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    Architecture, Capitalism, and Social Good
    (University of Waterloo, 2026-06-05) Mahvash, Kourosh
    This study aims to critically investigate the extent of meaningful contributions to social good through architecture given the political economic context within which it operates. It examines the capacity of architecture as a profession as well as the agency and ability of architects as individuals to make such contributions under the capitalist relations of producing space. These relations are defined within a theoretical framework comprised of four core concepts. Gramsci’s theory of hegemony, the notion of urbanization under capitalism, and Lefebvre’s concepts of the “lived space” and “the Right to the City” are the four theoretical foundations which along with a historical examination of the relationship between architecture and capitalism help the research establish its own four central organizing concepts of Agency, Aesthetics, Governance, and Activist Architecture. These four concepts are then used to form a thematic schema for research design. Adopting semi-structured interviews as the instrument of implementing its qualitative method, the process included the recruitment of thirty-six participants - thirty licensed architects based in Toronto, Canada and six key informants who are closely associated and intimately familiar with architecture. The participants’ responses were first subject to deductive thematic analysis before being further discussed and dissected using ‘suspicious interpretation’ method. The results illustrate the limited extent of contributions by architecture and architects to social good while revealing several paths to maximize such contributions within those limits. Architecture may not have a leading or central role in moving towards meaningful social reforms. Nonetheless, it could make meaningful contributions within its own domain of influence by adopting a purposeful social agenda, prioritizing social good over profit in its practices, distancing itself from exploitative labour processes within both creative and construction processes, reclaiming its political capacity, empowering end-users by allowing their active participation in the design process, and replacing entrenched professional privilege, elitism, and egoism with humility. This would allow architecture to contribute its fair share to the struggles for a socially, economically, and politically just future.
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    Super-Queeros: Transformations of Queer Feminist Representation in the DC Pride Comics Run 2021-2025
    (University of Waterloo, 2026-06-05) Grafton, Laura
    This thesis analyzes the narrative and visual strategies used in DC Comics’ DC Pride anthology series from 2021 to 2025, examining how these texts construct and evolve a “model Super-Queero” across this time period. Drawing on visual rhetoric, semiotics, narratology, and queer and feminist theory, this project argues that the DC Pride run does not simply represent queer identity, but actively produces a shifting model of acceptable queerness that reflects broader sociopolitical conditions in the United States (USA). Across the five-year run, I argue that the anthology moves from an emphasis on visibility, celebration, and reader identification toward increasing normalization, containment, and disidentification. Early issues position queer characters as sites of pride, and community, using visual and narrative techniques that invite readers, particularly queer readers, into processes of identification. However, as the series progresses, these same formal elements are reoriented to privilege legibility, safety, and social acceptance, encouraging distance from more disruptive or visibly queer expressions of identity. Through close analysis of recurring formal patterns and focused case studies of the DC Pride issues covers, opening stories, and the #Harlivy stories in the issues, this thesis demonstrates how mainstream comic media negotiates the boundaries of queer representation. While these characters have the potential to expand dominant models of queerness, their depiction within the DC Pride run often reinscribes normative expectations through stylistic containment and narrative framing. Overall, I argue that the model Super-Queero constructed across the anthologies reflects a broader cultural shift toward regulating queer visibility, highlighting the role of popular media in shaping not only how queerness is represented, but how it is understood, performed, and then made (un)acceptable within contemporary culture.
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    Fibre-specific responses to endurance and low volume high intensity interval training: Striking similarities in acute and chronic adaptation
    (Public Library of Science, 2014-06-05) Scribbans, Trisha D.; Edgett, Brittany A.; Vorobej, Kira; Mitchell, Andrew S.; Joanisse, Sophie D.; Matusiak, Jennifer B. L.; Parise, Gianni; Quadrilatero, Joe; Gurd, Brendon J.
    The current study involved the completion of two distinct experiments. Experiment 1 compared fibre specific and whole muscle responses to acute bouts of either low-volume high-intensity interval training (LV-HIT) or moderate-intensity continuous endurance exercise (END) in a randomized crossover design. Experiment 2 examined the impact of a six-week training intervention (END or LV-HIT; 4 days/week), on whole body and skeletal muscle fibre specific markers of aerobic and anaerobic capacity. Six recreationally active men (Age: 20.7±3.8 yrs; VO2peak: 51.9±5.1 mL/kg/min) reported to the lab on two separate occasions for experiment 1. Following a muscle biopsy taken in a fasted state, participants completed an acute bout of each exercise protocol (LV-HIT: 8, 20-second intervals at ∼170% of VO2peak separated by 10 seconds of rest; END: 30 minutes at ∼65% of VO2peak), immediately followed by a muscle biopsy. Glycogen content of type I and IIA fibres was significantly (p<0.05) reduced, while p-ACC was significantly increased (p<0.05) following both protocols. Nineteen recreationally active males (n = 16) and females (n = 3) were VO2peak-matched and assigned to either the LV-HIT (n = 10; 21±2 yrs) or END (n = 9; 20.7±3.8 yrs) group for experiment 2. After 6 weeks, both training protocols induced comparable increases in aerobic capacity (END: Pre: 48.3±6.0, Mid: 51.8±6.0, Post: 55.0±6.3 mL/kg/min LV-HIT: Pre: 47.9±8.1, Mid: 50.4±7.4, Post: 54.7±7.6 mL/kg/min), fibre-type specific oxidative and glycolytic capacity, glycogen and IMTG stores, and whole-muscle capillary density. Interestingly, only LV-HIT induced greater improvements in anaerobic performance and estimated whole-muscle glycolytic capacity. These results suggest that 30 minutes of END exercise at ∼65% VO2peak or 4 minutes of LV-HIT at ∼170% VO2peak induce comparable changes in the intra-myocellular environment (glycogen content and signaling activation); correspondingly, training-induced adaptations resulting for these protocols, and other HIT and END protocols are strikingly similar.
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    Development of a curved, stratified, in vitro model to assess ocular biocompatibility
    (Public Library of Science, 2014-05-16) Postnikoff, Cameron K.; Pintwala, Robert; Williams, Sara; Wright, Ann M.; Hileeto, Denise; Gorbet, Maud B.
    Purpose To further improve in vitro models of the cornea, this study focused on the creation of a three-dimensional, stratified, curved epithelium; and the subsequent characterization and evaluation of its suitability as a model for biocompatibility testing. Methods Immortalized human corneal epithelial cells were grown to confluency on curved cellulose filters for seven days, and were then differentiated and stratified using an air-liquid interface for seven days before testing. Varying concentrations of a commercial ophthalmic solution containing benzalkonium chloride (BAK), a known cytotoxic agent, and two relevant ocular surfactants were tested on the model. A whole balafilcon A lens soaked in phosphate buffered saline (BA PBS) was also used to assess biocompatibility and verify the validity of the model. Viability assays as well as flow cytometry were performed on the cells to investigate changes in cell death and integrin expression. Results The reconstructed curved corneal epithelium was composed of 3-5 layers of cells. Increasing concentrations of BAK showed dose-dependent decreased cell viability and increased integrin expression and cell death. No significant change in viability was observed in the presence of the surfactants. As expectants, the BA PBS combination appeared to be very biocompatible with no adverse change in cell viability or integrin expression. Conclusions The stratified, curved, epithelial model proved to be sensitive to distinct changes in cytotoxicity and is suitable for continued assessment for biocompatibility testing of contact lenses. Our results showed that flow cytometry can provide a quantitative measure of the cell response to biomaterials or cytotoxic compounds for both the supernatant and adherent cell populations. As a specifically designed in vitro model of the corneal epithelium, this quantitative model for biocompatibility at the ocular surface may help improve our understanding of cell-material interactions and reduce the use of animal testing.
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    Serum stability and physicochemical characterization of a novel amphipathic peptide C6M1 for SiRNA delivery
    (Public Library of Science, 2014-05-15) Jafari, Mousa; Xu, Wen; Pan, Ran; Sweeting, Chad M.; Karunaratne, Desiree Nedra; Chen, Pu
    The efficient delivery of nucleic acids as therapeutic agents is a major challenge in gene therapy. Peptides have recently emerged as a novel carrier for delivery of drugs and genes. C6M1 is a designed amphipathic peptide with the ability to form stable complexes with short interfering RNA (siRNA). The peptide showed a combination of random coil and helical structure in water but mainly adopted a helical conformation in the presence of anions or siRNA. Revealed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and microscopy techniques, the interaction of C6M1 and siRNA in water and HEPES led to complexes of ∼70 and ∼155 nm in size, respectively, but showed aggregates as large as ∼500 nm in PBS. The time-dependent aggregation of the complex in PBS was studied by DLS and fluorescence spectroscopy. At molar ratio of 15∶1, C6M1 was able to completely encapsulate siRNA; however, higher molar ratios were required to obtain stable complexes. Naked siRNA was completely degraded in 4 h in the solution of 50% serum; however C6M1 protected siRNA against serum RNase over the period of 24 h. Western blotting experiment showed ∼72% decrease in GAPDH protein level of the cells treated with C6M1-siRNA complexes while no significant knockdown was observed for the cells treated with naked siRNA.