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The effect of linguistic proximity on the occupational assimilation of immigrant men in Canada
(University of Waterloo, 2015) Adsera, Alicia; Ferrer, Ana
This paper contributes to the analysis of the integration of immigrants in the Canadian labour market by focusing in two relatively new dimensions. We combine the large samples of the restricted version of the Canadian Census (1991-2006) with both a new measure of linguistic proximity of the immigrant's mother tongue to that of the destination country, and with information of the occupational skills embodied in the jobs immigrants hold. This allows us to assess the role that language plays in the labour market performance of immigrants and to better study their career progression relative to the native born. Weekly wage differences between immigrants and the native born are driven mostly by penalties associated with immigrants' lower returns to social skills, but not to analytical or manual skills. Interestingly, low linguistic proximity between origin and destination language imposes larger wage penalties to the university-educated, and significantly affects the status of the jobs they hold. The influence of linguistic proximity on the skill content of jobs immigrants hold over time also varies by the educational level of the migrant. We also show that immigrants settling in Quebec and whose mother tongue is close to French have similar or better labour market outcomes (relative to native-born residents in Quebec) than immigrants with close linguistic proximity to English settling outside Quebec (relative to native born residents in the rest of Canada). However, since wages in Quebec are lower than elsewhere, immigrants in Quebec earn less in absolute terms than those residing elsewhere.
The Investigation of Gold Nanoparticles as Radiosensitizers to Treat Prostate Cancer in 3D In Vitro models
(University of Waterloo, 2026-07-14) Sumithrarachchige Don, Saduni
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most prevalent cancer among Canadian men (1). Despite advancements in PCa treatment, castration resistant PCa (CRPC) and metastatic CRPC (mCRPC) remain difficult to treat with the currently limited treatment options, and radioresistance and recurrence persist (169,170). Radiation therapy and surgery are the primary treatments for localised PCas; however, if the cancer has metastasized, systemic treatments like chemotherapy may be used (26). To address the challenge of radioresistance, we investigated gold nanoparticles (GNPs) that leverage both the photoelectric properties of gold and the anti-cancer effects of phytochemicals, like curcumin (135,158,188). This research focused on synthesizing, characterizing and evaluating curcumin-coated gold nanoparticles (Curc-GNPs) for their efficacy as radiosensitizers for prostate cancer therapy using three-dimensional DU145 prostate cancer spheroids. In this study, two gold nanoparticle formulations, citrate-coated GNPs (Cit-GNPs) and Curc-GNPs were synthesized and characterized. Curc-GNPs were synthesized using an eco-friendly single-step green synthesis method, where curcumin acted as both a reducing and stabilizing agent (188,202). Cit-GNPs were synthesized using a citrate reduction method, known as the Turkevich method (203-205). Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy was used to confirm the successful formation of spherical GNPs, where surface plasmon resonance peaks (SPR) were observed in the 520-530 nm range (188,202,204). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis demonstrated that both formulations produced small nanoparticles with hydrodynamic diameters ranging from 18 – 25 nm. The average hydrodynamic diameter of Curc-GNPs and Cit-GNPs were 18.36 ± 0.27 and 22.55 ± 0.18 nm respectively. Both formulations had negative zeta potentials with Curc-GNPs measuring -44.5 ± 1.2 mV and Cit-GNPs measuring -40.0 ± 4.6 mV. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) showed that Curc-GNPs had a higher final gold concentration than Cit-GNPs, with measured concentrations of 361 ± 15 µg/mL and 20 ± 4 µg/mL, respectively. Overall, these results confirmed the successful synthesis and characterization of stable Curc-GNPs and Cit-GNPs suitable for downstream biological evaluation. In vitro studies supported the therapeutic efficacy of Curc-GNPs as radiosensitizers in three-dimensional DU145 prostate cancer spheroids, which better reflect the tumour-like architecture compared to conventional monolayer culture, and the therapeutic resistance seen in CRPC and mCRPC (148,188). Cellular uptake was quantified using ICP-OES after three-dimensional DU145 prostate cancer spheroids were exposed to different GNP formulations, concentrations and incubation times (148,188,202). The results demonstrated that nanoparticle uptake in spheroids was influenced by GNP coating type, dose, exposure time and the interaction of these variables. Curc-GNP uptake was generally greater than Cit-GNP uptake, with the strongest uptake observed for 100 µg/mL Curc-GNPs at 24 hours. At this concentration and time point Curc-GNP uptake was 4.76-fold higher than Cit-GNP uptake, suggesting that functionalizing curcumin onto GNPs improved nanoparticle internalization in DU145 spheroids (188,202). Clonogenic assay was used to evaluate the radiosensitizing potential of Curc-GNPs after exposure to clinically relevant 6 MV photon radiation doses of 0, 2, 4, and 6 Gy (33,137,188). Linear-quadratic model fitting demonstrated concentration-dependent radiosensitization, where with increasing Curc-GNP concentration, a progressive downward shift in survival was observed. This was supported by the increased α values, decreased β values, reduced D₅₀ values, increased sensitization enhancement ratios, and elevated α/β ratios (206-207). The D₅₀ decreased from 2.012 Gy in untreated controls to 1.295 Gy at 200 µg/mL Curc-GNPs, while the sensitization enhancement ratio (SER) increased from 1.000 to 1.554. These results suggest that Curc-GNPs were able to enhance radiation-induced cell killing through single-track DNA damage in DU145 spheroids, where the greatest radiosensitizing effect was seen at the highest concentration investigated 200 µg/mL (137,158,188). This thesis demonstrates the successful synthesis and characterization of Cit-GNPs and Curc-GNPs and supports the potential of Curc-GNPs as radiosensitizers for prostate cancer therapy. The findings show that curcumin functionalization improved GNP uptake in DU145 spheroids and enhanced radiation-induced cell death with increasing concentration. These results provide an important foundation for the development and optimization of Curc-GNPs as radiosensitizers, where future studies should investigate nanoparticle localization within tumour spheroids, confirm the biological mechanisms of radiosensitization, and optimize Curc-GNP formulations so they have improved uptake, stability, and localization in prostate cancer models (148,158,188). Overall, this work supports the continued development of Curc-GNPs as a promising radiosensitizers in prostate cancer.
Future-biased government
(University of Waterloo, 2015-10) Gonzalez, Francisco M.; Lazkano, Itziar; Smulders, Sjak A.
We argue that governments are future biased when they aggregate the preferences of overlapping generations. Future bias, which involves preference reversals favoring future over current consumption, explains why governments legislate old-age transfers at the expense of capital accumulation and growth, even if generations are altruistic.
Do firms respond to stronger patent protection by doing more R&D?
(University of Waterloo, 2015-08-07) Blit, Joel; Zelaya, Mauricio
We examine whether stronger intellectual property rites (IPR) promote firm R&D, using changes in the IPR of export-partner countries as an exogenous source of variation. Constructing an export-weighted index of trade partner IPR by country-industry-year, we find that R&D responds strongly to trade partner IPR, and this after including industry, year, country, and interacted fixed effects. We further find evidence of this relationship at the level of the establishment, using a unique Canadian dataset. Our results suggest a causal link between IPR and firm R&D investments.
The effect of house prices on fertility: Evidence from Canada
(University of Waterloo, 2016) Clark, Jeremy; Ferrer, Ana
To the extent that families' fertility decisions respond to economic factors, the price of housing is an important and relatively neglected candidate for consideration in fertility decisions. In theory, the effect of changes in housing prices on family size will depend on the quantity of housing that a family already owns, and its elasticity of substitution between children and other "goods". For renters, rise in rental costs associated with higher housing prices imply only a substitution effect that should reduce their likelihood of having additional children. Home-owners are predicted to have more children in response to higher house prices if they have sufficient housing and low substitution, but fewer children otherwise. In this paper, we combine longitudinal data from the Canadian Survey of Labour Income and Dynamics (SLID) and average housing price data at real estate board (REB) level from the Canadian Real Estate Association to estimate the effect of house prices on fertility. We following non-moving women aged 18-40 (with their associated families) over time to ask whether changes in lagged housing price affects either total number of children, or the probability of a family having an additional birth. We differ from previous studies in employing person- rather than region-fixed effects, in covering both rural and urban areas, and in exploring the effect of housing price changes on total number of children vs. the probability of having an additional child. For home owners, we find that lagged REB housing prices are positively associated with the probability of a birth in the previous year under pooled cross section or fixed effects. Housing prices are significantly negatively associated with total fertility measures under pooled cross section, but positively associated with umber of children in the home under fixed effects. For renters, we find that lagged REB housing prices are not significantly negatively associated with either total or marginal fertility measures.