identifier: Aghaie Moghanjoghi, Mahsa <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Aghaie_Moghanjoghi=3AMahsa=3A=3A.html>   (2020) CO₂ capture using ionic liquids: thermodynamic modeling and molecular dynamics simulation.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Global climate change is happening now, and the average temperature of Earth is rising. Several evidences show that one of the main reasons for global warming is the increased concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere, particularly carbon dioxide (CO₂). CO₂ is mostly producing from burning fossil fuels. One of the effective strategies to reduce CO₂ emissions is implementing carbon capture in fossil fuel power plants. Current post-combustion carbon capture techniques typically employ amine-based solvents, such as monoethanolamine (MEA), for the absorption of CO₂. Although alkanol amines have an acceptable absorption capacity, their high vapor pressure, solvent loss during desorption, and high corrosion rate make amines absorption plants energy-intensive. In recent years, Ionic Liquids (ILs) have been emerged as promising alternative solvents for physisorption and chemisorption of acid gases due to their unique physiochemical properties, including negligible vapor pressure, high thermal stability, tunability, and being environmentally safe.
ILs require to be screened based on technical, economical, and environmental aspects. The main challenges of using ILs are increasing CO₂ capture capacity of ILs, and detailed understanding of the diffusivity of CO₂ in ILs, the effect of additives in solubility, selectivity features of ILs, phase behavior of gas-IL systems, and absorption mechanism. These challenges can be addressed using either experiment, thermodynamic modeling, and/or molecular simulations. In this study, the potential of the screened imidazolium-based ILs is investigated using thermodynamic modeling. The extended Peng–Robinson (PR) and Perturbed-Chain Statistical Associating Fluid Theory (PC-SAFT) EOSs are implemented to evaluate the solubility and selectivity of CO₂ in pure ILs and their mixture with water and toluene. The effects of water and toluene on solubility and viscosity of ILs are investigated. Low concentrations of water (< 1 wt%) do not affect solubility; however, with increasing water concentration, the solubility of CO2 is decreased. On the other hand, with increasing water content, the IL viscosity significantly decreases, which is in the favor of using viscous ILs for CO₂ separation.
In this thesis, Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation is performed to determine the properties of ILs ([Bmim][BF₄] and [Bmim][Ac]), their structures, and molecular dynamics. A great agreement is noticed between the density and viscosity of the studied ILs from MD simulations and experimental data, indicating the accuracy of our simulation runs. This study also includes the effect of temperature and anion type on the structuring of ions and their self-diffusivities. Bulk systems of ILs and CO₂ are studied to evaluate the influence of temperature and types of ions on the diffusivity of CO₂ in the solvent as well as structural characteristics. A comprehensive analysis of the characteristics of the interface of IL/CO₂ is performed to explore species distribution, gas behavior at the interface, and molecule orientation. At the interface, CO₂ creates a dense layer which interrupts the association of cations and anions, leading to a decrease in the surface tension.
In addition, a comprehensive study on hydrophilic IL, 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate or [Bmim][Ac], is conducted to evaluate the thermophysical properties, excess energy, structure, and dynamic characteristics of IL/Water and IL/Water/CO2 systems, using MD simulation approach. The effect of water on radial distribution functions, coordination numbers, water clusters, hydrogen bonding, and diffusivity coefficients of the ions is assessed. The presence of water in IL mixture, even at high concentrations of water (>0.8 mole fraction), increases the diffusivity of cation, anion, water, and CO2 molecules in the mixture due to hydrophilicity of [Bmim][Ac] IL. MD simulations generate reliable and accurate results while dealing with systems including water, CO₂, and IL for carbon capture.
In this thesis, novel and robust computational approaches are also introduced to estimate the solubility of CO₂ in a large number of ILs within a wide range of temperatures and pressures. Four connectionist tools- Least Square Support Vector Machine (LSSVM), Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), and Multilinear Regression (MLR)- are employed to obtain CO₂ solubility in a variety of ILs based on thermodynamic properties and Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSPR) model. Among different types of descriptors, the most important input variables (e.g., Chi_G/D 3D and Homo/Lumo fraction (anion); SpMax_RG and Disps (cation)) are selected using Genetic Algorithm (GA)-MLR method. A great agreement between the predicted values and experimental measurements is attained while using RF and DT techniques developed based on descriptors and thermodynamics properties. The structural descriptors-based models are more accurate and robust than those built on critical properties.


identifier: Davaripour, Farhad <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Davaripour=3AFarhad=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Damage progression effect in subsea pipelines under trawl gear impact.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

type: Thesis NonPeerReviewed

abstract: The structural behaviour of pipelines is considerably dependent on the loading condition. The common industry practice for the assessment of a pipeline against an accidental event is to design the pipe against an interference load applied laterally and in the perpendicular direction. As such, the potential plastic damage is imposed at only one location and normal to the pipeline. However, there are accidental scenarios where the resulting damage could progress along the pipe. In this regard, recent studies showed a potential significant drop in the structural resistance of a plate when the interaction between the plate and the indenter translates the resulting plastic damage along the structure. As such, it is reasonable to investigate the potential similar considerable effect of damage progression for pipelines. Accordingly, a series of physical tests using a novel test apparatus was employed in the present thesis to identify, introduce, and investigate the damage progression effect in pipes. The investigation was conducted with the focus on the interference between the bottom trawl gear and subsea pipelines. The test results showed that the structural resistance of a pipe could drop significantly, where the plastic damage imposed on a pipe is translated and induced longitudinally along the pipe. Furthermore, using numerical simulations, the importance of the damage progression effect on the mechanical behaviour of subsea pipelines subject to diagonal trawl impact or subsequent trawl impact was demonstrated. In conclusion, the present thesis introduced and investigated a new mechanical behaviour in subsea pipelines, which should be considered in the assessment of failure limit states in pipes, against the bottom trawl impact or any accidental events where the progression of plastic damage along the pipe is likely.


identifier: Fancy-Landry, Jessica <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Fancy-Landry=3AJessica=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Prioritization of rural youth in Nova Scotia: understanding rural school success with policy gaps.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
This study describes a qualitative exploration into rural school success in Nova Scotia and the
prioritization of its rural youth in educational policy. Case study methodology was used to
conduct research using interview and text analysis methods. Factors of success and their key
components that rural school personnel perceive as priorities in their buildings and the
representation that rural school youth in Nova Scotia receive were explored from a developed
conceptual framework using High-Performing High-Needs (HPHN) rural schools (Barely &
Beesley, 2007; McREL, 2005a; Canada Without Poverty, 2019). This thesis describes the
important roles that key components such as community support, student well-being, teacher and
student retainment, performance pressures and lack of policy play in the future of rural school
success in Nova Scotia. The study concludes that the lack of Canadian, more narrowly Nova
Scotian, rural education policy puts rural youth at a disadvantage in their quest to obtain a quality
and equitable education. Recommendations are provided to narrow this policy gap, and strategies
that rural school personnel deemed effective are shared. These strategies are recommended as
guidelines into best practices in policy development to ensure that youth in rural Nova Scotia,
and indeed other jurisdictions, have an equitable voice in their pursuit of an equitable and quality
education.


identifier: Al-Nahhal, Ibrahim Osama Ibrahim Mahmoud <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Al-Nahhal=3AIbrahim_Osama_Ibrahim_Mahmoud=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Efficient system designs for single and multi-user spatial modulations.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Spatial modulation (SM) and quadrature SM (QSM) are promising versions of the single-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system that overcome the problem of inter-channel-interference which occurs in conventional MIMO systems. Both SM and QSM exploit the index of the activated antenna(s) to carry additional information to enhance the total spectral efficiency of the system transmission. In the detection, the SM and QSM systems jointly detect the index of the activated antenna(s) as well as the transmitted modulation symbol, which is an exhaustive process especially for higher order modulations and large system dimensions. This exhaustive process contradicts the demands of future wireless networks that require low-power consumption and low communication latency.
To fulfill the demand of low-complex decoders at the receiver side for future wireless networks, I propose three different low-complexity decoders for single-user SM and QSM MIMO systems. These algorithms are based on the concept of sphere decoding for the tree-search structure. The first proposed algorithm provides a significant reduction in the decoding complexity with optimal bit error rate (BER) performance. The second proposed algorithm provides an extra reduction in the decoding complexity without sacrificing the optimality of the BER performance. Finally, the third algorithm provides a flexible trade-off between complexity and BER performance to be suitable for most hardware implementations. The proposed algorithms are studied in terms of BER performance and expected decoding complexity for the single-user SM and QSM MIMO systems.
For multi-user SM-MIMO, a low-cost system is proposed using the sparse code multiple access (SCMA) technique. The proposed low-cost SM-SCMA system significantly reduces the required number of transmit antennas with almost no loss in terms of the BER performance and decoding complexity, compared with the conventional SM-SCMA. At the receiver, the message passing algorithm (MPA) is employed to detect the transmitted signals, which suffers from high decoding complexity in practical implementations. To address this issue, three low-complexity decoding algorithms are proposed for the SM-SCMA system. The first algorithm provides the benchmark for the decoding complexity at the expense of the BER performance. The second algorithm slightly increases the decoding complexity with a significant improvement in the BER performance. Finally, the third algorithm provides a near-optimum BER performance with a considerable decoding complexity reduction when compared to the MPA decoder. Moreover, it supports the parallel hardware implementation and strikes a trade-off between decoding complexity and BER performance.
More specifically, the three low-complexity receivers for the single-user SM and QSM MIMO systems are introduced in Chapters 2, 3, 4 and 5. In Chapter 2, the first low-complexity algorithm for single-user QSM-MIMO system is proposed. The second low-complexity algorithm for SM-MIMO system is introduced in Chapter 3, and is analyzed in Chapter 4. The reliable decoder for single-user SM-MIMO system is proposed in Chapter 5. for multi-user SM-SCMA, the low-cost system is proposed in Chapter 6; at the receiver side, the three low-complexity decoders for the SM-SCMA system are proposed and analyzed in Chapter 7.


identifier: Saad, George <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Saad=3AGeorge=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Hegel's critique of modern presupposition and Plato's aporetic moment.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This thesis explores the implications of Hegel’s remark in §31 of Encyclopedia Logic that the Greeks thought freely while moderns are bound to presuppositions. Plato is today generally regarded as the originator of the a priori, yet Hegel’s reading of Plato exempts him from what he sees as a distinctly modern tendency towards presupposition. Hegel sees Platonic presuppositions as self-mediating and ultimately self-canceling in the flow of thought. Modern philosophy, by contrast, aims to establish an unshakable first principle external to and exempt from thoughtful reflection. This radical disjunction between Greek and modern philosophy can be best seen in Plato’s aporetic moment. Plato opted to allow the bewilderment of aporia at the same crucial juncture of thought where we moderns buttress our challenged definitions upon an a priori presupposition. This aporetic moment arises when thought, still stuck in its first moment of abstraction, realizes that it cannot rigorously define crucial philosophical concepts. In the aporia Plato exposes the pretensions of those who believe that the good can be defined. Hegel likewise critiques the overreach of the modern understanding (Verstand) in attempting to directly predicate the highest philosophical concepts. This thesis draws out each thinker’s descriptions of the circumstances and presuppositions surrounding the aporetic moment and closely correlates them, ultimately showing why Hegel regarded Greek thought as so radically misunderstood by his contemporaries. Looking at the movement of his thought and not its static conclusions, Hegel reads Plato as a dialectical antidote to the hubris of recurring modern sophistry.


identifier: Boroojerdi, Marjan Taghi <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Boroojerdi=3AMarjan_Taghi=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Investigation of the role of freeze bonds on the development of ice rubble strength.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Freeze bonds are one of the controlling factors in ice ridge and rubble failure. Strength and failure properties of freeze bonds are therefore important to study, to better understand the overall strength development of ice ridges/rubble. This research aims to understand the strength development and failure of freshwater freeze bonds through a series of experiments, conducted under different conditions of contact time, deformation rate, and confinement pressure. Freeze bonds were formed between two cylindrical ice samples, confined under a normal pressure at the two ends, which were submerged in a freshwater bath for a specific period of time. Freeze-bonded samples were then sheared using the Asymmetric Four-Point Bending (AFPB) apparatus installed on the Materials Testing System (MTS) servo-hydraulic testing machine at Memorial University’s coldroom.
Increasing the submersion time from 1 minute to 14 days, freeze bond strength was observed to be initially controlled by heat transfer processes, increasing with submersion time and reaching a peak after 5 minutes. Strength then decreased as ice reached equilibrium temperature with surrounding water, after which it remained constant. Sintering and creep processes were believed to be the dominating mechanism in long submersion times, resulting in an increase in strength after 1 day, until reaching the strength of solid ice after 14 days.
Confinement pressure effects were investigated for four different submersion times that were chosen based on the stages of bond development observed in the submersion time tests. Strength values increased linearly as confinement increased from 10 to 100 kPa for all submersion times tested. The rate of this increase followed the trends observed in submersion time tests, with the highest amount of increase occurring after one week of submersion. Sintering-creep and crushing of asperities in contact were introduced as the responsible processes, which are known to be intensified with increase in confinement and contact time.
Increasing the deformation rate during shear from 0.01 to 100 mm/s, freeze bond failure strength was observed to decrease. This decrease was associated with higher amounts of strain before failure of freeze bonds at lower deformation rates, which is a result of the higher capacity of energy dissipation and creep at lower rates. Ice rubble and ice ridge experiments studied to date follow similar trendlines of strength-confinement and strength-deformation rate observed in present study, which highlights the important role of block to block freeze bond strength development and failure on the overall strength properties of ice rubble/ridges.


identifier: Madan, Gaurav <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Madan=3AGaurav=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Contribution of surface flux and ocean heat transport convergence to the interannual variability of the Labrador Sea.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
The heat content and convergence of the heat flux transport (CHFT) in the ocean
region 65ᴼW-40ᴼW, 45ᴼN-65ᴼN is studied based on in-situ observations of ocean temperature
and the reanalaysis of surface flux for the period from 1993 to 2018. This
region includes the Labrador Sea, the area of North Atlantic Current and Newfoundland
Basin. The CHFT is computed from the equations of the tendency of heat
contents for the surface (0-150 m depth), intermediate (150-2000 m depth), and deep
(below 2000 m) layers and the whole ocean column. The highest interannual variability
of CHFT is observed in the regions of the Newfoundland Basin and North Atlantic
Current. The CHFT in the first region is influenced by the influx of sea-ice from the
Northern Labrador Sea. The interannual variability of the CHFT in the second region
represents the year-to-year change in the contribution of the ocean transport
to the heat budget by the extension of Gulf Stream in the Subpolar North Atlantic.
The CHFT in the central, eastern, northwestern, and northeastern sub-regions of
the Labrador Sea were found to be highly correlated (r>0.7). There is a very weak
correlation between the CHFT in these regions and the CHFT in the Newfoundland
Basin and North Atlantic Current.


identifier: Meng, Wei <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Meng=3AWei=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Numerical and experimental studies of two-body hydrodynamic interaction in waves.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Challenges remain in the prediction of hydrodynamic interactions of multiple floating
bodies in close proximity, such as side-by-side offloading and ship replenishment.
During such operations, large free-surface elevations in the gap and body motions
may occur, impacting operation and crew safety. In this thesis, numerical and experimental
studies are presented, focusing on the two-body interactions in waves.
Linear potential-flow based seakeeping programs have been widely employed to
solve hydrodynamic interaction problems due to their high efficiency. However, these
methods over-predict body motions, free surface elevations in the gap, and hence low-frequency
loadings on the bodies. To suppress the over-predictions, artificial damping
is required as input, which is typically obtained from model tests.
With objectives of investigating the effects of viscosity and dynamic gap changes
in the two-body interaction problem and developing a systematic approach to estimate
the artificial damping for use in potential-flow tools, an immersed-boundary
method based finite volume method solver has been implemented in the OpenFOAM
framework. The pressure implicit with splitting of operators (PISO) algorithm is
applied for velocity-pressure coupling. Free surface is captured using the geometrical
volume of fluid method. The relaxation zone method is utilized for wave generation
and absorption.
To provide high-quality experimental data and to validate the numerical method,
model tests on two identical box-like FPSO models arranged side-by-side in head
waves at zero forward speed have been conducted in the towing tank of Memorial
University. Besides, sources of uncertainties in the model test were identified, and comprehensive uncertainty analysis on the test results was conducted. A combined
experimental and numerical approach has been developed to estimate uncertainties
due to model geometry, model mass properties, and test set-up.
Validation studies on the present flow solver were conducted by firstly simulating
the present experiment for two-body interactions in head seas without forward speed.
Further, the solver was validated by simulating the underway replenishment of a
frigate and a supply vessel at a moderate speed. Simulations were also performed
using a panel-free method based potential-flow program in the frequency domain. The
numerical results from both methods were compared with each other and with the
experimental data to identify sources of the discrepancies in potential-flow predictions.
A quasi-steady approach, which accounts for the gap changes due to transverse drift
forces at zero speed, was adopted to improve the potential-flow simulations.


identifier: Mbah, Remy Mbah <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Mbah=3ARemy_Mbah=3A=3A.html>   (2020) The perception of students about school bullying and how it affects academic performance in Cameroon.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Many students in secondary schools in Cameroon in general and the North West and South West region get into schools to pursue an academic career. The educational journey is rich with several goals but most at times challenging with ups and downs as regards bullying in the school environment. This thesis research explored school bullying amongst high school students, their perspectives, and their effects on academic performance. Data was collected from over 30 participants, of whom 24 were students of upper sixth classes, and 6 were teachers in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon in secondary schools. All interviews were through WhatsApp with questioning, and it was found that most students go through kinds of bullying in secondary schools, and most often do not let anyone know about it. The findings showed that school bullying still exists in most schools and influences student’s academic performance and school attendance. It was acknowledged that most students experienced bullying in their classes, and some students reported cases of bullying to their teachers. Bullying still exists and continues to affect the academic achievements of most students in Cameroon.


identifier: Khurram, Muhammad <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Khurram=3AMuhammad=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Perceptions and expectations of the technological proficiency levels of university business school graduates: representations of graduates and employers.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The present study explores business school graduates’ experiences in acquiring computing skills, as well as employers’ experiences with the computer proficiency of recent business school graduates. Following on the work of Gibbs, Steel & Kuiper (2011) this study examines the experiences of business graduates from Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada and local employers who hire these graduates. A qualitative research design was employed, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with eighteen (18) participants: twelve (12) business graduates and six (6) employers. Results were divided into three major themes: (1) graduate perceptions of their acquisition of computing skills within and outside their post-secondary program; (2) perceptions of the roles and responsibilities of business schools in the acquisition of computing skills, and; (3) employers’ perspectives on specific aspects of graduate computing skills. The findings show that graduates were positive in their appraisal of the value of computing skills in general, and have high levels of confidence about their ICT skills; however, the acquisition of such skills was found to be primarily learned informally, self-taught, or learned during work terms. Some graduates had little or no formal computing training and most participants had no more than a vague awareness of the scope and breadth of computing skills needed in a professional work environment. Thus, there appears to be some misalignment between workplace computer skill requirements, and program objectives. Employers perceive an appropriate balance between the computer proficiency of business graduates and the skills they need for the workplace. The data relating to skill deficits suggest that they are more prevalent in the areas of writing and communication – including grammar and spelling, and business writing. These findings raise questions about a potential gap or a weakness in the current approach to university education for business students. Although there is wide recognition that the primary aim of university business degree programs falls outside of technical training, there is clearly room for a more standardized approach to the teaching and assessment of computer skills. The findings suggest the need for better coordination between business schools and industry employers to better align the needs and expectations of employers with the goals and objectives of business programs, Recommendations are provided for greater collaboration between business graduates’ competencies, employer expectations and the ability of business schools to help standardize and assess computer skills and language proficiencies of their graduates. Finally, more research is necessary to study and help establish effective preparation, training, and intervention strategies for business school students with respect to ever-evolving technological changes and new business applications.


identifier: Baker, Kellie M. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Baker=3AKellie_M=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Developing and articulating a pedagogy of physical education teacher education using models-based practice.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: As teachers and researchers of teaching, teacher educators are essential to education reform. Yet, what is known and understood about the ways in which teacher educators develop their personal pedagogies of teacher education using innovative practice is under-researched. In my research, I used self-study of teacher education practice (S-STEP) methodology to examine the development and articulation of my personal pedagogy of physical education teacher education (PETE) using innovative practice in the form of Models-Based Practice (MBP). I focused specifically on teaching pre-service teachers about and through four pedagogical models: Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility, Cooperative Learning, Peer Teaching, and Teaching Games for Understanding. Participants included me as the teacher educator-researcher and nine pre-service teachers (PSTs) enrolled in three distinct PETE courses. Over the course of 18.5 months, the following data were gathered: a reflective teacher journal, 79 annotated learning plans, course artifacts (e.g., syllabi), participant and non-participant observations, 27 PST individual interviews, two PST focus group interviews, and PST work samples (e.g., 16 PST reflective writing assignments). I used a deductive approach to map concepts from occupational socialization theory and pedagogy of teacher education theory onto the data. The main findings included: (a) implementing MBP in PETE is complex and fraught with challenges, (b) developing teacher education practice is a multi-layered and problematic undertaking, (c) PSTs’ voices are essential in developing deeper and richer understandings of teacher educator practice, and (d) the development and articulation of principles of practice and a pedagogy of teacher education have fundamental implications for both the teacher educator-researcher engaging in S-STEP but also for other teacher educators. My research findings offer insights into how principles of practice and a pedagogy of teacher education might be examined, developed, and shared for use by other teacher educator-researchers. In addition, my research builds on the limited understanding of MBP implementation and influential factors that contribute to the challenges that teacher educators face in its enactment in PETE. Findings from my research also build on the crucial role of interaction in S-STEP by establishing the value of PSTs as critical contributors in the development of teacher educators’ personal pedagogies.


identifier: Fitzgibbon, Sylvia <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Fitzgibbon=3ASylvia=3A=3A.html>   (2020) The interaction between water turbidity and visual sensory systems and its impact on freshwater fishes.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: An aquatic ecosystem’s sensory environment has a profound influence on multiple aspects of the life cycles of its resident species, including mating cues, predation, and sensory systems. This thesis consists of laboratory studies and a meta-analysis that examines how changing aquatic sensory information, by reducing visual information through turbidity manipulation, can impact fish species. The laboratory studies focused on the consequences of changes in turbidity on the predator-prey interactions of two native Newfoundland fish species (three-spined stickleback prey, Gasterosteus aculeatus, and predatory brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis). The results illustrated that reducing visibility may give a prey species a sensory advantage over a predator, potentially influencing their dynamics. In order to understand the impacts of turbidity on a larger scale, I undertook a meta-analysis on fluctuations in fish communities in relation to shifts in turbidity due to reservoir creation. The analyses indicated that differential changes in turbidity influence the biodiversity and evenness of the visual subset of the fish community. Understanding how changes to the sensory environment can influence aquatic ecosystems is crucial when providing predictions for the potential outcomes of proposed anthropogenic activities altering water turbidity.


identifier: Zhu, Liang <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Zhu=3ALiang=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Investigating diet, distribution, and growth of silver hake (Merluccius bilinearis) in their northernmost extent in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Changing ocean conditions are driving distribution shifts in many marine species on
a global scale, which will have major ecological implications for marine
environments. I investigated the recent trend of increased silver hake (Merluccius
bilinearis) abundances within the Gulf of St. Lawrence to characterize their biology
in their northernmost extent. I assessed the diet and distribution of silver hake, as
well as the overlap between the diet and distribution of silver hake with those of two
resident species, Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) and redfish
(Sebastes sp.). Silver hake’s diet in the Gulf was primarily benthic, with smaller
contributions from pelagic prey than in diets reported along other parts of their
range. Overlaps of diet and distribution between silver hake and the two highly
abundant resident species were also high. I analyzed otoliths from the silver hake
samples to investigate the age structure and growth of hake in the Gulf of St.
Lawrence. Hake’s age structure in the Gulf is similar to that of nearby regions where
most individuals are age four or younger, while von Bertalanffy growth rates
showed higher rates of growth and lower asymptotic lengths in the Gulf compared
to hake from the Scotian Shelf and Northeast United States Shelf. My results provide
some of the first descriptions of silver hake biology within the Gulf of St. Lawrence.


identifier: Moriarty, Sarah <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Moriarty=3ASarah=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Seafloor massive sulfide deposits from the Juan de Fuca Ridge: evidence from multiple sulfur isotopes for buried sediment and microbial activity.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Submarine hydrothermal vent systems hosted at sedimented mid-ocean ridges are often associated with larger seafloor massive sulfide deposits than typical sediment-free mid-ocean ridge systems. The Juan de Fuca spreading ridge contains both sediment-hosted and sediment-free hydrothermal systems (Middle Valley and Axial Volcano, respectively). The ridge also contains the Endeavour vent field, which occurs at the outer extent of turbiditic sediments, where the seafloor is currently sediment-free and consists of basaltic lava flows, but evidence from hydrothermal vent fluid composition suggests the presence of buried sediment. Multiple sulfur isotope ratios of hydrothermal precipitates from these three sites were analyzed to isotopically fingerprint differences in hydrothermal sulfur cycling associated with sedimented and sediment-free substrates. A three-component mixing model in Δ³³S and δ³⁴S space was developed that represents the differing contributions of sulfur derived from seawater, magmatic sources, and both sediment and crustal sulfur sources that have been influenced by microbial activity.


identifier: Fitzpatrick, Krysta <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Fitzpatrick=3AKrysta=3A=3A.html>   (2020) The surburban witch: power, domesticity, and whiteness in Conjure wife, The witches of Eastwick, and The love witch.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.


identifier: Chislett, Michael <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Chislett=3AMichael=3A=3A.html>   (2020) The strongest predictors of length of stay and prosthetic fitting for people with lower limb amputations.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Title: The Strongest Predictors of Length of Stay and Prosthetic Fitting for People with Lower Limb Amputations.
Objective: To identify the strongest predictors of rehabilitation length of stay and prosthetic fitting success for lower limb amputees.
Design: Retrospective analysis of clinically collected cohort.
Setting: Canadian inpatient rehabilitation facility.
Participants: Consecutive lower limb amputees admitted for prosthetic fitting from 2010-2017 (N = 103; mean age 65.3 ± 10.6 years).
Interventions: Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures: Predictor variables included the Lower Limb Amputee Measurement Scale (LLAMS), which is a 31-question tool to predict length of stay with indicators in medical, cognitive, social, physical, activities of daily living, and other subsections; admission Functional Independence Measure (FIM®); level of amputation (below-knee or above-knee); age; sex; and time from surgery to admission. Length of stay was measured as days from admission to discharge. Successful prosthetic fitting was defined as ability to use a prosthesis on discharge.
Results: The mean length of stay was 63.6 (± 33.3) days and 21.4% of patients failed prosthetic fitting. Higher LLAMS, lower FIM®, and above-knee amputation significantly predicted longer length of stay (p < 0.001, R² = 0.36). Age, sex, and time from surgery did not significantly predict length of stay or prosthetic fitting. Higher LLAMS significantly (p = 0.032) predicted unsuccessful prosthetic fitting. A revised LLAMS, including the strongest predictors of length of stay increased the R² of the model from 0.36 to 0.51. A revised LLAMS, including the strongest predictors of prosthetic fitting increased the R² of the model from 0.15 to 0.32.
Conclusions: The LLAMS, admission FIM®, and level of amputation can be used to predict length of stay in people with lower limb amputations admitted for prosthetic fitting. Within the LLAMS, history of cognitive impairment/psychiatric illness, clinical judgement, and living alone were the strongest predictors of increased length of stay. Functional tasks and skin condition indicators were the strongest predictors of successful fitting. Shortening the tool to five items increased the predictive ability of the LLAMS.


identifier: Inman, Aly <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Inman=3AAly=3A=3A.html>   (2020) A fight for health: my transgender journey for care.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This critical autoethnographic study chronicles my personal journey accessing health care as a transgender person. Access to health care is a current issue for transgender people in Canada, particularly in Canada’s smallest province, Prince Edward Island. This research addresses geographical and methodological gaps in the current literature by providing a rich and detailed description of my health care journey as a member of Prince Edward Island’s transgender community. This insider account intends to improve understanding, increase awareness, and facilitate meaningful health system and societal change. Personal memory data, self-observation/self-reflection data, and external data sets including my medical records, surgery denial forms, Facebook conversations, and personal emails were collected. Thematic analysis was conducted using a queer theory lens and revealed four major themes: ill health and personal transformation, privacy and safety, barriers and facilitators to care, and an ideal system and hope for the future. Four recommendations were generated: the need for a gender-affirming health care policy, better pathways to access medical transition related health care services, education and training for Prince Edward Island health care professionals, and an online information hub.


identifier: Altuwair, Ibrahim A. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Altuwair=3AIbrahim_A=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Development of a risk-based acceptance index to support design of compressed natural gas vehicle.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
The research aims to develop a risk-based acceptance index (RBAI) for the assessment of compressed natural gas (CNG) onboard vehicle and discover the reason why an accident occurred and alleviate the risk aversion towards high-pressure applications onboard such as CNG, H2, and LPG. It is offering a proactive way to identify and resolve safety issues.
A good understanding of CNG properties requires an evaluation of the associated threat with CNG onboard is essential. Existing standards, specifications, regulations, and designing guidelines need to examine for safety purposes with consideration for the applicability to a specific design.
Safety professionals have attribute about (70-80%) to human faults. Human is an important factor in the cause of accidents. As the design of overpressure storage tanks becomes safe, the accidental causes are becoming more likely to be attributed to the human factor. Recent traffic accidents have left the public wondering how an overpressure system with the potential to harm the end-user and public could have operated onboard of vehicle. No hazard analysis can be used during the design phase of a CNG cylinder onboard to identify and evaluate hazardous scenarios involving human error.
Human cognitive characteristics guideword could stimulate safety professionals to consider the suitability of various system aspects for human use from a perception point of view. Professionals must consider the impact of the human perception factor on safety. It intended to be helpful and practical for teasing out the human and system design flaws that can lead to hazards. In the next chapters, the integration of human guideword into RBAI will be used for the risk analysis.
As a case study, an introduction to the overpressure calculation and the consequences to the material damages presented. An unintentional rupture filled with CNG would generate a rapid energy release in the form of the pressure energy (blast) studied.
The procedures described are practical and attempt to give a perfect understanding of the subject and help to understand the meaning of all the variables by performing SPSS-Amos code. The research concluded with a discussion on the possible cause and effect that influence the end user's decision of choice.
Therefore, the research has divided into two parts; the first part includes developing an acceptance index to support the design of compressed natural gas (CNG). This part consists of three chapters; chapter one, including introduction, research goal, and the use of acceptance index for risk assessment. Chapter two provided the background related to the acceptance index and literature reviewed concerning the CNG cylinder. Chapter three illustrated the methodology of the experiment that focused on aspects associated with the experimental parameters. It includes design questionnaires, data collection methods, data processes, and data analysis. The second part of the research divided into three chapters. Chapter four described the ethical considerations and approval process, including all required letters of approval for the feasibility of the acceptance index with designing CNG onboard vehicles. Chapter five addresses the theoretical background and some fundamentals related to the risk assessment and proposed method. In contrast, chapter six considers the application of compressed natural gas and mechanical effect as a case study. Lastly, chapter seven is performing SPSS for data gathering and analysis.


identifier: Pittman, Brittany <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Pittman=3ABrittany=3A=3A.html>   (2020) The watchman's walk problem on directed graphs.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
A watchman’s walk in a graph is a minimum closed dominating walk. Given a graph
and a single watchman, the aim of the Watchman’s walk problem is to find a shortest
closed walk that allows the guard to efficiently monitor all vertices in the graph. In
a directed graph, a watchman’s walk must obey the direction of the arcs. In this
case, we say that the guard can only move to and see the vertices that are adjacent
to him relative to outgoing arcs. In this thesis, we consider the watchman’s walk
problem on directed graphs. In particular, we study the problem on tournaments,
orientations of complete bipartite and multipartite graphs, and directed graphs formed
from sequences.


identifier: Tobin, Melissa <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Tobin=3AMelissa=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Examining the association between cycling infrastructure and cycling: baseline results from INTERACT Victoria.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The majority of Canadians are not meeting physical activity guidelines. Implementing infrastructure that supports active transportation is an important intervention to increase population physical activity levels. The INTErventions, Research and Action in Cities Team (INTERACT), has the goal to advance research on the design of healthy and sustainable cities for all. My study is a sub-project of INTERACT and has three main objectives. The first objective is to determine whether participants support the All Ages and Abilities (AAA) Cycling Network. The second objective is to examine the association between exposure to the Pandora protected cycle track and physical activity levels and the third objective is to determine if there are gender differences in overall levels of physical activity. I hypothesized that participants would support the AAA Cycling Network and exposure to the Pandora protected cycle track would be associated with greater overall physical activity levels of residents who cycle at least once a month in Victoria. I also hypothesized that women would have lower levels of physical activity when compared to men. INTERACT recruited 281 people who completed online surveys; 149 of whom wore a Sensedoc (an accelerometer and global positioning system (GPS), for ten days to collect physical activity and spatial location data). Data collection took place from May 19, 2017, to November 30, 2017. I calculated exposure to the Pandora protected cycle track using daily path mobility, which measures the ratio of the number of GPS points within 200 metres of the Pandora protected cycle track compared to the participants number of total GPS points. Overall, participants supported the AAA Cycling Network and showed a preference for off-road paths and separated cycling infrastructure. This preference was especially true for women, who also reported much less physical activity per week than men. Regression analysis showed that there were associations between exposure to the Pandora protected cycle track and both self-report and accelerometer-based physical activity, but only after a certain threshold of exposure. The implementation of the AAA Cycling Network with an emphasis on protected cycling infrastructure may increase cycling frequency and physical activity levels in the City of Victoria.


identifier: Ferreira, Matthew <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Ferreira=3AMatthew=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Uncovering the discourse of Canadian athletes in the American post-secondary system.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
The fields and training facilities may exist in Canada, but the chase for an athletic scholarship leads many of our young athletes on a path to the United States. Many Canadians who embark on this migration go on to have successful careers in athletics. Others do not experience similar success and they return home before they had expected. There are many reasons why this might happen. These reasons, which are to be teased out of individuals’ accounts of their experiences, are the topic of this study. In examining why Canadian student-athletes return home earlier than expected from the United States without completing their education, the individual experiences of the athletes are key to understanding their story. In examining the interviews conducted as part of this study, each athlete was treated as an individual case study.
The purpose of this study is to analyze the experiences of Canadian student athletes who earned a scholarship to a U.S. institution to play collegiate sports but returned to Canada without completing their intended program of study. This raises the question of why their plans were not realized. Specifically, I was interested in understanding their individual decisions to terminate their studies and intercollegiate athletic careers in the United States. Key findings include the potential of being unprepared for the transition to become self-dependent, relationships with coaches and teammates as well as the expectations student-athletes had about what their experience would likely be as opposed to the reality that they encountered. This study seeks to understand how and why these initially unanticipated outcomes came to pass.


identifier: Noxon, Clarissa Miles <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Noxon=3AClarissa_Miles=3A=3A.html>   (2020) The radical right: both winners and losers in northern Europe.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Radical right-wing parties have been increasing their electoral success across Europe over the last
few decades. Despite the widely covered surge in their success, many radical right-wing parties
have achieved marginal to no electoral success, but there continues to be a lack of research trying
to explain their failure. The question guiding this thesis focuses on why there is varied electoral
success of radical right-wing parties across Europe and suggests that it could be explained through
differences in the importance of economic compared to cultural-political issues in each country.
To investigate this, the work uses data from public opinion surveys and party manifesto content
from three countries which saw different radical right-wing party success in elections between
2005 and 2011 - Finland, Norway, and Iceland. Tentative findings indicate that cultural issues
were the most salient in the public and amongst parties in the country with the most electorally
successful radical right-wing party, Norway. Broadly, however, the public is still much more
focused on economic issues than cultural issues, but political party rhetoric is much more evenly
divided. Partisanship is the most influential factor on vote choice and though issue salience was
rarely significant in vote choice, it was nearly always significant when trying to explain
partisanship. Though issue salience is not directly influencing vote choice, it is influencing
partisanship which has a strong impact on vote choice.


identifier: Fowler, Gerissa <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Fowler=3AGerissa=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Mutations in the GDP-fucose synthesis pathway causes vascular instability, swimming and balance defects in zebrafish (Danio rerio).  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
The function of GDP-mannose 4,6-dehydratase (gmds) in cerebral vasculature, or general
vascular development, of zebrafish has yet to be described. Mutations within the gmds gene can
lead to a loss of fucosylation, which is important for a number of cellular functions. In this thesis,
it was discovered that a mutation in gmds, resulted in a cerebral hemorrhage, curled tails and
abnormal swimming behavior in homozygous mutant zebrafish, created using CRISPR-Cas9.
Injections of GDP-fucose and high doses of fucose into gmds mutants rescued the cerebral
hemorrhaging phenotype, but neither injection condition prevented the tails from curling. The
mural cell marker, foxc1b, which is critical for vascular stability, was significantly
downregulated in cerebral vasculature, which was confirmed with qPCR. Crossing the gmds
mutants onto an acta2:gfp line revealed significant reduction of smooth muscle actin coverage in
cerebral vasculature. A subset of gmds mutants showed a decrease in slc17a8 expression,
indicating a failure to orientate themselves in the water column may be attributed to a synaptic
transduction defect in the lateral line neuromasts. In addition, acta2:gfp was not expressed in the
swim bladder, potentially contributing to the inability to right themselves in the water column.


identifier: Ghoseiri, Kamiar <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Ghoseiri=3AKamiar=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Assessment of localized pain sensitivity over the transtibial residual limb and its variability among male veterans with amputation.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Localization of pain sensitization has clinical importance, however, rarely been assessed in amputees. The objective of this study was to investigate the sensitivity of pain over the residual limb and its variability among veterans with transtibial amputation. Pain sensitivity in 12 locations was explored twice in 19 veteran amputees using pressure algometry. The lowest pressure pain threshold (PPT) and pressure tolerance (PT) was recorded at the distal end of the residual limb (20.5 and 33 Ncm⁻², p=0.13), and the highest PPT and PT was recorded at the mid-patellar tendon (73.4 and 94.3 Ncm⁻², p=0.03). There was a significant moderate correlation (r=0.48-0.52) between pressure pain and daily hours of prosthesis use. A localized pattern for sensitivity to pain over the transtibial residual limb was obtained that can be used to improve the transtibial socket design and fit as well as the selection of prevention, evaluation, and treatment methods.


identifier: Alam, Md Rakibul <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Alam=3AMd_Rakibul=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Pavement life cycle assessment: from case study to machine learning modeling.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Climate change is a global challenge with long-term implications. Human activities are changing the global climate system, and the warming of the climate system is undeniable. According to a roadway construction study, the construction of the surface layer of an asphalt pavement alone generates a carbon footprint of 65.8 kg of CO₂ per km. Therefore, a sensible approach to study environmental impact from road pavement is crucial.
Pavement life cycle assessment (LCA) is a comprehensive method to evaluate the environmental impacts of a pavement section. It features a cradle-to-grave approach assessing critical stages of the pavement’s life. Material production, initial construction, maintenance, use and end of life phases exist in an entire pavement life cycle. The thesis consists of three components, which started with finding the environmental impact for different pavement maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) techniques in the maintenance phase. The second component evaluated the environmental impact due to pavement vehicle interaction (PVI) in the use phase. Finally, the goal of the third component was to develop a set of pavement LCA models.
To evaluate environmental impact for four major M&R techniques: rout and sealing, patching, hot in-place recycling (HIR) and cold in-place recycling (CIR), initially a fractional factorial design approach was applied to determine which factors were significant. Considering those significant factors and other necessary data, a hypothetical LCA case study was performed for the city of St. John’s. It was found that the global warming potential (GWP) held the highest values among four M&R techniques. CIR technique produced the lowest percentage of GWP (83.87%), and for asphalt patching, the CO₂ emission resulted in the highest percentage (92.22%) which became the least suitable option.
To understand the PVI effect, the required data and information are collected from the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program. Out of 141 Canadian road sections, 22 sections were selected. Several climatic parameters, including annual precipitation, annual temperature, and annual freezing index data, were collected from these 22 sections and further processed for developing clusters using a hierarchical clustering approach. Finally, the Athena Pavement LCA tool was used to measure the environmental impact from the PVI effect for each cluster. It was found that cluster 2 (high annual precipitation, high annual freezing index, and medium annual temperature) experienced the highest rate of IRI increase and therefore, high GWP value. The LCA result also indicated a relatively higher GWP due to pavement roughness from heavy vehicle traffic compared with light vehicle traffic. For the PVI effect due to pavement deflection, cluster 4 (maximum vehicle load and the minimum subgrade stiffness) emitted the highest GWP among all the clusters.
Pavement LCA tools require an extensive amount of data to estimate the environmental impact. In the first and second studies, all Canadian road pavement sections were not possible to consider because of the large quantity of time consumption for LCA of each section. Therefore, a database management software, Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, was used for filtering and data manipulation of the LTPP database considering all Canadian road sections. The manipulated data were further used to develop the LCA models using machine learning algorithms: multiple linear regression, polynomial regression, decision tree regression and support vector regression. The models determined the significant contributors and quantified the CO₂ emission in pavement material production, initial construction, maintenance and use phase. Model validation was also performed. The study also revealed the contribution of Canadian provinces’ CO₂ emission. The proposed LCA models will help the decision-makers in the pavement management system.


identifier: Xu, Danyang <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Xu=3ADanyang=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Regulation of interferon regulatory factor 1 by protein inhibitor of activated STAT 3.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Oncolytic viruses exploit tumor-specific cellular changes for selective replication, inducing cancer cell death. Our previous research showed that Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) downregulation of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) is a major mechanism underlying viral oncolysis. Protein inhibitor of activated STAT 3 (PIAS3) is known as the E3 ligase of IRF1 sumoylation. The objective of this study was to identify if, and how, PIAS3 modulates cellular sensitivity to oncolytic viruses via regulation of IRF1. By conducting co-immunoprecipitation, I found that IRF1 has no direct interaction with PIAS3 found within HT1080 cells. However, CRISPR knockdown of PIAS3 increases IRF1 expression as well as transcription of IRF1-responsive anti-viral genes. Furthermore, PIAS3 knockdown HT1080 cells were equally sensitive to viral infection as their parent HT1080 cells. Together, these results demonstrate that PIAS3 does not directly interact with IRF1 but regulates expression and transcriptional activity of IRF1. Moreover, as CRISPR knockdown of PIAS3 did not change cellular sensitivity to viral infection, IRF1 modulation via PIAS3 does not play very critical roles in host innate antiviral responses.


identifier: E., Weiwei <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/E=2E=3AWeiwei=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Investigation of gravity based separation of immiscible liquids.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Separation of oil and water plays an important role in oil production and other industries.
Separation efficiency is a key factor for oil and gas production equipment, such
as compressors and water treatment equipment. Thus, the improvement of oil / water
separation efficiency is a task of increasing importance for the industry, especially
manufacturers of separation equipment.
This thesis analyzes the separation of oil from an oil / water mixture and, in
particular, the coalescence of oil droplets formed during separation by using a combination
of experimental and numerical modeling methods. A gravity-based separator
is designed and built to conduct optimization experiments on a continuous oil/water
separation process. Another laboratory-scale experimental setup is developed to
investigate and optimize a batch separation process.
Two-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models are developed
using the Fluent Software package with the same geometric profiles of the two experimental
models to investigate further the effects of a broader range of operating
conditions on the separation process systematically. In addition, two other available
software packages, OpenFoam and Flow-3D, are explored to model the oil / water separation
process for the Base Case. The results show that they were not as accurate
as Fluent but much faster.
A new semi - analytical model is developed to predict liquid / liquid separation dynamics with a focus on water / oil mixtures. The model employs a force balance
on the droplets to predict the rising velocity of the oil phase. The effect of droplet
coalescence on the droplet’s rising velocity is investigated, and a new correlation is
developed that predicts the coalescence rate based on the oil / water fraction, and
the initial droplet diameter. Numerical simulations of a batch oil / water separation
process are conducted to develop the droplet coalescence. An equivalent experiment
is conducted, and the experimental results are found to agree well with the numerical
predictions (relative error of 13.39 %). The proposed semi-analytical model can predict
the rate of separation with a relative error of 6.35 % compared to full numerical
predictions. The analytical model provides an alternative technique to predict the
separation of liquid / liquid mixtures at a much lower computational cost, useful for
initial design or analysis of separation scenarios.
Finally, a new geometric design correlation is developed using a non-dimensional
analysis method. A parametric study of numerical predictions conducted with CFD
Fluent is employed to investigate several critical variables that affect the separator
design. Additionally, a series of simulations are conducted to validate the correlation
model by changing the value of dimensionless groups. The correlation results show
that increasing the Reynolds and Euler numbers require a separator with a longer
length to height ratio to achieve the same separation efficiency. However, an increase
in the Weber number requires a separator with a smaller length to height ratio.


identifier: Ilonze, Princess C. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Ilonze=3APrincess_C=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Missing links: on the decoupling between women's rights policies, outcomes and reports.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Countries continuously fall short of gender equality goals despite countless efforts to promote change. Therefore, I ask: Why do these inequalities persist, especially among low- to middle-income countries and regardless of the international support they receive? Using a World Society lens, this thesis examines policies and practices in gender and development to understand the gap between their objectives and results. I employ a mixed-methods approach in two related studies. The first study is a quantitative analysis of the impact of laws against gendered employment-discrimination on women's participation in quality work. In the second study, I carry out a discourse analysis on country self-reports on their CEDAW implementation efforts. In an appendix, I apply the findings from both chapters to the context of Newfoundland and Labrador. The findings from this thesis suggest a need for reform to ensure that gender equality policies are adequately adapted to the cultural context.


identifier: Tobin, Alexandria J. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Tobin=3AAlexandria_J=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2020) The role of lipoprotein lipase in the growth and progression of breast cancer.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is an extracellular lipase that hydrolyzes triglycerides and phospholipids from circulating lipoproteins to promote the delivery of hydrolyzed lipids to cells. LPL is highly expressed in the adipose tissue surrounding breast tumors and reported to be expressed in breast cancer cells. The hydrolysis products generated by LPL are used by cells as components of the cell membrane, as an energy supply, and as signaling molecules. Therefore, the presence of LPL on or around cancer cells may contribute to the growth and progression of breast cancer tumors. We hypothesized that the hydrolysis products generated by LPL from lipoproteins can promote increased cell viability and pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion from breast cancer cells. My results show that the lipoprotein hydrolysis products generated by LPL from total lipoproteins significantly increased the metabolic activity of multiple breast cancer cell lines and the normal MCF10A breast cell line. Using cytokine arrays, a significant increase in the secretion of some cytokines and chemokines of 2- to 10-fold was observed in MDA-MB-231 cells treated with lipoprotein hydrolysis products compared to control. In contrast, MCF-7 cells showed a decrease in the secretion of fewer cytokines. These results were verified by ELISA. The results of this study provide information on how LPL within the tumor microenvironment could affect breast cancer cell viability to potentially influence the progression of breast cancer.


identifier: Cairns, Rebecca <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Cairns=3ARebecca=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Dharmic environmentalism: Hindu traditions and ecological care.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
In the midst of environmental degradation, Religious Studies scholars have begun to
assess whether or not religious traditions contain ecological resources which may initiate the
restructuring of human-nature relationships. In this thesis, I explore whether it is possible to
locate within Hindu religious traditions, especially lived Hindu traditions, an environmental
ethic. By exploring the arguments made by scholars in the fields of Religion and Ecology, I
examine both the ecological “paradoxes” seen by scholars to be inherent to Hindu ritual practice
and the ways in which forms of environmental care exist or are developing within lived religion.
I do the latter by examining the efforts that have been made by the Bishnoi, the Chipko
Movement, Swadhyay Parivar and Bhils to conserve and protect local ecologies and sacred
landscapes.


identifier: Aubin, Jaclyn <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Aubin=3AJaclyn=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Allocare in St. Lawrence estuary belugas: patterns, prospective drivers, and potential benefits.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Allocare, care provided to offspring by non-parents, challenges our understanding of how animals should allocate their time and energy. The evolution and maintenance of allocare in populations suggests that alloparents receive fitness benefits from allocare. In many species, recipient offspring also receive important benefits from alloparents. My research represents the first in-depth investigation of allocare in wild belugas. By examining patterns of allocare, I seek to understand why beluga allomothers provide care to the offspring of others. My findings suggest that allocare in St. Lawrence Estuary belugas may be driven by kin selection and reciprocation. I also investigate potential benefits of allocare for recipient offspring by examining variables associated with variation in offspring risk, energetic costs, and group sociality. Patterns of allocare were not consistent with protective, energetic, or social benefits to offspring. However, patterns of calf allocare were influenced by herd movement pattern and tidal phase.


identifier: Saleh, Tina <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Saleh=3ATina=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Restorative justice education and social dynamics in the classroom.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: In this research, I examine teachers’ experiences with implementing Restorative Justice Education (RJE) in schools in Newfoundland. I investigate their experiences with navigating social class and social production in the classroom, and their perceptions around the change in culture that RJE is producing in schools. Further, I look how teachers think Restorative Justice Education is contributing to reconciliation efforts in the Canadian context. I also look at how teachers think RJE is creating equitable and inclusive classroom environments, and how their responses reveal a social movement occurring in education. I examined these research questions through eighteen qualitative interviews and discuss patterns and themes that emerged inductively in the responses. My research also reveals the potential of and opportunities that lie ahead for RJE to contribute to positive social change, and to provide more in-depth, collaborative and consultative education on Indigenous history in Canada.


identifier: Button, Erynn <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Button=3AErynn=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Exploring APOBEC3 domain structure: impact on recognition of DNA damage.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Activation-induced deoxycytidine deaminase (AID) and apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide 3 (APOBEC3, or A3) enzymes are a family of deoxycytidine (dC) deaminases involved in somatic hypermutation (SHM), antibody class switch recombination, and antiviral responses. These enzymes share similar structural features in their single active deoxycytidine deaminase (CD) domain, but some family members (A3B/DE/F/G) possess an additional second regulatory CD domain also known as an N-terminal domain (Ntd). AID/A3s mutate the genome indiscriminately, and A3A, A3B, and A3H haplotype II have been associated with cancer development. Thus, to date the paradigm has been that AID/A3s are pro-tumour factors because they transform healthy DNA into damaged and mutated DNA. However, I observed that the activity of A3A (single domain) and A3B (double domain) is increased if their substrate DNA contains environmentally damaged nucleotides such as 8-Oxo-2’-deoxyguanosine (8oxoG) directly adjacent to the dC (in the -2 or -1 nucleotide position). When exposed to substrates containing damaged nucleotides in positions further downstream, further upstream, or containing a greater concentration of damaged bases, A3A failed to demonstrate an activity increase relative to undamaged and -1 position 8oxoG control substrates whereas A3B exhibited significantly increased activity for all distally damaged substrates compared to controls. I propose that the regulatory Ntd of A3B is a key structural component that accounts for binding distally damaged DNA substrates. The notion that AID/A3s can target pre-damaged DNA in addition to non-damaged healthy DNA is a novel insight in the field; understanding the basis of this phenomenon from both the substrate sequence and enzyme structure point of view would advance our basic knowledge and permit exploration of targeting AID/A3 enzymes in cancer.


identifier: Nancollas, Sarah J. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Nancollas=3ASarah_J=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2020) The importance of tidal acclimation when assessing the physiological responses of Carcinus maenas to environmental stressors.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Animals inhabiting the intertidal zone are exposed to abrupt changes in
environmental conditions associated with the rise and fall of the tide. For convenience, the
majority of laboratory studies on intertidal organisms have held these organisms in constant
submerged conditions. However, this is not representative of the daily cycle of emersion
and immersion that intertidal organisms experience in their natural habitat. In this thesis, I
explored whether acclimation of the intertidal green crab Carcinus maenas to a continuous
simulated tidal cycle (from herein referred to as ‘tidal’ crabs) resulted in different
physiological responses to environmental stressors compared to crabs acclimated to
permanently submerged (‘non-tidal’) conditions. Chapter 1 reviews the previous literature
on the physiological tolerance of C. maenas to emersion, hypoxia and thermal stress and
opens the discussion of the importance of ecological realism in experimental design for
accurate physiological responses. Chapter 2 and 3 are experimental research manuscripts
that investigates how tidal acclimation influences the physiology behind oxygen delivery
and acid base balance during submersion and emersion (Chapter 2), and hypoxia and
thermal stress (Chapter 3). Chapter 4 serves as an overall general discussion of Chapters 2
and 3 with suggestions for future research directions. Overall, the findings of my research
show that acclimation to a tidal regime produces physiological adjustments such as
elevated haemocyanin levels and lower oxygen consumption during submersion that can
influence how crabs respond to environmental stressors. Notably, acclimation to a tidal
regime allows C. maenas to avoid the metabolic acidosis that occurs in non-tidal crabs
during emersion, likely through the buffering effects of elevated hemocyanin. The results
of this study suggest that how C. maenas responds to common stressors in the intertidal is complex, and that adaptation to air exposure during low tides may alter their physiological
responses to other environmental stressors. In order to gain a better understanding of how
intertidal organisms will respond to predicted environmental changes, laboratory
experiments should incorporated a tidal regime into their design.


identifier: Jefferies, Daze <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Jefferies=3ADaze=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Fishy fragments: trans women's worlds in Ktaqamkuk/Newfoundland.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
This portfolio-style thesis and work of autoethnographic research-creation explores the historical
lives of trans women in Ktaqamkuk/Newfoundland, Canada. Working with an assemblage of
archival remains, felt knowledges, and poetic imaginations – what I call fishy fragments – of trans
women’s worlds in Newfoundland, I reveal how the past five decades of our lives have been
shaped by loss, sex work, and oceanleaving. Loving and honouring fishy fragments as a way to
seek more heartful modes of inquiry in trans historical studies, this thesis offers a creative counterarchive
of Newfoundland trans women’s worlds by thinking with trans+oceanic emotional
geographies.


identifier: Ahmed, Rayhan Bin <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Ahmed=3ARayhan_Bin=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Chemical, morphological, and rheological properties of various rejuvenated asphalt binders.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) material is considered as an economical approach for sustainable pavement construction. However, usage of higher RAP binder content is more susceptible to pavement cracking. Using rejuvenators with RAP binder is a widely used approach to address the issues related to RAP binder. This study used thin film oven test (TFOT) aged binder with three types of rejuvenators including waste cooking oil (UT/R1), modified waste cooking oil (TR/R2), and Hydrolene (HL/R3). Also, in some cases, styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) polymer was added with UT/R1 and TR/R2 rejuvenated binders to compare the performances. To understand the behavior and the performance of these rejuvenators, three sets of characterization tests were conducted: chemical, morphological, and rheological. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) and Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was employed for chemical characterization, while Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) was used for morphological analysis. Later, a frequency sweep test and surface free energy (SFE) test was conducted to understand the rheological performances and moisture damage resistance of rejuvenated asphalt binders respectively. Based on the experimentation, the study reveals that UT/R1 softens the binders most, whereas TR/R2 rejuvenator eliminates these issues and showed better rheological performances of the binder. However, in case of moisture susceptibility, TR/R2 rejuvenated binder seems to have poor resistance and the highest resistance was recorded for UT/R1 rejuvenated binders. This study observes a good correlation between chemical, morphological and rheological performances of binders which are expected to contribute to the performance evaluation and characterization of rejuvenated asphalt mixes.


identifier: Samuels, Karen Lynn <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Samuels=3AKaren_Lynn=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Riding and remembrance: re-emplacement in a Canadian Forces Veterans motorcycle organization.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
This thesis explores the social processes of post-release dis-emplacement experienced by
a community of Canadian Forces veterans who rode motorcycles together. Across a range
of military experiences and careers, including dangerous overseas deployments and other
international and domestic postings, veterans experience a profound sense of loss and
isolation following their military release. In this thesis, I approach the military as a place.
I contend that retirement from their military careers is a dis-emplacing experience for
veterans, which severs them from their prior sense of military emplacement. For this
group and other veterans, retirement from the military means veterans’ disconnection
from familiar and empowering military lifeworlds, from a field of social relations that
provide definitive narratives for self-identification, from predictable and regimented
everyday activity, from a shared sense of purpose, and, from daily interaction with trusted
individuals who were like family. I posit that veteran riding community members
experienced grief as a result of the loss of their relationship with the military as a place.
This thesis examines veterans’ release bereavement as one of three social processes that
make up post-release dis-emplacement. Veterans additionally experienced as dis-emplacing
the intrusion of military skills and habits into their post-release lives in civilian
public and work places. Lastly, veterans experienced as dis-emplacing their struggles for
improved acknowledgement and compensation–from the Government of Canada and
from civilian Canadians–in exchange for risking their lives, bodies, and minds in military
service to Canada. I argue that veteran riding community members learned to mitigate the
wounding and sometimes harmful conditions of post-release dis-emplacement through their participation in a community of Canadian Forces veterans. As members of a
community of Canadian Forces veterans, together, they rode motorcycles, raised money
for other veterans and their families, and organized and took part in local remembrance
events in attendance with civilians.


identifier: Sparrow, Anna <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Sparrow=3AAnna=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Examining diets, identities, and entanglements of Coast Salish dogs.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The Coast Salish of southern Vancouver Island maintained domestic dog populations for over 6000 years. Using a multi-scalar approach, including oral tradition, isotopic dietary analysis of dog remains from six archaeological sites (DiSe-7, DcRu-12, DiSc-1, DjSf-13, DjSf-14, & DjSe-6) and radiocarbon dating, this project addresses the agency of dogs and their unique entanglement and relationships with humans. Through multiple lines of evidence, the interwoven relationships between dogs and their humans are explored and the following questions addressed: 1) what foods were dogs eating? 2) What is the dietary variability on the Pacific Northwest Coast over time and space? 3) How can these data, combined with ancillary lines of archaeological evidence, be used to interpret human-canine entanglement through relational approaches? Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratio analyses of 60 samples indicates that dogs were consuming mainly high-trophic marine-based proteins, consistent with previous palaeodietary research in coastal British Columbia, which indicates a primarily high-trophic marine diet for both humans and dogs along the coast. New radiocarbon dates are produced for six sites (two previously undated) indicating long-term associations between species over time and space within the region. The presence and personalities of dog characters from Coast Salish traditional narratives in conjunction with dietary stable isotope data and radiocarbon dates provides us with insights into human-dog relationships in this region.


identifier: Whitten, Joseph <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Whitten=3AJoseph=3A=3A.html>   (2020) The effects of unilateral dominant knee extensors fatigue on non-exercised contralateral and ipsilateral elbow and plantar flexors.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
The field of non-local muscle fatigue (NLMF) is a relatively young one. However, key factors and trends regarding methodologies and possible mechanisms are starting to be identified. Controlling for factors such as particular muscle groups selected, fatiguing protocols utilized, and participant factors such as age, sex, and training status are starting to illuminate the neurological, biological, biomechanical, and psychological contributions to NLMF effects. To date, this is the first investigation of ipsilateral and contralateral upper and lower body muscle groups following unilateral lower body fatigue that the investigators are aware of. The present study investigated the effects of exercise-induced knee extensor fatigue on force output and electromyography (EMG) activity of both, the ipsilateral and contralateral, non-exercised elbow and plantar flexors. Twelve participants (six females, six males) attended six testing sessions: i) fatigue-ipsilateral plantar flexor (PF), ii) control-ipsilateral PF, iii) fatigue-ipsilateral elbow flexor (EF), iv) control- ipsilateral EF, v) fatigue-contralateral PF, or vi) fatigue-contralateral EF. The non-fatigued muscle groups were assessed with maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) and normalized electromyographic (EMG) activity prior to and immediately post the intervention as well as during a repeated MVC protocol of twelve repeated MVCs at a work to rest ratio of 5/10 s. Ipsilateral EF MVC strength and endurance decreased following dominant KE fatigue as evidenced by a decrease in both MVC force immediately post- fatigue intervention and FI across the repeated MVC protocol. There were no significant differences in PF force or EMG or EF EMG immediately post-test or during the repeated MVC protocol. This study strengthens current theories which suggest that upper body muscle groups are more susceptible to NLMF effects following lower body fatigue and postulates that fast twitch (EF) predominant muscles are more susceptible to NLMF effects
than are slow twitch (PF) predominant muscles.


identifier: Marma, Hla-U-May <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Marma=3AHla-U-May=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Commercial, industrial and household electrical load modelling and short-term load forecasting.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
In this thesis, a transfer function-based load model is determined for commercial and industrial load. This model is derived from the composite load model which consist of an induction motor and static load. This developed model is compared to composite load model by considering two cases: 1) a small motor composition load or commercial load and 2) higher motor composition load or industrial load. The research is conducted through MATLAB/Simulink simulation. In order to compare the dynamic response of developed model, a comparative study has been done between the two models. In addition, the influence of voltage and frequency dependency terms on the overall model accuracy for developed model has been evaluated through several case studies considering both voltage and frequency dependency disturbances.
A short-term load forecast model is developed for an electrically heated house. This research work is based on experimental data collected by installing current sensors in a house in St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada. The data was collected for three years and only one-year data is used for this model. The model is based on Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) with wavelet transform. The proposed model is verified by comparing other developed models in the literature through MATLAB deep learning toolbox and wavelet toolbox. The proposed model can more accurately forecast the load.


identifier: Rahman, Md Samsur <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Rahman=3AMd_Samsur=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Risk management of offshore logistics support operations in remote harsh environments.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Activities in northern offshore regions are increasing due to proven reserves of natural resources. These regions are considered to have a harsh marine environment due to extreme weather conditions, namely low temperatures, frequent storms and the presence of sea ice. In general these activities are moving further offshore. Thus many new developments are faced with operations in extreme environments at long distances from shore support. Design, operational and regulatory planning for such offshore installations must consider the environmental challenges along with additional difficulties that arise due to remoteness.
The most significant aspects of an offshore development that are affected by the factors of environment and remoteness, are the logistical support functions required for daily operations and the rapid response required for emergencies. In the early stages of design it would be beneficial to have a means of assessing the high risk elements of such operations and the risk reduction cost effectiveness of proposed solutions.
This study presents an end-to-end risk reduction analysis of the logistical support functions for a typical remote harsh-environment offshore operation including; risk assessment to provide identification of most significant risks, risk reduction modeling and development of a solution to provide the identified most effective reduction strategy, and finally a cost benefit analysis that includes the costed initial risk factors, the solution cost and the costed net reduction in risk arising from implementation. This research serves three functions. It develops a procedure for evaluating offshore operations that have inherently high logistical risks due mainly to distance but also applicable to other factors. It provides a risk analysis based solution to the specific problem of remote operations in harsh environments. Finally it develops a method of determining the utility of a possible solution or of alternative solutions through rational risk based cost analysis.
The study is divided into four phases, Risk Analysis, Risk Reduction, Specific Solution and Cost-Benefit Analysis. In phase one – risk analysis, an advanced probabilistic model is developed using fault trees to identify the main contributing factors of the logistical challenges. A fuzzy-based and evidence-based approach is implemented to address inherent data limitations. It is found that existing modes of logistics support such as marine vessel or helicopter are not sufficiently reliable and quick for remote offshore operations. Moving towards in phase two – risk reduction, a conditional dependence-based Bayesian model is developed that has integrated multiple alternative risk reduction measures. The analysis depicts that a nearby offshore refuge and an additional layer of safety inventory are found to the most effective measures. In phase three – specific solution, the concept of a moored vessel, which is termed as offshore resource centre (ORC) is proposed that can meet the functions of both these measures. The overall dimensions of the ORC are derived based on the functional requirements and the model is validated for stability and mooring requirements. In phase four – cost-benefit analysis, the life cycle costs of an ORC is estimated from historical vessel data using regression analysis. A loss model is developed for a hypothetical blowout incident, which is a function response time and the distance from shore support. These models are integrated into a single framework that can project the costed risk with or without the ORC. The analysis reveals that an ORC becomes more and more viable when the offshore distance becomes longer and if there is a higher probability of any platform incident, recognizing that it is desirable to keep the probability as low as possible. Taken together these phases form a full analysis from problem identification through solution cost-benefit.


identifier: Tumber, Alana <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Tumber=3AAlana=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Death becomes them: death doulas, gender, and advance care planning.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
In Canada, non-medical professionals called “death doulas” have emerged to address perceived gaps in current models of end-of-life and funeral care by providing services that allow individuals to “reclaim” their relationship with death, by educating and supporting clients and
their families about their end-of-life options concerning palliative care and funerary options. In
order to understand the role of the death doula, I interviewed six death doulas from across Canada. Using a feminist phenomenological approach I explored the following questions: How do death doulas fit into a larger project of death reform? How might hegemonic beliefs about death, gender, and social privilege complicate any roles they might have in death reform movements? Relatedly, in what ways do death doulas resist or reinforce the commodification of
care-work? Their responses provided a glimpse into larger debates within the death doula community regarding regulation, the validity of training programs, commodification of care, the role of the death positive movement, and the importance of education.


identifier: Ambe-Uva, Terhemba <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Ambe-Uva=3ATerhemba=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Contested landscapes: third-party certification and the blue economy in West Africa.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
In recent years, the blue economy has emerged as among the most critical market-based solutions to achieve a ‘triple-win’ for marine resources, climate change, and fisher’s livelihood. Surprisingly, despite the grandiose claims, we continue to know little about how the blue growth strategy can achieve this triple-win. This thesis seeks to address the overarching question: How has third-party certification distributed political and economic power in West Africa’s fisheries, and in turn, how has it been resisted or accepted by fishers? I argue that the blue economy needs certified fisheries and aquaculture. The corporate seafood regime has led to keystone corporations reorganizing the seafood system to increase their profits through certified products, and by using a sustainable narrative trope that rationalizes and perpetuates access and control to West African fisheries resources. The implication is that certification schemes are orienting fisheries for export instead of self-sufficiency.
I also argue that marginal actors such as small-scale fishers mobilized exclusion and lack of voice to contest and resist corporate control over the global seafood and reconstruct alternative food systems. I posit that these actors challenge the discourses, knowledge, and evidence that tends to entrench a corporate seafood system. I develop a theoretical framework that highlights how different aspects of the relationship between hegemony and corporate seafood regime interfaces with the everyday political economy to understand the persistence of the blue economy despite its contradictions, and the ensuing frictions of resistance
In sum, this thesis addresses a significant gap in the international political economy literature by offering a systematic theoretical and empirical exploration of when a seafood regime becomes hegemonic; and the agency of marginal actors, especially as they negotiate alternative food systems. It thus contributes to seafood regulation and the recent call towards ‘thinking ecologically’ as well as the broader ongoing debates about the alternative food system and environmental justice.


identifier: Ahmed, Inaam <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Ahmed=3AInaam=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Verification of concurrent HARPO programs using formal verification theory.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Defects in software cost money and sometimes lives. Even with rigorous testing,
there are countless ways for programs to go wrong. Testing does not guarantee that a
given program is correct for every input. Concurrent program testing does not guarantee
that a program is correct for the example inputs. Formal program verification
has been used as a technique to ensure program correctness for several years. It analyses
the properties of the code and ensures that nothing goes wrong. In this thesis, a
formal verification tool is designed and implemented based on Boogie IVL (Intermediate
Verification Language) for a multi-threaded and object-oriented language named
HARPO (HARdware Parallel Objects). We have designed the specific annotations
intended only for use in verification. These annotations help the HARPO verifier
to translate the program into an equivalent Boogie code. The resulting Boogie code
is checked with theorem provers to verify the correctness of the HARPO program.
Boogie code generation is tested using unit testing, and some of the case studies are
reported. Consequently, programmers can use the HARPO verifier for verification of
their concurrent programs.


identifier: Asante, Emmanuel <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Asante=3AEmmanuel=3A=3A.html>   (2020) The effect of lean or obese mouse adipocyte on the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition of MDA-MB-231 cells in 3-dimensional culture.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Obese breast cancer (BC) patients have at least 30% increased risk of death from BC compared to non-obese BC patients. This is because obesity is associated with larger tumor sizes and increased rates of metastasis. Obese BC patients respond poorly to treatment compared to non-obese patients, especially when diagnosed with the triple negative BC (TNBC) subtype. The reasons behind the poor treatment outcomes associated with obesity are not fully understood. The Christian Laboratory had previously established a novel 3-dimensional co-culture system that permitted the co-culture of adipocytes and TNBC cells in a manner that mimics an in vivo milieu. Using this system, I demonstrated that lean and obese mice white adipose tissue could induce a mesenchymal-to-epithelial-transition (MET)-like effect in TNBC cells, thus furnishing the BC cells with properties that enable them to colonize and establish tumors in secondary organs. I have also shown that pro-MET factors are systemically secreted. Taken together this study suggests that adipose tissue has the potential to promote secondary tumor formation in lean and obese women. Further work is needed to determine if targeting the MET-like effect induced adipose tissue could reduce metastasis.


identifier: Akhter, Rabeya <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Akhter=3ARabeya=3A=3A.html>   (2020) Nature's palette - an open access repository of spectral data.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Light environment, coloration, and color vision play an important role in nature by
affecting animal behavior and ecology. Projects that study these topics often require
thousands of spectral measurements from light, animal/plant integuments,
and medium (air, water). However, substantial resources are wasted on reproducing
the same data for different research projects because very few of these data are
made publicly available to other researchers. Our proposed open-access repository
allows researchers to share, search, and download spectral data. It offers a curatorial
pipeline which will help to promote the digital preservation for easy discovery,
access, and usability of spectral data and their metadata. The repository will
provide an incredible resource of spectral measurements and encourage large-scale
projects through the reuse of existing data across an international scientific community.