VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Investigating consumers' purchase incidence, brand choice and purchase quantity decisions in frequently purchased categories---implications for pricing and promotional policies for retailers and manufacturers

This thesis investigates implications for pricing and promotional policies for retailers and manufacturers in frequently purchased categories based on demand models that incorporate consumers' three purchase decisions, i.e., purchase incidence, brand choice and purchase quantity decisions in a structural framework. In the first chapter, we study how price promotions in one category affect the three purchase decisions in other category (cross-category effects) and uncover the underlying factors that influence the magnitude of cross category effects. We then translate these factors into managerially relevant covariates and discuss the role of each factor in influencing the cross category effects in each of the three purchase decisions. The factors provide retailers and manufacture a set of qualitative tools to make promotional decisions in a short period of time. We demonstrate the empirical application of our framework on scanner panel data set consisting of two related categories cake mix and cake frosting. In the second chapter, we proposed a framework to accurately measure price promotion effects of brands on total category sales in presence of consumer unobserved heterogeneity, price endogeneity, and multiple unit purchases in quantity decisions. The magnitudes of price promotional effects of brands in the category on total category sales help retailers to decide whether it is worthwhile to promote that category or not. This is because the retailer may decide not to promote the category at all if the promotional effects of all brands within the category on total category sales are too small. Price promotional effects of individual brands help retailers to decide which particular brand should be promoted should promotion be introduced in the category. We find that in presence of price endogeneity and ignoring multiple units in purchase quantity decision, priced promotional effects are underestimated in all three purchase decisions significantly. We estimate the proposed model on a data set of a product category (yogurt) in which consumers are observed to make multiple unit purchase on a given shopping trip.

Keywords: Marketing
Dissertations, Academic, Canada
Phylogeny and biogeography of the Triacanthodidae (Tetraodontiformes, Teleostei)

A data matrix is presented of 99 morphological characters (mostly osteological, some external) for 22 extant and two Oligocene fossil taxa of the family Triacanthodidae (Tetraodontiformes, Pisces), along with an outgroup taxon from the closely related Triacanthidae. A cladistic analysis of this matrix produced slightly contrasting topologies, with these depending on the inclusion or exclusion in the various analyses of the relatively incomplete fossil taxa, or of the poorly known Paratriacanthodes herrei. All of these topologies, however, call into question the monophyly of some of the previously accepted triacanthodid genera. A new species of triacanthodid, here named Paratriacanthodes tavitiani, is described. The geographic distribution of the extant and fossil triacanthodid taxa is analyzed and the phylogenetic hypotheses available are used to formulate a hypothesis about the origin of the Tetraodontiformes and the past history of the Triacanthodidae. The main conclusions of this study are that the two presently recognized subfamilies Hollardinae and Triacanthodinae are natural groups; that some of the previously accepted morphospecies reveal, after careful examination, extremely high osteological varability indicating the presence of cryptic species; that two lineages of tnacanthodid fishes probably originated in the ancient Tethys sea between the Paleocene and the Oligocene, and that subsequently one lineage, the Hollardinae, migrated westward across the Atlantic Ocean, while at least one taxon of the other lineage, the Triacanthodinae, crossed the Pacific Ocean eastward. The disjunct distribution of many species of triacanthodines in the Indo-West Pacific could indicate the previous existence of widespread taxa that suffered extinctions due to the sea level changes and the increased regionalization of the marine realms during the Neogene.
Learning, discerning and yearning: the development of language proficiency of non-native speaker French as a second language teachers in Ontario

This qualitative research study relied on individual interviews with 15 participants and a group interview involving four of the 15 participants to explore the French language proficiency of non-native speaker teachers of French as a second language (FSL) and the relationship among their perceptions of their proficiency in French, their teaching practice, and the development of their proficiency in French. A number of themes emerged during the analysis of the data from the interviews and group interview: the native speaker ideal, the notion of judgment of one's level of proficiency by native and expert speakers, the value placed on FSL and its impact on a teacher's motivation, the notion of credibility as a speaker and teacher of FSL, the role that confidence and comfort play in the choice of language proficiency maintenance strategies, differentiation of required level of proficiency according to teaching context, the non-native speaker teacher's understanding of an L2 learner's challenges, and the importance of interaction with native speakers and time spent in the target language milieu as a means of enhancing proficiency. The notions of communities of practice, legitimate peripheral participation, and the zone of proximal development served as theoretical underpinnings for the interpretation of the data. Findings from the study suggest that FSL teachers need an opportunity to openly discuss their anxieties and insecurities regarding their language proficiency. In addition the findings suggest that it would be beneficial to develop a definition of the required proficiency of an FSL teacher rather than relying on the standard of the native speaker. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Divine phthonos in Pindar

In chapter 2 I identify two such possible motivations of divine phthonos: (c) maintaining justice; and (d) maintaining morality. In chapter 3 I identify another possible motivation: (e) maintaining diversity of opportunity, viz. in a competitive context granting success to one person means withholding success from another, and the gods do not allow the same individuals and families to win all contests. I allow (f) that there may be motivations for phthonos which I have not been able to identify, or which are inscrutable. Chapter 4 contains an in-depth study of the theme of divine phthonos in one Pindaric ode, Isth. 7. Many of Pindar's epinician odes were commisioned by wealthy and prestigious patrons to celebrate victory in panhellenic contests. The odes include praise of the patron, mythological material, and prayers to the gods for continued good fortune. Some of these prayers are phrased as requests to avert divine phthonos. Influential treatments of the concept assume that phthon- words originally and basically conveyed "envy" and "jealousy". Accordingly, the ascription of phthonos to the gods in the odes is sometimes understood as an element of primitive anthropomorphism in Pindar. But it has become common to see in the Pindaric idea of divine phthonos the ascription of a more principled response, not envy or jealousy in the common senses of those words, but rather the vigilance with which the gods protect their own status and prerogatives against human encroachments. Readers maintain that superlative human accomplishments, like those achieved by Pindar's patrons, lift mortals to god-like status, that such remarkably successful mortals run the risk of behaving more like gods than like humans, and that it is such presumptuous behaviour that invites the phthonos of the gods. Study of the early pre-Pindaric use of phthon- words carried out in chapter 1 suggests that phthon- words originally conveyed a reduction or diminution of a stream or supply to someone of something vital, beneficial, or desirable, hence a suspension of generosity, "withholding", "stinting", "begrudging". The ascription of phthonos to the gods simply means that the gods may withhold blessings. The weakness of the traditional theories of divine phthonos outlined above lies in part in the fact that they unnecessarily limit the causes of divine withholding to: (a) envy and common jealousy; or else to (b) vigilance over prerogatives. But in principle such withholding or disallowing may be motivated by any number of reasons.
Food intake regulation in men: Role of hyperinsulinemia and insoluble fiber

This research examined the hypothesis that biomarkers of food intake regulation in men are affected by hyperinsulinemia and insoluble fiber. The primary objectives were to determine (1) the effect of hyperinsulinemia on food intake and plasma concentrations of glucose and appetite regulatory hormones in men after a glucose drink, (2) the effect of insoluble fiber intake on appetite, short-term food intake and postprandial blood glucose before and in response to a meal 1 hr later in healthy men, and (3) the effect of one month intake of a high insoluble fiber cereal on appetite, food intake and postprandial response of glucose, insulin, Cholecystokinin (CCK), leptin and adiponectin to a glucose load, and to measure the effect of a single serving of the high insoluble fiber cereal on satiety response to a glucose load in hyperinsulinemic non-diabetic men. Three studies were conducted. Subjective appetite was measured and blood samples were collected for analysis of plasma lipids, glucose, insulin, CCK, leptin and adiponectin. Food intake from a pizza meal was measured lhr after a glucose load (75g) (Study 1) or low and high insoluble fiber cereal treatments (Study 2), and 3 hrs after a low and high fiber ready-to-eat cereal followed by a glucose load (Study 3). Hyperinsulinemia was found to improve food intake compensation in association with elevated fasting concentrations of insulin and leptin, and higher postprandial insulin, glucose, CCK, leptin, and lower ghrelin concentrations. Insoluble fiber increased satiety, lowered food intake at the next meal and reduced glycemic response after the next meal in healthy men. One month of consumption of high insoluble fiber cereal did not alter food intake response to a glucose load, however, an increase in several regulatory hormones approached statistical significance and a serving of high fiber cereal increased subjective satiety compared with low fiber cereal. Taken together, these results provide support that both hyperinsulinemia and insoluble fiber contribute to improved food intake regulation. Hyperinsulinemia enhanced biomarkers of satiety and may be a component of the mechanism explaining its effect. However, mechanisms explaining the effect of insoluble fiber on food intake control, while undefined, merit exploration.
The role of gesture in the acquisition of Italian as a second language

One of the aspects that distinguish cultures across the world is the use of nonverbal behaviour in oral communication. This thesis is concerned with learners of Italian as second language (L2) and their understanding of typical Italian gestures in oral interaction. Second language acquisition (SLA) has traditionally paid little attention to the analysis of how language learners approach and interpret target nonverbal behaviour. As a contribution to research, this thesis offers a study on this topic and develops three main hypotheses of investigation.

Keywords: Language arts
Italian language
Linguistics
Reinforcement learning for factored Markov decision processes

Learning to act optimally in a complex, dynamic and noisy environment is a hard problem. Various threads of research from reinforcement learning, animal conditioning, operations research, machine learning, statistics and optimal control are beginning to come together to offer solutions to this problem. I present a thesis in which novel algorithms are presented for learning the dynamics, learning the value function, and selecting good actions for Markov decision processes. The problems considered have high-dimensional factored state and action spaces, and are either fully or partially observable. The approach I take is to recognize similarities between the problems being solved in the reinforcement learning and graphical models literature, and to use and combine techniques from the two fields in novel ways. In particular I present two new algorithms. First, the DBN algorithm learns a compact representation of the core process of a partially observable MDP. Because inference in the DBN is intractable, I use approximate inference to maintain the belief state. A belief state action-value function is learned using reinforcement learning. I show that this DBN algorithm can solve POMDPs with very large state spaces and useful hidden state. Second, the PoE algorithm learns an approximation to value functions over large factored state-action spaces. The algorithm approximates values as (negative) free energies in a product of experts model. The model parameters can be learned efficiently because inference is tractable in a product of experts. I show that good actions can be found even in large factored action spaces by the use of brief Gibbs sampling. These two new algorithms take techniques from the machine learning community and apply them in new ways to reinforcement learning problems. Simulation results show that these new methods can be used to solve very large problems. The DBN method is used to solve a POMDP with a hidden state space and an observation space of size greater than 2180. The DBN model of the core process has 232 states represented as 32 binary variables. The PoE method is used to find actions in action spaces of size 240 .
Nanotechnology and the developing world

Nanotechnology can provide the developing world with tools to address some of its most critical development challenges. To date, there have been no formal studies to determine which concrete applications of nanotechnology might benefit less industrialized countries. My Thesis presents the first systematic identification and prioritization of the ten nanotechnology applications most likely to improve the quality of life in developing nations. Using a modified Delphi method, and with the collaboration of an international panel of 63 nanotechnology experts from both developed and developing countries, I determined that the top ten applications were: Energy storage, production, and conversion; agricultural productivity enhancement; water treatment and remediation; disease diagnosis and screening; drug delivery systems; food processing and storage; air pollution remediation; construction, health monitoring; and vector and pest detection and control. To further assess the impact of nanotechnology on sustainable development, I mapped the top ten applications to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. I conclude by proposing measures that both developed and developing countries can take to ensure that nanotechnology is directed against critical development challenges by carefully investigating both the potential risks and the benefits of this powerful emergent technology.
The role of the small Rho-GTPases in glioma invasion

Therapeutic failures for malignant gliomas arise from the inability to treat the invading tumours cells that extend beyond the margins of the primary tumour. Glioma invasion is a multi-step process involving cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion, degradation of the ECM and cell migration into normal brain. Although the extracellular factors regulating glioma invasion have been well studied, the intracellular mechanisms leading to cell motility are less well understood. Given the central role of the Rho-GTPases in the hierarchy of cell migration, in this dissertation we studied the intracellular signaling cascades associated with the small Rho-GTPases, their effectors and their regulators in glioma invasion. By inhibiting the Rho-GTPase effector, Rho-kinase (ROCK) with the pharmaceutical compound Y27632, we showed an enhancement of glioma invasion through the activation of Rac1. Accordingly, we identified Rac1 as a critical regulator of glioma motility and invasion. We subsequently determined that ROCK inhibition led to enhancement of myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation in a Rac1 dependent manner, whereas myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) inhibition also led to a Rac1 dependent decrease in MLC phosphorylation. As such, cell contractility, as initiated by the phosphorylation of MLC, is differentially regulated by ROCK and MLCK. However, only Triton-X 100-extracted MLC was phosphorylated in this way, suggesting that astrocytoma cells may harbor different pools of MLC which can function in different contexts. Furthermore, we have shown that cell migration and contractility are inversely related, indicating that cells need to modulate tension requirements to affect directional movement. Given the central role of Rac1 during invasion, we studied the Rac signaling cascade to identify new therapeutic targets for invasive gliomas. Microarray profiling, quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical studies demonstrated that the upstream activators of Rac1, the guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs)---Trio, Ect2 and Vav3---are overexpressed in malignant gliomas compared with normal brain. Functional studies demonstrated that inhibition of these three GEFs effectively inhibited glioma cell motility and invasion. The design of effective anti-invasive therapy, against novel targets identified in this thesis, may lead to the design of more effective therapies for patients with gliomas than are currently available.
The liberalization expected under Agreement on Textiles and Clothing and what Pakistan stands to gain from it?

An important feature of the Uruguay Round was the agreement by the developed countries to abolish the Multifibre Arrangement quotas that (with their predecessors) have restricted exports of textile and clothing products from developing countries for almost forty years. This iniquitous system of quotas violated all the fundamental principles of the multilateral trading system, and discriminated against the poorest countries seeking to move up from reliance on commodity trade towards an emphasis on manufactures. However, the prospective abolition of these quotas will not necessarily generate automatic benefits for individual countries. It will create opportunities but will also expose them to additional competition from other, formerly restrained, exporters. The outcome for any individual country will depend heavily on its policy response. This thesis studies the case of Pakistan and makes suggestions to help Pakistan streamline its policies for increasing its gains from quota abolition in the post ATC scenario.

Keywords: Textile industry, Pakistan
Clothing trade, Pakistan
Computational and structural studies of the Pro-Pro-Thr-Pro tetrapeptide fragment of the Immunoglobulin-A hinge region

Structural information gathered from molecular dynamics, an X-ray crystal structure and the Protein Data Bank was used in a combinatorial manner to study the energetically accessible conformations of Pro-Pro-Thr-Pro (PPTP), the tetrapeptide fragment of the Immunoglobulin-A hinge region, through quantum mechanical calculations. This served to provide an energetic explanation for the conformational preference of PPTP for either the Type II polyproline helix (PPII) or beta-turn conformation, ultimately providing part of a suitable groundwork for the design and implementation of future inhibitors. The effects of the mono-, di- and tri-peptide fragments on the overall PPTP structure as well as thermodynamic stability and intramolecular hydrogen bonding have been examined. Energetic profiles and structural features obtained from the theoretical and experimental approaches revealed that the relative stability of the PPII and beta-turn conformations appear to be related to intramolecular hydrogen bonding involving the -OH group of the Thr sidechain on the PPTP backbone.
Development and preliminary analysis of a questionnaire to study links between stress, social support and periodontal disease

Background. Variations in periodontal disease cannot be explained solely by the biological and behavioural risk factors. Some of the variance may be explained by stress and social support, a field referred to as psychoneuroimmunology. It focuses on the interactions among the behavioural, neural, endocrine and immune system. Objectives. Development of a questionnaire and analysis of the data to assess the relationship between stress, social support and periodontal disease. Methods. A comprehensive stress and social support survey which was administered to 120 patients. Results. Item reduction analysis including Chi square tests allowed shortening of the questionnaire from 89 to 14 questions. Results revealed that diseased patients suffer higher levels of acute and chronic stress as compared to controls. Patients with acute stress are more likely to have severe disease. Conclusions. A novel stress and social support questionnaire will allow for the study of the relationship between stress, social support and periodontitis.
Role of the transient outward potassium current and action potential profile in cardiac excitation-contraction coupling, hypertrophy and failure

Action potential (AP) duration is prolonged in many forms of heart disease, often as a result of reductions in transient outward K + currents (Ito). To examine the effects of a primary reduction in Ito current in heart, transgenic mice were generated expressing a dominant-negative N-terminal fragment of the Kv4.2 pore-forming potassium channel subunit in the heart. In 3–4 week old transgenic mice, Ito was significantly reduced, AP duration was lengthened and contractility enhanced. Cardiac calcineurin activity was elevated in Kv4.2N mice by 5 weeks of age, increasing progressively throughout development of heart failure by 12–15 weeks. Treatment with cyclosporin A or verapamil, protected Kv4.2N mice against cardiomyopathy as assessed by ventricular function measurements, Western analysis and morphological studies, suggesting that enhanced Ca2+ cycling and activation of calcineurin play a central role in disease development following Ito reduction. The underlying mechanisms responsible for enhanced Ca2+ transients following AP prolongation due to Ito reduction were investigated in healthy isolated rat ventricular myocytes. Under conditions of equal SR Ca2+ load, stimulation with a prolonged rat AP triggered a larger systolic [Ca2+]i transient and greater fractional cell shortening than the short control AP, establishing that changes in triggering of SR Ca2+ release are largely responsible for elevated Ca 2+ transients following AP prolongation in post-MI rats. Excessive slowing of membrane repolarization, as occurs with Ito reduction in human myocytes, was studied by measuring spatially resolved SR Ca 2+ release upon stimulation with voltage ramps and simulated human APs. The effect of changes in Ito and repolarization rate on spatially resolved SR Ca2+ release revealed that the kinetics and peak amplitude of Ca2+ transients were reduced and the amplitude, frequency and temporal synchronization of Ca2+ spikes decreased as rate of repolarization was slowed. The kinetics of Ca2+ release tracked closely with the time to peak and width of ICa,L, suggesting that the effects of repolarization rate on SR Ca2+ release occur primarily via changes in ICa,L. Collectively, these data demonstrate that Ito reduction in rodents alters the time-course and magnitude of trigger ICa,L which enhances E-C coupling, elevates systolic [Ca2+]i, and induces calcineurin-mediated hypertrophy. Excessive prolongation as with Ito down-regulation in humans desynchronizes Ca2+ release and reduces E-C coupling.