VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Light and Soul

The lotus is a divine symbol in Asian traditions representing virtues of purity and non-attachment. "Light and Soul," is a work for orchestra with a duration of thirteen minutes, uses the growth of the lotus as a model for formal construction and musical development. The roots of a lotus are in the mud, the stem grows up through the water, basking in the sunlight. This pattern of growth signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience, and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment. In Buddhism, the heart of the human being is like an unopened lotus. When the virtues of the Buddha develop therein, the lotus blossoms, and that is why the Buddha sits on a lotus bloom. Confucian scholar Zhou Dunyi's short essay, "On the Love of the Lotus," points out there are many lovable flowers of grasses and trees both upon the water and on the land. In the Jin Dynasty, Tao Yuanming loved only the chrysanthemum. Since the Tang Dynasty, people of the world have loved the peony very much. However, Zhou Dunyi especially loves the lotus because while growing from the mud, it is unstained. Then he further lists out the reasons that he loves the lotus and comments that the lotus is a gentleman among the chrysanthemum and peony. The musical means of conveying this spiritual metaphor of the lotus in "Light and Soul" are primarily timbral, although there is a rigorous application of intervalic and scalar development in the music which gives it consistency and a sense of unfolding over the length of its duration.

Keywords: Light
Soul
Advisor: Chan, Ka Nin
Essays on the Economics of Organization

This thesis consists of three empirical studies on the economics of organization using novel data on organizations for analysis. Chapter 1 uses the longitudinal and nationally representative data from Statistics Canada's Workplace and Employee Survey to examine the distinct effects of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on decentralization of decision rights. Using a sample of workplaces from different sectors and controlling for unobserved workplace-level heterogeneity, I find that decentralization (defined as the case when workers can plan work for themselves) is more likely when database software is used (which reduces learning cost) but is less likely when communication system is used (which reduces communication cost). These results are consistent with the predictions of the organizational model by Garicano (2000). Chapter 2 also uses the data from Workplace and Employee Survey and examines the impact of competition on the quality of the middle management in terms of the use of Human Resources Management (HRM) practices. I find that increased competition leads to an improvement in managerial quality, proxied by the use of HRM practices. These results complement the industry-specific evidence documented in the literature. Chapter 3, co-authored with Professor Varouj A. Aivazian, uses the management score of Bloom and Van Reenen (2007) as a proxy for managerial quality to examine the extent to which market structure interacts with capital structure. We find that leverage is negatively related to competition (measured by Import Penetration Ratio, Lerner Index, and Herfindahl-Hirschman Index). Besides, we find that competition is positively associated with managerial quality, and that managerial quality is in turn negatively related to leverage. We conclude that managerial quality explains the impact of competition on leverage which suggests that managerial quality serves as an important link between capital structure and market structure.

Keywords: Information and Communication Technology
Workplace Organization
Competition
Management Practices
Capital Structure
Advisor: Hosios, Arthur J.
Siow, Aloysius
DETs in the Functional Syntax of Greek Nominals

In this dissertation, I explore the formal mechanisms underlying restrictive modification by nominals (RMN). The central claim is that RMN is dependent on how definiteness is encoded in a given language. In Greek, RMN is exemplified by extra definite determiners followed by bare adjectives, as shown in (1) below. These may precede or follow the matrix nominal. Syntactically, I argue that the determiner and the adjective may form either a restrictive or non-restrictive nominal depending on their structural position. Focusing on restrictive nominals, I argue that they are adjuncts to nP, which raise to FocP when focused. These adjuncts are small nominals, consisting of acategorial roots and n. A look at the structure of the matrix noun reveals that adjectives adjoin to NumP, as they are always prenominal. A look at genitives also suggests that Greek nouns move as high as NumP. Central to this thesis is the question of what licenses RMN. Previous analyses have correlated it with rich morphology (Lekakou and Szendrői, 2007, 2008, 2010). For them, the determiner is the spell-out of inflection, but is otherwise a semantic expletive. To these claims, I counter-argue that RMN is best viewed as being dependent on how definiteness is encoded and that the definite determiner is simply underspecified for definiteness. Assuming that definiteness consists of two components, familiarity and uniqueness, and based on data from Standard English and Scottish English, I propose that definite determiners spelling out one component, familiarity, are predicted to exhibit RMN. Familiarity and uniqueness can thus be mapped into two syntactic projections, FamP and ιP, respectively. I then propose a syntactico-semantic mechanism that derives these constructions. Hence, this research offers a modern cross-linguistic account of RMN, while it also provides us with new insights about how definiteness can be encoded cross-linguistically.

Keywords: Syntax of determiners
definiteness
Advisor: Cowper, Elizabeth
Cyclic Deformation Behaviour and the Related Micro-mechanisms of F.C.C. Metals Processed by Accumulative Roll-bonding

The improvement in mechanical strength offered by ultra fine- (UF) and nanocrystalline (NC) sized grains is very attractive for potential applications of structural metals. Accumulative Roll-Bonding (ARB) is one of the promising new techniques for producing bulk UF grained metals. There are numerous reports on the monotonic mechanical behavior of various ARBed metals, however there are few, if any, on the cyclic deformation behavior of such metals. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the cyclic deformation behaviour and the related micro-mechanisms of ARBed metals from a fundamental perspective. To achieve this, the microstructure and the deformation behavior of commercial purity aluminum, OFHC copper, and DLP copper after ARB processing have been systematically characterized. The as-ARBed microstructure is found to be composite natured, with constituents of different grain sizes. The three constituents are: (i)UF grained matrix, (ii)NC primary discontinuities, and (iii)conventional sized pre-existing coarse grains. Due to this composite nature, three different cyclic strain accommodation mechanisms were found in the ARBed OFHC copper: (i)conventional dislocation patterns in the large grains, (ii)reactivation of pre-existing shear bands, and (iii)stress/strain driven grain coarsening at sites of strain localization. The order of activation of the mechanisms can be described with a composite approach based on activation energy. The occurrence of grain coarsening is the major contributor to the cyclic softening response observed in OFHC copper. Conversely, the lesser extent of cyclic softening in the other two metals is likely due to the higher microstructure stability of the initial as-ARBed materials. The microstructure stability is believed to be the primary influencing factor for the extent of grain coarsening and cyclic softening. The applied cyclic plastic strain is a secondary influencing factor, although this is generally overshadowed by the limitation of grain coarsening due to the short cyclic lifespan of these metals. The occurrences of shear banding and grain coarsening reported in the present ARBed metals are similarly reported for UF grained metals from other processes, e.g. ECAPed metals. Thus, its relationship to the cyclic deformation response and governing factors are believed to be applicable for UF grained metals in general.

Keywords: Cyclic Deformation
Ultra-fine grain
Fatigue
Microstructural Mechanisms
Accumulated Roll-Bonding
Mechanical Behaviour
Annealing Characteristics
Advisor: Wang, Zhirui
Vector Specific Tolerance Induction for Airwary Gene Therapy

The success of adenoviral mediated airway gene therapy is hindered by host immune responses against adenoviral vectors. Helper-dependent adenoviral vectors (HD-Ad) are devoid of viral coding sequences and have an improved safety profile compared to earlier generation adenoviral vectors. However, intranasal delivery of HD-Ad vectors potentiates a pulmonary adaptive immune response, described in chapter 2, which is a barrier to gene therapy. One of the ways to reduce the immunogenicity of HD-Ad vectors is to increase the efficiency of HD-Ad mediated gene transfer to the airways, which would lessen the immunogen availability, limiting immune response against HD-Ad vectors. In chapter 3, a viral formulation strategy using Nacystelyn and DEAE-Dextran to substantially increase the efficacy of adenoviral mediated gene transfer to the airways is described. To further reduce the immune response to HD-Ad vectors, I have developed two novel strategies to induce vector-specific tolerance. The first strategy, described in chapter 4, involves the use of dendritic cells (DCs) differentiated in presence of IL-10, which are refractory to HD-Ad induced maturation and instead prime generation of regulatory T cells which suppress HD-Ad induced T cell proliferation. Delivery of these DCs pulsed with HD-Ad vectors to mice results in induction of immunological tolerance along with sustained gene expression following multiple rounds of HD-Ad readministrations. The second strategy, described in chapter 5, involves delivery of apoptotic DCs followed by delivery of antigen towards which tolerance needs to be generated. Apoptotic DCs are readily taken up by viable DCs, which suppresses DC maturation and induces TGF-β1 secretion, driving generation of regulatory T cells towards the delivered antigen. This strategy has shown remarkable success in achieving tolerance towards ovalbumin. Therefore, these strategies can be used to induce immunological tolerance towards gene therapy vectors which will likely allow for sustained and long term therapeutic transgene expression.

Keywords: Dendritic Cells
Tolerance
Adenovirus
Gene Therapy
Advisor: Hu, Jim
Understanding Reports to Child Welfare from the Education System: Challenges and Opportunities for Supporting Vulnerable Children

Educators play a crucial role in the detection of child abuse, but there is limited research understanding the role of teachers in responding to maltreatment concerns. The purpose of this dissertation was to utilise three sequential studies, with multiple methodologies, to understand how Canadian educators are situated to detect, respond, and report suspected child abuse. In the first study, a national Canadian database was utilised to compare educator reported cases of child maltreatment to reports from all other professionals. In study two, 245 teachers completed a questionnaire examining their experiences of reporting child abuse, attitudes and beliefs, and perceived barriers and supports in reporting. Lastly, in the third study, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with seven teachers who had recently reported child abuse. In integrating the results from these studies, three conclusions were drawn regarding the role of educators within the child welfare system. These included; 1) Teachers are well-positioned to detect and advocate for the needs of maltreated children; 2) Teachers have a need for greater confidence, and an increased ability to cope with uncertainty, when responding to child abuse; and 3) There is often a mismatch between the goals of teachers in the education system and the perceived response of the child welfare system. Three recommendations were then presented; 1) Educators are a key resource in supporting early detection and intervention initiatives to address child abuse and their role in these initiatives should be further explored; 2) Teachers should be provided with additional strategies to address perceived barriers in reporting child abuse; and 3) Initiatives to promote increased communication between the education and child welfare systems are required. Overall, results supported the unique child-centred perspective of educators in reporting child maltreatment. Study limitations and areas for future research were then discussed.

Keywords: child maltreatment
child welfare
education
school
education system
child abuse
child abuse reporting
teachers
children's aid
mandatory reporting
social policy
Canada
Advisor: Scott, Katreena
Compassion in Schools: Life Stories of Four Holistic Educators

In this study the author investigates the nature of compassion, ways of developing compassion within ourselves, and ways of bringing compassion into schools. The author sees an imbalance and disconnection in the current Ontario public school system, between education of the mind (to have) and education of the heart (to be). This is demonstrated in the heightening violence in schools, because violence in schools means that students do not feel connected to and are not happy in their schools. To accomplish this purpose, the author explores the different ways we can connect—within ourselves, with classroom subjects, with students in the school, and with the community at large—through life stories of four holistic educators, including herself. Three have taught in Buddhist, Waldorf, and Montessori schools, which all foster compassion not only through empathy, caring, and love, but also through emotional and moral components of heart education, such as intuition, creativity, imagination, joy (Miller, 2006), and moral education (Noddings, 1992). The enquiry uses qualitative research and narrative method that includes portraiture and arts-based enquiry. The findings in the participants’ narratives reveal that compassion comprises spirituality, empathy, and caring. We can develop compassion through contemplation in an awareness of interconnection between the I and the Other. In conclusion, we can foster compassion in schools if we use holistic education’s basic principles of balance, inclusion, and connection (Miller, 1981, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007, 2010), and if we bring in different ways of fostering compassion that the author has explored through four holistic teachers’ narratives in this study. By nurturing and connecting to students’ hearts, rather than forcing knowledge into their heads, it is possible to create schools where students are happy and feel connected to their learning.

Keywords: compassion
holistic education
connection and relationship
interconnection and interdependence
divinity within, God, Buddha nature within, or the Self
spirituality
heart
caring
empathy
love
contemplation
mindfulness
meditation
moral education through storytelling
social environment
authenticity
teacher's presence
transformation
self-directed learning
happiness
Advisor: Miller, John P.
Molecular Dynamics of Biomolecules at Interfaces: Insulin-insulin Interactions

Understanding the intermolecular forces and dynamics of insulin self-assembly is crucial for devising formulations for the treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes. Insulin must dissociate from its hexameric storage form, through an intermediate dimer form, to the bioactive monomer before receptor binding. Specifically, the dimer dissociation is a pivotal step to control insulin dynamics and self-assembly. Steered molecular dynamics simulations were performed on native insulin to provide molecular insight into the insulin dissociation force spectroscopy experiment. Our simulation results of force-induced dimer dissociation revealed that the dimer dissociation occurs near the limit of extensibility of the B-chain with significant conformational changes to the monomer(s). These long-range interactions, consistent with our experiments, are due to stronger inter-monomer interactions across the anti-parallel β-sheet interface than any other intra-monomer interaction. Novel atomistic data played an important role in detailed structural characterization of multiple unfolding and dissociation pathways that depend on the relative strength of the inter-monomer interactions and the intra-monomer interactions. Comparative simulations of two rapid-acting insulin analogues (LysB28ProB29, AspB28) to native insulin were performed to investigate the effect of sequence on the dimer dissociation. The hypothesis is that site-specific alterations to the dimer-forming surface of two rapid-acting analogues will result in a weakening of the inter-monomer interactions, which would be reflected during force-induced dimer dissociation. The results revealed that these analogues dissociates with lower probability of long-range interactions and a corresponding reduction in B-chain extension. B-chain extensibility is thus a characteristic marker of inter-monomer interactions and multiple unfolding pathways. These data agree with the design strategies of sequence modifications to the weakened inter-monomer interface applied to the synthesis of rapid-acting insulin analogues. In contrast, the ligand-induced alteration to the strengthened inter-monomer interactions through a specific GluB13s-zinc bridge contributed to the unique unfolding force curves, so it can be applicable as design strategy to the development of a novel long-acting analogue. Overall, our force spectroscopy studies on insulin native and analogues have successfully provided atomistic insights into the dimer dissociation characteristics and control strategies of self-assembly. In addition, this study would provide a framework for the structure-dynamics-function relationships of insulin-insulin receptor binding.

Keywords: insulin dimer dissociation
molecular dynamics
force spectroscopy
Advisor: Yip, Christopher M.
External Argument Introducers

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.

Keywords: external argument, Voice, Applicative, agent, non-agent, syntax-semantic mapping
Advisor: Massam, Diane
Directed Adult Neural Stem/Progenitor Cell Fate in Microsphere-loaded Chitosan Channels

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.

Keywords: neural stem cell
spinal cord injury
guidance channel
chitosan
drug delivery
Advisor: Shoichet, Molly
Tator, Charles
Xunzi's Ethical Thought and Moral Psychology

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).

Keywords: Ethics
Moral psychology
Confucianism
Chinese Philosophy
Advisor: Shun, Kwong-loi
Shen, Vincent