VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Potential Therapeutic Role of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers for Alzheimer's Disease using a Drosophila Model

Presenilins (PS) play a role in familial Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Notch signalling. In a genetic screen looking for modifiers of APP but not Notch, we identified Drosophila orthologs of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE). Interestingly, ACE polymorphisms are associated with AD and Apo-E, the best characterized risk factor for late-onset AD. Moreover, ACE inhibitors (ACE-I) delayed the onset of cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration in mice and humans. However, it remains unclear why ACE-I are beneficial in AD. Here, we explore the link between PS and ACE in a Drosophila model using genetics and pharmacology. We found that ACE disruption does not affect Notch related phenotypes. Moreover, we found that ACE-I and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers are beneficial in an AD Drosophila model. Since inhibition of ACE has no detrimental effects on Notch and modulates AD related phenotypes, it could provide an important therapeutic target for AD.

Keywords: Alzheimer's Disease
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE)
Angiotensin Receptor (ATR)
Drosophila
Notch
Presenilin
Advisor: Boulianne, Gabrielle
Feasiblity of Utilzing Oil-sands Fluid Coke as a Secondary Source of Vanadium

Oil-sands fluid coke (OSFC) is a major byproduct of upgrading Athabasca bitumen, which has a particularly high vanadium concentration (0.15 wt% and predominantly vanadyl porphyrins). This study explores the feasibility of extracting vanadium from OSFC. Chemical activation with KOH or NaOH converts organic vanadium in OSFC into water-soluble inorganic species. After chemical activation, water washing alone is able to dissolve over 98% of total vanadium in OSFC given enough time. Sequential washing enhances vanadium dissolution, shortens the washing process, and reduces the water usage by removing other elements (Ca, Ni, Fe, Al and Si) in the first stage. Overall, it is technically feasible to recover over 90% of vanadium in OSFC as calcium vanadate via alkali metal hydroxide chemical activation, sequential water washing and calcium precipitation of vanadium. This process would allow the recycle, reuse of alkali metal hydroxide and produce highly porous activated carbon.

Keywords: Chemical activation
Coke utilization
Extraction process
Oil sands fluid coke
Vanadium
Advisor: Jia, Charles Q.
The McMichaels and The McMichael Canadian Art Collection

The project is an event-based analysis of a group of pioneer objects held at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection. Using institutional records and published accounts, collecting and cataloguing activities are examined and present evidence of historical discrepancies in the treatment of these objects throughout the development of the institution. The project exposes how historical attitudes towards the pioneer objects categorically separated them from the original donation of the McMichael collection in 1965 and how institutional publications helped frame the growing collection as exclusively art focused. Significant historical cataloguing activities and projects expose institutional discrepancies related to the treated and cataloguing of pioneer objects at the McMichael. As a whole, the project uses these historical discrepancies as part of a framework that begins to question the continued nature of the relationship of the pioneer objects to the McMichael given the institutionâ s current silence towards this element of its development and collection holdings.

Keywords: Cataloguing
Collecting
McMichael Canadian Art Collection
Museums
Registration
Advisor: Brower, Matthew
Krmpotich, Cara
Structural Effects of Extracellular Loop Mutations in CFTR Helical Hairpins

Here we investigate the structural effects of single amino acid replacements in the extracellular (ECL2) loop region using helical hairpin constructs derived from TM3 and TM4 of TMD1 in human CFTR. By systematically replacing the wild-type residues at two CF-phenotypic sites E217 and Q220 with the other 19 common amino acids, it was shown by CD spectroscopy that a single residue change can result in a significant change in helicity for the resulting hairpin. In most cases, increasing hydrophobicity of the mutant is associated with increasing helicity and SDS-PAGE gel-shift. Leu mutants showed the most dramatic increase in helicity at both positions. Charged residues have relatively diminished effects on helicity at E217 but not at Q220. The CF-phenotypic mutant E217G showed a similar gel-shift pattern to wild-type, but significantly increased helicity when compared to wild-type, while the CF-mutant Q220R showed similar helicity but an increased gel-shift to the wild-type.

Keywords: CFTR
E217 and Q220
ECL2
Mutations
Structural Effects
TM3/4
Advisor: Deber, Charles M
The Role of Sex and Gender in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Resconstructive Surgery Outcome

Similarities and differences between women and men (M/F) in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and predictors of 1-year HRQoL after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) were explored for the first time using a Sex and Gender Sensitive Analysis (SGSA). M/F differences in variables representing biological sex (S), gender-based sociocultural factors (G) and both SG were evaluated. Males and females in the cohort (n=121, 18-41 years, 77 males) had good 1-year HRQoL but scores indicated potential for improvement. Bivariate analyses showed minimal differences at baseline; males reported more depressive symptoms. In multi-variable regression, 1-year strength (S), change in pain (SG) and physical function (SG) predicted 1-year HRQoL. While a SGSA provided insight into some sex, gender and SG differences, male/female was not associated with 1-year HRQoL. The results suggest the need for the care team to address the psychological as well as the physical aspects of ACL rehabilitation following ACLR.

Keywords: Anterior Cruciate Ligament
Gender Studies
Health Related Quality of Life
Sex
Surgical Outcome
Advisor: Davis, Aileen
Identity Construction in ASL-English Interpreted Interactions

Drawing from sociolinguistic literature on identity negotiation and from interpreting research, this study examines how interpreters are implicated in the discursive processes occurring in interpreted interactions. Conversational interactions are sites of identity construction and interpreters actively participate in these dynamics. The data from an interpreted conversation, questionnaires from the interpreters and interlocutors, and playback interviews are analyzed to explore how participantsâ identity negotiations are altered by the interpreters. This study found that identity-related dynamics were influenced by the interpretersâ language proficiency, interpreting technique, and personal identity. In particular, the interpreters had an impact on the participantsâ ability to construct relations of affinity and on their capacity to accurately attribute interactional dynamics. Recruitment and retention of diverse students and pedagogical practices in interpreter education programs might attend to these issues so ASL-English interpreters can seek professional practices that allow transparency and accountability.

Keywords: Identity
Interpretation
Advisor: Kerekes, Julie
Modulation of Inflammatory Cytokine Responses to Neurosurgery and Traumatic Injury via Sympathoadrenal Activation

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. TBI elicits sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation with massive catecholamines secretion and modulation of neuroimmune networks. Catecholamines incites cerebral and systemic immune cells to synthesize and secrete multiple pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Our study aims to evaluate temporal changes in circulating pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines Interleukin (IL)-1Î˛, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-Îą, and IL-10 in association with plasma epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) levels, in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and elective neurosurgical patients. This also examines possible interrelationships between these mediators and neurological outcomes as evaluated by extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE) score. From the data gathered within this study, it was determined that high circulating catecholamine levels affect the pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine balance, and patients with higher peak cytokine levels do sustain worsened neurologic outcome.

Advisor: Rizoli, Sandro B
Surgical Gloves and Instruments: Potential Vectors of Cancer Cell Seeding

Cancer recurrence in surgical wounds occurs by unknown mechanisms. My hypothesis is that tumour cells are harboured on surgical gloves and instruments during the extirpative phase of a cancer resection and can exfoliate into the wound during reconstruction, with potential for growth. A systematic review revealed that the incidence of port-site metastasis in gallbladder cancer is especially high. A survey of practising surgeons found that there is no consensus as to whether specific intraoperative protective strategies are warranted. An analysis of washings from gloves and instruments used intraoperatively during cancer resections identified malignant cells on approximately half of gloves and instruments that had directly handled malignant tissue (debulking of peritoneal malignancy, incisional biopsy of extremity sarcoma). No malignant cells were identified on a glove or instrument used in margin-negative sarcoma resection. These results suggest that specific protective strategies may not be warranted in curative resections.

Keywords: cancer seeding
mechanisms of seeding
surgical oncology
tumour recurrence
wound recurrence
Advisor: Swallow, Carol J
Coping Motives as a Mediator in the Relationship Between LGBQ-specific Stressors and Alcohol Consumption and Consequences Among LGBQ Emerging Adults

Research shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) emerging adults (EAs) are at a disproportionally high risk of consuming alcohol and experiencing alcohol consequences. Additionally, research has demonstrated a relationship between LGBQ stressors and problematic alcohol outcomes among LGBQ EAs. The underlying mechanisms, however, remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of coping motives on the relationship between LGBQ stressors (internalized heterosexism, parental rejection, homonegative microaggressions, and sexual orientation-based violence) and both alcohol consumption and consequences. 252 LGBQ EAs (18-25 years-old) completed a series of online questionnaires. Two LGBQ stressors were significantly and positively associated with alcohol consumption, whereas the majority of the LGBQ stressors were significantly and positively associated with alcohol consequences. Coping motives emerged as a significant mediator across all tested models. These findings suggest that coping motives are an important target for clinical interventions for reducing drinking among LGBQ EAs.

Keywords: Alcohol use
Emerging adults
Lesbian
gay
bisexual
queer
Advisor: Gillis, Joseph R
Brief History of an English-language Journal in the Ottoman Empire: The Levant Herald and Constantinople Messenger (1859-1878)

The Levant Herald (1856-1914) was one of the English-language newspapers published in Constantinople by British subjects. Given the length of its lifecycle, which exceeded half a century, The Levant Herald was one of the longest lasting newspapers issued during the entire Ottoman period. Although it was published in Ottoman territory, it also circulated in Europe and Britain. Due to this, the newspaper had a somewhat international character. Throughout its lifecycle, it faced many suspensions, closures, and bans, and it suffered from regular political pressure. The proprietors of the newspaper changed several times during its lifecycle and due the regular threat of closure, it had to be issued under different names. The names that the newspaper used were as follows: The Levant Herald, The Constantinople Messenger, The Eastern Express, The Levant Herald Eastern Express.

Keywords: Ali Suavi
Caputilations
Edgar Whitaker
Media
Ottoman Empire
Britain
Press
Newspapers
Advisor: Methodieva, Milena B.
Ostapchuk, Victor
The Impact of Focal Radiation Damage on Whole-brain Development in the Mouse

Radiotherapy is a critical component in treating pediatric brain tumors such as medulloblastoma. Although 5-year survival rates are rising, cognitive late eďŹ ects are frequently seen in survivors that received whole-brain radiotherapy. Importantly, white matter (WM) volumes of survivors are often reduced after receiving radiotherapy. Impairments in both WM and neurogenesis have been implicated in late side eďŹ ects. This work involved the image-guided focal irradiation of WM (anterior commissure or AC), neuronal tissue (olfactory bulbs or OBs), and neurogenesis (subventricular zone or SVZ) in the infant mouse brain and subsequent characterization of developmental outcomes in adulthood using MRI. The results indicate that direct radiation targeting of WM may not be the cause of WM hypersensitivity in development. Importantly, the growth of WM (ie. AC) may depend on radiation targeting of other structures. Overall, this work shows that indirect radiation targeting may be as important in structural outcomes as direct radiation targeting.

Keywords: brain
development
neurogenesis
radiation
volume
white matter
Advisor: Nieman, Brian J
The Discourse of Konketsuji: Racialized Representations of Biracial Japanese Children in the 1950s

This study examines textual representations of biracial Japanese children as featured in the print media of 1950s Japan. Attention is paid to the complex discursive process of racialization that produced knowledge of biracial Japanese under the label konketsuji or “mixed-blood child.” This “discourse of konketsuji” is deconstructed and analyzed towards the aim of illustrating how it functioned to disassociate the figure of the konketsuji from the category of “Japanese.” This study situates konketsuji and Japanese racial identity discourse into their proper historical contexts before transitioning to an analysis of primary source material. The discourse of konketsuji is revealed as having racialized konketsuji in a plural and complex manner. Racializing statements about konketsuji referenced difference in phenotype, social origin, political potential, birth circumstances, mentality, intellect, and cultural proclivities so as to position biracial children as a group outside a normative construction of Japanese raciality.

Keywords: Biracial
Discourse
Japan
Mixed-race
Postwar
Race
Advisor: Fujitani, Takashi
Sex Education as Neoliberal Inclusion: Hetero-cis-ableism in Ontario' s 2015 Health and Physical Education Curriculum

In this thesis, I investigate how hetero-cis-ableism and neoliberalism are tied to the production of “good” LGBT2SQ and disabled people and the expulsion of “bad” queers and crips within Ontario’s 2015 Health and Physical Education Curriculum. I argue that the move towards explicit or social justice education and the implementation of LGBT2SQ dialogue is not (simply) a way to represent equality, but a way of insuring the production of a specific type of person. Analysing the curriculum through Foucauldian and poststructuralist discourse analysis, I examined how the new content is being used to illicit hetero and cis-normative identities onto those that have otherwise been see as “less desirable.” Through a pedagogical mix of Queer and Crip Theory, this paper points to inconsistencies and flaws that are inherent within curriculum design itself, and how, regardless of intent, anything created for or within a neoliberal institution can never be fully inclusive.

Keywords: crip theory
hetero-cis-ableism
neoliberalism
queer theory
sex education
Advisor: Sykes, Heather
Titchkosky, Tanya
Regulation of Mitochondrial Fission by Ceramide-induced Bcl-2-related Ovarian Killer in Preeclampsia

Mitochondrial fission (MF) is regulated by the dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1), and its excess is implicated in a number of human diseases. Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy associated with elevated placental ceramide (CER), a bioactive sphingolipid implicated in cell death. We hypothesize that increased CER, as found in PE, increase MF. We have found that PE placentae have increased expression of DRP1, and the mitochondrial compartment is enriched in CERs. JEG3 and primary isolated cytotrophoblast cells treated with CERs have increased pDRP1 expression and recruitment to the mitochondria. CER also increases pro-death Bcl-2 related ovarian killer (BOK) recruitment to the mitochondria in JEG3 cells, where it increases DRP1 expression. pDRP1 and BOK are recruited to the mitochondria associated ER membranes in primary cytotrophoblast cells treated with CER. In conclusion, increased CER augments MF via a mechanism involving BOK, and this may contribute to increased cell death in PE.

Keywords: Bcl-2-related ovarian killer
Ceramide
Mitochondria-associated ER membrane
Mitochondrial dynamics
Mitophagy
Preeclampsia
Advisor: Caniggia, Isabella
Quantitative Ultrasound Characterization of Cell Death

In this thesis, the use of quantitative ultrasound techniques is expanded from previous studies to quantify the approximate degree of tumor response with other modalities of cell death while determining nuclear chromatin to be the major scatterer of ultrasound at frequencies around 20-40 MHz. In the first study, quantitative ultrasound parameters correlated strongly to tumor cell death following mitotic arrest on the basis of chromatin aggregate formation. In the second study, it was observed that quantitative ultrasound techniques could differentiate cell death modalities in a manner that was linked to different chromatin manners of chromatin processing within each form of cell death. In the final study, quantitative ultrasound parameter trends mirrored those of chromatin compaction in the course of chromatin-altering treatments. The findings of this work indicate that quantitative ultrasound can characterize and differentiate multiple forms of cell death in a quantitative manner based on changes to chromatin configuration.

Keywords: Cancer
Cell Death Differentiation
Chromatin
Quantitative Ultrasound
Advisor: Aubert, Isabelle
Czarnota, Gregory
Class-C PA-VCO Cell for FSK and GFSK Transmitters in 130nm Technology

Ultra-low power transceivers are widely used in portable devices powered by coin batteries, including applications for indoor localization and body area networks. In these applications, the TX data rate and transmission power are sacrificed in favor of longer lasting battery life. At moderate data rate, FSK and GFSK are of special interest for ultra-low power transceivers since they simplify the transmitter architecture, which can be realized by a VCO followed by a power-efficient non-linear PA. This thesis presents a current-reuse Class-C PA-VCO cell tailored to FSK/GFSK transmitter. By inserting the PA-VCO cell into an open-loop BLE transmitter, 17.5 % of TX efficiency was achieved while delivering -1 dBm of power at 2.45 GHz. The minimal phase noise of -132 dBc/Hz at 2.5 MHz frequency offset results in a carrier-frequency drift rate below 7 Hz/s and an FSK error below 0.7 % when FSK/GFSK modulations are applied.

Keywords: BLE Transmitter
Current-reuse
High Efficiency
Power Amplifier
Ultra-low Power
Voltage-controlled Oscillator
Advisor: Liscidini, Antonio
mHealth and Empowerment Education in the Rainbow Nation: A Study of the CHAT program in South Africa

Maternal and child health and nutrition (MCHN) disparities remain prominent influences in sustained high infant mortality rates for children under five living with HIV in South Africa. Empowerment processes used in critical health literacy regarding disease management and nutrition can address issues of contextual references to educational content by identifying problems, critically reflecting and acting upon social, economic and political barriers to health. This thesis explores the role of the Community Health Worker Assistive Technologies (CHAT) program to open space use dialogue, supported by educational media delivered by handheld tablets and booklets, as a means of addressing MCHN health disparities in South Africa. Videos recorded of household visits elicited inferential statistics regarding media usage, and further thematic areas emerging from participant/community health worker interactions. This thesis suggests educational media in conjunction with sufficient training can improve references to participant context and increase quality of care and opportunities for empowering dialogue.

Keywords: Educational Media
Empowerment Education
Health Literacy
Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition
mHealth
South Africa
Advisor: Slotta, Jim
Emotions, Significance and Improvement Expectations: The Personal Matter of a Patient's Hospital Stay

Health systems aim to provide quality healthcare. Patients’ experiences can inform quality improvements. Background: Mailed standardized surveys are a way to engage patients about inpatient care experiences. While results from rating-scale questions are regularly reported, no study has analyzed patients’ written responses. Purpose: To learn about patients’ perspectives of hospital care, survey comments were examined. Method: Inductive content analysis of 1,638 written responses was conducted within a qualitative description study design. Findings: Patients’ comments suggest: Emotions pervade patients’ hospital stay experiences with feelings about perceptions of safety, personhood and preparation for returning to living life; moments in time personalize hospital experiences; and the survey is viewed as an implied contract, where patients provide feedback in exchange for hospital improvements. Implications: Findings affirm current understandings about inpatient experiences and extend them. Patients’ comments reveal new insights about the specifics of patient-centered care, patient experience and quality healthcare that merit further study.

Keywords: delivery of health care
patient-centered care
patient experience
patient-reported information
quality health care
quality improvement
Advisor: Polatajko, Helene J
Micro-scale Diversity and Persistence of Genomic Variants of the Yeast Saccharomyces paradoxus in a Natural Woodland Population

Genetic diversity in populations of sister species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and S. paradoxus, has been described at the global scale, but less at small spatial scales. Fine scale sampling over time captures dynamics in genome distribution, which may not be revealed in large-scaled studies. I investigated the population genomics of a local population to address two questions: is there genomic variation in a S. paradoxus population at a fine spatial scale (centimeters to tens of meters)? Does the distribution of genomic variants persist over time? I sampled 42 S. paradoxus strains from 2014 and 43 strains from 2015 collected from the same 72 microsites around four oak trees within 1km2 in a mixed hardwood forest in southern Ontario. As well, 6 samples were made from Maple or Beech. I found five differentiated clades coexisting within the sampled area and persistent population structure over the two years of my study.

Keywords: population genetics
Whole-genome
yeasts
Advisor: Anderson, James B
Kohn, Linda M