bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biosorption of Cd²+ and Cu²+ onto wheat straw using batch and continuous fixed-bed column systems
Authors: Muhamad Hameed
Published: May 2021

Biosorption of Cd²+ and Cu²+ by wheat straw (Triticum Sativum) using a batch system and a continuous upflow mode in a fixed bed column was studied. For batch system, the effect of pH over a range from 3.0 to 7.0 and the temperature from 20 to 40ºC on the metal removal was investigated. Various initial metal concentrations from 20 to 150 mg/L were used. Adsorption of metal ions was observed to increase with liquid pH and temperature. Among the three widely used isotherms, namely the Langmuir, Freundlich, and Timken models, the experimental data better fitted the Langmuir isotherm model.

For the continuous upflow mode in a fixed bed (4-inch diameter), experiments were performed over a range of flow rate from 0.3-1.0 LPM and varied bed height of 0.5-2.0m. The results obtained also agree (BDST) model. In addition, for estimations of the parameters that are necessary for the design of a fixed bed adsorber in paractical application, the experimental data were fitted to the Thomas, Adams-Bohart, Yan and Yoon-Nelson models. Thomas model appeared to describe the experimental results well. Mathematical model was developed to simulate the concentration changes at the experimental time instances.
Beyond the Marked Woman : The New Sex Worker in American Popular Culture, 2006-2016
Authors: Kirshner Lauren
Published: May 2021

This dissertation argues that between 2006 and 2016, in a context of rising tolerance for sex workers, economic shifts under neoliberal capitalism, and the normalization of transactional intimate labour, popular culture began to offer new and humanizing images of the sex worker as an entrepreneur and care worker. This new popular culture legitimatizes sex workers in a growing services industry and carries important de-stigmatizing messages about sex workers, who continue to be among the most stigmatized of women workers in the U.S. These new representations challenge stereotypical portrayals of sex workers – as immoral criminals or exploited victims – that support conservative and patriarchal ideologies. Drawing upon feminist theories of sex work, labour theory, and feminist media studies methodology for exploring the nexus of gender, sexuality, and popular culture, this dissertation examines feature films, TV series, and TV and online documentaries that depict five sex work occupations – erotic dancers, massage parlour workers, webcam models, call girls, and sex surrogates – to illustrate the new figure of the sex worker as entrepreneur and care worker under neoliberal capitalism. By emphasizing sex workers’ agency to choose their work, dignifying their skills, underscoring sex work as a means of economic mobility, and highlighting the positive contributions sex workers make to their clients’ lives, these popular culture representations challenge the anti-sex work position espoused by conservative patriarchal ideology and prohibitionist feminists. Some of these new representations, however, intertwine with a neoliberal post-feminist sensibility that frames empowerment as realizable through individualism and the market alone, rather than in collective ways, and pose few concrete solutions to the challenges faced by sex workers today, namely criminalization. Even so, this dissertation argues that these emerging twenty-first century representations of the sex worker as entrepreneur and care worker are progressive and mark a growing social tolerance for the idea that, for some women, sex work is legitimate work.
Reading Dress: Fashion and Friendship in A Little Princess And Anne Of Green Gables
Authors: Marcus Jaclyn
Published: May 2021

This Major Research Project (MRP) argues that fashion is a key tool for the critical examination of textual and visual works. Specifically, this research illustrates fashion’s impact on the social identities of young female protagonists in early-twentieth-century adolescent literature, through a comparative literary study of A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett and Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. Engaging theories of fashion, literature, and girl culture, as well as theories of semiotics and fashion diffusion, dress is shown to be instrumental in developing episodes of closeness and friendship for the protagonists in these novels, along with moments that may isolate them. This MRP examines the illustrations and accompanying textual descriptions found in the 1905 (London) and 1908 (Boston) editions of each work in order to expose fashion’s mirroring and shaping of social identity; ultimately, this study reveals the tension between fashion’s ability to both cement and subvert dominant cultural norms and ideals at the turn of the century.
Ornamenting a Narrative: an Embroidered Portrait
Authors: White Tanya
Published: May 2021

My research aim was to create a portrait following a sequential practice-based process. A female face was analyzed and informed by a mug shot photograph. Lesage embroidery and beading techniques define the facial features and surroundings of the subject matter. The final representation culminates my total experience while researching this woman’s image in a practical and theoretical way. This encompasses the physical procedure of sketching, painting, and embroidering her likeness with a preoccupation and self-awareness to understand the theories engaged during these processes. With this, I looked to Michael Podro’s Depiction and the concept of “subjectification” in creating a portrait. In my studies of the mug shot I sourced Roland Barthes’s theories of “essence” of a person and his concept of “punctum”—the personal and unexplained emotional response caused by a photographic image. Also, I willingly addressed the issues of agency in the subject, viewer, and image-maker relationship. 
Hedging in decision making in disorders of the impulsive-compulsive spectrum
Authors: Pongracic Syb
Published: May 2021

This dissertation comprises three studies that investigated the construct of hedging as a decision making strategy in individuals with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Hedging refers to the tendency to keep options available when there is a threat of loss of the options that is motivated by the underlying construct of loss aversion (i.e., Prospect Theory). Hedging introduces a behavioural economic approach to the study and understanding of the impact of loss aversion on decision making.

Participants played two conditions of the Doors Game (Shin & Ariely, 2004) in which they were instructed to maximize their earnings by tapping three doors in any order: i) constant availability (CA), where all doors remain available; and ii) decreasing availability (DA), where doors fade and disappear if left untapped after a short time (to elicit hedging). In Study One, undergraduates (N = 108) played both the CA and DA conditions and evidence indicates more frequent switching in the DA than the CA condition. There was also a significant negative association between hedging and the cognitive concern subscale of anxiety sensitivity. Study Two examined other psychological correlates of hedging in another undergraduate sample (N = 63) and yielded significant negative associations with the physical component of state anxiety and experience seeking. In Study Three, the results of a comparison of hedging among OCD, Gambling Disorder (GD), and Healthy Control (HC) groups yielded no significant differences. Correlates of hedging, however, differed among the groups and regression analyses suggest that hedging in OCD is negatively predicted by obsessiveness and decisiveness (subscale of the Need for Cognitive Closure; NFC), and positively predicted by experience seeking (subscale of the Sensation Seeking Scale). In the GD group, closed-mindedness (subscale of NFC) positively predicted hedging. In the HC group, fun-seeking (subscale of Behavioral Inhibition and
Behavioral Activation Scale) positively predicted hedging.

Implications: This work is the first to demonstrate predictors of hedging in OCD using a loss aversion paradigm where evidence suggests that obsessional and motivational drives lead to premature choice selection. Pursuing the loss aversion perspective could significantly advance the decision making research in OCD and in other clinical populations.
Stories, unsung : using music theatre to empower isolated families
Authors: Moher Catherine
Published: May 2021

This study examines the impacts of a musical social theatre program entitled Stories, Unsung. The findings are based on the experiences of one group who participated in this program in Calgary, AB (N=8). This study uses a grounded theory and design to explore how useful musical social theatre can be in reducing the social exclusion of marginalized people. Findings indicate two factors are critical in enhancing the social inclusion of those who are isolated: 1) a change in understanding of self and 2) a change in the relationships with others. Stories, Unsung was successful in changing the participants understanding of self and others both critical elements in removing the barriers associated with social exclusion. It is recommended that practitioners working with families in family support programs consider musical social theatre as an effective strategy to engage those families who are socially excluded. Implications for future policy development and research are discussed.
Hybridizing nickel platform using ultra-short pulsed laser: a new paradigm towards biomedical sensing and theranostics
Authors: Vijayakumar Sivaprasad Chinnakkannu
Published: May 2021

A self-assembled 3D nanonetwork of Nickel and Nickel Oxide is synthesized by ultrashort pulsed laser through multiphoton ionization. The synthesized nanonetwork with tunable physiochemical property was investigated for cancer therapeutic and biomolecular sensing applications. In this thesis, the developed 3D nickel nanomatrix effectively regulated HeLa cancer cell adhesion and proliferation mimicking Extracellular Matrix (ECM). This behaviour explicitly demonstrated that the initial incubation period was devoted to baiting fibroblast and HeLa cells to proliferate upon the nanomatrix and subsequently the same nanomatrix exhibited cell trapping behaviour upon HeLa cells after an increased incubation period thereby controlling proliferation. The results brought new insight as to how HeLa cells behaved differently when compared to NIH3T3 fibroblast cells opening pioneering application in drug-free cancer therapy. To delve deeper into nickel nanonetwork for cancer therapy the laser ionization was manipulated to induce two distinct quantum theranosomes. Presently, quantum materials are limited due to 0D & 1D materials lacking biocompatibility resulting in coated materials with labelled tags for fluorescence excitation. The theranosomes mimicked tumor microenvironment by selectively accelerating the proliferation of mammalian fibroblasts cells while inducing cancer therapy. Furthermore, the theranosomes opened up label-free bioimaging probe for differentiating (HeLa & MDAMB-231) from mammalian fibroblast cells for cancer diagnostics. In-addition to label-free bioimaging, the development of an ultrasensitive biosensor for targeted biomolecule sensing was developed addressing the drawback faced with fluorescence imaging using Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS). We developed a SERS active nano-biosensor to detect chemical dye Crystal Violet (CV) and biomolecule glutathione(GSH). The Raman detection of crystal violet (CV) and glutathione (GSH) molecules was noted with 1 pM (1×10-12M) concentrations at (532 & 785nm) excitation wavelengths with an enhancement factor of 109, not been observed even in plasmonic materials. This extends the limit of detection (LOD), confirming suitability for chemical and biomolecular sensing. Additionally, the quantum confinement effect will result in an ultrasensitive sensor diagnosing and differentiating cancer cells from fibroblast cells. Based on the results in this thesis, the multifunctional feasibility of nano and quantum scale nickel structures arranged in 3D assembly for its direct application in cancer therapeutics, encompassing cancer bioimaging and diagnostics.
The role of phagocytosis-dependent activation of TFEB in the clearance of salmonella
Authors: Escobar Erika Ospina
Published: May 2021

During phagocytosis, macrophages engulf and sequester pathogens into phagosomes. Phagosomes then fuse with acidic and degradative lysosomes to degrade the internalized pathogen. We previously demonstrated that phagocytosis of IgG-opsonized particles and non-opsonized E.coli causes activation of the Transcription Factor EB (TFEB), which enhances the expression of lysosomal genes, increases the degradative capacity of lysosomes and boosts bactericidal activity. However, pathogens like Salmonella typhimurium have evolved mechanisms to evade and/or alter phagosome maturation to promote their own survival. We investigated: i) whether pathogens like Salmonella can alter TFEB activation and ii) whether phagocytosis-dependent activation of TFEB can counteract the pathogenicity of microorganisms. Here, we show that non-viable (heat-killed) S. typhimurium, pathogenic (EHEC and UPEC) and non-pathogenic E.coli (DH5α) all caused TFEB nuclear translocation in RAW macrophages, while strikingly live S. typhimurium maintained TFEB in the cytosol in the first hours post-infection. By contrast, Salmonella mutants for ΔsifA, ΔsopD2, ΔphoP all triggered TFEB activation in the first hour of infection. However, Salmonella infection eventually triggered a steady increase in nuclear TFEB after 4 h of infection, suggesting a more complex interplay
between TFEB and Salmonella infection. We dissected the importance of TFEB activation towards Salmonella survivability by pre-activating TFEB before infection within WT macrophages and macrophages with a CRISPR-based deletion of TFEB. Our work suggests that Salmonella actively interferes with TFEB signaling in order to enhance its own survival. These results could provide insight into using TFEB as a target for the clearance of infections.
Broken Record: An Arts-Informed Autoethnography of Adolescent Institutionalization
Authors: Aird Alison (Ali)
Published: May 2021

“Broken Record” is a Masters Research Project in which I explore my experience in an adolescent psychiatric institution using an arts-informed autoethnographic method. The final project is a 200-page artistic exploration of language, meaning, identity, and psychiatry. This component of the research outlines the critical objectives of the project and grounds the work in a body of existing literature. The primary contribution of the paper is its presentation of Madness as Method, a distinct approach to autoethnographic research on madness and psychiatric survival that mobilizes mad subjectivity to generate knowledge from a place of embodiment, distress, memory work, and academic research. I outline this methodology at length, identifying and exploring its four stages: unravelling, integration, narrative, and reckoning. I conclude this paper by situating my Masters Research Project in the context of my Masters training and my professional goals beyond the academy.
Design and development of hardware platform for fully-assistive lower leg exoskeleton
Authors: Bonnici Bryan
Published: May 2021

The abundance of cheap, portable computing has allowed for complex applications of robotics, especially in the medical rehabilitation field. The emergence of wearable robotics which simulate the movement of healthy individuals is seen as a new option for treating and rehabilitating individuals with paraplegia and other motor disorders. This thesis presents the design and implementation of a miniaturized, low-power, extensible hardware platform for control of a fully-assistive lower-body exoskeleton. A preliminary ARM Cortex-M4-based control platform using modular COTS parts was developed and implemented in a medical exoskeleton (the Bionik Laboratories’ ARKE) and was evaluated through human medical trials. Clinical feedback was used to drive the design of a new platform. A functional prototype of the design was constructed and retrofitted onto an exoskeleton. Data acquisition and MATLAB was then used to evaluate and compare the performance of the two designs. A size reduction of 29% is achieved.
The Politics of Media and 9/11
Authors: Klaczkowski Sari
Published: May 2021

This MRP was inspired by my ongoing interest in the media’s role in educating the public about current events, specifically how the media’s coverage after the terrorist attack on September 11th, 2001 influenced their audience. The MRP focused on the broadcast news coverage the week after the terrorist attack and how the framing of the attack, influenced who the public’s understanding of who the enemy of the War on Terror. The MRP conducted a content analysis of FOX News and CNN’s 6:00 broadcast news coverage. The MRP found that the media had a tremendous influence over the public at this time and significantly contributed to their understanding of who the enemy was in the war. It also discovered the role that the Bush Administration had in framing the media’s agenda and they used broadcast television to push their own political agenda. The MRP will teach the reader about the overpowerful role the news media can have, especially in times of crises and how the media can shape and present news events to with significant bias. Winston Churchill once said that with great power comes greater responsibility. This MRP teaches about the great responsibility of the news media and how during the news coverage after the terrorist attack, they unfortunately, did not live up to.
Why My Dad Is Not Dangerously Regular: Normcore and The Communication of Identity
Authors: Brightman Brittney
Published: May 2021

Background: Using descriptors such as “dangerously regular”, K-Hole’s style movement has been making waves in the fashion industry for its unique, yet familiar Jerry Seinfeld-esque style. This de rigueur ensemble of the 90’s has been revamped into today’s Normcore. A Normcore enthusiast is someone who has mastered the coolness and
individuality of fashion and is now interested in blending in.
Purpose: The goal of this research was to understand the cultural relevance of the fashion trend Normcore, its subsequent relationship to fashion and identity, as well as what it reveals about contemporary Western culture and the communicative abilities of fashion.
Method: The analysis was qualitative in nature and took an inductive approach combining visual and discourse analyses to understand the dynamic themes and relationships among fashion, communication, identity and culture. These methods provided insight into both the spoken and unspoken beliefs and values of the Normcore community.
Results: One’s choice of apparel, colour, style and anything else that acts as a “signifier” becomes a medium for fashion to communicate identity. What is signified through fashion allows for communication about individual and collective identities, ranging from personal attributes and attitudes to socioeconomic status and gender identification. Trends and movements in fashion reflect cultural patterns, shifts in the political and social economy,
ideological values, beliefs and affordances. They are indicative of society’s members, both individually and collectively, and thus are informative of a culture as a whole. This proved true for the relationship between Normcore and Western culture.
Conclusion: Fashions are not random. They reflect cultural patterns, political ideology and socioeconomic standing. They possess communicative abilities that inform of individual and collective identities. We are able to understand society’s beliefs and values through signifying system that fashion communicates. This holds true for Normcore.
Rigid-Plastic Impact of Single Angular Particles
Authors: Dhar Sandeep
Published: May 2021

The trajectory of an angular particle as it cuts a ductile target is, in general, complicated because of its dependence not only on particle shape, but also on particle orientation at the initial instant of impact. This orientation dependence has also made experimental measurement of impact parameters of single angular particles very difficult, resulting in a relatively small amount of available experimental data in the literature. The current work is focused on obtaining measurements of particle kinematics for comparison to rigid plastic model developed by Papini and Spelt. Fundamental mechanisms of material removal are identified, and measurements of rebound parameters and corresponding crater dimensions of single hardened steel particles launched against flat aluminium alloy targets are presented. Also a 2-D finite element model is developed and a dynamic analysis is performed to predict the erosion mechanism. Overall, a good agreement was found among the experimental results, rigid-plastic model predictions and finite element model predictions.
Application mapping and NoC configuration using hybrid particle swarm optimization
Authors: Obaidullah Muhammad
Published: May 2021

Network-on-Chip (NoC) has been proposed as an interconnection framework for connecting large number of cores for a System-on-Chip (SoC). Assuming a mesh-based NoC, we investigate application mapping and NoC configuration optimization using a hybrid optimization scheme. Our technique, Hybrid Discrete Particle Swarm Optimization (HDPSO), combines Tabu-search, communication volume based core swapping, and swarm intelligence. We employ a Tabu-list to discourage swarm particles to re-visit the explored search space and propose an alternative route towards the intended movement direction. In each iteration of swarm, a sub-swarm containing configuration solutions (sub-particles) searches for optimal configuration for the parent particle (mapping solution). Optimization goals include minimum average communication latency, power, area, credit loop latency, and maximum average link duty factor. The proposed technique is tested for well-known multimedia application core graphs and several large synthetic cores-graphs. It was found that on average our hybrid scheme generates high quality NoC mapping and configuration solutions when compared to some existing stochastic optimization techniques.
International Donor Agencies' Guidelines for Responding to Children in Emergencies
Authors: Prabhu Nina Angel
Published: May 2021

The document review discusses selected guidelines and recommendations that international actors have formulated as a result of experience providing relief for young children in emergencies. Its purpose is to help develop response plans for future emergencies. The failure to respond to and protect children from escalating threats in emergencies has many consequences including a loss of educational opportunity and a long-term social cost. The prevent these tragedies children's core needs need to be met in safe, protected and structured settings, with support provided for caregivers. The document review is followed by a discussion of the guidelines and recommendations for the future development of response guidelines.
Responding to diversity: a review of recent education policy and language curriculum reform in Ontario
Authors: Franklin Devon
Published: May 2021

The province of Ontario continues to be the destination of more than 50 percent of all immigrants to Canada (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2009). With a large visible minority population, as well as linguistic and faith-based diversity, there is increasing pressure on the education system to ensure that all students have the opportunity to thrive academically and develop personally (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2009; Canadian School Boards Association, 2007; Muj & Hamdan, 2013). This study uses classical content analysis to test the 1997 and 2006 versions of the Ontario language curriculum for Grades 3 and 6 against the James Banks’ model for ensuring racial, ethnic and cultural diversity is reflected in school programs. This model is essential for assessing the degree to which the curriculum document itself reflects the priorities set-out by the Ministry of Education in Ontario, and whether these priorities align with the principles of multicultural education.

Keywords: Multiculturalism, education policy, multicultural education, language education, diversity
Safely caching HOG pyramid feature levels, to speed up facial landmark detection
Authors: Higgins Gareth
Published: May 2021

This thesis presents an algorithm for improving the execution time of existing Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) pyramid analysis based facial landmark detection. It extends the work of [1] to video data. A Bayesian Network (Bayes Net) is used as a policy network to determine when previously calculated features can be safely reused. This avoids the problem of recalculating expensive features every frame. The algorithm leverages a set of lightweight features to minimize additional overhead. Additionally, it takes advantage of the wide spread adoption of H.264 encoding in consumer grade recording devices, to acquire cheap motions vectors. Experimental results on a difficult real world data set show that policy network is effective, and that the error introduced to the system remains relatively low. A large performance benefit is realized due to the use of the cached features.
Responsive manufacturing: creating competitive advantage through domestic and international sourcing practices
Authors: Burke Tarah
Published: May 2021

This study analyzed factors affecting production choices and resulting benefits and challenges associated with apparel production sourcing. The research focused on sourcing strategies’ effect on competitive advantage. Data were gathered through interviews with production sourcing professionals in Canadian and U.S. apparel firms that use offshore, domestic, or combined offshore/domestic production methods. Findings indicate offshore production may result in lost time and profit due to lack of control, wasted materials, rising production and shipping costs, and decreased quality and consumer-perceived brand value. Localized manufacturing may increase firms’ competitive advantage through improved control of production processes; enhanced customization, adaptation, and response to consumer desire; increased perceived brand value; and reduced waste level, number of failed products, and markdowns. Strategic sourcing and smaller-scale, localized production also supports the local economy, thus creating apparel firms that are strategic, responsible, and profitable.
Modeling and simulation of reconfigurable systems with applications to the polishing process
Authors: Sun Qiang (John)
Published: May 2021

This thesis presents a newly developed system for simulation and control of reconfigurable machines and applications in the polishing process. A software package is developed that consists of the Varying Topology Simulation and Control System (VT-Sim) as well as the Polishing CAM (P-CAM) software system.

VT-Sim can simulate and control reconfigurable machines of serial or tree structures. It is developed based on mechatronic modules, each of which has a graphic user interface that can be connected to a physical module. The selected modules are linked through a graph-based topology design platform to generate an assembled system together with the equations for simulation and control.

P-CAM can simulate and generate CNC codes for the polishing process. The roughness of the polished parts is simulated for selected polishing parameters. Once satisfied, polishing tool paths can be generated and visualized.
Internet privacy in Canada: a public interest perspective
Authors: Gustavel Julie
Published: May 2021

Issues about informational privacy have emerged in tandem with the escalating increase in nformation stored in electronic formats. Data protection is a pressing issue not only because files of personal information are being kept in greater detail and for longer periods of time, but also because the data can be retrieved and compared or matched without delay, regardless of geography. While defenders of information technology cite efficiency and safety among the countervailing benefits, concerns from an increasingly tech-savvy public have introduced a sense of urgency to demand tough legislation. Although many studies have provided evidence of online privacy concerns, few have explored the nature of the concern in detail, especially in terms of government policy for our new online environment. Bill C-6, Canada's recent legislative action, has provided a practical basis from which to appraise governments' role in privacy protection. With this in mind, the paper will be divided into two parts. Part one will be undertaken to: (A) evaluate the arguments of critics as well as defenders of contemporary record-keeping practices and the philosophical conceptions of privacy, which underlie them; and, using these themes (B) provide a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of Bill C- 6, examining the ways in which policy makers have begun to treat privacy as both a commodity and a secondary adjunct to business activity. Part two of the paper, purposes a series of recommendations or, more specifically, a framework for Bill C-6 that would, more effectively, protect individual privacy from private entities, who collect online data.
Redesigning a compressor inlet guide vane for 0 to 60 degree stagger angles
Authors: Waters Stephanie
Published: May 2021

This report's objective is to reduce the total pressure loss coefficient of an inlet guide vane (IGV) at high stagger angles and to therefore reduce the overall fuel consumption of an aircraft engine. IGVs are usually optimized for cruise where the stagger angle is approximately 0 degrees. To reduce losses, four different methodologies were tested: increasing the leading edge radius, increasing the camber, creating a "drooped nose", and creating an "S" curvature distribution. A baseline IGV was chosen and modified using these methodologies to create 10 new IGV designs. CFX was used to perform a CFD analysis on all 11 IGV designs at 5 stagger angles from 0 to 60 degrees. Typical missions were analyzed and it was discovered that the new designs decreased the fuel consumption of the engine. The IGV with the "S" curvature and thicker leading edge was the best and decreased the fuel consumption by 0.24%.
Rheological behavior of cereal straw suspensions
Authors: Ukaigwe Sandra
Published: May 2021

The rheological properties (yield stress and viscosity) of cereal straw suspensions are especially important in bioethanol production as they determine the mixing behaviour of the suspension during enzymatic hydrolysis.

Yield stress measurements are generally difficult to perform in straw suspensions due to sedimentation, which commonly occur in the suspensions because of the difficulty encountered in loading the suspension into the measuring equipment. The process of placing the suspension in the measuring instrument causes a disturbance likely to induce the yielding of the suspension before the actual measurements are taken. Moreover cereal suspensions at high straw concentration (10-40 wt%) are soft solids and pourability is particularly difficult with solids.

Rheological behavior of staw suspensions made from wheat, Oats and malt barley of fiber sizes 0.15 mm-4.20 mm (mesh sizes 20 to 100) and concentrations 5.0-15.0 wt% were studied. The suspensions were initially prepared by dispersing milled and sieved straws in distilled water at room temperature, followed by vortexing to aid the dispersion process; this was later modified to include a 30-minute de-aeration of the suspensions using vacuum and 2-minute mixing using a general purpose mixer at about 162 rpm. However, none these procedures produced a homogenous suspension. The viscosity of the dispersion medium was modified by the addition of Xanthan gum. This produced homogenous suspensions which remained suspended for about 20 minutes. The rheological properties of these suspensions were measured on a Bohlin rheometer in the controlled stress mode using a vane and cup measuring instrument, and the suspension yield stress determined by extrapolation and by regression of Herschel-Bulkley, Casson and Bingham models. Yield stress obtained from extrapolation ranged from 2-19 Pa, while model results ranged from 0.96- 8.15 Pa, for 5.0 wt% Oats straw suspensions with Xanthan gum strengths of 0.1-0.5 wt%. Extrapolation results for 7.5 wt% Oats staw suspensions with Xanthan gum strengths of 0.1-0.5 wt% ranged from 20-36 Pa while model results were in the range of 4.38-18.76 Pa. Wheat and malt barely straw suspensions evaluated using Herschel-Bulkley model at similiar Oats straw suspension conditions of 5.0 wt% fiber concentration with 0.3 wt% Xanthan gum strength produced statistically equivalent yields stress to Oats straw suspensions in the range of 2.31-4.04 Pa for fibers of mesh size 40-100.

Cereal straw suspenions are non-Newtonian fluids with yield stresses that are highly straw concentration dependent.
The Use of Corporate Sustainability Indices : A Case Study on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index
Authors: Elkhawas Doaa Mohammed
Published: May 2021

Corporations are under growing pressure from socially responsible investors to consider the environmental and social impacts of their operations. To help highlight corporations that have taken steps to address these issues, a number of sustainability indices have been developed. While there is a growing body of literature that focuses on sustainability indices, little is known on how they are used in practice. The purpose of this project was to explore the use of sustainability indices in corporations. In this project, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America (DJSINA) was used in a case study. The project consisted of three key phases: a content analysis of corporate sustainability reports in North America, a survey with Canadian experts on the DJSINA, and a review of the DJSI website. The project highlights the similarities and differences in the use of the DJSI by Canadian and American corporations. As the first study focusing on the use of the DJSINA, the results will be of interest to practitioners and academics in socially responsible investment and corporate sustainability.
Working model of the child interview : a cross-cultural examination of attachment representations
Authors: Garfinkel Stephen
Published: May 2021

This study examined ethno-cultural influences on attachment representations by using a Grounded Theory analysis of the Working Model of the Child Interview (WMCI). Six participant interviews were transcribed and coded. Four main themes related to caregivers and their children emerged from this qualitative analysis: emotion regulation, stress response, caregiver roles and personality/relationship descriptors. Results indicated that there are both universal and ethno-cultural variations related to different components of attachment representations. Attachment story telling, caregiver language and parenting styles reflected variations in cultural values and beliefs of independent and interdependent cultures. Emotion regulation, stress response and caregiver roles were more reflective of universal attachment. Recommendations for further inquiry into the ethno-cultural influences on attachment representations are discussed. Clinical implications suggest that ethno-cultural context must be acknowledged when interpreting WMCI interviews with non-dominant interviewee backgrounds. As well, evidence is provided to support developing a culturally sensitive system for interpreting WMCI interviews.
Fuzzy Logic Control of Compressor Surge in a Turbojet Engine Model
Authors: Laderman Mark
Published: May 2021

Stable operation of a gas turbine engine's axial compressor is constrained by compressor surge and rotating stall. In order to avoid these flow instabilities, an active fuzzy logic control approach is applied to a turbojet engine model. The actuator surfaces used in the controller are the inlet guide vanes, movable stator blades, and variable spool speed with regards to the compressor; in addition, consideration is given to varying the engine inlet and exit geometries. For design purposes, in the simulation, the rotor blade geometry is also allowed to be variable. This thesis also examines the stability and control of the Moore-Greitzer model, and Gravdahl and Egeland's close coupled valve engine controller. The Moore-Greitzer model is used as a black box to create a surge detection and avoidance fuzzy logic controller that does not require a stall line. The controller responds to the fluctuations in the axial mass flow coefficient and the pressure coefficient across the compressor system, and adjusts the throttle characteristics or the closed coupled valve characteristic.
Hybritopia: Seeking An Architecture of Reconciliation
Authors: Bernal Catalina Ardila
Published: May 2021

The rural landscape in the global south has become the subjectivation¹ of ruthless economies and the demand for detachment and independence has been building up since the time of Discovery. As contemporary colonization is slowly reaching a rupture point between the corporation and minorities, governments and locals, urban and rural, developed and developing, architecture can mitigate the impacts as an agent of reconciliation. A space designated for the revitalization of land degradation, not in the sense of making land fertile again, but from the standpoint of a new foundation of cultures, communities and traditions, and more importantly, a setting for celebrating rural human existence, from life to death and infinity. A sacred space, or a rural hybritopia, embodies the epitome of redemption, reconciliation and renewal for villages, towns, minorities and displaced communities.

¹The term was coined by Michel Foucault, and it is when the subject is analyzed through the relationships and circumstances of the real world rather than the inherent qualities of being (Rebughini, 2014)
The Feminine, the Poetic, and the Sacred in bpNichol's The Martyrology and Journal
Authors: Androsova Natalya
Published: May 2021

My goal is not to analyse the sacred – to analyse it is to kill it. The objective is only to explore different ways of approaching the sacred through looking deeply at the nature of poetic language. In our contemporary society, the sacred is the other. And so is the feminine. Our culture often rejects these modes of experience, but poetic practice gives them both a time and a space. My overall argument is that poetic practice creates an approach, a site and a possibility for the sacred to manifest itself phenomenologically by breaking through from the other realm into human experience. Poetic practice holds an intention, creates a direction, a dimension, a state that can approach the experience of the sacred and honour it, be open to it, invite it and allow the subject to suspend the habitual control and instead adopt a surrender mode. Thus, poetic practice itself becomes a sacred activity that teaches us about different kinds of knowledge, experience and insight and invites us to experience a different mode of being in the world, in language, with ourselves, and with each other. Instead of detachment and alienation that permeate our culture, instead of separation from and the resulting objectification of nature, poetic consciousness offers us a more primal mode of being that pre-modern man used to call sacred.
Three phase digital earth leakage detection
Authors: Ali Liaqat
Published: May 2021

In any electrical system, protection is the most important requirement to secure both human lives and appliances from any damage. The THREE PHASE EARTH LEAKAGE DETECTION (TDELD), is a design which could be implemented in three phase electrical environment to provide protection to user as well as equipments against any earth leakage fault. Being a microcontroller based solution, it provides ease and luxury at the user end with the help of its auto reset and display features. This research will attempt to improve the existing ELCB design using PIC microcontroller to automatically switch back system to its normal mode when the TDELD tripped during any electric shock or temporary earth leakage while in permanent leakage fault, it provide input control to bring back the system to its normal operation. The results of this research after doing several tests have shown that the average sensitivity value for TDELD against leakage current is better than what could be found in a conventional ELCB.
An investigation of the efficacy and cognitive mechanisms of two brief interventions for anxiety sensitivity
Authors: MacDonald Emma M.
Published: May 2021

Anxiety Sensitivity (AS) is the fear of normal, arousal-related bodily sensations due to the belief that they have negative consequences. AS is a transdiagnostic construct, and high AS is associated with psychopathology, including panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, and alcohol-use disorders. There is research and clinical interest in developing brief and transdiagnostic interventions to streamline treatment. Targeting AS through brief interventions may be one way to accomplish this goal. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to advance the literature on AS by examining the efficacy and transdiagnosticity of two brief interventions for AS. Cognitive mediators of change in AS were also examined. Target variables were psychopathology symptoms and cognitive processes, including interpretation biases, attentional biases, and perceived control. Study 1 investigated the immediate and short-term efficacy of a brief intervention that included a single session of psychoeducation and daily interoceptive exposure practices. Participants with high AS were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 19) or health education control condition (n = 16). Participants in the intervention condition appeared to demonstrate reductions in AS, one facet of interpretation bias, social anxiety symptoms, and motivation to consume alcohol. Methodological issues, however, limited conclusions about the efficacy of the intervention. Finally, the three potential cognitive mediators did not mediate change in AS. Study 2 investigated the efficacy of a computerized cognitive bias modification (CBM) program. Participants with high AS were randomly assigned to 4 sessions of CBM (n= 24) or 4 sessions of sham training (n= 24). Sessions occurred over a 2-week period. At the end of the intervention period, the CBM condition appeared to show reductions in AS, interpretive biases, and almost all facets of psychopathology. However, similar changes were found in the control condition. Again, the three potential cognitive mediators did not mediate change in AS. Taken together, these findings provide limited support for the efficacy of psychoeducation and CBM as brief, transdiagnostic interventions. However, both studies must be interpreted in light of major limitations, which include limited homework completion in Study 1 and a control training task that induced training effects in Study 2.
ANN-Based Day-Ahead Short Term Load Forecasting
Authors: Zhao Heng
Published: May 2021

Load forecasting (LF) is of great significance for effective operation, utilization, safety and reliability of the modern electric power systems. Load forecasting can be categorized into very short term, short-term, medium-term, and long-term forecasts, depending on which time scale is concerned. The short term load forecasting (STLF) plays an increasingly
important role in achieving a more efficient, reliable and safe power system. Its outputs are the indispensable inputs of generating scheduling, power system security assessment and power dispatch. In the era of smart grid (SG), STLF is the basic building block to imply Demand Side Management (DSM) in areas such as automatic generation control, load
estimation, energy purchasing, and contract evaluation, etc. The accuracy of STLF is of essential importance for both economic and reliability.
In the last few decades, various methods have been devised and applied to perform STLF. Due to its superior capability of handling the nonlinearity, Artificial Intelligence (AI) based techniques are gaining more popularity in a variety of applications. The objective of this study is to review, categorize, evaluate, and analyze the principle, application, and
performance of STLF techniques. It builds up several feed forward Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) models with different configurations, and studies the mechanism of ANN for effective STLF. With 12 years of hourly load and meteorological data sets of a section of the City of Toronto, the configurations are built up with different hidden layers, activating function,
training algorithms and both un-normalized and normalized data to predict the day ahead STLF with satisfactory result achieved.
Filling the integrity gaps in protection of species at risk through litigation and stewardship : Policy evaluation with a focus on Ontario
Authors: Moinuddin Khadijah
Published: May 2021

There are many integrity gaps in the federal and provincial systems designed to protect endangered and threatened species in Canada. NGOs (Non-governmental organizations) and other stakeholders can get involved in the process of protecting species at risk, by participating in collaborative efforts through volunteerism and stewardship efforts. NGOs can also bring issues of species-at-risk protection to court through litigation. This thesis began by exploring the integrity gaps in the federal and provincial processes for species at risk protection. The thesis then examined different initiatives undertaken by NGOs to combat this issue, the first being litigation and how it can be used as a strategy to help protect species at risk, and hold government accountable. The thesis also explored the rationale behind NGO actions, as well as the possible outcomes from these court cases. Next, the thesis discussed volunteer efforts undertaken by NGOs and other stakeholders. The research was supplemented with valuable qualitative interview data from scientists, members of NGOs, members of government, and a lawyer. The thesis concluded with recommendations for further action and policy measures that can be taken to protect species at risk
Surface Modification To Alleviate PVDF Membrane Fouling During Milk Protein Microfiltration
Authors: Mirriahi Diba
Published: May 2021

The interest in using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane in order to separate casein and serum proteins has been raised due to its significant stability. However, the high hydrophobicity of PVDF membrane causes severe fouling during filtration processes. Ozonation, a surface modification process in which polar groups would be formed on the membrane surface, is widely known for its high efficiency.

In the present study, the main objective was to optimize the ozonation parameters to reach the minimum fouling while the maximum mechanical strength could be retained. The contact angle of a water droplet on the membrane surface decreased from 73.5° to 50.4° after the treatment of the membrane at the optimal gaseous phase ozonation. This indicates an increase in the hydrophilicity of the treated membrane. Also, filtration performance demonstrated a lower fouling occurrence on the treated membrane as compared to the untreated one. Although gaseous ozonation yielded a slightly better performance in comparison to the aqueous treatment, the membrane treated with aqueous phase ozonation was benefited from conserving its mechanical strength. Activated carbon helped decreasing the contact angle and fouling as compared to the non-catalytic aqueous treatment while the tensile strength was not affected