Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Working mom'

The aim of this essay is to investigate to which extent the novel Kvinnor och äppelträd by Moa Martinson can be classified as a polyphonic novel. The concept polyphony was established in literary theory by the Russian language theorist and literary critic Michail Bachtin in 1929, in his book Problems of Dostoevsky’s poetics. In order to understand and comprehend the concept of polyphony I have used an interpretation due to the literature scholar Robyn McCallum. She notes that the characters in a polyphonic novel function as focalizers. All fictional characters create their own basis of social, cultural and ideological opinions and values, from which they provide their particular perspective on the story. Therefore, when fictional characters and their socio-ideological viewpoints intersect, a rather complex structure of interaction, dialogues and intersubjectivity is created between them.  Kvinnor och äppelträd is according to the most prominent scholar in the field, Ebba Witt-Brattström, a polyphonic novel. Her presumption is based upon the plurality of voices that is expressed in the novel, and the ambiguous interaction between them. However, to the best of my knowledge, no profound investigation of the novel’s polyphonic structure has yet been undertaken, and therefore this essay is dedicated to this task. For this purpose I have performed an analysis of the narratology in the novel, resulting in the overall conclusion that Kvinnor och äppelträd is indeed a polyphonic novel. Since the concept of polyphony also implies a modernistic feature, one can discuss the fact that Kvinnor och äppelträd has been classified as working class literature, and not modernistic literature. The final conclusion of the essay is that the complex polyphonic structure of the novel, and its controversial and pioneering content, have been underestimated and ignored. Regarding this aspect Moa Martinson should have been categorized under the Swedish literary modernism.

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The objectives of present study were (1) to investigate whether individual differences in working memory capacity of L2 low-proficiency learners predict listening comprehension performance in a Cambridge proficiency exam (KET - Key English Test); and (2) to investigate whether learners improve their KET scores after two months of explicit training focusing on listening strategies. Participants included two groups of adult students (24 students in total) of English as a foreign language. The students were from an English Language Course in Porto Alegre. All students were Brazilian native speakers of Portuguese and were enrolled in classes that focus on the preparation for the Cambridge proficiency test. In the first part of the experiment the 24 adult students of English performed a working memory span test called BAMT-UFMG. In the second part of the experiment the experimental group (fourteen subjects in total), was administered two months (15 classes) of explicit training. The control group (ten subjects in total) was not given any training on listening strategies. The hypotheses of the study were: individual differences in working memory capacity would predict listening comprehension performance in the KET tasks; subjects would improve their scores in the KET tasks after 2 months of explicit training and awareness raising of listening strategies. The two hypotheses were confirmed. Individual differences in working memory capacity predicted listening comprehension performance in the KET tasks, r = . 66 and p<0. 001 for the “working memory task”, r = . 38 and p< . 031 for the “Sentence comprehension task” and r = . 87 and p<. 0001 for “short term memory/speed of processing task. ” Subjects differed in their scores in the KET tasks after 2 months of explicit training and awareness raising of listening strategies, z = -1. 96 (Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test for independent samples).The scores of the experimental group increased 14% after 2 months of explicit training on listening strategies, whereas the scores of the control group decreased 3%. Therefore, we believe that the present study contributed to research on the relationship between working memory capacity and listening comprehension in beginning L2 English learners. The study also corroborates the findings on individual differences in working memory capacity of Daneman and Carpenter (1980) and Just and Carpenter (1992), who state that the nature of a person's language comprehension depends on his or her working memory capacity.
Os objetivos do presente estudo foram (1) investigar se as diferenças individuais na capacidade de memória de trabalho de aprendizes de Inglês como L2 com baixa proficiência poderiam prever o desempenho em tarefas de compreensão oral em um exame de proficiência da Universidade de Cambridge (KET - Key English Test), e (2) se os alunos iriam melhorar seus escores no exame de proficiência KET após dois meses de treinamento explícito em estratégias de compreensão oral. Dois grupos de aprendizes adultos de Inglês como língua estrangeira, (24 alunos no total) participaram deste estudo. Os aprendizes são alunos de um curso de Inglês em Porto Alegre. Todos os alunos são brasileiros falantes nativos de Português e estavam tendo aulas de preparação para o teste de proficiência de Cambridge KET. Na primeira parte do experimento os 24 participantes da presente pesquisa foram submetidos a um teste que mede a capacidade de memória de trabalho, chamado BAMT-UFMG. Na segunda parte do experimento o grupo experimental (14 indivíduos no total) recebeu dois meses (15 aulas) de treinamento explícito em estratégias de compreensão oral. O grupo controle (10 indivíduos no total) não obteve nenhum tipo de treinamento explícito em estratégias de compreensão oral. Tínhamos duas hipóteses a serem confirmadas. As hipóteses eram que as diferenças individuais na capacidade de memória de trabalho de aprendizes de Inglês como L2 com baixa proficiência seriam preditoras de desempenho em tarefas de compreensão oral em exames de proficiência, e que os alunos iriam melhorar seus escores no exame de proficiência KET (Key English Test) após dois meses de treinamento explícito em estratégias de compreensão oral.As duas hipóteses foram confirmadas. As diferenças individuais na capacidade de memória de trabalho foram preditoras de desempenho nas tarefas de compreensão oral do exame KET, apresentando uma correlação de r = 0,66 e p <0,0002245 para a tarefa de Memória de Trabalho, r = . 38 e p< . 031 para a tarefa “Compreensão de Frases” e r = 0,87 e p <0,0000001 pela tarefa "Lista de Palavras”. Os participantes tiveram escores diferentes nas tarefas de compreensão oral do exame KET após 2 meses de treinamento explícito em estratégias de compreensão oral, apresentando o valor de z = -1. 96 ( resultado do teste não paramétrico intitulado “Soma de Postos de Wilcoxon para amostras independentes”). Os escores do grupo experimental aumentaram 14% após os 2 meses de treinamento explícito em estratégia de compreensão oral, enquanto que os escores do grupo controle diminuíram 3%. Portanto, acreditamos que o presente estudo contribuiu para a investigação sobre a relação entre a capacidade de memória de trabalho e compreensão oral em aprendizes de L2 com baixa proficiência. O estudo também corrobora as conclusões sobre as diferenças individuais na capacidade de memória de trabalho apresentadas por Daneman e Carpenter (1980) e Just e Carpenter (1992), os quais afirmam que a natureza da compreensão escrita e oral de uma pessoa depende de sua capacidade de memória de trabalho.

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Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that induces behavioral changes in rodents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of infection by T. gondii during the chronic phase in working memory and impulsivity in rodents as well as the effect of antipsychotics to reverse any behavioral changes resulting from infection. Female Wistar rats (n = 40) were infected with 25 cysts of the strain ME-49 T. gondii after 4 months the animals were subjected to behavioral tests: tolerance to delay gratification, in which the animal must choose between two rewards, a smaller and more immediate, but delayed and the test of spontaneous alternation, in which the animal must use spatial cues to remember previously visited arms. Antipsychotic drugs were intraperitoneally administered during the testing of the behavioral experiments, the antipsychotic is haloperidol (1.5 mg / kg) administered 60 min before the start of the session and the antipsychotic clozapine (2.5 mg / kg) 30 min before. Animals infected with the parasite did not show operating deficits of memory, and motor impairment did not develop, however motor impairment was observed only in animals treated with haloperidol. It was found that administration of clozapine and haloperidol increased the percentage of alternation in infected and control groups in task switching espont?nea.N?o no distinction between control animals and infected the test of tolerance to delay gratification in relation to the percentage of choices greatest reward, during the pre-training and training, in which there is a delay of 15 s to access the great reward, however it was observed that infected animals prefer the greatest reward, when there is a delay of 30 s when compared to control group. The administration of clozapine possible that infected animals chose the greatest reward in the delay of 30 seconds during the test. These data suggest that infected mice do not exhibit deficits in working memory and that clozapine has therapeutic efficacy in improving cognitive performance of mice infected
O Toxoplasma gondii ? um protozo?rio parasito que induz altera??es comportamentais em roedores. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o efeito da infec??o pelo T.gondii durante a fase cr?nica na mem?ria operacional e na impulsividade de roedores, bem como o efeito de antipsic?ticos em reverter as eventuais altera??es comportamentais decorrentes da infec??o. Ratos wistar f?meas (n=40) foram infectadas com 25 cistos da cepa ME-49 do T. gondii, ap?s 4 meses os animais foram submetidos aos testes comportamentais: toler?ncia ao retardo de gratifica??o, na qual o animal deve escolher entre duas recompensas, uma menor imediata e uma maior, mas com retardo e o teste de altern?ncia espont?nea, na qual o animal deve utilizar pistas espaciais para recordar bra?os previamente visitados. Os antipsicoticos foram administrados via intraperitoneal durante a fase teste dos experimentos comportamentais, sendo o antipsic?tico haloperidol (1,5 mg/kg) administrado 60 min antes do inicio das sess?es e o antipsic?tico clozapina (2,5 mg/kg) 30 min antes. Os animais infectados com o parasito n?o apresentaram d?ficits de memoria operacional, e n?o desenvolveram preju?zo motor, no entanto foi observado preju?zo motor apenas nos animais tratados com haloperidol. Foi verificado que a administra??o de clozapina e haloperidol aumentou a porcentagem de alterna??o em grupos controle e infectado na tarefa de altern?ncia espont?nea.N?o existe distin??o entre animais do grupo controle e infectado no teste de toler?ncia ao retardo de gratifica??o em rela??o a porcentagem de escolhas pela maior recompensa, durante as fases de pr?-treinamento e treinamento, no qual existe um retardo de 15 s para o acesso da grande recompensa, no entanto foi verificado que animais infectados preferem a maior recompensa, quando existe um retardo de 30 s quando comparado ao grupo controle. A administra??o da clozapina possibilitou que os animais infectados escolhessem a maior recompensa, no retardo de 30s na fase teste. Estes dados sugerem que ratos infectados n?o apresentam d?ficits de mem?ria operacional e que a clozapina apresenta efic?cia terap?utica em melhorar o desempenho cognitivo de ratos infectados

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) balances defence policy aspirations and available resources through the capability planning process. Arguably, the cornerstone of this process is the cross-functional integration of skills and capabilities across defence. This is realised through a construct of Virtual Teams (VTs) called Capability Planning Groups (CPGs). Literature on the topic of interpersonal trust in VTs highlights the development of trust as a key element, if not the most significant, in pursuing desired outcomes. Furthermore, literature on this topic, in a defence context, is scarce. This thesis undertakes a specific research approach, in accordance with its aim: To develop a critical analysis of interpersonal trust determinants in VTs, working in capability planning for the identification of capability gaps or needs, to provide required future military capability. Consequently, three research questions are investigated: What are the pertinent determinants of interpersonal trust in the CPG?; What, if any, are the issues surrounding those determinants within the CPG?; and, What risks are there, beyond the interpersonal relationships, which could influence the trust behaviour of CPG members? A critical review of pertinent literature is followed by the development of a research methodology under a phenomenological paradigm. Building from this, fieldwork was undertaken in two phases. As a result of semi-structured interviews to the members of a number of CPGs, the way in which interpersonal trust is generically perceived was conceptualised, and confirmation of the interpersonal trust determinants considered in an adapted model of interpersonal trust in CPGs was provided. In addition, a cross-case analysis allowed the integration of the data gathered, in order to identify target areas to be covered in the second wave of data collection. Subsequently, in Phase II, information was gathered through a survey questionnaire addressed to the whole population under consideration, in order to increase the robustness of the study, by confirming and providing further insights about key issues identified, as well as underpinning more powerful conclusions. From this, interpersonal trust determinants pertaining to the CPGs, as well as the issues and risks regarding interpersonal trust, were asserted. A major finding was the conceptualisation of these issues and risks, because they are critical in determining if a specific behaviour will be taken. Moreover, as highlighted in the Defence Reform Report (2011), some of these are already identified as very real concerns, and appear as structural or enduring problems at MOD level. These elements are deemed a central focus for future research, because of their significance as contextual variables that have to be addressed in order to stimulate interpersonal trust and, consequently, improve performance in the CPGs. As the use of VTs is considered most likely to increase over time in MOD organisations, the findings from this research will be useful to all personnel involved in capability planning, and other cross-functional activities. In particular, it could inform the design of organisational processes and systems as capability management is taken forward. Finally, the issues and risks associated with such virtual trust are asserted as not believed to be a manifestation of dysfunctional strategic planning because defence organisations can have clarity of purpose, can have clear direction, and yet still send competing messages. Paradoxically, that is the weakness of being strong. The analysis suggests that action has to be taken in order to stimulate interpersonal trust, because it is important to avoid or mitigate negative effects of contextual variables influencing CPGs. To this end, it is crucial to understand the role that interpersonal trust plays in the cross-functional work that is critical for the successful integration of skills and capabilities, and to ensure that people involved in capability planning and other cross-functional activities are assisted in understanding the nature of this challenging and complex context.

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Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES
Introduction: Child development in adverse environments and conditions, such as with the lack of economic resources or with parental care deprivation, is considered a major risk factor for neurological and psychiatric diseases. Altered cognitive processing is thought to mediate this relationship, however, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the effects of early adverse experiences on cognition have not yet been fully revealed. Evidence indicates that dopaminergic neurotransmission and the corticotrophinergic system have important functions in the neurobiology of decision-making and risk assessment, which are cognitive processes associated with the functionality of the cerebral cortex. Similarly, working memory is another cognitive domain that underlies cortical activity, and some studies indicate that alterations in neuroimmunologic signaling may contribute to the decline of these higher order cognitive functions. Objectives: To investigate the effects of impoverished housing conditions during early life on risk assessment processing and its associated cortical neurobiological and epigenetic mechanisms in C57BL/6 adolescent mice. In addition, we investigated the effects maternal care deprivation during early life, and the effects of systemic activation of the toll-type receptor (TLR)-3 on working memory performance, and its associated cortical neurobiological mechanisms in male BALB/c mice. Methods: Two studies with rodent experimental models were proposed. The first study used a model of impoverished housing from the postnatal day (P) 2 to P9. During adolescence, risk assessment was investigated using a behavioral paradigm that explores the conflict between two biologically relevant stimuli: the motivation to consume a sweet and highly palatable solution while being threatened by predatory olfactory cues. The expression of dopaminergic (Drd1, Drd2) and corticotrophinergic (Cfr, Crfr1) genes in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were investigated by real-time PCR. The accumulation of histone marks (H3K9me3, H3R2me2s) were assessed at the promoter region of genes associated with behavioral outcomes. In addition, plasma corticosterone levels were assessed by ELISA. In the second study, a rodent model of maternal care deprivation from P2 to P15 was applied. During adolescence, animals were injected with a TLR-3 agonist, which is a viral receptor implicated with inflammatory signaling, and then tested in a working memory task. The expression of pro-inflammatory genes (Nfkb1, Il6 and Tnf-?) and the receptor itself (Tlr3), were performed in the mPFC by real-time PCR. Results: In the first study, we found increased anxiety-like behavior, increased HPA axis response to stress and impaired RA processing in female adolescent mice, with no effect in males. These sex-specific effects were associated with increased Crfr1 mRNA expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), which correlated with an increase in the occupancy of the histone mark H3R2me2s, a histone modification known to be involved in transcriptional activation and epigenetic priming, within the promoter of the Crfr1 gene. In the second study, we found that systemic administration of a TLR-3 agonist can modulate and exacerbate early life stress induced working memory impairments, and that higher gene expression levels of Nfkb1 in the mPFC was associated a lower working memory performance. Conclusions: The findings of the first study indicated a deleterious effect of impoverished housing exposure on risk assessment processing in females, which could be detrimental for cognitive performance in potentially dangerous situations, and suggest that the epigenetic priming of the Crfr1 gene may represent a critical factor mediating the relationship between early life stress and altered cognitive processing later in life in females. Finally, the findings of the second study demonstrated that the systemic activation of TLR-3 can induce working memory impairments, revealing an important mediating role of the neuroinflammatory signalling in the cerebral cortex associated with the cognitive changes resulting from maternal care deprivation exposure during early in life.
Introdu??o: O desenvolvimento infantil em ambientes e condi??es adversas, como frente a escassez de recursos econ?micos ou de cuidado parental, ? considerado fator de risco para doen?as neurol?gicas e psiqui?tricas. Altera??es em processos cognitivos parecem mediar esta rela??o, contudo, os mecanismos neurobiol?gicos adjacentes aos efeitos de experi?ncias adversas precoces sobre a cogni??o ainda n?o foram completamente revelados. Evid?ncias apontam que a neurotransmiss?o dopamin?rgica e o sistema corticotrofin?rgico possuem importantes fun??es na neurobiologia da tomada de decis?o e avalia??o do risco, que s?o processos cognitivos associados a funcionalidade do c?rtex cerebral. Similarmente, a mem?ria de trabalho ? outro dom?nio cognitivo que envolve atividade cortical, e alguns estudos apontam que altera??es na sinaliza??o neuroimunol?gica podem contribuir para o decl?nio destas fun??es cognitivas superiores. Objetivos: Investigar o efeito da exposi??o a moradia empobrecida na inf?ncia sobre o processamento cognitivo de avalia??o do risco e mecanismos neurobiol?gicos e epigen?ticos corticais associados em camundongos adolescentes da linhagem C57BL/6. Al?m disso, investigar o efeito da priva??o do cuidado materno na inf?ncia e da ativa??o sist?mica do receptor do tipo toll (TLR)-3 sobre a mem?ria de trabalho e mecanismos neurobiol?gicos corticais associados em camundongos machos adolescentes da linhagem BALB/c. M?todos: Foram propostos dois estudos com modelos experimentais murinos. O primeiro estudo utilizou um modelo de moradia empobrecida do dia p?s-natal (P) 2 ao P9. Quando os animais encontravam-se no per?odo da adolesc?ncia, o processamento de avalia??o do risco foi investigado por uma tarefa que explora um conflito entre dois est?mulos biologicamente fundamentais na vida de um roedor, a motiva??o de consumir uma solu??o doce e altamente palat?vel (leite condensado) tendo que se expor a pistas olfativas de um predador natural, o coiote. Os n?veis de express?o de genes dopamin?rgicos (Drd1, Drd2) e corticotrofin?rgicos (Cfr, Crfr1) no c?rtex medial pr?-frontal (mPFC) foram investigados por PCR em tempo real. Os n?veis de altera??es de histonas (H3K9me3, H3R2me2s) foram avaliados na regi?o promotora de genes associados aos desfechos comportamentais. Adicionalmente, os n?veis de corticosterona plasm?tica foram avaliados por ELISA. No segundo estudo, o modelo de adversidade utilizado foi o de priva??o do cuidado materno do P2 ao P15. Similarmente, quando os animais encontravam-se no per?odo da adolesc?ncia, ocorreu a administra??o sist?mica de um agonista de TLR-3, um receptor viral relacionado a sinaliza??o inflamat?ria, e posteriormente os animais foram testados em uma tarefa de mem?ria de trabalho. Os n?veis de express?o g?nica de genes pr?-inflamat?rios (Nfkb1, Il6 e Tnf-?) e do pr?prio receptor (Tlr3), foram avaliados no mPFC por PCR em tempo real. Resultados: no primeiro estudo, observou-se um aumento de comportamentos do tipo ansioso, maior responsividade do eixo Hipot?lamo-Pituit?ria-Adrenal (HPA) e uma diminui??o do processamento de avalia??o do risco nas f?meas expostas a moradia empobrecida, ao passo que n?o ocorreram altera??es nos animais machos. A diminui??o de avalia??o do risco foi associada a um aumento na express?o de Crfr1 no mPFC, o que se correlacionou com um aumento dos n?veis de H3R2me2s na regi?o promotora deste gene. No segundo estudo, observou-se que a ativa??o sist?mica de TLR-3 exacerbou os preju?zos de mem?ria de trabalho decorrentes da exposi??o a priva??o do cuidado materno, e este efeito correlacionou-se aos n?veis de express?o de Nfkb1 no mPFC. Conclus?es: os achados do estudo 1 indicam um efeito delet?rio da exposi??o a moradia prec?ria na inf?ncia sobre o processamento de avalia??o do risco em f?meas, revelando um preju?zo espec?fico referente ao engajamento cognitivo frente a situa??es potencialmente perigosas. Al?m disso, evidenciou-se um efeito a n?vel epigen?tico de regula??o da express?o cortical de Crfr1, indicando um importante papel deste gene sobre a rela??o entre pobreza na inf?ncia e altera??es cognitivas em f?meas adolescentes. Por fim, os achados do estudo 2 demonstraram que a ativa??o sist?mica do TLR-3 pode exacerbar os preju?zos de mem?ria de trabalho induzidos pelo estresse precoce, revelando um papel mediador da sinaliza??o neuroinflamat?ria no c?rtex cerebral relacionada as altera??es cognitivas decorrentes da exposi??o a priva??o do cuidado materno.

This thesis is a theoretical-historical attribute and focuses on the theory of classes and class conflict, on the genesis of the concept of class. The thesis will analyze the authors and directions-schools that have had an impact on the ideological founder of the concept Karl Marx and also how they developed their thinking. Marx nor any other author of the term "class, classes, class" never clearly defined. It is a historical and sociological perspective on the concept of "class", which is often defined differently, and still there is any clear definition, which would approve whole academic community. In modern societies, the term "class" is not used so often and has been replaced by the concept of social stratification. In recent years, the "classes" being discussed by worldwide experts, but the solution is still not found. Nevertheless, this work is optimistic and the author clearly advocates that the term "class" will not vanish from professional sociological discourse.

This thesis is a theoretical-historical attribute and focuses on the theory of classes and class conflict, on the genesis of the concept of class. The thesis will analyze the authors and directions-schools that have had an impact on the ideological founder of the concept Karl Marx and also how they developed their thinking. Marx nor any other author of the term "class, classes, class" never clearly defined. It is a historical and sociological perspective on the concept of "class", which is often defined differently, and still there is any clear definition, which would approve whole academic community. In modern societies, the term "class" is not used so often and has been replaced by the concept of social stratification. In recent years, the "classes" being discussed by worldwide experts, but the solution is still not found. Nevertheless, this work is optimistic and the author clearly advocates that the term "class" will not vanish from professional sociological discourse.