University of Windsor

About: University of Windsor is a education organization based out in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Argumentation theory. The organization has 10654 authors who have published 22307 publications receiving 435906 citations. The organization is also known as: UWindsor & Assumption University of Windsor.

A review and critique of academic lab safety research.

Abstract: Over the past ten years, there have been several high-profile accidents in academic laboratories around the world, resulting in significant injuries and fatalities. The aftermath of these incidents is often characterized by calls for reflection and re-examination of the academic discipline's approach to safety research and policy. However, the study of academic lab safety is still underdeveloped and necessary data about changes in safety attitudes and behaviours has not been gathered. This Review article critically examines the state of academic chemical safety research from a multifactorial stance, including research on the occurrence of lab accidents, contributors to lab accidents, the state of safety training research and the cultural barriers to conducting safety research and implementing safer lab practices. The Review concludes by delineating research questions that must be addressed to minimize future serious academic laboratory incidents as well as stressing the need for committed leadership from our research institutions.

Effect of habitat complexity attributes on species richness

Abstract: Habitat destruction is a leading cause of biodiversity loss worldwide. Destruction involving structural simplification tends to be a large contributing factor to this loss as many studies have reported a positive relationship between habitat complexity and taxonomic richness. However, the aspects of complexity that are most important for this relationship are still unclear. We tested whether several attributes of complexity contribute significantly to the effects of habitat complexity on macroinvertebrate richness. We sampled macroinvertebrates associated with several species of macrophytes covering a wide complexity gradient in freshwater coastal wetlands. Macrophyte complexity was quantified by measuring vertical and horizontal interstitial distances. Multiple regression was used to assess the relative importance of complexity attributes including the overall complexity as a space size/frequency index, space-size heterogeneity as the variation in space sizes, as well as the more commonly used macrophyte biomass, number of stems and the number of macrophyte species. Our results indicate that space-size heterogeneity is a more important contributor to taxonomic richness than overall complexity and the other complexity attributes examined. The results of this study have implications for the use of this concept in habitat restoration by the enhancement of habitat structures.

Pulsed streamer discharge characteristics of ozone production in dry air

Abstract: Experimental investigation of HV short pulsed streamer discharges in dry air-fed ozonizers under various operating conditions are reported. Ozone concentration, energy input and ozone production yield (efficiency) were measured at various voltages (14 to 37 kV), pulse repetition rates (25 to 400 pulses per second, pps), flow rates (1.5 to 3.0 1/min) and different gap spacings (10 to 20 mm) at a pressure of 1.01/spl times/10/sup 5/ Pa in dry air. A spiral copper wire (1 mm in diameter) made to a cylindrical configuration (18 to 38 mm in diameter) in a concentric coaxial electrode system of various dimensions was employed. A magnetic pulse compressor provided the HV and current pulses. Higher voltage and higher repetition rates yielded higher concentrations of ozone at a fixed air flow rate. The present investigation was extended to assess the performance of this pulsed ozone generator using dry air under desired conditions of high concentration and high yield of ozone for industrial applications.