O mercúrio (Hg) é um metal não essencial, encontrado em diferentes formas químicas, com propriedades bastante diferentes. Entretanto, todas são tóxicas e capazes de alterar inúmeras vias metabólicas. Dentre os efeitos tóxicos da exposição ao Hg, tem grande relevância a toxicidade sobre os tecidos renal, cerebral e hepático. Os principais efeitos nefrotóxicos decorrentes da exposição ao Hg têm sido atribuídos ao estresse oxidativo e produção de espécies reativas do oxigênio (ROS), além de causar danos no metabolismo mitocondrial, alterando a funcionalidade da membrana celular e a polaridade tubular renal. As formas orgânicas do Hg apresentam efeitos tóxicos sobre o sistema nervoso central (SNC), com a capacidade de induzir sérios danos ao desenvolvimento neurológico, tais como deficiências na fala, hiperatividade, dificuldade de concentração e até mesmo desordens semelhantes ao autismo. No tecido hepático, os principais efeitos tóxicos ocorrem por alterações no ciclo entero-hepático, processo-chave na excreção do mercúrio. A exposição aos metais, de uma maneira geral, ativa um mecanismo que modifica a produção alterada de proteínas na tentativa de manter a homeostase e de proteger ou reparar macromoléculas que são alvos diretos ou indiretos de xenobióticos. Neste sentido, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar, por meio de mapas bidimensionais, o perfil de expressão de proteínas em amostras fígado, cérebro e rim de ratos expostos a diferentes espécies de mercúrio (inorgânico, metilmercúrio e etilmercúrio) comparados aos seus respectivos controles, utilizando a plataforma clássica de análise proteômica (2DE e MS). Observou-se que a exposição às diferentes formas de Hg modificou a expressão de 139 proteínas, sendo 22 em células cerebrais, 19 em células do tecido renal, e 27 em células do tecido hepático. Dentre as proteínas diferencialmente expressas, destacaram-se àquelas relacionadas diretamente ao estresse oxidativo, nos tecidos hepático e renal e relacionadas à homeostase do Ca+2 e à regulação de glutamato na fenda sináptica, no tecido cerebral. Este estudo demonstrou que todas as formas de Hg, promoveram mudanças no perfil protéico em todos os tecidos e, muitas proteínas alteradas, corroboram com os mecanismos de ação do Hg, já previstos na literatura / Mercury (Hg) is not essential metal found in various chemical species with different properties, but all are toxic and can alter numerous metabolic pathways. Among the toxic effects of exposure to mercury, it has great relevance to toxicity on the kidneys, brain and liver tissues. The main nephrotoxic effects from exposure to mercury have been attributed to oxidative stress and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), in addition to causing damage to mitochondrial metabolism by changing the functionality of the cell membrane and renal tubular polarity. The organic Hg forms present toxic effects on the central nervous system (CNS), with the ability to induce serious damage in the neurological deficiencies such as in speech, hyperactivity, difficulty concentrating and even disorder similar to autism. In liver tissue, the major toxic effects occur by changes in the enterohepatic cycle, key process excretion of mercury. Exposure to metals, in general, activates a mechanism which changes the production of proteins in an attempt to maintain homeostasis and to protect or repair macromolecules that are direct targets or indirect xenobiotics. In this sense, the aim of this study was to evaluate, by means of two-dimensional maps, protein expression\'profiles in liver, brain and kidney samples of rats exposed to different species of mercury (inorganic, methylmercury and ethylmercury) compared to their respective controls, using the classic platform for proteomic analysis (2DE and MS). It was observed that exposure to different forms of Hg modified expression of 139 proteins, 22 in brain cells 19 in kidney tissue cells, and 27 in the hepatic tissue cells. Among the differentially expressed proteins, they stood out to those directly related to oxidative stress in the liver and kidney tissues and related to homeostasis of Ca2+ and glutamate regulation in the synaptic cleft, the brain tissue. This study demonstrated that all Hg forms modified the protein profile in all tissues, and many altered proteins, corroborate the Hg mechanisms of action, as provided in the literature.

Procuramos desenvolver nesta investigação um estudo sobre as relações creche-cuidador familiar em uma instituição comunitária. Objetivamos, estudar as relações creche-cuidador familiar identificando quais as condições dificultadoras e facilitadoras dessas relações. Isso pressupõe: levantar as condições existentes e problematização no relacionamento creche-cuidador familiar, tendo como foco a criança, evidenciado pelos funcionários e familiares; desenvolver ações educativas com os funcionários e família sobre os problemas prioritários levantados, preparando-os para lidarem com estas questões no cotidiano da criança e avaliar o processo de ensino e aprendizagem das ações desenvolvidas, possibilitando novos momentos de intervenção. Na metodologia, trabalhamos a Pesquisa-Ação, de forma qualiquantitativa, desenvolvendo o referencial teórico fundamentado em Paulo Freire, no que diz respeito a pedagogia da problematização e metodologia participativa e dialogal. Para o levantamento dos dados utilizamos a observação participativa da realidade e a entrevista individual, utilizando um formulário com questões semi-estruturadas e norteadoras como instrumento. Pesquisamos 12 trabalhadoras da creche e 71 cuidadores familiares. Os resultados evidenciaram que a relação entre a creche e os cuidadores familiares caracterizava-se pela distância. Não existia uma interação propriamente dita de troca, de reconhecimento de uma pela outra. Havia uma implicância mútua entre funcionárias e mães. Sentimentos de hostilidade, desconfiança, de culpa, ciúme, de apreensão e de agradecimento permeavam as relações entre os cuidadores familiares e as funcionárias. Observamos através dos relatos verbais emitidos pelas funcionárias e cuidadores familiares uma congruência nos fatores dificultadores da relação creche-família. Os problemas apresentados por ambos foram relativos a: participação, comunicação, relacionamento, gestão autoritária e falta de credibilidade ou de confiança. Portanto concluímos, que a relação creche-cuidadores familiares era permeada por interações negativas e que as dificuldades de relacionamento era geradora de vários atritos entre ambos dificultando compartilhar o cuidado e educação da criança, suscitando ações e intervenções educativas voltadas às temáticas em foco favorecendo novas posturas e visando a transformação da realidade. Trabalhamos posteriormente, ações e intervenções educativas e de saúde conjuntas, visando a transformação das relações creche-cuidadores familiares, mostrando mudanças nessas relações depois de alterar as condições detectadas como dificultadoras, integrando-as às facilitadoras. / We have tried to develop in this investigation a study about the relation daycare-familiar caretaker. We have objectified, to study the relations daycare-familiar caretaker identifying which are the difficult conditions and the easy conditions of this relation. This has assumed: rising up the existent conditions and the problematization in the relation daycare-familiar caretaker, taking in focus the child, evidenced by the employees and relatives; developing educational actions with the employees and relatives about the main problems risen up, preparing them to deal with these questions in the quotidian of the child and to evaluate the teaching and learning process of the developed actions, enabling new moments of intervention. In the method, we have worked on the Research-action, quali-quantitative, developing the theoretical reference founded in Paulo Freire, who concerns the pedagogy problematization, participating and dialoguing methodology. To rise up the data we have used the participating observation of reality and the individual interview, using a form with semi-structured questions and guiding as an instrument. We have researched 12 workwomen of the daycare and 71 familiar caretaker. The results evidenced that the relation between the daycare and the caretaker familiar characterized themselves by the distance. There wasn’t an interaction properly said of change, of recognition to each other. There was a mutual implication between the employees and mothers. Feelings of hostility and distrust, of guilty and jealousy, of apprehension and gratefulness permeated the relation between the familiar caretaker and the employees. We observed through the verbal reports expelled by the employees and the familiar caretaker a congruent in the difficult factors in the relation daycare-familiar caretaker. The problems presented by both of them were relative to: the participation, communication, relation, authority administration and lack of credibility or confidence. However, we have concluded that the relation daycare-familiar caretaker was permeated by negative interactions and that the difficulties of relation was the source of several attrition between both, making it difficult to share the care and education of the child, rousing educative actions and interventions related to thematic focus, favoring new postures and aiming the transformation of the relation daycare-familiar caretaker, presenting changes in this relation after the alteration of the conditions detected as uneasy conditions, integrating them to the easy ones.

Orientador: Marcia Maria Strazzacappa Hernandez / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-24T14:47:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pronsato_Laura_D.pdf: 10374868 bytes, checksum: 86f10ada9f92057f0b43c6ce1ff5e752 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: Esta pesquisa parte da hipótese de que o crescimento de programas e projetos socioeducativos que utilizam a arte como ferramenta educacional instaura ambivalências no campo da dança, de seu ensino e nas condições de trabalho em que os artistas e educadores desta área se inserem. Questões que acarretam deslocamentos de sentidos com relação às concepções sobre a interface arte e educação. A isto soma-se o reconhecimento ou não destes profissionais como trabalhadores nessa esfera em que prevalece a não continuidade dos processos artísticos e educativos pautados por contratos temporários e parciais. Para entender melhor estas questões, o estudo se localiza na cidade de São Paulo e a partir do fim da década de 1980, período de significativas mudanças econômicas, sociais, educacionais e culturais do qual, no processo de redemocratização emerge uma crise discursiva que pode ser percebida na atualidade, entre os artistas e educadores de dança, a partir de conflitos e tensão identitários e conceituais sobre sua própria profissão. Configurou-se como pesquisa de caráter qualitativo em que se ressaltou a dialética e o processo autobiográfico, ao rememorar minhas próprias experiências, em simultaneidade com narrativas memorialísticas, advindas de entrevistas semi-estruturadas, de profissionais da dança que atuaram em ações socioeducativos e governamentais de São Paulo. Esta esfera revelou-se, prioritariamente, como lugar de passagem, entre tantos outros, que configuram as estratégias de obtenção de renda perpetuando um equilíbrio precário, próprio da profissão. As condições de trabalho neste contexto também desvelaram uma precariedade contraditória em que predominam sentimentos de desvalorização e desrespeito, muitas vezes, silenciados ou invisibilizados, pela valorização que cada profissional atribui aos pequenos, mas significativos, momentos artísticos na relação artista-educando. Neste sentido, a sonhada estabilidade não se refere necessariamente à financeira e sim ao reconhecimento como trabalhador da arte / Abstract: This research begins from the hypothesis that the growth of socio-educational programs and projects that use art as an educational tool creates ambivalences in the field of dance and the teaching of dance, and in the work conditions in which artists and educators of this area are inserted. Issues that imply a change of meanings in relation to the concepts on the art and education interface. To this, the recognition (or lack of recognition) of these workers is added, in this sphere in which the non-continuity of the artistic and educational processes prevail, due to partial and temporary contracts. For a better understanding of these issues, this study is located in the city of São Paulo, in a period beginning in the end of the 80¿s, a significant period of economic, social, educational and cultural changes, during which, in a process of re-democratization has emerged a discursive crisis that can be seen nowadays, among artists and dance educators, stemming from identity and conceptual conflicts and tensions in relation to the profession. This work has been configured as a qualitative research in which the dialectics and the autobiographical process are highlighted, in remembering my own experiences, simultaneously alternating with memory narratives, from semi-structured interviews, with dance professionals that have acted in socio-educational and governmental actions in the State of São Paulo. This sphere has primarily been revealed as a passage way, among many others, that constitute strategies to obtain income, thus perpetuating a precarious balance, a characteristic of the profession. The work conditions in this context also reveal a contradictory poorness in which feelings of underestimation and disrespect prevail, many times silenced or made invisible, by the value each professional attributes to the small, but significant artistic moments in the relation artist-student. In this sense, the so dreamed stability does not refer to the financial reality but to the recognition as an art worker / Doutorado / Educação, Conhecimento, Linguagem e Arte / Doutora em Educação

M.A. / This action research study explored the development and workings of a monthly, openended depression and anxiety support group based in Johannesburg, Gauteng. Although the growth of mutual-aid groups has escalated over the past three decades, there is little research on support groups created solely for the purpose of servicing depression and anxiety sufferers. Researchers have indicated that support and information at these meetings may prove to be a valuable and effective intervention which helps sufferers come to terms with their condition (Miller, 1987; Stein, Zungu-Dirwayi, Wessels, Berk & Wilson, 1998). The study at hand aimed to elucidate the ways in which the depression and anxiety support group was experienced as helpful, as well as those areas which could be improved to increase the effectiveness of the group system. The support group was examined over an eleven-month period, November 1999 – October 2000, during which time the progress and experiences of three new group members was specifically observed and chronicled. Seven participants, including three members of a support group catering for black depression and anxiety sufferers, were initially sourced and screened for inclusion in the study. Although not intentional, the three subjects that finally fulfilled the criteria for inclusion in the study were all white females attending the Johannesburg support group. Relevant data on the three participants was collected systematically over this period through a process of triangulation. Methods included structured and semi-structured interviews, written reports, questionnaires and participant observation. The grounded theory approach allowed the researcher to work inductively with the data and to discern and explore the connections between elements and patterns that emerged in the analysis. An integration of the research data revealed that the group was primarily helpful to participants through the factors of universality, cohesion, didactic instruction and downward social comparison. Furthermore, the results indicated that participants presenting with prominent avoidant personality disorder (APD), as measured by the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-II, are likely to strongly value the relief from social isolation that the support group setting affords them, as well as gaining comfort from belonging to and being accepted by a group and improving their interpersonal skills. On the negative front, the group would or could not move beyond a formative, early stage of group development. As a result, its members were either caught in a repetitive cycle of exploring the same territory or lost interest after a relatively short period of time and terminated membership. Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested that members be afforded the opportunity of attending a more advanced therapy group once they feel they have gained the necessary relief from the primary support group. The support group plays a valuable role of reassuring members that they are not alone in their suffering, offering them the learning experience of being accepted by a group and introducing them to group format and protocol. However, once a foundation has been established, it is likely that members would benefit from joining a more advanced group in which interpersonal learning and role modelling is emphasized. Members need an arena where they can explore their behaviour and feelings in depth, and with other members who are functioning at a similar level. It is hoped that the findings of this study will increase understanding of support group functioning, provide suggestions for future research involving APD clients and depression and/or anxiety sufferers in support gr oup settings and make some contribution towards theory-building in this field.

This thesis is an articulation of how the principles of socially-engaged Buddhism, a spiritual practice rooted in the teachings of the historical Buddha that integrates Buddhist practice and social activism, can enrich and enhance contemporary educational practice. It discusses Buddhist epistemology, metaphysics, ontology, psychology, ethics, and practice and relates these things to holistic education, critical pedagogy, SEL, and global education. On the basis of the theoretical understanding represented by that discussion, it articulates several theoretical principles that can be practically applied to the practice of teaching and learning to make it resonate with the theory and approach of sociallyengaged Buddhism. In integrating the implications of Buddhist teachings and practices with teaching and learning practice, it draws from bell hooks’ notion of “engaged pedagogy” in order to articulate a transformational, liberatory, and progressive approach to teaching called “socially-engaged pedagogy.” Socially-engaged pedagogy represents the notion that teaching and learning can be a practical site for progressive social action designed to address the real problem of suffering, both in the present and in the future, as it manifests in the world, exemplified by stress, illness, violence, war, discrimination, oppression, exploitation, poverty, marginalization, and ecological degradation. / Education, Faculty of (Okanagan) / Graduate

L’action sociale, comme ensemble des prestations et interventions mises en œuvre dans le cadre de l’Etat-Providence, traverse une crise qui, depuis trois décennies, met à mal les pratiques sociales. Cette crise n’est autre qu’une crise de légitimité, c’est à dire une crise des valeurs sur lesquelles s’appuie l’action sociale pour intervenir au sein de la société civile. La fin du dix-neuvième siècle a vu, avec la naissance de la sociologie, consacrer la valeur de solidarité comme la valeur de référence de l’action sociale. Les modèles théoriques proposés pour la compréhension et l’interprétation de la question sociale procèdent, pour une grande partie d’entre eux, par opposition de concepts. Ainsi se retrouvent opposés justice et solidarité, autonomie et intégration sociale, individu et société, mettant les travailleurs sociaux dont la mission essentielle consiste à restaurer l’autonomie des personnes en difficulté sociale, dans une situation paradoxale intenable puisqu’ils ne peuvent penser ensemble comme les deux volets de leur mission. Le nécessaire rééquilibrage des valeurs de justice et de solidarité, d’autonomie et d’intégration, réclame un nouvel humanisme débarrassé des scories métaphysiques. Deux philosophes contemporains se sont attelés à cette tâche, Alain Renaut avec une critique de l’individualisme moderne et Jurgen Habermas avec sa théorie de l’agir communicationnel. / Social work wich can be understood as a set of benefin and service implemented into the welfare state is going through a crisis from about three decades that makes more difficult for social workers to reach their achievements. This social crisis is nothing but a legitimacy crisis that is to say a crisis of the values wich social work is based on to interfere with civil society. The end of the ninetiinth century and the emergency of sociology as a social science have established solidarity as the exclusive reference value in social work. The theorical patterns proposed to understand and interpret what can be called the social issue are proceeding, for the most part of them, by putting concepts the ones angain the others, justice against solidarity, self sufficiency angainst social intégration, individual against society. These oppositions are putting social worker whose main role is to work to achieve disavantaged people’s self-sufficiency and social integration, in a paradoxical situation as they can’t think together these two concept as for justice and solidarity. To restore the balance between justice and solidarity, self-suffiency and social integration, it is necessary to conceive a new idea of humanism in getting rid of metaphysical dross. Two contemporary philosophers buckle down this task, Alain Renaut in carrying out a modern individualism criticism that leaves some place to subjectivity, and Jürgen Habermas in conceiving a theory action based on communication.

This report describes the development of an application in collaboration with Designingenjörerna AB. The company has worked for a long time with a community platform and they required an application where users can create their own unique profile representations, called Avatar Creator. An Avatar Creator is computer based application, which makes it possible to create a virtual character. The problem area behind this is that, large websites require a lot of administrative work when people upload profile pictures on different community pages. They can contain abusive material or pictures of other people rather than those who created the profile.The questions in this report are, how can an Avatar Creator help user to get a unique profile of himself? What are the advantages and disadvantages of an Avatar Creator? How to create a user-friendly application?To understand how an Avatar Creator works and get ideas to create an application, exiting Avatar Creators were reviewed on the Web.Collaborative work with Designingenjörerna AB was done to pin down the requirements for the Avatar creator application. The requirements were implemented to come up with an application with the features that allows users to create their unique Avatar profile, change looks etc. With this kind of application, the content that the users can choose is limited and controlled. On other hand, if users are allowed to change Avatar appearance too much, it can lead to disturbing images.The usability of the application was evaluated through survey which concluded that further work is needed to make the application user friendly. Users pointed out some functions were hard to understand and help-instructions were missing. Apart from these points, the application was considered good and held up to its purpose of creating a unique Avatar profile easily.

South African education has been going through a process of transformation: from a traditional, transmission system to one of a more progressive nature. In the new curriculum, Curriculum 2005 anchored on Outcomes-based Education (OBE), focus is laid on critical reflection, innovation and creativity by classroom participants. Learning situations are expected to promote flexibility, co-operation and relevance of teaching/learning materials. This research looks at these aspects in the English Second Language (ESL) situation where print media articles are used as resource. Other than being a rich resource for language, print media texts have been found to be appropriate for this exploration because of their potential to offer opportunities for critical reflection and interaction with authentic issues. Unlike uncritical reliance on textbooks, the proper use of media articles can give the teachers and learners the space to select relevant and exciting materials for their situations. In this study, the research was done through action research where I (the researcher) actually taught the lessons in collaboration with the English teacher. The teaching method was influenced by the Freirean style of Iiberatory teaching where critical reflection, socio-political relevance and co-operation are crucial elements. The action research was done in two cycles. Experiences in the first cycle pointed to, among other aspects, the fact that the learners could not work in a co-operative way as they were not used to it. Addressing this problem consequently became the basis of the second cycle where the skills of co-operative learning were taught before the learners engaged in further lessons. The conclusions drawn from this research point to the importance of the teacher as an agent in the learning process if the demands of progressive and liberatory teaching are to be met. It has thus been concluded that elements such as critical thinking, creativity, flexibility and selection/development of relevant materials presuppose the existence of a well-trained teacher who is skilled and able to make these possible. In the light of my findings, my major recommendation is that teacher development needs to be strengthened so that more emphasis is placed on enhancing the teacher's ability to critique texts and improve his or her own practice, acquiring the skills to teach in a critical way and achieving the learning competencies.

Successful coordination of prehensile action depends upon the selection and control of appropriate reach and grasp movements. This thesis explores how prehensile actions are shaped and regulated by perceptual information. According to ecological psychology, behaviour is achieved through the detection of information specifying the opportunities the environment affords for action. A review of the literature identified that as this information evolves over time, a comprehensive understanding of prehension has to consider how affordance perception and continual guidance of action come together in the pursuit of goal-directed action. In a series of interlinking studies the initiation, hand transport and grasp components of prehension were investigated in order to determine how affordances are manifested in the emergence of, and guidance within, prehensile actions. Study 1 explored the effect of information specifying affordances on the time taken to initiate and perform a ball-posting action. Results indicated that affordance perception was reflected in initiation time, whilst affordance actualisation was reflected in movement time, demonstrating that effects of affordance perception extend beyond action preparation to directly influence the emergence of action. Study 2 investigated the selection and regulation of perceptual information during the guidance of hand transport. General tau theory (Lee, 1998) was applied to test i) whether the ratio of coupling between hand and object motion is held constant throughout the reach, and ii) whether this ratio, k, describes the kinematics of handobject contact under varying spatiotemporal task constraints. Results indicated a constant tau ratio during the middle, but not the end phase of the movement; moreover, although the summary ratio k was not sensitive to task manipulations, the time-dependent counterpart, K(t), did exhibit effects of task constraints. This indicates that the guidance of hand transport was a continuous process, where, dependent upon the task goals, the regulation of perceptual information changed throughout the action. The final study, Study 3, examined digit coordination during the grasp. Focusing on the transition from 2-digit to 3-digit grip configurations, the study addressed whether grip selection is made before or during the action. Results showed the transition between 2- and 3-digit grips occurs at a within trial level. The grip configuration utilised could only be distinguished as 2- or 3-digit during the second half of the movement, indicating that grip selection emerges online during the unfolding action. Together these studies provide evidence of continual guidance of prehensile actions and offer support for the consideration of prehensile action as a set of nested task goals. It was concluded that affordance perception and movement guidance are interrelated and evolve continuously throughout the unfolding prehensile action. In light of these findings, issues relating to action selection emerging online from the organism-environment interaction are discussed.

Capacity development, capacity building and organisation development (OD) are key priorities of international development, and this is especially true in the African context. With regard to the NGO sector, since the 1990s donors and especially international NGOs have invested significant resources in building the capacity of African NGOs. While academic research on NGO management and OD has grown significantly in the last decade, it has often taken a decontextualised stance, largely resting on assumptions about the universality and neutrality of management principles, practices and approaches. Furthermore, there are still few accounts on NGO management and OD from within the African NGO sector. This study intends to contribute to filling this gap, by focusing on OD and management in Ugandan NGOs. It originated in my work as OD advisor with two Ugandan NGOs, between 2007 and 2009. The research thus took shape through an iterative process of hands-on immersion as an OD practitioner, focused on the specific dimensions of the action scene I was involved in, and of reflexive inquiry as a theoretical researcher. This study specifically examines how OD is understood in the NGO sector in Uganda: what needs, demands and aspirations it serves, what challenges it faces and what opportunities it offers. It also investigates how management principles and practices shape the role of NGOs within the development industry. In particular, acknowledging NGOs’ commitment to alternative bottom-up development thinking and practice, it investigates whether and how OD processes and management practices might help NGOs to fulfil their stated role. The findings indicate that OD and management processes were fundamentally shaped by external pressure from various actors, especially donors, pushing both NGOs toward the adoption of specific management systems and tools. However, the research also reveals that the NGOs dealt with such externally driven management requirements in various ways, including acts of opposition and resistance. Overall, the findings suggest that management imperatives and requirements not only significantly affect the OD processes of NGOs, but also shape the role of NGOs in the development process, by narrowing their possibilities for engagement with social change agendas and with bottom-up, transformative practice within the aid industry more generally.