VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Development of an oral health-related quality of life measure for the Malaysian adults population: cross-cultural adaptation of the Oral Health Impact Profile

The main aim of this project was to develop an OHRQoL measure for the Malaysian adult population aged 18 and above by adapting the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP). It also aimed to compare two methods (frequency and regression) of developing a short form of the measure, to provide preliminary data on the impact of oral conditions on the quality of life of the adult population in Malaysia, and to compare these impacts between Malaysian and Canadian population aged 50 and above. The adaptation of this measure was based on the framework proposed by Herdman et al (1998). The OHIP was translated into the Malay language using a forward-backward translation technique. Thirty-six patients were interviewed to assess the conceptual equivalence and relevancy of each item. The adapted OHIP---L-OHIP(M)---contains 45 items. This questionnaire was pre-tested on 20 patients. A total of 171 respondents completed the short form [S-OHIP(M)] to assess the response format. The five-point frequency Likert scale could be used for Malaysian population. The preliminary results revealed that a substantial proportion of the sample included in this study experienced frequent psychological impacts associated with their oral conditions. The Malaysian population aged 50 and above had slightly higher impacts than Canadian population. However, the pattern of impacts was similar, where physical consequences were most affected and social aspects were the least affected. Both short forms (frequency and regression) performed equally well when tested for discriminative validity. However, the responsiveness of these measures was not tested in this present study. This could be one of the future research areas to determine which version will be superior in terms of detecting change. Field-testing was conducted in order to assess the suitability of two modes of administration (mail and interview) and to establish the psychometric properties of both the L-OHIP(M) and the S-OHIP(M). Both versions [L-OHIP(M) and S-OHIP(M)] were found to be valid and reliable. However, this study only provides initial evidence for the reliability and validity of these measures. Further study is recommended to collect more evidence to support the validity and reliability of these measures.

Keywords: Mouth, Care and hygiene
Mouth, Malaysia
Mouth, Care and hygiene
Mouth, Canada
Dental care
Dental care, Canada
Quality of life, Malaysia
Quality of life, Canada
Natural history of hyperlipidemia in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

Purpose. To determine the etiology of hyperlipidemia in an inception cohort of 139 pediatric patients with SLE. Methods. The longitudinal lipid profile at diagnosis and 3 year follow-up, and 4 disease states (active, inactive, active by prednisone, active by SLEDAI) were determined. Patients on low dose ( le;12.5mg/day) and weaning dose (60-30-10mg/day) of prednisone were compared for association of corticosteroid dose and lipids. Lipid levels at various disease states were compared to distinguish the effects of disease activity from corticosteroids. The effects of individual disease manifestations on lipids were determined. Conclusion. Dyslipoproteinemia was common in pediatric SLE. Both disease and treatment related factors may contribute to this state. Results. Lipid abnormalities of high cholesterol (CHO), triglycerides (TRI), LDL-C, and low HDL-C were of the greatest magnitude and seen in the most number of patients at disease diagnosis. The magnitude of the lipid abnormality tended to decrease over time, but persisted throughout the follow-up period. When patients were on high doses of corticosteroids, elevated CHO and LDL-C persisted, but the HDL-C was in the normal range. TRI levels were higher in patients with active disease and were lower in those with inactive disease in the presence of high dose corticosteroids. However, CHO and TRI levels decreased correspondingly to prednisone dose. Overall disease activity had the predominant effect of increasing TRI while corticosteroids were associated with increased CHO and LDL-C. HDL-C levels were associated with both disease activity and corticosteroid use. Renal disease, and in particular proteinuria, was the disease manifestation which most significantly predicted lipids. Anti-malarial therapy was associated with lowering serum lipids only in the presence of active disease.
Hair cortisol as a biomarker of systemic cortisol status in humans

While further investigation in larger sample populations is required, these results corroborate that hair cortisol levels are a reflection of systemic cortisol concentrations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of cortisol measurement in hair using a commercial salivary cortisol ELISA and to study the use of hair cortisol levels as a biological marker of Systemic cortisol exposure. Precision, extraction and recovery studied in the assay evaluation were within analytical method guidelines. As expected, hair cortisol levels did not correlate with salivary, plasma or 24-hour urinary Cortisol in the non-obese and healthy subjects combined. Hair cortisol was stable with age, but positively correlated to systolic BP (r=0.283; P=0.033) and weight (r=0.271; P=0.041). The reference range generated in 39 healthy controls was 17.7-153.2 pg/mg of hair (median=46.1 pg/mg). Compared to healthy controls, hair cortisol levels were not significantly different in obese subjects but were significantly higher in chronic pain subjects (P
The central serotonin system in depressed alcoholics: Response to tryptophan depletion and influence of a serotonin transporter polymorphism

Background. Current evidence indicates that impaired central serotonin (5-HT) function may underlie symptoms in comorbid alcohol dependence and major depression (COMO), and may be linked to the functionally deficient S-allele of a serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR). Acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) was used to probe 5-HT function in 17 COMO (based on DSM-IV diagnosis by SCID interview) and 19 control (CTL) subjects, by measuring plasma tryptophan (TRP) and behavioural changes. Associations between the results and 5-HTTLPR genotype were also investigated. Hypotheses. (1) COMO subjects will demonstrate dysfunction in the 5-HT system as reflected by reduced indices of central 5-HT function and by differential behavioural responses following ATD. (2) Reduced 5-HT function will be associated with the S-allele of the 5-HTTLPR. Methods. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Subjects were genotyped for 5-HTTLPR and attended two single-day sessions during which a tryptophan-deficient (active) or a tryptophan-containing (balanced) amino acid mixture was consumed after an overnight fast. Blood samples were taken for TRP quantification and behavioural questionnaires (e.g. Profile of Mood States [POMS]) were administered at baseline and at 5 hours post-ATD. Results. Two independent tests of TRP quantification were highly correlated (r=0.911; p
Thermal life of black holes

Various aspects of gravitational physics from a string theory perspective are examined in this thesis. In string theory, a statistical description of the thermodynamics of neutral black holes is still lacking. Such a microphysical picture would involve field theories in limits difficult to analyze. In the second chapter, a brane-antibrane model for neutral black D p-branes, based on an earlier proposal for conformal branes only, is developed. The black hole entropy is reproduced by the strongly coupled field theory, up to a power of two. Using a toy model containing a tachyon arid bosonic degrees of freedom of the quantum mechanics of D0-branes and anti-D0-branes, our results show that strong-coupling finite-temperature stabilization of the tachyon is indeed possible. The third chapter concerns itself with the classical dynamics of a probe ("test") Dp-brane moving in a gravitational background sourced by a stack of Dp-branes. The physics is qualitatively similar to that of the effective action for open-string tachyon condensation, with a power-law runaway potential. We show that small inhomogeneous ripples of the probe brane grow with time, leading to folding of the brane as it moves. We notice and comment on the application of brane folding to the theory of cosmological fluctuations in string theory inflation. The fifth chapter is devoted to a check of the "viscosity bound conjecture" by Kovtun, Son and Starinets. The KSS conjecture is that the viscosity to entropy density ratio eta/s is always bounded from below by h/(4pi). This bound was known to be saturated in all computations done for field theories with an available supergravity dual. We consider the near-horizon limit of a stack of M2-branes in the grand canonical ensemble at finite R-charge densities (dual to bulk angular momenta). Various transport coefficients of the strongly coupled field theory are calculated from the dual AdS gravity perspective. In particular, we numerically compute the first few corrections to the ratio of shear viscosity to entropy density eta/ s; we discover that up to fourth order all corrections originating from non-zero chemical potentials vanish, leaving the bound saturated. This is a sharp signal in favour of the saturation of the viscosity bound for D-brane backgrounds with event horizons even in the presence of background field strength. In the fourth chapter, we elaborate on the correspondence between the quantum Hall system with filling factor unity and the N = 4 SYM theory in the half-BPS sector. We present an extension of the rioncommutative Chern-Simons Matrix theory which contains independent degrees of freedom (fields) for particles arid quasiholes. The BPS configurations of our model are in one-to-one correspondence with the half-BPS states in the N = 4 SYM. Within our model, we clarify the symmetry between giant and dual-giant configurations, among others.
Adhesive failure with adherend yielding - The T-peel test and cohesive zone modeling

The T-peel test was analyzed using the analytical adhesive joint model developed by Wang [68]. The mechanical properties of the bulk adhesive were measured experimentally. It was shown that the T-peel test is equivalent to a flexible-rigid peel test with a thinner adhesive layer. Wang's model was then modified by applying a cohesive zone model (CZM) which was utilized for modeling the peel test. The optimum traction-separation curves were first obtained by analyzing DCB tests. A failure criterion was introduced for the CZM model which was shown to be a function of peel angle and peel arm thickness as independent variables. The loading zone length (length of bondline carrying significant peel load) was used to find this relation. The function was derived with the aid of multiple regression and used to predict the peel forces for 9 peel configurations. The predicted peel forces were compared to those of experiments with an average error of 7%. Finally, the T-peel test was analyzed using the CZM code and the adhesive thickness of the equivalent peel test was calculated.
Modeling of sprays produced by splash plate nozzles

Splash plate nozzles are used in recovery boilers to inject black liquor, a by-product of chemical pulping, into the furnace. Boiler performance is dependent on the droplet size and velocity distribution of the black liquor spray. This thesis is aimed at developing analytical and numerical models to predict the droplet size. The analytical model predicts droplet size and velocity across the spray as a function of fluid properties and nozzle geometry. This model is used to develop a new correlation for the prediction of the droplet sizes, which is more accurate than the previous correlations and is applicable to a wide range of parameters. In addition, two different numerical models are developed. The first one is a discrete phase model, which considers the effect of surrounding medium and interacting sprays. The second model is a free surface flow methodology, which is used to study the sheet formation on the plate.
Evaluation of infrastructure requirements for a lignocellulosic ethanol fuelled light-duty fleet in Ontario

Prospects for lignocellulosic ethanol industry from grasses and agricultural residues in Ontario were evaluated. The amount of land that could potentially be used for growing grasses was estimated, under various assumptions. The amount of agricultural residues that might be collected in the province was estimated. The maximum total amount of lignocellulosic ethanol that can be produced domestically in Ontario under the most optimistic long-term future scenario was found to be 2.61 Billion litres, which is about 20% of the demand for E85 ethanol blend in the province. The areas with the highest potential yield of biomass were identified and possible locations of ethanol conversion plants were proposed. A linear optimization model for the calculation of the total transportation cost of ethanol from the plants to the demand centers was developed, and the total cost of lignocellulosic ethanol production was estimated to range from $0.51 to $0.55 per litre.
Limit theory for M-estimation for infinite variance processes

It is well known that the Gaussian assumption on innovations of time series models leads to a strong limitation on the applicability of those models, especially in modeling financial and econometric variables, mainly because of the asymmetry and heavy-tailedness of the distributions of innovations. In this study we develop asymptotic theory for M-estimators under the assumption of infinite variance innovations. We consider the estimation of parameters in three models, namely autoregressive process with a unit root, vector autoregressions with integrated processes and econometric cointegration process, and derive the limiting distributions of M-estimators. We assume that the innovations are in the domain of attraction of a stable law.
The risk of postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and other antidepressants

Objective. To determine if PPH was associated with third trimester antidepressant exposure, particularly SSRIs. Methods. This population-based nested case-control study of Ontario women with government-funded prescription coverage identified case patients who experienced PPH and randomly selected matched controls (1:10) from the same cohort. Hospitalisation records and prescription claims data were linked to ascertain outcomes and exposures for the study period (January 1999-March 2005). Results. There were 2.460 cases of PPH and 23.943 matched controls. Adjusted odds ratios for the association between PPH and exposure to SSRIs and non-SSRIs within 90 days prior to index were 1.30 (95% confidence interval 0.98-1.72) and 1.12 (95% confidence interval 0.62-2.01), respectively. Conclusions. Results were not consistent with a significantly increased risk of PPH in association with antidepressant exposure. Findings are applicable in risk-benefit assessments and are of public health importance given the prevalence of antenatal depression and the need to consider appropriate treatment strategies.
Characterization of Drosophila nuclear receptor interactions and activation patterns

Nuclear receptors (NRs) are transcription factors whose activities are modulated through the binding of small lipophilic ligands. In general, ligand binding induces a conformational change in the NR that drives the recruitment of coactivator protein complexes. In Drosophila, there are 18 NRs. At the beginning of my work, only one of these, the ecdysone receptor (EcR), had a known ligand. The other 17 NRs are orphans whose activity has not yet been demonstrated to be modulated by the binding of ligands. Fushi tarazu-Factor 1 (FTZ-F 1) is an orphan NR that interacts with the homeodomain protein Fushi tarazu (FTZ) in early embryogenesis. I have shown that this interaction is mediated primarily through the ligand binding domain (LBD) of FTZ-F1 and the LXXLL motif, or NR box, of FTZ. I have further demonstrated that the FTZ-F1 LBD is alpha-helical in solution consistent with the known structures of other NR LBDs. To identify ligands and cofactors for the Drosophila NRs, I have utilized a biochemical approach and an in vivo ligand sensor assay in embryos. I developed a three-step purification procedure using a modified tandem affinity purification (TAP) tag that generates highly purified protein complexes and co-purifies heme as an endogenous ligand for the NR E75. Using a ligand sensor assay, which consists of the yeast GAL4 DNA binding domain fused to the NR LBD and a UASGAL4-responsive reporter, I characterized the temporal and spatial patterns of activity for the 18 NRs in transgenic embryos. Only 9 NRs show activation patterns during embryogenesis, and many of these are activated in the extra-embryonic tissues. By modulating the levels of the EcR ligand 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), I demonstrate that the ligand sensor transgenic lines respond specifically to alterations in the levels of their cognate ligands. Namely, only the EcR and USP ligand sensor lines are affected in a genetic background deficient for 20E production. Conversely, when ligand sensor embryos are cultured in the presence of exogenous 20E, only the EcR, USP and DHR38 ligand sensor lines show ectopic activation.
The impact of haloperidol, a DA D2 antagonist, on cognition, motor movements and mood

Purpose. To evaluate the impact of dopamine D2 antagonism, using haloperidol, on cognition, motor behaviour, and mood. Methods. Healthy participants (N = 59) were randomized to receive a single oral dose of either 1, 3, or 5 mg of haloperidol, or placebo. Participants were tested on cognitive, motor and mood measures at baseline, 4- and 24-hours post-administration of medication. Results. Several areas of cognition, motor behaviour and mood were significantly affected. In terms of cognition, sustained attention, information processing and reaction time were particularly influenced, while the most notable changes in mood occurred on measures of anger and depression. Visual-motor coordination was significantly affected in the motor domain. Conclusions. D2 blockade has a notable dose-dependent effect, particularly on mood and cognition. These findings have important implications regarding the impact of medications that have D2-blocking properties as part of their pharmacological profile.
A parallel programming model for a multi-FPGA multiprocessor machine

Recent research has shown that FPGAs can execute certain applications significantly faster than state-of-the-art processors. The penalty is the loss of generality, but the reconfigurability of FPGAs allows them to be reprogrammed for other applications. Therefore, an efficient programming model and a flexible design flow are paramount for FPGA technology to be more widely accepted. In this thesis, a lightweight subset implementation of the MPI standard, called TMD-MPI, is presented. TMD-MPI provides a programming model capable of using multiple-FPGAs and embedded processors while hiding hardware complexities from the programmer, facilitating the development of parallel code and promoting code portability. A message-passing engine (TMD-MPE) is also developed to encapsulate the TMD-MPI functionality in hardware. TMD-MPE enables the communication between hardware engines and embedded processors. In addition, a Network-on-Chip is designed to enable intra-FPGA and inter-FPGA communications. Together, TMD-MPI, TMD-MPE and the network provide a flexible design flow for Multiprocessor System-on-Chip design.
Design of an electrochemical cognitive system: A study and application of emergent spatio-temporal patterns in far from equilibrium nonlinear systems

This thesis examines a fundamentally new form of information processing, one inspired by the brain and materialized through electrochemistry. The study was concerned with the electrodissolution dynamics of nickel in sulfuric acid electrolyte, where the anodic current responds to three dimensional changes in the electrolyte and surface conditions, giving rise to a multitude of spatio-temporal patterns. We were able to observe distinct changes in the evolution of dynamics with particular perturbation, and relate these patterns as a cognitive response to the inputs provided to the system. The thesis also aimed at clarifying what is meant by information processing by drawing on formalization used in computer science and information theory. By exploring the emerging theoretical field of pattern formation in nonlinear dynamical systems, we have demonstrated how transient dynamics and attractors in physical systems have all the necessary components to realize the formalization of information processing.

Keywords: Chemistry, Analytic
Chemistry, Physical and theoretical
Selection of an optimal set of landmarks for vision-based navigation

Recent work in the object recognition community has yielded a class of interest point-based features that are stable under significant changes in scale, viewpoint, and illumination, making them ideally suited to landmark-based navigation. Although many such features may be visible in a given view of the robot's environment, only a few such features are necessary to estimate the robot's position and orientation. In this thesis, we address the problem of automatically selecting, from the entire set of features visible in the robot's environment, the minimum (optimal) set by which the robot can navigate its environment. Specifically, we decompose the world into a small number of maximally sized regions such that at each position in a given region, the same small set of features is visible. We introduce a novel graph theoretic formulation of the problem and prove that it is NP-complete. Next, we introduce a number of approximation algorithms and evaluate them on both synthetic and real data.
Autism as illness, autism as hope: two narratives

This study compares the current biomedical narrative on autism as debilitating and incurable to an alternative optimistic narrative constructed by the Son-Rise program. Parents of children with autism who accept the medical narrative experience significant stress, while Son-Rise families claim to experience a high level of subjective well-being. The disconnect between the medical model's mechanistic account and the Son-Rise's phenomenological account is explored from an historical perspective that situates the current medical model within the context of scientific thought and the history of psychology. Empirical evidence from five Son-Rise families, including an interview with Son-Rise parents, explores their ability to actively and explicitly construct their own hopeful narrative in defiance of the standard medical account. This study illustrates how narratives that generate optimism have the power to effect real change in children with special needs.

Keywords: Autistic children, Treatment
Autism in children, Behavior modification
The effect of sesame seed, tamoxifen, and their combination on tumor growth and bone in ovariectomized athymic mice with estrogen-responsive breast cancer

Lignan-rich flaxseed protects against breast cancer and enhances the breast cancer drug tamoxifen (TAM). The objective of this study was to determine the effect of lignan-rich sesame seed (SS), TAM, and their combination (SS + TAM) on estrogen (E2) responsive MCF-7 breast tumor growth and bone health in ovariectomized athymic mice under low (Study 1) and high (Study 2) E2 levels simulating post- and pre-menopausal conditions, respectively. In both studies, SS did not inhibit MCF-7 tumors and negated the tumor-inhibitory effect of TAM, by increasing cell proliferation or reducing apoptosis. In Study 1, SS + TAM induced higher bone mineral content and density, and biomechanical strength in the femur and lumbar vertebrae than either treatment alone, while in Study 2, it enhanced only femur biomechanical strength. In conclusion, SS is not protective and negatively interferes with TAM against E2-responsive MCF-7 breast tumors but beneficially interacts with TAM on bone.