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2021 — Picturing Wonderland: Filming Fantasy in Adaptations of Carroll's Alice StoriesRésumé
The purpose of this thesis is to provide a corrective to recent approaches to fantasy in adaptation studies that focus on sayable ideas to the detriment of the experience of fantasy as such. A key figure in the definition and exploration of different modes of fantasy is Tzvetan Todorov, and it is via Todorov’s work that I attempt to rethink the study of fantasy in the context not of literature but of cinematic adaptations of literature. Specifically, I use cinematic adaptations of Lewis Carroll’s foundational fantasy novels Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There … Lire la suite
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2021 — Oxidative Degradation of Diethanolamine Solvent Induced By Nitrogen Dioxide and Dissolved Materials in Post-Combustion Capture of CO2 From Industrial Exhaust Gas StreamsRésumé
Solvent degradation is a serious and well-known operational problem in the postcombustion CO2 capture process using amine-based solvents. It is caused by undesired side reactions between the amine and flue gas impurities such as oxygen, nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur oxides (SOx), and fly ash particulate, resulting in a significant decrease in performance and efficiency as well as an increase in operational costs for solvent management. In addition, there are human and environmental concerns regarding the emergence of carcinogenic compounds, N-nitrosamines, which are contributed by the reaction between secondary amines and NOx in the flue gas. Moreover, heavy metalcontaining compounds from … Lire la suite
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2021 — The Zero-Truncated Poisson-Weighted Exponential Distribution with ApplicationsRésumé
This research proposes a new distribution for non-zero count data, namely the zero-truncated Poisson-weighted exponential distribution (ZTPWE). The Poisson- weighted exponential distribution(P-WE) has been proved to be a flexible two-parameter distribution; therefore, Zero-truncated models can be used to investigate data with- out zero counts. The combination of two such methods will be discussed in two parts. In the first part (the theoretical part), the probability mass function is derived from two methods. Then theoretical properties of the zero-truncated Poisson weighted exponential distribution are discussed: such as probability generating function, moment generating function, characteristic function, and moments. Furthermore, the method of … Lire la suite
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2021 — Spatial and Temporal Variations in Composition and P-T Conditions of Ore-Forming Fluids Along Structures Controlling Unconformity-Related Uranium Deposits in the Athatbasca Basin, SaskatchewanRésumé
Unconformity-related uranium (URU) deposits in the Athabasca Basin occur within certain segments of basement-rooted reverse faults near the basin-basement unconformity. It is widely accepted that these deposits formed through interaction between oxidized basinal fluids and reduced basement-derived fluids or reducing lithologies. However, the factors that control localization of orebodies within limited areas along the structures remain to be determined. This study tackles this problem by examining the spatial and temporal variation of composition and pressure-temperature conditions of ore-forming fluids along two major URU-controlling structures, the Patterson Lake corridor (PLC) in the southwestern margin of the basin and the P2 fault … Lire la suite
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2021 — Deep Learning Based Vehicle Pose Estimation and Truck Body Type Classification Using a Perspective CameraRésumé
Recently, image-based metric measurement and development of traffic surveillance systems have attracted wide interests within academia and industry as computer vision and processing power have advanced. Utilization of camera vision is gaining attention in this realm, as it is unobtrusive. Despite remarkable progress in vision-based monitoring systems for vehicle detection and image-based metric measurements, most of the research have focused on images taken from the side, the rear, or the front of the vehicle in a structured environment. Furthermore, they typically adopt the conventional image processing techniques to extract physical information, which are not robust to lighting and weather variations. … Lire la suite
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2021 — Exploring Contextual Factors and Trainee Characteristics: A Mixed Methods Study on Transfer of TrainingRésumé
Developing strategies for the successful transfer of knowledge, skills and attitudes from a training and development program to the workplace remains a key challenge facing organizations, including those operating in developing countries such as Pakistan. Studies have found that in general employees transfer less than 10% of the training they acquire to their workplaces (Georgenson, 1982; Kelly, 1982; McGuire, 2014). McGuire argues that one of the reasons for the low rate of transfer of training relates to the isolated and peripheral nature of the training function and the fact that transfer of training is not built into the training program. … Lire la suite
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2021 — The Portrayal of Central American Migrants in North American Media: A Critical Discourse AnalysisRésumé
In Fall 2018, the mass migration of Central American migrant caravans from their home countries heading northbound to the US-Mexico border in a quest to seek asylum gained international attention. Faced with unimaginable threats, due to the imposition of neoliberal ideology that forced their migration, the asylum seekers were met by the United States’ border patrol with racist immigration policies, unlawful detention and other oppressive measures that render the United States unsuitable for resettlement. Using critical discourse analysis, the purpose of this study is to analyse how North American media discourses published since the crisis commenced in October 2018 until … Lire la suite
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2021 — Improving Data Driven Canadian Waste Management Policy Using GIS, Remote Sensing, and Other Advanced TechniquesRésumé
Data-driven techniques are vital to improve the efficiency of waste management systems in Canada and around the world. Canadians generated 935.6 kg/cap of waste in 2016 and spent $3.3 billion to manage this waste. This research aims to solve problems related to waste region optimization and landfill siting. Specifically, this research develops topologies for regional waste management systems and analyzes specific features of preexisting regionalized and non-regionalized systems to increase system efficiencies. Methods including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing (RS), spatial statistics, and data science are incorporated to inform data driven policies in waste management. First, a novel recursive … Lire la suite
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2021 — Dynamics of Forest-Grassland Boundaries in Cypress Hills Interprovincial ParkRésumé
My research evaluated the rate and nature of forest expansion within the Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park in western Canada, where it is currently a topic of management interest. I analyzed historical aerial photographs to estimate the rate and pattern of forest expansion over two time intervals (1970s-1990s and 1990s-2018). Using aerial laser scanning (ALS), I assessed canopy height and canopy cover in newly established forested areas. From field transects, I measured the density of tree regeneration outwards from the forest edge and assessed its relationship to grazing activity. The estimated rate of forest expansion was slower in the second time … Lire la suite
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2021 — The Effects of Parental Environment and Embryonic Temperature on Thermal and Hypoxia Stress Responsses, and Thermal Tolerance in Early Life State Lake Whitefish (Coregonus Clupeaformis)Résumé
Warming environmental conditions and increased temperature fluctuations associated with climate change or other anthropogenic processes can detrimentally impact fish development and survival. However, these stressors can be mitigated via protective cellular responses. My research aimed to determine how parental environmental history and embryonic thermal history influence thermal tolerance, the heat shock response (HSR), and the hypoxia stress response in early life stage lake whitefish. The HSR is characterized by an upregulation of heat shock proteins. Similarly, the hypoxia stress response is characterized by an upregulation of hypoxia-related genes. Embryos derived from parents from three geographically separate lakes were either exposed … Lire la suite
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2021 — Effects of Lignite Fly Ash on the Degradative Pathways of Aqueous Amine SolventsRésumé
The investigation of the catalysis of the side reactions that affect alkanolamine solvents used in post-combustion carbon capture has been focused on dissolved metals present alongside them. These metals enter the process by way of suspended fly ash present in flue gas from coal-fired power stations. Once present in the solution, they dissolve to produce soluble metal species, which interact with alkanolamine present. The fly ash is composed of aluminosilicate with metals interspersed throughout. The influence of the presence of fly ash in model solutions was investigated. It was found increase the degradation rate significantly, and products unique to this … Lire la suite
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2021 — Immune Modulating Peptide for the Suppression of Autoimmune Cells in Multiple SclerosisRésumé
Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic demyelinating inflammatory disease that causes symptoms ranging from fatigue to cerebellar ataxia. I propose a novel treatment for MS that targets the aberrant inflammatory cells directly in order to halt the progression of the disease. This protein complex will competitively bind to inflammatory cells that target the components of the central nervous system and subsequently eliminate them, thus eliminating the disease as it arises. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced mice were treated with 0.2 mL of trimeric protein at peak disease. Gait score was used to measure disease progression. The cerebellum was fixed, sectioned and stained … Lire la suite
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2021 — Spatial and Temporal Variation in Lake Huron Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens) Life History TraitsRésumé
Knowledge of fish population structure allows fisheries managers to account for potentially different responses of discrete groups to external stressors. Life history traits are very useful indicators of population structure because they provide information about fish populations that incorporates elements of genetics, environment, and resource use simultaneously. In Lake Huron, the yellow perch (Perca flavescens) is managed based on 17 geographic management units; however, it is unknown if management units accurately represent discrete perch groups. Furthermore, it is unclear whether yellow perch population structure changed temporally over the course of the major ecosystem shift in the early 2000s, where invasive … Lire la suite
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2021 — The Use of Clinical Testing Procedures in the Diagnosis of Motor Control Impairments Associated with Low Back PainRésumé
Background: The underlying causes of low back pain (LBP) have been proposed to be associated with motor control impairments that can result in compensatory movement and spinal instability. The Prone Hip Extension (PHE) Test and the Active Straight Leg Raise (ASLR) Test are clinical tools used to test for the presence of these motor control impairments. Movement and muscle activation patterns exhibited during these tests have been proposed to be representative of those employed during gait. Purpose: The purpose of this thesis was to determine the appropriateness of the PHE Test (Study 1) and ASLR Test (Study 2) in identifying … Lire la suite
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2021 — The End of the Policy Analyst? Testing the Capability of Artificial Intelligence to Generate Plausible, Persuasive, and Useful Policy AnalysisRésumé
Public servants provide support for decision makers through synthesis documents such as briefing notes. To develop recommendations for dealing with the problem, they use a variety of sources for research and analysis. This current research seeks to assess opportunities and challenges regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in public sector administration and policy development, focusing on whether AI can serve as a supplement and potential replacement for human policy analysts. The research questions focus on whether AI can plausibly ‘do’ policy analysis, support what human policy analysts currently do, and—based on those assessments—whether academia and governments need to reconsider … Lire la suite
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2021 — A Comprehensive Evaluation of Off-Gas Emissions From A Catalyst-Aided, Amine-Based, Post Combustion Capture of CO2 From Industrial Exhaust Gas StreamsRésumé
The major focus of all CO2 capture technologies is to reduce emission of CO2 which is undoubtedly one of the major greenhouse gases blamed for global warming. It is imperative to ensure that while we aim to capture CO2 to achieve the production of clean energy, other contaminants are not released into our environment, so as not to defeat the main purpose of ensuring the safety of the environment. In the amine-based, catalyst-aided post combustion capture of CO2 technology, amine degradation occurs, and the degradation products are present in both the liquid and gas phases. It is important to know … Lire la suite
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2021 — Exploring Social Learning in Yorkton Following the 2010, 2014 and 2016 FloodsRésumé
The objective of this study is to explore whether social learning has occurred in Yorkton following the flood events that the City experienced in 2010, 2014 and 2016. The study also aims to understand the factors that impacted social learning’s occurrence, its interrelation with the window of opportunity, and the outcomes that it produced. The data for this study came from 15 semi-structured interviews and 110 newspaper articles on the flood events and the infrastructure upgrades. The data showed that the flood experience and the interactions and communications between the City, the Council and the public have produced social learning. … Lire la suite
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2021 — A Deep Learning Based Approach for Canola and Weed Segmentation in Precision AgricultureRésumé
Weeds are unwanted plants that can be eliminated using herbicides. Traditionally, these herbicides are sprayed uniformly which consumes an unnecessary amount and leaves adverse e ects on the environment. We can signi cantly cut this usage by selective spraying. It can be achieved using a decision map produced using eld images. Firstly, for all the images, classi cation is performed at the pixel level in either crop or weed. Then, the percentage of each class is calculated. Finally, these percentages are mapped using Global Positioning System (GPS) locations to generate a nal decision map for selective spraying. This thesis focuses … Lire la suite
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2021 — The Rhythm of My HeartRésumé
This study explored music education outside of a public-school context. The intent of the study was to gain an understanding of the learning experiences of two professional drummers. Using the method of narrative inquiry, specifically biography, the study looked at how their learning experiences shaped their (w)holistic development as musicians. The study attempts to identify specific aspects of the drummers learning experiences that could benefit all music students. The study looked at two drummers; one is a traditional Indigenous drummer who learned to drum within traditional Indigenous culture. The second drummer learned to play percussion in a western music education … Lire la suite
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2021 — Health Profession Organizations in the Health Policy Process: A Comparative Case Study of Ontario and SaskatchewanRésumé
This dissertation examined the factors that contributed to the increase of the professional autonomy for the nursing, pharmacy, and dietetics in Ontario and Saskatchewan. Using concepts drawn from the literatures of medical dominance and professional autonomy, this study applied and modified the advocacy coalition framework to examine the complex network of medical knowledge and health stakeholders involved in this health policy subsystem. A comparative case study explored the institutions that shape PHC services within their provincial health care systems, as well as the political and social contexts that propelled the idea of expanding scopes of practice within PHC reform efforts. … Lire la suite
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2021 — Whose Responsibility is it to Address the Marginalized Economic Circumstances of Indigenous Canadians and Does Justice Following the Indian Residential School System Include Social Justice Reforms?Résumé
Indigenous Canadians experience disproportionate rates of economic marginalization compared to their non-Indigenous counterparts (Joseph & Joseph, 2019; Monchalin, 2016; Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada [TRC], 2015. This is just one of the many negative transgenerational outcomes that resulted from Canada’s Indian Residential School System (IRSS) (Helin, 2008; Monchalin, 2016; TRC, 2015). Addressing the economic circumstances of Indigenous peoples supports Canada’s journey towards reconciliation (Miller, 2017; TRC, 2015) and serves to benefit all Canadians (Fiscal Realities Economists, 2016; Helin, 2008). Grounded by the positivist paradigm, data were collected from University of Regina and Université de Montréal students regarding their perceptions … Lire la suite
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2021 — Central Canada's Patrick Riel: Metis Soldiers, English Canadian Settler Mythmaking, and the First World WarRésumé
This thesis examines myths surrounding First World War soldier Patrick Riel and argues that white Canadian settlers have created a variety of stories about Patrick Riel’s supposedly Métis identity. Settler-propagated stories about Patrick Riel started after his untimely death in January 1916. In a few short weeks, news of his death had made headlines across Canada. Several war promoters, including the famous Max Aitken (also known as Lord Beaverbrook) and such lesser-known figures as Walter Gordon and Reverend R. G. McBeth propagated myths about Patrick Riel. By 1917, they had turned Patrick Riel into a heroic Métis sharpshooter and a … Lire la suite
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2021 — Thermomechanical and Vibrational Fatigue Life Assessment of Railway WheelsRésumé
Rail wheel failures can lead to derailment of trains, cost lives and billions of dollars to the railway industry. Therefore, it is important to understand the failure behavior of critical components of the train, especially the ones which are exposed to extreme weather conditions. This understanding is much needed to develop effective risk management procedures. Most research studies in wheel fatigue life estimation did not account for structural, thermal and prestressed random vibrational loading as a coupled field. The present study develops an advanced numerical analysis methodology that incorporates real service conditions to calculate fatigue life. Firstly, a validation study … Lire la suite
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2021 — Parkinson's Disease Classification, Monitoring and Optimization of Deep Brain StimulationRésumé
Parkinson's disease (PD) alters the brain's anatomy when dopamine releasing neurons die in basal ganglia neural pathways. The resulting alterations force synchronized neuronal activity in beta frequency components in subthalamic nucleus (STN). This synchronization affects the chaotic behavior of the brain activities, which induce motor related impairments in patient’s limbs. This can be seen in the electroencephalogram (EEG) signals of PD patients. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is the therapy of choice in later stage of disease when the side-effects of medication supersede its benefits. In this research work, we utilize the relationship between chaotic systems and brain for the analysis … Lire la suite
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2021 — Anti-candida and Anti-virulence Activity of Essential Oils and Their ComponentsRésumé
Candida albicans is one of the most common fungi associated with lifethreatening infections. Treatment of the associated infections is often ineffective in the light of resistance, and so there is an urgent need to discover novel antifungals. Rather than killing the fungal cells, which requires quite high specificity and can lead to the emergence of further resistance, inhibiting growth and virulence factors in fungal cells represents a good alternative for the development of new antifungal drugs. Recently, there has been a resurged interest in essential oils and their active components, in relation to their pharmacological properties. The primary objective of … Lire la suite
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2021 — Classification, Quality Analysis and Development of Circuit Design and Simulation Software for Computing EducationRésumé
Circuit design and simulation software environments are an integral part of computing education, where experimental results play a key role. Existing software products often lack consistency and usability, which is detrimental to their deployment in education. In this thesis, a contemporary methodology for circuit design and simulation software development is presented. Through proper classification and quality analysis of existing products, key aspects of development are recognized, described and incorporated into a solidi ed heuristic for future development of better software for remote computing education in the post-COVID-19 world. Lire la suite
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2021 — Klink Search: Enabling Exploratory Browsing Activities in Digital LibrariesRésumé
Complex search tasks within academic digital libraries go beyond simple lookup. They are open-ended, multi-faceted, with ill-defined information needs, requiring cognitive processing of the encountered information and learning. Academic digital library searchers often use exploratory search strategies for complex search tasks. However, the present academic digital library search interfaces provide limited support for exploratory browsing activities, which is a crucial step that supports learning during the exploratory search process. The present research addresses this issue by designing and implementing a novel search interface called KLink Search, to support exploratory browsing activities via two new features: visually linked keywords and interactive … Lire la suite
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2021 — Doubly Fed Induction Generator Control Using Artificial Neural Network for Wind Generation SystemRésumé
Due to the electricity demand and environmental concerns, alternative clean forms of energy have been widely researched in recent years, in which wind energy is in evidence. To convert the mechanical energy generated by the wind turbines, the wind generation system needs generators. The doubly fed induction generator is the most commonly used due to its high energy transfer efficiency, reliability, and low maintenance cost. The control of DFIG parameters is crucial to the dynamic performance of the wind generation system. This thesis aims to develop an artificial neural network (ANN) controller for the doubly fed induction generator in wind … Lire la suite
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2021 — On Concept Classes With Low No-Clash Teaching DimensionRésumé
Computational Learning Theory studies the complexity of learning for various formal models of machine learning. Such models use a learning algorithm A fed with a set of labelled data for a target concept belonging to a given class of concepts, and A produces a mapping that is used to accurately predict the correct labels of unseen instances. Machine teaching is concerned with settings in which a teacher provides the learners with helpfully chosen data. Different learning constraints, such as the way a teacher and a learner interact with each other, produce a variety of teaching models for which one task … Lire la suite
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2021 — Online Motivational Interviewing for Enhancing Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: A Randomized Controlled TrialRésumé
While the efficacy of internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (iCBT) for anxiety and depression is well established, not all clients benefit from treatment. Given that the integration of motivational interviewing (MI) and face-to-face therapy for anxiety enhances response and completion rates, combining iCBT with MI may also prove beneficial; however, there is limited research on the combined effects of MI and iCBT. In the current study, a brief, interactive online MI pre-treatment was designed to increase intrinsic motivation to engage in iCBT for anxiety and depression. Once the protocol was developed and piloted, the efficacy of the online MI pre-treatment was … Lire la suite
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2021 — Exploring the Evolution of Pathogenicity in a Mult-host Bacterial Pathogen Using Comparative GenomicsRésumé
Pantoea is a Gram-negative bacterial genus within the recently created Erwiniaceae. Pantoea members are found in association with a wide range of hosts, and some species have been reported as the causative agent of human infections. Despite this, little research has focused on the human pathogenicity of Pantoea. This thesis aims to explore the evolution of pathogenicity in Pantoea using phylogenetic and comparative genomic approaches, with a focus on human pathogenicity. Chapter 1 provides a broad review of Pantoea, virulence, and phylogenetic and genomic concepts. Chapter 2 describes molecular typing of clinical Pantoea isolates obtained from hospital patients. Of 54 … Lire la suite
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2021 — “Pull Out His Eyes, Apologize”: Confession and the Body in James JoyceRésumé
In this thesis, I trace the development of confession in James Joyce. From A Portrait of The Artist as a Young Man to “Circe” and “Penelope” in Ulysses, Joyce’s model of confession works to forward characters' capacity for community, intimacy, and art, an ethical and artistic approach to art. The framework for confession in Joyce is introduced via depictions of the Catholic Sacrament in A Portrait, albeit its function is maintained even as it develops in “Circe” as a secular, psychoanalytical, and legal expression. It is in “Penelope” where confession transforms into profession in Molly’s monologue and in the way … Lire la suite
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2021 — Running To and Away From Reflection Animated Auto-Ethnographic VideoRésumé
This critical engagement paper accompanies my Video Poem, Running To, and Away From Reflection. This autoethnographic experimental documentary in the form of a video poem is both research and documentation of my assumptions, insights and memories. These were triggered by the Restrictions of the Pandemic and the News of Global Insurrections, Institutional Racism, Police Violence, Intergenerational family dysfunction, and treatment of people with Mental Health issues. I look at what I was forced to reflect on belonging, identity, safety, and trauma memories. Lire la suite
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2021 — The ShiftRésumé
The Shift, a novella written in four parts: “Meredith,” “Breckenridge,” “The Letters,” and “Coda” examines the relationship between a mother and her daughter during an eco-apocalypse in Regina, Saskatchewan. This manuscript challenges the traditional conventions of the novella while exploring melancholy, estrangement, solastalgia, aspects of the Anthropocene, and one’s connection to the land. The Shift also examines definitions of dystopian fiction and emotional realism while drawing inspiration from prominent Canadian women writers. Lire la suite
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2021 — Profiling Bacterial Community Dynamics For Wildlife Ecology and Geological Mineral ExplorationRésumé
Bacterial communities are dynamic biological systems with complex metabolic interactions that influence ecological functions across a broad range of microbiome environments. Bacterial community 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing is an approach to microbiome exploration that profiles community composition, structure, and dynamics across environmental conditions. In this thesis, 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing is used to investigate the bacterial communities of two distinct microbial environments. In the first study I explore how hyperthermia in a mammalian host may affect bacterial communities to understand the impacts of thermal stress in warming climates. Small endotherms such as birds and bats have evolved diverse … Lire la suite
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2021 — Examining the Acceptability and Effectiveness of Transdiagnostic, Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Symptoms of Postpartum Anxiety and Depression: A Randomized Controlled TrialRésumé
Following childbirth, women experience significant biological, physical, social, and emotional changes, wherein 20% of new mothers experience clinically impairing symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. These conditions are associated with negative effects on both mother and child, underscoring the importance of ensuring treatment options are widely available. While efficacious treatments like cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) exist, new mothers often report barriers to accessing in-person services including time concerns, stigma, and childcare difficulties. Importantly, many of these barriers can be mitigated using Internet-delivered CBT (ICBT), which has been found to be effective in the treatment of various mental health concerns, including depression … Lire la suite
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2021 — The Journey Within: Experiences of Canadian Teachers in International Development ProgramsRésumé
In this qualitative study, I use poetic inquiry to describe Canadian teachers’ volunteer work in international development programs and the connections between volunteering overseas and developing culturally sustaining pedagogy. Canadian teachers volunteer with international development programs organized collaboratively by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF), the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation (STF), and other provincial and territorial teachers’ federations. Canadian teachers that volunteer for Project Overseas (PO) travel to support their teaching colleagues in other countries during the summer. Similarly, teachers from Saskatchewan volunteer in India with a program called Professional Development Project (PDP) India. In both programs, Canadian teachers facilitate professional development … Lire la suite
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2021 — Global VillageRésumé
“Global Village” is an MFA research documentary film exploring the cultural adaptation and cultural identity of female newcomers in the province of Saskatchewan. This project was shot with an iPhone, conceptualized based on social media narrative styles, and released on digital platforms. In this project, stories about minority groups are explored. This documentary tells the story of Gizem (Turkey), Sisi (China), and Karla (Dominican Republic) immigrants to Canada. The common theme found within the social actors is the importance of traditional family values. This critical engagement paper will explain the creative process and methodologies used to produce the documentary film, … Lire la suite
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2021 — Corrosion Inhibition of Piperazine for Potash Solution Mining and Processing PlantsRésumé
Potash mining and processing plants are prone to severe corrosion due to their operating conditions and potash brine constituents. Such corrosion causes a high expenditure on maintenance and repair of plant equipment and pipelines. To mitigate the corrosion, this work proposed the use of a corrosion inhibitor, namely piperazine (PZ) that is low toxic and commercially available. A series of electrochemical and weight loss corrosion experiments were carried out to examine corrosiveness of carbon steel (CS1018), J55 steel and stainless steel (SS316L) as well as to evaluate inhibition performance of PZ in saturated potash brines under the test conditions of … Lire la suite
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2021 — An Image Generation Methodology for Game Engines in Real-Time Using Generative Deep Learning Inference FrameworksRésumé
Modern video games require image assets for different uses, including representing surface textures of 3D models, like environments, characters or props. These images are commonly generated using photographic and artistic techniques, including hand-drawing and using real-world photographs with additional modifications. This labour-intensive task is typically undertaken by skilled technical artists. However, recently a subset of unsupervised deep machine learning known as Deep Generative Models, have demonstrated the ability to, after sufficient training from an appropriate dataset, create convincing novel counterfeit images mimicking that dataset. This thesis investigates using Deep Generative Models to create image assets for games in real time, … Lire la suite
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2021 — Sunlight-Induced Changes in Photosensitizing Properties of Dissolved Organic Carbon in Canadian Prairie Pothole Wetland PondsRésumé
Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is an important component of the global carbon cycle, acting in part as a potential source of carbon for microorganisms, support of flocculation of heavy metals and nutrients to sediments, as well as a protective barrier between ultraviolet radiation and aquatic organisms. In my thesis, chapter 1 is a literature review with general background information about the photodegradation process of DOC in Prairie Pothole Region (PPR). In chapter 2, I used an incubation experiment with light and depth as treatments to examine photodegradation impacts on the optical characterization of DOC in prairie wetland ponds at the … Lire la suite
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2021 — Corrosion Inhibition Performance of Methionine for CO2 Absorption PlantsRésumé
Inorganic corrosion inhibitors including heavy metals have been widely used in the carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption process for corrosion control. However, they are not environmentally friendly causing costly handling and disposal costs. This work therefore evaluated corrosion inhibition performance of an organic amino acid compound, namely Methionine (MTI) which is less toxic, more readily biodegradable, and has lower potential for bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms compared to common amine absorption solvents. The evaluation was experimentally implemented using electrochemical and weight loss methods. Carbon steel (CS1018) and 5.0 kmol/m3 Monoethanolamine (MEA) purged with 85% CO2 and 15% oxygen (O2) were used as … Lire la suite
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2021 — A Comparative Study of Short-Term Electric Vehicle Load Forecasting Using Data-Driven Multivariate Probabilistic DeepAR ApproachRésumé
With the surge of electric vehicles (EVs) and consequently the increase in power consumption, the power grid is facing many new challenges. Charging load forecasting remains one of the key challenges, that if not effectively scheduled, it may result in instability and quality-related issues in power systems. In recent years, numerous load forecasting techniques using machine learning and deep learning were proposed for predictions covering both commercial and household demands. However, there are very few studies that employed these methods to predict EV charging load behavior. This thesis proposes a multivariate RNN-based deep learning framework to forecast the short-term data-driven … Lire la suite
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2021 — Identification and Characterization of Antibiotic Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in PantoeaRésumé
Antimicrobial resistance is a global health crisis for which new antibiotics are needed. Natural products (secondary metabolites) produced by microbes have been our primary source of antibiotics; however, the search has been predominantly limited to a few genera. One underexplored bacterial genus is Pantoea, which produces a variety of compounds with antimicrobial activity. Chapter one describes a general overview of secondary metabolites, antibiotic resistance, strategies to overcome resistance, and Pantoea. Chapter two describes the identification and characterization of the biosynthetic gene cluster for Pantoea Natural Product 3 (PNP-3), an antibiotic produced by P. agglomerans 3581r and SN01080r. The cluster contains … Lire la suite
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2021 — Quasi-Pure E0-SemigroupsRésumé
We introduce the class of quasi-pure E0-semigroups acting on a von Neumann algebra as that with equal tail and fixed-point algebras and we describe these notable algebras for E0-semigroups of B(H) where H is a separable Hilbert space. We consider the classes of pure, quasi-pure and ergodic E0-semigroups induced by essential states of the spectral C+-algebra of a product system and we characterize spatial product systems in terms of the existence of certain essential states of the corresponding spectral C+-algebra. Lire la suite
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2021 — Effects of Concentric Unilateral Training Utilizing an Isokinetic Dynamometer on Functional Outcomes and Lower Limb Muscular Power in Subacute Hemiparetic Individuals: A Case SeriesRésumé
Background. Stroke is a serious medical condition that is characterized by subsequent neurological deficits due to disruption in the brain vasculatures. Manifestation of neurological deficits varies between individuals and is highly dependent on the location, severity, and duration of the stroke. Neurological deficits and negative signs of upper motor neuron syndromes such as lower limb weakness, impaired inter-limb coordination, and greater fatigability may affect one’s rehabilitation outcome and ability to perform activities of daily living. Application of resistance training programs into post stroke (chronic and subacute) individuals’ exercise routine has been shown to increase functionality and improve both muscle function … Lire la suite
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2021 — “The New Reality”: Hardcore’s Shifting Authenticities Under Capitalist RealismRésumé
This thesis challenges the common assumption that hardcore punk subculture is an eternally subversive and progressive musical movement. Particularly in North America – hardcore’s geographical origin and primary locus of discourse – the subculture’s norms have been reterritorialized alongside late-20th and early-21st century neoliberal capitalist expansion. Using the theoretical framework of capitalist realism introduced by Mark Fisher (2009), and considering the work of Simon Reynolds (2011), Agnes Gayraud (2019), Gilles Deleuze, and Felix Guattari (1983; 1987), I map the ways in which this reterritorialization has suppressed hardcore’s social-political imperative and limited its collective capacity for sonic innovation and DIY (do-it-yourself) … Lire la suite
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2021 — Psychological Warfare in Vietnam: A Critical Evaluation of the U.S. Chieu Hoi Program, 1963-1971Résumé
During the Vietnam War, the United States launched a psychological warfare campaign that was unprecedented in size and scope for US military forces. Numerous programs were launched by the US in conjunction with the South Vietnamese government, with the goal of weakening North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC) forces, by either lowering soldier morale, or inducing defections. The most prominent psychological program launched was the Chiêu Hồi program, which helped foster the defection of over 194,000 North Vietnamese forces. Despite this notable reduction of forces over the life of the program, from 1963 to 1971, it has been … Lire la suite
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2021 — Modelling and Experimental Investigation of Foam Displacement in Pore NetworksRésumé
Foam is a complicated but fascinating fluid being widely involved in almost every technological step in petroleum industry, from drilling, well stimulation, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), production, to refining process. Its instability and unique rheology make foam one of most complicated fluids encountered in petroleum industry. From the perspective of applied science, foam is formed in-situ while gas flow being made discontinuous by thin liquid film called lamellae. Yield stress-like resistance exerted on discontinuous gas phase makes it temporarily immobile in-situ. Continuing lamellae generation, thinning, and rupture accompany with non-linear displacement of foam in porous media. These features make foam … Lire la suite
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2021 — A New Dynamic Fluid Flow Method for Studying the Phase Changes of the Light/Heavy Crude Oil-Solvent SystemsRésumé
In this thesis, a novel experimental method, namely, the dynamic fluid flow (DFF) method, was developed to study the phase changes of various light/heavy crude oil‒solvent systems. First, two series of constant-composition-expansion (CCE) tests and constant-composition-expansion and compression (CCEC) tests were conducted by using a pressure‒volume‒temperature (PVT) system. Second, a series of the DFF tests were undertaken to measure the pressure gradients along a long micro-tubing at different outlet pressures when a given light/heavy crude oil‒solvent mixture flowed at a constant volume flow rate. For the light crude oil‒CO2 systems, it was found that the pressure gradient remained low and … Lire la suite