VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
A new class of set union algorithms

The set union problem is a well studied problem with many efficient solutions. We survey the known algorithms for this problem and present a variety of worst-case and average-case analyses. We introduce a new class of algorithms which require less space than the best known algorithms, and which have asymptotically optimal performance in the average case. The average-case analyses use the random graph probability model. Experimental results using this input distribution confirm that, in the average case, our new algorithms perform as well or better than all other known algorithms.
Intracellular osteopontin, relationship to osteogenic differentiation and cell migration

Osteopontin (OPN), a major component of the bone matrix, is expressed at different stages of bone cell development. To determine possible relationships between OPN expression and stages of osteogenic cell differentiation I performed analyses of intracellular OPN in early (proliferating), sub-confluent (differentiating) and mature (mineralizing) cultures of fetal rat calvarial cells (FRCC's) using a combination of flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. At each culture stage a high proportion (60-98%) of cells were immunoreactive for OPN (OPN+ve) which in combination with morphological characteristics can be used to analyze osteogenic differentiation. Within the OPN-ve cells a population of small cells with low cytoplasmic granularity (S-cells) were isolated by flow cytometry and found to be enriched in stem cells. Thus, freshly-sorted suspensions of immunostained S cells did not express differentiation-associated markers such as type I, II, and III collagens, alkaline phosphatase or osteopontin. However, S cells expressed these markers together with OPN and CD44 following attachment. Upon plating, S cells also exhibited high proliferation capacity and in culture generated chondrocyte, adipocyte, and smooth muscle phenotypes, in addition to osteogenic cells. Limiting dilution analysis revealed a 3-fold enrichment of osteo-progenitors in the S cell population, which was the only population that demonstrated extensive self-renewal of cells with osteogenic potential. In OPN+ve cells, two patterns of intracellular immunostaining were observed; perinuclear, typical of secreted proteins, and perimembranous. The perimembranous staining predominated in migrating FRCCs and fetal dermal fibroblasts, which contained higher levels of OPN than non-migrating cells. Using confocal microscopy and double-immunofluorescent labeling the perimembranous OPN was found to co-localize with cellsurface CD44 and ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) proteins. Moreover, the OPN was immunoprecipitated by CD44 antibodies as a complex with ERM proteins and CD44. OPN-/- fetal fibroblasts exhibited impaired ability to migrate and to attach to hyaluronan coated-beads. Co-localization of OPN and CD44 was also demonstrated in activated human macrophages and in a metastatic epithelial tumor cell line. Collectively, these studies of intracellular OPN have identified stromal precursor cells with stem cell characteristics and have revealed an intracellular form of OPN that appears to be a functional component of the CD44-ERM cell attachment complex in migrating cells.
Enhancement of air filtration using non-ionising electrostatic fields

A bench-scale test duct was designed and built to house and test filter assemblies made of wire-mesh electrodes that were charged with a positive, direct-current voltage to produce a non-ionising electric field about fibrous filter media (the test filter) placed in between, or near to the electrodes, transverse to airflow. A high efficiency filter placed in the duct, downstream of the filter assembly, was used in an evaluation scheme that relied on the relative staining of that filter by the test aerosol, cigarette smoke. The efficiency of the filter assembly was improved from 35% with a test filter alone, to 97% with wire-mesh electrodes charged to 9000V, bracketing the test filter. It was found that a single charged wire mesh on its own provided efficient (95%) collection of smoke via precipitation to the duct walls and electrodes. The location of the deposition was controlled by the placement of electrical grounds within the duct. A computer model was used to simulate experiments.
The role of cell cycle regulators p53 and p16[superscript]I[superscript]N[superscript]K§4[superscript]a in the pathogenesis of primary brain tumours

Both p53 and p16$\rm\sp{INK4a}$ inhibit progression through G1/S and are altered in a wide variety of malignancies including glial cell tumors. In this study, the role of p53 and p16$\rm\sp{INK4a}$ in the pathogenesis of primary brain tumors is examined. Thirty-six frozen tissue samples were obtained from adult glial cell tumors and both genomic DNA and total RNA were extracted simultaneously using a CsCl technique. Single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis followed by DNA sequencing was performed to characterize specific gene mutations for both p53 and p16$\rm\sp{INK4a}$. In addition, Southern blot analysis and multiplex-PCR were used to identify large deletions of the p16$\rm\sp{INK4a}$ gene. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR was performed to analyze p53 mRNA levels. Immunohistochemistry was done using monoclonal antibodies specific for the amino terminus of p53 (D0-7 and 1801). Six of the tumours examined harboured mutations involving the p53 gene. No mutations of the p16$\rm\sp{INK4a}$ gene were detected using sequencing techniques. however analysis of the same tumours using multiplex-PCR showed evidence of deletions in 14 samples. A positive correlation was found between the presence of p53 mutations and altered forms of the p53 protein as detected by immunochemistry. There was no evidence of any correlation between p53 mRNA expression levels and p53 mutations or p53 protein abnormalities. Overall 18 tumours harboured alterations of either p16$\rm\sp{INK4a}$ or p53 and only two tumours contained mutations/deletions of both of these products. These findings suggest that using sequencing techniques to investigate primary brain tumours will miss deletions of the p16$\rm\sp{INK4a}$ gene. Mutations/deletions of the p53 and p16$\rm\sp{INK4a}$ genes in brain tumours are often reciprocal in nature, and deletion of p16$\rm\sp{INK4a}$ may offer an alternative mechanism of tumor pathogenesis in the presence of wild-type p53.
Reading acquisition of adults with severe congenital speech and physical impairments, theoretical infrastructure, empirical investigation, educational application

Theoretical issues pertaining to both ecological and reading acquisition factors were addressed. Two empirical descriptive studies were conducted. In Study 1, a battery of reading acquisition skill tests was given to 107 Kindergarten students in order to obtain performance measurements of nondisabled children at the onset of reading. In Study 2, communication competencies were evaluated, ecological information was obtained and an expanded battery of tests was given to 32 adults with SCSPI, of whom 31 had used Blissymbolics as their initial primary communication system. A multi-tiered model of analysis was used for examining the data. The results showed (1) an overall lower reading performance of adult subjects with SCSPI in comparisons on standardized tests with the norms of nondisabled adults, (2) a similar pattern of performance on informal reading related tasks in comparisons between adults with SCSPI and children at comparable phonological recoding levels, (3) statistically significant performance differences between SCSPI subjects with phonological recoding skills and those without, and (4) a pattern of higher reading achievement associated with stronger environmental support 'irregardless of articulatory ability'. An argument is presented that the failure to find a different pattern of reading acquisition skills between the SCSPI and nondisabled groups at similar phonological recoding levels precludes a primarily endogenous explanation for the generally lower reading level of persons with SCSPI. Rather, the higher ecological ratings associated with higher reading achievement and higher performance in language and cognitive measures provide support for an exogenous etiology. Limitations relating to print access, literacy instruction and literacy expectations are proposed as primary causal factors of lower reading performance of learners with SCSPI rather than their severe speech limitations to which reading difficulties are typically attributed. Lower performance in tasks measuring nonverbal intelligence, receptive language and working memory are attributed to a reciprocal relationship between reading ability and the efficiency of these cognitive processes. A Profile for Reading Acquisition and an Ecological Checklist are proposed for use within 'Writing and Reading with the Internet and Bliss' ('WRIB')--a new Educational Application emphasizing explicit, analytic teaching of spelling-sound correspondences and using the learner's experience with Blissymbolics as a language resource.
On double-torus knots

A well known family of knots is the torus knots. These are the knots which may be embedded in a genus one Heegaard surface in 'S' 3. This idea is generalized in two ways: first, by considering knots which may be embedded in a genus two Heegaard surface <math> <f> <sc>T</sc></f> </math> in 'S'3 (double-torus knots), and second, by considering knots which are "almost" torus knots, i.e. knots which live on the torus except for one "straight" arc, called a 'bridge'. This second class of knots are called ' genus one bridge one' ('g1b1') knots. In fact it is easily seen that 'g'1'b'1 knots are double-torus knots. A double-torus knot may be either a separating or a non-separating curve on <math> <f> <sc>T</sc></f> </math>. A separating knot, if not trivial, is necessarily genus one. Some Seifert invariants coming from the 2 * 2 Seifert matrix are discussed, and several infinite families of non-trivial separating knots with trivial Alexander polynomial are described. Among the non-separating knots are the 'g'1'b'1 knots, which in turn include the 2-bridge knots. Formulae for the Alexander polynomial are given in the simplest cases. These show similarities to the torus and Terasaka formulae for Alexander polynomials.
We do not want to learn how to play golf: Women leaders of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)

This study explored the realities of women union activists in order to illuminate their place within the current evolving culture of the labour movement in Canada. Women have been entering the work force and becoming members of unions at increasingly high rates. This increased representation of women union members has challenged the culture of the labour movement and has forced a renegotiation of who is considered "appropriate" in positions of leadership. The participants in this study were sixteen women members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) who were elected into leadership positions at the local, provincial, and national levels. Literature on women's activism has focused on the barriers facing them and their resultant under-representation in elected leadership positions. However, a comprehensive theory which describes the experiences of women union activists and their personal choices in becoming active has not yet been developed. Using an inductive analysis within a qualitative paradigm, this study explored the multi-faceted experiences of women's lives and how these experiences impact on their desire to become active within CUPE. To explain these experiences, the "Self-Fulfillment Theory" (SFT) has been developed. The SFT focuses on women's desire to self-actualize and to reach the goal of self-fulfillment as primary reasons for becoming active in the labour movement. Activism is a means for women to develop a sense of personal power and control and ultimately to achieve fulfillment in their lives. Activism is more than a job or a commitment; it is tied to their desired self-perception; namely, as strong competent contributors to society. This study suggests that to explain women's activism within the labour movement, it is important not to focus solely on the barriers limiting women's involvement. An understanding of women's personal desires and feelings about themselves are crucial components for an explanation of women's activism. It is suggested that further work be undertaken to explore the elements introduced within the framework of the SFT. The relationship among self-esteem, self-efficacy and women's activism is a further suggested area of study.
A novel trench lateral power MOSFET with high breakdown voltage and low on-resistance

This thesis deals with lateral power MOSFETs which are used in disc drives, power supplies, and automotive applications. Power MOSFETs are popular because of their high switching speed, high input impedance and wide safe operating area. However, reduction in device specific on-resistance is limited in conventional lateral DMOS transistors due to the long drift region associated with the drain. The objective of this thesis is to propose a novel power MOSFET to solve the problem. A novel Trench Lateral Power MOSFET (TLPM) and its fabrication process are proposed in this thesis. The TLPM is implemented along the sidewall of trenches in order to increase packing density of the MOSFET. The process utilizes self-aligned method to form the gate electrode and the trench bottom contact holes to the drain to achieve minimum pitch and very low on-resistance. Simulation results show that the proposed TLPM with a device pitch of 4 $\mu$m has a similar current handling capability to a Conventional LPM (CLPM) with a device pitch of 8 $\mu$m for devices with breakdown voltage of 80 V, indicating drastic improvement of specific on-resistance for the TLPM. Experimental verification proves that the unique self-aligned method to open trench bottom contact holes to the drain leads to reduced device pitch. The results show that the specific on-resistances for the TLPM and CLPM are 0.8 m$\Omega$-cm$\sp2$ and 1.6 m$\Omega$-cm$\sp2$ respectively for a 80 V breakdown device.
A numerical study of one-factor interest rate models

This thesis is concerned with a numerical study of one-factor interest rate models. First the basics of option pricing theory are outlined together with a simple derivation of the Heath-Jarrow-Morton (HJM) models. Then we discuss the term-structure-consistent models and their relation with the HJM models. We show that adaptive tree methods, namely, tree methods that include adaptive branching rules to incorporate the mean-reverting properties of the interest rates, are very stable and efficient. We apply the tree methods to five models: the Black-Karasinski model, the Cox-Ingersoll-Ross (CIR) model, the cubic-variance model, the Ho-Lee model and the Hull-White model. Using the market data from the US market near the end of June, 1997, we test and compare the five models. Our results show that all the models except that of Ho-Lee produce similar prices for at-the-money or in-the-money options, but give very different prices for deep-out-of-the-money options. In particular, the more sensitive the volatility of a model is to the level of the interest rates, the higher prices the model produces for deep-out-of-the-money put options. Finally we look at the issue of negative interest rates in the Hull-White model and our results suggest that it is insignificant for today's US market.
Everyday practices of race, class and gender

Most approaches to social work do not engage with the question of how multiple bases of subordination such as race, class and gender shape and organize social life. While a number of critical social work theorists have addressed themselves to issues of oppression, none of this work explicates the way that race, class and gender overlap, contest and generally play themselves out in everyday life (Carniol, 1990; Dominelli, 1988, Mullaly, 1993; Wineman, 1984). This thesis looks at the everyday practices of front line critical social workers in order to understand how race, class and gender are played out in the social work endeavor. Data were collected from five focus groups and nine in-depth interviews involving a total of twenty-one participants. Agency and community documents and policies acted as secondary data sources and were used to provide a sense of context. At the level of formal theory, the informants displayed a good knowledge of critical theory. However, at the level of talking about everyday social work practice, the informants tended to employ liberal, ideological constructions of race, class and gender. In contrast, at the level of practice, that is while employing techniques that are directly associated with the critical model of social work, a shift occurred within the relations and identities of workers and clients. This shift was typified by a reported commonality of cause and struggle, shared new identities as social justice fighters, and a mutual sense that the existing order, or pieces of it, are unjust and must be collectively changed. These shifts underscore the importance of continuing to develop and work with these explicitly critical social work practice techniques. This study also identified various agency policies and processes that neutralize race, class and gender conflicts without resolving them. Finally, the study identified structures and policies that enhance and support critical practice. In sum, these findings are important because improving our understanding of how race, class and gender are depoliticized can enhance our capacity to resist oppression and build new structures, relations and identities based on shared struggle and social justice agendas.
Developmental pathways to adolescent mathematics engagement

Using a subject pool of 421 adolescents (grades 9-13), longitudinal changes in conceptions about the nature of success were investigated. As well, math engagement was examined as a function of beliefs about success (luck, easy questions, hard work, talent), educational class condition (males and females from co-educational math classes, and females from a single sex intervention program). Finally, patterns of math engagement were examined for within-group differences for students who were attaining at a low vs high rate before the initial phase of the study. Beliefs about success shifted from internal explanations to external explanations. In general, students who attributed success in math to internal factors were more engaged with math, as were females in the single sex classes. Beliefs about success, class condition, and subsequent success did not influence students who were in the low achievement group suggesting, that prior achievement is a strong indicator of future performance.
Mapping the sodium channel-ankyrin interaction

Voltage-gated sodium channels (Na$\sp+$ channels) mediate the initial depolarization event during impulse conduction in excitable tissues. In neurons, the polarized and clustered distribution of Na$\sp+$ channels at the nodes of Rainier is critical for the efficient transmission of the action potential along the axon shaft. It has been suggested that the association of Na$\sp+$ channels with ankyrin, a cytoskeletal linker protein, may be involved in the maintenance of the specialized Na$\sp+$ channel distributions. While progress has been made in mapping the Na$\sp+$ channel binding site on ankyrin, nothing is known about the ankyrin binding site on Na$\sp+$ channel. In this thesis, the ability of fusion proteins corresponding to the intracellular domains of rat brain Na$\sp+$ channel IIa (rbNIIa) to bind purified human erythrocyte ankyrin was tested using photo-activated cross-linking experiments, affinity precipitations and enzyme-linked immunosorption assays (ELISAs). These assays revealed that both the N-terminus (NT) and the C-terminus (CT) of rbNIIa bound specifically to ankyrin, although the NT-ankyrin interaction displayed higher affinity by at least an order of magnitude. Identification of the the intracellular domains of rbNIIa involved in forming the ankyrin binding site is critical for defining the molecular basis of the Na$\sp+$ channel-ankyrin interaction, and in understanding basic mechanisms underlying diseases such as multiple sclerosis and muscular dystrophy.
Maintaining competence, understanding how professionals learn

The purpose of this study was to learn about the professional development activities of licensed Psychologists, members of the newly formed College of Psychologists, who practised within Ontario, Canada. A self-administered mail survey was sent to 24% of the membership (452 surveys); 64.8% or 293 completed surveys were returned. The survey questions were subjected to statistical analysis and the open-ended questions were analysed by identifying themes. Psychologists devoted approximately 12 hours per month towards professional development. Reasons for undertaking professional development were to satisfy an intrinsic need for learning and to keep up to date. Choice of learning activity was primarily influenced by the topic and specific practice needs. The most frequently used learning activity was reading books and journals while the least frequently used learning activity was taking courses. Furthermore, reading books and journals were considered to be most helpful in learning new knowledge and skills to make a change to practice. Southern Ontario Psychologists took more courses and workshops than Psychologists who practised in the eastern and western parts of the province (SNK, 'p' <=.05). Female Psychologists relied on reading more than did males (ANOVA, 'p' <=.05). Psychologists that were 51 years or older took more courses for professional development (ANOVA, 'p' <=.05) than other age groups. Northern Ontario Psychologists found the distance in getting to a learning activity a greater barrier than Psychologists located in the other parts of the province (SNK, 'p' <=.05). Southern Ontario Psychologists had more difficulty getting time off from their practice to take professional development than northern Psychologists (SNK, 'p' <=.05). Female Psychologists had more difficulty getting time off for professional development than males (ANOVA, 'p' <=.01). There was an inverse relationships between time constraints due to family responsibilities and age group (ANOVA, ' p' <=.001). The reliance on and satisfaction with the learning activity of reading, suggested that the learning activities of courses and workshops may not have necessarily met the professional developments needs of this group. This study provided an insight into how Psychologists in Ontario continued their professional development and added new knowledge to the literature on professional continuing education. The results of this study could be used to compare professional development activities with other regulated health professions and act as a guideline for establishing Quality Assurance programs for future emerging regulated professions.