VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
The role of Late Gestation Lung1 (LGL1) in lung development

Mammalian lungs originate as epithelial outgrowths of the ventral foregut into the surrounding mesenchyme. Epithelial branching and cyto-differentiation give rise to lungs capable of gas exchange. Glucocorticoids (GCs) stimulate and accelerate these events, partly by inducing soluble factors from fetal mesenchyme. However, the effects of GC signaling on cell-cell interactions and on the expression of downstream target genes essential to normal lung development are incompletely understood. In order to identify downstream targets of GCs that regulate lung development, Kaplan and Sweezey (1999) cloned Late Gestation Lung 1 (LGL1). LGL1 is a glucocorticoid-inducible, developmentally regulated gene expressed in lung mesenchyme. Lgl1 protein belongs to the CRISP family of secreted proteins that act as cell adhesion molecules, serene proteases, and/or mediators of the TGF-beta signaling pathway. This led us to speculate that LGL1 may serve an important function in fetal lung development. The objective of this thesis was to characterize the role of lgl1 during fetal lung development. During the pseudoglandular stage, LGL1 mRNA is found diffusely throughout the mesenchyme while its protein product is detected in subsets of mesenchymal cells adjacent to small airways and large blood vessels. Reduction of LGL1 mRNA and lgl1 protein levels by oligodeoxynucleofdes in fetal explant cultures inhibited lung branching. Conversely, recombinant lgl1 stimulated airway branching. LGL1 expression is maximal in the saccular stage, concordant with the surge in surfactant production. Lgl1 protein, restricted to the mesenchyme in early gestation, is present in epithelial cells in the saccular lung, suggesting a distinct role for lgl1 in late gestation lung. We showed lgl1 is a secreted glycoprotein and that recombinant lgl1 (rlgl1) suppresses epithelial proliferation and stimulates surfactant production in late gestation lung cell culture. Transient transfection using luciferase reporter constructs demonstrated that the LGL1 promoter contains functional GC and TGF-beta1 transcriptional binding elements. However, the target substrate(s) of LGL1 remain unknown. In conclusion, this thesis demonstrates that lgl1 plays a role during fetal lung organogenesis. Moreover, these findings are consistent with the inclusion of lgl1 in the emerging group of proteins that have distinct roles in regulating critical temporal-spatial events during distinct stages of lung development.
Dynamics of an intestinal pathogen within and between bumble bee hosts

Lastly, I examine how sub-lethal infections might reduce host fitness via adverse effects on host foraging. I show that infection by C. bombi reduces the efficiency of nectar collecting by bumble bees and alters their flower visiting behaviour in complex ways. My thesis investigates the dynamics of infectious disease within and between hosts. I use a combination of field and laboratory studies and mathematical modeling to examine the establishment of infections within hosts, the spread of infections between hosts, and the effects of infection on host behaviour. Throughout, I use the bumble bee Bombus impatiens and its intestinal pathogen Crithidia bombi as a model system. Next, I demonstrate how two aspects of infectiousness, pathogen shedding and rate of social contact, can have direct consequences for the spread of infection among hosts. I show that infectiousness (shedding) interacts with host density to produce unexpectedly low rates of transmission among bees when host density is high. Further, within colonies, bees interact through non-random contact networks and an individual's risk of infection is strongly linked to its unique rate of contact with infected nestmates. First, I demonstrate that a variety of factors may influence within-host dynamics of infection, including a host's exposure level, body size, and immune function. Importantly, the dynamics of C. bombi infections within bees create large variation in infectiousness among bees and alter aspects of host foraging that may influence between-host transmission at flowers. I then use a mathematical model of Fickian diffusion to integrate various aspects of disease dynamics and to examine the spread of pathogens from a point source of infection. Specifically, I consider the 'spillover' of C. bombi from infected commercially reared bumble bees into wild populations near greenhouses. Using field and laboratory data, I show that C. bombi may spread kilometres from greenhouses that use infected commercial bees. Importantly, sensitivity analyses show that slight changes in the infectivity of a pathogen or its rate of decay in the environment would greatly affect the rate of spread into susceptible populations.
Molecular characterization of the Myc oncoprotein

Myc is a multi-functional protein that can drive a diverse array of biological activities, including cell cycle progression, apoptosis, and cellular transformation. Myc orchestrates these events by functioning as a transcription factor, to activate or repress the expression of various genes, which then mediate its activities. However, the molecular mechanisms of Myc function are not well understood. There are a limited number of Myc regulated targets identified that can explain Myc activity and an understanding of the mechanism(s) of Myc activation and repression of gene transcription is just emerging. To characterize the function of the Myc protein we have taken three approaches. First, we have examined the structure-function relationship of the Myc N-terminal domain (NTD) through an analysis of Myc mutants. This study highlights the great complexity within the NTD with respect to the relationships between the different activities that Myc induces. Our second approach was to identify Myc regulated genes by microarray analysis. By assessing the expression of the putative targets in various cell systems we were able to isolate specific Myc regulated targets from those genes regulated as an indirect result of cellular activity. This study revealed 15 genes that fulfilled our criteria of a Myc regulated target and will provide useful tools for the study of the underlying mechanisms of Myc function in gene regulation and allow us to begin to understand how Myc exerts its biological activities through regulation of gene expression. Indeed, as a third approach, we further investigated the mechanism of transcriptional regulation of a newly identified Myc target. The mechanism of Myc repression at only a few targets has been investigated to date and interestingly, each has revealed a different mode of transcriptional repression. We investigated the mechanism of Myc repression of TMS-1 and a related family member TMS-2. Overall, these approaches have been useful in furthering our understanding of Myc function. By continuing to study the molecular activities of the Myc protein we will soon uncover how Myc is able to direct such a wide variety of cellular responses.
Phosphorylation-dependent plasticity at synapses of a crayfish phasic motoneuron

Synapses of crayfish motoneurons can undergo various forms of frequency-dependent plasticity. Low frequency depression (LFD) at walking leg extensor muscle phasic synapses was studied and found to occur in two phases and to be a result of a decline in transmitter release. The hypothesis that LFD depends on a decline in critical phosphoprotein was tested by applying kinase and phosphatase inhibitors. The kinase inhibitor staurosporine accelerated phase II of LFD whereas the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid reversed phase II. These treatments had little affect on phase I. Post-tetanic potentiation (PTP) at the same synapse was found to rely on an increase in critical phosphoprotein since staurosporine applied prior to tetanus abolished PTP whereas okadaic acid applied just before tetanus enhanced PTP. This thesis characterizes novel phosphorylation-dependent mechanisms for both LFD and PTP.
Material properties, and in vitro and in vivo degradation of calcium polyphosphate

The reduction in strength was mitigated if the structure was dissolved in cell culture media supplemented with proteins instead of deionized water. The reduction in mechanical properties for the wet, partially-dissolved, crystalline CPP was not as great as for the semi-crystalline CPP. Osteoarthritis is a mobility-impairing and painful joint disease with no known cure. A promising remedial technology is the development of an osteochontral implant that presents tissue-engineered cartilage on one face, and a porous, inorganic supporting structure composed of calcium polyphosphate on the other. Once implanted in an osteochondral defect, the ideal supporting structure dissolves at the same rate as bone in-growth, re-creating the bone-cartilage interface. Calcium polyphosphate (CPP) is a unique ceramic composed of calcium and polyphosphate ions. Polyphosphate ions are polymers of phosphate ions linked together with P-O-P bonds. Polyphosphate polymers allow CPP to exist as a glass, crystalline solid, or semi-crystalline (part glass, part crystalline) solid. Divalent calcium ions allow CPP glass to transform into a hydrogel when exposed to aqueous solutions because strong cross-links can form between calcium and polyphosphate ions. In this thesis, the structure, mechanical properties and degradation of two groups of porous CPP sintered at different temperatures were examined. A semi-crystalline CPP resulted from sintering at a lower temperature. This semi-crystalline CPP dissolves more rapidly than CPP with a higher crystalline content because amorphous CPP forms a hydrogel and dissolves more rapidly than crystalline CPP. It is proposed that the ionic bonds that form between polyphosphate and calcium ions may delay new bone mineralization. Elevated in vivo concentrations of polyphosphate released from semi-crystalline CPP were co-located with unmineralized bone tissue. This suggests that a semi-crystalline CPP implant may delay mineralization of local new bone. The mechanical properties of as-sintered and CPP structures partially dissolved in deionized water or cell culture media were characterized with Weibull parameters. The characteristic strength and Weibull modulus were both reduced by partial dissolution of the semi-crystalline CPP structure. The reduction was larger if the sample was wet when tested. A wet sample contains weak hydrogel that can dry into a stronger glass.
Osteoinductive potential of in vitro elaborated bone matrix

Bone marrow derived cells have been demonstrated capable of elaborating a mineralized collagen matrix that exhibits many of the ultrastructural and biochemical properties of native bone in culture. However, one of the hallmark properties of bone, namely its ability to induce new bone formation in a non-bony implantation site after demineralization, or osteoinduction, has not been rigorously investigated in the osteogenic culture system. The goal of the present work was to assess the ability of demineralized bone matrix produced by osteogenic bone marrow cultures to induce new bone formation in a standard, ectopic bone formation assay. Histological examination of subcutaneously implanted culture-derived bone matrix showed the induction of either bone or cartilage in 24 of 29, or 83% of samples. The induced tissue labeled positively for osteocalcin, a bone specific protein, and was demonstrated to be host-derived through the use of green fluorescent protein expressing animals. Furthermore, mechanical factors played a role in the observed osteoinductive response, while variations in sample preparation and implantation site did not. Our study provides the first conclusive evidence for the osteoinductive potential of in vitro elaborated bone, which may provide an important component of a cell/scaffold-based bone tissue engineering strategy.
The source of the "uniform-temperature layer" during water evaporation

Thermocapillary convection had not been observed in water until the evaporation experiments conducted by Ward and Duan. Temperature discontinuities have been observed at the liquid-vapor interface during steady state water evaporation. Below the liquid-vapor interface, an uniform-temperature layer has been found. A hypothesis is introduced claiming that the uniform-temperature layer results from the thermocapillary convection and buoyancy. The hypothesis has been examined by comparing the liquid temperature profiles of two series of experiments. The uniform-temperature layer was observed when the thermocapillary convection and the buoyancy were both presented. Otherwise, the uniform temperature layer is not observed.
The potential of distance and open learning in Kuwait: A case study of the Arab Open University-Kuwait branch

Open universities and distance education have expanded dramatically across the world. The Arab Open University is a non-profit institution aiming to offer opportunities for independent study and lifelong learning for the Arab region and elsewhere. The AOU launched its teaching programs in October 2002 in Kuwait, Lebanon, Jordan, Bahrain, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. This study explores the potential of open and distance education in Kuwait through an in-depth case study of the Arab Open University's Kuwait branch. Considering the infancy of the AOU, this exploration focuses on the planning and implementation efforts behind AOU, its chosen curriculum and modes of delivery, and a thorough look at its student profiles. It also looks into the potential consequences and appropriateness of its collaboration with the British Open University on its curriculum and students. A deliberation of the culture, environment, and society of AOU's student population and Kuwait's greater student population is implicit in this assessment.
Experimental study of crack closure characteristics

A theoretical and experimental basis regarding the fatigue crack closure model, proposed by measuring the externally applied loads versus crack opening displacement, was established. The obstructions of crack closure were simulated using an artificial asperity. The crack closure model was defined with three distinct stages of the unloading curve: (i) the asperity does not contact the upper crack face, (ii) a process where both the asperity and specimen deform elastically, and (iii) the plastic deformation in the specimen around the asperity occurs. An equation was proposed to estimate the crack opening displacement values, where the effects of deformations in the asperity and specimen were considered. Fundamentals of crack surface contact and crack closure behaviors were examined via two special experiments: the collection of the fracture debris and the direct observation of the contact zones on the fracture surface through an ink dyeing method. To obtain different severity of crack surface contact, the fatigue tests were conducted under different loading conditions. The results of this study showed that the stress amplitude and R-ratio were the major factors that determine the contacting status between the mating fracture surfaces, where the higher stress amplitude and the lower R-ratio make stronger crack surface contact. The contact severity was also attributed to the location of fracture surface, e.g., the severity of fracture surface contact in the area near crack tip was relatively stronger than that in the other area. A crack closure characteristic during fatigue was examined using an artificial asperity. With asperity wedging, the fatigue crack growth rate was obviously reduced. The crack growth rate was then correlated with the effective crack driving force, defined as DeltaPeff = Pmax--Pmin, real, which itself was also correlated to the plastic deformation level in the asperity and specimen. Moreover, the DeltaPeff value was found to change with increasing the crack length. In a short crack range, the value of Delta Peff decreased due to the artificial asperity- and plasticity-induced crack closing behaviors. As the crack length increased, the Delta Peff value increased as well until just prior to the fracture because of the reduction in the closing severity.
Optimizing the production of a Zea mays - Grevillea robusta alley cropping system with the WaNuLCAS model using a tabu search heuristic

The Water, Nutrient and Light Capture in Agroforestry Systems (WaNuLCAS) and an intelligent optimization technique, namely a Tabu Search metaheuristic were employed to select the optimum management practices for a Grevillea robusta and Zea mays (maize) alley cropping system. This agroforestry system was simulated for Embu Research Station in the Central Highlands of Kenya where G. robusta is commonly grown. The objectives for this land-use system were to maximum tree and crop production and Net Present Value (NPV). The maize production was constrained not to fall below 75% of the first crop of a sole cropped maize cropping system. The decision variables that were determined included; the tree planting density, pruning management and fertilizer application in the even-aged alley cropping system. The WaNuLCAS model simulated crop growth successful but was found inadequate for tree growth. The Tabu search heuristic was found ideal for optimizing this alley cropping system.
Moral reasoning about great apes in research

This study explored how individuals (biomedical scientists, Great Ape Project activists, lay adults, undergraduate biology and environmental studies students, and Grade 12 and 9 biology students) morally judge and reason about using great apes in biomedical and language research. How these groups perceived great apes' mental capacities (e.g., pain, logical thinking) and how these perceptions related to their judgments were investigated through two scenarios. In addition, the kinds of informational statements (e.g., biology, economics) that may affect individuals' scenario judgments were investigated. A negative correlation was found between mental attributions and scenario judgments while no clear pattern occurred for the informational statements. For the biomedical scenario, all groups significantly differed in mean judgment ratings except for the biomedical scientists, GAP activists and Grade 9 students. For the language scenario, all groups differed except for the GAP activists, and undergraduate environmental studies and Grade 9 students. An in-depth qualitative analysis showed that although the biomedical scientists, GAP activists and Grade 9 students had similar judgments, they produced different mean percentages of justifications under four moral frameworks (virtue, utilitarianism, deontology, and welfare). The GAP activists used more virtue reasoning while the biomedical scientists and Grade 9 students used more utilitarian and welfare reasoning, respectively. The results are discussed in terms of developing environmental/humane education curricula. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
Foreign banking services in Canada compared with the Swiss position

Foreign as well as domestic banks have an important impact on the financial services sector of economically developed countries. Often the financial industry is strongly exposed to domestic political pressure and the general banking regulations as well as special provisions for foreign market players reflect these internal political discussions. Resulting protectionist policies can set a high threshold and may present an obstacle for foreign banks to enter a domestic market. This thesis analyzes the opportunities for foreign banks to offer their services in Canada and examines if non-domestic players have a more restricted access to the Canadian financial market. The following analysis of the Swiss approach to foreign banks allows a comparison with the Canadian system. Despite the different approaches in Canada and Switzerland the possibilities for foreign banks do not differ greatly. Nevertheless, the effort foreign banks in Canada have to undertake in order to reach a similar result is unequal.

Keywords: Banks and banking, Canada
Banks and banking, Switzerland
A pilot study to evaluate KLK6 as a biomarker for the detection of circulating tumour cells in ovarian cancer patients

Kallikrein 6 is a member of the kallikrein family of secreted serine proteases. hK6 is elevated in serum and ascites fluid of ovarian cancer patients and related to the stage of disease. We hypothesized that KLK6 can be utilized to monitor blood dissemination of ovarian cancer cells. After establishing a sensitive method of identifying KLK6 transcripts, we were able to detect 15 tumour cells spiked in 10ml of anti-coagulated blood. A screening of disseminated cells in blood from 22 ovarian cancer patients showed 72% sensitivity but the specificity was only 20%. Thus, this method does not posses clinical value. Screening of ascites fluid of these patients had 88% sensitivity for ovarian cancer and 25% for non-gynecological cancer. Significant correlations were identified among kallikreins 4,5,6,7,8,10,11,13,14 in ascites fluid. We have shown that these kallikreins may serve to differentially diagnose ovarian cancer from other cancer types or non-malignant diseases causing ascites production.
Metropolis

In each scene of the work a different set of relations between the performers, the notated score, and the electronics is explored. As the film progresses and the various characters, forces, and masses which it depicts come into increasingly open conflict, more latitude for improvisation is granted to the performers while at the same time the live electronics take on a more independent sonic profile. In the first third of the piece (corresponding to Lang's Prelude) the time structure of the electronics often follows the live instruments. By contrast, in the final Furioso, the performers are often called upon to listen to the electronics for their temporal cues. In between, the main structural idea of the music for the Intermezzo is that of effecting a transition between these two general relationships. The crowning jewel of the German silent cinema, Fritz Lang's silent film Metropolis depicts a city starkly divided into those who labour for scant reward, and those who own, control and manipulate the conditions of life itself. This new score for the film deploys a virtuosic ensemble of five musicians---violin, soprano, trombone, percussion and live electronics---who react to and interact with each other and with the film, continuing the open, improvisatory traditions of silent film accompaniment. The version of the Metropolis shown at its Berlin premiere is believed irretrievably lost---one more casualty of the rise of Nazism. There have been numerous attempts at recreating the film, often spurred by the discovery of new footage from, or new information about, the original film. The music is structured in such a way that it can be performed as a live accompaniment to any of the many extant (and, no doubt, future) versions of the film. More than a score that is read "from beginning to end", the piece consists of a collection of musical objects that can be easily adapted to the particular circumstances of a performance. The temporal aspect of the work is often determined by visual and aural cues or instructions rather than chronological or metric determinations.