O objetivo deste estudo é o de comparar os resultados clínicos e radiográficos do tratamento cirúrgico das fraturas da diáfise do úmero com haste intramedular bloqueada ou placa em ponte. Quarenta fraturas da diáfise do úmero, em 39 pacientes, dos tipos A, B ou C da classificação do grupo A.O., foram tratadas no período compreendido entre junho de 2003 e dezembro de 2007. Destas, após seleção por sorteio, 21 fraturas foram submetidas à osteossíntese com placas em ponte de 4,5 mm e parafusos (grupo PP) e 19 com hastes intramedulares bloqueadas não fresadas (grupo HIB). Duas eram fraturas expostas, uma do tipo II e outra do tipo III-a de Gustilo. Vinte e cinco pacientes eram do sexo masculino (64%) e a idade variou de 19 a 75 anos (idade média de 41 anos e 10 meses). O lado direito foi acometido em 22 pacientes (55%) e a queda, o mecanismo de trauma mais freqüente (46%). O tempo mínimo de seguimento foi de seis meses e o máximo de 60 meses para o grupo PP (M=34,5 meses) e de oito e 58 meses (M=27meses) para o grupo HIB. Em apenas um caso, operado com haste intramedular bloqueada, não houve a consolidação. Houve um caso de infecção profunda no grupo PP e um de infecção superficial no grupo HIB. Dois casos do grupo PP evoluíram com capsulite adesiva e, em apenas um dos casos do grupo HIB, o parafuso distal ficou saliente. Ocorreu neuropraxia do nervo cutâneo lateral do antebraço em um dos casos do grupo HIB que regrediu em três dias. Não houve diferença entre os grupos com relação ao tempo total da cirurgia. O tempo de utilização da radioscopia no ato operatório foi maior no grupo HIB. Houve semelhança entre os dois métodos de fixação nos resultados referentes à dor, à função, à flexão ativa e à força de flexão na articulação do ombro e também com relação à dor, mobilidade, força muscular e estabilidade na articulação do cotovelo. Segundo os critérios da UCLA para o ombro, obtivemos resultados excelentes e bons em 85,7% no grupo operado com placa em ponte e 79% no grupo com haste intramedular bloqueada e de acordo com os critérios de Broberg e Morrey para o cotovelo, obtivemos resultados excelentes e bons em 85,7% no grupo operado com placa em ponte e 90,5% no grupo com haste intramedular bloqueada. Na avaliação subjetiva, duas pacientes, uma do grupo HIB e outra do PP, não ficaram satisfeitas. Conclusão: Não houve diferença no resultado clínico e radiográfico entre os dois métodos / The purpose of the study is to compare clinical and radiographic outcomes between nonreamed locked intramedullary nail and bridging plate for the treatment of humeral shaft fracture. Forty humeral shaft fractures in 39 patients, A, B or C AO types were treated between June 2003 and December 2007. The cases were randomly assigned into two groups being 21 fractures fixed by a 4.5 mm bridging plate, and 19 by nonreamed intramedullary locking nail. Two cases had open fractures, one Gustilo type II, the other type IIIa. Twenty five patients were male (64%), ages ranging from 19 to 75 years old (mean age 41 years and 10 months). The right side was treated in 22 patients (55%) and fall was the most frequent cause of fracture (46%). The minimal period of follow-up was six months and the maximum was 60 months for the bridging plate group (mean=34.5 months) and ranged from eight to 58 months (mean=27months) for the nail group. Only one case from the nail group presented a nonunion. One case, in the plate group, developed a deep infection, and another one, in the nail group, had a superficial infection. Two cases of the bridging plate group had adhesive capsulites and in one case of the nail group the distal screw became prominent. A transient neuropraxis of the antebrachial lateral cutaneous nerve was found in one case of the nail group, but it recovered in three days. There were no differences between the groups concerning pain, function, active flexion and strength of flexion of the shoulder, as well as pain, range of motion, muscle strength, and stability of the elbow. According to the UCLA score, we had 85.7% excellent and good results in the plate group and 79% in the nail group. According to Broberg and Morrey score for the elbow, we had 85.7% excellent and good results in the plate group and 90.5% in the nail group. Just one patient, from the nail group, was not satisfied with the final result, according to subjective criteria. In conclusion, there were no differences in the final clinical and radiographic results between the two methods of fixation

The overall aim of this thesis was to inestigate Swedish adolescents' perceptions and behaviours regarding sexual risk taking. Specific objectives were to explore teenagers' perceptions of contraceptive use, unintended pregnancy, and abortion; teenage girls' experiences of decision making process and support connected to abortion; and male adolescents' perceptions of sexual risk taking and barriers to practicing safe sex. Another objective was to evaluate the effect of advance provision of emergency contraceptive pills to teenage girls. The methodologies included focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and a randomized controlled trial. Among the adolescents in our studies, teenage parenthood was generally viewed as a "catastrophe", and the majority expressed supportive attitudes towards abortion (studies I-IV). Occasions of failure to use contraceptives were common, especially when sex was unplanned (studies I-V). Pregnancy prevention was perceived as the woman's responsibility. However, many girls were reluctant about using homonal contraceptives due to worries about negative side effects (I, III). Initiating condom use was difficult for girls, as well as for boys, for a number of reasons (I-IV): fear of ruining an intimate situation, associations with disease, distrust, pleasure reduction, and (for the boys) the fear of loosing one's erection. Males generally perceived personal and partner-related risks connected to unprotected intercourse as low. Few males were worried that an unintended pregnancy would be carried to term, and the majority would urge the girl towards abortion if she seemed ambivalent (II, IV). Girls viewed the abortion decision as a natural, yet difficult choice, strongly influenced by attitudes of partners, parents, peers and societal norms (III). Teenage girls provided with emergency contraceptive pills in advance used it more frequently and sooner after unprotected intercourse compared with controls, without jeopardising regular contraceptive use (V).

The overall aim of this thesis is to investigate if the somatic comorbidity and increased mortality among persons with psychiatric disability (residents in supported housing facilities) can be influenced. The thesis comprises four papers. Paper I describes the lived experience of health and body. Papers II and III examine the effects of a lifestyle programme on physiological markers (II) and on psychological and quality of life parameters (III). Paper (IV) illustrates the meaning of participating in a life style programme. The data in Papers I and IV comprises narrative interviews with residents (n=11). The studies in Papers II and III are focused on residents and were carried out with a randomized design. The randomization was performed on a group level (supported housing facility). The 12 month intervention consisted of study circles with a theoretical and practical application of dietary information and physical activity for two hours, on a twice weekly basis under the supervision of a study circle leader. The controls were offered an aesthetic study circle and met once a week. The data in Paper II comprises physiological quantitative data from both residents (n=41) and staff (n=41) and in Paper III questionnaires on symptoms and quality of life completed only by residents (n=41). The data was analysed with Qualitative description (I), Phenomenological-hermeneutics (IV), and for papers II and III relevant statistical calculations were used. Health is described in paper I as “having a life as others have” and discloses the losses of important life domains (family, work, security) and the experiences of being deviant and stigmatized. Health is described as “absence of psychological and physical problems” and its hampering effects on quality of life and self-esteem. Health is understood as a phenomenon that could “be influenced by one self”, and there is an insight that health is manageable. Participating in a life style intervention (paper II) meant a significant improvement in risk factors for metabolic syndrome among the residents in comparison with controls. No differences were seen on weight, BMI and improved physical capacity. In paper III a significant positive increase in the Sense of Coherence compared to controls was seen. However no effect was seen on quality of life, psychosocial function or on reduction of symptoms in comparison with controls. Participating in a lifestyle intervention can be understood as the gaining of insights that health can be improved and that the daily life is partly given a changed content (paper II). The participation is also described as meaning an increased sense of closeness and equality in relation to the staff and sometimes a painful insight of their life situation. Participating is also described as entailing a hope that one’s life situation can be affected. In summary this thesis shows that there is some possibility of influencing the physical health (reduced risk of metabolic syndrome) among persons with psychiatric disability by participating in a 12 month intervention programme. The intervention does not show any effects on measures such as quality of life, psychosocial function and presence of symptoms. However, the participants describe that the participation had a meaning in a number of respects. This is a finding that is confirmed by the positive change in sense of coherence. The need to develop preventive care for persons with psychiatric disability and the importance of monitoring the treatment with neuroleptics and its side effects on physical health is an important clinical implication. Furthermore the importance of the responsibility of the care staff is emphasized as well as the importance of supporting a change in lifestyle.

This dissertation is a participant observer’s account of implementing a multisite, randomised controlled trial within Her Majesty’s Prison Service. It adds to a scarce literature detailing the steps involved in implementing experiments in custodial settings by providing a candid account of the route from planning to successful implementation. The randomised controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Sycamore Tree Programme. This programme’s goal is to teach prisoners the wider harm of crime and includes a face-to-face meeting between a victim of crime and the participating offenders. It derives its rehabilitative potential from restorative justice and seeks to foster hope that change is possible for offenders, thus aiding them to desist from crime. Its development and theoretical basis are described for the first time. In an in-depth narrative the dissertation details how at every stage strategies were developed to manage participant procurement, random assignment, maintaining treatment integrity, and preparing for final outcome measurements. The randomised controlled trial was designed to produce an individual experiment in eight prisons. These will be combined in a meta-analysis as well as analysed as a pooled sample. Overall the implementation process took close to two years and involved a charitable body, Her Majesty’s Prison Service, the National Offender Management Service, and two police forces. This work has demonstrated how the unstable nature of English prison populations and the risk-averse climate must be addressed when conducting experiments in that environment. It has also illustrated the gap between the rhetoric of evidence-based policy and the facilitation of research designed to seek that evidence. Nevertheless, developing trusting relationships and combining rapidly learnt skills with inherent abilities ensured that the evaluation methodology was supported and protected through the various challenges it met. Finally, the dissertation suggests conditions for closer collaboration between government executive bodies and researchers that might increase the number of experiments undertaken in prisons. It also aims to encourage researchers that prison experiments, although not easy, are feasible, defendable, and, above all, worthwhile.

O objetivo deste estudo é o de comparar os resultados clínicos e radiográficos do tratamento cirúrgico das fraturas da diáfise do úmero com haste intramedular bloqueada ou placa em ponte. Quarenta fraturas da diáfise do úmero, em 39 pacientes, dos tipos A, B ou C da classificação do grupo A.O., foram tratadas no período compreendido entre junho de 2003 e dezembro de 2007. Destas, após seleção por sorteio, 21 fraturas foram submetidas à osteossíntese com placas em ponte de 4,5 mm e parafusos (grupo PP) e 19 com hastes intramedulares bloqueadas não fresadas (grupo HIB). Duas eram fraturas expostas, uma do tipo II e outra do tipo III-a de Gustilo. Vinte e cinco pacientes eram do sexo masculino (64%) e a idade variou de 19 a 75 anos (idade média de 41 anos e 10 meses). O lado direito foi acometido em 22 pacientes (55%) e a queda, o mecanismo de trauma mais freqüente (46%). O tempo mínimo de seguimento foi de seis meses e o máximo de 60 meses para o grupo PP (M=34,5 meses) e de oito e 58 meses (M=27meses) para o grupo HIB. Em apenas um caso, operado com haste intramedular bloqueada, não houve a consolidação. Houve um caso de infecção profunda no grupo PP e um de infecção superficial no grupo HIB. Dois casos do grupo PP evoluíram com capsulite adesiva e, em apenas um dos casos do grupo HIB, o parafuso distal ficou saliente. Ocorreu neuropraxia do nervo cutâneo lateral do antebraço em um dos casos do grupo HIB que regrediu em três dias. Não houve diferença entre os grupos com relação ao tempo total da cirurgia. O tempo de utilização da radioscopia no ato operatório foi maior no grupo HIB. Houve semelhança entre os dois métodos de fixação nos resultados referentes à dor, à função, à flexão ativa e à força de flexão na articulação do ombro e também com relação à dor, mobilidade, força muscular e estabilidade na articulação do cotovelo. Segundo os critérios da UCLA para o ombro, obtivemos resultados excelentes e bons em 85,7% no grupo operado com placa em ponte e 79% no grupo com haste intramedular bloqueada e de acordo com os critérios de Broberg e Morrey para o cotovelo, obtivemos resultados excelentes e bons em 85,7% no grupo operado com placa em ponte e 90,5% no grupo com haste intramedular bloqueada. Na avaliação subjetiva, duas pacientes, uma do grupo HIB e outra do PP, não ficaram satisfeitas. Conclusão: Não houve diferença no resultado clínico e radiográfico entre os dois métodos / The purpose of the study is to compare clinical and radiographic outcomes between nonreamed locked intramedullary nail and bridging plate for the treatment of humeral shaft fracture. Forty humeral shaft fractures in 39 patients, A, B or C AO types were treated between June 2003 and December 2007. The cases were randomly assigned into two groups being 21 fractures fixed by a 4.5 mm bridging plate, and 19 by nonreamed intramedullary locking nail. Two cases had open fractures, one Gustilo type II, the other type IIIa. Twenty five patients were male (64%), ages ranging from 19 to 75 years old (mean age 41 years and 10 months). The right side was treated in 22 patients (55%) and fall was the most frequent cause of fracture (46%). The minimal period of follow-up was six months and the maximum was 60 months for the bridging plate group (mean=34.5 months) and ranged from eight to 58 months (mean=27months) for the nail group. Only one case from the nail group presented a nonunion. One case, in the plate group, developed a deep infection, and another one, in the nail group, had a superficial infection. Two cases of the bridging plate group had adhesive capsulites and in one case of the nail group the distal screw became prominent. A transient neuropraxis of the antebrachial lateral cutaneous nerve was found in one case of the nail group, but it recovered in three days. There were no differences between the groups concerning pain, function, active flexion and strength of flexion of the shoulder, as well as pain, range of motion, muscle strength, and stability of the elbow. According to the UCLA score, we had 85.7% excellent and good results in the plate group and 79% in the nail group. According to Broberg and Morrey score for the elbow, we had 85.7% excellent and good results in the plate group and 90.5% in the nail group. Just one patient, from the nail group, was not satisfied with the final result, according to subjective criteria. In conclusion, there were no differences in the final clinical and radiographic results between the two methods of fixation

Superficial information of the civil wars in Aceh, Indonesia and Sri Lanka creates the idea that both conflicts were in similar situations when they were hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004. It thus seems surprising that in the wake of the tsunami, the Free Aceh Movement and the Government of Indonesia signed a peace agreement, while the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Government of Sri Lanka returned to war. This thesis aims to explore what factors related to the tsunami contributed to this difference and whether rational choice theory can serve as an explanation for this difference. In order to find out, I conducted a qualitative comparative case study though the analysis of secondary documents. The results suggest that the factors that contributed to the difference can be divided into four broad themes: (1) the timing of the tsunami and thus the pre-disaster context; (2) the geographical situation and with that, the military impact; (3) the types of guerilla groups, including their abilities to rule, their access to financial capital and their strategic; (4) the role of the international community, which can be further divided into firstly, the geopolitical relevance of these countries, and secondly, internationalization, community engagement and separating the tsunami and conflict. I believe that rational choice theory explains the difference in outcome between the two conflicts very well. This theory assumes that people, given the circumstances, and in view of all the possible options, will act in line with the option that is expected to satisfy them most and minimize their losses. Applying this theory to the case studies of Aceh and Sri Lanka following the tsunami, it was appealing for the Free Aceh Movement to settle, but this was not the case for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. As a result, the former chose to sign a peace agreement with the Government of Indonesia, whereas the latter chose to continue its fight against the Government of Sri Lanka.

Background: Regular physical activity (PA) is critical for children’s health and wellbeing. Despite the numerous health benefits, most Canadian children do not meet the Canadian PA guidelines. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and social restrictions added new challenges to meeting the PA guidelines. Mobile health (mHealth) technology can be leveraged to promote PA among children. Combining gamification with mHealth interventions has the potential to further improve program effectiveness. Thus, “Draco” was developed as a virtual pet smartphone app to increase PA in children using self-determination theory as a framework to promote intrinsic motivation for PA. Objective: The primary objective is to evaluate the satisfaction and acceptability of the Draco app after four weeks. Secondary objectives include evaluating the preliminary effectiveness of the Draco app to improve average daily steps, average daily MVPA, perceived autonomy for PA, perceived competence for PA, and perceived relatedness to the app. Methods: 43 Canadian children, aged 8-14 years old, not meeting the Canadian PA guidelines of 60min of MVPA per day were randomly allocated to an intervention or control group. Participants in the control group used a step-tracking app for four weeks. Intervention participants were instructed to use the Draco app. Participants completed a baseline and follow-up questionnaire. PA outcomes were tracked using a Fitbit provided to each participant. Intrinsic PA motivation was assessed using an adapted version of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI). Intrinsic motivation was assessed using the satisfaction subscale. Exit interviews were completed to determine app acceptability. Results: Participants demonstrated high levels of satisfaction and acceptability with the Draco app 2.83 (1.29). Intervention participants increased their average daily steps by 909 (1701). The control group increased their steps by 46 (1507). The Draco app had a small effect on promoting steps, MVPA, relatedness and small effects at increasing autonomy and competence. Conclusion: Participants demonstrated high levels of satisfaction and acceptability with the app. Participants in the intervention group showed greater increases in PA with small effect sizes. Preliminary evidence highlights the importance of tailoring game design to the users. Technical limitations impacted recruitment and user experiences. Additional development time should be taken to stabilize the app and add new game features for a definitive RCT. / Graduate

Les lymphocytes T sont au coeur du système immunitaire adaptatif et leur dérégulation est à la base de pathologies. Les cellules T se développent dans le thymus et passent par de nombreuses étapes de maturations identifiables par l'expression des corécepteurs CD4+/CD8+ à la surface des cellules. À leur sortie du thymus, les cellules T sont divisées en deux sous-types principaux: les cellules T auxiliaires CD4+ spécifique aux antigènes présentés sur complexe majeur d'histocompatibilité (CMH) de classe II et les cellules T cytotoxiques CD8+ reconnaissant un antigène présenté sur un CMH-I. Toutes les cellules T proviennent d’un précurseur commun. Leur différenciation en cellule T CD4+ et T CD8+ est influencée par l'intensité et la durée de la signalisation du récepteur des cellules T (RCT) et des cytokines. Cette signalisation résulte en l’expression des facteurs de transcription ThPOK pour la différenciation de cellule T CD4+ et Runx3 pour les cellules T CD8+. Il a été démontré que ThPOK est à la fois nécessaire et suffisant pour le développement des lymphocytes T CD4+, puisque le gain et la perte de la fonction de ThPOK favorise le développement de cellules lymphocytes T CD4+ et CD8+, respectivement. Ma thèse vise à approfondir notre compréhension du choix de la lignée CD4+/CD8+ en explorant les mécanismes moléculaires de la voix de signalisation de ThPOK et du RCT. Dans cette étude, nous avons étudié l'impact d'un gain-de-fonction de ThPOK sur la différenciation des thymocytes, en utilisant trois lignées transgéniques exprimant des niveaux variables de ThPOK. Une analyse approfondie de ces transgènes chez des souris dont le RCT est restreint soit au CMH de classe I ou de classe II, a démontré que, comparés aux thymocytes restreints au CMH-II, les thymocytes restreints au CMH-I requéraient des niveaux plus importants de ThPOK pour se différencier en CD4+. L’introduction d’un transgène exprimant un niveau moins élevé de ThPOK comparé aux deux autres transgènes, mais un niveau plus élevé de ThPOK par rapport au niveau endogène dans les cellules CD4+ WT, n'induit qu'une réorientation partielle des cellules T CD8+ en CD4+, ce qui a mené à la génération, à la fois de lymphocytes T CD4+, DN (doubles négatifs) et CD8+ matures. L'analyse génotypique, plus précisément celle des cellules DN chez les souris porteuses du transgène ThPOK et dont le RCT est restreint au CMH-I, a révélé que l’inhibition des gènes spécifiques à la lignée CD8+ 2 nécessitait des niveaux d'expression différents de ThPOK comparés à ceux requis pour l’induction des gènes spécifiques à la lignée CD4+. En effet, cette étude nous a permis de démontrer que l’intensité du signal dérivé du RCT ainsi que sa spécificité pour un CMH donné jouent un rôle essentiel dans le choix de différentiation CD4+/CD8+ induit par ThPOK. Ainsi, la réorientation CD8+/CD4+ chez les souris exprimant le transgène ThPOK-H est significativement augmentée par l'amplification de l’intensité du signal dérivé du RCT dans les cellules spécifiques aux CMH-I. De plus, la fréquence des cellules CD4+ était plus élevée lorsqu’une quantité identique de ThPOK était exprimée dans des lymphocytes T spécifiques au CMH-II, suggérant qu’il existe un aspect qualitatif quant à la régulation de la différenciation des lymphocytes T CD4+ par la signalisation induite par le RCT. Nous avons également tenté d’étudier la voie de différenciation CD4+ en l’absence de ThPOK, à la suite de la perturbation physiologique de la voie de signalisation induite par le RCT, par rapport à la perte de fonction de ThPOK. Bien que nous ayons observé une réorientation des thymocytes spécifiques au CMH-II vers la lignée CD8+, aussi bien à la suite d'une délétion de Thpok, qu’à la perturbation de la signalisation RCT les deux modes de redirections semblent toutefois être différents. En effet, notre investigation a démontré qu’en l’absence de ThPOK, la signalisation induite par le RCT dans les cellules restreintes au CHM-II induit l’activation de certains gènes, suggérant ainsi leur implication dans la voie de différenciation CD4+. Ces résultats suggèrent également que la contribution de la signalisation du RTC dans la différenciation des thymocytes restreints au CMH-II ne se limitait pas à l'induction de ThPOK. Étonnamment, seul un effet synergique limité a été observé sur la différenciation des thymocytes restreints au CMH-I, lorsque Gata3, un autre facteur de transcription également induit dans les thymocytes restreints au CMH-II, et ThPOK étaient surexprimés en même temps dans ces cellules, suggérant peu de chevauchement fonctionnel entre ces deux facteurs de transcription. L’ensemble de ces résultats indique que ThPOK et la signalisation induite par le RCT fonctionnent en synergie durant le développement des lymphocytes T CD4+. / T lymphocytes are at the core of the adaptive immune system and their dysfunction is associated with several disorders and pathologies, which are at times fatal. The two main types of T-cells in mice and man are: the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class-II-restricted CD4+ helper T-cells, and the MHC-I-restricted CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells. Developmental stages of the two types of T-cells occurs in the thymus in multiple sequential maturation stages that are identified by cell-surface CD4+/CD8+ co-receptor expression. Differentiation of the two types of T-cells in the thymus from a common precursor is influenced by the intensity and duration of signals derived from the T-cell receptor (TCR) and cytokines secreted by the thymic stromal cells. These signals lead to the activation of ThPOK or Runx/CBF transcription factors, which control the transcriptional network regulating CD4+ and CD8+ lineage fate, respectively. Studies have demonstrated that ThPOK is both necessary and sufficient for CD4+ T-cell development as gain- and loss-of-ThPOK function redirects positively selected MHC-I- and MHC-II-restricted thymocytes into CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell lineage fate, respectively. However, the role of TCR signaling and the extent to which ThPOK expression influences CD4+ lineage choice remains to be investigated. My thesis aims to elucidate the fundamental basis the CD4+/CD8+ lineage choice by exploring the molecular mechanism of action of ThPOK and TCR signaling in CD4+ lineage fate of MHC-I- and MHC-II-specific thymocytes. In this study, we have characterized gain-of-function of ThPOK in three independent transgenic mouse lines expressing varying amounts of ThPOK. Extensive analysis of the three ThPOK transgenic lines expressing MHC-I- and MHC-II-specific monoclonal TCR indicated that MHC-I-restricted, compared to MHC-II-restricted, thymocytes required significantly more ThPOK for efficient differentiation into the CD4+ lineage. Interestingly, the founder line with the lowest transgene expression, despite expressing significantly higher amounts of ThPOK compared to the endogenous levels in WT CD4+ T cells, induced a partial CD8+ to CD4+ redirection of MHC-I-restricted cells, leading to the generation of mature CD4+, DN and CD8+ T-cells in the same mouse. Lineage specific gene expression analysis, specifically in DN mature T cells from ThPOK transgenic mice expressing MHC-I-specific TCR, showed that, compared to induction of helper program, suppression of cytotoxic program required lower amount of ThPOK. Further investigation showed that TCR signal strength and MHC specificity of 4 developing thymocytes played a critical role in determining ThPOK-induced CD4+ lineage fate. While increase in TCR signal strength augmented the efficiency of ThPOK-induced CD4+ lineage choice of MHC-I-restricted thymocytes in part via endogenous ThPOK induction, it appeared to have ThPOK independent function as well as judged by significantly different CD4+ T-cell frequencies in OTI mice expressing the same amount of ThPOK but transduced quantitatively different TCR signal. Importantly, the efficiency of CD4+ lineage choice of MHC-I-specific thymocytes with augmented TCR signal strength was still significantly lower compared to the efficiency of CD4+ lineage choice of MHC-II-restricted thymocytes expressing only the transgene-encoded ThPOK suggesting a qualitative role for TCR signaling as well in CD4+ lineage choice. We then evaluated CD4+ lineage fate decision in the absence of ThPOK induction in physiologically relevant alteration in TCR signaling versus loss of ThPOK function. While we observed CD4+ to CD8+ lineage redirection of MHC-II-specific thymocytes due to Thpok-deficiency as well as lack of ThPOK induction due to disruption of TCR signaling, the two modes of lineage redirection appeared to be due to different mechanisms. Our investigation demonstrates that TCR signaling in MHC-II-restricted thymocytes induces the expression of select genes in loss-of-function of ThPOK model suggesting potential role for these genes in establishing the CD4+ helper program. These results also suggest that the contribution of MHC-II-specific TCR signaling in driving CD4+ lineage choice is not limited to Thpok induction. Interestingly, only a limited synergistic effect was observed when both Gata3, which is also induced in MHC-II-signaled thymocytes, and ThPOK were overexpressed in MHC-I-restricted thymocytes suggesting a limited functional overlap between the two transcription factors. Collectively, these data indicate that ThPOK and TCR signaling work synergistically to promote the development of CD4+ T-cells with some ThPOK independent function for TCR signaling.

No description available.

The relevance of the research is due to the growing need to develop innovative methods of teaching vocabulary in the lessons of Russian as a foreign language (RCT). The purpose of the study is to develop and test a methodology for teaching vocabulary to a Chinese audience using the LearningApps multimedia platform. The object of the study the process of learning foreign language vocabulary. The subject of the study is the use of an interactive platform for learning foreign vocabulary. Scientific novelty A set of interactive exercises for effective vocabulary memorization has been developed and tested using the interactive LearningApps platform, which is integrated into Russian as a foreign language (RCT) class with Chinese first-year students. The theoretical significance of the study lies in the fact that the results of Russian and foreign studies on the use of modern information and communication technologies of online services in teaching foreign vocabulary to university students were summarized. The practical significance of the study lies in the fact that the results of experimental work and the developed set of exercises using the LearningApps multimedia platform can be used to teach Chinese students vocabulary within the framework of teaching Russian as a foreign language (RCT). / Актуальность исследования обусловлена нарастающей потребностью в разработке инновационных методов преподавания лексики на уроках русского как иностранного языка (РКИ). Цель исследования состоит в разработке и апробации методики преподавания лексики для китайской аудитории с использованием мультимедийной платформы LearningApps. Объект исследования: процесс обучения иноязычной лексике. Предмет исследования: применение интерактивной платформы для изучения иностранной лексики. Научная новизна Разработан и апробирован комплекс интерактивных упражнений для эффективного запоминания лексики с помощью интерактивной платформы LearningApps， который интегрируется в занятия РКИ с китайскими студентами первого курса. Теоретическая значимость исследования заключается в том, что были обобщены результаты российских и зарубежных исследований относительно применения современных информационно-коммуникационных технологий онлайн-сервисов в преподавании иностранной лексики студентам вуза. Практическая значимость исследования состоит в том, что результаты опытно-экспериментальной работы и разработанный комплекс упражнений с применением мультимедийной платформы LearningApps может быть использован для обучения китайских студентов лексике в рамках преподавания РКИ.