VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Interaction and Secrecy in Gaussian Diamond Relay Networks

In this thesis, the physical layer secrecy for several Gaussian network models are studied. We first establish the secure degrees of freedom (d.o.f.)~of helper-assisted Gaussian wiretap channel with shared keys between the transmitter and the helpers. As a natural extension, we next consider the Gaussian diamond wiretap channel where the relays can obtain common randomness from the source node. Secure d.o.f.~for the diamond wiretap channel is established and upper and lower bounds for the multi-relay case are also provided. We then study the diamond channel with conferencing links and investigate the effects of the conferencing links under Gaussian channel as well as binary adder MAC channel. Finally we discuss the artificial noise transmission for secrecy with constant-amplitude constraint for the beamforming vector. The effects of such constraint are examined and algorithms to solve for the beamforming vector are given.

Keywords: diamond relay network
fundamental limits
information theory
physical layer security
secure degrees of freedom
wiretap channel
Advisor: Khisti, Ashish
Development of Water-soluble Mn(III) Porphyrin as Extracellular MRI Contrast Agents: Optimizing Relaxivity at High Magnetic Field

In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), contrast agent (CA) plays a significant role in modulating signal intensity and enhancing tissue contrast. Gadolinium-based CAs (GBCAs) are routinely applied in clinical settings for detecting diseases involving disrupted vascularity, such as tumors and stroke. Despite their clinical success, the applications are constrained by their suboptimal contrast enhancement efficiency (relaxivity) at high clinical field and their associated Gd-toxicity. To overcome these limitations, we focus on the development of Gd-free CAs based on manganese(III) porphyrin (MnP). MnTCP was developed as the first MnP-based ECF agents with superior properties.. In the thesis, three different chemical approaches have been explored to further optimize MnTCP. Approaches of improving relaxivity by dimerization (Chapter 2), incorporating biocompatible polyhydroxyl amide (Chapter 3) and tuning electronic properties in porphyrin ligand (Chapter 4) are investigated. Among all novel MnTCP derivatives, MnTrCP2 showed the most promising results. Preliminary studies on relaxivity optimization have yielded encouraging results.

Keywords: Contrast Medium
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Metalloporphyrins
Advisor: Zhang, Xiao-an
Adverse Cardiac Events Among Older Patients on Venlafaxine: A Population-based Study

Background: It is unknown whether the common antidepressant, venlafaxine, is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Objective: To examine the cardiac safety of venlafaxine in older individuals. Methods: A population-based retrospective cohort study (Ontario, Canada) compared patients aged >=66 years who commenced treatment with venlafaxine, sertraline or citalopram between 2000 and 2009. The primary outcome was a composite of death or hospitalization for myocardial infarction or heart failure within the first year of therapy. Results: Following inverse probability of treatment weighting with the propensity score, we found no difference in the primary outcome with venlafaxine relative to sertraline (hazard ratio (HR) 0.97; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93 to 1.02). When compared to citalopram, however, an increased risk was observed (HR 1.39; 95% CI 1.19 to 1.62). Conclusions: As compared with sertraline, venlafaxine was not associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiac events. The increased risk observed in the venlafaxine -citalopram comparison warrants further study.

Keywords: Adverse Drug Safety
Cardiovascular
Venlafaxine
Advisor: Juurlink, David N
Chiral Diene/Phosphine Hybrid Ligands: Synthesis Applications

The Lautens group has recently developed a variety of novel multi-metal catalyzed synthetic methodologies involving chiral and achiral ligands. These types of systems are attractive in terms of efficiency as no reaction intermediates need to be isolated thus reducing waste, time and cost. In an attempt to expand this field, the focus of this work is on the synthesis of novel hybrid ligands containing a chiral diene and phosphine moiety for the purposes of Rh/Pd dual-metal catalysis. Achievements include the synthesis of a variety of hybrid ligands and progress towards the optimization of a one-pot one-step Rh/Pd dual-metal catalyzed reaction with these types of ligands. Specifically, this reaction involves the Rh-catalyzed asymmetric conjugate addition of boroxines to enones and a Pd-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction.

Advisor: Lautens, Mark
Preliminary Study Integrating CACNA1C RS1006737, Hippocampal and Amygdala Volumes, and Peripheral Endothelial Function in Youth with Bipolar Disorder

Multiple genome wide association studies have identified a bipolar disorder (BD) - risk allele polymorphism (CACNA1C rs1006737). rs1006737 is implicated in neurostructural differences in non-BD carriers. As CACNA1C codes for a protein subunit responsible for endothelial function, we predicted it might serve as a genetic underpinning for both the cardiovascular and neurological phenotypes seen in BD. Fifty adolescents (25 healthy controls, 25 BD) completed genotyping, structural scans, and an endothelial function test [reactive hyperemia index (RHI)]. No gene effects were observed in the amygdala or hippocampus, however healthy carriers of the risk allele showed trending reduced volume in the bilateral hippocampus and amygdala when compared to healthy non-carriers. Furthermore, RHI was non-significantly negatively correlated with left hippocampus volume in HC non-carriers, and a significant gene-RHI interaction was observed in the hippocampus of HC. These findings suggest CACNA1C rs1006737 warrants further study as a potential bridge between BD and vascular dysfunction.

Keywords: Amygdala
CACNA1C
Hippocampus
Imaging
Reactive Hyperemia Index
Youth Bipolar Disorder
Advisor: Goldstein, Benjamin
Lanctôt, Krista
Cost-­effective Care Delivery Models in Ambulatory Surgery: Expedited Discharge and Virtual Care

My Master’s thesis applies the Value Agenda framework to the ambulatory breast reconstruction population. The first study uses patient level quality of recovery (QoR) data to determine if autologous breast reconstruction is suitably performed in an ambulatory facility. We found that QoR scores approach baseline by postoperative day 7; and are comparable to other ambulatory surgery patient populations1. In keeping with the Value Agenda, this study uses patient outcome data to support autologous breast reconstruction in more cost-effective, ambulatory facilities. The second study models the cost-effectiveness of replacing in-person follow-up care with mobile app follow-up care during the first month following ambulatory breast reconstruction. We found a societal incremental net benefit of $245 CAD between mobile app and in-person follow-up care. Mobile app follow-up care expands the geographical reach of breast reconstruction by reducing the burden of physical patient travel and its associated costs after surgery.

Keywords: ambulatory surgery
cost-effectiveness
delivery of health care
health services research
health technology assessment
quality of health care
Advisor: Coyte, Peter C
Semple, John L
Learning from Life Histories of Queerness in Schools and Experiences with Mental Health Systems

This study involves a series of life history interviews with two participants who experienced homophobia as students in school, and who have had contact with mental health systems. The interviews investigate the participants’ school experiences and how they interpret their experiences of homophobia as intersecting with their contact with mental health systems. The analysis will examine how the participants’ stories were told as reflecting what school cultures, the ways queer issues are taken up in schools, and social constructions of “mental illness” are involved in those experiences, and as reflecting how ways of being are made possible and impossible in school and broader communities.

Advisor: Goldstein, Tara
Renewable Energy Technology and the Hotel Sector of Small Island Developing States (SIDS): Managing Sustainability Transitions on the Island of Barbados

This thesis examines the barriers to renewable energy technology within the hotel sector of Barbados. The topic is approached using the theoretical perspective of transition management. An economic analysis of renewable energy technologies applicable to Barbados is coupled with the insights of stakeholder interviews. Consequently, the space created for hotels to implement innovations in renewable energy technology is discussed. In particular, identified barriers are used to characterize the existing energy regime on the island. The categories of barriers identified are: institutional, market, economic, technical and socio-cultural. Despite favorable levelized costs of electricity for renewable energy technologies there must be new governance activities and market-based approaches to facilitate an energy transition within island hotels.

Keywords: Barbados
Governance
Hotels
Renewable Energy
Small Island Developing States
Transition Management
Advisor: Harvey, LD Danny
Multi-modal Heart-Beat Estimation on an iPhone

Current generation smartphone video cameras and microphones enable photoplethysmography (PPG) and phonocardiography (PCG) acquisition. In this thesis, I utilized the iPhone microphone and camera to measure heart rate. We developed a heart rate measurement system using triple sensing mechanisms (finger and face color changes and heart sound measurement) all on the iPhone. The three proposed measurement systems each provide an independent heart rate estimate, as well as a combined estimation based on the fusion of the individual sensors.The proposed algorithm estimates the heart rate by (1) heart pulse analysis to compute the heart rate of the user using our version of the EMD algorithm which is used in advanced biomedical signal processing, (2) assessing the quality of the PPG and PCG waveforms using the Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier,(3) concisely combining heart rate information from the three different modalities based on the assessed quality of the waveforms.

Keywords: Heart Rate
iOS application
Machine Learning
Signal Processing
Advisor: Aarabi, Parham
Role of Adiponectin in Monocytic Microparticle-Induced Endothelial Dysfunction

Monocyte-derived microparticles (MPs) have been suggested to link cardiovascular risk factors to vascular injury. We hypothesized that adiponectin, an anti-inflammatory and vasculoprotective adipokine, limits the production and/or action of monocytic MPs on endothelial cells. Adiponectin attenuated MP release from untreated THP-1 monocytes and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated conditions. Furthermore, peritoneal monocytes from Adipoq−/− mice generated significantly greater MPs than those from Adipoq+/+ littermates in the absence and presence of LPS. LPS-induced MP expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and its principal components, namely cleaved ASC, caspase-1, and IL-1β (pro- and cleaved), were all markedly attenuated by adiponectin treatment. HUVECs incubated with MPs from LPS-treated THP-1 cells exhibited an increase in the expression of VCAM-1; adiponectin inhibited this effect. The effects of adiponectin on MP release and molecular signaling occurred at least in part through modulation of the AMPK-Akt and NFκB pathways. The findings highlight another pleiotropic effect of adiponectin in limiting endothelial activation.

Keywords: Adiponectin
AMPK
inflammation
Microparticles
microvesicles
Advisor: Verma, Subodh
Novel Synthesis of Phosphonamidated Carbohydrates Designed as Transition-State Analog Inhibitors of CE4 De-N-acetylases

Carbohydrate Esterase Family 4 enzymes include de-N-acetylases that are essential bacterial virulence factors. They include enzymes that deacetylate PNAG, a glycan composed of repeating units of beta-1,6 linked N-acetylglucosamine residues, to form polysaccharide intercellular adhesion (PIA or dPNAG), which is an essential component of the biofilm matrix of many pathogens. They also include de-N-acetylases that act on beta-1,4 linked N-acetylglucosamine residues present in bacterial peptidoglycan, which allows evasion of innate immune defenses. To target these enzymes for development of antimicrobial agents, transition-state analog inhibitors containing a phosphonamidate moiety and various specificity groups around a central glucose scaffold were synthesized using a novel direct Staudinger-phosphonite reaction. The inhibitors were tested via in vitro inhibition assays with purified PgaB, the PNAG de-N-acetylase from Escherichia coli, and SpPgdA, the peptidoglycan de-N-acetylase from streptococcus pneumonia. This resulted in identification of the most potent inhibitor of peptidoglycan de-N-acetylases reported to date, with an inhibition constant of 80 µM.

Keywords: antimicrobial
Biofilm
De-N-acetylase
PgaB
Phosphonamidate
SpPgdA
Advisor: Nitz, Mark
On the Catalytic Gasification of a Municipal Solid Waste Residue, using Alkali and Alkaline Earth Carbonate Catalysts

Catalysis in gasification has been known since 1921. At that time the primary substrate was coal. New substrates have since been processed and include biomasses, sludges, and recently the carbonaceous portion of municipal solid waste (MSW). An analogue of the residue of the last substrate is natural graphite, as under severe (+550 celcius) pyrolysis conditions, carbon tends to graphitize. This material tends to accumulate in processes such as downdraft steam gasifiers,leading to low carbon efficiencies. To improve these inefficiencies, graphite is investigated under oxygen gasifying conditions, using a potassium carbonate catalyst in a thermogravimetric apparatus (TGA). The goal is to obtain intrinsic rate information by correcting for the diffusional limitations inherent in the device. Doing so gives a close correlation with literature in terms of activation energy and rates. Finally, as the expense incurred by not recycling valuable catalyst can be uneconomical, retention and displacement of valuable catalysts was also investigated.

Keywords: catalytic gasification
drop tube furnace steam gasification
Municipal solid waste
municipal solid waste residue
Oxygen gasifying agent
thermogravimetric analysis oxygen gasification
Advisor: Kirk, Donald W.
Validation of a Health-related Quality of Life Measure based on the Minimum Data Set by Mapping and Regression

This study is the first to directly compare the Minimum Data Set- Health Status Index (MDS-HSI) based prediction of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) using the Resident Assessment Instrument- Minimum Data Set (RAI-MDS) with the actual resident-ratings of HRQOL based on the Health Utilities Index-2 (HUI2). This study involved secondary analysis of HUI2 survey response data from long-term care residents in Ontario. At the individual level, there was poor correlation between MDS-HSI and HUI2 multi-attribute and single health attribute scores. The Self-care attribute was the most discrepant health attribute and had the largest impact on the poor overall ICC between the MDS-HSI and the HUI2 scores. At the group level, the MDS-HSI and HUI2 findings showed mixed results. The results suggest that the source of HRQOL information is an important factors to consider when conducting HRQOL research in long-term care settings.

Keywords: Health-related quality of life
HUI2
Long-term care
MDS-HSI
Quality of life
Advisor: Wodchis, Walter
Gamma-band Neural Synchronization is Associated with Motor Difficulties in Childhood Epilepsy

The present study used magnetoencephalographic (MEG) recordings during median nerve stimulation in children with epilepsy to investigate the hypothesis that abnormal inter-regional gamma-band synchronization within the sensorimotor network is related to motor performance difficulties. Stimulation-dependent gamma-band network synchronization following median nerve stimulation was identified by network based statistics (NBS) and involved the primary motor and somatosensory cortex. Lateralization of the synchronization network contralateral to the stimulated arm was observed and this lateralization was also found in the graph properties of strength, clustering and centrality of primary motor and somatosensory cortex. Significant associations between graph properties of primary motor and somatosensory cortex, reflecting the participation of these regions in the stimulation-dependent network, and motor performance in grooved pegboard and finger tapping tests for the contralateral hand were observed. These findings are congruent with the view that epilepsy may lead to performance deficits through the disruption of connectivity in functional brain networks.

Advisor: Doesburg, Sam M
Dissecting Shared and Unique Neural Circuitry Underlying Negative Symptoms, Social Cognition, and Functional Outcome in Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a devastating illness with significant disability and poor long-term clinical and functional outcome. Negative symptoms and social cognitive impairments are two key symptom domains that affect functional outcome in schizophrenia. This thesis explores the shared and unique neural circuitry related to negative symptoms, social cognition, and functional outcome in schizophrenia. In study one, the relationship between white matter fractional anisotropy, negative symptoms, and functional outcome in schizophrenia participants was investigated. Study two includes a broad sample of patient and healthy control populations, which is in line with the RDoC methodology. In this study, the relationship between white matter tracts implicated in functional outcome and social cognitive domains was investigated in a sample of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and healthy control participants on a continuum of social cognitive performance. Taken together, these studies elucidate circuitry that may be impaired in schizophrenia, and may represent neurobiological correlates of negative symptoms, social cognition, and functional outcome.

Keywords: Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Functional Outcome
Negative Symptoms
Schizophrenia
Social Cognition
White Matter
Advisor: Voineskos, Aristotle N
The Anticonvulsant Effects of Progesterone, its Metabolites, and 5α-Dihydroprogesterone Novel Analogs in Amygdala-kindled Seizures in Rats

Introduction: Complex partial epilepsy is the most common type of drug-resistant epilepsy in adults. The present study was designed to test the anticonvulsant activity of 5α-dihydroprogesterone (5α-DHP) novel analogs in an animal model of human complex partial epilepsy − the rat amygdala-kindling model. Methods: Confirmatory replication studies were carried out on progesterone and its metabolites. Subsequently, nine 5α-DHP novel analogs were screened for anticonvulsant potential. Finally, emerging lead compounds, MC008 and MC009, were examined in dose-response studies, time-response studies, and Lӧscher's ataxia toxicity studies. Results: Progesterone and its metabolites were generally anticonvulsant. Analogs MC008 and MC009 were effective against both the focal and the generalized kindled seizures. Toxic side-effects (ataxia), however, accompanied focal seizure suppression. Conclusion: MC008 and MC009 do not seem to be ideal candidates for the treating human complex partial seizures due to potential toxicity. Other 5α-DHP analogs have been synthesized and will be tested in future experiments.

Keywords: 5α- DHP novel analogs
5α-dihydroprogesterone
complex partial seizure
dose-response study
progesterone
rat-amygdala kindling
Advisor: Burnham, McIntyre W.
Experimental and Analytical Investigation of Thermal Energy Storage System for Automotive Applications

Driving with an engine in winter increases fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions in automobiles. A latent heat thermal energy storage (TES) device has been designed, constructed and tested to investigate waste heat recovery and reduction of engine warm-up time. Different thermal insulation methods were tested to select a proper one that could minimize heat loss from the TES during energy storage under a below freezing ambient temperature. Heat discharging tests were then conducted with the TES system. Two analytical models were developed to simulate the heat transport processes. An unsteady heat balance model was set up and solved to simulate the temperature profiles. Both the experimental and model simulation results demonstrated the potential of the TES device for use in engine warm-up during a winter season. Further model development and validation using laboratory and field test data would contribute to the development of commercial TES products in the future.

Advisor: Kawaji, Masahiro
The Role of Syntaxin-1a in Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Secretion from the Adult Mouse Intestinal L-Cell

Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) is an incretin secreted from intestinal L-cells. Although pathways promoting GLP-1 secretion have been characterized, little is known about the mechanism of GLP-1 exocytosis. I hypothesized that Syntaxin-1a, a core SNARE protein, is essential for GLP-1 exocytosis. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated GLP-1 and Syntaxin-1a co-localization in adult mouse intestinal cell (AMIC) cultures. AMICs responded to known secretagogues (forskolin/3-isobutyl-1-1-methylxanthine, Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Peptide and oleoylethanolamide). AMICs from Syntaxin-1afl/fl mice were infected with adenovirus (AdV)-cre-recombinase or empty-Adv. qRT-PCR, immunocytochemistry and immunoblot demonstrated knockdown of Syntaxin-1a expression in AMICs infected with AdV-cre-recombinase. Syntaxin-1a knockdown L-cells exhibited a 1.3-fold increase in basal secretion, but the response to OEA was significantly abrogated. Thus, Syntaxin-1a plays an essential role in GLP-1 secretion from the primary, adult mouse ileal L-cell. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms mediating GLP-1 release may provide new approaches to enhancing endogenous GLP-1 levels in Type II Diabetes.

Keywords: Exocytosis
Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP-1)
in vivo
Primary L-Cell
Secretion
Syntaxin-1a
Advisor: Brubaker, Patricia L
Painting with Music

In this paper, we described a small area sound localization system with two microphone arrays. We evaluated different array architectures and demonstrated that a two array system outperforms a single array system of similar physical dimension. The proposed system achieves 12 localizations per second with an average error of less than 3 cm for both point localization and movement tracking in a local one meter by one meter region. Using our system, we have demonstrated painting with music as a direct application. Another potential application of our system is to track finger movements and perform gesture recognition. As a future direction, our system can be extended to localizing objects and tracking movement in 3D space.

Keywords: Acoustic Localization
Advisor: Aarabi, Parham