Co-operative and State Ownership in Northern Saskatchewan Under the CCF Government examines the use of social ownership as a policy instrument by the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) government in Northern Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1964. Led by Tommy Douglas, the new government defined numerous policy problems in the North stemming from both an economy dominated by private ownership and unstable natural resource based industries. Using two types of social ownership, crown corporations and co-operatives, the CCF sought to rectify these problems and improve the standard of living in Northern Saskatchewan. This study intends to determine whether the CCF government achieved its policy goals in Northern Saskatchewan and concludes that it accomplished its policy specific goals. Although the CCF may not have revolutionized the Northern economy, it did realize some of its policy goals in the North. <p> This study is significant because it is the first to focus solely on the program of social ownership that the CCF government implemented in the North and assess the success of the program on the CCFs terms. Moreover, this thesis offers a comprehensive review of the political origins and development of co-operatives in Northern Saskatchewan.

Quorum sensing (QS) cell-cell communication systems are utilized by bacteria to coordinate their behaviour according to cell density. Several different types of QS signal molecules have been identified, among which acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) produced by Proteobacteria have been studied to the greatest extent. QS has been shown to be involved in many aspects of bacterial life, including virulence, bioluminescence, symbiosis, antibiotic production, swarming and swimming motility, biofilm formation, conjugation and growth inhibition. Although QS has been studied extensively in cultured microorganisms, little is known about the QS systems of uncultured microorganisms and the roles of these systems in microbial communities. To extend our knowledge of QS systems and to better understand the signalling that takes place in the natural environment, in the first part of this thesis, isolation and characterization of new QS systems from metagenomic libraries constructed using DNA from activated sludge and soil were described. Using an Agrobacterium biosensor strain, three cosmids (QS6-1, QS10-1 and QS10-2) that encode the production of QS signals were identified and DNA sequence analysis revealed that all three clones encode a novel luxI family AHL synthase and a luxR family transcriptional regulator. Thin layer chromatography revealed that these LuxI homolog proteins are able to synthesize multiple AHL signals. Tandem mass spectrometry analysis revealed that LuxIQS6-1 directs the synthesis of at least three AHLs, 3-O-C14:1 HSL, 3-O-C16:1 HSL and 3-O-C14 HSL; LuxIQS10-1 directs the synthesis of at least 3-O-C12 HSL and 3-O-C14 HSL; while LuxIQS10-2 directs the synthesis of at least C8 HSL and C10 HSL. Two possible new AHLs, C14:3 HSL and (?)-hydroxymethyl-3-O-C14 HSL, were also found to be synthesized by LuxIQS6-1. Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a plant pathogen that causes crown gall disease. Its ability to transfer and integrate foreign DNA into plant genome also makes it a useful tool for plant genetic engineering. Ethylene, the gaseous plant hormone, has been reported to be important for both crown gall development and A. tumefaciens mediated transformation efficiency to plants. ACC deaminase, an enzyme that can break down ACC, the direct precursor of ethylene biosynthesis in plants, is a mechanism used by some plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) to promote plant growth by reducing stress ethylene levels. In the second part of this thesis, the effect of ACC deaminase on A. tumefaciens induced crown gall development and on A. tumefaciens mediated transformation efficiency was studied. By either introduction of an ACC deaminase encoding gene into the virulent strain A. tumefaciens C58 or co-inoculation of A. tumefaciens C58 with an ACC deaminase containing PGPB P. putida UW4, using different plant systems including tomato plants and castor bean plants, it was found that the presence of an ACC deaminase significantly inhibited crown gall development. It was also found that introduction of an acdS gene into the disarmed A. tumefaciens strain GV3101::pMP90 reduced the ethylene levels evolved by plants during infection and cocultivation process and increased the transformation efficiency of commercialized canola cultivars. The A. tumefaciens D3 strain was reported to contain an ACC deaminase encoding gene (acdS). In this study it was determined that this strain is an avirulent strain and shows plant growth promoting activity. When co-inoculated with A. tumefaciens C58 on castor bean stems, both the wild type and the acdS knockout mutant showed biocontrol activity and were able to significantly inhibit crown gall formation, with the wild type strain showing slightly better tumor inhibition effects. The mutation of acdS and its regulatory gene lrpL in A. tumefaciens D3 was also found to affect QS signal production of this strain, which indicates a cross talk between the two sets of genes.

Quorum sensing (QS) cell-cell communication systems are utilized by bacteria to coordinate their behaviour according to cell density. Several different types of QS signal molecules have been identified, among which acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs) produced by Proteobacteria have been studied to the greatest extent. QS has been shown to be involved in many aspects of bacterial life, including virulence, bioluminescence, symbiosis, antibiotic production, swarming and swimming motility, biofilm formation, conjugation and growth inhibition. Although QS has been studied extensively in cultured microorganisms, little is known about the QS systems of uncultured microorganisms and the roles of these systems in microbial communities. To extend our knowledge of QS systems and to better understand the signalling that takes place in the natural environment, in the first part of this thesis, isolation and characterization of new QS systems from metagenomic libraries constructed using DNA from activated sludge and soil were described. Using an Agrobacterium biosensor strain, three cosmids (QS6-1, QS10-1 and QS10-2) that encode the production of QS signals were identified and DNA sequence analysis revealed that all three clones encode a novel luxI family AHL synthase and a luxR family transcriptional regulator. Thin layer chromatography revealed that these LuxI homolog proteins are able to synthesize multiple AHL signals. Tandem mass spectrometry analysis revealed that LuxIQS6-1 directs the synthesis of at least three AHLs, 3-O-C14:1 HSL, 3-O-C16:1 HSL and 3-O-C14 HSL; LuxIQS10-1 directs the synthesis of at least 3-O-C12 HSL and 3-O-C14 HSL; while LuxIQS10-2 directs the synthesis of at least C8 HSL and C10 HSL. Two possible new AHLs, C14:3 HSL and (?)-hydroxymethyl-3-O-C14 HSL, were also found to be synthesized by LuxIQS6-1. Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a plant pathogen that causes crown gall disease. Its ability to transfer and integrate foreign DNA into plant genome also makes it a useful tool for plant genetic engineering. Ethylene, the gaseous plant hormone, has been reported to be important for both crown gall development and A. tumefaciens mediated transformation efficiency to plants. ACC deaminase, an enzyme that can break down ACC, the direct precursor of ethylene biosynthesis in plants, is a mechanism used by some plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) to promote plant growth by reducing stress ethylene levels. In the second part of this thesis, the effect of ACC deaminase on A. tumefaciens induced crown gall development and on A. tumefaciens mediated transformation efficiency was studied. By either introduction of an ACC deaminase encoding gene into the virulent strain A. tumefaciens C58 or co-inoculation of A. tumefaciens C58 with an ACC deaminase containing PGPB P. putida UW4, using different plant systems including tomato plants and castor bean plants, it was found that the presence of an ACC deaminase significantly inhibited crown gall development. It was also found that introduction of an acdS gene into the disarmed A. tumefaciens strain GV3101::pMP90 reduced the ethylene levels evolved by plants during infection and cocultivation process and increased the transformation efficiency of commercialized canola cultivars. The A. tumefaciens D3 strain was reported to contain an ACC deaminase encoding gene (acdS). In this study it was determined that this strain is an avirulent strain and shows plant growth promoting activity. When co-inoculated with A. tumefaciens C58 on castor bean stems, both the wild type and the acdS knockout mutant showed biocontrol activity and were able to significantly inhibit crown gall formation, with the wild type strain showing slightly better tumor inhibition effects. The mutation of acdS and its regulatory gene lrpL in A. tumefaciens D3 was also found to affect QS signal production of this strain, which indicates a cross talk between the two sets of genes.

In this PhD thesis, there are two major motifs: dibenzo[a,c]phenazine- and 2,3-diphenylquinoxaline novel discogens and fluorous polycatenar liquid crystals. The thermo properties of these new compounds were elucidated using optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction. In the phenanthroline series (Chapter 2), 1,10-phenanthroline core incorporated into dibenzo[a,c]phenazine structure exhibit columnar mesophases with extremely wide width. X-ray diffraction study pinpoints to that half-shaped mesogens with reduced symmetry has preferential intra-molecular parallel conformation in the mesophase. This molecule has gel ability with different solvents. In dimeric crown ether series (Chapter 3A), 2,3-diphenylquinoxaline-based mesogens containing dibenzo-18-crown-6 has hexagonal columnar mesophase with extremely narrow width. Incorporation potassium metal ion into crown moiety dramatically enhanced mesomorphic stability and for metal complexes, as side chain increases, hexagonal mesophases predominate over rectangular mesophases. Furthermore, both in hexagon or rectangle, per columnar slice consist of two molecules. All of prolonged long glassy formation up to one year at room temperature. In monomeric crown ether series (Chapter 3B), metal-free molecules fail to be mesomorphic, but complexation with lithium and sodium metals enhanced thermo stability and rectangular mesophase (C2mm) were found. Also, per columnar slice was comprised of four molecules. Last (Chapter 4), a series of tri- and tetra-catenar mesogens containing various combinations of hydrocarbon and semiperfluorocarbon chains has been prepared to elucidate the fluorophlic-fluorophobic effect on mesomorphism. Tricatenar with one terminal semiperfluoro- and two hydrocarbon chains are aligned into lamellar periodicity driven by the mutual incompatibility of the hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon portions. But unsymmetric tetracatenar mesogens show rectangular mesophase.

This thesis conducts a legal analysis of the Duchy of Cornwall and how its perceived status has changed over the centuries. The roots of the Duchy date back nearly a thousand years therefore an understanding of the roots of the Duchy and its evolution, focussing on the significant legal issues, over time is necessary to comprehend its present position. The thesis concludes by exploring issues surrounding the contemporary legal status of the Duchy and identifies areas in which there is a convenient ambiguity. In doing so it establishes that while the Duchy and Government describe it as a “private estate” it enjoys privileges and rights which are unique to a “private estate”. In addition it has a significant role in supporting the United Kingdom’s Head of State, the Sovereign, and the heir to the throne. The associated research undertaken in connection with this thesis presents new information which challenges the arguments of those who claim via the Duchy a special constitutional status for Cornwall. The evidence also suggests that the Duchy is not, despite claims to the contrary, publicly accountable in way that is expected in the 21st Century. The possibilities suggested by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 have been utilised and the experience gained will be of value to future researchers. As a consequence of the refusal of public authorities to provide information five complaints have been made to the Information Commissioner and there have been, at the time of writing, four cases in front of the First Tier Tribunal (Information Rights). The material contained within the National Archives has been comprehensively investigated for the first time by anyone with any interest in the Duchy. This has revealed significant new information which although publicly available was not generally known and casts new light on the status of the Duchy. An exploration of the Parliamentary Archives, not previously undertaken, raises questions about the basis of the privileges enjoyed by the Duchy. A similarly detailed review of the legal material, including important court cases challenges the “rights” claimed for the Duchy.

Gap dynamics theory proposes that forest canopy gaps provide the high light levels needed for regeneration. Little attention has been given to more gradual alternatives; however, recent studies have demonstrated declines in within-crown leaf area index with tree size in temperate forest trees. Our project builds on this previous research by assessing the prevalence of this age-related crown thinning phenomenon. We quantified crown openness for 18 dominant tree species in temperate and tropical forests (n = 1786 trees). Separate pooled groupings of tropical and temperate species showed significantly positive relationships between openness and DBH (p<0.001). Of the 9 sampled species showing positive relationships, significance (p< 0.05) was detected in 3 out of 10 tropical species and 1 out of 8 temperate species. Two temperate species showed significantly reduced canopy openness with size. These trends highlight the role that very large trees play in influencing light availability for understorey regeneration.

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<p><font face="TimesNewRomanPSMT"> <p align="left">The aim of this study was to investigate the color stability of two provisional restorative materials used in crown and bridge cases upon exposure to different tea staining solutions and to evaluate the effectiveness of a polishing technique in removing the tea stains from the stained provisional restorative materials.</p> </font></p>

Gap dynamics theory proposes that forest canopy gaps provide the high light levels needed for regeneration. Little attention has been given to more gradual alternatives; however, recent studies have demonstrated declines in within-crown leaf area index with tree size in temperate forest trees. Our project builds on this previous research by assessing the prevalence of this age-related crown thinning phenomenon. We quantified crown openness for 18 dominant tree species in temperate and tropical forests (n = 1786 trees). Separate pooled groupings of tropical and temperate species showed significantly positive relationships between openness and DBH (p<0.001). Of the 9 sampled species showing positive relationships, significance (p< 0.05) was detected in 3 out of 10 tropical species and 1 out of 8 temperate species. Two temperate species showed significantly reduced canopy openness with size. These trends highlight the role that very large trees play in influencing light availability for understorey regeneration.