VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Performance evaluation of emergency services and product support territories

This work deals with the problem of estimating performance measures for spatially distributed networks serviced by mobile servers. The demands are generated stochastically at the nodes and the service units, stationed in service centers when available, travel to the calls and service them according to a pre-selected policy. These types of networks are frequently encountered in the manufacturing industry, for example robotic repair systems found in textile plants and flexible auto manufacturing plants, as well as in public sector service industries like emergency services (police, ambulance and fire service). Another important manifestation is in the design of field support for products. In this work, we concentrate on developing models for obtaining the performance measures of interest, namely the fraction of time the machine are up and running in the case of manufacturing facilities, and the average response time to a random call for an emergency service facility or a product support facility. Whenever a call is placed, a service unit will travel (immediately, if available) to the call's location and will provide the service required. Otherwise, the call will enter a queue at that node that may have finite or infinite capacity. The service units travel from node to node serving the calls and return to the service center only when there are no more calls waiting. Thus, travel times play a major role in designing the system. The system can be modeled by using a semi-Markov chain but the technique is manageable only under certain special conditions, for example in the case of small or symmetric networks with only one server. For most practical cases, however, the exact models are too complicated to solve because they require considering exponentially large number of states of the system. Approximate methods seem to be the only promising way of modeling these complicated systems to obtain the desired performance measures which can then be used to make strategic (e.g. location) or operational (e.g. dispatching) decisions. This thesis presents several such methods based on relatively simple approximations which are tested using simulation and found to give good results.
Discharge information needs of outpatient cardiac catheterization patients

A descriptive-correlational design was used to determine the discharge information needs of outpatient cardiac catheterization patients. In addition, how well the discharge information needs were met was examined and the relationship between information needs and intensity of physical symptoms and the impact of results on life. Lazarus and Folkman's (1994) theory of strew, appraisal and coping provided the framework for the study. Discharge information needs of the subjects (N = 49) were measured by the Patient Learning Needs Scale (PLNS); extent to which discharge information needs were met by the Needs Met Score; fatigue, chest pain and shortness of breath by visual analogue scales; and impact of results on life by a Likert adjectival scale. Subjects placed importance on having information at discharge. Information needs were found to be highest in the areas of complications and symptoms, treatment and activities of living and illness related concerns. Subjects reported that their need for this information was moderately to very well met. Discharge information needs were not associated with the intensity of physical symptoms nor the impact of the results on life. Implications for nursing practice, theory and research were examined.
Puberty and scizophrenia

Objective. This study investigates the mediating role of puberty in schizophrenia onset in women and men. Hypotheses. It was hypothesized that a positive correlation exists in women and a negative one in men. Method. Competent and consenting individuals with DSM-IV schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, and their mothers, underwent a 45 minute interview to ascertain age at first odd behaviour, age at first psychotic symptom, age at first hospitalization, and age at various indices of puberty. Information about substance use, head injury, obstetric trauma and first-degree family history of schizophrenia was obtained. Results. Linear regression in women (N = 35) showed that age at menarche correlated positively with illness onset. Age at voice change for men (N = 45) was non-predictive. None of the other tested variables played a role in the interaction. Conclusion. In women, early puberty (whether via hormonal or social influence) delays schizophrenia onset. This effect is not found in men.
Structure, function and interactions of enzyme IIA from the phosphoenolpyruvate, lactose phosphotransferase system

The bacterial phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS) is responsible for binding, transmembrane transport and phosphorylation of numerous sugar substrates. The system is also involved in the regulation of a variety of metabolic and transcriptional processes. The PTS consists of Enzyme I, heat stable protein (HPr), as well as several sugar specific multiprotein permeases known as Enzymes II. Enzyme IIALac belongs to the lactose/cellobiose family of Enzymes II, one of four functionally as well as structurally distinct groups. The structure of 'Lactococcus lactis' Enzyme IIA, the first representative of the family to have its three-dimensional structure determined, has been solved using the single isomorphous replacement and anomalous scattering (SIRAS) method at 2.3Å resolution. No overall structural homology was observed to any PTS proteins nor to any of the proteins in the PDB. Two structures of Enzyme IIALac from 'Staphylococcus aureus' (72% sequence identity) have been subsequently determined in two different crystallographic space groups using molecular replacement at 3.2Å and 3.3Å resolution respectively. The subunits of the wildtype Enzyme IIALac in both 'L. lactis' and ' S. aureus', are related to each other by the inherent three-fold rotational symmetry and pack against each other forming a nine-helix bundle which is stabilised by a centrally located Mg++. The metal binding, which because of its location we call a cationic oligomerization site (COS), is missing in the Asp81Leu mutant. This mutant protein can still be phosphorylated by HPr, but it is deficient in relaying the phosphate group to Enzyme IIB. The structures of the mutated Enzyme IIA determined at 100K to 2.1Å and at room temperature to 2.4 Å are also described. Determination of several structures of Enzymes IIA from the lactose/cellobiose family was followed by structural interpretation yielding some surprising results. Enzyme IIALac from 'L. lactis' seems to undergo breathing motions in solution, which can at least periodically separate the subunits of the molecule. Models of the complexes between Enzyme IIALac and phosphorylated HPr as well as between Enzyme IIA Lac and Enzyme IIBCel have been constructed. The Enzyme IIALac - Enzyme IIBCel complex supports biochemical data that the trimer of Enzyme IIA does not separate into subunits following the phosphorylation event.
The cleavage mode of the Cre recombinase

The Cre protein, encoded by the bacteriophage P1, and the Flp protein, encoded by the 2 [mu]M plasmid found in budding yeast, belong to the Integrase family of site-specific recombinases. Cre and Flp recombinases each bind specifically to recombination targets comprised of inverted repeats of their cognate DNA binding sites, the 'lox' and FRT symmetry elements, respectively, that flank a central 8 bp spacer region. Like all integrases, both recombinases cleave one strand of the target site through a nucleophilic attack of the scissile phosphate by a conserved catalytic tyrosine residue. Cleavage generates a covalent attachment of the tyrosine to the 3'-phosphate and a free 5'-OH end. Association of two recombinase-bound target sites that have been cleaved into a synaptic complex provides the framework for the exchange of the crossing (cleaved) strands. The 3'-covalent linkage is subsequently destroyed by the nucleophilic attack of the incoming 5'-end and the DNA strands made continuous through a recombinase-mediated ligation that results in the formation of a Holliday intermediate. This Holliday junction is resolved into linear DNA products through a second set of recombinase-mediated cleavages, strand exchanges and ligations. An important issue in the chemistry of the recombination reaction is the location of the recombinase molecule that provides the catalytic nucleophile in the synapse. The mode of cleavage by a recombinase has been denoted as either occurring in 'cis,' where the cleaving monomer is bound adjacent to the scissile phosphate, or in 'trans,' where the cleaving monomer is bound elsewhere in the synaptic complex. Studies of a number of integrases have shown that the [lambda]Int and XerC/D proteins cleave in 'cis,' while the Flp recombinase cleaves in 'trans. ' I used half-site complementation to show that Cre cleaves its ' lox' target site in 'trans.' Following publication of this report, the crystal structure of the Cre synapse showed 'cis '-cleavage by Cre. To resolve this discrepancy and to answer whether my use of conditionally active sites and Cre proteins biased the results in favor of 'trans'-cleavage, I constructed novel recombinases, Fre and Clp, that were functional chimeras of the Cre and Flp proteins. I showed that these chimeric proteins had altered binding specificities compared to their respective native recombinase and designed novel specific target sites for these chimeric proteins. I used hybrid recombination sites that combined the target sites of a chimeric and native recombinase to test the mode of cleavage by Cre and Flp in conditions that did not exclude either ' cis'- or 'trans'-cleavage from occurring. I found that consistent with previous reports, Cre cleaved in 'cis' and Flp cleaved in 'trans.'
Landscape and vegetation effects on breeding songbirds in the mixedwood forests of southern Ontario

Mixedwood forests in southern Ontario were studied to evaluate the relative impact of landscape influences and vegetation structure on the composition of the avian community. Data from central point censuses, vegetation surveys, and a GIS database were used in Redundancy Analyses, and revealed that local forest cover and edge distance had the most important landscape effects on the avian community but edge distance was a less powerful predictor than forest cover. Edge effects were complex and variable in their impact on birds through changes in the abundance of resources, predators, and parasites. The present study demonstrates that efforts to develop a general theory of edge effects, even if limited to birds in agricultural landscapes, may be ineffectual because of the confounding effect of forest cover. Vegetation structure explained more variance in the avian community than landscape effects alone, contrary to some earlier reports. As a result, conservation of North American avifauna requires management efforts to maintain forest cover plus reforestation plans that mimic the diversity of forests that have been lost, in addition to the current focus on protecting large forests and minimizing the amount of edge created by harvesting. The abundance of food resources may affect the distribution of insectivorous songbirds in fragmented landscapes, and the biomass of flying insects consumed by flycatchers was greater in less fragmented forests, but neither of the flycatching species was landscape-sensitive, so no link can be established between resource abundance and landscape effects on birds. The detectability of birds varied with date during the breeding season, time of day, and with temperature at the time of the census for 15 of 43 common species. In addition, evidence for observer bias ranged from four times to nine times the level that would be expected by chance. These biases can be minimized by planning multiple visits to each census point.
The restoration and operation of two historical house museums at Todmorden Mills

Numerous historical structures have been needlessly destroyed by the implementation of inappropriate operational strategies that attempt to provide an environment conducive to the preservation of artifacts. In response to the need for economical, long-term solutions capable of providing the required environmental conditions, the Reduced Gradient Approach was developed. This method was incorporated within the preservation strategy for the stabilization of two historical house museums located at Todmorden Mills. The primary objective for this thesis is to evaluate the performance, effectiveness and influence of the Reduced Gradient Approach on the building envelopes and on the artifacts. The results of this investigation demonstrate that the Reduced Gradient Approach holds promise of inexpensively controlling the interior environment without creating any deleterious consequences for the building envelopes. This environmental control strategy offers an unobtrusive, long-term solution to the operation of house museums that ensures the preservation of both the historical building envelope and the artifacts.
The implications of sections 1, 15 and 24 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms on health care allocation decisions

This thesis explores how sections 1, 15, and 24 of the ' Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms' can and ought to serve as a framework for addressing complex public policy issues associated with allocating health care resources. Chapter one describes the factual milieu of health policy in Canada. It explores the nature of health care policy in a pluralistic society. It also discusses the legal/political dimensions of the Canadian health care system. Chapter two examines the 'Charter' as a source of guidance for health policy makers. It examines the implications of section 15 for allocation decisions. Chapter three is a case study, that applies section 15 analysis to women. Chapter four describes the implications of sections 1 and 24 of the 'Charter', general government obligations and judicial remedies. The thesis concludes with some general thoughts on the ' Charter' and its implications for the delivery of health care in Canada.
Multicultural children's literature, storytelling the Canadian identity

Multicultural education often conjures up images of classrooms occupied with children representing a variety of races, cultures, and languages. However, multicultural education has another face--one usually hidden in the shadows of its more popular image. The alternate image presents an expression of multiculturalism in which the features of diversity are not obvious but rather are subtle and somewhat shadowy. In this study, I transported multicultural education from its common venue of a visibly-diverse area to the location of a predominately-White city situated in the Maritimes. My objective was to contribute to the small body of research focussed on multicultural education in White schools. Although Canada advertises itself as a multicultural nation, cities with a high visibly-diverse population continue to dot, rather than cover the national map. The majority of Canada still consists of mainly-White locations where minority groups represent single-figure percentages of the population. The primary question of this research revolved around the relationship between identity and literature. The study was divided into two main inquiries. The first part investigated how children who grow up in mainly-White locations perceive the Canadian identity. My review of their notions of Canadian spanned from what they thought a Canadian looked like to what they believed Canadians valued. Once a dominant identity was acquired, I then worked to determine if multicultural children's literature had any influence on their ideas of who could and could not be Canadian. After nearly two years in the classroom, I came to see multicultural literature not as curriculum content but as a curriculum process. What was taught was not as important as how it was taught. In this study I examined various approaches to reading and settled upon one that not only looked at the Canadian with a critical eye, but with a hopeful face as well.
Mental state talk, a developmental perspective

We investigated the developmental trajectories of mental state talk (cognitive, desire and feeling) in children, and influences on mental state talk Thirty-seven Caucasian families, each with two parents and two children, participated in this study over a two-year period. Data were collected during six 90-minute sessions in the participants' homes. Each speaker turn was coded for the presence of mental state terms and the referent (e.g., self, other). Results indicated that cognitive state talk increases in children and parents as the children get older. Mothers and older girls talked more than fathers and older boys about the mental states of others. Finally, children with an older sibling, when compared to those without older siblings are advantaged in their cognitive state talk at age 4 after controlling for MLU. Children with an older sibling are not however advantaged in their talk about desires and feelings.
Absolute Identification of Loudness, Theory and Experiment

An absolute identification experiment on loudness requires that the subject classify as well as he/she can the loudness of a stimulus tone. The intensity level is randomly selected from m stimulus categories within a fixed stimulus range, R. The matching of a stimulus category with a response category comprises one trial. N such trials are compiled into an m x m "Confusion" matrix. Subject performance is quantified from the matrix using an information measure I(N, m, R). The dependence of I(N, m, R) on N includes a small sample bias. The dependence of I(N, m, R) on m is a mathematical property, while the dependence on R is a property of the individual. Utilizing the observation that a subject's responses are governed by a normal distribution of constant variance, a model has been developed that accounts for these three dependencies.
The role of donor leukocytes among transfused platelets in inducing recipient cytotoxicity

It is currently accepted that leukocytes within platelet preparations are responsible for augmenting the alloimmune response. Using a well-characterized murine model, we have attempted to understand how the presence of residual mononuclear cells (MC) with the platelets may affect recipient immunity. 108 leukofree platelets from severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice with or without titrations of MC were transfused into allogeneic mice and splenic cytotoxicity was measured at 72 hours post transfusion using a 51chromium-release assay. Compared with nontransfused mice, leukofree SCID mouse platelets did not generate significant levels of cytotoxicity. In contrast, however, SCID mouse platelets with MC added at 1/[mu]l stimulated significant levels of nitric oxide (NO)-dependent cytotoxicity. The cytotoxicity appeared to correlate with reduced alloantibody formation observed when 1 MC/[mu]l was present among the platelets. These results suggest that the low numbers of residual MC within allogeneic platelets are responsible for stimulating recipient, NO-dependent, cellular cytotoxicity, which may affect platelet-induced alloantibody responsiveness.
Effect of external pulse on solid propellant rocket internal ballistics

An introductory evaluation of the effects of an externally induced pulse on the internal ballistics of solid propellant rocket motors (SRMs) is performed in this study. The main reason for the study was to demonstrate numerically that the axial wave motion generated inside the rocket combustion chamber resulting from an external pulse has enough strength to cause a motor to go into nonlinear combustion instability. In doing so, this study modelled two practical scenarios that would induce a pulse inside the SRM. The first scenario modelled was one in which a missile in its mission flight encounters a blast wave resulting from a nuclear explosion at a distance. The pulse generated within the SRM as a result of missile/blast wave interaction is evaluated. Another scenario modelled was a case in which the SRM is being tested on the static thrust test-stand when suddenly the load-cell fails causing a sudden acceleration of the motor, resulting in the motor impacting an end-wall from which it may bounce back and forth until it reaches a new equilibrium position. The effect of a pulse induced through this scenario is evaluated. Further, a pulsing unit is designed for pulsing an SRM artificially to test the effect of externally induced pulses on the internal ballistics of SRMs. The results of the project demonstrate that the first scenario creates weak pressure waves inside the SRM, however, they are strong enough in some situations to be above the minimum criterion required to cause combustion instability. The result of the second scenario also produces weak pressure waves inside the SRM, however they are stronger in comparison to the first scenario. It indicates that the externally induced pulse resulting from this scenario will more likely cause nonlinear combustion instability in inherently susceptible SRM designs.
Dopamine D2 receptor monomers, dimers and higher order oligomers

Dopamine D2 receptors are the main target for all antipsychotic drugs and are associated with the treatment of several pathological disorders such as schizophrenia, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's chorea. Binding studies have shown that different radio-ligands yield different densities for dopamine D2 receptors in the same homogenate of human brain tissue, rat tissue, and cloned D2 receptors expressed in various cell lines. One hypothesis is that dopamine D2 receptors may exist as multimers, and that radioligands may bind differently to multimers yielding different D2 densities. Using D2 specific antibodies and iodo-azido derivatives of the D2 antagonists nemonapride and spiperone, I have shown that D2 receptors exist as multimers in D2/Sf9 cells, and more significantly, as monomers and dimers in rat striatal tissue. To study their individual pharmacology, attempts were made to separate D2 receptor monomers and dimers into homogeneous populations via sucrose density gradients. Immunoreactive species, from receptors expressed in Sf9 cells, were found at $\sim$98 kDa and $\sim$36 kDa. The study of D2 receptor monomers, dimers and higher order oligomers may lead to a greater understanding about the mechanisms behind D2 receptor related diseases, and help in the creation of more selective medications with minimized clinical side effects.