bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health care providers and HIV
Authors: Wagner Anne C.
Published: May 2021

The current investigation seeks to examine the attitudes and beliefs of health care providers in Canada about people living with HIV. The line of research consists of three studies. Study 1 was a qualitative study conducted with a critical lens. The critical lens was used in a series of four focus groups when qualitatively soliciting opinions about the range of attitudes, behaviours and cognitions health care providers may have towards people living with HIV. Study 2 used the information gathered from Study 1 to develop a scale to assess HIV stigma in health care providers. Items were created from examples and themes found in the qualitative study, and were tested via exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, test-retest reliability analysis, and assessed for convergent and divergent validity. Study 3 examined the newly developed scale’s relationship to proposed overlapping stigmas and attitudes, and tested the adapted intersectional model of HIV-related stigma with health care trainees using the newly developed HIV stigma scale as an outcome measure. The line of research found that HIV stigma continues to be a significant problem in the health care system. The scale developed in Study 2 demonstrates that HIV stigma can be conceptualized and assessed as a tripartite model of discrimination, stereotyping and prejudice, and that this conceptualization of HIV stigma supports an intersectional model of overlapping stigmas with homophobia, racism, stigma against injection drug use and stigma against sex work.
Adaptive Noise Cancellation of an Analog Fiber Optic Link
Authors: Islam Mohammad Nazrul
Published: May 2021

There are three dominant noise mechanisms in an analog optical fiber link. These are shot noise that is proportional to the mean optical power, relative intensity noise (RIN) that is proportional to the square of the instanteaneous optical power. This report describes an adaptive noise cancellation of these dominant noise processes that persist an analog optical fiber link. The performance of an analog optical fiber link is analyzed by taking the effects of these noise processes. Analytical and simulation results show that some improvement in signal to noise ratio (SNR) and this filter is effective to remove noise adaptively from the optical fiber link.
High speed rotary system for catheter based 3-D imaging with optical coherence tomography (OCT)
Authors: Mauro Antonio
Published: May 2021

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is an addition to the other tomographic imaging techniques of x-ray computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound imaging. OCT uses optical reflections of biological tissues as opposed to x-rays, RF fields, and sound waves to obtain images. A rotary and pullback system has been developed for use with OCT. The system was developed to facilitate the three dimensional imaging of various lumens in humans and animals. The system is capable of rotating at a rate of 200 Hz. At this rate the rotary system will allow for a frame acquisition rate of 200 fps which is significantly higher than the highest published acquisition rate to date of 108 fps. The probes used with the system were modeled after the Intravascular Ultrasound (IVUS) miniature torque cable design. The probes can be sealed and sterilized between subjects without being damaged; unlike the single use IVUS probes. The rotary system was used to image the outer ear of a mouse in vivo. A lateral slice from the resulting three dimensional image was compared to the general histology of a mouse ear. The image compared well to the general anatomy as found on the histology.
Palate: The App for Finding Restaurant Faster
Authors: Gioseffi Patrick
Published: May 2021

This Major Research Project (MRP) aims to investigate the impact of the on-demand economy, millennials’ digital habits, and the emergence of super apps on the restaurant-finding process. Currently, restaurant-goers are presented with multiple specialty applications to complete different tasks when evaluating restaurants. The current process of deciding on a restaurant is both time-consuming and inefficient. This project aims to propose a solution to this problem in the form of an early-stage super app called Palate. Palate is a mobile application that aims to streamline the process of discovering restaurants from the moment a restaurant-goer begins their search to the moment they confirm a reservation. This paper will discuss design principles, theories of the on-demand economy, restaurant-goers digital habits, super apps and the rationale
for designing a restaurant super app interface.
Assessment of the Thermal Performance of Data Center; A Case Study in Earth Rangers Centre
Authors: Vahidi-Arbabi Ladan
Published: May 2021

Thermal performance of complex buildings like data centers is not easy to evaluate. Experimental Investigation of the effects of energy conservation methods or any alteration that might occur in hundreds of variables in data centres would cost stakeholders time and money. And they might find worthless at times. Building energy model is a well-established field of science with an insufficient number of applications in data centers. This study presents methods of developing a data center model based on an actual case study. Moreover, it identifies effective calibrating strategies to increase the model performance accuracy relative to a recorded dataset. A reliable energy model can assist data center operators and researchers in different ways. As a result, calibrated energy model proved Earth Rangers’ data center can be independent of a heat pump or chiller use for most of the year, while ground heat exchangers deliver excessive heat to the ground as the heat sink.
Design techniques for passive wireless microsystems
Authors: Lai Xiongliang
Published: May 2021

The unique advantage of harvesting power wirelessly has evolved passive wireless microsystems to a fast-growing high-impact technology. In this dissertation, several new design techniques are proposed for the increasingly stringent requirements of passive wireless microsystems. The absence of on-board batteries imposes ultralow power consumption of passive wireless microsystems. Recent research reveals that multi-voltage systems-on-a-chip dramatically reduce power consumption such that power-efficient on-chip voltage level shifters are critically needed. This dissertation proposes a novel set of voltage level shifters built upon diode-based clamper-rectifier configurations. The voltage level shifters are passively powered by incoming signals with no static current consumption and are able to shift the incoming signals bidirectionally to suit the different voltage domains. The shifting steps could be continuous and are not bounded by the discrete transistor thresholds and power rails. A second bottleneck of passive wireless microsystems is the wireless power-harvesting efficiency that limits the wireless communication distance and the on-chip circuitry complexity and functionality. This dissertation proposes a transformer-based impedance matching network that greatly improves the power transfer efficiency from the receiving antenna to the on-chip circuit loads. The transformer is also capable of automatically calibrating its input impedance to match to the antenna impedance by a novel low-power varactor current tuning technique. In passive wireless microsystems, data modulation scheme largely determines the power transmission efficiency and data communication speed. Exploiting the constant carrier envelop of FSK modulation, this dissertation proposes a dual-tank architecture for FSK receivers in passive wireless microsystems. The dual receiving tanks significantly improves the power conversion efficiency of on-chip AC-to-DC voltage multipliers by providing high-quality-factor resonating tank voltages at each of the alternating FSK carriers. High data transmission rate is also achieved by exploring the dual tanks in an all-digital and a voltage-level shifting FSK demodulators.
Multichannel Analysis of EEG Signals for Screening Alcoholics
Authors: Thevaril Jasmin
Published: May 2021

Multi-channel analysis of EEG signals were analyzed in the project to detect alcoholism. A digital signal-processing algorithm that automates the classification of signals as normal or alcoholic is studied here. The method exploits the existing digital signal processing concepst sucah as signal modeling and and spectral estimation for feature extraction and classification. The mult-channel AR modeling and Cepstral theory were used for feature extraction. The EEG signals use in the project include 32 channels recorded from different portions of the brain for three minutes duration. 25 signals of each subject were taken for analysis. A classifier is developed based on Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and Leave-One-Out method (LWO), the signal deatures were classified based on the norm distances to maximize the accuracy. Maximum Likelihood (MLM) or Euclidean distance is used to extract the norm distance between the signal under test and the reference vector. This was repeated for the entire training database. The classifier thus obtained gave the overall accuracy rate of the system. The accuracy rate obtained with AR coefficients is 72% and the accuracy rate with cepstral coefficients is 62%.
Understanding and exploiting the response of EHEC O157:H7 to human gastrointestinal chemical signals
Authors: Lackraj Tracy Linda Brittney
Published: May 2021

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) is a clinically relevant foodborne pathogen,
resulting in over 95,000 cases of EHEC-associated illness and 60 deaths each year in the US alone.
Since EHEC is a continuous global issue with new outbreaks constantly occurring, the
development of new therapeutic strategies is vital to minimizing the cases of infection seen each
year. A key aspect in new drug development is the identification of vulnerabilities in EHEC’s
pathogenicity, in particular, during its transit through the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract. As
EHEC passes through the human GI tract to its site of colonization in the large intestine, it faces a
multitude of host assaults including acute acid stress in the stomach, bile salt stress and cationic
antimicrobial peptide exposure in the small intestine, and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) stress in
the large intestine. The research carried out in this doctoral dissertation focuses on understanding
how EHEC senses chemical cues from the host’s innate immune responses and how this
knowledge can be exploited to develop effective antimicrobial strategies. Our findings
successfully demonstrate that a novel antimicrobial peptide ameliorates infection in a mouse model
of infection by enhancing acid-induced pathogen killing during gastric passage, and that the DNAbinding
protein, Dps, plays a significant role in protecting EHEC against peptide killing.
Moreover, this research successfully shows that varying concentrations of SCFAs result in
differential modulation of EHEC virulence – a finding that contributes to our understanding of the
role of diet and commensal flora in host susceptibility to infection. Together the findings of this
research demonstrate how the selected innate host defences throughout the human GI tract can be
exploited and/or manipulated to effectively prevent infection by the human pathogen EHEC.
Optimization of Clustering and Coverage of Two-Tier Wireless Mesh Networks
Authors: Qttlan Sameer
Published: May 2021

The tiered wireless mesh network is usually divided into upper and lower tiers. The upper tier is equipped with wireless optical transceivers; the lower tier connects the routers that connect the users. Users’ connections can occur between each other or between nodes and outside the local area network in the lower tier. Whereas in the upper tier, the optical wireless communication is responsible for the higher level of data exchange. In this research, we apply a recent optimization technique for the design of wireless mesh access network in regards to the hop count and traffic demand requirements. This optimization is based on the plane sweeping and clustering algorithm (PSCA) to find the nodes and organize them in clusters based on location and distance. Then, we simulated the algorithm with Matlab software by generating a random network constellation and applied the algorithm to optimize the clustering of the network distribution. The simulations show the comparison between the number of clusters and their diameters.
Quantitative interferometric measurements of the refractive index and its applications
Authors: Yahya Mohammed
Published: May 2021

Optical interferometry is a non-contact method used for the imaging and measurement of the optical properties of small or large objects with nanoscale accuracy. Interferometers are essential optical systems in engineering and medical science and are generally used to measure refractive index changes, cell pathology and shape irregularities. The ability to provide quantitative, non-invasive measurements makes interferometers suitable candidates for the study of living cells in vivo and in vitro applications.
In this study, a simple interferometric system capable of providing precise measurements of the refractive indices of transparent and semi-transparent mediums was designed and developed based on the Mach-Zehnder arrangement. During the development phase, the system was used to take precise measurements of the contrast factors of the three hydrocarbon components 1,2,3,4-Tetrtahydronaphtalenene (THN), Isobutylbenzen (IBB), and Dodecane (nC12), prepared in the laboratory. The results were also compared with the corresponding results obtained using the Abbemat refractometer. The results were in agreement with those obtained from both techniques as well as the results obtained from the literature, confirming the accuracy of the measurements obtained with the new system with deviations of ± 2.50×10-3.
Blood analysis is a routine procedure used in medical diagnostics to confirm a patient’s condition. Measuring the optical properties of blood is difficult due to the non-homogenous nature of the blood itself. In addition, there is a lot of variation in the refractive indices reported in the literature. These are the reasons that motivated this research to develop an empirical model that can be used to predict the refractive index of human blood as a function of concentration, temperature and wavelength. The experimental measurements were conducted on mimicking phantom, that shows better stability compared to human blood, using the Abbemat Refractometer. The values obtained using the model was in substantial agreement with those obtained experimentally with standard deviations of ± 2.33×10-3.
Once the accuracy of the interferometric system was confirmed, the system was used to study the refractive index and morphology of human red blood cells. The results of the analysis confirmed the system’s ability to determine refractive index and/or blood hematocrit values with appropriate clinical accuracy.
Semi-Automatic Depth Map Generation in Unconstrained Images and Video Sequences for 2D to Stereoscopic 3D Conversion
Authors: Phan Raymond
Published: May 2021

In this work, we describe a system for accurately estimating depth through synthetic depth maps in unconstrained conventional monocular images and video sequences, to semi-automatically convert these into their stereoscopic 3D counterparts. With current accepted industry efforts, this conversion process is performed automatically in a black box fashion, or manually converted using human operators to extract features and objects on a frame by frame basis, known as rotoscopers. Automatic conversion is the least labour intensive, but allows little to no user intervention, and error correction can be difficult. Manual is the most accurate, providing the most control, but very time consuming, and is prohibitive for use to all but the largest production studios. Noting the merits and disadvantages between these two methods, a semi-automatic method blends the two together, allowing for faster and accurate conversion, while decreasing time for releasing 3D content for user digest. Semi-automatic methods require the user to place user-defined strokes over the image, or over several keyframes in the case of video, corresponding to a rough estimate of the depths in the scene at these strokes. After, the rest of the depths are determined, creating depth maps to generate stereoscopic 3D content, and Depth Image Based Rendering is employed to generate the artificial views. Here, depth map estimation can be considered as a multi-label image segmentation problem: each class is a depth value. Additionally, for video, we allow the option of labeling only the first frame, and the strokes are propagated using one of two techniques: A modified computer vision object tracking algorithm, and edge-aware temporally consistent optical flow./p
pFundamentally, this work combines the merits of two well-respected segmentation algorithms: Graph Cuts and Random Walks. The diffusion of depths, with smooth gradients from Random Walks, combined with the edge preserving properties from Graph Cuts can create the best possible result. To demonstrate that the proposed framework generates good quality stereoscopic content with minimal effort, we create results and compare to the current best known semi-automatic conversion framework. We also show that our results are more suitable for human perception in comparison to this framework.
Conditions of hydrolysis with a specific pair of endo- and exo-cellulases
Authors: Kitano Yoshiki
Published: May 2021

Enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose is a technology involved in the production of bioethanol, a potential alternative renewable energy. Many cellulases with endo- and exo- type of activity are known to hydrolyze cellulose synergistically. In this thesis, potential synergy between an endo-cellulase, Cel5B, with and without a carbohydrate- binding module (CBM6), and a new exo-cellulase, CBH1, from Trichoderma harzianum FP108 were examined during the hydrolysis of semi- crystalline cellulose (Avicel). Since CBM6 is recognized as having a high affinity for amorphous cellulose, it was hypothesized that this affinity could enhance the synergistic effect between the endo- and exo-cellulases by focusing the action to Cel5B+CBM6 on the amorphous regions of the Avicel substrate. The increased activity of Cel5B+CBM6 over Cel5B alone was confirmed. However, in contrast to our expectations, a synergistic effect was not observed between either endo- and exo-cellulase pairs. From the obtained hydrolysis yield, it was inferred that Cel5B+CBM6 may have exo-type activity that caused a competitive interaction with the exo-cellulase, which resulted in no synergy.
Wind Turbine Sound Propagation Using A Finite-Difference Time-Domain Method
Authors: Wrobel Daniel
Published: May 2021

Energy usage is on the rise in both Canada and the United States. Because of this, there is a growing demand and strain on the current infrastructure. More importantly though, there is a strong demand for the use of renewable energy sources to meet this demand. One of the most popular renewable energy sources at this time is the wind turbine. In Ontario, there are plans to implement a significant number of them throughout the province. There are concerns though from residents in the vicinity of them that they cause too much noise, as well as health issues. However, some argue that these complaints stem from incorrectly calculated setback distances due to the lack of use of a detailed sound propagation model. In this study, a sound propagation model was developed using a Finite-Difference Time-Domain method, for a three dimensional computational domain, and simulated using data for a Siemens SWT-2.3-101 wind turbine. The simulations produced data of the sound propagation characteristics of each emitted wave, for each tested case. The model was developed as a starting point and building block for the eventual use in simulations of large domains and complex flow phenomena.
Predictors of accent-based prejudice
Authors: Sumantry David Matthew
Published: May 2021

This thesis investigated accent-based stereotyping and prejudice – a line of research originating in Lambert et al. (1960) – by studying perceptions of four accented groups. Participants recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk listened to audio clips where the speakers had native accents from either Toronto, Latin America, Arabic countries, or India. They then evaluated the speakers on several dimensions based on the Stereotype Content Model (SCM) and the solidarity-status-dynamism model (SSD), and completed direct measures of prejudice. Speakers were not evaluated differently on measures of prejudice but were stereotyped differently. Participants higher in right-wing ideologies held more negative stereotypes of speakers and demonstrated greater prejudice. Comparing theoretical models indicated that the more commonly-used SCM provides a suitable alternative to the SSD model. Implications for research on accent-based prejudice are discussed.
Thermal behavior of phase change material (PCM) based cavity: experimental and numerical validation
Authors: Shak Md Ali Ahamed
Published: May 2021

Recently, thermal energy storage (TES) includes technologies for collecting and storing energy for later use in domestic and industry by using Phase Change Materials (PCMs) which is a main topic for many researchers. In this experimental and numerical study, melting process and thermal behavior due to a U-shaped heat source embedded in the PCM is investigated which has been simulated in COMSOL-3D Multiphysics. The three-dimensional governing equation is solved for the fluid flow and heat transfer behavior. Two different cases are analyzed in this study. In the first case, the experimental results of a rectangular cavity filled with PCM, and a Ushaped heating source embedded in it is validated with a numerical model. PCM is used that has melting point temperature 32 °C, and flow of water at temperature 39 °C for six hours period through the U-shaped tube to intensify the PCM`s temperature. PCM melts and absorbs latent heat as energy which is analyzed horizontally and vertically. PCMs temperature increased uniformly with increasing of time inside the cavity. The melting rate was high around the heating source than the far distances of heating source. After six hours, 100% PCM was melted around the U-shaped tube, however, far from the U-shaped tube was not significantly melted in both experimental study and numerical model. The numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental data with a small number of relative error in all cases. In the second case, PCM and Bentonite are used in four different models in the same rectangular cavity, then hot-water and, cold-water flowing through the U-shaped tube, and the numerical results were validated for all models. It was observed that, when Bentonite is used, the heat transfer rate was higher compare to the case when PCM is used for anywhere in the cavity. The reason is that, Bentonite has higher thermal conductivity and temperature gradient than the PCM. So, Bentonite was more sensitive for heat transfer whenever used in heating or cooling. It is clear from this study that PCM and Bentonite can be a good media for storing thermal energy for later use such as room heating, space heating, industrial and commercial uses. PCM has a great possibility to it, because of its low initial and maintenance cost, and its availability.
Affect, Empowerment and the Complexities of Belonging: Cultivating a Humanistic Atmosphere in the ESL Classroom
Authors: Sugiman Momoye
Published: May 2021

In this paper, I focus on the affective atmosphere of the Adult English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom. I argue that a humanistic learning approach can be a form of strategic resistance against the bureaucratization and standardization of publicly funded ESL programs for adult newcomers in Canada. Given the growing, top-down trend in our economically driven and technologically dependent society, there is a need to humanize the Canadian ESL classroom as a space for empathy and critical thinking. Through a literature review and semi-structured, in-depth interviews with former ESL learners and former ESL teachers, this paper reveals the psychological and political complexities of second language learning and cultural identity, as well as the pivotal role that an ESL teacher can play during the first few years of settlement. In this context, I also critique the racialized linguistic hierarchy embedded in Canada’s multiculturalism policy and exclusionary immigration and language policies.
Examining the Effects of the Runoff Originating From Biosolids Amended Soil Plots on the Biogeochemical Nitrogen Cycle and Eutrophication
Authors: Matiichine Denis
Published: May 2021

One of the disposal methods for biosolids (nutrient rich organic matter that settles out of the wastewater during wastewater treatment process) is through application on agricultural fields as organic fertilizer. In order to determine the effects of runoff originating from biosolids treated fields on the nitrogen biogeochemical cycle and eutrophication of surface water, a lab-scale mesocosm experiment was carried out, simulating agricultural fields and thermally stratified water systems receiving agricultural runoff. A significant difference was found between the effects of the runoff from unfertilized soil plots and plots fertilized with biosolids. The findings indicate that the majority of incoming nitrogen is either denitrifed, lost to the sediment or is accumulated in the water column as nitrate. Further, it is hypothesised that the majority of incoming organic nitrogen was rapidly mineralized to ammonium in the hypolimnion, which has the potential to increase nitrogen bioavailability to primary producers in the epilimnion.
Examining the Decline in the Economic Outcomes of Highly Educated Recent Immigrants to Canada
Authors: Qidwai Muzna
Published: May 2021

Canada has a long established history of accepting immigrants from diverse ethno-racial backgrounds to meet the labour market needs in the “knowledge based economy”. However, since the 1980s, there have been declines observed in the economic success of recent cohorts of immigrants. At the same time, there has been a shift in source country composition towards non-traditional source regions in Asia, Africa, Southern and Eastern Europe. This shift has been accompanied by an increase in the human capital of immigrants, in terms of their educational qualifications and work experience as a by-product of the new points system. An explanation for the economic decline is that the institutional barriers of prejudice and discrimination have barred recent immigrants from access to high skilled employment. Nevertheless, one should also consider the massive restructuring of the labour market and its effects on the most vulnerable cohorts: immigrants; women; racialized people and youth.
Development of a laboratory analytical method beneficial to the policies of the Canada-wide standards for dioxins and furans
Authors: Buan Eric Paul
Published: May 2021

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was tested for its ability to screen for PCDD/F in soils and sediments at 50, 1000 and 10,000 picograms toxic equivalents per gram of soil pgTEQ g-₁ (n=48, r²=0.994, slope=0.94). These results relied on two concepts developed in this thesis. The first, a congener correction factor, corrects ELISA results for differences in how ELISA and GC-HRMS calculate the dioxin content of a sample. The congener correction factor increased the correlation between ELISA and GC-HRMS TEQ values calculated using World Health Organization (WHO) toxic equivalency factors (TEF) from 83% to 94%. The correlation between ELISA and GC-HRMS TEQ values calculated using North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) TEF remained strong when the correction factor was applied, falling from 102% to 94%. The second concept, a sample algorithm allows ELIAS to efficiently measure unknown PCDD/F concentrations between 30 and 10,5000 pgTEQ g-¹. The algorithm successfully placed 24 of 28 samples into their correct concentration ranges in a maximum of two ELISA each. A cost analysis of using the algorithm predicted that ELISA can screen samples three times faster than GC-HRMS while at a 60% reduction in operating cost. The success of ELISA in conjunction with its time and cost savings indicate that it can replace GC-HRMS in situations where the high precision of GC-HRMS is not required.
A diary study of feedback seeking behaviours in individuals with social anxiety disorder compared to individuals with generalized anxiety disorder of no history of mental health difficulties
Authors: Wilson Gillian
Published: May 2021

The current study examined various features of positive feedback seeking (PFS) and negative feedback seeking (NFS) in individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD), individuals with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and healthy individuals using a 2-week daily diary method. There were no significant differences between individuals with SAD and healthy individuals in the frequency of feedback seeking. However, individuals with GAD engaged in significantly more overall feedback seeking (adjusted for compliance) than healthy individuals. The most common source of feedback seeking within each group was other people (e.g., romantic partner). Individuals with SAD experienced significantly greater reductions in anxiety, sadness, and anger than healthy individuals and a significantly greater increase in certainty than individuals with GAD following positive feedback during PFS. There were no significant group differences in the topics, triggers, functions, or termination criteria of feedback seeking. Future research directions and theoretical and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
Quantifying Chloride Retention in Urban Stormwater Management Ponds Using a Mass Balance Approach
Authors: Lam Wai Ying
Published: May 2021

Abstract
Chloride (CI) from runoff containing deicing salts is retained in watersheds after deicing ends, resulting in deleterious effects on aquatic biota. Stormwater management ponds (SWMPs) are known to impact pollutant transport. However, there is little information on what role SWMPs play in the timing and magnitude of CI transport in urban watersheds. This study quantifies the mass of CI retained in two urban SWMPs over varying timescales and the in-stream response to CI-laden pond outflows.
The findings suggest that SWMPs likely play a role in watershed-scale CI retention. In the receiving creek, CI pulses corresponded to CI release from the pond. The results of this study suggest that SWMPs concentrate spatially distributed salt inputs and modify the timing and magnitude of their release to receiving streams. This study will help parameterize the role of SWMPs in watershed-scale CI transport models and geospatial models of salt vulnerable areas.
Specialized Clarthrin-Enriched Signaling Nanodomains Control Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Signaling At The Plasma Membrane
Authors: Lucarelli Stefanie
Published: May 2021

The Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) Receptor (EGFR) is a key receptor tyrosine kinase that controls many facets of cell physiology, including proliferation, survival and migration. EGF binding to EGFR elicits receptor phosphorylation and membrane recruitment and phosphorylation of Gab1 followed by activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), leading to Akt phosphorylation and activation. Concomitantly upon ligand binding, EGFR is simultaneously is recruited to clathrin-coated pits (CCPs), eventually leading to receptor endocytosis. We previously uncovered that perturbation of clathrin, but not of receptor endocytosis, impairs EGF-stimulated activation of Akt signaling. Moreover, we found that some key EGFR signaling intermediates such as phosphorylated Gab1 are enriched with a subset of CCPs. We thus proposed that in addition to their well- known function as endocytic portals, some CCPs have a direct role in controlling EGFR signaling at the plasma membrane prior to receptor internalization. How CCPs and clathrin may directly control EGFR signaling at the plasma membrane prior to receptor endocytosis had remained poorly understood, which I have now examined here.

I uncovered that perturbations of TOM1L1 (a clathrin-binding regulator of Src-family kinases) and the TOM1L1-binding Src-family kinase Fyn impaired EGF-stimulated Akt phosphorylation, similarly to the effects of clathrin perturbations. A similar requirement for an additional cytosolic kinase Ack1 was also found. Using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and automated image analysis, we found that TOM1L1, Fyn, and Ack1 are enriched within a subset of CCPs, and that those that house EGFR are also those that preferentially contain Fyn or Ack1. Perturbation of TOM1L1 prevented Fyn recruitment to CCPs, and mutants of TOM1L1 defective in Fyn binding or clathrin binding abrogated Akt phosphorylation downstream of EGF stimulation. Importantly, TOM1L1- or Fyn-positive CCPs exhibit unique properties, such as distinct lifetimes, size, and recruitment of endocytic accessory proteins. Thus, these results indicate that a subset of CCPs become specialized signaling-capable structures by enrichment with key signaling regulators to control EGFR signaling, a phenomenon required for
subsequent Akt activation. Given the importance of EGFR in driving growth and survival of certain types of cancer, obtaining a better understanding of how CCPs organize key EGFR signals in space and time within the PM may lead to the development of novel anti-cancer treatments.
The impact of Super Visa on Chinese immigrant families' settlement in Canada
Authors: Li Ivy
Published: May 2021

In November 2011, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) announced a new Super Visa program as a successful alternative for family reunification. Scholars have criticized that Super Visa just adds more barriers to family reunification. Through qualitative interviews with immigrants who have sponsored their parents as well as parents who have come to Canada on Super Visa, this study aims to better understand the experiences of immigrant families, and make their voices heard. The key findings of this study indicate that Super Visa is helpful for family reunification especially for those whose regular visa applications are not successful. However, due to its limitations, Super Visa cannot replace the immigration sponsoring program for parents/grandparents. Some recommendations such as requesting fewer documents and information from parents and making the application easier for them, more flexible and affordable options for purchasing private medical insurance are made in order to improve the program to better serve immigrant families.

Keywords: Canadian immigration policy, Super Visa program, parents/grandparents immigration, family reunification, experience of parent(s) with Super Visa, qualitative semi-structured interviews
The experiences of racialized youth transitioning out of child welfare
Authors: Haniff Afedah
Published: May 2021

This Major Research Paper investigated the experiences of racialized foster youth transitioning out of the Ontario child welfare system. Utilizing theoretical frameworks of anti-Black racism, anti-colonialism and critical race feminism, this study explores how racism is imbedded in child protection work and the resilience of racialized youth in navigating the complex institutional racism and barriers. The main research question of this study are : 1) how do racialized youth describe the treatment they received in foster care as a racialized person? 2) How do racialized youth see themselves navigating society and being independent? The key findings of my study are the following: Lack of financial supports and housing, racism with child welfare, lack of supportive relationships and resilience and advocacy.
Children's Rights : an Analysis of Ontario's Kindergarten Curricula from 1998 to 2016
Authors: Prati Julia Serna
Published: May 2021

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (1989) states that all children are rights holders and these rights should be a priority for the State. Canada ratified the UNCRC in 1991; however, compared to other wealthy countries Canada is still lagging behind regarding children’s rights education (Jerome et al., 2015). This study examined how and to what extent children’s rights have been integrated in the Ontario’s kindergarten curricula from 1998 to 2016, through a discursive analytical approach. The documents (1998, 2006, 2010/2011, 2016), were analyzed using the UNCRC General Principles (Articles 2, 3, 6 and 12) (United Nations, 2005). The findings showed that the integration of children’s rights in the curricula has increased since 1998; however, children’s rights are not thoroughly incorporated in the documents.
The effect of heat-treating temperatures on induced compressive residual stress and fatigue life in 300m landing gear steel due
Authors: Awasthi Hiten
Published: May 2021

The main objective of the study is to model the behavior of residual stresses in shot peened 300M landing gear steel affected by heat treatment. It is well known that residual stresses can have a significant influence on the mechanical behavior of major components under stresses. Therefore, information regarding the stability of existing residual stress states is of significant importance. In this experiment, special attention is paid to consequences of the heat treatment processes on compressive residual stresses induced in material by shot peening. The relaxation in residual stress due to addition of thermal energy by heat treatment at different temperatures and times is investigated. An existing model was used to create a stress relaxation equation for 300Mhigh strength steels. Effect of heat treatment on residual stress distribution at sub-surface level is also be examined. The current study will focus on the initial compressive residual stress field produced by common aerospace peening conditions and by how much isothermal exposures alter this stress and factors affecting the stress relaxation as well as fatigue life of the affected components.
3-DOF Longitudinal Flight Simulation Modeling And Design Using MATLAB/SIMULINK
Authors: Ahmed Umair
Published: May 2021

Flight simulators are widely used in aerospace industry for multiple purposes. This paper highlights the importance of engineering flight simulators and presents a 3 degrees-of-freedom longitudinal flight simulation model that can be adopted to simulate aircraft behaviour for engineering analysis. A brief overview of aircraft design process is presented with reference to flight simulation procedure. A special emphasis is placed on Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Athena Vortex Lattice program that can be used to calculate aerodynamic characteristics for a given geometric configuration. The paper explains modeling of aerodynamics and thrust blocks and shows how they can be linked with equations of motion block to build a comprehensive flight simulation model. Matlab script that linearizes and trims equations of motion is also discussed and key stability results are explained in detail. Simulation test cases are also presented. Several recommendations are made at the end of the paper on the potential use of simulators and also on ways of improving the simulation model.
Preschool Children's Perceptions of Body Size Through Trait Associations and Drawings
Authors: Leddy Caitlyn
Published: May 2021

Limited studies have explored body size stigmatization in preschool children. The purpose of this study was to explore preschool children's perceptions of body size through the Adjective Attribution Task and the Drawing Task. Research was conduted with 23 preschool children from 36 months to 59 months old. Findings show that children associated more positive traits to the average size figure and more negative traits to the thin figure when presented with three figures of body sizes (thin, average, overweight). Children's responses revealed that they are aware of body sizes and in addition, they appear to stigmatize different body types. Future research in this area wil be important in order to help encourage the development of programs that can promote positive body image in young children. Furthermore, this study may encourage educators and practitioners working in community programs with children to use educational materials that reflect accurate depictions of body size.
Feminist Folklore In Ami McKay’s The Birth House
Authors: Munday Allison
Published: May 2021

INTRODUCTION
Ami McKay’s novel The Birth House presents both maritime lore and superstition, in relation to the female, through McKay’s explorations of motherhood, childbirth, and midwifery practices. The Birth House opens sometime in the midst of World War I, and chronicles the life of central character Dora Rare, as she embraces the practice of midwifery, and in doing so embraces the folkloric traditions passed down to her from matriarch midwife Miss. B. Through the acceptance of the unruly woman, and the maintaining of matriarchal spaces in The Birth House, McKay advocates for a matriarchal society which values the physical and emotional experiences of women over the rational order of the patriarchy. In studying the figure of the midwife, it is essential to first understand the complicated history of the figure, who has long been associated with witchcraft and secrecy. In reflecting on the treatment of midwives throughout history, and how the field came to be dominated by men, I argue that McKay’s narrative becomes even more pressing. For centuries the female body has been viewed as disordered, associated with the abject and the grotesque, while the male form has been associated with purity and reason. The grotesque is an element that McKay embraces in the novel, as she does not shy away from descriptions that include blood, sweat, death, and decay. In this way, McKay is attempting to reclaim the female body, fluids and all, in advocating for her matriarchal community.
The effects of surfactant solubility and concentration-dependant fluid density on the stability of inclined thin film flows
Authors: Lunda Flavio Firmino
Published: May 2021

An analytical investigation of the stability of a surfactant-laden liquid film with a free surface, owing under the influence of gravity on an inclined plane, is conducted. This investigation focusses on the onset of instability of a steady equilibrium flow when the surfactant concentration along the surface affects surface tension, while at the same time, the concentration of surfactant in the bulk of the layer affects the mass density of the liquid. A linear stability analysis is carried out and an asymptotic solution is obtained for the growth rate of long perturbations. The results obtained reflect how the various control parameters influence the onset of instability.
Application Of FBG Sensors For Fatigue Monitoring Of Advanced Polymer Matrix Composites
Authors: Selezneva Marina
Published: May 2021

The utilization of polymer matrix composites (PMCs) in the aerospace industry has increased over the last decade due to their high specific strength. The next generation of PMCs has the potential of being used for applications of elevated temperature (ET). Work conducted in this thesis is aimed at developing test methodology for the characterization of fatigue behavior of PMCs at ET. Conventional strain measurement techniques (e.g. strain gages and extensometers) have limited applicability during cyclic loading. An alternative strain sensing technology is the Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensor. In this thesis surface mounted and embedded FBG sensors are used to monitor stiffness degradation and damage development in woven PMCs during fatigue loading at temperatures up to 200°C. Results demonstrate the applicability of FBGs for fatigue monitoring of PMCs in this temperature range. Also, the effect of temperature on the off-axis properties of PMCs is captured and discussed.
Canadian water in a thirsty world : pressures and challenges
Authors: Price Megan
Published: May 2021

Water is, and has been the driver of civilizations. In Canada there exists a "myth of superabundance" within both the government and public psyche which has driven profligate and unsustainable water use. Jurisdictional fragmentation, pollution and the potential for bulk water transfers threaten Canadian water. With a lack of a cohesive federal policy for water, Canadian water is at risk. At its root this, like all resource management, is a cultural problem. Any solutions to this seemingly intractably complex problem are ultimately social in origin and rest on a paradigm shift in resources management in the country. Hisotrical examples are employed to contextualize the situation. The move to the "soft-path" management of water with concomitant reduction of reliance on infrastructure to reduce pressures is addressed. Thes domestic issues are made more pressing my [sic] global water scarcity.
Plastic makes perfect : The Stepford Wives and the changing politics of the female body
Authors: Schweishelm Kathryn
Published: May 2021

This thesis investigates changes in the popular understanding of feminism within mass-mediated public discourse between the 1960s and 1970s and today, specifically in relation to feminine modes of embodiment. Through an analysis of a representative popular media text of the second wave -- the 1975 film The Stepford Wives -- this project establishes how the female body was conceptualized philosophically and ideologically by the radical feminists of this era. This is then compared to an analysis of the film's recent remake and several other contemporary media texts in order to illustrate how today's popular discourse of "postfeminism" presents a contradictory conception of feminism and its relationship to the body. Finally, this thesis suggests that postfeminist discourse is problematic for its erasure of structural gender inequality and argues that the preservation of a consciousness of sociohistorical context is vital to the perpetuation of a well-grounded feminist cultural critique.
Methods of inscription: Illustrating Tattoo Method, Image and Meaning
Authors: Sherman Ketzia
Published: May 2021

Methods of Inscription utilizes an arts-based research approach to explore the intersection of method, image and meaning in the tattooing process. The goal of this project is to perceive tattoos from a new perspective, to visualize a complicated relationship between the physical act of being tattooed, the emotional response related, and the interplay with art and imagery.
The first set of illustrated rounds, entitled Motivation, visualize the many different experiences of tattooed individuals. Images are repeated on different mediums, emphasizing the diversity of experience. The contrast of branded leathers, painted canvas and embroidered fabric emphasize the differing methods of tattoo application and motivation, while inviting semiotic analysis of imagery versus material. Two large scale illustrations culminate the experience,
depicting the artist’s personal experience being tattooed. The images represent tattoos as the internalization of external factors. The act of permanently embodying an external feeling, image, or emotion.
Avatarme: digital avatars in a theme park queue creating a better experience and an emotional connection
Authors: So Winona
Published: May 2021

Research has shown that through customization, a user can create a longer and more meaningful connection with their avatar. This research harnesses this emotional bond in order to create a more engaging experience in the queue at theme parks. Two methods were used to collect information. The first was an online survey about queuing, Bitmoji, and theme park behavior. The second was an on-site observational study to gain a more detailed look into guest behavior in a theme park queue. This research concludes with mockups and documentation for implementing a park-wide avatar system for alleviating queue boredom for the end user. Queues are not only for holding guests in a fair line, but for on-boarding, for the immersive story and background, and for entertainment. By personalizing and customizing the experience for the guest, a more enriching and emotional connection can be made to the attraction, and the park itself.