How to Build a World: Stereoscopes, Tourism, and Land in Zion National Park

This thesis fundamentally questions how representations of the environment and land impact how we relate to and live in it. By examining a set of 1925 stereoscope images of Zion National Park, it considers how use-based perceptions of place – structured by the entertainment of tourism and mass media – become part of the mundane practices of consumption. By revealing how these capitalist-colonial relationships to the land have been built through time, an analysis of these stereoscope slides reveals that these stories are anything but natural in hopes of making room for other stories to be built instead. The second part is an installation project extrapolating this research into a multimedia virtual reality and illustration piece that takes on the viewpoint of a fictional Martian travel agency. This section ultimately looks to reveal how use-based relationships to our environments have been packaged and sold throughout time, embodied by a comparison between the stereoscope and 21st Century Virtual Reality. Overall, by looking at how these capital-colonial narratives around land have been built, this thesis looks to propose one method of many through which to re-frame environmental issues as able to be addressed

Expectations and Experiences of Substitute Teachers

This article explores the expectations of support for and the experiences of substitute teachers in an urban school division in Saskatchewan. Data were collected in semistructured interviews with seven substitute teachers. The purpose of the study was to explore how substitute teachers frame their professional experiences and construct their roles in complex institutional contexts. The findings indicate that although participants view some of their work as highly positive, there are significant observable tensions in their professional lives. Work satisfactions and dissatisfactions of substitute teachers are discussed. Overall, results indicate a number of issues: substitute teachers are an integral part of the education system; professional teacher associations, although theoretically acknowledging the professional membership of substitute teachers, do not include them in professional activities; school divisions are ultimately responsible for the work of substitute teachers; and the future seems bleak for those who believe they have been condemned to the substitute list.Cet article évoque les expériences d’enseignants suppléants et leurs attentes quant à l’appui dans un district scolaire urbain en Saskatchewan. La cueillette de données s’est effectuée par des entrevues semi-structurées auprès de sept enseignants suppléants. L’objectif de l’étude était de découvrir la façon dont les enseignants suppléants interprètent leurs expériences professionnelles et construisent leurs rôles au sein de contextes institutionnels complexes. Les résultats indiquent que même si les participants perçoivent de façon très positive certains éléments de leur travail, leur vie professionnelle comporte des tensions significatives. De façon générale, les enjeux suivants ressortent des résultat : les enseignants suppléants font partie intégrante du système éducatif; quoique les associations professionnelles d’enseignants reconnaissent, en théorie, l’affiliation professionnelle des enseignants suppléants, elles ne les intègrent pas dans les activités professionnelles; les divisions scolaires sont responsables en dernier ressort du travail des enseignants suppléants; l’avenir ne s’annonce pas très prometteur pour ceux qui croient avoir été relégués à la liste des enseignants suppléants

Crystallization of the FAD-independent acetolactate synthase of Klebsiella pneumoniae

Leucine and valine are formed in a common pathway from pyruvate in which the first intermediate is 2-acetolactate. In some bacteria, this compound also has a catabolic fate as the starting point for the butanediol fermentation. The enzyme (EC 4.1.3.18) that forms 2-acetolactate is known as either acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) or acetolactate synthase (ALS), with the latter name preferred for the catabolic enzyme. A significant difference between AHAS and ALS is that the former requires FAD for catalytic activity, although the reason for this requirement is not well understood. Both enzymes require the cofactor thiamine diphosphate. Here, the crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the Klebsiella pneumoniae ALS is reported. Data to 2.6 Angstrom resolution have been collected at 100 K using a rotating-anode generator and an R-AXIS IV++ detector. Crystals have unit-cell parameters a = 137.4, b = 143.9, c = 134.4 Angstrom, alpha = 90, beta = 108.4, gamma = 90degrees and belong to space group C2. Preliminary analysis indicates that there are four monomers located in each asymmetric unit

Crystallization of Arabidopsis thaliana acetohydroxyacid synthase in complex with the sulfonylurea herbicide chlorimuron ethyl

Acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS; EC 2.2.1.6) catalyses the formation of 2-acetolactate and 2-aceto-2-hydroxybutyrate as the first step in the biosynthesis of the branched-chain amino acids valine, leucine and isoleucine. The enzyme is inhibited by a wide range of substituted sulfonylureas and imidazolinones and many of these compounds are used as commercial herbicides. Here, the crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the catalytic subunit of Arabidopsis thaliana AHAS in complex with the sulfonylurea herbicide chlorimuron ethyl are reported. This is the first report of the structure of any plant protein in complex with a commercial herbicide. Crystals diffract to 3.0 Angstrom resolution, have unit-cell parameters a = b = 179.92, c = 185.82 Angstrom and belong to space group P6(4)22. Preliminary analysis indicates that there is one monomer in the asymmetric unit and that these are arranged as pairs of dimers in the crystal. The dimers form a very open hexagonal lattice, with a high solvent content of 81%

Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Therapies as a Treatment for Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) has been increasingly used as a source of haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) for transplantation. UCB transplantation (UCBT) has some advantages such as less stringent human leucocyte antigen (HLA) matching and lower impact of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). UCBT is also characterised by a high rate of infections, graft failure, delayed engraftment and slow recovery of the immune system. UCB contains HSC as well as immune cells that could be considered to develop new treatments for the main complications post-UCBT but also to treat other diseases. GvHD remains a major complication post-CBT and post-haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In view of their ability to induce tolerance and suppress the functions of effector T cells, regulatory T (Treg) cells have been proposed as an adoptive therapy to modulate GvHD post-HSCT. In addition, we showed that UCB contains soluble NKG2D ligands that can modulate the functions of NKG2D expressing cells, making UCB plasma a product of interest to modulate inflammation and in particular skin GvHD. Here, we aim to describe some of the therapies currently developed using UCB, focusing on Treg cells and UCB plasma for the treatment of GvHD

FACTITIOUS HYPOGLYCAEMIA: A CASE REPORT AND LITERATURE REVIEW

Background: Factitious hypoglycaemia is a form of factitious disorder imposed on self with high morbidity and mortality. It is therefore important to be aware of the key demographic and contextual risk factors for factitious hypoglycaemia, as well the investigations and management options available for suspected cases. Subjects and methods: In this article we describe a case report and literature review of factitious hypoglycaemia. The search was conducted using the PubMed database and identified 23 case reports of 31 patients aged 18 or over with insulin-induced factitious hypoglycaemia. Results: The average age of these patients was 33.7 (±13.5) years, the female: male ratio was 4.3:1, 38% had medical occupations or past medical training, 53% had diabetes mellitus, and 41% had a positive psychiatric history. Misdiagnoses were common and often resulted in inappropriate treatment. Very few cases discussed psychiatric management. Conclusions: Factitious hypoglycaemia is more commonly reported in middle-aged females, in a medical profession, with a past medical history of diabetes mellitus and psychiatric illness. However, it may affect a variety of patients and the absence of these features should not discourage a diagnosis. C-peptide levels and insulin assays can help identify factitious hypoglycaemia over other causes of hypoglycaemia, and management should include a greater focus on psychiatric treatment