Politics, power and gender justice in the Anglophone Caribbean : women's understandings of politics, experiences of political contestation and the possibilities for gender transformation

What advocacy strategies could contribute to enhancing democratic practices that advance women’s rights and gender equality in state and non-state sectors? This chapter analyzes the strategies, processes, practices, and contestations experienced by activist feminists and womanists, to promote and practice a transformational style of leadership in the Anglophone Caribbean Region

Impact of Strategic Alignment on IT Outsourcing Success in a Complex Service Setting

Improved conceptual and methodological understanding of strategic alignment is essential for better IT outsourcing decisions. This research will investigate how strategically well aligned ITO investments can lead to improved performance and greater competitive advantage. The strategic alignment literature is dominated by a focus on strategy formulation at a single point in time. In contrast, little is known about how strategic alignment is enacted in the choices managers make over time, and in particular, as it applies to IT outsourcing decisions in complex service settings. To address this situation we: (1) develop a novel dynamic alignment model that links espoused and enacted strategies, (2) operationalize strategy as a set of strategic decisions around capabilities, and (3) apply a range of novel methods to measure the decisions managers make

Expression et signalisation des intégrines des cellules glomérulées de la glande surrénale de rat : implication de composantes de la matrice extracellulaire, d'hormones et de canaux ioniques

Les intégrines sont des protéines transmembranaires formées d’une sous-unité alpha (a) et d’une sous-unité bêta (beta). La liaison des intégrines à leurs ligands (les protéines de la matrice extracellulaire) active des voies de signalisation intracellulaire menant, entre autres, à la prolifération, à la migration et à la survie cellulaire. Parmi les composantes de la matrice extracellulaire (MEC), les plus étudiées, notons les collagènes, les laminines et les fibronectines. Suite aux résultats obtenus lors de ma maîtrise montrant l’activation de la voie p42/44mapk et une augmentation de calcium intracellulaire suite à l’activation des certaines intégrines des cellules glomérulée de la glande surrénale de rat, le premier but de mon projet de doctorat était de vérifier la présence de différentes composantes de la MEC et des intégrines dans la glande surrénale de rat adulte. Des expériences d’immunofluorescence directe, indirecte et d’immunohistochimie ont permis d’identifier la distribution des collagènes de type I (Col I) et de type IV (Col IV), ainsi que celle de la laminine-1 (LN-1) et de la fibronectine (FN) dans la glande surrénale de rat adulte. Les intégrines qui leur sont associées: [alpha]1[beta]1, [alpha]2[beta]1, [alpha]3[beta]1, [alpha]5[beta]1 et [alpha]8[beta]1 ont aussi été localisées. La sous-unité [alpha]1 est surtout localisée au niveau de la médullosurrénale et les sous-unités [alpha]2, [alpha]3, [alpha]4 sont exprimées majoritairement au niveau du cortex surrénalien. La sous-unité [alpha]8 est retrouvée à la fois au niveau du cortex et de la médulla. Un deuxième objectif était de déterminer la capacité des cellules glomérulées à produire leur propre matrice extracellulaire. Des études de RT-PCR, d’immunobuvardage de type Western et d’immunocytochimie ont montré que les cellules glomérulées sécrètent les Col I et Col IV, de la LN-1 et de la FN, ces composantes restant intimement liées aux cellules. L’implication de l’intégrine [alpha]5[beta]1 dans l’arrangement de la FN par et autour des cellules glomérulées a été testée à l’aide d’un anticorps anti-[alpha]5[beta]1. Les résultats préliminaires indiquent que l’intégrine [alpha]5[beta]1 est non essentielle à l’arrangement de la FN par les cellules glomérulées. Les effets d’un traitement à l’angiotensine II (Ang II) sur la production de FN par les cellules glomérulées ont aussi été testés par immunocytochimie et immunobuvardage. Aucun changement dans la sécrétion et l’organisation de la FN n’a été décelé suite au traitement avec cette hormone. Des études d’immunocytochimie ont aussi montré que les cellules glomérulées étaient aptes à sécréter du Col I et Col IV ainsi que de la LN-1. Par la technique de double immunofluorescence indirecte et directe, nous avons montré que la LN-1 et la FN étaient sécrétées à la surface des cellules à proximité les unes des autres. Suite à de précédents travaux montrant une relâche de calcium intracellulaire dans les cellules glomérulées ainsi qu’un influx calcique après activation des intégrines par la FN, nous avons étudié la présence potentielle de canaux TRPC (transient receptor potential classical) dans les cellules glomérulées. Ces canaux sont des canaux cationiques non sélectifs permettant un influx de sodium, calcium et de césium. Des expériences d’immunohistochimie ont montré la présence de TRPC1, 3, 4 et TRPC6 dans la glande entière de surrénale de rat. Des études d’immunocytochimie ont permis de montrer que les cellules glomérulées expriment les canaux TRPC3 et TRPC6 à la membrane plasmique et que pour TRPC6, la translocation à la membrane plasmique est modulée par différents stimuli tels que l’Ang II (angiotensine II) (5 x 10-7M), l’OAG (1- oleoyl-2-acétylglycérol) (100 pM) et la TG (Thapsigargine) (2 pM). Des mesures de calcium intracellulaire ont montré que les canaux TRPC sont activés suite à la stimulation des cellules glomérulées par la FN (10-7M) et l’Ang II (5 x 10-7M). Ces expériences ont montré une entrée de strontium et de calcium suite à l’activation des intégrines par la FN. Finalement, des expériences préliminaires indiquent que la stimulation des cellules glomérulées avec de l’OAG (100 pM) augmente la sécrétion d’aldostérone. Ensemble, ces expériences laissent croire que l’influx de calcium induit par l’activation des intégrines par la FN pourrait être dû à l’activation des canaux TRPC et ainsi, contribuer à la sécrétion de stéroïdes par les cellules glomérulées. [Symboles non conformes

Early career teachers’ learning about promoting health and wellbeing:a narrative study

In Scotland, as with many other countries, the requirement to promote pupil health and wellbeing is the responsibility of all, yet little is known about how early career teachers learn to meet this responsibility. This two-year study followed five secondary school teachers from their Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) year to the end of their first year in school as probationary teachers. A narrative approach was adopted to explore how participants’ conceptualisations of health and wellbeing developed over time, and to gain insight into what contributed to this development. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Following this, and guided by the work of Rodríguez-Dorans and Jacobs, narrative portraits were constructed for each participant. The narratives revealed that participants’ conceptualisation of health and wellbeing deepened between the PGDE year and the end of their induction year. In particular, participants developed a broader understanding of relationships through their induction year, with greater attention paid to their role, and the role of other teachers, in developing positive relationships. Furthermore, across both contexts, the participants revealed that the process of learning how to promote health and wellbeing was multi-faceted and complex, with various life experiences and different schools adding to this complexity. For the future, we recommend that teacher educators working in the domain of health and wellbeing begin with the teachers – exploring their personal and professional identities – past, current and future, and the various ways they connect with their lives and learning in schools

Sex bias in the diagnosis of narcissistic,histrionic,sadistic and borderline personality disorders.

Recently, considerable attention has been given to sex bias in the diagnosis of personality disorders. Research has shown that clinicians will assign different diagnoses to case histories of males and females that contain identical symptoms. The present study attempted to examine sex bias in the diagnosis of Narcissistic,Histrionic, Borderline,and Sadistic personality disorders. Psychologists were presented with a male or female version of each of three audiotaped simulated interviews: a Narcissistic/Histrionic case, a Depression/Anxiety symptom case used as a "filler case," and a Borderline/Sadistic case. It was predicted that psychologists would assign more diagnoses of Borderline and Histrionic to the female versions of the cases, and Sadistic and Narcissistic to the male versions. The results showed that, while sex of the patient did not have a significant effect on diagnoses assigned, there was a trend for more Narcissistic and Sadistic diagnoses to be assigned to the male interviews and Borderline to the female interview by male psychologists only. Limitations of this study and directions for future research are discussed.Shirley L CampbellSprock, JuneLevy,Robert.MMurphy, Michael J.Doctor of PsychologyDepartment of PsychologyCunningham Memorial library, Terre Haute,Indiana State UniversityILL-ETD-040DoctoralTitle from document title page. Document formatted into pages: contains 81 p.: ill. Includes abstract and appendix

Designing location-based educational services for school students at cultural institutions: the case of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia

Cultural institutions provide important benefits for society and for the visitors who come to them. Their staff need to understand how information technology can augment the visitor experience, and how to engage with their visitors to design programs that will meet visitors' expectations for greater interaction. Using an iterative, design science based approach, coupled with design thinking workshops bringing stakeholders together, we showed how location-based educational services coupled with mobile apps on handheld devices could be designed to enrich the experience for school students visiting the National Portrait Gallery of Australia

Learning design research in action

The new field of Learning Design is gaining traction in higher education, aiming to address a number of challenges in technology enhanced learning and teaching. This symposium seeks to build on the national Learning Design Research strengths and help highlight Australian Learning Design theory and practice expertise. It also aims to further consolidate the Australian and international Learning Design community. The content of this submission directly addresses the following topics: An introduction of the Learning Design Framework, Generic Templates, Teacher Design Thinking in Higher Education, Connecting Connectivism and Learning Design, and Translating Learning Outcomes into Learning Designs. The symposium will be divided into five topic-based presentations. The topic discussions will be led by members of the Australian Learning Design network. Discussion will be open and audience interaction will be encouraged

Early career teachers’ learning about promoting health and wellbeing:a narrative study

In Scotland, as with many other countries, the requirement to promote pupil health and wellbeing is the responsibility of all, yet little is known about how early career teachers learn to meet this responsibility. This two-year study followed five secondary school teachers from their Professional Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) year to the end of their first year in school as probationary teachers. A narrative approach was adopted to explore how participants’ conceptualisations of health and wellbeing developed over time, and to gain insight into what contributed to this development. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Following this, and guided by the work of Rodríguez-Dorans and Jacobs, narrative portraits were constructed for each participant. The narratives revealed that participants’ conceptualisation of health and wellbeing deepened between the PGDE year and the end of their induction year. In particular, participants developed a broader understanding of relationships through their induction year, with greater attention paid to their role, and the role of other teachers, in developing positive relationships. Furthermore, across both contexts, the participants revealed that the process of learning how to promote health and wellbeing was multi-faceted and complex, with various life experiences and different schools adding to this complexity. For the future, we recommend that teacher educators working in the domain of health and wellbeing begin with the teachers – exploring their personal and professional identities – past, current and future, and the various ways they connect with their lives and learning in schools