The major objective of this thesis is to study the processes of traditionalisation that are being enacted in relation to both the external and internal production of the play "The Power and the Glory" that has been performed in Alvastra Abbey ruin since 1988. During three weeks in July the ruins and their environs are transformed into a rehearsal area, and a live stage, with lay actors performing different roles, a supporting staff and an audience. The thesis asks questions about how the staging of the play is impacted by a politics of culture, why this particular site or topography can be read as a story about a nation, what mediating connections there are between the yearly productions and, finally, how the rehearsals activate and reproduce the accumulated memory of the play and the place. The thesis connects with discussions on how "space" is charged with symbolic and cultural meanings, the use of history and cultural heritage, and story-telling. These approaches are combined with analysis of how participants in interaction use multiple resources (talk, spatial organisation, gestures, gazes, movements and postures) to invokethe spatial aspects of the play as well as to put the story of the play in place. The methodological approach of the thesis combines fieldwork (personal observations, videotaping and audio-recordings) with analysis of written material, press cuttings, archival material, and books and illustrations about the area and its history. In conclusion, this dissertation makes visible how Alvastra Abbey is associated with imagined cultural, political and social entities such as a nation, a province, and a local community. "The Power and the Glory", it appears, constitutes one agent among others in a long term meaning making process. One point made in this book is that although the story of the play is legitimised through references to a past that already has become meaningful in earlier processes of traditionalisation, the work of the Association of Alvastra Chronicle Play and the rehearsal process also creates a traditionalisation process of its own.

The overall aim of the study was to determine whether an intervention programme, based on an integrated positive brain programming- and brain gym exercise programme, could be used to improve the academic skills of learners with a limited intellectual ability. A literature review was used to provide an overview of the learner with a limited intellectual ability, learning barriers to cognitive processes, as well as elements which have a positive influence on the learning receptiveness and academic skills of learners with a limited intellect. An empirical study consisting of a quasi-experimental study was conducted over a period of eight weeks. The sample in this study consisted of fourteen learners in the intermediate phase of a school for learners with severe mental delay in Kempton Park. They were randomly divided into an Experimental and a Control Group. Measuring instruments that were used for pre- and post testing were the ESSl Reading- and Spelling tests. The UK Graded reading test and the UK Speed Reading test, as well as the VASSl Mathematics efficiency tests. The empirical study led to the following conclusions: an intervention programme, based on an integrated positive brain programming- and brain gym exercise programme, is an effective technique to improve the academic skills of learners with a limited intellectual ability; the academic skills that improved most were word recognition, and then numeracy followed by spelling. Reading speed was the skill that improved least, however it was still better that that of the Control Group. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

The overall aim of the study was to determine whether an intervention programme, based on an integrated positive brain programming- and brain gym exercise programme, could be used to improve the academic skills of learners with a limited intellectual ability. A literature review was used to provide an overview of the learner with a limited intellectual ability, learning barriers to cognitive processes, as well as elements which have a positive influence on the learning receptiveness and academic skills of learners with a limited intellect. An empirical study consisting of a quasi-experimental study was conducted over a period of eight weeks. The sample in this study consisted of fourteen learners in the intermediate phase of a school for learners with severe mental delay in Kempton Park. They were randomly divided into an Experimental and a Control Group. Measuring instruments that were used for pre- and post testing were the ESSl Reading- and Spelling tests. The UK Graded reading test and the UK Speed Reading test, as well as the VASSl Mathematics efficiency tests. The empirical study led to the following conclusions: an intervention programme, based on an integrated positive brain programming- and brain gym exercise programme, is an effective technique to improve the academic skills of learners with a limited intellectual ability; the academic skills that improved most were word recognition, and then numeracy followed by spelling. Reading speed was the skill that improved least, however it was still better that that of the Control Group. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Education))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2007.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and adipose tissue hypoxia have been shown to independently affect adipocyte functions. The goals of this study were to (1) determine the effect of PCB-77, PCB-153, and DDE on the differentiation of human preadipocytes, and (2) investigate the cross-talk between PCB-77 and hypoxia in differentiated human adipocytes. First, human preadipocytes were exposed to PCB-77, PCB-153, or DDE during the entire 14-day differentiation period. We found no effect of low POP levels on lipid accumulation. Second, differentiated human adipocytes were exposed to a combination of PCB-77 and hypoxia. We demonstrated gene-specific cross-talk between PCB-77 and hypoxia, showing an additive effect of PCB-77 on VEGF, MCP-1, and adiponectin, as well as an inhibition of PCB-77-induced expression of CYP1A1 by hypoxia. This work has expanded our understanding of the role of POPs and hypoxia in differentiated human adipocytes.

No description available.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2005. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Univ., Diss.--München, 2007.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 1999. / Title from title page screen, viewed July 18, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Laura E. Berk (chair), Paul T. Shallaert, Jayne E. Bucy, Matthew S. Hesson-McInnis, Mark E. Swerdlik. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-126) and abstract. Also available in print.

Ο ακριβής ρόλος των μεταγραφικών παραγόντων AP-1, NF-κB και PPARγ στην καρκινογένεση του παχέος εντέρου δεν είναι πλήρως εξακριβωμένος. Είναι γνωστό ότι ο υποκινητής του γονιδίου cox-2 περιλαμβάνει περιοχές πρόσδεσης των μεταγραφικών παραγόντων AP-1 και NF-κB. ΣΚΟΠΟΣ Με σκοπό την διερεύνηση του ρόλου των AP-1, NF-κB και PPARγ στην καρκινογένεση του παχέος εντέρου, εξετάστηκε η έκφραση των c-FOS, pc-JUN (φωσφορυλιωμένος-ενεργός c-JUN), pIκB-α (φωσφορυλιωμένος IκB-α – δείκτης ενεργοποίησης του μονοπατιού του ΝF-κB), CBP (κοινός μεταγραφικός συνενεργοποιητής των AP-1, NF-κB και PPARγ), EGFR, p53, PPARγ και COX-2, τόσο στον φυσιολογικό εντερικό βλεννογόνο όσο και σε αδενοκαρκινώματα παχέος εντέρου. ΥΛΙΚΟ-ΜΕΘΟΔΟΣ Εφαρμόστηκε ανοσοϊστοχημική μεθοδολογία σε τομές μονιμοποιημένες σε ουδέτερη φορμόλη και εγκλεισμένες σε παραφίνη από 60 ασθενείς με καρκίνο παχέος εντέρου. Για κάθε ασθενή δημιουργήθηκε ένα “μοριακό προφίλ”, τόσο για τα φυσιολογικά επιθηλιακά κύτταρα όσο και για τα καρκινικά. Οι στατιστικές σχέσεις μεταξύ των μεταγραφικών παραγόντων και των γονιδίων-στόχων μελετήθηκαν με την χρήση του Spearman’s rho συντελεστή συσχετίσεως, και έγινε περαιτέρω ανάλυση και επιβεβαίωση των αποτελεσμάτων με την βοήθεια μη-παραμετρικής ανάλυσης Kruskall-Wallis. ΑΠΟΤΕΛΕΣΜΑΤΑ Ο pΙκΒ-α βρέθηκε υπερεκφρασμένος στο 81.7% των αδενοκαρκινωμάτων σε σχέση με το γειτονικό φυσιολογικό επιθήλιο και η έκφρασή του συσχετιζόταν θετικά με την COX-2 (Spearman’s rho = 0.513, P < 0.001). H έκφραση του PPARγ βρέθηκε ελαττωμένη στο 77.3% των αδενοκαρκινωμάτων και παρουσίαζε αρνητική συσχέτιση με την έκφραση της COX-2 (Spearman’s rho = -0.412, P < 0.001) και του pIκB-α (Spearman’s rho = -0.444, P < 0.001). Ο CBP βρέθηκε υπερεκφρασμένος στο 50% των αδενοκαρκινωμάτων σε σχέση με το γειτονικό φυσιολογικό επιθήλιο και η έκφρασή του συσχετιζόταν θετικά με την COX-2 (Spearman’s rho = 0.461, P < 0.001). Οι EGFR και pc-JUN βρέθηκαν υπερεκφρασμένοι στο 41.7% και στο 43.3% των αδενοκαρκινωμάτων, αντίστοιχα, σε σχέση με το γειτονικό φυσιολογικό επιθήλιο και η έκφρασή τους συσχετιζόταν θετικά με την COX-2 (Spearman’s rho = 0.444, P < 0.001 και Spearman’s rho = 0.431, P < 0.001, αντίστοιχα). Επιπλέον, η έκφραση του p53 εμφάνιζε θετική συσχέτιση με την έκφραση της COX-2 (Spearman’s rho = 0.435, P = 0.004). ΣΥΜΠΕΡΑΣΜΑΤΑ Η ανάλυση των παραπάνω αποτελεσμάτων οδηγεί στο συμπέρασμα ότι η επαγωγή του μονοπατιού EGFR–MAPK–AP-1 και του μονοπατιού του ΝF-κB, καθώς και η ελάττωση της έκφρασης του PPARγ, είναι σημαντικά γεγονότα κατά την διάρκεια της καρκινογένεσης του παχέος εντέρου. Οι σχέσεις μεταξύ των μεταγραφικών παραγόντων AP-1, NF-κB, PPARγ και της COX-2 οδήγησαν στην δημιουργία ενός μοριακού μοντέλου, το οποίο εξηγεί την υπερέκφραση της COX-2 στα αδενοκαρκινώματα του παχέος εντέρου. Η κλινική σημασία αυτού του μοντέλου για την χημειοπροφύλαξη και την θεραπεία του καρκίνου παχέος εντέρου συζητείται διεξοδικά. / The exact role of AP-1, NF-κB and PPARγ in the development of colon cancer remains to be elucidated. Cox-2 promoter contains transcriptional regulatory elements for various transcription factors including AP-1 and NF-κB. OBJECTIVE The present study evaluated the expression of c-FOS, pc-JUN (phosphorylated-active c-JUN), pIκB-α (phosphorylated IκB-α, a signaling intermediate of the NF-κB pathway), CBP (a known AP-1, NF-κB and PPARγ transcriptional coactivator), EGFR, p53, PPARγ and COX-2 in normal colonic epithelial cells and colon adenocarcinoma cells. METHOD Immunohistochemical methodology was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from 60 patients with colon adenocarcinomas. A “molecular profile” was created for each patient both for normal colonic epithelial cells and colon adenocarcinoma cells. Relationships between transcription factors and downstream molecular targets were evaluated by Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient and all results were further validated by nonparametric Kruskall-Wallis test. RESULTS pIκB-α was overexpressed in 81.7% of adenocarcinomas as compared to adjacent normal colon and correlated positively with COX-2 (Spearman’s rho = 0.513, P < 0.001). PPARγ was down-regulated in 77.3% of the adenocarcinomas and correlated inversely with COX-2 (Spearman’s rho = -0.412, P = 0.001) and pIκB-α (Spearman’s rho = -0.444, P < 0.001). CBP was induced in 50% of the cases and its expression correlated positively with COX-2 (Spearman’s rho = 0.461, P < 0.001). Induction of EGFR and pc-JUN was detected in 41.7% and 43.3% of the cases, respectively, and their expression correlated positively with COX-2 (Spearman’s rho = 0.444, P < 0.001 and Spearman’s rho = 0.431, P < 0.001, respectively). Moreover, p53 expression correlated positively with COX-2 (Spearman’s rho = 0.435, P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study indicate that activation of the EGFR–MAPK–AP-1 and NF-κB pathways as well as down-regulation of PPARγ expression are important events in colon carcinogenesis. The correlations between AP-1, NF-κB, PPARγ and COX-2 lead to the proposal of a dynamic molecular model that explains COX-2 induction in colon adenocarcinomas. The clinical implications of this model in chemoprevention and treatment of colorectal cancer are thoroughly discussed.

Esta dissertação apresenta o Percurso de uma Oficina realizada na Lomba do Pinheiro, em Porto Alegre. Com a participação de trabalhadores e usuários do Programa de Saúde da Família (PSF) Vila Viçosa constituiu-se como um desdobramento do Projeto de Pesquisa “Oficinando em Rede”, tendo como proposta a expansão de uma Oficina tecnológica a outros espaços da cidade. Atravessada pelas ações de pesquisa e extensão que constituem este Projeto, realizando Oficinas tecnológicas no Centro Integrado de Atenção Psicossocial (CIAPS) com a participação de jovens e trabalhadores, o interesse deste estudo foi despertado nas primeiras visitas da pesquisadora ao CIAPS quando de sua distinção a inscrições pelo corredor da instituição. Inscrições que, compreendidas neste estudo como marcas encarnadas em um espaço e tempo, constituem modos de viver/conviver. Interessada em analisar como a produção de inscrições pode explicitar redes de conversações e modular o conversar configurando novas distinções e emoções, tal questionamento resultou no objetivo desta pesquisa. Delineada como um estudo de natureza qualitativa, na perspectiva de uma pesquisa-intervenção, foi desenvolvida na realização de trajetos com o uso das TIC (tecnologias da informação e comunicação) por áreas de abrangência do PSF. Apresentando o Percurso como método indispensável à consolidação do trabalho possibilitou um operar performático no encontro com as inscrições naquele conversar que, em momentos de problematização coletiva, foram reconfiguradas nas inscrições de fotografia e vídeo. Constituída com o interesse dos participantes em conversarem com outras redes, a Oficina do Percurso possibilitou ações compartilhadas que em momentos de breakdowns abriu caminhos à cognição inventiva. / This dissertation presents the course of a workshop carried out in the Lomba do Pinheiro neighbourhood, in the city of Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Personnel and users of the Vila Viçosa Family‘s Health Programme participated in the workshop, which is part of the research project ‗Oficinando em rede‘ (Workshop on line). The main objective of such project is to expand technological workshops to other areas of the city. In addition, the workshop concept consists of ideas and actions originated during research and extension projects. As a result, a series of technological workshops were accomplished with the participation of young adults and workers at the Integrated Psychosocial Attention Centre (CIAPS) — where the interest of the present study originated. During my first visits to CIAPS, I was impressed with the considerable number of subjects willing to leave a mark in the workshops and in the hallways of the institution. The main objective of this research project is, therefore, to (i) analyse how inscription production can make conversation networks explicit and (ii) modulate the act of talking, setting new distinctions and emotions. This study is a qualitative intervention research which originated from the accomplishment of paths using TICs (information and communication technologies) by scope areas of PSF. Presenting the path as an indispensable method in consolidating work, this project has enabled a performative operation when meeting the inscriptions of that talking, which, during moments of collective problematisation, were reconfigured in the forms of photography and video. Aimed at a conversation between the participants and other networks, the Path Workshop resulted in shared actions which, at moments of breakdowns, opened new pathways into inventive cognition.