Weathering characteristics and lithology of samples from the Rauer Group, Antarctica, obtained in February/March 2007, and conducted with field support of POLARSTERN cruise ANT-XXIII/9

The presence of glacial sediments across the Rauer Group indicates that the East Antarctic ice sheet formerly covered the entire archipelago and has since retreated at least 15 km from its maximum extent. The degree of weathering of these glacial sediments suggests that ice retreat from this maximum position occurred sometime during the latter half of the last glacial cycle. Following this phase of retreat, the ice sheet margin has not expanded more than ~1 km seaward of its present position. This pattern of ice sheet change matches that recorded in Vestfold Hills, providing further evidence that the diminutive Marine Isotope Stage 2 ice sheet advance in the nearby Larsemann Hills may have been influenced by local factors rather than a regional ice-sheet response to climate and sea-level change.

A bright z=5.2 lensed submillimeter galaxy in the field of Abell 773 HLSJ091828.6+514223

During our Herschel Lensing Survey (HLS) of massive galaxy clusters, we have discovered an exceptionally bright source behind the z = 0.22 cluster Abell 773, which appears to be a strongly lensed submillimeter galaxy (SMG) at z = 5.2429. This source is unusual compared to most other lensed sources discovered by Herschel so far, because of its higher submm flux (∼200 mJy at 500 μm) and its high redshift. The dominant lens is a foreground z = 0.63 galaxy, not the cluster itself. The source has a far-infrared (FIR) luminosity of L_FIR = 1.1 × 10^14/μ L_⨀, where μ is the magnification factor, likely ∼11. We report here the redshift identification through CO lines with the IRAM-30 m, and the analysis of the gas excitation, based on CO(7–6), CO(6–5), CO(5–4) detected at IRAM and the CO(2–1) at the EVLA. All lines decompose into a wide and strong red component, and a narrower and weaker blue component, 540 km s^−1 apart. Assuming the ultraluminous galaxy (ULIRG) CO-to-H_2 conversion ratio, the H_2 mass is 5.8×10^11/μ M_⨀, of which one third is in a cool component. From the CI(^3P_2−^3 P_1) line we derive a C_I/H_2 number abundance of 6 × 10^−5 similar to that in other ULIRGs. The H_2O_p(2, 0, 2−1, 1, 1) line is strong only in the red velocity component, with an intensity ratio I(H_2O)/I(CO) ∼ 0.5, suggesting a strong local FIR radiation field, possibly from an active nucleus (AGN) component. We detect the [NII]205 μm line for the first time at high-z. It shows comparable blue and red components, with a strikingly broad blue one, suggesting strong ionized gas flows.

Near-field coupling and resonant cavity modes in plasmonic nanorod metamaterials

Plasmonic resonant cavities are capable of confining light at the nanoscale, resulting in both enhanced local electromagnetic fields and lower mode volumes. However, conventional plasmonic resonant cavities possess large Ohmic losses at metal-dielectric interfaces. Plasmonic near-field coupling plays a key role in a design of photonic components based on the resonant cavities because of the possibility to reduce losses. Here, we study the plasmonic near-field coupling in the silver nanorod metamaterials treated as resonant nanostructured optical cavities. Reflectance measurements reveal the existence of multiple resonance modes of the nanorod metamaterials, which is consistent with our theoretical analysis. Furthermore, our numerical simulations show that the electric field at the longitudinal resonances forms standing waves in the nanocavities due to the near-field coupling between the adjacent nanorods, and a new hybrid mode emerges due to a coupling between nanorods and a gold-film substrate. We demonstrate that this coupling can be controlled by changing the gap between the silver nanorod array and gold substrate.

Beyond the Convent Walls: The Local and Japan-wide Activities of Daihongan’s Nuns in the Early Modern Period (c. 1550–1868)

This dissertation examines the social and financial activities of Buddhist nuns to demonstrate how and why they deployed Buddhist doctrines, rituals, legends, and material culture to interact with society outside the convent. By examining the activities of the nuns of the Daihongan convent (one of the two administrative heads of the popular pilgrimage temple, Zenkōji) in Japan’s early modern period (roughly 1550 to 1868) as documented in the convent’s rich archival sources, I shed further light on the oft-overlooked political and financial activities of nuns, illustrate how Buddhist institutions interacted with the laity, provide further nuance to the discussion of how Buddhist women navigated patriarchal sectarian and secular hierarchies, and, within the field of Japanese history, give voice to women who were active outside of the household unit around which early modern Japanese society was organized.

Zenkōji temple, surrounded by the mountains of Nagano, has been one of Japan’s most popular pilgrimage sites since the medieval period. The abbesses of Daihongan, one Zenkōji’s main sub-temples, traveled widely to maintain connections with elite and common laypeople, participated in frequent country-wide displays of Zenkōji’s icon, and oversaw the creation of branch temples in Edo (now Tokyo), Osaka, Echigo (now Niigata), and Shinano (now Nagano). The abbesses of Daihongan were one of only a few women to hold the imperially sanctioned title of eminent person (shōnin 上人) and to wear purple robes. While this means that this Pure Land convent was in some ways not representative of all convents in early modern Japan, Daihongan’s position is particularly instructive because the existence of nuns and monks in a single temple complex allows us to see in detail how monastics of both genders interacted in close quarters.

This work draws heavily from the convent’s archival materials, which I used as a guide in framing my dissertation chapters. In the Introduction I discuss previous works on women in Buddhism. In Chapter 1, I briefly discuss the convent’s history and its place within the Zenkōji temple complex. In Chapter 2, I examine the convent’s regular economic bases and its expenditures. In Chapter 3, I highlight Daihongan’s branch temples and discuss the ways that they acted as nodes in a network connecting people in various areas to Daihongan and Zenkōji, thus demonstrating how a rural religious center extended its sphere of influence in urban settings. In Chapter 4, I discuss the nuns’ travels throughout the country to generate new and maintain old connections with the imperial court in Kyoto, confraternities in Osaka, influential women in the shogun’s castle, and commoners in Edo. In Chapter 5, I examine the convent’s reliance upon irregular means of income such as patronage, temple lotteries, loans, and displays of treasures, and how these were needed to balance irregular expenditures such as travel and the maintenance or reconstruction of temple buildings. Throughout the dissertation I describe Daihongan’s inner social structure comprised of abbesses, nuns, and administrators, and its local emplacement within Zenkōji and Zenkōji’s temple lands.

Exploring these themes sheds light on the lives of Japanese Buddhist nuns in this period. While the tensions between freedom and agency on the one hand and obligations to patrons, subordination to monks, or gender- and status-based restrictions on the other are important, and I discuss them in my work, my primary focus is on the nuns’ activities and lives. Doing so demonstrates that nuns were central figures in ever-changing economic and social networks as they made and maintained connections with the outside world through Buddhist practices and through precedents set centuries before. This research contributes to our understanding of nuns in Japan’s early modern period and will participate in and shape debates on the roles of women in patriarchal religious hierarchies.

The Influence of Household Economic Status and Food Consumption Patterns on Obesity Rates in Peru – Evidence from a Field Study in 11 Communities of Madre de Dios

The globalization contributes to rapid economic developments and great changes of lifestyle in Madre de Dios of Peru, both of which have influenced the health status of local people in direct and indirect ways. The high overweight and obesity rate has become one of the biggest health challenges in this region. This study quantitatively analyzed the impact of household economic status and food consumption patterns on overweight and obesity, and tried to establish their relationship with local economic activities. People living in mining communities are more likely to be overweight or obese. Increased family incomes and lacks of health knowledge are two important reasons. The large consumption of soda and alcohol are positively associated with overweight and obesity. In addition, lack of physical activities is also one of the risk factors of overweight and obesity.

DEP-derived density from two snow trenches from Kohnen Station, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica from the 2012/13 field season

The density of firn is an important property for monitoring and modeling the ice sheet as well as to model the pore close-off and thus to interpret ice core-based greenhouse gas records. One feature, which is still in debate, is the potential existence of an annual cycle of firn density in low-accumulation regions. Several studies describe or assume seasonally successive density layers, horizontally evenly distributed, as seen in radar data. On the other hand, high-resolution density measurements on firn cores in Antarctica and Greenland showed no clear seasonal cycle in the top few meters. A major caveat of most existing snow-pit and firn-core based studies is that they represent one vertical profile from a laterally heterogeneous density field. To overcome this, we created an extensive dataset of horizontal and vertical density data at Kohnen Station, Dronning Maud Land on the East Antarctic Plateau. We drilled and analyzed three 90 m long firn cores as well as 160 one meter long vertical profiles from two elongated snow trenches to obtain a two dimensional view of the density variations. The analysis of the 45 m wide and 1 m deep density fields reveals a seasonal cycle in density. However, the seasonality is overprinted by strong stratigraphic noise, making it invisible when analyzing single firn cores. Our density dataset extends the view from the local ice-core perspective to a hundred meter scale and thus supports linking spatially integrating methods such as radar and seismic studies to ice and firn cores.

Floristic And Ethnobotanical Studies Of Medicinal Plants Of The City Of El -Jadida (MOROCCO)

Abstract: BRIGUICHE. H, ZIDANE. L. Floristic And Ethnobotanical Studies Of Medicinal Plants Of The City Of El -Jadida (MOROCCO). In the framework of the ethnobotanical studies on medicinal plants undertaken by the Laboratory of Biodiversity and Natural Resources of the Faculty of Sciences of Kenitra (Morocco), we are interested in the area of El Jadida which presents a rather important floristic richness thanks to changes in its ecological conditions By using 204 questionnaire, the ethnobotanical surveys were conducted in the field during the years 2012-2013. The location of the different sampling sites was determined by the stratified sampling method. The analysis of the results obtained from the questionnaires and forms using statistical processing allowed us to identify 70 plant species distributed in 69 genera and 37 families. These results also show that most of these species are mainly used in the care of the digestive system and respiratory system. The seed is the most used part in local traditional medicines and the decoction is the most frequent mode with a rate of 31%. The species Origanum compactum is the most used by the population of the city of El Jadida 47 quotes.  

Territorial administrative reorganization as a strategy for optimizing the structure of local government

Through the tough economic and social situation and the lack of values that has been experienced in recent years, local governments especially in Greece, Portugal, Italy and Spain have been forced to strongly consider the structure and size of their public sector. Despite some initiative to reduce the number of municipalities and provinces, little substantive progress has been made in improving the management of the local public Administration during this crisis. In this study a territorial administrative reorganization is proposed as a strategy to optimize the structure of local government, analyzing the Spanish situation in general, and an autonomous community in particular.

Creating an Empire: Local Political Change at Angamuco, Michoacan, Mexico

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

BETA-GA2O3: A TRANSPARENT CONDUCTIVE OXIDE FOR POTENTIAL RESISTIVE SWITCHING APPLICATIONS

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Holographic Tools for Probing the Dynamics of Strongly Coupled Field Theories

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Failure Mechanisms and Local Scour at Coastal Structures induced by Tsunamis

On March 11 2011, an exceptionally large tsunami event was triggered by a massive earthquake offshore, the northeast coast of Japan, which affected coastal infrastructure such as seawalls, coastal dikes and breakwaters in the Tohoku region. Such infrastructure was built to protect against the Level 1 tsunamis that previously hit the region, but not for events as significant as the 2011 Tohoku tsunami, which was categorized as a Level 2 tsunami [Shibayama et al. 2013]. The failure mechanisms of concrete-armoured dikes, breakwaters and seawalls due to Level 2 tsunamis are still not fully understood by researchers and engineers. This paper investigates the failure modes and mechanisms of damaged coastal structures in Miyagi and Fukushima Prefectures, following the authors' post-disaster field surveys carried out between 2011 and 2013. Six significant failure mechanisms were identified for the coastal dikes and seawalls affected by this tsunami: 1) Leeward toe scour failure, 2) Crown armour failure, 3) Leeward slope armour failure, 4) Seaward toe and armour failure, 5) Overturning failure, and 6) Parapet wall failure, in which leeward toe scour being recognized as the major failure mechanism in most surveyed locations. The authors also propose a simple practical mathematical model for predicting the scour depth at the leeward toe of the coastal dikes, by considering the effects of the tsunami hydrodynamics, the soil properties and the type of structure. The key advantage of this model is that it depends entirely on quantities that are measurable in the field. Furthermore this model was further refined by conducting a series of hydraulic model experiments aimed to understand the governing factors of the leeward toe scour failure. Finally, based on the results obtained, key recommendations are given for the design of resilient coastal defence structures that can survive a level 2 tsunami event.

Importance of size-selective particle measuring for assessing occupational exposures: a case study “from field to fork”

Sampling the total air concentration of particulate matter (PM) only provides a basic estimate of exposure that normally not allows correlating with the observed health effects. Therefore is of great importance to recognize the particles size distribution and, particularly, the exposure to fine particles (≤ 2.5 μm). This particles dimension corresponds to the respirable fraction, the one that can implicate local and systemic effects due to particle deposition and clearance from the lungs and transport within the organism. This study intended to describe occupational exposure to PM2.5 in three units related with swine production and consumption, namely: feed production, swine production and swine slaughterhouse. A size-selective particle measuring in five to six workplaces of each unit was performed. Measurements of PM were done using a portable direct-reading hand-held equipment (Lighthouse, model 3016 IAQ). Data showed slaughterhouse unit with higher values, with values ranging from 0.030 to 0.142 mg/m3 (0.073 + 0.043), being the cutting room the workplace with higher values. In feed production unit, values were between 0.026 and 0.033 mg/m3 (0.028 + 0.003) with the warehouse of pharmacy products as the workplace with higher values. Finally, in swine unit values ranged from 0.006 to 0.048 mg/m3 (0.023 + 0.017) with the batteries area presenting the higher values. PM can be rich in fungi and bacteria and their metabolites, such as endotoxins and mycotoxins. Previous publications already showed high contamination in these occupational settings and particles can have an important role in exposure since can easily act as carrier of these agents. Data acquired allow not only a better prediction of particle penetration into respiratory regions of the respiratory tract, but also a better estimation of PM health effects. Moreover, data permit to identify the workplaces where investment should be made to prevent and reduce exposure.