title: Energy management of nuclear-renewable hybrid energy system for fast charging station

subject:
Nuclear-renewable hybrid energy system
Renewable energy sources
Micro modular reactor
Fast charging station
Energy management system

abstract: The transportation sector is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Due to this, electric vehicles (EVs) have become popular as it reduces emissions significantly. Despite this significance, EVs negatively impact the grid due to the high load of the charging stations. Hence, an alternative solution is required to support the load demand of a fast charging station (FCS) while reducing the grid dependency and emissions. The application of renewable energy sources (RESs) is limited due to their intermittency problem. To address those issues, a nuclear-renewable hybrid energy system (N-R HES) is proposed in this thesis to support the load demand of a fast charging station. Key performance indicators (KPIs) and sensitivity analyses have been carried out to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed system. Also, energy management with a control system is modelled to achieve the optimized performance of the system.


title: A directional preference ETX measure for the collection tree protocol in mobile sensor networks

subject: CTP ETX WSN Mobility DP-CTP

abstract: There has been a growing interest in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) that utilizes mobile nodes for various purposes. These mobile wireless sensor networks tend to suffer from constant link breakages mainly caused by connected nodes moving apart, often moving very quickly. These lost connections require WSNs to constantly repair the network connections; this constant maintenance in turn causes power and packet losses and very noisy network conditions. However a performance extending metric can be implemented in order to reduce the frequency and occurrence of lost links between a parent node and its child. As such a directional preference Estimated Transmissions Count (ETX) measure was developed for the Collection Tree Protocol (CTP) in order to create longer lasting links. This thesis describes and measures the performance of this directional preference ETX measure utilizing various metrics such as Packet Reception Ratio, average number of beacon transmissions per node, Parent changes and various others. The Packet Reception Ratio metric is primarily used to compare this directional preference ETX measure to other popular WSN algorithms such as M-Leach, Geographic Greedy Forwarding and as well regular CTP due to the differences in topology between these algorithms. Based on the packet reception ratio the directional preference ETX measure improves the performance of CTP such that it is capable of outperforming M-Leach in various scenarios.

abstract: University of Ontario Institute of Technology


title: Analysis and techniques of data compression in smart grids in the context of IEC 61850 communication protocol

subject:
IEC 61850
OPAL-RT
Smart grid
Data compression
Wavelet

abstract: A smart grid is characterized by a two-way communication between the generation and the loads in addition to the distributed energy resources, which dictated the integration of smart monitoring devices to achieve full observability of the network. In smart grid operation, the monitoring and the measuring devices such as smart meters, phasor measurement units (PMUs) and the intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) typically record the data and share the information across each level of the grid. In distribution substations, the data and hence the information is then further transferred throughout the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and the data control center using the communication protocols. As a result, a large amount of data is transferred among different monitoring devices, data control centers, and SCADA within the smart grid, which calls for new requirements for the communication channels and the storage capacities. Data compression is considered promising techniques to reduce the burden on the communication channels as well as the storage in particular during the smart grid operation. This thesis focuses on studying the data compression techniques when applied to power system disturbances in the context of the IEC 61850 communication protocol, which is extensively used in smart distribution substation automation. A proposed approach for data compression is introduced in this work and it is based on a combined wavelet-surrogate binary regression tree and a hybrid thresholding method. The proposed approach for data compression is tested experimentally in real-time in the context of IEC 61850 communication protocol and the performance is compared to the existing approaches for data compression. The results have shown that the implementation of the proposed data compression approach may lead to significant reduction in the number and sizes of the Generic Object-Oriented Substation Event (GOOSE) messages, which are exchanged between the IEDS and the SCADA within the smart distribution substation automation in smart grids.


title: Development and optimization of new generation start-up instrumentation systems (SUI) for domestic CANDU reactors

subject: SUI installation

subject: Removal procedure deveopment and optimization

abstract: Due to the age and operating experience of Bruce Power units, equipment ageing and obsolescence has become one of the main challenges that need to be resolved for all systems, structures and components in order to ensure a safe and reliable production of energy. The research objectives of this thesis will focus on methodology for modernization of Start-Up Instrumentation (SUI), both in-core and Control Room equipment, using a new generation of detectors and cables in order to manage obsolescence. The main objective of this thesis is to develop a new systematic approach to SUI installation/replacement procedure development and optimization. Although some additional features, such as real-time data monitoring and storage/archiving solutions for SUI systems are also examined to take full advantage of today’s digital technology, the objective of this thesis does not include detailed parametrical studies of detector or system performance. Instead, a number of technological, operational and maintenance issues associated with Start-Up Instrumentation systems at Bruce Power will be identified in this project and a structured approach to developing a replacement/installation procedure that can be standardized and used across all of the domestic CANDU stations is proposed. Finally, benefits of Hierarchical Control Chart (HCC) methodology for all stages of plant life management, such as system design, development, operation and maintenance are demonstrated. Keywords: Task Breakdown and Analysis methodology, installation/removal procedure development and optimization, risk-based analysis and optimization, Hierarchical Control Chart (HCC) methodology for system maintenance and troubleshooting, Start-Up Instrumentation (SUI), Ion Chambers, Fission Chambers, proportional counters, Shutdown System 1 (SDS1), Shutdown System 2 (SDS2).


title: Conceptual development and analysis of sustainable powering options for hybrid vehicles

subject:
Hybrid vehicles
Hydrogen
Ammonia
Fuel cell
Internal combustion engine

abstract:
Hydrogen and ammonia are the carbon-free fuels that have the potential to replace the fossil fuels in the near future. In addition, they can also act as energy carriers and storage media for many applications; particularly in the transportation sector, which contributes around 25% of the global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and a substantial reduction to this share will undoubtedly achieve better environmental conditions. In this thesis, six novel integrated systems for powering vehicles are conceptually developed and introduced.All the system are thermodynamically modeled by applying energetic and exergetic approaches via the Engineering Equation Solver software (EES). The obtained results are validated by using energy and exergy analyses and available data from the literature. Moreover, exergoeconomic analysis has been carried out for the proposed systems.  The Genetic Algorithm is utilized to optimize the introduced systems to achieve the optimum performance with the least possible cost for each system.
For the same power output of 118 kW, the overall energy and exergy efficiencies of system 1, which comprises Li-ion battery, PEMFC system and PV panels are found to be 45.9% and 46.4% at a fuel cell current density of 1150 mA/cm2 respectively. The energy and exergy efficiencies of system 2, which comprises Li-ion battery, PEMFC system, PV panels and AEC unit are found to be 47.5% and 47.4% at a fuel cell current density of 1150 mA/cm2 respectively. The overall energy efficiencies of systems 3, which comprises ammonia-hydrogen ICE and ammonia dissociation separation unit (ADSU) and system 4, which comprises ammonia-hydrogen ICE, ADSU and PEMFC system are obtained as 31% and 38.6% respectively. The overall exergy efficiencies of systems 3 and 4 are found to be 28.8% and 36.2% respectively. The overall energy and exergy efficiencies of system 5, which consists of ammonia-hydrogen ICE, thermoelectric generators (TEG) and AEC unit are found to be 31.1% and 28.9% respectively. The overall energy and exergy efficiency of system 6, which consists of Li-ion battery, gas turbine, TEG, organic Rankine cycle (ORC) and absorption chiller are found to be 32.3% and 29.2% respectively.


title: Teenage serial homicide offenders: a typology.

subject:
Serial homicide
Youth homicide
Teenager

abstract: Although serial homicide literature covers a variety of serial homicide offender classifications, to date, there has been a limited amount of research conducted on teenage serial homicide. Only two studies have attempted to explain teenage serial homicide, and no study has yet to create a typology of the youthful offender. Using a sample of 43 male teenage serial homicide offenders in Canada and the United States between the years of 1970-2005, this study constructs a typology on teenage serial homicide offenders. Single motive offenders were divided into three subcategories: lust offenders, profit offenders, and rage offenders. Multiple motive offenders were divided into two subcategories: exploitive offenders and lust-rage offenders. Each subcategory includes motive, offender characteristics, murder method, victim selection, contact with victim, murder location and spatial mobility. Such findings are discussed and explanations of each are given.


title: Depletant induced attractions in red blood cells

subject:
Bio-physics
Simulation
Coarse-grained
Molecular dynamics
Rouleau

abstract:
Red blood cells suspended in plasma are able to aggregate into linearly stacked rouleau. The aggregations can form complex clusters and branching networks which cause complications in various pathological cases. The self assembly and biophysics behind the aggregation of red blood cells into rouleau remains underexplored.
This thesis employs coarse-grained molecular simulations to model erythrocytes in a disperse limit subject to short range implicit depletion forces. This work demonstrates that the depletant interaction is sufficient to account for sudden transitions into aggregate states. Furthermore, this work demonstrates that the specific volume fraction of depletants is directly linked to the morphologies of the aggregate states observed.


title: Using MELCOR with enhanced predictive capabilities via Thermochimica to model two severe accident cases of a generic BWR with Zry-2 and FeCrAl

subject: Severe accident

subject: MELCOR

subject: Thermochimica

subject: Thermodynamics of advanced fuels – international database

subject: Ionic two-sublattice liquid model

abstract: The primary goal of this work was to enhance MELCOR’s material modelling capabilities via one-way coupling of Thermochimica. MELCOR is a state-of-the-art code used to simulate the severe accident progression of a nuclear power plant. The first objective was developing the capabilities in Thermochimica to handle the Ionic Two-sublattice Liquid Model in order to leverage the Thermodynamics of Advanced Fuels – International Database (TAF-ID). Using empirically derived data from the TAF-ID allowed Thermochimica to reliably predict the stable phases of nuclear materials and their composition. Secondly, two test case scenarios were simulated in MELCOR using a generic boiling water reactor design that included Case I: Zircaloy-2 cladding, and Case II: FeCrAl cladding. The results from these two cases were analyzed using a one-way coupling approach with Thermochimica to demonstrate potential areas for the improvement o fMELCOR’s current material modelling capabilities.


title: Is measuring best? Evaluating report derived body mass index in Special Olympics participants

contributor:
Balogh, Robert
Lloyd, Meghann
Côté, Pierre

subject:
Intellectual disability
Overweight
Obesity
Body mass index
Measurement

abstract: To determine the proportion of overweight/obesity, studies save time and money by using reported height and weight for the calculation of body mass index (BMI). However, no studies have reported the validity of self and proxy-reported height and weight in persons with intellectual disabilities (ID). This study aimed to determine the validity of self and proxy-reported height and weight for the calculation of BMI in individuals with ID. Manuscript 1 (Self-report): Results demonstrate that self-reports from individuals with ID are valid, and can be used when physical measurement are not feasible. Manuscript 2 (Proxy-report): Results show that proxy-reported height and weight for individuals with ID, specifically parents, were fairly accurate and may be used when physical measurements are not possible. Conclusion: The results from this study suggest that individuals with ID and their proxies can report height and weight. These results need to be confirmed using larger sample sizes.


title: Examination of secondary electrons generated by encapsulated gamma sources to improve contact dosimetry estimates

subject:
Encapsulated
Gamma source
Secondary electrons
Contact dose

abstract: Secondary electron generation on the surface of encapsulated gamma sources can play a large role in the dose measured near the surface of the encapsulation. The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) Report - 40 contains contact dose rate conversion factors for encapsulated gamma sources, along with recommended secondary electron correction factors. However, the secondary electron correction factors were based on experiments done in the 1930s and 1940s with encapsulated radium sources, and the correction factors for the other sources in NCRP-40 were estimated based on these radium measurements. Simulations have been done using the state-of-the-art Monte Carlo radiation transport code PHITS (Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System), to calculate the contact dose rate conversion factors for all of the encapsulated gamma sources presented in NCRP-40, taking into account the dose from both gamma rays and secondary electrons. These simulations show that the contact dose rate conversion factors are actually much lower than those presented in NCRP-40. The simulations also demonstrate that the relative contribution of secondary electrons to the contact dose is significantly higher than what is predicted by NCRP-40. In addition to this computational work, the experiment that was used to determine the secondary electron correction factors for NCRP-40 was investigated. This experiment involved measuring the radiation field near an encapsulated radium source with an ion chamber, and using a magnetic field to separate the secondary electrons from the gamma radiation. A modernized version of this experiment was designed, and used to show that secondary electron correction factors measured with this type of setup were not applicable to the geometry of tissue in direct contact with the encapsulation.


title: Leakage-corrected discontinuity factors for a second-generation Th-Pu pressure-tube SCWR.

subject:
Applied reactor physics
Advanced homogenization
CANDU
PT-SCWR

abstract:
The neutron flux throughout a reactor core should be calculated, ideally, by solving the neutron transport equation for a highly detailed geometric model of the core. Since this is computationally impractical, approximate node-homogenized models have historically been used whereby neutronic properties are averaged over cartesian parallelepipedic regions called nodes. This process is referred to as homogenization. The simplest homogenization procedure is known as standard homogenization. Standard homogenization calculates node-homogenized cross sections as flux-weighted averages over the volume of each node. It uses an approximate spatial flux distribution obtained from single-node detailed-geometry calculations that approximate the node-boundary conditions to be reflective. While standard homogenization has been successfully used for CANDU reactors, there exist more advanced homogenization methods such as Generalized Equivalence Theory (GET). GET improves accuracy by allowing the neutron flux in the node-homogenized model to be discontinuous at node boundaries through the use of discontinuity factors. Node-averaged cross sections and discontinuity factors can be obtained from single-node calculations using reflective boundary conditions. To further improve accuracy, non-reflective boundary conditions that approximate the real node-boundary conditions can be used; a process known as leakage correction.
This work explores the use of GET with leakage-corrected cross sections and discontinuity factors for the next-generation PT-SCWR flux calculations. Results show that using GET in conjunction with leakage corrections yields substantial improvements in accuracy over standard homogenization and should be given serious consideration as a method for performing neutronic calculations for PT-SCWR cores.


title: The effects of select non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on green and brown hydra

subject: Hydra

subject: Ibuprofen

subject: Naproxen

subject: Diclofenac

abstract: Effluent pharmaceuticals are released at low concentrations into aquatic ecosystems through waste water treatment plants (WWTPs). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are important contaminants in water cycles. In this study, several NSAIDs were assessed for their potential toxicity to Hydra. Chronic toxicity was evaluated using three NSAIDs on two different species of Hydra, Hydra viridissima and Hydra littoralis. Several negative correlations were observed between ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac toxicity and select endpoints in Hydra. However, these correlations generally occurred in only 25% of the 7 day exposure toxicity tests performed. Thus, environmentally relevant concentrations of ibuprofen, naproxen, and diclofenac did not have statistically significant chronic effects on either species of Hydra tested. Differences in endpoints between species were observed in only 25 to 50% of the experiments undertaken. Thus, current effluent concentrations of ibuprofen, naproxen and diclofenac are not likely deleteriously affecting this level of aquatic food webs receiving such contaminants.


title: Reimagining assessment and evaluation in Ontario’s K-12 schools

contributor:
Barber, Wendy
van Oostveen, Roland

subject:
Assessment
Empathy
Metacognition
Critical consciousness
Social justice

abstract: This study explores the provincial document of Growing Success (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2010) for Ontario’s K-12 schools, interrogates recent literature since 2010, and examines the current themes that emerged surrounding assessment and evaluation, in order to suggest possible directions for a potential new framework that is research-based and founded in the literature. An initial framework is proposed by the researcher that shapes the keyword searches of the data collection. Using template analysis, a form of metasynthesis analysis, the researcher uses nVivo to identify and code major themes in a body of literature since the implementation of Growing Success (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2010). Resulting from this template analysis, iterations are made to the initial framework as a suggested new framework for assessment and evaluation. The findings of this study consider curriculum design, the role of educators, learning environments, narrative documentation, and social justice & equity as central themes for this framework.


title: The conjugation and evaluation of hydrophobic small molecules to trazole-linked siRNAs

subject:
Cancer
siRNAs
Target delivery
Nucleic acid-based therapies
RNAs
RNAi

abstract: According to the Human Development Index, it is estimated that all cancer cases will rise from 12.7 million cases in 2008 to 22.2 million by 2030. Traditional therapies, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, have difficulty in specifically selecting malignant tissues for destruction. To overcome these limitations, nucleic acid-based therapies, such as short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), have been developed to aid in the regulation of proteins. SiRNAs serve as substrates for the highly conserved RNA interference (RNAi) pathway, which gives rise to their high degree of mRNA target specificity and their catalytic nature. However, the full potential of these therapeutic drugs will not be attained unless better methodologies are developed to enhance target delivery and to enhance resistance to ribonuclease-mediated degradation. The focus of this study was to chemically modify the sense strand of an siRNA duplex with a triazole backbone unit and pyrimidine-modified hydrophobic substituents in an attempt to improve its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. This was accomplished by linking together uracil and cytosine monomers with the Cu(I)-assisted Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction to create a cytosine-triazole-uracil-iodine dimer (CtUI). The dimer was further modified at the C5 position of uracil with various lipophilic moieties including cholesterol and phenylacetylene utilizing the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction. Subsequent reactions were performed on the dimer to give rise to a 4,4’-dimethoxytrityl (DMT)-protected phosphoramidite building block, which allowed for its site-specific incorporation into an oligonucleotide using solid-phase synthesis. Once the modified strand was annealed to its counterpart, circular dichroism measurements revealed that modified siRNA duplexes retained their standard A-form helix. Thermodynamic profiling of the siRNA library illustrated that internally modified siRNAs were greatly destabilizing while, external placements were slightly destabilizing. Furthermore, the lipophilic moieties protruding off of the uracil base did not have a profound effect on the stability of the duplex. Results from cell-based assays indicated that that triazole-modified siRNAs bearing hydrophobic groups were compatible with the RNA induced silencing complex (RISC) and effectively silenced reporter gene, firefly luciferase, and an endogenous gene, BCL-2, in a dose-dependent manner. Further exploration of the effect of the hydrophobic moieties in a carrier-free assay revealed that the added cholesterol group was able to enhance the delivery of native siRNAs. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first time that the effect of a non-ionic linkage unit derivatized with a base-modified hydrophobic group has been explored within siRNAs. The following study demonstrated the compatibility of these novel constructs within the RNAi pathway and helped to better understand the structure function relationships involved with RISC.


title: Thermodynamic anaysis of an integrated photovoltaic system for hydrogen and methanol production

contributor:
Dincer, Ibrahim
Naterer, Greg  F.

subject: Photovoltaic Hydrogen Energy Exergy Methanol

abstract: A solar based integrated system for hydrogen and methanol production is investigated. Energy and exergy analyses of a hydrogen production plant, thermodynamic assessment of methanol synthesis plant, and exergy analysis of the integrated solar based system for hydrogen and methanol production are performed. The analysis of hydrogen production is found to be essential in order to investigate for further design parameters for methanol synthesis procedure. The present analysis shows the effects of temperature and current density on hydrogen production. Thermodynamic parameters of the methanol synthesis plant, such as temperature and pressure, appear to be an important role in methanol production. Based on the methods of physical domain of the system, the optimum temperature of methanol synthesis is obtained for the final design of the methanol plant. It is concluded that increasing pressure improves the methanol synthesis process; however, methanol conversion takes place at 493 K. The energy and exergy efficiencies of the system are reduced by 30% if the electrolyser operates at 300 K. The efficiencies of the system are also highly dependent on the solar intensity. The system efficiencies can be tripled if the intensity of solar radiation is increased to 600 W/m2 instead of 250 W/m2.


title: Program evaluation of the chronic pain self-management workshop in the workplace

subject:
Workplace
Chronic pain
Self-management
Evaluation
Program

abstract: Chronic pain conditions can be extremely challenging to deal with in the workplace. The implications of these conditions extend far beyond the employees themselves and can create significant organizational impacts. The Chronic Pain Self-Management Program was developed by Dr. Sandra LeFort, and was originally based on the generic Stanford model of self-management. The six-week program, delivered weekly, is designed to explore and instruct those with chronic pain on different aspects of their condition. This pilot study used a mixed method design to evaluate the effectiveness of Chronic Pain Self-Management Program in the workplace. The quantitative measures for this study were unable to demonstrate the effectiveness of the workshop due to a lack of statistical significance. Through the qualitative measures it was possible to delve into how the chronic pain condition manifests itself in the workplace and what support systems are available for those with chronic pain. There are definitely some positive implications from this pilot research, but through further research it is possible to truly understand how people live with chronic pain in the workplace and how their conditions can be made more manageable.


title: A deep learning approach to focal cortical dysplasia segmentation in children with medically intractable epilepsy

contributor:
Ebrahimi, Mehran
Widjaja, Elysa (SickKids Hospital)

subject:
Focal Cortical Dysplasia
Convolutional Neural Network
Fully Convolutional Network
Deep Learning
Patch-based

abstract: Paediatric epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders and has major impact on the cognition and quality of life of children. Focal Cortical Dysplasia (FCD) is one of the most common causes of medically intractable epilepsy. FCD may be amenable to surgical resection to achieve seizure freedom. By improving the detection of lesions such as FCD, the surgical outcome of these patients can be improved. The MRI features of FCD can be subtle and may not be detected by visual inspection. Patients with epilepsy who have normal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are considered to have MR-negative epilepsy. Recent advances in deep learning techniques hold the potential to improve the detection of FCD lesions. The advantage of deep learning techniques, specifically Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), and Fully Convolutional Networks (FCN) are that they are built to extract detailed features in images with minimal user involvement. Therefore, we set to develop a model, which takes an MRI, classifies whether it is FCD or not and outputs the lesion’s location in FCD cases. Also, another potential method is by considering information from different MRI sequences such as T1-weighted, T2-weighted and FLAIR simultaneously, since the MRI features of FCD may be more apparent on one sequence but not another. There are several challenges associated with training a model, such as lack of ground-truth, and unbiased data. We will address the ground-truth issue by building a pixel-level ground truth, and the unbiased data problem by sampling the healthy data to match the number of lesional data. We developed 5 models working on different inputs and generating coarse to fine localization of the lesion and compared their performances on MR-positive and MR-negative subjects. Our data was acquired from the SickKids hospital in Toronto and consisted of 56 MR-positive, 24 MR-negative, and 15 healthy patients. Our multi-sequence model successfully classified all healthy cases. Furthermore, it detected 55 MR-positive and 22 MR-negative subjects. We obtained 74% and 68% lesion coverage for MR-positive and MR-negative subjects, respectively. Based on our experiments FCN is a promising tool in segmentation and detection of FCD cases given the MRI data.


title: Assessing the use of DNA expert evidence, by justice system participants, in Ontario criminal courts

subject:
DNA
Random match probability
Transcript
Expert testimony
Justice system

abstract:
What happens to forensic DNA opinion evidence when the expert witness is not present in the courtroom? Research addressing this issue has largely been focused on polling lawyers regarding their perceptions of DNA evidence, as well as studies of juror understanding of DNA expert evidence in real and mock court situations. This thesis attempted to address the question in a different way, by analyzing transcripts of expert DNA evidence, opening & closing addresses, and judges’ instructions to juries, for cases that have passed through the Ontario criminal courts within the past fifteen years. This project is the first assessment of Canadian criminal court case transcripts, comparing expert DNA evidence with the (largely) non-scientist attorneys’ and judges’ inferred understanding and use of that evidence. Trial transcripts from cases involving DNA expert evidence were located by keyword searching Ontario Court of Appeal decisions via the Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLii) public online database.
     This research question was approached from a social science methodology, making use of both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Quantitative analysis was conceptualized first, as a survey that was developed to track topics of interest in Interval Ratio and Nominal variable form. Qualitative Data Analysis (QDA) Miner 4 Lite™ was used to code sections of these transcripts and complete the survey. Coded sections involved random match probabilities (RMPs), likelihood ratios (LR), mitochondrial & Y-STR lineage confidence intervals, as well as body fluid attribution statements by attorneys and judges. These transcript excerpts were compared to each case’s respective DNA expert testimony. This enabled the application of qualitative analysis of question and response exposition within the expert testimonies. The survey data were inputted into IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics 24 for pattern analysis and descriptive statistics.
For example, the sets of cases studied (N=32), contained 101 autosomal random match probability statements provided by DNA experts. Many times these RMPs did not enter into the crown summations (only 48.5%), defence summations (only 31.7%) or judges’ instructions (only 57.4%). When attorneys and judges did discuss and review the DNA statistical evidence, mistakes and misstatements occurred in the majority of instances – these mistakes included statistical fallacies and numerical misstatements.
     This research suggests a lacunae of knowledge with respect to the meaning of DNA evidence, and in particular, the correct understanding and communication of the RMP estimate of statistical weight of DNA profile comparison evidence. Further research is recommended, to address the use of transfer and persistence expert testimony, as well as testimony regarding complex mixture profile interpretations and comparisons


title: An AFE based embedded system for physiological computing

subject:
Health monitor
Blood pressure
Analog front end
Pulse transit time
Single board computer

abstract:
The present hospital-based health care system will be burdened because of the growing aging population. Aging and stress result in cardiovascular diseases that cost around seventeen million lives globally every year. To control cardiovascular ailments, at-home monitoring of blood pressure is very important which helps diet control and promote medication adherence. The present health monitors are by default bulky, daunting, invasive, and not suitable for home use. The de-facto architecture of such systems entails discrete sensors and analog sub-systems known as the analog front end (AFE) for biosignal acquisition, conditioning, and vital bridging function. Being discrete and analog, signal processing is limited. Besides, with large form factor, component counts and power consumption increase with the constant need for calibration.
For more than one century, the non‐invasive measurement of blood pressure has relied on the inflation of pneumatic cuffs around a limb. In addition to being occlusive and thus cumbersome, clinical cuff‐based methods, provide intermittent BP readings, hence impeding the suitable monitoring of short‐term BP regulation mechanisms. Cuff‐based methods may not be a true representative of BP. Therefore, the development of novel technologies that eliminate the use of pneumatic cuffs is justified.
In this thesis, I present a highly integrated programmable AFE based biosignal computing platform, named TasDiag. TasDiag is a novel, integrated, remote platform capable of multimodal biosignal computing including non-invasive, continuous, and cuff-less BP estimation based on pulse transit time. Being integrated, and digital, TasDiag is a single board solution with an auto calibration scheme implemented through novel signal processing and computing. The developed system is validated using real-time data from human subjects and subjected to various statistical analyses for performance and accuracy. Test results show TasDiag comply with the Association for Advancement for Medical Instrumentation standard and can replace its industry-standard counterparts.

abstract: University of Ontario Institute of Technology


title: Comparative analysis of deep learning and graph cut algorithms for cell image segmentation

subject:
Image segmentation
Graph cut
Deep learning
Medical imaging

abstract:
Image segmentation is a commonly used technique in digital image processing with many applications in the area of computer vision and medical image analysis. The goal of image segmentation is to partition an image into multiple regions, normally based on the characteristics of pixels in a given image. Image segmentation could involve separating the foreground from background in an image, or clustering image regions based on similarities in intensity, color, or shape.
In this thesis, we consider the problem of cell image segmentation and evaluate the performance of two major techniques on a dataset of cell image sequences. First, we apply a traditional segmentation algorithm based on the so-called graph cut that addresses the segmentation problem using an energy minimization scheme defined on a weighted graph. Second, we use modern techniques based on deep neural networks, namely U-Net and LSTM that have a time-consuming training and a relatively quick testing phase.
Performance of each technique will be analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively based on various standard measures and will be compared statistically.


title: Sodium reduction challenges and facilitators in breads and processed poultry products: an industry perspective

contributor:
Gamble, Brenda
Ryan-Harshman, Milly

subject:
Sodium reduction
Breads
Processed poultry

abstract: Excessive consumption of sodium has been shown to cause high blood pressure (Garriguet, 2007). The breads and processed meat categories were identified as the highest contributors to sodium consumption within the Canadian population. The goal of this research is to identify the challenges associated with reducing sodium in bread and processed poultry products within the food industry in Canada. Results are based on 10 interviews with industry experts as well as a review of relevant industry documents related to industry’s sodium reduction policies. Reaching Health Canada’s target of 25 percent sodium reduction has been challenging for industry. Reducing sodium is only one of industry’s priorities, which also include producing a product that is marketable to the Canadian public in terms of taste, shelf life, and aesthetics. Sodium reduction labeling policies set out by Health Canada have further restricted industries ability to communicate to the public products where sodium reduction has been achieved but fall short of the 25 percent target set by Health Canada. More time is required to drive public desire for sodium reduced products and for the industry to reduce sodium. More research is also required for consumer friendly, cost effective sodium replacement alternatives.


title: An applied comparison of eyewitness lineup procedures: New Jersey v. England and Wales' PACE v. New York.

subject:
New Jersey
PACE
New York
Sequential
Simultaneous

abstract: In response to the growing recognition of wrongful conviction and the role that mistaken identification (ID) plays in these miscarriages of justice, some countries, states, and police departments have developed new guidelines for eyewitness ID procedures (Smith & Cutler, 2013a). The guidelines vary considerably, however, in their recommendations. The present research compared the performance of three reformed, ‘packaged’ lineup procedures: The New Jersey, England and Wales’ PACE (Police and Criminal Evidence), and New York procedures. The benefit of having examined current lineup procedures in a laboratory environment was that it allowed for precise measures of accuracy. Lineup type did not influence correct IDs in perpetrator-present conditions, but correct rejections were significantly more likely in the New York procedure when the perpetrator was absent. Causal conclusions from the findings could not be derived in view of the applied nature of the experiment, but important implications for policy and research are discussed.


title: Infrastructure for secure medical image sharing between distributed PACS and DI-r systems.

subject:
Access control
PACS
DI-r
OpenID
OAuth

abstract:
Recent developments in information and communication technologies and their incor-
poration into the medical domain have opened doors for the enhancement of health care
services and thereby increasing the work
ow at a reasonable rate. However, to implement
such services, current medical system needs to be
exible enough to support integration
with other systems. This integration should be achieved in a secure manner and the
resultant service should be made available to all health professionals and patients. This
thesis proposes a new infrastructure for secure medical image sharing between legacy
PACS and DI-r. The solution employs OpenID standard for user authentication, OAuth
service to grant authorization and IHE XDS-I pro les to store and retrieve medical im-
ages and associated meta data. In the proposed infrastructure cooperative agents are
employed to provide a user action, patient consent and system policy based access con-
trol mechanism to securely share medical images. This allows safe integration of PACS
and DI-r systems within a standard EHR system. In addition to this, a behavior-pattern
based security policy enhancement feature is added to the system to assist the system
security administrator. The resulting secure and interoperable medical imaging systems
are easy to expand and maintain. Behavior of the entire system is analysed using general-
purpose model driven development tool IBM Rational Rhapsody. The code generation
and animation capability of the tool makes it powerful for running e ective simulations.
We mainly explore the use of state charts and their interactions with MySQL database
to learn the behavior of the system.


title: Application of traveling salesman problem in generating a collision-free tool path in drilling

subject:
Drilling
Tool path optimization
Collision-free tool path
TSP
Local search method

abstract: In machining, the tool path is generated according to the workpiece geometry and arrangement of holes. Majority of Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software offer a set of predefined strategies to choose from. These tool paths are mostly far from being the optimum path, specifically for complex geometries with non-flat surfaces. This thesis introduces a new algorithm based on Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP). The proposed local search algorithm generates an optimum collision free tool path in drilling operations. The developed optimization algorithm considers multiple constraints such as location of tool origin and presence of obstacles. Furthermore, a discussion on stopping criteria for the developed algorithm is presented. Obtained results confirm the proposed algorithm is capable of providing optimum collision free path with more than 50% reduction (in given examples) in path length compared to the HSMWorks software.


title: Mobility modeling and topology prediction in cognitive mobile networks

subject:
Situational awareness
Localization
MANET
Filters

abstract:
The purpose of this thesis is to analyze a non-intrusive connectivity visualization method for
OLSR-based MANET topology in different mobility models. The visualization relies on the local
topology databases (neighborhood database and topology database) available in OLSR nodes in
the network. Two different views are considered in this method: central view and nodal view. In
the central view, the network topology is viewed from a control center which has access to the
databases of all nodes, while on the other hand, the nodal visualization provides a picture of the
network topology from individual nodes point of view. In this thesis, the full view of the network
has been compared to the nodal view to calculate the error rate for topology discovery, based on
the total numbers of active and undiscovered links.
The main contribution of this thesis is to analyze and improve the accuracy of coarse localization
techniques under different mobility models, using the Force-directed algorithm to calculate the
approximate location of the nodes. The localization information was gathered from layer-3
connectivity, utilizing anchor nodes that are equipped with GPS and other non-GPS nodes instead
of using traditional methods that include received signal strength, time of arrival and angle of
arrival. The approximate location information of the nodes derived from this technique has been
compared with original node location in order to determine the accuracy of this technique. To
improve the accuracy, several mobility prediction filters such as moving average filter, Kalman
filter and low pass filter have been applied to the approximate location data. The simulation is
done to calculate the error between the original location data and the coarse approximations, and
the results shows that Moving Average provides the best results.


title: User behavior pattern based security provisioning for distributed systems

subject:
User behavior pattern
Data mining
Synthetic dataset generation
Security provisioning

abstract:
Behaviors of authorized users must be monitored and controlled due to the rise
of insider threats. Security analysts in large distributed systems are overwhelmed
by the number of system users, the complexity and changing nature of user activities.
Identifying user behavior patterns by analyzing audit logs is challenging.
Lacking a general user behavior pattern model restricts the effective usage of data
mining techniques. Limited access to real world audit logs due to privacy concerns
also blocks user behavior leaning. The central problem addressed in this thesis is
the need to assist security analysts obtain deep insight into user behavior patterns.
To address the research problem, the thesis defines a user behavior pattern
as consisting of four factors: actor, action sequence, context, and time interval.
Based on this behavior pattern model, the thesis proposes a knowledge-driven
user behavior pattern discovery approach, with step-by-step guidance for security
analysts throughout the whole process. The user behavior pattern mining process
are all uniformly represented using a formalism. A user/tool collaborative environment
on top of data mining techniques is designed for constructing a baseline
of common behavior patterns to individuals, peer groups, and specific contexts.
A prototype toolkit that is developed as part of this thesis provides an environment
for user behavior pattern mining and analysis. To evaluate the proposed
approach, a behavior-based dataset generator is developed to simulate audit logs
containing designed user behavior patterns. Moreover, two real world datasets
collected from distributed medical imaging systems and public cloud services are
respectively applied to test the proposed model.


title: Spring Stepper: a makerspace controller for seated hands-free locomotion in virtual reality

subject:
Virtual reality
Locomotion
Makerspace

abstract: Natural locomotion is crucial for improving presence in a virtual environment (VE), while also reducing simulator sickness. While research in various areas of virtual reality (VR), such as head-mounted displays (HMD) and optical tracking, has been advancing at an unprecedented rate, there is currently a lack of suitable hands-free locomotion devices for VR, with most existing locomotion solutions involving complex, high-cost systems. This thesis presents the Spring Stepper, a hands-free, consumer-level seated VR locomotion controller. The presented system is created with open- source readily available development tools, commonly known as "makerspace" tools, such as 3D printing and Arduino, an open electronics platform. The full design and development process of the system is discussed, including analyzing existing literature to gather requirements, and the iterative design process to create the prototype. Finally, the prototype was validated through user testing by comparing it to existing consumer-level seated VR locomotion devices for speed, ability to allow accurate hand interactions, and usability.


title: The effect of hand dominance on manual arm strength

subject:
Hand dominance
Manual arm strength
Upper extremity
Handedness
Strength

abstract: In the design of manual work tasks, considering task demands in the context of human strength capability has been vital to assessing workplace musculoskeletal injury risk. This is particularly true for the upper extremities, which are often relied upon to produce manual forces in most occupational manufacturing tasks. Despite workers commonly utilizing both limbs in the workplace, the effect of hand dominance on any type of upper extremity strength is relatively underexplored. In several ergonomics models of strength capacity, the non-dominant hand is assumed to be approximately 10% weaker than the dominant hand, but this heuristic is primarily based on grip strength data and does not account for potential differences between handedness (i.e. left- vs right-handers) and sex (males vs females). As such, the purpose of this research is to examine how manual arm strength differs between the dominant and non-dominant limbs in a sample of right and left-handed males and females.


title: Development of truck tire-terrain finite element analysis models.

subject:
FEA
SPH
Tires
Soils
Rolling resistance

abstract:
Heavy vehicles require tires which can withstand extreme loads while maintaining control,
delivering performance and minimizing fuel consumption, particularly on soft soils. Recent
advances in finite element analysis and computational efficiency have opened doors to highperformance,
highly complex simulations which were not possible just a few years ago.
This research aims to model two tires using non-linear finite element analysis code and validate
them using static and dynamic tests, including response to steering input. Soils are modeled
using both traditionally-meshed FEA techniques as well as a newer mesh-less smoothed particle hydrodynamics method. Soils are validated and the accuracy of the SPH and FEA models are
compared. The tires and soils are used together to estimate the rolling resistance of the tire over
various terrains.
The developed soil models are sufficient to model soils behaving like clay. The SPH soil models
behave closer to actual soils, providing superior penetration and shear properties. This causes the
SPH soil models to exhibit rolling resistance closer to experimental data.


title: The impact of an online collaboration tool on first-year community college students’ learning of expository writing

subject:
Expository writing
Integrated reading-writing
Technology
Collaboration
Community college

abstract: This exploratory study examined the reading-writing connection and the effects of online collaboration through the use of OneNote on improving the expository writing performance of first-year community college students. The intervention was a 10-week integrated reading and writing instructional program focused on systematically developing discrete expository writing skills each week. Peer collaboration and technology were used to support students in developing higher-order cognitive skills characteristic of source-based writing. Data were collected from 70 students enrolled in four sections of a communications course in a large community college, with sections assigned to either a control or treatment group. Pre- and post-writing tests and standardized reading tests measuring three different reading attributes were analyzed to examine correlations and performance of the control and treatment groups. The findings included a significant difference in the treatment lower-proficiency sub-group’s writing performance, indicating that the instructional framework with the technology-supported collaborative setting had a positive effect.


title: Joint channel pairing and power allocation optimization in two-way multichannel relaying.

contributor:
Dong, Min
ShahbazPanahi, Shahram

subject:
Two-way
Multichannel relaying

abstract:
We consider two-way amplify-and-forward relaying in a multichannel system with two
end nodes and a single relay, using a two-slot multi-access broadcast (MABC) as well as
time-division broadcast (TDBC) relaying strategies. We investigate the problem of joint
subchannel pairing and power allocation to maximize the achievable sum-rate in the network,
under an individual power budget at each node. To solve this challenging joint optimization
problem, an iterative approach is proposed to decompose the problem into pairing
optimization and joint power allocation optimization, and solve them iteratively.
For given power allocation, we first consider the problem of subchannel pairing at the
relay to maximize the achievable sum rate in TDBC-based network. Unlike in the one-way
relaying case, our result shows that there exists no explicit SNR-based subchannel pairing
strategy that is optimal for sum-rate maximization for two-way relaying.
Nonetheless, for TDBC-based two way relaying, we formulate the pairing optimization
as an axial 3-D assignment problem which is NP-hard, and propose an iterative optimization
method to solve it with complexity O(N3). Based on SNR over each subchannel, we
also propose sorting-based algorithms for scenarios with and without direct link, with a low
complexity of O(N logN).
For the joint power allocation at the relay and the two end nodes, we propose another
iterative optimization procedure to optimize the power at the two end nodes and at the relay
iteratively. By using different forms of optimization parameters, the sum-rate maximization
problem turns out to be convex and the optimal solutions can be obtained for each
subproblem.
The simulation first demonstrates the proposed sorting-based pairing algorithm offers
the performance very close to the iterative optimization method. Then, shows the gain of
joint optimization approach over other pairing-only or power-allocation-only optimization
approaches.


title: Design and development of an automated pellet inspection system for nuclear fuel pellets

subject: Uranium Pellet Automated Inspection Non-destructive

abstract:
A prototype for inline, non-destructive inspection of uranium dioxide (UO2) fuel pellets
at production speeds of two pellets per second is presented. The system tests
the surface of each cylindrical ceramic pellet using three different methods: laser
2D profile, laser surface roughness, and machine vision camera. The arrangement
of these sensors allows for complete cylindrical and end surface inspection of every
pellet, which are judged against manufacturing visual inspection criteria. Sensor selection
and inspection arrangement have already been developed in past work, the
present advancements are in the area of system refinement and automation. Internal
non-destructive testing techniques of the dense ceramic pellets are explored, but ultimately
efforts are placed on the completion and testing of the inspection prototype. A
simple yet effective TRIZ-based pellet handling system using gravity feed is designed
and integrated, along with real-time control software developed in Lab VIEW. The
machine vision algorithm and illumination setup are adapted to overcome challenges
identified with actual UO2 pellets. Testing is performed to optimize the system's false
positive and defect detection results, from which the more common defect types are
tested and system statistical false detection rates are calculated. With relatively low
error rates and successful detection of all sample defects, the automated system is
validated for inspection of UO2 pellets.


title: Design, analysis, and control of switched supercapacitor banks for e-transportation electric energy storage systems

subject:
Bank switching
Dc-dc power converter
Electric vehicles
Hybrid energy storage systems
Supercapacitors

abstract:
The hybridization of supercapacitors (SCs) with batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) improves the battery life, acceleration, and driving range. However, the efficiency of the power interface that unites the batteries and SCs are affected due to wide voltage variations at the SC bank terminals. Moreover, the SC bank offers low storage that restricts them from serving a continuous series of transient load demands on a single charge.
A novel bank switching architecture for SCs is introduced to enhance the power delivery duration and energy utilization of SCs with controlled terminal voltage variations. A simple transition control strategy is proposed to effectively switch the SCs. The efficacy of the proposed work is validated using simulations and experimental studies on a laboratory-developed prototype. Furthermore, the suitability of the proposed SC bank in HESS for an EV is verified with four standard driving cycles, in terms of voltage variations, and depth of discharge.


title: Children’s perceptions of mindfulness apps for enhanced learning

subject:
Mindfulness
Apps
Classroom
Regulation
Smiling Mind

abstract: Mindfulness, a practice that focuses on controlling breathing and the flight or fight response, has been used in schools to support students. This study explored student and teacher perceptions of a mindfulness app, Smiling Mind, used in a grade four ESL classroom over 16 weeks to develop emotional regulation to support learning. A mixed-method approach was used to answer the research questions: (1) did the students enjoy the mindfulness app and (2) did they perceive any influences from the app on their behaviour or learning? The results indicate that the students enjoyed and felt calmer using the app. Improvements in on-task behaviour and emotional regulation were also observed.


title: Design and development of a novel lightweight long-reach composite robotic arm

contributor:
Nokleby, Scott
Pop-Iliev, Remon

subject:
metallic robotic arms
polymeric composite materials
long-reach robotic arms
carbon fiber-epoxy composite

abstract:
Metallic robotic arms, or manipulators, currently dominate automated industrial operations, but
due to their intrinsic weight, have limited usefulness for large-scale applications in terms of
precision, speed, and repeatability. This thesis focuses on exploring the feasibility of using
polymeric composite materials for the construction of long-reach robotic arms. Different
manipulator layouts were investigated and an ideal design was selected for a robotic arm that has
a 5 [m] reach, 50 [kg] payload, and is intended to operate on large objects with complex
curvature.
The cross-sectional geometry of the links of the arm were analyzed for optimal stiffness- and
strength-to-weight ratios that are capable of preserving high precision and repeatability under
time-dependent external excitations. The results lead to a novel multi-segment link design and
method of production.
A proof-of-concept prototype of a two degrees-of-freedom (2-DOF) robotic arm with a reach of
1.75 [m] was developed. Both static and repeatability testing were performed for verification.
The results indicated that the prototype robot main-arm constructed of carbon fiber-epoxy
composite material provides good stiffness-to-weight and strength-to-weight ratios. Finite
element analysis (FEA) was performed on a 3-D computer model of the arm. Successful
verification led to the use of the 3-D model to define the dimensions of an industrial-sized robotic
arm. The results obtained indicate high stiffness and minimal deflection while achieving a
significant weight reduction when compared to commercial arms of the same size and capability.


title: Exploring young children’s ideas about wearable technology: a case study

contributor:
Van Nuland, Shirley
Pedersen, Isabel

subject:
Wearable technology
Child-computer interaction
Mosaic approach to ethnography
Constructionism
Empowerment

abstract: This case study, which forms a part of the Kids, Creative Storyworlds and Wearables project, explores children’s perspectives on wearable technology through their stories and other creative ideas inspired by wearable technology. Five children between the ages of four and seven were each given a smartwatch and were interviewed three times over the span of four weeks. Using a multi-method approach, inspired by the Mosaic approach to ethnography (Clark & Moss, 2011; Clark, 2005) and social semiotics (Kress and van Leeuwen, 2006; Kress, 1997), children were invited to share their ideas in a variety of ways (face-to-face discussion, oral storytelling, written text, drawings). This research viewed children as meaning-makers and sign-makers. Results supported and extended elements of Papert’s constructionist learning theory and Sutton Smith’s “play as a viability variable” theory (2008) and provided novel insights relevant to formal education practices. Empowerment is a key theme that emerged from this case study.

abstract: University of Ontario Institute of Technology


title: Design and analysis of an active underbody aerodynamic device for tractor trailers

subject:
CFD
Aerodynamics
Tractor-trailer
Underbody device
Drag reduction

abstract: At highway speeds, up to 65 % of the total energy used by large trucks is for overcoming aerodynamic drag. The underbody region of a tractor-trailer is responsible for up to 30 % of the aerodynamic drag on tractor-trailers, which is the highest drag created by any region on the vehicle. In this study, a novel concept of an active underbody drag reduction device is developed and investigated. The device was evaluated and optimized using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques. It successfully decreased the drag coefficient of the tractor-trailer model by 4.1 %. Additionally, the device eliminated the underbody recirculation region and reduced the negative adverse pressure in the wake. A novel mechanism is also developed to allow for the active deployment of the device to mitigate some operational issues such as roadway protrusions, parasitic drag at low speeds, snow and dirt accumulation.


title: An investigation of adolescent girls’ critical media health literacy in a body-positive program

subject:
Critical media literacy
Health literacy
Body image
Self-esteem
Health determinants

abstract: This Master’s thesis describes a research study that examines media artifacts created by 26 adolescent girls participating in a four-week body-positive program. Employing a qualitative case study method, this study explores how girls respond to a program which promotes health, body image, self-esteem, physical activity, and critical awareness. Research questions explore girls’ understandings and potential responses to critical health media discussions. The participants deconstructed and reconstructed digital media. Data include interviews about creating the digital artifacts and analysis of the artifacts using a critical health media literacy framework developed for this study. Findings indicate that most artifacts were “approaching critical health media literacy” showing that girls recognize how media commodify health and this requires awareness and social action responses. The participants’ discourse revealed similar findings. More research is needed in this area in order to measure the resilience and empowerment outcomes from critical health media literacy programs for adolescents.


title: Life with HIV in a suburban community: an exploration of experiences pertaining to health and social care service access

subject:
Community-based care
Suburban community
Transportation
Interprofessional care
HIV

abstract:
Literature examines HIV within urban or rural contexts; the suburban gradient is not
sufficiently described, despite how an overwhelming proportion of Canadians live in this
form of community. This inquiry investigated how people living with HIV (PLWH) in a
suburban, Ontario, Canada community access health and social care services. Using
hermeneutic phenomenology associated with Martin Heidegger, in-depth interviews with
PLWH were conducted to understand their experience of accessing care. Thirteen  co-participants were interviewed and six metathemes were identified in their experiences:
fear of disclosure and stigmatization; personal and unintentional biases about HIV;
isolation; transportation, cost, and time: barriers to access; flawed delivery of health care
services; and inefficient, antiquated social care service delivery. These findings have
implications for community-based, interprofessional health and social care services; how
health and social care services are delivered; health care professional training and
sensitivity to the diverse needs of PLWH; and ageing with HIV.


title: Energy-economic model for transition to renewables

contributor:
Berg, Peter
Buono, Pietro-Luciano

subject:
Energy production
Natural resources
Renewable resources
Hubbert-type model
Non-renewable resources
Runge-Kutta fourth order solution
DASSL
DAE solver package

abstract:
Presented in this thesis is a macro-economic model based on a three-factor production
function, utilizing energy, capital, and labour as the three production factors. With a
primary focus on energy production we include two sources of energy, the  rst derived
from a  xed amount of natural resources and the other generated from renewable sources.
The production of energy from non-renewable sources is based on a Hubbert-type model
of extraction. The production of energy from renewables is dependent on investment,
innovation, and a natural limit to energy production. We also seek to include an aspect
of investment in technology through the inclusion of e ciency and innovation factors.
Two models of growth are examined for e ciency and innovation. The model, a set
of di erential algebraic equations, has been implemented in a C++ program which is
provided at the end of this thesis. We provide two solution methods, the  rst based on
a classic Runge-Kutta fourth order solution combined with Newton's method, and the
second an implementation of the DASSL implicit DAE solver package. The model shows a
promising incremental improvement over the model proposed by Berg et al. [2], however
the sheer volume of parameters and the extensive sensitivity of the model to certain
parameters introduces new di culties in estimating values and hence the con fidence in
long term predictions made.


title: Learning image enhancement and object localization using evolutionary algorithms

subject:
Hybrid GP-DE
Learning image enhancement

abstract:
Imaging and image processing have been used in variety of applications, such as medical,
astronomy, forensic, and industry. Numerous techniques have been proposed to solve
speci c problems faced in particular applications which are comprised of a series of processes
such as, image enhancement,  ltering, segmentation, representation, and recognition.
However, there is no a universal algorithm which can be applied to variant image modalities
with corresponding applications.
With the aim of learning image processing tasks, as supervised learning techniques, we
can develop e ective algorithms which are image and task oriented. Learning image processing
comprises two main phases, namely: training and testing phases. During training
phase, the algorithm has the capability of discovering and adjusting an optimum transformation
function or optimal mathematical morphology chain by utilizing a user-prepared
ground-truth (gold) sample. Later on, in testing phase, the obtained transform function
of morphological chain is applied to untrained test images.
The current thesis has three main parts as follows. In the  rst part, genetic programming
(GP) is employed to obtain an optimum transformation function. The GP utilizes
one user-prepared gold sample to learn from. The magni cent feature of this method is
that it does not require a prior knowledge or large training set to learn from. The performance
of the proposed approach has been examined on 147 X-ray lung images. The
results for image thresholding (i.e., Otsu's method) after applying optimal transformation
are promising.
In the second part, an optimum mathematical morphology (MM) chain is obtained by
applying GP to localize the object of interest in a binary image. Morphology operations
use 27 regular structuring elements along with commonly used morphological operations
(i.e., erosion, dilation, opening, and closing) to build an optimal MM chain. The obtained
chains are tested against challenging test cases, such as, object translation, scaling, and
rotation.
In the third part, a hybrid genetic programming - di erential evolutionary (GP-DE)
algorithm is proposed to optimize not only the morphology chain but also the utilized
structuring elements. GP as an outer layer optimizer is responsible to optimize the morphology
chain while the di erential evolutionary (DE) as an inner layer optimizer optimizes
the structure elements. Similarly in the testing phase, the obtained morphology chain is
applied on test images. In term of utilized test images, the two test cases have been employed
: synthesis and music note images. The results indicate that the proposed method
is able to locate the object of interest. For the music note images, the proposed approach
is able to extract the head notes, sta s, and vertical lines correctly. The training phase is
iii
time consuming, but it is acceptable; because one time training is required to obtain an
optimal chain for a speci c image processing task.


title: Arthropod successionin Whitehorse, Yukon Territory and compared development of protophormia terraenovae (R. -D.) from Beringia and the Great Lakes Region

subject:
Forensic entomology
Decomposition
Protophormia terraenovae
Minimum development threshold

abstract: Forensic medicocriminal entomology is used in the estimation of post-mortem intervals in death investigations, by means of arthropod succession patterns and the development rates of individual insect species. The purpose of this research was to determine arthropod succession patterns in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, and compare the development rates of the dominant blowfly species (Protophormia terraenovae R.-D.) to another population collected in Oshawa, Ontario. Decomposition in Whitehorse occurred at a much slower rate than is expected for the summer season, and the singularly dominant blowfly species is not considered dominant or a primary colonizer in more southern regions. Development rates of P. terraenovae were determined for both fluctuating and two constant temperatures. Under natural fluctuating conditions, there was no significant difference in growth rate between studied biotypes. Results at repeated 10°C conditions varied, though neither biotype completed development indicating the published minimum development thresholds for this species are underestimated.


title: Bioelectrical impedance analysis as a predictor of fish health and energy content in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

subject:
Bioelectrical impedance analysis
Rainbow trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
Body composition

abstract: Assessing the health of a fish is an essential part to aquaculture and fish research. This is traditionally done by measuring body content using bomb calorimetry or proximate composition analysis; however, both of these methods necessitate sacrificing the fish in order to obtain accurate data. This has led to research into novel non-lethal methods of analyzing fish tissue so as to determine the body composition and health condition of fish without sacrificing the animal. One such method is Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA). BIA is a quick, non-lethal procedure that can estimate the body content of fish by passing an electric current between two electrodes through the tissue of the fish. The focus of this study is to develop predictive equations non-lethally determine the water content, dry mass and energy content of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and to determine whether the electrode position has an effect on the predictive capability of these equations. Three different sizes of juvenile rainbow trout were obtained: small (150mm length), medium (230mm length) and large (300mm length) and fasted over a period of two weeks. A third of each size group was sampled at the beginning of the fasting period and once every week after. Bioimpedance was measured along the dorsal, lateral and ventral axis of each fish. Tissue from each fish was obtained during sampling and analyzed afterward for energy content using bomb calorimetry. The results of this BIA study demonstrated a strong correlation between the BIA readings and total water content (r2=0.9170), dry mass (r2=0.9064) and energy content (r2=0.9149). The best predictive equations were developed from the dorsal BIA readings. These results indicate that BIA may be used as an accurate tool to non-lethally determine the energy content and health of rainbow trout in future studies.


title: A cross-sectional survey on the effects of temperature and humidity on health outcomes in individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: a pilot study

subject:
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Temperature
Humidity
Health status
Physical activity

abstract: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), a progressive respiratory disorder, is the third leading cause of death globally. Temperature and humidity weather extremes influence the respiratory system. A cross-sectional self-reported survey assessed extremes of temperature and humidity on health outcomes in three conditions: moderate or ideal, and extremes of hot and humid, and cold and dry. Due to the challenge of recruitment, we included a small sample of individuals with COPD and related chronic respiratory diseases for this pilot study. Results (n=37, mean age 65 years) found both extreme conditions were associated with lower health status, decreased amount and difficulty level of physical activity, higher exacerbations, increased rescue inhaler use and hospitalizations. Future prospective research should consider confounders, disease severity, individual geographical regions, and spectrums of temperature and humidity. Understanding the effects of temperature on COPD outcomes will help create a foundation of self-management programs for individuals living with COPD conditions.


title: Energy, exergy and cost analyses of nuclear-based hydrogen production via thermochemical water decomposition using a copper-chlorine (Cu-CI) cycle

contributor:
Dincer, Ibrahim
Rosen, Marc A.

subject:
Hydrogen
Thermochemical water decomposition
Energy
Exergy
Nuclear
Cost analysis

abstract: In this thesis the Copper-Chlorine (Cu-CI) thermochemical cycle and its components as well as operational and environmental conditions are defined, and a comprehensive thermodynamic analysis of a Cu-CI thermochemical cycle, including the relevant chemical reactions, is performed.  Also the performance of each component/process is evaluated through energy and exergy efficiencies.  Various parametric studies on energetic and exergetic aspects with variable reaction and reference-environment temperatures are carried out.  A detailed analysis of the general methodology of cost estimation for the proposed process, including all cost items with their percentages, the factors that affect accuracy, and a scaling method, is also presented.


title: Performance investigation of various cold thermal energy storages

subject:
Thermal energy storage
Heat transfer
Energy
Exergy
Encapsulated ice

abstract: This study deals with solidification and melting of some typical encapsulated ice thermal energy storage geometries.  Using ANSYS GAMBIT and FLUENT 6.0 software, HTF fluid motion past encapsulated water (ice) geometries, varying HTF flow rates and inlet temperatures are analyzed. The main source of irreversibility was from entropy generation accompanying phase change, although viscous dissipation losses were included. Energy efficiencies were well over 99% for all cases, while exergy efficiencies ranged from 70% to 92%.  By far, the most influential variable was the inlet HTF temperature; higher efficiencies resulted from inlet HTF temperatures closer to the solidification temperature of water.


title: Claims-aware middleware for securing IoT services

subject:
Claims
Internet of Things
Microservices
Security

abstract: Take a look at the world around us. There has been tremendous change in the way of living. With the world around us getting smart, Internet of Things is gaining ground in our life. Applications like smart home and eHealth are so user friendly that any person with zero programming background is able to use it. But for the developer, due to the ubiquitous nature and distributed architecture of IoT which includes devices, applications and humans, it presents a complex structure. Also, the incorporation of thousands of heterogeneous things with different configurations into a single network creates the risk of threat against security and privacy. These challenges make the significance of a middleware important. Middleware is a software layer that provides the platform for various devices with different protocols to communicate with ease and provides all the functions intended for a particular task. Hosting these tasks as microservices simplifies the job of an application developer. In this thesis work, we introduce a claims-aware middleware to address one of the major challenges in IoT which is security. A proof of concept has been developed by implementing a prototype of our framework. The evaluation results of the prototype show the feasibility and the stability of the security framework.


title: Hamming distance as a metric for the detection of side channel in 802.11 wireless communications

contributor:
Vargas Martin, Miguel
Liscano, Ramiro

subject:
Side channel
Covert communication
Anomaly detection
Wireless ad hoc network
Hamming distance

abstract:
A wireless network can be exploited in many ways. One way is through intentionally corrupting the Frame Check Sequence
(FCS) field by using a different Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) polynomial in order to create a side channel. Malicious nodes
exploit the fact that normal unsuspecting nodes will immediately drop erroneous frames. A metric called the Hamming
Distance (HD) was proposed for detection which distinguishes legitimate from illegitimate errors. The idea is to apply this HD
measure to compare CRC values that are generated by different CRC polynomials. The hypothesis is that the average HD
between two CRC values generated by two different CRC polynomial would be significantly far apart than those that are
generated by the same CRC polynomial. The results show that this HD metric is effective in detection of side channel frames.


title: Visual encoding quality and scalability in information visualization

subject:
HCI
Information visualization
Perception
Visual data analysis
Statistics

abstract:
Information visualization seeks to amplify cognition through interactive visual representations of data. It comprises human processes, such as perception and cognition, and computer processes, such as visual encoding. Visual encoding consists in mapping data variables to visual variables, and its quality is critical to the effectiveness of information visualizations.
The scalability of a visual encoding is the extent to which its quality is preserved as the parameters of the data grow. Scalable encodings offer good support for basic analytical tasks at scale by carrying design decisions that consider the limits of human perception and cognition. In this thesis, I present three case studies that explore different aspects of visual encoding quality and scalability: information loss, perceptual scalability, and discriminability. In the first study, I leverage information theory to model encoding quality in terms of information content and complexity. I examine how information loss and clutter affect the scalability of hierarchical visualizations and contribute an information-theoretic algorithm for adjusting these factors in visualizations of large datasets. The second study centers on the question of whether a data property (outlierness) can be lost in the visual encoding process due to saliency interference with other visual variables. I designed a controlled experiment to measure the effectiveness of motion outlier detection in complex multivariate scatterplots. The results suggest a saliency deficit effect whereby global saliency undermines support to tasks that rely on local saliency.
Finally, I investigate how discriminability, a classic visualization criterion, can explain recent empirical results on encoding effectiveness and provide the foundation for automated evaluation of visual encodings. I propose an approach for discriminability evaluation based on a perceptually motivated image similarity measure.


title: A pilot study to explore healthcare professionals’ perception of using a web-based reminiscence therapy to support dementia care during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

subject:
Dementia
Reminiscence therapy
Digital
Web-based
COVID-19

abstract:
Introduction: Reminiscence therapy (RT) is the most common non-pharmacological treatment for dementia care. The therapy stimulates the senses to evoke memories and may reduce Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD). Digital RT, such as web-based (WBRT), has the potential to support dementia care and reduce the caregiving burden. This study aimed to explore HCPs' perceptions of utilizing WBRT in institutionalized settings to manage BPSD during the COVID-19.
Method: A qualitative phenomenological descriptive study was adopted and guided by Graham’s Knowledge to Action framework. An online training on the use of WBRT was conducted, followed by qualitative interviews with HCPs.
Results: Four major themes were identified on the potential use of WBRT in dementia care, including usability and efficacy, impact on caregiving, capability of reducing BPSD, and. feasibility during COVID-19 social distancing.
Conclusion: The knowledge generated from this study will guide the future application of WBRT to support dementia care in diverse healthcare settings.


title: Development of an autonomous radiation mapping robot

contributor:
Nokleby, Scott
Waller, Ed

subject:
Radiation mapping
Autonomous sampling
Autonomous exploration
Mobile robotics

abstract:
The development of an autonomous robotic platform for generating radiation maps
is presented. An integrated autonomous exploration algorithm, Particle Swarm Optimization
algorithm, and the ability to accurately localize and map multiple radiation
sources in both indoor and outdoor environments using actual sources are features of
the system presented.
Radiation maps provide an easy to understand view of the invisible hazards that
radioactive sources pose. Previous methods of producing radiation maps either required
prior knowledge of the physical dimensions of the mapping area or needed the
intervention of a human operator. The method presented here improves on previous
methods in that it does not require prior knowledge of the area or the intervention of
an operator. The implementation consists of three main components: an exploration
algorithm, a navigation system, and a source localization system. The exploration
system guides the robot through the area instructing it to take radiation measurements
as necessary. The navigation system provides accurate localization to maintain
the accuracy of the measurements. The source localization system then uses the
measurements and a radiation model to produce an estimate of the source positions
and intensities. A live intensity heatmap displays preliminary information of the surroundings
while the robot is exploring the area, providing useful information from the
start of its operation. The intensity heatmap is updated while the robot explores,
providing a more detailed view as the robot progresses through an area.
The technical details of the implementation and the experimental results of the radiation
mapping capabilities of a fully Autonomous Radiation Mapping Robot (ARMR)
are presented in detail here. Multiple scenarios are tested, both in an outdoor and
indoor environment. In the scenarios an unknown configuration of Cesium 137 sources
is explored and mapped by the ARMR. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of
the ARMR as a tool for mapping radiation sources in unknown environments. Such
a system could be used for monitoring nuclear facilities or deployed in terrorist or
radiation accident scenarios.


title: Parametric investigation of flow-sound interaction mechanism of circular cylinders in cross-flow

subject:
Flow-excited acoustic resonance
Acoustic damping
Tandem cylinders
Cross-flow

abstract: Flow-excited acoustic resonance in heat exchangers has been an ongoing issue for the past century. The main challenge in this issue, is in the actual prediction of the resonance occurrence. This is due to the complexity of the flow-sound interaction mechanism that takes place between the packed cylinders. Most of the research lately has therefore shifted focus to simpler geometries that resemble the same mechanisms of flow-sound interaction found in actual heat-exchangers. The research presented hereafter summarizes an extensive experimental parametric work performed on multiple simple configurations such as single, tandem and side-by-side cylinders in cross-flow. The main objective of the research is to identify the critical parameters that should be included in the damping criteria to reliably predict the occurrence of acoustic resonance in tube bundles. Special attention is given to the geometrical characteristics of the duct (i.e. cross-sectional area) and how they affect the acoustic resonance. To achieve this; more than one hundred experiments have been performed in three different wind-tunnels of different cross-sectional areas. The research is motivated by the fact that most of the criteria developed to date, fail to predict the destructive phenomena of acoustic resonance in 30-40% of the cases.


title: Investigation of energy storage options for thermal management in hybrid electric vehicles

contributor:
Dincer, Ibrahim
Naterer, Greg F.

subject:
Battery pack
Hybrid electric vehicle
Phase change material
Thermal management system
Thermal conductivity

abstract: Electric and hybrid electric vehicles could have a significant role in the sustainable transportation. Higher power density lead to extra heat generation and thermal runaway in the Li-ion cells. Therefore, a successful thermal management system is required to prevent temperature increase and non-uninform distribution in the battery pack. In the current study, integration of a phase change material (PCM) in the cell and sub-module levels is investigated by using a finite volume based software. The first considered scenario is to use the phase change material in different thicknesses around the Li-ion cells. The simulation results show that the maximum temperature in the cell and temperature excursion in the sub-module are reduced when phase change material is applied. In addition, for the case when PCM is introduced in between the cells through a porous foam, up to a 7.7 K temperature decrease is observed in the sub-module compared with the case without phase change material. The second scenario is to design and optimize a shell and tube latent heat energy storage system to integrate with the active cooling system of the vehicle to decrease the cooling load.  Energy and exergy analyses have also been conducted for a new cooling system of the vehicle, in which the passive latent heat storage thermal management system is integrated with the active refrigeration cycle. The overall exergy efficiency of the system with PCM presence is 31%. In addition, results obtained by sing EES program show that an increase in PCM mass fraction results in an increased exergy efficiency of the system which is mainly due to the decrease of compressor work. In order to improve the thermal conductivity of n-octadecane as the selected phase change material, carbon nano-tubes and graphene nano-platelets are introduced with different mass concentrations. Morphological structure of pure and technical grade PCMs mixed with nano-particles is studied through the transmission and reflection optic microscopic methods. Results show that 6% concentration of carbon nano-tube has better effect in increasing the effective thermal conductivity of the PCM. Furthermore, partial agglomeration of the nanoparticles is observed in the experiments.

abstract: University of Ontario Institute of Technology


title: Design, optimization, and prototyping of a three translational degree of freedom parallel robot

subject: Parallel Robot Stiffness Dexterity Optimization

abstract:
This thesis presents an evolutionarily design change for the Delta parallel
robot. The proposed design change increases the useful workspace of the robot
and aids in permanently avoiding singularities in the workspace. This is accomplished by means of a new intermediate link parallel to the 4 bar linkage.
The addition of the new link simultaneously increases the total workspace
volume and decreases the dexterity without significantly affecting the stiffness.
The design is analyzed and the inverse kinematics, Jacobian, sti ness and
dexterity relations are formulated. The relations are then converted into a form
that is usable by MATLAB to calculate di erent workspaces that illustrate the
advantages of the new design. Subsequently, an optimization problem is formulated that aims to take advantage of the new attributes to create a balanced
robot that further illustrates the benefits of the new design. The results are
clearly illustrated by comparing plotted sections of workspace from both the
optimized and unoptimized workspace.
Lastly, the design is developed into a 3D model which is then fabricated into
a working prototype to test and verify functionality.


title: Compact microwave filter designs based on cavity resonators

subject:
Cavity resonators
Dual-band filter
Hybrid-coupled filter module

abstract:
Cavity resonators are widely used in microwave filters and multiplexers due to their high quality factor and high power handling capability. Compact designs of these filters are important for practical applications, as they are generally bulky. In this thesis, two types of compact microwave filter designs based on cavity resonators are developed.
Firstly, through the use of additional posts in irises of a dielectric resonator filter (DRF), a dual-band filter can be achieved. Metal posts, which can be realized using screws, are applied in the irises of dielectric resonator filters working as capacitive obstacles. These posts along with the irises and dielectric resonator enclosure, which work below cut-off, can form the resonators to function as an evanescent mode filter. With the existing dielectric resonator filter, a dual-band filter design can be achieved. Using a properly designed coaxial input/output structure, the two passbands can be tuned individually and then combined together. An example of the dual-band filter is designed and simulated to verify the design concept.
A new compact design of a hybrid-coupled filter module (HCFM) is also introduced in this thesis, for applications in communication satellites as a combiner. A conventional HCFM consists of two complete 3dB hybrid couplers and two identical passband filters in the middle. In this work, we use the inter-resonator couplings between two filters to replace one of the branches in a 3dB hybrid coupler used in HCFM to make the design more compact. Implementation of the new design is realized using waveguide filters, dielectric resonator filters and coaxial cavity filters. In all cases, the new structure preserves the responses of a conventional design. The circuit model in ADS and the 3D structure in electromagnetic (EM) simulator HFSS are built to verify the concept. Moreover, by using tuning screws in both cavity resonators and waveguide T-junctions, we achieve the tunability of the HCFM.


title: Data mining occurrences of infectious diseases with SNOMED CT

subject:
SNOMED CT
Data mining
World Health Organization
Infectious diseases
Simple CART theory
Naive Bayes
Best Fit Trees
World health statistics

abstract:
Synonyms within SNOMED CT’s structure give meaning to the clinical terminology.
The hypothesis in this thesis is that the number of synonyms of a disease within SNOMED
CT can be used to predict the number of occurrences of an infectious disease reported on by
the World Health Organization (WHO). Using simple Classification and Regression
(CART), Bayes theory, and Best Fit trees, prediction algorithms are created based on the
number of synonyms in infectious disease terms of SNOMED CT, the number of those
diseases world-wide, the region of occurrence of the disease, and the year of occurrence of
the disease. The results of experiments predict the number of occurrences of a disease
correctly 67% of the time by using Simple Cart method; Bayes and Best Fit Trees each
produce the correct number of occurrences 61% of the time.


title: Assessing neurophysiological and behavioural outcomes of the proximal upper limb muscles in response to novel motor skill acquisition

contributor:
Murphy, Bernadette
Yielder, Paul

subject:
Somatosensory evoked potentials
Motor training
Sensorimotor integration
Upper-limb
Motor learning

abstract: A single session of motor training with the distal upper limb muscles leads to changes in brain and spinal cord processing. However, the neuroplastic response of the proximal upper limb muscles to novel motor training has not been studied. The development of a proximal motor task which shows neurophysiological changes in response to motor learning will allow for future investigation of the neurophysiological changes associated with common occupational postures and movements, and provide a way to assess the neural consequences of ergonomic modifications on neural plasticity. This thesis found significant changes in neural activity, measured using somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) following a single session of motor training session with the proximal upper limb task. Additionally, sex-based differences in motor task performance were seen for the proximal upper-limb task, indicating a male advantage to gross motor tasks, with no sex differences seen when the same task was performed using the thumb.


title: Development and experimental analysis of a novel hybrid cooling concept for electric vehicle batteries

subject:
Hybrid cooling
Electric vehicle
Lithium-ion battery
Battery thermal management
Cell-level

abstract: In this thesis, a novel hybrid cooling concept for electric batteries is developed and studied at both the cell-level and pack-level experiments. The concept is based on a simple air-cooling duct that utilizes enhanced water vaporization by convection to achieve an effective cooling. A series of hydrophilic fiber channels containing a water coolant is exposed to a forced air coolant to extract the latent heat from the battery. Air-cooling and water-cooling methods are also studied to compare and prove the cooling performance. From the test results, the hybrid cooling showed a much greater potential for battery packs with higher energy and power density. At the cell level, the contacted hybrid cooling method was able to decrease the highest temperature rise by 82.9%, 69.6%, and 57.3% compared to that of the no-cooling, the air-cooling, and the water-cooling tests, respectively; and the temperature decreased by 60.9% and 47.0% compared to the air- and water-cooling respectively for the contactless hybrid cooling. The maximum cell-level temperature non-uniformity by the contacted and contactless hybrid cooling tests are 4 ℃. and 2℃, respectively. At the pack level, the contactless hybrid cooling provided more than 70% improvement in both the cooling efficiency and the temperature uniformity compared to the no-cooling baseline.


title: Probing the influence of relative humidity and temperature on the sulfonated silica ceramic carbon electrode for PEM fuel cell operation

subject: Proton exchange membrane fuel cell

subject: Sulfonated silica ceramic carbon electrode

subject: Relative humidity

subject: Cell temperature

subject: Durability

abstract: Operation of fuel cells under low relative humidity (RH) and high temperature is a useful way to cut-down cost and increase performance. However, the Nafion ionomer employed in the electrode of the conventional fuel cells performs poorly under low RH and temperatures above 80 °C due to dehydration. A sulfonated silica ceramic carbon electrode (SS-CCE) has been developed to replace the Nafion-based electrode (NBE) because of its hydrophilic and durable nature. Fuel cell testing and diagnostic tools like cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy have been utilized to evaluate polarization losses of different membrane electrode assembly (MEA) configurations for various operating conditions. The configurations include the symmetric NBE MEA, symmetric SS-CCE MEA and asymmetric SS-CCE MEA. Of all the configurations, the asymmetric SS-CCE MEA showed better and stable performance from 80 ℃ to 95 °C. This indicates that the SS-CCE cathode catalyst layer promotes back diffusion of water generated at the cathode to the anode resulting in an increased performance with temperature and low relative humidity. Moreover, the SS-CCE catalyst showed better stability after an accelerated stress test.


title: Triton: a domain specific language for cyber-physical systems

subject:
Cyber-physical systems
Domain-specific languages
Computational offloading
Scheduling

abstract: The design of cyber-physical systems is non-trivial and often filled with tedious, error-prone tasks that could be represented in a better way. Engineers often work with low-level languages such as C and C++, with real-time operating systems under limited computational resources, which requires extensive domain-specific knowledge. This work proposes Triton, a language focused on increasing abstraction by providing high-level domain-specific features to cyber-physical systems. We propose dedicated code blocks to handle task scheduling, constraint management, and computational offloading at the language level. Triton provides an easy way to offload tasks with bidirectional communication channels to enable continuous streaming of data between the master application and the tasks it offloads. Triton's prototype implementation targets the Java virtual machine (JVM), supporting execution on any platform with an available JVM. Experiments and example code provided shows the effectiveness of the proposed solution when compared with languages traditionally seen in cyber-physical systems development.


title: Characterization of a carbon source-dependent, phytohormone-responsive, free methionine-(R)-sulfoxide reductase from Komagataeibacter hansenii

subject:
Cellulose
Phytohormone
Oxidative stress

abstract: Komagataeibacter hansenii ATCC 23769 is a gram negative, non-pathogenic, acetic acid bacterium, best known for its ability to produce bacterial cellulose (BC). BC, an extracellular polysaccharide, is an important component of biofilms as it promotes anchoring to surfaces for nutrient acquisition and protection from environmental stress. BC has been long studied however, there is a lack of research pertaining to the regulation of BC production. In this thesis, the functional role of a putative free methionine sulfoxide reductase (MsrC) was characterized using a knockout mutant. The growth of the mutant was greatly affected by the presence of ethylene, abscisic acid and indole-3-acetic acid while oxidative stress increased BC production. Fructose-grown cultures produced more reactive oxygen species than in glucose. Oxidative stress upregulated genes involved with survival, growth, cellulose production, and stress defense. Therefore, MsrC is both phytohormone and oxidative stress responsive, coordinating cellular functions such as growth and BC production.