VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Comparative Analysis between the Canadian Trust and the Panamanian Foundation of Private Interest

Canadian Trusts and Panamanian Foundations of Private Interest are generally utilized as juridical vehicles through which a creator can designate a person to hold and administer property for the benefit and enjoyment of a beneficiary. Given the similarity of application of both vehicles, and taking into consideration that they emanate from separate juridical and judicial systems, it is pertinent to analytically compare them. As can be expected, there is a significant number of aspects through which Foundations of Private Interest and a Trusts can be compared. The following comparative analysis will be centered around three aspects: Asset ownership, creation mechanisms and the requirement of properly identifying beneficiaries. Preceding the aforementioned comparative analysis, a presentation and description of both legal vehicles will be provided in order to make the comparative analysis comprehensible and hopefully useful.

Keywords: Foundations of Private Interest
Canadian Trust
Advisor: Duggan, Anthony
Circulating Unmetabolized Folic Acid: Relationship to Folate Status and Effect of Supplementation

There are increasing concerns that exposure to unmetabolized folic acid, which results from folic acid intakes that overwhelm the liver’s metabolic capacity, may be associated with adverse effects. In this study, we examined the folic acid status of women of reproductive age in relation to dietary intake and the effect of folic acid supplementation (1.1 mg or 5 mg). Plasma unmetabolized folic acid was not significantly correlated with folate intake estimated by food frequency questionnaire or biomarkers. The proportion of women with detectable levels of unmetabolized folic acid increased from 65% to 100% after twelve weeks of supplementation (p < 0.05), however, the increase in concentrations did not reach statistical significance and the effect was not sustained. Moreover, there were no significant differences between the two doses. This suggests that there are mechanisms by which the body adapts to high folic acid intakes to limit exposure to unmetabolized folic acid.

Keywords: Folic acid
Pharmacokinetics
Advisor: Koren, Gideon
Techniques for Overlay Design of Content-based Publish/Subscribe Systems

Mission-critical distributed applications, such as Internet advertising platforms, increasingly utilize distributed publish/subscribe systems as a messaging substrate for information dissemination. These applications require low latency performance from the substrate, as the timely delivery of messages can have a direct on impact revenue. The cost of managing and operating publish/subscribe systems, however, can be prohibitive due to system size and scale. It is, therefore, critical to derive low latency message delivery from a minimal set of system resources. To this end, this thesis presents a solution for designing low latency, minimal-broker overlay networks for content-based publish/subscribe systems. The solution includes a framework for quantifying the similarity of clients and brokers, and algorithms for constructing overlay topologies where brokers sharing similar interests are assigned a direct overlay connection. Additionally, a load model and algorithms are presented for designing overlays that utilize a minimal number of brokers in order to reduce system cost.

Advisor: Jacobsen, Hans-Arno
Ginkgo biloba for the Treatment of Vitiligo vulgaris: An Open Label Pilot Clinical Trial

Objective: To conduct an open label clinical pilot trial using Ginkgo biloba in the treatment of vitiligo in Toronto to test the feasibility of recruitment, patient retention, variability of outcome measures, identify safety concerns, and magnitude of treatment effect ahead of a full randomized clinical trial. Methods: 12 participants 12 to 35 years old were recruited to a prospective nonrandomized open-label pilot trial and treated with 60 mg of standardized G. biloba BID for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the validated Vitiligo European Task Force (VETF). Secondary outcomes included the Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI), photographs, and adverse reactions. Results: Ingestion of Ginkgo biloba was associated with a trend towards improvement on VETF measures of vitiligo lesion area and staging, and significant improvement in VETF spread and total VASI vitiligo measures. Conclusions: By achieving full recruitment, showing benefit, and indicating no adverse reactions the pilot study shows that a future RCT is feasible.

Keywords: vitiligo
Ginkgo biloba
Advisor: Boon, Heather
FCHSD2 Regulates Cell Death and Cell Adhesion

FCH/CIP4 homology-Bin-Amphiphysin-Rvs (F-BAR) domain proteins are a subfamily of the Bin-Amphiphysin-Rvs (BAR) superfamily of proteins. They contain unique domains that bind and reshape the phospholipid bilayers of endosomal compartments during endocytosis. Using a functional assay for cell survival, we identified an F-BAR protein, FCH/CIP4 homology and double Src homology 3 domains 2 (FCHSD2), that confers drug resistance. Stable expression of shRNA against FCHSD2 in multiple cell types showed that loss of FCHSD2 sensitized cells to apoptosis by doxorubicin. Silencing of FCHSD2 also enhanced the ability of fibroblasts to grow colonies in culture. Mass spectrometry analysis of FCHSD2 protein complexes identified multiple interacting proteins that are involved in adhesion and endosome trafficking. We identified and confirmed a novel interaction between FCHSD2 and sorting nexin 18 (SNX18), a BAR domain protein that binds to endosomes. Our results suggest that FCHSD2 is involved in regulating cellular adhesion and cell death.

Keywords: leukemia
cell death
cell adhesion
F-BAR
Advisor: Mak, Tak Wah
Global Cities and their Response to Climate Change

Decision-makers in cities have realized their pivotal role in addressing climate change, and they are responding accordingly. This thesis presents three papers that explore the process of responding to climate change in cities, highlighting the situation in selected global cities with varying economies and development priorities. The methodology for conducting an urban greenhouse gas inventory in three Chinese cities is detailed in the first paper, illustrating issues of economic development and climate change mitigation in a transitional economy. Next, the greenhouse gas emissions savings of various strategic mitigation plans are quantified for Toronto, demonstrating the aggressive actions needed in developed cities to approach carbon neutrality. The third paper explores issues associated with climate change in three developing cities, emphasizing the need for synergic development incorporating strategies for both mitigation and adaptation. The thesis concludes with an overview of the importance of innovation and further research to future responses to climate change.

Keywords: climate change
greenhouse gas emissions
mitigation
adaptation
urban greenhouse gas inventory
strategic mitigation planning
cities
urban development
Advisor: Kennedy, Christopher A.
The Impact of Neighbourhood Density on the Energy Demand of Passive Houses and on Potential Energy Sources from the Waste Flows and Solar Energy

This study demonstrates how the density of a neighbourhood affects its energy demand, metabolism (energy and material flows) and its ability to produce its own energy. Single-family detached houses and row townhouses were each modeled using passive solar housing guidelines with the DesignBuilder building energy simulation software. Energy demand is then modeled within neighbourhoods at two densities based on south facing windows fully un-shaded at 9:00 am, and 12:00 pm solar time on Dec. 21. The neighbourhood metabolisms were then calculated based on location and density. The potential energy supply was evaluated from the spatial characteristics of the neighbourhood (for solar) and the metabolism (municipal solid waste and wastewater flows.) The potential energy demand and supply are then compared for the varying building types and densities to determine the sensitivity of the energy supply and demand relationships.

Keywords: Passive House, Community Energy, net-zero energy
Advisor: Kennedy, Christopher A.
Hha and YdgT Act Through H-NS to Repress Horizontally Acquired Genes

The bacterial protein H-NS acts to silence horizontally acquired genes. H-NS physically interacts via its N-terminus with two paralogous proteins, Hha and YdgT. Deletion of hha and ydgT results in derepression of a subset of H-NS repressed genes. I compared expression of hha/ydgT-dependent genes in Salmonella strains lacking hns and hha/ydgT/hns. Deletion of all three genes does not result in greater gene expression than deletion of hns alone, indicating that Hha and YdgT cannot act to repress genes in the absence of H-NS. Further, I used site-directed mutagenesis to generate H-NS proteins incapable of binding Hha. Complementing an hns deletion with an Hha-blind H-NS molecule, H-NS I11A, recapitulated the pattern of gene expression in the hha/ydgT strain. Indicating that elimination of the Hha-H-NS interaction is sufficient to result in derepression of hha/ydgT repressed genes. Hha and YdgT repress gene expression by acting through H-NS and cannot act independently of H-NS.

Keywords: H-NS
Salmonella
Advisor: Navarre, William
Activated HH Signaling: Deleterious Lineage-dependent Effects on Nephrogenesis and Collecting Duct Formation

Hedgehog (HH) signaling controls renal development. Mutations in PTC1, the HH receptor, cause cancer in non-renal tissues. We hypothesized that constitutively active HH signaling is deleterious to renal development in mice with PTC1 deficiency targeted to the metanephric mesenchyme (MM)(Rarb2-Cre;Ptc1 loxP/-, termed Ptc1 mutants). Increased HH signaling in MM of mutant mice was confirmed by qRT-PCR for Ptc1. A decrease in NCAM-positive nephrogenic precursors at E13.5 and WT1-positive glomeruli at E18.5 was found. Increased cortical expression of Foxd1 was observed. At E13.5, a cluster of ectopic cells expressing Raldh2, Ptc2 and Bmp4 accumulated at the presumptive uretero-pelvic junction (UPJ). Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated an increase in pelvic volume. Constitutive expression of GLI3 repressor via the Gli3Δ699 allele in Ptc1 mutants increased nephron number comparable to wild type mice and decreased pelvic volume compared to Ptc1 mutants. Thus repression of HH activity is required for proper nephrogenesis and patterning of the UPJ.

Keywords: Kidney, Hedgehog, Patched, Mesenchyme, UPJ, Gli, HH, Nephrogenesis
Advisor: Rosenblum, Norman D.
Effect of Varenicline vs. Placebo on Reactivity to Tobacco and Alcohol Cues in Smokers who are Light Drinkers

Varenicline is used to treat tobacco dependence. While varenicline decreases craving during a quit attempt, no studies have investigated its effect on cue-induced craving. Varenicline has also been shown to decrease alcohol consumption in animal and humans. This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial investigated the effect of varenicline on tobacco and alcohol cue-induced craving and alcohol consumption in dependent smokers/light drinkers. Tobacco and alcohol craving were assessed at baseline and after 2-weeks of drug administration using the QSU and ACQ. Significant decreases in cigarette and alcohol craving were observed between the pre- and post-drug session in the varenicline group on QSU Factor 1(87.5811.66 vs.70.5820.79, p=0.008) and ACQ Total (3.371.16 vs. 2.661.15, p=0.004) scores. This effect remained significant after correction for craving during neutral cues in the alcohol but not tobacco condition. No significant decreases in alcohol consumption were seen. These results suggest varenicline decreases overall craving, but not cue-induced craving specifically.

Keywords: varenicline
cue-induced craving
Advisor: Busto, Usanda
Phase Noise in Multi-carrier Systems

This thesis concerns the effect of phase noise (PHN) on multi-carrier systems such as OFDM and the detection of multi-carrier symbols affected by PHN. It is known that PHN causes mixing between sub-carriers resulting in inter-carrier interference (ICI) and rotates symbols on every sub-carrier by a certain angle called the common phase error (CPE). We explore how these two effects arise and show that these two effects are coupled to each other. We also note that higher order M-QAM constellations like 64-QAM are more sensitive to CPE than smaller constellations like 4-QAM. Based on our observations on CPE, we propose a blind CPE estimation algorithm. We then address the issue of ICI and propose a turbo receiver design to mitigate it.

Keywords: Phase Noise
multi-carrier systems
ofdm
sc-fdma
Advisor: Lim, Teng Joon
Barley Protein-enriched Flour, Coronary Heart Disease and Cancer Risk

This thesis assessed whether advantages existed for animal (calcium caseinate) versus vegetable protein (barley protein-enriched flour) foods when fed at 30 g protein per day to 23 healthy hyperlipidemic subjects for 4 weeks in a randomized crossover study. Outcomes included serum lipids, serum markers of oxidative stress and the growth response of LNCaP prostate and MCF-7 breast cancer cells when incubated in vitro with individual subject’s study serum as an indication of whether the treatment promoted or inhibited cell growth. There was no treatment effect on blood lipids or biomarkers of oxidative stress nor was in vitro cell growth different between treatments. However, after pooling the two treatments, both MCF-7 and LNCaP cell growth was related positively to the change in oxidized LDL. MCF-7 growth was negatively related to the non-HDL-C: HDL-C ratio suggesting that raising intracellular cholesterol and reducing oxidative stress may have preventive and possibly therapeutic advantages.

Keywords: Nutrition
Advisor: Jenkins, David J. A.
Opportunistic Routing for Enhanced Source-location Privacy in Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) are an attractive solution for a plethora of communication applications, such as unattended event monitoring and tracking. One of the looming challenges that threaten the successful deployment of these sensor networks is source-location privacy, especially when they are used to monitor sensitive objects. In order to enhance source location privacy in sensor networks, we propose the use of an opportunistic routing scheme and we examine four different approaches. In opportunistic routing, each sensor transmits the packet over a dynamic path to the destination. Every packet from the source can therefore follow a different path toward the destination, making it difficult for an adversary to backtrack hop-by-hop to the origin of the sensor communication. Through theoretical analysis, we attempt to justify the use of opportunistic routing for the source-location problem. Moreover, simulations have been conducted in order to evaluate the performance of all the proposed schemes, in terms of source-location privacy.

Keywords: opportunistic routing
source-location privacy
wireless sensor networks
Advisor: Hatzinakos, Dimitrios
Are We Chasing Rainbows?: Achieving the Decriminalization of Prostitution in Canada

Prostitution has often been referred to as the oldest profession in the world. Yet the Canadian legislature and courts refuse to recognize it as a profession but merely as a social nuisance or worse yet a social evil. While the act of selling sex in exchange for money is technically legal in Canada, all related activities are criminalized. The majority of social science studies concerning the impact of prostitution-related laws on the health, safety and wellbeing of prostitutes indicates that criminalization jeopardizes the safety of prostitutes, as well as their access to health and social services and recommends the decriminalization of the profession. Despite these studies and requests from sex workers and experts, the government has refused to repeal any of the prostitution-related laws. This paper outlines the societal and legislative treatment of prostitution and then seeks to determine whether decriminalization is a viable goal in Canada.

Keywords: prostitution
decriminalization
sex work
criminal law
legalization
Advisor: Cossman, Brenda
Cognitive Functioning in Varsity Athletes Following Musculoskeletal Injury

Background: Research suggests that musculoskeletal injury (MSI) influences cognitive functioning. Cognitive functioning following MSI in athletes is not evaluated currently. Purpose and Method: To examine cognitive deficit in athletes following musculoskeletal injuries, the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metric (ANAM) was administered to 22 varsity athletes prior to competition and following MSI. A healthy comparison group of 22 athletes was also tested at time intervals matched with the injured group. Results: A 2 (Group) X 2 (Time) repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant main effects for time on ANAM subtests of Delayed Code Substitution and Simple Reaction Time. Post-hoc Paired t-Tests revealed significant improvements in both groups for Simple Reaction Time, and a significant improvement for the comparison group on Match-to-Sample. Implications: Athletes with musculoskeletal injuries did not show cognitive deficit post-injury; however, the apparent absence of practice effects on a test of spatial processing and working memory requires further examination.

Keywords: musculoskeletal injury
cognition
practice effects
automated neuropsychological assessment metrics
working memory
spatial processing
concussion
cognitive functioning
Advisor: Mainwaring, Lynda
Multigene Therapy by Ultrasound-mediated Plasmid Delivery: Temporally Separated Delivery of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Angiopoietin-1 Promotes Sustained Angiogenesis in Chronically Ischemic Skeletal Muscle

Endogenously, VEGF initiates angiogenesis, then later Angiopoietin (Ang)-1 matures vessels. We hypothesized that multigene therapy of VEGF before Ang1 to ischemic hindlimb tissue would result in persistent angiogenesis. At 2, 4 and 8 wks after inducing ischemia, blood flow was assessed by contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Animals were treated with VEGF at 2 wks, VEGF/Ang1 at 2 wks, or VEGF at 2 wks and Ang1 at 4 wks. In untreated controls, blood flow remained reduced. After VEGF delivery, resting flow and vessel density increased; however, flow reserve remained reduced, and vasculature was capillary-rich and eventually regressed. After VEGF/Ang1 co-delivery, flow increased marginally, flow reserve improved and vascular architecture remained normal. After separated VEGF and Ang1 delivery, flow, vessel density and flow reserve increased and were sustained, while vascular architecture remained normal. In conclusion, temporally separated VEGF and Ang1 delivery promotes sustained angiogenesis and improved vessel functionality.

Keywords: cardiovascular disease
angiogenesis
gene therapy
ultrasound
Advisor: Leong-Poi, Howard
Examining the Role of Herp in the ER Stress Response of Pancreatic Beta Cells

The unfolded protein response, which is activated during ER stress, counteracts stress conditions by increasing folding capacity and by increasing the degradation of misfolded ER proteins by the ER-Associated Degradation (ERAD) system. Studies using an engineered insulinoma cell line with inducible expression of the Akita folding-deficient insulin have shown a large induction of Herp, a protein that has been implicated in the ERAD pathway. We hypothesized that Herp is an essential protein that regulates the degradation of misfolded insulin during the ER stress response. Indeed, we found that the degradation of mutant insulin is Herp-dependent and that maintaining Herp expression is vital for maintaining cell survival. We have also observed that the expression of Herp mRNA and protein is induced in various cell culture and animal models of diabetes. These results suggest that Herp is an important ER stress response protein that is induced under diabetic conditions in pancreatic β-cells.

Keywords: Herp
ER stress
beta cell
ERAD
Type 2 Diabetes
Advisor: Volchuk, Allen
Age Related Tissue Fibrosis During Fracture Repair Is Mediated by Wnt/β-catenin Signaling

The regenerative potential of tissue injury declines with age. Recently, a significant role for Wnt/β-catenin signaling has been shown in tissue specific stem cell aging, leading to increased tissue fibrosis. Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates the differentiation of multipotent mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts during fracture repair. We investigated the potential role of dysregulated Wnt/β-catenin signaling in delayed fracture union and tissue fibrosis in the elderly. Old mice displayed increased total β-catenin protein levels at 4 and 7 days post-fracture and tissue fibrosis at 14 and 21 days post-fracture compared to young mice. Furthermore, treatment with a pharmalogical agent decreased total β-catenin protein levels in the fracture callus at 4 days post-fracture and prevented tissue fibrosis at 21 days post-fracture. Our data suggests that dysregulated Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the elderly contributes to delayed fracture repair and tissue fibrosis and offers a potential therapeutic strategy to improve fracture outcome in the elderly.

Keywords: Fracture Repair
Elderly
Osteoblasts
Tissue Fibrosis
Wnt/β-catenin Signaling
Multipotent Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Advisor: Benjamin, Alman
Three Wave Mixing in Periodically Quantum-well-intermixed GaAs:AlGaAs Superlattices: Modeling, Optimization, and Parametric Generation

The three wave mixing process was modeled in GaAs:AlGaAs superlattices using two new modeling tools that were developed in the course of this work: A 2D beam propagation tool for optimizing quasi-phase matching gratings, and a 1D iterative beam propagation tool for determining the output powers and threshold of optical parametric oscillators of arbitrary geometries. The 2D tool predicts close to 80% enhancement of conversion e ciency by phase matching near 800 nm compared to 775 nm, which was the originally designed operation wavelength. The model also predicts resonant behaviour for an abrupt grating pro le. The 1D tool was used to determine the threshold conditions for para- metric oscillation for di erent geometries. The performances of di erent phase matching approaches in AlGaAs were quantitatively compared. The model also indicated the need for pulsed operation to achieve reasonably low threshold powers in AlGaAs waveguides.

Keywords: optics
second harmonic generation
quantum well intermixing
Advisor: Helmy, Amr S.
Aitchison, J. Stewart
The Circadian Regulation of Feeding in Adult Drosophila melanogaster

In nature, all organisms face the daily challenges created by a fluctuating environment. Circadian clocks synchronize behaviour and physiology allowing an organism to adapt to and predict daily changes to environmental conditions. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, circadian clocks reside in a set of ~150 neurons in the brain, collectively referred to as the central clock, and in the cells of many peripheral tissues. The central clock regulates daily behavioural rhythms, whereas peripheral clocks are thought to regulate the local metabolic activities of the cells in which they reside. In this thesis, I demonstrate that a peripheral clock resides in the abdominal fat body, a tissue analogous to the mammalian liver and adipocytes. Moreover, I show that flies display a temporal feeding pattern that is partly regulated by a peripheral clock. I propose that the central clock and peripheral clocks coordinate to regulate the timing of fly feeding behaviour.

Keywords: Circadian clocks
Drosophila melanogaster
Fat body
Feeding behaviour
CAFE assay
Circadian rhythms
Advisor: Levine, Joel