VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Equality, difference and group rights, the case of India

Recent engagements of contemporary liberalism with questions of identity, community, and rights have led to an exciting array of research in political theory. Contemporary liberals and communitarians--Walzer, Taylor, Kymlicka, Young, Parekh, Carens and others--have, each in their own ways, challenged the traditional liberal framework of individual rights and sought to extend this framework to accommodate cultural and disadvantaged minorities. The theoretical prescriptions that flow from these works have implications for re-ordering majority minority relations in pluralist societies. However, most discussions of this sort have usually involved thinking through examples from advanced liberal democracies. And since most countries in the world today are culturally diverse, there is a need to analyze and use other, mostly non-Western, examples to illuminate our understanding of what justice requires in regard to identity conflicts and community rights. My dissertation uses the Indian example to probe morally compelling issues pertaining to liberal justifications of rights for disadvantaged groups. It explores the challenges that cultural difference and group disadvantage pose to the ideal of equal citizenship. More specifically, it draws on caste and religious identities to problematize the notions of cultural recognition and resource redistribution based on disadvantages that groups experience. At a concrete level, the analysis focuses on; (a) cultural recognition for religious minorities, and (b) affirmative action for disadvantaged groups. While arguing a case for broadening the referent of equal treatment to include fair strategies of inclusion for groups that find themselves under the burden of unequal circumstances, the thesis also addresses the reasonable limits of such group-based claims in a liberal democracy of India's size and diversity. A study of the Indian model, it is argued, poses fresh challenges and solutions to the theory and practice of liberal democracy in both Western and non-Western contexts.
Design of an advanced millimeter-wave active array architecture for future generation multimedia satellite payloads, bulk silicon micromachining approach

This thesis proposes and evaluates a bulk micromachined architecture for implementing future generation multimedia satellite front-end arrays. An open-ended micromachined waveguide aperture array antenna is designed to generate no grating lobes over a 45° scan volume, as required by specifications for a future Ka band multimedia satellite issued by EMS Technologies. Brick and tile array architectures are considered, and a variety of aperture sizes are examined to compare cutoff characteristics. The characteristics of a micromachined waveguide geometry are analyzed using Finite Element Method and Transverse Mode Matching software techniques. Based on this analysis, micromachined band-pass filter structures are also designed to specifications. Finally, the electrical limitations on the overall system performance imposed by geometrical restrictions of the micromachining process are evaluated.
Naturalized epistemology and the construction of normativity

Naturalized epistemology gives epistemic priority to the question, 'why do people hold the beliefs that they do?', and it asks us to recognize that we can't hope to answer this question unless we look at the context in which beliefs are held. Like all epistemic naturalists, I think that the descriptive question about belief acquisition is the most important one, but I don't think that it is the only genuine one. Normativity is a legitimate epistemic concern, and in this thesis I argue that there is a place for it in a naturalized epistemology. To this end, I discuss three contemporary accounts of epistemic naturalism: W. V. O. Quine's 'Epistemology Naturalized', David Bloor and Barry Barnes' Strong Programme, and Larry Laudan's 'normative naturalism'. Each of these accounts offer something important to the current debates on naturalism: Quine shows the significance of the descriptive question of belief acquisition; Bloor and Barnes illustrate the importance of causal explanations in answering this question; and Laudan provides an argument for a normative naturalism. What I offer is an account of the source of normative notions. My position is that norms of rationality are constructed: historically contingent, but not arbitrary. This position goes hand in hand with global epistemic relativism, the view that standards of rationality are relative to cultures. I embrace this view. I argue that it is the most honest way to make sense of our normative practices, and, importantly, I show that to accept it does not entail a great loss.
Laughing to survive, humour in contemporary Canadian Native literature

While many critics see Native humour as directly reflecting Native traditions or idealize it as uniformly subversive, in fact Native writers often use humour to negotiate touchy social tensions and contradictions. The humour in the writing has both ordering and disordering effects, allowing the writers to walk a fine line between affirming and challenging contentious values, categories and identities. Drawing on Canadian Native literature from the seventies to the present, this study examines Native humour as a social practice, arising out of specific cultural and historical circumstances, that allows Native people to deal with change while maintaining a sense of continuity and community. Much humour in Native literature revolves around issues of authenticity, identity, and community. The humour allows Native people to maintain a sense of identity while challenging confining definitions of "Nativeness." For instance, satires of "the whiteman" allow writers to both engage with and resist the dominant society. Humorous depictions of racial and cultural hybridity both undercut and support notions of authentic identity. And depictions of Native people laughing together are affirmations of but also critical examinations of the process of community building. Native humour often arises from and reflects on Native traditions. For instance, traditional Native ethics discourage the direct telling of traumatic events. Thus in dealing with the subject of childhood sexual abuse, several Native writers have used humour as a way of both telling and not telling. Native writers use a similar double-positioning to affirm Native languages even when writing primarily in English. By humourously switching between various languages and styles, they bring language and its power politics to the foreground. The order and disordering of Native humour can be seen as grounded in a Native philosophy that seeks to reconcile order and chaos. However, while it is important to affirm Native ways of knowing, it is dangerous to over-generalize about such ways or to assume that they are directly reflected in the literature. The solution to this dilemma may lie in more narrowly focussed studies of Native humour as used by individual writers and tribal or other groups of Native people.
Role of Rim101 in mitotic repression of the yeast sporulation-specific genes DIT1 and DIT2

The process of sporulation in cells of 'Saccharomyces cerevisiae ' depends on the sequential activation of temporally distinct subsets of genes. The adjacent and divergently transcribed 'DIT1' and ' DIT2' genes belong to the mid-late class of sporulation-specific genes. A 'cis'-acting DNA element, NRE'DIT', prevents expression of these genes in mitotic cells. I confirmed that the downstream portion of NRE'DIT', termed NRE42, is an efficient operator that consists of two sub-sites. The two sites combine to give a much higher level of repression than that predicted by simple arithmetic summation of the operator function of each sub-site. Multimers of each element act co-operatively to give a high level of repression. Repression mediated by the upstream and downstream portions of NRE42 is Rim101-independent and Rim101-dependent, respectively. My data support the model that a hypothetical protein and Rim101 bind to adjacent sites in NRE42 and recruit the Ssn6-Tup1 co-repressor complex.
Extending the precautionary principle to work redesign, the implications of business process reengineering for low-level white-collar work

Social epidemiology has identified the workplace as a primary source of ill health. An upswing in the incidence of mental illness in the U.S. may well be an indicator that the massive restructuring of human work associated with business process reengineering and the installation of enterprise wide systems leads to substantial negative implications for the health of the U.S. population and the vitality of its communities. Since no hard scientific evidence is available, the author has argued that the precautionary principle, originally designed to protect the environment, should be extended to protect society when human work is redesigned. The thesis specifically examines the impact that business process reengineering is having on low-level white-collar jobs. Using the demand-control model to predict probable outcomes, the author has found that the implications of this work reorganization on society are likely to be severe and adverse. A preventively oriented strategy for work redesign is not only possible but should be mandated by giving a broadened precautionary principle the force of law.
The development of flapping wings for a hovering micro air vehicle

This document presents the methods and results of early experiments, conducted at the University of Toronto's Institute for Aerospace Studies, toward the development of wings for a hovering, flapping-wing micro air vehicle. The vehicle envisioned symmetrically actuates four wings within a 15 cm diameter, horizontal disc, thrusting the air downward, using the 'clap-fling' aerodynamic effect. The entire vehicle will fit within a 15 cm cube. Following an elementary, quasi-steady analysis to estimate the required flapping-frequency, test equipment was designed to evaluate various wing concepts. An empirical test process allowed many wing designs to be evaluated through a wide flapping-frequency range and at several flapping amplitudes. One year of experimentation led to a design capable of generating more than 50 grams of thrust while consuming less than 6 W of power. This performance is comparable to the best that an unducted propeller or rotor of the same diameter would achieve.
The pharmacokinetic interaction between zidovudine and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in HIV-1 infected children

The medical management of HIV-1 infected children involves multiple drug therapies. The goal of this project was to study potential drug-drug interactions between zidovudine (ZDV) and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) in HIV-1 infected children aged 4 months to 5 years. Children who participated in this single-dose, crossover study received both medications alone and in combination on three separate occasions, during which several blood samples were obtained. Using radioimmunoassay, drug concentrations were quantitated and various pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using non-compartmental analysis. In the presence of TMP-SMX, the pharmacokinetics of ZDV did not change significantly; the apparent oral clearance (CL$\sb{\rm o}$) decreased by 25% and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and half-life (T$\sb{1/2}$) increased 73 and 27%, respectively. Although these changes were not statistically significant, most likely due to the limited number of patients who participated, this interaction may still be of clinical interest and importance in young children.
Knowing how and knowing that, but knowing what?, interference and transfer in the acquisition of problem solving skills

Prior research has suggested that acquisition of problem solving skill may involve mechanisms similar to those of other skill learning (Groff, 1992; Saint Cyr, Taylor, & Lang, 1988; Trepanier, 1989). Theories of skill learning often proceed from the assumption that one learns skilled performance as a sort of habit (Anderson, 1983; Fitts & Posner, 1967) and are often embraced by labels such as implicit learning (Reber, 1989) and procedural learning (Nissen, 1992). Recent criticisms of the implicit learning literature have suggested a conflation between the notions of automaticity St. John, 1994). The current studies attempt to disentangle the issues of transfer conditions respectively on the standard Tower of Toronto problem solving task. In the first experiment, subjects demonstrated preserved learning in each of four transfer conditions: an additional five trials identical to the learning set; five trials of a size coded puzzle; five trials with the second peg as the goal; or five trials solving the puzzle backwards. This suggested The second experiment involved learning to solve the puzzle during ten trials under one of four interference conditions based upon the Stroop task (MacLeod, 1991; Stroop, 1935): no interference; congruent colour and size coding; inverse colour and size coding; and randomly shuffled colour and size coding. Subjects learned to solve the puzzle equally well under all four interference conditions, though the congruent condition did speed performance. This suggests that learning the puzzle proceeds, at least in part, automatically, without demand for conscious attentional resources. The third experiment tested subjects in one of four conditions, based upon the extremes of the above two experiment. The presence of interference during learning had no impact upon subjects ability to transfer their learning, thus demonstrating the independence of these issues in this context. The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of traditional theories of problem solving, procedural and implicit learning, and neuropsychology of skill learning. Future directions are suggested.
Frequency dependent hybrid equivalents of large networks

For the digital time-domain analysis of electromagnetic transients in an interconnected power system, the system is artificially divided into two sections: (i) the study zone, in which the transient phenomenon occurs and where the component models must be represented in detail, including physical and mathematical nonlinearities, and (ii) the external system which encompasses the rest of the network, and due to its electrical distance to the location of the transient phenomenon, can be represented by a linear network in the whole frequency range of interest. This thesis develops a new methodology to obtain a frequency dependent equivalent for an external network. The main motivation behind development of an equivalent for the external system is to minimize computation resources, i.e., CPU time and memory, for the analysis of realistic size systems. The required computational resources are the bottleneck in real-time simulation and application of off-line software packages for the analysis of high-frequency electromagnetic transients. The salient feature of the proposed approach, as compared with the other methods for deducing external network equivalent, is that it provides a simpler model (lower-order mathematical model) with the required accuracy. Furthermore, the proposed methodology ensures positive-realness of the equivalent. The proposed equivalent is referred to as the hybrid equivalent since it relies on a combination of (i) simplified distributed line models and (ii) lumped element models, to generate a frequency response equivalent of the external system. This thesis also expands the proposed approach to develop a multi-port equivalent and to consider the impact of sources (generators and harmonic sources) on the equivalent. The proposed concept has been applied to a realistic size interconnected 500 kV study system to obtain a single-port and a two-port equivalent with respect to pre-specified observation points. The validity and accuracy of the proposed approach is verified based on comparing the simulation results with those obtained from the simulation of the original system using the ElectroMagnetic Transients Program (EMTP).
Evidence for temporal processing deficits in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and language impairments on a dichotic listening task

This study examined the effects of language impairments (LI) in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on a dichotic listening task. A total sample of 53 children, aged 7 to 11 years, participated in the study: 20 met diagnostic criteria for ADHD, 18 met the diagnosis for ADHD+LI, and 15 normal controls. All children were required to distinguish between phonetically similar words and emotional tones. Repeated measures analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. The analyses indicated that children with language impairments had significant difficulties discriminating targets compared to ADHD children and controls, who did not differ. This data suggests that children with ADHD and concurrent language impairments have difficulty processing the acoustic signal required for the perception of speech and tonal patterns. This difficulty may result from more basic temporal processing deficits which interferes with the resolution of brief simultaneous presentation of stimuli.
Midlife professional women envisage retirement, aspirations, attitudes and concerns

This interdisciplinary, qualitative study explores how 10 mid-life professional women envisage their retirement. These women were socialized to be "traditional" women and then were influenced by the women's movement to consider different possibilities for themselves. As pioneers, with no role models of how to combine family life and a career, they are still creating new realities by re-conceptualizing what retirement will be for them. Currently 45 to 54 years old, and in long-term relationships, the one lesbian and nine heterosexual women are certain that their retirements will be different from those of their mothers' generation. This study journeys with the women as they look at their lives so far and into their futures. It captures their vision of retirement, how they feel about it, and concerns they have about this new phase in their development. The participants are reluctant to retire in the traditional way, but see retirement as a process of continuing one's life and gradually winding down towards old age. They feel positive about their version of retirement. The three components of their retirement dream are that there be: (1) a sense of life purpose; (2) personal growth and learning; and (3) connection to others. They see the process towards retirement involving reflecting on life choices, reclaiming aspects of their pasts, re-balancing, and finally re-directing or recreating their focus. Their concerns revolve around preparing for the probability of increased longevity. The length of time women have to sustain their physical and fiscal well-being in "retirement" may be a third of their lives. Societal structures penalize women who have discontinuous work patterns, and their accommodation of family responsibilities results in fewer financial resources later in life. The findings are discussed in the context of relevant literature on women's psycho-social identity and development and on women's retirement. The concept of retirement is being transformed. These women's stories illustrate that they value both personal independence and connection with others. Their non-linear career patterns prepare them for creative adaptation to current workplace changes and future retirement visions. A picture emerges of complex, multifaceted lives with aspirations for continuous growth and re-"creation" in retirement.
Development of educational and occupational aspirations throughout high school and beyond

Preparations for, and implementation of, career related choices is one of the critical challenges inherent in the normative shift from adolescence to early adulthood. High school is an opportunity for individuals to crystallize educational and occupational aspirations; thus, decisions made during this time have profound consequences for either limiting or optimizing future endeavors. Prospective data from a five year longitudinal study were used to examine the relative influence of background variables (e.g., academic achievement, age, gender, parental education) and self-perceived competence on the development of aspirations during adolescence, and subsequent educational pursuits in early adulthood. In addition, patterns of stability in the development of aspirations and orientation of life course goals among varied developmental pathways were examined. A qualitative component was also included in an attempt to capture personal experiences of perceived challenges and supports encountered in pursuit of aspirations. Participants ('n' = 210), drawn from a larger longitudinal database, completed self-report questionnaires at three time points: twice while in high school and once one to three years post-secondary. Questionnaire data was combined with early high school academic achievement, as reported in Ontario School Record data. Educational aspirations were coded according to the level of post-secondary education one hoped to achieve. Occupational aspirations were coded according to the status level associated with desired occupation. Four distinct educational pathways with varying degrees of socioeconomic promise were identified among this sample in early adulthood. Multivariate analyses indicated that academic achievement at the beginning of high school was the only variable that consistently predicted educational aspirations and educational pathway in early adulthood. Self-perceived competence in adolescence did not predict the development of aspirations in adulthood. No significant gender effects were discovered. The degree of stability of aspirations over the five year span varied among educational pathways. Qualitative responses provided only a general indication of supports and challenges experienced by participants; response patterns did not differ significantly among diverse educational pathways. Obtained results support early intervention to align aspirations and academic skill in order to establish optimal and realistic goals and develop an appropriate career plan as means to facilitate the realization of one's full potential.