VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
The relation between reading and writing development in english and esl students

Surprisingly little is known about similarities and differences in how reading and writing skills develop. Most attempts to examine the relation between reading and writing development have used few measures at a single point in time with small samples of children. The current study explored the relation between the lower (decoding and spelling) and higher levels (reading comprehension and story construction) of reading and writing development for students in Grades 3 and 5/6, and also explored many underlying cognitive and language processes that are predictive of reading and writing achievement. In addition, the present study addressed these issues as they relate to students for whom English is either their first (ENG) or second (ESL) language. A series of ANCOVAs revealed few significant differences between ENG and ESL students on reading, writing and cognitive measures; however, significant differences were found on oral language proficiency (OLP) measures in favor of ENG students. Multiple sequential regression was undertaken to investigate the underlying cognitive and language processes that predict reading and writing development. The cognitive ability composite predicted the most variance in lower-level decoding and spelling skills, and the OLP composite predicted the most variance in the higher-level reading comprehension and story construction skills. These results have significant implications for assessment and programming, particularly for ESL students. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Keywords: English language, Study and teaching (Elementary)
English language, Study and teaching (Elementary)
Reading
Writing
Reading comprehension
Paying for peace: Canada, the United Nations and the financing of the Congo peacekeeping mission 1960-1964

This thesis studies Canada's attempts to solve the financial crisis which befell the United Nations between 1960 and 1964. In the summer of 1960, the Congo was granted independence from its Belgian rulers and was immediately plunged into political and military chaos. The United Nations agreed to send a peacekeeping force in order to restore stability to the fledgling nation. Four years later, the force was withdrawn having accomplished only part of its mandate because the Organization could no longer afford to maintain its presence in the Congo. The Congo mission was the most expensive peacekeeping operation in the UN's history to that date, and threatened to bankrupt the organization from its inception. The crisis was caused by the inability of Member States to reach a consensus on footing the bill for the Congo operation, some $120 million to $130 million annually. Instead, they divided themselves into power groups representing more individual interests than those of the organization as a whole. Some Member States refused to pay any of their share of the costs of the mission, forcing others, specifically the Western members, to carry an even greater share of the costs of this operation. Between 1960 and 1964, successive Canadian governments and their representatives at the UN attempted to convince all Member States of the necessity of collective responsibility. Despite their efforts, Canada played nothing more than a minor role in resolving the UN's financial uncertainty. Instead, Canada was forced to follow the lead taken by the major players in UN affairs, namely the United States and Great Britain. With the election of Lester Pearson and the Liberals in 1963 came a change in attitudes towards the financing of UN peacekeeping. Canada began to take a harder line against the lack of progress on the issue and refused to take on a greater financial share of peacekeeping activities. The UN's financial health continued to deteriorate even after the end of the Congo mission. Canada's experiences with the financing of United Nations peacekeeping between 1960 and 1964 had a profound effect on the way successive administrations regarded their commitment to the international organization and its peacekeeping efforts.
Realizing a moral conception of the rule of law: constitutional interpretation and judicial disempowerment in Malaysia

Through a case study of how Malaysian and Singaporean judges who work with a written constitution containing a bill of rights nevertheless experience disempowerment in the face of official abuses of power, this thesis tries to illuminate a debate in legal philosophy about how to characterize the concepts of law and the rule of law or legality as moral ideas. This debate occurs in reaction to legal positivists who argue that there is no necessary connection between law and morality. Anti-positivists, like Gustav Radbruch and Ronald Dworkin, oppose the positivist claim and argue that the idea of justice underpins the concept of law. However, they disagree with Lon L. Fuller whose anti-positivist view is that there is an "inner morality" immanent in the efforts necessary to construct and maintain a workable legal order that can constrain the moral content of particular laws. According to Fuller, the law-giver's duty to respect certain principles of legality, that laws are public, general, intelligible, capable of obedience, stable over time, generally prospective, non-contradictory, and that official action match declared rule, limits the law-giver's ability to use law for injustice thus making law a moral concept. However, Radbruch and Dworkin do not think that respect for such conditions, which appear merely procedural and fully compatible with the enactment of immoral laws, suffices to establish law as a moral idea and to refute the positivist's argument. The case study shows that judges experience disempowerment in the face of abuses of power, that is, they are unable to interpret laws to express legality or to invalidate laws with no foundation in legality, when they treat moral values explicitly set out in a written constitution as the entire basis for protecting legality and overlook the internal morality of law. The thesis thus argues that Radbruch and Dworkin underestimate Fuller's position and should see that law's aspiration to justice links to the internal morality of law.
Empirical versus perceived risk for hepatitis C in a cohort of not in treatment opioid users

Background. Risk perception is a key component of theories of health behaviour upon which knowledge-based prevention strategies for HCV are predicated. Objectives. Determine the relationship between empirical and perceived HCV risk in a Canadian population of illicit opioid users, and differentiate between those who more accurately perceive and those who overestimate or underestimate their risk. Design. Analysis of the OPICAN cohort, a Canadian five-centered study of opioid users not in treatment. Methods. Empirical risk is correlated with perceived risk using Kendall's Tau beta. A multinomial logistic regression of concordance group on age, sex, relationship status, housing and income is performed. Results. Perceived risk is positively associated with empirical risk (Kendall's Tau = 0.085, p = 0.081). Age, sex, housing and relationship are significant predictors of concordance group membership (n = 288). Conclusion. The composition of concordance groups is described, thus providing targets for public health practitioners to further study, and, ultimately, implement tailored HCV prevention interventions.
The utility of the Toronto system of dental diagnostic codes (TSDDC) to determine prevalence of conditions and to document changes in diagnoses

This study examined electronic dental records of Toronto Public Health (TPH) to assess utility of the TSDDC to document morbidity, comorbidity, and changes in diagnoses. Using SPSS, the database was restructured for study purposes. Frequencies of conditions and comorbidities were obtained, numbers of patients with changed diagnoses and services they received were documented. In the study population (25860), the top three conditions were caries (78%–81%), deposits (30%–40%), and developmental disturbances (14%–23%). Smooth surface dentinal caries was most prevalent (64%–58%). The top three comorbidities with caries were deposits, developmental disturbances, and defective restorations. Between 66%–70% of all individuals had changes in subsequent diagnoses. The study validated that the TSDDC could be used to report the burden of illness and to document changes in diagnoses at all four digits. To enhance utility in program planning and evaluation the TPH database should be reinforced with software to process the coded diagnostic information.
Computational simulations of mediated face-to-face multimodal communication

Individuals who have little or no functional speech due to underlying physical disorder may instead use a computational device, called a Voice Output Communication Aid (VOCA), to produce synthesized speech. We describe a previously-unidentified set of tradeoffs that face the designers of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems, of which VOCAs are one possible component. On the one hand, the mode of synthesized speech that is afforded by a VOCA can be used to produce communicative actions that are more likely to be successfully interpreted than those produced using other modes, especially by unfamiliar communication partners---a benefit that can justify the often-sizeable effort that must be expended by individuals in order to use their VOCAs. On the other hand, the use of this so-called aided mode can conflict with the simultaneous use of the other, unaided modes, such as facial expression, eye gaze, vocalization, and gesture---a negative effect on the interlocutor's ability to produce multimodal communicative actions. These actions can be equally or even more effective than unimodal ones produced using synthesized speech alone, while also requiring less effort. The use of multimodal interfaces for VOCAs was first proposed by Shein et al. [1990]; prototypes have since been developed by Treviranus et al. [1991], Smith et al. [1996], and Keates and Robinson [1998]. We describe and formalize a previously-unidentified mechanism whereby a repertoire of modes of articulation affords a repertoire of mode strategies. The mechanism developed here accounts for the effects of conflict among the modes in a repertoire---a situation in which two or more modes rely on common underlying communicative effectors, as is the case with synthesized speech and gesture. We instantiated the mechanism computationally and used it to simulate the consequences of unimodal and multimodal VOCA interfaces on a simulated communicator's repertoire of mode strategies. We show that, for the unimodal interfaces, empirical and anecdotal evidence agree with the simulation results. We also show, through the simulations, that the mechanism of mode conflict can have serious consequences for the utility of multimodal VOCA interfaces and thus the bottleneck-reduction hypothesis.
Effect of mood stabilizers in the regulation of glutathione-s-transferase M1 expression

Background. Common mood stabilizers used to treat Bipolar Disorder (BD) have been shown to exert neuroprotective effects against oxidative damage. Recent studies in rat cerebral cortical cells have shown that chronic treatment with lithium and valproate, induces the expression of the antioxidant enzyme, glutathione-s-transferase class Mu-1 (GST-M1). The effect of other mood stabilizers such as lamotrigine, olanzapine and carbamazepine on the expression and activity of GST-M1 was studied. Methods. GST-M1 protein levels and GST enzyme activity were measured by immunoblotting and spectrophotometric assays respectively, in rat cerebral cortical cells treated with mood stabilizing drugs. Results. Although acute treatment with lamotrigine and olanzapine had no effect on GST-M1 protein levels, chronic treatment with these two drugs not only increased GST-M1 protein levels, but also increased GST enzyme activity. However, both acute and chronic treatment with carbamazepine had no effect on GST-M1 protein levels. Conclusions. Induction of GST-M1 expression to fight oxidative damage may be one of the mechanisms of mood stabilizers pharmacological action in treating bipolar disorder.
Multi-target surveillance in dynamic environments: sensing-system reconfiguration

The active surveillance of maneuvering targets with multiple dynamic sensors requires a planning strategy to dynamically select and position the groups of sensors for optimal performance. This Thesis presents such a generic sensor-planning strategy that can be used for the real-time reconfiguration of a multi-sensor system for multi-object dynamic environments. The environment may include multiple Objects-of-Interest (OoI) as well as static and/or mobile objects that are not of interest (i.e., obstacles) but may act as occlusions. There should be no restrictions imposed on the number of sensors or their mobility as well as no requirement about knowing the objects' trajectories ahead of time. It is proposed herein to handle the sensor-planning problem using two complementary strategies: A coordination strategy to determine how many and specifically which sensors should be used at each demand instant in order to optimize the performance of the surveillance system over the span of several data-acquisition instants; and, a positioning strategy to determine the optimal pose of each sensor for any data-acquisition instant being serviced. In order to demonstrate the generality of the proposed methodology, it has been implemented in active-sensing for object localization, facial recognition, and object recognition via Shape-From-Shading (SFS). The applications cover surveillance of both time-variant and invariant parameters. Furthermore, they demonstrate the advantages of surveillance systems that utilizes multiple mobile sensors coupled with an effective sensor-planning strategy over static or single-sensor systems. The improvements in surveillance performance are primarily due to (i) increased robustness of the system (i.e., its ability to cope with a priori unknown target trajectories and presence of obstacles), (ii) decreased uncertainty associated with estimating the target's pose through sensor fusion, and (iii) increased reliability through sensory fault tolerance. The coordination strategy is proposed to be accomplished in this Thesis through an agent-based system consisting of multiple sensor agents, a referee agent, and a judge agent. Each sensor agent tries to maximize its own performance over the span of the rolling horizon. Although not directly controlled by a centralized controller, the sensor agents must abide the external rules of the environment monitored by the referee agent and enforced by the judge agent. The rules are set to ensure that the collective behaviour of the sensor agents exhibits the desired system behaviour. The positioning strategy is accomplished by determining regions of a sensor's workspace that are both unoccluded and achievable given the sensor's current pose, motion capabilities, and remaining time to data acquisition. The acceptable area is, then, searched for an optimal sensor pose.
Lysosomal membrane proteomics: Characterizing novel proteins and functions of the lysosome

*This dissertation is a compound document (contains both a paper copy and a CD as part of the dissertation). The CD requires the following system requirements: Adobe Acrobat. Lysosomes are endocytic sub-cellular compartments that primarily contribute to degradation and recycling of cellular material. Dysfunction of lysosomal proteins has been implicated in a host of human pathologies, including storage diseases, cancer, and infectious and neurodegenerative diseases. Although the proteins that constitute the soluble, degradative lumen of the lysosome are well described in the literature, the membrane protein composition of the lysosome is comparatively poorly characterized. Using a combination of 2D-IPG-PAGE, and ion exchange chromatography/LCMS-MS-based protein separation and identification procedures, the goal of this study is to identify and characterize the membrane protein complement of highly purified rat liver lysosomes. Over 250 proteins have been identified; most of which have known residence in lysosomes or are components of the endosomal system, and about 10% match cDNAs that encode proteins of no known function. The remaining proteins include those from the plasma membrane, Golgi and endoplasmic reticulum; indicating the diverse origins of the lysosomal membrane. Interestingly, these proteins may have unexpected functional roles in the lysosome. Highlighting this is the presence and enrichment of components of the Alzheimer's disease-associated gamma-secretase complex in the lysosomal membrane. Nicastrin, Presenilin, and Amyloid precursor protein co-localize with LAMP-1, and are involved in an acidic-pH optimum gamma-secretase enzymatic activity on the lysosomal membrane. These data assert the importance of the lysosomal/endosomal system in the generation of Abeta and the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease. To initiate the characterization other proteins identified, an Arf-family protein, Arl8b was selected. Although Arf-family members have many described cellular roles, Arl8b is the first to be associated with a late-endocytic organelle. Arl8b co-localizes with various lysosomal markers by confocal-immunofluorescence microscopy. GTP-restricted mutant Arl8b localizes to lysosomes and causes their redistribution to the periphery of the cell and into membrane projections. Also, GTP-restricted Arl8b associates with the actin-binding protein HSP27 in the distal periphery of the cell. These data indicate that Arl8b is involved in motility processes for lysosomes which may include interaction with actin cytoskeleton. Defining the roles of these proteins in the lysosomal membrane will assist in elucidating novel lysosomal functions, and its involvement in disease pathophysiology.*
The role of patriarchy and gender in elementary school women teachers' experiences with power

This study interviewed 25 elementary women school teachers in Ontario in relation to issues of patriarchy, leadership and gender. Using the lens of critical theory and qualitative research methods, it explored and problematized power in elementary schools. It focused on the integrated ways in which patriarchy, capitalism, neoliberalism and neoconservatism interact to influence gender, race, class and religion in ways that disempower women in elementary schools. It examined the multiple, complex and paradoxical forces that work in these women's lives who are a significantly undervalued professional group in society. Key findings reflected in this research are: the continuing persistence of patriarchy in both the professional and personal lives of elementary school women teachers, its powerful role in socializing male and female leaders, the lack of relationship of gender to leaders' use of power, the complementary socializing power of bureaucracies within patriarchy, the preference of women teachers to work for male leaders, the pervasive and subtle nature of resistance, the impact of patriarchy on participants' feelings of empowerment/disempowerment, autonomy and job satisfaction and the desire of participants for adult, respectful, autonomous professional relationships and democratic forms of leadership. This research proposes a new model of leadership called 'peoplship' which fully enfranchises democratic practice in organizations and iindicates the need for a critical reexamination and reform of the leadership models and structures that currently govern education and society.
Development of an asset management plan for municipal water infrastructure

In view of the growing need for comprehensive Asset Management in wastewater infrastructure, a systematic framework is recommended considering hydraulic and environmental performance, which is then demonstrated with the wastewater collection network of the City of Niagara Falls. This includes hydraulic condition grading and hydraulic deterioration modeling based on visual pipe inspection through the estimation of the loss in hydraulic capacity caused by the presence of structural and operational obstacles. Fuzzy-rule based techniques which can handle impreciseness in cause-effect knowledge are employed in conjunction with defect-specific pipe roughness values suggested by the Water Research Centre (WRc) and fluid mechanics equations. Outcomes from this estimation are then coupled with hydraulic simulation modeling to identify hydraulic bottlenecks, surcharged pipes, and overflowing manholes within the sewer network under specific flow conditions. Concluding, a potential financing plan based on structured finance is suggested for acquiring the necessary funds for the rehabilitation of critical assets.
Expression and functional activity of P-glycoprotein in subcellular compartments of cultured brain cells

P-glycoprotein is a plasma membrane drug efflux protein implicated in extrusion of therapeutic compounds out of a cell. This study investigated the localization, expression and activity of P-glycoprotein at the nuclear envelope of rat brain microvessel endothelial (RBE4) and microglial (MLS-9) cell lines. Immunogold and fluorescent cytochemical studies using P-glycoprotein monoclonal antibodies C219 and/or MRK16 demonstrated the localization of the protein at the nucleus of RBE4 and MLS-9 cells. Immunoblot analysis also detected a band of sim;170 kDa in crude nuclear membranes prepared from isolated nuclei of RBE4 and MLS-9 cells. Fluorescent microscopy studies demonstrated an increase in doxorubicin, a known P-glycoprotein substrate, accumulation in the nucleus in the presence of P-glycoprotein inhibitors, suggesting that the subcellular glycoprotein may possess activity. Subcellular activity of P-glycoprotein at the nuclear envelope may be involved in efflux of therapeutic compounds out of the nucleus of brain cells and may contribute to multidrug resistance.
Government treatment of stem cell research: Bringing it out of the shadows of assisted human reproductive technologies

Government treatment of stem cell research has primarily confined the parameters of discussion and consideration of stem cell research to its relationship with assisted human reproductive technologies. This failure to treat the medical benefits of stem cell research as a separate subject has negatively impacted the comprehensiveness of debate on the subject. This approach may explain the inadequate attention that has been given to the following issues: differences in treatment between assisted human reproductive technologies and stem cell research; the prohibition on cloning; ambiguities in implementation of the legislative provisions; consent issues; the treatment of chimaeras; the role of the Canadian researcher in the scientific community; and considerations raised by technologies developed in other countries. My main contention is that stein cell research deserves to be addressed as a separate subject from assisted human reproductive technologies in addition to its current government treatment.

Keywords: Stem cells, Research
Stem cells, Canada
Reproductive technology, Canada