Governing literacies: Securing literate subjects

This review of literacy research explores ways in which literacy has come to be understood as a problem about human populations. I describe connections between literacy education and the biopolitical government of population, especially the relationship between liberal forms of government and the administration of human freedom. The review takes into account ways in which literacy is implicated in the cultivation of civil society by attending to the interests, as well as to the conduct, of human subjects. I draw on research available in English from across the globe, which provides an overview of how literacy has been rethought and conceptualised through ethnographic, historical and classroom based studies. I discuss claims made for literacy, the way that human populations have been made visible in relation to their literacy practices and the social contexts of their use. The review informs research of representations of literacy as a tool for securing national interests.

Synthesis of wurtzite-phase ZnS nanocrystal and its optical properties

The wurtzite phase of ZnS nanocrystal has been prepared by annealing in 200-600 degrees C temperature range, its cubic phase of 2-3 nm size. prepared through soft chemical method. Results of isochronal experiments of 2 h at different temperatures indicate that visible transformation to wurtzite from cubic ZnS appears at a temperature of 400 degrees C, which is about three times smaller than that of bulk ZnS phase transition temperature. The phases, nanostructures, and optical absorption characteristics are obtained through X-ray diffraction. transmission electron microscopy, and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. A stable and green photoluminescence emission peaked at 518 nm is observed from the 600 degrees C annealed samples, under ultraviolet light excitation.

Striving for the Impossible : The Hegelian background of Judith Butler

This study analyses the Hegelian roots of the subject-theory and the political theory of Judith Butler. Butler can be seen as the author of "gender performativity". Butler claims that subject's identities are linquistic "terms". Linquistic identities are performative and normative: they produce, according to cultural rules, the identities which they just claim to describe. Butler's theory of the performativity of identities is based on her theory of identities as "ek-static" constructions. This means that there is a relation between the self and the Other in the heart of identities. It is claimed in this study that Butler's theory of the relation between the self and the Other, or, between the subject and the constitutive outside, is based on G.W.F. Hegel's theory of the dialectics of recognition in The Phenomenology of Spirit. Especially the sections dealing with the relation between "Lord" and "Bondsman" set the theoretical base for Butler's theory. Further, it is claimed that Hegel's own solution for the enslaving and instrumentalizing relation between the self and the Other, reciprocal recognition, remains an important alternative to the postmodernist conception supported by political theorists like Butler. Chapter 2, on Hegel, goes through the dialectics of recognition between the self and the Other in The Phenomenology of Spirit up until the ideal of reciprocal recognition and absolute knowledge. Chapter 3 introduces two French interpretations of Hegel, by Alexandre Kojéve and Louis Althusser. Both of these interpretations, especially the Kojevian one, have deeply influenced the contemporary understanding of Hegel as well as the contemporary thought - presented e.g. in the postmodern political thought - on the relations between the self and the Other. The Kojévian Marxist utopia with its notion of "the End of History" as well as the Althusserian theory of the Interpellative formation of subjects have influenced how Hegel's theory of the self and the Other have travelled into Butler's thought. In chapter 5 these influences are analyzed in detail. According to the analysis, Butler, like numerous other poststructuralist theorists, accepts Kojéve's interpretation as basically correct, but rejects his vision of "the End of History" as static and totalitarian. Kojéve's utopian philosophy of history is replaced by the paradoxical idea of an endless striving towards emancipation which, however, could not and should not be reached. In chapter 6 Butler's theory is linked to another postmodern political theory, that of Chantal Mouffe. It is argued that Mouffe's theory is based on a similar view of the relation of the self and the other as Butler's theory. The former, however, deals explicitly with politics. Therefore, it makes the central paradox of striving for the impossible more visible; such a theory is unable to guide political action. Hegel actually anticipated this kind of theorizing in his critique of "Unhappy Consciousness" in the Phenomenology of Spirit. Keywords: Judith Butler, G.W.F. Hegel, Chantal Mouffe, Alexandre Kojéve, Postmodernism, Politics, Identities, Performativity, Self-consciousness, Other

Photocytotoxic 3d-Metal Scorpionates with a 1,8-Naphthalimide Chromophore Showing Photoinduced DNA and Protein Cleavage Activity

Ternary 3d-metal complexes of formulation [M(Tp(Ph))(py-nap)](ClO4)(1-3), where M is Co(II) (1), Cu(II) (2), and Zn(II) (3); Tp(Ph) is anionic tris (3-phenylpyrazolyl)borate; and py-nap is a pyridyl ligand with a conjugated 1,8-naphthalimide moiety, have been prepared from the reaction of metal perchlorate with KTp(Ph) and py-nap in CH2Cl2. The complexes have been characterized from analytical and physicochemical data. The complexes are stable in solution as evidenced from the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry data. The complexes show good binding propensity with calf thymus (CT) DNA, giving binding constant (K-b) values of similar to 10(5) M-1 and a molecular ``light-switch'' effect that results in an enhancement of the emission intensity of the naphthalimide chromophore on binding to CT DNA. The complexes do not show any hydrolytic cleavage of DNA. They show poor chemical nuclease activity in the presence of 3-mercaptopropionic acid or hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The Co(II) and Cu(II) complexes exhibit oxidative pUC19 DNA cleavage activity in UV-A light of 365 rim. The Zn(II) complex shows moderate DNA photocleavage activity at 365 nm. The Cu(II)complex 2 displays photoinduced DNA cleavage activity in red light of 647.1 nm and 676 rim and near-IR light of >750 rim. A mechanistic studyin UV-A and visible light suggests the involvement of the hydroxyl radical as the reactive species in the DNA photocleavage reactions. The complexes also show good bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein binding propensity, giving K-BSA values of similar to 10(5) M-1. Complexes 1 and 2 display significant photoinduced BSA cleavage activity in UV-A light. The Co(II) complex 1 shows a significant photocytotoxic effect in HeLa cervical cancer cells on exposure to UV-A light of 365 nm, giving an IC50 value of 32 mu M. The IC50 value for the py-nap ligand alone is 41.42 mu m in UV-A light. The IC50 value is >200 mu M in the dark, indicating poor dark toxicity of 1. The Cu(II) complex 2 exhibits moderate photocytotoxicity and significant dark toxicity, giving IC50 values of 18.6 mu m and 29.7 mu m in UV-A light and in the dark, respectively.

From mundane to smart: Exploring interactions with ‘smart' design objects

In addition to functional and technological features, the role of augmented objects should also be seen in terms of how effectively they fit into the everyday practices of users and how they enhance users' experiences. In this article, the authors introduce a low-tech, internet-of-things technology called CAM (Cooperative Artefact Memory) that is used as a collaborative tool in design studio environments. CAM works as an object memory technology and allows industrial and product designers to collaboratively store relevant information onto their physical design objects, such as sketches, collages, storyboards, and physical mock-ups in the form of messages, annotations and external web links. In the context of this study, CAM serves as an important probing device to understand designers' interaction and experiences with augmented design objects, in their natural environment. The authors carried out a small-scale field trial of CAM in an academic design studio, over three student design projects. In this article, they discuss the findings of their field trial and show how CAM was used by the participants, how it was integrated into the design process and how it was appropriated for different purposes. The authors also found that CAM supported coordination and awareness within the design teams, yet its serendipitous and asynchronous nature facilitated creative and playful interactions between team members. In general, the results show how CAM transformed mundane design objects into “smart” objects that made the creative and playful side of cooperative design visible.

Re-thinking discourses of teacher professionalism in early childhood education: An Australian perspective

The professionalism of early childhood teachers has been the subject of increasing attention globally for over a decade (Moss, 2006; Osgood, 2012; Urban, 2010. In order to understand ways pre-service early childhood teachers make sense of professionalism, this chapter examines some of the discourses of early childhood teacher professionalism, and focuses on qualifications as one way in which being professional is discursively produced. In particular, the chapter makes visible some of the discursive tensions involved in student intentions to pursue careers in primary school teaching/specialist early childhood teacher in primary school, rather than in the child care sector. In doing so, it makes visible some of the effects of particular discourses of professionalism and the ways they may be taken up by students as they make important career decisions.

Displaying and celebrating the "other": A study of the mission, scope, and roles of ethnic museums in Los Angeles

In the last thirty years, ethnic museums have mushroomed in American cities. Although this is certainly a national phenomenon, it has been particularly evident in Los Angeles. In this paper we examine the genesis and evolution of these emerging institutions. We survey the mission, scope, and role of ethnic museums in Los Angeles, and we contrast them with the stated mission and scope of “mainstream” museums in the city. We further present case studies of three Los Angeles ethnic museums. The museums vary considerably in the ways they perceive their role in the community, the city, and the nation and in the preservation and display of ethnic culture. At their best, ethnic museums serve to make new art and histories more accessible and visible and provide a forum in which to debate contemporary issues of politics and identity. The paper highlights some of the tensions faced by ethnic museums as they seek to define their audience and role(s) in multi-ethnic, twenty-first century Los Angeles.

Interaction of palladium (II) with DNA

The nature of interaction of palladium(II) with calf thymus DNA was studied using viscometry, ultraviolet, visible and infrared spectrophotometry and optical rotatory disperison and circular dichroism measurements. The results indicate that Pd(II) interacts with both the phosphate and bases of DNA. The ORD/CD data indicate that the binding of Pd(II) to DNA brings about considerable conformational changes in DNA.

Thiol-Disulfide Interchange Mediated Reversible Dendritic Megamer Formation and Dissociation

We report the formation of dynamic, reversible cross-linked dendritic megamers and their dissociation to monomeric dendrimers, through a thiol-disulfide interchange reaction. For this study, poly(alkyl aryl ether) dendrimers up to three-generations presenting thiol functionalities, were prepared. The series from zero to three generations of dendrimers were installed with 3, 6, 12, and 24 thiol functionalities at their peripheries. Upon synthesis, cross-linking of the dendrimer was accomplished through disulfide bond formation. The cross-linking of dendrimers was monitored through optical density changes at 420 nm. Dense cross-linking led to visible precipitation of dendritic megamers and the morphologies of the megamers were characterized by transmission electron microscopy. The disulfide cross-links between megamer monomers could be dissociated readily upon reduction of disulfide bond by dithiothreitol reagent. Preliminary studies show that dendritic megamers encapsulate C-60 and the efficiency of encapsulation increased with increasing generation of dendritic megamer.

Synthesis, X-ray structure and properties of [Ru2O(MeCN)4(O2CMe)2(PPh3)2](ClO4)2

The diruthenium(III) complex [{(PPh3)(MeCN)2Ru}2(μ-O)(μ-O2CMe)2](ClO4)2 (1) has been prepared from Ru2O(O2CMe)4(PPh3)2, which is obtained from a reaction of Ru2Cl(O2CMe)4 and PPh3 in MeCN. The crystal structure of 1 was determined by X-ray studies and the complex has an {Ru2(μ-O)(μ-O2CMe)22+} core and the facial sites on each metal centre are occupied by two MeCN and one PPh3 ligands. The Ru—b. Ru and Ru—Ooxo distances and Ru—O—Ru angle are 3.240(1), 1.866(4) Å and 120.6(2)°, respectively. The cis and trans Ru—N distances in 1 are 2.040(6) and 2.116(5) Å, respectively. The visible spectral band in 1 is observed at 574 nm (var epsilon, 10,800 M−1 cm−1). The 1H NMR spectrum of the diamagnetic complex 1 in CD3CN is in agreement with the X-ray structure.

Role of Arg-401 of cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase in subunit assembly and interaction with the substrate carboxy group.

In an attempt to identify the arginine residue involved in binding of the carboxylate group of serine to mammalian serine hydroxymethyltransferase, a highly conserved Arg-401 was mutated to Ala by site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant enzyme had a characteristic visible absorbance at 425 nm indicative of the presence of bound pyridoxal 5'-phosphate as an internal aldimine with a lysine residue. However, it had only 0.003% of the catalytic activity of the wild-type enzyme. It was also unable to perform reactions with glycine, beta-phenylserine or d-alanine, suggesting that the binding of these substrates to the mutant enzyme was affected. This was also evident from the interaction of amino-oxyacetic acid, which was very slow (8.4x10(-4) s-1 at 50 microM) for the R401A mutant enzyme compared with the wild-type enzyme (44.6 s-1 at 50 microM). In contrast, methoxyamine (which lacks the carboxy group) reacted with the mutant enzyme (1.72 s-1 at 250 microM) more rapidly than the wild-type enzyme (0.2 s-1 at 250 microM). Further, both wild-type and the mutant enzymes were capable of forming unique quinonoid intermediates absorbing at 440 and 464 nm on interaction with thiosemicarbazide, which also does not have a carboxy group. These results implicate Arg-401 in the binding of the substrate carboxy group. In addition, gel-filtration profiles of the apoenzyme and the reconstituted holoenzyme of R401A and the wild-type enzyme showed that the mutant enzyme remained in a tetrameric form even when the cofactor had been removed. However, the wild-type enzyme underwent partial dissociation to a dimer, suggesting that the oligomeric structure was rendered more stable by the mutation of Arg-401. The increased stability of the mutant enzyme was also reflected in the higher apparent melting temperature (Tm) (61 degrees C) than that of the wild-type enzyme (56 degrees C). The addition of serine or serinamide did not change the apparent Tm of R401A mutant enzyme. These results suggest that the mutant enzyme might be in a permanently 'open' form and the increased apparent Tm could be due to enhanced subunit interactions.

Lapset ja nuoret ympäristökansalaisina : Ympäristökasvatuksen näkökulma osallistumiseen

Children and young people as environmental citizens the environmental education perspective to participation This doctoral thesis examines the participation of children and young people in developing their own environment at school, as a part of environmental education. The aim of the research is to assess and consider children and young people s environmentally responsible participation and its effectiveness in relation to the participants own learning and the end results of the participation. The research combines the perspectives of environmental education and citizenship education through the concept of environmental citizenship. Environmental education, which enhances environmental citizenship, offers children and young people the possibility to be active citizens and learn about citizenship in their own lives by taking action themselves. The research is made up of two parts which complement each other. The first part consists of an action research carried out in the Joensuu Lyseo Upper Secondary School, where an environmental education course with a traffic-related theme was planned, developed and evaluated. The second part is made up of an interview survey carried out in Helsinki. In the survey actors from schools and various city offices, who were involved in development projects of school environments, were interviewed. According to the research results, all-round cooperation and more open relations with those outside of the school environment are important ways to support environmental citizenship in schools. Thus, environmentally responsible participation offers a chance to learn competence that an environmental citizen needs the knowledge, skills and willingness to act that have not been successfully taught through traditional school education. The research introduces a model of environmentally responsible participation as a learning process, in which learning is studied through the development of competence, self-empowerment and social empowerment. The model makes the context of environmental education visible and puts emphasis on reflection in the learning process. A central factor in children and young people s self-empowerment is the sense of being heard and taken into consideration. At the moment children and young people s rights to participate are strong, due to legislation, school curricula, and several national and international agreements. Despite this, involving them in developing their own immediate surroundings has not become a part of schools and planning organisations daily life and established methods. Reasons for this situation can be found in the lack of regard and resources for these matters, in the complex nature of planning and a long time frame, and the problems of ownership and of reaching each other. Central to overcoming these obstacles are a gradual change in conduct and mentalities and the strengthening of teachers and officials competence. Children and young people need different ways and methods of varying levels of involvement, structures and arenas which enable participation and in which environmental citizenship can be realized. Key words: environmental citizenship, environmental education, citizenship education, children and young people s participation, social learning, self-empowerment, social empowerment, school, community planning