VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Classical and grotesque bodies, some aspects of courtesy literature and the mid-eighteenth-century comic novel

This thesis examines the appearance of the grotesque body in Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews, Tobias Smollett's Humphry Clinker, and Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy in relation to its appearance in the literature of courtesy. Such works as Jean Baptiste de Morvan Bellegarde's Reflexions upon Ridicule, Giovanni Della Casa's Galateo, and Henry Fielding's own essays on courtesy demonstrate the exemplary usage of a rhetorical structure that holds what Bakhtin terms the classical and grotesque bodies in significant antithesis. However, contrary to Bakhtin's view of the beneficial subversiveness of the grotesque body, the literature of courtesy uses representations of the grotesque body to explore, to express, and to validate positive social values associated with the classical body. The grotesque body is contained within a static order centred on the classical body; and in the novels I examine, this rhetoric of containment appears in a number of ways. In Joseph Andrews, the significance of the night episode at Booby hall is developed through the grotesque activity of Abraham Adams, Mrs. Slipslop, and Beau Didapper. However, their energetic grotesquerie is contained and ultimately diffused by the presence and activity of Fanny, Joseph, and Lady Booby. The grotesque in Humphry Clinker is contextualized by ideals of intellectual and moral perfection centred on the persons of Lydia Melford and George Dennison. Lydia embodies and eroticizes the desire for retirement in a perfect natural environment that increasingly animates Matthew Bramble's dramatic progress, while George Dennison incarnates a classical body that is representative of a social order in which the principle of subordination and the prerogatives of rank are duly recognized. Tristram Shandy parodies the narrow attention to details of physical comportment characteristic of courtesy literature, habitually overturning the decorums that tend to proceed from the classical body isolated in its distinctive sphere. The ideal of sexual love that is variously invoked in the novel does not escape the body's particularity, but is drawn into the realm of the grotesque by the desire for the erotic body that fixates on how that body may be entered. All bodies inescapably participate in the body's grotesque and aimless existence.
Dynamic modelling of thyristor-based static switching circuits with application to power systems

This work details a systematic approach to the modelling of thyristor-based static switching circuits typical of power systems. Such circuits are difficult to analyze on two counts: (1) the order of the circuit changes with thyristor transitions and (2) the uncontrolled state dependent turn-off associated with thyristors. These difficulties are overcome by a convenient linearization. The linearization permits the synthesis of linear, time-invariant (LTI) state-space models of thyristor-based static switching circuits for small-signal dynamic analysis. LTI models are synthesized for three conventional thyristor-based static switching circuits which find application in power systems: namely the Thyristor Controlled Series Capacitor (TCSC), the High Voltage direct current (HVdc) converter, and the Static VAr Compensator (SVC). The developed LTI models are valid in the vicinity of the frequency at which the system is linearized. Such models are suited to the study of the system small-signal dynamics by computation of the eigenvalues in the vicinity of the system frequency and to controller synthesis by standard linear techniques. Relevant applications to power systems analysis are presented, namely (1) the application of time-domain linearization to the computation of HVdc converter harmonics, (2) the prediction of resonance in a single-phase rectifier interacting with a power system and (3) linearized dynamic analysis of a TCSC compensated generator/transmission system by eigenvalue analysis.
The effects of pre-exposure to food cues on the eating behavior of restrained and unrestrained eaters

Three studies were conducted to examine the response of restrained and unrestrained eaters to pre-eating exposure to food cues. Study one investigated the effect of pre-exposure to two types of food cues (olfactory and cognitive) on food intake by restrained and unrestrained eaters. Subjects were exposed to either no cue, an olfactory cue, a cognitive cue, or a combination of the two food cues for ten minutes prior to eating. Restrained eaters ate significantly more than did unrestrained eaters after exposure to the food cues. Study two found that restrained eaters responded to pre-eating exposure to food cues by eating more, but only when the food they eat is the same as that to which they have been exposed. Intake of a food that differed from the pre-eating food cue was not significantly different from food intake after no prior exposure. Unrestrained eaters showed little differential eating response to either food cue. Study three tested whether the specificity of response to a food cue is controlled by what subjects are led to expect about the foods that they will be tasting. Expectancies played a significant role in determining food intake as indicated by the finding that restrained eaters ate significantly more when they were expecting to taste the same food as the preceding cue relative to restrained eaters who were expecting to taste a different food, even though the food that they eventually ate, chocolate chip cookies, was the same in both conditions Unrestrained eaters' food intake was not significantly affected by these manipulations. Pre-eating exposure to food cues evoked increased food intake in restrained subjects. This effect may be due to a history of classically conditioned responses to food-associated cues formed during critical periods of food deprivation (dieting). Unrestrained eaters, who do not restrict their food intake, are less likely to form such strongly conditioned associations and therefore are not as influenced by external food stimuli. Food cues may act as a signal to eat and also convey a message of what to eat to receptive individuals such as those with a history of food deprivation.
A qualitative analysis of eight hospital ethics committees in Toronto, Ontario

The purpose of this study was to develop an in-depth understanding of HECs Role in the Greater Toronto Area and in particular to discover through written questions and focus group interviews, the experiences, perceptions and opinions HECs had about their role. The convenience sample consisted of the chairperson and members from eight HECs. This study employed an exploratory, interpretational approach to data analysis based on grounded theory and an adaptation of the constant comparative method. HECs in the Greater Toronto Area portrayed themselves as lacking a defined role. There were three reasons for this situation. First, HECs in Toronto found themselves in various stages of development. Second, there was a lack of a clear connection between the HEC and the broader hospital community. Third, HECs in Toronto were disconnected from each other and rarely collaborated on issues. The interpretive frameworks expert role, pair-of-hands, and powerless collaborators provided a more in-depth understanding of the HEC role. Expert role. Consistently emerging from the study was the idea that HECs needed to acquire an expert role to avoid becoming simply another hospital committee. The perception of a lack of power and authority which HECs sometimes experienced was profoundly disturbing to some focus group participants: however, these members reconciled themselves to their role with the consideration that they had a moral authority that could not be ignored. In this study, HECs believed the experience of ethical debate with representatives from different professional/occupational backgrounds helped to expand their understanding of problems. The principle of interdisciplinary HECs, which was experienced as broadening the individual committee member's perspective, was specifically endorsed by members of each focus group as a valuable process. Pair of hands. The HEC can be seen as a pair of hands assisting the health care professional, responsible for the patient by being a resource. The HEC functions identified were: development and review of policy; providing a forum for ethical discourse; providing a listening function; assisting with ethical problem-solving and raising the ethical conscience of the hospital. Patient care consultation was not a major function of any of the participating committees. Powerless collaborators. The HECs in this study saw themselves as ethical guides for administration and staff rather than as decision-makers. Collaboration with other health care professionals in the provision of ethical patient care is one area that cries out for the involvement of HECs.
Building trustworthy relationships, a reconstruction of ethics education for the health care professions

The general public distrusts professional claims to expertise and goodwill. This thesis proposes a new direction for ethics education that builds trustworthy relationships. Ethics education in the curricula of Canadian occupational therapy programmes show a concentration on rules and regulations. Assuming that there is a connection between the emphasis on regulation and distrust in professional practice this thesis examines professional relationships. It argues that the professions have taken on roles of power and control that are incompatible with professionalism. In addition, it suggests that the emphasis on regulation as a strategy for encouraging trust is misguided. An analysis of trust implies that confidence and proper trust, while related, are separate entities. Rules build confidence but they generate distrust. It is argued that proper trust is the only ethical basis for inherently unequal professional relationships where outcomes are uncertain. How is trust to be nurtured? It is claimed that respect is what matters most to people and a review of the literature outlines the different ways in which respect has been interpreted. Walzer's (1994) novel notion of the relationship between thick and thin morality suggests a new way of looking at respect that is owed to everyone and respect that is particular to individuals. This reconstruction of respect leads to consideration of a similar relationship between trust and confidence. In turn, this suggests an analogous relationship between those who hold commercial and guardian roles within the health care professions. It is argued that the relationship, so changed, respects professionalism and recognizes the need for social controls. Such radical thinking is consistent with the cultural theory of modernity described by Taylor (1995) that appreciates particularity rather than the hegemonic acultural theory that seeks culture neutrality. The professions are hardly likely to be persuaded to adopt such thinking unless it serves their purposes. The thesis concludes that a reconstruction of ethics education that includes the moral perspective of trustworthy relationships, re-interpreted for the 21st century, is essential if the professions are to survive as autonomous experts in contemporary society and be seen as trustworthy.
Piety and poor relief, confraternities in medieval Cremona, c. 1334-1499

This dissertation focuses on confraternal piety and poor relief in the northern Italian city of Cremona between the mid-fourteenth century and the end of the fifteenth century. It draws upon previously unedited archival documents (Latin and Italian statutes, contracts, letters, and account books) housed in Cremona's Archivio di Stato. The records of the Consortium of the Donna (f. 1334) and the Consortium of St. Omobono (f. 1357) were examined to show the origin, character, and activities of these two confraternities. One result of this research concerns the reasons for and the methods by which the cult of the Virgin's conception spread throughout northern Italy in the mid-fourteenth century. The cult spread both because Franciscan friars sponsored lay confraternities in honor of the Virgin's conception, and because the feast so closely resembled other well-established Marian feasts. More importantly, although these new confraternities were founded a generation after Duns Scotus had presented his defense for the Virgin's "immaculate" conception, confraternal statutes suggest that the Franciscans were not openly publicizing the immaculist position of their Order. A second conclusion is that the Consortium of St. Omobono was founded not just to promote charity and combat heresy, but also to restore some of the civic pride of a city that in 1334 had been conquered and incorporated into the Duchy of Milan. The establishment of a confraternity in honor of Cremona's patron saint gave the Cremonese a renewed sense of their own unique identity. Furthermore, it gave the confraternity's administrators a sense of purpose and autonomy in relation to the Milanese authorities. A third result pertains to the transformation and rationalization of confraternal charity in northern Italy. Here the work of the Cremonese confraternities is compared with that of charities in neighboring Milan (particularly the Scuola delle Quattro Marie). Innovations included the adoption of city-wide distributions, double entry accounts, and identifying tokens. These innovations permitted the confraternities to assist the poor on a larger scale than previously recognized.
The professional development of teachers, a study of the field-based teacher development program in Chitral, Pakistan

This study examines teachers' professional development through a field-based on-the-job training program. The Field-Based Teacher Development Program (FBTDP) of the Aga Khan Education Service (AKES), Pakistan provides a framework for this research The program, first introduced in the Northern Areas of Pakistan in 1984, has been extended to Chitral in 1988. The thesis focuses on Chitral only and consists of 8 chapters. Chapter 1 sets the objectives of the study, identifies the research questions, and highlights the significance of the research. Chapter 2 is a review of the literature pertinent to teachers' professional development. Chapter 3 spells out the methodology, discussing the qualitative approach to social science research and its pertinence to the present study, the fieldwork process, and analysis of data. Chapter 4 presents an overview of teacher education in Pakistan and of Chitral where the research was carried out. Chapter 5 details the FBTDP, describing the three phases of the program, along with the limitations which the teachers face in implementing its approaches and principles at the school level. The chapter also covers the ways in which the FBTDP influenced its graduates. Chapter 6 looks at the professional needs of teachers in Chitral. Chapter 7 describes the opportunities for professional development which are accessible to the teachers in the AKES system. It also discusses the obstacles that the teachers face in availing themselves of those opportunities. Chapter 8 presents the conclusions of the study and suggests areas for further research including recommendations.
Aubrey Moore and the Anglo-Catholic assimilation of science in Oxford

Aubrey Moore (1848-1890) "thoroughly accepted" Darwinism said his Marxist friend, the biologist E. Ray Lankester. Moore was a liberal Anglo-catholic priest, an Oxford don, and a contributor to Lux Mundi (1889). His assimilation of science into orthodox apologetics is studied here in its Oxford context. Moore's epistemology can be seen to owe something to the more cautious attitude to science expressed by his Oxford Movement antecedents. Moore found support for the doctrine of divine immanence both in the Church fathers and in the views of the British Idealist T. H. Green. He gained insights into evolution from his neo-Darwinist friend Edward Poulton. Through the 1880's Moore supported the side of science in debates over Genesis and geology, vivisection, and biblical criticism. His acceptance of Darwinism was part of his larger recasting of the history of ideas. I discuss Moore's theory of the evolution of morality, his theodicy, and his unique appreciation of the "wider teleology" of Darwinian evolution. His views were well received, especially by Darwin's disciple, George Romanes. I conclude with reflections on the significance of this contextualized history of Aubrey Moore for the historiography of Victorian science and religion.
Reproductive outcomes in females following treatment for childhood cancer

This province-wide study was conducted to determine the risk of adverse reproductive outcomes in female childhood cancer survivors who received abdominal-pelvic radiation and/or chemotherapy with alkylating agents in comparison with those who were treated by non-sterilizing surgery only. Females diagnosed with any histologically confirmed malignancy before age 20 and between the years 1964 to 1988, who survived for at least 5 years after diagnosis and attained 18 years of age, and are currently alive were ascertained through the Ontario Cancer Registry. Reproductive outcomes, collected through a telephone-administered questionnaire, and treatment data, abstracted from medical records, were obtained for 830 participating subjects. Results indicate that survivors who received alkylating agents and abdominal-pelvic radiation were more likely to be post-menopausal than those receiving surgery (RR = 2.58; 95%CI = 1.14-5.80), especially for those diagnosed after puberty or diagnosed with lymphoma. Women treated with abdominal-pelvic radiation were found to have a fertility deficit of about 23% as compared to the surgery group. Fertility deficits were greater in women diagnosed after puberty and for those diagnosed with lymphoma and treated with alkylating agents plus abdominal-pelvic radiation and those diagnosed with renal tumours and treated with abdominal-pelvic radiation. There was evidence that the risks of menopause and infertility increased with increasing dose of abdominal-pelvic radiation and by amount of alkylating agents received. There was no evidence of an increased risk of having a spontaneous abortion or an infant with a birth defect for women treated with abdominal-pelvic radiation and/or alkylating agents. However, survivors receiving abdominal-pelvic radiation were more likely to have a low birth weight infant (OR = 3.64; 95%CI = 1.33$-$9.96), a premature low birth weight infant (OR = 3.29; 95%CI = 0.97$-$11.1) or an infant with a perinatal death (OR = 2.41; 95%CI = 0.50$-$11.5), compared to those receiving surgery. The risk of perinatal deaths and low birth weight infants (all and premature) significantly increased with dose of radiotherapy directed to the abdomen.
High-accuracy finite-difference schemes for linear wave propagation

The numerical simulation of linear wave propagation and scattering cannot be handled effectively using the second-order methods that are in widespread use today. To obtain accurate results these methods require grids with a resolution in the hundreds of points per wavelength to propagate a wave a distance greater than thirty wavelengths. Methods which can obtain accurate solutions without such high grid resolutions are needed for simulating long-range wave propagation. A procedure is presented for developing high-accuracy finite-difference schemes which are optimized in order to minimize the numerical phase and amplitude errors over a given range of frequencies. These high-accuracy schemes are used to solve the two-dimensional time-domain Maxwell equations for electromagnetic wave propagation and scattering. Boundary conditions are presented which preserve the accuracy of these schemes when modeling interfaces between different materials. A stable and accurate far-field boundary treatment is used which allows waves to exit the numerical domain with very little spurious reflection. Numerical experiments are performed which demonstrate the utility of the high-accuracy schemes using Cartesian and curvilinear grids. Two schemes are studied, one which produces the maximum formal order of accuracy, and one which is optimized for propagation distances less than roughly three hundred wavelengths. The high-accuracy schemes are shown to be substantially more efficient, in both computing time and memory, than methods which are second- and fourth-order in space. The optimized scheme can produce significant error reduction relative to the maximum-order scheme, with no additional expense, especially when the number of wavelengths of travel is large.
Coherent dynamics of excitons and continuum excitations in indium phosphide

The dynamics of optically generated, coherent electronic excitations in Indium Phosphide at a temperature of 5 K are investigated over a 140 meV energy range near the band gap, using the two-pulse, self-diffracted, degenerate four-wave mixing technique with 30-50 fs near-infra-red pulses and spectrally resolved detection. The coherent dynamics of excitons associated with the fundamental energy gap are investigated under conditions of simultaneous excitation of continuum transitions. Exciton-carrier scattering is shown to produce the dominant source of diffraction for excitons due to excitation-induced dephasing. The dephasing rate of continuum excitations is found to increase abruptly at the threshold energy for LO phonon emission by electrons. Below this threshold energy the dephasing rate is determined to be at least 8 ps$\sp{-1}$, whereas above the threshold energy, the dephasing rate is at least 13 ps$\sp{-1}$. Near the spin-orbit split-off valence to conduction band transition energy the diffracted spectrum is strongly affected by an interaction between split-off excitons and continuum excitations of heavy and light hole bands. A Fano-like spectral profile is observed in the coherent emission spectrum at the split-off transition and the coherent dynamics is discussed in terms of coupled exciton-continuum excitations. The Fano coupling parameter q, which characterizes the spectral profile, is found to decrease as excitation density increases. The interaction matrix element between split-off excitons and continuum excitations is determined to be approximately 5 meV, which corresponds to a 130 fs lifetime, over the density range investigated. Observation of the Fano interference phenomenon by four-wave mixing is found to depend on the relative orientation of the electric field polarization vectors. The Fano-like spectral profile is much less prominent for cross-polarized pulses than for co-polarized pulses. Evidence for Fano interference is also observed by spectrally integrated four-wave mixing; there is no evidence of the interference in the cross-polarized case. At present, the polarization dependence is not understood; therefore, the interaction mechanism is not identified but possible interaction mechanisms that could give rise to Fano interference are discussed.