VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Women's leadership training in micro-business, the case of the Women's Leadership and Enhancement Institute of Trinidad and Tobago

This thesis seeks to evaluate how the Women's Leadership and Enhancement Institute of Trinidad and Tobago (WLEIT&T) empowers women to become leaders in micro-businesses. Through a case study, the thesis focuses on how the WLEIT&T empowers six women participants to become leaders through their participation in two pilot projects. Three of these women operated micro-businesses from their homes, two had difficulty in accessing funding to launch their business enterprise, while one found that the time was not right to begin. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews, observers notes, official documents from the WLEIT&T, and from two informal interviews with the Execution Programme Co-ordinator and the leadership facilitator. From the findings of the study, the WLEIT&T set out to empower women leaders in micro-businesses, but these women also became leaders in their communities and religious organizations. The transformative leadership skills for micro-businesses facilitated by the WLEIT&T are transferable to other areas of leadership. Finally, the study makes recommendations to the WLEIT&T. These recommendations may be considered to further address the training of women for leadership in micro-businesses.
A study of lung surfactant (BLES) and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) films using axisymmetric drop shape analysis (ADSA)

Lung surfactant plays an important role in the mechanism of respiration. Using Axisymmetric Drop Shape Analysis (ADSA), properties of lung surfactant (Bovine Lipid Extract Surfactant, BLES) films at the air-water interface were investigated. To study the effect of compression ratio (i.e. the ratio of maximum to minimum surface area of the bubble) on lung surfactant films, Volume-Area-Surface tension-Time (VAST) and surface tension-relative area (ã-A) isotherms were plotted, with different compression ratios of lung surfactant films. With relatively low compression ratios, VAST and ã-A graphs indicate a reversible cycling. While the compression ratio of surfactant films increases, failure tends to occur when the surface film cannot support the increasing surface pressure, causing a hysteresis loop in ã-A graphs. Experiments were also devised to study properties of Dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) films. It was found that the behavior of DPPC films is similar to lung surfactant films, especially at low surface tensions.
The development of spelling and its relationship to decoding and phonological processing in Chinese ESL children

The purpose of the present study was to explore the development of spelling of young Chinese ESL children over a two-year period, and to compare their development to that of a control group of native English speaking (L1) children. The effects of L1-specific phonemes, the effects of lexicality and visual-orthographic processing on ESL acquisition were examined. The relationships between spelling, reading, and phonological processing were explored. The results from developmental trend analyses suggested a similar developmental trajectory of spelling levels across time for L1 and ESL children. Inaccurate spellings in Chinese ESL children reflected difficulty in spelling certain phonemes that are absent in L1 phonology. However, this negative transfer did not persist across time. Chinese ESL children showed poorer performance in spelling pseudowords than real words, but outperformed L1 children in a confrontation spelling task, and performed better in spelling the pseudowords presented visually than when they were presented orally. Correlational analyses showed that both L1 and ESL children's spelling performance was significantly correlated with reading measures. Phoneme deletion, a measure of phonological awareness, was found to correlate significantly with the spelling task for both groups, but phonological working memory correlated significantly with the spelling in ESL but not for L1 children. Regression analyses revealed that reading measures accounted for a significant amount of the variance in predicting performance on the spelling task for both L1 and ESL children. Phonological measures accounted for a significant amount of the variance in predicting spelling performance for both L1 and ESL when entered before reading scores, but became non-significant when entered after reading scores. The above results provide insight into the interaction between universal and language-specific processes of learning to read and write in L2. These results suggest that the language-specific model better applies to early stages of L2 acquisition, and better predicts children's acquisition of L1-specific structures of L2, whereas the universal model best predicts the general order of difficulty and underlying cognitive processes in the development of spelling of English words. During the course of L2 development, the language transfer effect gradually decreases, while universal processes increase.
The impact of liquid-liquid-vapour phase behaviour on coke formation from model coke precursors

Catalysts used in the hydrogenation processes of heavy feedstocks deactivate due to coke deposition. Although the mechanism for coke formation is not fully understood, condensation reactions of polycyclic aromatic compounds present in the feeds are a key aspect. The effect of coke deposition on catalyst performance is typically modelled using accelerated aging agents comprising model coke precursors. Mixtures employed in such studies include polycyclic aromatic compounds such as anthracene as a coke precursor, and long chain alkanes such as hexadecane as a diluent. It is shown in this thesis that binary and pseudo binary mixtures of polynuclear aromatic compounds and n-alkanes present TYPE II, TYPE IV, or TYPE III phase behaviour according to the van Konynenburg and Scott (1980) phase projection classification. Incubation periods and the apparent autocatalytic effects associated with batch coke deposition experiments in such systems are explained through a combination of high temperature phase equilibrium experiments and computations with the model systems anthracene + n-alkane + hydrogen, pyrene + n-alkane + hydrogen, and hexaphene + n-alkane.
Physical therapy continuing professional education, an environmental scan and needs assessment

As public sector health care delivery is rapidly shifting, physical therapists are challenged to adapt, in order to be proactive in dealing with these changes. Utilizing an environmental scan and needs assessment, this study investigated the future needed skills and behaviours of postgraduate physical therapists that can be met through educational interventions. Interviews with seven physical therapy opinion leaders and two focus groups of practicing clinicians, were conducted to identify the driving forces for change in the profession. The results from a gap analysis of current perceived needs of clinicians were contrasted with the experts' projections of future physical therapy directions. The major findings indicate that physical therapists will need further development in a variety of non-clinical areas to effectively work in their new health care roles. The continuing professional education implications of this study reveal valuable insights into the future needs of physical therapists in the public sector.
Characterization of cortical spreading depression in rat using radio frequency current density imaging

The spatiotemporal propagation of cortical spreading depression (SD) was studied using activity dependent intrinsic optical signals (ADIOS) in conjunction with a novel optical window in rat sensorimotor cortex. Previous studies of SD using a microelectrode could only reveal limited spatial information of this two dimensional phenomenon. Imaging of intrinsic optical signals during SD enabled a detailed spatiotemporal description of this phenomenon. A significant asymmetry was seen in the progressing wavefront, while a complex, non-uniform optical activity was seen behind the wavefront. These features of SD have never been reported before using microelectrodes or other modalities of imaging due to the lack of spatiotemporal resolution. The ability of the ADIOS technique to closely examine the spatiotemporal characteristics provides new possibilities for studying the mechanisms of SD. With the new window design, it is also possible to monitor the long-term changes in intrinsic optical signals of the cortex., The RFCDI technique offers unique approach to measuring current density (CD) distribution inside a sample. Its inherent MR advantages such as non-invasive three dimensional imaging capability provides information that has not been available before. This thesis explores the viability of utilizing RFCDI as an 'in-vivo' imaging tool for measuring the dynamic changes associated with the cortical activity/inactivity. The RFCDI images were made while spreading depression (SD) was elicited on one hemisphere of the rodent cortex. The areas of cortex affected by SD showed a large increase in CD while the surrounding areas showed no change. The changes in CD were in the range of 20% to 129% from the baseline. These changes were highly repeatable and significant. Although the interpretation of the CD changes are often difficult, this thesis demonstrates that RFCDI is a viable imaging technique for the measurements of dynamic changes in CD in human brain.
The effect of transforming growth factor-ß on p27 in human mammary epithelial cells

Normal finite lifespan 184 HMEC (human mammary epithelial cells) are growth arrested by Transforming Growth Factor-ß (TGF-ß), in contrast to the immortal 184-derived cell line, 184A1L5R. In 184 cells, TGF-ß increases p15, leading to dissociation of cyclin D-cdk4-p27 complexes and binding of p27 to cyclin E-cdk2 complexes. p15 from both cell types dissociates cyclin D-cdk4-p27 complexes from sensitive cells but not from resistant cells ' in vitro' (98). Resistant cells have higher cyclin E- and A-associated kinase activities and detectable p27 immunoprecipitable cdk activity. These data suggest that p27 from resistant cells may be defective in cdk inhibitory function. This is corroborated by 'in vitro' data that show p27 from resistant cells binds and inhibits cyclin E-cdk2 poorly. p27 from resistant cells is hyperphosphorylated and mislocalized. While my data suggest that p27-phosphorylation in the 184A1L5R line may cause loss of inhibitor function and altered p27 localization, this has yet to be definitively established. Future work will determine if manipulation of signaling pathways such as constitutive activation of PKB or inhibition of MAPK in the 184 cells leads to the altered p27 phenotype that I observed in resistant 184A1L5R.
Characterization of the native and iron-replaced DNA-binding domain of the retinoic acid receptor

The retinoic acid receptor DNA-binding domain (RARdbd) was shown to bind one AGGTCA site with a dissociation constant of 15.3 (± 0.5) nM. The binding affinity of the RARdbd appeared to be increased on the DR2 element, indicating potential cooperative homodimerization. The binding affinity of the RARdbd also appeared to be increased in the presence of the RXRdbd polypeptide on both the DR2 and DR5 response elements, indicating potential cooperative heterodimerization. The second portion of this thesis demonstrated that iron was able to substitute for zinc in the retinoic acid receptor DNA-binding domain. The iron-substituted RARdbd was shown to interact with the AGGTCA consensus sequence with a dissociation constant of 15.3 (± 0.6) nM and with the same apparent DNA contacts as the native RARdbd. Most importantly, the iron-substituted RARdbd was shown to generate hydroxyl radicals, a highly reactive and oxidative species implicated in carcinogenesis through DNA strand breaks and base modifications.
Oxidative stress and plasma antioxidant vitamins in patients with Crohn's disease compared with healthy volunteers

Oxidative stress and plasma antioxidant vitamin/mineral concentrations were measured in thirty-seven Crohn's disease (CD) patients and compared to a group of thirty-seven healthy subjects (HC) who were matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). In CD patients, disease activity was measured (CDAI) and was 141.2 ± 18.7 (range 9.0-514). Of these patients, 30% had a CDAI >= 150, indicative of active Crohn's disease. Lipid peroxidation, measured by breath pentane output, breath ethane output, and plasma F2-isoprostane, was significantly higher in CD compared to healthy subjects. Several plasma antioxidant vitamins were found to be significantly reduced in CD patients compared to HC: ascorbic acid, Ã- and ß-carotene, and the carotenoids. The results confirm our hypothesis that patients with CD are oxidatively stressed even though 70% of them had inactive disease, with a CDAI <= 150.
Exploring the margin, the borders between Regent Park and Cabbagetown

This thesis explores the meaning and the usefulness of the spatial metaphor 'margin' in urban social geography. I analyze a downtown neighborhood of Toronto in light of the modernist, postmodernist and border interpretations of the margin. My study of the contrasting yet juxtaposed communities of Regent Park (a public housing project) and of Cabbagetown (a gentrified area) leads me to conclude that the margin is a multiple, flexible space where groups with unequal power meet, come into conflict and negotiate. Through this research, I examine the links between power relations, the production of space and the politics of representation. Drawing on government reports, newspaper articles, and personal interviews, I investigate the urban planning policies that have shaped the neighborhood since the late 1940's, the shifts in the media image of each community, and the struggles of their respective populations.
Characterization and reactivity of an ultimate carcinogen, the tamoxifen carbocation

Women treated for breast cancer with tamoxifen (TAM) are at increased risk of developing endometrial cancer. This carcinogenic effect has been attributed to estrogenic stimulation and/or to a genotoxic effect. To examine genotoxicity via the proposed carbocation pathway, a detailed study concerning the solvolysis of Ã-sulfate/acetoxy-tamoxifen in solvent alone or with added nucleophile was undertaken. Ground state solvolysis experiments established that the TAM-esters solvolyze via an SN1 mechanism. A solvent dependency for Ã-sulfate-TAM hydrolysis was observed by conducting experiments in varying proportions of water: acetonitrile. The plot of the logarithm of the resultant rate constants as a function of the YCl parameter is linear with a slope of 0.72. Rates of solvolysis for Ã-sulfate/acetoxy-TAM were independent of added nucleophile; this is classic evidence for an SN1 reaction in which the Ã-sulfate/acetoxy ionizes to a carbocation in the rate-determining step. The formation of four products after hydrolysis also points to a TAM+ intermediate which can isomerize between cis and trans forms, and which can be trapped by water or some other nucleophile, or can undergo intramolecular cyclization followed by deprotonation. Laser-flash photolysis (LFP) of the TAM-ester produces a transient that decays in an exponential fashion. The carbocation is relatively long-lived, with lifetimes of 40 [mu]s under acidic conditions and 160 [mu]s under basic conditions. HPLC product studies determined the kazide: k w selectivity ratio to be 4.4 * 104 M-1 while direct measurement by UP determined a ratio of 4.45 * 104 M-1 The close agreement of these two distinctly measured ratios provides conclusive evidence that the transient generated by LFP is the exact same carbocation as the one formed in the ground state ionization. Direct measurement of bimolecular rate constants by LFP shows that TAM+ is quenched by endogenous nucleophiles to varying degrees. At physiological pH, DNA is an effective trapping agent with a kDNA: kw ratio of 3.85 * 103 M-1 followed by glutathione; kGSH: kw = 3.3 * 103 M-1 and finally deoxyguanosine (dG); kdG: kw = 70 M-1. The exact nature of the reaction between the TAM+ and DNA is currently under investigation.
A case study of teaching strategies associated with different formats for core French

This study deals with the teaching strategies that a particular teacher uses when instructing two Grade 7 core French classes in different program formats. The aim of this study is to determine whether differences in the teaching strategies used in the two formats are a factor in the students' learning outcomes and attitudes towards learning French. Students in two groups of roughly equal academic ability were assigned to one of two program formats. a traditional format of 40 minutes daily for the entire school year or a compact format of 150 minutes daily for approximately one-quarter of the school year. Sample lessons were videotaped, and teaching strategies were analyzed. Quantitative findings indicate that there was no difference in this teacher's use of teaching strategies between the two program formats. Evidence from the qualitative data suggests, however, that the two classes were not treated exactly the same way.
Zebra Mussel Adhesion and Aspects of Its Prevention Using Copper

The development of non-chemical control strategies for zebra mussel biofouling requires a more complete understanding of zebra mussel attachment. A wall-jet apparatus was designed to measure one aspect of attachment; the strength with which zebra mussels bind to substrates. The results indicate a significant difference in adhesion strength among the materials, ranging in mean values from 0.002 ± 0.0002 Pa m2 for smooth Teflon to 0.012 ± 0.0005 Pa m2 for medium roughness mild steel. The adhesion strength increased with roughness for Teflon and stainless steel. A tensile load test was also used to evaluate the adhesion strength of zebra mussel to materials. The results obtained from this method were comparable to the wall-jet data, and indicated a difference in adhesion strength among materials with mean detachment force values ranging from 0.183 ± 0.037 N for smooth Teflon to 1.606 ± 0.162 N for smooth mild steel. Another aspect of zebra mussel attachment is the prevention of recruitment onto a surface. Recent recruitment studies have shown that zebra mussels do not attach to copper surfaces. In order to better understand the anti-fouling mechanisms of copper, release rates and surface characteristics of various copper-containing materials were compared. Copper and nickel release rate studies were performed under both batch and continuous-flow conditions. Under batch conditions, the copper concentration within the vessel increased to a level which influenced the copper release rate and therefore, continuous-flow conditions are preferred. The results from the continuous-flow studies showed that as the copper content of the copper-nickel alloy increased both the copper and nickel release rates increased. The release rate of copper and nickel from acid-etched plates of Cu:Ni 90:10 were 27.7 mg m-2 day-1 and 5.2 mg m-2 day-1, from Cu:Ni 80:20 were 5.3 mg m-2 day-1 and 1.5 mg m -2 day-1, and from Cu:Ni 70:30 were 1.8 mg m-2 day-1 and 0.8 mg m -2 day-1, respectively. The release of copper and nickel from copper and copper-nickel alloys can be described using a comprehensive model which described the initial dissolution process under continuous-flow conditions as being controlled by reaction-limited conditions. A comparison of the characteristics of copper-based materials and their anti-fouling performance indicated that the copper release rate correlated with the prevention of zebra mussel attachment. Suppressing the copper release rate and examining the surface characteristics of those materials confirmed that copper release prevents zebra mussel attachment.
Characterization of the human recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) and RAG2 promoter regions

In all vertebrates, the genes encoding Antigen Receptor (AgR) variable (V) regions are assembled during B and T cell development from gene segments termed V, (D), and J through the process of V(D)J recombination. V(D)J recombination is central for the successful function and development of B and T cell lymphocytes. Recombination Activating Gene 1 (RAG1) and RAG2 are the essential and tissue specific components of V(D)J recombination. Their precise pattern of expression during B and T cell development determines where and when V(D)J recombination occurs. This thesis describes studies on the regulation of RAG1 and RAG2 at the transcription level. In chapter 2, I have characterized the exon 1 and promoter region of human RAG1. I show that a single promoter region is used for RAG1 transcription. In chapter 3, I describe the isolation and characterization of the human RAG2 promoter regions. The major transcription initiation site (exon 1A) of human RAG2 is located 3.9 kb upstream of the coding exon while the less frequently used transcription initiation site (exon 1B) is only 0.7 kb upstream of the coding exon. Two alternate promoters upstream of exon1A or 1B drive the transcription of RAG2 gene. Using transient assays, I show that promoter regions of human RAG1 and RAG2 are active in both lymphoid and non-lymphoid cell lines. Chapter 4 describes an approach that I took to study the tissue-specific regulation of RAG genes. I stably transfected a 65 kb P1 phage genomic clone containing RAG1, RAG2 and their surrounding sequences, into the human cervical carcinoma cell line, HeLa (RAG1-, RAG2-) and the mouse pre-B cell line, NFS-70 (RAG1+, RAG2+). I found consistent expression of the human RAG1 gene in multiple clones of NFS-70 cell line while no RAG1 expression was detected in HeLa clones suggesting that this genomic clone contains some of the sequences required for the tissue-specific regulation of RAG1. In chapter 5, I describe the second approach to isolate the potential regulatory elements by subcloning fragments of the P1 phage into the RAG1 promoter construct and subsequently looking for enhancer or silencer activity. I located a 1425 bp within the 3' untranslated region of the RAG1 gene with enhancer activity. In chapter 6, I describe the subcloning and sequencing a 7.3 kilobase of the 5' flanking region of human RAG2 to look for potential conserved regulatory elements between human and mouse species. In Chapter 7, models of RAG1/RAG2 promoters, and their tissue-specific transcriptional regulation are discussed.