VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Mozart's Orchestral Cantabile Style: Eighteenth-century Origins of String Performance Practices
Keywords: Archival Film Evidence
Cantabile
Roger Norrington
String Performance Practice
Vocal Science
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Mozart’s Orchestral Cantabile Style: Eighteenth-Century Origins of String Performance Practices David Bowser Doctor of Musical Arts (2015) Graduate Department of Music University of Toronto A stylistic change in mid-eighteenth-century compositions inspired a decidedly lyrical concept of string playing characterized by connected bowing manner, sustained tone and legato phrasing. At the same time, string instruments and particularly bows were adapted to the changing performance style and became standardized. Mozart’s letters and other historical documents suggest that vibrato and portamento were characteristic to some degree of the string performance style of the late eighteenth century. While Roger Norrington contends that vibrato was not a feature of orchestral string performance before the mid-1930s, historical texts, score indications, string teachers and scholars imply that string vibrato saw a longer evolution over centuries. The instrumental cantabile style in Mozart’s music is inspired by the voice and its qualities. Two characteristics have bearing specifically on performance practices of the orchestral string repertoire: the voice possesses an innate sense of connectivity and a natural tendency to vibrate. This study examines compositional style and corresponding performance practices in orchestral string playing in the eighteenth century and traces the evolution of string vibrato into the twentieth century. It explores the stylistic changes during the mid-eighteenth century, tracking the development from old to new styles and the emergence of melody, the origins and development of the High Classical style of Mozart and Haydn, and the implications of this stylistic evolution for eighteenth-century performance practices, especially as they relate to compositions of Mozart. Included are an analysis of historical texts and treatises referring to string vibrato, a survey of current scholarly opinion, and a discussion of string vibrato indications in scores composed in the nineteenth century and early twentieth century. This study examines research on vocal vibrato by vocal scientists and pedagogues while appraising Mozart’s statement that “the voice trembles naturally” and that “people imitate it…on stringed instruments.” Finally, this research addresses Norrington’s claims and investigates indicators of orchestral string vibrato application revealed in archival footage of Bruno Walter conducting in rehearsal, and in early twentieth-century archival films of German, French and British orchestras.
Protein Tyrosine Phosphorylation in Haematopoietic Cancers and the Functional Significance of Phospho- Lyn SH2 Domain
Keywords: hematopoietic cancer
kinase/phosphatase
mass spectrometry
proteomics
SH2 domain
tyrosine phosphorylation

Protein-tyrosine phosphorylation (pY) is a minor but important protein post-translational modification that modulates a wide range of cellular functions and is involved in cancer. Dysregulation of tyrosine kinases (TKs) and protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) have been observed in multiple myeloma (MM) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is a subject of study. Using recently developed mass spectrometry-based proteomics techniques, quantitative PTP expression and cellular pY profiles were generated for MM cell lines and mouse xenograft tumors, as well as primary AML samples. Integrated comprehensive analyses on these data implicated a subset of TKs and PTPs in MM and AML, with valuable insights gained on the dynamic regulation of pY in biological systems. In particular, I propose a model that describes the cellular pY state as a functional output of the total activated TKs and PTPs in the cell. My results show that the global pY profile in the cancer models is quantitatively related to the cellular levels of activated TKs and PTPs. Furthermore, the identity of the implicated TK/PTPs is system-dependent, demonstrating context-dependent regulation of pY. To further understand pY regulation, I studied the phosphorylation of a conserved tyrosine in the Src homology 2 (SH2) domains of Src family kinases, which was frequently observed in human cancer specimens and regulated in cancer-derived cell lines. Using the Lyn SH2 domain as a model, I discovered that when this tyrosine (Y194) is phosphorylated, the domain has reduced ability to interact in vitro with phosphopeptides and phosphoproteins. Sequence analysis of the binding motifs revealed that phosphorylation at Y194 decreased the selectivity of Lyn SH2 for the third residue C-terminal to the pY of the ligand. Together, these data show that tyrosyl phosphorylation alters the substrate binding profile of Lyn SH2 and may potentially affect Lyn kinase signaling. This may be a general mechanism for all Src family kinases and represents another layer of the complexity of pY regulation.
On the Fabrication, Characterization and Mechanical Properties of Melt-stretched Stochastic Honeycombs
Keywords: cellular materials
high melt strength polypropylene
x-ray tomography

This thesis presents a new type of polypropylene (PP) cellular material fabricated through a simple melt-stretching process. Stochastic honeycombs have an open cell, random honeycomb structure, with webs oriented perpendicular to built-in skins. This process has the advantage that, for example, PP pellets can be turned into a sandwich panel in one step. It was demonstrated that despite the randomness in the web structure, the out-of-plane compressive strength of stochastic honeycombs was repeatable, and exceeded that of commercial PP foams and was comparable to commercial PP honeycombs. The key material properties required to produce an this architecture were shown to be a high melt strength and a high viscosity, branched polymer. The viscosity was shown to affect the total length of the webs in cross-section and the relative partitioning of material through the skin, transition region and webs. Web thickness was affected by the areal density of the polymer during fabrication. Mechanical testing methods were adapted from ASTM standards for honeycombs, and the fabrication method was advanced from a manual to a machine controlled process. Stochastic honeycombs were shown to buckle elastically, plastically, and fracture after the peak strength. Elastic and plastic buckling were dominant at lower densities, and plastic buckling and fracture at higher densities. A thin-plate buckling model for the strength of stochastic honeycombs was developed and verified experimentally. The crystallinity of the polymer affected the tensile strength and stiffness, having a linear effect on the buckling strength. The architecture was composed of webs bound on both sides and webs bound on one side and free on the other. A greater fraction of bound webs increased the strength of the structure in the buckling model. A fabrication study showed that melt-stretching the polymer at higher strain rates increased the connectivity and fraction of bound webs. Additionally, higher density led to a less connected structure. Energy absorption could be improved if the drop in stress from the peak to valley strength was minimized. Higher melt-stretching rates during fabrication increased the energy absorbed, and higher viscosity polymers minimized the drop from peak to valley, also increasing the absorbed energy.
Identification of Proteins Involved in the Maintenance of Genome Stability
Keywords: Chromosome rearrangements
DNA repair
DNA replication
Essential genes
Genome instability
Protein-protein interactions

Aberrant changes to the genome structure underlie numerous human diseases such as cancers. The functional characterization of genes and proteins that maintain chromosome stability will be important in understanding disease etiology and developing therapeutics. I took a multi-faceted approach to identify and characterize genes involved in the maintenance of genome stability. As biological pathways involved in genome maintenance are highly conserved in evolution, results from model organisms can greatly facilitate functional discovery in humans. In S. cerevisiae, I identified 47 essential gene depletions with elevated levels of spontaneous DNA damage foci and 92 depletions that caused elevated levels of chromosome rearrangements. Of these, a core subset of 15 DNA replication genes demonstrated both phenotypes when depleted. Analysis of rearrangement breakpoints revealed enrichment at yeast fragile sites, Ty retrotransposons, early origins of replication and replication termination sites. Together, this highlighted the integral role of DNA replication in genome maintenance. In light of my findings in S. cerevisiae, I identified a list of 153 human proteins that interact with the nascent DNA at replication forks, using a DNA pull down strategy (iPOND) in human cell lines. As a complementary approach for identifying human proteins involved in genome maintenance, I used the BioID technique to discern in vivo proteins proximal to the human BLM-TOP3A-RMI1-RMI2 genome stability complex, which has an emerging role in DNA replication progression. I uncovered 45 proximal proteins to the wildtype complex and catalogued the gains and losses of proximal proteins following the expression of three RMI1 mutants and in conditions of DNA replication stress. Altogether, I used a multi-faceted approach to identify a replication-enriched dataset of genes and proteins that collectively safeguard the genome from mutations, which will be invaluable for functional characterization studies in the future.
Investigating the Role of the Hippo Pathway Member Nf2 in the Segregation of Trophectoderm and Inner Cell Mass
Keywords: Hippo signaling
Inner cell mass
Lineage specification
Nf2
Preimplantation development
Trophectoderm

During mammalian development, the first two lineages to be specified are trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass (ICM). Proper segregation of these two cell types requires precise spatial control of the Hippo signaling pathway and its downstream transcriptional activator, Yap. In outside, future TE cells of the embryo, Yap is nuclear-localized and can influence the expression of TE-specifying transcription factors such as Cdx2. In contrast, in inside cells, the Hippo pathway kinases Lats1/2 and the adaptor protein Amot induce phosphorylation and cytoplasmic retention of Yap, preventing this transcriptional influence. The factors acting upstream of Lats1/2, Amot and Yap in this context are not well understood. In this thesis, I have investigated the role of the upstream Hippo pathway member Nf2 in TE/ICM segregation. First, using a dominant negative approach, I show that Nf2 is required in a cell-autonomous manner for the proper localization of Yap in inside cells of the embryo. Second, by generating both zygotic and maternal/zygotic Nf2 mutant embryos, I confirm that Nf2 is required for Hippo signaling and demonstrate that this signaling is broadly required for the segregation of ICM from TE. Finally, using maternal/zygotic mutant embryos as a tool, I provide evidence that Nf2 regulates levels of Amot at the plasma membrane of inside cells during active Hippo signaling. Together, these studies demonstrate that Nf2 is essential for both Hippo signaling and lineage specification in the early embryo and provide molecular insights into how these functions are achieved.
Engineering and Production of Glucooligosaccharide Oxidases for Site-specific Activation of Cellulose and Hemicellulose Substrates
Keywords: Enzymatic Oxidation
Protein Engineering

Canada has an extensive supply of residual biomass, which comprises plant polysaccharides that represent a renewable resource for the production of biochemicals, polymers and fuels. Enzymatic oxidation of plant oligo- and poly-saccharides can alter the characteristics of these compounds, enhancing their application in food products; enzymatic oxidation could also facilitate site-specific chemical derivatizations of carbohydrates, leading to new bio-based polymers. A glucooligosaccharide oxidase from Sarocladium strictum (GOOX) was engineered in this study using a genetic engineering approach to extend the activity of this enzyme on a wider range of plant polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. For the first time, in addition to the previously reported cello- and malto-oligosaccharides, activity of wild type GOOX on xylooligosaccharides was reported. The catalytic efficiency of two mutant enzymes (GOOX-Y300A, GOOX-Y300N) on cellooligosaccharides and xylooligosaccharides was 2-fold higher than the wild-type enzyme. Notably, the binding affinity of these mutants towards oligosaccharides had decreased, which was correlated to reduced substrate inhibition by cellooligosaccharides. As expected, the GOOX-W351F mutant showed enhanced activity and affinity on galactose compared to wild-type GOOX as a result of reduced steric hindrance. Wild type GOOX exhibited low activity on polysaccharides including konjac glucomannan, and barley β-glucan, and weak activities on carboxy-methyl cellulose, regenerated amorphous cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel), and xyloglucan. The specific activity was improved by up to 56 %, 55 % and 30 % for crystalline cellulose (Avicel), regenerated amorphous cellulose (RAC) and glucomannan, respectively, by constructing fusions between GOOX and various carbohydrate binding modules (CBMs). Binding capacities of the fusion proteins on crystalline and amorphous cellulose, as well as glucomannan, β-glucan, and xyloglucan also increased by over 10-fold as determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and affinity gel electrophoresis. The immobilized fusion enzyme on a solid cellulose surface remained stable and active. This finding is anticipated to broaden applications of GOOX as an immobilized enzyme used in cellulose-based biosensing devices. In addition to enzyme engineering and biochemical characterizations, three applications of GOOX enzymes were briefly evaluated including production of oxidized oligosaccharides as sugar standards, synthesis of plant oligosaccharides and polysaccharides with enhanced nutraceutical value, and substitution of glucose oxidase used in baking applications.
Ontario Colleges and the Introduction of Degrees: Mission Drift or Sustaining the Mission?
Keywords: college
mission drift
Ontario
postsecondary

This qualitative, exploratory study focused on the introduction of the bachelor’s degree credential in Ontario colleges and whether or not offering degrees constitutes a change in the mission of Ontario colleges, as outlined in the Basic Documents and according to key college and governmental officials. The data was gathered through interviews with senior leaders at five urban colleges, senior government officials, and was focused on a ten year period (2002-2012). In addition, document analysis and the examination of available statistics were undertaken to ascertain the impact the legislative changes enacted in 2000 and 2002 have had on the college mission in Ontario. This study found that three founding tenets of the colleges – labour market responsiveness, access for students, and an emphasis on the functions of teaching and learning – were generally being adhered to between 2002 and 2012. This study also found that the majority of college and governmental leaders believed that the introduction of degrees was a logical extension of the mission, and the progression of the mission itself was essential if colleges were to be responsive to changing labour and community needs. The leadership of two subject colleges, however, did demonstrate a desire to move beyond the original mission in the service of a perceived need for a more differentiated postsecondary education system in Ontario.
Improved Real-time Helicopter Flight Dynamics Modelling
Keywords: Dynamics
Helicopter
Modelling
Simulation

The University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies has a number of previously developed real-time helicopter models for piloted simulations. An area of concern with physics-based helicopter models is that they often have an inaccurate off-axis response to cyclic control inputs compared to flight test data. To explain the cause of this problem, several theories have been put forth in the literature concerning which aspects are modelled incorrectly or not at all, including blade elasticity, rotor wake distortion and curvature, and unsteady aerodynamic effects. In this thesis these modelling improvements were implemented and their effectiveness evaluated. To include blade elasticity, a rotor model was developed using a Ritz expansion approach with constrained elastic modes. The effect of including these features on the on-axis and off-axis response of the UTIAS helicopter models was examined. The various improvements were successful in altering the off-axis response, with notable improvements in some areas, without disrupting the on-axis response. In some conditions, the magnitude of change due to flexibility was greater than differences noted due to dynamic wake distortion or unsteady aerodynamics. The best results were obtained when blade flexibility and wake distortion were used together, which is also the most physically accurate model. The impact of these changes was also evaluated from a pilot-in-the-loop perspective, quantifying the perceived changes using simulation fidelity ratings. Since this is a newly developed metric, the simulator was first evaluated using the original baseline vehicle models. Through this process, experience could be gained in the usage of the fidelity rating scale, while also examining what effect changes to the dynamics had on the overall simulator fidelity rating obtained. While an improved match to flight test data was found to lead to a higher rated fidelity, there was a limit to how high these improvements could increase the fidelity rating. A number of the possible contributors to the ratings achieved were further explored, which for the UTIAS Flight Research Simulator primarily include the motion system fidelity and the collimated stereoscopic visual environment.
Inuit Family Perspectives and Stories about Sexual Health and Relationships in Nunavut
Keywords: attachment
Indigenous
Inuit
relationships
sexual health
trauma

Background: High rates of the sexually transmitted infections of chlamydia and gonorrhea were a concern among community members in Nunavut. The goal of this study was to explore the perspectives of Inuit youth and parents on the topic of sexual health and relationships. Method: This qualitative participatory research study was conducted within an Indigenous knowledge framework with a focus on Inuit ways of knowing and story-telling. Interviews were conducted in 2011 in 3 Nunavut communities with 17 Inuit youth 16-19 years of age and 20 Inuit parents who had at least 1 teenage son or daughter between 13-19 years of age. Results: Parents in the linked their understandings of sexual health with a series of relocation events, which occurred in the Canadian Arctic in the mid 20th century. These relocation events led to widespread disruption of Inuit families, kinships, and attachments by separating young children from their primary caregivers for extended periods of time. The traditional communication pathway about sexual health and relationships was disrupted for many families during this time. Concurrent experiences of child sexual abuse among the parents in this study compounded the trauma of being separated from their families. Severed family attachments during the settlement period and child sexual abuse were the primary factors discussed by parents in this study as contributing to the current state of sexual health in Nunavut. Youth participants identified parents/caregivers as the preferred source of knowledge about sexual health and relationships, even if they were not learning from them at the present time. They also related sexual decision-making among youth to the broader community context and determinants of health, such as poverty. Conclusion: Taking these findings into account, rebuilding and strengthening family and community relationships can make significant positive contributions to sexual health and relationships by providing supportive networks for adolescents and revitalizing millennia old pathways for knowledge sharing. Directions for public health include supporting parent-adolescent dialogue about sexual health; incorporating holistic individual and collective empowerment-based models for sexual health promotion; and supporting parents to heal from trauma and strengthen family relationships.
Conflict and Creativity in Jewish Modern Orthodox Girls’ Education: Navigating Tradition and Modernity
Keywords: discourse
education
gender
Judaism
religious education

This study investigates Jewish Modern Orthodox girls’ dissonant, creative and adaptive responses to their religious and gender identities as they negotiate the tensions between authority and autonomy in an all-girls’ high school. It considers how the school, as a socializing agent, plays a role in this development. This study is framed by a post-structural research agenda that explores the complexity of religious practices in modernity, and a feminist post-structural body of research around alternative girlhoods in modernity. This ethnographic study contends with the notion that the presence of autonomy and other modern values such as egalitarianism, are a necessary challenge to the girls’ capacity to accept religious and patriarchal authority in a self-affirming way. Instead, it found that girls accept or creatively adapt to, and rarely dissent from, aspects of religion’s authority, while still maintaining their expectation of autonomy and egalitarianism. They achieved this state through a complex and creative re-structuring of normative religious categories in their religious lives, rather than through a bifurcation of the competing discourses, as had been posited in previous research. Existing gender norms in Modern Orthodox society reinforced the girls’ lack of dissonance. Even where girls bifurcated between their religious and social lives in order to maintain each, aspects of creativity emerged. For example, in their non-ritual lives inequality was an anathema, but they were not bothered by ritual inequity. They accepted and even supported their exclusion from certain rituals because they felt it afforded them more, not less autonomy, by freeing them from unwanted religious responsibilities. In this way, they used existing patriarchal structures to achieve what they understood as a personal advantage. Several themes emerged from this study. First, modern religious practitioners who live within divergent discourses re-form and re-create traditional categories in order to live holistic modern-religious lives within the inherited structures of traditional religion. Second, gender plays a role both in supporting existing norms, but also afford opportunities to challenging them. Third, despite the strong presence of autonomy amongst the girls, dissonance toward religious authority was surprisingly low.