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No description available.

Demokratiuppdraget är ett komplext uppdrag som innebär att skolan ska förmedla och förankra grundläggande demokratiska värden hos eleverna. Dock står det inte tydligt i styrdokumenten om vad det innebär och hur det ska gå till, det är upp till varje skola och lärare att tolka. Syftet med den här fenomenografiska undersökningen har varit att skapa kunskap om variationen i uppfattningar av demokratiuppdraget hos gymnasielärare utefter frågeställningen: Hur ser variationen i uppfattningar av demokratiuppdraget ut när det gäller innebörder av demokratiuppdraget samt när det gäller arbetet meddemokratiuppdraget? Genom att genomföra fem intervjuer med gymnasielärare har jag funnit fyra uppfattningskategorier gällande innebörden av demokratiuppdraget: • att demokratiuppdraget innebär förståelse för hur demokratiskt liv är som en helhetssyn, • att demokratiuppdraget innebär elevernas delaktighet och inflytande, • att demokratiuppdraget innebär att lära ett demokratiskt förhållningssätt genom kunskaper och övning och • att demokratiuppdraget innebär demokratiskt bemötande och demokratiska relationer, och tre uppfattningskategorier gällande uppfattningen av arbetet med demokratiuppdraget: • att arbetet med demokratiuppdraget sker genom elevernas delaktighet, • att arbetet med demokratiuppdraget sker genom läraren som demokratisk förebild och • att arbetet med demokratiuppdraget sker genom att engagera samhället Trots ett ringa urval av lärare anser jag att jag har funnit relevanta uppfattningar gällande innebörden av demokratiuppdraget samt arbetet med demokratiuppdraget och mina fynd har hjälpt mig, och hjälper förhoppningsvis även läsaren, att få en större insikt i hur begreppet demokratiuppdraget kan tolkas på flera olika sätt. Faktumet att det kan tolkas på flera olika sätt kan tänkas vara hjälpsamt att reflektera över i samtal gällande demokratiuppdraget med kollegor och elever.

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Wood density and fibre morphology of Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis Barrett and Golfari from Fiji were studied in relation to pulp properties. Densitometry and anatomical measurement were examined using billets taken from a sub-sample of 20 12-13 year old trees, chosen as representative of the density range observed in a first sample of 120 trees. Pulping properties were examined at the Tropical Products Institute, London. Considerable differences between trees were found in all characteristics examined and all characteristics showed fairly marked tree to tree variation in development patterns in a radial direction though differences along the stem were small. Between ring differences for ring width, density, cell wall thickness and cell wall percentage were considerable but cell lumen width and cell diameter were fairly constant between rings. Tree morphological characteristics cannot be used for estimation of whole tree values for any of the features studied. Whole tree values for wood characteristics can be accurately predicted from samples taken at 5% height level. Characteristic patterns of wood density distribution classes and tracheid cross sectional dimension classes were found, resembling chi-squared, binomial and bimodal curves. Wood properties could be used to predict pulp yield percentage and tear factor accurately by simple regression, less precise estimates could be obtained in this way, for burst factor and breaking length, which were best indicated by cell wall thickness. The best indicators of variation in pulp total yield percentage were chemical properties. Density was the best indicator of tear factor whilst cell wall thickness was the most important factor in explaining burst factor and breaking length. Growth rate showed negative correlation with wood density; trees of lower density produce paper of a strength generally at least equal to that obtained with higher density trees, though tear factor was lower. Thus the selection of trees for fast growth rate is suggested as the most profitable course. The most desirable selection criteria are listed.

This paper is primarily concerned with developing the theory of real-valued functions of bounded variation and those ideas which are closely related to this main topic. In addition to this, some emphasis has been placed on the relationship of the theory of functions of bounded variation to specific areas of analysis. In particular, integration theory has been chosen as the vehicle to demonstrate this connection.

The frequency of variations in nine morphological features of the cervical column in a South African (S.A.) black and white example of human skeletons was investigated to determine whether there Was a greater degree of morphological variability in the black as compared with the white sample. These findings were compared with other population groups. Intertribal, sex and side differences were examined, The possible aetiology of these variations was explored. [Abbreviated abstract. Open document to view full version] / GR 2016

Prenatal stress (PNS) has been shown to affect a range of different modalities, like stress responsiveness and affective traits in both animals and humans. Previously, Dr Paula Brunton’s lab has used a novel model of ethologically relevant prenatal social stress and had shown increased stress responsiveness in both first generation (F1) PNS males and females and increased anxiety-like trait in males, together with corresponding changes in mRNA expression for corticotrophin releasing hormone (Crh) and its receptors. The first aim on this project was to further explore the phenotype of PNS offspring created using this model in social context. F1 PNS females, but not males, displayed an impairment in social memory in comparison to control females, which was supported by lower vasopressin receptor type 1a (Avpr1a) mRNA expression in the anterior part of lateral septum and bed nucleus of stria terminalis. Acute stress exposure immediately prior to the social memory test, impaired social memory in control males and females, but had no effect in PNS males and markedly improved performance in PNS females. This facilitated learning in the PNS females was supported by the finding of higher Avpr1a mRNA expression in both target regions in the brain. Finally, olfactory memory for social but not non-social odours was also impaired in PNS females, compared to control females, indicating that deficits in social memory in PNS females are specific to social odours and not in the detection and/or processing of all odours. It has been shown previously that phenotypes observed in PNS animals can also be seen following disrupted maternal care in the early post-partum period and that stress can affect maternal behaviour. To investigate this possibility in the current model a maternal behaviour observation protocol was developed. Dams were observed during the first postnatal week, three times/day in 90 min blocks. Stressed dams showed an increase in pup-directed behaviours, together with an increase in arched back nursing specifically, compared to control dams. Furthermore, studies have shown that maternal behaviour patterns can be transferred from mother to daughters, therefore this possibility was also investigated here. There were no differences in maternal behaviour between F1 control and F1 PNS dams. The maternal behaviour experiment for the F1 PNS dams created a unique opportunity to study their offspring (F2). F2 PNS rats had lower body weights than their control counterparts throughout their lifetimes, while not differing significantly in their calorie intake. Increased anxiety-like behaviour was also observed in both the F2 males and females (but only during proestrous and estrous stages of their cycle). These changes were supported in males by increased Crh and Crh receptor type 1 and decreased Crh receptor type 2 mRNA expression in discrete regions of the amygdala. Furthermore, F2 PNS females exhibited exaggerated, and males attenuated ACTH and corticosterone secretion in response to acute stress, compared with controls. The reduced stress response in F2 PNS males was supported by higher glucocorticoid receptor (GR, Nr3c1) mRNA expression in field CA1 of hippocampus. In F2 PNS females, increased stress responses were associated with increased Crh and Avp mRNA expression in the medial parvocellular division of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and lower basal Nr3c1 and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR, Nr3c2) mRNA expression in the hippocampus. As increased stress and anxiety-like responses have been linked to a depressive phenotype that possibility was also investigated. No changes were found in either sucrose preference or floating/swimming behaviour in the forced swim test between the F2 PNS and control rats, in either sex. Finally, the variation in individual stress responsiveness and anxiety-like trait and the relationship between these phenotypes was investigated in an outbred male Sprague Dawley population. It was found that three of the most commonly used anxiety tests: open field test, light dark box and elevated plus maze do not correlate as well with each other as could be expected. Secondly plasma corticosterone concentrations 30min after the onset of acute restraint stress were positively correlated with the amount of time the rats spent in the anxiogenic environments, showing perhaps counter-intuitively, that the higher the stress responses the less anxious the male rat is. The behavioural tests were also used as a selection procedure to compare gene expression by microarray in the amygdala of high and low anxious rats and hypothalamus of high and low stress-responsive rats. To summarise, stress during pregnancy has profound effects on the dams’ immediate maternal behaviour, as well as neuroendocrine and behavioural effects in both the F1 and F2 offspring. Furthermore, there is evidence of inter-individual variation in stress responsiveness and anxiety-like behaviour in an outbred rat population. This data could lead to further understanding of the origins of inter-individual variation and appreciation of the effect of stress throughout the life course.

1. I have described a population of children and young adults with asthma in primary and secondary care, in terms of relevant history, medication use and exacerbations. 2. My thesis presents observations reported for the first time that asthmatic children and young adults homozygous for the Arg16 allele on the ß2 adrenergic receptor gene (ADRB2), on frequent doses of on demand short-acting ß2-agonists are at greater risk of asthma exacerbations.I have shown an increase in the risk of exacerbations per copy of Arg16 allele in children and young adults with asthma on the regular long-acting ß2-agonist salmeterol. 4. I have shown that there is an increase in risk of exacerbations per copy of Arg16 allele in children and young adults with asthma on frequent (once daily or more) as required doses of inhaled salbutamol. This effect is not observed on participants with asthma who are not exposed to ß2-agonist on a daily basis. 5. I have shown that the Arg16Arg variant status may be associated with worse airway obstruction, as measured by the FEV1/FVC ratio.6. I have shown that the individuals with FLG null alleles have a significantly increased risk of exacerbations requiring hospital admissions, courses of oral steroids, or experiencing school absences

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries