VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Socioeconomic status and illness- and injury-related absence from work, the labour market activity survey

The association between socioeconomic status (SES) and health has been found in a number of studies that vary by design, population, and measure of both SES and health. However, it is not clear how this relationship depends on the measure of SES or the measure of health. In addition, it is not clear whether there are in fact sex differences in the relationship between SES and health. This analysis explored the relationship between socioeconomic status and illness- and injury-related absence from work using a panel of 9521 paid workers from the 1988-1990 Statistics Canada Labour Market Activity Survey. Five measures of SES (individual income, family income, education, the Blishen socioeconomic index, and the Pineo-Porter prestige scale) were used to model the relationship between SES and rates of absence from work over the three-year study period. Poisson bivariate analyses revealed a stepwise relationship between SES and illness absence among males but little evidence of this relationship among females. The pattern for injury absence was again more evident for males, with the exception of the occupational measures which revealed a steeper relationship for female than males. The steepness of the relationship varied both by measure of SES, by outcome, and by sex. Combinations of indicators of SES in one model emphasized the independent effects of individual indicators of SES in relation to the outcome. Controlling for age, marital status, family size and a measure of income security reduced the strength of the relationship between socioeconomic status and each of the outcomes among males but strengthened the relationship among females, particularly for the combination of individual income and injury. Further investigation of these differences, accounting for the importance of family-level and job-level information, is needed to improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the relationships between SES and health, and to critically assess the use of specific SES measures in population health research.
From crisis to crisis, the rise and fall of Fan Noli's vision for Albania, 1920-1924

This dissertation deals with Albanian state building between 1920 and 1924. In 1920, after nearly 500 years in the Ottoman Empire, the majority of Albanian statesmen were status-quo Moslem conservatives who were determined to retain the essentially feudal socio-economic system. However, a small group of patriots led by Bishop Fan S. Noli sought to eliminate the vestiges of the Ottoman legacy and radically transform the country. Intense political debate among competing visions of Albania's future made the years between 1920 and 1924 the only democratic period in interwar Albania. The dissertation is divided into 7 chapters. Chapter One outlines Albania's political and economic situation, introduces the principal political actors and sheds light on the very difficult international situation Albania faced. Chapter Two examines the roots of Noli's seizure of power in June 1924. Chapter Three covers Noli's reform agenda. Chapters Four, Five and Six deal exclusively with the international component of the period. While radical reform in Albanda faced daunting enough challenges inside Albania, external factors hindered positive change. Chapter Four looks at the relationship with Greece and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Yugoslavia). Chapter Five examines Albania's relations with the Great Powers, particularly Great Britain, Italy and the United States. Chapter Six explores Albanian ties with the League of Nations and the Soviet Union. Chapter Seven, an epilogue, chronicles Noli's last month in power and the impact of the triumph of conservative forces on subsequent political and economic developments in the interwar period. Sources for the dissertation include rarely used Albanian archives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interior along with numerous personal collections held in Tirana. Albanian newspapers from the 1920s, published in Albania and elsewhere, are also included. In addition to Albanian archival material, the published documents of the League of Nations, the Permanent International Court at the Hague and the British Foreign Office were also vital. Finally, archival material from the National Archives in Washington, D.C. shed important light on a hitherto unexplored component of American foreign policy.
Patterns of patronage, the politics and ideology of public building in the Eastern Roman Empire, 31 bce-600 ce

This thesis examines the private patronage of public building in selected cities of the Eastern Roman Empire, ca. 31 BCE to 600. It argues that the complex ideological and political meaning of public budding can be understood through the extension of a model of patron/client relations in Roman society which defines patronage as a reciprocal, non-commercial exchange of goods or services between people of different social status. Part One of the study demonstrates the usefulness of the model for examining the patterns of building patronage in early imperial Ephesos. The first chapter locates the ideological and political functions of the patronage of public building within the context of Roman patronage as a whole. Chapter Two uses epigraphic evidence to show that it was the local élite who dominated public budding at Ephesos and describes the types of structures they built. Chapter Three analyses the placement, form and content of building-related inscriptions from Ephesos in order to reveal the political and ideological meanings and motivations behind the private finance of public building. Chapter Four presents a case study in the social and political uses of building, focusing on a series of buildings and inscriptions related to the activities of Marcus Claudius Publius Vedius Antoninus Phaedrus Sabinianus, a prominent citizen of mid-second century Ephesos. In Part Two, the model is extended to budding patronage in Late Antique Asia Minor. Chapter Five uses the inscriptions of Aphrodisias and Ephesos to show that there were two major shifts in the Patterns of patronage ca. 284-600. In the first phase of development, the patronage of public building was dominated by provincial governors. In the second, responsibility for the finance of civic structures returned to the local élite. Chapter Six then analyses the language and content of building inscriptions in order to show that, despite these shifts in personnel, the ideological and political meaning of building remained remarkably constant from the first through sixth centuries CE.
A case-control study to determine the risk factors, markers and determinants for the development of nursing caries in the four-year-old population of North York

Nursing caries is a distinctive pattern of severe tooth decay seen in infants and toddlers. Improper infant bottle feeding habits are considered to be the most frequent cause of this condition, however it has also been reported in children who have used sweetened pacifiers and those that reportedly were breast-fed exclusively. The purpose of this study was to examine if socio-cultural and behavioural factors were related to the development of nursing caries in the child population of North York. This would assist dental public health managers to developing appropriate health promotion and disease prevention strategies for those families with children at the greatest risk for the development of nursing caries. A total of 3,310 four-year old children from 151 schools were screened. There were 281 nursing caries cases identified. Of these 192 (68 per cent) were active cases, and 89 (32 per cent) were treated cases. Data were collected using a self completed questionnaire that was mailed-out, using a three-stage technique. The final sample analyzed contained 71 active cases, 29 treated cases and 107 control children. Eight variables were found to be statistically significantly related to the development of nursing caries in this study population; dental knowledge, frequency of brushing, maternal birthplace, child's birthplace, family income, dental insurance, use of dental services, and the primary source of child care information. When the data were examined using logistic regression, four risk factors were found to be important with respect to the development of nursing caries in the four-year-old population of North York; dental knowledge, use of personal sources of child care information, dental service utilization by the child's father and lack of workplace insurance. The results of this study support the hypothesis, that there are socio-cultural and behavioural factors related to the development of nursing caries, which could be addressed through public health efforts
The influence of concrete strength, distribution of longitudinal reinforcement, amount of transverse reinforcement and member size on shear strength of reinforced concrete members

In light of considerable disagreement among researchers and practicing engineers regarding a rational way of modeling the shear behavior of reinforced and prestressed concrete members, an extensive experimental program was initiated in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto. This thesis documents a part of this program in which several sets of companion reinforced concrete beams were tested to failure. The main objective of the program was to investigate to what extent concrete strength, distribution of longitudinal reinforcement, minimum transverse reinforcement and size of the member influence the ultimate shear capacity of reinforced concrete members. The experimental evidence was compared with predictions computed according to ACI-318-95 Provisions and CSA A 23.3 General Method. This research suggests that necessary changes have to be made in the current ACI Design Code in order to account for the above mentioned factors.
Year-Round Education: A Case Study of Policy Implementation

The challenge of Year-Round Education (YRE) in Ontario has been to implement a program which would provide a more balanced amount of time spent in and out of school in order to allow for more continuous learning and to meet the lifestyle needs of today's students, families and educators. The purpose of this study is to document the evolution of a successful Year-Round Education policy making process in the Muskoka Board of Education in Ontario from its initial vision stage through to its implementation. Based on a review of the literature, thirty interviews were conducted with parents, employees and trustees. The verbal responses to twenty questions were audio-taped, transcribed and analyzed. Data were also collected from a written survey and from documents from the school, the Board of Education, the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training and media reports. As a framework, a conceptual metaphor of a braid represented the interdependence of leadership, ownership and change capacity. Using a historical perspective, the analysis of the data involved three time frames: the pre-implementation period, the implementation of the policy and the post implementation perspective. Included in the analysis were the perceptions of the participants in this study in relation to the advantages and disadvantages of YRE, the role of leadership of the Principal, the changes in economic and political conditions, the role of geographic location, and the cultural aspects of a tourist area. As well, the study examined the participants' perceptions of the impact of YRE on the community, on family lifestyles and on the academic performance of the students. This study of Year-Round Education has theoretical, social, and administrative significance. By examining the role of key players and stakeholders in the decision making process, much knowledge was gained concerning policy implementation, change capacity, educational leadership and the consultative process. Ultimately, the relationship between timing and the political process was found to be fundamental in determining whether or not a community would adopt a non-traditional approach to the scheduling of the time that students and educators spend in school.
The relationship between the breaking point of breath holding and the ventilatory response to carbon dioxide

The first part of the study examined the relationship between the breaking point of breath holding and the ventilatory response to carbon dioxide. Seventeen subjects performed a modified rebreathing test with prior hyperventilation at three iso-oxic levels (PO$\sb2$ = 40, 80, 150 mmHg) and the chemoreflex parameters (Vb, Tp, Sp, Tc, Sc, and MR), and the drive to breathe (V) were quantified. Subjects also performed maximal breath holds under four conditions (TLC, TLCsw, FRC, FRCsw). No relationships were found between any of the chemoreflex (Vb, Tp, Sp, Tc, Sc, and MR) parameters and the breath holding conditions (TLC, TLCsw, FRC, FRCsw). Males were found to have a higher peripheral threshold, and higher peripheral and central sensitivities than females (p $<$ 0.05). A strong relationship was found between the drive to breathe (V) and FRC (r = 0.9377) and FRCsw (r = 0.9521) breath holding conditions in male subjects. A weaker relationship was found between the drive to breathe (V) and TLCsw (r = 0.7499) breath holding condition in male subjects. The second part of the study examined the effect of swallowing on breath holding time. Seventeen subjects performed maximal breath holds under four conditions (TLC, TLCsw, FRC, FRCsw). Fourteen of the seventeen subjects were found to have a significant (p $<$ 0.05) increase in breath hold time with swallowing in both TLCsw and FRCsw. The mean breath hold time (SE) for TLC increased from 74.8 $\pm$ 7.4 to 81.8 $\pm$ 8.4 seconds. The mean breath hold time (SE) for FRC increased from 31.3 $\pm$ 3.7 to 36.2 $\pm$ 5.1 seconds. This represents an increase of 9% and 13% respectively. A significant (p $<$ 0.05) decrease was also found in the final end-tidal partial pressure of oxygen for both TLCsw and FRCsw.
Regulation of SPS4, a gene that is expressed midway through sporulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Sporulation of the yeast 'Saccharomyces cerevisiae' is a process of cellular differentiation in which the events of meiosis and spore formation are accompanied by the sequential activation of temporally distinct classes of genes. I have studied the regulation of expression of the ' SPS4' gene, which is activated midway through sporulation. An analysis of the effect of sequential deletions in the 5'-flanking sequence of 'SPS4' indicated that the 5' boundary of its regulatory region was within 50-bp of the putative TATA box of the gene. By testing various DNA fragments that spanned this boundary, I found that a 15-bp sequence sufficed to activate midsporulation-specific expression of a heterologous promoter. Extending this element, termed UAS SPS4, to include the adjacent 14-bp stimulated its activity 10-fold. The first approach that I used to identify a potential regulator(s) of ' SPS4' gene expression, was a one-hybrid selection for a protein(s) that interacts specifically with UASSPS4. This scheme identified the zinc finger-containing transcription factor encoded by 'RME1' as a potential regulator of 'SPS4'. Next, I performed two genetic screens to identify potential regulators of middle sporulation gene expression. One screen was aimed at identification of genes required for activation of a 'UASSPS4-lacZ ' reporter gene during sporulation; the second screen was designed to identify a factor that binds to UASSPS4 in vegetative cells and prevents expression of a 'UASCYC1-UASSPS4 -lacZ' reporter gene. Of 24 mutants with apparent defects in regulation of the reporter genes, I chose five for detailed analysis. These five mutants, which initiated meiotic development but were 'd'efective in 'a'ctivation of S'PS4' during sporulation, represented three complementation groups, named 'das1', ' das3', and 'das4'. These mutants were similar to wild-type cells in their ability to carry out premeiotic DNA synthesis, and in activation of the early meiotic genes 'IME1', 'IME2', and ' HOP1'. However, these mutant strains failed to complete meiosis I, failed to activate expression of the middle sporulation genes 'SPS1 ' and 'SPS4', and did not form spores. The prophase arrest of these mutants was similar to a recently described checkpoint arrest for which effects on transcription have not been assessed. These findings suggest that misregulation of early meiotic gene expression may trigger regulatory arrest of cells prior to meiosis I, possibly as a result of defects in chromosome structure or metabolism. I present a model to explain how activation of middle sporulation gene expression might be coordinated with progression of cells into meiosis I. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
The effects of physical and chemical agents on the cytoarchitecture of pheochromocytoma, PC-12 cells

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the relationship of hydrostatic pressure induced changes in the cytoarchitecture to regulation of gene expression in PC-12 cells. Cell viability in undifferentiated and 4 day differentiating cells at 10,000 psi for 20 min was 96% and 95%, respectively; these values were not significantly different from cells at atmospheric pressure. In contrast cell proliferation (plating efficiency) in undifferentiated and 4 day differentiating cells at 10,000 psi for 20 min was reduced to 86% and 80%, respectively, relative to cells at atmospheric pressure. Actin mRNA levels at 6,000 and 10,000 psi for 20 min were 78% and 64%, respectively, in undifferentiated cells and 81% and 72% in 4 day differentiating cells, respectively, relative to untreated controls. Tubulin mRNA levels at 6,000 and 10,000 psi for 20 min were 75% and 67%, respectively, in undifferentiated cells and 84% and 74%, respectively, in 4 day differentiating cells. Confocal microscopy in association with three dimensional reconstruction showed that microtubules and microfilaments were disrupted in a dose dependent manner following pressure treatment. Microtubules and microfilaments were disrupted at 4,000 psi for 20 min. of compression. Neurite extensions were retracted at 4,000 psi and at 8,000 psi. The apparent volume of microtubules and microfilaments out of a total of 100 arbitrary units was 22 and 11 respectively, in cells at atmospheric pressure. At 4,000 psi and 8,000 psi the apparent microtubule volume was reduced to 16 and 12 arbitrary units, respectively, and the apparent microfilament volume was reduced to 8 and 5 arbitrary units, respectively. Hydrostatic pressure induced disruption of the cytoskeleton was accompanied by decreases in the level, and changes in the localization of tubulin and actin mRNA at the highest pressures and durations. The cytoskeletal/soluble fraction index (CSFI50), which is a measure of mRNA cytoskeletal association, indicated that actin mRNA localization was more sensitive to the effects of hydrostatic pressure compared to the CSFI50 of tubulin mRNA. In the presence of a destabilizing concentration of cytochalasin D, the CSFI50 of tubulin and actin mRNA localization was shifted to a lower pressure index compared to untreated controls. The reduction of microtubule and microfilament volumes, and mRNA levels and localization is attributed to the pressure induced disruption of the cytoarchitecture.
The molecular chaperones, calnexin and calreticulin, studies on function and mechanism of action

Class I histocompatibility molecules are the cell surface molecules responsible for presentation of endogenously synthesized foreign antigens to cytotoxic: T cells. Calnexin, a calcium binding, type I integral membrane protein, associates transiently with incompletely assembled class I histocompatibility molecules and also a host of other glycoproteins within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The focus of this research was to ascertain the nature of the association between calnexin and its substrates and to clarify the functional consequences of its association with class I molecules. The results presented in Chapter IV suggest that calnexin functions as a 'bona fide' molecular chaperone which increases the efficiency of class I folding and assembly. Calnexin prevents aggregation and degradation of class I heavy chains, thereby increasing productive folding and assembly. The results in Chapters II and III demonstrate that calnexin and calreticulin, a lumenal ER protein homologous to calnexin, act as lectins which recognize Glc1Man9GlcNAc2 oligosaccharides that are present on newly synthesized glycoproteins. In addition to lectin-mediated interactions, evidence is presented that supports the hypothesis that calnexin interacts with polypeptide portions of newly synthesized polypeptides. A detailed examination of the lectin properties of these proteins was undertaken. The results demonstrate that the GlcÃ1-3Man structure is essential for the interaction of calnexin and calreticulin with oligosaccharide but secondary interactions occur along the length of the glucose-containing branch. There is also a requirement for at least one mannose residue on the polymannose branch of the oligosaccharide. Binding competition experiments revealed that calnexin and calreticulin bind oligosaccharide with similar relative affinities, suggesting similar lectin sites in the two proteins. EGTA treatment of calnexin and calreticulin resulted in a loss of oligosaccharide binding, indicating that calcium is required for lectin function. In contrast, ATP did not affect oligosaccharide binding in a specific manner. Reduction of disulfide bonds in calnexin did not affect oligosaccharide binding. In contrast, reduction of disulfide bonds in calreticulin resulted in a loss of lectin activity, suggesting that the disulphide bond is important for the integrity of its lectin site. Finally, the lectin sites of calnexin and calreticulin were mapped to a region dominated by two sequence motifs that are tandemly repeated. Similar sequences have not been identified in other lectin families and as a result this segment constitutes a novel lectin site.
Detection of allelic expression utilizing RNA fluorescent in situ hybridization in mouse embryonic cells

Genomic imprinting in mammals is defined as a reversible epigenetic process which renders the two parental genomes functionally nonequivalent in the developing embryo. Monoallelic expression is observed exclusively in seventeen imprinted genes identified to date, however the time at which transcriptional silencing of one allele occurs is variable throughout development and dependent on the gene in question. RNA fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) is utilised in this study as a method of detecting when one allele of an imprinted gene undergoes transcriptional silencing in the embryonic development of the mouse. The aim of this work is to utilize this sensitive FISH technique, which targets the nascent transcripts of genes, in order to visualise transcriptionally active alleles. Examination of the levels of active transcription in each individual cell in a spectrum of tissues will reveal if all nuclei act synonymously and determine at what embryonic stage an imprinted locus is silenced. This thesis attempts to optimize the conditions for RNA FISH in two models--cultured cell lines and embryonic tissues of the mouse.