VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Canada's Outstanding Principals: A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Leadership Development, Principal Efficacy, and Transformational Leadership

This dissertation describes how Canada’s Outstanding Principals (COP) processes (i.e., engaging in the COP program, receiving COP recognition, continuing participation with COPA, engaging in technology-based networking, and navigating nomination process) enhanced the leadership capacities of COP recipients, and how COP, as a leadership development program, strengthened the relationship between transformational leadership and principal efficacy. An exploratory analysis of collective principal efficacy was also presented. Over and above an existing skill set, well-designed leadership development programs require a multi-year commitment integrating leadership wisdom from education and non-education sectors. When core transformational practices were combined, the COP processes of engaging in the COP program, receiving COP recognition, and continuing participation with COPA were most influential, while engaging in technology-based networking and navigating the nomination process were least influential. COP met the six leadership development program elements identified in the literature review as being foundational to a well-designed leadership development program. All six elements were necessary to enhance principal leadership capacity. When evidence relating to influential leadership development experiences and elements of well-designed leadership development programs were combined, purposeful, reciprocal, and iterative peer networking appeared to be the most influential leadership development program element. Principal efficacy was identified as a prerequisite for transformational leadership with the core transformational leadership practice of developing people driving the other core transformational leadership practices. Overall, COP processes moderately improved COP recipient ability to demonstrate core transformational leadership practices. The concepts of transformational leadership and principal efficacy, and their impact on student achievement, are demonstrated as important in the research literature. This dissertation contributed to the research literature by applying these concepts to a leadership development program, establishing that developing leaders with abilities as transformational leaders, and tapping into principal efficacy, were insightful elements of leadership development. Further research was suggested to consolidate understanding of the collective principal efficacy concept, and how to foster collective principal efficacy when developing a network of principals with high principal efficacy. Recommendations for leaders, program developers, and policymakers are made.

Keywords: Leadership Development
Principal Efficacy
Transformational Leadership
Mixed-Methods
Advisor: Mascall, Blair
John of Freiburg and the Usury Prohibition in the Late Middle Ages: A Study in the Popularization of Medieval Canon Law

In this dissertation I provide an edition of the treatise on usury (De usuris, bk. 2, tit. 7) contained in the Dominican friar John of Freiburg’s (d. 1314) Summa confessorum (ca. 1298) – a comprehensive encyclopedia of pastoral care that John wrote for the benefit of his fellow friar preachers and all others charged with the cure of souls. The edition is prefaced by a detailed biography of John of Freiburg, an account of the genesis of the Summa confessorum that places the work in the context of John’s other literary productions, a commentary on the contents of the treatise on usury, and a study of the influence of John’s treatise on subsequent confessors’ manuals up to the end of the fourteenth century with a special concentration on the history of the Summa confessorum on usury in England. Based on an analysis of the social function of confessors’ manuals and the reception history of John’s treatise on usury, I contend that the Summa confessorum offers us a window into what many medieval men and women of all social classes in widespread areas of Europe might have known about the medieval Church’s prohibition of taking interest in a loan. As a prominent vehicle for the popularization of medieval canon law, then, the Summa confessorum occupies a significant place in the intellectual and social history of the Late Middle Ages. Finally, I argue that John’s choices in crafting his treatise on usury were ultimately influenced to a significant extent by the clash of economic interests between the old landed aristocracy and the rising burgher class in Freiburg, where John wrote the Summa confessorum and served as lector of the Dominican convent for over thirty years.

Keywords: usury
canon law
economic history
theology
Roman law
philosophy
church history
german history
Advisor: Goering, Joseph
A Molecular-level Investigation of the Interactions between Organofluorine Compounds and Soil Organic Matter using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

In this dissertation, the intermolecular interactions between soil organic matter (SOM) and organofluorine compounds have been studied at the molecular-level using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. NMR probes the local magnetic environment surrounding atomic nuclei, and is uniquely capable as an analytical tool to probe molecular environments in complex disordered materials, such as soils. Several NMR techniques were employed in this work, including Pulse Field Gradient (PFG)-NMR based diffusion measurements, solid-state cross-polarization (CP), saturation transfer difference (STD) spectroscopy, and reverse-heteronuclear saturation transfer difference (RHSTD) spectroscopy. Using organofluorine compounds as molecular probes, xenobiotic interactions with SOM were studied. Using 1H{19F} RHSTD, the interaction sites in humic acid for organofluorine compounds were identified by direct molecular-level methods. Protein and lignin were identified as major binding sites, with different preferences exhibited for these sites by dissimilar organofluorine compounds: aromatic organofluorine compounds display varied preference for aromatic humic acid sites while perfluorooctanoic acid exhibits near total selectivity for protein-derived binding sites. The mechanisms underlying these preferences were probed in the solution state. Using crucial knowledge from the humic acid studies, a detailed molecular-level investigation of xenobiotic interactions in an intact and unmodified whole soil was made possible. A direct and in situ elucidation of the components in soil organic matter that interact with small organofluorine xenobiotic molecules has been presented, allowing, for the first time, resolution of multiple interactions occurring for xenobiotics simultaneously at different sites within a whole soil.

Keywords: Xenobiotic Interactions with Soil Organic Matter
Environmental Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Advisor: Simpson, Andre
Gene Localization and Transcriptional Dynamics in the Optimization of Transgene Expression

Gene transfer techniques such as retroviral transduction have many applications such as cell marking, cell reprogramming, and therapeutics. Transgene expression, however, is often variable and maintaining long-term expression is problematic in progenitor cell types. To better control transgene expression, research has focused on the optimized use of cis-regulatory elements, such as promoters, enhancers and insulators. In addition to controlling gene expression, these regulatory elements modulate the nuclear organization of the transgene. The integration site also exerts significant effects on steady state and temporal transgene expression via the neighbouring chromatin environment. The first part of this thesis describes the co-operation of modified β-globin intronic elements in providing high-level expression and favorable nuclear localization. I demonstrate that these elements are compatible with efficient lentivirus transduction for globin gene therapy purposes. In the second chapter, I examine high-expressing EGFP retroviral transgenes and show that such steady state expression may exhibit rapid transcriptional fluctuations, which is modulated by different transcriptional dynamics at different integration sites. Finally, in the last chapter, I evaluate the use of a 3’D4Z4 insulator element in maintaining long-term EGFP transgene expression in ES cells, and discover integration-site specific temporal dynamics in retroviral vector expression. Overall, my results demonstrate that using multiple regulatory elements and insulating these elements from different types of genomic loci optimize transgene expression and dynamics in progenitor cells.

Keywords: Nuclear organization
Retroviral Vector
Transcriptional Pulsing
Insulator
β-globin LCR
Transgene Silencing
Gene therapy
Live cell imaging
Embryonic stem cells
Gene expression
Advisor: Ellis, James
Porphyrin-based Agents and Their Applications in Cancer Imaging and Therapy

Porphyrins represent one of the oldest, most widely studied chemical structures, both in nature and in biomedical applications. Due to their tumor avidity and favorable photophysical properties, such as long wavelength absorption and emission, easy derivatization, high singlet oxygen quantum yield and low in vivo toxicity, porphyrins have found particular success for photodynamic therapy and fluorescence imaging of cancer. Additionally, they are excellent metal chelators, forming highly stable metallo-complexes, making porphyrins an efficient delivery vehicle for radioisotopes. Thus, there is great potential in the applications of these multi-modal porphyrin-based agents for cancer imaging and therapy. I have investigated the characteristics of various porphyrin-based probes and their potential application in different clinically relevant models. Here, I will discuss three types of porphyrin-based agents: 1) photodynamic molecular beacons (PPMMPB), 2) targeted peptide porphyrins (PPF) and 3) porphyrin-lipid nanovesicles, porphysomes. I will demonstrate that all of these porphyrin-based agents have potential clinical applications in various fields of cancer imaging and therapy. Although these three agents differ greatly, they all aim to increase the signal-to-background ratio of tumor to healthy tissue uptake of porphyrins, thereby increasing our ability to detect tumor tissue and better preserve healthy tissue during therapy.

Keywords: Cancer
Porphyrins
Optical Imaging
PET imaging
Photodynamic Therapy
Protease targeting
Folate targeting
Nanoparticles
Advisor: Wilson, Brian Campbell
Zheng, Gang
Motivating Teachers’ Commitment to Change by Transformational School Leadership in Urban Upper Secondary Schools of Shenyang City, China

This multi-methods research project studies the main leadership practices from the perspectives of teachers in the recent process of curriculum reform and the extent to which these leadership practices motivated their commitment to change. It also investigates the effects of organizational and teachers’ factors on their perceptions of these transformational school leadership practices in Shenyang, a northeast city of China. The first research question explored the transformational leadership model in Chinese school context. Key words relevant to transformational school leadership practices were identified from teachers’ survey answers using content analysis for formulating the Chinese transformational school leadership questionnaire. Additionally, the Chinese transformational school leadership questionnaire was formulated using principal component analysis. Subsequently, the organizational characteristics questionnaire, and the teachers’ commitment to change questionnaire were validated using principal component analysis and reliability analysis for answering remaining two research questions. The second research question investigated the effects of organizational and teachers’ factors on teachers’ perception of transformational school leadership. The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that variables like culture, strategy, environment, and teacher’s age had significant relationships with teachers’ perception of transformational school leadership. Culture, environment, strategy, structure, and teachers’ factors such as age and grade teacher taught had moderate effects on different dimensions of teachers’ perception of transformational school leadership. The third research question examined the effects of transformational school leadership on teachers’ commitment to change. The results of linear regression showed that the effect of transformational school leadership was moderate when transformational school leadership and teachers’ commitment to change were treated as a single variable. Four dimensions of transformational leadership practices together explained the moderate effects on the four dimensions of teachers’ commitment to change respectively, among which the effect of managing the instructional program was the most prominent. This study represents an original attempt to understand how Chinese teachers perceive transformational school leadership, the effects of organizational and personal factors on teachers’ perception of transformational school leadership, and the effects of transformational school leadership on teachers’ commitment to change in the Chinese urban upper secondary school context. This research seeks to contribute to leadership development and school change practices in the Chinese school context.

Keywords: Transformational School Leadership
Teachers' Commitment to Change
Shenyang City
Advisor: Mascall, Blair
Seismic Behaviour of Reinforced Concrete Columns

Appropriate transverse confinement can significantly improve strength, ductility and energy dissipation capacity of reinforced concrete columns, therefore enhancing their seismic resistance. This study is conducted to evaluate the seismic behaviour of concrete columns transversely confined by steel spirals, ties or fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) wrapping. In the experimental program of this study, fifteen circular concrete columns of 356 mm (14 in.) diameter and 1473 mm (58 in.) length were tested under lateral cyclic displacement excursions while simultaneously subjected to constant axial load thus simulating earthquake loads. Eight columns were solely confined by various amounts of steel spirals, while seven other columns containing only minimal steel spirals were retrofitted by external FRP wrapping. Test results revealed that the increased transverse confinement can improve the energy dissipation capacity, ductility, deformability and flexural strength of concrete columns. The required transverse confinement should also be enhanced with the increase of axial load level to satisfy certain seismic design criterion. A computation program was developed to conduct monotonic pushover analysis for confined concrete columns, which can predict the envelope curves of moment vs. curvature and shear vs. deflection hysteresis loops with reasonable accuracy for columns subjected to simulated seismic loading. Based on extensive numerical analysis, expressions were developed for the relationships between the amount of transverse confinement and different ductility parameters, as well as the strength enhancement of confined columns. Finally, design procedures to determine the amount of transverse confinement were developed for concrete columns to achieve a certain ductility target. The enhancement of flexural strength of columns due to transverse confinement was also evaluated.

Keywords: seismic behaviour
concrete columns
confinement
steel reinforcement
FRP jackets
experiments
nonlinear analysis
Advisor: Sheikh, Shamim A.
The Role of Hedgehog-Gli Pathway Regulators in Skin Development and Tumorigenesis

Proper control of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is critical for hair follicle morphogenesis and ectopic Hh pathway activity is a hallmark of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common type of skin cancer. Mutations in Hh pathway components such as the Hh-binding receptor PATCHED1 (PTCH1) are frequently found in BCC. However, how Hh pathway activation disrupts normal skin homeostasis to promote BCC formation remains poorly understood. Gli2, the major mediator of Hh signaling is essential for hair follicle development and its overexpression in the epidermis induces BCC formation. Despite the importance of Gli2 in the skin, how it is regulated during skin development and tumorigenesis is unclear. Using a genetic approach with loss-of-function mouse mutants and primary keratinocyte cultures, I have uncovered the distinct and overlapping functions of Sufu and Kif7, two evolutionarily conserved regulators of the Hh pathway, during skin development and tumorigenesis. Sufu and Kif7 play opposing roles in Hh signaling through the regulation of Gli2 subcellular distribution, and Kif7 performs distinct Sufu-dependent and –independent functions. In addition, deletion of both Sufu and Kif7 in embryonic skin leads to complete loss of follicular fate and compromised epidermal differentiation. In the adult skin, inactivation of Sufu does not drive BCC formation and requires additional genetic alterations such as the loss of Kif7. Using a Ptc1 mouse model for BCC, I have identified previously unrecognized molecular pathways and cellular events involved in BCC pathogenesis. This includes, aberrant cell cycle progression, loss of cell cycle checkpoint regulation, and suppression of the p53 response. Overall my work provides critical insight into the molecular control of Hh signaling and the downstream events driving BCC formation.

Keywords: Hedgehog
Gli
Basal cell carcinoma
skin
Advisor: Hui, Chi-chung
A Study of the Principals' and Teachers' Perceptions of the Effects of Collegial Approach to Implementing School Self-evaluation in Selected Hong Kong Schools

ABSTRACT Starting in September 1997, the Hong Kong Education Commission has adopted School Self-Evaluation as part of the framework of Quality Assurance Mechanism for promoting quality education culture in schools. Under a project initiated by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, some primary and secondary schools started to implement school self-evaluation in their school. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of this self-evaluation framework based on principals’ and teachers’ perception of these participating schools. The relationships among school self-evaluation, school cultural changes, teacher co-operative learning culture and principal leadership are also explored. Furthermore, this study examines whether other factors, such as school type, teacher gender, teacher ranking position, teachers’ year-of-teaching-career and Chinese cultural values, will affect the implementation of self-evaluation in schools. A mixed approach of methodology was adopted for this research work. The findings indicated that school self-evaluation can initiate teacher co-operative learning culture, which in turn effects cultural changes in these schools. Also, the above named components play specific roles in the school self-evaluation implementation – school cultural change process: teacher co-operative learning culture acts as mediator, school self-evaluation as moderator and principal leadership as change facilitator.

Keywords: School Self-Evaluation
School Cultural Changes
Professional Learning Communities
Principal Leadership
Chinese Cultural Values
School Improvement
Quality Education
Quality Assurnace
Principal's Attitude
Teacher's Attitude
Primary and Secondary Education
Advisor: Earl, Lorna
Ethical Complexities in the Virtual World: Teacher Perspectives of ICT Based Issues and Conflicts

Shawn Lennie, Ethical Complexities in the Virtual World: Teacher Perspectives of ICT Based Issues and Conflicts, Doctor of Philosophy, CTL, OISE, 2013. Using a qualitative research methodology, this study explores the perceptions that K-12 teachers have on the ethical issues they have experienced as a result of, or in relation to, ICT. Participants included 10 practicing teachers who had identified experience with ICT based issues in their teaching practice. Each participant engaged in two semi-structured interviews focused on the research topic. The first interview explored the perceptions and experiences that the participants had with ICT based issues in their practice, while the second involved an examination of eight vignettes involving ICT based issues that were ethical in nature. The use of this approach provides a descriptive account of the experiences and perceptions of the participants in the study. Results from the study highlight the impact that ethical issues involving technology have on the moral work of teachers and the challenges that emerge as teachers attempt to identify morally responsible ways to respond to the complex and dynamic challenges that they face. Participants demonstrate a heightened sensitivity to ethical issues involving technology that compromise the safety and well-being of children, such as cyber-bullying, as well as those that compromise professional and academic integrity, such as plagiarism. Results also reveal the predominant use of subjective moral judgment when evaluating the moral significance of ICT based issues and reluctance on the part of teachers to challenge the inappropriate use of technology by their colleagues. This contrasts with a strong belief that teachers play an important role as moral models for students who are developing an understanding of what constitutes responsible digital behaviour. These results are significant to scholarship on teacher professionalism, digital ethics and citizenship, and policy development relating to ICT based issues.

Keywords: digital ethics
ICT
technology
Facebook
teacher perspectives
ethical issues
moral work of teachers
morals
Advisor: Campbell, Elizabeth
Sensing of Bacterial Peptidoglycan by Peptidoglycan Recognition Molecules

Peptidoglycan is an essential component of bacteria that provide structure and integrity of the cell. The main goal of this thesis has been to study the innate immune molecules that recognize bacterial peptidoglycan. In particular, the first three data chapters focus mainly on Nod1 and Nod2, the intracellular innate immune receptors critical for peptidoglycan recognition. First, the contribution of Rip2, the adaptor protein downstream of both Nod1 and Nod2 signaling, in innate and adaptive immunity was investigated in vivo using Rip2-deficient mice. I demonstrated that Rip2 was required and critical for triggering Nod1- and Nod2-driven Th2 immunity in vivo. Second, the mechanism by which Nod1 and Nod2 ligands enter into epithelial cells was investigated. Using biochemical approaches and molecular biology techniques in vitro, I determined that the entry of these Nod1 and Nod2 ligands was mediated through clathrin-dependent endocytosis, and the internalization of the ligands was dependent on pH. More importantly, I identified a role for SLC15A4, an oligopeptide transporter expressed in early endosomes, in Nod1-dependent signaling. The last chapter of this thesis focused on delineating the role of the poorly characterized peptidoglycan binding and amidase protein PGLYRP2 in innate immune responses to Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium infection. Although PGLYRP2 did not seem to modulate Nod1- and Nod2-dependent early Th17 inflammatory responses during Salmonella colitis in vivo, the protein was shown to have a protective role in the host defense against S. Typhimurium, and this role appeared to be independent of its amidase activity. All together, the work presented in this thesis provides novel insights into various aspects of signaling mechanisms dependent on Nod1, Nod2, as well as the poorly characterized mammalian PGLYRP2 in mucosal innate immunity.

Advisor: Girardin, Stephen