Unequal Exposure to Ecological Hazards 2005: Environmental Injustices in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Unequal Exposure to Ecological Hazards 2005 documents Massachusetts residents' unequal exposure to environmental hazards. More specifically, the report analyzes both income basedand racially-based disparities in the geographic distribution of some 17 different types ofenvironmentally hazardous sites and industrial facilities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This report provides evidence that working class communities and communities of color are disproportionately impacted by toxic waste disposal, incinerators, landfills, trash transfer stations, power plants, and polluting industrial facilities. In some cases, not only are new toxic facilities and dump sites located in poorer neighborhoods and communities of color, but as in the case of the public housing development and playgrounds near the Alewife station in Cambridge, housing for people of color and low income populations is sometimes located on top of preexisting hazardous waste sites and/or nearby polluting facilities. We conclude that striking inequities in the distribution of these environmentally hazardous sites and facilities are placing working class families and people of color at substantially greater risk of exposure to human health risks. We advocate the adoption of a number of measures, including a comprehensive environmental justice act, to reduce pollution and address unequal exposure to ecological threats

Population genetics of French brown trout (Salmo trutta L): large geographical differentiation of wild populations and high similarity of domesticated stocks

The genetic variability of 7 fish-farm strains and 14 wild populations of brown trout was studied by electrophoretic analysis of 23 enzyme systems coded for by 52 loci. The total gene diversity was high (0.112) as compared to other salmonid species, but only 45 p. 100 was found within the populations, indicating an extreme genetic differentiation in brown trout. UGPMA clustering analysis subdivided the populations into 4 major groups, i.e. 2 in Corsica, 1 in Brittany and a 4 th one closely clustering the Norman wild anadromous populations with the hatchery strains. These results suggest that Breton and Corsican samples represent native stocks, but that some hatchery introgression or contamination is possible in Norman rivers. This last assumption could explain the coexistence of 2 electrophoretically differentiated ecotypes in one Norman drainage. The genetic distances between Corsican and continental samples are consistent with previous meristic studies reporting the occurrence of a differentiated form in Corsica. According to the heterozygosity level and genetic distance values, a severe bottleneck effect is unlikely to have occurred except in one of the wild populations. The hatchery strains showed a high genetic similarity which could be interpreted as a founder effect by an initial sampling in a restricted area of the species range.La variatibilité électrophorétique de 23 systèmes codés par 52 locus a été examinée dans 7 souches de piscicultures et 14 populations naturelles de truite fario. Par rapport à d’autres espèces de salmonidés, la truite fario se distingue par une variabilité totale élevée (0,112) et un fort degré de différenciation interpopulation, la variabilité intrapopulation ne représentant que 45 p. 100 de la variabilité totale. L’analyse des distances génétiques par agglomération hiérarchique UGPMA fait apparaître 4 principaux groupes, 2 en Corse, 1 en Bretagne et un 4e regroupant les populations naturelles normandes et les souches de pisciculture. Ces résultats suggèrent que les échantillons corses et bretons représentent des stocks autochtones, mais que des phénomènes de contamination ou d’introgression ont pu se produire dans les rivières normandes. Ces phénomènes pourraient bien être à l’origine de la coexistence de deux écotypes génétiquement distincts dans l’Orne (Normandie). Les distances génétiques entre populations corses et continentales sont cohérentes avec des études méristiques antérieures indiquant la présence d’une forme différenciée en Corse. Les valeurs des taux d’hétérozygotie et des distances génétiques suggèrent que ces populations naturelles, à l’exception d’une, n’ont subi aucune perte importante de variabilité par dérive génétique. Par contre, les souches domestiques étudiées constituent un ensemble peu différencié. Ceci pourrait résulter d’un effet fondateur dû à un échantillonnage initial dans une aire restreinte du domaine de l’espèce

Attachment and \u27Hikikomori\u27: A Psychosocial Developmental Model

Background: Hikikomori (acute social withdrawal) is a social issue in Japan that affects both the society and the lives of the individual sufferers. Aims: This study aims to connect attachment theory and hikikomori by using a culturally sensitive psychosocial developmental model that outlines the various stages of attachment throughout the developmental years. Method: Twenty–four hikikomori sufferers and 60 comparison group participants were given questionnaires assessing parent and peer relationships, temperament and school experiences. Results: We found the hikikomori participants had a higher incidence of ambivalent attachment, reported more parental and peer rejection and bullying, and expressed greater temperamental shyness. Path analysis supported our developmental model. We found that shy temperament and parental rejection predicted ambivalent attachment, which when coupled with peer rejection predicted hikikomori. Our model implies that treatment and prevention may require attention to attachment insecurities in early childhood, peer rejection in middle childhood and/or early adolescence. Conclusion: We believe it is helpful in understanding hikikomori to first understand how the attachment system balances security with exploration and the anxiety associated with novelty and challenge. Finally, we examine implications of the model for intervention, treatment and future research

Nucleon electromagnetic form factors from lattice QCD using a nearly physical pion mass

We present lattice QCD calculations of nucleon electromagnetic form factors using pion masses $m_\pi$ = 149, 202, and 254 MeV and an action with clover-improved Wilson quarks coupled to smeared gauge fields, as used by the Budapest-Marseille-Wuppertal collaboration. Particular attention is given to removal of the effects of excited state contamination by calculation at three source-sink separations and use of the summation and generalized pencil-of-function methods. The combination of calculation at the nearly physical mass $m_\pi$ = 149 MeV in a large spatial volume ($m_\pi L_s$ = 4.2) and removal of excited state effects yields agreement with experiment for the electric and magnetic form factors $G_E(Q^2)$ and $G_M(Q^2)$ up to $Q^2$ = 0.5 GeV$^2$.Comment: v2: published version; 30 pages, 25 figures, 6 table

A taxonomic study of the Spirillum lipoferum group, with descriptions of a new genus, Azospirillum gen. nov. and two species, Azospirillum lipoferum (Beijerinck) comb. nov. and Azospirillum brasilense sp. nov.

Sixty-one strains of the root-associated nitrogen fixer Spirillum lipoferum exhibited a similar morphology in peptone--succinate salts medium: vibrioid cells having a diameter of 1.0 micrometer. When grown in broth the cells had a single polar flagellum, but when grown on agar at 30 degrees C lateral flagella of shorter wavelength were also formed. The DNA base composition was 69--71 mol% guanine + cytosine when determined by thermal denaturation. DNA homology experiments indicated the occurrence of two distinct but related homology groups: 46 strains were in group I and 15 strains were in group II. Group II strains were distinguished by their ability to use glucose as a sole carbon source for growth in nitrogen-free medium, by their production of an acidic reaction in a peptone-based glucose medium, by their requirement for biotin, and by their formation of wider, longer, S-shaped or helical cells in semisolid nitrogen-free malate medium. The results indicate that two species exist, and on the basis of their characteristics it is proposed that they be assigned to a new genus, Azospirillum. Strians belonging to group II are named A. lipoferum (Beijerinck) comb. nov., while those belonging to group I are named A. brasilense sp. nov. Strain Sp 59b (ATCC29707) is proposed as the neotype strain for A. lipoferum, and strain Sp 7 (ATCC 29145) is proposed as the type strain for A. brasilense