Beyond the obvious : three acts in educational drama

Researching research is not a common theme in educational drama. Nor is the educational drama process from a participant perspective a typical focus of research, at least not if the participants are disabled. Yet this is the theme of this thesis, a drama in three acts. The aim of this thesis is to describe, analyse, and discuss both the ways in which research within educational drama can be carried out and represented, and the experiences of the participants of the educational drama process. The theoretical framework that steers the research process is built up of two pairs of frames, each of them, like Russian nesting dolls, containing further frames. The first frame, relating to the outcomes of conducting research in educational drama, comprises philosophical, representational, and personal theories. As the second question asks what educational drama is, the subject related frame is built up of pedagogical, drama educational, and aesthetic theories. The study in its entirety follows the structure of the researcher’s hermeneutical learning process and takes the form of a journey starting from what is familiar, stretching towards what is new and different, and finally returning back to the beginning with a new view on what was there at the start. The thesis consists of two separate but related studies. The first, a familiar study conducted earlier, Alpha in Act I, was carried out among upper secondary school pupils. In the second, the new and therefore unfamiliar study, Omega in Act III, the participants are adult individuals who are physically and communicatively disabled. In between these two Acts an element of “Verfremdung” where the Alpha study is systematically scrutinized as the purpose is to teach and to manage the reader to think. Meta-discussions on the philosophical issues of the study are conducted throughout the text, parallel to the empirical parts. The outcomes of the first research question show that philosophical, methodical, and representational consistency is crucial for research. While this may sound like stating the obvious, this has nevertheless not always been considered fact, especially not within qualitative research. The outcomes further stress that representational issues are also to be recognized when presenting non-rational aspects of educational drama. By wording the world, through the use of visualising language, the surplus of meanings of educational drama can be, as they are within this study, made visible, sensible, and almost tangible, not only cognitively understandable. The outcomes of the second question point to the different foci of the studies, with Alpha focusing on the rationally retold experiences and Omega focusing on nonrational experiences. The outcomes expose educational drama as a learning process comprising doing, reflecting, and being. The doing aspect communicates the concrete efforts in creating a piece of theatre, while the being aspect relates experiences of being as situated, embodied and sensuous, reciprocal, empowering, aesthetic and artistic, and existential. Reflection is the twine that runs throughout the process and connects both doing and being. In summary, the outcomes could be formulated as “learning from learning how to make theatre”.

Reducing bumblefoot lesions in a group of captive Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) with the use of environmental enrichment

Captive penguins are prone to pododermatitis (bumblefoot) lesions due to sedentary habits, changes in normal activity patterns, prolonged time on hard and abrasive surfaces, and less time swimming in the water. Environmental enrichment allows the use of creative and ingenious techniques that aim to keep the captive animals occupied by increasing the range and the diversity of behavioral opportunities always respecting the ethological needs of the species. The main goal of this work was to use environmental enrichment techniques to reduce pododermatitis in a group of captive penguins. Five captive Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) that were showing bumblefoot lesions were followed during this project. To monitor the lesions, all animals were physically restraint 3 times a week over a period of 12 weeks. Environmental enrichment was introduced daily in the water with the goal of enhancing their time in the water for one extra hour daily. The results demonstrate that in a twelve weeks period, four animals showed significant reduction of the lesions in both feet and in two animals the lesions were completely healed. With these results we can conclude that aquatic environmental enrichment allowed this group of penguins to spend more time in the water, favoring the reduction of the bumblefoot lesions.

Application and development of numerical methods for the modelling of innovative gas cooled fission reactors

Innovative gas cooled reactors, such as the pebble bed reactor (PBR) and the gas cooled fast reactor (GFR) offer higher efficiency and new application areas for nuclear energy. Numerical methods were applied and developed to analyse the specific features of these reactor types with fully three dimensional calculation models. In the first part of this thesis, discrete element method (DEM) was used for a physically realistic modelling of the packing of fuel pebbles in PBR geometries and methods were developed for utilising the DEM results in subsequent reactor physics and thermal-hydraulics calculations. In the second part, the flow and heat transfer for a single gas cooled fuel rod of a GFR were investigated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods. An in-house DEM implementation was validated and used for packing simulations, in which the effect of several parameters on the resulting average packing density was investigated. The restitution coefficient was found out to have the most significant effect. The results can be utilised in further work to obtain a pebble bed with a specific packing density. The packing structures of selected pebble beds were also analysed in detail and local variations in the packing density were observed, which should be taken into account especially in the reactor core thermal-hydraulic analyses. Two open source DEM codes were used to produce stochastic pebble bed configurations to add realism and improve the accuracy of criticality calculations performed with the Monte Carlo reactor physics code Serpent. Russian ASTRA criticality experiments were calculated. Pebble beds corresponding to the experimental specifications within measurement uncertainties were produced in DEM simulations and successfully exported into the subsequent reactor physics analysis. With the developed approach, two typical issues in Monte Carlo reactor physics calculations of pebble bed geometries were avoided. A novel method was developed and implemented as a MATLAB code to calculate porosities in the cells of a CFD calculation mesh constructed over a pebble bed obtained from DEM simulations. The code was further developed to distribute power and temperature data accurately between discrete based reactor physics and continuum based thermal-hydraulics models to enable coupled reactor core calculations. The developed method was also found useful for analysing sphere packings in general. CFD calculations were performed to investigate the pressure losses and heat transfer in three dimensional air cooled smooth and rib roughened rod geometries, housed inside a hexagonal flow channel representing a sub-channel of a single fuel rod of a GFR. The CFD geometry represented the test section of the L-STAR experimental facility at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the calculation results were compared to the corresponding experimental results. Knowledge was gained of the adequacy of various turbulence models and of the modelling requirements and issues related to the specific application. The obtained pressure loss results were in a relatively good agreement with the experimental data. Heat transfer in the smooth rod geometry was somewhat under predicted, which can partly be explained by unaccounted heat losses and uncertainties. In the rib roughened geometry heat transfer was severely under predicted by the used realisable k − epsilon turbulence model. An additional calculation with a v2 − f turbulence model showed significant improvement in the heat transfer results, which is most likely due to the better performance of the model in separated flow problems. Further investigations are suggested before using CFD to make conclusions of the heat transfer performance of rib roughened GFR fuel rod geometries. It is suggested that the viewpoints of numerical modelling are included in the planning of experiments to ease the challenging model construction and simulations and to avoid introducing additional sources of uncertainties. To facilitate the use of advanced calculation approaches, multi-physical aspects in experiments should also be considered and documented in a reasonable detail.

Effects of physical activity and fitness on the psychological wellbeing of young men and working adults: associations with stress, mental resources, overweight and workability

Background: A positive association has been suggested to exist between physical activity and psychological wellbeing. However, the association between physical fitness, especially muscle fitness and psychological wellbeing, has not yet been fully elucidated. Aims: The objective of the present thesis was to assess the relationship between physical activity and physical fitness with stress symptoms, mental resources and workability among young men and working adults. Subjects and methods: Volunteers of young men (n=831, mean age 25-y (±4.0)), underwent a cardiorespiratory (CRF) and muscle fitness (MFI) test and completed leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and Occupational Stress Questionnaires (OSQ). The participants were divided into tertiles according to LTPA, CRF and MFI. A 12-month exercise intervention evaluated 371 working adults (exercise group, n=338, mean age 45-y (±8.8)); control group, n=33, mean age 41-y (±6.9)).The exercise group underwent a 12-month exercise program followed by a 12-month follow-up. The OSQ, Workability Index (WAI) and CRF were evaluated at baseline and at 4, 8, 12 and 24 months. Results: Physically inactive subjects reported more stress and less available mental resources than the subjects who reported high physical activity levels. Improved physical fitness was associated with less stress and more mental resources among normal weight men, but not in overweight men. After a 12-month exercise intervention, employees in the exercise group increased their physical activity, improved workability, decreased stress symptoms and improved their physical fitness and mental resources. After the follow-up year, workability and stress were improved compared to baseline. Conclusions: In this thesis, good physical fitness was associated with improved psychological wellbeing among young men and working adults.

Cardiovascular health from childhood to adulthood – with special reference to early vascular changes. The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study

Background: Recent recommendations aim to improve cardiovascular health (CVH) by encouraging the general population to meet positive and modifiable ideal CVH metrics: not smoking, being physically active, and maintaining normal weight, blood pressure, blood glucose and total cholesterol levels and a healthy diet. Aims: The aim of the present study was to report the prevalence of ideal CVH in children and young adults and study the associations of CVH metrics with markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. Participants and methods: The present thesis is part of the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (Young Finns Study). Data on associations of CVH metrics and subclinical atherosclerosis were available from 1,898 Young Finns Study participants. In addition, joint analyses were performed combining data from the International Childhood Cardiovascular Cohort (i3C) Consortium member studies from Australia and the USA. Results: None of the participants met all 7 CVH metrics and thus had ideal CVH in childhood and only 1% had ideal CVH as young adults. The number of CVH metrics present in childhood and adulthood predicted lower carotid artery intima-media thickness, improved carotid artery distensibility and lower risk of coronary artery calcification. Those who improved their CVH status from childhood to adulthood had a comparable risk of subclinical atherosclerosis to participants who had always had a high CVH status. Conclusions: Ideal CVH proved to be rare among children and young adults. A higher number of ideal CVH metrics and improvement of CVH status between childhood and adulthood predicted a lower risk of subclinical atherosclerosis.

Relationship between the quality of life and the severity of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

The effects of sleep disorders on the quality of life (QOL) have been documented in the literature. Excessive sleepiness and altered circadian rhythms may negatively affect ability to learn, employment, and interpersonal relations, and directly degrade QOL. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome of varying severity on QOL. The study was conducted on 1892 patients aged 18 years or older referred by a physician to the Sleep Institute, São Paulo, with complaints related to apnea (snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, hyperarousal, and fatigue). They were submitted to overnight polysomnography for the diagnosis of sleep disorders from August 2005 through April 2006. The patients completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and QOL SF-36 sleep questionnaires. They were classified as non-physically active and physically active and not-sleepy and sleepy and the results of polysomnography were analyzed on the basis of the apnea hypopnea index (AHI). The apneic subjects showed a reduction in QOL which was proportional to severity. There was a significant decrease in all domains (physical functioning, role physical problems, bodily pain, general health perceptions, vitality, social functioning, emotional problems, general mental health) for apneics with AHI >30, who generally were sleepy and did not participate in physical activities (P < 0.05). The present study provides evidence that the impact of sleep disorders on QOL in apneics is not limited to excessive daytime sleepiness and that physical activity can contribute to reducing the symptoms. Thus, exercise should be considered as an adjunct interventional strategy in the management of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Acute exercise performed close to the anaerobic threshold improves cognitive performance in elderly females

The objective of the present study was to compare the effect of acute exercise performed at different intensities in relation to the anaerobic threshold (AT) on abilities requiring control of executive functions or alertness in physically active elderly females. Forty-eight physically active elderly females (63.8 ± 4.6 years old) were assigned to one of four groups by drawing lots: control group without exercise or trial groups with exercise performed at 60, 90, or 110% of AT (watts) and submitted to 5 cognitive tests before and after exercise. Following cognitive pretesting, an incremental cycle ergometer test was conducted to determine AT using a fixed blood lactate concentration of 3.5 mmol/L as cutoff. Acute exercise executed at 90% of AT resulted in significant (P < 0.05, ANOVA) improvement in the performance of executive functions when compared to control in 3 of 5 tests (verbal fluency, Tower of Hanoi test (number of movements), and Trail Making test B). Exercising at 60% of AT did not improve results of any tests for executive functions, whereas exercise executed at 110% of AT only improved the performance in one of these tests (verbal fluency) compared to control. Women from all trial groups exhibited a remarkable reduction in the Simple Response Time (alertness) test (P = 0.001). Thus, physical exercise performed close to AT is more effective to improve cognitive processing of older women even if conducted acutely, and using a customized exercise prescription based on the anaerobic threshold should optimize the beneficial effects.

Cognitive performance of young and elderly subjects on the free word recall memory test: effect of presentation order on recall order

The influence of aging on memory has been extensively studied, but the importance of short-term memory and recall sequence has not. The objective of the current study was to examine the recall order of words presented on lists and to determine if age affects recall sequence. Physically and psychologically healthy male subjects were divided into two groups according to age, i.e., 23 young subjects (20 to 30 years) and 50 elderly subjects (60 to 70 years) submitted to the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised and the free word recall test. The order of word presentation significantly affected the 3rd and 4th words recalled (P < 0.01; F = 14.6). In addition, there was interaction between the presentation order and the type of list presented (P < 0.05; F = 9.7). Also, both groups recalled the last words presented from each list (words 13-15) significantly more times 3rd and 4th than words presented in all remaining positions (P < 0.01). The order of word presentation also significantly affected the 5th and 6th words recalled (P = 0.05; F = 7.5) and there was a significant interaction between the order of presentation and the type of list presented (P < 0.01; F = 20.8). The more developed the cognitive functions, resulting mainly from formal education, the greater the cognitive reserve, helping to minimize the effects of aging on the long-term memory (episodic declarative).

Pleiotropic effects of simvastatin in physically trained ovariectomized rats

This study tested the hypothesis that simvastatin treatment can improve cardiovascular and autonomic functions and membrane lipoperoxidation, with an increased effect when applied to physically trained ovariectomized rats. Ovariectomized rats were divided into sedentary, sedentary+simvastatin and trained+simvastatin groups (n = 8 each). Exercise training was performed on a treadmill for 8 weeks and simvastatin (5 mg/kg) was administered in the last 2 weeks. Blood pressure (BP) was recorded in conscious animals. Baroreflex sensitivity was evaluated by the tachycardic and bradycardic responses to BP changes. Cardiac vagal and sympathetic effects were determined using methylatropine and propranolol. Oxidative stress was evaluated based on heart and liver lipoperoxidation using the chemiluminescence method. The simvastatin-treated groups presented reduced body weight and mean BP (trained+simvastatin = 99 ± 2 and sedentary+simvastatin = 107 ± 2 mmHg) compared to the sedentary group (122 ± 1 mmHg). Furthermore, the trained group showed lower BP and heart rate compared to the other groups. Tachycardic and bradycardic responses were enhanced in both simvastatin-treated groups. The vagal effect was increased in the trained+simvastatin group and the sympathetic effect was decreased in the sedentary+simvastatin group. Hepatic lipoperoxidation was reduced in sedentary+simvastatin (≈21%) and trained+simvastatin groups (≈57%) compared to the sedentary group. Correlation analysis involving all animals demonstrated that cardiac lipoperoxidation was negatively related to the vagal effect (r = -0.7) and positively correlated to the sympathetic effect (r = 0.7). In conclusion, improvement in cardiovascular and autonomic functions associated with a reduction of lipoperoxidation with simvastatin treatment was increased in trained ovariectomized rats.

The developmental state in Brazil: comparative and historical perspectives

The record of successful developmental states in East Asia and the partial successes of developmental states in Latin America suggest several common preconditions for effective state intervention including a Weberian bureaucracy, monitoring of implementation, reciprocity (subsidies in exchange for performance), and collaborative relations between government and business. Although Brazil failed to develop the high technology manufacturing industry and exports that have fueled sustained growth in East Asia, its developmental state had a number of important, and often neglected, successes, especially in steel, automobiles, mining, ethanol, and aircraft manufacturing. Where Brazil's developmental state was less successful was in promoting sectors like information technology and nuclear energy, as well as overall social and regional equality. In addition, some isolated initiatives by state governments were also effective in promoting particular local segments of industry and agriculture. Comparisons with East Asia, highlight the central role of state enterprises in Brazil that in effect internalized monitoring and reciprocity and bypassed collaboration between business and government (that was overall rarer in Brazil).

Wrap around analysis of the affordances and constraints for girls with physical disabilities participating in physical activities /

This is a qualitative study exploring the physical activity patterns of a group of women with physical disabilities through their lifespan. In-depth interviews were done with a group of 6 women aged 1 9 to 3 1 . The data were analyzed via content and demographic strategies. Participants in this study reported that their physical activity patterns and their experiences related to their physical activity participation changed over their lives. They were most physically active in their youth (under 14 years of age) and as they reached high school age (over 14 years of age) and to the present time, they have become less physically active. They also reported both affordances and constraints to their physical activity participation through their lifespan. In their youth, they reported affordances such as their parents' assistance, an abundance of available physical activity opportunities, and independent unassisted mobility, as all playing an important factor in their increased youth physical activity. In adulthood, the participants' reported less time, fewer opportunities for physical activity, and reliance on power mobility as significant constraints to their physical activity. The participants reported fewer constraints to being physically active in their youth when compared to adulthood. Their reasons for participation in physical activity changed from fun and socialization in their youth instead of for maintenance of health, weight, and function in adulthood. These affordances, constraints and reasons for physical activity participation were supported in the literature.

Partial characterization of the cloned dihydrofolate reductase gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The cloned dihydrofolate reductase gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (DFR 1) is expressed in Escherichia coli. Bacterial strain JF1754 transformed with plasmids containing DFR 1 is at least 5X more resistant to inhibition by the folate antagonist trimethoprim. Expression of yeast DFR 1 in E. coli suggests it is likely that the gene lacks intervening sequences. The 1.8 kbp DNA fragment encoding yeast dhfr activity probably has its own promotor, as the gene is expressed in both orientations in E. coli. Expression of the yeast dhfr gene cloned into M13 viral vectors allowed positive selection of DFR 1 - M13 bacterial transfectants in medium supplemented with trimethoprim. A series of nested deletions generated by nuclease Bal 31 digestion and by restriction endonuclease cleavage of plasmids containing DFR 1 physically mapped the gene to a 930 bp region between the Pst 1 and Sal 1 cut sites. This is consistent with the 21,000 molecular weight attributed to yeast dhfr in previous reports. From preliminary DNA sequence analysis of the dhfr DNA fragment the 3' terminus of DFR 1 was assigned to a position 27 nucleotides from the Eco Rl cut site on the Bam Hi - Eco Rl DNA segment. Several putative yeast transcription termination consensus sequences were identified 3' to the opal stop codon. DFR 1 is expressed in yeast and it confers resistance to the antifolate methotrexate when the gene is present in 2 - 10 copies per cell. Plasmid-dependent resistance to methotrexate is also observed in a rad 6 background although the effect is somewhat less than that conferred to wild-type or rad 18 cells. Integration of DFR 1 into the yeast genome showed an intermediate sensitivity to folate antagonists. This may suggest a gene dosage effect. No change in petite induction in these yeast strains was observed in transformed cells containing yeast dhfr plasmids. The sensitivity of rad 6 , rad 18 and wild-type cell populations to trimethoprim were unaffected by the presence of DFR 1 in transformants. Moreover, trimethoprim did not induce petites in any strain tested, which normally results if dhfr is inhibited by other antifolates such as methotrexate. This may suggest that the dhfr enzyme is not the only possible target of trimethoprim in yeast. rad 6 mutants showed a very low level of spontaneous petite formation. Methotrexate failed to induce respiratory deficient mutants in this strain which suggested that rad 6 might be an obligate grande. However, ethidium bromide induced petites to a level approximately 50% of that exhibited by wild-type and rad 18 strains.

Reproduction in the temperate crayfish, Orconectes rusticus: intermale aggression, copulatary behaviour, and sperm competition

The chelipeds of Orconectes rusticus are sexually dimorphic; males possessing the larger. Males use their chelae in intermale aggressive interactions, both to threaten, and assault opponents. In dyadic interactions males with larger chelae were dominant over otherwise physically similar opponents. A high frequency of attack behaviour, coupled with a low frequency of threats during these interactions indicates that actual physical contact is required for opponent assessment. Large clawed males oriented females into the copulatory position faster than small clawed males. Females more frequently escaped the precopulatory-grasp attempts of small clawed males. Additionally, male-female pairs that included a large clawed male remained in copula longer than pairs that included a small clawed male. Sperm of the second male to mate took precedence over the sperm of the primary male. Sperm precedence was incomplete; about 900/0 paternity accrued to the second male.

The origins of exercise adherence in the Canadian seniors population

This research identified and examined the responses of 19 physically active seniors to determine why they were physically active. The participants were physically active seniors, from the Niagara region who participated in physical activity 2, or more times per week. The purpose to this research was to determine what specific experiences or characteristics those seniors' possessed which motivated them to follow an exercise regime in later life. Three focus group interviews were conducted and participants responded to a set of predetermined questions. Responses to the interview questions were transcribed and analysed by comparing words and participant responses. This method of analysis is known as ethnographic summary. Themes, concepts, and experiences that emerged from the focus group interviews were also recorded according to systematic coding by way of content analysis. From this study, factors that predispose, enable, reinforce and prevent seniors from participating in exercise have been identified. Nine recommendations for improving seniors quality of life have also emerged from the study. Additionally, the findings from the study illustrate that those responsible for planning programs for seniors need to consider senior's wants and needs. Finally, the study also has educational implications. All participants in the study experienced a positive introduction to daily phyiscal activity through their school setting. Participants of the study believed, that their positive experiences at school, directly influenced their lifelong involvement in exercise.

A constructivist grounded theory of firefighter perceptions of stress, coping and the relationship to health

This qualitative research was a constructivist grounded theory designed to develop an understanding of how firefighters perceive and cope with stressful situations and the impact this has on their perceptions of health. This study was framed in a social ecological perspective with the community of firefighting providing the environment within which to explore stress and coping. Of particular concern here are the stressors associated with firefighting. Prior research with firefighters has often been epidemiological and statistical in nature, focusing on measures of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and depression (Baker & Williams, 2001 ; Brown et al., 2002; Murphy et al.,1999; Regehr et al., 2002; Regehr et al., 2003). Qualitative research examining the perception of stress among firefighters that includes personal stories allows firefighters the opportunity to describe what it is like to be met with physically and mentally challenging situations on a daily basis. Twelve in-depth, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with a brief questionnaire were conducted with firefighters from a Southern Ontario Fire Department. Four main themes emerged describing the persona of the firefighter, the stressors of firefighters, coping strategies of firefighters, and firefighters' perceptions of health. Stressors include requirements of the job, traumatic calls, tensions with co-workers, the struggle between the family at home and the family at work, political stressors with the City, and the inner struggle. Avoidance coping, approach coping, and gaining perspective emerged as the three coping styles of firefighters. Health was defined as including physical, mental, social and spiritual aspects. A model of the findings is provided that depicts the cyclical nature of the stress-coping-health relationship among firefighters.