Can a Manipulated Mind Alter Matter? : The Effects of Verbal Feedback on Self-Efficacy, Exercise Intention, and Exercise Behaviour among Low-Active College-Aged Women

Self-efficacy (SE), a person’s confidence in the ability to perform a task, is an important predictor of the adoption and maintenance of physical activity. The present study examined the effects of SE manipulated through verbal persuasion on exercise intentions and behaviour during a 4-week follow-up period and investigated the role of social physique anxiety (SPA) as a moderator. Female college infrequent exercisers (n = 66) were randomly assigned into one of three groups (high-efficacy [HE], low-efficacy [LE], or control) and asked to complete several questionnaires at baseline. The HE and LE groups were provided with positive and negative exercise adherence feedback, respectively. The HE group reported higher SE from pre- to post-feedback. Both the HE and LE groups reported increases in exercise behaviour at the 4-week follow-up. Pre- to post-feedback changes in SE, exercise intention, and exercise behaviour did not depend on level of SPA reported.

Can Mixed Martial Arts be Ethically Defended?: Autonomy, Paternalism and the Harm Principle

Abstract Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) founded in 1993 have been under scrutiny for the past two decades. Unlike boxing, the ethical status of MMA and whether it is morally defensible have rarely been analyzed in the academic literature. I argue that MMA requires such an analysis because it is inherently violent. The purpose of this study was to examine elite-level MMA by referring to the ethical concepts of autonomy, paternalism and the Harm Principle. Findings from interviews with MMA athletes as well as my personal experience of MMA were presented to establish a deeper understanding of the sport and what it means to train and compete in a sport defined as violent. The conceptual analysis and findings of MMA athletes' experiences in this investigation resulted in the conclusion that MMA is ethically defensible. Additional findings, implications and recommendations for further research were also discussed.

Online Anonymity and the Kantian Publicity Principle: Can the Internet Solve the Paradox of Tyranny?

Immanuel Kant’s publicity maxim states that other-regarding actions are wrong if their maxim is not compatible with their being made public. This has the effect of forbidding dissent or rebellion against tyranny, since rebels cannot make their intentions and plans public. However, new internet technologies offer public speech from behind the “shield” of anonymity, allowing dissent to be public but preventing reprisals from tyrants. This thesis examines not only this possibility, but the value of internet-based discursive spaces for politics, their viability as a mode for political communication, and their implications for Classical and Enlightenment approaches to politics and intellectual virtue. Anonymous internet communications favour logos-based reasoning and discourse, which, in the liberal-democratic tradition, is preferable to phronesis and its attendant elitism and chauvinism. These technologies can open new vistas for liberal-democratic politics.

Understanding Network Governance: A Case Study Exploration of Active Canada 20/20

Consistent with the governance shift towards network forms of governance, a number of new social movements have formed in response to the declining levels of physical activity in the Western world. One such movement is Active Canada 20/20: A Physical Activity Strategy and Change Agenda for Canada. Network governance is employed as the theoretical framework for this case study exploration of Active Canada 20/20 and the political landscape surrounding its development and implementation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in addition to document/policy analysis and direct observations. Analysis of the data resulted in three overarching themes – the defining characteristics of network governance, the political landscape, and intersectoral linkages – that interconnect multifariously based the nature of the Canadian federal government and its relationship with the voluntary sector for physical activity. Despite progress in driving Active Canada 20/20 forward, entrenched dynamics of power need to be navigated within the political landscape surrounding network governance.

Working Together: Librarian and Student Collaboration Through Active Learning in a Library Eclassroom

Active learning strategies based on several learning theories were incorporated during instruction sessions for second year Biological Sciences students. The instructional strategies described in this paper are based primarily on sociocultural and collaborative learning theory, with the goal being to expand the relatively small body of literature currently available that discusses the application of these learning theories to library instruction. The learning strategies employed successfully involved students in the learning process ensuring that the experiences were appropriate and effective. The researchers found that, as a result of these strategies (e.g. teaching moments based on the emerging needs of students) students’ interest in learning information literacy was increased and students interacted with information given to them as well as with their peers. Collaboration between the Librarians, Co-op Student and Senior Lab Instructor helped to enhance the learning experience for students and also revealed new aspects of the active learning experiences. The primary learning objective, which was to increase the students’ information skills in the Biological Sciences, was realized. The advantages of active learning were realized by both instructors and students. Advantages for students attained during these sessions include having their diverse learning styles addressed; increased interaction with and retention of information; increased responsibility for their own learning; the opportunity to value not only the instructors, but also themselves and their peers as sources of authority and knowledge; improved problem solving abilities; increased interest and opportunities for critical thinking, as a result of the actively exchanging information in a group. The primary advantage enjoyed by the instructors was the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues to reduce the preparation required to create effective library instruction sessions. Opportunities for further research were also discovered, including the degree to which “social loafing” plays a role in collaborative, active learning.

Evolution of Various Library Instruction Strategies: Using Student Feedback to Create and Enhance Online Active Learning Assignments

This case study traces the evolution of library assignments for biological science students from paper-based workbooks in a blended (hands-on) workshop to blended learning workshops using online assignments to online active learning modules which are stand-alone without any face-to-face instruction. As the assignments evolved to adapt to online learning supporting materials in the form of PDFs (portable document format), screen captures and screencasting were embedded into the questions as teaching moments to replace face-to-face instruction. Many aspects of the evolution of the assignment were based on student feedback from evaluations, input from senior lab demonstrators and teaching assistants, and statistical analysis of the students’ performance on the assignment. Advantages and disadvantages of paper-based and online assignments are discussed. An important factor for successful online learning may be the ability to get assistance.

Multiple Public Goods and Lexicographic Preferences Replacement Principle.

We study the problem of locating two public goods for a group of agents with single-peaked preferences over an interval. An alternative specifies a location for each public good. In Miyagawa (1998), each agent consumes only his most preferred public good without rivalry. We extend preferences lexicographically and characterize the class of single-peaked preference rules by Pareto-optimality and replacement-domination. This result is considerably different from the corresponding characterization by Miyagawa (2001a).

Driedger's 'Modern Principle' at the Supreme Court of Canada: Interpretation, Justification, Legitimization

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Impoverishment of The Law by The Law: A Critique of The Attorney General's Vision of The Rule of Law and The Federal Principle

This brief article is devoted to a critique of the arguments put forward by the Attorney General of Canada in connection with the Reference concerning certain questions relating to the secession of Quebec (hereinafter, "the Reference"). This critique will not be presented from a plainly positivist standpoint. On the contrary, I will be examining in particular (1) how the approach taken by the Attorney General impoverished the legal concepts of the rule of law anf federalism, both of which were, however, central to her submission; and, in a more general way, (2) how the excessively detailed analysis of constitutional texts contributes to the impoverishment of the symbolic function of the law, however essential that dimension may be to its legitimacy. My criticism will take into account the reasons for judgement delivered recently by the Supreme Court in the Reference.

Implementing the Precautionary Principle through Stakeholder Engagement for Product and Service Development

Section des étudiants

Directed evolution of human dihydrofolate reductase: towards a better understanding of binding at the active site

La dihydrofolate réductase humaine (DHFRh) est une enzyme essentielle à la prolifération cellulaire, ce qui en fait une cible de choix pour le traitement de différents cancers. À cet effet, plusieurs inhibiteurs spécifiques de la DHFRh, les antifolates, ont été mis au point : le méthotrexate (MTX) et le pemetrexed (PMTX) en sont de bons exemples. Malgré l’efficacité clinique certaine de ces antifolates, le développement de nouveaux traitements s’avère nécessaire afin de réduire les effets secondaires liés à leur utilisation. Enfin, dans l’optique d’orienter la synthèse de nouveaux composés inhibiteurs des DHFRh, une meilleure connaissance des interactions entre les antifolates et leur enzyme cible est primordiale. À l’aide de l’évolution dirigée, il a été possible d’identifier des mutants de la DHFRh pour lesquels l’affinité envers des antifolates cliniquement actifs se voyait modifiée. La mutagenèse dite ¬¬de saturation a été utilisée afin de générer des banques de mutants présentant une diversité génétique au niveau des résidus du site actif de l’enzyme d’intérêt. De plus, une nouvelle méthode de criblage a été mise au point, laquelle s’est avérée efficace pour départager les mutations ayant entrainé une résistance aux antifolates et/ou un maintient de l’activité enzymatique envers son substrat natif, soient les phénotypes d’activité. La méthode de criblage consiste dans un premier temps en une sélection bactérienne à haut débit, puis dans un second temps en un criblage sur plaques permettant d’identifier les meilleurs candidats. Plusieurs mutants actifs de la DHFRh, résistants aux antifolates, ont ainsi pu être identifiés et caractérisés lors d’études de cinétique enzymatique (kcat et IC50). Sur la base de ces résultats cinétiques, de la modélisation moléculaire et des données structurales de la littérature, une étude structure-activité a été effectuée. En regardant quelles mutations ont les effets les plus significatif sur la liaison, nous avons commencé à construire un carte moléculaire des contacts impliqués dans la liaison des ligands. Enfin, des connaissances supplémentaires sur les propriétés spécifiques de liaison ont put être acquises en variant l’inhibiteur testé, permettant ainsi une meilleure compréhension du phénomène de discrimination du ligand.

Participation as capacity-building for active citizenship

Within the framework of the “capability approach” to human rights, this paper argues that adults who facilitate participatory planning and design with children and youth have an ethical obligation to foster young people’s capacities for active democratic citizenship. Practitioners often worry, justifiably, that if young people fail to see their ideas realized, they may become disillusioned and alienated from political life. Based on the experience of the Growing Up in Cities program of UNESCO, four rules of good practice are distilled which can help promote young people’s belief in the value of collective action, regardless of the challenges that the full implementation of their ideas may face.

Active nuclear import and cytoplasmic retention of activation-induced deaminase

The enzyme activation-induced deaminase (AID) triggers antibody diversification in B cells by catalyzing deamination and consequently mutation of immunoglobulin genes. To minimize off-target deamination, AID is restrained by several regulatory mechanisms including nuclear exclusion, thought to be mediated exclusively by active nuclear export. Here we identify two other mechanisms involved in controlling AID subcellular localization. AID is unable to passively diffuse into the nucleus, despite its small size, and its nuclear entry requires active import mediated by a conformational nuclear localization signal. We also identify in its C terminus a determinant for AID cytoplasmic retention, which hampers diffusion to the nucleus, competes with nuclear import and is crucial for maintaining the predominantly cytoplasmic localization of AID in steady-state conditions. Blocking nuclear import alters the balance between these processes in favor of cytoplasmic retention, resulting in reduced isotype class switching.

Towards the nanomechanical actuation and controlled assembly of nanomaterials using charge-transfer reactions in electroactive self-assembled monolayers

Les microcantileviers fonctionnalisés offrent une plateforme idéale pour la nano- et micro-mécanique et pour le développement de (bio-) capteurs tres sensible. Le principe d’opération consiste dans des évènements physicochimiques qui se passent du côté fonctionnalisé du microcantilevier induisant une différence de stress de surface entre les deux côtés du cantilevier qui cause une déflexion verticale du levier. Par contre, les facteurs et les phénomènes interfacials qui régissent la nature et l'intensité du stress de surface sont encore méconnus. Pour éclaircir ce phénomène, la première partie de cette thèse porte sur l'étude des réactions de microcantileviers qui sont recouverts d'or et fonctionnalisés par une monocouche auto-assemblée (MAA) électroactive. La formation d'une MAA de ferrocènylundécanethiol (FcC11SH) à la surface d'or d'un microcantilevier est le modèle utilisé pour mieux comprendre le stress de surface induit par l’électrochimie. Les résultats obtenus démontrent qu'une transformation rédox de la MAA de FcC11SH crée un stress de surface qui résulte dans une déflexion verticale du microcantilevier. Dépendamment de la flexibilité du microcantilevier, cette déflexion peut varier de quelques nanomètres à quelques micromètres. L’oxydation de cette MAA de FcC11SH dans un environnement d'ions perchlorate génère un changement de stress de surface compressive. Les résultats indiquent que la déflexion du microcantilevier est due à une tension latérale provenant d'une réorientation et d'une expansion moléculaire lors du transfért de charge et de pairage d’anions. Pour vérifier cette hypothèse, les mêmes expériences ont été répéteés avec des microcantileviers qui ont été couverts d'une MAA mixte, où les groupements électroactifs de ferrocène sont isolés par des alkylthiols inactifs. Lorsqu’un potentiel est appliqué, un courant est détecté mais le microcantilevier ne signale aucune déflexion. Ces résultats confirment que la déflexion du microcantilevier est due à une pression latérale provenant du ferrocènium qui se réorganise et qui crée une pression sur ses pairs avoisinants plutôt que du couplage d’anions. L’amplitude de la déflexion verticale du microcantilevier dépend de la structure moléculaire de la MAA et du le type d’anion utilisés lors de la réaction électrochimique. Dans la prochaine partie de la thèse, l’électrochimie et la spectroscopie de résonance de plasmon en surface ont été combinées pour arriver à une description de l’adsorption et de l’agrégation des n-alkyl sulfates à l’interface FcC11SAu/électrolyte. À toutes les concentrations de solution, les molécules d'agent tensio-actif sont empilées perpendiculairement à la surface d'électrode sous forme de monocouche condensé entrecroisé. Cependant, la densité du film spécifiquement adsorbé s'est avérée être affectée par l'état d'organisation des agents tensio-actifs en solution. À faible concentration, où les molécules d'agent tensio-actif sont présentes en tant que monomères solvatés, les monomères peuvent facilement s'adapter à l’évolution de la concentration en surface du ferrocènium lors du balayage du potential. Cependant, lorsque les molécules sont présentes en solution en tant que micelles une densité plus faible d'agent tensio-actif a été trouvée en raison de l'incapacité de répondre effectivement à la surface de ferrocenium générée dynamiquement.