VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Dissecting The Role Of TNFα In Kawasaki Disease: Alteration Of Cell Fate By TNFα After Superantigen Activation
Keywords: Kawasaki Disease
TNF
Superantigen
apoptosis

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute inflammatory disease characterized by persistent inflammation of the coronary arteries. KD is characterized by the release of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and is thought to be initiated by a superantigen (SAg). The Lactobacillus casei cell wall extract model of KD demonstrates a critical requirement for TNFα and its receptor during pathogenesis, although the precise effect of TNFα is unknown. A persistent T cell infiltrate in the coronary artery disagrees with established fates of SAg activated cells, which undergo apoptosis. In this work, TNFα was found to promote the survival of SAg-reactive T cells. The results demonstrate that TNFα regulates B7.2 molecule expression on antigen presenting cells, and that TNFα indirectly promotes the survival of SEB-stimulated T cells by driving costimulation. These observations demonstrate how TNFα prevents T cell apoptosis and lend support to KD therapies which target TNFα and B7.
Determining the Constitutionality of the National Securities Regulator Proposal and Beyond: The Federal Trade and Commerce Power, the General Motors test and the Choice Between ‘Categorization’ and ‘Balancing’
Keywords: constitutional law
securities
federalism
supreme court
general motors
trade and commerce power
division of powers
categorization
balancing

In addition to demonstrating the judiciary’s role in constitutional adjudication and an application of the federal trade and commerce power, judicial determination of Parliament’s constitutional jurisdiction to enact securities legislation is noteworthy also due to the vast policy debates that are involved. Though such determinations routinely invite a process removed from the contemplation of desirable policy, the ‘General Motors test’ used to define and apply the relevant constitutional power here seems to implicitly allow it. The choice between ‘categorization’ and ‘balancing’ in constitutional analysis is therefore significant, in terms of its juxtaposed tolerance for policy considerations. With these analytical options in mind, this thesis considers Parliament’s proposal, so to identify a reasonable process for determining its constitutionality. It argues that balancing relevant policy concerns is necessary and justifiable in the application of the legal norms in question. Crucial, however, is lending the process structure, so that its shortcomings are mitigated.
Assessing the Determinants of Quality in Ontario's Long-term Care Homes: Relationships Between Staff and Resident Satisfaction
Keywords: Long-Term Care
Staff Satisfaction
Resident Satisfaction

This thesis aimed to test the relationship between resident satisfaction and staff satisfaction. Using a cross-sectional design, administrators, staff and residents from 24 LTC homes were surveyed. Logistic regression models predicting high resident satisfaction were developed with a primary focus on the relationship to direct care staff satisfaction, while controlling for facility, staff and resident characteristics (and facility-level clustering). Regression models were developed for overall staff satisfaction and three other domains of job satisfaction. The odds of high overall resident satisfaction decreased by 27% and 31% for each 1-unit increase in overall job satisfaction and satisfaction with workload, respectively. In contrast, the odds of high overall resident satisfaction increased by 5.56 times for each 1-unit increase in mean staff satisfaction with work content. LTC homes may be able to improve staff and resident experiences concurrently by encouraging direct care staff to enter into meaningful relationships with residents.
DC-DC Converter with Improved Dynamic Response and Efficiency Using a Calibrated Auxiliary Phase
Keywords: DC-DC Converter
Dynamic Response
Digital Control
Non-Linear Control

A digital adaptive slope control (DASC) technique is presented to improve the dynamic response and efficiency of a current programmed mode (CPM) buck converter employing a low-cost auxiliary phase. Compared to the existing nonlinear control techniques, the advantages of the proposed control scheme include superior voltage droop and settling time, and on-line calibration to compensate for tolerance in the inductance. The proposed technique is experimentally verified on a 500 kHz, 10 V to 2.5 V CPM buck converter prototype. Charge balancing and optimal transient response are achieved for a range of positive and negative load steps. In addition, compared to a representative single phase converter, the proposed system not only has better dynamic response but also achieves 2 % heavy-load and 10 % light-load steady-state efficiency improvement. The impact of the auxiliary phase operation on the converter’s dynamic efficiency is also evaluated at different load step amplitudes and frequencies.
Coagulation Optimization to Minimize and Predict the Formation of Disinfection By-products
Keywords: water treatment
drinking water
coagulation
disinfection by-products
process optimization
artificial neural network

The formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water has become an issue of greater concern in recent years. Bench-scale jar tests were conducted on a surface water to evaluate the impact of enhanced coagulation on the removal of organic DBP precursors and the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). The results of this testing indicate that enhanced coagulation practices can improve treated water quality without increasing coagulant dosage. The data generated were also used to develop artificial neural networks (ANNs) to predict THM and HAA formation. Testing of these models showed high correlations between the actual and predicted data. In addition, an experimental plan was developed to use ANNs for treatment optimization at the Peterborough pilot plant.
The Role of RELA (p65) in Regulation of NF-kappaB Homeostasis: Implications for Atherosclerosis
Keywords: Inflammation
Nuclear factor-kappaB
Gene expression
endothelial cells

The NF-κB/Rel family of transcription factors and IκB inhibitors play a key role in regulation of gene expression in inflammation and immunity. Previous studies from our laboratory suggested that steady-state levels of p65 and other NF-κB components in the normal mouse aorta determine the magnitude of NF-κB target gene expression in response to pro-inflammatory stimuli, however, the mechanism(s) by which steady-state levels of NF-κB components are set is not clear. This study aims at elucidating the mechanisms behind NF-κB homeostasis and how that affects atherosclerosis susceptibility. In HeLa cells and HUVEC, siRNA silencing of p65 correlated with reduced steady-state expression of a subset of NF-κB/Rel and IκB genes at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, respectively, in addition to reducing TNFα-induced NF-κB/Rel and IκB gene expression. This correlation was also observed in atherosclerosis-susceptible mouse aortic endothelium suggesting the role of p65 in modulating NF-κB homeostasis and affecting atherosclerosis susceptibility.
Thermal Conductivity of Nanocrystalline Nickel
Keywords: Thermal Conductivity
Nanocrystalline
Wiedemann-Franz law
Electrical Resistivity

The grain-size dependences of thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity of polycrystalline and nanocrystalline nickel were measured by the flash method and four-point probe method, respectively. Nanocrystalline nickel was made by the pulsed-current electrodeposition process, while polycrystalline nickel was commercially available Ni 200 in annealed condition. The grain sizes of the materials examined ranged from 28 nanometers to 57 micrometers. Noticeable changes in thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity with grain size were observed in particular for samples with grain sizes less than 100 nm. These results can be explained on the basis of the rapid increase in the intercrystalline grain boundary and triple junction volume fractions at very small grain sizes. The relationship between thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity of nanocrystalline nickel follows the classic Wiedemann-Franz law.
Attention Capture by Animate Motion is Modulated by Physical and Subjectively-perceived Animacy
Keywords: animacy
attention
perception
motion processing

Previous research on animate motion perception indicates that animacy detection may be an evolutionarily developed mechanism of the visual system, responsible for adaptive alerting to other organisms in the environment. The present study further examined previously described attention capture by animate motion, and explored whether capture may be modulated by type of animacy (e.g., human motion vs. other animacy). The link between subjective animacy experience and perceptual processing was also examined. Results suggested that attention capture by animacy extends to situations in which animate motion is self-relevant. Animate motion entering the observer’s visual field captured attention relative to motion leaving out of the visual field. Subjective ratings of animacy experience also reliably predict reaction time in perceptual/attention tasks. Implications for theories of social cognition and higher order processing of agency are discussed.
Vocal Timbre Influences Memory for Melodies
Keywords: Memory
Music
Timbre
Melody

Several studies have demonstrated that melody recognition is reduced when the timbre (instrument) changes between exposure and test, but no study has evaluated the possibility that different timbres have differential effects on melody recognition. The current study evaluated adults’ recognition and liking of unfamiliar Irish melodies presented in four timbres: two familiar (voice, piano) and two less familiar (banjo, marimba). After exposure to a set of melodies, participants judged whether each melody from a larger set (original and novel) was old or new. Melodies presented vocally were remembered significantly better than those presented instrumentally even though they were liked less. The findings confirm that surface features of music and abstract, relational features are processed jointly as well as separately.
A Prism- and Gap-based Approach to Shopping Destination Choice
Keywords: Travel demand models
Activity-based models
Shopping Location
Destination Choice
Time-Space Prism
Choice Set Formation
TASHA
Gap-Location Choice

This thesis presents a prism- and gap-based approach for modelling shopping destination choice in the Travel/Activity Scheduler for Household Agents (TASHA). The gap-location choice model improves upon TASHA’s existing destination choice model in 3 key ways: 1) Shifting from a zone-based to a disaggregate location choice model, 2) Categorizing shopping trips into meaningful types, and 3) Accounting for scheduling constraints in choice set generation and location choice. The model replicates gap and location choices reasonably well at an aggregate level and shows that a simple yet robust model can be developed with minimal changes to TASHA’s existing location choice model. The gap-based approach to destination choice is envisioned as a small but significant step towards a more comprehensive location choice model in a dynamic activity scheduling environment.
Characteristics of Engine Emissions from Different Biodiesel Blends
Keywords: Diesel
Biodiesel
Combustion
Biofuels
Particulate Matter
Nanoparticles

Engine exhaust characteristics from two different biodiesel blends, formulated from soy and animal fat biodiesel blended with ultra-low sulphur diesel, were tested during two different test programs with similar operating conditions. Engine exhaust was measured in real-time for nitrogen oxides, total hydrocarbons, particle-bound polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and particle size distribution. Diesel particulate matter was collected on filters and subsequently analyzed for organic carbon, elemental carbon, soluble organic fraction, cations, and anions. The use of biodiesel was found to increase nitrogen oxide emissions, but decrease total hydrocarbons and particulate matter emissions. The most significant impact on emissions was the difference between the engine operating conditions rather than the fuel type. Minor differences were found between the soy and animal fat biodiesel blends through speciation of the diesel particulate matter.
Refining of Silicon During its Solidification from a Cu-Si Melt
Keywords: Metallurgical
Refining
Solar-grade silicon
Cu-Si

Current methods of solar-grade silicon (SG-Si) production are energy intensive and costly. The possibility of using metallurgical techniques for refining metallurgical-grade Si (MG-Si) to SG-Si has been investigated. The main steps in the metallurgical refining route include alloying with copper to produce a 50-50wt% Cu-Si alloy, controlled solidification, crushing, and acid leaching. The controlled solidification process involved 5 variations to determine the best process to maximize Si dendrite agglomeration in the sample and produce the purest Si. This was determined by using various techniques, such as: optical imaging, dendrite analysis, EPMA and SEM analysis and ICP analysis. The crushing and acid leaching steps were carried out to remove the unwanted Cu3Si eutectic from the pure Si dendrite phase. Upon completion of the analysis techniques, the optimal cooling method was determined to be the top cooled, 0.5°C/min sample.
The Impact of Bifidobacterium bifidum and its Surface Protein BopA on the Murine Intestinal Barrier and Endogenous Microbiota Composition
Keywords: bifidum
BopA
MIMBb75
Bifidobacteria

Bifidobacterium bifidum MIMBb75 is a novel strain whose behavior within the intestinal tract is not known. This work attempts to determine the survival and molecular determinant responsible for its colonization through two studies involving administration to mice of 1) B. bifidum MIMBb75 or 2) engineered B. longum NCC2705 expressing the B. bifidum-specific surface protein BopA. MIMBb75 was able to transiently colonize the murine intestinal tract. As a result, endogenous bifidobacteria increased significantly in the proximal colon whereas Clostridia clusters were differentially affected in a region-dependent fashion. Genetically engineered B. longum NCC2705, expressing the BopA gene, did not impact endogenous bacterial groups in the proximal colon or feces, albeit, it down-regulated the gene expression of KC and mucin 4 in the proximal colon. These outcomes indicate that MIMBb75 encompasses characteristics of a probiotic, but further studies are required to assess the role of BopA as the molecular determinant of its action.
Thermal Energy Storage in Metal Foams filled with Paraffin Wax
Keywords: Mechanical
Engineering

Phase change materials (PCM) such as paraffin wax are known to exhibit slow thermal response due to their relatively low thermal conductivity. In this study, experiments were carried out to investigate a method of enhancing thermal conductivity of paraffin wax by making use of high porosity open cell metal foams. By adding metal foam, thermal conductivity of PCM’s was shown to increase by 16-18 times that of pure paraffin wax. The use of open cell metal foam material for thermal energy storage application was also investigated by designing and testing different thermal energy storage systems (TESS) - with and without metal foam. The effect of copper metal foam on heat transfer during melting and solidification was analysed by determining the convective heat transfer coefficient. Lastly, a numerical code was developed to predict the temperature field within PCM while melting.
CanX-4/-5: Mission Simulation, Intersatellite Separation System, Hardware Integration and Testing
Keywords: nanosatellite
simulation
formation flying
satellite hardware
satellite operation
satellite mechanism
GPS

The CanX-4/-5 mission currently under development at the Space Flight Laboratory will demonstrate sub-metre formation control in four separate formations consisting of two nanosatellites. Formation maintenance is performed using a propulsion payload providing one axis of thrust, resulting in frequent slewing to meet thrust targets. Navigation is GPS dependent, with both satellites equipped with a receiver and antenna pair. Presented is a mission simulation developed for evaluating formation flying algorithm performance and the effects of frequent slewing on GPS coverage. CanX-4 and CanX-5 will be joined for commissioning prior to commencing formation flying via a mechanism, the Intersatellite Separation System. Details regarding the performance testing and troubleshooting of the system are described. Integration and testing of CanX-4/-5 flight hardware into a functional “FlatSat” is presented. Additionally, a description of satellite operations for two nanosatellites is given, with an emphasis on the relevance to the work performed for the CanX-4/-5 mission.
Contact Detection for Nanomanipulation in Scanning Electron Microscope
Keywords: contact detection
nanomanipulation
SEM
computer vision microscopy
automation
biosensor
nanowire diameter
nanowire number
nano-FET
sensitivity

A major difficulty in the fabrication of nanostructure based electronics is the lack of effective processes capable of precisely arranging nanostructures into predefined positions. Top-down approaches introduce increased complexity and a high cost for practical industrial use, while bottom-up approaches are probabilistic in nature and do not provide precise control of nanostructure properties (i.e., number, diameter), which influence device performance. Alternatively, nanomanipulation promises specificity, precision and programmed motion and its automation may facilitate the large-scale fabrication of nanostructure based devices. This study focuses on the development of an automated contact detection algorithm which positions an end-effector in contact with a target surface without the need for additional equipment, devices or sensors. We demonstrate this algorithm as an enabling feature for automated nano-FET biosensor construction with precise control over nanowire parameters thereby reducing device-to-device variability and also potentially allowing us to optimize individual device performance.
Blockade of TLR2 Inhibits P. gingivalis Suppression of Mineralized Matrix Formation by Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells
Keywords: DPSC
Pulp Regeneration

In an effort to re-establish tissue with odontogenic potential in the pulp space of immature permanent teeth, stimulated human dental pulp stem/progenitor cells (hDPSCs) have shown potential to differentiate and form mineralized matrix, marked by high expression of dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) and osteocalcin (OCN). Bacterial by-products have been shown to adversely affect cell differentiation. This study investigated the effect of P. gingivalis, a putative endodontic pathogen, and blockage of its host recognition on hDPSCs. Stimulated hDPSCs were exposed to varying concentrations of P. gingivalis by-product and gene expression of DSPP and OCN was measured. Cells were exposed to TLR2 blocking agents prior to exposure to the by-product. P. gingivalis affected dose-dependent suppression of the measured gene expression. Blockade of TLR2 inhibited the by-product derived suppression of gene expression. The immune-potential of by-product was confirmed to be detrimental to the differentiation of hDPSCs, and this effect could be moderated by TLR2-blockade.
Foreign Bank Branching in Ukraine: Comparative Analysis of Certain Aspects of Regulatory Regimes in Ukraine and Canada
Keywords: Bank
Branching

After Ukraine’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2008, foreign banks were permitted to open their branches directly in this country. This development brought the opportunity for additional capital inflow to Ukrainian economy. However, foreign banks tend to operate in Ukraine through locally incorporated subsidiaries rather than branches. This thesis analyzes the Ukrainian regulatory framework for foreign bank branching and compares to the analogous Canadian regimen. I find that, although the minimum entry requirements for establishing a foreign bank branch are more relaxed in Ukraine as compared to Canada, the Ukrainian legal framework that is not conducive to operating via branches. The regulatory limits for a branch’s loan activities are based on a branch’s capital deposited in Ukraine rather than on the parent bank’s capital. Branches effectively have no inherent advantages over subsidiaries in this jurisdiction, whereas the disadvantages, such as unlimited liability, are preserved.
Creation and Evaluation of Molecular Tools Used to Study Meiosis in Arabidopsis thaliana
Keywords: Meiosis
Arabidopsis
RNAi
pollen tetrad
pHANNIBAL
pOpOff2

The purpose of this project was to create molecular tools for the study of meiosis in Arabidopsis thaliana and to evaluate their effectiveness. Two types of transgenic plants were created with an intron-spliced hairpin RNA (ihpRNA) construct to target the AHP2 gene for RNA silencing. One had a constitutively expressed promoter; the other’s promoter was inducible with dexamethasone (DEX). Transformations with the constitutively expressed construct gave rise to ahp2RNAi plants with reduced AHP2 transcript levels, abnormal meioses and reduced fertility phenotypes. The creation of plants containing the dexamethasone-inducible construct was confirmed via PCR genotyping, and induction with DEX. However, the induction conditions tested do not appear to silence AHP2 as the transgenics had normal meiotic and reproductive phenotypes. Also a triple-locus, three color, fluorescent protein marker-tagged Arabidopsis line was created that will allow calculation of recombination frequencies for two intervals on chromosome 2 in both wild type and mutant plants.
The Role of Scientific Evidence in Natural Health Product Consumer Decision Making in Osteoarthritis
Keywords: natural health product
decision making
osteoarthritis
scientific evidence

Objectives: To use the means-end chain (MEC) decision-making approach to compare two groups of participants using natural health products (NHPs) with and without scientific evidence support. Methods: The laddering technique was used to interview 25 participants with osteoarthritis. Hierarchical value maps were generated to depict the decision-making processes. Semi-structured questions probed the role of scientific evidence in the decision-making process and content analysis identified thematic similarities and differences between the two groups. Results: The dominant decision-making chain between participants in the two scientific evidence categories was similar. Scientific evidence is an important decision-making factor but not as important as the advice from health care providers, friends and family. Conclusions: The MEC-approach and its associated laddering methodology helped us understand how people make decisions about NHPs. There were essentially no differences in how consumers in our two groups incorporated scientific evidence into their choice of NHPs for OA.
Recognizing a Legal Responsibility
Keywords: International Law
Responsibility to Protect
R2P
legal norm
Libya
Arab Spring

Today there exists a legal norm that declares the existence of a global responsibility to protect civilians from mass atrocities. Previous doctrines of non-intervention and permissibility were inadequate and demonstrated the need for a new outlook. From a commission proposal to international acceptance the doctrine of a responsibility to protect (R2P) developed quickly and legitimately. Recent events, especially the events in Libya during the Arab Spring, highlight the conceptual evolution of the norm and, more importantly, an international acceptance of its binding quality. Therefore, it is apparent R2P has achieved the status of a legal norm of international law.