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2016 — Senior Administrators in School Divisions (Re)Composing Stories to Live By: A Narrative InquiryAbstract
My research puzzle for this narrative inquiry is about senior administrators in school divisions (re)composing stories to live by during a period of heightened accountability to improve student achievement. As this study unfolds, Clandinin and Connelly’s (2000) understanding of a narrative inquiry approach is used to explore research puzzles, wonders, and new learning. This study begins with my experiences as a senior administrator on the educational landscape and explores my puzzles about improving student achievement in school divisions. My wonders centre on questions such as: How do we demonstrate improved student achievement for all students? Do we all agree on … Read more
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2015 — Purchasing Fear: Analyzing Cold War Ideologies in Alfred Hitchcock’s The BirdsAbstract
During the Cold War Americans were inundated with talk of atomic weapons, attacks, communist spies, and alleged “contamination.” It is a commonplace that films offered an escape from this repetitive flood of fear and indoctrination. However, upon examination, Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds (1963) appears to have intensified Cold War fears and anxieties, rather than pacifying them. This thesis focuses on depictions of Cold War imagery represented in The Birds. The film’s imagery will be dissected and examined through semiotic analysis, in an attempt to expose the film’s Cold War imagery that threatened Americans and American ideals. While Hitchcock sought favorable … Read more
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2007 — The utility of HPV typing and relative quantification of HPV-16 transcripts for monitoring HPV vaccine efficacy and improving colposcopy triage of women with abnormal cervical cytology.Abstract
Human papillomaviruses (HPV) can cause benign or malignant disease with the majority of infections without symptoms. The viral origin of cervical cancer is now proven with HPV proteins E6 and E7 defining part of the molecular basis of oncogenesis in vitro. Integration and/or malignant transformation of cervical cells in vivo are expected to be accompanied by the over-expression of HPV genes for E6 and E7 oncoproteins and a reduction of both expression for the L1 capsid protein and viral DNA. Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) has been associated with particular HPV types that can be distinguished by DNA sequence differences. The … Read more
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2022 — Application of artificial intelligence techniques to well spacing optimization in fractured tight reservoirsAbstract
Well spacing optimization is critical to the success of any hydrocarbon field development particularly unconventional fields and significantly affects the economic performance of oil and gas production operations. Oil and gas field operators over the years have resorted to field trials, surveillance and numerical simulation as the modes of determining optimal well spacing. Although field trials and surveillance are relatively easier to undertake, they are characterized by huge capital investments and a large amount of time requirement in order to arrive at conclusive decisions. Additionally, there are huge number of combinations to test, making it difficult to find a definitive … Read more
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2021 — Fireinform: An Approach to Predict Hourly Forest Fire Occurrences using Multivariate Time Series ClassificationAbstract
Every year, thousands of forest fires occur in Canada; these fires pose risks to people's lives, health, and property and incur huge fire suppression costs. Accurate prediction of fire occurrences at finer temporal and spatial resolutions could aid in deploying fire-fighting resources efficiently. Timely deployment of resources at precise locations could help control fires at an earlier stage, which would reduce damage. We propose an approach to predicting forest fire occurrences at hourly intervals in small rectangular regions across Saskatchewan. To make these predictions, we pre- pared a suitable dataset, trained three machine learning classification models, namely Decision Tree, K-Nearest … Read more
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2021 — Performance Studies of Novel Amine Blends in a Catalyst-Aided CO2 Capture ProcessAbstract
This study focused on utilizing the combined effect between solvent development and the application of solid catalysis to enhance the reactive absorption-based CO2 capture process. First, the CO2 removal performance of three formulated amine bi-blends were evaluated using a semi-batch screening setup. The performance of each blend in terms of specific parameters such as linear absorption and desorption rates, CO2 equilibrium loading, cyclic capacity and solvent regeneration heat duty were compared with the activity of the standard 4M BEA/AMP blend. The bi-blends developed included 2M HMDA/PEI (1.85M: 0.15M), 2M AMP/PEI (1.7M: 0.3M) and 4M DMAE/AMP (2M: 2M). The screening results … Read more
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2016 — A Management Framework for Sharing - Economy Services in a Smart CityAbstract
Today, sharing economy model is reshaping services provisioning mechanism in many regulated sectors in cities. This changes put a huge pressure on the city’s decisions’ makers around the world. Different stakeholder’s interests call for actions from the government in response to the services provided under this model. For instance, on-demand mobility service providers such as UBER are affecting the whole service delivery mechanism in the transportation sector and are forcing licensed service providers to leave their market positions. Software systems such as smart city platforms can be used in upgrading service delivery mechanism of regulated sectors to satisfy such needs. … Read more
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2018 — Structure and Transport Phenomena in Molten Salts and Protic Ionic Liquids: A Molecular Dynamics StudyAbstract
This thesis uses ab initio molecular dynamics simulations to address various transport phenomena observed in melts of pure salts and protic ionic liquids. Molten salts and protic ionic liquids have electrical conductivities that can be tuned via temperature (covalent metal halides) or mixing ratios (protic ionic liquids, mixtures of amines and carboxylic acids). They give maximum conductivity at a specific temperature (for each molten salt) or a specific mol% of acid (for each protic ionic liquid), the reasons for which were not known. I qualitatively reproduced the conductivity maxima and then studied the liquid structures from the simulations for the … Read more
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2023 — Searching for a Pion-Like Dark Sector at MoEDAL-MAPPAbstract
This thesis explores the phenomenology of Pion-like Dark Matter, a specific type of Strongly Interacting Dark Matter, within the context of the Monopole and Exotics Detector at the Large Hadron Collider (MoEDAL). MoEDAL is designed to search for Highly Ionizing Particles (HIPs) that are predicted in numerous models of physics beyond the Standard Model. The ongoing installation of Phase 1 of the MoEDAL Apparatus for Penetrating Particles (MAPP-1) during LHC’s Run-3 aims to broaden MoEDAL’s discovery potential by enabling its sensitivity to Feebly Interacting Particles (FIPs), including mini-charged particles (mCPs), as well as very long-lived charged and neutral particles (LLPs). … Read more
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2015 — “Nunca Compré un café”: Lived Experiences of international ESL Latino Students at the University of ReginaAbstract
This thesis explores lived experiences of ESL (English as a Second Language) Latino students at the University of Regina. The internationalization of higher education, a response to global changes, has brought new and numerous challenges to both ESL/international students as well as universities. Despite some annual fluctuations, Canada is among the top fifth of countries regarding international post-secondary enrolment. Therefore, Canadian universities are among the universities that need to adapt to numerous challenges that the internationalization of higher education brings. In light of these changes to Canadian universities, this qualitative study explores lived experiences of ESL (English as a Second … Read more
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2023 — Beyond bubble baths and wine: Broadening perspectives on self-care in female social workers in SaskatchewanAbstract
A basic interpretive qualitative research design was used to explore the definition and application of self-care with five female social workers in Saskatchewan. These social workers volunteered to provide information about their experience as a social worker and the potential impact of self-care in their life. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis and included analysis with a feminist lens. There were seven main themes: shifting perspectives about the meaning of self-care, communication, relationships, proactivity, workplaces, holistic self-care, and therapy/counselling. Within these themes were sub-themes used to clarify the self-care practices. Findings are discussed in relation to current research on self-care … Read more
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2014 — Who was This Woman: A Narrative of the Lived Experiences of the Daughter of a Pioneer Who Became a TeacherAbstract
This thesis is a narrative inquiry of my mother’s lived experiences before she became a teacher in a one-room school house in 1930s Saskatchewan. There have been numerous memoirs written by teachers of rural schools. After reading a wide assortment of these memoirs I noticed that they were mostly of classroom experiences. There is a dearth of information about the lived experiences of these teachers, many of whom were women, prior to their actual classroom teaching. With my mother as a co-inquirer, we narratively explored her lived experiences in her journey into the story of becoming a teacher. Narrative research … Read more
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2014 — Impairments, Health-Related Physical Fitness, and Leisure Time: Physical Activity Following Spinal Cord InjuryAbstract
A spinal cord injury (SCI) can lead to impairments that impact fitness, health and quality of life. Although advances in medical technology have increased survival rates, individuals with SCI continue to experience various health problems that may be associated with a decrease in overall fitness. Physical activity has the potential to improve health-related physical fitness levels. According to the most recent physical activity guidelines, individuals with SCI should participate in 20 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity leisure time physical activity (LTPA) two times per week (Ginis et al., 2011). These physical activity guidelines also recommend 3 sets of 8 to 12 … Read more
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2024 — Psychometric evaluation of the COVID stress scales in older adults and the impact of ageism and pain on COVID-related stressAbstract
The literature has documented strong manifestations of ageism stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g., social media posts suggesting that older adults’ deaths from COVID-19 are less tragic than younger individuals, beliefs that public health restrictions should only target older persons). Additionally, pain is highly prevalent among older adults and often limits mobility, which can exacerbate stress and pain severity during pandemics in which public health measures promote physical distancing or impose restrictions that reduce access to pain treatment. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, both ageism and pain have been identified as predictors of adverse health outcomes in older adults (e.g., … Read more
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2016 — Women Past Menopause: Learning from the Voice of ExperienceAbstract
Menopause is a private, physiological change event that begins with the body but is greatly influenced by social context. While the current knowledge base about the experience is extensive it is also fragmented and incomplete. The primary focus is on symptoms and the loss of estrogen with women’s direct experience of menopause largely missing from the public discourse. This study proposes a model of menopause that unifies the disparate viewpoints through understanding postmenopausal women’s lived experience. The study design is based on the grounded theory qualitative research methodology of B.G. Glaser and A.L Strauss (1967), Kathy Charmaz (2012, 2014), and … Read more
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2012 — Distribution and Functional Analysis of an ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter-2 in Rhizobium legumionsarumAbstract
Rhizobia are Gram negative, motile, non-sporulating soil bacteria, which interact with legume plants symbiotically to form nitrogen-fixing nodules. In the free-living state, rhizobia dwell in the rhizosphere and surrounding soil where they encounter various environmental stresses such as desiccation stress, nutrient and oxygen limitations, as well as temperature and pH fluctuations. To overcome such conditions, rhizobia adopt different survival mechanisms such as exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, swarming motility and biofilm formation. A previous study identified an ATP binding cassette transporter-2 (ABC) operon, which contains three genes, RL2975-RL2977 (here after referred as RL2975 transporter) that is involved in desiccation tolerance. However, the … Read more
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2019 — Estimation of Weed Densities for Variable Rate Herbicide ApplicationAbstract
Use of herbicides is rising globally to maximize crop yield and profitability. Herbicides negatively impact environmental health and biosphere. To lessen its negative effects, herbicides have to be applied judiciously on crops. Precision agriculture practices suggest adoption of site specific weed management techniques by exploiting patchy nature of weed distribution in the fields which requires accurate weed mapping. Despite recent technical advancement and growing awareness about environment protection, site specific weed management has not got traction in farmer community. In this thesis, endeavours are made to develop relatively simple site specific weed control method using weed density based variable rate … Read more
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2023 — Application of artificial intelligence to variable rate technology in agricultureAbstract
Variable Rate Application (VRA) plays a pivotal role in enhancing agricultural profitability by optimizing the use of resources and promoting consistent crop growth. This also helps mitigate the negative environmental impact of farming practices. However, the implementation of VRA is heavily reliant on data. An effective VRA prescription involves an agronomist’s in-depth knowledge of the soil and crop conditions within Homogenized Management Zones (HMZs). Certain soil attributes like electrical conductivity, elevation, and soil moisture are measured using proximal sensors installed on farm machinery. However, other soil properties like soil texture and Soil Organic Matter (SOM) measurements require soil sampling and … Read more
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2024 — Stability studies of a novel amine blend for the capture of CO2 generated from indirect co-combustion of natural gas and biomassAbstract
The excessive release of CO2 from human activities has led to global warming and climate change, becoming a critical global issue for many years. Data released by the Environment Protection Agency of United States in 2022 clearly shows that, CO2 is the most emitted gas among other greenhouse gases. In response, numerous strategies have been developed to address this pressing problem. One particularly compelling approach is to use an optimal mix of fuels in combination with post-combustion capture technology to achieve net-zero or even negative CO2 emissions. Over the past years, solvent absorption in post-combustion capture technology has shown significant … Read more
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2024 — Storage and utilization of CO2 in ready-mix concrete using CO2-loaded aqueous inorganic solventAbstract
Cement production is a significant contributor to CO2 emissions, prompting the need for innovative approaches to mitigate its environmental impact. This work is focused on developing a workable process that can capture CO2 emitted by cement production and eventually store the captured CO2 in concrete to accelerate concrete curing. Potassium glycinate (K-glycinate), an environmentally friendly aqueous inorganic solvent was employed for this work. Firstly, 6M aqueous K-glycinate solvent prepared from glycine and potassium hydroxide was loaded with CO2 at 60℃ to produce CO2-loaded Kglycinate. Prior to being allowed to cool to room temperature (24±2 ℃), the solvent was diluted (dilution … Read more
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2015 — Analysis and Comparison of Solid Waste Management Systems and Diversion Practicies in Alberta and British ColumbiaAbstract
In this study, the solid waste management systems in Alberta and British Columbia are analyzed and compared. Geographically, Alberta and British Columbia are located side by side in Western Canada. These two provinces were selected and compared with respect to the non-hazardous waste generation characteristics and diversion practices. The municipal solid waste data were collected from Statistic Canada from 1996 to 2010. On average, about 1,464 samples were reported in the survey year from both of the business and the government sectors. The waste data was verified and processed for analyses. It was found that both in Alberta and British … Read more
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2019 — Providing for the Needs of Youth With Suicidal Behaviours in Governmental CareAbstract
This thesis explores the work being done by the Ministry of Social Services (MSS) with youth-in-care in the province of Saskatchewan who are displaying suicidal behaviours. It aims to answer the research questions: 1) How are youth-in-care with suicidal behaviours being supported? 2) Are these approaches successful? and 3) how do the supports and services provided by MSS align with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children and the Truth and Reconciliation Committee’s Calls to Action? The goal of this research was to explore what services and supports are being provided by MSS to those youth-in-care exhibiting suicidal … Read more
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2019 — Characterizaion and Chemical Rescure of the Phenotype of ors-3, a Knockout mutant line of PpORS in Physcomitrella patensAbstract
2ʹ-Oxoalkylresorcinol synthase from Physcomitrella patens (PpORS) is basal to all plant type III polyketide synthases in phylogenetic trees, and may resemble closely their most recent common ancestor. PpORS knockouts were previously generated and partially characterized (Li et al., Planta, 2018, 247: 527–541). This study aimed to investigate further the in planta functions and evolutionary roles of PpORS. Ors-3 (an ors knockout line) was first subjected to dehydration stress. The ability of ors-3 to recover after dehydration is significantly compromised in contrast to the control strain. Ors-3 also loses water faster than the control strain. These results together with the previous … Read more
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2017 — Model Predictive Control of a Time-Varying Phase-Change Heat Transfer Problem with Applications in Enhanced Oil RecoveryAbstract
This thesis is focused on developing a framework for achieving constrained optimal control of phase-change time varying heating process taking place in an electrically heated tank/pipe. The problem of developing a heat transfer model, which captures the dynamics of heating process, is addressed by formulating differential equations using basic laws of thermodynamics and applied physics. In the control design part, adaptive control based on MPC is employed as it offers optimal control performance while enforcing constraints on inputs, outputs, and their rates of change. To capture uncertain and/or varying dynamics, data driven system identification is utilized where system parameters are … Read more
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2016 — Factors Contributing to Support for Reparation Following Mass Violence: The Case of SerbiaAbstract
The separation of the Former Yugoslavia, beginning in 1991, resulted in mass violence. Transitional justice was established to aid in developing measures to deal with mass victimization, as the shift from authoritarian regimes to democratic ones could not be resolved with the existing paradigms of restorative or retributive justice. Stephan Parmentier developed the TARR-III model, introducing a dialogical approach as a potential method to address crimes of this calibre, which is also the theoretical framework for the current research. Chi-square tests of independence with an accompanying measure of association t-tests, and logistic regression analysis were utilized to assess respondent’s perceptions … Read more