bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of critical factors from residential adaptive reuse projects within the context of Toronto, Ontario
Authors: Puttoo Susan  Ittoop
Published: June 2021

Adaptive Reuse is a growing phenomenon embraced by cities as one of the low carbon strategies in their climate change agenda which shifted the focus from new construction to existing buildings. The research study is based upon cross-case analysis of four case study buildings selected from the inventory of conversion projects located within the context of Toronto. Analysis of the archived project documentations and unstructured interview with the involved architects were performed to identify key criteria and design strategies adopted for residential conversion. The key findings revealed that although
the housing functions could be accomodated easily within the converted buildings; both interior and exterior aspects were demolished for residential configuration within both heritage and non-heritage adaptive reuse projects. The architects felt that such demolitions were necessitated due to lack of flexibility within its interiors; provisions for daylighting and thermal comfort; code compliances for fire and acoustic separations. Furthermore, findings from the current building regulations revealed a necessity for a separate policy tool due to lack of clarity for residential conversion within Toronto.
Mapping underground infrastructure using photogrammetric methods
Authors: Tulloch Mark K.
Published: June 2021

Underground infrastructure mapping in many urban areas lacks the necessary accuracy and detail required to conduct underground construction. This is a result of inadequate surveying methodologies and poor historical as-built records. One solution to this problem is the development of a mobile terrestrial photogrammetric mapping system to expose utilities on construction sites. This thesis outlines the design of the Underground Infrastructure Mapping System (UIMS). The system is comprised of three pieces of hardware including a tablet PC, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, and a digital camera.

Results indicte that the UIMS has an absolute spatial accuracy of 28 cm (within the City of Toronto) and a relative accuracy of 13 cm (95% confidence level). The data collection time per exposed utility feature is approximtely ten minutes on site, and an additional five minutes of post-processing. The cost of the system's hardware is under $5000.
Subthreshold Frequency Synthesis For Implantable Medical Devices
Authors: Khan Tarek
Published: June 2021

In this thesis, several novel circuits for use in an ultra-low power integer-n frequency synthesizer operating in the 402 MHz to 405 MHz Medical Implant Communication Service spectrum have been proposed. The proposed designs include a current-reuse quadrature voltage-controlled oscillator, a novel subthreshold source-coupled logic D-latch with clear and preset functionality, a programmable frequency divider and phase/frequency detector based on the aforementioned D-latch, and a modified current-steering charge pump. A design methodology for low-power CMOS oscillators was proposed based on the MOS EKV model and gm/id design methodology. The proposed designs were implemented using IBM CMRF8SF130 nm CMOS technology and simulated using Cadence Spectre. Simulation results for the proposed current-reuse quadrature voltage-controlled oscillator and programmable frequency divider consume 420µW and 200µW respectively from a 0.7 V supply, a significant improvement compared to existing designs. The simulated phase noise of the proposed oscillator is -127.2 dBc/Hz at a 1 MHz offset. Measurement results from a fabricated prototype of the current-reuse quadrature verify the simulation results and serve as a proof-of-concept for the proposed design. The proposed designs were used to implement an integer-n frequency synthesizer and were submitted for fabrication. Simulation results show that the synthesizer consumes 635µW from a 0.7 V supply and has a locking time of 250µs.
Images On The Street : Fashion, Personal Style, And The Sartorialist
Authors: Lengyell Meghan
Published: June 2021

Drawing on urban modernity and subcultures, the street photography of the online site, The Sartorialist, is interpreted within a history of everyday style on the streets (or "streetstyle") since the mid-twentieth century. The paper argues that, as a digital archive of streetstyle, The Sartorialist creates a convincing portrait of the mythic notion of self-invention through fashion by tying style to a variety of elements of the real. Through a distant reading of the archive and semiotic analysis of the images, the underlying structures of meaning-making on the site are revealed. Through a condensation of Nancy's theory of the image and Benjamin's conception of the wish in the dream, I argue that The Sartorialist both validates and highlights the ultimate limitations of the urban project of fashion and encourages a particular way of looking at the world.
Factors affecting bridging social capital in on-line professional networks : an exploratory study of social capital formation on LinkedIn
Authors: Gilewicz Natalia
Published: June 2021

This thesis investigates factors contributing to bridging social capital on LinkedIn. An online social network is one that allows users to make and share contacts by way of displaying their network (Boyd & Ellison, 2007). The intention of a network such as LinkedIn, is to create professional opportunities for its participants. Here, social capital is seen as the resource embedded within the social network, and as such is conceptualized as the benefit associated with online social network participation. Bridging social capital typically exists between weakly tied colleagues, It has been said to a superior type of social capital for 'getting ahead' (Putnam, 2000). Understanding how to create opportunities to increase bridging social capital in an online environment is useful to potentially overcoming barriers that exist offline. Using the partial least squares approach to structural equation modeling, the thesis analyzes data collected from an online survey (n:167) of LinkedIn members. Driven by theory, three constructs are conceptualized as contributing to the variance in bridging social capital. Ease of sue, browsing behaviours, and bonding social capital all have a positive relationship with bridging social capital, and together explain 53.8% of this variance. These findings are then extended to explore the broader design implications they have an online social network.
An integer-N frequency synthesizer for medical implantable devices
Authors: Haghighi Nima
Published: June 2021

This thesis proposes an Integer-N frequency synthesizer in TSMC 0.18µm technology. The design is aimed for MICS (Medical Implantable Communication Services) devices operating at 402-406 MHz. A low phase noise, wide frequency range Quadrature Voltage Controlled Oscillator (QVCO) has been designed and simulated. The simulated phase noise @ 160 KHz offset is -100.3 dBc/Hz with the power consumption of 0.9 mW. This design addresses the small size, low phase noise and low power requirements for the Implantable devices. A wide frequency range Source Coupled Logic (SCL)32/33 prescaler divider has been designed. The program counter and Swallow counter have been implemented in Verilog-A which allow a division ratio of 2690 from the output of the QVCO. A phase frequency detector based on a modified TSPC D-Flip Flop is designed, which leads to a faster response time. The phase frequency detector, the charge pump, and the loop filter would consume 0.5 mW power. The total power consumption of the synthesizer is at 4.6 mW with 2% steady state settlement time of 160 μs.
Survey and Artificial Neural Network Analysis on Occupant's Household Energy Use in a High-Rise Multi-Unit Residential Building in Toronto, Canada
Authors: Roque Miles
Published: June 2021

Examining occupant's household energy use is a crucial step in achieving significant reductions in energy consumption. The purpose of this thesis is to collect information on ownership of appliances and electronics to evaluate their use, energy consumption, and behaviour with respect to energy in a Toronto high-rise multi-unit residential building (MURB). In this thesis, a survey was developed and implemented in a Toronto high-rise MURB. The survey data, energy consumption data from October 2010 to September 2012, and weather conditions were analyzed and used to develop an artificial neural network (ANN) model.

The detailed analysis of survey data resulted in the development of relationships between occupant's demographics and energy consumption. By creating an ANN model, results showed that the implementation of the survey may have reduced occupant's energy consumption in the high-rise MURB.
Volumetric Properties of Stone Mastic Asphalt Mixtures Containing Tear Off Shingles
Authors: Panhwer M. Nawaz
Published: June 2021

Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) is a tough, stable, rut-resistant mixture that relies on stone-to-stone contact to provide strength and a rich mortar binder to provide durability. The design of an SMA is critical in providing an aggregate grading that will be compatible with the high bitumen content that provides durability without binder drainage. This project investigates the use of tear-off shingles in SMA to produce economic mixtures. The mixture containing shingles were compared to control mixes (without shingles), but with fibers at the same level as those mixtures containing shingles. As per Superpave method of mix design all mixes met the air void ratio at N (design) and N (max). SMA mixtures were tested using Marshall Method for stability and flow. Mix design results showed that all required volumetric properties can be achieved with lower binder content if shingles can be added to SMA mixes. The critical property in SMA (the draindown) was controlled and the tensile strength ratio was improved by using tear-off shingles.
Nonlinear finite element analysis of profiled steel deck composite slab system under monotonic loading.
Authors: Attarde Shubhangi
Published: June 2021

This research concentrated on the nonlinear finite element (FE) modeling of one-way composite floor slab system comprising of profiled steel deck and two types of concrete namely, Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) and Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC). Two FE models were developed based experimental results of composite slabs subjected to in-plane monotonic loading. The simulated load-deflection response, moment resistance, and shear bond capacity using two FE models were in reasonable good agreement with experimental results. The FE models were used in a comprehensive parametric study to investigate the effect of numerical model parameters such as mesh size, dilation angle, steel sheet-concrete interaction contact, material properties and composite slab span. In addition, FE models were used to determine shear bond parameters of ECC and SCC composite slabs that can be used for design purposes.
The Sunshine State In Color : The Autochromes Of Charles Zoller
Authors: Lamberti Selina
Published: June 2021

Charles C. Zoller (1856-1934) was prolific photographer and native of Rochester, New York. His archive is held at George Eastman International Museum of Photography and Film and consist of over 8,000 photographic objects, just under 4,000 of which are autochrome plates. This thesis focuses on the approximately 317 Zoller autoochromes of Florida that make up a small fraction of the fonds

This thesis furthermore considers the visual representatin of Florida in color in the early twentieth century and compares tropes in this imagery to Zoller's representation of the Sunshine State. Traveling and photographing extensively in North America and Europe, Zoller produced both color images with Lunière Autochrome plates and black-and-white images with various photographic products. Upon return to Upstate New york, Zoller gave lectures on a variety of topics, illustrating these lectures with projected autochromes and lantern slides. Since there are few know autochromes of Florida, Zoller's series are some of the earliest examples of color photographs of the state. While Zoller's images are often predictable representations of Florida, they nevertheless provide a window into how Florida was presented in the early part of the last century. This thesis compares Zoller's autochromes to other popular images of Florida in that time.
Making my bed : Tracey Emin's hysterical confessions of the abject
Authors: VanDeWeghe Alicia Chantelle
Published: June 2021

Tracey Emin's My Bed (1998) presents an alternative representation to normative notions of the body, offending hegemonic propriety so greatly that it caused a tabloid media sensation when it was shortlisted for the 1999 Turner Prize. Emin applies certain feminist notions as she continues the motif of the reclining nude, offering semiotic gestures that indicate evidence of the body rather that the body itself. My Bed is the site of trauma and disgust, with all of the abjection left intact, and above all, a self expressionist piece documenting her personal trauma. The expressionist qualities harkens back to cultural discourse of hysteria, reinforcing the legitimacy of the feminist lens. Hysteria is a performance that Emin represents through confessing her traumatic history. Like the archetypal reality television star, she confesses personal emotions and histories, but breaks the status quo by offering an alternative representation with the abjected authenticity of the bed.
Structural behaviour of reinforced high performance concrete frames subjected to monotonic lateral loading
Authors: Yeganeh Ali Ehsani
Published: June 2021

This thesis describes the structural performance of reinforced one storey flexural and shear-critical frames made of high performance concretes (HPCs) such as: self-consolidating concrete (SCC), engineered cementitious composite (ECC) and ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) subjected to monotonic lateral loading. The performance of SCC/ECC/UHPC frames are described based on load-deformation/moment-rotation responses, stiffness, strain developments, crack characterization, failure modes, ductility and energy absorbing capacity. The experimentally obtained moment and shear capacities of the frames are compared with those obtained from Codes and other existing design specifications. Overall, ECC frames showed better performance in terms of higher energy absorbing capacity and ductility compared to SCC/UHPC frames. ECC/UHPC frames showed higher load carrying capacity compared to SCC frames. ECC and UHPC shear-critical frames without shear reinforcement were able to prevent shear failure due to fiber bridging and crack control characteristics contributing to the enhanced shear resistance of the matrix.
Agenda Setting in English Canada in the Age of Minority Government, 2004-2011
Authors: Ryan Peter Malachy
Published: June 2021

Keywords: Agenda Setting, Informational Politics, Frames Analysis, Network Theory, Political Communication, Policy Formation

This dissertation examines the contemporary relationship between agenda setting and frames analysis in Canadian federal politics from 2004-2011. The research project tests Savoie's thesis that the centralization of power has grown with the increasing size of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and that the leader of the office has most clearly exerted that power in controlling the government's agenda by applying it to the experience of minority government at the dawn of the 21st century. To test his thesis, textual analyses of the PMO's agenda-setting documents were conducted to identify the key language, frames, and controlled policy announcements that were reflected within the political discourse.

How does the discourse represent and reflect the shift in power in a dramatically changed political environment when, at least in theory, a minority government would be at the mercy of opposition parties who hold the balance of power?

From 2006 to 2011, the Harper Conservatives stayed in power by cleverly manipulating the agenda through framing and reframing issues to their advantage. The prime minister retained the final executive decision on party and government political communications and was, therefore, the leading arbiter of the messages delivered to represent key party agenda-setting strategies. Harper has often been identified as a shrewd strategist by academics and the media alike, but how different were his agenda-setting techniques compared to previous minority government strategies?

This research identifies the communication tactics that the PMO used in 2006 to ensure its unique five key policy frames of “accountability”, “child care tax credits”, “cutting the GST”, “patient wait time guarantees”, and “tough on crime” were consistently delivered and coordinated across media in their platforms, websites, speeches, and outlays. The Harper Conservatives’ new strategies included narrowing agendas, promoting wedge issues, priming voters using distracter frames, and using strict media communication protocols to attract popular support from the key segment of middle class families. Using these tactics, the government set the agenda on the dismantling of the firearms registry, framed the skills and motivations of two opposition leaders as ineffective and weak with attack advertisements, and sold the illusion that coalition governments were undemocratic.
Axial load behaviour of steel tube columns in-filled with various high performance concretes
Authors: Chu Katie
Published: June 2021

This research concentrates on the axial load behaviour of circular, square and rectangular concrete filled steel tube (CFST) columns incorporating high-performance self-consolidating concretes such as ultra-high strength concrete (UHSC), engineered cementitious composite (ECC), lightweight concrete (LWC), and crumb rubber concrete (CRC). Seventy-four CFST specimens with varying slenderness, shape, concrete type and presence of internal bar reinforcements are tested experimentally under axial compression loading. The effect of these variables on axial load-deformation response, strain characteristics, failure modes, concrete confinement and axial strength are evaluated through experimental results. Performance of existing analytical/code based models for axial strength and concrete confined strength is evaluated. Concretes without coarse aggregates including UHSC proved less effective at enhancing axial strength of filled tube columns through confinement. In contrast, confinement in filled steel tube columns was found most effective with the use of concretes with coarse aggregates such as LWC and CRC.
Regenerative Abundance: Fast and Sustainable Apparel Production in Toronto
Authors: Portway Sarah
Published: June 2021

Fast fashion consumers demand rapidly changing, trend-based product lines at low cost. As a result, independent designers struggle to compete and this model of production has far-reaching negative environmental and social impacts. This exploratory qualitative analysis suggests best practices to revitalize Toronto’s apparel manufacturing sector by catering to new demands with a blended approach rooted in Zara’s fast fashion supply chain model, and McDonough and Braungart’s (2002) vision of Cradle to Cradle sustainability. Using a semistructured interview and online short answer questionnaires, participants from the Toronto apparel design and manufacturing industry were asked what they thought about these competing objectives. Four themes emerged: (1) the need to instil sustainability awareness in consumers and producers; (2) the need to manufacture locally; (3) the importance of convenience and incentives offered for sustainable, local production; and (4) the pace of apparel production must discard the two-season model in favour of more rapidly changing product assortments. 
Observations on a scrapbook attributed to John Thomson at George Eastman House
Authors: Wang Bing
Published: June 2021

This thesis comprises a description and analysis of a personal scrapbook with 123 albumen prints compiled in the nineteenth century. Originally attributed to photographer John Thomson (1837–1921), it is held by George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film. The goal of this thesis is to critically examine the original catalogue records and provide more appropriate and searchable catalogue information in the Eastman House’s collection management system.

Histories of photography in Asian countries featured in the scrapbook, and an account of Thomson's career contextualize the scrapbook. A detailed analysis of this scrapbook focuses on the attribution and subjects of the photographs and the compiler of the scrapbook. While the attributions for all the images can not be confirmed, this thesis provides more accurate and reliable information about this scrapbook and, therefore, paves the way for future research on this scrapbook and the history of the nineteenth-century Far East photography.
Documentation is Preservation: New Media Documentation at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Authors: Dunne Naoise
Published: June 2021

In 2001, The Met’s time-based media collection was first introduced with the exhibition Closed Circuit: Video and New Media at the Metropolitan, held from February 23 to April 29, 2007. This thesis focuses on applying and analyzing the validity of a series of new protocols being introduced in 2018 to The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s time-based media collection. Generated by the Met’s Time-Based Media Working Group, these best practices including new and innovative documents and best practices for preserving not only the artworks themselves, but the knowledge and procedures required to install and display these works.
Using the exhibition Closed Circuit as a case study, this thesis describes and analyzes these new protocols to illustrate the value and importance of institutional and inter-departmental collaboration for compiling a multi-voice record for each work of art.

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Measuring the Power Efficiency Of Subthreshold FPGAs For Implementing Portable Biomedical Applications
Authors: Lotfabadi Shahin S.
Published: June 2021

Power is a significant design constraint for implementing portable applications. Operating transistors in the subthreshold region can significantly reduce power consumption while reducing performance. The low frequency nature of biosignals makes a FPGA operating subthreshold region a good candidate. In this work, I investigate the feasibility of desinging such a device and the trade-off between power consumpation and performance for FPGA routing resources operating in the subthreshold region. For the 32nm Predictive Technology Model studied in this work, it was observed a power reduction of 197.7 times (or power-delay-product reduction of 3.3 times) for operating under a supply voltage of 0.4 volts (as compared to normal operation in the saturation region using a 0.9V). Under a supply voltage of 0,4 volts, FPGA can operate at 2.0 MHz while allowing signals to propagate unregistered through 20 routing tracks which meets the real-time requirement for processing 20000 samples per second.
"We do not live for material things:" indigenous culture and food security in Brazil, the case of the Cinta Vermelha-Jundiba village
Authors: Barbosa Liberato Rita Simone
Published: June 2021

This project is based on a qualitative analysis of the opinions of key actors involved in the construction of the indigenous village Cinta Vennelha-Jundiba (CVJ) in Brazil. The CVJ village represents a unique case in Brazil: for the first time in history, an indigenous group from different ethnic backgrounds got together and bought their own land. The research question that guided the analysis is in the context of the creation of the CVJ village: Does food play a role related to cultural reinvention and ethnic reconstruction? The purpose of this project is to explore how food has the communicative function of a bridging mechanism between the Pankararu and the Pataxo cultures in the CVJ village. The conclusions of the analysis show that the interaction between the CVJ's inhabitants is characterized by profound cultural reconstruction and ethnic reinvention, and food production and consumption are key factors in these processes.
Photographic storage Solutions In Collections Management : The Edward Burtynsky Archive
Authors: Sergeant Paul D.K.
Published: June 2021

The paper, "The Edward Burtynsky Archive" is part of the thesis project submitted by Paul Sergeant in the partial fulfillment of the Master's Degree in Photographic Preservation and Collections Management at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario and George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film in Rochester, NY, in 2010. The author proposes the creation of a personal archive/repository of photographic prints for Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky. This guide will describe archival methods for the storage of 1000-1500 large format colour photographs ranging in size from 27" x 34" to 60" x 70". The goal of this project is to produce a resource for present and future researchers concerned with the preservation of colour photography. Through research on the preservation of colour photography and archival storage standards, I will locate a viable space, design a model for storage, source materials, and construct the archive/repository by September 1, 2010.
Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer Tension Lap Splices in Ultra High Performance Concrete
Authors: Mak Chratien
Published: June 2021

Glass fibre reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforcements are a viable replacement for corroding steel rebars. GFRP rebar tension lap splices combined with ultra high performance concrete (UHPC) can improve the efficiency of materials and construction in bridge deck construction joints. This thesis investigates the bond performance of high modulus (HM) GFRP rebar splices using UHPC. UHPC slab/beams of 100 -170 MPa concrete having 150 - 300 mm tension splices were tested along with several beams constructed from prefabricated high strength concrete sections with central GFRP spliced UHPC joints. Theoretical analysis was also conducted to evaluate critical splice lengths. Based on comparisons with code design values, recommendations are made on potential failure modes and minimum splice lengths. The serviceability, fatigue, and environmental performance of GFRP in UHPC are also considered. Recommendations from this research will improve the safety and efficiency of GFRP tension lap joints used in bridge decks and other construction
Dual-Lane Roundabouts Geometric Design for Optimum Design Consistency and Operation
Authors: Mujahid Rana Salah-ud-Din
Published: June 2021

Dual-lane roundabouts successfully controlling traffic because of their slower entry speeds and fewer conflict points compared to conventional intersections. Operational evaluations of dual-lane roundabouts depend on the average delay at each roundabout entry, and the delay of each entry depends on the entry capacity. An optimization model is developed in this thesis for dual-lane right-angle and skewed-angle roundabouts, which determines the design elements of the roundabout based on design consistency and the least average intersection delay. The design element includes vehicle radii for through, left, and right turn traffic paths. The design consistency of an individual path is considered by minimizing the relative speed difference along each vehicle path for all approaches. Operational analysis gives an estimation of the capacity and level of service in terms of queue length and delay. These models use site conditions as inputs and prove the feasibility of the design.
An Application of a Hybrid Wavelet-SVM Based Approach for Induction Motor Fault Detection
Authors: Ghasemi Shermineh
Published: June 2021

Induction motors have been widely used in the industries due to their simple and rugged construction. Failures of this electrical machinery may cause considerable losses. Therefore adapting an efficient method to diagnose a fault at a very early stage would prevent any further consequences of this deficiency. The major concern is related to the mechanical failures, normally caused by the inner component deficiencies. Application of intelligent methods have attracted interest in recent years. Support Vector Machine is a supervised learning method, based on statistical learning theory. This thesis presents three different SVM algorithms: SVM, KPCA-SVM and ROC-SVM, applicable for broken rotor bars detection. SVM proved to be reliable method for classification. While application of KPCA-SVM, shows nonlinear feature extraction can improve the performance of classifier with respect to reduce the number of overlapping samples. Furthermore, ROC-SVM has improved the accuracy by selecting a decision threshold for the classifier.
Risky business : the role of risk perception in the Ontario source water protection planning process
Authors: Rollinson-Lorimer Mary K
Published: June 2021

The purpose of this research was: 1. to investigate whether the perception of drinking water-related risk differs between the public and a Source Protection Committee established under Ontario's new Clean Water Act to make decisions about source water protection, 2. to explore how the public makes risk-based decisions about drinking water-related risk, and, 3. to estimate how any differences in drinking water-related risk perception and decision making between the Committee and the public may affect the implementation of the Clean Water Act. Mail and telephone surveys were conducted in a Southern Ontario Region of Study, and were given to samples of the public and the Committee. The two groups had different perceptions of water risk, which could pose challenges for making collective decisions about water risks. Successful source water protection depends on the ability of the Committees and the public to make appropriate decisions about risks to drinking water sources.
Life cycle costing analysis using the mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide for flexible pavements
Authors: Sharif Omar M.
Published: June 2021

The Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG), developed by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) under the directive of the U.S. National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 1-37A, is the latest development in the concept and theories for the analysis and design of new pavements and of overlays for the existing pavements. While MEPDG is waiting for its full-scale implementation and to replace the traditional pavement design methods, it is desirable to make use of the performance prediction capacity of the MEPDG for accurate life-cycle costing analysis. The objective of this study is to review the state of the art and state of the practices for LCC and the new MEPDG methodology for flexible pavement design/preservation, and explore a framework for the integration of LCC into the new MEPDG, which would help the pavement agencies to evaluate the most economic (cost-effective) flexible pavement design for a new roadway section and overlay design for an existing flexible pavement as well as the preservation (maintenance and rehabilitation) time/strategy based on MEPDG methodology.
An evaluation of "job search workshops" program -- from Mandarin-speaking newcomers' perspective
Authors: Ma Xiaofeng
Published: June 2021

The Job Search Workshops (JSW) program is a component program within the Immigrant Settlement and Adaptation Program (ISAP), which is funded by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), and offered across Ontario. About half of the JSW participants in Ontario speak Mandarin as their first language. Their settlement needs share many similarities with other immigrant cohorts, yet some of the barriers identified among Mandarin speaking newcomers are culturally specific. Generally, Mandarin-speaking newcomers highly endorse Job Search Workshops; however, there is room for improvement. Improvement of the effectiveness of current settlement programs (sucah as the JSW program) to assist this group of newcomers, will greatly speed up their social, economic and cultural integration into Canadian society.
Determining potential end of service life demolition waste of residential houses in Canada
Authors: Hussain Tofayel
Published: June 2021

Construction and demolition (C & D) waste generation is identified as an environmental topic of concern globally. Canadian Construction Association (CCA), Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and other researchers have identified wood waste as the key material to focus on in residential housing construction. With this point in mind, it seems prudent to identify waste generation at the demolition stage of houses.

Two low-rise single-family detached houses were evaluated to determine their potential demolition waste generation. Wood, concrete, masonry (brick), gypsum and asphalt waste generation was measured, quantified and ranked accordingly.

The results determined concrete had the highest waste generation potential representing around 60% (kg) at the demolition stage. The findings are contrary to the wood waste focus in residential construction. Therefore, the findings suggest more focus needs to be placed on concrete use in residential construction moving forward, as much as wood has been in most recent decades.
Synthetic Aperture Imaging : Applications In High-Frequency Ultrasound
Authors: Nayebi Nazanin
Published: June 2021

Synthetic Aperture (SA) is an imaging method that uses the motion of a single-element transducer to synthesize the effect of a larger array transducer. In synthetic aperture ultrasound imaging (SAUI), a single-element transducer which works as both the transmitter and receiver is used to record pulse echoes in a region of interest at multiple, sequential locations. The SA imaging inverse problem is the processing of these signals to form a high-resolution image of the ROI. The aim of this project is to implement SAUI in the frequency domain and incorporate the effects of the beam pattern into image reconstruction algorithm.

The images reconstructed applying the new SA algorithms to the simulated and experimental data demonstrate the effectiveness of some of the proposed methods in improving the lateral resolution beyond the focal point.

The principles, simulated and experimental results, and implementation issues of the new algorithms are described in this thesis.
Raymond Williams, Jurgen Habermas, and communicative resources
Authors: Singleton Kathleen C
Published: June 2021

Using a concept of humanism taken from the field of philosophy, and using the theory of Jurgen Habermas and Raymond Williams, this thesis explores changes in beliefs about communicative interaction in response to changing social organization. Using a process of historical survey, this thesis focuses on the methods of transmission and reproduction of beliefs about communicative interaction, beliefs that, like ideology, create boundaries and pressures that protect the privileges of some groups in society. It is argued that these beliefs materialize in the lifeworld, but are institutionalized in the education system in capitalist societies. It is also argued that there is a link between an education that supports a humanist approach to communicative interaction and the general propensity for social inclusiveness and openness to change.
Technology cycles in the computer peripherals sector: a test of the demand heterogeneity theory
Authors: Olbina Branko
Published: June 2021

This study set out to test the claims of demand heterogeneity theory (Adner & Levinthal, 2001) regarding the dynamics of demand cycles in the personal computers graphics cards sector. The demand heterogeneity theory claims that technology firms continue to engage in product innovation in mature product classes and offer products featuring increasing performance at stable prices. Adner and Levinthal (2001) posit that the answer to this phenomenon lies in the demand context: technology that meets consumers' functionality and net utility thresholds leads to the emergence of technologically satisfied consumers. In the face of satiated technological needs, firms engage in product differentiation strategies and continued innovation due to fierce competition for technologically satisfied consumers. The consumers in turn enjoy additional functional benefits and luxurious bargains. The theory is based on mathematical modeling and remains empirically untested in the management science literature.
Development Of Precast Barrier Wall System For Bridge Decks
Authors: Patel Gaurang
Published: June 2021

As Ontario transportation infrastructure enters the era of maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement, it needs more use of prefabricated elements and systems, which can quickly assembled to overcome relatively longer time to open bridge to the traffic. This thesis reports on both analytical and experimental investigations conducted on various aspects of precast bridge barrier, including design loads, structural design, sequence of construction, connection details between the barriers and bridge, joints between barrier segments and water leakage control. In this study, thru post-tensioned bolted connection system was developed to connect the precast barrier wall with bridge deck. The primary intension behind these connections is to expedite construction cycle simulataneously with minimizing traffic disruption, improve work-zone safety, quality and constructible and lower down lifecycle cost of bridges. A total of five experimental tests on full-scale specimens of the developed system were conducted to verify and substantiate the design procedure used to develop the barrier wall system. Good correlation between theoretical ultimate loads, in the form of bending, shear and punching shear resistance, and the experimental findings was achieved.
Identifying Cultural Strengths of Afghan Refugees as a Source of Their Resilience
Authors: Kohistani Venos
Published: June 2021

This study examined the cultural resources of Afghan migrants and their relationship to the experience of resilience. The study explores the integration process of Afghan migrants as a way of gaining insight into their cultural values, beliefs and characteristics that play a role in facilitating their resilience. Participants in the study included six adult newcomer Afghans (1 Male and 5 Females) who have resided in Canada for over one year and under ten years. They were interviewed separately using open-ended in-depth interviews. The analysis of the interviews resulted in two core themes (1) Personal coping strategies and (2) Cultural resources as coping strategies. The results determined that Afghans utilize some aspects of cultural collectivity, as well as positive cultural values and characteristics when dealing with the adversities of settlement and adaptation.
ENU-3 is a novel outgrowth and guidance protein in c. elegans
Authors: Yee Callista Stephanie
Published: June 2021

During the development of the nervous system, the migration of many cells and axons is guided by extracellular molecules. These molecules bind to receptors at the tips of the growth cones of migrating axons and trigger intracellular signalling to steer the axons along the correct trajectories. Previous work has identified a novel mutant, enu-3 (enhancer of Unc), that enhances the motor neuron axon outgrowth defects observed in strains of Caenorhabditis elegans that lack either the UNC-5 receptor or its ligand UNC-6/Netrin, enu-3 single mutants have weak motor neuron axon migration defects. Both outgrowth defects of double mutants and axon migration defects of enu-3 mutants were rescued by expression of the H04D03.1 gene product. Enu-3/H04D03.1 encodes a novel predicted putative trans-membrane protein of 204 amino acids. ENU-3 is expressed weakly expressed in many cell bodies along the ventral cord, including those of the DA and DB motor neurons.
Concurrent Transaction Logic with Priority and Timing Constraints
Authors: Ge Jiwen
Published: June 2021

Concurrent Transaction Logic (CTTZ) is a deductive language for programming database transaction applications that integrates queries, updates, and transaction composition in a complete logical framework. The language supports all the properties of classical trans­actions and the properties found in some new transaction models, e.g., sub-transactions, transaction rollback, and concurrent transactions. 

The contributions of this thesis are twofold. First, it extends CTTZ to account for timing-event-based prioritized concurrent systems in which transactions may have pri­ority and timing constraints. This extension of CTTZ, here called TV-CTTZ, provides a high-level logic programming framework for specifying and simulating executions of timed transactions and trigger-events commonly present in real-time concurrent appli­cations. Second, it describes a Prolog implementation of TV-CTTZ. The implemented TV-CTTZ prototype supports the translation from TV-CTTZ to CTTZ. Underlying this protocol, we use a simplified Rate-Monotonic algorithm [10] to schedule the execution of constraint concurrent transactions and built-in timing predicates to handle transaction time-relations.
Network Screening Methods to Identify Roadway Sites for Safety Investigation: An Examination of Some Critical Issues
Authors: Gotts Brent
Published: June 2021

Traffic accidents are responsible for about 3,000 deaths and $25 billion in economic losses annually in Canada. One way for transportation authorities to improve safety is to identify potentially hazardous roadway elements through network screening. The process of network screening is a low-cost statistical analysis of highway safety data, which yields a ranked list of sites to be investigated in detail. Critical issues of two network screening methods are investigated in this thesis. The first method is a peak-searching algorithm for screening roadway segments, with attention focused on threshold values of a key user-selected variable, namely the coefficient of variation. The second method examined is a method of screening for high proportions of specific accident types. For this method, parameter estimation techniques are compared, and the effect of the 'critical proportion,' a key user-selected variable in the method, on site rankings is investigated. In addition to the two network screening methods, an investigation is carried out into some aspects of safety performance function calibrated using negative binomial regression. Specific attention is given to how the negative binomial dispension parameter changes over the range of some independent variables.
Mechanical And Structural Properties Of Ultra High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Authors: Wahba Kirllos
Published: June 2021

Ultra High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) is beginning to revolutionize the construction industry. The research presented discusses an experimental pro gram designed toinvestigate the mechanical and structural properties of UHPFRC. The mechanical properties focused on examining the tensile behavior by testing the fracture energy, tension stiffening and shear friction properties of UHPFRC. The structural properties focused on investigating behaviors such as; flexure and shear. The tensile behavior proved to be significantly improved by the use of fibers. Results show an ultimate tensile strength twice the cracking tensile strength. The shear friction was also enhanced due to the fiber reinforcement. Improved design equation, with great accuracy when compared to experimental results are proposed. The addition of fibers, significantly improved the shear and flexure behavior of reinforced beams. The influence of the fiber reinforcement was of very significant; promoting flexural failure in reinforced beams rather than the shear failure when compared to normal and high strength concrete.
Investigating the Sub-Acute Responses of Lemna Minor, Pseudokirchneriella Subcapitata, Euglena Gracilis and Anodonta Grandis to Tributyltin-Hydride and Atrazine in Freshwater
Authors: Pearce Christopher J.E.
Published: June 2021

Freshwater resources exist in limited quantities and are subject to increasing demands due to the consumption by residential, commercial and industrial uses. There are concerns that the widely used chemical analysis of drinking water does not deliver timely results. This study examines the efficacy of developing a holistic, multi-organism early-warning biomonitoring technology to assess aquatic toxicity. Sensitive indicator species such as Lemna minor, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, Euglena gracilis, and Anodonta grandis have been selected due to their specific behavioural and short-term biochemical responses in the identification of classes of contaminants in aquatic environments. Tributyltin, an antifouling agent in paints used on boats and atrazine, an herbicide widely used on agricultural crops, are evaluated in increasing concentrations to identify behavioural changes in these organisms. These graded responses, upon implementation in models, will warn water treatment operators of incoming contaminants and help identify the nature of the stressor. All organisms displayed some sensitivity to selected concentrations of the two test chemicals. The normal growth rate of L. minor dramatically declined with exposure to TBT (100.0 mg/L) and atrazine (500.0 g/L). Monitoring the biochemical changes, dissolved oxygen production, and also the growth rate, cell counts, of P. subcapitata showed significant effects to similar concentrations of TBT (100.00 g/L) and atrazine (500.00 g/L). The aquatic protest, E. gracilis, alters its cell morphology in the presence of low concentrations of TBT (10.0 g/L) and atrazine (50.0 g/L). Respiration patters of the bivalve, A. grandis, was directly influenced by the two chemicals, TBT (1.0 mg/L) and atrazine (50.0 mg/L). This study demonstrates that biological assessments of water samples deliver a rapid, realistic representation of the surrounding aquatic environment conditions.
Determination of concentration-dependent dispersion of propane in vapor extraction of heavy oil
Authors: Abukhalifeh Hadil
Published: June 2021

Vapex (vapor extraction) is a solvent-based non-thermal in-situ heavy oil recovery process. In Vapex process, a vaporized hydrocarbon solvent is injected into an upper horizontal well where the solvent mixes with the heavy oil and reduces its viscosity. The diluted oil drains under gravity to a bottom production well. Two mechanisms control the production rates of heavy oil in Vapex: mass transfer of solvent into heavy oil, and gravity drainage. Both are governed by dispersion, which is composed of molecular diffusion, convection, and other mechanisms that enhance mixing in porous medium. The accurate determination of solvent dispersion in Vapex is essential to predict effectively the amount and time scale of oil recovery as well to optimize the field operations. Motivated by limited dispersion data in the literature, a novel technique is developed to determine experimentally the concentration-dependent dispersion coefficient of propane in Vapex process, The technique employs live oil production rates obtained from Vapex experiments at 21ºC and 0.790 MPa. The salient feature of this technique is that it does not impose any functional form on dispersion as a function of concentration, but allows its natural and realistic determination. The technique could be applied to determine other solvents dispersion coefficient used in the in-situ recovery of heavy oil.

Propane dispersion coefficient is determined by the minimization of the difference in experimental and calculated cumulative live oil produced. The necessary conditions for the minimum are fundamentally derived, utilizing the theory of optimal control. A computational algorithm is formulated to calculate the propane dispersion function simultaneously with propane-heavy oil interface mass fraction. Physical models of glass beads of different permeabilities (204-51 Darcy) and drainage heights (25-45 cm) were used to conduct the Vapex experiments. The results show that dispersion of propane is a unimodal function of its concentration in heavy oil, and lies in the range, 0.5x10⁻⁵- 7.933x10⁻⁵ m²/s. Convectional mixing is promoted by higher model drainage heights and lower permeability. Finally, propane dispersion is correlated as a function of propane mass fraction in heavy oil and the packed medium permeability, as well as the drainage height.