VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
An exploration of teacher vulnerability in a context of large-scale government-mandated secondary school reform

This study examines teacher professional vulnerability in a context of large-scale government mandated secondary school reform. Its primary objective is to develop and refine a theory of vulnerability by grounding it in secondary teachers' day-to-day work as they implement a complex set of reform mandates. It is exploratory and developmental in nature. Two questions are addressed: What is the nature teacher professional vulnerability? In what ways might support influence teacher professional vulnerability? Mixed methodology is used to achieve the primary purpose of this study. The survey and interview data together reveal a dynamic interplay among individual agency, individual attributes, and context that affect the ways teachers understand and experience vulnerability. These data show that teacher professional vulnerability is a complex, multidimensional emotional experience. It has both a protective or inefficacious component, as well as an open or willing component. The conditions of secondary school reform implementation are such that teachers believe that they have lost valued work conditions, and that their sense of purpose as a teacher is under attack (Kelchtermans, 1996). These conditions cause teachers to experience protective or inefficacious vulnerability. Teachers experience willing or open vulnerability as proposed in the theoretical framework primarily in their interactions with students. They value developing rapport with them, and see this more personalized kind of relationship as necessary for students' academic, social and emotional development. The open dimension of vulnerability has not been identified in previous research, and requires further study to better understand its dimensions.

Keywords: Educational change, History
Educational change, Ontario
Teaching, Ontario
Teachers, Attitudes
Teachers, Ontario
Education and state, Ontario
Emotions
The role of DNA repair and genotoxic stress responses in xenobiotic-initiated teratogenesis

Numerous teratogens damage DNA, yet the relevance of this damage to mechanisms of teratogenesis is not well understood. In this thesis, we engineered transgenic mice with extra repair of oxidative DNA damage, in order to develop the first experimental model for directly determining in vivo the pathological significance of reducing oxidative DNA damage. We generated cell lines and transgenic mice with tetracycline-regulable expression of either the reporter enzyme beta-galactosidase or the DNA repair enzyme formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (fpg). We demonstrated that the neonatal central nervous system (CNS) of transgenic mice carrying the tetracycline-regulable gene for fpg have 8-oxo-dG levels which are half that of their wild-type littermates. This enhanced DNA repair is suppressed to wild-type levels by treatment with doxycycline. In the second series of experiments, a specific role for DNA as a teratologically important macromolecule was examined by the study of mice with deficiencies in genotoxic stress responses to teratogens which generate reactive oxygen species. Embryos deficient in the genotoxic stress response gene p53 showed an increase in embryopathy under conditions of normal developmental oxidative stress. A nonsignificant trend towards increased in utero death by exposure to the common anticonvulsant drug phenytoin was observed. The extent of embryonic cell death was not altered by in utero exposure to phenytoin, suggesting that cell death is a teratogen-specific response. The ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein is a genotoxic stress transducer. In this first report of Atm-dependent birth defects. Atm-null embryos were uniquely susceptible to low-dose (0.5 Gy) radiation, exhibiting severe runting, tail anomalies and lethality, independent of cell cycle arrest or IGF-1. Paradoxically, radiation increased p53 protein and CNS apoptosis only in wild-type embryos within 6 h. In contrast, at 48 h, novel non-apoptotic CNS cell death was high only in Atm-null embryos. The data suggest that Atm normally functions to protect the embryo from genotoxic stress, pathological cell death and teratogenesis. As a whole, this thesis demonstrated the importance of the embryonic genotoxic stress response and developed a novel animal model to examine the role of a specific DNA damage product in toxicity and disease.
In vitro models of acute myeloid leukemia in primary primitive human hematopoietic cells

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the blood system characterized by an accumulation of myeloid blasts that fail to differentiate to form functional mature cells. Despite improvements in our understanding of AML at both a cellular and genetic level, treatment options remain limited, and mortality rates are high. For this reason, the development of new, more targeted treatment strategies is of great importance. In particular, therapies are being designed that specifically target the underlying biological pathways of AML. However, despite the fact that genetic abnormalities associated with the transition from normal to malignant hematopoiesis are readily identified, our understanding of how these alterations contribute to leukemogenesis requires relevant in vitro and in vivo models. Traditionally, most of our understanding of the leukemogenic process and the genes involved was extrapolated from analysis of human leukemic cell lines and from mouse models. However, these approaches are limited in that they may not accurately recapitulate what occurs in normal primitive human hematopoietic cells. Over the past decade we and others have begun using retroviral gene transfer to introduce putative oncogenes into primary human hematopoietic precursors. In the studies presented here, we introduced the leukemic fusion protein TLS-ERG, which has been identified in a wide range of leukemic subtypes. We report the step-wise transformation and immortalization of primary lineage-depleted cord blood cells following the introduction of TLS-ERG. TLS-ERG disrupts the normal differenation, proliferation and self-renewal of hematopoietic precursors, and establishes a pre-leukemic state in which additional genetic events relevant to leukemogenesis can accumulate. Here we show that this disruption is the result of at least two independent transforming pathways initiating from the TLS-ERG oncogene. Furthermore, we have used this model of TLS-ERG mediated pre-leukemia to investigate the role of telomerase in both normal and malignant hematopoiesis. We show that upregulation of telomerase activity as measured in vitro is insufficient to maintain telomere lengths, in contrast to what has been observed in other somatic cell types. Our results point to cell context specific differences in the regulation of telomerase, and highlight the need to study leukemogenic events in the correct cellular context.
Empowerment and the Limits of Change: NGOs and Health Decentralization in the Philippines

Policies designed to promote popular participation in planning emerged as the cornerstone of health sector reform in the 1990s. In particular, these policies focused on decentralization, the increased involvement of civil society in planning efforts, and the transfer of functions to non-state sectors. In the Philippines this approach is exemplified in the Local Government Code of 1991. This legislation has the potential to transform center-local relations; redesign social, political, and economic relations within communities; create tensions over limited resources; or encourage new partnerships. This study examines the implementation of the Local Government Code in the Philippines. The focus of the study is the ability of the legislation to increase the extent of local participation, facilitate the capacity of local communities to become informed about and empowered to act upon local needs, and enable local governments to manage the planning process, provide adequate resources, and respond to constituents in an accountable and transparent manner. This research raises important questions about the ability of specific policies to enact change in a particular setting, the nature of Philippine democracy in the post-Marcos era, the new role of nongovernmental organizations in development, and the impact of contemporary decentralization efforts. The case study concludes that the Local Government Code provides new opportunities for local participation and popular empowerment. However, the extent to which the Code will promote substantive change remains limited by the perpetuation of clientelist politics in the post-Marcos era, a mismatch between the capabilities of NGOs and their new role under the Code, and the diminished involvement of the national government and health professionals in planning.
Contrasting approaches to risk assessment with adult male sexual offenders: an evaluation of recidivism prediction schemes and the utility of supplementary clinical information for enhancing predictive accuracy

In the past decade there has been a proliferation of risk assessment schemes that have been demonstrated to distinguish between recidivists and nonrecidivists. The first study reported evaluated the predictive accuracy of various risk assessment schemes representing three of the main approaches to predicting recidivism outcomes among federally sentenced adult male sexual offenders. A series of analyses confirmed the findings reported elsewhere in the literature that actuarial schemes demonstrate moderate levels of accuracy in predicting the recidivism outcomes for which they were designed for this population. A lower, but statistically significant level of accuracy was achieved when a process involving the mechanical combination of trait ratings was used. The results did not support the hypothesis that actuarial risk assessment schemes would be significantly more accurate in predicting recidivism outcomes among sexual offenders than mechanically combined clinical ratings of psychological traits. A second study investigated the independent contribution of psychopathy, ratings of response to treatment and failure to complete treatment to actuarially determined risk level (using the RRASOR) in accounting for variance in sexual recidivism. Failure to complete treatment was found to be a significant predictor of sexual recidivism when actuarially determined risk was controlled. Consistent with the Risk Principle, a significant interaction effect between ratings of response to treatment and the PCL-R was found for sexual recidivism, indicating that sexual offenders with PCL-R scores of 25 or higher who were rated as having responded more positively to treatment recidivated sexually at a lower rate than sexual offenders with PCL-R scores of 25 or above who were rated as having responded poorly to treatment. The contribution that this interaction effect made to the accuracy of the RRASOR in predicting sexual recidivism approached statistical significance.
Small mammals of the southeastern Amazon and the ecological consequences of selective logging

The ecological consequences of the low-intensity selective logging that has occurred over vast areas of the Amazon Basin are often assumed to be minimal; however, few studies have tested this assumption. Additionally, although small mammals play important roles in tropical forests, they have been surveyed in few areas in the Amazon, survey methodologies are poorly developed, and the effects of selective logging on the fauna have not been examined. Thus, this study has three main objectives: (1) document the small mammal fauna at an unsurveyed site in southeastern Amazonia and compare the effectiveness of different trapping methods, (2) examine relationships between small mammal abundances and key habitat and resources variables, and (3) examine the effects of logging on small mammal communities, habitat structure, and seed predation. Small mammals were live-trapped in a variety of habitats, with traps of two types placed at three heights (ground, understory and canopy). Species abundances, habitat structure, resource abundances, and seed predation rates were examined at 300 trap stations in two logged and two unlogged sites. In total, 1,178 individuals of 8 marsupial and 17 rodent species were captured at the site. Including canopy traps, in addition to ground and understory trapping did little to increase the rate of species accumulation, a result attributed to the lack of a well-defined canopy stratum at the site. Analysis of habitat use indicated that many of the species were most abundant in disturbed habitats, in part driven by increased resource abundances. Across all sites, few significant changes were seen as a result of logging, suggesting that the low-levels of harvesting had a minimal impact on forest ecology. However, when examined separately the two logged sites had markedly different responses to logging, indicating that important site differences are mediating logging effects. These results indicate that although the effects of low intensity logging appear to be minimal and localized high degrees of local and regional variability complicate the extrapolation of these results beyond the study system. Indicating that under some conditions logging could greatly impact tropical forests especially if logging intensity are increased.
The physicochemical properties of oat [beta]-glucan and its ability to attenuate postprandial glycaemic response

Viscosity of cereal β-glucan depends on concentration and molecular weight (MW). We investigated whether the postprandial glycaemia lowering effect of β-glucan in oat bran muffins is related to its solubility. Solubility of β-glucan decreased as the number of freeze-thaw cycle increased, while MW distribution was unchanged. Peak blood glucose rise (PBGR) after fresh muffins was significantly lower than that after muffins treated with 4 freeze-thaw cycles (1.84±0.17 vs. 2.31± 0.14mmol/L, p=0.007). Compared to the control, the reduction in incremental area under the glucose curve (AUC) alter fresh muffins was nearly twice that after 4 freeze-thaw cycles (43.3±4.4% vs. 27.0±5.4%, p=0.016). A significant inverse linear relationship was found between log [concentration] of β-glucan and PBGR (r 2=0.85, p=0.009), AUC (r2=0.72, p=0.034) and AUC expressed as a percentage of that after the control (r2=0.80, p=0.017). The ability of oat β-glucan (of constant MW) to lower postprandial glycaemia was influenced by changes in solubility.
Field-programmable analog array implemented using delta-sigma based digital signal processing

Field-Programmable Analog Arrays offer an ease of design, a fast turn-around time and low non-recurrent costs, but the noise inserted by the programmable circuits limits the resolution. This project implements the processing core of an FPAA using delta-sigma based digital signal processing, where the resolution is independent of the circuit noise. This digital FPAA allows the designer to trade off bandwidth for resolution, simplifies the programmable routing grid because all signals are 1-bit, and reduces the fabrication costs by using a low-cost digital CMOS process. The basic blocks of the FPAA can be programmed as a biquad filter, a sine wave oscillator or a 5-input mixer, which have a maximum SNR of 87.5dB with a bandwidth of 476kHz when operating at 244MHz. The FPAA, implemented in TSMC's 0.18μm CMOS technology, consumes 0.93W at full activity and occupies a core area of 6.28mm2. The speed of different full-adder cell architectures was also studied as part of this project.
Pichon and Sajous v. France: implications for Slovakia

This thesis explores the issue of conscientious objection invoked by pharmacies and its impact on women's access to reproductive and sexual health care services. The right to conscientious objection has been recognized by several international and European experts as being derived from a right to freedom of religion, thought and belief. It is not, however, an absolute right. When its exercise is in conflict with other human rights and fundamental freedoms, a fair balance must be struck between a right to conscientious objection and other affected human rights and fundamental freedoms. Particularly in the reproductive health care context, states that allow for conscientious refusals must accommodate conscientious objection in such a way that its exercise does not compromise women's access to these procedures. This analysis of Pichon and Sajous v. France suggests a balanced approach that could be applied in conscientious objection cases involving reproductive health care.

Keywords: Reproductive health, Law and legislation
Women's rights
Conscientious objection
The effects of free fatty acids on hepatic glucose metabolism, insulin action and insulin clearance

Free fatty acids (FFA), which are often elevated in obesity, are implicated in the causative link between obesity and type 2 diabetes. Impaired hepatic glucose production (HGP), hepatic insulin action and insulin clearance (i.e., leading to hyperinsulinemia) are the key features of obesity associated type 2 diabetes. In this thesis, the hypothesis is postulated that elevation of plasma FFA leads to decrease hepatic insulin action and binding via similar mechanisms. In an in vivo rat model (Study 1, 2 and 3), the effects of the elevation of FFA on HGP, hepatic insulin action and insulin clearance were investigated. It is reported in Study 1 that FFA increase HGP in parallel with increased hepatic FFA oxidation, and decrease hepatic insulin action and plasma insulin clearance in parallel with hepatic Protein Kinase C (PKC)-delta translocation. These findings suggest that FFA oxidation plays a role in FFA-induced increase in basal HGP, and PKC-delta plays a role in FFA-induced hepatic insulin resistance and decrease in insulin clearance. In study 2, I found that FFA increase basal HGP by increasing in vivo hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) activity, and induce hepatic insulin resistance by decreasing the ability of insulin to increase in vivo hepatic glucokinase (GK) activity. These data suggest that the rate-limiting enzymes for FFA-induced increase in HGP and hepatic insulin resistance are G6Pase and GK, respectively. Findings of study 3 were that polyunsaturated fatty acids induce less hepatic insulin resistance than saturated or monounsaturated fatty acids, and this effect is paralleled by hepatic PKC-delta translocation but not triglyceride content in the liver. These findings further suggest that PKC-8 mediates FFA-induced hepatic insulin resistance. Also, it appears that liver triglyceride content is not a positive marker for FFA-induced hepatic insulin resistance in our model. In study 4, I found that FFA decrease insulin binding (which is the major determinant of insulin clearance) in an in vitro model (freshly isolated hepatocytes). More importantly, this FFA effect is mediated by PKC-delta but is independent of FFA oxidation. This is similar to the FFA effect on hepatic insulin action as reported in study 1. In conclusion, this thesis provides evidence, for the first time, that elevation of FFA decrease hepatic insulin action and binding possibly via a hepatic PKC-delta mediated mechanism. Thus, by the same molecular mechanism, FFA not only induce hepatic insulin resistance but also generate hyperinsulinemia to potentially overcome, in part, the insulin resistance.
2-Indolylphosphines: Synthesis and reactivity

Organophosphorus compounds bearing indolyl substituents has been synthesized. Using an animal protecting group to direct lithiation and electrophilic trapping with a chlorophosphine, the key P--C bond was formed at the 2-position of indole. Subsequent removal of the aminal protecting groups with NaBH 4 led to the formation of phosphines where the indolyl nitrogen centre may now serve as a secondary site of reactivity with a variety of functional groups to generate a diverse range of phosphines of varying electron-withdrawing and electron-donating character. The stepwise, controlled coordination of the 2-indolylphosphines on Ru 3(CO)12 was examined. Reactions of HL (HL = 2-indolylphosphine) with Ru3(CO)12 led to the formation of Ru3(CO) 11(HL) where HL was mono-coordinated through the phosphorus atom. Gentle heating of Ru3(CO)11(HL) resulted in the formation of Ru3(CO)9(mu-H)(mu3,eta2-L) in which the NH proton has migrated to the triruthenium core to form a bridging hydride ligand. Through its deprotonated nitrogen atom, the indolyl moiety bridged over the face of the triruthenium core, bonding to the two ruthenium centres to which the phosphorus atom is not bound. 2-Indolylphosphines behaved as anionic 6-electron P, N-donors in this mode of coordination. Monodentate 2-indolylphosphines, in the absence of base, served as 2-electron P-donors in reaction with Pd(COD)Cl2 to form [Pd(L)Cl(mu-Cl)] 2 dimers. In the presence of base, one of the dimers aggregated into a 58-electron butterfly cluster Pd4Cl4[P(C6H 5)2(C9H8N)]2[mu3,eta2-P(C6H5) 2(C9H7N)]2 where the ligand served in two positions as a neutral 2-electron P-donor and in one position as an anionic 4-electron N-donor. Lastly, a new generation of 2-indolylphosphines has been prepared with an emphasis on increasing electron richness of the phosphine and increasing overall steric bulk. These phosphines featured non-phenyl phosphorus substituents and phenyl groups on the indolyl nitrogen centre. Preliminary results showed that 2-indolylphosphines could serve as effective ligands for the Heck-Mizoroki and Buchwald-Hartwig animation reactions involving aryl bromides, but their performance in reactions with aryl chlorides was poor. 2-Indolylphosphines served as scaffolds for the synthesis of new unsymmetric P, P and P, N-bidentate ligands which feature a rigid indole backbone. X-ray studies of the Pd(II) square planar complexes provided insights into the nature of the bonding geometry of these P, P and P, N-bidentate ligands.
Molecular and genetic analysis of breast cancer metastasis in the human bone NOD/SCID mouse model

In this study, we create a clinically relevant model using NOD/SCID mice engrafted with human bone fragments in both right and left flanks, and show that the human bone implants are viable and functional for more than 12 weeks. To investigate the growth and metastatic behavior of breast cancer, human primary breast tumor specimens are subsequently transplanted under only the right flanks of the mouse model. Some of the engrafted tumors proliferate extensively with massive neo-vascularization and metastasize to the initially tumor-free left bone grafts, indicating that this mouse model can be used to distinguish primary breast tumor that do or do not proliferate and metastasize to human bone. To identify genes that correlated with tumorigenesis and metastasis to bone, gene expression profiles using whole genome microarrays are generated by analyzing the differential expressions of the primary patient breast tumors versus the metastatic breast tumors developed in our mouse model.
Questioning authority: an inquiry into the professional status of women teachers in a boys' secondary school

This thesis examines the issue of teacher authority in a boys' secondary school in London, UK on two distinct levels. The first draws attention to the ways in which women teachers' authority is questioned and challenged by their pupils and consequently undermines their professional status. The second level analyses these social relations by questioning how authority has been historically constructed and continues to be maintained through gender regimes and through masculinity more broadly. The gender regime at the research site is critiqued using a critical ethnographic method. The data analyses will reveal that a redefinition of authority would lend itself to legitimizing the professional status of women teachers as well as emphasizing the importance of positive pupil-teacher relationships to bring about social change in school communities and in a wider social sphere.

Keywords: Women teachers, Attitudes
Women teachers, England
Boys, Education (Secondary)
Boys, England
Teacher-student relationships, England
Sexism in education, England
High school teachers, Attitudes
High school teachers, England
Sex discrimination against women, England