VictorJuiz/thesis huggingface dataset:
Nanopatterning of Crystalline Silicon Using Anodized Aluminum Oxide Templates for Photovoltaics

A novel thin film anodized aluminum oxide templating process was developed and applied to make nanopatterns on crystalline silicon to enhance the optical properties of silicon. The thin film anodized aluminum oxide was created to improve the conventional thick aluminum templating method with the aim for potential large scale fabrication. A unique two-step anodizing method was introduced to create high quality nanopatterns and it was demonstrated that this process is superior over the original one-step approach. Optical characterization of the nanopatterned silicon showed up to 10% reduction in reflection in the short wavelength range. Scanning electron microscopy was also used to analyze the nanopatterned surface structure and it was found that interpore spacing and pore density can be tuned by changing the anodizing potential.

Advisor: Erb, Uwe
Kherani, Nazir
Advancing Bioaccumulation Modeling and Water Sampling of Ionogenic Organic Chemicals

Although many commercial chemicals can dissociate, the study of the biological and environmental fate of ionogenic organic chemicals (IOCs) is still in its infancy. Uptake of the veterinary drug diclofenac in vultures and cattle was successfully simulated with a newly developed physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model for IOCs, lending credence to diclofenac’s proposed role in South Asian vulture population declines. Proteins and phospholipids rather than total lipids control the tissue distribution of diclofenac. A method was developed to simultaneously extract neutral and acidic pesticides and benzotriazoles from water samples with recoveries ranging 70-100%. This method was applied to samples from a laboratory calibration experiment of the Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Sampler. The sampler had higher uptake for neutral and acidic pesticides when filled with triphasic sorbent admixture and OASIS MAS sorbent, respectively. While either sorbent can also be applied for methylated benzotriazoles, neither is capable of quantitatively sampling all three compound groups.

Keywords: ionogenic organic chemicals
bioaccumulation modeling
water sampling
Advisor: Wania, Frank
Investigation of Regulatory and Functional Diversification of Arabidopsis thaliana Shikimate Kinase Duplicates

Two Arabidopsis thaliana shikimate kinases, AtSK1 and AtSK2, were previously identified as having arisen from a duplication event 40-60 million years ago and are both believed to function in the shikimate pathway. We investigated the homologs have acquired divergent regulatory or functional roles since duplication. AtSK1 demonstrates different transcript levels than AtSK2 during heat shock and in floral tissues as determined by RT-PCR. Mining of publically available microarray datasets identified HSF1 and MYB family transcription factors as possible regulators of AtSK1 under these conditions. Heat shock response did not appear to be affected by either sk1 or sk2 knockouts in assays measuring thermotolerance and ROS production. Floral morphology appears normal during floral stages corresponding with AtSK1 transcript induction however, pollen viability is reduced by 20% in sk1 knockouts as measured by FDA staining. Thus, this work has identified instances of differential regulation and function between two recently duplicated shikimate kinases.

Keywords: biology
Advisor: Christendat, Dinesh
Determining and Validating the Three-dimensional Load Path Induced by Arching Action in Bridge Deck Slabs

In this thesis, a load path caused by arching action in reinforced concrete slabs is described and validated using a three-dimensional model. Currently, the CHBDC enforces a 4 meter girder spacing requirement in the design of deck slabs. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the load path induced by arching action in deck slabs with a wide range of girder spacing. To do this, a two-dimensional model was developed to examine the path of horizontal stress and was validated using a FEM. A parametric study showed that girder spacing does not affect the development of restraining stress while cantilever width does. As well, cracking of the slab is necessary for arching action to occur. These results help with future development of a rational model to be used by bridge designers.

Keywords: Arching Action
Three Dimension
Bridge
Slab
Load path
Concrete
Deck
Finite Element Model
Advisor: Gauvreau, Paul
The Magmatic-hydrothermal Transition in Peralkaline Rhyolite Magma at Terceira, Azores

The geochemistry of quartz-hosted melt (MI) and fluid inclusions (FI) in quartz syenite from Terceira, Azores was investigated to provide insight into late-stage evolution of peralkaline melts and the behaviour of high field strength (HFSE) and rare-earth elements (REE) at the magmatic-hydrothermal transition. Crystalline and hydrous MI analyzed by laser ablation-inductively-coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) show extreme magmatic enrichment of HFSE and REE. Sanidine crystallization resulted in enrichment of the melt in HFSE, REE and volatiles. Halite-saturated FI analyzed by LA-ICP-MS show lower total REE abundances than melts, and a general enrichment in HREE. Comparison of REE distribution patterns of MI and miarolitic zircon and monazite suggest late-stage melt evolution by monazite, then zircon and pyrochlore fractionation. Microthermometry of FI suggests maximum trapping conditions of 675°C, 120 MPa. The residual evolved to very volatile-rich compositions and initially exsolved a hydrosaline melt that was diluted to lower salinities by aqueous-fluid exsolution on cooling.

Keywords: peralkaline
Advisor: Mungall, James
4,5-Diazafluorenyl Derivatives as Binucleating Ligands for the Syntheses of Heterobimetallic Complexes

This thesis explores 4,5-diazafluorenyl derivatives as binucleating ligands for the syntheses of heterobimetallic complexes. The 4,5-diazafluorenide (L-) ligand contains two coordination sites: a Cp moiety and two N-donors. L- was used to construct PtII-CuI and PtII-RuII heterobimetallic complexes. Various modifications have been made to the L- framework to alter the regioselectivity. A pendent phosphine was arm attached to the methylene linker to form 9-(2-(diphenylphosphino)ethyl)-4,5-diazafluorenide (Lp-) and provides a P,C-chelate to anchor metals to the C-donor on the L- backbone. Lp- was used to synthesize PtII-CuI complexes and dinuclear RuII complexes. Bulky mesityl groups were installed ortho- to the N-donors to form 3,6-dimesityl-4,5-diazafluorenide (LMes-). The LMes- derivative provides steric protection that prevents bulky metal fragments from binding to the N-donors. LMes- was used to construct a series of RuII-M complexes (M = FeII, CoII, PtII, CuI) where the metals span from group 8 to 11.

Keywords: Chemistry
Inorganic
4,5-diazafluorenide
Heterobimetallic
Advisor: Song, Datong
Surface Winds Affect the Movement of Water Currents and Entrained Zooplankton in a Depth Specific Manner

We deployed depth-specific drifters in the western and eastern parts of the South Arm basin of Lake Opeongo and collected zooplankton samples at west and east fixed stations and at additional up- and downwind locations at three depths of the epilimnion under a range of wind conditions. Water currents had highest association with the immediate wind direction and the direction they travelled was dependent on wind strength. Along the main west-east fetch large zooplankton resided high in the epilimnion and were transported eastwards by strong surface currents where they accumulated. Small zooplankton were more uniformly distributed with depth and their accumulation patterns and transport mechanisms are less clear. Along shorter fetches oriented off-angle with the main one accumulations of zooplankton occurred at all downwind locations under heavy winds although the patterns are more variable and complex. These downwind accumulations likely create high quality habitat for warm water fish.

Keywords: wind-induced water currents
zooplankton
transport
depth-selection
size-specific
Advisor: Sprules, William Gary
Synthetic Traffic Models that Capture Cache Coherent Behaviour

Modern and future many-core systems represent large and complex architectures. The communication fabrics in these large systems play an important role in their performance and power consumption. Current simulation methodologies for evaluating networks-on-chip (NoCs) are not keeping pace with the increased complexity of our systems; architects often want to explore many different design knobs quickly. Methodologies that trade-off some accuracy but maintain important workload trends for faster simulation times are highly beneficial at early stages of architectural exploration. We propose a synthetic traffic generation methodology that captures both application behaviour and cache coherence traffic to rapidly evaluate NoCs. This allows designers to quickly indulge in detailed performance simulations without the cost of long-running full system simulation but still capture a full range of application and coherence behaviour. Our methodology has an average (geometric) error of 10.9% relative to full system simulation, and provides 50x speedup on average over full system simulation.

Keywords: Network on Chip
Performance Modelling
Advisor: Jerger, Natalie Enright
Exploring the Relationship of Sleep-related Movement Disorders with Cerebrovascular Disease

INTRODUCTION: The association of Sleep-Related Movement Disorders (SRMDs) such as Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and Periodic Limb Movements (PLMs) with cerebrovascular disease is underexplored. Emerging evidence links them to vascular disease, for which white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are a well-recognized biomarker. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional hospital-based observational study in which high-risk TIA and minor stroke patients were assessed for vascular risk factors, WMHs and polysomnography-determined sleep variables. RESULTS: Ninety-seven patients were enrolled, of whom 44 completed polysomnography. Twenty-five percent had RLS, which was associated with lower quality of life. Independent of the effect of classical vascular risk factors, PLMs (but not RLS) were associated with WMHs on linear regression analyses (p=0.016). CONCLUSIONS: SRMDs are prevalent after minor stroke/TIA. RLS is associated with poor quality of life, while PLMs are associated with WMHs. Whether PLMs are implicated in the pathogenesis of WMHs or whether WMHs exacerbate PLMs remains uncertain.

Keywords: cerebrovascular disease
stroke
transient ischemic attack
periodic limb movements
Restless Legs Syndrome
neuroimaging
sleep
white matter hyperintensities
MRI
Advisor: Swartz, Richard H
Understanding the Relationship Between Parenting and Children's Prosocial Motivation

In this study the relation between parenting and the development of prosocial reasoning in children ages 9-13 years was examined. Domains of socialization (Grusec & Davidov, 2010) were used as the framework to categorize parent/child interactions and as the foundation to create two new measures, one to organize mothers’ endorsement of specific kinds of parent/child interactions, the other to organize the kinds of reasons children provide for prosocial behavior. Maternal and child Openness (John & Srivastava, 1999) were associated with parent/child interactions that are characterized by perspective taking and therefore likely to contribute to the development of a child’s internalized reasoning. There was a negative relation found between mother/child interactions that are likely to promote the development of internalized-reasoning (Deci & Ryan, 1989) and a child’s externally based prosocial motivation (Ryan & Connell, 1989). This suggests that specific types of interactions will lead to the development of internalized prosocial reasoning.

Keywords: Parenting
Socialization
Motivation
Domains
Advisor: Grusec, Joan
Engineered Biofiltration for Ultrafiltration Fouling Control and DBP Precursor Removal

Recently, treatment plants have adopted biofiltration to compliment conventional treatment and ozonation. Previous literature has focused on passive applications of biofiltration. In this study, several pilot-scale biofiltration trains were designed in parallel to conventional treatment to investigate the impact of nutrient addition (nitrogen and phosphorus), use of hydrogen peroxide, aluminum sulphate (alum), and different filtration media (anthracite vs. granular activated carbon (GAC)) on biofiltration performance. Parameters measured included organic removal, reduction of DBP precursor, improvements in filter runtimes and ultrafiltration (UF) fouling control. Nutrient addition did not improve biofiltration performance. Supplementing hydrogen peroxide (<1 mg/L) decreased headloss, DBP formation potentials while adversely affecting UF fouling. In-line alum addition (<0.5 mg/L) improved biofilter’s ability to control fouling and DBP precursor without adversely impacting headloss. GAC provided superior performance when compared to anthracite. Conventional treatment provided higher DOC, and DBP precursor removal, as well as better UF fouling control compared to biofiltration.

Keywords: Biofiltration
Biological Filtration
Advisor: Andrews, Robert C.
Decolonizing Pedagogy: Critical Consciousness and its impact on schooling for Black students

In this thesis, I consider the ways in which classroom teachers develop critical consciousness and implement it within their pedagogy in the context of effectively teaching Black students to achieve academic success. The process of critical consciousness is complex and is mainly studied outside of teacher education. The findings of this thesis fall into three main themes: self-awareness; analysis of power; and inquiry of assumptions. The research also demonstrates that the spirituality of the teacher is an important contributing factor in one’s transformation. With this work, the hope is that teacher education programs dialogue about the importance of critical consciousness, and integrate it into the recipe that makes up “quality teaching” so that all students can have the opportunity to succeed in an equitable schooling environment.

Keywords: teacher training
Black students
critical consciousness
decolonizing pedagogy
spirituality in teacher education
Advisor: Dei, George
Portelli, John
Opportunities for Teacher Professional Learning: Two Case Studies of Experienced Teachers in Ontario, Canada

The purpose of this study is to understand the opportunities for professional learning teachers encounter over the span of their careers. I conduct two qualitative case studies of mid-career teachers from Ontario, Canada to obtain insights into their teacher development experiences over their first eight years in the teaching profession. The analysis of interviews conducted during this period led me to identify four learning opportunities that were significant for the participants: mentoring at the beginning of the career, learning from and with colleagues, mandated collaborative learning, and part-time graduate studies. The teachers highlight the limits and possibilities of these opportunities considering their professional needs and contexts. Drawing on these findings, some practical recommendations for the design and implementation of teacher development programs are suggested.

Keywords: Teacher learning
Professional development
Inservice teacher education
Teachers Canada
Advisor: Kosnik, Clare
Reading Strategies of Good and Average Bilingual Readers of Chinese and Spanish Backgrounds

The current study examined the reading strategies of 19 bilingual undergraduate students who varied in reading proficiency (good or average) and language background (Chinese or Spanish). Using the think-aloud method, students’ reading strategies were measured and compared to determine whether strategy use differed as a function of reading proficiency, language background, and/or text level. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted to corroborate the findings obtained from the think-aloud protocols. Results from this study suggest that reading proficiency affects strategy use at the syntactic level, whereas language background affects strategy use at the vocabulary level. These findings have significant implications in education, particularly in the area of English language teaching. Students should be encouraged to use their first language reading skills when reading English text, as it facilitates their comprehension and improves their English literacy development.

Keywords: reading strategies
bilingual
English language learners
good readers
average readers
Chinese
Spanish
think-aloud
Advisor: Chen, Xi
Ramirez, Gloria
Teacher Understanding of Student Success and Failure

Social reproduction is well established in educational literature. Diminished outcomes for students marked by class and race persist despite analysis and educational policy. Teachers articulate discourse to explain student success and failure and satisfy personal and professional investments (Miles, 1989; Popkewitz, 1998). Interviews with teachers in urban secondary schools point to the operation of discourse in the reproduction of inequality with profound effects on students on the margin. Meritocratic, individualist discourses privilege white, middle-class students, excluding others. Constructing students as Other and beyond reason (Popkewitz, 1998), teachers articulate discourses of motivation as explanatory of student success and failure and posit a neoliberal normative subjectivity as explanatory of success. Social, historical and economic factors are silenced. The instability and arbitrary closure of discursive articulation offer possibility for a progressive, ethical pedagogy.

Keywords: Student Success
Discourse
Teacher
Student Failure
Class
Race
Inequality
Inclusion
Social reproduction
Advisor: Goldstein, Tara
Is There an App for That? The Usage of Mobile Technology for the Purposes of Teaching Health Education in Grade 4 and 5.

Is There an App for That? The Usage of Mobile Technology for the Purposes of Teaching Health Education in Grade 4 and 5. Wahid Khan. Master of Arts. Curriculum, Teaching and Learning. University of Toronto. Year of Convocation: 2014. The use of mobile devices in elementary schools has steadily increased in the last few years. These mobile devices harness many tools that can help teachers teach classroom material and help students become better students academically. The research question was “How can mobile devices be used to teach health education?” Research was conducted in a grade 4 and 5 classroom to see which mobile apps worked best among teachers and students in conveying health education. Anecdotal notes and daily journaling over a two-month period documented how the students enjoyed playing games and also how engaged they were when they subsequently used the devices for non-gaming purposes. It is still unknown how well these apps conveyed messages of health. How the mobile apps are being used in the classroom and the content inside the mobile apps largely dictates the messages they can convey to the students.

Keywords: mobile technology
mobile devices
iPad
Apple
iOS
apps
technology
health
health education
elementary
students
curriculum
Advisor: Hewitt, Dr. Jim
Trust and Transformation: Women's Experiences Choosing Midwifery and Home Birth in Ontario, Canada

Using a critical feminist approach, and with attention to participants’ broad life experiences, this qualitative study explores seven women’s challenging, transformative decisions to give birth at home with midwives in Ontario, Canada. To make this choice, the women had to draw on their own strength, take responsibility for their decisions, and resist the dominant view of birth as inherently risky, and of women’s birth experiences as unimportant and incompatible with more narrowly defined good outcomes. As participants became informed decision-makers, resisted medicalized birth, and envisioned more woman-centred possibilities, they were empowered as active agents in their births. They were able to trust that with the care of their midwives, and the support of their partners or close family, they could have satisfying and safe births at home.

Keywords: Midwifery
Home birth
Choice of birthplace
Health decision-making
Women's childbirth experiences
Canada
Ontario
Women's health
Critical feminist research
Woman-centred birth
Qualitative research
Transformative life experiences
Advisor: Miles, Angela
The Concurrent and Longitudinal Relationships between Orthographic Processing and Spelling in French Immersion Children

We examined the relationship between orthographic processing and spelling in French immersion children. Study 1 included 148 first graders and they were assessed on orthographic processing and spelling in English and French. In Study 2, we followed 69 second graders for two years. Orthographic processing and spelling in English and French were administered in second and third grade. In Study 3, we analyzed the spelling errors made by the third graders in Study 2. In Study 1, we found a within-language relationship in English and French between orthographic processing and spelling. Cross-language transfer from French orthographic processing to English spelling was also observed. In Study 2, Grade 2 English spelling predicted gains in Grade 3 English and French orthographic processing. Study 3 showed that children made transfer errors when spelling in English and French. Overall, the current research highlights the importance of orthographic processing and spelling in French immersion children.

Keywords: French immersion
Orthographic processing
Spelling
Cross-language transfer
Bilingualism
Second language learning
Literacy
Advisor: Chen, Xi
Design and Optimization of Power MOSFET Output Stage for High-frequency Integrated DC-DC Converters

Switching device power losses place critical limits on the design and performance of high-frequency integrated DC-DC converters. Especially, the layout of metal interconnects in lateral power MOSFETs has a profound effect on their on-resistances and conduction power losses. This thesis presents an analytical interconnect modeling and layout optimization technique for large-area power MOSFETs. The layout optimization of 24V LDMOS transistors in the area of 1 mm2 has achieved an improvement of 55 % in its on-resistance. The simulation result has been verified by experimental measurements on a test chip fabricated in TSMC 0.25 µm HV CMOS technology. In addition, this thesis presents an optimized output stage design methodology for the implementation of a 4 MHz, 12V to 1V integrated DC-DC converter. A segmented output stage scheme is employed to increase the converter efficiency at light load conditions. The peak efficiency of 84% was achieved at load current of 2 A.

Keywords: Power MOSFET
integrated DC-DC Converters
Interconnect Optimization
Advisor: Ng, Wai Tung
Demography and Drug Prescription Pattern of Injured Workers Referred to a Tertiary Care Chronic Pain Clinic by Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Staff: A Pilot Study

Opioid prescribing within the workers’ compensation system in general has been a cause for concern. The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of opioid users among injured workers, referred at a Tertiary Care Pain Clinic, in 2008-2009. A cross-sectional retrospective study of 110 consecutive workers; male/female ratio was 2.3:1; mean age 45.5 years; mean pain ratings were 7.1±1.8. 21% of the workers were diagnosed with a biomedical problem (Group I), 51% with medical/psychological factors (Group II) and 25.5% had identifiable psychological factors but no physical pathology (Group III). Opioids were prescribed in 81.8%; of those 32.2% were on >200mg of daily morphine or equivalent (MED). A higher proportion of opioid users were in Group II and Group III than Group I. The vast majority of referred injured workers in this study were on opioid therapy with 1 in 3 exceeding the “watchful” dose of 200 mg MED

Keywords: Chronic non-cancer pain
Injured workers
Prescription patterns
Advisor: Mailis-Gagnon, Angela