VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Writing the dissertation proposal: a comparative case study of four nonnative- and two native-English-speaking doctoral students of education

The textual features of the proposals as well as the processes of producing them were influenced by the social/disciplinary contexts in which the students were situated and the personal states of the students. The processes of writing the proposal varied more among each individual student rather than between the NNS and NS speakers even though some NNS students reported that they spent more time on editing their proposals and they faced big challenges in the English language and academic writing conventions. I found, in analyzing the proposals, that differences in the students' written texts were less related to their linguistic or cultural backgrounds but more to the ideology and epistemological and methodological norms and conventions of their disciplines or programs of study. Through the lenses of 6 doctoral students of education, their dissertation proposals, and their mentors, this study describes the context, processes, and products of the students' proposal writing. It also analyzes fundamental influences on graduate students' proposal writing and areas of individual differences (besides linguistic backgrounds) among the students' writing which affected the textual features of the students' proposals and their processes of producing the proposals. Data were collected over a period of 10 months in 2 graduate programs in education in a large Canadian university from 4 nonnative-English-speaking (NNS) and 2 native-English-speaking (NS) doctoral students of education and from 5 professors who were nominated by the students and deemed most familiar with these students' thesis proposal writing. The data consist of interviews, a questionnaire completed by each student, 6 dissertation proposals, and other written documents produced by the students and their professors. The study has several implications for theory, pedagogy, and future research. The construct of NNS versus NS was problematic in practice. Both NNS and NS graduate students need ongoing support from their professors and writing instructors or services while they engage in disciplinary writing. Some NNS students may need more help with grammar, vocabulary, and styles of academic genres than their NS counterparts do. Immersion/participation in disciplinary discourse communities and explicit instructions on discipline-specific writing norms/conventions and the English language itself are of equal importance to success of the students' academic enculturation.

Keywords: English language, Study and teaching
Dissertations, Academic
Proposal writing in education
Native language and education
Regulation of fibronectin and transforming growth factor-beta expression in ductus arteriosus

Intimal cushion formation in the fetal ductus arteriosus (DA) is characterized by subendothelial accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration. Elevated endothelial cell (EC) hyaluronan and SMC fibronectin (FN) synthesis in DA versus aortic (Ao) SMC modulate the elongated 'migratory' phenotype of DA SMC. Increased DA EC hyaluronan synthesis is transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β)-dependent, and increased DA SMC FN synthesis is attributed to enhanced mRNA translation. This thesis addressed whether TGF-β1 expression was increased in DA versus Ao EC and whether the level of regulation was transcriptional or post-transcriptional. It then focused on the molecular mechanism regulating enhanced FN mRNA translation in DA SMC. We demonstrated a one-fold greater synthesis of TGF-β protein in cultured DA compared to Ao EC accompanied by increased EC TGF-β expression in 100-day gestation (term = 145 days) DA versus Ao tissues. By 138-day gestation, TGF-β protein synthesis and mRNA levels were reduced in DA EC to that observed in Ao EC. The increased TGF-β expression in 100-day DA EC was related to enhanced transcription and translation of a relatively unstable TGF-β mRNA. We then showed that an AU-rich element (ARE) in the 3 ′UTR, promotes mRNA translation in both DA and Ao SMC, with the effect augmented in DA SMC. Gel shift assay revealed ARE-binding activities in both DA and Ao SMC cytoplasmic extracts, with increased activities found in DA SMC. Ultraviolet-crosslinking assay indicated three binding complexes of Mr at ∼15, 30, and 60 kD, respectively. The 15 kD ARE-binding protein was purified from sheep Ao tissues and identified as light chain 3 (LC3) of microtubule (MT)-associated protein 1 (MAP1). Overexpression of LC3 in Ao SMC results in an enhanced FN mRNA translation. Polysome profile analysis showed more FN mRNA and LC3 protein, associated with heavy polysomes in DA versus Ao or colchicine-treated DA SMC. Similarly, expression of LC3 in HT1080 cells promotes FN mRNA translation associated with enhanced ribosome recruitment. These data suggest that LC3-ARE interaction facilitates FN mRNA translation.
Nonlinear finite element analysis of reinforced concrete structures subjected to transient thermal loads

The results obtained from four numerical tests indicate that the proposed computational scheme and the implemented codes are accurate and reliable. The need to incorporate fire loads into reinforced concrete structural design has long been recognized, and the traditional design method for structural fire resistance has been widely practiced by engineers mainly because of its simplicity. To simulate the structure's response to thermal loads, this research develops and implements a 2D nonlinear finite element transient analysis for reinforced concrete structures subjected to high temperatures. The proposed computational scheme takes into account time-varying thermal loads, heat-of-hydration effects, and temperature-dependent material properties. Algorithms for calculating the closed-form element stiffness for a quadrilateral element with a fully-populated material stiffness are also developed. Then, the capability of a 2D nonlinear finite element transient thermal analysis is implemented into program VecTor2(c), a nonlinear analysis program for 2D reinforced concrete membranes.
Creeping flow through a model of fibrous porous media

In this research, the pressure losses and velocity distributions for creeping flow through three fibrous porous models were measured. The three models were square arrays of acrylic rods with solid volume fractions of 2.5%, 5% and 10%. Flow visualization was used to show the flow patterns. It was found that measured flow resistances, f·Re, were in good agreement with the theoretical predictions after correcting for the model wall effects. Without correcting for wall effects, our experimental data were higher than the theoretical predictions. A larger discrepancy was found with the lower solid volume fraction. Two-dimensional velocity vector maps were measured in each array using particle image velocimetry. Symmetry and continuity were verified from the velocity maps. The dimensionless velocity distributions in a unit cell of each porous model were obtained by further analyzing the velocity maps. It was shown that the velocity structure within a unit cell depends only on solid volume fraction. These experimental data are critical for further explorations on non-Newtonian flow through the fibrous models.
New multi-segment Hill's three-element models for cardiac muscle

This thesis proposes a new series-connected multi-segment Hill's three-element model for cardiac muscle and furthermore develops a new model with mass considered to incorporate the influence of the inertia. Based on the new multi-segment three-element model, algorithms are developed for isometric and isotonic contraction. Results of numerical simulations show time delay of the tension and length in isometric case and isotonic case respectively, and length variation of each segment as well as the tension change with the number of the segments used due to activation signal transfer. The time delay phenomenon reflects the biological characteristics of cardiac muscles, which cannot be captured by the traditional Hill's three-element model. Furthermore, for the new model with mass, simulation results show that the increase of mass delays the occurrence of maximum tension in the isometric contraction as well as the occurrence of maximum length shortening in the isotonic contraction.
Application of finite element analysis to nonlinear transient problems with coupled fields in power engineering

An improved transient nonlinear finite element program was developed to solve coupled-field problems with field-dependent material properties. The program was applied to three problems: (i) Determining the tolerance of transmission class solid dielectric cable to conducting contaminants as defined by the maximum size of the worst-case metallic contaminant that will not cause failure during operation, as a function of the operating field of the cable dielectric. This problem requires computing the space charge limited field at the tip of the defect in cross-linked polyethylene, the electric conductivity of which is a function of electric field and temperature. The calculated maximum tolerable defect size agrees well with empirical data. (ii) The effect of convective heat transfer in a tank-type metal oxide surge arrester during the IEC thermal stability Type Test, during which the arrester is first heated by two current pulses that increase substantially the low field conductivity of the arrester elements (ZnO), after which an AC voltage is applied for 30 minutes to determine if the arrester will remain stable. Simulating this test requires calculating the AC power dissipation in the ZnO element stack as a function of electric field and temperature, as well as the heat dissipation through the complex thermal circuit of the arrester. Simulation results show that by increasing convective heat transfer through forced convection, the required ZnO mass can be reduced by half. (iii) The cooling effects of Al heat sinks placed between arrester elements to improve arrester thermal stability. The distribution of power dissipation in the arrester elements caused by the operating AC voltage was computed as a function of axial position and time after adiabatic heating of the arrester elements. This problem requires 2-D finite element computation of the electric and thermal fields in a highly nonlinear system. The use of heat-of-fusion heat sinks, which melt at low temperature and can 'clamp' the ZnO temperature, was also investigated.
A platform- and language-independent method for interactively extracting software structure

Program understanding is vital for software maintenance and reengineering in a large software system. Automated tools that can obtain structural information from software systems will significantly aid this understanding. Most currently existing software tools that provide structural information do so by processing the source code of the software system. In this thesis, we build an integrated toolset to investigate an alternative approach of obtaining the same kind of information from the object code instead. As our toolset processes the program after it has been compiled, it can handle software systems written in more than one programming language and run in more than one platform, therefore our approach is both platform- and language-independent.
Mathematical model of anaerobic processes applied to the anaerobic sequencing batch reactor

A mathematical model of anaerobic processes described in this thesis contains two integrated sub-models: a biological model describing the anaerobic degradation of complex substrates and a gravitational settling model for solids-liquid separation in wastewater treatment processes. Major developments in this biological model are the incorporation of new hydrogen product regulation functions of glucose degradation and new hydrogen inhibition functions of propionate and butyrate degradation. The new hydrogen product regulation functions are derived from the rate equation of ordered single-displacement enzymatic reactions having two substrates. The new hydrogen inhibition functions are developed from the thermodynamic basis of propionate and butyrate degradations. The model was applied to simulate different configurations of anaerobic processes operated under different conditions and provided good agreement with literature data. One of the contributions of this model is that it provides good predictions of the microbial populations of different metabolic groups, which are not well predicted by other models in the literature. A gravitational settling model was developed for predicting the solids concentration profile in the zone-settling and compression regimes of a gravity thickener. In this model, the effective solids pressure is a function of solids concentration and the rate of change of solids concentration. The model was applied to different situations of gravity settling processes and provided good agreement with literature data. The advances of this model are its predictive ability for vertical solids profiles for both zone-settling and compression regimes, and its use of model parameters that are independent of operating conditions. The integrated model was applied to evaluate anaerobic sequencing batch reactors (AnSBRs). The simulation results indicate that, in general, the influent strength and the reactor mixed liquid volatile suspended solids (MLVSS) concentration have a positive effect on the maximum organic loading rate of AnSBRs, while the fill/cycle time ratio has a negative effect on the maximum organic loading rate. The optimum fill volume/total volume ratio depends on influent strength, MLVSS, and fill/cycle time ratio.
Essays on applied economics

This dissertation consists of two essays on applied economics. In the first essay, I provide an empirical assessment of competing auction theory. Specifically, it uses an extensive new data set containing detailed information about bids placed on eBay computer CPU auctions to explore bidding strategies in the presence of competing auctions. The evidence indicates that a significant proportion of bidders bid across several competing auctions at the same time and that bidders tend to submit bids on auctions with the lowest standing bid. We also find that winning bidders who bid across competing auctions pay lower prices than winning bidders who do not cross-bid. These findings jointly amount to the first evidence lending empirical support to competing auction theory. In the second essay, I consider the convergence properties of behavior under a comparative negligence rule (CN) and under a rule of negligence with contributory negligence (NCN), assuming bilateral care with three care levels. Using an evolutionary model, we show that CN reduces the proportion of the population using low care more rapidly than does NCN. However NCN increases the proportion of the population using high (efficient) care more rapidly than does CN. As a result, the mean care level increases more rapidly and the mean social cost falls more rapidly under CN than under NCN.
Development of carbon-60:lithium fluoride nanocomposite electron transport materials for OLEDs

Highly conductive charge transport materials have been in great demand to improve organic light emitting diode (OLED) efficiency and operational stability. In this study, C60:LiF nano-composites have been synthesized by physical vapor-phase deposition and studied as electron transport materials in OLEDs. It is found that the nano-composite films are extremely conductive even at high LiF concentrations of up to 75 wt% and that the films form Ohmic contacts with Al electrode. Infrared spectroscopy suggests evidence of charge transfer from LiF to C60. Scanning electron microscope images show that C60:LiF(75%) nano-composites form uniform films at 20nm, the typical thickness used in OLEDs. Compared with pure C 60 based devices, OLEDs with C60:LiF composite electron transport materials have lower driving voltages and higher efficiencies.
The appropriation of the other in the flowers in the mirror

The hybrid nature of the Jinghua yuan (The flowers in the mirror), a novel written by Li Ruzhen (ca. 1786–1830) in the early nineteenth century, has prevented critics from analyzing it from an integral and overall perspective. My intention of this study is try to do justice to the narrative consistency by examining how Li Ruzhen expresses his political, social, intellectual concerns, as well as his ideas of male-female relations through the representation of the “other,” that is, the “external other,” the peoples living in peripheral strange foreign lands; and the “internal other,” women.
Investigation of the Arabidopsis Thaliana proline-rich extensin-like receptor kinase family and plant defense responses

Fourteen Arabidopsis thaliana proline-rich extensin-like receptor kinases (AtPERKs) with unique proline-rich extensin-like extracellular domains represent a novel class of plant receptor kinases. Differential expression of AtPERK8-14 suggests they may have diverse functions during plant development. RNA gel blot results suggest that AtPERK1 may participate in perceiving and transducing a wound-associated signal and may also be involved in R gene-mediated resistance. Two defense responses, SAR (systemic acquired resistance) and ARR (age-related resistance), were also studied. Data from protein gel blot analysis demonstrated that DIR1 (defective in induced resistance 1) is localized to the apoplast in healthy plants. In planta bacterial growth experiments demonstrated that ARR and R gene-mediated resistance act additively to limit Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) growth. ICS1 (isochorismate synthase 1) was expressed similarly in young and mature plants as expected for an enzyme that is thought to be required for salicylic acid (SA) synthesis during SAR and ARR.
Cooperative networks with multiple relays: Selection, repetition and beamforming

This thesis designs and analyzes cooperative diversity schemes for multiple-relay networks. For amplify-and-forward (AF) relays, a relay selection scheme is proposed to improve the conventional repetition-based scheme. By deriving the performance metrics such as outage probability and symbol error rate (SER) for both the proposed and conventional schemes, we show that our selection scheme outperforms the repetition-based one by achieving higher throughput, lower outage probability and lower SER while retaining the same (full) diversity order, at, the expense of a small amount of feedback. We also note that selection is a special case of distributed relay heamforming with feedback. We show that although the optimal beamforming achieves outstanding performance, its requirement of unlimited feedback is highly impractical. If feedback is limited, the optimal codebook design involves extremely high complexity and offers only a small performance improvement over the method of selecting only one relay, while the random codebook approach suffers from diversity order loss and thus bad performance. Therefore our selection scheme is very attractive as it has low complexity but provides excellent performance relative to other known methods. Finally for decode-and-forward relays, exact outage probability and two lower hounds are derived, which can be used in system design to determine the optimal number of relays in a clustered mesh network.
The influence of Yuan Sanqu on the formation and spread of Yuan Zaju

This thesis investigates the influence of Yuan Sanqu on the formation in terms of musical structure, literary features, and spread of Yuan Zaju drama, illustrated by specific works. It is proved that Yuan Sanqu emerged prior to Yuan Zaju, and conventionalizes to both the musical characters of Yuan Zaju, whose mainbody song-sequence derives from the form of scattered song-suites of Yuan Sanqu, and the literary qualities of Yuan Zaju, inherited the expressive technique and lyrical style from Yuan Sanqu. Moreover, Yuan Sanqu writers contribute to spread Yuan Zaju through their fame and certain works.
Hypostatin, a new small molecule inhibitor of plant cell expansion, is glyco-activated in vivo

Natural variation in humans in the response to a bioactive or drug-like small organic molecule is defined as pharmacogenetic variation. Studies have shown that variation in both drug metabolism genes and drug target loci can cause inter-individual variation in drug response. For example, sequence differences in UDP-glucuronosyl transferases (UGTs), which glycosylate xenobiotics, can affect drug sensitivity by affecting rates of drug detoxification. Although this subject has been explored extensively in humans, the biological pervasiveness of pharmacogenetic variation had not been systematically examined. If pervasive, pharmacogenetic variation in model systems could be used for both functional studies and to gain deeper insight into the mechanisms of this important form of natural variation. To examine this question, 8 geographically diverse Arabidopsis accessions were screened on a 10,000 member chemical library. I focused on new inhibitors of cell expansion in the etiolated hypocotyl. In total, 742 chemicals (7.4%) caused greater than 20% inhibition of hypocotyl cell expansion. 11 weak polymorphic chemicals were uncovered, as well as a strong polymorphic hypocotyl cell expansion inhibitor, named hypostatin. My work has firmly established the existence of pharmacogenetic variation in Arabidopsis.

Keywords: Molecular biology
Botany
Genetics
Dual domain semi-fragile watermarking for image authentication

Techniques to establish the authenticity and integrity of digital images are becoming increasingly essential for secure transacting. Ideally, the authentication algorithm should distinguish incidental integrity maintaining distortions such as lossy compression from malicious manipulations. This has motivated research into semi-fragile watermarking. A novel watermarking algorithm is proposed in this thesis that is both robust to compression and self-authenticating. The proposed algorithm is a content-based, semi-fragile watermarking method that employs a public-key scheme for still image authentication and integrity verification. The use of dual domains in the proposed algorithm enables greater control over the robustness and fragility of the overall scheme to manipulations, and provides very good classification of intentional and incidental tampering. In addition, the thesis provides theoretical analysis for the performance and the feasibility of the scheme. We also present experimental results to verify the theoretical observations and the comparison results for the proposed algorithm to four popular techniques.
Mechanical induction of alpha-smooth muscle actin expression involves the rho-rho kinase pathway

In adults the pressure or volume overloaded heart exhibits hypertrophic growth of the myocardium. Increased mechanical loading induces cardiac fibroblasts to express alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a marker for myofibroblast differentiation. Activated myofibroblasts secrete fibrillar collagens into the interstitium which increase myocardial stiffness. The signaling mechanisms that mediate myofibroblast differentiation and SMA expression are not defined. I examined the role of the Rho-Rho-kinase pathway in force-induced SMA expression in fibroblasts using an in vitro model system that applies static tensile forces (0.65pN/μm2) to integrins of Rat-2 cells via collagen-coated magnetite beads. The data indicate that mechanical forces mediate actin assembly through the Rho-Rho kinase-LIMK-cofilin pathway. Force-mediated actin filament assembly promotes nuclear translocation of MAL and subsequent activation of the SMA promoter to enhance SMA expression.