bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the comparability of environmental product declarations for use as a decision-making tool for building designers
Authors: Gelowitz Matthew David Canario
Published: May 2021

With its inclusion to LEED®, use of EPDs in the construction industry will accelerate over time. This research examines current practices surrounding the use of EPDs in construction and addresses a key need arising from a case study completed on the first Canadian project to use EPDs. Findings suggest that lack of comparability between claims hinders the ability for them to be used as true, decisive comparative tools on projects. This informed the development of a semi-automated comparison tool for EPDs and PCRs. Three separate construction product categories were chosen for comparison to develop this tool: insulation, flooring, and cladding systems. Comparability was more evident in categories that have had early involvement in publishing environmental claims (such as flooring, because of its human health implications). However, there was concerning evidence regarding the comparability of EPDs that were comparable according to international standards were incomparable according to the comparison framework developed.
The Potential of Tantalum-Doped Mesoporous Bioactive Glasses for Hemostasis
Authors: Mendonca Andrew
Published: May 2021

Synthesis and characterization of the first mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBGs) containing tantalum (Ta) are reported, alongside their potential as hemostats. A series of silica MBGs with the molar composition of (80-x)% Si, 15% Ca, 5% P and x% Ta, with x = 0 to 10, were synthesized by the sol-gel method. Increasing Ta content from 1 to 10 mol% caused a decrease in the surface area and pore volume of ~20% and ~35%, respectively, due to the increase in non-bridging oxygens and mismatch of thermal expansion coefficient which creates discontinuities in the ordered channel structure. However, the effect is not significant on the amount of ions released from the samples into deionized water, for short durations (<60 min). In a mouse tail cut model, a significant decrease (≥ 50%) in average bleeding time was found for Ta-MBGs compared to controls (commercial hemostat Arista® and a Ta-free MBG). There was no significance in hemolytic activity between plain blood and when MBG is present and cytotoxicity results show that increasing Ta content from 0 to 10% reduced MBG toxicity by more than 15%; this effect was visually confirmed by live/dead cell assays. Further studies are proposed to determine the mechanism of Ta involvement with the hemostatic process.
Anatomy of a Dress: Constructing a Narrative Within a Museum Setting
Authors: Georgijevic Anya
Published: May 2021

Anatomy of a Dress utilises object-based research to explore exhibition design and display. The goal of this project is to challenge the static nature of garment display in a museum or a gallery setting. This investigation materialises in the form of a small exhibition pavilion, using a 1950s ballgown by Julian Rose from the Ryerson Fashion Research Collection as its primary subject matter. The dress was analysed through a series of explorations, including technical drawings, x-rays, and 3D fabrication, all of which informed the design of the exhibition.
A biomechanical investigation of the surface stress of a synthetic femur using infrared thermography validated by strain gauge measurements
Authors: Shah Suraj
Published: May 2021

As the North American population ages, there will be a massive increase in musculoskeletal impairments because these problems are most common in the elderly. A very common condition is osteoporosis, which can result in fractures. Therefore, the need for improved orthopaedic fracture repair implants is vital. Currently, the two main approaches in studying orthopaedic implants are strain gauge measurements and finite element modelling. This study introduces and validates a relatively new, non-destructive approach in analysing stress patterns in a biomechanics application. Lock-in infrared (IR) thermography calibrated with strain gauges was used to investigate the stress and strain patterns of a synthetic femur under dynamic loading. The femur was instrumented with strain gauges and tested using axial average forces of 1500N, 1800N, and 2100N at an adduction angle of 7 degrees to simulate the single-legged stance phase of walking. Three dimensional surface stress maps were obtained using an IR thermography versus strain gauge data with a Pearson correlation of R² = 0.99 and a slope ranging from 0.99 to 1.08, based on thermoelastic coefficient (Km) ranging from 1.067 x 10⁻⁵/MPa to 1.16 x 10⁻⁵/MPa, for the line of best fit. IR thermography detected bone peak stresses on the superior-posterior side of the femoral neck of 91.2MPa (at 1500 N), 96.0Mpa (at 1800 N), and 103.5MPa (at 2100 N). There was strong correlation between IR measured stresses and force along the anterior (R² = 0.87 to 0.99), posterior (R² = 0.81 to 0.99) and lateral (R² = 0.89 to 0.99) surface. This is the first study to provide an experimentally validated three dimensional stress map of a synthetic femur using IR thermography.
π-Conjugated Heteroles Containing Group 13 Elements
Authors: Gezahegn Sossina
Published: May 2021

This research targeted the synthesis of group 13 neutral heteroles via transmetallation of the tin atom in stannole moieties. The synthesis of Heteroles of 15a (1-chloro-2,3,4,5-tetraphenylborole), 15b (1-chloro-2,3,4,5-tetraphenylaluminole) and 15c (1-chloro-2,3,4,5-tetraphenylgallole) were attempted. The potential formation of Lewis base adducts were explored through the addition of a coordinating solvent of THF, Et3N, and Et2O and characterized with NMR (1H, 13C and 11B where applicable). It was attempted to synthesize Polymer 17a from the di-brominated borole monomer 16a via a Pd-catalyzed polycondensation reaction. THF was subsequently added to the polymer in an attempt to produce the polymer adduct 17a·THF. This was performed to produce a stable enough material for GPC analysis. The polymer was also characterized with NMR. Theoretical calculations were undertaken at the B3LYP/6-31G* level of DFT to help identify the effect of HOMO-LUMO energy gap of the above heteroles and their adducts. DFT calculations reveal that monomers and oligomer energy gaps can be tuned by substituents attached to the heterole, the type of Lewis adduct formed and the degree of catenation. These monomers and oligomers could potentially be novel building blocks for the synthesis of small energy gap π-conjugated systems.
International trade agreements and bargaining
Authors: Fang Chuyi
Published: May 2021

In this dissertation, I provide a compelling explanation about why the World Trade
Organization (WTO) permits retaliation only after a lengthy delay. I then explain why it usually
rejects requests for retaliation (or a reciprocal withdrawal of concessions) in other related inter-
national agreements. Next, I consider a more general problem about agents negotiating over an
allocation of some surplus. This multilateral bargaining model could be applied to international
trade or many real-world negotiations.

I begin by taking a dynamic mechanism design approach and analyze the welfare effects among
same-sector retaliation with and without delay as well as cross-sector retaliation with and without
delay. I show that a retaliation with delay mechanism generates higher welfare and supports a higher
self-enforcing level of cooperation than does a retaliation without delay mechanism. I demonstrate
that under certain conditions, a same-sector retaliation mechanism generates higher welfare and
supports a higher self-enforcing level of cooperation than does a cross-sector retaliation mechanism.
All the above results are showing to hold for several different stochastic process of how a state of
the world evolves.

I then consider a more general case of bargaining where the size of the surplus is endogenized. In my
model of the first two chapters after the introduction, although the size of the surplus varies across
time, it still evolves in a stochastic manner. In many real-world negotiations, however, a surplus
is usually created by players and each player may have certain power to influence a recognition
process. Hence, my main innovation in the last chapter is to allow a surplus as well as recognition
probabilities to be endogenously determined by players' actions. I assume that players' actions
can have either persistent or transitory effects on a bargaining process. I compare the equilibrium
outcomes under different voting rules and show that when a competition becomes less intensive
(i.e., a proposal needs the consents of more players), it raises social welfare while it makes a free-ride
problem more severe.
Cancer-related fatigue: the role of demographic and medical factors, symptom severity, illness perceptions, and coping strategies in testing Leventhal’s Common Sense Model in ovarian cancer patients
Authors: Hare Crystal
Published: May 2021

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common symptom among cancer patients. Up to 58% of ovarian cancer (OC) patients report debilitating fatigue. Yet, the risks for developing CRF remain poorly understood. The way patients’ perceive and cope with their symptoms may help to understand CRF. Leventhal’s Common Sense Model of Illness Perceptions was used to evaluate the effects of patients’ cancer-related perceptions on fatigue, using positive and negative coping strategies as mediators. OC patients (N = 283) completed self-report questionnaires. Results revealed that younger age, being unemployed, and greater anxiety, pain, nausea, and sleep dissatisfaction were associated with worse fatigue. Additionally, two illness perceptions, greater illness identity and consequences, were associated with worse fatigue. Indirect effect analyses revealed personal and treatment control to have an indirect effect on fatigue through positive coping. Implications for the CRF literature and relevance to OC patients are discussed.
Let's talk madness: a critical discourse analysis of personal stories used in the Bell Let's Talk campaign
Authors: Koranne Shailee
Published: May 2021

This study analyzes a sampling of the personal stories used in the Bell Let’s Talk campaign, an annual mental health awareness campaign started in 2010 by Bell, a large Canadian telecommunications company. Using the method of critical discourse analysis, this paper discusses the ideologies regarding madness, race, and gender that inform the communications of the Bell Let’s Talk campaign. This MRP aims to create an awareness of the limitations of such campaigns and the effects that these representations may have on the way we view madness and mad people.
Novel Biodegradable Polyurethanes Reinforced With Green Nanofibers for Applications in Tissue Engineering
Authors: Nakhoda Hamza M.
Published: May 2021

New class of green biocomposites were designed and synthesized for tissue engineering applications. These newly introduced non-cytotoxic, biodegradable polyurethane composites had different compositions (i.e., ratio of hard to soft segments) of the linear, aliphatic hexamethylene diisocyanate and polycaprolactone diol. The porosity was introduced in the polyurethane matrix using a combination of salt leaching and thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). The resulting interconnected pore size was characterized using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to be between 125-355 μm. Porosity was determined using liquid displacement and found to be between 70-75% for non-reinforced matrices, 64-70% for reinforcement with 5 wt% biocellulose nanofiber (BCNF), 59-69% for 10 wt% BCNF, and 57-69% for 15 wt% BCNF biocomposite samples. Dependent on the composition, compressive strength showed up to a little less than two-fold increase (85%) for green BCNF reinforcement of 5 wt% and more than two-fold increase (120%) for 10 wt%. The tensile strength also increased up to almost two-fold (114%) for reinforcement with 5 wt% BCNF and to more than two-fold (140%) for 10 wt% reinforcement. Higher degrees of reinforcement showed a detrimental effect on both properties. Properties demonstrate that this novel class of nanostructured biocomposite holds potential to be utilized as scaffolds for tissue regeneration.
Fractals of art and life: the Arensberg Salon as a Cubist space
Authors: McCurdy Erin  Joelle
Published: May 2021

Table of Contents
Introduction: The Art Revolution in Walter's Room, Or Where Lou Held Court
Part 1: Fractals of Art: Cubism and the Arensberg Collection
Part 2: Fractals of Life: The Modern Exhibition Space from the Arensberg Salon to the MoMA
Conclusion: From Cubist Wunderkammer to Open House

"Hosted during the World War I and postwar era, from 1915-1921, the Arensberg salon served a generative function, welcoming bohemians and intellectuals from different nations and economic standings to convene and engage in conversation, chess, revelry, and collaborative projects. In addition to acting as the physical nucleus of New York Dada, the Arensberg residence, with its"super pictures" adorning the walls, served as an impressive domestic exhibition site incorporating art objects, decorative arts, and artefacts from disparate origins. Its hosts were Walter Arensberg, a poet,journalist, and literary scholar, and his wife Louise, a musician who came from equally wealthy stock. Together the Arensbergs used their sizeable inheritances to become influential collectors and patrons of the arts" -- Page 7.
Advanced pickup & delivery of parcels using GPS/GIS technologies
Authors: Muhammad Arfan
Published: May 2021

The main focus of this project addresses some of the key problems in the postal industry which are adhoc pickups, efficient and quick delivery, increase in vehicle maintenance, overtime and fuel cost. Companies involved in postal industry are spending millions of extra dollars to fulfill customer’s need. There is a need of some reliable solution which can help improving the existing processes which are still using old technologies. This project uses advanced and reliable state of the art technologies like Global Positioning System (GPS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) to improve the existing process of Pickup and Delivery (P&D) of parcels which are the two fundamental services provided by the postal industry. Today, there is a huge competition and the companies involved in postal industry are allocating a lot of budget to provide better, improved, reliable and satisfactory service to the customers. This project presents an integrated approach to combine GPS and GIS to help improving the existing pickup/delivery process. A GPS enabled mobile device capable of wireless connectivity can be mounted in the courier’s vehicle. The existing shipment and tracking application can be modified to communicate to GPS and transmit GPS data to the server wirelessly. GIS functionality can be embedded in the server side to calculate the shortest route between the courier’s current position and the customer address. Similarly, digital maps can be used for visual display of the couriers and their online activities.
Alt Housing: Between the Grain
Authors: Murrell Kayla
Published: May 2021

Current housing developments are built for one type of user at the time of construction, and neglect core values of community and adaptability. The way we build is a static misrepresentation of a dynamic society, ignoring ever changing patterns of growth, shrinkage, requirements and ideologies. Flexible housing strategies employing wood construction will support social inclusion while creating spaces that will serve all (societies) in a sustainable way. This poly-scalar (XS,S,M,L,XL) thesis will explore our basic understanding of physical spaces (architecture) and behavioral relations (people) to reconsider the “family” dwelling. This thesis aims to fi nd a convivial housing architecture that supports and establishes flexible connections between architecture and community living.
Clathrin and TOM1L1 regulate epidermal growth factor receptor signaling at the plasma membrane
Authors: Judge Gurjeet Singh
Published: May 2021

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) controls many aspects of cell physiology via the activation of intracellular signaling pathways. Aberrant EGFR signaling and overexpression of EGFR is a characteristic of various cancer types. Ligandbound EGFR elicits phosphorylation of Gab1, which activates phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), which in turn leads to Akt phosphorylation and activation. Akt is a central regulator of cell survival and metabolism. Rapidly upon binding EGF, the receptor is recruited to clathrin-coated pits (CCPs), eventually leading to EGFR endocytosis. As such, receptor-proximal EGFR signaling occurs while the receptor is enriched with CCPs at the plasma membrane. We have recently found that clathrin, but not receptor endocytosis, is required for EGF-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt, yet how clathrin controls EGFR signaling at the plasma membrane remains poorly understood.

Clathrin interacts with and recruits numerous proteins to the plasma membrane. To examine how specific clathrin-interacting proteins may underlie the requirement for clathrin in EGFR signaling, I have examined the role of TOM1L1, which interacts with clathrin, EGFR and Src-family kinases (SFKs) through distinct domains. SiRNA gene silencing of TOM1L1 impairs EGF-stimulated Akt phosphorylation, as did expression of a dominant-interfering mutant of TOM1L1 deficient in clathrin binding. Using fluorescent labeling of clathrin, TOM1L1 and other signaling intermediates coupled to total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy; I found that CCPs are enriched in TOM1L1 and phosphorylated Gab1 upon EGF stimulation. These findings indicate that the clathrin-binding adaptor TOM1L1 regulates EGF-stimulated Akt phosphorylation, thus revealing a novel molecular mechanism of regulation of EGFR signaling at the plasma membrane.
The Flight
Authors: Colville Mikaela
Published: May 2021

This MRP examines the Canadian operated flight that evacuated a group of Vietnamese children from Saigon during the final days of the Vietnam War (April, 1975) in what became known as “Operation Babylift”. These children were flown from Saigon to Hong Kong, and then eventually to Toronto, Canada. Adopted by local families many of these children came with no records. These children eventually reconnected and had a reunion 30 years later. Operation Babylift and the people who were affected are the main focus of my final Masters Research Project (MRP) which was formulated into a 20-minute documentary film. The focus for the film was to explore the lives of three of the orphans, shed some light on the significance of the flights, and also discus the lack of proper documentation practices at the time. Controversy surrounded Operation Babylift and its motivations and continues to this day. I first began to explore and study this subject in September of 2015 after meeting with one of the orphans who was flown to Canada as part of the Canadian efforts in the Operation Babylift project. Trent Kilner and his story fascinated me. The Vietnam war was never a topic of study in school nor was I aware how orphans were flown to Canada out of Vietnam in the last days of the war. It was Trent’s story that stimulated the concept to create a documentary to share and educate others on this subject. The exploration of how our society and culture address foreign refugees and the process of adopting refugee children is something that is still a topic of conversation and relevant today. During the time of Operation Babylift there was much controversy about how the Western world was handling these children. Some people saw Operation Babylift as child-napping, while others saw it as a rescue mission. The purpose of this research paper is to explore the historical, political, social and controversial events that surrounded the orphan flights, drawing on scholarly literature, newspaper/media articles, archival footage, as well as other documentary films. I will show how this research impacted the production of the documentary and offer an analysis of the final project situating it within the wider realm of contemporary documentary film.
Campaigning in the time of Twitter: 140 character ethical appeals from the 2012 United States presidential election
Authors: Fallis Alanna
Published: May 2021

This paper looked at the use of Twitter during the 2012 United States presidential campaign and the use of ethos appeals as a strategy to build credibility. As a new communication avenue, Twitter plays an unprecedented role in political discourse today. Both the Barack Obama and Mitt Romney campaigns have engaged in social media strategies and are actively using Twitter to communicate their talking points, and overall political platform. Larry Beason’s (1991) categories of signaled ethos were applied to examine a collection of tweets from each candidate. Sites like Twitter offer a more personal communication avenue for politicians to use. This paper discusses the strategic messaging on Twitter from politicians, and whether the messages contain ethos. The research questions explored are: to what extent are there ethos appeals on Twitter in the 2012 United States political candidates’ tweets? And, to what extent are particular ethos appeals prevalent? Of the 100 tweets examined from Barack Obama, the findings showed that 32% of his tweets contained ethos appeals, while 58% of the 100 tweets from Mitt Romney contained ethos appeals.
Out of the Binary: What Trans Adults With ‘Eating Disorders’ Want From Healthcare Professionals
Authors: Grant Zachary Sera
Published: May 2021

This is a qualitative research study using Community-Based Participatory Action Research to explore the healthcare experiences of trans individuals with ‘eating disorders’. This research provides recommendations to healthcare providers with the aim of improving the healthcare experiences of trans individuals with ‘eating disorders’. Recommendations consist of listening to service users, healthcare providers needing to educate themselves on trans health and ‘eating disorders’, sharing this knowledge with coworkers; incorporating learnings into personal practice as well as professional workplaces and disciplines; moving beyond your own understanding of the world, unpacking ones biases and practicing reflexivity, allowing trans individuals to make their own healthcare decisions, and transition can assist ‘eating disorder’ recovery.
Application of Glazing Coating for Window Retrofit in the Canadian Context
Authors: Rahman Md Mostafizur
Published: May 2021

Windows offer lots of opportunities to the building occupants but also are responsible for significant energy load for the buildings, especially in the older buildings, due to heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer. One way of achieving better performance and save energy is to use the high-performance window. Which option between window retrofit and window replacement is right in Canada? A new glazing coating that can be used for windows retrofit is investigated. The purpose of the study is to research the improved spectral values obtained with this coating, and it's actual energy performance when applied to the existing windows of the buildings in the Canadian context. To reach the goal laboratory test data of the SNG SC coated sample glazing were collected first, then used for energy performance modelling, simulation and analysis.

Keywords: Windows retrofit, SNG SC coating, Software’s, Energy analysis.
The use of microbubbles as contrast agents in the optical imaging of tissue
Authors: Assadi Homa
Published: May 2021

In this study, micrometer-sized (< 5μm) microbubbles (MBs) were investigated as optical contrast agents. Exogenous contrast agents in optical imaging can enhance the detection of cancerous tissue, however they are limited by their potential side effects such as organ accumulation and toxicity with repeated administration. In ultrasound imaging, microbubbles are FDA approved and used clinically as contrast agents. Microbubbles can also produce a refractive index mismatch between the gas-filled core and surrounding water media, potentially modifying optical properties of tissue when injected intravenously into tissue.
Cancer detection can potentially be achieved by imaging microvasculature functionality through the blood volume fraction measurements with diffuse optical imaging (DOI). In order to study the potential application of using MBs for DOI, the effect of MBs on the bulk optical properties of a skin tissue phantom solution at various volume fraction
of human blood was assessed at various injection doses of Definity® microbubble. The absorption and reduced scattering coefficients were computed and compared in the absence and presence of microbubbles. The presence of microbubbles in the blood caused a statistically significant enhancement in the reduced scattering contrast (~1.3 times) at 660 nm wavelength which increases with the dose of Definity® MBs (166 μL/kg) at 6% blood volume fraction. However, the absorption contrast enhancement remained relatively constant as microbubble dose increased. The scattering contrast enhancement confirmed the feasibility of using MBs as DOI contrast agents to improve the detection of tissue with high blood concentration conditions.
Microbubbles were also investigated as optical coherence tomography (OCT) contrast agents. OCT structural and speckle variance (sv) images, as well as the speckle decorrelation times, were evaluated under no-flow and flow conditions from a skin tissue phantom with two embedded microtubes. Faster decorrelation times and greater structural and svOCT image contrasts were detected with the presence of MBs. The effects of the presence of MBs on the image contrast were maximal (2 times) at no flow in the svOCT imaging mode and reduced with blood average flow velocity from zero to 12 mm/s. This result confirmed the feasibility of using MBs to enhance svOCT visualization of microvasculature morphology.
Bridging the gap : immigrant children as language and culture brokers
Authors: Del Carpio Leena
Published: May 2021

This paper looks at the role that immigrant children play in translating and interpreting for their parents. Research shows that children pick up language skills and culture faster than their parents do, so they are often put into the position of translating. This paper includes previous literature on the subject, and uses interviews and questionnaires conducted with adults who have had experiences in the role of culture brokers as children. While many of the participants benefited by perfecting language skills and were able to assist their families, they generally did not enjoy their stressful experiences as culture brokers. Currently, Canada does not have any laws in place to govern this activity, and this research calls for the government to implement limitations to the practice of using children is such a role.
Strengthening Canadian citizenship: but how and for whose benefit? The rise and fall of (Bill) C24, or towards a hierarchized Canadian citizenship
Authors: Habumukiza Antoine Marie Zacharie
Published: May 2021

While Statistics Canada evidences immigration to be a key driver of Canada’s population growth, unwelcoming immigration settlement policies and Canadian citizenship legislation combine to impede recent immigrants’ integration. Above all, citizenship policy plays a pivotal role in easing newcomers’ integration into the host polity by transforming them into citizens. Through naturalization, immigrants acquire legal citizenship; their substantive citizenship makes them enjoy rights and exercise responsibilities embedded in, and defined by citizenship policy. This paper argues that, by institutionalizing a conditional citizenship for new immigrants, recent changes to the Canadian citizenship regime brought by C-24 in June 2014 then repealed by C-6 in June 2017, not only weaken but jeopardize both legal and substantive citizenship of dual Canadian citizens and, consequently, hinder their successful integration into the Canadian polity. This study concludes that the lived experiences of recent immigrants mark a distinction between new Canadians’/visible minorities’ alientity and mainstream Canadian identity.
Selecting a Mix of Dispatching Rules for a Job Shop by Using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Shah Pramit
Published: May 2021

Dispatching rules are a popular and commonly researched technique for scheduling tasks in job shops. Much of the past research has looked at the performance of various dispatching rules when a single rule is applied in common to all machines. However, better schedules can frequently be obtained if the machines are allowed to use different rules from one another. This research investigates an intelligent system that selects dispatching rules to use on each machine in the shop, based on a statistical description of the routings, processing times and mix of the jobs to be processed. Randomly generated problems are scheduled using permutations of three different dispatching rules on five machines. A neural network is then trained by using a commercial package to associate the statistical description of each problem with its best solution. Once trained, a network is able to recommend for new problems a dispatching rule to use on each machine. Two networks were trained separately for minimizing makespan and the total flowtime in the job shop. Test results showed that the combination of dispatching rules suggested by the trained networks produced better results for both objectives than the alternative of using the one identical rule on all machines.
An Assessment of Microclimates in Southern Ontario: the Application of the Local Climate Zone Method in Toronto and the Surrounding Region
Authors: Price-Todd E. Jerome
Published: May 2021

The Golden Horseshoe is a densely populated area in southern Ontario and the population is expected to grow to 11.5 million residents by 2031. The urbanization process will likely intensify due to the current and expected population growth. The urban heat island (UHI) effect at 19 meteorological stations in southern Ontario were assessed using climate normals from 1981-2010 and the local climate zone (LCZ) method. The stations were assigned an LCZ unit based upon their calculated impervious, pervious and building surface fractions. It was found that areas representing higher urban-centric zones had higher UHI intensities (LCZ 5 with 2 K) than areas that were less urban-centric (LCZ 9 with 1.12 K and LCZ 6 with 1.37 K) revealing a continuum of “urbanicity”. The LCZ method provided greater objectivity when calculating the UHI intensity than the simpler method of an urban / rural dichotomy. With expected warming and population growth in the area the detrimental human health, environmental and economic impacts associated with the UHI effect should be given consideration for any future planning and decision making.
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of mixing in styrene polymerization
Authors: Patel Haresh
Published: May 2021

A styrene polymerization in a lab-scale CSTR equipped with a pitched blade turbine impeller was simulated using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach. The impeller motion was integrated in the geometry using the multiple reference frame (MRF) technique. The presence of non-linear source term and the highly coupled nature of transport equations of the polymerization, made the convergence difficult to achieve. The effects of the impeller speed, the input-output locations and the residence time on the polymerization in the CSTR were investigated. The CFD simulation shows that good mixing remained limited to the impeller region. Regions far from the impeller remained unmixed due to high viscosity of the polymer mass. The path lines of the particles, released at the inlet, were also generated to analyze the reaction progress as the chemicals travel throughout the reactor. The monomer conversion computed using the CFD model was compared to data reported in the literature. Conversion predicted using the CFD model is in good agreement with that obtained from the CSTR model at low residence time. However, the CFD predicted coversions were higher than those calculated from the CSTR model, at high residence time. It was found that the input-output locations had significant effect on the conversion and the homogeneity in the CSTR.
On an architecture of atmosphere
Authors: Suriano Matthew A.
Published: May 2021

In architecture, atmosphere is a term that is used to describe an intangible characteristic that permeates our built environments. The feeling of atmosphere is a direct result of one’s perceptible circumstances, which are shaped by what architects design and how they go about designing it. But for a construct that is grounded in the reality of the buildings architects design, there is a clear lack of consideration and discourse on the subject of atmosphere in the design of architecture. As a result, atmosphere in architecture has been relegated to a default atmosphere by architectural processes that focus on the conceptualization of buildings as ideal objects. In order to consider atmosphere in architecture designers must acknowledge in their designs the importance of a building’s temporal nature, its effect on one’s corporeal presence, and the surrounding environment. This thesis work is an evolving exploration into designing an architecture of atmosphere
Posttraumatic stress disorder treatment preference: cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, or pharmacotherapy?
Authors: Sharma Shankari
Published: May 2021

Of the available treatments for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), and pharmacotherapy are the protocols with the strongest research support. To investigate individuals’ preferences for treatment, participants were asked to read descriptions of CPT, PE, and pharmacotherapy, choose which one they think they would prefer should they require treatment, and rate their perceptions of treatment credibility. Two simultaneous studies were conducted: one with undergraduate and the other with online participants, and the latter had higher scores on measures of symptom distress. CPT was the first choice in both studies and was considered the most credible option. Undergraduate participants preferred PE as their second choice, while online participants picked pharmacotherapy. Undergraduate participants found PE to be more credible than pharmacotherapy, while online participants found them to be equally credible. Both groups chose psychotherapy alone as their first choice when given the option to combine psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy.
Area-delay driven library-free synthesis
Authors: Pullerits Matthew
Published: May 2021

Current logic synthesis tools rely on pre-defined cell libraries to assemble an arbitrary circuit to perform a needed function. The efficiency of the synthesized circuit relies on the quality and size of the library used in terms of circuit area and critical path delay. It has been shown that in a process supporting five serial NMOS and PMOS transistors, 425803 unique logic gates may be constructed. Clearly this is beyond what is currently available in standard cell libraries. A richer cell library allows the technology mapper more freedom to better select matches to reduce area, delay and power consumption. This thesis proposes novel algorithms for mapping an input netlist to a library of virtual cells by minimizing logical effort delay, and gate input capacitance to select an architecture which minimizes the design areadelay. An average 69.43% reduction in transistor count, 53.33% reduction in circuit area, with a 3.76% increase in delay has been realized compared to results obtained from Synopsys Design Compiler with high map effort for delay minimization.
A new approach to fabricate PDMS structures using femtosecond laser
Authors: Selvaraj Hamsapriya
Published: May 2021

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is commonly used to prototype micro and nano featured components due to its beneficial properties. PDMS based devices have been used for diverse applications such as cell culturing, cell sorting and sensors. Motivated by such diverse applications possible through pure PDMS and reinforced PDMS, numerous efforts have been directed towards developing novel fabrication techniques. Prototyping 2D and 3D pure and reinforced PDMS microdevices normally require a long curing time and must go through multiple steps. This research explores the possibility of fabricating microscale and nanoscale structures directly from PDMS resin using femtosecond laser processing. This study offers an alternative fabrication route that potentially lead to a new way for prototyping of pure and reinforced PDMS devices, and the generation of hybrid nanomaterials.

In depth investigation of femtosecond laser irradiation of PDMS resin reveals that the process is highly intensity-dependent. At low to intermediate intensity regime, femtosecond laser beam is able to rapidly cure the resin and create micron-sized structures directly from PDMS resin. At higher intensity regime, a total break-down of the resin material occurs and leads to the formation of PDMS nanoparticles.

This work demonstrates a new way of rapid curing of PDMS resin on a microsecond timescale using femtosecond laser irradiation. The proposed technique permits maskless single-step curing and is capable of fabricating 2D and 3D structures in micro-scale. Reinforced PDMS microstructures also have been fabricated through this method. The proposed technique permits both reinforcement and rapid curing and is ideal for fabricating reinforced structures in microscale. The strength of the nanofiber reinforced PDMS microstructures has been investigated by means of Nanoindentation test. The results showed significant improvement in strength of the material.

Hybrid PDMS-Si and hybrid PDMS-Al nanoparticle aggregate were generated using femtosecond laser. The results indicate that the hybrid PDMS nanostructures are clusters of nanoparticles that agglomerate and interweave three-dimensionally and also the possibility of formation of Si/Al nanoparticles enclosed in PDMS Shells. Presence of PDMS in the final hybrid structure is confirmed by micro-raman analysis. The versatility of our technique opens a new pathway to generate hybrid 3D fibrous nanostructures on any materials.
The Remasculation Film: Themes and Variations
Authors: Miller Adam Patrick
Published: May 2021

During the late 1980s and early 1990s, a discourse of masculinity crisis precipitated the appearance of a number of what Susan Jeffords describes as “rearticulations of screen masculinity,” which influenced the production of a group films whose narrative diegeses reaffirmed the heteronormative, hypermasculine façade onscreen. These films are identified and defined in this dissertation as remasculation pictures, or narratives that showcase the hero’s oscillation between two oppositional expressions of screen masculinity. In the rhetoric of the remasculation film, the protagonist’s emasculation initiates a quest to remasculate by reaffirming the dominance and authority of the hypermasculine archetype. Further, in a few key performances (Red River [1948], The Searchers [1956], The Wings of Eagles [1957]), John Wayne exemplifies the ultra-conservative values, imposing physicality, staunch heterosexuality, and capability of this heteronormative, hypermasculine archetype. However, Wayne’s image has been employed only as an exemplification of this façade, since this project does not suggest that the remasculation hero’s victory marks his appropriation of Wayne’s masculinity, only the archetype with which many of his performances have been associated. The remasculation picture is part of a film cluster, and not a genre because films of this category are primarily linked by similarities in narrative structure and their glorification of this hypermasculine figure. Further, to illustrate some of the themes of the remasculation picture, this dissertation features three chapters that focus on as many distinct expressions of the remasculation formula. The first of these chapters draws on Unforgiven (1992) and Law Abiding Citizen (2010) to furnish a discussion of judicial emasculation and remasculatory vigilantism. The second case study chapter looks at remasculation through pugilism with an examination of Payback (1999) and Get Carter (2000), while the final section focuses only on The Company Men (2010) to illustrate emasculative redundancy and the reacquisition of purpose as the final variation discussed in this project. While films of the remasculation cluster glorify the hypermasculine image, one cannot assume that the filmmakers responsible for their production aim to either disseminate ultra-conservative values or impose them on the audience. Similarly, the relative popularity of remasculation films does not necessarily indicate the presence of an audience seeking narrative diegeses showcasing the reaffirming triumph of the hypermasculine man. The continued production of the remasculation picture signifies only the appearance of a trend in contemporary film that is attributable to the destabilization of the normative masculine image at the end of the twentieth century.
Description 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.
Investigate the Potential Use of Absorption Chiller for Waste Heat Recovery of Data Centre; Case Study of Earth Ranger Centre
Authors: Kaveh Romina
Published: May 2021

Data centres are great contributors to global warming due to their high energy consumption. The same amount of energy being used in data centres to run the servers is required for cooling to prevent any damage as the result of overheating of the equipment. Reusing the exhaust heat for cooling purposes reduce energy demand for cooling and heat removal systems. This research proposal has focused on waste heat recovery of data centres located in Woodbridge, Ontario by using absorption chillers. A mathematical model was developed to analyze the performance of the system based on the temperature of the generator and absorber in Simulink/MATLAB. It is concluded that the COP of the system improves with the increase of the generator temperature and the decrease of the absorber temperature. Ultimately, a secondary energy source is required along with the rejected heat from the data centre to support the cooling load.
Monte Carlo and Tissue-Phantom studies of Photoacoustic Imaging of Carotid Intraplaque Haemorrhage
Authors: Khiari Ahmed Yahia
Published: May 2021

Strokes are the second leading cause of death worldwide. Vulnerable carotid plaques are a primary cause of stroke, with carotid Intraplaque Haemmorrghages being a key feature of vulnerability. MR imaging, which is sensitive to the presence of endogenous Methemoglobin (MetHb), is used to detect IPH. MRI is however expensive, and not readily available. We propose the use of Photoacoustic Imaging (PAI) for the detection of IPH, with MetHb being the primary PA imaging target. I examine the feasibility of this approach by performing Monte Carlo studies of light propagation, energy deposition and PA generation in tissuemimicking models, as well as experimental PA measurements of MetHb in tissue-mimicking phantoms. I show that is possible to achieve an SNR of ∼50dB at the average carotid artery depth of ∼21mm, with the possibility of imaging up to ≥ 32mm in Type I skin using commonly available hardware.
Maintaining the temporary nature of the seasonal agriculture workers program in Canada: a source country analysis
Authors: Castello Deon
Published: May 2021

The successful management of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) in Canada for the past 52 years lies with the bilateral agreement of the program’s Memorandum of Understanding. Despite its expansion over the decades, the program does not offer a pathway to permanent residency for migrant farm-workers. The power imbalance in maintaining the ability to grant permanent residence pathways lies mainly with the host country (Canada). However, source country by proxy also appears to play a role in maintaining the temporary nature of the program via managing and policing the SAWP workers. Based on a case study, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and a total of 10 interviews with workers, former workers, former and current civil servants responsible for the program in this country, the Major Research Paper interrogates the roles played by the source country in the continuation of the temporary migrant status and conditions associated with SAWP.
Racialized Risks, Queer Threats: Refugee Experiences of “Sanctuary” in the City of Toronto
Authors: Philip Jobin
Published: May 2021

There appears to be a gap in the literature that examines the intersectionality of identities for the refugee subject, especially for queer refugees. As well, there is a prevalence of heteronormative discourses throughout the literature. In all cases, homophobic violence is named but I will argue this is not the problem; it is merely a symptom of a broken system rooted in discourses of securitization and heteronormativity. Currently, migration to Canada is overseen by
an increasingly over-securitized state which treats refugee claimants as threats to the nation. Concomitantly, the cultural adherence to traditional, white, heteronormative identities adds another dimension of risk for racialized, queer refugee subjects. This research study examines the experiences of resettlement for racialized and queer refugees in Toronto – a city that claims to be a sanctuary for such refugee claimants. The findings show that although queer refugees are generally safe from blatant and overt forms of violence post-migration, they still feel the need to resort to strategic methods of discretion, as it takes time to unlearn the fear and insecurity that exists as a result of experiencing trauma in the previous country. The interviews demonstrate that although some queer refugees may have to overcome internal and external challenges in their resettled lives, ultimately the action of migrating to Canada has opened up a multitude of promising possibilities.