VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the molecular interactions regulating murine B cell development

The proliferation, survival and differentiation of B cell precursors depends on extracellular signals provided by cells within the microenvironment. Cell-bound and secreted molecules direct B lineage progression and regulate the selection of clones from which the immune repertoire emerges. In fact, a myriad of signals derived from B cell progenitors themselves and the microenvironment, in which they develop, cooperatively regulate the progression of progenitors along the B lineage pathway. In this thesis, I describe several new molecular interactions that had previously not been considered to play a role in the early B cell differentiation process. I first characterize the cloning of a gene encoding a sialic acid specific 9-O-acetylesterase that was isolated by differential display analysis of a preBCR- proB cell line and a preBCR+ preB cell line. Differential expression is confirmed by the analysis of several B cell lines and primary B lineage cells. Furthermore, the isolation of various cDNA clones with differing 5 ' sequences suggests an additional level of transcriptional regulation. This finding directs my studies to an examination of the B lineage-specific, sialic acid-binding lectin CD22, whose interactions are modified by 9-O-acetylation. In contrast to previous reports, I show that surface CD22 is expressed at an early stage of development. The study of CD22, whose ligands are also expressed at an early stage of development, finally leads to an analysis of the role of homotypic B cell precursor interactions during B cell development. Using an 'in vitro' assay system I demonstrate that interactions between B cell precursors themselves promote their further development to a mature B cell stage. That preB-preB interactions promote or regulate the critical preBCR-driven signal is suggested by the dramatic inhibition of maturation observed upon blocking [mu] heavy chain cell surface interactions. In summary, these results suggest two novel means of regulating the B cell differentiation process: the regulation of early CD22 interactions through 9-O-acetylation and the generation of differentiation signals through homotypic B cell precursor interactions.
The effects of calcium, short chain fatty acids and mammalian lignans on calcium transport, intracellular Ca²§+ and intracellular pH in the human colon tumor cells HCT-15

The objective of this study was to determine 'in vitro' in human colon tumor calls HCT-15 the effects of calcium, short chain fatty acids (SCFA) acetate, propionate and butyrate and lignans secoisolariciresinol (SECO), enterodiol (ED) and enterolactone (EL) on calcium transport, intracellular Ca2+ and intracellular pH, which are thought to be associated with inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis. Transcellular calcium transport was increased by calcium, acetate, propionate, the mixture of SCFA or the mixture of ED and EL. Intracellular Ca2+ was increased with increasing calcium concentration, and further increased by calcium combined with EL or SECO. Intracellular pH was decreased by SCFA, EL, or low extracellular pH. The results suggest that these changes in intracellular Ca2+ and intracellular pH may in part be responsible for the previously observed effect of calcium, SCFA and lignans on cell proliferation and apoptosis.
Emotion regulation effects of infant-directed singing, evidence from infants and caregivers

The present study explored the utility of salivary cortisol to index emotional correlates of maternal singing to infants. Saliva samples from mother and infant were collected immediately before the singing episode and 10 min after it ended. Mothers ('N' = 31) sang songs of their choice to their 5- to 7-months-old infants for 10-min. A control group of mothers ('N' = 30), who remained seated alone in a quiet room, provided saliva samples at similar times. The singing and non-singing mothers did not differ in pre- to post-test cortisol changes, with both groups showing a significant decrease in cortisol levels. The change in infants'cortisol values did not exceed chance levels. When the videotapes of singing episodes were coded for maternal sensitivity or responsiveness to infant signals, maternal sensitivity was found to be significantly correlated with infants' cortisol changes but not those of mothers. Specifically, more sensitive interactions tended to elevate infants' cortisol levels, and less sensitive interaction tended to depress them.
Relating the PSPACE reasoning power of Boolean Programs and quantified Boolean formulas

We present a new propositional proof system based on a recent new characterization of polynomial space (PSPACE) called Boolean Programs, due to Cook and Soltys. We show that this new system, BPLK, is polynomially equivalent to the system 'G', which is based on the familiar and very different quantified Boolean formula (QBF) characterization of PSPACE due to Stockmeyer and Meyer. We conclude with a discussion of some closely related open problems and their implications.
Compliance in schizophrenia, outpatients taking oral antipsychotics

Noncompliance in schizophrenia has been linked to increased relapse rates and poorer outcome. We investigated noncompliance rate, distinguishable factors between compliant and noncompliant patients, and the correlation among different types of compliance measurements. Fifty-two outpatients with DSM-IV diagnoses of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder used MEMS® to record doses taken for a period of 4 weeks. Self-report, physician ratings, and pill counts were also used to measure compliance. On MEMS ® reading, 25 patients (48%) were compliant, taking medications as prescribed 80% of the time or more, and 27 (52%) were noncompliant. Noncompliant patients were older with a longer duration of illness and more positive and total symptoms, and took medications more frequently. They reported lower family support and a lower alliance with their psychiatrists. Higher positive and total symptoms and lower alliance with psychiatrists were significantly correlated with lower readings on MEMS® Only pill count was significantly correlated to MEMS® reading.
Interaction of the HOX11 oncogene with members of the PBX homeodomain protein subfamily: Implications for HOX11 induced oncogenesis

The t(10;14)(q24;q11) chromosomal translocation brings the HOX11 orphan homeobox gene under the transcriptional control of the T-cell receptor $\delta$-chain 5$\sp\prime$ regulatory region. This study examined the possibility that PBX and/or Meis homeoproteins might be DNA-binding cofactors for HOX11. Two t(10;14) leukemic cell lines examined expressed PBX2. Heterodimers of all three PBX proteins and HOX11 form at the binding site, TGATTGAT, but not at PBX/HOX sites containing sequences bound by HOX11 monomers, suggesting that heterodimerization changes HOX11-DNA binding specificity. Meis1 was not bound by HOX11 at the previously characterized Meis1/HoxA9 binding site. The data indicates strong in vitro interaction between HOX11 and PBX even with Meis1 present. In the nuclear extracts of t(10;14) cells, PBX proteins are found in multimeric complexes. Overexpression of HOX11 may contribute to transformation by sequestering PBX proteins into PBX/HOX11-containing complexes at the expense of other homeotic proteins and therefore preferentially regulate PBX/HOX11 target genes.
You're never really gonna be eliminating them: A phenomenological study of ESL instructors' perceptions of written errors among adult ESL learners

This thesis examined, in the context of their practices for language assessment, the nature of language error and the assignment of gravity to different error types perceived by 4 English as a Second Language (ESL) instructors teaching an ESL Technical Writing course to undergraduate engineering students at a major university in Canada. Other participants were the 4 instructors' undergraduate students who had granted me the permission to use their written assignments as data and to record their classroom interactions with the 4 instructors. The study adopted a phenomenological approach, using human perceptions as the starting point for investigating the nature and meanings of language errors in the context of language assessment. The data included 2 1-hour stimulated recalls (SRs) from each of the 4 instructors. In these recalls, the instructors reviewed their ESL students' previously assessed written reports and commented to me on the errors and their gravity. In another 1-hour interview, each of the 4 instructors explained their own beliefs, assumptions and knowledge systems (BAKs) related to language teaching. Other data included classroom observations and students' written reports. I transcribed and performed 2 kinds of analyses on the SRs and BAKs. First, I coded the errors each of the instructors commented on in the SRs, based on the type and the gravity they had assigned. Second, I coded the themes (e.g., serious errors, minor errors, comprehensibility, irritating and disturbing errors, course objectives and nature) which had emerged in the BAKs data to identify the essence of the instructors' perceptions. Findings of the study refute the feasibility of a universal error hierarchy and support a constructivist perspective for language error evaluation, depicting error evaluation as interactive, context-sensitive activities greatly influenced by the judges' beliefs and various contextual factors. Findings also suggest that the meaning of error is embedded in the larger context of teaching, of which assessment is a part. I attempted to explain the nature of error in terms of Activity Theory (Leon'tev, 1981).
Predynastic and First Dynasty Egyptian basalt vessels

The origin of Predynastic basalt vessels can be placed in northern Egypt based on comparisons with pottery assemblages, artefact distribution patterns, and chemical analysis of the vessels. The Haddadin basalt flow near Cairo is the source for the rock used to manufacture the vessels based on mineral chemical analyses of the artefacts and basalt bedrock samples. This result supports a manufacturing site at or near Predynastic Maadi. It is unknown where First Dynasty basalt vessel manufacture occurred. A typology for the 598 catalogued basalt vessels was developed to aid in classifying them. Distribution analysis suggests that Predynastic traders supplied basalt vessels to local elites in the Delta and southern Egypt During the First Dynasty, those ruling Egypt gained control over the basalt vessel industry, and these artefacts are predominantly found in elite burials at Abydos, Naqada, and Saqqara. Temporal distributions indicate that a substantial change in vessel forms occurred at the start of the First Dynasty, corresponding with southern Egyptian rulers beginning to exert control over the north.
A performance history of Christopher Marlowe's Edward II on the British stage and screen from 1903-1991

This dissertation examines how five twentieth-century productions of Marlowe's 'Edward II' have been influenced by the social and political conditions of their production and reception. Chapter One presents the terms and scope of the thesis, then examines Marlowe's treatment of his historical sources in order to reveal the social and political concerns which influenced him. The second section of this chapter speculates about the presentation of 'Edward II' on the Elizabethan stage. Two specific venues (the Leicester Guildhall and the Red Bull theatre in London) in which ' Edward II' may have been performed during the Renaissance are analysed to show the play's adaptability and how it might have been adjusted to each venue. The subsequent five chapters each explore a modern production of ' Edward II' on the British stage and screen from 1903-1991. The productions under examination are William Poel and the Elizabethan Stage Society (1903); Toby Robertson at the Edinburgh Festival (1969); Nicholas Hytner and the Royal Exchange Theatre Company (1986); Gerard Murphy and the Royal Shakespeare Company (1990) and Derek Jarman's screen adaptation in 1991. Each chapter considers the historical and theatrical concerns of the production and then proceeds to examine the performance itself (set, costumes, characterization, and several key scenes) to determine how it was influenced by social factors. The influence of the social and political concerns on each production is seen most clearly, but not exclusively, in the treatment of the homosexual relationship between Edward and Gaveston. Finally the conclusion takes the performance analysis one step further by exploring where interpretations of 'Edward II' could go as we move into the new millennium. It is postulated that one possible approach could be to develop more fully the complex character of Isabella and the various roles she assumes throughout the play. 'Edward II' may have exhausted its potential for exploring issues of homosexuality and homophobia in the twentieth century; it may find a new direction in the next century.
Numerical modeling of oceanic crustal hydrothermal systems

The oceanic crust is a complex rock-mineral formation which extends up to several kilometers below the sea floor and covers laterally about two thirds of the planet. Hydrothermal circulation within the crust is driven by magmatic sources and carried by the fluid residing in pores and cracks. Hydrothermal advection transfers about one quarter of the Earth's total heat power from the interior. Marine sediments are believed to be the largest repositories of solid ice-like methane clathrate hydrates. The compliance technique is an important tool for assessment of this resource. It makes use of the oceanic surface gravity waves to induce pressure variations on the sea floor and measure the corresponding vertical deformation. This thesis deals with the convective heat and mass transfer within the oceanic crust, as a fractured porous medium, and the elastic, quasi-static response of hydrated marine sediments to gravity wave loading. Both generic and site-specific applications are considered. Most applications are tackled numerically in three spatial dimensions. The major results are as follows. Fractures can trigger and maintain hydrothermal circulation. The permeability-thickness product in the direction of flow is an adequate parameter to represent the fracture if convection is not vigorous. A new temperature homogenization mechanism for the off-axial convection is proposed which is due to quasi-lateral circulation within a permeable zone between sediment cover and basalt. It explains both the observed correlation between surface heat flux and sediment thickness, as well as regular heat flux variations when no buried topography is present. A hydrothermal model for the CoAxial Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge predicts ridge-parallel convection with the low-temperature vents spaced 1 'km' apart. The compliance approach is feasible for a non-layered medium. The average compliance response depends on the bulk hydrate content, but not on a particular connectivity pattern. However, the lateral variation in compliance correlates with the size of a typical lateral inhomogeneity.
Critical review of standard and new methods of assessing compliance with chelation therapy in thalassemic patients

Patients with transfusional dependent ß-thalassemia require iron chelation therapy in order to eliminate the excess iron. Desferrioxamine is the only approved iron chelator and, although very effective, its use is reduced due to cumbersome method of administration. Deferiprone (L1), a new iron chelator, has been shown to be efficacious orally and with acceptable adverse effects. The aims of this study were to evaluate standard (diary, outcome measures, pill count, drug levels) and new electronic (CADD-1 infusion pump, MEMS devices) methods of assessing compliance in thalassemic patients and to compare compliance with DFO and L1 in the context of a randomized controlled trial. Compliance in the DFO-treated patients was significantly lower than in the L1-treated patients, presumably because of the easier administration of L1. No correlation was found between compliance assessed by pill count, electronic monitors and outcome measures. In the L1-treated arm, MEMS devices provided a more accurate measure of compliance than pill counts. In ß-thalassemia compliance monitoring using several methods is crucial as non-compliance is common and is associated with decreased survival.
Computation of electromagnetic fields radiated by lightning strikes to the Toronto CN Tower

With an important number of engineering applications, the computation of the electromagnetic field radiated from cloud-to-ground lightning is, presently, a major area of research. Taking advantage of the comprehensive simultaneous measurements (derivative of current, azimuthal and radial magnetic field, vertical electric field, video records) collected for lightning flashes striking the Toronto CN Tower, the principal factors that affect the computation accuracy of electromagnetic fields surrounding a tall structure are investigated. Models and analytical relations describing accurately the return stroke current for lightning flashes striking the Toronto CN Tower were developed. These models were integrated into new field computation algorithms. Computed azimuthal magnetic fields with these new algorithms are compared with the measured fields. This comparison gives conclusions that contribute to better understanding of the specifics of lightning striking tall structures. Two significant and original contributions to the improvement of the CN Tower Lightning Project data acquisition systems performances are presented in Appendix A: improvement of time stamping accuracy for the acquired waves and reduction of the transfer time of data from digitizers to hard disks.
Raising bilingual and trilingual children, Japanese immigrant parents' child-rearing experiences

This research collected and documented the voices of six Japanese immigrant parents who raised or are raising their children as bi- and trilinguals in Toronto, Canada. It is an attempt to show the intricacies and complexities behind the language choice immigrant parents make on behalf of their children. In order to reflect the rich narratives of these parents, a life history research method was chosen. Life history research allows the researcher to examine the people's stories by placing them in a larger social framework. This study shows that the major motivating factor behind choosing to use L1 (i.e., Japanese) at home is the desire, on the part of immigrant parents, to maintain strong family bonding. This in turn implies that L1 oral communication, which is a vital tool for family cohesion, is fostered and encouraged, but the development of L1 written skills is, in some cases, not given equal attention. Furthermore, when the goal is to achieve communication and not necessarily to nurture bilingual development, important elements such as elevated vocabulary usage is not actively sought by the parents. Some parents seemed to have fallen victims of the myth about second language acquisition (SLA) that their insistence on L1 maintenance could be burdensome or damaging to their children. The desire for their children's academic success deters some parents from actively pursuing L1 maintenance or considering L3 learning. In fact, in interviews some parents shared their feelings of guilt for choosing to raise their children using L1 at home, blaming their own limited L2. Yet their consistent use of L1 is a vital instrument in successful bilingual child-rearing. It is unfortunate to see how immigrant parents, given more-or-less successful bilingual child-rearing experiences, are caught in an inescapable predicament of guilt. As far as the L1 maintenance and L2 learning was concerned, a clear division of labour was found. Home was where the L1 was fostered and used with the children, and the school was where the children's L2 was taught. This clear schism functioned as a double-edged sword: The exclusive use of L1 by the parents seemed to endorse their Japanese identity and helped children to focus on their L1. Similarly, at school, the consistent and continuous L2 usage helped the children's SLA. However, in many cases parents' adherence to L1 and their limited L2 and the school's focus only on L2 skills led to the alienation of the parents from the school, leading, in turn, to non-communication between the two. Some parents believed that the sharp division also contributed to a lack of development of certain language skills in L1 and limited vocabulary growth in L2.
Delving into the structure of the Income Tax Act, how the tax unit and tax base impact on women and same-sex couples

This thesis investigates two structural elements of the 'Income Tax Act' which result in the inequitable treatment of women and same-sex couples--the tax unit and the tax base. In a discussion of the tax unit, the author outlines three models and supports the adoption of the individual as the ideal unit of taxation as a means of remedying discrimination against women and same-sex couples. With respect to the tax base, the author focuses on the 'Income Tax Act's' treatment of capital gains, Registered Pension Plans, Registered Retirement Savings Plans and the child care expense deduction to demonstrate how the current manifestation of the tax base impacts negatively upon women.
Geochemistry and mineralogy of gold in the PACMANUS and Susu knolls hydrothermal systems, eastern Manus basin, Papua New Guinea

The eastern Manus back-arc basin is located off the east coast of New Guinea, in the west Pacific. Active vent fields here, are some of the most gold-rich on the modern seafloor. Unaltered volcanic rocks from eastern Manus Basin have an average gold content of 6 ppb, higher than that of mid-ocean ridge basalts and northern Mariana and Izu Ogasawara arc volcanic rocks, but similar to other back-arc volcanic rocks. This suggests that back-arc volcanic rocks may constitute an enriched source of gold. Mass balance modeling of the PACMANUS hydrothermal system indicates that it is unlikely that the gold found in the precipitates resulted from a single episode of leaching. Movement of the high temperature reaction zone during evolution of the hydrothermal system may, however, expose the fluid to sufficient rock to account for the PACMANUS gold. Helium isotope ratios of fluids from inclusions in hydrothermal precipitates range from 1.7 Ra to 7.17 Ra, indicating a mantle source. The fluids are also enriched in CO2 and N2 over mid-ocean ridge basalt volatiles, compatible with their derivation from subducted sediments. A CO2 > CH4 > N2 enrichment trend of volatiles in inclusions from the Suzette vent site indicates that the vent fluid may have undergone phase separation. Hydrothermal precipitates contain up to 56.8 ppm Au. Gold occurs as silver-poor inclusions in three associations: massive chalcopyrite associated with bornite and covellite; tennantite associated with chalcopyrite and sphalerite; and tennantite and chalcopyrite. Gold is carried in solution predominantly as the Au(HS)° complex consistent with the indicated high activity of sulfur. Reaction path modeling confirms that Au(HS)° is the dominant gold complex. A conductive cooling simulation predicts the formation of a chalcopyrite-bornite-covellite assemblage similar to that found in chalcopyrite-rich portions of chimneys. Mixing with seawater results in precipitation of a low temperature sphalerite assemblage that includes gold-rich electrum, and bears similarities to sphalerite+barite-rich samples. The gold-rich nature of the hydrothermal precipitates is best explained by a dual source of gold, from both leaching of gold-enriched sub-seafloor rocks, and a magmatic fluid, coupled with efficient transport and deposition of gold by the hydrothermal fluid.