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  • Navigating the Void: Subjectivity and Contemporary Critical Theory

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Ghandeharian, Sacha
    Abstract:
    This dissertation argues that a feminist critical theory of event provides the political tradition of contemporary critical theory with important theoretical tools for the continued interrogation of our dominant socio-symbolic order as characterized by its prevailing structures, institutions and discourses. These discussions are oriented by an exploration of the antinomy between universality and contingency in efforts to theorize subjectivity and ethics in contemporary critical theory. Chapter One explores the role of antihumanism in contemporary critical theory as dramatized by the Foucault-Habermas debate. Chapter Two argues that narrative theories of self are constitutive of an attempt to reconcile universality and contingency by trying to incorporate contingency within an account of narrative coherence and agency which remains formal and universalistic. With the introduction of the notion of 'Event' in Chapter Three, we begin to more fully realize the potential of thinking of universality and contingency as co-constitutive theoretical and transformative practices. In light of the tendency in traditional theories of event to foreground the element of deconstruction over and against the productive, as well as the overly formal nature of theorizing the event, Chapter Four and Five rethink the notion of event from the perspective of feminist critical theory (e.g. Butler, Irigaray and care ethics). A feminist critical theory of event, with a theory of relational subjectivity at its core, becomes a means through which to conceptualize subjectivity in a way that recognizes both its formal and contextual dimensions. A feminist critical theory of event is able to theorize the formal characteristics of relational subjectivity as shared vulnerability, as well as how said vulnerability becomes shaped in particular ways depending on one's position within structures and relations of power. Such a conceptualization of event is best suited to understanding and critiquing the dominant socio-symbolic order of our time.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Political Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Learning Recommender Systems with Deep Structured Low Rank Matrix Approximation

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Niknafs Kermani, Mahan
    Abstract:
    In this study we propose a Deep structured LOw Rank Matrix Approximation model (DLORMA) that incorporates additional stacked denoising autoencoders and local matrix approximations in a loosely coupled fashion. To the best of our knowledge, DLORMA is the first hybrid recommendation system that combines deep learning and low rank matrix approximation. Comprehend experiments based on three real datasets show improvements in prediction performance over other state-of-the-art recommendation systems.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Pluriversality and Care: Rethinking Global Ethics

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    FitzGerald, Margaret Elaine
    Abstract:
    A perennial debate in the field of Global Ethics revolves around the possibility of a universalist ethics, and contestations over the nature - and significance - of difference (be it economic, cultural, political, etc.) for moral deliberation. Alongside, but heretofore not explored in depth by, the Global Ethics literature is a growing literature (coming from decolonial studies and the 'ontological turn' in anthropology) on multiple ways of being-in and seeing the world, described by the language of the 'pluriverse' (de la Cadena 2015; Mignolo 2013). This scholarship illuminates not only the different ontologies or worlds that exist globally, but also the political processes through which these worlds come into contact, conflict, and in many ways, co-constitute each other. In this way, while the pluriversal scholarship points to ontological difference, it also emphasizes the (partial) connections (Strathern 2004) between worlds. This dissertation begins with the concept of the pluriverse - the idea that instead of a single world with different paradigms, we have a matrix of multiple yet connected worlds - and investigates the ways in which this notion necessitates a rethinking of the field of Global Ethics as it has been conceived thus far. In particular, I consider how the field can reorient itself towards building an ethics for the pluriverse, where differences are deep and pervasive, i.e., ontological. Ultimately, drawing upon a feminist ethics of care, I argue that a pluriversal ethics can fruitfully be thought of as an ethics of vulnerability and precarity. The ethics of care is premised on a relational social ontology, which sees ethics as a problem of responsibilities in relations, and which foregrounds the moral saliency of our mutual vulnerability (including the vulnerability of moral judgement) that stems from our relationality. In so doing, the ethics of care reconceptualizes moral dilemmas along relational lines. My argument is that this line of thinking, when combined with a conceptual distinction between vulnerability and precarity (where precarity refers to intensified vulnerability that results from unequal relations of power), provides a useful meta-theoretical orientation from which to begin building a pluriversal ethics.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Political Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Selection of Aptamers for Biomarker Peptides for Kawasaki Disease

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Monk, Evan Thomas
    Abstract:
    Kawasaki disease (KD) is an illness that affects children around the world. There is no current laboratory test that confirms the diagnosis and supports the treatment plan. Recent novel truncation of Serum Amyloid A (KD-PEP) has been identified in patients with KD which are not observed in patients with alternate fragmentations associated with febrile illnesses (FC-PEP). A method for KD detection could be developed using aptamers. Aptamers are oligonucleotides that can bind targets with high affinity and specificity that rival antibodies. Through two screening experiments, aptamer candidates for both KD-PEP and FC-PEP were identified through sequencing and bioinformatics analysis and further screening for the reduction of consensus sequences or complementarity. This analysis yielded nine potential aptamers for KD-PEP, and 9 for FC-PEP. Preliminary characterization of one aptamer for KD-PEP and one aptamer for FC-PEP has been included.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemistry
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Development and Testing of New Ring Spring Self-Centering Energy Dissipative (RS-SCED) Braces for Seismic Resilience of Buildings and Bridges

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hassan, Ahmed
    Abstract:
    The applicability of existing SCED braces is limited by size, as well as load and deformation capacity. In this study a new compact Self-Centering Energy-Dissipative (SCED) brace is developed, designed, and experimentally tested. The new innovative compact high capacity ring spring SCED (RS-SCED) is a brace system that exhibits a nonlinear response with good energy dissipation and post-yield stiffness, while eliminating or minimizing residual drift after an earthquake. The new high capacity compact RS-SCED brace utilizes ring springs to provide a restoring force, while simultaneously dissipating energy through friction between ring spring units in the assembly. The new RS-SCED brace has high load capacity with stable and repeatable hysteresis that makes them suitable for deployment in full scale building and bridge structures in high seismic regions. Hybrid simulations are performed to evaluate the system level performance of the new brace in prototype structures. In this study, a 4-storey building and a 3-span bridge with the new ring spring SCED brace are tested using hybrid simulations. The physical test substructure is the prototype compact high capacity ring spring SCED with a load capacity of 1400 kN and a deformation capacity of 160 mm. During the tests, the systems are subjected to a series of earthquake records with a wide range of frequency contents at different hazard levels. Typical seismic design procedures rely on ductility and overstrength factors for simplified seismic analysis and design using an equivalent static force procedure. In this study, the FEMA P695 methodology is used to determine the ductility (R), overstrength (Ω_0) and deflection amplification (C_d) factors for seismic design of the proposed structural system. The combination of different building heights, bay sizes and seismicity levels led to the design of 12 different prototype building designs for the numerical analyses. Pushover analyses, as well as nonlinear dynamic time history analyses of the prototype buildings subjected to a suite of scaled ground motions are performed. The calibration of the seismic design factors for the RS-SCED braced frame buildings, is based on optimization of the seismic performance of buildings by considering the peak storey drifts, residual drift and floor accelerations.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Civil
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Rates of Use of Force by Police Officers in Canada: A Move Toward Standardized Reporting

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Walker, Thomas Jon
    Abstract:
    The use of force by police officers remains an unfortunate reality of policing. This study gathered data from a sample of Canadian police services in an effort to determine how often force is applied, what type of force is employed, and what impact this has (in terms of effectiveness and injury, both to the subject and the officer). Results indicated that across jurisdictions in Canada, police officers rarely use force. Moreover, the rates at which officers apply force are unrelated to organizational factors such as the size of the policing jurisdiction or the gender demographics of the individual agency. Collectively, the results of this study suggest that the use of force by police is very much the result of the circumstances in which individual officers find themselves at the time the force is applied. Keywords: Use of force, police, training, intervention option, effectiveness
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Examining the Impact of Body Worn Cameras on Police Officer Memory Following a Critical Incident

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Blaskovits, Brittany
    Abstract:
    Numerous high-profile events have contributed to an increase in public scrutiny of police performance; this has resulted in many agencies considering the use of body worn cameras (BWCs). However, some research suggests that having access to saved information can have a negative effect on memory, particularly when an individual experiences stress during the recorded event. Therefore, the aim of the current research was to: (1) examine how BWCs impact the quality of an officer's encoding and retrieval of event details, (2) determine the benefits and challenges associated with officers viewing BWC footage when writing their reports, and (3) attain a better understanding of the efficacy of cognitive interviewing (CI) as a means to enhance memory retrieval of use-of-force events. More specifically, Study 1 examined the recall of officers who were aware that they could "offload" memory encoding tasks to their BWC. Interestingly, regardless of whether officers believed they could rely on a camera, or not, a similar amount of information was recalled. In Study 2, differences between officers who provided a statement before watching their BWC footage were compared to officers shown their footage first. The findings indicated that officers allowed to preview their footage before reporting included more details about the subject in their statement. Moreover, higher levels of stress were associated with an increase in the amount of moderate and major errors made by officers who were barred from seeing their footage. Lastly, the goal of Study 3 was to investigate the efficacy of the CI as a means to improve recall. The comparison found that officers recalled more information and confabulated less information if they completed a CI. Broadly speaking, the current research answers important questions about the impact of BWCs on officer's ability to recall use-of-force events; thereby adding to the cognitive psychological literature, as well as the legal field. The research may also have an applied impact namely by: (1) assisting police agencies in developing more informed policies around BWCs, and (2) by educating police officers and juries about the impact of BWCs on memory to ensure the critical appraisal of this controversial technology.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Hybrid Localization for UAV-based Charging of Wireless Sensor Networks

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Durham, Paul Hamilton
    Abstract:
    Localization - assigning sufficiently accurate positions to nodes - in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) has attracted research among various strategies, some using Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) at nodes. Nodes with known position, called anchors, may be fixed or mobile. Position may be computed by global optimization, or locally between anchors and nodes. For Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Networks (WRSNs), a charger may act as a mobile anchor enabling high-resolution localization for efficient RF charging. This study describes a hybrid scheme for localization and charging of WRSNs using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) carrying a node and an RF charger. It works reliably under log-normal fading of RSSI due to shadowing. RSSI localization brings the UAV close enough to the node to elicit a response from the RF charger. Time of Charge is then used to position the UAV accurately above the node, to allow for charging with maximum efficiency.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Immunohistochemical characterization of GluN2 NMDA receptor subunit expression in the dorsal horn of rats and humans

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Temi, Santa
    Abstract:
    NMDARs are excitatory glutamate receptors expressed in the superficial dorsal horn (SDH) of the spinal cord. The GluN2 subtypes of NMDAR subunit confer NMDARs with structural and functional variability, enabling heterogeneity in synaptic transmission and plasticity. Surprisingly, there is a complete lack of knowledge on GluN2 expression in female rodent or human spinal cord. In this study we aimed to investigate the relative expression of specific GluN2 variants in the lumbar SDH of both male and female rats and humans. We found a dominant expression of GluN2B and GluN2D in the SDH of male rats, while only GluN2B was preferentially localized to the SDH of females. GluN2B subtype was also more abundantly expressed in the medial compared to the lateral SDH, in male rats only. Finally, we adapted the staining approaches from rodents to human spinal tissue for future investigations on whether GluN2 subtypes expression patterns are conserved in humans.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Neuroscience
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Limiting Social Media Screen-time: Does Voluntary Reduction Impact Mental Health?

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Stewart, Niall Alexander
    Abstract:
    In recent decades, social media has become immensely popular, with the majority of young adults regularly using at least one platform. Some have argued that social media use may adversely affect well-being, claiming that it plays a meaningful, causal role in rising depression rates. However, evidence for this claim to date is mixed and weak. To assess the validity of this claim, I conducted an experiment replicating and expanding upon past work, exploring whether young adults (n = 39; 66.7% female; MAge = 19.54) who reported pre-existing symptoms of depression and/or anxiety would experience reductions in these symptoms after reducing social media use for three weeks. Results indicated that, in comparison to a control group, participants reported marginally significant decreases in anxiety (p = .056, η2 = .095) and the fear of missing out (p = .054, η2 = .097), but no significant changes in depressive symptomology or well-being.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • ‘What Comes After Transmission?’ Genital Herpes Knowledge, Psychological Adjustment and Sex-Negativity

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    DiCaita, Hailey Sheehan
    Abstract:
    The present study sought to evaluate the role of knowledge in psychological adjustment to genital herpes. Sex-negativity- positivity (erotophobia-erotophilia) was also considered for its potential moderating effects on knowledge and psychological adjustment. To assess genital herpes knowledge the Herpes Knowledge Scale (HKS; Bruce & Mclaughlin, 1986) was updated for use within the current research. Participants (N= 401) diagnosed with genital herpes were recruited online using social media. Knowledge of genital herpes was not associated with psychological adjustment. Erotophobia-erotophilia was significantly associated with psychological adjustment, such that individuals high in erotophobia (sex-negativity) reported poorer adjustment to a diagnosis of genital herpes. Finally, erotophobia-erotophilia did not moderate the relation between knowledge and adjustment. Given the high incidence rate of herpes and the significant psychosocial effects upon acquisition, these findings are important to understand the role of knowledge in psychological adjustment and understand factors that may impede adjustment to genital herpes.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Abandoned chip: Investigating abandonment of commercial wearables

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Eden-Walker, Simon
    Abstract:
    Abandonment of wearable fitness trackers continues to be an ongoing issue. Literature has compiled many reasons; however, the roles of data literacy and data visualization literacy have been underexplored. Two qualitative studies, an online survey and in depth semi-structured interviews investigated whether insufficient data interpretation is a barrier to sustained tracker use. Results found that users may overestimate their literacy levels potentially leading them to misinterpret health data, and better support from designers and professionals is warranted. In particular, mandatory tutorials and assessments unlocking data are explored. Interaction with smart shorts, smart insoles, and accompanying data provided insight on who might adopt newer wearables, who could benefit, and how to design a better onboarding user experience. Recommendations for better use of wearable technology to address physical inactivity and obesity, as well as suggestions to support literacies are presented that the HCI community can use to move the field forward.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Information Technology (M.I.T.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Digital Media
    Date Created:
    2020

  • As the Planet Lost Its Orbit: The Myth of the Death of Political Philosophy

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Orr, Steven Ray Shadbolt
    Abstract:
    The death of political philosophy is a label applied to various debates in the mid-twentieth century. Those debates, however, only have the appearance of a singular, cohesive argument about the state of the art. Upon closer investigation, despite the fact that its interlocutors used similar language in their proclamations and protestations, its participants were not referring to the same discipline — let alone the same 'death' thereof. John Rawls' A Theory of Justice is widely credited as having renewed political philosophy, either reversing a decline in the tradition that had begun as far back as Machiavelli or altogether reviving a project that seemed untenable in post-war anglophone scholarship. Yet what was revived by Rawls' defense of modern liberalism is differs from the discipline that came before, solidifying an academic conception of political philosophy that was suitable for institutionalization in liberal democracies. Rawls' importance in Western political thought is undeniable, but it does not automatically follow that he resolved all of the many deaths of political philosophy of the preceding decades. This dissertation is both a contribution to the disciplinary history of political philosophy as a sub-field of anglophone political science and an investigation into the death of political philosophy as both a series of debates and as a theoretical concept. Although those debates are largely understood as resolved and widely considered to be irrelevant to contemporary political philosophy, this project shows otherwise. The death of political philosophy should be understood as a key moment in the development of the discipline as distinct from 'proper' political philosophy. While this does not uniquely emerge in the twentieth century, academic political philosophy does take on a new life in post-war anglophone institutions. Investigating the death thesis provides insight into contemporary assumptions about the shape and scope of the discipline — and its implications for the practice of political philosophy. As such, this project is also a critique of the contemporary discipline that has the appearance of an ossified body of knowledge which seems divorced from the active enterprise of political philosophy and pedagogy — albeit a hopeful critique that offers possible avenues for renewal.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Political Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Reductions in Representation Theory of Lie Algebra of Vector Fields

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Zaidan, Andre Eduardo
    Abstract:
    We study representations of Lie algebras that do not have a Cartan subalgebra. The study of such representations required new techniques, one that we applied was to restrict the action of other algebraic structures that contain the Lie algebra. Our Lie algebras came from the vector fields on arbitrary varieties. We studied representations that admit the actions of the Lie algebra of vector field and the algebra of functions on the variety in a compatible way. More specifically, we studied two such classes of modules: gauge modules and Rudakov modules. We proved that gauge modules and Rudakov modules corresponding to simple glN-modules remain irreducible as modules over the Lie algebra of vector fields unless they appear in the de Rham complex. We also studied the irreducibility of tensor products of Rudakov modules. Lastly, we present a complete description of tensor modules belonging to the de Rham complex as gl3-modules. We also realize these modules using GT-tableaux
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Mathematics
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Evaluating the Psychometric Properties of the Early Literacy and Numeracy Observation Tool (ELNOT)

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Celebi, Humeyra Nur
    Abstract:
    The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Early Literacy and Numeracy Observation Tool (ELNOT), a tool aimed at identifying children who are at-risk or gifted, and monitoring children's academic progress. Kindergarteners (N = 356; 173 junior kindergarteners) were assessed at two time points (fall and spring). ELNOT consists of four literacy and six numeracy tasks; some tasks were eliminated from the analyses due to floor or ceiling effects. The measurement precision of three tasks (Print Concepts, Letter Identification, Number Recognition) was examined through item analyses. Overall, these tasks demonstrated sufficient measurement precision for most junior kindergarteners and some senior kindergarteners. The measurement invariance of five tasks (Print Concepts, Letter Identification, Early Spelling, Number Naming, Magnitude Comparison) was examined across gender, kindergarten level, and time through multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses; the model structure was invariant across all comparisons. ELNOT can accurately identify junior kindergarteners who are potentially at-risk.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Postmastectomy radiation therapy for patients with tissue expanders

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Mayorov, Keren
    Abstract:
    Temporary breast tissue expanders contain a metal port that can vary in position throughout the course of radiation treatments. In this study, the magnitude and the dosimetric effect of the interfractional positional variations of the metal port was quantified. The robustness of the three most common external beam treatment techniques (tangential 3DCRT, VMAT and helical Tomotherapy) was evaluated against the measured positional errors. Results showed that interfractional positional errors were generally small, but errors larger than 1.5 cm were also observed. The interfractional positional variations arise from a combination of internal port errors and patient registration errors. Patient registration errors were shown to have larger dosimetric effect on target coverage and nearby organs than internal port errors. VMAT and Tomotherapy treatments are more robust when patient registration errors are minimized. The misalignment of the metal port during patient registration is acceptable when a more optimal anatomy match can be achieved.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Physics
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Studying How Cryptocurrency Development Characteristics in GitHub Affect Its Market Price and Developer Sentiment in Stack Overflow Discussions

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Rashu, Raisul Islam
    Abstract:
    Cryptocurrency development has continuous escalation in the past years and holds its presence significantly in open source development. Since, prices of each cryptocurrency are driven by many factors, we are interested in investigating how various characteristics of cryptocurrency's codebase development affect market capitalization price. We conduct a study on a panel dataset containing a year of daily observations of development activity, popularity, and market capitalization for over two hundred open source cryptocurrencies. Stack Overflow (SO) remains the most popular Q&A forum for software developers. We mine SO data to explore the hot cryptocurrency topics and study the sentiment of cryptocurrency discussions. Our results demonstrate 1) using Granger causality analysis, we find no convincing evidence of "predictive" relationship between software development metrics and market price except for Ethereum; 2) developers express positive sentiment in SO discussions; 3) the extracted keywords from SO discussions prevail the hot topics the developers discuss about.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Microstructure and Performance Studies of a Novel Cobalt High Entropy Alloy

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Wu, Xueyao
    Abstract:
    A novel high entropy alloy (HEA), designated as HE6, is created based on Stellite 6 in this research. The new alloy has the equiatomic Co-Cr-Fe-Ni composition with a large amount of W and other minors. The bulk specimens are fabricated from the alloy powder via spark plasma sintering (SPS) and plasma transferred arc (PTA) welding. The microstructures of the specimens are studied using XRD and SEM equipped with EDX. A series of material characterization tests such as hardness, wear and corrosion are performed on the bulk HE6 specimens as well as Stellite 6 specimens. It is found that HE6 alloy has a similar microstructure compared to Stellite 6. However, the solid solution of HE6 consists of multi-element FCC structures rather than single FCC Co structure. As for the performance evaluation, Stellite 6 has better overall performance than HE6. And the effect of processing methods is not obvious.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Mechanical
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Characterizing Aptamer-Based Alpha-Synuclein Fibril Inhibitors as a Potential Therapeutic Agent of Parkinson's Disease

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Boisjoli, Spencer Frederick
    Abstract:
    With predominant focus on the role of the protein α-synuclein, given its increased tendency to form neurotoxic oligomeric and fibril species, this thesis investigates aptamers as a Parkinson's Disease (PD) therapeutic generated specifically for the detection and inhibition of monomeric α-synuclein. Aptamers are single stranded oligonucleotide sequences designed for the recognition of target structures with high affinity and selectivity. Binding affinity and conformation analysis of five aptamer sequences, ASYN(1-5), for monomeric α-synuclein were evaluated through various detection methods. ASYN2, having the highest affinity for monomeric α-synuclein, discriminated against similarly structured proteins, preferentially binding with monomeric α-synuclein. ASYN2 truncations, exploiting potential binding domains within the aptamer, yielded six minimer sequences labelled A2m(1-6). Fibril inhibition assays determined both ASYN2 and A2m3 displayed inhibition potential at 1:1 molar ratios of aptamer to protein. Further investigation into ASYN2 and A2m3 could reveal its application as a PD therapeutic.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemistry
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Multi-scale Deep Nearest Neighbors

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Chauhan, Abhijeet
    Abstract:
    In this thesis, we aim to learn a deep embedding space suitable for k-NN. Our approach is based on minimizing the leave-one-out 1-NN classification error in the embedding space. Directly optimizing for such a rule is not tractable due to its discontinuous nature. We propose Multi-scale Deep Nearest Neighbour (MsDNN) which is a differentiable loss function that aims to maximize the expected sample margin for every training sample. The output of MsDNN is an embedding space. We evaluate the resulting space from two angles. From the classification view, during testing, we run a k-NN classifier and report the classification accuracy. But classification accuracy does not tell us the entire story about the goodness of an embedding space. Therefore, we run k-means clustering in the embedding space. Analogous to the hierarchical clustering, subclasses might exist on different scales. Our method provides a mechanism to target subclasses in different scales.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • A Personalized Approach to Understanding Depression: Examining the Biological and Psychosocial Basis of Symptom Clusters

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Franklyn, Sabina Inge
    Abstract:
    Despite the prevalence and impact of depression, effective treatments lag behind that of many physical conditions owing, in part, to the complexity of this disorder. Considering the heterogeneity of depression and comorbidities with other mental illnesses, a focus on the symptoms expressed and how these relate to psychosocial and biological factors, may inform a personalized treatment strategy. We developed transdiagnostic symptom clusters spanning boundaries of anxiety and depression that mapped onto specific psychosocial and biological factors. Namely, clusters representing the neurovegetative features of depression strongly related to inflammatory profiles, suggesting that this relationship is symptom specific. Moreover, clusters representing comorbid symptomatologies were associated with increased severity of symptoms, higher early life adversity scores and suicidal behaviours. The present study suggests distinct symptomatologies have differing biological underpinnings. Thus, shifting away from diagnostic categories and further exploring personalized approaches to better understand the neurobiology of depression and inform future treatments is warranted.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Dose-Response Modelling and Optimization of Quantitative High-Throughput Screening Assays

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hagiwara, Shintaro
    Abstract:
    Human health risk assessment is a process designed to characterize potential health risks associated with exposure to environmental agents. Classically, it involves four main steps: (1) hazard identification, (2) dose-response assessment, (3) exposure assessment, and (4) risk characterization. Traditionally, toxicological testing has relied heavily on experimental animals to predict potential human health risk. Motivated in part by the 2007 U.S. National Research Council report, Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and a Strategy, there has been a shift towards new approach methodologies using in vitro, in silico, and in chemico techniques. Quantitative high-throughput screening (qHTS) is one such methodology that can rapidly produce in vitro assays for thousands of chemicals that can be analyzed for hazard identification and dose-response assessment purposes. This thesis provides a statistical foundation for effectively designing qHTS assays and extends the value of information (VOI) framework to allow for more realistic comparisons in practice. Using over 8,000 qHTS assays from the Tox21 program, we develop optimal designs that maximize the efficiency of BMD estimates. Further, we extend the framework for a VOI analysis to compare the benefits realized by collecting information to aid in health risk decision-making, including variables such as timeliness, cost, and reduction in uncertainty. Initially, the statistical properties of maximum likelihood estimators (MLEs) of the BMDs and underlying Hill model parameters are studied. A simulation study is performed to investigate the relationship between the properties of the MLEs and the observed concentration response curve (CRC). The development of optimal designs based on BMD estimates for qHTS assays and the comparison of efficiencies for six fixed designs (FDs) is considered next. The relatively low median relative efficiencies for the FDs suggests that without some knowledge of the model parameters, no fixed design can consistently deliver high efficiency across all shapes of CRCs. Finally, the VOI framework is extended by calculating the total social cost (TSC) over a specified time horizon instead of the annualized social cost (ASC) traditionally used in practice. The TSC uses the timeliness of information collected, thereby allowing for a more complete comparison of alternative toxicological testing methodologies.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Probability and Statistics
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Discrete Multitone Modulation for VSR and MR Electrical Interconnects and Optical Links

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Beshara, Hazem Sherenweef
    Abstract:
    A rich modulation scheme based transceiver is designed and implemented with throughput and error rate being given a high priority in order to target the continued exponential growth in the demand of data traffic ranging from intrachip high speed busses to metropolitan scale data center interconnects. A thorough analysis of the selection of key design details is performed both through analytical derivations and measurements in both an electrical and an optical channel that have not been previously done. This work also work merges optimization techniques and introduces some that has not been used in previous work. This resulted in a transceiver achieving 250 Gbps, 3.5e-4 BER, spectral efficiency of 5.8 b/s/Hz, and an estimated power consumption of 5.1 pJ/b , qualifying it be superior to prior art as well as suitable for both low power and high throughput applications in both coherent and non-coherent flavours of transceivers.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Attachment Anxiety is Associated with Restrictive Eating via Low Global Self-Esteem and Appearance Overvaluation

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Allan, Alexandra Marie
    Abstract:
    This research explored the relationship between attachment, appearance overvaluation, global self-esteem, and restrictive eating in a secondary analysis of a community sample of undergraduate women. Participants (N = 527) completed the Experiences in Close Relationships questionnaire (Lafontaine et al., 2016), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES; Rosenberg, 1965), Beliefs About Appearance Scale (Spangler & Stice, 2001), and the restriction subscale of the Eating Disorders Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q; Fairburn & Beglin, 1994). A serial mediation analysis was conducted to examine associations between these variables. Women higher in attachment anxiety reported greater appearance overvaluation, via lower global self-esteem, and reported more restrictive eating through lower global self-esteem and higher appearance overvaluation. Attachment avoidance was not related to appearance overvaluation or restrictive eating but was associated with lower global self-esteem. These results may inform prevention efforts, by identifying individuals with attachment anxiety, who may be more vulnerable to low global self-esteem, appearance overvaluation, and restrictive eating.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Code-Independent Error Floor Estimation Techniques for Flooding and Layered Decoders of LDPC Codes

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Farsiabi, Ali
    Abstract:
    Finite-length low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes under iterative message passing algorithms suffer from error floor. In this thesis, we study the harmfulness of problematic graphical structures of LDPC codes, collectively referred to as trapping sets (TSs), which play important roles in the error floor performance of LDPC codes. Our proposed methods fit in the code-independent category of techniques in estimation and analysis of TSs. The linear state-space model is a well-known code-independent method to estimate the contribution of a trapping set structure to the error floor of LDPC codes. In this thesis we first provide an in-depth analysis of this method by incorporating a more accurate model of a TS in the error floor region. We then propose an alternate code-independent technique for the error floor estimation that is applicable to any saturating iterative message-passing decoder, symmetrically quantized or unquantized, over any memoryless binary-input output-symmetric channel We also analyze and optimize the error floor of quasi-cyclic (QC) LDPC codes decoded by the sum-product algorithm (SPA) with row layered message-passing scheduling. By developing a linear model we demonstrate that the contribution of each TS to the error floor is not only a function of the topology of the TS, but also depends on the row layers in which different check nodes of the TS are located. We extend the model of row layered schedule to the column layered decoders and demonstrate that the model parameters for the latter are derived differently than those of the former. We also show that, depending on TS structures and their layer profiles, the error floor of column layered decoders can be better or worse than that of their row layered counterparts. Finally, we propose a semi-linear state-space model of TSs in which, rather than the fixed operating point of zero, used in the original linear state-space model, the operational points are estimated dynamically. Compared to the linear state-space model, the proposed method is not only more accurate, but also has the advantage of error extrapolation, i.e., error floor estimation at different signal to noise ratios (SNRs) based on the estimated error rate at a specific SNR.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Characterization of Proteins Involved in MYB Transcription Factor Complexes that Regulate Suberin Deposition in Arabidopsis thaliana

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Tapp, Kyle Patrick
    Abstract:
    Terrestrial plants deposit cell wall-associated, glycerolipid-based polymeric barriers in specific tissue layers to help protect themselves from various environmental stresses. One of these layers, suberin, influences water uptake and retention, ion transport, and gas exchange within roots. A set of myeloblastosis (MYB)-type transcription factors (TFs) have been found to regulate suberin production. The main focus of this study was to characterize protein-protein interactions involving MYB TFs that regulate suberin deposition in root endodermis. Results indicate that: 1) MYB92 and MYB93 interact directly with bHLH111 (a basic helix-loop-helix TF); 2) expression pattern of the bHLH111 gene was consistent with a role in regulating suberin deposition; and 3) knock-out mutations of bHLH111 and the related bHLH112 gene were found to have reduced levels of suberin in Arabidopsis roots. Altogether, these findings provide evidence for bHLH proteins working together with MYB TFs to regulate suberin production in the root endodermis of Arabidopsis.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Real-Time Path Planning for Needle Insertion With Multiple Targets

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Nejati Aghdam, Afsoon
    Abstract:
    Needle insertion into soft tissue has gained considerable attention in recent years in medical applications due to its ever-increasing potential in minimally invasive procedures. Steerable bevel-tip needles offer higher maneuverability independent of the insertion depth and, consequently, are preferable in many needle steering applications compared to symmetric-tip needles. However, due to the nonholonomic kinematics of the bevel-tip needle inside soft tissue, its path planning poses a considerable challenge. Though the topic of single-target path planning is rather well studied and researched, the multiple-target path-planning problem remains under-researched. In this work, we study the path-planning problem for multiple targets based on Rapidly-Exploring-Random-Tree (RRT) algorithms. These algorithms are proper candidates for intra-operative planning of needle motion due to their fast computation and simple implementations. They also work well in high-dimensional configuration spaces and under nonholonomic kinematic constraints, both of which are the characteristics of steerable bevel-tip needle motion inside soft tissue. We present two novel RRT-based path-planning approaches to steerable bevel-tip needles to reach multiple targets inside soft tissue: a 2D path planner for preoperative applications and a 3D real-time path planner for intraoperative applications. In both planners, without the needle having to completely retract and reinsert toward each separate target, the amount of tissue damage compared to the conventional sequential insertion of the needle toward each target decreases significantly. Particularly, our 3D planner works well in real-world applications where tissue and anatomical structures may vary due to tissue deformation during insertion, patient's motion, or physiological changes. In addition, our 3D planner accounts for the needle's natural curvature variation during insertion due to tissue inhomogeneity. Moreover, both of the proposed planners have real clinical applications, where the limited size of the workspace as well as the needle's limited natural curvature impose significant limitations on the needle's path-planning problem inside soft tissue. Unlike the optimization-based methods with exponential time complexity, our planners work well with as many targets as required. Simulations demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed planners in terms of minimum targeting error and decreased needle insertion length vis-a-vis the sequential insertion of the needle for each target.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Exploring the Potential of a Formula-Enhanced Approach for Speech Act Teaching in Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Zavialova, Alisa
    Abstract:
    Pragmatic formulas can augment both pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic aspects of second language (L2) pragmatic competence and serve as linguistic building blocks necessary for successful speech act performance (Bardovi-Harlig, 2012). Major approaches to speech act teaching (e.g., Martinez-Flor & Uso-Juan, 2006) encourage explicit meta-pragmatic explanations aimed at drawing learners' attention to degrees of power, distance, and imposition; however, these approaches make vague references to pragmatic formulas despite their pragmalinguistic value, promoting an unbalanced view of pragmatics instruction. In addition, there is an urgent need for classroom-based studies targeting L2 pragmatics in community-based language programs, such as Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) since the majority of existing teaching intervention studies in this area have been conducted in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) settings (e.g., Bardovi-Harlig & Vellenga, 2012). To address these gaps, an approach to teaching L2 pragmatics that goes beyond awareness-raising and consists of a carefully planned instructional sequence enhanced by an explicit focus on pragmatic formulas was developed for this study; this approach was contrasted with the more widely recommended awareness-raising approach. A two-cycle qualitative utterance analysis was conducted to determine how pragmalinguistic and sociopragmatic abilities of the students in both treatment groups evolved after the intervention. In addition, three trained expert judges evaluated students' pragmatic performance to complement the findings of the qualitative utterance analysis. To determine which pedagogical features of the formula-enhanced approach make it more effective, eight instructional treatment sessions were observed, and the recorded classroom episodes were qualitatively analyzed. The results showed that formula-enhanced pragmatics instruction can help L2 learners achieve higher levels of both pragmatic and grammatical proficiency by contributing to lexical richness and nativelikeness of expression and preventing negative transfer from the first language or overreliance on the same formula when producing various speech acts. The findings of the classroom observation analysis revealed that the main pedagogical advantage of the formula-enhanced approach is that it provides L2 learners with multiple opportunities to build appropriate form-function-context connections which can facilitate higher levels of cognitive processing of input leading to bottom-up discovery of the target pragmatic conventions and long-term retention of nativelike pragmatic formulas.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Communicating HVAC Operation Through a Thermostat Interface: An In-Situ Implementation to Improve Perceived Control and Thermal Comfort in Offices

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Brackley, Connor George Childs
    Abstract:
    Personal control through thermostats is well understood to increase thermal comfort; however, the usability of thermostats can play a role in realizing these benefits. This thesis contributes to the understanding of how thermostat interfaces and the operation of HVAC control systems can affect perceived control in offices. Phase 1 applied an analysis of the building performance combined with a survey to identify barriers to usability in the offices. Phase 2 involved the development and implementation of three features, using design techniques from the field of human factors, which addressed the usability issues found in Phase 1. Phase 3 aimed to measure the operation and gather feedback on these implemented features. The research was performed on 25 offices in an institutional building. It is expected that the issues found in this building are widespread, and the solutions developed can be iterated and applied to other institutional and commercial buildings with offices.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Mechanical
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Perceiver – A Five-view Stereo System for High-quality Disparity Generation and its Application in Video Post-Production

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Zhu, Chang An
    Abstract:
    Element extraction from videos has always been a time-consuming process in the entertainment industry. In this research, we explored the possibility of simplifying the video object extraction technique with corresponding depth sequences. Based on post-production quality requirements, we developed our disparity enhancing system by integrating our two-axis-multi-view-stereo method that perceives an environment from five different perspectives on both x and y axes. Our research results have shown that the disparity quality of our approach is both visually and quantitatively more accurate than the traditional one-stereo-pair method, and its object extraction (i.e., matting) quality is comparable with existing mature matting technique to a certain extent. This research output can be applied in video object cut-out, visual effects composition, video's 2D to 3D conversion, and image post-processing. With further improvement, our system might be applicable in AR, VR, machine vision, and auto-pilot areas.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Information Technology (M.I.T.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Digital Media
    Date Created:
    2020

  • An Apple Out of Reach: The Unattainable Ideal Beloved and Sappho’s Poetics in the Poetry of Marguerite Yourcenar and Anne Carson

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Mylrea, Colin Richard
    Abstract:
    The way the Archaic Greek poet Sappho and her poetry is represented and engaged with in the writing of Anne Carson and Marguerite Yourcenar appears on the surface to be decidedly disparate. However, when the thematic elements of Yourcenar and Carson's respective Sapphic texts are excavated, the two authors in fact demonstrate resemblance, specifically in how they both engage with Sappho and her poetry as a way to push eroticism beyond the profane and into the realm of the sacred. By drawing on criticism of Sappho, moral philosophy, and other writings from Yourcenar and Carson, I argue that both Youcenar and Carson invoke Sappho as an incarnation of the ideal beloved inside the text and in their biographies.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    English
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Frozen but alive: Molecular responses to autophagy, angiogenesis and energy metabolism in the stress-tolerant wood frog, Rana sylvatica

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Al-attar, Rasha
    Abstract:
    The freeze-tolerant wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) are incredible creatures that can tolerate the freezing of up to ~70% of their total body water during winter. Once frozen, these frogs are considered clinically dead, exhibiting no signs of breathing, heartbeat, muscle movement and nerve conductance; yet, they come back to life, unharmed, after a few hours of thawing. Freezing is associated with ischemia due to the freezing of the blood, with hyperglycemia due to the production of large quantities of glucose for cryoprotection, and with dehydration as water moves from inside the cell to the extracellular space to prevent intracellular freezing. Interestingly, wood frogs can tolerate all these stresses independently of freezing, thereby creating a multifactorial model for studying vertebrate freeze-tolerance. Oxygen availability is very low to non-existing during freezing, anoxia, and dehydration; therefore, wood frogs are hypothesized to reduce their overall metabolic rates to balance energy production with energy expenditure in a process called metabolic rate depression (MRD). Animals that undergo MRD reduce energy expensive or detrimental processes and allocate the limited energy available only to pro-survival responses. This thesis examined the effects of freezing and its associated stress on responses to autophagy, angiogenesis, select group of antioxidant enzymes, and energy metabolism. Molecular responses to autophagy demonstrate a significant reduction in autophagosome formation and lysosomal biogenesis in response to anoxia/reoxygenation and to a lesser degree in response to dehydration/rehydration in liver, whereas these two processes were significantly reduced under all conditions in skeletal muscle. Current results also indicate that angiogenesis is regulated in a temporal and stress-dependent manner, where wood frogs increase the expression of certain pro- and anti-angiogenic factors in anticipation of potential damage to capillaries or injury to tissues. Investigation into the role of ETS1 as a transcriptional activator and repressor demonstrated its potential involvement in promoting the expression of select antioxidant enzymes, while repressing the expression of certain nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins. Overall, findings in this thesis demonstrate the complexity of the mechanisms involved in controlling metabolic rate depression in adaptive responses in wood frogs.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Data-Driven Patient Motion Compensation in Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Manwell, Spencer Thomas
    Abstract:
    Positron emission tomography (PET) is a molecular imaging modality that has been demonstrated to be a powerful, non-invasive, tool for the assessment and diagnosis of cardiac pathologies like coronary artery disease. The accuracy of these clinical examinations for detecting and prognosticating disease can be marred in cases where patient motion is severe. Clinical use of motion tracking/compensation tools, however, is relatively uncommon partly due to the increases in complexity and time of patient setup prior to imaging. The purpose of the work described here was to develop and evaluate new methods of patient motion detection and compensation in the context of cardiac PET imaging studies that are less complex than standard commercial options in the hope of reducing barriers to clinical adoption. The proposed methods are based on measuring and tracking the motion of a low-activity radioactive marker placed on patients using the positron emission tracking (PeTrack) algorithm. Motion information was employed to compensate and/or correct for either respiratory or whole-body patient motion. The performance of PeTrack for respiratory tracking and motion compensation was evaluated in a clinical population in comparison with a commonly used commercial optical tracking device. Within a practical comparison framework PeTrack was shown to perform comparably to the commercial system. From this comparison shortcomings of both PeTrack and the commercial system were identified; knowledge of the former can inform future development and improvement. A method for whole-body patient motion correction (WBMC) in static cardiac perfusion studies using PeTrack was developed. Motion corrected images demonstrated significantly less blurring of the myocardial walls and improved contrast. Relative perfusion measurements among the clinical data sets were not significantly affected although the extent of patient motion was limited. The WBMC algorithm was extended for dynamic acquisitions used for quantification of myocardial blood flow. Motion detection and estimation with PeTrack was compared to that of another data-driven motion tracking algorithm within a clinical population. Body motion estimation with PeTrack was more robust than the alternative method. Motion correction using PeTrack demonstrated improvement among various quality indicators of the kinetic modelling used to estimate blood flow.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Physics
    Date Created:
    2020

  • “They Just Don’t Get It”: Snapshots from Siblings of Children with Life Limiting Conditions

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hill-Smith, Emilie
    Abstract:
    Using photovoice, this thesis investigates the lived experiences of siblings of children with life limiting conditions (LLCs). Using the participant-produced photos to guide the thesis, I present their stories in a way that will allow readers to visually understand what it means to be a sibling to a child with an LLC. This thesis dissects the various emotions that are experienced by these siblings every day and discusses their importance. It also examines the daily lives of these siblings and how they care for their brothers and sisters. This thesis challenges previous beliefs that having a sibling with a disability is always detrimental to the siblings' well-being. Additionally, I will challenge my own use of photovoice and discuss complications with the method. This thesis fills a gap in existing literature while showcasing the beautiful snapshots of these siblings' lives while challenging ableist narratives of sibling relationships.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Anthropology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Error Correcting Codes in Post-Quantum Cryptography

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Desmarais, John-Marc
    Abstract:
    This thesis gives an overview of the currently most mature key encapsulation mecha- nisms (KEMs) based on the theory of error correcting codes. It includes an introduc- tion to the theory of error correcting codes in so much as it applies to these systems and how it can be used to encapsulate keys through a public key (PK) cryptosystem. In order to add context to the KEMs, first the required basics of coding theory and a selection of some of the most common error correcting codes are covered. Then, we revisit public key cryptosystems, key encapsulation, and the security threat models that are being used. This is followed by a thorough description of the current NIST candidates for KEM using post-quantum cryptography: Classic McEliece, BIKE, LEDAcrypt, and HQC.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Mathematics
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Large scale investigation in yeast to identify novel gene(s) involved in mRNA non-stop decay pathway

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Zare, Narges
    Abstract:
    Nonstop decay is an mRNA degradation pathway involved in identifying and eliminating nonstop transcripts. Compared to other RNA degradation pathways, very little is known about the NSD mechanism. To identify novel genes involved in NSD, we performed a large-scale analysis, and identified 68 gene candidates. From these results we picked three helicases, NAM7, ECM32, and SKI2 to further investigate. Spot test and colony count assay confirmed the role of selected candidates in NSD. The abundance of the nonstop mRNA was then evaluated using qRT-PCR method, and it was confirmed that the deletions of the selected candidates had no significant effect on nonstop gene at the transcriptional level when compared to the wildtype strain. Negative genetic interaction revealed association between candidate genes and translational regulation genes. The results of this study confirm the role of candidates in NSD but further research to characterize the genes.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Bashful Behaviours: The Association Between Perceived Vulnerability and the Dark Tetrad Personality Traits

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Stewart, Jayme Dawson
    Abstract:
    The current study sought to examine how nonverbal cues relate to self-perceptions of vulnerability (Study 1) as well as how personality constructs, like the Dark Tetrad (i.e., Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, sadism), influence the detection and assessment of vulnerability within others (Study 2). Results from Study 1 suggest that women lacking in assertiveness are more likely to perceive themselves as vulnerable and engage in specific nonverbal behaviours (e.g., self-touch), while Study 2 indicates that although the dark traits do not appear to have an enhanced ability to detect self-perceived vulnerability in others, they are more likely to rely on intuition or non-behavioural cues (e.g., physical appearance) when assessing vulnerability. Alternatively, those high in honesty-humility personality traits were more likely to utilize behavioural cues including facial expressions, emotional appearance, and posture. Taken together, this research suggests that personality traits and nonverbal behaviours are relevant and important indicators of vulnerability.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Mock Jurors’ Perceptions of Eyewitness Evidence: The Role of Familiarity with the Defendant, Race of the Defendant, and Eyewitness Confidence

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Mackovichova, Simona
    Abstract:
    Almost exclusively, eyewitness research in the context of juror decision-making has examined the situation where the eyewitness and defendant are strangers. The purpose of the current study was to examine how prior familiarity with the defendant together with eyewitness confidence and defendant race influence mock jurors' perceptions of the eyewitness evidence and defendant guilt. Mock jurors (N = 427) read a trial transcript from a mock robbery case that involved eyewitness dentification evidence. Both defendant race and eyewitness confidence were found to influence jurors' judgments with more positive perceptions of the eyewitness and higher perceptions of the defendant's guilt when the eyewitness identified the same-race defendant and when he expressed high identification confidence, respectively. Although familiarity was not influential in their legal judgments, mock jurors' subjective perceptions of the eyewitness-defendant familiarity were associated with their judgments and verdict decisions. The implications of these findings and future directions are discussed.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Design and development of group 13 precursors for improved vapour deposition of metal nitride thin films

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Buttera, Sydney
    Abstract:
    Atomic layer deposition (ALD) and chemical vapour deposition (CVD) are important techniques to deposit thin films for a variety of applications. Metal oxides and nitrides are used as passivation layers and as dielectrics, and due to the increasingly small sizes of microelectronic devices, their depositions must be precise, conformal, and of high purity. This work examines how precursor design can reduce impurities in deposited films. Several novel precursors have been designed, synthesized, and characterized, and used to deposit a variety of group 13 nitride thin films. Bidentate ligands such as guanidinates, NacNacs and azenides have been explored, as have simpler ligand systems such as amides and hydrides. The importance of precursor design is emphasized due to the fact that it enables the development of new, volatile, and thermally stable compounds and ALD processes that will deposit pure, high-quality films in a cost- and time-efficient manner.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemistry
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Advanced precursor design for atomic layer deposition and chemical vapour deposition of gold metal

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Griffiths, Matthew Bertram Edward
    Abstract:
    This thesis first outlines the current state-of-the-art of gold CVD and ALD precursors based on their precursor figures of merit (σ). Then, this thesis demonstrates the ability to control the structure of deposited nanoparticles by CVD, using a combination of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to elucidate the mechanism of growth. With the help of expert collaborators, this thesis then summarizes multiple ALD studies on the first gold ALD precursor, (PMe3)AuMe3 including an assessment on its mechanism of ALD growth. In order to improve on the existing state-of-the-art of gold precursors, this thesis then describes a systematic assessment of gold(I) precursor design. Using a combination of TGA, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), x-ray crystallography, and density functional theory (DFT) computational techniques, we attempt to delineate why certain ligands work well for gold(I) and we develop the precursor figure of merit (σ). With a knowledge of the design factors that make a good precursor from the standpoint of thermolysis, this thesis then describes a study where the rate of CVD of various gold(I) precursors is compared by in situ monitoring using a combination of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS). This study culminates in a new idea in the field of ALD: the rational design of a kinetically-limited ALD process. We then show that the kinetic implications of steric bulk that are ubiquitous in solution-phase synthetic chemistry can also be exploited in the fields of CVD and ALD. Finally, this thesis describes a study where a self-limiting gold(I) precursor is rationally designed. A family of these types of precursors is presented, and the self-limiting capability of these precursors is demonstrated using our in-situ monitoring methodology. We then show that highly conductive and high-purity gold thin films can be deposited with one precursor, and the films rival or best the current body of literature of gold films that are deposited by ALD.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemistry
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Effect of Touchscreen Gestures on Number Line Performance

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Pogrebniak, Anna
    Abstract:
    The goal of this study was to examine whether the type of touchscreen gesture (i.e., drag or tap) affected adults' accuracy in integer and fractional number line tasks. In previous research, the drag gesture was hypothesized to be a more embodied way in which people interact with number lines. Seventy-eight undergraduate students participated in three phases. Phase 1 involved experience placing whole number targets on several number lines (i.e., 0-10, 0-25, 0-50, and 0-75). Phase 2 involved placing fractional amounts (e.g., 5/8) on the same number lines, and Phase 3 involved assessment of the participants' fraction knowledge. The results showed that participants were significantly more accurate using the drag gesture than the tap gesture on fraction number line task (Phase 2). However, using either the tap or drag gesture in Phase 1 (integer number line tasks) did not influence performance in Phase 2 (fraction number line tasks) or Phase 3 (fraction knowledge assessment).
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Human-Computer Interaction
    Date Created:
    2020

  • The Business of Resilience: Philanthropy, Partnerships, and Politics

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Primeau, Phillip Andre
    Abstract:
    The concept of resilience has entered into the lexicon of the everyday while enjoying an ever-expanding range of applications and associations within the public, private, and philanthropic sectors. This dissertation critically engages resilience discourses and practices by tracing a network of relations composed of both people and things. Taking cues from Actor-Network Theory, I bring into focus a latticework of actants that has enabled the concept of resilience to function, be mobile, expand and stabilize into what I call 'philanthropic resilience' and 'financialized resilience'. I offer a novel reading of the career of resilience by shedding light on how the concept has been deployed across a diverse set of fields and assemblages. To illustrate key features of the philanthropic form of resilience I turn to the Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities initiative (100RC), to date the most expansive experiment in incubating city resilience interventions. I show how the 100RC successfully grew a resilience network through philanthropic partnerships, how it created the Chief Resilience Officer position as an embedded municipal actor, and how it enrolled a selective set of actants tasked with solving the problem of resilience valuation theoretically and practically. I argue that the idea of 'resilience dividends', once confined to the philanthropic sector, has been incorporated into the financialized resilience form through speculative investment products such as bonds. I contend that resilience bonds, along with the issuance of profit-generating climate resilience bonds, show that the concept of resilience has materialized in powerful social practices beyond metaphorical and metonymical applications. This dissertation offers theoretical and empirical lenses to better parse the political and social ramifications of the business of resilience.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Sociology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Is it all in the details? Effect of psychopathy communication format on laypeople's perceptions of legal outcomes

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Maltais, Natasha Stephanie-Marie
    Abstract:
    Past findings that laypeople's perceptions of psychopathy can negatively influence trial outcomes are exacerbated by the fact that there are no standards for how psychopathy- related information should be presented in risk assessment reports. This problem results in inconsistencies and misinterpretation of information by jurors. The current studies explored how different ways of communicating psychopathy evidence affect decisions concerning risk, management, and treatment amenability among laypeople in two online studies of community members. When psychopathy scores were low, the formatting of information did not seem to matter for decision-making. However, when psychopathy scores were high, providing more information appeared to play more of a role in final outcomes. Importantly, risk level mattered over psychopathy information. These results suggest that the way psychopathy is discussed in legal settings may need to be altered, with focus placed on the relevancy of including psychopathy information in specific contexts.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Investigating Indigeneity within Incarceration: Healing Lodges in the Canadian Media

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Manning, Natalia Solveig
    Abstract:
    My research examines the media portrayals of Indigenous healing lodges within Canada, through a critical discourse analysis of relevant Canadian news media sources, spanning from 2009 to 2019. I utilize both intersectionality and settler colonialism as my theoretical approaches for this research to contextualize media discourses to the longstanding history of colonialism in Canadian society, as well as intersections of identity. I also analyze research questions relevant to settler versus Indigenous-led media, as well as the constructions of healing lodges as a form of punishment and the ways in which Indigenous offenders were depicted. In addition, I explore how narratives about healing lodges further solidified claims regarding Indigenous sovereignty. I conclude with a multi-faceted approach moving forward through support for the implementation of more Indigenous-led healing lodges, as well as cultural resurgence, as advocated by a number of prominent Indigenous scholars in the field.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Sociology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Detecting and Comparing the Incremental Changes of Three Aspects of Word Knowledge in Educational and Naturalistic Settings

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Mohamed, Muftah Saad Muftah
    Abstract:
    Knowing words involves knowing multiple aspects of word knowledge (Nation, 2013). Most previous research focused on single aspects and measured the ultimate gains at single points of time. The uniqueness of this dissertation lies in detecting and comparing the productive incre-mental changes of three aspects of word knowledge (meaning, spelling, and word part) in Educa-tional (e.g. school) and naturalistic settings (e.g. workplace) at different time intervals over a 24-month period. Using Nation's (2013) Word Knowledge Framework, two main studies and a follow-up study were conducted from January 2018 to January 2020. Five upper-intermediate Arabic speaking learners participated in Study 1, and two advanced Arabic speaking learners participat-ed in Study 2. Three participants from Study 1 and both participants From Study 2 participated in the Follow-up Study. The same battery of pen-and-paper tests (i.e., spelling, multiple choice and fill-in-the-blanks) was used to elicit quantitative data from participants in both the two main and the fol-low-up studies, which were then analyzed statistically. Qualitative data, drawn from semi-structured interviews and classroom observations were analyzed using Saldaña's (2013) first cy-cle and top down coding method. Results countered those previously reported (e.g., González-Fernández & Schmitt, 2019; Schmitt, 1998). A developmental hierarchy was detected among the three measured aspects of word knowledge. They developed concurrently and in varying proportions. Basic meaning knowledge always enjoyed the highest gains followed by spelling knowledge and word part knowledge. A relationship between the incremental changes of the three measured aspects of word knowledge and participants' vocabulary size was also detected. Several vocabulary learning strategies including (but not limited to) word lists, word parts, and orthographic repetition seemed to play a positive role in word knowledge develop-ment. Several factors such as lack of adequate word exposure opportunities as well as learners' first language (L1) transfer were found to negatively affect word knowledge development. This study concludes that certain aspects require more attention and time than others. Learners need to be exposed several times to the target words and in different contexts. They need to be taught and trained to use the different vocabulary learning strategies to enhance attainment.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Evaluating the impact of snow fencing on snow conditions and ground temperatures in Hurricane Alley, Dempster Highway, Yukon, Canada

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Humphries, Jennifer Kayley
    Abstract:
    Snow fences were installed at two sites near the Dempster Highway, Yukon, ~ 10 km south of the territorial border, to examine their impact on snow accumulation and ground temperatures. Temperature sensors were installed in August 2018 and snow surveys were conducted throughout winter 2018‒19. Natural snow accumulation ranged from a shallow snowpack of low density in wind-scoured upland, to high density, deep snow in the lee of a large hill. The snow fences accumulated wind-blown snow in large drifts of high density, which neared capacity by December. Topographic factors were not found to significantly alter drift characteristics at the fences. By late winter, thermal resistance was no greater in snow fence drifts than in natural tundra, however mean winter (Dec.-Feb.) ground temperature was higher beneath snow fence drifts than tundra by 3.5°C at 10 cm depth and 2.7°C at 50 cm depth.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Geography
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Dual-Wavelength Polarization Independent Grating Coupler Design Based on Silicon-on-Insulator

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hao, Tianyi
    Abstract:
    Silicon photonics has emerged as one of the most popular areas in integrated optics because of its compatibility with CMOS fabrication processes and its potential for low cost and mass production. To enable efficient fiber-to-chip coupling of light, one key component is a grating coupler. With an increasing demand for wavelength-division-multiplexing systems in fiber-to-the-home network services, low-cost dual-band (O- and C-bands) chip transceivers are required. In this thesis, the universal design methodology of conventional and subwavelength grating couplers has been presented. Firstly, a vertical incident wavelength splitting grating coupler that can split 1310 nm and 1550 nm wavelength light into two directions is shown. Afterward, a polarization splitting grating coupler that can work for both C- and O- band with a flexible incident angle is also demonstrated. In the last part of this thesis, a novel dual-band subwavelength polarization independent grating coupler works as a wavelength demultiplexer is proposed.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Enhancing Body-Mounted LiDAR SLAM using an IMU-based Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR) Model

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Sadruddin, Hamza
    Abstract:
    With the reduction in motion sensors' cost and power, Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) has emerged as a core technology in several applications such as search-and-rescue, first-responders, and defence. Existing SLAM methods were designed mainly for robotic platforms that use wheel odometry. However, wheel odometry is not available for body-mounted platforms. This thesis addresses the challenge of body-mounted SLAM by proposing an integrated sensor fusion scheme. A Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR) model based on inertial sensors is used to enhance LiDAR-based SLAM. This proposed fusion uses the PDR model as a replacement for wheel odometry in vehicular platforms. A system prototype has been developed and used for data collection and experiments. The implemented PDR model was integrated into the Google Cartographer SLAM engine and tested against different tracking systems. Experiments demonstrated that the integration of PDR has significantly enhanced head-mounted SLAM accuracy leading to accurate positioning under different motion scenarios.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Unfamiliar Neighbours: Re-Thinking Residential Buildings for Meaningful Social Interaction

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Ryt, Anna Lena
    Abstract:
    Loneliness and social isolation are becoming a widespread problem in Canada today. Researchers have found that chronic loneliness can have similar consequences as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Yet, building regulations do little to assure mental wellbeing to the extent they regulate physical health. Centuries ago, people who lived around us would be our source of community. However, in the last 35 years the number of Canadians living alone has more than doubled, and most don't know many of their neighbours. The current multi-unit high-rise residential building model leaves little room to meet and get to know people, ultimately forming a sense of community, security and belonging. This thesis focuses on these buildings, with their narrow hallways and awkward elevator rides. The aim is to propose an alternative which creates more socially conducive spaces through public-private gradation, proximity to common areas, attracting motivated residents, grouping, program, and exposure to nature.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Architecture
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Determination of Wair value in high energy electron beam

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Bourgouin, Alexandra
    Abstract:
    Purpose: The mean energy expended by a charged particle slowing to a stop in air to created ion pair, Wair, is a key value in radiation dosimetry standards. It is used to convert the charge created into the energy deposited. The ICRU report 90 has reaffirmed the accepted value to be 33.97(12) eV and to be energetically independent above 10 keV. However, a recent publication by Tessier et al. (DOI: 10.1002/mp.12660) has shown a possible energy dependence. The present work aims to determine the value of Wair in high-energy electron beams and to investigate the assumption that Wair is energy independent. Methods: Wair can be evaluated by combining ionometric and calorimetric measurements with a calculated ratio of the absorbed dose in the detectors. Graphite and aluminum detectors were used and the dose ratio was calculated using the EGSnrc Monte Carlo code. A range of average energies at the measurement point were obtained by inserting absorber plates in the primary beam. Results: The overall standard uncertainty in the determination of Wair was approximately 0.5 %, and similar for both sets of detectors. Good agreement was obtained between the two separate experiments, but the data appear to separate into two sets. The smaller (9 points) yielding a value for Wair of 33.76(16) eV, consistent with the current consensus value of 33.97(12) eV; the larger (31 points) reproducing the energy dependency observed by Tessier et al.. Conclusion: This investigation cannot rule out a possible energy dependence of Wair in high-energy electron beams of -0.18(3) per MeV. Although not supported by theory, a systematic review of the methods used and the parameters influencing the overall result did not identify any experimental error that could explain the unexpected energy dependence.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Physics
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Numerical and Experimental Optimization for Specific Fatigue Life Maximization of Additively Manufactured Ti-6Al-4V Aerospace Components

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Trudel, Eric Paul
    Abstract:
    Computer Aided Design (CAD) in combination with structural optimization has allowed the rapid development of engineering prototypes. Topology and multi-scale design optimization techniques are capable of shaping highly efficient load paths. However, the resulting geometries are complex and can only be manufactured by Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology. One of the main downfalls of AM parts is their poor fatigue life which hinders the potential merits of design optimization. This thesis investigates experimental and numerical strategies to extend the fatigue life of DMLS Ti-6Al-4V components. Two stages to develop fatigue resistant AM parts are introduced. The first experimental stage is concerned with the application of Ultrasonic Impact Treatment (UIT) to enhance the fatigue life of AM parts and to derive the fatigue behavior of Ti-6AL-4V. The second numerical stage applies topology optimization with lattice material to minimize damage and mass using the newly derive material properties.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Aerospace
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Barriers to the C-Suite: The Impact of Perceptions of Gender Bias on Women Leaders’ Senior Leadership Ambitions

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Parvizian, Sepinood
    Abstract:
    The current research examined whether women leaders' senior leadership ambitions are more strongly negatively affected by perceptions of gender bias (i.e., subtle gender bias, inequity, and mistreatment) in the workplace than leaders who are men and whether this association occurs through cynicism towards work. To test this, 347 leaders completed an online survey. It was found that women leaders had similar senior leadership ambitions as men, and contrary to expectations, gender did not affect the relation between gender bias and senior leadership ambitions. However, for both women and men, perceptions of gender bias were related to cynicism towards work, and ultimately, lower senior leadership ambitions. Further, women leaders who worked in male-dominated workplaces reported more issues of subtle gender bias than others. These findings have meaningful implications and suggest that it is likely systemic barriers, and not women's ambitions, that explain the lack of women in the C-suite.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Metamorphic Evolution of the Lower Nappes of the Kalak Nappe Complex in Eastern Finnmark (Norway)

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Heldwein, Olivier Karl Anton
    Abstract:
    Garnet grains in metapelites of the lower nappes of the Kalak Nappe Complex in Eastern Finnmark typically show two growth zones: Garnet 1 forms the cores of the grains and grew along a P-T path with a ~20 bar/°C slope. Its growth started at ~515 °C and ~3250-5500 bar and finished at ~570 °C. The maximum pressure experienced during garnet 1 growth increases down the nappe pile. Garnet 2, which forms the rims of the garnet grains, grew during a near-isothermal pressure increase of ~500-1500 bar. Microtextural evidence indicates pre- to syn-kinematic growth of garnet 1 and post-kinematic growth of garnet 2. Lu-Hf garnet/whole-rock age dating points to growth of garnet 1 at 463±17 Ma and a maximum age of ~429 Ma for garnet 2. The hiatus between garnet 1 and garnet 2 growth was of short duration, and garnet growth might have been continuous in the lowest structural levels.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Earth Sciences
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Experience and Translation: Between Image and Object

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Dyck, Brendan Michael
    Abstract:
    This thesis aims to understand the role of the image in communicating the experience of architecture, and how the intangible qualities of places, buildings, and their spaces are felt, represented, and communicated. Representation acts as a critical link between spatial thought and intention, and the constructed object. While the image cannot replace the experience of the object, the work of the thesis focuses on how the image can act as a tool to engage in a dialogue between the experiences of the image and the object. The image acts as a translator between the experiences of the world of architecture and the experience of viewing the image. The role of the image becomes one of translating intentions and experiences of architecture rather than simply representing an object. In engaging with architectural image-making, this act of translation explores how the images of architecture can engage with the experiences of architecture.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Architecture
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Social Support as a Moderator for Depressive Symptoms and Well-being During the Transition to University

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Dunn, Leigh Catherine
    Abstract:
    Nearly 40% of Canadian university students are depressed (Othman et al.,2019). However, strong social support may mitigate adverse outcomes for students (Santini et al.,2015). This study examined: 1. If students who showed initial depression were more likely to experience poorer end-of-semester outcomes (i.e., continued depressive symptoms, burnout, and poor social and academic adjustment). 2. If social support was a moderator for initial depression and poorer end-of-semester well-being. 3. If seeing friends face-to-face is a stronger moderator than phone calls or text messages on end-of-semester well-being. Participants (N=461) were first-time first-year undergraduates who completed questionnaires in September and in December (N=368) of their first semester. Entering university with depressive symptoms was shown to be associated with end-of-semester depression burnout and decreased academic adjustment. Students with initially low depression and high social support had less depression in December. Question three was unsupported, well-being was unaffected by mode of communication and September depression.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Transient Occupancy: The Resurgence of Publics in Downtown Toronto

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Rivet, Luke John Raymond
    Abstract:
    This thesis uses contemporary architectural theory to investigate a distinct set of concerns in the financial district of Toronto. In its investigation it uses two of Rem Koolhaas's ideas, that of Bigness as described in 1994 in "Bigness or the Problem of Large" and that of the Staging of Uncertainty a concept defined in Koolhaas's 1994 article "What Ever Happened to Urbanism" and largely consistent with ideas developed in his book Delirious New York, 1978 to examines how Toronto's financial district is currently driven by capital. To explore the issue of capital through the lens of Bigness and the Staging of Uncertainty the work uses a research-by-design methodology to develop a speculative design project that questions how this urban condition might be shifted to become more inclusive to concepts such as the Staging of Uncertainty instead of its singular focus on neoliberalism.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Architecture
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Comparing Gender Differences and Similarities in How Risks and Strengths Cluster to Form Profiles of Justice-Involved Youth: A Latent Profile Analysis

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Wagstaff, Megan
    Abstract:
    The extent to which gender informed, person-centered risk assessment approaches enhance the efficacy of risk assessment and treatment planning, has not been extensively investigated. A person-centered, gender informed latent profile analysis (LPA) examined dynamic need and strength domain scores, as well as mental health scores and Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) scores derived from the Youth Assessment Screening Instrument (YASI) in a sample of 1,782 justice-involved youth. Results yielded the same three distinct profiles for both females and males: (1) low needs/high strengths, (2) moderate needs /moderate strengths, and (3) high needs/low strengths. Additional analyses examined the relationship between profile membership and the YASI Pre-Screen risk score, age, race, and predictive validity. In sum, despite small gender differences, females and males are more similar than different in terms of their treatment profiles. A gender informed, variable-centered approach is appropriate for risk assessment and treatment planning with justice-involved youth.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • The Residential School "Monster": Indigenous Self-Determination and Memory at Former Indian Residential School Sites

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Moran, Sidney Anne
    Abstract:
    Indian residential school (IRS) sites are physical reminders of the Canadian setter-colonial system's support of sustained violence against Indigenous peoples. Using archival research, I will demonstrate commemorative strategies at IRS sites that have contributed to the construction of collective memory surrounding residential schools and are examples of the role that sovereignty over IRS sites plays in IRS memory construction. My project foregrounds four case studies: the Mohawk Institute, Alberni IRS, Beauval IRS, and the St. Eugene Mission School; which IRS buildings have undergone reuse and destruction and represent what the Tseshaht, Haudenosaunee, Ktunaxa, and Dene have prioritized in their memorial projects. Different treatments of physical evidence at IRS sites, including reuse and destruction, are ultimately both forms of memorialization. I argue that engagement with the tangible history of residential schools by Indigenous peoples provides spaces for self-determination, contributing to the productive formation of collective memories of IRS sites and experiences.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Canadian Studies
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Student Emotions in a Productive Failure Paradigm

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Savelson, Zachary Monroe
    Abstract:
    Productive failure is a learning paradigm that reverses the standard order of instruction by asking students to solve problems prior to learning the method to solve them. Despite going against intuitions that instruction should come first, this paradigm has been shown to be effective at engendering conceptual knowledge. To date, however, the role of student emotion in this paradigm has not been investigated. Student emotion influences student learning outcomes; while there are some exceptions, negative emotion typically interferes with student learning. This leads to a conundrum because productive failure has been shown to have a positive effect on learning, whereas the negative emotion that might be experienced while failing in the first stage of productive failure could have a detrimental effect. To address this, we investigate the presence of emotions in productive failure as well as their changes over time and their relations to learning outcomes.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Cognitive Science (M.Cog.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Cognitive Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • An Investigation of Attention Mechanisms in Graph Convolutional Networks Applied to Link Prediction Problems

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Li, Rui
    Abstract:
    The link prediction problem is fundamental to many application domains. Recently, deep learning-based models have been proposed to tackle this kind of problem. Graph auto-encoder (GAE) is a framework for unsupervised learning on graph-structured data. GAE achieves competitive results in link prediction tasks on citation networks. Another important problem on graph-structured data is node classification. Graph attention mechanism has been shown to have good performance in these tasks. This research investigates whether graph attention mechanisms can achieve good performance in link prediction tasks. We propose the attentive graph auto-encoder (AGAE) model, which incorporates GAE with the graph attention mechanism. The model is compared with GAE on both real-world citation networks and synthetic datasets. Investigations on how the model performs on networks with different characteristics is also included. In general, AGAE achieves competitive performance with GAE on citation networks while it outperforms GAE on certain synthetic networks.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • An Analysis of Child and Youth Advocacy in 21st Century Contemporary Contexts

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Bendo, Daniella
    Abstract:
    This thesis explores how meanings of the concept of advocacy are produced by organizational structural features; how the concept of advocacy is constructed and related to young people's experiences by provincial and territorial child and youth advocate offices; how concepts of advocacy come to have significance in the lives of advocates and how they negotiate these concepts in their daily routines; and how children's rights are operationalized in practice in advocate offices. A total of 26 participants are included in the study. Through semi-structured interviews, I engage primarily with provincial and territorial child and youth advocates from across Canada as well as international children's commissioners from Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Denmark, Norway and Northern Ireland. Two internationally recognized children's rights advocates are also included in the study. Adopting a qualitative methodology, I draw on organizational theory to make meaning of the data. My research reveals that the concept of advocacy is complex. Effective advocacy centres on challenging and changing decision-making processes by partnering with young people to elevate their perspectives and adopting a rights-based approach to working with children and youth. At the provincial and territorial level, it is important for advocates to navigate the historical, cultural and political factors that inform discourses surrounding childhood as these factors impact the way advocacy is carried out. At the organizational level, collaborative relationships with community organizations, government and interdisciplinary advocate teams help to operationalize rights in advocate offices. Findings point to the importance of thinking critically about the concepts of voice, agency and participation in the context of child and youth advocacy institutions. Understandings about children, voice, agency, participation and rights materialize certain groups of children in practice and frequently hinder the viewpoints of young people. Contained within these understandings are processes of exclusion, that may harm some children when considering who gets to have a voice or participate? While the advocates do good things for children, a shift is required in social institutions for children that has a lot to do with a conceptual shift in thinking about these concepts and how advocacy is carried out in 21st century contexts.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Legal Studies
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Binding Social Identity with Email Address and Automating Email Certificate Issuance

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Samanfar, Reza
    Abstract:
    End-to-end encrypted secure email remains a largely unsolved problem, from an adoption and deployment viewpoint. In this thesis, we propose a solution that can address two of the main challenges. Our solution involves: 1) Automated issuance and distribution of public-key certificates for use in email applications; 2) a means to make public keys of one user accessible to other users, in a manner that allows a cross-check of their authenticity. We use Keybase, a publicly accessible key database and key trust protocol, to bind a user's social identities to their email addresses. This enables other users to manually verify the social identity of their intended recipient in order to gain trust in their public keys. We also make use of ACME protocol used by an organization called Let's Encrypt for automated certificate issuance.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Sociality in caterpillars: Investigations into the mechanisms associated with grouping behaviour, from vibroacoustics to sociogenomics

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Yadav, Chanchal
    Abstract:
    Social grouping is widespread among larval insects, particularly in a number of phytophagous larval Lepidoptera (caterpillars). Although the benefits of social grouping are widely recognized, the proximate mechanisms mediating grouping behaviour, such as group formation and maintenance, are poorly understood. My Ph.D. thesis takes a pioneering approach to understanding these mechanisms, specifically, by studying the roles of vibroacoustics and sociogenomics, using the masked birch caterpillar, Drepana arcuata (Lepidoptera: Drepanoidea), as a model. There are two main objectives of my thesis- (i) to test the hypothesis that caterpillars employ plant-borne vibratory signals to recruit conspecifics to social groups; and (ii) to test the hypothesis that differential gene expression is associated with developmental transitions from social to solitary behavioural states. For the first objective, I documented morphological and behavioural changes in the larvae, showing that there are five larval instars, and developmental changes in social and signalling behaviour. Specifically, early instars (I, II) live in small social groups, and late instars (IV, V) live solitarily, with third instars (III) being transitional. Instars I-III generate four signal types (AS, BS, MS, MD), instars IV, V generate three signals (AS, MS, MD). I then used an experimental approach to test if early instars employ vibrations during social recruitment, and found that vibratory signals are used to advertise feeding and silk shelters, leading to recruitment, with higher Signalling rates resulting in faster joining times by conspecifics. For the second objective, comparative transcriptomic analysis indicates that there are 3300 transcripts differentially expressed between early (social) and late (solitary) instars, and these include transcripts potentially coding for candidate 'social' genes. One of these genes- an octopamine receptor gene- was further functionally tested using RNAi, and preliminary results suggest that its reduced expression is associated with hastened social to solitary transition. As this research contributes the first genomic data on an entire lepidopteran superfamily (Drepanoidea), I also assembled a draft genome of D. arcuata. The research is the first to test hypotheses on the roles of vibrational signalling and genomics in the social behaviour of larval insects, many of which are of great economic and ecological importance.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Experimental Modelling of Black Carbon Emissions from Gas Flares in the Oil and Gas Sector

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Mehr, Parvin
    Abstract:
    Experiments examined the effects of flow conditions and fuel chemistry on the soot emissions from turbulent buoyant diffusion flames burning methane-dominated alkane fuels mixtures representative of upstream oil and gas sector flares. Soot (elemental carbon) in the captured plumes was measured via thermal-optical analysis. Yields were calculated within precisely-quantified uncertainties following a mass-balance procedure using CO2, CO, and CH4 gas analyzers. Experiments considered six flare diameters (12.7−76.2 mm), exit velocities up to 9.5 m/s, and thirteen multi-component fuel mixtures. Reynolds number times Froude number squared was shown to be a useful criterion to separate differing soot emissions trends which were aligned with the transition buoyant and transition shear sub-regimes of turbulent buoyant flames as defined by Delichatsios (1993). Soot emission rates in each regime were well-predicted by new empirical models based on flame volumetric flow and global mixing rate and were lower than emission factors used in current pollutant inventories.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Aerospace
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Improving the Performance of Video Processing on Hadoop Clusters

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Saatialsoruji, Eihab
    Abstract:
    Video data include a significant amount of useful information that can be exploited by different organizations to gain more insights into running their business. The data are large and growing at a high rate because cameras, nowadays, are installed everywhere, gathering information all the time. Therefore, the data need large storage to be preserved and large computing power to be processed. Different technologies such as Apache Spark, Apache Storm, and Apache Hadoop have been widely used to perform big data processing on computer clusters. This thesis introduces general solutions and algorithms that can be used with different technologies, such as Apache Spark, Apache Storm, and Apache Hadoop, to improve the performance of processing big video data on computer clusters. However, the thesis focuses on using Apache Hadoop to provide an empirical evaluation of the proposed algorithms. Apache Hadoop is selected since it has been designed to work on commodity hardware. This thesis has been investigating different approaches to improve the performance of video processing on Hadoop clusters. These approaches are based on using the Hadoop MapReduce programming model to distribute the processing of big video data, and different sampling methods to avoid unnecessary computation while processing the video data. Change detection is used to detect the changes based on which the proposed algorithms sample the frames. The proposed algorithms can support video processing on faulty systems as well. The thesis also proposes three novel data placement policies to improve the performance of MapReduce-based video processing.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Distribution of Platinum Group Elements in the New Afton Alkalic Cu-Au Porphyry Deposit, Kamloops, British Columbia

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Robb, Samuel
    Abstract:
    New Afton is an alkalic Cu-Au porphyry deposit situated 10 km west of Kamloops, British Columbia, within the Quesnel island arc terrane, a Late Paleozoic to Mesozoic arc complex that occupies the eastern part of the Intermontane Belt of the Canadian Cordillera. Bulk rock and sulfide minerals from New Afton contain potentially economic concentrations of platinum group elements (PGE). Primary PGE (Pd ± Pt) enrichment occurs within the main Cu-Au ore body and is spatially associated with the Cherry Creek monzonite. Platinum group element mineralization occurs as both discrete platinum group minerals (PGM) and as trace components in nickeliferous pyrite. The early hydrothermal fluids that caused primary Cu-Au-PGE mineralization precipitated both Pd, transported as a HS- complex, and Ni during cooling and the formation of the main ore body. The initially deposited PGE were susceptible to subsequent hydrothermal re-mobilization and reprecipitation as platinum group minerals.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Earth Sciences
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Model and Algorithm for Real-Time Resource Allocation in Fog Computing Networks

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Daigneault, Jonathan
    Abstract:
    Fog networks are a proposed solution to allow the generalization of endpoint devices. Previous efforts have been dedicated to the optimization of fog resource initial installations, but no solution has been proposed to optimize the real-time resource allocation of a fog network in operation. An exact model was developed to compute the upper bound for profit generation with a processing time exponentially related to the network size. A real-time heuristic was also developed to allow for the network to perform operations. Its performance remained constant through a variety of tested networks at a profit result between 78 to 88% of the exact model and a far reduced processing time. The heuristic model uses a statistical approach to predict the requirements of future tasks. The results of this thesis demonstrate that the use of the heuristic model is essential to the efficient operation of a long term fog computing network.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2020

  • An Examination of the Influence of Gender and Race on Dynamic Risk Assessment

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Pardoel, Kaitlin
    Abstract:
    The need for continued research on justice involved (JI) women and individuals belonging to marginalized groups is increasingly being recognized by correctional agencies and researchers, and a body of literature examining the intersection of gender, race, and correctional outcomes has begun to develop. The goal of this dissertation was to contribute to this emerging body of knowledge by exploring the impact of individuals' gender and race on dynamic risk assessment using the Dynamic Risk Assessment for Offender Re-Entry (DRAOR). Study 1 used a sample of 3,091 racially diverse (78.2% White, 18.1% Black, and 3.7% Hispanic) JI women supervised in the community in Iowa to explore the psychometric properties and factor structure of the DRAOR. The DRAOR's original structure provided a poor fit for the data, and alternative models were identified using factor analytic techniques and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). Measurement invariance testing was used to determine whether DRAOR scores could be meaningfully compared across race and across assessment occasions. Contrary to expectations, the DRAOR did not demonstrate adequate measurement invariance and implications for case management are discussed. Next, Cox regression survival analysis was used to explore whether recidivism rates differed across race in Study 2. Three recidivism outcomes, technical violations, new offences, and any return were examined. Results indicated that Black women were significantly more likely to incur technical violations than their White and Hispanic counterparts. Findings from Study 2 also indicated that survival time was significantly associated with women's level of risk, though not always in the expected direction. Study 3 used a subsample of 2,763 women and matched sample of 2,763 men to explore the predictive ability of the DRAOR across gender and race. Prediction was assessed by means of discrimination, calibration, and regression analyses. Despite considerable variability across analyses and type of recidivism examined, findings collectively indicated that DRAOR scores predicted most accurately for White men. Collectively, findings suggest that parole officers should be cautious in using the DRAOR with JI women and individuals from marginalized groups and underscores the need for additional research examining the influence of gender and race on dynamic risk assessment.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • A Systematic and Ecomorphological Investigation of the Early Amniotes from Mazon Creek, Francis Creek Shale, Illinois, USA

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Mann, Arjan
    Abstract:
    The late Carboniferous-aged (309-307 Ma) Mazon Creek lagerstätte produces some of the earliest tetrapod fossils, including those of major Paleozoic lineages such as the second oldest reptile. Despite this, the Mazon Creek lagerstätte has remained a difficult and unproductive vertebrate locality for researchers to utilize in tetrapod diversity studies due to the scarcity of fossils of this kind. Over the past decades, several new terrestrial tetrapod fossils collected from Mazon Creek have come to light. These include several new virtually-complete fossils of the earliest fossorially adapted recumbirostrans. Here I provide a revised systematic study of the Mazon Creek pan-amniote fauna, in an attempt to reassess the terrestrial ecosystem diversity present at the late Carboniferous lagerstätte. The results accumulate to systematic descriptions of four new and unique recumbirostran taxa (Diabloroter bolti, Infernovenator steenae, FMNH 1309, and MPM VP359229.2) and a re-description of the basal eureptile Cephalerpeton ventriarmatum leading to the anointment of the oldest parareptile Carbonodraco lundi (formerly Cephalerpeton aff. C. ventriarmatum from Linton, Ohio). Descriptions are aided by modern imaging techniques and updated phylogenetic analyses using Maximum parsimony and Bayesian methods where applicable.  Across the newly described terrestrial fauna there is an unexpected ecomorphological diversity of bauplans present. These range from the short-bodied Diabloroter to the serpentine, long-bodied, and limb-reduced MPM VP359229.2. This diversity in combination with an array of unique cranial specializations present in the new taxa highlight the early experimentation with fossoriality in terrestrial vertebrate ecosystems. Exceptional preservation of soft tissues in FMNH 1309 even reveal integumentary adaptations to a fossorial lifestyle. Collectively, I am able to provide a revised taxonomic list for the Mazon Creek Tetrapoda that reveals the fauna is compositionally similar to that of most Permo-Carboniferous tetrapod localities. Given recent studies that suggest that recumbirostrans are crown-group reptiles, the results of this thesis imply a more rapid mid-Carboniferous diversification of amniotes into a variety of terrestrial niches and consequently an earlier establishment of terrestrial vertebrate ecosystems.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Earth Sciences
    Date Created:
    2020

  • “Sticks and stones may break my bones”: The role of resilience as a mediator between traditional and cyberbullying experiences and psychological adjustment in early adulthood

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Vanden Hanenberg, Emily Michelle
    Abstract:
    Bullying, both traditional and cyber, is a well-studied phenomenon, and justifiably so. Research has recently begun to explore how resilience may play a role in mitigating the harmful effects of bullying. Two hundred and thirty undergraduate students completed a series of online surveys that assessed bullying experiences, personal resilience, overall well-being, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Confirmatory Factor Analyses and subsequent Exploratory Factor Analyses were completed for each measure. Mediation analyses revealed that resilience mediated the relationship between traditional bullying and symptoms of depression and overall well-being, but not anxiety. Resilience did not mediate the relationship between cyberbullying and psychological adjustment, as cyberbullying was not significantly associated with resilience. It is proposed that future research continue to investigate the association between bullying, resilience, and other factors that contribute to this relationship in order to gain a more holistic understanding.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Born this way? Is kink a sexual orientation or a preference?

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hart, Caitlin
    Abstract:
    What does it mean to be kinky? Is it a deviant tendency, a recreational activity, a deep-seated desire or an integral part of one's subjectivity? In this thesis, I address the latter theory. Specifically, I explore the question of whether kink - for some people - should be considered a sexual orientation. I will begin by surveying different definitions of sexual orientation, considering what the term means in various socio-legal contexts, and how it has tended to focus on gender preference of sexual partners. I will then analyze whether sexual orientation should be a more inclusive term to encompass sexual practices. Finally, using data collected from interviews I will present how kink practitioners themselves categorize their activities with relation to sexual orientation. Is kink something that people are born with? Or something they develop?
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Women's and Gender Studies
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Shadows of the Past: The Effects of Movements' Past Strategy on Third-Parties' Support for its Current Strategy

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Orazani, Seyed Nima
    Abstract:
    Social movements benefit from third-party support in waging social change. The budding literature on the effects of social movements' strategy (violent vs. nonviolent) on third-parties' willingness to support and join the social movement has mainly regarded social movements' strategy as something fixed and unrelated to its past strategy. Using varied contexts, I investigated how social movements' past strategy may affect, if any, third parties' moral perception of the current strategy of social movements and how this perception translates into third parties' (un)willingness to support and join social movements. In the context of the conflict between hate groups and counter-protestors in a lesser-known country, Bhutan (Studies 1 & 4), and an ally country (Study 2) American participants were more willing to support and join a violent movement that was previously nonviolent as opposed to a historically violent movement. Perceived moral continuity of movements' strategy (Studies 1-5) and perceiving violent strategies as the last resort (Studies 2-4) mediated the relationship between change in movements' strategy and third parties' willingness to support and join the movement. However, using a conflictual context in which a movement, Liberation of Tamil Ealam, sought to gain independence from a government, Sri Lankan government (Study 3), and a domestic anti-Fascist movement in the United States, Antifa, that aims to combat hate groups led to partial replication of findings of Studies 1-2 & 4. While there was no significant difference between conditions (shifting from nonviolence to violence vs. continuing violence) in third parties' willingness to support and join the movement, perceived moral continuity of movements' strategy (Studies 3 & 5) and perceiving violence as the last resort (Study 3) mediated the relationship between conditions and third parties' willingness to support and join the movement. Theoretical and practical implications for social movements are discussed. Specifically, social movements that have exhausted nonviolent avenues to achieve their goals are likely to find support among third-parties for a shift toward violent strategies—support that may ultimately lead to either desired social change or conflict escalation.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Predictors of Post-traumatic Growth and Stress Following the Loss of a Pet

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Zuccala, Veronica Miranda
    Abstract:
    Losing a pet can be associated with symptoms of post-traumatic stress (PTS) and post-traumatic growth (PTG). Study 1 aimed to determine whether the strength of attachment and grief following pet loss were associated with PTG, PTS, and the conditions that moderated these relationships. Regression analyses from an online survey (N=309) indicated that attachment and grief were associated with greater PTG when strong perceptions of social support were available. As found in previous research, the absence of problem coping was associated with greater PTS. Study 2 aimed to replicate Study 1 and further explore the influence of having another pet and pet loss. Regression analyses of an online survey (N=638) indicated that associations between losing a pet on PTG and PTS, and whether having another pet alleviates these outcomes, vary depending on coping propensities.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Neuroscience
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Visual Thinking in Virtual Environments: Evaluating Multidisciplinary Interaction through Drawing Ideation in Real-Time Remote Co-Design

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Close, Alexandra
    Abstract:
    This study analyzed three different remote sketching paradigms to find recommendations for future remote multidisciplinary co-design systems. These included virtual reality freeform drawing, tablet drawing, and uploading images of paper drawing. Drawing in VR could potentially be useful for convergent ideation and visualizing designs that require large-scale spatial thinking or human-scale interaction. The tablet was shown to be easy to use and applicable for a wide variety of design scenarios and paper showed strength in divergent or sequential ideation. The results indicate that perception of media might affect the use of digital tools - this difference in perception was shown between disciplines. Notably, users of VR for collaboration might need more time to explore and develop skills since the medium is so new. The results of this study contribute to further understanding of how digital media can affect the design process when communication between stakeholders needs to be remote.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Design (M.Des.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Industrial Design
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Qallunaat Learners of Inuktitut: A Qualitative Investigation of How and Why Non-Inuit Learn Inuktitut as a Second Language

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Mitchell, Jackson David
    Abstract:
    Qallunaat, or people of non-Inuit heritage, are not often mentioned when discussing Inuktitut revitalisation. Yet there is an increasing number of Qallunaat moving to Inuit Nunangat, the traditional Inuit homeland who do not learn Inuktitut. The present study investigates the motivations and attitudes of Qallunaat who do learn Inuktitut. Using the L2 Motivational Self System (Dörnyei, 2005) as a theoretical framework, the present study considers the internal and external pressures for why a Qallunaat might choose to learn Inuktitut. The data, collected from interviews with Qallunaat learners of Inuktitut (n=7), suggest that this demographic is motivated primarily by internal factors. The present study also investigates which language learning resources Qallunaat have access to and which resources they believe are currently missing. Having access to a proficient speaker of Inuktitut was the highest rated resource for these learners. A number of pedagogical and theoretical implications are herein discussed.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies
    Date Created:
    2020

  • SME Creditworthiness and Financing: Firm Size Effects

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Borish, Michael Stephen
    Abstract:
    The thesis profiles SME access to finance for more than 31,000 firms in high-income and emerging markets, with financial accounting data for more than 15,000 emerging markets firms. SMEs account for nearly 40% of the total sample. The author finds (1) bank credit allocation favoring large-scale businesses versus SMEs is rational due to large firms' positive financial performance indicators, fees paid, disclosure practices and market power (demand side) as well as creditor operational efficiency and cost effectiveness from lending economies of scale (supply side); (2) despite this, large-scale lenders have an interest in financing SMEs for portfolio diversification and management of concentration risk, while mid-sized lenders often provide credit to SMEs due to the lender's more limited capital and/or business model orientation as a "stakeholder" institution; (3) standard financial performance metrics focused on earnings efficiency (EBIT/ASSETS), financial slack (Net Working Capital/ASSETS) and tangible fixed assets that can be pledged as collateral have moderate to low explanatory power for bank credit access patterns, whereas loan covenant indicators (DEBT/EBITDA and Interest Coverage) have high R-squares, even for LTD access; (4) tangible fixed assets (immoveable and moveable) show a weaker relationship to credit access for firms than expected; and (5) small-scale firms have greater immoveable assets than are commonly assumed, while large-scale firms have less immoveable asset value and more moveable asset value on their balance sheets than commonly assumed, which may impact collateral values for credit access. Weakness in moveable property registries makes it harder for firms to value and pledge machinery and equipment as assets for secured transactions. Correspondingly, SMEs are constrained in their access to credit, particularly LTD, because the legal and institutional environment works against them due to their dependence on machinery and equipment for operations and because these are the predominant fixed assets they have to pledge as collateral. Despite this, positive correlation of markets with high credit access and strong legal and institutional variables shows firms in stronger environments for credit information, minority shareholder protection, regulatory effectiveness, property registration, contract enforcement and insolvency resolution have better chances of accessing credit (consistent with institutional theory).
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Management
    Date Created:
    2020

  • A Graph-Based Indexing Technique for Efficient Searching in Large Scale Textual Documents

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Kalandar Mohideen, Mohamed Abdulla
    Abstract:
    This thesis proposes a new graph-based indexing technique to improve the search latency for textual documents by using a Graph-Based Index (GBI) structure. GBI uses a directed graph built using a hash table to effectively capture the simultaneous occurrence of multiple keywords in a document. The objective is to use the relationship between the search keywords captured in the graph structure and a fast hash table lookup to effectively retrieve all the results of a query at once. A proof-of-concept prototype has been built for both GBI and Inverted Index. A thorough performance analysis is carried out for comparing GBI with Inverted Index using a synthetic workload. GBI is also compared with an enterprise-level search engine called Elasticsearch. The results show that the graph-based indexing technique can reduce the search latency for executing queries notably in comparison to Inverted Index and Elasticsearch.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Synthesis of Progressive Varying Texture Through Blending Laplacian Pyramid Coefficients

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Moitry, Das
    Abstract:
    We generate a texture synthesis algorithm where there is gradual progression of merged textures in the output image. The goal of the algorithm is to merge the textures based on given measure of texture proportion. The proportion of texture contents defines how much of textures from each input will be preserved in the output and how the distribution of texture will occur after merging. The algorithm is applicable for any random phase texture as well as some non-random phase textures which are stochastic and there is no well-defined visual structures. Our method of progressively variant texture synthesis is distinguished from previous techniques by being able to produce a gradual as well as scattered distribution of merged textures in the output. This irregular distribution gives a realistic view in the merged region of output.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Scalar implicatures under uncertainty

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Agyemang, Cathy Yaa
    Abstract:
    Studies on judgments under uncertainty argue that individuals reason about the likelihoods of events in ways that are inconsistent with the basic axioms of probability. However, such studies fail to consider that the information expressed can be ambiguous between literal and strengthened meanings, through scalar implicatures. Under a literal interpretation, intuitive judgments may appear to violate the rules of probability. However, scalar implicatures change meanings, such that, probability theory alone does not determine how people make judgments. Instead, individuals rely on experience, prior knowledge and other cognitive factors. I examine the availability of scalar implicatures under uncertainty and its influence on perceived event likelihood. Comparing contexts where an implicature is available to where it is not, I present evidence that violations of probability theory occur only in conditions where scalar implicatures are available. Thus, probabilistic judgments must also consider how individuals apply conversational reasoning in order to resolve uncertainty.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Cognitive Science (M.Cog.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Cognitive Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Transcranial direct current stimulation and the theta beta ratio in the context of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and pediatric neuropsychiatry.

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Buchanan, Derrick Matthew Alexander
    Abstract:
    Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental condition worldwide. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a potential novel treatment option for ADHD. tDCS is widely used in adults, but disproportionately understudied in children. This thesis aimed to investigate the safety, tolerability, and acceptability of tDCS via a systematic review, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (RCT) in children and adults, and a qualitative acceptability study. Finally, tDCS treatment of ADHD could be optimized by using electroencephalography (EEG) and targeting a biomarker such as the theta-beta ratio (TBR). Since TBR remains controversial we aimed to test its validity. Methods: In the first study, a systematic review of tDCS safety in youth was conducted focusing on adverse effects and cognitive/neuroimaging/neuropsychiatric outcomes. In the second study, 60 participants (30 children aged 6-17 and 30 adults 18-45) received 10 minutes of tDCS twice, separated by a 1-hour interval. The stimulation amperage (sham, 0.5mA, 1mA, and 2mA), and anode/cathode locations were randomized. The researcher conducting the outcome measures (at all 6 time points) and the participant were blinded to the amperage. In the third study, parents of 14 children who participated in the second study were interviewed regarding the acceptability/desirability/feasibility of tDCS compared to medication for their child. The fourth study used EEG and derived statistical and machine learning models to test the validity of TBR thresholds in a sample of healthy controls evaluated for ADHD (n=189). Results: There were no serious adverse events reported across 1067 sessions in 156 children from 12 studies nor did any participants report any serious adverse effects in the randomized controlled trial. Moreover, children tolerated tDCS in a similar manner as adults. Parents find tDCS safe and acceptable and prefer it as an alternative to stimulant medication. The lack of side effects was important for acceptability. TBR thresholds appear to be unrelated to ADHD. Conclusion: tDCS is safe, tolerable, and acceptable to use in pediatric neuropsychiatry and there is a demand for clinically available tDCS especially in patients who are medication-resistant. The TBR threshold lacks clinical relevance and needs to be reconsidered in ADHD.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Neuroscience
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Semiparametric Partially Linear Marginal Models for Binary and Count Longitudinal Data With Dropouts

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Zubair, Seema
    Abstract:
    In this thesis, we investigate semiparametric partially linear marginal models for binary and count longitudinal data with dropouts. Specifically, we focus on the joint estimation of the marginal mean, association and dispersion parameters through generalized second-order estimating equations where the marginal mean response model is partially linear. We discuss a series of weighted generalized estimating equations (GEEs) to fit regression models to binary and count longitudinal responses when dropouts occur. The proposed method offers efficient estimators of the model parameters under a specified missing data mechanism. Simulations are conducted to examine the robustness characteristics of the method suggested under both accurately defined and inaccurately stated correlation frameworks. The approach is also demonstrated us- ing some real missing longitudinal data on patterns of smoking, where the goal is to study the development of coronary arteries in young adults. A semiparametric approach for analyzing binary and longitudinal count data is also developed. We used the second-order GEE approach to examine longitudinal responses in partially linear models. Additionally, the smoothing technique is suggested for estimating the nonparametric part of the model based on a spline approximation. In simulations, the analytical properties of the proposed method are evaluated. The proposed estimator effectively takes into consideration the association within the subject/cluster and is easy to implement. Our simulation study shows that when the underlying model is partly linear, the proposed method offers unbiased and efficient estimators.Next, we propose a weighted regression spline second-order GEE approach for simultaneous estimation of the nonlinear function, regression, association and dispersion parameters in partially linear models with dropouts. As an application of the proposed semiparametric weighted GEE, we analyzed some longitudinal count data obtained from a health survey, referred to as the Health and Retirement study (HRS)(HRS, 2019), where the mean response function shows a nonlinear trend in terms of associated covariates. The results from the data analysis appear to be very encouraging. From this application it is evident that our proposed methods can be used to improve the efficiency of the estimates obtained from an ordinary GEE model for longitudinal binary and count data with dropouts.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Probability and Statistics
    Date Created:
    2020

  • The standardized five-level risk and needs system is similar to comprehensive, status quo reports for communicating criminal recidivism risk.

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Garvey, Meghan Louise
    Abstract:
    The risk communication literature to date has shown mixed results about the most efficient way to communicate risk. In an attempt to standardize risk communication, Hanson, Bourgon and colleagues (2017) have put forth the Five Level Risk and Needs System. Despite the proposed benefits of the new Five-Level System, their utility has yet to be tested. The current study assessed whether utilizing the Five-Level System aids in the comprehension of risk and treatment amenability of an individual charged with assault in a sample of the general public. The study was a 3x2 design, manipulating risk level (low, moderate, high) and communication format (Five-Levels, status quo). Limited support was found for communicating risk using the Five-Level System, however there was evidence for improved consistency in risk perceptions, especially for participants presented with a moderate risk case. Findings suggested risk level seemed to matter more than how risk was communicated.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Digital Transcription and Analysis of the Carleton Antiphonary

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Brasseur, Kaitlyn Jeanette
    Abstract:
    This website and essay examines Ottawa, Carleton University Library, Archives and Research Collections Ms. 1 (hereby referred to as the Carleton Antiphonary) as a medieval artefact. Lack of resources devoted to cataloguing has left many North American manuscripts hidden and unstudied, and such was the fate of the Carleton Antiphonary. This project digitizes and analyses this unique compound manuscript to increase the accessibility of digital facsimiles. Furthermore, the codicological evidence proves this artefact is worth studying as a devotional object, as it demonstrates long-standing use over the last five hundred years. The goal of this project has been twofold. First, it has been to bring this medieval codex to light by making it accessible online. Secondly, the goal has been to share the process by which others may make medieval materials accessible using open-source tools and the coding purpose made for this project. To access the website:  https://carleton-antiphonary.herokuapp.com
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    History
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Being Seen Making Scenes: An Archival Exploration of Ottawa's First Gay and Lesbian Film and Video Festival

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Smart, Scott
    Abstract:
    This thesis documents the history of Making Scenes, Ottawa's first lesbian and gay film and video festival, a festival that was active from 1992 to 2003. I have uncovered the history of this organization through archival work and by interviewing Making Scenes organizers, volunteers, and attendees. Today this festival is relatively unknown, despite a heavily branded and relatively recent presence in Ottawa. This work interrogates the festival's archival erasure. The archive of Making Scenes is interrogated through its queer and trans embodied affective reverberations both within and outside of the archive. This project hopes to add to the growing archival projects into lesbian and gay history that moves away from the focus on the metropolitan Canadian cities of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Film Studies
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Framing and Contesting a Revolution: Identity Construction, Gender, and Rebel Group Cohesion in Colombia

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Schmidt, Rachel Anne
    Abstract:
    The literature on rebel group cohesion and desertion from armed groups offers a variety of explanations for patterns of disengagement from armed violence, including government pressure, in-group violence, disillusionment in the group's cause, networks, and trauma. But most of the disengagement literature focuses on men who have deserted their groups, with much less information on those who stay until ordered to disarm—and almost no analysis on women who disarm. The lack of comparative analysis between deserters and loyalists limits what we understand or can predict about rebel group cohesion. In addition, this literature has failed to adequately explore the role of gender norms, even though hyper-masculinity, narratives of brotherhood, and feminization of the enemy are well-established mechanisms for increasing troop cohesion in militaristic groups. Based on over 100 in-depth interviews with former guerrillas and paramilitaries in Colombia, this dissertation argues that framing contests and related identity constructions are critical in insurgencies and civil war, and that the outcome of these contests influences individual decisions to disengage from violence and the experiences of ex-combatants after demobilization. Second, I argue that how these competing frames operationalize gender norms influences not only troop cohesion but also the way combatants calculate their investments in the group and possible alternatives. As a result, even recruits that are not fully committed may stay for lack of alternatives. Conversely, recruits may desert their group only to face the stigmatizing consequences of government narratives in civilian life. This study examines what variables produce these outcomes, emphasizing the role of framing contests and arguing that ignoring gender in rebel group cohesion has left a significant gap in our understanding of both desertion and post-conflict reintegration.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    International Affairs
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Mapping the Global Balkans: Sovereignty, Governmentality and the Practices of Serbia's Encounters with Emerging Economies and the EU

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Apostolov-Dimitrijevic, Dunja
    Abstract:
    Seen as simultaneously a part of Europe and not-yet-fully European, as a liminal space straddling the borderlands of Europe, the Western Balkans usually appear as peripheral within the international order. Measured against the continuing centrality of the EU to wider international economic and (to a lesser extent) political relations, the region is often seen as falling short of the necessary associations and global connections. Yet, the rise of new powers and groupings, such as the BRICS countries, has crystalized Western Balkan imbrications and active participation in global politics. Using Serbia as my case study and China and Russia as emerging economies of focus, this dissertation traces the logics and practices of the latter processes. It argues that Serbia's integration into global network formations is constituted through a series of interplays between sovereign-reign and economic-governmental forms of reason. The region's global engagements are constituted though a "Balkan-style" signature of power that brings into play (and blends), simultaneously, concessions and augmentations of sovereignty alongside (neo)liberal/biopolitical governmentality and glorifies both of these in a national(ist) praxeology.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Political Science
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Investigating the Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Motivation

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Smyth, Aidan Patrick Joseph
    Abstract:
    Recent research suggests that mindfulness meditation may impair motivation towards traditional laboratory tasks. The present research explored the effects of meditation on motivation towards more meaningful pursuits (i.e., personal goals) in contrast to a traditional laboratory task (i.e., anagrams). In Study 1 (n = 200), the mindfulness condition reported greater goal motivation than the podcast condition but not the filler questionnaire condition; goal self-concordance did not moderate this effect. Moreover, goal motivation increased from before to 10 minutes after meditating. In Study 2 (n = 120), the mindfulness condition reported greater goal motivation than the podcast condition; this difference remained 20 minutes later. There were no differences between conditions in anagram motivation at any time point. Furthermore, goal motivation increased from before to after meditating, whereas anagram motivation remained the same. The present research opposes the notion that meditation impairs motivation and instead suggests that meditation may enhance goal motivation.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Symbols, Sentinels and Reading Rooms: Cultivating Literacies of Place in Central Industrial, Saskatoon

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Complido, Kevin Ryan
    Abstract:
    The purpose of this thesis is to promote a perspective of architectural evolution centred on heritage interpretation and its spatial representations, driven by matters of values, identity, and local history. This work suggests novel site analysis methodologies based on frameworks borrowed from storytelling, semiotics, and photography, working towards the design and development of 'Symbols, Sentinels and Reading Rooms' for the site. Findings and approaches orbit around ongoing, timely proposals for a new public library and architecture school, imagining conservation and its representations as facilitators of a public's sense of a 'co-created' place. As an exploratory project, the work argues that heritage conservation, in practices of design and planning, is an overlooked force in its capacity to foster and sustain relationships with the public. 'Cultivating Literacies of Place' strives¬ to make Central Industrial's spirit of place known—the site's atemporal stories, visual language, and the interpretation of heritage.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Architecture
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Shotengai

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Yoshimura, Michael Alex
    Abstract:
    The thesis uses the medium of the science-fiction short film to address the potential of architecture to narrate the contemporary notion of Shinto techno animism. The site for this short film is in a shotengai. The shotengai urban typology becomes the architectural trope and catalyst from which the thesis explores the relationship of techno-animism's implications on space. Seminal works of Japanese science-fiction will be studied to situate the relationship between technology and its animation and reveal how techno-animism manifests itself in various ways through characters, cities, or objects. The thesis uses multiple digital techniques organized by a production time-line specific to the animation industry. The thesis interprets techno-animism's spatial consequences to range from vast infrastructures to minute household items, each interconnected through spiritual kami. The thesis stands as a personal expression and interpretation of contemporary techno-animistic beliefs. The atmosphere of space portrayed evokes the meaning of a techno-animist world.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Architecture
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Landless Souls Are Still Living: The Kwupahag and Muanbissek

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Yabe, Mitsuyoshi
    Abstract:
    There have been at least a dozen Abenaki tribal groups residing in New England. Abenaki tribal identity can be methodologically dissected by place names and lifestyles, as well as the geographic areas inhabited and trading relations when the 1713, 1717, 1721, and 1727 treaties were issued between colonial authorities and Abenaki chiefs. The search for tribal identity can especially be focused on the Kwupahag of the Eastern Abenakis and the Muanbissek of the Western Abenakis, examines how to redefine the correlations among these Abenaki groups through network visualizations created by Gephi. Performing network analysis of graphs can imply ideological concepts about the nature of Abenaki peoples, although no answer or result can be provided. After the potential verification of this thesis, the graphs produced can offer access to Indigenous communities that are interesting in maintaining Indigenous rights and consider the significance of the historical relationships between Abenaki peoples.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Anthropology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Optimized Surface Roughening by Pulsed Waterjet for Suitable Adhesion Strength of Plasma Transferred Wire Arc Coating

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    O'Neil, Nicholas Randal Leo
    Abstract:
    This study paired the high-pressure pulsed waterjet process and plasma transferred wire arc technology to develop a technique to remanufacture worn-out cylinder bores and give new life to worn-out engines. Plasma transferred wire arc technology is currently being used for engine remanufacturing to deposit the top-coat. The idea behind this project is to eliminate the expensive nickel-aluminum pre-bond coat by optimizing the surface roughness profile of the substrate to provide acceptable mechanical bonding between the coating and substrate. In this study, low carbon stainless-steel was plasma spray coated on a range of pulsed waterjet roughened grey cast iron and cast aluminum A380 surface profiles. The roughened surfaces increased the adhesion strength between the substrates and stainless-steel coating. Limitations exist, such that, if the roughness profile generated was copious the coating mirrored the roughened surface profile. Additionally, if the roughness profile was insignificant the coating was completely removed during detachment-based failure.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Materials
    Date Created:
    2020

  • A Triangulated Accounting of Top Notch 2: Negotiating Ideologies in the Multimodal Discourse of an EFL Textbook in Korean University Classrooms

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Smith, Christopher Arnold
    Abstract:
    Textbooks are artifacts of a pedagogical culture and in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education in Korean universities, that culture pressures consumers to use generic publications for reasons more political than pedagogical. Critical studies of EFL textbooks in global and Korean contexts reveal they harbor certain social realities that favor Anglo-centric hegemony, while marginalizing their intended audiences, yet Korean university programs continue to prescribe their use as the course curriculum. While some research underscores content and consumption in Korean contexts, none yield a comprehensive look at the multimodal discourse in a specific EFL textbook or correlate how that content is negotiated, consumed and valued by consumers in a comparable fashion. Informed by frameworks rooted in critical applied linguistics, discourse analysis, critical pedagogy, and multimodality, this study attempts to fill that gap in research by drawing focus on Top Notch 2 (a popular choice for Korean universities) (TN2) and its use in two EFL programs, by answering the following research questions: 1) What power relations and ideologies are harbored in the multimodal discourse of TN2? 2) How do instructors and students negotiate and account for that discourse in class? 3) What pedagogical implications emerge from the triangulated findings about EFL learning and textbook consumption in Korean university programs? To answer these questions, this dissertation conducts a triangulation of studies: (a) multimodal critical discourse analysis (MCDA) of six units of lessons in Top Notch 2 (b) multimodal analysis of visually recorded EFL classrooms to observe how some of those lessons are negotiated by instructors and students, and (c) a values coding analysis of semi-structured interviews with some participants. The investigation gives credence to the perspectives of three different EFL textbook consumers - the researcher, current instructors, and students. The findings reveal narratives of cultural othering in the multimodal content of TN2, among other social injustices that, if not reflexively transformed by instructors, impede language learning, as evident in the values that the consumers afforded their textbooks. From these triangulated findings, the pedagogical implications suggest instructors play a key role in lessening the impact of social injustices in textbook content while raising the value of EFL learning in Korean university programs.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies
    Date Created:
    2020

  • "NO OTHER MEANS THAN BY PEN”: LETTERS FROM EARLY MODERN ENGLISH NUNS IN EXILE

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Sharp, Tanyss Anne
    Abstract:
    This thesis explores how early modern English nuns in exile on the European continent purposefully utilized letter writing as a strategy of communication with the outside world. Cut off from their homeland and families by both geographic distance and physical enclosure, letters provided women religious with a medium to ensure their convents' survival and preserve English Catholicism. This critical analysis of nuns' letters reveals the multidimensional nature and intentional construction of their correspondence. Nuns made deliberate epistolary choices. They employed strategic language, utilized flattery and humility, as well as exaggeration and gossip to achieve their objectives. A comparison of individual epistolary experiences demonstrates that letters were vital for maintaining familial and kinship ties, financial and spiritual economies, political engagement, and the transnational diffusion of information.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    History
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Nexus: A Tactical Approach to Urban and Political Change

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Beerman, Matthew Franklin
    Abstract:
    Since the height of its popularity in 1967, Sparks Street in Ottawa's downtown core has been steadily declining in its function as an engaging public space. The street was popularized with the rise of the department store, however, with the introduction of the Rideau Centre and suburban sprawl, the once bustling street fell into disrepair. Sitting steps from Parliament Hill, Sparks Street exists without much of an identity; once referred to as the Broadway of Ottawa, now devoid of character. Just as Sparks is slated for yet another urban renewal, so should the way the government and city perceive occupiable public space. This thesis will challenge the corporate attitude when it comes to planning Sparks Street and Ottawa as a whole. It seeks to claim back the city through a series of satirical critiques, as the urbanite's stomping ground; proposing unique ideas of how urban space can be interpreted.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Architecture
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Evaluating Adversarial Learning on Different Types of Deep Learning-based Intrusion Detection Systems using min-max optimization

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Abou Khamis, Rana
    Abstract:
    In this research, we focus on investigating the effectiveness of different adversarial attacks and robustness of deep learning-based Intrusion detection using different Neural networks, e.g., Artificial Neural Network, convolutional neural networks, recurrent neural networks. We utilize the min-max approach to formulate the problem of training robustness intrusion detection against adversarial samples using UNSW-NB15 and NSD-KDD. We structure an optimization framework by applying the max approach to generate persuasive adversarial samples that maximum loss. On the other side, we minimize the loss of the incorporated adversarial samples during the training time. With our experiments on multiple deep neural networks algorithms and two benchmark datasets, we demonstrate that defense using adversarial training based min-max approach increases the robustness of the network under the assumption of our threat model and five state-of-the-art adversarial attacks.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Information Technology (M.I.T.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Network Technology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Immigration, Housing and Foreign Buyers in Vancouver: Examining News Coverage of Racialized Issues

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Zhang, Steve
    Abstract:
    The Vancouver housing and affordability crisis of the mid-2010 decade was marked by fervent discussions of the impact of foreign buyers and offshore money putting upwards pressure on housing prices, driving them out of reach for most locals. Throughout the news coverage of this issue, there appeared to be an outsized focus on the ethnicity of these wealthy foreign buyers, specifically the buyers of ethnic Chinese descent, giving an impression of a bias against this particular group. This raises the question: was the local news coverage of the housing crisis biased in a negative way against the Chinese community, or did it appear that way due to other circumstances? This thesis will aim to prove the presence of bias, should there be any to be found, through an examination of newspaper coverage in Vancouver from 2013 to 2018, as well as other academic disciplines, like urban studies.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Journalism (M.J.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Journalism
    Date Created:
    2020

  • A functional genomics approach in identifying the underlying gene for the E8 maturity locus in soybean (Glycine max)

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Sadowski, Michael
    Abstract:
    Soybean is an economically important crop that has rapidly expanded throughout Western Canada and Northern regions. To continue this expansion, understanding the time of flowering and maturity pathway is an important factor for soybean adaptation. So far, eleven maturity loci have been identified for this pathway, however the underlying gene for one third of them remain unknown. The E8 maturity locus was previously identified in our lab on chromosome 4 using classical breeding practices and genome wide SSR marker analysis. A bioinformatics approach utilizing PIPE (Protein-protein Interaction Prediction Engine) along with a plethora of functional genomics resources and prediction tools has short listed this region down to 3 promising candidates; Glyma.04G124600, Glyma.04G140000, and Glyma.04G101500, all involved in light perception. Further analysis of these candidates will reveal the underlying gene for E8 and shed light on the flowering mechanism in the important food crop soybean.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Residual Stresses in Shot Peened Flange Pin of Landing Gears

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Cheng, Yinda
    Abstract:
    In this research, the residual stresses in the flange pin peened with ceramic shots are investigated experimentally with X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique and numerically via finite element analysis (FEA) using Abaqus package. The experimental data show that at the surface of the peened flange pin the residual stresses in longitudinal and circumferential direction of the flange pin are all compressive, with the latter much greater than the former in magnitude. Three dimensional FEA models are created for simulating the flange pin surface peened by ceramic shot flow which is generated randomly using the MATLAB program. It is revealed that the residual stresses in the longitudinal, circumferential and radial direction all vary in depth from of the peened surface and are compressive; the maximum compressive stresses occur at the subsurface. The circumferential stress is much greater than the longitudinal stress in magnitude and both are much larger than the radial stress.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Mechanical
    Date Created:
    2020

  • Governing Minority Groups in South Korea: A Case Study of Multiculturalism Policy’s Inclusions and Exclusions

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Ryu, Yihyun
    Abstract:
    Since the mid-2000s, the South Korean government has produced policies around "multiculturalism." Researchers have focused almost exclusively on what are termed "multicultural families," i.e. families where wives and mothers are female marriage migrants from other countries. Restricting the research focus in this manner presents a skewed understanding of multiculturalism and helps to legitimize the government's interest in maintaining a narrow interpretation of the multiculturalism policies. To address these limitations, this dissertation examines the inclusions and exclusions of three migrant groups - North Korean defectors, multicultural families, and migrant workers - through the lens of South Korea's multiculturalism policy. The dissertation is inspired by the Foucauldian theoretical concepts of governmentality and genealogy; it draws on anti-colonial nationalism literature to examine South Korea's particularities as a post-colonial society. The primary source of data for policy discourse analysis is textual data, centred around the National Assembly minutes (1998-2017), which is supplemented by interviews. The dissertation puts forward three arguments: First, the notion of multiculturalism was embraced to "politely" denote those cultural differences that South Korea has become willing to tolerate but at the same time to subordinate to Korean nation. Second, in the context of South Korea's political-ideological landscape shaped by the Japanese colonization and the division of the Korean peninsula, conservative forces have condemned ethnic nationalism and dominated its multiculturalism discourse while their liberal and progressive counterparts have held onto this nationalism and remained passive on migrant-related issues. Third, this dissertation shows that South Korean multiculturalism discourse has become fraught with conservative forces' preferences for certain types of migrants, i.e. migrants who are politically conservative (or passive), nostalgic for a mythical Korean-ness, and obedient to the existing economic order. Of the different migrant groups addressed in this study, it is the North Korean defectors and the multicultural families who are thought to satisfy these conservative preferences while the migrant workers do not. This study contributes analyses about multiculturalism policies in a country outside the horizon of Western studies of multiculturalism; it highlights the value of considering how South Korea's historical, geopolitical, and ideological conditions have shaped its engagement with the multiculturalism discourse.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Public Policy
    Date Created:
    2020

  • The Poetics of Deconstruction: Unbuilding the Peterborough General Electric Plant.

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    McGee, Ian Brendan
    Abstract:
    This thesis proposes a thoughtful, phased deconstruction of the former General Electric plant in Peterborough, Ontario, with public appropriation invited at each interval. This slow demolition process is a scraping away of layers of history; it is a poetic procedure that generates moments of beauty, while avoiding the tendency that immediate demolition might have to reinforce the harmful legacy of the plant. This process of deconstruction is treated as a theatre production, culminating in moments of dramatic spectacle. These theatrical processes and emergent spectacles may be observed by the public from platforms constructed of repurposed debris. While this project clears the General Electric site, it also documents the demolition as it occurs, preserving moments through a series of artistic interpretations and artifacts. This thesis explores the productive potential of demolition as a choreographed act in the lifecycle of the building and a poetic moment in the life of the site.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Architecture
    Date Created:
    2020