VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Design and Evaluation of a Context-aware User-interface for Patient Rooms

The process of patient care relies on clinical data spread across specialized hospital departments. Powerful software is being designed to assimilate this disconnected patient data before treatment can be decided. However, these data are often presented to clinicians on interfaces that do not fit clinical workflows, leading to poor operational efficiency and increased patient safety risks. This project relies on ethnographic design methods to create evidence of clinician preferences pertaining to the presentation and collection of information on user interfaces in patient rooms. Using data gathered in clinical observation, a prototype interface was designed to enable doctors to conduct clinical tasks through a usable patient room interface. The prototype evaluation with doctors identified clinical tasks that are relevant in the patient room and provided insight into the perceived usability of such an interface. The evaluation sessions also elucidated on issues of patient-centeredness in technology design, effortless authentication and interface customizability.

Keywords: User interface
patient room information
Human Computer Interface
Context awareness
Clinical Engineering
Health Informatics
Ethnographic design
Advisor: Mihailidis, Alex
The Inflammatory and Neuroanatomical Factors Involved in Post-stroke Depression

This cross-sectional study examined neurobiologic correlates of depression in ischemic stroke patients. Depression severity was measured with a standardized scale (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; CES-D). Eighty-two patients (53.1% male, mean (± SD) age 71.9 ± 14.2 years, mean (± SD) National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score 4.6±4.7, mean (± SD) CES-D score 12.6 ± 10.8) were recruited. A linear regression controlling for age and stroke severity (NIHSS) determined that the kynurenine to tryptophan ratio (β= -0.105, p=0.369) was not significantly associated with CES-D (primary hypothesis) (overall model R2=0.069, F3,73=1.805, p=0.154). Secondary analyses suggested one instance of cytokines favouring inflammatory states in mild depressive symptomatology; IFN-Ɣ/IL-10 (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.02-4.64, p=0.045). For the most part however, inclusion of cytokines and neuroimaging correlates such as atrophy, lesion location and white matter changes were non-significant. Longitudinal studies are necessary to identify the possible neurobiologic correlates of depressive symptoms post-stroke.

Keywords: post-stroke depression
kynurenine
inflammation
stroke
depression
neuroanatomy
neuroradiology
tryptophan
cytokine
Advisor: Lanctôt, Krista
The Legal Protection of the Small Retailer in the Shopping Center

The issue of the protection of the small retailers in shopping centers deserves to be addressed since those retailers do not always have the economical weight to negotiate their leases on an equal footing with their landlords. In Canada and France, this situation is not dealt the same way: where Canada relies on contractual freedom to balance the interests involved, France is very protective. This thesis aims to study and compare those two regimes and tries to determine whether small retailers need protection.

Keywords: Shopping Center
Leasing
Advisor: Niblett, Anthony
Domain-generality of Parietal Attentional Processes and their Implications for Old Age

The posterior parietal cortex (PPC) has been reliably implicated in visuospatial attention, such that the dorsal regions (dPPC) are associated with voluntary ‘top-down’ attention, whereas the ventral regions (vPPC) are associated with automatic ‘bottom-up’ attentional processes. The Attention-to-Memory model (AtoM: Ciaramelli, Grady, & Moscovitch, 2008) has suggested that it also plays a similar role in memory retrieval, suggesting that the PPC mediates a domain-general attentional process. Furthermore, domain-generality of attentional processes may account for differences in perception and memory function accompanying old age. This study examined domain-generality by determining the shared variance in performance of tasks thought to recruit top-down and bottom-up attentional processes mediated across both domains. Results clearly suggested generality across domains in top-down processing; and in bottom-up processing, depending on its operationalization. Ageing was characterized by an absence of shared variance across domains and slower reaction times during bottom-up attentional reorienting only in perception.

Keywords: posterior parietal cortex
attention
memory
cognitive ageing
Advisor: Moscovitch, Morris
Grady, Cheryl L.
A Glimpse into the Future? The Current, Potential, and Appropriate Role of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Evidence as a Predictor of Dangerousness in the American Criminal Sentencing Context

Research suggests there are neurological predictors of violence, such as brain function abnormalities most frequently displayed by violent offenders who may suffer from a psychological phenomenon termed &ldquo;psychopathy.&rdquo; Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can detect signs of some of these brain abnormalities. Neurological markers of violence, evident in a convicted individual&rsquo;s fMRI results, could speak to that offender&rsquo;s tendency to act violently in the future. Can fMRI play a meaningful role in estimating recidivism rates and in sentencing? Even if fMRI evidence meets legal thresholds for use in sentencing, should it be employed in light of many concerns, such as reliability, as the implications of predicting an individual&rsquo;s dangerousness based on fMRI evidence are substantial, especially in the context of defendant rights. Moreover, neurological indicators of violence may undermine a holistic approach to sentencing that considers the convicted individual&rsquo;s particular story.

Keywords: sentencing
neuroimaging
Advisor: Dubber, Markus
Developing Countries and Challenges of Climate Change-related PPMs within WTO Institutions

I present the current state of the debate surrounding processes and production methods (PPMs) related to climate change in the context of developing countries and their relationship with the WTO institutions, both the dispute settlement bodies and the committees. The analysis first outlines a topography of PPMs and three interconnected features: their economic feature, their public policy objectives and their extraterritorial nature. It then examines the consistency of PPMs with the principle of national treatment under WTO law and assesses how the WTO institutions have dealt with the conflictual nexus of climate change and trade as reflected in PPMs. Using three contemporary case studies of climate change related PPMs, I illustrate the effectiveness, and lack thereof, of the WTO institutions on this matter. Lastly, I explore developing countries&rsquo; participation in the WTO institutions in regard to climate change PPMs.

Advisor: Trebilcock, Michael
Telomerase as a Prognostic Marker and Therapeutic Target in Paediatric Ependymoma

Paediatric ependymomas are the third most common childhood brain cancer and represent a prognostic and therapeutic challenge. Previous evidence suggests that telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein critical in permitting limitless growth potential, may serve as both a prognostic marker and therapeutic target. Immunohistochemical analysis (n=198) and enzymatic detection (n=25) of telomerase was performed to determine prevalence and prognostic potential. The telomerase inhibitor Imetelstat was used to study telomerase inhibition in paediatric ependymoma cell lines, tumour initiating cells (TICs) and both subcutaneous and intracranial xenografts. Telomerase activity was detected in 76% of primary ependymomas and was associated with a reduced five-year progression-free survival (30% vs 75%). Telomerase inhibition in vitro resulted in shortened telomeres, increased senescence, growth inhibition and reduced self-renewal capacity. In vivo, Imetelstat shortened telomeres and reduced subcutaneous tumour volume by 40% compared to control mice. Therefore, telomerase may serve as an ideal prognostic marker and therapeutic target in paediatric ependymoma.

Keywords: ependymoma
telomerase
Imetelstat
telomerase inhibition
Advisor: Hawkins, Cynthia
Coaches' Roles in Facilitating the Personal Development of Canadian Interuniversity Student-athletes

The purpose of this study was to investigate coaches’ perspectives on the personal development of student-athletes through interuniversity sport participation. More specifically, the ways in which coaches understand and facilitate athletes’ personal development were explored. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with male and female head coaches of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) programs. A qualitative approach, utilizing an inductive analysis of the data revealed: coaches’ difficulty in defining personal development and articulating the ways in which they facilitate opportunities for athletes’ personal development through sport; a lack of clarity of the methods used to measure athletes’ personal development; and the ensuing ramifications of university sport model reviews which are moving towards a high performance model of sport on athletes’ personal development. Findings from this study contribute knowledge and understanding of a previously little studied phenomenon – the personal development of student-athletes – and the perspectives from a relatively un-explored population, university head coaches.

Keywords: Personal development
Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS)
Student-athlete
Coach
Advisor: Kerr, Gretchen
High-Integration-Density Neural Interfaces for High-Spatial-Rrsolution Intracranial EEG Monitoring

This thesis presents two experimental microelectronic prototypes for neurophysiological applications. Both systems target diagnostics and treatment of neurological disorders, and they are experimentally validated in vivo by online intracranial EEG recording in freely moving rats. The first prototype is a 56-channel chopper-stabilized low-noise neural recording interface IC with programmable mixed-signal DC cancellation feedback, fabricated in a 0.13μm CMOS process. Each recording channel has a low-noise fully-differential amplifier, and a digital integrator and a delta-sigma DAC in the feedback to cancel DC offsets of up to ±50mV. Chopper stabilization technique is used to reduce the amplifier flicker noise. The recorded signals are digitized by 7 column-parallel SAR ADCs. The second prototype is a compact headset for multi-site neuromonitoring and neurostimulation in rodent brain. A stack of 2 mini-PCBs was designed and experimentally validated. It includes a previously fabricated 0.35μm CMOS recording and stimulation IC, a low-power FPGA, and the IC peripherals.

Keywords: Neural Intarfaces
Integrated Circuit
Advisor: Genov, Roman
Characterization of Abuse Properties of the Anesthetic Propofol Using the Self-administration Paradigm in Rats

Propofol is a widely in use anesthetic drug. Propofol’s abuse liability has been supported by many case reports and a few animal studies. However, propofol’s reinforcing properties have not yet been investigated in-depth. In this study, multiple aspects of propofol’s abuse-related behaviour were investigated using the drug self-administration model in rats. METHODS: Rats were subjected to propofol self-administration under a fixed ratio 1 (FR1) schedule and different aspects of propofol self-administration behaviour including acquisition, maintenance of the behaviour under a higher ratio schedule, extinction and reinstatement were investigated. RESULTS: Rats acquired propofol self-administration under a FR1 schedule. The acquired behaviour was maintained under a FR2 schedule, showed a modest variation over a range of doses, and was extinguished upon substitution of vehicle for propofol, showing no reinstatement using a range of priming doses of propofol. CONCLUSION: Propofol has abuse potential showing modest reinforcing properties under our experimental conditions.

Keywords: propofol self-administration
fixed ratio schedule
substance abuse
acquisition
extinction
reinstatement
Advisor: Tyndale, Rachel
Sleep and Circadian Markers for Depression in Adolescence

Early-onset major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with significant morbidity in adolescence. The interview-dependent diagnostic process used in psychiatry leaves a subset of adolescents with MDD undiagnosed. Sleep disturbances are a central feature of depression and adolescence is a period of rapid change in sleep physiology. The aim of this study was to test physiological features of sleep and circadian rhythms as markers of adolescent MDD. Adolescents completed a two-week protocol that included a formal psychiatric interview, polysomnographic (PSG) assessment, actigraphy, salivary melatonin sampling, and holter monitoring. Depressed adolescents (n = 18) differed from controls (n = 15) on features of sleep macroarchitecture measured by PSG, and on autonomic nervous system functioning measured by 24-hour heart rate variability. Depressed adolescents had shorter REM latency and decreased stage 4 sleep. Adolescents with MDD also showed decreased parasympathetic activity over 24-hours and during the day, and decreased sympathetic activity during the night.

Keywords: depression
adolescents
sleep
Advisor: Shapiro, Colin M.
MEG Analysis of Temporal and Anatomical Neural Activation During False Belief Reasoning

We examined the spatiotemporal dynamics underlying the processing of a false belief task using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Twenty adults performed a false belief task adapted for MEG. Regions of interest were selected based on source analyses on the contrast between false and true belief, and MEG source time-course reconstructions were generated and analyzed to determine the temporal architecture of neural activations specific to false belief reasoning. We found frontal, temporal and parietal regions to activate during false belief processing, confirming prior findings. We also extend previous findings by adding information about the temporal profile of neural activity during theory of mind processing, an area lacking in the literature. We found that increased frontal activity began at 100 ms bilaterally, followed by parietal regions from 200 to 330 ms and temporal regions at 350 ms, at which point frontal activity became lateralized to the right hemisphere.

Keywords: theory of mind
false belief
MEG
social cognition
Advisor: Taylor, Margot
Smith, Mary Lou
Optical Neural Imaging in Rodents using VCSELs

Optical brain imaging is proven to be useful to understand brain function and morphology at cellular and network level. Different optical imaging modalities were developed over the years, with our group developing multi-modal simultaneous imaging using Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs). This thesis improves and demonstrates the applicability of the imaging system and adapts it to portable imaging. Specifically, it was found that using multiple exposures provide better flow measurements when compared to tracking measurements. An intrinsic parameter to monitor the state of the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) was also discovered, proving more practical than previous fluorescence methods. We finally demonstrate initial results of imaging flow velocities and fluorescence in awake and moving rodents using VCSELs, achromatic doublets and a CMOS camera. Future work involves developing new prototypes of the portable system for imaging of disease states in awake animals and minimizing movement artefacts for oxygenation measurements.

Keywords: Biomedical Imaging
VCSEL
Advisor: Levi, Ofer
Understanding the Effect of Wastewater Flocs Properties on UV Disinfection Kinetics

Wastewater microbial flocs can protect microorganisms from inactivation by UV light. This effect is detected as tailing at high UV doses in the UV dose response curve. A double-layer structure composed of an inner compact core surrounded by a loose outer layer was proposed by earlier studies to describe UV resistance of microbial flocs. Due to limited oxygen diffusion into the compact cores, the UV inactivation of compact cores and microbial flocs under anaerobic conditions needed to be addressed. The UV disinfection kinetics under anaerobic culturing condition was nearly identical to that of the aerobic study. Moreover, the role of iron concentration on the differences in the UV inactivation kinetics of flocs and cores was assessed. The increase in UV absorbance of floc material due to iron addition could dominate the UV disinfection kinetics of flocs and cores such that they exhibited similar UV disinfection kinetics.

Keywords: Ultraviolet
Wastewater
UV Disinfection
Microbial Flocs
Advisor: Farnood, Ramin
Wolfaardt, Gideon
Role of miRNAs in Translational Control of Human Apolipoprotein B-100 mRNA

Apolipoprotein B (apoB) is a key structural and functional protein of lipoproteins and is synthesized constitutively in the liver. This study investigated the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in translational control of apolipoprotein B (apoB) mRNA and protein synthesis. Using bioinformatic analysis, I identified two specific miRNAs namely, miR-544 and miR-1202 with potential to interact with 3’ and 5’ UTR of apoB, respectively. Using HepG2 cells as the model system, the effects of transfection of exogenous miRNAs and inhibition of endogenous miRNAs were assessed on the expression of apoB mRNA and protein synthesis, as well as apoB mRNA traffic into cytoplasmic P-bodies. miR-544 induced a significant reduction in apoB mRNA expression and protein synthesis while increasing the co-localization of apoB mRNA into P-bodies. In contrast, transfection of miR-1202 increased apoB mRNA expression and protein synthesis. In summary, these data demonstrate that specific miRNAs are involved in translational control of apoB mRNA.

Keywords: apoB
translational control
miRNA
Advisor: Adeli, Khosrow
Effect of Surface Finish on Concrete Properties

The purpose of this project was to evaluate two types of concrete surfaces and analyze the effect of each finish on the air content, paste content, aggregate fraction and rate of absorption at various depths from the surface. For this project, nine concrete mixtures were evaluated with varying cement, water and air contents. Slabs were cast and two types of finishes were considered: a trowel-finished made with a magnesium trowel and a form-finished from the plywood molds used. Cores were taken from the slabs and tested at 0, 5, 10, and 20mm below the surface.

Keywords: Concrete
Advisor: Hooton, Robert Douglas
The Effect of Cone Beam CT Voxel Size on the Identification of Vertical and Horizontal Root Fractures: An In-vitro Study

Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between cone beam CT (CBCT) voxel size and tooth root fracture detection. Materials and Methods: Vertical and horizontal root fractures were induced in a total of 30 teeth, and 15 teeth were left intact. Teeth were imaged with projection digital radiography and the Kodak 9000 3D CBCT system with a native voxel size of 76 &mu;m. The CBCT voxels were then downsampled to 100 &mu;m, 200 &mu;m and 300 &mu;m. Five blinded observers evaluated both sets of images with a 1 week washout interval between each set of observations. Results: CBCT outperformed the projection images for fracture detection for all voxel sizes except 300 &mu;m (p&lt;0.05). No significant differences were found between the different voxel sizes (p&gt;0.05). Conclusion: Although voxel size does not impact the interpretation of root fractures, in vitro, CBCT outperformed projection imaging for voxel sizes less than 300 &mu;m.

Keywords: root fractures
cone beam CT
voxel size
Advisor: Lam, Ernest W.
Knowledge, Practices and Opinions of Ontario Dentists when Treating Patients Receiving Bisphosphonates

Background: Bisphosphonate related osteonecrosis of the jaws (BRONJ) is a severe but extremely rare complication of prolonged treatment with bisphosphonates. Improper treatment or misdiagnosis can have serious repercussions. Objective: is to measure the awareness of Ontario dentists about BRONJ and to identify any gaps in their knowledge of the condition and its treatment. Material and Methods: A survey was sent to a random sample of dentists in Ontario, Canada. Information about their awareness of bisphosphonates, and their awareness of an established BRONJ guideline was collected. Results: 60% of responding Ontario dentists had good knowledge of BRONJ, only 23% followed the guideline when surgical treatment was indicated. However, about 50% of responding Ontario dentists are not comfortable treating BRONJ patients. Conclusion: The finding reveals that Ontario dentists have moderate knowledge about BRONJ, which suggest greater educational efforts should be made to promote their knowledge.

Keywords: Bisphosphonates
Knowledge
Ontario Dentists
Advisor: Azarpazhooh, Amir
Clarifying Judicial Jurisdiction over Workplace Injury Claims against a State in the Former Soviet Union Countries

The essay discusses judicial jurisdiction over workplace injury claims against a state in the former Soviet Union Countries. Claiming that such cases should be dismissed in foreign jurisdiction, the paper seeks explanation to different approach and different outcomes of workplace injury cases in the courts of the same countries. The essay begins with background information on particularities of unusual workplace injury cases which emerged in connection with important political event - collapse of the USSR. Relevant provisions of domestic and . international law on judicial jurisdiction, their interpretation and application in Commonwealth of Independent States are discussed in this paper. Analyzing provisions and reasons of different decisions, the essay infers the implications from analysis in support of its main claim.

Keywords: jurisdiction
state immunity
Advisor: Fadel, Mohammad
Purification and Identification of Cell Surface Antigens using Lamprey Monoclonal Antibodies

The evolutionary distance of lampreys from humans in conjunction with their distinct antibody architecture is profound. Thus, lampreys may provide antibodies with specificity for antigens unrecognized by conventional mammalian antibodies. This study investigates lamprey based monoclonal variable lymphocyte receptor antibodies (VLRs) for purifying and identifying an antigen by tandem mass spectrometry. VLRs specific for clinically relevant cell populations were isolated. Subsequently, utilizing intrinsic VLR affinity, with or without covalent cross-linking molecules, for immunoprecipitating VLR protein antigens was tested. In one case, CD5 glycoprotein from Jurkat T cells was purified by a VLR; the antigen was identified by tandem mass spectrometry. Antibody specificity was validated by western blotting and flow cytometry. Furthermore, VLR binding to CD5 required multimerization of the antibody, indicating the individual VLR units likely bind antigen with low affinity. The study provides &lsquo;proof of concept&rsquo; for human biomarker identification using novel lamprey monoclonal antibodies.

Keywords: VLR
lamprey antibody
biomaker discovery
antigen purification
antigen identification
novel human antigen
Advisor: Goetz, Ehrhardt