bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Power Efficient Rapid Design Space Exploration of Integrated Scheduling and Module Selection in High Level Synthesis
Authors: Sarkar Pallabi
Published: May 2021

High level Synthesis (HLS) or Electronic System Level (ESL) synthesis requires scheduling algorithms that have strong capability to reach optimal/near-optimal solutions with significant rapidity and greater accuracy. A novel power efficient scheduling approach using ‘PI’ method has been presented in this thesis that reduces the final power consumption of the solution at the expenditure of minimal latency clock cycles. The proposed scheduling approach is based on ‘Priority indicator (PI)’ metric and ‘Intersect Matrix’ topology methods that have a tendency to escape local optimal solutions and thereby reach global solutions. Application of the proposed approach results in even distribution of allocated hardware functional units thereby yielding power efficient scheduling solutions. The two main novel and significant aspects of the thesis are: a) Introduction of ‘Intersect Matrix’ topology with its associated algorithm which is used to check for precedence violation during scheduling b) Introduction of PI method using Priority indicator metric that assists in choosing the highest priority node during each iteration of the scheduling optimization process. Comparative analysis of the proposed approach has been done with an existing design space exploration method for qualitative assessment using proposed ‘Quality Cost Factor (Q- metric)’. This Q-metric is a combination of latency and power consumption values for the solution found, which dictates the quality of the final solutions found in terms of cost for both the proposed and existing approaches. An average improvement of approximately 12 % in quality of final solution and average reduction of 59 % in runtime has been achieved by the proposed approach compared to a current scheduling approach for the DSP benchmarks.
A Little Birdie Told Me: Journalistic and Individualistic Twitter Use of Local Television News Reporters
Authors: Baker Laura
Published: May 2021

Twitter is a social networking platform that connects its users to information in the form of posts that are a maximum of 140 characters long. Twitter has become an important method for news distribution for both print and broadcast news stations. News organizations, individuals and journalists all use Twitter for different purposes, which raises questions as to how local television news reporters tweets both as journalists and as individuals. This study analyzes the tweets of the personal Twitter accounts of five local television news reporters from each of the local television news stations in Toronto (City News, CTV Toronto, Global Toronto, CP24 and CBC Toronto). Findings reveal the existence of blurring of personal (individualistic) and professional (journalistic) uses of Twitter. The tweets from the personal Twitter accounts of local television news reporters in Toronto suggest that while these reporters still take their gatekeeping roles as journalists seriously, they sometimes take advantage of Twitter as a platform that encourages public declaration and personal observations
The lived realities of less than full immigration status women navigating 'the system'
Authors: Bombardier Chantal Annette
Published: May 2021

This paper presents insights into the lived realities of less than full immigration status women (LTFIS) living in Canada. This exploratory project combines a review of existing literature and studies along with the research findings of 12 face-to-face interviews with key informants who work closely with the sample population. This study found that the varying degrees of immigration statuses these women possess, and the rights and the entitlements that are affixed are further complicated by legal, policy and structural barriers stemming from the implementation of the immigration and refugee determination system. This topic has been examined from a social exclusion framework and employs a race and gendered analysis in order to address the nuanced influences and outcomes of the extent to which LTFIS women understand their immigration status and able to navigate the immigration and refugee determination system.
Combined anaerobic baffled reactor and UV/H2O2 process for the treatment of synthetic slaughterhouse wastewater
Authors: Cao Weihua
Published: May 2021

A laboratory scale for the combined processes of a biological anaerobic baffled reactor (ABR) and a UV/hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was used to investigate the treatment of a synthetic slaughterhouse wastewater with various influent concentrations and various hydraulic retention times (HRT) at room temperature in this study. The results showed that the removal efficiencies of total organic carbon (TOC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), and 5-day carbonaceous biochemical oxygen demand (CBOD5) of the wastewater with an influent concentration of 973 mgTOC/L and a HRT of 3.8 days reached 89.9, 97.7, and 96.6%, respectively, in the ABR process, whilst the removal efficiency of TOC in the UV/H₂O₂ process reached 50.8% at a HRT of 3.6 h and H2O2 dosage of 1371 mgH2O2/L, leading to 95.0% of overall TOC removal of the combined processes. For comparison, the removal efficiencies of TOC, COD, and CBOD5 of the synthetic wastewater with an influent concentration of 158 mgTOC/L reached 64.9, 81.9, and 84.3% respectively, at an HRT of 2.5 h and a H2O2 dosage of 1371 mgH2O2/L in UV/H2O2 process alone. An optimum value of hydrogen peroxide was found to be 3.5 (mgH2O2/L)/(mgTOCin/L.h).

After the ABR treatment, the ration of CBOD5/COD of the untreated wastewater changed from 0.4 to 0.6 and 0.5 to 0.2, and the ratio of COD/TOC of the wastewater decreased from 2.4 to 0.5 and 2.2 to 2.0, at the HRT of 3.8 and 0.9 days, respectively, indicating that the biodegradability of the wastewater was enhanced at a longer HRT in the ABR process. Afer the UV/H2O2 process treatment, the ratios of CBOC5/COD of the untreated and the ABR treated wastewater increased from 0.4 to 0.6 and 0.3 to 0.5, and the ratios of COD/TOC of the wastewaters decreased from 2.3 to 0.6 and 1.8 to 0.9, respectively, at the HRT of 2.5 h, indicating that the UV/H2O2 process had the ability to enhance the biodegradability of the wastewater.

A kinetic model for the ABR process was obtained and used to evaluate the experimental findings. The parameters of the kinetic model for the ABR process were determined to be 3.1X10⁻2 for refractory coefficient, 0.4 for kinetic coefficient, 2.0 mg/L for half-saturation constant for hydrolyzed substrate, and 1.9 day⁻1 for the maximum specific growth rate of organism, respectively.

The optimum HRT and the minimum total electricity cost were determined to be 78.9 h and $11.45 /kg of TOC removed for the ABR process, with 1000 mgTOC/L of the wastewater influent concentration, leading to 100.0 mgTOC/L of the effluent concentration which met the disposal level in Canada.
Who were the Hackney Flashers? The history and importance of a British feminist collective, 1974-1980.
Authors: Dring Julie
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this project is to provide a resource for museum professionals who are working with materials related to the Hackney Flashers. The Hackney Flashers were a radical socialist-feminist collective that was active in northeast London in the 1970s. The goal is to provide a well-researched history of the collective, as well as address current issues surrounding exhibiting and archiving related materials. This has been done by balancing written sources with oral histories by surviving members of the collective. Imbedded in the Women’s Liberation Movement and the radical-feminist politics of 1970s Britain, the Hackney Flashers used photography to document women in their community in order to expose social inequality. Heavily influenced by the photomontages of John Heartfield, the collective collaged documentary photographs with cartoons, advertisements and text in order to provide a wider context than what documentary photography could provide on its own.
A su propio ritmo : at the rhythm of Cuba’s Noticiero ICAIC Latinoamericano
Authors: Ayala Jorge
Published: May 2021

A su propio ritmo (At Its Own Rhythm) is a short documentary film that reinterprets the audiovisual legacy of the Cuban Revolution, as seen through the lens of the Noticiero ICAIC Latinoamericano (ICAIC Latin American Newsreel). In this paper, I examine the socio-historical context of the Noticiero, present my methodological motivations, the theories that have illuminated my artistic process in the construction of the film, and situate it within documentary film practice at large.
From the Ground Up: Children's Experiences of Connecting With Nature Through Technology
Authors: Agam Michael
Published: May 2021

The benefits of children engaging with and in nature have been well documented in past research. However, many children today are increasingly engaging with digital technologies. Interestingly, technologies have been suggested for children to engage with and explore nature, though little research includes the ideas and insights of young children. To fill this gap in research, this study utilized a secondary data analysis approach. Data ascertained from an ongoing project that explores children‟s engagement in ecological curriculum and research was used to examine how children use technology to explore nearby nature. Prevalent themes of this study acknowledge that many children have experiences with digital technologies, digital technologies supported children in their ecological and nature based research, and digital technologies supported children‟s connections with nature. The results of this study have implications for how educators can incorporate technology into their pedagogy and for future researchers who may explore this nature-technology discourse.
Compatibility Of Metallic & Non-Metallic Turbine Engine Materials With Aviation Fuels
Authors: Met Olcay
Published: May 2021

As known alternative fuels shall undergo two crucial regulations in order to be certified: emission gas rate and the compatibility with engine parts. The objective of this research is to assess the compatibility of engine materials with JetA. The methodology here is in accordance with ASTM D4054; the proposed materials are soaked in proposed fuel. Subsequent to the soak period specimens are subject to specific test standards such as ASTM and visual inspection. Through assessment of compatibility the actual objective is to establish a systematic methodology for future alternative fuel research studies. In another meaning it is aimed to develop in-house capability to create optimum medium for future alternative fuel studies at Ryerson University's Facility for Research on Aerospace Materials and Engineered Structure. Results demonstrate that being wetted at elevated temperatures played a significant role on the physical properties of most non-metallic materials and there is almost no surface deformation observed on metallic materials.
Congestion aware adaptive routing for network-on-chip communication
Authors: Chui Stephen
Published: May 2021

Network-On-Chip (NoC) has surpassed the traditional bus based on-chip communication in offering better performance for data transfers among many processing, peripheral and other cores of high performance embedded systems. Adaptive routing provides an effective way of efficient on-chip communication among NoC cores. The message routing efficiency can further improve the performance of NoC based embedded systems on a chip. Congestion awareness has been applied to adaptive routing for achieving better data throughput and latency.

This thesis presents a novel approach of analyzing congestion to improve NoC throughput by improving packet allocation in NoC routers. The routers would have the knowledge of the traffic conditions around themselves by utilizing the congestion information. We employ header flits to store the congestion information that does not require any additional communication links between the routers. By prioritizing data packets that are likely to suffer the worst congestion would improve overall NoC data transfer latency.
The long-term impact of an eating disorder prevention program for elite athletes: a follow-up study
Authors: Bar Rachel J.
Published: May 2021

Elite athletes involved in weight-based sports are at increased risk of developing eating
disorders (EDs). While the utility of ED prevention programs has been assessed up to
three years post-intervention, it is unclear whether participation in such interventions
promotes any resilience against EDs in the long-term. To address this, the current study
assessed self-reported disordered eating and body dissatisfaction in ballet dancers 15 or
more years after participating in a reportedly successful ED prevention program at a
professional ballet school. Graduates of the school before, during, and after the
intervention were surveyed, and scores were compared across groups. Results revealed
dancers who participated in the intervention and those who attended post-intervention
endorsed fewer thoughts and behaviours associated with bulimia, had lower lifetime
prevalence of laxative use, and showed a trend toward lower lifetime rates of vomiting to
control weight than those who attended the ballet school prior to the intervention.
Liquid distribution and its effect on local mass transfer in a packed column of Pall rings
Authors: Zhu Yongjia
Published: May 2021

The spatial variations of liquid distribution and local mass transfer coefficient in a 0.30-m column of 25.4-m Pall rings were investigated. The data of liquid distribution was collected with a 39-cell liquid collector and a wall-flow tube from a doubled-wall section in the column at the packing-support level. The local mass transfer coefficients were measured via the electrochemical technique by individual cathodic nickel-coated Pall rings placed at various spatial positions. Both measurements were conducted at various fluid flow rates with three liquid distributor designs at different bed heights. Liquid distribution and local mass transfer coefficients observed were far from uniform in the column. The wall flow developed along the packed bed until a fully developed flow pattern was reached. With more uniform initial liquid distribution, the less packing height needed to reach the fully developed flow pattern along with higher the mass transfer efficiency in the column. Ladder-type liquid distributor (LLD) showed less angular effect in measurements. Increasing the liquid flow rate slightly improved the uniformity of liquid distribution and enhanced the mass transfer. No influence of gas flow rate on liquid distribution and mass transfer coefficient was found at the range of gas flow rates used. These gas flow rates were much lower than the loading point. Liquid maldistribution factor and mass transfer maldistribution factor decreased with increases in the uniformity of the initial liquid distribution. These values were 0.21(0.48). 0.16(0.26) and 0.14(0.22) for single-point liquid distributor (SPLD), cross-type liquid distributor (CLD) and LLD, respectively. By comparison, a good agreement was observed on the relation of liquid maldistribution factor and mass transfer maldistribution factor.
Steady-state modeling and analysis of PWM current source drives
Authors: Ghanad Behrang Azizi
Published: May 2021

Current source converter based ac motor drives are increasingly used in medium voltage high power applications due to their simple converter topology, inherent four-quadrant operation, reliable short circuit protection and motor friendly waveforms.

The behavior of the current source drive system in the steady state condition is studied in this thesis. The main objective of this investigation is to optimize the dc link inductance, which is one of the most expensive components of the drive system.

The first research focus of this thesis is to model the current source drive system in steady state condition. Different parts of the drive system such as the induction motor, mechanical load and the complicated field oriented control (FOC) scheme are simplified for the steady state operation mode. This model has two main features: 1) substantially reduced simulation time, and 2) simplified control loop design without any control parameter tuning and control instability problem.

Secondly, the characteristic of the dc link circuit is investigated using the developed steady state drive system model in MATLAB Simulink. The effect of the cd link inductance on the input LC resonant frequency is studied. The value of the dc current ripple is calculated under different conditions, and the effects of different system parameters on the ripple value is investigated. Furthermore, a user-friendly simulation software is developed for the dc choke optimization.

Experiments are conducted on a low-voltage (30hp, 480V) current source drive system test setup at Rockwell Automation Canada, with which the developed simulation model is verified.
Numerical Investigation Of The Impingement Of A Planar Jet of Nanofluids On A V-Shaped Plate
Authors: Bhatt Nishma
Published: May 2021

An effective way to enhance the heat dissipation in industrial heat transfer devices is impinging of the fluid jet. Due to the higher dissipation heat flux, jet flows can be used for to control the temperature of high intensity heat sources.

Traditional fluids such as water, ethylene and propylene glycol, and oils offer heat transfer capabilities that are adequate for many applications. There are several options to increase the effectiveness of the heat transfer characteristics for these fluids, for instance, using jet flows, and increasing the surface area of the heat transfer object. However, with the advances in nanotechnology and material science, nanofluids offer an attractive alternative option. Nanofluids refer to a dispersion of metallic or non-metallic particles with dimensions smaller than 100 nm in a base fluid like water, ethylene and propylene glycol, oil. Nanofluids have been shown to have an enhanced heat transfer characteristic, because of their high thermal conductivity.

In this Project, Heat transfer enhancement of an impinging liquid jet on a V-shape target plate cooling system, has been investigated numerically, by replacing the base fluid, water, with Al2O3–water nanofluid. To conduct the research, literature review on nanofluid heat transfer enhancement, jet impingement, and nanofluids jet impingement, has been conducted. Numerical model has been built using ANSYS Workbench 16.0. After validating the numerical code with the previous experimental data, the effect of nanoparticles volume fraction, jet-surface distance and jet’s Reynolds number on the heat transfer enhancement has been investigated
Hands off my data! A comparison of privacy representations and expectations on Facebook
Authors: Fuller Hayley
Published: May 2021

This MRP examines user expectations of online privacy in relation to how Facebook represents privacy in their Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. The prevalence and ubiquity of online social networking sites like Facebook have caused academics and individuals alike to reexamine their understandings and expectations of privacy in relation to online settings. As such, the specific purpose of this study is to better understand how the concept of privacy may be understood differently by social network users and the social networks themselves. In this paper I use the Fair Information Principles (FIPs) set out in the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) to analyze user comments made in relation to proposed changes to Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. I find that both Facebook and users share a focus on concerns regarding limiting the use/disclosure/retention of personal information, and consent to have this information collected, and that users pay particular attention to Section 2.3 of the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. I show that Facebook represents privacy conceptually in the Statement of Rights and Responsibility as in/accessibility, while users expect privacy to be enforced as data-control.
Early Development of the Speech and Gesture System: The Relationship Between Rhythmic Arm Activity and Reduplicated Babble
Authors: Lamoureux Chastine
Published: May 2021

The development of the speech-gesture system was examined by evaluating the relationship between rhythmic arm activity (RAA) and reduplicated babble (RB). Using a novel longitudinal observational design, infants were observed in-home weekly, for twelve weeks playing with a rattle (22 to 34 weeks old). Video and audio-recordings were submitted by caregivers via a
secure file-sharing service. The design was an effective alternative for longitudinal data collection in infant studies. RAA and RB were positively correlated, and infants exhibited greater amounts of tightly synchronized vocal-manual coordination (VMC) over time. Infant threshold was not a significant predictor of RB or VMC, and babble onset did not significantly predict the frequency or the type of VMC. Trajectory analyses revealed synchronous change across RAA, RB, and VMC. Findings suggest the linkage between RB and RAA is not sequential; but is a simultaneous process representing a moment of re-organization to the maturing speech-gesture system.
A credibility assessment of online breast cancer information
Authors: Abarca-Cuming Michelle
Published: May 2021

The rapid expansion of the Internet and changes in the health market are giving rise to the emergence of web-based tools for seeking health information. As a result, the Web empowers consumers by allowing them to access important medical information that has traditionally been mediated through healthcare professionals. Along with this growing trend comes the challenge of establishing credibility in a digital environment saturated with health information. One way to begin addressing this challenge is to assess the projection of credibility of health information found online. The purpose of this paper is twofold. Firstly, to develop a better understanding of how projections of credibility might differ between traditional and non-traditional online health sources. The former defined as websites belonging to formal and conventional institutions and the latter defined as informal and unconventional organizations. Secondly, to develop some strategic approaches that might be employed to enhance perceptions of online credibility. This paper conducts a content analysis using the Health on the Net Foundation’s Code of Conduct for medical and health websites and DISCERN, an instrument that assesses the quality of written
information about treatment choices (DISCERN, 2012).
Canadian content: A survey and analysis of Canadian television policy
Authors: Barnsley Roger Andrew
Published: May 2021

"This paper is an effort to synthesize and analyze the issues and the players that inhabit Canadian content and Cancon's relationship to Canadian broadcasting and economics. Granted, such a survey could be an epic undertaking that would not fit the parameters of this paper. However, the intention is that this document will be a comprehensive study of the topic in its current context. Little attention will be paid to Cancon's historical roots or the specific factors or people/organizations that have moulded Cancon into its current version. A task of such nature goes beyond the scope of this paper"--From the Introduction page 5.
A hybrid neuro-wavelet approach to electric arc furnace modeling
Authors: Ghaffaripour Shadan
Published: May 2021

This thesis proposes a hybrid neuro-wavelet based approach for modeling the dynamic voltage-current characteristics in electrical arc furnaces. This method uses the data obtained from an operational electrical arc furnace exclusively to describe the underlying process, and unlike conventional mathematical techniques it does not rely on presumed model structures or simplified assumptions. A comparison between the results that proceeded from the proposed method and the actual measurements has been made. The proposed method is demonstrated to be capable of modeling the EAF's dynamic voltage-current behaviour accurately.
Parallel States of Change: On Creating Ash
Authors: Robinson Ken
Published: May 2021

This thesis paper was written in support of the short documentary film Ash, a sociocultural exploration of two Seoul punk venues and the scenes that formed around them. Ash is a film that co-opts the music documentary form in order to re-examine ideas surrounding cultural and gender norms. It follows no strict genre rules and often relies on punk style and humour to maintain a greater sense of verisimilitude. In Ash we learn about people struggling to assert their identities against the oppressive narrative of a dominant culture, about how they eschew simple satisfactions in the struggle to pursue individual happiness. Defying stereotypes of race, gender, or cultural expectations, it is a film of hope and purpose. It is a story about living a life within a closed system. Above all else, Ash is a story of struggle, triumph, and defeat.

An elegy to the loser’s victory.
Drilling Burr Formation With Tool Wear
Authors: Mandra Anna M.
Published: May 2021

Automated assembly processes are being widely used in aircraft manufacturing as a hole must be drilled before fastener installation. Burr formation is of importance for machining processes including drilling. A burr, an unwanted by‐product of machining, is a raised edge that remains attached to a workpiece because of the loss of shear action. In drilling, burrs form as the drill enters and exits the part, particularly when the tool becomes worn. Burrs require an additional process to deburr, incurring extra cost and time.

To understand drilling burr formation, this dissertation presents a new model that combines a burr model with a tool‐wear model. The first adopted model describes a burr with respect to its height and thickness and relates burr formation to the drilling thrust force generated from drilling with a sharp tool. This model comprises a number of key factors: part material property, tool geometry, and drilling parameters. In reality, these factors will vary. Preliminary work was done to use this model to develop a sensitivity matrix for the purpose of studying the effect of variation in the key factors on burr formation. Unfortunately, tool wear, which is a major issue, cannot be simply considered as a variation in tool geometry. When a tool becomes worn, the cutting edge radius becomes large, and the cutting action changes from shearing to ploughing.

A second model adopted is a tool wear model, leading to the core work of this dissertation. The aim of this study is to develop a drilling burr‐formation model for realistic conditions, incorporating variance within the tool and process parameters. The proposed method applies a weighting model that can consider the wear/no‐wear condition for each segment, thereby leading to a hybrid model for drilling burr formation. The research method is validated through simulation and an experiment entailing the generation of drilling burrs in conditions mimicking those in aerospace manufacturing. The results show that the model successfully estimates burr height and thickness trends with increasing levels of tool wear, for penetrated holes. The methods and results presented in this dissertation show good promise for understanding the effects of tool wear on drilling burr growth.
Investigating the structure and composition of anode-associated biofilms in electrochemical systems
Authors: Berthiaume Laura
Published: May 2021

Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) utilize microorganisms to catabolize organic substrates into biohydrogen and are being investigated as a potential solution to meet future energy needs. The focus of this project was to characterize the changes in mircrobial community composition of an anode-associated biofilm and to develop a method to monitor the biofilm in situ from an H-type, ethanol-fed MEC over the lifespan of the reactor. FISH and DGGE results revealed a shift in the biofilm microbial structure and composition from higher microbial diversity in the anaerobic digested sludge inoculum to a more uniform, lower diversity community towards the end of sampling. There was also an overall decrease in methanogenic community members and increase in both anode-respiring bacteria community, specifically Geobacter species, and current density over the time course, implying that a more stable community of anode-respiring bacteria, with minimal methanogens, results in higher current density and a more efficient MEC.
Analysis and feasibility study of a multiple-pass heat and energy recovery ventilator with integrated economizer for residential use
Authors: Zhang Jun  Long
Published: May 2021

The feasibility of a novel total energy recovery ventilator (HERV) was studied, through the use of an Excel-based screening tool developed for cost analysis, and through TRNSYS simulations for performance analysis. Cost analysis indicated that the HERV almost always outperformed the conventional systems, whereas its attractiveness could be limited by its high capital investment. Simulation results indicated that the counter-flow HERV provided better control of house humidity towards the setpoint, in the meantime, minimized the annual energy use. The performance of heat recovery (HRV) and energy recovery (ERV) ventilators was investigated side-by-side at the Archetype Sustainable Twins-House located in Toronto, Canada. The ERV sensible efficiency ranged from 76.4% to78.5% at an outdoor temperature of -20°C and 5°C respectively, while the HRV efficiency ranged from 91.0% to 95.0% at -16.6°C and 0.7°C respectively. Freezing caused a dramatic drop in the efficiency that was found to be as low as 50%.
Optimal switching frequency for aerospace power converter systems
Authors: Thavaratnam Tharmini
Published: May 2021

Switching frequency is one of the main deciding factors in development of a power converter system for aerospace applications. The filter is one of the major components that significantly contribute to the overall system weight and efficiency. The design of the filter, including inductor and capacitor is determined by the switching frequency. On the other hand, the device switching loss is proportional to the loss, which in turn changes the design of thermal system. Thus selection of optimal switching frequency is essential for power converter systems used in aerospace industry. The objective of this study is to select the optimal switching frequency when the overall converter weight is minimal. In this study, switching frequencies ranging from 9kHz to 20kHz is selected based on current IGBT technology. Proven design algorithm for passive filter is adopted in the optimization. Partial verification for power efficiency is conducted via simulation and experiment results.
Without Words You Spoke: Queer Representing, Early Photography and Feeling
Authors: Rogerson Steph Schem
Published: May 2021

By examining historical queerness through the lens of photography, this dissertation examines how the past contributes valuable knowledge about where we have been and where we are going. The history of queer representation is laden with violence, erasure and shame, as well as survival and persistence. I approach this legacy by bringing together three principal topics that I argue are closely related: queer photographic practices, the politics of the archive, and affect theory. Through the analysis of social conditions that formed discourses of homosexuality and industrialism’s development of photography in the late nineteenth century, the tension between oppressive laws and social change comes clear: it reveals a cultural crisis of taxonomy and representation in queer visual history. The slippages between cultural economy and representation are exemplified in nineteenth century visual culture as political economy was increasingly entwined with the individual and the state. Out of this matrix comes the advent of photography. Inexpensive and accessible mechanical reproduction made it possible for the apparatus of photography to be both complicit in the categorization and repression of homosexuality, as well as a site of subversion of the status quo. Conventions in portraiture photography inscribed the construction of normativity through ‘the cult of the empire,’ yet queer subjectivities challenged these standards. A number of specific case studies involving women photographers and photographic subjects – such as Mabel Hampton, Bonnie and Semoura Clark, Alice Austen, and found photographs from my personal collection illustrate a symbolic defiance to hegemonic structures.

By investigating archival material with a specific focus on queer history and photography, the case studies illustrate how our affective lives are saturated with political meaning. Photography wields unusual power when examining the relationship between affect and feeling. The affect of photography derives from its insistence on the past. Yet, photography produces a here and now that can resist strictures of heteronormativity and patriarchy through politicized feelings. The approach to queer historization is firmly rooted in notions of social justice imperatives and anti-oppressive political strategies that include racism, gender inequality and classism. Queer archives evoke cultural persistence and knowledge through the affective context of remembering.
Real time wind turbine simulator
Authors: Gong Bing
Published: May 2021

A novel dynamic real-time wind turbine simulator (WTS) is developed in this thesis, which is capable of reproducing dynamic behavior of real wind turbine. The WTS is expected to reduce the system testing cost, provide an indoor test platform for the generator, controller and interface apparatus development. In WTS, the turbine is represented by mathematical model and the output torque is precisely conrolled on a dc motor drive. By employing the PWM rectifier with LCL filter, the energy is bidirectional which makes the WTS is universal to different scale turbine/generator configurations. PWM rectifier with LCL filter is detail analyzed with different current sensor positions. The results from different sensor positions are compared. A novel torque sensorless inertia compensation algorithm is developed, which enables the WTS to simulate the real wind turbine not only in steady state but also the dynamic procedures in real-time. Simulation and experiment were carried on the 2kW prototype system. Results from both verify the developed scheme of WTS.
Weathering Architecture: A Study of Contingency And Entropy in Our Built Environment
Authors: Shing Regina Lai Man
Published: May 2021

This thesis is about the architecture of change. Weather, in the context of this thesis, acts as the agent of change and contingencies in organizing and modifying the built environment. It is a study of weather as the energy and matter in the atmosphere that directly affects the external organizations of the building, as well as the internal organizations of the user’s experience. These organizations define architecture as a process through time; a performance-based construct that evolves with the actions and events of its surroundings. This thesis argues that weather can be used to enhance the experience and awareness of architecture.
Ontario Safe Schools Act and its Effects on Racialized Immigrant Youth: 'School to Prison Pipeline'
Authors: Kovalenko Sofiya
Published: May 2021

It is recognized that racialized youth are significantly over-represented in the Canadian Criminal Justice System relative to their population percentages. Research also determined that similar disproportion exists with respect to school discipline. Similar to US research, a number of Canadian studies found that racialized youth are being disproportionately affected by zero-tolerance school disciplinary policies, such as the Ontario Safe Schools Act. Such research also hypothesized about a "school-to-prison pipeline" for minority youth. This MRP explores the link between immigration, policing, and school disciplinary policies in Ontario, Canada. In particular, the MRP investigates the racialization of school disciplinary procedures that largely affect immigrant youth, and the criminalization of certain behaviors that may lead visible minority youth, including immigrant youth, to having disproportionate police contact. The findings suggest that there is a relation between racial disproportion of school suspensions and expulsions and the racial disproportion in the likelihood of youth- police contact.
Towards understanding the determinants of household energy use: exploring the role of individual, household, social, and physical characteristics on household electricity and gas use
Authors: Das Runa
Published: May 2021

This research is an investigation of people and their relationship with energy. This dissertation first presents an analysis of national surveys: Statistics Canada‘s 2013 Households and the Environment Survey and the 2013 Energy Use Supplement. These surveys were used to investigate the relationships between dwelling characteristics, household characteristics, electricity use, and natural gas use. Approximately 20% of the variance in overall energy use was explained by dwelling and household characteristics, leaving a large portion of the variance unaccounted for. It was also found that household characteristics have more impact on electricity use than natural gas use. In contrast, dwelling characteristics have more impact on natural gas use than on electricity use.

In order to better gauge the unexplained variation in household energy use, an instrument was developed to measure public energy literacy, which was conceptualized using previous surveys as well as frameworks and models from academic and grey literature, as well as literacy and educational initiatives and programs. Such conceptualization created the parameters within which survey items could be developed, created, and therefore generated. Instrument development included pretesting, cognitive interviews, and quantitative and qualitative analysis of instrument items. The resulting survey is a 15-item, 5-item, and 9-item measure of energy-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours, respectively. Energy literacy, along with environmental concern, was assessed among a sample of Toronto homeowners. In general, participants demonstrated environmental concern, positive attitudes, performed energy-saving behaviours and demonstrated satisfactory understanding of energy-related knowledge (i.e., average score of 66 percent). Interesting relationships were found between the measures of energy
literacy as well as some additional measures of knowledge and behaviour, suggesting that examination of energy use should be broken down into smaller examinable components, such as curtailment and efficiency behaviours. The attitudinal and behavioural subscales belonging to the measure of energy literacy added to the explanation of household energy use in the Toronto sample: for electricity 11% of the variation was explained and 4% for natural gas. Surveys and examination of household energy use need to therefore consider examining energy literacy variables in addition to socio-demographics and dwelling characteristics.
Evaluation of nutrient retention and sediment deposition in two urban stormwater retention ponds
Authors: Cheung Ryan Chad Ian
Published: May 2021

Stormwater ponds have been implemented in many municipalities to control urban runoff and
retain pollutants, such as nutrients and suspended solids. Two stormwater ponds in Toronto,
Ontario were evaluated for their ability to retain nutrients and suspended solids and were also
used to investigate mechanisms by which stormwater ponds remove nutrient pollutants,
including the importance of deposition and internal loading. Over the entire study period, Hydro
Pond East (HEP) retained 1415 mg of total suspended solids (TSS) and MAT retained 1127 mg
of TSS. Both Hydro East Pond (HEP) and Mattamy Rouge (MAT) were net exporters of
phosphorus (P) over the entire season, with 6.35 mol or 0.20 kg and 53.9 mol or 1.67 kg
exported, respectively. HEP had net retention of 2672 mol or 37.4 kg of nitrogen (N) but MAT
exported 264 mol or 3.7 kg of nitrogen over the entire study. This study has demonstrated that
stormwater ponds have the ability to provide retention of nutrients and TSS, but their function
may be enhanced as they may become exporters. However, the amount of nutrients exported was
extremely low and may have been driven by the anomalously dry 2016 year in Toronto. Further
research should be done on these same ponds to observe how they may perform under an
anomalously wet year (e.g. 2017). There is a need for a future model to synthesize the data from
literature on stormwater ponds to better understand their function to better help local water
managers determine if these ponds are needed and how they may need to enhance their function.
DRD2, DAT1, and COMT Genotypes as Moderators of the Relation Between Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Infant Cortisol Reactivity
Authors: Ludmer Jaclyn
Published: May 2021

Both maternal depression and dopamine-related genotypes have been linked to the development of the HPA axis. This thesis explored whether and how DRD2, DAT1, and (from an exploratory perspective) COMT genotypes moderate the relation between maternal depressive symptoms and infant cortisol reactivity in the context of a toy frustration challenge at 16 months and in the context of a maternal separation challenge at 17 months. Buccal cells were used for the purpose of genotyping. Maternal depressive symptoms were assessed via self-report at infant age 16 months. Candidate DRD2 and DAT1 genotypes moderated the relation between maternal depressive symptomatology and infant cortisol secretion in a diathesis-stress manner in the context of the toy frustration task, and in a differential susceptibility manner in the context of the maternal separation. Results are interpreted as indicating that the nature of gene-environment interactions is context-specific.
Stock market trend prediction using regression errors
Authors: Sandhu Omair
Published: May 2021

Stock exchanges are one of the major areas of investment because of the possibility of high returns and big winners. They are affected by a variety of factors making it difficult to get consistent returns and accurate predictions when using systematic forecasting techniques.

We consider a portfolio formation problem by comparison of the trend strengths of multiple assets. The trend strength determined by the slope and errors from the regression line provides a useful method for crosssectional comparison of stocks.

We use weekly and monthly data from 1965 to 2018 from the CRSP US Stocks Database to test the performance of these factors when used to predict the direction of movement for an asset in the future. We investigate the feasibility of this two factor model and various methods of combination to determine the optimal stock trend forecasting model.
Québec News-Print Media Portrayals of Immigrants During the Reasonable Accomodations Commission
Authors: Hall Jacqueline
Published: May 2021

Media and public discourses are constantly changing as a result of their effect on one another. The Consultation Commission on Accommodation Practices Related to Cultural Differences which roamed the province of Québec in late 2007 was widely reported on in the mainstream news-media. This paper provides a critical content analysis of 105 articles in three Québec daily newspapers (La Presse, Le Soleil, and The Gazette) during the months of September to December 2007 when the public forums discussing the reasonable accommodation of minority groups took place. By making theoretical linkages with the data collected, the findings show that the media discourses between the three newspapers vary slightly and are not accurate representations of the public discourses surrounding the issue of reasonable accommodations amongst the Québec population.
Performance-Oriented VM Provisioning in Clouds
Authors: Shoaib Yasir
Published: May 2021

Managing applications on the cloud requires extensive decision making on the part of the Application Provider (AP). When an application faces changing workload, the services of the application are either scaled up or down in response. The services run on Virtual Machines (VM) or container instances. APs decide on how the application scales through VM provisioning and the placement of the services on the VMs.

Various drivers guide this decision making. Application performance and cost are two such drivers. This thesis answers the question of how APs can meet the performance constraints of their applications while minimizing the cost of the running VMs. Two versions of the problem are presented. The first version expects to meet mean response time constraints given a deployment configuration through the replication of VMs and addition of virtual processors. The presented solution is based on layered bottlenecks. A case study shows the solution meets response time constraints and uses fewer resources in comparison to a simple utilization based approach.

The second version adds the minimization of cost as an objective, where VM-types having different cost rates are used. This problem does not require a deployment configuration and provides a complete solution, where resources can be added and removed. A novel solution based on the layered bottleneck strength value with genetic algorithm has been presented. For the case study, a decision maker is implemented for a web application. The proposed solution is compared with three algorithms, all of which run within the decision maker. The results from the case study show that the proposed solution provides shorter runtime than the exhaustive search, and is able to meet response time constraints with near optimal minimization of cost. The solution also results in better cost than a plain genetic algorithm and random search, at the expense of slightly longer runtime.
Critical examination of the recent changes to the point system and Canadian employers' assessment practices
Authors: Ida Deanna
Published: May 2021

The recent changes to the Canadian Point System in relation to the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) have greatly impacted the types of applicants that will be admitted to Canada. Through a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), it is my intention to explore the hiring practices of some Canadian employers and how immigrants
currently fare in the labour market. A CDA will also be conducted based on the adjustments to the point distribution of specific selection factors for the FSWP. Because the most recent changes to the Point System were made in May 2013, this MRP will be one of the first if not the first to critically assess the May 4, 2013 changes to the Point System from a rights-based perspective. I will also explore whether or not the Government takes responsibility for helping immigrants facing discrimination in the labour market. Finally, I will investigate whether the adjustments to the Point System reinforces and legitimates the discriminatory practices of some Canadian employers.
Indeterminacy and Discovery: Industrial Re-Use in Detroit
Authors: Sirdevan John
Published: May 2021

The displacement and lack of affordable space that occurs as a consequence of gentrification, ultimately undermines and threatens the rich cultural capital generated by displaced and marginalized communities. An adaptive reuse strategy in which an indeterminate, heterogeneous spatial composition is employed, can stimulate creative and alternative counter cultural activity, which contributes positively to the cultural, educational, and economic fabric of the site’s adjacent communities.