"October 2003" / Bibliography: leaves 190-210. / xxi, 210 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Medicine, 2003

The authors used the terrestrial ecosystem model (TEM, version 4.0) to estimate global responses of annual net primary production (NPP) and total carbon storage to changes in climate and atmospheric CO2, driven by the climate outputs from the 2-dimensional MIT L-O climate model and the 3-dimensional GISS and GFDL-q atmospheric general circulation models (GCMs). For contemporary climate with 315 ppmv CO2, TEM estimates that global NPP is 47.9 PgC/yr and global total carbon storage is 1658 PgC: 908 PgC of vegetation carbon and 750 PgC of reactive soil organic carbon. For climate change associated with a doubling of radiative forcing and an atmospheric level of 522 ppmv CO2, the responses of global NPP are +17.8% for the MIT L-O climate, +18.5% for the GFDL-q climate and +20.6% for the GISS climate. The responses of global total carbon storage are +6.9% for the MIT L-O climate, +8.3% for GFDL-q climate and +8.7% for the GISS climate. Among the three climate change predictions, the changes in latitudinal distributions of cumulative NPP and total carbon storage along 0.5o latitudinal bands vary slightly, except in high latitudes. There are generally minor differences in cumulative NPP and total carbon storage for most of the 18 biomes, except for the responses of total carbon storage in boreal biomes for the 2-D MIT L-O climate change. The results demonstrate that the linkage between the TEM and the 2-D climate model is useful for impact assessment and uncertainty analysis within an integrated assessment framework at the scales of the globe, economic regions and biomes, given the compromise between computational efficiency in the 2-D climate model and more detailed spatial representation of climate fields in 3-D GCMs. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 13-16). / Abstract in HTML and technical report in HTML and PDF available on the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change website (http://mit.edu/globalchange/www/).

Polarized cell movements are essential to the cell rearrangements that occur during morphogenesis. In Xenopus, cell polarity is reflected in the directional cell intercalations that drive the morphogenetic movements characterizing gastrulation. While these cell behaviours are well described, the molecular mechanism underlying this cell polarity is unknown. PAR-3 is a multi-domain scaffolding protein and a key regulator of cell polarity. I have isolated a cDNA encoding Xenopus PAR-3 and generated several mutant constructs, each lacking a conserved domain. Initial characterization of GFP-tagged PAR-3 in A6 cells demonstrates localization to points of cell-cell contact in epithelial sheets, as well as at the leading edge of migrating cells. PAR-3 constructs lacking the CR1 or PDZ1 domain fail to compartmentalize properly and are found in the cytoplasm. Eliminating the PDZ3 domain resulted in a loss of contact inhibition. Mutation of the aPKC phosphorylation site created a membrane hyper-accumulation phenotype. Together these data suggest that the CR1 and PDZ1 domains mediate membrane compartmentalization that is modulated through aPKC phosphorylation, while the PDZ3 domain is required for contact inhibition. In embryos, PAR-3 is expressed throughout gastrulation and over-expression of PAR-3 inhibits blastopore closure indicating a requirement during gastrulation. Inhibition is relieved when the construct lacking the CR1 domain is over-expressed. PAR-3 was localized to the cell periphery in axial mesoderm. Localization was abolished with deletion of the CR1 domain indicating that membrane targeting of PAR-3 is required for gastrulation and this targeting is dependent on oligomerization of PAR-3. This investigation also suggests PAR-3 functions independent of the PAR complex in Xenopus embryos indicating involvement of a different PAR-3 signaling pathway.

El present estudi etnogràfic explora les complexitats de com els nens d’edats compreses entre cinc/sis anys construeixen i exploren les seves identitats racials durant la seva etapa educativa infantil en la Sudàfrica post-apartheid. Aquest estudi està emmarcat en un marc de transformació i integració del sistema educatiu, en el qual els discursos oficials, formals i informals de diversitat, diferència i identitat són examinats per tal d’entendre com el marc discursiu i ideològic dominant serveix per estructurar categories social i proporcionar poder. Gràcies a un intens involucrament amb les pràctiques lingüístiques i corporals del nens, vaig poder explorar un rang ampli de posicions discursives contemporànies pel què fa al tema de la raça, com també nocions com el gènere i la classe social. A traves de la teoria post-estructural i conceptes com poder, posicionament i multiplicitat, aquest estudi examina profundament les diverses percepcions en les quals els nens i els educadors reconstrueixen, negocien, resisteixen i subvertir processos de formació de la seva persona. La tesi enfronta problemàtiques epistemològiques i metodològiques en relació a les pràctiques d’investigació actual dels nens. Contràriament als principis essencialistes deconstructius que han servit per posicionar els nens com entitats passives de la societat, aquesta tesi treballa des de la premissa que els nens són actors socials competents que contribueixen en el desenvolupament de la societat. Per tant, mentre que els adults també tenen la oportunitat de tenir la seva pròpia veu, aquestes veus no són utilitzades per representar els nens. En canvi, aquestes veus estan juxtaposades per aportar una interpretació més integradora de la identitat i del procés discursiu en aquest estudi. La investigació demostra que les relacions inherents de poder a la binària entre nens i adults sovint serveixen per prevenir la percepció dels educadors i famílies que els nens són capaços d’interpretar identitats complexes de ‘raça’ que són més que tan sols descriptives. El meu enfoc com adult sense autoritat durant el meu treball de camp em va permetre guanyar una visió en profunditat de com els nens confronten categories socials i relacions de poder. Els resultats d’aquest estudi ens mostra que el passat radicalment segregat continua influenciant les identitats i relacions en el present. Mentre que el desig de superar i avançar cap a una reconciliació i transformació són evidents, la marca profunda que la ‘raça’ manté en les vides dels educadors és reiterat a través de la referència del colors de la pell, ‘blancor’, nocions de superioritat / inferioritat, silenci en la problemàtica, així com també les pràctiques d’actitud defensiva i agressiva. Els discursos informals que circulen entre els nens són significatius, de manera que donen sentit als seus mons socials i personals. Nocions com ‘raça’, gènere i classe són utilitzats amb regularitat i usats per definir posicions de poder i/o privilegi, així com també excloure. Posant en primer pla el món subjectiu dels neus, demostro aquí com els nens activament contribueixen a, i contesten, definicions dominants de ‘raça’ com ara establint discussions detallades de la seva aparença i diferència física. El joc, les històries i les amistats són instruments a través del qual explorar les nocions d’alteritat amb més detall i posar en relleu com els discursos de raça genera classes socials i llengua que interaccionen de formes que afirma o nega les posicions d’identitat que els nens prenen. ‘Raça’ és, per tant, no pas un concepte abstracte pels nens en aquest estudi. En canvi, és invocat i usat d’una manera concreta en intercanvis socials. Mentre que els nens estan exposats al discurs multicultural, no són ignorants de la naturalesa complexa de la política racial en el conjunt de la societat sud-africana. / This ethnographic study explores the complexities of how young children aged five to six years construct and perform their ‘race’ identities in early schooling in post-apartheid South Africa. Set within the broad framework of transformation and integration within the education system, official, formal and informal discourses of diversity, difference and identity are examined in order to understand how dominant ideological and discursive frameworks serve to structure social categories and imbue them with power. Through intensive engagement with the linguistic and embodied practices of children, I explore the range of contemporary discursive positions available to them with regards to the category of ‘race’, and other notions such as gender and class. Framed by poststructural theory, and concepts of power, positioning and multiplicity, this study takes a close look at the myriad ways in which children and educators (re)construct, negotiate, resist and subvert subject formation processes. An integral epistemological and methodological concern of this thesis pertains to contemporary research practices with children. Deconstructing essentialist principles that have served to position children as passively socialised into society, this thesis works from the premise that children are competent social actors that contribute towards shaping society. Thus, while adults are also given a voice in this thesis, theirs is not used to speak for, and so represent, the children. Instead, these voices are juxtaposed to provide a more holistic interpretation of the identity and discursive processes under study. This research has demonstrated that power relations inherent in the child-adult binary often serve to prevent educators and caregivers from viewing children as capable of taking on complex ‘race’ identities that are more than just descriptive. My approach as a ‘non-sanctioning’ adult during fieldwork allowed me to gain an in-depth look at how children wrestle with social categories and relations of power. The findings from this research show that the ‘racially’ segregated past continues to shape identities and relationships in the present. While the desire to move forward towards reconciliation and transformation is evident, the tight grip that ‘race’ maintains in the lives of educators is reiterated through reference to skin colour, ‘whiteness’, notions of superiority/inferiority, silence on the issue as well as practices of defensiveness and aggressiveness. The informal discourses circulating among the children are significant in giving meaning to their personal and social worlds. Notions of ‘race’, gender and class are taken up with regularity and used to assert positions of power and/or privilege, as well as to exclude. Foregrounding the subjective world of children I have shown how children actively contribute to, and contest, dominant definitions of ‘race’ such as through engaging in detailed discussions of physical appearance and difference. Play, stories and friendship patterns were tools through which to explore children’s notions of ‘race’ and otherness in more detail and highlight how discourses of ‘race’, gender, class, and language intersected in ways that affirmed or negated the identity positions that children took up. ‘Race’ is therefore not an abstract concept for the children in this study; rather, it is invoked and used in concrete ways in social exchanges. While the children were exposed to multicultural discourses they were not ignorant of the more complex nature of ‘race’ politics in the wider South African society.

Aquests estudi el centrarem en les jugadores que estan lluitant per aconseguir un lloc en el mon professional del tennis, conèixer les dificultats que comporta aquesta etapa i les raons que promouen a moltes d’elles a abandonar els entrenaments. Un dels nostres objectius centrals serà poder mostrar la realitat del tennis femení a l’Estat Espanyol. Voldríem però presentar un estudi de les característiques dels entrenaments en noies, esbrinant l’eficàcia professional dels entrenadors, amb la intenció d’aportar informació en aquest àmbit per poder avançar així i millorar el nivell esportiu; si els resultats així ho demostren, caldrà també concloure amb una reflexió sobre la introducció de variants qualitatives en la manera d’encarar la preparació de les tennistes. Pel desenvolupament de la investigació utilitzarem entrevistes dirigides a tècnics que actualment estiguin entrenant, que intentin impulsar a aquestes cap al món professional. Hem tingut en compte les diferents variables que poden tenir una influència determinada, d’aquí que hàgim escollit a banda de tècnics, a jugadores d’aquest àmbit, a jugadores retirades i les vivències d'una jugadora en el seu llarg recorregut per aquest difícil món de l'esport. / This study is focused on the female players fighting for a position in the ranking of the professional female players. It’s necessary to know the difficulties of this moment of life in the female players world and, what’s to more important, the reasons to give up the practice. One of the most important objectives of this work is to the reality of female tennis players in Spain. I would like to present a study of the characteristics of the trainings in female players, and discover the efficiency of the professional trainers, with the intention of providing information in this field, for the capacities advance and improvement the sport level. If the results prove it, we will need to conclude with a reflection about the introduction of qualitative variables in the way of preparing the female players. For the development of the research, we will have interviews with technicians that, at this moment, are training female players to boost the jump to the professional field. We have considered the different variables that have a certain influence. We have also taken into account the opinion of active and retired female players of the competition.

No description available.

Regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophenes) is a kind of conjugated polymers with HT-coupled structures . P3HT(head-to-tail) can be easy to access a low energy and low space obstacle coplanar conformation that leads to highly conjugated polymer , better conductivity and optical properties. In this research, we found out the different way of synthesis led to differences in properties such like regioregular, molecular weight. Above mentioned would influence spectrum of materials and device morphology. We chosen three kind of methods easily to synthesize from papers included FeCl3 Method, Grignard metathesis methods(Methylmagnesium bromide¡BTert-butylmagnesium chloride). We observed the different synthetic methods we used led to different reaction and color. After the analysis, there are not only differences between regioregular and molecular weight but molecular conformation. We also noted there were some residues that could not be completely removed by ion in the polymerization process. Absorption spectrum of film is shifted showed it has different degrees of phase separation. The literature tell us that the molecular weight greatly influences the device efficiency, because it changes the morphology and that affects the mobility and Regioregular. In this study, another field of research discusses the impact of ion. It was found after polymerization. The product not clean in the absorption spectrum of performance does not meet the solar cell requirements. After washing, it couldn¡¦t wash away the small amount of residue ion Fe, Mg, Ni, and it¡¦s about 1 ~ 3% in the total material. The experiment shows the various characteristics of different materials leads to change in device efficiency. Among them, the devices have the high molecular weight and good regioregular have the higher efficiency.

In the area of the display of data and images from archaeological sites there is very little uniformity. Universities, museums, and institutions use a variety of techniques and software. Because of the lack of a common framework for storing information gathered from the field a great deal of time is lost converting between disparate file formats and learning new program structures. The goal of this project is to create an open platform to accomplish the specialized tasks of recording and displaying data from the field, specifically dealing with the unique problems associated with sites in an underwater context. The final result should be freely available and adaptable. Many challenges were overcome over the course of this project. Providing security, estimating the user’s level of technical ability, creating a simple but effective interface, creating a three dimensional object viewer, and using only tools freely available for public use were the primary problems. The software chosen to author the platform as well as the hardware requirements were intentionally left to a minimum to ensure that users without access to the latest hardware would still be able to use these tools. In addition to these requirements, the final product would have to be hardware agnostic, as well as operating system neutral. As tempting as it would be to call this project complete, it is very much still an evolving work in progress. As new challenges arise the platform should be robust enough to be able to adapt. The modular design of the platform will ensure that future users will be able to adjust and even create completely new components to add functionality and customize the software to their needs.

Abstract¡G Tumor susceptibility gene 101, TSG101, is a protein exhibits multiple biological functions. For most protein, its specific function or structure stability can be regulated through protein phosphorylation or modification. The analysis of the amino acid sequence of TSG101 revealed that it has two GSK-3£] phosphorylation concensus sequences. Our previous data of in vitro kinase assay have demonstrated that TSG101 can be phosphorylated by GSK-3£], a wellknown protein kinase that regulates the stability and function of it¡¦s target protein. To investigate the effect of GSK-3£] phosphorylation on the stability and the function of TSG101 protein, we first exploited the effect of GSK-3£]inhibitor, LiCl, on endogenous TSG101 protein in COS1 cells. The results suggested that inhibition of GSK-3£] phosphorylation could impact on the stability of TSG101 protein. Upon the transfection of an active form GSK-3£] expression plasmid GSK-3£]/pEGFP, additional protein products of 40, 50-80 kD were detected, suggesting that GSK-3£] phosphorylation might induce modification or degradation of TSG101 protein. GSK-3£] phosphorylation site mutant TSG101 protein expression plasmids were constructed using site-directed mutagenesis, and were transfected into COS1 cells to evaluate the effect of GSK-3£] on TSG101 level. The results showed that GSK-3£] phosphorylation site mutant TSG101 protein is more stable then wild type TSG101 due to the lack of GSK-3£] phosphorylation site. The inhibition of GSK-3£] activity by LiCl treatment resulted in the increase of wildtype as well as the S172AS176 and S172AS176AS202AS206A mutant TSG101 proteins, whereas the S202AS206A mutant TSG101 protein level was not affected by LiCl treatment. The above data indicated that GSK-3£] might regulate the stability and biological activity of TSG101 protein through phosphorylation of serine residue at position 202, which is worthy of further investigation.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2009. / Title from title screen (site viewed October 15, 2009). PDF text: vii, 163 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 7 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3369413. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.