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<p>This research explored two interrelated issues in development economics. FIrstly, it investigated the importance of secondary and tertiary education for long-run growth of low-income economics. Secondly, it examined possible ways to invest in these higher levels of education. It draws on insights on these two issues to highlight lessons for Rwanda where policy makers have set out plans to build a knowledge economy in which science and technology would form the basis of the modern enterprise.</p>

This study, contextualized within the critical debate on Shakespearean dramatic character, examines how the “character effect”— or the audience’s impression of a character’s ontological reality— is produced. Approaching character from the perspective of linguistic pragmatics, I contend that character effects are produced by the counterpoint between characters’ pragmatic use of language and the allegorical meanings that underpin characters’ utterances in a theatrical context. These allegorical meanings, which Shakespeare conveys through his characters to the audience, dialogically interact with characters’ textually or historically scripted roles and converge with their speech to create the impression that characters control language and have extra-textual lives of their own. I thus demonstrate that the interiority ascribed to character is a function of its anteriority. Following the introductory chapter, which lays out the critical history of Shakespearean character and a pragmatic methodology, each of the remaining chapters explores the particular speech habits of a complex and larger-than-life Shakespearean character who is also a self-conscious user of language. Chapter 2 examines how Falstaff’s conversational implicatures produce the character effect of his vitality. Chapter 3 looks at how Cleopatra’s performative use of report creates her sexual charisma. Chapter 4 focuses on how Henry V’s rhetorical argumentation works to create the effect of his moral ambivalence. / Thesis (Ph.D, English) -- Queen's University, 2013-06-28 14:41:27.453

Propensity score matching is commonly used to estimate causal effects of treatments. However, when using data with a hierarchical structure, we need to take the multilevel nature of the data into account. In this thesis the estimation of propensity scores with multilevel models is presented to extend propensity score matching for use with multilevel data. A Monte Carlo simulation study is performed to evaluate several different estimators. It is shown that propensity score estimators ignoring the multilevel structure of the data are biased, while fixed effects models produce unbiased results. An empirical study of the causal effect of truancy on mathematical ability for Swedish 9th graders is also performed, where it is shown that truancy has a negative effect on mathematical ability.

Su veikliojo dumblo suspensijomis, gautomis iš Vilniaus miesto, Nemenčinės ir Utenos miesto nuotekų valyklų buvo vykdomi tyrimai, kuriais siekta ištirti nuotekose esančių teršalų poveikį veikliojo dumblo mikroorganizmams ir nustatyti indikatorines rūšis šio poveikio įvertinimui. Tyrimai atlikti su šiais teršalais: 3,5 – dichlorfenoliu (3,5 – DCP), etanoliu ir valgomąja druska (NaCl). Veikliojo dumblo suspensijos buvo analizuojamos mikrobiologiškai, skaičiuojami mikroorganizmų rūšys ir individų skaičius (ind./ml). Per tyrimą buvo atlikta 16 eksperimentų ir nustatytos mikrobiologinė nuotekų valyklų sudėtys, iš kurių buvo gautos veikliojo dumblo suspensijos. Buvo įvertinti teršalų poveikiai veikliojo dumblo mikroorganizmų bendrijoms. Prie mažų (2,5 ppm, 5 ppm ir 7,5 ppm) 3,5 – DCP koncentracijų veikliojo dumblo mikroorganizmai adaptavosi, o didelės (15 ppm ir 20 ppm) koncentracijos naikina veikliojo dumblo mikroorganizmus. Etanolis veikliojo dumblo mikroorganizmų bendrijas veikia skatinančiai, kadangi auga veikliojo dumblo koncentracija ir bakterijų monokolonijų skaičius. Mažos (3 g/l, 5 g/l ir 7 g/l) NaCl koncentracijos skatina veikliojo dumblo mikroorganizmų bendrijas, prie 10 g/l dumblo organizmai adaptuojasi, o prie didelės (15 g/l) NaCl koncentracijos mikroorganizmų skaičius mažėjo. Taip pat nustatytos jautriausios mikroorganizmų rūšys (Acineria uncinata, Aspidisca costata, A. lynceus, Vorticella spp., Ptelomonas sp., plikosios amebos ir bakterijos, sudarančios... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The investigations of active sludge taken from Vilnius, Utena and Nemenčinė wastewater treatment plants was carries out. The main goal was investigate the effects of wastewater pollutants on communities of microorganisms taken from activated sludge and to identify indicator species of this impact assessment. Investigations were carried out with these pollutants: 3,5 - dichlorophenol (3,5 - DCP), ethanol, and salt (NaCl). Active sludge was analyzed microbiologically, number of species and number of individuals (ind. / ml) were counted. In this study 16 experiments was carried out and microbiological composition of wastewater treatment plants was estimated. Results showed that activated sludge microorganisms adapted to low (2.5 ppm, 5 ppm and 7.5 ppm) concentrations of 3,5 – DCP, but high (15 ppm and 20 ppm) concentrations reduced abundance of microorganisms. Ethanol stimulated community of activated sludge, because concentration of activated sludge and number of bacterial colonies increased. Low concentrations (3 g/l, 5 g/l ir 7 g/l) of NaCl also stimulated abundance of active sludge community, microorganisms adapted to the concentration of 10 g/l, and number of microorganisms decreased when concentration of NaCl was high (15 g/ l). Acineria uncinata, Aspidisca costata, A. lynceus, Vorticella spp., Ptelomonas sp., gymnamoebae and bacteria (which makes clusters) – this was the most sensitive species of microorganism in activated sludge. A. costata resisted quite high (even 10... [to full text]

Successful antiretroviral (ARV) treatment is associated with suppression of HIV viral load and the reduction of clinical disease progression. Despite marked improvements in ARV medication, side effects from long-term treatment, such as loss of muscle mass do occur. The mechanism by which ARVs affect muscle mass is unclear, however, published in vitro data suggests a negative effect on myoblast fusion during differentiation. The objective of this study was therefore to determine the effect of ARVs on processes required for successful myogenesis; these included proliferation, migration during wound repair, and differentiation. C2C12 mouse skeletal myoblasts and human primary culture skeletal (HSk) myoblasts were incubated with Zidovudine (nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-NRTI), Tenofovir (nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor-NtRTI) or Ritonavir (protease inhibitor-PI) at a concentration range of 0.01 μM to 10 μM. Proliferation was determined using crystal violet and migration was analyzed using a 2D wound healing assay. The commitment of myoblasts into the myogenic lineage was assessed via the expression of the transcription factor Pax7. Differentiation was measured by assessing the fusion index of multinucleated myotubes. C2C12 myoblast proliferation was observed to increase significantly in response to Tenofovir (1 μM and 10 μM). In HSk cells however, proliferation was observed to decrease significantly in response to Tenofovir (1 μM). Zidovudine had no consistent effect on C2C12 proliferation at any dose tested, but caused a decrease in HSk myoblast proliferation (0.01 μM and 0.1 μM); however this was statistically non-significant. A small dose-dependent increase in C2C12 and HSk cell number, although not significant, was seen in response to Ritonavir. Wound closure results revealed both dose-dependent and time-dependent effects of Tenofovir and Zidovudine on human myoblast migration, with significant decreases in the rate of wound closure (4-7 hours) noted at 0.1 μM and 0.01 μM doses respectively. Zidovudine had no significant effect on migration while Ritonavir (0.01 μM) was observed to significantly increase percentage wound closure of human myoblasts, suggesting an increased ability to migrate during wound repair. Differentiation results indicated a decrease in myoblast fusion in response to all three ARVs. However only Ritonavir was shown to negatively affect myosin heavy chain expression. Further research into the exact mechanism of decreased fusion is required. To our knowledge, this study is the first to suggest that selected ARVs may significantly influence myoblast regeneration capabilities by modulating myoblast proliferation, migration, differentiation and fusion, and thereby decrease their myogenic capability. Extended human myoblast studies on differentiation could confirm this hypothesis. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2013.

This is an in-depth comparative study of the strategies used to counteract bullying at schools. It provides an international perspective on such strategies: Studies in South African schools are used to provide an African perspective: Australian research is used to provide an Oceanian perspective: Japanese research to provide an Asian perspective; and research conducted in England is used to provide an European perspective on bullying at schools. The extent and nature of bullying in schools was discussed in great detail, as well as the characteristics of bullies and their victims. The causes of bullying, as well as the effects of bullying on learners in the school situation are reviewed. The concept of cyberbullying was expanded upon. The role of the governments, the schools and independent organizations in combating bullying was investigated. To conclude the study, the laws concerning bullying at schools in the four countries are scrutinized and recommendations are made, based on the conclusion that bullying at school can indeed be counteracted successfully. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.