VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
The Relationship between Cardiac Rehabilitation and Long-term Outcomes in a Post CABG Population – A Clinical and Administrative Database Study

This is a single center retrospective study of 5,000 patients evaluating the effect of cardiac rehabilitation on long-term outcomes following coronary artery bypass surgery. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard model showed that cardiac rehabilitation was associated with a reduction in the composite of all-cause mortality, acute myocardial infarction, stroke or repeat revascularization, hazard ratio (HR) 0.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.75-0.91, p

Keywords: Cardiac Rehabilitation
Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
Outcomes research
Secondary prevention
Survival
Advisor: Fremes, Stephen
Laws in Action Within Schools (LAWS): A Program Evaluation

Access to postsecondary education is seen as a problem that has largely been solved in Canada, yet when one delves deeper, it is clear that many groups are still under-represented. This thesis undertakes a secondary data analysis to evaluate one access program, Law in Action within Schools (LAWS). The program runs both curricular and extracurricular programming to engage and encourage at-risk students in secondary schools in the Toronto District School Board. The program continues to provide gains in grades and access. LAWS students have greater access to universities and colleges post-graduation at 75% on average, compared to non-LAWS students who access at a rate of less than 50%. Further exploration of the individual characteristics of participating schools would be of benefit, allowing the program to continually recalibrate enrolment practices to accommodate changing demographics to ensure that it remains an access program for students who otherwise would not access postsecondary education.

Keywords: Access program
Canada
Contingent Students
LAWS
Magnet vs. Access
Toronto District School Board
Advisor: Childs, Ruth A
The Role of Arrestin-3 in Bone Catabolic Response to Hyperparathyroidism

Primary hyperparathyroidism is characterized by elevated parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels and hypercalcemia, causing bone loss and fragility. PTH activates the PTH receptor (PTH1R), which primarily couples to Gαs, stimulating downstream effectors. Previously, we have seen trabecular anabolic effects of hyperparathyroidism in mice overexpressing Gαs. We hypothesized that increased Gαs protein levels in osteoblasts outcompete β-arrestins binding to PTH1R, leading to reduced signal termination and increased bone formation. In this study, we tested whether β-arrestin2 deletion results in an anabolic response to hyperparathyroidism. While wild-type male mice exhibited a bone catabolic response, female mice were resistant. Contrarily, β-arrestin2 knockout male mice maintained bone whereas female mice exhibited an anabolic response. These results support our hypothesis that arrestin-mediated PTH1R downregulation contributes to bone loss associated with hyperparathyroidism. This offers new insight into the mechanism of bone loss in primary hyperparathyroidism that could be a path for drug therapy.

Keywords: Arrestin
Bone
Hyperparathyroidism
Parathyroid Hormone
Advisor: Mitchell, Jane
Grynpas, Marc
Evaluation of an In-patient Exercise, Relaxation, and Music Therapy Program for Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patients

Exercise, relaxation, and music therapy interventions have shown to improve the physical function and psychological well-being of cancer survivors. However, few hospitals have integrated these interventions as standard of care. Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the Rehabilitation Group Classes (RGC), an in-patient exercise, relaxation, and music therapy program for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) patients. Methodology: The RE-AIM framework was implemented to evaluate program feasibility (e.g., attendance, fidelity) and effectiveness (e.g., physical and psychosocial outcomes). Assessment of participants occurred at three time points: admission to the unit, discharge from hospital, and 100 days after transplant. Results: The RGC were safely delivered, attendance was high (82%), and participants were satisfied with the intervention. Barriers to attendance were related to fatigue, isolation, and transplant complications. Conclusion: Multimodal interventions are feasible in the in-patient allo-HSCT setting. Research exploring the institutional adoption of in-hospital rehabilitation programs is warranted.

Keywords: Allogeneic
Evaluation
Exercise
Music Therapy
Relaxation
Stem Cell Transplant
Advisor: Santa Mina, Daniel D
Towards Noninvasive Prenatal Diagnosis using Digital Microfluidics

The objective of this project is to lay the foundation to develop a clinically relevant, risk-free process for noninvasive prenatal diagnosis from cervical mucus samples using digital microfluidics isolation of single cell for -Omics (DISCO).Starting from a cervical swab obtained from pregnant women, fetal cells trapped in cervical mucus were enriched and isolated. Antibodies best suited to identify fetal and maternal cells were found. Maternal cells were removed using density gradient centrifugal separation and immunomagnetic depletion targeting specific cell types to increase the proportion of fetal cells to one in five in the final enriched sample. Fixative methods were optimized to increase the number of fetal cells recovered. DISCO was used to isolate the fetal cells from the enriched sample, followed by whole genome amplification of the isolated cell. Initial results from Short Tandem Repeats analysis show a partial fetal signature in the final enriched sample.

Keywords: digital microfluidics
DMF
NIPD
nonivasive
single cell
Advisor: Wheeler, Aaron
The Role of Protein Degradation in Cell Size Regulation

Cells of a given type are remarkably uniform in size. In fact, deviation from this uniformity can imply the onset of a neoplastic condition. Previous work suggests that, at the level of the individual cell, size homeostasis is regulated by both growth rate and cell cycle (G1) duration. Altering either growth rate or cell cycle length will cause the other to compensate to minimize changes to cell size. However, the mechanism of this growth rate compensation is unclear. The aim of my project is to characterize the underlying pathways implicated in this mechanism, specifically to examine whether changes in protein degradation could be the responsible for this response. Indeed, I found that increased protein degradation, specifically, increased clearance of K48 ubiquitinated proteins, followed changed in growth rate due to compensation.

Keywords: cell size
protein degradatoin
Advisor: Kafri, Ran R
Ferroptosis: A Novel, Iron-mediated Contributor to Placental Cell Death

Iron is an essential micronutrient for cell survival and growth yet understanding of this metal in physiological and pathological pregnancies remains elusive. Importantly, iron - alongside lipid peroxidation - has been identified as a driver of ferroptosis, a newly identified mode of cell death. Hence, we hypothesized that iron imbalance increases susceptibility of ferroptotic cell death in preeclampsia (PE). In our investigation, PE trophoblast layers demonstrated increased iron content, increased lipid peroxide by-product malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, and decreased antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) expression and activity. In vitro, JEG3 and cytotrophoblast-like H9 cells demonstrated similar alterations to iron homeostasis, GPx4 expression and activity, and lipid peroxidation when exposed to PE-like environments of hypoxia and iron overload. Notably, pharmacological agents deferoxamine and ferrostatin-1 reversed excess iron- and low oxygen-induced ferroptotic hallmarks. In conclusion, iron and oxygen-mediated ferroptosis may contribute to heightened rates of trophoblast cell death characteristic of preeclamptic pregnancies.

Keywords: Cell death
Hypoxia
Iron
Placenta
Preeclampsia
Trophoblasts
Advisor: Caniggia, Isabella
Perspectives on the use of Afrocentric Approaches in Non-school settings within Toronto on the Education, Employment and Black Identity of African Canadian Men

This study looks at the experiences of African Canadian young men in a three (3) year Afrocentric program that was run in a non-school setting. It utilizes an intrinsic case study approach, where the researcher conducted interviews with former program participants to see the impact that the program had on their academic achievement, employment opportunities and Black identity. The results of the study support the view that the use of African centred programming within a non-school program can positively impact how Black young men achieve educational success. The study also offers some support for the use of Afrocentric approaches, specifically the use of the Nguzo Saba principles and Black mentors to highlight and establish Black identity, promote academic achievement and employment/entrepreneurial endeavours among African Canadian youth.

Advisor: McCready, Lance
Freeze Concentration to Regenerate Concentrated Draw Solution (CDS) and Recover Water from Industrial Effluents

This work focuses on industrial water recovery using freeze concentration (FC) as a stand-alone water recovery process (part 1), and investigates the possibility of an integrated forward osmosis-freeze concentration (FO-FC) process (part 2). In part 1, A 3-L bench-scale layer freeze crystallizer was designed, and 0.5-1.5 m NaCl and MgCl2 solutions were used to mimic effluents from the mining and extractive metallurgy industries. A maximum impurity reduction of 82 % and 68 % can be achieved from 0.5 m NaCl and MgCl2 solutions, respectively. Agitation at 50 rpm significantly improved ice purity even at a high concentration of 1.5 m MgCl2. In part 2, the results showed that the regeneration of the 2-m MgCl2 concentrated draw solution can be achieved by adjusting the jacket temperature. The multi-step operation further improved ice purity by 14.6 % without sacrificing the CDS regeneration objectives.

Keywords: Concentrated draw solution
Energy-efficient
Forward osmosis
Industrial water recovery
Layer freeze concentration
Sustainable
Advisor: Papangelakis, Vladimiros G.
Online Conflict: Exploring University Students' Views and Experiences

The increasing popularity of online, conversational media raises questions about their efficacy as platforms for rational debate and consensus-building in civic discourse. As a preliminary qualitative exploration, 24 university students were interviewed on their understanding of online deliberation and disagreement. Participants were asked about their online activities with regard to communication. They provided accounts of where and how conflict commonly arises online, what motivates it, and how it is handled. Their preferences for discussing differences with others online or face-to-face were explored, with many expressing doubts about the civility and productivity of online disputes and the resultant avoidance of them. Political topics were seen as especially contentious and alienating. Some found face-to-face disagreement to be emotionally demanding and appreciated the distance and buffering afforded by virtual channels. The results are discussed with regard to the potential of online communication as a medium for reasoned debate and deliberation within this demographic.

Keywords: face-to-face deliberation
online conflict
online deliberation
online disagreement
productive dialogue
reasoned debate
Advisor: Tafarodi, Romin
Developmental Screening using the Infant Toddler Checklist at 18 months and School Readiness as Measured by the Early Development Instrument

Background: This study identified factors associated with a positive Infant Toddler Checklist (ITC) screen and examined the validity of the ITC in identifying vulnerability on the Early Development Instrument (EDI). Methods: Multivariable regression models were used to identify the factors and examine the construct validity of the ITC. Screening test properties were used to evaluate the predictive validity of the ITC, using the EDI as the criterion measure. Results: 10-13% of children had a positive ITC screen. Male sex, lower birthweight, income

Keywords: Children
Developmental Screening
Early Development Instrument
Infant Toddler Checklist
School Readiness
Advisor: Borkhoff, Cornelia M.
Co-location of Deep Learning Jobs in GPU Clusters

Deep learning (DL) training jobs now constitute a large portion of the jobs in the GPU clusters. Following the success of deep learning in various domains such as natural language processing, image classification, and object detection GPUs have become the new member of the computing clusters. Due to various reasons, GPUs are highly underutilized in the production GPU clusters. In this thesis, we design a scheduler that uses co-location to improve the GPU utilization in these clusters. Using in-depth profiling of DL jobs, we provide metrics that guide us on the compatibility of different DL jobs. Using these profiling data we are able to achieve almost 2X speedup in the makespan when using co-location compared to the first-in-first-out baseline.

Keywords: deep-learning
gpu
machine-learning
scheduling
Advisor: Leon-Garcia, Alberto
A Control-theoretic Model of the Optokinetic System

This thesis presents an application of control-theoretic modelling with adaptive internal models to eye movement systems. The complex circuitry behind the structures of the brain involved in such movements are first identified and understood. With the neural circuit in mind, we extend with time delays and lesion studies an existing model of the oculomotor system that captures the cerebellum as an adaptive internal model. Addressing biological questions involving which feedback signals are used in slow-eye movement systems, we develop two new adaptive internal models as candidates for cerebellar models in the oculomotor system. Although simulations show that these models do not reproduce the desired behaviors, these discoveries remain useful. Finally, we arrive at the main contribution of the thesis - a model of the optokinetic system including computations of the cerebellum. The cerebellum is characterized by adaptive internal models in this design, which is validated by simulations that recover behaviors observed in experimental studies.

Advisor: Broucke, Mireille E
Dependency of Energy Loss on Strain Rate, Strain Magnitude and Preload: Development of a Novel Biomarker for Aortic Aneurysm Dissection Risk

Dissection is the most common mode of failure for ascending aortic aneurysms. Currently, failure risk is assessed by measuring aortic diameter, which is insufficient as it misses many dissection patients. This motivated the search for a new biomarker that captures intrinsic tissue material properties related to failure. Energy loss is promising in this regard as it is correlated with microstructure degradation and failure of aneurysms. However, for energy loss to be used clinically, its dependency on in vivo loading conditions, which vary from patient-to-patient, must be determined. In this thesis, the sensitivity of energy loss to physiological strain rate, magnitude, and preload was examined. Energy loss was found to be relatively insensitive to loading conditions while maintaining a significant correlation with delamination strength as a surrogate for dissection except at low strains. These results can be used for clinical translation of in vivo measurements of energy loss to evaluate aortic dissection risk.

Advisor: Simmons, Craig
Chung, Jennifer
Maintaining the Carbohydrate-energy Deficit Following High-intensity Interval Exercise Improves Next-day Glycemic Control in Women

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of carbohydrate-energy replacement after a single session of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on glycemic control in women. In a randomized order, seven recreationally active women completed 3 trials in the mid-follicular phase of the menstrual cycle: 1) No exercise (CTL); 2) HIIT + post-exercise carbohydrate restriction (EX-LC); 3) HIIT + post-exercise carbohydrate replenishment (EX-HC). The following day, postprandial glucose responses and 24 h indices of glycemic control were measured in response to standardized meals using continuous glucose monitoring. We demonstrated lower next-day postprandial glycemia following breakfast (p

Keywords: Carbohydrate
Exercise
HIIT
Metabolism
Muscle
Physiology
Advisor: Gillen, Jenna B
Pain Management During and Following Endodontic Treatment: Systematic Reviews and Network Meta-analyses

Objectives: To identify effective interventions for 1) achieving successful pulpal anesthesia during endodontic treatment; and 2) managing postoperative pain. Methods: We searched major databases. Two review authors selected studies and extracted data. Included studies were assessed by Cochrane risk of bias tool. Network meta-analyses (NMAs) were undertaken using the Bayesian random-effects framework to rank and estimate the treatment effects of the included interventions. Results: Out of 37 interventions of 46 studies, we identified supplemental intraosseous injection (IO) to be the most efficacious followed by supplemental buccal and lingual infiltrations using 4% articaine+preoperative NSAIDS. In eight of 11 studies, NSAIDs+acetaminophen and NSAIDs were the most effective for managing postoperative pain. Conclusion/significance: Supplemental IO using 2% lidocaine with or without pre-operative analgesic or 4% articaine were the most efficacious strategies to achieve pulpal anesthesia during endodontic treatment. Postoperatively, NSAIDs or NSAIDs+acetaminophen were the most effective.

Keywords: efficacy
Endodontic treatment
irreversible pulpitis
local anesthetics
network meta analysis
pain
Advisor: Azarpazhooh, Amir AA
Novel Idea-generation Approaches Applied to Wind-turbine Blade Repurposing

Many engineering problems still require novel solutions, e.g., the repurposing of retired wind-turbine blades. This work investigates novel idea-generation methods that aim to increase the viability of reuse ideas for the currently un-recyclable wind-turbine blade. The first half of this work stems from increasing evidence which suggests that recall of episodic memories enhances idea generation, however its application to engineering problems has been limited. Results show that strategies increasing access to episodic memory may improve flexible and elaborate idea generation for common objects and feasibility of reuses for wind-turbine blades. A follow-up study addressed the large scale of the blades and its impact on viable reuse ideas. The Alternate Uses Task (AUT) was used as a warm-up exercise versus its typical use as a creativity measure. This practical design application for the AUT resulted in a simple and easy to implement intervention that produced more correctly scaled reuses for the wind-turbine blade.

Keywords: Alternate Uses Task
Creativity
Wind-Turbine Blade
Advisor: Shu, Li H
An Autobiographical Snapshot: The Impact of COVID-19 on Online Adult Learning in International Development

COVID-19 has shifted education moving from a primarily in-person model to a virtual one. Within the arena of International Development, higher education, particularly in Canada has had to adapt how they deliver workshops in an accessible way to participants in Egypt. My master’s study is a narrative inquiry told through the Five Contexts which is a framework developed by Dr Karyn Cooper and Dr Robert E White, these contexts include: Autobiographical, Political, Philosophical, Post-Modern and Historical (2012). The methodology adopted for this study is Hermeneutics which allows me to position myself and my interpretation of my experience within the context of the research (Laverty, 2003). The question being explored is how my experience can inform future programming as existing literature does not speak to the comparative education or project manager experience supporting international development programming. The thesis includes recommendations from my experience supporting a three-week Train the Trainers Pedagogy Workshop.

Keywords: Adult
Comparative Education
COVID-19
Higher Education
International Development
Online Learning
Advisor: Cooper, Karyn CP
Niyozov, Sarfaroz SN
Optimizing the Fabrication of Cementitious Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring

Cementitious sensors function based on the principle of piezoresistivity, which is defined as the dependence of electrical resistivity on applied strain. These sensors incorporate conductive materials within a cementitious matrix. Fiber dispersion quality, mix design, and fabrication methods significantly impact the sensitivity, repeatability, and stability of the sensors. In this study, cementitious sensors were fabricated using coal-tar pitch-based carbon fibers as the conductive phase and the Taguchi method of optimization was utilized to find the most effective mix design and fabrication procedures. Four-probe electrical resistivity measurement under compressive mechanical loading determined the efficiency of each fabrication setting. The fiber dispersion quality was evaluated via several image processing techniques. Optimization results indicated that sensor samples containing 15% volume fraction of carbon fiber, general use Portland cement and silica fume, and mixed with centrifugal mixer produce the best results with better repeatability.

Keywords: Carbon fiber cementitious sensors
Cementitious sensors
Optimization
Structural health monitoring
Advisor: Azhari, Fae
Brain Changes and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Preterm Neonates with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: Interconnections between Lung Health and Brain Health

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), a frequent complication of prematurity, is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. This thesis describes the neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm-born children with BPD at preschool age. In a prospective cohort of 144 very preterm neonates with brain MRI at term age, 59 (41%) neonates had a diagnosis of BPD. At preschool age, children with BPD had significant motor impairment but intact cognitive function. Duration of mechanical ventilation (i.e., invasive ventilation involving endotracheal intubation) was the most predictive clinical factor of motor performance. Mechanical ventilation exposure was associated with smaller pons and medulla at term age in two independent cohorts, along with diffuse anomalies of white matter maturation. Pons and medulla volumes at term age were both associated with motor performance at preschool age. Our findings highlight the role of the brainstem in the relationship between duration of mechanical ventilation and impaired motor development in children with BPD.

Keywords: brain development
neonate
neurodevelopment
preterm
Advisor: Miller, Steven P
Investigating the Behavioural and Antiapoptotic Effects of Deep Brain Stimulation in a Model of Moderate-to-severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a neurological event where an external mechanical force to the brain can lead to devastating effects on physical, cognitive, and/or behavioural function in humans. Currently, no therapeutic approach is substantially efficient in treating prolonged secondary injury from TBI. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical procedure used tomanage debilitating symptoms in motor disorders. While DBS is demonstrated to modulate targeted brain circuitry, its underlying mode of action is yet to be determined. This thesis hypothesizes that high-frequency acute DBS delivered to the anterior thalamic nucleus (ANT) will lead to recovery of memory deficits and reduce anxiety-type behaviour in a well-established TBI rodent model, through a decrease in apoptosis. Salient findings suggest: (i) Acute stimulation of the ANT improved spatial memory in rats with moderate-to-severe TBI, compared to rats receiving no DBS; however, (ii) anti-apoptotic effects after ANT-DBS, as assessed via caspase-3 measurements, were inconclusive.

Keywords: Deep brain stimulation
fluid percussion injury
traumatic brain injury
Advisor: Hamani, Clement
Popovic, Milos R