No description available.

No description available.

The Native peoples of North America still confront the challenges of lingering colonial cultural imperialism. One such challenge is that of Native education, and its unfortunate management by the European-descended political powers. Using tactics such as assimilation, segregation and integration, the establishment used schooling as a blunt tool to solve the so-called "Indian problem"---that is, the assimilation of the Native population into the European way of life. The results were predictably tragic; the current education system is still perceived as a tool of colonization by many Natives. / After so many failed attempts, policy-makers are finally looking to return to the First Nations the education they need, not what North America thinks they should have. One example of this is the proposal to create an institution of higher learning within the Cree communities of Northern Quebec. This dissertation examines the possible challenges and benefits of such a project. It explores the relationship between Cree students and the current "mainstream" education system by way of research, participant-observation narrative and the voice of the Cree themselves while interviewed. / Since they must travel to non-Native communities to pursue higher education, Cree students typically deal with culture shock, alienation and no small degree of racism while studying. In addition a commonality of experience between the Cree and students of other Native communities while attending a "white" school precipitates a pan-Indian/super-tribal perspective, which becomes an important factor in their world view. / Because this dissertation uses participant-observation and interview methodologies for research, and because the subjects of the observation and the interviews are Cree students, then it is necessary for this dissertation to first survey the topics of Pan-Indian Identity and Culture Shock and put them into context. In fact, a large part of the participant-observation narrative is that of the author integrating into a Cree community as an educator. This narrative essentially documents the author's own stages of culture shock, a mirror to that which the Native student faces "down south" at college. These are examples of the real anxieties and challenges faced when immersed in a new and different culture. / The Native perspective is provided by the Cree students themselves in interviews that were fortunately rich in narrative recollection. In addition to answering the standard interview questions, the interviewees offered their own anecdotes, observations and insights into their experiences within the "mainstream" education system. / The conclusions drawn in this body of research may go towards dealing with the legacy of Cree distrust towards an educational system possibly perceived as an imposition of a colonizing society, and to answering the real needs of Native students who are seeking to benefit from education, whatever its form.

No description available.

Nuclear receptors play crucial roles in the transcriptional regulation of many biological processes such as development and cellular differentiation. ERRalpha is known, along with coactivator PGC-1alpha, to playa central role in the control of energy metabolism in cardiac and skeletal muscle. They activate the expression of many genes involved in mitochondrial oxidative metabolism. Here we identified PROX1, a factor that was previously shown to broadly influence metabolism, as a regulator of this pathway. Indeed, PROX1 interacts in vitro and in vivo with both ERRalpha and PGC-1alpha. To provide more insight on the hepatic functions of ERRalpha and PROX1, we performed ChIP-on-chip using mouse liver, identifying a large number of ERRalpha and PROX1 genomic targets and reinforcing their role in energy metabolism. Over 40% of the target genes were found to be common to both factors and we observed that PROX1 could be recruited to ERRalpha binding sites and act as a negative regulator o fthe ERRalpha/POC-1alpha pathway.

The highland Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia has historically suffered significantly from drought shock events. These events, coupled with a high poverty rate- have left a severe impact on the agricultural output and community survival of the region. Several development interventions have been implemented in Ethiopia to address the effects of drought and poverty, the largest being the recent Food for Work Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP). The purpose of this study was to assess the food security and drought survival needs of Ethiopian communities, more specifically, communities in the Northern Tigray Region. The main research questions were: (a) what are major themes from the permanent literature on the PSNP's management policies' impact at the beneficiary level; and (b) what are common needs of drought prone villages in the Tigray Region of Northern Ethiopia? Research Question (a) was approached through content analysis of six purposely chosen peer reviewed journal articles related to the implementation of the first five years of the PSNP. Data was analyzed through the constant comparative method and two major themes emerged: Targeting Policy, and Transfer Policy. To address Research Question (b), the researcher traveled to four drought prone villages in the Tigray Region and facilitated a combination of Participatory Rural Appraisal and Rapid Rural Appraisal techniques to assess community-level needs. Interviews with Non-Governmental Agency employees, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development employees, and University faculty provided institutional perspective to the research question. Data was analyzed using the constant comparative method and inductively formed into 11 themes, housed in three sectors: Economic Diversification, Environmental Management, and Social Coping Mechanisms. The results of this study concurred with food security literature; namely that mechanisms for selecting intervention beneficiaries (i.e., targeting policy) and the process for distributing benefits (i.e., transfer policy) are practical concerns at the village level in Ethiopia. Analysis of participatory data formed a framework of community drought survival needs in the context of the Tigray Region. Asset building, water management, and human capacity are example needs which emerged from this study and should be addressed for the long term improvement of Ethiopia's resilience to drought shock events.

HSP27, the Drosophila homolog of mammalian HspB1, is a nuclear sHsp that is both stress induced and developmentally regulated with a conserved cyto-protective function. It is multiply phosphorylated in vivo through an unconfirmed mechanism at unidentified residues. The effect of phosphorylation on its localization, oligomerization, and function is also not well understood. Here we report a genetic investigation into the role of Hsp27 in Drosophila development, and a preliminary investigation into the effect of phosphorylation on HSP27 localization and function in Drosophila S2 cells. Through a proteomic screen, a pro-apoptotic role for Hsp27 in embryonic developmentally regulated programmed cell death was suggested and supported by RNAi experiments, but not replicated using Hsp27null mutant stocks. These stocks were complicated by the intriguing appearance of multiple background mutations. Specific developmental defects in transgenic lines overexpressing phospho-mutant isoforms were then investigated. These too were subject to multiple independent incidences of background genetic mutation, which we believe may be related to Hsp27 mis-expression. We also studied the endogenous expression and localization pattern of HSP27 in stressed and unstressed Drosophila S2 cells. We found evidence that wild-type protein localization is influenced by stress. Finally, we took a first step toward understanding how phosphorylation might regulate HSP27 localization by examining the effect of targeted mutations of serine residues (S58, S71, and S75) on the localization pattern of exogenous HSP27. By characterizing the expression of endogenous and overexpressed HSP27 in Drosophila cells, we provide a foundation for future investigation into the regulated localization and function of HSP27 that can be extended to address the regulatory mechanisms that govern the protective capacities and oligomeric properties of phosphorylated HSP27 in Drosophila.

A two dimensional hydrodynamic model describing the solar wind interaction with the local interstellar medium, which surrounds the solar system, is used to study the heliosphere both as a steady-state- and dynamic structure. The finite volume method used to solve the associated system of hydrodynamic equations numerically is discussed in detail. Subsequently the steady state heliosphere is studied for both the case where the solar wind and the interstellar medium are assumed to consist of protons only, as well as the case where the neutral hydrogen population in the interstellar medium is taken into account. It is shown that the heliosphere forms as three waves, propagating away from the initial point of contact between the solar wind and interstellar matter, become stationary. Two of these waves become stationary at sonic points, forming the termination shock and bow shock respectively. The third wave becomes stationary as a contact discontinuity, called the heliopause. It is shown that the position and geometry of the termination shock, heliopause and bow shock as well as the plasma flow characteristics of the heliosphere largely depend on the dynamic pressure of either the solar wind or interstellar matter. The heliosphere is modelled as a dynamic structure, including both the effects of the solar cycle and short term variations in the solar wind observed by a range of spacecraft over the past ~ 30 years. The dynamic model allows the calculation of an accurate record of the heliosphere state over the past ~ 30 years. This record is used to predict the time at which the Voyager 2 spacecraft will cross the termination shock. Voyager 1 observations of 10 MeV cosmic ray electrons are then used in conjunction with a cosmic ray modulation model to constrain the record of the heliosphere further. It is shown that the dynamic hydrodynamic model describes the heliosphere accurately within a margin of error of ±0.7 years and ±3 AU. The model predicts that Voyager 2 crossed the termination shock in 2007, corresponding to preliminary results from observations indicating that the crossing occurred in August 2007. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Physics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The first step in many mining operations is blasting, and the purpose of blasting is to fragment the rock mass in the most efficient way for that mine site and the material end use. Over time, new developments to any industry occur, and design and implementation of traditional techniques have to change as a consequence. Possibly the greatest improvement in blasting in recent years is that of electronic detonators. The improvements related to safety and increased fragmentation have been invaluable. There has been ongoing debate within the explosives industry regarding two possible theories for this. Shorter timing delays that allow interaction between adjacent shock waves or detonation waves, or the increase in accuracy associated with electronic detonators. Results exist on the improved accuracy of electronic detonators over that of electric or non-electric, but data on the relationship between the collision of dynamic stress waves and fragmentation is less understood. Publications stating that the area of greatest fragmentation will occur between points of detonation where shock waves collide exist, but experimental data to prove this fact is lacking. This dissertation looks extensively at the head on collision of shock (in the rock mass) and detonation (in the detonation column) waves with relation to fragmentation through a number of small scale tests in concrete. Timing is a vital tool for this collision to occur and is the variable utilized for the studies. Small scale tests in solid masonry blocks, 15 x 7⅞ x 7⅞ inches in size, investigated shock and detonation wave collisions with instantaneous detonation. Blocks were wrapped in geotextile fabric and a wire mesh to contain the fragments so that in situ tensile crack formations could be analyzed. Detonating cord was used as the explosive with no stemming to maintain the shock pressure but reduce the gas pressure phase of the fragmentation cycle. Model simulations of these blocks in ANSYS Autodyn looked at the stress and pressure wave patterns and corresponding damage contours for a direct comparison with the experimental investigation. Detonation wave collision in a single blast hole was found to positively influence the fragmentation and throw of the material. Mean fragment size decreased compared to tests with no detonation wave collision. Area of greatest throw occurred at the point of detonation collision where a buildup of gas pressure exited the block from one location. Head on collision of shock waves did not positively influence the muck pile. Largest fragments were located at the point of shock collision. The lack of particle velocity with relation to shock collision in previous literature could be attributed to the increased particle size here. Directional particle velocities could actually increase the strength and density of the rock at this location, decreasing the degree of fragmentation rather than increasing it.

Algae are being considered as a possible tool for carbon dioxide mitigation because they uptake carbon dioxide during photosynthesis. Using flue gas from a coal-fired power plant as a carbon source would allow the algae to remove CO2 from the flue gas before it is emitted into the atmosphere. Because algae do not grow well at the high temperature, low pH conditions presented by flue gas, the traditional approach has been to alter the flue gas to suit the needs of the algae; however, this work aimed to genetically modify the algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to grow better at less than optimal conditions. Heat shock proteins are important in the stress responses of many organisms; therefore, this work modified C. reinhardtii to overexpress HSP70A in order to increase the tolerance of C. reinhardtii to higher temperature and lower pH. Experiments yielded mixed results, but there were several instances in which the modified algae appeared to have gained an increased tolerance to decreased pH based on the chlorophyll concentration of the algae.