Evolution of Native Identity in Future Home of the Living God

Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich is a science fiction novel that presents a world in which evolution is collapsing in on itself. Cedar Songmaker, an Ojibwe woman adopted by white parents, documents these changes and her pregnancy, but Erdrich also explores the importance of Native identity. This paper analyzes Cedar’s specific experiences and psychological studies to explain her identity, which is a complex combination of white, Ojibwe, and Catholic. Her experiences are similar to those of many adopted Native children who are kept from knowing about their Native identities. The Indian Adoption Program, popular in the 1950s through the 1970s, forcibly removed Native children from their tribes and placed them in white households which erased their Native identities. Living into her mid-twenties without knowing anything about her birth mother or her Native heritage causes Cedar to feel alienated from those around her. Cedar struggles with her Native identity throughout the novel, especially combining it with the identity she already has. Cedar’s adult life is formed around her religion, which is an important source of solace. She takes the teachings of the Catholic Church, particularly its teachings about Mary and other female religious figures, and utilizes them to lift herself up and validate her own identity. Rather than feeling oppressed by the Church, Cedar uses it as a connection with her birth mother. Cedar’s time with her tribal nation also allows her to explore her Ojibwe heritage and identity. Cedar feels more self-determination when she knows all aspects of her identity and is able to combine them the way she wishes, not the way others tell her to

Modeling of complex interfaces: Gadolinium‐doped ceria in contact with yttria‐stabilized zirconia

Gadolinium‐doped ceria (GDC ) and yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ ) are well‐known electrolyte materials in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC s). Although they can be used independently, it is common to find them in combination in SOFC s, where they are used as protective layers against the formation of secondary phases or electron conduction blockers. Despite their different optimum operating temperatures, it appears that oxygen conduction is not affected by their interface. However, the intrinsic mechanisms of oxygen diffusion at these interfaces still remain unclear. One of the main difficulties when modeling the contact between different materials, or indeed different particles of the same material, is caused by the structural complexity of these systems. If we wish to evaluate the properties of the materials, we first need to obtain a model that includes the main features of the GDC /YSZ interface, such as large‐scale defects or cation interdiffusion in the contiguous phase. Since the generation of such a mixed system is complicated, we show here how the “amorphization and recrystallization” strategy can help us to obtain realistic systems. In this, the first of our papers on the structure and properties of layered GDC /YSZ materials, we discuss the structural features of the grain boundary between GDC and YSZ obtained by molecular dynamics simulations

Response behaviour of native lizards and invading wall lizard to interspecific scent: implications for invasion success

The human-assisted movement of species beyond their native range facilitates novel interactions between invaders and native species that can determine whether an introduced species becomes invasive and the nature of any consequences for native communities. Avoiding costly interactions through recognition and avoidance can be compromised by the naïvety of native species to novel invaders and vice versa. We tested this hypothesis using the common wall lizard, Podarcis muralis, and the native lizard species with which it may now interact in Britain (common lizard, Zootoca vivipara, sand lizard, Lacerta agilis) and on Vancouver Island (northern alligator lizard, Elgaria coerulea) by exploring species' responses (tongue flicks, avoidance behaviour) to heterospecific scent cues in controlled experiments. The tongue flick response of P. muralis depended on the different species’ scent, with significantly more tongue flicks directed to E. coerulea scent than the other species and the control. This recognition did not result in any other behavioural response in P. muralis (i.e. attraction, aggression, avoidance). Lacerta agilis showed a strong recognition response to P. muralis scent, with more tongue flicks occurring close to the treatment stimuli than the control and aggressive behaviour directed towards the scent source. Conversely, Z. vivipara spent less time near P. muralis scent cues than the control but its tongue flick rate was higher towards this scent in this reduced time, consistent with an avoidance response. There was no evidence of E. coerulea recognition of P. muralis scent in terms of tongue flicks or time spent near the stimuli, although the native species did show a preference for P. muralis-scented refuges. Our results suggest a variable response of native species to the scent of P. muralis, from an avoidance response by Z. vivipara that mirrors patterns of exclusion observed in the field to direct aggression observed in L. agilis and an ambiguous reaction from E. coerulea which may reflect a diminished response to a cue with a low associated cost. These results have significant implications for the invasive success and potential impacts of introduced P. muralis populations on native lizards

An exact approach to the integration of non-cyclical preventive maintenance scheduling and production planning for a series-parallel production system

International audienceIn this paper, we generalise a model for integrated noncyclical preventive maintenance scheduling and production planning from a single machine to a series-parallel production line. As for a single machine, we consider a set of products that must be produced in lots during a given time horizon. The maintenance strategy involves possible preventive replacements at the beginning of each maintenance period and minimal repair at machine failure. The model, an integer linear program, determines the optimal production plan and preventive replacement for each machine of the production line. The objective is to minimise the total cost (preventive and corrective maintenance costs, setup costs, holding costs, backorder costs, and production costs) while meeting the demand for each product over the horizon. We performed experiments using CPLEX 12.5.1, and almost all instances were solved within five minutes with a reasonable gap

Stratégies de gestion dans les espaces verts urbains. Modèles basés sur une espèce introduite : la tortue de Floride

A number of recent authors have emphasised the increasing disconnection from conservation issues among urban dwellers. In a global increase of urbanisation, this disconnect can have an impact on conservation practices. Here, we discuss how managers of public green spaces can contribute to global biodiversity preservation, through combined efforts to preserve local biodiversity and educate the public about conservation issues. We compared several management strategies, including those that mixed direct action on local biodiversity with public education and those that did not. Two kinds of one-way communication were considered as well as a two-way communication process, which take into account different perceptions and practices of nature. We based our model on the introduction of the red-eared slider turtle, Trachemys scripta elegans, into urban French freshwater ecosystems. We found that direct actions only had a limited, short term effect on the abundance of feral turtles in green spaces and had no effect on the level of public concern about environmental questions. We also showed that a mix of different communication strategies improved people’s awareness and altered behaviour with respect to introduced species issues. Finally, we showed the importance of a two-way communication that takes into account the diversity of personal perceptions and practices as regards nature in urban areas in order to achieve sustainable conservation measures and objective