VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Weak Lagrangian solutions to a one dimensional model of the moist semi-geostrophic equations

The semi-geostrophic equations with additional terms incorporating the effects of moisture are introduced. A one dimensional model of these equations which is equivalent to the full three dimensional in the spatially homogenous case is studied and a weak formulation of this model is defined. A new stability condition that strengthens the Cullen-Purser stability condition is introduced and shown to be required for the dynamics to be energy minimizing. A time stepping procedure is used to construct difference equations in discrete space and time which are shown to converge to weak solutions as the size of the mesh tends to zero under certain monotonicity assumptions on the initial data.
Federal electoral district inequality, the Saskatchewan Reference and Mixed Member Proportional representation (MMP)

This paper criticizes the 1991 Supreme Court decision in Reference re Prov. Electoral Boundaries (Sask.), which held that the electoral map did not violate s. 3 of the Charter, despite government interference in the Boundaries Commission's mandate and significant disparities in district population. I argue that the Court's reasoning was flawed, and that it failed to protect disadvantaged minorities, evolve democracy or set appropriate standards to prevent gerrymandering. This becomes apparent when contrasting the Court's views of representation with a threefold theory of democratic elections (local representation, ideological expression and group decision-making). Discussing the role groups play in elections, this theory highlights the importance of 'one person-one vote', and how disparities between electoral districts lead to disparities in citizen voice and influence, damaging Canadian democracy. Adopting Mixed Member Proportional representation (MMP) would be a pragmatic solution to the Court's decision and the ongoing voter inequalities in Canada.

Keywords: Proportional representation, Saskatchewan
Election districts, Canada
Proportional representation, Canada
Three essays on occupational safety

The papers that comprise this thesis address two prominent issues affecting workplace safety. The first of the three studies looks specifically at the trucking industry, examining how wage schemes tied into delivery times affect the likelihood of a truck driver being involved in an accident. Using several estimation techniques including probit and path analysis on data collected from the Sloan Foundation Trucking Industry Program Driver Survey 1997-1999 a direct relationship was found between sleep depravation and the likelihood of an accident. In turn, the drivers that were most likely to fall asleep were those whose wages were either tied into their delivery schedules or who had financial incentives to deliver their loads on time. The remaining two papers investigate workplace violence. One paper examines the length of time away from work for victims of workplace violence. Hazard models were estimated using data from (non-fatal) work-related injuries that were the result of workplace violence between 1996 and 1999 in the Canadian province of Ontario drawn from the administrative records of the Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB). The results of the study indicate that the greater the severity of the injury, as measured by total health care expenditures, the longer the absence from work. Furthermore, the most violent acts are associated with the largest decreases in the hazard rate and result in the longest absences. Finally, there were statistically significant differences in the duration of work absences by occupation, holding other factors constant. Whether it is the pressure of payment based on unreasonable performance, or working under the threat of violence, the information provided in these studies help to quantify some of the consequences of demanding and dangerous work-related experiences. The final workplace violence paper uses the same Ontario WSIB data to calculate some of the financial costs associated with acts of workplace violence. A descriptive summary of the total claim payments broken down wage benefits and healthcare payments indicate that for the most part the highest dollar amounts were associated with the most severe forms of physical violence, shootings, stabbings, and sexual assaults.
Efficient contouring on unstructured meshes

A PCI (Pure Cubic Interpolant) is a piecewise bicubic polynomial interpolant over an unstructured mesh based on the DEI (Differential Equation Interpolant) approach. It can approximate the solution of a PDE (Partial Differential Equation) at off-mesh points with the same order of accuracy as those provided by an underlying numerical PDE solver at mesh points. It satisfies the continuity property that is very important in the visualization area. In addition to continuity, the PCI is efficient in terms of time and accuracy. We compare the PCI with the ADEI (Alternate Differential Equation Interpolant) and some other DEI-based interpolants. Furthermore, we introduce three fast contouring algorithms based on the PCI and an underlying unstructured mesh. Unlike standard contouring functions, our contouring algorithms do not need a fine structured approximation and work efficiently with the original scattered data.
Turbulence modeling for high-lift multi-element airfoil configurations

This study provides a detailed comparison of two turbulence closures for aerodynamic flows around high-lift airfoils; the first based on turbulent viscosity and the second on the algebraic Reynolds-stress approximation. A detailed analysis of their derivation helps shed light on their inherent limitations in predicting complex flow phenomena such as confluent boundary layers and flow separation found in typical take-off and landing conditions. One of each of the following categories: one-equation, two-equation, IARSM and EARSM is selected and compared on several low-speed high-lift configurations. Comparisons to experimental data for both mean flow and turbulence quantities are provided for all cases studied. Amongst the turbulent viscosity models coded and studied are the Spalart-Allmaras, Baldwin-Barth, Wilcox k - o and Menter's Shear Stress Transport model. A parameter study based on different pressure-strain correlations and dissipation models (or near-wall treatment) is included when studying the algebraic Reynolds-stress models for both the explicit (EARSM) and the more traditional or implicit (IARSM) forms. Results are generally very promising and of sufficient accuracy for engineering interest. Overall, the study indicates that for flows around low-speed high-lift airfoils, the algebraic Reynolds-stress construct does not represent a higher level of description than the eddy viscosity models since it fails to improve on accuracy. The basic underlying assumption of weak-equilibrium in algebraic Reynolds-stress models is outperformed by well calibrated eddy-viscosity models.

Keywords: Turbulence, Mathematical models
Lift (Aerodynamics), Research
Who belongs to the "creamy layer"? Affirmative action in Canada and India

Canada and India are both pluralistic democracies with diverse populations. Both countries have drafted constitutional provisions which enshrine equality rights and permit affirmative action. In India, various disadvantaged groups receive special protection from the Constitution of India, such as the Other Backward Classes (OBC). The Supreme Court of India has held that States and the Central government must identify the "creamy layer" within the OBC category so that reservations target members who are most in need. Otherwise, the OBC category is overinclusive. The creamy layer includes those who are socially and economically advanced and who no longer require the benefits of the reservation system. Race based affirmative action may be overinclusive in Canada. For this reason, I argue that the Supreme Court of Canada should explore the concept of creamy layer in any of its future decisions on s. 15(2) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Keywords: Affirmative action programs, Canada
Equality before the law, Canada
Affirmative action programs, India
Equality before the law, India
Memory-theatre of Harold Pinter, Tadeusz Kantor, and Heiner Mueller

To date, important work on memory has been done across many disciplines, but less in the field of theatre studies. This study attempts to redress this bias, and to expand the field by offering new texts and contexts for study, and new methods to approach them. My thesis examines the many ways in which memory functions within the texts and performances of Harold Pinter, Tadeusz Kantor, and Heiner Muller, as well as the ways in which their works reflect and respond to various aspects of contemporary memory discourse. Their memory-theatres explore the relation between individual and collective memory, between real and imaginary, event and fantasy, history and myth. In representing the complex and heterogeneous ways in which memories are constructed, their works reach out toward the individual and collective sites of memory, history, and loss, while at the same time explicitly negotiating meaning with their audiences. I argue that their memory-theatres are symbolic sites not only of memory but of intervention, showing how the transmission of memories includes negation, contestation, exclusion, repression and their return in disfigured ways. Often positioned within a specific memory discourse in which they intervene, these memory-theatres draw their effectiveness from the irreparable wounds of trauma, to which they appeal. Embracing not only the past, but also the future, they open spaces for a cultural convalescence to be achieved through the performance of mourning. While they stand for a network of concerns, a range of responses to the complex overlapping between the present and the past, the individual and the collective, the psychic and the social, and the aesthetic and the political, these three representatives of a memory-theatre show that how we think about the culture of the past cannot be separated from how we act in the present.
An approach to the palaeoepidemiology of bone fractures: methods and techniques applied to long bones from the Indian Knoll skeletal sample, Kentucky

Trauma is one of the most often reported conditions affecting the human skeleton in both modern and ancient groups. Yet, trauma data from archaeologically derived samples are fraught with methodological problems that impede the formulation and testing of sound etiological hypotheses and render difficult the integration of other data sources (e.g. modern epidemiological, ethnographic, archaeological). Using an epidemiological model, this thesis incorporates both statistical and qualitative initiatives for the handling and interpretation of trauma data thereby providing a new framework for understanding bone fracture in the past. Specifically, this thesis focuses on the pre-mortem long bone fractures observed in the Archaic Period, Indian Knoll sample from Kentucky. Long bones provide a good basis for the development of an analytical framework because of their ability to preserve well in many archaeological contexts, their inherent strength that makes fracture more difficult and gives clearer definition to the concept of independent fracture events in risk analyses, as well as their strong epidemiological foundation provided through clinical research on risk of injury to long bones. The Indian Knoll sample is itself well suited for an intra-sample analysis of long bone fracture data. Its exceptionally large size facilitates the use of rigorous statistical analyses and, its extensive body of previous research provides the necessary interpretative background. Results presented herein and based on the distribution, modelling of relative risk to individuals and different subgroups and, hypothesized etiology indicate that the long bones fractures suffered by the prehistoric foragers of Indian Knoll were mainly infrequent features of the juvenile and young adult male, and older adult female life histories. Long bone fracture events appear random and unrelated in these early Kentuckians lending support to the hypothesis of relative homogeneity in risk across the lengthy temporal scale represented by this sample. That the majority of fractures are found in the forelimb and that most are likely the result of unintentional injury suggest that the physical rather than the social environment was a major force behind long bone fracture events.
The relationship between epistemological beliefs and effective teaching practices among elementary school teachers

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among teachers' beliefs and teaching practices in regular education classrooms that include students designated as exceptional or at-risk. The beliefs of 33 elementary classroom teachers about disability and their responsibility for including students with disabilities were identified through narrative interviews in which teachers described their work with two students, one exceptional and one at-risk of academic failure. Beliefs about disability range from "Pathognomonic" (i.e., a fixed pathological condition, internal to the person, and beyond the teacher's influence) to "Interventionist" (i.e., created by barriers to access which are in part the teacher's responsibility). Using a questionnaire developed as part of the current research, teachers' beliefs about ability ("entity" or fixed compared to "incremental" or responsive to learning) were also measured to determine if there was a relationship between teachers' beliefs about disability and ability. Half-day classroom observations designed to rate the style and quality of instruction delivered to the class as a whole and to two students, one exceptional and one at-risk, provided measures of observed teaching practices to determine the connection between teachers' beliefs and their practices. Results revealed a significant correlation between beliefs about ability and disability (r(33) = .37, p <.05), suggesting that beliefs about ability and disability may be related. Measures of teachers' beliefs were also found to correlate with their observed teaching practices, including the extent and type of interaction between the teacher and the class as a whole. Teachers' overall instructional practices correlated significantly with their individual interactions with students in general and with students who are exceptional, yet not with students at-risk. The results suggest that teachers' beliefs about their students' ability and disability are related, although teachers vary widely in the quality and style of instruction they provide to their students with and without disabilities.
Analysis of the function of Drosophila myosin VIIA in microvillus development

The molecular mechanisms governing microvillus development are poorly defined. In humans, orthologues of Cad99C (Protocadherin 15) and Myosin VIIA can interact directly and function in the morphogenesis of specialized microvilli, called stereocilia. In Drosophila, Cad99C regulates follicle cell microvillus morphogenesis, and Myosin VIIA functions in Drosophila hearing and bristle formation. In this study, I analyzed Drosophila Myosin VIIA in follicle cell microvilli and elucidated how Myosin VIIA and Cad99C interact. Myosin VIIA and Cad99C partially co-localize in microvilli. Follicle cells lacking Myosin VIIA exhibit defective microvilli, which contain reduced Cad99C amounts. Conversely, Myosin VIIA is mislocalized in follicle cells lacking Cad99C. Analysis of follicle cells expressing one of three different Cad99C transgenes indicates that Cad99C can recruit Myosin VIIA from the main cell body into the microvilli through its cytoplasmic domain. My findings suggest that Myosin VIIA and Cad99C are partially co-dependent and work in concert to regulate microvillus formation.
Neural correlates of severity and recovery of memory function following traumatic brain injury

Impaired memory is one of the most predominant complaints reported by traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors. To date, research has addressed focal and global neuropathologic effects of TBI that correlate with poor memory function, but not their impact on the recovery of memory impairment. This study aimed to investigate focal (hippocampal atrophy) and global (measured by ventricle-to-brain ratio or VBR) neuropathologic effects of brain injury on recovery of memory function. Learning and memory performance of 18 TBI patients were assessed at three time points: 1.5 (tl), 5 (t2) and 12 (t3) months post-injury. TI-weighted MR images were used to obtain hippocampal volumes and VBR. Memory performance at all three time points was significantly correlated with the left hippocampal volume. Recovery of memory function was significantly correlated with VBR (ti to t2) and hippocampal volume (tl to t3). Both focal and global effects of brain injury appear to influence memory recovery.
Developing an online community of practice: a case study of professional development needs for ESL practitioners working with the Canadian Language Benchmarks

This case study explored the potential for development of an online community of practice for the Canadian Language Benchmarks. Participants included 10 teachers, 2 teacher administrators, 1 assessor and 1 teacher resource staff from 2 LINC centres and 1 organization offering adult ESL instruction in the Toronto area. Results from a questionnaire, focus group interviews, and semi-structured individual interviews indicated the participants thought that current approaches to professional development would benefit from integrated models and theories of teacher education. Results suggest the need for a professional learning framework for ESL practitioners to further their professional knowledge and skills. Findings also revealed primary barriers to technology-supported professional development in terms of cost, time, users' motivation and attitudes in addition to factors related to format and design standards. A number of recommendations were made for the development of an online community of practice for the Canadian Language Benchmarks.

Keywords: English language, Ability testing
English language, Canada
English language, Study and teaching
English language, Canada
Educational tests and measurements, Canada
English teachers, Training of
English teachers, Canada
Phylogenetics and population genetics of the Australasian silver gull (Larus novaehollandiae)

Phylogenetic and population genetic studies of gulls have proven difficult due to highly conserved morphology, low levels of sequence divergence and frequent hybridization among taxa. Consequently, while a number of species groups are well supported, species relationships within many of these groups are poorly understood. In this thesis, I investigated phylogenetic relationships in the masked gull species group using mtDNA sequence data. Additionally, using both control region sequences and microsatellite loci 1 elucidated population genetic differentiation in one species, the silver gull (Larus novaehollandiae). Using approximately 3,600 bp of sequence from four mitochondrial genes I recovered a well supported phylogeny for the masked gulls, clarifying relationships within the group. Divergence time estimates indicate that much of the diversity evident in the group today is attributable to a recent radiation. The black-billed and red-billed gulls of New Zealand share mitochondrial DNA haplotypes, providing the first molecular evidence for hybridization between the two species. Silver gulls in Australasia appear to be subdivided into five populations on the basis of analysis of control region sequences and microsatellites, with isolation-by-distance an important factor in promoting differentiation among distant populations. The Tasman Sea is an effective barrier to gene flow between Australian and New Zealand silver gulls populations, thus indicating along with morphological differences that silver gulls in these two regions be elevated to full species status (L. scopulinus in New Zealand and L. novaehollandiae in Australia and New Caledonia). This study has not only answered a number of longstanding questions regarding classification within the masked species group, but has also illustrated the effectiveness of molecular markers in resolving phylogenetic relationships and population structure in closely related groups of organisms.
Interruptions: a criterion in the design and evaluation of human-computer interfaces

The main objectives of this study were to assess how interruptions affect human-computer interaction and to use interruptions to conduct representative evaluations of interfaces, the results of which can be more generalizable to the actual environments in which the interfaces are used. In order to achieve these objectives, an extensive literature review was first performed. Following this, a field study was conducted in a hospital recovery room to determine what types of interruptions nurses encounter as they care for patients. Simulated interruptions were then designed to match the type of those observed, and incorporated into representative experiments to evaluate interfaces for two infusion devices. Interruptions disrupted participants while they programmed both interfaces, although the interfaces designed by human factors principles seemed to lessen the disruptive effects of the interruptions in some cases. Limitations are discussed and recommendations are made for further improving the interfaces of both devices.
Imperial killing fields: Revolution, ethnicity and Islam in Western Anatolia, 1913--1938

This dissertation intends to strip away the determinism associated with the nationalist interpretation of the Turkish War of Independence, a period of revolutionary transition between empire and nation-state. Rather than assume a nation-wide or Anatolian perspective of the interregnum between Ottoman and Turkish statehood, this work confines itself to the evolution of the southern provinces of the Marmara littoral (namely the modern provinces of Kocaeli, Sakarya, Bursa, Balikesir and Canakkale). Situated within close proximity to the Ottoman capital of Istanbul, the region continues to comprise a rich variety of Muslim and non-Muslim indigenous and immigrant communities. During the War of Independence, the South Marmara was among the most contested regions of Anatolia and the scene of vicious acts of violence and ethnic-cleansing. The politics of the South Marmara between the years 1913 and 1938 pose a direct challenge to the traditional framework of Turkish historiography, which situates the war and its aftermath as a conflict between "Muslim, nationalist Turks," "Christian Greeks and Armenians," and "the Great Powers." To accentuate the complexities of this period, this dissertation presents the revolution through the perspective of two of the most influential, yet misunderstood, diasporas of the South Marmara: North Caucasians (or more commonly known as Circassians) and Albanians. As a micro-history of a diverse region caught between imperial and post-imperial eras, the study of immigrants in this portion of Western Anatolia presents an avenue of exploration into the understanding and participation of local actors in constructing and resisting new national, bureaucratic and social institutions (namely ethnic identity, class, party, Islam and political discourse). The context and themes addressed in this dissertation resonate within a wide body of literature related to the history of revolution, localism and identity in Latin America, South Asia and the rest of the Middle East. It present a further step in identifying and examining fundamental, yet discrete, regional, cultural and political elements that define Anatolia both as a political entity (the Republic of Turkey) and a site of social exchange.