bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Everyday passing: the heteronormative dress of gay men
Authors: Bernard Daniel
Published: May 2021

This research investigates how gay men ‘pass’ through their everyday lives by constructing heteronormative
appearances with clothing. In a so-called ‘neoliberal’ landscape, it seeks to understand the motivations behind gay men’s continued constructions of hegemonic masculinity, which are often limiting and oppressive. To do so, twelve gay men residing in Toronto, Ontario were interviewed on their masculine dress choices. By engaging with their clothing, these men revealed how cultural stereotypes of ‘gay’ have evolved and developed, how gay men experiment with fashion and a new tailoring of masculinity that aims at diminishing – historical – stigmatized perceptions of homosexuality. This research contributes knowledge to the field of fashion and masculinity by exploring how gay men, from past to present, use clothing to survive within heterosexual frameworks.
(Re)Writing Canadian Space: Dystopian Geographies in Larissa Lai’s Salt Fish Girl and M.G. Vassanji’s Nostalgia
Authors: Warkentin Hannah
Published: May 2021

This paper examines how dystopian fiction opens up a productive space for disrupting naturalized assumptions, and shifting our understanding of taken-for-granted spaces. Drawing on Doreen Massey’s (2005) proposal that space must be seen as the product of constant interrelations, I argue that dystopian literature can similarly prompt us to reconsider our relationship to the spaces we inhabit. Using the concept of the “critical dystopia,” I examine how dystopian frameworks are operationalized in the Canadian context through a comparative analysis of two novels that speculate distinctly Canadian dystopian futures: Larissa Lai’s Salt Fish Girl (2002) and M.G. Vassanji’s Nostalgia (2016). By applying Massey’s theorization of space—its multiplicities, complexities, and political potentialities—to an examination of how Canadian spaces are transformed in the dystopian context, I then analyze how those representations challenge the spatial ideologies associated with globalization, and resist the neoliberal view of space as a surface to be crossed and conquered (Massey, 2005).
Electronic cooling using ERG aluminum foam subjected to steady/pulsating water and γ-Al2O3-water nanofluid flows: experimental and numerical approach
Authors: Mahmoud Ayman Mahmoud Bayomy
Published: May 2021

Rapid developments in the design of chips and electronic devices for high-performance computers have led to a need for new and more effective methods of chip cooling. The first purpose of this study was to investigate the thermal development and heat transfer characteristics of aluminum foam heat sinks for the heater which simulated Intel core i7 processor. Three main features were then added to the aluminum foam heat sink: 1) introducing pulsating water flow through the aluminum foam in order to achieve a uniform surface temperature, 2) the addition of channels in the aluminum foam in order to increase the surface area to volume ratio and 3) using γ-Al2O3-water nanofluid as a coolant instead of water. The experimental results revealed that the thermal entry length of the flow through the aluminum foam increases along with increases in the Reynolds number. The results also revealed a convex profile for the local temperature distribution of the pulsating water flow through the aluminum foam due to the reversing flow and development of a boundary layers. The pulsating flow also enhanced the average Nusselt number by 14% and the temperature uniformity by 73% compared to the steady flow. The introduction of channels in the aluminum foam reduced the average Nusselt number by 10% (for two channels) and 25% (for three channels). The results revealed that the aluminum foam with two channels achieved a higher thermal efficiency compared to the block and three channel designs. The results also revealed that the foam filled channel enhanced the average Nusselt number by 20% compared with the empty channel. The maximum heat transfer rate enhancement was achieved at 0.2vol% and there was a sudden drop in the positive effect at 0.3vol% (compared with pure water). The positive effect then showed a slight increase along with increases in nanoparticle concentration up to 0.6vol%. The average enhancement percentages of the Nusselt number at a 0.2vol% nanofluid concentration were 37% and 28% at Reynolds numbers of 601.3 and 210, respectively. The numerical results were in good agreement with the experimental data with a maximum relative error of 3% in all studies.
Not your mother’s culture : second generation Tamil women negotiating trauma and identity through art
Authors: Satkunam Ann
Published: May 2021

This research paper focuses on the Tamil diaspora community in Canada that developed in the aftermath of the Civil War in Sri Lanka. This paper explores the impact of trauma on children of survivors, and how daughters in particular navigate these traumas. Furthermore, this paper analyzes how young women bear the trauma differently from their male counterparts, as women tend to be seen as carriers of culture. These ideas of women as carriers of culture do not afford Tamil women agency—instead they are left without choice in certain situations. Ultimately, this paper explores if art can be used as a mechanism to release the burden women feel. It uses the interview of eight Tamil women to understand their complex narratives, and to see if they use art as a means to reclaim agency.

Key words:
Diaspora, Sri Lankan, Art, Second-Generation Tamil Women, Identity, Cultural Purity
From the Komagata Maru to six Sikh MPs in Parliament : factors influencing electoral political participation in the Canadian-Sikh community
Authors: Bagga Geetika Singh
Published: May 2021

In the span of about 100 years Canadian-Sikhs have negotiated the path from political exclusion to political inclusion. This ethno-specific study focuses on the federal and provincial electoral performance of the Canadian-Sikh community and attempts to answer the following research questions. What factors have contributed to these electoral achievements, and what does having representation mean for the Sikh community -- have the results been substantive or symbolic? The research discuses [sic] a range of internal (community specific) and external (structural) factors that have allowed for such electoral success; and utilizes key informant interviews and a political engagement survey to examine community motivations for having elected representation. The study concludes by raising questions about the traditional interpretation around the nature of immigrant integration and political participation. Also highlighted here is the need for further ethnospecific research that recognizes the complexity of the relationship between the factors that influence political participation across different communities.
“Her Winning Personality”: Critical Discourse Analysis of Media Portrayals of Females in Sport
Authors: Esford Grace
Published: May 2021

At the intersection of fourth-wave feminism and third-wave sports media research, this critical discourse analysis will focus on the ways in which gender hierarchy and gender expectations are manifested in articles on ESPN.com. Through the investigation of sports media framing techniques, the ESPN articles in examination construct an idealized female identity within sports through the language used. This narrow view of female athletes allows for the power and influence that sports media has to construct gender hierarchies in the media landscape.

Using Fairclough’s (1989) method of conducting a critical discourse analysis, the prevalent sports media sentiments about Simone Biles, Megan Rapinoe, and Serena Williams will illustrate the sexist, racist, and homophobic language used. Through applying the Televised Sports Manhood Formula (Messner et. al, 2000) as a foundational discourse in sports media to journalism, the hierarchy of sports media results in the use of character framing techniques for sportswomen. When aspects like ambivalence and non-sports related information are emphasized, these strategies uphold the masculine hegemony of sports media.

Keywords: Sports media sentiment, gender, gender hierarchy, critical discourse analysis, Simone Biles, Megan Rapinoe, Serena Williams.
Bio-feedback of audio-entrainment by the pertinence of neuro-technology
Authors: Kanakaraj Subish Kumar
Published: May 2021

EEG is Electroencephalography, which is used to measure the activity of human brain. When two slightly difference pitches are played at the same time, the perceived pitch, or the base frequency, is halfway between the two tones. When a 300 Hz tone and a 310 Hz tone are played at the same time, the resulting pitch will be perceived as 305 Hz and the beats will occur at a frequency of 10 Hz.

One may adjust an instrument to match the tone of a pitch pipe until the resulting beats disappear. These beats are referred to as monaural beats, because they can be heard with only one ear. However, one has a different experience when each tone is presented to each ear via stereo headphones. Beats perceived in this way are called binaural beats, the interaction of the two sounds and the perception of the beats occurs in the brain.
The CC-Game: A Variant Of The Game Of Cops And Robbers
Authors: Haidar Ali
Published: May 2021

Cops and Robbers is a vertex pursuit game played on graphs. The objective of the game, as the name suggests, is for a set of cops to catch the robber. We study a new variant of this game in which the robber can attack a cop or fight back. This variation restricts the movement of the cops and changes many of the parameters and strategies achieved in the regular game. We explore aspects of this variant such as classifications for certain cop numbers, upper and lower bounds, strategies on special graphs, the cop number on products of graphs, complexity of computations, and density of cops in infinite graphs.
Effect of Atrium Compare to Courtyard on Energy Demand and Daylight in Row Housed in Toronto
Authors: Kabir Tamanna
Published: May 2021

Row houses in cold climates with increased shared wall for energy efficiency, suffer from darker interior spaces. Addition of courtyards can solve this problem to some extent, but courtyards are responsible for higher energy consumption during winter. This study investigates an alternative option, i.e. converting courtyard into atrium during winter for assessing its energy and daylight performance in row houses in Toronto. Results are determined by using Design Builder software. Research shows, during winter atrium options in row houses can reduce energy consumption compared to courtyard, but at the same time daylit floor area above target illuminance is also reduced. However, bigger courtyard having large window to wall ratio, clear glazing for courtyard windows and low e coated glazing for skylight can create a balance between increased energy consumption and decreased daylighting inside the house to maximize the benefits from converting courtyard into atrium during winter in Toronto row houses.
3D Shape Estimation Of Tendon-Driven Catheters Using Ultrasound Imaging
Authors: Hashemi Niloufaralsadat
Published: May 2021

Active cable/tendon-driven catheters are becoming an established part of the minimally invasive surgical procedures. Therefore, there has been growing interest in literature in estimating the shape of their distal end especially using clinical ultrasound (US) imaging systems. The purpose of this thesis is to use a B-mode US imaging system to design time-efficient, accurate and robust algorithm for 3D shape estimation of tendon-driven catheters. Kalman filter (KF), Adaptive Kalman filter
(AKF) and Particle filter (PF) algorithms were developed for this purpose. First, they were applied to a series of simulated US B-mode images where AKF provided the best estimate (error: 0.2 ± 0.1 mm). Second, they were applied to a series of experimentally obtained US B-mode images. Calibration procedures were carried out to calibrate these US images in the experiment’s workspace. The PF was shown to provide the best 3D shape estimate (error: 8.6 ± 0.1 mm). However, since
almost the same accuracy could be achieved with AKF in ten times less computational time, AKF was concluded to be the best method, in terms of accuracy and efficiency, to estimate the 3D shape of tendon-driven catheters.
The monster in the dark: the monstrous maternal and abject black mother in Toni Morrison's Beloved
Authors: Sadati Nikta
Published: May 2021

[Introduction]: "Toni Morrison’s Beloved (1987) is centred on Sethe, a mother and an escaped slave.Through a non-linear narrative, the novel follows Sethe through her traumatizing memories of Sweet Home–the plantation in which she was a slave–as well as I24, her new home after her escape. Set in 1856 pre-abolition America, Beloved follows the aftermath of Sethe’s murder of her baby, Beloved, and the haunting of I24 by Beloved’s ghost. Sethe’s infanticide is revealed to the reader through a series of memories and stories from different neighbours of I24 and acquaintances of Sethe. Sethe is presented as a monstrous mother as she appears to her family and neighbours as detached from her maternal love and kinship. Throughout this essay, the research questions I will answer are the following: Who defines motherhood? How is grief exercised by a subject who is made abject? How is the concept of the monstrous maternal rooted in racial oppression Sethe’s murder of her child is seen as a cold and irrational act of violence; however, Beloved’s representation of black motherhood and slavery serves to complicate the narrative of the monstrous maternal."
High performance envelope design for the modular building system
Authors: David Hawkins
Published: May 2021

The best way to reduce energy consumption in homes is to reduce air infiltration and increase thermal resistance of the building envelope. This research aimed to develop four envelope systems for the modular building system that are super insulated and designed for maximum air tightness.

Rigid sheathing with taped seams is a superior air sealing strategy compared to existing air barrier systems used in barrier systems used in the modular building industry. Connection details were developed for vulnerable connection locations using long lasting air sealing methodologies.

Connection interfaces were modeled with THERM software and two connections had bridging more than Ψ 0.01[W/m⋅k]. Hygrothermal analysis revealed that the moisture content of the structural sheathing layer of the assemblies maintained at safe levels. Annual heating demand reduction of 64-69% was simulated using the proposed four assemblies compared to an OBC 2012 building code baseline envelope assembly.
Development of a Device Characterization Curve Tracer for High Power Application
Authors: Nejad Elahe T.
Published: May 2021

Due to self-heating and significant temperature rise in a power device junction, the device characterization through the DC measurement is a major issue. Short pulsed technique or Pulsed I-V (PIV) characterization is the technique which is used by commercial curve tracer and network analyzers to characterize the power devices. Although, this technique prevent excessive self-heating but doesn't guarantee that measurement will be operated in the desired accuracy range because even a moderate self heating may cause significant measurement error. In this research work, a measurement technique is introduced that results "device characterization within the desired accuracy range". The technique is based on the stimulation of the device under test (DUT) with voltage ramps that allow for "fast transient mesurement". Because, this way of stimulation excites the parasitic impedances in the DUT, a dynamic model of the DUT is presented. This model allows determining the operation conditions that "guarantee the specified measurement accuracy". The measurement procedure is described and the developed measurement algorithms are implemented in LabVIEW environment to obtain a "PC-based device characterization curve tracer for high power application".

A high current power MOSFET is used as the DUT. The calibration and measurement phases are carried out by the developed curve tracer. During the calibration phase, the measurement condition including allowed junction temperature deviation, maximum ramp slope and maximum allowed drain-source voltage to "guarantee 2% measurement error" is specified. The measurement phase is carried out based on these operating conditions. The result is a family of output I-V curves for different gate voltage set. This measurement technique "validated" with that of measured based on the PIV characterization technique from the device data sheet. The discrepancy between the measurement result and datasheet curve is discussed.
This is (not) a laneway. Envisioning Toronto's future mid-block communities
Authors: Janikowski Maya
Published: May 2021

The City of Toronto's laneway network is an untapped resource whose potential for residential development can support unique architectural opportunities and promote much needed sustainable and livable urban communities. Residential laneway development, as a form of infill, has the potential to increase the City's density without threatening the existing City fabric while providing a highly demanded housing typology. This thesis is structured around three intentions. It attempts to prove that laneway housing development is an opportunity for alleviating Toronto's housing requirements; imagines what this housing typology would look like in the context of Toronto's urban form; and explores the evolution of the laneway housing form in the entire laneway context. Arguing that when designed from this perspective, the laneway housing form has the potential to foster the growth of strong and desirable mid-block communities.
From having to appearing : identity, abstraction, and commodification in online social networking sites
Authors: Heath Brennan
Published: May 2021

The purpose of the present study is to explore the effects of social networking/'sticky' sites, such as MySpace.com. on traditionally held conceptions of subculure. Having been initially limited to text, the now ubiquitous setting of social networking sites allows us to digitally reconstruct ourselves through a pastiche-like approach. Through the abstractive processes outlined by Guy Debord, the modern online subcultural subject is able to create a digital 'self' th[r]ough a series of pictorial, textual, and multi-media (music, and video) based inclusions. In doing so, these inclusions become abstracted into 'spectacular' representations of self, where mere appearance becomes key. In presenting the processes that take place in the MySpace setting to abstract subcultural identity, it will be shown that the interconnected and instantaneous nature of the modern communicative landscape negates the possiblity of online subcultural groups in their traditional form.
Gentrification of ethnic businesses in Toronto's Little India: an analysis of ethnic business development
Authors: Etemadi Taraneh
Published: May 2021

Gentrification of ethnic businesses within ethnic economies is a new phenomenon that is vastly affecting Toronto’s Little India. As a result, research focusing on this issue and analysis on the way in which ethnic businesses have been developed is an important problem to investigate. This research will focus on three main research questions;
observing the different looks, practices, styles, and tastes prevalent amongst restaurants in Little India, examining if the styles and tastes projected by restaurants’ ethnic habitus have an impact on how ethnic businesses fare, and assessing if entrepreneurs are able or unable to modify their business practices, and styles. The analysis will be conducted through the lens of the Habitus (Bourdieu, 1987) as a theoretical framework, specifically examining the ways in which self-employed migrants develop their businesses and the role that their ethnic background and culture may have in this process. This research will take an ethnographic methodological approach in conducting the research through two steps, beginning with a naturalistic observation of two restaurants and following up with interviews. The findings determined that slight changes made to the business approach and cultural habitus of ethnic businesses can prove successful in attracting the needs of the surrounding clientele and the gentrifying population. Keywords: gentrification, South Asian, Little India, ethnic economy, self-employed migrants
Effect of high intensity focused ultrasound on neural compound action potential : an in vitro study
Authors: Jabbary. Shahrad
Published: May 2021

Therapeutic ultrasound is a promising field with many novel applications in medicine and biology. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) provides the ability to localize the deposition of acoustic energy within the body by thermal effect. In this work a brief description of how the HIFU system works and how it can be used to produce localized thermal lesions on the pathogenic tissues in the human body will be presented. Results of acoustic characterization of a hand-held HIFU system developed in our lab will also be presented. The capabilities of creating controlled reversible and irreversible changes in the compound action potential (CAP) values of a specific neural tissue, i.e. lobster abdominal nerves by adjusting different ultrasound parameters (intensity, exposure duration, etc.) in the HIFU system will also be described. Lobster abdominal nerves were exposed to a 10s HIFU exposure. The focal intensity values for this study were chosen as 100, 175, 275, 400, 525 and 700 W .cm ⁻². It was shown that a trend of small changes in the measured CAP values (increase in the CAP amplitude) could be achieved in the five intermediate intensities, while a drastic decrease in the measured CAP values and total degeneration of the nerve could be observed with the highest focal intensity of 700 W .cm⁻².
Toward a corporal architecture building about the body
Authors: Hendershott Aaron
Published: May 2021

Throughout history the human body has formed the subject, defined the scale and proportion, and inspired the tectonic and symbolic language of architecture. While modern methods sought to codify the body for the purposes of standardized measurement, ergonomics, and the development of building codes, the implications derived from this approach have resulted in limited and standardized procedures for designing space in relation to the body. Recent advances in materials science, portable computing, and sensing technologies have opened up several possibilities for a deeper level of engagement and interaction between the body and its environment. As wireless communications continue to blur the boundaries between personal and global space, new dialogues are emerging that implicate both intimate material interfaces and wider organizational frameworks. Introducing the notion of ‘wearable space’, parallels between fashion and architecture are drawn as a means of re-examining the relationship between the body, clothing and architecture; the first, second and third skin of the body respectively.
CubeSat attitude determination
Authors: Bondarenko Anastasia
Published: May 2021

When satellites are placed in orbit, often times a specific orientation is required to achieve mission purposes. Different factors (such as atmospheric drag, magnetic fields, solar winds) or tumbling upon deployment from the launch vehicle, may result in an undesirable satellite orientation. To address these challenges, the ability to control the orientation, termed as attitude determination, becomes critical to any mission. This thesis will focus on developing an earth-pointing and sun-pointing mode in order to meet the objectives of the ESSENCE CubeSat. The earth-pointing mode orients the vehicle to point towards a desired target on the earth surface, and the sun-pointing mode orients the vehicle such that the maximum solar array surface area is exposed to the sun when the vehicle is out of eclipse.
EMI-aware central processing point deployment in wireless networks for e-healthcare services.
Authors: Majedi Nick
Published: May 2021

In this thesis, we introduce an approach to jointly minimizing energy consumption of wireless transmitters and the harmful interference on sensitive medical devices, and optimizing the central controller placement for collecting data from transmitters. More specifically, a multi-objective non-convex mixed-integer non-linear programming (MINLP) problem is defined and formulated to optimize transmit power of wireless users and CPP deployment along with guaranteeing minimized EMI to comply with the immunity level of medical devices. To solve this problem, an important step is to convexify it. Then we propose the use of a standard branch-and-bound algorithm. Also the program is coded in MATLAB with the help of OPTItoolbox to find the optimal solution. To conduct a numerical result analysis, we considered different cases within a single floor of a hospital and a few scenarios for a two-story hospital building. The values of different variables are changed throughout the simulation and the results are compared. These variables include immunity level of sensitive medical devices, maximum transmission power of wireless users, floor attenuation factor, etc. Our results show the improvement in throughput and guaranteed immunity for medical devices, when the proposed formulation is deployed along with a branch-and-bound algorithm.
Robust Nonlinear Control of Underactuated Satellite Formation
Authors: McVittie Geoffrey R.
Published: May 2021

In this thesis, the control of the underactuated satellite formation system is examined. The underactuated satellite formation consists of a leader-follower configuration where there is no control force available in the radial direction relative to the orbit of the leader satellite.

Two new relay sliding mode controllers are proposed as a method of controlling the formation system. The first controller is developed using the Hill's equation of motion of the satellite formation and the sliding manifold is designed based on linear quadratic regulation and the algebraic Riccati equation.

The second controller uses a 2nd order state dependent time varying approximation of the satellite formation and the sliding manifold is chosen in real-time through the evaluation of the causal approximation of the differential Riccati equation. The incorporation of the nonlinearity and time varying properties of the system into the control law expands the operational range of application. The theoretical stability bounds of the two control laws are determined guaranteeing the robust nature of the closed loop system against both matched and unmatched disturbances.

A series of numerical simulations are used to validate the stability and robustness of the proposed control laws. Finally, some simulations are provided to determine the effect of controller and system parameters on the control laws' performance.
Wavelet packets-based speech enhancement techniques for digital hearing aids
Authors: Yang Jiming
Published: May 2021

Hearing-impaired listeners often have great difficulty understanding speech in a noisy background. The problem has motivated the development of a new speech enhancement scheme with the goal of improving speech in noise perception for the hearing impaired listeners. In this thesis, a novel wavelet packet based noise reduction algorithm and hearing loss compensation are presented for a single microphone hearing aids application.
The noise reduction scheme utilizes noise masking threshold based suppression rule to remove additive noise. The perceptual noise suppression rule is optimized to achieve a balance between noise removal and speech distortion. Both objective and subjective evaluations have shown superior performance of the proposed technique in a good combination of low residual noise and low signal distortion.
The hearing loss compensation is realized by the wavelet-based loudness compression in each critical band. The compensated speech is guaranteed above hearing-impaired listener's threshold of hearing and with growth of loudness corrected in the dynamic range. Preference test among normal hearing person with simulated hearing loss has shown compensated speeches are favored in various conditions.
Neighbourhood [Re] formation: envisioning a future for Don Mills.
Authors: Rad Talayeh
Published: May 2021

Architecture is known to be the physical language of community. What define cities are streets, blocks, and buildings, and their interaction defines the neighbourhoods. Cities are poised for unlimited growth (Lefebvre, 2003) and the challenge is to propose a vision for the future growth of already dense neighbourhoods. The research aims to study the evolution of contemporary urbanism, ideas, and theories in order to explore the structure of the existing neighbourhoods and understand the dynamic behind the street patterns and urban blocks. Case studies are investigating the quality and configuration of physical urban form through recent history. The ideas are compared and contrasted to challenge modern and postmodern urban theories in order to propose a new vision for future urban growth. The design project takes into account the importance of urban morphology and typology and their impacts on the identity, diversity and affordability of the neighbourhood.
For lack of a better word: neo-identities in non-cisgender, non-straight communities on Tumblr
Authors: Feraday Christine
Published: May 2021

Non-cisgender and non-straight identity language has long been a site of contention and evolution. There has been an increase in new non-cisgender, non-straight identity words since the creation of the internet, thanks to social media platforms like Tumblr. Tumblr in particular has been host to many conversations about identity and self-naming, though these conversations have not yet been the subject of much academic research. Through interviews and analysis of Tumblr posts, this thesis examines the emergence of new identity words, or neo-identities, used by non-cisgender and non-straight users of Tumblr. The work presents neo-identities as strategies for resisting and challenging cisheteronormative conceptions of gender and attraction, as well as sources of comfort and relief for non-cisgender/non-straight people who feel ‘broken’ and excluded from mainstream identity categories. This thesis also posits that Tumblr is uniquely suited for conversations about identity because of its potential for self-expression, community, and anonymity.
Coordinating a three level supply chain with multiple retailers
Authors: Naqvi Shahzad
Published: May 2021

The objective of this research is to highlight the factors that can optimize the total cost of a centralized supply chain through coordination of order quantities amongst the players in a supply chain. Survey of earlier research reveals that players in a supply chain usually have conflicting interests, such as reducing inventories and increasing profitability. Thus, to make coordination feasible, it is essential to provide proper incentives to individual players. Munson and Rosenblatt (2001) were the first to discuss coordination in a three level supply chain with a single player at each level. On the other hand, Viswanathan and Piplani (2001) are believed to be the first to consider cooordination in a two level supply chain with a single vendor and multiple retailers. This research extends upon these works by investigating coordination in a three level supply chain with multiple retailers. This is done by incorporating the model of Viswanathan and Piplani (2001) into that of Munson and Rosenblatt (2001). A new mathematical model is developed, with numerical examples presented and results discussed. When players in a supply chain agree to coordinate, it is possible to have some of the players benefiting more than others in the chain, if not losing. The mathematical model developed in this research work guarantees that the local costs for the players either remain the same as before coordination, or decrease as a result of coordination. Furthermore, this research work assumes that savings generated from coordination should be distributed among the players of the chain. This led to developing a scheme to fairly distribute savings amongst the players of the supply chain. Results indicate that even though players may have conflicting interests in the supply chain, coordination is recommended and should be pursued.
Ruptures in Architecture: Toward an Alternative Post-Fordism
Authors: Dinh Phu
Published: May 2021

This thesis is a broad historical exploration of the nature and social function of architectural facades. In particular, the thesis examines the influence of Le Corbusier’s universal structure of Maison Dom-ino on the subsequent development of post-Fordist facades designed to achieve a seamless interface between life in the buildings they adorn and streets given over to the automobile, an index of economic production. The thesis argues that this seamless interface between exterior and interior reduces human experience to the isolating anti-social perspective of the car window. In theorizing a rupture of the post-Fordist illusion of seamless space, the thesis cites the work of Le Corbusier’s contemporaries: Loos, Mies van der Rohe and Hejduk. Their architectural designs support the development of an alternative life-enhancing post-Fordism, allowing people to experience the rich difference between interior and exterior, public and private. The project’s design realizes the thesis’ post-Fordism in a folly.
Finite element analysis of knee articular cartilage
Authors: Heydon Randall
Published: May 2021

The knee joint is often subjected to high loads, which can lead to injury and osteoarthritis. To better understand its behaviour, a finite element model of the joint was created. A hyperelastic material model was created to represent articular cartilage. A six parameter Ogden curve was fiitted against experimental stress-stretch data of cartilage. This material was applied to two different finite element models of the knee created from anatomical slice images. The complete models were validated against data from experiments performed on whole knees. Under compressive loading, the deflection of the model joints were found to be within one-half of a standard deviation of the experimental data. One model was tested in alternate configurations; its response was found to be strongly related to cartilage thickness and knee flexion. Therefore, it is concluded that this cartilage material model can be used to accurately predict the load response of knees.
Early detection and mitigation of DDos Attacks in software defined networks
Authors: Kia Maryam
Published: May 2021

Software Defined networking (SDN) is a new approach for the design and management of computer networks. The main concept behind SDN is the separation of the network’s control and forwarding planes with the control plane moved to the centralized controller. In SDN networks with the centralized controller structure DDoS attacks can easily exhaust the controller's or the switches' computing and communication resources, thus, breakdown the network within a short time.
In this thesis, the scheme, running at the controller, can detect DDoS attacks at the early stage. The method not only can detect the attacks but also identify the attacking paths and start a mitigation process to provide some degree of protection of the network devices the moment an attack is detected. The Proposed method is based on the Entropy variation of destination IP address, Flow initiation rate and study of the Flow specifications.
Physical-Rule Based Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inferential Sensor For Optimal Control Of Space Heating Systems
Authors: Huang Liang
Published: May 2021

The previous research on adaptive neuro-fuzzy inferential sensor (ANFIS) presented an approach to estimate the average indoor temperature and proposed a new method to measure process variables which are impossible to measure directly by using physical sensors in buildings. To achieve high energy efficiency in heating systems, an accurate and robust prediction model is essential. This thesis aims to improve the conventional ANFIS indoor temperature estimator and look for an optimal control of space heating systems. A physical-rule based ANFIS prediction model is proposed. The differences between this physical-rule based ANFIS prediction model and the conventional ANFIS prediction model are presented and analyzed. Three performance measures (RMSE, RMS, and R
Modification of Interpretive Bias: Impact on Anxiety Sensitivity, Information Processing and Response to Induced Bodily Sensations
Authors: MacDonald Emma M.
Published: May 2021

Anxiety Sensitivity (AS) is the fear of normal, arousal-related bodily sensations due to the belief that they have negative consequences. High AS is associated with interpretive biases whereby normal bodily sensations are perceived as threatening. Research shows that interpretive biases can be modified through cognitive training. In the present study, the impact of interpretation training on cognitive processes and behaviour was examined in people with high AS. Thirty-four participants were assigned to either a training condition designed to induce a benign interpretive bias, or a “sham” condition designed to have no effect on existing biases. Participants in the training condition reported significant decreases in overall AS and fear of the physical consequences of anxiety. Interpretive bias measures yielded mixed findings. Both conditions displayed decreased negative interpretations of explanations of physical sensations, but only the training condition displayed decreased interpretations of specific, negative explanations of physical sensations. Theoretical implications are discussed.
The resettlement experiences in Canada of Chinese-Vietnamese refugees after the Vietnam war
Authors: Ha Belinda
Published: May 2021

Through six intensive and semi-structured interviews, this research paper examines the role social support networks may or may not have played in facilitating the resettlement experiences of Chinese-Vietnamese refugees living in Canada after the Vietnam War. It was observed that those who were privately-sponsored emphasized the instrumental role their benefactors played in assisting their successful resettlement, whereas those who were government-sponsored were forced to adopt a more independent mindset of forming their own social support systems. Regardless of sponsorship type, the notion of hard work was a commonality found amongst the participants. They arrived at the receiving country expecting and willing to accept conditions of underemployment and downward mobility. The effects of pre-migration enabling factors such as marital status and educational attainment are also acknowledged. Within a social support framework, theories of social capital and resiliency are used to analyze the lives of the participants after the traumatic experience of forced migration.
The Edward Steichen Naval Aviation Photographic Unit Collection at the Harry Ransom Center
Authors: Kaluzny Kate
Published: May 2021

This applied thesis project is based on a collection of 172 gelatin silver photographs taken by Edward Steichen’s Naval Aviation Photographic Unit during World War II. The Harry Ransom Center in Austin, Texas was one of twelve institutions that received photographs from Edward Steichen’s personal collection upon his death in 1973. The prints in the collection depict scenes from some of the most intense fighting in the Pacific. The unit, led by Steichen throughout the war, came to be known as the preeminent combat photography unit in the Navy.

My final thesis includes the following components: an analytical paper detailing the history of the unit and discussing the scope and significance of the collection; an outline of the digitization and housing processes; a Filemaker Pro database for the collection; and content generated for the Ransom Center’s Digital Collections page, scheduled for upload in late summer or early fall 2016.
Health perceptions and experiences of Cantonese-speaking older immigrant women from mainland China living in Toronto
Authors: Fong Alice W.
Published: May 2021

Few health studies have been conducted in a non-official language with participants. In addition, few studies have attempted to discover the social determinants of health to account for health inequalities for immigrant women through qualitative interviews (Hyman, 2007). This study endeavoured to understand the perceptions of health and the experiences of healthcare services in Toronto by Cantonese-speaking older immigrant women. The study was conducted in their own language. In addition to the Cantonese-speaking older immigrant women, community workers who work with Chinese immigrant clients were also interviewed. The social determinants of health were divided into post-migration challenges and systemic barriers, then analyzed with an intersectional theoretical framework. This study highlights the importance of an intersectional approach since many social determinants influenced the participants' health experiences. Furthermore, this study underlines the need to advocate for immigrant health to take prominence in national health policy in Canada.
Virtual Human Factors Tools for Proactive Ergonomics: Qualitative Exploration And Method Development
Authors: Perez Jorge
Published: May 2021

This thesis presents two studies that explore the use of Virtual Human Factors Tools (VHFT), such as Predetermined Motion Time Systems (PMTS), Digital Human Models (DHM) and Discrete Event Simulation (DES). Study 1 investigated the needs and expectations of ergonomist and engineers through a series of explorative workshops. Nine characteristics of concern to participants were identified in the tools: time, cost, training, difficulty to use, trustworthiness, graphics, flexibility, usefulness and report presentation. These characteristics can influence VHFT uptake and application decisions. Study 2 explored the integration of DES, PMTS, DHM and existing fatigue models, in an assembly context, to predict the accumulation of muscular fatigue. This study demonstrated the feasibility of using VHFT in conjunction and that DES can predict ergonomic outcomes such as work-related fatigue and recovery.  The study also uncovered some problems with the existing fatigue models, highlighting the need for further research and development of those models.
Engagement Detection Framework for Hand Gesture and Posture Recognition
Authors: Toghi Ghassem
Published: May 2021

Engagement Detection Framework for Hand Gesture and Posture Recognition
Bone fracture detection using active contour model with prior shape
Authors: Jia Yun
Published: May 2021

In this research, an image segmentation method based on active contouring model was studied, which incorporates the prior shape into the active contour evolving process as the global constraint. The active contour model is implemented based on the level set method. The prior shape regulates the behavior of the active contour and keeps it from leaking out of the weak edges. The goal of this research is to determine the displacement and alignment between two fractured pieces of a bone which is encased in the cast material by segmenting them out and calculating their axes difference. The noise introduced by the cast material makes this task difficult. Morphological operations of dilation and erosion are deployed in this research as the noise reduction and edge detection tool. Experiment results are obtained successfully by applying this method upon the X-ray images of patients' fractured arm.
Improving Power Density Of A Class Of Piezoelectic Power Harvesters Through Proof Mass Optimization
Authors: Li Wen G.
Published: May 2021

This thesis presents a method to optimize the proof mass of the cantilever piezoelectric power harvester. With this novel proof mass, a lower fundamental frequency and a higher power density (output power per unit volume) were achieved. Prototypes of 0.242 cm³ in volume were fabricated and tested and a power density of 1446 μW/cm³ was achieved for sinusoidal excitation of 0.75 g. It was experimentally shown that the new power harvester lowered the fundamental frequency by 26% and increased the power density by 68% in comparison with the conventional harvesters. When tested on a shoe, the new power harvester generated an average power of 48.4 μW at 3.0 mph walking speed on a treadmill.
Comet : a photographic installation
Authors: Severin Gregory
Published: May 2021

This major research paper is written to accompany the photographic installation COMET. The project examines the town of Raymond, Alberta and their high school football team, the Raymond Comets. I look to visualize the specific reality of Raymond, especially their approach to sports and how it interfaces with their faith as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This paper supports COMET in three main ways. I examine my own history of sport and my relationship to the Raymond Comets, I overview their faith and its relationship to sport, and I provide my own history developing COMET. I detail the theoretical and practical approaches used to produce COMET, examining the role of observation within photography, and describing the process of building the narrative within the gallery. Finally, I describe influences on COMET, and detail how and where COMET fits in the history of the documentary tradition.
Essays on the Incentives to Form International Agreements between Asymmetric Countries
Authors: Bezamaternykh Natalia
Published: May 2021

Abstract: International Environmental Agreements suffer from a strong free-riding incentive that generally leads to failure of coalition formation in the economics literature and have been largely unsuccessful in practice. At the same time, preferential trade agreements (PTAs) have increasingly included elements not specifically related to trade, such as domestic policy over the environment, labour, intellectual property, health and investment. One area that has received a great deal of attention is deep agreements is the environment. In this dissertation, we develop three models of asymmetric countries, that include both trade and environmental externalities and study the incentives to form international trade agreements between those asymmetric countries. First, we develop a two-country, two-good model with cross-border negative spillovers and perfect competition in product markets. We compare shallow (trade only) and deep (trade and environment) trade agreements between those two large asymmetric countries, and we show that deep and shallow trade agreements have different outcomes in terms of world and individual countries welfares, trade specialization and environmental damages. Next, we develop two three-country, three-goods models, a “competing importers model” and a “competing exporters model”, and examine equilibrium agreements and environmental outcomes assuming (i) environmental agreements are negotiated separately, (ii) trade agreements are shallow, and (iii) trade agreements are deep. To examine the stability of endogenous deep and shallow trade agreements we set up various three stage games and use coalition-proof Nash equilibria refinement to circumvent the multiplicity of Nash equilibria. Furthermore, in order to examine the differences between shallow and deep trade agreements, we develop extended games where countries can choose between different deep and shallow PTAs and investigate how equilibrium agreements differ based on being deep or shallow. Therefore, in two different models of multiple asymmetric countries, we ask and answer the following questions: (i) how do equilibrium agreements differ when countries choose deep rather than shallow agreements?; (ii) given the choice between deep and shallow trade agreements, would countries prefer to incorporate an environmental clause into their equilibrium trade deal?; and (iii) what are the implications of including non-trade elements in PTAs for the pursuit of global free trade?