bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Albinism in Brazilian common opossums (Didelphis aurita)
Authors: Vanstreels Ralph Eric Thijl , Araújo Caroline Reis , Hurtado Renata , Bhering Renata C. C.
Published: April 2021

Albinism has been sporadically recorded in Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) in the United States and Mexico, but records of pigmentation disorders in other Didelphis spp. are rare. The Brazilian common opossum (Didelphis aurita) is a cat-sized nocturnal omnivorous marsupial that inhabits Atlantic and Araucaria forests in South America. A litter of five young Brazilian common opossums was rescued at Espírito Santo state, southeast Brazil, of which two were albinos (one male, one female) and the remaining had normal pigmentation (three males). The two albinos had a complete lack of integumentary and retinal pigmentation, representing the first recorded cases of albinism in this species (and the first record in a Didelphis sp. other than the Virginia opossum).
Azo (Hydrazone) pigments: general principles
Authors: Christie Robert
Published: April 2021

This paper presents an overview of the general chemical principles underlying the structures, synthesis and technical performance of azo pigments, the dominant chemical class of industrial organic pigments in the yellow, orange, and red shade areas, both numerically and in terms of tonnage manufactured. A description of the most significant historical features in this group of pigments is provided, starting from the discovery of the chemistry on which azo colorants are based by Griess in the mid-nineteenth century, through the commercial introduction of the most important classical azo pigments in the early twentieth century, including products known as the Hansa Yellows, β-naphthol reds, including metal salt pigments, and the diarylide yellows and oranges, to the development in the 1950s and 1960s of two classes of azo pigments that exhibit high performance, disazo condensation pigments and benzimidazolone-based azo pigments. A feature that complicates the description of the chemical structures of azo pigments is that they exist in the solid state as the ketohydrazone rather than the hydroxyazo form, in which they have been traditionally been illustrated. Numerous structural studies conducted over the years on an extensive range of azo pigments have demonstrated this feature. In this text, they are referred to throughout as azo (hydrazone) pigments. Since a common synthetic procedure is used in the manufacture of virtually all azo (hydrazone) pigments, this is discussed in some detail, including practical aspects. The procedure brings together two organic components as the fundamental starting materials, a diazo component and a coupling component. An important reason for the dominance of azo (hydrazone) pigments is that they are highly cost-effective. The syntheses generally involve low cost, commodity organic starting materials and are carried out in water as the reaction solvent, which offers obvious economic and environmental advantages. The versatility of the approach means that an immense number of products may be prepared, so that they have been adapted structurally to meet the requirements of many applications. On an industrial scale, the processes are straightforward, making use of simple, multi-purpose chemical plant. Azo pigments may be produced in virtually quantitative yields and the processes are carried out at or below ambient temperatures, thus presenting low energy requirements. Finally, provided that careful control of the reaction conditions is maintained, azo pigments may be prepared directly by an aqueous precipitation process that can optimise physical form, with control of particle size distribution, crystalline structure, and surface character. The applications of azo pigments are outlined, with more detail reserved for subsequent papers on individual products.
Carbon black pigments
Authors: Pfaff Gerhard
Published: April 2021

Carbon black pigments are manufactured today mainly by modern chemical processes in industrial scale production. They are the most important representatives of black pigments. Carbon black pigments have a number of advantages compared with other inorganic black pigments and with black organic colorants. Hiding power, color stability, solvent resistance, acid and alkali resistance as well as thermal stability are excellent good properties that are not achieved from other blacks. Carbon black pigments are applied in most of the pigment relevant systems, such as printing inks, paints and coatings, plastics, and cosmetics. They are produced by several industrial processes. Furnace blacks, channel blacks and gas blacks have the highest importance among the various carbon blacks. Particle size, particle size distribution, surface quality and structure determine the coloristic and application technical properties of the individual pigments. Oxidative aftertreatment is used in many cases to modify the surface of the pigments concerning the stability and the compatibility with the application system. Particle management, aftertreatment and the provision of pigment preparations are suitable ways for the improvement of the pigments and the optimization of the dosage form.
DISCUSSION: GRADUATE WORKSHOP CASCA 1991
Authors: Reimer Gwen
Published: April 2021

This discussion paper is a compilation of the questions and comments audio-taped during the hour following the presentations. Rather than transcribing the tape verbatim. the discussion has been paraphrased and summarized (by the Special Editor) according to the major themes that emerged. Several direct quotations are also included. Each individual who participated in the discussion period has been given the opportunity to edit and to further contribute to the written form as it is presented below. Participants included the three presenters -- Gwen Reimer, Cathy Kurelek, and Maria-Ines Arratia, -- four appointed discussants -- Patty Defreitas, Patricia Spittal, Jean-Philippe Chartrand, and Dr. Wayne Warry, -- and three audience participants -- Sandra Niessen, Dr. Fay Cohen, and Dr. Raoul Anderson.
Breast is Best? A Review of the Role of Breastfeeding in the Prevention of Infectious Disease
Authors: Moffat Tina
Published: April 2021

The hypotheses about how breastfeeding protects infants from infectious diseases are reviewed While there is strong evidence in favour of breastfeeding as prevention against infectious diseases, the exact mechanisms and duration of its effects still remain unclear. It is argued that basing the promotion of breastfeeding on so-called scientific facts is a dangerous endeavour, as medical information has been and will continue to be fanned by societal values, market forces and public interest groups. It is concluded that rather than conducting breastfeeding research as if it is value-neutral, it should be considered to be a behaviour which is shaped by its socio-cultural context in which mothers play an active role in decision-making.
Health Interventions: A Focus for Applied Medical Anthropology Theory
Authors: Walker Susan
Published: April 2021

Health promotion and intervention programs are biological, cultural, social and political undertakings. Frequently, they are based on epidemiological research, and do not work because they rely solely on quantitative measurements of risk. While this approach can demonstrate cause and effect between risk factors and disease, it lacks the understanding of lay rationality, and the social, political, and economic influences which make individuals vulnerable to disease - a vital component to the development of successful interventions. It is in this area that medical anthropology can make a critical difference to health intervention planning, with its qualitative methodology and theoretical perspectives. This paper reviews the theoretical debate currently taking place within the discipline, and proposes an applied critical medical anthropology approach which engages, rather than challenges the system, and responds to the needs of intervention issues. By collaborating with colleagues in other areas of health, and forming closer alliances, medical anthropology can target a challenging, exciting and critical focus for praxis, and make important contributions to health intervention planning.
Narratives and Newcomers: Rethinking Culturally Appropriate Health Care
Authors: Dunn Samuel
Published: April 2021

Cultural appropriateness has become an important conceptual tool for health care professionals serving diverse patient populations. Physicians and other health care providers working in urban communities are increasingly challenged to provide care that is responsive to the health needs and beliefs of immigrants, refugees and other newcomers to mainstream health services. This paper argues that notions of cultural 'sensitivity' or 'competency' help health practitioners acknowledge professional and biomedical biases, but also risk dehistoricizing and hence disempowering newcomers by failing to recognize culture as a dynamic process. Without attention to the ways in which newcomers actively produce culture and make sense of illness experience, health care workers ignore the contexts in which people. become ill and hence cannot act as healers. By presenting the case of one newcomer to the Canadian health care system, I argue that narratives provide a valuable tool for health practitioners to understand how newcomers actively engage and come to terms with illness, without defining them as determined by a set of cultural beliefs or practices.
The Search for a Paradigm in Archaeology Evolutionary Theory and the "Selectionist" School of Thought
Authors: Cardoso Hugo F.V..
Published: April 2021

According to evolutionary archaeology (the "selectionist" school of archaeological theory) the archaeological record can be explained in terms of generic Darwinian processes of evolution. Evolution is seen as the differential persistence of cultural traits and as the differential reproductive success of individuals in result of the cultural traits they possess. However, one of the major criticisms of evolutionary archaeology is concerned with the absence of a defined unit of selection. Evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and others have suggested that the same generic process as biological evolution governs culture change and that culture evolves as a result of the differential replication of cultural units, the memes, that play an analogous role as genes. If this is so, it is suggested that the unit of selection that might be lacking in evolutionary archaeology is the meme. Since memetics (the study of memes as cultural replicators) is a theory of cultural change it has the potential to provide the explanatory framework for the temporal and spatial patterns of archaeological phenomena. Despite its potential, memetics seems to introduce Lamarckian processes of evolution in Ihe culture medium, which are not very explanatory. The purpose of this article is to show the potential of generic evolutionary processes in explanations of culture change and discuss the major problems involved in this theoretical approach.
Anthropology and Participatory Research: Ethical Considerations in International Development
Authors: Finnis Elizabeth
Published: April 2021

Anthropologists working in the field of development may encounter a number of difficult ethical issues, although there is comparatively little literature that directly addresses such dilemmas. Potential concerns include questions of access to development and participation in projects and plans; questions about how research is used; issues of power differentials in the field; and the problem of ownership of knowledge. Participatory development research rhetoric and practice has in part arisen out of recognition of these ethical concerns. Through an examination of the history of international development research, and the bases upon which participation lies, it is argued that the concept of participation is not without its own ethical dilemmas and assumptions. A discussion of the history and interpretation of development and participation in parts of rural Nepal is used to illustrate this argument.
Le Régime Français et Les Amérindiens Un Officier Pour Assister Au Conseil, un Missionnaire Pour Instruire et un Forgeron pour Raccommoder les Armes, 1715, Orateur Ouiatanon
Authors: Sauriol Caroline
Published: April 2021

La rencontre entre les Européens et les autochtones d'Amérique a bouleversé I'équilibre ancestral, en introduisant une nouvelle logique d'action qui allait éventuellement modifier les pratiques usuelles des deux groupes. Ce bouleversement n'a toutefois pas été subi passivement, puisque les deux groupes ont activement participé à de multiples échanges tangibles et intangibles. Alors que I'Histoire s'attarde aux grands mouvements stratégiques, cet essai explore les pratiques d'échanges économiques, militaires et spirituels qu'entretenaient les autochtones avec les acteurs du régime français, afin d'y déceler la métaphorisation et les adaptations mutuelles lors de la cohabitation entre les Franyais et les Iroquois et Hurons au cours des 17ème et 18ème siècles. À la suite de Michel Certeau, I'étude des tactiques du quotidien permet de révéler la richesse et la fluidité du monde réel dans lequelles individus et les groupes évoluent et ce, rnalgré I'apparente puissance des pouvoirs établis.
Putting Identity to Work: Post-Fordist Modes of Production and Protest
Authors: Kooistra Alison
Published: April 2021

Over the past thirty years, identity-rather than labour or political party affiliations-has become the rallying point of most social mobilizations. Most discussions of identity politics evaluate its revolutionary potential and condemn its emphasis on image representation as easily co-opted. What is missing from this debate is a nuanced analysis of the ways in which appeals to identity are grounded within a particular historical moment. I argue that this emphasis on identity emerges out of the late capitalist shift from a Fordist to a post-Fordist paradigm of production. In North America's "post-industrial" information-based society, image production is as much a part of the economy as factory production, and redefining and essentializing an identity is a way to reclaim control of the relations of production. As the manufacturing base is being outsourced to the developing world and as governments increasingly cut social spending and deregulate industries, identity becomes one of the most effective tools for claiming state resources, capturing public attention, finding jobs, and accessing corporate sponsorships. Why identity? Because it works.
The (F)utility of a Culture Concept?: Conceptualizations of "Culture" From Evolutionism to Post-Modernism
Authors: Ly Anh
Published: April 2021

This paper attempts to provide an historical survey and examination of the emergence, employment, and significance of the concept of "culture" in anthropological discourse from evolutionist frameworks to post-modern critiques. Arguably one of the most nebulous concepts within the discipline, "culture", and the discussion of it. has triggered an ongoing and somewhat contentious debate within the discipline. To understand the debate over the (f)utility of the culture concept, it is necessary to examine the theoretical context in which the concept has been used. defended or criticized and. subsequently, to situate that specific context within the larger context of the development of the discipline. The goal of this paper is to provide insight into the complexity of the debate over the centrality, utility, and politics of the culture concept in anthropological theory and practice. The evolution of the concept of culture within anthropology is an historical accretion of ideas and only by examining previous formulations of the concept and the specific historical context within which it arose can we engage with the concept more critically in our current and future anthropological endeavours.
Smaylilh or Wild People Archaeology
Authors: Reimer Rudy
Published: April 2021

The native peoples who inhabit the Pacific Northwest Coast and Interior Plateau possess oral traditions concerning cryptozoology, including the 'wild people' also known as Sasquatch or Bigfoot. For the Squamish Nation, these are Wild People, or "Smaylilh". Squamish historical accounts indicate that these Wild People and humans are, or once were, related. This common ancestry indicates long-standing co-habitation within Squamish territory.
This paper deals with a number of examples of this, including stories or tales of brief encounters with Wild People. Encounter stories have been mapped and relate to the regional archaeological record. It is suggested that archaeological sites in remote or difficult to reach locations represent Smaylilh activities. In taking this approach, it is hoped that anthropological/archaeological theoretical concepts can be meshed with Indigenous, First Nation, perspectives.
Design theory analysis of biface technology at the Botanie Lake Dam site (EcRj 15), south-central British Columbia
Authors: Ewonus Paul
Published: April 2021

Editor’s note: This article appears as a reprint from Volume 18 due to printing errors. Nexus apologizes to the author for the delay in publishing the work in its entirety.
A design analysis is applied to six bifacial tools recovered from the Botanie Lake Dam site (EcRj 15) on the Plateau of southern British Columbia. While these artifacts, selected from the lithic assemblage of this late pre-contact period mat lodge campsite, show some internal variation, they share important characteristics indicative of their use by Plateau peoples. Acute edge angles and less durable raw material suggests that these bifacial tools were used to cut relatively soft contact materials such as herbaceous plants. Their lengthy use lives and multifunctionality make them effective solutions for the requirements of plant and animal processing during a mobile seasonal round. This application of design theory to a small sample of lithic artifacts from a seasonal camp site with an hypothesized focus on root resource harvesting and processing adds to the growing number of studies employing this approach to lithic analysis.
Hybridization at the Neutral Iroquoian Walker Site (AgHa-9)
Authors: Wallace Melissa Marie
Published: April 2021

This article is written with the intention of exploring the types of approaches used to study Indigenous and European contact, using the Iroquoian Neutral culture as an example.    The Neutral, a northern Iroquoian group, were similar overall culturally to other Northern Iroquoian groups in Ontario.  Their settlement in the first half of the 17th century is believed to have been focused in what is now Southern Ontario, from the north of Lake Erie, to the west of LakeOntario (Noble 1984:4).  Based on their placement in southern Ontario between other Indigenous groups, they were in an excellent position for trade. In an attempt to understand the ways in which Indigenous people incorporated European material culture, a new concept, hybridization, is proposed. Hybridization, like syncretism, is the incorporation of European materials into Indigenous society by creating what would be considered ‘traditional’ forms of artifacts.  By utilizing this kind of analysis, it is possible to incorporate Indigenous agency, without using out-dated methods that assume acculturation as the ultimate end to culture contact.
Heritage Appropriation and Commoditized Spirituality: Q’ero Mysticism & Andean New Age Healing
Authors: Devries Melody J.
Published: April 2021

With the onset of 2015, globalization is perhaps one of the most dynamic issues concerning the social sciences. It is critical to map all fields of the human/cultural experience that are susceptible to manifestations of globalization in the growing international tourism industry. In this study I have focused on the evolution of the Peruvian Andean highlands’ massive tourist industry, including a specific analysis on the Paz Y Luz Healing Centre, in order to address spiritual tourism and its appropriation and commodification processes. In my exploration of Andean mysticism and the concept’s effect on local cultural heritage, I have found it essential to consult Foucauldian understandings of the gaze, as well as several other perspectives on the role of ritual elements in the construction of spiritual realities. Subsequently I have been led to perhaps a predictable conclusion: spiritual tourism is a living relic of colonialism. It dilutes the cultural and spiritual heritage of peoples like the Q’ero for consumption by tourists, who use the gaze and its created ‘other’ to validate their own construction of spiritual realities.
Effects of Long Term Corseting on the Female Skeleton: A Preliminary Morphological Examination
Authors: Gibson Rebecca
Published: April 2021

This 2012/2013 study looks at corset dimensions and skeletal rib deformation in female remains from three time periods and two locations to understand certain aspects of longevity.  All artifacts and skeletal remains originate from the Early Modern, Victorian, and Edwardian periods.  The corsets are held in the Victoria and Albert Museum, and range in date from 1750-1908.  The data on the skeletal remains are the result of the author’s examination of collections held in the Musée de l’Homme in Paris, France, and the Centre for Human Bioarchaeology at the Museum of London Archaeology (MoL) in London, England.  An anachronistic view of corseted women posits that they lived short and painful lives.  I examine these skeletal remains with an eye toward establishing that rich or poor, young or old, corseted women lived comparatively long lives, and that the corset was not, in itself, a death sentence.  My findings indicate that although women experienced skeletal deformation because of corseting, they also lived longer than the average age for their times.
The Power of Ideology: Religion and Environmental Consciousness in Prehistoric Societies
Authors: Davis Dylan S
Published: April 2021

People are defined by the environments in which they live. This article seeks to explain how environmentally-based ideologies help lead to the development of ecologically sustainable innovations. If the importance of nature is a core ideology of a society, measures will likely be taken to ensure sustainable usage of environmental resources. In times of short-term environmental instability, religious beliefs become strengthened due to successful rituals (e.g. prayers for rain coincide with the end of a period of drought). However, if poor conditions persist for long durations then faith in rituals will waver, leaving a society in a state of instability. Utilising various anthropological literature and two case studies (The Central Andes and Easter Island), the following conclusions are made: (1) ideology that emphasises human-environmental coexistence stresses the importance of the environment and leads to successful innovations that allow for humanity to thrive without doing irreversible damage to our surroundings; and (2) unpredictable and lengthy periods of negative environmental conditions can lead to the weakening of social, political, and economic constructs and their controlling ideologies.
Tuberculosis in South Africa: An Analysis of Socio-Economic Factors
Authors: Warren Rachel Lynn
Published: April 2021

Tuberculosis has historically thrived in some of the most impoverished and marginalized populations; however, research into why lower socio-economic populations are at a higher risk of contracting diseases remains to be a topic lacking exploration. This is becoming a more prevalent issue as multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively-drug resistant Tuberculosis (XDR-TB) are on the rise in individuals living in poverty. The main research question that will be addressed in this paper is: How do socio-economic inequalities play a role in rising incidence rates of Tuberculosis in South Africa, and what are the future challenges in dealing with MDR-TB and XDR-TB? South Africa is a particularly important country of focus because of the racial inequity that has resulted in economic disparity, and a large percentage of the population living below the poverty line. Reviews of existing literature on Tuberculosis and correlations to poverty will be critically analyzed and applied, as well as the use of government documents, including Statistics South Africa, and the World Health Organization. A cross-cultural comparison of Canada and South Africa will be included to highlight the long-term effects of marginalization societal stratification. The health care policies dealing with treatment will also be discussed, with a specific focus on social epidemiology. This paper will argue that long-term racial inequalities in South Africa has result in economic disparity, through which Black Africans and people of Colour are more susceptible to contracting TB, MDR-TB, and insufficient health resources to support them.
The Othering of the Black Community in News Media Reports During the Ebola Epidemic of 2013 to 2016
Authors: Mohanachandran Meenadchi
Published: April 2021

The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the racial undertones found in the news media reports on the West Africa Ebola outbreak of 2013 to 2016, focusing mainly on the portrayal of North American cases on television. As with many political activist issues, the first step to making a change for the better is recognizing exactly where the errors are made. Through the analysis of news reports posted by CityNews and The National, the paper identifies four critical themes: Othering, Them versus Us, and the impact of Visualization. Othering is the process of alienating the Black community from the rest of the population as the leading responsible factor for Ebola. This creates a dilemma of Them (the Black community) versus Us (the general population) that exasperates the already existing racial tensions. All of which is done not only by what is expressed by the reporters, but what is shown on the screen as part of the news story. This is evidence of systemic institutional racism in the media industry. By understanding the key reoccurring themes of racism found in the event of an epidemic, society can be better prepared to confront the situation when it arises again.
Income Status and Education as Predictors of HIV Transmission in South Africa
Authors: Yousufzai Maham
Published: April 2021

The global Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic targets various populations around the world, and South Africa is one of a number of countries where prevalence rates of the virus continue to increase despite the introduction of a viable treatment option. Previously investigated implications of HIV in South Africa are primarily related to its effects on the health-care sector of the country. However, complex socioeconomic processes are relevant to the discussion of HIV-related risk factors and consequences affecting individuals and households within South Africa. A large body of literature covers many socioeconomic perspectives on HIV, including the effect of socioeconomic status on HIV infection. While the roles of income status and education as risk factors for HIV infection have been explored extensively in a South African context, the connection between this and consequent adverse impacts on these factors as a result of HIV infection has not been clearly identified. This paper aims to address the gap in the literature regarding how specific socioeconomic factors act as risk factors for HIV contraction, but also how the same factors are affected as an associated outcome in those infected with HIV. Specifically, this paper argues that income status and education act as risk factors for HIV through their effects on individual behaviour, while also being adversely impacted due to the occurrence of infection. These impacts on income status and education contribute to South Africa’s inability to stop perpetuating the cycle of HIV prevalence.
Introduction
Authors: Paine Pauline
Published: April 2021

This special issue of Nexus is devoted to an analysis of concepts of sex and gender in selected Oceanic societies. Interest in the variable ways people construct and perceive gender is a relatively new development in anthropology and reflects a growing appreciation of the cross-cultural diversity in gender forms. However, an understanding of the variable criteria upon which gender can be constructed cannot occur unless accompanied by an awareness of the profound effect Western ideas concerning sex and gender have had upon the interpretation and analysis of gender systems world wide. Much current research rests on Western assumptions, often implicit, concerning the nature of sex and gender and the relationship of men to women. In order to underscore this point, I have chosen, in the introduction, to highlight Western culture's perception of sex and gender in order that we may understand the culture specific meanings and assumptions that such concepts carry. This, I suggest, is essential for an understanding of the papers that follow. In the following article Western notions of sex and gender will be outlined in some detail and their effect on anthropological analysis discussed. Finally, our culture's construction of gender will be juxtaposed with those of selected societies in the Middle East, North America and the Pacific in order to demonstrate the very different, but no less 'real', basis on which gender is constructed elsewhere.
Tractors and Transactors: Some Possible Infrastructural Reasons for the Ambivalent Attitudes of Males Toward Females in the New Guinea Highlands
Authors: Black David
Published: April 2021

This paper attempts to establish a causal relationship between infrastructural factors and the ambivalent attitudes displayed by men toward women in Highlands New Guinea societies. Factors are delineated which contribute to the value of women on one hand, and to the danger of, the low status of, and the need to control, women, on the other. Divale and Harris' (1976) model of a population, warfare, male supremacist complex is used as an explanatory device, and its usefulness is evaluated in light of Highlands ethnographic data. Divale and Harris' use of sex ratio data as a key indicator for their model is criticised. An alternative formulation of their model has been proposed which provides a better fit to Highlands ethnographic data, by proposing a causal link between male preoccupation with warfare, female labour contribution to subsistence, and the need for birth spacing. This network of variables provides an option for the causal network suggested by Divale and Harris involving female infanticide and unbalanced sex ratios.
Review of the Histological Method for Determining Age at Death in Human Skeletons
Authors: Neill Christopher G.
Published: April 2021

The histological method for determining the age at death of adult human skeletons is critically reviewed and standardizations are suggested. The accuracy of the method varies with the technique applied but is generally more accurate than morphologic and morphometric methods. A S.E.E. of 2.55 years was obtained by Singh and Gunbewrg (1970) using the mandible. Kerley (1965) obtained a S.E.E. of 5.27 years and Thompson (1978, 1979) obtained S.E.E. 's within 6.5 years using this "core technique". Disease must be screened out and specific equations are required for different "racial" groups. Sex difference does not significantly affect the age estimates. The histologic method is applicable to archaeology, forensic medicine, demography and palaeophysiology. A manual detailing the essentials of the histological method would be useful to future investigators.
Women As Political Actors: A Reappraisal
Authors: Mitchell Lisa Meryn
Published: April 2021

Research on women as political actors has tended to focus on their separateness from men, the opposition of their goals from male goals, and on their state of oppression. It is argued that this problematic orientation stems from three primary sources of theoretical bias current anthropological definitions of politics which emphasize power and conflict, an acceptance of the universal oppression of women, and the linking of gender to the public versus private domain paradigm. Suggestions are made to avoid these persistent biases -- troublesome straw men and women --- and to improve anthropological approaches to women as political actors.
Late Archaic House Features in Ontario
Authors: Woodley Philip
Published: April 2021

This note describes test excavations at the Thistle Hill site (AhGx 226). This Late Archaic site is the first in the Great Lakes region offering evidence of possible house features.
ICONOCLASM AND HISTORY: Remembering the Via Crucis in a Nicaraguan comunidad eclesial de base
Authors: Orta Andrew
Published: April 2021

This paper is a consideration of religious ritual as historical practice, and of the cultural mediation of the valuation and revaluation of signs in history. Specifically I am concerned with christological imagery as deployed in the performance of a Via Crucis Nicaraguenese, or "Stations of the Cross," conducted by a comunidad eclesial de base (CEB) in Managua, Nicaragua in 1976, and 1977. The 'data' include texts and illustrations employed during the performance, as well as the recollections of participants among whom I conducted a field study in 1984. CEBs are the socio-ecclesiastical units that practice what has come to be known as 'Liberation theology'. They constitute active bases of resistance in many areas of Latin America and are involved in a transformative 'Christian praxis' that emerges at the cusp of a narrativized tradition rooted in Church practice and a developing 'folk-Marxism' informing CEB exegesis. Over and against CEB members' claim to an unmeditated historical analysis of the biblical moment as recovered in the performance of the Via Crucis, my effort in this paper is to point to additional cultural resonances at play in this ritual of resistance.
Commentary
Authors: Reimer Gwen
Published: April 2021

Let me begin this commentary by endorsing Peter Laurie's appeal for tourism studies from an historical and political-economic perspective. It is encouraging to find anthropologists critically examining the lack of either perspective in much tourism-related theory. Given the recent postmodern emphasis upon reflexivity and native voice, I agree that anthropology has something critically constructive to offer tourism studies. It is time that authors of tourism ethnographies and analyses openly address their own different values with which they approach their work. Further, it is time we heard the local voice on tourism-related issues.
Some Thoughts on the Concepts of Creativity and Innovation
Authors: Oberholtzer Cath
Published: April 2021

In this paper a number of questions are raised concerning the concepts of creativity and innovation. The quantum leaps of creativity as contrasted with the diminutive jumps of innovation provide a basis for anthropological understanding of both concrete and intellectual change, continuity, and discontinuity. Further queries establish two major phases inherent to the concept of creativity: the initial phase is marked by a flash of inspiration, intuitive recognition and a state of receptivity; the next is involved with the conscious recording, refinement, and application of the creative moment. Crucial to an understanding and acceptance of the 'rightness' of creativity is the concept of intuition reinforced by the role of the 'inner critic'. Conversely, the concept of innovation implies a sustained and steady effort over time.
THE HAUNTED HOSTEL: Shades of the Past in a Modern Day School Residence for Native Children
Authors: Jones Roberta
Published: April 2021

In the summer of 1987, I was asked by the council of chiefs of a Northern Canadian region, to do a 'review' of the operation of one of the few remaining school residences for Native children in Canada. The residence, or 'hostel' had been staffed by nuns until its administration was transferred to the Council of Chiefs in the early 1970's. The building was thought by the Natives to be haunted. It did seem to be haunted by some institutional patterns that had been established under the new administration, and persisted though the staff in 1987 was entirely Native. This paper explores these observations and attempts to make sense of them.
THE SOCIOBIOLOGY OF RAPE: A Critique
Authors: Clark Hugh
Published: April 2021

In the last chapter of his book, Sociobiology: The New Synthesis (1975), E.O. Wilson suggested that adaptive behaviours found in animals could be applied to humans. Wilson's work provided the impetus for a great deal of behavioural research which was to be carried out on a number of topics, including rape. The purpose of this paper is to look critically at the sociobiological theory of rape. This will be accomplished by first outlining the theories of Shields and Shields (1983), and Thornhill and Thornhill (1983). Second, the animal data that is utilized by sociobiologists will be critically examined. Finally, the theories of Shields and Shields and Thornhill and Thornhill will be examined critically.
THE POLITICS OF LOVE: Sexual Selection Theory and the Role of the Female
Authors: Young Penny
Published: April 2021

Since the publication in 1871 of Darwin's The Descent of Man, sex has been deeply entrenched within the studies of the biological sciences. Over the years, much controversy has surrounded Darwin's theory of sexual selection, comprised of two components -- male/male competition for mates, and female choice of males for mates (Darwin 1871:215). For the purpose of this present discussion, the importance of the females of the species in sexual selection theory will be addressed, and the modifications and manipulations of this role in the conceptualization of the sexual selection hypothesis will be critically examined.
The Molecular Pursuit of Masculinity
Authors: Haddad Ramsi
Published: April 2021

Ever since Aristotle suggested that females are incomplete males, the study of sex determination has been a persistent reiteration of this notion. Thus, the scientific study of sex determination has centred male specific single factors to explain this phenomenon. These single factors include testes, testosterone, the Y chromosome, H-Y antigen and, finally, a recently cloned gene called ZFY. It is evident that such an androcentric bias is incapable of explaining sex determination.
Origins of Life Lab at McMaster University
Authors: Paliwal Ishita , Reintjes Caitlin
Published: April 2021

One of the many novel scientific studies being conducted at McMaster University focuses on uncovering the origins of life, specifically, how the first cells were formed. Dr. Maikel Rheinstadter, from the Department of Physics and Astronomy, has developed a planetary simulator that effectively replicates environmental conditions both on Earth and other potentially habitable planets in the solar system. His team works to discern how the first cells may have developed on these planets by investigating the idea that water-based life was formed in warm, volcanic ponds. The following interview provides further insight into Dr. Rheinstadter’s research project.
Science Communication: An Interview with Katie Moisse
Authors: Redublo Tyler
Published: April 2021

Science communication is an emerging field that consists of a multitude of different career options, such as  journalism, storytelling, and multimedia production. At its core, the field of science communication represents the bridge between scientists and the general public. Experts in this profession are concerned with how the complexities of scientific research can be presented to all audiences in ways that are engaging, comprehensible, and relevant. Today, innovative scientists continue to push the boundaries of knowledge and they are supported by science communicators who help to raise awareness and advocate for the research. Despite the fundamental role that these experts play, many people are unaware of the field of science communication and the vast array of career opportunities that it offers. The purpose of this interview is to shed light on science communication and to explore the associated skills, careers, and growth opportunities.
History, Present, and Future of Age-Related Cataracts Surgery
Authors: Abdelhalim Suhaila , Abdul Majeed Abdul Wadood Lyan
Published: April 2021

Twenty years ago, WHO and IAPB introduced an initiative called ‘The Right to Sight’, which set out to eliminate avoidable blindness universally by 2020. Age-related cataracts is a major contributor to treatable blindness worldwide and is increasing in global prevalence due to the growing proportion of individuals over 65 years of age. Cataracts refers to opacification of the lens inside the eye and clinically presents as a painless blurring and clouding of vision. From couching operations in 1200 B.C. to modern phacoemulsification, different approaches have been used to tackle this ancient disease over the centuries. Treatment today mainly involves surgery to replace the opaque lens with an artificial intraocular lens. Cutting-edge research into future therapies include investigating accommodating intraocular lenses, which hope to postoperatively restore accommodation. With the target year 2020 approaching, it is necessary to initiate discussion on age-related cataracts. This paper will provide a brief overview of this disease, discuss developments in treatment, and review innovations currently being pursued in the field.
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells—Bringing Humanity One Step Closer to Curing Cancer
Authors: Paliwal Ishita
Published: April 2021

Cancer develops when healthy cells experience a mutation, allowing for rapid and abnormal growth. Mutagens, such as radiation and carcinogens, allow fast-growth variant cells to be positively selected and thus propagate the development of cancer. Radiation and chemotherapy are prevailing, but non-ideal forms of cancer treatment as they can harm healthy cells in the body. Stem cells can be used to replace the healthy cells that were lost, but there are ethical concerns regarding the acquisition of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), or technicalities in obtainment and usage of adult stem cells (ASCs). Thus, the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) allows for the use of ASCs that are given the pluripotent characteristics of ESCs. In 2018, Kooreman and his colleagues from Stanford University coaxed iPSCs to display the epitopes of breast cancer. After exposing mice with breast cancer to iPSCs, 70% of the mice had a decreased tumour size compared to control mice. Thus, iPSCs may work as a vaccine for cancer and potentially treat and cure the disease. Further research is required to study the feasibility of the use of iPSCs for human breast cancer.
New Hope for Delaying Clinical Onset of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Early Intervention with Rituximab
Authors: Biasi Stefano Armando , Kosmopoulos Andrew , Manuja Kriti , Memon Mahnoor , Varatharaj Ashwini
Published: April 2021

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a highly prevalent autoimmune disease that affects 16 million people globally. It is caused by an inflammatory autoimmune response that results in swelling of the joints and chronic pain. While we know that RA operates via the immune system, the specific mechanisms of RA pathogenesis are not fully understood, making diagnosis and treatment options limited. Rituximab, a monoclonal CD20 antibody, is a current form of RA treatment that specifically targets autoreactive B-cells to help mitigate the symptoms of RA at the clinical stage. Gerlag et al. (2019) outline a preventative window of opportunity for preclinical RA intervention with rituximab and identified two predictive biomarkers through exploratory methods. Their findings demonstrate that early administration of rituximab during preclinical RA delays disease onset and impedes its progression. This timeframe for intervention offers a promising first step for future studies investigating RA mechanisms and early treatments.
Implications of Vitamin D Levels in COVID-19 Morbidity and Mortality
Authors: Sadat Afjeh Seyedeh Niki , Emami Fard Nahal , Poursharif Paniz
Published: April 2021

Vitamin D is a steroid hormone known for maintaining bone health. Vitamin D deficiency is a 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) serum concentration below 25 nmol/L. In contrast, vitamin D insufficiency occurs at levels below 75 nmol/L. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency affect 70% and 30% of the US population, respectively. Emerging evidence associates optimal vitamin D levels with better clinical outcomes in COVID-19. This literature review analyzed three preliminary articles that explored associations between vitamin D levels, COVID-19 mortality, and risk of adverse clinical outcomes in adult hospitalized patients. Google Scholar was used to find studies that diagnosed COVID-19 with reverse transcription (RT-PCR). In a cross-sectional analysis, Maghbooli et al. (2020) reported that vitamin D sufficient patients had a significantly lower chance (9.7%, n=77, p=0.01) of severe COVID-19 complications than deficient patients (32.8%, n=158, p=0.01). This study is under review for diagnosis accuracy and sample size. A retrospective cohort study by Raharusun et al. (2020), which included active and expired cases (n=780), found that 98.9% (p<0.001) of vitamin D deficient COVID-19 patients and 88% (p<0.001) with insufficiency died, but only 4% of sufficient individuals died. Lastly, a retroactive cohort study by Meltzer et al. (2020) reported higher rates of COVID-19 infection, 21.6% (95% CI, 14.0-29.2%), in vitamin D deficient groups (n=172), compared to 12.2% (95% CI, 8.5-15.4%) in sufficient groups (n=327). The 25(OH)D levels were measured within one year of COVID-19 testing. All studies controlled for age, sex, and comorbidities, while the first controlled for BMI and smoking, and the third controlled for race. Vitamin D sufficiency may activate the innate and adaptive immune systems, leading to an antiviral response. Receptor binding of vitamin D on neutrophils and macrophages stimulates cathelicidin expression, an antibacterial peptide. Macrophage and T-regulatory cell quantities also increase. These results reveal the need for randomized controlled studies of vitamin D sufficiency as a potential mitigator in COVID-19 outcomes.
role of stathmin microtubule-destabilizing activity in Shigella flexneri motility and tunneling
Authors: Rozman Robert , Barr Austin A. , Sharma Radha
Published: April 2021

The infection of the intestinal mucosa by Shigella bacteria is a global health issue resulting in a variety of potentially life-threatening gastrointestinal complications. Their unique method of intracellular motility depends on microtubule destabilization to clear the dense host cytoskeletal network in a process called tunneling. It is hypothesized that the host protein stathmin may play a role in this process, due to its tubulin-sequestering capability. This proposal aims to provide potential methodologies to elucidate the function of stathmin with respect to Shigella flexneri motility. Three experiments are proposed, involving comparisons between human intestinal epithelial cell strains under varying levels of stathmin expression, each infected with S. flexneri. Respectively, the experiments examine tunnel widths via electron microscopy, microtubule densities via imaging fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, and bacterial movement patterns via live fluorescence microscopy. If microtubule destabilization and movement is impaired in null stathmin strains, as predicted, such findings may inform a novel therapeutic target for Shigellosis by preventing internal spreading. This is particularly significant in our current landscape, as antibiotic-resistant strains of Shigella are growing increasingly prevalent.