bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The current state of safety within the wet laboratories of a Canadian academic institution
Authors: Ayi Helene-Rosina
Published: May 2021

Working in an academic laboratory (lab) often involves handling hazardous substances (Shariff & Norazahar,
2012). These substances are dangerous due to their toxic, flammable, explosive, carcinogenic, pathogenic or
radioactive properties (Furr, 2000). Therefore, it is crucial that those working in these environments do so safely.
Recently, many researchers and students from various universities in the U.S. and globally have suffered severe
injuries and fatalities from lab accidents. For example, in 2008 a lab fire at the University of California Los Angeles
led to the death of a student(Van Noorden, 2011). Following this and other similar accidents that transpired
afterwards, an international study was conducted to understand the state of safety within the wet labs of today’s
universities(Van Noorden, 2013a). The findings revealed numerous safety gaps and an overall lack of a strong and
positive safety culture within the labs (Benderly, 2013;and Schröder, Huang, Ellis, Gibson, & Wayne, 2016).

Since the majority of the accidents and study reports were predominantly from the U.S., it is unknown if the
same safety gaps and risks also exist in the wet labs of Canadian universities. Therefore, this research study
examined the state of safety within the wet laboratories of a medium-sized Canadian university. This was achieved
by: 1) conducting an inventory of the labs’ hazardous substances to identify their labeling and storage conditions, 2)
inspecting the labs to identify potential hazards or risky conditions, and 3) surveying lab personnel to understand
how safety is perceived and practiced. The results show several safety deficiencies and a negative perception on
certain safety elements among the lab personnel. As in universities in the U.S. there is an overall need to enhance thecurrent culture of safety at this Canadian university.
Non-periodic inspection of optimization of repairable systems
Authors: Hajipour Yassin
Published: May 2021

This study proposes models to find the optimal non-periodic inspection interval over a finite planning horizon for two types of multi-component repairable systems. The first system consists of hard-type and soft-type components, and the second system is a k-out-of-m system with m identical components. The failures of components in both systems follow a non-homogeneous Poisson process. The failure of soft-type components and the failure of components in a k-out-of-m system when the number of failed components is still less than m-k+1, are soft failures. Soft failures are revealed only at scheduled inspections or when an event of opportunistic inspection or a system failure occurs. The failures of hard-type components or the failure of (m-k+1)th failed component in a k-out-of-m system are hard failures, and cause the system to stop functioning. Hard failures are revealed immediately and the failed components are fixed. In this study, a failed component is either replaced or minimally repaired according to its age at failure time. To find the optimal inspection schedules for the systems, we minimize the total expected cost of the systems over a finite planning horizon. The total cost for the first type of system includes the costs of components’ minimal repairs, replacements, downtimes, and the scheduled inspections. The total cost of a k-out-of-m system has an additional penalty cost for system failures. We consider a binary variable for a possible scheduled inspection’s time, in which 1 indicates performing a planned inspection at that time, and 0 shows no inspection to be performed. Thus, our goal is to find the optimal vector of binary decision variables which results in the minimum total cost of the system. A recursive formula is developed to calculate the expected number of minimal repairs, replacements and downtime of soft-type components. However since obtaining the expected values from the mathematical formula is cumbersome, we develop a simulation model to obtain the total
expected cost for a given non-periodic inspection scheme. We then integrate the simulation
model with a genetic algorithm to obtain the optimal inspection scheme.
Simulation, system analysis, and optimization of nematic bipolar droplet in polymer dispersed liquid crystal films
Authors: Akbarzadeh Vajiheh
Published: May 2021

Polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films play an important role in liquid crystal display technology. PDLC films are used in devices such as switchable windows, complex billboards, and flat panel televisions. PDLC films consist of nematic bipolar droplets dispersed randomly in a polymer matrix. In this work, the effect of droplet shape, physical properties, and external field strength is examined on the performance of PDLC films. Finite element method (FEM) and finite difference method (FDM) are used to model a single droplet with external field applied parallel to the droplet axis of symmetry. Results of previous simulations with FEM are reproduced and compared with those with FDM. Genetic algorithm is employed to determine the optimum aspect ratio, and elastic constant ratio for the droplet, and external field strength with respect to minimum energy, response time, and relaxation time.
Bell Let’s Talk: A Catalyst for Support and Self-Disclosure, or Corporate Greed?
Authors: Dhami Harleen
Published: May 2021

For years, the stigma around depression has caused many to suffer in silence. Since its launch in 2010, the Bell Let’s Talk campaign, started by Canadian telecommunications giant Bell, has aimed to change the narrative around mental health. With Bell coming under fire for overlooking employee mental health needs and even firing staff as a result of requesting time off, this Major Research Paper explores how the 2020 Bell Let’s Talk campaign mobilizes support and selfdisclosure among Twitter users or whether it is simply another instance of corporate profitization. Analyzing tweets one week before, the day of Bell Let’s Talk and one week after, it is suggested that the campaign does not instill a significant increase in supportive tweets on the day of. Rather, it appears that users engage in self-disclosing their experiences with depression and share resources and ways to cope on the day of the initiative. Comparatively, self-disclosure and support does not appear to be sustained beyond the day of the initiative.
Quantifying fugitive dust emissions from limestone quarries : Data selection and uncertainty assessment
Authors: Weinstock Aaron B.
Published: May 2021

Accurate quantification of fugitive dust emissions from quarries helps maintain the integrity of the National Pollutant Release Inventory. Emissions from unpaved roads, material handling, and storage piles at three quarries were calculated using the AP-42 emissions factor method, and the error of using 30-year climate averages, the uncertainty introduced by typical material properties, and the limited availability of climate data were addressed. Using daily and hourly data predicted unpaved roads emissions between 38.95% and 43.50% higher, materials handling emissions 15.31% lower to 18.64% higher, and storage pile emissions 12.48% to 37.50% lower than calculations using 30-yer averages. Employing Monte Carlo simulation, the confidence intervals attributable to typical material properties ranged from 87.50% below to 650% above the mean. Krige-interpolated climate data showed potential for being more accurate that observations at the nearest station. Using site-specific, temporally-relevant data and assessing uncertainty promotes calculations that better match the goals of the inventory.
Experimental diffusivity and solubility of carbon dioxide and nitrogen in polyproplene
Authors: Kundra Pawan
Published: May 2021

In this work, we determined the concentration-dependent diffusivity and solubility of environmentally benign blowing agents, carbon dioxide and nitrogen in polypropylene. For this purpose, experiments were carried out to obtain pressure decay data in the range 170-190°C and 0.29-7.32 MPa. For each experimental run, the mass of gas absorbed as a function of time led to the calculation of diffusion coefficient. The equilibrium pressure at sufficiently long time enabled the calculation of solubility.  The calculus of variation was used to establish the necessary conditions for the determination of concentration-dependent diffusivity such that the model-predicted mass of gas absorbed in polymer matches with the experimental counterpart. The value of diffusivity was found to lie in the ranges 2.67-9.13xlO-9 and 3.88-12.94xlO-9 m2 S- I for carbon dioxide and nitrogen, respectively.  
Examining associations between internalizing behaviour, cortisol reactivity, and physiological coordination, in two differentially potent challenges
Authors: Khoury Jennifer
Published: May 2021

Background: Research examining associations between child internalizing behaviours and cortisol reactivity is equivocal, with studies suggesting positive, negative and non-significant associations. The present study assessed three primary confounds that contribute to these inconsistencies: 1) the differential effectiveness of laboratory challenges in eliciting cortisol reactivity; 2) the impact of coordination between the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis and the Sympathetic-Adrenal-Medullary system (assessed via salivary alpha-amylase (sAA)); and 3) variation in the measurement of internalizing behaviour, specifically, parent versus child ratings. The primary aims of this study were to assess internalizing behaviours in relation to both cortisol reactivity and coordination between cortisol and sAA, measured in two distinct challenges.

Method: A community sample of 8-10 year olds (N= 52) participated in two laboratory challenges, across two study sessions: 1) the Trier Social Stress Test-Child Version (TSST-C), a potent social-evaluative challenge, and 2) a less-potent competition challenge, composed of a puzzle and mirror-tracing task. Saliva was collected at several time points before and after each challenge. Saliva was later assayed to extract cortisol and sAA. Child-reported depressive symptoms were assessed using the Child Depression Inventory, and maternal-reported internalizing problems were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist. Multilevel modelling was conducted using Hierarchical Linear Modeling.

Results: In the TSST-C, child-reported depressive symptoms were significantly associated with a declining cortisol trajectory. Maternal-reported internalizing problems were not associated with cortisol and internalizing behaviour did not moderate the impact of sAA levels on cortisol levels (i.e., coordination) in the TSST-C. With regards to the competition challenge, maternal-reported internalizing behaviours predicted cortisol-sAA coordination, such that children with more internalizing behaviours who experienced higher sAA levels also had higher cortisol reactivity.
However, there were no significant associations between child-reported depressive symptoms, cortisol reactivity, or coordination between sAA and cortisol reactivity in the competition challenge.

Conclusions: Results are discussed in the context of allostatic load and in relation to theories of physiological coordination. These findings underscore the importance of differential stressor contexts, physiological coordination, and the informant of internalizing behaviours moderating associations between internalizing behaviour and cortisol reactivity. Future research should integrate these factors in models of physiological stress and developmental psychopathology.
Youth’s Perceptions Of Childhood: Young People’s Participation In Envisioning Community Change
Authors: Wood Caitlin
Published: May 2021

It is vitally important that Indigenous Youth are provided a forum to express and share their unique expertise and profound knowledge on all matters that affect and impact their lives. Through the use of photo-voice, this qualitative study provided the space for eleven youth from the Northern Village of La Loche, Saskatchewan to share their perspectives on their community, their lives, and how childhood should be conceptualized. Employing the theoretical frameworks of Sociology of Childhood, children’s rights, Indigenous culturally responsive method and a desire-centred research framework, four over-arching themes emerged; the importance of: i) relationships; ii) health and well-being; iii) knowledge; and iv) community and culture. The youth in this study demonstrated their enormous capacity to identify and share their unique perspectives on their community and proficiencies in assessing their community’s strengths and challenges – further demonstrating that youth are not merely passive subjects of social structures, but competent citizens able to contribute to change in authentic ways.
Design and implementation of convolutional neural network architectures for low-dose CT image noise reduction
Authors: Badretale Seyyedomid
Published: May 2021

An essential objective in low-dose Computed Tomography (CT) imaging is how best to preserve the image quality. While the image quality lowers with reducing the X-ray dosage, improving the quality is crucial. Therefore, a novel method to denoise low-dose CT images has been presented in this thesis. Different from the traditional algorithms which utilize similar shared features of CT images in the spatial domain, the deep learning approaches are suggested for low-dose CT denoising. The proposed algorithm learns an end-to-end mapping from the low-dose CT images for denoising the low-dose CT images. The first method is based on a fully convolutional neural network. The second approach is a deep convolutional neural network architecture consisting of five major sections. The results of two frameworks are compared with the state-of-the-art methods. Several metrics for assessing image quality are applied in this thesis in order to highlight the supremacy of the performed method.
Characterization of the Effects of Borehole Layouts in Geo-exchange
Authors: Law Ying Lam
Published: May 2021

In a ground-source heat pump (GSHP) system, when the heating and cooling loads are not balanced, the ground temperature may migrate up or down after a few years of operation. This change in ground temperature can lower system efficiency because of the ineffective heat transfer temperatures. The present work contributes to fundamental understanding of thermal imbalance in borehole design. Long term ground temperatures were simulated using finite element methods to imitate the performance of GSHP systems. Borehole field configurations are explored and different aspect ratios of borehole layouts were compared. In addition, an alternative borehole configuration was studied, which involves alternating the length of individual boreholes within a single system. The results of the studies expressed potential in alleviating the effects of thermal imbalance by changing borehole field layout and potential in reducing borehole separation distance by altering individual borehole lengths.
Instagram and female celebrity: exploring gender performances through social visual semiotics, feminist theory and framing analysis
Authors: Kolb Jill
Published: May 2021

With the advent of social media, and specifically Instagram, individuals now have the ability to instantly communicate their moods, thoughts, and ideas through personally created visual messages. Instagram is designed to communicate ideas through self-generated digital images uploaded to the platform and network in real time from mobile devices, especially smartphones. This has had an impact on what is accepted as important media content, with fans, publics, and popular culture having a seemingly insatiable appetite for the personal details proffered by celebrities’ online profiles (Marwick & Boyd, 2011). These images are redefining our understanding of celebrity, reformatting fans’ expectations of reality, and helping to define emerging modes of subjectivity in a world dominated and increasingly defined by social media networks.

This Masters of Professional Communication Major Research Project examines how social media networks are changing the way female celebrities portray themselves to the public and how these digital platforms are assisting in the cultivation of celebrity personas. Informed by social visual semiotics, postmodern feminist theory, and framing analysis this research project will analyze: 1) the Instagram accounts of three prominent female celebrities: Ellie Goulding, Kat Dennings, and Beyonce; 2) how these celebrities’ self-portrayal assists in their ability to create an accessible persona for their fans; and 3) what these prominent female celebrities’ social media performances reveal about female empowerment and self-representation in our social media saturated era.
The impact of government funding cuts on ethno-specific settlement services in Ontario: The case of the Afghan Association of Ontario and the Afghan Women’s Organization
Authors: Mohsini Alina
Published: May 2021

This study focuses on the importance of ethno-specific immigrant settlement service agencies (ISSAs) for Afghan newcomers, in particular, refugees, and investigates the impact of Canadian government funding cuts on their services in Ontario. Based on secondary data, organizations’ archival documents and multi-lingual literature, this research presents the impact of funding cuts on services and service users through a case study of the Afghan Women’s Organization (AWO) and the Afghan Association of Ontario (AAO). This research demonstrates that the 2010 sweeping funding cuts terminated AAO’s programs, and consistent funding cuts have limited the AWO’s programs. Service users, too, confirm the lack of linguistic and culturally competent services, impacting their settlement and integration. This research is guided by the politics of recognition theoretical framework and strives to inform governmental policy, leading to access and provision of essential settlement services for newcomers.
The Political Discourse Behind Canada’s Unusually Harsh Detention Practices: The MV Sun Sea Case
Authors: Singh Shaina
Published: May 2021

On August 13th 2010, the MV Sun Sea ship carrying 492 Tamil asylum seekers arrived off of the coast of British Columbia. Immediately upon arrival the Tamil asylum seekers were detained for a prolonged period of time, subjected to intensified interrogation techniques, and unfairly questioned even when in possession of identifying documents. This paper examines how the government used political discourse to try and justify the unusually harsh detention of asylum seekers. Through a critical discourse analysis strategy, eight newspaper articles will be analyzed and the theories of securitization, discourse, and orientalism will be used to advance certain political ideologies. The political justifications of detention operate through the theme of the egocentric state, and the theme of categorizing and demonizing asylum seekers. The final theme discussed is the concept of victimization, which will offer an alternate perspective to this paper’s main focus on political discourse.
The Brickyards Journal Connecting Consumers To Sustainable Fashion Through Print Media
Authors: Bilczuk Jennifer
Published: May 2021

The Brickyards Journal is a creative exploration into print media and information distribution – analyzed particularly within the slow fashion/sustainable fashion industry. The project utilizes an arts-based research approach to explore the intersections of the Slow Food and Slow Fashion industries, and their relationships with consumers through print media.

While slow food has become a popular sustainably-driven movement, slow fashion has struggled to create the same roots in consumers fashion shopping habits and perspectives towards clothing. This paper analyzes the steps taken by the Slow Food movement and considers how to educate consumers on sustainability and the fashion industry in an analogous way. The result is a creative project that makes sustainable fashion information available and most importantly applicable, through a 54-page printed journal drawing new attention to both the local industry and the practices that will allow us to continue to flourish as a society.
Conventional frequency ultrasound detection of tumor response in vivo to cancer treatment administration
Authors: Papanicolau Naum
Published: May 2021

Current methods employed to evaluate patient response to cancer therapy are typically invasive requiring examination of excised tissue. The development of a non-invasive method of monitoring patient response to cancer therapy administration would potentiate clinical decisions permitting clinicians to adjust therapy regimens early in a treatment course based upon individual patient responses. It has been previously demonstrated that high frequency ultrasound is capable of reliably quantifying structural changes in tumor morphology in response to cancer therapies. Preliminary work has also indicated that ultrasound employed at clinically relevant frequencies (1-15 MHz) can detect apoptotic cell death using in vitro models. This thesis examines changes in tumor morphology in response to cancer therapy administration employing ultrasound at a clinically applicable frequency in a preclinical in vivo mouse model. The power spectrum of the radiofrequency data obtained from tumors was analyzed via linear regression spectroscopic analysis, as well as evaluating a statistical analysis of the amplitude distribution of the signal envelope. It is demonstrated here for the first time that 7 MHz ultrasound can detect apoptotic and other forms of cell death in vivo. A potential for a parametric imaging technique to visually represent analysis results is also demonstrated.
Volkswagen’s crisis communication: Twitter use during #dieselgate
Authors: Lim Josephine
Published: May 2021

On September 18, 2015, Volkswagen became embroiled in a global crisis after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publically announced Volkswagen’s violation of the Clean Air Act through the installation of “defeat devices” that trick emission tests. The Volkswagen emissions scandal was covered by media around the world and news spread quickly on social media networks, such as Twitter, though a trending hashtag, #dieselgate. Through
studying Volkswagen’s Twitter accounts (the Twitter account for the overall brand, a regional Twitter account and a Twitter account targeting the press), this case study analyzes Volkswagen’s adoption of the Situational Crisis Communication Theory’s (SCCT) rebuild and bolstering crisis response strategy on Twitter, but with little open communication through this medium. Information shared on Volkswagen’s Twitter accounts was inconsistent and
Volkswagen’s limited adoption of a conversational, human voice on social media affected the virality of organizational messaging. Volkswagen was progressing towards recovering its social currency on Twitter, but updates on the crisis or similar news related to the situation encourages greater hostility and apathy towards the organization.
The Chinese Jamaican Oral History Project
Authors: Fisher Daniel Clarkson
Published: May 2021

The Chinese Jamaican Oral History Project is an initiative that aims to record and preserve memories and stories from the Chinese Jamaican community in Toronto. Its two distinct components are: (1) an online archive of audio-recorded oral history interviews, narrator portraits, and other images; and (2) an exhibition made from the contents of that archive. Specifically, the exhibition is comprised of twelve digital stories -- one for each of the narrators who has participated in the project so far. In every case, a soundbite has been selected to represent the complete oral history interview (which is archived online in full). Together with the images, these voices tell a story of the Chinese Jamaican community in Toronto, while also underscoring the diverse range of individual experiences within it.
Introducing instagagement: analyzing the engagement rates of professional tennis players through self-presentation strategies on Instagram
Authors: Lebel Katie
Published: May 2021

This study explored the self-presentation strategies of male and female professional tennis players on the visual-based social media platform, Instagram, and explored the differences that exist between genders relative to fan engagement. A total of 963 Instagram posts were analyzed through content analyses of the top ten most followed professional male and female tennis players. Findings suggest that down-to-earth posts were the most common selfpresentation strategy for both genders; however, male athletes were found to post in a wider variety of categories. Sport specific presentations of self (athletic competence, behind-the-scenes and celebratory) were found to be significantly more popular among male athletes, constituting 46.1% of their sample, compared to 24.5% of the female athlete sample. Fan engagement rates revealed that followers of male athletes engaged with celebratory content the most, while followers of female athletes engaged most with sexualized content.
Decolonizing 'integration': a post-colonial analysis of immigrant 'integration' in Canada & Germany
Authors: Grewal Gill Hasrat
Published: May 2021

Migrant ‘host’ countries in the global north demand that newcomers ‘integrate’ into their societies by demonstrating language skills, economic participation, socialization, and adjusting to the norms and values of the destination country. However the question that remains unanswered is: who is the ‘host’ population, and who creates the norms and values that the newcomers are required to match up to? In the context of immigrant integration, this paper applies a postcolonial lens to understand the historical linkages in Canada (settler society) and Germany (ethic nation) that shape the everyday realities of immigrants in the present. The concept of immigrant ‘integration’ can be seen as a form of present-day colonialism that works to re-impose the idea of European hegemony over ‘other’ racialized groups, and distracts from the recognition and redress of Indigenous and immigrant rights.

Key words: Canada, Germany, Integration, immigration, colonialism, racism, decolonization
Experimental Verification of Theoretical Ageing and Service Life Prediction Model for Vacuum Insulation Panels
Authors: Nikafkar Mahsa
Published: May 2021

Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs) are a kind of the super-insulated materials (SIMs). VIPs are innovative material in various fields like the building sector as it encompasses a higher thermal resistance per unit of thickness compared to conventional insulation. To extensively use VIPs in the building sector, comprehensive performance analysis, and their properties such as thermal conductivity valuations are required to be done under simulated conditions to evaluate its longterm performance. However, different VIPs have varying durability, and as it stands, there is no comprehensive understanding of how all VIPs will behave in real conditions. This research investigates the effect of multiple variables (such as temperature, relative humidity) on VIP service life. The purpose of this research is to validate the theoretical ageing model of VIPs. First, the experimental thermal conductivity results from seven samples of three different VIP categories are collected using a heat flow meter. To measure the accelerated ageing results over 25 years, Arrhenius equation is applied. Next, NRC theoretical model is used to predict the ageing response of the samples. Finally, an analytical method is employed to verify and validate this model based on the collected data. Results shows that effect of ageing and environmental temperature have higher impacts on the performance of fibreglass panels than the fumed silicas. Additionally, the aging effects analysis reveals that microporous silica VIP products would maintain their superior thermal performance over time. Keywords: Vacuum insulation panel, Ageing, Thermal conductivity, accelerated ageing, modelling
Service selection in a marketplace: a multi-perspective solution
Authors: Pudasaini Dipak
Published: May 2021

Most of the current research work on web service selection only considered the selection problem from the perspective of one party – service consumers. A service marketplace serves many parties including service consumers and providers. Thus, it is important to consider multiple parties. In this thesis, we propose a service selection model considering the benefits of multiple parties: consumers, providers and the marketplace. The model ranks services based on not only how much these services satisfy the user requirements but also how much the requests can be distributed to different providers and the revenue gain in the marketplace. We design different objective functions, then combine into a QoS-Plus-PF objective function. The results show that proposed model could achieve a high degree of satisfaction of user requests (i.e., 0.61% to 5.26% worse than the optimal score), and meanwhile have the capability of promoting more diversified set of services (i.e., 48.95% promotion percentage).
Responding to the settlement needs of newcomers to Canada: the role of community organizations in the Greater Toronto area
Authors: Wright Erica
Published: May 2021

This study analyzes the role of grassroots organizations in the Greater Toronto Area who support newcomers to Canada. A qualitative thematic analysis was used, with staff from three grassroots organizations and two key informants participating. The study aims, first, to gather practical knowledge from these organizations about the actions needed to improve settlement outcomes for newcomers. Secondly, it seeks to learn what challenges grassroots organizations face in continuing and expanding their services, and how they can be supported in their work. The organizations of focus do not provide direct, government-funded settlement services, but work towards goals of long-term immigrant success and integration. Findings included the need for more responsive and culturally-relevant programming among settlement organizations, the challenges with attaining funding, and the importance of partnerships among related institutions. These actors have valuable insights on newcomers’ current settlement needs and can make important knowledge contributions to the settlement sector.

Key words: immigrants; settlement and integration; public services; grassroots organizations; Canada
In-Situ Ultrasound-Assisted Control of Polymeric Membrane Fouling
Authors: Heloisa Westphalen Dornelas Camara
Published: May 2021

Membrane separation processes have been more widely applied to industrial activities, especially in water and wastewater treatment. However, there are still challenges associated to the use of membranes. Concentration polarization and fouling can cause significant permeate flux decay during the filtration process, hindering its efficiency and increasing cost. Among many strategies, the combination of membrane filtration with ultrasound (US) application has shown promising results in reducing membrane fouling. The main goal of this research was to identify the effect of US frequency, US power intensity and feed solution concentration on permeate flux during ultrafiltration of simulated latex paint effluent. Maximum increase in permeate flux of 19.7% was obtained by applying 20 kHz and 0.29 W.cm-2 to feed solution with 0.075 wt.% of solid concentration. The effect of feed flow rate was analyzed showing that an increase in feed flowrate is not beneficial to the fouling minimization process. Overall, the application of US improves permeate flux by reducing fouling of ultrafiltration polymeric membrane.
Methodology For Fabricating High Temperature Composite Panel And Evaluation
Authors: Thamilselvan Gopinath
Published: May 2021

Ever increasing demand for composite materials in the aerospace industry has lead composite manufacturers to develop numerous innovations in the field of manufacturing. Composites play an important role in engine components and high-speed jet crafts where weight saving materials that can sustain high temperatures, with little reduction in performance are desired. A cost effective in-house novel manufacturing technique aimed at producing high glass transition temperature (Tg) composite panels on par with autoclave manufacturing technology has been designed and built. The designed compression molding system is integrated with an oven, to cater the need for high temperature and high pressure manufacturing system which can be a potential alternative for autoclaves in terms of fabricating panels for structural testing. Quality of the panel was demonstrated by conducting ultimate tensile test, fatigue test and microscopic examination results. High temperature mechanical testing was also carried out to study the behavior of high TgIM7/RP46 composites fabricated at the laboratory.
People living In poverty with companion pets: barriers to access and support
Authors: Violante Joey
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this major research project was to make critical the experiences of people living in poverty and/or violent living situations with animal companions. I met with three participants; using qualitative semi-structured interviews, and a narrative approach. Participants highlighted issues of poverty, homelessness, gender-based violence and bounded choice in accessing services and supports. Using an intersectional feminist, post structural, and anti-oppressive analysis I explored the ideological and material barriers that impact women living in poverty with companion animals. This paper finishes with participants’ recommendations for change and implications for social work.
Sports fans in the digital age: will virtual reality integrate into the sports space?
Authors: Kletke Kristian
Published: May 2021

Virtual reality (VR) is an immersive technology that is increasingly considered for use in the sports media space. With the proliferation of digital media, stakeholders in the sports ecosystem are looking to leverage new technology as part of their distribution strategy. This paper will seek to investigate the potential for virtual reality as a sports broadcasting medium. Through an exploration of various points of view in the field, use cases, and theoretical frameworks, this research will attempt to understand the various barriers to mainstream adoption. This MRP concludes that virtual reality for sport viewing is still in its infancy, but will pervade the market as a complementary broadcasting offering in the future. It will furthermore seek to outline a business model for virtual reality sports to monetize content
Adapted motivational interviewing for bariatric surgery patients: a pilot study
Authors: David Lauren
Published: May 2021

The current pilot trial examined the efficacy of a single-session Adapted Motivational Interviewing (AMI) protocol for improving outcomes for bariatric surgery patients. Forty-six post-operative patients from the Bariatric Surgery Program at Toronto Western Hospital were randomly assigned to either an AMI group (n = 23) or a wait list group (n = 23). From pre- to post-intervention, paired samples t-tests found that participants reported greater readiness and self-efficacy for change, as well as improvements to binge eating characteristics and to some measures of adherence to dietary guidelines at the 4-week follow-up. Repeated measures ANOVAs found that the behavioural changes were maintained over the 12-week follow-up but mixed model ANOVAs suggest that these changes may not be as marked next to patients receiving standard bariatric care. These preliminary findings suggest that AMI is an acceptable and feasible intervention that might be effective for some bariatric patients. Future research is warranted.
Functional Characterization of the VAC14 Self-Interaction Domain
Authors: Alghamdi Tamadher A.
Published: May 2021

PtdIns(3,5)P2 is a low-abundance signaling lipid present at < 0.1 % of total PtdIns lipids in yeasts and mammals. Reduced levels of PtdIns(3,5)P2 contributes to neurodegenerative disorders in humans and vacuolar defects in yeasts. Steady-state levels of PtdIns(3,5)P2 are dependent on both its rate of synthesis and turnover. In yeast, PtdIns(3,5)P2 is produced on the vacuole membrane by phosphorylation of PtdIns(3)P at the 5 position of its inositol ring by the Fab1 lipid kinase. Cells lacking Fab1 make no PtdIns(3,5)P2 and exhibit defects in vacuole morphology and function. The lipid phosphatase Fig4 counteracts Fab1 activity by turnover of PtdIns(3,5)P2 into PtdIns(3)P. Vac14 is a regulatory protein implicated in the synthesis and turnover of PtdIns(3,5)P2. It acts as an adaptor protein that controls both of Fab1 and Fig4 proteins. In addition, Vac14 exists as a multimer that allows for self-interaction. However, multimerization state of Vac14 as well as the domain responsible for self-interaction remained unknown. This study aimed to identify the self-interaction domain to elucidate its role in the assembly of the regulatory complex of PtdIns(3,5)P2. The observations seen in this study suggested that Vac14 self-interacts via multiple conserved motifs in the C-terminus, which are crucial for interaction with Fab1 and Fig4, and the normal morphology of yeast vacuoles.
Microemulsion-Based Solid Lipid Nanoparticles As Emulsion Stabilisers
Authors: Hazfi Elham H.
Published: May 2021

The preparation and properties of water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions stabilised solely by adsorbed surface-active solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) at the oil-water interface were studied.

Monostearin-based SLNs were prepared using food-grade micoremulsions as nanoscle 'reactors'. Hot oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsions (70°C) consisting of monostearin, Tween 20, ethanol and water were crash-cooled to 4°C to promote the liquid-solid transition of the monostearin and thus develop sub-micron solid lipid particles.

SLNs obtained from the cooled microemulsions were partially stabilised with addition to lecithin (0.5% w/w) to the microemulsion system. With 2% (w/w) added monstearin, the W/O emulsion was stable for the 14 days of study. The microstructure of the emulsions revealed the presence of two stabilisation mechanisms, namely Pickering-type and continuous phase crystal network stabilisation, which both contributed to slowing dispersed droplet coalescence.

Overall, this study demonstrated that surface-active SLNs developed using a microemulsion technique could effectively kinetically stabilise model W/O emulsions.
Navigating community-engaged scholarship within neoliberal academic institutions
Authors: Pacheco Rebecca
Published: May 2021

The overall purpose of this research was to identify systemic conditions within academia that are preventing researchers from engaging in CES, and ultimately, influence change in university policies and procedures pertaining to community-based research. Using interpretive phenomenological inquiry, four community-engaged social work scholars were interviewed about their experience with participating in community-engaged research. The interviews explored the experiences of community-engaged scholarships within the current academic context, and how their work is valued, recognized and rewarded by their academic institution. It was found that the participants had a common understanding that community-engaged scholarship and its research outcomes remain largely undervalued by the majority of academia. The participants provided many of their own personal experiences while also pointing out restrictive policies and practices at their university. The implications of these trends are discussed and entry points for change in the academy are highlighted.
A Blueprint for Recovery
Authors: Sepehry-Rad Nazanin
Published: May 2021

Built environments inevitably serve as grand mnemonic elements that contain and transmit layers of culture and history. Failing to acknowledge the significance of difficult memories in the identity and culture of cities induces the gradual erosion of history as well as preventing movement toward a better future. In order to preserve the latent value in the identity of the city, architectural strategies should be implemented by which forgotten memories and hidden traces could be recalled to conscious narration. Recalling a story from the past, intentionally or unconsciously forgotten as a form of amnesia, can help re-contextualize memory images that awaken within us a new avenue to the future. This thesis intends to refine the dynamics of remembrance, illuminating the power of architecture as a medium for providing frames of perception and horizons of understanding of past experiences.
OFDM impairment mitigation techniques
Authors: Umasankar Bharath
Published: May 2021

In this thesis, we propose novel techniques to improve the performance of OFDM systems. We present a simple adaptive modulation technique to mitigate the nonlinear distortion effects of OFDM signals. Based on an estimation of the nonlinearity of the HPA/channel, for each OFDM symbol, a calculation is done at the transmitter side which identifies the subcarries with high distortion and correpsondingly reduces the modulation level on those subcarriers. This procedure is repeated until the nonlinear distortion is below a predetermined threshold. This technique is shown to improve the BER performance considerably while the reduction in data rate is small. The data rate is reduced by 4% for a system with 64 subcarriers and 16 QAM as primary and 4 QAM as secondary modulation levels.

The tone reservation technique used in conventional PAPR reduction is suitably modified to provide a simple solution to reduce the average power requirement in intenstiy modulated optical OFDM systems. With two reserved subcarriers the reduction in power is approximately 2 dB for 16 QAM modulation with 64 subcarriers and 1dB for 256 subcarriers.

We also describe techniques to improve the BER performance of grouped linear constellation precoding (GLCP) OFDM which is used to achieve frequency diversity. We present an Adaptive Weighting (AW) technique in which during MLSE, the distance of the possible constellation points from the received symbols are weighted according to the SNR of each subcarrier before the sequence with the minimum distance is chosen. We also analyze a sub optimum iterative decoding algorithm which improves the performance of an initial zero forcing detection iteratively on a symbol by symbol basis. Both techniques improve the performance of the GLCP-OFDM system considerably at the expense of increased complexity.
Characterization of two bacterial proteins (ArlA and ArlB) associated with resistance to host defense peptides
Authors: Vargas Mario Antonio
Published: May 2021

Inflammatory bowel disease is a complex condition with a multifactorial etiology. An interplay of various factors can lead to an inflamed gut with the overproduction of host-defense peptides (HDPs) and microbiome alterations, such as increases in pathogenic bacteria. Through processes involving either core gene regulation or acquisition of new genes, bacteria have evolved mechanisms to resist HDPs. Previously, a novel genetic locus, arlABC, was identified in adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) strain NRG857c that contributes to high-level HDP resistance. ArlC is an outer membrane protease, but the function(s) of ArlA and ArlB are unknown. Thus, characterization was performed on strains mutated in these genes. Lipopolysaccharide gels suggest a change in the core structure of the mutant strains, but several phenotypic assays gave varying results. We demonstrate that the ArlB protein is regulated by the PhoPQ two-component system. We anticipate that these investigations will lead to a better understanding of HDP resistance in AIEC.
Preservation assessment and condition survey of the photographic collections at the Rochester Museum & Science Center
Authors: Tabah Rebekah
Published: May 2021

This essay offers a description of a survey conducted between January 2006 and July 2006, of the photographic collections at the Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) in Rochester, New York. The survey took into consideration the approximately 40,000 photographic objects housed at RMSC. In addition, this survey evaluated the policies, practices, and conditions in the institution that affect the preservation of the collections. This essay describes the working methods used during the survey, the institution's and photographic collection's history, description of the photographic collections facility, proper preservation of photographic materials, and deterioration of photographic objects. It provides the information necessary to create an updated preservation plan and offers short and long-range goals and recommendations to the institution for its photographic collection's preservation and care.
The ACE Family Parasocial Relationships and Evolving Representations of Family
Authors: Liang Sofia
Published: May 2021

Although families have appeared in the media in various forms and mediums, representations of family now include a newer genre of social media influencers known as family influencers (Abidin, 2017). Family influencers post user-generated content (UGC) on social media platforms of and about their families and lives as a form of income to achieve micro-celebrity status (Abidin, 2017). The ACE Family is one of the most popular and subscribed to family influencers and have consistently posted videos following their lives and success over the past few years. With a multitude of different types of videos on their channel to engage their viewers, some of their videos show more of their day-to-day lives and activities. This research paper explores representations of family and elements of parasocial interaction theory with family influencers by using the ACE Family as a case study to analyze a sample of eight of their videos representing their daily lives over the course of two years from 2017 to 2018. Informed by parasocial interaction theory and previous studies, the textual and visual analysis largely consists of emergent coding to answer the research questions: (1) What elements of the Parasocial Interaction Theory and affordances of user-generated content does the ACE Family use? (2) In what ways and with what techniques does the ACE Family convey ideas of family through their self-produced YouTube videos? The results revealed that the ACE Family frequently and consistently uses various parasocial interaction strategies to convey images of normalcy while presenting non-traditional ideas of family similar to professionally produced programming. This paper contributes to understandings of how parasocial interaction strategies can be effectively used in portraying representations or images of social media influencers and how media portrayals of family are evolving with the affordances of user-generated content.
Buen Provecho: A Story of Latina women, Immigration, And Food
Authors: Walters Julia
Published: May 2021

Food is a highly useful tool to better understand the process of immigration and acculturation and it speaks to deeper symbolic meanings of social realities, especially in the lives of immigrants. As such, this paper explores the deeper symbolic meaning behind food purchasing, preparation, and consumption (PPC) habits within the Latin American community who have settled in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. Here I argue that food PPC is a highly gendered experience and is reflective of the integration and acculturation process as a whole within the Canadian context. Food cannot be separated from its deeper symbolic meaning and within the field of immigration, food can and ought to be used as a lense of analysis.