Evolving Policies And Institutional Arrangements In The Canadian Agri-food Industry: An Analysis Of Differential Development Between The Dairy And Beef Livestock Sectors

This thesis examines the evolving policies and institutional arrangements in the Canadian agri-food industry; specifically an analysis of differential development between the dairy and beef livestock sectors. Moving beyond the pluralist and other alternative explanations for the development of marketing boards, an integrative theoretical framework which incorporates a broader conceptual and theoretical approach was adopted to investigate the role of producers, agribusiness and the state in the agricultural policy-making process for each agri-food sector. Two specific periods of conflict were examined, which represented significant attempts to introduce a marketing board as a means to resolve a crisis that was afflicting each industry. Using a dual content analysis approach, this thesis examined the background papers to (i) the Ontario Milk Industry Inquiry Committee, and (ii) the Commission of Inquiry into the Marketing of Beef and Veal, in order to determine the interests of each of the participants to the Inquiry, in relation to the policy recommendations and the legislative response.;From this investigation, it was discovered that the policy outcomes from each period of conflict were directed towards the combined interests of large scale efficient producers and agribusiness firms. In the dairy industry, large scale producers were advocating a joint proposal that would protect their own interests, while large scale processors were demanding the complete overhaul of the rigid and restrictive institutional arrangements that were maintaining inefficiencies in production and processing activities, and limiting the investment of capital. The state\u27s response to the crisis was to introduce \u27enabling legislation\u27 for the complete rationalization of the dairy production process. In the beef livestock industry, producers were divided on the type of marketing system that would resolve a severe cost-price squeeze. On the one hand, large scale producers and agribusiness interests were requesting the modification of the existing marketing system; on the other hand, small scale producers and labour were demanding the development of a beef marketing board. The state\u27s response was to modify the beef marketing system through the introduction of import quotas and stabilization payments. In both agri-food industries, the state response to the interests of capital, suggests that the institutional arrangements in the Canadian agri-food industry deserves more critical examination

Precipitation of thorium as thorium hydride from thorium-magnesium solutions

The precipitation of thorium as thorium dihydride from thorium-magnesium solutions has been investigated over the temperature range of 665° to 810°0. It has been shown that thorium can be precipitated as thorium dihydride by equilibrating the thorium-magnesium solutions (containing 35 to 42 wt. % Th) with hydrogen gas at one atmosphere pressure

Magnesium-uranium alloy system

Analytical, X-ray, thermal, and metallographic data have been obtained in the study of magnesium-uranium system, and a proposed phase diagram has been constructed

Chemosensory Profile of South Tyrolean Pinot Blanc Wines: A Multivariate Regression Approach

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The new 14C chronology for the Palaeolithic site of La Ferrassie, France: the disappearance of Neanderthals and the arrival of Homo sapiens in France

The grand abri at La Ferrassie (France) has been a key site for Palaeolithic research since the early part of the 20th century. It became the eponymous site for one variant of Middle Palaeolithic stone tools, and its sequence was used to define stages of the Aurignacian, an early phase of the Upper Palaeolithic. Several Neanderthal remains, including two relatively intact skeletons, make it one of the most important sites for the study of Neanderthal morphology and one of the more important data sets when discussing the Neanderthal treatment of the dead. However, the site has remained essentially undated. Our goal here is to provide a robust chronological framework of the La Ferrassie sequence to be used for broad regional models about human behaviour during the late Middle to Upper Palaeolithic periods. To achieve this goal, we used a combination of modern excavation methods, extensive geoarchaeological analyses, and radiocarbon dating. If we accept that Neanderthals were responsible for the Châtelperronian, then our results suggest an overlap of ca. 1600 years with the newly arrived Homo sapiens found elsewhere in France

The new 14C chronology for the Palaeolithic site of La Ferrassie, France: the disappearance of Neanderthals and the arrival of Homo sapiens in France

The grand abri at La Ferrassie (France) has been a key site for Palaeolithic research since the early part of the 20th century. It became the eponymous site for one variant of Middle Palaeolithic stone tools, and its sequence was used to define stages of the Aurignacian, an early phase of the Upper Palaeolithic. Several Neanderthal remains, including two relatively intact skeletons, make it one of the most important sites for the study of Neanderthal morphology and one of the more important data sets when discussing the Neanderthal treatment of the dead. However, the site has remained essentially undated. Our goal here is to provide a robust chronological framework of the La Ferrassie sequence to be used for broad regional models about human behaviour during the late Middle to Upper Palaeolithic periods. To achieve this goal, we used a combination of modern excavation methods, extensive geoarchaeological analyses, and radiocarbon dating. If we accept that Neanderthals were responsible for the Châtelperronian, then our results suggest an overlap of ca. 1600 years with the newly arrived Homo sapiens found elsewhere in France.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Reproductive Failure of Landlocked Atlantic Salmon from New York's Finger Lakes: Investigations into the Etiology and Epidemiology of the “Cayuga Syndrome”

We describe a disease syndrome that afflicts larval, landlocked Atlantic salmon Salmo salar from Cayuga Lake, one of central New York's Finger Lakes. Mortality associated with the “Cayuga syndrome” is 98–100%. Death usually occurs between 650 and 850 centigrade degree-days after fertilization, approximately 2–4 weeks before yolk resorption is complete. Although there is minor temporal variation in the onset of the Cayuga syndrome in progeny from individual females, all sac fry eventually succumb. Incubation of embryos and sac fry under constant, ambient, or reduced temperature regimens slightly alters the degree-day timing of syndrome onset, but does not improve survival. Based on mortality rate, manifestation of the Cayuga syndrome has not changed in the past 10 years, even though incubation waters of varying chemistry and temperature have been used. Mortality of the negative control stocks used for these studies never exceeded 10% from hatching to first feeding. Findings from reciprocal crossbreeding experiments indicate the problem is associated with ova only. A noninfectious etiology is indicated by the lack of consistently identifiable fish pathogens from syndrome-afflicted sac fry and by the failure to transmit the condition horizontally. Suspect contaminants were eliminated as potential causative factors. Epidemiological studies on the viability of other Finger Lakes stocks indicate that Atlantic salmon from Keuka and Seneca lakes are also afflicted (100% mortality). yet those from Skaneateles Lake are not. The cause of this syndrome appears to be nutritional.This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the American Fisheries Society and can be found at: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/uahh20/current#.Ug5ocnfAF8E

Retrospective evaluation of whole exome and genome mutation calls in 746 cancer samples

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) curated consensus somatic mutation calls using whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole genome sequencing (WGS), respectively. Here, as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium, which aggregated whole genome sequencing data from 2,658 cancers across 38 tumour types, we compare WES and WGS side-by-side from 746 TCGA samples, finding that ~80% of mutations overlap in covered exonic regions. We estimate that low variant allele fraction (VAF < 15%) and clonal heterogeneity contribute up to 68% of private WGS mutations and 71% of private WES mutations. We observe that ~30% of private WGS mutations trace to mutations identified by a single variant caller in WES consensus efforts. WGS captures both ~50% more variation in exonic regions and un-observed mutations in loci with variable GC-content. Together, our analysis highlights technological divergences between two reproducible somatic variant detection efforts.publishedVersio

Adaptation to climate change in the Ontario public health sector

Background: Climate change is among the major challenges for health this century, and adaptation to manage adverse health outcomes will be unavoidable. The risks in Ontario – Canada’s most populous province – include increasing temperatures, more frequent and intense extreme weather events, and alterations to precipitation regimes. Socio-economic-demographic patterns could magnify the implications climate change has for Ontario, including the presence of rapidly growing vulnerable populations, exacerbation of warming trends by heat-islands in large urban areas, and connectedness to global transportation networks. This study examines climate change adaptation in the public health sector in Ontario using information from interviews with government officials. Methods: Fifty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted, four with provincial and federal health officials and 49 with actors in public health and health relevant sectors at the municipal level. We identify adaptation efforts, barriers and opportunities for current and future intervention. Results: Results indicate recognition that climate change will affect the health of Ontarians. Health officials are concerned about how a changing climate could exacerbate existing health issues or create new health burdens, specifically extreme heat (71%), severe weather (68%) and poor air-quality (57%). Adaptation is currently taking the form of mainstreaming climate change into existing public health programs. While adaptive progress has relied on local leadership, federal support, political will, and inter-agency efforts, a lack of resources constrains the sustainability of long-term adaptation programs and the acquisition of data necessary to support effective policies. Conclusions: This study provides a snapshot of climate change adaptation and needs in the public health sector in Ontario. Public health departments will need to capitalize on opportunities to integrate climate change into policies and programs, while higher levels of government must improve efforts to support local adaptation and provide the capacity through which local adaptation can succeed