VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Citizens of the World: Global Citizenship and the Internationalization of Canadian Higher Education
Keywords: Global Citizenship
World Citizenship
Cosmopolitanism
Philosophy of Education
Global Citizenship Education
Higher Education
Community Colleges
Internationalization
Internationalization of Higher Education
Philosophy of Cosmopolitanism
Immanuel Kant
Greek Cynics
Greek Stoics
Roman Stoics
History and Philosophy of Cosmopolitanism
Kantian Moral Philosophy
Cross Border Higher Education
Internationalization of Higher Education

This thesis argues that there is a contradiction between the theoretical foundations of Global Citizenship (GC)—a philosophy promoting a universal conception of citizenship and a duty to ameliorate global inequality—and its implementation by Canadian higher education institutions (HEIs). Canadian HEIs are presently “internationalizing”: attracting international students and faculty, partnering with HEIs and businesses around the world, and building international campuses. The teaching of GC is often considered one aspect of this process, and is growing increasingly popular. This thesis provides a conceptual clarification of GC by tracing its roots to the cosmopolitanism of Kant and Greek and Roman philosophers, and analyzes the internationalization activities of Canadian HEIs from this vantage point. It shows that at least some Canadian HEIs are employing business practices that are at odds with GC. Proponents of GC must confront these contradictions if they hope to fulfill the ethical promise of the philosophy.
Molecular Regulation of Muscle Protein Synthesis at Rest and Following Endurance Exercise
Keywords: dietary protein
endurance exercise
intracellular signalling
mTOR
muscle protein synthesis

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether protein consumption after endurance exercise modulates postprandial fraction-specific muscle protein synthesis. In crossover trials, eight trained men received a primed continuous infusion of L-[ring-2H5]phenylalanine to measure changes in myofibrillar (MyoPS) and mitochondrial (MitoPS) protein synthesis in response to 20g of egg protein with 50 g carbohydrates at rest and after 1 h of treadmill running at 70%VO2peak. Muscle biopsies were obtained while fasted and at 0, 1 and 5h after beverage ingestion to determine Myo/MitoPS (LC/MS/MS) and intracellular signaling (Western blotting/immunofluorescence). We demonstrate that MitoPS is uninfluenced by feeding and exercise whereas MyoPS is primarily nutrient sensitive over a 5h postprandial period at rest and after endurance exercise, which may be underpinned in part by enhanced mRNA translational capacity mediated through an increase in 4E-BP1 phosphorylation and secondary to an increase in mTOR/Rheb colocalization and reciprocal decrease in TSC2/Rheb colocalization.
Metabolism of Intrinsically Labeled Egg Protein at Rest and After Endurance Exercise
Keywords: dietary protein
endurance exercise
leucine
metabolism

The aim of the present study was to examine dietary protein digestion and absorption kinetics, leucine oxidation rates, and postprandial net leucine balance at rest and after exercise. Seven young trained men received a primed constant infusion of L-[1-13C]leucine and ingested a beverage containing 20 g of egg protein intrinsically labeled with L-[5,5,5-2H3]leucine and 50 g of carbohydrate at rest and after 1 h of treadmill running. We demonstrated that 20 g of protein (providing ~1.6 g of leucine) co-ingested with 50 g of carbohydrate improved whole body net leucine balance at rest and during recovery from endurance exercise. Moreover, despite significant increases in markers of gut damage during exercise, dietary protein digestion and absorption kinetics were not altered during recovery. However, the protein dose was not sufficient to replace oxidative leucine losses incurred during the exercise period, which resulted in a net negative total leucine balance during recovery.
Estimating the Effect of Phenological Mismatch on the Success of Assisted Gene Flow
Keywords: Assisted Gene Flow
Conservation
Flowering Time
Hybridization
Phenology
Reproductive Isolation

Adaptation to changing environmental conditions and subsequent recovery in population growth through evolutionary rescue is critical for many declining species, but it relies on populations having sufficient genetic variation. Assisted gene flow provides a solution to low genetic variance by introducing gene flow between distinct populations, allowing evolutionary rescue to proceed. Assisted gene flow, however, requires that these populations can interbreed. Many populations are divergent in reproductive phenology, reducing hybridization rates. The potential for hybridization between plant populations can be estimated from flowering schedules, but for these estimates to be useful they must be proven accurate. In a pair of two-generation experiments, I compared prospective estimates of hybridization, derived from flowering schedules, to retrospective estimates, derived from an analysis of offspring, using flowering time as a genetic marker. In both cases, hybridization was asymmetric. The prospective and retrospective strongly agreed under controlled pollination conditions, but less so under natural pollination in the field.
Life Cycle and Supply Assessment of Aviation Biofuels in the Canadian Context
Keywords: Aviation biofuels
Canada
Life cycle assessment
Oil feedstock
Supply assessment

The aviation industry established a greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction target of 50% by 2050. With aviation biofuels expected to play a key role, this work evaluates the feasibility of achieving this target in terms of potential supply and GHG reductions of aviation biofuels from Canadian oil feedstocks. A life cycle assessment is conducted comparing aviation biofuels derived from used cooking oil (UCO), camelina, carinata, and canola. The results demonstrate significant potential GHG reductions, between 55 and 80 kg CO
Estimating Grassland Chlorophyll Content for a Mixed Grassland: Exploring the Performance of the Empirical-statistical and the Physical Modeling Approach
Keywords: heterogeneous canopy
hyperspectral
multispectral
radiative transfer model
remote sensing
spectral vegetation index

This thesis investigated the performance of two existing approaches for retrieving chlorophyll content for a mixed prairie grasslands located at the Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan, Canada. The empirical-statistical approach was first explored to estimate chlorophyll content at multiple spatial scales from 144 published broad- and narrowband vegetation indices. The best performing indices were different for each year and between years at the leaf and canopy scale. The SPOT-5 based Simple Ratio and CASI-550 based Renormalized Difference Vegetation Index were used to generate chlorophyll maps with accuracies of 63.56% and 78.88% respectively. The physical modeling approach was then explored using the Soil-Leaf-Canopy model to retrieve leaf chlorophyll content through a lookup table inversion. Leaf chlorophyll content for a green canopy (50 - 54 g/cm
Characterization and Segmentation of Acoustic Swallowing Signals Collected Concurrently with Dual-axis Accelerometry
Keywords: Acoustics
Characterization
Machine Learning
Segmentation
Signal Processing
Swallow

Dysphagia, a physiological impairment that involves difficulty swallowing, can arise due to a variety of differerent disease and injury processes. The current gold standard in assessment for dysphagia is the use of videofluoroscopy (VFS). Due to the need for radiation exposure in VFS, of the development of valid, noninvasive screening technologies is desirable. In this thesis, acoustics were explored as a potential means of screening for dysphagia. The foundation of this work requires pinpointing swallow segments in acoustic signals, which was done through the implementation of a novel acoustic swallow segmentation algorithm. The application of this algorithm to data from 44 healthy participants swallowing water samples resulted a sensitivity of 86%, 94% and 92% for detecting 10mL, 5mL and saliva swallows, respectively. Moreover, this work analyzed the suitability of different signal features for characterizing acoustic swallows and artifacts.
The Quagga Mussel (Dreissena Bugensis) Byssus: A Proteomics Approach to Investigate Underwater Attachment Proteins in a Freshwater Mussel
Keywords: Bioadhesion
Biomaterials
LC-MS/MS
MALDI-TOF MS
Quagga mussel
Transcriptome sequencing

The European freshwater mollusk Dreissena bugensis (quagga mussel) adheres to a plethora of surfaces underwater via the byssus: a proteinacious 'anchor'. We propose to reveal the proteins responsible for underwater adhesion and their corresponding molecular mechanism in order to create bioadhesives for medical and dental applications, and to develop targeted anti-fouling coatings. We report here sequence data for fifteen novel byssal proteins and two previously known byssal proteins. We also report here the first genomic information available for the quagga mussel species. Proteins were separated and identified using Tris-Bis SDS-PAGE, and proteins were localized at the plaque interface using MALDI-TOF MS. We created a foot transcriptome library using next-generation RNA-sequencing technologies and de novo assembly. We determined the primary sequence of byssal proteins by LC-MS/MS to fingerprint protein sequences from our transcriptome library. We now have a list of adhesive protein candidates for further characterization.
The Impacts of Xylitol Production from Hemicellulose Residues: Process Design, Life Cycle, and Techno-economic Assessment
Keywords: Bioproducts
Life cycle assessment
Xylitol

Cellulosic ethanol is a promising low-carbon replacement for transportation fuels. The viability of commercial cellulosic ethanol production is restricted by high process costs. The inclusion of xylitol as a high-value co-product was investigated as a strategy to offset the high process costs and provide additional environmental benefits to the production of cellulosic ethanol. Two pathways for xylitol production are studied: chemical hydrogenation and biological fermentation. Additional scenarios based on process structure and performance are constructed for both pathways to assess the assumptions and limitations of the process designs. Results show that while xylitol hydrogenation can improve the environmental performance of cellulosic ethanol, fermentation may have the greater potential for improvements, pending the development of inhibitor tolerant organisms, though results are location dependent. Both hydrogenation and fermentation have the potential to improve the techno-economic performance of cellulosic ethanol, though hydrogenation may offer greater improvements in the near-term.
Does Spatial Context Come First? Examining the Temporal Dynamics of Episodic Autobiographical Memory
Keywords: Autobiographical Memory
Hippocampus
Parietal Lobe
Reaction Times
Scene Construction
Temporal Dynamics

This study examined the temporal dynamics of episodic autobiographical memory (EAM) and the role spatial information plays in retrieval. We cued participants with familiar items consisting of locations and non-locations, and assessed the time taken to recall a memory, the first thing that came to mind when recalling the event, and the vividness of the memory. We found that location cued memories were recalled more quickly than non-location cued memories and that participants were more likely to select a location as the first thing that came to mind. Furthermore, the likelihood of selecting a location as the first thing that came to mind was associated with better self-reported trait memory functioning, as measured by the survey of autobiographical memory (SAM). The current study demonstrates that spatial information plays an early and fundamental role in memory retrieval and recollection, and that the experience of remembering can be manipulated by using different cues.
The Effect of Ultrasound on Orthodontic Tooth Movement
Keywords: extractions
faster
LIPUS
orthodontics
teeth
ultrasound

Various strategies have been employed to accelerate the rate of orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) in order to decrease treatment time and the associated risks such as periodontal disease and caries. This study investigated whether low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) could accelerate the rate of OTM. Orthodontic patients requiring bilaterally symmetric extraction of first premolars were recruited. During extraction space closure, LIPUS was applied to one side of the dental arch for 20 minutes a day while the contra-lateral side acted as the control. The size of the extraction space was measured throughout treatment. A total of eight patients were considered compliant. The results revealed no significant changes in the rate of OTM with LIPUS during space closure. The findings were contrary to previous studies on dogs and could be related to the dosage or compliance with the coupling gel. Further investigations are needed to determine whether LIPUS application can influence the rate of OTM.
Quality of Dying and Death in a Residential Hospice
Keywords: End-of-life care
hospice
Palliative Care

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the QODD of terminally ill patients who passed away in residential hospice and to identify correlates of QODD in this setting. Hypothesis: Better QODD is associated with prior receipt of palliative care, poorer QODD is associated with shorter length of residential hospice stay (a length of stay of a week or less). Methods: Caregivers of deceased patients who died in residential hospice were recruited 4-6 months after death of the patient. QODD was measured with the Quality of Dying and Death questionnaire, with scores reported on a scale of 0-100. Results: The overall QODD score was 68.7+13.3 which is in neither the "good nor bad" range (i.e. 30-70) of the scale and no deaths were rated in the "terrible to poor" range (i.e
Effects of Heparin on Mouse Pregnancy and Human Trophoblast Cell Lines
Keywords: Cellular Differentiation
Gene Expression
Placenta
Pregnancy
Proliferation
Trophoblast

Severe preeclampsia (sPE) is a life threatening pregnancy disorder originating from the placenta. The exchange surface in the placenta is formed by a layer of syncytiotrophoblast (SCT) cells, which are formed and rejuvenated via terminal differentiation of the underlying proliferative villous cytotrophoblast (VCT) cells. The balance of VCT proliferation and differentiation is thought to be abnormal in sPE. Heparin, classically an anticoagulant drug, decreases recurrence in women at risk of sPE by 50% via unknown mechanisms. We studied the effects of heparin on proliferation and differentiation on trophoblast cells using human cell lines and mice. Heparin caused upregulated expression of PCNA, a proliferation marker, in choriocarcinoma BeWo cells as a model of VCT cells. Heparin in mice caused upregulated expression of suspected trophoblast progenitor markers (Eomes, Sca1), without altering syncytial differentiation. Hence we suspect that heparin improves pregnancy outcome by promoting VCT cell proliferation.
High-throughput siRNA Screen in Dendritic Cells to Discover New Genes Regulating Immunologic Tolerance
Keywords: Autoimmune disease
Autoimmunity
Dendritic cell
T cell activation
Tolerance

The outcome of autoantigen recognition by the immune system--self-tolerance or autoimmune disease--is largely determined by the activation state of the dendritic cells (DCs) that uptake, process, and present autoantigens to autoreactive T cells. In particular, activation of dendritic cells to an immunogenic phenotype is necessary for the full activation of naïve autoreactive T cells, and thus necessary for the initiation of autoimmune disease. A better understanding of the cellular and molecular triggers and mechanisms of DC activation could catalyze the development of novel therapies to induce self-tolerance in patients with autoimmune disease. Towards the goal of discovering new genes and pathways that regulate DC activation and immunologic self-tolerance, we (1) developed a high-throughput siRNA screen in bone marrow-derived DCs and (2) show that BMDC expression of CD80, CD86, MHC II, and IL-12/23-p40 can identify candidate genes that regulate DC activation.
Multiphysics Modelling of the Coupled Behaviour of Precision-guided Projectiles Subjected to Intense Shock Loads
Keywords: Acceleration history
FEM
Precision-guided projectile
Pressure history
Propellant
Wave reflection

Precision-guided projectiles (PGPs) are subjected to severe shock loads, often leading to the failure of the highly sophisticated embedded electronic systems (EES) responsible for guidance. It is the objective of this work to conduct a comprehensive explicit axisymmetric Lagrangian-Eulerian multiphysics finite element analysis of the entire launch process of PGPs accounting for coupling and interaction effects between the different media. The influence of these interaction and coupling effects on the local and global accelerations and pressures are studied. An extensive examination of the severity and frequency of the reflected waves and the effect of PGPs springback is conducted. The results reveal that the pressure drop at muzzle exit is the contributing factor determining the severity of exit accelerations. Moreover, the formation and interaction of shock waves has little effect on the projectile response. Finally, the interaction with barrel has a significant influence on projectile response, especially after muzzle exit.
Functional Role for Shear Responsive cis Elements and Fluid Shear Stress in Epigenetic Regulation of Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase
Keywords: DNA methylation
Endothelial cell
Endothelial nitric oxide synthase
Epigenetics
nitric oxide
Shear stress

Objective of this study was to provide a biologically relevant understanding of transcriptional control of endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (eNOS) in endothelial cells (EC) subject to fluid shear stress in vivo. Mutation of two shear responsive cis DNA elements, the Shear-Stress Response Element (SSRE) and the Kruppel Like Factor (KLF) binding site, led to abrogation of eNOS promoter reporter expression in vivo. This was followed by aberrant hypermethylation of the proximal eNOS promoter of the insertional promoter reporter construct. Similarly, assessment of eNOS promoter methylation in vivo revealed significant discrepancy between ECs from curvatures versus straight regions of the aorta. However, exposing ECs to disturbed flow (DF) was not sufficient to induce methylation of eNOS promoter in vitro, suggesting that the aberrant methylation pattern might be established during development. In consistency with this, endothelial committed cells differentiated from mouse embryonic stem (mES) cells in absence of flow exhibited a hypermethylated promoter for eNOS. In conclusion, we report that fluid shear stress and shear responsive cis elements play critical roles in transcriptional control of eNOS both during development and in mature adult. Further, we propose that this is mediated in part through epigenetic regulation of eNOS promoter.
A Novel Mechanism for Gabapentin Actions: Up-regulation of δGABAA Receptors
Keywords: anxiety
delta
extrasynaptic
GABAA
gabapentin
pain

Gabapentin is a widely used anticonvulsant and analgesic drug that also causes anxiolysis, sedation and ataxia. The mechanisms underlying these effects are poorly understood. Previously, we showed that gabapentin increases a tonic inhibitory conductance in hippocampal neurons that is generated by 5 subunit- and subunit-containing GABA
Environmental and Financial Performance: Aviation Biofuels
Keywords: Financial modeling
Hydrodeoxygenation
Life cycle assessment
Oilseeds
Process modeling
Techno-economic analysis

The hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) pathway produces biojet fuel that has the potential for near-term commercialization. This thesis examines the environmental and financial aspects of HDO biojet production in Western Canada using camelina, carinata and used cooking oil (UCO) waste as feedstocks. Process modeling included a rigorous HDO yield analysis based on the molecular distribution of triglycerides, isomerization modeling, and chemical and energy use estimates. The environmental impacts were estimated using the ISO 14040 Life Cycle Assessment framework and modeled in SimaPro with a focus on Greenhouse Gas emissions. Financial modeling included CAPEX and OPEX estimation, carbon price analysis, discounted cash flow modeling, sensitivity analysis and Monte Carlo simulation to test economic robustness using standard NPV and IRR indicators. The analysis found that biojet from all of the analyzed feedstocks effectively reduced emissions compared to conventional fuels, but camelina was economically viable today while carinata and UCO faced near-term economic challenges.
A Multi-electrode Array for Impedance Spectroscopy in a Digital Microfluidic Device
Keywords: Conformal Mapping
Digital Microfluidics
Impedance Spectroscopy
Multi-Electrode Array

Digital microfluidics (DMF) can emulate biochemical protocols on miniaturized platforms through the control of pico- to microliter sized droplets. The droplets function as isolated transport capsules and microreactors for chemical reactions to take place. To ensure system-functionality, detection methods need to be integrated. Presented in this work is a systematic procedure for the development of an interdigitated multi-electrode array (IMEA) embedded within the driving electrodes of a DMF device for in-line impedance spectroscopy. It is shown that closed-form analytical expressions based on Schwarz-Christoffel conformal transformations paired with a modification of the partial capacitance method can be used to determine the impedance of an IMEA in multi-layer structures. Experimental work is performed to develop a reliable DMF device, and to investigate different IMEA designs. Applications included conductivity detection in droplets, and the monitoring of protein films on insulated IMEA's. Further development of the integrated system is necessary for full lab-on-a-chip capability.
Examining the Nutritional Content of Prepackaged Foods and Beverages Marketed to Children in Canada
Keywords: Canadian food supply
childhood nutrition
childhood obesity
marketing to children
nutritional quality
prepackaged foods

Banning the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to Canadian children has been suggested as a strategy to combat childhood obesity. This study aimed to characterize the prevalence of marketing to children in a large database of Canadian prepackaged foods and beverages and to examine the nutritional quality of products marketed to children. Marketing to children was largely found in subcategories with products high in sugar, fat and/or sodium, and in some subcategories, products marketed to children were of lower nutritional quality than comparable products without such marketing. A nutrient profiling model classified most children's products as "less healthy". Children's products from companies participating in the voluntary code were not healthier than comparable children's products from non-participating companies. Therefore, these findings suggest that there are limitations in the current voluntary code, as product packaging is not covered, and the products marketed to children through this strategy can be considered unhealthy.