VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Hierarchical connectors a contribution to software architecture

Hierarchy has always been an important property of software architectural descriptions regardless of the level of formality those descriptions have had. Specifically large and complex software systems are easier to comprehend when described hierarchically. Emerging architecture description languages use hierarchical decomposition of components to represent large systems. Now that software connectivity is getting more attention in the area of software architecture and connectors are becoming explicit and first class entities in architectural languages, connectors, as well as components, deserve to be expressed at different levels of abstraction. In this thesis we use Wright, an architecture description language specifically designed to describe architectural connections, to define hierarchical connectors. Based on the notation and theory used for composite components, we present notation and theory for composite connectors. Describing hierarchical connectors opens new avenues of specifying and reusing complex interactions.
Synthesis of non-peptidyl Ã,Ã-difluoromethylenephosphonic acids on a soluble polymer support and their evaluation as inhibitors of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B

This thesis is a summary of research conducted since February 2000 in the laboratories of Professor Robert A. Batey at the University of Toronto and is continuation of work performed here on carbamoylimidazolium salts. Chapter A covers the synthesis of the imidazolium salts, as well as their application in small molecule preparation. The salts are prepared in two steps with minimal purification, and have been successfully applied to the generation of amides from carboxylic acids. The amides are generated under mild conditions in excellent yields and are pure after aqueous work-up. Previous work in our laboratory has shown that derivatized anilines are unreactive towards the salts. Here the conditions were optimized for the reaction of salts with derivatized anilines to generate substituted ureas. Since imidazolium salts are capable of reacting with various nucleophiles a comparative study was carried out to determine the order of reactivity of the nucleophiles towards the salts. It was shown that sulfur based nucleophiles react significantly faster than any other nucleophile, while aliphatic alcohols and anilines do not react to any significant amount under weakly basic conditions. Synthetically useful selectivity levels between alkyl amines, phenols and carboxylic acids were not obtained. Chapter B focuses on combinatorial synthesis. Firstly, a semicarbazide library was generated. Hydrazides were reacted with 'N,N' '-carbonyldiimidazole to generate 1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-ones, which were ring opened with amines to generate semicarbazides. Secondly, ' N,N''-diacylated imidazolidines exhibit herbicidal activity. Thus, we attempted to create a combinatorially friendly method for their synthesis. A common imidazolium salt intermediate was generated from monoacylated imidazolidine, which was then reacted with various amines. Lastly, a small library of ureas, carbamates, thiocarbamates and amides was synthesized to demonstrate the utility of the salts as a common precursor to various functionalities, which can be synthesized in parallel and under same conditions with minimal purification. Chapter C covers the application of carbamoylimidazolium salts in the generation of heterocyclic alkaloids. Very poor reactivity of anilines under mild basic conditions allowed for a 4-component Povarov reaction of unprotected ' p'-aminophenol with carbamoylimidazolium salt, aldehyde and 2,3-dihydrofuran. Lastly, the imidazolium salts were used in a short synthesis of fused bicyclic lactams.
Direct association of integrin-linked kinase with a novel calponin homology domain-containing protein, CLINT

Integrins comprise a major class of transmembrane receptors which provide a link between the extracellular matrix (ECM) and the cytoskeleton. Integrin-Linked Kinase 1 (ILK1) is a serine/threonine kinase which binds directly to the ß1 cytoplasmic domain of integrins. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we have identified a novel protein named Cytoskeletal Linker of INTegrins (CLINT), which interacts directly with ILK1. CLINT consists of a tandem repeat of the calponin-homology domain, implicated in actin-binding, and no other identifiable functional motifs. Northern blot analysis identifies three CLINT transcripts that are highly expressed in skeletal and cardiac muscle. A purified C-terminal recombinant CLINT peptide interacts directly with purified recombinant ILK1. In pulldown assays the 33kDa cellular CLINT protein is recognized by recombinant ILK1. The C-terminal recombinant CLINT peptide is phosphorylated by ILK1 ' in vitro'. CLINT may represent a novel linkage of ILK1 thus providing a link between the ECM and the actin cytoskeleton.
Spiders spin silk, reflections of missionary kids at midlife

Mid-life offers an opportunity for those of us raised as missionary children to come to terms with our unique childhood experience. The adult missionary kids (AMKs) of this inquiry spent their formative years living away from their families in mission run boarding schools. Little research has been done with AMKs to see how their missionary childhood resonates in their lives at mid-life. For this inquiry, I wanted to understand how those 'missionary years' continued to influence my life and that of other AMKs. Using reflexive inquiry processes, I became one of the participants of my investigation. I also interviewed three other AMKs, conducting in-depth interviews over several months. As isolation is one of the most familiar themes for MKS raised in boarding schools, both in childhood and as a dynamic of adulthood, I did not want the inquiry to induce another form of isolation--the isolation inherent in a larger participant size, of questionnaires and generalizing themes. I wanted the reader to see their faces and to experience their person-hood. Artifacts in the form of letters and photographs are used to enhance this connection with the life experience of MKs. With this inquiry, not only have I added to the MK literature as a whole, but I have added to what is, unfortunately, only a small body of MK literature that could be described as testimonial. Telling stories and having their stories witnessed so that the teller can receive her/himself in a new way is a form of arts-informed reflexive inquiry. I portrayed elements of trauma associated with the MK childhood experience. In addition to contributing to the MK literature, the work contributes to the literature on midlife. Being able to break the silence of our missionary history and speak the truth of our MK experience is the most significant epiphany of an MK in early midlife. West Africa, where I was raised, is the home of Ananse the Spider. The hermeneutical framework for this inquiry is an Ananse story and the spider provides the metaphor around which the stories and experiences derived through the inquiry process are spun.
Deposition of doped hydrogenated diamond-like amorphous carbon films using a DC saddle-field glow-discharge system

Several undoped, phosphorus-doped and boron-doped hydrogenated diamond-like amorphous carbon films were deposited at substrate temperatures of 200°C and 400°C using the DC saddle-field glow-discharge system. The doped films were grown using mole fraction of dopant gases (phosphine or diborane) ranging from 5 * 10-2 to 1 * 10-5. The structural, optical and electrical properties of the films were studied. For the samples deposited at 200°C, the structural analyses show that the most heavily boron-doped sample has a larger mole fraction of hydrogen and a larger fraction of tetrahedral bonding than other doped samples. The optical energy gaps for all samples are similar (from 2.4eV to 2.5eV). The resistances of the samples are very high and their conductivities could not be accurately determined. For the samples deposited at 400°C, the conductivity measurements indicate that boron-doping affects the electrical conductivity. Phosphorus-doping does not affect the electrical conductivity.
Identification of two novel CVC domain-containing homeobox genes

The retinal 'CHX10' gene encodes a protein with both a homeodomain of the paired-like type and a novel evolutionarily conserved protein domain of unknown function, the CVC domain. In this thesis, I report the isolation of 'CHX10-1', a human gene related to 'CHX10'. The 'CHX10-1' cDNA was isolated from a screen for ' CHX10' homologues expressed in adult human retina. 'CHX10-1 ' is expressed at low levels in the inner nuclear and ganglion cell layers of the adult retina. 'Chx171', a murine 'CHX10-1 ' homologue, differs from 'CHX10-1' in sequence and abundance. Genomic Southern analysis showed that although 'Chx171' is the closest mouse homologue of 'CHX10-1', a more closely related human gene may exist. This work demonstrates that multiple CVC domain-containing homeobox genes are expressed in the mammalian retina. Like 'CHX10', they are likely to contribute to retinal development and maintenance.
Attributional ambiguity and the stigmatized, interpreting feedback from someone who is motivated to appear unprejudiced

The current study investigated the consequences of receiving feedback from an evaluator who is either motivated or not motivated to appear unprejudiced. Women (n = 107) received a false positive or negative evaluation on a creativity task from an evaluator who was prejudiced against women, was aware or unaware of their gender, and who was someone for whom self-presentational concerns were important or unimportant. Predicted interactions between knowledge of gender, feedback, and motive on attribution, affective, self-esteem measures were not significant. Results did show that women discounted the attribution of both positive and negative feedback to ability when their gender was known rather than unknown. Differences in attributions did not translate into differences on affective and self-esteem measures. Therefore, no support was found for the self-protective properties of stigma. Nor was there any indication that the discounting of positive feedback adversely affected women's mood or self-esteem.
Liability and reliability, the reliance interest in negligence damages

This thesis considers the role of reliance in the law of negligence, with particular reference to the "special relationship" of ' Hedley Byrne' & 'Co Ltd' v. 'Heller ' & 'Partners Ltd', founded on undertaking and reliance. The House of Lords has recently held that reliance is only an indicator of liability, and that undertaking is the touchstone of duty. I argue in this thesis that reliance is an essential factor in liability, and that even if the decision is correct, the reasoning is wrong. In doing so, I argue that the special relationship is the sole form of liability for reliance, and that detrimental reliance is the sole basis of recovery. Economic loss recoverable under 'Hedley Byrne' is recoverable only because it amounts to detrimental reliance. Once this is understood the recovery of economic loss outside of 'Hedley Byrne' can be properly approached.
Development of a health-related quality of life (HRQL) instrument for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP)

This thesis examined impairment of quality of life of Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy (NVP) patients. Many interventions are geared to resolving patients' symptoms but don't take into account their impact on Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL). Our objective was to develop a disease specific instrument for measuring HRQL in NVP patients. Items potentially affecting HRQL of patients were identified based on women's responses, research experts and Medline search. A separate sample of 500 women identified items problematic and rated their importance. Areas of quality of life impairment included NVP symptoms, responses to environmental stimuli, social/domestic/occupational limitations and emotional dysfunction. Results were explored using a factor analysis and domains of dysfunction were chosen eliminating redundant questions. The questionnaire includes areas of quality of life impairment important to NVP patients. It has been designed to assess changes within subjects to be used as a measure of outcome in NVP clinical trials.
Social work ethics in practice, a study of recent M.S.W. graduates

The first area of inquiry this study was designed to explore concerned whether recently graduated social workers could identify or recall social work ethical ideals and ethical decision-making skills learned during their academic program in social work. The second and more significant aspect of this inquiry examined how these social work ethical ideals and decision-making skills related to their experiences in daily practice. For the purpose of this study social work ethical ideals are those ethical principles which are based on the articulated values of social work contained in the profession's code of ethics (Canadian Association of Social Workers, 1994). The methods used in this study were semi-structured qualitative interviews that involved 25 social workers engaged in their first 24 months of professional practice. Both the interviews and data analysis were conducted from an institutional ethnography theoretical perspective. All of the interviews were transcribed and the data were analyzed to identify emergent themes in accordance with methods of qualitative inquiry. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
The pathology and epidemiology of spontaneous diseases and disorders of the spine in the rhesus macaques of Cayo Santiago

This dissertation is a cross-sectional research project on degenerative spinal disease, bone mineral density (BMD) and metabolic bone disease in a large skeletal population of rhesus monkeys (CPRC Museum collection), derived from the free-ranging colony of Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, a colony of historical and contemporary interest to Anthropology. The effects of demographic variables (age, sex, parity, natal group affiliation) on BMD and spontaneous osteopenia, osteoporosis, vertebral osteophytosis (VO), degenerative disc disease (DDD), vertebral osteoarthritis (VOA) and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) were studied. The combined frequency of osteopenia and osteoporosis is 12.4% (N = 298). BMD of the last lumbar vertebra was measured using DEXA. Females exhibit an initial increase in BMD with age, with peak bone density occurring around 9.5 years, and remaining constant until 17.2 years, after which there is a steady decline in BMD. Males acquire BMD at a faster rate, and attain a higher peak BMD at an earlier age than do females, at around 7 years, after which BMD remains relatively constant. The BMD values of the monkeys with vertebral wedge fractures are generally higher than those of unfractured osteopenic/osteoporotic individuals, thus supporting the view that BMD alone is not a good predictor of fracture risk. In females, there is a significant increase in BMD of the spine with increasing parity, after controlling for age, up to a parity of about 7 offspring. Vertebrae with VO/DDD have abnormally elevated BMD compared to age/sex- matched controls, even when osteophytes are excluded from the analysis, thus indicating that the trabecular bone was altered by the disease, both quantitatively and qualitatively. VO/DDD and VOA are present in relatively high frequencies, and there is no significant difference between the sexes in frequency or pattern of joint distribution. Thirty-six percent (N = 204) exhibit some degree of VO/DDD, and over 40% (N = 218) exhibit VOA. VO/DDD and VOA increase in severity with advancing age in both sexes. Degenerative changes in vertebral bodies begin around age 8 to 10 years, and all monkeys over 15 years exhibit some degree of VO/DDD or VOA. VO/DDD has a predilection for the thoracic region, and reflects the normal curvatures of the macaque spine. In contrast, VOA is generally distributed throughout the spine. An inverse pattern of VO/DDD and VOA is observed in some joints. These data have implications for our understanding of the human counterparts of these vertebral conditions.
Integration of the arts in elementary schools: A reflective analysis of teacher development

'Integration of the Arts in Elementary Schools': ' A Reflective Analysis of Development' addresses the issue of whether and to what extent an arts initiative in metropolitan board of education has succeeded in helping teachers understand the objectives for teacher development based on the program and a new provincial curriculum document on the arts. The study investigates the objectives of the program within a framework of Multiple Intelligences, examining whether the objectives were reflective of an all-encompassing perspective. By investigating the reflective responses of the teachers involved in collaboration, assessment profiles were created for each school. They outlined the level of understanding of the objectives for teacher development--which may form the basis for possible models of integration of the arts. The study succeeds in answering the question of the awareness of teacher objectives; however, raises questions about the construct validity of the instrument.
An investigation of potential benefits of hyper-stereoscopic video for aerial search and reconnaisance

The purpose of this thesis was to evaluate the potential benefits of using a stereoscopic video system during Aerial Search & Rescue (SAR) operations. The complete project consisted of two different components: (1) the design and implementation of a prototype system for SAR, and (2) evaluation of theoretical benefits of hyperstereopsis. Two laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate two variables that were critical to operator performance using the prototype. The first study was designed to evaluate potential performance benefits of hyperstereopsis provided by large viewpoint separation. It was found that individual differences play an important role in defining a possible "optimal" viewpoint separation for the system. The second study was conducted to test the effect of increased viewpoint separation on tolerance of vertical disparity. With increased viewpoint separation, binocular fusion would become less stable and tolerance would be reduced. The results provided guidelines for future implementation.
Hydrogeology of a complex glacial system, Rouge River-Highland Creek watershed, Scarborough, Ontario

A conceptual three dimensional (3-D) numerical model representing the hydrostratigraphy and groundwater flow patterns for 500 km2 of a rapidly urbanized watershed (Rouge River Highland Creek; RRHC) in the eastern Greater Toronto Area has been developed using an extensive GIS-based collection of subsurface geological and hydrogeological data. Visual MODFLOW, a modular 3-D finite difference computer code was selected for the 3-D flow analysis. Water balance calculations indicate that 70% of the basin recharge (106,000 m3/d) enters the upper aquifer along the crest and immediate flanks of the Oak Ridges Moraine. To the south, upper aquifer water moving through fractured till aquitards accounts for more than 75% of recharge to deeper aquifers. These data confirm previous observations that urban- and rural-sourced contaminants present in upper aquifer waters (chlorides and nitrates) are moving rapidly into deeper aquifers. Some 83% of total RRHC recharge water is ultimately discharged as baseflow to creeks draining to Lake Ontario; the remainder discharges along eroding lakeshore bluffs and from a deep (lower) aquifer that includes fractured bedrock.
Computational analysis of arterial mass transport, fluid and wall-side effects

The transport of macromolecules, such as low density lipoproteins (LDLs), across the artery wall and their accumulation in the wall is a key factor in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Previous computational studies of arterial mass transport have been limited by models that only include one region of the artery--the lumen or the wall. In this thesis, the limitations associated with single-region approaches were addressed through the development of a method that more tightly couples the mass transfer effects in the wall to those in the lumen than has previously been the case. This approach was used to model LDL mass transport in both the lumen and wall regions of a constricted, axi-symmetric tube simulating a stenosed artery. Coupled analysis of lumenal and transmural flow was achieved using Brinkman's model, which is an extension of the Navier-Stokes equations for porous media. Numerical complications due to the convection dominated mass transport process (low LDL diffusivity) were handled by the streamline upwind/Petrov-Galerkin (SUPG) finite element method. Several factors that influence LDL transport were studied including a state of elevated transmural pressure (hypertension), the presence of a flow-disturbing stenosis, changes in wall Darcian permeability, and changes in endothelial LDL permeability. The results indicated that LDL infiltration and mean LDL wall concentration increased at the downstream side of the stenosis. This effect was markedly exaggerated by hypertension and/or the higher Darcian permeability thought to occur in regions containing atheromatous lesions. Increased transmural filtration in such regions, when coupled with a concentration-dependent endothelial permeability to LDL, could significantly increase LDL transport into the wall and possibly contribute to a more rapid progression of atherosclerosis. The results also indicated that concentration polarization is unlikely to be the root cause of hypertension as a risk factor for atherosclerosis. Instead, a pressure-linked increase in endothelial LDL permeability is more likely to be responsible.
Analyzing infinite-state programs with abstract interpretation

Recent years have seen an increasing interest in computer-supported techniques for analyzing correctness of software artifacts. Two main approaches used for improving the quality of systems are 'testing' and ' ' to testing and model checking. Abstract interpretation is a way ', the property holds in the original system, and if the model checker yields 'No', the property does not hold. Our tool guarantees convergence and is demonstrated to be sound with respect to both ' Yes' and 'No' answers. Abstract model checking in conjunction with environmental assumptions enables us to improve the quality and possibly accelerate the convergence of our analysis. Finally, we check the effectiveness of the tool on an implementation of a reactive model--the Safety-Injection System. Our tool is an initial attempt for building a framework for step-wise automatic verification and scalable program analysis technique.