Isolation and purification of anthocyanins from black bean canning wastewater by column chromatography with macroporous resins were investigated in this study. Different adsorption materials and adsorption conditions were compared and the most effective material and adsorption conditions were selected to purify anthocyanins. Purified anthocyanins then were identified by high performance liquid chromatography electrospray tandem mass spectrometry. The most effective macroporous resin was selected by comparing the adsorption performance of five different types of macroporous resins (Diaion Hp20, Sepabeads Sp70, Sepabeads Sp207, Sepabeads Sp700, and Sepabeads Sp710). Equilibrium adsorption isotherms of five resins with wastewater were measured and analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Both Langmuir and Freundlich models could describe the adsorption process. The adsorption and desorption behaviors of anthocyanins were studied using a dynamic method on the five types of resins, and Sp700 presented the highest adsorption capacity as well as desorption capacity, indicating that Sp700 is a good candidate for purification of anthocyanins from black bean canning wastewater. The most effective adsorption conditions were tested using Sp700. Dynamic adsorption and desorption were performed in glass columns packed with Sepabead Sp700 to optimize the purification process. Temperature during adsorption and desorption (25°C and 35°C) did not significantly affect the adsorption and desorption ratio. Adsorption ratio was significantly reduced when the flow rate increased from 1.5 mL/min to 2.5 mL/min. However, desorption ratio was not affected by flow rate (from 1.5mL/min to 0.3mL/min). Ethanol concentration (from 30% to 60%) did not affect desorption ratio. Four kinds of anthocyanins were identified in black bean canning wastewater. The major anthocyanins were delphinidin 3-glucoside, petunidin 3-glucoside, and maldvidin 3-glucoside, with a small amount of petunidin 3, 5-diglucoside also in the final product.

The effectiveness of partial isolation is evaluated in this study. The static design procedures for linear and nonlinear partially isolated bridges are developed. Results from the static analysis of linear and nonlinear partially isolated bridges, compared with conventional and fully isolated bridges, demonstrate that the effectiveness of nonlinear partial isolation is close to full isolation for reducing the yield force and displacement of the columns in some parameter ranges. However, increased seismic demands on the abutment displacement in the bridge are observed. Nonlinear time history analysis of the different bridge models under earthquake excitations are carried out to investigate the accuracy of the design procedure for nonlinear partial isolation. In addition, an example shows the application of nonlinear partial isolation to a practical bridge.

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After the end of the Vietnam War, the Hus family struggles with the mysterious disappearance of their eldest son, Charlie. This collection of interrelated stories chronicles the life of Margie, the mother, Harold, the father, and Charlie as they each try to cope with different forms of separation and isolation. The collection is preceded by an introduction discussing realism as a means and an end in the crafting of believable characters in short fiction.

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The problem of social isolation among older people has been thoroughly documented, studied, and addressed through both policy and social services, and yet persists as a major social issue. There exist several notable gaps within the scholarly literature on isolation, particularly with respect to the role(s) of place-based risk factors, the relationship(s) between exclusion and social isolation, and best practices for isolation interventions. This thesis addresses these knowledge gaps and presents both empirical and theoretical contributions resulting from a three-part investigation. These studies are presented in three distinct papers to constitute a sandwich dissertation. The first paper examines the role of neighbourhood characteristics in shaping social isolation among older people by analyzing the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) baseline data in a series of multiple regressions. Findings indicate that the selected neighbourhood characteristics account for only a small portion of the social outcome measures of interest but raise meaningful questions about the intersection of place and social connection that warrant further study. The second paper investigates both the harmful and protective aspects of places in shaping isolation risk through a qualitative study of older people informed by a place-based exclusion lens. Interview results highlight several aspects of places that contribute risk of isolation and are used to adapt the model of known isolation risk factors. The third and final paper analyzes a sample of friendly visiting programs by conducting a realist synthesis to determine how, for whom, and under what conditions friendly visiting programs are most successful. Results of the synthesis are used to build a friendly visiting program theory to be tested in future studies. Together these three papers contribute to both the applied and theoretical literature on social isolation, and can inform the development of future research, policy, and intervention strategies. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / The research reported in this thesis focuses on social isolation among older people and is organized into three papers. The first paper looks at data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging to learn more about how aspects of neighbourhoods might lead older people to become isolated. The second paper reports the major themes from in- depth, qualitative interviews with 17 older people living in Hamilton, Ontario. The third and final paper analyzes a set of articles evaluating friendly visiting programs for isolation older people and uncovers some of the characteristics and features of successful programs. The results of these three studies provide important insights into the ways in which neighbourhoods impact the social lives of older people, and how individual risk of becoming isolation might be tied to places. Results also show that friendly visiting programs for isolated older people can be very successful if they have certain key features included in their design.

Background Endometriosis affects about one in ten women and is a chronic disease. The endometrium grows outside the uterus cavity and causes pain and suffering that leads to a reduced quality of life. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate women´s experience of pain when living with endo-metriosis. Method The method used was a qualitative integrative compilation inspired by meta-synthesis where nine qualitative articles were analyzed. Results In this study three main themes and six sub-themes emerged. These showed that pain, infertility, heavy and long periods as symptoms when diagnosed with endometriosis affects woman in her daily life. This contributes to lost function and isolation when it comes to social relationships, love life, work, studies and everyday life. Conclusion Women with endometriosis need to receive care based on their individual problems and meet healthcare professionals who has knowledge and competence regarding endometriosis. This to provide the best possible conditions to alleviate suffering for these women.

Seismic isolation is a method of earthquake resistant design which has been proven to effectively reduce the damaging effects of earthquakes on buildings as well as the contents within them. However, traditional implementation of an isolation system tends to be expensive. For new construction, rigid diaphragms above and below the isolation layer and construction of a seismic gap contribute to expenses, while retrofit applications also require excavation beneath the building and may need extensive foundation work. To mitigate these major costs bearings may be placed on the tops of columns, forgoing the construction of a seismic gap, additional rigid diaphragm, and foundation work. However, columns under the isolation layer may be flexible, changing the bearing end conditions traditionally assumed. To investigate the effects of flexible end conditions on elastomeric bearings, an analytical model that accounts for translation and rotation of both endplates was developed based on Haringx's theory. The derivation accounts for compressibility of the rubber and results in a simple stiffness matrix. To evaluate the model, an experimental program testing column-bearing subassemblies under quasi-static cyclic conditions was conducted. Experimental findings show that flexible end conditions can significantly reduce the lateral stiffness of elastomeric bearings. Simulations with the theoretical model compare well under small deformations, but elastic softening of the moment-rotation relationship causes theoretical results to diverge from experimental with larger endplate rotations. The effectiveness of column-top isolation as a retrofit strategy was investigated through nonlinear time history analyses of a moment resisting frame designed to the 1965 National Building Code of Canada and retrofitted with column-top isolation. The frame was simulated under ground motions representative of current hazards and showed that the retrofit resulted in significant reductions in interstory drifts and floor accelerations. Yielding was observed throughout the original frame under maximum considered earthquakes, while the retrofit frame remained elastic. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

The phenomenon of asylum seekers seeking refuge in foreign countries has become an intricate global challenge, often raising questions about successful integration and participation within host societies. This paper dwells on the multifaceted relationship between asylum seekers and their active engagement in the integration process. Drawing from interdisciplinary research encompassing psychology, peace and migration studies, the paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the factors that shape asylum seekers' participation and contributions to their host communities. The thesis provides a nuanced understanding of integration, emphasizing its multidimensional nature encompassing economic, social, cultural, and policy level dimensions. It then explores the barriers and facilitators that impact asylum seekers' participation in these dimensions, such as personal experiences, social attitudes, language proficiency, legal frameworks, and access to education and employment opportunities. Moreover, the study examines the role of host society's perception and attitudes in influencing asylum seekers' willingness and ability to integrate. Highlighting the significance of reciprocal interactions, the paper also investigates the ways in which asylum seekers' active engagement contributes to the host society's own integration process. This includes fostering intercultural communication, enriching diversity, and potentially challenging stereotypes and prejudices. The analysis sheds light on potential avenues for policy and practice interventions that can enhance the integration process and maximize the benefits of asylum seekers' participation. The research provides a comprehensive evaluation of the complexities surrounding asylum seekers’ integration and participation. Using a qualitative research framework, the research examined responses from 15 asylum seekers who had first-hand experience of the barriers and motivators to participating in integration programs. The study adopted an interpretivist research perspective guided by inductive reasoning to deduce critical themes from the responses. The researcher used semi-structured interviews that were analyzed using thematic analysis.