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  • The emerging technology collection at Carleton University Library: supporting experiential learning in the university curriculum

    Resource Type:
    Poster
    Creator:
    Cross, Emma
    Abstract:
    The emerging technology collection at Carleton University is a successful collaboration between the Library, Discovery Centre for Undergraduate Research & Engagement and Information Technology Services. Starting with a pilot project in Jan. 2015, the collection now provides access to over 40 pieces of technology equipment for loan. The poster will discuss benefits and challenges associated with this project and the value of shared Library space for the development and delivery of an innovative new service. Conference poster presented at the Ontario Library Association SuperConference on Friday February 3, 2017.
    Date Created:
    2017-02-03

  • Test Procedure for Conducted Energy Weapons, Version 2.0

    Resource Type:
    Report
    Creator:
    Sinclair, Ian, Adler, Andy, and Dawson, David
    Abstract:
    Several studies have discussed the need for reliable uniform testing of Conducted Energy Weapons (CEWs) independent of the manufacturer. This Test Procedure is designed to enable organizations across Canada to test CEWs in a reliable, repeatable manner to determine whether they are operating within manufacturerʼs specifications. The CEW Test Procedure establishes a methodology by which testing facilities and personnel will be able to test CEWs and determine whether they are operating within manufacturers' specifications, and defines data collection requirements so that data collected may be used in forensic analysis and for future research.
    Date Created:
    2017-02-17

  • Development of Preheating and Power Inverting Systems for Lithium-Ion Batteries

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Zhai, Long
    Abstract:
    A novel short-circuit self-heating (SCSH) control system was developed in this thesis to achieve the preheating of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries operated in extremely cold weather (< -30°C). The proposed system relies on the internal resistance of batteries and the short circuit current to heat up batteries using Joule heating. Experiments show that the SCSH control system can heat up the commercial Panasonic 18650 Li-ion batteries from -30°C to 0°C in 43 seconds, with less than 5 percent of the battery capacity consumed. The proposed heating system outperformed both external convective air heating and alternating current (AC) heating, in terms of heating time and energy consumption. Furthermore, a DC to AC battery power inverter was developed to implement the AC heating and to make the battery pack available for household appliances.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Mechanical
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Towards a Performance-Based Fire Design Framework for Composite Steel Deck Construction in Canada

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Smith, Matthew
    Abstract:
    In Canada, buildings are designed for fire safety in a predominately prescriptive manner, especially the structural design of those buildings for the fire limit state. The research presented herein first assessed the Canadian literature to determine if performance-based fire design (PBFD) could be implemented nationally and then analyzed what precedents existed in Canada. Next, benchmark modelling was performed to transparently demonstrate the competency that is needed to assess a structure for a real fire. Building on this, a novel alternative solution was proposed which incorporated PBFD to achieve quantifiable benefits in robustness, economy, and resilience, as well as identify mechanisms in the response of the floor. Finally, a framework is proposed for progressing PBFD responsibly in Canada. This is sorely lacking in the Canadian literature if PBFD is to see more development and implementation for structural fire solutions.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Civil
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Development of Aptamers and Aptamer-Based Materials for Agricultural Applications

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Mastronardi, Emily Elizabeth
    Abstract:
    With an increasing global population, there is a need for more efficient fertilizers to alleviate the negative environmental impacts of fertilizer runoff. Developments in nanotechnology could lead to fertilizers that interact with plants more efficiently. Aptamers are oligonucleotide receptors that fold into unique shapes and bind target molecules with high affinity and selectivity. Aptamers are generated through the in vitro evolution process called SELEX. Aptamers have been incorporated into sensors, diagnostics, therapeutics, targeted-delivery vehicles, and responsive materials. Biomolecules called exudates that are associated with improved nutrient uptake by crops have been identified and could serve as targets for specific fertilizer delivery. This work describes the selection of DNA aptamers binding to crop exudate, L-serine, for use in a smart fertilizer system. SELEX for small molecules has some inherent challenges, and three SELEX strategies paired with high-throughput sequencing analysis were implemented to improve the selection process. Aptamers developed from an original DNA library, as well as from DNA libraries modified from a previous small molecule selection are described. Aptamers binding to L-serine in solution were identified, and were modified to lower their production cost, and to increase their stability for use in fertilizer applications. Finally, an aptamer-polymersome nanostructure was investigated for potential use as a targeted-delivery vehicle.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemistry
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Characterization and Application of Novel Structure Switching Aptamers for Aflatoxins

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Goudreau, Daniel
    Abstract:
    Aflatoxins are a class of mycotoxins that are of great agro-economic importance. Due to their health implications, and large economic burden, aflatoxins have become the most studied group of mycotoxins. A specific interest in rapid, robust, and cost effective, on-site sensing platforms for mycotoxin contaminants has been shown. Aptamers are functional oligonucleotide sequences that are selected to bind a cognate ligand with high affinity and selectivity. Novel structure switching aptamer candidates for total aflatoxin were previously selected. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays, melting temperature, and circular dichroism along with predictive structural characterization techniques were used to help elucidate the aptamer candidate's structural biases for G-quadruplex formation. Two candidates were determined to bind aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) with high affinity using microscale thermophoresis. Using the AFB1 binding aptamers, progress has been made towards developing FRET-based signalling sensors that leverage the structure-switching properties of the aptamer.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemistry
    Date Created:
    2017

  • An Archive of Settler Belonging: Local Feeling, Land, and the Forest Resource on Vancouver Island

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Black, Kelly
    Abstract:
    This dissertation explores the local, material, and affective processes of Settler (non-Indigenous) attachment to land on southern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. I describe these feelings for land as Settler belonging and my research is guided by a reflexive and interdisciplinary approach that seeks to "explain Settlers to ourselves." Through original archival research and personal reflection, I argue that "(dis)possession," a term that encompasses Settler efforts to take the land and belong to the land, is a generational process, one that is worked at over time in an effort to link the past with the present and serve future Settler belonging. Through a study of plants, forest resource extraction, roads and railways, park creation, and real estate development in the Cowichan Valley and Sooke - Juan de Fuca regions, I argue that Settler feelings for land manifest in locally specific and contradictory ways. I contribute to the study of Settler colonialism and political economy in Canada by adapting the staples approach, as developed by Harold A. Innis, Mel Watkins, and others, to trace the intersection of belonging with the resource economy and the characteristics of Settler colonialism. This dissertation links historical and ongoing transformations in the relations of production, such as the conversion of private forestry lands into real estate, to reveal the ways in which belonging adjusts to political and economic changes that both assist and threaten its future. I argue that studying the locality of belonging contributes insight and nuance to our understanding of materiality and affect, class relations, the staple economy, and Settler colonialism's broader processes. In doing so, I demonstrate that Settler attachment to land is entrenched and expanded through a series of recurring events that are shared, personal, and conflictual.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Canadian Studies
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Trade Unions and Noncitizens in South Africa: Towards an Organizational Norm of Differentiated Universalism

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Paziuk, Tyler
    Abstract:
    The apartheid era was characterized by a concerted program of denationalization that rendered the Black majority both 'right-less' and exploitable while simultaneously institutionalizing racial and ethnic differences. In casting all workers, irrespective of ethnicity or origin, as members of the Black working class, trade unions of the period transcended divisions and, eventually, claimed citizenship for Black South Africans. Today, a set of legitimized legal discriminations, embodied in the Western, statist institution of citizenship, similarly renders noncitizens vulnerable to xenophobia and exploitation, and contributes to the disunity of the southern African working class. Drawing on primary research conducted in Gauteng, South Africa in the southern spring of 2016 and with analytical inspiration from feminist citizenship theory, my thesis questions whether this proudly held "organizational norm of universalism" is capable of mitigating the effects of these legal discriminations and of overcoming the divisions they incite.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Political Economy
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Fake Terrorism: Examining terrorist groups’ resort to hoaxing as a mode of attack

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Tishler, Nicole Alexandra
    Abstract:
    Little academic attention has been accorded to terrorism hoaxers—i.e. those perpetrators who use lies, benign materials and/or empty threats to give the impression that a terrorist act is or has been underway. This dissertation harnesses under-utilised terrorism events data to build a theory of hoaxes in pursuit of a dual aim: to provide a robust substantive answer to the empirical puzzle of why hoaxes are used, but not by all groups, and not all the time; and to evaluate the degree to which existing data can demystify the hoax phenomenon. The starting point is a rationalist framework for terrorist groups' strategic logics, which emphasizes the relative costs and benefits of hoaxes in relation to serious terrorism activity. In the empirical theory-building chapters, probit regression and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) are used to identify various organizational conditions that differentiate hoaxers from non-hoaxers, thereby indicating which strategic logics are plausibly at play, and in which contexts. A statistical cluster analysis demonstrates that there are five broad classes of hoaxing terrorist groups, which differ from one another along motivational, structural, and campaign contextual lines. While the unit of analysis throughout is the terrorist group, these analyses rely on cross-national terrorism events databases—predominantly ITERATE and the Monterey WMD Terrorism Database—to identify which groups never hoax, and which groups sometimes do. In the dissertation's final section, earlier findings are tested against a new sample of terrorism perpetrators derived from the recently-released Canadian Incident Database (CIDB). Although the Canada-centric data reveals a biased under-reporting of hoax activity in the cross-national datasets, a QCA analysis of its perpetrators reveals roughly similar conditions differentiating hoaxers from non-hoaxers. The CIDB's comprehensive events coverage is further exploited to test whether these organizational indicators and their associated hypothesized mechanisms hold, when campaign activities are evaluated at the event-level. A fine-grained analysis of event sequencing in Canada's most prolific terrorism campaign (that of the Front de libération du Québec) corroborates a range of proposed strategic logics. The observational nature of available data is thus limited in its ability to clarify hoaxers' strategic logics, which are both over-determined and equifinal.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    International Affairs
    Date Created:
    2017

  • On Behaviour-Based Network Inference and Distribution-Based Network Control

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    McKenney, David Greig
    Abstract:
    Complex networks are prevalent structures throughout technological systems, and are also used to model many non-technological systems as well. Application domains that make use of networks range from financial systems, to biology/medicine, to online social networks and agent-based systems. There is a strong desire to control these types of systems, to avoid catastrophic failures, increase system stability, or achieve some known system goal.The development of automated controllers for these types of systems is a complex problem that involves several key subproblems, including the selection of a control node set and the generation of control signals to be injected into the network. Previous research involving network control has typically assumed the underlying network connections are precisely known and has also taken a strictly vector-based view of system state. This thesis expands on the existing network control work in two significant directions.First, this thesis investigates algorithmic, behaviour-based methods for predicting links within networks. This involves using transfer entropy measurements, calculated between time series of actions generated by participating agents. This approach could be used to predict underlying networks in unobservable problem domains (e.g., financial systems) or to identify links that are truly influential within observable problem domains (e.g., online social networks). A number of prediction algorithms are proposed and compared, several of which attain high levels of accuracy, even with a limited amount of available system information.Second, this thesis eschews the traditional vector-based view of system state within network control problems, proposing a novel, distribution-based approach. One of the most studied control goals in the existing research has involved moving a system between two vector-based states. Distribution-based control, however, identifies state distributions as targets for control, which is arguably a more expressive and suitable approach for many problem domains. The effect of various network parameters on control success is investigated within a distribution-based control problem, with microscopic analysis of subset distributions being used to demonstrate why control is more difficult in certain scenarios. This information is used to inform the creation of new control node selection algorithms, with statistically significant improvements over the highest rated heuristic from previous research being realized.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Multidimensional assessments of long-term anthropogenic impacts on domed peatlands: Learning from two centuries at Alfred Bog, Ontario Canada

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Foster, Robert Alexander
    Abstract:
    This study examines changes in a domed peatland's areal versus volumetric reduction, impacts of anthropogenic drivers and supply of three ecosystem services (ESs) (carbon storage, food production, peat production) over 11 dates covering 200+ years (1800-2014). Historical air photos, maps and texts were used to map changes. Trends in area versus volume, for both the peatland's reduction and impacts of individual drivers, diverged. The divergence varied in magnitude both between examined drivers and dates, as their distribution across the depth profile changed. Despite greater areal losses in the 1800s, deeper disturbances in the 1900s yielded greater volumetric changes. This paralleled the shift from agricultural conversion to commercial peat extraction, underscoring their distinct and temporally dynamic effects on ES supply. Shorter intervals helped identify changing relationships between ESs and drivers, and broader human-environmental interactions. Thus, detecting spatial and temporal variations in ES responses to disturbances within domed peatlands necessitated multidimensional analyses.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Geography
    Date Created:
    2017

  • "You Can Only Deny Me for So Long by Saying I Don't Exist": A Critical Examination of Racialized Femmephobia and Femme Invisibility

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Donelle, Celine
    Abstract:
    This is a research project exploring the intersections of femme subjectivity, femmephobia, and race and racism. Specifically, I critique an essentialized understanding of femmephobia which centralizes 'unmarked' white femme bodies, and thus silences the experiences of queer racialized femmes. By way of semi-structured interviews with ten queer racialized femmes and an exploration of corporate media representations of racialized queer femmes, this thesis examines how discussions of race and racism are integral to discussions surrounding femmephobia and femme invisibility. I argue both that corporate media productions increase invisibility and erasure for femmes but also how this invisibility and erasure has shaped the experiences of racialized queer femmes in particular.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Women's and Gender Studies
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Maintaining Party Unity: Analyzing the Conservative Party of Canada’s Integration of the Progressive Conservative and Canadian Alliance Parties

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Thompson, Matthew
    Abstract:
    Federal conservative parties in Canada have long been plagued by several persistent cleavages and internal conflict. This conflict has hindered the party electorally and contributed to a splintering of right-wing votes between competing right-wing parties in the 1990s. The Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) formed from a merger of the Progressive Conservative (PC) party and the Canadian Alliance in 2003. This analysis explores how the new party was able to maintain unity and prevent the long-standing cleavages from disrupting the party. The comparative literature on party factions is utilized to guide the analysis as the new party contained faction like elements. Policy issues and personnel/patronage distribution are stressed as significant considerations by the comparative literature as well literature on the PC's internal fighting. The analysis thus focuses on how the CPC approached these areas to understand how the party maintained unity. For policy, the campaign platforms, Question Period performance and government sponsored bills of the CPC are examined followed by an analysis of their first four policy conventions. With regards to personnel and patronage, Governor in Council and Senate appointments are analyzed, followed by the new party's candidate nomination process and Stephen Harper's appointments to cabinet. The findings reveal a careful and concentrated effort by party leadership, particularly Harper, at managing both areas to ensure that members from each of the predecessor parties were motivated to remain in the new party. Harper's role in maintaining party unity is substantial, and the findings indicate that the centralization of power under the Prime Minister can have a positive impact. The findings also situate the CPC relative to its predecessor parties, uncovering in detail where the new party bears resemblance and differs from its predecessors.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Political Science
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Political Ecology of Health of South Sudanese Immigrants and Refugees in Ottawa

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    MacPherson, Kathryn Patricia
    Abstract:
    Emerging research suggests despite access to healthcare, South Sudanese in Canada experience dismal health. Applying political ecology of health (PEH) framework, this qualitative study builds on literature, to examine factors underlying this health decline. Focus groups and in-depth interviews with South Sudanese in Ottawa (n=31) reveal multiple factors acting alone or in interaction with processes at multiple temporal and spatial scales. Specifically, findings show that trauma suffered before arrival and from ongoing conflict in South Sudan affects everyday health. The findings also show that a deep political and moral sentiment of solidarity with the motherland mediates household decisions about health. In addition, fierce intra-ethnic rivalry stirred by conflict in South Sudan greatly affects South Sudanese, eroding social and psychological resources necessary for health. Furthermore, the findings indicate that weak integration of South Sudanese men in Canada breeds feelings of loss of social status, triggering family instability and gendered health impacts.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Geography
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Political Trials and Felquistes Defendants: Defending the Front de Libération du Québec (FLQ) in the Courtroom

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Pacione, Darren
    Abstract:
    Anchored in trial-related archival material and written French-language accounts of high-profile Front de Libération du Québec (FLQ) trials and their defendants, this project considers the performative dimension of political trials. To this end, this study examines how the FLQ defendants and their representatives navigated their legal encounters. FLQ defendants' deployment of political defence strategies through their active period (1963-1972) is further grounded in the historical context of the legal regime through which they navigated, recent debates about contemporary political trials, and broader debates about the politicization of approaches to legal representation. Through three case studies: (1) The LaGrenade Affair (the manslaughter trials of the Vallières-Gagnon Network), (2) the Trial of the Montréal Five (a seditious conspiracy prosecution), and (3) the FLQ contempt of court trials, I argue that the politicized legal defence strategies of the FLQ defendants emerged relative to shifting ideological commitments and growing legal pressures from the state. Through consideration of how FLQ defendants utilized legal procedures and arguments, political histories, and the rule of law narratives, new insights are gained into the confrontations between the accused, Crown, and the Québec bench within the high-stakes context of the pre- and post-1970 October Crisis FLQ trials.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Legal Studies
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Improved Method for Airborne Photogrammetry Using Small Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles in Recording Existing and Historic Structures

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Dalphy, Joshua
    Abstract:
    This research's objective was to investigate an alternative cost effective means of direct georeferencing for airborne photogrammetry using small UAVs. Through added computational functionality, a custom data acquisition script was developed to directly associate the aircraft's position and orientation to an image being captured in real time. The implemented system was tested by conducting an aerial survey on River Field, located on the campus of Carleton University. A comparison between the data recorded from the aircraft's telemetry log with the results obtained from the custom data acquisition script was conducted to verify its efficacy. The calculated parameters of exterior orientation for the direct and assisted methods were then compared to the reference values determined through indirect georeferencing. Additionally, a comparison of the generated 3D point clouds was undertaken. The results showed good agreement between the point clouds generated through direct and assisted georeferencing with the reference point cloud.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Aerospace
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Improved Activity-Based Model for Mega-Events

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Sindi, Alaa
    Abstract:
    The multiple discrete-continuous extreme value (MDCEV) model is an advanced model used to estimate activity duration. It contains three parameters: baseline utility, translating satiation, and pure satiation. The translating satiation parameter is expected to capture the constant marginal utility effect, but it does not. Therefore, a modified model was developed that adds a fourth parameter (the power parameter) to the translating satiation parameter to capture the constant marginal utility effect. In addition, this research applies the power parameter to either and both the translating satiation parameter and the pure satiation parameter to examine effects of the parameters’ interaction to further improve the MDCEV model’s accuracy. The proposed model was applied to data sets from two countries, Saudi Arabia and Germany, to test the applicability of the modified model to any data set. This research found that adding the power parameter exclusively to the translating satiation parameter was the best model structure to maximize the accuracy of the MDCEV model for both data sets. Because an activity duration model is part of an activity-based travel demand framework, this improvement will lead to better predictability of activity-based travel demand. As a result, transportation planners can make appropriate decisions regarding future transportation infrastructure projects, which in turn will lead to a reduction in costs associated with these projects and decreased delays for transportation system users.The main step in estimating travel demand is establishing the modeling framework. Conceptual travel demand modeling frameworks for mega-events were established based on a literature review of frameworks and the studies that form the skeleton of these frameworks. Studies performed on mega-events demonstrated the importance of modeling mega-events separately from regular daily activities. Studies conducted on market segmentation shed light on the importance of modeling mega-events participants separately from nonparticipants and have resulted in improved guidelines for mega-event host cities aiming to reduce road network congestion. Criteria were established to select statistical software suitable for project inputs (e.g., project size). Finally, the estimated modified MDCEV model was generalized for use in transportation planning around the globe where limited planning models are available.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Civil
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Canada's Role in Promoting Mining and Development Policy Reforms in Sub-Saharan Africa

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Jacobs, John Herman
    Abstract:
    Accessing sufficient capital on terms conducive to development is a major challenge in achieving Sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA) mining potential. The effects of neoliberal policy reforms promoted by the IMF and World Bank and other Western actors has ensured that mining and development policies are dominated by foreign direct investment (FDI)-led approaches. The disappointing development benefits generated in SSA by the 2000s commodity boom has led to a re-evaluation of these FDI-led development models and to SSA calls for country-led development strategies wherein states play an increased role.Canada has become a major source of mining capital and policy advice for SSA. This dissertation examines Canada’s interventions in SSA mining and development policy reforms, specifically related to the promotion of bilateral investment treaties (BITs), global mining policy diffusion networks and best practices. The core question is whether Canada’s interventions support the development of the policy options needed in SSA to ensure that mining contributes to sustainable social and economic development.Chapter 1 provides an orientation to mining and development issues in SSA, examining the continued influence of the FDI-led model that was central to the World Bank’s 1990s mining policy reforms that focused on generating revenue and rejected state-led socio-economic development mining policies. Chapter 2 examines Canada’s recent conclusion of nine BITs with SSA countries. The chapter analyzes the potential development impacts of Canada’s BITs, finding that they are particularly economically liberalizing and that they undermine the ability of SSA states to generate socio-economic benefits. Chapter 3 examines the role played by Canadian funded institutions and networks in the diffusion of the FDI-led mining and development model. The chapter contends that Canada is playing a central role in reducing the parameters of what are considered viable policy options for SSA states.Overall, this dissertation argues that Canada’s interventions have promoted policy reforms that focus on increasing and protecting opportunities for Canadian registered mining companies and that these policies undermine the ability of host countries to ensure that FDI contributes to economically sustainable development, thereby undermining the emergence of developmental states and regional initiatives such as the Africa Mining Vision.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Public Policy
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Distance Estimation for 3D Freehand Ultrasound-Scans with Visualization System

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Wei, Hsi-Cheng Don
    Abstract:
    Some primary concerns with freehand 3D ultrasound are time-consuming calibration operations, overall accuracy, and computation time during the 3D reconstruction process. A procedure was developed to reduce the calibration time to only 10 seconds by planning the path of the probe. A decrease in marginal error may improve the overall accuracy by searching axial and lateral distances with a maximum correlation coefficient, and was based on constructing an adaptive decorrelation curve from images containing Rayleigh and coherent scatters. Marginal errors were reduced in the range of 3% to 11% when the distance estimation was between 0.15mm and 0.375mm in in-vitro studies. To save computation time within the 3D reconstruction, a low-resolution 3D reconstruction algorithm is proposed so that verification can be completed prior to computing a high-resolution reconstruction.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biomedical Engineering
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Modeling, Analysis and Simulation of Nonperturbative Nonlinear Laser-Gas Interation

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Lytova, Marianna
    Abstract:
    In this thesis we study, analyze, extend and implement the nonperturbative nonlinear Maxwell-Schrodinger-Plasma (MASP) model, originally derived by Lorin et al. The model was developed to describe the high order optical nonlinearities and the low density free electron plasma generated due to laser field.The MASP model has important advantages, it is based on the original, i.e. nonasymptotic, physical equations, and uses self-consistent description of the micro (quantum)- and macro (field)- variables. However, its major drawback is a high computational cost, which in practice means that only the shortest propagation lengths can be calculated. In order to reduce this cost, several extensions to this model were proposed and tested. One of these is discussed in the thesis: it is the MASP model enriched by a polarization evolution equation from its simplest version in a form of transport equation to more complex nonlinear variants. We show that homogeneous transport equation is a more universal tool to simulate the high harmonics spectra at shorter times and/or at a lower computational cost, while the nonlinear equation could be useful for modeling the pulse profiles when the ionization level is moderate. The gain associated with the considered modifications of the MASP model, being expressed in reduction of computational time and the number of processors involved, is 2-3 orders of magnitude.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Mathematics
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Self-Stabilizing Switched Beam Offset Reflector (3SBOR) Antenna: 10GHz Prototype Antenna Solution for Mobile Radar and Communication Applications

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Dufour, Guillaume
    Abstract:
    The purpose of this thesis is to design a solution to the problem of random and fast movement of a ground platform which normally prevents the use of a high gain, pencil beam antenna.Through the use of accelerometers and position filtering, the antenna constantly switches its beam in order to maximise directivity in the intended direction. As a proof of concept, a 10 GHz, single dimension dish was built and tested in laboratory. The results confirmed that the concept is viable and would open the door to not only truly mobile radar, but could potentially greatly improve mobile satellite communications.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Toward a New (Eco)Feminist Future: Mainstreaming Nonhuman Animals in Feminist Studies

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Kumar, Priya
    Abstract:
    This thesis proposes a new direction for foundational feminist pedagogy, with the express purpose of mainstreaming a consideration of nonhuman animals in feminist studies curricula. Ecofeminists have effectively situated speciesism – the systematic discrimination against nonhuman animals based on a belief in human superiority over all else – as a structural oppression, one that intersects with other forms of oppression such as racism and sexism. However, this is not reflected in the introductory course which is a crucial pedagogical site. This thesis presents a vision for a new feminist future with the hope that it will expand the scope of feminist pedagogy and broaden our understanding of oppression, and lead to holistic strategies for change.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Women's and Gender Studies
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Parametric Modeling of EM Behaviors of Microwave Components Using Combined Neural Networks and Pole-Residue Transfer Functions

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Feng, Feng
    Abstract:
    Parametric modeling of electromagnetic (EM) behaviors has become important for EM design optimizations of microwave components. The EM based design, such as design optimization, what if analysis and yield-driven design, can be time consuming because it usually requires repetitive EM simulations with varying values of geometrical parameters as design variables. Parametric models can be developed from the information of EM responses as functions of geometrical parameters. The developed parametric models allow faster simulations and optimizations with varying values of geometrical parameters and subsequently can be implemented in high-level circuit and system design optimizations.This thesis proposes a novel technique to develop combined neural network and pole-residue-based transfer function models for parametric modeling of EM behaviors of microwave components. In this technique, neural networks are trained to learn the relationships between pole/residues of the transfer functions and geometrical parameters. After the proposed modeling process, the trained model can be used to provide accurate and fast predictions of the EM behavior of microwave components with geometrical parameters as variables.An advanced pole-residue tracking technique is proposed to exploit sensitivity information to solve the challenges of pole-residue tracking especially when the amount of training data are reduced and/or the geometrical step sizes between the data samples are enlarged. The proposed technique takes advantages of sensitivity information to increase of the orders of the transfer functions and ultimately form transfer functions of a constant order over the entire region of geometrical parameters. The proposed technique addresses the challenges of pole-residue tracking when training data are limited.As a further advancement, we introduce EM sensitivity analysis into the pole-residue-based neuro-transfer function modeling technique. The purpose is to increase the model accuracy by utilizing EM sensitivity information and to speedup the model development process by reducing the number of training data required for developing the model. By exploiting the sensitivity information, the proposed technique can further speed up the model development process over the existing pole-residue parametric modeling method without using sensitivity analysis. The proposed parametric modeling techniques in this thesis are demonstrated by several microwave examples.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Search for a Fermionic Top Partner in Unexplored Decay Modes

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Easa, Hassan Khan
    Abstract:
    We investigate the existence of a new fermionic partner to the top quark in light of the current experimental searches conducted at the colliders. The model presented here is phenomenologically attractive because it is less constrained than the traditional decay modes of the top partner. It also has the potential to cancel the quadratic divergences in the Higgs mass. In addition to the new fermion, the model contains another scalar particle that mediates interactions with the Standard Model light quarks. From experimental searches, we find that current LHC searches exclude the top partner mass (new fermion) of about 350 GeV (and some other points in themTmη-plane) for its decay to light quarks. On the other hand, when the top partner decays to a top and two light quarks, the lower limit obtained on the top partner mass can be as large as 650 GeV.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Physics
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Blackboard/Whiteboard: The Discursive Construction of the International Baccalaureate in Canada

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Fitzgerald, Saira
    Abstract:
    The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a series of educational programs for students aged 3 to 19 offered in schools around the world. Originally created for a transient population in need of a portable and recognized curriculum, it has evolved to become an alternative to local curricula in countries such as Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. This manuscript dissertation includes four articles that examine perceptions of the IB in Canada and the implications these perceptions might have for the wider society (e.g., publicly funded education or real estate). The study was conducted in two parts: (i) online survey and semi-structured interviews to gain insight into how admissions personnel at Canadian universities view the IB in relation to other curricula; and (ii) corpus linguistics combined with aspects of critical discourse analysis to examine a 1.5 million word corpus of Canadian newspapers on how the IB is represented in the public domain. Results from both domains showed consistently positive views, suggesting that there exists a dominant (hegemonic) discourse surrounding the IB.Results also suggested that the positive view of the IB tends to create a negative view of things non-IB (programs, students, schools). Since one is constructed as “better”, there is an implied comparison that seems to go unnoticed. Using corpus-based critical discourse analysis, patterns of language use were analyzed to make visible values and assumptions that discursively construct the IB as superior. The linguistic patterns and strategies identified appear to bear a striking resemblance to discourses of discrimination and difference, such as (1) collectivization of people into a homogeneous group, (2) attribution of particular qualities or characteristics to the group as a whole, and (3) perpetuation of the stereotype through repetition, and eventually “common sense knowledge” which is taken for granted and more assumed than stated explicitly. In the context of Canada’s publicly funded education system, where the IB has grown increasingly popular, this positive view is problematic as it privileges a select few while disadvantaging the rest (e.g., by preferred admission into universities), thereby creating a context of insiders and outsiders.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies
    Date Created:
    2017

  • The Issue of Trust in Computer Mediated Introductions (CMI)

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Obada-Obieh, Borke
    Abstract:
    The problem of trust is one of the more prominent security issues in online communications. In this thesis, we propose a new security threat model, computer mediated introductions (CMI), where individuals are introduced online for the purpose of interacting offline. This is a problem that has not been specifically studied in the literature, even though aspects of it have been covered elsewhere. We therefore critically analyze the issue of trust and reputation in CMIs with the aim of improving trust on these platforms. In one of the most popular forms of CMI today, online dating, our findings show that existing standard mechanisms are not sufficient to establish meaningful trust on the platform. While we propose some potential alternative mechanisms for establishing trust in CMIs, the key contribution of this work is to identify the security challenges that arise in computer mediated introductions as a previously unrecognized class of security problems.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2017

  • From animal movements to knowledge movement: knowledge mobilization associated with rapid developments in electronic tagging technology and its application

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Nguyen, Vivian
    Abstract:
    The conservation of biodiversity and sustainable management of natural resources should be built on evidence-based decision-making principles and policies. The application of scientific evidence, however, is imperfect, especially in the realm of fisheries management. I propose a knowledge-action framework to understand the gap between knowledge production and utilization. The framework provides a sociological perspective to understanding the movement of knowledge into conservation and resource management actions, and is grounded in theories of knowledge mobilization and exchange. The framework provides a roadmap for scholars to organize and synthesize research related to the knowledge-action gap in conservation and natural resource management. This thesis evaluates what roles do components of the knowledge-action framework, for example, environmental and contextual factors, characteristics of knowledge actors, the relational dimension, and the characteristics of the focal knowledge have in influencing the uptake of knowledge. I addressed this research question by using a sociological approach and applying a mixed-method strategy to evaluate case studies and model systems using both qualitative and quantitative analyses. First, I evaluated a case study with complex environmental and contextual factors, the Fraser River Pacific salmon fisheries in British Columbia. Second, I evaluated the barriers to the application and use of a relatively new technological tool in fisheries management – telemetry technology – from both a qualitative and quantitative approach. In the Fraser River case study, the greatest perceived barriers to using new knowledge were institutional barriers and constraints. The quantitative study revealed that researchers who are committed, collaborative and engaged in outreach and dissemination activities achieved greater knowledge uptake such as formal integration or social acceptance of their work. The qualitative study that evaluated perceived barriers to using fish telemetry revealed that researchers perceived the limitations and challenges of telemetry itself (characteristics of the focal knowledge) as a barrier to integration. Together, the components of my dissertation applied and evaluated the proposed knowledge-action framework to evaluate how scientific knowledge moves in the context of fisheries management. This is important to inform an era of evidence-based decision making and I believe has implications for the broader community of conservation and natural resource management.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Role of Green Marketing in the Adoption of Intelligent Food Containers

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Bahrami Khodabandeh, Raheleh
    Abstract:
    The growing human population is causing food security concerns in many countries. As food security is the access by all people to enough food, the world must reduce food waste. This study investigates the factors leading to consumer adoption of intelligent food containers (IFC) – an emerging technology that can store food, monitor food quality and minimize food waste. In particular, the study focuses on the role of companies’ green marketing in affecting consumers’ willingness to adopt IFC. So doing, the study develops and tests a model and related hypotheses by using the partial least squares structural equation approach. The model was constructed based on the integration of Technology Adoption Model (TAM) with green marketing. An online survey was used to collect data from 153 households in Canada. The results suggest that improved TAM with the addition of green marketing mix is useful in explaining consumers’ purchase intention toward IFC.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Technology Innovation Management
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Novel Methodology for Safety and Economic Evaluation of Red-light Cameras at Signalized Intersections

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Abdulsalam, Amal
    Abstract:
    Red-light running is a phenomenon that has led to frequent collisions causing fatalities, injuries, and property damage. Red-light cameras (RLCs) have been used in an attempt to reduce the frequency of these collisions. The main objectives achieved in this thesis are: (1) The site-selection bias of traditional methodologies were corrected by using a novel methodology (propensity score matching); (2) The fixed and random-effect panel regressions were utilized to account for the spatial and temporal correlations in the data; (3) The identification of how RLC effectiveness varies by site characteristics through the use of interaction terms; (4) The determination of spillover distances and times resulting from the presence of RLCs; (5) The benefit-cost methodology supported by economic analysis and sensitivity analysis using the novel methodology; and (6) The establishment of guidelines for effective implementation of the RLC treatment.The research used field data from the City of Ottawa (Canada) involving 34 RLC intersections and 14 control intersections observed for the period 1999-2012. The results from this thesis indicate a consistent significant reduction in angle and turning movement collisions of 19% and 21%, respectively, and an increase in rear-end and sideswipe collisions of 12% and 6.7%, respectively. The magnitude and the direction of these effects are comparable to results of previous studies in the literature. The benefit-cost analysis, based on social costs of collisions avoided, the spillover effects and fine revenue, yielded an overall annual cost savings to the community of over $4.4 million CAD across the 34 RLC intersections; with a benefit-cost ratio of 4.50. An extended cost sensitivity analysis was incorporated to quantify the robustness of the base-case conclusions.RLC implementation decisions represent a major policy action, with serious repercussions for public safety. This thesis enhances such decisions by establishing effective implementation guidelines using rigorous, novel statistical analysis methods aiming to assist in this key policy effort. Furthermore, this thesis contributes to quantifying the RLC spillover effects as well as identifying critical road factors that the RLC treatment is likely to affect and benefit from. These contributions are all critical components of the traffic safety management process.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Civil
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Edge-Preserving Texture Transfer Using the Laplacian Pyramid

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Doyle, Lars Edward Ian
    Abstract:
    Texture plays an important role in our perception of photographic images. It can be used to differentiate objects, draw the eye to salient regions, and convey information about a subject. However, post processing photographs in image editing software can be time consuming, often requiring advanced skills to achieve convincing effects. We introduce a multi-scale method, based on the Laplacian pyramid, to introduce auxiliary textures into photographic images. The final result retains the structural characteristics from the input, including edges, colour, and high-contrast existing texture, while enhancing the image with fine-scale details. In addition, we extend patch-based texture synthesis to include a guidance channel so that texture structures are aligned with an orientation field, obtained through the image structure tensor. Both the original structure tensor calculation and its subsequent smoothing are aided with geodesic knowledge so that our orientation fields are both edge preserving and smooth.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2017

  • NotesKB: Web-Based Semantic Annotation Tool for Online Multimedia Learning Content

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Alamoudi, Abdulrahman Othman
    Abstract:
    Due to the rapid growth of e-Learning contents, especially videos, published online, the usability of tools that help students keep track of such contents along with their thought traces is an issue. We addressed the problem by designing and building a web-based semantic annotation tool called NotesKB. Through technical and theoretical lenses, we aim to discover and improve upon the usability of such tools. The usability of NotesKB is evaluated and compared with two other predominant note-taking methods, namely Pen and Paper (PnP) and Microsoft OneNote. According to the SUS test scores, PnP is the most usable while NotesKB was the most preferred when students were interviewed. We have reaffirmed that cognitive load is key to design e-Learning systems and that note-taking tools with semantic capabilities need to help users learn how to use the greater power available.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Human-Computer Interaction
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Driving Change, 140 Characters @ a Time: A Corpus-Assisted Discourse Analysis of the Twitter Debates on the Saudi Ban on Women Driving

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Altoaimy, Lama
    Abstract:
    This dissertation seeks to examine the ways in which Twitter users debate Saudi Arabia’s ban on women driving, with a broader objective of explicating how gender roles and relations are negotiated in that discursive space. In Saudi Arabia, a social media site such as Twitter offers Saudi women an alternative public space when there is no comparable open-media space in which they can communicate and raise their concerns, including their right to drive. To capture part of the ongoing discussion about women driving, a corpus of Arabic tweets that discuss the ban was compiled during October, November and December 2015. Informed by a corpus-assisted discourse studies approach, which combines the discourse-historical approach (Reisigl & Wodak, 2001) and corpus linguistics (Baker, 2006; 2010), I analyze the views and arguments expressed by Twitter users in debating the Saudi ban on women driving.The findings reveal that while some tweeters express their support for the ban, noting the social and moral threats posed by allowing women to drive and the symbolic function of women’s roles as markers of commitment to the nation’s traditional and religious identity, the majority of tweets reflect great frustration and a desire for change in women’s situation. These tweets publicize the victimization of women and their disenfranchisement as a consequence of maintaining the ban. The tweets also display a degree of awareness about women’s rights and resistance toward the contradictions that women face by being caught up in the tension between modernizing the country’s policies and different aspects of public life and preserving traditional norms and patriarchal values. It is believed that this study contributes to the growing literature on studying gender in the multi-voiced, loosely structured discursive spaces of social media as sites for discourse construction and dissemination. The study also fills a void in previous literature that failed to theorize the online debates on women driving in relation to gender and critical research, and in situating these efforts within a broader frame of women’s struggle against patriarchy and the social tensions and dynamics of power in Saudi society.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies
    Date Created:
    2017

  • HetHetNets: Heterogeneous Wireless Cellular Networks with Heterogeneous Traffic

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Mirahsan, Meisam
    Abstract:
    One of the main expected characteristics of the envisioned 5G wireless cellular networks is heterogeneity. Heterogeneity is expected in both supply and demand. In the supply side, the network access part will be comprised of heterogeneous base stations (BSs) with different transmit powers, antenna heights, and radio technologies including macro-BSs, pico-BSs, femto-BSs, and wi-fi access points (HetNets). The spatial distribution of BSs is also heterogeneous (non-uniform) since the deployment of BSs is not carefully planned anymore and follows the customer requirements. In the demand side, the distribution of user equipments (UEs) is heterogeneous in the time domain as well as in the space domain due to the emergence of various applications with different rate requirements such as machine type communications (MTC) and also the heterogeneity of population density specially in municipal areas.Nevertheless, an enormous majority of the existing literature on traffic modeling in wireless cellular networks consider only homogeneous (uniform) traffic scenarios. In particular, two independent Poisson point processes (PPPs) are excessively used to model the spatial distribution of UEs and BSs. PPP might be a fitting process for BSs but it is not an accurate model for the UE distributions. The assumption of independence between BSs and UEs is also not realistic since BSs (specially small-cell BSs) are usually deployed in UE hotspots.In this thesis, we propose an accurate, realistic, simple, and adjustable modeling for the future heterogeneous wireless cellular networks with heterogeneous traffic distributions (HetHetNets). First, we propose a traffic modeling process describing a systematic approach to traffic modeling. According to the proposed process, we introduce a traffic modeling in which the heterogeneity of the UE distribution as well as the correlation between UEs and BSs are adjustable. Then, we show the impact of the traffic heterogeneity and the UE-BS correlation on the performance of HetHetNets. Finally, we present algorithms and applications in wireless networks which can exploit this realistic traffic modeling to enhance the network performance.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2017

  • The Role of Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor (GHSR) Signaling in the Dorsomedial Hypothalamus (DMH) and Ventral Premammilary Nucleus (PMV) In Energy Homeostasis in Mice

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hyland, Lindsay Marie
    Abstract:
    Ghrelin is an orexigenic peptide hormone that acts on its receptor the GHSR1a within hypothalamic nuclei, including the DMH and PMV, but the role of GHSR1a signaling in these regions is unknown. To investigate this, in study 1, we attached a minipump filled with saline, ghrelin, or a GHSR1a antagonist to a cannula aimed at the DMH and assessed their metabolic profile. In study 2, we employed similar drug treatments as study 1, but aimed the cannula at the PMV. Chronic intra-DMH ghrelin increases body weight in the form of adipose tissue, without affecting caloric intake. This is accompanied by attenuated energy expenditure, and not locomotor activity. Infusions of ghrelin in the PMV and the DMH slows glucose clearance. Intra-PMV ghrelin promotes carbohydrate oxidation, without affecting food intake or body weight, suggesting that GHSR signaling has distinct roles in the DMH and PMV in energy homeostasis.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Neuroscience
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Risk and Certification to Agricultural Standards

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Mohan, Sarah Arti
    Abstract:
    This thesis is comprised of four essays on the economics of certification to agricultural standards in developing countries. It generates new evidence on the relationship between risk and certification.The first essay builds a theoretical framework to understand the relationship between risk aversion and certification to agricultural standards. In the presence of uncertainty over the proportion of their produce that will be rejected by consumers, results indicate that a relatively risk-averse population of farmers will tend to adopt a high-quality standard in greater numbers. However, analysis suggests that the relationship is sensitive to the relative profitability of adoption, the degree of consumer differentiation between certified and non-certified produce, and the difference in their rejection rates.The second part of the thesis empirically examines the role of individual risk attitudes in the decision to get certified to an agricultural standard. It investigates the relationship between measured risk aversion and certification status using primary survey and experiment data gathered through field research with Nepali small-scale tea farmers. Results indicate that farmers who are more risk averse have a higher propensity to get certified. These findings provide concrete evidence against previous assumptions that only risk lovers get certified. Instead, they suggest that certification schemes may provide a benefit not yet considered in the literature: that of providing risk-reduction opportunities to risk averse farmers in developing countries.In the last chapter, the role of certification in sparking processes of institutional change is taken up in a global value chain (GVC) framework. The theoretical insights of institutional economics are combined with the GVC framework to analyze case study data from Nepali small-scale tea farmers. The typology of institutional change in value chains that emerges from this research suggests that agency, organizations, and informal norms affect whether certification yields benefits in a particular place. The research findings illuminate the institutional conditions under which certification can improve welfare in developing countries.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Economics
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Getting Better with Age: Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the relations Among Social Identity, Resilience, and Mental Health Among Retirement Community Residents

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Pochopsky, Olivia
    Abstract:
    Given the dynamic nature of mental health throughout the lifespan, this study examined associations among several psychosocial factors, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neuropeptide y (NPY), and oxytocin receptor (OXTR), and mental health among older (N=88) and younger adults (N=369). Older age was related to lower stress and depression, greater social identity and resilience, and various coping styles. Moreover, OXTR moderated the direct relationship between age and depression, as well as the mediating roles of identity and coping in that relation. OXTR also moderated the mediating role of coping in the relation between social identity and depression. However, age also moderated this relation both directly, and indirectly through the mediating role of resilience. These results suggest that identity, resilience, coping and OXTR may be protective to mental health, but that these factors may impact the mental health of older and younger adults differently.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Neuroscience
    Date Created:
    2017

  • A Fully Synthesized Injection Locked Ring Oscillator Based on a Pulse Injection Locking Technique

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Li, Mingze
    Abstract:
    This thesis proposes a novel, all synthesized, Injection Locked Ring Oscillator (ILRO). It employs a digitally tunable oscillator and a pulse injection locking technique. The frequency tuning range of the free running oscillator is from 210 MHz to 1.8 GHz with a 1.1 volt power supply. The tuning range from 1.0 to 1.8 GHz can be achieved with 215 tuning steps with a maximum step size of 11.2 MHz, that is well within the worst case 75 MHz (3rd sub-harmonic) and 32 MHz (9th sub-harmonic) locking range of the oscillator. The design occupies 127.5 um by 31.5 um of chip area and is implemented in TSMC’s 65-nm CMOS technology. For 3rd harmonic injection locking, the ILRO’s RMS jitter is 192.7 fs (1 KHz to 40 MHz) with a phase noise of -130.9 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset from the 1.62 GHz carrier while consuming 7.15 mW of power.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Factors affecting contaminant transformation by heat-activated persulfate

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Zrinyi, Nick
    Abstract:
    Persulfate-based in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) involves the injection of persulfate (S2O82-) into the subsurface to remediate contaminated groundwater and soils. Although S2O82- does not react with contaminants to an appreciable extent, it can be activated into stronger oxidants (e.g., SO4• and •OH) by heat, alkaline solutions, dissolved iron and iron-containing minerals. The objective of the research described in this thesis is to explore the influence of temperature and background solutes on contaminant transformation by heat- and mineral-activated S2O82-. Through the transformation of benzoic acid (a model organic compound) and chlorendic acid (a flame retardant), it was discovered that temperature affects not only the rate of contaminant transformation but also the transformation pathway and distribution of byproducts. Solution pH, alkalinity, and chloride also influence the rates of persulfate activation and contaminant degradation. These novel understandings may help improve the design and operation of S2O82--based remedial systems.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Environmental
    Date Created:
    2017

  • From Adaptability to Mobility: Spaces for Learning in the War Zones of the Syrian Arab Republic

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Dehghany, Seyedeh-Ghazal
    Abstract:
    This Thesis is a response to the humanitarian crisis and the displacement of more than 11 million people in the Syrian Arab Republic. It is mainly focused on the city of Aleppo and some of its young civilians, children in school aged 6-12 years old, as they experience an ongoing brutal and radical transformation due to the Syrian Civil War, which is now entering its sixth year and is currently in a ceasefire stage. As a result of this merciless war, a whole generation in Syria has lost their right to education for more than five years now. When a government fails to protect its own people, perhaps the responsibility rests on the shoulder of a wider global community to find solutions and help rebuild a war torn country.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Architecture
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Millimeter Wave Small Cell Network Planning for Outdoor Line-of-Sight Coverage

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Palizban, Nima
    Abstract:
    The millimeter wave is considered as an important candidate for providing most of the capacity in a future heterogeneous network. Network densification is also necessary for enhanced capacity and high-rate coverage. However, deploying a very large number of the base stations is costly. We develop an outdoor small cell millimeter wave network planner and minimize the number of base stations.First, we estimate the base station densities required for small cell line-of-sight millimeter wave networks. We develop an automatic outdoor network planner by first, placing many candidates on the map and then, selecting a subset of candidates to minimize the total number of base stations. We run our simulations over two large dense urban areas.Second, we design a wireless backhaul network planner to further reduce the costs by reducing the number of wired connections in the network, where we consider millimeter wave line-of-sight wireless backhauling as our choice.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Transgressing Boundaries: A Discussion Concerning Methodology, Έρως, and Politics in Symposium and Platonic Philosophy

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Haskett, Peter
    Abstract:
    This thesis does three things in three distinct sections. First, this thesis is a discussion and critique of method. I attempt to address pivotal issues that permeate throughout the Platonic scholarship, problems of method and the problem of authorial intent. Following discussion of the methodological problems that hinder the Platonic scholarship, I propose an overlooked methodological model and psychology that is skeptical, flexible, and pragmatic: eclecticism. Second, I apply the method and demonstrate its strength while investigating the concept of ἔρως (eros) in the first six speeches in Plato’s Symposium. Third, I discuss my findings. From my exegesis, I engage in phenomenology of eros and reflect on its metaphysical underpinnings. I argue that eros is by nature fundamentally self-negating and thus absurd. I then discuss the importance of renewed and further reflection on the nature of eros and its role as an engine for philosophy and political life.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Political Science
    Date Created:
    2017

  • In Vitro Study of Mechanisms Underlying the Developmental Effects of Bisphenol A Using Human Fetal Lung Fibroblasts

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Laziyan, Mahemuti
    Abstract:
    Both experimental and/or epidemiological studies suggest that prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) may delay fetal lung development and maturation and increase the susceptibility to childhood respiratory disease. However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In our study with cultured human fetal lung fibroblasts (HFLF), we demonstrated that 24 h exposure to 1 and 100 µM BPA increased nuclear expression of GPR30, at 100 μM, also increased cytoplasmic expression of ERβ and release of GDF-15, as well as decreased release of IL-6, ET-1, and IP-10 through suppression of NFκB phosphorylation, with no effects on cell viability. By performing global gene expression and pathway analyses, we identified molecular pathways, gene networks, and key molecules that were affected by 100, but not 0.01 and 1, µM BPA in HFLF. Using multiple genomic and proteomic tools, we confirmed these changes at both gene and protein levels. Our data suggest that 100 μM BPA increased CYP1B1 and HSD17B14 gene and protein expression and release of endogenous estradiol, which was associated with increased ROS production and DNA double strand breaks, upregulation of genes and/or proteins in steroid synthesis and metabolism, and activation of Nrf2-regulated stress response pathways. In addition, BPA also activated ATM-p53 signaling pathway, resulting in increased cell cycle arrest at G1 phase, senescence, and autophagy in HFLF. Fetal lung development and maturation requires paracrine interaction between fetal lung alveolar type II epithelial cells and fibroblasts. The results from our studies suggest that prenatal exposure to BPA at high enough concentrations may affect fetal lung development and maturation, by altering the release of developmental, immune, and hormonal modulators from fetal lung fibroblasts, and thereby affecting susceptibility to childhood respiratory disease.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Experimental Characterization and Modelling of a Heat Pump Water Heater

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Khalaf, Ghaith
    Abstract:
    This study involved the development of a new heat pump water heater (HPWH) model in the TRNSYS simulation software to investigate the effect of a HPWH unit on the space heating and cooling requirements of a house. The result of the study showed that humidity has a negative effect on the performance of the unit at low temperatures. The unit had a maximum coefficient of performance (COP) of 3.07 and minimum of 2.46 for a basement temperature held at 18oC. It was found the HPWH unit is not cost effective in comparison to a natural gas water heater. However, the HPWH significantly reduces house emissions. Furthermore, the HPWH was shown to have a payback period of 4 years in Ontario in comparison to a 12 and 9 year payback period in Quebec and British Columbia, respectively.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Mechanical
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Playing in Synch: A Three-Part Typology of Synch Points Between Image and Sound in Bioshock Infinite

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Brewer, Robert Patrick Bruce
    Abstract:
    Video games make extensive use of image and sound, as well as player interactivity to communicate narrative and gameplay information. While scholars (e.g., Kaae, 2008 and Collins, 2013) have made significant contributions to understanding these forms of communication, there are still fruitful directions to explore. This thesis adds Chion’s (1994) concept of points of synchronization to the discussion by addressing how they might be used as a tool to create emphasis and to provide an auditory and visual setting around a video game’s narrative and gameplay elements. I will argue that it is useful to divide synch points into three types (narrative, gameplay, and serendipitous), and will explore how Chion’s concept, originally developed for cinematic sound, can be expanded to include the complexities afforded by interactive gameplay. I will use Bioshock Infinite (2K Games, 2013) as a case study to demonstrate the utility of this typological approach to synch points.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Music and Culture
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Reducing electricity consumption in multi-tenant commercial buildings: The impact of behavioural change

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Bennet, Isis Elizabeth
    Abstract:
    Pressure to conserve energy in commercial buildings is increasing in order to meet nationwide greenhouse gas reduction targets. In the commercial building sector, tenants often receive yearly electricity bills based on their occupied floor area and not actual electricity consumption. This results in diffused responsibility and no incentive to curtail electricity consumption. In this thesis, two office towers in Eastern Ontario installed submeters to accurately bill tenants for their electricity use. This study uses a competition, in-person tenant meetings and suite walkthroughs and submetering paired with data measurement and verification to assess the effect of the interventions on energy use behaviour. Results demonstrate that commercial tenant electricity use, between tenants, is highly variable; that tenant loads are lower than ASHRAE design values; and, that tenant plug loads are not fully shut off at night. The project concludes, 15 months after implementation, that submetering does result in tenant electricity reductions.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Civil
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Executive Function and Prospective Memory: The Effect of Inhibitory Control and Working Memory Load

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Brown, Audrey Philena
    Abstract:
    This study examined the impact of a dual-task load on four- and five-year-olds’ event-based prospective memory (PM), as well as the relation between PM and two executive function skills: working memory (WM) and inhibitory control (IC). Children completed an ongoing task (OT), which required pointing to pictures of animals in each image array. Embedded in this task was the PM task, which required children to ring a bell when they saw a picture of a cat. To manipulate the effect of dual-task load, children were assigned to one of three conditions: Control (OT and PM); WM-load (OT, PM, simultaneously with WM task); or IC-load (OT, PM, simultaneously with IC task). Five-year-olds outperformed four-year-olds on the PM task. There was no effect of condition on children’s PM performance. Furthermore, WM and IC did not predict PM performance after controlling for age and language ability. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Cognitive Science (M.Cog.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Cognitive Science
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Structure-related interactions of brominated and organophosphate flame retardants and degradation products with thyroxine and human thyroid hormone transport proteins in vitro

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hill, Katherine Laurel
    Abstract:
    One mechanism of action of thyroid disrupting compounds is the competition for thyroid hormone (TH) binding sites on vertebrate serum transport proteins, including transthyretin (TTR) and albumin (ALB). An in vitro competitive binding assay was optimized for use with thyroxine (T4) and human TTR or ALB. This assay was applied for two classes of novel and environmentally relevant flame retardant (FR) chemicals, and/or some degradation products; organophosphate (OP) triesters, and tetradecabromo-1,4-diphenoxybenzene (TeDB-DiPhOBz). Structure-related differences in the binding of these ligands with TTR or ALB were observed, including a newly discovered apparent allosteric interaction of OP esters with TTR that enhances binding of T4. Degradation products of TeDB-DiPhOBz are ligands for human TTR and ALB in vitro, as well as gull TTR in silico, with para-hydroxylated lower brominated congeners being the strongest binders. Overall, results indicate potential interference of these novel FR contaminants with human TH transport, in a structure-dependent manner.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemical and Environmental Toxicology
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Indigenous Storytelling: Contesting, Interrupting, and Intervening in the Nation-Building Project Through Historica Canada's Heritage Minutes

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hoque, Anna Nusrat
    Abstract:
    While Heritage Minutes are 60 second films that are well known in Canada for their celebration of the nation state, this thesis explores varied and polysemic readings of the Minutes that emerge when Indigenous media makers make use of the recognizable nationalistic media text to interject and make space for Indigenous stories about Indigenous peoples. My work aims to fill a gap in existing scholarship on Heritage Minutes that neglects to account for Indigenous involvement with Historica Canada to produce Indigenous led narratives. I center critical and Indigenous knowledges to guide and produce a complex and nuanced reading of Heritage Minutes through conversational interviews and close textual analysis to demonstrate ways in which Indigenous filmmakers contest dominant national narratives.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Communication
    Date Created:
    2017

  • The Paleoproterozoic structural history of metamorphosed and polydeformed basement and cover rocks in the Ptarmigan Fiord area, Baffin Island, Nunavut: a tectonic component of the Quebec-Baffin segment of the Paleoproterozoic Trans-Hudson orogen

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Chadwick, Timothy Charles
    Abstract:
    The structural geometry and Paleoproterozoic deformation history of the Ptarmigan Fiord area is based on mapping and structural analyses, integrated with published petrology and geochronology data. Early thrust repetition, of 80-200 m-thick sheets of Archean orthogneiss basement with Paleoproterozoic cover of the Lake Harbour Group, results in belts of basement-cover couplets. This was followed by DP2 penetrative transposition that occurred at amphibolite-facies at ca. 1850-1820 Ma. The major structure in the SE part of the map is an upright ~ NW- striking, tight F2b syncline that folded three basement-cover couplets. The fold has a wavelength of ~ 3 km, occurs over a strike length of ~ 11 km, and has been refolded. The NW part of the map area comprises a NW-dipping panel of basement rocks and three belts of basement-cover couplets. This NW-dipping panel was juxtaposed against the F2b syncline by a moderately NW-dipping, T3c reverse shear zone.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Earth Sciences
    Date Created:
    2017

  • Line Dancing: A Performative and Phenomenological Study of the Borderlands Region of Stanstead, Quebec, and Derby Line, Vermont

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Vandervalk, Sandra
    Abstract:
    This ethnographic study of the borderlands region of Stanstead, Quebec and Derby Line, Vermont uses an approach that draws from both performativity and phenomenology to explore the local life–world. I argue that there is a uniquely borderland way of being in the world in this region. This is reflected in the local experience of the border as something that unites rather than as something that divides. I suggest that the hardening border is taking a toll on the perceived unity of the cross–border community, even as a borderland way of being persists. I examine aspects of border enactment and claim that on the Canadian side, the border is cooperatively enacted, and that smart border crossing is a marker of borderlander identity. On the American side, border changes have made the borderlands into a zone of exclusion. Finally, I argue that borderlanders trouble the non–borderlander understanding of the border.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Anthropology
    Date Created:
    2017