This dissertation focuses on vowel harmony in Maasai, an Eastern Nilotic language spoken in Kenya and Tanzania. The main goal of this dissertation is to determine whether an adequate account of the Maasai pattern of Advanced Tongue Root (ATR) harmony can be formulated in Optimality Theory. Ultimately it is seen that it can, relying on directional Maximal Licensing constraints Walker (2011). Maasai is a language with dominant-recessive harmony. There are two sets of vowels--ATR and non-ATR. A word can only include members of one vowel set; if there is an AT R vowel anywhere in a word, all vowels will be ATR in the output. The only exception to this is the non-ATR low vowel, which lacks an ATR counterpart. It is opaque--it does not harmonize and it blocks the spread of harmony if it is followed by an ATR vowel, but it harmonizes to [o] when preceded by an ATR vowel. All earlier analyses have been based on mainly one source, Tucker and Mpaayei (1955). To avoid using inaccurate or inaccurate data, the data analyzed in this thesis were collected from native speakers in Arusha, Tanzania. Earlier accounts have been based on impressionistic transcriptions. Acoustic analysis of the data were performed to explore the properties of the vowels. The height of the first formant was found to be the most robust acoustical cue to differentiate ATR and non-ATR vowels, though the height of the second formant has some use as a secondary cue. Like many previous studies of languages with an ATR contrast, in this study, it was found that the ATR vowels in Maasai have lower F1s than their non-ATR counterparts (Ladefoged 1964, Lindau et al. 1972, Lindau 1976, Jacobson 1980, Hess 1992, Maddieson and Gordon 1996, Fulop et al. 1998, Anderson 1999, 2007, Przezdziecki 2005, Gick et al. 2006, Starwalk 2008, Kang and Ko 2012). Guion (2004)'s acoustic analysis of Maasai, which showed that ATR and non-ATR vowels in minimal pairs or near minimal pairs differ in F1 was confirmed. Unlike previous research, vowels that have undergone harmony were also investigated. It was observed that not only does Maasai show an ATR/ non-ATR distinction, but that the harmony process is neutralizing. An ATR suffix will force a non-ATR root to harmonize, and an ATR root will force a non-ATR prefix to harmonize. The vowel that has undergone harmony to become ATR is not distinguishable from one is always ATR. It was also found that distance from the trigger (the ATR vowel that causes harmony) does not affect the harmony process. Maasai has been described as having one lexically ATR prefix which causes only less peripheral prefixes to harmonize (Tucker and Mpaayei 1955, Mol 1995, 1996). This claim was investigated, but no acoustic evidence was found to support the claim that there is an ATR prefix. Instead, it is suggested that the perception of the prefix as ATR arises from coarticulatory effects that are the result of the unique environment of the prefix. Acoustic analysis of prefixes preceding the putative ATR prefix were found to be non-ATR. Although previous OT analyses of Maasai have been either unduly complex, incapable of accounting for all the data or have dismissed elements of the harmony as morphological, the harmony system can be accounted for rather simply with two directional harmony constraints. Walker (2011) suggests that languages which appear to demonstrate one bidirectional harmony process might actually be the result of two unidirectional harmony processes. The analysis of Maasai presented her supports this suggestion. There are two directional Maximal Licensing constraints which are high-ranked there is another constraint that must be ranked between them to account for the asymmetric behavior of the low vowel.

Di-block copolymer of poly[methacrylic acid-block-2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] [P(MAA-b-DEA)] with narrow molecular weight distribution was synthesized using the atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) technique. The micellization behavior of the P(MAA-b-DEA) copolymer in aqueous solution at room temperature and different pH values were examined by potentiometric and conductivity titration, UV-Visible spectrophotometry, ¹H-NMR, static and dynamic laser light scattering. At low pH (< 4.2), core-shell micelles were formed with MAA core and protonated DEA shell. At moderate pH values, the polymer precipitated from water and formed a cloudy solution, where the polymer chains aggregated into larger particles resembling that of a hard sphere induced by electrostatic interactions. At high pH (> 9.5), core-shell like micelles consisting of hydrophobic DEA core and ionized MAA shell were re-established. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

ABA type tri-block amphiphilic polyelectrolyte consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate-block-methacrylic acid-block-methyl methacrylate) (P(MMA-b-MAA-b-MMA)) was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization technique (ATRP) and the self-assembly behavior of the polymers in aqueous solution was studied over the course of neutralization. Combination of potentiometric and conductometric titrations along with dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques were used to investigate the size and shape of aggregates at various degrees of neutralization. The effect of hydrophobic-hydrophilic (MMA-MAA) ratio and polymer chain length on the aggregation behavior during neutralization was studied. P(MMA-b-MAA-b-MMA) with longer MMA segment self-assembles via the close association mechanism through stronger self-entanglement of MMA chains, whereas P(MMA-b-MAA-b-MMA) with shorter MMA chain self-assembles via the open association mechanism, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Conductometric titration was used to determine the counterion condensation during the course of neutralization. When the charge density of micelle approaches a critical value as neutralization progresses, counterion condensation of Na+ ions on the polymer chains occurs. The effect of counterion condensation on the aggregation behavior during neutralization was elucidated. / Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA)

On April 1, 2011, the Maa-nulth Treaty went into effect. Negotiated between five First Nations, the province of British Columbia and Canada, the Treaty concerned territories never before ceded on the west coast of Vancouver Island. This study utilizes the Treaty as a point of departure to explore contemporary Indigenous-Settler relations. Using digital storytelling, youth from one of the five signatory First Nations identified their priorities for their Nation in a post-Treaty era. These stories are contrasted with a discourse analysis of mainstream media coverage surrounding the Treaty and a survey of local (mainly Settler) residents’ perceptions to explore dominant perspectives pertaining to this comprehensive land claims agreement. While youths’ ideas for the future were anchored to their Indigenous cultural identity, albeit integrating technology and novel art forms, Settlers’ perspectives remained statically centered upon ill-informed strains of colonial thought premised upon socio-political and economic stereotypes. Colonialism continues to be (re)produced structurally and individually; these findings point to the need for Settlers to engage in their own processes of decolonization.

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This thesis investigated a new group of poly(Bd)/poly(Bd-co-MAA) core-shell particles that were ionically crosslinked and cast as nanostructured ionomer films from aqueous dispersions. The new group of poly(Bd)/poly(Bd-co-MAA) core-shell particles were studied for structure-property relationships and morphology. The covalent crosslinking content in the core and the shell were varied at constant ionic crosslinking. Stress-strain data showed control of the nanostructured films. The chain transfer agent used during the preparation of the nanoparticles core-shells was shown to independently tune the mechanical properties of the films.

Ausgabe der Stele MAA 1939.552, die 1938 in Amara West entdeckt wurde in Amara West im Jahr 1938 entdeckt, aber nie richtig veröffentlicht wurde. Der Text ist militärischer Natur und berichtet über eine noch unbekannte Landschlacht gegen die Philister im Jahr 3 eines Königs, dessen Name verloren ist. Während die Stele Ramses IV zugewiesen wurde, wird eine Datierung in die Regierungszeit Regierungszeit von Ramses III. vorgeschlagen, was den Beginn des Konflikts des Konflikts mit dieser Gruppe von Seevölkern um fünf Jahre fünf Jahre. Außerdem ist der Text teilweise in Hieratisch eingeritzt, was für königliche Kriegsberichte ungewöhnlich ist, und liefert somit einen weiteren, außergewöhnlichen Beleg für die lapidare Hieratik. / Edition of stela MAA 1939.552, which was discovered in Amara West in 1938, but which was never properly published. The text is of a military nature and records a yet unknown land battle against the Philistines in the year 3 of a king whose name is lost. Whereas the stela was previously assigned to Ramses IV, a dating into the reign of Ramses III is proposed, thereby predating the beginning of the conflict with this group of the Sea Peoples by five years. Moreover, the text is partially incised in hieratic, which is unusual for royal war reports, and thus it provides further, exceptional evidence for lapidary hieratic.

Abstract Industrial emissions and soil pollution caused by harmful substances attracted an increased public awareness in the 1970s. Ministry of the Environment contributed to the rapid development of environmental legislation. Development of Finnish environmental legislation has also been significantly affected by the membership of the EU has been in 1995. Finnish legislation is largely based on EU legislation, but in some cases it includes even stricter standards and limits than those applied on the EU level. Studies of contaminated soils in Finland began with mapping of landfills in the 1980s. The clearing and renovation project of contaminated soils named SAMASE started in 1988, and approximately 10,400 contaminated areas were surveyed. Currently, the total number of objects has already expanded to about 25,000. This thesis consists of five scientific publications related to contaminated sites. Its summary deals with environmental legislation, treatment methods for soils contaminated with oils and heavy metals, and risk assessment in general. The scientific publications focus on the utilization of two chemical methods, i.e. oil biodegradation of contaminated soil studied, especially by manometric respirometric BOD Oxitop method, and the study of railway ballast using five-step sequential extraction method. The results show that the biodegradability of oil is strongly dependent on the soil matrix and the studied oils (motor and light fuel oils), which are biodegradable well under suitable conditions. When a 6-month long biodegradation study of light fuel contamination in mineral-rich soil without soil conditioning was performed, the final biodegradation degree was surprisingly almost complete (> 90 %), in contrary to the general assumption. Thus, the inherent biodegradability is a cost-efficient and a recommended treatment method for oil contaminated soils, especially in sparsely populated areas. Research of the railway ballast showed that the multi-step sequential extraction will provide valuable information about the effects of environmental circumstances on metals bioavailability or solubility for the purposes of risk assessment. This information is necessary to understand the actual environmental risks of metals in different natural environments, thus contributing to the development of licensing procedure. The results of this thesis also show that licensing related to the restoration of contaminated soils r (authority and control procedures) must be simplified. The authorities should also have sufficient chemical knowledge, since after all, environmental problems are mainly of chemical nature. / Tiivistelmä Huoli ympäristöstä nosti 1970-luvun alussa erilaiset päästöt päivänvaloon, ja haitallisten aineiden aiheuttama maaperän pilaantuminen nousi esille 1980-luvulla. Suomeen vuonna 1983 perustettu ympäristöministeriö on edesauttanut nopeaa ympäristölainsäädännön kehittymistä. Kehitykseen on vaikuttanut merkittävästi myös EU-jäsenyytemme vuodesta 1995 lähtien ja jäsenyyden myötä implementoitu EY:n lainsäädäntö. Joiltain osin säädöksemme ovat jopa tiukempia kuin EU:n vastaavat säännökset. Suomessa pilaantuneiden maiden selvitystyö alkoi kaatopaikkojen kartoituksella 1980-luvulla. Valtioneuvoston v. 1988 antaman selonteon pohjalta käynnistyi saastuneiden maa-alueiden selvitys- ja kunnostusprojekti (SAMASE), jossa kartoitettiin noin 10 400 pilaantuneeksi epäiltyä tai todettua aluetta. Tätä työtä jatketaan edelleen viranomaisten tavanomaisen lupa- ja valvontatyön ohessa. Tällä hetkellä kohteiden kokonaismäärä on noin 25 000. Tämä pilaantuneisiin maihin (PIMA) liittyvä väitöskirjatutkimus koostuu yhteenveto-osasta, jossa käsitellään alan lainsäädäntöä, käsittelymenetelmiä ja riskinarviointia yleisesti sekä viidestä osajulkaisusta, jotka keskittyvät öljyllä pilaantuneiden maiden biohajoavuuteen manometrista respirometrista BOD Oxitop -menetelmää käyttäen ja kaivosteollisuuden sivukiven (raidesepeli) raskasmetallien analytiikkaan sekventiaalista uuttoa hyödyntäen. Tutkimuksen tulokset osoittavat, että öljy biohajoaa maassa sopivissa olosuhteissa hyvin ja luontainen biohajoavuus on täten yksi käyttökelpoinen öljyllä pilaantuneiden maiden puhdistusmenetelmä. Raidesepelitutkimukset osoittivat, että monivaiheinen sekventiaalinen uutto tuo uutta arvokasta tietoa olosuhteiden vaikutuksista metallien biosaatavuudesta/liukoisuudesta niiden riskinarviointia varten. Tämä tieto on välttämätöntä, kun halutaan ymmärtää metallien todelliset ympäristövaikutukset erilaisissa luonnonolosuhteissa ja näin edistää osaltaan lupamenettelyn kehittämistä. Väitöskirjassa todetaan myös, että pilaantuneen maan kunnostuksiin liittyen viranomaisten lupa- ja valvontamenettelyä tulee yksinkertaistaa ja viranomaisilla tulisi olla riittävästi kemian tietämystä ja kemiallista ajattelua, ovathan ympäristöongelmat pääosin luonteeltaan kemiallisia.