University of Macau / Faculty of Law

There are numerous guidelines recommending that captive primates live in complex environments in which they have the opportunity to make choices and the ability to control aspects of the environment, despite the lack of quantitative evidence to suggest these qualities improve welfare. Complexity, choice and control (the ‘Three Cs’) are inter-related and therefore it is complicated to separate their effects. The main aim of this thesis was to examine how the ‘Three Cs’ affect welfare, using the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) as a model. Behavioural measures and preference tests were used to determine the impact and significance of the ‘Three Cs’ on welfare. Experimental manipulations were natural (i.e. access to outside runs), or unnatural (e.g. pressing a button to control additional illumination). In a series of different studies, marmosets were moved to larger and more complex enclosures, were allowed to choose between indoor cages and outdoor complex enclosures and were able to control additional white light or coloured lights in their home enclosures. The results of these studies show that appropriate levels of each of the ‘Three Cs’ had a positive influence on the welfare of the marmosets, especially on youngsters. Although having control over light, and increased illumination itself improved welfare, providing a choice of access to outside runs (which were more complex and allowed the marmosets greater control over their activities) resulted in the greatest welfare improvement for marmosets of all ages. Loss of access, or control, did not appear to have a negative impact. The marmosets were housed in pairs or in family groups, in the different studies. A cross-study comparison shows that the composition of the groups affected the behavioural response of adult marmosets to environmental enrichment. Unexpectedly, it was also found that, when housed in standard laboratory conditions, adult marmosets were more relaxed when housed in pairs than when housed with their offspring. A secondary aim of the thesis was to quantify welfare indicators and activity budgets of common marmosets in a range of different social and physical contexts, and to compare this with the behaviour of wild marmosets, to increase our understanding of what is “normal” in captive situations. It is concluded that it is critical to sub-divide locomotion and inactivity into different levels to interpret these measures accurately. Levels of calm locomotion increased in enriched environments, while levels of relaxed inactivity and scent marking decreased. A number of recommendations for the care and housing of marmosets are made.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-07-14T15:47:32Z No. of bitstreams: 1 camilamendoncanettojobim.pdf: 1741926 bytes, checksum: 4e01cf9852d3df8c3d347e0e79055e6f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Diamantino Mayra (mayra.diamantino@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-07-19T15:31:18Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 camilamendoncanettojobim.pdf: 1741926 bytes, checksum: 4e01cf9852d3df8c3d347e0e79055e6f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-19T15:31:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 camilamendoncanettojobim.pdf: 1741926 bytes, checksum: 4e01cf9852d3df8c3d347e0e79055e6f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-25 / Pela proximidade filogenética com os seres humanos os primatas não humanos são utilizados freqüentemente em estudos comparativos sobre o comportamento e como modelos experimentais na pesquisa biomédica. Contudo, o uso destes primatas implica numa série de questões éticas, incluindo as condições de seu cativeiro e os potenciais fatores da experimentação que podem acarretar dor, injúrias e estresse, interferindo diretamente no bem-estar do animal. O presente trabalho buscou avaliar as respostas comportamentais e endócrinas de sagüis-de-tufos-pretos (Callithrix penicillata) cativos, machos e fêmeas, frente à técnica de enriquecimento ambiental do tipo alimentar (tubo) e isolamento visual (barreira). As observações foram realizadas em uma amostra de seis fêmeas e seis machos adultos de C. penicillata mantidos no Centro de Biologia da Reprodução da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil. As observações comportamentais foram realizadas antes, durante e depois da aplicação da técnica de enriquecimento, no período da manhã, iniciando entre 10 e 11 horas. A avaliação endócrina foi realizada através da mensuração dos níveis de cortisol presente nas amostras fecais dos animais. Tais análises foram realizadas no Laboratório de Dosagens Hormonais da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Para o enriquecimento alimentar foram encontradas alterações significativas que indicam que este foi eficaz reduzindo comportamentos de alimentação durante a exposição ao enriquecimento e reduzindo a agitação. Para este tipo de enriquecimento os machos se mostraram comportamentalmente mais reativos que as fêmeas e não houve diferença significativa para os níveis de cortisol. Com a utilização do enriquecimento social, foi verificado o conflito gerado com a proximidade entre indivíduos do mesmo sexo, sendo a fase com a barreira a que menos apresentou comportamentos indicativos de estresse, e as fêmeas apresentaram os menores valores para o cortisol. No confronto dos dados de machos e fêmeas, estas se mostraram mais reativas à presença de outras fêmeas, possivelmente pelo fato que sua estratégia reprodutiva ser reflexo do status social. Para os machos o isolamento foi um fator de estresse, uma vez que tiveram maior concentração de cortisol. / Non-human primates are often used in behavioral studies and in biomedical research as a model mainly because their phylogenic proximity to human beings. However, the use of non-human primates in researches implies in many ethical issues, including the captivity conditions and the potential aspects of the procedures that may cause pain, injuries and stress which can interfere with their welfare. The present research intended to analyze the behavioral and endocrine responses of six males and six females of captive black-tuffed marmosets (Callithrix penicillata) to a feeding (tube) and a visual isolation (barrier) environmental enrichment techniques. The animals belong to the colony maintained by Centro de Biologia da Reprodução of Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais state, in Brazil. The behavior and hormonal data were collected before, during and after the exposure to environmental enrichment. The hormonal analysis of fecal cortisol was performed in the Laboratorio de Dosagens Hormonais of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. During the exposure to the feeding enrichment technique – FASE II, it was observed a decrease in movement and in ingestion of the regular diet by the animals. Besides, in this experiment, the male marmosets were more reactive than the females and no significant differences on cortisol levels were detected. Using the social enrichment (a visual barrier between the cages), it was verified the existence of conflicts between close same-sex animals, which decreased cortisol when the barrier was used. In this case, the marmoset females were more reactive to the enrichment probably because they compete to reproductive as a consequence of social dominance. For males the isolation seems to be a stressful situation since they increase cortisol on this situation.

Durante o desenvolvimento do sistema nervoso, as oscilações da concentração de cálcio intracelular livre resultam na proliferação celular, migração e diferenciação neuronal. Nesta tese foram investigadas a participação dos receptores ionotrópicos purinérgicos dos tipos P2X2 e P2X4 seletivos ao influxo de cálcio durante a diferenciação neuronal in vitro das células de carcinoma embrionário murino P19. Identificamos o padrão diferencial de expressão de receptores purinérgicos nas células indiferenciadas e neurônios P19. O receptor P2X4 é expresso durante toda a diferenciação neuronal e o receptor P2X2 é detectado na fase tardia da diferenciação em neurônios. Através de ensaios farmacológicos, foi possível identificar a participação dos receptores metabotropicos P2Y e do receptor P2X4 na formação dos corpos embriônicos, na proliferação celular e ou na determinação do fenótipo de progenitor neural. Durante a maturação neuronal os receptores P2X2 e P2Y1 participam da determinação do fenótipo neuronal glutamatérgico NMDA e os receptores P2X2 e P2Y2 no fenótipo neuronal colinérgico. A ausência de inibidores específicos e seletivos aos receptores purinérgicos levou-nos a empregar a técnica SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment) a fim de identificar inibidores seletivos aos receptores P2X2 e P2X4. A técnica envolve a utilização da biblioteca combinatória randômica de RNA 2\'- F pirimidina modificadas resistentes a nucleases. Após 9 ciclos de seleção in vitro de SELEX (ciclo 9-P2X4), as sequências selecionadas mostraram-se seletivas a ligação somente ao receptor P2X4 e não aos receptores P2X2 ou P2X7 através de ensaios de ligação radioligante-receptor. Por patch clamping na configuração whole cell recording identificou-se que além de seletividade ao receptor, que a aplicação do RNA ciclo 9- P2X4 promoveu inibição da corrente ativada pelo ATP somente nos receptores P2X4 e não em P2X2 em celulas 1321N1 astrocitoma transfectadas. A incubação do RNA ciclo 9-P2X4 na concentração de 200 nM com as células no estágio indiferenciado inibiu a formação dos corpos embriônicos. Já utilização de 25 nM, resultou em mudanças morfológicas nas células diferenciadas. Estes dados corroboram com os dados farmacológicos que identificaram a participação do receptor P2X4 na diferenciação precoce. Após 11 ciclos P2X2 de seleção, identificou-se sequências com especificidade de ligação aos receptores P2X2. Aptâmeros, moleculas de RNA com sequência identificada e com alta afinidade ao alvo da seleção, foram isolados de ambas as bibliotecas, ciclo 9 P2X4 e ciclo 11 P2X2. A co-aplicação destes aptâmeros e ATP em ensaios de whole-cell recording resultou na inibição de 30 a 80% da corrente ativada pelo ATP nos receptores P2X2 ou P2X4. Estes testes em células PC12 de rato, que expressa os receptores endógenos, resultou em inibição da corrente ativada pelo ATP de modo semelhante. Além de termos desenvolvido aptâmeros como ferramentas para elucidar as funções dos receptores P2X2 e P2X4 durante o desenvolvimento, diferenciação, em processos fisiológicos e patológicos, estas moléculas resistentes a nucleases são as primeiras identificadas capazes de reconhecer, discernir e inibir dois subtipos de receptores purinérgicos sendo promissores para utilização terapêutica. / During the development of the nervous system, oscillations of intracellular calcium concentrations activate programs of gene expression resulting in proliferation, migration and neuronal differentiation of embryonic cells. In this thesis, the participation of ionotropic P2X2 and P2X4 receptor subtypes, whose receptor channels are highly permeable for calcium influx in the cells, was studied during the process of neuronal differentiation. We have identified differential gene expression of purinergic receptors in undifferentiated and neuronal-differentiated P19 cells. P2X4 receptor expression was present along neuronal differentiation of P19 cells, whereas P2X2 receptor expression was only detected when P19 cells became neurons. Based on purinergic receptor pharmacology we have determined the participation of P2X4 receptors in addition to metabotropic P2Y2 receptors in the formation of embryonic bodies as prerequisites for phenotype determination of P19 neural progenitor cells. Final neuronal maturation of P19 cells in the presence or absence of agonists or antagonists of purinergic receptors implicated the involvement of P2X2, P2Y1, and P2Y2 in the determination of the final neuronal phenotype, such as expression of NMDA-glutamate and cholinergic receptors. In order to further evaluate the functions of these P2X receptors and due to the absence of specific inhibitors for these receptor subtypes, we have used the SELEX technique (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment) to select for specific inhibitors for P2X2 and P2X4 receptors. The 2\' -F-pyrimidine modified, nuclease- resistant combinatorial SELEX RNA pool enriched with inhibitors of P2X4 receptors following nine cycles of in vitro selection (cycle 9-P2X4) specifically interacted with P2X4 receptors and not with P2X2 or P2X7 receptors as verified in radioligand-receptor binding studies. Moreover, whole-cell recording measurements using astrocytoma cells expressing recombinant rat P2X2 or P2X4 receptors showed inhibition of P2X4 but not of P2X2 receptors by the selected RNA molecules. RNA molecules selected in vitro in 11 reiterative SELEX cycles using the P2X2 receptor as target specifically bound to membrane extracts containing recombinant P2X2 receptors. From both selected RNA libraries (against P2X4 and P2X2 receptors) aptamers, as RNA molecules with identified sequences and high-affinity binding, were identified by cloning and DNA sequencing. The presence of these aptamers in whole-cell recording experiments resulted in 30-80% inhibition of ATP-induced receptor activity and did not provoke any inhibitory effects on P2X receptors which had not been used as selection target. The activity of the aptamers selected using recombinant receptors as targets in inhibiting wild-type P2X4 or P2X2 receptors was verified in whole-cell recording experiments with PC12 cells which endogenously express both receptor subtypes. In addition of having developed aptamers as tools to elucidate P2X2 and P2X4 receptor functions during neuronal differentiation, these nuclease-resistant aptamers are suitable for in vivo use and may turn into therapeutics in the inhibition of purinergic receptor participation in pathophysiological conditions.

In the majority of schools gifted learners are given the same quantity and quality of academic work as their non-gifted classmates. In some cases gifted learners are left to look after themselves when they are done with class work or worse still, asked to teach their non-gifted classmates. Some educationists advocate for a differentiated curriculum between gifted and non-gifted learners. This study sought to establish the impact of enrichment programs to gifted Science learners. Forty gifted learners were identified and drawn equally into one of the two groups — experimental or control. These learners wrote a pre-test after which the twenty learners in the experimental group received enrichment. The forty learners then wrote the same post-test to assess their understanding of the concepts learnt. The cycle was repeated but with a different topic. Learners’ marks were compared and it emerged all twenty learners in the experimental group performed better than those in the control group. Gifted learners should therefore be given enrichment as it deepens, broadens, and sharpens their understanding of concepts. / Science and Technology Education / M. Ed. (Natural Science Education)

The research overview is expected to contribute with knowledge of MLE, Mediated Learning Enrichment and FIE, Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment program/Feuerstein's cognitive intervention program and its effects, primarily among students with learning disabilities but also among educators.   A research overview focusing on scientific articles, published in 2010-2020. The purpose of the study is to analyze results in current research that evaluates the effects of MLE and FIE among students with learning disabilities and among educators, as reported in scientific articles and to relate the results analysis to a Swedish school context. The research questions are based on scientific articles in which a program for pedagogical work and attitudes (MLE and FIE) has been analyzed: 1.              Which effects of the program are described in the current studies? 2.              Which opportunities and obstacles can be found in working with the program? 3.              Which significance can the program have for the design of the learning environment and in relation to the role of the special education teacher? In which context?  I have chosen three perspectives to analyze the scientific articles: a sociocultural, a special educational and an organizational theory perspective. The program benefits the development of cognitive abilities for everyone and should be applied at a group level.  The impact of the home on the cognitive capacity of the students is crucial and a rich or less favorable home environment makes a difference. Parental training in MLE are advocated and differences between the conditions for children at school start could disappear completely through such intervention.  When children do not bring developed cognitive abilities to school, the school needs to be prepared to meet and mediate for positive learning. If teachers are educated in mediated learning, they can lay the foundation for their students. It is recommended that the program becomes part of the curriculum and teacher training. In order to see the effects of the program there is a need of; FIE teacher training, effective implementation of the program, sufficient time that students are exposed to the FIE program and coverage of instruments.  Effective digital MLE tools are needed to enhance self-regulating learning in our digital age. Obstacles are organizational, in terms of the cost and time of training; the fact that the education takes place in English and that it requires a licensed FIE instructor.  The socratic questions stimulate motivation and sense of meaning for everyone. Students develop more effective strategies, based on “Stop and think!”, instead of using the exclusion method.  There is a need for close cooperation between educators and special educators to include everyone at a group level. / Forskningsöversikten förväntas bidra med kunskap om MLE, Mediated Learning Enrichment och FIE, Feuersteins Instrumental Enrichment program/ Feuersteins kognitiva interventionsprogram och dess effekter, främst för elever i inlärningssvårigheter men även för pedagoger.  En forskningsöversikt med fokus på vetenskapliga artiklar, publicerade år 2010-2020. Syftet med studien är att analysera resultat i aktuell forskning som utvärderar effekterna av MLE och FIE för elever i inlärningssvårigheter och för pedagoger. Resultatanalysen relateras till en svensk skolkontext.  Forskningsfrågorna bygger på vetenskapliga artiklar där ett program för pedagogiskt arbete och attityder (MLE och FIE) har analyserats: -Vilka effekter av programmet beskrivs i de aktuella studierna?  -Vilka möjligheter och hinder finns i arbetet med programmet?  -Vilken betydelse kan programmet ha för utformningen av lärmiljön och i förhållande till specialpedagogens roll? I vilket sammanhang? Jag har valt tre perspektiv för att analysera de vetenskapliga artiklarna; ett sociokulturellt, ett specialpedagogiskt och ett organisationsteoretiskt perspektiv. Programmet gynnar utvecklingen av kognitiva förmågor för alla och bör tillämpas på gruppnivå. Hemmets inverkan på elevers kognitiva kapacitet är avgörande och en rik eller mindre gynnsam hemmiljö gör skillnad. Föräldrautbildning i MLE förespråkas och skillnader mellan villkor för barn vid skolstart kan försvinna helt. När barn inte tar med sig utvecklade kognitiva förmågor till skolan måste skolan vara beredd att mediera för ett positivt lärande. Om lärare utbildas i medierat lärande kan de lägga grunden hos sina elever. Det rekommenderas att programmet blir en del av läroplanen och lärarutbildning. För att se effekterna av programmet finns det ett behov av; FIE-lärarutbildning, effektiv implementering av programmet, tillräckligt med tid för att eleverna exponeras för FIE-programmet och täckning av instrument. Effektiva digitala MLE-verktyg behövs för att förbättra självreglerat lärande i vår digitala tidsålder. Hinder är organisatoriska när det gäller kostnader och tid för utbildning, utbildningen sker på engelska och den kräver en licensierad FIE-instruktör. De sokratiska frågorna stimulerar motivation och känslan av mening för alla. Eleverna utvecklar effektivare strategier, baserade på "Stanna upp och tänk efter!", istället för att använda exkluderingsmetoder. Det finns ett behov av ett nära samarbete mellan pedagoger och specialpedagoger för att inkludera alla på gruppnivå.

Master of Science / Department of Psychological Sciences / Mary Cain / Individuals suffering from depression primarily rely on pharmacological interventions to alleviate the incapacitating symptoms of the disorder. In addition to genetic differences underlying the etiology of depression, environmental factors play a key role as well. For example, environmental enrichment results in various neurotransmitter alterations, significantly affecting serotonin. To test the efficacy of novel antidepressant drugs in the preclinical laboratory setting, researchers commonly implement the forced swim test (FST) for rats or mice. However, the effect of environmental enrichment on the expression of depressive-like states in the FST is unclear, and it is unknown whether environmental enrichment or social isolation can alter the efficacy of the commonly prescribed antidepressant drug, fluoxetine. In the present study, locomotor activity and FST performance were measured after 30 days of rearing in enriched (EC), standard (SC), and isolated (IC) conditions. Results showed that regardless of the significant effect of fluoxetine on locomotor activity in EC, SC, and IC rats, fluoxetine failed to increase swimming and decrease immobility in all three environmental conditions, with enriched-fluoxetine rats displaying significantly less swimming behavior in the FST than enriched rats receiving vehicle control injections. These results suggest that differential rearing, specifically environmental enrichment, can alter the efficacy of antidepressants and may suggest that enrichment reverses the effects of fluoxetine.

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Thesis (D.Tech.: Postgraduate Nursing Studies)-Dept. of Postgraduate Nursing Studies, Durban Institute of Technology, 2006 2 v. (920 leaves) / An educational course for post-basic multi-cultural South African nurses, based on a model for critical reflective practice, forms the case study for a participatory action research paradigm that frames this qualitative study

Adoption of a streamlined BIM workflow throughout the AEC projects’ lifecycle will provide the project stakeholders with the rich information embedded in the parametric design models. Users can incorporate this rich information in various activities, improving efficiency and productivity of project activities and potentially enhancing accuracy and reducing errors and reworks. Two main challenges for such a streamlined information flow throughout the AEC projects that haven’t been sufficiently addressed by previous research efforts include lack of semantic interoperability and a large gap and misalignment of information between available BIM information provided by design activities and the required information for performing preconstruction and construction activities. This research effort proposes a framework for a knowledge-based system (KBS) that encapsulates domain experts’ knowledge and represents it through modularized rule set libraries as well as connected design automation and optimization solutions. The research attempts to provide a methodology for automatic semantic enrichment of design models as well as automated detailed design to fill the information gap between design and preconstruction project activities, streamlining BIM workflow and enhancing its value in the AEC projects.