Virginity Testing, a traditional Zulu pre-nuptial custom that determines the worth of a bride, has been resurrected in communities in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa as a response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The practice takes place during large community festivals when young girls have their genitals physically examined to determine whether they are virgins and results are made public. Supporters of the tradition claim that in fostering a value of chastity among its youth, it encourages abstinence from sexual intercourse which leads to a lower HIV infection rate and prevents the disease from spreading. Human rights activists disagree; Rather than slowing the spread of a disease, they argue, the practice instead endangers girls. Those who fail are often shunned and turn to prostitution, while those who pass may be exposed as potential targets for rape (due to a myth that says intercourse with a virgin cures HIV/AIDS). Despite a ban on the practice in 2005, the testing festivals continue, and are described by supporters as an important part of the preservation of Zulu culture. This thesis examines the ways in which human rights may be re-negotiated for young girls in Zulu communities while maintaining a respect for local culture. It moves beyond the traditional debate between relativism and universalism in order to propose solutions to rights violations in culturally diverse contexts by exploring ideas of inclusive human rights and capabilities theories.

ABSTRACT “FGM is known to have no health benefits and has serious, immediate and long-term physical and psychological health consequences, which can be severe, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety and reduced desire or sexual satisfaction” (28 Too Many, 2014, p5). This master thesis is an attempt to gain male perspectives in strategies to eradicate Female Genital Mutilation, FGM. The aim is to gain an understanding on how men view the concept of FGM in relation to existing norms such as gender, social and international norms. Literature tends to focus less on men’s roles and views compared to on women´s for how to end FGM. The male perspective is very important especially as literature shows that cultural practices in most cases benefit men compared to women as is shown in the case of FGM. Men are held in high esteem as the ones with a final deciding voice in the homes, institutions and the general community. This was also the case in the village of Mabonkani. Men hold powers to enable or prohibit actions and practices.  Therefore, if FGM is to end, men can, because of their positionality spearhead effective campaigns and awareness raising messages. Focus groups and interviews were used to obtain information. The empirical findings were analysed and categorised and then presented in tables, graphs and themes. The findings revealed a conflictual decision making that men face if/when they decide to abandon FGM as it is heavily tied to their cultural and social identity. Abandoning the practice also means that they face ostracism by their own community members, loss of identity as a family man and community member, breaking up social cohesion among other reasons. Men are keen on ending FGM after lengthy discussions on its complications at a personal and social level. Men expressed that they preferred the training of women than the removal of clitoris. They offered various solutions including sending girls to schools to address issues of informed consent/age as well as getting young people to be more involved in and to include all actors instead of picking just a few. The views of household men and youth were different. The youth embraced international norms. They suggested that it is up to them to change the future of the next generation through the information available and they no longer claim ignorance about FGM as was the case earlier.  All men interviewed cited challenges of identity, ostracism by their own community and lack of national laws to support their actions. The analysis looked at the human rights approach, how local communities can be influenced to abandon traditional harmful practices in favour of international norms that will promote gender equality and breakdown structural and systematic norms that discriminate.

Este trabalho teve o objetivo de avaliar, em condições de laboratório, a influência da temperatura e do tempo de exposição na viabilidade e virulência dos fungos Beauveria bassiana e Metarhizium anisopliae em suspensões preparadas com produtos à base de Conídios puros, Arroz+fungo e nas formulações Pó molhável e Suspensão concentrada em óleo emulsionável. Inicialmente foi necessário o desenvolvimento de um método eficiente e econômico para avaliação da viabilidade, especialmente para produtos formulados em óleo emulsionável misturados em água (suspensão de aplicação). Durante o desenvolvimento do método de avaliação foram definidos parâmetros e condições adequadas para cada formulação, como o meio de cultura, e também a influência de antibióticos e fungistáticos. O protocolo estabelecido baseiase resumidamente no plaqueamento de 150 µL de uma suspensão contendo entre 0,7 e 1×106 conídios/mL em placas tipo Rodac® com 5 mL de meio de cultura Batata-Dextrose-Ágar + 5 mg/L de Pentabiótico® e 10 µL/L de Derosal® (Carbendazim), efetuando-se posteriormente a contagem dos conídios germinados. Este método foi comparado com outra técnica de viabilidade direta (VD) e com as técnicas de Unidade Formadoras de Colônia (UFC) e viabilidade por fluorescência, confrontando-se a precisão obtida pelo coeficiente de variação (CV) das análises de cada método. Os resultados demonstraram que além da facilidade de execução, o método desenvolvido apresentou maior precisão que as demais técnicas (com CV até 7 vezes menor em relação à VD, e até 32 vezes menor que UFC). Foi constatado que a técnica de UFC não é adequada para avaliações de produtos formulados, visto que em relação à quantificação inicial subestimou a concentração viável na maioria das formas dos fungos testadas, sendo que nos produtos em óleo emulsionável estes valores foram 54% menores para B. bassiana, e 73% menores para M. anisopliae. A técnica para avaliação da viabilidade da suspensão preparada com produtos formulados em óleo se mostrou eficaz, após a retirada do óleo da suspensão e outras adaptações. Suspensões de produtos e formulações a base de B. bassiana e M. anisopliae foram mantidas a 26°C, 36°C e 46°C por 1h, 4h e 6h e os efeito destes tratamentos foram medidos na viabilidade e virulência dos fungos contra lagartas de Diatraea saccharalis. Verificou-se que quanto maior o tempo de exposição e maior a temperatura, maior é a influência negativa nos parâmetros dos fungos. Entretanto, a formulação em óleo emulsionável foi a que apresentou melhor proteção aos efeitos detrimentais da temperatura. Mesmo após 6h de exposição a temperatura de 36°C a viabilidade se manteve acima dos 85% para ambos os fungos avaliados. Esta formulação também apresentou os melhores resultados de mortalidade dos insetos, e mesmo após 4h de exposição a 46°C atingiu 39% e 50% de eficiência para B. bassiana e M. anisopliae, respectivamente, sendo recomendável para o controle de D. saccharalis. O protocolo para avaliação da viabilidade de conídios de fungos entomopatogênicos proposto constitui-se como uma ferramenta importante para estudos da influência de fatores bióticos e abióticos durante o período de pré-aplicação na eficiência de micoinseticidas. / This study aimed to evaluate, under laboratory conditions, the influence of temperature and exposure time on the viability and virulence of Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae in suspensions prepared with pure conidia, rice plus fungus and in formulations of wettable powder and concentrated suspension in emulsifiable oil. Initially, an efficient and economical methodology was developed to evaluate conidia viability for each formulation, especially for products formulated in emulsifiable oil mixed in water (suspension of application). During the development of the methodology, the influence of culture media, antibiotics and fungistatics and appropriate conditions were defined for each formulation. Briefly, the established protocol was based on plating 150 L of suspensions containing between 0.7 and 1×106 conidia/mL on a plate type Rodac® with 5 ml of Potato Dextrose Agar culture medium plus 5 mg/L pentabiotic® and 10mg/L and 10 µL/L Derosal® (Carbendazim) and the subsequent counting of germinated conidia. This method was compared to a direct counting (DC) technique, the technique of colony-forming unit (CFU) and viability through fluorescence. The precision of each methodology was measured by their coefficient of variability (CV). Besides its easiness of execution, the new developed methodology was the most precise of all methods (with CV up to 7 times lower compared to the DC, and up to 32 times lower than the UFC). Our results showed that the technique of UFC is not appropriate for evaluation of formulated products, as compared to the conidial quantification by hemacytometer, this technique underestimated the viable concentration in most forms of fungi tested, and for the products in emulsifiable oil these values were 54% lower for B. bassiana, and up to 73% lower for M. anisopliae. The technique for assessing the viability of the suspension prepared with products formulated in emulsifiable oil was effective, after the removal of oil from the suspension and others adaptations. The effect of temperature and period of time on conidia viability of B. bassiana and M. anisopliae-based products and formulations and their virulence against larvae of Diatraea saccharalis was measured at 26°C, 36°C and 46°C for 1h, 4h and 6h. The longer the time of heat exposure and the higher the temperature, the greater the negative influence on vital parameters of the fungi. However, the emulsifiable oil formulation was the least affected by the detrimental effects of heat for both fungi. Even after 6 hours of exposure to temperature of 36°C, the viability remained above 85% for both species evaluated. This formulation also showed the best results of insect mortality, and even after 4h of exposure to 46°C the efficiency was 39% (for B. bassiana) and 50% (for M. anisopliae), and therefore can be useful for control of D. saccharalis. The proposed protocol of evaluation of entomopathogenic fungi viability is a valuable tool for studies of biotic and abiotic factors effect on efficiency of micoinsecticides during the pre-application period.

No description available.

This study explored spatiotemporal patterns in movement, diet, and baseline phycotoxin concentrations in immature bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), an estuary of national significance that has been considerably impacted by multiple toxic harmful algal blooms (HABs). Long-term spatial use of the system was assessed for 29 acoustically tagged sharks over a 4 year period (2017–2020). Tissue samples for diet and toxin analysis were collected from a separate cohort of 50 individuals between 2018 and 2020. UPLC-MS/MS was used to screen tissues for 14 algal toxins. Young bull sharks were found to be mainly piscivorous and displayed high residency to the IRL as well as to specific regions of the IRL, with small activity spaces. Multiple phycotoxins were detected in screened tissues, indicating that young bull sharks in the IRL may be compromised by trophic transfer of HABs while they reside in this important nursery. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2021. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Anthropogenic effects are causing significant environmental degradation, and regardless of actions taken to mitigate further changes, humans and animals will have to live with these impacts (IPCC 2019). Rapid population growth in coastal regions, saltwater intrusion (SWI), lowering water quality, and increased presence of toxic materials are degrading coastal resiliency. An important and popular coastal region for the United States is the state of Florida, and it is also an area extremely vulnerable to aspects of climate change such as sea-level rise (SLR) (Noss 2011). This project analyzes how the state is currently experiencing the direct and indirect impacts of toxic materials on the state’s people, environment, and economy. It will do so through analysis of the performance of federal legislation created with the intent to protect human and environmental health, quantification of current rates of using toxic chemicals and potential pollution, as well as quantifying effects of both anthropogenic and natural toxic materials on Florida’s housing market. It was anticipated that legislation such as the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) to ensure strict enforcement of drinking water standards and the Emergency Planning Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) to prevent toxic pollution would be present in the vulnerable region. Also that natural phenomenon such as the harmful algal blooms significantly degrade the housing market through decreasing income through tourism and lowering housing prices in coastal neighborhoods. This project found that the SDWA is not being enforced, EPCRA data shows a huge risk to potential exposures from large storms, and that algal blooms are significant to housing prices in the state. Using these scientific findings to improve policy and appropriately communicating complex scientific topics to the public is extremely important. Doing so will enable a higher level of coastal resiliency as communities continue attempt to mitigate climate change, but also learn to understand current impacts and better live in a degrading environment.

No description available.

This study focused on Atmospheric Deposition (AD) loading on Utah Lake. Utah Lake is susceptible to Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) because of its large surface area to volume ratio, proximity to Great Basin dust sources, and various wind patterns from close mountain ranges that blow AD towards the lake. In this study, we continued the collection and analysis of AD samples that started in 2017 and 2018, while reporting additional 2019 and 2020 data. We constructed a sampler on Utah Lake itself, which allowed us to better estimate how AD loads were distributed over the lake. An interpolation assumption was made in the previous studies that the amount of AD decreases exponentially as it passes onto the lake from the shore. Results from 5 months of Bird Island AD sampling on Utah Lake indicate that this assumption was incorrect. We performed statistical comparison tests on 2 variables: (1) the difference in AD between 2 table heights at the same site and (2) the difference in AD between a filtered sample and an unfiltered sample. We were able to statistically conclude that there was no difference in AD between 1-meter and 2-meter tall sample tables and that filtered AD samples had as much as 3 times lower concentration than unfiltered AD samples. In 2017, the total AD loading was estimated to be, on the high end, approximately 350 tons of total phosphorous (TP) and 460 tons of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) (Olsen JM, 2018). After making some changes to the interpolation methods, Joshua Reidhead in 2018 estimated AD loads of 153 tons of TP and 505 tons of DIN (Reidhead, 2019). With no changes to the 2018 sampling methods, but using an updated interpolation method, we determined the AD results for Utah Lake in 2019 to be 262 tons of TP and 1052 tons of DIN. After adjustments to the sampling tables, the bucket filters, and incorporating the Bird Island sampler results, we calculated the 2020 AD loading totals to be 133 tons of TP and 482 tons of DIN on the lake.

1 Vojtěch Kotecký Czech forestry subsides coherence with environmental policy objectives Abstract: Public bodies in the Czech Republic spend on average about CZK 1.2 billion (€ 44 million) a year on subsidy schemes in forestry. Subsidies are an important instrument of public policy; they also have major environmental consequences and may influence ability of forests to contribute towards ecosystem services. Consistency of forestry subsidies with the government's environmental policy goals in the Czech Republic is investigated in this thesis. Almost half of Czech subsidy budget is appropriated to schemes that have got an element of conflict with environmental policy goals incorporated in their design; thus, a range of environmentally harmful subsidies is potentially identified here. However, a number of schemes - and, in 27% of subsidy expenditure, even the same schemes, also contribute towards the same policy objectives. Farmland afforestation payments, contributing to the government's goal of forest expansion but shown in a statistical analysis to be focused primarily on regions with high forest cover, and involving a surplus of Norway spruce with a deficit of both European beech and silver fir, are an illustration of complex nature of forestry subsidies.

Guidelines and laws prohibit smoking in public places, and evidence supports the safety and effectiveness of workplace wellness programs in promoting healthy environments. A long-term care (LTC) facility selected as the focus for this project does not offer wellness programs and does not restrict on-site smoking by employees. The purpose of this project was to construct an evidence-based smoking cessation education program for delivery to employees at the LTC facility. The practice-focused question addressed whether a workplace wellness smoking cessation education program would increase employees' knowledge of the harmful effects of smoking and promote engagement in smoking cessation strategies. A pretest and posttest to assess knowledge of the harmful effects of smoking was designed to be administered to employees prior to and after the education program. A panel of 6 experts consisting of 4 clinical nurse specialists, a nurse educator, and a nurse researcher was selected to assess the potential effectiveness of the education program. A 10-question survey was used to obtain the panel experts' evaluation of the program. Descriptive statistics were then used to analyze the results. Nearly all of the experts surveyed reported that they would recommend the education program to a friend or colleague, with 66% selecting "very likely" This is indicative of the potential for the program to be effective. Findings might support social change at the selected facility by increasing staff knowledge of the harmful effects of smoking and staff commitment to participating in a smoking cessation program.