VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Reading YouTube for Social Work

Digital media storytelling and the creation of narrative texts using digital technology is an emerging social process that is being utilized by social workers as a means of engaging in critical reflection. As an emerging practice, little is known about the contributions that these texts make to critical social work knowledge; to this end this thesis considers social worker's use of digital media storytelling as a tool for resisting and remembering and as a tool for critical reflection about their changing field. Six digital media stories are considered in this thesis. The texts are deconstructed using multi-modal analysis informed by internet/digital media research scholarship. The layers produced through this deconstruction are crystalized using critical discourse, narrative and metaphor analysis in order to develop a complex understanding of the multi-modal and multi-vocal meaning making processes inherent in these stories. The analysis reveals the way in which discourses and themes present in the contemporary context of social work practice such as neo-liberalism, managerialism and professionalization, are brought to life in the narratives produced by the social workers, who each tell their stories using different genres, from unique points of view, based on their individual subjective positions. The findings point to the significance of digital media storytelling as an important resources for knowledge production and knowledge dissemination. The analysis further points to the significance of connections between and among these texts as demonstrating the tensions and contradictions that are produced through the workers’ attempts to bring to life the social justice values, goals and objectives of social work to which they are committed in a social climate that is increasingly hostile to such approaches to human service work.

Keywords: Social Work
Digital Media
Multi Modal Analysis
Worklife Issues
Advisor: Jackson, Nancy
A Slap on the Wrist or a Pat on the Back: The Impact of Feedback on Pro-Eevironmentalism

A series of five studies examined how praise and reproach feedback influenced participants' pro-environmental inclinations. Though past research has shown that praise feedback is a more effective and longer-lasting source of motivation than reproach feedback, popular pro-environmental communications campaigns nevertheless largely attempt to increase pro-environmentalism by reproaching the inadequacy of pro-environmental awareness and action among members of the public. This investigation set out to determine which approach is best: a slap on the wrist or a pat on the back. First, studies evaluated the effects of praise and reproach feedback that was conveyed in the general fashion that is typically adopted in public pro-environmental campaigns. Participants who experienced such general, omnibus feedback did not show greater pro-environmental inclinations after receiving either praise or reproach. Instead, this form of feedback resulted in a lower willingness to identify with pro-environmental issues whenever participants were reproached for their pro-environmental performance. When feedback was formatted to be more behavior-specific, the impact of feedback on pro-environmental inclinations depended upon whether praise and reproach feedback was conveyed in gain-framed (i.e., focusing on savings) or loss-framed (i.e., focusing on waste) terms. When gain-framed terms were used, both participants who received praise and those who received reproach had greater pro-environmental behavioural intentions and support for environmental preservation efforts than those who received feedback framed in the loss-framed terms that are typically favored by popular communications. Overall, my findings indicate the need for pro-environmental advocates to adopt more behaviour-specific and gain-framed forms of feedback in order to have a meaningful positive impact upon individuals' pro-environmental inclinations.

Keywords: Feedback
Environmentalism
Praise
Motivation
Advisor: Lockwood, Penelope
A Conserved CCAP-signaling Pathway Controlling Ecdysis in a hemimetabolous insect, Rhodnius prolixus

In insects, ecdysis is an important feature of growth and development and is tightly controlled by a variety of neuropeptides. In holometabolous insects, crustacean cardioactive peptide (CCAP) is one of many factors that regulate ecdysis behaviours; however, not much is known about the control of ecdysis in hemimetabolous insects. In this thesis, the CCAP-signaling pathway is shown to be essential for successful ecdysis in the hemimetabolous insect, Rhodnius prolixus. The cDNA sequence of the CCAP gene has been cloned from the R. prolixus central nervous system (CNS) and the functional role of CCAP as a neuromodulator/neurotransmitter demonstrated. Specifically, the expression of RhoprCCAP in CNS neurons producing extensive CCAP-like immunoreactive processes within the neuropile indicates that CCAP plays central roles in coordination of other neurons. RhoprCCAP also acts as a neurohomone/neuromodulator released peripherally to coordinate many tissues. Thus, CCAP-like immunoreactive processes are found in neurohemal sites and also on peripheral tissues. The RhoprCCAP receptor (RhoprCCAPR) has been cloned and shown to be a G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR). RhoprCCAPR expression is observed in the CNS and certain peripheral tissues of R. prolixus. Also, CCAP stimulates hindgut contractions and increases the heartbeat rate in a dose-dependent manner. The involvement of CCAP in R. prolixus ecdysis has been investigated. Up-regulation of the RhoprCCAP transcript in the CNS and the RhoprCCAP receptor (RhoprCCAPR) transcript in the CNS and specific peripheral tissues was observed immediately prior to ecdysis. Also, decreasing staining intensity of CCAP-like immunoreactivity in neurons immediately following ecdysis indicates the release of CCAP during ecdysis. The critical importance of the CCAP-signalling pathway was further demonstrated by knockdown of the RhoprCCAP and RhoprCCAPR transcripts utilizing double stranded RNA interference. Insects with these transcripts knocked down have high mortality (up to 84%), typically at the expected time of ecdysis, or have ecdysis extremely delayed. Taken together, this thesis demonstrates that RhoprCCAP plays a crucial role in regulating ecdysis behaviours in R. prolixus, and clearly shows the conserved nature of the CCAP-signaling pathway in ecdysis for both holometabolous and hemimetabolous insects.

Keywords: Rhodnius prolixus
Chagas disease
Crustacean cardioactive peptide
G-protein coupled receptor
Hemipteran
RNAi
CNS
Advisor: Lange, Angela
Light Traveller

Light Traveller is motivated by the works of Czech photographer Josef Sudek. Masterfully portraying contrasts of light and dark in his black and white photography, Sudek has been described as a &ldquo;traveler in light&rdquo; for his photography work. In creating this orchestral composition, I was interested in exploring compositional methods that aurally express how Sudek manages space, texture, and most specifically the use of light and dark variances in his photos. I consulted specific collections of photographs from his body of work. The subject materials in these photographs became metaphors that I explored sonically. Light Traveller is structured into four main sections: a beginning section, two middle sections, a final section that recapitulates ideas from the first section, and lastly a coda at the end of the final section. This work embraces measured and deliberate pacing, and is mainly concerned with exploring the range of timbre and resonance possibilities that the orchestra is capable of creating. The composition utilizes static harmonies and slowly unfolding harmonic changes. Quarter tones are employed as a means of expanding the colour and harmonic palette used for this composition. Differing textures are generated through intricate rhythmic materials, gradually moving materials, and static material.

Keywords: orchestra
composition
Advisor: Kulesha, Gary
Nurses' Awareness of and Intention to Use Music Therapy in Practice

BACKGROUND: Anxiety and pain are prevalent symptoms experienced by inpatients in acute, long-term and rehabilitation care settings. There is a need for effective relief from these symptoms without increasing the risks as a result of the intervention. Empirical evidence supports the use of music as a complementary therapy for the management of anxiety and pain. However, there is limited knowledge of nurses’ awareness of and intention to use music therapy in clinical practice. AIMS: This study examined nurses’ awareness of and intention to use music therapy for the management of anxiety and pain, and factors that influenced nurses’ intention to implement music therapy in practice. A conceptual framework incorporating elements of the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Triandis’ Theory of Interpersonal Behaviour guided the study. METHOD: A correlational, survey-type design was used. The sample consisted of 161 Registered Nurses who were currently providing direct care to patients in acute, rehabilitation and long-term care settings in Ontario. Data were collected using adapted instruments that were pilot tested. RESULTS: Attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, moral norms, and awareness were positively and moderately (all β > 0.20, p < .05) associated with nurses’ intention to use music therapy for the management of anxiety and pain. Role beliefs, selected demographic and professional characteristics were not significantly related to nurses’ intention to use music therapy for either anxiety or pain management. Nurse, client and unit factors were additional factors reported by nurses as affecting their use of music therapy in practice. IMPLICATIONS: The findings suggested the need for strategies to educate nurses about music therapy to facilitate its implementation in clinical practice. Research exploring why nurses are unaware of music therapy as an intervention and revisions to the current conceptual framework to incorporate additional factors influencing intervention use are required.

Keywords: music therapy
nurse
anxiety
pain
complementary therapy
theory of planned behaviour
theory of interpersonal behaviour
nursing
intervention
behavioural intention
Advisor: Sidani, Souraya
Exploring AdoMet-dependent Methyltransferases in Yeast

This work presents the investigation of fungal AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases. The first part of the dissertation focuses on two distinct methyltransferases with previously unknown functions in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans. To characterize these enzymes I used a combinatorial approach that exploits contemporary high-throughput techniques available in yeast (chemical genetics, expression, lipid profiling and genetic interaction analysis) combined with rigorous biological follow-up. First, I showed that S. cerevisiae CRG1 (ScCRG1) is a small molecule methyltransferase that methylates cytotoxic drug cantharidin and is important for maintaining lipid homeostasis and actin cytoskeleton integrity in response to small-molecule cantharidin in the baker’s yeast. Similarly to ScCRG1, orf19.633 in the human fungal pathogen C. albicans (CaCRG1) methylates cantharidin and is important for GlcCer biosynthesis. I also demonstrated that CaCrg1 is a ceramide- and PIP-binding methyltransferase involved in Candida’s morphogenesis, membrane trafficking and fungal virulence. Together, the analysis of two genes in yeast illuminated the important roles of the novel small molecule methyltransferases in coupling drug response to lipid biosynthesis and fungal virulence. In the second part of my dissertation, I present the systematic characterization of the genetic architecture of the yeast methyltransferome by examining fitness of double-deletion methyltransferase mutants in standard and under environmental stress conditions. This analysis allowed me to describe specific properties of the methyltransferome network and to uncover functional relationships among methyltransferases inspiring multiple hypotheses and expanding the current knowledge of this family of enzymes.

Keywords: methyltransferase
yeast
chemical genetics
chemical biology
genetics
small molecule
candida albicans
genetic interactions
Advisor: Nislow, Corey
Constructions of Lie Groupoids

In this thesis, we develop two methods for constructing Lie groupoids. The first method is a blow-up construction, corresponding to the elementary modification of a Lie algebroid along a subalgebroid over some closed hypersurface. This construction may be specialized to the Poisson groupoids and Lie bialgebroids. We then apply this method to three cases. The first is the adjoint Lie groupoid integrating the Lie algebroid of vector fields tangent to a collection of normal crossing hypersurfaces. The second is the adjoint symplectic groupoid of a log symplectic manifold. The third is the adjoint Lie groupoid integrating the tangent algebroid of a Riemann surface twisted by a divisor. The second method is a gluing construction, whereby Lie groupoids defined on the open sets of an appropriate cover may be combined to obtain global integrations. This allows us to construct and classify the Lie groupoids integrating the given Lie algebroid. We apply this method to the aforementioned cases, albeit with small differences, and characterize the category of integrations in each case.

Keywords: Differential Geometry
Symplectic Geometry
Advisor: Gaultieri, Marco
Jeffrey, Lisa
Plasma Characteristics of the DC Saddle Field Glow Discharge

Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition systems are massively deployed to grow numerous thin film coatings including hydrogenated amorphous silicon. A new deposition chamber was designed, procured, and constructed to investigate the plasma properties of a 100% silane (SiH4) glow discharge with varying chamber pressure and inter-electrode spacing. A Hiden EQP1000 ion mass spectrometer sampled the plasma from the substrates point of view. Ion energy distributions were obtained using four different excitation sources +DC, –DC, radio frequency (at 13.56 MHz), and the DC Saddle Field (DCSF) in the tetrode configuration. The shape of the ion energy distributions was constant for the capacitively coupled +DC, –DC, and rf (at higher pressures of 75 and 160 mTorr) glow discharges. The shape of the ion energy distributions for the DCSF plasma exhibited a double peak or saddle structure analogous to radio frequency plasmas. The width between the peaks (peak separation) was controlled by the pressure and the semi-transparent cathode to semi-transparent anode distance. Ion energy distributions from the DCSF plasma concurred with rf and +DC ion energy distributions at specific pressures and inter-electrode distances. This result demonstrates the versatility of the DCSF glow discharge system. Moreover, control of the peak separation is modeled to be iii equivalent to controlling the critical ratio (ion transit time in the sheath to the electron oscillating period), and/or the inferred electron oscillating sheath potential. The DCSF possesses a fusion of rf and +DC methods. The long high energy tail or constant background are indicative of a +DC high voltage sheath in which there is an increasing fraction of collisionless ions as the anode-cathode distance increases. These collisionless ions are provided by the oscillating electrons (or rf nature) of the DCSF method. Higher order silane (silicon containing) ions increase in relative intensity with increasing inter-electrode spacing for the +DC, –DC, and rf plasmas. These higher order silane ions are also detected in the DCSF plasma, and can be reduced at either lower pressure or lower cathode to anode or cathode to substrate distances.

Keywords: silane
plasma
Direct Current Saddle Field
ion energy distribution
glow discharge
amorphous silicon
mass spectrometer
radio frequency
Advisor: Zukotynski, Stefan
Kherani, Nazir P.
Disability, Underemployment and Social Change

Informed by the disciplines of disability studies and interpretive sociology, and using the social model of disability and the collective identity model, this dissertation pursues an investigation of underemployment. Underemployment, conceptualized as the underutilized skills and knowledge of the employed and unemployed, occurs at higher levels amongst disabled persons than among non-disabled people (Canada, 2009). Semi-structured interviews with 14 underemployed disabled people conducted, to investigate the experiences of disabled persons who worked in the fields of education, computer, healthcare, fitness, environment, travel, social work, government and non-government agencies. In addition, Canadian social policies were analyzed to address the research questions: 1) How do disabled workers understand and address experiences of underemployment? 2) How do organizations and social policies account for underemployment amongst disabled persons? 3) How can practices which acknowledge and enhance collective identity be used to address underemployment and advance the disability movement? 4) How can underemployment amongst disabled persons be addressed at the organizational level? The texts of these narratives and Canadian social policies were analyzed using a critical interpretative textual analysis approach. The analysis demonstrates the depths of the negative consequences of high levels of underemployment resulting from structural, environmental and attitudinal barriers. Such consequences include lack of opportunities for recognition, compensation, promotion, accommodations, and career fulfillment, as well as poor mental, physical, emotional and social health. This research study is unique as it reveals the struggles that disabled persons experienced in work contexts, their narratives of resistance, and their recommendations for socio-political change to build more inclusive work environments

Keywords: disability studies
underemployment
unemployment
work
collective identity
disability movement
social policy
women
social model of disability
health
Advisor: Titchkosky, Tanya
"The idea of better nursing": The American Battle for Control over Standards of Nursing Education in Europe, 1918–1925

In the midst of the progressive era, American nursing and medical education witnessed tremendous reform. The increase in the number of hospitals during the early twentieth century brought a growing demand for nurses and led to varying standards in admissions and education within hospital training schools. In addition, the rise of the field of public health led to a campaign by a number of American nurse leaders to reform nursing education. This campaign included: the formation of several national professional organizations; gaining the support of prominent medical officials, including those close to the Rockefeller Foundation, an influential philanthropic organization; and successfully arguing against the sending of public health nurses overseas during the First World War. Although these steps were taken prior to the end of the war, the period immediately following the war, and the 1918 pandemic spread of influenza, provided fertile ground for reopening discussions regarding nursing education both nationally and internationally. Following the war, the involvement of numerous American-backed organizations, including the Rockefeller Foundation (RF), the League of Red Cross Societies (LRCS), and the American Red Cross (ARC), in the training of nurses in Europe highlighted the numerous and conflicting ideals of American nurses in regards to nursing education during this period. In particular, those who had campaigned for the training of public health nurses in the USA — led primarily by the formidable nurse Annie Goodrich — voiced differing ideals for the training of nurses than those American nurses who led the work of the RF, the LRCS and the ARC in Europe following the war. It will be argued here that, contrary to earlier theses that have suggested the spread of a singular “American gospel” of public health nursing education, in fact there were several hotly contested ideas being conveyed in Europe by several different American individuals and organizations at this time. In particular, the RF’s support of two opposing ideals — that of their own nursing representative, Elisabeth Crowell in Europe, and that of Goodrich in the USA — heightened this conflict. The eventual success of one set of these ideas depended on the alignment of congruent ideals in the training of health care professionals with influential individuals and organizations. Furthermore, this dissertation suggests that the outcome of this debate influenced the future direction of nursing education in both Europe and North America.

Keywords: nursing
history
public health
Advisor: Nelson, Sioban
Tumour-stroma Signalling in Cancer Cell Motility and Metastasis

The tumour-associated stroma, consisting of fibroblasts, inflammatory cells, vasculature and extracellular matrix proteins, plays a critical role in tumour growth, but how it regulates cancer cell migration and metastasis is poorly understood. The Wnt-planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway regulates convergent extension movements in vertebrate development. However, it is unclear whether this pathway also functions in cancer cell migration. In addition, the factors that mobilize long-range signalling of Wnt morphogens, which are tightly associated with the plasma membrane, have yet to be completely characterized. Here, I show that fibroblasts secrete membrane microvesicles of endocytic origin, termed exosomes, which promote tumour cell protrusive activity, motility and metastasis via the exosome component Cd81. In addition, I demonstrate that fibroblast exosomes activate autocrine Wnt-PCP signalling in breast cancer cells as detected by the association of Wnt with Fzd receptors and the asymmetric distribution of Fzd-Dvl and Vangl-Pk complexes in exosome-stimulated cancer cell protrusive structures. Moreover, I show that Pk expression in breast cancer cells is essential for fibroblast-stimulated cancer cell metastasis. Lastly, I reveal that trafficking in cancer cells promotes tethering of autocrine Wnt11 to fibroblast exosomes. These studies further our understanding of the role of the tumour-associated stroma in cancer metastasis and bring us closer to a more targeted approach for the treatment of cancer spread.

Keywords: exosome
microvesicle
breast cancer
cell motility
PCP signalling
cancer-associated fibroblast
Wnt signalling
tumour microenvironment
Advisor: Wrana, Jeffrey