bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of of automated pressurized liquid extraction method followed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for monitoring air-born dioxins
Authors: Moradi Maryam
Published: May 2021

An automated procedure of sample preparation using pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) was developed for subsequent analysis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for dioxins detection in ambient air samples collected from Burlington Ontario. Ambient air samples were collected from particle-phase using glass fibre filters (GFF) and from gas-phase using polyurethane foam from November 2014 to February 2015. The PLE extracts were cleaned up with acid silica followed by carbon mini-column. The average concentration of dioxins in particle phase was found to be 9.96±4.5 fgTEQ/m3 (n=10). This empirical finding is in agreement with high resolution gas chromatography –high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-MS) mean result of 10.04±2.9 fgTEQ/m3 (n=5). However, due to the limited sample size correlation between the two methods cannot be statistically established. The higher concentration of dioxins in Burlington, a city with heavy industry, was expected comparing the finding from previous study for downtown metropolitan Toronto (7.6 ± 2.0 fg BEQ/m3). Development of this method relied on calibration test, recovery test and Certified Reference Material (CRM) evaluation. Calibration test was successful in terms of developing standard curve with results within one standard deviation of the mean concentration of calibration standards. ELISA result on CRM was acceptable. Recovery test on extended toluene evaporation to half an hour or higher increased the recovery from 45% to an average of 82.4% for high concentrations and 89% for medium concentration of dioxins spike. The results of this study illustrate that PLE / ELISA can substitute for GC-HRMS as a cost effective screening tool to determine the dioxins concentration in ambient air.
The ultimate sacrifice : the consequences of migratory separation on the Caribbean family
Authors: Stanberry Sophia Meloney
Published: May 2021

One may wonder why a parent, especially a mother, would migrate without her children. For the majority of Caribbean women, their decision to emigrate without their children is mainly driven by necessity. The typical Caribbean mother operates on the premise that a mother will do anything for the betterment of her children. In this paper, I will provide a critical review of the available literature on transnational migration to North America, both Canada and the United States, as it relates to migratory separation, with an emphasis on the psychological consequences that this form of migration has on members of the family in the home and receiving country.
Examining components of decision making in obsessive-compulsive disorder
Authors: Lane Jeanine Elizabeth Marcie
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this study was to examine decision making in individuals with OCD as compared to healthy controls. To the author's knowledge, this was the first study to evaluate decision making in OCD using multiple neuropsychological measures to assess proposed components of the construct, including ambiguity, impulsivity, risk perception, and organizational strategies. It was also believed to be the first study to compare subjective and objective decision making in OCD. Subjective decision making showed poor convergent validity with the three objective measures, as only self-reported indecision was significantly different between groups. Performance on a memory task, as a proxy for organizational strategies, indicated differences between groups on strategic learning and the effect of interference. Although the presence of decision making deficits remains inconclusive, this study provided support for the conclusion that individuals with OCD have perceived difficulty with decision making, but not necessarily objective deficits. Treatment implications are discussed.
Associations between posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use: a longitudinal investigation of individuals recently exposed to trauma
Authors: Wanklyn Sonya G.
Published: May 2021

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorder (SUD) commonly cooccur following trauma, and their co-occurrence is associated with substantial costs; however, our understanding of the timing and sequencing of these posttrauma mental health conditions is limited. This study examined the trajectories of PTSD symptom severity and substance use among individuals recently exposed to a traumatic event, with a focus on the potential moderating roles of PTSD and SUD diagnoses at the final assessment. Additionally, in attempt to better understand the functional relationship between PTSD symptoms and substance use posttrauma, this study compared models reflecting the theories of self-medication, susceptibility, and mutual maintenance. Participants included 137 individuals who had experienced a traumatic event within 6 months prior to study enrollment. Participants completed four assessments over an approximate 1-year period that included clinician-administered measures for DSM-5 PTSD symptoms and SUD diagnosis and self-report measures of alcohol and drug use. Change over time in PTSD symptoms and substance use by diagnostic status were investigated using growth curve models. Temporal sequencing between PTSD symptom severity and substance use was investigated with bivariate latent difference score structural equation modeling. In line with the conceptualization of PTSD as a disorder of impeded recovery, having a diagnosis of PTSD at the final assessment moderated the trajectory of PTSD symptom severity such that symptom severity declined only among those without PTSD. In contrast, the influence of SUD appeared to be negligible. Both PTSD and SUD diagnoses were associated with initial drug use frequency. However, the relationship between alcohol use and diagnostic status did not reach statistical significance. Regarding temporal relationships between PTSD symptoms and substance use, significant and negative PTSD to change in substance use cross-lagged paths were found across most of the models, while only one significant substance use to change in PTSD severity crosslagged path emerged in the PTSD intrusion with alcohol use model. These results add to a growing body of research suggesting trauma-focused intervention is viable for individuals with PTSD/SUD. Further, examination of potential mediators and moderators of the relation between PTSD and SUD is recommended as a critical focus for future research.
Analysis of Strategies for Mitigation and Adaptation to the Impacts of Climate Change in the Agricultural Sector in Northern Philippines
Authors: Tan Grace
Published: May 2021

There is widespread evidence that countries in the tropical regions especially the less developed countries will be most affected by the impacts of climate change and global warming. Unfortunately, these countries are highly dependent on agriculture, which is very sensitive to climate change, thereby threatening food security and economic development in the region. Interestingly, agriculture is one of the main contributors to the atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, it is important that actions taken to adapt to climate change do not undermine the effectiveness of mitigation strategies that impact the agricultural sector.

The present study investigates the effects of mitigation and adaptation strategies on the impacts of climate change in the agricultural sector in Northern Philippines and identifies where synergies or conflicts between the two approaches may arise. Further analysis of the selected strategies suggests that one or more adaptation strategies may be ideal to achieve the maximum benefits.
GPU implementation of restricted Boltzmann machines with application to view classification in sports videos
Authors: Bernitzke Andreas Fred
Published: May 2021

The objective of this project is to develop a software tool which assists in comparison of a work known as "M-GenESys: Multi Structure Genetic Algorithm based Design Space Exploration System for Integrated Scheduling, Allocation and Binding in High Level Synthesis" with another well established GA approach known as "A Genetic Algorithm for the Design Space Exploration of Data paths During High-Level Synthesis".

Two sets of Software are developed based on both approaches using Microsoft visual 2005,C# language. The C# language is an object-oriented language that is aimed at enabling programmers to quickly develop a wide range of applications on the Microsoft .NET platform. The goal of C# and the .NET platform is to shorten development time by freeing the developer from worrying about several low level plumbing issues such as memory management, type safety issues, building low level libraries, array bounds checking, etc. thus allowing developers to actually spend their time and energy working on the application and business logic.
Exploring pedagogical practices for engaging boys in ballet
Authors: Feltham Laura
Published: May 2021

This research explores the pedagogical practices employed by ballet instructors for engaging boys in ballet. It also examines inclusion practices for gender non-conforming children in ballet, using principles of inclusion to make recommendations for instructors to employ with all children. Four current ballet instructors shared their experiences in semi-structured interviews. An overarching finding involved the role of parents in engaging boys in ballet and in creating more inclusive practices. Findings indicate that parent education is needed for more boys to be presented with ballet as an option. With regard to teaching practices involving gender non-conforming children, participants noted the need for parents to support an inclusive environment, and be open to their child’s gender expression in order for inclusive practices to be implemented. This paper presents recommendations for ballet instructors to create more welcoming environments for all students and suggestions for implementing gender-inclusive practices.
Development of a kinematic hardening rule to assess ratcheting response of materials under various multiaxial loading spectra
Authors: Hamidinejad SeyedMahdi
Published: May 2021

The present thesis develops an Armstrong-Frederick (A-F) type coupled kinematic hardening rule to assess ratcheting response of steel alloys under various multiaxial loading paths. The hardening rule is constructed on the basis of the recently proposed Ahmadzadeh-Varvani (AV) hardening rule to further evaluate the ratcheting response of materials under multiaxial loading spectra. The modified model offers a simple framework with limited number of terms and coefficients in the dynamic recovery portion of the model. The dynamic recovery further holds inner product of plastic strain increment p dand backstress unit vector a a with different directions under multiaxial stress cycles enables the model to track different directions. Term 1/ 2 n. a a taking positive values less than unity for multiaxial loading conditions is to control the accumulation rate of ratcheting strain and to prevent the modified model to experience plastic shakedown over stress cycles in stage II. Term(2 n. a a ) taking the values between 1 and 3 under multiaxial loading, magnifies the effect of coefficient γ2 to take into account the nonproportionality effect of various loading paths and further to shift down the predicted ratcheting strain over the stress cycles.

The predicted ratcheting curves by the modified rule were compared with those predicted based on earlier developed hardening rules of Ohno-Wang (O-W), Jiang-Sehitoglu (J-S), McDowell, and Chen-Jiao-Kim (C-J-K) holding relatively complex framework and more number of coefficients. The O-W, the J-S, McDowell and C-J-K models mainly deviated from the experimental ratcheting strain of steel alloys for various multiaxial loading histories, while the
predicted curves of the modified model closely agreed with experimental data of steel samples over ratcheting stages. The predicted ratcheting curves based on the modified model closely agreed with experimental data of steel samples under various multiaxial step-loading histories. The modified model was also found capable of predicting ratcheting in the opposite direction as the tensile axial mean stress dropped in magnitude. The O-W, J-S, McDowell and C-J-K models holding more backstress components and coefficients require longer Central Processing Unit (CPU) time. While time required for ratcheting assessment using the modified hardening rule was found to be twice shorter due to its simpler framework and limited number of coefficients.
Black Lives Matter Toronto: A Qualitative Study of Twitter’s Localized Social Discourse on Systemic Racism
Authors: Bryan Tamarah
Published: May 2021

This Major Research Paper examines the Twitter discourse of Black Lives Matter Toronto (BLMTO), a chapter of the Black Lives Matter Movement which addresses issues of racism and police brutality. BLMTO protested in front of police headquarters between April 1st and April 15th, 2016 and used Twitter to document their protest during this time. This paper provides a content and sentiment analysis of 346 tweets collected during this time frame. The analysis of the Twitter content is based on concepts drawn from the scholarly literature on the public sphere, identity and social identity, and framing theory. My findings indicate the following: 

Black Lives Matter Toronto uses media framing techniques, as well as logical and moral appeals, to build credibility as a strong subaltern counterpublic, an information resource for community building and an influencer online, through sharing relevant statistics, news stories and persuasive rhetoric.

BLMTO incorporates calls to action to create publicity and facilitate community mobilization.

Key themes in the tweets include the exercise of power in society, the need to build community and create a common sense of right and wrong, and maintaining solidarity
An Evaluation of the Impact of MR Image Slice Thickness on the Accuracy of High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy for Gynaecological Cancers
Authors: Dubnitzky Lior
Published: May 2021

High-dose-rate (HDR) Magnetic Resonance (MR) guided brachytherapy (BT) is rapidly becoming the standard for treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer, globally. MR is an integral aspect of this treatment, enabling the level of soft tissue visualization required for precise delineation of organ and target contours with respect to the BT applicator or needles during treatment planning. The optimal slice thickness for MR datasets, and the role of super-resolved datasets are questions
yet to be investigated. A digital phantom-based study assessed the impact of slice thickness on volumetric and geometric uncertainties in traditional MR datasets and estimated the resultant dosimetric uncertainty. Datasets with traditional slice thicknesses produced uncertainties up to 27% of the imaged structure volume, and contour uncertainty up to one third of the slice thickness This resulted in the exceeding of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine’s (AAPM) recommended dosimetric uncertainty in HDR BT. Trilinearly interpolated datasets reduced these uncertainties substantially, allowing imaging with 2.7 mm coarser slices while conferring an imaging time reduction of 6 minutes. The results of this thesis demonstrate that the recommended range of slice thicknesses introduces uncertainties on a level known to impact dosimetry more than 9%. Trilinearly interpolated datasets may thus confer benefit in this clinical setting.
An experimental study of soil thermal conductivity using a guarded hot plate apparatus
Authors: Nikolaev Ivan
Published: May 2021

A guarded hot plate apparatus was used to generate comprehensive sets of thermal conductivity for two types of soils, namely Ottawa sand and Richmon Hill clay-loam, for temperature variation from 2 to 92°C and moisture content variation from complete dryness to full saturation with measurement errors of less than 3%. Numerical simulation of heat transfer within the apparatus with sample inside was performed to validate the experimental design and setup. To prepare the samples, a consistent specimen preparation technique was developed for the cases of dry, barely-to-moderately moist, and highly-to-fully saturated moist soils.

On the basis of gathered datasets, empirical correlations for soil thermal conductivity were developed as a function of both temperature and moisture content. The proposed correlations produced excellent fit to majority of the experimental data, and could be easily integrated into numerical analysis of underground heat transfer. As an application example, one of the correlations was employed to evaluate soil thermal conductivity in a numerical study of underground heat loss from a basement wall and floor, in order to illustrate the importance of considering the dependence of soil thermal conductivity on soil texture, temperature and degree of saturation.
Computational fluid dynamic simulation of airfoils in unsteady low Reynolds number flows
Authors: Amiralaei Mohammadreza
Published: May 2021

Computational fluid dynamic simulation of airfoils in unsteady low Reynolds number flows
Description of war photographs : designing a list of subject headingsDescription of war photographs : designing a list of subject headings
Authors: Boulay Marc D.
Published: May 2021

This project is focused on the research and practical design of a list of subject headings which describes topical subjects visually represented in war photographs. To increase access to this type of cultural heritage, this list is a user-friendly tool for the efficient description of war photographs which does not require specialized knowledge in the subject of war for its implementation. Three main strategies are employed to this end: The implementarion of a strictly controlled vocabulary; the use of a streamlined multi-tiered hierarchical arrangement; and the placement of specific subject headings within the hierarchical structure of terminology that function as key access points to war photography collections. The basis of development of this project is the approach to the description of war photographs of three institutions. These are: George Eastman House Museum of Photography and Film, the Canadian War Museum's Military History Research Centre, and Ryerson University's Black Star Historical Black & White Photography Collection.
Unsupervised learning for biomedical applications
Authors: Shams Nasim
Published: May 2021

With the growth of application of computers in the generation and analysis of biomedical data, a variety of computerized methods and algorithms have been proposed to optimize the process of acquisition and analysis of the data. Although advanced computerized techniques have provided the means for more precise diagnosis, the interpretation of the recorded data in some cases is an issue due to the large amount of the data or complexity of it. While most of the existing work in the literature consider supervised techniques for analysis of the collected data, the use of unsupervised techniques in the area of analysis and classification of biomedical signals is relatively unexplored compared to supervised approaches. In general, the investigation of application of unsupervised techniques for analysis of biomedical signals can be worthwhile from different view points. In some cases, biomedical databases tend to contain a large amount of data. Genomic databases or pathological speech databases are examples of this kind. The development of any supervised method for analysis of such databases requires precise manual labeling of the data, which can be extremely costly. However, the use of an unsupervised classifier can be beneficial to accelerate the process and to acquire information about the structure of the dataset. In addition, the characteristics of the collected biomedical data can be affected by the recording process. In this work application of unsupervised learning in two biomedical signal processing problems is investigated. In the first problem, fuzzy C-means clustering has been used in design of a computer aided diagnosis method for detection of abnormalities in small bowel capsule endoscope images. The performance of the system shows an accuracy of 76which is an acceptable rate for an unsupervised method. In the second case, self organizing tree maps (SOTM) has been applied to audio signal classification for hearing aids. An accuracy of 96% was achieved for discrimination of human voice from the environmental noise, which is one the major classification scenarios for hearing aid applications.
Frequency calibration of the system clock of passive wireless microsystems
Authors: Jarrett-Amor Durand
Published: May 2021

This thesis presents a theoretical and simulated study of frequency calibration of the
system clock of passive wireless microsystems.

The proposed frequency calibration technique achieves ultra-low power, high fre-
quency accuracy, and fast calibration of the frequency of a local oscillator in a passive
wireless microsystem using a frequency-locked loop (FLL). A new integrating frequency dif-
ference detector (iFDD) that senses the frequency difference between the local oscillator and
a reference clock is also proposed. The iFDD is implemented using a switched-capacitor
network with two integrating paths. The FLL is composed of a logic-control block for gen-
eration of clock signals, the iFDD, and a relaxation voltage-controlled oscillator. A detailed
analysis of the characteristics of the iFDD in the time and frequency domains is presented.
The loop dynamics of the FLL is also investigated. The proposed FLL is implemented in
IBM 0.13-µm, 1.2 V CMOS technology and is validated through simulations using Spectre
APS.
Pro-Cure or Faux-Cure? A Comparative Analysis of Aboriginal Procurement Initiatives
Authors: Hocking Amanda
Published: May 2021

In this paper, I seek to answer whether Aboriginal procurement initiatives are valuable to governments and Indigenous businesses. I posit that Aboriginal procurement initiatives are partially effective because they provide opportunities to some Aboriginal businesses, however they are imperfect because not all Aboriginal businesses are able to benefit from them. I present a brief literature review, a jurisdictional scan of these initiatives in Canada and Australia, and a comparative analysis. I find that these initiatives are not meeting the needs of businessowners, especially in building capacity. Aboriginal procurement initiatives are adequately providing employment and capacity-building opportunities for established Aboriginal businesses through experience and networking but are not supporting growth or development of new Aboriginal businesses that lack capacity. Future initiatives should consider working to better address the needs of Aboriginal businesspeople and their communities and addressing the underlying socioeconomic problems that create the economic disparity that necessitates these initiatives.
Water logged Mona Lisa: who is Mary Sue, and why do we need her?
Authors: Frey J. M.
Published: May 2021

Theorists suggest that participatory readers create mainstream-based texts - fan crafts - in order to address the ways they are 'hailed' by the themes and subject positions offered by a text by becoming textual re-writers (Jenkins, 1992,2003 ; Busse & Hellekson, 2007; Chander & Sunder, 2007; Willis, 2007). Re-writers force their personal position or opinions into the centre by creating fanworks based in and on established media texts.

The 'Mary Sue' is a self-gratifying fan-crafting trope centered on an idealistic authorrepresentative character, a wish-fulfillment device for the re-writer that bridges the re-writer's reality and that of her favoured fiction.

This paper is a comprehensive summarizing of the 'Mary Sue' and its precedents. It asks how they can be deployed as Meta Sues to actively investigate the self or marginalized subjects in media texts. It is accompanied
The referral of Pakistani immigrant children for special education in Toronto : perceptions and attitudes of parents
Authors: Amjad Afshan
Published: May 2021

This study examines the perceptions of Pakistani immigrant parents regarding the referral of their children to special education programs in Toronto. The study is qualitative and is based on the grounded theory method. Interviews were conducted by the author with five parent participants and were transcribed and coded. This research provided insight into the perceptions of Pakistani immigrant parents whose children (8-12 years) are in special needs classes. Also included in the data is an interview the author conducted with a Pakistani parent who is also working as a special needs assistant in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). The findings of the study indicate that there are five main reasons behind the referral of Pakistani immigrant children for special education: 1) parent attitudes; 2) cultural and linguistic differences; 3) teacher attitudes; 4) peer attitudes; and 5) immigration. The results indicate that there is an over-referral of Pakistani immigrant children [in Toronto schools] according to Pakistani parents' perceptions. Recommendations are made for implementing change within the special education system in the TDSB and areas for future research are identified.
Kapturing Kakuma : the commodification of refugees and participatory communication alternatives
Authors: Strecker Jacqueline
Published: May 2021

Over the past 50 years, the image of statelessness has shifted from heroic European refugees to depictions of nameless, impoverished refugees from the 'Third World'. Although this shift apparently stems from noble intentions, the image of the 'vulnerable refugee' has stripped refugees of agency and expressive rights. The photographs published by The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has employed this vulnerability frame in order to lobby for western aid by presenting an easily digestible discourse, congruent with Western ideology. The UNHCR has thus commodified refugees in order to ensure funding from western donors. This paper challenges this commodification by presenting a comparative analysis of the UNHCR's historical photographs, and images produced through a participatory photography project conducted in the Kenyan Kakuma Refugee Camp. This project shifts the conventional illustrative refugee discourse by identifying and rejecting the political and economic frameworks that have institutionalized the voiceless and commodified refugee.
Using tomography and computational fluid dynamics to study the performance of a maxblend impeller for solid-liquid mixing operations
Authors: Mishra Prakash
Published: May 2021

A thorough literature review suggests that no comprehensive research work has been done regarding the characterization of the local solid concentrations in a slurry reactor equipped with a Maxblend impeller. The aim of this research work was to assess the mixing performance of a Maxblend impeller in a slurry reactor through electrical resistance tomography (ERT) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The mixing efficiency of the Maxblend impeller for solid-liquid mixing operation was compared to those measured for the A200 (an axial-flow impeller) and the Rushton turbine (a radial-flow impeller). The tomography images were employed to assess the particles distribution inside the slurry reactor. The CFD model was created using the Eulerian and Eulerian (E-E) method, standard k-ε turbulence model, and sliding mesh (SM) technique for simulating the two-phase fluid flow, turbulence effects, and stirrer rotation, respectively. The validated CFD model was utilized to obtain the particle concentration profiles and to determine the local particle distributions attained by the Maxblend impeller. The data were utilized to analyze the impacts of various important parameters such as the agitation speed, particle concentration, particle diameter, specific gravity of the particle, and the use of baffles on the mixing efficiency of the Maxblend impeller in terms of the extent of homogeneity and mixing index. The particle distribution in the slurry reactor furnished with a Maxblend impeller was also assessed through clouding height and just suspended agitation speed approaches in this study. The results from this study showed that the assessment of the optimum impeller speed is extremely important to enhance the local mixing quality in the mixing vessel. Experimental tests demonstrated that maximum homogeneity attained by the Maxblend impeller was higher than those for the A200 and Rushton impellers.
The Weight of Air: A Picture Parade of Peter Dickinson’s Buildings
Authors: Hewak Leala
Published: May 2021

The author discusses her photographic exploration of the works of Peter Dickinson, a British born Canadian Modernist architect, who designed 75 built works, mostly in Toronto, before his death in 1961 at age 35. The author details her personal relationship with Modernism, her affinity for Dickinson’s style and the decisions made in photographing, editing, exhibiting and publishing the images in this body of work.
An Efficient Qos-Based Ranking Model for Web Service Selection with Consideration \of User's Requirement
Authors: Mohebi Anita
Published: May 2021

The power of Web services to address the incompatibility issue of standalone systems, has led them to play a major role in business application development. Adopting an efficient and effective method to locate and select desired services among thousands of available candidates is an important task in the service-oriented computing. As part of a Web service discovery system, the ranking process enables users to locate their desired services more effectively. Many of the existing approaches ignore the role of user's requirements which is an important factor in the ranking process. In this thesis we enhance a vector-based ranking method by considering user's requirements. The vector-based model is chosen because of its simplicity and high efficiency. We evaluate all Web services in terms of their similarity degrees to the optimal or the best available values of each quality attribute, and penalize the services that fail to meet the user's requirements. Through our extensive experiments using real datasets, we compare the improved algorithm with other approaches to evaluate it in terms of efficiency (the execution time to return the result) and quality of the results (accuracy).

Cherie Ding
Quantification of trace metals in deciduous tooth enamel using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry
Authors: Kirkham Brian
Published: May 2021

A non-destructive, multi-elemental analytical method using energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry was developed for the quantification of enamel-manganese (MnE) for comparison to dietary and tap water intakes of Mn, as well as children’s height, Weschler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence Quotient (IQ) test scores and Santa Ana (SA) dexterity test scores. Using the novel analytical method, enamel-iron (FeE), copper (CuE), zinc (ZnE) and lead (PbE) were also quantified and correlated to one another and to children’s height, IQ test scores and SA dexterity test scores. Significant positive correlations were observed between all essential trace elements in surface enamel (Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn). MnE was found to have a weak correlation with estimated dietary intake of Mn (p < 0.01). No significant correlations were found between oral ingestion of Fe and FeE. Metal concentrations were observed to be highest in incisor enamel for all elements except zinc.
Extrusioncutter : a novel system for generating interactive context-preserving cutaways of anatomical surface meshes
Authors: Crawford Patrick
Published: May 2021

This thesis presents ExtrusionCutter - a novel 3D visualization tool that enables users to create complex, context-preserving cutaways of anatomical surface meshes. To accomplish this, a "paint-roller" interaction metaphor has been developed that allows users to extrude an editable cutting mesh along the natural geometry of an occluding surface. This virtual analogy of a familiar real-world action not only facilitates the removal of occluding surfaces, but also creates a user-defined region parameterization which makes it possible to also generate an effective contextual outline view of the removed material. This thesis will demonstrate how the paint roller interaction metaphor has been implemented to facilitate the creation of multiple editable cutaway types on 3D anatomical surface meshes. Additionally, it will show that the resulting cutaway views are capable of exposing occluded parts while still maintaining their context in the visualization.
Managing threats to small drinking water systems in Ontario : a risk based approach
Authors: Johnson Wendy
Published: May 2021

Ultimately the goal of Justice O'Connor's recommendations from the Walkerton inquiry was "to ensure that Ontario's drinking water system deliver water with a level of risk so negligible that a reasonable person would feel safe drinking the water" (O'Connor, 2002a, 5). Following the implementation of Justice O'Connor's recommendations, concerns were raised regarding the management of small drinking water systems using the same stringent rules that were used for municipally-run water systems. Recommendations have focused on the need for risk assessment when managing the threats to small drinking water systems; however no such system has yet been developed in Ontario. A risk-based approach has been developed that would ensure drinking water protection activities are targeted to items that posed the greatest risk to water systems, resulting in more efficient protection efforts. The creation of such a risk-based program can be used to accurately identify significant threats to a water system and result in the effective management of health threats from small drinking water systems.
Fundamentals of mega hertz femtosecond laser ablation and its application in interconnection via drilling
Authors: Panchatsharam Senthilnathan
Published: May 2021

With the ever increasing demands on electronics and its portability, speed and function, the need for lighter and faster processing chips is always there. 3D stacking of chips is enabled through Inter-chip connections or Interconnect vias, which is  used to create the electrical connections that facilitate the stacking. Interconnect vias provide the connectivity between the layers of the physical design, resulting in short connection lengths, which improve performance and decrease power consumption significantly. This thesis proposes a  high repetition rate, high power femtosecond laser drilling technique for surpassing the quality and throughput demand posed by the current market. A systematic study of the influence of the laser control parameters such as the repetition rate, pulse energy, intensity, wavelength, pulse duration, ablation threshold, quality and throughput rates is  analyzed in detail. Decreasing via diameter and increasing via depth at high repetition rate are noted. A smallest via of 8.39 µm and a deepest via of 121 µm were obtained at 13 MHz and 4.33 MHz respectively. Minimal debris accumulation and exceptional surface qualities were noted at high repetition rates. Theoretical and experimental studies of shockwave effects during laser ablation on via surfaces were analyzed. Systematic process of learning the propagation of shockwaves and generating raised rims in ablated crater is  analyzed. Analyzing surface temperature of the target revealed presence of small molten liquid layer at 13 MHz. Newly termed observations, primary and secondary rims, were observed and analyzed under the influence of various laser parameters. Rim line width spacings were seen increasing at higher pulse ;vidth and higher power density. Gas assisted ablation showed decreasing line width spacing due to forced convection. Hence, with the successful results from the studies, the laser system shows the capability of meeting and surpassing the current market demands and considered for commercial applications. 
Bicycle Air Monitoring Map Engine
Authors: Worthington Kevin
Published: May 2021

Advancements in technology has brought increasingly affordable and more portable air quality sensors to market. These sensors are giving rise to citizen science opportunities where members of the public are able to collect air quality measurements of their surroundings. Managing and sharing this volunteered geographic information (VGI) with the public is made possible through web-based geographic information systems. This project demonstrates how such a system can be developed to manage fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅) data collected by bicyclists in Hamilton and Toronto Ontario. Key features built into the application include an administration console, data visualization engine, direction service and adjustments toolkit. The crowdsourced results are paired with the closest fixed air quality monitor and meteorological data, allowing nearby conditions during sample collection to be accounted for. This project complements regional fixed air quality monitors but attempting to fill the gap between them to create awareness of local PM₂.₅ issues.
An experimental study on the effects of compression on the acoustic performance of porous fibrous materials
Authors: Suen Ching Chi
Published: May 2021

The current investigation experimentally studied the effects of compression on the acoustic performance of porous fibrous material. Two inch and four inch thick samples of fiberglass and three varying densities of mineral wool were tested using two different impedance tube sizes at compression rates of 1, 1.3 and 2. The absorption coefficient was
measured using Chung and Blaser’s method. The flow resistivity was measured using Tao et al.’s method. Overall, the 4” samples resulted in steadier results than the 2” samples. Compression generally led to a decrease in absorption coefficient and an increase in flow resistivity. These effects were most evident in the lower frequency range.
Although there were some experimental errors in sample preparation, sample variation, compression technique, testing order and other initial errors, the current study demonstrated that the effects of compression on insulation should be not be overlooked.
The security-rights dilemma and communications surveillance in Canada
Authors: Moses Karen
Published: May 2021

"This paper explores the issues of balancing freedom and privacy rights with security. It also acts as a primer for debate about related government responsibilities and explains why the security rights dilemma-or how the threat of terrorism-may suspend the rights of Canadian citizens. Specific attention is paid to communication-related rights such as privacy and how the threat of terrorism allows due process and other checks and balances systems to be bypassed through various intelligence practices. This paper will identifY why risk appears to trump rights in the current security environment and explain why security cannot be privileged over rights as rights are an integral part of public security. The state appears to view security as purely, or at least primarily, physical, however, if the state concentrates counterterrorist efforts on physical security, then this ignores the social aspects of security and therefore does not provide an adequate level of protection for its citizens but only advances the interests of the state. There are several ways in which the need for state security and desire to preserve democratic freedoms and values can be balanced without sacrificing one over the other, but this must begin with dialogue between the state and its citizens."--Pages 1-2.
Conceptualizing integrated service delivery for pregnant and parenting women with substance use issues: defining key factors and processes
Authors: Meixner Tamara Lynn
Published: May 2021

Integrated substance use treatment programs for pregnant and parenting women provide comprehensive services designed to meet the complex needs of women and their children. Meta-analytic data associate participation in these programs with positive outcomes relating to maternal substance use and mental health, and child development. Given that programs are typically developed to meet locally determined needs and depend on available resources, considerable heterogeneity in treatment models and services exists. Further, little is known about process-related factors that support the integration of substance use and prenatal/parenting/child services within and between agencies. This study employed concept mapping methodology with a group of expert participants to examine their perceptions of factors and processes that support effective integrated service provision for this population. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to derive and define requisite factors and to examine their relative importance. Findings are discussed in relation to a preliminary conceptual framework for integrated service provision.
The effects of ISO 14001 on corporate financial and environmental performance
Authors: Mandula Melissa Lynn
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of ISO 14001 registration on corporate financial and environmental performance. The stock market's reaction to the ISO 14001 registration of a sample of Canadian firms is investigated. An analysis of the overall sample of companies revealed that there were no abnormal stock market returns experienced during a three day event window. However, abnormal returns were experienced when the companies were analyzed individually. The environmental performance component of this study investigated whether ISO 14001 registered facilities experience greater emission reductions than non-registered facilties within the Transportation Equipment Industries sector in Canada. The results of the analysis indicated that there was no difference between facilities that adopted ISO 14001 at differenct time periods and that the facilities that adopted ISO 14001 experienced an increase in aggregated weighed emissions.
The Sexual Politics of Blood: Theorizing an Ecology of Gendered Animality and Posthuman Possibilities Through Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Authors: Havelock Kailey
Published: May 2021

First airing at the turn of the millennium, Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) held primetime slots on the WB Television Network for the first five seasons and the United Paramount Network for the final two. The show has since sustained a significant following among fans and scholarly audiences through its recent migration to online streaming services like Netflix. The considerable media attention garnered by the 20th anniversary of the series premiere demonstrates this continued cultural relevance.¹ Yet the eponymous heroine is—to borrow Buffy’s own words—“carbon dated” (“Welcome to the Hellmouth”). She remains an icon of Girl Power, embodying the distinctive aesthetics and politics of 1990s mainstream feminism—an evident counterweight to the patriarchal hegemony of preceding young-adult supernatural dramas.
The Search For Additional Value From Food Waste Using Anaerobic Digestion and Pyrolysis
Authors: Bairos Vanessa
Published: May 2021

Rethinking food waste could be an effective means to bridge the gap between local liabilities and finding value from this lost resource. While traditionally biomass has been used as a renewable energy source through combustion, there are more clever solutions. Biomass conversion can undergo both biotechnological (anaerobic digestion) and thermal (pyrolysis) conversion processes to produce end products that could sequester carbon from the environment. To date, both processes are being used independently for a number of energy carriers; however, no research at the moment has focused on converting biomass using anaerobic digestion to produce a fertilizer and extract further value by subjecting the digestate to pyrolysis. In the pyrolysis system, this feedstock is burned creating valuable carbon allotropes used to reshape next-generation energy devices, while removing carbon from the atmosphere. The objectives of this thesis are to determine if the digestate can be a suitable fertilizer as is. Based on N:P:K ratio, the digestate may not be as useful as a fertilizer. The second objective is to use the digestate as a suitable feedstock for pyrolysis in the search of high value nanocarbons. Although, the digestate was successful in being a feedstock, it did not provide insight to high value nanocarbons. Lastly, the solid product from pyrolysis (coke) was exfoliated to retrieve the advanced carbons using electrochemical exfoliation and sonication.
Early childhood educators’ experiences with and perspectives of the Early Learning and Child Care Supplement in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Authors: Russell Melissa Lynn
Published: May 2021

This major research paper presents findings from a qualitative study with eight early childhood educators working in licensed childcare settings in St. John's Newfoundland and Labrador. The study used the political economy of care and feminist ethics of care theory to interpret participants' experiences with and perspectives of the Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) Supplement in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Based on participants' views, this study's primary findings suggest that participants perceived the ELCC Supplement as an incentive or bonus to top off the low wages of an early childhood educator. Second, participants articulated a shared appreciation of some features of the ELCC Supplement. At the same time, they asserted several dislikes. As we dug deeper, participants reported a significant number of abuses in the distribution of the ELCC Supplement. Finally, the participants shared their thoughts on recommendations for changes to be made to the ELCC Supplement.

Key words: Early learning and child care supplement, early childhood educator, early childhood education and care, childcare, care, carework, political economy of care, feminist ethics of care
Phosphorus fractions in biosolids, biosolid-amended soils, runoffs and its impact on primary productivity in aquatic ecosystems
Authors: Hanief Aslam
Published: May 2021

The impact of land application of biosolids on soil phosphorus (P) and subsequent transfer to aquatic ecosystems were assessed. Boxed reference soils were amended with two biosolids at a rate of 8 dry t/ha. Biosolids and soil samples taken over four months were sequentially fractionated to determine various inorganic and organic P pools. Also, within three weeks of biosolids application, four storm events were simulated and surface runoff and leachate from the soils were collected and analyzed for different P forms. The runoffs and equivalent inorganic nutrient were added to different mesocosms that mimicked stratified lakes. Samples from the mesocosms were periodically collected and analyzed for various physical, chemical and biological parameters. The results indicated that biosolids significantly affect different P pools in soils. Also, P loading from biosolids was expected to drive the mesocosms to hypereutrophication, yet the response was moderately eutrophic, followed by decline in chlorophyll a.
Royal Cafe : Chinese-Western In Alberta
Authors: Bouvier Elyse
Published: May 2021

Across Alberta there are found many diner style restaurants serving both Chinese and Western Canadian meals to people in the small-towns they inhabit. It’s a culturally significant and interesting aspect of Albertan identity. This research paper describes a journey to photograph and document these spaces and try to contextualize them within the context of Albertan identity. It details the research the author did to richer understanding of these spaces and their part in what it means to be Albertan. Included in this is a discussion on the significance of food and, in particular, the Chinese-Western dishes such as ginger beef, to communal identity. This paper details how the research influenced my own journey across Alberta and how it translated into a fully realized photo-documentary project that led the author to a greater understanding of what it means to be Albertan.