VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
The Pedagogical Practices of Clinical Nurse Educators

Clinical practica forms an important component in undergraduate nursing education, which directly involves clinical nurse educators who are primarily involved in teaching student nurses. The purpose of this study was twofold: to theorize the pedagogical practices of clinical nurse educators and to explore the challenges that they encountered while teaching in the clinical arena. These participants taught in undergraduate nursing programs in a large metropolitan city in Ontario, Canada. Grounded theory methodology forwarded by Charmaz (2010) was used in this study design, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve clinical nurse educator participants. Coding strategies forwarded by Corbin and Strauss (2008, 2015) and Charmaz (2010, 2011), such as constant comparison and theoretical sampling, were used to analyze the data. Study results were further analyzed using a constructivist approach to learning and a critical pedagogical approach to education. Initially, five main concepts emerged from the data and these concepts were further conceptualized to form the central theory that underpins this study. The substantive theory in this study is: The pedagogical practices of clinical nurse educators and the navigation of constraints in complex educational institutions. This central theory encompasses the main concepts and includes, the forms of knowledge that participants portrayed in their teaching, the ethics in teaching that underpin their practice, varied approaches to teaching that emerged from the data, and the context which describes the teaching milieu. The results from this study provide a deeper and broader understanding of teaching in the clinical arena. The results also reveal a traditional and progressive approach to teaching in nursing education and how each approach effects curricula development, pedagogy, and the building of teacher-student partnerships. The results from this study led to two important recommendations: the first, an education program for all nurse educators so as to improve their knowledge and understanding in developing curricula and pedagogy in nursing education; and the second provides a re-conceptualist approach to developing undergraduate nursing curricula and re-conceptualizing of patient safety concepts in the development, design and implementation of nursing curricula in undergraduate nursing programs.

Keywords: Clinical Nurse Instructors
Grounded Theory
Nursing
Patient Safety
Pedagogy
Undegraduate Curricula
Advisor: Brett, Clare
Development of Point-of-Care Nanoparticle Based Diagnostic Platforms

Despite the substantial improvement of diagnostic technologies over the last few decades, the most advanced diagnostic tests are centralized, require expensive facilities and expertise, and are therefore inaccessible to many patients and healthcare professionals in resource-limited areas. Point-of-Care (POC) diagnostics, which emphasize the idea that medical tests are conducted near the patients and subsequently lead to rapid clinical decisions, aim to overcome these limitations by decentralizing simple and cost-effective diagnostic approaches. Advances in nanotechnology have also shown the potential to improve POC diagnostics by offering tunable optical, electrical and magnetic properties that can transduce signals or simplify diagnostic procedures. Nonetheless, many nanoparticle-based molecular assays have been limited to the investigation of synthetic targets due to low analytical sensitivity, and clinical validation of nanodiagnostics has not been thoroughly explored yet. The work presented herein explores the development of ultrasensitive nanoparticle-based POC diagnostic platforms. Specifically, Quantum Dot (QD) barcode and multicomponent nucleic acid enzyme-gold nanoparticle (MNAzyme-GNP) assays were incorporated with Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) to demonstrate multiplexed and colorimetric detections respectively, improve the detection limits, and present clinically relevant diagnosis of infectious diseases. Overall, the combined advantages of nanotechnology and isothermal nucleic acid amplification strategy provided highly sensitive and specific detection platforms that are promising for diagnosis of infectious diseases in resource-limited settings.

Keywords: Gold nanoparticles
MNAzyme
Point-of-Care diagnostics
Quantum Dot Barcodes
Quantum Dots
Recombinase Polymerase Amplification
Advisor: Chan, Warren C. W.
Communication between the Endoplasmic Reticulum and Peroxisomes in Mammalian Cells

Peroxisomes are important metabolic organelles found in virtually all eukaryotic cells. Since their discovery, peroxisomes have long been seen in close proximity to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The interplay between the two organelles is suggested to be important for peroxisome biogenesis as the ER may serve as a source for both lipids and peroxisomal membrane proteins (PMPs) for peroxisome growth and maintenance. On the other hand, various lipid molecules are exchanged between them for the biosynthesis of specialized lipids such as bile acids, plasmalogens and cholesterol. However, how proteins and lipids are transported between the two organelles is not yet fully understood. Previously, the peroxisomal biogenesis factor PEX16 was shown to serve as a receptor for PMPs in the ER and also as a mediator of the subsequent transport of these ER-targeted PMPs to peroxisomes. Here, I extended these results by carrying out a comprehensive mutational analysis of PEX16 aimed at gaining insights into the molecular targeting signals responsible for its ER-to-peroxisome trafficking and the domain(s) involved in its PMP recruitment function at the ER. I also showed that the recruitment function of PEX16 is conserved in plants. To gain further mechanistic insight into PEX16 function, the proteins proximal to PEX16 were identified using the proximity-dependent BioID analysis. From this data, I identified proteins that tether the ER and peroxisomes in mammalian cells. The tether between the two organelles is mediated by the ER resident VAP proteins (VAPA and VAPB) and the peroxisomal protein ACBD5. Disruption of this VAP-ACBD5 tether was shown to interfere with peroxisomal membrane expansion as well as cellular plasmalogen and cholesterol levels, suggesting the importance of this tether in lipid transfer between the two organelles. Overall, my work provides new insights into the mechanisms for protein and lipid exchange between the ER and peroxisomes. Collectively, the results presented here highlight the importance of the ER for peroxisome growth and functions.

Advisor: Kim, Peter K
Fostering Students' Mathematics Communication in Measurement: A Grade 3 Teacher's Perceptions and Practices

This study explores and describes the teaching perceptions and practices of a Grade 3 teacher as she attempts to foster students’ mathematics communication skills in the content strand of measurement. For this inquiry, the qualitative data collected were: 1) semi-structured teacher interviews, and 2) classroom observations. The categories of program planning, learning environment, mathematics tasks, knowledge construction, technology, manipulatives, and assessment were identified and presented. The data for this case study were first organized, analyzed, and interpreted within sub-units of lesson vignettes. Afterwards, the identified teaching perceptions and practices from the lesson vignettes were consolidated, and presented as a “whole” case. The sub-units and whole-case analysis identified five major findings related to the topic of fostering students’ mathematics communication in the classroom. Summarized, these are: 1) Teachers need to create opportunities for students to productively struggle with increasingly abstract concepts. The appropriate selection of mathematics tasks, the discussions on mathematical misconceptions, and the posing of effective questions may guide and encourage students as they express their understanding and misconceptions. 2) Teachers need to foster students' self-monitoring and self-assessment skills, as students communicate their emerging mathematical thoughts. 3) Teachers should strive to provide students with opportunities to learn to reason and justify their perspectives. Such opportunities can occur as students read, write, draw, and/or listen to recently learned mathematical concepts. 4) Teachers should intentionally define and explore various meanings and usages of subject-specific and unit-specific vocabularies. The learning of increasingly abstract ideas (e.g. area and perimeter) requires the acquisitions of new vocabularies, so that meanings can be more clearly articulated by the students. 5) When teaching and learning the topic of measurement, various education components such as program planning, learning environment, mathematics tasks, constructing knowledge, technology and manipulatives, and assessment are often intricately and purposefully linked with one another.

Keywords: area
elementary mathematics education
mathematics communication
perimeter
Advisor: McDougall, Douglas
To ancillary and beyond: CO2 activation and redox activity of NN chelate actor ligands

This thesis examines the fundamental coordination chemistry and subsequent reactivity of actor and redox-active ligands. In this context, the two NN chelate ligand classes that are explored are 4,5-diazafluorene and o-phenylenediamine. In Chapter 2, actor diazafluorenyl ligands were explored. New Ru and Zn diazafluorenyl complexes undergo C–H borylation of the diazafluorenyl ligand to form the corresponding diazafluorenylboronic ester complexes, which can insert CO2 into their C–B bonds to form boryl ester functionalities. The relevance of this new reactivity to catalytic CO2 reduction was also explored. In Chapter 3, the initial coordination chemistry of the redox-active N,N’-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-o-phenylenediamido ligand (L2-) was investigated. Li2L(THF)3 reacts with iron(II) sources in toluene to yield LFe(η6-toluene). DFT, NMR, and X-ray data indicate that L2- oxidized to L1- in this transformation. [FeL(η6-toluene)] reacts with CO to generate [FeL(CO)3], with concomitant oxidation of L- to L0. Two equivalents of Li2L react with both MoCl4(THF)2 and VCl2(tmeda)2 yielding trimetallic sandwich compounds. In Chapter 4, reactivity of Pb(II) and Sn(II) complexes of L2- was investigated. [PbL] and [SnL] react with mesityl azide in analogous C-H activations in which L2- behaves as an actor ligand. [PbL] forms a Lewis pair with ONMe3, demonstrating the behaviour of L2- as an ancillary ligand. [SnL] reacts with AgOTf to yield [SnL(OTf)], demonstrating the ligand’s redox activity as L2- is oxidized to L-. [SnL(OTf)] is a paramagnetic stannylene, a type of compound which has been previously observed in situ, but hitherto has not been isolated. In Chapter 5, the coordination of different o-phenylenediamido sources towards [TaMe3Cl2] was explored. The opda framework acted as a reducing agent, as a sponsor of heterodinuclear complexes, or as a robust ancillary ligand. The use of K2L provided access to [TaLMe3]. The reactivity of its methyl ligands was studied; notably, UV irradiation causes formal loss of methyl radical to yield dimeric [LTaMe2]2.

Keywords: actor ligands
CO2 activation
insertion
NN chelates
paramagnetic stannylene
redox-active ligands
Advisor: Song, Datong
TOWARD GENUINE TRANSFORMATIONS: THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN SAUDI ARABIA

This qualitative study researches the effects of internationalization in higher education on individuals and home nations. Data collection included interviewing 20 students sponsored by the King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP), an internationalization program, investigating two of the program’s objectives: developmental and cultural. This study also included a review of governmental materials, prior research on the scholarship program, and scholarship on the process of internationalization. This study reveals three angles regarding the kinds of experiences graduates had with the KASP scholarship program. First, the national and international purposes of this internationalization program unfold from the experiences of the graduates. Second, residing in another fully-developed nation helps KASP students experience what the state-sponsoring nations want their own citizens to experience for both personal and national aims. Third, the effects of internationalization on KASP graduates’ job journeys articulate the future path for credential-holders on their way home. This research concludes to say that sponsored students coming from developing nations in such program manage to partially inherit, indirectly, from the developed settings, in this case Canada, what this research calls global citizenship. Furthermore, graduates’ experience with internationalization processes prepares them for the markets for their profession, but there should also be additional efforts from the sponsoring states which ease the return and future employment of the graduates to their sponsored nation – their home. In conclusion, the findings from the study suggest that internationalization grants nations and individuals many tools that can play vital role in shaping today’s developing world.

Keywords: Human capital theory
Internationalization
Investment in education
Islam
Saudi Arabia
Study abroad
Advisor: Anderson, Steve
Transcriptional Regulation of Clr-b (Clec2d) in Health and Disease

Innate immunity provides the first line of defense against infectious disease and cancer. Natural killer (NK) cells are innate lymphocytes that recognize and eliminate pathological cells. Target cell recognition is facilitated by germline-encoded NK cell receptors, including the NKR-P1B inhibitory receptor. The NKR-P1B-ligand, Clr-b, is broadly expressed by normal healthy cells, yet rapidly downregulated during pathological alterations, resulting in NK cell disinhibition via NKR-P1B. This thesis investigates transcriptional regulation of Clr-b during health and disease. A whole-genome lentiviral shRNA screen was used to identify novel transcription factors involved in the normal expression of the Clr-b gene (Clec2d). MeCP2 was identified and validated as a transcription factor that represses Clr-b expression. TBP and CBP were also identified as ubiquitous transcription factors required for normal basal Clr-b surface levels. Accordingly, a core Clec2d promoter with an inverted TATA motif was identified ~20bp upstream of the transcriptional start site (TSS) as sufficient to drive basal Clec2d expression. During NIH3T3 cell infection using MCMV-GFP, infected cells (GFP+) lost Clr-b expression, while uninfected ‘bystander’ cells (GFP–) upregulated Clr-b levels. This was due to reciprocal regulation of the Clec2d promoter and nascent transcripts in virus-infected versus bystander cells exposed to paracrine type-I interferon (IFN). Infected cells downregulated Clec2d nascent transcripts, mainly due to absence of RNAPII recruitment to the Clec2d promoter. Moreover, a cell-autonomous role for the MCMV ie3 gene product was also discovered, whereby ectopic expression of IE3 directly repressed Clec2d activity. In uninfected cells, paracrine or exogenous type-I IFN upregulated Clec2d promoter activity via canonical IFNAR-mediated signaling. This was dependent upon recruitment of STAT2 to a consensus cluster of IRF motifs (IRF3/7/9, termed the IRFC) located ~200bp upstream of the Clec2d TSS. Clec2d induction by type-I IFN was IRF9- and STAT1-dependent, abrogated in IRF9–/– or STAT1–/– MEF or upon mutation of the IRFC. Thus, in addition to Clr-b being an MHC-I-independent ‘missing-self’ marker on virus-infected cells, Clec2d is an interferon-stimulated gene on uninfected bystander cells, collectively facilitating greater dynamic range of NKR-P1B-dependent self-nonself discrimination during virus infection.

Keywords: Clr-b (Clec2d)
Innate Immunity
MCMV
Natural Killer Cells
Transcriptional Regulation
Type-I Interferon
Advisor: Carlyle, James R
Leopold Godowsky’s Fifty-Three Studies on Chopin’s Études

Leopold Godowsky (1870-1937) composed works that require pianistic fluency of an exceptional order, including fifty-three Studies based on twenty-six of Frédéric Chopin’s twenty-seven Études. The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the significance of these Studies and to reveal the compositional techniques that Godowsky used to create them. This dissertation consists of a foreword and seven chapters. The foreword describes the unique position that Godowsky’s Studies occupy in the piano literature and argues that they deserve further scholarly research. Chapter one discusses Godowsky’s life and the composition of the Studies, and it provides a review of relevant literature. Chapter two is divided into two sections. The first section proposes five compositional techniques that are used to create the Studies: switch, condensation, superimposition/addition, reconstruction and merging. The second section examines Godowsky’s classification of the Studies into five categories: Strict Transcriptions, Free Transcriptions, Cantus Firmus Versions, Versions in Form of Variations and Metamorphoses. Chapters three, four and five are case studies of selected Studies, arranged by the compositional techniques presented in Chapter two. Chapter three deals with Studies that are composed using switch, superimposition/addition and merging technique. Chapter four analyzes Studies that are written using reconstruction and superimposition/addition technique; the two works examined in detail stand out as two-hand Studies where switch technique is not used. Chapter five focuses on the left-hand Studies, in which condensation technique is predominant. Chapter six explores the increased difficulty caused by the compositional techniques and offers solutions to overcome them. Chapter seven surveys critical reactions not only to the Studies but also to officially released recordings of them. The chapter then concludes the dissertation with a review of earlier chapters and by engaging Godowsky’s stated objectives in writing the Studies, which were not to promote empty virtuosity but to create a new kind of piano texture based on modern counterpoint and harmonic language.

Keywords: chopin
etude
godowsky
studies
study
Advisor: McClelland, Ryan
Comprehensive Echocardiographic Evaluation of Cardiac Function and Pulmonary Hemodynamics in the Newly Born during Health and Disease

Very little is known about heart function or pulmonary hemodynamics in newborn infants in either health or disease states. Animal experiments have shown that the immediate period following birth is characterized by an increase in pulmonary blood flow, a decrease in pulmonary vascular resistance and closure of fetal shunts. The specific timing and rate of these events in human neonates are not well documented. The adaptation of an immature heart during this phase of physiological â pulmonary hypertensionâ has also not been studied. Persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn (PPHN), a frequent outcome of dysregulation of postnatal adaptation, is associated with significant mortality and morbidity, however, the role of cardiac dysfunction is not well known. Clinical appraisal of cardiac performance is difficult in neonates. Two dimensional echocardiography, the only routinely feasible investigation, has undergone significant technological advancements, making it suitable to study human neonatal cardiac physiology. In the studies reported herein, I demonstrated the feasibility and utility of employing quantitative echocardiography measures for studying cardiopulmonary physiology during the immediate postnatal period, in both health and diseased states. I prospectively established a comprehensive set of normative values for various echocardiographic indices of biventricular cardiac function and pulmonary hemodynamics during the first two days of life and described their relative measurement reliability. Subsequently, for the first time, I provided time-sensitive, quantitative, physiological circulatory data regarding immediate postnatal transition in humans, starting from

Keywords: Echocardiography
Hemodynamics
Newborn
Pulmonary hypertension
Right Ventricle
Transition
Advisor: Jankov, Robert P
McNamara, Patrick J
Mediating globalization: An ethnography of the “English problem” through North Koreans’ English learning with South Korean evangelicals

This ethnography examines the place of English in South Korea through the experience of North Korean migrants in South Korean evangelical institutions. The central thesis is that English in South Korea is both i) a terrain where the tensions in/ of the globalizing (divided) nation-state play out, and ii) a means of mediating those tensions. A central characteristic about the place of English in the South Korean state is the contradiction between the rise of an English testing system for social selection and the limited use of English for everyday communication. This shows the tensions of the neoliberal state, which include notably the tensions between i) globalization and Korean nationalism, and between ii) social stratification and democracy. The English testing system, at the same time, neutralizes these tensions by achieving to a certain extent the competing interests on both sides of the tensions. Evangelicals’ educational institutions for North Korean students are mediating spaces for the North Korean young adults who are directly impacted by the state tensions. They do so by allowing the students to be i) both Korean (national) and English-speaking/ learning (global), and ii) both “North Koreans” (other) and fellow Koreans (us). The evangelicals’ English teaching practices work to mediate their own tension between “helping and evangelizing” (Varghese Johnston, 2007), because English learning is valuable for both neoliberal and evangelical self-development and thus meets the interests of both the evangelicals and the North Koreans. For the North Korean migrants in South Korea, they face the tension between being a South Korean (by citizenship) and not being a South Korean (by cultural habitus). That is, they are given, on one hand, political significance and social advantages through nationalistic/ evangelical institutions (e.g., English support programs particularly for North Koreans), but, on the other hand, they experience barriers in the neoliberal competition (e.g. English testing system). English, however, served as resource for constructing a “third-place” identity for some North Koreans who become fluent English speakers. They had been, in their migration process, less socialized into nationalistic ideology which makes English unspeakable for Koreans.

Keywords: applied linguistics
critical ethnography
Evangelical Christianity
Global English
North Korean migrants
South Korea
Advisor: Heller, Monica