title: Approaches to accountability in the medical laboratory sector in Ontario.

subject:
Accountability
Regulations
Laboratory licensing
Ontario Laboratory Accreditation (OLA)
Total Quality Management

abstract:
Purpose: Greater accountability within the Ontario medical laboratory sector is a high priority and desirable. This sector provides approximately 80% of the objective data for diagnosis, monitoring and treatment. The goal of this study is to determine how accountability is defined, and the advantages and challenges of the approaches used in this sector.
Methodology: A case study design based on a mix methods approach incorporating quantitative (i.e., scoping review of documents) and qualitative data (i.e., 20 semi-structured interviews) to examine the approaches to accountability in the medical laboratory sector and the implication of core independent variables on the approaches used. Key stakeholders in the medical laboratory sector were interviewed to determine views on the advantages and challenges of the possible approaches.
Results
The four approaches to accountability used in the medical laboratory sector are: financial incentives, regulations, information directed towards potential users, reliance on professionalism and stewardship. Regulation is the main approach to accountability in the medical laboratory sector. Ontario Laboratory Accreditation and licensing by the Ontario government is mandatory in all laboratories except those found in physicians’ offices.
There were variations in the approaches to accountability based on core independent factors such as: policy goal being pursed, the governance /ownership structures and the goods and services being delivered and their production characteristics. Laboratory services are delivered by public health, hospitals, large community based laboratories and small laboratories often found in physicians’ offices.
Key informants identified quality and safety as top priorities regardless of the approach that is used. Concern for costs and resources exists within the sector as a whole. Laboratory results gain much of their value by being embedded within a system of care, in which providers order tests appropriately and are aided in interpreting and acting upon their results. The pre/post analytical stages are just as important as the analytical stage in measuring performance and ensuring validity, reliability and accountability.
Conclusion:
While the medical laboratory sector is highly regulated, the implementation of additional mechanisms to enhance accountability in the pre/post analytical phases is needed. The importance of this is further highlighted by the advancement of point of care testing at the bedside, the pharmacy and at home which is not fully captured by the accountability mechanisms currently in place. Advances in new technologies such as molecular and genetic testing will also impact future accountability in the medical laboratory sector.


title: HITEQI-A framework to implement health information technology-enabled quality improvement.

subject:
Change management
Technology adoption
health information technology
Quality improvement
IT acceptance

abstract: This thesis proposes a framework known as the Health Information Technology-Enabled Quality Improvement (HITEQI) to provide a structured approach to quality improvement in healthcare where the intervention is through the use of information technology. HITEQI combines the core elements of Canada Health Infoway’s Change Management Framework (CMF) with the formal process structure of the National Health Services’ Clinician Deployment Guide, and addresses gaps noted by the researcher in the CMF. Specifically, these gaps are the lack of; patient-centred focus, intra/inter-organizational considerations, and data and information flows. The proposed HITEQI Framework provides a structured approach for implementing health information technology (HIT). The framework is demonstrated through a case study of a proposed remote Intensivist consultation service to provide critical care to patients at a rural hospital. The service requires the implementation of an advanced telemedicine technology. Careful consideration of change management (CM) can help mitigate the high failure rate associated with IT implementation and adoption. The HITEQI framework provides a structured CM approach while utilizing PaJMa to provide a patient centred approach that supports clinician information needs and workflows across intra/inter-organizational boundaries.

abstract: University of Ontario Institute of Technology


title: Physical and chemical analysis of pig carcass decomposition in a fine sand

subject:
Decomposition
Diffusion model
Postmortem interval
Soil
Taphonomy

abstract:
The development and improvement of methods used for the estimation of the
postmortem interval (PMI) is a common area of research in forensic science. This
research was conducted to physically and chemically analyze pig carcass decomposition
on a soil surface using conventional and newly developed methods for the potential use in
estimating the PMI. Photographs of pig carcasses decomposing on forested and open
land were scored using a decomposition scoring system and decomposition scores were
related to accumulated degree days (ADD). Overall, the ADD values were significantly
different for the two groups of carcasses; however, the ADD values for the onset of each
score demonstrated more similarity between groups. Decomposition scoring results also
indicated that refinements must be made to the calculation of ADD to allow for a
meaningful comparison of pig and human decomposition. The decomposition of pig
carcasses altered the water content, pH and fatty acid content of soil. The fatty acids,
myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic and oleic acids were successfully extracted and
analyzed from decomposition soil. Palmitic, stearic and oleic acids were the most
abundant fatty acids detected whilst the levels of myristic and palmitoleic acids were
negligible in comparison. A three peak fatty acid cycle was also observed for each fatty
acid. Variations in soil pH and fatty acid content of decomposition soil have the potential
to indicate the presence of a decomposition site. Furthermore, a nonlinear diffusion
model was developed to predict the development of the cadaver decomposition island
(CDI) in soil over time. The simulation of the model indicated that the diffusion model
has the potential to generate PMI estimations for early stages of decomposition by
corresponding the effective radius of the CDI to a particular time point. The general
findings of this research indicate that more accurate methods for PMI estimations can
potentially be developed with further research.


title: The waging of a virtual war against Islam: an assessment of how post-9/11 war-themed video games stereotype Muslims

subject:
Muslims
Media representations
Popular culture
Muslim stereotypes
Islamophobia

abstract: Research suggests that American popular culture represents Muslim peoples, places, and cultures in ways that perpetuate Islamophobic ideas, and scholars have examined how fictional television shows and films communicate Islamophobic ideology among the American public, and around the world. While much research focuses on popular culture in the form of television and film, less has addressed how video games represent Muslims. The present study seeks to address this gap in the literature by exploring the representation of Muslim people in 15 popular war video games released in the post-9/11 era. Through the use of a self-ethnography of play (focusing on the play-able stories video games tell about Muslim people and places as well as the images they create) and an analysis of game-related paratext (promotional materials, game reviews, player comments), this study identifies stereotypes within the war games that resemble many of the most common Muslim stereotypes found within Hollywood films and television shows. The analysis revealed that seven of the ten most common Muslim stereotypes found within popular films and television shows are also found within the 15 war games selected for study. These findings suggest that video games communicate stereotypes of Muslims that mirror and perpetuate those found in popular culture, thus feeding into a larger Islamophobic ideology in American society. These findings should concern criminologists, as the negative representation of Muslims in popular culture could exacerbate Islamophobia, and encourage the surveillance and over-policing of Muslim people. Future research should aim to develop concrete strategies for countering negative depictions of Muslims in video games, so as to reduce the Islamophobic climate that such stereotypes contribute to.


title: Attitudes of suspicion, perceptions of criminality and willingness to report Muslims in Canada

contributor:
Clow, Kimberley
Zaidi, Arshia

subject:
Forensic psychology
Muslim
Stigma
Prejudice
Crime

abstract: The current research incorporated two studies to examine stigma toward Muslims within a forensic psychology framework. The studies utilized fictional news coverage to assess participant’s attitudes of suspicion, perceptions of criminality and willingness to report Muslims vs. control suspects. In Study 1, 216 students from a Canadian university read about a suspicious event involving Muslims vs. control, conducted by Muslim and non-Muslim experimenters. In Study 2, 192 students read about either a burglary (home invasion) or explosion (terrorism) crime scenario, where the identity of the “person of interest” was either Muslim or Caucasian, conducted by either Muslim or non-Muslim experimenters. Results of Study 1 indicate greater suspicion toward suspects with Muslim experimenters, whereas Study 2 demonstrated greater suspicion, perceptions of criminality and willingness to report the Caucasian person of interest. The findings are discussed in terms of aversive racism and the implications for Canadian Muslims in forensic settings.


title: Nanostructured materials for photovoltaics and microwave electronics: methods and applications

subject:
DSSC
Carbon nanotubes
Titanium dioxide
Sensors
Antennas

abstract:
Nanoscale particles and thin layers are today used for a variety of applications to make industrial products lighter, stronger or more conductive. This study investigates synthesis, characterization and application of nanostructured materials for “low-cost” photovoltaics and high frequency (microwaves) analog electronics. Indeed, the two areas investigated demonstrate the enormous potential for diverse applications of nanostructured materials. The initial research stage focused on the optimization of titanium dioxide morphology for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs) applications. Four different combined sol-gel/solvothermal synthetic approaches were adopted and six different anatase phase mesoporous titanias were prepared and tested as photoanodes in DSSCs. Superior light scattering properties, stemming from their sub-micrometric mesoporous structure, were proved for TiO2 beads synthesized by using the exadecylamine method. An energy conversion efficiency ŋ = 7.0 % was achieved.
The second stage of the research aimed at further DSSC performances’ improvements by introducing trivalent rare earth dopants (Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Er and Yb) into the “standard” TiO2 beads. Rare earth ions’ dimension was found to affect TiO2 average crystallites size through nucleation control and ultimately electron recombination lifetime through TiO2 natural oxygen defectivity and electron-impurity scattering control. While the largest (i.e. the lightest) ions of the lanthanide series (Pr3+ and Nd3+) suppress DSSCs performances, cations heavier than Sm 3+ produce an energy conversion increase compared to pure anatase. The best performances were obtained for a rare earth dopants concentration of 0.2 % erbium atoms (ŋ = 8.7 %, 20% efficiency improvement compared to un-doped TiO2). The third research step investigated materials capable of modulating TiO2 optoelectronic and interfacial properties at once, e.g. chirality separated Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs). Chirality selection allowed for tuning the energy barrier at the TiO2/SWCNTs/FTO interface, electronic conductivity enhancement and reduced SWCNTs-Ruthenium dye competition for light absorption resulting in a 81 % ŋ improvement compared to mixed chirality cells. Besides, certain SWCNTs chiralities were ruled out as useful materials for DSSCs applications. By taking advantages of high porosity TiO2 beads, titania affinity for phosphate based moieties and group 8 metals coordination behavior toward pyridyl ligands (like Ruthenium in the N-719 dye used for DSSCs), a high sensitivity (0.3 ppm by naked eye), reusable, Fe2+ colorimetric sensor was developed. A terpyridine based ligand, L (2,2’:6’,2”-terpyridin-4’-phosphonic acid), was used as iron sensitive molecule, whereas screen printed TiO2 beads as scaffold material. Furthermore, L-functionalized Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) thick films were proved to be reliable electrochromic materials and possible candidates for trivalent iron detection predicated on microwaves antennas’ resonant frequency shift. Finally, Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) and Graphene films for resonant frequency tuning of copper etched printed circuit boards antennas were produced and electrically characterized over a large range of operating frequencies.


title: Investigation and assessment of the integrated copper chlorine cycle for hydrogen production with a new separation process

contributor:
Dincer, Ibrahim
Gabriel, Kamiel

subject:
Hydrogen
Thermochemical
Copper-chlorine cycle
Flash vaporization
Exergy

abstract: The production of hydrogen as a clean fuel is anticipated to have a major impact on the development of the environmentally benign generation of energy. At present, a significant portion of hydrogen generation is based on the exploitation of fossil fuels thereby contributing to an increase in global greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, hydrogen production through non-fossil fuel sources is essential for sustainable development. In this thesis, green hydrogen generation is considered via a four-step copper-chlorine thermochemical water-splitting cycle. The lab-scale integrated copper-chlorine cycle at the Clean Energy Research Laboratory is investigated in this regard. The integrated cycle is comprehensively studied through the energy and exergy, thermal management, exergoeconomic, exergoenvironmental, and multi-objective optimization approaches for performance assessment. A new approach for the anolyte separation step of the integrated cycle is also investigated and the flash vaporization process is proposed as a feasible option in this regard. The integrated cycle is also conceptually modified with the flash vaporization process and investigated through the energy and exergy, thermal management, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental approaches and the performances of the integrated cycle at the Clean Energy Research Laboratory and the cycle conceptually modified with the flash vaporization process are comparatively assessed as well. Moreover, a standalone experimental setup is developed and the flash vaporization process is experimentally investigated. The overall energy and exergy efficiencies of the integrated cycle are evaluated as 6.6 and 10.2%, respectively while those of the cycle conceptually modified with flash vaporization are evaluated as 7.2 and 11%, respectively. The average unit hydrogen cost for the integrated cycle is evaluated to be 4.94 $/kg while that for the conceptually modified cycle is 4.7 $/kg. Moreover, the average unit hydrogen cost for the modified cycle with the incorporation of waste heat recovery is evaluated to be 2 $/kg for a production capacity of 1.3 T/h. In the context of the experimental assessment of the flash vaporization process, the flash chamber design with a higher length-to-diameter ratio results in a higher volume of the separated species.


title: A Computational Fluid Dynamics based model that predicts wall shear stress in CANDU outlet feeder pipes

subject:
CFD
Wall shear stress
CANDU
Numerical modelling

abstract:
Wall thinning of carbon steel in CANDU reactor outlet feeder pipes due to Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) is identified as one of the challenges for CANDU reactors since it would force them to shut down due to safety reasons. Several models have been developed over time to predict the corrosion rate (i.e. the rate of wall thinning) of CANDU outlet feeders. These models are developed based on the corrosion chemistry and the mass transfer theories on growth and removal of the protective magnetite layer on the outlet feeder pipe surface. The magnetite layer is acting as a protective layer for the carbon steel feeder pipes by avoiding further corrosion. However, due to the wall shear stress that exerts on the feeder pipe wall, this protective layer is flushed away with the primary heat transport fluid.
Wall shear stress is identified as one of the crucial factors behind FAC. Other parameters such as Fe ion concentration, fluid temperature, and pressure would remain within a certain range for a typical CANDU reactor. Still, the distribution of wall shear stress highly depends on the physical arrangement of the outlet feeder pipes. Therefore, wall shear stress would change drastically from one feeder pipe to another resulting in a higher degree of impact on the rate of wall thinning due to FAC.
The model developed in this study predicts the maximum wall shear stress on the first bend of a particular feeder pipe considering the fluid Reynolds number, the bend angle and the linear length from the grayloc hub to the first bend. The model is developed using the wall shear stress distribution results generated by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) studies using Siemens NX. The wall shear stress results from the model is then compared against the rate of wall thinning data available for the reactor 01 of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station as well as some other models available in the literature. iii
The model shows a good trend of predicted wall shear stress values against the rate of wall thinning data available. At this stage, the model can be used to identify the feeder pipe with the highest rate of wall thinning due to FAC among a set of given feeder pipes with 2” or 2.5” nominal diameters. This model can be used to identify the optimum feeder pipes for wall thickness measurements during routine maintenance and hence replace the required feeder pipes to avoid any unplanned shut down due to safety reasons.


title: Tunable compact microwave multiplexers based on substrate integrated waveguide

subject:
Hybrid-coupled filter module
Microwave filters
Microwave multiplexer
Tunable diplexer

abstract: Microwave multiplexers and diplexers are widely used in communication systems. This thesis presents a compact low-profile hybrid-coupled filter module (HCFM) implemented using substrate integrated waveguide (SIW). Compared to conventional rectangular waveguide HCFM, the new design achieves 60% reduction in size. The feasibility of electronic tuning of the HCFM is also investigated using full wave electromagnetic (EM) simulations. The compact SIW HCFM is further validated using measurement results. Good agreement between simulation and measurement results is achieved. In addition, a new method is proposed for implementing tunable diplexers. The tunable diplexer is formed by cascading a bandpass filter with the HCFM, thereby simplifying the tuning complexity of diplexers. Particularly, the bandwidths and center frequencies of the diplexer can be modified by simply tuning the center frequencies of the bandpass filters and/or the HCFM. Tunability of the diplexer is investigated considering different scenarios. Moreover, the concept is validated through measurement results.


title: Exploring the feasibility of a novel experimental method to study talent selection and decision making in high performance sport

subject: Talent Basketball Selection Identification Coaching

abstract: Talent selection in sport takes place from early stages of development through professional ranks. Athletes are regularly selected for youth teams, high school teams, as well as collegiate and professional teams (Jones, Johnston & Baker, 2020). Even with so much selection occurring, identifying talent is difficult and inaccurate. This is made evident by the poor ability of professional sports teams with ample resources to be able to accurately draft and select players for their teams (Koz, Fraser-Thomas, & Baker, 2012). This study aimed to pilot test a method for understanding what Canadian basketball coaches look for when deciding between athletes available for selection. Specifically, using blinded data, coaches and decision makers were asked to make talent predictions. Participants from various levels of coaching across Canada were able to complete the task. Results suggest that this method and task was challenging, and has the potential to inform talent identification decision making.


title: Analysis of alternative energy options for buildings

contributor:
Esmailzadeh, Ebrahim
Dincer, Ibrahim

subject:
Global warming
Renewable energies
Greenhouse gases
Solar technology
Ground source heat pumps
Wind turbines
Photovoltaic panel

abstract:
The importance of utilizing different types of energy and their technical application
is discussed. Awareness around the globe about the world energy crisis and its critical
environmental condition has put more emphasis on the use of renewable energies in
every corner of life. It is a well‐known fact that global warming, inefficient use of energy
and greenhouse gases are damaging the environment, species and human life drastically.
These issues will be discussed in recently conducted research.
To address the crucial state of our environment, two simultaneous scenarios are
considered. Initially, energy conservation and the switch to a low carbon/no carbon fuel
are studied. As for energy conservation in buildings, smart methods in the use of energy in
buildings are discussed. Based on different research reported, humans must change their
attitude toward the use of resources, and in particular, be conscientious about energy
consumption. Next, renewable energy promises a suitable alternative to energy needs in
this century, and the best means to overcome the environmental issue and energy crisis is
discussed. The practical methods of calculation for solar technology equipment, ground
source heat pumps, and wind turbines are explained. In the application part of the study,
four buildings are chosen as case studies; two of them from residential sectors, one is a
commercial/institutional building, and the fourth is an industrial building. A ground source
heat pump for heating and cooling, a solar water heater for heating space or hot water,
and a photovoltaic panel for generating electricity are designed for the case studies. Even
projects under hybrid systems combined from two technologies are designed. 36 different
energy options are calculated for the four case studies. Results show that if a target is
reducing CO2 emissions, what systems are the best. In contrast, when decision making is
based on budget, what system is the first choice? Not only are technology, environmental
protection and cost the main parameters for deciding on renewable technologies, but so
are reliability, installation, maintenance and ease of use. Hence, renewable energy
systems are categorized based on a broad vision.


title: Parallel design optimization of multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles with active safety systems

subject: Active safety systems

subject: Design optimization

subject: Active trailer steering

subject: High performance computing

abstract:
Multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles (MTAHVs) exhibit unstable motion modes
at high speeds, including jack-knifing, trailer swing, and roll-over. These unstable
motion modes may lead to fatal accidents. On the other hand, these vehicle
combinations have poor maneuverability at low speeds. Of all contradictory design
criteria of MTAHVs, the trade-off relationship between the maneuverability
at low speeds and the lateral stability at high speeds is the most important and
fundamental. This trade-off relationship has not been adequately addressed. The
goal of this research is to address this trade-off relationship through the design optimization
of MTAHVs with active safety systems. A parallel design optimization
(PDO) method is developed and applied to the design of MTAHVs with integrated
active safety systems, which involve active trailer steering (ATS) control, anti-roll
(AR) control, differential braking (BD) control, and a variety of combinations of
these three control strategies. To derive model-based controllers, a single-trailer
articulated heavy vehicle (STAHV) model with 5 degrees of freedom (DOF) and a
MTAHV model with 7 DOF are generated. The vehicle models are validated with
those derived using a commercial software package, TruckSim, in order to examine
their applicability for the design optimization of MTAHVs with active safety
systems. The PDO method is implemented to perform the concurrent design of
the plant (vehicle model) and controllers. To simulate the closed-loop testing maneuvers,
a driver model is developed and it is used to drive the virtual vehicle
following the prescribed path. Case studies indicate that the PDO method is effective
for identifying desired design variables and predicting performance envelopes
in the early design stages of MTAHVs with active safety systems.


title: The application of experimental microdosimetry to mixed-field neutron-gamma dosimetry

subject:
Mixed field dosimetry
Microdosimetry
TEPC
GPC
Am-Be neutronsource

abstract:
Absorbed dose distributions in lineal energy for neutrons and gamma rays were measured by using both a tissue-equivalent walled counter (TEPC) and a graphite-walled low pressure proportional counter (GPC) in the Am-Be neutron source facility at University of Ontario Institute of Technology. A series of measurements were performed with the counters filled with propane-based TE gas (55.1% C3H8, 39.5% CO2 and 5.4% N2) at operating gas pressures corresponding to tissue spheres 2.0 , 4.0 and 8.0 μm in diameter. The results of these measurements indicated satisfactory performance of counters to measure microdosimetric spectra extending down to event-sizes that cover the gamma component of a mixed field. The spectra and the related mean values ̅y F and  ̅y D are compared with other similar work but with monoenergetic neutrons of different energy range, the agreement between them is good.
An assessment of the performance of different size TEPC has been done. An excellent agreement between their event size spectra was found and the proton edge appears at the same position on the lineal energy scale and differences in microdosimetric parameters ̅ and ̅ is not exceeding 3%, which is in the region of counting statistics.
In Am-Be neutron field, the efficiency of the TEPCs was measured to have an average value of 250 counts per μSv or equivalently about 4.17 counts per minutes per μSv/hr. This efficiency is reasonable for dose equivalent measurements but needs a long integration period. The measurements showed that the dose equivalent which depends on the measurement of energy deposition by the secondary charged particles was originated mainly from elastic collisions of the incident neutrons with hydrogen atoms. Moreover the number of events in the sensitive gas is dominated by proton recoils. A non- negligible fraction of the dose equivalent resulted from gamma interactions, alpha and recoil nuclei.
The energy deposition patterns in these micro-scale targets are strongly dependent on radiation quality, so differences of linear energy transfer (LET) of the components in a mixed radiation field are significant. Accordingly, in a radiation field with an unknown gamma ray energy spectrum, absorbed dose for neutrons can be obtained by the separation of neutron induced events from gamma events using their distribution in lineal energy. To separate neutron dose from gamma dose a simple lineal energy threshold technique has been used in addition to a more sophisticated methods using γ-fitting and the graphite-walled counter measurements. The results of this study will establish the degree of error introduced by using a lineal energy threshold, which is likely to be used in any hand-held neutron monitor based on TEPCs.


title: Can participation in drug treatment courts reduce emergency department use? An evaluation.

subject:
Drug treatment court
Outcomes
Program completion
Emergency department

abstract: Drug treatment court evaluations often measure criminal recidivism. Further research is required to reflect any additional social benefits that may transpire from participation in this diversion program. To expand drug treatment court evaluations, the relationship between drug abuse and the use of emergency department services is considered. This study tests which participants’ characteristics predict successful completion of Durham’s Drug Treatment and Mental Health Court and if participation can reduce emergency department use. Results from Hypothesis One suggest that education, marital status and number of days in the program are significant predictors of program completion. Results from the second hypothesis confirm that number of emergency department visits while enrolled in drug treatment court has a significant positive relationship with emergency department use one year following programming. Recommendations to address drug treatment court participants’ ongoing use of emergency department services and areas for future research are discussed.


title: Design and development of advanced machine learning algorithms for lithium-ion battery state-of-charge estimation

subject:
State of charge
Machine learning
Estimation
kNearest neighbor

abstract: Batteries have been becoming more and more popular because of their long life and lightweight. Accurate estimation of the SOC help in making plans in an application to conserve and further enhance battery life. State of Charge (SOC) estimation is a difficult task made more challenging by changes in battery characteristics over time and their nonlinear behavior. In recent years, intelligent schemes for the estimation of the SOC have been proposed because of the absence of the formula for calculating SOC which is hard to deduce because of the effect of external factors like temperature. As the traditional methods only considered certain aspects which with the aging and degradation of the battery results in errors. To tackle this problem several methods were proposed which made use of now evolving artificial intelligence technologies. This paper presents a new SOC estimation algorithm based on kNearest neighbor and random forest regression and a comparison study is done using four algorithms Support Vector Regression, Neural Network Regression, Random Forest Regression and kNearest Neighbor. Their performance is evaluated using data from two drive cycles.


title: Development and investigation of an ammonia synthesis reactor

subject: Ammonia Efficiency Electrochemical Electromagnetic Energy

abstract: Ammonia production has gained increasing attention in the last decade due to its importance as a feedstock and an energy carrier. In the present thesis study, two novel ammonia production systems are presented. The first experimental system is a lab scale electromagnetic induced ammonia synthesis reactor. The reactor is designed, built and tested under various conditions. The Faraday efficiency of the reactor is 5.4 % and the ammonia production capacity is 1.2×10-10 mol/cm2.s. Furthermore, the experiments on ammonia synthesis are performed with EMF and without EMF on the reactor and the change in potential is recorded to be 1.7 V and 1.1 V respectively. The second theoretical system is a new integrated energy system for power, steam and ammonia production developed, simulated through Aspen Plus and assessed thermodynamically through energy and exergy approaches. The present system employs a novel ammonia production loop to potentially replace the conventional Haber-Bosch process by integrating an expander/turbine in the ammonia loop. The ammonia production system produces 2310 kmol/h of liquid ammonia and steam as a by-product. Although having optimum conversion rate is attained by controlling/shifting the volume of synthesized ammonia, interestingly the exergetic assessment shows that the best output ammonia product is attained by the performance of each independent cycle. Hence, the overall exergy efficiency of the integrated system is 83 % and turbine exergy efficiency of 91 % for optimal operating conditions with a total power of 6000 kW and ammonia conversion rate of 38 % respectively.


title: Improving cold climate performance of heat pumps using market-available systems

subject:
Heat pump
Cold climate
Cascade
Residential
Retrofitting

abstract: Air source heat pumps are an excellent electric alternative to fossil fuel based heating systems for reducing residential greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but common mild climate systems suffer significant performance losses at the low outdoor temperatures experienced in cold climates. Improved heat pumps for cold climates already exist, but they are more expensive and their adoption has been relatively low. An analysis was conducted to assess the status of market-available cold climate heat pump technologies and identify opportunities in the literature that might further improve performance and uptake. A new cascade heat pump system was then proposed for rapid implementation in cold climates, since it is composed of two simple and well-established heat pumps models, compatible for replacing/retrofitting common centrally-ducted natural gas furnaces. Performance modelling and comparative analysis concluded it could out-perform all comparable market-available cold climate systems at −15 ◦C, with the potential to operate efficiently at even lower temperatures.


title: Design and analysis of the three degrees of freedom parallel kinematic machine

subject:
Parallel kinematic machines
microelectro mechanical systems
motion control devices

abstract: The thesis is about design and analysis of a PKM with 3 DOF. The new PKM is designed as a machine tool in various applications in manufacturing. The PKM is optimized based on the developed stiffness model. Kinematics and dynamics of the new PKM is also modeled and simulated.


title: Police officers' perceptions of gender-motivated violence in Canada

subject:
Policing
Gender
Hate crime

abstract:
Police officers‟ perceptions of gender-motivated violence against women have been
overlooked in hate crime research. In an attempt to fill a gap in the hate crime, violence against
women, and policing hate crime literature, I examine how nine police officers understand
gender-motivated violence in Canada using vignettes, sentence-competition tasks, and an
interview guide. Here, participants are asked about their perceptions of and experience with hate
crime and gender-motivated hate crime against women. Results indicate that the majority of
participants do not perceive hypothetical instance of violence against women as hate crime, all of
which is a product of: victim-perpetrator relationships, ambiguous motives and alternative
motives, and definitional constraints with legal terms. Equally, factors and conditions that
influence police officers‟ perceptions relate to: the typical victims of hate notion, police routine
and experience with hate crime and gender-motivated violence, hate crime legislation, hate crime
policies and procedures for police, and hate crime training for police.

abstract: University of Ontario Institute of Technology


title: Study of heat transfer in a 7-element bundle cooled with the upward flow of supercritical Freon-12

contributor:
Harvel, Glenn
Pioro, Igor

subject: SuperCritical-Water cooled bundles

subject: SuperCritical water-cooled nuclear reactor

subject: Experiments

subject: Freon-12

subject: Temperature profile

subject: Heat transfer coefficient

subject: 7-element bundle

abstract:
Experimental data on SuperCritical-Water (SCW) cooled bundles are very limited. Major problems with performing such experiments are: 1) small number of operating SCW experimental setups and 2) difficulties in testing and experimental costs at very high pressures, temperatures and heat fluxes. However, SuperCritical Water-cooled nuclear Reactor (SCWRs) designs cannot be finalized without such data. Therefore, as a preliminary approach experiments in SCW-cooled bare tubes and in bundles cooled with SC modeling fluids can be used. One of the SC modeling fluids typically used is Freon-12 (R-12) where the critical pressure is 4.136 MPa and the critical temperature is 111.97ºC. These conditions correspond to a critical pressure of 22.064 MPa and critical temperature of 373.95ºC in water.
A set of experimental data obtained in a Freon-12 cooled vertical bare bundle at the Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE, Obninsk, Russia) was analyzed. This set consisted of 20 cases of a vertically oriented 7-element bundle installed in a hexagonal flow channel. To secure the bundle in the flow channel 3 thin spacers were used. The dataset was obtained at equivalent parameters of the proposed SCWR concepts. Data was collected at pressures of about 4.65 MPa for several different combinations of wall and bulk-fluid temperatures that were below, at, or above the pseudocritical temperature. Heat fluxes ranged from 9 kW/m2 to 120 kW/m2 and mass fluxes ranged from 440 kg/m2s to 1320 kg/m2s. Also inlet temperatures ranged from 70ºC – 120ºC. The test section consisted of fuel elements that were 9.5 mm in diameter with the total heated length of 1 m. Bulk-fluid and wall temperature profiles were recorded using a combination of 8 different thermocouples.The data was analyzed with respect to its temperature profile and heat transfer coefficient along the heated length of the test section. In a previous study it was confirmed that there is the existence of three distinct regimes for forced convention with supercritical fluids. (1) Normal heat transfer; (2) Deteriorated heat transfer, characterized by higher than expected temperatures; and (3) Improved heat transfer, characterized by lower than expected temperatures. All three regions were observed for the 7 rod bundle experiments. This work compares the experimental data to predictions based upon current 1-D correlations for heat transfer in supercritical fluids. Results show that no current 1-D correlation was able to accurately predict heat transfer coefficients within ±50%.
A parametric analysis of the data was also completed to determine if continuity in the experiment was present. Results of this study show that two distinct regions are present in the data. For cases with a mass flux below 1200 kg/m2s wall temperature profiles appear to be normal while in cases with mass flux above 1200 kg/m2s temperature given by the wall thermocouples were higher than normal. This phenomenon occurred regardless of heat flux-to-mass flux ratios.


title: Dynamic probabilistic network protection in large-scale failure scenarios

subject:
Disrupted connections
Failure recovery
Large-scale failures
Network survivability
Betweeness centrality

abstract: Large-scale failure resulting from natural disasters or intentional attacks is now considered a serious risk for communication network infrastructure. In these events, simultaneous damages in several links and nodes may cause substantial loss of information, which can be very costly for governments, subscribers and businesses. The impact of natural disasters generally is probabilistic in nature. Geographical characteristics and the distance of the components to the centre of the disaster may change the failure probability. Considering the probabilistic failure feature in natural disasters and the possible vast area coverage, we aim to develop a probabilistic dynamic model to protect data from failure and maintain undisrupted network services in large-scale failure scenarios. For this purpose, we develop a preventive protection model, which is able to estimate the potential destruction of all the network components in different locations. Using this information, the proposed model has a holistic view of the failure probabilities for the different paths to make a decision to reroute traffic from the endangered routes through the more reliable paths prior to the failure. As the proposed model protects data before failure, the size of damaged traffic will decrease and fewer connections need to be restored. The proposed preventive model is able to adjust rerouting decision parameters in a dynamic way by considering the disaster expansion and available network resources at each decision interval. Our findings show that the proposed preventive protection model significantly reduces the average number of disrupted connections and successfully decreases the required network restoration time. The performance of the proposed model has been examined in software defined networking (SDN), which is one of the emerging technologies in communication networks. We studied the performance of a SDN controller instructed with a considerable amount of data flow updates and the best method of applying preventive rerouting is indicated.


title: Simulating a virtual drilling task using audio, visual, and mouse movement cues during the COVID-19 pandemic

subject:
Audio
Haptic
Multimodal interaction
Human-computer interaction
Virtual simulation

abstract: This work examined whether a real-world drilling task can be successfully simulated using combinations of appropriate audio, visual cues, and basic haptic stimuli obtained with mouse movements instead of a haptic device. Two experiments were conducted where participants were asked to accomplish a virtual drilling task (drilling a block of virtual wood) under different visual, auditory, and “haptic” conditions using some commonly available computer devices such as a mouse, headphones, and monitor. The results of these experiments indicate that audio, visual, and basic haptic cues can be used to simulate a drilling process without a haptic device. Although greater work remains, this work has shown that skills requiring haptic feedback (e.g., drilling) can be simulated without haptic devices. This is particularly important when considering remote learning where trainees may be able to practice various psychomotor-based skills at home with commonly available computer hardware and devices.


title: An adaptive crowdsourced investigation of word abbreviation techniques for text visualizations

subject:
Crowdsourcing
Recommendations systems
Abbreviation
Text visualization

abstract:
A known problem in information visualization labeling is when the text is too long to fit
in the label space. There are some common known techniques used in order to solve this
problem like setting a very small font size. On the other hand, sometimes the font size is
so small that the text can be difficult to read. Wrapping sentences, dropping letters and text
truncation can also be used. However, there is no research on how these techniques affect the
legibility and readability of the visualization. In other words, we don’t know whether or not
applying these techniques is the best way to tackle this issue. This thesis describes the design
and implementation of a crowdsourced study that uses a recommendation system to narrow
down abbreviations created by participants allowing us to efficiently collect and test the data
in the same session. The study design also aims to investigate the effect of semantic context
on the abbreviation that the participants create and the ability to decode them. Finally, based
on the study data analysis we present a new technique to automatically make words as short
as they need to be to maintain text legibility and readability.


title: Convection in a differentially heated rotating spherical shell  of Boussinesq fluid with radiative forcing

subject:
Convection
Hysteresis
Cusp bifurcation
Albedo
Hadley cell
Radiative forcing
Spherical shell
Boussinesq fluid

abstract:
In this study we investigate the
flow of a Boussinesq
fluid contained in a rotating, differentially heated spherical shell. Previous work, on the spherical shell of Boussinesq fluid, differentially heated the shell by prescribing temperature on the inner boundary
of the shell, setting the temperature deviation from the reference temperature to vary
proportionally with -cos 20, from the equator to the pole. We change the model to
include an energy balance equation at the earth's surface, which incorporates latitudinal solar radiation distribution and ice-albedo feedback mechanism with moving ice
boundary. For the
fluid velocity, on the inner boundary, two conditions are considered:
stress-free and no-slip. However, the model under consideration contains only simple
representations of a small number of climate variables and thus is not a climate model
per se but rather a tool to aid in understanding how changes in these variables may
affect our planet's climate.
The solution of the model is followed as the differential heating is changed, using the pseudo arc-length continuation method, which is a reliable method that can
successfully follow a solution curve even at a turning point.
Our main result is in regards to hysteresis phenomenon that is associated with
transition from one to multiple convective cells, in a dfferentially heated, co-rotating
spherical shell. In particular, we  find that hysteresis can be observed without transition
from one to multiple convective cells. Another important observation is that the
transition to multiple convective cells is significantly suppressed altogether, in the
case of stress-free boundary conditions on the fluid velocity. Also, the results of this
study will be related to our present-day climate.


title: An analysis of the representation of internet child luring and the fear of cyberspace in four Canadian newspapers

contributor:
Slane, Andrea
Downing, Steven
Olsson, Patrik

subject:
Internet child luring
Media representation
Crime prevention
Minors
Online sexual exploitation

abstract: Due to the popularization of Internet technologies in the last two decades, public attention has been directed to issues surrounding online sexual exploitation of minors in Canadian Newspapers. Specifically, newspaper articles have assisted in shaping public perceptions of the nature and scope of Internet child luring. A mixed quantitative/qualitative content analysis methodology is applied to the study’s four Canadian-based newspapers to examine how Internet child luring is constructed between the 1st of January, 2002 and December 31st, 2010. The study highlights the possible influences Canadian print media might have on the perceptions of parents and legal guardians regarding crime prevention and the dangers associated with Internet use by minors. Canadian print media has been instrumental in constructing the perception of Internet technology and its use by minors as harmful, intrusive, and unavoidable while designating parents and legal guardians as primary watchdogs of their children’s online behaviours.


title: Additive manufactured biodegradable and biocompatible polymeric nanocomposite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications

contributor:
Rizvi, Ghaus
Pop-Iliev, Remon

subject:
Bone tissue scaffold
Nanocomposite
Additive manufacturing
Chitin-Nano-Whisker
Triply periodic minimal surfaces

abstract:
In this thesis, the focus is on using the fused deposition modeling (FDM) method to manufacture functional biodegradable nanocomposite Polymeric Bone Tissue Scaffolds (PBTS). PBTSs are complex products, which have attracted significant attention in the literature in recent decades. In this study, a commercial and user-friendly FDM manufacturing technique was used to fabricate Polycaprolactone (PCL)/Nano-Hydroxyapatite (nHA)/Chitin-Nano-Whisker (CNW) nanocomposite scaffolds with advanced geometrical designs. The fabricated scaffolds were developed to have functional mechanical, biological, and biodegradation properties. Multiple stages of experimental, numerical, and analytical analyses were performed to achieve these goals.
The scaffolds were manufactured in Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS) designs. The impacts of the advanced biomimetic designs, porosity, and biodegradation on the mechanical and morphological properties of the scaffolds were investigated. The nanocomposite filaments for the FDM method were produced using green manufacturing methods. The manufactured novel FDM filaments were characterized using Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to ensure the precision of the nanocomposite contents. The FDM processing conditions of the novel nanocomposite filaments were optimized using Taguchi’s orthogonal array experimental design method to achieve the optimal mechanical properties and structural integrity. The 3D printed nanocomposite bone tissue scaffolds were characterized to assess their mechanical and biological properties. The biodegradation rates of the 3D printed Gyroid-designed nanocomposite PBTSs were estimated in sixty weeks of biodegradation, employing numerical, and experimental results. Machine learning methods were used to connect the independent experimental and numerical results and extract objective functions to model properties of the 3D printed nanocomposite PBTSs. Multi-objective optimization was performed to propose non-dominated optimal options for the PBTSs porosity and the nanocomposite fillers percentages.
The results indicated that the proposed green manufacturing method successfully fabricated the nanocomposite FDM filaments with high precision. The FDM printed PCL/nHA/CNW nanocomposite PBTSs with Gyroid structure have high mechanical properties in the practical range of bone tissue scaffolds, enhance cell proliferation and attachment to the scaffolds and biodegrade in the practical period for PBTSs. The multi-objective optimization method presents a few significant non-dominated optimal options, which can be selected based on the consumer’s priorities.


title: Assessing the impact of demographic, experiential, and attitudinal factors on support for the criminalization of HIV transmission

subject:
Criminal law
HIV/AIDS
Sexual regulation
Perceptions

abstract:
Over the years criminal prosecutions regarding HIV transmission have increased in
Canada. There is ongoing debate within the academic and legal community regarding whether
reactive, criminal justice measures or preventative, harm reduction measures are best suited to
address HIV transmission. Using an on-line survey and multiple logistical regression analyses on
six vignettes on 316 undergraduate students from mostly 18-26 years of age, this research
assessed student attitudes towards the criminal law as a response to HIV transmission against
demographic, experiential and attitudinal predictors. The findings indicated that the majority of
participants were in favour of the criminalization of HIV transmission. The policy implications
that come from this study imply that there is a need to educate young people about HIV related
issues and the harm criminal justice responses cause to HIV prevention efforts.


title: Modelling and validation of agricultural tire-terrain interaction

subject:
Tire-terrain interaction
Finite Element Analysis
Smoothed-particle hydrodynamics
RRC
Rigid ring parameters

abstract: The use of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and simulation software has been extensively used for many engineering applications. More precisely, computerized methods have paved way for accurately simulating tire-terrain interaction. By predicting forces, vibrations, and numerous physical effects, any industry with pneumatic tires can greatly reduce time, cost and effectively design and improve their machinery. The modelling and validation of a High Lug Farm Service (HLFS) agricultural tire is carried out in order to accurately predict tire-terrain interaction. In conjunction with the tire, two agricultural soils are modelled using Smoothed-Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method and calibrated to experimental results. An analytical off-road rigid ring model is used to model the HLFS tire’s interaction with a surface. The soil dynamics of the HLFS tire running on soil is researched and compared to experimental results. Steering characteristics including self-aligning moment, rolling resistance coefficients, relaxation lengths were obtained under various operating conditions.


title: Analysis of resistance nodulation division efflux pumps in Acinetobacter baumannii

contributor:
Kumar, Ayush
Green-Johnson, Julia

subject:
Multidrug resistance
Acinetobacter baumanii
RND efflux
Antibiotic resistance

abstract:
Strains from Canadian hospitals were classified as A. baumannii, A. pitti, or A. osocomialis and the most commonly expressed resistance nodulation division (RND) efflux pump was adeFGH. A collection of A. baumannii isolates from the environment showed decreased susceptibility to at least three antibiotics and expression of three RND efflux pumps (adeFGH, adeABC, adeIJK). From the clinical collection two blood isolates, AB030 and AB031, were chosen to evaluate the outcomes of three virulence models. Using Caenorhabditis elegans and Galleria mellonella a statistically significant difference was shown in AB030 the extremely drug resistant strain. Investigation of the physiological role of adeFGH pump revealed its expression may be more important to cell metabolism and independent of factors controlling expression of the other pumps. This was further demonstrated through examination of local regulator knockout (adeL) in ATCC17978 showing expression levels of adeFGH pump increased only 2-fold. Expression in sub-lethal concentrations of chloramphenicol or florfenicol showed >5-fold induction of adeFGH expression as well as adeABC, independently of AdeL. These data show that the AdeFGH pump is likely regulated by AdeL, but more so by another unknown regulatory mechanism that responds to aberrant peptide formation and not DNA synthesis error or nitrosative stress. In addition strain specific differences likely also account for differences in phenotypic observations since nitrosative stress has improved tolerance and induced adeFGH expression in ATCC19606 and AB031.
Finally analysis of efflux pumps in two triclosan resistant mutants, AB042 and AB043, revealed overexpression of AdeIJK and mutation in the adeIJK regulator, AdeN. Complementation repressed adeIJK expression levels and increased susceptibility to moxifloxacin and ciprofloxacin. The AB043 strain did not have any mutations in adeN, promoter region or RND operon. Osmotic stress tolerance revealed more C16 fatty acids and less C18 compared to the parent strain. The more triclosan resistant strain AB043, showed biofilm formation exclusively at 30°C. Twitching was observed and caused by mutation in the histone-like nucleoid structuring (HNS) protein but did not affect biofilm formation. Using RNA-seq and proteomic analysis putative targets of AdeIJK regulation were identified.


title: UniNet: A mixed reality driving simulator

contributor:
Zaman, Loutfouz
Pazzi, Richard W.
El-Khatib, Khalil

subject:
Mixed reality
Driving simulator

abstract: Driving simulators play an important role in vehicle research. However, existing virtual reality simulators do not give users a true sense of presence. UniNet is our driving simulator, designed to allow users to interact with and visualize simulated traffic in mixed reality. It is powered by SUMO and Unity. UniNet's modular architecture allows us to investigate interdisciplinary research topics such as vehicular ad-hoc networks, human-computer interaction, and traffic management. We accomplish this by giving users the ability to observe and interact with simulated traffic in a high fidelity driving simulator. We present a user study that subjectively measures user's sense of presence in UniNet. Our findings suggest that our novel mixed reality system does increase this sensation.


title: Development and analysis of new integrated energy systems for sustainable buildings.

contributor:
Dincer, Ibrahim
Rosen, Marc

subject: Buildings Efficiency Energy Exergy Sustainable

abstract:
Excessive consumption of fossil fuels in the residential sector and their associated
negative environmental impacts bring a significant challenge to engineers within research
and industrial communities throughout the world to develop more environmentally
benign methods of meeting energy needs of residential sector in particular. This thesis
addresses potential solutions for the issue of fossils fuel consumption in residential
buildings. Three novel renewable energy based multigeneration systems are proposed for
different types of residential buildings, and a comprehensive assessment of energetic and
exergetic performances is given on the basis of total occupancy, energy load, and climate
conditions.
System 1 is a multigeneration system based on two renewable energy sources. It uses
biomass and solar resources. The outputs of System 1 are electricity, space heating,
cooling, and hot water. The energy and exergy efficiencies of System 1 are 91.0% and
34.9%, respectively. The results of the optimisation analysis show that the net present
cost of System 1 is $ 2,700,496 and that the levelised cost of electricity is $ 0.117/kWh.
System 2 is a multigeneration system, integrating three renewable energy based
subsystems; wind turbine, concentrated solar collector, and Organic Rankine Cycle
supplied by a ground source heat exchanger. The outputs of the System 2 are electricity,
hot water, heating and cooling. The optimisation analysis shows that net present cost is $
35,502 and levelised cost of electricity is $ 0.186/kWh. The energy and exergy
efficiencies of System 2 are found to be 34.6% and 16.2%, respectively.
System 3 is a multigeneration system, comprising two renewable energy subsystems—
geothermal and solar to supply power, cooling, heating, and hot water. The optimisation
analysis shows that the net present cost of System 3 is $ 598,474, and levelised cost of
electricity of $ 0.111/kWh. The energy and exergy efficiencies of System 3 are 20.2%
and 19.2%, respectively, with outputs of electricity, hot water, cooling and space heating.
A performance assessment for identical conditions indicates that System 3 offers the best
performance, with the minimum net present cost of $ 26,001 and levelised cost of
electricity of $ 0.136/kWh.


title: Design and development of a traction motor emulator using a three-phase bidirectional buck-boost AC-DC converter

subject:
AC-DC
Bi-directional power converter
Buck-boost
DC-AC
PMSM

abstract:
An industrial drive testing, with a ‘real-machine’ can pave way, for some serious issues to test-bench, motor, and the operator. A slight disturbance in control logic amid testing, can damage the physical machine or drive. Such dangerous testing conditions can be avoided by supplanting real motor with a power electronic converter based ‘Motor Emulator’ (ME) test-bench system. The conventional ME comprises of two-stage three-phase AC-DC-AC conversion with first-stage AC-DC as emulator and second-stage DC-AC as regenerating unit. This two-stage power conversion, require independent control algorithm, burdening control complexity as well as the number of power electronic switches are quite significant.
Therefore, to economize and downsize conventional multistage ME system, this research work experimentally validates a common-DC-bus-configured ME system with only the AC-DC regenerative emulator stage. A bidirectional three-phase AC-DC converter is proposed as the regenerative emulator converter in a common-DC-Bus-configured ME system. The Proposed converter’s operating principle along with mathematical design and control strategy are also presented. To validate the operation of the proposed converter as a common DC-bus-configured emulator, two permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) of 7.5 kW and 2.0 kW are emulated and their simulation and experimental results are presented here.
The proposed bi-directional converter inspired from classical buck-boost operation, requires just ten unidirectional IGBT switches preventing any circulating current in the system. The proposed converter also eliminates the regenerative converter stage in classical ME system. Also, the proposed common-DC-bus-configured ME system requires a single stage control unlike independent control in existing ME system. The proposed converter provides four-quadrant operation and emulation of motor under study. The dynamic model of PMSM motor is simulated on the MATLAB simulation platform and the Simulation results are compared with experimental results. From the simulation and experimental results, it is concluded that, with the presented control scheme, the proposed ME converter can be made to draw the same current as a real machine would have drawn, had it been driven by the same DUT. Since, the output current of proposed converter is fed back to DC bus, the input power source requirement is reduced, making the overall ME system more energy efficient.


title: An interactive and context-driven approach to mobile decision support services

abstract:
This thesis introduces a new approach to service sophistication where the users with no
prior knowledge about a public domain's list of services can conveniently and e ectively
use those services in companion with complementary utility services. Such a decision
support service utilizes techniques from semantic analysis that are orchestrated through
a new concept namely "Smart Decision Service" that coaches the user, who is not familiar
with an organization, to select the desired organization's business services and seamlessly
connect them with the proper third-party applications (e.g., map, search engine, calendar,
email, voice, video) in the user's mobile device (smart phone or tablet). Such smart
decision services can be provided for a variety of strategic business domains such as:
banking, insurance, government, healthcare, and on-line shopping. A prototype of the
application has been developed using Xcode IDE which runs on Apple iPhone.
In the proposed approach the user installs a new type of agent in his/her mobile
device and requests to be advised for services that a particular organization (e.g., City-
bank) provides. The cloud provider sends the City-bank smart service to serve the user,
which collects the context of the user and interacts with the cloud provider to select a
speci c business service (e.g., stock invest) for the customer. Also the agent in the local
cellphone uses the tables of maximal associations of previous customers which share the same set of conditions to recommend the current user with the services that probably
meet his/her circumstances.


title: Trust-based framework for information sharing in health care

subject:
Trust
Trust management
Mobile health care
Informaton security
User study

abstract:
The use of information systems in the health care area specifically in Mobile health
care, can result in delivering high quality and efficient patient care. At the same
time, using electronic systems for sharing information contributes to some challenges
regarding privacy and access control. Despite the importance of this issue, there is a
lack of frameworks in this area. In this research, we propose a trust-based model for
information sharing between mobile health care applications. This model consists of
two parts, the first part calculates the needed amount of trust for sharing a specific
part of information for each user, and the second part calculates the (contextual)
current existing amount of trust. A decision about sharing information would be made
based on a comparison between the components. Different scenarios of information
sharing are provided. Using mathematical analysis, we illustrate how the model works
in these scenarios. To provide the ability of comparison between current models and
the proposed model, an iOS application as a representative of the model is designed
and implemented. To examine the model, a within subject user study is conducted.
In this study users interacted with both Apple health interface and the trust reasoning
application. Results, highlighted that the proposed application has an impact on the
user’s perception and awareness of privacy. The proposed model was chosen as the
preferred model by users.


title: On the integration of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations with Monte Carlo (MC) radiation transport analysis

subject:
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Monte Carlo Radiation Transport
Resuspension
Radiological Dispersal Device
Bluff body
GAMBIT
MCNPX
Radioactive particulate

abstract:
Numerous scenarios exist whereby radioactive particulates are transported
between spatially separated points of interest. An example of this phenomenon is, in the
aftermath of a Radiological Dispersal Device (RDD) detonation, the resuspension of
radioactive particulates from the resultant fallout field. Quantifying the spatial
distribution of radioactive particulates allow for the calculation of potential radiation
doses that can be incurred from exposure to such particulates. Presently, there are no
simulation techniques that link radioactive particulate transport with subsequent radiation
field determination and so this thesis develops a coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics
(CFD) and Monte Carlo (MC) Radiation Transport approach to this problem. Via
particulate injections, the CFD simulation defines the spatial distribution of radioactive
particulates and this distribution is then employed by the MC Radiation Transport
simulation to characterize the resultant radiation field. GAMBIT/FLUENT are employed
for the CFD simulations while MCNPX is used for the MC Radiation Transport
simulations.


title: Advances in parallel robotics for flexible and reconfigurable manufacturing

contributor:
Zhang, Dan
Liu, Kefu

subject:
Robotics
Parallel manipulators
Kinematics
Dynamics
Control

abstract:
Parallel robotic manipulators are a specific type of robot that has multiple
limbs which are ultimately connected to a moving body. Within
this regime, there are several sub-classes of robots characterized by
certain inherent traits. Common to all sub-classes is the ability to
articulate the moving platform by actuating each of the limbs. In
general, it has been shown that these types of robotic manipulators
possess several types of advantageous properties. Some of these properties
are: good dynamic character, high stiffness, high precision, large
payload to weight ratio, and high speed.
Flexible and reconfigurable manufacturing regimes are new manufacturing
system paradigms that aim at achieving cost-effective and rapid
system changes. Essentially, a system classified as
flexible or reconfigurable
would be one that is adaptive to change in the market without
the need to re-design or re-develop its components. The advantage of
such a system is in theory very large. To date, there has been some
enhancements made in the area, however there are still many open
aims and possible improvements to be investigated. Much of which
aims at furthering the concepts from theory to practical applications.
The main objective of this dissertation is to enhance the knowledge
base in
flexible and reconfigurable systems through parallel robotics.
Specifically, by utilizing new ideas in parallel robotics tailored to these
manufacturing regimes, significant improvements in the knowledge
base are attained. These can be classified under one specific regime of
parallel robotics and further categorized as passive, semi-active, and
active (adaptive).

This thesis first focuses on a new design methodology related to
flexible
and reconfigurable manufacturing. Essentially, the method proposes
a systematic approach to recon figure the dynamic properties
of robotic devices for various functional requirements that would be
part of a flexible manufacturing situation. The method is tested on
an example structure and results indicate that the proposed reconfiguration
method outperforms existing devices. Next, this dissertation
focuses on the design of new robotic architectures that are more adaptive.
Specifically, the goal is to achieve structures that can be adaptive
in real-time. Existing structures are only reconfigurable passively and
need to stop operation in order to reconfigure manually. To this end, a
hybrid structure that is semi-active reconfigurable is  first investigated.
It is dubbed the ReSl-Bot. A complete engineering analysis and design
is conducted illustrating its properties. To take this one step further,
a novel class of hybrid adaptive parallel robots is then proposed. A
6-DOF robot belonging to this class called the HAPM mk.1 is studied
in detail. It is effectively shown that this novel design has the ability
to adapt properties actively. This type of adaption could be used for
the performance enhancement in many applications, particularly for flexible manufacturing. Properties such as DOF, stiffness, dexterity,
precision, kinetics, energy consumption, backlash, etc. could potentially
be altered for varying applications and requirements. Notably,
a complete theoretical analysis is conducted, ending with analytical
dynamics and control.

abstract: University of Ontario Institute of Technology


title: Segregation similarity loss in morphological ranking of image search in histopathology

subject:
EfficientNet
Deep learning
Loss function
Histopathology images
Classification

abstract:
Histopathology is the study of changes in tissue caused by diseases such as cancer. It plays an important role to diagnose the cancers. Regarding the large variation of many cancers types, and the large size of Whole Slide Images (WSIs), the analysis of histopathology images is challenging. To come up with this challenge, AI algorithms, such as deep learning (DL) are used to automate image analysis efficiently and accurately. In this study, some DL methods are developed on medical images focusing on the following goals.
Firstly, we propose a model that can help us classify cancers better and faster and achieve good results compared to other models. Most of the present models for the classification of histopathology images are very large and accordingly have many parameters to be learned/optimized and require enormous computational times to achieve reliable results. We propose a more compact network that is tuned to classify cancer subtypes with less computation time and memory complexity to overcome these issues. This model, namely custom EfficientNet, is based on EfficientNet topology, but it is tailored for classifying histopathology images. The utilized model is evaluated over three-tumor-type brain, lung, and kidney from TCGA repository. The results show that the proposed model, compared to state-of-the-art models, i.e., KimiaNet, can classify cancer subtypes more accurately and provides superior results. Besides, the proposed model achieves memory and computational efficiency in the training phase and is a more compact deep topology compared to KimiaNet.
More recently, deep learning was applied for the challenging task of image search on the TCGA repository. Researchers can use the image search results to compare data of current and previous patients and learn from cases that have been clearly treated and diagnosed. However, there is no way to train a model using image search, hence image search must be used on the outcomes of a model that was trained using classification. Moreover, it can be seen that the obtained results from the classification method suffer from bias, and the classification loss function cannot make it possible for us to reduce bias during the network’s training phase. Secondly, the research proposes a new loss function, Similarity Loss (SL), to address these problems. This loss function allows us to train the model based on image search, removing the requirement for us to use other approaches for training image search models. Besides, unlike the classification loss function, the modified version of this loss function, Segregation Similarity Loss (SSL), helps us reduce the adverse effect of one of the major problems in this field called bias and obtain better and more reliable results. By utilizing SSL, we achieve promising results to classify histopathology images. SSL function achieved up to 5% and 9% improvement compared with the state-of-art models for Lung and Brain dataset, respectively.


title: Development, optimization and simulation of hybrid electric heavy duty truck with self-propelled trailer.

subject:
Hybrid electric vehicle
Tractor and semi-trailer
Fuzzy logic
Multi-objective genetic algorithm
Engineering economic analysis

abstract:
The hybrid electric drivetrain has significant ability to reduce fuel consumption and
increase the efficiency. The application of this type of drivetrain has been investigated for
different vehicle models. The hybridization of heavy duty vehicle and tractor and semitrailers
is a recent challenge for the hybrid electric vehicle researchers. Almost 20% of
the total US truck fuel is approximately consumed by tractor and semi-trailers which
shows the bright potential of developing hybrid electric drivetrain in this sector.
A new architecture of hybrid drivetrain for tractor and semi-trailers is investigated in this
thesis. This architecture is designed to utilize maximum capability of hybrid electric
tractor and semi-trailers to enhance the fuel efficiency as much as possible. This
drivetrain architecture employs a self-propeller trailer so that the tractive effort is divided
between the tractor and semi-trailer. The advantages of this configuration are:
1) Enabling the trailer to regenerate the braking energy as well as for the tractor,
2) Improving the longitudinal dynamic behaviour of vehicle,
3) Providing sufficient space for the battery pack, and
4) Providing the potential of torque vectoring for the trailer to improve overall stability.
To study the proposed drivetrain architecture, a comprehensive model of the longitudinal
dynamic of vehicle, including the drivetrain model, has been developed in SIMULINK®
software. The components of the developed drivetrain model are the diesel engine,
electric motor, batteries, automatic gear box, clutch and final drive unit. The model has
been developed using the specifications of commercially available sub-components.
IV
The braking energy analysis for different standard driving cycles has been conducted to
demonstrate the capability of the proposed drivetrain in recapturing the braking energy
and improving the efficiency of the drivetrain.
The Power Management System (PMS) which controls the power flow in the system
between different propulsion sources has been designed using the fuzzy logic control
theory. The PMS ensures that the diesel engine, the tractor’s electric motor and the
trailer’s electric motor being utilized in an efficient manner. The PMS consists of the
braking controller together with the drivetrain controllers of the tractor and that of the
trailer.
The sizing of the drivetrain components has been optimized using multi-objective
optimization theories. The objectives of the optimization have been the price of the
drivetrain, fuel consumption and acceleration time which all are the function of the size
of the drivetrain components.
Finally, computer simulations have been conducted on different standard driving cycles
in order to evaluate the efficiency and fuel consumption of the proposed hybrid drivetrain
architecture. Results obtained demonstrate the advantage of proposed drivetrain in
comparison with the non-hybrid and typical hybrid drivetrain for heavy duty vehicles. In
addition, economic analysis has been performed to demonstrate the capability of the
proposed system in fuel saving.


title: Impact of terrorism awareness training on civilian likelihood to report pre-incident behaviours

subject:
Terrorism
Pre-incident behaviours
Reporting
Awareness training
See Something, Say Something

abstract: This study investigated whether terrorism awareness training impacts the likelihood to report pre-incident behaviours associated with terrorism using infographics from the U.S. “See Something, Say Something” campaign. Additional factors were considered to gain a comprehensive understanding of variables that influence reporting. With a sample of 342 students, mixed ANOVAs revealed a higher mean likelihood to formally and informally report pre-incident behaviours than nonempirical indicators, regardless of training. For pre-incident behaviours, regression analyses revealed likelihood to formally report increased as diffusion of responsibility and perceptions of community safety decreased, whereas informal reporting increased as delinquency decreased. For nonempirical indicators, the regression model for likelihood to formally report failed to reach significance, whereas informal reporting increased for those impacted by terrorism or not exposed to training, and as positive police perceptions and social disconnectedness increased. This expands the research on terrorism-related reporting and offers novel insight into factors that influence reporting decisions.


title: Design and development of exclusive modulation techniques for effective power regulation in dual two-level-inverter-fed open-ended winding traction motors

subject:
Current ripple
Dual inverter
Electric vehicle
PWM
SOC

abstract:
An integral part of an EV propulsion system is the traction drive. The existing two-level inverter drives reportedly has several drawbacks. Multilevel inverter has been proposed as an improvement over the conventional inverter drive for EVs. Dual two-level inverter topology, fed from isolated DC sources (battery packs) can be a suitable preference for the multilevel inverter in EVs. However, in this topology, the isolated DC sources obtained from battery packs may have different charge or capacities due to their manufacturing tolerances and aging over the time. This will result in different voltage levels and state of charge (SOC) in the individual battery pack. In normal operation of the drive, power flow between isolated sources
need to be regulated. In first work, a simple carrier-based modulation (CBM) technique for sharing and controlling the power flow between isolated DC sources in a dual two-level inverter has been proposed . The proposed technique is extensively studied for different steady state and dynamic conditions. The effectiveness of the proposed technique for EVs is analyzed for different driving profiles and results are provided for dynamic SOC balancing between the isolated battery sources. In the second work, an output current ripple analysis is provided for the dual two-level inverter for varied power sharing ratio. This work demonstrates that the ripple in motor phase current changes when the power sharing in dual two-level inverter is changed. Current error trajectory and current ripple envelope for different switching schemes are compared for equal and unequal sharing. Polar plot representations for peak to peak current ripple in linear modulation range are also illustrated for varied power sharing. The concepts were initially simulated using Matlab/Simulink and PLECS. A 5.7 kW open-end winding induction motor was used as the load for experimental studies. The dual inverter system was build using two Semikron’s stacks having half-bridge modules of SKM50GB12T4. For the speed control and PWM, a digital signal processor (TMS320F28069M) and a real-time simulator OPAL-RT (OP8665) were used.


title: Spectrum sensing based on capon power spectral density estimation

contributor:
El-Khatib, Khalil
Vargas Martin, Miguel

subject:
Spectrum holes
Cognitive radio
Spectrum sensing

abstract:
Cognitive radio (CR) technology has evolved to solve the spectrum scarcity problem and improve
spectrum utilization. Spectrum sensing is a CR function that allows secondary users to
efficiently utilize the spectrum without interfering with primary users. The performance of this
function depends on the efficiency of the used detection method. In this thesis, we propose a
spectrum sensing based on the Capon Power Spectral Density (PSD) estimation method. The
proposed method estimates the received PSD, and uses it to identify free and busy channels.
A cooperative spectrum sensing approach is also introduced. The goal is to solve the common
hidden node problem and help devices without CR capability to identify free channels. Experimental
results show that the proposed method outperforms the spectrum sensing based on the
Periodogram method in detecting both busy and free channels. In addition, simulation results
show that the cooperative approach improves the spectrum sensing function.


title: Immunomodulatory activity of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus R0011: analysis of secretome-mediated impacts on innate immune outcomes in intestinal epithelial cells and antigen presenting cells

subject:
Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus R0011
Secretome
Innate immune regulation
MIF
Immunometabolism

abstract: Certain lactic acid bacteria (LAB), such as Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus R0011, are associated with immune modulatory activities including down-regulation of pro-inflammatory gene transcription and expression. While host intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and antigen-presenting cells (APCs) can interact directly with both commensal and pathogenic bacteria through innate immune pattern recognition receptors, recent evidence indicates indirect communication mediated by soluble mediators may be important in shaping host immune outcomes at the gut-mucosal interface. However, many questions remain about how soluble mediators derived from LAB can influence functional immune outcomes in IECs and APCs, especially in the context of pro-inflammatory challenge as over-expression and dysregulation of the inflammatory mediators they produce also contributes to numerous inflammatory disease pathologies. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling revealed context-dependent regulation of Tumor Necrosis Factor α and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium secretome-induced pro-inflammatory mediator transcription and production by the Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus R0011 secretome (LrS) in human IEC, indicating a potential for modulation of pro-inflammatory immune activity with minimal IEC impact in the absence of a pro-inflammatory challenge. This modulation may be mediated through induction of negative regulators of innate immunity (ATF3, TRIB3, DUSP1) and through changes in global histone acetylation patterns, events important in maintaining immune regulation. THP-1 human monocytes conditioned with the LrS showed functional, transcriptional, and immunometabolic signatures consistent with M2 immunoregulatory activity, with increased production of immunoregulatory cytokines IL-10, IL-1Ra, and IL-4 and a cell-surface expression profile of CD11b, CD11clo, and CX3CR1, features shared with subsets of gut macrophages. The LrS was able to attenuate STS-induced damage to IEC monolayer integrity and pro-inflammatory mediator production in Transwell co-cultures of human IECs and APCs, indicating that the LrS retains immunoregulatory activity in a context which more closely mimics that which occurs in vivo. Biochemical characterization of the soluble components found in the LrS revealed unique protein, amino acid, and metabolomic profiles warranting future experimentation to determine components with immunoregulatory bioactivity. Taken together, the results reported here provide insight into novel routes for indirect host-microbe communication mediated via secretome components and the subsequent impact on multiple immune regulatory mechanisms integral for IEC and APC function and activity.


title: Methods for optimization of neutron detector performance in nuclear power plants

subject:
Neutron detector aging
Degradation of detector prompt fraction
Fault semantic network
Risk-informed decision making
Lifetime extensions

abstract:
Safety of nuclear power plants (NPPs) requires shutdown systems to mitigate design-basis accidents. Shutdown is based on measurements from in-core flux detectors. Thus, this thesis proposes a methodology for managing neutron-detector aging. Detector performance improvement for prompt fraction along with genetic algorithm optimization, risk estimation, and the fault semantic network (FSN) are studied.
Detector models have been developed using circuit models to represent detector behavior in aged conditions. For cases with preprocessed measured data, initial conditions are set to the initial sample value, and an inverse of the transform is applied to reconstruct the signal at the detector. The model’s response is compared to the plant data to validate output. Proposed gains have been implemented in the model with the old gain values to compare with FUELPIN code predictions. A genetic algorithm has been selected to solve optimization and search problems where the Dynamic Signal Compensator (DSC) function is the objective function and the detector function is the fitness function. Two new sets of gain constants have been used to solve the power ramp-up case, allowing reduction of maximum margin-to-trip (MTT) loss to 0.8%.
The risk model has been established in the FSN using historical data, and the risk factor for all channels has been identified. The initial channel table and risk prioritization map are updated as information becomes available. This is demonstrated in three case studies where assumed component failure rates were used in a qualitative/quantitative manner for risk estimation.
The results suggest the simulated ramp rate with the optimized DSC gain constants is conservative compared to actual fueling and signal oscillation rates. Further gains in detector prompt fraction were obtained by optimization of the amplifier gain settings through genetic algorithm with no adverse impact on operating margins.


title: Elucidation of the lipid degradation process in soft tissue and fluid during decomposition, in the presence and absence of insects.

contributor:
Forbes, Shari
LeBlanc, Helene

subject: Decomposition

subject: Insect exclusion

subject: Decomposition fluid

subject: Fatty acids

subject: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)

subject: Attenuated total reflectance- infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy

abstract:
Decomposition has been extensively studied in the presence of insects, however
the process in the absence of insects has been considerably less documented. In this
study, the decomposition process was compared between domestic pig carcasses in the
presence and the partial and complete absence of insects during three consecutive
summers. Fluid was collected from carcasses, from which pH and conductivity were
measured. The fluid was analyzed via attenuated total reflectance- infrared spectroscopy
(ATR-IR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to examine the fatty
acid degradation trends, in an attempt to identify potential biomarkers for estimating the
post mortem interval (PMI). Tissue was also collected, from which pH was measured
and fatty acids extracted and analyzed by GC-MS. All results were compared between
the carcass groups to investigate the effect of insects on the decomposition process.
Observations of the physical changes exhibited by the exclusion groups required new
decomposition stages to be established to better characterize the processes.
The fluid analyses indicated that insects influenced the trends observed from the
pH and conductivity measurements. The effect of insects on the bands detected by
spectroscopic analysis was unclear, however GC-MS results demonstrated that insects
accelerated the rate of hydrogenation when they were present in large numbers; evidence
of hydrogenation was absent in both exclusion groups. Tissue pH was also influenced by
insect activity and significant differences were observed between carcass groups in the
amount of individual fatty acids detected during the insect activity stages and following
the advanced decay and dry stages.
Characteristic fatty acids were not identified that would allow them to be used to
estimate PMI. Further research investigating the complete lipid degradation process is
required to establish fatty acids of interest which would aid in establishing accurate and
objective methods of estimating PMI, to be used in criminal cases.


title: Academic success courses at Ontario colleges: a qualitative analysis of syllabi

contributor:
Campbell, Brian
Hunter, Bill
Stokes, Joe

subject:
Ontario colleges
Academic success courses
Qualitative content analysis
Student development
Skills

abstract:
Ontario Colleges expanded enrolment and reached into populations that traditionally did not attend post-secondary (Rae, 2005). The challenge has been to support students who were not prepared for college-level academic work (Habley, Bloom & Robbins, 2012). Lennon, Skolnik and Jones (2015) pointed out that colleges have been providing curriculum arguably of high school equivalency. First-semester academic success courses have been a curricular response to these challenges.
Academic success courses are a combination of learning skills, involvement, metacognition, motivation, and self-regulated learning (Tebe, 2007; Burchard & Swerdzewski, 2009; Rasmussen, 2013; Hoops, Yu, Burridge & Wolters, 2015). There does not exist a set or taxonomy of skills and student development concepts described in academic success course outlines from across the Ontario colleges. To fill this gap, I qualitatively categorized skills and student development concepts described within academic success course outline documents from across Ontario.
The first step was a comprehensive scan of college program websites to determine the programs that incorporated an academic success course. Fifty-nine course outline documents were acquired for a content analysis of course descriptions and learning outcomes. The categorization of skills and concepts was based on a synthesis of literature on academic success, academic competencies, and the demands of industry.
304 programs incorporated an academic success course. Academic success courses were used in all college credentials. Results suggested that courses are widely used, though less so in the advanced credentials. Some courses were structured generically and applied across a range of programs while other courses were offered within programs using discipline specific language (e.g., business, heath).
A qualitative content analysis revealed dominant course themes of academic skills and personal development. Learning outcomes seldom expressed reading and writing skills. Learning outcomes seldom expressed connecting to the college environment or services. Learning outcomes seldom expressed aspects of resourcefulness or resiliency. Recommendations for curriculum designers to address gaps in learning outcomes are offered. Further research is suggested to clarify the nature and use of academic success courses at the Ontario colleges.


title: The synthesis and in vivo evaluation of chemically modified siRNAs that contain red-shifted internal azobenzene derivative spacers for selective and tunable photocontrol of activity without UV light

subject:
Organic chemistry
Azobenzene
Photo-switch
Chemical biology
siRNA

abstract: Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are biopolymers that are used for post-transcriptional gene regulation and act as endogenous defenses against attack from viruses and dsRNA parasites. The siRNA field is making advances for use as pharmaceuticals and biomolecular research tools for the study of gene silencing in uncontrollably upregulated genes. Through chemical modification of the RNA structure, inherent limitations found in nature can be eliminated to make better pharmaceuticals and research tools. This dissertation investigated the incorporation of azobenzene derivative spacers into RNA backbones by replacing two base pairs. Several siRNAs were synthesized, and then characterized bio-physically through several means. After bio-physical characterization, these siRNAs were tested in vitro against firefly luciferase and endogenous BCL-2 to determine gene silencing efficacy, as well as nuclease resistance when azobenzenes were at the 3’ end of the passenger strand. The ability of these azobenzene siRNAs to be reversibly controlled with UV (ultraviolet) light after transfection into the cells was investigated. Next, utilization of tetra-halogenation at the ortho position on the azobenzene to red-shift the π→π* of the N=N double bond out of the UV portion of the electromagnetic spectrum into the visible region, allowing the siRNA to be inactivated with red light, which is less toxic and through constant exposure inactivates the siRNA for up to 24 h. Finally, we developed an ortho tetra-fluorinated azobenzene derivative to further improve the design of these siRNAs. This tetra-fluorinated derivative maintains the desirable red-shifting property of azobenzene, while having a greatly improved cis conformer half-life over the tetra-chlorinated azobenzene derivative. Furthermore, the tetra-fluorinated azobenzene containing siRNAs were able to remain inactive for up to 72 h with minimal green light exposure. These results in cell-based assays have shown that azobenzenes embedded within siRNAs are well tolerated in the RNA induced silencing complex (RISC). This introduces new functionality into the pathway through photo-switchable azobenzenes which can be controlled with light in real time. We further show that the properties of the siRNAs can be fine tuned through the use of different azobenzene derivatives, and can also show differences in nuclease resistance between the trans and cis isomers.


title: Design of broad-band dual-polarized microstrip patch antennas with high port isolation for millimeter-wave 5G applications

contributor:
Roy, Langis
Wang, Ying

subject:
Antenna arrays
Dual linearly polarized antennas
Microstrip antennas
Millimeter wave (mm-Wave)
Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW)

abstract:
In this thesis, multiple broadband dual linearly polarized antennas are designed covering the frequency band for the next generation of 5G communications around 28 GHz. Dual polarization antennas are employed to increase the capacity of the allocated spectrum through frequency reuse. Techniques for improving the impedance bandwidth is one of the most researched areas of microstrip antenna technology. New multi-layer dual linearly polarized design topologies are proposed in this thesis, based on substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) cavity-backed microstrip antennas. Different structures and materials, and antenna types are explored. Wide impedance bandwidths of around 34% to 47% are achieved. In addition to very wide impedance bandwidth, the designs have a profile that is nearly half that of similar antennas reported in the literature without degradation to the antenna front to back ratio or radiation performance. In addition, a technique to improve the port to port isolation of the antenna by more than 10 dB is proposed. All designs proposed here achieve isolation levels above 30 dB across the band of interest. Two antenna arrays, a four - and a sixteen-element are also designed based on the single element patch and fractal antennas. Their operational bandwidth is around 21% from 24 to 30 GHz, and sidelobe levels are better than 9 dB.
Simulation and optimization are carried out using full wave electromagnetic solver. A prototype of the final design was manufactured and tested. Results of all designs are compared and discussed for their bandwidth and the level of the port isolation in comparison to other millimeter wave dual linearly polarized antennas reported in the literature.


title: Electrohydrodynamic enhancement of extraterrestrial capilliary pumped loops for nuclear applications

subject:
Heat transfer
Electrohydrodynamics
Capillary pump loops
EHD gas pumps
Extraterrestrial

abstract: This work examines electrohydrodynamic enhancement of capillary pump loops (CPL) for use in extraterrestrial nuclear applications. A capillary pump uses capillary action through a porous wick to transport heat and mass. The capillary pump is being considered as a method to improve heat transport in extraterrestrial nuclear applications. The work consists of a literature review of electrohydrodynamics, capillary pumped loops and space type nuclear reactors. Current CPLs are assessed for their performance and several design solutions are investigated using theoretical and analytical techniques. Experimental analysis is performed on an electrohydrodynamic gas pump to determine their suitability for implementation into the vapour leg of a capillary pump loop. The results suggest the EHD gas pumps could offer improved performance and it is recommended experiments should be performed in future work with an EHD gas pump in a CPL for verification. A new design for the electrohydrodynamic evaporator is also developed for enhanced performance.