The current study sought to assess the impact of the race, gender, and ethnicity of rape victims on college students’ propensity to assign culpability to victims. Using a sample of college students (n=279) from a mid-sized Southeastern university, respondents were given a set of six different vignettes, varying only by victim characteristics. These vignettes featured alcohol-facilitated sexual assault between acquaintances, a common occurrence in college environments. Respondents were asked to evaluate the culpability of the victim through a blameworthiness scale. Through the incorporation of the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale, this study also measured the respondents’ propensity to assign blame to female rape victims and to alleviate male perpetrators of any responsibility. Results indicated that adherence to rape myth acceptance was a more significant predictor of blameworthiness than victim or respondent characteristics. This exploratory study was designed to add to the growing body of literature examining attitudes toward acquaintance rape.

The study presented herein investigated a potential low-energy method to separate and concentrate glucose from a lignocellulosic hydrolysate. The motivation for this method was twofold: 1) to provide the fermentation microorganism an optimal glucose concentration and 2) to supply a fermentation media free of inhibitory compounds. Two sizes of porous silica particles (with 7 nm and 2.3 nm pores) were synthesized and their ability to adsorb glucose from solution confirmed. Next, the ability of two different microorganisms, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Streptococcus bovis, to utilize sugars adsorbed to the porous silica particles was investigated. Both the 7 nm and 2.3 nm pore-size particles were capable of adsorbing glucose from solution. Fermentations with glucose provided adsorbed to nanoparticles were compared to fermentations with glucose dissolved in media. The success of the fermentation was assessed by using high performance liquid chromatography to compare the concentration of fermentation products at harvest time. Results indicated that although the fermentation with soluble glucose produced significantly more end-products, S. bovis demonstrated some ability to metabolize the glucose adsorbed to the 7 nm pore silica particles. No evidence was detected that S. cerevisiae could metabolize glucose adsorbed to silica particles of either pore size.

Gene regulation mediated by transcription factors (TFs) is essential for all organisms. The functionality of TFs can largely be described by the fraction of time they occupy their regulatory binding sites on the chromosome. DNA-binding proteins have been shown to find their targets through facilitated diffusion in vitro. In its simplest form this means that the protein combines a random 3D search in the cytoplasm with 1D sliding along DNA. This has been proposed to speed up target location. It is difficult to mimic the in vivo conditions for gene regulation in biochemistry experiments; i.e. the ionic strength, chromosomal structure, and the presence of other DNA-binding macromolecules.    In this thesis single molecule imaging assays for live cell measurements were developed to study the kinetics of the Escherichia coli transcription factor LacI. The low copy number LacI, in fusion with a fluorescent protein (Venus) is detected as a localized near-diffraction limited spot when being DNA-bound for longer than the exposure time. An allosteric inducer is used to control binding and release. Using this method we can measure the time it takes for LacI to bind to different operator sequences. We then extend the assay and show that LacI slides in to and out from the operator site, and that it is obstructed by another DNA-binding protein positioned next to its target. We present a new model where LacI redundantly passes over the operator many times before binding.    By combining experiments with molecular dynamics simulations we can characterize the details of non-specific DNA-binding. In particular, we validate long-standing assumptions that the non-specific association is diffusion-controlled. In addition it is seen that the non-specifically bound protein diffuses along DNA in a helical path.    Using microfluidics we design a chase assay to measure in vivo dissociation rates for the LacI-Venus dimer. Based on the comparison of these rates with association rates and equilibrium binding data we suggest that there might be a short time following TF dissociation when transcription initiation is silenced. This implies that the fraction of time the operator is occupied is not enough to describe the regulatory range of the promoter.

We have developed CO2-selective membranes to purified hydrogen and nitrogenfor fuel cell processes. Hydrogen purification impacts other industries such as ammoniaproduction and flue gas purification at reduced costs.Dense chitosan membranes were used for the first time to separate CO2 from amixture of 10% CO2, 10% H2, and 80% N2 at temperatures of 20 – 150oC and feedpressures of 1.5 atm – 5 atm. At 1.5 atm and 20 – 150oC, dry chitosan membranesachieved CO2 permeabilities, CO2/N2 and CO2/H2 separation factors of 0.383 – 24.3barrers, 10.7 – 3.40, and 4.54 – 1.50, respectively. The dry chitosan acted as an ordinarysolution-diffusion membrane: permeability increased with temperature but selectivitydecreased. The CO2/H2 and CO2/N2 separation factors at all temperatures enhanced CO2removal, making this membrane a candidate for fuel cell processes. The dual modetransport model fitted the transport data well.To achieve higher CO2 transport properties, chitosan was swollen with water.Water mediated the reaction of chitosan's amino groups with CO2. Humidifing the feedand sweep gases increased the membrane's performance. At 1.5 atm and 20 – 110 –150oC, CO2 permeabilities, CO2/N2 and CO2/H2 separation factors were 213 – 483 – 399barrers, 69.4 – 250 – 194, and 18.9 – 43.4 – 29, respectively. The presence of free waterand bound water facilitated the transport of CO2. Increasing feed pressure removed themaxima in permeability and selectivities at 110oC, but led to reduced CO2 permeabilities,CO2/N2 separation factors, and CO2/H2 separation factors to 156 – 286 barrers, 44.2 –131, and 12.0 – 16.7, respectively.To acquire higher CO2 transport properties, arginine-sodium salts wereincorporated in chitosan membranes as additional sites for facilitated transport. The salt'spercolation threshold was 40 wt %. At 1.5 atm and 20 – 110 – 150oC, CO2 permeabilities,CO2/N2 and CO2/H2 separation factors were 403 – 1498 – 1284 barrers, 122 – 852 – 516,and 31.9 – 144 – 75.5, respectively. Increasing feed pressure to 5 atm resulted indeclining CO2 permeabilities, CO2/N2 and CO2/H2 separation factors to 118 – 1078barrers, 21.6 – 352, and 5.67 – 47.9, respectively.Chitosan was characterized in terms of morphology, solution properties, thermalproperties, crystallinity, and degree of deacetylation.

Modeled after Doherty & Simmons’ (1996) study on the practice patterns of marriage and family therapists, this project explored similar questions about equine assisted/facilitated psychotherapists who are members of two main certification organizations, EAGALA and PATH Intl. An Internet survey distributed to equine assisted/facilitated practitioners across the country explored demographic information of the clinician, their clients, and their typical work setting. Equine assisted/facilitated psychotherapy is a growing field and gaining an understanding of the current position of the field allows for growth in areas that are currently underdeveloped within this sector of the mental health field.

Orientador: Regina Célia Spadari-Bratfisch / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-16T17:17:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vilar_DeboraMaia_M.pdf: 7544917 bytes, checksum: f3ab74bac3bf9de6c6c51585cf73b87c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Resumo: Na UTI Neonatal, além da exposição contínua a ruídos e luminosidade, o prematuro é submetido a inúmeros procedimentos diagnósticos e terapêuticos, os quais estão associados à dor. A aspiração endotraqueal é um procedimento freqüente e doloroso, causador de estresse no neonato. O principal objetivo deste estudo é avaliar os efeitos da contenção facilitada na resposta de estresse de neonatos prematuros durante a aspiração endotraqueal. Trata-se de um ensaio clínico controlado e aleatorizado, no qual participaram 36 recémnascidos prematuros da Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal do CAISM/UNICAMP. Os pacientes foram aleatoriamente distribuídos em dois grupos, controle e propósito. Os indivíduos do grupo propósito foram submetidos à aspiração endotraqueal com a utilização da contenção facilitada enquanto que os recém-nascidos do grupo controle foram tratados de acordo com o protocolo convencional. Foram determinadas as concentrações de cortisol salivar antes e após o procedimento, saturação de oxigênio durante o procedimento de aspiração, bem como o número de introduções da sonda endotraqueal. No grupo da contenção facilitada, houve redução significativa no número de episódios de queda da saturação de oxigênio. Dentre os episódios de queda, foram observados eventos de hipóxia apenas no grupo controle. Não foi observada diferença significativa na concentração salivar de cortisol entre os grupos, bem como no número de introduções da sonda. Nos indivíduos que tiveram queda da saturação de oxigênio, as médias de concentração salivar de cortisol estavam mais elevadas em todas as avaliações realizadas. Estes dados permitem concluir que a contenção facilitada é um procedimento eficaz na redução de hipóxia durante o procedimento de aspiração endotraqueal / Abstract: In the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), in addition to continued exposure to noise and light, the premature infant is subjected to numerous diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, which are associated with pain. The endotracheal suctioning is a frequent and painful procedure, causing stress in the neonate. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of the containment on the stress response of premature neonates during the endotracheal suctioning. This is a randomized controlled trial, which was attended by 36 premature newborns at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of CAISM / UNICAMP. Patients were randomly divided into two groups, control and purpose. Individuals in the group purpose underwent endotracheal aspiration with the use of containment while the newborns in the control group were treated following the standard protocol. It was determined the concentration of the salivary cortisol before and after the procedure, the oxygen saturation during the aspiration procedure, and the number of introductions of the endotracheal tube. In the group who was subjected to containment, there was a significant decrease in the number of episodes involving dropouts oxygen saturation. Among the episodes of dropout, hypoxic events were only observed in the control group. There was no significant difference in salivary cortisol concentration between the groups, as well as the number of introductions of the probe. In individuals who had a decrease in oxygen saturation, mean salivary cortisol concentration was higher in all evaluations. These data indicates that the containment is indeed effective in reducing hypoxia during the endotracheal suction procedure in premature infants / Mestrado / Fisiologia / Mestre em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

This is a participative case study of a self-facilitating, collaborative, women’s learning group. The group’s longevity afforded a unique opportunity to investigate, in depth, both what encouraged its members to join at its outset, and what has sustained the participation of its current members for thirteen years. Its longevity also provided an opportunity to explore the impact of sustained membership on the women in the group. These two components of the study are its most significant original contributions to the existing literature which does not appear to cover anything similar. The initial raison d’étre of the group was its members’ professional development and this forms a central strand of the investigation, along with identity and self-facilitation. A pragmatic research paradigm, the collaborative nature of the group and the writer’s dual role as both participant and researcher were all influential in the decision to use a participative approach. A range of methods, chosen by the participants, was utilised during the investigation which, whilst participatory, is not emancipatory research. This experimental divergence from how a participative approach is traditionally employed is offered for consideration by researchers who wish to work in a new way that minimises power in other, non-emancipatory situations. The findings support, contradict and add to the literature. The mutuality of longevity and the depth of discourse and learning experienced by group members is a particularly striking aspect of this study. As members of the group have aged, its focus has segued from professional development to encompass a much broader agenda: it has shifted from contributing to members’ professional identity to sustaining their perceptions of self as women who remain capable of complex, critical thinking as they move out of full-time work. The longevity of the group has also fostered deep attachments between group members, despite the differences between them: sustained membership of the group, in turn, provides sustenance for its members. The significance of grounding, ground rules and group composition are highlighted, as is the need to contemplate how members will leave a group during its formation. Alignment between participants in a group is identified as important for its continuation but not always possible. This research makes no claim to offer a definitive model for collaborative learning groups but, instead poses a series of questions for consideration by others who are interested in collaborative learning.

For this thesis, I developed a curriculum for high school art students using centers for small group instruction that helped them develop skills and knowledge in creating art. The type of small group instruction that I implemented is centered based and includes a teacher facilitated component, an interactive activity, and a project done in a small group at their desks. The groups were broken down in levels of ability, skill, and the extra time needed for students to complete their work. By developing this type of curriculum for the Visual Art 1 course, the goal of small group instruction in the art classroom is to support student understanding of the artistic process through successful experiences.

No description available.

No description available.