Di\v{s}imo: Anchoring Our Breath

We present a system that raises awareness about users' inner state. Di\v{s}imo is a multimodal ambient display that provides feedback about one's stress level, which is assessed through heart rate monitoring. Upon detecting a low heart rate variability for a prolonged period of time, Di\v{s}imo plays an audio track, setting the pace of a regular and deep breathing. Users can then choose to take a moment to focus on their breath. By doing so, they will activate the Di\v{s}imo devices belonging to their close ones, who can then join for a shared relaxation session

Our Federalism(s)

Like all academics, federalism scholars typically divide into camps. Some favor state sovereignty; others favor state autonomy. Some insist that states require formal, judicially enforceable protections against federal intrusion; others favor the informal protections afforded by the political process. Some favor cooperative federalism; others are not even sure that cooperative regimes can properly be called federalism. Scholars even divide as to the source of state power in its ongoing competition with the national government. Some imagine states occupying a separate sphere from the federal government. Others assume that some level of state-federal integration is not just inevitable but healthy. Still others imagine that it is useful to have states serve as fully integrated administrative units within the federal system

S. O. S. Save Our Squirrels

This project focused on the issue of squirrel safety and environmental harmony on the Western campus. Through data research, staff interviews, and field monitoring I was able to define my thesis. Squirrels are a vital part of our campus ecosystem and we should not harm them with unnatural food sources. I found that squirrels on campus were becoming dependent on the human population for food via our trash. In order to help solve the problem, my solution was to attempt to alter human behavior by spreading awareness. I worked with Western\u27s Communications and Social Media Department as well as the Marketing Department to get word out. An interview was released detailing my project and providing informative tips on how changing our trash habits would help the squirrels and contribute to a healthier environment for all

Why are massive O-rich AGB stars in our Galaxy not S-stars?

We present the main results derived from a chemical analysis carried out on a large sample of galactic O-rich AGB stars using high resolution optical spectroscopy (R~40,000-50,000) with the intention of studying their lithium abundances and/or possible s-process element enrichment. Our chemical analysis shows that some stars are lithium overabundant while others are not. The observed lithium overabundances are interpreted as a clear signature of the activation of the so-called ``Hot Bottom Burning'' (HBB) process in massive galactic O-rich AGB stars, as predicted by the models. However, these stars do not show the zirconium enhancement (taken as a representative for the s-process element enrichment) associated to the third dredge-up phase following thermal pulses. Our results suggest that the more massive O-rich AGB stars in our Galaxy behave differently from those in the Magellanic Clouds, which are both Li- and s-process-rich (S-type stars). Reasons for this unexpected result are discussed. We conclude that metallicity is probably the main responsible for the differences observed and suggest that it may play a more important role than generally assumed in the chemical evolution of AGB stars.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the conference "Planetary Nebulae as astronomical tools" held in Gdansk, Poland, jun 28/jul 02, 200

Our Voice Is Your Future: Giving L.A.'s Youth Real Voice and Real Power

Based on focus groups with youth and youth workers, identifies best practices and opportunities to engage youth in community-building. Includes recommendations to improve social services and prevention, support and development, and participation

Indigenous academics teaching Indigenous health: ‘it’s part of who we are, our spirit, our soul, our knowledge… that goes into our teaching’

_Aim:_ Explore the experiences of Indigenous academics teaching Indigenous peoples’ history, health and culture in Australian Bachelor of Nursing programs. _Methodology:_ Theoretical framework comprises of Indigenous methodologies including Indigenous women’s standpoint theory and Indigenist research principles. Methods: One-on-one research yarns that were voice-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed through an assemblage approach. _Findings:_ Participants of this study shared their doubts about the legitimacy afforded to them and Indigenous health curriculum by some of their colleagues and their school and faculty leaders. They highlighted that strategic and careful disruption of the status quo is a quality imperative. Participants identified the paradox of revisiting personal trauma as pedagogy and curriculum, suggesting a lack of preparedness of their schools to adequately support them. Relational engagement with other Indigenous peoples was emphasised, however, the implicit expectation for them to capitalise on personal relationships involved risking their reputation for their schools, who seemingly demand their resourcefulness as substitute for resources. _Conclusion:_ Indigenous academics care for quality learning and teaching of Indigenous peoples’ history, health, and culture. This care extends to nursing students, fellow academics, as well as school and faculty leadership, despite the lack of care afforded to them. Realising relational and reciprocal care, through providing appropriate support and resources, would benefit them and their academic practice

Carbon-enhanced metal-poor stars: a window on AGB nucleosynthesis and binary evolution. II. Statistical analysis of a sample of 67 CEMP-ss stars

Many observed CEMP stars are found in binary systems and show enhanced abundances of $s$-elements. The origin of the chemical abundances of these CEMP-$s$ stars is believed to be accretion in the past of enriched material from a primary star in the AGB phase. We investigate the mechanism of mass transfer and the process of nucleosynthesis in low-metallicity AGB stars by modelling the binary systems in which the observed CEMP-$s$ stars were formed. For this purpose we compare a sample of $67$ CEMP-$s$ stars with a grid of binary stars generated by our binary evolution and nucleosynthesis model. We classify our sample CEMP-$s$ stars in three groups based on the observed abundance of europium. In CEMP$-s/r$ stars the europium-to-iron ratio is more than ten times higher than in the Sun, whereas it is lower than this threshold in CEMP$-s/nr$ stars. No measurement of europium is currently available for CEMP-$s/ur$ stars. On average our models reproduce well the abundances observed in CEMP-$s/nr$ stars, whereas in CEMP-$s/r$ stars and CEMP-$s/ur$ stars the abundances of the light-$s$ elements are systematically overpredicted by our models and in CEMP-$s/r$ stars the abundances of the heavy-$s$ elements are underestimated. In all stars our modelled abundances of sodium overestimate the observations. This discrepancy is reduced only in models that underestimate the abundances of most of the $s$-elements. Furthermore, the abundance of lead is underpredicted in most of our model stars. These results point to the limitations of our AGB nucleosynthesis model, particularly in the predictions of the element-to-element ratios. Finally, in our models CEMP-$s$ stars are typically formed in wide systems with periods above 10000 days, while most of the observed CEMP-$s$ stars are found in relatively close orbits with periods below 5000 days.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication on Astronomy & Astrophysic

Gendered Feelings About Our National Issue(s)

This paper was presented as a keynote address to the Canadian Women's Studies Association in a SSHRCC sponsored session entitled "Resisting the Neo-Conservative Agenda Globally and Locally: Economy, Representation and Feminist Praxis." The author speaks as a Quebec feminist as she argues for serious feminist participation in the political restructuring of Canada