VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Benefits of an E-learning Intervention for Implementing Stroke Rehabilitation Best Practices
Keywords: stroke rehabilitation
evidence-based practice
knowledge translation
e-learning
physical therapy
occupational therapy

Serious gaps between best and actual stroke rehabilitation practices continue to exist, even with the plethora of evidence and guidelines for stroke best practice management. To address this knowledge gap with an effective knowledge translation (KT) intervention, six steps of the Knowledge to Action (KTA) Model were applied to these specific research objectives: 1) to conduct a systematic review to examine evidence on the effectiveness of single/multi-component KT interventions for improving knowledge, attitudes, and rehabilitation practice behaviors of occupational therapists (OTs) and physical therapists (PTs), in order to inform the design of a KT intervention; 2) to conduct usability testing to explore factors that facilitate or hinder OTs' and PTs' use of an evidence-based, stroke rehabilitation-specific e-learning resource (Stroke Engine; www.strokengine.ca), as a preliminary step in its potential use as a KT intervention; and, 3) to conduct a KT intervention study to determine the extent of knowledge acquired regarding stroke rehabilitation best practices by OTs and PTs while using Stroke Engine as an e-learning KT intervention for three months. A sub-objective was to identify the association between knowledge acquired and factors related to the clinician, their work environment, and adherence to the KT intervention. Main findings from this research agenda suggested that use of active, multi-component KT interventions resulted in some knowledge gains among physical therapists, but additional research was needed to understand impact of these strategies on occupational therapists. During Stroke Engine testing, factors hindering its use were identified and the website was modified to maximize its usability as an e-learning KT intervention. Clinicians were satisfied with Stroke Engine as it provided them with the latest stroke evidence in a quick, user-friendly format. Finally, significant improvements in clinicians' proportion of 'evidence-based' responses on the Stroke Rehabilitation Knowledge Questionnaire were observed between baseline and following Stroke Engine use as a KT intervention. Intensity of Stroke Engine use was the most significant predictor for clinicians' improved 'evidence-based' knowledge on the Questionnaire. It was concluded that Stroke Engine has promise as an effective e-learning KT intervention for enhancing rehabilitation clinicians' knowledge of stroke best practices.
An Integrated Design Approach for Pipelines and Appurtenances Based on Hydrodynamic Loading
Keywords: Design Standards
Hydrodynamic
Transient
Hydraulic
Steel Pipe
Air Valve

Water and wastewater conveyance research is steeply based in advancements of numerical methods and models. Design engineers need more than refinements in analysis methods to evolve the standards of practice and the related design guidelines. In an effort to improve the design efficiency and operating reliability of pipeline systems, design guidelines have been developed to enfold the various technological advancements and elevate the standard of care used in the pipeline design process. In this respect, the guidelines have been successful. However, design engineers, manufacturers, and owners have developed a level of dependency on the success of the guidelines. The guidelines, which were developed as and are clearly still held to be by the various publishing associations, a minimum standard of care, have become the default standard of care. Such statements are, of course, gross generalizations, but this thesis is dedicated to move the standard of care forward through an integrated design approach that provides a roadmap to inter-relate the independent design guidelines into a composite design approach based on hydrodynamic loading. Hydrodynamic loading introduces of a temporal parameter into the design process. With the temporal parameter this work demonstrates how the consideration of both the frequency and the influence of acceleration head on the magnitude of the hydraulic loading can be used to integrate and evolve the individual component designs into a more efficient, cost effective, reliable composite design result. With a temporal parameter present in design, many opportunities present themselves to advance the current design procedures outlined in the present design guidelines. This thesis identifies some of the present shortcomings found in the modern pipeline and appurtenance design standards and introduces a recommended path forward. Specific changes to the present standards are proposed in this work and a unique analysis procedure to identify the failure potential of cement mortar lining has been developed. Introducing the integrated design approach will allow for a significant evolution to the present standard of practice in water and wastewater conveyance system designs.
"Let Me Tell You Who I Am": A Qualitative Study of Identity and Accountability in Two Electronically-monitored Call Centres
Keywords: identity
accountability
call centres
performance monitoring

This thesis describes and analyses the ways in which employees in two front line call centre settings report their experience of qualitative and quantitative monitoring in the workplace, and its impact on their work and work life. I conducted ethnographically informed fieldwork, including participant observation and interviews, in two financial service call centre sites. Emerging from the rich descriptions participants shared about their work life, identity and accountability stood out as key themes. The sites, which use similar methods of monitoring and performance measurement, had quite different management strategies in place which affected staff perceptions of identity and accountability. I modified an activity theory framework to create a model of organisational, professional and peer identities and accountabilities, and to examine the ways these connect, interact, and sometimes disconnect, with one another. Call centres are contentious workplaces in the literature, generating ongoing debate about the extent to which electronic monitoring is effective as a method of control and about the way monitoring and surveillance affects workers. Using this framework allows me to look at common call centre issues, such as the quality/quantity dichotomy, through a different and potentially helpful lens, one that is novel in the call centre literature. My findings suggest that when the various facets of identities and accountabilities are poorly aligned, workers are forced to prioritize one over the other, often to the detriment of both. In the financial service call centres I studied, workers often chose to prioritize professional and peer identity over organisational accountability when organisational requirements were strongly felt to conflict with the ways in which a professional banker should behave towards customers and colleagues. Workers made these choices despite clearly understanding the potential consequences to themselves in terms of achieving performance metric targets and supervisory approval. Conceptualizing call centre workers’ responses to monitoring and measurement from an identity and accountability perspective offers new insights into the reasons why financial service call centre workers are often dissatisfied or frustrated with standard call centre measurement practices, leading to potential practical solutions.
Crosslinkable Light Emitting Conjugate and Metallocene Polymers: Synthesis, Properties and Application
Keywords: Conjugated Polymers
Optoelectronic Devices

Numerous semiconductive organic materials are actively being pursued for application in sensing and electronics. Chapter one introduces conjugated polymers (CPs) and their many useful properties, including electroluminescence, which has helped foster growing demand for these materials in low-power organic light emitting diodes (OLED) for solid state lighting and additionally polychromatic displays. In the second chapter of this dissertation, we develop the concept of digrignard scavengers for use in nickel catalyst transfer polymerization of diarylmagnesate monomers into conjugate polymers within a unique mixed THF/1,4-Dioxane solvent system. Our initial findings include a polymerization method which permits the formation of an electronics grade copolymer with molecular weights in excess of Mn = 50 kg/mol within 15 minutes using a scalable, room temperature method. In chapter three, we discuss the synthesis and characterization of Polysilafluorenes (PSFs), which are an important class of light-emitting conjugate polymers noted for their characteristic brilliant solid state blue luminescence, high quantum efficiency, excellent solubility and improved thermal stability. In chapter four, we present a protocol for photopatterning derivatives of poly(3,6-dimethoxy-9,9-dialkylsilafluorenes) with resolutions exceeding 10 μm. The resultant crosslinked material possess characteristic blue photoluminescence with solid state quantum yields > 80%. In chapter five, we present a protocol for 3-D photopatterning derivatives of poly(3,6-dimethoxy-9,9-dialkylsilafluorenes) with resolutions exceeding 200 nm using two photon direct laser writing techniques. In chapter six, we present a unique deep blue emitting copolymer, poly(3,6-dimethoxy-9.9`-dihexylsilafluorene-co-3.6-dimethoxy-2’,3’,6’,7’-tetrahexyloxy-9,9-spiro-9-silabifluorene) (PHSSF-co-PDHSF), which exhibits brilliant solid state blue luminescence, high quantum efficiency, excellent solubility and thermal stability. In chapter seven, we explore crosslinked conductive metallocene polymer networks that mediate chemical, electronic and mechanical signals.
Advancing Precision Cosmology with 21 cm Intensity Mapping
Keywords: cosmology
large-scale structure of the Universe
radio astronomy

In this thesis we make progress toward establishing the observational method of 21 cm intensity mapping as a sensitive and efficient method for mapping the large-scale structure of the Universe. In Part I we undertake theoretical studies to better understand the potential of intensity mapping. This includes forecasting the ability of intensity mapping experiments to constrain alternative explanations to dark energy for the Universe's accelerated expansion. We also considered how 21 cm observations of the neutral gas in the early Universe (after recombination but before reionization) could be used to detect primordial gravity waves, thus providing a window into cosmological inflation. Finally we showed that scientifically interesting measurements could in principle be performed using intensity mapping in the near term, using existing telescopes in pilot surveys or prototypes for larger dedicated surveys. Part II describes observational efforts to perform some of the first measurements using 21 cm intensity mapping. We develop a general data analysis pipeline for analyzing intensity mapping data from single dish radio telescopes. We then apply the pipeline to observations using the Green Bank Telescope. By cross-correlating the intensity mapping survey with a traditional galaxy redshift survey we put a lower bound on the amplitude of the 21 cm signal. The auto-correlation provides an upper bound on the signal amplitude and we thus constrain the signal from both above and below. This pilot survey represents a pioneering effort in establishing 21 cm intensity mapping as a probe of the Universe.
Design and Development of an Actuation System for the Synchronized Segmentally Interchanging Pulley Transmission System (SSIPTS)
Keywords: Mechatronics
Electromagnetic actuator
Electromechanical actuator
Mechanical transmission
Position control
Actuation
Automotive

This Ph.D. thesis presents the design, modeling, optimization, prototyping, and experimental methodologies for a novel actuation system for the synchronized segmentally interchanging pulley transmission system (SSIPTS). The SSIPTS is an improved transmission which offers the combined benefits of existing transmission systems for the automotive, the power generation, and the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industries. As a major subsystem of the SSIPTS, the Pulley Segment Actuation System (PSAS) plays a critical role in the SSIPTS operation and success. However, the overall design of the SSIPTS and its operation principle introduce very challenging and conflicting design requirements for PSASs that the existing actuation technologies cannot meet. To address the lack of actuation technologies for the PSAS application, this research proposes a unique actuation system that meets all the challenging design requirements of the PSAS. This new actuation system is based on the electromagnetic moving coil actuator (MCA) technology. The proposed system is conceptualized and modeled. The key parameters of the actuation system are defined following the conceptual design and modeling. Further, the geometry mapping optimization and the FEM analysis are conducted to determine the optimized values for the key design parameters. From the simulation results, the optimized actuator is shaped. Moreover, a proper control strategy is proposed for the motion of the actuator. Experiments are performed to find the empirical parameters of the actuator, to validate the proposed design, and to test the performance of the actuator. Experimental results show that the prototype of the actuation system meets the design requirements and is feasible for implementation in the SSIPTS. The main contribution of this thesis is to develop a highly efficient and reliable ultra fast bi-stable actuation system for the PSAS for the SSIPTS. As an ultra fast bistable actuation system, the designed actuation system has many advantages over other types of actuation systems: higher load capacity, smaller dimensions, and good controllability. These performance characteristics make the designed actuation system an excellent candidate in applications requiring fast transient response, high precision, and high load capacity such as electromagnetic valve actuators for engines, high speed pick and place, and precise positioning.
Diapycnal Mixing in the Ocean: From Dissipation Scale to Large Scale Meridional Overturning Circulation
Keywords: Ocean Mixing
Stratified Turbulence
Shear turbulence
Ocean circulation

In this thesis we will investigate the role of diapycnal mixing on the ocean general circulation. This thesis is divided into three main parts. In the first part we show that there exists an almost infinite number of pathways to turbulence in oceanic energetic shear zones at high Reynolds number. Such a large number of accessible routes to truly chaotic motion is not typical of most of the existing body of laboratory and numerical experiments of shear-induced diapycnal mixing, but is shown to be of relevance to diapycnal mixing in geophysical flows. A key finding is that the use of generally accepted empirical relations based on laboratory experiments for the quantification of diapycnal mixing leads to large inaccuracies. In the second part we perform high resolution numerical experiments of diapycnal mixing in the oceanographically relevant high Reynolds number parameter range. Through detailed analysis of the flow energetics and mixing properties of these flows, we show that the net buoyancy flux facilitated by turbulence, the efficiency of diapycnal mixing, and the resultant effective diffusivity, all depend in non-trivial ways on the specific route to turbulence for each individual mixing event. This has important implications for practical methods of estimating an effective diapycnal mixing diffusivity from observations as well as for parametrization of mixing in ocean general circulation models. We show quantitatively that such methods can be inaccurate to the extent that they will need to be completely revised or replaced. In the third and final part of the thesis we investigate the sensitivity of the meridional overturning circulation of the abyssal ocean to the intensity and spatial variations of diapycnal mixing. We show that changes in intensity of mixing by factors well within the errors associated with practical estimates (as discussed above) lead to significant changes in ocean circulation. We show that enhanced abyssal mixing, surface winds, and meso-scale eddies play leading roles in driving the abyssal ocean circulation and in setting the stratification. As an example of the application of our analysis we show that proper parametrization of enhanced abyssal mixing leads to realization of the important role of the (often neglected) geothermal heat flux in driving the Antarctic Bottom Water circulation.
Fabrication of Metal-supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrolytes by Liquid-feed Plasma Spraying
Keywords: solid oxide fuel cell
plasma spraying

Research was performed on the development of metal-supported solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrolytes by suspension and solution precursor plasma spraying (SPS and SPPS). Experiments were conducted to understand the effects of many plasma-, feedstock-, and substrate-related process parameters on the microstructure, permeability, and conductivity of the resulting coatings. Most work was performed with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), but samaria-doped ceria (SDC) was also considered. The plasma-to-substrate heat flux behaviour of the process is particularly relevant for producing dense electrolytes with low segmentation cracking. Heat flux profiles for various processing conditions were experimentally determined and then used to model temperature distributions in the electrolyte and substrate during deposition. The results showed a strong correlation between segmentation crack severity and the peak temperature difference between the electrolyte surface and the metal support during deposition. Building on these findings, two strategies were developed for improving electrolyte performance. The first strategy is to use a bi-layer electrolyte structure, in which one layer is dense but has segmentation cracks and the other layer is more porous but contains relatively few segmentation cracks. A cell with a bi-layer electrolyte achieved a peak power density of 0.718 W cm-2 at 750 °C using hydrogen as fuel. The second strategy involves reducing the thickness and roughness of the electrode on which the electrolyte is deposited, which first required the development of improved metal supports. A thinner electrode reduces the thermal stresses that drive segmentation cracking and a smoother surface minimizes the formation of concentrated porosity. A cell with a 16 μm thick anode and a 21 μm thick electrolyte achieved an open circuit voltage (OCV) of 1.053 V, a series resistance of 0.284 Ω cm2, and a peak power density of 0.548 W cm-2 at 750 °C using hydrogen as fuel. A separate cell with a 28 μm thick electrolyte achieved an OCV of 1.068 V. At the end of the thesis, cell performance is compared to that of state-of-the-art cells produced in other facilities and using other production methods.
Advocacy as Political Strategy: The Emergence of an “Education for All” Campaign at ActionAid International and the Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education
Keywords: International Development Education
Non-Governmental Organizations
Global Educational Governance
Transnational Advocacy Networks

This dissertation explores why and how political advocacy emerged as a dominant organizational strategy for NGOs in the international development education field. In order to answer this central question, I adopt a comparative case-study approach, examining the evolution of policy advocacy positions at two leading NGOs in the field: ActionAid International and the Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE). Although these organizations differ in significant ways, both place political advocacy at the centre of their mandates, and both have secured prominent positions in global educational governance. Through comparative analysis, I shed light on why these organizations have assumed leadership roles in a global advocacy movement. I focus on how the shift to policy advocacy reflects the internal environment of each organization as well as broader trends in the international development field. Ideas of structure and agency are thus central to my analysis. I test the applicability of two structural theories of social change: world polity theory and political opportunity theory; as well as two constructivist approaches: strategic issue framing and international norm dynamics. I offer some thoughts on establishing a more dynamic relationship between structure and agency, drawing on Fligstein and McAdam’s concept of strategic action fields. In order to test the utility of these theoretical frameworks, the study begins with a historical account of how ActionAid and ASPBAE have shifted from service- and practice- oriented organizations into political advocates. These histories are woven into a broader story of normative change in the international development field. I then examine the development of a number of key advocacy strategies at each organization, tracing how decisions are made and implemented as well as how they are influenced by the broader environment. I find that while it is essential to understand how global trends and norms enable and constrain organizational strategy, the internal decision-making processes of each organization largely shape how strategies are crafted and implemented. These findings offer insight into the pursuit of advocacy as a political strategy and the role of NGOs in global social change.
The Influence of Peer Relationships on Women's Lived Body Experiences Across the Lifespan
Keywords: peer relationships
body image
developmental
qualitative
life history
body experiences
protective factors
eating disorders

The purpose of this study was to explore the role of peers in women's lived experiences in their bodies from childhood to young adulthood. The present study used a qualitative life history methodology to delineate the range of peer processes, both adverse and protective, that affect women's connection to their bodies over time, as well as the meaning women make of these processes, and their internalized reactions to peer influences across a developmental trajectory. In-depth interviews were conducted among fourteen women between the ages of 25 and 35, representing diverse social and cultural backgrounds, as well as current and past eating and body image problems. Women participated in open-ended interviews, using a series of guided questions about their experiences with peers that affected their lived experiences in their bodies, from childhood through to adulthood. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for themes using a grounded theory methodology. Two interrelated models emerged from the data that clarified ways in which relationships with peers shaped interviewed women's lived experiences in their bodies over time. The Peer Processes Related to Dominant and Alternative Norms, Ideals and Expectations Model addresses peer processes related to the promotion of dominant and alternative norms, ideals and expectations regarding appearance and ways of inhabiting the body as girls and women. The Implications of Peer Processes on Social Power and Acceptance model delineates the ways in which widely sanctioned norms, ideals and expectations pertaining to participants' bodies and appearances, are expressed and internalized through concerns for peer status, power, belonging and acceptance. The research has both clinical and research implications, shedding important light on the ways in which peers enhance, maintain and disrupt girls' and women's connection to their bodies over time.