VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Theoretical Investigation of Bioactive Papers Using the Kubelka-Munk Theory
Keywords: bioactive papers
colorimetric detection
Kubelka-Munk theory
quantitative

This work demonstrates a theoretical study of colorimetric detection of analytes via bioactive papers. A mathematical model incorporating the Kubelka-Munk theory, which analyzes light propagation through paper, was developed. It provides the correlation of color with the concentration of chromophores generated in a reaction between biosensor and analyte as a function of the paper characteristics and optical properties. Accordingly, we evaluate the degree of error of colorimetric readings obtained under various conditions. Theoretical results show that a 5 % variation in reflectance could yield a significant error in detected chromophore concentration. The reflectance is highly affected by environmental illumination and changes in chromophore distribution profile. Confining color detection to the surface of paper is advantageous yet prone to variability due to non-uniformity in analyte or biosensors penetration depth. This work will be, hopefully, incorporated in the initial steps of the bioactive papers design, to obtain more efficient and accurate performance.
A Comparison of B-spline Surface and Free-form Deformation Geometry Control Methods for Aerodynamic Shape Optimization
Keywords: Aerodynamics
B-spline surface
Computational fluid dynamics
Free-form deformation
Geometry parameterization and control
Optimization

The geometry control method employed in an aerodynamic shape optimization algorithm defines what designs can be considered, directly impacting the aerodynamic performance improvements that are attainable by the algorithm. Two geometry control methods, B-spline surface control and free-form deformation, are applied to a suite of problems of varying complexity and are compared on the basis of the quality of the optimized shape as well as the ease of use for problem setup. B-spline surface optimization is often found to result in slightly lower drag; however in general both methods perform equally well, especially when optimized geometries are evaluated on finer grids. The exception is in the case of a dihedral and sectional optimization, where convergence paths taken by the two geometry control methods are significantly different and the B-spline surface optimization reduces drag more effectively. Free-form deformation provides a more general approach to problem setup.
Differential Allocation of Male Mating Effort in a Gift-giving Insect
Keywords: male mate condition
mate choice
nuptial gift
Oecanthus nigricornis
operational sex ratio
tree cricket

Nuptial gifts, typically beneficial items given by a male to his mate, can be costly and thus can cause males to discriminate between mates. Female black horned tree crickets Oecanthus nigricornis (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) feed on secretions from male dorsal glands, providing an opportunity for males to favor higher quality females by feeding them more. I tested whether such preferential allocation exists in O. nigricornis, when a male encounters multiple receptive females prior to mating and is thus expected to become choosier. Feeding duration, proportion of male-solicited remounts, and singing rates were used as measures of male post-copulatory mate choice. No significant effects were found (perhaps due to low power of the tests) except for an unexpected increase in the singing rate towards high condition females when males encountered multiple males prior to mating. This may be due to males perceiving increased male-male competition on high condition females.
Rehabilitation Utilization following a Work-related Traumatic Brain Injury: An Examination of Workers' Compensation Claims in Victoria, Australia
Keywords: Healthcare Utilization
Rehabilitation
Sex and Gender
Traumatic Brain Injury
Work-Related Injury

Work-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) is among the most serious types of workplace injuries, yet there is a dearth of research on rehabilitation service use after this occupational injury. The objective of this research was to examine the utilization of four types of rehabilitation services following a work-related TBI in Victoria, Australia; focusing on the differences between men and women and examining other demographic, need, work-related, and geographic factors associated with use. After controlling for demographic, need, work-related, and geographic factors, women were more likely to use physiotherapy compared to men. Men and women were equally likely to use occupational therapy and psychology services. Need-related factors, in comparison to demographic, work-related and geographic factors, were the greatest determinants of the utilization of each type of rehabilitation. Future research is required to determine if the determinants of utilization represent inequalities in healthcare provision following a work-related TBI.
HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein 120 Induced Neuroinflammation Does Not Result in Neurocognitive Impairment in an in vivo Rat Model
Keywords: HIV-1 gp120
HIV Associated Neurocognitive Disorder
LPS
Morris Water Maze
Neuroinflammation

Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infected patients are increasingly experiencing neurocognitive deficits due to low level viral replication and associated inflammation in the central nervous system which results in cellular apoptosis in the brain. The aim of this MSc project was to examine cognitive impairments in learning/memory in the Morris Water Maze using our recently implemented in vivo rat model of HIV-1-induced neuroinflammation by intracerebroventricular administration of HIV-1 gp120ADA. Our findings illustrate that a single dose of 8μg R5-tropic HIV-1 gp120ADA or 50μg lipopolysaccharide elicited a robust proinflammatory cytokine (IL-1β, TNFα) and oxidative stress (iNOS) response in the brain, but only lipopolysaccharide administration activated caspase-3 expression in hippocampal neurons, possibly, resulting in the observed spatial learning/memory deficits. Our gp120ADA-induced neuroinflammatory rat model suggests that acute administration of HIV-1 viral coat protein does not result in neurocognitive impairments, thus alternative gp120 dosing regimens should be considered to establish a model of neurocognitive deficits.
Indigenous Homelessness and Traditional Knowledge: Stories of Elders and Outreach Support
Keywords: Aboriginal psychology
homelessness
traditional knowledge

Aboriginal people are the fastest growing population in Canada. A large portion live off reserves, seeking employment and education in urban centres. While Aboriginal people comprise less than 5% of the population of Toronto, they are overrepresented in the homeless population, at an estimated 15% (Statistics Canada, 2009). There is little known about current life transitions of Aboriginal individuals into cities, and what barriers and supports exist that may put them at risk of homelessness. This study asked: “What are the intersections of traditional Elders, mental health, and homelessness for Aboriginal peoples in Toronto?” The study is based in a conceptual framework of Indigenous knowledges, and employed a narrative methodological structure, using individual interviews to explore stories of Elders and outreach employees from an urban Aboriginal homeless shelter. Results include four metathemes: Traditional Knowledge, Mental Health, Services, and Clients. Limitations, future directions and research implications are discussed in this work.
Schoolyard Farmers: Youth Writing Food Literacy Curriculum
Keywords: Critical Literacy
Curriculum
Food Justice
Food Literacy
Practitioner Research
Whiteness

This practitioner research study explores what happens when we invite youth to author curriculum. Ten high school students were hired into paid positions as curriculum writers over the course of three days to work collaboratively to author curriculum for our schoolyard farming program. The chapters of this thesis document the process, explore the implications for my own practice, and share what students wanted their own teachers to know about their experience writing curriculum. Throughout the study I have woven in the ideas of Paulo Freire and a critical conversation about whiteness in this work. Findings suggest that the process of co-authoring curriculum in a way that valued students’ prior food knowledge proved to produce a rich and nuanced curriculum document. Students were also able to transfer their learning to begin to challenge the ways in which power operated in their own classrooms outside of this project.
Barriers to Effective RNR Implementation for Youth in the Justice System
Keywords: assessment
community-based rehabilitation
implementation
risk assessment
risk-need-responsivity
youth

Despite robust evidence of the efficacy of the RNR framework, studies indicate that the needs of youth on community supervision as identified in risk-need assessments are frequently not reflected in the services they receive. Potential barriers to treatment were examined in 219 Canadian youth serving probation terms. Ninety percent of youth had a barrier to treatment (M = 4.83 SD = 2.81), with lifestyle destabilizers, engagement issues, parental factors, and probation officers’ case management decisions as the most common categories of barriers. Engagement issues and systems factors were the barrier categories that decreased the likelihood of receiving treatment in the greatest number of criminogenic need domains. Furthermore, barrier categories were related to the likelihood of recidivism. Results call for greater adherence to the Specific Responsivity Principle, expansion to include the assessment and management of destabilizing factors, and attention to larger issues such as the need for a responsive system.
Response of an Energy-dissipating System to Simulated Blast
Keywords: Blast
Connectors
Dissipate
Energy
Simulated

Explosions generate extreme overpressures that can cause irreparable damage to critical infrastructure. To mitigate this damage, an energy-dissipating system has been developed that limits peak loads and focuses plastic deformation into replaceable, ductile, steel elements. Cladding panels connect to the structure using these steel energy-dissipating connectors. In a blast, panels transfer pressure load to their perimeter where the sacrificial elements deform at a relatively constant load, thereby restricting the forces transmitted to the underlying structure. This report expands the existing characterization of behaviour for such an energy-dissipating system through experiments with a blast generator. In addition to simulated blast panel tests, tension tests were conducted to determine load-displacement histories under static and dynamic conditions. These histories are then compared to examine the effect of loading rate. Investigations also determined how methods of connector assembly can affect the global behaviour of the system.
Out of the Shadow: Archetypes that Keep Teachers in Patterns of Stress
Keywords: Archetypes
Burnout
Teacher Development
Teacher Stress

This study investigates if and how teachers’ relationships to their teaching stress and work transformed as a result of taking part in a workshop designed to have participants interact with the shadow and empowered aspects of five archetypes that manifest in teaching: The Mother, the Servant, the Instructor, the Hero, and the Core Self. The study was conducted in the organic approach through a post-workshop interview. The first part of the study reviews the causes of teacher work stress and burnout, examines the role of beliefs in teacher development and outlines the evidence for and descriptions of each of the archetypes. The second part of the study details the structure of workshop process as well as each participant’s journey through the workshop and personal reflection. The results reveal that by challenging their internal beliefs around archetypal patterns, participants were able to have positive shifts in managing work stress and burnout.
Explorations of the Use of Olanzapine for Management of Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting in Children
Keywords: antiemetic
CINV
olanzapine
pediatric
supportive care

Control of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in children is sub-optimal and it continues to be a bothersome adverse effect. Effective new antiemetic interventions are required to improve CINV control. The purpose of the projects encompassed in this thesis was to explore the use of olanzapine for management of CINV in children. A systematic review of the safety of olanzapine in children was completed to determine if adverse effects would preclude evaluation of its use for CINV. A retrospective review summarized its efficacy and safety in children with cancer. Based on the results of these projects, olanzapine appears to be safe for use in children with cancer and improved CIV control rates may be achievable when olanzapine is added to antiemetics consistent with clinical practice guidelines. Overall, olanzapine appears to be a promising intervention for management of CINV in children and future prospective, controlled trials evaluating its use are warranted.
The Effects of Discoidin Domain Receptor 1 on Macrophage Phenotype in Vascular Inflammatory Disease
Keywords: Atherosclerosis
Cardiovascular
Discoidin domain receptor
Inflammation
Macrophage

In atherosclerosis, the expression of discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) promotes macrophage accumulation in the arterial vessel wall in hyper-cholesterolemic mice; however, the mechanism involved remains elusive. DDR1 has been hypothesized to enhance macrophage accumulation by mediating the phenotypic polarization of these leukocytes. We report here that DDR1-expressing and DDR1-null macrophages displayed incongruent cytokine profiles in the in vivo plaque. In vitro, DDR1 blunted the up-regulation of anti-inflammatory genes in peritoneal macrophages following IL-4 stimulation. Moreover, DDR1 correlated with a relative decrease in the mRNA expression of select MMPs and TIMP-2, suggestive of a reduced matrix remodeling efficiency that may contribute to accelerated plaque expansion. Our findings preliminarily demonstrate that DDR1 effects an overall pro-inflammatory status in macrophages by dampening their adaptability to anti-inflammatory stimuli. Further effort to determine how DDR1 fine-tunes macrophage polarization will be relevant to the engineering of effective treatment for atherosclerosis and other inflammatory diseases.
The Role of Cognitive, Personality and Trust Factors in Fraud Victimization in Older Adults
Keywords: cognitive psychology
fraud
older adults
social psychology
victimization

Older adults are more at risk to become a victim of consumer fraud than any other type of crime, but the research on the psychological profiles of victims is incomplete and understudies. The current study surveyed community-dwelling older adults between 60 and 90 years of age about their experiences with fraud and their various demographic and psychological traits. The results demonstrated that poorer cognitive ability within the normally aging population and lower levels of honesty and humility make individuals more vulnerable to being victimized by fraud. A mediation analysis showed that cognitive abilities had a more direct role regarding frequency of victimization, and explained in part the relationship between honesty and being a victim. Our results supported some previous findings that minority individuals are more vulnerable to fraud and trust is unrelated to being a victim.
Mechanical Properties of Uncoated and Core-shell Silicon Nanowire Arrays for the Application of Lithium Ion Batteries
Keywords: anode
energy
Lithium ion batteres
nanowires
silicon

Three types of silicon nanowires arrays: 1) Uncoated silicon nanowires; 2) Alumina-coated silicon nanowires and 3) Polymer-coated silicon nanowires have been studied with a newly developed Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) based mechanical testing protocol regarding three mechanical properties, including: i) stress-strain slope (or slope of stress-strain curve); ii) energy dissipation and iii) strain-to-failure. It is found that the alumina-coated silicon nanowires possessed the highest stress-strain slope, energy dissipation and strain-to-failure. The high stress-strain slope was attributed to the dominating elastic properties of the alumina coating, whereas the high energy dissipation and strain-to-failure were very likely to be due to the shearing of the alumina-silicon interface and the high friction coefficient of the alumina coating. It is concluded that short alumina-coated SiNW was the most suitable material to be used as LIB anode among the three materials tested since it can potentially tackle the mechanical issues during charging and discharging cycles.
Re/producing Power: Sex Education and the Queer Identified Subject
Keywords: Curriculum
Identity
Phenomenology
Queer theory
Sex education
Sexuality

This research delves into the complex relationship between sexuality and/or gender identity and sex education. Seven queer-identified adults were interviewed regarding their experiences of sex education curriculum in Toronto, Ontario. This research draws heavily on queer phenomenology and Foucauldian theory in its examination of education and educational influence on identity. It is, further, influenced by disability studies and post colonialism with regard to the role of society in defining and constraining identity categories. Findings show that the curriculum experienced by participants created and reinforced particular heteronormative discourses in regard to sex, gender, and sexuality. This in turn lent itself to experiences of identity which were marked by a degree of ambivalence. This thesis argues that, while indicative of a problem of representation within the curriculum, this ambivalence is also a site whereby identity can be reimagined as a relational process rather than a defining characteristic.
Career Indecision among Israeli and Canadian Undergraduate Students
Keywords: Career Indecision
Donald Super
Emerging Adults
Immigrant
Israeli
Jewish

Although career indecision in early adulthood has been associated with difficulties later in life, there are still significant gaps in the literature regarding career indecision in immigrant populations. The present study examines the relationship between immigration during adolescence and early adulthood and career indecision difficulties later in life in a sample of Jewish Israeli immigrant undergraduate students and a sample of Jewish Canadian-born undergraduate students. Preliminary analyses indicated that Israeli participants were significantly older and they tended to begin their post-secondary studies at an older age than the Canadian participants. Israelis were more likely than Canadians to report having immigrant parents, thereby making Israeli participants both first- and second-generation immigrants. Results suggest that there is no difference in career indecision attitudes between the study groups, as measured by the Career Factors Inventory (CFI). Results, limitations, and future directions are discussed.
Engagement or Despondence? Ontario Middle-school Core French Teachers' Perceptions of and Experiences with the 2013 Ontario French as a Second Language Curriculum
Keywords: core-french
curriculum implementation
elementary school
French as a Second Language
Ontario

The implementation of the revised French as a Second Language (FSL) curriculum, inspired by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) was mandatory as of 2014 in Ontario. This study explored how four Ontario middle school French teachers understood and perceived the revised curriculum as well as how they are implemented it in Core French (CF) middle-school classrooms. Data for this exploratory comparative case study were collected through surveys, interviews and a focus group. The main findings of the study indicate that perceptions of the curriculum evolve over time and implementation is a dynamic process enhanced by support at the school and district levels. Although the four diverse teachers in this study welcomed the revised curriculum, their perceptions and implementation strategies varied. However, they all agreed on the need for professional development during the early stages of implementing a new and vastly different FSL curriculum.
Old and New Fascism: Race, Citizenship, and the Historical and Intellectual Context of CasaPound Italia
Keywords: CasaPound Italia
Italian fascism
neofascism
neoliberalism
populism
racism

CasaPound Italia is a contemporary fascist movement in Italy. An anti-capitalist movement, CasaPound has emerged under neoliberal conditions of youth unemployment and privatization of education. Although CasaPound uses tactics not typically associated with the extreme right, it shares several features with traditional Italian fascism. Like past fascist movements, CasaPound claims to offer an alternative to capitalism, communism, and the limits of a corrupt political spectrum. It also shares with past fascist movements a populist opportunism that feeds on the middle class's real frustrations, and rearticulates these in anti-immigrant racism. Despite these similarities, CasaPound denies that it is racist. This thesis argues that CasaPound's conscious inheritance of the legacies of Ezra Pound, Giovanni Gentile, and Julius Evola undermines its claims to be non-racist. Its activism further undermines these claims. This thesis also argues that CasaPound's emergence has been made possible by exclusionary and racialized citizenship practices central to hegemonic liberal democracy.
Capacitively Coupled CMOS VCSEL Driver Circuits for Optical Communication
Keywords: AC-coupled
Laser driver
Transmitter
VCSEL

This thesis presents the analysis, design and implementation of a common-cathode capacitively-coupled VCSEL driver in 65nm CMOS intended for short-reach optical interconnects. The driver consists of an AC-coupled high-frequency path and a low-frequency path that provides DC signal components. By increasing the low-frequency path bandwidth by 10 times compared to previous AC-coupled drivers allowed the on-chip coupling capacitor to be reduced to 2.1pF, occupying 3 times less area than prior art. The driver introduces capacitively-coupled two-tap emphasis to equalize the VCSEL's optical response. The VCSEL was modulated with an OMA of up to 5.1dBm and an ER of 9dB, measuring an RMS jitter of 5ps at a data rate of 15Gb/s, which represents the highest OMA and ER achieved in high-speed anode-driving LDDs. The driver could be programmed for a low-power mode, outputting 2.3dBm OMA at power consumption of only 30mW, corresponding to an energy efficiency of 2pJ/bit.
Innovative Mission Concepts and Ground Segment Software Based on Existing SFL Spacecraft
Keywords: Database
Mission
nanosatellite
Satellite
Space
Telemetry

Recent science and technology advancements of micro and nanosatellites have opened possibilities for new space missions that would otherwise be impossible to be carried out by small spacecraft. The Space Flight Laboratory, located at the University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies, is one of the worldwide leaders in small satellite development. The Space Flight Laboratory’s capabilities and technology are considered in two concept studies addressed in this thesis. In one study, the adaptation of the Generic Nanosatellite Bus for a high-precision astronomical calibration mission is explored. The bus expands the capabilities of low-cost nanosatellites by accommodating large and complex payloads. In another study, the NEMO-AM platform is adapted to a mission intended for quantum physics experiments from space, based on the demanding payload requirements. These two studies confirm the capabilities of the Space Fight Lab in undertaking innovative space missions at a fraction of the cost. Lastly, the design and development of a multi-mission telemetry data management system is described. This system is designed and built from the ground up, and has been put into operational use at the Space Flight Laboratory.