bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beyond commerce: the fashion magazine as art and theory
Authors: Nguyen Truc
Published: May 2021

(ITEM REMOVED FROM PUBLIC VIEW BY RESEARCHER'S REQUEST, OCTOBER 2024: DO NOT RESTORE)

What are the defining characteristics of a fashion magazine? Can the genre exist outside of a commercial context? Are aesthetics and theory alone enough to create something worth reading? Taken outside of the context of consumer culture, what is its difference from "art" publications? These are the questions central to this project, entitled "Beyond Commerce: The Fashion Magazine as Art and Theory." The project visually and critically examines some of the tensions and contradictions between fashion and art in general terms, and it explores specific topic and debates within contemporary fashion theory through a review of the current academic and cultural literature on the business and art of fashion and magazines, interviews with fashion editors. and the creation of a magazine proof entitled Deeply Superficial.
Shoe embedded air pump type piezoelectric power harvester
Authors: Haghbin Naser
Published: May 2021

Conventional shoe embedded PZT (Lead Zirconate Titanate) power harvesters have the problem of low reliability and short life time due to the fragility of the PZT material for bending and the high stepping force which directly acts on the PZT-metal structure. In this thesis, a novel shoe embedded PZT power harvester is presented, which is able to solve the problem of low reliability and short lifetime associated with conventional designs. This harvester uses an air pump to squeeze the air into a fixed chamber to deform a PZT diaphragm to generate electricity. Thus the high stepping force is directly taken by the housing of the harvester instead ofthe PZT material. A power of 1.12 mW is generated at a speed of 4 mph on a treadmill. The stepping force acting on the harvester is also measured, which indicates the power harvester can survive a very high stepping force. 
Non-profit brand and corporate sponsorship in performing arts organizations
Authors: Fene Leila
Published: May 2021

This purpose of this paper is as follows. First, it will investigate Thompson and Stegemann's theory that suggests that for performing arts organizations, brand and brand equity are contributed to by a number of different sources, each of which may have their own brand and brand equity ("Brand Equity and the Cultural Event: The Amalgamation of Multiple Brands for a Unified Marketing Communications Performance", 2). The multi-faceted composition of brand equity will be examined with a specific application to potential impact on corporate sponsorship. Each of the key elements that contribute to brand equity will be examined with specific reference to the potential benefits and hazards they may bring to a corporate sponsorship relationship. Secondly, this paper will propose the addition of four additional sources of brand equity to those proposed by Thompson and Stegemann. These sources will also be evaluated for relevance to corporate sponsorship. It is hoped that this paper and further studies into non-profit brand will balance the brand equation in arts sponsorship relationships, where traditional emphasis has been placed on the brand of the donor. This may, in turn, work to pave the way for a more equitable and mutually beneficial sponsor relationship or partnership between corporations and arts organizations -- Page 2.
The role of immigrant women in their families’ settlement in Canada
Authors: Baitubayeva Assel
Published: May 2021

This paper examines the invisible role of immigrant women in their families’ settlement in
Canada. The majority of immigrants in Canada are women, whose traditional and newly
accepted family roles and duties in the receiving country make a significant contribution to
settlement of their husbands and children. This study demonstrates that women’s physical,
financial, social and emotional support helps their family members to adapt to the new
environment smoother. Newcomer women often delay their own settlement for the sake of
their families’ well-being. Studies of immigrant women’s significant contribution to their
families’ settlement would allow to develop effective settlement programs to facilitate
settlement of whole families.
A Study on Financial Time Series Forecasting and Symbolic Regression by means of a Hybrid Probabilistic Model-Building Cartesian Genetic Programming Methodology
Authors: Mostowfi Mahsa
Published: May 2021

This work proposes a hybrid algorithm called Probabilistic Incremental Cartesian Genetic Pro- gramming (PI-CGP), which integrates an Estimation of Distribution Algorithm (EDA) with Carte- sian Genetic Programming (CGP). PI-CGP uses a fixed-length problem representation and the algorithm constructs a probabilistic model of promising solutions. PI-CGP was evaluated on sym- bolic regression problems and next trading day stock price forecasting. On the symbolic regression problems PI-CGP did not outperform other approaches. The reason could be premature convergence and being trapped at a local minimum. However, PI-CGP was competitive at stock market forecasting. It was comparable to a fusion model employing a Hidden Markov Model (HMM). HMMs are extensively used for time-series forecasting. This result is promising considering the volatile nature of the stock market and that PI-CGP was not customized toward forecasting.
Add to cart: an investigation of the efficiency of social comparisons to thin-ideal images in the context of online shopping
Authors: Saiphoo Alyssa Nicole
Published: May 2021

Recently, researchers have investigated the cognitive efficiency of social comparisons young women make to thin-ideal images. However, results have been mixed and methodology problematic (e.g. low ecological validity, lack of consideration for ethnicity). The purpose of the present study was to address these issues. Ninety-six Caucasian undergraduate females were exposed to thin-ideal images. These images were presented in the context of an online shopping experience, to create a more ecologically valid context. To investigate cognitive efficiency, cognitive load was manipulated by having participants memorize the colours of the models’ clothing items. Participants did not experience a decrease in appearance satisfaction when under high cognitive load, suggesting inefficiency. In contrast, an observed increase in negative mood under high load conditions may suggest efficiency. However, potential alternative explanations for this latter result include the non-specificity of the mood measure, the context the images were presented in, and task difficulty
Consumers Purchase Behavior Toward Eco-Labelling
Authors: Tahir Madiha
Published: May 2021

The primary goal of Eco-labels is to promote the knowledge of consumers about positive environmental effects of products and to guide them toward purchasing environmental friendly products. The purpose of the study is to understand fashion consumers' purchasing behavior toward eco-labelling with respect to four factors: the current fashion system, environmental responsibility, ethical responsibility, and social responsibility. The relationship between these four factors in conjunction with eco-labelling and purchase behavior was tested and analyzed. The results proved that eco-labels did influence consumers' buying behavior. Eco-label help consumers to make their decision faster, distinguish those products that they want to buy from the other ordinary products.
Examining the correlates and antecedents of subjective binge eating episodes in female undergraduates
Authors: Atwood Molly E.
Published: May 2021

Binge eating is a core diagnostic feature of several eating disorders; however, controversy exists regarding the extent to which the size of an eating episode is important in the definition of a binge. The present study examined the relationship between subjective binge eating episodes (SBEs: experiencing loss of control while eating relatively small amounts of food) and eating disorder pathology, general pathology, and eating disorder-specific and general cognitive distortions in female undergraduate students (N=116) via self-report measures. In addition, negative affect and stress were examined as proximal antecedents of SBEs using naturalistic prospective monitoring. Findings indicated SBEs are associated with broad markers of eating disorder pathology and aspects of general pathology, and that eating disorder-specific cognitive distortions mediate the relationship between dietary restraint and SBE frequency. In addition, higher levels of negative affect were found to precede SBEs; however, stress was not identified as a statistically significant proximal antecedent. Findings are interpreted in light of methodological limitations, and clinical implications are discussed.
The re-collection of the Ryerson fashion research collection
Authors: Mida Ingrid Masak
Published: May 2021

Christian Dior once said, “We invent nothing, we always start from something that has come before” (qtd. in Pochna 80). Historic garments can inform and inspire the present, offering up design potential for reinterpretations of styles of the past or serving as evidence of how fashion was worn and lived for material culture studies. Seeing a dress in a photo is a very different experience than feeling the weight of the fabric in hand, examining the details of cut, construction and embellishment, considering the relationship of the garment to the body or searching for evidence of how the garment was worn, used or altered over time. The Ryerson Fashion Research Collection is a repository of several thousand items acquired by donation since 1981, many of which are dresses and evening gowns dating from 1860 to 2000. For several years, this collection lay dormant behind an unmarked door and was largely unknown by the student body. This project was initiated to understand the nature of the artifacts contained therein and is a first step in the process of refocusing and rebuilding the Collection for the future. The title “Re-collection of the Ryerson Fashion Research Collection” encapsulates the organizing principle for this practice-led interdisciplinary project, encompassing the intersection of material culture, curatorial process and collective memory in the identification of one hundred key items from the archive that reflect the breadth and history of the Collection itself.
Numerical heat transfer analysis of micro-scale jet-impingement cooling in a high-pressure turbine vane
Authors: Anand Karan
Published: May 2021

This research provides a computational analysis of heat transfer due to micro jet-impingement inside a gas turbine vane. A preliminary-parametric analysis of axisymmetric single jet was reported to better understand micro jet-impingement. In general, it was seen that as the Reynolds number increased the Nusselt number values increased. The jet to target spacing had a considerably lower impact on the heat transfer rates. Around 30% improvement was seen by reducing the diameter to half while changing the shape to an ellipse saw 20.8% improvement in Nusselt value. The numerical investigation was then followed by studying the heat transfer characteristics in a three-dimensional, actual-shaped turbine vane. Effects of jet inclination showed enhanced mixing and secondary heat transfer peaks. The effect of reducing the diameter of the jets to 0.125 mm yielded 55% heat transfer improvements compared to 0.51 mm; the tapering effect also enhanced the local heat transfer values as local velocities at jet exit increased.
Understanding Pikfyve Control Of Lysome Dynamics
Authors: Saffi Golam Tanjib
Published: May 2021

Lysosomes are organelles that receive external cargo through phagocytosis and endocytosis, and internal cargo through autophagy, followed by degradation in the acidic and hydrolase rich lumen and redistribution of substrates for maintaining cellular integrity. Lysosomes undergo homotypic or heterotypic repeated fusion and fission or kiss and run cycles with other organelles to exchange and receive cargo, as well as maintain lysosome number and size. Lysosome membranes display the phosphoinositide lipid phosphatidylinositol 3,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(3,5)P₂) synthesized by the lipid kinase PIKfyve. PtdIns(3,5)P₂ act as a signalling lipid on lysosomes to regulate maturation of endosomes, phagosomes and autophagosomes maturation by fusing with lysosomes, and recycling from the lysosomal lumen, lysosome ion channel activity, and lysosome-associated actin turnover. Of these defects, the most dramatic phenotype of PtdIns(3,5)P₂ depletion from PIKfyve inhibition is the appearance of enlarged lysosomes. Our work demonstrates that PtdIns(3,5)P₂ is an important regulator of lysosome size and number by governing the balance between lysosome fusion and fission and/or kiss and run. Depletion of PtdIns(3,5)P₂ arrests lysosome fission disrupting the balance between the continuous fusion and fission cycle, leading to lysosome coalescence and causing lysosome enlargement and reduction in their numbers. Microtubules, cytoskeletal tracks for lysosome positioning, and associated motor protein complexes, kinesin-1 and dynein, regulate lysosome coalescence during PIKfyve inhibition.
Our experimental observations revealed ROS as a novel regulator of lysosome fusion and fission. Specifically, ROS arrested lysosome enlargement from acute PIKfyve inhibition and accelerated lysosome fragmentation during PIKfyve re-activation. However, depending on the ROS produced and/or site of ROS synthesis, lysosome dynamics are affected distinctly. H₂O₂ impaired lysosome mobility to arrest coalescence. However, superoxide generated from mitochondrial ETC complex 1, or thioredoxin reductase, or glutathione inhibition through rotenone, or CDNB, or MCB respectively depolymerised microtubules without affecting mobility. Instead, superoxide generation through pharmacological manipulations promoted actin clearance from lysosomes, which otherwise accumulate on lysosomes to hinder fission upon PIKfyve inhibition, to promote fission. Indeed, actin depolymerisation arrested lysosome enlargement during acute PIKfyve inhibition and accelerated lysosome fragmentation during PIKfyve re-activation, further indicative of ROS stimulating lysosome fission through actin clearance.
Design of MEMS magnetic actuator for MEMS fourier transform infrared spectrometer
Authors: Husain Farzana
Published: May 2021

The objective of this thesis is to design MEMS magnetic actuator for MEMS FTIRS. The actuator consists of moving part and fixed part. The moving part uses rotation-to-translation motion conversion mechanism to achieve large translation, which includes four trapezoidal plates, central ring, anchoring springs and connection springs. The fixed part of the actuator consists of four solenoids. The actuator can be integrated with separately fabricated micromirror plate to achieve high surface quality translation micromirror for FTIRS. The actuator is capable of eliminating titling by controlling the four solenoids individually. The MEMS magnetic actuator has been designed and simulated to be able to output a static displacement of 370micrometers. The stress has been analyzed for the moving part of the actuator. The actuator fixed part has been designed. Dynamic analysis has been conducted for the moving part of the actuator. The moving part of the actuator has been fabricated using MetalMUMPs.
Architecture at the edge of chaos: a model for uncertainty in architecture
Authors: Fung Calvin
Published: May 2021

The changing needs of society informed by rapid technological, social and ecological changes have disturbed the foundation of permanence on which much of architecture was built. Traditional Western architecture is too solid, hard, and slow—presenting difficulties for it to adequately adapt to change and uncertainty. A reconceptualization of architecture is necessary, one not focused on the certainty of solutions or forms, but one patterned by the dynamic feedback of human agency and environmental forces. For architecture to adapt, and to adapt to unpredictable circumstances, requires that architecture accept uncertainty in its formulation and materialization. Embracing systems-based thinking, a conceptual model based on the complex systems of granular matter provides a unique approach to architecture’s material and immaterial structures. Architecture will then be critically poised at the edge of chaos, ready to reorganize and evolve towards a new fluid paradigm.
A dialectical experience in the pursuit to understanding: perspectives from resource team nurses
Authors: Mehari Niyat
Published: May 2021

Linguistic diversity is increasing in Canada, however, there is a dearth of information related to resource team nurses’ experiences with bridging language disconnect in the provision of care. This study aimed to understand the meaning of resource team nurses’ lived experiences of language barriers in an urban city in Canada. An interpretive phenomenological approach informed by van Manen, guided this study. Eight resource team nurses were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling strategies. In-depth face-to-face interviews served to unearth the lived experience of being a resource team nurse and the meaning ascribed to language in their everyday practice. The themes that emerged were (a) trying to span the distance, (b) everything comes down to time, (c) desiring shared meaning, and (d) experiencing disequilibrium. The overarching theme was: a dialectical experience in the pursuit to understanding. This study has implications for policy, nursing practice and further research.
Radio-Frequency Power Harvest and Remote Clock Frequency Calibration of Passive Wireless Microsystems
Authors: Soltani Nima
Published: May 2021

This thesis deals with radio frequency power harvest and remote calibration of system clock of passive wireless microsystems. The proposed method of RF power harvesting utilizes a step-up transformer inserted between the antenna and voltage multiplier of passive wireless microsystems to perform both impedance transformation for power matching and voltage amplification prior to rectification. The series resistance of the primary winding is minimized while in the secondary winding, the shunt capacitive losses are minimized. The detailed analysis of the proposed method and simulation results from Spectre of Cadence Design Systems are presented. The proposed power-matching and gain -boosting network, together with voltage multipliers, has been implemented in TSMC-0.18..m 1.8V6-meatl CMOS technology with thick metal options. For the purpose of comparison, a LC power-matching and gain-boosting network with the identical voltage multiplier has also been implemented on the same chip. Measurement results demonstrate that the proposed transformer power-matching and gain-boosting technique greatly improves the power sensitivity and efficiency as compared with widely used LC matching approaches.

The proposed calibration method adjusts the frequency of the local oscillator of passive UHF wireless transponders to the desired values using an injection-locked phase-locked loop (IL-PLL). A new relaxation oscillator whose oscillation frequency is less sensitive to supply voltage fluctuation is also proposed. The power consumption of the proposed IL-PLL is minimized by operating it the sub-threshold. A detailed analysis of non-harmonic injection locking of relaxation oscillators including locking and pulling dynamics is presented. A new integrating feedback is proposed to increase the lock range and hold the locked frequency in the absence of the injection signal. The proposed ILL-PLL has been fabricated in TSMC-0.18.
Effect of photovoltaic (PV) module mounting angle on PV module power output
Authors: Alkhatib Husam Hamdi
Published: May 2021

Solar energy is a renewable resource that is environmentally friendly. Unlike fossil fuels, solar energy is available just about everywhere on earth. This source of energy is free and immune to rising energy prices. Solar energy can be used in many ways - to provide electricity, heat, lighting, and mechanical power. The objective of this project is to determine the effect of mounting orientation of a photovoltaic panel on power output. Based on the simulation results, the report proposes alternative energy management techniques to characterize the unstable nature of the photovoltaic power generating system. A typical power generating system using photovoltaic technology would have many components. The software used for determining the effects of photovoltaic module mounting angle on the PV module power output is the PV-DesignPro. This software is designed to simulate photovoltaic energy system operation on an hourly basis for one year, based on a user selected climate and system design.
Anti-Museum: an Architectural Ecology
Authors: Vazirnezami Siavash
Published: May 2021

Anti-museum is a thesis about the relations between nature and architecture. The critique offered here is one that
is focused on architecture’s over investment in its commodity and function; parameters that are often neutral to
and independent from the spatiotemporal context in which architecture takes place. By contrast this thesis project
explores different theories of “nature” as that which binds architecture in its context and hence provides an
antithesis to commodification of space.

The design project strives to demonstrate an architecture that documents its own produced, modern nature. In
doing so, the project foregrounds and privileges the effects of the forces of nature (through weathering), as well as
aura and specificity of place over the function and commodity oriented values of space. The overarching aim is to
create a social space that enhances the experience of life in the city and also perhaps leads to a different vision in
the process of space making at large.
Nineteenth century Middle East through photographs : examining two photographic albums
Authors: Ghorbankarimi Maryam
Published: May 2021

This thesis examines and compares two nineteenth-century photographic albums of travels in the Middle East from the collection of George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film. The first album, compiled of amateur photographs, illustrates a trip up the Nile River from Egypt to Nubia. The other album is composed of commercial photographs depicting a journey from the Mediterranean to Algeria, with focus on the Holy Land. The commercial photographs are idealized and posed, while the amateur photographs are fresh, realistic, and capture the world as it is. However, these two albums both portray the Middle East as uncivilized, culturally backward, and frozen in antiquity and its people are depicted as primitive and or sexual objects. This misrepresentation is the result of the preconceived notions of the nineteenth-century Middle East created by Orientalist scholars.
Microstructural and Chemical Analysis of Polyurethane and Polyisocyanurate Foam Insulations
Authors: Madzarevic Jelena
Published: May 2021

For some closed cell foam insulation products, the thermal conductivity increases at low temperatures, contrary to single thermal resistance values provided by manufacturers. This phenomenon has been demonstrated in various polyurethane and polyisocyanurate insulations. The reduction in thermal performance has been attributed to the diffusion of air and blowing agent through the foam and to the condensation of blowing agent. Aging processes such as freeze-thaw cycling, moisture accumulation, and polymer degradation further increase thermal conductivity. The initial cell structure plays a role in dictating the thermal performance. To further understand the loss of thermal performance in closed cell foams, microstructure and chemical characterization was performed in this study. The aging behavior of foam insulations was analyzed by imaging foams with SEM and by measuring foam. Changes in the polymer physical attributes were identified and compared to increases in thermal conductivity. This project also used gas chromatography and quantified changes in pentane concentration in polyisocyanurate foams that have undergone aging
Deleterious effect of mercuric chloride on human epithelial cells
Authors: Ji Changhai (Kevin)
Published: May 2021

This thesis studied the cytotoxicity of mercuric chloride on human epihelial cells. The three detection techniques were developed to monitor the cytotoxicity of soluble mercuric chloride to human health. Both increased concentration and exposure time resulted in increased DNA damage and cell death. At lower levels death occurred by a mixture of apoptosis and necrosis, while at higher levels cell death occurred primarily by necrosis. This is the first study to demonstrate a deleterious effect of soluble mercuric chloride on human epithelial cells, although mercury has long been known as nephrotoxic and neurotoxic.
A taxonomy of expert elevator and amusement device inspector knowledge
Authors: Novak Andrew
Published: May 2021

This thesis presents a taxonomy of expert elevator and amusement device inspector knowledge that was developed using task and cognitive task analysis. While literature concerning research into quality control inspection exists, very little research has been performed into safety inspection. A qualitative study captured the knowledge used by elevator and amusement device inspection. The existence of expert performance in the elevator and amusement device inspection domains was identified and a taxonomy of expert inspector knowledge was created. This taxonomy was based on a model of knowledge that distinguishes between three types of knowledge - declarative, procedural, and strategic. Further development of this taxonomy, along with an effort to perform expert inspector knowledge capture, is expected to lead to improved inspector training and performance, and an increase in consistency between the inspections performed by all inspectors.
Improving soft tissue imaging with volume-of-interest cone-beam CT
Authors: Huynh Christopher Huynh
Published: May 2021

Current cone-beam CT systems acquire full field-of-view projections in which x-ray scatter degrades the contrast of soft-tissue in the reconstructed images. The objective of this work was to simulate volume-of-interest (VOI) imaging, which reduces scatter and dose to the patient through beam collimation, to investigate the improvements in soft-tissue visibility on the Gamma Knife Icon. The results indicated that as field size decreased, contrast and noise increased, leading to only modest improvements in the contrast-to-noise ratio when using the same initial photon fluence. A reconstruction framework called the interior virtual method was adapted to suppress truncation-induced artifacts and noise in the VOI image. In this framework the projection data were extrapolated using a cosine function, an intermediate image was reconstructed analytically, and virtual projections of the intermediate image were created for iterative reconstruction. The framework supports high quality VOI reconstruction and can allow clinicians to optimize dose for soft-tissue visualization.
Novel Cylindrical/Spherical Scanner Configuration for Reverse Engineering
Authors: Samaan Medhat
Published: May 2021

Laser scanners are often used in geometric reverse engineering to generate a CAD drawing out of an existing physical part. This often requires careful path planning to ensure the correct stand-off distance of the sensor, to prevent any collisions of the sensor with the target object and to prevent any scan occlusions in the resulting data. A dedicated system was constructed to collect data using a 3-axis cylindrical/spherical device. The benefit of this scanning system is the ability to scan completely around the target object, including the bottom of the object. A stripe-type laser diode is used along with a CCD camera. The target object sits on a transparent plexiglass table, which can be rotated 360⁰. Both the laser and the CCD are mounted on an arm, such that they can be traversed along a linear path, as well as being rotated 360⁰ around the table. This permits the device to scan in either spherical or cylindrical paths with 360⁰ rotation around the target object. This system allows for the quick scanning of any object while minimizing the number of occlusions in the resulting scan data.
Bindle : Keeping Your Mental Health and Travel Tools Close, Wherever You Go
Authors: Peros Larissa Lynn Catherine
Published: May 2021

The purpose of my Master’s Major Research Project is to create an educational resource to prepare post-secondary students who struggle with their mental health to be able to participate in international opportunities with ease. In five chapters, this guide will aid students to minimize the stress and anxiety that may accompany the negative thoughts of leaving their comfort zone and being in an unfamiliar place with new people, while not being prepared with the resources to cope with their mental health. The goal I intend to achieve is to create awareness regarding the amount of resources available to students struggling with their mental health, so travel may be more accessible. The reasons students are not taking part in these opportunities are not limited to financial constraints or lack of knowledge, but due to students not being prepared with resources that connect travel to poor mental health
Designing of an algebraic signature analyzer for mixed-signal systems and testing
Authors: Babar Muhammad Mohsin
Published: May 2021

While the design of signature analyzers for digital circuits has been well researched in the past, the common design technique of a signature analyzer for mixed-signal systems is based on the rules of an arithmetic finite field. The analyzer does not contain carry propagating circuitry, which improves its performance as well as fault tolerance. The signatures possess the interesting property that if the input analog signal is imprecise within certain bounds (an inherent property of analog signals), then the generated signature is also imprecise within certain bounds. We
offer a method to designing an algebraic signature analyzer that can be used for mixed-signal systems testing. The application of this technique to the systems with an arbitrary radix is a challenging task and the devices designed possess high hardware complexity. The proposed technique is simple and applicable to systems of any size and radix. The hardware complexity is low. The technique can also be used in algebraic coding and cryptography.
Augmented reality in greeting cards
Authors: Mobaseri Rayhane
Published: May 2021

The concept I have been exploring is a mobile app for greeting cards integrated with augmented reality. The idea is to create modernized forms of sharing messages to loved ones through personalized designs created by a variety of independent artists. The product will be greeting cards illustrated by young and/or independent artists that have a personalized AR element, activated through the app. The AR element, is linked to an animated component in relation to the original illustration, or it can be customized by a clip uploaded by the user for a more personal touch. The app is divided into two sections, activating a ready made card, or customizing and creating your own card and ordering a physical copy or sharing it on online platforms. The overall hope for the product is to offer a personalized form of interactivity within greeting cards which hasn’t existed previously or explored as thoroughly.
Pear Square: Design and Development of Inclusive Digital Media Technology
Authors: Legros Samuel
Published: May 2021

This project investigates the development process of accessible digital media technologies using Pear Square, a web platform aimed at assisting post-secondary students with their academic accommodations, as the research basis. Current development processes are contextualized by identifying relating concepts and resources that demonstrate approaches in creating accessible systems. The research process consists of technical analysis of several accessibility tools and their influence on the development processes of websites, such as colour and contrast or screen reader functionality for people with low or no vision. The development of the Pear Square platform consists of identifying key user-case scenarios and ensuring the developed features accommodate current accessibility standards. Through the analysis of the development process of Pear Square, the objective of this research is to assess current development technologies and propose future solutions that enable efficient accessible development processes.
Application of image flow cytometry and photoacoustics for the characterization of red blood cell storage lesions
Authors: Pinto Ruben N.
Published: May 2021

Significant functional/structural changes of red blood cells (RBCs) have been documented during its in vitro storage. Collectively termed as RBC storage lesions, changes include an increase in RBC oxygen saturation (SO2) and an increase in irreversibly damaged RBCs (spheroechinocytes). In this work, novel optical techniques are presented for determining the spheroechinocyte population as a function of storage time via automated image flow cytometry
(IFC) morphology characterization, and the acquisition of RBC SO2 via an in situ photoacoustic (PA) method. Blood gas analysis (BGA) was used as the gold standard SO2 measure. Over the lifespan of seven blood bags, the IFC spheroechinocyte population – PA SO2 correlation was found to be strong (0.600.95) shows high potential for in situ monitoring of RBC storage lesions.
Fibrous Nanomaterials for Enhanced Light Absorption and its Applications in Photovoltaic Energy Conversion
Authors: Mahmood Abdul Salam
Published: May 2021

This thesis presents a new, simple and precise nano-scale fabrication technique: by using femtosecond laser irradiation to develop novel nanofibrous structures. The well-organized web-like structure will have a high surface area that agglomerates through fusion to form interweaving fibrous structures. These structures will significantly advance microelectronic, biomedical and photonic devices. The novel optical properties in nanofibrous structures made of silicon, metal and coated material will be applicable to new solar cell technology. The synthesis, characterization, and specification of materials such as silicon, titanium, aluminum and gold-silicon are discussed in detail. Existing theories of nanoparticle formation by femtosecond ablation were used to explain some of the observed phenomena. Most of the research was devoted to the influence of laser parameters on the spectral response of web-like fibrous nanostructures. These approaches then elaborated to connect the laser parameters (pulse width, pulse frequency, laser polarization and laser dwell time) with the enhancement of optical properties of silicon nanofibre. The periodic micro-hole arrays decorated in aluminum nanofibre structure improved the light extinction of solar cells, which is fully demonstrated through this research. Instead of doping, sputtering deposition, or ball milling, the rutile (tetragonal) titanium oxide TiO2 nanospheres particles were created through irradiated bulk Ti using a femtosecond laser at an ambient condition. The growth of TiO2 nanostructure is highly recommended for the applications of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSCC) and photovoltaic applications. The number of laser pulses was also used to control the synthesis of the nanofibrous structure of a thin gold layer on a silicon wafer. The highly improved coupling efficiency between the light and the bulk quantity of gold nanoparticles may be attributed to the excitation of confined plasmon modes on structured metal surfaces. The prototype and design approach of photovoltaic (PV) based on silicon nanomaterials is presented in the application section. The illuminated and dark
A comparison of written exposure with and without rescripting for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder
Authors: Ovanessian Melina M.
Published: May 2021

The present study examined whether written exposure enhanced with rescripting is more efficacious in reducing GAD symptoms, worry, and related cognitive difficulties than written exposure to the same worst-case scenario or neutral writing. Adults with GAD (N = 67) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions and engaged in 30-minute writing sessions on 3 consecutive days: (1) worst-case scenario exposure; WE (2) written exposure with rescripting; RWE (3) Neutral Control; NC. Participants in both exposure conditions displayed significant reductions in worry and fear of emotions from baseline to 1-month follow-up, but NC participants did not. Participants in the RWE condition also displayed significant improvements in negative problem orientation, perceived cost of the feared scenario, and coping; participants in the WE or NC did not. Findings suggest that overall, RWE was not superior to WE; both written exposure interventions have strong potential to help individuals who suffer from GAD.
What 2 Listen 2: Reinventing the Presence of Tastemaker Influences in Music Discovery Through User Interaction and Aggregate Data
Authors: Wilock Ryan
Published: May 2021

Historically, the process of music discovery has been fostered through the personal connection(s) listeners develop with music and artists via broadcast media formats. Streaming technology has made music more accessible to the listener than ever before, but it has also failed the listener, inhibiting the process of music discovery by eliminating the tastemaker. By referencing the theory of Public and Counter-publics by Robert Warner, the paper outlines importance of audience recognition, response, and personal connection to music discovery. In 1942 Joseph Schumpeter wrote about “incessant product and process innovation”, coined the phrase “creative destruction” (a process through which something new brings about the demise of whatever existed before it) and proclaimed it to be “the essential fact about capitalism”. Despite this, Schumpeter also outlined the concept of “creative response” (innovative acts by entrepreneurs) and its importance to society. What 2 Listen 2 embraces the ideology of Schumpeter and creates a multi-level solution to expand the role of the tastemaker, and restore the concept of personal connection to the process of music discovery via storytelling. This solution has been articulated as a market ready broadcast property as well as an app/web solution in a beta form.
Challenges in accessing health care services : Canadian children living in mixed-status families
Authors: Caplan Rachel Ayla
Published: May 2021

Few studies have explored the prevalence of Canadian children with family members that have precarious legal status and the impact of parental immigration status on a child's access to health care in Canada. This quantitative research study uses a rights-based approach to discuss secondary data collected retrospectively between 2005-2009 at a medical clinic for uninsured patients in eastern Toronto, Ontario (n=128). Demographic, immigration, and health-related factors are presented, and parental immigration status and health-seeking behaviours are explored. Findings indicate that: many Canadian children (Canadian-born and naturalized Canadians) are uninsured; Canadian children who attend the clinic are sick, as opposed to accessing well-child check-ups; and, a group of Canadian children living in mixed-status families are accessing health care facilities for medically uninsured patients. This study highlights mixed-status families, and the potential impact on children's access to health care. This study helps fill the research gap regarding uninsured Canadian children. It is intended to increase community and professional awareness about impingements made in fulfilling Canadian children's right to access the "universal" health care services they have been promised. In turn, this research could inform future policy, practice, and research within health care, educational, and governmental domains.
Numerical and experimental investigation of the dynamics of ultrasound contrast agents excited at higher multiples of their natural resonance frequency
Authors: Sojahrood Amin Jafari
Published: May 2021

In this work the Hoff model for microbubble oscillations was used together with bifurcation diagrams to investigate microbubble behavior for a range of the system control parameters (driving frequency and pressure, microbubble size and shell parameters). We have shown that if the microbubble sizes are optimized so that their resonance frequency is a fraction of the sonication frequency (1/3, 1/4...), above a certain pressure threshold, the microbubbles can emit higher order subharmonics at (1/3, 2/3...) of the sonication frequency. Experimental results (using Artenga and in-house made lipid microbubbles with a 25 MHz, 30 cycle pulse using 0.1-2.5 MPa pressures) showed subpopulations of the microbubbles that were able to show this behaviour by scattering ultrasound according to the theoretical predictions (e.g. having two frequency maxima for subharmonics at f/3 and 2f/3). The ring-down analysis of the natural free oscillations of these microbubbles confirmed the theoretical resonance predictions.
Trematode parasite cercariae as food in model freshwater trophic interactions
Authors: Schultz Ben
Published: May 2021

Free-living parasite stages are important but often overlooked components of ecosystems, especially their role(s) in food webs. Trematode parasites have complex life cycles that include a motile transmission phase, cercariae, that are produced in great quantities within aquatic snail hosts and join the zooplankton community after emerging.
Here I examined how cercariae presence affected the population abundance of a common freshwater zooplanktonic animal (Daphnia) when predators were present. I also sought to determine the pathways taken by cercariae-derived carbon within a model freshwater food web by using the stable isotope 13C as a tracer. I found that Daphnia population abundance positively benefitted from cercariae presence when larval dragonfly predators were present, serving as alternate prey. I also found that 13C was an effective tool to track the flow of cercarial carbon, demonstrating high consumption by benthic consumers, as well as the utility of this method for use in future studies.
Quantifying Radiobiological Variation in Cancer Radiotherapy Using Monte Carlo Simulation and Doped Plastic Scintillators
Authors: Nusrat Humza
Published: May 2021

This dissertation examines the extent to which radiobiological variations occur in photon radiotherapy, and then presents a novel methodology and detector prototype to measure this variation.

In the first section, I examine the change in maximum RBE (RBEM) outside the primary field in open and composite 6 MV x-ray beams. This is done using Monte Carlo simulation and microdosimetric techniques. It was found that when comparing an open 10 10 cm2 6 MV beam to a composite 10 10 cm2 beam comprising one hundred 1x 1 cm2 beamlets, the out-of-field increase in RBE occurs much closer to the field edge in the composite case. This finding may have consequences for IMRT cases in which large amount of scattered radiation may be causing a higher than expected effective dose to organs at risk.

In the second section, the maximum RBE variation is examined in the context of brachytherapy. The sources examined include 192Ir, 125I, and 169Yb. It was determined that maximum RBE of 125I relative to the source position did not vary significantly as distance from the source was increased, however, 192Ir and 169Yb were found to exhibit RBEM increases of 3.0% and 6.6% at a distance of 8 cm, respectively. Also, the impact of this variation on an HDR 192Ir prostate treatment plan was examined; it was found that RBEM hotspots of +3.6% occur at the treatment plan’s periphery.

In the third part, the impact of lead doping on plastic scintillator response is quantified, a major step required for the development of the LET detector prototype. In this stage, 4 differently doped plastic scintillators were obtained, and measurements were conducted in low and medium LET beams. Using Geant4 Monte Carlo and the measured scintillator responses, the scintillator parameters: kB and L0 were determined as a function of dopant concentration and effective atomic number.

Finally, the uniquely energy dependent scintillators were combined into a detector prototype used to measure the LET spectra produced by five low energy photon beams. These beams included four orthovoltage energies (100, 180, 250, and 300 kVp) along with an 192Ir HDR source. In this proof-of-principle work, the detector prototype and technique was found to accurately determine the LET spectra and the mean LET for all beams with the exception of the 100 kVp orthovoltage beam.

Potential applications for the real-time LET detector prototype and technique described in this dissertation include LET measurement in radiotherapy, allowing for biologically optimized treatment plans improving patient care. This technique and prototype also has numerous applications in non-medical fields such as health physics, space travel dosimetry, and nuclear safety.
Exploring the opportunity for an environmental certification program for Airbnb homeowner hosts
Authors: Fudurich Geoffrey
Published: May 2021

This exploratory, qualitative study was focused on answering three research questions: 1)
Would Airbnb homeowner hosts be willing to participate in an environmental certification
program? 2) What would motivate Airbnb homeowner hosts to participate in an environmental
certification program? 3) What program design elements would enhance the likelihood of their
participation in the program? The study used semi-structured face-to-face and telephone
interviews to collect data from Airbnb hosts. Only hosts in the Greater Toronto Area whose
property was a freehold, detached or semi-detached house were eligible for participation. Results
indicated a willingness to participate in an environmental certification program, with two unique
motivations revealed, specifically the ability to attract like-minded guests and measure household
impacts. A number of program design elements were also reviewed, with hosts’ concerns
focusing on cost and guest comfort. Hosts also expressed a preference for a program that
leveraged the existing Airbnb review system.
Denitrication and N₂O production in Canadian Lakes: effects of nutrient ratios acting through primary producer selection
Authors: Bautista Joseph James
Published: May 2021

Anthropogenic nutrient loading to aquatic systems may increase atmospheric release of nitrous oxide (N₂O) greenhouse gas by enhancing denitrification and/or nitrification. High Si:N loading may favour diatom abundance, whereas low N:P loading may favour cyanobacteria dominance. Systems with diatom or green algal dominance may have greater export of organic matter to sediments, whereas systems dominated by cyanobacteria may have organic matter recycled within the water column due to differences in cell density and sinking. With increased export of organic matter to sediments, denitrification and N₂O production may be stimulated. In laboratory bench-scale microcosms, nitrous oxide production was affected by Si:N loading ratios as predicted, although N:P loading did not affect N₂O production in the manner predicted. However, the predicted effects of nutrient loading ratio on microphyte community composition were not supported by microscopy. Field mesocosm experiments indicated no significant relationship between N₂O production and nutrient loading ratios.