VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Selected risk factors for gastric cancer in Canada with an emphasis on hormonal/reproductive factors in women

Objectives. To evaluate the relationship between hormonal/reproductive factors and gastric cancer (GC) by anatomical subsite (proximal and distal stomach) and histological subtype (diffuse and intestinal). Methods. Data was analysed from a population-based case-control study conducted in eight Canadian provinces. Cases comprised 326 women and 711 men ages 20â€“74 years with incident, pathology confirmed GC; all cases were subclassified by anatomical and histological subgroups. Controls were 326 women and 711 men, 1:1 frequency-matched to the cases on age. Hormonal/reproductive factors were studied only in the women. Information on exposure and other risk factors for disease was captured through self-administered questionnaire. Risk estimates were generated by multiple logistic regression and age-adjusted odds ratios were calculated for anatomical/histological subgroups. Results. After adjusting for possible confounders, later age at menarche was associated with an increased risk of GC compared with onset of menarche less than 13 years of age (13â€“14 years: OR = 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00â€“2.10, â‰¥15 years: OR = 1.93, 95%CI: 1.19â€“3.13). Compared to premenopause, natural menopause was associated with an increased risk of GC (OR = 1.99, 95% CI: 0.98â€“4.05). Being pregnant for 5 months or more was associated with a nonsignificant decreased risk of GC relative to nulliparity (<24 years of age OR = 0.55, 95%CI: 0.31â€“0.99; â‰¥25 years of age OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.39â€“1.25), as was having 4 or more births (OR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.32â€“0.99). No association was observed with use of oral contraceptives, use of hormone replacement therapy, bilateral oophorectomy or years of fertility. Early age at menopause was associated with an increased risk of intestinal adenocarcinoma and use of oral contraceptives was associated with a decreased risk of intestinal type. Many associations were more pronounced in proximal GC compared to distal, and intestinal type histology compared to diffuse. Conclusions. Hormonal/reproductive factors associated with a greater exposure to estrogen and/or progesterone (early age at menarche, late age at menopause, parity, exogenous hormone use) were associated with a decreased risk of GC. Moreover, these associations were more pronounced in male predominant GC subtypes (proximal GC and intestinal type adenocarcinoma). These findings may explain, in part, why females are at a decreased risk of GC than males.
SF-1 plays an essential role in the expression of the acth receptor gene in adrenal cells

ACTH resistant mutant cells that fail to express the ACTH receptor (mc2r) were isolated. Fluctuation analysis indicated that these mutants likely originated from single mutational events. Analysis of the mutants showed that the mutation that leads to the impaired mc2r expression also compromises transcriptional activity of the proximal 1.8 Kb promoter of this gene. Limited deletion analysis of the promoter mapped the region between âˆ’106 and âˆ’13 as one involved in the differential activity of the promoter in parent Y1 and mutant cells, raising the possibility of impaired activity of the SF-1 site located at âˆ’25 bp. This hypothesis was further analyzed and results obtained further suggested that impaired SF-1 function played an important role in the mutant phenotype. Cotransfection of cells with a chimera of SF-1 and VP16 activation domain restored activity of the SF-1 responsive gene in the mutants. The DNA binding activity of SF-1 from mutants was assessed by analysis of electrophoretic mobility assays. The patterns of binding as well as the relative affinity observed were indistinguishable between parent and mutants. These results together with the SF-1/VP16 data suggest that an inability of SF-1 to activate transcription rather than impaired binding of SF-1 to DNA underlined the loss of ACTH receptor expression. Furthermore results from modified mammalian two hybrid assays indicated that the ability of SF-1 to recruit a prototype coactivator, GRIP1, was compromised in the mutants. Cloning and sequencing of SF-1 cDNA from parent and 10r6 mutants indicated the presence in the mutant of a missense mutation at position 514 bp (G to T) which causes an amino acid change (A172S). Southern analysis indicated that mutant cells are heterozygous for the mutant allele while parent cells are homozygous for the wild type SF-1. The Southern results further suggested that the mutant allele is amplified in the mutants. Cotransfection of parent cells with an SF-1 responsive reporter gene and an expression vector encoding the mutated SF-1 indicated that the mutated form is completely inactive. Furthermore, cotransfection of Y1 cells with the mutated and wild type SF-1 indicated that the mutation acted in a dominant negative fashion.
The effect of synergistic ablation and heat shock on the rat plantaris muscle

The effect of synergistic ablation (SA+) and heat shock (HS+) on the rat plantaris muscle was investigated by measuring changes in HSP72, HSP25, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), MyoD, myosin heavy chain type I (MHC I) content (mug), muscle mass (g) and protein concentration (mug/mg) over a 7-day period. Morphological changes and satellite cell expression patterns were determined histo- and immunohistochemically. The results demonstrated that HS+ prior to SA+ lead to elevated HSP72, decreased protein concentration and attenuated hypertrophy by preventing MHC I expression, whereas SA+ without HS+ results in a more gradual increase in HSP72, a similar HSP25 expression pattern as HS+ animals, reduced edema and increased MHC I protein accumulation. Satellite cell cycling was similar between HS+ and HS- plantaris muscles following SA+. It is suggested that the mechanism by which HS+ attenuates hypertrophy in the rat plantaris muscle is independent of satellite cell activation and replication.
Quality of life and its predictors in children with stroke

Stroke is unexpected during childhood years. It occurs, however, in 6 per 100,000 infants and children per year and its effect on quality of life has not been assessed. The purpose of this study was to examine overall and domain specific quality of life and its predictors in children surviving stroke. One hundred and twelve children surviving arterial ischemic (AIS) and cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT) stroke between 1994--2001 were assessed with the Centre for Health Promotion's (CHP) Quality of Life Profile (QOL-Profile), adapted for children. Children were assessed at a mean of 3 years (range 1--7 years) after stroke. The QOL-Profile is a 54-item questionnaire that assesses quality of life in the domains of physical, psychological and spiritual health (QOL Being); home, social and community environment (QOL Belonging); and school, leisure and daily activities (QOL Becoming). Quality of life is measured in terms of importance and enjoyment within each domain and scores reflect the relationship between these two factors. Correlation among QOL, neurological deficits, and intellectual and functional deficits at a similar interval from stroke were examined. Predictor variables were tested using hierarchical regression. The results showed that cognitive/behaviour impairment was the most significant correlate of reduced QOL scores (p

Keywords: Cerebrovascular disease in children, Social aspects
Sick children, Social conditions
A systematic review and meta-analysis of low-dose dopamine for renal dysfunction, and, A simulation study to evaluate the ratio of means as a new method for analyzing continuous variables in meta-analyses

Systematic review and meta-analysis of 61 trials randomizing 3359 patients to low-dose dopamine ( le;5 micrograms/kg body weight/minute) in patients with or at risk for acute renal failure shows that dopamine's effect on clinical outcomes including mortality (relative risk 0.96[95%ClI 0.76-1.15]), need for dialysis (relative risk 0.93[95%CI 0.90-1.41]), or adverse events (relative risk 1.13[95%CI 0.90-1.41]) are not statistically significant. Using a ratio of means method demonstrates that dopamine produced small improvements in renal physiological parameters only on day 1 of therapy including a 24%[95%CI 14-35%] increase in urine output, 4%[95%CI 1-7%] decrease in serum creatinine, and 6%[95%CI 1-11%] increase in creatinine clearance. A simulation study using a range of parameters commonly encountered in meta-analyses shows that the performance characteristics in terms of bias, coverage and statistical power were comparable between the traditionally-used weighted and standardized mean difference methods and the novel ratio of means method to analyze continuous outcomes.
Metrical complexity in Russian iambic verse: a study of form and meaning

Readers of poetry make aesthetic judgements about verse. It is quite common to hear intuitive statements about poets' rhythms, such as 'this poet sounds complex'. Yet, it is far from clear what these statements really mean. In the traditional theory of Generative Metrics (Halle and Keyser 1971, Kiparsky 1975, 1977, Hayes 1989) the complexity of poetic meter was understood as a deviation from the monotonous metrical template. This dissertation proposes a new way of measuring verse complexity. I argue that complexity is the ability of a poet to control a number of independent linguistic and non-linguistic domains at once. The dissertation includes three case studies. In chapter 2 I show that 18th and 19th century Russian iambic tetrameter is a case where poets deviate from meter, and at the same time, control the overall statistical distribution pattern and certain proportions of the deviating lines. In chapter 3, I show that certain deviating patterns in Brodsky's iambic verse written in Russian consistently correlate with the theme of exile. Thus, Brodsky simultaneously controls rhythm, semantics and the general statistical distribution pattern. Chapter 4 shows that Brodsky creates a metrical elision rule, which involves a simultaneous manipulation of metrics, phonetics, and phonology. This dissertation contributes to the linguistic study of poetic meter by proposing a unified cognitive explanation of various aesthetic judgements about verse.
Goals, revisions, and teachers' comments: case studies of five adult ESL writers

This thesis examines the relationship between the writing goals expressed by five adult ESL (English as a Second Language) students enrolled in a pre-university academic preparation ESL course, their teachers' comments on their first drafts, and the revisions the students made to their second drafts. The students' writing samples, interview and stimulated recall protocols, and goal summaries were used to: categorize the comments and revisions, describe the relationship between the students' revisions and the teachers' comments, examine the goals the students focus on, and determine the relationship between the students' goals and their revisions of their compositions. I found that the students' goals and the teachers' comments focused mostly on language concerns (i.e. lexicogrammar). The students revised according to their teachers' comments, yet remained dissatisfied with the quality of their writing, confused about the â€œcorrectâ€ writing process, and torn between using their L1 (first language) in their composing process and concentrating on â€œthinking in English.â€

Keywords: English language, Study and teaching
English language, Rhetoric
Second language acquisition
Report writing, Study and teaching
Writing
Academic writing, Study and teaching
Vexatious behaviour in the workplace: an exploration of aggression, harassment, and emotional abuse

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the phenomenon of vexatious behaviour in the workplace by drawing on my experience to inform an understanding of the pervasiveness of aggression, harassment, and emotional abuse in the workplace. My study does not include an exploration of harmful behaviours motivated by discrimination and including such grounds as gender and race. I use the term "vexatious behaviour" to describe a manner of conduct causing affliction and distress to another. I employ an autobiographical approach, using critical incidents of my encounters with vexatious behaviour to disclose facets of my experience. In doing so, my exploration engages in a methodology not yet utilized in the study of vexatious behaviour (such as that of emotional abuse). Throughout the inquiry process, I employ an ontological hermeneutic form of interpretation to seek understanding, an attribution form of causation to search for meaning, as well as deductive and inductive forms of inquiry to explore and develop theories and approaches to support my process of developing a greater awareness about vexatiousness. Seeking to make sense of my experience from a context beyond the personal dimension, I apply a systems theory approach to explore vexation from a multi-dimensional perspective, including analyzing on individual, interpersonal, organizational, and systemic levels. My exploration is guided by the development of a model for analyzing my experience: the cycle of vexatious behaviour is comprised of a repeating sequence of affect, interpretation, and effect or more specifically, a Perpetrator's behaviour, the Target's interpretation of the vexatious behaviour, its effect on the Target, and the Target's response to the encountered vexatious behaviour. I build on the existing literature by developing a typology for identifying and distinguishing between violent, aggressive, harassing, and emotionally abusive vexatious behaviours. I contribute to the existing body of literature by developing a connection between personality types and the risk of vexatious behaviour, identifying the impact of interpersonal transgressions on the perpetuation of vexatiousness, reporting on the organizational theory roots and rationale for the absence of vexatious behaviour in the workplace, as well as identified systemic causes for the existence of vexatious behaviour. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Keywords: Psychology, Industrial
Interpersonal relations
Offenses against the person
Harassment
Psychological abuse
Employee rights
Sociometry
Folic acid food fortification and incidence of neuroblastoma in Ontario

The objective of this retrospective, population-based cross-sectional cohort study was to assess whether folic acid food fortification was associated with a decline in the incidence of neuroblastoma in Ontario. We investigated the incidence of neuroblastoma, registered by the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario, before and after the introduction of folic acid fortification. The study cohort included 324 neuroblastoma cases of 2 242 438 total Ontario births during the study period (January 1985 to December 2000). An interventional time series analysis demonstrated that the incidence of neuroblastoma declined from 1.57 to 0.62 per 10 000 births after folic acid fortification (P < 0.0001). The crude IRR (0.40, 95% CI 0.25â€“0.64) remained significant after adjusting for both age and disease stage at diagnosis (adjusted IRR 0.38, 95% CI 0.23â€“0.62). The results of this study suggest that folic acid food fortification is associated with a significant decline in the incidence of neuroblastoma.
Exploring the boundaries of academic participation for graduate students in education through weblogging

This qualitative multiple case study explores the impact of studying part-time on doctoral students' understanding and experience of academic practice. The goal of this research was to explore the potential of a weblog environment to extend academic participation beyond course boundaries for graduate students in Education. In the Course case master's and doctoral students used weblogs as a graded component of an online course in the 2004-2005 winter semester (n =18) and in the same course in the 2005-2006 fall semester ( n=11). Weekly reflection questions prompted students to write about their experiences within and outside the course. Individual weblogs were displayed in an aggregated website. Findings from post-course surveys revealed that students did not engage with academia beyond coursework. Qualitative analysis of weblog and discussion content suggested that participants making the best use of weblogs questioned their assumptions, made connections with broader experiences, and were more engaged in a range of academic activities. Regular and frequent writing established the weblog as a personal space. In the Program case, eight doctoral students explored the potential of weblogs in education starting in fall, 2005. Participants maintained weblogs within the aggregated environment used by the Course case, met five times over six months, and developed a conference proposal. An online survey, pre- and post-project interviews, and weblog analysis reveals that only the three full-time doctoral students participated in academic activities beyond program requirements. Participant experience confirmed that weblogs did not support their day-to-day activities. Analyzing participant experiences of academia across cases using a Communities of Practice framework (Wenger, 1998) found that practice and identity were understood in relation to the workplace for part-time doctoral and master's students. Coursework failed to support student understanding of academia and their place within it. Where blogging practices emphasized writing, the weblog was interpreted as a personal course journal. Limited two-way interaction could be isolating, with no sense of audience, but was appreciated as freedom from collaborative discourse allowing participants to explore personal emotions and interests. Cross-weblog reading increased as transparency of entries improved within the aggregator. With an established blogging community weblogs hold potential to expand academic participation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
The intersection of policy and practice in one stand-alone vocational school: The ABC story

This qualitative case study focuses on one "special school", the ABC School1, over its forty-year history to examine the purpose(s) of vocational schooling as these are articulated in policy text (Ball, 1990) and as they are interpreted and implemented or not, by practitioners working "on the ground" (Ozga, 2000). Told through the voices of ABC guidance counsellors, teachers and principals, The ABC Story is a series of case studies drawn at three points in the school's history: when the school opened in the early 1960s, at its historic mid-point in the early 1980s, and in the current context of Ontario Secondary School Reform. Although the ABC School is, and has been since its inception, a "special school", the purpose is not to evaluate the practice and impact of streaming but to explore the complexities that have historically contributed to streaming and to question what role the ABC School has played as both an agent of equality and a perpetrator of social reproduction. Beyond an historical narrative, The ABC Story, affords an examination of tensions and contradictions inherent in a segregated, "special school" as they transcend time: Who are these kids, this specialized population of students (West Boyer-Stephens, 1999) that ABC is meant to serve? What is the intent of the ABC program as it is outlined in provincial policy documents and as ABC practitioners understand and describe it? Who are the ABC practitioners? What tensions and contradictions emerge when the ABC School is viewed through the lens of time? Using tenets from Carnoy and Levin's (1985) Schooling and Work in the Democratic State, The ABC Story explores the relationship between education and the economy, or school and work, and expands this framework to include Popkewitz's (1998) insights on how particular populations of students and teachers are generated and sustained. This study describes the processes of schooling that, through both policy and practice, create The ABC School, its students and its teachers in an effort to "understand what constitutes vocational education ... [and] the social processes that form vocational classrooms" (Gaskell, 1993, p. 52).1ABC is the pseudonym for the school. Throughout its history, ABC's name changes first from the ABC Vocational School to the ABC Secondary School, and, later, to the ABC Technical School. The discussion of name changes constitutes a part of the research question.
Living environment, social context, heavy drinking and cigarette smoking among university students: an assessment of utilizing an internet survey

Research has shown that living environment and social context are related to heavy drinking and cigarette smoking. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of living environment and the social context in which heavy drinking and cigarette smoking occur among Canadian university students. The present study utilized a cross-sectional online survey (a) to provide an assessment of alcohol use and smoking among undergraduate university students in a Canadian university, (b) to determine what physical and social characteristics of living environment are associated with the risks of heavy drinking and daily cigarette smoking, and (c) to assess the effectiveness of an online approach to collecting health data and the effect of incentives in improving response rates. A random sample of 2,274 undergraduate students was selected for participation. Students were sent a series of e-mail messages requesting their participation in the online survey. Non-respondents were followed-up by mail. The overall response rate was 61%. Binary logistic regression modeling was used to examine the study's hypotheses regarding living environment and social context factors and the odds of heavy drinking and daily smoking. Logistic results showed that hypotheses related to heavy drinking in the past two weeks and environmental factors of household and neighbourhood composition were supported. Hypotheses regarding heavy drinking the last time alcohol was consumed and the social context factors of planning to drink and smoking cigarettes were supported. Other hypotheses were not supported. The use of an online instrument was found to be a fast, reliable and low-cost method for collecting data. However, overall low response to the online survey made follow-up of non-responders by mail was necessary. Students who received information regarding a prize incentive did not differ significantly in terms of the number of contacts or the number of days needed to complete a survey from students who did not receive prize information. These results suggest that comprehensive programs and interventions that incorporate living environment and social context factors might be useful in reducing the risk of injury and death associated with heavy drinking.