Feeding the “Greenest City”: Historicizing "Local," Labour, and the Postcolonial Politics of Eating

Employing a feminist “post”-colonial analysis, this text reflects on the invisibility of racialized agricultural labourers, and the ways in which temporary foreign worker programs reinscribe racial hierarchies and historical functions of empire. In establishing a context for present-day exclusions, I examine emerging research on Chinese farming in what is now Vancouver, roughly from the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway (1885) to the end of the “exclusion era” (1947). Offering a counter-narrative to the assumption that ‘local food’ is inherently more ethical and sustainable, this analysis interrogates idealized notions of local food production. Highlighting continuities between historical racial hierarchies and contemporary state-sanctioned exclusions, I assert that inequalities are not coincidental by-products of the agricultural system but are central to Canadian food production. The existence of temporary foreign worker programs is the latest solution to critical “cheap” labour shortages and the permanent demand for this labour in the agricultural sector

Sexual Identities in the Language Classroom

The reality is that sexual identities are silent or being silenced in many language classrooms as a result of many complex reasons. However, studies that look into identities as they relate to language education have found that this reality can in fact be a major disservice to all students in their language learning as a whole. Consequently, it is argued that it is crucial for language educators to increase their knowledge and awareness about the topic. To help facilitate this process, this paper aims to (1) define how identities, specifically sexual identities, relate to language learning (2) highlight some negative experiences of queer students in their language classrooms (3) explain how this situation detrimentally affects queer and non-queer students alike (4) discuss the steps the field has taken to address the situation and (5) provide some suggestions on how language educators can foster a safe and equitable learning environment for all. The article concludes with the author’s personal reflection about the topic

ECONOMIC RECOVERY OF PYRIDINE AND 3-METHYLPYRIDINE

The goal of this design project was to find the most cost effective way of recovering pyridine and 3-methylpyridine from a given impurity stream with a specific finished goods quality. Due to the multiple azeotropes that the organic components in the feed had with water, we had to first explore different methods of removing water. We explored two different approaches in depth – pervaporation and azeotropic distillation. Both processes allowed us to break the azeotropes with water by removing at least 98 wt% of the water and recover at least 88 wt% of pyridine. To get a 15% return on investments (ROI) by the third year of production, we found that the pervaporation method allowed us to pay up to $0.71/lb for the necessary feed stream, while the azeotropic distillation method gave us a flexibility of up to$0.82/lb. Using a feed value of $0.71/lb for both processes, the total capital investment (TCI) for the pervaporation process is$10.7 million with a net present value (NPV) of $1.8 million, while the TCI for azeotropic distillation is$7.0 million with a NPV of $6.4 million. Taking both the finished goods quality specifications and economic profitability into account for our design project, we would recommend the azeotropic distillation process in recovering the most purified product

Providing lifestyle advice to women with PCOS : an overview of practical issues affecting success

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder affecting up to 13 % of women. Lifestyle interventions are first-line treatments, however attrition in women with PCOS is high. This review summarises current evidence on barriers to lifestyle management in PCOS and suggested strategies for overcoming these challenges, mapped to the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation and Behaviour model. Physical capability for lifestyle changes may be impacted by altered gut hormone regulation and energy expenditure in PCOS. This may contribute to difficulties with weight management. The higher prevalence of eating disorders, disordered eating, fatigue and sleep disturbances are further barriers. Psychological capability may be reduced due psychological symptoms and lack of critical health literacy. Women with PCOS face similar challenges in terms of Opportunity to make lifestyle changes as other women of reproductive age. However, these are complicated by features more common in PCOS including body dissatisfaction. Motivation to adopt healthy lifestyles may be impacted by suboptimal risk perception and intrinsic motivation. To address these barriers, screening for and management of eating disorders, disordered eating, depression, and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea should be undertaken as per international evidence-based guidelines. A weight-neutral approach may be appropriate with disordered eating. Building capability among health professionals to better partner with women with PCOS on their management is essential in addressing health literacy gaps. Behavioural strategies that target risk perception and build intrinsic motivation should be utilised. More research is required to understand optimal self-management strategies, risk perception, energy homeostasis and overcoming attrition in women with PCOS

COVID‑Specific Coercive Control among Emerging Adults Attending College: A Brief Note

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a “perfect storm” with regards to risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). Abusive partners may engage in novel forms of coercive control, such as pressuring their partner to engage in activities associated with COVID-19 infection risk (e.g., attend a large gathering). However, no empirical research has focused on COVIDspecific coercive control. The current study sought to evaluate the prevalence of COVID-specific coercive control in a large sample of U.S. college students, as well as its association with other forms of IPV and depression and anxiety. A total of 2,289 undergraduate students attending eight U.S. universities who were currently in a sexual/dating/romantic relationship completed an online survey in Fall 2020 about COVID-specific coercive control, other forms of IPV (psychological, physical, sexual, coercive control) and depression and anxiety symptoms. Overall, 15.5% (n = 355) of students reported experiencing COVID-specific coercive control. Individuals who experienced COVID-specific coercive control were more likely to have experienced all other forms of IPV than those who did not experience COVID-specific coercive control. Further, individuals who experienced COVID-specific coercive control had significantly greater anxiety than individuals who did not experience any form of IPV. Individuals who experienced both COVID-specific coercive control and other forms of IPV had the highest levels of depression and anxiety. COVID-specific coercive control may serve to increase depression and anxiety, particularly if it co-occurs with other forms of IPV. Future work should evaluate the prevalence and long-term impact of coercive control during the COVID-19 pandemic

West Nile Virus: Immunity and Pathogenesis

West Nile virus (WNV) is a neurotropic, arthropod-borne flavivirus that is maintained in an enzootic cycle between mosquitoes and birds, but can also infect and cause disease in horses and humans. WNV is endemic in parts of Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and since 1999 has spread to North America, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean. WNV infects the central nervous system (CNS) and can cause severe disease in a small minority of infected humans, mostly immunocompromised or the elderly. This review discusses some of the mechanisms by which the immune system can limit dissemination of WNV infection and elaborates on the mechanisms involved in pathogenesis. Reasons for susceptibility to WNV-associated neuroinvasive disease in less than 1% of cases remain unexplained, but one favored hypothesis is that the involvement of the CNS is associated with a weak immune response allowing robust WNV replication in the periphery and spread of the virus to the CNS