“Architects of Their Own Solutions:” A Comparative Study of Gender in Environmental Justice Work

Backgrounds, identities and beliefs of the people within a group can dictate the direction a movement takes and whether or not that movement will be able to endure. Using a series of interviews, I aim to determine how gender plays a part in shaping a person’s role within the environmental justice movement by studying if and how gender constructions influence the mindsets of not only the people working to end environmental injustice, but also of the community members living in zones affected by environmental injustice

Compelling Statement Agreements in Bankruptcy Cases: Holding Their Feet to the Fire

Symposium - An Analysis of Developments in Bankruptcy La

Oxygen and hydrogen isotope signatures of Northeast Atlantic water masses

Only a few studies have examined the variation of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes of seawater in NE Atlantic water masses, and data are especially sparse for intermediate and deep-water masses. The current study greatly expands this record with 527 δ18O values from 47 stations located throughout the mid- to low-latitude NE Atlantic. In addition, δD was analyzed in the 192 samples collected along the GEOTRACES North Atlantic Transect GA03 (GA03_e = KN199-4) and the 115 Iberia-Forams cruise samples from the western and southern Iberian margin. An intercomparison study between the two stable isotope measurement techniques (cavity ring-down laser spectroscopy and magnetic-sector isotope ratio mass spectrometry) used to analyze GA03_e samples reveals relatively good agreement for both hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios. The surface (0-100 m) and central (100-500 m) water isotope data show the typical, evaporation related trend of increasing values equatorward with the exception for the zonal transect off Cape Blanc, NW Africa. Off Cape Blanc, surface water isotope signatures are modified by the upwelling of fresher Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) that generally has isotopic values of 0.0 to 0.5‰ for δ18O and 0 to 2‰ for δD. Along the Iberian margin the Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) is clearly distinguished by its high δ18O (0.5-1.1‰) and δD (3-6‰) values that can be traced into the open Atlantic. Isotopic values in the NE Atlantic Deep Water (NEADW) are relatively low (δ18O: –0.1 to 0.5‰; δD: –1 to 4‰) and show a broader range than observed previously in the northern and southern convection areas. The NEADW is best observed at GA03_e Stations 5 and 7 in the central NE Atlantic basin. Antarctic Bottom Water isotope values are relatively high indicating modification of the original Antarctic source water along the flow path. The reconstructed δ18O-salinity relationship for the complete data set has a slope of 0.51, i.e. slightly steeper than the 0.46 described previously by Pierre et al. (1994) for the tropical to subtropical Northeast Atlantic. This slope decreases to 0.46 for the subtropical North Atlantic Central Water (NACW) and the MOW and to 0.32 for the surface waters of the upper 50 m. The δD-salinity mixing lines have estimated slopes of 3.01 for the complete data, 1.26 for the MOW, 3.47 for the NACW, and 2.63 for the surface waters. The slopes of the δ18O-δD relationship are significantly lower than the one for the Global Meteoric Water Line with 5.6 for the complete data set, 2.30 for the MOW, 4.79 for the NACW, and 3.99 for the surface waters. The lower slopes in all the relationships clearly reflect the impact of the evaporation surplus in the subtropics.EC Grant agreement n° 228344 - EUROFLEETS, C2007-FCT/319/2006info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Risk factors of hypertension among adults aged 35-64 years living in an urban slum Nairobi, Kenya.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is an emerging public health problem in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) and urbanization is considered to favor its emergence. Given a paucity of information on hypertension and associated risk factors among urban slum dwellers in SSA, we aimed to characterize the distribution of risk factors for hypertension and investigate their association with hypertension in an urban slum in Kenya. METHODS: We conducted a community based cross-sectional survey among adults 35 years and older living in Kibera slum Nairobi, Kenya. Trained interviewers collected data on socio demographic characteristics and self reported health behaviours using modified World Health Organization stepwise surveillance questionnaire for chronic disease risk factors. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were performed following standard procedures. Multiple logistic regression was used for analysis and odds ratios with 95 % confidence intervals were calculated to identify risk factors associated with hypertension. RESULT: A total of 1528 adults were surveyed with a mean age of 46.7 years. The age-standardized prevalence of hypertension was 29.4 % (95 % CI 27.0-31.7). Among the 418 participants classified as hypertensive, over one third (39.0 %) were unaware they had hypertension. Prevalence of current smoking and alcohol consumption was 8.5 and 13.1 % respectively. Over one quarter 26.2 % participants were classified as overweight (Body Mass Index [BMI] ≥25 to ≤29.9 kg/m(2)), and 17 % classified as obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m(2)). Overweight, obesity, current smoking, some level of education, highest wealth index, moderate physical activity, older age and being widowed were each independently associated with hypertension. When fit in a multivariable logistic regression model, being a widow [AOR = 1.7; (95 % CI, 1.1-2.6)], belonging to the highest wealth index [AOR = 1.6; (95 % CI, 1.1-2.5)], obesity [AOR = 1.8; 95 % CI, 1.1-3.1)] and moderate physical activity [AOR = 1.9; (95 % CI, 1.2-3.0)], all remained significantly associated with hypertension. CONCLUSION: Hypertension in the slum is a public health problem affecting at least one in three adults aged 35-64 years. Age, marital status, wealth index, physical inactivity and body mass index are important risk factors associated with hypertension. Prevention measures targeting the modifiable risk factors associated with hypertension are warranted to curb hypertension and its progressive effects

Healthcare-use for Major Infectious Disease Syndromes in an Informal Settlement in Nairobi, Kenya

A healthcare-use survey was conducted in the Kibera informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, in July 2005 to inform subsequent surveillance in the site for infectious diseases. Sets of standardized questionnaires were administered to 1,542 caretakers and heads of households with one or more child(ren) aged less than five years. The average household-size was 5.1 (range 1-15) persons. Most (90%) resided in a single room with monthly rents of US$ 4.50-7.00. Within the previous two weeks, 49% of children (n=1,378) aged less than five years (under-five children) and 18% of persons (n=1,139) aged ≥5 years experienced febrile, diarrhoeal or respiratory illnesses. The large majority (>75%) of illnesses were associated with healthcare-seeking. While licensed clinics were the most-frequently visited settings, kiosks, unlicensed care providers, and traditional healers were also frequently visited. Expense was cited most often (50%) as the reason for not seeking healthcare. Of those who sought healthcare, 34-44% of the first and/or the only visits were made with non-licensed care providers, potentially delaying opportunities for early optimal intervention. The proportions of patients accessing healthcare facilities were higher with diarrhoeal disease and fever (but not for respiratory diseases in under-five children) than those reported from a contemporaneous study conducted in a rural area in Kenya. The findings support community-based rather than facility-based surveillance in this setting to achieve objectives for comprehensive assessment of the burden of disease

Anodic deposition of a robust iridium-based water-oxidation catalyst from organometallic precursors

Artificial photosynthesis, modeled on natural light-driven oxidation of water in Photosystem II, holds promise as a sustainable source of reducing equivalents for producing fuels. Few robust water-oxidation catalysts capable of mediating this difficult four-electron, four-proton reaction have yet been described. We report a new method for generating an amorphous electrodeposited material, principally consisting of iridium and oxygen, which is a robust and long-lived catalyst for water oxidation, when driven electrochemically. The catalyst material is generated by a simple anodic deposition from Cp*Ir aqua or hydroxo complexes in aqueous solution. This work suggests that organometallic precursors may be useful in electrodeposition of inorganic heterogeneous catalysts

Nutritional Status of Under-five Children Living in an Informal Urban Settlement in Nairobi, Kenya

Malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa contributes to high rates of childhood morbidity and mortality. However, little information on the nutritional status of children is available from informal settlements. During the period of post-election violence in Kenya during December 2007–March 2008, food shortages were widespread within informal settlements in Nairobi. To investigate whether food insecurity due to post-election violence resulted in high prevalence of acute and chronic malnutrition in children, a nutritional survey was undertaken among children aged 6-59 months within two villages in Kibera, where the Kenya Medical Research Institute/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts population-based surveillance for infectious disease syndromes. During 25 March–4 April 2008, a structured questionnaire was administered to caregivers of 1,310 children identified through surveillance system databases to obtain information on household demographics, food availability, and child-feeding practices. Anthropometric measurements were recorded on all participating children. Indices were reported in z-scores and compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) 2005 reference population to determine the nutritional status of children. Data were analyzed using the Anthro software of WHO and the SAS. Stunting was found in 47.0% of the children; 11.8% were underweight, and 2.6% were wasted. Severe stunting was found in 23.4% of the children; severe underweight in 3.1%, and severe wasting in 0.6%. Children aged 36-47 months had the highest prevalence (58.0%) of stunting while the highest prevalence (4.1%) of wasting was in children aged 6-11 months. Boys were more stunted than girls (p<0.01), and older children were significantly (p<0.0001) stunted compared to younger children. In the third year of life, girls were more likely than boys to be wasted (p<0.01). The high prevalence of chronic malnutrition suggests that stunting is a sustained problem within this urban informal settlement, not specifically resulting from the relatively brief political crisis. The predominance of stunting in older children indicates failure in growth and development during the first two years of life. Food programmes in Kenya have traditionally focused on rural areas and refugee camps. The findings of the study suggest that tackling childhood stunting is a high priority, and there should be fostered efforts to ensure that malnutrition-prevention strategies include the urban poor

Paleocene to Pliocene low-latitude, high-elevation basins of southern Tibet: implications for tectonic models of India-Asia collision, Cenozoic climate, and geochemical weathering

The elevation history of the Tibetan Plateau promises insight into the mechanisms and dynamics that develop and sustain high topography over tens of millions of years. We present the first nearly continuous Cenozoic elevation history from two sedimentary basins on the southern Tibetan Plateau within the latest Cretaceous to Eocene Gangdese arc. Oxygen-isotope and Δ47 clumped-isotope compositions of nonmarine carbonates allow us to constrain carbonate formation temperature and reconstruct the paleoprecipitation record of the Eocene to Pliocene Oiyug Basin and Paleocene to Eocene Penbo Basin. We exploit the systematic decrease of surface temperature and meteoric water δ18O values with elevation to derive paleoelevation estimates for these basins. Minimally altered and unaltered pedogenic and lacustrine carbonates from the Oiyug Basin yield Δ47, CDES (relative to the carbon dioxide equilibrium scale [CDES]) values of 0.625‰ to 0.755‰, which correspond to temperatures of 1−30 °C using a Δ47 thermometer for low-temperature carbonates. Similarly, the Penbo Basin yielded Δ47, CDES values of 0.701‰ to 0.726‰, corresponding to temperatures of 6−12 °C. The apparent evidence for survival of primary clumped-isotope values in the face of substantial burial and heating is an important result for the field of carbonate clumped-isotope thermometry. Our paleoelevation estimates for the Eocene to Pliocene Oiyug Basin (∼6.5−4.1 km) support previous evidence that high elevations were attained in southern Tibet by at least ca. 30 Ma. Stable-isotope results allow for the possibility of significant topographic subsidence during the Miocene as a result of regional extension. In the Penbo Basin, our paleoelevation estimates for the Paleocene to Eocene Nianbo Formation (4.4 +1.3/−1.7 km) and Eocene Pana Formation (4.1 +1.2/−1.6 km) extend the altitude record of the southern Tibetan Plateau to pre−India-Asia collision. These results support the “Lhasaplano” model of an Andean-type continental margin tectonic system. The rise of the Himalayas and Tibet is often invoked to understand isotopic proxies for global chemical weathering in the Cenozoic and has constrained the debate on the nature of CO2−climate−weathering feedbacks. The nature of the Tibetan paleoelevations from pre- to postcollision, as presented here, indicates that high relief at low latitude prevailed on the Asian margin much earlier than previously thought. Thus, high topography alone at low latitude is not sufficient to account for the Cenozoic weathering proxy record