57 research outputs found
Generation of T-cell memory.
No full textRecent studies of T-cell memory have suggested that the persistent presence of the priming antigen is not necessary for maintenance of CD8 memory. Factors contributing to the development of memory from activated T cells remain ill defined but accumulating data suggest that cytokines play a key role in this process. There has also been recent progress in understanding turnover of naive and memory cells in the mouse
Cultura organizacional: um estudo de caso do uso da tecnologia de informações intranet /
No full textDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Sócio-Econômico.Análise da influência da cultura organizacional no uso, busca e disseminação das informações, tendo como campo de observação o ambiente da tecnologia de informação da Intranet da Companhia Paranaense de Energia - COPEL. Investiga a literatura relativa a cultura organizacional e a tecnologia de informação, no foco amplo da Internet e Intranet, bem como, o relacionamento entre essas variáveis, no sentido de proporcionar uma consistência teórica empírica. Posteriormente, foi desenvolvida a pesquisa investigatória na empresa, visando caracterizar a cultura organizacional da empresa, contextualizar o ambiente da tecnologia de informação Intranet, identificando as principais relações existentes e finalmente culminando na confirmação da influência da cultura organizacional, em seus diversos componentes e interações
From Combat to Community: a Study of how Community-based Approach to Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) can Contribute More Effectively to Peacebuilding: The Case of Sierra Leone
No full textAbstract
The disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of ex-combatants is one of the vital elements of peacebuilding with the objective of reconciling ex-combatants into communities and reducing the likelihood of renewed violence. However, whilst the use of DDR continues to grow, it has been criticised for its focus on ex-combatants rather than communities; thus, sometimes it creates divisions among community members and strains the entire peacebuilding process. In view of this limited approach to DDR, academics and practitioners alike are increasingly arguing for a community-based (CB) approach, especially during the reintegration process, as a way of addressing resentment among community members, which impedes more effective peacebuilding. Despite its popularity, it is not clear what the CB approach to reintegration means, so this thesis sets out to explore that approach.
Exploring how CB reintegration programmes can facilitate more effective peacebuilding; this research identified the fact that most programmes, that claimed to be CB, thereby involving communities in the planning and implementation process, were instead only community-located (CL). These critical insights emerged from empirical research carried out in Sierra Leone, by drawing on Bartle’s (2007) argument that for a programme to be CB it must be chosen, selected and/or controlled by the community. Thus, an outside agency’s programme, which is merely located in a community and has some level of community participation, cannot claim CB status, but rather it is CL. The research, therefore, compares CB and CL reintegration programmes to establish which of these programmes facilitates more effective peacebuilding, so that a comprehensive approach to planning and implementation of CB programmes can be developed
Visão da decisão gerencial dos enfermeiros administradores do sistema de enfermagem de um hospital universitario
No full textDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnologico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de ProduçãoEste estudo tem como objetivo identificar a visão da decisão gerencial dos enfermeiros administradores. Utiliza-se como referencial para a análise organizacional a abordagem sistêmica, e os modelos de decisão organizacional racional, político e intuitivo como suporte de análise do processo decisorial. A visão é identificada de acordo com a lógica dominante nos processos decisórios e os tipos de decisões. A metodologia utilizada foi a de análise de conteúdo. Os dados foram coletados através da observação simples, aplicação de questionário e consulta a documentos organizacionais, que eram organizados em notas de observação, notas metodológicas e notas de conteúdo. Como resultado das primeiras análises, descreve-se o macrossistema hospitalar de ensino, o sistema de enfermagem e a população estudada, para um melhor entendimento do contexto onde a decisão é analisada. Em seguida, descreve-se os tipos de decisão e a lógica dominante encontrados nos níveis operacionais, táticos e estratégico do sistema de enfermagem. Os resultados, apontam uma visão de decisão gerencial predominantemente fragmentada, organizativamente racional, coexistindo a lógica da racionalidade técnica, econômica e burocrática e a lógica dos grupos de interesses, e limitada para a inovação e criatividade, compatível com o contexto organizacional em que o sistema está inserido. O estudo focaliza também, as dimensões de centralização e/ou descentralização e autonomia da decisão
"After my husband's circumcision, I know that I am safe from diseases": Women's Attitudes and Risk Perceptions Towards Male Circumcision in Iringa, Tanzania.
No full textWhile male circumcision reduces the risk of female-to-male HIV transmission and certain sexually transmitted infections (STIs), there is little evidence that circumcision provides women with direct protection against HIV. This study used qualitative methods to assess women's perceptions of male circumcision in Iringa, Tanzania. Women in this study had strong preferences for circumcised men because of the low risk perception of HIV with circumcised men, social norms favoring circumcised men, and perceived increased sexual desirability of circumcised men. The health benefits of male circumcision were generally overstated; many respondents falsely believed that women are also directly protected against HIV and that the risk of all STIs is greatly reduced or eliminated in circumcised men. Efforts to engage women about the risks and limitations of male circumcision, in addition to the benefits, should be expanded so that women can accurately assess their risk of HIV or STIs during sexual intercourse with circumcised men
Power and narrative in day-to-day consuming
No full textIn this dissertation I address the question, how does power operate in day-today
consuming in a consumer society? My theoretical framework has two
bases. One base is Foucault's theories of power, including but not limited to
his work on normalization, surveillance, examination, confession, and identity.
The other base is narrative theory, including the relevance of narratives to
personal and social identities, the role of narratives in creating social order, the
impact of narratives on such things as the organization of space and time, and the effect of narratives in creating coherence and directionality across
operants of power. I suggest that many of the mechanisms of power
identified by Foucault have unmistakable narrative features, and that by
combining narrative and Foucauldian perspectives a more comprehensive
understanding of the operation of power in day-to-day life is attainable.
I apply my theoretical framework to data collected using autoethnographic
methods. Specifically, I spent one year keeping a detailed journal of my and
my family's experiences relating in the broadest sense to consuming. During
this period we lived in a middle-sized Canadian city. To heighten my
awareness of the taken-for-granted aspects of power and consuming we
alternated lifestyles each month, living months 1,3,5,7,9, and 11 as
conventional Canadian consumers, and months 2,4,6,8,10, and 12 as
committed environmentally-mindful consumers. In addition, I conducted -
interviews of small samples of conventional and environmentally-committed
consumers; I undertook a content analysis of print advertising delivered to
our house; and I conducted background research on various issues relating to
consumerism.
My research indicates that Foucauldian operants of power are used
extensively to support consuming, and that; in addition, many narrative
structures are also employed as operants of power, including charms and
stories. These operants of power are aligned with one another to form
coherent patterns through the effects of metanarratives. I argue that, despite
claims by Lyotard (1984) and others, modern consumer societies are highly
narrative, and have defining metanarratives. In addition, environmentally-based
opposition to the dominant metanarrative of consuming has a
metanarrative of its own, but is distinctly lacking in operants of power
Open Access Bibliography: Liberating Scholarly Literature with E-Prints and Open Access Journals
No full textThe Open Access Bibliography: Liberating Scholarly Literature with E-Prints and Open Access Journals provides an overview of open access concepts, and it presents over 1,300 selected English-language books, conference papers (including some digital video presentations), debates, editorials, e-prints, journal and magazine articles, news articles, technical reports, and other printed and electronic sources that are useful in understanding the open access movement's efforts to provide free access to and unfettered use of scholarly literature. Most sources have been published between 1999 and August 31, 2004; however, a limited number of key sources published prior to 1999 are also included. Where possible, links are provided to sources that are freely available on the Internet (approximately 78 percent of the bibliography's references have such links). The 129-page bibliography has been published in print and PDF formats by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). The print version is available from ARL. The book is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License
Looking at the management sciences through the lens of autopoietic theory
No full textThe broad aim of this research has been to employ the various propositions of Humberto Maturana, as derived from his and Francisco Varela's central concept 'Autopoiesis', as a lens or frame through which to critically reflect on both Management Science and major traditions within it. Such reflection has been carried out with both a 'critical' and a 'developmental eye'. From a critical standpoint the research identifies gaps in existing understandings, and suggests ways in which these may be plugged. Used in this mode, the research shows that Autopoietic Theory is a body of knowledge that management scientists, especially inexperienced ones, can turn to as a means of enriching and/or enhancing their practice in distinctive ways, or allowing them to better prepare for it.
Used from a developmental standpoint, the research shows how Maturana's epistemological propositions invoke a particular kind of critically reflective Management Science practice, and, how Autopoietic Theory more generally, can stretch the limits of existing practice.
In developing these lines of argumentation the main contribution of the work is to remind members of the various Management Science communities that theirs is an activity that is carried out by real human beings first and by impartial scientists second; moreover, that Management Science is an activity that takes place in human, social and organisational contexts. Acknowledgement of this has far reaching ramifications. In that regard, the main contribution of the research can be taken to be an argument in favour of repositioning 'humanity', in all its various facets, much more centrally within the discipline than has been the case hitherto
Information technology as an aid to teaching algebra
No full textThis project was concerned-with teaching algebra
novices, all girls aged 13 or 14 years, to solve algebra
word problems using an electronic spreadsheet. It was
based on the realisation that a spreadsheet cell
provides a suitable cognitive model for an algebraic
variable and that the manipulation of a spreadsheet is
essentially based on the construction of algebraic
expressions. The main objectives were to test the
effectiveness of spreadsheet use on the ability to
construct algebraic expressions and to examine the
effect of manipulating problem contexts (abstract vs.
concrete) on this ability. Other objectives were to
determine the relationship between general numerical
ability, attitude to mathematics, attitude to computers
and the experimental treatments.
The particular skill taught was the construction of
algebraic expressions to represent relational
propositions from verbally stated problems. Problems
from current textbooks and examination papers
(Intermediate Certificate Syllabus B) were used in the
instruction. A pretest - posttest control group design
was used. Seventy three volunteers were recruited and
received approximately eight hours of Instruction in a
reasonably natural school setting. There were two
treatment groups. One group worked on abstract
(numerical) problems and the other group worked on
mathematically identical problems set in concrete
contexts which were familiar and relevant.
Both treatment groups made considerable gains between
pretest and posttest. The abstract group performed
significantly better than the concrete group on the
total posttest (p < .01), on its abstract subsection
(p < .01) and on its concrete subsection (p < .05).
Attitude to mathematics was also found to have a
significant Interaction with the treatment (p <. 05).
Those with a positive attitude to mathematics learned
more from abstract problems, but the difference was much
less for those with a negative attitude. Neither
numerical ability or attitude to computers had any
significant effect
From letter to spirit:: The transformation of Torah in Paul's symbolic world as reflected in his letter to the Romans
No full textIn this thesis the transformation of Paul's thought regarding Torah is analyzed. A combination of theological and sociological approaches are used in the attempt to discern what sociological factors underlie the change in his theological perspective on the law, sin, the Spirit, and Christ as expressed in Romans 1 and 7:1-8:13. Toward this end, a method derived from Peter Berger's sociological theory of religion in The Sacred Canopy is applied to these chapters. In Berger's view, religion is viewed as a forming a symbolic social universe that exists perpetually in a state of uncertainty and threat and which therefore requires legitimation. Although Romans 7-8 was written long after Paul's conversion, it is my contention that certain sociological threats to his Jewish symbolic universe underlie his writing here. Paul experienced a greater degree of resolution to these threats in his vision of Christ than he did in his life under Torah. Specifically, these threats are not only Gentile cultural and political oppression, but also the deeper threat of Israel's sin which has brought about this oppression. In his vision, Paul experienced not only a personal transformation through the indwelling spirit of Christ, the law itself underwent a transformation from letter to Spirit. I argue that that this transformation is to be understood on the basis of a Hellenistic kingship ideology which contrasts the written law as lifeless letter with the king as the living embodiment of the law. For Paul, Christ is the exalted king, the embodiment of righteousness and divine law. So the law is no longer merely an external set of commands written on stone, but is identified with the Spirit of the exalted and enthroned Christ. Christ himself is the living embodiment of the law, who now dwells within his people by his Spirit to live the divine law out through them. In this way, the exalted Christ answers the threat of Israel’s sin to his Jewish symbolic universe
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