The origins of exercise adherence in the Canadian seniors population

This research identified and examined the responses of 19 physically active seniors to determine why they were physically active. The participants were physically active seniors, from the Niagara region who participated in physical activity 2, or more times per week. The purpose to this research was to determine what specific experiences or characteristics those seniors' possessed which motivated them to follow an exercise regime in later life. Three focus group interviews were conducted and participants responded to a set of predetermined questions. Responses to the interview questions were transcribed and analysed by comparing words and participant responses. This method of analysis is known as ethnographic summary. Themes, concepts, and experiences that emerged from the focus group interviews were also recorded according to systematic coding by way of content analysis. From this study, factors that predispose, enable, reinforce and prevent seniors from participating in exercise have been identified. Nine recommendations for improving seniors quality of life have also emerged from the study. Additionally, the findings from the study illustrate that those responsible for planning programs for seniors need to consider senior's wants and needs. Finally, the study also has educational implications. All participants in the study experienced a positive introduction to daily phyiscal activity through their school setting. Participants of the study believed, that their positive experiences at school, directly influenced their lifelong involvement in exercise.

News in the age of empire : two war scandals

This thesis argues that the motivations underpinning the mainstream news media have fundamentally changed in the 21 sl century. As such, the news is no longer best understood as a tool for propaganda or agenda setting; instead it seems that the news is only motivated by the flow of global network capitalism. The author contrasts the work of Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman with that of Gilles Deleuze. Chomsky and Herman's 'Propaganda Model' has been influential within the fields of media studies and popular culture. The 'propaganda model' states that the concentration of ownership of the media has allowed the media elite to exert a disproportionate amount of influence over the mass media. Deleuze, on the other hand, regards the mass media as being yet another cog within the global capitalist mechanism, and is therefore separate from ideology or propaganda. The author proposes that 'propaganda' is no longer a sufficient word to describe the function of the news as terms like 'propaganda' imply some form of national sovereignty or governmental influence. To highlight how the news has 'changed from an instrument of propaganda to an instrument of accumulation, the author compares and contrasts the· coverage of the Abu Ghraib Prison Scandal with that of the Haditha Civilian Massacre. Although similar in nature, the author proposes that the Abu Ghraib Prison Scandal received a disproportionate amount of coverage within the mainstream press because of its exciting and sensational nature.

Gas chromatographic electron capture negative ionization mass spectrometric (GC/ECNI/MS) determination of unique fluorinated compounds in the sediments of Lake Ontario and the effect of high-boiling alcohols (as injection solvents) on chromatographic behaviour of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in gas chromatography

Part I - Fluorinated Compounds A method has been developed for the extraction, concentration, and determination of two unique fluorinated compounds from the sediments of Lake Ontario. These compounds originated from a common industrial landfill, and have been carried to Lake Ontario by the Niagara River. Sediment samples from the Mississauga basin of Lake Ontario have been evaluated for these compounds and a depositional trend was established. The sediments were extracted by accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and then underwent clean-up, fractionation, solvent exchange, and were concentrated by reduction under nitrogen gas. The concentrated extracts were analyzed by gas chromatography - electron capture negative ionization - mass spectrometry. The depositional profile determined here is reflective of the operation of the landfill and shows that these compounds are still found at concentrations well above background levels. These increased levels have been attributed to physical disturbances of previously deposited contaminated sediments, and probable continued leaching from the dumpsite. Part II - Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry is the most common method for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from various matrices. Mass discrimination of high-boiling compounds in gas chromatographic methods is well known. The use of high-boiling injection solvents shows substantial increase in the response of late-eluting peaks. These solvents have an increased efficiently in the transfer of solutes from the injector to the analytical column. The effect of I-butanol, I-pentanol, cyclopentanol, I-hexanol, toluene and n-octane, as injection solvents, was studied. Higher-boiling solvents yield increased response for all PAHs. I -Hexanol is the best solvent, in terms of P AH response, but in this solvent P AHs were more susceptible to chromatographic problems such as peak splitting and tailing. Toluene was found to be the most forgiving solvent in terms of peak symmetry and response. It offered the smallest discrepancies in response, and symmetry over a wide range of initial column temperatures.

Creativity and the schizophrenia spectrum unveiled : the similarities and the differences

This study examined the commonalities and the differences between creativity and the schizophrenia spectrum. The variables measured as potential commonalities and differences were creativity, schizotypy, cognitive inhibition, spatial ability, balancing skills, positive and negative presence, absorption, mystical experiences, childhood abuse, and neuroticism. Three community groups were recruited, consisting of 31 artists, 10 people with schizophrenia, and 31 comparisons matched for gender and age with the artists. A larger student group consisting of 102 students was also recruited in order to examine the correlations among the same variables within a larger, more normative, group. The largest commonality between the artist and the schizophrenic groups, who represented the extreme end of the schizophrenia spectrum, was the propensity to mystical experiences. The greatest differences between the artist and the schizophrenic groups were that the artists were higher in creativity, performed better on spatial abilities, had better balance, had more positive states of presence, and were lower in neuroticism than the schizophrenic group. In the student group, creativity was correlated with spatial ability, positive presence, absorption, and mystical experiences. In addition, creativity was significantly related to two facets of schizotypy, unusual experiences and impulsive nonconformity. In other words, students high in certain facets of schizotypy, who may share certain characteristics with those who have schizophrenia, are higher in creativity, but people who are on the extreme end of the schizophrenia spectrum, who have been diagnosed with schizophrenia, are not. The differences between the artist and schizophrenic groups on spatial ability, balance, sense of presence, and neuroticism may help to determine whether mystical experiences help to integrate creative work or destabilize and disorganize the sense of self. It may be that mystical experiences can be used more positively by the creative individuals than people with schizophrenia, in that artists and people high in creativity were higher in positive traits such as positive presence and lower on negative variables such as neuroticism, and introvertive anhedonia.

Investigating the role of retinoic acid in the vertebrate and invertebrate nervous system

Please consult the paper edition of this thesis to read. It is available on the 5th Floor of the Library at Call Number: Z 9999.5 B56 D64 2007