This thesis for the Master of Architecture degree focuses on urban renewal, in particular on revitalization of run down inner city neighborhoods. My chosen site is the area outside the main station in Dresden currently a wide open field with a monument of Lenin. It forms an important entry to the city center, to which it connects via the Prager StraBe, once a proud and glamorous shopping street, now a uninviting, wind-swepted pedestrian zone. This area was heavily destroyed (95°x) through Allied bombing on February 13, 1945. The reconstruction after the war disregarded the context more or less completely and was executed in a modernist town planning style which disregards of the history of the place and human scale.The analytical part deals with the existing structures, spaces and services. A catalogue of problems was established in order to be able to discuss objectives and propose strategies for possible solutions. As a result, I developed the program for the scheme.The creative project attempts to solve these problems: the urban form, the reduced density, the traffic situation, the pedestrian zone etc. and demonstrate a reasonable design solution for the area. It consists of a hotel, a convention center, a administration center, various mixed use buildings with retail at ground floor, office units above and residential penthouses. The design for the hard landscaping of the square and the soft landscaping for the public gardens helps to define the public realm. An anticipated future metro station is linked to a underground shopping arcade and to the new station concourse. / Department of Architecture

Becoming an ally to Indigenous peoples, as a planner, depends on understanding the oppressive dynamics of colonialism and neoliberalism that invisibilize their everyday realities. Resisting these dynamics as an ally, and as a planner, also depends on becoming liberated from them, and to create spaces for collectivization, since only the collective has the power to resist the oppressive systems and discourses that characterize these ideologies. In Winnipeg, a coalition of Indigenous inner city community development practitioners (CLOUT) is effectively resisting these hegemonies. Contrasting this everyday resistance praxis is the practice of non-Indigenous city planners who are placated in their own everyday by the problems of difference and separation these hegemonies produce; effectively being thwarted in their ability to resist. Alliance building will remain a challenge between these two groups, that is unless the planners learn from CLOUT: become allies to each other, unlearn their euro-western way of thinking and learn the value of practices oriented towards integration, that in themselves counter the divisive nature colonialism and neoliberalism.

Thesis (Th.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Bed bugs are making a large international comeback. While people from all economic and social backgrounds can experience a bed bug infestation, the social impacts on the lives of low-income people are potentially far greater given the condition of their living accommodations as well as the financial costs associated with dealing with an infestation. Utilizing the Community Economic Development and Social Determinants of Health approaches, this thesis argues that the experience of a bed bug infestation poses a significant threat to inner-city residents—economically, socially, and in terms of human health. Interviews with 16 inner-city residents, 2 landlords, 1 property manager, 2 By-Law Enforcement Officers, and 5 representatives of inner-city agencies in Winnipeg are drawn upon in developing this argument. In addition, relevant policy documents and other secondary sources are utilized to assess the effectiveness of policies and practices in place to respond to this issue and to offer a more comprehensive approach for responding to the social impacts of bed bugs in the city of Winnipeg.

Thesis (Th.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Einen großräumigen Überblick über ein Gebiet von Interesse können Satellitenbilddaten ermöglichen. Dabei werden räumliche Beziehungen erkennbar und lassen sich untersuchen. Die Bestimmung der räumlichen Verteilung und des zeitlichen Ausmaßes eines großräumigen Ereignisses, wie einer Überflutung, ist oftmals nur mit Unterstützung von fernerkundlichen Daten möglich. Es besteht der Bedarf an kontinuierlichen Informationen über den Zustand eines Systems über einen längeren Zeitraum, wenn Zusammenhänge zwischen den natürlichen Schwankungen und unterschiedlichen anthropogenen sowie natürlichen Einflüssen untersucht werden sollen. Das Nigerbinnendelta in der Republik Mali nimmt in der semi-ariden Region eine besondere Stellung ein, da es sich um einen Gunststandort handelt, der wesentlich zur wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung der Region beiträgt. Die im Rahmen dieser Arbeit zu erstellende Datenbasis beruht auf SAR-Daten, deren größter Vorteil in der Wetter- und Tageszeitunabhängigkeit liegt. Eine Herausforderung bei der Nutzung von Radaraufnahmen sind die spezielle Bildgeometrie, der auftretende Speckle-Effekt sowie das komplexe Rückstreuverhalten der Strahlung. Die Datenbasis bilden ERS- und Envisat-Aufnahmen, deren Auswertung zunächst die Datenaufbereitung bzw. die Vorverarbeitung, u. a. in Form einer radiometrischen Kalibrierung und einer Speckle-Filterung, vorangestellt ist. Die Anwendung von pixelbasierten Auswertemethoden ist aufgrund der radiometrischen Eigenschaften der Daten weniger geeignet, weshalb die in der Fernerkundung neuere objektorientierte und wissensbasierte Klassifikation zur Anwendung kam. Das Fehlen von zeitnah erhobenen Geländebeobachtungen sowie das komplexe Rückstreuverhalten der Mikrowellen erfordern eine ausführliche Auseinandersetzung mit dem Untersuchungsgebiet sowie mit dem Verhalten der C-Band SAR-Daten in Feuchtgebieten. Innerhalb der SAR-Daten treten vermehrt Überschneidungen in der Rückstreuung unterschiedlicher Landbedeckungen auf. Deren Trennung erfordert Vorkenntnisse über die Ausbreitung der Landbedeckungen zu unterschiedlichen hydrologischen Stadien. Die zum Aufbau der wissensbasierten Auswertung erfolgte Auseinandersetzung mit dem Untersuchungsgebiet beinhaltete neben der geographischen Aufbereitung die Erstellung einer Vergleichsbasis, basierend auf multispektralen Aufnahmen. Auf Grundlage je einer Aufnahme während sowie nach der Überschwemmung wurden für die objektorientierte Klassifikation zwei Regelwerke, in die neben der auszuwertenden SAR-Aufnahme zusätzliche Informationen wie z. B. der Texturparameter Entropie eingingen, erstellt. Das Ergebnis ist eine Datenbasis der Überschwemmungsflächen zu verschiedenen Aufnahmezeitpunkten. Die Evaluierung von zwei Klassifikationsergebnissen ergab eine sehr gute Trennung der überschwemmten und nicht überschwemmten Bereiche. Die aufbereiteten SAR-Daten geben einen Überblick über die Ressource Wasser für bereits vergangene Zeitschnitte. Zusammen mit aktuellen Informationen können diese einen Beitrag für ein nachhaltiges Management dieser Lebensgrundlage im Nigerbinnendelta leisten.

Denna undersökning hade för avsikt att granska relationen mellan skam och vuxenanknytning. Både skam och anknytning har genom tidigare forskning visat sig vara arbetsmodeller som grundläggs tidigt i människors liv och som påverkar vår självuppfattning, självkänsla och hur vi relaterar och fungerar med andra människor. Dessa inre modeller förblir relativt stabila under vår livstid. Med hjälp av självskattningsformulär mättes deltagarnas anknytningstyp och deras upplevelse och hantering av skam. Resultaten visar på en signifikant skillnad mellan anknytningskategori och självrapporterad nivå av skamuppleverser. Trygg anknytning och otrygg/avvisande anknytning uppger lägre poäng på skamskattningsskalan ESS medan otrygg/ängslig och otrygg/upptagen uppger högre poäng på skamskattningsskalan ESS. Detta ger stöd åt tidigare forskning som gjorts om anknytning och skam. Ytterligare forskning behövs, kvantitativ och kvalitativ från olika vinklar, för att få en djupare förståelse för dessa komplexa mekanismer mer ingående och hur det dynamiska samspelet mellan dem. / This study examined the relationship between shame and adult attachment. Both shame and attachment has in previous studies shown to be working-models whitch are made early in peoples life and which effects our self-image, selfesteem and how we relate och function together with other people.These inner working-models are relativly stable across life-span. With use of self-report, mesures of adult attachment and shame was made and the results showed a significant difference between the type of adult attachment and self-reported shame level. Secure attachment and unsecure/dissmissive attachment reported lower levels of shame in the self-reported messure Experience of Shame Scale ESS while the unsecure/fearful and unsecure/preoccupied reported higer  levels of shame in the self-reported messure Experience of Shame Scale ESS. This supportes previous studies made in attachment and shame. More reaserch is needed to, in a profound way, understand these komplex mechanisms.

This thesis examines the barriers that impede intensification (infill and redevelopment) within Regina’s Warehouse District (The District). In addition this study provides recommendations to overcome said barriers in order to facilitate residential development. This research expands upon two previous studies from 2002 and 2009, which were initiated by community stakeholders and that identified the need for additional residential development within The District. To date, success of the two previous plans in attracting new infill and redevelopment has been limited. This research looks to understand why this is, through the use of semi- structured interviews with key informants. Additional data from secondary documents and visual observations was collected to substantiate this approach. This research found that intensification in The District has been limited due to; unbalanced growth, existing municipal policies and zoning, a negative perception, proximity to noxious uses, an absence of amenities and services, unfavourable land development economics, and a soft demand amongst prospective residents. The second part of this research identified possibilities or factors to facilitate intensification within The District. Similarly these findings are grounded in the discussion with key informants. This data is corroborated by existing planning literature, as well as best practices from a number of North American jurisdictions. This study found that intensification could be facilitated in The District by; balancing growth, revising municipal policy and zoning, increasing public investment, improving the perception, having the city engaged in development, and with increased financial incentives. This research has explored intensification in two unique contexts, a mid-sized Canadian city and a historically industrial neighbourhood. It has contributed to the academic literature by establishing a better understanding of the barriers to intensification within both contexts. More specifically, it has explored intensification within Regina’s Warehouse District, a city that has been largely bypassed by academic planning literature.

Sensory neurons are key mediators of the transduction of external stimuli from the ear to the brain, essential for the sense of balance and hearing. Understanding when, where and how the sensory nervous system is assembled during development can provide insights on deafness and balance disorders. Here, I show in zebrafish that Her9 transcription factor is a key element in the regulation of the otic neurogenesis. Loss of Her9 function leads to the ectopic expression of neurogenic genes neurod and neurod4. Moreover, I show that Her9 acts downstream of Tbx1, and both genes are activated by retinoic acid signaling emanating from the paraxial mesoderm and negatively regulated by Hedgehog signaling. Altogether, the data demonstrates a role of retinoic acid in axial patterning and the establishment of a neurogenic domain through Tbx1 and Her9. At later stages, retinoic acid has an additional role by regulating neuronal differentiation in the statoacoustic ganglion. / Les neurones sensorials de l’oïda interna són mediadores claus en la transducció dels estímuls externs des de l’oïda interna al cervell. Entendre a on, quan i com el sistema nerviós sensorial s’organitza durant el desenvolupament embrionari pot ajudar en l’estudi de les malalties neurosensorials. En el present treball, mostro en peix zebra que el factor de transcripció Her9 és un element clau en el control de la neurogènesi òtica i que Her9 es troba sota el control directe del factor Tbx1. A més, ambdos factors estan regulats de manera positva per la via de senyalització de l’àcid retinoic i negativament per la vía de hedgehog. En resum, la tesis demostra un paper de l’àcid retinoic en la regionalització axial del primordi òtic en l’eix anteroposterior i l’establiment d’un domini neurogènic a través de Tbx1 i Her9. En estadis tardans, l’àcid retinoic regula la diferenciació neuronal en el gangli estato-acústic.

[Truncted abstract] A number of studies have provided evidence that individuals with autism have poor semantic processing of verbal information, instead gaining greater meaning from pictorial information. The aims of this thesis were, to firstly, investigate the verbal and pictorial encoding abilities of children with autism, and secondly, to determine the extent to which limitations in the use of inner speech may drive any encoding differences. The first study investigated the notion that children with autism have an atypical verbal processing style, showing poor semantic but enhanced phonological encoding of verbal stimuli. The experiment compared the performance of children with autism and ability-matched controls (N = 20 in each group) on a novel explicit verbal recall task that contained 20 word stimuli. Recall performance could be benefited through, in one condition, an understanding of the semantic links between the stimuli, and in another condition, an understanding of the phonological similarities between the stimuli. The design of the recall task controlled for the possibility that children with autism have poor retrieval strategies (by providing either a semantic or phonological retrieval cue) and hence maximized the likelihood that any between-groups differences in performance would be related to problems at the encoding stage. There was no difference between the two groups. Follow up comparisons revealed that the performance of the autism group was consistent with that of typically developing children of the same chronological age. The idea that individuals with autism have increased facility for processing pictorial information (Kamio & Toichi, 2000) was then investigated.