Digital Commons Network^™

Scenario Shakemaps For Ottawa, Canada, Jalpa Davendra Pal

Digitized Theses

Ottawa ranks third among Canadian urban areas in terms of seismic risk. Variability in near surface geology plays an important role in earthquake ground shaking in the region. Scenario ShakeMaps are generated for the Ottawa region to study the expected ground-shaking intensity distribution patterns, for input to damage and risk studies. The quarter wavelength method is used to generate frequency-dependent amplification functions for typical generic soil profiles for National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program (NEHRP) soil classes using recent data from -17250 soil profiles. The methodology and amplifications are validated using the ground motion and “Did You Feel It” records from …

Run Sprint Interval Training Induces Fat Loss In Women, Craig D. Hamilton

Digitized Theses

Repeated high intensity, short duration exercise, (sprint interval training, SIT) has been shown to be a time efficient strategy to induce aerobic and anaerobic adaptations in both men and women. Body composition changes have been shown in men but the effects in women are unclear. This study assessed body composition, waist circumference (WC) VC>2max, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), anaerobic peak power, and the blood lipid profile after SIT. Fifteen female participants trained 3x/wk for 6 weeks: 30 sec all-out sprints (manually driven treadmill), 4-6 bouts/session, 4 min recovery/bout vs. control (n=9). The control group did not adhere to …

Perceptions Of Online Information Privacy Among Individuals With Parkinson's Disease, Allyson Y. Lee

Digitized Theses

The growth in Internet use for health care is paralleled by the increase in chronic health

conditions such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study explores the perceptions o f online privacy held by individuals with PD. Ten individuals with PD participated in hour-long, semi- structured, in-person interviews. Analysis of the transcripts yielded four major themes regarding participant perceptions: (1) online information privacy, including discussions o f private information, exceptions, and anonymity; (2) media, family, and friends as sources o f knowledge about online information safety; (3) reasons for privacy concerns, including physical vulnerability, the lack o f ‘people’ on the …

Passages (Is And Was): Tracing Indian Visual Culture And The Sacred Through Craft And Contemporary Art., Gautam Garoo

Digitized Theses

This thesis examines and argues for the feasibility of the sacred in contemporary Indian art. The sacred as proposed in this thesis attempts to bridge the divide between the contemporary Indian art and traditional Indian craft. Drawing on the theoretical framework in Charles Correa’s essay “The Public, the Private, and the Sacred" the thesis examines the work of Charles Correa, Nasreen Mohamedi and my own art practice.

The thesis also builds upon my experience of navigating across the cultures of the East and the West.

Prenatal Testosterone Excess Decreases Neurokinin 3 Receptor (Nk3r) And Its Colocalization With Kisspeptin In The Ovine Arcuate Nucleus: Impact Of Changes In Receptor Expression In An Animal Model Of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (Pcos), Taeeun Ahn

Digitized Theses

Neurokinin B (NKB) acting via the neurokinin-3-receptor (NK3R) plays a critical role in neuroendocrine control of mammalian reproductioa In prenatal testosterone (T) treated sheep, a model of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), decreased NKB in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) may underlie reproductive neuroendocrine defects. We hypothesized that, in addition to NKB, its receptor, NK3R would also be decreased in prenatal T-treated sheep. NK3R-positive cells were observed in multiple hypothalamic nuclei, but prenatal T decreased NK3R only in the ARC. Dual-label immunocytochemistry revealed the decrease to be due, in part, to decreased colocalization within ARC kisspeptin cells that relay hormonal signals …

Our Sacred Stories: An Argument And Narrative In Support Of Narrative., Janet Mary Anstead

Digitized Theses

The thesis of this paper is: a) narrative creates identity (both individual and communal); b) our society privileges argument over narrative within the public sphere, and; c) therefore, by excluding the voices of others who privilege narrative and silencing our own narratives, we are all diminished in realizing our fullest potential self-hood. In support of this thesis the concepts of Paul Ricoeur's Narrative Self, Charles Taylor and Jurgen Habermas' Public Sphere are explored and, in the case of the latter, critiqued. Then, to illuminate this flaw the hermeneutic strategies of Mujerista and Womanist theologians are explored with special emphasis on …

Comparing Automated Unit Testing Strategies, Yihao Zhang

Digitized Theses

Software testing plays a:critical role in the software development lifecycle. Auto­ mated unit testing strategies allow a tester to execute a large number of test cases to detect faulty behaviours in a piece of software. Many different automated unit testing strategies can be applied to test a program. In order to better understand the relationship between these strategies, “explorative” strategies are defined as those which select unit tests by exploring a large search space with a relatively simple data structure. This thesis focuses on comparing three particular explorative strategies: bounded-exhaustive, randomized, and a combined strategy. In order to precisely compare …

Transmission Of Whole-Body Vibration From Exercise Platforms, Robert Charles Caryn

Digitized Theses

Introduction: The transmission of mechanical vibration to the axial skeleton

from a whole body vibration platform was measured across different degrees of knee flexion. Methods: Male subjects (N=12) stood with varying knee flexion angles of 0, 20, and 40 degrees on a whole body vibration platform. Platform frequencies between 20-50 Hz at two amplitude settings (1 and 2 mm) were tested. Transmissibility was measured with triaxial accelerometers at the platform surface, hip, back and head. Results: Changes in peak to peak platform amplitude across vibration frequency and knee angle did not affect transmissibility measurements (p > 0.05). Transmissibility measures varied depending …

Relationships Among Sarcopenia, Strength And Ageing In Healthy Adult Women, Marcus R. Barnett

Digitized Theses

Leg muscle cross sectional area (CSA), isometric strength and contraction velocity were examined in a group of young (Y), old (O), and very old, (VO) women to investigate the effects of aging and sarcopenia among healthy women. Ten contiguous transverse MRI (3Telsa IMRIS Scanner) scans were done horizontal to the right leg and produced images of the upper 1/3 of the leg in seven Y (23±2y), five O (65±4y) and six VO (76±3y) women. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) torque and maximal contraction velocity (at a fixed load of -IN m ) of the dorsiflexors and plantar flexors were determined …

Nature Of Tsst-1 Production By Staphylococcus Aureus In Aberrant Vaginal Conditions, Roderick Alexander Macphee

Digitized Theses

Menstrual-toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a serious illness that afflicts women of pre-menopausal age worldwide, and arises from vaginal infection by Staphylococcus aureus and concurrent production of toxic shock syndrome toxin- 1 (TSST-1). The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of aberrant vaginal states and indigenous vaginal bacteria on production of TSST-1 and identify women who are most susceptible to menstrual-TSS. A TSST-1 reporter strain of S. aureus was grown in the presence of vaginal swab contents collected from women in London, Ontario with healthy and aberrant vaginal states. Gene expression assays were also conducted to monitor …

Pressure-Equalized Rainscreen Wall System: A Full-Scale Experiment, Samar D. Dernayka

Digitized Theses

The pressure equalized rainscreen wall, considered as the most effective building envelope against wind induced rain penetration, requires continuous investigations to reach better performance. This research seeks the optimum pressure equalization process under external pressure conditions and wall parameters that have not previously been studied in detail. For this purpose, a single compartment full-scale wall model was built in a controlled facility at the University of Western Ontario. The cavity pressure response to external fluctuations was experimentally examined with respect to the rainscreen venting area ratio, under two types of real wind pressure distributions generated mechanically at zero degree incidence: …

Design And Microfabrication Of Edge-Lit Optical Light Curtains, Rahima Afrose Ronny

Digitized Theses

Plastic optical light guides can be used for a variety of interior and exterior vehicle light curtains such as cabin illuminators and automotive tail lights. The edge-lit wave guide is an optically transparent substrate coupled with one or more energy efficient light emitting diodes (LEDs). The light rays from the source travel through the substrate based on the principle of total internal reflection. If a surface of the optical wave guide is patterned with optical microstructures then the light rays will scatter and refract throughout the medium, primarily exiting opposite to the patterned surface. Uniform illumination over this active surface …

Effect Of The Steptm And Home-Monitoring Technology In Rural Primary Care On Blood Pressure And Fitness In Metabolic Syndrome, Kristin Joanna Sabourin

Digitized Theses

Adults with metabolic syndrome (MetS) are at a high risk for developing type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. As well, rural populations have lower access to lifestyle modifications (recreational centres) to manage this condition. Adults with MetS were recruited from rural southwestern Ontario. At each visit, resting blood pressure (BP) was measured, a predictive fitness (V02inax) test was offered and exercise was prescribed using the Step Test Exercise Prescription (STEPTM). Home-monitoring technology included a BlackberryTM, BP monitor and a pedometer. Clinical systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) decreased from baseline to 3 months (VI) and continued to decrease into …

Effects Of Frequent Cooperative Quizzes On The Achievement Of First Year College Students Enrolled In A Mathematics Course, Liliana Camelia Simion

Digitized Theses

This pilot study examines the effects of the frequent cooperative quizzes on the achievement and class engagement of first year college students enrolled in a mathematics course. The impact of this teaching and learning strategy is measured by four unit tests, a final exam, and a students’ survey.

A mixed methods research procedure combines the quantitative data represented by students’ tests marks and students’ answers in a questionnaire with qualitative data represented by students’ feelings and perceptions from the survey, and instructor’s observations.

The results of the study indicate that this teaching approach - frequent cooperative quizzes - is promising …

Education, Exploration And The Elephant In The Room: A Narrative Inquiry Of Sexuality And Sex Education Among Adolescents With Physical Disabilities, Lauri J. East

Digitized Theses

Guided by a constructivist paradigm, this qualitative research study used a multidimensional form of narrative inquiry in order to understand the experiences of learning about sexuality among adolescents with physical disabilities, and in turn, how these experiences influence the way they view themselves as sexual beings.

For the purposes of this research, in-depth narrative interviews were conducted with adolescents who have physical disabilities and parents of youth with physical disabilities, as well as a focus group with health professionals. The findings from this study demonstrate that these adolescents often face challenges in accessing disability- specific sex information due to a …

Dogme Does Hollywood: A Case Of Minor Cinema, Adam D. Szymanski

Digitized Theses

This thesis analyzes four films by the Danish directors and founders of the Dogme 95 movement, Thomas Vinterberg and Lars von Trier. The four films were released in their post-Dogme period: It's All About Love (Vinterberg, 2003), Dogville (von Trier, 2003), Manderlav (von Trier, 2005), and Dear Wendv (Vinterberg, 2005). The thesis places these films about America within the (film-)historical context of the Bush-Cheney regime's hard-right agenda, and the larger context of the Hollywood films released during the period. The theory of minor cinema — inspired by Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari — is used to analyze the politics of …

Does Isolating Critical Facial Features Modulate Activity In Emotion-Related Brain Regions For Individuals With High Coldheartedness?, Thida Han

Digitized Theses

Psychopathy, a developmental disorder characterized by profound behavioural disturbance, is associated with impaired recognition of distress cues. Previous studies indicate that this impairment can be improved by redirecting attention to critical cues (the eyes for fearful faces), although the associated functional neuroanatomy remains unknown. fMRI was used on a community sample of individuals with high vs. low scores on the Coldheartedness (CH) subscale of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory (N=32). Participants identified emotional expressions consisting o f whole, or partial faces that isolated critical portions of each expression. Contrasting functional activity between the least-informative (eyes removed) and the most-informative (eyes only) …

Development Of A Strain-Adaptive Material Model Of Bone Tissue In The Distal Ulna Implemented Through A Finite Element Analysis, Mark Ac Neuert

Digitized Theses

Finite element (FE) modeling applied to orthopaedic biomechanics is increasing in popularity. An area of current interest is in the development of the time-dependent material models of bone tissue that can be applied to the study of natural bone formation or changes in bone density following joint replacement surgery. This thesis focuses on the development of such a model for the distal ulna, with implications for implant design.

This was completed in a series of three studies. First, an empirically derived density- elastic modulus relationship for the ulna was validated through a range of bending modes. Second, a strain-adaptive material …

Directed Differentiation Of Human Embryonic Stem Cells To Pancreatic Endocrine Progenitors, Nicole Marie Watts

Digitized Theses

Diabetes is becoming increasingly prevalent in North America, highlighting the necessity to create a renewable source of pancreatic P-cells for therapeutic purposes. The current study was undertaken to explore the hypothesis that ectopic expression of lineage­ determining transcription factors could generate a source of proliferative, homogenous pancreatic progenitor cells capable of subsequent differentiation to functional endocrine cell types, including P-cells. We validated transgenic systems for transgene delivery in HESC and subsequently generated and analyzed gene expression patterns in transgenic cell populations engineered to constitutively express pancreatic transcription factors PAX4, PDX1, or NGN3. We demonstrate that ectopic expression of either PAX4 …

Energized By Love: Physiological Consequences Of Partner Reflection, Sarah Claire Evans Stanton

Digitized Theses

Prior research has demonstrated that when individuals think about their romantic partner, they experience specific physiological responses (e.g., cortisol reactivity). Guided by these findings, the present study explored the potential physiological and behavioral benefits associated with partner reflection; specifically, the idea that individuals would be physically energized by partner reflection, and that this energy would allow them to persevere when presented with a complex task. Results revealed that participants who thought about their romantic partner exhibited both short-term and long-term increases in blood glucose, relative to those who thought about their morning routine or a friend. These increases in glucose …

Effects Of Neuropeptide Y On Adipocyte Metabolism, Raymond Li

Digitized Theses

Recently, we have shown that neuropeptide Y (NPY) is produced and upregulated in visceral adipose tissue of an early-life programmed rat model of central obesity. Moreover, we have demonstrated that NPY contributes to the pathogenesis of obesity. However, the role of NPY in regulating adipocyte metabolism is poorly understood. The present study examined the effects of NPY on adipocyte metabolism using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We found that NPY potentiated isoproterenol (P-adrenergic agonist) stimulated lipolysis. This potentiation occurred upstream of adenylyl cyclase, since NPY did not enhance forskolin (direct activator of adenylyl cyclase) stimulated lipolysis. The potentiation was mediated by increased phosphorylation …

Development Of Imaging Paradigms For Drug Distribution And Fate In The Eye, Corey Albert Smith

Digitized Theses

Aging-associated vision loss is increasingly prevalent in our population and intravitreal injections are commonly used to administer ocular drugs to the posterior segment of the eye. This work aims to visualize and predict the delivery of ocular drugs by combining micro- computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. Intravitreal injections were administered into ex vivo porcine eyes and imaged for an extended period of time to track the progression of the injected drug mimic. Non-invasive imaging allowed for precise determination of contrast agent concentration, flow patterns and fate. A computational model was developed that provided quantitative agreement …

Electrospinning Of Poly (Ester Amide)S For Vascular Tissue Engineering, Deepta Srinath

Digitized Theses

A recent surge of research in the field of tissue engineering has contributed to the development of novel biomaterials for restoring or replacing diseased cardiovascular tissues. In an effort to control biodegradability, a new class of polymers known as poly (ester amide)s (PEAs) are being studied as they show promising results for their use as biomaterials.

The work in this thesis focuses on a PEA that was synthesized from the a-amino acid L- alanine, 1,8-octanediol and sebacoyl chloride. Following detailed characterization, the synthesized PEA was used for fabricating of fibrous scaffolds with a blend of PCL by electrospinning. A number …

Effects Of Prenatal Testosterone On Kndy- Gnrh Circuitry In A Sheep Model Of Pcos, Maria Cernea

Digitized Theses

Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and prenatal testosterone (T)-treated ewes show similar reproductive neuroendocrine defects, including reduced responsiveness to feedback control of GnRH secretion, suggesting alterations in the hypothalamic circuitry mediating control of reproduction. KNDy (kisspeptin/neurokinin B/dynorphin) neurons of the arcuate nucleus (ARC) play a critical role in relaying the influence of steroid hormones to GnRH neurons. We tested the hypothesis that prenatal T exposure alters the synaptic connections of KNDy cells and their connections to GnRH neurons by examining inputs to kisspeptin and GnRH neurons in control and prenatal T- treated adult ewes. Prenatal T-treated animals showed a …

Estimation Of The Orthotropic Elastic Properties Of The Rat Eardrum, Ehsan Salamati

Digitized Theses

Finite-element (FE) models of the eardrum have been developed to understand its impedance-matching function. Modeling accuracy depends on the assumed elastic properties. Although the eardrum is an orthotropic elastic structure, for simplicity, most investigators have measured the eardrum’s elastic properties while assuming it is isotropic. No data are available in the literature on the eardrum’s orthotropic elastic properties. In this work, existing indentation-based and pressurization-based methods were extended for estimating the orthotropic elastic properties of the eardrum in situ. For the pressurization-based method, an accuracy in excess of 90% is achieved when the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is 2 or greater, …

Emotion’S Influence On The Evaluation Of Familiarity, Devin Duke

Digitized Theses

Emotion enhances the encoding and consolidation of memory traces, leading to the salient reliving of emotional experiences. In the recognition memory literature, the induction of somatic arousal and feelings of perceptual fluency during retrieval have been associated with illusory familiarity. Understudied in this literature is an investigation into how one’s emotional state, independent of stimulus content, influences recollective and familiarity-based recognition memory retrieval. Two priming paradigms were employed in the current thesis research to contrast the effects of affective priming and identity priming on familiarity and recollection using the Remember/Know procedure. Enhanced familiarity-based discrimination was revealed using affective priming, selective …

Effects Of Whole-Body Vibration Training On The Postural Control, Lower Body Strength, Balance Confidence And Health-Related Quality Of Life In Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Lyndsay Foisey

Digitized Theses

Whole-body vibration training (WBV) may improve balance and strength in older adults. This study investigated the effects of WBV on the balance, lower body strength, balance confidence and quality of life in community-dwelling older adults. Participants (N = 23; 77 ± 7.8 years) were randomized into a WBV group or control group. The WBV group performed eight weeks of WBV; four weeks of standing followed by four weeks of dynamic squats. Control group participants maintained their current lifestyles. Postural control, the Sit-to-Stand test, the Berg Balance Scale, the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale and the Medical Outcome Survey Short-Form 36 were …

Expanding The Bounds Of Critique: Kant, Benjamin And The Coming Philosophy, Galen Albert Mcrury Crout

Digitized Theses

This project attempts to trace a continuity which runs from Walter Benjamin’s early writings on language and the coming philosophy through to his Arcades Project. Benjamin’s early writings on the Kantian critical system stipulate the need to bring the clarity and consistency of the critical system into relation with time, ephemera and history. This project argues that Benjamin’s early demands are developed via his encounter with the literary techniques of surrealism and the artistic techniques of Baudelaire’s Monsieur G. Ultimately, this work contends that Benjamin’s Arcades Project attempts to synthesize both the techniques developed in Benjamin’s middle period and the …

Estimating Target Vessel Location On Robot-Assisted Cabg Using Feature-Based Ct To Us Registration, Sungjoon Daniel Cho

Digitized Theses

Although robot-assisted coronary artery bypass grafting (RA-CABG) has gained more acceptance worldwide, its success still depends on the surgeon’s experience and expertise, and the conversion rate to full sternotomy is in the order of 15%—25%. One of the reasons for conversion is poor pre-operative planning, which is based solely on pre-operative computed tomography (CT) images. This thesis proposes a technique to estimate the global peri-operative displacement of the heart and to predict the intra-operative target vessel location. The technique has been validated via both an in vitro and a clinical study, and predicted the position of the peri-operative target vessel …

Examining Associations Between Infant Negative Emotionality, Maternal Sensitivity, And Attachment In A Longitudinal Sample, Caitlin E. Best

Digitized Theses

This longitudinal study investigated the extent to which infant negative emotionality and maternal sensitivity predicted various aspects of infant-mother attachment. Infant and maternal behaviour was assessed at three time points: infant negative emotionality in the still-face paradigm at 4 months, maternal sensitivity in the home at 10 months, and infant-mother attachment in the Strange Situation at 13 months. Analyses were conducted using categorical and continuous measures of attachment from 62 infant- mother dyads. ANOVAs and hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that maternal sensitivity scores predicted infants’ security of attachment (B/not-B), but not emotionality in the Strange Situation (A1-B2/B3-C2). Infant negative …