Student experiences of relational pedagogy in a Big Picture Education Advisory at Willibe High School

Traditional high schools do not always meet the needs and interests of marginalised students. This thesis has a two-fold aim: first to understand the problem of student disengagement from formal schooling and second, to investigate how a more relational pedagogy within the structure of a Big Picture Advisory (BPA) classroom might address the problem. How to provide quality, equitable and engaging high school education continues to perplex a range of stakeholders, including policymakers, school administrators, teachers, parents and students, particularly in disadvantaged communities. The role of public education is to give all students the opportunity to flourish, be creative and succeed in life and careers. However, this does not always happen as Australia’s high schools are struggling to provide a meaningful and relevant curriculum for marginalised students. In response, this thesis examines how the Advisory or “school within a school” presents a viable way of re-engaging students who are switching off and dropping out of high school in escalating numbers. The Advisory is a design for schooling underpinned by a philosophy of experiential interest-based learning, relational pedagogy and responsive student–teacher relationships. In this thesis, I argue that the Advisory enables a more relational pedagogy which provides a more socially just model of education for marginalised high school students. Using a qualitative interpretive methodology, through participant observation, interviews and an analysis of school documents, the thesis provides an understanding of how students in a BPA understand, experience and respond to a relational pedagogy based on the values of trust, care and respect. Student narratives gathered during research at Willibe High School (WHS) described a trusting, caring and respectful learning environment. Students also reported a sense of connectedness and belonging which supported their overall well-being. The social and emotional needs of marginalised students were attended to via a more relational pedagogy focused on pursuing individual interests. As a result, students showed a greater willingness to engage in learning, connect to the official curriculum and develop career aspirations. It is through the negotiation of a personalised curriculum and activating authentic learning experiences with peers, family and community that a more democratic and relevant experience of high school becomes possible for each student. In conclusion, I examine the implications for students, teachers, administrators and policymakers and recommendations for future research

Proteomics in COPD

In alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (A1ATD) there is excess neutrophil elastase activity, resulting in proteolytic destruction of the lung parenchyma. I hypothesised that the peptide fragments of proteins present in the lung might be detectable in plasma by mass spectrometry and that they might be useful biomarkers of disease activity and treatment efficacy. Calcium ionophore, neutrophil elastase and proteinase 3 were added to plasma from patients with A1ATD to create an $in$ $vitro$ model of the destructive processes. MALDI-based peptide profiling of plasma from patients pre and post treatment with intravenous A1AT was undertaken and MS/MS performed to identify differences. Plasma was also depleted of abundant plasma proteins, labelled with isobaric tags and analysed by shotgun proteomics. The readily detectible components of the plasma proteome remained unchanged with intravenous A1AT. Addition of ionophore, elastase and proteinase 3 to patient blood generated predominantly fragments of fibrinogen. In patients treated with intravenous A1AT, fragments of A1AT increased significantly with treatment: - 2 of these were fragments of a short C-terminal segment of the A1AT protein and were also present in healthy subjects. The shotgun experiments did not identify any robust biomarkers and illustrate the challenging nature of plasma proteomics

Characterisation of two deubiquitinating enzymes in the DNA damage response and replication

Ub has an essential role within the DNA double strand break (DSB) response which is well documented. However the role of ubiquitin (Ub) in the regulation of replication is an emerging area of research. This thesis investigates how two deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) regulate DSB repair and replication respectively. A screen of 103 siRNAs against putative DUBs in the human genome, measuring the amount of conjugated Ub after release from HU-induced damage, identified the proteasome associated DUB, POH1 as being important in regulating Ub-conjuagtes after damage. Further work found that POH1 restricts the K63-linked Ub at DSBs and consequently 53BP1 foci formation. This appears to regulate repair of breaks by Non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). The DUB screen also identified another DUB as having significantly reduced levels of conjugated Ub after damage. This DUB is shown to have a role in preventing formation of Mus81-dependent DSBs during replication, with depletion sensitising cells to replication-stress. Therefore this works demonstrates a role for this DUB in genomic stability during replication. In this thesis I demonstrate the role of these two DUBs in DSB repair and replication respectively, providing potential therapeutic targets

The archaeology of the Smith House (ORYA3), Dayton, Oregon

Site ORYA3, the Smith House, is located in Dayton, Oregon. The archaeological project originated because owners of this structure, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, applied for a demolition permit. The 1859 home, first occupied by two early Oregon pioneers, Andrew and Sarah Smith, was considered architecturally significant, an unique example of a territorial period home. In the years since 1859, the original building construction has not been significantly modified, nor have the grounds been looted or substantially altered. Dr. David Brauner and the Oregon State University Anthropology Department began an archaeological project at this location in anticipation of the destruction, the first time in Oregon that archaeologists have excavated the interior of a standing house. The longevity of occupation, site taphonomy, and episodes of floor repair over the years created a mixed context. The research direction for this thesis matches a statistical and descriptive analysis of a sample of the material culture with information gathered from published and unpublished archival data from the Smith house. The thesis examines cultural material found on this site and provides a basis for comparison with other similar archaeological sites. Dayton history is discussed, to provide a broad context within which to interpret the archaeological data. Occupancy background on the various residents is provided. This thesis provides a general analysis of the 10,609 artifacts and their associated provenience. This thesis is a cautionary tale for historic archaeologists working on domestic sites. Examination of material by room points out how little can really be said based only on artifact presence. On this site, oral and written histories often proved to be better sources of information than the artifacts on many subjects

Portugal's Nonprofit Sector in Comparative Context

This is a report comparing the scope, composition, and revenue of the nonprofit sector in Portugal to its counterparts in other countries. The report draws on the important new source of data on nonprofit institutions (NPIs) that has resulted from the implementation of the United Nations Handbook on Nonprofit Institutions in the System of National Accounts, including particularly the recently issued results generated by Portugal's Instituto Nacional de Estatistica - INE (National Institute for Statistics) in its Nonprofit Institutions Satellite Account

734-4 Can Intracoronary Ultrasound Improve PTCA Results?: Preliminary Core Lab Ultrasound Analysis from the CLOUT Pilot Study

The CLOUT Pilot Study hypothesis is that intracoronary ultrasound (ICUS) guidance can maximize the potential of balloon angioplasty through the safe application of carefully chosen oversized balloons. PTCA was performed until success was obtained using standard angiographic criteria. ICUS was then performed and, based on the degree of reference segment disease, balloons were upsized from 0.25 to 0.75mm (mean 0.4mm) regardless of the angiographic results. There have been no complications using this strategy in the initial 14 of a planned 100 patients. ICUS measures were performed using semiautomated programs at a core laboratory.ResultsIn the reference segment, ICUS revealed a mean lumen diameter of 2.60±0.35mm and plaque thickness of 0.78±0.11mm; on average 54.75±11.05% of the reference vessel was occupied by atheroma. At initial ICUS evaluation after angiographically successful PTCA, the lesion had a minimal lumen diameter (MLD) of 1.78±0.22mm and lumen area of 3.14±0.88mm2. Following balloon upsizing, the lesion MLD increased to 1.95±0.15mm (8.7% gain, p<0.02) and lumen area to 3.76±0.63mm2(16.7% gain, p<0.01). When compared to the reference segment lumen area, the lesional %lumen area reduction improved from 38.14±16.74% to 25.91±12.17% (p<0.01). Lumen improvement occurred primarily by expansion of the total vessel area (12.08±3.01mm2to 12.51±3.11 mm2, p=ns). As expected, there was a large degree of residual atheroma (68.62±7.47% cross sectional narrowing). After routine PTCA, only 5 of 12 patients reached a target MLD of 75% of the reference lumen diameter. Following balloon upsizing, 8 of 12 had reached this criteria.ConclusionsICUS guided balloon upsizing based on the degree of reference segment disease may be safely performed and results in significant improvement in luminal cross sectional area above that achieved by angiographic guidance alone. This may potentially lower restenosis rates if these initial gains are sustained long term

Patient Safety Climate: Variation in Perceptions by Infection Preventionists and Quality Directors

Background. Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are an important patient safety issue, and safety climate is an important organizational factor. This study explores perceptions of infection preventionists (IPs) and quality directors (QDs) regarding two safety microclimates, Senior Management Engagement (SME) and Leadership on Patient Safety (LOPS), across California hospitals. Methods. This was an analysis of two cross-sectional surveys. We conducted Wilcoxon signed-rank test, univariate analyses, and a multivariate ordinary least square regression. Results. There were 322 eligible hospitals; 149 hospitals (46.3%) responded to both surveys. The IP response rate was 59%, and the QD response rate was 79.5%. We found IPs perceived SME more positively than did QDs (21.4 vs. 20.4, P < 0.01). No setting characteristics predicted variation in perceptions. Presence of an independent budget predicted more positive perceptions of microclimates across personnel types (P < 0.01). Conclusions. Differences in perceptions continue to exist between essential leaders in acute health care settings which could have critical effects on outcomes such as HAIs. Having an independent budget for the infection prevention and control department may enhance the overall safety climate and in turn patient care