VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Unrepresentable Blood: Canadian Blood Donation, “Gay Blood” and the Queerness of Blackness
Keywords: African/Black blood
Black Queer Diaspora
Blood donation
Blood narratives
Gay Blood
Transnational blackness

In this dissertation, I explore the Canadian Blood Services blood donation questionnaire and how the blood stories assembled within this document, and in the larger blood system, intersect with and depict blackness, queer (diaspora) sexualities, and Canadian (homo)nation-making. Narratives on blood produce moments of discipline, regulation, and confinement. Canadian Blood Services argues that its donor questionnaire is designed to effectively screen potential blood donors, with a number of questions focused on preventing an HIV/AIDS outbreak in the general population. The information gathered from these diverse questions constructs a figure of the ideal blood donor, thus creating a distinction between people whose blood gives life and people whose blood brings death. These distinctions result in the ban of particular groups of people, including bisexual and gay men and African people. Through centring a black queer diasporic analytic and reading practice, I am able to interrogate the ontological problem made of blackness. I contend that queerer modalities of thought are necessary to account for the complicated realities of racialized sexuality lived through black queered bodies and by black queer and trans people (and their blood). I analyze a diverse set of archives, including the donor questionnaire; websites of social and political organizations involved in the gay-blood debates; and legal, news, and government documents pertaining to the Canadian blood system. I seek to break the public silence on how blood continues to be used to justify the denigration of the lives of black people, both inside and outside of gay spaces, to push against the narrow, normative Eurocentric structures of gay blood. Thus, this reading acts as a decolonial, diasporic, transgressive project of writing blackness. My intervention into these anti-normative, anti-colonial discussions of blood, queerness, and blackness engages in a form of â epistemic disobedienceâ necessary to think differently about and disrupt both the homonationalist framing of gay blood and, more importantly, how we envision queer communities in our diasporic home-making. It is this that I seek to provoke in this thesis: to bring together the tangible and incoherent realities of our lives in order to articulate and engage in transformative justice.
Characterization of the Calcium Channel Scaffold and the Cav2.2-synaptic Vesicle Tether at the Presynaptic Nerve Terminal
Keywords: Cav2.2
Presynaptic nerve terminal
scaffold
Synaptic vesicle
tether

Calcium ion influx through voltage-gated calcium channels (Cav) triggers synaptic vesicle (SV) fusion and neurotransmitter release at presynaptic nerve terminals. A single Cav can trigger transmitter release, suggesting that a molecular tether links SVs to the channel. The spatial organization of Cavs at specialized regions within nerve terminals, known as transmitter release sites, suggests a protein scaffolding mechanism. Presently, the molecular mechanisms involved in channel scaffolding and SV tethering remain unresolved. The objective of the studies presented in this thesis was to examine the role of chick Cav2.2 intracellular region(s) in the abovementioned mechanisms using biochemical assays. First, we explored if Cav2.2 form an inter-channel link through their cytoplasmic regions, an interaction that may contribute to the calcium channel scaffolding mechanism. Pull-down assays were performed with Cav2.2 intracellular region fusion proteins and chick brain lysate. The assays demonstrated that Cav2.2 distal C-terminal region (C3) captures channel from membrane lysate. Furthermore, separate experiments with truncated C3 region fusion proteins and blocking peptides demonstrated that channel-channel association is mediated by the PDZ ligand domain (PDZ-LD) at the Cav2.2 C-terminal tip. Next, we examined the Cav-SV binding site using a novel in vitro SV pull-down assay (SV-PD). Our recent study narrowed down a SV binding site to 49 amino acids upstream of the PDZ-LD within the C3 region. We synthesized five non-overlapping peptides, each ten amino acids long, mimicking the SV binding site. SV-PD assays were carried out with C3 region fusion proteins and mimetic peptides, from which HQARRVPNGY markedly inhibited SV-PD. We demonstrate that a yet unknown PDZ domain protein mediates the channel-channel association, and localized an SV binding site to a 10 amino acid region within the Cav2.2 distal C-terminal. Our study contributes to the understanding of fundamental molecular mechanisms at presynaptic nerve terminals and has important implications in synaptic transmission.
Why Do Parties Not Make a Difference? An Examination of the Causes of Education Policy Outputs in Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta
Keywords: alberta
education
ontario
policy
saskatachewan

This study seeks to explain why partisanship—contrary to what we might expect based on the findings of other studies concerning social policies—is generally not a useful explanatory variable when examining the primary and secondary education policies of three Canadian provinces (Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Alberta) during two periods (the 1970s and 1990-2008). Four specific areas of the education sector of the provinces will be examined: objectives of curricula; spending; ministry relations with school boards; and government policies concerning private and charter schools. Utilizing a qualitative approach and building on the findings of other studies on provincial education systems, it will be argued that in order to understand why the three provinces generally adopted similar policies in both periods, regardless of the differences in the ideologies of governing parties, we need to consider the causal effect of key ideas in both periods. In addition, it will be shown that opposition parties in most instances did not present policies that differed from those of governing parties or criticize the policies of such parties. This will further illustrate the limited usefulness of adopting a partisanship lens when seeking to understand the policy positions of various parties in the provinces concerning the education sector. Partisanship will be shown to be a partially useful explanatory variable only in the second period when seeking to understand the level of spending, though not the general patterns (i.e. periods of cutbacks or expansions), and why particular policies concerning private and charter schools were implemented. This study will also allow us to better understand how and why particular policies related to dominant ideas were transferred between policy actors in different jurisdictions.
Conceptualizations and Impacts of Multiculturalism in the Ethiopian Education System
Keywords: Critical Multiculturalism
Diversity
Ethiopia
Ethnic Conflict
Ethnic Federalism
Multicultural Policy

This research, using critical qualitative research methods, explores the conceptualization and impact of multiculturalism within the Ethiopian education context. The essence of multiculturalism is to develop harmonious coexistence among people from diverse ethnic, social and cultural backgrounds. The current Ethiopian regime has used the ethnic federalism policy to restructure Ethiopia’s geopolitical, social and education policies along ethnic and linguistic lines. The official discourse of Ethiopian ethnic federalism and multicultural policies has emphasized the liberal values of diversity, tolerance, and recognition of minority groups. However, its application has resulted in negative ethnicity and social conflicts among different ethnic groups. Two universities, one in Oromia and another in Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s (SNNP) region, were selected using purposive sampling for this study. Document analysis and in-depth interviews were used to collect data from ten professors, ten students and three curricular experts. The findings of this study revealed that Ethiopian multiculturalism has stemmed from the ethnic federalism political system; however, participants’ conceptualizations ranged from unity to division and difference to allegiance. Data further revealed that the impact of multiculturalism in the Ethiopian education system has involved mother tongue usage, quality of education, lack of leadership and foreign policy, while the impact on inter-ethnic relationships includes the declining social cohesion, the rise of ‘narrow nationalism’ and the implication of ethnic conflicts. This study discusses the effects the politics on language use, the declining quality of education and policy transfer all have within the Ethiopian education system. In addition, the study addresses the proliferation of negative ethnicity and the path to genocide. Finally, it makes recommendations to educators and policy makers to improve the education system as well as provide an environment to cultivate ethnic harmonious coexistence.
Investigating the Inhibition of Ubiquitin-like Activating Enzymes
Keywords: Cancer
medicinal chemistry
Metal-based inhibitor
structure-activity relationship
Ubiquitin-like activating enzyme
Ubiquitin-like protein

The post-translational modification of proteins with ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins (Ubls) controls vital physiological processes, including cell cycle regulation and protein degradation. Labeling is accomplished by the concerted action of E1 activating, E2 conjugating and E3 ligase enzymes. However, these labeling cascades have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases such as cancer and neurological disorders. Thus, there have been increased efforts towards the discovery of small molecules that can antagonize specific ubiquitin/Ubl pathways in order to further study their biological roles in disease progression. The goal of this thesis is to investigate the inhibition of the E1 activating enzymes NAE and UBA5, which catalyze protein labeling with the Ubl proteins NEDD8 and UFM1, respectively. First, the structural requirements needed for the selective inhibition of NAE by the ATP- competitive compound MLN4924 were examined through the iterative modification of a non- selective MLN4924 analogue, Compound 1. Potent and selective NAE inhibition was afforded by functionalizing the adenosine C6 position on Compound 1 with flexible hydrophobic groups. In support of these findings, drug resistance was rapidly acquired by substitution of a Thr within the ATP pocket with a bulky hydrophobic residue that precluded inhibitor binding. The focus of this thesis subsequently shifted to the rational design of inhibitors that could selectively target the UBA5 activating enzyme. Compounds incorporated an adenosine scaffold appended to a zinc(II)cyclen complex that could promote favourable interactions with an uniquely positioned acidic residue proximal to the ATP pocket. A lead inhibitor, (2S,3S,4R,5R)-N-(6-(1,4,7,10- tetraazacyclododecan-1-yl)-6-oxohexyl)-5-(6-amino-9H-purin- 9-yl)-3,4- dihydroxytetrahydrofuran-2-carboxamide zinc (II) trifluoromethanesulfonate (or 8.5), was identified that demonstrated >20-fold selectivity for UBA5 over other E1s and that mediated UBA5 inhibition through a non-competitive mechanism. Furtheremore, 8.5 selectively decreased the proliferation of cancer cells expressing higher levels of UBA5. Thus, 8.5 can be used as a chemical tool to further investigate the biological roles of protein UFMylation in disease progression.
The Role of Astrocyte-Derived Factors in the Regulation of Multidrug Resistance at the Developing Blood-Brain Barrier
Keywords: blood-brain barrier
brain endothelium
fetus
neurovascular unit
p-glycoprotein
tgf-beta1

P-glycoprotein (P-gp; encoded by Abcb1) at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays an important role in regulating the movement of exogenous and endogenous substrates into the developing brain. P-gp levels in brain endothelial cells (BECs), which form the capillaries of the BBB, increase dramatically in late gestation and early post-natal life. During this period, glial precursors differentiate into astrocytes and begin to ensheathe brain microvessels. However, little is known regarding the effect of astrocytes on Abcb1/P-gp at the developing BBB. This thesis investigated the effects of astrocyte-derived factors on regulating Abcb1/P-gp at the developing BBB. In particular, the studies in this thesis demonstrated the upregulatory effect of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-Î˛1), a growth factor secreted by astrocytes in late gestation, on P-gp at the BBB. This effect was attenuated as gestation progressed. During this time in pregnancy, it is common for women to receive synthetic glucocorticoids (sGC). This thesis has demonstrated that sGC treatment matures the BBB as it increases P-gp and tight junction function. These BECs also display attenuated responsiveness to TGF-Î˛1 stimulation, an effect similar to that seen in post-natal guinea pig BECs obtained following normal pregnancies. By utilizing a co-culture model using guinea pig BECs and astrocytes from two distinct time-points in gestation, the studies in this thesis have demonstrated that astrocytes enhance levels of Abcb1 mRNA and P-gp function in BECs via astrocyte-derived factors. However, post-natal astrocytes induce a more prominent increase in P-gp at the developing BBB compared to fetal astrocytes. This effect was correlated with higher levels of secreted proteins by post-natal astrocytes compared to fetal astrocytes. Thus, compromised astrocyte maturation may dysregulate P-gp function and expression at the BBB, which may contribute to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders. This new knowledge will be critical in the development of future therapies to counteract these effects.
When in Doubt: The Law of Fact-finding in Canadian Refugee Status Determination
Keywords: Administrative
Canada
Credibility
Fact-finding
Law
Refugee

Which mistake is worse: to deny a refugee claim that should have been granted, or to grant a claim that should have been denied? Canadian refugee law has not made up its mind. In any area of legal adjudication, the law’s error preference lies at the root of the structures that allow decision-makers to resolve their doubts: its burdens of proof, standards of proof and presumptions. The Federal Court, where Canadian refugee law is made, is divided on the question of which kind of error Refugee Board members should prefer, and as a consequence, the law’s fact-finding structures work at cross-purposes. Board members are therefore often free to choose whether to resolve their doubts in a claimant’s favour or against her, and since refugee status determination is mainly about fact-finding, this helps to explain the infamous disparities in the Board’s grant rates. These disparities could suggest that many members must be highly suspicious or highly trusting, or else deciding claims on a whim or in bad faith. But in order to make nothing but negative decisions, a member does not need to be cynical or biased. He simply needs doubt, along with access to the structures that allow him to resolve that doubt against the claimant. To make nothing but positive decisions, a member does not need to be highly credulous. She could, on the contrary, be full of doubt, and choosing to resolve that doubt in the claimant’s favour. Doubt lurks around every corner in a refugee hearing, and so even if every member decided in good faith, such a system could be expected to have difficulty treating similar cases consistently. And of course, if members can make whichever decisions they prefer for whatever reason they want, the system is vulnerable to influence and abuse.
Subarctic Crustose Coralline Algae as Recorders of Past Climatic and Environmental Change
Keywords: Crustose coralline algae
Micro Computed Tomography
Ocean Acidification
Paleoclimate
Productivity
Sea ice

If unabated, the continued anthropogenic release of carbon dioxide is expected to lead to warming and acidification of ocean waters, with widespread and detrimental impacts on marine ecosystems. Proxy records stored in biomineralized shells and skeletons of long-lived paleoclimate archives are essential for understanding long-term climate variability - previously unresolvable based on spatiotemporally limited observations. In this dissertation, geochemical and physical proxies from Clathromorphum spp. crustose coralline algae (CCA) are used for interpreting past climatic and environmental changes in the subarctic North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans. Micro-computed tomography techniques are used to examine the algal skeleton, and reveal changes in skeletal density in relation to recently observed acidification off the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Metabolic trade-offs associated with continued growth and calcification in acidifying seawaters may have resulted in the production of weaker (less-dense) skeletons since 1980. However, correlations indicate that in addition to acidification, sunlight availability and temperature stress are also important factors influencing the ability of CCA to calcify. Furthermore, barium-to-calcium (Ba/Ca) ratios are utilized as proxies for phytoplankton productivity in northern Labrador, Canada, such that: Higher (lower) algal Ba/Ca values are interpreted as decreased (increased) productivity coinciding with the expansion (melting) of sea-ice. This multi-centennial record of algal Ba/Ca indicates a long-term increase in North Atlantic productivity that is unprecedented in the last 365 years. Conversely, in mountainous coastal regions surrounding the Gulf of Alaska where high sediment loads are present in seasonal runoff, algal Ba/Ca is used as an indicator for freshwater runoff. Ba/Ca is inversely correlated to instrumental salinity, and indicates a unique period of freshening (2001 â 2006) that is related to increasing glacial melt and precipitation on mainland Alaska. The results presented here illustrate the physiological responses of coralline algae to acidification, and provides much-needed data for future projections of climate and environmental change.
Doing Good in Bad Times: The Salvation Army in Germany, 1886-1946
Keywords: Charity
Humanitarianism
Internationalism
Nazi Germany
Religious Minorities
Salvation Army

The Salvation Army came into being in an era of empire and it came of age in the heyday of internationalism. Its particular form of internationalism has proved remarkably adaptable to the massive political and social changes that have taken place since the mid-nineteenth century. This dissertation examines the Heilsarmee (the German branch of the Salvation Army) during the tumultuous decades between 1886 and 1946 and the tensions between the organization’s international and the national identities. The dissertation places the Heilsarmee in three main historical contexts: the history of religion in Germany—arguing that the Heilsarmee’s presence points to a religious vibrancy that is often underestimated; the history of internationalism—demonstrating the direct connections between imperialism, Christianity, and internationalism; and debates about German civil society during the Nazi period—revealing the malleable nature of the Volksgemeinschaft (people’s community). After the first Salvationists arrived in Germany in 1886, the Heilsarmee went through a process of transplantation, carving out a place for itself in Germany after turning its focus to social work. During World War I, its transnational entanglements challenged the organization’s internationalist identity and made practical matters difficult as the Heilsarmee ceased communication with the headquarters in London. Ultimately the structure proved resilient and the organization’s postwar relief work in Germany boosted its public profile. The Heilsarmee came to be seen as the embodiment of goodness in Germany, as is observed in the many representations of the Salvation Army in Weimar-era cultural production. In the 1920s and 1930s the Heilsarmee became increasingly nationalist and politically conservative. It supported the rise of the Nazi Party, sharing many of the same social values. After 1933, while struggling to maintain some measure of autonomy, it became a participating body in the NSV (National Socialist People’s Welfare Organization). Although the government restricted its activities, the Heilsarmee was active throughout World War II. As it had in 1914, the Heilsarmee cut off ties with its parent organization in 1939, reuniting when the war ended. In the postwar period the Heilsarmee sought to rehabilitate itself by emphasizing its links to the international Salvation Army.
Inês de Castro in Theatre and Film: A Feminist Exhumation of the Dead Queen
Keywords: Cinema
Feminist Studies
Inesian Studies
Performance
Portuguese Language
Theatre

Since the fourteenth century when Inês de Castro was laid to rest in her magnificent tomb in the Monastery of Alcobaça, artists worldwide have told the tragic story of the Galician noblewoman who was assassinated for political reasons and became Queen of Portugal after death. Inês embodies beauty, love, innocence, and saudade, and, for the Portuguese, she figures prominently in the national cultural imaginary. This inquiry is a comparative, intertextual, and intermedial study of the representation of Inês de Castro across the centuries, as seen through a feminist lens. Thus, it begins with analyses of Garcia de Resende’s 1516 performative poem “Trovas à morte de D. Inês de Castro” (“Ballad to the Death of Dona Inês de Castro”), and two foundational Iberian plays, Castro (1587) by tragedian António Ferreira, and Reinar después de morir (To Reign after Death) (1652) by the popular Luis Vélez de Guevara. These three dramatic texts, built on the Inesian narratives of oral tradition and royal chronicles, establish figurations of Inês that surface in twentieth- and twenty-first-century film, video and performance. The 1945 classic film by José Leitão de Barros, Inês de Castro, with a heroine who is both tragic and romantic, has elements of both Ferreira and Vélez; José Carlos de Oliveira’s 1997 Inês de Portugal plays up Inês’s sexuality and evokes Resende’s courtesan; and YouTube videos by Brazilian and Portuguese students are veritable pastiches of the palimpsest Inês has become. In performance, Whetstone Theatre’s 2001 production of John Clifford’s Inés de Castro revives the tragic heroine originated by Ferreira in a tragedy for our days, while Teatro O Bando’s 2011 Pedro e Inês echoes Vélez’s hunted protagonist and the crowned corpse, and O Projecto’s community theatre play of the same year focuses on Ferreirian saudade. Finally, my 2008 performance of Resende’s ballad, with a feminist direction that foregrounds Inês’s authority, closes this circle of representation and opens up a reading of the Dead Queen. In this inquiry, each case study is interrogated to uncover the masculinist discourse of Inesian texts and give Inês a new and fluid identity in the Luso cultural imaginary and beyond.