VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Literarische Dekadenz : Denkfiguren und poetische Konstellationen bei Thomas Mann, Hugo von Hofmannsthal und Rainer Maria Rilke

My D.Phil, dissertation sheds new light on German literary decadence around 1900, its universal concepts, plurality of discourses and poetic transformations. The heuristic value of my dissertation is a refined differentiation of Dekadenz which reconstructs the literary history of the concept and for the first time proposes specific poetic constellations.
In chapter 1, decadence is reviewed with its rich research heritage and introduced as a decisive concept and discourse of aesthetic modernism. Although much has been written on decadence, the concept is clearly in need of scholarly reconsideration. I argue that decadence is not only a vague epochal construct and an ensemble of motifs, but also encompasses discourses, universal concepts and a versatile literary style. In view of the stylistic eclecticism around 1900, I argue that decadence is a dynamic and malleable concept which can be combined with other aesthetic styles, movements and philosophical contexts depending on the specific author. Chapter 2 contextualizes Dekadenz from its etymology and central discourses to its universal concepts. Etymologically derived from the Latin verb de-cadere decadence signifies a downward movement and a figure of fragmentation. It evokes cultural and political decline especially that of the Roman Empire (décadence romaine) and undergoes various aesthetic transformations (1857-1894). After touching upon the precursors Baudelaire (1857), Bourget (1883) and Bahr (1889-1894), I dwell on Nietzsche to demonstrate the philosophically complex German double evaluation of decadence. I derive three universal concepts from Nietzsche (health vs. sickness, endings vs. new beginnings, fragmentation vs. wholeness) which are crucial to my literary analysis.
My comprehensive literary analysis centers on three specific poetic constellations of decadence between late realism and aesthetic modernism. Chapter 3 illuminates Mann's spätrealistische Dekadenz (1894-1924) with his (Nietzschean) double evaluations. Transformations of decadence are shown in his early novellas, Buddenbrooks, Der Tod in Venedig and Der Zauberberg. Chapter 4 illustrates Hofmannsthal's ästhetizistische Dekadenz (1891-1902) in his early essays, his prose fragment Age of Innocence and Das Märchen der 672. Nacht. A significant transformation of decadence is illuminated in Ein Brief (1902), where Nietzschean decadence is concentrated and tentatively overturned. In chapter 5, Rilke's modernistische Dekadenz (1898-1910) is shown from his early fragment Ewald Tragy to his only novel Die Aufzeichnungen des Malte Laurids Brigge. His novel attempts a poetic 'revaluation of all values' and culminates in the emergence of a genuinely modernist decadence.
The biochemical genetics of mitochondria in mammalian cells

A cell line resistant to antimycin A at a concentration of 15 μM has been isolated following the mutagenesis of the human cell line D98 with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. The cell line, designated MA 6.5, has been cloned twice in 15 μM antimycin A, a concentration about ten times that required to kill all parental cells. MA 6.5 is fully sensitive to chloramphenicol and triethyl tin and has an active Krebs cycle. Oxygen consumption of whole cells is unaffected by antimycin at a concentration of 15 μM, although the in vitro activity of succinate-cytochrome c reductase appears to be as sensitive to antimycin as the parental cell enzyme. The resistance phenotype of the mutant is stable in the absence of selection.
The proteins synthesised by the mitochondria of MA 6.5 have been examined by sodium dodecyl sulphate electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing. No qualitatively variant protein has been detected, but there are consistent quantitative differences between the profiles of the mutant and parental cell lines on isoelectric focusing. The implications of these findings for the mechanism of resistance are discussed.
Preliminary genetic analysis suggests that it is possible to transfer resistance to a closely related cell line employing enucleated cell fragments of MA 6.5 as donors.
Some observations on mitochondrially synthesised proteins in a variety of cell lines and hybrids are discussed. These support the view that interspecific differences in the products of mitochondrial protein synthesis on electrophoresis are not solely a result of post-translational modification. Two "reverse segregant" hybrid cell lines, which retain large numbers of human chromosomes, were found to have a predominantly human profile of mitochondrially synthesised proteins on sodium dodecyl sulphate electrophoresis.
Numerical solutions to some industrial problems

The particular type of industrial problem discussed is that which reduces to a hyperbolic partial differential equation with singularities.
Two main problems are considered. The first is that of finding the position of a neutrally buoyant cable being towed behind a ship which is executing horizontal transverse motions. Both the method of characteristics and a finite difference method are used to find a solution and both give satisfactory results. The algorithms are explained and the results compared.
The second problem is concerned with the occurrence of thermal runaway when a solid medium is penetrated by a solid or immiscible liquid foreign body. Several versions, ranging in difficulty, of the problem are studied both numerically and analytically.
There is also a study of the error in the solution when certain simple problems involving singularities are solved by finite difference methods. An expression is obtained for the generating function of the finite difference solution. The required coefficient in the generating function is expressed as a contour integral, for which an asymptotic form is obtained by the saddle point method.
Hieronymus of Cardia

Chapter I. Hieronymus' Life and Writing
As the companion of Eumenes of Cardia and the first Antigonids, Hieronymus was exceptionally well placed to record the history of his times, and until the Augustan period his work was regarded as the standard authority on the period of Alexander's Successors. At this time, however, it was overtaken by the digests and epitomes which were a feature of the Graeco-Roman period, and, like the majority of Hellenistic histories, it ceased generally to be read in the original. Both Hieronymus' subject matter and his style were uncongenial to the taste of a later period: Dionysius of Halicarnassus, representing contemporary opinion, said that no one could bear to read Hieronymus through to the end; and the original work is now entirely lost.
Hieronymus' history is the ultimate source for nearly all ancient accounts of the Diadochi, but only two authors seem to have used him directly and extensively: Arrian, in a work which survives only in fragments; and Diodorus Siculus, in books XVIII-XX of his Bibliotheke Historike. We have only eighteen short fragments of Hieronymus, none of them a direct quotation (a commentary is appended to the thesis), and the basis of our knowledge is Diodorus 1 epitome.
The aim of the thesis is to evaluate Hieronymus in relation to the historical and literary background and to indicate his place in Greek historiography. Source criticism, which has been the principal concern of earlier studies, is discussed only as absolutely necessary.
[Please see pdf. for full abstract.]
Misunderstanding and mistranslation in the origins of the Pacific War of 1941-1945 : the importance of magic

The thesis is concerned with a specific example of misunderstanding as a factor in international crisis leading to war. The example is the outbreak of the Pacific War in December 1941 and the thesis gives special importance to the mistranslation and misinterpretation of "Magic" (Magic, as the thesis explains, was the name given to the American decoding of the secret Japanese codes). The argument is that misunderstanding was a cumulative factor in relations between the United States and Japan, and that in the final negotiations mistranslation of Magic was a significant factor in the failure to reach an agreement. The thesis argues that as late as the last week in November 1941 the attack on Pearl Harbor could have been averted.
The thesis opens with an introduction referring to the literature on the causes of war and misunderstanding in international politics. A brief comparison is made with crises which did not lead to war, such as the Cuban missile crisis.
Part I is entitled "The Historical Legacy" and surveys briefly the period from the Spanish-American war to 1940. It does not claim to be a comprehensive account of U.S.-Japan relations. It is designed to show how successive crises increased misunderstanding. It emphasises the importance, for Japan, of the danger from Russia and demonstrates the lack of control in Japanese foreign policy.
Part II opens with an examination of the way policy was formed and decisions made in the United States and Japan, discussing the role of Roosevelt, Hull and other influential members of the Administration in the United States, and the lack of a central core of decision-making in Japan. It then proceeds with a chronological study of negotiations from November 1940 to October 1941.
Part III examines in detail the mistranslations from Magic, including the technical problems of coding and decoding and linguistic factors and problems of translation.
Part IV studies chronologically the final negotiations, including Proposal B and the Hull Note, up to the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. It shows in detail the synchronisation and lack of synchronisation between the two sides and demonstrates the points at which accurate translation and clear understanding might have altered the course of events.
The brief conclusion explains how the thesis adds to existing literature, notes the present state of archival material and speculates on the possible course of events had the attack on Pearl Harbor not occurred.
There are five appendices: (i) Magic materials; (ii) List of Important Magic Misinterpretations; (iii) Historiographic Developments; (iv) Bibliography; (v) Maps.
The viscoelastic behaviour of tendon

The viscoelastic deformation of tendon has been studied in the 'toe' and 'linear' regions of the stress-strain curve. The extent to which the behaviour of thie material can be considered to be linear viscoelastic has been determined. It was found that the tendon exhibited non-linear visccolastic behaviour in both the 'toe' and 'linear' regions and the observed non-linearity was in contrast to that found for synthetic polymeric solids.
The apparent activation energy, ΔHa, of the viscoelastic deformation process of tendon was determined by the temperature change (or T-jump) technique. A gradual transition was observed from the value of ΔEa = 12 kcal/mol in the 'toe' region to ΔHa = 32 kcal/mol in the 'linear' region in creep, recovery and stress relaxation experiments for a variety of tendon specimens. These values indicated that the viscoelastic mechanism of tendon deformation was one of shear of the mucopolysaccharide gel in between the collagen ribbons in the 'toe' region followed by fibrillar extension in the 'linear' region.
A theoretical model based on this hypothesis and the assumptions of linear viscoelasticity was developed to explain the observed viscoelastic behaviour of tendon, using the normal viscoelastic parameters of the constituents of the tendon, the structural constants of the material and the appropriate form for the retardation spectrum. Excellent agreement between experiment and theory was found for a variety of experimental circumstances.
A critical examination of the T-jump experiment was made. Generalised non-isothermal linear viscoelastic equations in creep were developed and the validity of these equations for the case of a ramp temperature change was tested on a specimen of poly(methylmethacrylate). The predicted increase in the experimentally obtained value of ΔH
a was observed as the duration of the ramp temperature change increased. For the case of the instantaneous temperature change (T-jump) experiment, these equations were used, together with an appropriate form for the retardation spectrum, (either a box or a wedge distribution) to predict the creep rate dependence on time. Excellent fit of the creep rate data for tendon was obtained with these equations. Using a box distribution for the spectrum of retardation times in these equations, it was shown that the effect of bT on the creep rate behaviour could be neglected under most experimental circumstances.
Floating-gate based trimmable current sources

One of the most crucial building blocks of an electronic system is the digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) which forms the interface between the digital and analogue component parts. In order to achieve the high performance required by many systems, particularly communications systems, the DAC requires careful, time consuming and expensive design and layout which increases the cost of the entire system.
This design process is required to minimise the mismatches between the current sources in the current steering DAC. Trimmable current sources, based on floating-gate devices, are therefore proposed in order to simplify the design of a DAC. A floating-gate device is a form of an analogue non-volatile memory which can be programmed to control the threshold voltage of a MOSFET.
Four different current sources are designed to use a floating-gate device in three distinct ways: as a trimmable current source, as a trimmable voltage source and as a trimmable resistor. All the current sources have a sufficient trimming range to correct for any process and parameter variations. However, a major concern about floating-gate devices is their ability to retain a programmed voltage. It is shown that these current sources can be biased so that they retain a programmed floating-gate voltage over several days of normal operation. Even with this characteristic, a variation in the operating temperature of the current sources will cause a significant variation in the output current. Therefore, the temperature characteristics of the current sources are investigated to determine the impact of temperature variations. A distinct biasing condition is identified in all the current sources which causes the output current to be insensitive to temperature variations. Furthermore, one design is identified which is temperature insensitive over a significant trimming range.
Electron spectroscopy of metal oxides

The validity of the classical dielectric theory of HREELS is investigated. Group theory is employed to obtain a tabulation of SO phonon modes expected to appear strongly in the spectra of given faces of many common crystal structures. The effects of crystalline anisotropy and surface defects are considered in detail. The theoretical investigation is used in conjunction with experiment to obtain a more detailed understanding of the HREELS of rutile (110), (100) and (001) surfaces than has been obtained previously.
XPS, UPS and HREELS are used to investigate the surface composition and electronic structure of Sn-doped In2O3 ceramics (containing 1-6 at.% Sn) and thin films. XPS of the well-equilibrated ceramics reveals substantial tin enrichment in the surface atomic layer, with a heat of segregation of ~-20kJmol-1, and provides evidence for a sub-surface region partly depleted in tin. UPS and HREELS results are consistent with a free-carrier concentration close to the surface considerably below the bulk nominal value.
XPS of the thin films reveals considerably less surface tin segregation, suggesting that thermal equilibrium is not attained during film production. Vacuum annealing dramatically increases the free carrier concentration, as shown by the shift in the surface plasmon frequency in HREELS. There is a substantial discrepancy between the bulk plasmon frequency predicted from HREELS, and that measured directly from optical transmission. The shift and attenuation of the HREELS plasmon is compared with a model where the surface layer is completely depleted of free carriers.
Surface depletion layers have been created on rutile (001), and Sb-doped SnO2 ceramics containing 0.1 and 1 at.% Sb, by adsorption of Cl2 and NO2. The surface coverage of adsorbate is monitored by XPS. Shifts in work function and valence band edge are measured by UPS. HREELS of Cl2-dosed Sb-doped SnO2 show changes consistent with a depletion layer model.
Sociality in rabbits

Two populations of rabbits (Oryctolaqus cuniculus) were investigated to see whether polygynous, multi-male groups formed in the absence of large multi-entranced warrens. They did not. Rabbits neither gathered in space nor time. The small warrens were spread out evenly across homogeneous patches and the females were well spaced out. Monogamy, distinguished by a battery of tests, was prevalent, with the more dominant males as 'mate' rabbits. That the polygyny frequently mentioned in the literature was a result of male dominance and female defense was considered.
The genetic structure of each population was investigated by taking blood from rabbits and having it analysed electrophoretically and for immunoglobulins. A method for assessing relatedness between groups of pairs of animals was implemented, then validated and developed with Monte Carlo simulations. With the seven polymorphic allele obtained, no non-zero relatedness was found but it was sometimes possible to exclude high relatedness.
The bearing of sociality on vigilance during feeding was investigated. Although a rabbit's vigilance decreased as its 'mate' approached, the presence of other rabbits was correlated with increased vigilance. It was concluded that the need for social vigilance outweighed the benefit of 'many eyes' watching for predators. This conclusion was tested by experiment, using stuffed animals as stimuli.
Rabbits increased their vigilance during grazing bouts both by increasing the length and frequency of scans. Scans could be short or long: the probability of ending a scan decreased sharply at a certain point; a form of positive feedback. The durations of short 'maintenance' scans were dependent on chewlength (the amount of food in the mouth). This fitted a timesharing definition as supported by experiment. Long scans in response to a visible threat did not involve chewing.
Carl Sternheim's aesthetics in theory and practice

A brief introduction raises some of the methodological difficulties involved in a study of the relationship between a writer's literary theory and his practice. The use of the term "aesthetics" is justified, and some of the deficiencies in previous critical accounts of Sternheim's theory are noted. The ambiguity in Sternheim's theoretical statements, it is argued, corresponds closely to the conflict inherent in his creative work between criticism and affirmation.
The first chapter is devoted to a discussion of aspects of Sternheim's aesthetics up to 1906, his ideas being placed in a wider intellectual context. When Sternheim treats a conventional conflict between art and life in his early plays, his artist-hero does not come into serious conflict with society, it is the conflict between the artist's private life and the demands of his vocation which is central. Sternheim's treatment of the theme reflects the ambiguity inherent in the aesthetic itself. Secondly, neo-Romantic elements in his early work are isolated and it is shown that these continue to form one pole of his theory even after he has abandoned his early view of art as the expression of powerful feelings. Finally, his early efforts to evolve formal categories around 1904-1906 are recorded. These insights derived from his acquaintance with the work of Heinrich Wölfflin and applied largely to the visual arts fail to answer Sternheim's needs, but serve as a prelude to his encounter with Heinrich Rickert's philosophy.
[Please see pdf. for full abstract.]
The origins of the scholastic sermon, c. 1130-c. 1210

The thesis is a study of the preaching of Pullen, Lombard, Comestor, Hilduin, Peter of Poitiers, Alan of Lille, Langton and Prevostin. It traces the development of the characteristic features of the fully formed scholastic sermon. The masters preached almost exclusively to clerical and student audiences. The delivery of what was essentially the same sermon form by the mendicants in the thirteenth century to lay and especially urban society involved, therefore, a profound change in its social and religious context.
Particular attention is paid to Peter Comestor whose sermon collection was more widely disseminated than that of any other contemporary master and whose popularity as a preacher has not previously been properly appreciated. His collection is described in an appendix.
Of the exegetical techniques employed in the sermon the most characteristic was 'distinction' of complementary meanings of a given word, illustrated by use of that word in different biblical contexts. It gradually came to function as the basic organising principle of the sermon. Gebuin of Troyes, though not a scholastic preacher, and Comestor were the earliest preachers to use 'distinction' in this way. The sermon consequently evolved as a thematic discussion,in a manner of thought close to that of theology, rather than as a piece of exegesis.
The emphasis and imagery of the sermon's doctrinal instruction changed. The sermon became particularly associated with the new moral theology of sin and penance. Stephen Langton's preaching does not reflect a reorientation of the general religious view of man and his place in the world.
A study of the preaching activity at the monastery of Saint Martial in Limoges illustrates how and to what extent scholastic preaching was disseminated beyond Paris to local religious centres in the period before the friars. Three sermons are edited as illustrative texts.
Russia's internal borders : institutions, territory, identity

This thesis examines the politics of post-Soviet Russia's internal borders. The central argument is that the dynamics of center-regional relations in Russia can best be understood by examing borders as social and political institutions. Borders configure interests, distribute resources, and regulate identity. While the institutional qualities of borders often lay hidden, they are laid bare by conflicts over their status and content. This thesis takes advantage of the centralization processes initiated by Russian President Vladimir Putin to examine the relationship of Russia's internal borders to the dynamics of federal reform, democratization, and state building. The bulk of the thesis compares four Russian regions - the Republic of Kareliia, the Republic of Buriatiia, Perm oblast', and Tiumen oblast' - in their responses to state centralization along several dimensions: the creation of the Federal Districts and Putin's reform of the institution of Presidential Representatives; the revision of regional charters and republican constitutions; the conduct of gubernatorial elections; and the push for regional enlargement. The analysis reveals that Putin's centralization found willing accomplices insofar as it opened up opportunities for regional elites to exploit the discourse and repertoires of centralization within their own regions. The politics of centralization demonstrate how the multiple linkages of internal borders to territory, regional identity, and federal status, established the parameters for political contestation on the regional level and regulated the directionality of center-regional relations.
The thesis makes use of qualitative data gathered through extensive fieldwork in Russia, primarily consisting of interviews and regional press archives. It makes an original contribution to the general political science literature in developing and applying the theoretical notion of borders as social and political institutions. It further makes a substantive contribution in suggesting why Russia's governors willingly gave up the autonomy gained in the 1990s when confronted with state centralization in Putin's first term.