title: Mathematical Modelling for Carbon Dioxide Removal from Flue Gas Using Micron-size Water Droplets

contributor:
McAuley, Kim
Chemical Engineering

subject:
CO2 Capture Technology
Carbon Dioxide
Mathematical Model
Water Droplets
Adsorption
Absorption

abstract:
Numerous technologies have been developed to reduce the amount of CO2 released to the environment via combustion processes. A promising process named the C-3 process uses micron size water droplets to remove contaminants (e.g., CO2, NOx, SOx, and Hg) from flue gas. However, the mechanisms for capturing CO2 using this relatively simple water-droplet-based process are not fully explained or understood. This work uses mathematical models to explore possible mechanisms for capturing CO2 by high-velocity water droplets with large surface-area-to-volume ratio.
Several capture mechanisms are identified based on a literature review including: i) dissolution of CO2 in liquid water, ii) formation of H2CO3 and its ions, iii) adsorption of CO2 on the droplet surface, and iv) congregation of H2CO3 inside the droplet surface. A preliminary mathematical model is developed to study the importance of the proposed mechanisms, with the droplet surface treated as a region where CO2 and related species can accumulate. In addition, a more complex model that includes two additional phenomena: i) heat transfer from flue gas to water droplet and ii) shrinkage of the droplet due to water evaporation are also developed to explore the influences of these phenomena on the CO2 capture process.
Simulation results reveal that equilibrium absorption following Henry’s law is insufficient to account for the relatively large quantities of CO2 (~27 g CO2/kg water) that have been absorbed in a demonstration unit, suggesting that surface adsorption/absorption effects are important. Adsorption/absorption of CO2 and H2CO3 at the droplet interface could explain the high observed levels of CO2 removal, if unknown partition coefficients K_(IL,CO2 )and K_(IL,H2CO3) are as large as 0.01 m and 0.1 m, respectively, or if the mean droplet diameter is smaller than 5 µm. Simulation results predict that the amount of CO2 captured increases as temperature and water droplet size decrease. Velocity of the water droplet is important when heat effects are considered in the simulations because high-velocity water droplets are predicted to shrink faster than stationary droplets. Droplets can either shrink or grow depending on the temperature and composition of the surrounding flue gas, which will change with position in the C-3 process.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Graphene Nanoplatelet Production Through Non-Ionic Surfactant-Assisted Exfoliation of Graphite

contributor:
Docoslis, Aristides
Kontopoulou, Marianna
Chemical Engineering

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

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

rights: Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University

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

subject:
Graphene
Liquid Phase Exfoliation
Ultrasonication
Shear Mixing
Surfactant
Pluronic F127
Graphene Nanoplatelet

abstract:
Liquid phase exfoliation of graphite is performed using ultrasonication and shear exfoliation to produce graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). Ultrasonication is performed using a tip sonicator under power loads ranging from 35-100% amplitude (corresponding to power of 9-36 W) and concentrations of Pluronic® F127 surfactant in water ranging from 1-15 wt%, under batch and sequential addition of surfactant modalities. Shear exfoliation is achieved using a lab scale shear mixer operated with rotor speeds ranging from 1500 rpm to 8000 rpm and Pluronic® F127 concentrations ranging from 1-10 wt%. Ultrasonication exfoliation demonstrated GNP concentrations as high as 3.01 mg·mL-1 at 100% amplitude and 15 wt% surfactant concentration. The average particle sizes of the nanoplatelets, were approximately 200-550 nm for all exfoliation methods as estimated through dynamic light scattering (DLS). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization revealed particle sizes on the order of hundreds of nanometers in lateral dimension.  Ultrasonication resulted in few-layer graphene, with thickness ranging from 4-77 nm as measured by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and aspect ratios of 36-96. Shear mixing generated multi-layer graphene, with thickness ranging from 6-11 nm and aspect ratios of 25-72.

Both processes were modeled using dimensional analysis, which revealed that high yields can be achieved beyond specific thresholds of power density input, rotation speed, and surfactant concentration. Based on the results, shear mixing presents itself as a promising method that can be readily scalable above a rotor speed threshold.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Arboreal Calling Behaviour Across the Range of the Spring Peeper: Potential Consequences and Benefits

contributor:
Lougheed, Stephen
Biology

subject:
Ecology
Evolution
Animal Behaviour

abstract: Understanding the trade-offs that affect potentially adaptive traits is fundamental to our understanding of evolutionary diversification and speciation. Heterogeneous landscapes may lead to spatial variation in such traits among populations as they may experience different selective pressures. In this study, I investigate the spatial variation associated with arboreal calling behaviour in the spring peeper, Pseudacris crucifer. Finding marked variation in the median height of perching and the proportion of males perching within a population, I investigated the factors that might mediate this behaviour. Spring peeper males at the northern extent of their range almost exclusively call from ground-level, whereas individuals in populations towards the central and southern part of the species’ range are largely arboreal callers. Results of a playback transmission study using male advertisement calls at different perch heights suggest that there is a benefit to arboreal calling: less call degradation across longer distances. To understand some potential physiological costs associated with calling from elevated perches, where individuals would experience higher wind and evaporative water loss, I performed a desiccation experiment using plaster model frogs. Model frogs at high perches lose water at a markedly faster rate than those on the ground, suggesting an increased risk of desiccation for arboreal individuals. Arboreal calling behaviour may therefore be partially governed by a trade-off between reproductive attractiveness and physiological limitations. In addition to spatial variation in arboreality, I investigated morphological variation associated with this behaviour. I found longer limb length and larger body size in arboreal individuals, suggesting possible local morphological adaptation for populations with increased propensities for calling from elevated perches. Whether arboreal calling behaviour is a behaviourally- plastic, context-dependent trait or is fixed within populations remains to be studied, although the trade-offs mediating its prevalence in a population offers a unique opportunity to evaluate the genetic underpinnings of a potentially adaptive trait that is found in only some populations of a species with a dynamic evolutionary history.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Transmission Performance of High Baud Superchannels in Optical Fiber Communications

contributor:
Cartledge, John C.
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Superchannel
Terabit
Look-up Table
448 Gb/s
1.2 Tb/s
Pattern dependent distortion
High baud rate
Optical fiber communications

abstract:
In high baud fiber-optic communication systems, the bandwidth limitation at the transmitter and receiver, and the linear and nonlinear responses of electro-optical components, drive amplifiers and digital-to-analog converters can introduce pattern dependent distortion that caused the signal-quality degradation. Furthermore, the use of narrow subcarrier spacing leads to cross-phase modulation (XPM) distortion considered one of the main obstacles to achieving large transmission distances in superchannel systems. The primary objective of this research is to mitigate the effect
of pattern dependent distortion and enhance the transmission performance of high baud superchannel systems.

Transmission of single-subcarrier 448 Gb/s dual-polarization 16-ary quadrature-amplitude modulation (DP 16-QAM) signal and a 1.206 Tb/s three-subcarrier superchannel signal using DP 16-QAM is demonstrated by applying
a fixed look-up table (LUT) based on maximum-a-posteriori probability (MAP) detector at the receiver. Different decision rules for the MAP detector are considered based on multiple observations of the same symbol as the detection window advances through the received symbol sequence. Alternative approaches include a LUT based nonlinear pre-distorter (NLPD) at the transmitter, and a Volterra nonlinear equalizer (VNLE) or sparse-VNLE at the receiver. The LUT based NLPD with iterative calculation of the pre-distortion provides the best performance in back-to-back systems and transmission systems followed by the MAP detector, VNLE and sparse-VNLE.

For a 1.206 Tb/s DP 16-QAM Nyquist-superchannel using 3, 5 and 9 subcarriers, the impact of the number of subcarriers on the relative strength of the intra- and inter- subcarrier nonlinearities and on the maximum achievable transmission distance for an information rate of 1 Tb/s is determined by simulation. The degree of correlation for the inter-subcarrier nonlinearity induced phase perturbation is assessed between a modulated center subcarrier and a continuous wave (CW) probe center subcarrier. The results provide an indication of the reliability of statistical information about the nonlinear phase perturbation that can be obtained from a probe signal either through simulation or experiment.

abstract: PhD


title: Investigations into the Synthesis of Multiply Arylated Alkanes through Iterative Cross-Coupling

contributor:
Crudden, Cathleen
Chemistry

subject:
Cross-Coupling
Catalysis
Palladium
Organic Chemistry

abstract:
The palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling, in which a carbon-carbon bond is formed between an organohalide or pseudo-halide electrophile and an organoboron nucleophile, has developed into one of the most widely used bond-forming reactions in academic and industrial research alike. The development of automated syntheses in the past decade using this powerful methodology shows significant promise towards accessing a general approach to small-molecule synthesis. One of the largest drawbacks in this Nobel-Prize winning methodology is the sparsity of robust methods for incorporating sp3-hybridized coupling partners. The development of methods which allow sp3-hybridized reagents to participate in cross-couplings is of vital importance to the long-term goal of using Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling as a widely applicably technique in small molecule synthesis.

This thesis describes the development of two methodologies which aim to incorporate sp3-hybridized coupling partners in iterative cross-coupling reactions. We report the use of benzyl trifluoromethyl sulfones as unique electrophiles in desulfonative cross-coupling reactions to synthesize diarylmethanes. This manifold was found to be tolerant to a range of structurally and electronically diverse organoboron coupling partners, although heteroaromatic species proved problematic. A sulfone bearing a pendant aryl bromide was found to undergo highly selective iterative cross-coupling reactions in which chemoselectivity is controlled through the oxidative addition step. Additionally, the application of sulfones towards a desulfonative borylation strategy for the synthesis of benzylic boronic esters was examined.

The selective cross-coupling of vicinal 1,2-diboronates was also examined. These substrates were found to undergo highly chemoselective coupling at the terminal position based solely on the intrinsic reactivity difference due to the substitution at carbon, without the use of boron masking agents. Importantly, it proved feasible to functionalize both boron substituents through cross-coupling in an iterative fashion, affording multiply arylated structures with complete regioselectivity and excellent stereocontrol. Preliminary investigations into the origin of this chemoselectivity were performed.

The research described herein will detail our efforts towards the development of these two novel methods in iterative cross-coupling.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Long-Term Limnological Dynamics in Multiple-Stressor Systems in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region, Canada

contributor:
Smol, John
Biology

subject:
Paleolimnology
Diatoms
Multiple Proxies
Athabasca Oil Sands Region
Chironomids
Cladocerans
Primary Production
Shallow Lakes

abstract: Lakes in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) are threatened by multiple environmental stressors linked to industrial development of the local hydrocarbon deposits and climate change. Waterbodies are vulnerable to changes in water quality and quantity, as well as shifts in ecosystem structure and function. Due to insufficient monitoring prior to industrial development, little is known about the long-term changes in AOSR lakes and the effects of multiple stressors in the region. This thesis uses paleolimnological approaches to determine baseline conditions, track biotic changes through time, and investigate the relative effects of industrial pollution (i.e., contaminants and nutrients) and climate change on the environmental trajectories of the region’s shallow lakes. A multiproxy study of a shallow, isolated lake receiving substantial industrial contamination assessed how multiple trophic levels of a typical AOSR lake have changed over the past ~75 years. While there was no evidence of a threshold-type response to industrial pollution, biotic assemblages from multiple trophic levels suggest the benthic environment increased in complexity, consistent with the warming climate. Spectrally-inferred sedimentary chlorophyll-a profiles from 23 lakes and bioavailable nutrient deposition maps were used to investigate the extent, timing, and causes of increased primary production. Widespread, asynchronous increases in primary production and correlations to observed air temperatures suggest climate change as the main driver of elevated primary production, rather than bioavailable nutrients from industry. Finally, a “top-bottom” paleolimnological analysis comparing pre-disturbance (~1850) and present-day subfossil diatom assemblages from 18 shallow lakes was completed to survey the region’s biotic changes and investigate which environmental variables structured the diatom communities. While diatom assemblages in some lakes changed markedly, most AOSR lakes demonstrated resiliency to the region’s stressors. There were no apparent biological responses to industrial airborne pollution, including deposition of bioavailable nutrients. Instead, most diatom community shifts were consistent with known responses to climate change, and were likely mediated by lake-specific characteristics. Collectively, this research concludes that anthropogenic climate change is the main driver of overall muted community change and marked primary production increases in the shallow lakes of the AOSR. Yet, future changes are possible given the expected continuation of the region’s industrial development.

abstract: PhD


title: Moved by Love: The Experiences of Mexican Women Who Migrated to Canada for a Romantic Relationship

contributor:
Fachinger, Petra
Kobayashi, Audrey
Cultural Studies

subject:
Love Migration
Emotional Geographies
Mexican Women
Mexican Migration to Canada
Romantic Relationships and Migration
Emotions and Migration

abstract:
This thesis deals with love migration, a kind of mobility where the complicated and yet so common emotions and dynamics that characterize any romantic relationship intersect with the disruptions and processes of migration. Because love migration is a relatively unexplored area of study, the present work comprises an exploratory approach which focuses on the perspective of Mexican women who migrated to Canada for a romantic relationship. Specifically, this project aims to address the experiences of displacement and emplacement of love migrants. Put differently, it asks how Mexican women experience moving to Canada and adjusting to the country when their motivation is romantic love. To answer this question, I interviewed 15 Mexican middle-class women who settled in Montreal, Quebec and the greater area of Kingston, Ontario. The sample included participants in heterosexual and same-sex relationships with Mexican and non-Mexican partners they met “unexpectedly” in Mexico, online, or while travelling abroad.
The women I interviewed described falling in love with partners who complemented the autonomous lives they had constructed so far. Geographic distance opened the question of migration, and they moved to Canada hoping to build a future with their partners. However, in this thesis I argue that the process of migration challenged these women’s autonomy and romantic motivations. On the one hand, I found that love migrants’ displacement was a disruptive process. It confronted them with the emotional conflict of leaving their family and community behind, and it involved a bureaucratic process that questioned their romantic motivations and imposed restrictive regulations for the initial years of life in Canada. On the other hand, their emplacements comprised a process of self-determination. They had to actively work to make space for themselves in their romantic relationships and in the Canadian society. Overall, I argue that Mexican women’s love migrations are an expression of autonomy. And, despite the challenges and restrictions they encountered when moving to a new country, their stories show the conviction they have to maintain a sense of independence and to construct the future they imagined when they decided to move to Canada.

abstract: M.A.


title: A Crude Case: Landscapes of Extraction in Canadian Contemporary Visual Culture

contributor:
Jessup, Lynda
Smith, Sarah E.K.
Art History

subject:
Culture of Oil
Alberta Oil Sands
Contemporary Canadian Visual Culture
Art History
Industrial Landscapes
Visual Culture of Oil
Wilderness Landscapes

abstract: In this dissertation, I examine the relationship between visual culture and the culture of oil in Canada, specifically, the visual culture of the Alberta oil sands. I situate my research in the context of recent contentious environmental and infrastructural developments, including the Kinder Morgan pipeline (2004) and Northern Gateway pipeline (2006) proposals, and land claim disputes between the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and Canadian provincial and federal governments, which since the early-twenty-first century have been at the forefront of public discussions. This study seeks to explore what visual knowledge does, how environmental and social concerns are communicated visually, and the affective dimensions of these visualizations. I argue that the visual culture of the Alberta oil sands is both a strategic tool and a site of understanding that is key for advancing environmental and social knowledge. I examine the concept of wilderness in Canada and environmental and social justice as they are visualized in three areas: contemporary art, mass media and tourism, and activism. Each area forms a case study and is analyzed in context to explore the different ways in which the visual operates to deepen the moral and ethical dimensions of content—whether on informational, argumentative, emotional, or affective levels. Key to this discussion is sensitivity to the systems of meaning and value at play in each area, and how these both shape art, media, tourism, and activism and inform their reception. Attending to these systems of meaning also enables me to tease out within each area competing understandings, agendas, and ideologies, as well as relationships of one to another.

abstract: PhD


title: The Social Impact of Bison Reintroduction: A Tale of Two Villages

contributor:
Taylor, Marcus
Sociology

subject:
Bison
Conservation
Montana
Political Ecology
Prairie
Ranching
Saskatchewan
Social Construction

abstract: Brought back from the brink of extinction, conservation efforts are finding a home for plains bison on the North American prairie once again. This paper examines the impact that such efforts have had on Val Marie, Saskatchewan and Saco, Montana, two ranching communities separated by a national border, but sharing similar demographics and a prairie landscape. Historical differences between the two countries have led to two distinct paths toward bison conservation in each community. Interviews with Canadian participants reveal a government–led conservation program that is now largely embraced by residents of Val Marie. American interviews highlight a privately led environmental effort that has created a schism between conservationists and ranchers in Saco. Building off of concepts put forward by Paul Robbins and William Cronon, a qualitative media content analysis shows how these two projects are socially constructed in each country. The research suggests that nature and conservation is framed by communitarian values in Canada and individualistic values in the U.S.

abstract: M.A.


title: Biomechanical Modelling and Objective Evaluation of a Dynamic Load Carriage Device

contributor:
Stevenson, Joan
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Load carriage
Energy storage and return
Backpack
Computer modelling
Load carriage simulator

abstract: The overall aim of this research project was to develop a methodology for the development and evaluation of an energy storage and return (ESAR) system, specifically dynamic rods (DR), for insertion into a typical backpack. The criteria for a successful ESAR were to reduce the relative pack vertical displacement at a delayed phase of the gait cycle thus reducing the force demands on the body. The first objective of this research project was to investigate the effectiveness of the DR across different loads and dynamic conditions. The approach involved the use of two types of load carriage evaluation tools: (1) a computational dynamic biomechanical model (DBM) and (2) a physical Load Carriage Simulator (LCS). The secondary objective was to examine the efficacy of this methodology and determine if the DR design concept met the ESAR criteria in both the DBM and LCS. The results demonstrated that, even though the DR had a marginal effect on the relative z-displacement of the pack and z-forces experienced at the waist and hips for the DBM, similar results were not observed in the LCS trials. There was also no phase shift of the backpack observed in either evaluation tool. This, along with the displacement and force data, suggested that the current DR design did not meet the criteria for an ESAR load carriage device. Finally, the comparison of key variables between the DBM and LCS demonstrated that the LCS could not be used to validate the DBM. Despite the limitations of this study, it has provided a starting point toward developing a standardized protocol for the design and development of novel load carriage systems. A supplemental study demonstrated that increased tension of the DR straps resulted in a reduction of shoulder strap forces because the DR acted as a bridge in the mechanical system, transferring some of the forces from the shoulders to the hip belt (pelvis). Therefore, this DR concept should be considered in the design of LC devices as the reduction of shoulder forces during load carriage is an area of concern.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Evaluation of Passive Reduction of Salts and Nutrients from Greenhouse Effluent using Vegetated Bioreactors

contributor:
Anderson, Bruce
Wootton, Brent
Civil Engineering

subject:
Greenhouse Effluent
Phytodesalination
Wood-Chip Bioreactor
nosZ
nirS
Denitrification

abstract: The discharges from greenhouse operations (greenhouse effluent) in Ontario contain elevated concentrations of salts as well as nutrients such as nitrate and phosphate. The untreated release of this effluent can threaten the quality of our waters, while recycling it for repeated irrigation in greenhouses could reduce costs and save on water and nutrient resources. However, the crop damage caused by the accumulated salinity in the recirculation systems is a major drawback to this otherwise sustainable practice. In this study, engineered vegetated and unplanted gravel and wood-chip bioreactors, as well as a vertical-flow constructed wetland (CW) were operated over a long term and analysed for their nutrient and salt removal performances without seeding. The gravel-based reactors showed relatively low treatment efficiencies, while the wood-chip bioreactor planted with Typha angustifolia (narrowleaf cattail) was the first unit to achieve a near-complete denitrification, demonstrating average nitrate and phosphate removals of 92% and 26% respectively. The unplanted wood-chip bioreactor exhibited a similarly high denitrification efficiency at a later stage, while the other bioreactors removed up to 36% of the nitrate concentrations. Moreover, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (softstem bulrush) was selected as the species with the best phytodesalination performance. The microbial characterization on the interstitial water and biofilm samples showed a positive correlation between the abundance of the denitrifying genes nirS and nosZ with the denitrification performance in the T. angustifolia and unplanted units. A greater population of denitrifiers was found in these bioreactors, while the rhizosphere of T. angustifolia displayed the highest microbial activity. The contributions from the plant’s roots as well as the presence of wood-decomposing bacteria such as Bacillus spp. were suggested as the potentially important drivers of denitrification. The hybrid CW planted with the halophytic species Distichlis spicata (saltgrass) demonstrated average nitrate and phosphate removal efficiencies of 84% and 66%, as well as sodium and conductivity reductions of 15% and 25% respectively. Overall, the wood-based denitrifying systems showed promising results as an effective passive and sustainable technology for nutrient reduction for greenhouses, while more research on additional treatment was found necessary to achieve lower levels of salinity suitable for irrigation of sensitive crops using the recycled effluent.

abstract: PhD


title: Effects of soil resource and herbivory manipulation on temperate-mesic grassland vegetation under a changing climate

contributor:
Aarssen, Lonnie
Biology

subject:
Climate Change
Herbivory
Plant Size
Precipitation
Productivity
Soil Moisture
Soil Nutrients
Species Composition
Species Diversity
Temperate-Mesic Vegetation

abstract: Water availability is obviously a primary regulator of plant productivity and species interactions in arid ecosystems, where many previous studies have documented these effects by manipulating soil moisture availability. The impact of altered precipitation patterns — predicted as a consequence of climate change — however, is less clear for more temperate-mesic habitats. How much does variation in soil moisture availability matter here relative to other key environmental factors?  To address this, we used a long-term field experiment to explore how the interaction of below-ground water and nutrient availability and above-ground herbivory, interact as regulators of neighbourhood biomass production and species composition in an old-field meadow in Eastern Ontario. After five years of soil water and nutrient level manipulation, with and without herbivore exclosures, we recorded above-ground dry biomass for each resident species within replicate plots. Analysis of treatment effects showed that community above-ground biomass increased with the addition of soil nutrients, decreased under reduced water levels, and was unaffected by increasing water levels or the presence of herbivore exclosures. By Contrast, species richness was altered by all applied treatments with the soil water level manipulations having the greatest effects. The soil nutrient manipulation induced changes in diversity consistent with the traditional ‘humped-back’ model, which predicts a unimodal relationship between productivity and diversity, but the soil moisture manipulation did not. Body size metrics (i.e. maximum potential body size or minimum reproductive threshold size) did not predict species biomass representation under any of the experimental manipulations. However, the biomass of the three most dominant plant species — each of agricultural and ecological significance — was altered by the soil resource manipulations. These results suggest that future precipitation regime changes are likely to negatively impact eastern Ontario’s native grassland plant species and its economically valuable hay and pasture lands. Furthermore, they challenge conventional theory regarding plant body size and competition and the relationship between productivity and diversity along gradients of soil moisture availability versus soil nutrient availability.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: The Effects of Bio Content and Type of Resin on FRP Wet Layup Tensile and Bond Strength to Concrete and Durability Under Freeze-Thaw Cycles

contributor:
Fam, Amir
Civil Engineering

subject: Bio-resin Concrete Bond Epoxy Freeze-Thaw FRP

abstract:
This study focused on replacing conventional unsustainable resins currently used in the fabrication of externally bonded Fibre Reinforced Polymers (FRP) with bio-based resins. The first two phases of this study explored three partially bio-based resin blends, namely; one with 41% of its content derived from vegetable and wood industry by-products (VW), a cashew nut shell liquid (CN) resin blend and an epoxidized linseed oil (ELO) resin blend. The mix ratios with epoxy were varied to obtain 20 to 40% bio content for the CN resin, and 10 to 40% bio content for the ELO resin. Both glass (G) and carbon (C) fibres were investigated.

Ninety tension coupons and sixty lap splice specimens were tested as part of the first phase of this study. The VW specimens had mean tensile strength (fu) within 9% of the epoxy (E) FRP specimens. The CN30%-CFRP specimens had a similar fu compared to the E-CFRP specimens, while the CN40%-GFRP specimens had a fu, 15% lower than the E-GFRP specimens. ELO20%-CFRP specimens had a fu similar to the E-CFRP specimens and the ELO30-G specimens had a fu, 13% higher than the E-GFRP specimens.

In the second phase, small concrete beam bond test specimens were tested to compare FRP bond strengths. It was found that the VW resin, with the highest bio content of 41%, had similar bond strength compared to epoxy. The ELO resin with 20% bio content showed the highest bond strength, at 30% higher than epoxy. The CN resin, at 20 to 30% bio content, resulted in comparable bond strengths compared to epoxy.

This final phase examined the effects of freeze-thaw (FT) cycling on both FRP coupons and large-scale reinforced concrete beams with externally bonded FRPs fabricated with three different resins – a furfuryl alcohol fully bio resin, an epoxidized pine oil partial bio resin and the E resin. The FT conditioning was found to have minimal effects on the tensile strength and modulus of the FRP coupons. For the beams, the ultimate strengths after FT conditioning increased by 7 to 17%, likely due to the additional concrete curing during thawing in water.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: An Exploration of Coaches' Leadership Behaviours in Youth Sport

contributor:
Côté, Jean
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Coaching
Youth Sport

abstract:
There is an extensive body of literature suggesting that the full-range leadership model offers a valuable vantage point for examining leadership behaviours (Bass & Riggio, 2006). Few studies, however, have applied this model to investigate coaches’ behaviours within the youth sport context (Vella, Oades, & Crowe, 2013).  To address this research gap, this dissertation presented three studies examining the leadership process, the manifestation of youth sport coaches’ leadership behaviours, and the influence of coaches’ leadership behaviours on athletes’ motivational outcomes.
	Study 1 focused on the transformational leadership (TFL) component of the full-range leadership model. This study employed a systematic literature review approach to synthesize and integrate TFL research.  Results indicated that TFL exerts its effects through processes at the intrapersonal (e.g., task perceptions, self perceptions, and emotions), interpersonal (e.g., relationship quality with leaders and peers), and environmental (e.g., climate and culture) levels.  Findings from this study highlighted key methodological considerations for researchers and practitioners wishing to examine TFL in the youth sport context.
	Building upon the recommendations of the first study, Study 2 focused on the development of a systematic observation instrument to capture the full-range of coaches’ leadership behaviours in sport.  This instrument was developed through an iterative process of literature review, qualitative interviews, and video observation.  The initial reliability and validity of the instrument was also assessed.  The resulting instrument: the Coach Leadership Assessment System (CLAS; Turnnidge & Côté, 2016) consists of five higher-order leadership dimensions across 18 distinct behavioural categories.
	Finally, Study 3 utilized the CLAS to explore coaches’ leadership behaviours in youth sport.  Findings revealed that coaches most frequently displayed neutral coaching behaviours, followed by transformational and transactional coaching behaviours.  Moreover, results indicated that transformational coaching behaviours were associated with specific motivational outcomes at the interpersonal and environmental levels.
	Overall, the present dissertation highlighted that the full-range leadership model is a valuable framework for understanding coaches’ leadership behaviours. Further, it suggested that observational methods can be a viable tool for investigating coaches’ leadership behaviours. It is hoped that the results of this dissertation will encourage further exploration of coaches’ leadership behaviours in youth sport.

abstract: PhD


title: Only Yesterday and the Transnational Power of Anime

rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States

subject:
Animation Studies
Animation
Anime
Women in Film
Transnationalism
Only Yesterday
Japanese Animation
Japanese Cinema
Film Studies
Isao Takahata
Studio Ghibli
Hayao Miyazaki

abstract: Though the medium of animation has existed since at least the 1900s, scholarship in the field of animation has been largely neglected in favour of the academic study of live-action films. This trend in film academia has gravely overlooked the cultural importance of animation, in particular mainstream animated television shows and feature-length films, as a medium that has historically been consumed voraciously by child and family audiences. Anime, or Japanese animation, has drastically increased in popularity in North America, spurring a wave of English-language subtitled and voice-over versions of anime television shows and films, with list of titles that are available to English viewers growing rapidly since the 1990s. Where the works of Walt Disney Studios have traditionally been the most popular and well-known in North America, Studio Ghibli takes that role in Japan as a critically acclaimed animation studio. A fundamental difference between the work of these two studios is the role of gender in the heroines that are depicted. Anime as a Japanese cultural export has become a transnational media form, in which international and particularly North American viewers have found value. This dissertation argues that Disney’s distribution of Studio Ghibli titles in North America has played a major role in anime gaining a place in the Western media landscape, therefore increasing the popularity and demand for anime being available to English-speaking audiences. It goes on to argue that there is a shift in the attitude from North American audiences towards and expectations for female characters in cinema, that can be linked to the popularity and cultural recognition of anime, and Studio Ghibli films in particular which are famous for their strong female characters. These points are evidenced by the retroactive English localization of Studio Ghibli’s 1991 film Only Yesterday (Isao Takahata dir. 1991), which only received its first English release in 2016. By exploring the ways in which anime is localized for Western audiences, this dissertation illuminates the transnational nature and potential of anime as it is interpreted by international audiences, as it contributes to the evolving role of female characters in both animated and live-action film.

abstract: M.A.


title: Characterization and Prediction of Hyporheic Flow Induced by Bars in Gravel Streams

contributor:
da Silva
da Silva, Ana Maria
Civil Engineering

subject:
Hyporheic
Gravel Stream
Gravel Bar
Darcy's Law

abstract:
Hyporheic flows induced by bars in gravel streams are vital to the overall health of a river
but can also be the primary mechanism for contamination to fish habitats. It is therefore of
primordial importance to characterize such hyporheic flows under varying hydraulic and
morphological conditions, and develop methods and tools for their prediction. This thesis
is intended as a contribution to these ends.
The work involves an extensive series of laboratory experiments, guided by a
dimensional analysis of the phenomenon under consideration, and revealing a possible
dependency of vhyp /k on Δ/Λ and Δ/hav. Hyporheic flows were visualized in a gravel bar
and underlying substrate constructed in a 21 m long flume under nine different test cases
(combination of varying free surface flow depths (18, 15 and 12 cm) and bar lengths (1.0,
1.6 and 2.5 m)). Dye injections were recorded and processed to reveal hyporheic flow paths
and velocities. Hyporheic flows upstream and downstream of the bar top traveled
longitudinally, converged at the flow divide line and upwelled into the stream flow at the
flow divide line. For any given bar, smaller free surface flow depths produced hyporheic
flows that penetrated deeper into the gravel and emerged into the stream flow further
downstream. Hyporheic flow was always turbulent with the 1.0 and 1.6 m long bars
producing similar hyporheic flow velocities that were approximately 30% higher than those
produced by the 2.5 m long bar. The present analysis shows that for any given value of
Δ/Λ, vhyp /k varies with Δ/hav by first increasing from 0 to a maximum at Δ/hav ≈ 0.45, and
then decreasing.
Although Darcy’s equation is only valid for laminar flows, a simple model based
on this equation was developed for determining hyporheic flows through a gravel bar with
the goal of investigating if Darcy’s equation can provide any reasonable approximation of
hyporheic flow. The computational grid represents the gravel bar and underlying substrate
of the laboratory experiments. The model produced hyporheic flow paths which were in
good agreement with the laboratory experiments. However, the hyporheic flow velocities
were greatly underestimated. In spite of this, the model offers a quick and computationally
simple method for preliminary assessments in practical applications.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Frugal Digital Innovation: An Exploratory Study in Emerging and Developed Economies

contributor:
Chan, Yolande
Business

subject:
Frugal Innovation
Digital Innovation
Social Innovation
Dynamic Capability
Digital Platform
Digital Ecosystem
Technology Business Incubator
Affordability
Social Impact
Resource Constraints
Digital Affordances
SMACIT
SMAC
IT Leveraging Capability
Social Engagement Capability
Business Model Innovation
Startups
India
Canada

abstract:
This dissertation provides the foundation for a research program in frugal digital innovation. "Frugal Digital Innovation” is a specific form of frugal innovation digital technologies play a pivotal role in enabling firm-level capabilities to overcome challenges of resource-constrained business environments. Frugal digital innovation is centered on development of products/services with a sharp focus on affordability, simplicity, and sustainability. The dissertation is rooted in two contexts – with case studies conducted in both an emerging economy (India) and a developed economy (Canada). This dissertation is among the first to theoretically and empirically confirm the presence of resource constraints and institutional voids, in certain Canadian contexts, that are similar to but less severe than those found in emerging markets. Moreover, the dissertation highlights how firms in both contexts negotiate such constraints and voids by developing frugal IT innovation capability (FITIC), which builds on business, technology, and social innovation capabilities. A digital ecodynamics perspective which focuses on the fusion of firm-level capabilities, the challenges of the ecosystem that the firm operates in, and underlying digital systems and technologies was used to examine how FITIC drives firm performance. Using affordance theory, theory of corporate frugality, and the dynamic capabilities perspective, a research framework was developed and the role of digital platforms, SMACIT technologies, and other socio-economic factors was also examined.
As the world struggles to find innovative solutions to societal issues such as healthcare, education, poverty, and hunger, this research highlights digital strategies and capabilities that firms can develop to improve their financial, social, and sustainability performance. The dissertation discusses ecosystem-wide implications and contributes to advancement of both theoretical and practice-based knowledge. The research provides fertile ground to extend affordance theory and dynamic capabilities perspective by applying it in a frugal context while making theoretical linkages among constraints, affordances, and dynamic capabilities. It also provides insights to practitioners regarding the development of low-cost and high impact digital innovation capabilities.

abstract: PhD


title: Exploring The Nature, Pathophysiology, And Genetics Of Birch Pollen Induced Allergic Rhinitis And Its Overlap With Peanut Allergy Using Experimental Models And Genetic Analysis

contributor:
Ellis, Anne K.
Biomedical and Molecular Sciences

subject:
Allergy
Allergic Rhinitis
Atopic March
Birch Pollen
Environmental Exposure Unit
Filaggrin
Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells
Loss-of-Function Mutation
Nasal Allergen Challenge
Nasal Lavage
Patch Testing
Peanut Allergy
Skin Sensitization

abstract: Birch pollen represents a significant trigger of allergic symptoms in sensitized individuals with allergic rhinitis (AR). Inhalation of birch pollen can elicit nasal and ocular symptoms, and in some patients, confer oral symptoms following ingestion of peanut-containing foods due to the cross-reactivity between birch pollen and peanut protein. These symptoms can negatively impact quality of life during in-season and out-of-season months. This thesis investigates the pathophysiology and genetics of birch pollen-induced AR using two experimental models of AR, the Environmental Exposure Unit (EEU) and the nasal allergen challenge (NAC), and genotyping analysis for mutations in the gene encoding filaggrin (FLG), a critical skin barrier protein. The EEU and NAC use contrasting methods of allergen delivery to mimic symptom manifestations associated with allergen exposure (EEU, continuous exposure with birch pollen grains; NAC, single dose nasal spray with birch pollen extract). Following birch allergen exposure, birch-allergic participants experienced a gradual increase in nasal and ocular symptoms over time in the EEU, which contrast the immediate sharp increase observed during the NAC. Responses to allergen challenge via these two models provided useful information to guide future studies of novel therapeutics. Using flow cytometric analysis, the frequency of group 2 innate lymphoid cells decreased in the blood and increased in the nose 4 hours after a NAC with birch pollen extract. The frequency of the four most prevalent FLG mutations in Caucasians in this investigation were significantly lower in birch-allergic participants compared to non-allergic controls, which contrasted current literature. When placed directly onto intact skin, birch pollen protein did not elicit allergic skin responses in these participants. Collectively, these data illustrate the distinct responses of the nasal mucosa compared to the epidermis when both were exposed to birch pollen. Additional studies with a larger sample size would be needed to address the lower rate of FLG mutations observed in individuals with birch pollen-induced AR.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: The Canadian Nondelegation Doctrine: An Architectural Imperative

contributor:
Pardy, Bruce
Law

subject:
Constitution
Constitutional Architecture
Delegation
Democracy
Separation of Powers
Rule of Law
Secession Reference
Judges Reference
Judicial Review
Waldron
Constitutional Structure

abstract: Delegation of legislative authority to the executive branch is a dominant practice in the modern Canadian administrative state.  This dissertation argues that such delegation is unconstitutional.  The unwritten principles of democracy, the separation of powers, and the rule of law – all defining features of the Constitution pursuant to leading Supreme Court of Canada decisions – demand that legislative decision-making be performed in legislatures.  Only the legislative branch has the mandate and the legitimacy to make substantive choices about the content of the law.  The dissertation draws on the architecture of the Constitution to posit a theory of democracy as an institutionally specific form of conflict resolution.  This theory provides that legislators abdicate their responsibilities when they delegate substantive legislative power, and courts abdicate their responsibilities when they permit such a fundamental distortion of constitutional structure to proceed.  A judicially enforced nondelegation doctrine is a corollary of the way the Constitution is built.  The project makes the case for the existence of a Canadian nondelegation doctrine, outlines its meaning and content, and illustrates its application in specific legislative contexts.

abstract: PhD


title: An Assessment of Population Genetic Structure in Guillemots (Cepphus)

contributor:
Friesen, Vicki
Biology

subject:
Genomics
Population Genetics
Guillemots
Cepphus grylle
Cepphus columba
Seabird

abstract: Understanding how evolutionary forces shape population genetic structure is a principal goal of evolutionary geneticists. Guillemots (Aves: Charadriiformes: Alcidae: Cepphus) provide useful systems for investigating population genetic differentiation in a genus with a wide geographic range that disperses according to a one-dimensional stepping stone model. Guillemots may also be highly vulnerable to climate change in parts of their range. For this reason, identifying population genetic structure is important for their successful management and conservation. I used various genetic markers and methods to assess population genetic variation in pigeon guillemots (C. columba) and black guillemots (C. grylle). In both species, I found evidence of limited dispersal and restricted gene flow between distant populations. Genetic differentiation appeared to follow a pattern of isolation by distance in both species. In pigeon guillemots, evidence suggested that population genetic structure arose through a combination of both historical and contemporary processes. Based on my results, I recommend that pigeon guillemot subspecies be revised. I also suggest that pigeon guillemot populations in the Aleutian Islands be considered for designation as an evolutionarily significant unit (ESU) as their differentiation has been strongly influenced by historical processes. Population genetic structure in black guillemots did agree with current subspecies delineations. Based on the level of variation detected within the subspecies however, I would recommend that black guillemots be treated as management units. The results from this study hold promising insight into how patterns of gene flow can lead to different patterns of population genetic structure.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Digital Control Techniques for High Fidelity Haptic Simulation Systems

contributor:
Hashtrudi-Zaad, Keyvan
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject: Haptic Control Digital

abstract: Haptic simulation systems allow human users to kinesthetically interact with virtual environment models through a robotic mechanism known as a haptic interface. The sampled-data nature of haptic interfaces limits the range of virtual environment dynamics that can be stably rendered in a haptic simulation system which limits the available performance of haptic systems. A method of increasing the range of stably implementable virtual environment dynamics, and the focus of this thesis, is through the investigation of different discrete virtual environment implementations. The passivity and uncoupled stability criteria are considered the most stringent conditions on the stability of haptic simulations systems. In this thesis, seven different discretizations of a spring-damper virtual environment are derived and studied using the passivity and uncoupled stability criteria. Traditionally, position-sampling is the method by which feedback is acquired from a haptic system, however, in this thesis the effects of sampling velocity and that of sampling both position and velocity are studied. As well, a single degree-of-freedom haptic device was developed with analog circuitry to implement velocity-sampled and position and velocity-sampled haptic simulation systems. Results indicate that a zero-order-hold position-sampled implementation may provide a larger range of implementable dynamics than the benchmark, backward difference. It was found that the sampled-PV implementation shows great potential to increase the range of implementable dynamics over existing position-sampled implementations.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Pedestrian Traffic Safety and Outdoor Active Play Among 10-13 Year Olds in a Mid-Sized Canadian City

contributor:
Janssen, Ian
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Pedestrian Traffic Safety
Traffic Safety
Outdoor Active Play
Active Play
Outdoor Play
Children's Physical Activity
Children and Adolescents
Pedestrian Safety

abstract:
Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the associations between objective and perceived measures of pedestrian traffic safety in the home neighbourhood with outdoor active play among 10- to 13-year-olds.  It also determined if the association between objectively measured pedestrian safety and outdoor active play is moderated by parents’ perceptions of pedestrian safety.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 10- to 13-year-olds (N = 458) from Kingston, ON, Canada (population 123,798). Outdoor active play was measured over 7 consecutive days using a combination of data from activity logs, accelerometers, Global Positioning System loggers, and Geographic Information System. 1 km road network buffers were used to define participants’ home neighbourhoods. Within these buffers Geographic Information System software and data were used to create traffic volume, traffic calming, traffic speed, pedestrian infrastructure, and overall pedestrian safety indexes. Parents’ perceptions of these pedestrian safety domains were obtained by questionnaire. General linear models were used to examine the relationships of interest.  Several covariates were adjusted for in these models.
Results: The average outdoor active play was 38.3 min/day (27.6 SD). The overall perceived and objective pedestrian safety indexes were not associated with outdoor active play (p > 0.1); however, significant associations were observed for some of the specific domains of pedestrian safety.  Children whose parents perceived moderate or high traffic speeds in their neighbourhood had outdoor active play values that were 0.35 (SE=0.10, p=0.021) and 0.20 (SE=0.15, p=0.048) SD units higher, respectively, than children whose parents perceived low traffic speed. By comparison to children from neighbourhoods in the lowest tertile, children from the highest traffic volume tertile had higher outdoor active play levels (0.26, SE=0.12, p=0.029), while children from neighbourhoods in the moderate traffic calming tertile (-0.28, SE=0.11, p=0.008) and the moderate pedestrian infrastructure tertile (-0.25, SE=0.11, p=0.023) had lower outdoor active play levels. There were no interactions between the objective and perceived measures (p>0.05).
Conclusions: In this study of 10- to 13-year-olds from a mid-sized city there was some albeit inconsistent evidence that outdoor active play was lower in children residing in the most pedestrian safe neighbourhoods.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Autophosphorylation of the Dual-Specificity Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase RcCDPK1 From Castor Oil Seeds

contributor:
Plaxton, William
Snedden, Wayne
Biology

subject:
Phosphorylation
Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase
Tyrosine
Dual-Specificity Kinase

abstract: Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC) is a tightly-regulated enzyme that plays essential roles in central plant metabolism, particularly in the replenishment of tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates withdrawn for biosynthesis or N-assimilation. In developing castor oil seeds (COS) an enigmatic ‘bacterial-type’ PEPC (BTPC) isozyme is highly expressed as a catalytic and regulatory subunit of a novel Class-2 PEPC heteromeric complex. During COS development BTPC is subject to in vivo inhibitory phosphorylation at Ser451, a highly conserved target residue occurring within an intrinsically-disordered domain. This phosphorylation event is catalyzed by RcCDPK1, a member of the castor Ca2+-dependent protein kinase (CDPK) family. Ca2+-dependent autokinase activity of CDPKs has been reported and may influence CDPK transphosphorylation activity and substrate accessibility. However, the functions and in vivo occurrence of CDPK autophosphorylation remain poorly understood. A major objective of this thesis was to test the hypothesis that autophosphorylation influences RcCDPK1’s ability to transphosphorylate its BTPC substrate at Ser451. Ca2+-stimulated autokinase activity of heterologously expressed RcCDPK1WT was readily detected by pIMAGOTM phosphoprotein reagent, and multiple pSer, pThr, and pTyr residues were mapped via LC-MS/MS. These included Tyr30 which: (i) occurs at the interface of RcCDPK1’s N-terminal variable and catalytic domains, and (ii) is conserved and also autophosphorylated in RcCDPK1 orthologs AtCPK4 and GmCDPKβ.  The influence of Tyr30 autophosphorylation was examined by generating a phosphoablative Y30F mutant (RcCDPK1Y30F). In vitro dephosphorylated RcCDPK1WT exhibited an ~9-fold increase in its rate of Ca2+-dependent BTPC transphosphorylation at Ser451 relative to autophosphorylated RcCDPK1WT. Conversely, RcCDPK1Y30F showed no obvious difference relative to RcCDPK1 WT with respect to its autokinase or BTPC Ser451 transphosphorylation activity. Although global autophosphorylation of RcCDPK1 is highly inhibitory, Tyr30 autophosphorylation appears to have little impact on its kinase activity. Preliminary attempts to detect in vivo RcCDPK1 phosphorylation in developing COS, as well as following via transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves were conducted by probing immunoblots of clarified extracts with anti-pTyr30 antibodies. Collectively, results of this thesis provide insight into the links between plant carbon metabolism, Ca2+-dependent signaling, and the biological significance of CDPK autophosphorylation.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Wildlife Photography: Ecological Tool or Invasive Practice? A Study of Wildlife Photography and its Practitioners

contributor:
Smith, Mick
Environmental Studies

subject:
Wildlife
Wildlife Photography
Conservation
Biodiversity
Ethics
Animal Ethics

abstract: Based on participant interviews this project describes and interprets the practices, self understandings, and motivations of contemporary wildlife photographers. It seeks to contextualize these practices within the history of animal hunting, the genesis of animal photography, and with regard to the contemporary surge in biodiversity loss.  The central paradox of this work lies in the diminishing numbers of wildlife populations compared to the proliferation of images produced through animal photography.

abstract: M.E.S.


title: Evaluation of a Counterflow Thermoelectric Heat Exchanger in a Solar Domestic Hot Water System

contributor:
Harrison, Stephen
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Thermoelectric
Solar Domestic Hot Water

abstract: Solar assisted heat pumps are a method of improving the energy efficiency of a domestic hot water system while reducing the impact on the environment. Traditional vapour-compression heat pumps use harmful refrigerants that are susceptible to leaks and have moving parts that require maintenance. Thermoelectric devices have recently shown an increase in performance and a decrease in unit cost, allowing them to be a viable, maintenance-free alternative to traditional heat pump cycles. A thermoelectric model was developed using EES to determine the operating performances of an indirect solar assisted heat pump system (ISHAP), as well as a solar-side ISAHP. The model was verified using a twisted-tape liquid-liquid heat exchanger which incorporated 21 modules for a total heat pumping capacity of 1.62 kW. The thermoelectric heat exchanger was tested across a range of inlet conditions and applied currents and was shown to be accurate to within 7.9 % of the model. A custom TYPE was created in TRNSYS to allow for the optimization of the two systems over a simulated year using directly-coupled PV/T hybrid panels. Using the designed heat exchanger the optimized ISAHP produced a solar fraction of 70.2 % using 50 modules and 6 m2 of collector area. The solar-side ISAHP operated at a higher efficiency with a solar fraction of 73 % using just 21 modules and 6 m2 of collector area. A control scheme was recommended that showed an improvement of 10.3 % in solar fraction over the solar-side ISAHP, while operating at an average COP of 2.5. It was shown that in improvement in the heat transfer rate of the liquid-liquid heat exchanger could further improve the solar fraction of the standard ISAHP system by 12 %. Additional system optimization is required to aid in matching the electrical and thermal requirements of the thermoelectrics, through the decoupling of the electrical production of the panels to allow for more accurate control, or the addition of photovoltaic modules to supplement the electrical output of the PV/T panels.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: An SCL-Based Constraint Representation Language for Intrusion Detection

contributor:
Dean, Thomas
Computing

subject:
Language Design
Security
Network Protocol

abstract: In this thesis, we have extended the SCL (Structured and Context Language) network protocol description language to describe the complex constraints for the network engineer. Previous SCL developed with the focus of penetration testing and not sufficient for constraint scenarios. The constraint scenarios include multiple-packet with order and environmental information. To address the current limitation of the SCL, we have proposed syntaxes which are declarative in nature. We have studied three different styles of syntaxes to handle constraint scenarios of an IDS (Intrusion detection system). The three syntaxes are based on Java expressions, QUEL and Prolog. We have represented three constraints for command and control systems such as ATC (Air Traffic Control) network using our syntaxes. The same constraints have been previously used by a constraint engine to demonstrate the capability of the IDS. We evaluate each of the syntax based on the four design guidelines for the domain specific language (DSL). The Java-based syntax shows better capability to represent constraints based on four DSL design guidelines. Finally, we show the mapping of the constraints represented in our syntaxes with the low-level DSL (Domain Specific Language) of the constraint engine. The mapping shows our syntaxes has all relevant information to translate into the low-level DSL.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Individual Variation in Glucocorticoid Levels: a Field Study of Repeatability

contributor:
Bonier, Frances
Biology

subject:
Glucocorticoid
Repeatability
Individual Variation
Corticosterone
Intraclass Correlation Coefficient

abstract: We readily appreciate the wide phenotypic diversity that distinguishes animal species; however, even within a population of the same species, individuals can express significant phenotypic variation in their behavior, morphology, and physiology. Natural selection acts on among-individual phenotypic variation, linking an individual’s phenotype to its fitness. A necessary first step toward understanding some evolutionary and ecological processes, which are driven by the relative fitness of certain phenotypes over others, is to accurately characterize consistent individual differences in traits that influence survival and/or reproduction. Circulating concentrations of glucocorticoid (GC) hormones are plastic (i.e., capable of changing across a range of temporal scales in response to internal or external conditions) and involved in numerous processes related to fitness. We assessed the repeatability (or, trait consistency) of corticosterone (CORT; the primary avian GC) titers in free-living black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) during the non-breeding season. We also investigated internal and external factors that could explain the degree of repeatability/plasticity we observed. We found that initial CORT concentration had a significant agreement repeatability of 0.284. On average, CORT concentrations were higher during the second capture compared to the first. Furthermore, initial CORT was lower among individuals that experienced lower temperatures and higher wind speeds prior to capture, and among individuals with relatively poorer oxidative balance. Overall, our results suggest that individuals respond plastically to harsh winter conditions, while also maintaining a degree of within- individual consistency that may reflect the influence of a combination of genetic differences among individuals and stability in aspects of their environment. These findings add to the accumulating evidence that suggests that individual variation in GC concentrations within populations can often reflect short-term, dynamic changes in the environment more so than fixed differences among individuals.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Functional size traits in crowded vegetation: when bigger isn’t better

subject:
Plant Ecology
Community Ecology
Plant body size
Functional traits
Reproductive economy
Fitness
Plant abundance

abstract: Why do some species within crowded vegetation have greater numerical abundance than others?  Functional traits are often explored as predictors of success under certain habitat conditions, and in the context of competition, traditional plant competition theory is based on a ‘size advantage’ (SA) hypothesis, where larger plants are generally considered better competitors for contested resources. However, body size distributions are right-skewed at virtually all scales — from plants within populations to species within communities, within phylogenetic lineages, and across entire regional floras. And field studies in crowded natural vegetation—both woody and herbaceous—have generally failed to find evidence for a species size advantage in predicting numerical abundance. This paradox has recently been interpreted in terms of a ‘reproductive economy’ advantage (REA) whereby smaller species, although severely suppressed in size by neighbourhood crowding, are nevertheless generally more likely (than larger species) to produce at least some offspring. Traits that might be associated with greater reproductive economy, and of interest here, include smaller values for three size metrics: minimum reproductive threshold size (MIN), seed size, and leaf size. Here, we used a combination of natural field surveys, greenhouse studies and multi-season field experiments to further investigate the relative importance of SA and REA in old-field meadow vegetation in eastern Ontario. Overall, we found strong support for a reproductive economy advantage, particularly for smaller MIN – and especially when crowding from neighbouring vegetation was the most intense and when species had a long, relatively undisturbed history of growing together. We found weak and inconsistent support for the size advantage hypothesis across all studies and in many cases, we could not detect a signal for either the SA or the REA hypotheses. This was especially true when species were introduced that had no history of growing together. We also explored how dry mass predicts other metrics of plant body size that better reflect ‘space occupancy’ (SO) in situ (i.e. canopy height, area, and volume) — and found that plants/species with smaller SO body size often had greater dry mass per unit SO body size. These allometric relationships have important implications for fecundity allocation and the REA hypothesis. The combined results of these studies suggest that both SA and REA are likely important, but dependent on the local severity of crowding between near neighbours — with REA generally being more important as crowding increases, and SA (contrary to traditional theory) more important as crowding decreases.  At the whole community level then, across highly variable levels of local crowding, evidence for REA in predicting abundance is likely to be obscured by SA effects and vice versa.

abstract: PhD


title: Sulfide Flotation in Complexing Media and Bacterial Degradation of the CU(II)-TETA Complex in an Aqueous Environment

contributor:
Kelebek, Sadan
Mining Engineering

subject:
Mineral Flotation
Chloride
Seawater
Chalcopyrite
Pyrite
CuTETA Degradation
Contact Angles
Electrochemistry
Pyrrhotite

abstract:
Production of flotation concentrates from ores require a variety of reagents that include
complexing agents such as cyanide and triethylenetetramine (TETA). These chemicals, while
being useful for the process, can cause environmental issues.

In this thesis, the batch flotation of selected ores was investigated together with the surface
chemical phenomena related to the use of three complexants, namely TETA, cyanide and
chloride. The ores consisted of Ni-Cu sulfides, rich in pyrrhotite and a galena-pyrite sample, both
of which involved the use of TETA and a pyrite-based sample. Investigations with the first group
indicated that the metabisulfite SMBS/TETA combination in synthetic seawater performed better
in comparison with tap water. The synergistic effect of SMBS/TETA was superior due to
enhanced complexing activity in chloride-rich medium. The pyrite sample that had been pre-
contacted with cyanide was successfully desulfurized to minimize acid production potential in the
environment. These investigations were coupled with fundamental investigations on
electrochemistry of pyrrhotite, pyrite and galena through cyclic voltammetry, electrical
impedance spectroscopy, contact angle measurements under applied electrochemical potential, as
well as Raman spectroscopy and UV studies.

The electrochemical studies provided evidence for the synergistic effect of the SMBS/TETA
combination. The contact angle measurements provided support for formation metastable sulfur
causing hydrophobicity in the absence of collector, which was largely masked on iron sulfides
due to dominance of their surfaces with ferric hydroxide/oxide. Raman spectroscopy of the
flotation concentrates provided clear evidence for the formation of metastable elemental sulfur/polysulfide on cyanide-contacted pyrite, which was a key factor explaining its unusual
floatability. UV spectroscopy of ethanol extracts from the flotation concentrates provided further
evidence of elemental sulfur forming on the mineral surfaces.

Overall, these results represent a unique linkage between surface chemical phenomena and
genuine flotation behaviour of several ore samples. Proper use of the SMBS/TETA combination
is demonstrated to be a potential solution to rectify poor flotation of sulfide ores in seawater. The
sulfurous acid-copper sulfate treatment is demonstrated to be a potential solution for
desulfurization of cyanide tailings. In the environmental area, the microorganism Paecilomyces
sp. (KC790497.1) demonstrated to biodegrade over 90% Cu-TETA complex in aqueous
solutions.

abstract: PhD


title: Approaching Anxiety: Reading Eden Robinson in an Era of Reconciliation

contributor:
McKegney, Sam
English Language and Literature

subject:
Indigenous Literature
Reconciliation
Settler Anxiety
Colonialism

abstract: This project seeks to account for the ways in which Anglo-settler anxiety has influenced the construction of the mythos of a benevolent Canadian national identity. I argue that settler anxiety toward Indigeneity is the underlying affective condition of Canadian Anglo-settler society, and continues to inform contemporary reconciliation politics. My thesis proceeds by questioning the role that this collective feeling of anxiety has played in the construction of Canada’s reconciliatory politics. To what extent has this anxiety motivated Canada’s reconciliation project? How does the current structure of the reconciliation process alleviate this anxiety rather than confront it? My thesis will wager that the provocation of settler anxieties by Indigenous artists — and the mobilization of those anxieties in popular discourse—has the potential to reveal the inadequacies of dominant understandings of a teleological reconciliation project in Canada and thereby re-politicize the reconciliation process. Specifically, I look to Haisla writer Eden Robinson’s fiction to examine how Robinson’s novel Monkey Beach and her short story “Terminal Avenue” exemplify an alternative approach to Canada’s reconciliation project through their provocation and textual representations of settler anxiety.

abstract: M.A.


title: The Neutral Hydrogen Content of Satellite Galaxies in the Local Volume

contributor: Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy

subject:
Galaxies
Dwarf Galaxies
Gas
Neutral Hydrogen
Astronomy
Satellite Galaxies
Galaxy Formation
Galaxy Evolution
Radio

abstract: The properties of the satellite populations of galaxies are vital for understanding their structure and evolution in a cosmological context. Deep optical imaging surveys have revealed a host of low surface brightness (LSB) features near Local Volume galaxies, that may be satellites of the latter. We conduct atomic gas (HI) observations of 48 such satellite candidate galaxies discovered around 10 different hosts using the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope. Detections of HI reservoirs in these systems will provide spectroscopic distances that can be used to confirm an association to their putative hosts. Non-detections imply that the objects are gas-poor, irrespective of their distance along the line-of-sight. We first search for HI in six ultra-faint dwarf candidates discovered near NGC 3109. One is detected in HI, placing it in the background as a gas-rich field dwarf, while the remaining five have no detectable HI emission. We also searched for HI along the lines of sight to 27 LSB features that project around M101, and the majority (23/27) were found to be gas-poor. The other four were detected in HI, though only one has a recessional velocity consistent with that of M101. Two of the other galaxies have systemic velocities suggesting an association with a background group and the fourth detection places it in the background. Finally, we searched for HI in 15 satellite candidates around 8 hosts finding just one gas-rich satellite. Using the HI and optical properties of all non-detections, we compare them with other samples of dwarf galaxies. We find that in order for our non-detections to be consistent with well-studied scaling relations for gas-rich field galaxies, the most plausible scenario is that the Local Volume LSBs are associated with their hosts, the M101 candidates are associated with it or the background group, and the satellite candidates around NGC 3109 are in fact field galaxies that have distances in the range 17.5-38 Mpc. Therefore, both detections and non-detections place important constraints on the physical properties of candidate satellite galaxies detected in the optical.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: An Empirical Analysis of PHP in Open Source Applications

contributor:
James, Cordy
Computing

subject: Feature PHP TXL

abstract:
PHP is an open source scripting language mainly used for web development such as building websites.  PHP is one of the most popular programming languages, and most websites are programmed using PHP.   PHP is constantly evolving by adding and deprecating functions and syntactic features over time.  Some of these features appear often in PHP applications, while some others are rarely used.

This thesis examines the usage of PHP features in open source PHP applications in three parts.  First, the appearance of PHP features in PHP files and applications is examined.  It was found that most PHP features are present in almost all PHP files and applications, while some PHP features rarely appear in PHP applications.  Second, the usage frequency of PHP features in PHP files and applications is examined.  It seems that some PHP features are not used very frequently, even though they appear in almost all PHP applications.  Lastly, differences in how PHP applications use the PHP language are examined.  The examination shows major differences in the use of PHP in different PHP applications, and identifies clusters of PHP applications that use the language in similar ways.

The analyses are carried out on a dataset of 20 well-known open source PHP applications, consisting of 51,871 PHP files with 9,501,386 lines of code.  The dataset is analyzed using a parser written in the TXL source transformation language, which extracts and counts functions and syntactic features used in PHP applications.

The analyses in the thesis aim to give PHP application developers and language designers a better understanding of the use of the PHP language in open source PHP applications, to better guide the rapid evolution of the language.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Recursive Bayesian Filtering Through a Mixture of Gaussian and Discrete Particles

contributor:
Gazor, Saeed
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Nonlinear Filtering
Nonlinear State Estimation
Bayesian Recursive Estimation
Sequential Monte Carlo
Particle Filters
Tracking

abstract: Conventional solutions to nonlinear filtering problems fall into two categories, deterministic and stochastic approaches. While the former is heavily used due to low computational demand, approximation error is tied to their initialization, which causes difficulty during long term application. The latter circumvents this but at the cost of a significant increase in computation. An extremely popular stochastic filter termed the particle filter is especially notorious for this. However its superior performance (over the conventional nonlinear filters) and generality of use makes it ideal in environments where high nonlinearity plagues the state-space model. Estimation error and computational complexity for the particle filter are both related to the number of particles utilized. Yet, many researchers have observed that particles in the vicinity of one another, perhaps because they represent the same state, might be redundant. A new type of filter is proposed where particles in addition to a (linearized) Gaussian component are tracked. This can be seen as a parallel solution to the estimation problem, each component can be separately filtered and constituent outputs summed up to form the filtering distribution. This new filter is then used in two classical scenarios used to benchmark nonlinear filters.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Advancing the Development of Social Interventions for Adult Depression

contributor:
Moore, Spencer
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Social Capital
Depression
Depressive Symptoms
Social Intervention
Public Health
Mental Health
Social Support
Stress
Social Network

abstract:
Social interventions that promote social capital and social support have the potential to reduce depression at a population level, yet fundamental gaps in the study of social capital, and uncertainty of how social interventions should be designed act as barriers to their implementation. Uncertainty remains regarding (1) the longitudinal relationships between the dimensions of social capital and depression, (2) the complex pathways that can lead to depression in vulnerable groups, and (3) the types of social interventions that could effectively reduce depression. This dissertation included three studies to reduce these knowledge gaps and create recommendations for public health interventions.
The first study investigated the longitudinal relationships among cognitive, structural, and network dimensions of social capital and depressive status in adults over a six-year period. The cognitive dimension of social capital was most strongly related to lower odds of depressive status over the study period. Findings speak to the importance of conducting community-based programs for depression, which aim to strengthen cognitive social capital, by fostering trust in neighbours and improving neighbourhood social cohesion.
The second study examined the key pathways that lead to depression in a sample of low income mothers. The study found that higher parental stress partially explained the relationship between low income and depressive symptoms in mothers. Having diverse social networks was protective against the effects of high parental stress on depressive symptoms. Findings demonstrate the importance of considering network social capital as a potential buffer against stress, and also the complex factors that can lead to depression when designing social interventions.
The third study included a systematic review of the literature that classified and reported on community-based social interventions that have been implemented to target depression in adults. Seventeen of the twenty-four interventions included in the review were effective in reducing depression among participants. Most interventions incorporated multiple approaches to promoting mental health. The review concluded that social interventions have the potential to be effective, can be tailored to diverse groups, and can be feasible in resource-scarce communities.
The findings of this dissertation generated recommendations that can be directly applied to the design of public health interventions.

abstract: PhD


title: How Compassionate Education can Assist in Repairing Injustice: A Study into the Enduring Injustices of Black People

contributor:
Miller, Jon
Philosophy

subject:
Injustice
Race
Epistemology
Compassion
Buddhism
Education Reform
Epistemic Injustice

abstract:
The focus of this project is to think more deeply, and also differently, about the injustices experienced by Black people. One initial problem is that of reparations: why have reparations never been given to Black people despite their enslavement, continued dehumanization, imposed poverty, and colonization? Given that Black people comprise a group that has endured racially based injustices for centuries, and continue to face grave injustices, it must be the case that something is being misunderstood. This misunderstanding is an epistemological problem, one that perpetuates epistemic injustice for Black people. Some deny that these injustices still exist, but even those who acknowledge their existence do little to address it.
 	There are some practical, more visible ways to expose people to the injustices experienced by Black people, such as presenting facts and figures, but these methods often fail on their own. Instead, what is needed is a deeper understanding of reality. Reality reveals that although all people suffer, some people suffer because of their perceived race. This can affect Black people in many different areas of their life, as it penetrates into all of our social institutions. This ranges from politics, to language, to education. Although these injustices are normally framed politically and economically, it is important to move these discussions into other institutions like education.
 	If we are to think clearly about the injustices experienced by Black people, we must feel clearly about the injustices experienced by Black people. It is necessary that people lose preconceived notions of themselves and of others because if we remain attached to these notions, then we will be clouded by illusions about ourselves and the world. We can find meditative practices within Buddhism that can help with this process. These practices can illuminate methods for progression and stir up movement in institutions like education. Given the epistemological issues relevant here, this can perhaps motivate conversations about the injustices experienced by Black people, including the problem of reparations.

abstract: PhD


title: Electrochemistry, Electrocatalysis and Materials Science of Bulk Pt and Nanoscopic Pt, PtNi, PtCo, and Ni(OH)2 Materials: Preparation, Characterization, Catalytic Activity and Corrosion Behaviour

contributor:
Jerkiewicz, Gregory
Chemistry

subject:
Electrochemistry
Electrocatalysis
Nanomaterials
Corrosion
Fuel Cell
Platinum
Nickel Hydroxide
Electrolyser
Potentiodynamic Polarization
Catalytic Activity

abstract: Research on the degradation of platinum (Pt) and nickel (Ni) materials is of high importance to the fuel cell and electrolyser technologies, because their degradation translates into irreversible materials loss and deterioration of these energy systems’ performance.  Polycrystalline platinum (Pt(poly)) serves as a model system, and experimental studies using Pt(poly) create important background knowledge that will facilitate the identification and quantification of phenomena unique to the nanoscopic Pt-based electrocatalysts.  In the thesis, I present original results on the preparation, characterization, catalytic activity and corrosion behaviour of bulk Pt and nanoscopic Pt, PtNi, PtCo and Ni(OH)2 materials.  I studied the electrochemical and corrosion behaviour of Pt(poly) in acidic media saturated with N2(g), O2(g) or H2(g).  I analyzed the influence of the potential scan rate (s) (1.00–50.0 mV s−1 range) on the cyclic-voltammetry (CV) behaviour of Pt(poly).  The results indicated that the Pt surface oxide reveals catalytic duality and acts both as an inhibitor and a catalyst in the oxygen reduction and hydrogen oxidation reactions (ORR and HOR).  I also analyzed the influence of the value of s (0.10–1.00 mV s−1 range) on the polarization behaviour of Pt(poly) in anodic and cathodic directions.  The results demonstrated that the corrosion data obtained at s = 0.10 mV s−1 are the most representative of the corrosion of Pt(poly).  I employed a similar methodology to study the electrochemical and corrosion behaviour of the Pt-base nanocatalysts.  Nanocatalysts were synthesized using the “water-in-oil” microemulsion method.  X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed to examine their average size, shape, and size distribution; they were determined to be spherical with a fine average size and a narrow size distribution.  Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements were carried out to evaluate the metal loading, which was very close to the predetermined target values.  Surface oxide formation and reduction were examined using in-situ confocal Raman spectroscopy.  A comparison of the corrosion data (obtained by performing polarization experiments) demonstrated that nanocatalysts do not corrode in the presence of H2(g), corrode slightly in the presence of N2(g), and corrode severely in the presence of O2(g).

abstract: PhD


title: Ininí Ádisókán (Man Stories):  Masculinities Among the Mámíwininí (Algonquin People)

contributor:
McKegney, Sam
Cultural Studies

subject: Indigenous Masculinity, Algonquin

abstract:
This dissertation investigates the meaning and function of ‘masculinity’ among Algonquin peoples in contemporary and historical contexts in lands claimed by Canada. As an Algonquin scholar, I examine historical sources alongside interviews with other Algonquin people to consider the relationship between ‘roles,’ as discussed by the interview participants, and the erroneous identity politics and status/non-status debates emergent in Algonquin realities via the Indian Act and the current land claim process.
The purpose of this study is to explore and examine modes of Algonquin masculinity and their reinvigoration alongside understandings and articulations of other Indigenous masculinities.  As such, the research question is:  How do Algonquin people view masculine identities among our people, and how do these identities interact with identity politics and the gendered process of settler colonialism?
The response to the research question is three-fold.  First, selected theoretical positions are considered as lenses of analysis for the literature and interview responses which inform the work in the dissertation.  Second, the complexities of identity politics impacting Algonquin masculinities are examined.  Finally, it is argued that the roles and responsibilities of Algonquin people are formative and central to modes of Algonquin masculinity.
The results of this study indicate that the crucial focus of the participants on “roles” and “responsibilities” functions to liberate individual Algonquin people from the colonial (and colonizing) discourse of status/non-status by producing understandings of self-worth through ethics of behaviour rather than imposed identities.  By focusing on “roles” and “responsibilities,” Algonquin individuals move away from the erroneous gender binaries that perpetuate hetero-patriarchy.  It is not just those who identify as men who can take on protectorship and provision. A “role” is something you enact, you perform; “status” is something that is assigned.  In this way, the discussion of Algonquin masculinities in this dissertation pushes toward greater openness at the same time that it binds understandings of ethical behaviour back to the community and to the land.

abstract: PhD


title: Paleolimnological Assessment of Algal Production During the Holocene Thermal Maximum from the Sediment Record of a Boreal Lake in Northeastern Ontario

contributor:
Cumming, Brian
Biology

subject:
Paleolimnology
Limnology
Holocene Thermal Maximum
Aquatic ecology
Algae
Northeastern Ontario
Freshwater research
Climate change

abstract: The Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM) was a period of enhanced warmth during the early-to- mid Holocene period largely caused by enhanced solar insolation. In northwestern Ontario, the HTM was characterized by a lower abundance of Picea pollen and an increase in Cupressaceae and Ambrosia pollen. Pollen-based inferences suggest HTM temperatures were elevated by approximately 2-3°C, and lake levels were regionally lower than today, suggesting warmer and more arid conditions than today. This warming resulted in increased algal production and associated cyanobacteria blooms in lakes in northwestern Ontario. In northeastern Ontario, climate projections suggest the HTM was 2-3°C warmer. However, to date, there has been little research on the impact of the HTM on boreal lakes in northeastern Ontario, creating a gap in our understanding of the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems. A pollen study conducted previously suggests the HTM was warm and wet in northeastern Ontario, and his pollen framework is used to infer past changes in climate for this study. In this thesis a paleolimnological approach is used to assess how algal assemblages changed over the Holocene from a sediment core from Charland Lake, a boreal lake in northeastern Ontario near Timmins, and if the proxy data supports a conclusion of higher levels of algal production during the warmer HTM. A carbon-dated sediment core taken from the deep-water flat central basin of Charland Lake was examined for sedimentary pigments, diatom assemblages, and percent organic matter. Statistical analysis revealed diatom and pigment assemblages and concentrations varied throughout the Holocene, broadly coinciding with changes in the regional climate as inferred from past research. Lake-water production was low after deglaciation and through the HTM, potentially attributable with an unstable landscape and associated contributions of fine clastic material to the lake. Lake-water production was highest during the post-HTM period (~4460-2590 cal yr BP), but before the onset of modern conditions. The results also suggest that the last ~4500 years had higher levels of lake-water production, than during the HTM, likely related to interactions that depend on location and landscape characteristics. In comparison to northwestern Ontario, changes in the proxies of production were not very large.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: MHz Resonant DC-DC Converters with First Cycle Control

contributor:
Bakhshai, Alireza
Jain, Praveen
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
MHz Resonant DC-DC Converters
First Cycle Control
Resonant DC-DC Converters
Soft Switching

abstract:
Faster dynamic response and higher power density are the major achievements obtained by increasing the switching frequency of power supplies. However, switching frequencies are limited by topology, control, semiconductor materials, and packaging methods.
To address these issues, the thesis first proposes a new quasi-resonant converter topology reduces the switching components’ voltage stress to half, and nearly eliminates the switching losses in quasi-resonant converters specifically under on-off control strategy.
The second major thesis achievement is the introduction of the first cycle control method that enhances the performance of the so-called ‘on-off’ control method. This method suffers from overvoltage stress and the hard-switching power losses in on-off transients. The proposed first cycle control method substantially alleviates the voltage stress and switching losses. This achievement makes better use of the switches, and paves the way to further increase the on-off rate.
Final contribution is the proposed (ZVT) cell that is introduced to have a fully ZVS on-off control. Simple structure, low number of components, and avoidance of inductive components in the cell are advantages of the circuit. Higher modulation frequency, lower input and output filter sizes, and faster dynamic responses are the benefits of this method. The zero voltage switching operation of all semiconductor components allows the designer to increase the modulation frequency without any significant drop in the overall efficiency.

abstract: PhD


title: Mineralogical, Geochemical and Isotopic Compositions of Fracture Coatings in Athabasca Group Sandstones as Records of Elemental Dispersion

contributor: Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering

subject:
Dispersion
Uranium
Fractures
Pathfinder Elements
Wall Rock

abstract:
The McArthur River unconformity-related uranium deposit (~500 m depth) and the deep
Stewardson Lake uranium project (~1100 m depth) are located in the eastern and south-central
sections of the Athabasca Basin. By examining fractures and wall rock from McArthur River and
comparing this analysis with the chemistry from the Stewardson Lake uranium project, this study
determined that fractures can be used to detect dispersion from uranium mineralization at depth.
Petrographic, shortwave infrared reflectance spectroscopic (SWIR) and geochemical studies were
conducted to identify distinct colors, mineral assemblages, and chemical compositions of
fractures. Weak acid leach (WAL) and modified aqua regia (AR) leach analyzed by high-resolution
inductively couple plasma mass spectrometry (HR ICP-MS), indicate that brown
(Type 1) and white and yellow (Type 2) fractures best record evidence of uranium mineralization
at McArthur River through post-mineralization dispersion, as many fractures have low uranium
concentrations and low 207Pb/206Pb values. Brown fractures show elevated concentrations of
pathfinder elements, Co, Ba, Tl, Mn and radiogenic Pb. The 207Pb/206Pb values of fractures and
wall rock reflect post-mineralization dispersion fluids imprinted on wall rock near fractures (low
207Pb/206Pb values; 0.09-0.50), followed by a less radiogenic fluid related to the fracture coatings
(higher 207Pb/206Pb values) at McArthur River and Stewardson Lake. Stable isotope results,
shown by δ18O and δ2H values, indicate that the footprint of the deposit extends upwards by
hydrothermal fluids, through some fractures, including white and yellow fractures rich in fibrous
goethite. Continuous leach (CL)-ICP-MS results show an association between Ni, V, and
radiogenic Pb with Fe oxide and clay minerals during the 30% HNO3 leach phase for these
fracture types.
The mineral chemistry of seven fracture types from McArthur River and five fracture
types from Stewardson Lake indicates that, although multiple fluid events have affected some
fractures, they still preserve evidence of syn-mineralization and post-mineralization dispersion of
elements. The mineralogy and geochemistry of fracture fillings indicate syn- and post-mineralization
mobilization of pathfinder elements from the McArthur River uranium deposit and
Stewardson Lake uranium occurrence at depth, but also provide evidence of a downward
migration of elements from the surface, shown by McArthur River fractures.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: What We Talk About When We Talk About Skills: Toward a Taxonomy of Legal Skills for Teaching and Leaning in Ontario

contributor:
Weisberg, Mark
Law

subject:
Legal Education
Legal Skills
Practice Readiness
Skills Taxonomy
Hard Skills
Soft Skills
Personal Attributes

abstract: When stakeholders in legal education discuss skills teaching and learning, do they share conceptual and linguistic common ground? Or do they simply assume that such common ground exists? This qualitative study explores those questions against the backdrop of a rapidly changing practice and licensing environment in Ontario. The goal of the study was to create a preliminary taxonomy that describes in the broadest possible terms what stakeholders in Ontario legal education collectively identify and refer to as legal skills.  Using the method of computer-assisted qualitative content analysis, text data referring to skills was extracted from publicly available documents produced by three stakeholder groups: Ontario law firms and bar associations, collectively representing the Profession; the Law Society of Upper Canada and the Federation of Law Societies of Canada, representing the Regulator in Ontario; and Ontario law schools. Text excerpts were classified and assigned to thematic categories based on both inductive and deductive coding methods. This resulted in a taxonomy of over 100 individually identified skills referenced by the stakeholders.  Whereas other studies have described skills in the narrow terms of what lawyers do in practice, in order to drive skills curriculum in law schools, the method used here collected data without prioritizing one voice over another.  Thus, the resulting taxonomy, rather than defining skills in accordance with a single stakeholder’s interests, instead expands the way in which legal educators might imagine and program skills teaching and learning. It provides common ground for discussion among legal educators about skills curriculum, and encourages stakeholders to work collaboratively to design curriculum that is responsive to our students’ needs for innovative legal education, which will in turn prepare them to successfully navigate the demands of practice in a “new law” environment.

abstract: LL.M.


title: Application and Evaluation of Non-Destructive Testing Methods for Buried Pipes

contributor:
Moore, Ian
Hoult, Neil
Civil Engineering

subject:
Non-Destructive Testing
Buried Pipes

abstract: This thesis investigated and evaluated non-destructive condition assessment methods for both cast iron water pipes and large diameter sewer and culvert systems. A state-of-the-art review of Non-destructive Testing (NDT) technologies available for cast iron water pipes and corrugated steel culverts identified the strengths and weaknesses of each technology. Guidelines were developed for selecting NDT technologies for use in industry. An investigation of NDT techniques to help establish the relationship between ground movement and cast iron water pipe breaks was then undertaken. A total of fifteen segments of 150 mm cast iron water pipes were monitored using an acoustic-based pipe condition assessment technique to estimate the remaining wall thickness and presence of leaks. Three of the fifteen segments were then selected for seasonal ground deformation monitoring using both a Total Station and LiDAR system. Results showed that both technologies could be used to monitor differential ground movement. Ground movements of 20-25 mm were observed for the pavement above a location with a confirmed leak while minimal movement was seen on the street without leaks. Finally, an investigation of NDT techniques for erosion void detection was conducted. A testbed consisting of two buried pipes (a reinforced concrete pipe with 1.2 m internal diameter and a corrugated steel horizontal ellipse culvert with a span of 1.6 m and a height of 1.35 m) was prepared in the West Pit of the Geoengineering Laboratory at Queen’s University, featuring prefabricated erosion voids of known dimensions adjacent to the pipes. Tests were conducted using handheld and conventional Backscatter Computed Tomography (BCT), Pipe Penetrating Radar (PPR), Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), and Infrared Thermography (IRT) to evaluate the detection and characterization accuracy of these technologies. Results showed that both the BCT technologies detected all three voids behind the corrugated steel pipe wall, while PPR and GPR found one of the three voids next to the reinforced concrete pipe. Results also showed that cooling down thermography was success in detecting three voids behind the corrugated steel pipe wall and their approximate locations as well as the longitudinal and circumferential dimensions of void contact with the pipe.

abstract: M.A.Sc.