VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
The transmission of loads through animal joints with particular reference to the role of the meniscus in the knee

A general description of synovial joints is given. The composition, function and degradation of the various materials and structures within synovial joints are discussed. Special consideration is given to the knee joint which is shown to be anomalous to other joints in certain aspects of the properties previously mentioned. If the meniscus cartilages of the knee, to which many functional roles have been attributed, may be shown to be weight-bearing, then observations concerning the knee would be in accordance with, rather than anomalous to other joints.
A simple model of the knee is analysed using simple stress-strain relationships and the validity of the results of the analysis are discussed. The analysis indicates that it is possible for the menisci to bear a large proportion of the load transmitted through the knee joint and shows how the function of weight-bearing may be performed.
Experiments were performed to determine whether or not the menisci carried load. The experimental apparatus and procedures are described and the results obtained are discussed. Various attempts are made to estimate the percentage of the total load through the joint carried by the menisci.
The conclusion drawn from the experimental results is that the menisci do carry a considerable proportion of the load between the femur and the tibia, and the significance of the result is discussed.
Studies on the brush border of the Kidney Proximal Tubule

The apical surface of the epithelial cells of the proximal tubule of the kidney is like many other absorptive or secretory cells, elaborated into a brush border composed of microvilli. The distinctive morphology of this region of plasma membrane is a feature which facilitates the isolation of these membranes in a pure form. The preparation of the brush borders is described and some of the biochemical characteristics have been established.
Attempts to study the organisation of proteins within the brush borders were made using a variety of solubilising agents. Concentrated salt solutions released up to 40% of the membrane protein without concomitant release of brush border enzymes, antigens, phospholipid, cholesterol or carbohydrate. After such treatment the membrane appeared intact, but the core filaments were removed.
Neutral detergents appeared to disrupt the membrane continuum, releasing maltase, trehalase, and leucine aminopeptidase, but lesser amounts of alkaline phosphatase. Some membrane phospholipid (principally the anionic classes), cholesterol, carbohydrate and antigens were also solubilised. Brush border core filaments and desmosomes were resistant to this treatment.
Anionic detergents did not achieve selective extraction of brush border components but at high concentrations resulted in wholesale dissolution of the organelles.
A proteolipid fraction which comprised 2% of the brush borders was isolated.
Distinct subfractions of the brush border organelle were obtained by sequential extraction with 1% Triton X-100 followed by 2M NaCl. No difference in relative turnover of these subfractions was observed, although enzymic and immunologic investigations of the macro- molecular constituents from urine indicated that the selective loss of brush border components may occur via the urine.
A protein, (molecular weight 44,500) derived from the core of the brush borders was purified by selective repolymerization and shown to possess structural but not functional properties similar to those of striated muscle actin.
Some opertaing characteristics of novel ignition devices for hydrocarbon/air mixtures

An introduction to the problems of ignition in the petrol and gas turbine engine is given. Two new ignition devices are considered for their suitability to overcome these problems and a series of experiments were performed to evaluate their relative merits.
The use of a laser spark and the development of a plasma plug igniter were compared with sparks of variable energy produced between two electrodes. A simple combustion chamber was used for the experiments and ionisation probes were used to follow the propagation of the flame from the ignition source and through the gaseous mixtures. The conditions of the experiments were as follows:
Pre-mixed methane/air of 1.0, 0.8 and 0.6 stoichiometry
Pressures 101 kN/m2 - 1067 kN/m2
Laser spark energies 30 mJ - 400 mJ
Plasma plug energies 50 mJ - 1500 mJ
Electrode spark energies 10 mJ - 2500 mJ
Samples of the combustion products were taken and the results for the three mixture ratios are presented. The performances of the three ignition methods are presented by plotting the flame speeds observed from the ignition sources as functions of energy.
Practical considerations eliminate the use of the laser as an ignition method but the plasma plug could be used for automotive applications if some control of the energy was exercised. The gas turbine engine appears to be the roost likely application of the plasma plug as it offers greater penetration into the combustion chamber than current surface discharge igniters.
Kinematics of Walking in Humans

A history is given of the experimental techniques used in gait analysis. There follows a description of the phasic activity of various musculo-skeletal elements of lower limbs during a step of normal walking.
Equations are derived, relating the output signals of accelerometers, fixed to a moving body, to the motion of that body. Methods of solution to these equations are given, taking into account various approximations and simplifications. A suitable form is suggested for an accelerometric measurement system for studying the movement of the shank.
Computer programs, which analyse the signals from such a system, are explained. The following variables are found as functions of time: translational acceleration, angular and translational velocity, and angular and translational displacement.
Those features of the above variables which are characteristic of certain types of gait are discussed. The clinical usefulness of a selection of these variables is also examined. The development of a tape-recorder for use with the accelerometers is explained.
It is concluded that accelerometry is a useful technique for the study of human body movement.
Phase transitions in spin-phonon systems

General symmetry arguments show that an elastic constant should vanish when a crystal undergoes a second order structural phase transition. A detailed theory of the elastic anomaly is developed for DyVO4, TbVO4, and TmVO4, which have crystallographic phase changes caused by the Jahn-Teller effect at 14, 34 and 2.1°K respectively. The theory predicts that the elastic constant &half;(c11-c12) should fall to zero at the transition temperature TD for DyVO4, and that c66 should vanish for TbVO4, and TmVO4. These conclusions have been verified experimentally. For DyVO4 the electron lattice interaction is predominantly of short range and a cluster theory has been used to interpret the results. For the other crystals a molecular field theory has been used to calculate the elastic constants under different thermodynamic regimes and the random phase approximation has been used in a treatment of the elementary excitations. In TbVO4 and TmVO4, the theory predicts that the elastic constant only falls to zero at TD when measured at a sufficiently low frequency. This frequency dependence has been observed in TbVO4, and is satisfactorily described by the theory.
At the first order 9-5°K phase change in DySb the elastic constant &half;(c11-c12) is observed to soften but not to vanish, consistent with general symmetry arguments. A theory of this anomaly has been developed within the molecular field approximation. Satisfactory agreement with experiment is obtained for T>TD but there are large unresolved discrepancies in the low temperature phase.
A theory for the elastic constant and spontaneous polarization of the ferroelectric KH2PO4 has been developed. One of the lattice vibrational modes is written in a pseudc-spin formalism and four spin interactions have been included in the model. Although the theory gives a reasonable account of the data some discrepancies still remain.
Coupling between pairs of phonons and the soft mode in hydrogen bonded ferroelectrics has been investigated in the pseudospin model. An anomalous dielectric response is predicted similar to earlier work on the anharmonic phonon theory [71]. A frequency dependence of the elastic constants is expected but this has not yet been observed. An analysis of Raman scattering data shows that the low frequency anomaly is a small effect in KDP, KDA and CsDA contrary to an earlier analysis of the data [70].
When a magnetic field is applied in the hard direction of an anisotropic ferromagnet qualitative arguments show that an elastic constant should vanish when the moments line up parallel to the hard axis. These conclusions have been verified for a particular model of the ferromagnetic phase of Dy and Tb metal.
Heteroditopic Calix[4]arene Based Receptors for Ion-Pair Recognition and Mechanical Bond Assembly

This thesis investigates the design, synthesis and binding properties of novel calix[4]arene based heteroditopic receptors and interlocked structures.
Chapter 1 introduces the field of supramolecular chemistry. The areas of host-guest chemistry and self-assembly are introduced, with a particular emphasis on strategies for designing receptors for ions and synthesising interlocked structures.
Chapter 2 details the synthesis and binding properties of calix[4]arene based ion-pair receptors. These receptors show cooperative AND ion-pair recognition, where the receptors show little affinity for the 'free' ions but enhanced binding of the ion-pair. The extension of this work to the synthesis of their cryptand analogues is also explored. Finally, efforts towards preparing calix[4]arene based zinc Schiff base anion receptors is reported.
Chapter 3 describes the synthesis of the first calix[4]arene based rotaxane host systems for anions using a new ion-pair templation strategy. NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography demonstrate the successful interlocking of the macrocycle and axle components in the rotaxane structures. Anion binding studies reveal the importance of preorganisation of the host binding cavity on anion binding. The synthesis of rotaxanes using a stoppering approach and catenanes using a ring closing metathesis clipping strategy is also investigated.
Chapter 4 investigates the use of copper catalysed coupling reactions, such as Eglinton coupling and click chemistry, in the preparation of interlocked structures. The synthesis and anion binding properties of a novel catenane are described. Efforts towards the first anion templated synthesis of rotaxanes by slippage and kinetic slippage studies are also reported.
Chapter 5 reports the experimental procedures and characterisation details of the compounds synthesised in this thesis.
Chapter 6 gives supplementary information about titration protocols, kinetic experiments and X-ray crystal structures.
Measurements of plasma acetate concentrations in humans, with reference to diabetes, dietary composition and bowel function

This thesis examined aspects of production and utilization of acetate in humans via measurements of plasma concentrations in different circumstances with particular attention to changes in diabetes.
Circulating plasma acetate was measured by a modified acetate kinase-based enzymatic spectrophotometric method with adequate sensitivity and specificity for levels encountered in human plasma.
Fasting plasma acetate was increased in diabetics and correlated with glucose and indices of glucose disposal. Levels increased further when they were fed different high- fibre diets. The rise in acetate levels after lactulose ingestion correlated with changing breath hydrogen excretion in subjects with suspected malabsorption. Plasma acetate levels increased during fat infusion, and conversely, fell with suppression of fatty acid levels during euglycaemic clamping. Insulin appeared to promote acetate production from glucose by enhancing glycolysis and acetyl CoA availability, although its activity in reducing lipolysis had an opposite effect. The hepatic formation of acetate from ethanol did not appear influenced by prior chlorpropamide intake.
Glucose tolerance was unaffected by a 150mmol/hr acetate load, but acetate tolerance was impaired when glucose was simultaneously available. Adipose tissue lipolysis was suppressed during acetate infusions as evident from reduced levels of glycerol and non-esterifled fatty acids. Blood 'ketone body' levels were increased, suggesting direct conversion from acetate. Possibly as a result, fat oxidation assessed from gaseous exchange, was reduced with infused acetate.
Acetate utilization was impaired in diabetic patients from higher fasting plasma levels and slower metabolic clearance. The defect in diabetes was probably due to both over-production and under-utilization, and could be related to the enhanced lipolysis, hyperglycaemia and a reportedly reduced hepatic activity of acetyl CoA synthetase.
It was concluded that acetate is derived from both colonic fermentation and endogenous catabolism of glucose and fatty acids and appears rapidly metabolisable in humans. Some areas of further interest in human acetate metabolism were highlighted.
The historical development and philosophical foundations of the English doctrine of provocation - with special reference to the doctrine of chance medley

My thesis seeks to resolve key areas of debate regarding the nature of provocation as a defence in English Law, by reference to both historical and philosophical analysis.
Academic commentators on the doctrine disagree on whether it should be seen as essentially an excusing condition alone, such as insanity, or should be understood as an excuse involving some element of "partial [moral] justification", such as duress.
I seek to resolve this debate by considering at a deeper philosophical level the nature of anger and action in anger. I argue that English Law has historically operated with two equally plausible conceptions of anger, anger as righteous indignation and anger as a loss of self-control. The former was the conception drawn on in the development of the early modern law, and the latter is the conception drawn on in the development of the modern law.
I go on to argue that controversy, referred to above, over the nature of provocation as a defence, can be only resolved by making clear the distinction between the two kinds of anger. Action in anger conceived as a loss of self-control bears more of a family resemblance to defences such as (temporary) insanity. Action in anger conceived as righteous indignation bears more of a family resemblance to defences such as duress.
I argue that whichever conception of anger is in issue, however, action in anger can be open to moral criticism, because all kinds of action in anger are based on at least a judgment of moral wrongdoing, that may be subject of such criticism. I argue that the law may thus legitimately require at least some moral justification for action in anger before allowing a defence of provocation to be pleaded successfully.
Beckett and the institution of literature

Beckett and the Institution of Literature investigates the evolution of Samuel Beckett's reputation over the latter half of the twentieth century, focussing on two questions: what are the institutional frameworks and operations that have effected Beckett's work, and what effect has the work had on the institution of literature?
The first half of the thesis explores Beckett's relationships with his French publisher, Editions de Minuit, in the 1950s, and his English publisher, John Calder, in the 1960s. By situating Beckett in institutional and historical contexts, the thesis seeks to avoid the uncritical acceptance of Beckett's consecration that underlies so much scholarly writing on his work. Archival evidence reveals the process by which Beckett was circulated and promoted, first, to an elite avant-garde readership, and thence to a wider public, and challenges the popular conception of Beckett as utterly uninterested in publication and publicity matters. The latter half of the thesis considers the legal and promotional (particularly visual) frames of reference by which Beckett is often characterised today. It is suggested that conflicts over staging rights, and the widespread use of a uniform image of Beckett to promote his work, are instrumental both in determining and in jeopardising the work's current cultural status.
The thesis argues that the relation between Beckett's work and the literary institutions that have produced it is mutually transformative, and that the work has consistently challenged, exceeded, and disrupted the institution of literature. It is proposed that there are, however, indications that the public is tiring of Beckett's now familiar classic works, and so the thesis asks why it has come about that in being canonised the work has also been domesticated, what this means for the way we have been reading Beckett's texts, and whether there is anything to be done about it.
The Labour Party's attitude to gambling, 1918-1970

The Edwardian labour movement opposed gambling. But hostility to this integral aspect of twentieth century working-class culture is presumed to have disappeared rapidly as the Labour Party moved towards political maturity. This thesis challenges the declinist assumption: what emerges, rather, is the partial nature of Labour's accommodation to gambling between 1918 and 1970. The introduction establishes the intellectual status quo and critiques it: the existing literature neglects the extent to which the Party maintained a socialist objection to gambling. Chapter one details the Party's opposition to the administrative regulation of betting on horses during the 1920s. Chapter two initially focuses on Labour's negative reaction to the growth of lotteries, dog racing and the football pools during the interwar years; it ends by examining the extent to which the political crisis of 1931 weakened the Party's objections to working-class betting. Chapter three suggests that the Second World War's redistribution of social esteem further encouraged an accommodation to gambling in its working-class forms - but only in some of its forms and only to some degree. Chapter four examines the Party's attitude to gambling during the 1950s and 1960s: liberalization continued but the pace was slow and the direction of change contested. The conclusion emphasizes that the Labour Party maintained a socialist critique of wagering on luck throughout the period 1918-70: this ensured that its tolerance of working-class gambling remained somewhat grudging and limited.
Unmarried fathers and their children : a comparative study of English, Australian and South African law

This thesis seeks to establish whether unmarried fathers in English, Australian and South African law are treated differently from other parents in the enjoyment of parental rights and in the judicial resolution of residence and contact disputes. The first part of the work considers the different bases on which parental authority is allocated in each of the three jurisdictions. The Australian model is categorised as inclusive, by reason that it allocates parental authority automatically to all parents; and the English and South African models as exclusive, by reason that at least some categories of unmarried fathers do not automatically enjoy parental authority. We see that the nature and function of each model of parental authority differs substantially and that it is only in England where there is a close relationship between the enjoyment of parental rights and holding parental authority.
The second part of the work analyses the decision-making process by which judges resolve residence and contact disputes. Here we seek to establish whether any aspects of this process result in less favourable outcomes for unmarried fathers than for other parents and, if so, to consider whether there is any relationship between these and the allocation of parental authority. We consider the role of common law parental rights to custody and access; rights arising under human rights instruments; assumptions made by judges as to what is usually in a child's best interests (here termed 'factual assumptions'); moral judgments about lifestyles and parental roles; and other factors which impact on the exercise of judicial discretion. Our study shows that whilst aspects of the decision-making process in all three jurisdictions previously yielded less favourable outcomes for unmarried fathers, it is today only in South Africa where this remains the case: and only in South Africa where the allocation of parental authority affects the resolution of residence and contact disputes.
Exchange of tax information : neutrality and inter-nation equity

Tax information exchange has been one of the principal themes in taxation related multilateral dialogue over the past ten years. This dialogue has been influenced by competing claims that various concepts of fairness, equity or efficiency supported particular proposals to reform tax information exchange practices. Much of the debate has focused on considerations of administrative efficiency and inter-individual equity in a single state context, to the exclusion of issues related to global welfare and inter-nation equity. The lack of consideration given to inter-nation equity highlights a gap in the tax literature.
The first part of this thesis locates the research and poses a series of questions relating to the theory underlying concepts of fairness, inter-nation equity and the neutrality of taxation systems in the context of tax information exchange. It illustrates that while theory suggests that the provision of tax information to foreign tax authorities may enhance tax administration efficiency and assist in ensuring horizontal and vertical equity among taxpayers in a single state, it also suggests that it may do so in some instances at the expense of global economic efficiency and inter-nation equity. New constraints on tax information exchange are proposed as mechanisms which will decrease the risk of undermining inter-nation equity and economic efficiency.
The second part of this thesis presents a case study examination of the extent to which considerations of inter-nation equity and fairness have influenced the evolution of proposals for tax information exchange in the context of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development's Harmful Tax Competition Initiative. It also examines the extent to which international regime theory may contribute to an understanding of that Initiative and its proposals for tax information exchange.
The final part of the thesis presents a series of answers to the questions posed as well as observations relating to the implications for both theory and policy arising from the answers.