L’un des principaux défis de la thérapie génique est d’identifier un vecteur sûr capable d’assurer un transfert efficace et une expression soutenue d’un gène d’intérêt thérapeutique dans les cellules cibles. L’émergence de vecteurs plasmidiques de nouvelles générations a permis d’atteindre ces objectifs et de considérer la thérapie génique non virale comme une alternative prometteuse aux vecteurs viraux pour le traitement de maladies génétiques ou acquises. Appartenant à ces nouvelles générations, les dérivés du vecteur pFAR4 sont des miniplasmides dépourvus de gène de résistance à un antibiotique. Leur propagation dans les cellules d’Escherichia coli est basée sur la suppression d’une mutation non-sens de type ambre introduite dans un gène essentiel de la souche productrice, permettant ainsi d’éliminer les risques associés à l’utilisation de gène de résistance à un antibiotique tout en diminuant la taille du vecteur. Le but de cette thèse est d’étudier le potentiel de ces vecteurs dans deux contextes de thérapie génique non virale : Dans une première approche, le potentiel du vecteur pFAR4 a été évalué pour l’expression d’un gène thérapeutique dans le foie de souris. Pour ce faire, un dérivé de ce vecteur exprimant le gène Sgsh à partir d’un promoteur spécifique des hépatocytes et codant la protéine sulfamidase, protéine défectueuse chez les patients souffrant de la maladie de Sanfilippo de type A, a été administré par injection hydrodynamique à des souris. Nous avons montré que le vecteur pFAR4 promeut dans le foie une expression élevée et soutenue de la sulfamidase, qui décline rapidement lorsque le gène Sgsh est administré par un vecteur contenant un gène de résistance à la kanamycine. Dans le cadre de cette étude, il a été établi que le profil d’expression obtenu avec le vecteur pFAR4 n’est pas lié à son insertion dans le génome des hépatocytes mais résulte, de par sa taille réduite, d’une protection contre les phénomènes d’extinction de transgène couramment observés in vivo avec les vecteurs conventionnels. Dans une seconde approche, le vecteur pFAR4 a été combiné à la technologie Sleeping Beauty (SB), dont l’un des constituants majeurs est la transposase hyperactive SB100X qui promeut la transposition d’un transgène, en l’excisant du plasmide qui le porte et en l’insérant dans le génome des cellules hôtes. Cette combinaison a été étudiée in vitro dans des cellules HeLa, en utilisant un transposon contenant soit le gène de résistance à la néomycine soit le gène codant la protéine fluorescente Vénus. Nous avons ainsi montré que le plasmide pFAR4 constituait un vecteur efficace pour les composants du système SB et que la combinaison pFAR4/SB conduisait à un taux de transgénèse augmenté par rapport à une association avec des plasmides conventionnels. Cette efficacité élevée résulte d’un niveau de transfection et d’un taux d’excision augmentés, tous deux favorisés par la taille réduite du plasmide. La combinaison pFAR4/SB devrait prochainement être utilisée pour transférer le gène codant le facteur anti-angiogénique PEDF (Pigment Epithelium-Derived Factor) à des cellules primaires de l’épithélium pigmentaire de la rétine ou de l’iris dans deux essais cliniques (Phase I/II) de thérapie génique ex vivo pour le traitement de la dégénérescence maculaire liée à l’âge (DMLA). / One of the main challenges in gene therapy is to identify safe vectors that promote an efficient gene delivery and a sustained therapeutic transgene expression level in targeted cells. The development of novel plasmid vectors allowed to reach these objectives and to consider non-viral gene therapy approaches as attractive alternatives to treat genetic and acquired disorders. The pFAR4 vector is a novel antibiotic-free mini-plasmid. In Escherichia coli, its propagation is based on the suppression of an amber nonsense mutation introduced into an essential gene, thus eliminating safety concerns classically attributed to antibiotic resistance markers present on conventional plasmid DNA vectors and allowing a reduction in plasmid size. The aim of this work was to investigate the potential of pFAR4 as a gene vector in two different non-viral gene therapy approaches. In a first approach, the potential of the pFAR4 vector was assessed for the expression of a therapeutic gene in mouse liver. To this end, a pFAR4 derivative expressing the Sgsh gene from a liver-specific promoter and coding the sulfamidase, an enzyme deficient in patients suffering from the Sanfilippo A disease, was tail vein hydrodynamically injected into mouse liver. We showed that the pFAR4 derivative promoted a high and prolonged sulfamidase expression which rapidly declined when the same expression cassette was delivered by a conventional plasmid containing a kanamycin resistance marker. It was established that the superior expression profile obtained with the pFAR4 derivative did not result from its integration in host genome but seemed to benefit from protection against transcriptional silencing. In a second approach, the pFAR4 vector was combined to the Sleeping Beauty transposon system that mediates transgene integration into host genomes, after its excision from a plasmid donor by the hyperactive SB100X transposase, in order to obtain a long-term expression in dividing cells. This combination was studied in vitro, delivering either the neomycin resistance gene or the fluorescent Venus protein-encoding gene into HeLa cells. We showed that the combination pFAR4/SB led to an increased transgenesis rate in comparison to the association of SB with conventional plasmids. The pFAR4/SB combination seemed to benefit from an elevated transfection efficiency and a higher excision rate, resulting from the reduced size of the pFAR4 vector. The two technologies should be soon used for the delivery of the anti-angiogenic pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) gene into autologous primary pigment epithelial cells, in the context of two PhaseI/II clinical trials based on an ex vivo gene therapeutic approach for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Transposons sind genetische Elemente, die fähig sind, sich innerhalb des Genoms zu bewegen. Sleeping Beauty (SB) gehört zur Tc1/mariner-Superfamilie von Transposons. SB wurde aus molekularen Fossilien rekonstruiert um u.a. einen sicheren und effizienten Vektor für die Gentherapie zu schaffen. Zu diesem Zweck ist es notwendig, den Mechanismus der SB-Transposition und deren Regulation, die Aktivitäten des Proteins und den Einfluss von Wirtsfaktoren genau zu verstehen. In meiner Arbeit habe ich die einzelnen Schritte des Transpositionsprozesses und die Bildung des sogenannten paired-end complex (PEC) – eine Voraussetzung für die folgenden katalytischen Reaktionen – untersucht. Zusätzlich habe ich versucht, einen in vitro Transpositionstest für SB zu etablieren. SB gehört zur IR/DR-Gruppe der Tc1/mariner-Superfamilie. Im Gegensatz zu mariner-like-Elementen ist die IR/DR-Struktur von SB durch lange IRs mit insgesamt vier Bindestellen für die Transposase gekennzeichnet. Ich habe die Fähigkeit dieser beiden Transposon-Systeme zum Ausschneiden eines Transposonendes ohne die Beteiligung des anderen Endes im PEC getestet. Solche unpräzise Transposition kann zu genomic rearrangements führen. Meine Ergebnisse zeigen, dass SB zwar imstande ist, ein einzelnes Transposonende auszuschneiden, dies geschieht jedoch weit weniger effizient als bei mariner-like-Elementen. Die Unterdrückung unpräziser Transpositionsereignisse ist ein Ergebnis der besseren durch die IR/DR-Struktur bedingten Regulation von SBs Transposition. Die Komplexität der IRs in Kombination mit der zweiteiligen DNA-Bindedomäne von SB kann als Mittel einer raffinierten Regulation des Transpositionsprozesses angesehen werden, welche das Genom vor anormalen Transpositionsereignissen schützt. Die Ergebnisse meiner Arbeit legen ein Modell nahe, in dem die Bildung des PEC während der Transposition von SB ein höchst genau regulierter Prozess ist, der durch die DNA-Protein- und Protein-Protein-Bindeaffinitäten geleitet wird. / Transposons are pieces of DNA able to move within the genomes. Sleeping Beauty is a verterbrate Tc1/mariner transposon reconstructed from molecular fossils to create a safe and efficient vector for gene therapy. For that purpose it is important to deeply understand the mechanism and regulation of the SB transposition, the activities of the transposase and influence of host factors on the process. Therefore, in this project I studied the single steps of the transposition reaction and formation of the paired-end complex (PEC) which is a prerequisite for the subsequent catalytic steps. Additionally, I tried to establish an in vitro transposition assay for Sleeping Beauty that would serve an easy assay for testing the system and probe mechanisms affecting the regulation of transposition activity. Sleeping Beauty belongs to the IR/DR subfamily of the Tc1/mariner-like transposons. In contrast to mariner-like elements the IR/DR structure of SB is characterized by long IRs with four binding sites for the transposase. I compared the ability of the two systems to perform cleavage of the single transposon end without including the second end in the PEC. Such imprecise transposition can lead to genome rearrangements. My results show that SB is capable of single-end cleavage; however, to much lower extent than the mariner-like element. Lower number of imprecise transposition events is a result of better regulation of the SB transposition imposed by the IR/DR stucture. The complexity of the inverted repeats together with the bipartite DNA-binding domain of SB might offer means for more sophisticated regulation of the transposition process, thereby protecting the genome from aberrant transposition events. I propose that complex formation in SB transposition is a strictly regulated ordered assembly process, guided by DNA-protein and protein-protein interaction interfaces of the DNA-binding subdomains. Obtained results allowed me to draw a model how the paired-end complex is formed.

Introdução: Muitas doenças podem ser transmitidas quando não se seguem os hábitos adequados de higienização das mãos e esterilização de materiais em atividades que podem gerar ferimentos ou traumas na pele, como ocorrem nos salões de beleza. Os profissionais da beleza precisam conhecer e ter a consciência em relação a atitudes simples de higienização e cuidados com o compartilhamento de instrumentos, pela interação com muitas pessoas e pela possibilidade de ocorrer a transmissão de doenças, incluindo as doenças sexualmente transmissíveis, como as verrugas, as hepatites B e C, e o HIV, durante a realização de seus procedimentos. O Serviço Brasileiro de Apoio à Micro e Pequena Empresa apontou, em fevereiro de 2013, a existência de 265 mil estabelecimentos, abertos por pessoas que formalizaram a situação como microempreendedores individuais. Os salões de beleza são, numericamente, expressivos e apesar de não haver dados oficiais sobre o número de trabalhadores no Brasil, estima-se um grande número de pessoas envolvidas. Este estudo objetivou estruturar um curso aplicado por meio de uma dinâmica por teleducação interativa e avaliar o efeito educacional neste segmento profissional. Métodos: Foram selecionadas 4 categorias temáticas (doenças sexualmente transmissíveis, saúde indoor nos salões de beleza, lavagem das mãos e esterilização de materiais) a partir de uma Matriz de Objetivos e Competências, e o curso foi inserido numa plataforma educacional baseada no Moodle, com ambientes interativos de aprendizagem e ferramenta de gestão educacional. A sistemática das atividades foi organizada com metas semanais, encontros síncronos via web e acesso a materiais de forma assíncrona (materiais de leitura, de aprendizagem complementar, áudios e vídeos educacionais, fóruns de discussão, Simulador de Situações Práticas e vídeos do Projeto Homem Virtual sobre as DST/AIDS, higienização das mãos e lavagem, transmissão de doenças por cera depilatória reutilizável e alicate de unha contaminado). A abertura do curso foi realizada a partir de dois encontros presenciais e, para a avaliação do conhecimento prático, foi criado o simulador de situações práticas, que foi um teste online aplicado nas fases pré-curso, pós-curso imediato e 6 meses após o término do curso. Foram desenvolvidos objetos educacionais de aprendizagem do Projeto Homem Virtual por meio de vídeos utilizando computação gráfica 3D para facilitar a explicação de alguns assuntos. Resultados: Cinquenta e cinco profissionais da beleza foram matriculados no curso, sendo 46 do sexo feminino e 9 do sexo masculino, tendo sido ofertadas bolsas de estudos para 34 profissionais que justificaram dificuldade de pagamento da taxa de inscrição. A idade média dos participantes foi de 38,2 ± 8,67 anos de idade com mediana de 37,3 anos, sendo a idade mínima de 18,5 anos e a máxima de 59,1 anos de idade. Foram produzidos diversos materiais educacionais digitais utilizando múltiplos meios de comunicação: áudios, vídeos, objetos educacionais de aprendizagem utilizando computação gráfica 3D e um sistema de avaliação denominado simulador de situações práticas. Quarenta e cinco participantes foram aprovados e certificados conforme os critérios estabelecidos, e 40 alunos concluíram o simulador aplicado 6 meses após o término do curso. Como resultado de performance geral, houve melhora estatisticamente significativa do rendimento dos alunos no simulador pós-curso imediato em relação ao pré-curso e não houve retenção de conhecimento estatisticamente significativa sobre as condutas corretas na fase pós-curso tardio. Quando se isolou o grupo de estudantes que tiveram participação ativa nas listas de discussão (30% dos alunos que foram responsáveis por 75% das postagens totais) foi observada essa diferença de forma estatisticamente significativa. Discussão: Para avaliar o conhecimento dos profissionais da beleza foi criado o simulador de situações práticas baseado em situações cotidianas que podem gerar a transmissão de doenças. Não foram incluídas avaliações de detalhamento conceitual científico. Dessa forma, o objetivo principal foi mensurar a percepção do aluno sobre o que é correto em relação a situações práticas do dia a dia. Detectou-se que os alunos que não tiveram uma interação ativa nos fóruns de discussão não apresentaram retenção de conhecimento 6 meses após o término do curso, e os que participaram ativamente apresentaram essa retenção. O curso na modalidade a distância teve alto índice de aceitação pelos alunos e a distribuição das atividades de acordo com a rotina profissional resultou em maior taxa de participação nos eventos síncronos. A redução do tempo de duração do curso para 1 mês, em relação a edições anteriores deste curso, teve maior aprovação dos alunos. Conclusão: Foi estruturado um curso com duração de 1 mês aprovado pela Pró-Reitoria de Cultura e Extensão Universitária, direcionado para profissionais da beleza e realizado na modalidade a distância. O curso gerou retenção de conhecimento a longo prazo para quem teve maior participação ativa nos fóruns de discussão e foi bem aceito pelos profissionais que atuam nos salões de beleza / Introduction: Many diseases can be transmitted when professionals do not follow the proper habits of hand washing and material sterilization in activities that may cause skin injury or trauma, as is the case in beauty salons. Beauty professionals need to know and be aware of simple steps to cleaning care and instruments sharing, as they interact with many people, thus increasing the possibility of disease transmission, including sexually transmitted diseases such as warts, hepatitis B and C, and HIV, while carrying out their procedures. The Brazilian Service of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises pointed out the existence of 265,000 establishments in February 2013, opened by people who formalized their business as individual microenterprises. Beauty salons are numerically significant, and although there are no official data on the number of workers in Brazil, a large number is estimated. This study aimed to structure a distance-learning course via interactive tele-education dynamics, and to evaluate the educational effect in this professional segment. Methods: Four thematic categories were selected (sexually transmitted diseases, indoor health in salons, hand washing and material sterilization) from a matrix of objectives and competences. The course was inserted in an educational platform based on Moodle, with interactive learning environments and educational management tools. The activities systematics was organized with weekly goals, synchronous web meetings, and asynchronous access to materials (readings, discussion forums, situation simulator, audio and educational videos as well as 3-D Virtual Human video animation on sexually transmitted infections, hand washing and disease transmission from reusable depilatory wax and contaminated nail pliers). The course started with two face-to-face meetings and, in order to assess participants\' practical knowledge, a simulator to practical situations was created, which was an online test applied before, immediately after course end, and 6 months later. Educational learning objects associated to 3-D Virtual Human Project video animation were also developed to facilitate the explanation of some topics. Results: Fifty-five beauty professionals enrolled in the course, out of whom 46 females and 9 males; 34 students were granted scholarships due to justified registration fee payment difficulty. Mean age of participants was 38.2 ± 8.67 years old with median of 37.3, the minimum age at 18.5 and the maximum at 59.1 years old. Different digital learning materials using multiple media were produced, such as audios, videos, educational learning objects using 3D computer, and an evaluation system called simulator to practical situations. Forty-five participants were approved and certified according to agreed criteria, and 40 students accomplished the simulator tasks applied 6 months after the course end. As a result of overall performance, there was a statistically significant improvement in student performance in the immediate post-course simulator compared to the pre-course one; however, there was no statistically significant retention of knowledge on the correct behavior in the later post-course phase. When the group of students who actively participated in discussion lists (30% of students accounted for 75% of total posts) was isolated, this statistically significant difference was observed. Discussion: To evaluate the knowledge of beauty professionals, a simulator to practical situations was developed, based on everyday situations that can lead to disease transmission. Scientific conceptual detail reviews were not included. Thus, the main objective was to measure the students\' perception of what is correct in relation to day-to-day practical situations. It turned out that the students who didn\'t have an active interaction in the discussion forums had no knowledge retention, six months after the course end, and those who actively participated showed that retention. The distance education course had a high rate of acceptance by students, and the distribution of activities in accordance with professional routine resulted in a higher rate of participation in synchronous events. Due to the reduction of course time to one month, if compared to previous longer editions of this course, students had highly approved it. Conclusion: A one-month course was structured and approved by the Dean of Culture and University Extension, targeted to beauty professionals and carried out via distance education mode. The course had generated knowledge retention in the long term for those who had higher active participation in the discussion forums, and was also well accepted by professionals who work in beauty salons

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 303-325) / The topic of God’s beauty, while receiving attention in theological aesthetics, is not often a focused pursuit in Christian spirituality. The study attempts to answer the question of what the nature would be of an Evangelical Protestant Christian spirituality predicated upon seeking and apprehending God’s beauty. The study establishes the relevance of beauty to Christian spirituality. It then develops a definition of God’s beauty from Jonathan Edwards. God’s beauty is found to be his love for his own being. Examining Scripture and Christian history, the study establishes that God’s beauty was regarded as an objective reality until the Enlightenment. The focus of the research then turns to the subjective apprehension of beauty, and examines the methodology of pursuing beauty in art, and finds parallels in spirituality. The study considers the epistemological dichotomy of subject and object with reference to beauty, and considers Christian proposals for a form of correspondence theory for transcendentals. The findings are united in a model of spirituality. Apprehension of God’s beauty occurs through the subject possessing a correspondent form of God’s love. Findings from the aesthetic and epistemological study are united with theology to suggest that this love can be cultivated through four areas: Christian imagination, an implanted new nature, the exposure to communion with God, and the nurture of spiritual disciplines. Each of these areas is explained and justified as means to cultivate correspondent love. The postures and approaches found in the study of art and epistemology are used for explaining the nature of correspondent love. Evangelical Protestant Christian spirituality predicated upon seeking and finding God’s beauty is one which cultivates love for God that corresponds with God’s own love. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Christian Spirituality)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T18:11:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Denise Marciano de Aquino.pdf: 9251290 bytes, checksum: 1af551e1fc9d03478f8c9e731f49fac2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-03-01 / The "body" transcends its material condition of existence, marks, designs and shows a being staying in a world shaped by realities which make it tactile, albeit subjective, vibrating, and at the same time encased in standards. Volatile, even if you want it to be everlasting. These realities are embroidered by ideals of beauty, which converge into aesthetic standards that are persistently. Which are the Processes that reflect the representation of a "body" that is considered ideal? The initial hypothesis is that the media aimed at female audiences defile / is contaminated by aesthetic standards of beauty woven into a kaleidoscope in which cultural practices embroider a mosaic bio-political and socio-cultural.It is worth remembering that when I consider the female audience, I assume that the "beauty" is often related to it. In this study, therefore, I believe that women's magazines are an important source to investigate the question posed: by means of linguistic and visual resources this media establishes a will and a duty to be "beautiful." The female reader has access to a kind of knowledge and power that can be incorporated to make her "beautiful", sanctioned by the society and the public for whom it is aimed. The magazine that introduced the photo-story in Brazil will be analyzed in this study: it is the Grand Hotel, whose weekly editions circulated between 1947 and 1980.Covers published in its first year of service are being analyzed; a kind of "artistic work", they are drawn by hand and function as an identification of the journal. The choice of this analysis material is due to the cultural ideology of the late 40'sThe analysis is grounded in a proposal which, in addition to a system of signs, the culture is understood as a light of traditional theories of communication and arts magazines and translated into a new dimension of knowledge - which considers the need for a change of fields and methods of application .This research focuses on how a media production is related to cultural series, redesigning and distributing porous and non-orthogonal forms of beliefs, values and ways of life, exchanging cross bordering translations whose threads I intend to investigate. This work is based therefore on theoretical aspects of communication and the arts (especially in the semiotic work of the Slavic extraction, among which, Tynianov, Lotman and others). Three chapters compose the dissertation: the first chapter checks cases in which the contamination between codes, sets and languages inscribed in bodies (considered ideal) embroidered in a double subjectivity in which the natural and cultural are intertwined. Chapter 2 covers "printed aesthetic universes" it deals with the emergence of the magazine, relating this media with an aesthetic language of the universe. The proposed analysis of the corpus are developed in Chapter 3. Some final remarks close the paper, and opportunities for future research in the area are also highlighted / O corpo transcende sua condição material de existência; marca, projeta e mostra um ser e um estar no mundo, moldado por realidades que o tornam tátil, ainda que subjetivo; vibrátil, e ao mesmo tempo enclausurado em padrões. Volátil, mesmo que se queira perene. Essas realidades são bordadas por ideais de beleza, que confluem em padrões estéticos insistentemente perseguidos. Que processos traduzem a representação de um corpo considerado ideal? Este é o problema central desta dissertação. A hipótese inicial é a de que a mídia voltada ao público feminino contamina/ é contaminada por padrões estéticos de beleza tecidos num caleidoscópio em que práticas culturais bordam um mosaico bio-político-cultural. Vale lembrar que, quando considero o público feminino, parto do pressuposto de que a beleza é frequentemente relacionada a ele. Nesta pesquisa, pois, considero que as revistas femininas constituem um lugar importante para investigar a questão proposta: por meio de recursos linguísticos e visuais, esta mídia instaura um querer e um dever ser bonita . A leitora tem acesso a um saber e a um poder passíveis de serem incorporados para fazê-la bonita , sancionados pela sociedade e também pelo público a que se dirige. A revista que introduziu no Brasil a fotonovela será analisada nesta pesquisa: trata-se da Grande Hotel, cujas edições semanais circularam entre 1947 e 1980. São analisadas capas publicadas em seu primeiro ano de circulação; espécie de obra artística , são desenhadas à mão e funcionam como identificação do periódico. A escolha por este material de análise se deve à ideologia cultural de finais dos anos 40. A análise se embasa em uma proposta na qual, para além de um sistema de signos, a cultura é compreendida à luz de teorias tradicionais da comunicação e das artes revistas e traduzidas para uma nova dimensão de conhecimento na qual se considera a necessidade de alteração de campos e métodos de aplicação. Esta pesquisa se debruça sobre o modo como uma produção midiática se relaciona com séries culturais, redesenhando e distribuindo formas porosas e não-ortogonais de crenças, valores e modos de vida, intercambiando traduções interfronteiriças cujos encadeamentos investigo. Este trabalho se fundamenta, pois, em vertentes teóricas da comunicação e das artes (principalmente em filiação a trabalhos semióticos de extração eslava, dentre os quais, Tynianov, Lotman e outros). Três capítulos compõem a dissertação: o capítulo inicial verifica processos em que a contaminação entre códigos, séries e linguagens inscrevem em corpos (considerados ideais) subjetividades bordadas num duplo em que o natural e o cultural se entrelaçam. O capítulo 2 aborda universos estéticos impressos : trata do surgimento da revista, relacionando esta mídia com linguagens do universo estético. As análises do corpus proposto são desenvolvidas no capítulo 3. Algumas considerações finais encerram a dissertação, e também são apontadas possibilidades de pesquisas futuras na área

Introdução: Muitas doenças podem ser transmitidas quando não se seguem os hábitos adequados de higienização das mãos e esterilização de materiais em atividades que podem gerar ferimentos ou traumas na pele, como ocorrem nos salões de beleza. Os profissionais da beleza precisam conhecer e ter a consciência em relação a atitudes simples de higienização e cuidados com o compartilhamento de instrumentos, pela interação com muitas pessoas e pela possibilidade de ocorrer a transmissão de doenças, incluindo as doenças sexualmente transmissíveis, como as verrugas, as hepatites B e C, e o HIV, durante a realização de seus procedimentos. O Serviço Brasileiro de Apoio à Micro e Pequena Empresa apontou, em fevereiro de 2013, a existência de 265 mil estabelecimentos, abertos por pessoas que formalizaram a situação como microempreendedores individuais. Os salões de beleza são, numericamente, expressivos e apesar de não haver dados oficiais sobre o número de trabalhadores no Brasil, estima-se um grande número de pessoas envolvidas. Este estudo objetivou estruturar um curso aplicado por meio de uma dinâmica por teleducação interativa e avaliar o efeito educacional neste segmento profissional. Métodos: Foram selecionadas 4 categorias temáticas (doenças sexualmente transmissíveis, saúde indoor nos salões de beleza, lavagem das mãos e esterilização de materiais) a partir de uma Matriz de Objetivos e Competências, e o curso foi inserido numa plataforma educacional baseada no Moodle, com ambientes interativos de aprendizagem e ferramenta de gestão educacional. A sistemática das atividades foi organizada com metas semanais, encontros síncronos via web e acesso a materiais de forma assíncrona (materiais de leitura, de aprendizagem complementar, áudios e vídeos educacionais, fóruns de discussão, Simulador de Situações Práticas e vídeos do Projeto Homem Virtual sobre as DST/AIDS, higienização das mãos e lavagem, transmissão de doenças por cera depilatória reutilizável e alicate de unha contaminado). A abertura do curso foi realizada a partir de dois encontros presenciais e, para a avaliação do conhecimento prático, foi criado o simulador de situações práticas, que foi um teste online aplicado nas fases pré-curso, pós-curso imediato e 6 meses após o término do curso. Foram desenvolvidos objetos educacionais de aprendizagem do Projeto Homem Virtual por meio de vídeos utilizando computação gráfica 3D para facilitar a explicação de alguns assuntos. Resultados: Cinquenta e cinco profissionais da beleza foram matriculados no curso, sendo 46 do sexo feminino e 9 do sexo masculino, tendo sido ofertadas bolsas de estudos para 34 profissionais que justificaram dificuldade de pagamento da taxa de inscrição. A idade média dos participantes foi de 38,2 ± 8,67 anos de idade com mediana de 37,3 anos, sendo a idade mínima de 18,5 anos e a máxima de 59,1 anos de idade. Foram produzidos diversos materiais educacionais digitais utilizando múltiplos meios de comunicação: áudios, vídeos, objetos educacionais de aprendizagem utilizando computação gráfica 3D e um sistema de avaliação denominado simulador de situações práticas. Quarenta e cinco participantes foram aprovados e certificados conforme os critérios estabelecidos, e 40 alunos concluíram o simulador aplicado 6 meses após o término do curso. Como resultado de performance geral, houve melhora estatisticamente significativa do rendimento dos alunos no simulador pós-curso imediato em relação ao pré-curso e não houve retenção de conhecimento estatisticamente significativa sobre as condutas corretas na fase pós-curso tardio. Quando se isolou o grupo de estudantes que tiveram participação ativa nas listas de discussão (30% dos alunos que foram responsáveis por 75% das postagens totais) foi observada essa diferença de forma estatisticamente significativa. Discussão: Para avaliar o conhecimento dos profissionais da beleza foi criado o simulador de situações práticas baseado em situações cotidianas que podem gerar a transmissão de doenças. Não foram incluídas avaliações de detalhamento conceitual científico. Dessa forma, o objetivo principal foi mensurar a percepção do aluno sobre o que é correto em relação a situações práticas do dia a dia. Detectou-se que os alunos que não tiveram uma interação ativa nos fóruns de discussão não apresentaram retenção de conhecimento 6 meses após o término do curso, e os que participaram ativamente apresentaram essa retenção. O curso na modalidade a distância teve alto índice de aceitação pelos alunos e a distribuição das atividades de acordo com a rotina profissional resultou em maior taxa de participação nos eventos síncronos. A redução do tempo de duração do curso para 1 mês, em relação a edições anteriores deste curso, teve maior aprovação dos alunos. Conclusão: Foi estruturado um curso com duração de 1 mês aprovado pela Pró-Reitoria de Cultura e Extensão Universitária, direcionado para profissionais da beleza e realizado na modalidade a distância. O curso gerou retenção de conhecimento a longo prazo para quem teve maior participação ativa nos fóruns de discussão e foi bem aceito pelos profissionais que atuam nos salões de beleza / Introduction: Many diseases can be transmitted when professionals do not follow the proper habits of hand washing and material sterilization in activities that may cause skin injury or trauma, as is the case in beauty salons. Beauty professionals need to know and be aware of simple steps to cleaning care and instruments sharing, as they interact with many people, thus increasing the possibility of disease transmission, including sexually transmitted diseases such as warts, hepatitis B and C, and HIV, while carrying out their procedures. The Brazilian Service of Support for Micro and Small Enterprises pointed out the existence of 265,000 establishments in February 2013, opened by people who formalized their business as individual microenterprises. Beauty salons are numerically significant, and although there are no official data on the number of workers in Brazil, a large number is estimated. This study aimed to structure a distance-learning course via interactive tele-education dynamics, and to evaluate the educational effect in this professional segment. Methods: Four thematic categories were selected (sexually transmitted diseases, indoor health in salons, hand washing and material sterilization) from a matrix of objectives and competences. The course was inserted in an educational platform based on Moodle, with interactive learning environments and educational management tools. The activities systematics was organized with weekly goals, synchronous web meetings, and asynchronous access to materials (readings, discussion forums, situation simulator, audio and educational videos as well as 3-D Virtual Human video animation on sexually transmitted infections, hand washing and disease transmission from reusable depilatory wax and contaminated nail pliers). The course started with two face-to-face meetings and, in order to assess participants\' practical knowledge, a simulator to practical situations was created, which was an online test applied before, immediately after course end, and 6 months later. Educational learning objects associated to 3-D Virtual Human Project video animation were also developed to facilitate the explanation of some topics. Results: Fifty-five beauty professionals enrolled in the course, out of whom 46 females and 9 males; 34 students were granted scholarships due to justified registration fee payment difficulty. Mean age of participants was 38.2 ± 8.67 years old with median of 37.3, the minimum age at 18.5 and the maximum at 59.1 years old. Different digital learning materials using multiple media were produced, such as audios, videos, educational learning objects using 3D computer, and an evaluation system called simulator to practical situations. Forty-five participants were approved and certified according to agreed criteria, and 40 students accomplished the simulator tasks applied 6 months after the course end. As a result of overall performance, there was a statistically significant improvement in student performance in the immediate post-course simulator compared to the pre-course one; however, there was no statistically significant retention of knowledge on the correct behavior in the later post-course phase. When the group of students who actively participated in discussion lists (30% of students accounted for 75% of total posts) was isolated, this statistically significant difference was observed. Discussion: To evaluate the knowledge of beauty professionals, a simulator to practical situations was developed, based on everyday situations that can lead to disease transmission. Scientific conceptual detail reviews were not included. Thus, the main objective was to measure the students\' perception of what is correct in relation to day-to-day practical situations. It turned out that the students who didn\'t have an active interaction in the discussion forums had no knowledge retention, six months after the course end, and those who actively participated showed that retention. The distance education course had a high rate of acceptance by students, and the distribution of activities in accordance with professional routine resulted in a higher rate of participation in synchronous events. Due to the reduction of course time to one month, if compared to previous longer editions of this course, students had highly approved it. Conclusion: A one-month course was structured and approved by the Dean of Culture and University Extension, targeted to beauty professionals and carried out via distance education mode. The course had generated knowledge retention in the long term for those who had higher active participation in the discussion forums, and was also well accepted by professionals who work in beauty salons

In 2010, the Large Hadron Collider (\\lhc{}) at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) near Geneva (Switzerland) came into full operation providing proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\\sqrt{s} = \\unit[7]{TeV}$. \\lhc{} data may allow the observation of the Higgs boson, the last unknown building block of the standard model of particle physics (SM). Di-muon final states containing heavy flavour jets pose an irreducible background for searches of the Higgs boson as predicted the SM or theories beyond. They also provide a unique testbed for tests of perturbative Quantum Chromo-Dynamics (pQCD). This thesis provides a measurement of the cross section of events with one di-muon pair with an invariant mass in the \\Z{} mass region and at least one heavy flavour jet. Studies on acceptance and systematic effects of the experimental setup are presented as well as a comparison to theoretical predictions. The total inclusive cross section of \\zbFS{} events was observed as $\\sigma(\\mu^{+}\\mu^{-}+b+X) = \\unit[(4.15 ^{+0.97}_{-0.89} (stat.) ^{+0.45}_{-0.53} (syst.))]{pb} $ from the equivalent of $\\unit[36]{pb^{-1}}$ of data. Agreement with pQCD predictions at next-to leading order (NLO) is found while tensions with leading order (LO) predictions are observed. Further, the cross-section ratio \\RwZ{} with events containing two muons and at least one jet of any origin was measured to $\\mathcal{R} = \\unit[4.6 ^{+1.4}_{-1.2} (stat.) \\pm 0.5 (syst.)]{\\%}$. This is found to agree with NLO and LO calculations within known uncertainties.

Afrikaans text / Hierdie studie spreek die beperkte en eensydige beriggewing oor vroue en vroulike skoonheid in die Hebreeuse Bybel en ander antieke geskrifte aan, asook die ondergeskikte posisie wat vroue in die patriargale Ou Testamentiese samelewing beklee het. ‘n Argeologiese benadering word gevolg en beskikbare literêre bronne word gebruik. Daar word gelet op die redes waarom ‘n mooi voorkoms vir vroue so belangrik was. Hul posisie ten opsigte van staatkundige, wetlike, godsdienstige, ekonomiese en huishoudelike aangeleenthede en hul lewensverloop word bespreek. Die studie fokus hoofsaaklik op vroue van ou Israel en Egipte – vir ‘n goeie vergelyking. Inligting oor vroue van die ou Nabye Ooste en Mediterreense wêreld word waar van toepassing ook in aanmerking geneem. Vroue se skoonheidsmiddels, parfuums, juweliersware en kleredrag word bespreek – asook die invloed van vroue se skoonheidspraktyke op die ekonomie en handel van antieke tye. Die slot- hoofstuk maak sekere afleidings en dui enkele onderwerpe vir verdere navorsing aan. / This study addresses the limited and one-sided reporting about women and female beauty in the Hebrew Bible and other ancient literary sources, as well as the subservient position the women experience in the patriarchal Old Testament society. An archaeological approach is followed, although literary sources are also used. Attention is given to women’s position with reference to governmental, legal, religious and domestic issues, their course of life and the reasons why a beautiful and attractive appearance was important. The research focuses mainly on the women of ancient Israel and Egypt – for the purpose of comparison. Information on women of the ancient Near East and Mediterranean world is also taken into account. Women’s cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry and clothing are discussed – as well as the influence of women’s beauty practices on the economy and trade of ancient times. The final chapter makes certain deductions and some aspects are recommended for further study. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M. A. (Biblical Archaeology)

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Department of Chiropractic and Somatology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa. 2017. / Background The growing popularity and competitive nature of the beauty industry has resulted in beauty therapists performing an extensive range of treatments to meet the demand, often at the jeopardy of their own well-being. Treatments include massage, waxing, pedicures and facials. These techniques involve vigorous and repetitive movements that may lead to overuse and strain on the musculoskeletal system, resulting in injury. Work-related activities together with factors such as socio-demographic, psychosocial, environmental and anthropometric can influence the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs). There has been little investigation into the WRMDs of beauty therapists both locally and internationally. Aim The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, selected risk factors and impact of self-reported work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs) in beauty therapists working within the hotel spa industry in the eThekwini municipality. Method A cross sectional epidemiological design was used to survey 254 beauty therapists working in the hotel spa industry in the eThekwini municipality of Durban. A pre-validated questionnaire was hand delivered to beauty therapists working at all hotel spas that agreed to participate. Informed consent was obtained. The survey contained questions related to musculoskeletal pain, socio-demographic, psycho-social, lifestyle and occupational factors. Results A response rate of 70% was obtained (n=178). The majority of the respondents were female (94.3%; n=165), the mean age of the respondents was 27.74 (SD±4.83) years. The respondents had been working as beauty therapists for an average of 5.91 (SD±4.19; n=176) years and performed on average 27.89 (SD±13.33; n=170) treatments per week, working 47.38 (SD±13.36; n=175) hours per week. Those working overtime worked on average 5.43 (SD±2.94; n=59) hours of overtime per week. There was a high rate of reported WRMDs with the lifetime, current and 12 month period prevalence being 86% (n=153), 85% (n=151) and 83% (n=148), respectively. The area most affected were the low back followed by the neck, the hand and wrist. Ninety percent of the respondents indicated that their pain was mild to moderate in nature, with half expressing an inability to cope with the pain, and 78% reporting that it interfered with their ability to work. Mental exhaustion (p=0.032), suffering from a concomitant co-morbidity (p=0.031), years worked as a beauty therapist (p˂0.001) and treating clients after hours (p=0.007) were significantly associated with the presence of musculoskeletal pain. Performing manual massage (p=0.043) and reporting feelings of exhaustion whilst performing specialised massage techniques (p=0.014) and applying makeup/eyelashes (p=0.022) were associated with the presence of WRMDs. Those who reported having co-worker (p=0.006) and managerial support (p˂0.001) were less likely to experience musculoskeletal pain. In contrast, feeling frustrated by work (p=0.007), being under pressure (p=0.005) and over worked (p=0.009) increased the chances of experiencing WRMDs. Working with the back in an awkward position (p˂0.001), standing for prolonged periods (p˂0.001), lifting heavy loads (p=0.019) and working in a hot and humid environment (p<0.001) increased the risk of WRMDs. Conclusion WRMDs have a significant impact on beauty therapists’ ability to work. Effective strategies to prevent and manage WRMDs in hotel spa beauty therapists is required, along with governmental regulation. / M

Title: Facemasks or antidepressants?    The purpose of this study is to investigate how Indy Beauty communicates on their website and in their first campaign as a means of establishing customer involvement. Therése Lindgren is one of many influencers whom have created or acquired their own brand. Therése uses herself as the face of brand and relies on her own social platforms to advertise her products. To further clarify the study’s purpose two question statements: “In what way does the usage of rhetoric and visual expressions convince the consumer to “Love Yourself”?” and “How do they use mental illness in their strive to create relationships with the consumer?”. To analyse the two question statements we have used theories regarding rhetoric, semiotic, Customer Relationship Management and Customer Involvement Management. The foundation of this study are texts from Indy Beauty’s website together with Indy Beauty’s first advertising campaign. This has been analysed through a qualitative content analysis based on rhetoric analysis and visual social semiotic analysis. The combination of these methods enabled us to answer both question statements within the purpose of this study. Our results show that Therése Lindgren’s own experience of mental illness provides her with a legitimacy and ethos to communicate the “Love yourself” message. Both texts from the website and the advertising campaign portrays Indy Beauty’s products as the solution to mental illness through the usage of both rhetoric and visual expressions. The message itself “Love yourself” can be interpreted contradictory and falls within the framework of femvertising. The consumer is told to “Love yourself” exactly as you are but you still need to use the company’s products to alter and enhance your outside appearance. Our conclusion is that the community and kinship that Indy beauty creates with its consumer, where mental illness is the common denominator, can be disputed about whether its main point is patronage or whether it is just a means to an end for the company to sell its products.