VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Early Andean subduction-related magmatism, northern Chile (~26.5 degrees south): Geochronology (e.g. uranium-lead), isotopic geochemistry (hafnium) and iron oxide copper-gold mineralization

Most of the studied Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous plutonic units in the area host massive magnetite. The age of massive magnetite mineralization overlaps the age of plutons with which they are spatially associated. U-Pb (titanite) and 40Ar/39Ar (actinolite) ages for two massive tabular magnetite bodies, La Suerte and Bolaco ( sim;154 Ma and 152 Ma, respectively), indicate previously unreported, upper Jurassic massive magnetite mineralization. A precise apatite-magnetite U-Pb isochron age for the Carmen massive magnetite deposit shows that magnetite-apatite dykes crystallized at the same time as quartz diorites that partially host mineralization at sim;131 Ma. Pb isotopic correspondence, combined with the temporal and spatial association between magnetite-apatite mineralization and dioritic-quartz dioritic magmatism, suggests a genetic relationship between early Andean continental arc magmatism, massive magnetite-apatite deposits and IOCG mineralization. Although the origin of the massive magnetite bodies has not been fully tested, the genetic hypothesis for derivation from Fe-P oxide melts is reasonable. Hydrothermal IOCG mineralization is spatially associated with massive magnetite-apatite mineralization, and postdates it. Early Andean (Jurassic-Early Cretaceous) arcs developed in extension on a continental crust composed of Permo-Triassic granitoids, Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks and unexposed Proterozoic rocks. The La Negra basaltic to dacitic volcanic unit occur in a sim;1000 km belt in the Coastal Cordillera of northern Chile from sim;18°S to sim;28°S and represent the first recorded magmatic activity in the Andean cycle. The base of the La Negra Formation sim;26°S has been dated at 193.0 +/- 0.6 Ma (single zircon U-Pb). This lower Jurassic age for the onset of Andean magmatism is supported by ages obtained for the Flamenco pluton (191.3 +/- 0.4 Ma). The La Negra Formation is intruded by a series of epizonal plutonic units that range in age from sim;160 Ma sim;125 Ma, and show a systematic migration of the magmatic locus to the east at an average rate of sim;460 m/Myr. Hf isotopic compositions of zircons show that the early Andean magmas were mainly mantle-derived with partial assimilation of enriched (Ho crustal rocks. They reveal a progressive change of the lower crust from less to more radiogenic crust (Hf).
Integrating controlled delivery of TAT-HOXB4 into a closed-system human blood stem cell expansion bioprocess

Clinical potential of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is limited by the difficulty amplifying them ex vivo. TAT-HOXB4 was reported to expand HSCs (Krosl, Austin et al. 2003); however manual dosing produces concentration ranges and may not promote optimal growth. Here we describe tools for integrating controlled delivery of TAT-HOXB4 into a developed closed-system HSC bioprocess (Madlambayan, Rogers et al. 2006), to study how TAT-HOXB4's nuclear concentration affects HSC fate. To measure HOXB4's biological activity, a luciferase assay was developed with a dose-dependence on Hoxb4 cDNA. To predict TAT-HOXB4's intracellular concentration, a mathematical model was constructed and showed that the dose frequency can modulate this profile. To automate manual dosing, a micro-volume delivery system was generated; the intracellular uptake of FITC-TAT in K562 cells at 2.5 and 5.0 muM was identical in the delivery system and manual control. These tools will assist testing TAT-HOXB4 dosing strategies in a HSC expansion bioprocess.
Covariates of everyday memory compensation

The potential for successful everyday memory compensation is highly relevant for older adults, many of whom experience declines in memory performance with age. However, little is known regarding covariates of everyday memory compensation, thus hindering knowledge of key factors that may precede or succeed such compensatory efforts. In the present study, we examined the relation between the Memory Compensation Questionnaire (MCQ), a self-report questionnaire of aspects of everyday memory compensation, and four distinct clusters of predictors (demographics, subjective report measures, objective memory, and executive functioning). Predictors included several measures and concepts not previously linked to everyday memory compensation (e.g., education, reading ability, biological age, life stress, executive functioning, fluid intelligence). Notably, we demonstrated that lower levels of education, better reading performance, and heightened life stress predicted higher MCQ scores, thus reflecting greater compensatory efforts; these important predictors should be considered in future research on everyday memory compensation.
Regulating the internet-enforcing digital intellectual property rights in a global community

Whilst acknowledging that international agreements such as TRIPS should be the preferred tool in governing intellectual property regimes around the globe, I will focus on digital intellectual property rights in order to argue that an approach to intellectual property rights that balances the needs of developing and developed countries more effectively is required. More precisely, I will argue that protecting consumer rights such as affordability by employing a policy of price discrimination corroborated with a real implementation of the objectives and principles of TRIPS will increase (i) the legitimacy of TRIPS, and (ii) the level of compliance with its provisions. International protection of intellectual property rights is at an important juncture in its evolution. Achieving international normative harmony is an essential strategy for the developed countries in which intellectual property plays an important economic role. In this context, social norms such as the sanctity of private property continue to be used to justify a political agenda for strengthening intellectual property rights.

Keywords: Internet, Law and legislation
Copyright, Computer programs
Intellectual property
The effects of structured pre-task writing plans in L1 and L2 on high school learners' FSL writing performance

This study investigated the effects of three planning conditions (no planning, planning in English and planning in French) on FSL expository writing performance of 24 adolescent boys enrolled in the "Language B" course of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program. The planning groups planned using structured written pre-task plans, and compositions were evaluated using the holistic scoring rubric for IB compositions (2002) as well as additional measures of fluency, complexity and accuracy. The pre-task plans led to higher composition scores in the categories of "cultural interaction" and "message" of the IB scoring rubric, but not for "language". The scores of the stronger and weaker writers were also compared: stronger writers benefited from the pre-task plans, whereas weaker writers did not. Within the stronger writers, the English Planning Group scored higher on more of the scoring measures. The findings indicate that planning can be beneficial for discursive features of expository texts.

Keywords: French language, Written French
Second language acquisition
The preventative war doctrine in international law: the Iraqi case

This thesis is devoted to the legal analysis of the facts and arguments advanced in favor and against the 2003 invasion of Iraq carried out mainly by the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The facts of the Iraqi case serve as a backdrop for the analysis and arguments developed in this thesis. Both on the Iraqi situation and on a broader context, this thesis analyzes the Preventive War Doctrine formulated by the Bush Administration in the National Security Strategy of the United States of America (2002) and the merits of this doctrine of prevention under international law and its implications for international peace and security. In studying the Iraqi case, this thesis analyzes the law on the use of force under the UN Charter and other relevant sources of international law, and proposes avenues for change in the law.

Keywords: Iraq War, 2003-2011
Intervention (International law)
War (International law)
The alluvial sapphire deposits of western Montana

Alluvial sapphires in southwestern Montana have supported a mining industry for over 100 years, yet the source rock for the sapphires has never been identified. This study uses geological mapping, trace element analysis and inclusion identification to characterize the Montana alluvial sapphires and extrapolate their origin. The placers occur in three areas in southwestern Montana: along the Missouri River, Rock Creek area, and Dry Cottonwood Creek. Detailed mapping of the placers has established that the present distribution is due to Quaternary reworking of Tertiary alluvium, indicating that the sapphires have been in the alluvial system for a minimum of 2 Ma and that the source area may be distant or completely eroded. Trace element analyses of the alluvial sapphires and a corundum reference suite were done using the proton microprobe. Corundum contains traces of Fe, Cr, Ti, V, and Ga, for which Ga displays significantly different patterns between alkali basalt and metamorphic corundum types. Ga in alkali basalt corundum is typically >100 ppm, with wide variation for samples within one deposit. Metamorphic corundum typically has Ga < 100 ppm, and tightly clustered distributions. The Montana alluvial sapphires have chemistry consistent with a metamorphic origin. The most common inclusions in alkali basalt corundum are ilmenite and hercynite. Metamorphic corundum hosts a wider variety of inclusions. The Montana alluvial sapphires contain plagioclase, muscovite, some clinozoisite, and rarely garnet. Using T-P stability fields for these inclusions, the formation conditions for the Montana sapphires is estimated at 580 to 720°C and 9 to 13 kbar (∼30 km depth), consistent with mid-crustal depths. The Bitterroot lobe of the Idaho batholith is proposed as the sapphire source area. It intruded into, and re-metamorphosed, metamorphic rocks of the Bitterroot Core Complex at mid-crustal levels. Exhumation by Cretaceous thrust faulting exposed these rocks at the surface by the early Tertiary, providing a 30-million-year window to erode sapphires into the Tertiary alluvial system. Quaternary reworking of the Tertiary gravel concentrated the sapphires into the present-day placers.
Fetal ethanol exposure and meconium analysis of fatty acid ethyl esters in neonatal screening: The first Canadian population-based study

Challenges in identifying children exposed prenatally to ethanol necessitate the development of a biomarker to screen for neonates at risk for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Meconium fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE), products of non-oxidative ethanol metabolism, have been established as a novel biomarker of fetal ethanol exposure. This study is the first application of this test to a regional neonatal population in Canada. Six-hundred eighty-two anonymously collected meconium samples were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. Ethyl myristate, ethyl palmitate, ethyl palmitoleate, ethyl stearate, ethyl oleate, ethyl linolate, ethyl linolenate, and ethyl arachidonate were measured. GC-FID screening produced a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 97% with positive and negative predictive values of 45.9% and 100%, respectively, for successful GC-MS confirmation. FAEE analysis detected 5-fold more ethanol-exposed pregnancies than standard post-partum screening in this population, demonstrating a 2.5% prevalence of fetal ethanol exposure, consistent with CDC estimates of 'frequent' prenatal drinking.
Surface characterization of gold bonding wire for high density interconnect applications

Gold wire bonding remains the most widely used form of interconnect technology in microelectronic device manufacturing. With current trends such as finer pitch and finer wire diameter, a near perfect coupling interface between the bonding wire and the substrate is needed. Even in trace amounts, contamination present on either the wire or the substrate may impact the wire bonding yield. The purpose of this work was to develop surface characterization methodologies that yield specific results on the nature and depth of contamination present on gold bonding wire. Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) provided effective means to characterize the surface contaminants that were present. The geometry and size of the gold wire required the design of new sample holders and sample preparation methods. Based on the results of the characterization, new industry standards for gold bonding wire surface quality were proposed. Keywords. Surface characterization, Bonding wire, XPS, ToF-SIMS, Gold, Thermosonic wire bonding.
Performance of wireless networks using MIMO transceivers

The research and development of wireless cellular networks has experienced rapid advances in the past decades. Multiple input/multiple output (MIMO) transceivers have emerged as a promising direction potentially capable of delivering the data rates demanded by today's multimedia applications over wireless radio networks. In this thesis, we study some of the theoretical and implementation issues of MIMO transceivers. Although spectrally efficient space-time codes have been studied intensively, most of these studies focus on fulfilling full spatial diversity gain while few on maximizing the coding gain of the codes. Based on the previous work on maximal product distance constellations (MPDC), we propose a transmission scheme that achieves a high coding gain while maintaining the full spatial diversity gain. Compared with the Alamouti space-time scheme, the MDPC based transmission scheme achieves 5, 10, and 15 dB performance gain, at the symbol-error rate of 10-4, for transmit antennas of 2, 3, and 4 elements, respectively. Although the SNR gains can not be interpreted directly numerically as they are because of the unfair restrictions of multi-level AM constellations on the Alamouti scheme, it indeed stresses the fact that, for MIMO radio channels, riot only the diversity advantage but also the coding advantage must be equally emphasized in designing transmission schemes. The knowledge of the channel information can be used to improve the performance of MIMO links. However, the inaccuracy of the channel estimation and prediction methods may render such performance potential unrealizable. In the second part of this thesis, through a set of simulations for two-element transmit antennas, we derive the velocity thresholds at which transmit beamforming with inaccurate channel information has comparable performance with the Alamouti scheme. These thresholds can be used as rough guidelines in deciding when to beamform. For synchronized forward links of cellular networks, all signals share the same temporal and spatial signatures of the channel impulse response. The third part of this thesis extends the conventional subspace method to enhance the performance of channel estimation by exploiting this feature. We investigate two transmission schemes: fixed beam transmission and adaptive beam transmission. We conclude that the extended subspace approach does have performance impact on fixed beam schemes while it is not directly applicable to adaptive beam transmissions.
The role of p53 and its homologues in paediatric neoplasms

P53 is the most commonly mutated gene in human cancers with over 50% of tumours harbouring a mutant allele. Acquisition of a p53 mutation may occur early or late in the development of the cancer and may or may not be a critical rate-determining step. Nevertheless, expression of dysfunctional p53 is often associated with more aggressive tumour biology that is resistant to conventional therapies. The consequences of inheriting mutant p53 allele also illustrate its importance in tumorigenesis. Inheritance of a mutant p53 allele is associated with the Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS), a familial cancer syndrome in which mutant gene carriers are prone to developing a variety of tumours at a young age. The goal of the studies presented in this thesis was to explore novel roles for p53. To this end, we studied the potential therapeutic effects of p53 gene transfer in paediatric tumours, the oncogenic effects of p53 mutations in the stromal milieu of paediatric cancers and the p53 homologues (p63 and p73) as potential tumour suppressors. The first section of this thesis is a discussion of p53 and paediatric cancers and provides a rationale for our studies. Section 2 provides the background information necessary to understand the studies and their proper context. The subsequent sections are presented as manuscripts as they were or will be prepared for publication. Section 3 deals with the topic of p53 gene therapy. The studies present pre-clinical in vitro data to suggest that adenovirus-mediated p53 gene transfer could represent a novel therapeutic approach in treating paediatric sarcomas including osteosarcoma (OS), rhabdomyosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma, especially the more aggressive forms that are drug-resistant and do not respond to conventional therapy. Section 4 deals with the topic of the oncogenic potential of p53 mutations in the stromal cells of bone marrow in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Changes in gene expression in the tumour microenvironment are important in determining the malignant cell's ability to proliferate, invade local tissue and metastasise. Our studies indicate that p53 mutations can occur in the stroma of bone marrow to create a more hospitable environment for the leukaemic blast allowing for increased blast proliferation through the secretion of cytokines including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Finally, section 5 describes the molecular analysis of the p53 homologues p63 and p73, in US cell lines. We hypothesised that alterations of these genes might explain the cancer phenotype in LFS cases harbouring wild-type p53. Our results indicate that the p53 homologues are not mutated in LFS cell lines and are not likely to be important in the pathogenesis of the disease. Our results are consistent with the findings of other groups that demonstrated the low mutation frequency of these genes and their importance in developmental biology as opposed to being tumour suppressors. Taken together, these studies represent a significant contribution to the p53 field and provide new insight into translational research opportunities in the basic and clinical sciences.
The influence of gender, racial, social, and economic inequalities on the production of and responses to intimate partner violence in the post-migration context

The findings indicated that the production of IPV is shaped by a set of complex and intersecting factors involving race, gender, and class at the micro, meso, and macro levels of society. These factors are addressed under the broad themes of: (a) experience of diverse forms of violence during displacement and border-crossing; (b) change in social network to one based on patrilocality; and (c) oppressive gender and race relations that prevent Tamil women from achieving equality at home, within the Tamil community, or in Canadian society at large. This qualitative descriptive study explored the research question, "What is the relationship between gender roles, power relations, and social supports in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the Sri Lankan Tamil community of Toronto?"The study is one of the first Canadian nursing studies on the topic of IPV in the post-migration context. Implications of the findings for nursing research, theory, and practice are outlined. In-depth individual interviews with 16 Tamil community leaders, 6 focus groups (3 with women and 3 with men) in the Tamil community in the Greater Toronto Area, and individual interviews with 6 women who had experienced IPV and who had left their abusive husbands, were conducted. Data generation, analysis, and interpretation were carried out concurrently. The literature reviewed highlighted the relevance of individual factors (based on biological and psychological explanations) and the larger systemic level factors (based on various sociological and feminist perspectives) in explicating the production of IPV. Despite the important gains we have achieved with the use of such theories, one key limitation---a lack of attention to women's experiences at multiple sites of oppression in the post-migration context---was noted. In order to address such a gap, a postcolonial feminist theoretical perspective in combination with an ecosystemic framework was used to guide this study.
Multi-valued symbolic model-checking: counter-examples, running time

Multi-valued model-checking is an effective technique for reasoning about systems with incomplete or inconsistent information. In particular, it is well suited for reasoning about abstract, partial, and feature-based system descriptions. The technique is based on extending the classical model-checking algorithm over two-valued logic to arbitrary finite logics whose truth values form a distributive De Morgan lattice. In this thesis we address several issues surrounding the usability of multi-valued model-checking. Firstly, we provide an improved analysis of the worst-case complexity of the symbolic multi-valued model-checking algorithm, and show that it is independent of the height of the lattice. Secondly, we extend the notion of fairness to a multi-valued models, thus enabling application of multi-valued model-checking to asynchronous concurrent systems. Thirdly, we introduce multi-valued witnesses and counter-examples that aid in interpreting the results of the model-checker. Finally, we describe the design and implementation of a multi-valued model-checker χChek.
The long-term impact of rollator use on health-related quality of life in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Purpose. To determine the long-term effect of rollator use on health-related quality of life in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and to determine if the short-term effects of rollator use are consistent over time. Methods. 31 subjects were randomized to a rollator (n = 18) or non-rollator (n = 13) group for 8 weeks. Measurements of health-related quality of life via the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ) and the six-minute walk test (6MWT) were performed at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks. Results. Provision of a rollator did not result in significant changes in the CRQ (p = 0.1). Frequent rollator use ( ge;3 times a week) resulted in a significant improvement in mastery (p = 0.014). Rollator use during the 6MWT resulted in consistent improvements in distance walked (p = 0.013), number of rests (p
Granite Codes: A new two-dimensional barcode symbology

A new two-dimensional barcode symbology, known as Granite Code, is presented. Granite Codes are based on the Spatial Discrete Multi-Tone modulation and they exploit the low-pass characteristics of the channel to achieve high data density. The symbology also incorporates a powerful Repeat-Accumulate error correction code. The symbology allows the Barcode symbol to be scanned in any orientation as long as the projection of the Barcode image on the camera is perfectly orthographic. Granite Codes achieve high data density by efficiently utilizing the spatial bandwidth of the channel. The symbols are resistant against a variety of errors such as pen marks, scratches and paper crumple. Granite Codes are practical system which improve the data density by at least an order-of-magnitude compared to present state-of-the-art 2D Barcode schemes. A continuous tradeoff between data density and robustness makes Granite Codes suitable for a variety of applications.