title: Revisiting the Experimental Design Choices for Approaches for the Automated Retrieval of Duplicate Issue Reports

contributor:
E. Hassan, Ahmed
Computing

subject:
Text Analysis
Duplicate Issue Reports
Performance Evaluation
Software Engineering
Software Issue Reports

abstract:
Issue tracking systems, such as Bugzilla, are commonly used to track reported bugs and change requests. Duplicate reports have been considered as a hindrance to developers and a drain on their resources.  To avoid wasting developer resources on previously-reported (i.e., duplicate) issues, it is necessary to identify such duplicates as soon as they are reported.
In recent years, several approaches have been proposed for the automated  retrieval of duplicate reports. These approaches leverage the textual, categorical, and contextual information in previously reported issues to determine whether a newly-reported issue has  been previously-reported. In general, studies that are designed to evaluate these approaches treat all the duplicate issue reports equally, make use of data chunks that span a relatively short period of time, and ignore the impact of newly-activated features (e.g., just-in-time lightweight retrieval of duplicates at filing time)  in the recent issue tracking systems.

This thesis revisits the experimental design choices of such prior studies  along three perspectives: 1) Used performance measures, 2) Evaluation process, and 3) Experiment's data choice.  For the performance measures, we  highlight the need for effort-aware evaluation of such approaches, since the identification of a considerable amount of duplicate reports (over 50%) appears to be a relatively trivial task.

 For the evaluation process,
  we show that the previously-reported performance of such approaches   is significantly overestimated.

 Finally, recent versions of ITSs  perform  just-in-time lightweight  retrieval of duplicate issue reports at the filing time of an issue report. The aim of such just-in-time retrieval is to avoid the filing of duplicates. We show that future studies of the automated retrieval of duplicate reports have to focus on after-JIT duplicates, as these duplicates are more representative of issue reports in practice nowadays.

 Our results   through this thesis highlight the current state of progress in the automated retrieval of duplicate reports while charting directions for future research efforts.

abstract: PhD


title: Lightbee: Design and Implementation of a Self-Levitating Light Field Display for Telepresence

contributor:
Vertegaal, Roel
Computing

rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States

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

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

rights: Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University

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

subject:
Telepresence
Light Field
Quadcopter
Cylindrical Display
Glasses-Free 3D
Projector Array

abstract:
Communication between humans is not limited to the spoken word. We use a number of non-verbal cues such as facial expression, eye contact, body orientation and movement, among others. Research on display technology has made it possible to provide a convincing reconstruction of facial—and sometimes body—features preserving eye contact between local and remote users in telecommunication. A variety of light field displays have been developed to support eye contact in one-to-many teleconferencing scenarios. Unfortunately, most of these systems focus exclusively on display technology, disregarding mobility issues. Telepresence robots allow some degree of mobility. Self-levitating telepresence robots, such as blimps and drones, could move freely through the air. But they do not provide a three-dimensional appearance of a remote user.
In this thesis, we present a telepresence system featuring a self-levitating light field display, LightBee. The display is a drone that flies a projection of a remote user's head in 3D in a space. The remote user’s head movements are used to control the movements of the drone, offering support for non-verbal communication through proxemics and eye contact across a distance. The light field display is created by a cylindrical retroreflective sheet mounted on a quadcopter. 45 projectors, mounted in a ring, project images onto the LightBee’s retroreflector, creating a light field providing motion parallax and stereoscopy without the aid of glasses. This allows multiple local users to experience a “hologrammatic” view of the remote user’s head, as seen from varying angles. Two small cameras mounted on LightBee allow the remote user to fly through and experience the local environment.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Shizhe Shengcun (Survival of the Fittest): The Origin and Adaptation of Social Darwinist Concepts in Modern China

contributor:
Hill, Emily M.
History

subject:
Social Darwinism
China
Shizhe Shengcun
Survival of the Fittest

abstract:
Shizhe shengcun was the best-known Chinese phrase associated with Darwinism and Social Darwinism during the twentieth century. It has remained in use to this day, and continues to be accepted as the best translation of the “survival of the fittest.”  Variation in use of the term shizhe shengcun reflects the rise and fall of social Darwinist ideas in China. By tracing a thread in the development of social Darwinist terminology in modern China, this study illuminates the intellectual lineage of Chinese social Darwinist thought.
Two modes of thought in Chinese philosophy have been identified as relevant to the reception of Darwinist concepts, namely the materialistic worldview of Wang Fuzhi (1619-1692) and the primitive theory of evolution expounded much earlier by Zhuangzi (370-287 BC). These two modes of thought contributed to a conceptual framework for the reception of Darwinist and social Darwinist ideas in China. In the last a few decades of the nineteenth century, Darwinist and social Darwinist terms began to be translated into Chinese. As this thesis points out, an essay composed by Zhong Tianwei in 1889 was the first work in Chinese to convey identifiable social Darwinist terms, and Yan Fu’s book Tianyan Lun (1898) was the first to express social Darwinist ideas in detail. The thesis argues that Zhong and Yan both introduced terms associated with evolution while placing them within the framework of Chinese philosophy.
Through discussion of the emergence and acceptance of shizhe shengcun and other terms, this study constructs a new explanation of the introduction and changing usage of social Darwinist concepts in China. There has as yet been no comprehensive study of how Chinese intellectuals introduced and understood the key terms and concepts associated with Darwinism and how their work led to the coalescence of a conceptual system associated with Social Darwinism. In further discussion, the thesis presents a case study of the approach to suzhi jiaoyu, a concept based on Herbert Spencer’s educational principles. The case study illustrates the application of social Darwinist ideas in contemporary China.

abstract: PhD


title: Phase Noise Characterization of a Mode-Locked Quantum-Dot Coherent Optical Frequency Comb Source Laser

contributor:
Cartledge, John
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Phase Noise
Optical Frequency Comb
Mode-Locked Laser

abstract:
Modern coherent optical communication systems transmit 100 Gb/s dual-polarization quadrature phase shift keying (DP-QPSK) signals on each of the 100 channels in a dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) system. Each of these channels require an individual optical carrier frequency to be generated from a discrete high-performance tunable laser. These arrays of discrete lasers are an expensive component in the transmitter of an optical communication channel. Thus, recent research has investigated an alternative laser source - optical frequency combs (OFCs). OFCs generate numerous spectral modes, referred to as comb lines, from a single photonic device. Each of these comb lines can be used as an optical carrier frequency for a channel in a DWDM system. Thus, the implementation of an OFC as a laser source for coherent optical communications minimizes the number of laser modules in a DWDM system leading to a drastic reduction in system cost and complexity. Additionally, OFCs exhibit an intrinsic coherence among each comb line across the spectrum. This coherence implies that the phase noise exhibited by each comb line in the OFC is related which allows for effective methods of phase noise compensation. Consequently, OFCs are heavily under research and development.
In this research, a prototype 25 GHz quantum-dot coherent optical frequency comb source laser is characterized in both the time and frequency domains. The output of the comb source laser is extensively observed and the optical and electrical spectra, spectral flatness, relative intensity noise, phase noise, linewidth and timing jitter are measured. These preliminary results led to the development of a coherent phase noise detection scheme capable of recovering time domain phase noise trajectories for pairs of comb lines. The detection scheme allowed the coherence exhibited by the comb source to be quantified using a correlation coefficient which compared recovered phase noise trajectories for pairs of comb lines. Additionally, the statistical properties of the recovered phase noise trajectories are explored which enables experimental quantification of the relative contribution of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) noise and timing jitter for each mode. Experimental results are shown to align with theoretical descriptions of phase noise in mode-locked lasers.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Development of Green Chromatographic Techniques and Stimuli-Responsive Materials Based on CO2-Switchable Chemistry

contributor:
Oleschuk, Richard D.
Jessop, Philip G.
Chemistry

subject:
CO2
Carbon Dioxide
Liquid Chromatography
CO2 Switchable Chromatography
Porous Polymer Monolith
Silica Spheres
Stimuli-Responsive Materials
Material Characterization

abstract:
Developing alternatives to organic solvents and salts in chromatographic separation is highly desired. In this thesis, original studies were performed to demonstrate the feasibility of using CO2-modified aqueous solvents as an environmentally friendly mobile phase.
Porous polymer monoliths were considered as a straightforward approach for the preparation of capillary columns with various functionality. A copolymer column containing dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) was investigated for the effect of CO2 on separation. Although a slight decrease of retention time of aromatic compounds was initially observed using acetic acid-modified solvent, the chromatographic separation using CO2-modified solvent was not reproducible, presumably resulting from the difficulty of reliably introducing gaseous CO2 into the nano LC system. Because different pH and temperature conditions can be easily applied, the pH and thermo-responsive behaviour of the copolymer column was also investigated. It showed the capability of pH and temperature for manipulating retention time and selectivity for various compounds. Because of the presence of ionizable groups, the column was also demonstrated for ion exchange separation of proteins.
Following the initial work, a conventional HPLC system was used instead. A custom CO2 delivery system (1 bar CO2) was assembled to provide CO2-modified aqueous solvent with pH 3.9 ~ 6.5. A significant hydrophobicity switch of the stationary phase was observed by a reduction in retention time, when using CO2-modified solvents for the diethylaminoethyl (DEAE) and polyethylenimine (PEI) functionalized columns. In particular, the polyethylenimine column can be used to perform separation of organic molecules using 100% water without any organic solvent added. Another study was also conducted utilizing primary, secondary and tertiary amine functionalized silica particles (3.5 µm). A pH-/CO2-dependent ion exchange separation was demonstrated considering the protonation / deprotonation of both stationary phase and analytes. Carboxylic acid compounds were effectively separated using only carbonated water as the mobile phase.
Despite the development of green chromatographic separations, this thesis also demonstrated the pH-/CO2-responsive surface wettability / adhesion of a polymer monolith surface grafted with functional polymers. Preliminary results indicate significant potential for applications such as drug screening and cell culture by introducing stimuli-responsive domains in droplet microarrays.

abstract: PhD


title: A Needs Assessment to Inform the Development of a Dyadic Physical Activity Intervention for Caregiver Care Recipient Dyads with Moderate-to-Severe Multiple Sclerosis Disability

contributor:
Finlayson, Marcia
Rehabilitation Science

subject:
Multiple Sclerosis
Physical Activity
Family Caregivers
Needs Assessment

abstract:
The impact of multiple sclerosis (MS) extends beyond the person who has the disease to his/her family caregivers. One of the rehabilitation strategies to manage some of the disease impact on the health of both partners is increasing participation in physical activity. Yet, physical activity interventions in MS rarely focus on people with moderate-to-severe MS disability or target dyads.
The overall purpose of this dissertation was to determine if there is sufficient evidence to support the development of a dyadic physical activity intervention for people with moderate-to-severe MS disability and their family caregivers. Guided by the Developmental Contextual Coping Model and the Concerns Report Methodology, three studies were conducted as part of this dissertation. First, a qualitative focus group study was conducted to explore the shared perspectives of the dyads about physical activity. Next, a cross-sectional accelerometry study was conducted to determine physical activity pattern interdependence within the dyads. Finally, a cross-sectional survey study was conducted to determine the needs, issues and concerns for community resources to support physical activity participation, factors associated with perceived need and barriers to sole- versus co-participation in physical activity among the target groups.
The results indicate that structured and unstructured physical activity are not perceived as mutually exclusive and each partner can go back and forth along the continuum depending on current circumstances. Physical activity was described an interpersonal experience with caregivers and care-recipients sharing similar struggles, frustrations and adjustments when trying to be physically active. The results also show that both people with moderate-to-severe MS disability and their caregivers are far below the public health recommendations for physical activity. Findings highlight the critical need for a multilevel resource that incorporates affordable options for exercising together and innovative methods of outreach to people with moderate-to-severe MS disability and the caregivers who support them. A broad range of predisposing, enabling and health need factors were associated with perceived need for community resources. The variability in barriers to sole- versus co-participation in physical activity among people with MS and their caregivers suggest that the success of dyadic physical activity interventions in MS may be contingent upon adequate diminution of care-recipients and caregivers unique barriers.

abstract: PhD


title: Performance of Geomembranes to Contain PCBS, Brine and Reverse-Osmosis Water

contributor:
Rowe, R. Kerry
Civil Engineering

subject: Geomembrane Antioxidants HDPE LLDPE Blended PCB Brine Leachate

abstract:
Accelerated ageing tests are used to examine the performance of geomembranes in three applications. The thesis examines a broad range of geomembranes produced over a time span of 30 years and highlights the progress made in the antioxidant/stabilizer packages as well as the resins.
First, two high-density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembranes exhumed from a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contaminated waste storage site constructed in the mid-1980’s are examined. The two geomembranes exhibited different antioxidant depletion mechanisms and mechanical performances. Both geomembranes were still performing their design function when exhumed after 22-23 years and a long period of effective performance is projected based on accelerated aging tests.
Second, five high-performance geomembranes manufactured in 2014 and boosted with antioxidants and stabilizers are immersed in brine solution (the concentrate from the reverse osmosis process used to clean up hydraulic fracturing flowback waters from coal/shale gas recovery so that most of the water can be released as surface water for agricultural use). The thesis shows a difference in the performance between the five products in terms of antioxidants depletion, the estimated time to depletion (Stage I), morphological changes at the six test temperatures (95 to 40ºC) and the considerable decrease in stress crack resistance of 2-mm HDPE geomembrane with time prior to any oxidative degradation. The brine concentration greatly affects the antioxidant’s depletion rate.
Third, the performance of the same five high-performance geomembranes is examined for immersion in reverse osmosis water (the clean side output from the reverse osmosis process used to clean up hydraulic fracturing flowback waters) at three temperatures. The products were also immersed in synthetic leachate at a high temperature for comparison. The geomembranes immersed in water behaved differently than in leachate and brine even at the lowest concentration. When compared to geomembranes produced in the 2000’s, the boost in the antioxidants/stabilizers concentrations of the high-performance geomembranes was not highly efficient in increasing the time to depletion. Nevertheless, the mechanical properties of the high-performance geomembranes did not decrease for the testing period unlike those produced in the 2000’s that exhibited a relatively an early degradation in mechanical properties.

abstract: PhD


title: Enhancing Triglyceride Production Using Carbon Dioxide

contributor:
Jessop, Philip
Champagne, Pascale
Chemistry

subject:
Microalgae
Biodiesel
Lipid Extraction
Liquid Carbon Dioxide
Switchable-Hydrophilicity Solvent

abstract: Biofuels have recently emerged as renewable, biodegradable, and cost-effective alternatives to fossil fuels. Microalgae serve as promising feedstocks to produce biofuel because of their fast growth rates, ability to grow on non-arable land or in wastewater, and high lipid content, which is essential for biofuel production. Unfortunately, current laboratory methods for the extraction of microalgal lipids have high capital/energy costs. Therefore, this thesis examines liquid CO2 as a potential greener technique for extracting these intracellular lipids. In the literature review, microalgal cell disruption and extraction techniques are discussed extensively. Current extraction techniques, with or without cell disruption, have high energy and capital costs. Therefore, it is essential to discover greener extraction techniques. Other improvements to reduce cost include using microalgal slurries, combining process steps, and minimizing solvent use. Life cycle assessments are necessary to identify the environmental impact associated with each lipid extraction method. The lipid extract yields from Chlorella vulgaris using liquid CO2, co-solvents, and/or additional modifiers, were investigated. When C. vulgaris in the presence of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide and water was exposed to liquid CO2, the highest extract yield was obtained compared to all other co-solvents and/or modifiers tested. In a study of the transesterification of soybean oil using a switchable-hydrophilicity solvent, 2-(dibutylamino)ethanol, fatty acid methyl ester yields and the recyclability of 2-(dibutylamino)ethanol were reported. After 5 cycles, the yield of fatty acid methyl esters was 80-85 % of the original mass of soybean oil and the recovery of 2-DBAE was 65-90 % of the original volume. This project served as a proof of concept for future applications to microalgae. The extraction of lipids from Scenedesmus sp. using liquid CO2, methanol, and/or prior cell disruption techniques was investigated. When microwave radiation in the presence of distilled water followed by extraction using liquid CO2 and methanol, the highest neutral lipid and free fatty acids yields were obtained. Moreover, fluorescence microscopy was able to effectively monitor cell disruption upon microwave radiation and grinding following freezing with liquid N2.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Assessing the Needs of Agency Stakeholders With Regards to the Development of a Community Employment Initiative

contributor:
Lysaght, Rosemary
Rehabilitation Science

subject: Intellectual and Developmental Disability

subject: Community Employment

subject: Needs Assessment

subject: Community Agency

subject: Community Participation

abstract: Background: In light of the current directives of the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services (MCSS) towards providing more inclusive employment opportunities and closure of sheltered workshops, service providers are working to shift their employment services to be more community-based. This study investigated the needs of clients in one community agency, their caregivers, agency staff and administration, regarding the development of a community-based employment program for service users with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Methods: This qualitative case study used a needs assessment framework based on the model developed by Witkin and Altschuld (1995). Prior the start of the data collection, a pre-assessment was conducted which provided the background and premise for the current assessment. The full needs assessment included four participant groups: agency clients, caregivers, day program staff and senior management. Clients and their caregivers participated in individual, semi structured interviews. Day program staff and senior management participated in separate focus groups. Results/Discussion: This evaluation determined that all stakeholders would like community-based employment services to be offered by the agency, and clients expressed an interest in supported employment services, vocational services and a social enterprise. The results of this assessment also highlight factors that impact stakeholders’ motives for pursuing community based employment services, and the organizational and structural barriers that hinder the agency’s development of such services. Due to the diversity in the clientele, there was ambivalence amongst stakeholders about which type of employment program will best suit service users and the organization overall.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: A Framework for Life of Mine Ventilation Planning with a Case Study of the Diavik Diamond Mine

contributor:
De Souza, Euler
Mining Engineering

subject: Mine Ventilation Planning Framework Mining Underground Diavik

abstract:
A ventilation planning framework with a focus on life-of-mine plans has been developed and was validated with a case study. The framework reconciles the mine production plan with the ventilation plan by creating design acceptability criteria, and from these, minimum airflow requirements for the production plan are set. The framework continues with the development of a ventilation model that is extrapolated forward, and the predicted future flows are tested against the ventilation acceptability criteria and the model is also checked for other bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Where gaps exist between the available and required ventilation, ideas are generated and ranked rapidly according to the value-ease principle and preliminary modelling. Those potential solutions which appear most likely to succeed are then modelled in detail before a fuller economic analysis is undertaken, a recommendation arrived at, and final optimizations made.
The framework was validated with a case study of the Diavik Diamond Mine. Diavik has been an underground operation since 2012 and has a mine life of only 13 years. With less than eight years remaining the mine will go through some fundamental milestones, including the opening of two new mining blocks in one orebody, and closing of two other orebodies currently in production. A single orebody will be left in operation for the final three years of mine life. A significant change to the ventilation system will be required to support these transitions to the final configuration. The proposed framework was successfully utilized to select the optimal project scope to meet the ventilation requirements of the life-of-mine plan.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Mechanical Testing and Characterization of Proton Irradiated 99.4% NI Using the Reactor Materials Testing Laboratory

contributor:
Daymond, Mark
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
SEM
TEM
Proton Irradiation
Nano-mechanical Testing
Geometrically Necessary Dislocations
Irradiation Induced Defects
Reactor Materials Testing Laboratory
Ni Alloy
Nuclear Materials

abstract: The Queen’s Reactor Material Testing Laboratory uses proton irradiation to simulate the damage induced in a material from neutrons, within a nuclear reactor environment. Inconel X-750 is a 70wt% Ni superalloy, used for the spacer material in the CANDU® reactor. In this work, 99.4% Ni is irradiated to 0.1dpa, with 6MeV protons, at an average temperature of 120oC using the Proton Irradiation Sample Holder. The motivation for this work was to distinguish between damage mechanisms versus phase transformation effects that are exhibited in X-750 from γ’ precipitates and disordered phases. Cross-sectional nano-indentation showed an increase in hardness with increasing dpa from proton irradiation. The Nix-Gao (NG) model, a strain gradient plasticity model, was applied to Indentation Size Effect (ISE) experimentation. A bi-linear trend was observed in the NG model for both the irradiated and unirradiated material.  The increase in hardness, in the micro-scale regime, was measured to be 558.3±138.1MPa and using the Busby relationship the increase in the shear yield strength was measured to be 171.4±42.2MPa. TEM characterization identified three types of irradiation induced defects: 1/3<111> Frank Loops, ½<110> Perfect loops and SFTs, with a mean loop size of 7.20, 11.50 and 3.02nm, respectively. The total defect density was measured to be 3.1∙1022m-3, with 24.3% consisting of SFTs, 49.5% and 26.2% consisting of Frank Loops and Perfect Loops respectively. Using the hardening contributions of various microstructural features proposed by G.E Lucas, obstacle barrier hardening models and the super-position principle, the increase in shear tensile strength was calculated. The Bacon-Kocks-Scattergood model yielded a value of 169.8±25.8MPa, which directly agrees with the experimentally measured value. It is proposed that irradiation induced defects result in a smaller ISE, bi-linear transition at a shallower depth and a larger density of geometrically necessary dislocations (GND) to accommodate an indentation of specific depth, shallower than 500nm. The Ma and Clarke model and independent SEM/EBSD analysis provide evidence for a larger GND density in an irradiated material compared to an unirradiated material. It is believed that irradiation induced defects reduced the size of plastic deformation from an indentation and produced larger elastic recovery.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Inducible GAL4 Systems for Gene Expression Control in Adult Drosophila melanogaster

contributor:
Seroude, Laurent
Biology

rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 United States

subject: GAL4 UAS GAL80 Tet-off tTA Drosophila LacO lacZ

abstract:
The ability to express a gene of interest in a directed place, time and at a certain level can be achieved by the use of gene expression control tools. The UAS/GAL4 system is by far the most widely used tool in Drosophila with a collection of thousands of GAL4 drivers available. Despite the system’s vast applications, the UAS/GAL4 system does not allow for temporal control of gene expression. A major focus of many fly geneticists has been to create a new system by generating new transgenes based on entirely different transcriptional regulators. However, it is much more convenient to take advantage of the existing UAS and/or GAL4 lines, many of which have previously been spatially and temporally characterized through adult life. Two new inducible GAL4-based gene expression systems were generated: the tetracycline inducible (Tet- Off) GAL80 transgenes and the lactose (Lac) Inducible UAS/GAL4 system.
The Tet-Off GAL80 transgenes were designed to express GAL80 under the control of a Tet-Off promoter to regulate GAL4 activity. Two versions of the transgene were generated each with a unique ubiquitous promoter that drives expression of tTA. After exhaustively examining the repressive ability of this GAL80 system it was found that the best repression was achieved in genotypes with four copies and both versions of the transgene. Induction was observed in tetracycline treated animals but was found to be dependent on sex, age, and the anatomical location of transcription and translation. The repressive ability of GAL80 was also affected by age which would limit its use to regulate expression in adult animals.
The Lac Inducible UAS/GAL4 System was designed to regulate the UAS promoter by incorporating lac operator (LacO) sequences to which LacI could bind and repress UAS transcriptional activity. Two different versions of the modified LacO-UAS were built previously containing 2 or 3 operators, pHN1 and pHN4. The influence of the addition of the lac operators was studied and found to negatively affect UAS transcriptional activity during adulthood, independent of LacI.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Playing with Persiflage: How Free-Form Dialogue Enables Emergent Narratives in Orchestrated Digital Games

contributor:
Graham, T. C. Nicholas
Computing

subject:
Game Orchestration
Games and Creativity
Digital Games

abstract: Digital games struggle to blend compelling narrative with interactivity. For example, computer role-playing games allow players the freedom to explore an open world, yet limit their interaction with the world’s inhabitants to selecting from pre-determined dialogue choices. This constrains players’ interactions and the game’s narrative to those conceived in advance by the game’s designers. We show how game orchestration enables a human to play the role of non-player characters, expanding interactive narrative through truly open-ended conversation. This idea is concretely realized in the novel game Persiflage. Through a study of five groups playing the game, we show how players and orchestrator converse, interact, and play using natural language. Players engage deeply in the game’s story, but do not adhere rigidly to the game’s setting, liberally employing slang and anachronistic references. Orchestrators accommodate the players but themselves play truer to the game’s setting, leading to asymmetric dialogue. Groups exhibited a range of dominance structures that affect the fluidity of the gameplay. Players and orchestrators use open ended conversations to collaboratively construct a narrative that emerges through gameplay. Orchestrators take the lead in authoring the story by preparing the game world for the players to explore. As the game progresses players make contributions and authorial control shifts between players and orchestrators. We show that orchestrated computer roleplaying games are an enjoyable outlet for players to exercise their creativity and that interesting and complex narratives can emerge from their play.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Seasonality of Influenza: An Investigation Using Time Series, Spectral Analysis & Epidemiological Models

contributor:
Thomson, David J.
Day, Troy
Mathematics and Statistics

subject:
Time Series
Spectral Analysis
Influenza
Susceptible-Infected Model
Harmonic Analysis

abstract: Influenza is an infectious disease. Its seasonality is commonly modeled focusing on the yearly cycle. The log transform of pneumonia and influenza mortality data from the United States from 1910 to 2015 showed an approximate 30 year recurring pattern. The data were analyzed in the time domain and then in the frequency domain using the multitaper spectrum estimation method. Significant frequencies were identified using the F-test and confirmed by the presence of distinct square peaks in the spectrum plot. This monthly sampled data identified long-term trends at 136 year, 14 year, 11 year and 7.5 year periods as well as high frequencies of 2, 3, 4 and 5 c/y. These intriguing results led to the analysis of influenza incidence data from the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Japan. Simulated data was generated from a susceptible-infected epidemiological model with the contact rate of influenza transmission set to a one-year period. It was also modified to include multiple periodic terms that were identified as significant in the collected datasets. After comparing the spectral results of the collected and simulated data, similarities were easier to notice and interpret. Spectral analysis identifies frequencies that contribute to the variations in the data.  These frequencies could have individual biological significance and/or aid in the attempt to represent the data that are non-sinusoidal by summing their sinusoids.  The high frequencies are most likely harmonics of the yearly cycle, where 2, 8 and 9 c/y are recommended to be considered in inclusion in multi-term periodic models. Simulations presented the opportunity to compare the effect of sampling rates and data length on the spectral results. It is recommended to use weekly sampled data of at least 30 years. The results from investigating influenza morbidity and mortality data in the frequency domain aid to better understand the patterns of the data, which can be used to improve forecasting of influenza data.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Towards A Security Framework for Smartphone Operating Systems

contributor:
Zulkernine, Mohammad
Computing

subject:
Smartphone Security
Operating System Security
Anti-Malware Framework

abstract:
Smartphones have become an integral part of our daily lives that offer a multitude of features in a small form factor. Users store sensitive personal information on their phones and perform financial transactions. Moreover, people use their personal phones to access corporate/government resources and vice versa. We perform tasks on smartphones that require multiple security models to execute the tasks securely. However, most smartphone operating systems need to focus on the usability which compromises security.

This thesis presents a security framework for smartphone operating systems. The core idea of the framework resembles the security of a modern smart city. The operating system acts as the government of the city and the applications are the citizens. It has components to protect resources and perform policing (monitor, detect, and control). There are multiple application zones with different security constraints. Smartphones with this framework automatically switch to a different security mode based on the detected context to satisfy the security requirements in different use cases. Installed applications are monitored to identify anomalous behavior as well as certain specific malicious behavior like click-fraud. The operation of the framework is mostly automated and requires no input from users for default operations. We implement a significant portion of the framework for Android and our experiments suggest that the framework improves the overall security of Android increasing its ability to protect user resources as well as to detect and control malware.

abstract: PhD


title: Disposing of Risk: The Biopolitics of Recalled Food and the (Un)making of Waste

contributor:
Hird, Myra
Environmental Studies

subject:
Environmental Studies
Sociology
Biopolitics
Food Waste
Reverse Supply Chain
Food Recalls

abstract: I use food recalls—the removal from the market of food that violates laws or standardsas a lens to understand how efforts to secure the Canadian food system and Canadian consumers more broadly intersect with the limits of human control. I draw on the related concepts of biopolitics, biosecurity, and risk, as a frame for critically examining the imbroglio that constitutes the simultaneous control of microbial life on the one hand, and the enriching of human life on the other. Data come from interviews with 22 key informants; documentary analysis of Canadian government and industry documents publicly available or obtained through Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests; and attendance at a conference on food safety. This dissertation is comprised of three core studies. The first study uses microbiological end-product testing of food as a lens through which to better understand how (scientific) indeterminacy is managed in the food industry and in the context of regulatory enforcement. The second study situates food safety and food recalls as a site in which to better understand the challenge that entanglements of human and nonhuman pose to the security of the food system. From this foundation, I provide a critique of conventional notions of the Anthropocene in which I re-characterize the Anthropocene as a moment of indeterminacy and asymmetry rather than of profound human control and domination. The third study develops a conceptual map of the reverse supply chain (RSC; the processes and actors involved in handling recalled products) for recalled food. The RSC is synthesized with concepts of divestment and conduits from the interdisciplinary discard studies literature as a foundation to better understand the challenges to biosecurity and biopolitics that a move towards closed loop (reverse) supply chains may engender. Taken together, I suggest that the foodborne hazards we confront are often beyond human knowledge; the unknownunknowns associated with, and immanent in technoscientific intervention, microbiological abundance, and the complex sociomaterial entanglements of life and living. In these ways, and with respect to how recalled food is divested, the biopolitics and the biopolitical governance of food are inextricable from environmental considerations.

abstract: PhD


title: Novel Assessment Tool for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Based on Eye Movement Behaviours

contributor:
Reynolds, James
Neuroscience Studies

subject:
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Children
Eye Movements
Development
Biomarker

abstract: Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is the leading cause of preventable developmental disability among Canadians, affecting at least 1% of the population. Diagnosis of FASD requires collaboration from a multidisciplinary team and can be a lengthy process frequently involving long wait times. Our objective was to conduct a validation study to confirm the ability of eye tracking to efficiently and objectively identify children with FASD. In the validation study, 32 children with an FASD diagnosis and 25 typically developing control children completed three eye-tracking tasks, measuring automatic and voluntary eye movement responses, spatial working memory and visuospatial skills. Data previously collected (105 typically developing control children and 68 children with FASD) was analyzed using the same automated program, and used as the training data for the classifier. Features extracted from the eye movement control tasks were used as input to test an extreme learning machine model’s ability to accurately classify children into their respective groups. Children with FASD exhibited significant differences in eye movement performance in each of the three eye-tracking tasks, including end point error, percentage of direction errors, percentage of trials with step saccades, and overall accuracy. Classification of the validation cohort participants (FASD and control) was fairly high, producing a sensitivity of 72%, a specificity of 88%, and an overall accuracy of 79%. Features recognized as important for distinguishing between the control and FASD groups were similar or related to features that were shown to differ significantly between groups. These results support the notion that eye-tracking provides information about differences in brain function between clinical and control groups that can be used to train computational models to classify participant groups with a fairly high degree of accuracy. Measuring eye movement behaviours can help identify brain dysfunction due to prenatal alcohol exposure, providing insight into potential functional biomarkers of FASD.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Advanced Downconversion Mixers for CMOS Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits

contributor:
Saavedra, Carlos
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject: Mixer Linearity IIP3 broadband low-noise low-power

abstract:
This thesis explores the design of advanced downconversion mixers in CMOS RF integrated circuits. First, a novel switched transconductor mixer with low power,  low noise, and ultra-wide bandwidth is proposed. The transconductor stage with fixed DC operating point is switched by the ac-coupled local oscillator (LO) signal to realize the mixing so that a decade bandwidth is achieved with power-efficient LO buffer. The proposed mixer topology is investigated thoroughly with its bandwidth analysis, design process and a performance comparison to the traditional switched transconductor mixer is provided. The measurement results of the mixer demonstrate a 15.5 – 17.5 dB gain and a 4 –5.2 dB noise figure over 1 – 10 GHz, and the power consumption is only 8.3 mW from a 1.2 V supply.

Since a wideband mixer usually requires exceptional linearity to resist large in/out-of-band blockers, a novel feedforward linearization technique for the active mixer is presented. As it generates the low-frequency IM3 for the cancellation fully in the IF band, the technique can bring third-order input intercept point (IIP3) of the mixer that is robust against parasitic parameters and process variations. Furthermore, this method can be applied to any active mixers regardless of its circuit topology. The measurement results of a Gilbert cell mixer with this method applied has shown a 12.5 dB IIP3 improvement at cost of 4-mA current from 1.2 V supply. The adoption of this method does not introduce noticeable noise and
gain degradation to the mixer.

Last, but not the least, a low-power, wideband, Gilbert-cell-based mixer with an on-chip balun is also presented. The mixer adopts a folded structure with its transconductor and the switching stages coupled with an on-chip, multifilament-transformer-based balun. With this balun integrated, the single-ended-to-differential conversion is realized within the mixer
block. For the first time, the double-tuned resonator is utilized to expand the bandwidth of the mixer. The measurement results demonstrate a gain of 13.5 dB over 4 to 10 GHz, with amplitude and phase imbalances limited to only 0.9 dB and  2 over the whole band.

abstract: PhD


title: Simulations of Nottawasaga River Plume

contributor:
Boegman, Leon
Civil Engineering

rights: Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 United States

subject:
Nottawasaga Bay
Hydrodynamics
Plume Transport
Algal Blooms
Phosphorus Fractions
Wasaga Beach

abstract:
Water quality degradation, in the form of undesirable algae, occurs near the Nottawasaga River mouth and along Wasaga Beach, located in southeastern Georgian Bay, Ontario. Runoff from fertilized agricultural areas, in the Nottawasaga River basin, is major source of nutrients (phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N)) entering Nottawasaga Bay through the river, which stimulate the growth of excessive phytoplankton along Wasaga Beach.
Coupled three-dimensional hydrodynamic and ecological models ELCOM – CAEDYM (ELCD) were applied to investigate (i) the advection and dispersion of a passive tracer, flowing from the Nottawasaga River, to examine the physical processes that can trap nutrients along Wasaga Beach and (ii) the difference, in model results, between using literature and observed values for P fractions and phytoplankton community distributions in Nottawasaga Bay. Model hydrodynamics were comprehensively validated against temperature and current profiles collected during May-September, 2015, with root-mean-square errors (RMSE) between 1.5 oC to 2.5 oC and ~0.06 m/s, respectively.  For an average river discharge rate of 17.6 m3/s, the tracer concentration and occurrence were dominated either by wind speeds >2 m/s or by river discharge for wind speeds < 2 m/s. Hydrodynamics also controlled the distribution of total chlorophyll-a (TChl-a) in Nottawasaga Bay. After model initialization, the initial condition predominated, until an upwelling event in northern Nottawasaga Bay propagated along Wasaga Beach. This caused a sudden drop in the simulated TChl-a and the model to reset from the lake initial conditions. Thereafter, Nottawasaga River inputs, trapped nearshore, regulated Wasaga Beach water quality.
The simulations did not show much discrepancy between using constant literature and observed values for phytoplankton community initial and boundary conditions in Nottawasaga Bay, where calculated RMSE were ~1.2 g chl-a/L. However, there was a noticeable influence in including particulate inorganic P as a measured P fraction on simulated TChl-a (RMSE = 1.06 mg chl-a/L). Neglecting PIP in the total P budget, as is commonly done in model applications, resulted in all particulate organic P (POP), from the Nottawasaga River, being available for uptake by phytoplankton, causing spurious algal growth in the P limited system.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Measuring the Quality of Personal Care in Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy

contributor:
Mackillop, William
Groome, Patti
Public Health Sciences

subject:
Quality of Care
Radiotherapy
Prostate Cancer

abstract:
Background: Quality of care includes both technical and non-technical elements of care (personal care). We previously developed a questionnaire to assess the quality of personal care in prostate cancer radiotherapy. The objectives of this thesis were: 1) to determine which elements of personal care were most important to patients; 2) to develop a method of integrating ratings of importance and ratings of quality to identify elements of care that should become targets for quality improvement; 3) to describe the quality of personal care and identify the elements of care that should be targeted for quality improvement.

Methods: We surveyed 108 patients undergoing radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer. Patients completed a self-administered questionnaire and rated both the importance and the quality of their care for each of the 143 elements. The importance and the quality of each element was measured by the percentage of respondents who rated it “very important” and “very good”, respectively.  Different methods for identifying elements to target for quality improvement were developed and compared.

Results: The percentage of elements rated “very important” and “very good” varied from patient to patient. Aspects of care deemed important to most patients were: the perceived competence of their caregivers, the empathy and respectfulness of their caregivers, and the adequacy of information sharing. Patients assigned their lowest quality ratings to elements relating to the treatment environment and comprehensiveness of services, but they also rated these elements as relatively unimportant. We developed three methods of identifying priorities for quality improvement and found that incorporating importance ratings with quality ratings identified different priorities than quality ratings alone. One method was theoretically superior since the ratings for importance and quality were linked for each individual. Elements of care relating to communication of information about the disease and its treatment were identified as the highest priorities for improvement.

Conclusions: We have developed indicators for measuring the quality of personal care in prostate cancer radiotherapy. We have shown that it is possible to measure the quality of personal care in routine practice and we developed a method for identifying priorities for quality improvement.

abstract: PhD


title: Analysis of Cisco (Coregonus artedi) Populations in Eastern Lake Ontario

contributor:
Tufts, Bruce
Biology

subject:
Cisco
Lake Ontario
Fisheries Science

abstract: The Cisco (Coregonus artedi) is a cold-water planktivorous fish species that has undergone significant declines within Lake Ontario as a result of over-exploitation and other anthropogenic impacts. The goal of this project was to expand upon the current scientific knowledge base for Cisco within Eastern Lake Ontario [ELO] by providing an up-to-date assessment of the current status of this population. This thesis focusses on two distinct topics, each related to a distinct natural history characteristic of the ELO Cisco population that could represent a factor limiting population recovery in this region: fisheries-induced alterations to life-history traits, and fluctuations in year-class strength. In order to identify whether fisheries-induced change has occurred in this population, I compared the size-at-age and maturation of the ELO population both before [1926-1928] and after [1992-2016] the collapse of the fishery. The modern population had larger body sizes at a given age compared to the historical group, as well as a lower age-at-maturity [size-at-maturity remained similar]. It appears as though Cisco within the historical population may have been experiencing fisheries-induced selection in size-at-age, with potential recovery of this trait occurring in the modern population after a reduction in fishing pressure. This suggests that Cisco have a high capacity for adaptation through either phenotypic plasticity or evolutionary change. To assess patterns in year-class strength [YCS] within the ELO population, I used a residual catch-curve method to first calculate relative YCS, and then used linear models to correlate any fluctuations in YCS with environmental variables [temperature, ice cover, wind velocity]. The ELO population of Cisco demonstrated high variability in YCS, and only the timing of first consistent ice cover appeared to be correlated with these fluctuations. The environmental conditions influencing YCS in Lake Ontario may be different from those acting in other Great Lakes, highlighting the importance of local assessment. Advancing our knowledge of Cisco life-history within Lake Ontario provides important insights into the current condition of this population, which could have potential implications for future rehabilitation in this region.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Topologies and Modulation Methods for Five-Level Active-Neutral-Point-Clamped Inverters

contributor:
Liu, Yan-Fei
Sen, P.C.
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Five-Level
Inverter
Modulation Method

abstract:
DC to AC power conversion is a key technology in the modern set-up of generation, transmission, distribution and utilization of electric power. Among the various schemes of prevalent inverters, the multi-level inverters have been innovated as necessary cost-benefit DC to AC devices with a wide range of applications. They have been in the focus for decades because of interesting features, such as high-quality output voltage, operation in high voltage/power, low stress on switches, etc.
While the conventional multi-level inverter topologies have proven to be a viable alternative in a wide range of high-power medium-voltage/high-voltage applications, there has been an active interest in the evolution of newer topologies. Reduction in overall part count as compared to the conventional topologies has been an important objective. In this thesis, two novel five-level inverter topologies with reduced number of active switches are proposed, which are called the Six-Switch Five-Level Active-Neutral-Point-Clamped (6S-5L-ANPC) and the Seven-Switch Five-Level Active-Neutral-Point-Clamped (7S-5L-ANPC) inverters respectively. As compared with the conventional eight-switch (8S) 5L-ANPC inverters, the 6S-5L-ANPC reduces two active switches. The 7S-5L-ANPC inverter aims to solve the flying-capacitor voltage drop problem of the 6S-5L-ANPC inverter operating in reactive power condition.
The operating principles of two novel topologies are presented. The loss comparison results between the 6S-5L-ANPC/7S-5L-ANPC and the conventional 8S-5L-ANPC inverters show the proposed topologies can achieve the same performance as the conventional 8S-5L-ANPC inverters in high power applications with the reduction of active switches.
In addition, a new DC-link capacitor voltages balancing technique for 5L-ANPC inverters is proposed to achieve better dynamic response and no flying-capacitor voltage ripples in steady state over the conventional method. The proposed DC capacitor voltages balancing method can be applied to all 5L-ANPC inverters.
Finally, three different hybrid modulation methods are proposed to reduce or eliminate the flying-capacitor voltage drop of the 6S-5L-ANPC inverter under reactive power operation. Simulation models and experimental prototypes are developed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed topologies, DC capacitor voltages balancing strategy and hybrid modulation methods.

abstract: PhD


title: Multitaper Methods for Cyclostationary Feature Detection in Time Series Data: Application to ACE Interplanetary Magnetic Field Data

contributor:
Takahara, Glen
Lin, Devon
Thomson, David
Mathematics and Statistics

subject:
Spectral Analysis
ACE
Interplanetary Magnetic Field
Cyclostationarity
Offset Magnitude-Squared Coherence
Multitaper Spectral Analysis

abstract:
In this thesis, a deeper understanding of the theory of cyclostationary processes is sought. Conventional spectrum estimation techniques assume that the data is a realization of a stationary process. If the data
is cyclostationary, standard methodology, which assumes stationarity and so autocovariances that are unchanging over time, may lead to poor data analysis.

A contribution of this thesis is the development, testing and comparison of three proposed statistical tests for the presence of cyclostationarity in time series data. Moreover, it is hypothesized here that interplanetary magnetic field data collected at ACE is almost-cyclostationary and this thesis aims to determine a set of low-frequency periodic components of its autocorrelation function.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Technologies for Improving Performance of Indoor Dimmable Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Drivers

contributor:
Liu, Yan-Fei
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
LED Drivers
Modeling
EMI
Power Electronics
Power Supply
Power Factor Correction
Lighting Control
Power Converter Topology

abstract:
With the rapid transformation taking place in lighting technology, light-emitting diode (LED) becomes the new promising light source for the future world. In the recent years, indoor application becomes the new battlefield for the industry, so higher price-performance ratio is the key in today and future LED lighting applications. This thesis comprises of a comprehensive overview of the latest technologies in LED lighting and presents several novel techniques to significantly improve the overall performance for indoor dimmable LED systems. More importantly, all the proposed novel technologies can be practically implemented with very high reliability and low cost.
The first contribution is a topology and control innovation for indoor dimmable lighting applications. The proposed LED driver delivers a high quality constant current (CC) output for LED driving and another constant voltage (CV) auxiliary output simultaneously for the use of active cooling, digital lighting controller, etc. To decouple the two outputs and avoid the loading interaction, a novel nonlinear ramp control scheme is proposed, resulting in significant overall system cost saving.
Secondly, a new adjustable off-time power factor correction (PFC) control method is proposed for a low power dimmable single stage Flyback LED driver to achieve high power factor (PF, >0.90) and low total harmonic distortion (THD, <20%) even down to half load condition for universal AC input (120V~277Vac). It has several unique advantages, such as: 1) wider LED output operating window; and 2) high accuracy of current control in deep dimming application.
The third contribution is the modeling of the cascode switching Flyback converter for fast startup in deeply dimmed phase-cut LED driver. The structure’s inherent instability issue is modeled and analyzed quantitatively. Three solutions are proposed to stabilize the structure and suppress the unstable voltage oscillation.
The final contribution is the conducted common mode (CM) noise path modeling and EMI reduction method for two-wire input LED lighting system. The model demonstrates 1) the potential resonance issue caused by the CM inductor and the parasitic capacitors in the system; 2) the impact of modeled design elements on EMI result; and 3) the harmful parasitic coupling paths using Miller Theorem.

abstract: PhD


title: Multi-Material Multi-Joint Topology Optimization: A Unified Approach

contributor:
Kim, Il Yong
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Multi-Material Topology Optimization
Multi-Joint Topology Optimization
Structural Analysis
Dissimilar Materials
Manufacturability

abstract:
In this research, a methodology and computational tool that solves multi-material topology optimization problems while also optimizing the quantity and type of joints between dissimilar materials was developed. Multi-material topology optimization is a design optimization technique that can determine the optimal distribution of multiple materials within a domain and is typically used to create lightweight designs superior to those created by conventional single-material topology optimization. The usefulness of the technique is limited, however, since all current approaches for multi-material topology optimization assume that all materials are perfectly fused together as a single piece. Since the ideal geometry of a real-world, multi-material design is mutually dependent on the configuration of joints, it follows that current approaches are insufficient for creating practical multi-material designs.
The presented methodology uses a novel decomposition approach to determine both the optimal geometry of a multi-material design as well as the optimal joint design along the interfaces. By decomposing the problem into two simpler subproblems that are solved iteratively, gradient-based optimization techniques can be used, facilitating the solution of large problems that cannot be considered by combinatorial approaches including genetic algorithms. Since the joining interfaces are interpreted directly from multi-material topology optimization results, the shape of the interfaces and the quantity of joints connecting dissimilar materials do not need to be defined by the user a priori. By changing the design variable definition in each subproblem, the computational tool is able to solve both subproblems using the same finite element model provided by the user. Once optimization begins, all model preparation tasks are completed automatically by the tool and no further input is needed from the user.
The methodology and computational tool were verified with three numerical examples. In each example, the tool optimized the geometry of a multi-material design to maximize stiffness while also minimizing the cost of required joints. This study was the first of its kind to not only consider and optimize joints in multi-material topology optimization, but was also the first study to consider multiple types of joints in a joining optimization process.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Spectral analysis of time series with latent and irregular times

contributor:
Thomson, David
Takahara, Glen
Mathematics and Statistics

subject:
Statistics
Time series analysis
Spectral analysis
Bayesian
Paleoclimate
Periodogram

abstract:
Many standard methods of time series analysis assume that observation times are both known and regularly-spaced. Regular sampling and known observation times are cornerstones of methods such as autoregressive/moving-average models and spectral estimation using the Fast Fourier Transform. When the measurement process is controlled by the experimenter, these assumptions can be largely met by design. However, there are cases in which the measurement process is not under complete experimental control, and the observation times are either irregular or unknown. For example, many data sets in astronomy have irregular sampling due to the effects of orbital geometry and interfering
processes such as celestial bodies or atmospheric processes.
In paleoclimate studies, time series data may consist of core samples of known depth, but unknown age. Extending common time series analysis methods to these types of data is a challenge. This thesis makes three key contributions.
The first is a new Bayesian method for inferring the chronology -- or age versus depth relationship -- of a core taken from a sedimentary record. The second is an approximate multitaper statistic (mtLS) for irregularly sampled time series.
The third is a Bayesian model for the spectrum inspired by the previous work of Mann and Lees (1996) and Thomson et al. (2001), who separate the spectrum into noise and signal components. Together, the three contributions are used for spectral inference of time series obtained from one peat core and three lake cores. The approach quantifies and includes uncertainty from both the chronology and the time series process. In addition, the application of the mtLS statistic as an estimator for the spectrum of an irregularly sampled time series in astronomy is presented.

abstract: PhD


title: The Role of Interleukin-17A in the Pathogenesis of Endometriosis

contributor:
Tayade, Chandrakant
Anatomy and Cell Biology

subject:
Endometriosis
Interleukin-17A
Cytokine
Peritoneal Macrophage
Transcriptomics

abstract: Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent, chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the ectopic presence of hormonally-responsive endometrial epithelial glands and stroma in the pelvic cavity. Theorized to arise from the phenomenon of retrograde menstruation whereby menstrual tissue is refluxed into the peritoneal cavity through the fallopian tubes, the pathogenesis of endometriosis is not only characterized by peritoneal inflammation, but its development has also been linked to abnormal immune system response that is unable to clear away menstrual debris in the pelvic cavity. Numerous studies have shown elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines and abnormally activated immune cells in the peritoneal fluid and peripheral blood of women with endometriosis. However, a comprehensive overview of immune dysfunction and inflammation in women with endometriosis is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a targeted transcriptomic profiling on the molecular pathways of inflammation and immune cell signaling to uncover pathways associated to endometriosis pathogenesis. We hypothesized that genes encoding for pro-inflammatory cytokines and immune cell activation will be abnormally expressed in patient tissue samples compared to controls. We report that indeed, genes involved in inflammation and immune cell signaling are aberrantly expressed in women with endometriosis. Further, we explored the potential involvement of interleukin-17A (IL-17A) in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. In diseases with chronic inflammation, IL-17A is known to exacerbate disease progression by promoting inflammatory cytokine production and neutrophil recruitment via the production of IL-6, IL-8, GRO-α, and G-CSF. We hypothesized that IL-17A will also exacerbate endometriosis development by promoting local inflammation. We found increased concentration of IL-17A in plasma of women with disease. It can also promote inflammatory cytokines (G-CSF, IL-6, and IL-8) in vitro. In mouse model of endometriosis, intraperitoneal injection of IL-17A did not promote proliferation of vascularization of lesions compared to controls. We also observed increased G-CSF and CD11b+Ly6C+ inflammatory monocytes in mice treated with IL-17A. As a whole, we demonstrate how eutopic endometrium and ectopic endometriotic lesions are molecularly distinct entities compared to fertile endometrium. Further, we provide novel findings on the contribution of IL-17A in peritoneal inflammation, macrophage infiltration and polarization using mouse model of endometriosis.

abstract: PhD


title: Are Active Learning Classrooms Authentic Learning Environments? An Examination of Students’ and an Instructor’s Lived Experiences in an Active Learning Classroom

contributor:
Hill, Ann Marie
Education

subject:
Active Learning Classroom
Active Learning Spaces
Authentic Learning
Higher Education
Qualitative
Students' lived experiences
Instructor's lived experiences
Teaching and Learning
Pedagogy
Curriculum

abstract:
New reimagined higher education classrooms called Active Learning Classrooms (ALCs) have been increasingly implemented across the world in the past decade (SCALE-UP Site, 2011), providing a more engaging and lively learning environment for students as compared to traditional lecture halls (Baepler, Brooks, & Walker, 2014; Chiu & Cheng, 2017; Morrone, Ouimet, Siering, & Arthur, 2014), but are these experiences meaningful? In studies by Chen, Leger, and Riel (2015a) and Ravenscroft and Chen (2017), instructors and students have hinted that these rooms allow students to make connections between their learning and planned careers, in other words Authentic Learning could be occurring. This could mean that ALCs may not be only engaging learning environments but also authentic learning environments.
Building on the existing literature of ALCs and theories on Authentic Learning presented in Chapter 1 and 2, this dissertation uses a qualitative approach to capture, retell, and analyze the learning experiences of an instructor and 10 students in a 3rd year elective ethics course. Three research questions are addressed: (1) From the instructor’s perspective, what reasons lead to a decision to teach in an ALCs and how was a course planned and enacted in this classroom environment? (2) From the students’ perspectives, what are their learning experiences in a course taught in an ALCs? (3) Do the learning experiences in an ALCs represent Authentic Learning? If so, what influence does the learning environment have on Authentic Learning?
Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, observations, and student artifacts, and analyzed using analysis of narrative and a combination of deductive analyses (see Chapter 3). Chapter 4 presents the instructor and students’ lived experiences in a series of cases, followed by a comparison of the data to factors of the Theory of Authentic Learning (Hill, in-press) in Chapter 5, which revealed the learning experiences of students in the course were indeed authentic. Chapter 6 concludes the dissertation with implications of the findings and recommendations for educators on how they too can foster an authentic learning environment in the ALCs.

abstract: PhD


title: A Study of Rehabilitation Fund Payment Mechanisms for Small Scale Mines in Malaysia

contributor:
Thorley, Ursula
Archibald, James
Mining Engineering

subject:
Financial Assurance
Small Scale Mines
Rehabilitation Fund
Mines Rehabilitation

abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate and identify the best financial assurance payment mechanism for mine rehabilitation in Malaysia, and to make recommendations for a practical system to be used in the Malaysian small scale mining industry. Financial assurance is a requirement for potential miners to demonstrate that they have the resources for any environmental damage correction that may be caused by their operation. Currently, the Malaysian Government has imposed on every mining company a certain fee for payment to a common rehabilitation fund in every state that already has adopted the State Mineral Enactment. This common fund is meant for rehabilitation of small scale mines. However, there is no detail or standard mechanism on how payments should be made to the fund. This thesis first examines the types of financial assurance used in four selected countries which are Canada, the USA, Australia and Ghana, reviews some of the common forms of payment currently used in these countries and presents the results. Based on the findings in this recent literature review, several criteria for establishing a rehabilitation fund and a method of collecting the fund were tested and weighted, in order to get the best method that is suitable for the Malaysian mining environment. The methods that have been tested were Upfront Full Payment, Upfront Partial Payment, Pay As You Go and No System. The results show that the Pay As You Go system scores the highest among the other methods that were tested. The Pay As You Go method is the recommended method for companies that operate small scale mines as it will not significantly harm marginal small businesses which operate on short term mining leases. These companies will deposit their payments into the funds as land disturbances increase after the mining production has started. The funds collected from this system will protect the government from liabilities, and at the same time encourage progressive land rehabilitation by the mine operators. The researcher recommended the Pay As You Go system as the best system to be applied for the mine rehabilitation fund in Malaysia.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Investigations of Ice Photodynamics: Molecular Dynamics Studies and an Apparatus for Solid Sample Velocity Map Imaging

contributor:
Cann, Natalie
Loock, Hans-Peter
Chemistry

subject:
Photodissociation
Photodynamics
Molecular Dynamics
Spectroscopy
Time-of-Flight
Ice
Velocity Map Imaging

abstract:
Water ice is prevalent in many environments, from the surface and atmosphere of Earth to molecular clouds in the interstellar medium. High energy photons initiate photoreactions via excitation of water or contaminant species within these environments. This thesis describes increasingly sophisticated Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations applied to investigate photodynamics in amorphous solid water (ASW), ice XI, and ice Ih. Additionally, results from a velocity map imaging apparatus, which has been augmented for the study of low temperature solid samples, are presented. Specifically, preliminary results for NO2:Ar photodissociation are shown.
In the MD simulations, dynamics of the primary photodissociation products - H and OH - are followed until they desorb, recombine, or are trapped in the ice matrix. Photoexcitation is described using ground   and excited   ab initio potential energy surfaces for H2O. Additionally, the impact of including flexible water models, zero point energy consistent vibrational motion, and a secondary reaction (formation of H3O) is discussed.
Overall, OH radicals are much less mobile than H.  For this reason, OH desorption is rare and OH typically traps very close to the photoexcitation location. In contrast, H usually travels past several water molecules, to settle between hexagonal rings of water molecules present in crystalline ice. H atom desorption is frequent and occurs with a kinetic energy distribution reflective of surface H atoms which leave the matrix with little to no collisions. Excitation deeper in the ice leads to a broadened kinetic energy distribution which favors lower energies. Inclusion of H3O formation leads to H exchange reactions and slowed H and OH dynamics. H3O formation is thought to be a source of H2, but the ice structure prevents H approaching H2O along the reaction coordinate. H2 is not formed in the simulations.

abstract: PhD


title: Topology Optimization for Cost and Time Minimization in Additive Manufacturing

subject:
Topology Optimization
Additive Manufacturing
Support Structures
Overhang
3D Printing
Gradient Based Optimization
Density Gradient
Density-Based Topology Optimization
Manufacturing Constraints

abstract:
The ever-present drive for increasingly high-performance designs realized on shorter timelines has fostered the need for computational design generation tools such as topology optimization. However, topology optimization has always posed the challenge of generating difficult, if not impossible to manufacture designs. The recent proliferation of additive manufacturing technologies provides a solution to this challenge. The integration of these technologies undoubtedly has the potential for significant impact in the world of mechanical design and engineering.
This work presents a new methodology which mathematically considers additive manufacturing build time and cost alongside the structural performance of a component during the topology optimization procedure. Three geometric factors are found which have influence on the additive manufacturing build time and cost: total surface area, total overhung supported area, and total support structure volume. An innovative methodology to approximate each of these factors dynamically during the topology optimization procedure is presented. The methodology, based largely on the use of spatial density gradients, is developed in such a way that it does not leverage the finite element discretization scheme. This is done in order to overcome some of the shortcomings of the methods in the existing literature. Moreover, it investigates a problem which has not yet been explored in the literature: direct minimization of support material volume in density-based topology optimization. The entire methodology is formulated in a smooth and differentiable manner, and the sensitivity expressions required by gradient based optimization solvers are derived. In two numerical examples, minimization of compliance and total surface area was performed, and reduced build time by an average of 13% over minimization of compliance alone. For the same two numerical examples, minimization of compliance and support volume was performed. Support volume was reduced by an average of 40%, and build time by 25%, but came at the cost of increased compliance.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Art and Soul in the Exchange District of Winnipeg, MB: Planning for Arts, Culture, and Creativity

contributor:
Donald, Betsy
Geography and Planning

subject:
Urban Planning
Art
Culture
Creativity
Winnipeg
Community Development
Urban Creativity
Creative Industries

abstract: This research thesis follows up on research conducted by Nathan Medeiros in 2005 that studied planning for creativity in Winnipeg’s Exchange District. The thesis is guided by two research questions “What policies and planning approaches have supported the development of creative industries in Winnipeg’s Exchange District?” and, “In particular, what policies and planning approaches support the creative entrepreneurs and workers that live and work there? These research questions are translated into two objectives: (1) compare changes in the Exchange District since 2005, and (2) make policy recommendations for the City of Winnipeg especially on how to attract and retain creative entrepreneurs and workers that live and work in the Exchange District. The case study includes a document analysis of planning and policy documents for Winnipeg, MB., interviews with thirteen (13) participants, and participant observations. Medeiros conducted a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of Charles Landry’s “Cycle of Urban Creativity” in relation to the Exchange District. A similar SWOT has been conducted in order to compare findings from 2005 to 2017. Three elements have been identified as contributing to the development of creative industries in the Exchange District: (1) a strong public realm; (2) internal/external networking for arts, culture, and creative industries; and, (3) support and advocacy organizations for arts, culture, and creativity. Three additional elements have been identified as equally as important, although are not present in the Exchange District: (1) connectivity to surrounding areas; (2) multilateral civic collaboration and leadership; and, (3) mixed-income and mixed-type housing and workspaces. Five recommendations for the City of Winnipeg: (1) develop and implement an affordable housing strategy for Winnipeg’s downtown; (2) incentivize heritage building redevelopment, and at the same time de-incentivize empty buildings and empty lots; (3) recognize the uniqueness of the Exchange District in official planning documents; (4) support opportunities for cross industry collaboration as well as outreach to other creative centres; and, (5) create a ‘creative spaces strategy’ for the Exchange District.

abstract: M.PL.


title: Differential Trafficking of RET Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Isoforms

contributor:
Mulligan, Lois
Pathology and Molecular Medicine

subject: RET Proto-Oncogene

subject: Receptor Tyrosine Kinase

subject: RET Isoforms

subject: Internalization

subject: AP2M1

subject: Clathrin

subject: Ubiquitination

subject: CBL

subject: NEDD4

subject: GRB2

subject: SHANK2

subject: GRB10

subject: Recycling

subject: GGA3

subject: ARF6

subject: Migration

subject: Invasion

subject: Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy

subject: Cell Surface Biotinylation

subject: Protein Interactions

abstract:
The RET receptor tyrosine kinase is implicated in both normal development and cancer.
RET is expressed as two protein isoforms, RET9 and RET51, which differ in the number of their
C-terminal amino acids. RET isoforms are activated at the cell surface in response to glial cell
line-derived neurotropic factor ligand stimulation but the specific mechanisms of RET trafficking
remain to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrated that interactions with the AP2 complex promote
RET receptor internalization via clathrin-mediated endocytosis but that RET9 and RET51 have
distinct internalization kinetics that may contribute to differences in their biological functions.
We also showed that RET9 and RET51 differ in their abilities to recruit E3-ubiquitin ligase
complexes. RET51, but not RET9, interacts with, and is ubiquitinated by CBL, which is recruited
through interactions with the GRB2 adaptor protein. RET51 internalization was not affected by
CBL knockout but was delayed in GRB2-depleted cells. In contrast, RET9 ubiquitination requires
interactions with multiple adaptor proteins, including GRB10 and SHANK2, to recruit the
NEDD4 ubiquitin ligase. We showed that NEDD4-mediated ubiquitination is required for RET9
localization to clathrin coated pits and subsequent internalization. Our data establish differences
in the mechanisms of RET9 and RET51 ubiquitination and internalization that may influence the
strength and duration of RET isoform signals and cellular outputs. Finally, we investigated the
ability of RET51 to recycling back to the plasma membrane. We observed that isoform-specific
interactions of RET51 with GGA3 and ARF6 promote RAB11 recycling, as well as cell motility,
migration and invasion through activation of AKT signalling. Together, our findings provide
novel insight into the trafficking and signalling pathways of RET that may in future be targeted in
cancer therapy.

abstract: PhD


title: The Art of Arctic Sovereignty: Towards Visualizing the North as Canadian, 1927-1974

contributor:
Jessup, Lynda
Brison, Jeffrey
Art History

subject:
Art and Arctic Sovereignty
Canadian Art
Visual Culture of Arctic Sovereignty
Soft Power
Cultural Diplomacy, Canada

abstract:
This dissertation deals with what I call the “visual culture of Arctic sovereignty” by attending to the political context of representations of the Arctic and Subarctic regions in Canadian modern art between 1927 and 1974.  In the years covered by this study, Canada not only witnessed a number of state-sponsored expeditions of southern-based Canadian artists to “the Far North”—defined as the area north of the sixtieth parallel—but also saw the rapid growth and development of Inuit art through the promotional and organizational efforts of the Canadian government and cultural institutions. This dissertation argues that these developments in how art was created, organized, and then later circulated to audiences were part of a larger process on the part of southern Canadians to visibly define and assert Canada’s sovereign presence in the North using art.

Drawing on primary source material and a wide range of secondary literature, this dissertation examines these government-sponsored initiatives in connection with the promotion of the artists’ works, to probe the ways in which Canadian art was mobilized to establish the idea of Canada’s northern sovereignty in the public mind. It focuses on the contemporary framing of the activities that were involved in the production, circulation, and exhibition of the artworks from the artistic ventures between 1927 and 1974, to uncover how efforts toward imagining the North were based on a mutual interest among artists, cultural organizations, and the state in advancing Canadian initiatives, both culturally and politically. In tracing the complex relationships that developed between the state, artists, and various private and public interests, this dissertation provides insight into how, and why, art was used to disseminate information about the Canadian North, and how such visual constructs—ranging from works by members of the Group of Seven to Inuit art—contributed to the collective imaginings of the region as “Canadian,” both at home and abroad.

abstract: PhD


title: Field Experiments: Critical Historical Geographies of Canada's Central Experimental Farm, 1886-1938.

contributor:
Cameron, Laura
Geography and Planning

subject:
Canadian History
Central Experimental Farm
Agricultural Science
Ggeography of Science
Historical Geography

abstract: Dominion scientific agriculture played a rich but often over-looked role in the historical geography of Canada, in general, and in the expansion of agricultural settler colonialism across northern North America, in particular. The development of agricultural economies was undertaken with extensive state support. The Central Experimental Farm, established at Ottawa, Ontario in 1886 and still used for its original purpose today, was a key institutional player as the primary agricultural research station of the Department of Agriculture. This thesis places the Farm in its national context through a number of interrelated case studies, divided into two informal groupings, that elucidate the different ways dominion scientific agriculture operated in Canada during the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries. The first grouping is focused on plants—such as trees, hybrid wheat varieties, and wild rice/manoomin—and animals—specifically chickens—that underscore the racial, gendered, and spatial hierarchies operating within dominion scientific agriculture itself as well as across Canada at large. The second grouping builds on these cases to examine the role of information movement and time in the scientific work of Farm scientists. Through these diverse cases I underline the importance of agricultural science in advancing and helping to constitute liberal governmentality across the heterogeneous terrain of northern North America. By exploring the Farm’s centrality in scientific and colonial networks, this thesis advances our understanding of the role of agricultural and scientific knowledge and practices in the development of Canada between 1886 and 1938.

abstract: PhD


title: Self-Regulation in the Kindergarten Classroom: Co-Constructing Pedagogical Knowledge

contributor:
Upitis, Rena
Education

subject: Self-Regulation

subject: Kindergarten

subject: Teacher Professional Development

subject: Drama and Music Self-Regulation Activities

abstract: Deficits in self-regulation place young children at considerable academic and social risk. Evidence suggests that the underlying executive function skills that are the building blocks of self-regulation (i.e., working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control) are malleable, and that educators can play an important role in fostering the development of self-regulation in children. The initial purpose of this study, therefore, was to identify features of teacher-student relationships, classroom activities, and routines that support the development of self-regulation in kindergarten students. Next, I explored how a collaborative professional development inquiry model, with a focus on bridging research to practice, could support kindergarten teachers’ classroom practices for fostering self-regulated learning. I also examined how such an approach contributed to teachers’ understanding and to the co-creation of knowledge about student self-regulation in the kindergarten classroom. Participants in this single case study of a collaborative inquiry team included myself as the researcher, as well as seven kindergarten teachers and five early childhood educators. Data were collected over a six-month period, through after-school meetings, classroom observations, reflective journaling, free-writing activities, an online chat group, and interviews. These data were analyzed using standard qualitative protocols. The first set of findings was presented as a set of activities that provided evidence of how research and practice were bridged in the kindergarten classroom. Using a collaborative inquiry team approach, we co-constructed knowledge by trying, testing, modifying, and embellishing games and activities intended to foster self-regulation. In the second set of findings, Expectancy-Value and Self-Determination theories of motivation served to frame the analysis. Key findings suggested that the collaborative inquiry team approach enhanced teachers’ self-efficacy and facilitated the co-creation of knowledge. Teachers were highly motivated to participate by the topic, as well as by their collective desire to collaborate with colleagues and develop classroom strategies. Teachers demonstrated extraordinary shifts in their thinking as they examined their teaching practices in light of new understandings. This study demonstrated that music, drama, and dance can offer age-appropriate and engaging activities to foster self-regulation, and that these activities afforded teachers the freedom to scaffold supports to suit the needs of their particular students.

abstract: PhD


title: Yukon Principals’ Perceptions of their Role and Practices in Stakeholder Engagement for School Growth

contributor:
DeLuca, Christopher
Education

subject:
Yukon Education
School Growth Planning
Stakeholder Engagement
Shared Governance in Education
Yukon Principals
Education
Education Leadership

abstract:
School principals need to develop shared visions, develop leadership skills in others, develop relationships with stakeholders, and communicate data to foster and maintain school growth. For principals to be successful in these areas, they need to understand the dimensions and domains of administrative leadership. Throughout this research, it is evident that Yukon principals value personal relationships with their school community. This focus on relationships is important in building reciprocal understanding and is supported by the broader literature as well as within the Yukon context in Yukon frameworks released by the Department of Education and the responses from Yukon Principals. Once there is a reciprocal understanding, it enables principals to engage stakeholders in communication, volunteerism, and governance. Principals also need an understanding of the leadership domains and possess a combination of the leadership skills.
	The purpose of this research study was to examine Yukon principals’ perceptions towards cultivating and maintaining reciprocal communication, active participation, and shared governance with stakeholders for school growth. This study was guided by four research questions: (a) How do Yukon principals demonstrate reciprocal communication with stakeholders for school growth? (b) How do Yukon principals promote active participation from stakeholders for school growth? (c) How do Yukon principals share school governance with stakeholders for school growth? and (d) What policies and documents do Yukon principals use for school growth?
	The research used a qualitative questionnaire distributed to Yukon principals to gain data in response to the research questions. Key findings from this research resulted in a total of 13 themes, about the four research questions. The themes included parallels between Yukon principals’ responses and the literature around the principal’s need to be able to develop shared visions, develop leadership skills in others, develop relationships with the stakeholders, and communicate data in order to foster and maintain school growth (Fullan, 2006, 2010; LaFee, 2002; Leithwood, 1994; Wallace Foundation, 2013). Additionally, the research extended the literature related to various place-based differences in how leadership is leveraged to promote and maintain engagement for school growth including relationships between the principal and liaison positions, Yukon First Nation Governments, and school councils.

abstract: M.Ed.


title: Surface Modification of Cellulose Nanocrystals with CO2-Responsive Polymers via Reversible Deactivation Radical Polymerization

contributor:
Cunningham, Michael
Champagne, Pascale
Chemical Engineering

subject:
Cellulose
Cellulose Nanocrystals
CNC
CO2
Polymers
ATRP
RAFT

abstract:
Cellulose is the most abundant natural polymer on Earth. From cellulose, cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) can be obtained through various hydrolysis processes. There is interest in grafting different types of polymers onto CNC as their applications are limited due to their poor dispersibility in low polarity and non-polar systems. The potential versatility and value of modified CNC can be enhanced even further if the polymers used in the grafting process are CO2-responsive, including for example poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA), poly(diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDEAEMA) and poly(diisopropylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDPAEMA), since stimuli responsive composites have shown promise in applications such as Pickering emulsifiers, water treatment and as polymer reinforcing agents.

In this work, reaction conditions for the homopolymerization of dialkylaminoethyl methacrlyates (DMAEMA, DEAEMA and DPAEMA) by Cu(0) and RAFT-mediated polymerizations were determine. Cu(0)-ATRP polymerization showed a linear evolution of Mn vs. conversion and first order kinetics; however, poor livingness of the macro-initiators was observed. RAFT-mediated polymerization showed good livingness and the Mn  of exclusively the living chains of the macro-RAFT agents was determined by GPC-UV. These macro-RAFT agents were suitable to be used for the grafting-to approach.

The grafting of CNC surfaces via grafting-from and grafting-to using Cu(0)-mediated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) radical polymerization is also reported. For the grafting-from approach, the CNC surfaces were first chemically modified with an ATRP initiating group or a RAFT agent molecule capable of mediating the polymerization of dialkylaminoethyl methacrylates and their corresponding macro-RAFT agents. A grafting-from polymerization was then performed using the CO2 switchable monomers DEAEMA, DMAEMA and DPAEMA via SI-Cu(0)-ATRP and SI-RAFT. For the grafting-to approach, the CNC surfaces were modified with a double bond containing molecule which was then reacted with fully characterized macro-RAFT agents.

All of the grafted products were found to be CO2-responsive. Products made via grafting-from were colloidally stable under CO2; whereas the products made via grafting-to were colloidally unstable under CO2, but dispersible under mildly basic conditions. It was determined that both the Mn of the polymer grafts and graft densities play an important role on grafted CNC dispersibility.

abstract: PhD


title: “A Calm Arises”: An Anxious Adolescent’s Experience of Building Self-Compassion Through Aesthetic Reading

contributor:
Luce-Kapler, Rebecca
Education

subject:
Reader-Response Theory
Aesthetic Reading Responses
Self-Compassion
Adolescent Mental Health
Adolescent Literacy

abstract:
In recent years, the Ontario Government (2013) has recognized that schools have a vital role in facilitating the prevention, intervention, and awareness of student mental wellness. Increased political attention to student mental health parallels studies that have found that 68.8% of the mental health problems in Canada have their onset in childhood and adolescence (Government of Canada, 2006). Of particular concern is anxiety since almost 5% of Canadians report experiencing threshold or subthreshold levels of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Therefore, it is crucial that we find tools that can be used to promote mental wellness in anxious adolescents.
	Stories have great cultural importance because they help us explore abstract and difficult concepts and experiences. For this reason, literature provides a rich opportunity to promote mental wellness in anxious adolescents. In my study, I looked inwards at my own experiences as an anxious adolescent for insight into how reading literature can help adolescents understand and cope with their anxiety.
Using autoethnography and literary anthropology as the methodologies for my study, I analyzed internal (autobiographical memories and reflections) and external (personal journals, social media posts, letters, and high school assignments) data sources from my adolescence (ages 14 to 18 years) and found that my aesthetic reading responses to literature helped me understand and cope with my anxiety by building my self-compassion. This study adds to current research investigating the relationship between anxiety and self-compassion by contributing a first-person exploration of the intersections between literacy experiences, adolescent anxiety, and self-compassion.

abstract: M.Ed.


title: Interiority Complex: The Intimacy of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s Elles

contributor:
Morehead, Allison
Art History

subject:
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Fin-de-Siècle Paris
Nineteenth-Century French Art
Print Culture
Colour Lithography
Prostitution
History of Collecting
Gender and Modernism

abstract: Nineteenth-century Paris witnessed a proliferation of representations of prostitution, including extensive visual imagery of women of ill repute. Completed in 1896 and comprised of a cover, frontispiece and ten colour lithographs, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s Elles series observes fin-de-siècle brothel sex workers in intimate moments of daily ritual: brushing their hair, adjusting their corsets, lounging in bed. The series is outstanding in both subject matter and medium; female prostitutes are presented not in relation to their work but in private moments of solitude and Lautrec deliberately chose to illustrate these moments within the intimate pages of a print portfolio. This thesis is the first study dedicated entirely to Elles, which is often overlooked in art historical literature. Lautrec monumentalizes sex workers by treating them as subjects rather than objects, in contrast to conventional visual tropes on the topic of commercial sexuality. By contextualizing the series in relation to nineteenth-century prostitution and print culture I provide a thorough visual analysis of Elles and consider the reasoning for the album’s commercial failure. To understand the way in which Lautrec used brothel workers to present the binary notion of intimacy as both sensual and private, this study includes analysis of the rise of colour lithography and the personal viewing experience of the print portfolio; the way in which the women in Elles are captured seemingly enjoying intimate moments within the private chambers of a public brothel; the dichotomous nature of the brothel as an interior that is inherently both public and private; and bourgeois ideals of domestic interiors and the notion of collecting as a private pursuit. Lautrec’s unconventional treatment of late nineteenth-century prostitution engages interiority and intimacy and Elles’s combined medium and subject matter make it a distinctly modern body of work. Ultimately, this thesis evaluates what it means to create a print portfolio on the theme of prostitution.

abstract: M.A.