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  • A Retrospective Longitudinal Study of Federally Incarcerated Men Eligible for Intermediate Mental Health Care: A Description of Services and Short-Term Outcomes

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Petropoulos, Amanda
    Abstract:
    Intermediate care units have been proposed to meet the needs of incarcerated individuals with moderate mental health needs. Few studies have examined their profiles, and nature and effectiveness of interventions received. In the current study, the profiles of 295 incarcerated men in Canadian federal institutions were examined. File reviews were conducted over a 12 month period to extract treatment information as well as assess changes in number of incidents of self-harm, attempted suicide, overdose, and violence, and mental health needs. Coarsened exact matching and descriptive analyses revealed differences in the profiles across three treatment levels (mental health care delivered in: intermediate care units, treatment centres or mainstream institutions); roughly 30% improvement on all outcomes was observed across the groups. Overall findings highlight the need to further explore how best to meet the needs of incarcerated individuals assessed with moderate mental health needs, as this remains important for future management.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Dark Matter Phenomenology in the (g − 2)μ Motivated U(1)Lμ−Lτ Model Under a General Treatment of Kinetic Mixing

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hapitas, Timothy Alexander
    Abstract:
    The gauged U(1)Lμ−Lτ extension of the Standard Model is a very simple framework that can alleviate the discrepancy in the anomalous magnetic dipole moment of the muon, reinforced by the recent Fermilab measurement. In this thesis, we introduce a dark matter (DM) candidate to the theory and proceed to study experimental probes of the model's parameter space with a general treatment of kinetic mixing between the Z′ gauge boson of the U(1)Lμ−Lτ symmetry and the Standard Model photon. The physical value of the total kinetic mixing depends on a free parameter of the model and the energy scale of a given process.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Physics
    Date Created:
    2023

  • A Theoretical Analysis of the COVID-19 Pandemic using a Public Database

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Paul, Subhendu
    Abstract:
    This thesis investigates several issues (incubation and recovery periods, effect of lockdown, digital prognosis, prediction of new cases) of the pandemic COVID-19 based on mathematical models, computational methods and a publicly available database. Traditional compartment-based models have various partitions such as lockdown, susceptible, infected, confirmed cases, recovered, deaths, etc., with the inclusion of several model parameters. The first model is based on a set of coupled delay differential equations with fourteen delays to estimate the incubation period. The estimated mean incubation period we obtain is 6.74 days (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 6.35 to 7.13), and the 90th percentile is 11.64 days (95% CI: 11.22 to 12.17), which is a good agreement with statistical supported studies. The second model is a large-scale extension of the first model, including several hundred groups for recovered individuals and the death toll. This proposed model generates a new refined database of recovery as well as the death toll, the key source for studying recovery and decease periods. The estimated mean recovery period we obtain is 22.14 days (95% CI: 22.00 to 22.27), and the 90th percentile is 28.91 days (95% CI: 28.71 to 29.13), which is in agreement with statistical-supported studies. The third model is an extended SIRS model that includes lockdown as a model compartment. In addition, an electronic application has been developed that allows for a rapid digital prognosis of COVID-19 patients using the information, extracted from the publicly available database of Canadian patients. This tool aims to assist health specialists in their decision regarding COVID-19 patients, based on symptoms and age. Finally, a hybrid approach, a combination of neural networks, inverse problem and Taylor series expansion, based on a second order nonlinear differential equation for the total cases has been derived to forecast COVID-19 cases. The test results show that the proposed prediction model can forecast a range of 55 days.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Applied Mathematics
    Date Created:
    2022

  • Computing the Zeta Function of the Integral Quaternions

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Chassin, Nicole Beatrice
    Abstract:
    In rings with a reasonable arrangement of left ideals, the finite-index left ideal structure can be partially captured by the Solomon zeta function. The integral quaternions are such a ring, and serve as a beneficial example. To find the zeta function of the integral quaternions, we first describe its local structure at each prime, and then the local structure of its finite-index left ideals. When doing this for odd primes, we make use of the p-adic integers.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Mathematics
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Examining the Relationship Between Personality and Perceived Vulnerability: Unpacking Self and Observer Perceptions

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Smodis McCune, Audrey
    Abstract:
    Research examining victimization risk has demonstrated that personality variables like psychopathy may be advantageous in accurately predicting vulnerability from behaviour (Book et al., 2013). There is evidence suggesting certain behaviours and personality traits may be associated with vulnerability to victimization (Ellrich & Baier, 2016; Hall et al., 2006). The current studies aimed to assess differences in behaviours (verbal/nonverbal) in relation to perceptions of vulnerability (Study 1). Additionally, it examined the role of psychopathy and gender in accurately predicting perceived future vulnerability, and the use of behavioural cues in making vulnerability predictions (Study 2). Results from Study 1 suggest people with neurotic traits view themselves as more vulnerability to future sexual victimization, and women (vs. men) feel more vulnerable to victimization. Study 2 indicates those scoring higher on psychopathy make less accurate vulnerability predictions, and use more behavioural cues to predict vulnerability. Implications and future research avenues examining vulnerability are discussed.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Design, Manufacturing, and Characterization of a Novel Ceramic Matrix Composite

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Robertson, Taylor
    Abstract:
    A novel ceramic matrix composite (CMC) system consisting of a commercially available SiC fibre, variations of electrophoretically deposited (EPD) fibre-matrix interphases, and a liquid metal melt infiltrated matrix was designed and characterised. A factorial design of experiments approach was undertaken to evaluate the deposition variables which would result in a functioning fibre-matrix interphase. A 25-2 partial factorial design matrix was selected with factors: electric potential, deposition time, surfactant, binder, and solids loading. The design matrix was replicated for four different EPD fibre-matrix interphase coating combinations: Al2O3/SiC, BN/PSZ, ZrC/ZTA, and SiC/Si3N4/SiC. Microcomposites were evaluated for tensile properties using a standard displacement controlled tensile test program. Microcomposites were tested at room temperature immediately following fabrication and following exposure to a standard atmosphere at 1000 °C for 1 h. Samples with ZrC/ZTA and SiC/Si3N4/SiC coatings demonstrated the best tensile properties in room temperature tests while samples with BN/PSZ and SiC/Si3N4/SiC coatings demonstrated the best retention of tensile properties following high temperature exposure. Subsequent SEM analysis revealed that coatings with smaller particle diameters as the inner layer of the fibre-matrix interphase coating produced more uniform coatings and the less fibre degradation due to oxidation following high temperature exposure. Additional microcomposites were fabricated for high temperature tensile testing; however, these samples were unable to bear recordable loads, an SEM examination revealed significant degradation of the matrix phase beneath the high temperature adhesive. Optical microscopy was used to evaluate coating thicknesses of coated fibre bundles prior to heat treatments. Measured coating thickness indicated that generally higher deposition times resulted in thicker coatings; however, coatings produced using 25 V electric potential were thicker than coatings produced using 12.5 V and 50 V electric potentials. This is likely due to a greater deposition efficiency factor at 25 V. FEA analysis was used to evaluate the electrical properties of an idealized version of the stationary EPD cell. This analysis showed a significant variation in the electric field along the fibre axis as well as a significant variation in electrical field between fibres in the centre of the fibre bundle and on the outer edge of the fibre bundle.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Mechanical
    Date Created:
    2022

  • Effects of Anaerobic and Aerobic Digestion at Mesophilic and Thermophilic Temperatures on the Quantity of Carbapenem Resistance Genes in Wastewater Sludge

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Poorasgari, Eskandar
    Abstract:
    Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) encode resistance against antibiotic drugs in bacteria. Carbapenem antibiotics are one of the last lines of defence against bacterial infections and carbapenem resistance genes (CRGs) accumulate in sludge during wastewater treatment. Anaerobic and aerobic digestions are commonly used for sludge treatment. Due to the public health relevance of the land application of digested sludge, this research aimed to investigate the effects of the digestion on the abundance and removal of CRGs. To reach the aim, sludge samples were obtained from mesophilic and thermophilic digesters, sludge DNA was isolated and purified, and target genes were quantified. The target genes included CRGs (blaGES, blaOXA-48 and blaIMP-27), 16S rRNA and Int1. Sharp declines of up to 96.9% in DNA extraction yields were observed during biological digestion. As well, the purity of the DNA isolates declined up to 79.5% in 10 days. These observations indicate that the change in DNA extraction yield was at least partly due to the change in DNA extraction efficiency. Therefore, the absolute quantity of the target genes of each sludge sample was defined as copy number of the gene per unit mass of DNA. The absolute quantity declined during the process, and it was analyzed by kinetic models. The absolute value of the first-order kinetic rate constants followed the order blaOXA-48 > blaGES > Int 1 > 16S rRNA during batch anaerobic digestion. Because gene quantification is time-consuming, costly and sensitive to contamination, multiple regression models were proposed to estimate the abundance of target genes from sludge parameters that are routinely measured for monitoring and design of biological sludge digesters. The multiple regression models were constructed in linear (LM) and non-linear (NLM) fashions. Adjusted R2 ranged 0.352-0.988 and 0.916-0.996 for the LM and NLM models, respectively. Overall, the NLM models predicted the abundance more accurately than the LM models. This research proposed the first NLM models to simulate the abundance of target genes during aerobic digestion of sludge. The NLM models may be useful tools for researchers and practitioners of biological sludge digestion to estimate the removal rate of target genes under different conditions.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Environmental
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Knowledge Graph Generation for Unstructured Data Using Data Processing Pipeline

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Sukumar, Sushmi Thushara
    Abstract:
    Research on effective usage of Machine Learning (ML) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques are taken up to mitigate the problem of extracting information from huge volumes of unstructured data available on the Internet without losing valuable information. Constructing Knowledge Graph is one such application to query and extract unstructured data. The data is passed through a coreference resolution module using Neuralcoref, a named entity linking module using Wikifier API, and a relationship extraction module using two models, namely, OpenNRE and REBEL, and stores the results as a KG in Neo4j with its corresponding entities and relationships. Experiments were conducted on an unstructured dataset (BBC news dataset) containing text data to analyze the results obtained from the pipeline. The results obtained in the relationship extraction stage were analyzed for evaluation purposes and achieved 61.4% and 87% accuracy through the OpenNRE and REBEL models, respectively.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2023

  • E-textile Learning Scaffolds: Supports for Novices Learning E-textile Concepts and Techniques

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Jones, Lee
    Abstract:
    Electronic textiles (e-textiles) combine the conductive properties of metallic threads with increasingly small computers and microcontrollers to create textiles that are interactive. E-textiles enable new opportunities such as devices that are strong yet flexible, and the ability to use more accessible crafting tools and materials. They also allow technology to blend into the textiles we have in our lives, such as those on our bodies and in our homes. In education, e-textiles are incorporated into curriculums for how they can increase participation in physical computing, while also enabling new creative and expressive applications. Yet blending the fields of physical computing and textiles is not simple, since each has its own culture of terminology, design and prototyping practices, tools, techniques, and methods of documentation. The goal of this thesis is to support beginners in learning the hybrid craft of e-textiles with e-textile learning scaffolds. Rather than building e-textiles from scratch, e-textile learning scaffolds are activities for supporting novices as they learn e-textile concepts and practice the tacit aspects of the craft. One central research question runs throughout the projects in this thesis: "How can we scaffold e-textile ideation and experiential learning with tangible objects and activities?" This thesis contributes five studies, each providing a tangible scaffold or activity, or scaffolding recommendations, for teaching e-textiles in courses or workshops. The design of these learning scaffolds focused on how they could be accessible to educators by prioritizing reproducibility, re-use, and low-cost.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Information Technology (Digital Media)
    Date Created:
    2022

  • Tilted Fibre Bragg Grating Based Encoder System for Rapid Temperature Measurements

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Smith, Eric William
    Abstract:
    This master's thesis presents a tilted fibre Bragg grating (TFBG) as a form of optical encoder system to measure temperature through single wavelength interrogation. The TFBG is interrogated with a single wavelength source that is positioned over a cladding mode resonance, when the temperature shift occurs, the shift temperature modulates the transmission of the device as the TFBG spectrum shifts and the comb-like structure of the cladding mode resonances pass over the interrogation wavelength. Through this modulation of the transmission, the speed and magnitude of the temperature shift can be obtained. The presented TFBG encoder system demonstrates a higher sensitivity to temperature relative to thermocoules and rise times as low as 500μs.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Documenting and Interpreting Lexical Items of a Religious Nature in Plains Cree and Woodland Cree

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Charlette, Colleen
    Abstract:
    This study examines lexical items of a religious nature in the Plains Cree Y-dialect and Woodland Cree TH-dialect, spoken by fluent Plains Cree and Woodland Cree speakers. It pursues several interrelated goals: to understand how Christian religious vocabulary is formed using the linguistic resources of Cree, how the vocabulary differs across Plains and Woodland varieties, and what it reveals about the Cree and Christian worldviews. Four consultants, all originally from northern and central Saskatchewan, participated. Thirty lexical items in Plains Cree were sent to the consultants who were then asked to give their Woodland Cree equivalents, and supply one or two example sentences in Woodland Cree to provide context. A follow-up semi-structured interview was held shortly thereafter via the video-conferencing platform Zoom. The results reveal a variety of lexical and morphological strategies used to express religious meanings in Cree, and a richly layered interaction between traditional and Christian worldviews.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Linguistics
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Understanding the Experience of Advance Care Planning for Older Adults Transitioning into Long-Term Care Homes

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Thomas, Madeline Campbell
    Abstract:
    During the transition to long-term care (LTC), conversations that prepare individuals and their families for the possibility that the individual may be unable to make healthcare decisions in the future are often overlooked. This research uses a service design approach to understand the LTC transition experience in Ontario with attention to advance care planning. This case study involved qualitative methods to document the perspectives of LTC and advance care planning subject matter experts; and care partners of older adults who transitioned into LTC. This included unstructured interviews with experts; semi-structured interviews with care partners; and follow-up sessions with participants. Results showcased the complicated LTC journey in Ontario and the lack of an integrated approach to advance care planning. Despite the efforts of healthcare workers, many Ontarians have an incomplete understanding, even after transitioning to LTC. Applying service design within this context demonstrated strengths and limitations of the current approach.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Design (M.Des.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Industrial Design
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Valuable Materials, Invaluable Relationships: Exploring Indigenous Culture and Sovereignty Through Moose and Caribou Hair Tufting in the NWT

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Wenzel, Abra
    Abstract:
    Moose and caribou hair tufting is an important Subarctic women's artform in the Mackenzie Valley, Northwest Territories. However, tuftings and tufters have historically been identified following non-Indigenous ideologies rooted in colonialism and capitalist values, resulting in labels such as "craft", and "artisan", that are difficult to change. This practice has undervalued, if not dismissed, Indigenous artists, their artistry and by and large their art. This dissertation takes a multi-sited approach using archival records, museum objects, and interviews with tourism shop employees, and especially with tufting artists to elucidate the complex ways artists have employed their art to traverse cultural borders. In tracing the history of tufting, I discuss how women have used their artistry as acts of agential resistance to re-assert their own cultural and place-rooted relationships and meanings in the face of centuries of colonial violations. The central objective of my research is to make clear the dimensions of significance engaged with in hair tuftings by Dene, Métis, and Inuvialuit artists. I show how important values such as skill, landscape, and culture are a connected whole that is embodied within each tufting. A second objective is to uncover how important Indigenous values were and continue to be impacted by colonization. In my early chapters, I explain how Western values were imposed on Indigenous peoples and livelihoods. Thus, the Indigenous values attached to artistic making were regarded as inferior as viewed through Western critics' lenses. Third, I discuss the ways tufters have used their creations as sites of sovereignty to continuously negotiate and challenge colonial endeavors and carry these vital knowledges and values into the future. A critical outcome of this research has been the deconstruction of the colonial spaces that have silenced Indigenous peoples and their textile creations. Here I have offered a revisionist narrative that is informed by artists, Elders, and community members to provide a critical understanding of the multiplicity of values that are essential to Indigenous societies. Finally, this dissertation reflects on my positionality as an anthropologist and highlights to importance of "listening" as a methodology.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Anthropology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Ontario youth workers' discourses on overrepresentation of Indigenous youth in the criminal legal system

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Venczel, Elizabeth
    Abstract:
    In an age of reconciliation, following the TRC's recommendations and the work of activists, the issue of Indigenous youth overrepresentation in the criminal legal system is being problematized more than ever. Although the use of incarceration towards criminalized youth has decreased since the adoption of the YCJA which emphasizes diversion, the overrepresentation of Indigenous youth has increased. This thesis explores the discourses and experiences of youth workers in Ontario in order to understand their perspectives on the problem of overrepresentation, focusing particularly on the critical role of the police in filtering in or out criminalizable youth. Although the youth workers interviewed in this project identify many contemporary issues in the policing of Indigenous youth, their discourses reveal the limits of attempts to tackle the problem of overrepresentation through reforms of criminal legal frameworks and institutions.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Legal Studies
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Application of Genomics-Based Methodologies in Genetic Toxicology to Advance In Vitro Chemical Assessment

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Cho, Eunnara
    Abstract:
    The current standard regulatory tests in genetic toxicology are inadequate for effectively addressing the growing number of chemicals needing assessment. Specifically, the standard in vitro assays do not provide sufficient mechanistic information to inform relevance to in vivo toxicity. The resulting reliance on in vivo models in regulatory toxicology has hindered efficient chemical assessment. Thus, international efforts are underway to reduce animal testing and modernize toxicity assessment by developing and promoting non-animal alternatives, or new approach methodologies (NAMs). The goal of my thesis was to develop and demonstrate the application of genomics NAMs for quantifying genotoxic hazards and obtaining information on mechanism of action to advance in vitro chemical assessment. First, the inter-platform transferability of the TGx-DDI biomarker of DNA damage-induction was investigated. TGx-DDI is a 64-gene biomarker developed using DNA microarrays in human TK6 cells that provides mechanistic support to conventional genotoxicity assays. The biomarker demonstrated a conserved performance when measured by qPCR, demonstrating that transcriptomic biomarkers can be adapted to this widely available platform. Additional chemical testing methods were explored using two next-generation sequencing-based technologies: TempO-Seq, a targeted gene expression platform, and Duplex Sequencing (DuplexSeq), an emerging technology that enables direct and accurate detection of mutations in cells. A transcriptomic biomarker of histone deacetylase inhibition, TGx-HDACi, was developed from TempO-Seq whole transcriptome profiles to address the limited assays available for detecting epigenetic mechanisms of toxicity. The availability of TGx-HDACi contributes to diversifying the transcriptomic biomarkers that can be applied in high-throughput screening of transcriptomic profiles of chemicals. Next, a comparative, inter-laboratory study in TK6 cells identified an optimal experimental design for applying DuplexSeq as a mutagenicity assay. DuplexSeq detected a robust concentration-response in cells exposed to an alkylating agent, with high sensitivity. The results also revealed strong inter-laboratory reproducibility and the power of DuplexSeq in providing a comprehensive view of chemical-induced mutagenesis. Lastly, an Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) describing oxidative DNA damage leading to chromosomal aberrations and mutations was developed to provide a mechanistic framework for combining NAMs in integrated testing. Collectively, my thesis lays the foundation for development and advancement of NAMs and AOPs in genetic toxicology.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Survey on the Irreducible Representations of Lie Algebras and Lie Groups

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Zhou, Yuanxiang
    Abstract:
    Lie groups and Lie algebras are central objects in differential geometry and physics. Representing Lie groups and algebras as spaces of linear operators is one of the most powerful tools to understand their structures. In our thesis, we introduce the class of matrix Lie groups and algebras with focus on simply connected Lie groups and semisimple Lie algebras. To obtain the irreducible representation for semisimple Lie algebras, we construct the Verma module and obtain a finite-dimensional irreducible quotient space based on the Verma module. The Weyl's character formula, whose consequences include Weyl's dimension formula and Kostant's multiplicity formula, gives informative data to the irreducible representations. Lastly, nested special orthogonal algebras are investigated to obtain a generalization of Weyl's character formula together with a demonstrative application of Weyl's dimension formula and Kostant's multiplicity formula.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    FLAG
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Studying the Generation of Hot Electrons in Plasmonic Nanoparticle Monolayers

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Baril, Jimmy Milton
    Abstract:
    Hot electrons are generated from the decay of LSPR modes. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy is used to monitor hot electron generation using a dehalogenation reaction. In this thesis, Ag, Au, and AuAg nanoparticle substrates were produced and coated with halogenated thiophenols. The dipole and coupled LSPR modes associated with the nanoparticle substrate both generate hot electrons under illumination. The hot electron yield was determined for each LSPR modes. It was found that the dipole LSPR mode produced a larger yield of hot electrons than the coupled LSPR mode. The enhanced hot electron yield for the dipole mode was reported for both Ag-slides and AuAg-slides; additionally, the same result was obtained for both halogenated thiophenols. This work shows that the dipole LSPR mode is more suitable for the generation of hot electron than the coupled mode. Additional work is required to make the coupled LSPR mode an efficient hot electron generator.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemistry
    Date Created:
    2023

  • System Analysis for Satellite Networks with Free-Space Optical Links

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Liang, Jintao
    Abstract:
    In this thesis, we analyze several system parameters and performances for free-space optical satellite networks (FSOSNs), including phasing parameter, optical satellite link budget, tradeoff between network latency and satellite transmission power, and network latency minimization based on satellite transmission power constraints. We investigate the phasing parameter for Starlink Phase 1 Version 3 and Kuiper Shell 2 constellations. We find the best value of the phasing parameter. We investigate the link budget for laser inter-satellite link (LISL) and uplink/downlink and the effect of many constellation parameters on the satellite transmission power. We examine the tradeoff between network latency and satellite transmission power in FSOSNs from Starlink Phase 1 Version 3 and Kuiper Shell 2 constellations for different LISL ranges and inter-continental connections. We investigate the minimization of total network latency in the FSOSN resulting from Starlink Phase 1 Version 3 constellation for different LISL ranges and satellite transmission power constraints.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Aptamer Technology for Diabetes and Co-Morbidities

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Ferguson, Madison Quinn
    Abstract:
    Given that the number of people who are diagnosed with diabetes continues to rise at an alarming rate, there is a pressing need for therapeutic interventions that are either more efficient or potentially curative. Furthermore, comorbidities such as kidney failure, thrombosis, thyroid dysfunction, Alzheimer's disease, and an increased risk of severe illness from common viral and bacterial infections are more likely to occur in people who have type 2 diabetes. The advancement of nanotechnology may lead to the diagnostics and therapies that could improve the survival and quality of life of patients with diabetes. Aptamers are oligonucleotides that have the ability to bind to a particular target with a high degree of specificity as well as affinity. Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) is an in vitro evolution method that is responsible for the generation of aptamers. It has been shown that aptamers may function as medicines, diagnostics, theragnostics, targeted delivery vehicles, responsive materials and more. This work examines the application of aptamers to diabetes and related comorbidities. The selection and preliminary characterization of aptamers able to interact with Islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP), a potential causative factor in the development of type II diabetes, are described. An aptamer-based diagnostic for the acute kidney failure biomarker neutrophil gelatinase lipocalin protein is also developed. An aptamer-modified janus nanoparticle system is investigated as a potential theragnostic for thrombosis that could combine photothermal therapy and magnetic resonance imaging. Finally, aptamers for the spike protein component 2 of SARS-CoV2 and a database for aptamer selection experiments are briefly described.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Chemistry
    Date Created:
    2022

  • Behavioural and Neurological Effects of Fructose Cessation and Reexposure

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Sankhe, Aditi Sajjala
    Abstract:
    Fructose is a monosaccharide present in food items consumed, and its increased consumption over time has increased development of metabolic diseases, such as obesity. Findings from our lab showed that fructose consumption increased excitatory tone onto orexigenic neuropeptide Y (NPY)/agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons of the arcuate nucleus (ARC). This tone is reversible with cessation after one week of fructose consumption, but it is not known if the increased excitatory tone is reversible with cessation from chronic fructose consumption. We used whole-cell patch-clamp recordings and a fructose choice test to assess if fructose cessation could revert excitatory tone at NPY/AgRP neurons or enhance fructose preference upon re-exposure. We have found that fructose abstinence reverted increased excitatory tone at NPY/AgRP neurons in males. Continuous fructose consumption reduced preference for fructose, but fructose cessation enhanced it. These findings suggest that fructose cessation reverts increased excitatory tone but can also increase future fructose intake.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Neuroscience
    Date Created:
    2022

  • Assessment of Solar Assisted Heat Pump Configurations in Canada

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Beauchamp, Benjamin
    Abstract:
    This thesis discusses the energy savings, performance, and cost savings of various SAHP typologies in Canada, focusing on parallel systems. Typologies are evaluated for two detached housing archetypes, across a variety of Canadian climates. Modelling takes place in two stages. A first stage using a spreadsheet tool to determine which typology holds the most potential followed by a more detailed second stage in TRNSYS to investigate it. The first stage found that parallel SAHPs hold the most potential. The second stage found that parallel systems provided significant savings across all cities and housing archetypes. A combination of SDHW and ASHP outperformed the parallel system at low collector areas. However, no predicted savings were high enough to payback the predicted installation costs. This document explains the models, assumptions, and results. Recommendations are discussed for future research on system sizing, typologies of interest, heat pump modelling, and component costing.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Mechanical
    Date Created:
    2023

  • A Comprehensive Solution to Predict Short-term and Long-term user Intention with Environmental Context

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Zhang, Hang
    Abstract:
    Prediction of user intention is an important task in business intelligence and analysis. Our research divides user intention into short-term and long-term, corresponding to the first purchase and repurchase scenarios respectively. To model short-term user consumption intention prediction, we present a comprehensive solution based on extracting user sequence behavior features and computing user different types of interest scores. At the same time, we take environmental context into consideration to explore the occurrence environment of user behavior. To detect long-term intention, we use a combined topic modeling method to extract aspects from user reviews with an unsupervised method. Our research builds a HGNN and RGCN using sentiment polarity, aspects, and items as nodes and edges of the graph neural network. This method entirely considers the close relation between user sentiment polarity change and item features, and the solution shows good performance when compared with the baseline model in the experiments.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Information Technology (M.I.T.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Digital Media
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Impact of Low-Levels of Silver, Zinc and Copper Nanoparticles on Bacterial Removal and Potential Synergy for Point-of-Use Water Treatment Solutions

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Alherek, May
    Abstract:
    While Silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) are incorporated into multiple Point-of-Use drinking water solutions, silver is expensive and its disinfection performance over typical storage periods is understudied. Drawing on findings in the medical field of synergy when co-applying Ag with copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) NPs, this research project investigates the potential for co-applying these NPs for water disinfection. The methodology consisted of using batch-test experiments to assess E. coli disinfection by combinations of Ag-Cu, Ag-Zn and Cu-Zn NPs, at different ratios. The impact of pH and natural water use on disinfection performance were also studied. Results were analyzed using Bliss model and revealed synergy. Synergy degree was: Ag-Zn>Cu-Zn>Ag-Cu, and lower Ag:Zn/Cu ratios yielded higher synergy. pH had insignificant impact on Ag, Ag-Zn and Ag-Cu's disinfection and negatively correlated with Zn-Cu disinfection, and natural water suppressed disinfection. Together results highlight synergy between combinations which can be utilized to optimize CWFs' performance.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Environmental
    Date Created:
    2023

  • “Loitering” with Unconcerned Clicks: Class Nature and Social Exclusion of Sina Weibo Users in Representing Chinese Migrant Workers

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Wang, Siyu
    Abstract:
    Sina Weibo has a long history as an event-oriented social media platform that promotes public discussion on significant social affairs and gives voice to the bottom-class Chinese people who are usually ignored in mainstream media. However, such democratic potential of Sina Weibo has also inherited huge limitations and resulted in new conflicts and controversies with the rapid evolution of social media ecology and transformation in social structure and power relations during the past two decades in China. Taking what I propose as the "U.A.D.&S. Mutual Shaping" approach, and centering on a "Class as Root" concept, the dissertation examines user's deployment of the single platform Chinese Sina Weibo and the specific factors and conditions that affect Sina Weibo activism in representing the voice of the lower-income working class Chinese people, based on the exclusive and (or) inclusive nature of Sina Weibo and the class limitations of major and the lower-income working class Sina Weibo users. Through discourse analysis of Sina Weibo controversies following two latest Chinese migrant worker related incidents, as well as interviews with 12 migrant worker Sina Weibo posters, the dissertation demonstrates that the democratic effectiveness of Sina Weibo activism in representing the Chinese migrant workers is highly dependent on the class nature and limitations of major Weibo users, the migrant worker Weibo users, as well as various Weibo publics, communities, and spaces. Such class nature and class limitation are based on users' socio-economic status and identity consciousness that shape their online discourse and behavior, as well as the commercial companies' and users' deployment of the increasingly unbalanced commercial and entertaining incentives and affordances applied to Sina Weibo features. The exclusionary class nature of Sina Weibo users and the increasingly profit-driven and pro-capitalist nature of various Sina Weibo spheres are among the most significant challenges for the lower-income working class to gain traction in discourse that represents their interests, which may hinder Sina Weibo's democratic effectiveness in this aspect.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Communication
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Supporting End Users in Securing IoT-Enabled Smart Home Devices.

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Sereda, Bohdana
    Abstract:
    Smart home devices have gained popularity among users and become a usual thing found in one's home. While they provide comfort and automation, they also pose various security risks, which can be addressed in up-to-date security documentation. Besides, it is important to acknowledge users' responsibility for their device's security and to provide them with helpful resources. In this thesis, we overview several Internet of Things (IoT) security documents and analyze their content to understand the role of users in each of them. Having a trustworthy resource on smart home security for the users is essential to providing security on their end. Therefore, based on our findings from the analysis, we present a prototype tool that provides security recommendations to smart home users. After that, we evaluate the tool during a user study, which suggests that our target audience would, in fact, benefit from having accessible security recommendations and tools.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2022

  • Impacts of Gender and COVID-19 on the Division of Labour

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Gravel, Noémie
    Abstract:
    This study examines the gendered division of labour (paid and unpaid work) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Literature emerging during the pandemic, especially in early 2020, indicated a fear of the pandemic's potential negative impact on gender equality. Many feared a resurgence of the male-breadwinner family and what it might mean for women. I use quantitative data from the Labour Force Surveys of May 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022; the Impacts of COVID-19 on Canadians - Parenting during the pandemic, 2020 survey; and the Canadian Perspective Survey Series 3, 2020. I also use qualitative data from the subreddits r/Parenting, r/AmItheAsshole, and r/Relationship_advice. Results indicate that change related to the pandemic in 2020 was temporary. However, I find a large gap between the housework and childcare women and men do. The pandemic does not show permanent change to the gendered division of work.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Sociology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Space Architecture and the Development of a Martian Habitat using Computational Design

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Zerrad, Yakine
    Abstract:
    Living in space is a subject that attracts the attention of many researchers, astronomers, entrepreneurs, and engineers because it allows the development of new technologies that will be available to humanity in the future. The idea of living beyond the earth is now connected to the planet of Mars, reaching which has become possible, and according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, humans can make the journey to Mars; the problem is related to money. The aim of my thesis is to enable students and other interested parties to acknowledge the three points of computational design, space architecture, and the planet Mars to help them to better understand the subject before moving to the design of the Mars habitat, called Z habitat. Moreover, through a series of workshops, I have created a framework that use Rhinoceros 3D and Grasshopper to design a habitat for Mars.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Architecture
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Silicon-Based Polarization-Insensitive Optical Antenna Design and Experimental Characterization of Optical Phased Arrays

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Xin, Xiaochen
    Abstract:
    Optical Phased Array (OPA) has emerged as one of the most popular technologies in recent years. The integration of optoelectronics components on-chip allows the OPA to steer the beam to achieve ranging, detection, and free-space communication without having any moving parts. The thesis includes two parts. Firstly, a polarization-independent optical surface grating antenna designed for OPA is presented. The designed antenna emits both quasi-transverse electric (TE) and quasi-transverse magnetic (TM) modes towards the same angle with similar beamwidth. With the increasing demanding for mode-division multiplexing systems, the incorporation of such antenna in an OPA system allows an additional channel of data transmission while preserving the steerability of the array. In the second part of the thesis, the optical testing setup for a fabricated on-chip OPA system is designed and presented. With the testing setup designed and assembled, a comparison between the observed and simulated far-field images is also presented.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2023

  • TC-GVF: Tensor Core GPU Based Vector Fitting Via Accelerated Tall-Skinny QR Solvers

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Kukutla, Vinay Ven
    Abstract:
    In this MASc thesis work, the widely used system identification method, Vector Fitting (VF), is advanced for adoption in the emerging GPU architectures with Tensor Cores. Since the VF algorithm is iterative in nature, improving its computational cost and parallel efficiency on mixed CPU and GPU environments is critical in reducing the overall time needed for convergence. Algorithmic advancements are introduced to provide significant speedups to the most computationally expensive steps in the VF process, QR factorization and the solution to a set of linear equations. Furthermore, Nvidia's new Tensor Core architecture is leveraged to provide further performance improvements. The application examples for modeling of large multiport models with high-speed modules demonstrated orders of magnitude speed-up compared to the existing work in the literature.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Safety Evaluation of Roundabouts and Speed Cameras Within the City of Ottawa

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Abolhassani Hastiani, Milad
    Abstract:
    To improve traffic safety, governments must efficiently utilize funds by selecting the most effective treatments in specific local conditions. This thesis provides a framework to evaluate the safety effectiveness of roundabouts and speed cameras as two new safety treatments in the City of Ottawa. The study uses collision history and driving behaviour analysis to capture the impacts of different safety improvement tools. The roundabouts collision history-based results revealed a slight increase in total, rear-end, SMV and PDO collisions, a substantial increase in sideswipe collisions, and a reduction in angle and injury-fatal collisions. The driving behaviour at the roundabouts merging zone showed the average post-encroachment above 2 seconds which is more than saturation headway and it is an acceptable value. The speed cameras driving behaviour analysis indicated a reduction in speed and a number of vehicles exceeding the speed limit from downstream of speed cameras to upstream.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Civil
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Comprehensive Simulation-based Workflow to Assess the Performance of Occupancy-based Controls and Operations in Office Buildings

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Azimi, Sara
    Abstract:
    Most building services provided, from ventilation to cleaning, should be a function of occupancy. Yet occupancy is seldom measured in a comprehensive way such that the data can be widely used to improve building operations. The proposed research seeks to develop a workflow whereby long-term occupancy data is measured in office buildings, a range of advanced technologies and operating strategies are modelled, then those are simulated to inform operators of the optimal approach for building services. A selection tool is developed to aid building practitioners to choose the most appropriate occupancy sensing technologies for a given set of applications. The selection process begins by identifying data requirements for the selection of applications and defining characteristics of occupancy sensing technologies, then analyzing their alignment for optimal occupancy sensing technology selection. Later, a methodology is introduced to quantify the cost, energy, and GHG emission savings for optimizing building management using occupancy data.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Building
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Eco-Anxiety in Daily Life: Relationships with Well-Being and Pro-Environmental Behaviour

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Lutz, Paul Kocourek
    Abstract:
    Little is known about how eco-anxiety, or feelings of anxiety and worry about mounting environmental issues, relates to well-being and pro-environmental behaviour in daily life. To help address this issue, I conducted a preregistered daily diary study, wherein Carleton University undergraduates (N = 132) provided trait reports and two weeks of daily reports (n = 1439) on eco-anxiety, positive and negative affect, meaning in life, and pro-environmental behaviour. At the trait level, average scores on eco-anxiety were fairly low; yet, higher scores were associated with less positive affect and more negative affect and pro-environmental behaviour. Daily average scores on eco-anxiety were even lower at the state level, but on days people did feel greater eco-anxiety, they also reported greater negative affect and pro-environmental behaviour. Lagged analyses provided some evidence that eco-anxiety increases future negative affect. No significant relationships between eco-anxiety and meaning in life emerged at both levels of analysis.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Psychology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Exploring Accessibility and Companionship in Boardgames via Alexa

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Karim, Saman
    Abstract:
    The inaccessibility of rulebooks hinders the rule learning experience of boardgame players who are blind or low vision (BLV). We explore the design of conversational agents (CAs) to support players' learning needs and provide companionship by conducting two qualitative studies. In study 1, 14 boardgame players who are BLV first identified their rule learning challenges and co-designed desired social and functional characteristics of CAs to combat these challenges. Based on these findings, we developed a CA using Amazon Alexa and 9 players who are BLV evaluated our CA in study 2. Our findings generated five design principles for CAs to support boardgame rule learning: conciseness, ease of navigation, customization, supplementary features, and social characteristics. These principles guide designers and researchers in exploring the novel design space. Our research also demonstrates the feasibility of our method for conducting accessible remote co-design and evaluation with participants who are BLV.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Empirical Study on Improving Hate Speech Detection: Novel BERT based One-Versus-All Classification Approach (BOVAC) with a Novel Performance Metric: Global Performance (GP)

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Al Assafin, Samer
    Abstract:
    Text classification is an application of natural language processing (NLP) which involves the automated processing of text data for the purpose of extracting features, classifying opinions or performing sentiment analysis. Attempting to improve the task of automated detection of hate speech and the understanding of the framework upon which it operates, I present my thesis in which: I explore an approach I call BERT-based one-versus-all text classification (BOVAC) for improving the task of hate speech detection. The performance of the proposed approach is assessed based on an empirical study on a dataset which was previously constructed, cleaned and manually labeled by Davidson and colleagues (Davidson et al., 2017). In addition to presenting an approach to improve hate speech detection, I propose the use of a new performance metric I call global performance (GP) to improve the process of assessing the performance of hate speech detection and text classification models.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Cognitive Science (M.Cog.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Cognitive Science
    Date Created:
    2023

  • The Role of Terraces in the Inca Empire

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Jensen, Philip D.
    Abstract:
    This thesis assesses the theoretical and empirical evidence that would support the proposition that terraces played a number of important roles in the Inca empire. The Incas borrowed and developed much more extensively, practices and statecraft from earlier Andean civilizations. Although the Incas relied on their predecessors, they also advanced their own distinctive statecraft which tied together ideology and practical means to grow and manage the empire. Terrace use and construction by the Incas were both more sophisticated and served several purposes beyond those in earlier civilizations. This paper finds little evidence that Wittfogel's hydraulic society theory was applicable to the Inca empire but is more persuaded that Andean spirituality, ideology and terrace use had natural links to aspects of Actor Network Theory. Important roles terraces played in the Inca empire included: economic, political, scientific, architectural, support to the military and state administration, aesthetic/ornamental, ecological, and spiritual.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Anthropology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • New Market Information Applications in East Africa: Three Essays on Mapping Trade Flows, Identifying Vulnerability in Food Commodity Networks, and Nowcasting Agricultural Prices in East Africa

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Hadley, Lance James Howard
    Abstract:
    Agricultural commodity market systems in East Africa are characterized by significant spatial heterogeneity. Many competing actors engage in small-volume transfers through marketplaces with complex and overlapping feedback mechanisms. For development policy practitioners working in economic measurement at the subnational level, these characteristics - among others - frustrate the accuracy and relevance of typical market systems analyses. Recently however, sources of local market information are rapidly proliferating throughout the region. This new trend raises new opportunities for researchers to develop practitioner-oriented monitoring and assessment tools for East Africa's agricultural market systems. The first two papers in this dissertation focus on generating data-driven economic measures to assist policy targeting: The first paper presents a novel combination of network analysis and price transmission analysis to open the 'black-box' of subnational trade. By decomposing cointegration measures correlated with market access and trade efficiency, this paper presents an empirical method for identifying, mapping, and evaluating subregional trade corridors in East Africa. While the first paper applies network analysis to explore the dynamics of trade between marketplaces, the second paper extends the network approach to explore how individual marketplaces transmit or react to the price shocks. This paper proposes a measure of economic vulnerability for maize marketplaces in Uganda to identify which marketplaces along the supply chain are vulnerable to price shocks from connected marketplaces. Despite the proliferation of local market information, however, analysts still face challenges when contexts are limited by data quality, timeliness, and precision. The third paper proposes a novel empirical method based in machine-learning and big-data feature management, which algorithmically adjusts the feature selection to the available data. By optimizing the feature selection with known market structures and the available data, analysts can meaningfully overcome the data challenges for estimating near-real-time food prices. Moreover, the proposed method can facilitate more timely assessments of current food security in contexts challenged by inconsistent data collection and poor data coverage. Ultimately, this thesis demonstrates the analytical benefits of combining aspects of network analysis, price transmission theory, and big data management strategies to support new tools and promote more effective and inclusive development across East Africa.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    International Affairs
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Early life programming of neurodevelopment and growth: understanding nutritional, inflammatory, and placental contributions in complex pregnancies

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    White, Marina
    Abstract:
    There is substantial evidence to show that inadequate nutrition in the periconceptional, pre- and post-natal periods can profoundly influence developmental and health trajectories of the embryo, fetus, and infant. However, improved knowledge on how nutritional factors may exacerbate, or lessen, suboptimal fetal and infant outcomes in pregnancies complicated by additional adversities is needed. To help address this knowledge gap, two core projects were undertaken to investigate relationships between perinatal nutritional factors (at the molecular, individual, and household levels), the placenta, and fetal or infant neurodevelopment and growth in: 1. pregnancies carrying a fetus with a neural tube defect (NTD), and 2. pregnancies affected by maternal HIV infection. In the first population, we show for the first time that fetal NTDs associate with placental maldevelopment and dysfunction, evidenced by an increased risk of placental pathologies and dysregulation in fundamental placental gene networks, including nutrient transport. Several dysregulated placental gene networks in fetuses with NTDs were sensitive to multiple nutrients, emphasizing the need for research to expand beyond a folic acid-centric view to identify new targets for NTD prevention and improve outcomes in fetuses with NTDs. In the second population, we found that infants who were exposed to maternal HIV infection and antiretroviral therapies in early life are susceptible to the adverse effects of suboptimal nutritional exposures both pre- and postnatally, evidenced by poorer growth outcomes in infants exposed to HIV and household food insecurity. We also found that there is potential for early life nutritional factors to be leveraged to improve outcomes in these infants. An integrated understanding of how nutritional exposures at the molecular, individual, and household/community levels contribute to fetal and infant programming in children exposed to suboptimal prenatal environments is key for developing interventions to improve developmental trajectories and lifecycle health globally.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Health Sciences
    Date Created:
    2022

  • Toward an Automated Real-Time Anomaly Detection Engine in Microservice Architectures

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Khan, Md Rezwan Hassan
    Abstract:
    With the growing demand for micro-service applications and cloud-based software, service providers like Amazon, Netflix, and eBay, are finding it difficult to detect the failures in their increasing number of interlinked services of applications. Various machine-learning techniques have been proposed to detect these failures. However, one of the significant challenges anomaly detectors face is model performance decay over time due to data pattern changes in time series data. Another significant issue is detecting a high number of false positives( false anomalies), creating false alerts that question the credibility of the detector's performance. This thesis attempts to tackle these issues mentioned above by building a dynamic automated pipeline for an unsupervised anomaly detection engine for a micro-services application to predict anomalies in the system's behaviour. The proposed model outperforms the baseline model's performance. Regarding computational costs, LSTM is three times faster than the statistical approach.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Computer Science (M.C.S.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Computer Science
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Using Virtual Reality to Improve STEM Education

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Samar Qorbani, Hossain
    Abstract:
    The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the effect of using Virtual Reality (VR) technology on the students' experience in science education, particularly for interaction, learning, and accessibility. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education has special requirements such as lab-based activities and abstract concepts that complicate setting up the environment and learning process. These complications are increased due to the pandemic and other remote access requirements. VR has unique affordances that make it a promising solution but its use in this regard has not been properly investigated and there are many open research questions related to its effect on interaction, learning, and accessibility in STEM education. Focusing on these three aspects, we ran a series of quantitative and qualitative studies to find out if the use of VR in science labs leads to an increased level of learning, efficiency, and accuracy of the tasks (measured by pre-post knowledge tests and the in-app data collection system). The Immersive/head-mounted VR (IVR) was compared to Desktop VR (DVR) and 2D/text-based conditions. Results indicated a significant difference in some areas particularly related to post-knowledge score, spatial skills, and learnability between 2D and VR conditions. Task completion rate, efficiency, and accuracy also indicated a significant difference between IVR and DVR groups, showing IVR performing better. The qualitative evaluation included an analysis of students' experiences with the use of VR and their perspective on its application for education. The result indicated that in areas such as ease of use, learnability, engagement, and overall satisfaction they preferred VR treatment better compared to 2D/ Text as they found the use of VR to be beneficial to their learning. Our studies also showed the efficacy of software-based accessibility features that improved interaction and learning for wheelchair users. We concluded that the implementation of a virtual environment for STEM education requires careful considerations in the design and implementation to make it technically practical to run on mobile Head Mounted Displays (HMD), be relevant based on established learning theories, minimize the effect of cybersickness, and be accessible for a wider range of audience.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Information Technology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • GENETIC DIVERSITY PREDICTS POPULATION FITNESS AND PERSISTENCE: THE VALUE OF GENETIC RESCUE INCONSERVATION

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Clarke, Julia
    Abstract:
    Genetic rescue is a conservation tool that uses translocations to restore gene flow in isolated populations. Despite successes, this tool remains relatively underused, likely due to lack of understanding and long term data. Here, we review all genetic rescue attempts to date to promote a better understanding of the method. We found that the increase in genetic diversity conferred from genetic rescue was the strongest predictor of population fitness in the short-term. Further, we found no evidence for outbreeding depression among studies. To learn more about long-term effects of genetic rescue, we conducted a case study using a small, isolated, population simulating genetic rescue using a population viability analysis. We found that translocations resulted in long lasting increases in genetic diversity, however, find that increased likelihood of persistence was only evident after repeated translocations. Further, we find that without addressing underlying stressors, genetic rescue along is insufficient in the long-term.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Mapping Our Return: Glacier Stories and Knowledge Production in Climate Change

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Gray, Sonya
    Abstract:
    Over 250 years ago, a young Tlingit woman called to a glacier that displaced the Xunaa Tlingit and beckoned to the U.S. National Park Service. Today, in the midst of climate change, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is once again undergoing a huge transformation; glaciers are disappearing and the Xunaa Tlingit are back. In a historic collaboration, a tribal house, Xunaa Shuka Hit, was built in 2016 and has the potential to transform people, place and thought, that inform climate change solutions. Based on my positionality as Tlingit interpreter of Xunaa Shuka Hit and park ranger, my research aims to analyze the collaboration from my perspective in terms science and Tlingit art, stories, and names that reveal emergent knowledges and blur lines of division.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Anthropology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Human Rights as Property Rights

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Lunianga, Allison
    Abstract:
    As Europeans colonized the Americas, human rights and property rights became unprecedently tangible and divisive. These two legal concepts became conflating as they relied on race to be actualized, and they provided (or at the very least supported) the definition of race as a distinguishing factor between different classes of humans. The human that informs human rights was always meant to be European, male, Christian, and white. The property that informs property rights was meant to be everyone else who existed within that space and could be exploited to benefit those who can claim human rights (those who can be grouped with the humans who inform human rights). They did not mean the same thing, but they did the same thing by actualizing racial segregation in the Americas.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Legal Studies
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Time-course proteomic study of Acinetobacter baumannii after exposure to oxidative stress

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Gallo, Vanessa Giovannna
    Abstract:
    Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic nosocomial Gram-negative bacterium responsible for infectious diseases. Due to its rapidly growing multidrug resistance (MDR), there is a need to improve understanding of host-pathogen interactions to identify targets for the development of novel therapeutics. Characterizing bacterial responses to a stress condition representative of a host environment was hypothesized to provide improved understanding of A. baumannii pathogenesis. To this end, an in vitro time-course proteomic study evaluating the impact of oxidative stress on two clinical strains exhibiting different levels of virulence was performed using mass spectrometry. After exposure to hydrogen peroxide, 38 proteins and 181 proteins were observed to have different abundance levels in strain Lac-4 and Lac-5, respectively. The putative localization, pathway and molecular function of these proteins were assessed. Proteins that changed abundance levels were of interest as they indicate potential response to stress and could lead to targets for future therapeutic development.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Science (M.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Biology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Wind Tunnel Testing to Evaluate Noise Emissions from a Small Wind Turbine

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Asi, Victoria Usang
    Abstract:
    The wind power industry has experienced fast and tremendous growth, globally, in recent years. Consequently, there is a growing interest in investigating aerodynamics and aeroacoustics characteristics of wind turbines and developing environmental standards aimed at decreasing noise levels in the design and manufacture of these machines. This study was carried out in the Carleton University Wind Induced Dynamic Laboratory (WInDLab) that was designed to evaluate and quantify noise levels emitted by a small horizontal axis wind turbine. This investigation provided the first-ever set of measurements carried out in the WInDLab following the successful installation of the wind turbine. The background acoustic data obtained for the wind tunnel showed that the wind tunnel is not quiet enough for measurements of the type undertaken. The wind tunnel would need to be silenced and acoustically treated to capture noise with low frequencies. Recommendations for further work have been provided.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Sustainable Energy
    Date Created:
    2023

  • An Examination of Social Capital and Communications in Municipal Emergency Management

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Donaldson, Jeffery Ernest
    Abstract:
    Despite decades of preparedness messaging from all levels of government, Canadians remain unprepared for emergencies and disasters. This multi-site case study examines the relationship between municipal emergency managers and community groups across Ontario to understand the role of social capital in the delivery and acceptance of emergency preparedness communications. From chambers of commerce to charities and non-profits, the cross- community group relationships examined here are strong; there are committed departments dedicated to emergency management within municipal governments, and community groups are ready and willing partners in the emergency management field. Communities are geographically, spatially and temporally bounded, supported by an array of trusted relationships, between members, groups, associations and extra-local connections. Accessing these pathways for building trust and communicating emergency preparedness information represents a significant opportunity for resource constrained municipal emergency managers. Emergency managers from upper, lower and single tier municipalities in Ontario were interviewed, along with several community groups providing services within the same municipalities. Research participants talked at length about their roles, strengths, and the knowledge they have of each other and other partners. In addition, these interviews explored the extent of any existing relationships, emergency preparedness involvement and how they see a future involvement in emergency management at the municipal level. The SARS-COVID-2 pandemic complicated these relationships, but also provided a unique opportunity to engage and navigate the largest society-level disruption in a century. Conflicting communications, regulations and frameworks created barriers to collaboration between municipal emergency managers and community groups. With nominal preparedness communications prior to the pandemic, the public health messages all but replaced any effort on preparedness messaging. Three themes emerge from this study: 1/ community groups can and are willing to act as trusted source pathways for municipal emergency preparedness communication; 2/ the pandemic demonstrated an opportunity to grow cooperation and collaboration between municipalities and community groups; 3/ that municipal governance in the pandemic was confused and uncoordinated leading to a crisis in public confidence.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Public Policy
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Particle Swarm Optimization with Enhanced Neighborhood Search Algorithm and Probabilistic Crossover Genetic Algorithm for Task Scheduling in Cloud Computing

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Al Shamaa, Mhd Saleh
    Abstract:
    Considering the dynamic and elastic nature of cloud computing services, service providers must provide efficient task-scheduling solutions to accommodate the increasing demands in cloud services while satisfying Service Level Agreements (SLA) cost-effectively. In this thesis, we present two novel task scheduling algorithms in cloud computing: ENS-PSO and PxGA, to minimize the makespan. ENS-PSO improves Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) by introducing an effective neighborhood search technique. Also, we introduce static and dynamic methods to select ENS-PSO neighborhood search size. PxGA enhances the Genetic Algorithm (GA) by applying a weighted probabilistic approach to the crossover operation. CloudSim toolkit is utilized to evaluate the algorithms in terms of makespan, computational time, degree of imbalance, and energy consumption. The simulation results prove that ENS-PSO and PxGA outperform other classic and recent algorithms. Moreover, at the expense of higher computational time, ENS-PSO outperforms PxGA on the overall makespan by 3-4%.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Information Technology (M.I.T.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Network Technology
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Arch-Lang : A DSE Tool for Flexible Hardware/Software Co-Design

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Fryer, Joshua Stewart
    Abstract:
    Multicore architectures have emerged as an avenue to continue the improvement of software performance even as growth in single-core performance has struggled over the past two decades. However, designing for such systems is a more complex task than for single-core, sequential computing. To effectively utilize multicore systems, designers must devise communication strategies, coordinate dataflow between processing elements in a way that avoids erroneous behaviour such as race conditions, and the software's general architecture must be designed in a way that takes advantage of advancements in hardware architecture. In this thesis, we present an architecture and domain-specific language that allows software developers to rapidly prototype hardware architectures, software partitioning, and inter-core communication strategies at design time. We demonstrate an interpreter for this domain-specific language, and use it to illustrate a process of experimenting with inter-core communication and software partitioning strategies.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Quantitative Assessment of Teleworking on Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Simon, Sharane
    Abstract:
    Teleworking offers various socioeconomic benefits to society, but its environmental impact remains poorly understood. Using eleven participants from Ottawa, Canada, a year-long pilot study was designed and implemented to quantify energy usage and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in three domains: home office, transportation, and information and communications technology (ICT). The results show that transportation and home heating and cooling account for >94% of the energy associated with teleworking. Home office equipment, lighting, and ICT account for the remaining 6%, with an insignificant impact on GHG emissions (<2%) due to the low-carbon electricity grid. The results indicate teleworking will likely result in a net reduction in energy use and GHG emissions compared to conventional working arrangements due to reduced daily commute, especially when employees travel long distances to their company offices via personal vehicles. However, teleworking's net impact is highly variable, dependent on personal choices, routines, purchasing decisions, and household structure.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Applied Science (M.App.Sc.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Building
    Date Created:
    2022

  • A Robust Discrete Event Method for the Design of Cyber-Physical Systems

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Boi-Ukeme, Joseph Osedome
    Abstract:
    The technological advancement in Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) has seen more sophisticated hardware, leading to systems that are complex, interconnected, and require automation. This trend has made modern CPS fragile and susceptible to faults. Traditional methods for fault detection and diagnosis are unable to adequately scale up to handle the faults that occur in CPS because of the tight interconnectivity between the physical and cyber parts of CPS. Also, real-time requirements present new challenges that are not sufficiently addressed by traditional fault-tolerant design approaches, therefore more intelligent methods are now needed to deal with these faults. To address these issues, we propose an approach to formally define faults, detect, and diagnose faults, and accommodate faults for fault tolerance. For fault detection and diagnosis, we propose a generic fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) scheme capable of diagnosing CPS faults in real-time. The scheme is developed to accommodate different modeling methods but for clarity of explanation, we adapt it to the DEVS formalism. To test the scheme, we implemented a library to store fault codes in a data structure and developed intelligent logic to ensure faults are correctly detected and isolated. We also propose a purely data-driven approach to detect faults in CPS where we have no control over the design of the control system. Our data-driven methods thrive on setting rigorous processes and workflows to ensure that representative data is collected for CPS to ensure that FDD techniques perform optimally. For fault tolerance, a fault-tolerant logic is included as part of the FDD scheme for the control system, and for sensing, we propose a sensor fusion framework developed not just to facilitate the implementation of sensor fusion algorithms in DEVS. It also provides a method for checking failures using data obtained from sensor outputs. This improves the reliability of the sensing system. Finally, we evaluate the applicability of the various methods proposed through case studies.
    Thesis Degree:
    Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Engineering, Electrical and Computer
    Date Created:
    2023

  • Bring on the Apocalypse: Nostalgia and Tragedy in Hugo Santiago's Aquilea

    Resource Type:
    Thesis
    Creator:
    Rojas Anaya, Daniel
    Abstract:
    Hugo Santiago's films about the apocalypse of the fictional city of Aquilea work as an allegory to Argentina's blood bath during General Onganía's and General Videla's dictatorships (1966-1983). Invasion (1969) and The Sidewalks of Saturn (1985) portray an obsessive nostalgia that motivates the character's ideological performance of memento mori and pro patria mori. These tropes perpetuate a tradition that I have coined as the defeated defender myth, which expresses the glorification of the willingness to self-sacrifice as a heroic act and is reminiscent of the Argentine emblematic gaucho-martyrs tradition. Thus, philosopher Steve Rose's model of suicide (2015) contributes to understanding the influence of nostalgia and future nostalgia in enforcing the major and minor phenomenological forces that shape these tragic identities. Ultimately, this thesis finds that this romanticization of self-sacrifice illustrates Hugo Santiago's project of constructing an insurrectionary national identity that conversely practices a murderous cult of memory.
    Thesis Degree:
    Master of Arts (M.A.)
    Thesis Degree Discipline:
    Film Studies
    Date Created:
    2023