VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Genetic Considerations in the Evolution of Sexual Dimorphism

Sexual differences are dramatic and widespread across taxa. However, a common genome between males and females should hinder phenotypic divergence. In this thesis I have used experimental, genomic, and theoretical approaches to study processes that can facilitate and maintain differences between males and females. I studied two mechanisms for the evolution of sexual dimorphism - condition-dependence and gene duplication. If sex-specific traits are costly, then individuals should only express such traits when they possess enough resources to do so. I experimentally manipulated adult condition and found that the sex-biased gene expression depends on condition. Second, duplication events can permit different gene copies to adopt sex-specific expression. I showed that half of all duplicate families have paralogs with different sex-biased expression patterns between members. I investigated how current sexual dimorphism may support novel dimorphism. With regards gene duplication, I found that related duplicates did not always have different expression patterns. However, duplicating a pre-existing sex-biased gene effectively increases organismal sexual dimorphism overall. From a theoretical perspective, I investigated how sexually dimorphic recombination rates allow novel sexually antagonistic variation to invade. Male and female recombination rates separately affect invasion probabilities of new alleles. Finally, I examined the assumption that a common genetic architecture impedes the evolution of sexual dimorphism. First, I conducted a literature review to test whether additive genetic variances in shared traits were different between the sexes. There were few significant statistical differences. However, extreme male-biased variances were more common than extreme female-biased variances. Sexual dimorphism is expected to evolve easily in such traits. Second, I compared these results to findings from the multivariate literature. In contrast to single trait studies, almost all multivariate studies of sexual dimorphism have found variance differences, both in magnitude and orientation, between males and females. Overall, this thesis concludes that sexual dimorphism can evolve by processes that generate novel sexual dimorphism or that take advantage of pre-existing dimorphism. Furthermore, a common genome is not necessarily a strong barrier if genetic variances differ between the sexes. It will be an exciting challenge to understand how mutation and selection work together to allow organisms differ in their ability evolve sexual dimorphism.

Keywords: sexual dimorphism
sexual conflict
sexual selection
intersexual genetic correlation
Advisor: Rowe, Locke
The Jeweled Fish Hook: Monastic Exemplarity in the Shalu Abbatial History

This dissertation is an in-depth study of the nineteenth-century Shalu Abbatial History, a collection of biographies of abbots and other important religious masters, or lamas, from the Tibetan monastery of Shalu, located in the Tibetan region of Tsang. Examining the History in conjunction with the autobiography of its author, Losel Tengyong (b. 1804), and vis-à-vis other texts from Shalu, reveals, I argue, that the Shalu Abbatial History is a guidebook of conduct that prescribes to the Shalu monk, its intended reader, a discrete pattern of exemplarity that constitutes the author's own particular vision of what a noble lama should be within the Shalu tradition. The constitution of this pattern of exemplarity is examined within four themes of virtuous conduct: the dedication to resolving congregational conflicts, the literalist observance of the Buddhist disciplinary code contained within the Vinaya, the devotion to the preservation of books, and the power to successfully exploit violent rituals to protect the monastic tradition. The prescriptive vision, moreover, constituted by these four virtuous themes, lies not only within the History itself, but also more broadly in the intertextual connections that clarify this prescription and infuse it with meaning from the Shalu tradition—the world that has generated, and is reflected within, the text.

Keywords: Buddhism
Tibet
Biography
History
Advisor: Garrett, Frances
CD200: A Novel Therapeutic Target for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

The ability of cancer cells to escape anti-tumor immune responses is acknowledged as one of the hallmarks of cancer. Overexpression of immunoregulatory molecules is one mechanism responsible for the immunsuppressive network that is characteristic of the tumor microenvironment. In this thesis, we investigated the role of CD200, a potent immunoregulatory molecule, in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. We showed that functional blockade of CD200 on lymphoma cells or primary CLL cells, both of which express CD200 at high levels, augmented cytotoxic killing of these cells by effector CD8+ T cells in vitro. We also identified and characterized a previously unrecognized soluble form of CD200, sCD200, present in elevated levels in CLL plasma when compared to plasma from controls. The data reported show that patients with high sCD200 levels have more aggressive disease, inferring that sCD200 may be a novel prognostic marker for CLL. The in vivo function of sCD200 was investigated for its ability to support engraftment of CLL splenocytes in NOD.SCID mice. Infusion of sCD200hi CLL plasma, but not sCD200lo normal plasma, enhanced engraftment of CLL-splenocytes in vivo, an effect which was abrogated by depletion of sCD200 from CLL plasma. The prolonged engraftment of CLL cells seen in this model (>6 months) suggests these mice represent a useful pre-clinical model for drug screening. The effect of CD200 blockade was tested in this model, and was found to be as effective in eliminating engrafted CLL cells as rituximab. Investigation of the mechanisms leading to the release of sCD200 from CLL cells showed that sCD200 was produced following ectodomain shedding by ADAM proteases and MMPs. Results from studies reported in this thesis support the hypothesis that CD200 plays a major role in CLL biology, and suggests it may represent a novel therapeutic target for CLL.

Keywords: CD200
CLL
immunotherapy
Advisor: Gorczynski, Reginald M.
Effects of Unilateral and Bilateral Cochlear Implantation on Cortical Activity Measured by an EEG Neuroimaging Method in Children

Bilateral implantation of a cochlear implant (CI) after a >2 year period of unilateral hearing with a second implant has been shown to result in altered latencies in brainstem responses in children with congenital deafness. In this thesis, a neural source localization method was developed to investigate the effects of unilateral CI use on cortical development after the implantation of a 2nd CI. The electroencephalography (EEG) source localization method is based on the linearly constrained minimum variance (LCMV) vector beamformer and utilizes null constraints to minimize the electrical artifact produced by the CI. The accuracy of the method was assessed and optimized through simulations and comparisons to beamforming with magnetoencephalography (MEG) data. After using cluster analyses to ensure that sources compared across subjects originate from the same neural generators, a study was done to examine the effects of unilateral CI hearing on hemispheric lateralization to monaural responses. It was found that a >2 year period of unilateral hearing results in expanded projections from the 1st implanted ear to the contralateral auditory area that is not reversed by implantation of a 2nd CI. A subsequent study was performed to examine the effects of unilateral CI hearing on the contributions of the 1st and 2nd implanted ears to the binaural response. It was found that in children with > 2 years of unilateral hearing, the binaural response is dominated by the 1st implanted ear. Together, these results suggest that the delay between the 1st and 2nd CI should be minimized in bilateral implantation to avoid dominance of auditory pathways from the 1st implanted ear. This dominance limits developmental competition from the 2nd CI and potentially contributes to poorer performance in speech detection in noise tasks.

Keywords: Cochlear Implant
Auditory Pathway
Neuroplasticity
Beamformer
Source Localization
Electroencephalography
Advisor: Gordon, Karen A.
Neural Changes Associated with Treatment Outcome in Children with Externalizing Problems

The current thesis directly investigated whether changes in the neural correlates of self-regulation (SR) are associated with the effectiveness of treatment for children’s externalizing problems. In order to test this, seventy-one children 8–12 years of age with clinical levels of externalizing behaviour and their parents completed a 12-week cognitive behavioural therapy program (12 sessions) with a parent management training component that was aimed at improving SR. Electroencephalogram (EEG) correlates of SR were evaluated before and after treatment with a go/no-go task requiring inhibitory control on the children. Results showed that event-related potential (ERP) correlates of SR, such as the frontal N2 and frontal P3 event-related potential magnitudes, differed between the clinical sample and a matched comparison group before treatment: the clinical sample had larger N2 magnitudes and smaller frontal P3 magnitudes. Children who showed improvement (45%) with treatment demonstrated a decrease in the magnitude of the N2 in comparison with children who did not improve. For improvers only, source analysis during the time period of the N2 modeled activation decreases in dorsomedial and ventromedial prefrontal cortex as well as the anterior medial temporal lobe. A decrease in N2 magnitudes and corresponding reductions in source activation, in children who improved with treatment, might reflect improved efficiency in the neural mechanisms of SR. These findings may be important steps toward a better identification of neural markers of SR and a better understanding of the mechanisms of treatment efficacy.

Keywords: EEG
children
treatment
antisocial
Advisor: Lewis, Marc D.
Sleep and Wake Disorders Following Traumatic Brain Injury: Impact on Recovery of Cognition and Communication

Objective: To examine sleep and wake disorders following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their impact on recovery of cognition, communication and mood. Research Design: This three-manuscript thesis comprises an introduction to sleep in the context of human function and development. It is followed by a systematic review of the literature pertaining to sleep and wake disorders following TBI, and then explores the relationship between sleep and arousal disturbance and functional recovery of cognitive-communication through a single case study, pre–post intervention. Finally, a larger study longitudinally explores the impact of treatment to optimize sleep and wakefulness on recovery of cognition, communication and mood through objective and subjective measures, pre-post intervention. The thesis concludes with a chapter that addresses the implications of findings for rehabilitation from the perspective of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), and a presentation of future research directions for the field Methods: The first manuscript involved a systematic review and rating of the quality of evidence. The second manuscript involved the evaluation of sleep and wakefulness by objective measures, and longitudinally by self-report through the Daily Cognitive-Communication and Sleep Profile (DCCASP, © Wiseman-Hakes 2008, see Appendix S). Cognitive-communication abilities were also measured by the DCCASP. The third manuscript utilized a single case series and cohort design to evaluate sleep and wakefulness, and to examine cognition, communication and mood at baseline and following optimization of sleep and wakefulness. Results: For Manuscript One, 43 articles were reviewed for levels and quality of evidence across 5 domains: epidemiology, pathophysiology, neuropsychological implications, intervention and paediatrics. In Manuscript Two, we showed that there was a statistically and functionally significant relationship between perceived quality of sleep and language processing, attention and memory, seen across the phases of the intervention. In Manuscript Three, we showed that there were statistically and functionally significant improvements across several domains of cognition, communication and mood in response to treatment. Conclusions: Sleep and wake disorders after TBI are pervasive, and can negatively impact rehabilitation and recovery. There is a need for systematic evaluation and intervention for these disorders in all persons with TBI.

Keywords: Traumatic Brain Injury
Cognitive-communication disorders
Sleep and wake disorders
recovery
Mood
Sleep
Advisor: Colantonio, Angela
Reformation and Revelry: The Practices and Politics of Dancing in Early Modern England, c.1550-c.1640

This study examines the cultural and religious politics of dancing in late sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century England. Although theologically dance was considered morally neutral, as a physical, embodied practice, context determined whether each occurrence was deemed acceptable or immoral. Yet, judging and interpreting these contexts, and thus delineating the boundaries between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour, was contested and controversial. Advocates argued that dance enabled controlled, graceful movement and provided a harmless outlet for youthful energy. Opponents decried it as a vain, idle, and lascivious indulgence that led to illicit sexual liaisons, profanation of the sabbath, and eternal damnation. The first chapter introduces early dance fundamentals, describing steps, genres, and sources. The chapter also discusses venues in which people danced, times of day and seasons that were most popular, and demographic details for dancers in western England. Chapter 2 demonstrates how, by varying details of their performance, dancers could influence a dance’s appropriateness, as well as express aspects of identity, such as gender and social rank. Chapter 3 examines how clergymen and religious reformers addressed and tried to undermine pro-dance arguments through their treatment of biblical dance references in sermons and treatises. Chapters 4 and 5 feature case studies of parochial clergymen and lay persons whose opinions about dancing became flashpoints for local controversies. They explain why prosecutions for dancing were so sporadic and geographically scattered: dancing practices rarely entered the historical record unless a “perfect storm” of community tensions and personal antagonisms created irreconcilable differences that led to violence or court cases. The dissertation argues that a category, such as festive traditionalist, is needed to describe those who conformed to or embraced Protestant worship but who strongly resisted attempts to “reform” their behaviour outside of the church.

Keywords: history
early modern
dance
England
Renaissance
puritanism
Tudor
Stuart
British
drama
staging
cultural history
dancing
religion
Advisor: Todd, Barbara
Social Support Networks for Literacy Engagement among Culturally Diverse Urban Adolescents

This thesis explores the influences of social networks and social support on the literacy engagement of 7 high school students from a multicultural, multilingual, and economically disadvantaged urban neighborhood in a large, diverse North American city. Specifically, this study describes (1) students’ social networks and social literacy interactions; (2) the types of social support the network relationships provide for participants’ literacy; and (3) the ways in which this socioliterate support might affect participants’ literacy engagement. Guided by Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979, 1992/2005), at three times during an 18-month period the 7 participants completed social network maps and interviews, checklists about their reading and writing choices, and retrospective interviews about their reading and writing practices on self-selected texts. These data were analyzed on the basis of Tardy’s (1985) typology of social support and the tripartite model of engagement proposed by Fredricks, Blumenfeld, and Paris (2004), then individual case reports were created for each participant. For cross-case analysis (Stake, 2006), the individual reports were compared across similar, predetermined themes. Two primary conclusions are supported by the data and analysis: These adolescents received varying amounts and types of socioliterate support from certain members of their social networks, particularly teachers and family members, and this support positively influenced their literacy engagement when they were facing difficult or uninteresting tasks. The study provides an understanding of the relationship between social support, motivation, and engagement in single literacy events, including proposed relationships between these three concepts, as well as perspectives on the role of technology in adolescent social network formation and on the sources from whom adolescents seek literacy-based social support. The study describes pedagogical spaces that can provide and activate such literacy support and suggests topics for future research relating to adolescent literacy, socioliterate networks and support, and literacy engagement.

Keywords: Adolescent Literacy
Engagement
ESL
Ecological Systems Theory
Social Networks
Social Support
Advisor: Cumming, Alister
Exploring Determinants of Registered Nurses' Trust in their Managers

A nurse-manager relationship plays a key role in a nurse’s practice environment. A nurse’s trust in one’s manager is the foundation for a supportive nurse-manager relationship and has crucial bearing upon the professional and personal lives of the nurse. However due to health care restructuring, nurses expressed little trust towards their leaders. To develop and implement strategies to help build healthy nurse-manager relationships, research is needed to more fully understand the factors that establish and enhance a nurse’s trust in one’s manager. This study tested a theoretical model that examined potential individual, managerial, relational and environmental attributes that impact a nurse’s degree of managerial trust. Employing a cross-sectional, descriptive design, a self-administered survey was completed by a random sample of 342 Registered Nurses employed in Ontario emergency departments. Structural equation modeling techniques tested and refined the hypothesized model. Final analysis showed adequate fit of data to theoretical model (χ 2 = 78.86, df = 20, SRMR = .02, CFI = .98, RMSEA = .09). In the final model, a manager’s perceived ability, benevolence, integrity and procedural justice had a strong, direct impact on managerial trust. Trust in one’s manager was indirectly influenced by procedural justice and ability as well as a manager’s facilitation of team work, communication accuracy, emotional availability and interaction frequency. Attributes of the individual RN, specifically job tenure and propensity to trust as well as self-determination, access to support and resources and span of control did not affect trust in one’s manager. Study findings suggest that creation and preservation of a nurse’s managerial trust is a complex process affected by manager’s competence and character as well as a fair decision-making process. Education programs that contribute to a manager’s ability, benevolence, integrity and procedural justice may help build and sustain nurses’ trust and healthy nurse-manager relationships.

Keywords: trust
nurses
Advisor: Tourangeau, Ann
Tattered Cloth Tells More: Women's Work and Museum Representation

The past two decades posed some challenges for the museum world. Questions about the production of meaning, museum relationships with community groups, and the politics of representation in exhibitions, occupy both museum practitioners and scholars. These questions are further related to the general issues that are at the forefront of contemporary society, which include problems of social inclusion, cultural diversity and social equity (Sandell, 2002; 2007). Most of the discussion has been framed around racial, ethnic and cultural communities and their access to and participation in museum programming. Gender relations and feminist issues have been largely overlooked (Conlan and Levin, 2010: 308). This study considers the representation of women’s work in museums. In particular, I examine portrayals of “culture” and “work” in women’s textile production. Museum literature has documented the subordination (or absence) of women and their work in exhibitions and the hegemonic, patriarchal approach within which they were represented (Porter, 1996; Levin, 2010). Using an ethnographic case study of a museum dedicated to textile collection, I suggest seeing this museum as a potential challenge to mainstream museums’ traditional approach and silence on the women’s work that has created most textiles on display. I examine the meanings that are produced in relation to the textiles, the organization and dissemination of these meanings through exhibitions and the ways in which the public (visitors and members) responds to these exhibitions. In order to explore these questions, Hall’s communication model (1993) was applied to trace the process of encoding and decoding meanings at the museum. My approach to meaning production is realized through observations of the museum’s committee meetings. The second stage is the circulation of meanings in exhibitions. I examine this through an analysis of exhibitions’ texts and docent tours. Decoding these meanings is realized through surveys of museum members and visitors together with short interviews. My findings suggest that initially, the museum offered some oppositional elements in exhibiting practices. However, a shift occurred towards a dominant, hegemonic view of museum work and re-effacing of women’s work with the departure of the founders.

Keywords: museum
women
work
Advisor: Livingstone, David W.