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  • Research can be fun!: Recruiting future students by showcasing Library resources at Carleton

    Resource Type:
    Poster
    Creator:
    Tudin, Susan and McLeod, Margaret
    Abstract:
    A 9 person team of library specialists taught 10 half-day mini sessions to 15 students during the week of May 3-7, 2010 and explored different areas of the MacOdrum Library’s collection that incorporated innovative, academic research techniques. Poster presented at the Canadian Library Association National Conference. Ottawa: May 30-June 2, 2012.
    Date Created:
    2015-05-30

  • Report on the State of Alternative Energy in the Arctic

    Resource Type:
    Report
    Creator:
    Keyte, Lawrence, Dufresne, Vincent, Mallett, Alexandra, Cherniak, David, and Schott, Stephan
    Abstract:
    This report provides a contemporary snapshot of domestic energy usage in Canada’s Arctic (spanning Yukon in the west to Nunatsiavut in the east) with a focus on how Northern jurisdictions meet their electricity and space heating needs. Specifically, the research team investigated the role of alternative energy options, including the governance, policies and financial analysis of these sectors. The team also examined the emerging field of energy conservation and efficiency measures, which have featured prominently in recent years. The report also examines eight case studies from across Canada’s Arctic regions, which represent a cross-section of northern alternative energy and energy efficiency technologies, including both public and privately-driven projects. Each case study includes a project description, objectives and drivers, the role of policy, and a description of barriers, outcomes, success factors and lessons learned. The case studies are divided into five operational case studies, describing projects already constructed and producing renewable heat or power, or reducing demand-side energy loss, and three forward-looking case studies, representing projects still under active development. The report concludes with suggested areas for research and policy recommendations regarding energy system planning, financial policy, and education, engagement and collaboration, in the Canadian Arctic context.
    Date Created:
    2015-09-21

  • Exhibits and Events at MacOdrum Library: A Practical Guide

    Resource Type:
    Other
    Creator:
    Draayer, Ingrid
    Abstract:
    This guide combines the knowledge gathered during my long career coordinating the Carleton University Library exhibits program and my recent sabbatical research on exhibits and events in academic libraries. Between 1983, when I was hired as Exhibits Librarian at Carleton University Library, and 2002, when the Library had little space available for exhibits and I became Head of Access Services, I was responsible for running the Library’s exhibits program. After the latest renovation to MacOdrum Library was completed in the Fall of 2013 and included dedicated space for exhibits, I was once again asked to coordinate and produce exhibits for the Library. During my 2014/2015 sabbatical I investigated the current state of exhibits and events in academic libraries through literature and Web searches and site visits to a number of universities. The end result is this guide, which I hope is both practical and inspirational.
    Date Created:
    2015-09-10

  • Branding History at the Canadian Museum of Civilization

    Resource Type:
    Article
    Creator:
    Aronczyk, Melissa and Brady, Miranda J.
    Abstract:
    In October 2012, the Canadian Heritage Minister announced that the Canadian Museum of Civilization, the country’s largest and most popular museum, would be renamed the Canadian Museum of History. In addition to the new name, three strategies—a strategy of engagement, a strategy of authority, and a strategy of expansion—were elaborated by museum and government officials as part of the transformation. We examine these three strategies as an example of the Harper government’s attempt to “brand” Canadian identity and history in its own image, arguing that the strategies were designed expressly to paper over near-unilateral changes in the museum’s mandate and transformation. Ultimately, these changes have problematic implications for the democratic management of cultural production in Canada.
    Date Created:
    2015-09-01

  • Explicit and implicit issues in the developmental cognitive neuroscience of social inequality

    Resource Type:
    Article
    Creator:
    D'Angiulli, Amedeo, Lipina, Sebastian J., and Olesinska, Alice
    Abstract:
    The appearance of developmental cognitive neuroscience (DCN) in the socioeconomic status (SES) research arena is hugely transformative, but challenging. We review challenges rooted in the implicit and explicit assumptions informing this newborn field. We provide balanced theoretical alternatives on how hypothesized psychological processes map onto the brain (e.g., problem of localization) and how experimental phenomena at multiple levels of analysis (e.g., behavior, cognition and the brain) could be related. We therefore examine unclear issues regarding the existing perspectives on poverty and their relationships with low SES, the evidence of low-SES adaptive functioning, historical precedents of the “alternate pathways” (neuroplasticity) interpretation of learning disabilities related to low-SES and the notion of deficit, issues of “normativity” and validity in findings of neurocognitive differences between children from different SES, and finally alternative interpretations of the complex relationship between IQ and SES. Particularly, we examine the extent to which the available laboratory results may be interpreted as showing that cognitive performance in low-SES children reflects cognitive and behavioral deficits as a result of growing up in specific environmental or cultural contexts, and how the experimental findings should be interpreted for the design of different types of interventions—particularly those related to educational practices—or translated to the public—especially the media. Although a cautionary tone permeates many studies, still, a potential deficit attribution—i.e., low-SES is associated with cognitive and behavioral developmental deficits—seems almost an inevitable implicit issue with ethical implications. Finally, we sketch the agenda for an ecological DCN, suggesting recommendations to advance the field, specifically, to minimize equivocal divulgation and maximize ethically responsible translation.
    Date Created:
    2015-08-21

  • Anisotropic effective permittivity of an ultrathin gold coating on optical fiber in air, water and saline solutions

    Resource Type:
    Article
    Creator:
    Zhou, Wenjun, Barry, Seán T., Mandia, David J., and Albert, Jacques
    Abstract:
    The optical properties of an ultrathin discontinuous gold film in different dielectric surroundings are investigated experimentally by measuring the polarization-dependent wavelength shifts and amplitudes of the cladding mode resonances of a tilted fiber Bragg grating. The gold film was prepared by electron-beam evaporation and had an average thickness of 5.5 nm ( ± 1 nm). Scanning electron imaging was used to determine that the film is actually formed of individual particles with average lateral dimensions of 28 nm ( ± 8 nm). The complex refractive indices of the equivalent uniform film in air at a wavelength of 1570 nm were calculated from the measurements to be 4.84−i0.74 and 3.97−i0.85 for TM and TE polarizations respectively (compared to the value for bulk gold: 0.54-i10.9). Additionally, changes in the birefringence and dichroism of the films were measured as a function of the surrounding medium, in air, water and a saturated NaCl (salt) solution. These results show that the film has stronger dielectric behavior for TM light than for TE, a trend that increases with increasing surrounding index. Finally, the experimental results are compared to predictions from two widely used effective medium approximations, the generalized Maxwell-Garnett and Bruggeman theories for gold particles in a surrounding matrix. It is found that both of these methods fail to predict the observed behavior for the film considered.
    Date Created:
    2015-05-21

  • “The Nothingness of Fame, At Least to Woman”: Felicia Hemans and the Price of Celebrity

    Resource Type:
    Article
    Creator:
    Grammatikos, Alex
    Date Created:
    2015-05-21

  • Mean Annual Precipitation Explains Spatiotemporal Patterns of Cenozoic Mammal Beta Diversity and Latitudinal Diversity Gradients in North America

    Resource Type:
    Article
    Creator:
    Gorelick, Root, Hassal, Christopher, Fraser, Danielle, and Rybczynski, Natalia
    Abstract:
    Spatial diversity patterns are thought to be driven by climate-mediated processes. However, temporal patterns of community composition remain poorly studied. We provide two complementary analyses of North American mammal diversity, using (i) a paleontological dataset (2077 localities with 2493 taxon occurrences) spanning 21 discrete subdivisions of the Cenozoic based on North American Land Mammal Ages (36 Ma – present), and (ii) climate space model predictions for 744 extant mammals under eight scenarios of future climate change. Spatial variation in fossil mammal community structure (b diversity) is highest at intermediate values of continental mean annual precipitation (MAP) estimated from paleosols (,450 mm/year) and declines under both wetter and drier conditions, reflecting diversity patterns of modern mammals. Latitudinal gradients in community change (latitudinal turnover gradients, aka LTGs) increase in strength through the Cenozoic, but also show a cyclical pattern that is significantly explained by MAP. In general, LTGs are weakest when continental MAP is highest, similar to modern tropical ecosystems in which latitudinal diversity gradients are weak or undetectable. Projections under modeled climate change show no substantial change in b diversity or LTG strength for North American mammals. Our results suggest that similar climate-mediated mechanisms might drive spatial and temporal patterns of community composition in both fossil and extant mammals. We also provide empirical evidence that the ecological processes on which climate space models are based are insufficient for accurately forecasting long-term mammalian response to anthropogenic climate change and inclusion of historical parameters may be essential.
    Date Created:
    2015-05-21

  • On the number of channels required for interference-free wireless mesh networks

    Resource Type:
    Article
    Creator:
    Chaudhry, Aizaz, Hafez, Roshdy HM, and Chinneck, John W
    Abstract:
    We study the problem of achieving maximum network throughput with fairness among the flows at the nodes in a wireless mesh network, given their location and the number of their half-duplex radio interfaces. Our goal is to find the minimum number of non-overlapping frequency channels required to achieve interference-free communication. We use our existing Select x for less than x topology control algorithm (TCA) to build the connectivity graph (CG), which enhances spatial channel reuse to help minimize the number of channels required. We show that the TCA-based CG approach requires fewer channels than the classical approach of building the CG based on the maximum power. We use multi-path routing to achieve the maximum network throughput and show that it provides better network throughput than the classical minimum power-based shortest path routing. We also develop an effective heuristic method to determine the minimum number of channels required for interference-free channel assignment.
    Date Created:
    2015-05-21

  • Democratization in Serbia: An Analysis of Rational Choice and Structuralist Explanations

    Resource Type:
    Article
    Creator:
    Apostolov-Dimitrijevic, Dunja
    Abstract:
    This paper explains political democratization in Post-Milosevic Serbia utilizing two different accounts of the democratization process: one rooted in the rational choice framework and the other in structuralism. While rational choice explains the decisive role of political leadership in overcoming path dependence, the structuralist explanations show the transnational linkages that encourage democratization in the face of domestic setbacks. This particular debate between the two types of explanations represents the larger debate concerning the role of internal factors and external linkages in propelling democratization in transitional societies. The paper concludes by integrating the two sets of explanations offered by each theoretical perspective, in order to develop a coherent understanding of Serbia's democratization.
    Date Created:
    2015-05-21

  • Selection of DNA Aptamers for Mycotoxins

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Ruscito, Annamaria
    Abstract:
    Mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and patulin (PAT) are toxic fungal metabolites that contaminate food commodities worldwide. They pose health risks for humans and animals, and have a negative impact on the economy. Mycotoxin detection is vital to ensure public safety. Although traditional detection techniques for mycotoxin detection (e.g. LC-MS) have proven to be highly selective and sensitive, simpler, more rapid, and more cost-effective approaches are required. Aptamer-based techniques are a possible solution. Aptamers are oligonucleotides that can bind to molecules with high affinity and specificity, generated via an in vitro process known as SELEX. We attempted to generate aptamers for DON and PAT. The selection process for DON was challenging and it would be beneficial to continue SELEX, whereas the process for PAT was simpler thus sequences for potential aptamers were obtained. This work has contributed to the production of aptamer-based assays and biosensors for mycotoxin detection.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemical and Environmental Toxicology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Controlling Secondary Flows in Highly-Loaded Compressor Cascades

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Prevost, Jean-Michel
    Abstract:
    This thesis documents the experimental results of a research program investigating the effect of non-axisymmetric endwall contouring on the secondary flows and loss generation in a highly-loaded compressor cascade. The results are compared with the losses for the baseline flat endwall in order to evaluate the potential benefits.The research showed that the application of non-axisymmetric endwall contouring at design incidence modified the secondary flows near the endwall, mitigating the corner stall. The benefits from contouring were observed in terms of reductions in the secondary losses and in the underturning of the secondary flows compared to the flat endwall test case. However, these benefits were not observed at the off-design incidence studied. The application of endwall contouring generated higher secondary kinetic energy near the endwall, which penetrated deeper along the span and occupied a larger area, resulting in higher secondary and total losses as it dissipated moving downstream of the cascade.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Aerospace
    Date Created:
    2015

  • A Novel Technique for Addition of Hydrogen to Zirconium Alloys: Mechanical Hydrogen Ingress and Its Applications

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    St. Louis, Curtis John
    Abstract:
    This thesis outlines the development of the Mechanical Hydrogen Ingress (MHI) technique, which is a novel method of adding hydrogen to zirconium. The method was shown to have an uncertainty of 2% of the predicted hydrogen concentration plus 1.4 ppm (i.e. a sample with 50 ppm would have an uncertainty of 0.02(50) + 1.4 = 2.4 ppm). The MHI technique was used to add a known amount of hydrogen to a low-hydrogen zirconium sample in order to determine the initial hydrogen concentration using the differential scanning calorimetry technique, to determine the hydrogen solubility in copper, and to add hydrogen to zirconium at temperatures below 350 °C to support life-extension experiments on irradiated ex-service CANDU pressure tubes.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Mechanical
    Date Created:
    2015

  • The Russian-Soviet Resettlement Policies and Their Implications for Ethno-Territorial Conflicts in the South Caucasus

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Shafiyev, Farid
    Abstract:
    This dissertation investigates the Imperial Russian and Soviet resettlement policies in the South Caucasus with a focus on Azerbaijan, and their implications for the ethno-territorial conflicts in the region. The periods of 1817-1840 as well as from 1878- 1914 during Russian Imperial rule are juxtaposed to the period of 1941-1953 of the Soviet administration in the South Caucasus. The selection of this time frame is based on the most active phases of the resettlement practices carried out by respective empires in the South Caucasian borderland. According to this time period, the most affected ethnic groups involved in the Russian-Soviet resettlement policies were Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Germans and Russians.As a contribution to transhistorical studies, this dissertation seeks to find not only parallels and continuity between the resettlement policies of Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union, but also aims at analyzing the modalities and complexities of empire-building in the borderlands under investigation. Thus, the dissertation will focus on differences in methods and approaches employed by the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union as they had different ideologies in empire- and state-building, which subsequently affected their resettlement practices. The research examines the imperial tools employed for refashioning the population in the borderland, such as Christianization and the “civilizing mission” and their connection to resettlement practices. I argue that one overarching theme of the resettlement policies was consistent throughout the Tsarist and Soviet administrations – the extension of imperial power in the borderland despite declared goals of economic development or religious refashioning of the region.The study advances a thesis that the Russian and Soviet resettlement policies emanated from similar geopolitical and security considerations in the South Caucasian borderland, and were aimed at changing the demographic composition of the region. In doing so, the Russian-Soviet administrations unevenly treated the ethnic groups involved in the resettlement projects and the local population which had inhabited the region prior to the Russian conquest in the beginning of the 19th century. The result of resettlement policies – coupled with Russian-Soviet rule – was one of the major factors causing the ethno-territorial conflict between Azerbaijanis and Armenians.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    History
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Child Soldier Stories and the American Marketplace

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Mastey, David
    Abstract:
    This project offers an analysis of the child soldier story genre of literary writing in the context of Africanist discourse in the U.S. It defines the genre as encompassing fictional and non-fiction narratives that depict child soldier protagonists in Africa as written by African authors. It examines nine of the most popular and critically-acclaimed works through their predominant themes and concludes that the genre ultimately makes a harmful contribution to how the African continent is popularly understood in the U.S.The first chapter defines the genre as it has been constructed by the American publishing industry. It places child soldier stories within a larger marketing category known as misery literature and explains how they are taken to inappropriately represent everyday life in Africa.The second chapter examines their representations of childhood on the continent. They convey the idea that it is not possible for children to experience what readers are likely to understand as a normative childhood and that recovery is only possible when these characters relocate in the West. China Keitetsi’s 2005 memoir Child Soldier is the main focus for this analysis.The third chapter concerns how they address organized violence in Africa and causes for child soldiering. While some reject the view that ‘tribalism’ is to blame for recurring conflicts, all appear to endorse the Afro-pessimistic conclusion that terrible conditions in Africa are not likely to improve. Ahmadou Kourouma’s 2007 novel Allah is Not Obliged is the main focus for this analysis.The fourth chapter considers whether a more critical view of the humanitarian industry that is exhibited in many child soldier stories can be considered a redeeming feature of the genre. It also concentrates on efforts by former child soldiers to change their public identities through their embrace of humanitarian advocacy. Emmanuel Dongala’s 2005 novel Johnny Mad Dog is the main focus for this analysis.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    English
    Date Created:
    2015

  • A Self-Contained Roadway Kinetic Energy Harvesting System for Energy Recovery

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Wang, Xinghe
    Abstract:
    Kinetic Energy Harvesting (KEH) systems have been applied to various maintenance-free electronic devices. One of the potential applications is harvesting a decent amount of kinetic energy generated by the road vehicles. Although researches have been conducted on the roadway KEH system, it is worthwhile to improve the system in order to convert more energy without worsening the driving experience. This work consists of design of the piezoelectric KEH transducer (Cymbal transducer), and improvement of the KEH circuit. The optimal geometry of each Cymbal unit is determined by the utilization of Finite Element Analysis. After studying several recently introduced piezoelectric KEH circuit topologies, a preferred topology has been adopted for a novel KEH circuit design. A voltage peak detection function and an energy storage unit voltage hysteresis function have been included in the circuit. The circuit has demonstrated a higher energy harvesting efficiency compared to competitors during tests.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Mechanical
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Novel Structural Design of a Piezo Transducer for Roadway Power Harvesting Applications

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Louter, Matteo James
    Abstract:
    The roadway power harvesting project was started to design and produce a working prototype of a piezoelectric based power harvesting aimed at harvesting power from vehicles. The system is composed of a rubber speed bump with arrays of piezoelectric transducers. The transducers are connected to power harvesting circuitry that can capture and store energy generated by the transducers and then deliver it at a specific voltage to a generic load application. This thesis focuses on the hardware aspect of the project, more specifically the design and fabrication and experimental validation of a novel piezoelectric transducer that incorporates both radial slits with circumferential preloading of each transducer in order to maximize power generation per transducer. The designs undergo finite element analysis for appropriate parameter determination. Finally the fully constructed system is tested both on a hydraulic loading machine and with a road vehicle and determined to be a 113 % improvement over a conventional cymbal transducer design.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Mechanical
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Mass Spectrometry-Based Analysis to Investigate the Physiochemical and Proteomic Properties of Viral Sensitizers

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Macklin, Andrew Mackendrick
    Abstract:
    Attenuated viruses hold great potential in viral-based therapies including vaccine production and oncolytic virotherapy. Both applications are hindered by poor intercellular infection propagation due to genetic heterogeneity amongst target cells in regard to antiviral response functionality. Our collaborative research group has developed a novel solution to address this problem: first-in-class small molecules termed viral sensitizers (VSes) that potentiate attenuated viral infection in resistant cells. Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) methods using various scanning modes were developed to characterize the poor physiochemical properties of the first lead compound. Furthermore, LC-MS methods were applied in a VSe library screen and quality assurance experiments. New lead compounds were identified with improved plasma stability and retained activity. Pharmacokinetic and metabolomic studies using lead VSes revealed that glutathione stability and tumour penetrance are important considerations for future experiments. MS-based and gel-based proteomic experiments used target identification techniques to elucidate the VSe mechanism of action.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemistry
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Towards a Theory of Democratic Global Economic Governance: Hybridization of Soft and Hard Law in the Case of Gender within the World Trade Organization

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Fabian, Judit
    Abstract:
    The study is about democracy. It asks whether global economic governance (GEG) can take a democratic turn by testing whether the representation of women and women’s interests can be accomplished within the World Trade Organization (WTO). The test answers the question because the representation of women and women’s interests is a sine qua non of democracy in the 21st century, and because the WTO is the hardest case amongst institutions of GEG for the representation of women and women’s interests. This produces two corollaries: if the WTO cannot incorporate a sine qua non of democracy, then GEG cannot become democratic without significant institutional restructuring; if the representation of women and women’s interests can be accomplished in the ‘hardest case,’ it should be possible within GEG generally. So proceeding, the study builds a framework for democratic GEG called Inclusive Global Institutionalism (IGI), comprising the principles inclusion, caution, simplicity, legitimacy and flexibility. IGI, balancing juridification, hybridization and path-dependency, is preferred over three ideas of democratic global governance: a global democratic state, ‘multitude,’ and ‘a new world order of networks.’ The study validates its test by showing that the representation of women and women’s interests can stand proxy for democratization, while the WTO can stand proxy for GEG. The former is accomplished by critiquing Pitkin’s ‘substantive representation’ and ‘potentiality,’ advancing a more expansive concept of representation. The latter is accomplished by developing seven ‘Moments of Juridification’ showing that the WTO represents the post-WWII juridification of GEG, and nine ‘Reasons’ why the WTO is the ‘hardest case.’ The study determines that the representation of women and women’s interests is made possible by hybridizing soft and hard law in the Enhanced Integrated Framework and Aid-for-Trade, which require WTO interaction with other IOs, but are brought within the WTO’s Committee for Trade and Development in Aid-for-Trade session. This allows the conclusion that democratization of GEG is not impossible, and that representation of women and women’s interests is possible within the WTO without fundamental structural reform. The study finally concludes that to balance juridification, hybridization and path-dependency is necessary to any stable democracy or sustained democratization.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Political Science
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Automatic Derivation of Dependability and Fault Tolerance Analysis Models from Software Architecture

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Alzahrani, Naif Abdullah M.
    Abstract:
    The goal of this thesis is to develop a framework for integrating model-based dependability assessment techniques in the early stages of the software development process. This will support designers in taking the right design decisions and avoiding costly corrective actions later on, after the implementation and deployment have been completed.The first objective of the thesis is to introduce an aspect-based modeling approach for representing the erroneous behavior of UML components and for capturing failure propagation between connected components. This approach, called Component Erroneous Behavior Aspect Modeling approach (CeBAM), supports the definition of aspects representing component erroneous behavior and composes the aspects automatically with the normal component behavior represented as a state-machine. It also enables the compatibility verification between interacting components and conformance verification of their internal behavior with the corresponding ports protocol behavior.The next objective is to provide an automated transformation chain for deriving a Stochastic Reward Net (SRN) reliability analysis model from the software model in four phases: a) In-Place transformation to automate CeBAM approach, b) model-to-model transformation from UML software model extended with dependability annotations to SRN model, c) intermediate model-to-model transformation to build a CSPL model, and d) model-to-text transformation from the generated CSPL model to a C-based SRN Programming Language (CSPL) specification. The derived SRN model is used first to verify the conformance and compatibility of the involved components in the selected scenario. Once it passes the verification, the CSPL code is generated and used to obtain the required reliability analysis results. These results are fed back to the designer, to support the selection of proper software fault tolerance mechanisms for the software. Moreover, we developed the Single Version Fault Tolerance Aspect Modeling approach (SvFTAM), which captures architectural and behavioral models of single version fault tolerance tactics into a generic reusable aspect model.The state space explosion is a well-known problem of state-based analysis models such as SRN. To address this problem, we use decomposition and reduction techniques of the derived SRN model to compute approximate system reliability measures.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Variable Length Windowing to Improve Non-Negative Matrix Factorization of Music Signals

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Pentyala, Revanth
    Abstract:
    Non-negative matrix factorization(NMF) has shown positive results in learning musical notes in the last decade. The magnitude short time Fourier transform (STFT) is typically fed for learning to the NMF algorithm. Fixed length windowing might not be effective in capturing the stationarity within a note. Improving the stationarity characteristics of the signal within the STFT is expected to improve the qualitative performance of note extraction by the NMF algorithm. To this extent, we propose a signal dependent variable length window based STFT to effectively capture the stationarity of the signal within each frame of the magnitude STFT. We also explore automatic detection of note onsets in music signals. Many reduction techniques have been developed in literature for reducing the time-frequency representation of the signal to a one dimension detection function to detect note onsets. We propose using the Itakura-Satio divergence for estimating the location of note onsets.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Increasing the Sensitivity of Phospholipid Analyses from Biological Extracts via Trimethylation Enhancement using Diazomethane (TrEnDi) and Tandem Mass Spectrometry

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Canez Quijada, Carlos Ramon
    Abstract:
    TrEnDi is a novel rapid in-solution technique for quaternization of phospholipid amino groups and methylation of phosphate groups via reaction with diazomethane and tetrafluoroboric acid. TrEnDi significantly enhanced the sensitivity of mass spectrometry and tandem MS studies of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin standards. Use of 13C-diazomethane enabled creation of independent precursor ion scans (PIS) for modified PE and modified PC species which would otherwise can produce undistinguishable isobaric species. The efficacy of the technique was tested on a complex biological sample. 13C-TrEndi provided a drastic sensitivity enhancement for PE and PS species enabling the identification and quantitation of several species which were below the limit of detection and quantitation prior to modification. Derivatization provided a modest sensitivity enhancement for PC species and allowed quantitation of several PC species that were below the limit of quantitation prior to modification. SM species exhibited neither sensitivity increase nor hindrance after modification.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemistry
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Evolution and Diversity of Ornithomimid Dinosaurs in the Upper Cretaceous Belly River Group of Alberta

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    McFeeters, Bradley
    Abstract:
    Ornithomimids from the Upper Cretaceous Belly River Group are among the best known theropods from these deposits, but questions remain concerning the oldest definitive occurrence of these dinosaurs in Alberta, as well as the taxonomic diversity of the articulated material. A partial skeleton is described and removed from Struthiomimus altus as the holotype of a new taxon. At least three ornithomimid taxa were roughly contemporaneous in the lower Dinosaur Park Formation. A reevaluation of isolated elements rejects reports of this clade from the Santonian Milk River Formation. The oldest Albertan material definitively referable to Ornithomimidae is from the lower Oldman Formation, and it is proposed that derived ornithomimids migrated into Laramidia during the Campanian. Characters considered diagnostic of the Chinese taxon Qiupalong are reported in material from the Belly River Group, supporting a close relationship between Asian and Albertan ornithomimids, and possibly a more complex palaeobiogeographic history than previously hypothesized.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Earth Sciences
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Multiculturalism in Western Europe: From Implementation to Failure

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Manyakin, Konstantin
    Abstract:
    The thesis is focused on the implementation of multiculturalist policies in Europe in the second half of the 20th century until the present period. It takes as its starting point statements by prominent European politicians that multiculturalism has failed and seeks to explain why these statements were made and what their implications are for immigrants to Europe from non-EU countries, with a particular focus on the United Kingdom, French Republic and the Kingdom of Belgium. The thesis first addresses how and why non-EU migrants moved to and settled in Western Europe. Then it examines how and to what extent these Western European governments implemented multiculturalist policies, including analysis of obstacles to their success and examination of available empirical evidence on outcomes for these groups. Finally, the study asks whether declarations about the failure of multiculturalism were followed by a toughening of policies that affect immigrants.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    European, Russian and Eurasian Studies
    Date Created:
    2015

  • A Comparison of Password Authentication Between Children and Adults

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Imran, Ahsan
    Abstract:
    According to a large MediaSmarts survey, 99 percent of Canadian children aged 8-15 are online. We already have a good number of security measures for adults but can those measures keep children secure as well? As a starting point, we explore the subject of user authentication for children.We conducted two studies on three graphical password schemes (Objects, Image and Words PassTiles), one with adults and one with children. We analyse the data collected from these 50 participants to compare their performance and preferences. Although outperformed by the adults, children performed best with Objects PassTiles where they recognized images of distinct objects from among decoys. Adults and children both have similar opinions, including a preference for graphical passwords over their existing password schemes. We conclude the thesis with four recommendations based on our experiences.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2015

  • An Eye-Tracking Evaluation of Driver Distraction and Road Signs

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hurtado, Stephanie
    Abstract:
    Driving is a complex task that requires auditory, visual, and tactile attention. It is difficult enough for drivers to handle the increasing number of distractions when they are in a familiar environment, but what happens when drivers are placed in a new environment? If we understood this issue, we could design tools to reduce driving hazards and minimize distractions.We address this gap by exploring drivers' behaviour when they encounter road signs from different countries. We conducted two eye-tracking studies with 50 participants. Participants' spent increased time looking at unfamiliar road signs. Misinterpretation occurred due to the influence of previous experience and many drivers drove at reduced speeds throughout to compensate for the anticipated cognitive load. We suggest developing context-aware in-vehicle systems that use web mapping services to present drivers with road signage information. Based on our results, we also provide four recommendations to improve driver safety.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Antioxidant Activity Of Oat Peptides In Hepatic HepG2 cells

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Du, Yichen
    Abstract:
    Many studies have been performed to demonstrate the antioxidant activities of hydrolyzed proteins and peptides from cereals such as corn, wheat, and barley using in vitro chemical assays. Studies have demonstrated the antioxidant properties of hydrolyzed oat proteins, and seven peptides have been identified including FNDRLRQGQLL (P1), GLVYIL (P2), GQTV (P3), GQTVFNDRLRQGQLL (P4), YHNAP (P5), YHNAPGLVYIL (P6), and DVNNNANQLEPR (P7). The purpose of the current study was to establish the antioxidant activities of these peptides using chemical and cell culture based assays. The current research found that all seven peptides exhibited radical scavenging activity in ORAC assay. Moreover, cytoprotective activities of the P1, P2, P6, and P7 against oxidative stress induced by 2,2′-Azobis (2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH) have been studied, including alteration of the antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), change in total glutathione and levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS).
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemistry
    Date Created:
    2015

  • The Voice of the People: Can Gladue Offer a Meaningful Source of Healing to its Clients?

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Boudakian, Taleen M.
    Abstract:
    Aboriginal people who have been through the criminal justice system are a vulnerable population who often carry significant burdens of historic and personal trauma, including intergenerational effects, addiction, and exposure to violence. For many Aboriginal offenders, the Gladue report constitutes the first opportunity to tell their story. As such, many defendants view the Gladue process to be part of their healing process. There is question to whether the process can, in fact, assist in meaningful healing. Especially given the documented racism implicit in the court process and the lack of understanding many court actors have about Gladue. The purpose of this research project is to explore whether or not Gladue reports are able to offer a meaningful source of healing for its clients by interviewing a Gladue Report recipient and Gladue interviewer/writer.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Legal Studies
    Date Created:
    2015

  • The English Resultative

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Christie, Elizabeth Jannett
    Abstract:
    The purpose of this thesis is to augment our empirical knowledge of the English resultative and to provide a theoretical treatment of the syntax and semantics of the resultative using current linguistic tools. This involves using both theoretical and experimental methods to ensure that the model reflects human usage of natural language and follows the principles required for formal language modelling.The main questions addressed are 1) Is the result phrase an argument, an adjunct, or something else (an added/derived argument, sometimes called an argument-adjunct)? 2) How do we best capture the properties of the resultative in a formal model? In order to address these questions, it must be determined what falls into the overall category of the resultative and how the resultative can be sub-classified into further sub-categories to best reflect the potentially distinctive properties of related resultative constructions. These divisions are then tested for fit with the theoretical categories of argument, adjunct and added/derived argument. Lastly, an analysis is provided using Lexical-Functional Grammar and Glue Semantics.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Cognitive Science
    Date Created:
    2015

  • The Development of a Diesel Injector Experiment to Study the Combined Effects of Oxidation and Shear on Lubricating Oil Viscosity

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Laforge, Frederic
    Abstract:
    An experimental test rig was needed to apply high rates of shear strain on lubricating oil molecules and study the effects these may have on the degradation of the lubricant. The result was the development of a diesel injection device where the oil could be stressed and cycled effectively. Viscosity measurements were used to determine whether or not the oil had degraded. A change in viscosity in high molecular weight compounds is evidence of chain scission. The results show that cycling a 128 ml volume of oil 12 times has no effect on fresh, unaltered lubricating oils, even at low oxidation times up until 48 hours. However, the results show that heavily degraded lubricating oils near and beyond their usability limit, do exhibit a viscosity loss of up to 0.043 Pa·s; a 19% change.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Aerospace
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Toward a political economy of on-reserve Indigenous education in Canada: Problematizing Bill C-33

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Koller, Katalin
    Abstract:
    In 2008, the federal government began a reform process for on-reserve Indigenous education that culminated in approximately ten months of consultation with Indigenous and public stakeholders and the drafting of federal legislation. Bill C-33 was placed on hold in 2014 after opposition from Indigenous groups across Canada. This thesis examines the consultation process and the corresponding government discourse for evidence of the reproduction of colonial power relations and the subjectification of Indigenous rationalities to free-market ideology. Analysis is informed by a conceptual framework linking David Harvey’s accumulation by dispossession, Wendy Larner’s neoliberalism as policy, ideology, and governmentality, and an original interpretation of the logics of settler-colonialism operating in Canada based upon Andrea Smith’s logics of White supremacy. Through a Foucauldian discourse analysis of consultation documents and government public relations messaging, the ways in which Indigenous sovereignty is suppressed by state paternalism and Indigenous Peoples commodified by economic rhetoric are revealed.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Political Economy
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Grounding Condoland: Counteracting Future Deline

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Graci, Ema
    Abstract:
    A complex array of factors has facilitated a recent influx of condominiums in Toronto. Many of these high-density residential developments appear to have affected the human scale and integrative sense of community. Concord CityPlace will serve as a site for analysis. The question asked is whether speculation about CityPlace is correct that the development will ultimately deteriorate into slums. Solutions will be provided in regards to site isolation and pedestrian accessibility and the use of outdoor urban spaces within and directly around the site. This thesis will respond through urban design and architectural interventions, situated along three site borders. We will adapt ideas from Jane Jacobs’ critique of the modern city and her theory of border vacuums. A debate with Jan Gehl’s concept of spaces for moving and places for staying and Richard Sennett’s notion of the open system will then serve to enhance Jacob’s outlined themes.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Architecture
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Bending Blindly: Exploring the Learnability and Usability of Bend Gestures for the Visually Impaired

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Ernst, Matthew
    Abstract:
    This thesis explored the application of bend gestures as a primary method of interaction for the visually impaired and the use of haptic stimulus as non-visual affordances to assist in the teaching and prompting of bend gestures.The first study explored this use of haptic stimulus and presented 48 tactons to participants who were asked to select one of three bend gesture locations and two directions they felt it represented. The second study compared the interaction experience of bend gestures in a visually impaired environment to touch.We identify results from both studies that can help shape future research in this area of accessibility and potentially increase the overall interaction experience for screen reader based smartphones. The promising results around the pairing of the motor combination and intensity parameters in tacton design, in conjunction with preference for certain bend gestures, lays the foundation for future work in this area.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Human-Computer Interaction
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Lightweight Robust Optimizer for Distributed Application Deployment in Multi-Clouds

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Kaur, Ravneet
    Abstract:
    This thesis creates a new approach for task assignment in an edge-core multi-cloud architecture to reduce power consumption in service centers using multilevel graph partitioning technique. Multilevel graph partitioning has three phases of coarsening, refinement and uncoarsening. For the refinement phase, a new algorithm based on a modified Kernighan–Lin algorithm is proposed which takes into account multiple constraints, and that mitigates the problem of stopping at a local minimum. Once tasks are assigned to the edge and core, multidimensional bin-packing is used to deploy tasks to individual hosts so that power consumption can be calculated. The approach is validated by comparing it to extended simulated annealing and an extended modified Kernighan–Lin algorithm. The experiments show that our approach is fast and produces better results. It is also less prone to failure in finding a feasible deployment for given constraints.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2015

  • The Casbah: Reimagining the Counter-Space

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Faidi, Meria
    Abstract:
    Inspired by the inherent character of agency in the spatial configuration of the Casbah of Algiers, an urban and architectural strategy in the form of a counter-space is presented, aimed to extract agency from the youth that were terrorized by the Algerian Civil War.The urban intervention is situated in an interstitial spatio-temporal context- scaffolding and abandoned plots- within the present state of interregnum. A binary counter-space consisting of pathways and a fragmented anthology of temporary towers is developed.The temporary structures will reinject the youth into the heart of the city by physically situating them within and compelling them to confront their context. These structures will impose the youth upon the context; in turn, the context will impose itself upon the youth; with this confrontation between them, a contemporary counter-space is created and as a result the youth is presented with a platform for expression and action towards self-determination.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Architecture
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Struggling for the 'right to the city': In situ informal settlement upgrading in Kibera, Nairobi

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Stenton, Christine
    Abstract:
    The government of Kenya has implemented a ‘slum upgrading’ pilot project in the informal settlement of Kibera through the Kenyan Slum Upgrading Programme (KENSUP) with the aim of improving the livelihoods of residents through upgrading housing structures, securing tenure, and providing infrastructure to increase access for service delivery. However, KENSUP’s project provides an altered version of in situ informal settlement upgrading that involves ‘replacing’ housing structures by building new apartment complexes instead of upgrading existing structures. This fails to address the limited employment opportunities available, access to capital, or social mobility of residents. Using data acquired through policy analysis and interviews with people connected to the project, this paper analyzes the impact of the project on factors important to residents’ struggle for a right to the city so that lessons can be learned about what strategies are harmful or successful towards achieving the goal of in situ upgrading initiatives.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Political Economy
    Date Created:
    2015

  • The Bangladeshi Perspective: The Case of Married Academic Women Pursuing Foreign Degrees

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Anwar, Tahmina
    Abstract:
    Since there is a dearth of research on Bangladeshi married academic women's participation in higher studies abroad, this study endeavours to explore their motives and experiences in pursuing foreign degrees, the barriers encountered, and their strategies for overcoming them. This case study (Yin, 1994) investigates the phenomenon of study abroad through the narrative accounts of five married academic women from Bangladesh at different stages of study abroad (pre-departure and planning; in progress; and completed). Within the framework of the discursive construction of identity (e.g., Ivanic, 1998; Lakoff, 1973; Tannen 1994), accounts of four participants were elicited through semi-structured interviews. The study suggests that academic women's participation in a foreign degree program depends to a great extent on how they construct the meaning of identity-shaping discourses in their "private" and "public" lives.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Finding a Middle Ground: Advancing the Feminist Pathways Paradigm Through Intergration with "What Works" with Adolescent Offenders

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Greiner, Leigh Erin
    Abstract:
    The purpose of this dissertation was to advance the feminist pathways paradigm by integrating theory and methods from a mainstream correctional perspective to enhance our understanding of serious adolescent offenders. This dissertation used archival data provided by the Pathways to Desistance project (Mulvey, 2012), a longitudinal study of 1354 serious adjudicated adolescent offenders (1170 male, 184 female), recruited from Philadelphia and Phoenix, designed to examine persistence and desistance from criminal behaviour over time. Study 1 generated a theoretically-integrated typology and tested the stability of this typology over time using a series of latent profile analyses (LPA) generated at baseline, and at 12, 24, and 36-month follow-ups. Subsequently, using latent difference score (LDS) modeling within a structural equation modelling (SEM) framework, Study 2 examined the relationship between victimization and offending across three time-points, and further examined whether changes in internalizing mental health deficits and substance abuse mediated this relationship. Results of Study 1 suggest that youth can be classified into three groups: a minimal-needs class with negligible needs in all domains, a comprehensive-needs class with high-needs in all domains with the exception of internalizing mental health deficits, and a complex-comprehensive-needs class scoring high on all domains in addition to elevated internalizing mental health disorders. Similar profiles emerged at each time-point examined. However, an additional class, characterized by elevated alcohol use and moderate antisocial personality, emerged at the 36-month follow-up. Overall, results of Study 1 suggest that the heterogeneity of the treatment profiles of adolescent offenders increases over time, and there are more similarities than differences between males and females in their treatment profiles. Results of Study 2 revealed a significant relationship between victimization and subsequent offending; however, neither changes in substance abuse nor changes in internalizing mental health deficits mediated this relationship. As such, these results suggest that this causal sequence of events detailed by feminist pathways proponents may not hold up with longitudinal data. In light of these findings, it is recommended that future research continues to leverage the feminist pathways paradigm with “what works” to gain a better understanding of gender similarities and differences in adolescents’ pathways to crime.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Understanding the Factors that affect Motivation of Local Students to Interact with International Students in Online Social Communities

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Elrayes, Doaa
    Abstract:
    International students face social and educational challenges in host countries. Local students’ interaction with international students can help overcome those challenges. However, existing research finds that this level of interaction is generally low. While factors affecting motivation to participate in online communities has been heavily studied, understanding the factors that motivate local students to interact with international students in online communities remain a gap in the literature. This thesis investigates such factors. Understanding those factors can enable the design of human computer interaction artifacts that enhance their interaction. This thesis is an exploratory study that develops a survey instrument and evaluates its quality. The data attests to the high quality of the survey questionnaire; shows that local students have low levels of interaction with international students in online communities; and shows that seven motivation factors can motivate local students to different degrees to interact with international students in online communities.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Human-Computer Interaction
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Novelty vs. Predictability: Relationship Tensions in Close Relationships

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Lebreton, Janelle
    Abstract:
    The goal of this research is to examine relationship challenges and outcomes to experiences of both internal and between-person relationship tensions in novelty and predictability. Consistent with the dialectical model, I predicted that internal and between-partner tensions would be associated: a) more with the challenge of boredom than conflict, b) more with trying novel activities than familiar ones, and c) with reduced relationship quality. These hypotheses were assessed in two studies. In Study 1, a correlational design was employed where participants in long-term close relationships completed questionnaires related to personal relationship tensions, challenges, activity engagement, and relationship quality. In Study 2, I extended my analysis by using an experimental design to examine the effects of perceived tensions between partners in participants own relationships on challenges, activities, and relationship quality. Additionally, in Study 2, I examined the effect of goal orientation (approach, avoidance) in shaping these associations.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Perceived Realism and the CSI-Effect

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Monnink, Jordan
    Abstract:
    Anecdotal claims made by lawyers, judges, and legal scholars state that jurors are increasingly expecting the presence of DNA and other forensic evidence in criminal trials (Cole & Dioso-Villa, 2007, Tyler, 2006). This research extends what is known about what has been aptly termed the “CSI-Effect.” Utilizing Cultivation Theory (Gerbner, 1976), this research examined whether juror ratings of guilt in a criminal trial are impacted by a relationship between perceived realism and the presentation of different types of evidence. Overall, those high in perceived realism were more likely to convict than those low in perceived realism. Additionally, eyewitness testimony significantly decreased jurors’ likelihood of voting guilty. Finally, evidence strength only had an impact on verdict in the eyewitness condition. The results here suggest that perceived realism does not increase a jurors’ expectation that DNA evidence be presented in court and thus does not support the CSI-effect.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • De-Medicalizing Architecture: Humanizing Design and Intervention for Elderly Care

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Consales, Veronica
    Abstract:
    The role of architecture in the design of elderly centered health spaces is becoming increasingly more important as the baby boomer generation, now comprising nearly 23% of the Canadian population (Statistics Canada) approaches retirement. This group is advancing rapidly into old age, and will require facilities that are able to provide both individual and collective comfort and health. If this is accurate, we are led to ask how architecture can act as the environment and vehicle for providing quality care for the elderly population. This could also oppose the cure mentality central to conventional hospital design. The thesis will seek to answer: how can the design of humanized healthcare facilities for the elderly, focusing on quality architectural interventions that promote the notion of ‘care’, improve health indicators and promote community interaction. In other words: can architecture be de-medicalized.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Architecture
    Date Created:
    2015

  • An Evaluation of Model Predictive Control of Automated Shading to Optimize Passive Solar Gains

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Lawal, Nuriat Tiwatayo
    Abstract:
    Passive houses are prone to overheating, even sometimes in the winter. Model predictive control (MPC) of automated window blinds has proved to be effective at managing solar gains to reduce the thermal loads in buildings. MPC involves predicting a system's future response to several control inputs to determine the best current control decision. This is beneficial in buildings, which experience a delayed thermal response to solar gains.This thesis details a framework for MPC of automated blinds to optimize passive solar gains in a single-family home. Building performance simulations (BPS) were used to predict the interactions between the blind positions and the heating and cooling loads. Optimizations were performed to minimize the combined heating and cooling loads. The MPC's performance was simulated and compared to a rule-based controller (RBC), which is the standard practice in blind automation. Energy savings of up to 36% were recorded in comparison to the RBC.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Sustainable Energy
    Date Created:
    2015

  • A Scheduling Algorithm for Hadoop MapReduce Workflows with Budget Constraints in the Heterogeneous Cloud

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Wylie, Andrew
    Abstract:
    In recent years cloud services have gained much attention as a result of their availability, scalability, and low cost. One use of these services has been for the execution of scientific workflows, which are employed in a diverse range of fields including astronomy, physics, seismology, and bioinformatics. There has been much research on heuristic scheduling algorithms for these workflows due to the problem's inherent complexity, however existing work has mainly considered execution on a generic distributed framework. For our research, we consider the popular Apache Hadoop framework for scheduling workflows onto resources rented from cloud service providers. Investigated in our work is budget-constrained workflow scheduling on the Hadoop MapReduce platform, wherein we devise both an optimal and a heuristic approach to minimize workflow makespan while satisfying a given budget constraint.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Organizing for Social Policy Change: Child Care Policy Advocacy in Canada

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Cornelisse, Lesley Christine
    Abstract:
    Taking up the campaigns for a federal child care program as an example of social movement advocacy for policy change, this thesis examines how social actors have understood the need for better federal social policy related to child care in Canada. I develop a policy and advocacy history to preface a theorization of child care advocacy according to Tronto’s (2011) four phases of care. My method of inquiry is grounded in the voices of the advocacy movement; I rely on interviews conducted with advocates, researchers, and a Member of Parliament who are organizing to achieve a national child care system grounded in the QUAD principles: quality, universality, accessibility, and developmentally appropriate child care. This project contributes to literature which develops the history, approaches, and goals of the child care movement as a ‘usable past’ to both strengthen the cognitive praxis of the movement and inform its pursuit of policy change.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Political Economy
    Date Created:
    2015

  • "It’s Happening Here!” Anti-Trafficking Policy in the City of Ottawa – A Critical Analysis

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Lockhart, Courtney
    Abstract:
    Over the last several years human trafficking has been in the political spotlight, and anti-trafficking has become a political arena on its own. “Anti” projects are useful in understanding how law and policies are made. What does it mean to be against human trafficking? Using governmentality and genealogy methods, I focus on one anti-sex trafficking campaign located in Ottawa to examine how trafficking has been constructed as a coherent social problem. How does one NGO add or shape the anti-trafficking narrative in the community? I consider anti-sex trafficking as an evolving phenomenon that is constantly being produced through discourse, and practices. The empirical focus helps determine how power is established and controlled related to anti-trafficking, the conflation with sex work and the broader trafficking debates. In this way, government is not only policy or laws itself, but also the spaces in between and the personal lived experience of anti-trafficking.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Political Science
    Date Created:
    2015

  • A User-Centred Design Approach to Ubiquitous Computing and Framing Communication in Football

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Lourenço Levin, Maya
    Abstract:
    The purpose of this interdisciplinary design research study is to explore the nature of communication during a football game, to identify the needs of athletes and coaches based on their specific contexts, and to uncover opportunities relating to ubiquitous computing for improving their performance. The research is approached through mixed design research methods including a survey, field observations and interviews. The data is analyzed using a graphical approach to representing the findings. The key insights from this research include validating a user need by identifying the problem space of communication errors during a game, a user want by acknowledging motivation and acceptance of emerging technology, and investigating the opportunity for wearable technology to enhance performance in football.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Design (M.Des.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Industrial Design
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Jurors' Perceptions of an Elderly Eyewitness: Effects of Geriatric Diagnosis, Level of Care and Age

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Schultheis, Elizabeth
    Abstract:
    Mock jurors’ perceptions of older adult eyewitnesses was assessed by testing how age, geriatric diagnosis, and level of care influences decision making. Mock jurors (N=355) were asked to read a trial transcript that varied age of eyewitness: 45 years, vs. 65 years, vs. 85 years; Level of care: home vs. long-term care facility; and Geriatric disease: none, vs. early stage dementia. Mock jurors then rendered a verdict, provided ratings of the eyewitness, and completed a measure of stereotypes. Although no direct effect on verdict was found, verdict confidence was influenced in a statistically significant way by the presence of a geriatric diagnosis. Subscribing to negative stereotypes of older adults was found to be related to higher ratings of senility. The findings indicated that mock jurors are influenced by geriatric diagnosis, as it negatively impacts their confidence in their verdict. Limitations and future directions will be discussed.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Molybdenum-100 Targets for Cyclotron Production of Technetium-99m

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Surette, Gabriel Joseph
    Abstract:
    A process for manufacturing targets for technetium-99m production, via 100Mo(p, 2n)99mTc, is presented. Targets consist of a thin layer of molybdenum-100 pressed into a copper heat sink complete with water cooling channels and O-rings. These targets are designed to be irradiated in cyclotrons at hospitals and regional pharmacies around the world to replace fission produced 99Mo.The iterations and tests leading to the final target design and processing procedures are presented. Physical descriptions of the targets are given, followed by the procedure for manufacture, and process improvements for large-scale production.The importance of 99mTc as a diagnostic imaging tool is presented, with references to instability of current sources and recent shortages, which have had led to world-wide efforts to develop non-reactor produced isotopes.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Mechanical
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Get a Social Life: Predictors and Outcomes of Maternal Beliefs About Young Children's Peer Relations

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Kirkpatrick, Alison Laurie Elizabeth
    Abstract:
    The goals of this thesis were to: (1) provide additional validation of the Revised Social Goals Inventory; (2) examine predictors of maternal social beliefs; (3) test a conceptually-derived model linking maternal social beliefs, maternal behaviours promoting children's peer relations, and indices of children's peer engagement. Participants were N=262 mothers and children (aged 4-7), recruited from schools in south-eastern Ontario. Mothers reported on their own social beliefs, behaviours, and personality, and their children's temperament and peer activities. Additional measures were obtained from children and teachers. Results indicated the RSGI demonstrated good psychometric properties. Both maternal personality and child temperament predicted social beliefs. Maternal behaviours were found to mediate the link between social beliefs and children's peer engagement. Mediation effects differed as a function of type of maternal behaviour, child gender, and domain of children's peer activity. Results are discussed in terms of the role social beliefs play in children's social development.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • The Urban Bridge: Walking Baghdad

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Almaki, Sarah
    Abstract:
    The context in which Baghdadis build, live and move today is not stable, but meta-stable. To address this state of temporality, a study of movement was conducted. For Baghdadis, such movement can help in coming to terms with the ambiguity and temporality of Baghdad as a severed city. This speculative work embodies two contrasting worlds; a collective memory of the city as it was – the soft city, and the reality of the severed, walled city of today – the hard city. The pendulum swings. To bridge these two worlds, this inquiry explores Baghdad as a text, and posits the Baghdadian flâneur as its reader. A study of stairs, pathways and circulation networks is used to understand these transient moments within the volatile city. The inquiry then proceeds to investigate the connection between the existing walls of Baghdad and the proposed architecture. This is architecture of and for circulation.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Architecture
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Evaluation of the Convolution Sums

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Ntienjem, Ebenezer
    Abstract:
    For all positive integers $n$ we evaluate the convolution sums $\displaystyle\overset{}{\underset{ \begin{array}{c} {(l,m) \in \mathbb{N}^2} \\ {\alpha l+\beta m=n} \end{array} } {\sum}}\sigma(l)\sigma(m)$, where $(\alpha,\beta) = (1,14), (2,7), (1,26), (2,13), (1,28)$, $(4,7), (1,30), (2,15), (3,10), (5,6)$. Using some of the evaluations of these convolution sums we determine formulae for the number of representations of $n$ by the octonary quadratic forms \begin{equation*} x_{1}^{2} + x_{2}^{2} + x_{3}^{2} + x_{4}^{2}+ 7 (x_{5}^{2} + x_{6}^{2} + x_{7}^{2} + x_{8}^{2}) \end{equation*} and \begin{equation*} a(\,x_{1}^{2} + x_{2}^{2} + x_{1}x_{2} + x_{3}^{2} + x_{3}x_{4} + x_{4}^{2}\,) + b (\,x_{5}^{2} + x_{5}x_{6} + x_{6}^{2} + x_{7}^{2} + x_{7}x_{8} + x_{8}^{2}\,), \end{equation*} where $(a,b)$ stands for $(1, 10)$ or $(2,5)$.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Pure Mathematics
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Investigation of Using Microscopic Traffic Simulation Tools to Predict Traffic Conflicts Between Right-Turning Vehicles and Through Cyclists at Signalized Intersections

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    AlRajie, Haitham Osama
    Abstract:
    Researchers have been questioning if traffic microsimulation tools can be used for road safety evaluations. This thesis examines if these tools have the potential to predict conflicts between right-turning vehicles and through cyclists at signalized intersections. Moreover, this thesis evaluates if calibrating these models to describe the driving behaviour at signalized intersections significantly improves the conflicts’ prediction. It was found that VISSIM has the potential to predict traffic conflicts of interest. In particular, a moderate correlation was found between real conflicts and simulated conflicts of the default models (r=0.525). Calibrating the model for travel time improved the correlation between real conflicts and simulated conflicts (r=0.618). However, a one-way ANOVA test indicated that the improvement caused by travel time calibration was not significant. It was also found that VISSIM’s prediction accuracy is expected to decrease as either the cyclists’ volume or the product of cyclists’ volume and right-turning vehicles’ volume increase.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Civil
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Dedicated Athletes, Deviant Women: The Experience of Being an Amateur Sportswoman in a Contemporary Canadian Context

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Cameron, Courtney Diana
    Abstract:
    Until the late 1960s, women were largely excluded from the arenas of sport and athletics in North America. Since that time, women’s presence in sport has risen and the gap between female and male participation has significantly decreased. Unfortunately though, pervasive and problematic constructions of normative masculinity and femininity persist and have negative implications for women participating in sport. This thesis explores the experiences of sportswomen in athletic and social contexts, the stigmatization that female athletes face, and how they manage this stigma and negotiate their identities as a response. It will also examine women athletes’ experiences of injury and subsequent engagements with the medical system. This research aims to contribute to a greater understanding of the restrictive ideas of masculinity and femininity and to challenge the barriers to women’s success and enjoyment in sports and athletics.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Anthropology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Well-Being and Mental Health of University Students: Understanding the Role of Genetics and Social Behaviours

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Asokumar, Ajani
    Abstract:
    There appears to be variability in the incidence of stress-induced mental health problems among young adults, whereas some readily succumb to the effects of stressors, others appear to be resilient. This resiliency may be attributed to the interaction of psychosocial and genetic factors. The goals of the present study were to examine the relationships between various social behaviours with depressive symptomatology and to assess whether these relationships were related to genotype of a neuropeptide Y (NPY) polymorphism, rs16147. Carleton University first-year undergraduates (N=126) of Euro-Caucasian descent completed questionnaires and provided saliva samples for genotyping. Relationships were found between social support, unsupport, social connectedness, feelings of loneliness, and psychological well-being with depressive symptoms, which were moderated by NPY genotype. These data suggest that the NPY polymorphism interacts with psychosocial adversity in predicting depressive symptoms in young adults, supporting the potential buffering effects of NPY in relation to stress-inducing outcomes.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Neuroscience
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Ecological correlates of baseline and maximum glucocorticoid concentrations in wild freshwater fish

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Belanger, Cassia
    Abstract:
    Freshwater fish were used to examine how habitat quality, conspecific density, and season were associated with the cortisol stress response. Using pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) I tested whether glucose and cortisol concentrations varied relative to habitat complexity and conspecific density. Overall, neither factor had a significant effect on the GC stress response but, during the habitat experiment, fish collected from a littoral site had significantly higher concentrations of maximum glucose, glucose responsiveness, and maximum cortisol. Using central mudminnow (Umbra limi) from streams differing in habitat quality, I tested whether cortisol levels varied relative to habitat quality and season. Overall, only season had a significant effect on cortisol levels. This thesis indicates that polymorphism and season should be considered in stress-related studies. Moreover, the lack of association of GCs in fish sampled from habitats of differing quality emphasizes that human-perceived differences in habitat quality may not yield individual-level differences in stress.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Exercise and Sports Participation: Understanding Student Motivations

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Lewis, Adam Garry
    Abstract:
    The purpose of the present study was to examine motivations for participating in physical activity in an emerging adulthood sample, using Eccles et al.’s (1983) expectancy-value model. Of particular interest was how this model varied for individuals engaging in sports versus exercise. Three hundred and twenty eight undergraduate students completed questionnaires assessing expectancy beliefs, subjective task values, participation indicators as well as health outcomes. Model effectiveness varied as a function of both the activity itself as well as the specific participation indicator. For both sports and exercise activities, however, emerging adults appeared to be more driven by internal rewards (e.g., demonstrating competence, having fun) than by external incentives (e.g., attention and career goals). Findings of the present study partially support the use of the expectancy-value model in this research context, although future research might consider some revision to the measure, to better reflect motivations specific to physical activity engagement.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Preschoolers' Development of Intent-Based Moral Judgement and the Role of Theory of Mind

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Andrews, Katherine Elizabeth
    Abstract:
    The current study examined 4- and 5-year-old children’s ability to use intention information in their moral judgments of story characters with identical, neutral intentions that produced different outcomes (one neutral and one negative). Children were presented with two story types: stories in which two characters are included, and stories in which only one character is presented. It was hypothesized that children would show more mature moral reasoning when they were given the chance to directly compare the characters, especially their matched intentions, when they are presented within a single story, compared to across stories. However, results revealed that children’s moral ratings were less mature when presented with dual-character stories compared to single-character stories. On the other hand, children’s assignment of punishment and identification of the characters’ intentions did not differ depending on the story type. Performance on the task was also examined in relation to false belief understanding.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • The Relationship Between Attitudes, Peer Norms, and Sexual Aggression

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    White, Kristen
    Abstract:
    The current study investigated the relationship between attitudes towards sexual aggression, perceived peer norms about sexual aggression and sexually aggressive behaviour. Most of the past research on attitudes towards sexual aggression has used a broad definition of attitudes that does not seem to assess evaluation. Additionally, few studies have examined the combined role of evaluative attitudes and perceived peer norms in sexually aggressive behaviour. The current study found that attitudes, but not peer norms, were consistently associated with sexually aggressive behaviour. Attitudes also mediated the relationship between peer norms and sexual aggression. Lastly, the relationship between attitudes and past sexual aggression depended on norms, and participants with both highly positive attitudes and peer norms about sexual aggression reported the highest levels of sexually aggressive behaviour. These results extend previous research and provide important information regarding the relationship between attitudes, peer norms, and sexual aggression.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Development and Validation of a Parole Quality Assurance Inventory (PQAI)

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Wardrop, Kaitlyn Nicole
    Abstract:
    Focus on evidence-based practice in the area of parole has been increasing in recent years. The purpose of the current study was to examine aspects of paroling authorities and how they function in order to better define high quality paroling systems. In order to achieve this, the Parole Quality Assurance Inventory (PQAI) was developed to measure paroling authority quality. The psychometric properties of this scale were evaluated, as well as, efforts were made to validate this scale by examining its relationship with parole performance indicators. Thirteen paroling authorities completed the PQAI. Results found that the PQAI was unable to be validated. Although, with a large amount of removed items, the scale was able to achieve appropriate psychometric properties, there was no relationship between PQAI subscale and total scores with the proportion of offenders who failed in the community. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • An Analog Neural Network for Wideband Predistortion of Pico-cell Power Amplifiers

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Ngwar, Melin Kume
    Abstract:
    Pico-cell base-station power amplifiers (PA) generally generate less than 2W of power and operate at peak efficiency. This implies that to meet stringent wideband wireless standards, said amplifiers require linearization. The complexity and consequently power consumption of the linearizer is proportional to the power amplifiers efficiency and independent of output power. As a consequence, standard linearizers used in high PAs become unfeasible for use with pico-cell PAs as they are power intensive thus degrading the efficiency of the linearizer-PA combination. Feedback linearizers are only valid for narrowband stimuli while feedforward linearizers also suffer from the same total efficiency degradation due to the power consumption of the auxiliary amplifier. This leaves predistortion as the only viable option provided the algorithm/architecture is tailored to provide the same linearity benefit for high PAs as pico-cell PAs but with lower power consumption. The choice of neural networks as a predistortion algorithm compared to others such as Weiner, and Hammerstein stems from their ability to provide a suitable tradeoff between ACPR and EVM metrics. This thesis introduces an efficient dynamic neural network implementation which is specifically tailored for PA linearization. The focus and novelty of this work lies in the system inversion of measured PA non-linearity with a custom training algorithm as well as circuit design and hardware implementation of analog networks. Analog circuits are chosen to eliminate the power dependence of digital circuits on data rates; an effect which is most keenly felt for wideband stimuli. The implementation challenges include circuit design for large signal synaptic weights, wideband active delay elements, and an activation function. The aforementioned challenges have been tackled to yield a weight-limited algorithm which trains a neural network predistorter to improve the ACPR and EVM of the pico-cell power amplifier by at least 13.5dB and 8.7% respectively. Furthermore, the implemented analog neural network predistorter circuits have a bandwidth and linearity of 50MHz and 5 bits respectively with suggested improvements to increase the performance to 120MHz and 7 bits respectively.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Risky Business: The Role of Psychopathy and Violence Risk Assessment in Forensic Decision-Making

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Curno, Jamie
    Abstract:
    Forensic decision-making is subject to irrelevant influences and disregards pertinent risk factors. Although this seems to be improving, research has failed to examine if any progress has been made in almost a decade. Files were coded for 89 male Not Criminally Responsible on Account of Mental Disorder patients that had a Review Board (RB) hearing between 2007-2014 to investigate whether items from four empirically supported risk measures were considered. Only 57% of experts and one quarter of RB reports noted use of a structured risk assessment which increased over time. Despite inconsistency of use, empirically supported factors were frequently discussed and centered on mental health, treatment, criminal history, and reintegration. Overall, disposition decisions were predicted by discussion of both valid risk and protective factors, however, were also biased by physical attractiveness. The results highlight the need for policies to ensure greater structure in how risk assessments are implemented into practice.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • The interacting effects of the historic landscape structure, human landscape change, and species mobility on species extinction risk in human-altered landscapes: an evolutionary perspective

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Martin, Amanda
    Abstract:
    Mobility is widely thought to be important for extinction risk in human-altered landscapes. However, there are conflicting theories and empirical findings as to whether mobile species are more or less at-risk than sedentary species. My objective was to investigate why mobility increases risk in some cases, but decreases risk in others. My first three data chapters focused on the idea that mobility-extinction risk relationships depend on interacting effects of the historic landscape structure, human landscape change, and mobility. In Chapter 2, I used simulations to demonstrate that landscape structure – particularly non-habitat (matrix) quality and disturbance frequency – can drive evolution of species behaviour at habitat boundaries, an important aspect of mobility that determines rates of movement among populations. In Chapter 3, I found empirical support for an interaction between landscape change and mobility, finding that more mobile North American bird species became less mobile over the 20th century, while less mobile species became more mobile. In Chapter 4, I simulated the interacting effects of the historic landscape, landscape change, and mobility on extinction risk. These simulations suggest that the mobility-risk relationship depends on the (1) mobility metric, because mobility increases risk when measured as emigration, but decreases risk when measured as immigration; (2) rate of landscape change, because mobility increases risk with rapid habitat loss, but decreases risk with slow habitat loss; and (3) historic landscape structure, because some structures drive evolution of species characteristics that increase mobility and decrease risk, while other structures favor characteristics that increase both mobility and risk. The rest of my thesis focused on the idea that collinearity between habitat specialization and mobility may cause apparently conflicting mobility-risk relationships, when specialization drives risk and specialization-mobility relationships vary between species groups. I found that temperate breeding bird specialists disperse farther than generalists (Chapters 5 and 6). This was opposite to invertebrate specialization-mobility relationships, providing preliminary support for my hypothesis. My thesis contributes to our understanding of why conflicting mobility-extinction risk relationships occur. Additionally, these results have conservation implications, suggesting conservation should focus on species that frequently emigrate but cannot move long distances among habitat fragments.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Distribution of antimicrobial lipopeptides in Bacillus and Pseudomonas spp., two genera with antagonistic effects against plant pathogens

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Mohamed, Rowida Elfatih
    Abstract:
    Suppressive soils, composts, and compost teas have previously shown inhibitory effects against plant disease. A major reason for this suppressiveness has been their beneficial microbial populations. The present study was carried out to investigate the inhibitory activity of forty bacteria isolated from these three sources against the mycelial growth of six plant pathogens. Thirty-eight isolates inhibited at least one of the pathogens whereas sixteen of the isolates inhibited all the pathogens (36% average inhibition). Crude lipopeptides extracts were precipitated from bacterial liquid cultures. All tested lipopeptide samples inhibited the mycelial growth or conidial germination of at least one of the pathogens. Known antimicrobial lipopeptides in selected samples were identified by LC-MS. Results showed that all Bacillus and Bacillus-related spp. produced one or more lipopeptides from the fengycin, iturin, and surfactin families. In addition, certain Pseudomonas spp. produced lipopeptides from the amphisin and putisolvin families.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemistry
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Identification and characterization of a NADPH oxidase target in Fusarium graminearum

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Chatur, Salima
    Abstract:
    Fusarium graminearum is a fungal plant pathogen that causes Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) on important cereal crops including wheat. Earlier studies identified distinct roles for NADPH oxidase (NOX) genes in F. graminearum. NOX enzymes generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are important in signal transduction. To elucidate the mechanism of NOX dependent signaling in pathogenicity, a proteomics approach was used to examine redox changes in the ΔnoxA/B mutant compared to wildtype F. graminearum strain. Deletion and overexpression of one of the candidate genes, FGSG_10089 with modified cysteine residues confirmed that it is likely a genuine substrate of the NOX enzyme complex. Bioinformatics and expression analysis indicate that this protein may function as a virulence factor. Deletion of FGSG_10089 and modification of the cysteine residue C325 resulted in reduced virulence on wheat. In addition, there was a decrease in production of 15-acetyl deoxynivalenol in culture.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Full-scale Experiments To Investigate The Use Of A Water Curtain Over Openings To Prevent Fire Spread To Adjacent Properties

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Turco, Mathew Vincent
    Abstract:
    This thesis presents the results of several full-scale experiments to study heat radiation attenuation and shielding using sprinklers to create a water curtain between a compartment fire and a target wall. This work builds on the idea that water absorbs and scatters heat radiation and applies it as a shielding mechanism, which can be used to protect personnel and property exposed to an opening during a compartment fire. The purpose of the study is to determine how effective the water curtain created using sprinkler heads will be at attenuating the heat flux from flames exiting a compartment fire, shielding the target wall and preventing fire spread. The results show how the water spray reduces heat flux to the target wall and it allows decreasing the distance of a building from the property line.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Civil
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Investigation of Mobile Network Traffic Using Hadoop and Mahout Machine Learning Methods

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Si, Man
    Abstract:
    Since the emergence of mobile networks, the number of mobile subscriptions has continued to increase year after year. To efficiently assign wireless resources such as spectrum (which is rare and expensive), the network operator needs to process and analyze information and statistics about each base station and the traffic that passes through it. This thesis focuses on processing and analyzing two datasets provided by our industrial partner, Ericsson, Canada. A detailed approach that uses Apache Hadoop and the Mahout machine learning library to process and analyze the datasets is presented. The analysis provides insights to the network operator about the resource usage of network devices. This information is of great importance to network operators for efficient and effective management of resources and user experience. Furthermore, an investigation has been conducted that evaluates the impact of executing the Mahout clustering algorithms with various system and workload parameters on a Hadoop cluster.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2015

  • "Jamaican Funk - Canadian Style":Diasporic Dialogue and Hybridized Identity in the Music of Michie Mee

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Scobie, Niel
    Abstract:
    Michie Mee is a hip-hop artist who came to prominence in Toronto’s hip-hop scene in the 1980s. Michie Mee is an important figure in Canadian hip-hop for several reasons. She is a successful female rapper in a male-dominated performance sphere. Furthermore, she was the first Canadian rapper to gain support from established New York hip-hop acts such as Boogie Down Productions. Michie Mee was also the first Canadian rapper signed to an American record label (First Priority Music). However, what makes her especially unique is her expression of a distinct Jamaican/Canadian hybrid identity. From her earliest recordings “Run For Cover” and “Jamaican Funk: Canadian Style,” to 2012’s “Bahdgyal Bubble,” Michie Mee has promoted a strong Jamaican identity within her lyrical and visual style. By using theories of hybridity and third space, my thesis investigates Michie Mee’s articulation of a recognizable hybrid identity that projects both Canadian and Jamaican sensibilities.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Music and Culture
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Modelling of debonding mechanisms in externally bonded FRP sheets in RC shear walls for earthquake resistance

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hassan, Ahmed Alaa El Din
    Abstract:
    This thesis presents a new computer simulation model that can accurately capture the hysteresis response behaviour of reinforced concrete shear walls repaired or strengthened with externally boned FRP sheets under the reversed cyclic loading of earthquakes. The proposed computer model can accurately simulate the IC debonding mechanism under the two-dimensional stress state of the wall panel and the subsequent ductile flexural or brittle shear failure modes of walls with different aspect ratios. Computer simulation results correlate well with experimental test results. The proposed computer model can accurately predict the hysteresis response behaviour, lateral load resisting strength, energy dissipation capacity and ductility performance of FRP repaired or strengthened shear walls in seismic applications.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Civil
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Adventures in Time and Sound: Leitmotif and Repetition in Doctor Who

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hurst, Emilie
    Abstract:
    This thesis explores the intersections between repetition, leitmotif and the philosophy of Gilles Deleuze in the context the BBC television series Doctor Who (1963-1989; 2005- ). Deleuze proposes that instead of the return of the same, repetition, by its constant insertion in a new temporal context can produce difference as part of the process of the eternal return. He also rejects the concepts of being in favour of becoming. I argue his framework on repetition allows us to broaden the definition of the leitmotif and embrace the role of repetition. I analyse the leitmotif of three characters: Amy Pond, River Song, and the Doctor. In all three instances, the leitmotifs are an active participant in the process of becoming while, simultaneously, undergoing their own becoming. For River, the leitmotif also works as a territorializing refrain, while for the Doctor, use of leitmotif paradoxically gives the impression of being.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Music and Culture
    Date Created:
    2015

  • A Critical Analysis of the World Trade Organization Ministerial Decision on Public Stockholding Programs

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Arnet-Zargarian, Andre
    Abstract:
    This thesis analyzes the World Trade Organization (WTO)’s recent Ministerial Decision on Public Food Stockholding Programs (the Ministerial Decision). I argue that the Ministerial Decision does not provide sufficient policy space for the WTO’s developing Members to protect their food producers and consumers from dependency on foreign imports and volatile international food prices. Referring to recent policies initiated by the Government of India, I interpret the restrictive terms of the Ministerial Decision as a concession to the economic elite in developing countries, rather than an indication that the WTO’s developing Members are incapable of promoting their non-trade interests within the organization. This research speaks to the status of developing Members and non-trade concerns within the WTO, and can be situated within the broader ongoing debate between food sovereignty and food security.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Legal Studies
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Mapping ACL/VF to a Java Environment: A Feasibility Study

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Needham, Howard Scott
    Abstract:
    In this thesis we focus on an alternative approach to MBT, namely scenario based testing, which we consider in the context of runtime validation. More specifically, we address scenario monitoring and validation in ACL/VF.The two current versions of the ACL/VF have a number of issues that prevent them being usable solutions. Upgrading the original version to a more recent version of .NET would amount to a complete rewrite. A second version was implemented and tested with the JavaMOP framework. Experimentation with this second solution however revealed it cannot manage and monitor multiple scenarios running simultaneously!Due to these difficulties, the immediate research question for ACL/VF is to determine whether it can be implemented in a commonly-used environment such as the core Java/J2EE framework. This thesis provides an affirmative answer to this question: a case study is used to illustrate the proposed approach to monitoring ACL scenarios using Java threads
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Field Notes on Social Media in Kenya

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Nguku, Kyalo
    Abstract:
    With the rapid adoption of mobile phones in Africa, social media has suddenly enabled ordinary citizens to engage public figures directly. This has led to tremendous change in public life. Public institutions are benefiting from the increased participation of ordinary Africans in the political process. Social media has also led to some negative unintended consequences. Kenya has been a leader in the spread both of mobile phone and social media use in Africa.The research found evidence that social media is empowering ordinary Kenyans to shape public institutions. The research found that those public figures and institutions that had adapted to the new digitised environment were influencing public discourse more effectively in their favour. It also found that a new class of Kenyans—the digital citizens—had greater influence with policymakers, and had an enhanced capacity to influence support or lack thereof for the latter at the grassroots.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Journalism (M.J.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Journalism
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Queering Canadian Homonationalism: Limited Approaches to Foreign Homophobia

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Tompkins, Andrew
    Abstract:
    Since the 2005 legalization of same-sex marriage, lesbian and gay rights have gradually become a marker of Canadian national identity. In a prominent display of support for global queers, Canadian politicians from every level of government nearly unanimously condemned a 2013 Russian anti-gay law that was enacted ahead of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. Through the employment of Jasbir Puar’s analytic framework of homonationalism, I examine the ways in which Canada’s emerging national position on foreign homophobia, which has been informed by the mainstream LGBT rights movement, operates under the presumption that Western conceptualizations of sexuality are universally true. I contend that this approach fosters sentiments of cultural superiority, thereby dismissing the situated knowledges of foreign queers, and effectively limiting the potential for adequately challenging global homophobia.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Legal Studies
    Date Created:
    2015

  • NFE2L Regulation BY Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Bugno, Magdalena
    Abstract:
    Cell survival requires adaptive responses to transient increases of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during stress. The nuclear factor-erythroid 2-like factors (Nrf1 and Nrf2) and Maf cofactors transactivate genes with antioxidant response elements (ARE) to coordinate distinct metabolic pathways following ROS. Nrf2 predominantly responds to oxidative stress and electrophiles to regulate glutathione biosynthesis, while Nrf1 regulates proteasome induction. This thesis shows nuclear accumulation of the longer forms of Nrf1 (p120- and p95-Nrf1) in response to ER stress mediated by tunicamycin (TUN), thapsigargin (THP), and dithiothreitol (DTT) in HEK293T cells. Nrf2, as opposed to Nrf1, was induced by the oxidative stressor antimycin A (AA) in the absence of BiP induction while both Nrfs accumulated in the nuclei from DTT-mediated redox stress. Cell stress was monitored using the H2DCFDA, MTT and PI assays. These results are the first to indicate Nrf1 responds to ER stress distinctly from Nrf2 that responds to mitochondrial ROS.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • The long-Term Effect of Juvenile Stressor Exposure and Access to Palatable Food: Alterations in Dopamine and Ghrelin Signalling

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Ali, Eliza Fatima
    Abstract:
    Juvenile stressor exposure induces anxiety-like characteristics in adulthood and it is thought that palatable food can dampen HPA-activity, in part, through the mesolimbic pathway. Ghrelin, an orexigenic peptide, is involved in stress-induced preference for palatable food by modulating dopamine activity in the reward pathway. We hypothesize that the combination of juvenile stress and palatable food sensitizes the reward pathway, which will be manifested by altered dopamine signalling and enhanced sensitivity to ghrelin in adulthood. Findings revealed that palatable food ameliorated the anxiogenic effects of juvenile stress in adulthood however at the cost of increased adiposity. Also, a lack of association between the upregulation of dopamine receptor mRNA expression occurring at nucleus accumbens to rewarding stimuli (cookie dough and cocaine) in previously stressed rats fed the palatable food was observed. Juvenile stressor exposure enhanced ghrelin signalling for hedonic food whereas access to palatable food, regardless of stressor exposure, blunted ghrelin sensitivity.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Neuroscience
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Fabrication of Long Range Surface Plasmon Polariton Bragg Waveguide Biosensors on Cytop and Multilayer Substrates

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Northfield, Howard John
    Abstract:
    This thesis documents the micro-fabrication of a Long Range Surface Plasmon Polariton (LRSPP) biosensor device design that incorporates Bragg grating waveguides. The majority of the work involved the fine tuning of the bi-layer lithography, ultra-violet (UV) exposure and metal deposition micro-fabrication procedures. The goal was to resolve very fine features, accurately produce thin metallization and achieve a high quality metal surface. Repeatable resolution of Bragg gratings having a step-in-width from 8µm to 2µm, a 50% duty cycle and a period of 1690nm to 1800nm, was achieved with bi-layer lithography and UV exposure. A gold thickness of 35nm±5% and surface roughness of better than 2nm rms and average was achieved using thermal vacuum chamber deposition. The fabrication was performed on two different substrates; Cytop and a prefabricated Ta2O5/SiO2 multilayer stack.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Four Essays on Dynamic Panel Models

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Saunders, Charles Jasper
    Abstract:
    Dynamic panel data models can suffer greatly from the incidental parameter bias due to correlation between past realizations of the data and the unobserved heterogeneity, and this bias is a function of included regressors.This paper uses a simulation-based methods that require explicit model and set of assumptions to obtain consistent point estimates and exact confidence sets. A parametric discontinuous starting value is assumed for simulated series that jointly allows for stationary and unit root processes, where only the stationary case was considered in Gouriéroux, Phillips and Yu (2010). This discontinuous assumption leads to least squared dummy variable (LSDV) estimates that are nuisance parameter free and location-scale invariant. These properties are conferred to the indirect inference objective function (IIOF) used to obtain bias-corrected estimates.Discontinuities are problematic for traditional asymptotic methods of constructing confidence sets. To account for this the indirect confidence set inference method is introduced, which uses a second round of Monte Carlo simulations [Dufour (2006)] to calibrate the distribution of the IIOF. The confidence set is constructed with test inversion, so the parameters are set to known values, the model is tested at that point, and all points that fail to reject the null hypothesis are in confidence set. The confidence set is exact and level correct, since the IIOF is pivotal and both simulation rounds are exchangeable under the null.Adding regressors into panel data models can distort estimates, as this paper demonstrates with respect to the X-differencing method of Han and Phillips (2014) with regressors. By introducing a model augmentation approach, the influence of regressors are corrected. The augmentation uses a projection of the regressors for all time periods onto the model, giving the augmented-LSDV and the augmented-IIOF that are provably location-scale invariant properties and nuisance parameter free.The framework presented is robust to non-Gaussian errors, which is demonstrated with bank cost data where the dynamic technical efficiency framework allows for skew-Normal errors. Simulation studies support all theoretical results, with confidence sets that are level correct with good coverage properties, even for asymmetric confidence regions.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Economics
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Simulation of Mobile Hydroacoustic Communications in Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hasannezhad, Bita
    Abstract:
    We study the software simulation of underwater acoustic communications with mobility in UWASNs. We simulate the mobility of sensors and their communications, moving according to the Meandering Current Mobility (MCM) model. OMNeT++ and MATLAB are used to model and integrate three protocol layers of UWASNs: network, link, and physical. The effects of noise and attenuation on the underwater communications are considered in the physical layer model. Three major metrics are calculated in this work: Bit Error Rate (BER), distance, and signal energy per bit over noise power spectral density (Eb/N0). Finally, the performance of communicating sensors moving according to the MCM model is evaluated. The simulation results illustrate that the BER for digital data signals is an increasing function of the distance. In addition, the BER for digital data signals is a decreasing function of the Eb/N0 ratio.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2015

  • The Power of Playing and Performing: Social Anxiety and Participation in Extracurricular Activities in Early Childhood

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Nocita, Gabriella Anita
    Abstract:
    The goal of this study was to examine the potential linear and moderating effects of social anxiety and extracurricular activity participation in the prediction of young children’s early school adjustment. It was hypothesized that social anxiety would be harmful, and extracurricular activity participation would be beneficial for young children’s early school adjustment. Extracurricular activity participation was also expected to protect socially anxious children from negative school adjustment. Participants were N = 268 young children (aged 4-7 years) attending preschools and elementary schools located in south-eastern Ontario. Multisource assessment included parent, teacher, and child reports. Among the results: (1) social anxiety was associated with negative outcomes in early childhood; (2) engagement, but not frequency, of extracurricular activities was associated with early school adjustment; and (3) moderating effects of extracurricular activities were generally not found. Results are discussed in terms of implications for young socially anxious children’s positive early school adjustment.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • An (Im)Balance of Expectations: Civil Defence in Ottawa, 1951-1962

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Sopko, Andrew
    Abstract:
    Throughout the Cold War, the world lived with the fear that international tensions might lead to the outbreak of a devastating nuclear conflict. This fear drove Canadian policy makers to pursue civil defence, which entailed the organization of local communities and patriotic citizens to assist with the defence of their country by preparing for a nuclear conflict. Ottawa, as the national capital, was a possible target of a nuclear strike by the Soviet Union. From 1950-1962, the high watermark of civil defence, the city uneasily managed to reconcile the competing interests of stakeholders and the public with its civic responsibilities, evolving circumstances, and changeable federal policies. In the end, however, municipal squabbling pushed balance over the line into imbalance, and Ottawa’s civil defence program came crashing down.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    History
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Memories of the Photochemical: Examining the Digital Recreation of Analog Film Styles in Recent Popular Film

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Gleeson, Emily Norah
    Abstract:
    This thesis examines the use of the digital intermediate to recreate the appearance of analog film techniques in recent popular cinema. This particular use of the digital intermediate, which rose to prominence with various concerns about the state of cinema in the digital age, reflects an anxiety toward new technology, as well as a nostalgia for analog filmmaking techniques. The films discussed in this thesis use the digital intermediate in ways that explore themes related to nostalgia and memory. The way filmmakers use this technology reflects the various changes in digital technology and attitudes toward recent technological change in cinema.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Film Studies
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Participatory Breakthroughs and Reversals: A case study of participatory budgeting in Hamilton, Canada

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Kearney, Norman
    Abstract:
    Participatory budgeting tends to manifest as a civic engagement tool governed by the state, but in Hamilton, Canada, a unique albeit short-lived public budgeting system jointly governed by state and civil society institutions was established. State and civil society actors struggled over who had power over the governance and administration of the system, and eventually the state actors dissolved the budgeting system and instituted a new one that excluded the civil society institutions. Public participation in the exclusively state-managed budgeting system dropped by 43%, and by the third year state actors were proposing to discontinue participatory budgeting. Civil society leaders rejected this proposal and demanded the continuation of participatory budgeting and the re-recognition of civil society institutions, which the state actors accepted. This thesis builds on the Hamilton case, democratic theory, and theory of the state and civil society to show a potential pathway from liberal to participatory democracy.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Political Economy
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Measuring Parole Officer Competencies to Advance Core Correctional Practice

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Pardoel, Kaitlin
    Abstract:
    In three studies, the current research began to address the paucity of research in the area of parole officer characteristics, namely attitudes values, and competencies. To this end, the Parole Officer Competency Survey (POCS) was developed. In Study 1, the psychometric properties of the POCS were examined. Studies 2 and 3 assessed POCS and subscale scores in relations to two separate samples, one Canadian (N= 69), and one American (N = 94), with the intent of developing a normative competency profile. While findings did lead to the establishment of preliminary competency profiles, significant variability between survey scores and most sample demographic variables was not detected. Results from Study 1 demonstrated that the survey in its current form did not demonstrate adequate reliability and internal consistency, and could not be factor- analyzed, thus precluding further scale refinement through factor analysis. Despite limitations, findings did suggest promising directions for future research.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Living After Prison:The Experience of (Re)integration to Society After Release From an Ontario Correctional Facility

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Boon, Dirk
    Abstract:
    As individuals are released from incarceration in Ontario institutions they face a variety of barriers to their successful (re)integration. With the current reconviction rate at 44% within the first year of release, those being released quite clearly have trouble with this period of their lives. This study will therefore examine the (re)integration process at different stages, in order to understand how people cope with life after prison, and how their experiences of incarceration continue to affect them long after release. Understanding the ways that identity production and gender come to be affected by, and affect, time spent inside, and importantly the (re)integration process, will provide an in-depth look at the lives of individuals going through these processes. This will be achieved through ethnographic data gained throughout the fieldwork process, along with examinations of academic literature focused on identity, gender, and power.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Anthropology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • A Profile of Inmates Admitted to the Special Handling Unit in the Correctional Service of Canada

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    McQuaid, Sarah
    Abstract:
    The Special Handling Unit (SHU) is a prison facility that provides increased supervision and restrictions for inmates who cannot be appropriately managed at a maximum-security institution. SHU confinement differs from other types of segregation (e.g., administrative) in criteria for admission and severity of restrictions. The first purpose of this study was to identify the distinguishing characteristics of SHU inmates in comparison to administrative segregation inmates from a large sample of Canadian federal inmates (N = 3666). The second purpose was to identify common problems experienced by SHU inmates (N = 32), and determine the presence of subtypes of inmates for whom unique programming may be warranted. Results indicated violent behaviours, among other characteristics, to be particularly relevant for SHU inmates. However, distinct SHU subtypes were not identified. The author concluded that differential programming may not be necessary, and expressed the need for prospective research regarding the efficacy of the SHU.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • The thermal biology of fish in the Laurentian Great Lakes: insight from biologging and biotelemetry tools.

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Peat, Tyler
    Abstract:
    The purpose of this thesis was to characterize the thermal biology of three important fish species in the Laurentian Great Lakes using biologging and biotelemetry tools. Thermal patterns and occupancy models for adult walleye from Lake Erie and Huron were determined using biologging to assess the effects of sex, fish size, diel periods, and location (i.e., lake). The depth and temperature used by different sizes of northern pike and largemouth bass in the Toronto Harbour of Lake Ontario were studied with biotelemetry. Occupancy models revealed northern pike occupied deeper depths, while experiencing similar thermal experiences throughout the majority of the year compared to largemouth bass. As a whole, this thesis enhances the understanding of the thermal biology of free-swimming fish in the Laurentian Great Lakes informing the management of three economically and socially important fish species.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • “I’m Not Looking for Mr. Right, Just Mr. Right Now”: Men Clients of Men Escorts

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Symons, Emily
    Abstract:
    In 2014 Canada’s prostitution laws underwent legal reform. The new legal regime criminalized, among other things, the purchase of a sexual service. Arguably, because their existence challenges the underlying rational of the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (that sex work is male violence against women), men sex workers and their clients have been excluded from the conversation. Moreover, there is a glaring gap in the literature in terms of men’s experiences hiring men sex workers. Drawing upon ten in-depth one-on-one interviews with men who self-identify as clients of men escorts, this thesis explores the commercial sexual exchange, risks and their management, stigma, and identity. The findings challenge the prevailing narrative of sex workers’ clients as either exploiters or pathetic losers, highlight the diversity of clients, nuance the range of experiences, and draw attention to the complexity of the relationships between clients and the escorts they hire.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Sociology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • An Innovative Foundation System For Bollards and Barriers

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Adom, George Mensah
    Abstract:
    A vehicular bollard is a barrier system used to restrict movement of vehicles around buildings. An important factor to consider in the design of bollards is the impact resistance of the bollard which is dependent on its foundation. Previous studies conducted on foundation systems for bollards mostly focuses on the use of shallow concrete foundation. However, a simple deep foundation technology can be employed for bollards with minimum cost. This thesis investigates the use of such deep foundation technology for bollards. Extensive experimental study into innovative foundation systems for vehicle bollards using soil was conducted in the laboratory to evaluate the performance of different pile systems under both static and impact lateral loads. The results demonstrated that part of the bollard can be used as a pile with fins attached on it to design simple deep foundation systems which are capable of resisting the vehicular load acting on the bollard.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Civil
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Uncertainty in Climate Change Discourse: An Examination of Regional Canadian Newspapers

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Neil, Allison
    Abstract:
    This thesis examines the prevalence and framing of climate change across seven regional Canadian newspapers, with a focus on climate uncertainty, from April 1 to September 30, 2013. Results indicate that climate change and uncertainty are prevalent across Canadian newspapers, and that there is a prevailing discourse. Climate change is primarily framed as a contemporary issue that exists on an international scale. It is often linked to environmental, political, energy, and scientific issues; however, climate change itself is primarily de-contextualized. Climate solutions are especially lacking from the discourse and climate responsibility is either non-existent or related to government. It is thus not surprising that uncertainty within the discourse is primarily about climate action and solutions. Although there are some statistically significant differences between the regional newspapers in regards to spatial framing, climate context, and climate attitude, there does not appear to be any underling spatial pattern therein.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Geography
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Calypso as a Vehicle for Political Commentary: An Endangered Musical Species

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Dean, Darryl G.
    Abstract:
    Calypso, widely regarded today (in 2015) as the national music of the two-island Caribbean state of Trinidad and Tobago, was born out of the struggle in the 18th century of enslaved Africans in Trinidad to maintain their cultural traditions. The music of the slaves was banned by the colonial authorities and after emancipation in the 19th century, their songs, many with biting satirical lyrics and political and social commentary, were subject to repressive censorship laws.Although official censorship of calypso is no longer in effect in Trinidad and Tobago, this musical genre continues to face major challenges. As more aficionados of the art form turn to soca, the more popular "jump up" or party music which developed from calypso, unofficial censorship and self-censorship as well as other factors impact negatively on this genre, raising concerns for its survival as a vehicle for political commentary.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Journalism (M.J.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Journalism
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Compressed Sensing of Block Sparse Signals with Application to Wideband Spectrum Sensing

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Zeinalkhani, Zeinab
    Abstract:
    In many applications of compressed sensing, the signal is block sparse. Here, we propose a family of iterative algorithms for the recovery of block sparse signals, referred to as iterative reweighted $\ell_2/\ell_1$ minimization algorithms (IR-$\ell_2/\ell_1$).As an example, we apply the proposed algorithms to wideband spectrum sensing (WSS). Our simulation and analytical results on the recovery of both ideally and approximately block sparse signals show that the proposed iterative algorithms have significant advantages in terms of accuracy and the number of required measurements over the existing methods.We also propose a of reweighting scheme for the recovery block sparse signals with known borders to improve the performance of the so-called approximate message passing (AMP) algorithm.For the case of unknown borders, we propose an iterative algorithm which combines a border detection scheme with a recovery algorithm for block sparse signals with known borders. Simulation results, both in noiseless and noisy scenarios, show a considerably better performance/complexity trade-off compared to other state-of-the-art recovery algorithms.WSS is a significant challenge in cognitive radios (CRs) due to requiring very high-speed analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), operating at or above the Nyquist rate. Here, we first propose a very low-complexity zero-block detection scheme that can detect a large fraction of spectrum holes from the sub-Nyquist samples, even when the undersampling ratio is very small.We then propose an iterative low-complexity scheme for the reliable detection of zero blocks in a block sparse signal.This scheme is based on the application of verification based (VB) recovery algorithms in compressed sensing to block sparse signals. To apply both schemes to WSS, we devise a block sparse sensing matrix by designing a novel analog-to-information converter (AIC). The AIC, the sensing matrix and the VB algorithms can be optimized such that the largest number of zero blocks for a given number of measurements can be detected. These works introduce a paradigm in the recovery of block sparse signals, where one is interested in partial detection of the complement of the support set, reliably, rather than the full recovery of the signal or its support.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2015

  • PGP Auth: Using Public Key Encryption for Authentication on the Web

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Wueppelmann, Derek
    Abstract:
    The majority of authentication systems use text passwords, as they provide a flexible method of authenticating on a wide variety of devices. Unfortunately, having suffi- ciently strong passwords does not protect users against phishing or offline guessing attacks. In this thesis, we present a new authentication mechanism that uses PGP.We iteratively designed PGP Auth, implemented it, and conducted user testing. Users rated the software highly and indicated that they would be very likely to use the software. They also liked the idea of having a single password to access their accounts and appreciated the security of using PGP as an authentication system.We believe that with a refined user interface, PGP Auth is a viable authentication mechanism that addresses many of the security vulnerabilities of traditional text password authentication. We also provide recommendations to aid in the development of future versions of PGP Auth based on our results.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Human-Computer Interaction
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Enhancing Rates In Relay Channels

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Luo, Wen Kevin
    Abstract:
    The main objective of this study is to investigate the structures and procedures which are promising to achieve higher rates and larger rate regions in the relay channels and the communication networks that contain relay nodes. In particular, the study places particular emphasis on the relaying techniques pertaining to compress-and-forward.The thesis first examines a generalization of decode-and-forward (DF) and compress-and-forward (CF) in Gaussian channels. Although this generalization has been known for over thirty years, the result in this thesis is the first to illustrate the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regions in which the generalization reduces to constituent DF or CF schemes. In particular, the thesis demonstrates the existence of SNR regions in which the generalization is guaranteed to supersede both DF and CF, but with a gain of within 0.5 bits per channel use.Having gained insight into the random binning in the CF scheme, this thesis argues that a new decoding procedure exploiting the N-to-1 mapping based on binning is able to relax the rate constraint on the relay transmission, and generalize the noisy network coding based schemes which are constrained to the 1-to-1 mapping. This thesis identifies two instances in which exploiting the N-to-1 mapping inherent in this generalization yields rate gains, even though it does not yield such a gain in other multimessage networks.In the analysis of a secure communication problem, the thesis introduces the concept of “friendly” eavesdropper in a broadcast channel in the presence of a malicious Gaussian jammer. Taking advantage of the N-to-1 mapping, it is shown that the new decoding procedure enables CF to achieve the capacity of the channel.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Ice island variability in polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar: An exploratory analysis to improve detection and ice classification

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Lewis-Paley, Gregory
    Abstract:
    Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite imagery is often used to discriminate ice types and identify glacial ice hazards to marine operations. This 'data-mining' study examined 123 polarimetric SAR variables in 70 RADARSAT-2 images to assess their utility in separating ice islands (large tabular icebergs) from other ocean covers. Difference of means tests identified five SAR variables to separate each ocean cover. Further SAR variables were found using forward-selection in Redundancy Analysis (RDA). RDA also identified incidence angle, air temperature and wind speed as primary confounding factors for all assessed ocean covers. Support Vector Machine classification using five SAR variables was used to develop an ocean cover classification model. This technique competently distinguished open water, first- and multi-year ice, but could not discriminate ice islands. The selected SAR variables, many not previously investigated, warrant further study and the RDA approach showed promise to guide future development of remote sensing classifiers.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Geography
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Reclaiming the End(s) of Politics: Considerations on the Possibility of a Renewed Agonistic Understanding of the Post-Political

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Gulluoglu, Rusen Firat
    Abstract:
    This thesis seeks to combine two concepts that are generally considered to be antithetical: agonistic democracy and the post-political. The starting place for the thesis is Chantal Mouffe`s understanding of the political, an account that links the construction of political identities, politics and radical democracy. Suggesting that Mouffe`s treatment offers a fertile ground for thinking about the future of democracy, this thesis develops a political approach where the post-political is placed at the forefront of democratic efforts, with the hope that it will counteract the interconnected problems of the securitization of politics and the devaluation of pluralism that plagues Mouffe`s political thought. Unearthing the conceptual connections between Alexandre Kojeve`s understanding of political subject formation and Mouffe`s empty signifier, this thesis investigates the possibility of articulating an understanding of the concept of the post-political that does not result in a totalitarian utopia as the Mouffean critique of the concept suggests.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Legal Studies
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Medicating the Crisis: Investigating the Links Between Precarious Employment, Mental Health Issues, and the Reliance on Antidepressants as Treatment

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Lefebvre, Priscillia J.
    Abstract:
    My research engages in literature that discusses the relationship between precarious employment conditions, declines in mental health, and the way mental health issues are treated with pharmaceutical technologies – namely antidepressant medication. In this dissertation, I aim to contribute to this discussion by a) situating the relationship between precarious labour conditions and mental health within a specifically capitalist society, and b) investigating the pharmaceutical treatment of individual illness experiences and mental health issues that can be linked back to broader social structures. In doing so I provide an analysis of the process of medicalization, which locates mental health aetiology as primarily biochemical and focuses on medical, commodity-based interventions, specifically antidepressants, in response to illness experiences – where dis-ease becomes disease. My primary method is a theoretical analysis of capitalist commodity production, the social process of medical knowledge production, medicalization, and development of pharmaceutical technologies. The goal of my theoretical analysis is to achieve new insight regarding my research questions by bringing together existing bodies of literature. A narrative analysis of stories gathered through in-depth interviews and autoethnographic accounts complement the main theoretical analysis, and are used to explore personal experiences of precarious social conditions related to mental health and work. I pay particular attention to systems of oppression enabled and fed through capitalism, such as gender, ability, and class relations. I argue that a reliance on antidepressant medication in response to the distress of working people and the unemployed poor plays an important role in enabling the continuation of dysfunctional social conditions. I argue that classifying mental health issues as purely medical erases social structural factors in the development of illness, and removes the serious consideration of such factors from diagnosis and treatment. This erasure also limits people’s capacity to act on pertinent questions they may have regarding their own emotional fulfillment and social wellbeing. Such disempowerment frustrates the radical imagination and pursuit of more sustainable and equitable ways of developing and maintaining genuine health.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Sociology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • The effect of paternal dietary folic acid on male fertility and embryo development in Balb/c mice

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Moussa, Carolyne Samir
    Abstract:
    In 1998, Canada fortified white flour with folic acid targeting women of childbearing age to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects. Resultantly, FA intake in men increased. This study investigated the effect of paternal FA intake on male fertility, embryo development, and methylation dependent gene expression in unexposed descendants of Balb/c mice. Folate deficiency resulted in a higher number of embryos with congenital anomalies and developmental delay, and a lower prevalence of ossification in bones of the skull. Placenta size was higher with higher FA intake. BiSulfite Amplicon Sequencing was used to characterize methylation changes in heritable epigenetically regulated genes for which hepatic expression was dependent on grand-paternal FA exposure during early development or post-weaning. CpG islands in promoters of three genes had subtle diet-induced methylation changes. This study highlights the importance of adequate paternal FA intake, emphasizing that fortification can directly impact embryo development and affect future generations.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2015

  • Evaluating the Effectiveness of Three Dimensional Geovisualization Tools in Communicating Climate Change Impacts, A PEI Case Study

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Salisbury, Laura Elizabeth
    Abstract:
    Three-dimensional geographic visualization (3D geovisualization) tools have been praised as a solution to the challenge of communicating climate change impacts by capturing public interest, making the issues more personal, and motivating users to take action. However, evaluation methods are not standardized, especially with novice and expert users. Using a combination of workshop surveying and usability testing, I addressed this issue by studying the Coastal Impact Visualization Environment (CLIVE) tool, which allows users to visualize potential sea-level rise and coastal erosion scenarios on PEI (Prince Edward Island). I found that geovisualization tools have the capability to educate and engage users about potential climate change impacts, but generally fade from the users’ memories over time, leading to a lack of overall motivation to take climate change action. This has paved the way for the development of a pilot cybercartographic atlas to keep the discussion about climate change impacts accessible.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Geography
    Date Created:
    2015

  • ACH Walkthrough: Designing and Building a Web Application for Collaborative Sensemaking

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Wilson, Robert Jeffrey Pardoe
    Abstract:
    This thesis describes the research and development of a prototype for a co-located collaborative intelligence analysis tool: ACH Walkthrough. The tool is a collaborative variation of an established structured analysis method called Analysis of Competing Hypotheses, originally developed for intelligence analysis. Recent changes to web application architectures offer important opportunities to produce visually rich applications that support co-located and remote collaborative decision making scenarios. We begin by reviewing the literature on sensemaking and development frameworks for surface applications. We explore architectural issues in using web frameworks for collaborative applications. We then present the design and implementation of ACH Walkthrough, our prototype design for team-based intelligence analysis, and the evaluation of the application's major architectural components. Finally, we document feedback on the tool and explore alternative designs and architectural approaches.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2015