Academic literature on the topic '4405 Gender studies'

Abstract Abstract 4405 Sambuceti, et al. (Eur. J. Nuclear Med Mol Imaging, Aug, 2012. 39: 1326–1338) used a computational FDG PET/CT model to estimate the volume of the bone marrow space and specifically “Red” or actively hematopoetic marrow in 102 nonmetastatic melanoma patients. 34.9 percent of all marrow space was estimated to be populated by “Red” Marrow. There was no associated pathologic bone marrow or peripheral blood count correlation of this FDG PET/CT model. In an attempt to define pathologic correlation of the findings of Sambuceti et al., 102 consecutive pathologic samples of femoral hip replacements were evaluated for their “Red” Marrow content and correlated with the patient's peripheral blood counts. The patients reviewed did not have active carcinoma or recent exposure to chemotherapeutic agents. 48/104(47.1%) of the samples obtained contained active “Red” Marrow”upon microscopic evaluation of femoral head and shaft samples stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin. Of these samples “Red' Marrow averaged 5.05 percent of the pathologic sample volume (range 0–40%) as opposed to 20–30 percent of the estimated bone marrow segmental space calculated to be populated by “Red” Marrow heads of long bones as defined by the FDG PET/CT model. In this study patient gender, height, BMI, weight, red marrow cellularity, peripheral white blood cell counts, platelets, hemoglobin, hematocrit, creatinine did not predict the extent of “Red” Marrow volume. Many variables may affect the results of these studies including: spotty metabolic activity of the marrow, clinical inflammatory effects of bone marrow in long bone heads, pathologic sampling errors, low study power, sample preparation and patient selection. Although there was no clear explanation for this overestimation of pathologic-FDG PET signal, the age of the populations were significantly different (55.9 years old in Sambuceti et al and 62.4 years old in this study). Age was found to have a significant correlation with “Red “Marrow volume in the Sambuceti et al study. The FDG PET scan evaluation may overestimate metabolic activity of “Red” Marrow and thus run the risk of obscuring other bone pathology. Therefore, prospective PET/CT-pathologic-clinical correlation studies are warranted in light of the prognostic, therapeutic, and diagnostic importance of “Red“Marrow activity in FDG PET/CT clinical staging of oncologic disease. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

The aim of this research is to investigate the 5th grade students’ attitude towards social studies course regarding several variables. The population of the study consisted of 4435 fifth grade students studying in public schools in Malatya, Yesilyurt. The sample group consisted of 362 students from 10 schools in the same district. The data used in this study were obtained from the social studies attitude scale and was analyzed with SPSS program. As a result of this research, 5th grade students have a positive attitudes towards social studies lesson and this attitudes are different according to 5th students’ teachers’ gender, type of school, fall semester points, but this attitudes is the same considering 5th grade students’ gender, parents’ level of education and taking social studies course.

The goal of this paper is to study several YA novels by Chicana writer Gloria Velásquez, the Roosevelt High School series (1994-2018), as an educating tool within the framework of multicultural education. The analysis takes into account Velásquez’s choice of problematic situations (related to racism, sexism, or homophobic harassment, among others) and the solutions her novels propose, which include both individual responses and community-organized measures. Special attention is given to the criticism according to which Velásquez’s Latinx and multi-ethnic characters are steeped in stereotypes, which would cancel the books’ potential capacity to inspire social change. In contrast with this negative vision, this paper proves that Velásquez’s series offers empowering role models for teen Latinxs of various ethnic backgrounds and effectively calls for the neutralization of race, class and gender stereotypes, thus contributing to the implementation of Jesse Jackson’s 1984 proposal that ethnic minorities should form a “rainbow coalition”.

Background. The early detection of wearing-off in Parkinson disease (DEEP) observational study demonstrated that women with Parkinson’s disease (PD) carry an increased risk (80.1%) for wearing-off (WO). This post hoc analysis of DEEP study evaluates gender differences on WO and associated phenomena.Methods. Patients on dopaminergic treatment for ≥1 year were included in this multicenter observational cross-sectional study. In a single visit, WO was diagnosed based on neurologist assessment as well as the use of the 19-item wearing-off questionnaire (WOQ-19); WO was defined for scores ≥2. Post hoc analyses were conducted to investigate gender difference for demographic and clinical features with respect to WO.Results. Of 617 patients enrolled, 236 were women and 381 were men. Prevalence of WO was higher among women, according to both neurologists’ judgment (61.9% versus 53.8%,P=0.045) and the WOQ-19 analysis (72.5% versus 64.0%,P=0.034). In patients with WO (WOQ-19), women experienced ≥1 motor symptom in 72.5% versus 64.0% in men and ≥1 nonmotor symptom in 44.5% versus 36.7%, in men.Conclusions. Our results suggest WO as more common among women, for both motor and nonmotor symptoms. Prospective studies are warranted to investigate this potential gender-effect.

Background: Physical performance in the older adult has been extensively studied. However, only a few studies have evaluated physical performance among older adults of high Andean populations and none have studied the factors associated with it. The objective of this study was to evaluate factors associated with poor physical performance by using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) in older adults living in 11 Peruvian high Andean communities. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out in inhabitants aged 60 or over from 11 high-altitude Andean communities of Peru during 2013-2017. Participants were categorized in two groups according to their SPPB score: poor physical performance (0-6 points) and medium/good physical performance (7-12 points). Additionally, we collected socio-demographic, medical, functional and cognitive assessment information. Poisson regression models were constructed to identify factors associated with poor physical performance. Prevalence ratio (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (95 CI%) are presented. Results: A total of 407 older adults were studied. The average age was 73.0 ± 6.9 years (range: 60-94 years) and 181 (44.5%) participants had poor physical performance (0-6 points). In the adjusted Poisson regression analysis, the factors associated with poor physical performance were: female gender (PR=1.29; 95%CI: 1.03-1.61), lack of social support (PR=2.10; 95%CI: 1.17-3.76), number of drugs used (PR=1.09; 95%CI: 1.01-1.17), urinary incontinence (PR=1.45; 95%CI: 1.16-1.82), exhaustion (PR=1.35; 95%CI: 1.03-1.75) and cognitive impairment (PR=1.89; 95%CI: 1.40-2.55). Conclusions: Almost half of the population evaluated had poor physical performance based on the SPPB. Factors that would increase the possibility of suffering from poor physical performance were: female gender, lack of social support, number of drugs used, urinary incontinence, exhaustion and cognitive impairment. Future studies with a larger sample and longitudinal follow-up are needed to design beneficial interventions for the high Andean population.

Background: Physical performance in the older adult has been extensively studied. However, only a few studies have evaluated physical performance among older adults of high Andean populations and none have studied the factors associated with it. The objective of this study was to evaluate factors associated with poor physical performance by using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) in older adults living in 11 Peruvian high Andean communities. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out in inhabitants aged 60 or over from 11 high-altitude Andean communities of Peru during 2013-2017. Participants were categorized in two groups according to their SPPB score: poor physical performance (0-6 points) and medium/good physical performance (7-12 points). Additionally, we collected socio-demographic, medical, functional and cognitive assessment information. Poisson regression models were constructed to identify factors associated with poor physical performance. Prevalence ratio (PR) with 95% confidence intervals (95 CI%) are presented. Results: A total of 407 older adults were studied. The average age was 73.0 ± 6.9 years (range: 60-94 years) and 181 (44.5%) participants had poor physical performance (0-6 points). In the adjusted Poisson regression analysis, the factors associated with poor physical performance were: female gender (PR=1.29; 95%CI: 1.03-1.61), lack of social support (PR=2.10; 95%CI: 1.17-3.76), number of drugs used (PR=1.09; 95%CI: 1.01-1.17), urinary incontinence (PR=1.45; 95%CI: 1.16-1.82), exhaustion (PR=1.35; 95%CI: 1.03-1.75) and cognitive impairment (PR=1.89; 95%CI: 1.40-2.55). Conclusions: Almost half of the population evaluated had poor physical performance based on the SPPB. Factors that would increase the possibility of suffering from poor physical performance were: female gender, lack of social support, number of drugs used, urinary incontinence, exhaustion and cognitive impairment. Future studies with a larger sample and longitudinal follow-up are needed to design beneficial interventions for the high Andean population.

The myostatin (MSTN) gene was studied as a candidate genetic marker for growth traits. We investigated polymorphisms of the MSTN gene in 664 individuals from four goat populations and applied PCR-SSCP and DNA sequencing analysis to reveal two single nucleotide polymorphisms (DQ167575: g.368A>C (p.Lys49Thr) and g.4911C>T. At g.368A>Clocus, the frequencies of g.368A allele were 0.75–0.81, and the frequencies of g.368C allele were 0.19–0.25. At g.4911C>T locus, the frequencies of g.4911C allele were 0.76–0.82, and frequencies of g.4911T allele were 0.18–0.24. Compared to the female goats with AC genotype, those with AA genotype had superior body weight in Boer goats (15.69 ± 0.28 vs. 14.51 ± 0.31, P < 0.05) and F₁ generation of Boer × Guanzhong dairy goats (19.39 ± 0.34 vs. 18.27 ± 0.33, P < 0.05). In addition, the female goats with AA genotype (45.80 ± 0.33 cm) had greater withers height than those with AC genotype (44.78 ± 0.36 cm) in F₂ generation of Boer × Guanzhong dairy goats (P < 0.05). Hence, the biochemical and physiological functions along with the results obtained in our investigation suggest that the MSTN gene might play an important role in affecting the growth traits in goats. 

Aim/Purpose: The purpose of the study is to examine and understand the attitude of Kazakhstani universities’ instructors towards ICT integration into the curriculum and to find out the relationship between instructors’ attitudes towards ICT and their actual usage of ICT for teaching and learning processes. Background: The Kazakhstani government has taken initiatives and developed state programs to integrate information communication technologies (ICT) into all levels of education. According to previous research studies, instructors’ negative attitude towards ICT integration into curriculum can affect the implementation of ICT-related initiatives in education including higher education. Therefore, this research study examines the attitudes of Kazakhstani higher education instructors towards ICT integration into curriculum. Methodology: The study implemented an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. For quantitative and qualitative data collection paper-based questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used, respectively. Convenience sampling was conducted, and the sample consisted of 102 instructors working in two universities in Kazakhstan. In quantitative data analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics were used; Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient was used to identify the relationship between variables. Contribution: Understanding instructors’ attitude towards ICT in education and exploring reasons behind attitudes might be beneficial in accomplishing aims and purposes of governmental ICT-related programs in the higher education system. Findings: Quantitative data analysis reveals that instructors generally possess positive to very positive attitude towards using ICT in education. Instructors often use simple basic tools such as multimedia presentation software; however, they very rarely use more advanced tools such as discipline-oriented software. No statistically significant relationship was found between attitude and advanced ICT tools. Qualitative data analysis identifies several barriers to ICT usage: insufficient or lack of provision of ICT tools and software, lack of technical support, and lack of technical knowledge among instructors. Recommendations for Practitioners: As a result of the study, it is firstly recommended to university administrations to create and add positions of information technology (IT) specialists, to each department and on a permanent basis. Secondly, it is recommended to provide faculty members with training courses that focus on ICT in pedagogy. Thirdly, universities could ask for guidance from their existing faculty members who are advanced ICT integrators, that is to say, collegial learning should be encouraged more strongly. Finally, universities are recommended to reward those faculty members who are active and effective in their attempts to integrate ICT into teaching. Future Research: As I was not able to interview those instructors who possessed negative attitude towards ICT in education, I would recommend filling this gap in the future. Interviewing instructors who are reluctant to integrate ICT into teaching can help identify more issues related to using ICT in education which were not discovered in the current research study. Also, the current research study did not investigate instructors’ attitudes in relation to their demographic background. Further research studies can examine how instructors’ age, gender, place of study, place of work, academic degree, or subject area of teaching influence their attitude towards using ICT in education and their actual usage of ICT in teaching practices.

Background. Elevated B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a hallmark in heart failure (HF). Diabetic patients with chronic HF seem to have higher BNP than nondiabetics. We studied, in acute HF, if BNP levels are different between diabetics and nondiabetics. Methods. From a prospectively recruited population of acute HF patients, we selected a convenience sample. In pair-matched analysis, each diabetic patient was matched with a nondiabetic of the same age (±1 year), gender, and according to left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Diabetics and nondiabetics were compared. Cox-regression analysis was used to analyse the prognostic impact of diabetes. Results. We studied 328 patients, mean age: 78 years, 44.5% male. Diabetics were more often hypertensive and had ischemic HF; they had higher body mass index, lower haemoglobin, and worse renal function. Diabetics were more often discharged on ACE inhibitors/ARB, antiplatelet therapy, and statins. Neither admission nor discharge BNP values differed between diabetics and pair-matched nondiabetics. One-year mortality was also nondifferent between pairs of diabetics and nondiabetics: 44 (26.8%) and 46 (28.0%), respectively. HR for 1-year mortality in diabetics was 1.00 (95% CI: 0.82–1.24) compared with nondiabetics. Conclusions. HF patients with diabetes have similar neurohumoral activation when compared with nondiabetics. One-year mortality is also nondifferent after matching for age, gender, and systolic function.

Background: The incidence of Achilles tendon ruptures specific to the North American population has not been previously reported and current epidemiological data are primarily reported from European communities. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of Achilles tendon ruptures in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and to compare this data to those reported in European studies. Methods: A retrospective chart review from all five acute care hospitals in Edmonton from 1998 to 2002 (inclusive) were reviewed for Achilles tendon ruptures. Data such as gender, age, side, mechanism of injury, and season of injury were obtained. Results: The incidence of Achilles tendon ruptures ranged from an annual average of 5.5 ruptures to 9.9 ruptures per 100,000 inhabitants with an overall mean of 8.3 ruptures per 100,000 people. There was a statistically significant difference in Achilles tendon ruptures over the last two study years for both genders (women, p < 0.02; men, p < 0.03). The mean age for an Achilles tendon rupture was 40.6 years for men and 44.5 years for women. The Achilles tendon ruptures occurred most frequently in the 30 to 39 and 40 to 49 year old age groups in both men and women, respectively ( p < 0.02). Most ruptures occurred in the spring season, but there was no statistical difference in the incidence of Achilles tendon ruptures by season ( p > 0.05). Conclusions: The incidence of Achilles tendon ruptures in this community was comparable to those reported in European communities (range 6 to 37 ruptures per 100,000 people), although a bimodal age distribution of rupture previously reported was not observed in this study.

Latinas/os are one of the fastest growing and most heterogeneous minority ethnic groups in the US. One in 5 women in the US are Latina; by 2060, it is projected that Latinas will compose 1/3 of the female population. Latinas continue to experience disparities in sexual and reproductive health outcomes compared to non-Hispanic whites. While factors impacting undesirable consequences of sexual activity for Latinas have been well documented, Latinas' experiences with sexual satisfaction in the broader context of sexual health remains understudied, despite sexual satisfaction having been identified as an integral component of sexual health. A focus on positive sexual health outcomes for Latinas has the potential to challenge known stereotypes about Latina sexuality; specifically, those related to cultural constructs such as acculturation, machi­smo and Mariani­smo. Conversations about the positive aspects of sexuality and sexual wellbeing are largely absent from current social work literature, education and practice. Often times, cultural stereotypes about acculturation, machismo and mariani­smo are perpetuated through risk-based approaches to understanding Latina sexuality. This study seeks to provide insight into factors correlated with sexual satisfaction for Latinas and to increase understanding of differences and similarities amongst Latina subgroups with respect to sexual satisfaction. This study is informed by Intersectionality and Latina Critical Race Theory; these theoretical approaches inform the research methodology and interpretation of findings by centering Latina identities and challenging stereotypes about Latina sexuality through a focus on positive aspects of sexual well-being. This is a cross-sectional, secondary analysis of Wave IV data from the 2008 National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) study. Wave IV includes a sample of 287 adult Latina women, who identified as either Mexican (56.9%), Chicana (6.7%), Cuban (4.2%), Puerto Rican (13.8%), and/or Central American (11.7%) or "other" (12.9%), with some identifying as multi-racial. The mean age of participants is 28 years. ANOVA analysis identified no significant group differences amongst Latina subgroups with respect to sexual satisfaction. Bivariate correlations indicated statistically significant associations between sexual satisfaction and relationship satisfaction. After controlling for income, education and religion, multiple regression analyses showed that relationship satisfaction, number of vaginal sex partners, and frequency of sexual relations were significantly correlated with sexual satisfaction. The more frequent engagement in sexual activity, and the more sexual partners one has is correlated with higher levels of sexual satisfaction. This study contributes to our knowledge of Latina sexual health, especially our understanding of factors that impact sexual satisfaction. For Latina women, health promotion programs should be designed to enhance interpersonal relationships that are based on mutual respect and care, utilizing culturally relevant approaches. Findings of this study challenge stereotypical cultural constructs related to acculturation, machi­smo and mariani­smo. This study shows that quality relationships built on trust, communication and love are strongly correlated with sexual satisfaction, which in turn should impact overall health. These findings support the recognition of positive aspects of sexuality as a critical site of intersectionality as Latinas of all ethnic groups in this sample report high levels of sexual satisfaction, as well as relationship satisfaction and support health promotion and intervention intended to support the cultivation and maintenance of meaningful relationships for Latinas.

Uppsatsen är skriven i första hand som en betraktelse över sjalen i den svenska kontexten. Det grundläggande syftet med uppsatsen har varit att titta på

• Synen på sjalen - argumenten för och emot
• Sjalen som meningsbärande i det svenska samhället

Det övergripande målet med detta arbete har inte varit att skriva ännu en uppsats om den muslimska sjalen. Jag har valt bort material som rör sjalens kontext i andra länder. Jag har även valt bort användandet av koranen och bibeln som litteraturkällor.

Uppsatsens del I inleds med några stycken som tar upp:

• synen på sjalen i Sverige,
• sjalen i västerländsk kontext och
• integrationsverkets tabell vilken visar den syn som finns i samhället när det gäller ”muslimska kvinnor bärande sjal”.

Detta för att få en grund att utgå ifrån när jag sen tittar på argument för och emot sjalen i uppsatsens del II.

Jag ger i uppsatsens del III också en bild av medias roll i sjaldebatten, försöker visa på att nyhetsjournalistiken kring sjalen bidrar till att forma vår uppfattning i denna samhällsfråga.

Jag har gjort en liten empirisk studie genom att ställa fem frågor som jag e-postat till alla riksdagspartierna för att se vad partierna tar för ställning i sjaldebatten. Svaren på dessa frågor kan man läsa i uppsatsens del IV. Det framgår dock tydligt att alla riksdagspartierna har en ganska enhetlig ståndpunkt i sjaldebatten där man menar att alla ska kunna klä sig i enlighet med sin religiösa övertygelse.

In the last five years an increasing number of garment factories in Vietnam have relocated to rural areas in the country, as has also occurred in other countries in Southeast Asia. In large part, the purpose of this has been to recruit a workforce from the peasants currently working in family agriculture. Workers in these factories are mainly women who are older than 25 and have children. Some of these women had been working in factories in large cities who returned home. These factories also opened up employment opportunities for “left-behind” mothers, women who had never migrated out of their village. Previous research has explored why young women migrated to work in factories in cities, the ways they struggled with aspects of modern life in urban areas, how this changes their gender identity, and forms of exploitation they experienced. Rural women workers with children have rarely been included in these studies. Rural factory work is quite distinct, partly because women are able to stay in their homeplace while also working in the formal labour force. This thesis draws on feminist approaches, in particular Third World Feminism, to examine the ways women experience these changes and negotiate new roles in their families and communities because of this work. Further, the thesis examines how the move from family agriculture into the formal workforce creates cultural change in their communities. Using an ethnographic approach, I spent time in a Vietnamese village and during this time I worked alongside women to observe changes in this context and I conducted semi structured interviews with women factory workers. In this study I have occupied the role of both an “insider” and “outsider,” because I grew up in a village nearby but left many years ago. Thematic analysis was used to develop themes across the interviews, with fieldnotes providing thick description about the factory setting and community context. The shift to paid work has had a dramatic impact on the lives of these women workers. Women’s work is valued in a new way. Family agriculture was a form of ‘invisible’ work, but their work in the formal sector is valued as ‘real’ work, both by their families and their communities. This is the starting point for changes to individual, family and community roles and dynamics. This study shows that the factory becomes a public homeplace, a flexible working environment that has brought rural women together and strengthened the relationship between them. Mothering working women, as a result of increased income and a shifting social status, have become active powerholders and decision makers, resulting in increased agency (choice and control) over who they are, what they look like and how they resist, maintain, and negotiate their place and role in the family and community. Whilst women’s work in factories is exploitative, it opens up many possibilities for the women themselves and triggers an incremental change process that could have important flow on effects for their daughters’ generation.

Women’s road cycling is one of the oldest professional sports for women, yet current professional cyclists experience precarious labour conditions that relate to sexism, and lack of respect, recognition, and inclusion. Issues and challenges for women cyclists are often overshadowed by the sport’s much-celebrated progress of professionalism, for example, their inclusion in elite men’s races and a mandated minimum wage. My research questions are about how professional women cyclists and their labour are shaped and constrained by gender relations. This feminist ethnography includes two and a half years of fieldwork. The collected data consists of fieldnotes of participation in the local Melbourne, Australia road racing scene, and seven months of observations at the highest level of competition in elite road cycling in Europe – the Women’s World Tour. The voices of 15 elite and professional cyclists are included via the presentation of interview data. This data forms the backbone of this explicitly feminist study on professional women cyclists’ lived experiences. The methods and analysis were shaped by critical feminist theory and Raewyn Connell’s (1987, 2021) social constructionist gender framework. My findings show how the power of gender relations in the different sites of women’s cycling socialises women into a dominant masculine structure and culture that leads to the internalisation of socio-cultural norms that reinforce the current gender order. Women’s participation – even their progress in professional cycling – does not challenge the superior position of men in the field of cycling. This thesis explores the gender regimes of local and professional road cycling, women cyclists’ construction of labour, their suffering in the sport, and progress narratives that dominate the field. While resistance agency of women is also identified, gender and labour relations continue to be dominated by masculinity which constrains the impact of such practices. This research offers in-depth analysis of complex gender and labour relations that underlie the socio-cultural conditions that professional women cyclists are constantly exposed to.

This creative research project consists of a thesis and neo-noir film script entitled The Lonely Drive which explores the representation of women in neo-noir – a largely patriarchal genre that continues to perpetuate the male gaze and endorses female objectification. It aims to challenge neo-noir’s stereotypical gender roles through (re)presenting female (the femme fatale) and male (the detective) character archetypes. The Lonely Drive specifically explores some of the ways in which we can (re)present the femme fatale to promote her agency, activity, rationality and logic. It engages with the subversion of the male gaze to create a space in which to consider the concept of a female gaze in neo-noir. This thesis will use Laura Mulvey’s male gaze theory (1975) in conjunction with Judith Butler’s theory of performative acts (1988) as a lens through which to explore ways that we can step away from the male gaze and consider a way that affords the femme fatale of neo-noir a representation that is active, intelligent, logical and rational, rather than their current representation as passive, psychotic, hysterical and violent. Additionally, given that neo-noir is a genre, and bound by all the conventions of the genre, this thesis will look at whether it is possible to elevate the femme fatale from being an object without altering the genre so much that it is no longer considered a neo-noir. Moreover, if, as a result of elevating the femme fatale to driving and owning the narrative, meaning that she is not merely there to be looked at or to manipulate the hero toward his own demise, we stumble across what could potentially be described as a female gaze. Butler’s theory of gender performativity argues that gender identities are socially constructed, and that people are influenced by patriarchy to act out their gender identity in the way they have been socialised to. Butler argues that gender is not a stable identity, but that it is formed through the ‘stylised repetition’ of certain acts over time (reactions, gestures, movements, enactments) and that these acts are what constitutes the meaning of masculine and feminine identities. This repetition results in what Butler deems a ‘performative accomplishment’. By this, Butler is suggesting that gender is constructed and not an essentialized part of identity. Further, Butler argues that the repetitive acts are often ‘internally discontinuous’ – if examined, the acts in relation to one another are not coherent. Therefore, Butler suggests that by taking advantage of the gaps and discovering ‘the possibility of a different sort of repeating’ there is a possibility for subverting gender. Given that neo-noir is an inherently patriarchal genre, its representation of femininity is also patriarchal and helps to subconsciously inform society on how women should behave and what will happen if they transgress their traditional boundaries. This is problematic as it not only denies the chance for us to subvert traditional femininity and realize a ‘different sort of repeating’, but as the femme fatale is associated with negative character traits – passivity, irrationality, illogicality, hysteria – the preservation of this representation perpetuates the belief that these traits are inherently female. By using examples from film noir, classic and neo-noir, popular culture, and gender theory, this thesis argues for the need to investigate ways to (re)present the femme fatale in neo-noir to push the boundary further toward creating an active femme fatale empowered by her logic, intelligence, and rationality. This thesis acknowledges that problematic gender representations exist across all genres, yet this thesis will specifically focus on film noir due to its use of the male gaze and its patriarchal and exaggerated gender roles. This research is an original contribution to knowledge as it aims to conceptualise what an active, intelligent, rational, and logical femme fatale could look like theoretically and practically in a neo-noir script. Moreover, as The Lonely Drive’s femme fatales drive the narrative and control the gaze, and we are no longer looking through a male gaze, it provides us with an idea of what a female gaze in neo-noir might resemble.

This research analyses the relationship between gender diversity and financial performance within corporate boards of Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It is innovative in that it addresses a gap in prior research, which either fails to consider, or is inconclusive regarding the relationship between gender diversity and financial performance in the context of SMEs. The proportion of female representation is identified in prior literature as an important variable to measure board gender diversity. Accordingly, a gender diversity index has been developed. This study discusses the key theoretical perspectives underlying the gender diversity framework. The conceptual framework underpinning this study to test the hypotheses have been based on resource dependence theory, human capital theory, agency theory, upper echelon theory and critical mass theory. Hypotheses were developed to test relationships between: (1) gender diversity and firm innovation; (2) innovation and firm performance; and (3) the effect of gender diversity on firm performance. The potential moderating effect of innovation on the relationship between gender diversity and firm performance was also tested. The study further analysed the effect of situational and contextual factors associated with the organisational environment under which board decisions are made. The research design used a quantitative research method to test the two research questions and four hypotheses. The sample is consisted of 798 SME firms from 2014 to 2018. The study was extended to include association between gender diversity and performance for the subgroups of nine SME sectors. Data were extracted from the Orbis database and firm annual reports. Linear fixed model and adjusted mixed-effect models were used for data analysis. The primary independent variable is gender diversity, which is measured by Blau’s index; the dependent variable is firm performance, which is measured by return on assets(ROA), return on equity (ROE), return on capital employed (ROCE) and Tobin’s Q. This study used four control variables: firm size, board size, firm age, and leverage. The potential for innovation as a moderating variable was explored using the firms’ research and development (R&D) expenditure. The study found that the percentage of female board members was 24.94% in 2018 compared with 16.67% in 2014. The sector-wise performance data demonstrated no significant difference in firm performance with the presence of gender diversity (75% of performances across all sectors are positive but not statistically significant). There was no association between gender diversity and performance. Further, the potential effect of R&D expenditure as a moderator was not statistically significant. This study is innovative because no previous research on board gender diversity and its influence on listed SME performance, with innovation as a potential moderating variable, has been undertaken in the Australian setting. The findings of this study are consistent with prior research, where contradictory results or no results were found when investigating the effect of board diversity on performance. The analysis of the results shows some significant effects of gender diversity on financial performance, and it found no evidence of a significant negative link between board gender diversity and performance. Thus, the results do not contradict the case for the inclusion of female members in SME corporate boards. The effect of gender diversity may be different under different circumstances and at different times and across firms and time periods; the results may offset and produce no effect on firm performance.

Contemporary feminism is playing out in increasingly digitised ways as women utilise the Internet and social media to discuss, disseminate and debate key feminist ideas in women-centred dedicated spaces. The speed and scope of digital communications technologies has allowed for the mobilisation of individuals around issues of gender inequality on a global scale while simultaneously launching feminism into the cultural zeitgeist. The rapid pace of technological advancement, the seemingly endless integration of the Internet into our everyday lives, and the corporate colonisation of the digital sphere are all changing the ways in which people understand and interact with feminist thought. As such, the impact of the digital environment on the aims and ideologies of contemporary ‘networked’ feminist communities, and the politics of participation in networked social movements in general, require close scholarly interrogation. Using a case study approach, this research draws from the theoretical toolkit of Pierre Bourdieu in order to analyse the shape and nature of the largest networked feminist community on the social news website Reddit: r/TwoXChromosomes. Comment data collected directly from the 15 popular threads selected for analysis was enriched by moderation and administration guidelines framing the community and Reddit more broadly, providing a rich and multifaceted dataset on which a reflexive thematic content analysis was conducted. This study aims to contribute to understanding the challenges and advantages women face as they organise around feminist issues in the online spaces that are governed primarily by the motivation to accumulate profit. It reveals a number of critical tensions at the foundation of r/TwoXChromosomes as a contemporary networked feminist community.

This thesis explores, analyses and documents Arab women’s experiences of migration, and belonging in Australia. It does so by examining the role of memory in creating belonging and constructing identity. Arab migrant women in Australia are usually perceived as a homogenous group; therefore, this research project also studies the complexities and diversity of Arab identity. This study focuses on three main areas: Home and its memories for migrants, belonging, and Arab identity. These themes demonstrate how the women weave their narratives in relation to their experiences of migration while continuously negotiating their memories, navigating belonging, and constructing identities. The study uses the qualitative research methodology, namely semi-structured interviews. While the ten-first generation Arab women interviewed in this study proclaim Arab identity, they also come from diverse national background, religious background, age, life experience, education and professions. The interviews were analysed through the lens of feminist intersectionality theories. As a result of this research study, some significant conclusions can be drawn: memory of home is located at the heart of the belonging processes of migrants. Perceptions and understandings of the notion of home shape the women’s experiences in relation to their experiences of belonging. Moreover, home and its memories prove to also play a crucial role in the way women perceive their Arab identities, and construct narratives about their identities in Australia. Although migration is perceived to be practiced mainly by Arab men, lately this perspective has been challenged by the increasing number of the Arab women who have embarked in this journey, and for a variety of reasons. The findings of this thesis do not only emphasise the diversity of Arab women but accentuate the diverse understandings of Arab identity. Interrelated historical events and contextual factors that determine the women’s understanding of Arab identity. This constructed identity is continuously negotiated through all the chapters of this thesis and is highlighted by the extensively diverse experiences of how Arab women create belonging. Memory of the homeland, on the other hand, is the centrepiece of this study; and its role has proven to influence women’s practices in private as well as public life.

Measured process data are a valuable source of information about the processes they are collected from. Unfortunately, measurements are usually contaminated with errors that mask the important features in the data and degrade the quality of any related operation. Wavelet-based multiscale filtering is known to provide effective noise-feature separation. Here, the effectiveness of multiscale filtering over conventional low pass filters is illustrated though their application to chemical and biological systems. For biological systems, various online and batch multiscale filtering techniques are used to enhance the quality of metabolic and copy number data. Dynamic metabolic data are usually used to develop genetic regulatory network models that can describe the interactions among different genes inside the cell in order to design intervention techniques to cure/manage certain diseases. Copy number data, however, are usually used in the diagnosis of diseases by determining the locations and extent of variations in DNA sequences. Two case studies are presented, one involving simulated metabolic data and the other using real copy number data. For chemical processes it is shown that multiscale filtering can greatly enhance the prediction accuracy of inferential models, which are commonly used to estimate key process variables that are hard to measure. In this chapter, we present a multiscale inferential modeling technique that integrates the advantages of latent variable regression methods with the advantages of multiscale filtering, and is called Integrated Multiscale Latent Variable Regression (IMSLVR). IMSLVR performance is illustrated via a case study using synthetic data and another using simulated distillation column data.

The timing of dormancy induction and release is very important to the economic production of table grape. Advances in manipulation of dormancy induction and dormancy release are dependent on the establishment of a comprehensive understanding of biological mechanisms involved in bud dormancy. To gain insight into these mechanisms we initiated the research that had two main objectives: A. Analyzing the expression profiles of large subsets of genes, following controlled dormancy induction and dormancy release, and assessing the role of known metabolic pathways, known regulatory genes and novel sequences involved in these processes B. Comparing expression profiles following the perception of various artificial as well as natural signals known to induce dormancy release, and searching for gene showing similar expression patterns, as candidates for further study of pathways having potential to play a central role in dormancy release. We first created targeted EST collections from V. vinifera and V. riparia mature buds. Clones were randomly selected from cDNA libraries prepared following controlled dormancy release and controlled dormancy induction and from respective controls. The entire collection (7920 vinifera and 1194 riparia clones) was sequenced and subjected to bioinformatics analysis, including clustering, annotations and GO classifications. PCR products from the entire collection were used for printing of cDNA microarrays. Bud tissue in general, and the dormant bud in particular, are under-represented within the grape EST database. Accordingly, 59% of the our vinifera EST collection, composed of 5516 unigenes, are not included within the current Vitis TIGR collection and about 22% of these transcripts bear no resemblance to any known plant transcript, corroborating the current need for our targeted EST collection and the bud specific cDNA array. Analysis of the V. riparia sequences yielded 814 unigenes, of which 140 are unique (keilin et al., manuscript, Appendix B). Results from computational expression profiling of the vinifera collection suggest that oxidative stress, calcium signaling, intracellular vesicle trafficking and anaerobic mode of carbohydrate metabolism play a role in the regulation and execution of grape-bud dormancy release. A comprehensive analysis confirmed the induction of transcription from several calcium–signaling related genes following HC treatment, and detected an inhibiting effect of calcium channel blocker and calcium chelator on HC-induced and chilling-induced bud break. It also detected the existence of HC-induced and calcium dependent protein phosphorylation activity. These data suggest, for the first time, that calcium signaling is involved in the mechanism of dormancy release (Pang et al., in preparation). We compared the effects of heat shock (HS) to those detected in buds following HC application and found that HS lead to earlier and higher bud break. We also demonstrated similar temporary reduction in catalase expression and temporary induction of ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase, thioredoxin and glutathione S transferase expression following both treatments. These findings further support the assumption that temporary oxidative stress is part of the mechanism leading to bud break. The temporary induction of sucrose syntase, pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase indicate that temporary respiratory stress is developed and suggest that mitochondrial function may be of central importance for that mechanism. These finding, suggesting triggering of identical mechanisms by HS and HC, justified the comparison of expression profiles of HC and HS treated buds, as a tool for the identification of pathways with a central role in dormancy release (Halaly et al., in preparation). RNA samples from buds treated with HS, HC and water were hybridized with the cDNA arrays in an interconnected loop design. Differentially expressed genes from the were selected using R-language package from Bioconductor project called LIMMA and clones showing a significant change following both HS and HC treatments, compared to control, were selected for further analysis. A total of 1541 clones show significant induction, of which 37% have no hit or unknown function and the rest represent 661 genes with identified function. Similarly, out of 1452 clones showing significant reduction, only 53% of the clones have identified function and they represent 573 genes. The 661 induced genes are involved in 445 different molecular functions. About 90% of those functions were classified to 20 categories based on careful survey of the literature. Among other things, it appears that carbohydrate metabolism and mitochondrial function may be of central importance in the mechanism of dormancy release and studies in this direction are ongoing. Analysis of the reduced function is ongoing (Appendix A). A second set of hybridizations was carried out with RNA samples from buds exposed to short photoperiod, leading to induction of bud dormancy, and long photoperiod treatment, as control. Analysis indicated that 42 genes were significant difference between LD and SD and 11 of these were unique.

Frozen, breaded, ready-to-cook chicken products have been implicated in outbreaks of salmonellosis. Some of these outbreaks can be large. For example, one outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis involved 193 people in nine countries between 2018 and 2020, of which 122 cases were in the UK. These ready-to-cook products have a browned, cooked external appearance, which may be perceived as ready-to-eat, leading to mishandling or undercooking by consumers. Continuing concerns about these products led FSA to initiate a short-term (four month), cross-sectional surveillance study undertaken in 2021 to determine the prevalence of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in frozen, breaded or battered chicken products on retail sale in the UK. This study sought to obtain data on AMR levels in Salmonella and E. coli in these products, in line with a number of other FSA instigated studies of the incidence and nature of AMR in the UK food chain, for example, the systematic review (2016). Between the beginning of April and the end of July 2021, 310 samples of frozen, breaded or battered chicken products containing either raw or partly cooked chicken, were collected using representative sampling of retailers in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland based on market share data. Samples included domestically produced and imported chicken products and were tested for E. coli (including extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing, colistin-resistant and carbapenem-resistant E. coli) and Salmonella spp. One isolate of each bacterial type from each contaminated sample was randomly selected for additional AMR testing to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for a range of antimicrobials. More detailed analysis based on Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) data was used to further characterise Salmonella spp. isolates and allow the identification of potential links with human isolates. Salmonella spp. were detected in 5 (1.6%) of the 310 samples and identified as Salmonella Infantis (in three samples) and S. Java (in two samples). One of the S. Infantis isolates fell into the same genetic cluster as S. Infantis isolates from three recent human cases of infection; the second fell into another cluster containing two recent cases of infection. Countries of origin recorded on the packaging of the five Salmonella contaminated samples were Hungary (n=1), Ireland (n=2) and the UK (n=2). One S. Infantis isolate was multi-drug resistant (i.e. resistant to three different classes of antimicrobials), while the other Salmonella isolates were each resistant to at least one of the classes of antimicrobials tested. E. coli was detected in 113 samples (36.4%), with counts ranging from <3 to >1100 MPN (Most Probable Number)/g. Almost half of the E. coli isolates (44.5%) were susceptible to all antimicrobials tested. Multi-drug resistance was detected in 20.0% of E. coli isolates. E. coli isolates demonstrating the ESBL (but not AmpC) phenotype were detected in 15 of the 310 samples (4.8%) and the AmpC phenotype alone was detected in two of the 310 samples (0.6%) of chicken samples. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing showed that five of the 15 (33.3%) ESBL-producing E. coli carried blaCTX-M genes (CTX-M-1, CTX-M-55 or CTX-M-15), which confer resistance to third generation cephalosporin antimicrobials. One E. coli isolate demonstrated resistance to colistin and was found to possess the mcr-1 gene. The five Salmonella-positive samples recovered from this study, and 20 similar Salmonella-positive samples from a previous UKHSA (2020/2021) study (which had been stored frozen), were subjected to the cooking procedures described on the sample product packaging for fan assisted ovens. No Salmonella were detected in any of these 25 samples after cooking. The current survey provides evidence of the presence of Salmonella in frozen, breaded and battered chicken products in the UK food chain, although at a considerably lower incidence than reported in an earlier (2020/2021) study carried out by PHE/UKHSA as part of an outbreak investigation where Salmonella prevalence was found to be 8.8%. The current survey also provides data on the prevalence of specified AMR bacteria found in the tested chicken products on retail sale in the UK. It will contribute to monitoring trends in AMR prevalence over time within the UK, support comparisons with data from other countries, and provide a baseline against which to monitor the impact of future interventions. While AMR activity was observed in some of the E. coli and Salmonella spp. examined in this study, the risk of acquiring AMR bacteria from consumption of these processed chicken products is low if the products are cooked thoroughly and handled hygienically.