Oxfam GB: Accountability Starter Pack

This guide is for those staff who would like to learn more about how to implement activities that are accountable to people and communities. It is primarily aimed at country-level staff responsible for implementing development or humanitarian projects and programmes. The pack begins with an introduction to Oxfam GB's approach to accountability. This is followed by Oxfam International's Accountability Matrix. The Matrix shows the commitments to accountability found within Oxfam International's Programme Standards, and the different levels programmes can achieve in each area. Following this is an explanation of Oxfam GB's Minimum Standards on Accountability.The rest of the pack is divided into four sections - one for each of the four Standards that Oxfam GB is focussing on. For each Standard, there is a brief explanation as to why this Standard is important, then some 'How-To' Guidelines and a Good Practice example from one of Oxfam's programmes. We have also added an extra section on how to improve greater financial transparency as we have had so many requests for guidance specifically on this

The experimental degradation of archaeological human bone by anaerobic bacteria and the implications for recovery of ancient DNA

DNA recovery from human bone has been key to the developing science and technology of ancient DNA studies. The recovery of macromolecules from bone however, does not correlate well with recognisable parameters of preservation and predicting DNA recovery rates from ancient bone can be very difficult. The extent of degradation of buried bones often depends on environmental taphonomy and can vary from virtually none to complete and rapid destruction. Although soil or related microbes are undoubtedly responsible for the majority of this structural degradation over time, exceptionally little is known of the mechanisms or specific bacteria involved. Fungi were previously thought to be responsible for destructive processes (tunnelling) within bone but over the last 30 years the role of bacteria has been increasingly recognised. Our aim was to develop a less complex in vitro model of the destructive effects of microbes on bone which might allow a better understanding of the recovery of mitochondrial or pathogen DNA over time

Lifting the veil of kindness: 'friendship' and settler colonialism in Argentina's Welsh Patagonia

The peaceable impulse of the Welsh in a global context of colonial brutality stands out as a beacon of generosity, yet even this 'friendship' served to reinforce, not undermine, the colonising project in Argentina and beyond, writes Lucy Taylor (Aberystwyth University)

Lead Contamination: Environmental Geochemistry of Gold Mining Villages in Northwest Nigeria

In summer of 2012, dust and processed ore were collected from ~54 villages by U.S. CDC and Nigerian colleagues after the discovery of widespread lead poisoning in northwest Nigeria, and provided to the Environmental Research Laboratory at GSU. Various geochemical analyses were conducted to assess the magnitude of Pb exposure. ICP-AES determined Pb concentrations as high as 61,000 ppm. SEM-EDS and XRD analyses of high concentration samples (\u3e400 ppm) revealed the presence of gold, galena, and cerussite. XRD Cluster Analysis revealed one outlier and 3 clusters. Samples with Pb\u3e400ppm Pb had a strong correlation between Pb and S. GIS Kriging maps illustrate geochemical spatial distribution. Carbonate combustion analysis found TIC has a negative correlation to Pb. Approximately 3% of samples contained \u3e400ppm of Pb (U.S. EPA RSSL). Discovery of galena (PbS) and it’s secondary weathering product cerussite (PbCO3), a highly bioavailable Pb-bearing phase, were discovered in these high Pb samples, indicating a continuing threat to human health

The formation of helium lines in the spectrum of COM J1740-5340

The He I 5876A absorption line recently discovered in the spectrum of the companion to the millisecond pulsar PSR J1740-5340 is tentatively attributed to electron impact excitations due to the irradiation of its atmosphere by gamma-rays emitted by the pulsar's magnetosphere. Numerical calculations, similar to those carried out previously for Type Ib SNe, indicate that a pulsar beam with photon energies ~ 1 MeV gives rise to a 5876A line of the observed strength if the beam's spin-down conversion efficiency approaches 1%. However, a significant difficulty for the proposed mechanism is the strength of the singlet line at 6678A. Compared to the corresponding triplets, singlet lines are weak because of the loss of excitation when photons emitted in decays to the ground state ionize hydrogen atoms, an effect absent in the hydrogen-free atmospheres of Type Ib SNe.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&

Program: Reception and Exhibits

Includes a description of the Facing Project, a list of sessions and exhibits, and a map to the gallery and classroom locations

Exhibit Poster: Visualizing Neighborhood Narratives (Typography)

Poster at entrance of exhibit area explains the rationale behind the works of students in the Typography II course. Faculty advisor: Misty Thomas-Trout. Finished size: 11 inches wide, 17 inches high

Exhibit Poster: Visitor Comments

Poster invited participants to answer the question, What inspired you about this exhibit, and what is it calling you to do next? Finished size: 24 inches wide, 36 inches high