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Undergraduates rated scripts describing the performance of different instructors in the following order: two positive or negative scripts followed by an average script; or two average scripts followed by a positive or a negative script. Context effects were assessed by comparing ratings of the target stimulus in the context and in the context-free control conditions. Several individual difference variables were measured as possible moderators of this phenomenon. Results indicated robust contrast effects mediated by beliefs in the variability of human nature in the extreme context conditions. In the positive context condition, high scorers in Variability were not affected by context, whereas medium or low scorers in Variability exhibited contrast effects. In the negative context condition, high scorers in Variability exhibited a more extreme contrast effect than medium or low scorers in Variability. In the average context conditions, contrast was observed only when the target was positive.

The murder of women in order to uphold ‘honour’ has occurred throughout history and in many contexts. Despite high rates of domestic violence and increased rates of honour killing over the last decade in Palestine, there is a paucity of empirical data about the phenomenon, the social and cultural forces underlying it and how it affects family members emotionally and socially. The standpoint of this thesis is that Palestinian society today has no solution to honour killing (HK). This study addresses two questions: the factors that contribute to HK, as reported by the participants; and the emotional and social effects and consequences of it. The study adopted a Grounded Theory method. Data were collected using individual and group interviews with family members, professionals and neighbours associated with victims of HK. The total numbers of the participants were 43 (23 family members, 15 professionals and 5 neighbours). A feminist paradigm guided the data collection and analysis. The findings of this study have revealed that the HK phenomenon is multifaceted, grounded in the interplay of several complex factors, including institutionalized patriarchy within society, families and Palestinian culture; honour and shame values in the traditional society and other societal influences (cultural norms and values, legislative and institutional systems). This study therefore concluded that HKs were patriarchal and traditional methods of disempowering and subjugating women, enabled (directly or indirectly) by families, communities, political parties, religious leaders, professionals and the state, rendering society at large as unlikely to condemn honour killing. The main result was that although family members killed their female relatives primarily in an attempt to re-establish their honour, the murder failed in this purpose and in fact made their situation worse. Understanding this significant finding gives a clear message to family members and to the public that honour killing harms perpetrators emotionally and further damages family honour, where enter into a long process which ultimately leads to social death. Thus, multiple efforts are needed to combat HK, but this is extremely difficult. Altering the attitudes and behaviour of those who believe in HK is not an easy task but one of the first and crucial steps in combating this issue is state action. This study shows that most participants, especially family members, were concerned about family reputation and endeavoured to resolve problems within the family. This makes solving the problems inside families more difficult for any external party. Therefore, it is necessary to find ways to work with families. Further research has the potential to increase our understanding of other social factors and processes involved in honour killing, which would enable concerned parties to better craft effective intervention strategies.

Given the increasing importance of international higher education (HE) markets from a business perspective (Chadee and Naidoo, 2009; Anonymous, 2011a, 2012a), this research responds to the review of Hemsley-Brown and Oplatka (2006) that highlighted a lack of holistic approaches and theoretical models to address the nature of the HE service; and built on scholarly work (Mazzarol and Hosie, 1996; Mazzarol, 1998; Naude and Ivy, 1999; Ivy and Naude, 2004; Ivy, 2008) relating to HE marketing strategies. The research moves from the traditional marketing approach adopted predominantly in the existing literature of HE marketing (i.e. Mazzarol et al., 2003; Hemsley-Brown and Oplatka, 2006) and instead adopts a relational approach. This offers an alternative way of investigating the HE service, and contributes towards a broader theoretical perspective on HE strategy and a deeper understanding of the complex nature of the HE service. The theoretical background of this research was based on both the Interaction Approach (Håkansson ed., 1982) and the Relationship Life-Cycle Model (Ford, 1980; Wilkinson and Young, 1994). In response to limited existing research on the students’ perspective in HE (Trowler, 2010), this study provides a means of exploring HE marketing from the perspective of a markets-as-networks tradition (Håkansson and Snehota, 1995; Ford et al., 2002). Due to the adoption of a social constructivist epistemological stance (Gergen, 1985; Tashakkori and Teddlie, 1998), a case studies research approach (Yin, 2003, 2011) and semi-structured interviews (Denzin and Lincoln, 1994; Miles and Huberman, 1994) were utilised. Template analysis was chosen for data examination and interpretation (King, 1998, 2004), from a longitudinal contextual time-space of prospective students, current students and future alumni viewpoints (Halinen and Törnroos, 2005). The research findings suggest that the HE service is interactive and relational by nature, comprising six key relationships that are fundamentally important from the perspective of students being the focal-actor. These include relationships with alumni, other students, academic staff, administrative staff, multi-national companies (MNCs), and overseas exchange partner higher education institutions (HEIs). Despite the multiple roles of students, as clients (Mills et al., 1983; Hill, 1995), producers (Armstrong, 1995), products (Emery, et al., 2001; Modell, 2005) and customers (Kotler and Fox, 1985; Conway et al., 1994) of the HEIs, students are the users of these networks. They are also the beneficiaries of these key relationships, as they perceive and seek the added-value of the HE service, such as knowledge enrichment and employability enhancement. The synergy of these relationships and networks collectively contribute to the added-value of the HE service, enhance students’ overall positive experience and satisfaction with their institutions, and also have the potential to significantly impact on the HEIs’ competencies and business strategies. Practically, managing and influencing these relationships provide an opportunity for HE managers in resource allocation, strategic planning and policy-making, and the quality of service provision at the operational level.

A semi-analytical method of dynamic analysis, capable of predicting both the magnitude and pattern of earthquake induced deformations, is presented. The analysis is based on a modulus reduction approach which uses a reduced modulus to simulate the softening induced in soils during cyclic loading. The effects of the inertia forces developed during dynamic loading on the induced deformations are also included through an appropriate selection of the reduced modulus. The reduced modulus is utilized in a static stress-strain analysis to predict the magnitude and pattern of the deformations induced during earthquake loading. The appropriate modulus reduction is determined from laboratory tests on undisturbed soil samples. Three methods of computing a suitable post-cyclic modulus were investigated but only the cyclic strain approach, in which the modulus is determined from cyclic loading tests that duplicate the field stress conditions, yields reductions of sufficient magnitude to provide realistic estimates of earthquake induced deformations. The modulus reduction analysis was used to predict the deformations occurring during dynamic loading of a model tailings slope in a laboratory shaking table test and of the Upper San Fernando Dam during the earthquake of February, 1971. These studies showed that the modulus reduction analysis is capable of reproducing the dynamically induced deformations and that reductions in the modulus of up to 1000 times may be required. Unfortunately, limitations of the testing equipment and inadequacies in the available data required that the appropriate modulus reductions could not be determined entirely through laboratory and field investigations. Some assumptions were necessary in selecting the reduced modulus values used in the analyses. Although these case studies were, hence, unable to provide full verification of the proposed method, they do demonstrate the reliability and simplicity of the analysis as a method of assessing the performance of soil structures during earthquake loading. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Investigations of connections for precast concrete panel buildings have shown that it is difficult to design an embedded connection that will perform well under earthquake loading. Some typical connections use studs or reinforcing bars embedded in the edge of the panel. These are then welded or bolted to an adjacent panel. During earthquake loading the crushing of concrete around the embedment usually leads to premature loss of strength and stiffness of the connection before significant ductility can develop. It has been found that connection performance improves with increasing panel thickness. The behaviour of embedded connections in thin precast concrete panels was investigated. The intent was to improve connection design details and to develop a simple method of predicting connection strengths with panel thicknesses of 50 mm to 75 mm. Sixteen connections of six different types were tested. Three were tested monotonically and thirteen were tested under reversed cyclic loading. Certain types of connections can be used to transfer earthquake loads between thin concrete panels as long as they have adequate strength. Methods for predicting the strength of connections are discussed. The connections tested should not be relied on to develop ductility. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

The role of cholesterol-rich diet and of high protein supplement on the development of a glomerular lesion was studied in male guinea pigs. The possible pathogenesis of lipid-induced glomerulosclerosis was investigated. Four experiments were carried out. Four groups of guinea pigs were used in experiment I: CONT group was kept on normal guinea pig chow for 70 days; HC group was kept on 2% cholesterol diet for 70 days; HP group was kept on 50% casein diet for 70 days, and HCHP group received 2% cholesterol diet for 30 days and 2% cholesterol/50% casein diet for another 40 days. In experiment II two groups were used: CONT group and acetyl phenylhydrazine (APH)-treated group in which haemolytic anaemia was induced. In the third experiment the same dietary regimens as described in experiment I were used. In experiment IV three groups, namely CONT, HC, and HCHP, were employed. The animals in experiment IV were sacrificed after 5, 10, and 30 days. The first experiment explored the role of high cholesterol - and high cholesterol/high protein diet in the development of glomerulosclerosis. The other three experiments were designed to learn about the possible mechanism of lipid-induced glomerulosclerosis. Lipid analyses of plasma, erythrocytes and kidney tissue as well as complete blood count, erythrocyte osmotic fragility and blood cell morphology studies were performed. Kidney histology, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, morphometry, and renal and liver function tests were also carried out. De novo cholesterol synthesis was assessed by measuring HMG COA reductase activity and incorporation of tritiated water into cholesterol in the kidneys. Cholesterol-fed animals showed decreased weight gain, increased cholesterol concentration in plasma, erythrocytes, and kidney tissue. Haemolytic anaemia was documented after 70 days on this dietary regimen. Glomerular proliferation lesion was first noted at day 30 and progressed by day 70. Moderate proteinuria and haematuria were observed at day 70. Addition of protein to the high cholesterol diet led to a further decrease in weight gain. It also increased the mortality rate to 40% by day 70. The glomerular lesion, proteinuria and haematuria, and possibly haemolysis were more marked in the HCHP group. No causal relationship was found between liver function, immune complexes, haemolysis and glomerulosclerosis. Serum phosphate levels did not differ among the groups. The lipid found in the kidney of both HC and HCHP groups was mostly of plasma origin, since the kidney cholesterol de novo synthesis was suppressed in these two groups compared to the CONT group. There was a concommitant increase in the lipid content of kidney tissue and the mesangial expansion (MA/GTA) at day 30. No significant increase in the intraglomerular monocyte/macrophage was found at day 30 in the HCHP group compared to the HC group. However, a significant correlation (r=0.678, p 0.001) was found between the number of these cells and MA/GTA ratio among the four experimental groups at day 70. These data indicate that lipid deposits in kidney tissue may induce a glomerulosclerotic lesion in the absence of monocytes. However, these cells likely augment the proliferation of mesangial cells. We postulate that high protein diet could worsen the lipid-induced glomerular lesion by increasing delivery of abnormal lipoproteins to the kidney which could trigger mesangial cellular proliferation directly and indirectly by a macrophage-mediated process. / Medicine, Faculty of / Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of / Graduate

The investigation described in this thesis represents the first known attempt to develop a simplified method for the seismic design of structures equipped with a novel friction damping system. The system has been shown experimentally to perform very well and is an exciting development in earthquake resistant design. The design of a building equipped with the friction damping system is achieved by determining the optimum slip load distribution to minimize structural response. A new efficient numerical modelling approach for the analysis and design of Friction Damped Braced Frames (FDBF) is presented. The hysteretic properties of the friction devices are derived theoretically and included in a Friction Damped Braced Frame Analysis Program (FDBFAP), which is adaptable to a microcomputer environment. The optimum slip load distribution is determined by minimizing a Relative Performance Index (RPI) derived from energy concepts. The steady-state response of a single storey friction damped structure subjected to sinusoidal ground motion is investigated analytically. Basic design information on the optimum slip load for the friction device is obtained. The parameters governing the optimum slip load, which minimizes the amplitude for any forcing frequency, are derived. The study indicates that the optimum slip load depends on the characteristics of the ground motion and of the structure. Using variational principles on a shear beam analogy, an optimum slip load distribution along the height of the structure is derived when the total amount of slip load is specified. It is shown that the optimum slip load is proportional to the slope of the deflected shape of the structure. The results of the study reveal that only a small improvement in the response is obtained by using this optimum distribution compared to the response obtained with a uniform distribution. Therefore the use of an optimum uniform distribution seems adequate for the design of friction damped structures. Taking into account the analytical results obtained, FDBFAP is then used in a parametric study which leads to the construction of a design slip load spectrum. The spectrum depends on the properties of the structure and ground motion anticipated at the construction site. It is believed that the availability of this design slip load spectrum will lead to a greater acceptance by the engineering profession of this new and innovative structural concept. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate

Cells experiencing a low oxygen tension show relative resistance to the lethal effects of radiation. It is believed that the effectiveness of the treatment of certain human tumors is hindered by the existence of such radioresistant cells within the tumor. The purpose of this work was to study the drug Ro-07-0582 both for its toxic effects and its ability to preferentially sensitize hypoxic cells to the lethal effects of radiation (radiosensitize). These properties were examined in vitro in two Chinese hamster cell lines, CHO and CH2B2, and also in the mouse tumour cell line EMT6. Ro-07-0582 is shown to have a chemotherapeutic potential in that it demonstrates a very selective toxicity for hypoxic cells after a few hours exposure. It is much less toxic to aerobic cells. These toxic properties were studied extensively, both in hypoxic and aerobic cell suspensions. The measured endpoint was the ability of a cell to multiply and form a colony of 50 or more cells within an allotted incubation time. Hypoxic toxicity was greater at 37°C than at 22°C and was affected by small changes (~30ppm) in 0₂ concentration in the cell suspension. The toxic effects were similar in the three cell lines. The radiosensitizing capability of Ro-07-0582 was determined by measuring the Dose Modifying Factors (DMF's) for various drug concentrations with each cell line. DMF's were calculated by comparison of survival curves for cell suspensions irradiated under hypoxia in the presence of drug with the survival curve for cell suspensions irradiated under hypoxia in the absence of drug. The DMF for the irradiation of aerobic cells in the absence of drug is called the Oxygen Enhancement Ratio (OER) and was approximately 3.0 in all three cell lines. Ro-07-0582 was found to selectively radiosensitize hypoxic cells in suspension with high efficiency. For each cell line, sensitization was observed with drug concentrations as low as 0.1mM, while concentrations of 10mM or greater yielded DMF's within the measured range of OER values. The presence of 1mM Ro-07-0582 during irradiation of hypoxic cells yields a DMF of 1.8. Introduction of the drug before or after irradiation, instead of during irradiation, had little if any effect. Radiosensitization measurements were also carried out at high cell concentrations (cell pellets), where many sensitizers are ineffective. Results showed that the 0582 radiosensitization attained in cell pellets is quite comparable with that attained in dilute suspension. The attributes of Ro-07-0582 as a potential radiosensi-tizer were considered. The sensitization achieved by Ro-07-0582 is very good, and surpasses that of metronidazole, a chemical under study for clinical use. For drug doses necessary to achieve high levels of sensitization the toxicity of Ro-07-0582 to aerobic cells is quite acceptable. The toxicity to hypoxic cells, however, is much increased over the toxicity to aerobic cells, and this may prove to be a useful adjunct to the drug's sensitizing properties in destroying hypoxic tumour cells. / Medicine, Faculty of / Medical Genetics, Department of / Graduate

Dans cette thèse, nous cherchons à développer de nouvelles techniques pour écrire plus simplement des programmes formellement vérifiés. Nous procédons en étudiant l'utilisation de Coq en tant que langage de programmation dans différents environnements. Coq étant un langage purement fonctionnel, nous nous concentrons surtout sur la représentation et la spécification d'effets impurs, tel que les exceptions, les références mutables, les entrées-sorties et la concurrence.Nous travaillons premièrement sur deux projets préliminaires qui nous aident à comprendre les défis existants dans la programmation en Coq. Le premier projet, Cybele, est un plugin Coq pour écrire des preuves par réflexion efficaces avec effets. Nous compilons et nous exécutons les effets impurs en OCaml pour générer une prophétie, une forme de certificat, et interprétons les effets dans Coq en utilisant cette prophétie. Le second projet, le compilateur CoqOfOCaml, importe des programmes OCaml avec effets dans Coq en utilisant un système d'inférence d'effets.Puis nous décrivons différentes représentations génériques et composables d'effets impurs en Coq. Les calculs avec pause combinent les effets d'exceptions et de références mutables avec un mécanisme de pause. Ce mécanisme de pause permet de rendre explicite les étapes d'évaluation dans le but de représenter l'évaluation concurrente de deux termes. En implémentant le serveur web Pluto en Coq, nous réalisons que les entrées-sorties asynchrones sont l'effet le plus utile : cet effet est présent dans la plupart des programmes et ne peux être encodé de façon purement fonctionnelle. Nous concevons alors les "calculs asynchrones" comme moyen pour représenter et compiler des programmes avec événements en Coq.Finalement, nous étudions des techniques pour prouver des propriétés à propos de programmes avec effets. Nous commençons avec la vérification du système de blog ChickBlog écrit dans le langage des "calculs interactifs". Ce blog lance un fil d'exécution par client. Nous vérifions notre blog en utilisant une méthode de spécification par cas d'utilisation. Nous adaptons cette technique à la théorie des types en exprimant un cas d'utilisation comme un co-programme bien typé. Grâce à ce formalisme, nous pouvons présenter un cas d'utilisation comme un programme de test symbolique et le déboguer symboliquement, étape par étape, en utilisant le mode interactif de Coq. À notre connaissance, ceci représente la première telle adaptation de la spécification par cas d'utilisation en théorie des types. Nous pensons que la spécification formelle par cas d'utilisation est l'une des clés pour vérifier des programmes avec effets, sachant que la méthode des cas d'utilisation s'est avérée utile dans l'industrie pour exprimer des spécifications informelles. Nous étendons notre formalisme aux programmes concurrents et potentiellement non-terminants, avec le langage des "calculs concurrents". Nous concevons également un vérificateur de modèles pour vérifier l'absence d'interblocage dans un programme concurrent, en compilant la composition parallèle vers l'opérateur de choix non-déterministe. / In this thesis, we develop new techniques to conveniently write formally verified programs. To proceed, we study the use of Coq as a programming language in different settings. Coq being a purely functional language, we mainly focus on the representation and on the specification of impure effects, like exceptions, mutable references, inputs-outputs, and concurrency.First, we work on two preliminary projects helping us to understand the challenges of programming in Coq. The first project, Cybele, is a Coq plugin to write efficient proofs by reflection with effects. We compile and execute the impure effects in OCaml to generate a prophecy, a kind of certificate, and then interpret the effects in Coq using the prophecy. The second project, the compiler CoqOfOCaml, imports OCaml programs with effects into Coq, using an effect inference system.Next, we describe different generic and composable representations of impure effects in Coq. The breakable computations combine the standard exceptions and mutable references effects, with a pause mechanism to make explicit the evaluation steps in order to represent the concurrent evaluation of two terms. By implementing the Pluto web server in Coq, we realize that the most important effects to program are the asynchronous inputs-outputs. Indeed, these effects are ubiquitous and cannot be encoded in a purely functional manner. Thus, we design the asynchronous computations as a first way to represent and compile programs with events and handlers in Coq.Then, we study techniques to prove properties about programs with effects. We start with the verification of the blog system ChickBlog written in the language of the interactive computations. This blog runs one worker with synchronous inputs-outputs per client. We verify our blog using the method of specification by use cases. We adapt this technique to type theory by expressing a use case as a well-typed co-program over the program we verify. Thanks to this formalism, we can present a use case as a symbolic test program and symbolically debug it, step by step, using the interactive proof mode of Coq. To our knowledge, this is the first such adaptation of the use case specifications in type theory. We believe that the formal specification by use cases is one of the keys to verify effectful programs, as the method of use cases proved to be convenient to express (informal) specifications in the software industry. We extend our formalism to concurrent and potentially non-terminating programs with the language of concurrent computations. Apart from the use case method, we design a model-checker to verify the deadlock freedom of concurrent computations, by compiling the parallel composition to the non-deterministic choice operator using the language of blocking computations