Exploring The Synthesis and Coordination Chemistry of Zwitterionic Main Group Compounds

Traditionally low coordinate and low oxidation state main group compounds are isolated utilizing hard anionic donors based on carbon and nitrogen based ligands. Conversely, employing anionic phosphines for this role has been essentially unexplored. In this context, this dissertation describes the synthesis of a number of main group complexes, ranging from group 13 to group 15, utilizing the bis(phosphino)borate ligand class in a supporting role. The remote anionic borate backbone renders the complexes zwitterionic and provides access to unique compounds that possess structures, and exhibit onwards reactivity, that is very different to the analogous compounds stabilized with neutral phosphines. For example, chapter two describes the stabilization of formally positively charged triel ({Ga2I4}2+) and tetrel ({GeCl}+ and {SnCl}+) fragments via common low oxidation state precursors. These structures have no precedent with neutral phosphines and represent a stable and isolable main group element source that is ready for onwards chemistry. For the group 14 compounds, upon removal of the chloride substituent the reactive tetrel centre quantitatively inserts into the ligand backbone. Zwitterionic group 15 compounds were prepared in good yields exploiting known redox chemistry and possess a pnictogen atom (Pn = P, As) in the unusual +1 oxidation state (Chapter 3). The anionic backbone is shown to be critical in accessing the coordination chemistry of these compounds as there are very few examples of the traditional cationic variants being used in subsequent transformations. Both pnictogen proligands form isolable coordination compounds with chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, and iron carbonyl reagents (Chapter 4) while rhodium, palladium, and mercury complexes are also isolated with the phosphorus derivative (Chapter 5). This diverse range of products represents the first such series of transition metal complexes for these types of Pn(I) compounds. The highlight of the thesis is the discovery that the phosphorus proligand acts as a 4-electron μ-type ligand to two gold, cobalt, or platinum centres simultaneously. Such coordination chemistry is unprecedented and provides the first experimental evidence for the P(I) compound to be described as a phosphanide-type bonding arrangement. These novel structures further underscore the importance of the borate backbone in synthesizing compounds that have otherwise not been observed. Throughout the thesis all of the compounds were fully characterized using a range of solution and solid-state techniques, including single crystal X-ray crystallography, allowing for a detailed data comparison

Lessons for the DoD from the nonprofit sector

MBA Professional ReportThe objective of this MBA project is to examine the nonprofit sector as a source of lessons learned for the federal government and the Department of Defense. This paper provides a characterization of the nonprofit and public sectors to identify the attributes common to both sectors. Utilizing the similarities between the sectors, we make the case for the nonprofit sector as an untapped source of lessons learned for the public sector and DoD. We then demonstrate our case for nonprofit organizations as a source of lessons learned using the American Red Cross as an example as it shares many of the same challenges as the federal government.http://archive.org/details/lessonsfordodfro109459895Lieutenant Commander, Supply Corps, US NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

On Becoming a Change Agent: Journeys of Teaching Gender and Health in an African Crisis Context

This paper discusses my activities in the classroom and beyond to address African contexts of the HIV and AIDS crisis. Alongside an account of my strategies, encounters and journeys, I discuss the activist Gugu Dlamini and Mmutle, a trickster of African folklore. Both act as inspirations for the role of change agent

Risk Factors Associated with Poor Health Outcomes for Children Under the Age of 5 with Moderate Acute Malnutrition in Rural Fagita Lekoma District, Awi Zone, Amhara, Ethiopia, 2016

Background: Left untreated, moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) in children can lead to severe acute malnutrition, stunting, developmental delays, and death. Despite recent progress the prevalence of malnutrition remains high throughout Ethiopia. The ability to make accurate prognoses and develop effective treatment strategies for children with MAM is currently limited and, as result, a significant proportion of children with MAM fail to recover even with treatment. We seek to address this limitation by assessing the risk factors for poor outcomes among children under the age of 5 with MAM in a rural area of Ethiopia’s Amhara Region. This region is considered relatively food secure and does not have food supplementation treatment programs. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 404 randomly sampled children, 0–59 months old stratified by household food security status. We followed the study children for approximately 2 months, assessing their health status; and used bivariate and multivariate Cox-proportional hazard regression models to identify risk factors for poor health outcomes. Results: Household food security was significantly associated with low recovery from MAM: 191 (60%) of children in food-insecure and 129 (40%) of children in food-secure households had poor health outcomes. The risk factors found to be significantly associated with poor health outcomes included the duration of exclusive breastfeeding (AHR 1.50, 95%CI: 1.05, 2.15), dietary diversity (AHR 1.74, 95%CI: 1.18, 2.54), and maternal mid-upper arm circumference (AHR=1.36, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.86). Children from pregnancies that were wanted but unplanned had 80% higher incidence of poor health outcomes than others, and children from pregnancies that were both unwanted and unplanned had more than double the incidence of poor health outcomes compared to their counterparts. Conclusion: We found that without treatment, the majority of children from food insecure households and over a third of children from food secure households did not recover from MAM. Maternal factors particularly the mother’s ability to plan her pregnancy were the main determinants of recovery in this study. Together these findings support arguments for targeting of nutrition support programs to vulnerable households regardless of regional food security status, and for closely integrating robust family planning, and antenatal care services with nutrition interventions

Effect of landcover/land-use changes on water availability in and around Ruti Dam in Nyazvidzi catchment, Zimbabwe

The aim of this study was to quantify the upstream land-use and landcover changes and assess their effect on Ruti Dam levels and water availability in Nyazvidzi catchment. Remote-sensing techniques, hydrologic modelling and statistical inference were applied. Spatial landcover dynamics were derived from Landsat satellite data for the years 1984, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2003, 2008, and 2013 using the maximum likelihood classification technique. Results showed that forests and shrubs decreased by 36% between 1984 and 2013 whilst cultivated areas increased by 13% over the same period. The HEC-HMS rainfall-runoff model was used to simulate steamflow for the Nyazvidzi catchment, Zimbabwe. For the calibration period (2000–2001), a satisfactory Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) model peformance of 0.71 and relative volume error (RVE) of 10% were obtained. Model validation (1995—1997) gave a NSE of 0.61 and RVE of 12%. We applied the Mann-Kendall trend test to assess for monotonic trends in runoff over the study period and the results showed that there were significant decreases in observed runoff at Station E140 (monthly time scale) and at Stations E62 and E140 (seasonal time scale). Results showed that the wet season (Nov–Feb) had higher mean water balance values with an excess runoff of 8.12 mm/month. The dry season (April— Sept) had lower mean water balance values, with the lowest at 0.04 mm/month. Strong positive relationships (r2) between dam levels and land-use changes were obtained as follows: bare (0.95), cultivation (0.76) and forests (0.98). The relationship between runoff generated and land-use changes was found to be relatively weaker (0.54 for forests, 0.51 for bare and 0.14 for cultivation). Findings of this study underscore the relevance of applying hydrological models, remote sensing and statistical inference in quantifying and detecting environmental changes, as well as how they affect the availability and the quality of water resources in space and time

Quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) loss due to smoking in the United States

Purpose: Estimate quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) loss due to smoking and examine trends and state differences in smoking-related QALE loss in the U.S. Methods: Population health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scores were estimated from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. This study constructed life tables based on U.S. mortality files and the mortality linked National Health Interview Survey and calculated QALE for smokers, non-smokers, and the total population. Results: In 2009, an 18-year-old smoker was expected to have 43.5 (SE = 0.2) more years of QALE, and a non-smoker of the same age was expected to have 54.6 (SE = 0.2) more years of QALE. Therefore, smoking contributed 11.0 (SE = 0.2) years of QALE loss for smokers and 4.1 years (37%) of this loss resulted from reductions in HRQOL alone. At the population level, smoking was associated with 1.9 fewer years of QALE for U.S. adults throughout their lifetime, starting at age 18. Conclusions: This study demonstrates an application of a recently developed QALE estimation methodology. The analyses show good precision and relatively small bias in estimating QALE––especially at the individual level. Although smokers may live longer today than before, they still have a high disease burden due to morbidities associated with poor HRQOL

Corporate social responsibility reporting by South African mining companies: Evidence of legitimacy theory

This paper offers evidence on the relevance of legitimacy theory for explaining changes in the frequency of corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures by South African platinum mining companies following violent strike action during 2012 at Marikana. The results show that all of the South African platinum mining companies provide additional information dealing specifically with the strike taking place at Marikana. This is more pronounced for the company directly involved in the incident. The research also finds evidence of a reaction to the social event by other companies in the South African Platinum Industry which alter the nature and extent of general CSR disclosures to maintain legitimacy. In this way, the study offers evidence in support of the relevance of legitimacy theory for explaining changes in CSR reporting. The findings of this study complement existing research which has ignored the South African market. Although there has been some work on legitimacy theory in the context of environmental disclosure by South African companies, the study is the first to examine a significant social event using legitimacy theory as the frame of reference

On being firefighters : insights on curriculum transformation in HIV and AIDs contexts

Peer reviewedThe article theorises about various responses to an HIV and AIDS outbreak by comparing it to a burning hut in the village. These responses range from indifference to action oriented engagement with HIV and AIDS. It is a framework that challenges scholars of religion and other disciplines to place themselves within the story of HIV and AIDS and to plot their own response. The approach is both autobiographical and institutional in its analysis. The article thus highlights insights on curriculum transformation gathered from individual experiences and intuitional engagement by highlighting the writer’s response, organised efforts from the World Council of Churches, the Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians, the University of Botswana and other institutions. The conclusion emphasises that both research and teaching should be justice seeking.Research Institute for Theology and Religio

Taking up the cudgels against gay rights? Trends and trajectories in African Christian theologies on homosexuality

Against the background of the HIV epidemic and the intense public controversy on homosexuality in African societies, this article investigates the discourses of academic African Christian theologians on homosexuality. Distinguishing some major strands in African theology, that is, inculturation, liberation, women’s and reconstruction theology, the article examines how the central concepts of culture, liberation, justice, and human rights function in these discourses. On the basis of a qualitative analysis of a large number of publications, the article shows that stances of African theologians are varying from silence and rejection to acceptance. Although many African theologians have taken up the cudgels against gay rights, some “dissident voices” break the taboo and develop more inclusive concepts of African identity and African Christianity