VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Performing the politics of translation in modern Japan [electronic resource]

This dissertation examines the ways in which translation, theater, and political activism interacted in Japan from the standpoint of two key opposition political movements between the Meiji Restoration in 1868 and the end of World War II. As such, it is an attempt to bridge gaps between fields of study represented by the diverse triad of theater, translation, and political theory. I seek to explain the importance of translation in the theatrical and political worlds of prewar Japan. Conventional scholarship on the modernization of Japanese theater usually tracks its development from within the theatrical world. By contrast, my approach explores politically charged performances in both traditional and non-traditional performance spaces in order to uncover the way their interaction influenced the formation and development of modern theater. I examine the influence of political, para-theatrical activity that involved translated texts and concepts in the context of the Freedom and People's Rights Movement of the 1870s and 1880s and the Proletarian Movement of the 1920s and 1930s.

Keywords: East Asian Languages and Cultures.
Advisor: Levy Indra A. primary advisor. Thesis advisor
Carter Steven D. advisor. Thesis advisor
Reichert Jim (James Robert) advisor. Thesis advisor
Takeuchi Melinda advisor. Thesis advisor
Yoshihara Yukari
PhaMers Identifies Novel Bacteriophage Sequences from Thermophilic Hot Springs

Discovering novel phage sequences from metagenomic data is often challenging. This study presents PhaMers (Phage k-Mers), a phage identification tool that uses supervised learning to identify metagenomic sequences (contigs) as phage or non-phage on the basis of tetranucleotide frequencies. PhaMers compares the tetranucleotide frequencies of metagenomic contigs to those of phage and bacteria reference genomes from online databases. Using PhaMers, we identified 103 novel phage sequences in hot spring samples from Yellowstone National Park. We applied a microfluidic-based mini-metagenomic approach to sequence environmental samples and produce metagenomic sequence datasets. We analyzed assembled contigs using PhaMers and VirSorter, a publicly available phage identification and annotation pipeline. We present the performance of PhaMers in identifying genomic fragments of phages and its ability to predict phage taxonomic classification. We also present putative hosts and taxa for some novel phage sequences. PhaMers is available for public use at https://github.com/jondeaton/PhaMers.

Keywords: Quake, Stephen
Bacteriophage
Phage
Metagenomics
Yellowstone
PhaMers
Thesis
Advisor: Yu Brian
Pharmaceutical Copay Assistance Programs and Patient Drug Choice: Biological Specialty Drugs

In an effort to manage prescription drug spending, health insurers design tiered copay schemes that steer patients towards buying lower-price drugs. In response, pharmaceutical companies issue coupons (called copay cards) that can lower the high co payments insurers assign to non-preferred drugs. This paper exploits the lifting of a ban on coupons in Massachusetts effective July 2012. The paper examines the effect of the ban lift on patients’ choice of drug brand as well as changes in the cost burden shared by insurers and patients. I use pharmacy claims data for biological specialty drugs that treat Multiple Sclerosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis to examine the effect of copay cards on insurers’ costs and patients’ purchasing behavior. I find that brand names that introduced coupons following the ban lift saw a 16% increase in the number of prescriptions (scripts) and patients per quarter relative to brand names that did not offer coupons. Moreover, I find evidence that the likelihood that a transaction had a coupon increases with the co payment. Lastly, I find that for a given drug brand, following the ban lift, transactions with a coupon also had higher co payments. This fact suggests that the introduction of coupons in Massachusetts was offset by a decrease in the share of the drug cost covered by the insurer, resulting in no change in the patient’s out-of pocket
payment.

Keywords:  Department of Economics
Stanford Department of Economics
Tiered co-pay schemes
co-pay offset programs
prescription drug choice
pharmaceutical pricing
and coupons
Thesis
Advisor: Einav Liran
Phase equilibria and emergent electromechanical coupling in two-dimensional materials [electronic resource]

Two-dimensional monolayer crystals are a family of materials that exist in atomically thin form, lacking the chemical energy penalty associated with conventional surfaces. The first experimental isolation of two-dimensional crystals in 2005 triggered a wave of research, motivated by these ultra-thin materials' promising transport properties and their attractiveness as building blocks for atomic-scale heterostructure devices. Equally intriguing but hitherto largely unexplored device applications arise when the electronic state of a two-dimensional material interacts with non-electronic degrees of freedom. This dissertation elucidates several different instances of such coupling, along with their potential applications. First, this work discovers that that many commonly studied two-dimensional materials exhibit highly useful electromechanical coupling in the form of piezoelectricity, in contrast to their non-piezoelectric parent bulk crystals. Our density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the piezoelectric coefficients of monolayer BN, MoS2, MoSe2, MoTe2, WS2 and WSe2 reveal that some of these two-dimensional materials are more strongly piezoelectric than bulk wurtzites. Bilayers composed of two piezoelectric monolayers are then shown to possess leveraged coupling between mechanical curvature and electric fields - an emergent nanoscale property that occurs only in bilayers. The next part of this dissertation focuses on an anomalous form of electromechanical switching specific to Mo- and W-dichalcogenide monolayers. DFT calculations on these systems show that tensile strains can drive phase transitions between competing semiconducting and metallic two-dimensional crystal structures. Such strain-induced structural phase transitions occur at especially modest strains in MoTe2 (0.3-3.0% under uniaxial conditions). Finally, this work considers alloying between MoTe2 and WTe2 as a means of bringing monolayer phase transitions close to ambient conditions, for example to enable temperature-driven phase transitions near room temperature. Phase diagrams computed via DFT show that one can use the composition of alloyed monolayers to tune the relative stability of competing monolayer phases in such alloys.

Keywords: Materials Science and Engineering.
Advisor: Reed Evan J. primary advisor. Thesis advisor
Cai Wei
Salleo Alberto
Phase separation in BaPb1-xBixO3 and fermiology of hole-doped PbTe [electronic resource] : insights to understand superconductivity in valence-disproportionated systems

Valence disproportionated materials are an intriguing class of compounds in which ions of the same chemical element exist in two different states of oxidation. In this thesis, I have studied two anomalous superconductors that are based on materials that exhibit charge disproportionation. My experiments, which probe details of the crystal structure (via high resolution transmission electron microscopy) and of the electronic structure (via quantum oscillations), reveal key aspects of both systems that are associated with the superconductivity. In the case of the first system, the bismuthate BaPb1-xBixO3, we reveal a stripe-like nano-scale structural phase separation for superconducting compositions. This phase separation appears to be a key component in shaping the superconducting dome in this material, leading to a crossover from an inhomogeneous macroscopic superconductor to a granular superconductor for which phase fluctuations suppress Tc. Significantly, this observation implies that this material is intrinsically a higher temperature superconductor. The second family of materials studied in this PhD thesis is one resulting from hole doping in the narrow band gap semiconductor PbTe. The only impurity known to produce superconductivity in this host material is Tl, which has previously been tentatively associated with dynamic valence fluctuations of the Tl impurities. We performed a full Fermi surface characterization of Pb1-xTlxTe, as well as its non-superconducting analog, Pb1-xNaxTe, via Shubnikov de Haas oscillations in magnetotransport, for fields up to 35T (DC). Our results indicate the presence of incoherent resonant impurity levels for Tl concentrations beyond a critical value. The presence or absence of these states at or near the Fermi energy is intimately connected to the presence or absence of superconductivity in doped PbTe. We also show that the Fermi surface of these compounds, in the low temperature regime and for carriers concentrations up to 1x10^20cm^−3, is in fact simpler than has been previously thought, deriving from a single-non-parabolic band.

Keywords: Physics.
Advisor: Fisher Ian
Beasley Malcolm advisor. Thesis advisor
Kivelson Steven advisor. Thesis advisor
Phonon sensor dynamics for cryogenic dark matter search experiment [electronic resource] : a study of quasiparticle transport in aluminum coupled to tungsten transition edge sensors

Understanding the quasiparticle diffusion process inside sputtered aluminum (Al) thin films (∼ 0.1-1 μm) is critical for the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) experiment to further optimize its detectors to directly search for dark matter. An initial study with Al films was undertaken by our group ∼ 20 years ago, but some important questions were not answered at the time. This thesis can be considered a continuation of that critical study. The CDMS experiment utilizes high purity silicon and germanium crystals to simultaneously measure ionization and phonons created by particle interactions. In addition to describing some of the rich physics involved in simultaneously detecting ionization and phonons with a CDMS detector, this thesis focuses on the detailed physics of the phonon sensors themselves, which are patterned onto CDMS detector surfaces. CDMS detectors use thin sputtered Al films to collect phonon energy when it propagates to the surfaces of the detector crystals. The phonon energy breaks Cooper pairs and creates quasiparticles (qps). These qps diffuse until they get trapped in an proximitized "overlap" region where lower-Tc tungsten films connect to the Al film. These tungsten films are the transition edge sensors (W-TESs) CDMS uses to readout phonon signals. We performed a wide range of experiments using several sets of test devices de- signed and fabricated specifically for this work. The devices were used mostly to study quasiparticle (qp) transport in Al films and qp transmission through Al/W interfaces. The results of this work are being used to optimize the design of detectors for SuperCDMS SNOLAB.

Keywords: Physics.
Advisor: Cabrera Blas
Graham Peter (Peter Wickelgren) advisor. Thesis advisor
Kuo Chao-Lin (Physics professor) advisor. Thesis advisor
Photon management in solar cells [electronic resource]

2015 is the International Year of Light. While we celebrate past and present triumphs of light sciences, our society is undergoing an inevitable and far-reaching transition from indirect, inefficient, and non-renewable to direct, efficient, and renewable methods to utilize the energy from sunlight. Fossil fuels allow us to use solar energy captured by ancient biological materials, which did not necessarily evolve to maximize the energy harvesting efficiency. As we continue to deprive the natural resources, they will be increasingly too costly to recover and too valuable to burn, not to mention present and future environmental externalities. The optimal method to harvest the abundant solar energy consists of using solar cells, which absorb sunlight in semiconductors and convert the photon energy to more easily usable forms. With an array of maturing technologies such as concentration, storage, and smart grid, the solar industry is expected to grow substantially at least in the long run. An optoelectronic device, the solar cell requires photon management for efficiency enhancement and cost reduction, both of which are critical for any commercial success. With these objectives in mind, this dissertation concerns the optimal use of photonic methods for the improvement of optical and electronic performances of solar cells.

Keywords: Applied Physics.
Advisor: Fan Shanhui
Harris J. S. (James Stewart)
Digonnet Michel J. F. advisor. Thesis advisor
Photovoltaic restoration of sight in animals blinded by retinal degeneration [electronic resource]

Retinal degenerative diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa, are the leading untreatable cause of blindness in the world. In these diseases, the progressive demise of the image-capturing photoreceptors renders the eye unable to translate visual information into neural signals. However, to a large extent, the image-processing inner retinal neurons survive the degeneration process. Building up on the success of cochlear prostheses, retinal prostheses aim at partial restoration of sight by electrical stimulation of these surviving neurons. While several types of retinal implants demonstrated their ability to elicit percepts of light in blind patients, they suffer from a number of shortcomings. Power cables and bulky intraocular electronics make the implantation procedure very difficult, prone to complications, and the devices often fail over time. Visual percepts are frequently distorted, spatial resolution is low, and patients report only a very limited number of levels of gray. This work presents the design and characterization of a fully wireless subretinal visual prosthesis, in which photovoltaic pixels are activated by pulsed near infrared light (880-915 nm). Pixels that are 140 µm and 70 µm-wide safely elicit retinal and cortical responses both in-vitro and in-vivo in animal models of retinal degeneration. Network-mediated retinal stimulation is highly localized, restoring up to half the normal spatial resolution in blind rats, and geometrically translating to the spatial resolution expected from a person with 20/250 visual acuity. Furthermore, it preserves many features of natural vision, including flicker fusion, adaptation to static images and transient responses to changes in luminance. We conclude by describing the contrast sensitivity of prosthetic vision, and show how image processing prior to projection onto the implant can enhance system performance.

Keywords: Electrical Engineering.
Advisor: Palanker Daniel primary advisor. Thesis advisor
Chichilnisky E. J.
Wandell Brian A. advisor. Thesis advisor
Phrasing the Enemy: The Evolution of Counterterrorism Language and Policy Across the Transatlantic Alliance After 9/11

In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, George W. Bush launched both a metaphorical and real war on terror. As Bush’s war had global implications, one key objective in his rhetoric throughout his presidency was to convince the international community — and, specific to this thesis, his European allies— to join his cause. Success in this regard would mean that his allies join his efforts in the Middle East and also create counterterrorism policies at home that align with Bush’s conception of the war on terror. As reflected in Bush’s language, Bush’s policy decisions are guided by a key unifying theme: that the fight against terrorism is a higher calling, an effort sanctioned by God, goodness, and abstract values of liberty and freedom. To Bush, this fight against terrorism answers to a higher order and thus transcends the traditional rules and relationships that govern domestic and international society. These rules are simply roadblocks to his pursuit of a higher form of justice.
Europe does not understand terrorism this way, and Bush ultimately fails to convince them. European conceptions of terrorism are firmly rooted in a respect for traditional rules and norms of international society, and Bush’s stylistic attempts at multilateralism cannot alter this foundation. However, a profound tension emerges within the European policies implemented after 9/11, as European policies converge around that intensive American spirit, taking on the more unbounded, self-justifying character of American counterterrorism while still being formally restricted within the auspices of established legal frameworks.

Keywords: terrorism
rhetoric
transatlantic
alliance
Europe
Bush
counterterrorism
CISAC
Center for International Security and Cooperation
Thesis
Advisor: Crenshaw Martha
Plasma production and radiation from meteoroid impacts on spacecraft [electronic resource]

Spacecraft are routinely bombarded with both human-made and naturally occurring dust particles, which we will collectively refer to as hypervelocity particles. Hypervelocity particles possess enough energy to ionize and vaporize themselves as well as a significant portion of the spacecraft material upon impact, forming a plasma that rapidly expands into the surrounding vacuum. The associated electrical effects and potential for damage to satellite electronics through these processes remains largely unknown, but it has been proposed that under certain conditions this plasma can produce an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) which can threaten spacecraft electronics. This area of spacecraft engineering requires a deeper understanding of the underlying physics of the impact-generated plasma plume. This dissertation describes multi-physics simulations of hypervelocity impact plasmas. The simulations utilize a combination of smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and discontinuous Galerkin (DG) particle-in-cell (PIC) techniques running on graphical processing units (GPU). The results show a minimum velocity threshold of approximately 18 km/s for fully ionized plasma production, which matches the velocity threshold for EMP measurements from impact experiments. The fully ionized plasma produces electrostatic oscillations that can couple to an electromagnetic wave that propagates away from the plasma. Near the impact site, this wave has a field strength that far exceeds the specification to which spacecraft are currently designed. Understanding key parameters of impact plasmas, as well as any EMP mechanisms, will aid in designing more robust and reliable spacecraft that are well protected in the space environment.

Keywords: Aeronautics and Astronautics.
Advisor: Close Sigrid
Alonso Juan José
Cappelli Mark A. (Mark Antony) advisor. Thesis advisor
Plasmonic nanoparticles in the quantum size regime [electronic resource]

Nanotechnology development has been majorly driven by the dramatic alteration and emergence of new material properties as dimensions are decreased. In recent years, noble metal nanoparticles have attracted substantial interest owing to their ability to manipulate light on the nanoscale through localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs). These collective oscillations of conduction band electrons result in strong optical absorption and scattering in subwavelength structures and enable applications including molecular detection, cancer treatment, and tunable nanoantennas. While the plasmonic properties of individual particles with diameters > 10 nm and multiparticle systems with gap sizes > 1 nm have been experimentally characterized and well-described with classical electrodynamic theory, LSPRs in smaller nanostructures have historically been poorly understood. Experimental observations below these dimensional thresholds have been limited by optical detection and fabrication techniques, precluding analysis of a size regime with the potential for ultrasensitive monitoring and catalysis. This dissertation describes newly-developed approaches to probe plasmonic nanoparticle systems as their dimensions enter the quantum size regime. Our approach relies on scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), which allow high-resolution correlation of plasmonic nanoparticle structure with spectra. First, we explore individual metallic nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 20 nm down to 2 nm. As the particles transition from a classical to a quantum-influenced regime, they reveal substantial resonance shifts that deviate from classical electrodynamic predictions. An analytical quantum mechanical model is developed to explain this divergence as function of altered particle permittivity, accounting for the discretization of energy states as particle diameter decreases. Next, resonantly-coupled multiparticle systems including dimers and trimers are discussed. Using a novel electron beam manipulation technique, the separation distance between adjacent particles can be reduced to Angstrom scales. Experimental EELS analysis of dimers reveals non-classical spectral trends and that closely correlate with state-of-the-art quantum models incorporating electron tunneling. Trimers are additionally found to support a greater variety of resonant modes through selective electron beam excitation, and demonstrate both classical and non-classical spectral evolution at sub-nanometer gaps. The study of these quantum-influenced single and multiparticle systems will inform the design of future ultrafine plasmonic sensors, as well as support new interdisciplinary exploration bridging molecular electronics, nonlinear optics, and plasmonics.

Keywords: Materials Science and Engineering.
Advisor: Dionne Jennifer Anne primary advisor. Thesis advisor
Brongersma Mark L. advisor. Thesis advisor
Salleo Alberto
Policing and the creation of an early modern city [electronic resource] : Moscow under Catherine the Great, 1762-1796

Eighteenth-century rulers strove to remake Russia according to their ideas of enlightenment and modernity. Moscow, the country's largest city and traditional capital, served as a particular focus of reform. According to contemporary elites, Moscow's haphazard planning, superstitious populace, and decentralized administration represented the antithesis of the well-ordered capital befitting Russia as a European power. Efforts to remedy these shortcomings culminated in Catherine the Great, who introduced a series of reforms to "Europeanize" the city. This dissertation challenges assumptions that Catherinian policies brought much-needed changes to a city mired in dysfunction and fundamentally backward in comparison to the West. It does so by focusing on the Moscow Police, the institution championed by authorities as the practical means to root out behaviors and practices deemed contrary to enlightened good order. Policing in practice worked to supplant functioning administrative structures and social relationships in favor of imposing alternatives that would be much more transparent and responsive to central authorities. The language of disorder and "Europeanization" thus belies how Russian rulers wielded reforms to achieve goals in Moscow shared by their early modern European counterparts, namely to concentrate authority in central institutions and authorities and to exercise an unprecedented measure of control over the lives of their subjects.

Keywords: History.
Advisor: Kollmann Nancy Shields
Findlen Paula advisor. Thesis advisor
Stokes Laura