VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Heroic slaughter and versified violence: A reading of sacrifice in some early English and Carolingian poetry of war

This thesis explores the function and expression of sacrificial violence in a group of texts on heroic themes that were composed in the ninth and tenth centuries in England and France. The introduction offers a preliminary survey of theories of sacrifice, specifically those that have proven most useful in analyzing literary texts. It also presents an overview of how the metaphors of the 'sacrificial' and the 'traumatic' have been used by both classical and medieval scholars. It is one of the assertions of the thesis that medieval authors actively looked (and called) for signs of heroic sacrifice in their own times, and this is reflected in certain poems on contemporary events. Chapter one traces the development of heroic poetry from Vergil's Aeneid and Lucan's Bellum civile through the adaptation of the form by Christian poets, and the 'rediscovery' of secular and historical subjects in the early medieval period. Chapter two looks briefly at sacrifice in Classical literature before turning to its re-interpretation by Christian writers, including St Paul and St Augustine; Christian sacrifice was influenced by the language of military service and heroic action, resulting in poems that blended the language of martyrdom and militancy, such as Prudentius' Liber Peristephanon, Fortunatus' hymns on the Cross, and the Old English Dream of the Rood. Chapter three analyzes the development of heroic sacrifice and its concomitant violence in the Paderborn Epic, the Old English Judith, the Bella Parisiacae urbis of Abbo of Saint-Germain-des-Pres, and The Battle of Maldon. The chapter closes with an analysis of how heroic sacrifice is appealed to in one major event in the life of Otto I. Chapter four looks at the need to interpret the times experienced by some observers of ninth- and tenth-century warfare, and at the elements of horror and trauma that occur in literature when sacrificial violence fails, including readings of Lucan, Beowulf, the Bella Parisiacae urbis, and the Latin rhythmical poem 'The Battle of Fontenoy'. A conclusion provides a glance ahead into the later period through the Middle English Havelok, and some remarks on sacrificial violence and modes of literature.
Mitochondrial contributions to embryogenesis, oocyte developmental competence and physiological consequences of heteroplasmy

Preimplantation embryo development during in vitro fertilization (IVF) is frequently unsuccessful, while the cause of this failure is not well understood. The goal of this study was to characterize the metabolic contributions of mitochondria during embryogenesis, in mouse models of poor oocyte quality, and physiological function in a heteroplasmic mouse model. During embryogenesis, we found that the number of metabolically active mitochondria increases with embryo cleavage, as evidenced by average increases in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The mode of fertilization had a significant effect on MMP, with IVF embryos demonstrating different patterns of MMP than in vivo fertilized embryos. Additionally, changes in developmental competence were preceded by alterations in mitochondrial distribution and MMP, suggesting that mitochondria play a role in determining embryo viability. Studies of a murine model of advanced maternal age indicated deficits in mitochondrial metabolic function compared to younger mice, with older mice displaying significant decreases in oocyte developmental competence, reactive oxygen species (ROS), reducing potential and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content. Further studies revealed that the FVB strain of mouse had decreased oocyte developmental competence accompanied by increased MMP, decreased ROS and abnormal mitochondrial ultrastructure. The supplementation of culture media with pyruvate resulted in an increase in ROS content and improved oocyte viability in this strain. In the FVB strain, supplementation of the oocytes with exogenous mitochondria isolated from embryonic stem cells resulted in improved oocyte viability. Further studies revealed that despite issues with oocyte viability, FVB embryos were capable of development to the blastocyst stage without the requirement for mitochondrial supplementation. Mitochondrial microinjection in FVB embryos demonstrated that addition of heteroplasmic mitochondria caused metabolic deficits in ROS production compared to addition of homoplasmic mitochondria. To further investigate the consequences of heteroplasmy, a mouse model of heteroplasmy was run through several physiological screens to determine basic physiological parameters, with heteroplasmic mice displaying elevated systemic blood pressure that abated by the age of twelve months, an imbalance in electrolytes, impaired erythrocyte function and altered patterns of weight gain.
History and terminology in the Auraicept na n-Éces

The place of the Auraicept na nEces in early Irish literature, while recognized as playing a key role in the development of medieval ideas regarding grammar in Ireland, has not been questioned with regard to its specific importance for the poetic tradition of the time. As a didactic text drawing on the Christian textual culture of grammar and rhetoric introduced in Ireland during the fifth, sixth and seventh centuries, the Auraicept presents an amalgamation of Gaelic poetic culture and Latin grammatical culture. This thesis, after an introduction to the material in chapter one, gives the historical context in which the Auraicept was written and cultivated between the seventh and sixteenth centuries in chapter two. It analyses the central poetic ideas found in its earliest stratum in chapter three and in chapter four it analyses the tropes of explication added in later centuries. Chapter five then turns to the wider context of literary culture in Ireland, examining how the Auraicept interacts with other texts, didactic or not. A final bibliography presents the manuscripts, editions, translations and secondary materials used in this thesis. This broad consideration of the Auraicept's context and essential elements illustrates its primary concern teaching the basic principles of Gaelic prosody and shows that its use must be seen as serving a foundational role in the poetic education of the medieval fili.
Neuroprotection following acute spinal cord injury through inhibition of the Fas apoptotic pathway

Background. Evidence has shown an association between Fas receptor (FasR) expression and apoptosis following acute spinal cord injury (SCI); moreover, genetic deletion of the Fas receptor results in improved functional recovery. Hypothesis. Administration of soluble Fas receptor (sFasR) will inhibit FasL/FasR interactions and result in significant neuroprotection after SCI. Methods. sFasR was applied to in vitro and in vivo models of SCI. Experiments were performed to assess total cell death, apoptosis, behavioural recovery and tissue preservation. Results. sFasR administration in the organotypic model of SCI resulted in attenuated total cell death following injury. sFasR administration following SCI showed an attenuation of activated caspase-3. Behavioural studies demonstrated improved performance of animals treated with sFasR. Also, sFasR administration increased retrogradely labeled red nucleus neurons and preserved greater amounts of tissue. Discussion. sFasR inhibition of the Fas ligand/Fas receptor interactions appears to significantly reduce apoptosis and improve behavioural and functional recovery following SCI.
Identification of novel genetic gains and losses in early age of onset breast cancer by array comparative genomic hybridization

Breast cancer represents the most frequent female cancer. Hereditary breast cancers usually arise at an earlier age and are often multifocal or bilateral. Early age of onset breast carcinomas generally exhibit more aggressive features. Moreover, they are usually associated with poorer prognosis. Gene amplifications and deletions frequently contribute to tumorigenesis. This study aimed to identify and characterize specific regions of alteration that are associated with each subgroup; early age of onset and familial breast tumors by array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). A number of alterations, many of which have been shown in breast cancer through conventional CGH were identified. Several gains including 8q24, 11g12-q13, 16p, 17q12 and 19g13.2 were studied and validated by Real time PCR. Moreover, a gain on chromosome 16p was narrowed down to 16p12.3. In this region ARL6IP1, an inhibitor of apoptosis, was found to be amplified in 18% of tumors and may represent a candidate oncogene.
From graduate school to clinical practice: the experiences of black social workers in white environments

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of Black social workers as they progressed from graduate school to the field of social work as qualified practitioners. Given that there is very limited data about Black social workers, the intention of this study was to provide useful information that can contribute to social work literature. This study was carried out employing qualitative methods, specifically approaching from a phenomenological standpoint. Through this exploration, a number of important concepts emerged which assisted in filling some of the existing gaps in the social work literature about Black social workers. Some of these issues included: the significance of ensuring that social work curricula are culturally inclusive; the impact of racially diverse teaching faculty and culturally conscious professors on the experiences of Black students in the MSW program; the task of managing and addressing stereotypes & assumptions when working with White clients; the suspicion of tokenism and dealing with quota filling; the necessity of balancing one's professional identity and personal identity as a Black person in a
Unimplemented treaties in Canada: a comparative look at the role of domestic courts

If international law is to matter, it has to reach individuals. This is what motivates the writing of this paper. International law is made up of different sources and treaty law is one of them. When a country ratifies a treaty, it shows its intention to be bound by that treaty. However, the process of making international treaties part of domestic law is different in every country. In Canada the process has an additional requirement, which is the implementation into domestic legislation, without this requirement courts and individuals cannot rely on treaties. Nevertheless, recent case law has showed that courts are more willing in considering unimplemented treaties for statutory interpretation. As we mentioned, the process is different in every country but there are countries that are more open to international law, we chose the Netherlands and Mexico as an example. In those countries once a treaty is ratified it becomes part of the domestic jurisdiction and courts rely on international law as much possible. This paper does not intend to criticize the Canadian process; it only intends to layout the relevant issues and make suggestions. Even though the government and the process for treaty authorization are different between nations, courts should try to rely on unimplemented treaties as an aid to statutory interpretation as much as possible.

Keywords: Treaties
Law, Construction and interpretation
Law, Canada
Courts, Canada
Assessment of inflated responsibility as a risk factor for obsessive-compulsive symptoms: an analogue test

Researchers have attributed an important role to inflated responsibility in the development of clinical obsessions and compulsions. Two experiments were conducted using non-clinical participants. The first examined whether higher scores on a measure of responsibility are associated with greater Obsessive-Compulsive (OC) symptoms. The second study examined whether participants with inflated responsibility engage in more checking behaviours and demonstrate greater attentional bias to responsibility stimuli following exposure to an experimental manipulation of responsibility. The results indicated that a sense of inflated responsibility, in conjunction with an overestimation of threat, was significantly predictive of OC symptoms scores. The results also indicated that while participants with high responsibility took longer to complete the experimental task and engaged in more checking behaviours, they did not exhibit an attentional bias towards responsibility stimuli. The implications of these results are discussed.
Characterization of the nucleotide binding domain of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase: probing effects of nucleotide by NMR

In muscle cells, the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) plays a key role in restoring cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels to the resting concentration after a transient surge caused by excitation-contraction coupling. The mechanism by which Ca2+ is translocated to the lumen of the ER involves major conformational rearrangements among the three cytoplasmic domains: actuator (A), nucleotide binding (N), and phosphorylation (P) domains; and within the transmembrane Ca2+-binding domain of SERCA. Large scale-production of SERCA-N enabled us to study this functionally essential domain by NMR spectroscopy, in order to answer specific questions about local effects of ligand binding in solution. Essentially complete backbone 1HN, 13Calpha, 13Cbeta, and 15N resonance assignments have been obtained for SERCA-N by means of heteronuclear multidimensional NMR techniques. Chemical shift-derived secondary structure analysis of SERCA-N established that the overall 2° structure in solution remained essentially the same when compared to that of the crystal structure. Distortion of two beta strands was noted at two sites: beta6 and beta12. NMR titration experiments with AMP-PNP identified at least 29 amino acids within a confined nucleotide-binding site. These results were in excellent concurrence with site-directed mutagenesis studies, and present more comprehensive evidence for the involvement of other amino acid residues within that region. 15N backbone relaxation experiments on the free and nucleotide-bound SERCA-N identified site-specific changes in backbone dynamics that were seen to converge on the central beta sheet domain. Nucleotide binding produced diverse effects on dynamics; causing both enhanced mobility and rigidifying effects at various sites. Taken together with spectroscopic studies, these results indicate that the overall fold and backbone motional properties of SERCA-N remained essentially the same in the presence of AMP-PNP, and reveal evidence for internal counterbalancing effects on backbone dynamics upon binding the nucleotide, which propagate through the central beta sheet.
Kaandosswin, this is how we come to know!: indigenous graduate research in the academy : worldviews and methodologies

Boozhoo nindiwaynimaaginidok. Chi miigwechiwendam noongiizhgad (Greetings to all my relations. I am grateful today). The purpose of this study was to describe conscious Indigenous researchers' methodologies and experiences of thesis research in the academy. It presents Indigenous research methodologies and explores the diverse and varied ways that conscious Indigenous researchers are conducting their thesis research within the academy. My commitment was to honour Indigenous researchers, knowledge and ways of knowledge production. This thesis is written from an Anishinaabek perspective with a goal of 'lifting up' Indigenous ways of coming to know in the academy. My study draws from an examination of eleven Indigenous thesis projects and conversations with nine Indigenous thesis researchers who are engaged in the academy and who utilize Indigenous paradigms and worldviews in their research. This study documents their experiences, wisdoms, knowledge, methodologies, frustrations and struggles with employing Indigenous research in the academy. The teachings of the land guided my search and the stories of such are contained herein. Indigenous research is represented holistically and a petal flower becomes the holistic representation within which Indigenous research methodologies are framed. This study reveals that the roots of Indigenous research are embedded in Indigenous worldviews and paradigms. Central to Indigenous research methodologies are Indigenous researchers and their unique locations, histories, experiences, values, traditions, languages and consciousness. Employing Indigenous research constitutes a journey that affects the entire process. Concepts such as interrelationships, holism, reciprocity are integral to Indigenous research methodologies. Indigenous researchers shared their experiences of doing Indigenous thesis research in the academy and shared barriers, challenges, tensions and antagonistic issues. This study reveals that Indigenous research within the academy is gaining recognition as Indigenous researchers retheorize, redevelop methodologies and enact their research agendas. Finally, these contributions collectively and undoubtedly illuminate that Indigenous research methodologies in the academy are forging pathways enabling Indigenous researchers' opportunities to conduct research using our own worldviews, knowledge and methodologies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Evaluation of a transparent two-layer display

Two layer displays are constructed by overlaying one transparent flat panel on another, with a discernable physical separation between layers. This layout could enhance depth perception and increase the available pixels without increasing the width and height of the display. However, it is unclear if the second physical layer provides any advantage over simple alpha-blended transparency on a single layer display. We investigate this issue in two controlled experiments that compare performance between one and two layer displays in focused and divided attention tasks. Results show that for spatially overlapping objects, performance in a focused attention task is similar for both displays, while performance in a divided attention task is degraded on two layer displays. For spatially non-overlapping objects, performance in a focused attention task is degraded on the two layer display if a distractor object is placed on the front layer. Implications for user interface design are also discussed.
Metal binding and activity of the Helicobacter pylori transcription factor NikR

In Helicobacter pylori, the urease enzyme activity and expression are regulated by nickel. It is thought that nickel-dependant expression of urease is controlled by a protein homologous to the Escherichia coli NikR transcription factor which, is a nickel responsive repressor on the nik operon. In contrast, the Helicobacter Pylori NikR (HpNikR) activates transcription of the ure operon. Metal-binding experiments reveal that both NikR proteins bind divalent transition metal ions in a similar coordination sphere. In the presence of nickel, HpNikR binds the ureA promoter and the binding site was characterized by in vitro assays. The protein also binds to the nikR gene promoter sequence, which is very similar to the inverted repeat sequence of the E. coli nik operon but both are very different from the ureA promoter. These results suggest that HpNikR binds one operator sequence when acting as an activator and another one when acting as a repressor.
The relationship between anxiety, self-efficacy and career interests in university students

Individuals with moderate to high levels of trait anxiety may have difficulty selecting careers. They may also have low efficacy beliefs regarding their ability to perform necessary career tasks. The purpose of this study was to address these issues, by examining the role of anxiety and self-efficacy beliefs on post-secondary students' responses on the Strong Interest Inventory (SII). The SII is a career interest inventory that measures a person's level of interest across a wide range of areas to determine preferred career options. The self-efficacy measures included in this study were: the General Self-efficacy Scale (GSE), and the Skills Confidence Inventory (SCI). The anxiety measures employed were: the Endler Multidimensional Anxiety Scales (EMAS) and Endler Multidimensional Social Anxiety Scale (EMAS-SAS). The participants were 166 post-secondary students who completed a set of online questionnaires. This study was primarily correlational in design, and the statistical methods used were the Pearson product moment correlation and multiple regression analysis. The results support the notion that anxiety cannot be viewed as one factor, but is better divided into component parts (i.e., social anxiety, or anxiety for ambiguous situations) as suggested by previous research. The results were also consistent with past research indicating that: (a) anxiety is related to self-efficacy beliefs, (b) self-efficacy beliefs are related to career interests, and (c) that personality traits, such as anxiety, are related to career interests. This study attempted to go beyond the current literature to determine whether anxiety has any direct impact on career interests. The results of six multiple regression analyses indicated that all but one (Enterprising) of the six SII General Occupational Themes (GOTs) of the SII were better predicted by measures of self-efficacy and anxiety, than by measures of self-efficacy alone. This suggested that anxiety does impact career interests directly. Building on Social Cognitive Career Theory, a new model of the interactions between anxiety, self-efficacy and career interests is proposed. The implications of the results for counseling and research are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Reactivation of nickel cathodes by vanadium species during alkaline water electrolysis

Recent advances in the hydrogen fuel cell for zero-emission transportation vehicles have triggered a renewed interest in alkaline water electrolysis as a competitive method for pure hydrogen supply. In industrial water electrolyzers, nickel (or some form of it) is used as electrode material, and potassium hydroxide as the electrolyte at a concentration of 6â€“8 mol/L and a temperature of 60â€“80Â°C. The applied current density is typically 150â€“250 mA/cm2. The energy efficiency of electrolysis is partly related to the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) at the cathode. Nickel exhibits a high initial electrocatalytic activity towards the HER in alkaline solutions, but it undergoes extensive deactivation during long-term electrolysis. The deactivation is indicated by an increase in the hydrogen overpotential at a constant applied current. The addition of a soluble oxide of vanadium (V 2O5) to the electrolyte has been found to result in reactivation of nickel and formation of a vanadium-bearing deposit on the cathode surface. The deactivation and reactivation phenomena were investigated in the present work using various electrochemical and analytical techniques. The kinetic parameters (Tafel slope and exchange current density), hydrogen permeation rate and impedance behaviour were monitored during the course of cathode deactivation and reactivation at 100 mA/cm2. The deactivation was ascribed to the absorption of hydrogen into the metal lattice and subsequent formation of a nickel hydride phase. The reactivation was attributed mostly to the decomposition of the hydride phase formed prior to vanadium addition, and only partly to an increase in surface area upon deposition. The electrocatalytic activity of the vanadium-modified nickel was not higher than that for fresh nickel (no synergetic effects); however, the activity was stable after reactivation. The magnitude of reactivation was independent of dissolved vanadium species concentration. The deposit was found to have a smooth and compact surface with a film thickness of 1â€“2 ?m and a largely amorphous structure. The average stoichiometry of the deposit was K2H2V 10O26Â·4H2O. The mechanism of deposition involved a charge transfer step (reduction of V(+5) species), followed by a polymerization reaction (precipitation of the generated V (+4) with V(+5) species from solution) to produce a mixed-valence vanadium-based deposit.