VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Effects of low-level laser irradiation on neurite growth and growth cone dynamics

Low-level laser irradiation (LLLI) is the use of non-thermal laser light at visible or near infra-red wavelengths for experimental or therapeutic purposes. The objective of the research presented here was to test the effect of LLLI on neurite growth (on a time scale of days and a size scale of hundreds of microns) and dynamics of growth cones (on a time scale of minutes and a size scale of microns) from murine dorsal root ganglia neurons in vitro . Cultures were irradiated with an argon-pumped dye laser (633 nm; 2.5–5 mW/cm2; 2–7 min.; 0.25–2 J/cm 2) or with a diode laser via an optical fibre immersed in the cell culture (633 nm; 10–50 mW/cm2; 4.5–360 min; 2.7–1050 J/cm2). Measured parameters included neurite length and number, or the shape and motion of growth cones and the length and number of filopodia on growth cones. Despite a trend for irradiated neurons to have shorter neurites over a period of days and slower growth cones over a period of minutes, data from most experiments had a high degree of variability, and statistical analyses revealed mostly negative results with low power.
The migration of chloride ions in concrete

The chloride penetration resistance of concrete—an important durability parameter—is routinely evaluated using tests involving the application of an electrical voltage, for example ASTM C1202—“Standard Test Method for Electrical Indication of a Concrete's Ability to Resist Chloride.” To properly interpret the results of these tests, it is essential to have a theory that accurately describes the migration (movement due to an electrical potential gradient) of ions in concrete. In this thesis, a theory is developed for the prediction of chloride migration in concrete, including the effect of the concrete matrix. The theory is based upon a lognormally distributed penetrability caused by the characteristics of the pore structure—pore size, tortuosity, connectivity—and due to chloride binding. This theory requires two material parameters to describe the movement of chloride ions, the mean penetrability (λ) and variation in penetrability (ζ) of the pore structure. To investigate and validate this theory, a series of experiments were conducted. First, the pore structure of a variety of concretes was investigated using both mercury intrusion porosimetry and image analysis. Parameters were developed which characterize both the fineness of the pore structure and its range of pore sizes. In addition, two types of migration experiments were conducted: the rapid migration test where migration is allowed to occur for a given time and the chloride profile in the concrete determined and migration tests where the mass of chloride which has passed completely through the concrete is monitored with time. The theory developed was able to predict both of these test results. The fitted parameters were not a function of the test conditions. However they were slightly different between the two test procedures. This is attributed to the difference in binding characteristics in the two tests. A procedure was also established to predict diffusion coefficients from the results of a Rapid Migration Test.
Medical journals and the culture of clinical care

This thesis examines, using the methods of clinical epidemiology, the hypothesis that medical journals modify significantly the impact of the information they transmit on the users of that information. Three primary studies were conducted. First, the impact of early release of journal articles via the Internet was compared with articles released through the traditional publishing process, using a matched cohort design to control for time, research area, and journal. Early-release articles had twice as many citations and Internet downloads per year as control articles. The second study was subsequently designed to overcome a limitation of the preceding one, namely that despite optimal methods to control for multiple relevant article characteristics, different research articles still differ in content. To address this, an instance of widespread duplicate publication was analyzed, revealing marked differences in citation among different journals, despite identical content. In the third study, the effect of an acronym study name on citation rate was analyzed, using systematic reviews from the Cochrane Collaboration to identify multiple studies addressing the same research question and employing hierarchical modeling to account for clustering. Studies with acronym names were cited about twice as often as non-acronym studies, an effect that persisted after adjusting for multiple other variables. These studies provide evidence that factors controlled at the journal level, which affect the context rather than the content of research presentation, can have significant effects on uptake of that information, illustrating both the influence of journals on science and the need for editorial decision-making to be subject to scientific guidance and public accountability.
La divulgation obligatoire des informations sociales par les commissions des valeurs mobilieres

La responsabilite sociale des entreprises a souvent ete au coeur des debats academiques. Et pourtant, peu d'attention a ete porte a la necessite pour les commissions des valeurs mobilieres de requerir de l'information sociale de la part des entreprises publiques. Dans cette these, l'auteur demontre que la divulgation de ce type d'information ne devrait pas etre obligatoire. Le marche des informations sociales permet de fournir aux investisseurs ce qu'ils desirent. Cependant, differentes failles du marche menent a un niveau socialement sous-optimal de divulgation, qui devrait malgre tout etre moins prononce qu'en ce qui concerne les informations financieres. Il n'en resulte pas en corollaire qu'un regime de divulgation obligatoire soit une panacee. En fait, l'auteur argumente que non seulement un tel regime est conteste quant a l'information financiere, mais qu'il s'avererait davantage problematique en ce qui concerne l'information sociale.

Keywords: Social responsibility of business
Disclosure of information, Law and legislation
Total synthesis of Callystatin A and C-9-epi-Callystatin A

The total synthesis of callystatin A 128 and C 19- epi-callystatin 123 was achieved. The convergent strategy relied on the preparation of three fragments, the C1-6 lactone precursor 90 (chapter 5), the C7-12 fragment 108 (chapter 6) and the C13-22 polypropionate fragments 66 and 79 (chapter 4). The fragments were assembled using E-selective tributylphosphonium Wittig olefination reactions (chapter 7). The stereochemistry of the polypropionate fragments 66 (callystatin A) and 79 (C19- epi-callystatin A) was secured using an enantiomerically pure [3.2.1]oxabicycle which had been previously described in the literature. The further development and application of this [3.2.1]oxabicycle methodology comprises most of work described in this thesis and is covered in chapters 3 and 4.
Johann Georg Hamann and the Enlightenment project

This dissertation explores the neglected political dimensions of Johann Georg Hamann's counter-Enlightenment. Objecting to the abstraction and universalism inherent in the project to justify all thought and social institutions before sovereign reason, Hamann provided a radical theory of language that undermined reason's claims. Reason is language, logos . This entails both the condemnation of language and its elevation, for language is at once the limited, earthly grunting of humanity and the elevated, divine Logos. Philosophy and 'philology' (love of the Word) are in conflict; theoretical propositions and the intellectual demands of faith are rivals. Hamann sparred with his contemporaries on the questions of the place of aesthetics and hermeneutics in the understanding, the role of public reason in moral thought, the nature of reason, the merits of autonomy, the problem of Enlightened despotism, and (his overriding concern) the conflict between faith and philosophy in the city. This work locates his writings in eighteenth-century debates over reason's sovereignty, and indicates the resonance of Hamann's counter-Enlightenment today.
On the rebound: Focusing on someone new helps insecure individuals let go of ex-partners

The present research demonstrates that focusing on someone new may help insecure individuals overcome attachment to an ex-partner, suggesting one possible motive behind so-called rebound relationships. A correlational study revealed that the previously demonstrated link between insecurity (anxious attachment in this case) and continued longing for an ex-partner was disrupted when insecure individuals had new partners. Two experiments demonstrated that this "rebound effect" can be induced by randomly assigning anxiously attached individuals to believe they will easily find a new partner (through bogus feedback in Study 2 and an ease of retrieval task in Study 3). Those who were made to feel it would be easy to find someone new reported less emotional attachment to their ex-partners than those who felt less optimistic about finding a new partner. This research suggests that, for insecure individuals, focusing on someone new can be an adaptive part of the breakup recovery process.
Temporal distribution of past and future autobiographical events across the lifespan

The main objective of the present study was to examine the temporal distribution of past and future autobiographical events. Using an online modification of the Galton-Crovitz cue-word technique, this new test elicited event descriptions that were subsequently dated from participants' personal past and future. This study replicated previous demonstrations of the retention function of autobiographical memory. Additionally, the intention function of prospective autobiographical events was determined. A shared pattern of dating prospective and retrospective events was observed, with high correlations across temporal category counts. The past and future event dates were fit using a quadratic regression model, demonstrating a single temporal trajectory where the highest frequency of events occurred near the present moment and decline in frequency as a function of time. The shared correspondences between retrospective and prospective temporal distributions were interpreted as shared attributes of autonoetic awareness.
A new deal for transit: exploring a performance-based funding model

This paper presents a new funding model for urban transit systems. It is "performance-driven" in that it captures the performance of transit systems in attracting riders in a cost-effective manner, as well as recognizes that transit system funding needs vary with transit system scale of operations. It also allocates funding on a weighted per capita basis, thereby addressing equity concerns. Recent data for Canadian transit systems are used to illustrate the application of this funding model to real-world operations.
Analysis of interpolation strategies in a fixed-grid method of characteristics in transient open channel flow

The computer modeling of unsteady open channel flow is a challenging problem in the computational hydraulics discipline and many methods of solution have been proposed. The fixed-grid method of characteristics (MOC) has been widely used in the numerical computation of transient flow in open channels. However, in this method wave paths do not directly coincide with computational grid points, hence the use of interpolation techniques is inevitable. The significance of the thesis is primarily in its insight and understanding of information propagation in transient open channel flow. Specifically this thesis focuses on various interpolation techniques associated with MOC for the solution of transient open channel flow. A multi-mode interpolation scheme is developed that enables the user to easily choose from different interpolation methods. The linear methods consist of space-line, time-line and flexible discretization methods while the non-linear methods include cubic spline and truncated spline interpolation. It is shown that flexible discretization methods are easily implemented and have reasonable accuracy. The effects of various interpolation methods on three different case studies are investigated in detail. The cubic spline approach is fastest to converge, followed by time-line and space-line interpolation methods. Moreover, the cubic spline interpolation exhibits the lowest mass balance error, followed by time-line and space-line interpolations using different grid sizes. The truncated spline avoids the tendency of cubic spline to over- or under-predict interpolated points. The effect of cubic spline and space-line interpolations on depth profile has been studied in channels with lateral inflow under both subcritical and supercritical flow. The numerical results are compared with experimental data and the cubic spline results are in close agreement, having an average error half of that from the space-line method. Overall, the cubic spline method is the more promising and robust interpolation technique. This thesis has also taken the first step in developing an advection-reaction model for channels with fully-transient hydraulic conditions using MOC. The model is partially verified through comparisons to analytical solutions under steady condition. The effect of various interpolation methods on concentrations is investigated.
Functional testing, operations planning and failure analysis of CanX-1

CanX-1 (Canadian Advanced Nanospace eXperiment) became the first Canadian picosatellite to be launched into space on June 30, 2003. The launch was the first in the CanX space program, the culmination of two years of work by graduate students and Space Flight Lab staff members at the University of Toronto's Institute for Aerospace Studies. CanX-1's mission objective was the demonstration of satellite technologies, many of which were designed in the Space Flight Lab. This thesis presents the functional testing and operations planning performed for CanX-1 before launch. After launch, no signal was acquired from CanX-1 and a failure analysis was performed. The failure analysis highlights untested launch conditions as plausible causes for failure. Based on experiences learned from CanX-1, an FPGA-based computer and battery charge regulator, for use in future CanX missions, are also presented.
Zeros of systems of exponential sums and trigonometric polynomials

Given a subanalytic subset V˜ of the real torus [special characters omitted] and a dense multidimensional trajectory on [special characters omitted], we prove the existence of the mean value of a bounded subanalytic function on V˜ over the isolated intersections of the set V˜ and the trajectory, and give an integral representation for the mean value. We apply this result to obtain an integral representation for the mean value of a quasiperiodic trigonometric polynomial T( x), x ∈ [special characters omitted], over the isolated points of a semitrigonometric set V ⊂ [special characters omitted] (a set described by quasiperiodic trigonometric polynomials). From this integral representation, we conclude that the mean value is equal to zero in the case when the frequencies of T(x) are not compatible with the frequencies of the quasiperiodic trigonometric polynomials that describe V. Next we apply our main result to the complex case, that is, to computing the mean value of an exponential sum over the zeros of a system of n exponential sums in [special characters omitted]. From the integral representation we obtain, we deduce a proof of a generalization of the Gelfond-Khovanskii formula [8] to the case of exponential sums with real frequencies when the frequencies of the sum are not compatible with the frequencies of the system. In the one-dimensional case we give a complete proof of the generalization of the Gelfond-Khovanskii formula to exponential sums with real frequencies. Our arguments represent a combination of real analytic geometry and ergodic theory. They are based on two theorems from completely different parts of mathematics: the cell-decomposition theorem for subanalytic sets, and Weyl's equidistribution law for multidimensional trajectories on the real torus. Weyl's equidistribution law for one-dimensional trajectories is a classical theorem which was published in 1916 [19]. The corresponding law for multidimensional trajectories seems to belong to mathematical folklore. Since we were unable to find a reference, we provide a proof of this theorem, which is a direct generalization of Weyl's original argument.
Denomination terminologique: Exemple d'un corpus vestimentaire

Cette these cherche a mieux comprendre le processus de denomination des concepts vestimentaires. La denomination comme processus psychologique ne permettant d'observation directe, le premier chapitre de la these s'attache a trouver le materiel convenable pour surveiller les patrons denominatifs et leurs variations, ainsi qu'a creer un corpus representatif de ce materiel. Le corpus echantillon constitue pour cette recherche resulte du depouillement de six catalogues de vente en ligne et comprend 7 158 noms de vetements qui sont traites comme "termes banalises" puisqu'il s'agit d'un domaine specialise mais non professionnel. Le deuxieme et le troisieme chapitres etudient les particularites des termes recenses sur la base de deux hypotheses principales. La verification de la premiere hypothese---la structuration conceptuelle de la terminologie doit aider a mettre en evidence la correlation entre les concepts et les patrons de formation des termes---permet de distinguer trois types de termes: lexicalises, descriptifs et oscillants entre les deux. Les analyses incitees par la seconde hypothese---les termes oscillants representent la periode de flottement precedant la denomination definitive---demontrent certaines particularites des syntagmes terminologiques, notamment, le fait que ces syntagmes sont formes par des regles differentes de celles de la syntaxe et le fait qu'il existe un ordre prefere d'expression des caracteristiques vestimentaires dans les syntagmes a plusieurs elements. Dans le dernier chapitre, les particularites observees precedemment s'expliquent comme regularites a l'aide de la semantique du prototype et de la semantique generative de Pustejovsky. Finalement, les regularites denominatives, discernees sur l'exemple du corpus et mises dans une perspective elargie du signe linguistique, permettent de proposer des scenarios possibles de denomination a partir de l'objet vestimentaire a nommer jusqu'au terme atteste.
A framework for real-time collaborative assembly modeling in a distributed team-based design environment

Collaborative CAD systems enabling collaboration in computer-aided design processes among distributed designers are gaining more and more attention. Yet, such systems, especially in support of collaborative assembly modeling, are hardly achievable. Targeting this gap, this thesis addresses an Internet-enabled real-time collaborative assembly modeling system, which could allow a group of geographically dispersed designers to jointly build an assembly model in real time over the Internet. In this work, a new assembly representation, called Collaborative Assembly Representation (CAR), in support of real-time collaborative assembly modeling is introduced. CAR is a client-server model, which consists of two versions: Master Assembly Model (MAM) and Slave Assembly Model (SAM). MAM is a complete version of CAR and is stored on the server-side. During real-time collaborative assembly modeling, MAM is shared among designers for collaboration. Meanwhile, SAM is a simplified version of CAR and is compact enough for transmission via the Internet and for display on the client-side. The design of CAR addresses two new requirements from real-time collaborative assembly modeling, that is, collaboration and compact. Moreover, the collaborative assembly computation (CAC) problem in the context of real-time collaborative assembly modeling is formally described and a new method of solution to the CAC problem is proposed. This method is purported to address two particular issues arising in the CAC, namely, model consistency and computation efficiency. In particular, it consists of two methodological components: a collection of rules forming the computing protocol dedicated to CAC, named CAC protocol, and a two-phase incremental constraint satisfaction approach. Based on the results of CAR and CAC, a prototyping real-time collaborative assembly modeling system, named e-Assembly, is implemented to show the proof-of-concepts for the research presented in this thesis. Finally, the use of e-Assembly in collaborative assembly modeling process is demonstrated through a toy truck example. Results have shown that the e-Assembly system provides a collaboration gateway for designers in a distributed design environment to collaborate on the Internet to rapidly design a product assembly in a cost-effective and time-efficient manner.
Anti-racist feminist theory and women of colour in the graduate classroom

Taking an anti-racist feminist theoretical approach, this thesis looks at the operation of power dynamics within the graduate Women's Studies classroom, and specifically how they contribute to silence for women of Colour students in the space of the Canadian university classroom. Throughout this study I rely on secondary sources (i.e. published articles and books) as a means of gathering information. First, the theoretical concept of ‘race’ and its influence on academia is explored. This is followed by working through the three feminist epistemologies of feminist empiricism, feminist standpoint theory, and feminist postmodern theory, along with an indigenous/decolonizing methodology in order to arrive at a clearer understanding of how the histories of each have influenced the intersectional approach of anti-racist feminist theory. Next this thesis addresses how power dynamics in the form of silence may be experienced by women of Colour students within the classroom. I conclude with some suggestions for how a more inclusive classroom for women of Colour students may be achieved. The general scope of this thesis is to reveal how ‘race’ and racism within academia, specifically within a Canadian university classroom environment, continue to play an important role in how women of Colour students are situated within it.

Keywords: Racism
Feminism
Minority women, Social conditions
Women in education, Social aspects
Universities and colleges, Sociological aspects
Intersection numbers in reduced spaces of quasi-Hamiltonian spaces

Jeffrey and Kirwan gave expressions for intersection pairings on the reduced space of a Hamiltonian space in terms of iterated residues. Alekseev, Malkin, and Meinrenken introduced the notion of quasi-Hamiltonian spaces for which the moment map takes values in the group itself rather than in the dual of the Lie algebra, and developed the theory of quasi-Hamiltonian spaces. The theory includes counterparts of Hamiltonian reductions. Alekseev, Meinrenken, and Woodward proved a localization formula for group valued equivariant de Rham cohomology of a compact G-manifold. From this result a Duistermaat-Heckman formula for group valued moment maps was derived. In this paper, we construct the Hamiltonian space corresponding to a given quasi-Hamiltonian space. We use an important property of the Hamiltonian spaces: periodicity. We first prove a residue formula for intersection numbers in the reduced space of a quasi-Hamiltonian T-space (where T is a compact torus) by induction on r, the rank of T. From that result, we prove a residue formula for intersection pairings of the reduced spaces of a quasi-Hamiltonian G-space (where G is a compact Lie group). We show that the result agrees with that in Alekseev-Meinrenken-Woodward. We rely heavily on the method of Jeffrey and Kirwan (Intersection theory on moduli spaces, which is the reduced space of the quasi-Hamiltonian SU(n)-space SU(n)2g). For the more general class of compact Lie group, we make use of the result on diagonal bases given by Szenes and Brion-Vergne.