VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Strategies to Improve and Stabilize Extended Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion
Keywords: donor lungs
ex vivo lung perfusion
lung transplantation

Despite the success of lung transplantation to treat end-stage lung diseases, organ shortage remains to be a major limitation. The Toronto Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) protocol has improved assessment of donor lungs and provides an unique platform to repair lungs, with the goal of expanding the organ pool and improving long-term outcomes. However, the use of the technique is limited to ~12h, which limits advances in therapeutic strategies. We sought to determine whether a continuous replacement strategy or a modified feed could be used to operate EVLP to preserve lung integrity for extended perfusion time(24h). During EVLP, pig lungs were subjected to Toronto protocol, continuous perfusate replacement, or modified feed. By using a clinically relevant swine model, here we report the use of continuous perfusate replacement during prolonged EVLP preserved lung integrity for 24h. The application of this operation in EVLP will allow for advanced therapeutic interventions currently not feasible.
Effects of Cr Content and Surface Finishes on Oxidation Behaviors of Austenitic Fe-Cr-Ni Alloys Exposed in Supercritical Water (SCW)
Keywords: commercial austenitic stainless steel
corrosion
nuclear power system
oxide scale
scanning electron microscopy
supercritical water

The scope of this work was to characterize the corrosion resistance of candidate austenitic alloys in supercritical water for the use of the fuel cladding material within the Canadian supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR) concept. A series of Commercial austenitic stainless steels (SS) and alloys were exposed to supercritical water for different exposure times up to 500 hours. Two surface finishes were applied â a coarse grinding with 120 grit abrasive or polishing with either 1200 grit or 0.05 Âľm alumina suspension. Gravimetric measurements and electron microscopy techniques were used to evaluate the oxidation behaviors of tested alloys. The superior corrosion resistance of alloy 310S was benefited from a critical Cr content of 25 wt.%. The surface finish played a significant role to vary the oxidation behavior of alloys containing slightly less than the critical Cr content. However, Oxide exfoliation was observed on low Cr content alloys.
Corpses to Cremains, Chickens to JPEGs: The Reception of Cremation and Related Rites by Hong Kong's Practitioners of Popular Religion
Keywords: Chinese Popular Religion
Cremation
Green Burials
Hong Kong
Online Worship
Ritual Change

This study investigates cremation in Hong Kong as well as a number of related practicesâ the use of columbaria, green burials, and the worship of ancestors online. Why these practices emerged is considered in addition to their promotion by the state and reception by practitioners of popular religion. It is demonstrated that cremation became accepted with little fuss for practical, political, and cultural-religious reasons. It is also shown that columbaria, although possessing desirable fengshui, are problematic in that they lack sites for worshiping Houtu and are becoming smoke-free. Green burials, campaigned for by the state and endorsed by ethicists, have been met with resistance because they involve scattering cremated ashes (viewed as harmful and/or disrespectful to the dead) and fail to provide ancestors with permanent places of rest. With regard to online worship, there has been little enthusiasm as it is does not concord with peopleâ s ritual sensibilities.
Deconstructing Motivation Deficits in Schizophrenia and Beyond
Keywords: Amotivation
Anhedonia
Major Depressive Disorder
Negative Symptoms
Schizophrenia

Motivation deficits are a prevalent and pervasive symptom in schizophrenia, and are inextricably linked to poor functional outcomes in affected individuals. The primary objective of this thesis was to systematically deconstruct the multiple facets of the motivation system in schizophrenia and beyond. Our results revealed that reductions in self-reported pleasure in schizophrenia were primarily driven by patients with severe amotivation. Self-reported motivation deficits also predicted objective motivation task performance in a non-clinical sample, with no effect of schizotypal or depressive symptoms. Moreover, in a clinical sample of schizophrenia and major depressive disorder, our results identified a multi-faceted motivation framework consisting of five components, and two clusters of individuals characterized by differential behavioural motivation deficits. Taken together, our findings highlight the centrality of amotivation in schizophrenia and beyond, as well as the need to shift away from singular approaches, towards more comprehensive and dimensional investigations of the motivation system across disorders.
Critical Youth Participatory Action Research: Ideology, Consciousness, and Praxis
Keywords: Consciousness
Ideology
Praxis
Social transformation
Youth participatory action research
YPAR

Critical youth participatory action research (YPAR) is emerging as a meaningful exercise for young people, researchers, and educators to collaborate in pedagogical social change efforts. Youth and adult co-researchers have both referred to critical YPAR as a “transformative” experience. But what constitutes “transformative” within the everyday realities of capitalist social relations? Drawing upon the conceptual tools of anti-racist Marxist feminists, I argue that critical YPAR generates consciousness and praxis within the mode of ideology, where the depth of our social-material relations are obscured in the appearances of everyday life. Within this ideology, participants in critical YPAR work demonstrate a consciousness about the individual as a site and solution for social change, and produce a praxis concentrated on increasing young people’s access to research and higher education. Ultimately, critical YPAR emerges as useful in helping young people and their adult allies to creatively manage or reform, rather than transform, capitalist social relations.
Experiences of Community Gardening Participants in Different Garden Settings
Keywords: Community Gardens
Demographics
Environmental Education
Rooftop Farms
Urban Food Systems
Urban Sustainability

Community gardens provide a number of social and civic benefits. While most community gardens are at street-level, rooftop might be used to replace green spaces that have been lost during development. Rooftop gardens can provide similar benefits to those provided by street-level gardens. However, there is a lack of research that compares experiences between street-level and rooftop garden participants, as well as urban and suburban contexts. Community garden participants were surveyed in Mississauga and Toronto, Canada to better understand how garden setting affects experiences. Respondentsâ perceived benefits differed from those identified in the current literature, highlighting the need to examine a variety of gardens and participants. In the Mississauga gardens, community benefits were consistently identified. Members from Ryersonâ s rooftop growing space identified broader challenges related to sustainability. Both garden types provide a range of benefits, but to contribute to local sustainability goals, there must be participation from a wider population.
Functional Connectivity of Brain Networks as a Marker for Relapse Vulnerability and Treatment Response in Depression
Keywords: Cognitive Therapy with Well-Being Focus
Depression
Large Scale Brain Networks
Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy
Relapse Prevention
Resting State Functional Connectivity

Relapse risk increases with each subsequent depressive episode. If remission can be sustained, this relapse risk will decrease; however, treatment response is highly variable, and many people have to try multiple treatments before they find the right one. This present study aimed to find relapse vulnerability markers and predictors of treatment response to two relapse prevention treatments, mindfulness based cognitive therapy and cognitive therapy with a well-being focus, by exploring the resting state functional connectivity of four large scale brain networks. Results suggested that relapse vulnerability was associated with a fusion of these networks, and a dissociation of the salience network with sensory cortices; this pattern was related to greater depressive symptoms and less of an ability to decenter and accept. Additionally, mindfulness based cognitive therapy was associated with increasing sensory integration, whereas cognitive behavioural therapy was associated with decreasing opponency between internal attention and goal-directed cognition/external attention networks.
Long-Term Changes in Global and Local Atmospheric Mercury as Recorded in White Spruce Tree-Rings in Central Yukon Territory
Keywords: Atmospheric deposition
Atmospheric mercury
Dendrochemistry
Dendrochronology
Proxy archive

This thesis on Picea glauca trees in central Yukon Territory makes progress toward understanding the use of tree-rings as a natural archive for atmospheric mercury (Hg) over long time-scales, a perspective needed to better understand Hg cycling. Unlike other tree-ring properties, tree-ring Hg appears to be independent of age and incremental growth variations, thereby eliminating the need to correct tree-ring Hg for biological trends. This is the first study in northern Canada to develop a multi-century (1606-2014 CE) tree-ring Hg reconstruction, and corroborates observations from other Hg reconstructions in North America, such as low 17thCE Hg concentrations relative to the post-Industrial era and peak values in the 20th CE. Finally, analysis of a control site and an industrial site where Hg emissions were elevated for ~6 decades demonstrates that local Hg emissions are additive to regional atmospheric Hg concentrations, and retained in tree-ring records proximal to emission sources.
Strontium fate in wetlands: Proposed solutions to strontium pollution
Keywords: Adsorption
C-13 NMR
Desorption
Soil Organic Matter
Strontium
Wetland

Strontium 90 (90Sr) is an anthropogenic radionuclide detected in environments near nuclear accident and waste management sites. At the interface between groundwater and surface water, wetlands have the potential to buffer 90Sr pollution. This work investigated strontium interaction with five main wetland components and strontium speciation across the wetland water â sediment interface of two wetland sites, via both a laboratory and field studies. The strongest strontium adsorption onto organic substrates was found for wetland sediments and moss, where the proteins were found to cause stronger and less reversible adsorption. At the water â sediment interface, the pore water strontium concentration was related to reduced oxyhydroxides and dissolved organic carbon concentrations. The results of this research were applied to develop wetland management practices for Sr retention in engineered wetlands, and for the remediation of strontium-contaminated natural wetlands.
Establishing a new rodent model of partial bladder outlet obstruction and the role of macrophages in bladder obstruction
Keywords: Animal model
Bladder
Bladder outlet obstruction
Macrophages
Smooth muscle cells

Partial bladder outlet obstruction has a high prevalence, develops insidiously, and can severely affect quality of life and health of patients. Obstruction leads to bladder hypertrophy and ultimately to fibrosis. While macrophages are known as central regulators of fibrosis in many organs, their role in bladder remodeling is poorly understood. We hypothesized that macrophages modulate bladder remodeling in the context of partial outlet obstruction. We developed a partial bladder outlet obstruction rodent model that avoids dissection around the bladder neck, thus avoiding a wound healing response of that area affecting the bladder. Importantly, our model also preserved bladder innervation, in contrast to the traditionally used model. Bladder outlet obstruction increased the number of macrophages and depletion of macrophages not only affected cytokine levels in bladder tissue but also helped preserve bladder function. Macrophages seem to contribute to obstruction-related bladder dysfunction
Designing a Vibrotactile Feedback System for Use in Lower-Limb Prostheses: Exploring the Tactor Configuration Variables
Keywords: gait training
haptic feedback
lower-limb prosthesis
rehabilitation
vibrotactile stimulation
wearable technology

Vibrotactile feedback could compensate for amputeesâ proprioceptive shortcoming by using vibratory motors, or tactors, to provide tactile feedback on relevant biomechanical information. Currently, there is no lower-limb prosthesis incorporated with vibrotactile feedback available commercially. We built a novel setup that allowed exploration of several key tactor configuration variables while simulating the conditions in a real lower-limb prosthesis. Through experiments on ten able-bodied individuals and one above-knee amputee, we tested each variable at several carefully chosen levels. Outcome measures were response time, accuracy identifying stimulation patterns, and error locating stimuli. The results were overall comparable to relevant findings in the literature. Additionally, we measured vibratory amplitude at various positions of a simulated prosthesis-limb interface. Our findings informed some key design decisions regarding the tactor configuration, which would also depend on the intended functions of a vibrotactile feedback system. Future work should experiment on lower-limb amputees under dynamic conditions.
Effects of Biochar Electrode Structure, Dimension, and Surface Properties on Electrochemical Double-Layer Capacitor Performance
Keywords: Biochar
Electrical Double-Layer Capacitor
Electrode Structure
Microporosity
Supercapacitor

Supercapacitors, or electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs), are high power density storage devices that are able to complement or replace conventional batteries in niche energy storage situations. This thesis investigates the characterization and performance of monolithic biochar, produced from woody-biomass precursors, as an alternative supercapacitor electrode material in three parts. First, the electron deceleration scanning electron microscope technique is applied to biochar specimens, enabling the clear resolution of nanoscale surface features and their locations within the biomass precursor. Second, monolithic biochar electrodes are compared to their powder thin film structured counterparts, demonstrating equivalent device specific capacitance performances while electrode thickness increases up to 5 mm. Third, the influence of pyrolysis conditions on electrochemical performance is explored, revealing that while increasing the temperature improves conductivity and microporosity development, capacitive storage is hindered. Although capacitive performance appears relatively low, monolithic biocharâ s unique structure and associated capabilities afford future opportunities as an electrode material.
Characterization of Microvascular and Neuronal Injury in a Transgenic Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease
Keywords: Alzheimer's disease
Histopathological and biochemical analyses
Microvascular dysfunction
Neuronal network dysfunction
Transgenic rat model of Alzheimer's disease
Two-photon fluorescence microscopy

The present work investigated morphological and functional aspects of the cerebrocortical microvasculature in the transgenic F344 rat model (TgF344-AD) of Alzheimerâ s disease (AD) in the prodromal stage of the disease in situ and related these findings to disease pathology assessed on post-mortem histological analysis. Two-photon fluorescence microscopy of the microvasculature and electrophysiological recordings of the brain waves in the somatosensory cortex allowed the 3D imaging of cerebrocortical microvasculature and AD-induced vascular pathologies, the measurements of cerebrovascular reactivity and probing of neuronal network function. Vascular morphology and the degree of amyloidosis and tauopathy were examined through analysis of immunofluorescence staining and Western blots of brain tissue sections. The TgF344-AD rats exhibited significant reduction in hypercapnia-elicited vascular reactivity and attenuated theta-gamma cross-frequency coupling early in the progression of amyloidosis and tauopathy. These functional deficits were not accompanied by changes in the cerebrovascular wall morphology, despite significant amyloid accumulation and tau hyperphosphorylation.
Intraspecific Trait Variation in Cacao Agroecosystems: Influence of Local Conditions and Cultivars, and Role in Local Knowledge Systems
Keywords: Central America
Cultivar
Functional traits
Intraspecific trait variation
Local knowledge
Theobroma cacao

Intraspecific functional trait variation (ITV) in agroecosystems indicates changes in crop plant function due to genetic, environmental, and management effects. Such variation may also underpin farmersâ knowledge and management practices. I measured ITV in six Central American cacao cultivars (Theobroma cacao L.) by collecting leaves (n=519) from cacao trees (n=173) in two clonal gardens and analyzing them for a suite of functional traits. Chemical traits were related to environmental factors, morphological traits to genetic factors, and physiological traits to a combination of the two. To assess the use of ITV in farm management, I interviewed 45 farmers using a visual elicitation device containing leaves arranged by size, colour, and thickness. Participants linked leaf size to cacao production, leaf colour to shade and plant health, and leaf thickness to shade. This thesis uses ITV to demonstrate how cacao cultivars respond to environmental conditions, and how farmers interpret variation in cacao traits.
Simulation of Cell Growth in High-pressure Foam Injection Molding
Keywords: Foam injection molding
Simulation of bubble growth
Simulation of cell growth

In this work, visualized experiments were conducted to reveal the fundamental mechanisms of nucleation and growth using high-pressure foam injection molding (HP-FIM) with and without mold opening (MO) using a real-time in-situ visualization system. Results from both molding methods showed significant differences in nucleation and growth behavior and final foam morphology when different packing pressures were applied. A simulation strategy is proposed to predict the bubble growth profile in both HP-FIM and HP-FIM + MO. The simulation is composed of three main components 1. The Cell model, 2. Material and transport properties which are functions of temperature, pressure, and blowing agent concentration, 3. The Simha-Somcynsky equation of state. Simulation was conducted on both molding methods. The predicted growth profiles for both trials were in quantitative agreement with experimental findings. Sensitivity analysis was also conducted, the resulted growth profiles under different conditions were in qualitative agreement with the literature.
Integration of Commercial Vehicle GPS and Roadside Intercept Survey Data
Keywords: Commercial Vehicle Survey
Data fusion
Data integration
Freight data
GPS

Technologies such as smart phone and GPS give collect spatial-temporal data with sample sizes that far exceed conventional survey methods, but lack the flexibility that a conventional survey offers. This study develops a data fusion method to impute new variables of interest for a large GPS data set, by establish link to a different data set that has the variables of interest and shares common data with the GPS data set. As a case study, this study uses Ontarioâ s Roadside Commercial Vehicle Survey (CVS) to enrich a GPS data from Xata Inc. The enrichment process has three parts, converting raw GPS data into GPS trips, matching CVS trips to GPS trips, and imputing the missing variables for GPS trips. The research concluded that imputation methods can produce a synthetic dataset with large sample size and rich information from roadside interview data with good accuracy at an aggregate level such as corridor.
Assessing Geomorphic Processes and their Potential Relationship with Archaeological Artifact Exposure - NE Peloponnese, Greece
Keywords: artifact
geomorphology
GIS
Peloponnese
RUSLE
soil erosion

Landscape change can be important when encountering historical artifacts. Interactions between topography, climate and human activity shape a landscape, making sediment deposits from surface erosion and fluvial transport, and the artifacts they contain, important archives. There is a potential relationship between the rate of geomorphic processes and surface artifact density. This study compares spatially variable estimates of soil loss and stream energy, as indicators of high geomorphic activity, to surface artifact finds of the Western Argolid Regional Project (WARP). Processes within the Inachos River watershed in the northeast Peloponnese, Greece, are quantified using the Unit Stream Power Erosion Deposition method (USPED) and the specific stream power approach in a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) environment. A statistically significant association is identified between surface erosion and artifact density, with the lowest artifact densities associated with the highest rates of soil loss. Knowledgeable interpretation of artifact distribution enables more accurate reconstruction of human settlement history.
It’s Not You, It’s Me: Sex, Context, and Individual Differences in Experimental Partner Choice
Keywords: Experimental Partner Choice
Individual Differences
Mate Preference
Sex Differences

This study examined the role of context and participant characteristics in modulating the attractiveness of hypothetical romantic partners in an experimental partner choice paradigm. Results showed some support for classic sex differences: women, more than men, valued personal characteristics, especially intelligence and agreeableness; men, more than women, valued visual characteristics such as physical attractiveness and race. No sex difference was found in preference for wealth, however. This study also replicated established effects of short-term vs long-term context: Participants showed increased preference for physical attractiveness in the short-term context and personal characteristics in the long-term context. Finally, this study investigated the role of self-similarity experimental preferences for personality and intelligence. The results show that agreeable and intelligent participants are sensitive to cues that a potential mate has low agreeableness or intelligence, respectively. This constitutes evidence that self-similarity preferences (and not just social homogamy) help generate observed patterns of assortative mating.
Local Search and the Explore/Exploit Trade-off in Adult Causal Inferences
Keywords: Bayesian inference
causality
hypothesis search
learning
process model

We explore how adults learn counterintuitive causal relationships, and whether they discover hypotheses by revising their beliefs incrementally. We examined how adults learned a novel and unusual causal rule when presented with data that initially appeared to conform to a simpler, more salient rule. Adults watched a video of several blocks placed sequentially on a blicket detector, and were then asked to determine the underlying causal structure. In the near condition the true rule was complex, but could be found by making incremental improvements to the simple and salient initial hypothesis. The distant condition was governed by a simpler rule, but to adopt that rule participants had to set aside their initial beliefs, rather than revising them incrementally. Adults performed better in the near condition, despite this rule being more complex, providing some of the first evidence for an explore-exploit trade-off in inference, analogous to the trade-off in active learning.