VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Returning Home Through Stories: A Decolonizing Approach to Omushkego Cree Theatre through the Methodological Practices of Native Performance Culture (NPC)
Keywords: Indigenous Knowledge
Decolonization
Native theatre
Oral Tradition
Cree
Community Art
James Bay
Monique Mojica
Floyd Favel
Erika Iserhoff
Performance
Ontario
Aboriginal
Indigenous Research

This research examines Native Performance Culture (NPC), a unique practice in Native theatre that returns Aboriginal people to the sources of Aboriginal knowledge, and interrupts the colonial fragmenting processes. By looking at the experiences of six collaborators involved in a specific art project, the artist-researcher shares her journey of healing through the arts, while interweaving the voices of artistic collaborators Monique Mojica, Floyd Favel, and Erika Iserhoff. This study takes a decolonizing framework, and places NPC as a form of Indigenous research while illuminating the methodological discourses of NPC, which are rooted in an inter-dialogue between self-in-relation to family, community, land, and embodied legacies. Finally, this research looks at the ways that artists work with Aboriginal communities and with Aboriginal knowledge, and makes recommendations to improve collaborative approaches.
French as a Second Language: A Publisher's Perspective
Keywords: French as a second language
education stakeholders
FSL
education stakeholders

This study examines French-as-a-second-language (FSL) learning in Canada through the lens of an educational publisher. The fields of language and policy planning, second language learning, and educational publishing provide a focus for the study. The principal purpose of this thesis is to identify key stakeholders in second language learning and to analyze the impact of their actions on the development of FSL resources in Canada. Through qualitative field research with representatives from significant Canadian publishing companies, this analysis of relationships and roles will assist future Canadian second language stakeholders in better understanding the impact of their decisions on the field of publishing, on educational resources, and ultimately, on FSL students in classrooms across the country.
Group-wise 3D MR Image Registration of Mouse Embryos
Keywords: image registration
mouse embryo
embryo
group-wise registration
mouse
registration
MRI
phenotyping
embryo anatomy
129S1/SvImJ
C57BL/6J
morphology

This dissertation provides the foundations of computer-based automated phenotyping methods for analyzing 3D images of mouse embryos. A group-wise registration technique was utilized and optimized and computerized methods were employed for analysis of 3D MRI images of mouse embryos. The assumption that embryo anatomy is highly conserved among genetically identical specimens was verified. The group-wise registration approach was used to align a group of embryos from the 129S1/SvImJ (129Sv) strain as well as a group of C57BL/6J (C57) embryos. Finally, we shed some light on some of the morphological differences between the 129Sv and C57 strains using automated techniques.
Bridging Theoria and Praxis: Performance Assessments of Water Transmission and Distribution Systems
Keywords: Performance assessment
Water transmission
Water distribution
Dynamic scorecard

This thesis is broken into two parts. The first part, Chapters 1 - 7, focuses on work completed performing partial performance assessments in two case studies: the region of Peel in the Greater Toronto Area, and Tláhuac, Mexico. In both, pressure transients were monitored using high-speed sensors. The second part, Chapters 8 - 10, proposes a framework for performance assessments of water transmission and distribution systems, primarily applicable to analysis and operation yet useful in (re)design or additional design work as well. The framework is a synthesis of concepts ranging from fuzzy engineering to psychology and human factors, and will be of particular interest to larger, more sophisticated water utilities who may have a general understanding of their systems but lack specific insights in its operation and operational effectiveness. Careful consideration is given to not only the type of information and possible information fusion, but also details of necessary software and hardware, including possibilities for the system architecture.
The Relationship Between Insulin Resistance and Hyperinsulinemia on Mammary Cancer Growth and Development
Keywords: Hyperinsulinemia
Breast Cancer

Insulin resistance associated with obesity has been suggested to contribute to an increased risk and poor prognosis for breast cancer. In this study, a HER2/Neu transgenic mouse model of breast cancer was used to assess how obesity-induced insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia can influence the development and progression of breast cancer. We investigated the effect of a high-fat diet and found a tumor-promoting effect in the absence of overt insulin resistance. In contrast, a high-fat combined with fructose diet induced significant hyperinsulinemia but no tumor promoting or growth effect was observed. Treatment with the anti-diabetic, insulin-lowering agent metformin led to a delay in tumor onset in mice on control diet, but this effect was abrogated by the high-fat fructose diet. These data indicate that the effects and potential interactions of insulin, nutrition and drugs on breast cancer development and progression are complex and require further study.
Development of Lanthanide-tagged Substrates Towards the Detection of Proteases by Inductively Coupled Plasma-mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)
Keywords: Detection of proteases
chymotrypsin
ICP-MS
Lanthanides

Rapid, sensitive and quantitative assays for proteases are of great significance for drug development and in diagnosis of diseases. Herein, we describe work towards a novel assay for the multiplexed detection of proteases using ICP-MS. Protease substrates were synthesized containing a diethylenetriaminepentaaceticacid(DTPA) ligand to chelate lanthanide metal ions at the N-terminus, providing a distinct tag for each substrate. A biotin label was appended to the C-terminus allowing separation of uncleaved peptide from the digestion. The enzymatic activities can then be determined by detecting the lanthanide signal of the peptide cleavage products by ICP-MS. Substrates synthesized include DTPA-Gln-Val-Tyr-Gly-Nle-Nle-Lys(biotin)-amide, DTPA-Asp-Gln-Val-Asp-Gly-Lys(biotin)-amide and DTPA-Gly-Pro-Gln-Gly-Leu-Glu-Ala-Lys-Lys(biotin)-amide for calpain-1, caspase-3 and MMP-9 They were loaded with terbium, holmium and praseodymium respectively. As a proof-of-concept, α-chymotrypsin assays were carried out using DTPA-Asp-Leu-Leu-Val-Tyr-Asp-Lys(Biotin) loaded with lutetium, as a substrate. Calpain-1 assays were also performed. Parallel assays with commercially available fluorogenic substrates for both the enzymes were performed for comparison.
Near-infrared Spectroscopy Signal Classification: Towards a Brain-computer Interface
Keywords: Near-infrared spectroscopy
Brain-computer interface
Locked-in syndrome
Emotional induction

A brain-computer interface (BCI) allows individuals to communicate through the modulation of regional brain activity. Clinical near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is used to monitor changes in cerebral blood oxygenation due to functional activation. It was hypothesized that visually-cued emotional induction tasks can elicit detectable activity in the prefrontal cortex. Data were collected from eleven participants as they performed positively and negatively-valenced emotional induction tasks. Baseline and activation trials were classified offline with accuracies from 75.0-96.7% after applying a feature selection algorithm to determine optimal performance parameters for each participant. Feature selection identified common discriminatory features across participants and relationships between performance parameters. Additionally, classification accuracy was used to quantify NIRS hemodynamic response latency. Significant increases in classification rates were found as early as 2.5 s after initial stimulus presentation. These results suggest the potential application of emotional induction as a NIRS-BCI control paradigm.
Development of a High-order Finite-volume Method for the Navier-Stokes Equations in Three Dimensions
Keywords: Computational Fluid Dynamics
High-Order
Finite-Volume
Navier-Stokes Equations
Euler Equations
CENO

The continued research and development of high-order methods in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is primarily motivated by their potential to significantly reduce the computational cost and memory usage required to obtain a solution to a desired level of accuracy. In this work, a high-order Central Essentially Non-Oscillatory (CENO) finite-volume scheme is developed for the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations in three dimensions. The proposed CENO scheme is based on a hybrid solution reconstruction procedure using a fixed central stencil. A solution smoothness indicator facilitates the hybrid switching between a high-order k-exact reconstruction technique, and a monotonicity preserving limited piecewise linear reconstruction algorithm. The resulting scheme is applied to the compressible forms of the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations in three dimensions. The latter of which includes the application of this high-order work to the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of turbulent non-reacting flows.
G-Protein Coupled Receptor Mediated Metaplasticity at the Hippocampal CA1 Synapse
Keywords: Metaplasticity
GPCR
CA1
NMDA receptor
LTP
PACAP

Activity of the NMDA receptor is crucial for CA1 plasticity. Functional modification of the receptor is one way to modulate synaptic plasticity and affect hippocampus dependent behaviours. Two GPCRs, the dopamine receptor D1 and the PACAP38 receptor PAC1, have been shown to enhance NMDA activity via Gq and Gs signaling pathways respectively. Enhancement of NMDAR activity by the D1/Gs pathway depends on phosphorylation of the NR2B subunit by Fyn kinase. Conversely, enhancement by the PAC1/Gq pathway depends on phosphorylation of the NR2A subunit by Src kinase. SKF81297, a D1 agonist, was shown to enhance LTD whereas PACAP38, through the PAC1 pathway, was shown to lower the threshold for LTP. Both effects were blocked by specific antagonists and shown to be dependent on NR2 subunit phosphorylation. Ultimately, physiological metaplasticity at the CA1 synapse may be mediated by the relative activation of many GPCR signaling pathways via modification of the NR2 subunit.
Hyolaryngeal Excursion as the Physiological Source of Accelerometry Signals during Swallowing
Keywords: hyolaryngeal excursion
swallowing
accelerometry

Swallowing dysfunction, or dysphagia, can result from any structural or neurological impairment that affects the swallowing mechanism. Accelerometry is a non-invasive technique that may be used to measure the epidermal vibration signals on a patient’s throat during swallowing. The purpose of this study was to map out the trajectories of the hyoid bone and arytenoids during swallowing to determine if a relationship exists between their trajectories and the signals obtained from an accelerometer placed on a participant’s neck during a scheduled videofluoroscopic swallowing study. Participants included 43 adult patients with neurogenic dysphagia. A software program was created to track the desired anatomy on the videofluoroscopic videos frame-by-frame. The data from the software was then compared to the integrated acceleration data multiple linear regression. The results show that the hyoid and larynx are not always correlated during swallowing and further suggest hyolaryngeal excursion as the primary physiological source of accelerometry.
Osteocytes as Mechanosensory Cells: from Extracellular Structure to Intracellular Signals
Keywords: Osteocytes
Mechanotransduction
Lacuno-Canaliculi
Sphingosine-1-Phosphate

Osteocytes have been proposed as the mechanosensory cells during the process of bone adaption. In this thesis, a microfluidics chamber system (MCS) device was designed, fabricated and tested as a means to maximally simulate the in vivo osteocytic ultrastructure and reproduce the in vivo shear stress experienced by osteocyte, providing an ideal platform for in vitro study on osteocyte mechanotransduction. By employing a micropipette aspiration technique, single osteocyte adhesion and osteocytic process formation were achieved on PDMS with MCS structure. In this study, the involvement of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) signaling pathway in osteocytes responding to oscillatory fluid flow (OFF) was also examined. Firstly, MLO-Y4 osteocytes like cells were demonstrated to express integrated and functional S1P cascade. By modulating S1P cascade components and testing a series of cellular outcomes, it was indicated that exogenous S1P, endogenous S1P and S1P receptor S1P2 were involved in the regulation of loading induced osteocytic responses.
Carbon Dynamics in Canada's Managed Forests from 1991 to 2006: A Comparison of InTEC and CBM
Keywords: Carbon modelling
Climate change
CBM
Forest carbon dynamics
InTEC
Canada's managed forests

This study examined the annual C balance and its shifting trend in Canada’s managed forests from 1991 to 2006 using the Integrated Terrestrial Ecosystem C-budget (InTEC) model. During this period, Canada’s managed forests remained a moderate C sink of 58 Mt C yr¬¬¬-1 on average, but displayed an apparent trend of shifting towards a C source. The combined risk of climate change and increased disturbances are weakening the C sink in Canada’s managed forests. This study also compared the results from InTEC with those from CBM-CFS (Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector) at both national and regional levels. InTEC shows larger inter-annual variability and regional difference than CBM-CFS due to its incorporation of both disturbance and non-disturbance factors. In comparison, CBM-CFS3 has likely underestimated both the true C loss and the C sink potential of Canada’s managed forests, given that it does not account for the non-disturbance factors.
Designing an Optimal Urban Community Mix for an Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage System
Keywords: Thermal Energy Storage
Aquifer
Community Mix Optimization
Energy Simulation

This research examined what mix of building types result in the most efficient use of a technology known as Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES). Hourly energy simulation models for six different building archetypes were created based on representative building characteristic and energy use data from the Toronto area. A genetic algorithm optimization tool was then created to vary scheduling and production properties of the ATES system and the relative number of different building archetypes. The tool found that a cooling season from weeks 16‐42 maximized the useful energy output of the ATES and resulted in roughly 30% reduction in heating and cooling energy use and associated GHG emissions. It was also found that creating a mix consisting of a higher percentage of larger buildings than is currently found in most neighbourhoods could reduce energy usage by an additional 10%.
Sustainability Oriented Feasibility Model for Construction Decision Making: Water Recycling Cases in Buildings
Keywords: Decision making
Sustainability

Traditionally, feasibility analysis in the construction sector is limited to financial considerations. As the concept of sustainability becomes increasingly important, the methods used in a feasibility analysis have to be reconfigured in a way that incorporates elements of sustainability. This research uses water recycling systems (within the built environment) as an example to demonstrate how sustainability factors can be integrated quantitatively in feasibility studies. The model is structured in a triple-bottom-line framework, which consists of economic, environmental, and social aspects. Each aspect is measured by a spectrum of parameters, which evaluate three project outcomes of water recycling systems—water savings, project requirements, and positive image. Based on the quantified parameters, Green Factor, a decision making method, is formulated to assist in sustainability oriented feasibility analysis for construction projects.
Metakaolin Effects on Concrete Durability
Keywords: Metakaolin
Sulphate Attack
Chloride
ASR

Partial replacement of cement by metakaolin is known to improve concrete durability, by refining the pore structure to improve fluid transport properties and by reducing the alkalinity of the pore solution to make ASR less problematic. A gap exists in the literature as to the salt scaling performance and magnesium sulphate performance of metakaolin concrete. 10 concrete mixes were cast at w/cm ratios of 0.4 and 0.5. In addition to metakaolin, grade 80 slag was used as well as CSA GU cement. All replacement levels were tested for setting properties, compressive strength, drying shrinkage, sulphate resistance, salt scaling, ASR mitigation and chloride diffusion characteristics according to the appropriate CSA and ASTM standards. It was found that metakaolin showed better performance in magnesium sulphate solutions than slag and that metakaolin concretes attained strength and other durability properties much faster than mixes without it. Keywords: metakaolin, ASR, sulphate, magnesium, scaling, setting, diffusion
The Agency Model and Corporate Governance in China: In the Context of Privately-owned Enterprises Transformed to Public Corporations
Keywords: law
corporate governance
China

In the context of transition, where the Chinese enterprises are seeking good models for the corporate governance, one Anglo-American corporate governance model, the agency model, seems to shed some light on enterprises that used to be privately-owned and have transformed into public corporations. Although the agency model might be a solution to the public corporations, it never the less fails to match the Chinese context in many respects. In light of the nature of the agency model and potential mismatches with the Chinese context, this thesis examines theoretical reasons that could account for the discrepancies between the two. It is argued that, despite the foreign nature of this model and the need for amendment, the Chinese public corporations are still be able to establish good corporate governance structure via it.
Towards Sustainable Development: Chinese Environmental Law Enforcement Mechanism Research
Keywords: Chinese environmental law
Sustainable development principle

Environmental degradation is one of the most important problems facing by Chinese people. This unsatisfactory situation majorly lies in the weak implementation of environmental laws. The essential reason causing the ineffective enforcement of Chinese environmental law is people’s distorted cognition about the relation between human being and the environment. As an important principle of international environmental law, the sustainable development principle emphasizes intra-generational and intergenerational equality, aiming to realize a balance of environmental interest and socie-economic interest, which could become the guideline of the reformation of Chinese environmental law enforcement mechanism. At last, this paper analyzes the solutions to appeared problems, which are underpinned by the sustainable development principle. The ultimate purpose is to promote rational policies and responsible conducts of governments, to foster enterprises’ voluntary compliance with environmental law and to foster citizens’ environmental awareness.
How to Say You Are Sorry: A Guide to the Background and Risks of Apology Legislation
Keywords: Apology Legislation
Benefits and risks of apologies
Admissibility of apologies
Apologies and the law

This thesis examines legislation that creates a “safe habour” for apologies by making them inadmissible as evidence of liability in a civil action. In recent years, jurisdictions across North America and Australia have enacted such “apology legislation” in an effort to encourage apologies. This is allegedly done to assist victims, who often benefit from full and sincere apologies. Legislators are also motivated, however, by the perception that apologies can induce victims to settle or forgo legal action, thereby reducing litigation rates. Whether such a correlation exists, particularly for apologies given under apology legislation, has not been firmly established, and attempting to use apologies in this manner may prove harmful to victims and the state. Apologies are powerful, and if legislators are not careful, they may enact legislation that alters apologies so that they become a source of harm to victims, the legal system, and even society as a whole.
Potassium Changing from Pro- to Anti-convulsant in the Epileptic Juvenile Rat Hippocampus
Keywords: Potassium
Epilepsy
Seizure
Hippocampus
Ih

Elevations in extracellular potassium (K+e) accompany seizure-like events (SLEs), but elevated K+ may also participate in seizure cessation. The objective of this thesis was to investigate the possibility that K+ may undergo a pro- to anti-convulsant switch in the epileptic juvenile (postnatal day 17-21) rat hippocampus. Field recordings were performed in the CA1 pyramidal layer. SLEs and primary afterdischarges (PADs) were induced with 0.25 mM Mg/5 mM K+ perfusion or tetanic stimulation of the Schaffer collaterals respectively. In these seizure models, elevating [K+]e beyond 7.5 mM showed anticonvulsant properties. The addition of ZD7288, a blocker of the hyperpolarization activated nonspecific cationic current (Ih) and allowed SLEs to continue even in elevated [K+]e. This suggests that [K+]e switches from being pro- to anti-convulsant, in part due to an elevated [K+]e-induced potentiation of Ih. Ih likely contributes to this anticonvulsant behavior by decreasing membrane resistance and subsequently attenuating summation of incoming EPSPs.
Mitochondria-penetrating Peptides: Characterization and Cargo Delivery
Keywords: mitochondria
peptide transporter
drug delivery
copper delivery

A class of mitochondria-penetrating peptides (MPPs) was studied in an effort to optimize their applications in the delivery of bioactive cargo to this therapeutically important organelle. The sequence requirements for mitochondrial entry were monitored, and it was discovered that while an alternating cationic/hydrophobic residue motif is not required, the inclusion of a stretch of adjacent cationic amino acids can impede access to the organelle. In addition, a variety of C-terminal cargos were tested to determine if there are limitations to the lipophilicity, charge, or polarity of compounds that can be transported to mitochondria by MPPs. Furthermore, these systematic studies aided the design and synthesis of a copper-binding MPP for the delivery of copper ions to mitochondria for the potential rescue of disorders associated with copper-deficiency. The results reported demonstrate that MPPs are versatile transporters that may have a wide range of biological applications.
Early Aerobic Exercise Intervention After Stroke: Improving Aerobic and Walking Capacity
Keywords: Subacute Stroke
Aerobic exercise
Rehabilitation
Walking capacity
Aerobic capacity

The benefits of brief-duration, early exercise programs in stroke have been shown, but the effects of longer-duration aerobic training early after stroke have not been examined. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an early aerobic exercise program that extended beyond inpatient into outpatient rehabilitation on aerobic capacity, walking parameters (walking distance, speed, and symmetry), health-related quality of life, and balance. Patients in the subacute phase after stroke (n = 15) with mild to moderate impairment received aerobic exercise in addition to conventional rehabilitation. The study participants demonstrated significant improvement in aerobic and walking capacity, peak work rate, quality of life, balance, and gait velocity from baseline to midpoint. However, no difference was found between midpoint and final. This early aerobic exercise program following stroke significantly improved aerobic capacity, walking ability, quality of life and balance during the inpatient period although no further improvement was observed during the outpatient period.