VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
External Argument Introducers
Keywords: external argument, Voice, Applicative, agent, non-agent, syntax-semantic mapping

This thesis shows that the mapping of semantics to syntax can be more complex than is generally assumed. In general, the mapping of semantics to syntax is thought to be many-to-one; for instance, many types of external argument roles are mapped to a subject position, and a theme or patient role is mapped to an object position. Contrary to this view, I show, by studying the syntax and semantics of external arguments, that one-to-one mapping between syntax and semantics is possible. External arguments are generally assumed to be introduced by a functional head, called Voice or v, regardless of the semantics of the argument, rather than being actual arguments of the verbs. A high Appl head similar to Voice has recently been argued to introduce external arguments as well as arguments of other semantic types. At present, no theories propose how these heads are distinguished in argument structure. This thesis articulates the differences between the external argument introducing heads and explores the consequences of these differences. Moreover, this thesis proposes a new type of event-related applicative, namely peripheral Appl. Like Voice and high Appl, peripheral Appl introduces an argument external to the verb phrase. The key differences among the external argument introducing heads are in their semantics as well as their syntactic position. Semantically, Voice is specified for agentivity, but high and peripheral Appls are specified for non-agentivity. Syntactically, high Appl merges below Voice, not above, while peripheral Appl can merge above Voice. An important result emerging from this thesis is that not all external arguments are treated in the same way in syntax: not only are agent and non-agent external argument roles mapped into different positions, but different types of non-agent roles are also mapped into different positions.
Directed Adult Neural Stem/Progenitor Cell Fate in Microsphere-loaded Chitosan Channels
Keywords: neural stem cell
spinal cord injury
guidance channel
chitosan
drug delivery

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition characterized by the loss of neuronal pathways responsible for coordinating motor and sensory information between the brain and the rest of the body. The mammalian spinal cord is limited in its ability to repair itself, so treatments devised to replace damaged tissue and promote regeneration are essential towards developing a cure. This work describes the development of a guidance channel strategy for spinal cord transection. Chitosan guidance channels were designed as a delivery vehicle for neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPC) transplants and drug-eluting poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres. PLGA microspheres were embedded into chitosan channels by a spin-coating method. These microsphere-loaded channels demonstrated the ability for controlled short-term bioactive release of the small molecule drug dibutyryl cyclic-AMP (dbcAMP) and long-term bioactive release of the protein alkaline phosphatase. NSPCs were shown to be responsive to dbcAMP delivery, which results in greatly enhanced differentiation into neurons. The effect of directed neuronal differentiation was investigated after spinal cord transection in rat, resulting in a dramatic increase in NSPC transplant survival. Guidance channels containing NSPCs treated with dbcAMP resulted in robust tissue bridge formation after SCI, demonstrating extensive axonal regeneration and promoting functional recovery.
Xunzi's Ethical Thought and Moral Psychology
Keywords: Ethics
Moral psychology
Confucianism
Chinese Philosophy

In this dissertation, I lay the foundations for the development of a unique ethical theory, titled “Ethical Harmonism,” on the basis of the early Confucian Xunzi’s thought. First, I attempt to understand Xunzi’s fundamental ethical position centered on his thought of the ideal state for humans. Second, I explore the nature of two attitudes that one should develop in order to create and maintain the ideal state for humans. Xunzi’s ethical position is characterized primarily in terms of “the final good” that it requires one to seek to attain. For Xunzi, the final good is a certain holistic state that every human has reason to create and maintain cooperatively, namely what I call “harmony.” Harmony is the ideal state in which all humans form a well-unified whole in such a way that they interact with one another by properly recognizing various kinds of persons and by appropriately responding to each kind. I also provide a preliminary reconstruction of Xunzi’s view by raising questions concerning whether his holistic view can reasonably accommodate part of contemporary individualistic ethical sentiments, especially, that associated with such a notion as human rights. This reconstruction is intended to serve to develop “Ethical Harmonism,” which is a working-label for the most defensible Xunzian position that is currently in the development stage. For Xunzi, the creation and maintenance of harmony depend on all humans’ proper development of two attitudes, qin (love) and zun (respect). For Xunzi, all humans should control their naturally unlimited desire by cultivating love and respect; and, by adopting these two attitudes in interaction with one another, they can jointly bring about harmony in society. I develop theories of these two attitudes especially by clarifying how each of the two attitudes is understood as a distinctive way of responding to certain kinds of person. I further explain how these two attitudes work cooperatively in ways that promote harmony. My study will provide a new systematic interpretation of two central concepts in Confucian ethics that are grounded in love and respect, namely ren (widely translated as humanness) and yi (widely translated as righteousness).
Weaving the Home Web: A Canadian Case Study of Internet Domestication
Keywords: internet
domestication

The internet has increasingly become a part of our daily practices, and previous research has pointed to the numerous different ways individuals and groups use and integrate the internet into their lives. Yet, despite the pervasiveness of the internet within the home, few have investigated internet domestication. To grasp the process of internet domestication, my research uses a Social Shaping of Technology approach to investigate how internet domestication develops as a set of contextual practices within households of East York, Ontario. My research is part of the Connected Lives Project that took place in East York, Ontario between 2004 and 2005. Using a combination of survey data, semi-structured interviews and digital photos, I offer a novel combination of methods not implemented in previous research of the household internet that provides a rich and descriptive illustration of household internet practices. This dissertation research is the first case study of the household internet that offers an in-depth portrayal and interpretation of its domestication. It is an empirical demonstration of the complicated patterns through which the internet is domesticated. My research builds upon previous quantitative and qualitative internet research, and contributes to the clear epistemological gap in what we know about internet domestication as a dynamic process. How does the domestication of the internet develop as a set of contextual practices? My investigation draws attention to the kinds of things that shape the everyday - paid work, immigrant status, household structure, and gender roles. Each of these act as threads - different practices - that weave together to shape how the internet is used and integrated as a domestic technology into today's households and families. I characterize the social worlds shaping internet domestication, and discuss how households and families actively shape internet domestication through examining internet communication and information seeking patterns, and address concerns that family is in decline. My research provides new and different ways of thinking about family, family time, and our relationship with the household internet by discussing the time families spend together online, and how family's household spaces are evolving in response to the ubiquitous internet.
Characterization of the Neurospora Varkud Satellite Plasmid and Transcript in vivo
Keywords: Neurospora
VS

The Varkud satellite (VS) plasmid is found in the mitochondria of some strains of Neurospora, and exhibits properties that may allow it to be developed as a genetic transformation vector to study mitochondrial molecular biology. An ideal transformation vector would not confer a phenotype. The overall goal of my thesis was to examine interactions of VS with its Neurospora host to identify possible phenotypes, using biochemical and proteomic approaches. Biochemical experiments provided evidence consistent with the plasmid transcript, VS RNA, being present as a ribonucleoprotein particle that can be separated from ribosomal subunits by sucrose density gradient centrifugation; however, no VS-specific proteins were identified under the purification conditions examined. During the analyses of proteomic data I obtained new insights into the consequences of the statistical methods commonly used to normalize quantitative 2D gel data. However, irrespective of the method used, the fraction of the proteome amenable to 2D gel-based proteomics revealed, at most, subtle effects of VS on the abundance of a few proteins. I also observed no differences in growth rate between strains differing by the presence or absence of VS when grown in the presence of inhibitors and stressors affecting a wide range of mitochondrial and other cellular functions. Overall, despite VS RNA being as abundant as the large and small mitochondrial ribosomal RNAs, my genetic, biochemical and proteomic investigations of the effect of VS on its host strain provides evidence that VS is a phenotypically neutral element.
Three Essays on Personnel Economics
Keywords: Incentives
Organizations

My dissertation focuses on the role of incentives in the workplace. In Chapter 1, I study peer effects in pay-for-individual-performance jobs. Specifically, I explore whether, how, and why coworker performance matters when rewards are based on individual performance. When teamed with high-performing peers, I find that workers are more productive overall. I also find that workers who resign are unaffected by coworker performance in the period after they hand in their resignation notice. The findings suggest peer effects in pay-for-individual-performance jobs reflect reputational concerns about relative performance rather than competitive preferences. In Chapter 2, I present field evidence that sheds new light on incentive provision in multitask jobs. Specifically, I design and conduct a field experiment at a large-scale restaurant, where the pre-existing wage contract encourages workers to carry out their tasks in a way that is not perfectly aligned with the firm's preferences. The experimental treatment pays bonuses to waiters for the number of customers they serve, in addition to their tips for customer service and hourly wages. I compare worker performance under the treatment to that under the pre-existing contract, where workers are rewarded for overemphasizing customer service, to evaluate the effect of a wage contract that encourages undesirable behavior. I find that the average worker earns more, is more productive, and generates higher short-run profits for the firm when paid bonuses for customer volume. Overall, the findings suggest that sharpening wage contracts to deal with incentive problems in multitask jobs has benefits for workers as well as the firm. In Chapter 3, I present joint work (with Arvind N. Magesan at the University fo Calgary) on the beauty premium's role in the workplace. Specifically, we investigate whether, how, and why the beauty premium can be explained by the behaviour of workers after they are hired. We find that attractive workers earn more because they transfer effort from tasks that reward looks to tasks that reward effort. We also provide evidence against favorable treatment by customers and the employer as sources for the beauty premium. We conclude that the premium is largely driven by the worker's on-the-job behavior.
Critical Identity Classrooms as Turbulent Spaces: Exploring Student and Instructor Experiences with Identities, Privilege, and Power
Keywords: Privilege
Power
Higher Education
Identity
Canada
Feminism
Embodiment
Geography
Student
Instructor

This qualitative study focuses on students and instructors who study, teach, and learn critical concepts of identity, such as gender, race, and dis/ability. The participants’ reflections on these university classroom experiences are examined in order to explore the ways they understand their encounters with privilege and power. In classes that take up discussions of identity – critical identity classrooms – the intention is often to teach, study, and learn how (our) identity or identities manifest in social life, how these manifestations can be problematized, and how these explorations can lead to social change. Often, these courses centre on discussing identity in terms of oppression, rather than investigating the intersections of privilege and oppression. A major contention of this study is that a lack of discussion about privilege in the academy enables the pervasive invisibility of many unearned social advantages to remain under-theorized and ‘invisible.’ This study questions how it is that we come to understand concepts of identity to be one-dimensional, rather than understanding privilege as dynamic and situated. Using in-depth interviews with 22 undergraduate students and 8 instructors from 2 contrasting universities, this study explores 3 main questions: (1) How do students in higher education who are engaged in critical identity studies interpret privilege, both for others and themselves? (2) How do the participants understand their experiences inside and outside the classroom to be related to notions of privilege and oppression that often arise in critical identity classrooms? (3) How does using a multi-site approach to study critical identity classroom experiences extend the ways in which students’ understandings of privilege can be explored? Using these research questions, the intersections of space/location, power, and identities as they inform notions of privilege and oppression are demonstrated. The participants’ reflections expose how questions of belonging, safety, and ‘place’ contribute to the silences around the study of privilege. The study suggests that understanding privilege and oppression as located within the same network of relations, rather than as binary opposites, will aid in making privilege more accessible as a topic of study in critical identity classrooms.
SlyD, A Ni(II) Metallochaperone for [NiFe]-hydrogenase Biosynthesis in Escherichia coli
Keywords: SlyD
Metal homeostasis
[NiFe]-hydrogenase
Metallochaperone

SlyD is a protein involved in [NiFe]-hydrogenase enzyme maturation and, together with HypB and HypA proteins, contributes to the nickel delivery step. To understand the molecular details of this in vivo function, the nickel-binding activity of SlyD was investigated in vitro. SlyD is a monomeric protein that can chelate up to 7 nickel ions with an affinity in the sub-nanomolar range. By truncation and mutagenesis studies we show that the unique C-terminal metal-binding domain of this protein is required for Ni(II) binding and that the protein coordinates this metal non-cooperatively. This activity of SlyD supports the proposed in vivo role of SlyD in nickel homeostasis. In addition to nickel, SlyD can bind a variety of other types of transition metals. Therefore it was feasible that the protein contributes to homeostasis of metals other than nickel. To test this hypothesis, the metal selectivity of the protein was examined. The preference of SlyD for the metals examined could be ordered as follows, Mn(II), Fe(II) < Co(II) < Ni(II) ~ Zn(II) << Cu(I) indicating that the affinity of SlyD for the different metals follows the Irving-Williams series of metal-complex stabilities. Although the protein is unable to overcome the large thermodynamic preference in vitro for Cu(I) and exclude Zn(II) chelation, in vivo studies suggest a Ni(II)-specific function for the protein. To understand the function of SlyD as a metallochaperone, its interaction with HypB was investigated. This investigation revealed that SlyD plays a role in Ni(II) storage in E. coli and can function as a Ni(II)-donor to HypB. This study also revealed that SlyD can modulate the metal-binding as well as the GTPase activities of HypB. Based on the experimental data, a role for the HypB-SlyD complex in [NiFe]-hydrogenase biosynthesis is presented.
Development of Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis - No Apex (ADSA-NA)
Keywords: ADSA
Contact Angle
Surface Tension
Drop Shape Methods
No-Apex

The main purpose of this thesis is the development of a new methodology of contact angle measurement called ADSA-NA (Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis - No Apex) that analyzes drop shape configurations with no apex. Thus ADSA-NA facilitates contact angle measurements on drops with a capillary protruding into the drop. This development is desirable because the original ADSA has some limitations for contact angle measurement, and there is a need for the improvement of the accuracy of contact angle measurement. To develop ADSA-NA, a new reference point other than the apex and a new set of optimization parameters different from those of ADSA had to be defined. The three main modules of ADSA had also to be modified; the image analysis, the numerical integration of the Laplace equation for generating theoretical curves, and the optimization procedure. It was shown that ADSA-NA significantly enhances the precision of contact angle and surface tension measurements (by at least a factor of 5) compared to those obtained from sessile drops using ADSA. Computational as well as design aspects of ADSA-NA were scrutinized in depth, well beyond the level of scrutiny in the original ADSA. On the computational side, the results obtained from one and the same drop image were compared using different gradient and non-gradient edge detection strategies and different gradient and non-gradient optimization methods. It was found that the difference between the results of different edge detection strategies is minimal. It was also found that all the optimization methods yield the same answer with eight significant figures for one and the same image. The determination of the location of the solid surface in the drop image was also further refined. On the design side, the effect of controllable experimental factors such as drop height and drop volume on the accuracy of surface tension measurement was studied. It was shown that drop height is the dominant experimental factor, and larger drop heights yield lower surface tension errors.
The Role of Social Networks in the Decision to Test for HIV
Keywords: Social Networks
HIV Testing
Denial
Stigma
Network ties
Discrimination
Information flow
Social Network theory

The major global concern of preventing the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) requires that millions of people be tested in order to identify those individuals who need treatment and care. This study’s purpose was to examine the role of social networks in an individual’s decision to test for HIV. The study sample included 62 participants of African and Caribbean origin in Toronto, Canada. Thirty-three females and 29 males, aged 16 to 49 years who had previously tested positive or negative for HIV, participated in interviews that lasted approximately 60 minutes. Measurement instruments adapted from Silverman, Hecht, McMillin, and Chang (2008) were used to identify and delimit the social networks of the participants. The instrument identified four social network types: immediate family, extended family, friends, and acquaintances. The study examined the role of these network types on the individuals’ decisions to get HIV testing. A mixed method approach (Creswell, 2008) was applied, and both qualitative and quantitative data were collected simultaneously. Participants listed their social networks and retrospectively described the role of their network members in influencing their decision to test for HIV. The participants’ narratives of the influence of social networks in HIV testing were coded. A thematic analysis of the qualitative descriptions of the network members’ influence was performed. The quantitative and the qualitative analysis results were then tallied. The results of the study demonstrated that the influence of social networks was evident in the individuals’ decisions to test for HIV. The most influential group was friends, followed in descending order of influence by immediate family, acquaintances, and extended family. These social network ties provided informational, material, and emotional support to individuals deciding to seek HIV testing. For policy makers and health professionals, coming to a more complete understanding of these dynamics will enable them to make institutional decisions and allocate resources to improve and enhance the support available from within these social networks, thus encouraging, promoting, and leading to increased testing for HIV.