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- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
-
- 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
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- 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
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- 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