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A Place To Call Home: African American Immigration And The Aftermath Of The Underground Railroad 1850-1870, John-Michael Markovic

Major Papers

With the turn of the 19th century, the United States continued and expanded its persecution of African Americans through the institution of slavery. Many African Americans took it upon themselves to act on their own and flee from slavery in the early 1800s in what was known as the Underground Railroad; however, after the conclusion of the Civil War, a substantial portion decided to return back to the US. Scholars have attempted to explain why these men and women decided to return to the United States despite the experiences they endured. While numerous reasons have been offered, this paper contends …

Preparation And Characterization Of Radical-Coated Nanoparticles, Aisha Abdulwahab Alsaleh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The topic of this dissertation is the surface modification and functionalization of inorganic nanoparticles with free radicals. These particles have a diameter up to ca. 15 nm and consist of an inorganic core with an organic surface coating comprising open shell organic TEMPO radicals.

Chapter 1 describes synthetic methods for the preparation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and introduces the range of analytical methods for nanoparticle characterization. A survey of previous work on radical-coated nanoparticles is presented and the objectives of the current studies are outlined, highlighting the range of different bonding strategies for attaching the TEMPO radical to the AuNP …

An Improved Public Unclonable Function Design For Xilinx Fpgas For Hardware Security Applications, Siva Prashanth Balasubramanian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the modern era we are moving towards completely connecting many useful electronic devices to each other through internet. There is a great need for secure electronic devices and systems. A lot of money is being invested in protecting the electronic devices and systems from hacking and other forms of malicious attacks. Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) is a low-cost hardware scheme that provides affordable security for electronic devices and systems.

This thesis proposes an improved PUF design for Xilinx FPGAs and evaluates and compares its performance and reliability compared to existing PUF designs. Furthermore, the utility of the proposed PUF …

Model Predictive Control System Design Of A Passenger Car For Valet Parking Scenario, Oussama Erraji

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A recent expansion of passenger cars’ automated functions has led to increasingly challenging design problems for the engineers. Among this the development of Automated Valet Parking is the latest addition. The system represents the next evolution of automated system giving the vehicle greater autonomy: the efforts of most automotive OEMs go towards achieving market deployment of such automated function. To this end the focus of each OEM is on taking part to this competitive endeavor and succeed by developing a proprietary solution with the support of hardware and software suppliers. Within this framework the present work aims at developing an …

Improved Autonomic Function As A Physiological Mechanism Underlying The Reported Effects Of Ashtanga Yoga: Feasibility And Initial Effectiveness Study, Ashley P. Howard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The recent widespread appeal of yoga highlights the importance of empirically assessing the ways in which it can improve psychophysiological health. A major limitation in the growing body of yoga research is the wide variability in what is considered “yoga.” This interferes with the interpretation of results and with the identification of yoga’s mechanisms of action. Ashtanga yoga addresses this limitation by being a set system of poses, making the practice a stable independent variable, ideal for empirical investigation. Ashtanga also is the only style of yoga that is practiced under the tristana, a method that integrates exercise, controlled breathing, …

Quantifying The Isometric Handgrip Exercise Stimulus: Are Less Expensive Alternatives Comparable To Computerized Dynamometers?, Nic James Caruana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Isometric handgrip (IHG) training lowers resting blood pressure (BP), but the high cost of traditional computerized IHG devices can be a barrier to use. Inexpensive mechanical IHG devices could address the cost barrier, but the acute stimulus of such devices must be determined. This study compared changes in systolic and diastolic BP, heart rate (HR), muscular activation, ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), and pain between a computerized and a mechanical IHG device during an IHG bout. Twenty healthy adults (X ± SD; Age: 22.4 ± 2.2 yrs.; ♀= 9; BP: 114/64 ± 11/7 mmHg) randomly performed an IHG bout (4, …

Undergraduate Teaching Assistants' Conceptions Of Teaching, Betsy Keating

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods exploratory study investigated change in the conceptions of teaching held by undergraduate student teaching assistants (UTAs) at a comprehensive Canadian university. Twenty-nine UTAs working in a large (~1,600) mostly online course were surveyed before and after one 13-week semester. Ten UTAs from the survey group were interviewed early in the semester and again post-semester. The interviews were analysed through three lenses: Stages of Concern (Fuller 1969), a teacher-oriented to learning-oriented spectrum of teaching approaches (Barr & Tagg, 1995; Kember & Kwan, 2000), and a taxonomy of teacher characteristics (Feldman 1989, 2007). Literature on these frameworks was reviewed, as …

Development Of A Model For Determining Factors Affecting Safety Performance In The Saudi Arabian Construction Industry Using Structural Equation Modelling (Sem), Majed Moosa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As large-scale infrastructure investments drive rapid growth, the Saudi construction industry is among the largest in the region—and, for workers, among the most dangerous industries on the planet. Using a quantitative survey measure adapted from the Ontario Leading Indicators Project (OLIP) and administered to a small (n = 276) sample of individuals who currently work in the industry, this study aimed to contribute to empirical understandings of hazards, sources of risk, and perceptions of safety in this unique context. A multivariate safety performance model was developed based on a systematic literature review and with an eye to ensuring compatibility with …

Substance Use And Sexual Risk Taking In Emerging Adults With A History Of Bullying Victimization, Daniel Provenzano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Bullying victimization has been commonly linked with a range of psychosocial problems. To deal with distress, victims engage in coping behaviours that may be adaptive, maladaptive, or both. However, it may be difficult for youth to cope in ways that are adaptive. Instead, youth may engage in a variety of coping behaviours that are maladaptive. Considering that emerging adulthood often coincides with engaging in substance use and sexual risk taking, some youth may engage in these health risk behaviours as ways to cope with the psychosocial problems associated with bullying victimization. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to …

Efficiency Improvement In Reverse Logistics And Examining The Relationships Between Refund, Return Policy, Quality Policy And Pricing Strategy In E-Commerce Business., Chiranjib Biswas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reverse Logistics (RL), the process of returning goods from a customer to a retail or manufacturing source, is an increasingly important yet undermanaged business function. The advent of internet and mobile technology and its rapid growth worldwide facilitates online shopping. Research shows that 54% of customers are already buying goods online. Online retail sales are expected to hit $ 4.5 trillion USD by 2020. This shift in buying pattern comes with a more worrying change in customer behaviour in the form of increasing returns, a number of that is surging at an alarming rate. In fact, statistics show that 30% …

The Association Between Sentence Repetition And Other Cognitive Abilities In School-Aged Children, Alicia Nicole Bartlett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study examined the association between sentence repetition and other cognitive abilities in 6- to 14-year-old children (N = 118; 60% female) recruited from schools in Windsor, Ontario. The effect of age and sex on children's SR was also examined. Children completed Benton's (1965) sentence repetition task, which required them to repeat a series of 26 verbally presented sentences of increasing length. Language, auditory verbal memory, processing speed, fluid reasoning, and visual perception were measured with subtests from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (5th edition) and auditory nonverbal memory was assessed with the Seashore Rhythm Test. A multiple …

Environmental Dna (Edna) And Environmental Rna (Erna) Markers For Detection Of Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon Idella), Joshua Benjamin Finn

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) pose a threat to ecosystems within the Great Lakes. While the number of grass carp in the Great Lakes is currently low, management of this non-indigenous species will get increasingly difficult as the species establishes and becomes more abundant. Surveillance of grass carp in the Great Lakes therefore requires early, sensitive detection of the species when it is present at low abundance. The goal of this study was to determine the effectiveness of detecting low abundances of grass carp with environmental DNA (eDNA) and environmental RNA (eRNA), while limiting false positives and false negatives. In-lab experiments …

Emotion Socialization, Anxiety, And Coping In University Students, Clare Hinch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current study was to investigate emotion socialization in childhood as a predictor of anxiety and coping in adulthood. University undergraduate students (N = 204) completed online self-report questionnaires on the history of their childhood emotion socialization, their trait and public speaking anxiety, and coping behaviours. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 44 years (29 men and 164 women). Self-report by participants of emotion socialization by their mothers in childhood significantly predicted current trait anxiety, adaptive coping, and maladaptive coping. Self-report by participants of emotion socialization by their fathers in childhood significantly predicted current trait anxiety, …

Studies On Nitric Oxide Generation And Its Enzymatic Degradation, Kathleen Fontana

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nitric oxide (NO) is a vital gasotransmitter, involved in a plethora of signaling pathways. With bioavailable NO stored as S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), its enzymatic degradation by S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) has a large impact on cellular SNO levels. This thesis consists of two components: chapter one explores the production of NO generating particles, that use chitosan as a matrix for a copper catalyst. Chapter two reports the discovery into a new regulatory domain on the GSNOR enzyme. In chapter one, we have developed a novel technology capable of generating NO, in the form of NO-releasing copper-chitosan particles (Cu-chito). These particles were successfully …

Metrics For Assessment And Management Of Lean Manufacturing Implementation, Mina Ghali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research is to introduce a new concept of auditing and implementing Lean Manufacturing by translating qualitative criteria to quantitative metrics. Therefore, quantitative formulas were developed to produce a numeric score, representing the progress of three lean manufacturing tools implementation. The tools are 5S, Kaizen, and Value Stream Mapping. The scores could then be compared to an ideal state or a standard set by industrial studies (i.e. baseline). These tools were chosen based on the researcher’s industrial experience and the gap seen in assessing the implementation of these three tools. Other metric formulas with the same approach could be derived …

Do Profound Experiences Increase Profundity? An Ethnography Of Canadian Teacher Candidates Experiences In Tanzania, East Africa, Jihan Jones

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this ethnography is to explore the lived experiences of alumni members of Teachers for Tanzania dating from 2008 – 2015. Another purpose is to examine if there were effects on their teaching practice, and if so, what they were. Data were collected from 7 alumni members of the finite group. Data were analyzed using methods including triangulation. Evidence supporting the benefits of a Tanzanian teaching practicum was found through the information collected. The benefits of such learning experiences are discussed.

Trophic Relationships, Distribution And Interactions Among Invasive And Native Laurentian Great Lakes Biota Assessed Using Metabarcoding Of Stomach Content Dna (Scdna) And Environmental Dna (Edna), Justin Glenn Mychek-Londer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As aquatic invasive species (AIS) proliferate, they pose serious threats to native taxa, foodwebs and ecosystems. Massively-parallel, high-throughput, next-generation sequencing (NGS) and metabarcoding of environmental DNA (eDNA) and predator stomach content DNA (scDNA) are new approaches to detect AIS and can facilitate detailed analyses of AIS impacts. Using such technology, degraded and digested samples, and cryptic taxa can be identified with high sensitivity. The Laurentian Great Lakes (Great Lakes) are highly invaded and to determine occurrence patterns of AIS and native species inhabiting them I used a shortened portion of Cytochrome Oxidase One (CO1) and NGS metabarcoding. I developed, optimized …

Emotional Intelligence And Personality Traits: Assessing Response Distortion In A Motivated Faking Task, Gabriela Sheinin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although research on emotional intelligence (EI) and Cluster B personality traits has considerable potential for elucidating aspects of the emotional and interpersonal difficulties experienced by individuals with elevations on these traits, the findings to date have been mixed. The purpose of this study was to use an experimental manipulation to examine the pattern of associations between both trait and ability EI and Cluster B disorders, to test whether individuals could fake their EI via self-report versus maximum performance tests to appear more socially desirable, as well as to explore the pattern of associations between EI and Cluster B disorders, after …

The Virtual Parts Functionalities In Catia V5, Finite Element Aspects, Hamoon Ramezani Karegar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, the concept of “Virtual Part” as implemented in Catia v5 is studied in detail with the intention of developing a knowledge base for their functionalities and limitations. The origin of Virtual Part can be traced back to the RBE elements (rigid Bar Elements) implemented in NASTRAN in the early 1960s. The focus of the thesis however is to explore the response/applicability of Catia in linear dynamic problems. Since, linear dynamics is based on the concept of modal superposition, a significant part of the research is to investigate the behavior of Virtual Parts and their role in modal …

Thermal Management Of Vehicle Interior Temperature For Improvement Of Fuel Economy, Rehan Mohsin Rashid

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The passenger compartment of a vehicle parked directly under the sun in the summer can reach uncomfortably high temperatures. Solar radiation may affect the durability of surfaces such as a dashboards and leather seats. Extended exposure to high temperature reduces the lifespan of some electronics in the instrument panel. VOCs, Volatile organic compounds, also increase due to high temperatures in the vehicle cabin leading to poor air quality. When the driver and passengers enter the vehicle and turn on the AC system, there is a duration of time wherein there is thermal discomfort. The duration depends on how fast the …

The Subban Brand: A Case Study Of A Hockey Star's Instagram, Kimberley Tonietto

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human brands can be described as a set of associations corresponding with a particular person. The creation and maintenance of a strong human brand can shape perceptions of an athlete, and therefore create strong and lasting connections between athletes and consumers. The purpose of this research was to conduct a case study to identify the various elements of National Hockey League (NHL) player P.K. Subban's human brand, as well as determine if and how his changing circumstances and environment has influenced how he presents his brand. A case study of his Instagram content from August 2013 to January 2018 was …

Reticular Synthesis Of Metal-Organic Rotaxane Frameworks, Alexander Joseph Stirk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The work herein, describes the placement of mechanically interlocked molecules (MIMs) into ordered, crystalline metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to create metal-organic rotaxane frameworks (MORFs). This placement is done through the use of the concepts of reticular synthesis, to create predictable materials based on prior known building blocks and topological nets in order to achieve robust dynamics. The concepts of MIMs, nets, reticular synthesis, robust dynamics are all discussed in detail in Chapter 1. Also outlined in Chapter 1 are six design criteria that act as a blueprint for the creation of robust dynamics using the tenants of reticular synthesis. Chapter 2 …

New Derivatives Of 1,2,4-Benzothiadiazines And Their Coordination Chemistry, Konstantina Pringouri

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chapter 1 provides an introduction to coordination chemistry and polydentate N-donor ligands along with a synopsis of heterocycles with N and S/N donor atoms. An overview of the chemistry and applications of 1,2,4-benzothiadiazines as well as their previously reported coordination chemistry follows. Chapter 2 describes the synthesis of the ligand 3-(2ʹ-pyridyl)benzothiadiazine (pybtdaH). Computational studies on the ligand determining the most stable conformation and tautomer, as well as the energy barrier of the pyridyl ring rotation. The coordination chemistry of pybtdaH with more basic counterions (hfac– and OAc–) or Lewis acidic metal (FeIII) results to oxidation of pybtdaH forming either pybtdaHox …

Young Children’S Use Of Mobile Technology: Impacts On Self-Regulation And Aggression, Amy Wei-Yan Tran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study tested the displacement hypothesis, which proposed that mobile technology use disrupts important daily activities and social interactions that are important for the development of young children’s self-regulation skills (Gentile et al., 2012). As a result of this displacement, children are more likely to become dysregulated and aggressive. Participants were 174 caregivers (n = 157 mothers) who reported on their children aged 2 to 5 years old (n = 100 male). All participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing their own technology use, interference in the parent-child relationship due to mobile technology, and the use of mobile technology as a …

Improving Diagnostic Accuracy In Hiv-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders, Jessica Hurtubise

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) affect 50% of individuals with HIV. HAND is characterized by cognitive and functional impairment and is diagnosed through neuropsychological assessment. The use of performance validity tests (PVT) is recommended to determine the credibility of cognitive profiles during neuropsychological testing. However, little is known about the utility of PVTs within an HIV+ population. The objective of the present study was to compare the base rate of failure on embedded validity indicators (EVIs) between individuals diagnosed with HAND, neurocognitively normal individuals with HIV, undergraduate controls, and undergraduates asked to feign cognitive impairment. The relationship …

Effect Of Aspect Ratio On The Flow Structures Behind A Square Cylinder, Junting Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, the effect of aspect ratio on the flow past square cross-section wall-mounted cylinders is evaluated using computational fluid dynamics. The simulations are carried out using the Improved Delayed Detached Eddy (IDDES) turbulence model. Three cases with different heights of the cylinder (aspect ratio = cylinder height/width = 1, 2, and 4) were studied. The IDDES prediction of the flow statistics is validated against a set of wind tunnel experimental results from a recent report on the flow at a Reynolds number of 12,000 for a cylinder aspect ratio of four. It is common practise to analyse results …

Senior Chinese English As A Second Language (Esl) Learners On Their Learning Expectations And Needs In A Communicative-Approach-Based Program In Windsor: A Case Study, Man Xu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study probes into the learning milieu of a cohort of Chinese senior immigrants in order to inquire into their learning needs and expectations in a communicative-approach-based program. The participants, who acknowledged the importance of learning English as a second language (ESL), nevertheless expressed pessimism about their English learning outcomes. The elderly ESL students expect the curricula to adopt Chinese and English as classroom languages and present more senior life-related topics. A moderate learning pace integrated with recurrent learning cycles is considered appropriate for Chinese elderly ESL learners.

Improving Quality Of The Solution For The Team Formation Problem In Social Networks Using Scan Variant And Evolutionary Computation, Amangel Bhullar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social Network Analysis helps to visualize and understand the roles and relationships that ease or impede the collaboration and sharing of the information and knowledge in an organization. In this research work, we will focus on the Team Formation Problem (TFP) which is an open problem where we need to identify an ideal team, with members of complementary talent or skills, to solve any given task. Current research suggests that TFP solutions have been attempted with evolutionary computation approach using Cultural Algorithms (CA) and Genetic Algorithms (GA). However, SCAN (Structural Clustering Algorithm for Networks) variants such as WSCAN (Weighted Structural …

Perceived Social Capital Of Women With Turner Syndrome, Stephanie Jasmine Cragg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study was conducted to answer the question: do women with Turner Syndrome have lower levels of social capital in a variety of areas compared to women of the same age range not diagnosed with Turner Syndrome, and does this affect their wellness and life satisfaction? A mixed-methods research design was utilized to examine the perceived social capital of a sample of women aged 18-30 diagnosed with Turner Syndrome. Two potential outcomes of social capital: wellness and life satisfaction, were also examined. Psychological capital was also examined to determine whether it was a mediating variable between the measures of …

Plagiarism Education, Perceptions, And Responsibilities In Post-Secondary Education., Julia Colella

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research on plagiarism in post-secondary education is currently receiving a lot of attention. Most of this research focuses on student plagiarism rates, which is typically done through self-reporting, as well as student plagiarism perceptions. A limited number of studies on plagiarism education, particularly in the Canadian context, are available. There are two groups of participants in this study: undergraduate students and instructors at a comprehensive southwestern university in Ontario, Canada. This mixed-method online study investigates plagiarism education, student academic entitlement, and student personal values, and it explores plagiarism perceptions, including responsibility for plagiarism education and reasons for student engagement in …