Digital Commons Network^™

Strategies For The Stabilization Of Metal Anodes For Li And Na Metal Batteries, Yang Zhao

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Li-metal batteries (LMBs) and Na-metal batteries (NMBs) are considered as the promising candidates to replace the conventional Li-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their high theoretical energy density. For LMBs and NMBs, Li metal and Na metal are the ultimate choices to achieve their high energy density due to the high specific capacity, low electrochemical potential and lightweight. However, as alkali metals, both Li and Na metal anodes suffer from serious challenges including 1) Li/Na dendrite formations and short circuits; 2) Low Coulombic efficiency (CE) and poor cycling performance; and 3) Infinite volume changes. This thesis mainly focuses on the design …

Acquired Bracket Pellicle Modulation Via Exposure To Histatin 3, Niklas W. Neilson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Objectives: To investigate the effect of histatin 3 on the protein pellicle formation on the orthodontic bracket surface.

Methods: Our study consisted of 4 sample groups. A sample of human parotid saliva without histatin functioned as a control group. Other groups were immersed with or without histatin 3 and human parotid saliva. Each group was incubated for 2 hours in their respective substrate at 37°C. The acquired pellicle from each group was harvested, then analyzed with SDS-PAGE and LC-ESI-MS/MS.

Results: Thirty-nine proteins were identified in the control group, 18 were identified in group 2, and 21 were identified in group …

Chemically Enhanced Primary Treatment Processes For Wastewater Resource Redirection And Its Impact On Downstream Processes, Tianchen Dong

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

There is a recent focus within the global wastewater industry on the steps being taken by treatment facilities to move towards net zero, or in some cases, energy positive operation. As part of maximizing energy recovery from the incoming wastewater, there has been increased attention upon the energy contained in the wastewater, and maximizing the redirection of more carbon captured through the primary treatment process rather than conventional removal through carbon oxidation. The chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) process is a promising method for carbon redirection and improving the performance and efficiency of wastewater treatment processes. This research was conducted …

Validating And Highlighting The Advantages Of The Optimal Estimation Method For Rayleigh Lidar Middle Atmospheric Temperature Retrievals, Ali Jalali

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

An improved understanding of temperature variations in Earth’s middle atmosphere is important for the improvement of our understanding of climate and weather on the surface. The optimal estimation method (OEM) is an inversion modeling approach, which uses regularized nonlinear regression to retrieve, in this case, the temperature of Earth’s middle atmosphere using Rayleigh-scatter lidar measurements. The OEM regularization term is the a priori knowledge of the atmospheric temperature profile. In this thesis I use lidar temperatures in the altitude range 30–110km to construct a temperature climatology using over 500 nights of measurements obtained by the Purple Crow Lidar in London, …

Normalizing Masculinity: Explaining Processes, Factors, And Contexts That Influence How Rural Male Farmers Seek Health Information In Southwest Ontario, Bradley C. Hiebert

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Disproportionately high mortality and morbidity rates experienced by rural men are often related to the high prevalence of rural male farmers (RMFs) who are consistently exposed to chemicals, animal waste, and dust, or injured or killed while working. This dissertation aimed to explain processes by which RMFs seek health information (HI), and how these processes are influenced by rural social, cultural, political, and geographical factors.

Three studies were conducted as part of this dissertation. The first study was a literature review that explored the relationship between rural men’s health, health information seeking (HIS) theory, and masculinity theory. The second study …

Secured Data Masking Framework And Technique For Preserving Privacy In A Business Intelligence Analytics Platform, Osama Ali

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The main concept behind business intelligence (BI) is how to use integrated data across different business systems within an enterprise to make strategic decisions. It is difficult to map internal and external BI’s users to subsets of the enterprise’s data warehouse (DW), resulting that protecting the privacy of this data while maintaining its utility is a challenging task. Today, such DW systems constitute one of the most serious privacy breach threats that an enterprise might face when many internal users of different security levels have access to BI components. This thesis proposes a data masking framework (iMaskU: Identify, Map, Apply, …

The Uphill Battle Of Environmental Technologies: Analysis Of Local Discourses On The Acceptance And Resistance Of Green Bin Programs, Carrie Warring

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Many Canadian municipalities have been looking for alternative sustainable waste management solutions since landfill capacity has been decreasing and siting new facilities often results in vehement local opposition. In Ontario, there is no provincial mandate for organic waste diversion targets, where most large-sized municipalities have implemented a Green Bin program while other jurisdictions of varying size still have not. This paper uses discourse analysis to explore predominant and counter discourses that have resulted in Guelph sustaining a Green Bin program, while London has not implemented a Green Bin. Manuscript one explores the interaction of provincial and local municipal discourses in …

Head Impact Exposures In Youth Canadian Football Players Aged 12-14 Do Not Significantly Impair Antisaccade Performance, William J. Smith

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

There is a growing body of research evaluating head impacts in sport, but studies have not evaluated youth football in Canada. It is important to evaluate football in Canada as the rules and field size are different than American football, and this may influence the impact exposures. The purpose of this study was to quantify the head impact exposures in youth Canadian football and determine if a season’s worth of impacts could cause impairments in executive function. Players (n=50) had their head impacts recorded using an impact measuring device (GForceTracker) throughout all contact practices and games. A subset of players …

Science And Theology In Religious Education And Faith Formation With Children And Youth: Towards A Post-Foundationalist Approach, Judy S. Steers

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The intersections of Science and Theology have received a great deal of attention in recent decades. A broad range of approaches and discourse exists within academic environments. Within popular culture, however, the public perception often is that science and theology are in conflict and at odds with one another.

Many authors have attempted to write about science and theology from a dialogical standpoint. Educational projects over the past ten years have attempted to address the supposed conflict between religion and science, and affirm the validity of religious beliefs in a scientific era. Too often, however, scientific concepts are misappropriated as …

An Exploration Of The Nursing Leaders’ Experiences Addressing Indigenous Health In University Undergraduate Nursing Programs In Ontario, Danae Coggins

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Introduction. Although there are serious health inequities experienced by Indigenous people compared to non-Indigenous people in Canada and racism and discrimination continues to be rife in health care environments, there remains a general lack of attention to Indigenous health (IH) in health professional education programs. In response, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has recommended this be addressed within health profession education, including nursing (Truth and Reconciliation Canada, 2015). However, there is a paucity of evidence describing the challenges and facilitators to incorporating IH into nursing education.

Methodology and Methods. This qualitative study employs interpretive description approaches informed by …

Investigation Of Flow Disturbances And Multi-Directional Wall Shear Stress In The Stenosed Carotid Artery Bifurcation Using Particle Image Velocimetry, Amanda L. Dicarlo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Hemodynamics and shear forces are associated with pathological changes in the vascular wall and its function, resulting in the focal development of atherosclerosis. Flow complexities that develop in the presence of established plaques create environments favourable to thrombosis formation and potentially plaque rupture leading to stroke. The carotid artery bifurcation is a common site of atherosclerosis development. Recently, the multi-directional nature of shear stress acting on the endothelial layer has been highlighted as a risk factor for atherogenesis, emphasizing the need for accurate measurements of shear stress magnitude as well direction. In the absence of comprehensive patient specific datasets numerical …

Pragmatic Holiness In The Early Salvation Army: A Theology Of Holiness As Action, Terence Hale

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The notion of holiness and sanctification are central to most Protestant understandings and expressions of religious life. This thesis explores whether a pragmatic understanding of holiness, particularly in the Wesleyan-Arminian stream, can have a meaningful place in the postmodern world.

This thesis endeavours to establish a theological argument for a non-linear pragmatic understanding of holiness in the Wesleyan tradition. The theological argument is supplemented by a substantial case study of the early Salvation Army, focusing on its missiology and theology.

The argument presented is that a pragmatic understanding of sanctification, as seen in the theology and practice of the early …

Retrospective Motion Correction In Magnetic Resonance Imaging Of The Brain, Patricia Johnson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a tremendously useful diagnostic imaging modality that provides outstanding soft tissue contrast. However, subject motion is a significant unsolved problem; motion during image acquisition can cause blurring and distortions in the image, limiting its diagnostic utility. Current techniques for addressing head motion include optical tracking which can be impractical in clinical settings due to challenges associated with camera cross-calibration and marker fixation. Another category of techniques is MRI navigators, which use specially acquired MRI data to track the motion of the head.

This thesis presents two techniques for motion correction in MRI: the first is …

Top-Down And Bottom-Up Effects On Collembola Communities In Soil Food Webs, Jordan Kustec

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Anthropogenic changes are causing shifts within soil food web communities, which may alter ecosystem processes such as nutrient cycling, carbon storage and decomposition. I quantified ecological stressor effects on the abundance, richness, community composition and body size of a soil-dwelling microarthropod (Collembola: Hexapoda). I quantified the effects of warming and nitrogen deposition in two separate field studies and demonstrated that warming shifts Collembola community structure and decreases community body size. I quantified the interactive effects of top-down and bottom-up forces mediated by warming as ecological stressors in Collembola communities. I found that bottom-up effects of nutrient addition did not affect …

True North Strong Canada 150: Canadian Identity And Its Contribution To Doping Free Sport, Helena A. Hlas

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis, a reflective piece inspired by “Canada 150” events, explores the psychosocial and sociocultural factors surrounding the ongoing evolution of the clean sport movement in Canada. A literature review recounts the critical events in the history of doping, viz. the Ben Johnson scandal, which resulted in a call to overhaul sport culture and realign it with fair play values. Theories in sports philosophy and psychology provide a further understanding of the meaning of sport, and psychosocial factors that are inextricably linked to doping behavior, respectively. The autoethnographic method provides insight into current Canadian values to compare with those in …

Experimental Testing And Modeling Of Partial Nitrification At Different Temperatures, Xiaoguang Liu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Nitrogen in wastewater treatment plant effluents has adverse environmental effects on aquatic systems. Excessive concentrations of nitrogen in water bodies can result in the depletion of dissolved oxygen, deterioration of water quality, and shifts of biotic community. Conventional biological nitrogen removal (BNR) processes consume high energy for nitrification and require external carbon for denitrification. Alternatively, partial nitrification is of interest as an emerging technology for its lower need of organic carbon addition and cost savings in aeration. In this study, the main objectives are: 1- developing a mathematical model involving operational parameters for the determination of successful partial nitrification conditions; …

Bastard Reasoning: A "Preposterous" History Of Walter Benjamin's Ideas, Vladimir Cristache

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation presents the theory of ideas developed by Walter Benjamin in the “Epistemo-Critical Prologue” of his Trauerspiel book and thereby seeks to fill an existing gap in English-language Benjamin literature. On the one hand, it performs its task by closely reading this thinker’s early, epistemo-linguistic writings up to and including the “Prologue”: most prominently, “On Language as Such,” “The Program of the Coming Philosophy,” “The Concept of Criticism,” and the theoretically inclined sections of “Goethe’s Elective Affinities.” On the other, it does so by positioning Benjamin’s theory of language within existentialist philosophy and by applying his theory of …

Examining Climate Change-Health Nexus In Ghana, Lucia Kafui Hussey

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Climate change is one of today’s most pressing global issues with its physical, biological and social impacts widely recognized. One area of concern is its potential health consequences. The postulated health effects from climate change are far-reaching that climate change induced health risks are signaled as the most pressing problems to public health in the 21^st century. Although developing countries such as Ghana had been suggested as a vulnerable hotspot for the health consequences of climate change, there is a paucity of empirical research on climate change and its health linkages in the country.

The purpose of this dissertation …

Performance Of Single And Groups Of Hollow Bar Micropiles In Sand, Maged Abdlrahem

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Micropiles offer an efficient load transfer mechanism, which facilitates carrying considerable load in compression and tension. Recently, hollow bar micropiles (HBMP) have gained wide acceptance due to their fast installation and small installation equipment, which allows installation in sites with limited access. The HBMP is commonly constructed using a drill bit/ hollow bar diameter ratio (D_b/D_h) of around 2, and they are typically designed assuming type B micropiles as classified by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). However, increasing the drill bit diameter should increase the micropile diameter and hence may enhance its performance and increase its …

Social Inclusion For Women Experiencing Homelessness, Jenna Richards

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Background: People experiencing homelessness have been described as one of the most socially excluded groups in society due to their inequitable access to basic necessities (Everett 2009; Labonte, 2004). Particular consideration regarding social inclusion should be given to the unique vulnerabilities of sub-populations of those experiencing homelessness, such as women (Wesely & Wright, 2005) due to their increased rates of ‘hidden homelessness’ (Walsh et al., 2009) and experiences of violence and discrimination (Roschelle, 2017; Weiser et al., 2009). Community participation, particularly sports activities, have been cited as one method towards increasing social inclusion among people experiencing homelessness. However, differential access …

Acromial Insufficiency Fractures In Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Biomechanical Study, Alicia Kerrigan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) is increasingly utilized in the aging population, with a growing list of surgical indications including rotator cuff tear arthropathy, proximal humerus fractures, and revision arthroplasty. Acromial insufficiency fractures following RTSA are poorly understood, difficult to diagnose, and associated with inferior clinical outcomes. There is limited knowledge in the literature regarding the etiology of post-operative acromial fractures. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of implant parameters on acromial strain following RTSA.

Using a cadaveric model, a custom designed modular RTSA system was implanted that allowed for evaluation of modifiable parameters including glenoid …

Investigating The Use Of M-Health For Learning And Clinical Training By Medical Students In Ghana, Abdul M. Sulley

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

There is a challenge with healthcare access in most developing countries. With the high rate of mobile technology penetration in these countries, there is a strong belief that mobile technology can help address this and other health system and education challenges. This study investigated how clinical year medical students in Ghana used m-health and with what outcomes. This was a mixed-methods study to assess what technologies students used, what the impact of use was, what enablers and barriers they encountered, what factors explained m-health adoption and what the attitudes of students, staff and faculty members were towards m-health use. The …

Electrical Resistivity Of Nickel, Iron And Iron-Silicon Alloy Melts At High Pressure With Implications For The Thermal Conductivity Of The Earth’S Core, Reynold E. Silber

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The Earth’s liquid outer core (OC) is composed of Fe alloyed with up to 10% Ni and a small fraction of light elements. However, the effect of light elements such as Si on the transport properties of liquid Fe-alloy in Earth’s OC is not clear. Thermal conductivity (κ) and related electrical resistivity (ρ) are the least constrained parameters in OC. Therefore, the characterization of transport properties of Ni, Fe and Fe-Si at high pressure has important geophysical implications for the Earth’s core. The ρ of solid and liquid Ni, Fe and Fe 4%Si was measured at …

Exploring Social Cohesion Among Syrian Refugees In Canada: A Secondary Analysis, Sara Calvert

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

BACKGROUND: As a result of the ongoing crisis in Syria, more than 11 million people have been displaced or killed over the past seven years (Mercy Corps, 2018). Despite efforts by the Canadian government to increase refugee uptake and promote social cohesion, refugees may still face negative resettlement experiences (Galabuzi, 2006; McCoy, Kirova, & Knight, 2016). Exploring how Syrian refugees have experienced social cohesion within their first year in Canada may help to address resettlement needs.

METHODS: This study was a secondary analysis on data collected from the Housing Education for Syrian Refugees and their Landlords study, which evaluated the …

Applications Of Ct Perfusion-Based Triaging And Prognostication In Acute Ischemic Stroke, Eric A. Wright

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

CT Perfusion (CTP) is a minimally invasive imaging technique that aids acute ischemic stroke (AIS) triage and prognostication by determining tissue viability based on hemodynamic parameters. The goals of this research are to determine: 1) CTP thresholds for estimation of infarct and penumbra volume, 2) how CTP scan duration impacts infarct and penumbra volume estimates, and 3) reliability of CTP for predicting functional outcomes following intra-arterial therapy (IAT).

Chapter 2 introduced an experimental study for determining ischemia-time dependent thresholds for brain infarction using multimodal imaging in a porcine stroke model that is easier to implement than previous large animal stroke …

Suberin Biosynthesis And Deposition In The Wound-Healing Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) Tuber Model, Kathlyn Natalie Woolfson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Suberin is a heteropolymer comprising a cell wall-bound poly(phenolic) domain (SPPD) covalently linked to a poly(aliphatic) domain (SPAD) that is deposited between the cell wall and plasma membrane. Potato tuber skin contains suberin to protect against water loss and microbial infection. Wounding triggers suberin biosynthesis in usually non-suberized tuber parenchyma, providing a model system to study suberin production. Spatial and temporal coordination of SPPD and SPAD-related metabolism are required for suberization, as the former is produced soon after wounding, and the latter is synthesized later into wound-healing. Many steps involved in suberin biosynthesis remain uncharacterized, and the mechanism(s) that regulate …

Conceptual Disorganization And Redistribution Of Resting State Cortical Hubs In Drug-Naive First Episode Psychosis: A 7t Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study, Avyarthana Dey

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Network level dysconnectivity has been studied in positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Conceptual disorganization (CD) is a symptom which predicts impaired real-world functioning. Systematic reviews have reported aberrant connectivity in formal thought disorder, a construct related to CD. However, no studies have investigated whole-brain functional correlates of CD in psychosis. We sought to investigate brain regions explaining the severity of CD in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEPs) compared with healthy controls (HCs). We computed whole-brain binarized degree centrality maps of 31 FEPs, 25 HCs and characterized the patterns of network connectivity in the two groups. In FEPs, we related …

Properties Of Si Quantum Dots, Carolyn C. F Cadogan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The fundamental properties of matter in confined particles change dramatically due to quantum effects. In this work, we have explored the optical properties of silicon quantum dots (Si-QDs) embedded in Si₃N₄; and the role of crystallinity on the optical properties and formation of Si-QDs in Al₂O₃. This work examined the role of (1) annealing temperature and the composition of the film, (2) Al doping of the host Si₃N₄ film, (3) doping Si-QDs and (4) Al and P passivation of Si-QDs on the PL intensity of Si-QDs embedded in Si …

Landscape-Level Effects Of Agricultural Intensification On The Condition And Diet Of Nestling Barn Swallows (Hirundo Rustica), Jackson W. Kusack

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Farmland bird populations have experienced declines with increasing agricultural intensification for which the leading hypothesis is a reduction of prey insects. This may be especially relevant for aerial insectivores whose primary diet is aerial insects. For this thesis, I examined nestling body condition and used stable isotopes (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) and fecal DNA barcoding to determine the diet of a farmland breeding aerial insectivore, the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), within an agro-ecosystem in Southern Ontario, Canada. Nestling body condition was positively affected by agricultural intensification, but all benefits were lost by the pre-fledging stage and …

Morphologic Mapping Of Lunar Impact Basins, Zachary R. Morse

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Modern high-resolution remote sensing datasets for the Moon provide a detailed view of the lunar surface and its features. This thesis uses visible, compositional, and topographic data to create the most detailed geomorphological maps to date of portions of three lunar impact structures: Orientale Basin, Tsiolkovsky Crater, and Schrödinger Basin, which are three of the best-preserved impact structures on the lunar farside.

This thesis discusses the mapping and analysis of seven distinct ejecta facies around Orientale, nine distinct facies in and around Tsiolkovsky, and twelve units of surface materials in the central Schrödinger Basin region. This analysis utilized 100 m/pixel …