We explore the role of cooperativity and large deviations on a set of fundamental non-equilibrium many-body systems. In the cooperative asymmetric exclusion process, particles hop to the right at a constant rate only when the right neighboring site is vacant and hop at a faster rate when the left neighbor is occupied. In this model, a host of new heterogeneous density profile evolutions arise, including inverted shock waves and continuous compression waves. Cooperativity also drives the growth of complex networks via preferential attachment, where well-connected nodes are more likely to attract future connections. We introduce the mechanism of hindered redirection and show that it leads to network evolution by sublinear preferential attachment. We further show that no local growth rule can recreate superlinear preferential attachment. We also introduce enhanced redirection and show that the rule leads to networks with three unusual properties: (i) many macrohubs -- nodes whose degree is a finite fraction of the number of nodes in the network, (ii) a non-extensive degree distribution, and (iii) large fluctuations between different realizations of the growth process. We next examine large deviations in the diffusive capture model, where N diffusing predators initially all located at L 'chase' a diffusing prey initially at x<L. The prey survives if it reaches a haven at the origin without meeting any predator. We reduce the stochastic movement of the many predators to a deterministic trajectory of a single effective predator. Using optimized Monte Carlo techniques, we simulate up to 10^500 predators to confirm our analytic prediction that the prey survival probability S ~ N^-z^2, where z=x/L. Last, we quantify `survival of the scarcer' in two-species competition. In this model, individuals of two distinct species reproduce and engage in both intra-species and inter-species competition. Here a well-mixed population typically reaches a quasi steady state. We show that in this quasi-steady state the situation may arise where species A is less abundant than B but rare fluctuations make it more likely that species B first becomes extinct.

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Workplace ostracism is a ubiquitous phenomenon that can have negative implications for both individuals and organizations. Despite evidence indicating that ostracism is a painful experience associated with detrimental health and work-related outcomes, very little research has investigated the potential role of personal resources and workplace interventions in mitigating the prevalence and harmful impact of ostracism on employees. Mindfulness--due to its implications for enhanced attention in personal interactions, heightened awareness of others' needs, and acceptance of stressful situations--is one such resource that could prove beneficial in this regard. The current research examined the role of both trait and state mindfulness in reducing the propensity to commit ostracizing behaviors and attenuating perceptions of being "out of the loop" due to one's own lack of attention. Additionally, mindfulness was expected to buffer the harmful impact of workplace ostracism on need satisfaction, and thus have relevance for more distal health-related (i.e., psychological well-being) and work-related (i.e., job satisfaction and organizational citizenship behaviors) outcomes. Three studies investigated these relationships through cross-sectional (Study 1), experimental laboratory-based (Study 2), and quasi-experimental intervention-based (Study 3) designs. Evidence of the benefits of mindfulness in decreasing exclusionary behaviors and protecting targets of ostracism was apparent in each study. The current studies yield support for the relevance of mindfulness in addressing the substantial problem of ostracism within workplaces and other organizations.

Under Gause's principle two species cannot indefinitely occupy the same niche. The north and south arms of Great Salt Lake are separated by a rail causeway, resulting in salinity differences and color variation between the arms. Farmington Bay is also separated from the south arm by a vehicular causeway to Antelope Island. These causeways allow examination of competitive exclusion of cyanobacteria in the hypersaline environment of the Great Salt Lake. Cyanobacterial distributions partially map salinity, with Aphanothece halophytica proliferating in the north arm, and Nodularia spumigena in the south arm. I hypothesized that cyanobacterial species abundant north of the railway causeway are competitively excluded from the south by other species, and that cyanobacterial species that thrive and bloom south of the Antelope Island causeway cannot grow in the high salinity of the north. To test these hypotheses, 129 flasks of autoclaved water from the north and south sides of each causeway were inoculated with Great Salt Lake water samples from the north and south sides of the causeways. Four genera of cyanobacteria, Aphanothece, Oscillatoria, Phormidium, and Nodularia were identified and counted from the culture flasks using comparative differential interference contrast, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. Counts of the cyanobacteria found in each flask were totaled and two way Analysis of Variance tests as well as exact tests were performed. Rankings of median abundances were also calculated. These data support the first hypothesis because Aphanothece halophytica was found in all inocula, but appears to be suppressed by the presence of Nodularia spumigena, which periodically blooms. The second hypothesis is also supported by the data because N. spumigena was found only in inocula from the less saline waters south of Antelope Island causeway, and apparently cannot survive the high saline waters north of the railway causeway.

The purpose of the survey was to see what methods teachers use to include the physically disabled students in leisure education and the used methods meet the goals and requirements under the UNCRC, the Salamanca Statement and national law formulate.The study had two main questions: How do teachers describe their methods of including the physically disabled students at leisure centers? Does the leisure education meet the requirements of the UNCRC, the Salamanca Statement and national law? Followed by two sub-questions: What is the economic conditions of the leisure centers? In what extent are the leisure centers accessible for the physical disabled students? To answer the purpose and issues qualitative group interviews with 2-3 teachers at three separate leisure centers in a minor, and major municipality in Skåne was conducted. The survey shows that there is a commitment and an ongoing effort to include students with physical disabilities in activities. The survey also shows that there is a risk that these students are stigmatized and restricted in personal development. In order to achieve the goals contained in the declarations and national legislation governing the integration and inclusion of physically disabled students, the survey shows that more extensive changes are required in the way the school organization meets these students' needs at the leisure centers.

Loneliness affects Black older adults (BOAs) in different and debilitating ways. BOAs aged 65 years and above make up 7.3% of the Black population and 15.9% of the total population of those aged 65 years and above in Canada. Also, the population of BOAs in Canada has doubled within the last two decades, highlighting the need to understand the unique experience of aging of this population, including their experiences of loneliness and social participation. Contrarily, there exist notable gaps within the loneliness literature on the experience of loneliness and social participation among BOAs living in Canada. This doctoral dissertation addresses these knowledge gaps by providing insight into the factors influencing social and emotional loneliness and lack of social participation among BOAs and proffers ways to address the issues, expressly informing future research, services, and programs targeting this group. This dissertation is comprised of four papers. Paper 1 is a scoping review of 27 articles that reveal the dearth of empirical evidence on the experience of loneliness or subjective social isolation and the contributing factors among BOAs in Canada. The data used for the remaining three papers were collected through 25 narrative interviewing conducted with 13 BOAs living in Hamilton and Windsor, Ontario. Findings from this paper shows that in addition to unavailability of social provisions (relational gains), loneliness among BOAs is exacerbated by socio-economic factors, health-related factors and behaviours, and technology, media device possession and usage. The results also indicate that there is need for inclusion of BOAs in loneliness research in Canada. Following Paper 1, Paper 2 investigates the unique experience of loneliness among BOAs living in Canada and the suitability of the social provision framework in identifying and understanding the experience of loneliness among this group. Findings from this paper demonstrates the significance of social connection, reliable relationships and relational gains in reducing and increasing experience of loneliness among BOAs. Paper 3 analyzes the constellation of factors that contribute to loneliness among BOAs and how they cope with their experience of loneliness. The results from this paper highlight the complex overlapping factors that contribute to the experience of loneliness among BOAs including time, sense of place and belonging, weak socio-personal interaction, and level of exclusions. Paper 4 and final paper uncovers the micro and macro level factors that hinder BOAs from participating in social programs and services and suggests ways to improve their social participation. Specifically, findings from this paper uncovers the need for programs and services that are culturally diverse and sensitive to the unmet needs of racialized and minoritized groups. Collectively, the four papers contribute to knowledge on the experience of loneliness among BOAs and contributory factors and highlight the need for more inclusive research and practice on addressing loneliness among this group. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This research aims to understand how loneliness affects Black older adults (BOAs) living in Canada and how to reduce their loneliness. This is a group that is not usually included in the loneliness literature. The dissertation is organized into six chapters comprising of the introduction, four papers and the conclusion. Paper One analyzes 27 articles describing the factors that contribute to loneliness among Black older adults globally. The 27 papers reveal while loneliness is devastating for BOAs, studies that have examined the experience of loneliness among BOAs in Canada is very scanty. Paper Two, Three and Four all report results from narrative interviews conducted with 13 Black older adults living in Windsor and Hamilton, Ontario. Paper Two explores the unique experience of loneliness among BOAs. Paper Three analyzes the influence of time, place and interaction as factors that contribute to the experience of loneliness among Black older adults and their coping strategies. The final paper explores the significant factors that hinder BOAs from participating in social programs and services and ways to improve their participation. Generally, the results of these papers provide important insights into the ways to address loneliness and the lack of social participation among BOAs. The results show that programs and services targeting loneliness in Ontario need to be made more culturally sensitive and representational of minoritized groups. Lastly, it highlights the need for the inclusion of BOAs in loneliness research among older adults in Canada.

<p> In second order perturbation theory for nuclear matter, an exact treatment of the Pauli exclusion principle is given from a geometrical point of view. All the kinematic effects of the Pauli exclusion principle are then included in a function K(k,k',q), which is related to the Euler's function through a double integration. With this function K(k,k',q), we can treat the Pauli correction in nuclear matter in a more exact way so that a check to the conventional angular average approximation is obtained. For separable core nuclear potential, this function K(k,k',q) serves as a very convenient apparatus for the perturbation calculation of the binding energy in nuclear matter.</p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

At the heart of this study is a desire to unravel a puzzle of why I and other self-identified Chinese students share common experience of exclusion in the Canadian academy, despite our differences as individuals and as Chinese. Our experience of exclusion is made invisible by the stereotypical image of Asian students as the paragon of success within the academy. It is again made invisible by policy addressing inclusion in the academy that uses largely outcome measures to paint pictures of success, and keeps the less concrete parts of processes unpainted. There is a lack of attention to and an under-theorization of the less perceptible and less tangible processes of inclusion and exclusion. The central question of this study is: How do Chinese students’ experiences in higher education, as viewed through Bourdieu’s framework of culture, inform a nuanced understanding of inclusion and exclusion? I draw on Bourdieu’s framework along with its core concepts to analyse the narratives of sixteen self-identified Chinese students from six Ontario post-secondary institutions. Methodologically, I draw on a theme-based approach from Thematic Inquiry and a case-based approach from Narrative Inquiry to form a Bourdieusian methodological framework that stays true to the anti-dualistic epistemological foundation of Bourdieu’s theory. Captured in this study is a complex picture of inclusion and exclusion centred on a boundary that is so intangible and masked that it is largely imperceptible and hence unarticulated. The boundary is imperceptible because: 1) inclusion and exclusion is mediated through an unspoken system of meanings and values inscribed in disposition and practices; the boundary takes the form of a normalized way of being (disposition) and doing (practice) 2) inclusion and exclusion is unintentionally enacted; the boundary takes the form of unintentional domination and ‘voluntary’ exit (as if no external force is driving the exclusion) 3) inclusion and exclusion is diffused by the conversion of the boundary from an overt form to a neutralized or ‘normalized’ form such as social network. While the boundary is obscured, it is at the same time fluid and permeable when capital is strategically positioned and deployed. This study concludes by suggesting the need to take into consideration intangible and unintentional processes of inclusion and exclusion, and a two-way approach (again staying true to Bourdieu’s anti-dualistic framework) to broaden policy and research conversations about inclusion and exclusion. Only when invisible processes of inclusion and exclusion are brought to the fore can we begin to redress them. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Invasive fire ants (Solenopsis invicta and its hybrid with S. richteri) have been reported from carrion in the southeastern United States and are considered a part of the succession community. Alteration of ecological processes by fire ants could affect forensic interpretation of entomological data; therefore, I conducted studies to investigate the relative roles and interactions of fire ants and blow flies in carrion decomposition. The blow fly species composition in Mississippi has not been studied since 16 species were reported in 1983. Specimens from the Mississippi Entomological Museum were used to update the checklist of the blow flies of Mississippi and produce a photographic key to adults and third instar larvae. A total of 23 species of blow flies are now known or expected to occur in the state. I conducted an experiment whereby portions of the succession fauna were excluded from access to carrion to study the relative effects of fire ants and blow flies on carrion decomposition and their interactions with each other. Fire ants made lesions in and partially buried carcasses, but their exclusion did not affect carrion decomposition rates; slightly affected the succession community; and strongly affected succession of blow flies, specifically. Lastly, I collected fire ants from mounds at set distances from carrion and analyzed their guts for pig and blow fly DNA. The probability of detecting pig or blow fly DNA in ants collected directly from carrion increased with each succeeding day, and the probability of detecting either pig or blow fly DNA in ant guts decreased with increasing distance between carrion and the mound. Probability of detecting pig or blow fly DNA in ant guts from ants collected directly from the carcasses was 42% and 33%, respectively. This study documented that fire ants scavenge on carrion, prey on other members of the succession fauna, and transfer acquired nutrients at least 3 m into the landscape. Thus, fire ants represent a barrier to normal faunal succession patterns on carrion and these delays should be considered by forensic entomologists for postmortem interval estimation.

No description available.