Since the early 1980's there has been a heightened academic interest in the field of commitment, particularly as it relates to business relationships. Knowledge of commitment continues to advance and has begun splintering and applied into specific and narrow fields. The particular field of interest in this study surrounds commitment levels in business relationships within property and casualty insurance distribution networks. The intent of understanding and enhancing commitment levels is to allow stakeholders to explore new ways to improve profitability. This can be achieved by deepening the level of understanding and knowledge of relationship partners with a view to anticipating and fulfilling their needs better than the competition. However, commitment is intangible and involves many factors including human emotion. This increases the difficulty in comprehending the whole phenomenon of commitment. To assist in furthering the knowledge in this area, transaction cost theory is examined and applied to insurance company and broker relationships. In seeking a greater understanding of the underlying drivers of commitment, this thesis investigates the theoretical contribution of transaction cost economics theory in assessing commitment levels. The purpose is to utilize the elements of transaction costs as a means to extend the awareness of how commitment is constructed, and to search for ways to improve and strengthen these relationships. The primary research method consists of three major case studies within the Canadian property and casualty insurance distribution sector. The first case study explores the perspectives of insurance brokers in Ontario. The second study reveals the perceptions of relationship managers employed with ING Canada, the country's largest property and casualty insurance company. Lastly, the research incorporates a series of interviews with ING Canada senior executives to capture their perspectives and validate the research findings from the first two case studies. These investigations into the Canadian insurance industry have provided several outputs, chief among them is the development of a conceptual model referred to as the 'Commitment Wheel'. This model has the advantages of seating affective and calculative commitment at the centre of a moving environment of commitment enablers.

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<p>Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental health condition present in 13% of new mothers. It is a serious public health issue that profoundly impacts the health of mothers, their children, and their partners. While the short- and long-term implications of maternal mental health for children’s growth and development have been well documented, little has been written about the impact of maternal PPD on partners. In particular, the effects of PPD on new fathers have received little attention. This qualitative descriptive study examined, through the sharing of photographs by participants and in-depth interviews (n = 10), the experience of the transition to parenthood for first-time fathers whose partners have PPD. It also compared their expectations of fatherhood with the lived reality of the experience and explored fathers’ perceptions of, and access to, health services and supports. The main themes that emerged from the data analysis were: From two to three, Connecting with baby, PPD and the partner relationship, Heightened involvement with baby, and Available and desired supports. Sub-themes that captured more specific patterns in the data also were identified. The study findings have implications for establishing best practices that are inclusive of support and education for partners.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

Evolutionary models of adolescent and young adult risk-taking posit that risk-taking increases during this period of the life span as a strategic way for males, in particular, to show dominance, increase perceptions of attractiveness by the opposite-sex, and maximize their chances of acquiring a romantic partner (and ultimately produce offspring). Consistent with this perspective, existing research demonstrates that attractive females increase risk-taking in single males, in part by enhancing males’ sensitivity to rewards and diminishing their ability to inhibit impulsive behavior. By contrast, romantically committed males engage in less risk taking than their single counterparts, although the mechanisms underlying the effect of romantic partners/partnerships on male risk-taking are less clear. In the present study, I employed a behavioral paradigm that has been used in prior studies of peer influence to examine how romantic partners affect decision-making processes and risk-taking behavior in young heterosexual males (18 to 24 years old). I also explored whether there are particular individual and relationship characteristics that moderate the effect of romantic partners on males’ decision-making. This study was conducted using a sample of 134 romantically involved males (mean age=20.2, SD=1.65; 64% White) who were randomly assigned to participate in one of three experimental conditions: alone, in the presence of an attractive female confederate, or in the presence of their romantic partner. Across conditions, I compared males’ behavioral performance on five outcome measures: risk taking (using the Stoplight Task), preference for immediate rewards (using a Delay Discounting Task), reward learning and cost avoidance (using a modified version of the Iowa Gambling Task), and inhibitory control over both neutral and emotionally charged stimuli (using cognitive and emotional versions of the Stroop Task). I found that the presence of romantic partners diminishes risk taking in males, but that romantic partners do not have a significant impact on males’ sensitivity to rewards (neither immediate nor long-term), sensitivity to loss (i.e., cost avoidance), or their ability to inhibit attention to interfering—neutral or emotional—stimuli. However, improvements in cognitive control in the presence of romantic partners were observed among males who report low levels of passionate love. That is, mildly infatuated males exhibited better cognitive control in the presence of their romantic partners relative to mildly infatuated males who were alone. Partner presence had no such effects among males who reported being highly infatuated with their girlfriends. The presence of an attractive female stranger triggered a protective response among romantically involved males—prompting them to take fewer risks (when they are highly committed to their partners), to more quickly avoid decisions that lead to long-term loss (among older males only), and to exhibit better cognitive control (only among males in relatively longer relationships). The presence of an attractive female stranger did not affect males’ sensitivity to rewards. Evidently, the relative impact of an attractive female stranger on males’ risk taking and decision-making is highly dependent on individual and relationship factors, a finding that emphasizes the importance of context when it comes to understanding males’ relative susceptibility to temptation (e.g., other females) and opportunities for potential risk (e.g., infidelity). By contrast, the dampening effect of romantic partners on male risk taking is neither dependent on individual or relationship characteristics nor the result of romantic partners’ influence on reward sensitivity or inhibitory control. However, given the finding that romantic partners enhance cognitive control when feelings of passionate love are relatively low, future research should examine how passionate love and cognitive control interact to predict risk taking. Although I could not identify potential mechanisms to explain why the presence of romantic partners diminishes males’ risk-taking, the current study demonstrates that under specific circumstances—such as when there is high relationship commitment or when the relationship is relatively long—the presence of an attractive female stranger can stimulate romantically involved males to engage regulatory processes that may contribute to their reduced inclination toward risky behavior in that context. This finding is consistent with prior studies and suggests that the presence of tempting stimuli and potential threats to relationship fidelity can trigger males’ deliberate engagement of regulatory processes in effort to maintain their current romantic relationship. In contrast, males’ reduced inclination to engage in risky behavior in the presence of their romantic partners may be automatically activated (without inducing a particular psychological state) regardless of individual and relationship characteristics. / Psychology

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of water and sanitation service delivery in resource-limited settings using two different social theories (modernization and world system). Understanding that barriers to effectiveness are rooted in global structures that tend to present at local levels helps redefine the problem leading to comprehensive policies and practices. The guiding research questions included an identification of an effectiveness gap in services delivered in developed countries compared to those in developing countries. This study included a survey of water and sanitation professionals gauging their opinions on trends within the sector. Survey respondents demonstrated that the sector tends to align with localized (i.e. modernist) approaches. This may explain the perpetuation of differential patterns in water and sanitation access and associated diseases and deaths in developing countries. Through a case study of Partners In Health (PIH), a medical-oriented non-governmental organization used as a proxy for water and sanitation organizations, this work illustrated why personal and organizational philosophies and perspectives influence how we organize and act. It concludes with a discussion of engineering decision making through the lenses offered by modernization and world system theories; presents an organizational structure that allows organizations to overcome theoretical and geographic boundaries; and offers a set of recommendations learned from PIH and those the sector does well. This research shows how water and sanitation organizations, practices, and policies that consider local and global forces are more effective at delivering services in developing countries than those focusing solely on local forces. / Ph. D.

Die Tryptophanhydroxylase (TPH) katalysiert den geschwindigkeitsbestimmenden Schritt der Synthese des wichtigen Neurotransmitters Serotonin. Kürzlich wurde ein zweites TPH-Isozym, die TPH2, entdeckt. Es stellte sich heraus, dass dieses Isozym für die Serotoninsynthese im Zentralnervensystem verantwortlich ist, wohingegen die TPH1 lediglich der Ausgangspunkt der Serotoninsynthese in den peripheren Geweben ist. Da Störungen im Serotoninstoffwechsel mit einer Vielzahl von psychiatrischen Erkrankungen in Verbindung gebracht werden, rückt nun die als neuronales Enzym identifizierte TPH2 in den Fokus der Forschung. In dieser Arbeit konnte gezeigt werden, dass TPH1 und 2 sich nicht nur in ihren Expressionsorten sondern auch in ihren grundlegenden biochemischen Eigenschaften voneinander unterscheiden. Die TPH1 stellte sich als aktiveres der beiden Enzyme heraus. Der N- und C-Terminus der TPH2 konnten als auf die Aktivität des Enzyms inhibierend bzw. aktivierend wirkende Strukturen identifiziert werden und stellen damit interessante Angriffspunkte für die pharmakologische Beeinflussung dar, wobei der N-Terminus als TPH2-spezifische Struktur eine gezielte Beeinflussung des serotonergen Systems im Zentralnervensystem ohne Auswirkungen auf das periphere System ermöglichen würde. In weiteren Projekten konnte die Existenz von mindestens zwei, die Enzymaktivität nicht beeinflussenden Proteinkinase A-Phosphorylierungsstellen in der TPH2 nachgewiesen werden, es konnte ein auf einem fluorometrischen Prinzip basierender High-Throughput-Assay zur Bestimmung der TPH-Aktivität entwickelt werden, Tubulin beta2A wurde als Interaktionpartner der TPH2 identifiziert, die Auswirkungen eines in vitro aktivitätssenkenden Tph2-SNPs auf die Serotoninlevel und das Verhalten verschiedener Mausstämme konnte durch die Generierung und Untersuchung von congenen Mäusen als unbedeutend eingestuft werden und die Expression von TPH1-mRNA wurde als Marker für endometriale Karzinome identifiziert. / Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) catalyzes the rate limiting step of the synthesis of the important neurotransmitter serotonin. Recently a new TPH isoenzyme, TPH2, was discovered. It turned out that this isoenzyme is responsible for the serotonin synthesis within the central nervous system, whereas the TPH1 is merely the starting point of serotonin synthesis in peripheral tissues. Since dysfunction in the metabolism of serotonin is related to a large number of psychiatric diseases, the neuronal TPH2 moved into the centre of interest. As a basis for the pharmacological manipulation of the central nervous serotonergic system, without influencing the periphery, the identification of differences between the two isoenzymes is essential. In this thesis it was shown that TPH1 and 2 not only differ in their expression sites but also in their basic biochemical characteristics. TPH1 turned out to be the more active enzyme. Furthermore it was shown that the N- and C-termini of TPH2 have an inhibitory respectively activating influence on the enzymatic activity. Therefore they became interesting targets for pharmacological interference, whereas the N-terminus as a TPH2 specific structure would facilitate the manipulation of the central nervous serotonergic system without exerting influence on the peripheral system. In further projects the existence of at least two protein kinase A phosphorylation sites could be verified, whereas the phosphorylation doesn’t seem to have any influence on the enzymatic activity, a high throughput assay for determination of TPH activity, based on a fluorometric principle, was developed, Tubulin beta2A was identified as a TPH2 interaction partner, the effect of a SNP in the Tph2 gene that decreases the TPH2 activity in vitro on the serotonin level and the behaviour of different mouse strains could be rated as insignificant by the generation of congenic mice und the expression of TPH1 mRNA was identified as a marker for endometrial cancer.

Magnesium ist eines der am häufigsten vorkommenden Elemente auf der Erde. Es ist sowohl für niedere als auch für höhere Organismen lebensnotwendig und für die neuronale Übertragung, die kardiale Erregungsleitung und Funktion zahlreicher Enzyme erforderlich. In höheren Organismen wird der Großteil von Mg2+ in der Niere filtriert und reabsorbiert. Störungen in diesem Prozess führen zu verschiedenen genetischen Erkrankungen beim Menschen. CNNM2 (Cyclin und CBS Domain Divalent Metal Cation Transport Mediator 2) wurde als magnesiumresponsives Gen identifiziert, seine genaue Rolle ist jedoch noch unklar. In dieser Arbeit wurden verschiedene Zell- und In-vivo-Modelle verwendet, um die Rolle von CNNM2 zu verstehen. Ich fand heraus, dass CNNM2 hauptsächlich auf der apikalen Oberfläche polarisierter MDCK-Zellen exprimiert wird, was durch Oberflächenbiotinylierungs- und Immunfluoreszenz-Experimente unterstützt wurde. Darüber hinaus wurde ARL15 durch Massenspektrometrie als neuer Interaktionspartner von CNNM2 identifiziert. Ich fand heraus, dass ARL15 die CNNM2-Oberflächenexpression erhhöhte und dessen Monomerisierung bevorteilte. Bei Mäusen führte die Deletion von Cnnm2 zu Fehlbildungen des Gehirns, verringerten Mg2+ -Spiegeln im Serum und perinatalen Letalität. Um die Rolle von CNNM2 in vivo weiter aufzuklären, wurde ein Mausmodell mit gezielter Deletion von Cnnm2 in der Niere unter Verwendung der Ksp-Cadherin-Cre-Linie erstellt, was zu einer teilweisen Verringerung der CNNM2-Spiegel führte. Insgesamt konnte diese Studie unter Verwendung von gentechnisch veränderten Mausmodellen und In-vitro Modellsystemen zum Verständnis der CNNM2-Funktion beitragen. / Magnesium is one of the most abundant elements found on earth. It is vital to both lower and higher organisms and required for neuronal transmission, cardiac conduction, and enzyme function. In higher organisms, the majority of Mg2+ is filtered in the kidney. Disturbances in this process result in various human diseases. CNNM2 (Cyclin and CBS Domain Divalent Metal Cation Transport Mediator 2) was identified as a Mg2+ responsive gene, but its exact role is still uncertain. In this thesis, various cell and in vivo models were utilized to understand the role of CNNM2. I found that CNNM2 is expressed mostly on the apical surface of the polarized MDCK cells which was supported by cell surface biotinylation and immunofluorescence experiments. Furthermore, ARL15 was identified as a novel interaction partner of CNNM2 by mass spectrometry. I found that ARL15 increased CNNM2 surface expression and monomerization. Moreover, deletion of Cnnm2 in mice resulted in brain malformations, reduced serum Mg2+ levels and prenatal death. To further elucidate the role of CNNM2 in vivo, a mouse model with targeted deletion of Cnnm2 in the kidney was generated by using Ksp cadherin-cre line which resulted in a partial reduction in the CNNM2 levels. Overall, this study contributed to the understanding of CNNM2 function by combining genetically engineered mouse models and in vitro models.

The study aimed to explore and describe the factors influencing disclosure of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) status to sexual partners by people infected with HIV in Botswana, by undertaking an exploratory and descriptive qualitative study. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with people infected with HIV who had disclosed their HIV status to their partners. The major findings of the study confirmed disclosure as a multi-stage process. People infected with HIV experienced mainly positive and some negative outcomes following disclosure. Disclosure was associated with the discloser’s motivations, personal and cultural beliefs, risk-benefit assessment, individual circumstances (context), previous experiences, and perceived degree of control over private information. The communication privacy management (CPM) theory helped explain the findings. The key factor influencing disclosure was protecting others. Non-disclosers had also seriously considered disclosing to partners. / Health Studies / M.P.H