title: Exploring Changes in the Father's Role and its Association with Child Outcomes in Mongolia

contributor:
Davison, Colleen
Public Health Sciences

subject:
Father Involvement
Mongolia
Early Childhood Education
Social Determinants of Health

abstract:
Background. Over the last three decades, Mongolia has experienced the effects of dramatic macro-environmental changes with implications on the lives of Mongolians. One area of concern is the influence of broader societal changes on family life and child well-being. This study explores the changing father’s role and its association with child outcomes in Mongolia.
Objectives. 1) To explore patterns of father presence and engagement with children under age five between 2000 and 2013 and 2) identify whether the father’s role is associated with illness and education outcomes in children aged 3-4 years in 2013.
Methods. This historical cross-sectional study analyses data from UNICEF’s Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys conducted in 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2013. The first manuscript involves a descriptive analysis of patterns in the point-prevalence of father presence and engagement over time and were described according to various demographic subgroups. Sample sizes ranged from 3547 to 6184 across four time points. The second manuscript examines the father’s role and its association with acute illness and preschool attendance in 2220 children aged 3 and 4 using multivariate regression modelling.
Results. Point-prevalence of father presence ranged from 78-83% (Ptrend<.0001) and engagement from 40-49% (Ptrend=0.33) between 2000 and 2013. Fluctuations varied by region of residence. In unadjusted analyses, father presence (OR=1.06; 95% CI 0.72, 1.56) and engagement (OR=1.04; 95% CI 0.95, 1.14) were not associated with acute illness in children. Unadjusted analysis showed that father engagement was associated with preschool attendance (OR=1.12; 95% CI 1.04, 1.20) but was no longer significant after adjusting for demographic factors (OR=0.95; 95% CI 0.88, 1.03). Father presence was not associated with preschool attendance in either unadjusted (OR=0.79; 95% CI 0.60, 1.04) or adjusted analyses (OR=0.91; 95% CI 0.66, 1.26).
Conclusion. Father presence fluctuated at a national and regional level in Mongolia while engagement fluctuated at a regional level from 2000-2013. Despite these fluctuations, the 2013 data suggests that the father’s role is not associated with acute illness and preschool attendance in children aged 3-4. However, we should continue to monitor changes in the father’s role in Mongolia and its relationship with other child outcomes.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Initiation of Prescription Opioids for Non-Cancer Pain and Risk of Treated Opioid Use Disorder: a Population-Based Study

contributor:
Moore, Kieran
Peng, Yingwei Paul
Public Health Sciences

rights: Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada

rights: ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement

rights: Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University

rights: This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.

subject:
Opioids
Public Health
Epidemiology
Healthcare
Addiction

abstract:
Background: When measured in milligrams of morphine equivalents (MME) dispensed, Canada has the second highest rate of opioid prescribing in the world. Prescription opioids have been associated with adverse health outcomes, including opioid use disorder (OUD). This study will help to understand how patterns of initial prescription opioid use affect the risk of being treated for OUD.
Objectives: To examine population-level patterns of opioid prescribing among previously opioid naïve individuals who initiated prescription opioid treatment for non-cancer pain, and to determine whether a dose-response relationship exists between average daily dose (in MME) at initiation and time to treated OUD.
Methods: We conducted a population-based cohort study among opioid naïve individuals dispensed opioids for non-cancer pain between 2013 and 2016 in Ontario, Canada. The primary exposure was average daily dose (MME) at initiation of opioid therapy. Secondary exposures included opioid formulation type and total days’ supply. The outcome of interest was treated OUD. Individuals were followed for a maximum of 57 months (to March 31, 2018). We performed Kaplan-Meier survival and multivariable Cox regression to examine factors associated with risk of treated OUD.
Results: 1,607,659 opioid-naïve individuals initiated a prescription opioid within the study period. The median age of individuals at initiation was 47 years (IQR 30-61), 52% were female and 88% lived in an urban community setting. The incidence rate of treated OUD within the study period was 86 cases per 100,000 person-years. Compared to an average daily dose of <20 MME at initiation, higher average daily doses were associated with greater hazard of treated OUD, 20-50 MME (HR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.21), >50-90 MME (HR 1.29, 95% CI: 1.16, 1.44), >90-150 MME (HR 1.29, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.56), >150-200 MME (HR 2.49, 95% CI: 1.54, 4.03) and >200 MME (HR 4.15, 95% CI: 2.89, 5.97).
Conclusions:  Certain demographic, clinical and opioid prescription characteristics at initiation are associated with shorter times to treated OUD. Results suggest a dose-response relationship between average daily dose and time to treated OUD. This study highlights the importance of adhering to clinical practice guidelines when weighing the risks and benefits of prescription opioid initiation.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Characterization of Arsenic Hosting Phases in Subaqueous Tailings at Terra Mine, Northwest Territories, Canada

contributor: Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering

subject:
geology
arsenic
mine waste
tailings
geochemistry
northwest territories

abstract:
Over the lifetime of operations at Terra Mine, an abandoned silver-copper mine in the Northwest Territories, an estimated 500,000 tons of tailings containing 540,000kg of arsenic (As) were deposited into Ho-Hum Lake. Arsenic is being released from the tailings to the overlying surface water, resulting in dissolved As concentrations in the surface water of Ho-Hum Lake of 50-80µg/L, exceeding the 5µg/L Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) guideline for the protection of aquatic life. The elevated As concentrations in the surface waters of Ho-Hum Lake present a concern for the local vegetation and aquatic life and the local indigenous communities.
The objective of this study is to characterize solid and aqueous phases of As present in Ho-Hum lake subaqueous tailings and porewaters and identify the most significant geochemical processes driving the behaviour of As hosting phases. Surface water, pore water and lake bottom sediments were collected and analyzed. Water chemistry results were analyzed using speciation modeling to model mineral stability and aqueous speciation. Solid phase As speciation and mineral association was determined using synchrotron-based bulk X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electron microprobe analyses.
Results indicate that tailings cover the entire bottom of Ho-Hum Lake. Primary As phases are stable wherever they are under permanent water cover. Where surface water is shallow near the shore of Ho-Hum lake, available sulphate and biological activity allows for the precipitation of secondary As sulphides. Where positive Eh conditions are observed in subaqueous tailings, As adsorbed to Fe (oxy)hydroxides are stable. Under slightly acidic to neutral pH and reducing conditions, Fe (oxy)hydroxide phases are undergoing reductive dissolution. Where porewater conditions are alkaline and Eh is negative, As adsorbed to Fe (oxy)hydroxides are stable but are sensitive to changes in pH, temperature and organic matter.
The proposed remediation plan of lowering the lake level and expanding the outlet wetland would likely destabilize primary As phases near the lake shore and negatively affect the stability of Fe (oxy)hydroxides under negative Eh and alkaline conditions. Leaving Ho-Hum lake as-is would likely result in less As entering the local ecosystem in the long term.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: A Grounded Theory of Creative Identity

contributor:
Bolden, Ben
Education

subject: Creative Identity

abstract:
It is no small irony that studies of creative identity have themselves tended to lack creativity. Drawing on interviews with participants who self-identify as creative, this study goes beyond conventional notions of creative identity as either a fixed reality or a mere state of mind, or both. Creative identities are formed and reformed constantly, over time, as individuals enact their own role repertoires. Role repertoires, in turn, are created, expanded, and altered as individuals relate and react to an array of primarily social factors unique to the creative enterprise—threat of failure, partial social inclusion and exclusion, artistic collaboration, and reward.
A constructivist grounded theory design was employed to examine the meaning of being a creative individual and the associated creative processes utilized by the self-identified participants. The data collected were used to develop a theory of creative identity for the self-identified participants. In this study the researcher was additionally interrogated through the use of heuristic inquiry.
The theory constructed from data reports on the social construction of the meaning of being a creative individual. The data on the meaning of being a creative individual revealed three subprocesses that contributed to the participants’ construction of a creative identity: role repertoire, role performance and self-efficacy. The analyses of the data on creative process revealed three conditions for creativity: isolation, collaboration and creative constraints.

abstract: M.Ed.


title: Numerical Modelling of Methane Emissions From Peatlands

contributor:
Mumford, Kevin
Civil Engineering

subject: Methane Peatlands Ebullition Modelling

abstract:
Peatlands could play a significant role in global warming for two reasons: 1) peatlands release methane (CH4), which is a very potent greenhouse gas estimated to be responsible for a quarter of the temperature rise the world has experienced to date, and 2) peatlands are a natural source of atmospheric greenhouse gases, which means that unlike anthropogenic sources, they cannot be controlled through regulations or sustainable policies. Because emissions from peatlands are inevitable, it is paramount that they are quantified, and accounted for in the climate models used to determine emission reduction targets. Quantifying CH4 releases from peatlands is challenging because peatlands are highly variable ecosystems, and as a result they generate highly variable emissions. CH4 gets released from peatlands by diffusion in the aqueous phase, or by ebullition in the gas phase. Since diffusion is a constant process, it is more easily measured in the field, and therefore most previous emission estimates have been based solely on diffusion. However, it is now believed that ebullitive emissions make up the majority of methane emissions from peatlands.
Ebullitive releases are poorly understood and are therefore challenging to predict. In order to better understand peatland CH4 emissions, a numerical model of CH4 flux from the water table in peatlands was developed. The model is based on physical processes and simulates diffusion, ebullition and gas-water mass transfer, and is populated by parameters measured in peat. The model was used to conduct a sensitivity analysis on the effect that different conceptual models of the peat profile have on emissions. It was found that changing the physical parameters of peat, such as its degree of decomposition or heterogeneity, did not affect the total flux from the water table, but did affect the magnitude and distribution of ebullition events. This is an important finding because large release events may bypass consumption above the water table and result in considerably more CH4 reaching the atmosphere than previously anticipated. It was also found that if only CH4 was modelled, and the carbon dioxide that is also present in peat was ignored, the outputs were comparable to reducing the CH4 generation rate by an order of magnitude.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Diesel Spray and Premixed Methane-Air Ignition Behind a Reflected Shock Wave

contributor:
Ciccarelli, Gabriel
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Shock Tube
Diesel Spray Ignition
Methane-Air Ignition
Ignition Delay
Dual Fuel Combustion

abstract: This study investigates single-event ignition of diesel fuel injected into methane-air that is applicable to  compression ignition dual fuel engine conditions. Post compression cylinder temperature and pressure conditions were created behind a reflected shock wave in a 76 mm square-channel shock tube. A common-rail piezoelectric diesel injector with 8 tip orifices was mounted in the centre of the shock tube end wall to replicate in-cylinder placement. A single pass 150 mm diameter z-type high-speed schlieren system was used to capture ignition in a 250 mm long optical section. Additionally, direct photography was used in some tests to identify the location of ignition via the first emission of visible light. Tests were carried out at a nominal reflected pressure of 10 bar and temperatures in the range of 880 – 1500 K, with the aim of studying ignition delay within and beyond the negative temperature coefficient regime. The test gas was composed of synthetic air, with argon replacing nitrogen. Both schlieren video and pressure-history were used to measure ignition delay time. The high-speed photography showed that premature ignition was promoted by metal particles in the bottom half of the channel. By filtering out the premature ignition events it was found that the ignition delay time, for both diesel spray and premixed methane-air, correlated well with an Arrhenius  temperature dependency. Diesel experiments were carried out with two injection durations (0.15 and 0.5 ms), and it was found to play an important role in the ignition location but not the ignition delay time. For a 0.15 ms injection time no ignition was observed for temperatures below 1050 K because of overmixing. Methane-air tests were carried out primarily at equivalence ratios of 0.25 and 0.5, a limited number of tests were carried out at stoichiometric conditions. Two-stage ignition (mild and strong) was observed in methane-air for temperatures above 1000 K and 1100 K for equivalence ratios of 0.25 and 0.5, respectively. Constant volume model predictions using two reaction mechanisms from the literature compared unfavorably with the measured ignition delay time. The methane-air ignition delay time showed some dependency on equivalence ratio.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Detonation Propagation in a Liniarized Representation of a Rotating Detonation Engine

subject:
Detonation Combustion
Rotating Detonation Engine

abstract:
There has been increasing worldwide interest in research and development of Rotating Detonation Engines (RDEs) as a propulsion system. A study was conducted to examine detonation behavior in a linearized representation of an RDE. The two-dimensional nature of the phenomenon in such a geometry permits the use of classical detonation visualization techniques. A predetonator was used to generate a steady detonation wave upstream of the test section. The test section was separated from the predetonator by a sealing door such that it could be filled with inert gas replicating the nonreactive properties of the combustion products in an actual RDE. The top wall of the test section contained a linear array of small holes through which premixed stoichiometric hydrogen-oxygen flowed into the inert gas filled test section to form a stratified layer just prior to the arrival of the detonation wave. The test section was equipped with windows to permit high-speed schlieren photography. The soot foil technique was used to capture the detonation cellular structure in the resulting stratified layer. The layer height was varied by changing the time that elapsed from when the hydrogen-oxygen injection started to when the detonation wave arrived at the test section. The minimum layer height required for detonation propagation accommodated 10-11 detonation cells. This is significantly larger than the three detonation cell requirement reported in previous studies carried out with sharp interface homogeneous-mixture stratified layers.

An alternate rendition of the test was conducted whereby a finite axial-length stratified layer formed by a buoyancy driven predetonator gravity current. In these tests, the stratified layer occupied roughly half the test section height and the equivalence ratio was used to vary the predetonator detonation cell size. The fuel-rich propagation limit corresponded to an equivalence ratio of 2.5, for which roughly three cells were accommodated by the stratified layer. Tests carried out with nitrogen and carbon dioxide in the test section showed a strong effect of the inert gas, indicating that substantial mixing occurred at the leading edge of the gravity current.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Applying epidemiologic concepts and principles to explore factors associated with error detection by radiotherapy quality assurance processes

contributor:
Brundage, Michael
Groome, Patti
Public Health Sciences

subject: Radiotherapy quality assurance

abstract:
Background:  Incident Learning System (ILS) data are used by radiotherapy (RT) quality assurance (QA) programs for the purpose of improving quality and safety of RT delivery for patients.  The objectives of this thesis were: 1) to develop an analytic framework for ILS data analysis that can be used to statistically explore factors that are associated with error detection throughout reported incidents; 2) to apply the analytic framework to identify and assess factors associated with error detection by RT QA processes using a real-world ILS dataset; and 3) to apply the framework in a pre-post study to explore the effect of various changes made to RT delivery on error detection by RT QA processes.

Methods:  We developed an analytic framework for ILS data analysis that combined relevant incident theory with core concepts and principles of quantitative research that are common to epidemiology.  The analyzes utilizing the analytic framework were conducted on an ILS dataset from the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre (TOHCC), Ottawa, Canada.  The TOHCC ILS dataset contained 4620 characterized incidents reported at the centre from 2007-2017.  Epidemiologic methods were used to identify and assess factors that were associated with error detection by specific QA processes throughout the reported incidents.

Results:  The analytic framework was successfully piloted on the TOHCC dataset.  The RT treatment technique, treatment intent and the error domain of origin were identified as factors that were associated with successful error detection by certain RT QA processes.  Changes that were made to RT delivery process at TOHCC also appeared to have both positive and negative effects on error detection by certain RT QA processes.

Conclusions:  We developed and piloted an analytic framework that can be used to statistically analyze ILS data to explore factors associated with error detection by RT QA processes.  We have shown that with careful interpretation, this analytic approach can be used to identify factors that may contribute to error detection by redundancy implemented throughout the RT workflow sequence.

abstract: PhD


title: Governing Forced Migration in Racial Capitalism: Refugee Survival in Paris and Nairobi

contributor:
Soederberg, Susanne
Political Studies

subject: Migration Race Capitalism Neoliberalism Survival Housing Labour

abstract: This dissertation examines the international, national, and urban dimensions of refugee governance and the geographies of survival in two major refugee hosting cities in the global North and global South: Paris, France and Nairobi, Kenya. I situate this work within two ongoing migration events—long-standing and chronic displacement in the Horn of Africa and the more recently prevalent migration in the European Union (EU). A central impetus of this study is to comprehend the governance of refugee survival within wider discussions of global political economy (GPE) with particular attention to interlinked racial and class-based forms of marginalization in urban spaces of racial capitalism. Refugee governance is understood as the multi-scalar management of refugee bodies from country of origin to various sites of relocation, occurring concurrently within neoliberal and racial forms of capitalism. Refugee survival hinges on three important and interrelated features impacting long-term refugee viability upon relocation in terms of political belonging, shelter, and labour or entrepreneurial access. My main theoretical aim rests on an exploratory exercise into the applicability and meaning of racial capitalism with regard to refugees as racialized disposable populations. In terms of methodology, the North-South comparison seeks to disrupt and reimagine the terrain of refugee governance and displacement. I employ a multi-sited case-study approach that allows for an examination of variegated processes of marginalization in the global North and global South. In particular, the Paris case shows the effects of disciplinary labour linked to conceptions of citizenship in the context of rising French nationalism. The Nairobi case reveals the disciplinary effects of entrepreneurship and finance in light of a virtually non-existent welfare state and ongoing neoliberalisation.  In short, I seek to provide empirical evidence to how racialized regional and national policies influence the urban scale and everyday lived experiences of refugees upon relocation.

abstract: PhD


title: A Study of the Use of Docker Compose and DockerHub Images

contributor:
Hassan, Ahmed
Computing

rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States

subject:
Docker
Docker Compose
Multi-component applications
Containerization
DockerHub
Docker image

abstract:
Docker is a tool used to encapsulate a software package with all of its dependencies and configurations into an isolated environment. Nowadays, developers compose multiple Docker images to form multi-component applications.

While prior studies of Docker examine the quality and evolution of a single Docker image, no study has explored the use of Docker in a multi-component setting. In this thesis, we first identify how multi-component applications are composed and maintained using Docker Compose, then we examine Docker images that are hosted on DockerHub, a commonly used online registry for Docker images.

From our first study of 4,103 open-source Github projects that use Docker Compose, we observe that 26.8% of the projects needlessly use Docker Compose to compose a single component application, multi-component applications stick to the basic options of Docker Compose and ignore advanced ones such as security and monitoring related options, and multi-component applications rarely upgrade their Docker Compose version. We also observe that 77% of the studied applications use images from an online registry and 95.2% of these registry images are hosted on DockerHub.

Hence, we investigate the available Docker images on DockerHub. We studied 505 DockerHub images for five popular software systems (101 images for each system). We observed that DockerHub community images differ from their official image, while also differing from each other in terms of their installed libraries. We also observe that there exist community images that are more resource-efficient and which contain fewer security vulnerabilities compared to their official image. However, users might not find such images since they are not well-documented.

Our thesis suggests the need for tools and methodologies to help multi-component applications take full advantage of the capabilities and resources that are offered by Docker Compose and DockerHub.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Investigating the intra-individual consistency of follicular changes in endothelial function across two menstrual cycles

contributor:
Pyke, Dr. Kyra
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Endothelial Function
Menstrual Cycle
Premenopausal Women
Intra-Individual Variability

abstract: Research has shown that estrogen has vasoprotective properties, however there is conflict in the literature regarding whether vascular endothelial function is lower in the low estrogen, early follicular (EF) phase and higher in the high estrogen, late follicular phase (LF) of the menstrual cycle. This may be due to inter-individual variability in responses to cyclic changes in estrogen because, although this has not been systematically examined, studies have shown that individuals may exhibit higher, lower or unchanged endothelial function in LF vs. the EF phase. It is unknown whether this individual variability reflects important, stable, inter-individual differences in responses to estrogen, as research to date has only followed women over one cycle. It is hypothesized that women will respond consistently over multiple cycles such that the phase changes in conduit and microvascular endothelial function during one cycle, will predict the phase change during a subsequent cycle. Fourteen healthy, naturally cycling women (22 +/- 3 years [mean +/- SD]) participated in four visits over two menstrual cycles. During each visit (EF Visit 1, LF Visit 2, EF Visit 3 and LF Visit 4), conduit and microvascular endothelial function were assessed. Blood hormone analysis was used to confirm phase. Data are [mean +/- SD]. There was no impact of phase or cycle on conduit or microvascular endothelial function at the group level. Individual responses varied in each cycle, however the phase changes in endothelial function were inconsistent between cycles, such that phase change in endothelial function during cycle 1 did not predict phase change in cycle 2 (FMD: r = 0.08, p = 0.78, AUC Change LVC: r = 0.002, p = 0.99). This study demonstrated for the first time that at the individual level, phases changes in endothelial function were inconsistent across two phases. Future research is required to investigate potential mechanisms that influence, and the functional relevance of variability, in endothelial function changes with menstrual phase.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Remaining in Death: A Critical Ethnography of Death, Remains, and Community in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside

contributor:
Masuda, Jeffrey
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Death
Ethnography
Vancouver
Downtown Eastside
Community
Remains
Critical Ethnography
Activism

abstract: Communities dwelling in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside have long been the target of dispossessive strategies. In the earliest days of the city’s development, the Squamish, Musqueam, and Tsleil-Waututh Peoples were violently removed in the name of ‘civilization’ and for the advancement of the Canadian settler colonial state. In 1942, the Japanese Canadian community who had been living in Paueru-gai (Powell Street) were forcibly uprooted in the name of national security. In the 1960s, the Black community living in Hogan’s Alley were displaced in the name of urban renewal. In 1986, working-class and other tenants who had been living in the Downtown Eastside’s Single Room Occupancy hotels and rooming houses were suddenly evicted for the World Exposition. In recent decades, the Chinatown and low-income communities currently dwelling in the Downtown Eastside have fought an onslaught of gentrification threatening to develop condominiums for white, middle-class, potential-home-buyers at the expense of current residents. In 2014, through a research project titled “Revitalizing Japantown?”, which questioned the toponym “Japantown” as a term deployed by the municipal government for gentrifying the Downtown Eastside in the name of ‘revitalization,’ community members, activists, and scholars articulated the right to remain as an activist counter-brand. Since then, the right to remain has fuelled housing activism in the Downtown Eastside, particularly with the Downtown Eastside (DTES) Single Room Occupancy (SRO) Collaborative, an organization dedicated to improving conditions in the neighbourhood’s SRO hotels as a political matter and practical means of ensuring that the low-income community remains in the neighbourhood. While the right to remain has informed much anti-gentrification activism, this thesis recasts the right to remain in light of the continuous death endured by the community dwelling in the Downtown Eastside. Drawing on eight months of ethnographic embeddedness in the neighbourhood (May 2018 – January 2019), 12 unstructured interviews, as well as theories of haunting and urban geography, I argue that those who remain in the Downtown Eastside include not only the living, but also, and importantly, the dead. I reveal how the dead complicate the right to remain and the Downtown Eastside in ways that strengthen activism and imagine beyond justice.

abstract: M.A.


title: Econometric Analysis of Market Responses to Corporate Reports of a Multinational Gold Producer

contributor:
Daneshmend, Laeeque
Johnson, Elizabeth
Mining Engineering

subject:
Event Study
Corporate Social Responsibility
SEDAR
Corporate Disclosures
Technology and Innovation
Econometrics
Gold Mining Company

abstract:
This thesis explores the advances to mandatory corporate disclosures and reporting systems since 1996, including the growing prevalence of optional reporting in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Technology and Innovation (T&I), specifically by the gold sub-industry which has increased year-over-year. Many multinational mining corporation executive officers preach that this optional reporting generates greater value for shareholders and is critical to corporate success. This research explores whether this claim is supported by market data on regulated trading platforms.

While the social benefits of a strong company-community relationship are immeasurable, the value can be contextualized through econometric techniques which quantify market reactions to various types of corporate disclosures. A custom event study model was built and tested on a case study of a major multinational gold producer. This case study quantified the economic value of mandatory corporate disclosures and evaluated them relative to optional reports. The methodology used benchmarks the company’s equity price to a reconstructed variant of the "NYSE Arca Gold BUGS" (HUI) Index and calculates the abnormal returns for all corporate disclosures. Each abnormal return is then categorized into a performance indicator category (production, financial, corporate, technical), and a T&I or CSR category. Finally, statistical analysis and sentiment analysis determine any economic impacts and trends.

Disclosure system shortcomings are discussed along with recommendations provided on improving electronic disclosure systems, from both a policy and practical perspective. Potential further applications of this custom model include stock price prediction given corporate disclosures as an input, anomalous trading behaviour identification for regulatory tools, and communicating social value on equity valuation to corporate board executives.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Pleasure as a source of meaning or a motivator for meaning search: The Cross-cultural investigation

contributor:
Ji, Li-Jun
Psychology

subject:
Social Psychology
Meaning in Life
Culture
Positive Affect
Emotion
Well-Being

abstract: The present work investigates how the relation between pleasure and meaning may vary across cultures, focusing on comparisons between Koreans and Euro-Canadians. Guided by the idea that culture shapes people’s perceptions on pleasure, I proposed that the presence of pleasure would serve as a source of meaning in life among Euro-Canadians but as a motivator for the meaning search among Koreans. Specifically, I hypothesized that, relative to Euro-Canadians, Koreans show a greater tendency to search for meaning in the presence than in the absence of pleasure. Four studies, using between and within cultural comparisons, as well as a meta-analysis, provided some support for the prediction. This research provides a new insight into the dynamic association between pleasure and meaning from the cultural perspective.

abstract: PhD


title: Investigating Suberin Biosynthesis in Poplar: Candidate Genes and Chemical Composition

contributor:
Regan, Sharon
Molina, Isabel
Biology

subject:
Poplar
suberin
transcriptome
cork
bark
chemical composition
wound-induced suberization

abstract: For plants, lipid barriers represent a critical adaptation to terrestrial life, providing a first line of defense against biotic and abiotic stressors. Among these lipid barriers, suberized cell walls protect both internal and external tissues of the plant, where they play vital roles including regulation of water and solute exchange, and defense against pathogens. Suberin is a heteropolymer deposited under normal development or as a stress response that is composed of two covalently-linked domains; the polyphenolic domain and the polyaliphatic domain. Because of this complexity, our understanding of the structure, biosynthesis and deposition of suberin has been limited. Overall, the goal of this thesis was to use combined chemical and molecular approaches to identify candidate genes for suberin biosynthesis as well as to investigate the structure of the polyester using the model tree, Populus trichocarpa. RNA-Sequencing of cork tissue generated 455 candidates for suberin biosynthesis, and chemical characterization of the suberin polymer across 4 developmental stages allowed connections between the chemical products and differentially expressed genes to generate hypothesis and candidate genes for future analysis. These chemical methods included the quantification of glycerol using a recently published methodology for the related polymer, cutin, to propose structural motifs. The ratio of acyl monomers to glycerol was determined to be 5:1, leading to the hypothesis that suberin forms an extended polymer in poplar cork. In addition to glycerol, a modified green solvent protocol for thioacidolysis was introduced and shown to perform as well as conventional dioxane methods. By studying the time course of wound-healing suberization, the chemistry and gene expression of selected genes were compared with those of the suberin deposition during normal development. The results indicate that wound healing suberin is chemically distinct from native suberin deposition and therefore may be under different genetic control. The work contained in this thesis furthers our understanding of suberin structure in tree bark, establishes improved methodologies, and generates hypothesis for future targeted studies.

abstract: PhD


title: Improvement of Laboratory Protocols for Discontinuity Geomechanical Characterization and Investigation of the Effect of Saturation on Granite Strength

subject: Granite

subject: Direct shear test

subject: Joint normal stiffness

subject: Joint shear stiffness

subject: Triaxial compressive strength test (TCS)

subject: Brazilian tensile strength test (BTS)

subject: Water-saturation

subject: Uniaxial compressive strength test (UCS)

subject: Saw-cut granite joints

subject: Stick-slip behaviour

abstract: The Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Canada (NWMO) is currently in the process of site selection for the future development of a high-level nuclear waste Deep Geological Repository (DGR), and locations with crystalline bedrock are the top candidates  (Hirschorn et al. 2017). In support of this process, a study on the effects of water-saturation on the geomechanical response of granitic rock is conducted. Rock-water interactions are investigated in both intact rock and discontinuities. This topic was investigated on two different granites: Lac du Bonnet and Pointe du Bois pink granites. The results of this study show no significant correlations between strength reduction and water content in granite in compression, tension, and confined shear. In addition to the investigation of rock-water interactions, this work also presents the development of a new direct shear sample preparation procedure as well as a technique for normal loading and direct shear test data processing and interpretation: joint deformation correction and analytical representation of joint pre-yield deformation. An exponential function is suggested to determine the instantaneous normal and shear stiffness values.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Computational Estimation of Personal Properties From Language

contributor:
Skillicorn, David
Computing

subject:
data analysis
textual analysis
NLP
mental state
text mining

abstract:
Research in natural language and other modalities is starting to shed light on individuals
personal properties. Estimating the personal properties of an individual or a group of individuals
is the task of detecting different behavioural signals and studying how they correlate
with personal properties such as mental health, personality, and emotions.
Multiple disciplines such as philosophy, psychology, sociology, and cognitive science
focus on defining and detecting personal properties. With the ease of data collection and
analysis, studying and analyzing personal properties has become an easier task. Computer
science can contribute to this on-going research by building computational models that
mimic or predict an individual/group’s personal properties.
This kind of research is done through studying two different behavioural signals. In my
research I focus on verbal signals by studying how language usage correlates with personal
properties. The other behavioural signal is non-verbal, such as body language, number of
friends, eating habits, etc.
The contribution of my thesis can be broken down to two parts: building tools to estimate
a set of individual/group’s personal properties from mainly online posts through their
language usage, and comparing the effectiveness of different data analytic tools/representations
in the space of personal properties.

abstract: PhD


title: The Impact of Rurality and Geography on Healthcare Service Access for Children with Asthma

contributor:
Camargo Plazas, Pilar
Tranmer, Joan
Nursing

subject:
Asthma
Pediatric
Healthcare service access
Rural
Geography
Emergency department use

abstract:
Background: Asthma is a highly prevalent chronic disease amongst the Ontario pediatric population; however, the extent to which rural status and distance are associated with unplanned emergency department (ED) use by this population is largely unknown.

Objective: To explore the impact of rurality and geographical distance to services on healthcare utilization by analyzing the use of general practitioner/family physician (GP/FP), specialist and unplanned ED services.

Methods: A population level retrospective cohort study of Ontario children ages 5-14 with newly diagnosed asthma was conducted using health administrative data from the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES). Bivariate descriptive statistics were used to assess healthcare use depending on rurality and distance to services. Adjusted logistic regression models were used to analyze the association between unplanned ED use with rural status and distance to GP/FP and specialist healthcare services, while controlling for confounders.

Results: In total, 19,732 individuals met the inclusion criteria. Rurality and geographical distance to services were significantly associated with GP/FP, specialist and unplanned ED use. Rural participants were more likely to visit a GP/FP (OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.50-2.01) and less likely to visit a specialist (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.49-0.64) in comparison to urban participants. Distance to a GP/FP or specialist was weakly associated with the number of healthcare provider visits; rs=-0.04 and rs=-0.09 respectively. Individuals who lived in rural locations (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.64-2.44) and travelled >50km to a GP/FP (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.06-1.48) or specialist (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.05-1.38) were more likely to utilize an ED.

Conclusion: Children with asthma utilize healthcare services differently based on rural status and distance to services. Rural children were more likely to utilize GP/FP services, less likely to utilize specialist services and more likely to have an unplanned ED visit when compared to urban children. Children who resided further (>50km) from a healthcare provider were less likely to have a GP/FP or specialist visit when compared to those who resided closer (≤50km). To ensure equitable access to care, there is a need to accommodate for these factors in the planning and provision of asthma healthcare services.

abstract: MNSc.


title: Probabilistic Analysis of Unreinforced Slopes and Reinforced Footings Using the Random Finite Element Method

contributor:
Bathurst, Richard
Civil Engineering

subject:
Probabilistic analysis
RFEM
Slope stability
Geotechnics
Geosynthetic reinforced soil
Random variability

abstract:
The focus of this thesis was on probabilistic analysis of unreinforced cohesive soil slopes and geosynthetic reinforced and unreinforced footings over cohesive foundations.
Two open-source random finite element method (RFEM) programs written in FORTRAN were modified to accommodate larger problem domains analysed in this study. For footing analyses, subroutines were added to model geosynthetic reinforcement layers as linear elastic-plastic bar elements together with two-layer random fields.
The modified RFEM code for the foundation problem was used to examine the case of the footing sitting directly on a cohesive soil layer, and the same footing seated on unreinforced and geosynthetic reinforced granular layers. Simulations were carried out assuming different isotropic and anisotropic spatial correlation lengths for the undrained shear strength of the foundation soil. The influence of reinforced and unreinforced granular layers on worst-case spatial correlation lengths was identified. The footing investigation showed that introduction of geosynthetic layers in the granular layer placed between the footing and underlying cohesive soil foundation significantly reduced the probability of footing failure. The correlation lengths for isotropic and anisotropic spatial variability of the foundation undrained shear strength that were at or close to the width of the footing corresponded to worst-case scenarios with respect to probability of failure regardless of the number of reinforcement layers and reinforcement stiffness.
The modified slope stability code was used to investigate the sensitivity of RFEM analysis outcomes to numerical parameters used to describe the random fields. The results of RFEM analyses were compared to results using the random limit equilibrium method (RLEM) for the same cohesive slope problem. The conditions that are necessary for the two methods to achieve practical agreement with respect to probability of failure and worst-case correlation lengths were identified. The slope investigation showed that critical correlation lengths deduced from probabilistic analyses using RFEM are sensitive to the precision of variables in numerical computations and to the ratio of random field cell size to finite element mesh size. The probabilities of failure computed using RFEM can be replicated with RLEM using Janbu method of slices and with less computational time.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: A study of turbidity interference in a new, automated Escherichia coli and total coliform detection method and application of the method on the Yangtze River in China

contributor:
Brown, Stephen
Environmental Studies

subject:
TECTATM B16 System
Escherichia coli
Total Coliform
Yangtze River
Turbidity
Water Quality

abstract: According to Sustainable Development Goals, water quality assessment is vital to sustainable water management. Bacteria monitoring is an important part of water quality management. Traditional methods for bacteria detection in water have limitations such as being time-consuming, expensive and inconvenient. In this study, a new, rapid bacteria detection system called the TECTATM B16 (TECTA) was used. The TECTA system was designed for clean water, therefore, there has been less experience measuring some highly polluted water samples, where high turbidity may interfere with the detection. In this study, experiments have been done both in the laboratory and the field to determine the interference from turbidity. The results from the laboratory showed that the turbidity from organic particles interfered with the bacteria detection by causing delayed E. coli or total coliform time-to-detection and lower signal. The turbidity from inorganic particles didn’t interfere with total coliform detection but interfered with E. coli detection by creating false signal. If the turbidity of a water sample is lower than 150 NTU, the interference from the turbidity could be ignored. The field research was implemented on a ship on the Yangtze River in China in May 2019. Overall, the turbidity of the Yangtze River was lower than 40 NTU with the exceptions of the upstream part of the Yangtze River, so interference in the results was not expected. The results showed E. coli levels mostly in the 200-2000 CFU/100 mL range, with a few much higher levels at the docks in some cities. The distribution of bacteria levels were consistent with official Government of China data, providing confidence that the TECTA instrument was successfully applied on the ship. The results also indicated that bacteria contamination in the Yangtze River was strongly linked to the location of cities.

abstract: M.E.S.


title: Towards a Theory for Supporting Creativity in Schools

contributor:
Bolden, Benjamen
Education

subject:
creativity
schools
education
secondary school
self-efficacy
self-determination theory
challenge
teacher belief
creative pedagogy
retrospective
arts education
extracurricular

abstract:
Education recognizes that creativity is important for students and society. However, teachers have scant direction about how to support it, in part because current understanding of what works is piecemeal, as is the empirical research on creative school environments.
This dissertation explores the breadth and depth of the experiences afforded to secondary students in a Western context that support and stifle creativity. This work focuses on student perspective as the meanings that students make of their creativity-experiences determine their consequences.
I used a constructivist grounded theory methodology to guide this research, with the focus of study secondary school experiences of creativity encouragement and discouragement. The experiences students described to me encompassed both the human and non-human elements in the learning environment with which students interacted, and students’ responses to these interactions. In this retrospective study, postsecondary students chose and reflected on experiences that they had two to five years earlier and described the consequences of the experiences in their current lives. Three hundred and sixty-nine students communicated the experiences and their reactions to them through an online questionnaire, and fourteen students through more in-depth, iterative interviews.
Through constructivist analytic approaches, three conditions for the support of creativity in secondary schools were conceived: freedom, meaningful challenge, and teacher belief. The parallel opposite conditions—constraint, lack of meaningful challenge, and lack of teacher belief— led to creativity discouragement.
In my study, the consequences of creativity-encouragement entailed expanded creativity behaviour and beliefs, enhanced learning, and prosocial beliefs and behaviour. In parallel opposition, creativity-discouraged students consequently curtailed their creativity behaviour and took on diminished beliefs, contracted from learning, and took up anti-social beliefs and behaviour. These consequences lasted into the present day for many students. The responses were psychologically driven by students’ positive/negative emotions and students’ decisions about competence and identity. These findings are discussed in light of intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy, and self-fulfilling prophecy.
The grounded theory developed in this dissertation enriches understanding of the conditions required to support youth in their creativity in education contexts and describes the consequences of this support (or its lack) on students’ future behaviour and beliefs.

abstract: PhD


title: The Application of Environmental Financial Assurance Regulations to Giant Mine

contributor:
Ghahreman, Ahmad
Mining Engineering

subject:
Mining
Environmental Financial Assurance
Giant Mine

abstract:
Historically, mining has had a large negative impact on the environment. In order to combat this legacy of damage, the Government of Canada has implemented regulations in order to ensure the “Polluter Pays’ principle is followed, that is the party responsible for damage will pay for its rehabilitation. Giant Mine, located in Yellowknife, NWT, is a case where this principle was not applied. It is one of the most damaged legacy mine sites in Canada and is currently undergoing rehabilitation by the Government of Canada after its owner became insolvent in the 1990’s. Rehabilitation is estimated to cost B$0.5 CAD and requires maintenance in perpetuity.
This thesis examines the Canadian application of environmental financial assurance regulations which are intended ensure that mining companies provide sufficient funding to the government to reclaim a mine in the event of default by applying modern regulations to the case study of the Giant Mine. Four primary types of assurances (cash, letters of credit, trusts, and corporate promises) along with their variations are applied retroactively to determine their impact on financial models of Giant Mine as a critique of modern EFA regulations.
This model shows that on a pre-tax, undiscounted basis, Giant Mine would have been able to fund the entirety of its reclamation but would be unable to do so on an after-tax basis. This indicates that the project is sensitive to the tax treatment of the reclamation cash flows, which is variable depending on the specific tax jurisdiction in question. When the time value of money is considered, the project becomes attractive except when the EFA fund is held as cash. All other EFA vehicles showed positive economic value over a range of discount rates applied by mining companies.
As a result, this thesis concludes that had modern EFA regulations been in place at the time of Giant Mine’s discovery, the mine could have successfully internalized its environmental impact and still have been considered economic despite the significant environmental damage it caused but would not be an attractive investment to smaller, less financially stable mining firms.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Productivity And Phenology of Forests in  the Algonquin-to-Adirondacks Corridor: Climatic Drivers and Recent Trends

contributor:
Danby, Ryan
Environmental Studies

subject:
forest
North America
Algonquin-to-Adirondacks
dendrochronology
remote sensing
sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
Random Forest
trend
response functions
phenology
productivity
climate

abstract: The phenology and productivity of temperate forests has changed across eastern North America in recent decades. However, these changes have varied spatially and temporally. And, while climate change has been an important cause of these changes in forest growth, the precise influence of climate remains unclear. This thesis presents the results of research which 1) tested for forest growth trends that could indicate that forest growth has changed in response to environmental stressors; and 2) assessed climate-growth relationships for different forest growth processes (phenology and productivity). Analysis was conducted at a regional scale within the Algonquin-to-Adirondacks (A2A) corridor, and at a sub-regional scale within the four geoclimatologically distinct ecoregions of A2A (Algonquin Highlands, Frontenac Arch, St. Lawrence Lowlands & Adirondack Mountains). We conducted two studies using different, but complimentary, methodologies. In the first study we used dendrochronology to study the growth of sugar maple (Acer saccharum) over a century (1912-2011). We found that sugar maple ring-widths declined recently in the Algonquin Highlands (- 46 mm2/year, 1993-2011) and Adirondack Mountains (- 33 mm2/year, 1991-2011), but that climate-growth relationships with temperature, precipitation and the SPEI drought index were limited (response function coefficients of ± 0.3). In the second study we used remote-sensing to study forest landscapes (i.e., pixels) over 26 years (1989-2014). We found that statistically significant (p < 0.05) trends in forest phenology and productivity occurred across only a small proportion of A2A (1-9 %), but that there was notable evidence of an extended growing season (+ 0.6-0.8 days/year) in the St. Lawrence Lowlands and Frontenac Arch ecoregions (25 % & 43 % respectively), driven by a delayed end to the growing season. Relationships between climate and forest growth were strong (pR2 > 80 %), and accumulated heating (> 4 0C) and chilling (< 20 0C) temperatures were the most important climatic variables for driving forest growth. Understanding climate-growth relationships for temperate forests in A2A will improve understandings of how forests have already responded to climate change, and will contribute to our capacity to predict how they may respond to future climate change.

abstract: M.E.S.


title: Amino Acid-Type Specific Incorporation of Stable 17O Isotopes into Yeast Ubiquitin

contributor:
Wu, Gang
Smith, Steven
Chemistry

subject:
17O
NMR
Solid-State NMR
17O Protein NMR
17O Labeling

abstract: Stable isotopic labeling is an important part of structural biology by multidimensional NMR spectroscopy.  Novel stable isotopic labeling methods have continuously been developed to enhance protein NMR spectroscopy. Protein structural determination based on 15N- and 13C-labelled proteins is already well established.  However, oxygen, being one of the most abundant elements in biological molecules, has not yet been utilized in NMR studies of proteins.  This is largely because of two factors.  First, the only NMR-active oxygen isotope, 17O, has a very low natural abundance (0.037%).  Second, 17O has a nuclear spin of 5/2 (known as quadrupolar), which usually results in broad 17O NMR signals even for small organic molecules.  Despite the technical difficulties, recent studies have shown 17O NMR to be a valuable tool for studying biological molecules.  In this thesis, we used yeast ubiquitin (8.6 kDa) as a model system to investigate general strategies of incorporating 17O-labelled amino acids into proteins.  We have used an auxotrophic E.coli strain DL39 GlyA λDE3 (aspC- tyrB- ilvE- glyA- λDE3)  to successfully synthesize yeast ubiquitin where glycine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and alanine residues are selectively  17O-labelled.   This is the first demonstration of 17O-labeling of a protein in both backbone groups and sidechain.  Some preliminary solid-state 13C and 17O NMR results on these protein samples are also reported in this thesis.  The synthetic methodology for 17O-labeling yeast ubiquitin reported in this thesis will be useful in future solid-state 17O NMR studies.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Studying the Distribution Platforms for Game Mods to Create Active Modding Communities

contributor:
Hassan, Ahmed E.
Computing

subject:
mods
mod development
CurseForge
Minecraft
software engineering
gaming
game development
Nexus Mods

abstract:
Gamer loyalty is important for the sales of a game. However, the gaming industry and the needs of gamers are rapidly increasing, making it difficult for game developers to address these needs. Game mods are modifications of an original game, which can help game developers save cost and time. Hence, it is crucial for game developers to build and maintain an active modding community.

In this thesis, we study mods to provide insights to game and mod developers on building an active modding community. An active modding community consists of two dimensions: (1) continuous growth of mods from mod developers, and (2) continuous adoption of mods from gamers. We investigated these two dimensions respectively:

To help game developers understand how to help mod developers continuously deliver high quality mods, we investigate the release schedule and post-release support of highly endorsed mods from the top 20 games on the Nexus Mods distribution platform. We observe that supporting the same modding tool within a game franchise is associated with faster release of mods. We also observe that bug reports (i.e., post-release support) of mods is poor in quality, making it difficult to address many of them. However, solved bug reports are often resolved within one day.

To help mod developers understand how to build popular mods based on download count, we investigate the impact of 33 features across the following 5 dimensions of popular and unpopular mods in the CurseForge mod distribution platform: mod category, mod documentation, environmental context of mod, remuneration for the mod and community contribution for the mod. We observed that popular mods tend to have a high quality description and promote community contribution. Also, mods that simplify mod development are more likely to be popular.

Based on our findings, we suggest game developers who desire an active modding community to provide an officially-supported modding tool. Also, Nexus Mods should improve the quality of their bug reporting system to achieve higher quality bug reports. Furthermore, we suggest mod developers to help improve the support for mod development, to improve the description of their mods, and to welcome community contributions.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: The Wicked Problem of Prostitution and Sex Work Policy in Canada

contributor:
Dufraimont, Lisa
Law

subject:
prostitution
sex work
constitutional law
criminal law
vulnerability theory
legal problem solving

abstract:
Prostitution is a wicked problem. The debate over prostitution policy in Canada includes a range of differently situated stakeholders centring different problems, proposing solutions that are in apparent conflict, and making divergent and oppositional rights claims. Prostitution policy is largely shaped by value conflicts rather than by material interests. Where contemporary policy models appear to have positive effects for some stakeholders, they have offsetting negative effects for others. Canada’s current prostitution policy aims to eradicate prostitution, but some individuals do and will continue to engage in prostitution. The constitutionality of the new legislative provisions accompanying the policy is uncertain, and the policy’s effectiveness and effects are currently unknown.
This thesis applies the conceptual and analytical lens of interest-focussed legal problem solving to reconcile the interests of differently situated seller stakeholders reflected in the contemporary debate. Those who engage in prostitution are exposed to significant risk of harm, including adverse sexual and emotional health consequences and violence. All sellers and potential sellers share an interest in reducing their risk of experiencing the harms associated with prostitution. The current body of empirical knowledge about prostitution and sex work in Canada is incomplete, reflecting issue bias in favour of one group of seller stakeholders and prioritizing one set of harms. Removing criminal sanctions over prostitution has the effect of placing responsibility for risk management on individual sellers; all sellers or potential sellers may not be equally situated to manage the risks or to avoid the harms associated with participating in prostitution. Drawing on recent economic scholarship about prostitution policy regimes and on Martha Fineman’s vulnerability theory and the concept of resilience, this thesis suggests “incomplete commodification” as a means of recognizing and responding to the interests of differently situated sellers or potential sellers in reducing or avoiding the harms associated with prostitution, including in better ensuring that any permissible purchase of sexual services is from those most able to manage their risk of harm.

abstract: PhD


title: Integrated Biological Networks Associated with Platinum-Based Chemotherapy Response in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

contributor:
Duan, Qing Ling
Biomedical and Molecular Sciences

subject: Ovarian Cancer

subject: Chemotherapy Response

subject: RNA-Sequencing

subject: mRNA

subject: microRNA

subject: Differential Expression Analysis

subject: Network Analysis

subject: Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis

subject: Expression Quantitative Trait Loci

abstract: Ovarian cancer is the 8th most common gynecological cancer and the 7th leading cause of cancer death in women, as it has the lowest 5-year survival rate of all common female reproductive system cancers. The first-line standard of care for ovarian cancer patients is primary debulking surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. However, 20-30% of patients are resistant to this treatment. Previous studies have identified genes correlated with chemotherapy response in ovarian cancer, but the underlying mechanisms of resistance remain poorly understood. This study reports novel genes and biological networks associated with platinum-based chemotherapy response as measured by the patient platinum-free interval, using transcriptomics data from high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Univariate analysis of patient gene expression was used to identify differentially expressed genes and miRNAs. A machine-learning multivariate approach was then used to determine co-expression based connections among transcripts using both mRNA and miRNA-sequence data. Next, novel integrated networks were constructed, indicating potential regulation of mRNA co-expression networks by miRNAs. DNA sequence variants that potentially regulate gene expression, known as expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL), were detected through integrative analysis of mRNA expression and genome-wide polymorphism datasets from this ovarian cancer cohort. This study identified 92 differentially expressed mRNAs that indicate a downregulation of adaptive immunity in chemo-resistant patients, and one mRNA network enriched for protein ubiquitination. The analysis also identified 21 differentially expressed miRNAs that regulate the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the MET/ERK2 oncogenic pathway, and three miRNA networks enriched for lipoprotein transport and angiogenesis. An expression correlation analysis detected miRNAs that may regulate the transcriptional network associated with resistance. Finally, 74 eQTLs associated with significant mRNAs were reported. This study characterised novel transcriptional networks that potentially regulate chemotherapy response in HGSOC patients and helped elucidate the underlying mechanisms of platinum-based chemo-resistance. The impact of these findings lies in precision medicine, where a better understanding of the genes modulating treatment response can lead to more accurate genetic screening of HGSOC patients and determine novel therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Investigating NLR-mediated immunity and Pseudomonas syringae effector interactions with two MACPF domain proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana.

contributor:
Monaghan, Jacqueline
Biology

subject: Arabidopsis

subject: Immunity

subject: Plant pathogen interactions

subject: Effector proteins

subject: Nucleotide Binding and Leucine Rich Repeat Receptor

subject: Plant immunity

subject: MACPF

abstract: To disarm plant defenses, successful pathogens secrete an arsenal of diverse virulence factors, termed effectors, into the host cell to shut down key components of the plant immune signaling pathway. To protect against effector sabotage, plants have evolved intracellular NUCLEOTIDE BINDING AND LEUCINE RICH REPEAT RECEPTORS (NLRs) that monitor the integrity of critical immune signaling components likely to be effector targets. NLR activation upregulates plant immune responses and triggers a form of localized cell death known as the hypersensitive response (HR). To prevent damaging levels of cell death NLR activation is under tight control. NLRs are maintained in an inactive “OFF” state under stable conditions, and only turn ‘ON’ when perturbations of monitored proteins are detected. MEMBRANE ATTACK COMPLEX/PERFORIN (MACPF) proteins are well known agents of defense in the mammalian immune system, though the exact role of this protein family in plants has not been established. Mutations in two of the four MACPF domain proteins encoded in Arabidopsis thaliana cause salicylic acid - dependent autoimmunity, a phenotype that has been linked to the constitutive activation of NLR receptors. In constitutively activated defense 1 (cad1) mutants this autoimmunity is dependent on ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY 1, a component of the signaling pathway mediated by a subset of NLR receptors. The first major objective of this thesis was to utilize a recently published library of dominant negative NLR mutants to identify the receptor(s) involved in cad1 autoimmunity. Through screening 67 unique dominant negative transgenic lines for the suppression of cad1-5 rosette stunting and lesion formation phenotypes I did not identify the NLR activated in cad1-5. Additionally, as my second objective I conducted a yeast two hybrid screen to test whether CAD1 or its close relative NECROTIC SPOTTED LESION 1 (NSL1) are targeted by effectors of the Arabidopsis pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato. From this screen I identified one effector that may interact with NSL1. Collectively, this work provides novel insight into the molecular aspects of host-pathogen interactions.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Stakeholder voices: Validity argument for score meaning and use of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) in international business workplaces in South Korea

contributor:
Cheng, Liying
Education

subject:
Validity/validation
Stakeholder approach
Document analysis
An argument-based approach
TOEIC
English as a Business Lingua Franca

abstract:
Competent English communication skills are essential to success within international business workplaces. To assess employees’ qualifications for international businesses, international companies have used the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) over the past 30 years in South Korea, which houses the largest TOEIC test taker population worldwide.  However, some researchers argue that the TOEIC, designed by Educational Testing Service (ETS), may not fully reflect the use of English in international business contexts. In such contexts, the focus is interactive communication skills, with cognizance of different English accents and business partners’ cultures. Limited empirical studies have investigated the extent to which TOEIC scores represent English constructs and how much the TOEIC achieves its designated purposes in international business workplaces.

Drawing on an argument-based validation framework using the stakeholder approach, the perceived constructs of English in international business workplaces and the extent to which the TOEIC’s designated purposes were achieved were investigated by collecting various validity-related evidence from multiple stakeholders, i.e., ETS; YBM, the TOEIC administrator; and employers and employees in international business workplaces. Multiple methods (i.e., documents from ETS and YBM, interviews with six employers and ten employees, and online questionnaires with 281 employees in international business companies in Korea) were used to juxtapose the findings from each stakeholder group.

The findings from ETS’s documents framed baseline validity evidence to compare the findings from YBM’s documents and interview/questionnaire data that supported and challenged the TOEIC’s intended interpretations and uses. The overall findings represent the complexity of relationships within English constructs in international business workplaces and between stakeholders’ understanding and uses of TOEIC scores that were affected by contextual factors in South Korea, by highlighting the why and how.

The findings can contribute to re-operationalizing the TOEIC’s constructs and call for including contextual factors in validation frameworks and studies. In particular, investigations of contextual factors cannot be overlooked to affect beneficial consequences in score use contexts. ETS and validation researchers may need to pay more attention to contextual factors and collect validity evidence in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.

abstract: PhD


title: Hospital Restructuring in Ontario and its Impacts on Quality, Cost and Patient Welfare

contributor:
Clark, Robert
Economics

subject:
Hospital
Merger
Healthcare Reform

abstract: In this thesis, I investigate the impacts of hospital mergers in markets where hospitals compete primarily on quality. In Chapter 2, I use previous literature to discuss the potential impacts of hospital mergers, while in Chapter 3, I discuss a specific wave of mergers occurring in Ontario, Canada from 1997 through 2001 and describe the data I use to study these mergers. In Chapter 4, co-authored with Michael Green, we evaluate the effect of the hospital mergers on measures of hospital quality and cost. We use a matched differences-in-differences approach based on the construction of synthetic controls, and we compare hospital mergers involving the closure of acute care services at one or more hospital sites to hospital mergers without this feature. The results suggest that relative to the matched control group, both types of mergers improve quality but only those involving the closure of acute care services improve financial outcomes. In Chapter 5, co-authored with Eliane H. Barker and Michael Green, we use the same data at the patient level, focusing on the impact of mergers on patient welfare. We use pre-merger data and a patient choice model to estimate preferences parameters for travel distance to the hospital as well as for hospital quality and attributes, finding evidence that patients choose hospitals based on distance and quality. We then estimate the distribution of idiosyncratic shocks to utility, allowing us to control for unobservable utility in two counterfactual scenarios. In the first counterfactual, which represents the immediate effect of mergers, hospital sites that close acute care services during the merger wave are removed from the choice set. In the second, these hospital sites are still removed, and hospital quality and attributes are updated using post-merger data. The results suggest that once hospital quality has adjusted, mergers benefit some patients but harm others. For example, compared to urban patients, a greater proportion of rural patients are harmed by mergers. Taken together, these chapters suggest that hospital mergers have the potential to improve quality and cost but that there are trade-offs in terms of patient welfare.

abstract: PhD


title: Arsenic Oxidation Assisted by Carbon-based Catalysts in Dynamic and Continuous Conditions

subject:
Arsenic
Oxidation
Continuous conditions
Carbon catalysis

abstract:
Arsenic is a toxic element and has become a major element of concern in the mining industry. Severe environmental issues may arise if the soluble arsenic species released by mining and extractive metallurgy activities were not responsibly and appropriately managed. Most arsenic immobilization techniques are not efficient for treating trivalent arsenic in solutions. In the cases where soluble trivalent arsenic is predominant in the waters, a first step of oxidation is usually required to yield a desirable overall arsenic removal efficiency.
This thesis presents the results of an investigation on the carbon catalyst assisted arsenic oxidation process with emphasis on the impact of the key process parameters on oxidation efficiency. Rapid small-scale continuous column testing method was employed to simulate dynamic and continuous operations. The process residence time, pH and initial arsenic concentration are demonstrated to be the most crucial operational parameters that have significant impacts on arsenic oxidation. The arsenic oxidation efficiency is proven to be highly sensitive to the change of aqueous pH due to the shift of reaction pathways at various pH scenarios, which is correlated to the specific behaviors of different aqueous arsenic species. Both preloaded and recycled activated carbon are validated for competent capacity to catalyze arsenic oxidation. The reliable long-term performance of activated carbon is demonstrated in a 27 days-long test with a steady arsenic oxidation efficiency of above 97%. Another carbon-based catalyst, Lewatit® AF 5, which has a higher surface area and more active sites than activated carbon, is used in a column test to verify that the functionality of carbon, instead of the specific surface area, has the most catalytic ability of carbon to oxidize arsenic. This is further supported by tests with nitric acid treated activated and AF5, in which the arsenic oxidation is greatly improved at the initial stage, though the efficiency eventually declines to the same level of that of the original carbons. The initial improvement of arsenic oxidation is attributed to the nitric acid exploitation of oxidative function groups on the carbon surfaces.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Assessment of Memory in the DP(16)1YEY/+ Mouse Model of Down Syndrome

contributor:
Bennett, Brian
Neuroscience Studies

subject: Down Syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, Dp(16)1Yey/+

abstract: Down syndrome (DS) is a common genetic condition caused by the presence of three copies of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21). DS greatly increases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and a large percentage of people with DS develop AD neuropathology by the age of 40. To investigate the genetic contribution of trisomy 21 to DS phenotypes, including those related to AD pathology, a range of DS mouse models have been generated consisting of mice that are trisomic for chromosome segments syntenic to human chromosome 21 (Hsa21). The objective of the current study was to determine whether the working and spatial memory impairments seen in AD and AD mouse models are also present in the Dp(16)1Yey/+ mouse model of DS. In this model, the entire Hsa21 orthologous region on mouse chromosome 16 (Mmu16) (∼119 genes), has been duplicated and added onto the distal portion of one of the endogenous Mmu16 chromosomes. Recognition memory was assessed using the novel object recognition (NOR) task, spatial working memory by spontaneous alternations in the Y-Maze task, and spatial reference memory using the Morris Water Maze (MWM) task. The light/dark box was used to assess anxiety-like behavior. Behavioural testing was performed at 4, 6, and 9 months of age in Dp(16)1Yey/+ mice and age-matched wildtype littermates. The results of the light/dark box test indicated that Dp(16)1Yey/+ mice exhibited increased anxiety-like behaviour, an important non-cognitive behavioral deficit associated with AD. In the NOR and Y-maze tasks, Dp(16)1Yey/+ mice demonstrated no difference in performance compared to wildtype mice. Similarly, in the MWM task, there were no statistically significant differences in performance between genotypes in both hidden and cued platform trials and in the probe trial. Although investigators reported results to the contrary, based on the results of the present study we would conclude that the Dp(16)1Yey/+ DS mouse model thus does not represent a useful comparator for assessing the memory deficits seen in AD and AD mouse models.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Effect of fatigue-induced microdamage on the compressive properties of bovine trabecular bone

contributor:
Pilkey, Keith
Lievers, Brent
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Microdamage
Bone quality
Compressive testing of bone
Bovine trabecular bone
Fatigue-induced microdamage

abstract:
Understanding the effect of microdamage accumulation on the failure mechanisms of bone is important
for treatment and prevention in degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis. The common sites of fracture
in osteoporotic patients – arm, vertebra, hip – have large proportions of trabecular bone, which make
them of particular interest. Degenerative bone diseases disrupt bone’s natural remodeling ability, meaning
the microdamage which is normally repaired begins to accumulate, increasing a patient’s risk of fracture.
The current study aims to investigate the effect of microdamage accumulation on subsequent monotonic
tests-to-failure using cored bovine trabecular bone samples. Various levels of microdamage were induced
via pre-determined quantities of compressive fatigue loading on cored samples, which were subsequently
tested in a uniaxial, compressive, test-to-failure. A parabolic relationship was found in the yield strain
(from the test-to-failure) plotted against the reduction in modulus from fatigue loading, as well as in the
normalized yield stress (from the test-to-failure) plotted against the reduction in modulus from fatigue
loading. These results support the hypothesis that increases in yield strain at low quantities of fatigue
induced damage could be attributed to a microdamage stress relieving mechanism in which small
microdamage sites nucleate rather than growing larger sites. The results are indicative that a critical
amount of this proposed mechanism exists, after which point further microdamage accumulation becomes
detrimental to the mechanical properties obtained in subsequent compressive testing-to-failure. Once this
critical amount of fatigue-induced damage is induced, a significant decrease in the subsequent yield strain
is noted representing the growth and coalescence of few, large microdamage sites that become
responsible for yielding in the test-to-failure.
X-ray micro-computed tomography was used in an attempt to characterize damage propagation during
post-yield loading of select trabecular bone samples during monotonic failure testing. Qualitative three
dimensional imaging suggests that two distinct damage propagation types may exist: the first appearing to
originate from the centre of trabeculae, while the second appears to originate from trabecular surfaces.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: The Law of Constitutional Amendment and the Entrenchment and Reform of Canada’s Federal Institutional Architecture:  the Purposes, Principles, Procedure and Practice governing the Operation of Part V of the Constitution Act, 1982

contributor:
Walters, Mark D.
Metcalf, Cherie
Law

subject:
constitutional law
constitutional amendment
Constitution of Canada
Part V Constitution Act 1982
constitutional principles
constitutional conventions
rule of law
procedure for constitutional amendment

abstract: This doctoral dissertation examines the central institutional architecture of the Constitution of Canada through the lens of the Constitution’s written amending procedures.  The thesis proposes that the legal procedures set out in Part V of the Constitution Act, 1982 serve dual purposes, which are always in tension.  The first purpose, which is ostensible on the face of the text, is to permit the amendment of the Constitution by following the relevant procedure.  The second purpose, which underlies the structure of portions of the text, is generally to prevent the amendment of the Constitution except in cases of substantial federal and provincial consensus, and thus to protect certain key institutions, provisions or principles through deep constitutional entrenchment.  The tension between these dual purposes is mediated by law, and reflects other normative tensions in the Constitution:  between constitutional provisions and constitutional principles; constitutional law and constitutional conventions; legislative drafting and judicial interpretation; the written and the unwritten; between rigidity and flexibility.  The dual purposes of the amending procedures were especially at play when the federal government introduced legislative measures such as fixed-date elections legislation, the Succession to the Throne Act, 2013, amendments to the Supreme Court Act, and several Senate reform bills.  In striking down amendments to the Supreme Court Act and most of the Senate reform measures, the Supreme Court relied upon a structural understanding of the Constitution’s framework, or “internal architecture,” including the amending procedures, to limit the extent to which Parliament could reform such federal institutions.  However, in upholding the validity of the Succession to the Throne Act and the fixed-date amendment to the Canada Elections Act (as well as previous legislative measures, such as the Official Languages Act),  the courts have also demonstrated that legislation which is constitutional or quasi-constitutional in an organic sense (albeit not enjoying constitutional status) may implement and advance underlying constitutional principles without offending the complex, multilateral amending procedures.  The dissertation is divided into two parts:  the first examines the nature and structure of the Constitution of Canada and the broad sweep of the amending procedures; the second, their application to key federal institutions.

abstract: PhD


title: Minoan Funerary Practices During the Bronze Age: With a Study on the Introduction of Cremation to Crete

contributor:
Zaccagnino, Cristiana
Classics

subject:
Funerary practices
Minoan
Bronze Age
Cremation

abstract: The funerary practices on Crete during the Bronze Age are very diverse in nature. Tomb architecture in the Early Minoan period is characterized by regional variations. In the Middle Minoan and Late Minoan periods the regional variations, present in the Early Minoan period, are not as palpable due to the increased trade within the island that allowed for better circulation of ideas. With the introduction of the palaces there is a shift in the communal burials of the Early Minoan period that left commingled remains. The shift towards a more individualistic nature of burials in the Middle Minoan period saw the introduction and use of pithoi and larnakes to further divide the space within a tomb. The Late Minoan period is the height and fall of Minoan power on Crete. It is also a time when new people were arriving on Crete and this is reflected in the funerary remains. The introduction of cremation to Crete is a drastic change to the island where the main form of burial has been inhumation since the Early Minoan period. Cremation is first noted in areas that have strong trade connections. Cremation is commonly used in the Near East and I attempt to track its progression and appearance on Crete from the East. The Iliad is also consulted on the basis of plausibility for the funeral of Patroklos and the cremated remains that are found within the Mediterranean context during the Bronze Age.

abstract: M.A.


title: Preclinical Assessment of Intravenous Gene Therapy for GM2 Gangliosidosis

contributor:
Walia, Jagdeep S
Neuroscience Studies

subject:
Gene Theray
Sandhoff Disease
Adeno Associated Virus
AAV
GM2 Gangliosidosis

abstract: GM2 Gangliosidoses are a group of severe neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorders characterized by the inability to catabolize GM2 Gangliosides, leading to a neurotoxic accumulation of the GM2 lipids within the central nervous system. The Hexosaminidase A (HexA) enzyme is a heterodimeric protein composed of an α- and a β- subunit, which are coded by the HEXA and HEXB genes respectively. Mutations in either of these genes lead to Tay Sachs Disease and Sandhoff Disease, respectively, through the disruption of the HexA enzyme. These debilitating diseases are fatal by the age of 4 in the infantile version and have no effective treatment available to patients other than palliative care. Herein we assessed the efficacy of two distinct hexosaminidase gene therapy treatment strategies in a Sandhoff mouse model – the ‘hexosaminidase hybrid’ and ‘bicistronic’ vector treatments. We found significant extensions in survival, significant improvements in motor coordination, as well as drastic decrease in the accumulation of the GM2 lipid for both strategies. Specifically, in the assessment of the hexosaminidase hybrid, the low dose cohort and the remaining high dose mice had a significant survival benefit with an average/median survival of 40.6/34.5 and 55.9/56.7 weeks, respectively, over that of untreated controls whose humane endpoint is ~16 weeks. The bicistronic vectors also showed significant improvements in survival, where all vector treatments provided at all ages of administration conveyed improvements in the SD mice in their survival compared to vehicle-treated controls (p<0.001). Mice were treated at 0, 2, 4, and 6 weeks with the human bicistronic vector survived to a median age of 59, 68.4, 43.6, and 43.8 weeks and mice treated with the murine bicistronic vector survived to median age of 42.2, 76.8, 65.8, and 68.14 weeks, respectively. Mice treated with the ssAAV9/mHexb vector only at 0 and 6 weeks and they survived to a median age of 65.72 and 70.71 weeks respectively, with one mouse from the 0-week ssAAV9/mHexb group surviving to the 104-week study endpoint. Significant behavioral, biochemical, and molecular benefit were also observed in both the hybrid and bicistronic strategies. These findings are significant steps forward in the search for a viable treatment for GM2 Gangliosidosis.

abstract: PhD


title: A Pedagogy of Selflessness: a Multiple Case Study Exploring the Cultivation and Expression of Student Selflessness in an Ontario Grade 6 Classroom

contributor:
DeLuca, Christopher
Education

subject:
selflessness
Vedanta
education
curriculum theory
selfishness
Indian philosophy
inquiry-based learning
service-learning
Ontario
conceptual framework
pedagogy
multiple case study
selfless
Vivekananda
motivation
self-regulation
metacognition
growth mindset
prosocial
learning to serve through inquiry

abstract:
In a society where self-indulgence is aggressively promoted, sapping the vitality of our youth and adults, educators have a moral obligation to react. This study offers a reaction through a pedagogy of selflessness. A selfless person: (a) realizes the infinitude of their own and others’ inner potential, feeling intimately connected to the world; (b) has the strength to overcome self-interested desires to help another; and (c) can work without expectation of a reward (Kurth, 1995). Selflessness should be a focal point of educational discourse and practice.
       In this qualitative study I develop a conceptual framework for selflessness in education along with a pedagogy called Learning to Serve through Inquiry (LSI) that blends inquiry, service, and explicit teachings on being selfless. This multiple case study explores: (a) how selflessness is expressed in Grade 6 students of a classroom engaged in LSI, (b) how closely these manifestations of selflessness align with the indicators as informed by the domains of selflessness in the framework, and (c) how LSI operates as a vehicle to promote the cultivation of selfless attributes within and among the learning community.
	The LSI unit, which was co-planned and taught with the classroom teacher, unfolded over a period of two months. Over 240 hours were spent observing students of one class, with special attention paid to 10 students who agreed to pre- and post-LSI interviews. The classroom teacher was also interviewed. Additional data included daily notes, reflections, a personal audit of the reflections, and student work.
       Three cycles of thematic analysis led to three themes. The first theme describes how students could better articulate the progression towards selflessness, regulate their emotions, and overcome fears. The second theme highlights how explicit teaching and practice cultivate prosocial behaviour and selfless thinking. The last theme foregrounds this study’s various positive influences on the learning community, including the teacher’s own pedagogy.
       The resulting themes are related to the conceptual framework and additional indicators of selfless attributes nuanced through the data are highlighted. Finally, the impact of selfless pedagogy through LSI and future directions for further research are considered.

abstract: PhD


title: Road salt soil contamination and remediation methods using halophytes

contributor:
Rutter, Allison
Zeeb, Barbara
Environmental Studies

subject:
road salt
phytoremediation
soil salinization
remediation

abstract: In northern latitudes, road salt (sodium chloride; NaCl) application is leading to soil and freshwater salinization, and having widespread environmental impacts. Canada applies over 5 million tonnes of road salt annually in order to maintain road safety during the winter. As there is currently no cost-effective alternative to sodium chloride, there is a need to develop a method of mitigating its detrimental environmental impacts. Phytoremediation offers a sustainable, in situ management option for road salt contamination whereby plants take up the salts and are then harvested to remove this contaminant from the environment. Three native halophytes (salt-tolerant plants) in the genus Atriplex were studied to determine their suitability for the phytoremediation of road salt. The Atriplex spp. accumulated 18-55 mg Na+/g dry weight (DW) and 41-64 mg Cl-/g DW when grown for a two-month period in soil spiked with NaCl to simulate a very highly salt-contaminated roadside (4620 µg/g Cl-). Based on extraction rates, it would theoretically take 6, 19, and 9 growing seasons for A. patula, A. hortensis, and A. canescens to remove all salt from a less highly contaminated area (1540 μg Cl-/g). Analysis of roadside soil samples from a minor highway in southern Ontario indicate that current chloride levels are actually an order of magnitude lower than this scenario (mean of 71 ± 89 μg Cl-/g in April 2019) when salt is applied as a 30% NaCl, 70% sand mixture. Thus, roadsides with relatively low salt input could be remediated in a shorter timeframe. In order for phytoremediation to be effective, it is important to understand how road salt migrates through soil. A mesocosm study was completed to investigate the movement of Na+ and Cl- in roadside soil following the spring melt. Analysis of the soil profiles revealed that Na+ was largely held in the top layer (0-5 cm), with 87% retention in the soil profile with a high salt application rate (300 kg/km). Chloride mainly followed the movement of porewater, with a much lower retention in soil (11% retention). Thus, for phytoremediation, halophytes should be planted early in the spring in order to access the chloride before it leaches into groundwater. The results from this thesis can be used to develop best practices for the phytoremediation of road salt.

abstract: M.E.S.


title: "Transient Beauties": Early Nineteenth-Century British Women and the Construction of a Global Imperial Science Culture

contributor:
den Otter, Sandra
History

subject:
British Empire
gender history
history of science
global history
botany
transnational
women in science
imperial science culture
colonialism
knowledge production

abstract: Botanical collecting and illustrating had been a key part of an Enlightened education for elite women during the eighteenth century, and botanical practices were an established part of many women’s activities. As British women began to move about the globe in increasing numbers as part of British imperial expansion in the early nineteenth century, the cultural practices around the accumulation and development of scientific knowledge went with them. This thesis explores the practices of botanical science by analyzing the travels and activities of British women, while situating those activities within the global context of imperial expansion and projects of control. By tracing their movements and analyzing the forms that women’s scientific work took, I argue that women’s scientific work was not separate or subordinate to the work of male scientific practitioners, but rather took a variety of forms outside the practices that later defined what formal scientific participation could be. This thesis establishes how gendered forms of science activities were conducted by women in a variety of spaces and introduces how they formed a cultural context for the practice of science abroad in the colonies. Women’s activities were significant components in imperial processes used to establish control through domestic scientific spaces. The scientific activities of women, in a range of spaces, were not marginal to the projects of scientific progress and imperial expansion, but a significant part of the larger project of utilizing scientific knowledge in achieving certain imperial goals. In the frame of global circulation, political and economic instability, and cultural imperialism, women’s botanical work became a key part of the British empire’s goals of securing control over unstable colonial locations. I use the term “imperial science culture” to describe the science work which was such a crucial part of cultural imperialism and which was the context in which British women were practicing botanical activities. Through several case studies set in Britain and in colonial locations, such as British North America, India, Ceylon, and Mauritius, I demonstrate how women contributed to botanical science and acted as informal agents of the British empire through the formation of this imperial science culture.

abstract: PhD


title: Measuring Cognitive Load in a Clinical Setting: Medical Learning and Practice

contributor:
Davies, T. Claire
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Cognitive Load
Psychometric
Physiologic
Galvanic Skin Response

abstract: Cognitive load theory is of particular relevance to the learning and practice of medicine, where task demands require a complex interplay of working memory, emotion, and stress. To better understand the role of cognitive load in the performance of medical learners and expert physicians, this thesis aims to explore the ways in which cognitive load can be measured in a clinical setting using wearable technologies. First, both traditional literature and systematic reviews were conducted to identify the methods by which cognitive load can be measured using psychometric scales, secondary task performance, and physiologic response measures. Several themes emerged from the data extracted from the systematic review that identified key limitations in the cognitive load literature, including a lack of real world studies. An experiment was conducted in the emergency department of an academic medical center to measure the cognitive load of expert trauma physicians during real resuscitation response using a combination of physiologic measures and psychometric scales. Physiologic metrics showed correlation to self-reported cognitive load scores and offer a promising avenue for measuring cognitive load in an ambulatory setting. A second study was conducted in a clinical simulation center to measure the effectiveness of psychological skills training to enhance learning of first year medical residents during simulated resuscitation education. Both physiologic and psychometric outcomes revealed that this technique is effective in lowering cognitive load and that it may be used to enhance learning and performance in stressful situations. In summary, the chapters of this thesis present a detailed overview of cognitive load theory and its founding literature, describe the biophysical and engineering principles involved in its measurement, and demonstrate the successful real-world application of these concepts to medical learning and practice.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Habitat Associations of Coexisting Carrion Beetles (Subfamilies Nicrophorinae and Silphinae) in Southeastern Ontario

contributor:
Martin, Paul
Biology

subject:
Species Coexistence
Resource Partitioning
Habitat Partitioning
Nicrophorus
Burying Beetles
Carrion Beetles
Silphinae
Nicrophorinae
Silphidae

abstract: The coexistence of closely related species is thought to play an important role in shaping and maintaining local diversity and community organization. However, competition for shared limiting resources can inhibit coexistence unless species can reduce overlap in resource requirements or minimize differences in competitive ability. Many co-occurring species avoid the costs of coexistence by diverging in habitat use through a process known as habitat partitioning, allowing them to spatially avoid potential competitors. Habitat partitioning appears common among coexisting species and is thought to have important consequences for the evolution of species and traits, and community structure. Yet, despite the commonness of habitat partitioning, little is known about how and when habitat partitioning occurs and its role in facilitating species coexistence. Here, we take the first steps to understanding the role habitat partitioning plays in facilitating coexistence between seven species of burying beetles (genus: Nicrophorus) by examining their habitat associations where they co-occur. We test the hypothesis that co-occurring Nicrophorus species in southeastern Ontario partition resources by associating with different habitat characteristics or distinct habitat types, potentially to facilitate coexistence. To test this idea, we conducted a large-scale survey of carrion beetle abundance and 54 quantitative habitat characteristics at 100 randomly generated sites spanning an environmentally diverse and heterogenous region of southeastern Ontario. We identified the habitat associations of six co-occurring Nicrophorus species and three other carrion beetle species in the subfamily Silphinae. Our findings indicate that co-occurring Nicrophorus species do differ in their habitat use in a pattern consistent with habitat partitioning. Specifically, three Nicrophorus species (Nicrophorus pustulatus, N. hebes, and N. marginatus) were found to be habitat specialists for the forest canopy, wetlands, and open fields, respectively. Three other Nicrophorus species (N. orbicollis, N. sayi, and N. tomentosus) were found to be habitat generalists with wider breadths of habitat use and high overlap in habitat use with some other species. Our findings suggest that habitat may be an important resource axis along which some Nicrophorus species partition, however, divergence along other resource axes is likely also important for facilitating Nicrophorus coexistence.

abstract: M.Sc.