Order of a regular type] (Monografie Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu), Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika

OpenAIRE

Raczkowski, Juliusz

2017-01-01

Kazimierz Pospieszny, Domus Malbork. Zamek krzyżacki w typie regularnym [Domus Malbork. Castle of the Teutonic Order of a regular type] (Monografie Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu), Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Mikołaja Kopernika, Toruń 2014, 336 pp., 283 black-and-white figures., 30 coloured figures, ISBN: 978-83-231-3084-0

The case of Iranian immigrants in the greater Toronto area: a qualitative study

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Dastjerdi Mahdieh

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Iranians comprise an immigrant group that has a very different cultural background from that of the mainstream Canadian population and speaks a language other than English or French; in this case mainly Farsi (Persian. Although Iranian immigrants in Toronto receive a high proportion of care from Farsi-speaking family physicians and health care providers than physicians who cannot speak Farsi, they are still not satisfied with the provided services. The purpose of this study was to identify the obstacles and issues Iranian immigrants faced in accessing health care services as seen through the eyes of Iranian health care professionals/providers and social workers working in Greater Toronto Area, Canada. Methods Narrative inquiry was used to capture and understand the obstacles this immigrant population faces when accessing health care services, through the lens of fifty Iranian health care professionals/providers and social workers. Thirty three health care professionals and five social workers were interviewed. To capture the essence of issues, individual interviews were followed by three focus groups consisting of three health care professionals and one social worker in each group. Results Three major themes emerged from the study: language barrier and the lack of knowledge of Canadian health care services/systems; lack of trust in Canadian health care services due to financial limitations and fear of disclosure; and somatization and needs for psychological supports. Conclusion Iranians may not be satisfied with the Canadian health care services due to a lack of knowledge of the system, as well as cultural differences when seeking care, such as fear of disclosure, discrimination, and mistrust of primary care. To attain equitable, adequate, and effective access to health care services, immigrants need to be educated and informed about the Canadian health care system and services it provides. It would be of great benefit to

Psychometric Properties of the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale in the Chilean Population

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Mauricio González-Arias

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Alexithymia can be defined as inability to identify and describe emotions in the self. Has shown to be related to several psychological and pathological processes that can result in unsatisfactory interpersonal relationships and decreased social adjustment. Advances in research of alexithymia require the development and validation of assessment instruments, and its application to different population. With this aim, we studied the psychometric properties of the Twenty-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20 in Chilean population using various modeling procedures (e.g., CFA, ESEM in different structures (i.e., Correlated, Unidimensional, Hierarchical or Wording factors. Among the 10 models tested, the four-dimensional structure offered the best fit but with item-loading problems in the last factor (Pragmatic Thinking. We suggest that the studied version of the scale needs improvement (theoretical and empirical to ensure optimal indices of validation for Chilean population.

The diet of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina at the southern limit of its European distribution (Normandy, France

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Jérôme Spitz

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Changes in habitat availability or resources are likely to have the biggest impact on survival or abundance of individuals found at the extremity of the population’s range. In the case of such marginal populations, the first step in designing appropriate conservation plans is the identification of potential risks to the viability of the population, or subpopulation. For example, the interaction between coastal seals and fisheries is often considered as a major conservation issue, due to the potential co-exploitation of the same resources by both fishermen and seals. The diet of harbour seals was investigated by scat analysis at the southern extremity of their European range, in Baie des Veys (Normandy, France. A total of 121 scats, analysed following standard methodologies, revealed a diet largely dominated by mullets, Mugilidae (49% by mass, plaice Pleuronectes platess (29% by mass and garfish, Belone belone (19% by mass. The diet of harbour seals at the edge of their European distribution differs from all previous studies conducted elsewhere, in terms of species composition, but shows a similar balance between fat and lean fish. Overall dietcomposition suggests a low potential for interaction with fisheries as commercial fishery target species are almost absent.

Are toxins from harmful algae a factor involved in the decline of harbour seal populations in Scotland?

OpenAIRE

Jensen, Silje-Kristin

2015-01-01

Firstly this study builds on the investigation initiated by Hall and Frame (2010), which found that Scottish harbour seals were exposed to domoic acid (DA), a potent natural neurotoxin produced by phytoplankton. Using the same sample collection technique to gather urine and faecal material from various populations around Scotland with differing population trajectories (Lonergan et al., 2007), the objective was to investigate not only exposure to DA, but also other groups of ...

Assessment of heavy metal and petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in the Sultanate of Oman with emphasis on harbours, marinas, terminals and ports.

Science.gov (United States)

Jupp, Barry P; Fowler, Scott W; Dobretsov, Sergey; van der Wiele, Henk; Al-Ghafri, Ahmed

2017-08-15

The assessment here includes data on levels of contaminants (petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals) in sediments and biomonitor organisms, including the eulittoral rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata and subtidal biomonitors, the barnacle Balanus trigonus and the antipatharian coral Antipathes sp., at harbours, marinas, terminals and large ports along the coastline of Oman. TBT levels in harbour and port sediments up to a maximum of 100ppb TBT dry weight are highlighted. Oysters contained concentrations up to 367ppm mg TPH/kg dry weight. The maximum levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in the subtidal sediments and barnacles at the oil tanker loading Single Buoy Mooring stations in Mina Al Fahal. In general, the levels of most of the contaminants analysed are at low to moderate concentrations compared to those in highly contaminated sites such as shipyards and dry docks, but continued monitoring is recommended especially during any dredging campaigns. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reproductive Failure in UK Harbour Porpoises Phocoena phocoena: Legacy of Pollutant Exposure?

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Sinéad Murphy

Full Text Available Reproductive failure in mammals due to exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs can occur either through endocrine disrupting effects or via immunosuppression and increased disease risk. To investigate further, full necropsies and determination of summed 25 polychlorinated biphenyls congeners (∑PCBs lipid weight in blubber were undertaken on 329 UK-stranded female harbour porpoises (1990-2012. In sexually mature females, 25/127 (19.7% showed direct evidence of reproductive failure (foetal death, aborting, dystocia or stillbirth. A further 21/127 (16.5% had infections of the reproductive tract or tumours of reproductive tract tissues that could contribute to reproductive failure. Resting mature females (non-lactating or non-pregnant had significantly higher mean ∑PCBs (18.5 mg/kg than both lactating (7.5 mg/kg and pregnant females (6 mg/kg, though not significantly different to sexually immature females (14.0 mg/kg. Using multinomial logistic regression models ΣPCBs was found to be a significant predictor of mature female reproductive status, adjusting for the effects of confounding variables. Resting females were more likely to have a higher PCB burden. Health status (proxied by "trauma" or "infectious disease" causes of death was also a significant predictor, with lactating females (i.e. who successfully reproduced more likely to be in good health status compared to other individuals. Based on contaminant profiles (>11 mg/kg lipid, at least 29/60 (48% of resting females had not offloaded their pollutant burden via gestation and primarily lactation. Where data were available, these non-offloading females were previously gravid, which suggests foetal or newborn mortality. Furthermore, a lower pregnancy rate of 50% was estimated for "healthy" females that died of traumatic causes of death, compared to other populations. Whether or not PCBs are part of an underlying mechanism, we used individual PCB burdens to show further evidence of

Source apportionment of PM(2.5) in the harbour-industrial area of Brindisi (Italy): identification and estimation of the contribution of in-port ship emissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cesari, D; Genga, A; Ielpo, P; Siciliano, M; Mascolo, G; Grasso, F M; Contini, D

2014-11-01

Harbours are important for economic and social development of coastal areas but they also represent an anthropogenic source of emissions often located near urban centres and industrial areas. This increases the difficulties in distinguishing the harbour contribution with respect to other sources. The aim of this work is the characterisation of main sources of PM2.5 acting on the Brindisi harbour-industrial area, trying to pinpoint the contribution of in-port ship emissions to primary and secondary PM2.5. Brindisi is an important port-city of the Adriatic Sea considered a hot-spot for anthropogenic environmental pressures at National level. Measurements were performed collecting PM2.5 samples and characterising the concentrations of 23 chemical species (water soluble organic and inorganic carbon; major ions: SO4(2-), NO3(-), NH4(+), Cl(-), C2O4(2-), Na(+), K(+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+); and elements: Ni, Cu, V, Mn, As, Pb, Cr, Sb, Fe, Al, Zn, and Ti). These species represent, on average, 51.4% of PM2.5 and were used for source apportionment via PMF. The contributions of eight sources were estimated: crustal (16.4±0.9% of PM2.5), aged marine (2.6±0.5%), crustal carbonates (7.7±0.3%), ammonium sulphate (27.3±0.8%), biomass burning-fires (11.7±0.7%), traffic (16.4±1.7 %), industrial (0.4±0.3%) and a mixed source oil combustion-industrial including ship emissions in harbour (15.3±1.3%). The PMF did not separate the in-port ship emission contribution from industrial releases. The correlation of estimated contribution with meteorology showed directionality with an increase of oil combustion and sulphate contribution in the harbour direction with respect to the direction of the urban area and an increase of the V/Ni ratio. This allowed for the use of V as marker of primary ship contribution to PM2.5 (2.8%+/-1.1%). The secondary contribution of oil combustion to non-sea-salt-sulphate, nssSO4(2-), was estimated to be 1.3 μg/m(3) (about 40% of total nssSO4(2-) or 11% of PM2

``How am I going to work?'' Barriers to employment for immigrant Latinos and Latinas living with HIV in Toronto.

Science.gov (United States)

Serrano, Angel

2015-06-05

For individuals with HIV positive status, multiple barriers exist to accessing and re-entering employment. Studies on employment for people living with HIV lack a detailed consideration of race and ethnicity. This is the first article that focuses on barriers to employment for the HIV positive Latino community in the Canadian context. To document the barriers that a sample of HIV positive Latinos and Latinas encounter in finding and maintaining employment in Toronto. A non-probability sample of immigrant and refugee Latino men and women living with HIV/AIDS in Toronto participated in in-depth interviews concerning their experiences in the labor market, emphasizing the barriers that they have faced in access to employment. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and later analysed with NVivo 9. Two sets of barriers emerged from the analysis: structural barriers that immigrants encounter in access to employment, such as language difficulties, lack of Canadian work experience and anti-immigrant feelings and barriers to employment for HIV positive individuals, principally HIV related stigma and health related issues. Due to their intersectional identities as immigrants/refugees and HIV positive individuals, participants face compounded barriers to employment: Language difficulties, lack of migrant status and Canadian work experience, anti-immigrant sentiments in the labor market, ageism, HIV related stigma and side effects of medications among other barriers related with an HIV positive condition. Such barriers locate participants in a marginalized position in Canadian society.

Gas exchange and heart rate in the harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reed, J.Z.; Chambers, C.; Hunter, C.J.

2000-01-01

a comparatively high minute rate of gas exchange. Oxygen consumption under these experimental conditions (247 +/- 13.8 ml O-2. min(-1)) was 1.9- fold higher than predicted by standard scaling relations. These data together with an estimate of the total oxygen stores predicted an aerobic dive limit of 5.4 min......The respiratory physiology, heart rates and metabolic rates of two captive juvenile male harbour porpoises (both 28 kg) were measured using a rapid-response respiratory gas analysis system in the laboratory. Breath-hold durations in the laboratory (12 +/- 0.3 s, mean +/- SEM) were shorter than...... field observations. although a few breath-holds of over 40 s were recorded. The mean percentage time spent submerged was 89 +/- 0.4%. Relative to similarly-sized terrestrial mammals, the respiratory frequency was low (4.9 +/- 0.19 breaths min(-1)) but with high tidal volumes (1.1 +/- 0.01 l), enabling...

Toronto Alexithymia Scale: Adaptation of the Brazilian Version to Low-Educated Adults

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Tatiana Roccato Fortes

Full Text Available Abstract: For the purpose of studying Alexithymia in low-educated adults, we intend to adapt the Brazilian version of the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-26 and to verify its internal consistency. With that aim, we translated the original TAS-26 (English to Portuguese, adopting a colloquial language, without content distortion. An exploratory qualitative study interviewed 50 women (38-65 years, education <9 years and identified comprehension difficulties in 22 items, that needed adaptation. A professional translator performed the back-translation of the adapted TAS-26, that was applied to a new sample of women (90 with chronical pain and 90 without pain, 38-65 years, education <9 years to evaluate its internal consistency. Only four items (1/2/3/16 of the pre-existing Brazilian version (appropriate to university students did not require modification. The internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha was satisfactory for total score (0.65 and elevated for factor 1 (0.87. The adapted Brazilian version of TAS-26 is appropriate to low-educated adults.

Giessen international workshop on interactions of exocrine and endocrine pancreatic diseases. Castle of Rauischholzhausen of the Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany. March 18-19, 2005.

Science.gov (United States)

Andren-Sandberg, Ake; Hardt, Philip D

2005-07-08

The 'Giessen International Workshop on Interactions of Exocrine and Endocrine Pancreatic Diseases' was held on March 18-19, 2005 at the Castle of Rauischolzhausen, Giessen University, Germany. About 50 international clinicians and researchers attended the workshop. It was structured into three sessions: A: Pancreatic Autoimmunity - Interaction Between Exocrine and Endocrine Tissue; B: Diabetes Mellitus - Possible Implications of Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency; C: Chronic Pancreatitis - Update on Prevalence, Understanding and Pathophysiological Concepts. Several new aspects of pancreatic diseases were discussed, including new classifications of pancreatitis, new insights into prevalence, pathophysiology and new therapeutical considerations. The meeting resulted in more cooperation and a number of new concepts for clinical study which will provide data for future developments.

Risk factors for SARS transmission from patients requiring intubation: a multicentre investigation in Toronto, Canada.

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Janet Raboud

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In the 2003 Toronto SARS outbreak, SARS-CoV was transmitted in hospitals despite adherence to infection control procedures. Considerable controversy resulted regarding which procedures and behaviours were associated with the greatest risk of SARS-CoV transmission. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted to identify risk factors for transmission of SARS-CoV during intubation from laboratory confirmed SARS patients to HCWs involved in their care. All SARS patients requiring intubation during the Toronto outbreak were identified. All HCWs who provided care to intubated SARS patients during treatment or transportation and who entered a patient room or had direct patient contact from 24 hours before to 4 hours after intubation were eligible for this study. Data was collected on patients by chart review and on HCWs by interviewer-administered questionnaire. Generalized estimating equation (GEE logistic regression models and classification and regression trees (CART were used to identify risk factors for SARS transmission. RESULTS: 45 laboratory-confirmed intubated SARS patients were identified. Of the 697 HCWs involved in their care, 624 (90% participated in the study. SARS-CoV was transmitted to 26 HCWs from 7 patients; 21 HCWs were infected by 3 patients. In multivariate GEE logistic regression models, presence in the room during fiberoptic intubation (OR = 2.79, p = .004 or ECG (OR = 3.52, p = .002, unprotected eye contact with secretions (OR = 7.34, p = .001, patient APACHE II score > or = 20 (OR = 17.05, p = .009 and patient Pa0(2/Fi0(2 ratio < or = 59 (OR = 8.65, p = .001 were associated with increased risk of transmission of SARS-CoV. In CART analyses, the four covariates which explained the greatest amount of variation in SARS-CoV transmission were covariates representing individual patients. CONCLUSION: Close contact with the airway of severely ill patients and failure of infection control practices to prevent exposure

Interdisciplinary Archaeological Research Programme Maasvlakte 2, Rotterdam : Twenty meters deep! The mesolithic period at the Yangtze Harbour site - Rotterdam Maasvlakte, the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boon, J.J.; Brinkhuizen, D.C.; Bunnik, F.P.M.; Cohen, K.M.; Cremer, H.; Exaltus, R.P.; van Kappel, K.; Kooistra, L.I.; Koolmees, H.; de Kruyk, H.; Kubiak-Martens, L.; Moree, J.M.; Niekus, M.J.L.Th.; Peeters, J.H.M.; Schiltmans, D.E.A.; Verbaas, A.; Verbruggen, F.; Vos, P.C.; Zeiler, J.T.

2015-01-01

In 2011 a systematic underwater field survey and an invasive investigation were executed in the Yangtze Harbour planning area, Maasvlakte, Rotterdam, commissioned by Port of Rotterdam Authority. The aim of the work was to locate and document any archaeological remains in submerged Late Pleistocene

A study on the applicability of the ecosystem model on water quality prediction in urban river outer moats of Yedo Castle, Nihonbashi River

Science.gov (United States)

Kakinuma, Daiki; Tsushima, Yuki; Ohdaira, Kazunori; Yamada, Tadashi

2015-04-01

The objective of the study is to elucidate the waterside environment in the outer moats of Yedo Castle and the downstream of Nihonbashi River in Tokyo. Scince integrated sewage system has been installed in the area around the outer moats of Yedo Castle and the Nihon River basin, when rainfall exceeds more than the sewage treatment capacity, overflowed untreated wastewater is released into the moats and the river. Because the moats is a closed water body, pollutants are deposited to the bottom without outflowing. While reeking offensive odors due to the decomposition, blue-green algae outbreaks affected by the residence time and eluted nutrient causes problems. Scince the Nihonbashi River is a typical tidal river in urban area, the water pollution problems in the river is complicated. This study clarified the characteristics of the water quality in terms of dissolved oxygen saturation through on-site observations. In particular, dissolved oxygen saturation in summer, it is clarified that variations from a supersaturated state due to the variations of horizontal insolation intensity and water temperature up to hypoxic water conditions in the moats. According to previous studies on the water quality of Nihonbashi River, it is clarified that there are three types of variations of dissolved oxygen which desided by rainfall scale. The mean value of dissolved oxygen saturation of all layers has decreased by about 20% at the spring tide after dredging, then it recoveres gradually and become the value before dredging during about a year. Further more, in places where sewage inflows, it is important to developed a ecosystem medel and the applicability of the model. 9 variables including cell quota (intracellular nutrients of phytoplankton) of phosphorus and nitrogen with considerring the nitrification of ammonia nitrogen are used in the model. This model can grasp the sections (such as oxygen production by photosynthesis of phytoplankton, oxygen consumption by respiration of

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR SMALL SCALE VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINES USED IN HARBOURS AND SHORE AREAS

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IONESCU Raluca Dora

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The paper aims to analyse the wind turbine solutions implemented in harbours and on shore areas. Also a thorough study of the blade design solutions for small power Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs has been conducted, with their advantages and disadvantages, in order to find the best solution that minimises the loads and helps with the self-starting capabilities of the wind turbine. First are presented all the solutions, next are discussed several research results for each solution and, in the end, a combination of solutions is chosen for our new small power VAWT with a pre-dimensioning analysis.

Identification and typing of Brucella spp. in stranded harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) on the Dutch coast.

Science.gov (United States)

Maio, Elisa; Begeman, Lineke; Bisselink, Yvette; van Tulden, Peter; Wiersma, Lidewij; Hiemstra, Sjoukje; Ruuls, Robin; Gröne, Andrea; Roest, Hendrik-Ido-Jan; Willemsen, Peter; van der Giessen, Joke

2014-09-17

The presence of Brucella (B.) spp. in harbour porpoises stranded between 2008 and 2011 along the Dutch coast was studied. A selection of 265 tissue samples from 112 animals was analysed using conventional and molecular methods. In total, 4.5% (5/112) of the animals corresponding with 2.3% (6/265) Brucella positive tissue samples were Brucella positive by culture and these were all confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) based on the insertion element 711 (IS711). In addition, two more Brucella-positive tissue samples from two animals collected in 2011 were identified using real-time PCR resulting in an overall Brucella prevalence of 6.3% (7/112 animals). Brucella spp. were obtained from lungs (n=3), pulmonary lymph node (n=3) and lungworms (n=2). Multi Locus Variable Number of Tandem Repeats (VNTR) Analysis (MLVA) typing based on the MLVA-16 showed that the Brucella isolates were B. ceti. Additional in silico Multi Locus Sequence typing (MLST) after whole genome sequencing of the 6 Brucella isolates confirmed B. ceti ST 23. According to the Brucella 2010 MLVA database, the isolated Brucella strains encountered were of five genotypes, in two distinct subclusters divided in two different time periods of harbour porpoises collection. This study is the first population based analyses for Brucella spp. infections in cetaceans stranded along the Dutch coast. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The impact of glide phases on the trackability of hydrodynamic trails in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina).

Science.gov (United States)

Wieskotten, S; Dehnhardt, G; Mauck, B; Miersch, L; Hanke, W

2010-11-01

The mystacial vibrissae of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) constitute a highly sensitive hydrodynamic receptor system enabling the seals to detect and follow hydrodynamic trails. In the wild, hydrodynamic trails, as generated by swimming fish, consist of cyclic burst-and-glide phases, associated with various differences in the physical parameters of the trail. Here, we investigated the impact of glide phases on the trackability of differently aged hydrodynamic trails in a harbour seal. As fish are not easily trained to swim certain paths with predetermined burst-and-glide phases, the respective hydrodynamic trails were generated using a remote-controlled miniature submarine. Gliding phases in hydrodynamic trails had a negative impact on the trackability when trails were 15 s old. The seal lost the generated trails more often within the transition zones, when the submarine switched from a burst to a glide moving pattern. Hydrodynamic parameter analysis (particle image velocimetry) revealed that the smaller dimensions and faster decay of hydrodynamic trails generated by the gliding submarine are responsible for the impaired success of the seal tracking the gliding phase. Furthermore, the change of gross water flow generated by the submarine from a rearwards-directed stream in the burst phase to a water flow passively dragged behind the submarine during gliding might influence the ability of the seal to follow the trail as this might cause a weaker deflection of the vibrissae. The possible ecological implications of intermittent swimming behaviour in fish for piscivorous predators are discussed.

Investigation of original bricks from Ventspils castle for the purpose of restorations of medieval brick masonry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bajare, D.; Shvinka, V.

2000-01-01

This paper mainly tries to characterize Middle Age brick taken from Ventspils Castle (13-17th century). To this aim, the following techniques were applied: visual inspection, X-ray diffraction, mercury porosimetry, physical laboratory tests (water absorption, density, open porosity, saturation coefficient, Mage's index) and chemical analysis. The medieval bricks are still in good condition, any visible damages were not recognized in the course of visual inspection. According to the results of chemical analysis, three types of bricks made from different clays in different centuries were used. According to X-ray diffraction analysis data no one type of medieval bricks contains illite. So sintering temperature of the medieval bricks studied was higher than 900 deg C. The secondary calcite was formed in the structure of bricks from lime mortars under influence of water migration during several centuries. All medieval bricks studied are porous - open porosity of them amounts to 26-30 %. 14-15th century bricks have inclusions of chamotte additive, which makes the bricks less durable to soluble salts and frost, and of organic additive, that imparts the higher porosity. Mage's index for all medieval is less than 0.55, but saturation coefficient is close to 0,78 and it means that these bricks are not enough durable to soluble salts and frost

Massacre of Canadian Army Medical Corps personnel after the sinking of HMHS Llandovery Castle and the evolution of modern war crime jurisprudence.

Science.gov (United States)

Doucet, Jay; Haley, Gregory; McAlister, Vivian

2018-06-01

Events after the sinking of the hospital ship Llandovery Castle on June 27, 1918, by the German submarine U-86 outraged Canadians. Survivors aboard a single life raft gave evidence that many of the 234 souls lost had made it to lifeboats but were rammed and shot by the submarine. Many of those who died were nurses. Three German officers were charged with war crimes after the war. The submarine's captain evaded capture. The remaining two officers' defence that they were following the captain's orders failed and they were convicted. This ruling was used as a precedent to dismiss similar claims at the war crime trials after the Second World War. It is also the basis of the order given to members of modern militaries, including the Canadian Armed Forces, that it is illegal to carry out an illegal order.

Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited, 2010 asset condition assessment audit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lotho, K.; Wang, F. [Kinectrics Inc., Toronto, ON (Canada)

2010-07-15

Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited (THESL) has long been devoted to the enhancement of its asset management program. In 2006, Kinectrics Incorporated (Kinectrics) performed a full asset condition assessment (ACA) for important distribution assets. Subsequently, THESL made efforts to follow the recommendations given by the 2006 ACA and to enhance the quality of its asset condition data. THESL also created an application that measures the health indices of assets based on current and best available inspection data. In 2009, THESL performed a new ACA with this health index calculator. Kinectrics was requested to evaluate the improvement achieved by THESL between 2006 and 2009, and to compare the results obtained from the two ACA performed. An examination of the changes and ACA results between 2009 and 2010 has been conducted by Kinectrics. The Kinectrics findings were reported into the 2010 asset condition assessment audit report. The Health Index (HI) formulation and the results obtained between 2009 and 2010 were examined for twenty-one asset categories. The health index formulation including condition parameters, condition parameter weights and condition criteria, the granularity within the asset category, the percentage of the population presenting sufficient condition data and the health index classification distribution were compared for each one of the asset categories between 2009 and 2010. This report provides recommendations to facilitate future improvements.

Vertical distribution of tritium in core sediment of Mumbai Harbour Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rupali, C.K.; Joshi, Vikram; Jha, S.K.; Tripathi, R.M.; Sonali, B.; Priyanka, R.

2014-01-01

In the past few years there has been an increasing interest in the study of behavior of tritium in the environment, worldwide many countries have initiated monitoring of organically bound tritium in the environmental samples as part of their radiological assessments. Tritium ( 3 H) is ubiquitous in the aquatic environment and has a various sources of origin. It is transported to the earth's surface via hydrological cycle. 3 H is produced in variety of processes in nuclear power plants. Discharges to aquatic environment from these establishment results in locally enhanced water concentrations. Levels of 3 H have been further elevated due to atmospheric weapons testing between 1952 and 1962. Recent studies have demonstrated significant accumulation of tritium in both organic-rich sediments and food chain. The present study describes the vertical profile of tritium distribution in core sediment collected from Mumbai Harbour Bay (MHB). This will help in better understanding of the biogeochemical behavior and ecological impacts of tritium in the sediment

Distribution and population structure of North Atlantic harbour seals (Phoca vitulina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liselotte Andersen

2010-09-01

Full Text Available A review of the known geographical distribution and current knowledge on the genetic population structure of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in the North Atlantic is presented. Based on a synthesis of the results fromfive different studies of neutral geneticmarkers (mtDNAand nuclear microsatellites, mainly twelve genetically distinct populations were identified in the North Atlantic: USA/Canada, Iceland, west coast of Norway, Ireland-Scotland, English east coast, Channel area, Wadden Sea, Limfjord, Skagerrak, Kattegat, West Baltic, and East Baltic. Most of the studies addressed the population structure at the regional level, while only a few addressed the structuring at a local level, i.e. within countries. Due to the limited number of studies conducted, the identified population units were considered preliminary andmore detailed, local studieswould probably reveal structuring on a finer scale. The choice of genetic markers, their properties, resolution in time and applicability in population structure studies is shortly discussed and compared to ecological methods used to delineate populations.

The epidemiology of sexually transmitted co-infections in HIV-positive and HIV-negative African-Caribbean women in Toronto.

Science.gov (United States)

Remis, Robert S; Liu, Juan; Loutfy, Mona; Tharao, Wangari; Rebbapragada, Anuradha; Perusini, Stephen J; Chieza, Lisungu; Saunders, Megan; Green-Walker, LoriAnn; Kaul, Rupert

2013-11-17

HIV disproportionately affects African-Caribbean women in Canada but the frequency and distribution of sexually transmitted infections in this community have not been previously studied. We recruited women based on HIV status through a Toronto community health centre. Participants completed a socio-behavioural questionnaire using Audio Computer Assisted Self-Interview (ACASI) and provided blood for syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B and C, herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2), and human cytomegalovirus (CMV) serology, urine for chlamydia and gonorrhea molecular testing and vaginal secretions for bacterial vaginosis (BV) and human papillomavirus (HPV). Differences in prevalence were assessed for statistical significance using chi-square. We recruited 126 HIV-positive and 291 HIV-negative women, with a median age of 40 and 31 years, respectively (p history of HBV vaccination (66.1% vs. 44.0%, p = 0.0001). Classical STIs were rare in both groups; BV prevalence was low and did not vary by HIV status. HSV-2 infection was markedly more frequent in HIV-positive (86.3%) than HIV-negative (46.6%) women (p < 0.0001). Vaginal HPV infection was also more common in HIV-positive than in HIV-negative women (50.8% vs. 22.6%, p < 0.0001) as was infection with high-risk oncogenic HPV types (48.4% vs. 17.3%, p < 0.0001). Classical STIs were infrequent in this clinic-based population of African-Caribbean women in Toronto. However, HSV-2 prevalence was higher than that reported in previous studies in the general Canadian population and was strongly associated with HIV infection, as was infection with hepatitis B and HPV.

Long-term feeding ecology and habitat use in harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena from Scandinavian waters inferred from trace elements and stable isotopes

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Gobert Sylvie

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We investigated the feeding ecology and habitat use of 32 harbour porpoises by-caught in 4 localities along the Scandinavian coast from the North Sea to the Barents Sea using time-integrative markers: stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N and trace elements (Zn, Cu, Fe, Se, total Hg and Cd, in relation to habitat characteristics (bathymetry and geographic position (latitude. Results Among the trace elements analysed, only Cd, with an oceanic specific food origin, was found to be useful as an ecological tracer. All other trace elements studied were not useful, most likely because of physiological regulation and/or few specific sources in the food web. The δ13C, δ15N signatures and Cd levels were highly correlated with each other, as well as with local bathymetry and geographic position (latitude. Variation in the isotopic ratios indicated a shift in harbour porpoise's feeding habits from pelagic prey species in deep northern waters to more coastal and/or demersal prey in the relatively shallow North Sea and Skagerrak waters. This result is consistent with stomach content analyses found in the literature. This shift was associated with a northward Cd-enrichment which provides further support to the Cd 'anomaly' previously reported in polar waters and suggests that porpoises in deep northern waters include Cd-contaminated prey in their diet, such as oceanic cephalopods. Conclusion As stable isotopes and Cd provide information in the medium and the long term respectively, the spatial variation found, shows that harbour porpoises experience different ecological regimes during the year along the Scandinavian coasts, adapting their feeding habits to local oceanographic conditions, without performing extensive migration.

Long-term feeding ecology and habitat use in harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena from Scandinavian waters inferred from trace elements and stable isotopes.

Science.gov (United States)

Fontaine, Michaël C; Tolley, Krystal A; Siebert, Ursula; Gobert, Sylvie; Lepoint, Gilles; Bouquegneau, Jean-Marie; Das, Krishna

2007-01-17

We investigated the feeding ecology and habitat use of 32 harbour porpoises by-caught in 4 localities along the Scandinavian coast from the North Sea to the Barents Sea using time-integrative markers: stable isotopes (delta13C, delta15N) and trace elements (Zn, Cu, Fe, Se, total Hg and Cd), in relation to habitat characteristics (bathymetry) and geographic position (latitude). Among the trace elements analysed, only Cd, with an oceanic specific food origin, was found to be useful as an ecological tracer. All other trace elements studied were not useful, most likely because of physiological regulation and/or few specific sources in the food web. The delta13C, delta15N signatures and Cd levels were highly correlated with each other, as well as with local bathymetry and geographic position (latitude). Variation in the isotopic ratios indicated a shift in harbour porpoise's feeding habits from pelagic prey species in deep northern waters to more coastal and/or demersal prey in the relatively shallow North Sea and Skagerrak waters. This result is consistent with stomach content analyses found in the literature. This shift was associated with a northward Cd-enrichment which provides further support to the Cd 'anomaly' previously reported in polar waters and suggests that porpoises in deep northern waters include Cd-contaminated prey in their diet, such as oceanic cephalopods. As stable isotopes and Cd provide information in the medium and the long term respectively, the spatial variation found, shows that harbour porpoises experience different ecological regimes during the year along the Scandinavian coasts, adapting their feeding habits to local oceanographic conditions, without performing extensive migration.

Population development and status of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in the Wadden Sea

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Peter JH Reijnders

2010-09-01

Full Text Available An index for the condition of a population should include a measure of the recuperative power or resilience of the population in question. This measure needs to cover both the demographic and physiological condition of the population. Applied to the harbour seal population in the Wadden Sea we therefore address respectively the population development and distribution, and its health condition, and relate these to environmental conditions. The harbour seal population has been severely depleted by hunting in the first half of the 20th century. After hunting was stopped in the mid-1970s the population recovered gradually. This recovery was twice interrupted by Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV outbreaks in 1988 and 2002. These PDV-epizootics reduced the population by 57% and 50% respectively. They also lead to changes in age and sex structure of the population, which gradually returned to a stable age-structure. Despite the reduction in population size by respectively 57% and 50%, the population showed a strong recovery with a growth rate close to the considered maximum possible for this species. The observed changes in the distribution of the population over the 4 sub-regions indicate that distribution is not a static phenomenon. Long term field and pathological investigations point out that the general health status of the population has improved, particularly that of newborn seals (0-6months old. The increasing prevalence of parasites in lungs and intestine warrants continued monitoring of the health status of seals. This is especially relevant in view of the exponential increase of the population, which may finally approach the carrying capacity of the area. Concluding, we canstate that the condition of the population in terms of demographic and health parameters is satisfactory. The best guarantee for maintaining such a favourable conservation status is to abstain from human interferences (e.g. rescue, rehabilitation and release with natural

Insect symbiotic bacteria harbour viral pathogens for transovarial transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Dongsheng; Mao, Qianzhuo; Chen, Yong; Liu, Yuyan; Chen, Qian; Wu, Wei; Zhang, Xiaofeng; Chen, Hongyan; Li, Yi; Wei, Taiyun

2017-03-06

Many insects, including mosquitoes, planthoppers, aphids and leafhoppers, are the hosts of bacterial symbionts and the vectors for transmitting viral pathogens 1-3 . In general, symbiotic bacteria can indirectly affect viral transmission by enhancing immunity and resistance to viruses in insects 3-5 . Whether symbiotic bacteria can directly interact with the virus and mediate its transmission has been unknown. Here, we show that an insect symbiotic bacterium directly harbours a viral pathogen and mediates its transovarial transmission to offspring. We observe rice dwarf virus (a plant reovirus) binding to the envelopes of the bacterium Sulcia, a common obligate symbiont of leafhoppers 6-8 , allowing the virus to exploit the ancient oocyte entry path of Sulcia in rice leafhopper vectors. Such virus-bacterium binding is mediated by the specific interaction of the viral capsid protein and the Sulcia outer membrane protein. Treatment with antibiotics or antibodies against Sulcia outer membrane protein interferes with this interaction and strongly prevents viral transmission to insect offspring. This newly discovered virus-bacterium interaction represents the first evidence that a viral pathogen can directly exploit a symbiotic bacterium for its transmission. We believe that such a model of virus-bacterium communication is a common phenomenon in nature.

Weather sensitivity for zoo visitation in Toronto, Canada: a quantitative analysis of historical data

Science.gov (United States)

Hewer, Micah J.; Gough, William A.

2016-11-01

Based on a case study of the Toronto Zoo (Canada), multivariate regression analysis, involving both climatic and social variables, was employed to assess the relationship between daily weather and visitation. Zoo visitation was most sensitive to weather variability during the shoulder season, followed by the off-season and, then, the peak season. Temperature was the most influential weather variable in relation to zoo visitation, followed by precipitation and, then, wind speed. The intensity and direction of the social and climatic variables varied between seasons. Temperatures exceeding 26 °C during the shoulder season and 28 °C during the peak season suggested a behavioural threshold associated with zoo visitation, with conditions becoming too warm for certain segments of the zoo visitor market, causing visitor numbers to decline. Even light amounts of precipitation caused average visitor numbers to decline by nearly 50 %. Increasing wind speeds also demonstrated a negative influence on zoo visitation.

“We don't exist”: a qualitative study of marginalization experienced by HIV-positive lesbian, bisexual, queer and transgender women in Toronto, Canada

OpenAIRE

Logie, Carmen H; James, LLana; Tharao, Wangari; Loutfy, Mona R

2012-01-01

Background: Lesbian, bisexual, queer and transgender (LBQT) women living with HIV have been described as invisible and understudied. Yet, social and structural contexts of violence and discrimination exacerbate the risk of HIV infection among LBQT women. The study objective was to explore challenges in daily life and experiences of accessing HIV services among HIV-positive LBQT women in Toronto, Canada. Methods: We used a community-based qualitative approach guided by an intersectional theore...

Relating desorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from harbour sludges to type of organic material

Science.gov (United States)

Heister, K.; Pols, S.; Loch, J. P. G.; Bosma, T.

2009-04-01

For decades, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) cause great concern as environmental pollutants. Especially river and marine harbour sediments are frequently polluted with PAH derived from surface runoff, fuel and oil spills due to shipping and industrial activities, industrial waste and atmospheric deposition. Harbour sediments contain large amounts of organic carbon and clay minerals and are therefore not easy to remediate and have to be stored in sludge depositories after dredging to maintain sufficient water depth for shipping. The organic contaminants will be adsorbed to particles, leached in association with dissolved organic material or microbially degraded. However, compounds of high molecular weight are very persistent, particularly under anaerobic conditions, thus giving rise to the potential to become desorbed again. PAH adsorb mainly to organic material. It has been shown that components of the organic material with a low polarity and a high hydrophobicity like aliphatic and aromatic components exhibit a high sorption capacity for hydrophobic organic contaminants like PAH. Accordingly, not only the amount but also the type of organic material needs to be determined in order to be able to predict contaminant behaviour. In this study, desorption behaviour of the 16 EPA-PAH in two different harbour sludges from the port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, has been investigated. The Beerkanaal (BK) site is located relatively close to the North Sea and represents a brackish environment; the Beneden Merwede River (BMR) site originates from a fresh water environment and is close to industrial sites. The samples were placed in dialysis membranes and brought into contact with water for a period of 130 days. At several time intervals, water samples were retrieved for analysis of pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content, electrical conductivity and PAH concentrations. The experiment was conducted at 4 and at 20°C. Although the samples were initially treated with

Mental health of South Asian youth in Peel Region, Toronto, Canada: a qualitative study of determinants, coping strategies and service access

Science.gov (United States)

Multani, Amanpreet; Hynie, Michaela; Shakya, Yogendra; McKenzie, Kwame

2017-01-01

Objectives This qualitative study set out to understand the mental health challenges and service access barriers experienced by South Asian youth populations in the Peel Region of Toronto, Canada. Setting In-depth semistructured interviews were carried out with South Asian youth living in Peel Region (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon), a suburb of Toronto, Canada, home to over 50% of Ontario’s South Asian population. Participants South Asian youth (n=10) engaged in thoughtful, candid dialogue about their mental health and service access barriers. Primary and secondary outcome measures Qualitative interview themes related to mental health stressors and mental health service access barriers experienced by youth living in Peel Region were assessed using thematic analysis. Results South Asian youth face many mental health stressors, from intergenerational and cultural conflict, academic pressure, relationship stress, financial stress and family difficulties. These stressors can contribute to mental health challenges, such as depression and anxiety and drug use, with marijuana, alcohol and cigarettes cited as the most popular substances. South Asian youth were only able to identify about a third (36%) of the mental health resources presented to them and did not feel well informed about mental health resources available in their neighbourhood. Conclusions They offered recommendations for improved youth support directed at parents, education system, South Asian community and mental health system. Institutions and bodies at all levels of the society have a role to play in ensuring the mental health of South Asian youth. PMID:29101148

Association between neighbourhood walkability and metabolic risk factors influenced by physical activity: a cross-sectional study of adults in Toronto, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Loo, C K Jennifer; Greiver, Michelle; Aliarzadeh, Babak; Lewis, Daniel

2017-04-08

To determine whether neighbourhood walkability is associated with clinical measures of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidaemia in an urban adult population. Observational cross-sectional study. Urban primary care patients. 78 023 Toronto residents, aged 18 years and over, who were formally rostered or had at least 2 visits between 2012 and 2014 with a primary care physician participating in the University of Toronto Practice Based Research Network (UTOPIAN), within the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance Network (CPCSSN). Differences in average body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1C), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein and triglyceride between residents in the highest versus the lowest quartile of neighbourhood walkability, as estimated using multivariable linear regression models and stratified by age. Outcomes were objectively measured and were retrieved from primary care electronic medical records. Models adjusted for age, sex, smoking, medications, medical comorbidities and indices of neighbourhood safety and marginalisation. Compared with those in the lowest walkability quartile, individuals in the highest quartile had lower mean BMI (-2.64 kg/m 2 , 95% CI -2.98 to -2.30; pwalkable neighbourhoods and having lower BMI in adults of all ages. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Inauguration of Cogen Plant ensures self-sustainability for Toronto Airport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2006-01-01

Details of a new cogeneration plant for Pearson International Airport were presented. The plant was installed to ensure that the airport will be self-sufficient with its own uninterrupted power supply, and will also provide steam for the airport's heating and cooling. The plant generated its first power onto the grid in August 2005. The 18,000 sq. foot cogeneration facility cost an estimated $140 million to build and is capable of supplying the airport with 117 MW of power. Power for the plant comes from 2 natural gas turbines, with an additional 33 MW generated by exhaust from the gas turbines passing through once-through steam generators producing steam for a third steam-driven generator. The remaining excess heat from the plant is used to heat and cool the airport buildings through a central utilities distribution system. Natural gas fueled cogeneration plants are considered to be clean energy, and it is anticipated that the plant will lessen the environmental impacts of the airport. Currently, the airport's peak electrical demand is approximately 38 MW of electricity, which is expected to peak at 65 to 70 MW in 2015. The surplus electricity produced at the cogeneration plant will be sold back into Ontario's power grid via the Clean Energy Supply contract. It was concluded that in addition to its environmental benefits, the plant will help to enhance electricity supply in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)

Retracted: Addition of a single methyl group to a small molecule sodium channel inhibitor introduces a new mode of gating modulation, by L Wang, SG Zellmer, DM Printzenhoff and NA Castle. British Journal of Pharmacology, volume 172(20): 4905-4918, published in October 2015; DOI 10.1111/bph.13259.

Science.gov (United States)

2018-07-01

The above article, published by the British Journal of Pharmacology in October 2015 (https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bph.13259), has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal Editor in Chief and John Wiley & Sons Limited. The retraction has been agreed owing to the discovery of errors in the chemical structure of the synthetic compounds generated. The corrected structure is now available in the article PF-06526290 can both enhance and inhibit conduction through voltage gated sodium channels by L Wang, SG Zellmer, DM Printzenhoff and NA Castle, 2018, https://bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bph.14338. Reference Wang L, Zellmer SG, Printzenhoff DM, Castle NA (2015). Addition of a single methyl group to a small molecule sodium channel inhibitor introduces a new mode of gating modulation. Br J Pharmacol 172: 4905-4918. https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.13259. © 2018 The British Pharmacological Society.

Analysis Of Macrobenthic Community Structure In Relation To Different Environmental Conditions In Three Harbours In The North Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy. Preliminary Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. BEDINI

2003-12-01

Full Text Available Studies on benthic communities are being widely used in monitoring pollution effects, using both the methodologies provided from the national laws in various countries and experimental innovative methodologies of research. We have carried out a preliminary study on macrobenthic communities (zoobenthos and phytobenthos in three harbours, one of which (Piombino receives wastewater from industry and is also subject to heavy shipping traffic. The other two (Porto Santo Stefano and Portoferraio enjoy great tourist traffic but no industrial waste, and they have been selected in order to find possible differences between populations of animals present in unpolluted and polluted areas. The results show that there are no outstanding differences in the sessile and sedentary bentological population parameters of the studied harbours. We probably do not have an adequate historical data set of the species living in the study areas to detect the effects of pollution, and the sessile living animal species we found may have adapted to the current situation, since living species typical of very clean waters were found.

Signal frequency distribution and natural-time analyses from acoustic emission monitoring of an arched structure in the Castle of Racconigi

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Niccolini

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The stability of an arch as a structural element in the thermal bath of King Charles Albert (Carlo Alberto in the Royal Castle of Racconigi (on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997 was assessed by the acoustic emission (AE monitoring technique with application of classical inversion methods to recorded AE data. First, damage source location by means of triangulation techniques and signal frequency analysis were carried out. Then, the recently introduced method of natural-time analysis was preliminarily applied to the AE time series in order to reveal a possible entrance point to a critical state of the monitored structural element. Finally, possible influence of the local seismic and microseismic activity on the stability of the monitored structure was investigated. The criterion for selecting relevant earthquakes was based on the estimation of the size of earthquake preparation zones. The presented results suggest the use of the AE technique as a tool for detecting both ongoing structural damage processes and microseismic activity during preparation stages of seismic events.

Signal frequency distribution and natural-time analyses from acoustic emission monitoring of an arched structure in the Castle of Racconigi

Science.gov (United States)

Niccolini, Gianni; Manuello, Amedeo; Marchis, Elena; Carpinteri, Alberto

2017-07-01

The stability of an arch as a structural element in the thermal bath of King Charles Albert (Carlo Alberto) in the Royal Castle of Racconigi (on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997) was assessed by the acoustic emission (AE) monitoring technique with application of classical inversion methods to recorded AE data. First, damage source location by means of triangulation techniques and signal frequency analysis were carried out. Then, the recently introduced method of natural-time analysis was preliminarily applied to the AE time series in order to reveal a possible entrance point to a critical state of the monitored structural element. Finally, possible influence of the local seismic and microseismic activity on the stability of the monitored structure was investigated. The criterion for selecting relevant earthquakes was based on the estimation of the size of earthquake preparation zones. The presented results suggest the use of the AE technique as a tool for detecting both ongoing structural damage processes and microseismic activity during preparation stages of seismic events.

Race relations and racism in the LGBTQ community of Toronto: perceptions of gay and queer social service providers of color.

Science.gov (United States)

Giwa, Sulaimon; Greensmith, Cameron

2012-01-01

This article explores race relations and racism within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community of Toronto, Ontario, from the perspective of seven gay/queer social service providers of color. Social constructions of race, race relations, and racism were placed at the centre of analysis. Employing interpretive phenomenological analysis, findings indicated that intergroup and broader systemic racism infiltrates the LGBTQ community, rendering invisible the lived experiences of many LGBTQ people of color. The study contributes to a growing body of research concerning our understanding of factors underpinning social discrimination in a contemporary Canadian LGBTQ context.

Spatial avoidance to experimental increase of intermittent and continuous sound in two captive harbour porpoises.

Science.gov (United States)

Kok, Annebelle C M; Engelberts, J Pamela; Kastelein, Ronald A; Helder-Hoek, Lean; Van de Voorde, Shirley; Visser, Fleur; Slabbekoorn, Hans

2018-02-01

The continuing rise in underwater sound levels in the oceans leads to disturbance of marine life. It is thought that one of the main impacts of sound exposure is the alteration of foraging behaviour of marine species, for example by deterring animals from a prey location, or by distracting them while they are trying to catch prey. So far, only limited knowledge is available on both mechanisms in the same species. The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is a relatively small marine mammal that could quickly suffer fitness consequences from a reduction of foraging success. To investigate effects of anthropogenic sound on their foraging efficiency, we tested whether experimentally elevated sound levels would deter two captive harbour porpoises from a noisy pool into a quiet pool (Experiment 1) and reduce their prey-search performance, measured as prey-search time in the noisy pool (Experiment 2). Furthermore, we tested the influence of the temporal structure and amplitude of the sound on the avoidance response of both animals. Both individuals avoided the pool with elevated sound levels, but they did not show a change in search time for prey when trying to find a fish hidden in one of three cages. The combination of temporal structure and SPL caused variable patterns. When the sound was intermittent, increased SPL caused increased avoidance times. When the sound was continuous, avoidance was equal for all SPLs above a threshold of 100 dB re 1 μPa. Hence, we found no evidence for an effect of sound exposure on search efficiency, but sounds of different temporal patterns did cause spatial avoidance with distinct dose-response patterns. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Award of merit: transportable remediation unit -Jacques Whitford Environment Limited -Toronto

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1995-01-01

A unique hybrid of remediation technologies was designed to deal with the problem of removing the gasoline and fuel-oil found in soils and groundwater as a result of spills or leakage at petroleum storage and dispensing facilities. Liquid petroleum hydrocarbons were found discharging into a creek in a residential and commercial neighborhood of Metropolitan Toronto. Numerous in-place soil and ground water remediation approaches were evaluated in the course of searching for a solution. A full-scale, transportable, in-situ bioslurping remediation unit was recommended. The unit was connected to 13 specially designed vertical bioslurping wells, and to a buried horizontal header network comprised of four separate zones that could be used to simultaneously extract and/or inject air and water flows. Cycling of various modes of operation was based on detailed monitoring and analysis, which allowed for optimal recovery and biological degradation of contaminants. After only four months of operation, over 4000 kg of petroleum hydrocarbon contaminants had been removed and treated, and all of the mobile liquid hydrocarbons at the water table had been removed. Treatment cost was estimated at $100 to $120 per tonne of contaminated soil, but assuming that the unit could be used at more than one site, the net treatment cost would decrease to $20 to $30 per tonne. 1 ill

Ranking harbours in the maritime provinces of Canada for potential to contaminate American lobster (Homarus americanus) with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prouse, N.J.

1994-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) comprise a suite of contaminants that enter the marine environment through a variety of natural and anthropogenic sources. PAHs, including carcinogenic compounds, bioaccumulate in the tissues of exposed American lobsters (Homarus americanus). High PAH concentrations in lobster tissues necessitated the closure of the lobster fishery in the South Arm of Sydney Harbour, Nova Scotia, in 1982. A study was conducted to assess harbors in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island to determine if there might be a reason for concern about PAH contamination of lobsters. Adjacent commercial and industrial activity, harbor uses, the surrounding population, and PAH point sources were evaluated for each harbor selected for study. Areas of lobster fishing and the number of permanent lobster holding facilities within each harbor were also determined. Harbors were then ranked according to their potential for PAH contamination. Point sources for PAHs within these harbors included petroleum and coal products plants, oil refineries, chemical plants, coal-fired generating stations, and fuel combustion in land vehicles and ships. After Sydney, the harbors with the highest potential for PAH contamination were determined to be Halifax, Saint John, Pictou, and Port Hawkesbury Ship Harbour. 60 refs., 15 figs., 7 tabs.

Wave and tidal level analysis, maritime climate change, navigation's strategy and impact on the costal defences - Study case of São Paulo State Coastline Harbour Areas (Brazil)

Science.gov (United States)

Alfredini, P.; Pezzoli, A.; Cristofori, E. I.; Dovetta, A.; Arasaki, E.

2012-04-01

São Paulo State Coastline Harbour Area concentrates around of 40% of Brazilian GNP, Santos Harbour is the America South Atlantic Hub Port and São Sebastião Oil Maritime Terminal is the most important oil and gas facility of PETROBRAS, the Brazilian National Petroleum Company. Santos Harbour had in the last decade increased rapidly the container handling rate, being the first in Latin America. In the last decade important oil and gas reserves were discovered in the Santos Oceanic Basin and São Paulo Coastline received a big demand for supplier ships harbours for the petroleum industry. Santos Metropolitan Region is one of the most important of Brazilian Coastline, also considering the turism. For that great economic growth scenario it is very important to have the main maritime hydrodynamics forcing processes, wave climate and tidal levels, well known, considering the sea hazards influence in ship operations. Since the hindcast just represents the deep water wave climate, to make time-series of the waves parameters in coastal waters, for evaluation of sea hazards and ship operations, it is necessary to take into acount the variations of those parameters in shallow waters with coastal instrumental data. Analysis of long term wave data-base (1957-2002) generated by a comparison between wave's data modeled by a "deep water model" (ERA40-ECMWF) and measured wave's data in the years 1982-1984 by a coastal buoy in Santos littoral (São Paulo State, Brazil) was made. Calibration coefficients according to angular sectors of wave's direction were obtained by the comparison of the instrument data with the modeled ones, and applied to the original scenarios. Validation checking procedures with instrumental measurements of storm surges made in other years than 1982-1984 shows high level of confidence. The analysis of the wave climate change on the extreme storm surge wave's conditions, selecting cases of Hs > 3,0 m, using that virtual data-base shows an increase in the Hs

Developing a short version of the Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia using item response theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Sekely, Angela; Taylor, Graeme J; Bagby, R Michael

2018-03-17

The Toronto Structured Interview for Alexithymia (TSIA) was developed to provide a structured interview method for assessing alexithymia. One drawback of this instrument is the amount of time it takes to administer and score. The current study used item response theory (IRT) methods to analyze data from a large heterogeneous multi-language sample (N = 842) to investigate whether a subset of items could be selected to create a short version of the instrument. Samejima's (1969) graded response model was used to fit the item responses. Items providing maximum information were retained in the short model, resulting in the elimination of 12-items from the original 24-items. Despite the 50% reduction in the number of items, 65.22% of the information was retained. Further studies are needed to validate the short version. A short version of the TSIA is potentially of practical value to clinicians and researchers with time constraints. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Are conventional statistical techniques exhaustive for defining metal background concentrations in harbour sediments? A case study: The Coastal Area of Bari (Southeast Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Mali, Matilda; Dell'Anna, Maria Michela; Mastrorilli, Piero; Damiani, Leonardo; Ungaro, Nicola; Belviso, Claudia; Fiore, Saverio

2015-11-01

Sediment contamination by metals poses significant risks to coastal ecosystems and is considered to be problematic for dredging operations. The determination of the background values of metal and metalloid distribution based on site-specific variability is fundamental in assessing pollution levels in harbour sediments. The novelty of the present work consists of addressing the scope and limitation of analysing port sediments through the use of conventional statistical techniques (such as: linear regression analysis, construction of cumulative frequency curves and the iterative 2σ technique), that are commonly employed for assessing Regional Geochemical Background (RGB) values in coastal sediments. This study ascertained that although the tout court use of such techniques in determining the RGB values in harbour sediments seems appropriate (the chemical-physical parameters of port sediments fit well with statistical equations), it should nevertheless be avoided because it may be misleading and can mask key aspects of the study area that can only be revealed by further investigations, such as mineralogical and multivariate statistical analyses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Working with Toronto neighbourhoods toward developing indicators of community capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Suzanne F; Cleverly, Shelley; Poland, Blake; Burman, David; Edwards, Richard; Robertson, Ann

2003-12-01

Often the goal of health and social development agencies is to assess communities and work with them to improve community capacity. Particularly for health promoters working in community settings and to ensure consistency in the definition of health promotion, the evaluation of health promotion programmes should be based on strengths and assets, yet existing information for planning and evaluation purposes usually focuses on problems and deficits. A model and definition of community capacity, grounded in community experience and focusing on strengths and assets, was developed following a 4-year, multi-site, qualitative, action research project in four Toronto neighbourhoods. There was significant community involvement in the four Community Advisory Committees, one for each study site. Semi-structured, open-ended interviews and focus groups were conducted with 161 residents and agency workers identified by the Community Advisory Committees. The data were analyzed with the assistance of NUDIST software. Thematic analysis was undertaken in two stages: (i) within each site and (ii) across sites, with the latter serving as the basis for the development of indicators of community capacity. This paper presents a summary of the research, the model and the proposed indicators. The model locates talents and skills of community members in a larger context of socioenvironmental conditions, both inside and outside the community, which can act to enable or constrain the expression of these talents and skills. The significance of the indicators of community capacity proposed in the study is that they focus on identifying and measuring the facilitating and constraining socioenvironmental conditions.

UNMIX Methods Applied to Characterize Sources of Volatile Organic Compounds in Toronto, Ontario

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugeniusz Porada

2016-06-01

Full Text Available UNMIX, a sensor modeling routine from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, was used to model volatile organic compound (VOC receptors in four urban sites in Toronto, Ontario. VOC ambient concentration data acquired in 2000–2009 for 175 VOC species in four air quality monitoring stations were analyzed. UNMIX, by performing multiple modeling attempts upon varying VOC menus—while rejecting the results that were not reliable—allowed for discriminating sources by their most consistent chemical characteristics. The method assessed occurrences of VOCs in sources typical of the urban environment (traffic, evaporative emissions of fuels, banks of fugitive inert gases, industrial point sources (plastic-, polymer-, and metalworking manufactures, and in secondary sources (releases from water, sediments, and contaminated urban soil. The remote sensing and robust modeling used here produces chemical profiles of putative VOC sources that, if combined with known environmental fates of VOCs, can be used to assign physical sources’ shares of VOCs emissions into the atmosphere. This in turn provides a means of assessing the impact of environmental policies on one hand, and industrial activities on the other hand, on VOC air pollution.

Low-level tritium research facility for the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kherani, N.P.; Shmayda, W.T.

1984-06-01

The objective of the Low-level Tritium Research Facility for the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies (UTIAS) is to investigate tritium-material interactions and how they differ with respect to protium and deuterium. The tritium laboratory will also be employed to study tritium retention, tritium imaging, and the effect of tritium on diagnostic devices. This report is a preliminary design document of the UTIAS Low-Level Tritium Research Facility including the fundamentals of tritium, a description of the facility, tritium laboratory requirements and the safety analysis of the laboratory. The facility is designed to handle a total elemental tritium inventory of 10 Ci, though it will initially commence operation with 1 Ci and later increased to the maximum value. In the event of an instantaneous emission of the total tritium inventory within the laboratory, the working personnel would be exposed to an airborne tritium concentration less than the maximum permissible. Moreover, with all the safety features included in this design the likelihood of such an accident is very remote. Thus, the tritium laboratory design is intrinsically safe

XRF scanners as a quick screening tool for detecting toxic pollutant elements in sediments from Marín harbour in the Ría de Pontevedra (NW Spain)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodríguez-Germade, I.; Rubio, B.; Rey, D.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Itrax is able to detect trace metals using an appropriate exposure time. • Metal pollution levels can be estimated from Itrax peak areas saving time and money. • Marín harbour is highly polluted by Hg, but most of it is bound to organic matter. • Organic matter variations can be quickly detected by using the inc/coh ratio. • Itrax is a fast option for monitoring pollution in harbours and coastal areas. - Abstract: X-ray fluorescence scanners, such as the Itrax™ Core Scanner (Itrax) (Cox Analytical Systems, Mölndal, Sweden), provide high-resolution geochemical data within several hours. However, the semi-quantitative nature of these analysers has hampered their use to study pollution. This study explores Itrax’s capabilities to detect trace metals, such as Hg and Cd, in the Ría de Pontevedra harbour (NW Spain). A set of Itrax detection levels were proposed for each metal after comparison with quantitative measurements obtained from Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and Vapour Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (CVAAS) analyses. These quantitative data obtained after a sequential extraction were used to evaluate pollutant bioavailability and to determine metal pollution levels exhibiting Hg pollution. The reliability of inc/coh and Br/Cl ratios to assess the total organic matter variability was also evaluated. The results indicated that the Itrax is an efficient and fast option to monitor contamination, thereby avoiding laborious discrete analyses and reducing analytical cost and time

A comparative study of macrobenthic community from harbours along the central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ingole, B.S.; Sivadas, S.; Nanajkar, M.; Sautya, S.; Nag, A.

and exploitation for sustainable development and conservation on fish stocks, V.S. Somvanshi, (Ed.)), Fishery Survey of India, (pp 54-58). 17. Hines, A.H., Hadden, A.E. & Weichest, L.A. 1990. Guild structure and foraging impact of blue crabs and epibenthic fish...) between the harbours A 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 s p eci es r i ch n ess ± S E B 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 Rat1 Rat2 Goa 1 Goa 2 Kar 1 Kar 2 Stations D i ve r s it y ± S E 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 E ven n ess ± S E H J 23 Fig. 6: ABC curve...

Abundance and recruitment data for Undaria pinnatifida in Brest harbour, France: Model versus field results

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James T. Murphy

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled “A modelling approach to explore the critical environmental parameters influencing the growth and establishment of the invasive seaweed Undaria pinnatifida in Europe” [1]. This article describes raw simulation data output from a novel individual-based model of the invasive kelp species Undaria pinnatifida. It also includes field data of monthly abundance and recruitment values for a population of invasive U. pinnatifida (in Brest harbour, France that were used to validate the model. The raw model output and field data are made publicly available in order to enable critical analysis of the model predictions and to inform future modelling efforts of the study species.

Exploring opportunities for healthy aging among older persons with a history of homelessness in Toronto, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Waldbrook, Natalie

2015-03-01

Within the areas of literature on both population aging and health and homelessness, little attention has been given to the opportunities and barriers to healthy aging among older persons with a history of homelessness. Set in the context of inner-city Toronto, Canada, this article reports on the findings from qualitative interviews with 29 formerly homeless older persons. The findings illustrate participants' experiences of positive health change since moving into a stable housing environment and the aspects of housing they perceive to have improved their health and wellbeing. The qualitative findings also draw attention to the ongoing barriers to healthy aging that can be experienced among older persons with a history of homelessness. Overall, this study draws on the lived experiences of formerly homeless older persons to offer a better understanding of the long-term effects of homelessness on health, wellbeing, and aging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Testing the effects of an acoustic harassment device on the behaviour of harbour porpoises (Phocoena Phocoena)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diederichs, Ansgar; Brandt, Miriam J.; Hoeschle, Caroline; Betke, Klaus; Nehls, Georg

2011-07-01

Full text: The use of monopile foundations for offshore wind farm construction goes along with considerable underwater noise emissions during pile driving, which can potentially harm marine mammals in the vicinity of the sound source. In order to avoid hearing damage in porpoises and seals the use of deterring devices is mandatory during pile driving in German waters. However, so far there is too little information to judge if the deterring effect is sufficient to prevent physical damage in these marine mammals. Using a combination of visual observations and passive acoustic monitoring (C-PODs) we investigated the spatial effects of a Lofitech seal scarer on harbour porpoises. The seal scarer emits pulses at 14 kHz at a source level of about 189dB re 1 muPa, and sound measurements at various distances where carried out. Sighting rates of porpoises significantly declined within the whole 1 km observation radius. Recordings of porpoise echolocation signals by C-PODs were significantly reduced out to a distance of 7 km, with the strongest effect at the nearest PODs and a weak effect at further distances. Minimum observed approach distance during 28 hours of seal scarer activity was 700 m. A response study revealed clear avoidance reactions by porpoises out to the maximum studied distance of 2.6 km. However, in some cases no reaction was found, and occasionally porpoises were also recorded by PODs at close distances. This shows that there may be substantial variation between individuals, different motivational states or different environmental conditions. These results show that the application of seal scarers is useful for reducing the number of harbour porpoises that may suffer hearing damage caused by pile driving. However, since complete exclusion of all animals cannot be achieved, alternative mitigation measures should be considered. (Author)

Electrodialytic remediation of harbour sediment in suspension - Evaluation of effects induced by changes in stirring velocity and current density on heavy metal removal and pH

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirkelund, Gunvor Marie; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.; Villumsen, Arne

2009-01-01

Electrodialytic remediation was used to remove heavy metals from a suspension of dredged harbour sediment. The studied metals Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd are normally strongly bound in anoxic sediment. Six electrodialytic laboratory remediation experiments were made, lasting 14 days and under oxic conditions...

Characterizing Suicide in Toronto: An Observational Study and Cluster Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Sinyor, Mark; Schaffer, Ayal; Streiner, David L

2014-01-01

Objective: To determine whether people who have died from suicide in a large epidemiologic sample form clusters based on demographic, clinical, and psychosocial factors. Method: We conducted a coroner’s chart review for 2886 people who died in Toronto, Ontario, from 1998 to 2010, and whose death was ruled as suicide by the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario. A cluster analysis using known suicide risk factors was performed to determine whether suicide deaths separate into distinct groups. Clusters were compared according to person- and suicide-specific factors. Results: Five clusters emerged. Cluster 1 had the highest proportion of females and nonviolent methods, and all had depression and a past suicide attempt. Cluster 2 had the highest proportion of people with a recent stressor and violent suicide methods, and all were married. Cluster 3 had mostly males between the ages of 20 and 64, and all had either experienced recent stressors, suffered from mental illness, or had a history of substance abuse. Cluster 4 had the youngest people and the highest proportion of deaths by jumping from height, few were married, and nearly one-half had bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Cluster 5 had all unmarried people with no prior suicide attempts, and were the least likely to have an identified mental illness and most likely to leave a suicide note. Conclusions: People who die from suicide assort into different patterns of demographic, clinical, and death-specific characteristics. Identifying and studying subgroups of suicides may advance our understanding of the heterogeneous nature of suicide and help to inform development of more targeted suicide prevention strategies. PMID:24444321

Left ventricular assist device exchange: the Toronto General Hospital experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsubota, Hideki; Ribeiro, Roberto V P; Billia, Filio; Cusimano, Robert J; Yau, Terrence M; Badiwala, Mitesh V; Stansfield, William E; Rao, Vivek

2017-08-01

As support times for left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) become longer, several complications requiring device exchange may occur. To our knowledge, this is the first Canadian report regarding implantable LVAD exchange. We retrospectively reviewed the cases of consecutive, unique patients implanted with an LVAD between June 2006 and October 2015 at Toronto General Hospital. In total, 122 patients were impanted with an LVAD during the study period. Eight patients required LVAD exchange, and 1 patient had 2 replacements (9 of 122, 7.3%). There were 7 HeartMate II (HMII), 1 HVAD and 1 DuraHeart pumps exchanged. Two of these exchanges occurred early at the time of initial implant, whereas 7 occurred late (range 8-623 d). Six exchanges were made owing to pump thrombosis. Of the 3 exchanges made for other causes, 1 HMII exchange was owing to a driveline fracture, 1 DuraHeart patient had early inflow obstruction requiring exchange to HMII at the initial implant, and the third had a suspected inflow obstruction with no evidence of thrombosis at the time of the procedure. The mean support time before exchange was 225 days, and time from exchange to transplant, death or ongoing support was 245 days. Three patients were successfully bridged to transplant, and at the time of data collection 2 were supported awaiting transplant. Three patients died after a mean duration of 394.3 days (range 78-673 d) of support postreplacement. Four cases were successfully performed using a subcostal approach. Pump thrombosis is the most common cause for LVAD exchange, which can be performed with acceptable morbidity and mortality. The subcostal approach may be the preferred procedure for an HMII exchange when indicated.

Use of the North Sea by harbour seal with special emphasis on the Horns Reef area. Test of prototype GPS/GSM-transmitter on harbour seals in the Sealarium Esbjerg

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tougaard, S.; Tougaard, J.

2004-04-01

A combined GPS-receiver and GSM mobile phone transmitter designed for deployment on wild seals was tested on a captive harbour seal. The unit has been under development in recent years and consists of a GPS-unit for positioning and a GSM mobile phone unit for transmission of logged positions to land. The test took place in the Sealarium at the Fisheries and Maritime Museum, Esbjerg. The unit was glued onto the fur on the head of the seal, where it stayed on for 13 days. Only one position was acquired by the unit and it failed to connect to the GSM-net during the test. Technical information from the constructor of the unit is not available and it is thus not possible to conclude on the reasons why the unit did not function as intended. The behaviour of the seal can however, be ruled out, as close observation and registration of the seals dive behaviour during the first days of deployment showed that the unit was free of the water for sufficiently long periods for positions to be acquired. (au)

Climate change, energy and sustainability: lessons from the Toronto-Niagara region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiotti, Q.

2001-01-01

(electricity and natural gas), and the demand for energy. Climate factors considered include changes in the mean, but more importantly variability in temperatures and changes in extreme weather events. This part of the discussion draws upon extensive research in the Toronto-Niagara Region, which has been supported through the Federal Interdepartmental Panel on Energy Research and Development (PERD). Emphasis is placed on identifying what aspects of current climate have had the greatest impact on the energy sector, and the adaptation options that will be necessary to reduce future vulnerability in face of inevitable climate variability and change. In section three, the emphasis shifts towards actions to reduce GHG plus related emissions, within the context of environmental and health benefits. The co-benefits of reducing GHG plus related emissions includes the implications for ecosystems and biodiversity, environmental health (managed (forestry) and unmanaged (agriculture) systems), social welfare and human health. This discussion is based on research conducted on co-benefits as part of the multi-stakeholder process to develop a national strategy on climate change. The paper concludes by providing a preliminary assessment of the various mitigation options currently being proposed to help reach emission targets set out in the Kyoto Protocol, as they apply to the Toronto-Niagara Region. The assessment, which will be undertaken in greater depth as part of Phases III through V of the PERD supported project, considers the vulnerability of an altered energy system to climate change impacts, and the potential co-benefits for environment and health This includes changes brought about by fossil fuel switching, the inter-provincial transmission of electricity, alternative technologies, and energy efficiency, amongst other mitigation actions. (author)

Psychosocial stressors contributing to emergency psychiatric service utilization in a sample of ethno-culturally diverse clients with psychosis in Toronto.

Science.gov (United States)

Rotenberg, Martin; Tuck, Andrew; McKenzie, Kwame

2017-09-02

Understanding the psychosocial stressors of people with psychoses from minority ethnic groups may help in the development of culturally appropriate services. This study aimed to compare psychosocial factors associated with attendance at an emergency department (ED) for six ethnic groups. Preventing crises or supporting people better in the community may decrease hospitalization and improve outcomes. A cohort was created by retrospective case note analysis of people of East-Asian, South-Asian, Black-African, Black-Caribbean, White-North American and White-European origin groups attending a specialized psychiatric ED in Toronto with a diagnosis of psychosis between 2009 and 2011. The psychological or social stressors which were linked to the presentation at the ED that were documented by the attending physicians were collected for this study. Logistic regression models were constructed to analyze the odds of presenting with specific stressors. Seven hundred sixty-five clients were included in this study. Forty-four percent of the sample did not have a psychiatrist, and 53% did not have a primary care provider. Social environmental stressors were the most frequent psychosocial stressor across all six groups, followed by issues in the primary support group, occupational and housing stressors. When compared to White-North American clients, East-Asian and White-European origin clients were less likely to present with a housing stressor, while Black-African clients had decreased odds of presenting with primary support group stressor. Having a primary care provider or psychiatrist were predominantly protective factors. In Toronto, moving people with chronic mental health conditions out of poverty, increasing the social safety net and improving access to primary care and community based mental health services may decrease many of the stressors which contribute to ED attendance.

Consolidation of existing solid waste management plans in the Greater Toronto Area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1989-08-01

The municipalities of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) will be implementing initiatives in solid waste management, in view of the fact that current landfill capacity is nearly exhausted. A consolidation of information is provided on the solid waste management plans, programs, and facilities within the GTA. In response to environmental concerns coupled with difficulties encountered in developing new solid waste disposal facilities, waste reduction, reuse, and recycling efforts are developing rapidly. Some of the measures currently implemented and under investigation include: curbside recycling programs for newspapers, glass, metal, and plastic containers; expanding recycling efforts to apartment buildings; expanding the kinds of materials collected through the curbside programs; improving recycling services in rural areas; public education and promotional programs; promotion of home composting; household hazardous waste programs; recovery of cardboard from commercial and industrial sources, coupled with bans on cardboard at landfills; recovery of selected waste building materials such as wood and drywall, coupled with bans on these materials at landfills; recovery of paper from office buildings; and programs to assist industries in waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. The solid wastes generated in the GTA are managed in a number of facilities including recycling centers, transfer stations, and landfill sites. A 410 tonne/day energy-from-waste facility has recently been approved for Peel Region and is planned to be constructed in the coming year. 21 refs., 1 fig., 14 tabs.

Summary of Synoptic Meteorological Observations (SSMO). Australian Coastal Marine Areas. Volume 1. Area 1 - Princess Charlotte Bay. Area 2 - Cairns. Area 3 - Cumberland Islands. Area 4 - Rockhampton. Area 5 - Brisbane. Area 6 - Coffs Harbour. Area 7 - Sydney. Area 8 - Cape Howe NE

Science.gov (United States)

1977-09-01

Weather Service Detachment Asheville, N. C. 8. CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBERf«) 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS National Climatic Center...Australian East Coast, Princess Charlotte Bay, Cairns, Cumberland Islands, Rockhampton, Brisbane, Coffs Harbour, Sydney and Cape Howe NE. ^ 20...OVER-ALL) 1»S«-1973 AREA 0006 COFFS HARBOUR 30.3S 193.36 fERCENT FR60UENCY OF MSATHER OCCURRENCE BY NINO OIRECTION

Acid rain: reflections on energy and environment. [Summary of conference at Toronto, November 1-3, 1979

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Passmore, J

1979-12-01

Citizens groups organized a well-attended conference in Toronto, where speakers were requested to give clear direction on the political and technical opportunities for eliminating acid rain. Major Ontario contributors to the problem are the international Nickel Company, coal-fired power plants, and automobiles. The matter has top priority for the Ontario government, but individuals must cooperate by changing their lifestyles and paying closer attention to the environmental impacts of energy consumption. Canada is prepared to take unilateral action if no agreement is reached with the US on how much oxide emissions must be reduced. Conservation is the key to reducing energy demand in the short term, while development and careful management of domestic renewable energy sources can provide long-term energy growth. Acid rain is blamed for the death of 150 Ontario lakes and a reduction in solar radiation. The conference called for national policies aimed at eliminating the causes of acid rain and challenged environmentalists to lobby accordingly. (DCK)

Les peintures murales de la chapelle du château de Montreuil-Bellay / The Murals of the Chapel of Montreuil-Bellay Castle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel Gras

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The castle of Montreuil-Bellay was rebuilt by Guillaume d’Harcourt († 1487 and his wife Yolande de Laval († 1487. It contains in one of the chapels a rare testimony of murals dating from the last quarter of the fifteenth century in the Loire Valley, in France. Based on a widespread iconography, images however respond to specific expectations of the owners. Several complementary readings can be made in the representation of the six saints painted in the chapel. Individual devotions combine collective concerns of several members of the Harcourt and Laval families. Also, this short introduction on the murals also leads us to take a new look at the painter in charge of it. The artist, who was familiar with Flemish painting innovations during the fifteenth century. He probably can be identified with Coppin Delf. From an artistic standpoint, the murals of Montreuil-Bellay put on display an entanglement of different influences and iconographic sources. Indeed, they emphasize the extent and complexity in artistic transfers away from political divisions or distant geographical areas.

Evaluation of Multi-Year Continuous Measurements of Ultrafine Particles at Two Near-Road Stations in Toronto, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Y.; Sofowote, U.; Debosz, J.; Munoz, T.; Whitelaw, C.

2013-12-01

Particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than 100 nanometre (nm) are referred to as ultrafine particles (UFPs). Relative to fine and course particles, UFPs have greater potential to be suspended in air for a longer time and absorb toxic chemicals due to their larger surface areas per unit mass. UFPs could penetrate deep into the respiratory or cardiovascular systems and pose adverse health effects. In urban environments, primary sources of UFPs are from road traffic emissions and account for most of the total particle numbers. Controls on UPFs rely on better understanding of their emission sources and environmental behaviour. Ontario Ministry of the Environment have monitored UFPs since 2010 at two near-road stations in Toronto by using TSI 3031 UFP monitors. The two monitoring stations are approximately 20-30 meters adjacent to major arterial roads with over 20,000 vehicles per day. UFPs concentrations were monitored using six size channels: 20-30nm, 30-50nm, 50-70nm, 70-100nm, 100-200nm, and 200-450nm. Data are collected at time intervals of 11 or 15 minutes and averaged hourly. Concurrent measurements include wind speeds, wind directions, and concentrations of other air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and black carbon. Data influenced by road-side traffic emissions were filtered by wind direction within 45° of normal to the road and wind speed greater than 1 m/s. Number concentrations were found higher for particles with sizes of 20-30nm and 30-50nm than for other sizes of UFPs. The observed particle number distributions are generally consistent with the theoretical understanding of particle nuclei mode and accumulation mode. During the day, for UFPs with sizes of 20-30nm and 30-50nm, elevated number concentrations were observed in morning traffic hours and to a less extent in the late afternoon. The elevated UFPs number concentrations coincided with nitrogen oxides and black carbon. Moreover, higher number concentrations were found on weekdays than

An Observational Study of Suicide Death in Homeless and Precariously Housed People in Toronto.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinyor, Mark; Kozloff, Nicole; Reis, Catherine; Schaffer, Ayal

2017-07-01

Homelessness has been identified as an important risk factor for suicide death, but there is limited research characterising homeless people who die by suicide. The goal of this study is to identify personal, clinical, and suicide method-related factors that distinguish homeless and precariously housed people who die from suicide from those who are not homeless at the time of suicide. Coroner records were reviewed for all suicide deaths in Toronto from 1998 to 2012. Data abstracted included housing status as well as other demographics, clinical variables such as the presence of mental illness, and suicide method. Of 3319 suicide deaths, 60 (1.8%) were homeless and 230 (6.9%) were precariously housed. Homeless and precariously housed people were each younger than nonhomeless people ( P suicide note. Homeless people and precariously housed were more likely to have died by fall/jump than nonhomeless people (62%, 57%, and 29%, respectively). Homeless and precariously housed people are overrepresented among suicide deaths in a large urban center and differ demographically, clinically, and in their suicide method from nonhomeless people who die by suicide. Targeted suicide prevention strategies should aim to address factors specific to homeless people.

RECORDING AND MODELING OF FORTRESSES AND CASTLES WITH UAS. SOME STUDY CASES IN JAEN (SOUTHERN SPAIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Cardenal

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The province of Jaen (Southern Spain has one of the largest concentrations of medieval fortresses of all Europe. Moreover ancient Iberian settlements located in oppida (fortified villages and dated at VI-IV BC also are outstanding examples of historical heritage landmarks in the region. Most of these places are being restored or under documentation analysis to prevent their progressive deterioration. These places have several geometric characteristics in common, such as isolated locations, elongated shapes, largemedium size objects (in the order of tens to few hundred of meters, architectural features with vertical development (such as masonry or rammed earth walls, towers, gates, battlements, etc or without it (walls, buildings or paths layouts at ground level. The object size, the required level of details and accuracy (of the order of some few cm and both vertical and horizontal features imply that present UAS techniques can be advantageously used with respect to conventional aerial and terrestrial photogrammetric techniques. Vertical stereoscopic and oblique convergent UAS photogrammetric networks combined with processing techniques based on Structure from Motion (SfM algorithms allow detailed low cost 2D/3D products. The proper selection of the UAS, camera, image acquisition mode (stop and/or cruising, the network and the processing software will determine the quality of final products and their usefulness in metric documentation, 3D modelization or museology. The efficiency of the use of UAS has been analyzed in several selected examples in Jaen (Burgalimar and Berrueco castles, Xth and XIIIth centuries, respectively, and the Iberian Puente Tablas oppidum, Vth-IVth centuries BC.

Historical events associated with fallout from Bravo Shot-Operation castle and 25 y of medical findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cronkite, E.P.; Conard, R.A.; Bond, V.P. [Brookhaven National Labs., Upton, NY (United States)

1997-07-01

The events prior to Bravo Shot-Operation Castle that led to a decision not to evacuate the Marshallese prior to testing the thermonuclear bombs are presented as are the actions taken after the fallout incident in evacuating the exposed Marshallese and the military personnel. The initial medical effects (findings during first 6 wk after exposure) are briefly described and are followed by description of long term effects, namely, induction of one case or fatal acute myeloid leukemia and a large number of thyroid tumors (benign and malignant) in addition to hypothyroidism in adults and children and two cases of cretinism. The hypothyroidism and cretinism responded well to administration of oral thyroxine. During the first 25 y, there was also much unrest and political agitation initiated by exposed and unexposed Marshallese who were very unhappy as a result of relocation and inability to return to their homelands and feeling that all illness and deaths were due to the mysterious radiation, which they understandably did not understand. The difficulties in part were ameliorated by financial aid from the U.S. Congress. In view of one of us (EPC), no one agency or person in the U.S. Government was willing to take the responsibility for care of the Marshallese and its financing. The exposed and non-exposed Marshallese had their lifestyle changed, some of their homelands made uninhabitable for several years and could aptly be called {open_quotes}nuclear nomads,{close_quotes} an expression coined by others. 14 refs., 3 tabs.

Growth of plants on TBT-contaminated harbour sludge and effect on TBT removal.

Science.gov (United States)

Novak, Jana; Trapp, Stefan

2005-11-01

Worldwide, large amounts of sediments have to be dredged annually from waterways and harbours. These sediments are sometimes polluted with a variety of toxic compounds. In some countries, including Belgium, the load with the biocide tributyltin (TBT) from ship coatings prohibits the dumping of harbour sludge into the sea. Land-based dumping is a commonly used alternative. This research investigated the feasibility to use land-deposited harbour sludge for plant production. In a field trial, the growth of 38 more or less salt-tolerant plant species on low and high TBT-contaminated sediments was studied. The elimination of TBT from sludge with and without vegetation was compared. The uptake of TBT and its degradation products di- and monobutyltin (DBT and MBT) into harvest products under field conditions was determined. EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP: Sediments dredged in May 2003 from the brackish waters of the port of Antwerp were analysed in the laboratory for soil texture, pH, electroconductivity, sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, ammonium, nitrate, total nitrogen, chloride, sulphur and the organotins TBT, DBT and MBT. The sediments were lagooned for one year to dewater, desalinate and improve their structure. Salt-tolerant domestic and wild plants were selected and sown in May 2004. In August 2004, plants were harvested and the produced biomass was determined. Samples were taken from vegetated and non-vegetated top and bottom sediments and from plants growing above soil and analysed for TBT, DBT and MBT. The fresh sediments showed a good supply with nutrients and a neutral pH, but were rather saline (EC 14 mS cm(-1) of the saturated paste extract). The salinity decreased to 3.7 mS cm(-1) during lagoonation. The high and the low contaminated sediment had initially 43 and 1.6 mg TBT kg(-1) dry weight, respectively. Besides TBT, several other contaminants were present in the sediments at critical levels. The biomass production of the plant species from the field trial

The Castle of Benifallim, Alicante: an initial interpretation from an archaeological point of view | El Castillo de Benifallim, Alicante: una aproximación desde la arqueología

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Débora Marcela Kiss

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This article is an initial study of a medieval fortress, the Castle of Benifallim, in Alicante. Our strategy of analysis includes different ways aproaches: from the architectural study through Archaeology of Architecture, to the analysis of its relationship with its surroundings through Landscape Archaeology. | El presente artículo constituye un primer acercamiento al estudio de una fortificación medieval, el Castillo de Benifallim, situado en la provincia de Alicante. Nuestra estrategia de análisis aborda el conocimiento del yacimiento desde diferentes niveles de aproximación, partiendo del estudio del objeto arquitectónico, mediante la arqueología de la arquitectura para arribar finalmente al análisis de las relaciones que se establecen con su entorno de implantación, la arqueología del paisaje.

Analysis of newspaper coverage of active aging through the lens of the 2002 World Health Organization Active Ageing Report: A Policy Framework and the 2010 Toronto Charter for Physical Activity: A Global Call for Action.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdullah, Boushra; Wolbring, Gregor

2013-12-05

As populations continue to grow older, efforts to support the process of aging well are important goals. Various synonyms are used to cover aging well, such as active aging. The World Health Organization published in 2002 the report Active Ageing: A Policy Framework that according to the call for papers, has brought active ageing to the forefront of international public health awareness. The 2010 Toronto Charter for Physical Activity: A Global Call for Action was singled out in the call for papers as a key document promoting physical activity one goal of the 2002 WHO active aging policy framework. Media are to report to the public topics of importance to them. We investigated the newspaper coverage of aging well and synonymous terms such as active aging through the lens of the 2002 WHO active aging policy framework and the 2010 Toronto Charter for Physical Activity. As sources we used the following newspapers: China Daily, The Star (Malaysia), two UK newspapers (The Guardian, The Times), a database of 300 Canadian newspapers (Canadian Newsstand) and a US newspaper (The New York Times). The study generated data answering the following four research questions: (1) how often are the 2002 WHO active aging policy framework and the 2010 Toronto Charter for Physical Activity mentioned; (2) how often is the topic of active aging and terms conveying similar content (aging well, healthy aging, natural aging and successful aging) discussed; (3) which of the issues flagged as important in the 2002 WHO active aging policy framework and the 2010 Toronto Charter for Physical Activity are covered in the newspaper coverage of active aging and synonymous terms; (4) which social groups were mentioned in the newspapers covered. The study found a total absence of mentioning of the two key documents and a low level of coverage of "active aging" and terms conveying similar content. It found further a lack of engagement with the issues raised in the two key documents and a low level of

Use of the North Sea by harbour seal with special emphasis on the Horns Reef area. Test of prototype GPS/GSM-transmitter on harbour seals in the Sealarium Esbjerg[Denmark

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tougaard, S.; Tougaard, J.

2004-04-15

A combined GPS-receiver and GSM mobile phone transmitter designed for deployment on wild seals was tested on a captive harbour seal. The unit has been under development in recent years and consists of a GPS-unit for positioning and a GSM mobile phone unit for transmission of logged positions to land. The test took place in the Sealarium at the Fisheries and Maritime Museum, Esbjerg. The unit was glued onto the fur on the head of the seal, where it stayed on for 13 days. Only one position was acquired by the unit and it failed to connect to the GSM-net during the test. Technical information from the constructor of the unit is not available and it is thus not possible to conclude on the reasons why the unit did not function as intended. The behaviour of the seal can however, be ruled out, as close observation and registration of the seals dive behaviour during the first days of deployment showed that the unit was free of the water for sufficiently long periods for positions to be acquired. (au)

Plants of the fynbos biome harbour host species-specific bacterial communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyambo, Tsakani; Makhalanyane, Thulani P; Cowan, Don A; Valverde, Angel

2016-08-01

The fynbos biome in South Africa is globally recognised as a plant biodiversity hotspot. However, very little is known about the bacterial communities associated with fynbos plants, despite interactions between primary producers and bacteria having an impact on the physiology of both partners and shaping ecosystem diversity. This study reports on the structure, phylogenetic composition and potential roles of the endophytic bacterial communities located in the stems of three fynbos plants (Erepsia anceps, Phaenocoma prolifera and Leucadendron laureolum). Using Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA sequencing we found that different subpopulations of Deinococcus-Thermus, Alphaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria and Firmicutes dominated the endophytic bacterial communities. Alphaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria were prevalent in P. prolifera, whereas Deinococcus-Thermus dominated in L. laureolum, revealing species-specific host-bacteria associations. Although a high degree of variability in the endophytic bacterial communities within hosts was observed, we also detected a core microbiome across the stems of the three plant species, which accounted for 72% of the sequences. Altogether, it seems that both deterministic and stochastic processes shaped microbial communities. Endophytic bacterial communities harboured putative plant growth-promoting bacteria, thus having the potential to influence host health and growth. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Toxic effects of various pollutants in 11B7501 lymphoma B cell line from harbour seal (Phoca vitulina)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frouin, Heloise; Fortier, Marlene; Fournier, Michel

2010-01-01

Although, heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been reported at high levels in marine mammals, little is known about the toxic effects of some of these contaminants. In this study, we assessed the immunotoxic and genotoxic effects of seven heavy metals (arsenic, vanadium, selenium, iron, zinc, silver and chromium) and one PAH (benzo[a]pyrene or B[a]P) on a lymphoma B cell line from harbour seal (Phoca vitulina). A significant reduction in lymphocyte proliferation was registered following an exposure to 0.05 μM of B[a]P, 5 μM of arsenic or selenium, 50 μM of vanadium, 100 μM of silver and 200 μM of iron. On the contrary, zinc increased the lymphoproliferative response at 200 μM. Decreased phagocytosis was observed at 20 μM of arsenic, 50 μM of B[a]P or selenium, 200 μM of zinc and 500 μM of vanadium. Micronuclei induction occurred with 0.2 μM of B[a]P, 100 μM of vanadium and with 200 μM of arsenic or selenium. Exposure to 50 μM of arsenic decreased G 2 /M phase of the cell cycle. Chromium did not induce any effects at the concentrations tested. Concentrations of heavy metals (except silver and vanadium) and B[a]P inducing an toxic effect are within the environmental ranges reported in the blood tissue of pinnipeds. The reduction of some functional activities of the harbour seal immune system may cause a significant weakness capable of altering host resistance to disease in free-ranging pinnipeds.

Determination of selected antibiotics in the Victoria Harbour and the Pearl River, South China using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Weihai; Zhang Gan; Zou Shichun; Li Xiangdong; Liu Yuchun

2007-01-01

Nine selected antibiotics in the Victoria Harbour of Hong Kong and the Pearl River at Guangzhou, South China, were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The results showed that the concentrations of antibiotics were mainly below the limit of quantification (LOQ) in the marine water of Victoria Harbour. However, except for amoxicillin, all of the antibiotics were detected in the Pearl River during high and low water seasons with the median concentrations ranging from 11 to 67 ng/L, and from 66 to 460 ng/L, respectively; and the concentrations in early spring were about 2-15 times higher than that in summer with clearer diurnal variations. It was suggested that the concentrations of antibiotics in the high water season were more affected by wastewater production cycles due to quick refreshing rate, while those in the low water season may be more sensitive to the water column dynamics controlled by tidal processes in the river. - Antibiotics were found at high concentrations in an urban reach of Pearl River in southern China with contrast diurnal variations between the high and low water seasons

Autonomously hyperfunctioning cystic nodule harbouring thyroid carcinoma - Case report and literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Maria João; Soares, Virgínia; Koch, Pedro; Silva, Artur; Taveira-Gomes, António

2018-01-01

Hyperthyroidism is rarely associated with malignancy, but it cannot rule out thyroid cancer. Although there is published data describing this coexistence, thyroid carcinomas inside autonomously functioning nodules are uncommon. A 49-year-old woman presented with a cervical mass, unexplained weight loss and anxiousness, sweating and insomnia. On physical examination, she had a palpable left thyroid nodule. Thyroid function tests showed suppressed TSH (nodule. 99mTC thyroid scintigraphy showed a hyperfunctioning nodule with suppression of the remainder parenchyma. Fine-needle aspiration cytology was nondiagnostic (cystic fluid). The patient was started on thiamazole 5 mg daily with subsequent normalization of thyroid function, but she developed cervical foreign body sensation and a left hemithyroidectomy was performed. Histology showed a 4 cm cystic nodule with a follicular variant papillary carcinoma and the patient underwent completion thyroidectomy, followed by radio-iodine ablation. Published literature showed an increased prevalence of autonomously functioning nodules, harbouring thyroid carcinomas in adults. Papillary carcinoma is the most frequently described but the follicular variant is rare. Although rare, thyroid cancer is not definitively excluded in hyperthyroid patients and it should always be considered as differential diagnosis. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

MOCCA-SURVEY Database I: Galactic Globular Clusters Harbouring a Black Hole Subsystem

Science.gov (United States)

Askar, Abbas; Sedda, Manuel Arca; Giersz, Mirek

2018-05-01

There have been increasing theoretical speculations and observational indications that certain globular clusters (GCs) could contain a sizeable population of stellar mass black holes (BHs). In this paper, we shortlist at least 29 Galactic GCs that could be hosting a subsystem of BHs (BHS). In a companion paper, we analysed results from a wide array of GC models (simulated with the MOCCA code for cluster simulations) that retained few tens to several hundreds of BHs at 12 Gyr and showed that the properties of the BHS in those GCs correlate with the GC's observable properties. Building on those results, we use available observational properties of 140 Galactic GCs to identify 29 GCs that could potentially be harbouring up to a few hundreds of BHs. Utilizing observational properties and theoretical scaling relations, we estimate the density, size and mass of the BHS in these GCs. We also calculate the total number of BHs and the fraction of BHs contained in a binary system for our shortlisted Galactic GCs. Additionally, we mention other Galactic GCs that could also contain significant number of single BHs or BHs in binary systems.

Aboriginal Knowledge Infusion in Initial Teacher Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angela Mashford-Pringle

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Knowledge of the Aboriginal socio-political history in Canada has historically been excluded from public education. In Ontario, public school children learn about Aboriginal people at specific times in the curriculum. However, teachers frequently only teach the bare essentials about Aboriginal people in Canada because they do not have adequate knowledge or feel that they lack the ability to teach about this subject. The Ontario Institute of Studies in Education at the University of Toronto has implemented the Deepening Knowledge Project to provide teacher candidates with an increased awareness and knowledge about Aboriginal history, culture, and worldview for their future teaching careers. This article will provide insight into the project and the curriculum developed for working with teacher candidates.