VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Atomistic Investigation of the Structural, Transport, and Mechanical Properties of Cu-Zr Metallic Glasses
Keywords: Amorphous metals
atomistic modeling and simulaitons
Bulk metallic glasses
computational material science
glass forming ability
mechanical properties and plastic deformation

The unique set of mechanical and magnetic properties possessed by metallic glasses has attracted a lot of recent scientific and technological interest. The development of new metallic glass alloys with improved manufacturability, enhanced properties and higher ductility relies on the fundamental understanding of the interconnections between their atomic structure, glass forming ability (GFA), transport properties, and elastic and plastic deformation mechanisms. This thesis is focused on finding these atomic structure-property relationships in Cu-Zr BMGs using molecular dynamics simulations. In the first study described herein, molecular dynamics simulations of the rapid solidification process over the Cu-Zr compositional domain were conducted to explore inter-dependencies of atomic transport and fragility, elasticity and structural ordering, and GFA. The second study investigated the atomic origins of serration events, which is the characteristic plastic deformation behaviour in BMGs. The combined results of this work suggest that GFA and ductility of metallic glasses could be compositionally tuned.
Environmental Attitudes and Election Issues
Keywords: Election
Environmental Attitudes
Environmentalism
Politics
Psychology
Voting

Research examining the ways in which attitudes towards policy issues may affect or be affected by election outcomes has yet to explore the increasingly relevant area of environmental policy. Over two studies, linear regression and multi-level modeling is used to create predictive models of voting behavior and attitude change over time, with data from the 2015 Canadian national election. The present research engaged 226,892 participants who visited a political website before the election (Study 1) and 81 participants in a longitudinal study that preceded and followed the election (Study 2). These studies show that although attitudes towards national protection may determine the level of environmental voting at the individual level, attitudes towards social issues do so at the regional level. Furthermore, proenvironmental attitudes seem to increase following the election of a relatively proenvironmental candidate, but only for individuals who voted proenvironmentally, following a pattern of cognitive dissonance for proenvironmental concerns.
The Effects of Varenicline on Neurocognitive Function in Non-smokers with Schizophrenia
Keywords: nAChRs
Neurocognition
Non-smokers
Schizophrenia
Varenicline
Visuospatial Working Memory

Background: Effective treatments for neurocognitive deficiencies among schizophrenia patients remain an unmet need. The nicotinic partial-agonist varenicline, approved for smoking cessation, has been shown to enhance neurocognition in schizophrenia, but its effects in non-smokers are unknown. Methods: This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design assessing effects of 3 different varenicline doses (0, 1, and 2mg/day) in non-smokers with schizophrenia (n=15) and non-psychiatric controls (n=15) on neurocognitive performance. Primary outcome assessed working memory, while secondary outcomes assessed other neurocognitive domains. Results: Overall patients appeared to perform better on 1mg/day dose across visuospatial working-memory, verbal memory and executive function, while controls appeared to perform better on 2mg/day dose on these domains. Across time in the 2mg/day dose, patients demonstrated increased inattentiveness, whereas controls had greater executive function, attention, and decision-making performance. Varenicline was generally well-tolerated in both groups. Conclusions: Varenicline may treat neurocognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia patients in a non-linear dose-related fashion.
An Inter-center Comparison of Dental Arch Relationships, Craniofacial Form, and Nasolabial Aesthetics in Patients with Complete Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Treated with Different Pre-surgical Infant Protocols
Keywords: Cleft

The purpose of this study was to compare the dental arch relationships nasolabial esthetics, and craniofacial form of mixed dentition patients with complete unilateral CLP originally treated with distinct infant orthopedic (IO) approaches (Latham, modified McNeil, nasoalveolar molding (NAM), and no IO). A total of 138 study models, 180 photographs and 124 cephalograms were assembled from existing records at five different North American cleft centers. Six trained, calibrated judges blindly rated dental arch relationships using the Goslon yardstick, and the nasolabial esthetics using the method of Asher-McDade. The radiographs were analyzed using hard and soft tissue landmarks on Dolphin Imaging software. The most favorable occlusal relationships and skeletal relationships were achieved at the center using no IO (p
Using Human Factors Engineering to Improve Surgical Safety: An Observational Study of System Factors Affecting Risk and Resilience during General Laparoscopic Surgery
Keywords: Human factors
Human factors engineering
Laparoscopic surgery
Patient safety
Resilience

Laparoscopic surgery is a uniquely complex sociotechnical work system wherein surgical successes prevail despite pervasive safety threats. Characterizing intraoperative factors that thus support system resilience in addition to those that threaten patient safety is critical for optimizing surgical safety overall. In this exploratory observational study, 19 video-recordings of complex general laparoscopic surgical procedures were analyzed using a qualitative systems-based approach to identify and categorize intraoperative human factors with the potential to impact patient safety. A total of 1083 relevant observations were made over 39.8 hours of operative time, enabling the identification of 80 distinct safety threats and 68 resilience supports within the surgical system. Safety threats associated with the physical environment, tasks, organization, and equipment were prevalent, while supports for resilience were predominantly attributed to clinician behaviours. To optimize safety in the specific system observed, immediate system-level interventions to address recurring equipment malfunctions and intrusive intraoperative noise are recommended, as is the prioritization and reinforcement of resilience-supporting communication patterns.
Impact of Corrosion Inhibitors on Lead Release and Biofilm Development in Simulated Partial Lead Service Lines
Keywords: biofilm
chloride-to-sulfate mass ratio
galvanic corrosion
orthophosphate
partial lead service line replacement
sodium silicate

Partial lead service line replacements intended to decrease lead in drinking water but found to potentially increase lead release by galvanic corrosion. This study investigated the effects of corrosion inhibitors on lead release in simulate partial lead service lines. The performance of orthophosphate, zinc orthophosphate, and sodium silicate were compared under different water quality conditions (CSMR, conductivity, chlorination). Both orthophosphate and zinc orthophosphate immediately decreased lead release in all conditions, while sodium silicate seemed to slowly decrease lead release over time. Biofilm is a potential reservoir of lead in distribution systems, and the detachment of biofilm containing lead particles can cause health risk in drinking water. The effect of corrosion control on biofilm development was also examined under stagnant and flow-through conditions. Chlorination significantly decreased biofilm and was effective both under stagnant and flow-through conditions. The densities of ATP and lead in biofilm were typically consistent.
The Making of the 'Problem Child': Egerton Ryerson and the Liberal Project of Ontario Public Education
Keywords: Egerton Ryerson
Liberalism
Ontario
Problem Child
Public Education
Public School

What makes a problem child? In this thesis, I search for the conditions of possibility for the ‘problem child’, or a student who is constructed as someone who does not belong to the classroom. I focus on the works of Egerton Ryerson, Chief Superintendent at the genesis of Ontario public schooling, who proposed supposedly universal ‘common’ schools as well as residential schools, segregated schooling by race, and institutionalized schooling for disabled students and lower-class students. Rather than creating contradictions, Ryerson’s plans for common schools and separate schools are manifestations of his liberal philosophy, which supported a vision of public schooling that would produce a future civilized state. This conceptualization relies on the production of categories of uncivilized difference, which education can then manage and control. The figure of the ‘problem child’ shows that the very philosophy that promises universal education is dependent on the exclusion of many from that promise.
Imaging Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment: Neuroinflammation, Beta-amyloid and Glutathione
Keywords: Amyloid
Glutathione
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Mild cognitive impairment
Neuroinflammation
Positron emission tomography

Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is defined as a transitional state between normal aging and Alzheimerâ s disease (AD). Neuroinflammation, amyloid accumulation and oxidative stress have been shown to contribute to the pathology of AD, however whether these processes occur in prodromal individuals is still not well understood. The main aim was to investigate, with the use of positron emission tomography, whether neuroinflammation is increased in aMCI patients and if it relates to amyloid burden in-vivo. Our exploratory aim was to measure glutathione, the brainâ s major antioxidant, in-vivo with the use of magnetic resonance spectroscopy. No significant differences in [18F]-FEPPA binding and glutathione levels were observed between healthy volunteers and aMCI patients. In contrast, aMCI patients were found to have significantly more amyloid in the cortical regions. Our findings suggest that amyloid pathology is an early event, whereas neuroinflammation and alterations in glutathione may occur only after conversion to AD.
Isolation of Carbapenemase Producing Enterobacteriaceae in the Greater Toronto Area's Sewage Treatment Plants and Surface Waters, and their Comparison to Clinical CPE from Toronto
Keywords: Antibiotic resistance
Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae
CPE
Greater Toronto Area
Sewage Treatment Plant
Superbacteria

The presence and significance of Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) in Toronto's water system remains elusive. We sampled sewage from 5 sewage treatment plants and 7 surface water (SW) locations. Overall, 57/103 sewage specimens yielded 172 unique CPE and 2/7 SW locations yielded 8 CPE. Klebsiella oxytoca was the most common organism(31.9%) and blaKPC was the most common gene(88.4%) identified. blaKPC, blaOXA-48-like, and blaVIM genes were more frequently detected by raw sewage PCR method than filter sweep PCR, or culture method. In contrast, blaNDM genes were detected in approximately equal numbers of specimens by each method. Two Enterobacter cloacae blaVIM water isolates were clonally related to human isolates. K. oxytoca blaKPC clinical and sewage isolates were not clonally related; however, 3 sewage and 3 clinical isolates shared the same plasmid size and incompatibility group(IncFIIA). CPE are present in Torontoâ s sewage and SW, and some isolates are found in both water and humans.
Post-anaesthesia Education for Parents of Pediatric Dental Patients having General Anaesthesia: Effect of the Presence of a Recovering Child on Recall and Compliance
Keywords: anaesthesia education
Anesthesia
Compliance
Dentistry
Education
Recall

Background: Post-anaesthesia education (P-AE) is a critical component of care typically provided to parents after their child’s dental treatment under general anaesthesia (GA) Objective: To assess parent’s recall and compliance of P-AE depending on whether the P-AE was delivered in the presence or absence of their child. Method: Parents of children (aged 2-9 years; ASA I-II; receiving dental treatment under GA) were randomly assigned to receive P-AE with their child either present (in recovery) or absent (during treatment). Compliance and recall of P-AE was assessed in a phone interview 1 day post-op. Results: The presence or absence of a recovering child during P-AE did not result in significant differences in parents’ recall and compliance. In both groups, recall of education material was low, whereas compliance was higher. Conclusion: Given the serious, albeit rare occurrence of complications following GA, optimizing the delivery of P-AE needs further investigation to improve retention of information by parents.
The Role of Internal Noise in Self-Motion Perception
Keywords: Flight Simulation
Motion Perception
Threshold
Vestibular

In this study, vestibular-based motion perception was investigated. The vestibular system, located in the inner ear, is responsible for sensing translational and rotational motion. A previous study carried out at the University of Toronto found that motion discriminability degraded with increasing motion intensity. Namely, difference thresholds were observed to grow when the amplitude of stimuli increased, suggesting internal noise effects. The current work served as a follow-up to this study and developed a simulation framework to reproduce the results. Analysis of the experiment confirmed that trends in thresholds did not arise due to external motion base noise. Signal detection theory was used as a framework to model the discrimination task and a particle filter perception model was modified to permit the estimation of noise in the otolith, the organ responsible for detecting specific force. Given the limited dataset, simulations successfully reproduced the experimental findings while quantifying the contributions of the internal noise source.
Goldfish Pyramidal and Stellate Neurons Respond Differently to Anoxia
Keywords: Anoxia
EGABA
GABA
GABA receptors
Goldfish

With oxygen deprivation the mammalian brain undergoes excito-toxic cell death but this does not occur in the anoxia tolerant goldfish. Since GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, I investigated its potential role in preventing hyper-excitability in goldfish telencephalon neurons. Utilizing patch-clamp technique, the electrical activities of both excitatory (pyramidal) and inhibitory (stellate) neurons were recorded. With anoxia, membrane potential depolarized in both cell types. While pyramidal cells remained mostly quiescent, action-potential frequency of the stellate neurons increased. Further, the GABAA receptor reversal potential (EÂŹGABA) was depolarizing in both cell types. Inhibition of GABAA receptors reversed the anoxic response, while GABAB receptor inhibition did not induce a response. Co-antagonism of both GABAA/B receptors generated seizure-like neuronal activity. I conclude that GABA is vital for the anoxic survival of the goldfish and that the increased stellate neuron activity likely results in inhibition of pyramidal neuron activity with anoxia.
Nationalism in Crisis: The Reconstruction of South Korean Nationalism in Korean History Textbooks (Han'guksa)
Keywords: Han'guksa
Korean history textbook
Korean history textbook controversies
Korean nationalism
Kyohaksa
South Korea

South Korea has undergone considerable transitions between dictatorship and democracy under Korea's extraordinary status as a divided nation. The nature of this division developed an intense political contestation in South Korea between the political Left who espouse a critical view of top-down national history, and the Right who value the official view of South Korea's national history. Whether it is a national history or nationalist history, in terms of conceptions of national identity and nationalism in relation to Korean history, disagreement continues. The purpose of this thesis is not to support nor refute the veracity of either political position, which is divided between a sensationalized political Right and a caricaturized Left. The aim of this project is to evaluate a series of developments in Korean history textbooks that can be seen as a recent attempt to build new national identities.
Body Schema Modulation and Tool Embodiment in Real and Virtual Environments
Keywords: Body Schema
Motor Control
Neuropsychology
Tool Embodiment

Tool embodiment occurs when the neural representation of the body (i.e., body schema) incorporates the representation of a tool following interaction with the tool. The present thesis examined if tool embodiment can occur through different mediums of tool interactions. Participants completed a response time task (sensitive to tool embodiment) before and after interacting with one of three tools. In the physical tool interaction, participants held a real plastic rake to move a ball around a course. In two virtual tool interactions, an avatar holding a virtual rake was projected on to a screen and participants used a keyboard or a Wiiâ ˘ remote to move the virtual rake. Response time results indicate that prior to interaction, the rake was processed as separate from the body. However, through real and virtual tool experience, the rake was embodied such that it was incorporated into the body schema and processed as an extension of the hand.
Mental Disorder Profiles in Justice-involved Youth
Keywords: Mental Disorder Profiles
Mental Health
Risk-Need-Responsivity
Youth Justice

As a population, justice-involved youth are characterized by high rates of comorbid mental disorders. However, past research has generally considered disorders singly. It is unclear whether disorders cluster together in a way that has implications for intervention and case management of justice-involved youth. To begin to explore this issue, cluster analysis was used to identify common diagnostic profiles in a sample of 195 youth who received court-ordered assessments. Six mental disorder clusters emerged, which were then examined in relation to youthsâ risk to reoffend, criminogenic needs, interventions received during probation, and recidivism. Two clusters were characterized by relatively higher reoffense rates: youth with disruptive behavior disorders alone, and youth with the profile of disruptive behavior disorders, learning disability, and ADHD. These clusters also significantly predicted odds of reoffense even after accounting for youthsâ static risk and criminogenic needs treatment. Implications for risk assessment and rehabilitation of justice-involved youth are discussed.
The Role of Canadian Zoos and Aquaria in Species at Risk Conservation
Keywords: Conservation
Species at Risk
Zoos

Though many zoos have been participating in conservation activities for decades, academics have yet to conduct a thorough analysis of how zoos and aquaria are assisting in the recovery of species at risk. This thesis investigates the role of Canadian zoos and aquaria in conservation by using a combination of interviews with zoo staff members, observations of people at zoo exhibits, and multi-level species recovery document analysis. I argue that zoos in Canada are uniquely placed to make a substantial contribution to species at risk recovery in several main areas, including captive breeding and reintroductions, research, education, and recovery strategy development. However, financial limitations are holding these institutions back from growing their involvement in species at risk conservation, despite the pressing need for more non-governmental organizations, such as zoos, to take on a more active role in species recovery.
Neurostructural Correlates of Body Mass Index & Waist Circumference in Adolescents with Bipolar Disorder
Keywords: Bipolar Disorder
BMI
Body Mass Index
Brain Structure
Obesity

Obesity among youth with bipolar disorder (BD) is associated with greater illness severity. In adult BD, obesity is associated with neurostructural differences. We examined this topic for the first time in youth. T1-weighted images of 40 BD and 48 psychiatrically healthy controls (HC) were processed using FreeSurfer to derive cortical region of interest (ROI) volumes/cortical thickness for frontal lobe (FL), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), as well as subcortical ROI volumes for amygdala and hippocampus. Our results show that there was a significant BMI-by-group interaction effect on FL and OFC volumes. In the BD group only, BMI was significantly negatively associated with OFC volume, as well as FL, OFC, and PFC cortical thickness. Our results suggest that elevated BMI is associated with neurostructural changes in youth with BD but not in HC. Treatment studies examining the effect of optimizing weight on brain structure in BD are warranted.
Phatic Competence: How L2 Understand and Engage in Phatic Communion
Keywords: ESL
Language learning
Phatic communion
Pragmatics

Phatic communion, or “small talk,” has long been overlooked in literature on both pragmatics and language learning. This project examines L2 phatic competence by looking at how adult English language learners (ELLs) engage in phatic communion outside the classroom, and how they identify and interpret phatic interactions. Naturalistic data were collected from unstructured conversations in “conversation pubs.” The data were analyzed from an interactional standpoint, with a focus on performativity and a view to what strategies participants employ to engage in phatic communion, and were supplemented with semi-structured interviews and the researcher’s own background knowledge of the participants. Phatic communion came to be defined by the participants themselves, and is enacted in this study through a variety of speaker strategies and indexical cues. This project aims to provide valuable data regarding L2 phatic use and interpretation, with implications for researchers, language educators and professionals.
Economic Evaluation of Infant Feeding Modalities for Mothers in Canada Living with HIV
Keywords: Breastfeeding
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
Formula Feeding
Health economics
HIV
Infant Feeding

Aim: To determine if exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) or exclusive formula feeding (EFF) is more cost-effective when the mother is living with HIV and fully virally suppressed. This research was conducted in Canada where mothers living with HIV are currently advised to practice EFF to eliminate the risk of perinatal transmission. Methods: A micro-simulation model was developed to estimate lifetime costs and effectiveness of EBF and EFF, from the Ontario Ministry of Health perspective. Uncertainties around model parameters were evaluated using one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Results: In comparison to EFF, EBF was the dominant feeding modality (less costly and more effective) yielding cost-savings of $13,812.49 for each additional quality-adjusted life year. Conclusion: Despite the risk of HIV transmission, EBF was more cost-effective than EFF. These findings suggest that a review be undertaken of current infant feeding guidelines for mothers living with HIV in the context of high-income countries.