Investigating Local Definitions of Sustainability in the Arctic: Insights from Post-Soviet Sakha Villages

Contemporary survival for post-Soviet Russia’s indigenous communities is complicated both by a Soviet legacy that undermined local ecological knowledge, kinship settlement patterns, land and resource rights, and robust ecosystems, and by the contemporary effects of globalization and modernity. Efforts to achieve sustainability lack a focus on local contexts, although recent research, especially in anthropology, underscores the need to develop sustainability criteria that are both flexible and adaptable to local contexts. Community-based research in post-Soviet Viliui Sakha indigenous communities of northeastern Siberia, Russia, has shown that inhabitants define sustainability as the building of local diversified economies, communities, and health via strong local leadership, a shared vision to work toward common goals, the reinstatement of local knowledge, and rights to land and resources. Realization of these ideas may be achieved by continued collaboration between circumpolar researchers and communities to facilitate the influx of ideas and models of success from other Arctic regions and by potential outcomes of intergovernmental action between the Russian Federation and its circumpolar neighbors through Russia’s chairing of the Arctic Council. Implementation of flexible, locally adaptable sustainability criteria is central to these efforts.La survie contemporaine des collectivités indigènes russes post-soviétiques est rendue complexe par un patrimoine soviétique qui minait le savoir écologique local, les tendances en matière de parenté, les droits à la terre et aux ressources, et les écosystèmes robustes, de même que par les effets contemporains de la mondialisation et la modernisation. Les efforts en matière d’atteinte de la durabilité ne portent pas suffisamment sur les contextes locaux, bien que des recherches récentes, notamment en anthropologie, fassent ressortir la nécessité d’élaborer des critères de durabilité qui sont à la fois souples et adaptables aux contextes locaux. Des recherches communautaires réalisées au sein des collectivités indigènes post-soviétiques de Viliui Sakha dans le nord-est de la Sibérie, en Russie, ont permis de constater que les habitants définissent la durabilité comme l’édification d’économies et de collectivités locales diversifiées et en santé grâce à un bon leadership local, à une vision partagée visant des objectifs communs, au rétablissement du savoir local et aux droits à la terre et aux ressources. La concrétisation de ces idées peut être rendue possible par une collaboration continue entre les chercheurs et les collectivités circumpolaires et ce, dans le but de faciliter l’apport d’idées et de modèles de réussites provenant d’autres régions de l’Arctique ainsi que par les résultats éventuels de mesures intergouvernementales entre la Fédération de Russie et ses voisins circumpolaires au moyen de la présidence du Conseil de l’Arctique par la Russie. Ces efforts reposent principalement sur la mise en oeuvre de critères de durabilité souples et adaptables à l’échelle locale

A Methodological Model for Exchanging Local and Scientific Climate Change Knowledge in Northeastern Siberia

This paper analyzes findings from “Knowledge Exchanges,” which engaged communities of Viliui Sakha, native horse and cattle agropastoralists of northeastern Siberia, Russia, with regional scientific specialists, a cultural anthropologist, and a permafrost scientist. Our process of knowledge exchange involved first gathering ethnographic data from affected communities, through focus groups, interviews, and surveys, and analyzing how people perceived, understood, and responded to local change. Next we documented the community results and compared them with regional climate change data. Lastly, we discussed these results during community knowledge exchange events, facilitating an increased understanding across knowledge systems and stakeholder groups. The knowledge exchange method documented in this article provides an adaptable model for integrating local and scientific knowledge systems that allows participants to reach understanding more quickly at global and local levels of how climate change is affecting places and peoples.Cette communication vient analyser les constatations émanant de l’échange de connaissances auquel ont participé les collectivités de Viliui Sakha, des agropasteurs indigènes s’occupant de chevaux et de bétail dans le nord-est de la Sibérie, en Russie, des spécialistes scientifiques régionaux, un anthropologue des cultures et un scientifique spécialisé en pergélisol. Notre échange de connaissances a commencé par la collecte de données ethnographiques auprès des collectivités concernées, données qui ont été recueillies au moyen de groupes de discussion, d’entrevues et de sondages. Cette collecte de données a été suivie de l’analyse de la manière dont les gens percevaient les changements qui se produisent à l’échelle locale, de la manière dont ils comprenaient ces changements et de la manière dont ils y réagissaient. Ensuite, nous avons consigné les résultats obtenus au sein des collectivités et les avons comparés aux données sur le changement climatique régional. En dernier lieu, nous avons discuté de ces résultats à l’occasion de séances d’échanges de connaissances organisées dans les collectivités, puis nous avons favorisé une plus grande compréhension à l’échelle des systèmes de connaissances et au sein des groupes d’intervenants. La méthodologie de l’échange de connaissances dont il est question dans le présent article présente un modèle adaptable d’intégration des systèmes de connaissances locales et de connaissances scientifiques, modèle qui permet aux participants de comprendre plus rapidement, mondialement et localement, comment le changement climatique influe sur les lieux et les gens

Buckling of thin-walled cylinder under axial compression and internal pressure

An investigation was made of a thin-walled cylinder under axial compression and various internal pressures to study the effect of the internal pressure on the compressive buckling stress of the cylinder. A theoretical analysis based on a large-deflection theory was also made. The theoretically predicted increase of compressive buckling stress due to internal pressure agrees fairly well with the experimental results. (author

Adolescent Perspectives on Genetic Testing for Huntington’s Disease

In 2015, the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) released a position statement which recommended minors to defer genetic testing for adult-onset conditions until adulthood. In the 2016 DNA Day Essay Contest, high school students were asked to research an adult-onset genetic disorder and use it to formulate a stance on whether they agreed or disagreed with the position statement. Phase two of this study focused on the essays written about Huntington’s Disease (HD). Within the HD essays, 57% chose to defer, 35% chose not to defer, and 8% did not clearly state an opinion. Essays were analyzed using a codebook that was established in Phase one and the top codes were further analyzed for themes. The top codes that were thematically analyzed were “Psychological Risks to Minor”, “No Medical Benefit/Not Preventable”, “Necessary to Plan/Prepare”, and “Genetic Testing Variability and Uncertain Predictability.” Although many of the essays agreed to defer testing, many students cited similar reasons, regardless of their stance

Collaborative working across the Atlantic - participating the the Subject Headings Working Group of the Cataloguing Code of Ethics

The Cataloguing Code of Ethics was published in January 2021 and represents the culmination of a year of work by a steering committee and six working groups to respond to a need for a set of ethical principles and guidance on professional ethics for metadata workers. This article reflects on my experience as a member of one of the six working groups and explores the group’s methodology and output as well as the next steps planned to incorporate the Code of Ethics into metadata processes at the University of Kent

The Effect of Internal Pressure on the Buckling Stress of Thin-Walled Circular Cylinders Under Torsion

The results of a series of tests to determine the effect of internal pressure on the buckling load of a thin cylinder under an applied torque indicated that internal pressure raises the shear buckling stress. The experimental results were analyzed with the aid of previously developed theory and a simple interaction formula was derived. (author

Spontaneous splenic rupture in an active duty Marine upon return from Iraq: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Atraumatic splenic rupture is a rare event that has been associated with several infectious disease processes. In the active duty military population, potential exposure to these pathogens is significant. Here we discuss the case of an active duty Marine with spontaneous splenic rupture upon return from a six-month deployment in Iraq.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A previously healthy 30-year-old Caucasian male active duty Marine presented with abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea after deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Based on clinical and radiographic evidence, a diagnosis of spontaneous splenic rupture was ultimately suspected. After exploratory laparotomy with confirmation of rupture, splenectomy was performed, and the patient made a full, uneventful recovery. Histopathologic examination revealed mild splenomegaly with a ruptured capsule of undetermined cause.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Spontaneous splenic rupture is a rare event that may lead to life-threatening hemorrhage if not diagnosed and treated quickly. Although the cause of this patient's case was unknown, atraumatic splenic rupture has been associated with a variety of infectious diseases and demonstrates some risks the active duty military population may face while on deployment. Having an awareness of these pathogens and their role in splenic rupture, clinicians caring for military personnel must be prepared to recognize and treat this potentially fatal complication.</p