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MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine or ‘ecstasy’) is well-known for its empathic and sociable effects (Bogt, Engels, Hibbel & Van Wel, 2002). Indeed, there is a body of work that discusses the role the drug plays in social bonding (Beck & Rosenbaum, 1998; Duff, 2008; Farrugia, 2015; Hinchliff, 2001; Solowij, Hall & Lee, 1992). However, there has been extremely limited research looking at MDMA’s impact specifically on romantic relationships (Vervaeke & Korf, 2006). Hence, this thesis explored couples’ experiences of intimacy on MDMA and how this intertwines with their relationship. Semi-structured interviews with ten couples, using visual methods (Reavey, 2011; Del Busso, 2009; Majumdar, 2011), and eight individual written diaries (Kenten, 2010) were analysed using a thematic approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006). A ‘bubble’ (Sloterdijk, 1999 cited in Klauser, 2010) is argued to organically form around couples on MDMA, producing a distinct affective atmosphere of muted fear, worry and shame and heightened feelings of safety and love, which mediates emotional and discursive ‘practices’ of intimacy (Gabb & Fink, 2015). Movement, spaces and objects are also argued to facilitate intimacy, producing new subjectivities which alter boundaries: between self and world; within the self; and between self and other (Brown & Stenner, 2009). Yet beneath the seeming ‘flow’ to MDMA experiences, couples construct clear, symbolic boundaries, segmenting these experiences from both everyday life (Douglas, 2001), and other people (Stenner, 2013). The research is argued to have key implications for drug theory and practice, namely that drug use is not only an individual act (Duff, 2008) but also relational in nature – its meaning partly determined by how it interweaves with important relationships in people’s lives.

Education researchers have documented that first-year teachers are often less effective at reading instruction than their more experienced peers. Accordingly, this qualitative, comparative case study was designed to assess the instructional skills and strategies utilized by first-year and experienced teachers using Danielson's Framework for Teaching as the conceptual framework. The research questions were used to examine two groups of teachers using the framework and the Teacher's College Reading and Writing Project's defined levels of performance for effective reading instruction. The goal was to identify the instructional differences between the two groups of teachers. Purposeful sampling was used to select 3 first-year and 3 experienced teachers at the 4th or 5th grade levels from 3 different schools across 3 districts in a midwestern state. Data from lesson plans, observations, and interviews were analyzed using an open coding process, followed by axial coding using the Danielson framework to determine the themes of the study. The results indicated that the novice teachers had not developed automaticity in any of the domains of the Danielson Framework. The most challenging domain for novice teachers was instruction, especially communicating with students and using assessment during instruction to meet students' needs. A curriculum plan project consisting of a reading methods course and clinical component was constructed for a local college using the identified underdeveloped skills of novice teachers as actionable data that shaped the development of the plan. Positive social change might be realized as the goal of the plan is to improve teacher quality upon program completion, develop automaticity in reading instruction, and increase K-12 literacy achievement. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Angelico in A (I), angelicoin B (II), cristatic acid (III) and grifolic acid (IV) (Figure A1) are members of the resorcylate family of natural products which contain a common 6-alkyl-2,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid core (β-resorcylate unit). The total syntheses of angelicoin A (I) and angelicoin B (II) from 2,2,6-trimethyl-4H-1,3-dioxin-4-one V are reported using late stage aromatisation reactions via diketo-dioxinones as advanced intermediates. In the case of angelicoin A (I), biomimetic aromatisation was coupled with a highly regioselective palladium(0)-catalysed decarboxylative prenyl migration as the key step (Scheme A1).(a)(b) The palladium(0)-catalysed decarboxylative, prenylation and aromatisation sequence furnished both linear VII and branched adducts VI. Extensive optimisation of conditions to improve the ratio of linear to branched adducts involved the screening of palladium catalysts, ligands, solvents, reactions times, temperature and organic and inorganic bases.(a)(c) The regioselectivity of this novel palladium(0)- catalysed decarboxylative prenyl migration was determined unambiguously through X-ray crystallographic studies.(a)(c) Furthermore, an intermolecular mechanism is proposed after thorough mechanistic studies including cross over and variable concentration experiments, base studies and regioselectivity investigations. Two synthetic approaches towards the total synthesis of cristatic acid methyl ester are reported. The first approach investigated a one-pot reaction to install the furan moiety VIII (Scheme A2), via a Nef reaction, deprotection, decarboxylation and furan formation. The second approach attempted to perform a one-pot Pd(0)-decarboxylative allylation, TMSE deprotection and aromisation to provide the core of cristatic acid IX (Scheme A3). Finally, studies towards the total synthesis of grifolic acid (IV) are reported utilising the palladium(0)-catalysed decarboxylative allyl migration and aromatisation sequence.