VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
The infinite sphere: The history of a metaphor in theology, science and literature (1100--1613)

This project examines the history of a metaphor---the infinite sphere, whose centre is everywhere and circumference is nowhere---and traces the progress of this symbol through a selection of citations between the twelfth and seventeenth centuries. The metaphor first appears in a pseudo-Hermetic treatise of the twelfth century, where it stands as one of twenty-four definitions of God. The initial chapters of this study consider the metaphor in its twelfth-century context and examine the ways in which the metaphor is invoked in meditative literature and in theological discussions to represent the nature of divine infinity. The thesis then addresses the changing conceptions of infinity which developed over the course of the fourteenth century following the Condemnations of 1277. Fourteenth-century discussions of infinite space and infinite quantities led to a dramatic re-conceptualization of the natural world. The thesis considers how these fourteenth-century speculations influenced Nicholas of Cusa's theories of cosmology and his original interpretation of the metaphor. Cusa is the first thinker to use the metaphor of the infinite sphere as a description of the universe. The concluding sections of the thesis consider the metaphor's afterlife in natural philosophy and examine how Giordano Bruno, Johannes Kepler and John Donne each respond to the infinite sphere and the infinite universe.
Interactive effects of flaxseed, soy, and their phytoestrogens on MCF-7 human breast tumors and bones in ovariectomized athymic mice

Epidemiological studies suggest that phytoestrogen (PE)-rich diets are associated with a lower risk of breast cancer (BC) and osteoporosis. In experimental studies in ovariectomized (OVX) mice with MCF-7 xenografts simulating a postmenopausal situation, flaxseed (FS), rich in lignan PE, reduced tumor growth, while soy protein and its isoflavone PE, genistein (GEN), stimulated tumor growth. This thesis determined (1) if combining FS with soy can reduce the tumor growth stimulating effect of soy alone; (2) the potential mechanisms of the treatment effects; (3) if the PEs, GEN and mammalian lignans, were responsible for the effects of soy and FS; and (4) if the BC treatments can modulate bone health. OVX mice with established MCF-7 tumors were fed the basal diet, 20% soy protein isolate (SPI), 10% FS, or 20% SPI + 10% FS for 25 weeks. All treatments caused tumor regression but SPI induced late-stage tumor growth, which was attenuated when it was combined with FS. SPI increased biomarkers of tumor growth (i.e. cell proliferation, estrogen receptor (ER)alpha, cyclin D1, and pMAPK) and reduced HER2 expression. FS reduced pMAPK, and when combined with SPI, it attenuated SPI-enhanced tumor biomarkers. SPI maintained femur mineral and strength, while FS, alone and in combination with SPI, increased femur strength. Using the same model, mice with MCF-7 tumors were given daily injections (10 mg/Kg BW) of GEN, lignans (enterolactone (ENL) or enterodiol (END)), ENL+END+GEN, or vehicle control for 22 weeks. All treatments caused tumor regression but GEN caused the least effect. Like SPI, GEN increased tumor cyclin D1 and ERalpha, and also increased femur mineral and strength. Unlike FS, ENL and END increased tumor cell apoptosis but did not affect tumor pMAPK levels or preserve bone health. This suggests that the lignans, at the concentration used, may not be solely responsible for the tumor inhibitory and bone protective effects of FS. The ENL+END+GEN group did not affect biomarkers of tumor growth or preserve bone health compared to control. In conclusion, FS alone or in combination with SPI can reduce tumor growth while SPI does not. The BC therapies did not adversely affect bone health.
Brief mindfulness-based stress reduction program for nurses and professional caregivers

The brief mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) program is a structured four-week training program developed for nurses and professional caregivers. This study is an evaluation of its effectiveness. MBSR participants' (n = 16) pre-post ratings on a number of outcomes were compared to that of two control groups: A control group receiving relaxation training (n = 10) and a no-treatment control group (n = 16). Both mindfulness and relaxation training were effective in increasing relaxation and improving participants' level of satisfaction with their lives. However, the results suggest that MBSR may be a more effective intervention to reduce burnout, and in particular, emotional exhaustion. An important component of this thesis is a series of practical recommendations regarding service delivery and conducting applied research with nurses and professional caregivers.

Keywords: Caregivers, Job stress
Ānāpānasmr̥ti
Nurses, Job stress
Stress (Psychology), Treatment
Disciplining single mothers on welfare: neo-liberal strategies of governance in a consumer society

This thesis draws on data from multiple in-depth interviews to explore the experiences of fifteen single mothers living on social assistance in a town in Nova Scotia in the late 1990s. Using a Bourdieusian-informed governmentality theoretical framework, it investigates how study participants took up, lived, and contested neo-liberal discourse about single mothers on welfare. The study begins with an historical overview of public assistance to the poor, demonstrating their construction as Other since the nineteenth century. It traces the history of liberalism, and considers strategies of governance in contemporary neo-liberal regimes. Against this backdrop, an understanding of participants' habitus and logic of practice led to an analysis of the two main ways in which participants are Othered and disciplined in contemporary consumer society. The first, as ‘welfare bums’, is rooted in a long-standing historical suspicion of those without work. The second, as ‘flawed consumers’ without the financial resources to participate in consumer society, is a particular feature of our contemporary neo-liberal society. Participants' discussions about their Otherness were organized into three main analytical themes: becoming Other; being Other; and refusing Otherness. For those such as single mothers on welfare, who have been constructed as Other, and thus as unable to govern themselves under a neo-liberal regime of rule, a disciplinary mode of governance is a very powerful mechanism to instill the desire for freedom through consumption in the market. However, the market does not provide the means for single mothers on welfare to fulfill this desire. This thesis discusses dilemmas and contradictions created for single mothers on welfare by a neo-liberal mode of governance. It points to the contingency of the historical forces that have created the conditions for our contemporary neo-liberal governance, with the intention of contributing to the denaturalization of the present and the enhancement of our capacities to envision alternative means of collective organization and government for the future.
Support services for distance learners in three Canadian dual mode universities: a student perspective

This study investigates, from the student perspective, questions concerning the importance of student support services to learners taking university credit courses by distance education in Canada. Distance learners from three dual mode Canadian universities, i.e. universities offering courses in both traditional on-campus formats as well as away from the main campus, participated in the study through questionnaire responses (224 students) and interviews (15 students). Primary findings related to the profile of participating students indicate that about four out of five are women with three-quarters aged 25 to 50. Older students (25 and above) primarily study on a part-time basis while the younger group are largely full-time students. Distance students in this study are generally married with children and employed, younger respondents, however, tend to be unmarried and childless. Approximately six in ten of employed respondents work on a full-time basis, largely in the fields of health and education. Almost two-thirds of the participants in this study live at least 50 km. from a university with about 44% residing more than 200 km. from a campus. Those living closer to campus tend to focus on the flexibility and convenience of distance study as reasons for choosing this mode, whereas the geographically more distant students claim to choose distance education because it is their only option. Almost forty per cent of respondents had completed a university or community college program before entering their current program with only about one in seven participants entering with a high school completion or a GED without further education. More than seventy per cent of respondents are taking courses for career-related reasons. Just over half of those who have experienced both on-campus and distance study indicate that they prefer traditional approaches. With respect to required support services, results of this study indicate that distance learners are asking universities to provide the information they require, streamline processes and procedures, help to reduce the sense of isolation and give them the academic tools that they need to succeed. Findings indicate that the availability of services do not match students' assessment of their importance. The study concludes with two types of recommendations regarding support service issues: specific suggestions arising from the study for the three participating universities; and more general recommendations directed to Canadian universities which include a framework and rationale for support services for distance learners, as well as calls for more institutional research, for appropriate training for course developers and instructors, for coordination of support services for distance learners, and for the provision of more courses and programs through distance formats.

Keywords: Distance education, Canada
College students, Attitudes
College students, Canada
Application of ultra high performance fibre reinforced concrete to medium-span bridge design

A two lane bridge was designed using Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) with a strength of 150 MPa in compression and 11 MPa in tension. The precast segmental single cell concrete box girder bridge with external post-tensioning is continuous over two 48.5 metre spans. It is a light and flexible bridge with a high live to dead load ratio. Special consideration was paid to the prestressing loads, as there is less available dead load to resist these. It was found that for this span of bridge, the local loads due to truck wheels, not the longitudinal bending requirements governed when sizing the top flange of the girder. The bridge was compared to two standard designs: a standard single cell concrete box girder bridge, and a slab-on-girder bridge. The UHPFRC bridge was shown to be constructed using one third the concrete of the two standard designs.
Whose children? The status of children of migrant workers in Israel

This thesis considers the underlying trends which have brought non-Jewish migrant labourers and their families to live in Israel, a country with an immigration regime highly preferential towards Jewish immigrants, and restrictive towards others. Rather than discussing the circumstances of employment of the migrant labourers in Israel, I shall be concerned in this paper with reviewing the status of the migrant labourers' children. In particular, I analyse the accountability of Israel for the plight of this group of migrants, and the potential within Israel for the development of a mechanism through which full membership of the Israeli state might be granted to them. Israel is a fascinating country in which to study the impact of a nation's membership definition in a modern immigration context, whereby the reality of residence diverges from a theoretical membership model and leaves increasing numbers of residents without formal status.

Keywords: Children, Legal status, laws, etc
Children, Israel
Migrant labor, Legal status, laws, etc
Migrant labor, Israel
Identification and characterization of Li-Fraumeni syndrome families: molecular and in vitro analysis and development of an in vivo model

The Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS) is an inherited predisposition to the development of a diverse spectrum of malignancies that manifest at a much younger age than in the general population. Although rare, studies of the syndrome have led to the elucidation of mechanisms of cancer development and the discovery that the most common genetic abnormality in these families is a germline heterozygous mutation in the p53 tumor suppressor gene. The goal of the studies presented was to improve our understanding of the molecular genotype and to refine the phenotypic definition of LFS with a view to develop an in vivo model that would better represent the human syndrome. The first section of the thesis provides an overview of LFS and its molecular associations while subsequent sections outline the studies relevant to the genotype/phenotype classification of this syndrome. First, screening and analysis of the germline p53 status of pediatric patients who presented with sporadic component tumors of the syndrome (brain tumors and adrenocortical tumors) clarifies the role that p53 plays in the genesis of these tumors and identifies the risk within the general population of a patient harboring a p53 mutation. Second, through both epidemiologic and functional studies, a common single nucleotide polymorphism at codon 72 of the p53 gene was examined. The results are inconclusive whether this polymorphism has an important role in modifying the cancer phenotype. Next, in vitro studies were completed on an LFS family with a complex heterozygous p53 mutation identified in the proband, illustrating the variable contribution that each mutation confers to loss of wild-type p53 function. Studies of p16INK4a suggest that this candidate gene does not play a significant role in cancer predisposition in LFS families without p53 mutations. Finally, the development of an in vivo mouse model for LFS was initiated. Once completed, these mouse models will offer a novel approach to determine new therapeutic options for the treatment of patients with germline and somatic p53 mutations. These studies, therefore, provide a better global understanding of the genotype and phenotype of LFS and add insight into the role of germline p53 alterations in human carcinogenesis.
The perceived value of drama by young people in coming to an understanding of personal self

This thesis investigates the value of drama in the development of the awareness of self as perceived by young people. It outlines the writer's background in drama and experience in this specific area. The literature review includes an overview of the work of John Dewey, Maxine Greene, Elliot Eisner, Augusto Boal, Jonothan Neelands, Kathleen Gallagher, and Dorothy Heathcote. This is followed by a primary research project, qualitative in nature, which reveals the stories and thoughts of the five participants who are from urban settings. The conclusion reveals the extent to which the young people involved in the study value drama.

Keywords: Drama in education
Self
Ego (Psychology)
Investigation of the mechanisms of felbamate- and nevirapine-induced idiosyncratic drug reactions

Idiosyncratic drug reactions represent a major medical problem. The exact mechanisms of idiosyncratic drug reactions are unknown; however, the formation of reactive metabolites and the stimulation of patient's immune system have been implicated. Studying idiosyncratic reactions in patients is virtually impossible; hence, we use animal models. The two drugs that I studied were felbamate and nevirapine. Nevirapine can cause skin rashes in humans. I used an animal model that had previously been developed in our laboratory to further investigate the steps involved in this idiosyncratic reaction. I observed an increase in the total number of T, B, and macrophage cells in the skin. Macrophages were found to infiltrate skin before T cells. Cell activation and ICAM 1 upregulation was observed in parallel to macrophage infiltration. Additionally, on rechallenge, increased serum levels of IFNgamma were observed. Application of either nevirapine or 12-hydroxynevirapine (a precursor to a potential reactive metabolite) to the ears of previously nevirapine-treated rats led to the rapid onset of red ears. This indicates that the T cells activated by previous exposure respond to both the parent drug and to either reactive metabolites or simply structures similar to the parent drug. Generally, various mechanisms can trigger idiosyncratic drug reactions and we hope further studies will enable us to discover most of them. Felbamate can cause liver failure and aplastic anemia. It is known that felbamate is metabolized to reactive 2-phenylpropenal. Attempts to generate an animal model of this adverse reaction by treatment of rats with felbamate along with depletion of glutathione and stimulation of the immune system were unsuccessful. We were unable to detect covalent binding of this reactive metabolite in vivo, either because our antibody is not sufficiently sensitive in rodents (which form less of this metabolite than humans) or because the binding is reversible. I was able to demonstrate the immunogenicity of 2-phenylpropenal. Specifically, injection of a 2-phenylpropenal precursor led to B cell activation, proliferation, and germinal centre formation and stimulated increased IgM, IgG1, IL-4, and IFNgamma production. In contrast, the parent drug and stable metabolites were inactive, demonstrating that reactive metabolites can lead to idiosyncratic reactions.
The effectiveness of Young Mothers' Prenatal Group: A quasi-experimental panel study

This pilot exploratory study evaluated the impact of the Young Mothers' Prenatal Group (YMPG) on single adolescent mothers' health and social outcomes. The YMPG provides comprehensive health and social intervention to pregnant and parenting adolescents aged 16 to 21 who are at risk for decreased health and social outcomes. The YMPG is a two-day prenatal seminar with informal prenatal and postnatal case management follow-up, and a one-day postpartum reunion. YMPG is based in one inner-city Toronto hospital. It appears that the YMPG has an effect on maternal confidence but does not have a large effect on young mothers' levels of social support and depression. Future evaluations would benefit from a more intensive intervention, longer-term evaluations, much larger samples and a methodologically stronger design. Young mothers delivering at a comparable inner-city Toronto hospital which does not have an adolescent prenatal program were included as a comparison group. Intervention mothers (n = 37) were followed from prenatal to postpartum status (before intervention, shortly after childbirth, and three months postpartum). Comparison mothers (n = 30) were surveyed at childbirth and at three months postpartum. Three primary outcome variables were examined: social support (Medical Outcomes Social Support Survey), depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) and maternal confidence (Pharis Self-Confidence Scale). This research draws on an integration of two existing theoretical approaches (Social Networks and Social Support, and Social Cognitive Theory). Analysis focused solely on the intervention group, using one-way repeated measures ANOVA, indicated a significant time effect from the prenatal to three-month postpartum period in the intervention group on each of the three main outcomes: social support, maternal confidence and depression. In addition, the analysis revealed that inner-city Canadian young mothers are a highly disadvantaged population with many problems including depression, poverty, and housing and food insecurity. The findings from this pilot study, using repeated measures MANCOVA, indicated that young mothers in the intervention group had significantly higher levels of maternal confidence than young mothers in the comparison group at three months postpartum. However, there were no significant differences between the groups in the levels of social support and depression.
Characterization of a virally encoded chaperone involved in lambda DNA packaging

DNA packaging is a fundamental process in viral assembly. It is the compaction of the viral genome into an orderly structure within a virion, which is able to protect and deliver it to a host cell for infection. A convenient and well characterized model for the study of this process is bacteriophage lambda. lambda proteins implicated in DNA packaging include terminase enzyme proteins gpA and gpNu1, assembly chaperone gpFI, as well as a preformed phage capsid. Structural and functional analyses were carried out in this work to elucidate the mechanism of gpFI activity. gpFI was found to consist of two independent domains, both of which are required for biological activity, tethered together by an unstructured loop. The high resolution structure of the gpFI C-terminal domain was solved by NMR. This domain was found to bind the A capsid protein via interactions with residues H92 and F106.
Bindings of p38 MAPK and PRAK to the large cytoplasmic loop of GLUT4

GLUT4 is the major insulin-responsive glucose transporter in muscle and fat cells. It is well documented that insulin increases glucose uptake in cells by stimulating translocation of GLUT4 from an intracellular pool to the plasma membrane. However, this process is not completely understood. Many studies have attempted to locate motifs on GLUT4 that are important for its function. The motifs are found mostly in the C-terminus. Consequently, several studies have focused on fording proteins that can bind to the C-terminus of GLUT4. However, each of the above studies failed to detect proteins identified by the others. The possibility that the large cytoplasmic loop of GLUT4 (GLUT4 loop) can bind to regulatory proteins remains largely unexplored. This thesis attempts to test whether p38 MAPK and PRAK can directly bind to the GLUT4 loop, using in-vitro assays. We report here that both p38 MAPK and PRAK can bind to the GLUT4 loop.
The breakup mechanisms of brittle deposits impinged by a supersonic air jet

The breakup of brittle gypsum deposits by supersonic air jet impingement was studied using a high-speed imaging technique. This study has direct relevance to the sootblowing operation in kraft recovery boilers in which supersonic steam jets are used to remove fireside deposits formed on boiler tubes. Scaled-down experiments were performed using three different types of deposits---symmetric and asymmetric with circular cross-section and asymmetric with non-circular cross-section. The effects of different operating variables and deposit asymmetry on deposit breakup mechanisms and breakup parameters were studied. Three distinct breakup mechanisms were identified for the model deposits which correlated with the jet-to-deposit diameter ratio. The results suggest that a sootblower jet must penetrate a deposit in order to break it up either by spalling or axial crack formation. Deposit asymmetry helped remove larger amount of deposit.