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Albert Font Haro ABSTRACT Modulation of plasmacytoid dendritic cell function: role of immunoreceptors TIM-3 and BDCA-2 Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are key players in the antiviral response as well as in linking innate and adaptive immune response. They express endosomal toll-like receptors 7 and 9, which can detect ssRNA and unmethylated CpG DNA, respectively. Due to the constitutive expression of the transcription factor IRF7, pDCs are able to rapidly produce massive quantities of type I (α, β, ω) and type III (1, 2, 3, 4) interferons (IFN-I and IFN-III) as well as pro- inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-α. After maturation, they also function as antigen-presenting cells. Despite intense research, the mechanisms of IFN and pro-inflammatory cytokines production and regulation are still poorly understood. Using the pDC cell line GEN2.2 and also primary human pDCs, we shed light on the role of kinases MEK and SYK in IFN-I production and regulation. We found that SYK is not only involved in the regulatory receptor (RR)-mediated BCR-like pathway that represents the negative regulation of IFN-I and IFN-III secretion but also in the positive TLR7/9-mediated signal transduction pathway that leads to IFN-I production, representing the immunogenic function. We also found that MEK plays a...

This item contains the agenda, minutes, and attachments for the Faculty Senate meeting on this date. There may be additional materials from the meeting available at the Faculty Center.

Диссертационное исследование посвящено разработке рекомендаций для улучшения рабочего процесса проектирования инженерных сетей ОВ. В работе рассматриваются: этапы разработки цифровой модели здания, основы технологии проектирования, рекомендации по разработке систем отопления и вентиляции средствами программы Autodesk Revit и Linear, а также методика по разработке и реализация алгоритма, автоматизирующего процесс формирования документации. / The dissertation research is devoted to the development of recommendations for improving the workflow of designing engineering networks of the OB. The paper discusses: the stages of developing a digital building model, the basics of design technology, recommendations for the development of heating and ventilation systems using the Autodesk Revit and Linear programs, as well as a methodology for developing and implementing an algorithm that automates the process of generating documentation.

The purpose of this essay has been to relate the Australian Aboriginal conceptions of place to three different theoretical perspectives on place, to find what is relevant in the Aboriginal context, and what is not. The aim has been to find the most useful theoretical approaches for further studies on the Australian Aboriginal conceptions of place. The investigation is a rendering of research and writings on Australian Aboriginal religion, a recording of general views on research on religion and space, a recounting of written material of three theoretical standpoints on place (the Insider standpoint, the Outsider Standpoint and the Meshwork standpoint), and a comparison of the research on the Aboriginal religion to the three different standpoints.  The results show that no single standpoint is gratifying for studies of the Aboriginal conceptions of place, but all three standpoints contribute in different ways. There are aspects from all three standpoints revealing the importance of place to the Aboriginal peoples.  The most useful theoretical approaches for studies on the Australian Aboriginal conceptions of place are: Place as a living entity, an ancestor and an extension of itself; place as movement, transformation and continuity; place as connection, existential orientation and the paramount focus, and; place as the very foundation of the entire religion.

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) is a popular measure of psychosocial functioning and psychopathology in the assessment of individuals in a variety of settings. However, the method of construction employed with the MMPI more than 60 years ago with psychiatric patients challenges the applicability of the scales for determining the psychosocial functioning of individuals from different settings. The restandardisation conducted in 1987 made no effort to eradicate the item overlap that was a result of the criterion keying method with contrasted groups. Although restandardized and updated with more contemporary language and content, the original psychiatric constructs were retained in order to maintain continuity with its predecessor. The aims of this investigation were to develop a new structure for the MMPI-2 constructed at the item-level, empirically derived and which specifically represents the dimensions that are relevant and appropriate in evaluating the psychosocial functioning of personal injury claimants. This task included comparisons with a comparable scale-level analysis and developing optimal scoring strategies where items in components and facets are allocated weightings based upon their strength of association. Study 1 was conducted using a sample of 2989 personal injury claimants assessed in Australia and the United States of America. The final sample of 3230, included 241 normal individuals, was utilized to develop a scale-level structure from 79 standard MMPI-2 scales and subscales. A nine-component solution consisting of General Maladjustment /Emotional Distress, Asocial Beliefs, Social Vulnerability, Somatic Complaints, Psychological Disturbance, Impulsive Expression, Antisocial Practices, Stereotypic Fears and Family Difficulties was derived using principal component analysis. However, intercorrelation between components in the structure signaled the need to develop a structure that would eradicate problems that were perpetuated by item overlap. The second study was conducted with a set of best practice procedures with the same clinical sample of 2989 personal injury claimants as Study 1. Forty-one components were derived through principal component analysis. Through the application of a set of criteria, a 35-component solution was retained. The pattern coefficients from the allocation of items to components determined the weightings to be applied to each item. Further analysis of the 35 components derived a substructure of 37 facets. The 35 components included only 442 of the 567 items, with the reliability coefficients of the first 25 components that ranged between .5 and .97, and the remaining 10 components that ranged from .29 to .49. The latter unreliable components were not included in the final Structural Summary, leaving 25 components (400 items) and their 33 facets for interpretation. Hence, in demonstrating the utility of the newly-derived structure, only 25 components and their 33 facets were interpreted. The 25 components were grouped conceptually into six domains. In the emotional domain were Psychological Distress (PsyDist), Anger, Fears, Psychotic Symptoms (PsyS), Paranoia (Par), Irritability (Irrit), Elation (Elat), Fear of the Dark (FD), and Financial Worry (FinWo). Somatic Complaints (SomC), Sexual Concerns (SexCon), and Gastrointestinal Problems (GasP) made up the measures in the physiological domain. In the behavioural domain were Cognitive Difficulties (CogDiff), Stimulus-Seeking (StimuS), Discipline (Dis), and Delinquency (Del) whilst the interpersonal domain was formed by Social Withdrawal (SoW), Negative Interpersonal Attitude (NIA), Timidity (Tim), Lie, Dissatisfaction with Self (DWS) and Family Relationship Difficulties (FReD). Alcoholism (Alco) was the only measure in the substance abuse domain, and the gender domain was comprised of Masculinity (Mas) and Femininity (Fem). The third study established preliminary normative means and standard deviations using a small opportunistic Australian university student sample (N = 219). No substantial gender differences were found but gender norms were maintained to facilitate comparisons with the traditional MMPI-2 approach. Comparisons of frequency of 'true' item response between the Australian university student sample and the U.S. restandardisation sample found relatively little differences and permitted evaluation of between sample differences on components and facets. The utility of the structure was demonstrated with the illustration of two clinical case examples, and a comparison was made with the standard MMPI-2 scales and subscales. The Structural Summary for the MMPI-2 demonstrated discriminative measures of psychosocial functioning that were a result of no item overlap, and the ability to attend to the different levels of intensity of self-report items because of differential weightings.

This thesis explores solo performance in New Zealand. That solo performance has been widely used in New Zealand's relatively brief theatre history is usually ascribed to the economy, manoeuvrability and adaptability of the form - common reasons for the popularity of solo performance elsewhere as well. But this thesis considers solo performance as a kind of theatre that has been suited to New Zealand in a distinctive way. In particular, I argue that solo performance has emerged on the margins of mainstream theatre in New Zealand as a means of actively engaging with a sense of isolation that typifies the post-colonial New Zealand experience. The ability of the solo performance to move between remote rural settlements and urban centres has connected these New Zealand communities in a way that is unusual for theatre in New Zealand. Furthermore, a solo performer speaking directly to an audience about the experience of living in New Zealand allows for an intimate interaction with a traditionally stoic and laconic masculine society. In this thesis, I make a case for three solo performances where it is possible to see, in the representation of a search for what it means to be a New Zealander, a theatrical contribution to nation-building: The End of the Golden Weather (1959), Coaltown Blues (1984) and Michael James Manaia (1991). However, in a subsequent chapter, I look at solo performances in New Zealand that might better be understood within global movements such as feminism and multiculturalism. I argue that this shift has depleted the power that the form once held to comment upon New Zealand identity and to assist in the search for national identity. I conclude the thesis by considering how ongoing theatre practice may be informed by the experience of solo performance in New Zealand.

The thesis is concerned with two issues, modern messiahs and their appeal, namely the highly successful Rebbe M.M. Schneerson from Chabad; and hostile, modern day, militant messianists and their beliefs, namely the USA Christian evangelicals and their rapture belief. The study directs attention at the three successful (in the sense that their movements survived their deaths) Jewish Messiahs, the 1st century Jesus, the 17th century Sabbatai Sevi and the present day, but recently deceased (1994) Rebbe Schneerson. The focus in the study falls on the latter two Jewish Messiahs, especially Rebbe Schneerson and Chabad, from Crown Heights, New York, whose messianic beliefs and conduct the thesis has been able to follow in real time. The thesis argues that Rebbe Schneerson and Chabad‟s extreme messianic beliefs and praxis, and the marked similarities that exist between all three Jewish Messiahs and their followers indicate that Chabad will probably, over time, become another religion removed from Judaism. The thesis notes that the three Jewish Messiahs share a similar messiah template, the “„suffering servant‟ messiah” template. The thesis argues that this template is related to the wide appeal and success of these three Jewish messiahs, as it offers their followers the option of vicarious atonement which relieves people from dealing with their own transgressions and permits people to evade the demanding task of assuming personal accountability for all their actions, including their transgressions. The recommendations in this thesis are prompted by the “wall of deafening silence” which is the result of political correctness and the “hands off religion” position, that prevents debate or censure of hostile militant messianism, despite the inherent dangers and high cost attached to the praxis of hostile, militant messianism and militant messianists‟ belief in exclusive apocalyptic scenarios, in modern, multicultural and democratic societies. The thesis argues this situation is not tenable and that it needs to be addressed, especially where modern day, hostile, militant messianists, unlike their predecessors at Qumran, now have access to the military and to military hardware, including nuclear warheads, and are able to hasten the End Times should they simply choose to do so. / Old Testament and Ancient Near Eastern Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Biblical Archaeology)

The intention of this thesis is to identify and analyze the cat woman archetype as a contemporary extension of the transgressive witch archetype, which rampantly appears over the course of cinema history, working as a signifier of a patriarchal society's fear of autonomous and subversive women. The character of Catwoman is the ultimate representation for this archetype on grounds of her visibility, longevity, and ability to return again and again. More importantly, Catwoman and her sisterhood of cat women work against male creators as a means of female empowerment through trickery. Within this thesis, key films of varying genres are drawn from throughout cinema history and analyzed in order to demonstrate the intertextual network of characters that make up the cat woman archetype, and the importance of the Catwoman character in her many forms.

Informationen stellen den zentralen Produktionsfaktor in der gesamten touristischen Wertschöpfungskette dar. Daher nehmen Informations- und Kommunikations-Technologien schon sehr lange eine zentrale Rolle in der Tourismusindustrie ein (z.B. Global Distribution Systems). Durch die Leistungssteigerung von IuK Systemen und der Entwicklung des Internets haben sich neue ökonomischen Gesetzmäßigkeiten entwickelt (z.B. Long Tail), die sich durch die Digitalisierung von Informationen und damit in geringen Produktions- und Distributionskosten darstellen. Mit den Möglichkeiten selbst Informationen zu produzieren und veröffentlichen, sind in den letzten Jahren auch die Kunden Teil der Wertschöpfungskette geworden. Durch die Immaterialität und Emotionalität von Reisen kombiniert mit der anonymen Transaktionssituation im Internet, wird Bewertungen, Fotos und Kommentaren anderer Nutzer ein größeres Vertrauen entgegengebracht, als den Informationen der Anbieter. Vertrauen aufzubauen und langfristig zu erhalten, ist daher für Reiseanbieter ein wesentlicher Erfolgsfaktor und zentrale Aufgabe. Bei einem Umsatzvolumen von 22 – 30 Milliarden des deutschen organisierten Reisemarktes geht man im Jahr 2010 von einem online generierten Umsatzanteil von 40% [siehe Tabelle 3 und Tabelle 4] aus, der weiter steigt. Die traditionelle touristische Wertschöpfungskette ist aufgebrochen, da jede Teilbranche mit den Kunden im Internet vernetzt sein kann und zusätzlich neue Anbieter mit technischem Hintergrund in den Markt drängen. So kann die neue Wertschöpfungsstruktur als Matrix aufgefasst werden. Damit werden die klassischen Rollen von Produzenten, Leistungsträger und Intermediären grundlegend in Frage gestellt. Die technische Entwicklung einerseits und die Generationsentwicklung (Digital Natives) andererseits verändern die Reisebranche grundlegend. In Fokusgruppeninterviews mit Digital Natives analysiert die vorliegende Untersuchung, wie wichtig für die Generation von morgen die Kommunikation für die Aktionsbereitschaft in ihrem wahrgenommenen Spannungsfeld von Möglichkeiten und Risiken im Internet ist. In der Hauptstudie, dem Experten-Delphi, nahmen 37 Teilnehmer aus allen Teilbranchen der touristischen Wertschöpfungskette zu 24 Thesen aus drei entwicklungsrelevanten Themenbereichen Stellung. Während der Internetzugang und die aktive Nutzung für die Experten ein Generationsthema ist, das sich zunehmend auflöst, sehen die Experten mehrheitlich, dass das Netz, auch über mobile Endgeräte, das Leitmedium für die Zukunft darstellt. Die Folge daraus sind Einflüsse auf die Marktstrukturen, die einerseits in einer Fragmentierung und andererseits in einer starken Konzentration gesehen werden. Die Veränderung und Entwicklung der Reiseindustrie definiert sich, laut den befragten Experten, in den Datenstrukturen. Die Möglichkeiten, Angebote im Netz flexibel darzustellen, diese zu vernetzen und auffindbar zu machen, ist aus ihrer Sicht der essenzielle Erfolgsfaktor für die Marktteilnehmer. Die Datenstrukturen und die Datenqualität bestimmen aus Expertensicht die Zukunft für die Branche, da sie auch Glaubwürdigkeit und Vertrauen in die Anbieter und Produkte herstellen können. Eine Folge aus der Technisierung ist die vielfach angesprochene fehlende Bildung und Ausbildung angehender Touristiker in Bezug auf die Technologie und Anwendung der Systeme.