Liste complète
La lecture de ces thèses nécessite une redirection vers le site du dépôt institutionnel.
-
2019 — Utilizing Oil-Soluble Tracers to Evaluate the Production Profile in Multistage Fractured Horizontal WellsRésumé
Multistage hydraulic fracturing along a horizontal well is the key to effectively recover hydrocarbon from tight reservoirs. Improving the hydrocarbon recovery requires detailed production information of each hydraulic fracture. Chemical watersoluble tracers are often used to calculate the production profile from multistage fracturing through tracer flow back test. Unlike conventional water-soluble tracers that are in the form of a liquid, oil-soluble tracers are embedded in the porous media and absorbed on the surfaces of solid carrier particulates. The unique characteristic of oilsoluble tracers is that the tracer will only be released from its carrier particulate when oil passes through and … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Development of Experimental and Modelling Approaches to Characterize Noise Reduction Capability of Porous MaterialsRésumé
Porous materials have been recognized as effective materials for noise reduction and noise control. It is also recognized that numerous inherent and external factors may affect the noise reduction properties of porous materials. The research of this dissertation aims to develop innovative experimental and modelling approaches to analyze the noise reduction capability of porous materials under different conditions and to study the main factors affecting the noise reduction capability of porous materials. The impact of material age on noise reduction properties of porous materials is first studied, and a Nested Ensemble Filtering (NEF) approach is proposed for parameter estimation and … Lire la suite
-
2019 — The Impact of Cognitive Distortions on Negative Social Comparisons and Depressive Symptoms: Six-Month Longitudinal StudyRésumé
Depression is a debilitating mental disorder associated with impairment in social, family, and educational functioning, along with higher rates of comorbid anxiety disorders, poorer physical health, and a decrease in overall quality of life. The predictive cognitive model of depression states that negative cognitions may increase the risk of developing depression. However, there remains a lack of longitudinal studies examining whether baseline negative cognitions predict follow-up levels of depression. Consistent with the cognitive theory of depression, biased interpretations of the external world may be associated with increased negative social comparisons among individuals with a vulnerability to depression, which may in … Lire la suite
-
2019 — New Multivariate Zero-Inflated Beta-Binomial DistributionRésumé
The multivariate zero-inflated beta-binomial model is significantly important for modelling and analyzing multivariate proportional data with extra zeros. Comparing with the binomial model, the beta-binomial model is a better alternative for explicitly accounting for over-dispersion, and zero-inflated model has a better performance on analyzing the data with excess zeros. For dealing with the data with over-dispersion and extra zeros together, zero-inflated beta-binomial model is created. Likelihood- based inferences procedures include the induction of estimating parameters of the MZIBB model via Newton-Raphson algorithm, Fisher scoring algorithm, and EM algorithm. The score test and likelihood ratio test are derived for testing the … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Comparison of the Power Properties of Tests Based on the Confidence Intervals for the Ratio of Binomial ProportionsRésumé
The problem of comparison of Bernoulli trials success probabilities is a topic in biological and medical investigations. In this thesis, we identify the sample scheme that provides the best accuracy for the point estimation for the ratio of probabilities. Suppose that X_1,X_2,… and Y_1,Y_2,… are two independent sequences of Bernoulli random variables, where the probabilities of success are p_1 and p_2 individually. The observations are done according to the sequential sampling schemes with Markov stopping times ν_1 and ν_2. From the results of observations X^((ν_1))=(X_1,…,X_(ν_1 )) and Y^((ν_2))=(Y_1,…,Y_(ν_2 )), it is necessary to identify the most accurate method of estimation … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Produced Water Treament Using DAF With a Mixture of Ionic Liquids and Organoclay as Pre-treatment ChemicalsRésumé
With climate change ever still a focal point of discussion among the world leaders, amidst the growing interest in carbon capture, now than ever before, it has become more imperative to engage in not only innovative ways to treat water globally but also cost effective too, in order to ensure the sustainability, global acceptance and utilization of the process. The average production of water to oil in oil producing well is currently estimated at a ratio of 3:1 in favour of water, this number is estimated to rise to as high 12:1 in the next decade. Hence the onus is … Lire la suite
-
2019 — An Approach for Building and Querying Linked DatasetsRésumé
The World Wide Web (WWW) was first envisioned as a global web of linked documents and it is now becoming a global web of linked data. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) uses the term semantic web1 to refer to this new vision. This thesis is focused on building linked datasets from data which may not be fully accessible on the web. Once transformed into linked datasets, the public is more able to use and query the data. Various semantic web technologies for handling data are used in this thesis. These technologies includeWeb Ontology Language (OWL) for describing the semantics … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Subproduct and Product Systems of C* - AlgebrasRésumé
This thesis initiates the theory of Tsirelson C -subproduct and product systems on a solid basis of results, which extends Arveson's theory of product systems of Hilbert spaces, with emphasis on Tsirelson's two parameter version of product systems of Hilbert spaces. Within we prove that every Tsirelson C -subproduct system admits a Bhat-type dilation to a Tsirelson C -product system, analogous to the Bhat dilation of a conservative quantum dynamical semigorup to an E0-semigroup. We also construct the universal C -algebra of an arbitrary unital Tsirelson C -subproduct system that, together with its associated quantum L evy process, reflect the … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Lithofacies Attributes, Depositional Environments, Biostratigraphy and Cyclicity of the Lockhart Limestone, Upper Indus Basin, Northern PakistanRésumé
The Indian Subcontinent contained a wide shallow marine continental shelf during most of the Paleocene and Eocene epochs before its collision with Eurasia. The Indus Basin formed the Pakistani portion of the subcontinent where carbonate deposition was prominent. The Lockhart Limestone is among the carbonate-dominated lithologic units developed in the Indus Basin. The latter has been divided into sub-basins due to the tectonic disturbance related to the Indian-Eurasian collision. In the northern part of the Indus Basin, the sub-basins Kohat, Potwar and Hazara constitute the upper Indus Basin. The study area is located in the Potwar and Hazara sub-basins. The … Lire la suite
-
2019 — "Big Damn Heroes": Zoe Washburn and the Evolution of the Warrior Women in FireflyRésumé
This thesis explores the evolution of science fiction television in the United States alongside the disruption of the third wave of feminism as a result of the turn to patriotism and nationalism following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Specifically, I look at the subgenre of space opera, examining how presentations of women characters have changed throughout the subgenre’s history. Where women once occupied juvenile roles such as a damsel in distress, as is the case in Captain Video and His Video Rangers (1949-1955) and Tom Corbet, Space Cadet (1950-1955), they now embody more complex and multifaceted characters. I specifically … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Unconventionality in Thomas Gainsborough's Portrait of Henry Scott: Rethinking the Representation of Dogs as Rational Subjects in Eighteenth-Century British PortraitureRésumé
This thesis reconsiders the perception and status of pets in eighteenth-century Britain through an analysis of the unconventional modes of representation in Thomas Gainsborough’s portrait of Henry Scott, Third Duke of Buccleuch. By examining the social attitudes towards pets in eighteenth-century Britain, this thesis discusses the elevated status of dogs in Britain’s early modern visual culture, which offers new possibilities for understanding the complex and sympathetic relationship between owners and their pets. By reconstructing the identity of the Dandie Dinmont dog in Gainsborough’s portrait of Henry Scott, this thesis provides an alternative narrative for the painting in which the dog … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Does Exercise Prevent Exacerbation of Anxiety-Related Vulnerability Factors Following An Analogue Stressor: A Randomized Controlled TrialRésumé
The most common mental disorders are anxiety-related disorders (Andlin-Sobocki & Wittchen, 2005). The diathesis-stress model of psychopathology explains that stressors interact with vulnerability factors to influence the development of anxiety-related disorders (Monroe & Simmons, 1991); therefore, modifying vulnerability factors before a stressor occurs may reduce or prevent anxiety. Researchers have observed significant reductions in anxiety-related vulnerability factors following as little as a single session of exercise (Asmundson et al., 2013), suggesting exercise effectively targets vulnerability factors. Research is needed to investigate whether exercise interventions implemented prior to a stressful event can target anxiety-related vulnerability factors, thereby protecting against future anxiety … Lire la suite
-
2019 — The Cosmopolitan Traveler: Rendering Self and Coming Out Through A/R/Tographic VloggingRésumé
Learning about the self in relation to the world assists educators in making a positive impact in and out of the classroom. Learning to love the world, love the self, and love the relationship with the world is important and emphasizes a celebration of differences, in ourselves and those around us. The purpose of this a/r/tographic (artist/researcher/teacher) study, which is organized by Irwin’s conceptual renderings, is to develop a deeper understanding of how perspectives of the self may be altered by having experiences of solitude through extended solo travel and documented by video blogs. The study took place in Sydney … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Long-Term Effects of Forest Harvesting on Habitat Use By Insectivorous BatsRésumé
The short-term effects of forest harvesting on forest-dwelling bats have received considerable attention. However, knowledge about the long-term effects are also essential to better conserve forest-dwelling bat populations in North America. As vegetation regenerates over time post-harvest, changes created by harvesting (e.g., cutblocks and forest edges) will blur and eventually disappear with natural forest regrowth. Long-term effects of forest harvesting could thus differ from short-term effects on forest-dwelling bat species. To evaluate changes in habitat use by an insectivorous bat community in response to forest harvesting over time, I repeated a study (Grindal and Brigham 1999) conducted near Nelson, British … Lire la suite
-
2019 — ONISITOOTUMOWIN KEHTE-AYAK (The Understanding of the Old Ones) Of Healing from AddictionRésumé
Colonization and assimilation processes deteriorated access to maskihkiy (medicine) that act as protective factors to help work toward pimatisiwin (in a good way/good life). Exposure to generational trauma and layers of racism may be considered disruptive factors metaphorically depicted as maci-maskihkiy (bad medicine). These disruptive factors create achak (spirit) distress that is expressed through addiction. Using Indigenous methodologies to decolonize addiction research, knowledge about healing was constructed with five Indigenous Kehte-ayak (Old Ones, knowledge keepers) who answered the question, What do Kehte-ayak have to say about the relevance of harmonizing Indigenous ceremonial practices and western-based treatment approaches to meet inherent … Lire la suite
-
2019 — A Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Wave Generated by Submerged LandslidesRésumé
The Weakly-Compressible Moving Particle Semi-implicit (WC-MPS) approach is applied to investigate the wave propagation and the flow fields from sliding blocks. Two bed inclined slope angles at 40° and 50° are used to obtain the experimental results. Existing studies have focused on an inclination slope of 45°. The characteristics of the free surface at the two specific angles of 40° and 50° have yet to be examined in detail, where 50° is the maximum angle in the experimentation. Sliding blocks are released under water and the top edges are parallel to the water surface. The simulation results are compared to … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Inconsistency of Statistical Tests to Discriminate Lifetime Distributions and lines of Indistinguishabilty in Uniform MetricRésumé
The lifetime of a product can be measured in miles, hours, cycles or any other metric that applies to the success of a particular product. The lifetime distribution method is widely used in the engineering and biomedical applications; In this thesis, I focus on the three most commonly used lifetime distributions: Gamma distribution, Weibull distribution, and Generalized Exponential distribution. Although all three distributions have successfully served as population models for evaluating the lifetime of product, they have different characteristics. Therefore, it is necessary to distinguish the correct model specifications in the lifetime analysis. My thesis investigates the inconsistency of the … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Disaggregated Modeling of Environmental and Economic Systems of Supporting the Development of Greenhouse Gas Mitigation PoliciesRésumé
Global climate change has emerged as one of the most challenging environmental issues and has gained considerable attention worldwide. Greenhouse Gas (GHG) mitigation policies are needed to avoid the increasing risks of climate change on the environment, human health, and the economy. A wide variety of factors have an influence on the level of GHG emissions, and one of the most important factors is the production and consumption of energy. Energy systems have close relationships with a variety of economic and environmental activities. Therefore, to support effective GHG mitigation policy-making, advanced methodologies are needed to understand the entire system and … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Incorporating Three-Way Email Spam Filtering With Game-Theoretic Rough SetsRésumé
Email spam filtering commonly is viewed as binary classification problem, that is, classifies incoming email messages into spam or non-spam email. But it has two main limitations. Firstly, binary classification needs people to make definite decisions that are hard. Secondly, binary classification leads to high misclassification rate. Decreasing rate of misclassifying legitimate email to spam may cause the increasing rate of misclassifying spam to legitimate email. Three-way email spam filtering can reduce the misclassification by dividing incoming email messages into three folders, i.e., a spam folder containing email messages which are junk, an inbox or a legitimate folder containing email … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Simultaneous Interpretation of Permeability and Capillary Pressure From Wireline Formation Testing MeasurementsRésumé
As for designing its appropriate development scheme, it is crucial to accurately determine petrophysical properties (e.g., absolute and relative permeability) of a hydrocarbon reservoir, both of which can be traditionally determined either by performing steady-state or unsteady-state experiments or by conducting conventional well tests. However, the laboratory method is time-consuming and its measurements may not be representative for the field-scale cases. Since the conventional well testing theories are based on single-phase flow, it is a challenging task to accurately obtain relative permeability for multiple phases in porous media. Alternatively, flow rates together with pressure responses collected from a wireline formation … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Predictive Modelling of Extreme Values in Unbalanced Panel DataRésumé
This thesis aims at predictive modelling of a two-sided, heavy-tailed data under a mixture model setting. A robust regression method is used to fit the main body, while the peaks-over-threshold method is employed to select the tails or the extreme events. Based on the extreme value theory, the tails are modelled with Pareto or exponential distributions. For the estimation of the tail distributions, the Bayesian maximum a posterior estimation (MAP) with conjugate priors is used to smooth the maximum likelihood estimates (MLEs). With regard to each of the two tail, the MAP approach leads to two optimization problems for the … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Development of Factorial Multi-Stage Programming Methods for Water resources Management Under UncertaintyRésumé
Rapid population growth and socio-economic development have caused increasing demands for water resources. In addition, issues of water scarcity and pollution are intensifying. The increasing scarcity of water could spark conflict among water users. It is increasingly important to develop rational and optimum water resources management strategies to support sustainable development at all levels – from national to regional. In water resources management systems, uncertainty exists in many system parameters, and the dynamic features of these systems create more challenges for such management. Therefore, making the best use of limited water resources is desired to facilitate sustainable regional development. In … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Variation in Tree Growth and Vascular Formation Across A Water-Limited Forest Landscape From 1951 to 2016Résumé
Tree growth in sub-humid forests is influenced by environmental conditions that may differ across local topographic gradients. My study investigated how the growth of two conifer species (Pinus contorta var. latifolia and Picea glauca) varied across a range of habitats in a water-limited island forest landscape in western Canada. Historical precipitation from 1951-2016 had a positive overall effect on annual radial growth (as measured by tree rings), but the magnitude of this effect varied with proximity to a permanent water source and tree size. Mean annual precipitation had a greater positive influence on the growth of larger trees and on … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Knowledge Mobilization: Local Community Engagement, Sustainability, and Adaptive GovernanceRésumé
The thesis is devoted to studying ecomuseums’ role in advancing sustainability practices in communities, as well as the role of communities and ecomuseums in gathering and preserving knowledge about local heritage. The value proposition of the research is to recognize the ecomuseums’ social, cultural, and economic potential in Saskatchewan, as well as propose policy recommendations to improve their role for the provincial development. As partnerships formed by communities, academic institutions, and ecomuseums influence and facilitate local decision-making, it is also essential to focus on the practices of adaptive governance to implement sustainability initiatives and contribute to local knowledge mobilization. The … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Dynamics of River-Sediment Delivery and Turbidity Current Flow Observed in Lillooet Lake, British ColumbiaRésumé
A study linking sediment-discharge dynamics and lake-bottom properties to plunging river flow was undertaken at Lillooet Lake, British Columbia. This study was initiated to understand the dynamics of turbidity currents that plunge off the front of the Lillooet-Green River delta and how those factors have an influence on turbidity current development. Understanding how turbidity currents behave is important to understanding the sedimentary budget and hydrology of lakes and reservoirs. To achieve the objectives of understanding how sediment-discharge dynamics and lake-bottom properties influence the development of turbidity currents in Lillooet Lake, field monitoring was undertaken for 10 days in July 2015. … Lire la suite
-
2019 — A Pain Self-Management Program for Older Adults: Online vs. Workbook DeliveryRésumé
The treatment for chronic pain continues to be a challenge, for clinicians and those suffering, because the complete exclusion of pain is seldom attainable for any considerable period of time. If treated ineffectively, the emotional consequences of pain, including psychological comorbidities, can increase considerably. It is well documented that severe pain is more common in older adults than it is younger persons. Of concern, older adults may not have access to traditional face-to-face self-management programs, which are recognized to be valuable in chronic pain management. Access to effective self-management approaches is particularly challenging for older adults who have mobility limitations … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Victimology and Trauma Studies: Bridging Perspectives in a Landscape of PracticeRésumé
Victimology as a field of study remains largely undeveloped at Canadian degreegranting institutions. In 2019 there are no degree programs leading to major or minor concentrations in the academic study of victimology in Canada. There was one certificate program offered at the Université de Montréal where the language of instruction is French. The disciplinary maturity of victimology is likely to rely on a willingness on the part of stakeholders within a landscape of practice to work collaboratively and discriminately on program development, so that the pressing needs for education are met. Participants in the study, Victimology and Trauma Studies – … Lire la suite
-
2019 — The Root of Respect: Perspectives on Ethical Life on Dobu, Papua New GuineaRésumé
This thesis is an analysis of the concept of amayaba (“respect”) as it is understood by Dobu Islanders of the Massim Region of Papua New Guinea. I argue that the meaning of amayaba is integrally tied to the concepts alamai’ita (“self-control”), paisewa (“work”), and oboboma (“generosity”), as well as to Dobuan understandings of relational personhood. The main source of ethnographic data for this thesis is Susanne Kuehling’s Dobuan research. Unlike Kuehling I position amayaba at the center of my analysis. While amayaba is a subsidiary element of her explorations of Dobuan social life, my thesis takes amayaba as its focal … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Indigenous adoptees' experiences of racism in transracial adoption in Saskatchewan: Discovering truth and being authenicRésumé
Transracial adoption in Canada, part of the child welfare system, has adversely affected Indigenous people’s families and communities for generations. The purpose of this project is to examine and analyze the experiences of racism for Indigenous adoptees who were transracially adopted into non-Indigenous homes in Saskatchewan between 1960 to1985. Using critical race and Indigenous theoretical frameworks, the methodology for the study includes dialogical and phenomenological approaches and analysis to examine the experiences of four adoptees. The findings indicate that the experiences of racism are painful, life-long, and profound for adoptees in this study. There is value in sharing the experiences … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Parent/Guardian Voices: Experiences and Perspectives of Parents of Children With ExceptionalitiesRésumé
In this constructivist grounded theory thesis, I explore the experiences and perspectives of parents and guardians of children with exceptionalities in Saskatchewan. As a classroom teacher and student services teacher for over twenty years, my goal was to better understand the experiences, concerns and opinions of participants. Additionally, I wanted to learn whether or not participants valued inclusion, and find out what their opinions were regarding effective strategies for teaching their children. I interviewed seventeen participants with a total of twenty-one children with exceptionalities among them. I found that most participants did indeed value inclusion. Additional categories that frequently arose … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Dispersion Phenomena of Solutes and Particles and Their Applications in Porous MediaRésumé
Due to the special features, nanoparticles have seen various applications from drilling and completion as well as reservoir characterization to enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Not only does dispersion dominate solute and particle transport in both aquifers and hydrocarbon reservoirs, but also it imposes a significant impact on oil recovery during either chemical flooding or miscible gas injection processes for the injected agents. Considering the inherent heterogeneity and complex flow behaviour in porous media, therefore, it is of fundamental and practical importance to accurately describe dispersion of solutes and particles (including nanoparticles) in a uniform parallel-plate fracture and a circular tube. … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Magdaleena: Reconstructing and Redirecting the 'Dominant Gaze'Résumé
Experimental filmmaking, expanded cinema, art films and gallery installations are all terms that are used to describe cinematic work that moves away from its conventional form and towards something unexpected and engaging. Magdaleena is an MFA research project that uses the form of expanded cinema to explore the act of looking and the act of being looked at. The cinematic gaze has been defined by theorists such as Laura Mulvey and Richard Dyer as ‘male gaze’ and ‘white gaze’. Following Dyer’s and Mulvey’s definitions, I will analyze the power relationships hidden in the act of looking, which I describe as … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Spatial and Temporal Assessments of Zooplankton Community and Stable Isotope Indicators: Developing A Predictive Understanding of Ecological Dynamics In Boreal LakesRésumé
Developing a predictive understanding of processes that regulate lake ecosystem dynamics is crucial in the face of environmental perturbations affecting boreal western Canada, particularly atmospheric pollutant deposition from oil sands operations in Alberta and climate change. Based on spatial and temporal analyses of zooplankton communities and their δ13C and δ15N values, my research sought to 1) assess the biological responses to climate and industrial deposition and 2) develop a holistic understanding of regulatory processes of these indicator dynamics to better assess future impacts. First, a spatial assessment of 97 lakes detected significant correlations of zooplankton community composition to environmental gradients … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) Measurement Using Intelligent Systems TechniquesRésumé
Progressively, Intelligent Systems (IS) techniques have been used to reduce the uncertainty in complex problems. Because Intelligent Systems can be taught and predict the results, operations’ knowledge can be implemented into the systems. This Thesis is related to the application of Intelligent Systems to the solution of real-world problems, and it intends to estimate the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) by using Intelligent Systems techniques. EOQ is the maximum number of inventories to be ordered at the time to minimize the company’s total costs of ordering, carrying, shortage and holding costs. There are some mathematical methods to calculate EOQ, but there … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Examining Initial Perception of Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Through Lens of Attutinal Structural, and Computer BarriersRésumé
Interned Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (ICBT) for depressive and anxiety symptoms provides flexibility, decrease in labour intensity, and improved cost-effectiveness. Understanding barriers to interest in ICBT is beneficial to effectively inform policy with regards to expanding this innovative therapeutic approach. To our knowledge no research has been conducted to look at the relationship between barriers and interest in ICBT. The objective of this study was to understand associations between common attitudinal and structural barriers, and ICBT-specific barriers on interest in ICBT as well as to understand direct and mediating association of barriers with interest in ICBT. This cross-sectional observational study was … Lire la suite
-
2019 — The Influence of Scoring Parameters on Precision-Based AdaBoostRésumé
Many problems in data science involve classification, i.e., dividing a dataset into dif- ferent predefined classes. Such classification problems are often solved with machine learning techniques. Using a combination of classifiers in an ensemble is an effective method to improve the accuracy of the individual classifiers' predictions. AdaBoost, a popular ensemble-based approach, combines the votes of classifiers by assigning weights to their predictions based on the classifiers' overall accuracy. A modifica- tion of AdaBoost's weighting scheme is precision-based AdaBoost, which scores the classifiers based on their accuracy in predicting specific classes, rather than their to- tal accuracy. Even though this … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Higher Rank Numerical Ranges for Certain Non-Normal MatricesRésumé
This thesis undertakes the study of higher rank numerical ranges for certain non-normal matrices, namely direct sums of Jordan blocks, and direct sums of the form (Jordan Block plus scalar multiple of the identity). The higher rank numerical range of a normal matrix is well-understood, but little is known in general, other than the fact that it is always compact and convex. Our main goal is to study the geometric behavior of the higher rank numerical ranges of certain non-normal matrices. In this thesis we show that the higher rank numerical ranges for the direct sums of Jordan blocks with … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Power Function for the Test For Distinguishing Gamma and Weibull Distribution FamiliesRésumé
In other to satisfy his customers, the manufacturer will like to ascertain the lifetime distribution of his products for reliability. Hence, the importance of determining the lifetime distribution of the product for the purpose of locating and removing the defect in time and also examine the product reliability. The purpose of my research is to construct statistical tests to test two main prob- ability models in reliability theory which consist of model of aging and deterioration- (Gamma distribution) and model of weak link (Weibull distribution). Some asymp- totically locally most powerful test will be constructed to distinguish between the two … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Experiences of Black African Formal Caregivers to Older Adults: A Qualitative StudyRésumé
This qualitative study explored the experiences of Black African formal caregivers to older adults in Saskatchewan. A purposeful sample of 20 participants from the Black African formal caregiving population was accrued from within Saskatchewan. Using qualitative descriptive approach by Sandelowski (2000, 2010) that included face-to-face interviews, the experiences of Black African formal caregivers in Saskatchewan were explored. Five themes emerged from the data including core values and fundamentals of care provided to older adults by Black African formal caregivers, provision of basic care to older adults, ancillary care, the impact of older adults with dementia on Black African formal caregivers, … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Reaction Kinetics and Reactor Modelling For Crude Glycerol Autothermal Reforming to Hydrogen Rich GasRésumé
Biomass as a source of hydrogen production has gained great cognizance amongst researchers. The growing trend of energy is geared towards renewable energy sources for which crude glycerol serves as a viable source for hydrogen production. The most widely studied feedstock for hydrogen production is methane (CH4). In this work, crude glycerol which is a bi product in biodiesel production is considered because it produces higher number of moles of hydrogen than methane and also, adds up to the effective use of crude glycerol as a source of hydrogen. The kinetics for this system was studied over S/C ratio of … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Factors Influencing Entrepreneurship Development In Nigeria: The Role of LearningRésumé
Entrepreneurship has been positioned as a panacea to the economic development challenges facing Nigeria. Subsequent Nigerian governments have sought to foster a vibrant entrepreneurial class by investing in entrepreneurship education at the tertiary level. While that investment has yielded increased levels of entrepreneurial participation, it has had limited impact in terms of entrepreneurial business growth. Thus, there emerges a need to understand what factors influence entrepreneurial business growth in Nigeria and how successful Nigerian entrepreneurs learn to grow their businesses to inform future national human resource development (NHRD) policy. Consequently, this study explored how successful entrepreneurs in Nigeria learn to … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Solvent-Assisted Water Pressure Cycling (SA-WPC) in a Thin Heavy Oil ReservoirRésumé
In this thesis, different sequences of solvent injection and/or water injection were explored to study their performances as an improved oil recovery (IOR) and/or enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes in a thin heavy oil reservoir. In addition, the IOR/EOR processes were compared in terms of the heavy oil recovery factor (RF), cumulative gas‒oil ratio (cGOR) and cumulative water‒oil ratio (cWOR). In the experiments, the original heavy oil sample was collected from the Colony formations in Alberta, Canada. The colony heavy oil had a measured dead heavy oil viscosity and density of μo = 33,876 cP and ρo = 0.992 g/cm3 … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Numerical Modelling of Ground Penetrating Radar for Potash Mine SafetyRésumé
This thesis presents a software tool which simulates the geological stratigraphy of a potash mine which is then used with gprMax (public domain Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) simulation software) to examine and evaluate the effectiveness of auto-picking algorithms. The system is used to simulate the GPR response from clay seams in the roof of potash mining rooms. As it is extremely onerous to obtain in-situ data that captures all possible normal and anomalous geological conditions present in the mine roof, earth models are generated which accurately represents the geology of the mine. In particular, random clays in the mine roof … Lire la suite
-
2019 — On the Development of Deep Convolutional Sum-Product NetworksRésumé
A probabilistic graphical model (PGM) is a formal mathematical description of a problem domain. A Bayesian network (BN) is a PGM defined by a directed acyclic graph (DAG) and a set of conditional probability tables (CPTs). Two tasks can be employed when reasoning about a problem expressed as a BN: modeling and inference. In modeling, we want to express the problem domain as a DAG in which indepen- dencies among the variables involved can be read. There are two main algorithms for testing independencies from a BN DAG, namely, d-separation and m-separation. In this thesis, we begin by introducing Darwinian … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Techno-Economic Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment of Large Scale Biogas to Methanol ProductionRésumé
The development of renewable energy products is essential as the world progresses toward sustainability. Renewables are energy collected from sources, which are filled naturally on a human scale. On the other hand, it is impossible to renew non-renewable energy sources only after several hundred million years, leading to many problems, including but not limited to environmental contamination, issues in public health, rising costs and their enduring lifetime. For example, after several hundred million years, when the earth's supplies of fossil fuel get exhausted, it cannot be renewed. This study focused on a techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment of using … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Vulcanoids: An Examination of the Intra-Mercurial RegionRésumé
A review and discussion of the historical and modern ideas pertaining to the vulcanoid region of our solar system, and the theoretical asteroid population therein is presented here. Current observations constrain the maximum possible vulcanoid object size to somewhere between 5 and 10 km in diameter. Any object larger than this located within the putative vulcanoid zone, the region 0.06 AU to 0.25 AU away from the sun, should have been observed in past observations. With this in mind any modern day vulcanoid population would be small in number and size, but as yet, there is no compelling reason to … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Perceptions Of and Preference For Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Among Post-Secondary StudentsRésumé
Background: Post-secondary students experience elevated rates of mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression. These mental health concerns often contribute to the stress experienced by students, and interfere with social and academic functioning. Most colleges and universities have some form of mental health support for students, often in the form of campus counselling centers. However, these services often offer a limited number of sessions per student and are reported to have difficulties meeting the mental health demands of students. Students face several barriers when seeking psychological help, including stigma, lack of time, financial constraints, and perceptions that their mental health … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Applications of Synchrotron Radiation Techniques To The Study Of Taphonomic Alterations and Preservation in FossilsRésumé
Fossils have traditionally been seen as sedimentary rocks that preserve little of the original composition of animals, except for their shapes, and perhaps some original material from recalcitant mineralized structures, such as bones, and teeth. However, recent studies have shown that not the case. Researchers have identified preserved organic molecules, such as collagen and melanosomes, as well as mineralized soft tissues, including feathers, muscle tissue and skin, tens of millions of years after the animal's death. These results have improved our understanding of extinct species, and have been obtained using a variety of characterization techniques, including the synchrotron-based approaches that … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Informing the Development of an Internet-delivered Mental Health Program for Youth with Cystic Fibrosis: A Qualitative StudyRésumé
Youth with cystic fibrosis (CF) and their parent caregivers have been shown to experience elevated psychological symptoms. The need to address these issues through providing appropriate information and services to this population is evident. At present, there is no specific mental health program designed for youth with CF in Canada. The current study qualitatively examined the information and service needs of youth with CF. Participants (n = 16) included five youth with CF (Mage = 9.40, SD = 1.01), seven parent caregivers (Mage = 36.43, SD = 3.46), and four CF health care professionals (Mage = 44.00, SD = 10.46) … Lire la suite
-
2019 — Children’s Mathematics Anxiety and Their Arithmetic Fluency: How Do Teachers and Parents Play A Role In Their Development?Résumé
The acquisition of mathematical skills in elementary school has an important role in future academic and professional success. These skills depend not only on cognitive abilities but also on emotional factors, such as mathematics anxiety (MA). MA is defined as feelings of tension that “interfere with the manipulation of numbers and the solving of mathematics problems in a wide variety of ordinary life and academic situations” (Richardson & Suinn, 1972). Once formed, MA is difficult to change and can persist well into adulthood. This is concerning as MA is negatively correlated with mathematics performance (MP). Aside from MA, little research … Lire la suite