VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
We All Belong: Indigenous Laws for Making and Maintaining Relations Against the Sovereignty of the State
Keywords: Immigration
Indigenous
Law
Settler Colonialism
State
Treaties

This dissertation proposes re-asserting Indigenous legal authority over immigration in the face of state sovereignty and ongoing colonialism. Chapter One examines the wider complex of Indigenous laws and legal traditions and their relationship to matters of â peoplingâ and making and maintaining relations with the land and those living on it. Chapter Two shows how the state came to displace the wealth of Indigenous legal relations described in Chapter One. I mainly focus here on the use of the historical treaties and the Indian Act to consolidate Canadian sovereignty at the direct expense of Indigenous laws and self- determination. Conventional notions of state sovereignty inevitably interrupt the revitalization of Indigenous modes of making and maintaining relations through treaties and adoption. Chapter Three brings the initial discussion about Indigenous laws and treaties together with my examination of Canadian sovereignty and its effect on Indigenous jurisdiction over peopling. I review the case of a Treaty One First Nationâ s customary adoption of a precarious status migrant and the related attempt to prevent her removal from Canada on this basis. While this attempt was unsuccessful, I argue that an alternative approach to treaties informed by Indigenous laws would have recognized the staying power of Indigenous adoption. Notwithstanding current Canadian immigration law, this staying power would further the goals of Indigenous self-determination, decolonization, and Canadian reconciliation. The Conclusion reviews the preceding arguments and contends that state sovereignty remains a significant, but not insurmountable, barrier to Indigenous self-determination and Canadian reconciliation. Grudging legal developments and heightened societal expectations require genuine, substantive reconciliation efforts. It seems only a matter of time before Indigenous rights to extend membership and status to foreign nationals are recognized again. This dissertation makes the original contribution that the best way of doing so would be through the renewal of treaty relations informed by resurgent Indigenous laws and legal traditions.
Family Recoding: Towards a Theory of Relationships of Economic and Emotional Interdependency in the Civil Code of QuĂŠbec
Keywords: Civil law
Comparative law
Critical studies
Family law
Legal history
Private law

The thesis proposes a different approach to parent-child and conjugal relationships in the Civil Code of Québec, an expanded understanding of what is ‘familial’, the removal of the book ‘The Family’, and many more elements for a radical, yet simple and in line with civilian principles, theory of relationships of economic and emotional interdependency. It argues the Code should concentrate on relationships of economic and emotional interdependency, irrespective of their form or of their fulfilment of formalities. Their content and qualities should be law’s object, hence allowing for a functional account of families and personal lives. It builds upon Justice Abella’s hint in her dissenting opinion in (Quebec) Attorney General v A: “the history of modern family law demonstrates, fairness requires that we look at the content of the relationship’s social package, not at how it is wrapped”. These explorations will hopefully put in perspective current debates about the ways in which Quebec family law should be reformed yet another time.
Effect of Korean Red Ginseng (Panax Ginseng C.A. Meyer) and American Ginseng (Panax Quinquefolius L.) on Blood Pressure Control and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors
Keywords: alternative medicine
botanical
clinical trial
diabetes
ginseng
hypertension

Hypertension is a strong risk driver of cardiovascular disease, particularly prevalent in type 2 diabetes. Suboptimal risk management supports evidence-based adjunctive approaches to standard therapy to help attain treatment targets. Ginseng ranks among most highly used herbal supplement with equivocal clinical evidence. Korean red ginseng (KRG) and American ginseng (AG) may have cardio-metabolic benefits relating to blood pressure (BP) and vascular function in addition to regulating hyperglycemia. In particular, ginsenoside Rg3, present in KRG, was identified to have BP lowering potential. The objective of this thesis was to asses: 1) the effect of single dose ginsenoside Rg3-enriched KRG administration on hemodynamic indices in healthy individuals in a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) and subsequently 2) the effect of 12-week co-administration of Rg3-enriched KRG and AG intervention on systolic BP (primary outcome) in addition to metabolic risk factors and safety monitoring in individuals with type 2 diabetes and hypertension in a RCT, and 3) the impact of the combined intervention on related vascular function markers and pulse pressure wave components within the 12-week study. Results: Single dose Rg3-enriched KRG administration significantly improved the hemodynamic profile 3h-post intake including augmentation index, central systolic, diastolic and mean arterial BP. A 12-week combined Rg3-KRG and AG intervention resulted in a reduction of 24-h-systolic BP (-3.98±2.0 mmHg, p=0.04) relative to control. Additionally, HbA1c (-0.35±0.2%, p=0.02) and lipids, including non-HDL-C (-0.54±0.2 mmol/l, p=0.01) and triglycerides (-0.43±0.2 mmol/l, p=0.01) were reduced, in absence of adverse effects. Central systolic BP reduction (-4.7±2.2 mmHg, p=0.04) was paralleled by improvement in systolic waveform components, but no effect on measured markers of endothelial function, arterial stiffness or pressure augmentation. Use of standardized ginseng combination may serve as a viable natural health product adjunct to pharmacotherapy for cardiometabolic management of type 2 diabetes.
Effects of Warming on the Phenology of Photosynthesis of Eastern White Pine and Implications for the use of Remote Sensing in a Changing Climate
Keywords: Chlorophyll fluorescence
Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.)
Phenology
Photochemical refectance index
Photosynthesis
Spectral reflectance

In northern trees, temperature and photoperiod control the beginning and end of the photosynthetically active season. Climate warming could extend the length of the photosynthetically active season, while photoperiod could potentially prevent trees from benefitting from warmer temperatures. Changes in the length of the photosynthetically active season can be estimated with the photochemical reflectance index (PRI), which detects xanthophyll cycle pigments involved in non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), a process affecting photosynthetic efficiency. In overwintering conifers, sustained NPQ replaces xanthophyll cycle-mediated NPQ, likely causing seasonal variations in the relationship between PRI and photosynthetic efficiency. To better understand the impacts of climate warming on the spring and autumn photosynthesis of conifer forests, we investigated 1) the potential for enhanced photosynthesis during warmer springs and autumns in Pinus strobus L. and 2) seasonal variations in the relationship between PRI and the photosynthetic efficiency of needles. During simulated summer-autumn and winter-spring transitions, PRI variation mainly reflected constitutive carotenoid pigment pool adjustments. During spring, differences in the timing of pigment pool adjustments and photosynthetic recovery impaired the relationship between PRI and photosynthesis. NPQ mechanisms and energy sinks undetected by PRI, such as electron transport around photosystem I, also impaired the relationship between PRI and photosynthesis. In P. strobus seedlings from provenances located along a 1000 km latitudinal gradient, we observed differences in the phenology of photosynthesis, suggesting genetic controls of photosynthesis by photoperiod, with stronger controls during autumn than spring. The PRI could effectively track seasonal variations in energy partitioning, as well as carotenoid pigment pool sizes indicative of cold stress. Photosynthesis in P. strobus might be enhanced during warmer springs and autumns, however, photoperiodic regulation of photosynthesis is to be expected during autumn. The interpretation of the PRI in evergreens should take into account alternative energy sinks, especially under cold spring and autumn conditions.
The Evolutionary Interplay between Cooperation and Partner Choice in the Model Legume-rhizobium Mutualism
Keywords: coevolution
experimental evolution
host sanctions
mutualism
partner choice
quantitative genetics

Many organisms cooperate with other species for nutrition, protection, or dispersal. Why partners in mutualisms do not simply “cheat” and take these benefits without reciprocating is a puzzle that has received considerable attention. One prominent explanation is partner choice, or the ability of mutualists to preferentially associate with more cooperative partners. My dissertation uses the model legume-rhizobium symbiosis to address several underexplored questions, including how the environment shapes selection on partner choice and related traits (Chapters 1, 2), whether effective or ineffective symbionts select for partner choice in mutualists (Chapter 3), and whether “choosier” mutualists select for greater cooperation in partners (Chapter 4). Theory predicts that mutualists should be under selection to associate with only high-quality partners, yet highly specialized mutualisms are rare. Chapter 1 argues that because of environmental variation in both partner availability and quality, mutualists that specialize on any single partner may actually be at a disadvantage. I further explored the role of the environment in modulating selection on and genetic variance in mutualism-related traits in Chapter 2, by comparing legume-rhizobium interactions under greenhouse and field conditions. Partner choice is often considered an adaptation to prevent cheating, but there is surprisingly little evidence that cheaters readily evolve in nature. Chapter 3 suggests that instead of cheaters, cooperative partners can provide the selective incentive for partner choice, as hosts evolve to take better advantage of high-quality symbionts. Reciprocally, highly “choosy” hosts are expected to select for more cooperative symbionts, yet variation in symbiont quality is ubiquitous in nature. Chapter 4 finds that even in the presence of partner choice, variation in partner quality is nonetheless maintained through genotype-by-genotype interactions generated by local adaptation of symbionts to hosts. By exploring the role of the environment in shaping selection on mutualism-related traits and the evolutionary causes and consequences of partner choice, my dissertation provides novel insights about how mutualisms evolve and persist over evolutionary time. My research emphasizes that rather than an evolutionary incentive to cheat, both partners adapt to better ‘fit’ one another. The underlying genetic mechanisms that govern such (co)adaptation will be my focus moving forward.
The Management of Adhesive Small Bowel Obstruction: A Population-based Analysis of Practices and Outcomes
Keywords: Adhesions
Clinical Epidemiology
Health Care Research
Small Bowel Obstruction

Background Adhesive small bowel obstruction (aSBO) is a common surgical illness that is characterized by its high likelihood for recurrence. We sought to compare different management strategies during the first admission for aSBO to characterize how early management strategies effect short- and long-term outcomes associated with aSBO. Methods We developed an algorithm to identify patients admitted to hospital for their first episode of aSBO using administrative data collected by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care of Ontario. We compared operative management to non-operative management with respect to the cumulative incidence of recurrence and overall survival; we also performed a cost-utility analysis comparing early operative management to a trial of non-operative management; finally, we evaluated the impact of laparoscopic surgery for aSBO on the incidence of bowel injury and peri-operative morbidity and mortality. A variety of quasi-experimental methods were used to estimate causal effects while accounting for potential confounding by indication. Results We identified 40,800 patients admitted for their first episode of aSBO over 2005-2014. Patients managed operatively had a lower risk of recurrence of aSBO [21.1% vs 13.0%, p
Exciton Management in Organic Light Emitting Diodes
Keywords: Excitons
OLED
Organic Optoelectronics

Over the last few decades, there has been great interest in the further development of OLEDs for practical applications. They are currently commercially-viable for low-brightness applications, such as in displays for mobile phones and televisions. However, efficiency roll-off and short device lifetimes at high luminance have restricted its progress into the lighting industry. The focus of this thesis is to study and address the major challenges that OLEDs currently face. First, energy transfer mechanisms in two-dopant sensitized fluorescence OLED systems is investigated. As most organic emitters have narrow emission bands, a combination of different coloured emitters is needed in order to achieve broadband white emission. Energy transfer mechanisms are key to ensure a balanced emission from all the colours. A model to quantify the competition between Förster and Dexter energy transfer is presented. Next, a highly simplified white OLED based on a single-emission-layer architecture is presented. This three-organic-layer device was able to achieve a low turn-on voltage of 2.7V, an external quantum efficiency of 18.9% and power efficiency of 30lm/W at practical brightness levels for lighting applications. Additionally, it exhibited good colour quality with minimal colour shifting. The origin of the improved colour shifting in the simplified device is examined. Finally, a platform for improving the device lifetime of blue OLED devices is proposed. This technique involves the introduction of a dopant to enhance the singlet to triplet ratio of excitons initially formed on the blue emitter. A high efficiency blue device was achieved with external quantum efficiency greater than 20% and the device lifetime was extended by 20-fold compared to the standard blue device without the dopant. Detailed investigation into the working mechanism of this strategy for improved device lifetime will be discussed.
N-glycosylated Proteomic Detection of Serum Biomarkers for High-grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma
Keywords: Biomarkers
N-glycosylation
Ovarian cancer
Proteomics

High–grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC) is the most common and lethal subtype of gynecological malignancy in women. The current standard of treatment is cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. Despite the efficacy of initial standard treatment, most patients develop recurrent cancer, and 70% of patients die within the 5–years of initial diagnosis. Cancer antigen 125, or Mucin–16 (CA125) is the current FDA approved biomarker used in the clinic for monitoring response to treatment and cancer recurrence. Although increasing levels of CA125 precede clinical symptoms of cancer recurrence, often “second–look” surgeries reveal microscopic and macroscopic tumors that are beneath the detection limits of CA125. I describe a two–stage strategy for discovery of serum biomarkers for earlier detection of cancer recur- rence. In the first stage, I detected 3693 N–glycosylated sites from sera and tumors of patient–derived xenografts (PDX) mice made from recurrent tumors. Using label–free shotgun–proteomics, I showed that HGSC tumor–associated proteins (CA125, MSLN) can be quantified in PDX sera. Following species– assignment and bio–informatic prioritization; targeted–proteomics based screening in the second stage revealed the presence of 27 candidates in longitudinal sera from HGSC patients. The refined targeted– proteomics quantification of the 27 targets in a second independent cohort of longitudinal sera accurately quantified four N–glycosylated proteins with tumor burden profiles of CA125 and earlier rise of the sig- nal. Interestingly, the four proteins are associated with biological functions in the extracellular matrix, which have been linked to cancer progression. Together, the results demonstrate the discovery of novel markers for cancer recurrence using a rational serum–biomarker discovery strategy, where initial targets are discovered in PDX mouse models and subsequently verified in longitudinal patient sera.
Greener Big Data: Optimizing Data Exchange and Power Procurement for Data Centers
Keywords: Big Data
Cloud Computing
Data Center
Hadoop
Network Coding
Spate Coding

Big data is revolutionizing modern day life at an environmental cost due to the “ungreen” practices associated with the operation of data centers, a workhorse for big data processing. Turning the big data enterprise into a greener enterprise requires two fundamental steps. The first step is curtailing resource consumption, and making data centers energy efficient. The second step is using greener energy sources to power data centers. Big data processing has challenged the ability of data centers to operate in a greener fashion. In particular, the rise of the cloud and distributed data-intensive (“big data”) applications puts pressure on data center networks due to the movement of massive volumes of data. Reducing the volume of communication is crucial for embracing greener data exchange by efficient utilization of the resources. This thesis proposes the use of a mixing technique, spate coding, as a means of dynamically-controlled reduction in volume of communication. We introduce real-world use-cases, and present a novel spate coding algorithm for the data center networks. We also analyze the computational complexity of minimizing the volume of communication in a distributed data center application, and provide theoretical limits. Moreover, we proceed to bridge the gap between theory and practice by performing a proof-of-concept implementation of the proposed system in a real-world data center. We use MapReduce, the most widely used Big Data processing framework, as our target. Experimental results employing industry standard benchmarks show the advantage of our proposed system compared to the current state-of-the-art. Another important step in promoting green practices for the big data enterprise is reshaping the energy mix required to operate data centers. In this context, we consider power procurement for data centers while incorporating the green initiatives and cyber-physical constraints imposed by evolving power systems. Moreover, we consider implications of our formulation to solution complexity. We use the concept of matroid theory to model the problem as a combinatorial problem and propose a distributed and optimal solution. We account for communications and computational complexity and provide solutions for practical scenarios. In the end, we propose a futuristic cross-plane green orchestrator.
Organizational structure and child welfare decisions: The influence of role specialization and service integration
Keywords: child welfare
decisions
organizations
service integration
specialization
structure

The objective of this dissertation was to contribute to the understanding of child welfare organizations by testing the hypothesis that the characteristics of organizations influence decisions made by child protection staff for vulnerable children. Two aspects of organizational structure were examined: 1) role specialization, or the division of tasks to accomplish the mandate of the organization; and 2) service integration, or whether child welfare organizations and other services such as childrenâ s mental health are integrated. Other organizational factors proposed by the theoretical and empirical literature as salient to understanding child welfare decisions were included in the analyses (e.g., the location of the organization, service availability, etc.). The dissertation tests a theoretical framework that integrated the Decision-Making Ecology Framework (Baumann, Dalgleish, Fluke, Kern, 2011) and Yoo, Brooks, and Pattiâ s (2007) conceptual framework of organizational constructs as predictors of service effectiveness. Three decisions along the child protective services Decision-Making Continuum (Fluke, Baumann, Dalgleish, Kern, 2014) were examined: service referrals, provision of ongoing services, and placement in out-of-home care. Secondary data analysis of the Ontario Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect 2013 (OIS-2013) was conducted. A subsample of 4,949 investigations from 16 agencies was included in the multi-level models. The results confirm the importance of clinical factors to child welfare decisions. Organizational factors also influence decisions; specifically, investigations conducted at agencies with a specialist structure were less likely to include a service referral. Although structure did not influence the ongoing service decision, urban agencies were less likely than rural agencies to keep a case open following an investigation. Structure had no effect on the decision to place a child in out-of-home care, and there was no variance at the organizational level. The utility of the theoretical framework was demonstrated and should be applied to future studies. This dissertation contributes to the limited empirical evidence regarding the association between organizational structure and decisions.