VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
The poetry of immanence, sacrament in Donne and Herbert

Sacramental topoi and allusion in George Herbert and John Donne mark the intersection of spiritual and material claims to religious identity. The Incarnational character of the Eucharist, the Word-flesh polarization it addresses, is conceptually central to the poet-priest's interrogation of the relationships which obtain between spiritual piety and ceremonial forms, religious subject and community, doctrine and politics, private devotion and art, Word and words. Just as the paradox of Incarnation articulates the temporal and material immanence of an otherwise eternal and transcendent Being, so do these several dichotomies involve the interpellation of relatively static aspects of religious experience amid the more dynamic contexts which inform them. This study posits a sacramental or Incarnational poetics as essential to our understanding of the complexities characterizing Donne's and Herbert's doctrinal, devotional, socioreligious and artistic concerns. The Word-become-flesh, its duality at once implicitly tending toward polarization and conflation, is the paradoxical essence of sacramental thought and the epistemological basis of poetic experience. Sacramental topoi and allusion are central to the interrogation of binarisms which, though certainly important for Christian thought and tradition, are of a much broader cultural significance. Indeed, interest in such dichotomies as spirit and matter, soul and body, meaning and language, individual and community, mind and art is by no means exclusive to the religious domain, even if concern for the nature of the relationships which obtain among deity and sacrament, private devotion and ceremony, or doctrine and ecclesiastical politics is. Even the distinction between Christian and secular culture is more or less anachronistic, at least as concerns Herbert and Donne, for whom the relationship between the Word-become-flesh and these other human dualities was apparently less metaphoric than symbolic, less a matter of a conceptual basis around which thought might be organized than a present reality with which all experience is imbued. The Incarnational paradox, by their account, is embedded in the quotidian--fleshed out, so to speak, in a world constitutive of divine immanence, and whose significance, moreover, is inexhaustible. 'Thy word is all,' writes Herbert, 'if we could spell.'
Developmental regulation of elastin synthesis in chicken aorta by transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms

Synthesis of aortic elastin peaks in the perinatal period, and then is strongly down-regulated with post-natal vascular development. Previous studies from our laboratory have demonstrated a strong correlation between this developmental pattern of aortic elastin synthesis and steady state levels of elastin mRNA. In this study the molecular mechanisms by which aortic elastin synthesis is regulated during normal post-natal development and growth are elucidated, demonstrating that post-natal down-regulation of elastin synthesis is due both to decreased transcription of the elastin gene, and to destabilization of the elastin mRNA. Decreased elastin mRNA stability is correlated with protein binding to a cis-element in the 3'UTR of elastin. This sequence element (UGGGGGAGGGAGGGAGGGA), which has been designated the G3A motif, is located within a large, GC-rich region of stable secondary structure in the 3'UTR. The G3A motif is conserved across species, and appears to be an important determinant of the secondary structure of the elastin 3'UTR. Protein(s) binding to the G3A sequence, are more abundant in nuclear as compared to cytosolic compartments, and their presence is associated with tissues producing elastin and correlate with circumstances in which elastin mRNA is stable. Based on the results of this study, a model is presented linking the binding of proteins to this G3A site with the structure and stability of the elastin mRNA.
Clinical acceptability of orthodontic bracket base-cement combinations

The aim was to identify bracket base-cement combinations that are clinically practical, provide adequate shear bond strengths (SBS), and result in the least damage to enamel. The SBS and the nature of bond failure using the Adhesive Remnant Index (ARI) were examined after 1 and 180-days for 28 combinations. SBS in 8 ± 3 MPa range and ARI scores >=2 were deemed clinically acceptable. Transbond and Fuji Ortho LC (FOL) (conditioned) were compatible with the four brackets (2 metal: Time, Speed; and 2 ceramic: Clarity, Transcend). Panavia21 was compatible with ceramic brackets. FOL (not-conditioned) yielded poor SBS and ARI scores with all of the bracket bases. Time had no significant effect on clinical acceptability. Enamel conditioning had a significant effect on the ARI scores (p < 0.05) and SBS (p < 0.05). No consistent association was noted between the ARI scores and SBS. 'The ideal cement for bonding the four brackets was FOL' ('conditioned').
Sediment routing applied to paleoenvironmental reconstruction in the upper Fraser River watershed, British Columbia

Closely related floodplain and delta sites near Moose Lake, British Columbia (Canadian Rocky Mountains) are examined for evidence of environmental change and to assess the effects of upstream storage and reworking of sediment on downstream sedimentary records. The simultaneous development of composition-based provenance techniques facilitates the interpretation of downstream sediments in terms of source area, sediment production processes and hydroclimatic forcing. Initially, Fraser River bed material is used to characterize upstream source areas and to estimate mixing of source materials downstream. Although sedimentary rocks provide minimal contrast in terms of geochemical trace elements, it is possible to distinguish sediments from two main watershed source areas based on major elements associated with carbonate and aluminosilicate bedrock lithologies. Complications arise due to the effects of particle size, hydrodynamic sorting, and transport-related and post-depositional alteration. Currently the Moose River sub-basin contributes a greater proportion of the total and fine-grained sediment load delivered to Moose Lake than expected based on catchment area. The imbalance is related to greater elevations, runoff, and glacier cover in the sub-basin. A substantial area of the Moose Lake-Fraser River delta-top floodplain derives from the early half of the Holocene, and is characterized by fragmentary, low-discharge paleochannels containing bed materials characteristic of the uppermost Fraser River. Most floodplain development since ca. 4 ka BP records persistently higher sediment loads, aggradation and larger, more active channels. Detailed variations in the composition of laterally and vertically accreted floodplain sediments and of channel morphology reflect regionally documented glacier advance and retreat stages. Except for possible till deposits in the northwest, most valley-fill below Moose Lake and the delta is glaciolacustrine in origin, deposited rapidly as ice retreated up-valley at the end of the Wisconsinan. A large proportion of the delta was apparently constructed prior to ca. 10 ka BP and is either paraglacial or deglacial in origin. It is estimated that progradation and channel shifting on the delta surface could account for a gradual increase of up to 21% in distal lacustrine accumulation rates over Neoglacial time. More episodic variations likely occurred due to channel splitting and meander cutoff on the floodplain.
Fibre-resin mixing and layer formation subsystems for the rapid manufacturing of short-fibre-reinforced parts

Stereolithography, the most common Rapid Prototyping (RP) technique, utilises a liquid photopolymer which is selectively hardened via an ultraviolet laser. A lithography-based RP process, currently under development in the Computer Integrated Manufacturing Laboratory (CIMLab), is able to create functional composite plastic parts reinforced with glass fibres for improved mechanical properties. In this thesis, novel fibre-resin mixing and layer formation subsystems, for the rapid layered manufacturing of fibre-reinforced composite parts were developed. These new subsystems addressed drawbacks of the original system including part profile-dependent process variation, impeded delivery of the required volume fraction to small solid areas, long cycle times and reduced performance of the fibre-resin mixing with the depletion of liquid level. The design were developed through the use of formal guidelines provided by the Axiomatic Design methodology. The proposed fibre-resin mixing subsystem includes a constant-volume-mixing chamber fed by an external hopper. An experimental prototype of this subsystem was built to verify the proposed mixing process experimentally in terms of its ability to (1) deliver fluid with the desired fibre content to the rest of the system throughout the build and (2) preserve the average length of the fibres. The layer-formation subsystem incorporates a slot coater with an array of continuously metered fluid inlets. Flow from the inlets is extruded into a wide film to cover the build platform. The layer-formation concept was analysed through numerical simulation, in conjunction with factorial experimental design, with the aid of a commercial CFD software package. Experiments were performed with a physical prototype of the coater in order to demonstrate its ability to (1) create parts of uniform fibre content regardless of the parts geometry or position within the vat and (2) create layers with the desired uniformity and geometric quality.
Limping sway, emancipatory leadership in group discussions

The relationship between two concepts--power and leadership in organizational administration--serve as an anchor to this research project. In specific, the focus of leadership style is emancipatory leadership which generally supports a system of democratically elaborated consensus that accounts for a higher level of equality in a group setting. The purpose of this study is to research whether the absence or presence of the traditionally defined authority figure in emancipatory leadership will affect power relations among the participants of a given group. A Canadian organization practicing emancipatory leadership in the private sector was studied by means of taped discussions. The approach taken was a qualitative one. Discourse from these taped discussions were analysed and then used as a basis for seeking answers to the research questions. The data analysis does show that indeed power relations among the participants seem to be affected given the absence or presence of the emancipatory leader.
Towards a culturally sensitive model of social work supervision in Hong Kong

This study examines the format, purpose, relationship, authority, and ideal of social work supervision in the cultural context of Hong Kong. Grounded theory approach was used to explore the experiences and views of supervisors and supervisees from seven focus groups and forty in-depth interviews to modify a model derived from North American literature into a culturally sensitive model within the context of Hong Kong. The format of supervision in Hong Kong is relatively loose. Written agendas and supervisory contracts are seldom used. Both supervisors and supervisees view successful client outcomes as the highest priority, but supervisors view supervision as a rational and systematic tool for safeguarding the standard and quality of service, while supervisees hope that supervision will provide emotional support and foster teamwork. The supervisory relationship is both personal and professional. Tension is lessened by the traditional Chinese cultural values of reciprocity: ' qing, yuan,' and 'face'. The use of supervisory authority reflects the political strategy of the British-Hong Kong government--"consensus by consultation and consent"--which was used to reduce conflict and gain acceptance. The ideal supervision is scheduled in advance and regularly conducted in a comfortable and pleasant physical environment. The supervisor's advice and instructions would be clear, concrete, specific, and workable, in which supervisory relationship would resemble student fieldwork supervision. For supervisors, supervisory practice is ideal when staff members are self-disciplined and self-motivated; then the use of administrative authority can be reduced to a minimum. It is worthwhile for researchers to conduct studies in specific societies, especially the multi-ethnic societies such as Canada and the United States. Developing models of social work supervision in different cultures will contribute to theory building; research on cross-cultural supervision will refine existing supervisory practices; and studies of the supervisory dyad will benefit the supervisory practice at the micro-practice level. Outcome research on cross-cultural practice may also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of various supervisory practices.
Characterization of the Fgl2-prothrombinase binding protein

The inflammatory cascade and the coagulation system are intimately connected; several coagulation proteins have been demonstrated to regulate inflammatory events. Studies have shown that fibrinogen is able to promote cellular adhesion and transendothelial migration through interactions with ICAM-1 and Mac-1, prompting speculation that related proteins may have similar roles. Fgl2 prothrombinase shares significant homology to the fibrinogen-ã chain; in particular the P1 domain of fibrinogen, which is responsible for interactions with Mac-1, is highly conserved in Fgl2. We hypothesized that soluble Fgl2 has an immunomodulatory effect through interactions with a cell-surface receptor. We further speculated that Fgl2 interacts with this putative receptor through its fibrinogen-related domain, and may bind to Mac-1 through the conserved P1 region. We found that Fgl2 binds to RAW 264.7 cells in a specific and dose-dependent manner (K d = 185 nM), and that this binding is not dependent on Mac-1.
The distribution of DMC1 epitopes in lilies with normal and aberrant meioses

The presence of DMC1 epitopes in three different varieties of lilies with different meiotic conditions were examined to analyze the specific role of DMC1 protein in meiosis. Immunoblots using anti-DMC1 antiserum detected the protein during early Prophase 1. The level of DMC1 peaked at leptotene-early zygotene interval, declined during mid-late zygotene and was largely absent from pachytene extracts. Immunocytochemical studies on the three lily varieties have enabled us to observe the number of DMC1 foci at specific stages. The DMC1-specific foci in the diploid control remained constant from early zygotene through early pachytene. A modest decrease in the number of DMC1 foci during pachytene in the triploid lily, and a dramatic reduction from mid-zygotene through pachytene in a diploid, species-hybrid support the hypothesis that successful interactions between homologous chromosome segments must occur in order for foci to be retained until pachytene.
Biofiltration of indoor air, the role of mosses and their associated microbial communities in a complex eco-system biofilter

Several components of a complex ecosystem biofilter were examined for their abilities to mineralize Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). A mixed species moss mat, composed of 'Plagiomnium cuspidatum' and ' Taxiphyllum deplanatum', was determined to have the greatest overall mineralization ability of the biofilter components. It was determined that the bacterial community associated with the moss was responsible for the mineralization of VOCs and not the moss itself. Three different mosses and a lichen species were examined and each had differing abilities to remove VOCs with only two mosses being able to remove them at 500ppbv concentrations. Adaptation of microbial communities to VOC exposure was observed but exposure to VOCs did not cause the bacterial communities from different species of moss and lichen to converge. Degraders associated with exposure to low concentrations of VOCs were not necessarily the same as those associated with high concentrations of the same chemical.
Negotiating responsibility, representations of criminality and mind-state in Canadian law, medicine and society, 1920-1950

Through a qualitative analysis of 66 capital case files, this dissertation seeks to understand the social cultural, medical and legal processes that shaped the meaning of criminal responsibility in Canada from 1920 to 1950, an era preoccupied with ideas about social descent, national identity and human degeneracy. By examining concurrent and interdependent discourses on the subjects of criminality, human agency and mind-state, this research brings to light the underlying assumptions and prejudices that structured the policies and practices of law and forensic psychiatry in the Canadian context, and provided the language to articulate varying concepts of responsibility and mental capacity in cases of murder. This study also directs particular attention to the constitution of psychiatric "expertise" during this period and the disputatious role of the expert witness in Canadian criminal law. In revealing how systems of language and knowledge were produced through social institutions, interactions and ideas, I show how medical-legal standards for defining responsibility and modes of determining mental capacity were ordered and negotiated according to assumptions about gender, race, conjugality and citizenship, which acquired particular meanings in the context of each case. The cases of women and men convicted for murder reveal quite vividly the social tensions and interests which constituted "common sense" and defined the parameters of criminal responsibility, as well as deep systemic biases in the processes of legal decision-making and medical diagnosis. The objective of the project is to begin the process of documenting the historical diversity of responsibility discourse that remains largely unexamined in medical-legal and social history scholarship. If criminal responsibility has generally not been the subject of intensive social-historical inquiry, then an historical understanding of the nature and meaning of criminal responsibility in 'Canada'--as distinct from the British or American experience--has been virtually non-existent. This dissertation will help fill a substantial void in Canadian medical-legal historiography, highlight the value of qualitative approaches, and provide a critical point of reference to evaluate current legal practices and initiatives in criminal law reform.
Lecture sociocritique de l'oeuvre de Rachid Mimouni

Cette étude qui porte sur l'oeuvre de l'écrivain algérien Rachid Mimouni est traitée selon l'approche sociocritique. En considérant "la somme" des écrits de cet auteur comme un seul et vaste écrit se faisant à lui-même écho de la perceptibilité de la société algérienne, de l'Indépendance à nos jours, nous avons tenté d'analyser la structure profonde des textes par rapport aux structures de la société qui la déterminent. Bien que l'oeuvre de Rachid Mimouni puisse se prêter à une interprétation plurielle notre analyse considère le texte pris comme production littéraire. En étudiant l'organisation interne du texte, notre objectif est de parvenir à une meilleure compréhension de son fonctionnement. Par le biais des codes sociaux perçus à travers le discours des différents protagonistes, nous avons cherché à voir comment certains moments de l'histoire algérienne permettent une relecture de l'oeuvre de Mimouni. Il s'agit d'expliquer comment l'écriture reflète une réalité propre à cette société depuis les années 60. Ainsi l'étude de cette oeuvre, basée essentiellement sur le texte, représente avant tout une contribution à l'ensemble de la critique de la littérature maghrébine d'expression française. Mais elle constitue aussi une innovation, dans la mesure où les textes littéraires seront étudiés comme des entités autonomes à partir d'une méthode d'analyse appropriée. Chaque expression littéraire suit, plus ou moins volontairement, les courants idéologiques et politiques de l'époque. En raison de l'importance considérable du corpus de notre étude dans la littérature algérienne d'expression française, nous ne nous sommes limité qu'aux questions sociales et politiques, aux thèmes relatifs à la misère, à l'oppression, à l'intolérance religieuse et à l'intégrisme qui transpirent à travers l'oeuvre de Mimouni, car un caractère esthétique englobe aussi bien l'univers réel que fictionnel. Étant donné l'évolution des analyses théoriques et appliquées de la sociocritique, il nous a semblé pertinent de considérer tout apport susceptible de nous aider dans notre analyse. Cependant, nous avons considéré essentiel de nous tourner plus spécifiquement vers les critiques maghrébins et les autres chercheurs qui ont étudié la société maghrébine en général et la société algérienne en particulier.
Lymphohematopoietic differentiation from embryonic stem cells in vitro

The 'in vitro' differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells provides a model system for the study of hematopoietic development. However, the extent to which ES cells can recapitulate 'in vivo' lymphopoiesis and facilitate the study of lymphohematopoietic differentiation remains to be determined. ES cells cultured on the bone marrow (BM)-derived stromal cell line, OP9 (ES/OP9 coculture), were reported to differentiate into B cells 'in vitro' but it was not known whether these phenotypic B cells were capable of functional responses. ES cell-derived B lymphocytes were shown to be functionally analogous to normal fetal liver (FL)- or BM-derived B lineage cells at different developmental stages, including response to the cytokine Flt-3 ligand at early stages, and response to mitogen at later stages. Although B cells could be efficiently generated from ES cells, it remained unknown whether ES cells could give rise to T lymphocytes ' in vitro'. ES cells, unfractionated ES cell-derived precursors, and ES cell-derived CD45+ hematopoietic precursors proved to be unsuitable progenitors for the generation of T lymphocytes in fetal thymic organ cultures (FTOCs). In contrast, ES cell-derived Flk1+ CD45- precursors reproducibly gave rise to T cells when transferred into FTOCs. The molecular events regulating the onset of lymphohematopoietic differentiation are not well characterized. Thus, the ES cell-derived Flk1 + population was further examined for the expression of cell surface molecules that might serve to identify the earliest lymphohematopoietic progenitors. CD105 (endoglin), an accessory receptor of the TGF-ß superfamily was expressed during early hematopoiesis from Flk1+ precursors (Flk1+ CD45- to Flk1- CD45+). Members of the TGF-ß superfamily have been implicated in mesoderm specification and hematopoiesis. Thus, a functional role for CD105 was assessed by examining the lymphohematopoietic differentiation of CD105-deficient ES cells in ES/OP9 cocultures. In the absence of CD105, myeloerythropoiesis was severely impaired in contrast to lymphopoiesis, which appeared to be only mildly affected. These findings should help to further our understanding of the mechanisms by which the bone marrow and thymic microenvironments induce or support lymphobematopoietic differentiation from mesodermal precursors.