Bollywood Broads: Reconstructing the Femme Fatale in Popular Indian Film

Mumbai is currently one of the most prolific and lucrative film centers in the world. Its production of the Bollywood popular film has attracted billions in audience members outside the nation of India, many of whom do not belong to Indian culture in the Diaspora. The significance of this influence draws from the cross-cultural borrowings increasingly present in Bollywood cinema. The advent of Western investment in the production center has coincided with the diversification of the standard Bollywood film from masala musical to more genre specific action, horror and even romantic comedy musical. Within this genre expansion, a nod to a classicand specifically Westerncinema form has occurred. By borrowing the Femme Fatale from Film Noir and recreating her as the City Siren, Bollywood has achieved liberation for the heroine and from cultural emasculation in one. In this liberation, Bollywood has taken the Western implication of Eastern femininity and used a Western film form to turn that implication on its head. They have declared that the East may be masculine or feminine, easily utilizing either trait, as it is now fluent in both

“They Don’t Get the Respect they Should”: An Examination of Visual Communication Disciplinary Practices in Composition and the Biological Sciences

This study investigates the similarities and differences of visual communication practices and conventions in the composition and biological sciences disciplines. Although scholars and instructors in Writing across the Curriculum (WAC) and composition have examined disciplinary differences in written communication, little is known about disciplinary differences of visual communication. While writing has been the central focus of composition classes, visuals are often key components of the composing process for individuals working in natural sciences fields like the biological sciences. This dissertation reports the results from a two-part qualitative analysis research project: 1) an examination of how composition and general science-writing textbooks discuss visual communication conventions and 2) an evaluation of interviews with six instructors, three from composition and three from the biological sciences, who discuss their professional use of visuals. Specifically, the terms used to describe visuals, the pedagogical topics covered when teaching visual communication, and the participants’ processes for composing and reading visuals were examined. The results indicate that some visual communication practices and conventions appear similarly in both the biological sciences and composition disciplines. These similarities center on instructional goals, practices, and concerns. For instance, the participants recognized the importance of visual communication to effective communication in the disciplines, even though they found gaps in their own instruction, and also observe students struggling with visuals and textbooks lacking strong visuals and visual communication instruction. Meanwhile, differences between and within these two disciplines do appear, which center on reading and composing processes and the instruction of those practices. Because these disciplinary distinctions exist, instruction of visual communication practices also differs across these two disciplines. Notably, though, visuals are crucial components of communication in both disciplines, yet participants in composition and the biological sciences agree that they find a lack of effective visual communication instruction. This examination suggests that as WAC and composition instructors clarify their understanding of the use of visuals in a variety of academic writing contexts, they might enhance students’ awareness of visual communication conventions in composition and potentially aid their transfer of visual communication skills from composition courses to those in the biological sciences and other disciplines

Regional security dialogues in Europe and in Asia: The role of Track 1.5 forums in the practice of international security

The term regional security dialogue brings to mind state-organised conferences and events; however, an under-appreciated subset of such dialogues are organised by non-state actors that have unique formal aspects. These quasi-formal dialogues operate alongside, and sometimes in competition to, state-sanctioned processes. Why do some of these forums appear to be more effective at fostering regional dialogue than strictly formal or informal processes with the same goals? Drawing from heterogenous discourse approaches, we address this question by identifying and expanding the concept of the quality of discursive space, as a key feature for the success of security dialogues. We then apply this concept to two of the most successful so-called Track 1.5 security dialogues: the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Europe and the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in Asia. We analyse these cases using a mix of interviews with participants and organisers, participant observation, and public outputs with the aim of improving the understanding of the role and impact of Track 1.5 diplomacy in the practice of international security. Our findings highlight that it is what we call the quality of discursive space, as a mix of different components in this space, which differentiates effective dialogues from mere policy 'talk shops'

Asean think tanks, policy change and economic cooperation:From the asian financial crisis to the global financial crisis

Using discourse institutionalism this article traces how Asian think tanks have provided valuable input for informing and articulating alternative economic narratives in the wake of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis (AFC) and the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2007–2008. Starting with the AFC, think tanks began to cultivate a move away from dominant western economic policy approaches towards more ‘Asian’-style solutions. These solutions included new policy programmes focused on creating ‘sustainable and balanced’ economic growth and protecting vulnerable populations from the negative impacts of financial downturns. Regulatory and institutional changes reflecting these new narratives helped shelter the Asian financial sector during the GFC a decade later. The GFC also created additional critical junctures permitting think tanks to coordinate new policy solutions concerning financial regulation and foster an emerging regional economic identity

Extent of intra-isolate genetic polymorphism in glomus etunicatum using a molecular genetic approach

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Systematics and floral evolution of the Dialiinae (Caesalpinioideae), a diverse lineage of tropical legumes

Le clade Dialiinae représente l’une des premières lignées de la sous-famille Caesalpinioideae des Leguminosae. Il se compose de 17 genres (environ 90 espèces), avec des taxons qui sont répandus dans toutes les régions tropicales du monde. Morphologiquement, le groupe comprend un assemblage divers de taxons qui peut représenter une «phase expérimentale» dans l’évolution florale des légumineuses. Différents représentants du clade présentent de la poly-, mono-, et asymétrie, et semblent avoir subi un haut degré de perte d’organe, produisant, dans certains cas, des fleurs extrêmement réduites qui sont à peine reconnaissables comme appartenant à la famille des légumineuses. Afin d’obtenir une image plus claire de l’évolution florale du clade Dialiinae, une phylogénie bien résolue et bien soutenue est nécessaire. Dans le but de créer une telle phylogénie, un total de 37 échantillons d’ADN des Dialiinae a été séquencé pour deux régions chloroplastiques, soit rps16 et trnL. De plus, une étude morphologique complète a été réalisée. Un total de 135 caractères végétatifs et reproductifs a été évalué pour 79 espèces de Dialiinae et pour quatre groupes externes. Les analyses phylogénétiques ont d’abord été effectuées sur un groupe restreint de taxons pour lesquels les trois types de données étaient disponibles. Les nœuds fortement soutenus de cette phylogénie ont ensuite été utilisés comme contrainte pour une seconde analyse de parcimonie avec les données morphologiques d’un ensemble plus important de taxons. Les caractères morphologiques ont été optimisés sur l’un des arbres les plus parcimonieux de cette seconde analyse. Un certain nombre de nouvelles relations au niveau de l’espèce ont été résolues, créant une image plus claire quant à l’évolution de la forme florale dans le temps, particulièrement pour les genres Labichea et Dialium. En plus de leur morphologie florale mature diverse, les Dialiinae sont également très variables dans leur ontogénèse florale, affichant à la fois la perte et la suppression des organes, et présentant une variété de modes d’initiation d’organes. Afin de construire une image plus complète du développement floral et de l’évolution dans ce clade, l’ontogénèse florale de plusieurs espèces non documentées à ce jour a été étudiée. La série complète du développement a été compilée pour six espèces de Dialiinae; quatre de Dialium, ainsi que Poeppigia procera et Mendoravia dumaziana. Le mode et le moment de l’initiation des organes étaient pour la plupart uniforme pour toutes les espèces de Dialium étudiés. Tant pour ce qui est des gains ou des pertes d’organes chez Dialium, une tendance est apparente – l’absence d’organe abaxial. Que ce soit pour les sépales ou les étamines, les gains se produisent toujours en position médiane adaxiale, tandis que les étamines et les pétales perdus sont toujours les organes les plus ventraux. Les taxons étudiés ici illustrent le manque apparent de canalisation du développement observé chez les Caesalpinioideae. Cette plasticité ontogénétique est le reflet de la diversité morphologique au niveau des fleurs tel qu’observée dans l’ensemble de la sous-famille. Une des espèces de Dialiinae, Apuleia leiocarpa, produit une inflorescence andromonoïque, une caractéristique qui est unique en son clade et rare dans les légumineuses dans son ensemble. La microscopie optique et électronique ont été utilisées pour entreprendre une étude détaillée de la morphologie florale de ce taxon. On a constaté que tandis que les fleurs hermaphrodites produisent un seul carpelle et deux étamines, les fleurs staminées produisent trois étamines sans toutefois montrer signe de développement du carpelle. Les inflorescences semblent produire près de quatre fois plus de fleurs staminées que de fleurs hermaphrodites, lesquelles occupent toujours la position centrale de l’inflorescence cymeuse. Ce ratio élevé mâle/bisexuel et la détermination précoce du sexe chez Apuleia sont rares chez les Caesalpinioideae, ce qui suggère que l’andromonoecie se développe dans ce genre comme un moyen d’accroître la dispersion du pollen plutôt qu’en réponse à des limitations de ressources.The Dialiinae clade represents one of the early-diverging lineages of the legume subfamily Caesalpinioideae; it consists of 17 genera (circa 90 species), and is pantropically distributed. Morphologically, the group comprises a diverse assemblage of taxa that may represent a so-called “experimental phase” in legume floral evolution. Different members of the clade exhibit poly-, mono-, and asymmetry, as well as having undergone a high degree of organ loss, producing, in some cases, extremely reduced flowers which are barely recognisable as belonging to the legume family. In order to obtain a clearer picture of floral evolution in the Dialiinae, a well resolved and well supported phylogeny is needed onto which morphological characters may be optimised. With the goal of creating such a phylogeny, a total of 37 Dialiinae DNA samples were sequenced for two plastid genes, rpS16 and trnL. Additionally, a comprehensive morphological study was carried out. A total of 135 vegetative and reproductive characters were scored for 79 ingroup and four outgroup taxa. Phylogenetic analyses were carried out first on a restricted group of taxa for which all three data sets were available. The highly supported nodes of this phylogeny were then used as a constraint for a second parsimony analysis of morphological data from a much larger taxon set. Morphological characters were then mapped onto one of 20,000 most parsimonious trees from this second analysis. A number of novel species-level relationships were resolved, creating a clearer picture of changes in floral form over time, particularly in the genera Labichea and Dialium. In addition to their diverse mature floral morphology, the Dialiinae are also widely variable in their floral ontogeny, displaying both organ loss and suppression, and exhibiting a wide variety of organ initiation modes. In order to build a more complete picture of floral development and evolution in this clade, the floral ontogeny of several previously undocumented species was investigated. Complete developmental series were compiled for six species of the Dialiinae; four from Dialium, as well as Poeppigia procera and Mendoravia dumaziana. Mode and timing of organ initiation were mostly consistent across the Dialium species studied. In the instances of both gains and losses of floral organs in Dialium, one trend is apparent — an absence of abaxial organs. Gains in both sepals and stamens occur in the adaxial median position, while stamens and petals that are lost are always the ventral-most organs. The taxa examined here exemplify the apparent lack of developmental canalisation seen in caesalpinioid legumes. This ontogenetic evolvability is reflective of the morphological diversity shown by flowers across the subfamily. One of the species of the Dialiinae, Apuleia leiocarpa, produces an andromonoecious inflorescence, a feature that is unique in its clade and rare in the Leguminosae as a whole. Light and electron microscopy were used to undertake a detailed study of the floral morphology of this taxon. It was found that while hermaphrodite flowers produced a single carpel and two stamens, staminate flowers developed three stamens but showed no sign of carpel development. Inflorescences also appear to produce approximately four times as many staminate as hermaphrodite flowers, with hermaphroditic flowers consistently occupying the central position in cymose inflorescences. Both this high male-to-bisexual ratio and the early determination of gender seen in Apuleia are rare in the Caesalpinioideae and suggest that andromonoecy developed in this genus as a means to increase pollen dispersal rather than in response to resource limitations

Promoting and Protecting Against Stigma in Assisted Living and Nursing Homes

To determine the extent to which structures and processes of care in multilevel settings (independent living, assisted living, and nursing homes) result in stigma in assisted living and nursing homes

An Open-Access Review to Determine Best Evidence-Based Practice for COPD

Background: The manifestation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) can have an enormous impact on individuals’ areas of occupation, specifically activities of daily living. Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners have the ability to efficiently treat these clients using evidence-based interventions to achieve optimal functioning and quality of life. The purpose of this research study was to identify specific interventions supported by evidence for consumers with COPD using an open-access database for OT. Method: A thematic synthesis of 102 articles available on COPD via the open-access database OTseeker was used in this study. A constant comparison approach revealed seven descriptive themes for intervention including exercise, education, self-management, cognitive-behavioral therapy, complementary and alternative medicine therapy, breathing technique training, and nutrition. Results: For each theme, sub-themes were discussed and components of effective interventions were identified. Aspects of an evidence-based intervention program for individuals with COPD were outlined. Conclusion: Occupational therapists can use this evidence to thoroughly design well-rounded effective evidence-based intervention programs to enable individuals with COPD to live life to its fullest

Neuronal uptake of nanoformulated superoxide dismutase and attenuation of angiotensin II-dependent hypertension after central administration

Excessive production of superoxide (O2•−) in the central nervous system has been widely implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, including chronic heart failure and hypertension. In an attempt to overcome the failed therapeutic impact of currently available antioxidants in cardiovascular disease, we developed a nanomedicine-based delivery system for the O2•− scavenging enzyme, copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD), in which CuZnSOD protein is electrostatically bound to poly-L-lysine (PLL50)-polyethylene glycol (PEG) block co-polymer to form CuZnSOD nanozyme. Different formulations of CuZnSOD nanozyme are covalently stabilized by either reducible or non-reducible crosslinked bonds between the PLL50-PEG polymers. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that PLL50-PEG CuZnSOD nanozyme delivers active CuZnSOD protein to neurons and decreases blood pressure in a mouse model of AngII-dependent hypertension. As determined by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, nanozymes retain full SOD enzymatic activity as compared to native CuZnSOD protein. Non-reducible CuZnSOD nanozyme delivers active CuZnSOD protein to central neurons in culture (CATH.a neurons) without inducing significant neuronal toxicity. In vivo studies conducted in adult male C57BL/6 mice demonstrate that hypertension established by chronic subcutaneous infusion of AngII is significantly attenuated for up to 7 days following a single intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of non-reducible nanozyme. These data indicate the efficacy of non-reducible PLL50-PEG CuZnSOD nanozyme in counteracting excessive O2•− and decreasing blood pressure in AngII-dependent hypertensive mice following central administration. Additionally, this study supports the further development of PLL50-PEG CuZnSOD nanozyme as an antioxidant-based therapeutic option for hypertension