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Rational drug design is a powerful method in which new and innovative therapeutics can be designed based on knowledge of the biological target aiming to provide more efficacious and responsible therapeutics. Understanding aspects of the targeted biological agent is important to optimize drug design and preemptively design to slow or avoid drug resistance. Chagas disease, an endemic disease for South and Central America and Mexico is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan parasite known to consist of six separate genetic clusters or DTUs (discrete typing units). Chagas disease therapeutics are problematic and a call for new therapeutics is widespread. Many researchers are working to use rational drug design for developing Chagas drugs and one potential target that receives a lot of attention is the T. cruzi trans-sialidase protein. Trans-sialidase is a nuclear gene that has been shown to be associated with virulence. In T. cruzi, trans-sialidase (TcTS) codes for a protein that catalyzes the transfer of sialic acid from a mammalian host coating the parasitic surface membrane to avoid immuno-detection. Variance in disease pathology depends somewhat on T. cruzi DTU, as well, there is considerable genetic variation within DTUs. However, the role of TcTS in pathology variance among and within DTU’s is not well understood despite numerous studies of TcTS. These previous studies include determining the crystalline structure of TcTS as well as the TS protein structure in other trypanosomes where the enzyme is often inactive. However, no study has examined the role of natural selection in genetic variation in TcTS. In order to understand the role of natural selection in TcTS DNA sequence and protein variation, we sequenced 540 bp of the TcTS gene from 48 insect vectors. Because all 48 sequences had multiple polymorphic bases, we examined cloned sequences from two of the insect vectors. The data are analyzed to understand the role of natural selection in shaping genetic variation in TcTS and interpreted in light of the possible role of TcTS as a drug target.

Within the next decade an inter provincial trail, called the Trans Canada Trail, will be developed to accommodate non-motorized traffic such as hikers, skiers, horsemen, and cyclists. Anticipating the need for rest stop facilities, this thesis seeks to explore the design potential of two isolated facilities. The focus of this exploration is the impact of landscape on the development of architectural form. While existing conditions found in each site were recorded and considered throughout the design process, a conscious effort was also made to build a site rather than site plan This position, first articulated by William Rees Morrish in his book Civilizing Terrain. acknowledges that not every piece of land can become an urban place. Instead, placemaking often requires willful acts of change in order to enhance or more effectively reveal its existing qualities. This position opposes the current attitude fostered by the environmental movement that all landscapes should remain untouched. The two sites selected were both located in western Canada: one on the eastern shore of Lake in southern British Columbia and the other in a farmer's field near Milk River in southern Alberta. This thesis traces the discoveries and attempts made to locate a center, develop an arrival sequence and insert an architectural form into the experience of the landscape. Both sites were explored simultaneously, reaching a similar level of resolution, at which point the British Columbia site was dropped and the prairie site was developed further. The Alberta site then became the developed body of the thesis. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School of / Graduate

This thesis challenges common assumptions of trans moving images by applying theories of identification to an autoethnographic close reading of three specific texts – Hedwig and The Angry Inch (John Cameron Mitchell, 2001), Dallas Buyers Club (Jean- Marc Vallée, 2013) and Transparent (Jill Soloway, 2014) - considered by both mainstream and queer audiences to feature transgender characters and experiences. This thesis, while limited to the author’s experience as a trans woman, attempts to advance the argument that identification with trans moving images may change with one’s transition and require a reassessing of “what is trans” along with resituating the trans spectator from “object of the gaze” to “bearer of the look” (Mulvey, 1975).

When not invisibilized in society, transgender women are subject to pervasive transphobia in the social sphere and encounter devastating discrimination across the institutions. In light of discrimination in the mainstream job market, many look to the sex industry for a source of income. In fact, trans women have long ties to the sex work community and have been foundational to the sex workers rights movement, engaging in activism predating Stonewall. Yet, the experiences of trans women who sell sex remain largely overlooked in historical retellings and social science research on sex work. By creating space for the voices of those who have long gone unheard – conducting in-depth interviews with seven transgender women who sell sex – this thesis seeks to move beyond the dominant narrative of sex workers and bring greater attention to their unique experiences. This thesis explores the experiences of trans women in sex work as it relates to their labour practices and processes, engagement with the criminal justice system, and health and access to health and social services. Challenging the ways in which norms have been produced and sustained under the guise of ‘truth’, this thesis applies the concepts intersectionality and stigma to explore how experience is conditioned by the environment of oppression – at the intersection of sexism and cisgenderism – and the social judgment and marginalization of sex workers. Alongside navigating through the hardships associated with the criminalization and stigmatization of sex work, trans women who sell sex are subject to intensified violence, discrimination and oppression on the basis of gender. Amidst the height of the trans rights movement and in light of the recent amendments to federal legislation that protects trans Canadians from discrimination, this thesis considers what is warranted to achieve social change. Reflecting on history and looking to the future, it is imperative that the trans and sex worker communities forge stronger bonds in their battle for rights.

Memoria para optar al título de Ingeniero en Alimentos / Se ha estudiado la aplicación del proceso de interesterificación enzimática, con la finalidad de desarrollar un sistema que permita la obtención a escala industrial de bases grasas alternativas, que contengan un bajo porcentaje de ácidos grasos trans (AGT). Las materias primas utilizadas fueron mezclas de aceite de pescado “full” hidrogenado (AFHP) con aceite vegetal líquido (AVL) para la mezcla con base pescado, y aceite vegetal “full” hidrogenado (AFHV) con AVL para la mezcla con base vegetal. El catalizador empleado fue una lipasa 1,3 específica al 4% y 70 ºC. Las variables estudiadas fueron: % de materia prima en la mezcla (AFHP o AFHV) y tiempo de reacción. El efecto se midió sobre las variables punto de fusión (PF) y contenido de sólidos grasos (CSG) a diferentes temperaturas. Se aplicó un diseño factorial bidimensional en tres niveles, 32, como diseño de optimización del proceso, encontrándose como resultado un tiempo de reacción de 5 horas (tiempo máximo) para ambas mezclas y una proporción de 43,9% para AFHP en la mezcla con base pescado y 36,8% para AFHV en la mezcla con base vegetal. Se establecieron los modelos matemáticos para PF y CSG a diferentes temperaturas. Se determinó el contenido de AGT mediante IR y GLC, estructura cristalina por microscopía de luz polarizada, características texturales mediante análisis de compresión y cambios en el contenido de triglicéridos para la base vegetal mediante HPLC / The enzymatic interesterification process has been applied with the purpose to develop a system for obtaining alternative fatty bases with low percentage of trans fatty acids (AGT) for industrial production. The raw materials used were full hydrogenated fish oil (AFHP) and liquid vegetal oil (AVL) for the fish blend and full hydrogenated vegetal oil (AFHV) with AVL for the vegetal blend. The catalyst used was 4% 1,3 specific lipase, temperature 70 ºC. The variables studied were: % of raw material in the blend (AFHP or AFHV) and reaction time. The effect was measured by melting point variable (PF) and solid-fat content (CSG) at different temperatures. A 3 levels factorial bidimensional design, 32, for process of optimization was applied. The results were maximum reaction time 5 hours for both mixtures and a proportion of 43.9% for AFHP in the fish base mixture and 36.8% for AFHV in the vegetal base mixture. The mathematical models for the PF and CSG at different temperatures were established. AGT, crystalline structure, textural characteristics and changes in the triacylglicerol content for the vegetal blend were determined by IR and GLC, polarized light microscopy, compression analysis and HPLC, respectively

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This paper is about the representations of the female body in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar. The pure female body, the sexual female body and motherhood (the female body as a mother) are analysed through an ecofeminist perspective. The way the bodies are represented describe much more than what is on the surface, and through an ecofeminist perspective the reader can understand what is said beyond the words. The female body will also, at times, be analysed in correlation with its relationship with nature in order to understand the way the protagonist, Esther Greenwood views other female bodies. This analysis will lend itself to the reader to further understand Sylvia Plath’s protagonist and how Plath uniquely represents female bodies and the characters in charge of their female bodies.

Pathogenic mechanisms that account for the dramatic differences between the HIV-1 and HIV-2 epidemics remain unknown. Myeloid dendritic cells (DCs) are sentinels of the immune system, which sense invading pathogens and initiate immune responses. I hypothesize that failure of HIV-2 to overcome DC-intrinsic defense mechanisms results in diminished virus replication and reduced pathogenesis in vivo. Recent studies from our laboratory have identified capture of HIV-1 by CD169 (Siglec1), which results in preservation of virus infectivity in peripheral non-lysosomal compartments and transfer to CD4+ T cells, a mechanism of DC-mediated trans infection. HIV-1 interaction with CD169 was dependent on incorporation of a ganglioside, GM3, in the virus particle membrane. We hypothesized that reduced interaction of HIV-2 with CD169 is crucial for its attenuated pathogenic phenotype in vivo. Interestingly, HIV-2 virion assembly sites were divergent from HIV-1, which correlated with reduced incorporation of GM3 in HIV-2 virions, and a significant decrease in capture of HIV-2 compared to HIV-1 by mature DCs. Furthermore, reduced CD169-dependent HIV-2 capture by DCs attenuated access of HIV-2 to DC-mediated trans infection. In contrast to the trans infection pathway, HIV-2 could establish productive infection in DCs, though productive infection of DCs by HIV-2 resulted in innate immune activation, induction of IFN-α production and attenuated spread of virus in DC – CD4+ T cell co-cultures. As opposed to HIV-2, productive infection of DCs by HIV-1 was attenuated and failed to trigger type I IFN responses, thus allowing for efficient spread of HIV-1 in DC – CD4+ T cell co-cultures. These results suggest that immune sensing of HIV-2 in productively infected DCs limits viral spread. Finally, we investigated GM3-expressing nanoparticles (GM3-NPs) for delivery of therapeutics that trigger innate immune responses in CD169+ myeloid cells as a novel strategy to mimic myeloid cell-intrinsic virus control observed in HIV-2 infection. We tested the ability of GM3-coated nanoparticles that incorporated a TLR2 ligand, Pam3CSK4, to activate CD169+ cells. Interestingly, Pam3CSK4 containing GM3-NPs robustly activated CD169+ cells. These results suggest that induction of dendritic cell-intrinsic type I IFN responses might be a fruitful therapeutic strategy to restrict HIV-1 replication in vivo.

In this thesis, non-binary people’s experience of gendered embodiment as well as inhabiting and navigating society is analysed. This is primarily done by using the theoretical framework of institutional lines, specifically applied through a trans studies perspective. Other important influences have been theories about how regulatory norms impact queer and trans subjectivities. Furthermore, special notice has been made of how social categorisations such as sexuality, class, and (dis)ability impact the non-binary subject’s experience of gender and of inhabiting society. This study is based on interview material produced through in-depth interviews with eleven non-binary Swedish people, as well as autoethnographical narratives produced by the author. The study shows that several different institutional lines impact the non-binary subject’s navigation through social space, as well as their experience of gendered embodiment. It was also clear that it was difficult for non-binary people to be recognised as coherent subjects, because of them breaking the regulatory norms that dictate intelligibility. Non-binary people are therefore often seen as the abject. This could be exacerbated if one not only deviated from the straight line of gender, but also from other lines and thus did not follow the expected trans line. It was clear that one’s experiences as a non-binary person could not fully be reduced to one’s position in relation to any specific line, be it gender, sexuality, class, or body normativity, but was rather a result of all those lines.