VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Developing the Bladder Utility Symptom Scale: A Multiattribute Health State Classification System for Bladder Cancer

Disease-specific (e.g. urinary) and generic problems (e.g. fatigue) impact health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with bladder cancer (BC). A questionnaire addressing both sets of problems and generating utilities, a measure of overall HRQOL, is needed for this population. In consultation with 47 BC patients and 12 BC experts we created a novel HRQOL questionnaire for BC in a stepwise, iterative fashion with conceptual framework development, item generation, item reduction, question design and pilot testing. Patients and experts identified urinary problems, bowel problems, sexual problems, body image, pain, and decreased vigor as domains, which impact daily activities and impair HRQOL. Support from patients’ family and friends and their medical team were also paramount to HRQOL. The Bladder Utility Symptom Scale is a comprehensible instrument that was created to facilitate patient-oriented care and guide clinical policy by grounding guidelines, health resource allocation, and policy decisions in the expressed preferences of BC patients.

Keywords: Bladder Cancer
Quality of Life
Advisor: Krahn, Murray
Social Regulation of Adult Neurogenesis in a Eusocial Mammal

The present study examined social status and adult neurogenesis in the naked mole rat. These animals live in large colonies with a strict reproductive dominance hierarchy; one female and 1-3 males breed, while other members are subordinate and reproductively suppressed. We examined whether social status affects doublecortin (DCX; a marker for immature neurons) immunoreactivity in the dentate gyrus, piriform cortex (PCx), and basolateral amygdala (BLA) by comparing breeders to subordinates. We also examined subordinates removed from their colony and paired with opposite- or same-sex conspecifics for 6 months. Breeders had reduced DCX immunoreactivity in all areas, with BLA effects confined to females. Effects of housing condition were region-specific, with higher PCx DCX immunoreactivity observed in opposite- than same-sex paired subordinates regardless of gonadal status. The opposite pattern was observed in the BLA. Future work will clarify whether findings are attributable to status differences in stress, behavioural plasticity, or life stage.

Keywords: basolateral amygdala
eusociality
hippocampus
neurogenesis
social behaviour
piriform cortex
Advisor: Holmes, Melissa M.
The Impact of Intent in the Characterization Analysis of a Worker

The Tax Court of Canada and the Federal Court of Appeal are regularly asked by taxpayers and the Canada Revenue Agency to determine whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. The distinction has significant tax consequences. The analysis and various legal tests used by the courts to determine the characterization of a worker have been through significant transformations over the last 15 years. The analysis remained objective for several years. However, in 2002, courts began to consider the common intent held between the taxpayer and the worker when characterizing that worker’s status as either an employee or an independent contractor. Since its introduction, the courts have placed various levels of importance on this common intent in the characterization process. This paper seeks to quantify the varied emphasis placed by the courts on the intent held between a taxpayer and its worker.

Keywords: Tax
Employment
Advisor: Alarie, Benjamin
Dentists' Views and Practice of Sedation and General Anaesthesia in Ontario

This study investigated Ontario dentists' views and use of sedation and general anaesthesia (GA) (n=1076; 37.9% response rate). A mixed mode format offered mailed and web survey options. Study participants were 69.7% male, 83.0% general practitioners, practicing 0.5-42 years (mean 20.6 years), with 40.6% from cities &gt;500,000. 60.2% of respondents provided sedation. Dentists' underestimated patient interest in sedation/GA (66.8% vs. 43.9% not interested; 19.8% vs. 42.8% possibly interested; 13.4% vs. 12.4% definitely interested). Patients' preference for sedation/GA by service was also underestimated (p&lt;0.001) except for extractions. Barriers to care were cost (72.2%) for providers; lack of training (38.2%) and patient demand (25.3%) for non-providers. Dentists reported use of sedation highest for extractions (1.5% deep sedation/GA-5.7% nitrous). Dentists' also overestimated patients' level of fear (somewhat afraid 19.95 vs. 9.8%; very afraid 10.6% vs. 2.0%; terrified 6.0% vs. 3.5%). This study confirms differences between dentists' use and estimation of patient demand for sedation/GA.

Keywords: Sedation
General Anaesthesia
Advisor: Dempster, Laura
Factors Influencing Physical Therapists’ Use of Standardized Measures of Walking Capacity Post-stroke across the Care Continuum

Abstract Background. Physical therapists report inconsistent use of valid and reliable measures of walking post-stroke. Objective. To describe the methods physical therapists use to evaluate walking, reasons for selecting these methods, and the use of the evaluation results in clinical practice along the continuum of an organized system of stroke care. Methods. A qualitative descriptive study involving semi-structured telephone interviews of physical therapists in Ontario was conducted. A thematic analysis was performed. Results. Participants (n=28) used both standardized and non-standardized methods to assess walking. A hierarchy of factors influencing use of both methods was observed. Assessment results were commonly used for communication with other healthcare professionals or education of the patient. Conclusions. A variety of factors influence physical therapists to use standardized assessment tools. Future knowledge translation interventions should focus on these factors to improve the standardized assessment of walking post-stroke.

Keywords: physical therapist
standardized assessment tools
Guidelines
qualitative
Walking
Advisor: Salbach, Nancy
Brooks, Dina
Distribution and Physiological Effects of Adipokinetic Hormone (AKH), Corazonin and AKH/corazonin-related Peptide (ACP) in the Kissing Bug, Rhodnius prolixus

Rhodnius prolixus is a medically-important hemipteran that serves as a vector of Chagas disease. The distribution and physiological effects of three sequence-related neuropeptides, adipokinetic hormone (AKH), corazonin (CRZ) and AKH/corazonin-related peptide (ACP) have been investigated in R. prolixus. Immunohistochemistry revealed that AKH, CRZ and ACP are not co-localized but are found within a different subset of cells and processes within the central nervous system. Physiologically, CRZ significantly increased the heartbeat rate whereas AKH and ACP did not. AKH significantly increased haemolymph lipid levels whereas CRZ and ACP did not. There is no known function for ACP. Preliminary studies indicated that CRZ may be involved in gating of ecdysis.

Keywords: Insects
Neuropeptides
Advisor: Lange, Angela
Innovations in Chronic Disease Management (CDM) from Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs)

Chronic disease is rising globally, but LMICs may require novel approaches to management suited to a low-resource setting. Private health care providers in LMICs have experimented and developed new models for organizing, financing, and delivering care. This thesis examines some of the innovations that have emerged in LMICs to manage chronic disease. Using a common performance measurement framework and drawing from a database of over 1200 innovative health programs, I identify and evaluate 46 programs addressing chronic disease in LMICs. I then go on to identify, innovative practices used by the subset of 19 diabetes focussed programs and catalogue them according to the Chronic Care Model (CCM). Delivery system design is the most commonly used domain of the CCM, which even earlier has shown to have great potential to impact health outcomes. Few of the identified innovations may also have the potential for ‘Reverse innovation’ in high income countries.

Keywords: Chronic Diseases
Diabetes Mellitus
Health Services Research
Innovative Healthcare Delivery Models
Low and Middle Income Countries
Performance Measurement
Advisor: Bhattacharyya, Onil
Real-time Simulation of Modular Multilevel Converters

This thesis presents the real-time simulation of a realistic-size Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) based High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission system. Based on the concept of time-varying Thevenin equivalent, a computationally efficient model of the MMC is developed and deployed on an FPGA platform. The salient features of the developed MMC model are: (i) The decoupling of the solutions of the MMC model and the of the rest of the system, (ii) it provides an equivalent representation of the full MMC, (iii) it is suitable for parallel implementation. The model is used as part of the simulation of the 401-level France/Spain MMC-HVDC link between, in which 2 separate MMCs are included, showing the expandability of the designed system to larger DC grid scenarios. Hardware in the loop (HIL) testing capabilities of the system are also demonstrated with the addition of an external controller to the simulation system.

Keywords: Modular Multilevel Converters
Real-time simulation
Hardware-in-the-Loop
Electromagnetic Transients
Modeling
FPGA
Advisor: Iravani, Mohammad Reza
Differential Licking in Early Life Alters Stress Behaviour and Brain Gene Expression in Adult Female Rats

We investigated licking and grooming (LG) levels received by each pup from their dams and the locomotor activity, anxiety-like behaviors, and stress reactivity in adult female offspring. We also investigated glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene expression and its DNA methylation status in the hippocampus, comparing pups between and with-in litters. Rats that receive more LG than their siblings showed less anxiety-like behaviors and increased locomotor activity, regardless of their litter type. Higher licked pups also showed increased expression of the GR gene. Gene expression levels of the GR 17 splice variant were not significantly different as a function of dam LG or LG received, whereas DNA methylation levels at two CpG sites within GR17 promoter were significantly higher in high LG pups than low LG pups. Our results indicate that naturally occurring intra- and inter-litter differences in maternal LG have a lasting effect on the phenotypic outcomes of adult female offspring.

Keywords: Rats
licking and grooming
maternal care
epigenetics
corticosterone
glucocorticoid receptor
gene expression
hippocampus
Advisor: McGowan, Patrick
Fleming, Alison S.
The GRADE for Evidence-based Decision Making:from Concept to Application in the Field of Pediatric Pharmacotherapy

Rationale: Methodological quality of systematic reviews (SRs) remains an area of concern with no consensus on the optimal appraisal instrument to assess quality of published research. Hypothesis: The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) is a feasible and useful methodology to assess quality of evidence in pediatric pharmacotherapy. Aim: To demonstrate the applicability of the GRADE to selected topics. Methods: To perform two SRs to illustrate the practical use of the GRADE, highlight methodological challenges encountered and compare the GRADE to the alternative appraisal tool. Results: the GRADE was implemented to conduct two SRs. Judgments on imprecision were challenging. Comparison of the GRADE to alternative tool demonstrated that GRADE may generate different conclusions on overall quality assessment. Conclusion: The GRADE is a valuable innovative tool for assessing quality of evidence, applicable to the field of pediatric pharmacotherapy, with a potential to impact inferences drawn after applying alternative instruments.

Keywords: GRADE
pediatric pharmacotherapy
Advisor: Koren, Gideon
Proposal to Request the Unconstitutionality of the Provisions that Criminalize Abortion in Chile

This paper proposes a judicial advocacy strategy aimed to challenge the constitutionality of the law that imposes an absolute prohibition of abortion in Chile. Examines the origin of the criminalization provisions in light to the constitutional mandate to protect the life of the unborn, presents an overview of the arguments used in the legislative to request the partial decriminalization of abortion, the tendency of the executive in the past years in this matter, and the criminal strategy that has been used in cases where women have been prosecuted by abortion, based on what has been intended so far the paper conclude a solicitude to declare unconstitutional the criminal abortion provisions because they do not protect the life of the unborn.

Keywords: abortion
chile
decriminalization
strategic litigation
arguments
constitutional law
Advisor: Weinrib, Lorraine
The Surgical Management of Kidney Stone Disease in the Province of Ontario: A Population Based Time Series Analysis

A population based cross-sectional time series analysis was conducted using three Ontario administrative databases, to assess trends over time in the surgical management of kidney stone disease. All kidney stone treatments performed with extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL), ureteroscopy (URS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy between July 1, 1991 and December 31, 2010, were included. Time series modeling with exponential smoothing and autoregressive integrated moving average models demonstrated a significant increase in the utilization of URS over time (23.69% to 59.98%, p<0.0001), with a reciprocal significant decrease in the utilization of SWL (68.77% to 33.36%, p<0.0001). As a result of this shift in treatment paradigm, time series modeling also demonstrated an associated significant decrease in the need for ancillary treatment over time (22.12% to 16.01%, p<0.0001) and a significant increase in the need for hospital readmission (8.01% to 10.85%, p<0.0001) or emergency room visit (7.58% to 9.95%, p=0.0024) within 7 days following treatment.

Keywords: Kidney Stones
Shockwave Lithotripsy
Ureteroscopy
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
Morbidity
Time Series Analysis
Time Trends
Surgery
Advisor: Urbach, David Robert
Investigation of Computer Vision Techniques for Object Classification on an Intelligent Wheelchair System for the Cognitively Impaired

The purpose of this research was to investigate object classification algorithms for the application of wheelchair interaction with the environment for the cognitively impaired wheelchair user. Towards this end, top performing object classification algorithms were trained on images of the target object classes (chair, dresser, and sink/washbasin) obtained from the internet and tested on images of the target object classes obtain in the home and patient room environments; these algorithms were Locality-constrained Linear Coding (LLC) [1], Kernel Descriptors (KDES) [2], and Hierarchical Matching Pursuit (HMP) [3]. It was found that HMP achieved the highest over classification accuracy (71.3%) in the home environment and LLC achieved the greatest accuracy (85.0%) in the patient room environment. This research also sought to investigate the potential of active learning to improve upon the obtained classification performance. A maximum mean classification accuracy of 98.6% was achieved when active learning was applied.

Keywords: Intelligent Wheelchair
Object Classification
Advisor: Mihailidis, Alex
Functional and Physical Interaction between the Trigger Factor Folding Chaperone and the ClpXP Degradation System

Molecular chaperones and proteases help maintain protein homeostasis in the cell. While chaperones assist in the folding of polypeptide chains to their native state, proteases degrade misfolded or unfolded proteins and also help regulate protein levels. While mapping chaperone interaction networks, we found that tig (trigger factor chaperone gene), clpP and clpX genes co-localize next to each other on the genome of most examined bacteria. This led us to hypothesize that trigger factor (TF) chaperone and ClpXP protease might interact functionally. TF is a ribosome-associated chaperone that co-translationally folds polypeptide chains. ClpXP is a proteolytic complex that degrades a wide range of substrate proteins. We observed that TF enhanced the rate of the ClpXP degradation of the λO phage protein in vitro and in vivo. TF was also found to enhance the degradation of ribosome-stalled λO thus suggesting the existence of co-translational protein degradation in E. coli.

Keywords: Chaperone
protein folding
Trigger factor
ClpXP
Advisor: Houry, Walid A.
Developing Test Methods for the Evaluation of Scooter Performance in Winter Conditions

Electric mobility scooters are increasing in popularity and are used extensively by individuals with mobility impairments to conduct activities of daily living. Scientific literature on the safety and efficacy of scooters in winter conditions is sparse and the current technical standards for scooters do not mandate testing in these conditions. This study paves the way for more rigorous standard testing by: 1) Describing a novel, motion-capture based method to quantify the tractive performance of scooters; 2) Describing methods to create a wide variety of simulated winter conditions; 3) Presenting pilot-test results of a scooter driven in these winter conditions. The outcomes of this study are significant because it is the first study to evaluate the performance of a scooter in winter conditions. Furthermore, it constitutes the first phase of a broader initiative to develop a rigorous, new winter test method for scooters and drive improvements in safety, performance and design.

Keywords: Winter Conditions
Mobility Scooter
Test Method
Traction Testing
Scooter
Snow
Ice
Wheeled Mobility Aids
Advisor: Fernie, Geoff
Effects of Altered Gtf2i and Gtf2ird1 Expression on the Growth of Neural Progenitors and Organization of the Mouse Cortex

Williams Beuren syndrome Syndrome (WBS) and 7q11.23 Duplication Syndrome (Dup7) are rare neurodevelopmental disorders associated with a range of cognitive and behavioural symptoms, caused by the deletion and duplication, respectively, of 26 genes on human chromosome 7q11.23. I have studied the effects of deletion or duplication of two candidate genes, GTF2I and GTF2IRD1, on neural stem cell growth and neurogenesis using cultured primary neuronal precursors from mouse models with gene copy number changes. I found that the number of neuronal precursors and committed neurons was directly related to the copy number of these genes in the mid-gestation embryonic cortex. I further found that in late-gestation embryos, cortical thickness was altered in a similar gene dose-dependent manner, in combination with layer-specific changes in neuronal density. I hypothesize that some of the neurological features of WS and Dup7 stem from these impairments in early cortical development.

Keywords: Neurodevelopmental disorder
Williams-Beuren Syndrome
Neural progenitor cell
neural stem cell
Neuroscience
Advisor: Osborne, Lucy
Investigating the Role of ATF6Beta in the ER Stress Response of Pancreatic Beta-cells

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been implicated as a causative factor in the development of pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction and death resulting in type 2 diabetes. This thesis examined the role of ATF6beta in the ER stress response of beta-cells. Using an ATF6beta-specific antibody, expression of full-length ATF6beta was detected in various insulinoma cell lines and rodent islets and the induction of the active form (ATF6beta-p60) under ER stress conditions. Knock-down of ATF6beta in INS-1 832/13 cells did not affect mRNA induction of known ER stress response genes in response to tunicamycin-induced ER stress, however it increased the susceptibility of beta-cells to apoptosis. Conversely, overexpression of ATF6beta-p60 reduced the apoptotic phenotype. Microarray results suggest ATF6beta functions to induce expression of adaptive genes also regulated by ATF6alpha, but also several specific targets genes. These findings have increased our understanding of the role of ATF6beta in the ER stress response of beta-cells.

Keywords: Diabetes
ER stress
Apoptosis
ATF6beta
unfolded protein response
ATF6 signaling pathway
pancreatic beta-cell
Advisor: Volchuk, Allen
Information Centric Data Collection and Dissemination Fabric for Smart Infrastructures

Evolving smart infrastructures requires both content distribution as well as event notification and processing support. Content Centric Networking (CCN), built around named data, is a clean slate network architecture for supporting future applications. Due to its focus on content distribution, CCN does not inherently support Publish-Subscribe event notification, a fundamental building block in computer mediated systems and a critical requirement for smart infrastructure applications. While semantics of content distribution and event notification require different support systems from the underlying network infrastructure, content distribution and event notification can still be united by leveraging similarities in the routing infrastructure. Our Extended-CCN architecture(X-CCN) realizes this to provide lightweight content based pub-sub service at the network layer, which is used to provide advanced publish/subscribe services at higher layers. Light weight content based pub-sub and CCN communication at network layer along with advanced publish/subscribe together are presented as data fabric for the smart infrastructures applications.

Keywords: Information Centric Networking
Publish/Subscribe
PASS for Internet of Things
Machine-to-Machine Cmmunication
Advisor: Leon-Garcia, Alberto
Improving the Detection Limit of Planar 2D Photonic Crystal Slab Refractive Index Sensors

Two dimensional photonic crystal slabs are studied theoretically and experimentally for the application of refractive index sensing with a focus on increasing both quality factor and sensitivity simultaneously. An overview of simulation and experimental techniques, along with fabrication protocols used is given. Through the use of new wafer architectures which allow for an air substrate, sensitivity is enhanced in some cases by more than a factor of 2 from our previous studies. Combining this with a novel lattice proposed which greatly reduces fabrication tolerances, experimental quality factors above 10,500 are achieved while maintaining an experimental sensitivity of above 800 nm/RIU. The effects of a finite photonic crystal slab are studied through the group velocity of guided mode resonances, with an emphasis on zero-group velocity. Future applications of the designs proposed are discussed.

Keywords: Photonic Crystal
Refractive Index Sensor
Advisor: Levi, Ofer
Development and Testing of Sample Therapeutic Programs on the Microsoft Kinect for Children with Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is the most common condition leading to severe motor impairment in children. Children with CP must go through extensive therapy. Current therapy approaches are coming to use computer games therapeutic tools. However children with CP often have trouble using many of these virtual systems due to equipment challenges. This thesis uses the Kinect to design and create two therapeutic games (DODGEWALL and Reach+) that are tailored to be used in therapy for children with CP. It evaluates the usefulness of the system in a therapeutic context for children with CP through a study involving 6 therapists and 8 children with CP. It was found that overall, children were engaged and enjoyed playing the games. Further, the games developed were judged therapeutically relevant and will be included in a newly constructed VRT suite at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and used in therapy with appropriate children.

Keywords: Virtual Reality Therapy
Cerebral Palsy
Kinect
Rehabilitation
Physiotherapy
Occupational Therapy
Advisor: Biddiss, Elaine