title: Preterm Birth: Perspectives on Resource Access and Pregnancy Experience

contributor:
Eyles, John
Geography and Earth Sciences

subject: preterm birth, pregnancy, resource access, maternal experience, prenatal classes, knowledge, information flow

abstract:
Pregnancy is affected by multiple factors both within and outside of a woman’s control.
For those who experience a preterm pregnancy, considerations about their experiences can be revelatory and meaningful in understanding concepts such as information sharing, support systems, and care models. This research uses qualitative description to further enhance our knowledge about women’s preterm birth experiences within the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant (HNHB) Local Health Integration Network (LHIN). Participant interviews (n=13), key informant interviews (n=2), and participant observations were conducted. Findings exposed 6 themes: 1) prenatal preparedness; 2) working while pregnant; 3) delivery expectations; 4) place and space; 5) supports and resource attainment; and 6) attitudes and knowledge. Collectively, the themes point to the need for improvements in service delivery and knowledge acquisition, and also suggest a new paradigm of employment involvement in pregnancy as well as reaffirmed or rebranded client-provider expectations during pregnancy.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Arts (MA)


title: Oxygen isotope fractionation between hydroxyapatite (HAP)-bound carbonate and water at low temperatures

type: Article Thesis

contributor:
Kim, Sang-Tae
Earth and Environmental Sciences

subject:
Hydroxyapatite
Synthetic apatite
Oxygen
Stable isotope geochemistry

abstract:
Calcium phosphates are important compounds as they exist in natural aqueous systems such as rivers, lakes, ocean, and soil. These calcium phosphates are widely used to provide information on paleotemperatures as well as many anthropological features, such as paleodiets.  One of the most ubiquitous forms of calcium phosphate is hydroxyapatite (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2) which is a major component of hard tissue such as bones, fossils, and tooth enamel. The oxygen isotope systematics in the hydroxyapatite associated with carbonate-water system will provide further information to allow for the reconstruction of terrestrial and marine environments. For example, Fricke et al. (1998) used oxygen isotope analysis of the carbonate components of hydroxyapatite in tooth enamel of mammals to investigate changes in terrestrial climate.  Therefore, the purpose of this research study was to examine the oxygen isotope systematics in inorganic carbonate-bearing hydroxyapatite and water at low temperatures.
This Master’s thesis followed and modified the methods described in Lécuyer et al. (2010) in an attempt to synthesize hydroxyapatite crystals and carbonate-bearing hydroxyapatite.  The crystals synthesized were characterized in terms of several conditions (i.e., influence of mixing rate and maturations, pH, and concentrations of NaHCO3).  Methods to produce hydroxyapatite were developed and analyzed using X-Ray diffraction analysis. The results demonstrated a strong dependence of pH in the hydroxyapatite solutions. Moreover, the effect of concentrations of NaHCO3 was deemed to be essential in order to obtain the desired amount of structural carbonates in the hydroxyapatite crystals.
Furthermore, this research evaluated the temperature dependence of oxygen isotopic fractionation between HAP-bound carbonate and water at 10, 25, and 40 oC. Our study is the first to assess the two mixing-rates experiments with different maturations (7 and 14 days) on the oxygen isotope effects and fractionation behaviour between HAP-bound carbonate and water. Both maturation time and the effect of initial concentration of NaHCO3 were found to be the most important in determining the equilibrium conditions in our experiments.

abstract: Dissertation

abstract: Master of Science (MSc)


contributor:
Harms, A.A.
Engineering Physics

abstract: Title: Multigroup Space Dependent Nuclear Reactor Transients by Closed-Form Analysis, Author: Kelvin F.T. Tse, Location: Thode

abstract: The solution formalism of the closed-form analysis for nuclear reactor transients is investigated in this study. This method of analysis is applied to two one-dimensional test problems, namely, (1) a homogeneous slab and (2) a space dependent problem of the CANDU type. The numerical results have identified some of the characteristics as well as the numerical difficulties associated with the closed-form analysis. Some possible areas for improvements and modifications to the method are suggested.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Engineering (ME)


title: The Effects of Off-Axis Loading on Fracture Risk in the Human Tibia

contributor:
Quenneville, Cheryl E.
Mechanical Engineering

subject:
biomechanics
bone
impact loading
automotive collision
posture
tibia

abstract:
The tibia is a frequent site of injury in frontal automotive collisions.  The bulk of experimental cadaveric studies on injury tolerance assume load is applied in line with the leg’s long axis, leaving non-standard postures largely uninvestigated.  The purpose of this work was to study the effects of non-standard postures on the tibia’s injury tolerance.
A pneumatic system was designed to facilitate impact testing.  This system allows the user to fire a projectile of variable mass towards a specimen at a range of velocities by varying the supplied air pressure.  Impact tests were performed using pairs of isolated cadaveric tibias.  Within each pair of specimens, two postures were compared by varying the angle of the bone’s long axis relative to the direction of impact, representing knee extension and corresponding plantarflexion.  It was found that the specimens held further from the axial posture sustained injury at lower forces.  Two commonly-used Anthropomorphic Test Device legforms were impacted in these non-standard postures.  New load limits were proposed for the use of these devices in off-axis impact testing.
In order to compare directly with the loads measured by the legforms, it was necessary to measure forces and moments internal to the bone’s long axis.  A non-invasive load estimation method was developed and tested using strain measured from the surface of four specimens.  The method performed poorly under impact conditions, but may be refined in the future.
Quantifying the effect of posture on injury risk in the tibia allows for the refinement of existing injury criteria.  Ultimately, this can be used to enhance the design of protective devices to reduce the incidence of tibia fractures in automotive collisions.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Applied Science (MASc)

abstract:
Fractures of the tibia (the shin bone) are common in automotive collisions, and often lead to long-term impairment.  Experimental studies on these kinds of injuries are usually performed with the lower leg aligned with the direction of impact, which does not reflect the range of postures an occupant may assume during a crash.
Cadaveric tibias were subjected to impact loading in two different postures.  It was found that the specimens held further from an axial posture sustained fractures at lower forces.  Two commonly-used crash test dummy legs were also impacted in these non-standard postures to test their performance.  Suggestions were made for new load limits to be used with these devices in non-standard postures.
The finding that leg posture has an effect on injury risk in the tibia can be used in the future to design and evaluate better protective devices and ultimately reduce the incidence of these injuries.


contributor:
Hamed, Mohamed S.
Shankar, Sumanth
Mechanical Engineering

abstract: Title: Solidification Simulation of Binary Al-Si Alloys: Prediction of Primary Dendrite Arm Spacing with Macro-Scale Simulations (~1mm Length Scale), Author: Hongda Wang, Location: Thode

abstract:
A new and improved algorithm and numerical method has been developed and validated to simulate the solidification of binary alloys considering optimized thermophysical material properties, undercooling of the liquidus temperature prior to solidification event of the primary
phase, fluid flow induced by natural convection and shrinkage during solidification in the solidifying domain. The simulation was for a two dimensional unsteady state solidification process inside a cylindrical container. The validation was carried out with reliable experiment
results for both upward and downward solidification modes. An additional advantage of the present numerical algorithm is the estimation of the instantaneous primary dendrite arm spacing at any location in the solidified component. It has been shown that the Bouchard-Kirkaldy
model (unsteady state solidification) to evaluate the primary dendrite arm spacing in an unsteady solidification process coupled with the Lehmann model to evaluate the primary arm spacing with the effect of fluid velocity in the liquid phase is accurate within acceptable error. The results from simulations using these models have a good agreement with experiment results for instantaneous primary dendrite arm spacing in the solidified microstructure. The effect of fluid flow on the evaluation of primary arm spacing is pronounced during downward solidification. However, the effect of primary arm spacing on fluid flow is insignificant, so it is acceptable to
apply average primary arm spacing during macro-scale solidification simulations. To obtain a valid simulation, the thermophysical material properties of the solid phase should be considered as function of temperature and that of the liquid can be considered as an average constant value. The inclusion of solidification shrinkage in the simulation has negligible effect on the solidification parameters during the upward solidification mode. However, significantly changes the direction and magnitude of the fluid velocity in the liquid phase and the magnitude of
primary arm spacing in the downward solidification mode. A valid solidification simulation of binary alloys to estimate accurate primary dendrite arm spacing could be achieved only with the consideration of the undercooling of the liquidus temperature. Optimized thermophysical
properties, and fluid flow in the domain caused by both solidification shrinkage and natural convection effects.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)


title: Color Ontology and Color Synesthesia

contributor:
Allen, Barry
Philosophy

subject:
color ontology
metaphysics
philosophy of mind
philosophy of perception
synesthesia

abstract:
Color ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of color. Synesthesia is a neurological condition in which the stimulation of one sensory modality or cognitive pathway leads involuntarily to experiences in a second modality or cognitive pathway. Synesthetic colors are thus colors reliably induced by non-visual stimuli. Currently, there is no philosophical theory of color that explicitly addresses synesthetic color. This omission raises three questions which underlie this thesis. How would the main theories in color ontology interpret synesthetic colors? Which, if any, of these theories would be able to treat synesthetic color as being more than misperception? What would be the costs of adopting such a theory?
In Part I, I introduce and discuss four prominent theories of color: physicalism (chapter 1), eliminativism (chapter 2), role functionalism (chapter 3), and sensory classificationism (chapter 4). In Part II, I introduce perceptual pragmatism as an alternative to these views. Perceptual pragmatism consists in the defence of two main theses: (i) that colors are properties of interactions between a color perceiver and an external stimulus that induces color experience, and (ii) that perceptual states are correct insofar as they are useful to the perceiving organism. In chapter 5, I defend the first thesis. In chapter 6, I defend the second thesis. In chapter 7, I assess each theory’s ability to account for synesthetic color. In chapter 8, I address the common sense objection that colors do not look like properties of events.
	In conclusion, I find perceptual pragmatism to be the only theory capable of offering a satisfactory account of synesthetic color. However, it is also the theory most at odds with common sense. I conclude that if we want a theory that can account for the uncommon colors of synesthesia, we must reject the common sense view of color.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Arts (MA)

abstract: Color ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of color. Synesthesia is a neurological condition in which the stimulation of one sensory modality or cognitive pathway leads involuntarily to experiences in a second modality or cognitive pathway. Synesthetic colors are thus colors reliably induced by non-visual stimuli. As it stands, there is no philosophical theory of color that explicitly addresses synesthetic color. Of the current theories in color ontology I argue that only one—perceptual pragmatism—is able to offer a satisfactory account of synesthetic color. However, perceptual pragmatism is also the theory most at odds with common sense. I conclude that if we want a theory that can account for the uncommon colors of synesthesia, we must be willing to reject the common sense view of color.


title: MECHANISMS OF NEURODEGENERATION IN A MOUSE MODEL OF SANDHOFF DISEASE: ROLES OF INFLAMMATION, EXCITOTOXICITY, AND APOPTOSIS

contributor:
Igdoura, Suleiman
Biology

subject:
Sandhoff
Tay-Sachs
Neuronal Pentraxin 1
TNF-alpha
Neurodegeneration
GluR1
Microgliosis
Astrogliosis
NP1-38
Bi-Phasic

abstract: Lysosomal storage disorders are a group of rare neurodegenerative diseases that are collectively common, sharing many aspects with other neurodegenerative disorders, including substrate build-up and neuroinflammation. The GM2 Gangliosidoses, Tay-Sachs disease and Sandhoff disease, are pathologically overlapping lysosomal storage disorders, with high prevalence within specific ethnicities. Their effects are neurologically devastating and often fatal at young ages. Current treatments only slow or stall an inevitable decline in health. Novel treatment targets are needed for these disorders, and others with similar pathologies. In these works we demonstrate the negative effect the inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor-alpha has on survival of a model of Sandhoff disease. We demonstrate its role in the upregulation of astrogliosis, and apoptosis, and we present evidence that this effect on astrogliosis occurs through an upregulation of the JAK-2/STAT3 pathway. Though fruitful, a singular focus on inflammation/gliosis in these diseases has left a vacuum in the research into neuron specific molecular processes. We observe the development of inflammation, astrogliosis and neuronal processes in our model, and demonstrate a bi-phasic disease progression, in which early onset microgliosis precedes terminal astrogliosis, apoptosis, and a decline in excitatory glutamate receptors, suggesting neuron-specific malfunction. Furthermore, we show that knockout of the synaptic protein neuronal pentraxin 1 retards neurodegeneration and extends the lifespan of Sandhoff disease mice, independent of inflammation or astrogliosis. Through electrophysiology, we provide evidence of dysregulation of glutamate receptors in Sandhoff disease, and show that knockout of neuronal pentraxin 1 provides rescue from this dysregulation. This work expands on research into gliosis in GM2 gangliosidoses, presents the finding of a novel protein isoform, and presents a new focus on non-glial disease mechanisms and treatments for these and other neurodegenerative disorders.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

abstract: Lysosomal storage disorders are a group of neurological diseases that are debilitating, and often fatal at a young age. Two diseases of this group- Tay-Sachs disease and Sandhoff disease – are similar in their causes and symptoms. Current treatments for these diseases only slow or stall an inevitable decline in health. New targets for treatment are required, and we provide data suggesting several proteins that may fit this criterion. We also provide evidence of the discovery of a new form of one of these proteins, which is found in high levels in the disease, indicating it may be important in these and other neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, we provide findings indicating that a certain cell type, which is largely ignored in current research for these diseases, may be important in the disease progress. These findings increase our knowledge of Tay-Sachs disease and Sandhoff disease, and open new avenues for medicinal intervention.


title: Queer Theory, Biopolitics, and the Risk of Representation: Looking to or From the Margins in Contemporary Graphic Novels

contributor:
Attewell, Nadine
English and Cultural Studies

subject: queer theory, comics, graphic novels, biopolitics, visual studies, comics theory,

abstract: In my dissertation, I bring together the fields of comics theory, biopolitics, and queer theory in order to read contemporary coming-of-age graphic novels that represent characters (and sometimes lives) at the margins. Coming-of-age graphic novels in this category often depict complex engagements with trauma and history, and couple those depictions with the loss of attachments: the subjects represented in these texts usually do not belong. I make a case for productive spaces inside of the unbelonging represented in my chosen texts. In Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, Alison finds multiple nodes of attachment with her deceased father through the process of writing his history. Importantly, none of those attachments require that she forgive him for past violences, or that she overwrite his life in order to shift focus onto the positive. Jillian and Mariko Tamaki’s Skim features a protagonist, Skim, who is rendered an outcast because of her body, her hobbies, and eventually her process of mourning. Skim carves out a life that is survivable for her, and resists the compulsion to perform happiness while she does it. Charles Burns’s Black Hole depicts a group of teens who are excommunicated from their suburb after contracting a disfiguring, sexually transmitted disease, and who take to the woods in order to build a miniature, ad-hoc society for themselves. I concentrate on the question of precarity, and notice that safety and stability have a strong correlation with gender and sexuality: women and queers are overrepresented at the margins.

abstract: Dissertation

abstract: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

abstract: In my dissertation, I bring together the fields of comics theory, biopolitics, and queer theory in order to read contemporary coming-of-age graphic novels that represent characters (and sometimes lives) at the margins. I focus, especially, on the way that people who are marginalized come to be that way, and I come to the conclusion that marginalized people suffer losses are that tied to different kinds of trauma. Sometimes those traumas are historical: like slavery, or internment. Sometimes they are personal, like ostracization from one’s community. And, finally, sometimes trauma comes from social systems: some subjects are pushed to the margins of society by the same forces that bring others into it. In the case of all of those types of trauma, I find a possibility for community: if people are sometimes marginalized, they are often resilient. The bulk of my dissertation tries to find where exclusions end, and make-shift communities begin.


title: Increasing the Processability of Pullulan for Biological Applications by Changes in Molecular Weight

contributor:
Filipe, Carlos
Chemical Engineering

subject:
pullulan
acid hydrolysis
enzyme stabilization
pullulan degradation
inkjet printing

abstract:
Previous studies have shown that pullulan films are able to stabilize enzymes and other labile molecules from thermal and oxidative degradation. Solutions made with commercially available pullulan are extremely viscous and difficult to process limiting the ability to use low-cost printing systems, such as inkjet printers, to format pullulan-containing. In this work, we show that pullulan can be made printable by decreasing its chain length by acid hydrolysis. The acid hydrolysis reaction was modelled using statistical software; the molecular weight of pullulan decreased with increasing reaction time, temperature and acid concentration. Interactions between time and temperature, and temperature and acid concentration were determined to be significant to the reaction as well.
The mechanical properties and oxygen permeability of films made from pullulan with different molecular weights were also measured. The films were found to have similar tensile properties and oxygen permeabilities to each other and to those obtained using native pullulan. Using a thermally unstable enzyme (acetylcholinesterase) and an easily oxidizable small molecule (indoxyl acetate) as test materials, it was found that these films have the same ability to stabilize the enzyme and to serve as an oxygen barrier, as the films made with native pullulan.
It was also found that pullulan is inkjet printable as long as the molecular weight is 56 kDa. Poor jetting and clogging of the printhead was observed when pullulan with a molecular weight higher than this threshold was used. Microarray printing was also demonstrated by a printing acetylcholinesterase/pullulan in nano-sized volumes using a Dimatix inkjet printer and showing activity of the enzyme after printing and storage at ambient conditions. Proof of concept of microarray printing opens up the potential for future applications of pullulan in other high throughput applications.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Applied Science (MASc)


title: Dynamic Modeling and Optimization of Cryogenic Air Separations Units: Design and Operation Strategies

contributor:
Swartz, Christopher L.E.
Chemical Engineering

subject:
dynamic modeling
dynamic optimization
distillation
multi-stream heat exchanger
air separation units
collocation based model reduction
operation and design
demand response
chemical process
time varying market
storage-then-utilization
multi-period, multi-tiered
moving boundary

abstract: Support for this work from Praxair; the McMaster Advanced Control Consortium; and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Grant CRDPJ 445717, is gratefully acknowledged.

abstract:
In the air separation industry, cryogenic distillation is the dominant technology for separating
large quantities of air into individual high purity component products. Due to the complexity
of the process, in addition to significant energy input, air separation units (ASUs) also have
high degrees of material and thermal integration and low process agility. As markets become
more competitive and dynamic, especially after electricity market deregulation, ASUs can
no longer practice mostly stationary operations, and are in need for design and control
strategies to achieve high adaptability. In this study, we address such issues through a
dynamic optimization framework. The use of rigorous dynamic models is important for
developing economically beneficial designs and operating practices.
The first part of this study focuses on the modeling aspect. For the column section of
the plant, a full-order stage-wise model and a collocation based reduced order model are
proposed. Model size, simulation time and predication accuracy are compared. For the
primary heat exchanger, a novel moving boundary model is derived to handle the phase
change in such a multi-stream heat exchanger. Simulation results demonstrate the capability
of the proposed model in tracking the boundary points of the phase change occurrence, as
well as the potential pinch point, along the length of the heat exchanger.
The second part of the study addresses the operation aspects of ASUs through conducting
dynamic optimization studies with collocation based dynamic models. We first performed a
comprehensive analysis for a storage-then-utilization strategy on a nitrogen plant, following a
two-tier multi-period formulation. As the parameter varies with time, the plant collects liquid,
either directly from liquid product or by liquefaction of overproduced gas product, and then
redistributes it for meeting gas product demand or as additional reflux. Effects of electricity
price and demand profiles, additional operation costs, as well as product specifications are
explored. Then we investigated the economic incentive for employing preemptive actions
on a super-staged argon system, which allows the plant to take actions before external changes arrive. In the evaluation, changes are in the gas oxygen product demand. During
the preemptive period, the plant takes either a single set or multiple sets of control actions.
In the demand increase case, operation degrees of freedom are introduced to or removed
from the set of decision variables. The demand decrease scenarios are explored with an
under-supplied or saturated liquid oxygen market.

abstract: Dissertation

abstract: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)


title: Public deliberation for health system decision-making: An evaluative case study of the McMaster Health Forum’s citizen panels

contributor: Clinical Epidemiology/Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics

subject: Public deliberation, citizen panel, decision-making, health policy

abstract:
Background: Public deliberation can be used in a number of decision-making processes to make the health system more responsive to public values, and to help inform and refine health system policy decisions. This study evaluates how the McMaster Health Forum implements the key elements of public deliberation and identifies both areas of strength and potential areas for improvement.

Methods: An evaluative case study approach was used. Data were collected from three sources: quantitative and open-ended responses to questionnaires from 19 panels (200 respondents); panel summaries from 13 panels; and transcripts of 2 panel deliberations. Thematic analysis was used to assess four key elements of deliberation: the representativeness of participants, the information supports provided to them, the procedural criteria used, and the focus on explicit reasoning in coming to conclusions.

Results: Participants felt that the McMaster Health Forum recruited a representative sample of participants based on gender and diversity of opinion. However, participants noted that the panels could be improved by striving for more age and ethnocultural diversity while also including health professionals or policymakers. Participants mostly occupied the role of a ‘consumer’ of health services. They viewed the information presented in citizen briefs as credible but had questions about the brief-development process. Procedurally, the panels fostered openness without impeding consensus and facilitators fostered mutual respect among participants.  Finally, the groups incorporated values, showed an ability to come to a deeper understanding of policy options and harnessed the diverse experiences of their fellow participants as they reasoned.

Discussion: This case study is part of a larger evaluation process that assesses all of the McMaster Health Forum citizen panels which aim to elicit citizens’ values and preferences about health system issues in Canada. The framework used to assess the public deliberation process can be used to evaluate other processes in the future.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Science (MSc)


title: Conservation and Treaty Rights: A Critical Analysis of a Sport Organization's Perspective on Indigenous Peoples' Hunting and Fishing

contributor:
Denis, Jeffrey
Sociology

subject: Treaty Rights

subject: Conservation

subject: Group Position Theory

subject: Colour Blind Racism

abstract: The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) is an influential sport/interest group that has a long history of advocacy and involvement with policies and management related to the conservation of wildlife and outdoor recreation. Since the 1990’s, the OFAH have been outspoken with their criticisms towards particular Indigenous treaty hunting and fishing rights, co-management agreements, and land claims which are perceived to threaten conservation, future recreational opportunities, and the outdoor economy. Using semi-structured interviews with 20 Indigenous and non-Indigenous respondents and a content analysis of the OFAH’s official documents, this thesis analyzes and compares the views surrounding treaty rights between the OFAH leadership and ordinary hunters and fishers inside and outside the organization. Discourse Analysis, Group Position Theory, and Colour Blind Racism theory were used to flesh out how the meanings and perceived legitimacy of treaty rights are constructed and negotiated, and whether opposition to Indigenous harvesting rights reflects a reactionary response to defend settler-Canadians’ sense of superiority, privileges, and access to resources. The results showed that the OFAH and 55% of the respondents expressed feelings of concern, resentment, and in some cases opposition, revealing an established sense of group position. Although the OFAH leaders and 45% of the respondents displayed varying and limited degrees of support for treaty rights, the general pattern showed how OFAH leaders and respondents drew on similar repertoires with arguments and justifications based on equality, fairness, and a concern for wildlife conservation in order to criticize and/or oppose treaty rights. Consequently, these criticisms directly and indirectly work to define and redefine treaty rights and Indigenous treaty hunters and fishers in a negative manner. This case shows how resentment of and opposition to treaty rights within a settler colonial context embodies a perceived threat to settlers’ sense of group position and the status quo.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Arts (MA)

abstract: The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH) is an influential organization that has criticized Indigenous peoples’ treaty hunting and fishing rights and land claims for allegedly threatening conservation, recreational opportunities, and the outdoor economy. This thesis analyzes and compares the views surrounding treaty rights between the OFAH leadership and ordinary hunters and fishers inside and outside the organization. Interviews with 20 (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) respondents and a review of the OFAH’s official sources showed that OFAH leaders and 55% of the respondents expressed feelings of concern, resentment, and opposition. Although OFAH leaders and 45% of the respondents displayed limited degrees of support for treaty rights, the general pattern showed how they drew on similar arguments based on equality, fairness, and a concern for wildlife to criticize and/or oppose treaty rights revealing a defensive reaction to maintain their privileges and access to resources.


title: Development of a Hybrid Ionization Chamber/Double-Sided-Silicon-Strip Detector to be Installed at the DRAGON Laboratory at TRIUMF

title: Development of a Hybrid E-∆E Detector to be used at DRAGON

contributor:
Chen, Alan
Physics and Astronomy

subject:
Detector
DRAGON
Ionization Chamber
Ion
Silicon Detector
Recoil

abstract:
As of writing this thesis there are two detectors at TRIUMF’s DRAGON
facility which directly measure the kinetic energy (E) of heavy ions at the
focal plane of its recoil separator. These are an ionization chamber and a
double-sided-silicon-strip detector (DSSSD). The ionization chamber has in-
ferior resolution to the DSSSD but can discriminate isobaric contaminants in
a E-∆E spectrum. A DSSSD has superior energy resolution and timing but
cannot discriminate isobaric contaminants in many cases. A hybrid ioniza-
tion chamber / double-sided-silicon-strip detector has been designed using the
GEANT4 simulation package that combines the strengths of both these detec-
tor types. This hybrid detector design consists of an ionization chamber set in
front of a DSSSD positioned at the end of the beamline of the recoil separator.
The design presented here is specific to DRAGON’s needs but can conceiv-
ably be re-purposed in other environments requiring heavy ion detection and
identification and may be useful in fields such as health physics.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Science (MSc)


title: Automated Machine Learning Framework for EEG/ERP Analysis: Viable Improvement on Traditional Approaches?

contributor:
Connolly, John
James, Reilly
Neuroscience

subject:
Machine Learning
EEG
ERP
Cognitive Neuroscience
Analysis

abstract: Event Related Potential (ERP) measures derived from the electroencephalogram (EEG) have been widely used in research on language, cognition, and pathology. The high dimensionality (time x channel x condition) of a typical EEG/ERP dataset makes it a time-consuming prospect to properly analyze, explore, and validate knowledge without a particular restricted hypothesis. This study proposes an automated empirical greedy approach to the analysis process to datamine an EEG dataset for the location, robustness, and latency of ERPs, if any, present in a given dataset. We utilize Support Vector Machines (SVM), a well established machine learning model, on top of a preprocessing pipeline that focuses on detecting differences across experimental conditions. A hybrid of monte-carlo bootstrapping, cross-validation, and permutation tests is used to ensure the reproducibility of results. This framework serves to reduce researcher bias, time spent during analysis, and provide statistically sound results that are agnostic to dataset specifications including the ERPs in question. This method has been tested and validated on three different datasets with different ERPs (N100, Mismatch Negativity (MMN), N2b,  Phonological Mapping Negativity (PMN), and P300). Results show statistically significant, above-chance level identification of all ERPs in their respective experimental conditions, latency, and location.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Science (MSc)


title: The Use of Emotional Metaphors as an Index for Recovery Among Individuals with Acquired Brain Injury

contributor:
Stroinska, Magda
Cognitive Science of Language

subject:
emotion
cognitive linguistics
metaphor
recovery
post traumatic growth
acquired brain injury
brain injury
trauma
narrative
emotion metaphor

abstract:
This paper examines the expression of emotion in narrative speech among individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI). We are particularly interested in the effects of ABI on the use of metaphor (c.f. Stroinska et al., 2014). Conceptualizing traumatic events and sharing them with others is crucial for prognostic purposes and reflected in the speech patterns of those who experience some level of post-traumatic growth (PTG). Emotion and metaphor constitute a relatively unexplored domain within the ABI community and merit further research given the prevalence of emotional disturbances following a brain injury.
	This study explores emotional valence (i.e. the ‘pleasantness’ of the emotions invoked) and concreteness (i.e. how perceptible the referent of the word is) in metaphorical constructions. Emotional norm data was analysed using a corpus of approximately 14,000 commonly used English words ranking valence and arousal (Warriner et al., 2013; Kuperman et al., 2014). Thirteen semi-structured interviews with ABI survivors were conducted at a rehabilitation facility eliciting narrative recall of traumatic events and their experience across three temporal representations, namely past, present, and future. Results highlight importance of demographic information in recovery outcomes, which in our study accounts for 32% of the variance in emotion. Measures of valence revealed significantly increased use of positive metaphor over time, while the analysis of concreteness indicated events further in time represented more abstractly. Together, the findings shed some new light on emotional outcomes following ABI and indicate possible uses that figurative language may provide in understanding PTG.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Science (MSc)

abstract: Metaphors represent one important method to interpret the world around us. Humans rely on metaphorical language to capture the essence of our experiences in meaningful and relatable ways. This is particularly true of those who have experienced a traumatic event, such as an acquired brain injury (ABI). Conveying feelings associated with trauma can often be challenging for individuals since the way they interact and perceive the world changes as a result. The shifting perspective is often described using metaphor to organize thoughts and give meaning to trauma. The current study examines the role of metaphor as a tool to uncover emotion following ABI and explore the implications it has in understanding psychological growth following the event. By exploring how abstract and emotional metaphors were, our results revealed that participants in the study had more positive elements in their metaphor use when describing their life over time and imagining the future.


title: A Defence of Agonistic Democracy in a Post-Democratic Age

contributor:
Enns, Diane
Philosophy

subject: Philosophy Political Theory

abstract: The objective of this thesis is to show that conceptualizing democracy in terms of "agonism" best addresses the ills of post-democracy. I characterize post-democracy as a democratic order that has all the trappings of democracy, including multi-party elections, but which has been enmeshed in a particular discourse or discourses that have become hegemonic. This has the effect of effacing real political difference as though various political actors in a democratic order might be different in word and name, they converge on major policy points. To show agonistic democracy as the best conception, I compare and contrast it to deliberative democracy. Briefly, deliberative democracy emphasizes rational argument and reaching consensus, whereas agonistic democracy valorizes fierce political conflict between competing hegemonic projects. I argue that an emphasis on consensus does not address the specific nature of the post-democratic age, while a valorization of fierce conflict ensures the facilitation of real political difference requisite for a vibrant democratic politics. Focusing on Chantal Mouffe's conception of agonistic democracy, I identify some limitations which I attempt to overcome, namely her insistence on a form of consensus by which fierce political conflict should be bounded in order to stabilize democratic confrontations. I argue that it is possible to envision agonistic democracy in a purely procedural way, without any such consensus. Recognizing post-democracy to be a worrying reality in contemporary democratic societies, and the growing dissatisfaction with this situation, I believe democracy requires serious re-examination. This thesis does exactly that.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Arts (MA)


title: The Effect of Content and Standardness on Listeners' Affectual Perception of Different English Accents: A Language Attitude Study at McMaster University

subject:
Language Attitude
Canadian English
Standard
Non-Standard
Academic
Colloquial
Language and Opportunity
Sociolinguistics

abstract: When people are listening to others they are not just interpreting the speech in order to understand and participate in a communicative act. While interpreting the linguistic information, listeners are attentive to extralinguistic information about the speaker about which they make assumptions based on the accent and content that they hear. Many researchers have studied language attitude to see how different accents compare to each other for different speakers and listeners. Although this research has been done for many different accents, none have been done comparing standard and non-standard accents of Canadian English, or that account for the native accent of the listener. A number of university students from South-Western Ontario were surveyed to elicit general language attitude scores on a series of 11 measures for 8 different voice clips differing in terms of standardness (Standard vs. Non-Standard), content (Academic vs. Colloquial), and accent (British vs. Canadian). A comparison of the mean scores on the accents revealed a general preference for British and standard accents, and a general dislike of Canadian and non-standard accents. A Principal Component Analysis identified a difference in response pattern between native Canadian English and non-native Canadian English speakers. When combined with general qualitative descriptions of the voice clips offered by participants it appears that language attitude is greatly influenced by perception of prestige and familiarity with the accent. Listeners prefer readily identifiable accents that are held in esteem by the greater speech community, while they dislike accents which are less clearly intelligible and lack prestige. Listeners were also more critical of accents with which they were more familiar. Such findings are important because they can help us to identify potential sources of unequal access to opportunity in society as influenced by how people speak.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Science (MSc)

abstract: Whenever we listen to other people speak we are not just taking in information and trying to understand what they are saying. People will tend to pass judgement on other speakers for a number of reasons, including what they are saying, and how they are saying it. Many studies have studied this phenomenon, known as language attitude by linguists, to see how different accents compare to each other for different speakers and listeners. Although this research has been done for many different accents, none have been done comparing standard and non-standard accents of Canadian English. This research project involved surveying a number of Canadian university students to find out which Canadian and British accents they liked and disliked, and in what ways. I found that Canadians tend to prefer Standard Academic British English over less-educated sounding Canadian accents. Since there was a difference in preference between Canadian English speakers and non-Canadian English speakers, it appears that familiarity might allow people to be more critical of the accents or dialects they are hearing. These findings are important because they can help us to find possible sources of unequal opportunity in society as influenced by how people speak.


title: The investigation of exhaust control strategies and waste heat recovery practices of naturally-ventilated exhaust streams

contributor:
Cotton, James
Mechanical Engineering

subject:
Natural Ventilation
Exhaust
Waste Heat
Control
Exhaust Control

abstract: Energy demands are projected to continue increasing over the next decade, which is prompting a change towards higher efficiencies and better utilization of the current energy supply. Thermal waste energy, a prominent inefficiency during any process, can be converted to electrical energy or re-purposed for low-grade energy needs, such as hot water and space heating/cooling. Naturally ventilated chimneys, driven by buoyancy differences between the exhaust gases and the surrounding air, prove to be a source of waste heat. The challenge of waste heat recovery from naturally ventilated exhaust networks is the reduction in buoyancy effects and increase in flow restrictions within the network. This research study will focus on understanding the effects of waste heat recovery and the associated exhaust control devices on the performance of a naturally ventilated exhaust network and the accompanying appliance(s). To investigate the effects, a nodal network methodology using mass and energy conservation principles was adapted for exhaust networks to develop a one-dimensional computational model. In contrast to previous exhaust flow design methodologies, this method solves for the thermal input of the appliance and the associated flow rates, temperature, and pressures via the appliance set point temperature and exterior conditions, such as outside temperature and pressure. Using empirical correlations for heat transfer and pressure loss coefficients of appliance and exhaust components, the computational model was validated through experimental testing of an exhaust network used in the development of a waste heat recovery system called TEG POWER (Thermal Electrical Generator Pizza Oven Waste Energy Recovery). The experimental facility was constructed to investigate the exhaust network with and without the TEG POWER system, along with exhaust control devices. These devices included an exhaust throttling valve and a draft hood to induce dilution air into the chimney. To investigate the individual effects of the devices, experimental testing was conducted at an oven temperature of 300°F (148.9°C), 500°F (260°C), and 600°F (315.6°C) with varying degrees of throttling and/or dilution air. The mass flow measurements were calculated using an energy balance technique validated against a two-way energy balance and well-established heat transfer and pressure loss correlations of the heat exchanger. The experimental mass flow, temperature, and draft pressure results were compared against the respective computational predictions and found to be within a ±10% agreement. The application of the exhaust control techniques with and without waste heat recovery is highly dependent on the objective(s), such as reducing natural gas consumption, and the constraint(s), such as a minimum chimney temperature, placed on the exhaust network design. Using the computational model, a design methodology was proposed to meet the objective(s) within the constraints of the exhaust network. To test the design methodology, a case study was performed with the objective to minimize oven natural gas consumption with a TEG POWER system in relation to a baseline appliance solely fitted with a draft hood. Within the constraints, the methodology was able to identify the appropriate degree of throttling and dilution air intake to minimize natural gas consumption. With the inclusion of the TEG POWER system, the case study showed a potential reduction in natural gas consumption by up to 18% (1.7 L/min) and 13% (3 L/min) at 300 and 600°F oven operating temperatures, respectively. The implementation of the control technique allowed the oven to minimize the intake of dilution air by up to 70% and maintain operational stability during exterior fluctuations in temperature and pressure. The implementation of the waste heat recovery device captured up to 1.0 and 2.7 kW, or a natural gas equivalent of 1.9 and 5 L/min, at 300 and 600°F oven operating temperatures respectively. Implemented into the 8,000 pizza restaurants across Canada, the TEG POWER system would reduce total natural gas consumption by up to 65.5 million cubic meters, which is enough to heat 24,000 Canadian homes, and reduce CO2 output by 112,000 metric tonnes.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Applied Science (MASc)


title: Toward Rust Belt Aesthetics: Exploring the Cultural Projects of the Deindustrialized U.S. Midwest

contributor:
O'Connor, Mary
English and Cultural Studies

subject:
rust belt
deindustrialization
American studies
U.S. Midwest
regionalism

abstract: This thesis establishes the concept of Rust Belt aesthetics, a term for the artistic and cultural narratives that define, analyze, critique, or otherwise describe the deindustrialized U.S. Midwest, a region commonly referred to as the Rust Belt. This thesis explores how aesthetic projects re-present the experience of deindustrialization. The locus of this analysis is the region, and the thesis argues that the region operates as a discursive device that can mediate between and through other spatial “levels,” like the local or the global. Rust Belt aesthetics emerge from a moment of regional, national, and global transformations, and these aesthetics can construct the region to various political ends. The thesis analyzes aesthetics projects like advertisements, literature, and visual art in order to provide insight into the shifting economic, cultural, and social forces at play in the region and beyond. The goal of my analysis is not to arrive at a static definition of Rust Belt aesthetics. Instead, I hope to understand how aesthetic projects from and about the region communicate specific narratives about the Rust Belt, often through the lens of critical regionalism and the everyday life of the working class.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)


contributor:
Hussain, T.
Mathematics

abstract: Title: Positive Definite Functions for the Class Lp(G), Author: Shaunkat A. Warsi, Location: Thode

abstract: This thesis contains four main theorems on Positive definite functions for the class Lp(G) over compact and locally compact groups. Information as to how the class P(F) varies with F is provided by those theorems. Some topological properties of the set P(Lp) ∩ Lq have been considered. Two results analogous to those of E. Hewitt and H. A. Naimark have also been proved.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Science (MS)


title: HUMANITY LOST: THE PERSONAL IMPACT OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MUSLIMS IN THE POPULAR NEWS MEDIA

contributor:
Greene, Saara
Social Work

subject: autoethnography, discrimination, Muslims, news media

abstract: Using autoethnography, critical reflections and reflective and reflexive analyses, this thesis explores the personal and social effects of discrimination against Muslims in the popular news media in the aftermath of three major international terrorist attacks: the 9/11 attacks, the Charlie Hebdo attacks, and the Paris attacks in 2015. Moving through themes of loss, discrimination and exclusion, internalized oppression, resistance and hope, this thesis makes use of theories of oppression and social constructionism to gain a better understanding of how discrimination against Muslims in the news media has impacted and influenced my perceptions of self as a Muslim, and my Muslim identity. I believe that this thesis will provide a necessarily personal perspective on an issue that is highly complex, hidden and nuanced, in hopes of fostering a deeper and more empathetic understanding of the personal impacts of discrimination and oppression.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Social Work (MSW)


title: SHAPE CASTING HIGH STRENGTH Al-Zn-Mg-Cu ALLOYS: INTRODUCING COMPOSITION-BEHAVIOR RELATIONSHIPS

contributor:
Kish, Joseph
McDermid, Joe
Shankar, Sumanth
Mechanical Engineering

subject: Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys, shape-casting, grain refinement , hot tearing, Taguchi design, tensile testing, ANOVA, regression

abstract: This project was funded by Automotive Partnership Canada (APC), an initiative created by the Government of Canada in an attempt to support significant, collaborative R&D activities in order to benefit the entire Canadian automotive industry.

abstract:
High strength Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys have been increasingly employed in the transportation industry due to the increased demands for light structural components. However, their applications have been limited to relatively expensive wrought products. Application of the shape cast Al-Zn-Mg-Cu parts has never been the focus of attention due to their poor castability and mechanical properties. Improving the casting quality is expected to increase their utilization within the automotive industry. The poor castability and mechanical properties of some alloys in this family may be effectively improved through optimized chemistry control and melt treatment including grain refinement. The primary objective of this project is to optimize the chemistry and heat treatment of the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy family that results in improved strength with acceptable level of ductility and casting quality relative to other shape cast Al alloys.
The Taguchi experimental design method was used to narrow down the number of required casting experiments required to meet the research objective. Three levels across four elements yielded a total of 9 Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys, which were cast using a tilt pour permanent mold process. The effect of each major alloying element on the microstructure, and mechanical properties was investigated. Tensile measurements were made on the 9 alloys subjected to two steps solution treatments. Mechanical properties such as yield strength (YS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS), and elongation at fracture (El.%) were experimentally measured and statistically analyzed.
An ANOVA analysis was employed to quantify the percentage contribution of the alloying elements on the material properties. Grain refinement was found to play a significant role in improving the hot tearing resistance and, thereby ameliorating quality. The alloying element that affected the YS and UTS to the greatest extent was Cu, followed by Zn. In contrast, the effect of Mg and Ti on YS and UTS was insignificant. Moreover, a decrease in Mg content had the greatest effect in enhancing the El.%.
A regression analysis was used to obtain statistical relationships (models) correlating the material properties with the variations in the content of the major alloying elements. The R-square values of YS, UTS, and El.% were 99.7 %, 98 %, and 90 %, respectively, showing that the models replicated the experimental results. Verification measurements made on shape cast Al-6Zn-2Mg-2Cu alloy revealed that the material property model predictions were in agreement with the experimentally measured values.
The results show that secondary and over ageing treatments of the shape cast Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys lead to superior combination of YS and El.%. The ongoing advances in shape casting of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys with high will make them suitable choices for commercial load-bearing automotive components, when it comes to the selection of a material meeting the minimum requirements for strength, damage tolerance, cost and weight.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Applied Science (MASc)


title: New Routes to Functional Siloxanes: Applications of the Thermal Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition for the Silicone Chemist

contributor:
Brook, Michael A.
Chemistry

subject:
silicones
azide-alkyne cycloaddition
click chemistry
modification
Huisgen 1,3 dipolar cycloaddition
thermal
PDMS

abstract:
Silicone oils (polysiloxane) and elastomers are a class of hydrophobic polymers with an extensive range of uses. While the high hydrophobicity can be beneficial in a variety of applications, it is not universally the case. Modification strategies for both fluid and elastomeric polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) must be employed to create silicones with the appropriate properties for a given application, including enhanced hydrophilicity. Derivatization of PDMS leads to functional silicones with unique properties and added value.
Strategies have been developed to modify both fluid and elastomeric PDMS, however, they all have varying degrees of drawbacks: the use of sophisticated equipment or expensive catalysts, restrictions to certain types of solvents, cumbersome multi-step synthetic procedures and surface reversion are some of the challenges faced. There is an opportunity to develop a simple and generic method for the controlled functionalization of PDMS.
The Sharpless concept of ‘Click’ chemistry was an ideal approach to solving some of these challenges. Following nature’s lead, these reactions that are modular, wide in scope, high yielding, have simple reaction conditions and generate inoffensive byproducts. Herein, a synthetic method to functionalize silicones using the thermal Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azides to alkynes is described. Initial exploration focused on the creation of inherently reactive elastomers that could be modified with a model hydrophilic moiety, poly(ethylene glycol). This was extended to the creation of amphiphilic multi-functional polysiloxanes and amphiphilic networks. Furthermore, the ‘Click’ approach was used to solve challenges faced in applications where silicones find use.
The method described overcomes silicone modification challenges. The cycloaddition reaction is tolerant to many reaction conditions, is orthoganol to a variety of chemical reactions, does not require the use of a catalyst, the starting functional groups and bonds formed are stable and the reaction is high yielding, positioning the Huisgen ‘click’ reaction is an exceptional synthetic tool for the silicone chemist.

abstract: Dissertation

abstract: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

abstract: Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS or silicone) fluids and elastomers are materials that find use in many applications owing to the many desirable properties they possess; personal care products, electrical insulators, sealants and biomedical are examples of products containing silicone. Native PDMS is highly hydrophobic (water repellent) and certain applications require silicones that are more compatible in environments containing water. Methods have been developed to modify both fluid and elastomeric silicones; incorporation of different molecules or polymers can enhance the properties of silicone for various applications or create unique materials. However, many of these methods have certain drawbacks: the use of sophisticated equipment, expensive ingredients, or a lack of permanence. For this reason, a new method to modify fluid and elastomeric silicones has been developed. The new method is based on the concept of ‘Click’ chemistry and has overcome some of challenges associated with other modification methods.


title: Designing Equality of Opportunity in National Innovation Systems Moving Towards Gender Conscious Policy, Performance Measurement, and Resource Allocation

contributor:
Huque, Ahmed Shafiqul
Political Science

subject: Innovation, Gender Equality, Canada, Sweden, OECD, Comparative Public Policy

abstract: The purpose of this study is to explain the variation in approaches to gender equality and innovation in Canada and Sweden through the study of policy, performance measurement, and resource allocation. This is the first study of its kind in comparative public policy to explore differences in gender equality and innovation policy in Canada and Sweden. This research also contributes more widely to the existing body of gender and public policy and innovation literature in Canada and Sweden respectively. This qualitative case study includes 44 interviews with innovation leaders in the public sector, private sector, and academia as well as policy experts at the OECD. This dissertation challenges assumptions about the social and economic power dynamics reflected in current innovation systems in both countries, through the theoretical lens of feminist institutionalism. The findings highlight similarities in the challenges faced in both countries to create gender equality in innovation spaces, despite differences in economic assets and welfare state models. The findings also explain the multiplicative effects of gender inequality at the intersection of institutions: university, government, and private sector.

abstract: Dissertation

abstract: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)


title: For the Glory of the Nation: Eugenics, Child-Saving and the Segregation of the 'Feeble-Minded'

contributor:
Joseph, Ameil
Social Work

subject:
Child Protection
Eugenics
Critical Theory
Foucauldian Genealogy

abstract: Throughout the early 20th century, eugenics discourse came to colour many facets of social policy making across Canada. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the ways by which eugenics and the mental hygiene movement impacted the practice of child protection during the early 20th century. I argue that the construction and propagation of the term and classification of ‘feeble-mindedness’ was used by child protection workers to exclude an increasing number of children from both care and society. During this period, social workers were complicit in the sorting, classifying and segregating of children deemed ‘feeble-minded’ with the expressed purpose of eradicating certain classes of people from society and moreover the gene pool. Women shouldered the burden of the social reform movement, as they were considered both the solution to, and the cause, of social ills. Controlling women’s reproduction was seen as the best way to ensure ‘race betterment’.  Women at the intersection of race, class and ability were often constructed as ‘feeble-minded’ and segregated for fear that they would reproduce ‘their kind’. Initially, the child protection system blatantly excluded those deemed ‘unworthy’ or ‘unreformable’. Under the rubric of eugenics, however, child protection’s role shifted and the system became complicit in the application of eugenic principle to child and family life and women’s reproduction under the auspice of ‘race betterment’ and nation building. Through this exploratory study, it is evident that the normative structures of child protection policy remain unchanged. Extricating children from troubled environments at the least possible cost continues to trump a more insightful look at how policy and resources should engage with structural concerns, such as poverty.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Social Work (MSW)


title: THE EFFECT OF ALTERED WORK-REST RATIOS ON PORCINE STIFLES

contributor:
Maly, Monica
Kinesiology

subject:
knee osteoarthritis
mechanical loading

abstract:
Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent disease that contributes to lower limb immobility and pain resulting in lost productivity in the work place.  Repetitive loading of the knee joint, particularly in occupational settings, significantly increases OA risk.  However, rest may promote tissue recovery and increase tissue tolerance to load.  Therefore rest should be examined as a mechanism to prevent the development of knee OA.
Purpose: The primary objective was to determine if rest can mitigate mechanical deformation of the stifle (knee) joint and articular cartilage damage during loading compared to an unloaded control in an intact porcine stifle model.
Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted.  Among 18 pairs of porcine hind limbs, one limb in each pair was randomly assigned to receive a loading intervention; while the matched pair served as control.  Stifles in both groups were dissected, mounted into the loading apparatus, and pre-loaded.  Intervention joints were then randomized into one of three loading protocols: no rest, 3:2 work:rest, and 1:1 work:rest; all of these protocols exposed joints to the same amount of cumulative load.  Following loading, all joints were dissected to expose the cartilage.  Cartilage damage was scored on a categorical scale.  Deformation and energy dissipation were calculated for intervention limbs from data obtained from the loading apparatus.
Results: Rest did not mitigate displacement or energy dissipation in the stifles exposed to loading.  Rest was associated with reduced cartilage damage scores in the lateral femur in the 1:1 condition.
Conclusion: Rest had little impact on joint mechanics and cartilage damage in this model.  The small sample size may explain these results.  Future investigations involving larger samples should assess if longer periods of rest are need to minimize joint damage as a result of loading.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Science (MSc)

abstract: Repetitive loading of the knee joint is linked to breakdown of knee cartilage leading to the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA).  For example, over-exposure to physically demanding tasks in the workplace (i.e. squatting, bending, lifting etc.) increases knee OA risk.  However, it is possible that rest breaks can prevent cartilage damage by allowing the tissue to recover and maintain proper function.  Therefore, the purpose of this work was to determine the influence of rest on knee joint mechanics and cartilage quality by repetitively loading pig knee joints and exposing them to varying periods of rest.  Rest up to sixty seconds did not allow for tissue recovery, nor did it assist with joint function.  This work suggests that longer periods of rest may be required to mitigate the damaging effects of loading, or that rest may not mitigate the effects of loading at all.


title: From Racial Selection to Postwar Deception: The Napolas and Denazification

contributor:
Swett, Pamela
History

subject:
Education
Denazification
Third Reich
Memory
Allied Occupation
Nazi Boarding Schools
Germany
SS

abstract: This investigation examines the origins and function of the Napolas, boarding schools for the Third Reich’s future elite, before 1945 and demonstrates how those connected to the schools rehabilitated their experiences as students and teachers in the early postwar period and in the years since reunification. Between 1933 and 1945, the Napolas recruited racially valuable children and prepared them for leadership roles in Nazi Germany’s Thousand-Year Reich. The schools’ emphasis upon racial purity and premilitary training caught the attention of Heinrich Himmler and the SS. The appointment of August Heißmeyer, a high-ranking SS official, to the position of Napola inspector in 1936 opened the door for closer relations between the two organizations. Although the Napolas remained formally under the auspices of the Reich Education Ministry for the entirety of the Nazi dictatorship, the schools were gradually absorbed into the SS’ sphere of influence after 1936. The Napolas ceased to exist with the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945. Due to the Napolas’ past ties to the SS, one of seven organizations deemed criminal by the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg, former administrators, teachers, and pupils of the schools were caught in the crosshairs of the Allied denazification program. Legal changes in the U.S. Occupation Zone in March 1946 gave Napola apologists an opportunity to challenge Allied accusations regarding the Napolas’ past as Nazi sites of indoctrination. As a result, a collective defense of the Napolas began to emerge, growing in repute and complexity as the denazification process continued. By 1949, the Napolas’ “postwar legend,” an exonerative tale of the schools’ history during the Third Reich, had not only stalled prosecution indefinitely, but also successfully reintegrated alumni into West German society. The postwar myth that exonerated the schools survived challenges during the Bonn Republic more or less unscathed. The willingness of former Napola pupils to recast their experiences as Nazi elite students in a positive light indicates that the Napolas’ postwar legend has lost none of its persuasiveness in unified Germany.

abstract: Dissertation

abstract: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

abstract: This investigation examines the legacy of the Third Reich through the prism of education. After the collapse of the Nazi regime in 1945, the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and France divided Germany into four zones of occupation and introduced a wide-ranging program of denazification. Former administrators, teachers and pupils of the Napolas, boarding schools for the Third Reich’s future elite, were among those affected by the purge. The Napolas had enjoyed an intimate relationship to Heinrich Himmler’s SS between 1936 and 1945, due in large part to the schools’ emphasis on racial purity and premilitary training. Yet Napola apologists responded to postwar prosecution by denying the schools’ role in Nazi plans for European domination. Their constructed memories rehabilitated the Napolas’ postwar image and successfully reintegrated alumni into West German society. The Napolas’ “postwar legend” has since become the defining characteristic of Napola alumni associations’ collective identities.


title: Computational Modelling of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis

contributor:
Becker, Suzanna
Neuroscience

subject:
Hippocampus
Neurogenesis
Modelling
Neural Networks

abstract: The hippocampus has been the focus of memory research for decades. While the functional role of this structure is not fully understood, it is widely recognized as being vital for rapid yet accurate encoding and retrieval of associative memories. Since the discovery of adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) in the dentate gyrus (DG) by Altman and Das in the 1960s, many theories and models have been formulated to explain the functional role it plays in learning and memory. These models postulate different ways in which new neurons are introduced into the DG and their functional importance for learning and memory. Few, if any, previous models have incorporated the unique properties of young adult-born dentate granule cells (DGCs) and their developmental trajectory. In this thesis, we propose a novel computational model of the DG that incorporates the developmental trajectory of these DGCs, including changes in synaptic plasticity, connectivity, excitability and lateral inhibition, using a modified version of the restricted boltzmann machine (RBM). Our results show superior performance on memory reconstruction tasks for both recent and distally learned items, when the unique characteristics of young DGCs are taken into account. The unique properties of the young neurons contribute to reducing retroactive and proactive interference, at both short and long time scales, despite the reduction in pattern separation due to their hyperexcitability. Our replacement model is subsequently extended to support learning dependent regulation of neurogenesis and apoptosis, using a convergence based approach to network growing and pruning. This hybrid additive and replacement model provides a more realistic and flexible approach to investigating the role of neurogenesis regulation in learning and memory. Finally, we incorporate the dentate gyrus model into a full hippocampal circuit to assess cued recall performance. Once again, our neurogenesis model shows decreased proactive and retroactive interference.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Science (MSc)


title: The Roman Republican Imperatorial Salutation

contributor:
Eilers, Claude
Classics

subject: imperatorial salutation

abstract:
The Roman Republican imperatorial salutation was an influential ritual during the
late Republican period. This ritual has received little attention over the last 50 years since
Robert Combès released his now seminal book on the title of imperator. In this thesis, I
argue for why multiple of the topics covered in that book require a re-examination, in
particular the arguments surrounding the possible first salutations. This encompasses a
thorough examination of the potential salutation of Quinctius Poenus, Combès’
arguments concerning the salutation of Scipio Africanus, and my own theory as to who
the recipient of this ritual acclamation was. This thesis covers the second century BCE
and how the socio-economic, political, and military changes of that period were reflected
in the growth and increasing popularity of the imperatorial salutation. Finally, it delves
into the first century BCE and the effects that the major figures of that time had on the
development of this ritual as it changed along with Rome’s transition from a Republican
system to a principate.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Arts (MA)


title: EXTERNAL COMPRESSION AND PARTIAL ISCHEMIA ALTER FLEXOR TENDON AND SUBSYNOVIAL CONNECTIVE TISSUE MOTION

contributor:
Keir, Peter J
Kinesiology

subject:
carpal tunnel syndrome
subsynovial connective tissue
tendon
compression
ischemia

abstract: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a peripheral median neuropathy that is commonly characterized by thickening and fibrosis of the subsynovial connective tissue (SSCT) surrounding finger flexor tendons.  The degenerative process affecting SSCT can be initiated with excessive relative motion between the tendon and SSCT that ruptures interconnecting collagen.  We used colour Doppler ultrasound to evaluate flexor digitorum superficialis tendon motion at two movement speeds with palmar compression, forearm compression, and partial ischemia (via brachial blood pressure cuff).  Partial ischemia decreased SSCT displacement (22.9 ± 3.3 mm vs. 22.0 ± 3.3 mm; p = 0.015) while tendon displacement did not change.  There was also a trend for increased relative tendon-SSCT displacement and shear strain index (SSI – relative displacement normalized to tendon displacement), which suggested partial ischemia might increase the strain in collagen that connects tendon and SSCT.  Forearm compression decreased tendon displacement (28.5 ± 4.1 mm vs. 27.0 ± 4.6 mm; p = 0.043) while SSCT displacement also trended to decrease (24.0 ± mm vs. 22.5 mm; p = 0.059).  With a lack of change in relative tendon-SSCT displacement and SSI, maintaining flexion-extension range of motion may have meant that forearm compression strained the musculotendinous unit at a location where SSCT was uncompromised.  Palmar compression did not significantly affect any dependent motion variables, which suggested palmar compressive forces likely do not affect tendon-SSCT shear injury risk.  The fast movement speed increased relative tendon-SSCT displacement and SSI while decreasing mean velocity ratio (MVR), which suggested greater tendon-SSCT shear strain in all baseline and compression conditions.  Previously, increased relative tendon-SSCT displacement with fast movement speed was only shown in cadaveric investigations, but we confirmed this effect is transferable in an in vivo model.  We induced ischemia proximally and found a reduction in SSCT displacement at the distal carpal tunnel.  This finding suggests that the vascular network integrated within SSCT may play a role in altering tendon-SSCT excursion, independent of other external mechanical factors previously shown to increase relative motion and potential shear injury risk.  Overall, this thesis showed that external mechanical compression at the palm or forearm likely do not negatively affect relative tendon-SSCT motion and that local ischemia and carpal tunnel blood flow should be considered when evaluating tendon and SSCT motion in relation to CTS development and progression.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Science (MSc)


contributor:
Ford, D.C.
Geography

abstract: Title: Morphometric Properties of Selected Drainage Basins in Southern Ontario, Author: Eirlys H. Vanderhoff, Location: Thode

abstract: Eighteen small stream basins were chosen in Southern Ontario. With the aim f quantification of the characteristics of these drainage basins, numerous basin parameters were measured from topographic maps. The degree of application of the 'Horton Laws of Stream Composition' to the stream segment numbers, length, and drainage areas of these third order networks was critically examined. Further, values of the morphometric properties measured in each basin were also tested for their variation with lithology and with map scale. Finally, an attempt was made to evaluate the inter-relationships among the parameters which were used to characterise these drainage basins.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Arts (MA)


title: An investigation into the influence of microbes on the cycling of sulfur in a net neutral oxidation reservoir in Sudbury

contributor:
Warren, Lesley
Geography and Earth Sciences

abstract:
The generation of acid and H2S associated with microbial cycling of intermediate sulfur species, (sulfur oxidation intermediates; SOIs), is a global mining industry management issue.  Both the role of bacteria in SOI transformations as well as comprehensive understanding of the SOIs that can occur within mining wastewaters, are poorly constrained. Key impediments to the industry’s ability to improve wastewater sulfur management have been securing a better understanding of the specific sulfur oxidation intermediate (SOI) species that occur in wastewaters, as well as microbial transformations of these sulfur species.
One of the significant prohibitions on the advancement of knowledge in the area of SOI transformations in mine waste waters has been the lack of analytical methods for these species as well as lack of understanding of the controls on these transformations. A significant step forward was established through the development of robust analytical methods using derivatization and HPLC analysis to characterize sulfite (SO32-), thiosulfate (S2O32-), sulfide (H2S) as well as elemental sulfur (S0). These methods enabled assessment of these sulfur compounds in >60 seasonally and spatially varying wastewater samples collected from Sept 2014 to May 2016. Results identified SOIs were present in all wastewater samples and there were seasonal variations in both concentrations and occurrence of specific SOIs. The mass balance analysis of bulk water samples show that the total sulfur concentration varies seasonally in the system. Higher total sulfur occurred during spring and summer (8.4-13.1 mM) with lower (5.3-10.8 mM) total sulfur observed during the fall and winter sampling campaigns. Further, the proportion of the total sulfur pool associated with sulfate, indicative of complete oxidation of sulfur, were highest during spring and summer (75-100%) with a decreasing trend through fall (60-75%) and lowest in the winter under ice (10-20%); suggesting temperature may be an important ecological control on sulfur redox biogeochemistry. Corresponding to the observed decreasing seasonal sulfate trend, an increasing trend in the proportion of unanalyzed sulfur species (e.g. S4O62-, S2−n+1, SnO62-) was also observed, increasing from 0-25% (spring, summer) to 80-90% under ice. Further, elemental sulfur (S0), which emerged as an important part of the sulfur cycle in these waters, ranged in proportional abundance from 25-99% of the analyzed sulfur species. Elemental sulfur increased during the fall and winter (75-99%), compared to 25-65% during the spring and summer.
Enrichment of sulfur oxidizing microbes (SOM) was conducted to determine whether SOM’s were present in endemic waters, and if so, what were the controls on these microbes in terms of cycling SOI’s and producing protons. Enrichment experiments were successful from all >60 water samples collected indicating the presence of these bacteria throughout the system over seasonal scales. These SOM catalyzed sulfur transformations consistent with the seasonal SOI characterization results which indicates that SOM are likely important players in sulfur cycling within mine wastewaters. Consumption of thiosulfate was limited to SOM enrichments from waters which were 10 °C or warmer (i.e. spring/summer) and generated sulfate and unanalyzed SOIs in lower and higher proportions respectively than those observed in summer field samples.  Consistent with winter field results evidencing lower concentrations of sulfur and sulfate occurrence, winter SOM enrichments only partially consumed thiosulfate and cycled sulfur through different reactions compared to those catalyzed by warmer SoM enrichments.
Analysis of SOI and endemic microbial communities provide a key assessment link in mine environmental management. The new methods that were developed enable more accurate determination of SOI in mining wastewaters. Assessment of SOI within mining waste waters demonstrate that simple H2S/ SO42- measurements will not comprehensively represent sulfur reactions and therefore accurately predict water quality outcomes that occur. Similarly, microbial sulfur metabolism was shown to be possible throughout space and time, but with differing seasonal implications for S cycling in these waters. The inclusion of SOI and SOM understanding into mine wastewater biogeochemical sulfur models will provide prophylactic rather than reactive management strategies.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Science (MSc)


contributor:
Risk, Michael
Geography

abstract: Title: Factors Influencing the Distribution of the Bivalve Macoma Balthica of the Intertidal Mudflats of Cobequid Bay, Nova Scotia, Author: Verna J. Tunnicliffe, Location: Thode

abstract:
Population studies on the bivalve Macoma balthica L. in the
intertidal mudflats of Cobequid Bay, Nova Scotia show some of the
highest recorded densities; maximum density was 3492/m2. Direct
bacterial counts of 40 surface sediment samples gave an average
bacterial density of 5.9 X 10^9 bacteria/g. dry wt. sediment. Macoma
densities correlate significantly with bacterial densities (r = .880).
The organic carbon contributed by the bacteria represented an average
of one-third of the organic carbon in the sediment; organic carbon was
found at an average of .4% by weight in the sediment. Calculations of
daily protein requirements of Macoma balthica show that there is
insufficient protein present in the sediment. The bivalve probably
filter feeds to supplement its diet. No correlation was found between
Macoma densities and either organic carbon distribution or vertical
position on the mudflat.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Bachelor of Arts (BA)


title: PROGNOSTIC GENE SIGNATURE FOR INTERMEDIATE RISK PROSTATE CANCER

contributor:
Bane, Anita
Medical Sciences

subject:
Prognostic Gene Signature
Prostate Cancer

abstract: The Gleason Score (GS) is a powerful predictor of outcome among prostate cancer patients. Patients with tumours graded with a GS of 2 to 6 have a much greater chance of survival compared to those with a GS of 8 to 10. A significant proportion (~40%) of men present with early stage GS 7 tumours (indicating intermediate risk) for whom prognosis is highly variable. Three gene signatures were derived from publicly available gene expression profiles of prostate cancers from the Swedish Watchful Waiting cohort: 1) The Genomic Grade Index consisted of the top 24 genes discriminating between high (8, 9 & 10) and low (≤ 6) GS tumours, 2) The Lethal Gene Score consisted of the top 24 genes discriminating between lethal and indolent disease within GS 7 tumours only, and 3) The network-based gene signature consisted of 88 genes. When these gene signatures were tested in silico on the gene expression profiles of GS 7 patients in both the SWW and the Mayo cohort, patients were stratified into high and low risk for recurrence. These results demonstrate that gene signatures are capable of differentiating low risk and high risk patients within GS 7 tumours. The prognostic capacity of our gene signature will be tested prospectively in a retrospective collection of archived prostate cancer tissue blocks from a phase 3 clinical trial, and it is hypothesized that the patients can be stratified into good and poor outcome groups. NanoString Technology will be used to quantify mRNA values for the signature genes on selected paraffin blocks. Expression values of candidate genes will be correlated with patients’ long-term follow-up information to derive a clinically meaningful signature. Outcome will be defined as biochemical recurrence or metastatic event. The goal of this study is to identify multiple genes whose expression could be formulated into a clinically applicable assay, the implementation of which could serve to better stratify intermediate risk prostate cancer patients for appropriate treatment.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Science (MSc)

abstract: The over-treatment of prostate cancer patients is a significant concern, as recent clinical trials has shown that it can lead to significant patient morbidity. Although the Gleason Scoring system is a powerful predictor of lethal or indolent disease, a significant proportion of men who present with early stage Gleason Score 7 tumours experience poorer prognosis than expected. The goal of this study is to develop and optimize a gene signature that can be utilized on Gleason Score 7, intermediate risk prostate cancer patients to differentiate them into good and poor outcome groups. We hypothesize that this signature will be able to accurately predict outcome in a separate retrospective cohort of prostate cancer patients. In short, our study hopes to provide proof-of-principle that through the use of gene signatures, it is possible to better differentiate prostate cancer patients into different outcome groups so that they may receive more appropriate treatment specific to their disease type.


contributor:
Wade, J.H.T.
Mechanical Engineering

abstract: Title: Turbulent Drag Reduction in Tubes with Polymer Solutions, Author: S. K. Verma, Location: Thode

abstract:
This thesis is a study of drag reduction with polymer solutions in tubes using a simple rheometer. The drag reduction was studied in five different small diameter tubes at Reynold's number varying from 1000 to 25000.

A polyacrylamide, MRL-402, manufactured by Stein Hall Ltd. was chosen for the above study because of its good drag reducing ability and resistance to degradation. The concentrations of polymer solutions used for the experiment ranged from 1 to 200 wppm.

An attempt has been made to correlate the drag reduction data so that drag can be predicted from a single curve. The correlations are given by equations β = β(s'T) and β = β' (s'/s'0.50 ) following the work of
Astarita (2).

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Engineering (ME)


title: PALEOENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF NAMU LAKE, BRITISH COLUMBIA

contributor:
Reinhardt, Eduard
Earth Sciences

subject: particle size analysis, trace elements, lake sediments, prehistoric settlement

abstract:
Pacific salmon has been a staple resource for residents of British Columbia for over

seven thousand years. Archaeological evidence obtained from a shell midden at Namu,

B.C., provides detailed information about the diets of the First Peoples living at Namu

over the past seven thousand years. Pacific salmon was the most prevalent species of fish

uncovered within the midden, excluding herring. Pink, chum and sockeye species were

consumed in the greatest quantities. Pink was particularly favored because of its ability to

store over winter months without spoiling. Evidence from the shell midden also reveals

fluctuations within the pink salmon fishery from ~3800 until 1900 cal year BP. The

paleoenvironmental conditions within Namu Lake during the time of the pink collapse

have never before been explored. There is also little evidence pertaining to what may

have contributed to the collapse of the pink fishery.

	Sediment cores collected from Namu Lake, B.C. provide evidence for

paleoenvironmental conditions that may have contributed to fluctuations in the pink

salmon population. Particle size analyses of lake sediment cores indicate changes in river

discharge as well as erosional intensity within the Namu basin. Particle size, coupled with

radiocarbon dating, reveal a transitional period within the basin from ~ 3200 to 2200 cal

year BP. A decrease in elemental ratios/Al, particularly Ca, Na, Ba, and Sr, provides

evidence for a decline in erosional intensity and a relatively drier period within the basin.

The decrease in erosional intensity could be due to consistently drier conditions at Namu.

A resulting reduction in the flow of the Namu River would have caused an increase in

finer particles within the pink salmon spawning grounds. Average C/N ratios for NC1 are

26.28, indicating that organic matter within the lake is mainly terrestrial in origin. These

results, combined with the particle size and trace metal analysis, reveal that river

discharge and slope wash had declined during this period causing fine material to remain

in the Namu River (outflowing), which is the spawning grounds for the pink salmon,

rather than being transported out into the bay. The results of this study reveal that a shift

in moisture, towards relatively dry conditions, negatively impacted spawning pink salmon

at Namu Lake.  This study provides insight into the sensitivity of Pacific salmon to

climate and the effects future climate change may have on the species. The ability of

environmental data to supplement and enhance archaeological information and

interpretations of prehistoric conditions is illustrated throughout this study. The cores

collected at Namu Lake also reveal the need for site specific climatic data in order to

accurately interpret archaeological contexts and conditions.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Science (MSc)


title: KINETIC MODELLING OF HIGH MANGANESE STEEL  IN LMF PROCESS

contributor:
Coley, Kenneth
Materials Science and Engineering

subject:
High manganese steel
Ladle metallurgy process
Inclusions
Kinetic model

abstract:
Presence of inclusions in high manganese steel are a major concern in the steel making industry, since these particles affect the processing and properties of the steel. During the refining of high manganese steel in the ladle furnace, the types of inclusions present and their growth in the liquid steel, or during solidification of the steel, caused by the addition of manganese and other alloying elements are to be examined.
       This research developed a kinetic model for the presence and growth of inclusions in the liquid high manganese steel for the ladle metallurgy process. The diffusion of dissolved elements, and the seed of inclusions for the growth and consumption of inclusions, were both addressed in the model.
       The present model for inclusions was coupled to the updated kinetic model for slag-steel reactions in the ladle furnace for high manganese steel. The coupled model allows for verifying the process analysis plant data for the highest manganese concentration presently available in the steel industry.
       Finally, an analysis of the coupled kinetic model was performed to compare the effect of the different processing conditions, and the presence and growth of inclusions in the high manganese steel from the ladle metallurgy process.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Applied Science (MASc)


title: Monitoring, Multi-rate Modeling, and Economic Model Predictive Control of Chemical Processes

contributor:
Mhaskar, Prashant
Swartz, Chris
Chemical Engineering

abstract: In this work we develop methods and strategies for the design of advanced data-driven monitoring, control, and optimization algorithms. In the initial phase of this research, in an effort to better detect and identify process faults, we propose a novel pattern matching based process monitoring approach. In this regard, a novel pattern analysis driven dissimilarity approach is developed by integrating multidimensional mutual information with independent component analysis in order to quantitatively evaluate the statistical dependency between the independent component subspaces of the normal benchmark and monitored data sets. The process monitoring results of the proposed method are demonstrated to be superior to those of the traditional monitoring approaches. Next, we address the problem of the unavailability of reliable and computationally manageable first-principles-based models by developing a data-based multi-rate modeling and control approach. To this end, we consider the problem of multi-rate modeling and economic model predictive control (EMPC) of batch processes. First, multi-rate models are identified that include predictions for both the infrequently and frequently measured process variables. The resulting models are integrated into a two-tiered predictive controller that enables the target end-point to be achieved while minimizing the associated cost. The EMPC is implemented on the electric arc furnace (EAF) process and the closed-loop simulation results subject to the limited availability of process measurements and noise illustrate the improvement in economic performance over existing trajectory-tracking approaches. Finally, we consider the problem of variable duration economic model predictive control of batch processes subject to multi-rate and missing data. To this end, we first generalize a recently developed subspace-based model identification approach for batch processes to handle multi-rate and missing data by utilizing the incremental singular value decomposition technique. Exploiting the fact that the proposed identification approach is capable of handling inconsistent batch lengths, the resulting dynamic model is integrated into a tiered EMPC formulation that optimizes process economics (including batch duration). Simulation case studies involving application to the energy intensive EAF process demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed approach compared to a traditional trajectory tracking approach subject to the limited availability of process measurements, missing data, measurement noise and constraints.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)


title: Venus: Trends in the Numismatic Commemoration of the State Goddess

contributor:
Beckmann, Martin
Classics

subject: Rome Art Deity

abstract: Venus is one of the most famous goddesses of the Roman pantheon, known for her grace and beauty.  Her likeness was recreated countless times in a variety of different media.  She was depicted in many ways on coinage, and was called several different names by the inscriptions: Venus Genetrix, Venus Felix, and Venus Victrix. By studying the whole collection of coins of Venus from the late Republican period through AD 192, it is possible to gain an understanding of how depiction of the goddess corresponded to the title she was given on that coin.  Using that information, one can then determine which aspect of Venus is represented in unlabelled images of her.  Similarly, the data can be used to critique scholarly opinions on the original appearances of the lost cult statues of Venus Genetrix, Felix, and Victrix.  There is a fair bit of overlap between the attributes of Venus Genetrix and Felix, as they share the common image of the goddess holding an apple.  However, depictions of the deity holding an infant or unveiling herself are unique to Venus Genetrix, and images of birds are not seen on coins with epithets other than Venus Felix.  Venus Victrix is the only aspect of the goddess to be shown with Mars on coinage, although this happens only rarely.  Otherwise, she can be difficult to differentiate from other aspects of Venus. With observations such as these and others in mind, scholarly suggestions about the appearances of the lost cult statues seem less credible, and more open for debate.

abstract: Thesis

abstract: Master of Arts (MA)