bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Always-Already Lost: Pantomime and Childhood Nostalgia
Authors: Waite Danielle
Published: May 2021

[Introduction]: 

“Pantomime, as it existed in late-Victorian Britain, was both beloved as a children’s holiday tradition and bemoaned for its adult vulgarities. It was celebrated by such English cultural heavyweights as Charles Dickens and John Ruskin and detracted from by the likes of George Bernard Shaw. For Dickens, pantomime was “a mirror of life; nay, more”, whereas for Shaw “modern” pantomime had become “a glittering, noisy void” (qtd. in Booth 84).Echoing Dickens, Ruskin in Fors Clavigera asks “which is the reality, and which is the pantomime” (Ruskin 164)? The rhetoric used by pantomime lovers and reviewers was never lukewarm, making it a compelling area for cultural dissection. Even across the channel, Charles Baudelaire conjured an intent portrait of English pantomime: “With the pen all this is pale and frozen. How could the pen compete with pantomime? Pantomime is the refinement, the quintessence of comedy; it is the comic element pure, detached, and concentrated” (qtd. in Hanoosh 47).Baudelaire may seem an unlikely detractor of the pen given his emotive and provocative wielding of that instrument—and yet such is the effect of the English art of pantomime that even his words risk becoming “pale and frozen”. The views of Dickens, Ruskin, Shaw, and Baudelaire offer a précis of opposing opinions of pantomime in the public and critical eye: pantomime mirrors the movement of modern life, making other art forms stale by comparison—yet the the glittering effect can be over-stimulating, leaving a void. From its inception pantomime, itself derivative of street theatre, was critiqued for succumbing to “modern” influences. Pantomime, as the above quotations reflect, was appraised for its corporeality and its authenticity. The nostalgic longing for an authentic and embodied experience of pantomime is both shared and divisive; pantomime was either praised as lively and pure or devalued as a feeble shadow of its earlier incarnations. Such appraisals are fueled by longing for a different time, whether measured by a collective clock ticking away John Rich’s reign and elaborate harlequinades, or private pasts when the pantomime smelled of potato-cans or “a touch of gas, a soupçon of orange peel, a dash of red fire, and a decided flavour of exploded crackers” (Byron 408).The structure of feeling that dominates pantomime is nostalgia, whether the past is coloured in Arcadian ambers, or the present—and the past on which it was founded—is eyed through a more critical lens.”
Design and implementation of portable and configurable RISC processor architecture
Authors: Sergeyev Volodymyr
Published: May 2021

This project presents the configurable microprocessor design based on the MIPS architecture. The level of configurability includes a choice of the pipe lined or unpipelined architecture, number of pipeline stages, data path bit-width, instruction subsetting, program and data memory size. The microprocessor design flow is supported by the set of standard and custom software tools. The wide spectrum of the microprocessor configurations provides an opportunity to optimize hardware for the specific application. The HDL design of the microprocessor is independent of the hardware platform. The portability of the design was verified on the competitive FPGA platforms and ASIC. The selected microprocessor configuration running the test application was successfully implemented and verified on the FPGA development board. The obtained implementation results were compared to the existing commercial and research microprocessors and critical advantages of the presented design were outlined.
Hypercoordinated oxazoline and ethyl pyridyl organotin compounds: potential routes to stable polystannanes
Authors: Bender Desiree
Published: May 2021

Tetraorganotin chelating tin (IV) compounds containing a rigid (10) and a semi-flexible (18) oxazoline ligand were synthesized by a reaction between the lithiated oxazoline and Ph3SnCl in good yields. Conversion into their corresponding dihalide species by reaction with two equivalents of bromine was undertaken to yield the dibromide species, 13 and 20 respectively. X-ray crystallography of these compounds revealed relatively short tin-nitrogen bond distances (10:2.762 13: 2.383, 18: 3.234 Å). These all fall within the Van der Waal radii of a tin-nitrogen bond and all adopt a distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry in the solid state. Compounds 13 and 20 were converted into the corresponding dihydrides by reaction with NaBH4. Polymerization of the corresponding tin dihydrides produced low molecular weight polymers, 10,100 Da for the rigid species (16) and 3,200 Da for the semi-flexible tin species (22). A tetraorganotin compound containing a chelating ethyl pyridyl ligand (23) was synthesized by reacting 2-vinyl pyridine with triphenyltin hydride via a hydrostannylation reaction which was further reacted with two equivalents of bromine to yield the dibromide species (24). The X-ray crystallographic data of 23 and 24 showed relatively short Sn-N bond lengths of 2.888(2) Å and 2.363(5) Å respectively. Compound 24 will be investigated in the future for the stabilization of polystannanes following the synthesis of the dihydride species.
Independent volunteers and Europe's humanitarian borders
Authors: Tran Casey Ching-Mee
Published: May 2021

During Europe’s refugee so-called crisis, a volunteering phenomenon emerged. These volunteers mobilized around sites such as refugee camps, transit stations, border crossings to provide humanitarian aid to refugees on the move along the Balkan route. This paper uses semi-structured interviews to examine these volunteers’ work and motivations by situating them in the nexus of humanitarianism and state securitization. First, I draw from William Walters’ “humanitarian border” theoretical notions to demonstrate how new humanitarian borders have emerged within
Europe. Then I demonstrate how independent or “grassroots” volunteers are challenging but also becoming implicit in the reinforcement of these humanitarian borders.

Key words: volunteers; Europe; refugees; humanitarianism; borders
Economic Growth in China : Sources and Prospects
Authors: Yang Guang
Published: May 2021

The performance of China's economy in the last thirty years is an ongoing debate. After the economic reforms in 1978, China has emerged as the fastest-growing major economy with an average annual GDP growth rate of 9.83%. Capital formation is the major driver to cause China's rapid growth and contributes 54.28% in total DGP growth in 2008. TFP growth plays the second important role to boost China's economic growth. Because of highly investment-driven economy pattern, China needs to faces three major challenges like structural imbalance, environment stains and income inequality. However, addressing the structural imbalance will be the key word in government economic growth plan. Traditional pattern of economic growth needs to be replaced if China wants to keep an efficiency growth in the future.
"Photographic encounters : 30 years of collecting" : a case study for the organization of photographic exhibitions
Authors: Soleiman Angelica
Published: May 2021

The present Professional Practice Project is aimed to be an analytical review of the process of organizing an exhibition. From conception to proposal writing, "Photographic Encounters: 30 Years of Collecting" is a review of all the steps and the methods followed to put together an exhibition. This work aims to be a tool for those who would like to organize photographic exhibitions and will serve as a methodological approach to curatorial practices; starting with the cataloguing of the collection it will cover every step of the way including conceiving the database, reproducing images, background research, curatorial decisions (such as which pieces will be part of the selection, in which order, how to group them), the layout of the gallery, some guidelines on future graphic design, and selected readings on curatorial practices, exhibition design, databases, cataloguing, etc. At the end, the discussion chapter will refer to other curators' approaches to the same tasks, to illustrate different approaches.
Deformation behavior in lightweight alloys: effects of rare-earth microalloying and carbon nanotube reinforcement
Authors: Mokdad Fatma
Published: May 2021

One of the most important strategies for improving fuel efficiency and reducing anthropogenic
emissions is vehicle lightweighting by the use of lightweight materials such as Mg and Al alloys
in the automotive industry. The structural application of these alloys inevitably requires the
mechanical properties and their continuous performance improvement to meet the increasingly
stringent safety and durability requirements. An effective method to enhance the deformation
resistance is to alloy with rare-earth (RE) elements for Mg alloys or develop composites with the
addition of reinforcement for Al alloys. The objective of this dissertation was to identify the
effects of RE element and carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforcement on the deformation behavior,
focusing mainly on the deformation mechanisms. The deformation behavior of a RE-free
extruded AZ31 Mg alloy was first studied. It was observed that the propagation of distinct twin
variants led to the confinement of the spaces constrained by the fine twin lamellas. Various
double twinning structures acknowledged through atomistic simulations were experimentally
observed via progressive electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analyses during stepwise
compression. The vanishing of primary {1121} embryonic twins via the nucleation and growth of
either single or multiple {1012} secondary extension twins was detected, and two new ladder-like
and branching-like twin-twin interaction phenomena were observed. Then a low-RE containing
Mg alloy was exploited via texture and cyclic deformation studies. The addition of 0.2 wt.% Nd
in ZEK100-O Mg alloy led to a weaker basal texture in comparison with AZ31 Mg alloy.
Fatigue life of ZEK100 alloy was longer than that of AZ31 alloy, due to a good combination of
strength with ductility. Asymmetry of hysteresis loops was improved because of texture
weakening and grain refinement, however anelastic behavior largely remained arising from the
presence of twinning and detwinning. The last investigation involved deformation behavior of
CNT reinforced Al composites where the addition of 2.0 wt.% CNT in a 2024Al alloy led to
considerable grain refinement. Deformation resistance of the composite was effectively
enhanced due to CNT load transfer, Hall-Petch strengthening, thermal mismatch and Orowan
looping. In a nutshell, this work constitutes a valuable benchmark for understanding the factors
affecting the performance of two lightweight alloys in the automotive and aerospace applications.
Thermal Dose Based Monitoring of Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy for Prostate Cancer
Authors: Dalla Rosa David
Published: May 2021

The two most commonly used methods of treatment monitoring and prediction in thermal therapy are the temperature threshold method and the cumulative equivalent minutes at 43°C (CEM

Data from an ongoing clinical trial for laser treatment of low-grade prostate cancer was used to test the consistency of all three methods. Firstly, threshold values required to match the post-treatment damage were predicted and the iCEM
The role of disgust and fear of contamination in responses to pictorial versus live stimuli
Authors: Vorstenbosch Valerie
Published: May 2021

Disgust appears to play a role in certain animal fears and not others. The present study investigated the extent to which pictorial and live stimuli arouse fear and disgust responses during a brief encounter with spider-relevant and dog-relevant stimuli and whether individual differences in disgust sensitivity and fear of contamination are responsible for differential responding. Participants with a high fear of spiders (n=20) or dogs (n=19) completed measures of spider fear, dog fear, disgust sensitivity, contamination fear, and trait anxiety, and four behavioural approach tasks. Results suggest that pictorial stimuli may be effective for eliciting fear and disgust response for individuals with a high fear of spiders but not individuals with a high fear of dogs. Individual differences in disgust-relevant factors were not responsible for these differences. The results may inform the use of pictorial stimuli in the treatment of specific phobias.
Communicating the Public Interest: a Case Study of SaskTel
Authors: Dubois Devin
Published: May 2021

Saskatchewan presents a worthy study of the public interest in communication distribution policy, as it was the last province in which telecommunications became federally regulated; it is the last province in which the incumbent communication carrier, SaskTel, is fully owned by the provincial government,' and it is a geographically large province with a relatively small population-many of whom still live in rural communities. Since its inception, the provincial government has worked to ensure that its sparsely distributed residents have access to the best communication services possible through the crown-owned SaskTel (formerly Saskatchewan Government Telephones). However, what was once a provincially owned and regulated monopoly has now been subject to federal regulation which favours competition in all sectors of the communication industry. The federal government adopted competition in the name of public interest, yet little has been done to assess the effectiveness of this claim. The current climate of uncertainty regarding new communication technologies, federal regulation, and the tide of provincial politics, have spoiled what was once an effective path for SaskTel and Saskatchewan citizens. It is clear that SaskTel's ability to meet its public policy goals is now threatened by the limitations of competition and federal regulation.
Wallstopia : Pathways to the Real-world Providing Augmented Reality (AR) Social Platform for Individuals to Exhibit Their Medium in Real-world
Authors: Yacin Gus
Published: May 2021

Most people are living in a fully connected world where high-speed Internet access is becoming the standard. The time is at hand where people can access any information with a simple click on almost any connected device. What is the next step in this technological development? What is the innovation that will become part of everyday human life? There is growing evidence that Augmented Reality (AR) indeed is to be part of the future. This new technology has the potential to alter the way individuals interact with the real-world significantly. AR may become the leading user-interface metaphor for situated computing. It has the unique quality of providing a direct link between the physical world and virtual information about that reality.
For this reason, the purpose of Wallstopia AR application is to engage users in experiencing the real-world by using augmented reality (AR) to create, share, and exchange their media while interacting with the real-world. The Wallstopia iPhone application is designed to keep a user within the Wallstopia environment and allow them to generate different types of content by using a different strategy potentially involving real walls, visual walls, and virtual or real rooms that the application provides in order to exhibit their media to other users. Wallstopia includes interaction that adds value to
users’ experience such as a selection of viewing angles, allowing movement inside a room, geolocation, touching, and sharing of walls (rooms and visual walls) with other users.
Enhancing radiotherapy using ultrasound and microbubbles with chemotherapy
Authors: Almasri Firas
Published: May 2021

The application of ultrasound and microbubble (USmb) has been shown to enhance chemotherapy and radiotherapy (XRT) both in vivo and in vitro. The hypothesis guiding this research is that the combination of ultrasound and microbubbles with chemotherapy (Taxotere – TXT) improves treatment response of radiotherapy of in vitro prostate (PC3) cancer cells. USmb synergistically decreased cell viability when combined with TXT2h+XRT and XRT. Cell viability with the combined treatment (TXT2h+USmb+XRT=2%) decreased by ~28-folds, ~19-folds and ~11-folds compared to XRT alone (57%), TXT2h+XRT (37%) and USmb+XRT (22%), respectively. Cell viability with USmb+XRT (22%) decreased by ~2.5 folds compared to XRT alone. Effectiveness of the combined treatment depended on chemotherapy dose and treatment duration as well as microbubble concentration. The therapeutic application of USmb may enhance cancer cell death by chemotherapy and radiotherapy and reduce their toxic side effects.
"I don't have a creative bone in my body" : awakening creativity in educators
Authors: Gora Patricia
Published: May 2021

Creativity is regarded as the solution to problems of the twenty-first century. Without developing creative attitudes and skills, educators and children risk hindering their creative interests and limiting the number of ways there is to learn and respond to the world. This qualitative study aimed to address the symbiotic relationship between creativity and learning and how creativity is conceptualized and encouraged by educators. Using an unstructured open-ended interview, six educators actively involved in the field of Early Childhood Studies shared their thoughts, insights and expertise. The findings indicated that before educators can encourage creativity in their students they must initially identify creativity within themselves. By broadening personal definitions of creativity, educators can begin to recognize how encouraging and teaching for creativity allows children to define their own proximities of learning and imagine the impossible as possible.
Free vibration analysis of sandwich beams using dynamic finite element (DFE) and FEM formulations
Authors: Adique Ernest
Published: May 2021

The Dynamic Finite Element (DFE) theory is employed to calculate the natural frequencies and mode shapes of three-layered sandwich beams. Three formulations are developed and tested using a  number of different numerical cases. The first two theories pertain to the analysis of straight beams while the third one is developed for the analysis of curved beams. The results from all three derivations agree well with published data that uses Classical Finite Element (FEM) theory and the Dynamic Stiffness Method (DSM) in the analysis of the free vibration behaviour of sandwich beams. For all test cases, the DFE results agree well with the published results as well as the FEM developed as an additional benchmark for the DFE. The results of the research are very encouraging and demonstrate that DFE is a  valuable structural analysis tool that can be used in conjunction with FEM and DSM.  
Evaluating the Potential to Achieve Passive House with Structural Insulated Panels using a Case Study in Toronto, Canada
Authors: Brazukas Loreta
Published: May 2021

A home in Toronto recently re-constructed with Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) was analyzed and an energy simulation using HOT2000 and PHPP was created based on the current state of the house. The simulations were used to determine compliance with the Canadian R-2000 standard and the Passive House standard. The building met the R-2000 standard in its current state. Further analysis was required in order to determine design changes that may be made to achieve Passive House. This research determined the applicability of SIPs to achieve these standards in the context of the subject home. Through the redesign of the building enclosure assemblies and the elimination of the thermal bridges through the envelope, the Passive House standard was achieved using a double wall stud SIP. A number of design changes were also required including better performing windows and HRV as well as the addition of glazing to the south façade and removal of glazing on other facades. These design changes were then applied to HOT2000 and it was found that the Passive House building achieved an energy savings of 60% compared to the R-2000 standard baseline.
Determination of polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides and chlorobenzenes in sludge and sediment samples by GCxGC-μECD
Authors: Muscalu Alina M.
Published: May 2021

Gas chromatographic analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides and chlorobenzenes is one of the most common analyses performed by environmental laboratories. Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography allows simultaneous analysis of different classes of compounds. The objectives of this study were to achieve within- and between-class separations for target contaminants and to quantify them in sludge and sediment samples. With only few coelutions present, the results showed that DB-1xRtx-PCB is a powerful column combination providing excellent chromatographic separation.

Reference materials and "real-life" sediments and sludges were analysed and the results were compared to their reference values and previous GC data. This method was shown to be precise and accurate for the standards and reference materials tested as well as a very feasible method for the sediment and sludge sample analysis. Furthermore, this GCxGC method may potentially be used to assess the presence of other compound classes including dioxins, dioxin-like compounds and new emerging contaminants in the environmental samples.
Experimental and CFD investigation of the mixing of MMA emulsion polymerization in a stirred tank reactor
Authors: Roudsari Shideh F.
Published: May 2021

Although significant advances have been achieved in emulsion polymerization in recent decades, the effect of mixing on this type of polymerization has not been fully delineated yet. In fact, mixing plays a significant role in the performance of an emulsion polymerization reaction. For instance, in case of a very low agitation rate, larger droplets are generated and phase separation, which limits the diffusion mechanism, may occur. In contrast, vigorous agitation can result in reduced nucleation of particles. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to investigate the impact of mixing parameters (e.g. impeller speed, impeller type, impeller number, and baffles) on the monomer conversion, the polymer average molecular weight, particle size and size distributions, transition glass temperature, and number of particles.
To achieve this objective, the emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out in a lab-scale reactor equipped with a top-entry agitator, 4 wall baffles, a U shaped cooling coil, and a temperature controller. To analyze the reactive flow inside the polymerization reactor, a novel computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed. The multiple reference frames (MRF) technique, k-ε model, and mixture model approach were employed to model the impeller rotation, turbulence, and multiphase flow, respectively. The particle number density distribution within the reactor was also estimated by means of the population balance approach, which employs a discrete method to describe the nucleation and growth of the polymer particles. The experimental data and CFD results showed that the installation of the baffles enhanced the particle size and molecular weight but reduced the conversion and particle number. The number density achieved using the Rushton impeller was higher than that for the pitched blade impeller. The results revealed that the effect of the impeller speed on the characteristics of the polymer attained using the pitched-blade turbine was more prominent than that for the Rushton turbine. It was also found that the impact of the impeller speed on the polymer characteristics was much more pronounced for the double pitched-blade turbines rather than for the double Rushton turbines.
Thin wafer dicing using a high repetition rate femtosecond laser
Authors: Sudani Nitinkumar
Published: May 2021

Thin wafer dicing using a high repetition rate femtosecond laser
A novel developmental genetic programming methodology for mathematical modeling and neuroevolution
Authors: Johns Stephen
Published: May 2021

In this work, a novel developmental genetic programming methodology called NEXT (Next Encoding of eXpression Trees) is introduced. NEXT was designed to include the following key properties: a variable-length solution representation with automatic sizing of individuals, an efficient interpretation of solution representations, a diverse repertoire of search operators, and the ability to be customized to workon multiple problem domains, including mathematical modeling via symbolic regression, and neuroevolution (the evolution of artificial neural networks). The approach was tested using a selection of problems involving symbolic regression of polynomials of different degrees, and neuroevolution for logic synthesis and pairwise classification.  Our experimental results, compared against those of Gene Expression Programming on the same problem set, demonstrate that NEXT was capable of successfully evolving variable-length solutions to these problems.
Book publishing in Canada, 1945-2010: ownership and control of the Canadian market
Authors: Lobo-Pires Jordana
Published: May 2021

"This essay sets out to trace the structure of the Canadian publishing industry in light of the policies that have allowed and enabled the survival of an indigenous Canadian publishing industry. Specifically, it explores the history of government intervention in the Canadian publishing industry through the Investment Canada Act in its three formualations: Federal Investment Revenue Agency Act (FIRA), enacted from 1974 to 1985; the Baie Comeau policy, from 1985 to 1992; and the Revised Investment Canada Act, from 1992 to the present. The Investment Canada Act in each of these formulation was the crucial policy designed to protect and encourage Canadian ownership of the publishing industry. This study then assesses the impact of these policies on the ownership and size of Canadian publishers"--From the introduction, page 3.
A cost optimized energy retrofit upgrade of the Canadian residential sector for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
Authors: Bhambri Rachit
Published: May 2021

The objective of this study is to assess the impact of energy efficiency upgrade scenarios on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the Canadian housing stock. The study is targeted towards policy makers who can use the results of this techno-economic study to pass appropriate legislation to curtail GHG emissions from the Canadian housing stock.

The analysis was conducted using the Canadian Residential End-use Energy Model (CREEM). CREEM is representative of the Canadian housing stock, and is capable of assessing the GHG and energy impact of retrofits.

Cost estimates were updated to assess the economic feasibility of the upgrade by calculating the indicator "GHG emissions reduction per dollar investment" (GHGRPDI) calculated by dividing the reduction in annual GHG emissions by the investment cost.

Retrofits were ranked for each house in CREEM, based on the indicator GHGRPDI. The analysis is for houses that are eligible for a certain upgrade. The top five retrofits were determined for each province, and are presented as part of this study. For example, the top 5 retrofits (in order) that are suited for Ontario based on the GHGRPDI are: 1. Upgrade the lighting system to high efficient compact fluorescent lights. 2. Install programmable thermostats in all eligible houses. 3. Ceiling insulation upgrade to RSI 7.04 for all eligible houses. 4. Install low flow shower heads and aerators for all eligible houses. 5. Basement ceiling insulation of at least RSI 5.5 in all eligible houses.
Authentication protocols for smart homes
Authors: Raniyal Maninder Singh
Published: May 2021

One of the IoT's greatest opportunity and application still lies ahead in the form of smart
home. In this ubiquitous/automated environment, due to the most likely heterogeneity of
objects, communication, topology, security protocols, and the computationally limited na-
ture of IoT objects, conventional authentication schemes may not comply with IoT security
requirements since they are considered impractical, weak, or outdated. This thesis proposes:
(1) The design of a two-factor device-to-device (D2D) Mutual Authentication Scheme for
Smart Homes using OTP over Infrared Channel (referred to as D2DA-OTP-IC scheme); (2)
The design of two proxy-password protected OTP-based schemes for smart homes, namely,
the Password Protected Inter-device OTP-based Authentication scheme over Infrared Chan-
nel and the Password Protected Inter-device OTP-based Authentication scheme using public
key infrastructure; and (3) The design of a RSA-based two-factor user Authentication scheme
for Smart Home using Smart Card.
Urban forest vulnerability and its implications for ecosystem service supply at multiple scales
Authors: Steenberg James W. N.
Published: May 2021

The urban forest is a valuable ecosystem service provider that is garnering increasing attention in environmental research and municipal planning agendas. However, because of its location in heavily built-up and densely-settled environments, the urban forest is vulnerable. The purpose of this dissertation is to conceptualize, assess, and analyze urban forest ecosystems and their vulnerability at multiple spatial and temporal scales. An urban forest ecosystem classification framework that integrates biophysical, built, and human components is developed. Subsequent classification of ecosystems at the neighbourhood scale reveals the spatial arrangement of several
social-ecological interactions. Such information is valuable to ecosystem-based decision support while also informing future vulnerability research. The investigation of ecosystem vulnerability began with the development of a theory-based conceptual framework. Urban forest vulnerability is defined as the likelihood of decline in ecosystem service supply and its associated benefits for human populations, urban infrastructure, and biodiversity. It is comprised of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity, which describe the built environment and associated stressors, urban forest structure, and the human population, respectively. This framework is applied using empirical field research in Toronto, Canada to explore the processes of vulnerability and their influence on ecological change. Results indicate that there are several significant predictors of urban forest decline and mortality, and emphasize the importance of applying diverse metrics to describe the built environment and urban forest structure at fine spatial scales. Vulnerability assessment and analysis at much broader spatial and temporal scales, using a spatially-explicit assessment approach and ecological modelling of alternative management and disturbance scenarios, is further investigated. This latter research emphasizes the importance of aligning scales of management with ecosystem function and the long-term influence of management intervention on ecological conditions. The multiple scales of investigation and methodological approaches developed in this study provide complementary opportunities to synthesize and apply existing theory in novel settings while also generating new theories pertaining to the processes of urban ecosystem change and decline. The intention of this study is to contribute to the
understanding of urban forest ecosystems and their vulnerability, while also providing practical knowledge and tools for the sustainable management of this resource.
Online calibration for star trackers
Authors: Vaz Brendon
Published: May 2021

Star trackers are perhaps the most accurate means of measuring a spacecraft's orientation in space and are becoming a popular sensing instrument for attitude determination systems amongst conventional larger satellites as well as micro satellites. In order to produce and maintain high fidelity measurements, the systematic effects of lens distortion and possible sensor alterations due to environmental changes and instrument aging must all be accounted for through calibration, both on the ground and on orbit. In this study, a calibration method is presented to account for errors in star camera parameters, namely the focal length, bore sight offset, higher order radial distortion terms and the tip and tilt of the detector array in relation to the lens arrangement. This method does not depend on a costly high-precision lab setup; instead it simply employs the star camera images and a star catalogue to calibrate the instrument given reasonable initial estimates. This allows for a reduction in pre-mission calibration requirements and is feasible for an online implementation, allowing the star tracker to calibrate itself through out its life-cycle.
Rheology, fresh and hardened properties of self-consolidating concrete utilizing metal and PVA polymer fibers
Authors: Sammour Moustafa M
Published: May 2021

Fiber reinforced self-consolidating concrete (FRSCC) has a tremendous potential to be used in construction industry as it combines the advantagees of both self-consolidating concrete (SCC) and fiber reinforced concrete (FRC). 18 concrete mixtures were developed by incorporating differenct volumes (0 to 0.3) of polyvinyl alchohol (PVA) and metallic fibers. Fresh, rheological, mechanical and durability (in terms of chloride penetration resistance) properties of all FRSCC mixtures were evaluated. The influences of fiber types/size/ dosages and fiber combination (used in hybrid mixes) on fresh (slump flow, L-box passing ability, V-funnel flow time and segregation index), rheological (plastic viscosity and yield stress) and hardened (fracture energy and compressive/flexural/splitting tensile strength) properties were critically analyzed to examine the relationships among various properties as well as to suggest suitable FRSCC mixtures. The fibers (especially metallic ones) wre more effective in increasing the fracture energy of FRSCC than compressive/splitting tensile/flexural strength. A fracture energy gain of about 730% was observed (which is substantial) compared to 10% of compressive strength, 39% of splitting tensil strength and 124% of flexural strength. The improved strength and fracture energy of FRSCC mixtures can significantly reduce the amount of tensile reinforcement and subsantially increase the energy absorbing capacity of concrete structures.
QoS Based Ranking For Web Search
Authors: Chen Xiangyi
Published: May 2021

Text, link and usage information are the most commonly used sources in the ranking algorithm of a web search engine. In this thesis, we argue that the quality of the web pages such as the performance of the page delivery (e.g. reliability and response time) should also play an important role in ranking, especially for users with a slow Internet connection or mobile users. Based on this principle, if two pages have the same level of relevancy to a query, the one with a higher delivery quality (e.g. faster response) should be ranked higher. We define several important attributes for the Quality of Service (QoS) and explain how we rank the web pages based on these algorithms. In addition, while combining those QoS attributes, we have tested and compared different aggregation algorithms.

The experiment results show that our proposed algorithms can promote the pages with a higher delivery quality to higher positions in the result list, which is beneficial to users to improve their overall experiences of using the search engine and QoS based re-ranking algorithm always gets the best performance.
Assessment And Energy Benchmarking For Two Archetype Sustainable Houses Through Comprehensive Long Term Monitoring
Authors: Barua Rupayan
Published: May 2021

A long term monitoring system has been developed and implemented in the Sustainable Archetype House built at Kortright Conservation Centre of Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. To comprehensively monitor the energy performance and to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of the mechanical systems over 300 sensors of various types were installed. These are sufficient for energy monitoring details in the twin houses. An expandable distributed data acquisition (DAQ) system has been adopted for monitoring and control purpose. Data analysis of House-B has been performed. Results of monitoring data of energy recovery ventilator (ERV), radiant in-floor heating system, total electrical energy consumption, photovoltaic (PV) system, micro combined heat and power (CHP) unit and evacuated tube solar collector are described in Chapter 5. The sensible and latent heat recovery of the ERV increased with the increase of indoor-outdoor temperature difference and specific humidity difference, respectively. Higher radiant in-floor heating demand is observed on the 3rd floor. One year of data of the 4.08 kWp photovoltaic (PV) system has been collected and annual electricity generation is 4160 kWh. The average thermal and electrical efficiency of Whispergen micro combined heat and power (CHP) unit achieved 80% and 7% respectively. The average overall efficiency achieved 87% (based on higher heating value of natural gas). The average instantaneous efficiency of evacuated tube solar collector achieved 74%.
Nitrogen Biogeochemistry in Lakes – Chemical and Biological Drivers and Developing Techniques to Explicitly Measure Concurrent Processes
Authors: Lau Yat-Fung (Jeremy)
Published: May 2021

A benthic chamber system was developed to measure all major nitrogen cycling processes in lakes. The system coupled advantages of flow-through systems common in core incubations with those of

Nutrient loading ratios (Si:N and P:N) and community composition of herbivores (
Temporal patterns and ensemble learning for environmental sound recognition
Authors: Yang Wenjun
Published: May 2021

This thesis explores features characterizing the temporal dynamics and the use of ensemble techniques to
improve the performances of environmental sound recognition (ESR) system. Firstly, for acoustic scene
classification (ASC), local binary pattern (LBP) technique is applied to extract the temporal evolution
of Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) features, and the D3C ensemble classifier is adopted to
optimize the system performance. The results show that the proposed method achieved a classification
improvement of 8% compared to the baseline system.

Secondly, a new approach for sound event detection (SED) using Nonnegative Matrix Factor 2-
D Deconvolution (NMF2D) and RUSBoost techniques is presented. The idea is to capture the two dimensional
joint spectral and temporal information from the time-frequency representation (TFR) while
possibly separating the sound mixture into several sources. Besides, the RUSBoost ensemble technique
is utilized in the event detection process to alleviate class imbalance in the training data. This method
reduced the total error rate by 5% compared to the baseline method.
A low-cost ac-dc rectifier for variable-speed wind energy conversion systems
Authors: Luo Zhenhan.
Published: May 2021

In this thesis, a novel AC-DC rectifier is adopted to convert the variable AC voltages from wind generator to a constant dc-link voltage. A DC-AC inverter is used to transfer the energy to fixed ac grid as well as maintain dc-link voltage constant. The rectifier is connected to the generator, which has two sets of three-phase windings. Electrical exited or permanent magnetic synchronous generators are suitable for this rectifier. The AC-DC rectifier features low cost, low power losses and simple control structure.

The major content of this thesis consists of four parts. The first part investigates the operation of the AC-DC rectifier. The analysis illustrates the current paths in the rectifier and the remarkable voltage-boosting capability. A simulation model of the converter is built and verified. The second part models the synchronous generator with two sets of windings. The model is developed in the d-q synchronous reference frame. The simulation results from the model are verified by the experimental results.Then the third part is the design of the control system, which involves the generator, the AC-DC rectifier and constant dc-link voltage source. The control system composites of the inner current loop and the outer speed loop. The control system achieves the variable-speed operation of the generator and the regulation of the dc-link current. Finally, a prototype of wind turbine system is established in the lab to verify the analysis of rectifier, synchronous generator and control system design. The steady-state and transient responses of the wind system are compared. Simulation and experiment verify the analysis in this thesis.
A Study Design for the Assessment of Fish Tumour Prevalence in the Lower St. Clair River
Authors: Baranova Liliya
Published: May 2021

A conclusive fish tumour prevalence assessment has never been conducted in the lower part of the St. Clair River Area of Concern, despite possible re-contamination of the river and anecdotal evidence of fish abnormalities. This paper provides a study design for a comprehensive fish tumour prevalence assessment of the Lower St. Clair River with special focus on Walpole Island First Nation and surrounding waters. Study details such as area of focus, sentinel species, suggested sampling locations, sample size, field protocols and statistical methods are identified. A brief guide for histopathological examination and interpretation is provided. An alternate method of sampling location siting is suggested. This study design is intended to provide a guide and background reference for the implementation of a future full scale fish tumour assessment in the Lower St. Clair River.
Empirical analysis for non-stationary signal de-noising, de-trending and discrimination applications
Authors: Kaleem Muhammad F.
Published: May 2021

This dissertation focuses on the study and development of methods for empirical analysis of non-stationary signals in the context of de-noising, de-trending and discrimination applications. For this purpose, Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD), which is a relatively new signal decomposition technique, is chosen as the starting point. EMD does not rely on any fixed basis, but instead defines a signal adaptive decomposition methodology. The use of EMD for signal de-noising and de-trending is demonstrated through formulation of a methodology for mental task classification using EEG signals. Furthermore, a methodology for analysis and classification of pathological speech signals is developed, whereby a high classification accuracy through use of meaningful instantaneous features is demonstrated. Following this, a novel modification of EMD, named Empirical Mode Decomposition-Modified Peak Selection (EMD-MPS), is proposed. EMD-MPS allows a time-scale based decomposition of signals, which is not possible using the original EMD algorithm. The EMD-MPS algorithm is defined, and its properties empirically established, thereby validating the expected behaviour of EMD-MPS. Importantly, EMD-MPS is shown to provide new insight into the decomposition behaviour of the original EMD algorithm. Also, a novel hierarchical decomposition methodology, which uses the time-scale based decomposition of EMD-MPS to divide a signal into selected frequency bands, is developed and illustrated using synthetic and real world signals. EMD-MPS is also used for time-scale based de-noising and de-trending of signals, first demonstrated using synthetic and real signals, and then validated by practical applications such as mental task classification and seizure detection. An empirical sparse dictionary learning framework based on EMD with application to signal classification is then proposed and developed in the dissertation. As part of this framework, a discriminative dictionary learning algorithm is developed, and characteristics of the empirical dictionary established. The utility of the proposed framework for signal classification is demonstrated using EEG signals. The proposed framework is then applied for automated seizure detection using long-term EEG recordings, and the results are used to discuss the potential and implications for patient specific dictionaries, as well as the associated advantages of the framework when using long-term data.
Activation of Insulin Receptor Signaling Pathway Using Ligand Microbeads in Mammalian Cells and Isolation of Receptor-Bead Complex
Authors: Ahmed Sana
Published: May 2021

The study of cell surface receptors and their associated signaling pathways on the plasma membrane are vital in understanding cellular responses. The insulin receptor is a tyrosine kinase that is activated in response to insulin microbeads presented to three mammalian cell lines: CHO, NIH-3T3 and COS-7. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling, a major insulin receptor signaling pathway, phosphorylates the 3-position hydroxyl group of the inositol ring of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-biphosphate, resulting in phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate (PIP3) that acts by recruiting specific pleckstrin homology (PH) domain containing proteins to cell membranes. Akt (protein kinase B) containing PH domain gets activated, binds to PIP3 and localizes to the site of receptor activation. The PH domain of Akt was fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP) to create a biosensor for phosphatidylinositol. Confocal microscopy confirmed Akt-PH recruitment to the cell membrane. Immunofluorescence staining (IF) and western blots confirmed insulin receptor and phosphotyrosine activity in cells. The activated insulin receptor complex was captured and isolated by insulin coated microbeads on the surface of cells.
Working the second shift, settling in Canada and other struggles; narratives of working African-immigrant mothers in Toronto.
Authors: Osman Muno  Mohamed
Published: May 2021

This research study explores the experiences of working African immigrant mothers in accessing formal childcare services in Toronto. I start the study with an over view of the literature on the topics of access to childcare service and women’s labour force participation. I then review social reproduction and black feminist theories; the theoretical framework for my research. I also highlight the current state of childcare in Canada and how this affects African immigrant mothers who work. The study includes qualitative in-depth interviews with four such mothers who talk about their challenges and experiences in balancing work and family responsibilities in Toronto. The study found that the mothers are dissatisfied with several aspects of the childcare services they use or have used in the past. The mothers also face many struggles owing to patriarchal gender norms in their households and loss of extended family supports after immigration.
Intersectional Invisibility: Navigating Through Sexual Identity and Religious Identity Among LGBTQQ First–Generation Canadians
Authors: Ivic Tanja
Published: May 2021

This study will focus on the experiences of first–generation Canadians who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning. A narrative storytelling methodology was utilized in hopes of gaining deeper insight into the experiences of LGBTQQ first–generation Canadians and how they navigate both sexual and religious identities, whilst gaining a further understanding of their experience of integrating into mainstream Western culture. Experiences pertaining to the multifaceted challenges that arise during the interplay of religious, sexual, and cultural identity are examined, and how this population must negotiate their sexualities in light of intersecting identities. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with three participants who belong to a sexual minority group and are 18 years of age and older. Literature focusing on immigrants who belong to a sexual minority are scarce thus, each participant will assist in furthering the scholarship of LGBTQQ immigrants by voicing their stories. Each narrative account provides insight into how social workers can better address and intervene in the dilemmas faced by persons with multiple and at times, incompatible identities.