Introduction
The Graduate Student Research Conference is an interdisciplinary conference to profile and
promote graduate student research at the University of Waterloo.
There will be over 350 graduate students presenting their research this year, in the form of oral
or poster presentations:
Oral Presentation: A total time of 20 minutes is allotted for each oral presentation; 15 minutes
for the presentation content and 5 minutes for the question/answer period.
Poster Presentation: A graphically oriented summary of your research project; posters will be
showcased on Monday, April 25 from 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm in the Davis Centre.
Mandatory Presentations: Presentations (oral or poster) required to fulfill seminar degree
requirements with various on-campus departments (e.g. CUT, Biology, WatRISQ).
Constructive feedback will be provided for each presentation by session judges (faculty and
graduate students) and members of the audience. There will also be prizes available to be won.
For more details, refer to the conference website.
Everyone is encouraged and welcome to attend the sessions. There is no cost to attend.
Dates to note
Monday, April 25 @ 3:00 pm – Davis Centre (DC) – Keynote Speaker
Jorge Cham is the creator and artist of Piled Higher and Deeper (PhD), the comic strip about
life (or the lack thereof) in grad school.
To view Jorge’s comic strips, please visit the PHD comics website.
Monday, April 25 @4:00 pm – Davis Centre (DC) fishbowl – Opening Reception
Following the keynote speaker, Jorge Cham, graduate students are invited to an opening
reception, including food, drinks and poster presentations.
Keynote at 3 pm, reception at 4 pm.
Thursday April 28 @ 4:00 pm – Davis Centre (DC) fishbowl – Closing Reception
Closing reception and awarding of prizes.
Conference Program
On the next few pages, you will find the Conference Schedule, followed by the Conference
Abstracts.
Conference Schedule
Everyone is invited to attend all oral and poster presentations!
Oral presentation schedule – lists when and where the oral presentations are taking place. The
name of the presenter is hyperlinked (highlighted) so when the name is clicked on, users will be
taken to the presenter’s abstract.
NOTE: The presenters are listed in no particular order; order will be determined on the day of
the presentation itself. Each presentation will be 20 minutes. All presenters are expected to
remain in the room during of the presentations in a given block of time (i.e. 9:00 – 10:20).
Poster presentation schedule – lists all poster presenters who will showcase their posters on
Monday, April 25 @ 4:30 pm in the Davis Centre. The name of the presenter is hyperlinked
(highlighted) so when the name is clicked on, users will be taken to the presenter’s abstract.
Conference Abstracts
As part of call for abstracts, all presenters (oral/poster) were asked to submit a 250 word
abstract. Any abstracts that exceeded this 250 word maximum, have been truncated and are
indentified by a * at the end of their abstract.
This conference is organized by the Graduate Studies Office (GSO), in collaboration with the
Graduate Student Association (GSA). If you have any questions pertaining to the Graduate
Student Research Conference, please contact the conference organizers:
Marta Bailey, Communications Manager, GSO
Tasha Glover, Communication & Events Coordinator, GSO
Everyone is welcome - faculty, staff, students and members of the public.
No registration required; no cost to attend!!
Please join us April 25 – 28.
Monday April 25, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1304 - Faculty of Mathematics (Computer Science)
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Carvalho, Arthur
Computer Science
A Truth Serum for Sharing
Rewards
Hosseini, Hadi
Computer Science
A Real-Time Patient
Scheduling Model Using
Multi-Agent Resource
Allocation
Yu, Yuxin
Computer Science
Mechanism Design on
Restricted Allocations
Zangooei, Somayyeh
Computer Science
Computations to obtain
wider tunnels in protein
structures
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Alipanahi Ramandi, Babak
Computer Science
A Novel SDP-Based Protein
Structure Determination from
NMR Data
Chammah, Tarek
Computer Science
Nested atomic sections
for both atomicity and
synchronization
Salinger, Alejandro
Computer Science
Paging for Multicore
Processors
12:00 --- Lunch break
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Amarala, Swathi
Computer Science
Multigrid Time Stepping
Method for Systems of
Hyperbolic Partial Differential
Equations
Claude, Francisco
Computer Science
Representing Web
and Social Graphs
Faghih, Fathiyeh
Computer Science
Distributed Model
Verification Using MapReduce
Khan, Atif
Computer Science
A Semantic Approach to
Secure Electronic Patient
Information Exchange in
Distributed Environments
2:40 --- Break
3:00 - keynote speaker (DC)
Featuring Jorge Cham -- the creator and artist of Piled Higher and Deeper (PhD), the comic strip about life (or the lack thereof) in grad school.
4:00-6:00 – Opening Reception, book signing and poster presentations (see participant listing below)
Pytel, Alex
Computer Science
Self-Organized
Approach to Modeling
Hydraulic Erosion
Features
Monday April 25, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1302 - Faculty of Mathematics
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Kemp, Todd
Applied Mathematics
Floating Bodies without Gravity
Johnston, Matthew
Applied Mathematics
Linear Conjugacy of Chemical
Reaction Networks
Kasinathan, Dhanaraja
Applied Mathematics
H-infinity solvers
Al jamal, Rasha
Applied Mathematics
Control Lyapunov Functions and
Feedback Control in Hilbert
Space
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Alwan, Mohamad
Applied Mathematics
Input-to-state stability results
for nonlinear stochastic hybrid
systems
12:00 --- Lunch break
Da Costa, Jason
Chemistry
Entropy in the malachite
green RNA aptamer
Rahul, Rahul
Applied Mathematics
Dynamic Modeling of
Metabolism in Pancreatic βCells
Shahbandi, Nazgol
Applied Mathematics
A Computational Model of
Interactions between Brain
Cancer Stem Cells and Tumour
Microenvironment
Monday April 25, 2011
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Ames, Brendan
Combinatorics and
Optimization
Convex relaxation for the
partitioning and clustering
problems
Kaznatcheev, Artem
Combinatorics and Optimization
Wang, Xiaohui
Computational Mathematics
Evolution of ethnocentrism with
minimal cognition in a spatially
structured population
Deep Kernel Machines
Austin, Beth Ann
Combinatorics and
Optimization
Categorizing some 2-crossing
critical-graphs
2:20 --- Break
3:00 - keynote speaker (DC)
Featuring Jorge Cham -- the creator and artist of Piled Higher and Deeper (PhD), the comic strip about life (or the lack thereof) in grad school.
4:00-6:00 – Opening Reception, book signing and poster presentations (see participant listing below)
Monday April 25, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1568 - Faculty of Arts
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Anderson, Joanna
Psychology
The Ledger of Love:
When Getting What
You Want in Your
Relationship Is Risky
Fotuhi, Omid
Psychology
Unconscious
Attitudes, Rather than
Conscious One,
Predict Health
Behaviour: Findings
among Smokers
Friesen, Justin
Psychology
How attempts to recruit
women into engineering
jobs can backfire
Ganai, Omar
Psychology
Melting Pot or Cultural
Mosaic? Effects of
Intercultural Ideology on
Team Identification,
Information Processing,
and Work-Related
Outcomes in Culturally
Diverse Teams
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Jensen, Candice
Psychology
Novice Gamblers’
Interpretations of Losses
Disguised as Wins in
Multiline Slot Machine
Games
12:00 --- Lunch break
Maloney, Erin
Psychology
Examing possible causal
factors of math anxiety
Darivandi, Neda
Mechanical Engineering
An efficient optimization
technique in optimal active
vibration control of
structures
Semnani-Azad, Zhaleh
Psychology
What is really being
communicated? Nonverbal
communication in
international negotiation
Monday April 25, 2011
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Melnykevych, Viktoriya
Rizvi, Sana
Singh, Punya
Xiong, Tracy
Lawrence, Mike
Germanic and Slavic
Mysteries of Theatrical
Scripts: Literary Handwriting
Analysis of Russian Faust
Adaptations.
Psychology
How does perfectionism
influence recipient's
perceptions and
responses to negative
feedback?
Psychology
Examination of the role of
distance and angular
information in the assessment
of landmark configurations
Psychology
I Must Say What First? The Role
of Culture on the Recency vs.
Primacy Effect in Negotiations
Global Governance
Towards a Complex
Systems Analysis of
Mexico’s War on
Drugs
2:20 --- Break
3:00 - keynote speaker (DC)
Featuring Jorge Cham -- the creator and artist of Piled Higher and Deeper (PhD), the comic strip about life (or the lack thereof) in grad school.
4:00-6:00 – Opening Reception, book signing and poster presentations (see participant listing below)
Monday April 25, 2011
Davis Centre library room - Faculty of Arts
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Hodge, Angela
History
‘A case in which two rights
collide’: Kirpans in Ontario
Classrooms
Lawr, Nathan
History
“The Burden of
Responsibility”:
Emergency Powers in
Canada: Public
Opinion and
Government
Motivations
Orchard, Beatrice
History
Choosing His Battle: Why
did Pierre Trudeau chose to
fight inflation during 19681970?
Shi, Jingye
Economics
“Gone Fishing!
Absenteeism, Shirking, and
the Weather”
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Hannon, Sheila
English
The Power of Genre
12:00 --- Lunch break
McKinnon, Rhys
Philosophy
Responding to
Prompts and
Challenges to
Assertions
Nelson, Benjamin
Philosophy
Everything that Rises Must
Converge: A Theory of
Objectivity
Weir, Lindsay
Philosophy
Human Nature and
Objective Virtue: Action
Rooted in a Fact of the
Matter
Monday April 25, 2011
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Baumann, Britt
Sociology
Khmelnitsky, Michael
English Language and Literature
Manji, Noorin
Sociology
Smithwick, Neal
Sociology
Valibeigi, Narges
Sociology
Church in Crisis: Declining
Vocations within the
Canadian Roman Catholic
Church
Man Down! ...Medic?:
Representation of American
Women Doctors in Literature and
History
Challenges, Advantages & Uses
of Cellular Phones:
Involvements, Identities &
Insights
English Competence in
Higher Education: A
Sociological Analysis of
English for Academic
Purposes (EAP)
Manifestation of
Religious Authority
on the Internet
2:40 --- Break
3:00 - keynote speaker (DC)
Featuring Jorge Cham -- the creator and artist of Piled Higher and Deeper (PhD), the comic strip about life (or the lack thereof) in grad school.
4:00-6:00 – Opening Reception, book signing and poster presentations (see participant listing below)
*Poster Presentations- Monday April 25, 2011*
4:30pm – 5:15 pm
Al-Housseini, Reine
Pure Mathematics / CUT poster
Implementing Self-directed Learning Methods in Mathematics
Ali, Hassan
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Numerical and Laboratory evaluation of in-situ damping using surface waves
Al-Sabah, Mashael
Computer Science
Why Tor's Windows Should be Thrown out the Window
Austin, Matthew
Political Science
Evaluating Efficiency and Deterrence: A National Survey of Crime Stoppers Unit Effectiveness
Bahamdan, Walid
Management Sciences / CUT poster
Clickers Learning Technology: Social network approach
Banerjee, Joydeep
Systems Design Engineering
Mathematical Modeling and Symbolic Sensitivity Analysis of NiMH Batteries
Bell, Kirsten
Kinesiology
A nutritional and metabolic evaluation of breast cancer patients: preliminary results
Borgs, Stephanie
Kinesiology
Stochastic Representation Of Human Shoulder Orthopaedic Morphology: Improving Population-Based Ergonomic Assessments
Bradford, Brad
School of Planning
Planning for District Energy Systems: A Case Study Examination of Selected Systems and Recommendations for Ontario’s Municipalities
Broom, Aron
Chemistry
Mimicking Modular Evolution for Protein Design
Casado, Paulo
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Evaluation of degradation processes of a multiphase contaminant plume at the groundwater-surface water interface
Chow, Reynold
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Delineating Groundwater Contribution Areas to Surface Water Bodies
Chuapetcharasopon, Pylin
Psychology
The Cultural Mosaic Scale: Factor Structure and Construct Validity
Dey, Ripon
Electrical and Computer Engineering (Nanotechnology)
Studies of the stability of octadecylphosphonic acid (OPA) Langmuir-Blodgett films on Si, Al, graphite and mica
Dorri, Fatemeh
Computer Science
Supervised Independent Component Analysis Based on Hilbert-Schmidt Independence Criterion
Fenuta, Elizabeth
Architecture
Amphibious Architectures: The Buoyant Foundation Project in Post-Katrina New Orleans
Finkle, Andrew
Chemical Engineering (Nanotechnology)
Thermal Characterization of Nanocrystalline Cellulose for Polymer Nanocomposite Applications
Gruevski, Kristina
Kinesiology
The effect of mobile data terminal use on posture and low back discomfort during prolonged seating in police officers
Henry, Ryan
Computer Science
Pay-per-PIR and PIRACL: Symmetric Private Information Retrieval with Per-Record Pricing and Access Control Lists
Ibey, Robyn
Kinesiology
Sensorimotor influences of upper-limb phasic movement upon the contralateral homologous muscles
Inglis, Tiffany
Computer Science
Sudoku art
Kang, Qingsheng
Systems Design Engineering
Design and evaluation of quantum dot sensors for making superficial x-ray energy radiation measurements
Kasurak, Andrew
Geography
Simple sensor for snow grain size
Khaleghy Rad, Mona
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Natural hazard losses and acceptable risk criteria
Kim, Myung
Earth and Environmental Sciences / CUT poster
Teaching climate change in university courses: a practical realization of STSE pedagogies
Lane, Natasha
Health Studies and Gerontology
Lam, Kathy
Biology
Snoop Through Poop: Cloning DNA from the Human Gut Microbiome for Function-Based Screening
Liang, Lindie
Psychology
I Will Only Behave if You Reward Me: A Self-Regulation Theory Perspective of Abusive Supervision and Supervisor-Directed Deviance
Locklin, Jason
Psychology
Examining the effects of Saccadic Adaptation on Spatial Biases
Luus, Kristina
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Estimating the influence of snow on net ecosystem exchange
Magesan, Easwar
Applied Mathematics
Scalable and Robust Benchmarking of Quantum Processes
Moazeni, Somayeh
Computer Science
Regularized Robust Optimization Approach for the Portfolio Execution Cost Problem
Mohamed, Tarek
Pharmacy
Design, Synthesis and Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) Studies of 2,4-Disubstituted Pyrimidine Derivatives: Multi-Functional Small Molecules for the Potential
Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Mohebbi, Hamid Reza Mohebbi
Electrical and Computer Engineering / CUT poster
Strategies for Successful Mathematics Teaching for Engineering Students
Mou, Hong Jun
MME
New Portable Power: Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cells (DFAFC)
Nambiar, Shruti
Systems Design Engineering
Polymer composite-based x-ray shielding
Narayan, Apurva
Systems Design Engineering
Stochastic Two-Stage Programming for Network Design under Uncertainty as Min-Cost Multi-commodity Network Flow
Niknafs, Ali
Computer Science
The impact of domain knowledge on the effectiveness of requirements engineering activities
Plante, Courtney
Psychology
First-person versus third-person visual perspectives in videogame play: Carryover effects on perceptions and behaviors
Princz, Daniel
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Implementation and evaluation of the Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy (CMAES) into the OSTRICH optimization toolkit
Seli, Paul
Psychology
Does the modality of stimulus presentation influence frequency of sustained attention errors?
Shabani, Amir Hossein
Systems Design Engineering
Robust Local Video Events for Improved Action Recognition
Shafique, Umar
Electrical and Computer Engineering / CUT poster
Academic Feedback in Engineering
Sun, Xiangcheng
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Structure Characterization of Micro/Nano-scale LiFePO4/C Cathode Materials
Tang, Herbert
Applied Mathematics
Mathematical Modeling of Pattern Formation using Stochastic Processes
Taylor, Michael
Architecture
The Prosthetic Imagination: Meditations on Virtual Space and Experience in Single Player Computer Role Playing Games
Tehrani Yekta, Rana
Civil Engineering
Acceptance Criteria for Ultrasonic Impact Treatment
Thacker, Jonathan
Kinesiology
The impact of light hand touch on haptic cortical processing during a standing balance task
Umair, Muhammad
Management Sciences
The Value Proposition Of Digital Opportunity Trust
Valadao, Derick
Psychology
Decreasing fidelity of peripheral visual information modulates performance on the manual line bisection task
Vo, Nguyen T.K.
Biology
Development of continuous cell lines from walleye, Sander vitreus, fins and their response to dsRNA and a fish novirhabdovirus
von Konigslow, Kier
Physics and Astronomy
Self-Assembly of Isotropic Nanoparticles
Wang, Qian
Systems Designing Engineering / CUT poster
Using Social Networking Tools in University Teaching
Westberg, Robert
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Quantifying Nitrate Contributions to the Grand River, Ontario, from Groundwater Discharge
Wu, longyang
Statistics and Actuarial Science
Statistical Issues in the Use of Composite Endpoints in Clinical Trials
Yaraskavitch, Luke
Physics and Astronomy
Dynamics of magnetic monopole-like excitations in spin ice
Tuesday April 26, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1304 - WatRISQ
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Shi, Tianxiang
Statistics and Actuarial Science
Finite-time ruin problems in
the Sparre Andersen risk
model with arbitrary
interclaim times.
Ali, Javid
Statistics and
Actuarial Science
The Optimality of a
Dividend Barrier
Strategy for Lévy
Insurance Risk
Processes
Wei, Wei
Statistics and Actuarial
Science
Several optimal reisnurance
problem regarding two
dimensional risk
Singer, Basil
Statistics and Actuarial
Science
Using Matrix Analytic
Methods in Ruin Theory
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Cui, Zhenyu
Statistics and Actuarial Science
Improved Continuity
Correction for Discrete Barrier
and Lookback Options
12:00 --- Lunch break
Chen, Jit Seng
Statistics and
Actuarial Science
Suboptimality of
Asian Executive
Indexed Options
Zhou, Rui
Statistics and Actuarial
Science
Two-population mortality
model with jumps
Ji, Min
Statistics and Actuarial
Science
A Semi-Markov Model for
Joint-life Longevity Risk
Tuesday April 26, 2011
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Tayal, Aditya
Cheriton School of Computer
Science
Technical Trading with
Dynamic Bayesian Networks
in High-Frequency Stock
Markets
Ghossoub, Mario
Statistics and
Actuarial Science
Contracting under
Heterogeneous
Beliefs
Presslee, Adam
Accounting and Finance
Chen, Bei
Statistics and Actuarial Science
The Effects of Reward Type
on Employee Goal Setting,
Goal Commitment and
Performance
Computationally Efficient
Bootstrap Prediction Intervals for
Returns and Volatilities in GARCH
Processes
2:20 --- Break
2:40 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Cong, Jianfa
Statistics and Actuarial
Science
Quantile hedging based on
VaR
Qiu, Chao
Statistics and Actuarial
Science
On Option Pricing under
the RSLN2 with the
Esscher Transform
Marshall, Claymore
Statistics and Actuarial
Science
Periodic Rebalancing
Hedging Strategies for a
Guaranteed Minimum
Income Benefit
Zhu, Dian
Statistics and Actuarial Science
Mean-Variance Portfolio Selection
and Hedging with Continuous
Portfolio Insurance and Trading
Constraints
4:15 pm – WatRISQ featured speaker: Dr. Ken Seng Tan (clicking on link will take you to the Conference website that describes Dr. Tan’s talk)
Tuesday April 26, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1302 - Vision Science
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Zhang, Peng
School of Optometry
The Quantification of Sensory
Dominance in Individuals with
Normal Binocular Vision
Tran, Thanh
School of Optometry
Examination of
Retinal Degeneration
characteristics in
Smoky Joe chickens
Ho, Yuan-Hao
School of Optometry
Structure-Function
Relationship between
Scanning Laser Tomography,
Flicker Defined Form
Perimetry and Standard
Automated Perimetry in
Patients with Glaucoma
Alzughaibi, Abdullah
School of Optometry
Effect of reclining on retinal
thickness in diabetes
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Ommani, Abbas
School of Optometry
Relationship between
Monochromatic Higher Order
Aberrations of the eye and
Age
12:00 --- Lunch break
Machan, Carolyn
School of Optometry
Cataract Prevalence
and the Impact of
Type 2 Diabetes:
Waterloo Eye Study
Dumbleton, Kathryn
School of Optometry
Relationship between
compliance with lens
replacement and contact
lens-related problems in
silicone hydrogel wearers
Varikooty, Jalaiah
School of Optometry
Clinical Manifestations of
Upper Lid Staining in
Adapted Silicone Hydrogel
Lens Wearers
Tuesday April 26, 2011
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Hall, Brad
School of Optometry
Hui, Alex
School of Optometry
Jadi, Salsabeel
School of Optometry
Lorentz, Holly
School of Optometry
The Use of Metallic
Nanoparticles to Change
the Optical Properties of
Contact Lenses
Uptake and Release of
Ciprofloxacin and
Dexamethasone from
Commercially Available
Conventional and Silicone
Hydrogel Materials
The Influence of Doping
Solution Composition on
Kinetic Lysozyme Uptake to
Silicone Hydrogel Contact
Lenses
The Effect of Intermittent Air
Exposure on the Deposition
of Lipids on Silicone
Hydrogel and Conventional
Hydrogel Contact Lens
Materials
2:40 --- Break
3:00 pm – Vision Science featured speaker: Ralph Freeman, OD, PhD (clicking on link will take you to the Conference website that describes Dr. Freeman’s talk)
4:00 pm - Vision Science reception – Davis Centre fishbowl (by invitation only)
Ng, Alan
School of
Optometry
The Impact of
Lactoferrin and
Lipids on Kinetic
Lysozyme
Deposition on
Silicone Hydrogel
and Conventional
Hydrogel Contact
Lens Materials
Tuesday April 26, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1568 - Faculty of Environment; CUT
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Mosher, Andrea
Environment and Resource
Studies
An Inventory and
Recommendations for
Management of High Priority
Exotic Invasive Plants in Point
Pelee National Park
Bichel, Amanda
Environment and
Resource Studies
13C of Respired CO2
from Soil and Residue
Mixtures in a Complex
Agroecosystem
Wilton, Meaghan
Environment and Resource
Studies
Soil nitrogen transformations
in complex agroecosystems
Davis, Heather
Environment and Resource
Studies
Advancin triple-bottom-line
comunity economic
development (CED) in
municipal planning
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Creelman, Kyle
Environment and Resource
Studies
Adolescent perceptions and
attitudes towards invasive
species and nature.
Hlimi, Tina
Environment and Resource
Studies
Exposure to Environmental
Contaminants from
Traditional Food
Consumption among First
Nations Schoolchildren of
the Mushkegowuk Territory
Kehinde, Aderonke
Local Economic Development
Coburn, Julia
School of Planning
Public Institutions and
Economic Diversification
Strategy: A Case of Ogun
State Cassava Revolution
Programme, Nigeria
Park Management Plans:
Understanding Visitor
Management Policy
Tuesday April 26, 2011
12:00 --- Lunch break
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Cowan, Terri
School of Planning
Hakull, Kent
School of Planning
Markvart, Tanya
School of Planning
Rasouli, Mojgan
School of Planning
Opportunities and Barriers to
VGI Use in Community
Planning
Challenges and
Opportunities to
Implementing Smart
Growth: A Downtown
Guelph Case Study
A Sustainability-Based
Evaluation of Strategic
Sustainability Planning
Frameworks
Enhancing the quality of
public spaces, with special
reference to meaning of a
public spcae
2:40 --- Break
3:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation - Certificate in University Teaching (CUT)
Ghaddar, Bissan
Ibrahim, Zainub
Ansari, Masoud
Baig, Aijaz
Geography and Environmental
Management
CUT
Understanding Cheating in
Higher Education
Mechanical and
Mechatronics
Engineering
Purposive Active
Learning Method for
Teaching Engineering
Courses
Chemical Engineering
Management Sciences
Chemical Engineering
Education in the 21st Century
A Multidisciplinary Approach
for Teaching Engineering
Courses
Sultana, Niger
School of
Planning
Performance
Analysis of
transit services in
Bangladesh: A
case study of
Dhaka City.
Tuesday April 26, 2011
Davis Centre library room - Faculty of Environment (Geography)
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Kennedy, Jill
Geography
Wiebe, Laura
Geography
Vas, Krisztian
Geography
Ji, Shaojun
Geography and Environmental
Management
Philanthropic Gifting and its
Impacts on Local Economies of
Developing Nations
Tourist Philanthropy,
Population Disparity and
Development. A Case
Study of Tourists' Gift
Giving in Trinidad, Cuba
Trail-based Tourism: A Marketing
Tool or an Evolved Tourism
Subcategory?
Tourist Destination Image of
Qingdao, China: A Host
Perspective
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Abd elghany, Maaly
Geography
Heritage Hospitality: Hotels in
Siwa, Egypt
12:00 --- Lunch break
Berisha, Mohamed
Geography
Tourism in
archaeological sites:
Luxor city, Egypt
Hano, Kate
Geography
The Accessibility of the Jamaican
and Arubian all-inclusive resorts
for physically disabled individuals
Zaidan, Esmat
Geography
Mobility and Transnationalism
Tuesday April 26, 2011
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Sithole, Munyaradzi
Geography
Darwazeh, Durgham
Geography
Sherk, Ted
Geography and Environmental
Management
Hewer, Micah
Geography and Environmental
Management
MES
Sustainable Medical
Tourism Facility
The WISE: A Case Study in
Community-based Diffusion of
Residential Solar Energy Systems
Weather Preferences and
Weather Related DecisionMaking for Summer Camping in
Ontario Parks
2:20 --- Break
2:40 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Chu Su, Peter
Geography
Statistical Geo-computing: spatial
outlier detection in precision
agriculture
Allin, Don
Geography and
Environmental
Management
The effects of wildfire on
sorption behaviour of
sediment-associated
phosphorus (P): Longterm effects of the 2003
Lost Creek wildfire,
Southern Alberta.
Rombough, Lisa
Geography and Environmental
Management
Baijnath, Janine
Geography and Environmental
Management
Adapting to Climate Change:
Water Sustainability in Calgary,
Alberta
Assessing the Atmospheric
Circulation Response to Snow
Albedo Feedback in Climate
Change
Tuesday April 26, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1350 - Faculty of Science (Chemistry and Earth Sciences)
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Guillemineau, Mickael
Chemistry
Synthesis of two pentasaccharide
fragments of Tumor Associated
Carbohydrate Antigen LeaLex
Moore, Chris
Chemistry
Synthesis of Lewis X
Analogues
Singh, Serena
Chemistry
Synthesis of Glycolipid Analogues
as Tethering Molecules for Lipid
Bilayers
Myers, Cullen
Chemistry
Investigating mechanisms of
resistance to the thiopeptide
antibiotic thiostrepton.
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Primmer, Heather
Chemistry
Correlating predicted and
observed aggregation for a
disease-linked protein.
12:00 --- Lunch break
Smith, Martin
Chemistry
Investigating the folding
and switching
mechanism of
myristoylated
hisactophilin
Stubbs, Helen
Chemistry
Stability and aggregation studies
of familial Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis (fALS)-associated
mutant Cu-Zn-Superoxide
Dismutase
Goel, Prateek
Chemistry
Theoretical Description of
Photo-detachment spectra of
small biradicals
Tuesday April 26, 2011
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Mirnaghi, Fatemeh
Chemistry
Biocompatible and reusable
octadecyl-polyacrylonitrile coating
for high throughput automated 96thin-film solid phase
microextraction system coupled
with LC-MS/MS
Togunde, Paul
Chemistry
Application of solid
phase microextraction
coupled with tandem
mass spectrometry
(SPME/LC/MS/MS) for
determination of
pharmaceuticals in fish
bile
Hessien, Manal
Chemistry
Stability and Tunability of O/W
Nanoemulsions Prepared by
Phase Inversion Composition
2:20 --- Break
2:40 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Shadmehr, Samaneh
Chemistry
Carbon Nanotube Nanofluidics
Cejudo, Eduardo
Earth and
Environmental Sciences
Insights on Inorganic
Nitrogen cycle in the
Grand River (Ontario)
downstream two
Wastewater Treatment
Plants
Rebello, Zena
Earth Sciences
Evaluating Surface
Concentrations of NO2 and O3 in
Urban and Rural Regions by
Combining Chemistry Transport
Modelling with Surface
Measurements
Constable, Stephen
Chemistry
Accelerated Molecular Dynamics
in the Molecular Modelling Tool
Kit using Graphical Processing
Units
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1568 – Faculties of Science and Mathematics (Physics and Astronomy & Statistics and Actuarial Science)
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Wood, Christopher
Physics and Astronomy
Nonlocal correlations from the
perspective of causal bayesian
networks
Wesolowski, Michal
Physics and Astronomy
Characterization of aC:H thin films created
by fs-PLD of graphite
onto cryogenic
hydrocarbon layers
Daley, Chad
Physics and Astronomy
Studying surface dynamics in
glassy polymer films via gold
nanoparticle embedding
Ziprick, Jonathan
Physics and Astronomy
Geometry of Loop Gravity
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Revell, Halle
Physics and Astronomy
Optimizing Susceptibility
Measurements of Frustrated
Magnetic Materials
12:00 --- Lunch break
Inglis, Stephen
Physics and Astronomy
Measuring
entanglement in finitetemperature quantum
Monte Carlo
Lavoie, Jonathan
Physics and Astronomy
Quantum computing in a
simulated solid-state system
using light
Hajialamdari, Mojtaba
Physics and Astronomy
Two-Color Fiber Chirped Pulse
Amplifier for Mid-Infrared
Generation
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Achkar, Andrew
Physics and Astronomy
Qassemi, Farzad
Physics and Astronomy
Evidence for Orbital Energy
Modulation in the High
Temperature
Superconductor
La1.475Nd0.4Sr0.125CuO4
Frequency-depedent
shot noise as a spinrelaxation probe in
quantum dots
Baroud, Hiba
Statistics and Actuarial
Science
A simple integer-valued
AR(p) process
Hosseinkashi, Yasaman
Statistics and Actuarial
Science
Epidemic simulation from
a stochastic graph process
under different control
strategies
2:40 --- Break
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1302 - Faculty of Science (Physics and Astronomy)
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Javanparast, Behnam
Physics and Astronomy
Low Temperature Spin
Configuration of Gadolinium
Titanate
Lin, Taoran
Physics and Astronomy
Probing magnetic
Coulomb phases in spin
ice
Thompson, Jordan
Physics and Astronomy
New Calculations Based on an
Anisotropic Exchange Model for
Ytterbium Titanate
Akosa, Collins
Physics and Astronomy
Effect of impurities in geometric
frustrated lattices.
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Kamiab, Farbod
Foster, Kyle
Akhlagh Moayed, Alireza
Hariri, Sepideh
Physics and Astronomy
Neutron Stars in the Gravitational
Aether
Physics and Astronomy
Patient Specific Margin
Selection to
Compensate for
Intrafraction Motion
During External Beam
Radiation Therapy of
the Lung
Physics and Astronomy
Combined UHROCT and ERG
System for in-vivo Simultaneous
Probing of the Structure and
Function of the Rat Retina
Physics and Astronomy
In-vivo longitudinal monitoring
and quantification of retina
degeneration in a rat model with
high resolution OCT
12:00 --- Lunch break
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Liu, Kevin
Physics and Astronomy
Measuring Length Changes in
Cryogenics via Capacitive
Dilatometry
Toews, William
Physics and Astronomy
Probing the
superconducting gap of
ferro-pnictide
superconductors via
thermal conductivity
measurements
Holloway, Catherine
Physics and Astronomy
Quantum Key Distribution Over
Active Telecom Fibres
Meyer-Scott, Evan
Physics and Astronomy
Demonstration of quantum key
distribution system for satellite
uplink
2:20 --- Break
2:40 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Park, Kyungdeock
Physics and Astronomy
Erven, Chris
Physics and Astronomy
Jochym-O'Connor, Tomas
Physics and Astronomy
Ma, Xian
Physics and Astronomy
Testing of the Born Rule via Three
Paths Interference using Nuclear
Magnetic Resonance
Oblivious Transfer in
the Noisy Storage
Model – The
Implementation of a
New Quantum
Cryptographic Primitive
Magic state distillation with
faulty Clifford gates
Continuous-Variable Cluster
States quantum computation
Passante, Gina
Physics and
Astronomy
Non-classical
correlations in
mixed state
quantum
computation
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1304 – Aging, Health and Wellbeing
The following Aging, Health and Wellbeing students will be presenting in the order identified below:
8:45 am
9:05 am
9:25 am
9:45 am
Tomaszczyk, Jennifer
10:05 am
10:25 am
Piraino, Emily
Salam, Lialoma
Toscan, Justine
Freeman, Shannon
Kehyayan, Vahe
Health Studies and
Gerontology
Health Studies and
Gerontology
Health Studies and
Gerontology
Psychology
Health Studies and
Gerontology
Health Studies and
Gerontology
Opportunities and Barriers to
Patient Engagement in SelfManagement of Care
Following Transition
Characteristics and
service utilization
of end-stage
clients
Silent Partners in Care:
Examining Care Transitions
for Caregivers of Hip
Fracture and Stroke
Patients
Rosy Prospection?
Aging-Related
Differences in
Memorability
Judgments of Emotional
Scenes
Identifying Informal
Caregivers of Terminally
Ill Persons at Risk of
Caregiver Distress using
the interRAI Palliative
Care Assessment
Instrument
Relationships between
Quality of Life and Selected
Resident and Facility
Characteristics in LTC
Facilities in Canada
10:45 am --- Break
11:00 am – featured speaker – Dr. Parminder Raina (clicking on link will take you to the Conference website that describes Dr. Raina’s talk)
12:00 pm - Aging, Health and Wellbeing Reception - Grad House (by invitation only)
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Davis Centre, library room - Faculty of Science (Biology)
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Balasubramaniam, Ann-Marie
Chen, Gao
Smith, Brendan
White, Jerry
Biology
Biology
Biology
Biology
Assessing seasonal and inter-annual
relationships between hydrological processes
and limnological conditions in a complex
thermokarst landscape (Old Crow Flats, Yukon
Territory)
Are we supposed to see light-saturated
photosynthesis at ecosystem level along the
length of a temperate river: an application of a
river ecosystem oxygen metabolism model?
Evaluating the Estrogenic Activities of
Municipal Wastewater Effluents in
Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
by Vitellogenin Expression
Characterizing limnological
responses of shallow tundra
lakes in the Hudson Bay
Lowlands to hydrological
change
Thomas, Kathryn
Ives, Jessica
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Sethi, Neha
Tanna, Rajiv
Biology
Biology
Biology
Biology
Binding Of Chemicals Isolated From Municipal
Wastewater Effluent To Thyroid Hormone
Receptors In Rainbow Trout Liver
Association of Intersex in Wild Fish with
Wastewater Effluent in the Grand River,
Ontario
The development, assessment, and
application of benthic algal
biomonitoring protocols to evaluate
the influence of metal mining on the
ecological integrity of Canadian rivers;
A case study in the South Nahanni
River watershed, NWT.
Comparing the food web
interactions of a recent
invader, Hemimysis
anomala, in lentic and lotic
ecosystems in the Great
Lakes basin
12:00 --- Lunch break
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Davis Centre, library room - Faculty of Science (Biology)
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Vermunt, Bradley
Zajdlik, Barry
Hennigar, Julie
Harrison, Joel
Biology
Biology
Biology
Biology
Cold temperature and emerald ash borers:
Modeling the under-bark temperature of ash
trees
Estimating Water Quality Guidelines For
Atrazine and Diquat Using Multi-Modal
Species Sensitivity Distributions
Understanding the ecological functions of
ephemeral and intermittent headwater
streams: Do temporary streams support
native fish populations?
Inhibition of Freshwater
Phytoplankton
Photosynthesis by
Ultraviolet Radiation
Gidvani, Rohan
Hernandez, Maria
2:20 --- Break
2:40 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Ramer, Matthew
Mukundan, Rekha
Biology
Biology
Biology
Biology
Dbf4 and Cdc7 promote DNA replication by
interacting with mutually exclusive subunits of
the Mcm2-7 helicase complex in Saccharomyces
cerevisiae
When did plants begin using ethylene as a
hormone to modulate growth?
An in silico mathematical model of the
initiation of DNA replication
Distribution of epilithic
algae along the shore of
Lake Huron
4:00 pm -- break
4:30 pm – Biology featured speaker: Dr. Graham Thompson (clicking on link will take you to the Conference website that describes Dr. Thompson’s talk)
5:30 pm - Biology reception – Davis Centre (by invitation only)
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1351 - Faculty of Science (Biology)
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Chen, Qing Yun
Chen, Li
Dunford, Eric
Pinnell, Lee
Biology
Biology
Biology
Biology
Three enzymes in hyperthermophiles
Utilization of
cellulosic materials
by Thermotoga
petrophila
Characterization of Active Cellulolytic
Consortia from Arctic Tundra
Discovery of Novel Cellulases Through StableIsotope Probing and Functional Metagenomics
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Helt, Cassandra
Jiang, Wei
Ling, Xia
Nordeste, Ricardo
Biology
Biology
Biology
Biology
Real-Time PCR Quantification of Bacterial
Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in
Treatment Lagoons Receiving Poultry Waste
Effluent
Functional Study of a
Protein (UnkG) in
Pseudomonas putida
UW4
usage of different cellulosic materials by
Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus and
Caldicellulosiruptor kristjanssonii
Construction of an Alternative Fermentation
Platform for the Production of Medium Chain
Length Polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl PHA)
12:00 --- Lunch break
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Duan, Jin
Rashid, Shimaila
Vey, Gregory
Biology
Biology
Biology
Narang, Anisha
Biology
Sequence analysis of the complete genome of plant
growth-promoting rhizobacterium Pseudomonas
putida UW4
Isolation and
characterization of
Plant Growthpromoting bacterial
endophytes
Extending metagenomic functional
annotation through functional inference
Xylose And Arabinose Isomerases
2:20 --- Break
2:40 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Lung, Terry Shiu Cheung
Saechao, Maye Chin
Woodworth, Adam
Biology
Examining the role of the TOC complex in
selective protein import into dimorphic
chloroplasts in the single-cell C4 species
Bienertia sinuspersici
Biology
The Path to Restoration A Story of the Wounded
Biology
Selection of an algal remediation
candidate based on growth, naphthenic
acid tolerance and uptake potential
Yanagisawa, Makoto
Biology
Distribution of photosynthetic enzymes and
transcripts in chloroplast containing cells of
Bienertia sinuspersici during leaf development
4:00 pm -- break
4:30 pm – Biology featured speaker: Dr. Graham Thompson (clicking on link will take you to the Conference website that describes Dr. Thompson’s talk)
5:30 pm - Biology reception – Davis Centre (by invitation only)
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1350 - Faculty of Science (Biology)
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Kruk, Jeff
Shepherd, Alyssa
Studholme, Catherine
Vasefi, Seyedeh Maryam
Biology
Biology
Biology
Biology
Serotonin transactivates PDGFRβ in the
neuronal cell line SH-SY5Y
Effects of low-protein highmethionine diets during
pregnancy on maternal and fetal
amino acid metabolism
β-parvin Facilitates Integrin-Cadherin
Cross-Talk
Bidirectional Reguation Of Nmda
Receptor Signaling By Type 7
Serotonin Receptors
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Bloch, Sophia
Brunt, Jara
Cormier, Olga
Mencel, Malwina
Biology
Biology
Biology
Biology
The use of eel (Anguilla rostrata) cell lines to
study an ecotoxicological problem: the
dramatic decline in eel populations.
Examination of sodium arseniteand cadmium chloride-induced
heat shock protein gene
expression and proteasome
activity in Xenopus laevis
Life and Death: Exploring Programmed
Cell Death in the Drosophila embryo
Agrin is a Potential Regulator of
Inflammation
12:00 --- Lunch break
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Martin, William
Nesan, Dinu
Raben, Alex
Sandhu, Navdeep
Biology
Biology
Biology
Biology
Developing the Tools for Evaluating
the Toxic Effects of Carbon
Nanotubes to Soil Invertebrates
Glucocorticoid receptor signaling is involved
in tail mesoderm formation and regulates
expression of bone morphogenetic proteins.
Wheat germ lectin affects
expression of major
histocompatibility class I
complex in rainbow trout
(Oncorhynchus mykiss)
intestinal epithelial cell line
RTgutGC
Effects of sublethal concentrations on rainbow
trout - Elucidating the mechanism of action
2:20 --- Break
2:40 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Heil, John
Wong, Janice
Zhong, Han
Biology
ABCDE: A Bacterial Chromosome
Engineering System
Biology
Use of fish cell lines to compare the
cytotoxicity of Tetrabromobisphenol A with
its degradation products and with an
alternative brominated flame retardant
Biology
Salt Mass Balance Study in an
Enhanced Phytoremediation
Process Using Plant Growth
Promoting Rhizobacteria
4:00 pm -- break
4:30 pm – Biology featured speaker: Dr. Graham Thompson (clicking on link will take you to the Conference website that describes Dr. Thompson’s talk)
5:30 pm - Biology reception – Davis Centre (by invitation only)
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1316 - Faculty of Engineering (School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering)
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
de Cola, Marianna
Architecture
Shifting Landscapes / Shifting
Infrastructures
Keichinger, Sabrina
Architecture
Activating Play-Based
Escape
Kobayashi, Alan
Architecture
Undercover: Infrastructured
landscape in Montréal
Martin, Judith
Architecture
Empowering Los Angeles: A Vision
for a New Urban Ecology
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Hashemi Vaziri, Shahram
Civil and Environmental
Engineering
Preliminary Results of the
University of Waterloo’s
Newly Installed Weigh-InMotion Sensors on Highway
401 Perpetual Pavements,
Woodstock
Sadhu, Ayan
Civil and Environmental
Engineering
Ambient system
identification using partial
measurements
Al-Shamsi, Mohammed
Civil and Environmental
Engineering
Nano-Metal Catalysts as A New
Generation of Catalysts for In
Situ Chemical Oxidation
12:20 --- Lunch break
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
2:20 --- Break
2:40 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
4:00 – 5:00 pm – Closing reception and awarding of prizes – Davis Centre fishbowl – EVERYONE INVITED!!
Aryan, Afrooz
Civil and Environmental
Engineering
Ultra Widebend, An
Emerging Technology In
Automated Construction
Management
Wong, Sanders
Civil and Environmental
Engineering
Spatial variation of
hydraulic conductivity for
groundwater flow with
series solution approach
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1304 - Faculty of Engineering (Electrical and Computer Engineering)
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Haj Mirza Alian, Ehsan
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Cross-band interference reduction
trade-offs in ofdm-based cognitive
radio systems
Palit, Rajesh
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Selection and Execution
of User Level Test Cases
for Energy Cost
Evaluation of
Smartphones
Abdel Wahab, Wael
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Highly Efficient Low Cost and Low
Profile Antenna Designs Based on
Planar Waveguide Technology for
Millimeter-Wave Applications
Attia, Hussein
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Theoretical and Experimental
Demonstration of Beam Steering
of Patch Antenna Partially
Covered with High-Refractive
Index Superstrate
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Gad, Ahmed
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Electrode material migration
during food preservation by pulsed
electric fields (PEF)
12:00 --- Lunch break
Hameed, Raees
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Enterprise Resouce
Planning
Lu, Rongxing
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Sacrificing the Plum Tree for the
Peach Tree: A Socialspot Tactic
for Protecting Receiver-location
Privacy in VANET
Yeganeh, Hojatollah
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Structural Fidelity vs.
Naturalness - Objective
Assessment of Tone Mapped
Images
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Zhang, Jian
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Periodic tilted structure fabrication
by electron beam lithography
Gangeh, Mehrdad
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Dictionary Learning and
Sparse Representation
in Texture Classification
Ismail, Marwa
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Reducing Register Requirement
in Elliptic Curve Cryptographic
Processor
Seyed Tabatabaei, Talieh
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Identifying P2P Traffic Using
Machine Learning Methods
2:20 --- Break
2:40 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Sun de la Cruz, Joseph
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Online Incremental Learning of
Inverse Dynamics Incorporating
Prior Knowledge
Datta Gupta,
Syamantak
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
On the Convergence of
Finite-Order
Approximations of
Stationary Time Series
Mohebbi, Hamid Reza
Nadertehrani, Mohsen
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Parametric Amplification in
Discrete Josephson Transmission
Line
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Spectrum Trading for Risky
Environments in IEEE 802.22
Cognitive Networks
4:00 – 5:00 pm – Closing reception and awarding of prizes – Davis Centre fishbowl – EVERYONE INVITED!!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1302 - Faculty of Engineering (MME, Management Sciences)
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Vlasea, Mihaela
Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering
Zhang, Xixi
Mechanical and
Mechatronics Engineering
Shateri, Hamed
Mechanical and
Mechatronics Engineering
Con, Celal
Mechanical and Mechatronics
Engineering
Fabrication of biodegradable scaffolds
for bone and articular repair
Embedding optical sensors
within metallic structures
by laser solid freeform
fabrication
Prediction of Neck Injury in
Out-of-Position Rear Impact
High Resolution Electron Beam
Lithography Using Polystyrene
Negative Resist
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Gertz, Drew
Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering
The Design, Fabrication, and Testing of a
Wind Turbine Blade With
Interchangeable Tips
12:00 --- Lunch break
Seo, Jaho
Mechanical and Mechatronics
Engineering
On-line identification of die
thermal dynamics and
temperature control in injection
moulding process
Iravani-Tabrizipour, Mehrdad
Mechanical and Mechatronics
Engineering
Study of Deposition of Metal Matrix
Diamond Composite by Laser Cladding
Thursday, April 28, 2011
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Pourmohammadali, Homeyra
Molladavoodi, Sara
Najafi Sohi, Ali
Shanjani, Yaser
Mechanical and Mechatronics
Engineering
Mechanical and
Mechatronics
Engineering
Biomaterial Selection
for Cell Traction Force
Microscopy Application
Mechanical and Mechatronics
Engineering
Mechanical and Mechatronics
Engineering
A new class of actuators with
continuous two-way deflection
based on bimaterial
microcantilevers
Mechanical characteristics of
solid-freeform-fabricated porous
calcium polyphosphate
structures with oriented stacked
layers
Hydromechanical Stimulation for
Tissue Engineering of Articular
Cartilage
2:20 --- Break
2:40 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Narayanan, Meyyappan
Management Sciences
Tabatabaei, Nasim
Management Sciences
Shateri, Mahsa
Management Sciences
Properties of the Venture Capital
Deal Space under Private
Information
Detecting weak signal
for technological
foresight with
document clustering
Task Optimization and Workforce
Scheduling
4:00 – 5:00 pm – Closing reception and awarding of prizes – Davis Centre fishbowl – EVERYONE INVITED!!
Pirnia, Mehrdad
Electrical and Computer
Engineering
An Affine Arithmetic Method for
stochastic Power Flow Analysis
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1351 - Faculty of Engineering
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Chung, So-Ra
System Design Engineering
MEMS demodulator
Ahmadi, Morteza
System Design
Engineering
Electrical response of
dry oriented
bacteriorodopsin thin
film under X-ray
radiations
Chen, I-Hsiang Albert
System Design Engineering
Wan, Weijie
System Design Engineering
Microdevices: Ultrasound
Imaging Catheter
Gold And Titanium Dioxide
Nanoparticles With Excellent
Antibacterial Property
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Bandekar, Namrata
System Design Engineering
Automated Cell Counting
12:00 --- Lunch break
Bendame, Mohamed
System Design
Engineering
Vertically-Aligned
Spingless Energy
Harvester
Mousavi Lajimi, Seyed Amir
System Design Engineering
Wu, Yan
System Design Engineering
Natural Frequencies Of Cantilever
Beams Under Non-Follower Axial
Force
The Interdisciplinary Research of
Theoretical Neuroscience
Thursday, April 28, 2011
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Glussich, Doug
Fraser, Robert
Taghavipour, Amir
Sharif Shourijeh, Mohammad
System Design Engineering
Computer Science
System Design Engineering
System Design Engineering
The Stable Approach
Monitor - Supporting
Flightdeck Decision Making
The Hausdorff Core of Simple
Polygons
A Power Management Strategy for a
Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Based
on Model Predictive Control
Optimal Control And Forward Dynamic Modeling
Of Human Musculoskeletal Systems
2:20 --- Break
2:40 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Lee, En-Shiun Annie
System Design Engineering
Sharif Razavian, Reza
System Design Engineering
Fahimnia, Mehrdad
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Shamseldein, Mohamed
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Pattern Synthesis by Tree
Morphism of Random Suffix
Trees in a Hierarchical
Clustering Framework
Optimal powertrain control of a
series hybrid electric vehicle
using Pontryagin’s Minimum
Principle
A miniaturized small footprint high
performance millimeter-wave low
noise amplifier using low cost CMOS
technology
Optimal Control And Forward Dynamic Modeling
Of Human Musculoskeletal Systems
4:00 – 5:00 pm – Closing reception and awarding of prizes – Davis Centre fishbowl – EVERYONE INVITED!!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Davis Centre, room 1350 - Faculty of Engineering (Chemical Engineering)
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Huang, Jasper
Chemical Engineering
Evaluating the biocompatibility of
NPs through interactions with
blood proteins
Orr, Valerie
Chemical Engineering
Large scale purification of extracellular
penicillin G acylase from Escherichia coli
using cross-flow ion exchange membrane
chromatography
Soltani, Madjid
Chemical Engineering
Numerical Modeling of NanoParticle Drug Delivery to Solid
Tumors
Zhong, Luyang
Chemical Engineering
Large-scale production of
plasmid DNA for gene therapy
and DNA vaccination
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Ahmadi, Lena
Chemical Engineering
Effect of plug-in hybrid electric
vehicles penetration on
electricity load demand in
Ontario
12:00 --- Lunch break
Amin, Ashraf
Chemical Engineering
Hydrogen production by methane catalytic
cracking
Shangguan, Yiyi
Chemical Engineering
Investigation of Poly(ether-b-amide)
PEBAX® 1074 Block Copolymer for
Chemical Protective Glove
Applications
Harun, Noorlisa
Chemical Engineering
Dynamic modeling and
simulation of MEA scrubbing
processes for CO2 capture from
fossil fuel power plant
Thursday, April 28, 2011
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Hegazy, Aiat
Chemical Engineering
Synthesis and structural study of
nanostructured TiO2 for Dye
Sensitized Solar Cells
Baig, Aijaz
Chemical Engineering
Novel Green Technology for the
Production of Biodiesel from Waste Oils
and Fats
Safaei, Elham
Chemical Engineering
Inactivating Clostridium perfringens
spores in anaerobically digested
biosolids using enhanced
elektrokinetics
2:20 --- Break
2:40 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
4:00 – 5:00 pm – Closing reception and awarding of prizes – Davis Centre fishbowl – EVERYONE INVITED!!
Vedoy, Diogenes
Chemical Engineering
Improving the Thermal
Stability of Agro-Based Fibers
with the Assistance of
Ultraviolet Light Irradiation
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Davis Centre library presentation room - Faculty of Applied Health Sciences
9:00 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Hyseni, Lirije
Skinner, Kelly
Hobin, Erin
McMurray, Josephine
Health Studies and Gerontology
Health Studies and Gerontology
Health Studies and Gerontology
Health Studies and Gerontology
The Relationship between the Amount of
Alcohol Consumed by the Female Victim and
the Level of Blame Attributed to Her in a
Hypothetical Date-Rape Scenario
Prevalence, severity, perceptions and
sociodemographic characteristics of
household food insecurity of First
Nations people living in an on-reserve
remote community within the
Mushkegowuk Territory
A multilevel examination of the
associations between male and female
adolescent physical activity levels and
built environment factors of schools
Developing an Ontology for
Regional Health System
Interoperability Performance
Measurement
10: 20 --- Break
10:40 am - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Premji, Azra
Rai, Navjot
Garrick, Arlene
Mainland, Mike
Kinesiology
Kinesiology
Recreation and Leisure Studies
Recreation and Leisure Studies
Theta-burst TMS to Area 5
modulates neural circuitry
within and between primary
motor cortex
Tactile perception on the hand following
Theta-burst TMS over SI in humans
The Leisure Of Learning
Whatever sells! The impact of the
strategic idealization of physical
activity in advertising
Thursday, April 28, 2011
1:00 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Campbell, Graham
Bloemberg, Darin
McMillan, Elliott
Mitchell, Andrew
Recreation and Leisure
Studies
Kinesiology
Kinesiology
Kinesiology
Decentering Deviance:
"Victimless Leisure"
Relationship between ARC protein
expression and caspase-3 activation
during myoblast differentiation
Brown and white adipose tissue differ in
apoptosis related protein expression
and proteolytic enzyme activity
Examining the role of the anti-apoptotic
protein ARC in skeletal muscle fiber type
distribution and implications on whole
body metabolic rate
2:20 --- Break
2:40 pm - the following presenters (in no particular order) will each present a 20 minute presentation
Lee, Hoffer
Ng, Yvonne
Oyapero, Babatunde
Zhou, Lingxu
Recreation and Leisure Studies
Recreation and Leisure Studies
Recreation and Leisure Studies
Recreation and Leisure Studies
Exploring the Relative Uses
and
Advantages/Disadvantages of
Case Studies versus Scale
Development As Alternative
Research Designs for Studying
Tourism Experiences
The Role of Leisure for Chinese
Immigrants Living in the
Greater Toronto Area
The role of cultural orientation in culttural
change: An examination of cultural variations
among Toronto immigrants of West African
Descent
More than just “Hello” and “Nihao”: Exploring
bars and intercultural communication in a
touristic town, Yangshuo, China.
4:00 – 5:00 pm – Closing reception and awarding of prizes – Davis Centre fishbowl – EVERYONE INVITED!!
Table of Contents – Presentation Abstracts
Abd elghany, Maaly................................... 2
Austin, Beth Ann ..................................... 16
Abdel Wahab, Wael .................................. 2
Austin, Matthew ..................................... 17
Achkar, Andrew......................................... 3
Bahamdan, Walid.................................... 17
Ahmadi, Lena ............................................ 3
Baig, Aijaz ................................................ 18
Ahmadi, Morteza ...................................... 4
Baig, Aijaz ................................................ 19
Akhlagh Moayed, Alireza .......................... 5
Baijnath, Janine ....................................... 19
Akosa, Collins ............................................ 5
Balasubramaniam, Ann-Marie ................ 20
Al jamal, Rasha .......................................... 6
Bandekar, Namrata ................................. 20
Al-Housseini, Reine ................................... 6
Banerjee, Joydeep................................... 21
Ali, Hassan ................................................. 7
Baroud, Hiba ........................................... 22
Ali, Javid .................................................... 8
Baumann, Britt ........................................ 22
Alipanahi Ramandi, Babak ........................ 8
Bell, Kirsten ............................................. 23
Allin, Don ................................................... 9
Bendame, Mohamed .............................. 23
Al-Sabah, Mashael .................................... 9
Berisha, Mohamed.................................. 24
Al-Shamsi, Mohammed........................... 10
Bichel, Amanda ....................................... 24
Alwan, Mohamad .................................... 11
Bloch, Sophia .......................................... 25
Alzughaibi, Abdullah ............................... 11
Bloemberg, Darin .................................... 25
Amarala, Swathi ...................................... 12
Borgs, Stephanie ..................................... 26
Ames, Brendan ........................................ 12
Bradford, Brad ........................................ 27
Amin, Ashraf............................................ 13
Broom, Aron............................................ 27
Anderson, Joanna.................................... 13
Brunt, Jara ............................................... 28
Ansari, Masoud ....................................... 14
Campbell, Graham .................................. 29
Aoki, Yasunori ......................................... 15
Carvalho, Arthur...................................... 29
Aryan, Afrooz .......................................... 15
Casado, Paulo.......................................... 30
Attia, Hussein .......................................... 16
Cejudo, Eduardo ..................................... 30
Table of Contents – Presentation Abstracts
Chammah, Tarek ..................................... 31
Datta Gupta, Syamantak ......................... 44
Chen, Bei ................................................. 31
Davis, Heather......................................... 45
Chen, Gao ................................................ 32
de Cola, Marianna ................................... 46
Chen, Li.................................................... 32
Dey, Ripon ............................................... 46
Chen, Qing Yun........................................ 33
Dorri, Fatemeh ........................................ 47
Chen, I-Hsiang Albert .............................. 34
Duan, Jin.................................................. 47
Chen, Jit Seng .......................................... 34
Dumbleton, Kathryn ............................... 48
Cho, Annie ............................................... 35
Dunford, Eric ........................................... 49
Chow, Reynold ........................................ 36
Erven, Chris ............................................. 49
Chu Su, Peter........................................... 36
Faghih, Fathiyeh ...................................... 50
Chuapetcharasopon, Pylin ...................... 37
Fahimnia, Mehrdad................................. 50
Chung, So-Ra ........................................... 37
Feng, Ming Bin ........................................ 51
Claude, Francisco .................................... 38
Fenuta, Elizabeth .................................... 52
Coburn, Julia............................................ 38
Finkle, Andrew ........................................ 52
Con, Celal ................................................ 39
Foster, Kyle ............................................. 53
Cong, Jianfa ............................................. 39
Fotuhi, Omid ........................................... 54
Constable, Stephen ................................. 40
Fraser, Robert ......................................... 54
Cormier, Olga .......................................... 40
Freeman, Shannon .................................. 55
Cowan, Terri ............................................ 41
Friesen, Justin ......................................... 55
Creelman, Kyle ........................................ 41
Gad, Ahmed ............................................ 56
Cui, Zhenyu ............................................. 42
Ganai, Omar ............................................ 56
Da Costa, Jason ....................................... 42
Gangeh, Mehrdad ................................... 57
Daley, Chad ............................................. 43
Garrick, Arlene ........................................ 58
Darivandi, Neda....................................... 43
Gertz, Drew ............................................. 58
Darwazeh, Durgham ............................... 44
Ghaddar, Bissan ...................................... 59
Table of Contents – Presentation Abstracts
Ghossoub, Mario ..................................... 59
Hlimi, Tina ............................................... 75
Gidvani, Rohan ........................................ 60
Ho, Yuan-Hao .......................................... 76
Glussich, Doug......................................... 60
Hobin, Erin .............................................. 76
Goel, Prateek........................................... 61
Hodge, Angela ......................................... 77
Gruevski, Kristina .................................... 62
Holloway, Catherine ............................... 78
Guillemineau, Mickael ............................ 62
Hosseini, Hadi ......................................... 78
Haj Mirza Alian, Ehsan ............................ 63
Hosseinkashi, Yasaman ........................... 79
Hajialamdari, Mojtaba ............................ 64
Huang, Jasper .......................................... 79
Hakull, Kent ............................................. 64
Hui, Alex .................................................. 80
Hall, Brad ................................................. 65
Hyseni, Lirije ............................................ 81
Hameed, Raees ....................................... 66
Ibey, Robyn ............................................. 81
Hannon, Sheila ........................................ 66
Ibrahim, Zainub ....................................... 82
Hano, Kate............................................... 67
Inglis, Stephen......................................... 82
Hariri, Sepideh......................................... 68
Inglis, Tiffany ........................................... 83
Harrison, Joel .......................................... 68
Iravani-Tabrizipour, Mehrdad ................. 83
Harun, Noorlisa ....................................... 69
Ismail, Marwa ......................................... 84
Hashemi Vaziri, Shahram ........................ 69
Ives, Jessica ............................................. 84
Hegazy, Aiat ............................................ 70
Jadi, Salsabeel ......................................... 85
Heil, John................................................. 71
Javanparast, Behnam .............................. 86
Helt, Cassandra ....................................... 71
Jensen, Candice....................................... 86
Hennigar, Julie......................................... 72
Ji, Min ...................................................... 87
Henry, Ryan ............................................. 73
Ji, Shaojun ............................................... 87
Hernandez, Maria ................................... 73
Jiang, Wei ................................................ 88
Hessien, Manal ........................................ 74
Jochym-O'Connor, Tomas ....................... 88
Hewer, Micah .......................................... 74
Johnston, Matthew ................................. 89
Table of Contents – Presentation Abstracts
Kamiab, Farbod ....................................... 89
Lin, Taoran ............................................ 105
Kang, Qingsheng ..................................... 90
Ling, Xia ................................................. 105
Kasinathan, Dhanaraja ............................ 90
Liu, Kevin ............................................... 106
Kasurak, Andrew ..................................... 91
Locklin, Jason ........................................ 106
Kaznatcheev, Artem ................................ 92
Lorentz, Holly ........................................ 107
Kehinde, Aderonke.................................. 92
Lu, Rongxing .......................................... 107
Kehyayan, Vahe....................................... 93
Lung, Terry Shiu Cheung ....................... 108
Keichinger, Sabrina ................................. 94
Luus, Kristina ......................................... 109
Kemp, Todd ............................................. 94
Ma, Xian ................................................ 109
Kennedy, Jill ............................................ 95
Machan, Carolyn ................................... 110
Khaleghy Rad, Mona ............................... 96
Magesan, Easwar .................................. 110
Khan, Atif................................................. 96
Mainland, Mike ..................................... 111
Khmelnitsky, Michael .............................. 97
Maloney, Erin ........................................ 111
Kim, Myung ............................................. 97
Manji, Noorin ........................................ 112
Kobayashi, Alan ....................................... 98
Markvart, Tanya .................................... 112
Kruk, Jeff ................................................. 98
Marshall, Claymore ............................... 113
Lam, Kathy............................................... 99
Martin, William ..................................... 114
Lane, Natasha........................................ 100
Martin, Judith........................................ 114
Lavoie, Jonathan ................................... 100
McKinnon, Rhys .................................... 115
Lawr, Nathan ......................................... 101
McMillan, Elliott.................................... 115
Lawrence, Mike ..................................... 102
McMurray, Josephine ........................... 116
Lee, En-Shiun Annie .............................. 102
Melnykevych, Viktoriya......................... 117
Lee, Hoffer............................................. 103
Mencel, Malwina .................................. 117
Leung, Kevin .......................................... 103
Meyer-Scott, Evan................................. 118
Liang, Lindie .......................................... 104
Mirnaghi, Fatemeh ............................... 118
Table of Contents – Presentation Abstracts
Mitchell, Andrew................................... 119
Ommani, Abbas .................................... 133
Moazeni, Somayeh................................ 120
Orchard, Beatrice .................................. 134
Mohamed, Tarek ................................... 120
Orr, Valerie............................................ 134
Mohebbi, Hamid Reza Mohebbi ........... 121
Oyapero, Babatunde ............................. 135
Mohebbi, Hamid Reza Mohebbi ........... 121
Palit, Rajesh........................................... 135
Moher, Ester ......................................... 122
Park, Kyungdeock.................................. 136
Molladavoodi, Sara ............................... 122
Passante, Gina....................................... 137
Moore, Chris ......................................... 123
Pinnell, Lee ............................................ 137
Mosher, Andrea .................................... 124
Piraino, Emily ........................................ 138
Mou, Hong Jun ...................................... 124
Pirnia, Mehrdad .................................... 138
Mousavi Lajimi, Seyed Amir .................. 125
Plante, Courtney ................................... 139
Mukundan, Rekha ................................. 125
Pourmohammadali, Homeyra .............. 139
Myers, Cullen ........................................ 126
Premji, Azra ........................................... 140
Nadertehrani, Mohsen.......................... 126
Presslee, Adam ..................................... 141
Najafi Sohi, Ali ....................................... 127
Primmer, Heather ................................. 141
Nambiar, Shruti ..................................... 127
Princz, Daniel ........................................ 142
Narang, Anisha ...................................... 128
Pytel, Alex ............................................. 142
Narayan, Apurva ................................... 128
Qassemi, Farzad .................................... 143
Narayanan, Meyyappan ........................ 129
Qiu, Chao .............................................. 144
Nelson, Benjamin .................................. 129
Raben, Alex ........................................... 144
Nesan, Dinu ........................................... 130
Rahul, Rahul .......................................... 145
Ng, Alan ................................................. 130
Rai, Navjot ............................................. 145
Ng, Yvonne ............................................ 131
Ramer, Matthew ................................... 146
Niknafs, Ali ............................................ 132
Rashid, Shimaila .................................... 146
Nordeste, Ricardo ................................. 132
Rasouli, Mojgan .................................... 147
Table of Contents – Presentation Abstracts
Rebello, Zena......................................... 148
Shateri, Mahsa ...................................... 162
Revell, Halle........................................... 148
Shepherd, Alyssa ................................... 162
Rizvi, Sana ............................................. 149
Sherk, Ted ............................................. 163
Rombough, Lisa ..................................... 149
Shi, Jingye.............................................. 164
Sadhu, Ayan .......................................... 150
Shi, Tianxiang ........................................ 164
Saechao, Maye Chin .............................. 150
Singer, Basil ........................................... 165
Safaei, Elham ......................................... 151
Singh, Punya.......................................... 165
Salam, Lialoma ...................................... 152
Singh, Serena ........................................ 166
Salinger, Alejandro ................................ 152
Sithole, Munyaradzi .............................. 166
Sandhu, Navdeep .................................. 153
Skinner, Kelly......................................... 167
Seli, Paul ................................................ 153
Smith, Martin ........................................ 167
Semnani-Azad, Zhaleh........................... 154
Smith, Brendan ..................................... 168
Seo, Jaho ............................................... 155
Smithwick, Neal .................................... 169
Sethi, Neha ............................................ 155
Solanti, Madjid ...................................... 169
Seyed Tabatabaei, Talieh ...................... 156
Stubbs, Helen ........................................ 170
Shabani, Amir Hossein .......................... 156
Studholme, Catherine ........................... 171
Shadmehr, Samaneh ............................. 157
Sultana, Niger........................................ 171
Shafique, Umar ..................................... 158
Sun, Xiangcheng .................................... 172
Shahbandi, Nazgol................................. 158
Sun de la Cruz, Joseph .......................... 172
Shamseldein, Mohamed ....................... 158
Tabatabaei, Nasim ................................ 173
Shangguan, Yiyi ..................................... 159
Taghavipour, Amir ................................ 173
Shanjani, Yaser ...................................... 160
Tang, Herbert ........................................ 174
Sharif Razavian, Reza ............................ 160
Tanna, Rajiv ........................................... 175
Sharif Shourijeh, Mohammad ............... 161
Tayal, Aditya.......................................... 175
Shateri, Hamed ..................................... 161
Taylor, Michael ..................................... 176
Table of Contents – Presentation Abstracts
Tehrani Yekta, Rana .............................. 177
Weir, Lindsay ........................................ 191
Thacker, Jonathan ................................. 177
Wesolowski, Michal .............................. 191
Thomas, Kathryn ................................... 178
Westberg, Robert.................................. 192
Thompson, Jordan................................. 178
White, Jerry........................................... 192
Toews, William ...................................... 179
Wiebe, Laura ......................................... 193
Togunde, Paul ....................................... 179
Wilton, Meaghan .................................. 194
Tomaszczyk, Jennifer ............................ 180
Wong, Sanders ...................................... 194
Toscan, Justine ...................................... 181
Wong, Janice ......................................... 195
Tran, Thanh ........................................... 181
Wood, Christopher ............................... 195
Umair, Muhammad ............................... 182
Woodworth, Adam ............................... 196
Valadao, Derick ..................................... 183
Wu, longyang ........................................ 196
Valibeigi, Narges ................................... 183
Wu, Yan ................................................. 197
Varikooty, Jalaiah .................................. 184
Xiong, Tracy........................................... 198
Vas, Krisztian ......................................... 185
Yanagisawa, Makoto ............................. 198
Vasefi, Seyedeh Maryam ...................... 185
Yaraskavitch, Luke................................. 199
Vedoy, Diogenes ................................... 186
Yeganeh, Hojatollah .............................. 199
Vermunt, Bradley .................................. 187
Yu, Yuxin................................................ 200
Vey, Gregory ......................................... 187
Zaidan, Esmat........................................ 200
Vlasea, Mihaela ..................................... 188
Zajdlik, Barry ......................................... 201
Vo, Nguyen T.K. ..................................... 188
Zangooei, Somayyeh ............................. 201
von Konigslow, Kier ............................... 189
Zhang, Jian ............................................ 202
Wan, Weijie ........................................... 189
Zhang, Peng........................................... 202
Wang, Qian............................................ 190
Zhang, Xixi ............................................. 203
Wang, Xiaohui ....................................... 190
Zhong, Han ............................................ 204
Wei, Wei................................................ 190
Zhong, Luyang ....................................... 204
Table of Contents – Presentation Abstracts
Zhou, Lingxu .......................................... 205
Zhu, Dian ............................................... 206
Zhou, Rui ............................................... 205
Ziprick, Jonathan ................................... 206
Abd elghany, Maaly
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Heritage Hospitality: Hotels in Siwa, Egypt
Abstract: The link between heritage and hospitality dates back hundreds of years. However,
there are no firm rules that manage this ancient relationship. This research proposes the idea of
‘heritage hospitality’ as a new concept. It refers to management of the heritage-hospitality link
through, for example, the application of traditional heritage and traditional hospitality in hotels.
The aim is to enhance the quality of the tourism product while respecting the characteristics of
local culture by striving for a balance between commercialization and authenticity in the
provision of hospitality. The emphasis in most hospitality research is on profitability through
increasing efficiency, enhancing service quality, marketing and the like. While acknowledging
the need to be profitable, this new perspective is proposed as a means to achieve a more
balanced approach to the provision of hospitality that draws upon the historical origins of the
concept respects local culture and provides an unforgettable cultural experience for the
interested visitor. Siwan hotels in Siwa oasis, Egypt, were examined to assess the extent to
which aspects of local heritage are used in hotel design and operation. The research procedures
involved observing and recording the attributes of hotels, in-depth interviews with general
managers, a questionnaire survey of visitors, and a focus group discussion among local
informants. A high percentage of tourists in the Siwa oasis is foreign. Siwan hotels concentrate
on reflecting Siwan heritage through their external design and construction, and some internal
features. However, they largely neglect to employ or reflect aspects of the Siwan intangible
heritage.
Abdel Wahab, Wael
Coauthor(s): Dan Busuioc
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Highly Efficient Low Cost and Low Profile Antenna Designs Based on Planar
Waveguide Technology for Millimeter-Wave Applications
Abstract: Concurrently, there has been a strong growth in demand for wireless communications
and advanced radar applications operating at millimeter-wave frequencies in order to exploit
some of its benefits such as unused spectrum, equipment size reduction (miniaturization), and
wider bandwidth. Dielectric resonator antennas (DRAs) have been proposed recently for use in
antenna part of the wireless communication systems. They are low cost, easy to fabricate, wide
bandwidth, and high radiation efficiency compared to other metallic planar antennas.
At millimeter-wave frequencies, most of DRAs planar feeding structures become lossy.
Consequently, the overall antenna radiation efficiency is degraded. In this work, low cost and
low profile dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) array systems fed by a planar waveguide based
on substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology at millimeter-wave band are analyzed,
2
characterized, modeled, designed, and fabricated. The SIW is a high Q-structure, since it is a
good compromise between an air-filled rectangular waveguide and a microstrip line.
Accordingly, it can minimize the radiation loss and parasitic radiation and provides low cost,
compactness, and low profile at this high frequency range.
A simple and fast transmission line (T.L.) circuit model is proposed to simplify and optimize
these antenna array systems. Some antenna prototypes are fabricated by the Printed Circuit
Board (PCB) low cost technology. Furthermore, the antenna prototypes are measured
(reflection coefficient & radiation pattern) and their results are compared to these obtained by
both the proposed T.L. circuit model and the commercial full-wave solvers. A very good
agreement is achieved.
Achkar, Andrew
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Evidence for Orbital Energy Modulation in the High Temperature
Superconductor La1.475Nd0.4Sr0.125CuO4
Abstract: Past neutron and x-ray scattering studies of the high temperature superconductor
La1.475Nd0.4Sr0.125CuO4 have revealed structural features that have been widely regarded as
resulting from charge modulation or lattice displacement in the CuO2 plane of the material.
One difficulty with this picture is that the associated scattering models predict features that are
considerably broader than what is observed experimentally. In this work, new scattering
measurements are presented that display substantial improvements in the signal to noise ratio
and energy resolution of prior efforts. This enhanced sensitivity has revealed features that
place strong constraints on new and existing scattering models. Remarkably, the widely used
models of charge modulation and lattice displacement do not correctly predict these features.
We present a new model wherein modulations in the orbital energy at different lattice sites are
responsible for the observed scattering intensity. Calculations based on this model produce
scattering spectra that agree very well with our experimental findings. These findings cast
doubt on the charge modulation and lattice displacement interpretations of the observed
scattering and could have a significant impact in the fields of high temperature
superconductivity and strongly correlated systems.
Ahmadi, Lena
Coauthor(s): E. Croiset, A. Elkamel, P. L. Douglas
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Effect of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles penetration on electricity load demand
in Ontario
3
Abstract: The transportation sector contributes significantly to the release of pollutants
(including greenhouse gases) to the environment. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have
a large potential to reduce greenhouse gases emissions and increase fuel economy and fuel
flexibility. PHEVs are propelled by the energy from both gasoline and electric power sources.
How penetration of PHEVs into the automobile market affects the electrical grid and the
electricity demand, in particular in the Ontario context, has not been fully investigated yet.
This paper studies effects of the wide spread adoption of PHEVs on hourly load demands in
Ontario. Neural network forecasting models of hourly load demands and the number of lightduty vehicles sold were developed. To choose proper independent variables for the models,
both linear regression (LR) and non-linear regression (NLR) techniques were employed,
considering different ranges in the demographic, climate and economic variables.
The results from the LR and NLR models (LRM and NLRM) were compared and the most
accurate ones were selected and used in the neural network model. Furthermore, forecasting
the effects of PHEVs penetration was done through consideration of various scenarios of
penetration levels, such as mild, normal and aggressive ones. Finally, the additional electricity
demand on the Ontario electricity grid from charging PHEVs is incorporated for electricity
production planning purposes. Authors: Lena Ahmadi, Eric Croiset, Ali Elkamel, Peter Douglas,
Evgueniy Entchev
Ahmadi, Morteza
Coauthor(s): John T.W. Yeow
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Electrical response of dry oriented bacteriorodopsin thin film under X-ray
radiations
Abstract: The purple membrane of Halobacterium Salinarium is comprised of lipids and a twodimensional hexagonal unidirectional crystalline array of protein called bacteriorhodopsin (bR)
which functions as a photon-driven proton pump. Different strains and mutants of
Halobacterium Salinarium including mutants of Halobacterium NRC-1 have been reported as
radiation resistant biomaterials.
Here we report that dry oriented wild-type bR thin film coated on indium tin oxide (ITO)
produces electric current under X-ray radiation.The signal stays on as long as the X-ray radiation
is on. Such behavior is independent of the radiation energy, dose and dose rate. In particular, Xray energies of 6 MV and 15 MV and dose rates of 100 MU/min-600 MU/min are resolved. The
ratio of the measured current per sensing area is in the range of nanoAmpere / cm2. An X-ray
sensor based on bR has the following advantages: (i) It can be miniaturized to micrometer scale.
(ii) It is easy to fabricate. (iii) It is expected to be economically not expensive in mass
production. (iv) The electric response can be measured in real-time. (v) The reading circuit can
also be miniaturized using efficient op-amps circuits and transimpedance amplifiers. (vi) PET is a
flexible surface. Several sensing pixels can be fabricated on such a flexible substrate such that
radiation can be easily measured on curved surfaces as well as flat ones.
4
Akhlagh Moayed, Alireza
Coauthor(s): S. Hariri, C. Hyun, T.W. Kraft, B. Doran, S. Boyd and K. Bizheva
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Combined UHROCT and ERG System for in-vivo Simultaneous Probing of the
Structure and Function of the Rat Retina
Abstract: Purpose: The main objective of this study was to establish a correlation between the
retinal structure and function in a rat retina model by use of a combined high speed, ultrahigh
resolution optical coherence tomography (UHROCT) and full filed electroretinography (ERG)
system.
Methods: The UHROCT system operates in the 1060nm wavelength region, and provides 3µm
axial and ~5µm lateral resolution in the rat retina at an imaging rate of 47000 fps. The UHROCT
was combined with a commercial full field ERG system (Diagnosys LLC) for simultaneous
acquisition of the OCT images and the ERG traces. UHROCT + ERG data was acquired from
healthy and damaged (drug induced toxicity) rat retinas.
Results: UHROCT tomograms acquired from healthy rat eyes showed clear visualization of all
intra-retinal layers and were associated with normal ERG traces. In the retinas of drug treated
animals, dose-, time- and drug type- dependent morphological changes were observed,
including thinning of the nuclear layers, disruption the ILM and ELM, development of highly
reflective and highly transmissive spots in the Photoreceptor and RPE layers and overall change
of the optical properties (image contrast) in some of the retinal layers. ERG traces showed
reduced magnitude of the a- and b-waves.
Conclusions: Our preliminary results suggest a direct link between the changes in retinal
morphology and functional response to visual stimuli as measured with ERG in damaged
retinas. The combined UHROCT + ERG system could provide ophthalmologists with the means
for deeper understanding of the origins and progression of neurodegenerative retinal diseases.
Akosa, Collins
Coauthor(s): Michel Gingras
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Effect of impurities in geometric frustrated lattices.Abstract: A magnetic
material is said to be geometrically frustrated when there is no ground state which allows all
the pairs of interactions to be satisfied simultaneously. This degeneracy can be partially lifted
by an impurity and this, in turn, may leads to the possibility of phase transitions between
different magnetic ground states caused by fairly small changes in the magnetic
interactions.Alloying a frustrated antiferromagnet can therefore lead to such a phase transition
at quite low doping. Geometric frustration can lead to a variety of very interesting magnetic
5
properties. Some states that arise from geometric frustration include spin glasses, spin liquids
and spin ice.An example of a lattice with geometric frustration is a triangular lattice with planar
(XY)magnetic moments (spins) coupled by antiferromagnetic nearest neighbor exchange
interactions.In this frustrated antiferromagnet, the new ground state can be explained in terms
of the several ways in which thechange in the exchange energy when an impurity is added to
the system can be redistributed. This change in exchange energy is related to the relative angle
between the spins. Therefore a redistribution corresponds to a change in the local distribution
of neighboring spin orientations. In this talk, I will discuss how the presence of an impurity
immediately causes a redistribution of exchange energy for low concentration of impurities.
Al jamal, Rasha
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Control Lyapunov Functions and Feedback Control in Hilbert Space
Abstract: Feedback control influences every fact of modern life. It occurs in both natural and
manufactural environments for many reasons. For instance, it is used to drive the error
between the measured and desired responses to zero and thus deliver the model to a desired
state. Also it is used to reduce the effects of disturbances so that the system responds more
desirably. Control Lyapunov functions plays an important role in constructing a feedback
control law for both finite and infinite dimensional systems. Unlike the theory for finite
dimensional systems that is well known, the theory for infinite dimensional systems is still new.
In this paper, a review for the Lyapunov stability analysis for nonlinear dynamical systems
defined on infinite dimensional Hilbert space is presented. Then, the existence of a unique
solution to a general class of controlled affine dynamical systems in Hilbert space is proved.
Furthermore, an explicit feedback control law based on the control Lyapunov function is
constructed for any well defined affine system in Hilbert space. Finally, the constructed theory
is applied on the controlled Kuramoto-Sivashinsky and Korteweg-de Vries-Burgers equations
where a feedback control law is constructed and the asymptotic stability of the solution is
achieved.
Accordingly, the next step is to develop a numerical approximation to the controlled system
with the constructed feedback control law. The challenge here is to find an approximation
method that preserves the energy property of the system so that the approximation converges
to the actual system.
Al-Housseini, Reine
Presentation type: mandatory poster presentation
Abstract title: Implementing Self-directed Learning Methods in Mathematics
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Abstract: “The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated, but to make
complicated things simple.” ~S. Gudder
Since mathematical concepts and theorems build upon each other, it is essential for us as
mathematics instructors to help our students comprehend these concepts and eventually
develop their logical and critical thinking skills. This poster introduces the research of ‘selfdirected learning’ (SDL) methods that help students understand mathematical theorems. SDL
occurs when individuals, either with or without the help of others, take an initiative to
determine their learning needs, set out learning goals, obtain resources for learning, select
learning strategies, and assess their learning outcomes (Knowles, 1975). Particularly, SDL can be
considered as any method that an individual selects and/or brings about by his own efforts,
leading to an increase in one’s knowledge, skill, accomplishment, or personal development
(Gibbons, 2002). The SDL method can be achieved through five simple steps that are, arguably,
essential to fully appreciate and understand a theorem (Knowles, 1975).
In my poster I shall explain how SDL, specifically in understanding mathematical theorems, can
be implemented. In fact, in order to understand a theorem a student should be fully aware of
the conditions and conclusions of that theorem and should know which of the conditions are
necessary and which ones are sufficient. I will present specific examples on how to implement
SDL in understanding a few known theorems in Calculus. Through SDL, students will eventually
be able to find counterexamples from a collection of examples supplied to them.*
Ali, Hassan
Coauthor(s): Qaisar Ali
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Numerical and Laboratory evaluation of in-situ damping using surface waves
Abstract: Dynamic properties of soils such as shear wave velocity and damping ratio are critical
parameters for evaluating the dynamic response of civil infrastructures subjected to vibrations
generated by earthquakes, wind, machines, and mine works. In-situ measurement of damping
is difficult and the results from current methods depend on the frequency of the excitation.
However, the determination of a reliable frequency range is difficult to determine beforehand.
The multi-channel analysis of surface waves (MASW) method is a non-destructive testing (NDT)
technique that utilizes the dispersive characteristic of Rayleigh waves to estimate low strain
shear moduli and damping coefficients of layered media. High frequencies (short wavelengths)
propagate through shallow layers while, low frequencies (large wavelengths) propagate
through deep layers. This paper presents a new methodology for the laboratory and numerical
evaluation of in-situ damping as a function of frequency using surface waves. Laboratory data is
obtain by performing MASW tests on sand box. The transducers used in the experiment include
one ultrasonic transmitter (50 kHz) and twelve piezoelectric accelerometers (frequency range:
1Hz to 25 kHz). The propagation of the ultrasonic pulse is measured using high-frequency
accelerometers and the measured time signals are analyzed with the wavelet transform. For
numerical simulation, Rayleigh damping is calculated from the numerical results using the
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wavelet transform. The results from numerical simulations and the laboratory measurements
show the validity of the new methodology based on the wavelet transform. This new
methodology can potentially be used in the assessment of structural health.
Ali, Javid
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: The Optimality of a Dividend Barrier Strategy for Lévy Insurance Risk Processes
Abstract: In 1957, Bruno de Finetti proposed that the surplus process of an insurance company
be modified to include the payout of dividends to the company’s shareholders. In a discretetime model, he showed that the ‘optimal’ dividend payment strategy is a barrier strategy: any
excess of the surplus above some threshold is paid out as dividends. A dividend payment
strategy is said to be optimal if it maximizes the expected present value of dividends paid out to
the shareholders.
This talk will focus on the optimality of a barrier strategy in the more general Lévy setting. The
risk process is formulated as a spectrally negative Lévy process, a continuous-time stochastic
process with stationary and independent increments which is an extension of the classical
Cramér-Lundberg model, and which includes the Brownian and compound Poisson risk
processes as special cases. In the current literature, while we can find sufficient conditions on
the jump distribution for a barrier strategy to be optimal, no such criteria exist on the model
parameters. I will show both numerically and analytically that if the Brownian motion
component is increased, then a barrier strategy eventually becomes optimal. More specifically,
I will give sufficient conditions on the size of the Brownian component for the optimality of a
barrier strategy. I will also examine the relationship between this Brownian motion component
and the jump distribution, and the effect on the existence of an optimal strategy.
Alipanahi Ramandi, Babak
Coauthor(s): Nathan Krislock, Ali Ghodsi, Henry Wolkowicz, Logan Donaldson, and Ming Li
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: A Novel SDP-Based Protein Structure Determination from NMR Data
Abstract: In protein NMR, the 3D structure is determined by making use of a set of distance
restraints between proton pairs and exploiting the domain knowledge about proteins. Most of
the existing prominent methods are based on torsion angle/Cartesian coordinate molecular
dynamics coupled with a complex simulated annealing approach. In these methods, usually an
objective function representing the error between observed and given distance restraints is
minimized; these objective functions are highly nonconvex and very hard to optimize.
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Euclidean geometry methods based on semidefinite programming (SDP) provide a natural
formulation for realizing a 3D structure from a set of given distance constraints. However, the
complexity of SDP solvers is a major obstacle in their applicability to the protein NMR problem.
We propose a novel SDP-based protein structure determination from NMR data, called SPROS,
which is both fast and robust. By using a technique called ‘semidefinite facial reduction,’ the
SDP matrix size and the number of equality constraints are approximately one quarter of the
original problem, which results in a fifty-fold decrease in the running time required by the SDP
solver. SPROS is applied to proteins with a molecular mass less than 5 kDa and the predicted
structures are accurate.
Allin, Don
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: The effects of wildfire on sorption behaviour of sediment-associated
phosphorus (P): Long-term effects of the 2003 Lost Creek wildfire, Southern Alberta.
Abstract: Several studies in the literature have documented the effects of wildfire on sediment
production, nutrient fluxes and watershed hydrology, but much less is known about the
propagation and impact of fire-modified particulate matter to downstream aquatic
environments. The objective of this study is to quantify the effects of wildfire on the
geochemical composition and sorption behaviour of sediment-associated phosphorus in two
fire impacted rivers in southern Alberta. The research was designed to evaluate the spatial
(downstream gradient) and temporal (2009 and 2010) variation in the geochemical composition
and P sorption characteristics of suspended solids in both reference (unburned) and burned
watersheds along a downward gradient from the wildfire impacted headwaters of the Castle
and Crowsnest rivers. The concentration of major elements (Si, Al, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Ti, Mn and
P) and physical characteristics (specific surface area, D10, D50, D90) of sediments collected in
the streams using isokinetic suspended sediment samplers were determined using x-ray
fluorescence and laser diffraction, respectively. Sorption experiments were conducted by
exposing collected sediments to a range of concentrations of dissolved inorganic phosphate
solution (0, 10, 25, 50, 100, 200 µg l-1). The equilibrium phosphate concentration (EPC) for
each sediment type was analyzed using colorimetry and the data were fit to the Langmuir
equation to determine Langmuir coefficients (α, Γm, K). The results are presented and
discussed in the context of downstream water management challenges in reservoirs used for
drinking water supply.
Al-Sabah, Mashael
Coauthor(s): Kevin Bauer2 , Ian Goldberg , Dirk Grunwald , Damon McCoy , Stefan Savage ,
Geoffrey Voelker
Presentation type: poster presentation
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Abstract title: Why Tor's Windows Should be Thrown out the Window
Abstract: Tor is the most widely used anonymity network that allows users to maintain their
online privacy and resist
censorship. However, one obstacle that discourages users from using Tor is its slow
performance. The goal of our work is to enhance Tor's performance by improving its congestion
control algorithm.
In our work, we have replaced Tor's end-to-end window based congestion control algorithm
with, N23, an ATM-style per-link credit-based flow control algorithm. Implementing N23 in Tor
has two key advantages. First, credit based flow control allows routers to cap their queue sizes,
which ensures that no flow occupies more than its fair share of the bandwidth, and ensures a
steady flow control as routers always have cells to forward. Second, our implementation of
adaptive N23 reacts very fast to congestion within a single link Round Trip Time (RTT), as
opposed to Tor's complete circuit RTT, which can be significantly larger. Our results show that
N23 offers better congestion and flow control, resulting in a significantly improved web page
response times and faster page loads compared to Tor’s current design.
Al-Shamsi, Mohammed
Coauthor(s): Neil R. Thomson
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Nano-Metal Catalysts as A New Generation of Catalysts for In Situ Chemical
Oxidation
Abstract: More than two billion people worldwide depend on groundwater as a source of
drinking water. Groundwater can be contaminated by many sources such as accidental spills,
leaking underground storage tanks (USTs), and municipal and industrial landfill leachate.
In situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) is an effective technology to clean up the contaminated sites.
Recently, zero-valent iron (ZVI) (in granular or micro-form) has been used successfully to
activate chemical oxidants, and was more effective than activated chemical oxidants with
classical catalysts (e.g., Fe(II)). In spite of ZVI being a promising alternative to activate chemical
oxidants, it cannot transport through a geological porous medium. Nano zero-valent iron
(nZVI), when coupled with stabilizing agents, is able to be injected and transported in situ. The
focus of this research was to investigate the applicability and utility of nano-scale metal
particles as potential catalysts for chemical oxidants (i.e., hydrogen peroxide and persulfate).
The treatment of organic compounds (e.g., TCE, MTBE, naphthalene, and chlorobenzene) was
evaluated through a series of aqueous experiments to investigate the potential of using nanometal catalysts to activate persulfate.
The experiments indicate that using nZVI as a persulfate catalyst shows better treatment than
using granular-ZVI or ferrous ions as a catalyst. It is hypothesized that nano-scale catalysts are
more promising than granular or salt catalysts to activate persulfate, and that nano-metal
particles might be the next generation of catalysts for some ISCO reagents.
10
Alwan, Mohamad
Coauthor(s): X.Z. Liu and W.-C. Xie
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Input-to-state stability results for nonlinear stochastic hybrid systems
Abstract: Input-to-state stability (ISS) notion proposed by E. Sontag has been proven useful in
analyzing the disturbance effect on the behaviour of feedback closed-loop system trajectories.
The importance of ISS is many fold. It bridges the gap between the input/output stability
concept in which a system is being viewed as a black box and the Lyapunov stability (of the
equilibrium point), and it has many equivalencies or implications to other stability-like
concepts, such as integral-ISS, global asymptotic stability (for zero input), and finite gain with
respect to supremum norms and finite $L^2$. It has found applications in different areas in
linear and nonlinear system and control theory, such as coprime factorization, cascade or
feedforward systems, small-gain theorems, and singularly perturbed systems.
This work studies the sensitivity of nonlinear switched systems, whose states are driven by
Wiener (or Brownian motion) random
process, to bounded disturbance or controls. We establish Lyapunov-based sufficient conditions
to guarantee ISS properties in the pth-moment. Firstly, system switches among a family of ISS
modes, then a more general class is considered where, in addition, unstable subsystems
perturbed by bounded disturbance are taken into account. The switching among the system
modes is controlled by two separated switching rules, a newly developed switching logic called
initial-state-dependent dwell time, and Markovian switching. Implications of our results are
stated and some numerical examples are presented to justify our theoretical results.
Alzughaibi, Abdullah
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Effect of reclining on retinal thickness in diabetes
Abstract: Purpose; Previous studies have shown diurnal variation in retinal thickness in patients
with diabetic macular edema over the course of the day but the presence and magnitude of this
variation is controversial. This study will investigate the direct of reclining on retinal thickness in
diabetic patients with macular edema (DME) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR) using
spectral domain optical coherence tomography(SD-OCT).Methods; Twenty five patients with
DME and PDR, and twenty five age-matched healthy controls aged 24 to 75 years will be
recruited. Subjects will recline for two hours and retinal thickness will be measured in five time
points; before reclining, immediately after reclining while lying on side, one hour after reclining
while lying on side, two hours after reclining while lying on side, and immediately after
returning back to upright position. Results; Change in retinal thickness will be compared relative
11
to before reclining with during and immediately after reclining. Preliminary data showed no
significant change in retinal thickness in healthy controls. Conclusion and significance; This is
the first study to investigate the direct effect of reclining on retinal thickness using SD-OCT. The
described methodology may be used as a clinical challenge to test blood-retinal barrier integrity
and function.
Amarala, Swathi
Coauthor(s): Justin Wan
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Multigrid Time Stepping Method for Systems of Hyperbolic Partial Differential
Equations
Abstract: In this talk, we present a multigrid time stepping method for computing the steady
state solution of systems of hyperbolic partial differential equations (PDEs). Understanding the
motion of air around the wings of an aircraft helps in modelling its flight. Other phenomena
include tsunami propagation, compressible flow of a fluid in a duct, optimization problems. The
typical properties such as velocities for modelling these phenomena are computed by solving a
set of nonlinear hyperbolic PDEs. Hence, it is important to develop numerical methods which
provide efficient and accurate solutions.
The most challenging task for hyperbolic PDEs is to construct multigrid methods which preserve
monotonicity and total variation diminishing (TVD) properties. A system of hyperbolic PDEs is
composed of a number of wave equations. An efficient approach is to use upwinding
interpolation. However, in the system case, the upwinding directions are not apparent from the
unknown quantities which are composed of a mixture of characteristic variables. We propose
to transform the system in the conserved form to its characteristic form to address this issue.
Interpolation methods are constructed by solving an appropriately defined local Riemann
problem on the characteristic variables.
We proved that our multigrid method is TVD for a system of linear hyperbolic PDEs. This
ensures that there are no numerical oscillations in the solution resulting in fast convergence
times. We also showed numerically that our multigrid time stepping method can achieve close
to optimal speed up for nonlinear hyperbolic equations such as Euler equations.
Ames, Brendan
Coauthor(s): Stephen Vavasis
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Convex relaxation for the partitioning and clustering problems
Abstract: Given a set of data, we consider the graph G where the set of nodes of G correspond
to the objects in the data set and similarity between any two objects is indicated by adjacency
12
or by an edge weight given by the distance between the two objects. Clustering the data into
groups of similar objects is equivalent to partitioning G into disjoint cliques. We consider the
related problem of identifying the subgraph of G composed of k disjoint cliques, called a kdisjoint-clique subgraph, covering the maximum number of nodes. Also considered is the
problem of identifying the k-disjoint-clique subgraph of G whose edges cover the maximum
amount of weight. Each of these problems may be formulated as a semidefinite program with
an additional rank constraint. These relaxations are NP-hard, yet we show that they may be
solved exactly for certain inputs by relaxing to a convex optimization problem by replacing rank
with the nuclear norm. We provide theoretical guarantees of when our relaxations are exact,
and illustrate our results with numerical examples.
Amin, Ashraf
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Hydrogen production by methane catalytic cracking
Abstract: Methane cracking is a promising method for producing CO- free hydrogen. Fluidized
bed is considered as the most suitable reactor for continuous methane cracking to overcome
the large pressure drop experienced with methane cracking in a fixed bed reactor, and more
importantly, to re-circulate solids. A kinetic study was first conducted using a thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). An experimental study using a bench-scale fluidized bed was then
carried out. Finally, a mathematical model for methane catalytic cracking in a fluidized bed was
developed. Experiments and modelling were done for catalysts comprised of nickel supported
on porous and non porous alumina. Based on the experimental data from the TGA; a reaction
rate equation was developed to predict the reaction rate for different concentrations of
methane and hydrogen, and at different temperatures. The rate equation was extended to
predict the deactivation effect and the performance of the regenerated catalyst. The developed
rate equation was used in a mathematical model to predict the performance of the catalysts in
a fluidized bed reactor. A fluidized bed reactor was used to collect experimental data to further
develop and verify the mathematical model. The model results showed a good agreement with
the experimental data collected from a lab-scale fluidized bed reactor. The developed model
can predict the effect of catalyst amount, flow rate, temperature and reactor sizing on methane
conversion in a fluidized bed.
Anderson, Joanna
Coauthor(s): John G. Holmes, Joanne V. Wood
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: The Ledger of Love: When Getting What You Want in Your Relationship Is Risky
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Abstract: Receiving sacrifices from one’s romantic partner demonstrates caring, and sounds like
a positive experience. However, for people with low self-esteem (LSEs), who feel inferior to
their partners (Murray et al., 2005), a partner’s sacrifice may be a source of apprehension
because they may believe they will be unable to repay it. We tested three claims: first, that LSEs
will defensively undervalue the sacrifices their partners make for them; that they will feel
better about a partner sacrifice if they first promise their partners an exchange (thereby making
its repayment clear); and that they use this exchange strategy when they want a sacrifice from
their partners. In Study 1, participants imagined their partners making either a small or a large
sacrifice for them. Although all participants felt good about the small sacrifice, LSEs felt worse
when their partners made the larger sacrifice, and devalued its meaning relative to people with
high self-esteem (HSEs). In Study 2, which used the large-sacrifice scenario from Study 1, the
effect of self-esteem was moderated by whether participants promised their partners an
exchange: LSEs interpreted their partners’ behaviour more positively when they did not have to
worry about how to repay it. In Study 3, participants remembered a time when they had asked
for a sacrifice from their partners: LSEs reported using more exchange strategies than HSEs. We
interpret these findings as evidence that LSEs are threatened by their partners’ sacrifices and
use cognitive and behavioural strategies to reduce the threat.
Ansari, Masoud
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Purposive Active Learning Method for Teaching Engineering Courses
Abstract: Plenty of research has been performed to criticize traditional teaching methods and
promote active learning (AL) techniques. Despite all their good features, the effectiveness of AL
methods varies from one discipline to another. Furthermore, it is more difficult to apply AL
strategies into engineering courses than those in other disciplines.
In many engineering subjects, students have difficulties visualizing some of the theoretical
concepts. Some professors, like Dr. Walter Lewin of MIT, have tried to bring physical models to
class. It is impossible to build physical models for all theoretical concepts, however many (if not
all) engineering concepts can be visualized by software packages. Therefore, physical models
can sometimes be replaced by computer simulations.
One of the AL methods that has been proven to work well for engineering courses is project
based learning (PBL), where some of the teaching material is taught by projects, done by
students.
This research offers a new teaching method that simultaneously addresses the visualization
issue in engineering courses and makes use of good features of PBL technique. It is called
purposive project based learning (PPBL). The class is divided into several groups. Each group will
be responsible to make a physical model or a proper computer simulation that visualizes the
theoretical concepts, taught in one session. The last ten minutes of every lecture will be taught
by students of one group and the theoretical concepts will be visualized by them. Students will
actively get involved in teaching process and hence will learn from each other.
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Aoki, Yasunori
Coauthor(s): Ken Hayami, Akihiko Konagaya and Hans De Sterck
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Peeking Metabolic Processes of an Anti-Cancer Drug through What Came Out of
a Patient : Linear Algebra helping Cancer Patients
Abstract: As the information we can obtain clinically from a live patient is often much less than
the complexity of the internal activities in a patient’s body, underdetermined problems appear
often in the field of mathematical medicine. We have constructed a new algorithm to
effectively solve this type of problems using a combination of techniques in linear algebra.
In particular, we consider a problem of estimating the governing parameters of the metabolic
and transportation (pharmacokinetics) processes of an anti-cancer drug CPT-11. We estimate
these parameters based on the amount of metabolites in the excreta. There are 60 unknown
governing parameters while there are only 10 known quantities obtained from the excreta;
thus this problem is an underdetermined problem.
Arikuma et al. have developed a mathematical model of the pharmacokinetics processes
of CPT-11 and have attempted to solve this underdetermined problem using stochastic
algorithms ; however, these algorithms required approximately a week using a large cluster of
computers. Thus the idea of providing these governing parameters to assist clinicians make
treatment plans was not realistic.
We have constructed a new deterministic algorithm to solve this problem. Our algorithm
solves this problem in less than 20 minutes using a regular desktop computer.
It is known that the metabolic processes of anti-cancer drugs play crucial roles in both
treatment-effects and side-effects. Thus development of an algorithm to efficiently estimate
the governing parameters of the pharmacokinetics processes is expected to shine the light to
chemotherapy treatments for cancer patients.
Aryan, Afrooz
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Ultra Widebend, An Emerging Technology In Automated Construction
Management
Abstract: Effective construction management involves real-time decisions regarding the
progress of specific activities and the location of materials and equipment. The decision making
process can be improved using real-time positioning technologies such as Radio Frequency
Identification Device (RFID) systems, Global Positioning System (GPS), and Ultra Wide Band
(UWB) sensors. While the GPS is not applicable to indoor positioning and RFID tags cannot
provide a fully automated system for position location, the characteristics of UWB systems
make this technology a strong candidate for a fully automated positioning system in an indoor
construction environment. This paper introduces UWB as an emerging technology in
15
automated construction management. Different components of an UWB system (i.e. sensors
and tags) and their types of connection are introduced in this work. Principles, which the
system works based on those, are also addressed. Furthermore, different applications of this
technology in construction projects are discussed. Average error (the difference between the
UWB read coordinates and the real coordinates) is considered as a parameter that shows the
accuracy of the system. The accuracy of real-time position location under various conditions,
including the effect of different construction materials (e.g., wood and metal) was established.
Different challenges faced in implementing such a system in an active construction
environment are also discussed. Based on a statistical analysis of laboratory data, and
considering the construction site experience, the reliability of the UWB positioning system for
the aforementioned applications is discussed and application recommendations are made.
Attia, Hussein
Coauthor(s): Omar Siddiqui, and Omar Ramahi
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Theoretical and Experimental Demonstration of Beam Steering of Patch
Antenna Partially Covered with High-Refractive Index Superstrate
Abstract: Beam steering has been traditionally implemented in antenna arrays using phase
shifters. This paper provides a novel method to steer the main beam of a patch antenna by
partially covering it with a high-refractive index superstrate. The beam steering of a single patch
is possible because of the dual-slot radiation mechanism of the microstrip antenna. In effect,
the electromagnetic radiation from the covered radiating slot reaches the far-field with an
additional phase with respect to the uncovered slot, resulting in an inclined beam whose angle
depends on the superstrate’s refractive index. Full-wave simulations have been employed to
show beam deflections up to 37o in the presence of high-refractive index superstrates.
Analytically, the beam angle has been predicted by using plane-wave approximations in
conjunction with ray tracing techniques. Experimentally, a beam deflection of 25o is achieved
when a microstrip patch is partially covered with a superstrate having a dielectric constant of
10.
Austin, Beth Ann
Coauthor(s): Bruce Richter
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Categorizing some 2-crossing critical-graphs
Abstract: The crossing number of a graph is the minimum number of edges crossed among all
drawings of the graph in the plane. Of particular interest are crossing-critical graphs: graphs for
which any subgraph has a smaller crossing number than the original graph.
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A great deal of work has been done to characterize all 2-crossing-critcal graphs. Our research is
working towards filling the gap of 3-connected, 2-crossing-critical graphs that contain a V_8
minor but no V_10. A substantial list of such graphs exist and the structure of the V_8 offers
tools to find others. The classification of these graphs would complete the determination of all
2-crossing-critical graphs, as those that are not 3-connected are either known or easily obtained
from those that are 3-connected.
Austin, Matthew
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Evaluating Efficiency and Deterrence: A National Survey of Crime Stoppers Unit
Effectiveness
Abstract: Since Crime Stoppers solved its first crime through community tips in 1976, Crime
Stoppers as a community-oriented approach to solving dead-end crimes has spread throughout
North America. Today, in Canada and the U.S. there are at least 1157 operating Crime Stoppers
units with many serving multiple communities. As the technology available to advertise and
report crime continues to change, finding better ways to generate actionable community tips is
important for the continued operations of Crime Stoppers. The purpose of this study is to
nationally evaluate Crime Stoppers by looking at differences in budgets, advertising and use of
CCTV captures and social media to determine any differences in community tip collection,
narcotics seizures and property returns. This study’s hope is to provide some insights about
how Crime Stopper unit funds can be allocated in order to improve the number of tips that
obtain results.
Through use of multiple correlation/regression analysis, this research project utilizes both
controlled cross-time comparative and cross-case comparative designs to test eight hypotheses
ranging from the effects of an increase in advertising budgets on community tip generation to
the effects of Crime Stopper unit inception on community crime rates.
The findings from this applied research project will serve to benefit the Crime Stoppers
community across North America in suggesting more efficient advertising avenues, personnel
staffing, business hours, etc. in order to generate more actionable tips from the community.
Bahamdan, Walid
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Clickers Learning Technology: Social network approach
Abstract: Current literature on the effectiveness of teaching technologies —specifically,
clickers—focuses primarily on students or instructors as the source of evaluating effectiveness.
This process is mostly done through experiments in which students’ grades are compared
between classes employing the technology and those not employing it. Other methods such as
17
surveys and interviews have also been employed to obtain students’ and/or instructors’
opinions. The current study proposes examining clickers from a holistic view in which all parties
interacting with clickers are examined. In order to achieve this goal, a social network approach
is proposed. More specifically, the echo method originally developed by Bavelas (1942) is used
to capture the holistic view from a social network analysis. Based on semi-structured
interviews, each interviewee is asked to identify the social and technical network with which he
or she is interacting in relation to clickers (e.g., students, professors, and technical support
system). Interviewees are then asked about the different behaviors perceived as helpful and
unhelpful in relation to different nodes in their network. Each behavior should be grounded in
concrete example(s). At the analysis stage, the concrete examples as well as whether behaviors
are perceived as helpful or not are used to identify the strong and weak ties. In addition, the
frequency of these behaviors indicates their relative importance. As a result, strong and weak
ties as well as the frequency of these behaviors are used to indicate the overall effectiveness of
the network.
Baig, Aijaz
Coauthor(s): Flora T. T. Ng
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Novel Green Technology for the Production of Biodiesel from Waste Oils and
Fats
Abstract: Biodiesel is a nontoxic, renewable, and biodegradable alternative green fuel for
petroleum-based diesel. However, the major obstacle for the production of biodiesel at an
industrial scale is the high production cost, which is related to the relative high price of the
refined vegetable oils used. This problem can be addressed by using low-cost feedstocks, such
as waste oils and fats. However, these feedstocks contain a high amount of free fatty acids
(FFA), which cannot be used for the production of biodiesel using a traditional homogeneous
alkali-catalyzed transesterification process. Furthermore, in addition to the cost of feedstock,
the production cost of biodiesel is also becoming more significant, particularly, when feedstock
with high FFA content used. This demonstrate the need of new innovative technologies with
reduce processing cost.
We have developed a novel green technology for the production of biodiesel using a single-step
solid acid-catalyzed process. The total glycerin, ester content, and acid numbers were
determined according to ASTM D 6584, EN 14103, and ASTM D 974, respectively. It was
demonstrated that this new solid acid catalyst catalyzed simultaneously esterification and
transesterification. This process has been successfully used for the production of high quality
biodiesel from soybean oil containing up to 25 wt% palmitic acid. Also, as a part of process
development, major process parameters were investigated including catalyst amount,
oil/alcohol molar ratio, and FFA content in the feedstock, has been investigated. This green
technology has potential for industrial scale production of biodiesel from high FFA feedstocks.
18
Baig, Aijaz
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Chemical Engineering Education in the 21st Century
Abstract: The impact of changes in the 21st century arising from industry, new technology, and
society has driven the chemical engineering discipline to a point where it is now ripe for reinvention. The objective of this research study was to understand the challenges for chemical
engineering education in the 21st century and what strategies can be used to make teaching
effective and interactive. Although the title is specifically chemical engineering education, but,
it could be applicable to other engineering, science and arts discipline as there are many
aspects that can be applied to other disciplines as well. This research study focused on different
aspects of chemical engineering education including what is chemical engineering, what are the
current international trends in chemical engineering education, how chemical engineering
discipline expanded from traditional petrochemical industry to emerging fields such as
nanotechnology, how chemical engineering curriculum in Europe varies from one country to
another, what is the learning paradigm in engineering, what are the skills in demand by
potential employers, use of teaching techniques in chemical engineering education,
development of curricula for the 21st century, use of teaching aids and analogies, and use of
interactive techniques.
Based on various research studies, it was concluded that; chemical engineering curriculum
should be redesigned to include emerging field which are mainly interdisciplinary in nature;
learning paradigm should shift from traditional lectures towards more interactive activities, use
of teaching aids and analogies to enhance student’s learning, and incorporation of six sigma
techniques to continuously improve teaching methods.
Baijnath, Janine
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Assessing the Atmospheric Circulation Response to Snow Albedo Feedback in
Climate Change
Abstract: Snow albedo feedback (SAF) is a process that amplifies the climate warming response
to increasing CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere. As the climate warms, the spatial extent
of snow is reduced through snowmelt, exposing darker underlying surfaces which absorb more
incoming solar radiation and further increases warming. However, there is a large spread in the
projections of SAF strength from current climate models. Furthermore, the regional scale
responses in temperature, precipitation and atmospheric circulation associated with SAF are
yet to be understood. This presentation will provide some background on SAF and outline the
physical processes that control SAF strength. A set of numerical sensitivity experiments using
the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, Atmospheric Model 2 (GFDL AM2) that will be used
to investigate the regional circulation response associated with SAF will then be described. The
19
output from three pairs of climate change experiments, each pair with a different SAF strength
explicitly prescribed, will be compared.
Balasubramaniam, Ann-Marie
Coauthor(s): Roland Hall, Brent Wolfe and Jon Sweetman
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Assessing seasonal and inter-annual relationships between hydrological
processes and limnological conditions in a complex thermokarst landscape (Old Crow Flats,
Yukon Territory)
Abstract: Increasingly it is understood that the primary drivers of change in the areal extent of
arctic shallow lake ecosystems are shifts in hydrological processes (i.e., precipitation and
evaporation), and not air temperature alone. However to date, the impacts of these
hydrological shifts on limnological conditions have not been extensively quantified but are
fundamental to understanding the effects of climatic change on arctic freshwaters. Using
information gained from water isotope tracers (δ18O and δ2H), this research characterizes
relationships between dominant types of precipitation and measured limnological parameters
for 57 thermokarst lakes over the ice-free seasons of 2007-2009 in the Old Crow Flats, YT.
Nutrient analysis indicated that sampled lakes ranged from ultra-oligotrophic to hypereutrophic, but on average summer phosphorus concentrations indicate a system-wide
eutrophic status (TPavg=35.8 µg/L). Principal components analysis combined with nonparametric statistical tests identified that input waters (i.e., snowmelt, and rainfall) play a
significant role in nutrient dynamics of lakes. Snowmelt-dominated lakes, which tend to be
found adjacent to hillslopes with boreal vegetation, receiving mainly snowmelt and snowmeltderived groundwater were found to have significantly (p>0.05) higher concentrations of
dissolved phosphorus and dissolved organic carbon compared to low-relief rainfall-dominated
lakes that primarily receive rainfall inputs. Pigment analysis also suggests that snowmeltdominated lakes generally have higher productivity. These findings strongly indicate that
hydrological conditions, snowmelt in particular, play an important role in the limnology of the
shallow thermokarst lakes of the Old Crow Flats. This research provides the basis for predicting
limnological responses to changes in hydro-climatic conditions.
Bandekar, Namrata
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Automated Cell Counting
Abstract: Cell counting is an important part of many biological studies and diagnosis. Manual
cell counting is a tedious, subjective and time consuming process. The purpose of this research
is to develop a new automated cell counting technique for images of cell samples obtained
20
from a laboratory study. Morphology, template matching, active contours and thresholding are
some of the popular state of the art techniques used in many cell counting algorithms.
However, these techniques are not suitable for the dataset being used because they are not
robust towards background illumination variation and clustering of cells. The novelty of the
proposed approach lies in using various methods in a constructive manner to obtain a better
result. We integrate techniques such as non-maximum suppression, seeded region growing,
connected component analysis and adaptive thresholding to yield a segmentation and
classification for the given images. The proposed algorithm takes a reasonable amount of time
to operate. The average detection rate of nucleated cells is greater than 90% with the proposed
technique. Synthetic images were also generated and used to analyze the behaviour of the
algorithm towards various parameters such as noise, cell separation and contrast variance. This
method is being used to aid Prof. Maud Gorbet’s research project which aims at analyzing the
effect of lens cleaning solutions on corneal cells. The proposed technique has contributed to a
higher speed and accuracy in counting cells.
Banerjee, Joydeep
Coauthor(s): Dr. Thanh-Son Dao, Dr. John J McPhee
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Mathematical Modeling and Symbolic Sensitivity Analysis of NiMH Batteries
Abstract: Because of its widespread use in almost all current electric and hybrid electric vehicles
on the market, nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH) battery performance is very important for
automotive researchers and manufacturers. To help understand the complex phenomena
behind its performance, a mathematical model of a Ni-MH battery will be presented in this
paper. The main chemical reactions of the nickel active material and metal hydride material,
the side reactions which produce oxygen gas, as well as the temperature effects are captured
by this model A parametric importance analysis is performed on this model to assess the
contribution of individual model parameters to the battery performance. In this paper, the
efficiency of the battery is chosen as the performance measure, defined by the ratio between
the energy obtained and spent during the discharge and charging processes.
Direct differentiation is used to obtain the sensitivity system. By solving the sensitivity system,
the order of importance of model parameters is obtained. The loading of the active material
and the ambient temperature were found to be the most important parameters for the
efficiency of the battery. The mass of the cell, volume of the entrapped gas, and the thermal
conductivity of the cell material were found to be of minimal importance. For different
operating conditions e.g., for increasing currents the importance of the parameters were found
to decrease first and then increase. In conclusion this paper successfully employs direct
differentiation to identify the parameter which affects the efficiency of a Ni-MH battery the
most.
21
Baroud, Hiba
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: A simple integer-valued AR(p) process
Abstract: Box and Jenkins methodologies have massively contributed to the analysis of time
series data. However, the assumptions used in these methods impose constraints on the type
of the data. As a result, difficulties arise when we apply those tools to a more generalized type
of data (e.g. count, categorical or integer-valued data) rather than the classical continuous or
more specifically Gaussian type. Papers in the literature proposed alternate methods to model
discrete-valued time series data, among these methods is Pegram's operator (1980).
We use this operator to build an AR(p) model for integer-valued time series (including both
positive and negative integers). The innovations follow the differenced Poisson distribution, or
Skellam distribution. While the model includes the usual AR(p) correlation structure, it can be
made more general. In fact, the operator can be extended in a way where it is possible to have
components which contribute to positive correlation, while at the same time have components
which contribute to negative correlation. As an illustration, the process is used to model the
change in a stock’s price, where three variations are presented: Model I, Model II and Model III.
The first model disregards outliers; however, the second and third include large price changes
associated with the effect of large volume trades and market openings. We use several model
selection criteria to select the best order for each model as well as compare the model
variations.
Baumann, Britt
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Church in Crisis: Declining Vocations within the Canadian Roman Catholic
Church
Abstract: The Canadian Roman Catholic Church has experienced a 40% decline in the number of
priests since Vatican. This paper outlines the current state of the Canadian Roman Catholic
priest decline. Included is an overview of the demography of the Canadian Roman Catholic
Church, and there will be discussion of the various strategies attempted by the Church in order
to alleviate this mounting institutional crisis. A particular focus will be applied to Canada’s far
north where they are experiencing a critical shortage in the number of priests. In particular, the
Diocese of Mackenzie Fort Smith has been recognised as the forefront of what has been termed
‘a new way of being Church’. With encouragement from the Roman Catholic hierarchy,
ordinary lay people are taking on many of the activities once performed by priests. This
research adds to the sparse social scientific literature concerning the Roman Catholic Church in
Canada.
22
Bell, Kirsten
Coauthor(s): Vivienne Vance, Rhona Hanning, Mala Bahl, Carolyn Campbell, Nadia Califaretti,
Caryl Russell and Marina Mourtzakis
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: A nutritional and metabolic evaluation of breast cancer patients: preliminary
results
Abstract: Breast cancer patients often experience fat gain and muscle loss during treatment,
predisposing them to secondary conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and an
increased risk of cancer recurrence in survivorship. This study examines the body composition,
metabolism, nutrition and exercise capacity of breast cancer patients at diagnosis. Oral glucose
tolerance tests (OGTT), body composition measurements (skinfolds and circumferences) and
peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) tests will be performed in 20 Stage I and II female, breast
cancer patients at diagnosis. Preliminary results on 5 patients were compared to the
International Diabetes Federation (IDF) cut-points for aspects of the metabolic syndrome.
Patients were 41±6 (mean±SD) years old and overweight (BMI of 30.1±5.9kg/m2, 46±6% body
fat and a waist circumference of 98.5±13.4cm); the IDF defines a waist circumference of >88cm
as a symptom of the metabolic syndrome. The patients presented with average fasting and 2-h
blood glucose concentrations of 5.7±0.7mM and 8.30±3.43mM respectively during the OGTT;
fasting glucose concentrations ≥5.6mM indicate impaired fasting glucose and 2-h glucose
concentrations >7.8mM indicate impaired glucose tolerance, both of which are symptoms of
the metabolic syndrome. Patients also exhibited elevated TAG concentrations (2.12±1.20mM)
and depressed blood HDL-cholesterol concentrations (0.99±0.18mM); TAG ≥1.7mM and HDLcholesterol ≤1.3mM are also symptoms of the metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, patients
achieved a VO2peak of 23.50±6.20ml/kg/min; the American College of Sports Medicine
specifies that VO2peak values <31ml/kg/min represent poor cardiovascular fitness in
individuals aged 30-49. In conclusion, patients presented with several symptoms of the
metabolic syndrome, including obesity, impaired glucose metabolism, and dyslipidemia at
diagnosis.
Bendame, Mohamed
Coauthor(s): Karim El Rayes
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Vertically-Aligned Spingless Energy Harvester
Abstract: Micro-power generators (MPGs) are attractive replacements for batteries in lowpower wireless and portable electronic devices. A wide range of motion-powered MPGs have
been proposed or demonstrated. This paper describes and analyzes a new configuration for a
recently proposed MPG: the springless vibration energy harvester. In this study, the harvester is
aligned in a vertical direction with gravity acting along the linear guide used to suspend the
23
seismic mass. A mathematical model of the underlying impact oscillator is derived, its
parameters are estimated experimentally, and the MPG response in this new configuration is
analyzed.
Berisha, Mohamed
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Tourism in archaeological sites: Luxor city, Egypt
Abstract: Pharaonic monuments represent the most valuable legacy of ancient Egypt, dating
from approximately 2700 years B. C. Modern civilization has resulted in rapid social, agricultural
and industrial growth in Egypt. The number of people that visit archaeological sites increases
yearly and the rise in traffic can result in harm and damage to archaeological places. In some
cases, places have been closed to the public to avoid additional damage. For example, closing of
the tomb of ‘Nefertari Merytmut’. Luxor is an Egyptian city which may be considered a cradle of
all of humanity’s cultural heritage; however, it also is an urban environment which must cater
to the everyday requirements of its inhabitants. The conditions of archaeological sites there
are becoming critical and new measures are urgently needed to avoid the loss of this heritage.
The temples are in danger due to the influence of urban growth with houses and urban
developmental plans, industrial and agricultural activities. There is a gap between what should
do to protect monument and what the real plans in Luxor is. Planners started new development
steps instead of evaluating and correcting the damage of monuments. This research is aiming at
bridging the gap between the current plans and what should be to protect archaeological sites
in Luxor and Identifying the priorities of applying such plans. Luxor is considered as an open air
museum; however it does need the involvement of local community. This involvement may
include tours with culture guides, realistic work in the archaeological sites.
Bichel, Amanda
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: 13C of Respired CO2 from Soil and Residue Mixtures in a Complex
Agroecosystem
Abstract: Intercropping, where two or more crops are grown on the same land area at the same
time, is a sustainable alternative to conventional cropping practices. A common intercropping
practice is integrating legume and non-legume crops, such as soybean and maize. These crops
compliment each other through nitrogen, soil nutrient and organic carbon dynamics. However,
little has been studied on soil organic matter dynamics within temperate intercropping systems.
This study will use the δ13C natural abundance method to determine how effective C3
(soybean) and C4 (maize) plants are at sequestering carbon in intercropping systems. Soil
samples will be collected in the Argentine Pampa from four field treatments (sole maize, sole
24
soybean, 1:2 maize:soybean and 2:3 maize:soybean) to be used in a short-term incubation
study. The objectives of this study are to quantify: i) 13C contribution from C3 and C4 plants to
soil organic carbon, ii) δ13C values from respired CO2, iii) microbial biomass and community
structure, iv) carbon and nitrogen dynamics, and v) greenhouse gas production rates from soil
respiration. It is expected that intercropping will result in an increase in microbial biomass,
carbon, nitrogen, and carbon sequestration. This study will contribute to knowledge of longterm carbon sequestration processes in complex agroecosystems. If implemented it will
mitigate greenhouse gases and demonstrate utilization of sustainable cropping practices.
Bloch, Sophia
Coauthor(s): LEJ Lee & NC Bols
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: The use of eel (Anguilla rostrata) cell lines to study an ecotoxicological problem:
the dramatic decline in eel populations.
Abstract: The American Eel in the St Lawrence River basin has undergone a profound
population decline over the last 40years. A general hypothesis is that more eel embryos/larvae
are dying during their development and migration from the Sargasso Sea to freshwater.
Mortality could be due to female eels accumulating environmental contaminants that are
transferred to eggs, which leads to toxicity in early life cycle stages. The contaminants could
range from dioxin-like compounds to selenium (Se). Environmental Se levels are altered by
human activities such as mining and agriculture and lead to toxic levels in some aquatic
systems. Common environmental forms are Na2SeO3, Na2O4Se and selenomethionine
(SeMet), with SeMet being of most ecotoxicological interest because it can bioaccumulate and
biomagnify. As well as being toxic, Se is also an essential trace element for animal cells, making
cellular responses of special interest. Fish cell lines can be useful to elucidate toxicity
mechanisms, to rank chemical compounds for toxicity, and to assess toxicant loads. In this
study cells derived from the brain of adult eels and gill from juvenile eels were used to study Se
toxicity. In the short-term tests done at room temperature Na2SeO3, was more cytotoxic than
Na2O4Se and SeMet was not cytotoxic. However, in long-term tests SeMet at 125 uM and
These results suggest that changes in temperature also should be considered in evaluating the
toxic potential of Se.
Bloemberg, Darin
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Relationship between ARC protein expression and caspase-3 activation during
myoblast differentiation
25
Abstract: Apoptosis is a highly regulated form of cell death, essential for tissue development
and homeostasis. Recent evidence suggests some proteins typically associated with promoting
apoptosis may play critical roles in other cellular events. For example, caspase-3 has been
shown to be increased and required during differentiation of lens epithelial cells, macrophages,
and erythrocytes. Skeletal muscle is a highly specialized cell type wherein myogenic stem cells
termed myoblasts fuse and differentiate into multinucleated myotubes. Interestingly, despite
the dramatic increase in caspase-3 activity during differentiation, myotubes display relative
apoptotic resistance. Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) is an antiapoptotic protein that can inhibit both death receptor and mitochondrial cell death signalling.
In this study, the relationship between caspase-3 activation and ARC protein expression during
myoblast differentiation was examined. Preliminary results demonstrated that following 1, 3, 5,
and 7 days of differentiation, ARC levels increased 236%, 419%, 537%, and 639%, respectively.
Caspase-3 activity transiently increased 2.1 fold after 1 day of differentiation, but returned to
myoblast levels on subsequent days. In myoblasts, myosin expression was undetectable but
increased exponentially thereafter. In addition, immunofluorescence analysis revealed that
myosin was only observed in myotubes which expressed ARC protein. Taken together, these
results suggest ARC protein may be responsible for attenuating apoptotic signalling during
myoblast fusion in order to allow the differentiation program to continue.
Borgs, Stephanie
Coauthor(s): Clark R. Dickerson
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: STOCHASTIC REPRESENTATION OF HUMAN SHOULDER ORTHOPAEDIC
MORPHOLOGY: IMPROVING POPULATION-BASED ERGONOMIC ASSESSMENTS
Abstract: Purpose: Currently, models used in ergonomic assessment are based on population
average data which neglects individual variation in musculoskeletal elements such as bone
morphological covariance and muscle size. The purpose of the following research is to
determine the influence of population orthopaedic variability of the shoulder on the forces
predicted by a shoulder muscle model across occupationally relevant tasks. This will be done
digitally through the integration of three-dimensional (3D) surface geometry scans of cadaver
bones into an existing musculoskeletal shoulder force prediction model.
Methods: Twelve sets of human cadaver shoulder bones will be scanned to determine baseline
morphology. The sets include the upper sternum; left and right clavicles; left and right scapulae;
and left and right humeri. The scans will be obtained using the StarCam FW-3R 3D Camera (VX
Technologies Inc., Alberta, CAN) and the 3D images will be exported as point clouds into
Geomagic Studio 9 (Geomagic, North Carolina, US). The scans will be processed and input into
the shoulder model.
Expected Results and Conclusions: A distribution of shoulder tissue exposures will be obtained
from the shoulder model based on the differences in shapes and size proportions of the bone
sets. Stochastically representing the bony morphology of the shoulder and relating this
26
distribution to the obtained tissue exposure levels will allow the model to predict exposures
across a population. This will strengthen the shoulder model's capability to be used as an
ergonomic assessment tool by increasing its ability to represent known differences in bone
morphology.
Bradford, Brad
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Planning for District Energy Systems: A Case Study Examination of Selected
Systems and Recommendations for Ontario’s Municipalities
Abstract:
Purpose:
District energy systems are a key component to addressing reductions in green house gases,
encouraging compact settlement form and ensuring reliable community energy delivery.
System implementation can also generate local economic benefits like aggregated energy
pricing and employment creation.
This research will explore Ontario’s planning framework with respect to energy generation and
thermal energy distribution, providing policy recommendations to help facilitate
implementation of district energy systems at the municipal level. The planning policy
recommendations will consider land-use, urban form, and community energy objectives.
Methodology:
A mixed methods approach utilizing a concurrent embedded strategy will be employed to
provide comprehensive analysis to an interdisciplinary issue. Specifically, this study will rely on
a rigorous review of the relevant literature and policy documents, interviews with keyinformants, and comparative case-study analysis.
Results and Conclusions:
The development of a district energy system is a very complex process, requiring the expertise
of many specialists, and the support from local stakeholders. There are planning implications
for the implementation of district energy systems, which require forethought at the beginning
of the design process. The adoption of a planning regulatory framework will ensure adequate
consideration is given to community energy management in conjunction with land use and
urban form. In some cases, this may be a component of a larger Community Energy Plan.
Ramifications for Practice:
Accounting for the conservation of energy in land use is imperative for achieving local, regional
and provincial goals associated with infrastructure, the environment, and energy resource
management.
Broom, Aron
Coauthor(s): A.C. Doxey, Y.D. Lobsanov, D.R. Rose, P.L. Howell, B.J. McConkey, E.M. Meiering
Presentation type: poster presentation
27
Abstract title: Mimicking Modular Evolution for Protein Design
Abstract: The high frequency of internal symmetry in common protein folds is presumed to
reflect their evolutionary origins from the repetition and fusion of primordial peptide modules,
but very little is known about the primary sequence and physical determinants of this process.
A sequence and structural analysis of symmetric subdomain modules within an abundant and
ancient globular fold, the beta-trefoil, reveals that modular evolution is not just a relic of the
primordial past, but is an ongoing and recurring mechanism for rediscovering symmetry within
a symmetric fold. In this modular evolution we see the recurring use of small subdomain
modules as building blocks for new symmetric proteins. Based on our analysis, we designed the
first functional and fully threefold symmetric globular protein, ThreeFoil. The design process
utilized several computational design methods such as consensus design, homology modelling,
and design via energy functions. ThreeFoil, which exhibits complete sequence and near
structural identity between symmetric modules, is highly soluble, binds carbohydrates, and has
remarkably high thermal and kinetic stability. These findings have far-reaching implications for
the evolution of proteins via subdomain modules, and demonstrate the utility of using such
subdomain modules in the design of proteins with desirable properties (i.e. thermal stability)
for therapeutic and biotechnological applications.
Brunt, Jara
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Examination of sodium arsenite- and cadmium chloride-induced heat shock
protein gene expression and proteasome activity in Xenopus laevis
Abstract: Sodium arsenite (NA) and cadmium chloride (CdCl2) are environmental toxicants that
can have detrimental effects on living organisms. These stressors can cause renal dysfunction,
protein damage and the production of reactive oxygen species. Recent studies with mammals
demonstrated that NA and CdCl2 can inhibit the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), the major
degradation route for the elimination of damaged cellular protein. The UPS involves the
addition of ubiquitin to damaged protein and its subsequent degradation by the proteasome.
Previously, we determined that UPS inhibitors induced heat shock protein (HSP) accumulation
in the model amphibian system, Xenopus laevis A6 kidney epithelial cells. HSPs are molecular
chaperones that are involved in protein folding and prevention of toxic protein aggregates.
However, no information is available on the effect of NA or CdCl2 on proteasome activity or its
relationship with HSP accumulation. In this study, immunoblot analysis determined that
treatment of A6 cells with 20 or 30 μM NA or 100 or 200 μM CdCl2 increased the relative levels
of ubiquitinated protein from 4 to 16-24 h. Additionally, these treatments decreased
chymotrypsin (CT)-like activity compared to control cells. Taken together these data suggest
that NA and CdCl2 can inhibit the UPS in A6 cells. These agents also induced the accumulation
of HSP30 and HSP70 with no detectable effect on actin. Future studies will monitor HSP and
28
ubiquitinated protein accumulation by immunocytochemistry and examine whether inhibition
of HSP accumulation by KNK437, an inhibitor of heat shock factor 1 activation, can affect NA- or
CdCl2-induced proteasomal activity.
Campbell, Graham
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Decentering Deviance: "Victimless Leisure"
Abstract: Prevailing 20th century sentiment in leisure research has held the concept of leisure
as value-laden, socially functional, and usually inherently positive – and indeed, it may be
largely so. However, in 1999, Rojek’s 'Abnormal Leisure' presented three types of transgressive
leisure: invasive, mephitic, and wild. Often associated with violence or vice, these forms fit our
definitions of leisure, but seemed incongruous with preexisting positively tinted notions of it. I
review leisure literature concerning so-called dark, abnormal, and deviant leisure forms in light
of Rojek’s typology, and suggest a fourth category of deviant leisure for study: “Victimless”
leisure. This includes 'virtual' (i.e. illegal file sharing), 'creative' (i.e. illegally re-mixing
copyrighted works), and 'activist' (i.e. ‘guerilla gardening’) forms. Not actually victimless per se,
I use the term with a sense of irony as this concept is based on shared properties of physical or
psychological distance from the entity affected by the behaviour; as well as an inherent
element of resistance in the leisure form. The relaxation of social controls as a function of the
culture of leisure (Rojek, 1999) provides the background for this discussion. This concept and
the preliminary categories mentioned are put forth as updated additions to Rojek’s typology of
deviant leisure forms; and a tentative step to begin to explore the complexities of the so-called
‘new leisure’ in an increasingly techno-centric and postmodern world.
Carvalho, Arthur
Coauthor(s): Kate Larson
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: A Truth Serum for Sharing Rewards
Abstract: We study a problem where a group of agents has to decide how a joint reward should
be shared among them. We focus on settings where the share that each agent receives
depends on the subjective opinions of its peers concerning that agent's contribution to the
group. To this end, we introduce a mechanism to elicit and aggregate subjective opinions as
well as for determining agents' shares. The intuition behind the proposed mechanism is that
each agent who believes that the others are telling the truth has its expected share maximized
to the extent that it is well-evaluated by its peers and that it is truthfully reporting its opinions.
Under the assumptions that agents are Bayesian decision-makers and that the underlying
29
population is sufficiently large, we show that our mechanism is incentive-compatible, budgetbalanced, and tractable. We also present strategies to make this mechanism individually
rational and fair.
Casado, Paulo
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Evaluation of degradation processes of a multiphase contaminant plume at the
groundwater-surface water interface
Abstract: Several contaminated areas today are related to former industrial activities, leading to
the degradation of the water resources all over the countries. Understanding and evaluating
the dynamics of the contaminant plume at these sites is an important step in order to manage
the problem.
This study is been carried out in a contaminated site in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, US, where a
multiphase plume was generated by a DNAPL released in the past. The plume contains
compounds as VOCs, BTEX and ketones distributed into different aquifer units, from the
overburden sediments to the bedrock.
The focus of this work is to evaluate the dynamics of the degradation patterns of the
contaminants in the shallow part of the plume, which is captured by the flow system
discharging into the Arrowwood Estates Pond. Previous studies have shown concentrations of
Vinyl Chloride exceeding the surface water quality criteria limiting the water resource
availability on the area.
The research approach included the analysis of physical processes and the collection of redox
parameters, microbial and isotope data from several wells along the plume. These parameters
were collected through conventional wells, Westbay and Waterloo multilevel systems. A
Waterloo Profiler transect was designed to obtain discrete distribution of the contaminants in
the area of groundwater discharged into the pond.
The collected information from this research will enable the assessment of the plume evolution
and the processes responsible for the degradation of the contaminants along the flow system,
from the contaminants source until the discharge point in the pond.
Cejudo, Eduardo
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Insights on Inorganic Nitrogen cycle in the Grand River (Ontario) downstream
two Wastewater Treatment Plants
Abstract: Supply of clean water and treatment of the resulting wastewater are two of the main
issues for constantly growing cities in south-western Ontario. The Grand River watershed
homes around 950,000 inhabitants, operates 29 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP’s) that
30
release their effluent to the river or tributaries. As a result, it is impacted by inorganic species of
nitrogen (nitrate and ammonia) and phosphorous. Current and future upgrading activities for
the WWTP’s operation would modify the biogeochemical regime of the ecosystems, to an
uncertain extent. This study would contribute to the understanding of the impact of WWTP’s
effluents to the river, describing the transformations of inorganic nitrogen species during
different flow conditions, downstream the Waterloo and Kitchener WWTP’s. Both plants
release non-nitrified effluents, showing a slight increase in nitrate concentration downstream;
whereas ammonium is released in very high concentrations, decreasing quickly on the first
kilometre, but showing a noticeable plume after five kilometres. Diurnal sampling data showed
a steeper slope in ammonium decrease, although this behaviour is different seasonally among
WWTP’s, associated to effluent characteristics and environmental conditions such as
temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH. Summer night sampling showed decrease in TIN,
attributable to nitrification, uptake and/or volatilization. Ammonium and Nitrate
concentrations, together with 15N data provide evidence of nitrification. To date, laboratory
experiments are being designed in order to quantify the role of nitrification and ammonia
volatilization.
Chammah, Tarek
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Nested atomic sections for both atomicity and synchronization
Abstract: Existing atomic section interface proposals thus far have tended to only isolate
sections from each other. Less considered is the ordering of transactions with respect to each
other. Synchronization of nested sections is typically relegated to outside of and among the
top level flattened sections. However existing models do not permit the composition of even
simple synchronization constructs such as barriers. The present work integratessynchronization
as a first class construct in a truly nested atomic block model and proposes a minimal interface
functioning as the basis for both pessimistic and optimistic implementations of atomic sections.
Chen, Bei
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Computationally Efficient Bootstrap Prediction Intervals for Returns and
Volatilities in GARCH Processes
Abstract: The estimation and forecasting of an GARCH process is a nonlinear procedure and
hence computationally cumbersome. However, it is well-known that the squared GARCH
processes can be expressed in a ARMA form. Our idea is to utilize the linear representation of
an GARCH equation and then to adapt a residual-based bootstrap procedure to construct the
prediction intervals (PIs) for return and volatility. Our method is simple, efficient and
31
distribution-free. The intensive simulation studies indicate that the new re-sampling procedure
provides sharp and well-calibrated PIs for both returns and volatilities while reducing
computational costs by up to 100 times, compared to other available re-sampling techniques
for GARCH models. The proposed approach is theoretically justifiable, i.e., the bootstrap PIs are
conditionally consistent, given the observed process, and robust to the departure of normality.
We illustrate the proposed method by an application to Yen/U.S dollar daily exchange rate.
Similar "linearized" bootstrap procedure can be applied for detecting GARCH effect and
constructing PIs for durations based on ACD model.
Chen, Gao
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Are we supposed to see light-saturated photosynthesis at ecosystem level
along the length of a temperate river: an application of a river ecosystem oxygen metabolism
model?
Abstract: A transient model has been developed (hereafter referred to as “ROM-TM”,
programmed using MATLAB), to quantify river ecosystem metabolic rates and reaeration rate
from time-course changes of both dissolved O2 (DO) and δ18O-DO. An inverse modeling
approach is applied in ROM-TM. Key parameters describing the main metabolic processes, the
gas exchange process, and the isotopic fractionation process, such as Pm, a, R20, k and aR, can
be abstracted by best-fitting to field data; and diel curves of both DO and δ18O-DO can be
reconstructed. Besides teasing apart two metabolic processes, photosynthesis and respiration
and gas exchange all of which contribute to DO change, moreover, ROM-TM has the ability to
address some specific issues, such as effects of cloud cover and riparian zone on the metabolic
balance, light saturation phenomenon at the ecosystem level. We will report the application of
ROM-TM on addressing light saturation photosynthesis issue in this talk. In summers from 2006
to 2009, a great number of samplings had been conducted in a temperate river system at
multiple sites ranging from small headwater streams to large main channels of Grand River,
Ontario. The results revealed that saturated photosynthesis is a common phenomenon in
Grand River in summer. The saturation onset parameter (Ik) generally increases with the stream
size at ecosystem level.
Chen, Li
Presentation type: Mandatory oral presentation (indicate department below)
Abstract title: Utilization of cellulosic materials by Thermotoga petrophila
Abstract: Thermotoga petrophila has potentially efficient cellulases to utilize cellulosic materials
and produce biofuel. It is a hyperthermophilic bacterium growing optimally at 80°C. Although
its genomic sequence is available, little is known about its metabolic profile of the utilization of
32
cellulosic materials. The purposes of this project are to determine the best source of cellulosic
material for biofuel product, to optimize the growth of T.petrophila on cellulose and
hemicellulose, to determine the production of biofuel, to complete the metabolic profiling.
Xylan, microcrystalline avicel PH105, switchgrass, whatman No.1 filter paper, corn husk and
wheat straw were used as carbon source. Gene analysis, cell counting, DNS method, scanning
electron microscope, GC and HPLC were used. The result showed that T. petrophila grew best
on xylan and corn husk followed by switchgrass, avicel PH105, wheat straw and filter paper.
Furthermore, cellulase activities of T. petrophila (39 mU/mg) were higher than that in T.
maritima (13 mU/mg), and comparable to T. neapolitana (43 mU/mg). Hydrogen was produced
when T. petrophila grew on corn xylan (9.6mM), husk (3.9mM), avicel (2.2mM), switchgrass
(1.9mM), wheat straw (1.9mM). Ethanol was also produced in small amount. The highest yield
of ethanol was 0.6mM when T.petrophila grew on xylan. By SEM, attachment between xylan
and T. petrophila cells was observed. It is concluded that T. petrophila has higher cellulase
activity and higher hydrogen production from cellulosic materials than T. maritima. Compared
to growing on cellulose, T.petrophila grew better on hemicellulose and produced higher yield of
biofuel.
Chen, Qing Yun
Presentation type: Mandatory oral presentation (indicate department below)
Abstract title: Three enzymes in hyperthermophiles
Abstract: Hyperthermophiles are a group of microorganisms thriving at various extremely high
temperature (the optimal temperature ＞80℃) environments. Scientists show great
enthusiasm on hyperthermophilic enzymes because they all have the same unique
thermostable property compared to mesophilic enzymes in most bacteria and eukaryotes,
which also contribute other benefits to the industrial processing, such as less contaminations
occurring, equilibrium towards ideal products, and higher reacting velocity.
Ribose 5-P isomerase (RpI), ribulose 5-P epimerase (RuPE) and transaldolase (TAL) in five
species of hyperthermophiles has been deeply studied in this project. Study of these
hyperthermophilic enzymes in pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) will shed light on their
metabolisms, pathways, and potential applications from these microorganisms. In addition,
these hyperthermophilic enzymes in this project have never been studied previously. All the
assays involved are measured under 80℃, which has never been determined under such
extreme temperature before.
Table1. RpI assay of hyperthermophiles with their cell free extracts
Hyperthermophiles Protein dependency(mg)
Highest specific activity(U/mg)
T. guaymasensis
0-0.4 2.39
T. hypogea
0-0.33 0.77
T. maritima 0-0.26 0.46
T. neapolitana 0.2-0.6 1.49
P. furiosus
0-0.4 1.18
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Table2. TAL activity of hyperthermophiles with their cell free extract:
Hyperthermophiles Specific activity (U/mg)
T. guaymasensis
0.035
T. hypogea
0.015
T. maritima 0.02
T. neapolitana 0.13
P. furiosus
0.007
After finishing all enzymes’ assay, selective enzymes will be further worked for gene clone,
protein purification and property determination.
Chen, I-Hsiang Albert
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Microdevices: Ultrasound Imaging Catheter
Abstract: My main research focus is to find an elegant way to integrate Capacitive
Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (CMUT) arrays at the end of a catheter such that
ultrasound images of intracardiac and intravascular tissues can be obtained.
The traditional method of ultrasound imaging involves using piezoelectric crystals as the
ultrasound transducer, or wave source. In contrast, CMUT is gradually being recognized as a
promising substitute for ultrasound imaging , since it provides greater range of operating
frequency, low acoustic impedance, and also employs an effective fabrication technique. One
of the paramount features of the CMUT is the device fabrication which is based on the IC
fabrication technology resulting in the piezoelelctric transducer to have a very high design
resolution. .
In order to integrate the CMUT array into the tip of a catheter for intracardiac- and
intravascular-imaging, numerous design challenges have to be addressed first. This includes a)
miniaturizing the electronics responsible for communicating and controlling the CMUT, b)
designing the interface between the CMUT and the circuit control system (i.e. Flip-Chip
Bonding), c) anchoring the CMUT and electronics onto the catheter such that images can be
acquired without sacrificing maneuverability. The above mentioned tasks are all suitable for a
PhD-level research and I intend to solve these problems and build a functional prototype.
Currently, I have programmed an FPGA to communicate with CMUTs to obtain real-time onedimensional ultrasound images. My goal by the end of the year is to obtain two-dimensional
ultrasound imaging. Further I will be miniaturizing the electronics*
Chen, Jit Seng
Coauthor(s): Carole Bernard, Phelim Boyle
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Suboptimality of Asian Executive Indexed Options
34
Abstract: The use of vanilla call options in executive compensation packages is a common
practice but it is not optimal from an expected-utility perspective. To that effect, Tian (2010)
investigated the use of Asian and Asian indexed options in compensation design and
recommended issuing them instead of vanilla call options to executives. Bernard and Boyle
(2010) showed that in a Black-Scholes framework, any path-dependent payoff is not cost
efficient i.e. there exists a counterpart payoff that has the same distribution but costs less. They
also provide a technique of characterizing such a cost-efficient payoff. We are able to express
the counterpart of the Asian option explicitly, but the counterpart of the Asian indexed option
is not analytically tractable. A closed-form ansatz for the latter is proposed and we show that
this payoff is indeed cheaper than the Asian indexed option and has the same distribution. We
also demonstrate the true cost-efficient counterpart of the Asian indexed option using
numerical methods. Numerical examples are provided throughout to illustrate the concepts
discussed above.
Cho, Annie
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Assessing Air Traffic Control Airspace Similarities with Classification Approach
Abstract: Designing generic airspace is attracting significant interest as a means of increasing
staffing flexibility and reducing training times in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s Next
Generation (NextGen) concepts. Assessing the similarity of airspace sectors is an important step
in enabling the generic airspace concept. In order to identify the potential of generic airspace,
14 days of radar track data from 360 United States high-altitude sectors have initially been
examined to identify key common structural patterns in aircraft behavior. These structural
features appear to be significant factors for the characterization of airspace and have been
used to develop approaches to classifying existing sectors into potential classes of generic
sectors.
Based on the structural features identified, two different approaches to classifying are
presented. The first, a holistic classification approach, focuses on categorizing airspaces based
on a sector's holistic traffic pattern in order to identify groups of sectors with shared structural
features. A preliminary experimental protocol for the evaluation of sector differences in order
to assess the holistic classification approach will be presented. The second, a decompositional
classification, identifies basic structural elements as building blocks, and classifies sectors based
on the explicit combinations of those features. Key challenges in identifying the building blocks
in the decomposition will be addressed as well as the preliminary analysis of using cognitive
complexity to assess the similarity and difference between the combinations of decomposed
elements will be presented.
35
Chow, Reynold
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Delineating Groundwater Contribution Areas to Surface Water Bodies
Abstract: The Province of Ontario has set the standard for source protection through the Clean
Water Act in 2006. This Act provides clear guidelines for the protection of groundwater
resources that may be under threat due to potential contamination from various sources.
Groundwater modelling plays a key role in the delineation of wellhead protection areas and
aquifer vulnerability zones that are necessary within the context of the Clean Water Act. A
wellhead protection area is usually defined in terms of the well capture zone, which is the zone
from which the well draws its water. These protection zones provide important information
allowing a municipality to plan its land use. In the same way as wells, environmentally sensitive
areas such as wetlands and streams also require protection. Such a feature will also have a
capture zone delineating the area that supplies water to the feature. However, the problem is
complicated by the fact that a stream can have gaining sections (groundwater discharge zones)
and losing sections (groundwater recharge zones). My study area is the Alder Creek watershed
within the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. It is an agricultural area that hosts a number of
key water supply wells for the regional municipality, and it also contains environmentally
sensitive areas. Well capture zones and wellhead protection areas have been delineated, but
areas relevant for environmental protection remain undefined. The focus of my research is to
develop an approach to delineate areas that provide water to streams and to environmentally
sensitive areas within the watershed.
Chu Su, Peter
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Statistical Geo-computing: spatial outlier detection in precision agriculture
Abstract: The collection of crop yield data has become much easier with the introduction of
technologies such as Global Positioning System (GPS), ground-based yield sensors, and
Geographic Information System (GIS). This explosive growth and widespread use of spatial data
has challenged the ability to derive useful spatial knowledge, emphasizing the need for better
data pre-processing. The overall aim of this study is to evaluate different spatial outlier
detection techniques in terms of correctness and computational efficiency. With simulated crop
yield data which contains known spatial outliers in advance, the assessment of spatial outlier
techniques can be conducted as a binary classification exercise, treating each spatial technique
as a classifier. Performance assessment is evaluated with the area and partial area under the
ROC curve at given detection rates. Preliminary results indicate spatial outlier techniques that
account for spatial auto-correlation are more superior to standard techniques in terms of
higher sensitivity and lower false positive detection rate. They are also more resistant to
changes in the neighbourhood definition. Results also indicate the number and magnitude of
36
outliers, and the nugget effect play an important part regarding the performance of techniques.
Such information can then provide a benchmark required for decision-making in agricultural
practice regarding crop yield mapping and analysis.
Chuapetcharasopon, Pylin
Coauthor(s): Wendi Adair, Terri Lituchy, Susan Brodt
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: The Cultural Mosaic Scale: Factor Structure and Construct Validity
Abstract: As the workplace becomes increasingly culturally diverse, the ability of a diverse
group of individuals to work together and adapt to their multicultural environment is essential
to their well-being and satisfaction as well as to their ability to cooperate with others, which in
turn affects productivity and performance on the job. We propose that a work group that is
characterized as a Cultural Mosaic will lead to these positive outcomes. The authors developed
a measure called the Cultural Mosaic Scale, and this study outlines the three dimensions of the
scale in addition to the scale’s relation to other related concepts.
Chung, So-Ra
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: MEMS demodulator
Abstract: Recent developments in the Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technology
have shown the benefits of reliable mechanical strength that merges with electrical properties.
Interest has increased and thus on to improve their performance by applying MEMS technology
as to replace existing industrial parts and tools.
The main purpose of this paper is to describe a new way of demodulating the front end of
Radio Frequency (RF) using a MEMS electrostatic actuator by sensing the displacement of
parallel-plates. Both analog and digital modulation architecture schemes have been studies for
their feasibility. The physical operating principle of the proposed demodulation device is
explained and the analytical modeling and simulation results are presented.
A typical RF receiver consists of a front end, a band-pass filter, Low Noise Amplifier (LNA), and
a local oscillator, and a mixer that recovers a baseband signal from a modulated RF signal. In a
heterodyne receiver there are more than one Intermediate Frequency (IF) stages, but in a
homodyne (direct conversion) receiver, there is no IF stage. The baseband signal is recovered
by using a local oscillator and a mixer. This new MEMS demodulator replaces a local oscillator
and a mixer based on the fact that mechanical resonance frequency is much lower than
electrical resonance frequency. The demodulator’s electrical resonance drives the electrostatic
actuator. The baseband signal operating below the mechanical resonant frequency of the
MEMS actuator will show the linear response.
37
Several electrostatic actuation designs are considered for numerical simulations. Initial
series of simulations shows a promising result*
Claude, Francisco
Coauthor(s): Susana Ladra
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Representing Web and Social Graphs
Abstract: We present two alternatives for compressing graphs, focusing on space efficient
representations for Web graphs and social networks. The representations presented in this
work allow to represent such graphs in little space while supporting both, direct and reverse
navigation. Our first proposal, designed for Web graphs, combines two known methods: $k^2$trees [Brisaboa, Ladra and Navarro, SPIRE 2009] and RePair-Graph [Claude and Navarro, TWEB
2010]. The combined approach allows to further exploit that most links are inter-domain. This
new proposal outperforms both methods on which it is based, offering a better time/space
trade-off for direct and reverse navigation, thus improving the state of the art. Our second
structure corresponds to a new proposal for indexing $MP_K$ linearizations [Maserrat and Pei,
KDD 2010]. Such linearizations have proven to be an effective way of representing social
networks in little space. We improve upon previous indexes for such linearizations, proving a
new time/space trade-off better than previous results. In practice, we show that this new
approach presents a competitive representation for graphs, especially, social networks.
Coburn, Julia
Coauthor(s): Professor Paul Eagles
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Park Management Plans: Understanding Visitor Management Policy
Abstract: A park management plan is a critical tool needed for Ontario Provincial Parks to
successfully achieve goals and objectives set by the Ministry of Natural Resources in
consultation with park stakeholders at the individual park level. Provincial Park management
planning is guided by legislation and provincial policy such as strategic plans and guidelines.
In these documents, required and some recommended policy that is to be included in a park
management plan are stated. The level of detail that these policies should be described,
however, is not directly addressed in any provincial park legislation or provincial park
policy. The concept of “level of detail” implies in this thesis the degree to which a policy is
described in a document, ranging from "no detail" to "comprehensive detail". A lack of
transparency, accountability and inconsistency in plan content across the Provincial Park
system could result if not enough policy detail is presented in park management
38
plans. This thesis will examine the level of detail policies are described within one major set of
park policies, visitor management, in three phases: first through content analysis of current
management plans; second through qualitative interviews with multiple park stakeholders; and
third through a quantitative questionnaire of multiple park stakeholders. The first phase will
identify the current level of detail policies are found in plans whereas the second and third
phases will identify the level of detail park stakeholders perceive policies should be described in
plans.
Con, Celal
Coauthor(s): Shirley Ma, Bo Cui, Mustafa Yavuz
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: High Resolution Electron Beam Lithography Using Polystyrene Negative Resist
Abstract: In electron beam lithography (EBL), negative resist is preferred for some applications
such as the fabrication hole arrays in a metal film. Here, we investigate the ultimate resolution
of resist by patterning 20nm period lines and 15nm period 2D dot arrays that can be achieved
with polystyrene which we believe it is the highest resolution that can be achieved by organic
EBL resists having low cost and longer shelf life.
Cong, Jianfa
Coauthor(s): Ken Seng Tan, Chengguo Weng
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Quantile hedging based on VaR
Abstract: In the complete financial market, every contingent claim can be hedged perfectly. In
the incomplete market, though it may be impossible to perfectly hedge some contingent
claims, the investors can be rather safe by superhedging. However, in order to superhedge or
perfectly hedge the contingent claim, the investors need to have enough initial capital.
Sometimes the investor does not have enough initial capital to or is not willing to spend that
much to superhedge or perfectly hedge the risk.
Here we study the problem what the investors can do if they are not willing to spend so much
on hedging. In this research, we assume that the investor is trying to minimize VaR of the total
risk exposure when there is a budget constraint of the hedging. We first make some reasonable
assumption on the admissible hedging function. Then we solve the optimizing problem by two
steps. First, we derive the optimal hedging function which minimizes the VaR of the total risk
exposure. The optimal hedging function turns out to be a layer hedging strategy. Then we
consider how to replicate the optimal hedging function and perform the layer hedging strategy
in the market.
39
Constable, Stephen
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Accelerated Molecular Dynamics in the Molecular Modelling Tool Kit using
Graphical Processing Units
Abstract: Molecular Dynamics (MD) is a computational tool that allows for microscopic
investigation of chemical systems, including the prediction of free energy changes and reaction
rate constants. Recently, it has been found that using Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) for MD
offers orders of magnitude increases in computational power versus traditional Central
Processing Units (CPUs). This allows for more accurate simulations yielding more useful results,
especially for the large system size inherent in the life sciences. The Molecular Modelling Tool
Kit (MMTK) software is used to perform MD simulations, and can be augmented to take
advantage of a GPU MD code. This will provide optimal computational efficiency to software
users. Programming of the GPU will be achieved by utilization of the Open Molecular
Mechanics (OpenMM) library. Applications of the software to the prediction of the kinetic and
thermodynamic properties of pentose sugars are discussed, in particular the conformational
analysis of beta-arabinose will be considered.
Cormier, Olga
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Life and Death: Exploring Programmed Cell Death in the Drosophila embryo
Abstract: Generally, there are two ways a cell can undergo programmed cell death (PCD). Type
I, apoptotic PCD, involves activation of caspases and is characterized by changes in cell
morphology such as cytoplasm contraction and membrane blebbing. The autophagic, type II,
PCD is generally defined as death involving intracellular structures called the autophagosomes;
also, cells that undergo autophagic cell death typically are not engulfed by phagocytosis. In
Drosophila, the amnioserosa (AS) is an extraembryonic tissue that undergoes PCD as part of
normal embryogenesis. Its degeneration involves morphological evidence of autophagy as well
as caspase activation. Most of the AS tissue dies at the conclusion of dorsal closure (DC), a
morphogenic event. However, approximately 10% of AS cells extrude from the epithelium
during DC while the tissue remains intact. Using fluorescent confocal microscopy and GAL-UAS
expression system, we establish an effective assay for programmed cell death in the AS and
demonstrate cell autonomous increases in autophagy prior to epithelial extrusion events. In
addition, our results suggest an involvement of caspase activity in overall AS tissue
degeneration, epithelial extrusions, and feedback regulation of autophagy. Furthermore,
trophic signalling, including InR/PI3K and EGFR/Ras/MAPK, inhibit autophagic PCD in AS.
Mutant analysis and epistatis experiments suggest that InR and EGFR pathways operate in
parallel but show extensive crosstalk that co-ordinates a mutual upregulation of autophagy and
caspase activity during AS death.
40
Cowan, Terri
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Opportunities and Barriers to VGI Use in Community Planning
Abstract: The term Volunteered Geographic information (VGI) has been coined to describe the
processes whereby non-professionals or “citizen scientists” participate directly in spatial data
creation, editing and shared use. These data vary considerably in thematic focus, purpose, and
format and may be used to correct or augment official data stores or to document features that
are not recorded in authoritative databases.
VGI offers some promise as an innovative way for members of the public to participate directly
in the use, production and sharing of spatial information that is relevant to issues of personal or
community concern. However, despite this potential the use of VGI in local planning processes
remains quite limited. In part, this is due to a number of uncertainties such as the
representativeness of citizen generated data, issues of quality, and its degree of
correspondence with official data resources, among others. In this presentation, these
uncertainties will be examined in light of published VGI applications to identify the
opportunities and barriers to incorporating VGI into community planning processes. Based on
this assessment, recommendations for the potential uses VGI in community planning are
outlined.
Creelman, Kyle
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Adolescent perceptions and attitudes towards invasive species and nature.
Abstract: My presentation would outline the results of a research project designed to assess the
attitudes and perceptions that high school students have towards invasive species, and to
determine to what extent learning about invasive species alters their connection with nature.
The study group was comprised of students from three Grade 11 Environmental Science classes
from high schools within the city of Guelph, Ontario. The students received regular classroom
instruction from their teachers covering the course content, including invasive species.
Students also made weekly visits to a local nature centre, providing them with hands-on
learning experiences on the course content.
Students responded to an 80-question survey that assessed their knowledge of local invasive
species and attitudes towards them as well as their connection to nature. Their connection to
nature was assessed using a modified version of the Connectedness to Nature Scale (Mayer &
Frantz, 2004). The surveys were administered by the classroom teachers prior to the
instructional material covering invasive species and then again several weeks later when
41
instructional material concerning invasive species was complete. Students completed the
second set of surveys in December, 2010.
Formal analysis is still underway, while preliminary results do show a significant increase to the
students’ knowledge concerning invasive species. These preliminary results also provide insight
regarding students’ attitudes and perceptions towards invasive species. However, the
preliminary results do not show a significant change to the students’ connection to nature.
Cui, Zhenyu
Coauthor(s): Carole Bernard, William Gornall
Presentation type: Mandatory oral presentation (indicate department below)
Abstract title: Improved Continuity Correction for Discrete Barrier and Lookback Options
Abstract: Barrier and lookback options are among the most popular
path-dependent options traded in the derivatives market. In practice, they are monitored
discretely, usually once per trading day. Using the Brownian motion approximation to random
walk in sequential analysis theory, Broadie, Glasserman and Kou (1999) propose an analytical
``continuity correction" method to link the price of discrete barrier and lookback options to
theircontinuous counterparts. Based on the higher order expansion of Brownian motion
approximation to random walk given by Janssen and Van Leeuwaarden (2009), we extend the
``continuity correction" method in Broadie, Glasserman and Kou (1999) to develop a more
accurate method for pricing discrete barrier options. We also extend the technique in Horfelt
(2003) to the pricing of discrete lookback options and propose a highly accurate semi-analytical
approximation to the covariance term to improve the continuity correction for discrete
lookback options. A numerical study confirms the advantages of our method.
Da Costa, Jason
Coauthor(s): Thorsten Dieckmann
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Entropy in the malachite green RNA aptamer
Abstract: The binding of small molecule ligands to nucleic acid aptamers provides an excellent
model for the study of RNA drug interactions. The malalchite green aptamer allows the detailed
study of the importance of stacking and electrostatic interactions, since ligand recognition does
not involve hydrogen bonding between ligand and RNA. Our studies have shown, that the
ligand undergoes significant changes in its electronic structure and charge distribution when
bound inside the binding pocket. In the studies presented here, the thermodynamics of binding
of the aptamer to its original ligand (Malachite Green) and three derivatives (Cyrstal Violet,
Tetramethylrosamine, PyroninY) were studied by isothermal titration calorimetry. These studies
revealed that entropy plays a large role in binding affinity and specificity. This data combined
42
with previous structural information reveals the role of the A30 nucleotide and a magnesium
ion in the adaptive nature of the binding. The presence of high salt causes a switch in the ligand
preference, the affinity for TMR at high salt or magnesium is higher than MG, while at low salt
the affinity for MG is higher than for TMR. The ability of an RNA aptamer that was selected for
binding affinity to a specific target to change its ligand preference depending on the solution
conditions is intriguing and suggestive of a progression from simple binding to more complex
functions.
Daley, Chad
Coauthor(s): Dongping Qi, James Forrest
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Studying surface dynamics in glassy polymer films via gold nanoparticle
embedding
Abstract: We use gold nanoparticle embedding to probe the surface properties of glassy
polystyrene films at temperatures ranging from a few degrees above to 10's of degrees below
the bulk glass transition temperature (Tg). These studies employed monodisperse polymer
samples with molecular weights (Mw) ranging from 3000-80000 kg/mol. A qualitative change in
the surface response is observed between the high Mw and low Mw regimes. At low Mw a
buildup of polymer material forms around the base of the nanoparticles similar to the observed
behavior in molecular glasses. For the higher molecular weights this buildup is not observed
and the system instead relaxes through nanoparticle embedding. We also observe changes in
the complete embedding process observed only near the bulk Tg. These changes suggest that
nanoparticle embedding can be used as a probe of polymer entanglements.
Darivandi, Neda
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: An efficient optimization technique in optimal active vibration control of
structures
Abstract: In recent years, active control of structures has become a major research interest in
modern space industries, and one essential aspect in the design of active structures involves
suitable and optimal placement of the control devices, in that misplaced sensors and actuators
might lead to lack of controllability and observability in the system.
Many studies have been carried out on the optimal location of actuators in vibration control,
which have mostly focused on applying evolutionary algorithms. However, evolutionary
techniques may become incompetent for optimization of control systems in large-scale
structures. Consequently, despite the non-convex nature of this optimization problem, it is
quite helpful to seek gradient-based methods.
43
The aim of this study is to investigate the optimal location of piezoelectric actuator patches on
flexible structures. As the control technique, the linear quadratic regulator is applied and a
natural characteristic of the optimal cost is taken as the objective function. Based on a proof by
Geromel (1989), a special mapping technique is applied which turns the cost into a convex
function. This useful characteristic, not applied in the past, makes it possible to solve the
optimal actuators’ location problem, using gradient-based mixed-integer optimization
algorithms, and this leads to considerable time-saving and reliable accuracy. A mixed-integer
optimization method composed of sequential quadratic programming and branch and bound
technique is applied in this study.
Darwazeh, Durgham
Coauthor(s): Dr. Amelia Clarke
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Sustainable Medical Tourism Facility
Abstract: The need for imposing the principles of sustainable development in medical tourism is
vital to maintaining the three pillars of strengthening a nation, namely, the environment, the
economy, and the local community. Building on Hart and Milstein’s (2003) work, this research
paper aims to employ a similar theoretical sustainable development framework to establish a
sustainable medical tourism facility. This will help lay the foundations for a medical facility that
would respond well to the future demands of international patients, and would remain
competitive with other medical facilities in the global market while improving local quality of
life and remaining within ecological constraints. This research paper relies on a qualitative
research method interviewing stakeholders who have worked or participated in the medical
tourism industry within Jordan. As a result, there is little consideration has been given to the
social, ecological, and economic impacts of a medical tourism facility on the local community. In
addition, there are lack of communication and cooperation among medical tourism
stakeholders for promoting Jordan as one entity and lack of proper research for anticipating the
future scene of medical tourism industry. Therefore, this conceptual paper offers a framework
for establishing a sustainable medical tourism facility that is responsive to future demands. In
summation, more studies should focus on the development of the medical tourism facility from
the perspective of community economic development, and how the local community can
manage a medical facility that provides tangible benefits to the local economy, while also not
harming the natural environment.
Datta Gupta, Syamantak
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: On the Convergence of Finite-Order Approximations of Stationary Time Series
44
Abstract: In many applications, time series are approximated by finite order moving average
and autoregressive models. It is of interest to investigate how faithfully such approximations
replicate the original process. Specifically, one would like to investigate whether the properties
of the approximated version converge asymptotically to those of the original sequence as the
order of approximation approaches infinity. Here, we study the asymptotic behavior of the
finite order approximations of stationary time series and find conditions under which the
spectral density of the approximation converges to that of the original process as the model
order goes to infinity.
In this research, three kinds of finite order approximations have been considered: namely, a
finite order moving average model, a finite order autoregressive model, and a finite order
model using the error sequence. For each of these models, it has been shown that the estimate
converges to the original process in quadratic mean as the order of approximation goes to
infinity. In addition, we show that, for the first model, the spectral density of the approximation
converges to that of the original in L2 and for the other two models the spectral density of the
estimate converges to that of the original process at the origin. Next, we present an example
where the spectral density of the autoregressive estimate converges in L2 to that of the
original. Finally we conclude by providing a sufficient condition for the L2 convergence of the
spectral density of the autoregressive estimates.
Davis, Heather
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Advancin triple-bottom-line comunity economic development (CED) in
municipal planning
Abstract: This study provides an interesting and practical example of how Community Economic
Development (CED) is embedded in sustainable community planning, and how progress can be
assessed for a municipality using an ideal-type standard. This work also contributes to
understanding the theoretical underpinnings of Community Economic Development and
pertinent connections to Complex Adaptive System theory.
Primary and secondary literature review was performed to identify ideal principles of CED that
meet the objectives of triple-bottom-line development at the municipal level. An ideal-type
analysis was performed using the Town of Huntsville, Ontario, and its municipal sustainability
strategy as a case study. Examining this case for the presence of idealized CED principles
provided insight regarding the trajectory of Huntsville’s sustainability strategy and highlighted
areas where improvements are warranted. The case also offered relevant insight for other
small rural towns in Ontario undertaking similar sustainable community planning initiatives.
A key finding of this study was the prevalence of good leadership and strong social capacity
throughout the CED principles. These features have the collective power to bring people
together, facilitate cooperation and shared decision-making, and mobilize resources and talent
needed to realize visions of an equitable and sustainable future. A second key finding was that
45
the need to accept the complex and unpredictable nature of linked social- ecological systems in
order to nurture resilience and renewal.
de Cola, Marianna
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Shifting Landscapes / Shifting Infrastructures
Abstract: The history of Newfoundland is intimately tied to its relationship with the sea, to
island status and its consequent cultural isolation, to its reliance on fishing and more recently
oil. But it is also one of tides - of prosperity and loss, migration and resettlement.
This research is an investigation into the nature of mutable landscapes – shifting settlements,
resources and infrastructures. It is recognized that the needs of each community, and the
resources of each environment, are diverse in type and supply. The spatialization of an energy
infrastructure has the opportunity to link the ecological, political, cultural, and historical
constituents in contemporary society.
An historical account of the sporadic and shifting populations of Newfoundland prefaces the
ideas of a design intervention. This theoretical design project exhibits the themes of shifting
and movement within a mobile wave power generation system. These modular harness units
are intended to connect to the ocean floor by an anchor that will enhance the growth of
aquatic flora. The versatility of the speculative infrastructure is intended to allow a response to
the constant shifting needs of the population as well as the aquatic ecology.
The design proposal is situated off the southern coast of Newfoundland. The initial
establishment of the energy system provides power for the entire southern coast as well as
seasonal power for communities that hibernate throughout the winter. It recognizes
Newfoundland’s need for a flexible energy infrastructure as well as the links between ecology,
economy, and the coastal populations.
Dey, Ripon
Coauthor(s): H.-Y. Nie; W.M. Lau
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Studies of the stability of octadecylphosphonic acid (OPA) Langmuir-Blodgett
films on Si, Al, graphite and mica
Abstract: We formed well-controlled, well-ordered and uniform octa-decylphosphonic acid LB
films on cleaved mica, cleaved graphite, and oxidized silicon and aluminum surfaces, and
characterized their mechanical properties. The hyperthermal hydrogen induced cross-linking
technology of our group was used to cleave the C-H bonds of the LB monolayer and forming
new intermolecular C-C cross-linking bonds. The mechanical strength of these LB films was thus
improved. However, the bond strain induced by the intermolecular C-C cross-links were found
46
to be strong enough to change the LB film morphology drastically for the LB layers on Si and
mica, and to desorb the LB film on graphite. The LB film on oxidized Al was the only system
stable enough to retain a cohesive and smooth molecular layer after the cross-linking process.
Dorri, Fatemeh
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Supervised Independent Component Analysis Based on Hilbert-Schmidt
Independence Criterion
Abstract: Independent Component Analysis (ICA) is not only a method of exploring
independent sources of a signal but also has become a popular method for feature extraction in
different fields including finding of effective genes in a certain disease from DNA microarrays
data set. When it is applied to identify the relevant genes, a set of linear basis vectors that are
independent doesn’t show satisfactory results. That’s in part because ICA doesn’t take
advantage of class labels to find out the effective independent components of the data.
Supervisd ICA is an idea to improve ICA in order to have independent components which are
more related to the class labels.
Here we propose a supervised ICA algorithm which exploits Hilbert-Schmidt Independence
Criterion (HSIC) to control the amount of changes of independent vectors that are explored at
each step. The vector changes are chosen to be inversely proportional to their dependency to
the class labels. In addition, in order to have a better starting point, the known vectors that
have more dependency to the class data are passed as initial vectors.Our algorithm results in
more reasonable number of genes that are known to be effective on the disease of our study.
The percentage of meaningful gene achieved from the proposed algorithm is promising
compared to ICA.
Duan, Jin
Presentation type: Mandatory oral presentation (indicate department below)
Abstract title: Sequence analysis of the complete genome of plant growth-promoting
rhizobacterium Pseudomonas putida UW4
Abstract: Pseudomonas putida UW4 is a well-studied plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium
(PGPR) that was originally isolated from the rhizosphere of common reeds growing on the
campus of the University of Waterloo. It expresses the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1carboxylate (ACC) deaminase, which can lower stress ethylene levels and promote plant growth
in the presence of a variety of environmental stresses, e.g. flooding, drought, the presence of
heavy metals or organic contaminants, phytopathogens, cold temperature and high
concentrations of salt. The genome of P. putida UW4 was sequenced by 454 pyrosequencing
and approximately 28 × genome coverage was achieved. De novo sequence assembly was
47
completed using Roche’s Newbler assembler, which resulted in 122 large contigs and 10
scaffolds. PCR amplification and primer walking were conducted to close the gaps between
contigs. The complete genome sequence of P. putida UW4 is composed of 6,183,346 bp with an
average GC content of 60.1%. No plasmids were detected. The chromosome comprises 5,773
predicted protein-coding sequences, 7 sets of rRNA genes and 72 tRNA genes. Protein
subcellular localizations, transposase/IS elements and prophages were determined. Genes
potentially involved in plant growth promotion, i.e. ACC deaminase, indole-3-acetic acid
biosynthesis, siderophore synthesis, antifreeze protein were compared with those genes in
other PGPR. Whole genome comparisons between P. putida UW4 and other pseudomonads will
add valuable information to determine the Pseudomonas pan/core genome. Finally, a genome
comparison of P. putida UW4 with those of other PGPR will allow us to better understand the
molecular mechanisms used by PGPR to promote plant growth.
Dumbleton, Kathryn
Coauthor(s): Craig Woods, Lyndon Jones, and Desmond Fonn
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Relationship between compliance with lens replacement and contact lensrelated problems in silicone hydrogel wearers
Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate compliance with replacement frequency (RF) in silicone hydrogel
(SiHy) wearers and to compare the rate of occurrence of contact lens (CL) related problems in
compliant and non-compliant (NC) patients.
Methods: 501 eligible SiHy patients completed study surveys sent by their optometrists' on
behalf of the Centre for Contact Lens Research (CCLR). Surveys were returned to the CCLR and
file review subsequently conducted at the patients' optometry offices to confirm the
information provided.
Results: 49% were 2-week replacement (2WR) and 51% 1-month replacement (1MR) SiHy
wearers. 67% exceeded the MRRF, 82% of 2WR and 53% of 1MR wearers (p < 0.001). The mean
RF was 2.6X the MRRF for 2WR and 1.5X for 1MR wearers (p<0.001) (median 31 and 37 days
respectively). 23% of wearers reported signs or symptoms consistent with potential
complications relating to CL wear. The rate was slightly higher for NC (25% [95% CI: 20 - 30%])
than compliant wearers (18% [95% CI: 13 - 25%]). 67% of the patients reporting problems
temporarily stopped lens wear, but only 46% visited an optometrist and/or other doctor for
care.
Conclusions: Two thirds of wearers were NC with the MRRF and NC was higher in 2WR wearers.
2WR wearers stretched the replacement interval of their lenses to a greater degree than 1MR
wearers. There appears to be a trend towards a higher rate of CL related complications in NC
wearers but a larger study may be required to confirm these findings.
48
Dunford, Eric
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Characterization of Active Cellulolytic Consortia from Arctic Tundra
Abstract: Background
Uncultivated microbial consortia responsible for cellulose degradation in soil are poorly
characterized. Additionally, the cellulases used by industry are primarily derived from cultured
microorganisms. Techniques including DNA stable-isotope probing (DNA-SIP) and sequencing
enable characterization of cellulose-utilizing consortia. This research is a major component of
the first proof-of-principle combination of DNA-SIP and functional metagenomics, as applied to
a tundra soil sample. We hypothesize that screening of 13C-labelled DNA will assist in the
retrieval of uncultured cellulolytic organisms and communities, and increase the recovery of
cellulase genes with novel properties.
Methods
Tundra soil was amended with native or stable-isotope labelled (13C) glucose and cellulose and
incubated at 15 °C. Subsamples were collected at three points over a two-month incubation.
DNA extraction and gradient ultracentrifugation (DNA-SIP) were employed to retrieve
isotopically-labelled nucleic acids. Heavy-isotope DNA was analyzed using Denaturing Gradient
Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) and 16S rRNA clone libraries.
Results
Specific 13C-associated fingerprints were observed after DNA-SIP labelling of tundra
microorganisms using DGGE and clone libraries of 16S rRNA genes. Active populations
consuming glucose and cellulose were distinct based on principle component analysis of “light”
and “heavy” DNA. Predominant genera assimilating glucose included Sporolactobacillus and
Clostridia. Those assimilating cellulose included Cellvibrio, Cytophaga and Sorangium. 13Cenriched DNA was stored for subsequent metagenomic analysis.
Conclusion
Unique cellulolytic bacteria were present in the tundra soil sample studied, and these differed
from the community active in consuming glucose. DNA-SIP is a powerful tool for isolating and
retrieving active and uncultivated bacteria.
Erven, Chris
Coauthor(s): S.Wehner, M. Curty, R. Laflamme, G. Weihs
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Oblivious Transfer in the Noisy Storage Model – The Implementation of a New
Quantum Cryptographic Primitive
Abstract: Quantum information as a field has been around now for more than twenty years.
One of the first realizable technologies to emerge has been that of quantum key distribution.
QKD allows two parties to communicate secretly, in a manner that can be proven secure with
49
the tools of information theory, without the possibility of an eavesdropper. However, secure
key distribution is not the only important cryptographic task. Another extremely useful and
important cryptographic primitive is that of oblivious transfer.
Oblivious transfer is a cryptographic primitive that has two users: Alice and Bob. Alice holds two
strings, S1 and S2, and Bob wishes to learn one of those two strings. The requirements of the
primitive are: Bob should be able to learn the string he chooses but should learn nothing about
the second string, and Alice should not be able to tell which string Bob has chosen to learn.
Even though this primitive seems quite simple, it actually is quite a powerful building block in
the field of cryptography. In fact, this protocol can be used to build a secure identification
system, which a banking ATM machine might employ for example.
Using an entangled quantum key distribution system developed at the University of Waterloo,
we are the first to implement oblivious transfer using quantum methods in the noisy storage
model. We study under what assumptions such a system is secure, and the relevant parameters
affecting the security of such a system.
Faghih, Fathiyeh
Coauthor(s): Ali Taleghani, Joanne M. Atlee
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Distributed Model Verification Using Map-Reduce
Abstract: Model checking has been applied fairly successfully for verification of software and
hardware systems. However, its applicability to many practical systems is limited by the state
explosion problem, which is due to the enormous increase in the size of the state space. One
approach to overcome this limitation is to distribute the model's state space among the nodes
of a cluster and do model checking in parallel. The limitation is that it is not possible to do the
distribution evenly using the traditional model checkers, since they generate a program's
reachability graph on the fly. The idea of this research is to parallelize SCC (Search Carrying
Code) certification instead of traditional model checking. SCC has the advantage that the
certification workload is known in advance, in the form of a search script. Therefore, we can
partition the search script into multiple search tasks of roughly equal size. In this research, we
formulate and implement parallel SCC using Amazon MapReduce. We use a modified version of
Java PathFinder to produce a search script for a Java program, partition the script into a
collection of scripts, and take a script to perform model checking on it. The time needed for
parallel SCC certification of different Java programs on Amazon shows the superiority of our
scheme compared to the traditional verification methods. Using this scheme, we can also
generate several counterexamples, in comparison to one counterexample in traditional model
checkers, which can be used to find the flaws in the code more easily.
Fahimnia, Mehrdad
Coauthor(s): Firooz Dindar Farkoosh
50
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: A miniaturized small footprint high performance millimeter-wave low noise
amplifier using low cost CMOS technology
Abstract: With recent advancement in CMOS technology, new applications in millimeter-wave
are possible.
Among them millimeter-wave imaging systems and high throughput short range wireless
systems are some promising examples.
These systems usually require multiple radio-front ends to overcome system level challenges
such as required sensitivity or signal to noise ratio.
Therefore, the key challenges for low cost millimeter-wave systems is a low-cost, low power,
miniaturized, high performance low noise amplifier (LNA).
Conventionally, LNAs are fabricated using expensive compound semiconductors such as GaAs
or InP which are not suitable for low cost commercial applications.
Also LNAs using compound semiconductors have large chip footprint and high power
consumption.
CMOS technology is an alternative solution for implementation of the above mentioned
systems.
There are few challenges in design of CMOS millimeter-wave LNAs which is the topic of this
research.
Using the proposed band pass distributed amplifier topology and accurate modeling of active
and passive devices in millimeter-wave, a high performance, highly miniaturized, low power
and low cost CMOS LNA has been designed.
The complete design guidelines are also presented. The fabricated chip achieved a high LNA
Figure of Merit (FOM) of more than 10.
It is also shown that using the presented method LNA FOM can be increased at least by a factor
of two using each extra stage added to the LNA without any limitation.
A second chip is designed and fabricated and a FOM of 45 is expected.
The results are promising for implementation of multi-front-end millimeter-wave imaging and
communication systems.
Feng, Ming Bin
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Portfolio Optimization with Condition Value-at-Risk Constraint: An iterative
scheme
Abstract: Risk and return trade-off plays a central role in risk management. Portfolio
optimization via programming seeks to exploit this principle and look for the optimal portfolio
with the "best" trade-off. Value-at-Risk(VaR) is a common risk measure in portfolio
management and regulations. It is desirable to develop a mathematical program which can
51
maximize portfolio return subject to a certain threshold value of VaR in this case. Despite the
amenable interpretation of VaR, it is not easy to formulate an optimization program with VaR
objective and/or constraint because VaR is not convex in general. Notably, Rockafellar and
Uryasev studied the properties of VaR and Conditional Value-at-Risk(CVaR) and provided a
linear programming approach for portfolio optimization with CVaR objective and/or
constraints. In light of Rockafellar and Uryasev’s formulation, I try to incorporate VaR constraint
by placing one additional constraint and interactively refine linear program in order to search
for the desired optimal portfolio. Through empirical examinations in discrete loss scenarios, I
find that:
1. Optimal portfolios found by Rockafellar’s formulation tend to have portfolio loss right at VaR
in many scenarios; 2. At a certain VaR threshold value, optimal portfolios found by my
interactive procedure seem to have higher CVaR than optimal portfolios found by Rockafellar’s
formulation with the same VaR value.
At the current stage, bisection method is used to search desired parameter value in my
formulation. Although convergence is guaranteed by bisection method, the computation
efficiency is a concern, I would like to explore better iterative scheme in my further research.
Fenuta, Elizabeth
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Amphibious Architectures: The Buoyant Foundation Project in Post-Katrina New
Orleans
Abstract: This is a research-based thesis building upon the study conducted over the past two
years with Dr. Elizabeth English on the Buoyant Foundation Project (BFP). The
BFP is currently developing an amphibious foundation system to retrofit vernacular wooden
‘shotgun’ houses in the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans. This neighbourhood was chosen
because of its unique cultural heritage and the severe, but recoverable, damage incurred in the
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The BFP system will allow homes to float when flooding occurs,
rising and descending vertically to avoid flood damage. It provides an alternative solution to
permanent static elevation, the mitigation strategy currently recommended by the United
States
federal government.
The thesis will demonstrate how the Buoyant Foundation Project is a culturally supportive,
technically feasible, economical, sustainable and resilient form of flood mitigation for postKatrina New Orleans.
Finkle, Andrew
Coauthor(s): C. R. Reddy, L.C. Simon
Presentation type: poster presentation
52
Abstract title: Thermal Characterization of Nanocrystalline Cellulose for Polymer
Nanocomposite Applications
Abstract: Nano-scale cellulose has a great potential as reinforcing agent in thermoplastics (such
as polyesters, polyamides and polycarbonates) due to its high mechanical strength – being
compared with reinforcements like steel and carbon nanotubes. In order to maintain its
strength when compounded with thermoplastics, the structural integrity of the nanocrystalline
cellulose must not be damaged by temperature. The processing temperature for polyesters,
polyamides and polycarbonates can be relatively high and near to the onset of degradation of
cellulose, therefore care must be taken to ensure the preservation of the structural integrity of
nanocrystalline cellulose. The thermal stability and the kinetics of thermal degradation of four
different nanocrystalline cellulose fibres - from Alberta Innovates-Technology Futures, FP
Innovations of Quebec, and two from JRS Co. of Germany - were studied using a
thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The TGA of these nanocrystalline cellulose samples was
performed at different heating rates (5, 10, 20, 30 and 40°C/min) under nitrogen and air
environments. The activation energy of thermal decomposition was determined using the
Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method. The activation energies were found to be in the range of 120 kJ/mol
to 200 kJ/mol. The temperature for onset of thermal degradation was dependant on the type of
material, the heating rate and the purge gas. The inherent moisture content of the
nanocrystalline cellulose samples were similar and fell in the range of 4.9 wt-% to wt-6.4%.
Foster, Kyle
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Patient Specific Margin Selection to Compensate for Intrafraction Motion
During External Beam Radiation Therapy of the Lung
Abstract: Successful external beam radiation therapy (RT) is heavily dependent on delivering
the prescribed radiation dose to the intended structures. RT used to treat lung cancers is
complicated by target motion caused by the patient’s natural breathing during treatment
delivery, commonly known as ‘intrafraction motion’. In order to accommodate target motion
on a patient specific basis, we have employed a convolution model to predict the ‘blurred’ dose
distribution delivered in the presence of known target motion. The convolution model requires
two inputs: the planned ‘static’ dose distribution and a probability distribution function (PDF)
describing the position of the target over the course of a breathing cycle. The model has been
experimentally verified by radiographic film measurements. In a simulation study, 502 unique
patient breathing traces were used to generate corresponding blurred dose distributions.
Analysis of the differences between the static and blurred dose distributions with respect to
characteristics of the PDFs revealed strong trends between dose coverage metrics (percent
mean dose difference and penumbral width) and features of the PDFs (amplitude, standard
deviation, magnitude of maximum gradient and location of maximum gradient). In particular
the location of the maximum PDF gradient, relative to the PDF’s geometric center, has a clear
53
positive correlation with penumbral width. The convolution model has been verified for
intrafraction target motion and analysis of changes present in the blurred dose distributions
highlighted trends which can be used by physicians to guide target margin selection on a
patient specific basis.
Fotuhi, Omid
Coauthor(s): Geoffrey T. Fong; Steven Spencer
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Unconscious Attitudes, Rather than Conscious One, Predict Health Behaviour:
Findings among Smokers
Abstract: There has been a surge of research on the predictive power of unconscious attitudes
and motivations to direct our behaviour. However, there has been little research about how
unconscious attitudes compare to conscious attitudes in predicting behaviour. Using nationally
representative cohort samples of smokers across Canada, the US, UK, and Australia, we explore
the relation between explicit attitudes and smoking behaviour. In addition, we administered an
Implicit Apperception Test (IAT) to examine the relation of unconscious attitudes on smoking
behaviour.
Our findings demonstrate that conscious or explicit self-report attitudes are poorly associated
with smoking consumption. In addition, the relation of these conscious attitudes on quitting
intentions seem to be mediated by how much negatively people believe smoking is viewed by
others. To explore this phenomenon, we examined smokers' implicit attitudes as well as their
implicit beliefs about the social norms surrounding smoking. It appears that more positive
implicit attitudes are related to smoking consumption, but that implicit norms are related to
quitting intentions.
Our findings suggest that implicit attitudes contain two distinct components, which
differentially predict smoking consumption and quitting intentions. These distinctions, as well
as implications for public policy interventions, are discussed.
Fraser, Robert
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: The Hausdorff Core of Simple Polygons
Abstract: In this talk, we will discuss the problem of computing the Hausdorff core of a simple
polygon. A Hausdorff core of a polygon P is a convex polygon Q contained inside P which
minimizes the Hausdorff distance between P and Q. The motivation for the Hausdorff core
problem is to provide a simple approximation for an input polygon which is as close to the
original polygon P as possible while being strictly contained in P. We will show how the problem
is difficult in general, and we will present an approximation algorithm for computing the
54
Hausdorff Core of simple polygons. We extend the results with a polynomial time algorithm for
computing a Hausdorff core of a polygon with a single reflex vertex.
This talk summarizes joint work with Reza Dorrigiv, Stephane Durocher, Arash Farzan,
Alejandro López-Ortiz, Ian Munro, Patrick Nicholson, Alejandro Salinger and Matthew Skala,
and was presented at WADS 2009 and CCCG 2010.
Freeman, Shannon
Coauthor(s): Dr. John Hirdes, Dr. Trevor Fries-Smith
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Identifying Informal Caregivers of Terminally Ill Persons at Risk of Caregiver
Distress using the interRAI Palliative Care Assessment Instrument
Abstract: Informal caregivers are the backbone of Ontario’s health care system, especially in the
provision of end of life care for the terminally ill. As the number of informal caregivers providing
end of life care continues to rise, the need to understand the issues affecting their well-being
become very important. This study focuses on factors affecting caregiver distress and provides
a comprehensive examination of caregivers of terminally ill persons who are receiving palliative
home care services in Ontario.
Data were collected using the interRAI Palliative Care (interRAI-PC) assessment instrument.
Using the interRAI-PC, 4473 caregivers were identified from January 2006 to December 2009.
Using data from the interRAI-PC assessment, a description of informal caregivers of terminally
ill individuals in Ontario, the palliative individuals they care for, and the factors which affect
levels of caregiver distress is described. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of care
recipient health and service utilization which can influence levels of caregiver distress are
assessed. Psychological characteristics of caregivers including feelings of being overwhelmed,
depressed, distressed, and angry; caregiver self perceptions of the capacity to continue to
provide care; and evaluation of the strength of the family relationship across the illness
trajectory are examined. Other important factors discussed include the effects of care recipient
diagnosis, symptoms, functional ability, cognitive impairment, pain control, and proximity to
death. This research provides sound evidence to inform best practices aimed at reducing
caregiver distress.
Friesen, Justin
Coauthor(s): Danielle Gaucher (University of Winnipeg), Aaron Kay (Duke University)
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: How attempts to recruit women into engineering jobs can backfire
Abstract: People are sensitive to cues that they do not belong within a domain (e.g., Murphy,
Steele, & Gross, 2007; Purdie-Vaughns et al., 2008). Employers often assume employment
55
equity notices ("...our company encourages qualified applications from women...") have a
positive effect. We hypothesized, however, that these notices may actually make gender
inequality salient and thereby make the jobs less appealing to women. In Study 1 female
participants read an advertisement for an engineer that contained or omitted an employment
equity notice. Women who read the advertisement with an equity notice anticipated less
belongingness and found the job less appealing. In Study 2 female participants read about a
company hiring an engineer. For half of participants the company expressed an interested in
hiring a woman to increase the company's diversity. Despite being told that the company
wanted to hire a woman, female participants found that job less appealing. Taken together,
results suggest that calls to hire women (via employment equity notices and explicit mentions
of seeking women) within male-dominated domains may ironically lead to a reduction, rather
than increase, in women's anticipated belongingness and job interest. Implications for gender
parity and the maintenance of inequality are discussed.
Gad, Ahmed
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Electrode material migration during food preservation by pulsed electric fields
(PEF)
Abstract: Using pulsed electric fields (PEF) is an alternative way for liquid food preservation
rather than conventional thermal pasteurization. Microbial cells which are exposed to an
external electrical field for few microseconds respond by an electrical breakdown and local
structural changes of the cell membrane. In consequence, a drastic increase in permeability is
observed which is equivalent to a loss of viability. This method has the advantage of
maintaining the quality of treated food.
The system used for PEF treatment is simply a high voltage power source supplying short pulses
to the food under treatment through two electrodes. This system also acts as an
electrochemical cell, and as a result, some oxidation/reduction reactions will take place at the
electrode/electrolyte interface leading to electrode material migration into the food under
treatment. And consequently, some metal ions will be present in the treated food, the electric
field distribution will be affected, and the electrodes’ life time will be reduced.
For my research work, I am testing the effect of pulse parameters (peak voltage, pulse width,
number of pulses), solution characteristics (electrical conductivity, pH), and ambient
temperature on the electrode material (aluminum) migration in a simple solution of distilled
water with HCl/NaCal/NaOH. I measure the amount of aluminum in the treated samples using
the Inductively Coupled Plasma facility in the chemical engineering analytical laboratory. I am
now working on the statistical model for the obtained results.
Ganai, Omar
Coauthor(s): Wendy L. Adair
56
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Melting Pot or Cultural Mosaic? Effects of Intercultural Ideology on Team
Identification, Information Processing, and Work-Related Outcomes in Culturally Diverse
Teams
Abstract: We build on the social identity approach (Ashforth & Mael, 1989, Hogg & Terry, 2000)
to specify a model predicting performance and positive working relationships within culturally
diverse teams. Specifically, we propose that the type of intercultural ideology (multiculturalism
versus assimilationism) espoused within a culturally diverse team will influence the complexity
of individuals’ cultural identity (Roccas & Brewer, 2002). Moreover, complexity of individual
cultural identity may mediate levels of team identification, which in turn, may influence a
culturally diverse team’s shared mental model, or third culture (Adair, Tinsley, & Taylor, 2006).
Finally, the type of third culture (identical and emergent versus overlapping and intersection)
found within a culturally diverse team will influence work-related outcomes such as team
innovation and creativity, team citizenship behavior, team commitment, and job satisfaction.
We offer propositions and future research directions to test the proposed model.
Gangeh, Mehrdad
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Dictionary Learning and Sparse Representation in Texture Classification
Abstract: Purpose of Research: Texture provides important information in various fields of
computer vision. There are many different techniques in the literature for texture analysis
among which the texton-based approach that computes the primitive elements representing
textures using k-means has shown great success. In texton-based approach, the class labels are
needed at the stage of dictionary learning. This is rather restrictive as the number of labeled
textures available is usually limited. The purpose of this research is to propose an alternative
approach to compute the dictionary without any information on class labels.
Procedures/Methods: Recently, dictionary learning and sparse coding have provided state-ofthe-art results in various applications. With the recent advances in computing the dictionary
and sparse coefficients using fast algorithms, it is possible to use these techniques to learn the
primitive elements and their histogram to represent textures. In this research, online learning is
used as a fast implementation of sparse coding for texture classification.
Major Finding/Results: Our research shows that using proposed algorithm, similar or better
performance than texton-based approach is obtained on Columbia-Utrecht Reflectance and
Texture (CUReT) database. This is achieved despite of computation of dictionary without taking
into account the class labels.
Research Conclusion: In this research, a fast implementation for dictionary learning and sparse
representation is used for texture classification on large texture databases such as CUReT.
57
Although class labels are not used in forming the dictionary, the results are comparable to or
better than similar approaches that use this information at the stage of learning dictionary.
Garrick, Arlene
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: THE LEISURE OF LEARNING
Abstract: Introduction
The traditional lecture was one of the most effective and efficient ways of disseminate large
amounts of information quickly. Most educators teach based on their experiences as students “teach as I was taught”. This approach tends to perpetuate lectures as passive, one-way
methods of transferring information. The lack of faculty training in presenting effective lectures,
rather than the method itself, may be the greatest weakness of the lecture. Therefore we can
presume that there is a relationship between students who are often poor participants in the
lecture and faculty perceived as poor lecturers. Thus students, not knowing how to be active
participants in lectures, have relied on dictation, rote, and repetition for learning. This has the
negative impact of affecting what is learned and the extent of knowledge gained as a result of
the teaching-learning process. Consequently, this calls for a change in the teaching learning
process in many college classes.
This new understanding has given rise to the notion of a paradigm shift in higher education,
one from a focus on teaching to a focus on learning (Barr and Tagg 1995). Thus the purpose of
this paper is to explore the effectiveness of ‘Learntertainment strategy as an alternative
instructional method for undergraduate students in higher education institutions (HEIs) by
examining their perceptions. The methodology used is grounded theory modified slightly to
incorporate constructivist grounded theory espoused by Charmaz (2000). While still a work in
progress data were gathered via focus group discussions recorded on audio-tape, transcribed,
and *
Gertz, Drew
Coauthor(s): David Johnson
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: The Design, Fabrication, and Testing of a Wind Turbine Blade With
Interchangeable Tips
Abstract: A 3.3 m diameter wind turbine rotor has been designed, fabricated,
and tested in a large scale university operated indoor wind facility. The rotor
was custom-designed for operation in the aforementioned wind facility and
incorporated exchangeable tips such that various tip designs could be tested for their effect on
rotor performance. This paper outlines the motivation for the exchangeable tip feature and
58
describes the blade design and fabrication, as well as performance test results for the baseline
blade and two winglet designs. Winglets are specialized tips designed to augment the power
output of the turbine over a specific range of wind speeds. The first stage of testing determined
the power production of the baseline rotor. That is, the rotor having blades with standard tips.
Power production tests were completed covering a range of mean wind speeds, 3.6 m/s to 10.8
m/s nominal, and turbine rotor shaft rotational rates, 100 rpm to 240 rpm. This testing allowed
the total power produced by the blades to
be determined as a function of input wind speed, as traditionally found in power
curves for commercial turbines. At the design shaft speed of 200 rpm, the maximum power
produced was 1.4 kW at 10.4 m/s. Having established the performance of the baseline rotor,
the effect of the winglets was measured. The experimental results reveal that winglets can
successfully augment the power of a wind turbine by 3 – 5%.
Ghaddar, Bissan
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: A Multidisciplinary Approach for Teaching Engineering Courses
Abstract: When teaching engineering courses, professors usually focus on the technical details
of the course and neglect the practical and analytical aspects of the subject. As a result, after
completing their degree and starting their industrial careers engineering students usually face
several difficulties particularly when working in multidisciplinary teams and when holding
managerial positions. Nowadays, it is essential that engineers are not only equipped with
technical abilities but are also capable of collaborating across disciplinary boundaries and
exhibiting soft competencies. Therefore, it is important to consider a multidisciplinary approach
when designing engineering courses to enable students to creatively solve real problems by
simulating actual industrial experience. In this presentation, I will discuss multidisciplinary
approaches used in teaching engineering courses in general and engineering management
courses in particular that help promote students' analytical skills and get them prepared for
their future careers.
Ghossoub, Mario
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Contracting under Heterogeneous Beliefs
Abstract: We consider a general model of demand for claims that are contingent on some given
underlying uncertainty, and comonotonic with that uncertainty. A decision makers’ (DM)
wealth depends on both the uncertainty and the contingent claim that is issued to her by a
claim issuer (CI). The latter's wealth is also dependent on the uncertainty and the contingent
claim the he issues. The DM seeks to maximize her expected utility of wealth with respect to
59
her subjective probability measure, whereas claims are evaluated by the CI according to his
expected utility of wealth with respect to his subjective probability measure.
We show that under a consistency requirement on the subjective probabilities that we call
"vigilance", we can drop the comonotonicity constraint – hence simplifying the problem
considerably – and we can easily deal with the heterogeneity of beliefs. We also show that in
most relevant situations, the assumption of "vigilance" is (strictly) weaker than the more or less
usual assumption of a "monotone likelihood ratio", when the latter can be defined.
We then examine an important special case of our model, namely a problem of demand for
insurance under heterogeneous beliefs. Finally, we study some mathematical properties of
collections of "vigilant" beliefs.
Gidvani, Rohan
Coauthor(s): Bernard P. Duncker, Brendan J. McConkey and Brian P. Ingalls
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: An in silico mathematical model of the initiation of DNA replication
Abstract: Proper eukaryotic cell proliferation depends upon DNA replication, a closely regulated
process mediated by the actions of a multitude of factors. The initiation of replication is
regulated by a heterohexameric complex, the Origin Recognition Complex (ORC). At origins of
replication, ORC recruits and/or associates with protein factors such as Cdt1, Cdc6, the MCM2-7
complex, Cdc45 and the Dbf4-Cdc7 kinase. While the mechanisms controlling these associations
are well documented, an established mathematical model allows us to explore the network’s
behaviour. Using budding yeast as a model organism, we have developed an ordinary
differential equation (ODE)-based model of the protein-protein interaction network describing
replication initiation. Precise quantification of protein factors at various timepoints is critical
and to this end, we have made use of genetic manipulations and quantitative protein
expression analysis. Using chromatin extracts from synchronized cell cultures, we were able to
monitor the fluctuation of a number of the aforementioned proteins. This information was used
to infer qualities of the protein network and to build a predictive mathematical model of the
process of DNA replication initiation, which can be integrated into existing models of the entire
budding yeast cell cycle. Model-based predictions about system behaviour were successfully
reproduced in in vivo experiments, validating the model and improving the robustness of its
accuracy.
Glussich, Doug
Coauthor(s): Jonathan Histon
Presentation type: Oral presentation
Abstract title: The Stable Approach Monitor - Supporting Flightdeck Decision Making
60
Abstract: Aviation safety has seen decreased accident rates as a result of continued
technological improvements and the introduction of hazard-specific warning systems. However,
there remain key phases of flight where the introduction of technology could improve pilot
decision making processes. This paper describes an approach used to develop insight into the
design of a stable approach monitoring system and the initial results from evaluations of the
proposed design.
In order to develop such a system, a multi-phase investigation was used. The initial phase
involved a systematic examination of the literature on previous accident investigations of the
causes and consequences of aircraft unstable approaches. A questionnaire was distributed to
150 commercial airline pilots examining the fundamental components of a stable approach,
frequency of unstable approaches and desired characteristics of an unstable approach warning
system. Based on the findings, it was concluded that the information required to conduct a
safe and successful approach to landing is readily available to the pilots in current commercial
flightdeck technology. However, findings suggest that pilots failed to integrate the present day display information that advocated an alternative course of action to cease an approach
that had become unstable.
The paper will present initial findings of the investigation and outline the plans for evaluating
the final prototype in the final phase. By examining how to develop technology to monitor
conformance to stable approach criteria, insights can be gained into how to advance human technology cooperation as well as improvements in overall aviation safety.
Goel, Prateek
Coauthor(s): Carl Haugen
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Theoretical Description of Photo-detachment spectra of small biradicals
Abstract: Chemistry has been categorized and presented as an experimental science for a long
time in the history of Science. Until recently, this view has been prominent amongst majority.
However, with the invention of quantum mechanics in early 20th century, it has become
possible to theoretically predict chemical properties by means of solving the Schrodinger
equation. Although exact description of many-body systems, i.e. atoms and molecules, is
computationally intractable, physicists and chemists have developed approximate methods
that are capable of describing many systems with excellent accuracy with the help of powerful
computers. This field of research is widely known as Quantum Chemistry.
Among the wave function based electronic structure methods, single-reference coupled-cluster
theory has enabled highly accurate description of small-to-medium sized molecules. However,
in certain multi-reference cases such as biradicals, bond-breaking processes, and excited states,
single-reference coupled-cluster theory fails to provide even a qualitatively correct description.
Multi-reference coupled-cluster methods that are applicable to such systems as well as to
general open-shell systems are in active development in our group. Also, to be able to make
direct and meaningful comparison to the experimental results, electronic structure technique is
61
being coupled to an efficient scheme in order to describe non-adiabatic nuclear dynamics,
based on vibronic model Hamiltonians.
At this stage, benchmark calculations have been performed for selected biradical systems using
the ACES II program. These results when combined with vibronic coupling will be used to
simulate the photoelectron spectra of these systems. Application of these methods to
transition metal compounds is a prospective*
Gruevski, Kristina
Coauthor(s): McKinnon, C. D., Callaghan, J. P.
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: The effect of mobile data terminal use on posture and low back discomfort
during prolonged seating in police officers
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine the role of MDT usage as a contributing
factor to low back pain. Specifically how MDT usage interplays with prolonged driving to either
mitigate or exacerbate low back pain will be examined. What influence the mobile data
terminal (MDT) has on body postures, seat driver interface pressures and ratings of perceived
discomfort (RPD) and the factors influencing low back discomfort during seated work while
driving will be evaluated. Eighteen participants (9 male, 9 female) will be recruited for the
study. The participants will be asked to complete two 120 minute simulated driving sessions.
The setup is designed to replicate the internal dimensions and configuration of a Ford Crown
Victoria Interceptor police cruiser. Duty belts and protective vests will be worn during
collection. Time varying lumbar spine and pelvis postures will be measured using
accelerometers (S2-10G-MF, NexGen Ergonomics, Montreal, Quebec, Canada) and seat
pressure mapping systems (X3, XSensor Inc, Calgary, Alberta, Canada) will quantify the seat
back and seat pan interface pressures. Ratings of perceived discomfort (RPD) will be recorded
on a 100 mm visual analog scale at 15 minute intervals throughout the collection. Data will be
processed using a custom made MATLAB program (v.7.11.0, R2010b, Natick, MA, USA). The
information garnered from this study will assist in the design of a workplace intervention for
police cruisers and contribute to the fundamental understanding of the causative factors for
low back pain attributed to prolonged seated exposures and MDT usage.
Guillemineau, Mickael
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Synthesis of two pentasaccharide fragments of Tumor Associated Carbohydrate
Antigen LeaLex
Abstract: Aberrant glycosylations occurring on the surface of cancer cells[1] result in the
formation of abnormal structures called Tumor-Associated-Carbohydrate-Antigens (TACA).
62
Squamous lung carcinoma cells[2] display on their surface the TACA LeaLex hexasaccharide
which is of interest in our research group. Fragments of this hexasaccharide need to be
prepared in order to have more structural information. Our strategy utilizes monosaccharide
building blocks in the synthesis of pentasaccharide fragments of LeaLex. First, an Nacetylglucosamine acceptor bearing a chlorohexyl chain at the anomeric position was
successfully glycosylated at O-4 with a galactosyl imidate donor. This glycosylation was
promoted using an excess of BF3.OEt2 (2eq.). Then, a selective O-dechloroacetylation afforded
a disaccharide acceptor that was engaged in a TESOTf promoted glycosylation with a 2-deoxy-2trichloroacetamido glucosyl donor to give a trisaccharide with a good yield. A reductive
regioselective opening of the benzylidene with NaCNBH3 gave the corresponding O-4”
trisaccharide glycosyl acceptor. Fucosylation followed by dechloroacetylation at O-3 and then
again fucosylation gave a protected pentasaccharide. This pentasaccharide was submitted to a
total deprotection to give the first target with a hexyl long chain for NMR studies. The second
target, bearing an amino hexyl chain for conjugation purposes, could be obtained by a
nucleophilic displacement of the chlorine using NaN3 followed by a total deprotection.
[1]. S.-I. Hakamori, Adv. Cancer Res. 1989, 52, 257-331. S.-I. Hakamori and Y. Zhang, Chem. Biol.
1997, 4, 97-104. S.-I. Hakamori, Acta Anat. 1998, 161, 79-90. [2]. G. F. Springer, J. Mol. Med.
1997, 75, 594-602.
Haj Mirza Alian, Ehsan
Coauthor(s): Hamidreza Ebrahimzadeh Saffar
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Cross-band interference reduction trade-offs in ofdm-based cognitive radio
systems
Abstract: Cognitive radio has been recently proposed as a promising approach for efficient
utilization of radio spectrum. Due to its high spectral efficiency and flexibility, OFDM is
considered as a good signaling scheme for cognitive radios. However, OFDM inherently suffers
from out-of-band radiation due to high sidelobes of subcarriers, causing cross-band
interference to other users. In this research, we investigate the problem of cross-band
interference minimization in OFDM-based cognitive systems.
Active interference cancellation (AIC) and adaptive symbol transition (AST) are the most recent
methods proposed for sidelobe suppression in OFDM that have shown a relatively acceptable
performance. In this paper, based on least squares optimization, we establish a mathematical
framework to study the trade-off between these two methods as our proposed scheme jointly
minimizes the interference over the symbol extension (time) and cancellation carriers
(frequency), and thus, provides insights into the trade-off between time and frequency.
Numerical results show that the best trade-off depends on the configuration of spectral
opportunities. Specifically, whether there is one large primary band, or there are multiple small
primary bands. Based on the simulation results, we show that significant system complexity
reduction is possible by an approximation to the optimization method.
63
Hajialamdari, Mojtaba
Coauthor(s): A. M. Al-Kadry, and D. Strickland
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Two-Color Fiber Chirped Pulse Amplifier for Mid-Infrared Generation
Abstract: There has been an increasing demand on coherent intense mid-infrared sources in
molecular spectroscopy. While, most lasers are emitting visible or near-infrared light, so far,
mid-infrared lasers have not been available due to undiscovered gain media working efficiently
in this region. However, difference frequency mixing (DFM) of two wavelengths is an alternative
method to achieve this goal. We have demonstrated the generation of 400µW at ~18µm by
DFM the output from a two-color Yb-doped fiber amplifier (YDFA). A continuum is generated by
focusing 200mW, 200fs, Yb:fiber laser, into a 2-m photonic crystal fiber spliced to 100m of
single mode fiber. A 3-mW, two-color seed signal centered at 1038nm and 1103nm is selected
in a two-color grating pulse stretcher. The seed signal is amplified to 1.4W in a two-stage twocolor YDFA. The amplified pulses are compressed to 700fs in a three grating dispersion line
giving a total output power of 400mW. To generate mid-infrared, the two colors are
orthogonally polarized, combined on a polarizer and then focused with a 400-mm focal length
lens into a 1-mm thick GaSe crystal to generate radiation at ~18µm. We measured an average
power of 400µW using a HgCdTe detector. A LabVIEW program has been created to find the
optimal fiber lengths for the preamplifier and amplifier fibers. The simulation results from the
program show reasonable agreement with our experimental results. In conclusion, we have
improved the output of our system by one order of magnitude by adding a pre-amplifier and
compressing the pulses.
Hakull, Kent
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Challenges and Opportunities to Implementing Smart Growth: A Downtown
Guelph Case Study
Abstract: * Purpose of research
Taking a comprehensive view, my research analyzes how Smart Growth theory, provincial and
municipal planning policies, downtown brownfield redevelopment realities and stakeholder
values come together through the City of Guelph’s Downtown Secondary Plan policy
formulation process. This case study offers me a chance to observe the planning process taking
place when planning policy is being formulated amidst stakeholders expressing their values, the
realities of downtown brownfield redevelopment, a complex market reality, an organic public
organization and participation dynamic and a local political context. Thus, in a theoretical and
64
local planning context, one stand to better address challenges and opportunities to implement
Smart Growth after first having identified and analyzed them.
* Procedures and/or methods used
The four major stages used to undertake this research will include:
1) background literature review on Smart Growth and Collaborative Community Planning and
analysis of primary interviews with planners and developers in the Greater Golden Horseshoe;
2) case study research, including analysis of planning policies and development trends in the
City of Guelph, statistical descriptive analysis of the St. Patrick’s Ward neighbourhood by
Census Canada 2006 data, and interviews with stakeholders engaged in the drafting process of
the Downtown Secondary Plan; and
3) case study analysis and findings, highlighting major challenges and opportunities to
implementations that enhances the possibility of achieving Smart Growth objectives.
* Major finding and results
Not yet available.
* Research conclusions
Not yet available.
Hall, Brad
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: The Use of Metallic Nanoparticles to Change the Optical Properties of Contact
Lenses
Abstract: Purpose
To determine if metallic nanoparticles can be used to irreversibly change the optical properties
of hydrogel biomaterials.
Methods
Several hydrogel contact lens materials were soaked in varying solutions of metallic (gold and
silver) nanoparticles. Optical transmission spectra were taken using an Ocean Optics USB4000
spectrometer. Lenses were subsequently stored in commercially available contact lens
disinfecting solutions and a solution of phosphate buffered saline to determine the ease with
which the nanoparticles could be removed.
Results
The transmission percentage of the treated lenses was reduced to lower than ~ 30% in the
region near 550 nm. After 4-6 months in buffer or contact lens cleaning solution, there was no
indication of any transfer of characteristic nanoparticle colour from the previously exposed
lenses to the solution.
Conclusions
Metallic nanoparticles can be used to optically change hydrogel contact lens materials and
provide a promising method for tinting lenses for medical or cosmetic purposes. Contact lenses
are visibly tinted after as little as 30 minutes of soaking and have reduced transmission
65
characteristics the longer they are soaked. The nanoparticles are, within our detection limits,
irreversibly adsorbed.
Hameed, Raees
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Enterprise Resouce Planning
Abstract: Research:
Enterprise resource planning is reliable technological data-processing software. It integrates of
entire organizational functionalities at one software platform, employing database, interfacing
to external applications.
Procedure:Using S-Curve methodology/Graphical Representation
Findings & Conclusions:
ERP is highly disruptive technologically. There was initial performance degradation after
implementing ERP .Incrementing features as envisioned by lead users and champions of
innovation along with the creation of communities of practice, ERP systems eventually started
stabilizing with the steep rise in S-Curve with an increased rise in demand for absorptive
capacity to support its operation.
1)
Imperative for E-governance and minimizing digital divide.
2)
Productive work culture, process perspective way.
3)
Customization built-in features as per demand.
4)
Change management sessions to prepare people for change.
5)
Unlike disparate legacy systems, introduced forced change (via upgrades).
6)
Reduction in inventory by 25% in manufacturing and releasing of decision making
information in minutes.
7)
Display of energy & water consumption data reduced green house emissions.
8)
Unifies fragmented and globalised technology & markets.
9)
Global shortage of 30,000 to 50,000 professionals in SAP in future
10)
BI effective in analysing non-conformance, blind spots and inflection points.
Enhanced performance and productivity of Enterprise Resource Planning systems have become
sine qua non for corporate competitive advantage in economies of scale and emerging ICT
infrastructures.ERP promises to provide integrated (SOA, COTS) and user-centric end product
families, contributing to the “paperless” and efficient environment.
Hannon, Sheila
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: The Power of Genre
66
Abstract: This presentation studies newspaper texts through the lens of rhetorical genre theory.
While scholars have applied rhetorical genre theory to the study of professional writing in
workplaces and academia, little has been done in the area of journalism. By encompassing the
dynamic concepts of change and growth, rhetorical genre theory looks beyond form to examine
the work or action of a text.
My presentation answers whether the news story, headline, and editorial are discrete genres. I
report on my case studies of five Canadian newspapers and their coverage of the Halifax
Explosion of 1917 and the Blackout of 2003.
Through rhetorical analysis, as well as a linguistic analysis based on the work of Robert Hodge
and Gunther Kress, I explore if the methods of writing these texts fulfil the goals of each genre. I
then examine the texts in their contexts to determine the “social action” each genre
accomplishes, to use Carolyn Miller’s concept.
This study furthers our understanding of genres in the journalistic sphere, their social action,
and how they function as an important pillar of democracy. My findings lay the groundwork for
studies of other print and online text types such as the review, the commentary, and the blog
Understanding how genre functions in the journalistic world allows us – as teachers and
practitioners – to understand the effects of linguistic choices and to use the power of genre to
improve message delivery and better serve readers.
Hano, Kate
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: The Accessibility of the Jamaican and Arubian all-inclusive resorts for physically
disabled individuals
Abstract: Abstract:
In this paper both attitudinal as well as physical barriers are examined, which inhibit the
possibility to travel for physically disabled individuals. The researcher focuses upon the
Accessibility Attitudinal and barriers model AABM to explain the four main areas which need to
be improved in order to make traveling for physically disabled persons a pleasure, and not
hindrance.
Through defining the group under discussion, explaining their difficulties, the barriers they
experience and identifying international policies the paper outlines the steps which already
have been taken, as well as, need to be taken to make traveling for pleasure available to all
individuals. In addition, the researchers address the motives to travel of disabled tourists, as
well as, how travel agents have the power to clench the motives and desires to travel of
disabled individuals.
Furthermore, the case of Jamaican and Arubian All-Inclusive Resorts will be discussed to obtain
a better understanding of the accessibility provisions at all-inclusive resorts for physically
disabled individuals.
67
Hariri, Sepideh
Coauthor(s): Alireza A. Moayed, A. Mishra, C.Hyun, S.Shakeel, S. Boyd and K. Bizheva
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: In-vivo longitudinal monitoring and quantification of retina degeneration in a
rat model with high resolution OCT
Abstract: Purpose: Retina degeneration, typical for neurodegenerative diseases impairs vision
and leads to blindness at different stages of development of these diseases. In this study we
have developed a rat retina degeneration model and used a state-of-the art OCT system to
visualize and quantify structural changes in the rat retina over time associated with the
photoreceptor degeneration.
Methods: Our custom-made fiber-optic FD-OCT system ,designed for ocular imaging, provided
3µm axial resolution in the rat eye and ~100dB sensitivity at 1.5 mW power of the imaging
beam. The animals used for in-vivo OCT imaging were Long Evans rats. Animals were imaged at
different stages of the disease progression.
Results: Images of healthy and diseased rat retinas acquired in-vivo with the OCT system are
presented. In the normal retina all retinal layers are clearly visible in the OCT tomogram. The
improved penetration into the choroid, achieved by OCT imaging at 1060nm, reveals a 3D
network of choroidal vessels. OCT tomogram from diseased retina show that the photoreceptor
degeneration has resulted in structural decomposition of different layers.
Conclusions: We have developed a photoreceptor degenertion rodent retina model and used a
state-of-the-art, high speed, high resolution OCT system to visualize, quantify and monitor
structural changes in the rat retina, associated with the photoreceptor degeneration over time.
According to our results, different stages of photoreceptor degeneration, can be characterized
by changes in the layer thickness, shape, scattering properties and choroidal vasculature.
Results from this study could potentially lead to better understanding of retinal degenerative
diseases.
Harrison, Joel
Presentation type: Mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Inhibition of Freshwater Phytoplankton Photosynthesis by Ultraviolet Radiation
Abstract: Phytoplankton photosynthesis supports higher trophic levels in aquatic food-webs
and is responsible for approximately 50% of global carbon fixation, but can be severely
inhibited by ultraviolet radiation (UVR). The factors controlling phytoplankton sensitivity to
UVR-induced photoinhibition in nature are not fully understood. My research was undertaken
to: (1) assess how the response of phytoplankton to UVR varies temporally (on diurnal, intraseasonal, and seasonal timescales) and spatially (among and within lakes), and (2) to elucidate
what factors control the observed variation. Photoinhibition was quantified as decreases in the
68
variable fluorescence of Photosystem II (Fv/Fm) as measured using a pulse amplitude
modulation (PAM) fluorometer. Fv/Fm was monitored during short (90 – 120 min) incubations
under 14 irradiance treatments of varying spectral quality at in situ temperature. The results
show that when differences in water column spectral transparency and incident irradiance are
controlled for, phytoplankton communities show a remarkable consistency in their sensitivity to
UVR-induced photoinhibition. Nutrient status and taxonomic composition do not appear to
exert major influences on the magnitude of photoinhibition experienced by phytoplankton in
lakes. I conclude that light history is a major factor controlling the UVR response of freshwater
phytoplankton, likely via its role in promoting photoacclimation.
Harun, Noorlisa
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Dynamic modeling and simulation of MEA scrubbing processes for CO2 capture
from fossil fuel power plant
Abstract: Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) that
contributes to increase global warming. CO2 capture process is an approach for mitigation of
CO2 emissions from large point sources like fossil fuel power plants. Adding CO2 capture
process to a fossil fuel power plant may reduce the CO2 emissions to the atmosphere by
approximately 85-95%. CO2 removal by amine scrubbing has been extensively studied to
optimize the process operating conditions, to improve or test new solvents, to propose new
designs that minimize energy consumption and to increase plant efficiency. Most of these
studies describe the behaviour of this process using steady-state models. However, power
plants are subject to start-up, shut-down and sudden changes in the flue gas load due to
fluctuations in electricity demand. Thus, a dynamic MEA absorption process model is required
to study the effect of the power plant’s dynamic behaviour on CO2 capture process. In
particular, the use of a dynamic model is a powerful tool for the development of suitable
control strategies for this process. The aim of this study is to develop a mechanistic first
principle dynamic model for the complete MEA absorption process. The proposed dynamic
model was implemented and solved using gPROMS, a general-purpose process modelling
software tool. The proposed mathematical model was validated using RadFrac column model in
Aspen steady-state simulation software. The results show a reasonable agreement between
predictions made by the dynamic model developed in gPROMS and Aspen Plus software. The
effects of changing the re-boiler heat *
Hashemi Vaziri, Shahram
Coauthor(s): Carl T. Haas, Ralph C. G. Haas, Leo Rothenburg
Presentation type: oral presentation
69
Abstract title: Preliminary Results of the University of Waterloo’s Newly Installed Weigh-InMotion Sensors on Highway 401 Perpetual Pavements, Woodstock
Abstract: Weigh-in-motion (WIM) sensors measure axle weights without interruption of traffic
flow, as vehicles drive over an instrumented site. The applications of WIM data are in pavement
design, traffic management, infrastructure protection, tolling, weight enforcement, truck safety
advisory systems, etc. Properly installed and calibrated sensors provide quality data for
transportation engineers and decision makers to design and construct new roads and to protect
in-service networks.
The Centre for Pavement and Transportation Technology (CPATT), the Ontario Ministry of
Transportation (MTO), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
(NSERC), the Ontario Hot Mix Producers Association (OHMPA), Stantec Inc. and McAsphalt
Industries Ltd. are collaborating to evaluate performances of three flexible pavement designs,
including two perpetual/longlife (with and without the rich bottom mix (RBM) layer) and one
conventional pavement design. These pavement designs are being monitored by strain,
pressure, temperature and moisture sensors, which were installed in the asphalt, granular and
sub-base layers. Quartz and polymer piezoelectric WIM sensors were finally installed in the
surface course of the perpetual pavement (with RBM).
This presentation reports on the installation and calibration of the WIM sensors, and
investigates their performances under site conditions specifically for the polymer sensor, which
initial results showed its susceptibility to air temperature and vehicles’ speeds. An autocalibration algorithm for the most effective WIM sensors will be provided in the future to
supply calibration factors for Ontario’s climate and road conditions, while WIM data collection
will provide an opportunity for investigating the load spectra impacts on the pavement designs.
Hegazy, Aiat
Coauthor(s): Eric Prouzet
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Synthesis and structural study of nanostructured TiO2 for Dye Sensitized Solar
Cells
Abstract: TiO2 nanoparticles are a major component of Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSC)
because their electronic structure allows them to collect the electrons transferred from the dye
molecules after sunlight irradiation, and their semi-conductor behaviour allows the surface
transport of these electrons up to the collecting electrode and the electrical circuit. However,
the optimization of both structural and electronic properties of titanium oxide is still a
challenge and most of the DSSC devices developed until now are using the same commercial
powders (Degussa P-25) without any optimization. We adapted the parameters of synthesis of
a process initially developed for macroporous titania (Konishi, 2006) to develop a new type of
nanostructured material. The influence of the parameters was modelled by experimental
design combined with phase diagram, to plot a complete picture of the nature, structure and
70
electronic properties. The analysis of the materials, either as-synthesized or after a thermal
treatment, was carried out by UV-vis spectroscopy, SAXS, Temperature-programmed XRD, and
Dynamic Light Scattering. The results demonstrate that we managed to synthesize 4 nm
nanocrystals of titania at room temperature, with a composition that varies from 100% anatase
to 50:50 anatase:brookite. These materials exhibit also a mesostructure with the formation of
porous aggregates. The structural and composition evolution of these materials depends also
on their initial composition.
Heil, John
Coauthor(s): Jiujun Cheng, Trevor Charles
Presentation type: oral
Abstract title: ABCDE: A Bacterial Chromosome Engineering System
Abstract: Chromosome engineering is needed for producing the genetically-stable modified
strains used in future applications, such as production of designer strains for chemical
production, and the use of recombination based techniques to physically assemble overlapping
metagenomic sequence. We have designed a chromosome engineering system: ABCDE
(Advanced Bacterial Chromosome Design and Engineering). The system employs the efficient
site-specific integration of overlapping DNA fragments (integrase mediated cassette exchange:
IMCE) followed by assembly via homologous recombination (recombination synthesis).
Streptomyces phage (φ) C31 integrase is used for IMCE. φC31 integrase catalyzes an efficient
one way strand exchange between attP and attB sites, and requires no accessory factors. IMCE
requires a strain containing an attP- flanked cassette (landing pad (LP) strain), a plasmid with an
attB flanked cassette, and the integrase. After IMCE two resultant strains will contain
fragments that are overlapping containing differing markers. The DNA of one strain is
transferred to the other, and cells containing an assembly of the two fragments are selected
with the appropriate antibiotics. This proceedure can be repeated with a third antibiotic.
LP sequences have been integrated into Sinorhizobium meliloti, Agrobacterium tumefaciens ,
and Ochrobactrum anthropi. IMCE has been demonstrated with these strains, with 0.25%
efficiency (10^3 times better than homologous recombination).
ABCDE provides a platform for applications requiring stable maintenance, and assembly of large
DNA inserts. Users of the system may take advantage of the LP-strains constructed to date,
providing a range of host options.
Helt, Cassandra
Coauthor(s): R.L. Legge, and R.M. Slawson
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Real-Time PCR Quantification of Bacterial Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance
Genes in Treatment Lagoons Receiving Poultry Waste Effluent
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Abstract: The treatment of domestic sewage in natural systems such as constructed lagoons is
becoming a popular approach for small communities in rural regions. Wastewater from
livestock operations are known to harbour elevated levels of antibiotic resistant bacteria, which
may contribute to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Although
antimicrobial resistance patterns have been described using cultivation-based methods, few
studies have monitored the prevalence of bacterial pathogens/ARGs in waste lagoons using
quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR). The purpose of this study was to
quantify and examine the behaviour of selected bacterial pathogens and ARGs in a constructed
lagoon system using q-PCR. Salmonella spp., Enterococcus spp., and E. coli concentrations were
highest in lagoon 1 (receiving post-flocculated effluent), with 2.17 x 10^4, 1.30 x 10^7, and 2.94
x 10^9 gene copies/100 mL, respectively. All pathogens decreased throughout the system, with
Salmonella spp., and Enterococcus spp. falling to non-detectable limits in the final lagoon. E.
coli remained present with a final lagoon concentration of 8.29 x 10^5 gene copies/100 mL. The
two ARGs, ampC and blaSHV were present in five of the six sampling locations, in the orders of
10^5-10^7 gene copies/100mL. This study represents a quantitative characterization of
bacterial pathogens and ARGs in a lagoon treatment system, with results indicating the
potential survival and persistence of specific pathogens and/or ARGs. Due to the growing
concern surrounding antibiotic resistance, there is need to improve our understanding of the
potential environmental persistence of ARGs in treatment lagoons and the broader aquatic
environment.
Hennigar, Julie
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Understanding the ecological functions of ephemeral and intermittent
headwater streams: Do temporary streams support native fish populations?
Abstract: It is becoming increasingly imperative that we understand the roles and processes
played by ephemeral and intermittent headwater streams. As many cities are expanding into
the headwater areas of their watersheds, both scientists and land use planners are becoming
increasingly concerned that ephemeral and intermittent headwater streams are highly
impacted by agricultural and urban land-use alterations and that these modifications will cause
streams to lose their ability to perform critical ecological functions in the watershed before
those functions can be appreciated or even understood. One function that has been
hypothesized is that ephemeral streams, which are known to transport large quantities of
organic material, might act as important sources of food to downstream fish communities. We
tested this hypothesis using backpack electrofishing techniques to capture fish living in
proximity to ephemeral and intermittent streams. We then used gastric lavage as a non-lethal
method of stomach content removal. We compared the stomach contents of each fish to the
materials being exported from the ephemeral or intermittent stream, in order to empirically
72
test whether exports from temporary streams play a significant role in supplementing the diet
of downstream fish populations.
Henry, Ryan
Coauthor(s): Femi Olumofic, Ian Goldberg
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Pay-per-PIR and PIRACL: Symmetric Private Information Retrieval with PerRecord Pricing and Access Control Lists
Abstract: Private information retrieval (PIR) provides a means of querying a database without
the database being able to learn any information about the query. In this work, we extend
Goldberg's multi-server information-theoretic PIR to a price symmetric PIR (PSPIR) with support
for a tiered pricing model in which users purchase records from the database in a privacypreserving manner. Our approach enables different users to purchase the same record at
different price points, depending on their status in the system; for example, non-members may
be required to pay one price, while members may be able to purchase the same records at a
discounted rate. Our approach maintains user anonymity in addition to query privacy; that is,
the database servers do not learn any information about the index of the record that the user
purchases, the price that the user pays for its purchase, the price tier according to which the
user pays, or the user's remaining balance. We then show how a simple extension of our
construction allows the database to support group-centric access control lists with record-level
granularity. Ours is the first proposal to enable the privacy-preserving sale of database records
with a tiered pricing model, access control and PIR's sublinear communication requirements.
We have implemented our protocols as an add-on to Percy++, an open source implementation
of Goldberg's PIR scheme, and evaluate its performance empirically.
Hernandez, Maria
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Distribution of epilithic algae along the shore o f Lake Huron
Abstract: The southeast shore of Lake Huron has been the focus of several agencies since the
early 1980’s due to algal shoreline fouling. Consequently, series of water quality assessment
have been conducted. Regrettably, to date studies on the relationships between the biota and
the different environmental variables are still lacking. The objective of this study is to elucidate
the abundance and distribution of epilithic diatoms at 7 sites along the southeast shore of Lake
Huron. Diatoms were sampled on a monthly basis concomitant with the environmental
variables. Altogether, 121 epilithic diatom species were identified. Species richness ranges
from 51 to 61. Chlorophyll a and organic content showed linear relationship at all sites with r2 =
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0.6327. This suggests that one or the other can be use as a measure of biomass. Epilithic
diatoms appear to be a good indicator of nutrient enrichment and land-use.
Hessien, Manal
Coauthor(s): Nigel Singh, ChonHoon Kim,Eric Prouzet
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Stability and Tunability of O/W Nanoemulsions Prepared by Phase Inversion
Composition
Abstract: We report on an analysis of the parameters that control both the stability and
tunability of O/W nanoemulsions prepared by the phase inversion composition
(PIC) and stabilized by nonionic surfactants -Tween 80 and Span 80- that can be
mixed to adjust the hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB). We used a processmixture
design method to describe the cross-link between parameters like
composition, temperature of preparation and HLB. Nanoemulsions are stable for
several days even at high concentration. The diameter of these oil droplets could be
adjusted between 50-300 nm. The tunability of these systems is controlled by
various parameters. The surfactant/oil ratio is a parameter that can help to reduce
the oil droplet size but the size control depends also on other parameters and an
optimum must be find within the phase diagram, once the temperature of
preparation and the HLB have been defined. The temperature of preparation has a
major influence and its origin should be found in the control of the hydrophobic/
hydrophilic balance of the Tween 80 during the formation of the intermediate
bicontinuous phase. The HLB has also an influence on the nanoemulsion size, but
this influence results mostly from a variation in the coverage surface of the
surfactant layer than from a direct effect of the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance.
Finally, the present study illustrates the importance to use a multiparameters
analysis such as process-mixture experimental design, to span correctly the cross
interactions in these complex systems.
Hewer, Micah
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Weather Preferences and Weather Related Decision-Making for Summer
Camping in Ontario Parks
Abstract: Abstract
This study contributes to the on-going assessment of weather sensitivity for different tourism
segments across varying climate zones world-wide. This study hopes to foster more informed
planning and adaptation to climatic opportunities and threats related to park tourism in
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Ontario. Jones and Scott (2006) projected increased visitation and lengthened operating
seasons for provincial parks in Ontario as a result of climatic warming. However, increased
warming and the subsequent thermal comfort of campers may pose a threat to park visitation if
temperatures rise to unacceptable ranges. Using a survey-based approach, the purpose of this
study was therefore to identify and compare stated weather preferences and weather related
decision-making between two different provincial parks in Ontario. The two parks selected as
case studies, based on differing park characteristics and perceived climatic requirements, were
Pinery and Grundy Lake.
It was found that temperature preferences between the two parks were strikingly similar.
However, weather related decision-making varied significantly, showing campers at Pinery to
be considerably more sensitive to undesirable weather conditions than those at Grundy Lake.
Contrary to the original hypothesis, increased warming was not perceived by campers as a
major threat to park visitation in Ontario. It was heavy rain, strong winds and unacceptably
cool temperatures that were found to be the most influential weather aspects in relation to
camper decision-making. In conclusion, based on user preferences, parks which are more
beach-oriented, closer to tourism generating areas and associated with shorter lengths of stay
are expected to be the most weather sensitive.
Hlimi, Tina
Coauthor(s): Eric N. Liberda
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Exposure to Environmental Contaminants from Traditional Food Consumption
among First Nations Schoolchildren of the Mushkegowuk Territory
Abstract:
Purpose of Research
The abundance of low-nutrient market foods combined with concerns about environmental
contaminants in northern regions of Canada may instigate barriers to continual and frequent
game (e.g., wild meats, fish) consumption among First Nations adolescents. There is a paucity
of research on body burden, or exposure to environmental contaminants from traditional food
consumption amongst First Nations children and adolescents. This research is imperative
because children have a greater susceptibility to environmental contaminants from consumed
game compared to adults. Therefore, this research will analyse contaminant exposure among
Cree schoolchildren in five communities located in western James Bay and south-western
Hudson Bay, Ontario, Canada.
Methodology and Procedures
269 tissue samples of game were analyzed for heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants at
the INSPQ laboratory in Quebec. Exposure levels in schoolchildren were calculated using
descriptive statistics based on schoolchildren’s (n=55) reported game intake from a 24 hour
dietary recall. Body burden was subsequently compared to Health Canada’s tolerable daily
intake (µg/kg body weight per day).
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Major finding and results
Environmental contaminant exposure is negligible in Cree schoolchildren of the Mushkegowuk
Territory; therefore, increasing game consumption would be beneficial to overall health.
Conclusion
The long-standing perception that game is contaminated and unsafe to eat is no longer
justifiable; exposure in schoolchildren is negligible. Therefore, adolescents should increase their
game intake as subsistence living is an integral part of First Nations tradition and wild meats
and fish provide an abundance of health-promoting nutrients not often found in market foods.
Ho, Yuan-Hao
Coauthor(s): Ziad Butty, Ayako Anraku, Yvonne M. Buys, Graham E. Trope, John G. Flanagan
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Structure-Function Relationship between Scanning Laser Tomography, Flicker
Defined Form Perimetry and Standard Automated Perimetry in Patients with Glaucoma
Abstract: Purpose: To investigate the correlation between structure and function using
scanning laser tomography, flicker defined form (FDF) perimetry and standard automated
perimetry (SAP).
Methods: The sample consisted of 119 participants with early to moderate glaucoma (mean age
63.49 ± 9.22 years). The study consisted of 3 visits over a 6 week period and included SAP and
FDF perimetry on the Heidelberg Edge Perimeter (HEP; Heidelberg Engineering (HE)) and
imaging on the scanning laser tomography. Unreliable HEP visual fields and poor quality images
on the HRT were excluded from the study. The SAP/FDF visual fields were divided into sectors
corresponding to the six HRT Moorfields regression analysis sectors. The relationship between
global and sectoral HRT parameters and the mean deviation (MD) of FDF and SAP were
analyzed using correlation coefficients and linear regression. Kappa analysis was used to score
the agreement between global and sectoral classifications, i.e. WNL, BL and ONL.
Results: The mean MD of FDF and SAP were -7.46 ±5.39 dB and -2.97±2.34 dB. There was
significant correlation between the FDF and SAP MD and HRT rim area, cup shape, rim volume,
cup to disc ratio and the FSM discriminant function (P<0.001), with FDF always giving higher
correlations. Kappa analysis showed fair agreement between FDF and HRT classifications. The
Kappa score was always less for SAP.
Conclusion: FDF perimetry correlated better with scanning laser tomography than SAP in this
sample of patients with early to moderate glaucoma.
Hobin, Erin
Coauthor(s): Scott Leatherdale, Steve Manske, Theodora Pouliou, Susan Elliott, Joel Dubin
Presentation type: oral presentation
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Abstract title: A multilevel examination of the associations between male and female
adolescent physical activity levels and built environment factors of schools
Abstract: Objective:
Numerous school-based interventions have been implemented to increase youth physical
activity (PA) levels and in turn reduce obesity; however, most of these interventions assume
behaviour is an independent function of individuals regardless of their environment. Recently
there has been a concerted focus on how the built environment might affect PA behaviour at
the population level. The objective of this study is to explore the associations between male
and female adolescent PA levels and built environment factors of schools.
Methods:
Student-level data were collected from 25,143 students in grades 9-12 from 76 secondary
schools across Ontario. School facilities data were collected from administrators using the
school-level module. To capture the potential effects of school neighbourhood factors, we also
created measures of the built environment within 1km buffers of participating schools using
GIS. Multilevel linear regression analyses were conducted separately for males and females.
Results:
School-level differences accounted for a significant amount of variation in student PA for
schools for both males and females, even when student demographics were controlled. Further
analyses to identify specific factors of schools that may account for the between school
variability will be completed.
Conclusions:
The residual differences in PA by school suggest that characteristics of the school environment
facilitate higher levels of adolescent PA beyond individual-level factors. Although most variation
in student PA lies between students within schools, there is sufficient between school variation
to be of interest to practitioners and policy-makers.
Hodge, Angela
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: ‘A case in which two rights collide’: Kirpans in Ontario Classrooms
Abstract: This paper deals with a Ministry of Citizenship Board of Inquiry in the case of
Harbhajan singh Pandori v. Peel Board of Education (1991). Using an historical case study
approach, media reports and court records reveal a collision of rights reflective of social
diversity and therefore provide an interesting case study in Canadian multiculturalism. The
question before the Board was whether the Peel School Board had the right to ensure the
safety of its students at the expense of an individual’s freedom of religion, specifically if a
Khalsa Sikh could wear a kirpan, one of five symbols of their faith known collectively as panj
kakkars. There were conflicting understandings of the kirpan; while to Sikhs the kirpan is a
symbol of justice and protection of the weak, many non-Sikhs perceived only the physical
appearance of the kirpan as a dagger and therefore deemed it a dangerous weapon. The case
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sparked intense public debate encompassing several key themes, including human rights,
multiculturalism, public (majority) interests, and the place of religion in a secular society. In his
decision, Rabbi Gunther Plaut, chair of the Board of Inquiry, concluded that Sikh students had a
right under the Ontario Human Rights Code to practice their religion, but that certain safety
regulations must be followed to ensure that a kirpan could not be easily removed and used as a
weapon. The case ultimately provided the basis for increased inter-cultural discussion and
understanding in Ontario.
Holloway, Catherine
Coauthor(s): Evan Meyer-Scott, Chris Erven, Thomas Jennewein
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Quantum Key Distribution Over Active Telecom Fibres
Abstract: Quantum Key Distribution is a form of public-key cryptography where the security
comes from the unique properties of quantum mechanical systems: entanglement and the nocloning theorem, rather than computational complexity. With increased adoption of fibre optic
networks, it may be possible to implement QKD in parallel with classical data traffic. Many
research projects have demonstrated QKD over fibre optic networks at the same wavelengths
as existing network traffic. These projects require sophisticated noise cancellation due to wave
mixing between quantum and classical signals, as well as having to use complex non-silicon
based photodiodes. Our research uses lower wavelengths for QKD over active telecom fibres to
avoid these problems. Entangled lower-wavelength photons are combined with telecom
wavelength laser signals carrying a large amount of traffic, and passed through single mode
telecom fibres. We show that data bandwidth usage has a negligible effect on the quantum bit
error rate (QBER) and visibility for distances up to 6km. We find key rates of 61 bits per second
with QBER rates of 10% at 6km. This research demonstrates the simplicity and applicability of
QKD to existing fibre optic infrastructure in corporate, government, and academic campuses.
Hosseini, Hadi
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: A Real-Time Patient Scheduling Model Using Multi-Agent Resource Allocation
Abstract: An emergency department is a vital section in a hospital due to its highly dynamic and
indeterministic nature. Allocating resources to various patients is dependent on their treatment
or diagnosis pathways and is a complicated process. In this process, some additional tests or
treatments may become necessary while other tasks may become obsolete. On the other hand,
arrivals of emergency patients, with high criticality level results in rescheduling the allocated
resources. We propose a multi-level scheduling technique to prioritize patients based on their
health state and introduce a negotiation algorithm where patients and resources are both
78
actively involved in the process of negotiation. This model uses a decentralized multi-agent
Markov decision process. MDPs provide strong mathematical foundations for stochastic
reasoning. Resource agents collaborate in order to find an optimal allocation while trying to
maximize their local utility function based on the preferences and limitations. The allocation is
dynamic, meaning that agents will negotiate to other agents to reach an equilibrium that
satisfies the local and global functions. Each resource has multiple priority queues assigned to
it. The patients are set to a queue based on a utility function consisting of different parameters
such as health state, cost, and waiting time. This approach continually reassesses the patients
health (and only allows a patient whose condition is worsening to be promoted to a higher
priority queue) rather than factoring in time, towards an effective solution to the ultimate
assignment of resources to patients.
Hosseinkashi, Yasaman
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Epidemic simulation from a stochastic graph process under different control
strategies
Abstract: Epidemic simulation under different control strategies is considered. The disease
propagation is simulated according to a stochastic graph process in which the vertex set is the
entire population. At a fixed time point, the edges of this process are random variables
representing contacts between infectious and susceptible individuals. It is assumed that
patients pass through {\bf S}usceptible, {\bf I}nfectious, and {\bf R}emoved states through
time. Moving from {\bf I} to {\bf R} is simulated according to the nature of the disease and the
individual properties. The rate for moving from {\bf S} to {\bf I} is modelled by an exponential
kernel as a function of individual characteristics and mutual distance between infectious and
susceptible members. The jumps of the graph process are simulated from a competing hazard
model.
Control strategies studied in this work include vaccination and movement ban. Vaccination
reduces the probability of infection transmission. By movement ban we mean any control act
which reduces the number of contacts in the population such as school closing. This type of
intervention affects the contact structure of the population. Both strategies may result in
considerable changes in the dynamics of an infection outbreak.
Huang, Jasper
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Evaluating the biocompatibility of NPs through interactions with blood proteins
Abstract: Promising advances in the design and development of nanoparticles (NPs) for
biomedical applications have often been tempered by concerns over potential health risks
79
associated with the use of these materials. However, ongoing research directed toward
investigating various aspects of NP behaviour in physiological environments may facilitate the
optimization of NP design processes by allowing researchers to rapidly screen newly
synthesized materials based on their biological compatibility.
The study of NP interactions with components of human blood may play a crucial role in
improving the efficacy and safety of future products. Experiments evaluating the response of
the immune system to different types of NPs have been performed in comparing the
performance of a novel biomaterial, the block copolymer poly(lactic acid)-dextran (PLAdextran), to that of a clinically approved material, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-poly(ethylene
glycol) (PLGA-PEG). In particular, we present an adapted in vitro complement protein
consumption assay used to evaluate interactions between NPs and immune proteins. Our
results have shown the capability of this experimental technique to distinguish between several
different types of NPs.
We conclude that the experimental method utilized is ideal for screening and comparing a wide
range of NPs by using the tendencies of these materials to elicit an immune response as key
indicators of biocompatibility. Moreover, further refinement of the technique may enable its
successful application to studying selected materials in order to obtain a more fundamental
understanding of how material and surface properties influence NP biocompatibility, providing
the strong foundation necessary for optimized NP design.
Hui, Alex
Coauthor(s): Adrienne Boone
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Uptake and Release of Ciprofloxacin and Dexamethasone from Commercially
Available Conventional and Silicone Hydrogel Materials
Abstract: Intro/Purpose: The introduction of a greater number of highly oxygen permeable
silicone hydrogel contact lens materials has renewed interest in the therapeutic applications of
these lenses. This current study investigated the potential of these new materials to act as drug
delivery devices for the antibiotic drug ciprofloxacin and the anti-inflammatory drug
dexamethasone.
Methods: In total, six silicone hydrogel lenses and three conventional lenses were tested for
their uptake and release kinetics of ciprofloxacin and dexamethasone. Drug concentrations
were monitored using fluorescent spectrophotometry (ciprofloxacin) and ultraviolet
spectrophotometry (dexamethasone).
Results: For ciprofloxacin, lenses released on average 0.133 mg/lens, with a high of 0.42
mg/lens released from the etafilcon A material. For dexamethasone, approximately 20 to 30
µg/lens was released. The majority of lenses did not release for times exceeding one hour.
Conclusions: While some commercial materials show promise in their ability to release a
therapeutically relevant amount of drug, most of the release occurs too quickly for use in drug
delivery applications.
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Hyseni, Lirije
Presentation type: Oral presentation
Abstract title: The Relationship between the Amount of Alcohol Consumed by the Female
Victim and the Level of Blame Attributed to Her in a Hypothetical Date-Rape Scenario
Abstract: Background: Victims of sexual assault have been reported to blame themselves for
the incident. They see themselves as having somehow contributed to the situation. Self-blame
associated with a sexual assault is argued to be socially constructed, influenced by culture’s
perception of sexual crimes. A specific behaviour that appears to contribute to victim’s selfblame is alcohol use during the sexual assault incident. Victims who consume alcohol during the
incident are more likely to blame themselves for the event. Self-blame has been linked to a
decreased likelihood of reporting a sexual assault to authorities, as victims predict that others
will disapprove their behaviour and blame them for their victimization.
Objective: To examine the relationship between the amount of alcohol consumed by the
female victim and the level of blame attributed to her, and how this is modified by initiation
and severity of the event, in an hypothetical date-rape scenario.
Methods: Secondary data analysis of 1004 quantitative telephone surveys completed in
Sweden by randomly selected young adults aged 16-24. Date-rape vignettes were used and
perpetrator’s and victim’s levels of intoxication, severity of the outcome and the person
initiating the sexual contact (perpetrator or victim) were manipulated. The depended variable is
the amount of blame assigned to the female victim. The attribution of blame to the victim will
be analysed using factorial ANOVA in SAS.
Results: In process
Conclusion: In process
Ibey, Robyn
Coauthor(s): Neva, JL., Legon, W., Staines, WR
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Sensorimotor influences of upper-limb phasic movement upon the contralateral
homologous muscles
Abstract: Voluntary muscle contraction leads to increased motor excitability in contralateral
resting homologous muscles. This cross facilitation is amplified with increased voluntary
contraction force. Moreover, this effect is maintained during rhythmic movements and
coincides with the movement phase where homologous muscles are active. Low amplitude
vibration of hand and forearm muscles also influences bilateral corticospinal activity. The
consequence of manipulating force and sensory information during phasic movement has not
been explored. The purpose was to investigate mechanisms responsible for amplification of M1
excitability targeting the contralateral resting homologous muscles by exploring sensorimotor
influences. We delivered focal transcranial magnetic stimulation to healthy right-handed
81
subjects targeting the M1 representation of the right extensor carpi radialis (ECR) muscle.
Motor evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded using surface electrodes on the resting (right)
arm. The participant’s left hand was secured midpalm within an apparatus that had a rotating
shaft with the axis of rotation above the wrist coupled to a potentiometer to monitor the
movement cycle. Participants performed rhythmic (1Hz) non-dominant wrist flexion/extension
movements under 3 load conditions (0, 10, 30% MVC) and a vibration condition at 0%
resistance (80 Hz, below amplitude for a kinaesthetic illusory movement) applied to the left
ECR. Ten MEPs were randomly sampled at 8 pre-determined points throughout the movement
cycle. Results showed M1 excitability is increased with homologous muscle activation during
rhythmical movement and this is further enhanced by vibration. M1 excitability is up-regulated
by increased dynamic movement loads. Our results suggest this interaction is corticallymediated.
Supported by NSERC.
Ibrahim, Zainub
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Understanding Cheating in Higher Education
Abstract: Cheating is a serious issue that threatens the quality of higher education. Research
consistently shows that college and university academic misconduct is on the rise (McCabe &
Trevino, 1996). Misconduct most commonly takes the form of exam cheating or plagiarism in
written work. Most of the research to date has been in the US, but studies show that the
situation in Canada is similar (Hughes & McCabe, 2006). This research paper thus addresses the
issue in the university context, factors that are associated with cheating, and ways to reduce
cheating incidences. A broad definition of cheating is employed that incorporates plagiarism as
well as exam cheating and other forms of academic misconduct. Some characteristics that are
prominent in the literature as highly correlated to cheating behaviour are identified and
discussed. These characteristics can be sub-grouped into collective and individual
characteristics. Collective characteristics can be altered, while individual characteristics most
likely cannot be changed. Thus, administrative policies should utilize collective characteristics to
create a culture of honesty and integrity in academia.
Inglis, Stephen
Coauthor(s): Roger G. Melko
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Measuring entanglement in finite-temperature quantum Monte Carlo
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Abstract: Monte Carlo methods are commonly used in condensed matter physics to study
systems of strongly interacting particles, such as magnetic spins on a lattice. In such systems
classical phase transitions can be observed by examining the onset of an order parameter,
which is related to the broken symmetry of the phase. However, it has recently been
demonstrated that phase transitions can also be marked by crossings in the entanglement
entropy between sub-regions of the sample. These methods calculate the “Renyi” entropy, an
analogue to the entanglement entropy, in a modified quantum Monte Carlo simulation which
requires a thermodynamic integration from infinite temperature. I will describe an
improvement of this method, using a technique recently adapted for quantum Monte Carlo
simulations known as Wang-Landau sampling. The combination of these techniques has given
us a flexible tool that is able to accurately reproduce energy measurements from exact
calculations in simple models, as well as the Renyi entropy calculated using existing methods.
With this technique we will be able to efficiently probe entanglement scaling near phase
transitions and determine if this new measurement can shed light on a quantum spin liquid
phase, an exotic phase of current interest to the condensed matter community.
Inglis, Tiffany
Coauthor(s): Craig S. Kaplan
Presentation type: Poster presentation (Monday, April 25 | 4 pm - 6 pm)
Abstract title: Sudoku art
Abstract: Sudoku, the popular logic puzzle, would have a greater artistic appeal if the final
completed puzzle could be transformed into an image similar to nonogram outputs. To do this,
we solve a mixed-integer nonlinear programming problem (MINLP) to find the Sudoku
configuration that most closely represents a target image via an integer-colour mapping. This
alone produces inadequate results, so we relax the problem by adding transparent regions to
the target image and removing certain MINLP constraints. To produce puzzles that are feasible
and interesting to players, additional components are added to avoid tedious recounting and
unnecessary colouring.
Iravani-Tabrizipour, Mehrdad
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Study of Deposition of Metal Matrix Diamond Composite by Laser Cladding
Abstract: Unique properties of diamond make it the best candidate for cutting and wear
resistant applications. Diamond is the hardest material and benefits from having the highest
thermal conductivity. However, implementation of diamond in tools is very challenging which
causes diamond tools to be very expensive. Moreover, diamond tools do not benefits from
superior properties of diamond as much as they should. The most important challenge is
diamond transformation to graphite at high temperatures which puts a lot of restriction on
83
fabrication of diamond tools. Therefore, finding an alternative way to fabricate higher
performance, better priced diamond tools will revolutionize tooling industry. Laser cladding has
the potential to be employed for production of higher performance, lower priced diamond
tools, mainly due to the facts that in laser cladding the process zone is exposed to high
temperatures for a very short time and the heat affected zone is very limited. In this research
deposition of ((Cu80Sn20)90Ti10)75+25 wt% diamond by pre-placed laser cladding on mild
steel substrate utilizing a continuous wave and a pulsed laser is presented. The effect of
process parameters on diamond decomposition, clad-substrate bonding, porosity and microcracks, wetting and chemical bonding of diamond particles, diamond particles distribution in
the deposited clad, and the effect of dilution are investigated. Development of an interfacial
layer between diamond particles and the matrix was detected. The layer was characterized as
titanium carbide by the use of EDS analysis and nanoindentation.
Ismail, Marwa
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Reducing Register Requirement in Elliptic Curve Cryptographic Processor
Abstract: Area and power optimization are two important design issues for Elliptic Curve
Cryptography (ECC) used in many embedded systems. One benefit of ECC is that it requires a
much shorter key length than other public key cryptosystems to provide an equivalent level of
security. However, efficient hardware implementation of an Elliptic Curve Processor (ECP) for
lightweight devices is a challenge. In this work we propose an efficient processor for ECC that
aims to reduce the number of registers compared to those that have appeared in the literature.
We take advantages of forwarding paths in the ECP to avoid writing/reading of short-lived
variables to/from the register file. The proposed ECP design is implemented over GF(2^163) on
Xilinx XC4VLX200 FPGA device to verify its functionality and measure its performance. This work
yields an area saving up to 38% in the number of flip-flops and up to 27% with respect to the
number of look-up tables (LUTs). The performance overhead is equal to 1.8ns to be added to
the ECP critical path.
Ives, Jessica
Coauthor(s): Jerome Marty, Marten Koops, Michael Power
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Comparing the food web interactions of a recent invader, Hemimysis anomala,
in lentic and lotic ecosystems in the Great Lakes basin
Abstract: One of the most recent known invaders of the Great Lakes basin, Hemimysis anomala
(HA), was discovered in Lake Michigan in 2006. Since then HA have been found in all of the
Great Lakes except Superior, as well as in several locations along the St. Lawrence River. HA has
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proven itself successful at invading a wide range of ecosystems, including both lentic and lotic
sites. Understanding the ability of HA to integrate into differing ecosystems is vital for obtaining
a global understanding of its invasion in the Great Lakes basin. Between 2008 and 2010
numerous sites in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River were repetitively sampled for HA
and concurrent food items, which were then processed for carbon and nitrogen stable isotope
analysis. Resulting signatures were used to examine the trophic position and diet of HA and to
compare between sites. Mixing models were used to determine the fraction of the HA diet
contributed by benthic sources (measured using periphyton and snails) versus pelagic sources
(POM, zooplankton, mussels) at each site. Trophic levels were also compared using baseline
corrected δ15N values for each site. The analyses show some significant differences between
the populations studied in the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario, including differences in reliance
on benthic and pelagic carbon sources, as well as differences in δ15N values relative to a sitespecific baseline.
Jadi, Salsabeel
Coauthor(s): Miriam Heynen (MSc), Doerte Luensmann (PhD), Lyndon Jones (PhD, FCOptom)
Presentation type: Oral presentation
Abstract title: The Influence of Doping Solution Composition on Kinetic Lysozyme Uptake to
Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses
Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine the impact of doping
solution composition, to more accurately mimic tear film components on lysozyme deposition
on contact lenses.
Methods: Three silicone hydrogel (SH) materials - senofilcon A (SA), lotrafilcon B (LB) and
balafilcon A (BA) - were incubated in two different doping solutions, each containing 1.9 mg/mL
of hen egg lysozyme (HEL) plus 2% I-125 radiolabeled HEL. Solution A was a simplistic saline
solution and Solution B, a highly complex artificial tear solution, consisted of multiple salts,
proteins, mucins, and lipids (pH 7.4). Lenses (n=3) were incubated in their respective solution
for 1, 7, 14, and 28 days and lysozyme deposition measured using a gamma counter.
Results: After 28 days, SA accumulated slightly more lysozyme when incubated in Solution B
(4.1±0.2μg) compared to Solution A (2.6±1.3μg); while LB deposited less lysozyme using
Solution B (4.7±0.2μg) compared to Solution A (5.0±0.01μg). However, these trends were not
statistically significant for SA and LB lenses (p>0.05). BA accumulated similar amounts of
lysozyme after 1 and 7 days independent of the incubation solution used, but deposited
significantly higher amounts after 14 and 28 days when incubated in Solution B (Day 28:
Solution A = 33.7±1.8μg; Solution B = 56.2±1.6μg; p<0.001).
Conclusion: In vitro lysozyme deposition on certain SH lenses is impacted by the complexity of
the incubation solution and in vitro deposition studies should be conducted using more
appropriate analogues of the tear film.
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Javanparast, Behnam
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Low Temperature Spin Configuration of Gadolinium Titanate
Abstract: The magnetic behaviour of pyrochlore oxides of type A2B2O7 (A rare-earth magnet, B
transition metal, O oxygen) has attracted a lot of attention over the past few decades. These
materials form a network of corner sharing tetrahedra which is one of the typical structures
causing geometrical frustration in magnetic systems. Gadolinium titanate is one of the
interesting systems to study among these oxides. Gadolinium ion with S=7/2 and L=0 is one
the best realizations of Heisenberg spins. Theoretical calculations and numerical simulations
using Hamiltonian with antiferromagnetic nearest neighbours exchange interaction as well as
long range dipolar interaction predicts a low temperature magnetic configuration (PalmerChalker state) which is different from experimental findings (4k structure). To solve this
contradiction, all exchange interactions allowed by symmetry in a pyrochlore lattice are
included in the Hamiltonian of this compound. We probe the stability of different spin
configurations in different regions of parameter space by comparing their Helmholtz free
energy using mean field theory and perturbation theory. In this project, the possibility of
occurrence of the experimentally found configuration in our current theoretical model will be
examined.
Jensen, Candice
Coauthor(s): Mike J. Dixon, Kevin A. Harrigan
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Novice Gamblers’ Interpretations of Losses Disguised as Wins in Multiline Slot
Machine Games
Abstract: In multiline slot machine games – some of the most popular games in today’s casinos
– small “wins” often amount to less than the spin wager, resulting in a loss of credits to the
gambler. Nevertheless, the machine celebrates these outcomes by providing salient audiovisual feedback in the form of flashing symbols and winning sounds. These outcomes have been
referred to as “Losses Disguised as Wins” or LDWs (Dixon et al., 2010). Dixon et al. (2010)
showed that participants physiologically respond to LDWs as if they are wins rather than losses.
In this study, we investigated whether participants interpret LDWs as wins or losses. 47
participants played 200 spins on the multiline slot machine game “Lobstermania”. Following the
playing session, participants estimated how many times they won out of these 200 spins. We
found that the number of LDWs experienced during the playing session significantly contributed
to how often participants thought they won. Importantly, LDWs contributed over and above
any contribution from the number of actual wins experienced and the total amount won (or
lost). At the end of the session, we asked participants to verbally categorize different slot
machine outcomes following wins, LDWs, and losses. We found that approximately 77% of
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participants incorrectly labelled LDWs as wins. We conclude that the positive feedback given by
multiline slot machine games may be effective at hiding certain losses. Moreover, we assert
that the presence of LDWs in multiline slot machine games may distort participants’ memory of
actual win frequency during a gambling session.
Ji, Min
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: A Semi-Markov Model for Joint-life Longevity Risk
Abstract: The long-term improvement of mortality concerns annuity providers and pension
fund administers. The oldest-old group (aged > 85 years) has over past decades been the most
rapidly expanding segment of the population in developed countries. On the other hand, the
dependence between joint lives implies that the unexpected increase in life expectancy may be
even greater for a couple. A stochastic joint-life model which takes account the uncertainties of
mortality improvement in the future, will produce more accurate results for the risk
management of annuity products or pension funds. In this work, we will develop a semi-Markov
joint-life model with stochastic forces of mortality for the transition intensities. For this end, we
propose a simple stochastic Gompertz model for mortality forecasting. We incorporate the
stochastic Gompertz model into the semi-Markov joint-life mortality model, describing and
forecasting joint-life mortality. Some advantages of the proposed stochastic Gompertz model
guarantees its suitability for modeling the transition forces of the semi-Markov mortality
model. We, then, apply this model to evaluate the effect of joint-life longevity risk on the cost
of a last survivor deep-deferred annuity.
Ji, Shaojun
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Tourist Destination Image of Qingdao, China: A Host Perspective
Abstract: How residents perceive a tourist destination significantly affects their support of local
tourism development and potential visitors’ images of that place. Accordingly, understanding
residents’ images of a destination and the image influential factors is critical for the destination
to formulate its image promotional strategies. The purposes of this study are to examine the
images perceived by residents of Qingdao, China, and to determine whether these images are
affected by information sources and length of residence. The data were collected by selfadministered survey from 337 residents of Qingdao in May and June 2009.
Descriptive statistics showed that most residents had positive images concerning the quality of
25 of 26 predetermined cognitive attributes, while their evaluations of the importance of these
attributes in constructing their images of Qingdao differed greatly. In addition, residents had
positive images with respect to all four affective image attributes. With regard to the factors
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influencing resident images, it was discovered that length of residence, most important source
used, and number of sources used significantly influenced residents’ images to a moderate or
large degree. These findings suggest that marketers in Qingdao should involve the attributes
that are of more quality and importance in the eyes of residents to promote Qingdao. They
should also use certain media channels that are prioritized by residents to facilitate their
information transmission. Furthermore, Marketers need to consider length of residence when
promotional initiatives that are targeted to residents.
Jiang, Wei
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Functional Study of a Protein (UnkG) in Pseudomonas putida UW4
Abstract: The role played by the protein UnkG from the plant growth-promoting bacterium
Pseudomonas putida UW4 in the ability of the bacterium to facilitate plant growth was studied.
Previous work showed that over-expressing UnkG decreased the ability of P. putida UW4 to
facilitate plant growth. In contrast, an unkG knock-out mutant of P. putida UW4 displayed an
increased ability to promote plant growth. Various biological activities of P. putida UW4-pETP
and P. putida UW4-unkG have been compared. Thus, the Biolog™ system was used to test the
ability of these strains to utilize various carbon sources; the two strains were observed by
scanning electron microscopy to assess their relative cell sizes; an electrophoretic mobility shift
assay (EMSA) was used to examine whether UnkG is able to bind to chromosomal DNA;
biochemical assays were conducted to quantify 3-indoleacetic acid and siderophore production,
and to measure the enzymatic activity of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase;
proteome-level changes of these two strains were profiled using two-dimensional difference ingel electrophoresis (DIGE), followed by mass spectrometry identification of the altered
proteins; and the ability of these two strains to bind canola roots was measured. After running
DIGE, sixteen altered proteins were identified and the result indicates that UnkG may involve in
amino acids metabolism. While over-expressing UnkG did not affect the production of 3indoleacetic acid and siderophore in P. putida UW4, surprisingly, P. putida UW4-unkG had a
30% increase in ACC deaminase activity.
Jochym-O'Connor, Tomas
Coauthor(s): Yafei Yu, Bassam Helou, Raymond Laflamme
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Magic state distillation with faulty Clifford gates
Abstract: Magic-state distillation is a protocol developed to achieve universal quantum
computation through the preparation of an initial mixed quantum state ρ, the use of perfect
Clifford gates, the preparation of the quantum state |0⟩, and qubit measurement in the
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computational basis. Magic state distillation involves iteratively running a quantum algorithm
taking as input the prepared state ρ and outputting a final state whose fidelity is higher with
respect to a special quantum state, the magic state. This magic state can then be used along
with the Clifford gates to perform universal quantum computation. The goal of this project is to
extend the study of magic state distillation to consider faulty Clifford gates. We calculate the
modified set of states ρ for which the magic state distillation process can be performed when
introducing depolarizing noise upon the Clifford gates, a common noise model present in
physical quantum computing experiments. We show that while such noise reduces the set of
states ρ for which we can perform magic state distillation, as long as the noise is not above a
certain threshold, magic state distillation is still achievable. Further, we analyze the rate of
convergence of the magic state distillation protocol in this noisy regime.
Johnston, Matthew
Coauthor(s): David Siegel
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Linear Conjugacy of Chemical Reaction Networks
Abstract: Under suitable assumptions, the dynamic behaviour of a chemical reaction network is
governed by an autonomous set of polynomial ordinary differential equations over continuous
variables representing the concentrations of the reactant species. It is known that two
networks may possess the same governing mass-action dynamics despite disparate network
structure. To date, however, there has only been limited work exploiting this phenomenon
even for the cases where one network possesses known dynamics while the other does not.
In this presentation, I present my work bringing these results into a broader unified theory
which we have called conjugate chemical reaction network theory. I present a theorem which
gives conditions under which two networks with different governing mass-action dynamics may
exhibit the same qualitative dynamics. The result can be used it to extend the scope of the wellknown theory of weakly reversible systems.
Kamiab, Farbod
Coauthor(s): Niayesh Afshordi
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Neutron Stars in the Gravitational Aether
Abstract: The cosmological constant problem is one the most important unsolved problems of
modern physics. The gravitational aether theory is a modification of general relativity, that if
true would solve the cosmological constant problem. The signature of the aether is
distinguishable from general relativity only in high pressures and strong gravitational forces.
The interior of neutron stars satisfies these conditions. Therefore we solve the equations of
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stellar structure for neutron both under general relativity and the gravitational aether and
compare the mass radius distribution of neutron stars given by these two theories. We then
make a comparison with observations of pulsars (pulsating neutron stars) and evaluate the
validity of the aether theory.
Kang, Qingsheng
Coauthor(s): J. T. W. Yeow, R. Barnett and X. Gao
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Design and evaluation of quantum dot sensors for making superficial x-ray
energy radiation measurements
Abstract: We present the design and fabrication of two kinds of radiation sensors based on ZnO
and CdTe quantum dots(QDs).
X-ray radiation is extensively used in various medical and industrial applications. Accurate
radiation dosimetry is essential for radiation diagnoses and treatments as well as the protection
of personnel. Existing radiation sensors suffer from high energy radiation induced defects,
which limit their lifetime and accuracy. There are considerable efforts in developing new
radiation sensors that focus on altering the sensing material properties and improving
manufacturing technologies in order to enhance sensor performance. The extraordinary
physical properties of QD materials such as high radiation sensitivity and good radiation
resistivity indicate their potential for use in the fabrication of radiation sensors. Among them,
CdTe and ZnO QDs are well suited as radiation sensing materials.
Both sensors are characterized using a Gulmay Medical D3000 DXR unit for superficial x-ray
irradiation with source photon energies that range from 36.9 to 64.9 keV. The QD radiation
sensors exhibit excellent linearity with respect to different photon energy doses, radiation
source to device surface distances, and field sizes. The effects of the electrode separation and
the area density of the QD layer are also investigated. All sensors characterized show an
outstanding repeatability under photon irradiation, with a signal variation less than 1%. As
compared to state-of-the-art technique sensors, ZnO and CdTe QDs based sensors are costeffective, durable, and robust, and can be easily miniaturized.
Kasinathan, Dhanaraja
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: H-infinity solvers
Abstract: H-infinity control has received a large amount of attention in the last 15 years among
the control community. Since late 80's, several numerical methods for controller computation
based on state-space conditions have appeared in literature. Standard H-infinity control
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problem involves solving H-infinity algebraic Riccati equation (H-infinity-ARE) that looks almost
similar to the one arising in the linear quadratic control (LQ-ARE).
The numerical method for exact computation of the optimal H-infinity control is an open
problem. It is difficult to modify Newton-Kleinman type iterative procedure for H-infinity-ARE
since the quadratic term is sign-indefinite. However, Lanzon and others suggested a recursive
algorithm where H-infinity-ARE is reduced to a series of LQ-ARE with negative semi-definite
quadratic term. Peres and others solved the optimal H-infinity state-feedback problem using a
convex programming approach based on Riccati inequalities. Gumussoy and others calculated
the optimal H-infinity control without solving Riccati equations using a hybrid algorithm based
on non-linear optimization.
In this work, we first compare the recent H-infinity solvers against the standard implementation
in Matlab. Next, the recursive algorithm is extended to solve standard H-infinity control for
large-scale systems using recent results. We have proposed a suitable modification of the
recursive algorithm to solve the H-infinity control problem for descriptor systems. The
proposed algorithm could be extended to compute optimal attenuation for large-scale
descriptor systems.
Kasurak, Andrew
Coauthor(s): Richard Kelly
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Simple sensor for snow grain size
Abstract: Determining the size of a grain of snow is subjective and complex. Grain size is a
standard parameter in models describing the evolution of the snowpack and in electromagnetic
interaction models. Typical methods of observing grain size involve the use of magnification on
a gridded card, with one or more grains scraped from the snowpack. Removal of the grain
frequently breaks it apart, causing under-estimation. Sampling in-situ is done only with complex
laser instruments. The selection of which grains to describe from a given sample introduces
large bias in the measured grain statistics, causing problems transferring models between
research groups.
A simple optical sensor based on the loss in intensity of light through a section of snow,
sampled with minimal disturbance to its structure is described, and the results presented. A
favourable correlation of mean grain diameter to resistance, as a measure of transmission loss,
was found. This finding is in agreement with the radiative transfer modelling of Zhou and
Stamnes (2003, JGR).
The instrument is a simple metallic box, in the form similar to standard snow density cutters,
and is pressed into the undisturbed snow. This sample is then cut out without damage to its
structure, and the reading is taken in a shielded container.
A quantitative, standardized, and simple method to derive snow grain size statistics will benefit
the snow science community.
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Kaznatcheev, Artem
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Evolution of ethnocentrism with minimal cognition in a spatially structured
population
Abstract: Cooperation is essential for complex biological systems, especially human society, but
its evolution is puzzling because of the competitiveness of natural selection. In evolutionary
game theory this puzzle is modeled via the prisoners-dilemma game, and the challenge
becomes overcoming the inviscid equilibrium of non-cooperation. Ethnocentrism (cooperating
with in- but not out- group), is thought to be one of the simplest mechanisms for enabling
cooperation; we study a recent spatial tag-based model of it. We establish that the mechanism
responsible for the emergence of cooperation is children residing close to their parents, and the
key factor in the decline of humanitarian (agents that cooperate with both in- and out-group) is
world saturation. Ethnocentrism amplifies and extends the range of cooperation and helps
maintain it. Since ethnocentric agents differentiate between in- and out-group partners, and
adjust their behavior accordingly, they are more cognitively complex than humanitarian or
selfish agents that always cooperate or defect, respectively. We associate a fitness cost with
this complexity and test the robustness of ethnocentrism, concluding that ethnocentrism is not
robust against increases in cost of cognition. We conclude by showing that ethnocentrism
evolves in a spatially structured population not only under prisoner’s dilemma interactions, but
also hawk-dove, assurance, harmony, and leader games. In the case of harmony, ethnocentrism
evolves even when defection is irrational. This suggests that the pressure of competing for a
secondary common resource (in our model: free space) can produce both unexpected
cooperation and irrational hostility between groups.
Kehinde, Aderonke
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Public Institutions and Economic Diversification Strategy: A Case of Ogun State
Cassava Revolution Programme, Nigeria
Abstract: The blessings of mineral deposits in resource rich and dependent countries of Africa
are turning into a curse, characterized mostly by poverty. This alludes mostly to institutional
misfit, poor resource management and corruption. To eliminate these challenges and
outcomes, diversification strategies are encouraged, especially in the agriculture sector. Good
governance, private sector partnership and institutional capacity building are also suggested
towards achieving sustainable economic diversification and overall development in Africa.
This research builds on these suggestions as posited by the United Nations and the agriculture
development strategies proposed by Agwu et al (2008) to evaluate the agriculture development
diversification strategy in a case study of Ogun State, Nigeria. By adopting a ‘learning by
evaluation’ assessment method, the outcomes and socio-economic impacts of the Cassava
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Revolution Programme (CRP) are evaluated. Key impact indicators such as job creation, capacity
building and growths of ancillary industries are examined.
The objectives of economic expansion through commodity exportation, growths of local agro
industries and employment generation are not achieved. Cassava glut with no market/demand
are also experienced. Public sector bureaucracies and human capital inadequacies are found to
have stifled the economic diversification processes on the CRP.
This study develops and applies a matrix of indicators necessary for sustainable economic
diversification strategies and future decision making processes. The research confirms and
concludes that, other factors kept constant, the removal of bureaucratic bottlenecks and
human resources development in public institutions are relevant for effective economic
diversification programmes.
Key words: public institutions, economic diversification, bureaucracy, human resource
development
Kehyayan, Vahe
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Relationships between Quality of Life and Selected Resident and Facility
Characteristics in LTC Facilities in Canada
Abstract: PURPOSE
1. To examine residents’ self-reported Quality of Life (QoL) in long-term care (LTC) facilities in
Canada
2. To examine relationships between residents’ self-reported QoL and selected sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, and LTC facility attributes
3. To examine the psychometric properties of the interRAI Self-Report Nursing Home Quality of
Life Survey instrument
METHOD
- Trained surveyors interviewed 928 residents in 48 LTC facilities in 6 provinces in Canada
- Quality of life (QoL) data collected using the interRAI Self-Report Nursing Home Quality of Life
Survey instrument
- Facility attributes data collected from facilities
- QoL data were linked to residents' socio-demographic and clinical characteristics (RAI-MDS)
and to facility attributes
- Descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses will be carried out using Statistical Analysis
Software (SAS® 9.1)
ANALYSIS OF DATA
- Still in process
RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS
- Pending
STUDY BENEFITS
Residents:
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• Opportunity to voice their views
• Sense of empowerment
• Opportunity to shape their care and environment
LTC Facility Staff:
• Individualized resident-centered care
LTC Facility:
• Quality improvement initiatives
• Trending
Policy Makers & Regulators
• Policy development
• Benchmarking
Keichinger, Sabrina
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Activating Play-Based Escape
Abstract: Everyone participates in escape. The drive to escape is something we are born with. It
is a force that has ties to our curiosity, as well as our profound psychological restlessness, and
can even be seen in our displeasure with boredom.
This thesis will explore three types of escape: pure diversion, games, and play, and argues that
the most important form of escape is a play-based escape, because, through play, we promote
our cognitive health and creativity.
This thesis develops three lines of investigation: first an understanding of what play is; second,
through understanding the conditions, context, and disposition necessary in order to engage in
a play-based escape; and third, a study of play through the review of architectural case studies.
Through these lines of investigation, this thesis identifies ten key strategies that accompany
play. These are: nature, complexity, dynamic, loose-parts theory, scale, the primitive, along a
path, mystery, risk, and unmonitored feel. In order to develop a method of design which
engenders an architectural atmosphere of play-based escape these characteristics are
organized into three interconnected themes: a desire to explore the world around us, a desire
for a dynamic stimulating environment, and the desire to be active and move our bodies.
Finally, an architectural application of the design method concludes this thesis, with hopes to
activate a play-based escape engaging our creative power.
Kemp, Todd
Coauthor(s): David Siegel
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Floating Bodies without Gravity
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Abstract: In our everyday life, we are surrounded by floating bodies. From that fact alone, it is
no surprise that the study of floating bodies (and in particular, their stability) is a topic that
many researchers continue to investigate today. Presently, we examine the floating body
problem from the point of view of energy minimization; we consider an infinitely long cylinder
with constant cross-section that is placed at the interface created between two fluids in a zerogravity environment. Since gravity is not present, the only relevant energies are the surface
energies. The most fundamental result in the study of floating bodies, the contact angle
condition, will define the configurations in which the body is in equilibrium in terms of a contact
angle in which the fluid interface and the body must meet. However, this condition is derived
for bodies that are strictly convex and sufficiently smooth, but it is clear that there are
countless bodies that do not satisfy these requirements. In this presentation, we will discuss
bodies that are only convex and piece-wise smooth. In particular we will focus on bodies with a
polygonal cross-section, and we will discuss necessary and sufficient conditions for stable
equilibrium of bodies of this type. Although the problem of an infinitely long cylinder is
physically unrealistic, the study of these types of bodies could potentially provide insight into
the floating behaviour of the more natural (but much more difficult) case of an analogous finite
three-dimensional body.
Kennedy, Jill
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Philanthropic Gifting and its Impacts on Local Economies of Developing Nations
Abstract: Incorporating philanthropy into tourism is becoming an increasingly popular way for
tourists to aid people of developing nations socially and economically. Though the roles and
impacts of some forms of tourist philanthropy on developing nations have been discussed in
the literature, philanthropic gifting (ie. the bringing of gifts by tourists to give to local people of
developing nations) has not yet been studied and its impacts have not been examined. This
study examined the knowledge and prevalence of philanthropic gifting among tourists and
travel agents and also analyzed the impacts of philanthropic gifting on the economies of
developing nations. These objectives were addressed through a mixed methods research
approach employing surveys, interviews, participant observation and a case study of Cuban
tourism.
The findings of this study demonstrated that philanthropic gifting is prevalent in Cuba and the
knowledge of it among tourists is widespread. Further research revealed that, though
philanthropic gifting was prevalent, gifts were not distributed equally among groups of Cuban
people in society, with tourism industry employees receiving the large majority of gifts. The
main conclusion of this study is that gifting provides a valuable source of economic
development and independence for Cuban people who receive gifts. The unequal allocation of
gifts throughout Cuban society, however, shows that philanthropic gifting is strengthening the
divide between workers in the tourism industry and those outside of it. Recommendations are
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made that address possible solutions to ensure that the distribution of gifts does not create
further disparity.
Khaleghy Rad, Mona
Coauthor(s): Stephen G. Evans, Farrokh Nadim, Suzanne Lacasse
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Natural hazard losses and acceptable risk criteria
Abstract: The criteria of acceptable risk to the lives of a group of people (commonly called
societal risk) exposed to natural hazards are based on the frequency of industrial accidents in
some countries. We find that the risk from natural hazards is unacceptable in the current risk
criteria framework. According to a definition of risk, there are two main components: the
probability of occurrence of the hazard and the consequence of the hazard. The occurrence of
industrial accidents (hazard) can be controlled to a large extent in contrast to that of natural
hazards. However, we can control natural hazard risk, in some cases by reducing consequences
by mitigating, risk management, warning and monitoring techniques. The FN-curve is a tool
commonly used in societal risk assessment. It is built on a series of frequency-loss data
associated with a particular process in a given period of time. It is also used to set acceptable
risk criteria for countries or sub-national jurisdictions, by defining slopes and intercepts for
plots of a particular (or group of) processes. We introduce a normalization procedure to the
consequence part of the FN-curve. We illustrate the use of the normalized consequence
approach by analyzing losses from natural hazards in 32 European countries derived from the
EM-DAT database. We examine historical losses in relation to acceptable risk criteria and find
that risks defined in the modified FN curves far exceed those defined in industrial-accidentbased acceptable risk criteria in current European use.
Khan, Atif
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: A Semantic Approach to Secure Electronic Patient Information Exchange in
Distributed Environments
Abstract: Modern medical information systems collect large amounts of diverse patient data in
order to facilitate a higher level patient care. Although desirable, this functionality has a
tremendous potential for abuse, where patient information can be shared, disclosed and used
for other (secondary) purposes. In most cases, patient consent is solicited and institutional
policies are put in place to limit the privacy and security risks. However, in practice these
measures have proven to be inadequate, resulting in violation of patient consent even for nonlife threatening scenarios. We propose a framework to capture privacy & security policies and
to protect exchange of sensitive medical patient information. Our framework is comprised of
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distributed multiagent environments reflecting healthcare institutions and personnel. We
utilize semantic techniques for data representation and reasoning. Furthermore, we do not
require pre-established trust relationships to be present for exchanging private sensitive
information between multiple parties. In our proposed framework, all decisions, to share
information, are backed up by semantic proof of authorization that can be verified by an
independent third party.
Khmelnitsky, Michael
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Man Down! ...Medic?: Representation of American Women Doctors in
Literature and History
Abstract: In this paper I pick up on Lilian R. Furst’s assertion that “between 1881 and 1891 the
figure of the ‘doctress’ makes a prominent appearance in American fiction.” Viewing literature
through a historiographical lens, I set out to investigate the character of Della Whitmore in B.
M. Bower’s novel Chip, of the Flying U. I locate historical evidence regarding the practices of
early women’s colleges in order to demonstrate that Bower’s work directly responds to the
concerns of women doctors in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries (and that it
demonstrates the undercurrent of social and political movements related to women’s entrance
into the field of medicine). While researching the medical pioneers who helped bring women’s
medical colleges to prominence, I uncover a consistent tinge of prejudice in twentieth-century
writings about (and attitudes toward) women doctors in the pan-occidental world. I also find
that the character of the woman doctor is capable of disrupting both gender roles and
representation, as reflected in the works of Virginia Woolf (I draw on the research of Elsa
Nettels). Continuing to correlate Della’s character with that of the aspiring female doctor in the
nineteenth century, I discuss the institutional resistance to the work of Elizabeth Blackwell,
Sophia Jex-Blake, and Mary Putnam Jacobi, and the additional significance of their struggles,
concluding that Della Whitmore’s position within the unlikely milieu of the Western novel
serves as a representational crucible of the struggles of women doctors in the nineteenth
century.
Kim, Myung
Presentation type: mandatory poster presentation
Abstract title: Teaching climate change in university courses: a practical realization of STSE
pedagogies
Abstract: Climate change is practically everywhere in the world, and education should pay
particular attention to the issue since the challenges that climate change poses to the society,
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technology, and environments are predicted to be monumental. Climate change is no longer a
subject discussed solely by scientists because of the complex web of “causes and impacts” of
altered climate system. Education is believed to be one of the key ingredients for the better
solutions that would work for long term goals. However, educating future generations about
climate change issues, especially in higher teaching institutions where leaders of coming years
grow has a long path to follow to synthesize different fragments of climate sciences that are
taught by multiple yet disconnected disciplines spanning Environmental Sciences, Physics,
Engineering, Economics and Political Science. One way of addressing the complex nature of
educating about the climate change issues is through science, technology, society, and
environment (STSE) education. STSE education is an umbrella term, bridging a vast array of
different types of theorizing about the interface between science and the social world. To
achieve the teaching goals, curriculums and pedagogies of STSE education should be much
more than infusion or the reference to science and technology and its application to society and
environment. Drawing on current literature in the STSE education, this research presents an
overview of examples of STSE pedagogies and curriculum structures applicable to the subject,
followed by a realization of STSE education practice for a university level climatology course.
Kobayashi, Alan
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Undercover: Infrastructured landscape in Montréal
Abstract: An intrinsic contradiction of spatial desires unfolds the moment infrastructure enters
the city. Utopian viaducts manifest the cinematic experience of the automobile passing by
above, while the severed urban situation at ground level below hinders possibilities of
pedestrians wandering through. These conditions of separation between adjacent areas and
within the infrastructure itself incidentally create a void. Taking as an example the Autoroute
Ville-Marie in Montréal, this absence and its value are identified as an unrealized potential for
meeting ground between the predominantly wealthy Anglophone City of Westmount to one
side, and the historically poorer Francophone borough of Saint-Henri on the other.
A string of architectural interventions is proposed along the length of the space beneath the
highway viaduct, in line with its heterotopic nature, in an effort to remedy the dissociation and
reinterpret this neglected dimension of the city. The program aims to tap into existing
networks and also initiate new networks of its own, described by a series of user itineraries.
The burden of the highway as a barrier is explored instead as a new connective landscape.
Kruk, Jeff
Coauthor(s): Michael A. Beazely
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Serotonin transactivates PDGFRβ in the neuronal cell line SH-SY5Y
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Abstract: Serotonin (5-HT) is an important neurotransmitter in the central nervous system that
has been linked to a variety of neurological and psychiatric diseases. The platelet-derived
growth factor receptor type β (PDGFRβ) is a mitogenic receptor tyrosine kinase important for
neuronal development and survival. Previous studies have shown that PDGFRβ can be
transactivated in numerous cell types. Transactivation of a growth factor receptor involves
activation/phosphorylation of the receptor in the absence of its ligand. We present evidence
that 5-HT transactivates PDGFRβ in the neuronal cell line SH-SY5Y. As measured by western
blotting with anti-phospho-PDGFRβ antibodies, application of 5-HT that resulted in PDGFRβ
activation was dose-dependent and led also to the activation of ERK 1/2. Pretreatment with
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) fluoxetine or citalopram prevented 5-HT-induced
PDGFRβ activation. The non-receptor tyrosine kinase c-Src was also involved, since
pretreatment with the c-Src inhibitor PP2 completely blocked 5-HT-induced PDGFRβ
transactivation. Thus, transactivation of PDGFRβ by 5-HT in neuronal cultures may be
responsible for the mitogenic effects of 5-HT and potentially other neurotransmitters. These
studies may explain how neuronal communication via neurotransmitters contributes to
neuronal viability. In addition, by understanding the mechanistic pathway of PDGFR
transactivation, each step in the pathway becomes a potential drug targets for activating the
mitogenic and neuroprotective effects of PDGFR, which may be useful in treating
neurodegenerative disorders.
Lam, Kathy
Coauthor(s): Jiujun Cheng
Presentation type: poster
Abstract title: Snoop Through Poop: Cloning DNA from the Human Gut Microbiome for
Function-Based Screening
Abstract: The human gut is an environment flourishing with microbes that not only play an
essential role in human health, but also comprise an easily accessible and rich resource for the
mining of novel and useful enzymes. However, many of the organisms that comprise the gut
microbiome cannot be grown under laboratory conditions. To circumvent this problem, a
metagenomic approach is used; instead of working with the organisms directly, we can isolate
their DNA as a pool to clone and study.
To sample the human gut microbiome, stool samples were collected from seven normal healthy
human volunteers. Samples were pooled for anonymity and total DNA was obtained by freezegrinding and chemical extraction. Total DNA was treated to two different methods to clone (1)
linear large-fragment DNA and (2) circular plasmid DNA. These two methods were combined to
try to capture as much genetic material as possible present in the human gut. The linear DNA is
cloned into cosmid vectors and maintained in E. coli, whereas the plasmid DNA is rescued using
“jumping” DNA fragments called transposons to insert an origin of replication that makes it
possible for the plasmids to replicate in E. coli.
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High-quality DNA has been successfully extracted from the human gut microbiome for cloning.
Isolating large-fragment linear DNA for cloning has proven straightforward; however, cloning
plasmid DNA requires further optimization. Once complete, both cosmid and plasmid libraries
of the human gut microbiome will be available for DNA sequencing as well as function-based
screening, such as screening for novel *
Lane, Natasha
Coauthor(s): Dr. Scott Leatherdale, PhD & Mr. Rashid Ahmed, MSc.
Presentation type: Poster presentation (Monday, April 25 | 4 pm - 6 pm)
Abstract title: Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) use by Canadian youth: data from the
Canadian Youth Smoking Survey
Abstract: Purpose: In Canada, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is a best practice for adult
smoking cessation, but it is not recommended for use among youth smokers. The purpose of
this study was to determine the prevalence of NRT use among youth smokers in Canada and
examine factors associated with its use.
Methods: Data from 41,886 grade 9 to 12 students who participated in the 2006-07 Youth
Smoking Survey were used to determine prevalence of NRT use. Logistic regression models
were conducted to examine the association between NRT use by smoking status, demographic
characteristics and exposure to tobacco control programs.
Results: In 2006-2007, 20.4% of current and former youth smokers in Canada had ever used
NRT and 7.4% were currently using NRT. Prevalence of NRT use was highest among current
smokers, older youths, boys, youths who had made previous quit attempts and youths with no
disposable income. Participation in cessation counseling or a quit smoking contest, as well as
living in the Prairie regions were all significantly associated with increased NRT use, whereas
attending anti-smoking classes in school was inversely associated with using NRT.
Conclusions: A significant number of Canadian youth use NRT, despite restrictions on its sale to
this population. This study identifies characteristics associated with youths using NRT. Research
is needed to elucidate mechanisms by which characteristics identified in this study affect NRT
use. For example, it may be important to understand whether attending smoking cessation
counseling induces NRT use in youths or vice versa.
Lavoie, Jonathan
Coauthor(s): Rainer Kaltenbaek, Bei Zeng, Stephen D. Bartlett and Kevin J. Resch
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Quantum computing in a simulated solid-state system using light
Abstract: Quantum computing promises to improve how we process information today. Who
could have thought that the weirdest features of nature would be used to efficiently factorize
integers, perfectly encrypt messages or even simulate nature itself? While the theory of
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computing with quantum systems incorporates all of these effects, it does not tell us in what
physical system it will be practical. In fact, the list of candidates is still increasing. One very
appealing candidate for a quantum computer, first described by Affleck, Kennedy, Lieb, and
Tasaki (AKLT), is found by cooling down the right solid-state system to very low temperatures.
By addressing the components of the solid, it has been shown theoretically that quantum
information could be encoded, manipulated and extracted. Since present-day technology is
unable to realize this scheme in the solid state, we devised the means to construct the AKLT
state by using properties of photons, the fundamental particles of light. More specifically, the
goal was to make a three-spin AKLT state, using four photons and perform basic manipulations
to the state to experimentally demonstrate its utility for quantum computation. Since the
system is optics, rather than solid-state, our approach uses linear optical components rather
than cooling. The results constitute the first demonstration of quantum computation with an
AKLT state and solidify the link between condensed matter physics and quantum information.
Lawr, Nathan
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: “The Burden of Responsibility”: Emergency Powers in Canada: Public Opinion
and Government Motivations
Abstract: In the ‘peaceable kingdom’, a commitment to human rights is taken for granted.
However, this view of Canada does not represent the entire picture. Indeed, for better or
worse, there have been times in our history where an authoritarian hand has been not only
tolerated but welcomed.
In 1914, Robert Borden’s government created the War Measures Act, giving it far-reaching
powers over industry, the economy, and civil liberties. Though there was little evidence that
enemy aliens posed any threat, for the most part, politicians and the public alike accepted that
they did.
During the Second World War, the WMA was used to evacuate Japanese Canadians from
their coastal homes in British Columbia. Again, the government defended its actions as
necessary for national security. Despite lack of evidence, fears of Japanese aggression meant
that, for the most part, Canadians accepted their government’s actions as reasonable.
In 1970, the government of Pierre Trudeau invoked the WMA to counter domestic terrorism
by the Québec independence organization the FLQ. No one knew just how real a threat it
posed. Again, the bulk of Canadians seemed to accept the government’s justifications.
To the extent that there was any debate, politicians were at each instance motivated by
political concerns. What then is the purpose of emergency powers? Whom do they benefit, the
public or the government? This study seeks to understand the various pressures and opinions
that led to the invocation of emergency measures and explore governmental justifications for
doing so.
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Lawrence, Mike
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Towards a Complex Systems Analysis of Mexico’s War on Drugs
Abstract: Upon taking office in late 2006, Mexican President Felipe Calderón provoked
significant change in the country’s illegal drug market by deploying the military to confront the
major drug trafficking organizations (DTOs). The government has made record seizures and
removed many leading drug figures, but by destabilizing the balance of power between DTOs it
has inadvertently unleashed a spiral of violence in which DTOs fight each other and the state.
Over 32 000 people have died in the violence since December 2006.
My research examines Mexico’s war on drugs through the lens of governance. I argue that the
state is in a period of transition from centralized arrangements towards the more decentralized
arrangements of a market state in which it serves as a facilitator of market economics and
democratic politics. The drug trade is the chief obstacle to this transition. DTO violence
undermines state attempts to project authority, sovereignty and law and order, while
corruption frustrates government reform efforts. In these ways DTOs pursue governance
arrangements more favourable to their illegal economic interests.
To understand the war on drugs as a struggle over governance, my analysis draws upon
complex adaptive systems theory. It uses the concepts of emergence, self-organization,
resilience and adaptation to understand the impact of the government’s military strategy and
the shifting dynamics of the conflict. Ultimately, this analysis elucidates the systemic dilemma
the prohibition of narcotics creates for the Mexican state, and reveals the fundamental
shortcomings of a military strategy.
Lee, En-Shiun Annie
Coauthor(s): Professor Andrew K. C. Wong
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Pattern Synthesis by Tree Morphism of Random Suffix Trees in a Hierarchical
Clustering Framework
Abstract: Discovering sequence patterns is practiced in many applications such as motif finding,
trend prediction, recommendation systems, and behaviour targeting. In real life applications, a
pattern seldom repeat precisely at an exact location; in fact, variations of a pattern is scattered
at assorted offset locations. Thus, a summary of the discovered patterns is important for
grouping and identifying functional regions. Currently, the existing pattern discovery methods
are insufficient in finding complex patterns because statistical pattern definition do not model
amino acid associations appropriately and locational proximity information are not used fully.
To summarize the discovered rigid patterns into complex pattern representation, we utilize
pattern synthesis.
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We propose a pattern synthesis method which aggregates exact patterns to discover
approximate patterns. By synthesizing the patterns into a random suffix tree using locational
information, we removed insignificant variations to accurately model amino acid associations.
Our method builds a forest of random suffix trees and merges these trees by the process of tree
morphism. The above computational steps are established within the classical framework of
hierarchical clustering.
Our method of pattern synthesis can discover pattern in regions that are critical to the
functionality of a protein family. Given a family of protein sequences, our results show that we
are able to discover the heme-binding sites of two protein families, Cytochrome C family and
Globin family. In our next step, further theoretical framework for the random suffix tree needs
to be formulized, including definition of hyperedge extended from visual image processing.
Lee, Hoffer
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Exploring the Relative Uses and Advantages/Disadvantages of Case Studies
versus Scale Development As Alternative Research Designs for Studying Tourism Experiences
Abstract: Case study has been widely used in doing social science research, and particularly in
tourism research. Scale development, as a quantified measurement technique, is often adopted
in scientific investigation. The purpose of this study is to explore the uses of case study and
scale development as strategies/methods in researching tourism experience. The discussion of
their relative advantages and disadvantages in pursuing tourism experience study is also
provided. The study draws from a comprehensive literature review and critical analysis of the
existing experiential tourism research using the case study and scale development methods.
The findings of this research indicate that while the case study has been accepted by scholars as
a comprehensive research strategy, scale development has been regarded as a single
quantitative research technique often attached to questionnaire-based surveys. Moreover,
with regard to the generalization of study findings, a case study is not as good as scale
development. Additionally, primarily used to answer ‘who/what/how many/how much
questions’ in studies as the scale development method often does, the case study is agreed to
be more suitable for answering ‘how and why’ questions. Finally, a case study often produces
more subjective thoughts and conclusions, whereas the findings from scale development
carried out with proper measurement procedures usually have less bias than those of a case
study.
Leung, Kevin
Coauthor(s): Huiwen Lian
Presentation type: poster presentation
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Abstract title: The Role of Self-Regulation and Work-Contingent Self-Esteem in Predicting
Deviance against Abusive Supervisors
Abstract: Abusive supervision is characterized by ridiculing and humiliating subordinates
publicly, improperly blaming subordinates, invading subordinates’ privacy, and giving
subordinates the silent treatment (Tepper, 2000). One outcome of abusive supervision is
supervisor-directed deviance – behaviors intended to directly harm one’s supervisor such as
cursing or insubordination (Mitchell & Ambrose, 2007).
In the current study, we seek to understand when and why subordinates retaliate against
abusive supervisors by investigating the role of the motivation and capacity to self-regulate.
We conceptualize motivation in terms of subordinates’ workplace-contingent self-esteem
(WCSE), or the extent to which an individual bases self-worth on work performance (Crocker &
Wolfe, 2001: 594). Individuals with high WCSE are more motivated to perform well at work and
thus engage in less deviant behaviors. Therefore, we anticipate that individuals with high WCSE
will be more motivated to override their immediate impulse to retaliate, and the success of this
attempt will depend upon their self-regulation capacity. We hypothesized that there will be a
three-way interaction between abusive supervision, self-regulation capacity, and WCSE in
predicting supervisor-directed deviance, such that the relation between abusive supervision
and supervisor-directed deviance will be buffered by subordinates having high self-regulation
capacity and high WCSE.
In a multi-wave study, 197 employees completed three surveys which assessed abusive
supervision (week 1), self-regulation capacity (week 2), supervisor-directed deviance and WCSE
(week 3). Results confirmed our hypothesis. When subordinates are motivated to regulate
their behaviors and have the self-regulation capacity to do so, they can effectively reduce their
deviance towards abusive supervisors.
Liang, Lindie
Coauthor(s): Huiwen Lian, Douglas Brown
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: I Will Only Behave if You Reward Me: A Self-Regulation Theory Perspective of
Abusive Supervision and Supervisor-Directed Deviance
Abstract: Integrating and extending past work on reciprocity principles and self-regulation
theory, we address the question of when and why abusive supervision promotes subordinate
deviance directed towards supervisors. In so doing, we propose a three-way interaction
between abusive supervision, self-regulation capacity and supervisor reward power in
predicting subordinate supervisor-directed deviance. In particular, we propose that the relation
between abusive supervision and supervisor-directed deviance is the weakest when
subordinates have high self-regulation capacity and perceive their supervisors have high reward
power. This hypothesis was supported in a multi-wave study of 197 full-time employees. Our
findings suggest that not only individual’s self-regulation capacity is important in reducing
deviance under abusive supervisors, but also sufficient motivation is necessary to restrain
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impulsive retaliatory behaviors in reaction to abusive supervision. Theoretical and practical
implications are discussed.
Lin, Taoran
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Probing magnetic Coulomb phases in spin ice
Abstract: The low temperature physics of spin ice materials dysprosium titanate and holmium
titanate has been under intense study in recent years. Geometrical frustration imposed by the
crystal environment on the rare earth spin moments prevents magnetic order down to at least
hundreds of mK. The quasi ground state is massively degenerate and the spin configurations
can be mapped to the ice rules of the proton disorder in water ice. Earlier theoretical studies
based on the simplest nearest neighbor model show that in large length scale the spin-spin
correlation has a dipole-like decay for the ground state, thus creating an artificial
electrodynamics (Coulomb phase) for the “fluxes” of the magnetic spin moments. Finite
temperature excitations can therefore be described in terms of magnetic monopoles.
Subsequent studies show that more elaborate microscopic models including dipole interactions
must be employed to achieve a realistic description of the system. In our work, we perform
numerical analysis based on both models in order to build the bridge between the existing
analytical and experimental work. Particular attention has been paid to the neutron scattering
analysis of the spin-spin correlations where the magnetic Coulomb phase is most clearly
exposed. Monte Carlo methods have been employed in our simulations. Observations were
made which must be embedded in a proper interpretation of the experimental results.
Ling, Xia
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: usage of different cellulosic materials by Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus
and Caldicellulosiruptor kristjanssonii
Abstract: Caldicellulosiruptor saccharolyticus and Caldicellulosiruptor kristjanssonii are two
hyper/thermophilic bacteria growing on all kinds of cellulosic materials and producing hydrogen
as one of the end-products, which is a potential biofuel. However, the extent of the substrates
they can metabolize and the amount of each metabolite are not known. To determine their
capibilities of using different carbon source, glucose, xylose, cellobiose, switchgrass, xylan, and
avicel (PH105) were used as the sole carbon and energy source. Gas chromatography and High
Performance Liquid Chromatography were used to determine the amount of gas produced. The
results showed that both C. saccharolyticus and C. kristjanssonii could use cellulose and hemicellulose for growth. The substrate preference for growth of C. saccharolyticus was found to be
glucose, cellobiose, xylan, xylose, avicel, switchgrass. While for C. kristjanssonii, it was glucose,
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xylan, xylose, cellobiose, avicel, switchgrass. Both hydrogen and carbon dioxide gas were
detected as gas products. And scanning electronic microscope and confocal microscope are
used to observed the attachment between the cell and cellulose, and the adhesion in between
was observed.These results showed that both C. saccharolyticus and C. kristjanssonii was able
to produce hydrogen using cellulose and hemi-cellulosic materials. Genome sequence of both
C. saccharolyticus and C. kristjanssonii are available now, both will be helped for the new
generation biofuel production.
Liu, Kevin
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Measuring Length Changes in Cryogenics via Capacitive Dilatometry
Abstract: New materials with increasing complexity are synthesized each day. To fully
understand these new materials experimental procedures are performed to identify their
properties and phase transitions. Observing phase transitions such as structural, magnetic,
electronic and superconducting, to name a few, are all of great importance in determining the
underlying physics of any material. The key to understanding the emergence of these
phenomena lie in the behavioural response to changes in physical parameters. One such
response is thermal expansion which is directly related to the structural phase of the material.
A capacitive dilatometer is employed to measure the thermal expansive length change of
materials with sub angstrom resolution. Typical thermal expansion length changes measure
several orders of magnitude larger than the resolution limit. This leads to undeniable
measurements of the thermal expansion of materials.
A testament to the efficacy of capacitive dilatometry is the thermal expansion measurement of
the multiferroic Ba3NbFe3SiO14. Such methods were able to identify a phase transition by
thermal expansion at T = 26K. The utilization is not merely restricted to thermal expansion;
other length varying responses such as magnetostriction employ the use of a capacitive
dilatometer. It is through versatility and high resolution but simplistic design that the capacitive
dilatometer has found its niche in cryogenics.
Locklin, Jason
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Examining the effects of Saccadic Adaptation on Spatial Biases
Abstract: Spatial biases exist in human perception and action. For example, asymmetries when
judging the spatial extent of objects exist as small systematic biases in healthy people, and can
occur as large deficits after brain damage, most notably following right parietal injury leading to
unilateral neglect. Saccadic adaptation is a procedure which can be used to temporarily
introduce spatial biases in eye movement accuracy. Here, we measured changes in the
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judgment of spatial extent induced via saccadic adaptation using two tasks - line bisection and a
perceptual variant of bisection known as the landmark task. The line-bisection task was used as
a measure of motoric judgments of center, whereas the landmark-task measured perceptual
judgments of center. Degree of saccade-length adaptation varied widely across individuals,
however, the group as a whole exhibited significant and reliable adaptation. Analysis of changes
in landmark and line-bisection performance, both with the whole group and with a subset of
“strong adaptors”, revealed trends towards altered biases in the expected direction consistent
with the notion that spatial biases may be subtly affected by saccadic adaptation. These
differences may in part be due to differences in the pre-existing perceptual or motor biases
measured prior to adaptation.
Lorentz, Holly
Coauthor(s): W. Khan, D. Trieu, M. Heynen, LW. Jones
Presentation type: Mandatory oral presentation (indicate department below)
Abstract title: The Effect of Intermittent Air Exposure on the Deposition of Lipids on Silicone
Hydrogel and Conventional Hydrogel Contact Lens Materials
Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate the influence of air exposure during in vitro deposition of three
model lipids on silicone hydrogel (SH) and conventional hydrogel (CH) contact lens materials via
a model blink cell (MBC).
Methods: Four SH (PureVision®; Air OPTIX®; Biofinity® ; Acuvue OASYS®) and two CH (Acuvue2®
and ProClear®) contact lenses were placed in an atmospherically controlled MBC and mounted
on six pistons which were cycled in and out of an artificial tear solution (ATS). Lenses were
cycled for 10 hours; 2 seconds in the ATS then exposed to air for 5 seconds. Control lenses were
kept submerged for 10 hours. The ATS contained major tear film components and a trace
amount of one of the radioactive lipids; 14C-cholesterol, 14C-triolein, or 14Cphosphatidylcholine.
Results: Air exposure significantly increased (p≤0.03) the amount of cholesterol that deposited
on ProClear, PureVision, Biofinity, and OASYS, however no change (p>0.05) in deposition was
seen for Air OPTIX and Acuvue2. Exposure to air did not significantly (p>0.05) change the
amount of triolein that deposited for any lens material. All lenses exposed to air resulted in
increased amounts of phosphatidylcholine being deposited. These levels were statistically
significantly higher (p<0.04) for Air OPTIX, OASYS, Biofinity and ProClear, but not statistically
significant (p>0.05) for PureVision or Acuvue2.
Conclusion: This model has demonstrated that the change in lipid deposition kinetics can be
impacted by air exposure. Additionally, the lipid deposition profiles were lens dependent.
Funding: ALCON
Lu, Rongxing
Presentation type: oral presentation
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Abstract title: Sacrificing the Plum Tree for the Peach Tree: A Socialspot Tactic for Protecting
Receiver-location Privacy in VANET
Abstract: Recent advances in vehicular technology and wireless communication have paved the
way for the rapid development of Vehicular Ad Hoc Network (VANET). As a special instantiate of
mobile ad hoc network, VANET contains not only a large number of mobile vehicles equipped
with wireless On Board Unit (OBU) device but also stationary Roadside Units (RSUs), which
makes VANET more promising and can provide us a variety of applications ranging from safety
related (e.g., emergence report, collision warning) to non-safety related (e.g., multimedia file
sharing) close to our daily lives. Due to these promising applications, VANET has been
increasingly attractive to the public. However, the flourish of VANET still hinges up the fully
understanding and managing the security and privacy challenges that the public concerns. In
this work, we mainly focus on how to protect receiver-location privacy in packet forwarding
application in VANET. Especially, to simultaneously protect the receiver location privacy and
improve the performance of packet delivery in VANET, we utilize “Sacrificing the Plum Tree for
the Peach Tree” — one of the Thirty-Six Strategies of Ancient China, to propose a socialspotbased packet forwarding (SPF) protocol, where each vehicle receiver only reveals a nonsensitive socialspot, e.g., a shopping mall, that he often visits as a relay node to help packet
forwarding and protect his other sensitive locations privacy.
Lung, Terry Shiu Cheung
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Examining the role of the TOC complex in selective protein import into
dimorphic chloroplasts in the single-cell C4 species Bienertia sinuspersici
Abstract: Bienertia sinuspersici is one of the three terrestrial plants that have been discovered
to perform C4 photosynthesis in single chlorenchyma cells, contradicting the dual-cell
arrangement in typical C4 plants. The single-cell C4 systems feature two distinct chloroplast
types in separate cytoplasmic compartments. While anatomical and biochemical data aided
with the identification of a novel single-cell C4 cycle via subcellular compartmentation, a
rationale behind the differential localization of the key photosynthetic enzymes to the
dimorphic chloroplasts is currently lacking. To investigate the selective targeting of proteins
into chloroplasts of B. sinuspersici, we characterized the translocon at the outer envelope
membrane of chloroplasts (TOC). Biochemical properties of Toc159 receptors implicate their
roles in governing substrate specificity of the translocon complexes. Expression of Toc159
isoforms is differentially regulated during the development of chlorenchyma cells. Transient
expression of fluorescent protein-tagged Toc159 isoforms and immunogold electron
microscopy revealed their unique subcellular localization distinct from other chloroplast
envelope proteins. Current research aims at elucidating the roles of these Toc receptors in the
differential import of proteins into dimorphic chloroplasts in the single-cell C4 system.
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Luus, Kristina
Coauthor(s): Luus, K.A., J.C. Lin, J.H. McCaughey, H.A. Margolis and R.E.J. Kelly
Presentation type: Poster presentation
Abstract title: Estimating the influence of snow on net ecosystem exchange
Abstract: Snow season net ecosystem exchange (NEE) is driven by soil temperature and
nutrient availability. As snow depth increases during the snow season, air temperature and soil
temperature become decoupled, complicating efforts to estimate snow season NEE as a
function of air temperature. The objectives of this research were therefore to assess: 1) the
influence of snow depth on snow season NEE at three Canadian Carbon Program study sites (AB
Western Peatland, QC Black Spruce Cutover and ON Boreal Mixedwood); and 2) the potential
for improving estimates of snow season NEE using air temperature and snow depth as a proxy
for soil temperature. Statistical analysis of snow season CO2 flux, temperature and snow depth
were conducted using exploratory and multiple regression analyses. Linear increases in soil
temperature were found to be associated with exponential rises in soil respiration. A modified
Q10 function can be used to explain a significant portion of the variability in NEE as a function
of air temperature, with little between site variation in regression parameters. It may therefore
be possible to generalize relationships between subnivean respiration, air temperature and
snow depth in order to improve estimates of snow season NEE.
Ma, Xian
Coauthor(s): Nicolas C. Menicucci, Timothy C. Ralph
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Continuous-Variable Cluster States quantum computation
Abstract: One way quantum computation with cluster states is a promising candidate for
experimental implementation of quantum computing. In optical settings, Continuous variable
one-way quantum computation has an advantage over its qubit counterpart. However,
preparing a large cluster state using "canonical method" requires a huge amount of
experimental effort and affects the scalability of such implementation. In this research, we
present compact design for generating arbitrarily large optical continuous variable cluster state
using only one single mode vacuum squeezer and one quantum nondemolition gate. In our
scheme, the cluster states are generated in time sequence. We can get access to more
entangled modes while measuring the previous modes. Therefore, we could create arbitrarily
large cluster states by running the experiment long enough, and this dramatic reduction in
resources requirement will make the implementation of CV one-way QC feasible with current
technology.
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Machan, Carolyn
Coauthor(s): Patricia K. Hrynchak, Elizabeth L. Irving
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Cataract Prevalence and the Impact of Type 2 Diabetes: Waterloo Eye Study
Abstract: Purpose: To report on the prevalence of age-related (AR) cataract in a clinic
population and type 2 diabetic (T2D) and non-diabetic (ND) subgroups. The average age of
surgical removal in T2D and ND patients will also be reported. Methods: 6397 clinic files form
the University of Waterloo, School of Optometry were reviewed. Information abstracted
included the presence of AR cataract (nuclear sclerosis (NS), cortical (CC), or posterior subcapsular (PSC)), and a history and date of lens extraction(s). The overall prevalence of AR
cataract was calculated. The prevalence’s for the subgroups were compared using regression
analysis for age matching. Age differences in age at 50% prevalence were calculated for T2D
and ND patients. Individual prevalence’s of NS, CC and PSC were determined and compared for
subgroups. For patients with AR cataracts, the distribution rates of mixed versus uniform
cataract were investigated. Finally, mean age at initial cataract surgery was determined and
compared for the two subgroups. Results: Only 1.2% of all cataracts were unrelated to age.
35.3% of the study group had AR cataracts. Cataract prevalence progressed steadily after age
thirty-eight approaching 100% by seventy-three. Cataracts occurred earlier in T2D (n=448) than
ND (n=5887) patients (F(2,176)=34.9, P<0.0001), reaching 50% prevalence by age 53.17 +/- 0.84
(95% CI) compared to 56.95 +/- .31 (95% CI). Once the prevalence of age-related cataracts
began to rise, the rate of increase in prevalence was similar for both groups. 28.8% of all WATes
patients had NS, 9.9% had CC, and 3.6% had PSC. T2D’s had a significantly *
Magesan, Easwar
Coauthor(s): Jay Gambetta, Joseph Emerson
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Scalable and Robust Benchmarking of Quantum Processes
Abstract: Quantum computers provide efficient methods to solve certain problems for which no
efficient algorithm currently exists. These problems have application in diverse areas such as
information security, physics, chemistry and medicine. Unfortunately, the task of building a
quantum computer is difficult as quantum systems are extremely sensitive to environmental
noise effects. Fault-tolerant threshold theorems show however that as long as the noise
affecting a quantum system is below some threshold, reliable quantum computation can take
place. As a result, methods for characterizing the noise affecting a quantum system are of
significant interest.
The main drawback of complete noise characterization is that it scales exponentially in the
number of "quantum bits" (qubits) comprising the system. This non-scalability highlights the
importance of developing mathematical methods for scalable partial characterization of the
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noise affecting a quantum system. We discuss a protocol based on randomization methods that
provides fitting models for the fidelity decay of the noisy gates used in quantum information
processing. We show that when the average variation of the noise is not too large the first
order model gives a robust estimate of both the average error affecting the gate set and the
gate-dependence of the noise. We also show that the protocol is scalable in the number of
qubits comprising the system.
Mainland, Mike
Coauthor(s): Prier, Andrea
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Whatever sells! The impact of the strategic idealization of physical activity in
advertising
Abstract: The purpose of our research is to explore the societal impact of the strategic
idealization of physical activity in advertising. We are examining how specific images of activity
are used as a tool for product promotion in Canadian parenting magazines. When the primary
aim is increased profit through ever increasing sales, little attention is given to the potential
societal consequences of the images we use to form associations between the product and the
intended buyer. The goal of this research study is to explore how strategic depictions of
physical activity attempt to create emotional responses in the intended buyer. The research
process began with an examination of four issues of both Parents and Today’s Parent
magazines. These advertisements were analyzed to determine the messages they communicate
to parents. A critical theory perspective guided this research project. More specifically, a
critical discourse analysis (CDA) of print media aimed at Canadian parents was conducted. Our
research found that the use of idealized images of physical activity as a strategic marketing tool
is widespread in print media aimed at Canadian parents. The next goal of our research project
will be to explore in depth some of the unintended consequences (such as suggesting
stereotypical ideals regarding body image and family experience) associated with these
depictions of leisure through interviews with Canadian parents.
Maloney, Erin
Coauthor(s): Evan Risko, Stephanie Waechter, Daniel Ansari,
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Examing possible causal factors of math anxiety
Abstract: Math anxiety is a condition in which individuals experience negative affect when
engaging in tasks demanding numerical and mathematical skills. Individuals high in math
anxiety have been shown to perform worse than their non-math anxious peers on a wide range
of numerical and mathematical tasks, ranging from simple tasks such as counting objects to
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more complex arithmetic problems. Contemporary theories of math anxiety hold that the
performance decrements experienced by math anxious individuals stem from an anxietyinduced reduction in online working memory resources. This theory predicts that alleviating the
feelings of anxiety will result in the ability of highly math anxious individuals to perform at the
same level as their non-math anxious peers. However, recent work in our lab suggests that
math anxious individuals may, in fact, suffer from basic numerical processing deficits that
arguably are independent of working memory. If this is the case, then alleviating the feelings of
anxiety will not consequently enable the highly math anxious individuals to perform at the level
of their non-math anxious peers. The relevant findings will be discussed with respect to their
implications for the design and implementation of remediation programs for the individuals
who experience the debilitating effects of math anxiety.
Manji, Noorin
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Challenges, Advantages & Uses of Cellular Phones: Involvements, Identities &
Insights
Abstract: If there is any one feature that could best symbolize the contemporary climate of
Western culture, arguably, it would be technology; and perhaps the most pervasive and rapidly
proliferating form of technology that currently satiates the western cultural experience are
cellular phones. Here, informed by the existing literature, a Symbolic Interactionist, interpretive
approach will be used to frame the data collected in an attempt to understand how social
actors make sense of the role that technology, specifically cellular phones, plays in their lives.
The central thrust of this investigation is premised on locating patterns in how social actors
generally interact with cellular culture, what social meanings cellular technology has come to
occupy, and what these patterns can reveal about human group life overall. Using a qualitative,
in-depth, ethnographic approach, this study explores the relationship of four young adults to
their cellular phones.
Markvart, Tanya
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: A Sustainability-Based Evaluation of Strategic Sustainability Planning
Frameworks
Abstract: Strategic sustainability planning is a critical frontier within the discipline of urban
planning. It is “critical” because it represents an urgently needed response to the complex
social-ecological problems faced by contemporary societies. It is a "frontier" because many
gaps and contradictions remain in our understanding of precisely what sustainability entails and
how it should be pursued. Since the late 1980s (i.e., when the concept of sustainability burst
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upon the international political agenda) academics and/or practitioners have created a diverse
range of frameworks to structure and guide local strategic sustainability planning initiatives. To
date, however, little research has been devoted to evaluating these frameworks from a
sustainability perspective rooted in the theoretical and practitioner literature. In my oral
presentation, I will share the early results of an analysis of well-known strategic sustainability
planning frameworks that have been adopted by local governments around the world. First, I
will discuss the analytical tool that I developed based on the academic and practitioner
literature. This analytical tool was used to evaluate the frameworks. Then, I will share the key
strengths and limitations of the frameworks that I identified through the analysis. The results of
my analysis provide valuable insights to the discipline of urban planning. In Canada, for
example, municipalities must develop strategic sustainability plans in order to receive much
needed federal funding for infrastructure projects. My oral presentation will discuss the
relevance of my findings in light of this Canadian municipal planning context.
Marshall, Claymore
Coauthor(s): Mary Hardy, David Saunders
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Periodic Rebalancing Hedging Strategies for a Guaranteed Minimum Income
Benefit
Abstract: A GMIB is a long term option that can be embedded in a deferred variable annuity.
The GMIB is attractive because, for policyholders who plan to annuitize, it offers protection
against poor market performance during the accumulation phase, and against adverse interest
rate experience at annuitization. The GMIB also provides an upside equity guarantee that
resembles the benefit provided by a lookback option. These features make the GMIB an
interesting option to price, and a challenging option to hedge.
Due to the long dated nature of the GMIB, traditional hedging methods, such as delta hedging,
are only partially successful, in general. Therefore, we are motivated to find alternative
hedging methods which work well in practice for long term options, but which do not depend
so strongly on the standard assumptions of option pricing theory. We explore and illustrate the
effectiveness of semi-static hedging strategies for the GMIB. The goal of a semi-static hedging
strategy is to construct a hedging portfolio that is rebalanced at certain time intervals during
the accumulation phase, such that, at the option maturity date, the hedging portfolio payoff is
equal to or exceeds the option value, subject to an acceptable level of risk. Semi-static
strategies are implemented using portfolio optimization methods and nested Monte Carlo
simulations between hedging horizons. We illustrate the effectiveness of hedging portfolios
designed to minimize the mean squared hedging error over each hedging horizon. We compare
the hedging loss/profit distributions based on semi-static strategies to those based on static
hedging strategies.
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Martin, William
Coauthor(s): N.C. Bols, Shirley Tang, Gladys Stephenson
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Developing the Tools for Evaluating the Toxic Effects of Carbon Nanotubes to
Soil Invertebrates
Abstract: The Nanoparticles known as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) will undoubtedly revolutionize
research and industry, from sports equipment to cell therapy to computing. With such widespread potential comes the certainty that they will become common contaminants in many
biological systems. The same properties that make CNTs so promising also make them a
potentially hazardous contaminant. This research aims to determine the effects of CNTs on the
industry-standard soil test organisms Eisenia andrei and Folsomia candida. Previous attempts to
observe toxic effects of CNTs have involved attaching reactive functional groups to the
particles, and the use of toxic dispersants. Additionally, it is extremely difficult to detect the
presence of CNTs in soil. This research aims to eliminate these compounding factors by
removing them: non-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes have been used, and used
without the aid of dispersants. A method has been developed in which CNTs are combined into
a slurry with silica sand in order to make a stock “solution”. This was then used to spike artificial
soil, to which E. andrei and F. candida are exposed in Environment Canada standard test
methods to determine the acute and reproductive toxic effects. Preliminary results suggest that
at exposures of 1000mg/kg CNTs and higher, there is significant reduction in adult invertebrate
survival and reproduction.
Martin, Judith
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Empowering Los Angeles: A Vision for a New Urban Ecology
Abstract: This thesis addresses the future of sustainable energy distribution and transportation
in the United States. Predictions of future energy and transportation demands promote
localized energy as the most likely situation. Existing proposals outlining the benefits of
decentralized energy production fail to engage architecture. Cities will require new
architectural typologies that can integrate new energy infrastructure in the city.
Los Angeles, the archetype of the decentralized American city, is introduced as a case study.
The city is examined at multiple scales for the integration of a decentralized electricity network
and an efficient transportation infrastructure. Siting the proposed facilities capitalizes on new
and existing transportation infrastructures and local energy resources. The new electricitytransportation infrastructure is adapted to a decentralized network functioning on principles of
ecosystems and energy economics at an urban scale.
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Energy storage is paired with a multi-modal transportation to develop new architectural and
urban typologies. This enables the decentralized urban proposal to function as a network
exhibiting mutually beneficial characteristics
McKinnon, Rhys
Presentation type: Oral presentation
Abstract title: Responding to Prompts and Challenges to Assertions
Abstract: We make assertions all the time: giving directions, responding to questions, giving
lectures, and providing our opinions on the latest blockbuster movie. However, are there any
norms or “rules” for when, how, or what we ought to assert? There have been three broad
categories of data marshalled as evidence for or against various proposed norms for assertion:
statements about lotteries such as “Your ticket will lose,” Moorean statements such as “Today
is Friday, but I don’t know that today is Friday,” and challenges or prompts to assertions such as
“How do you know?” Much attention has been paid to the first two categories. However, there
has also been a consistent, if quieter, effort to pay attention to how challenges and prompts
play a central role in articulating (and criticizing) norms of assertion. In this paper I propose a
principle of interpretation for the content of challenges and prompts to assertions based on the
criterion of what constitutes wholly adequate responses. I suggest that this is a unifying
principle for the linguistic data, inasmuch as wholly adequate responses generally consist in
giving one’s reasons for an assertion. Furthermore, I argue that the linguistic data is best
explained by a reason-based norm such as Jennifer Lackey’s Reasonable to Believe Norm of
Assertion (RTBNA). Consequently, I argue against John Turri’s claim that the data is best
explained by the Knowledge Norm of Assertion (KNA).
McMillan, Elliott
Coauthor(s): Neil Mundi & Joe Quadrilatero
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Brown and white adipose tissue differ in apoptosis related protein expression
and proteolytic enzyme activity
Abstract: Apoptosis of adipocytes contributes to metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Data
suggests that brown adipose tissue (BAT) may be more susceptible to apoptotic stress than
white adipose tissue (WAT). However, the expression of apoptosis-related proteins and
proteolytic enzymes between adipose tissue types is not well known. PURPOSE: To identify the
levels of key apoptotic factors in BAT and WAT. METHODS: Western blot analysis was
performed to identify the expression of AIF, Smac/DIABLO, cytochrome c, XIAP, Hsp70, Bax, Bcl2, and ARC in BAT and WAT protein extracts from healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats. In
addition, the activity of caspase-3 and -8 were identified in BAT and WAT. RESULTS: Relative to
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total protein content there was a greater expression of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax, AIF,
Smac/DIABLO and cytochrome c in BAT (p<0.05). Similarly, the expression of the anti-apoptotic
proteins ARC and Hsp70 was significantly higher in BAT compared to WAT (p<0.05).
Interestingly, the protein levels of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and XIAP were significantly higher in
WAT (p<0.05). The activity of the proteolytic enzymes caspase -3 and -8 were also significantly
greater in BAT compared to WAT (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Collectively, these data suggest that
differences in apoptotic susceptibility between BAT and WAT may be due to a differential
expression of apoptosis-related proteins and enzymes. These results provide important insight
into the apoptotic differences between BAT and WAT. Further investigation is needed to
determine the role of these apoptotic differences on inflammatory processes and in the
pathogenesis of disease.
McMurray, Josephine
Coauthor(s): Zhu, L., Chen, H., McKillop, I.
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Developing an Ontology for Regional Health System Interoperability
Performance Measurement
Abstract: Introduction: To date, over $2 billion has been invested by Canada’s federal
government (Office of the Auditor General of Canada, 2009), and considerably more by
provinces and individual healthcare organizations (such as hospitals, physicians, labs, long term
care facilities and public health agencies), to enable the electronic capture and exchange of
health information amongst health care providers. Health information system interoperability is
postulated as a concept which measures the flow of electronic patient information between
health care providers in a health system, and therefore a measure of progress towards
Canada’s national electronic health record goals (Infoway, 2007).
Methods: Ontologies are representations of knowledge which facilitate both human and
machine understanding of a domain. Following a literature review and expert consultation
process, Protégé-OWL (Web Ontology Language) open source ontology editor and knowledgebase framework (http://protege.stanford.edu/) was used to develop a formal conceptualization
of regional health system interoperability.
Findings: Various health entities were built into the ontology model and classified by different
categories. Exchange of health information was modeled by object and data properties
describing information sending and receiving properties. Individual entity’s (n=181) data from a
previous self-report survey were imported as instances to validate the model, confirming the
success of the conceptualization process.
Conclusions: Our ontology appears to be a good conceptualization carrier of the specific
domain knowledge of regional health system interoperability. The ontology is also reusable and
extendable for future developers in this domain.
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Melnykevych, Viktoriya
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Mysteries of Theatrical Scripts: Literary Handwriting Analysis of Russian Faust
Adaptations.
Abstract: This presentation will familiarize the audience with theatrical productions of Goethe’s
Faust in Imperial Russia by examining survived evidence from the production process. It will
discuss unpublished manuscripts and printed Russian translations of the play used as a linguistic
base of three theatrical productions staged before the Revolution of 1917: Faust and Margarita
at the Maly Theatre in Moscow (1878), Petr Gnedich’s Faust at the Alexandrinsky Theatre in St.
Petersburg (1902), and Fedor Komissarzhevsky’s Faust at the Nezlobin Theatre in Moscow
(1911). This documentation was recovered from various libraries and archives in Russia and
North America during the research stage of this dissertation project over the past four years.
The presentation will focus on handwriting analysis of the texts and will establish details about
procedures involved in the preparation of the prompt-book in each case. Based on the
comparison of selected samples, the analysis will shed light on the question of authorship as
well as on the order of revisions in each case. These findings facilitate and expand
contemporary understanding of the organization of Russian theatrical art in the age in which
the profession of the artistic director was born.
Mencel, Malwina
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Agrin is a Potential Regulator of Inflammation
Abstract: Agrin is a heparan sulfate proteoglycan best known for its role in the organization and
stabilization of numerous molecules, including acetylcholine receptors (AChR), during the
formation of the neuromuscular junction. Interestingly, both agrin and AChRs are broadly
expressed molecules, present in a variety of cells, including immune cells. Macrophages,
phagocytes of the immune system that are primarily responsible for the eradication of
infection, have been known to express AChRs and be involved in regulating inflammation. The
cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway is widely accepted as one mechanism of regulating
inflammatory response. This pathway, termed the neuro-immune axis, is dependent on the
acetylcholine (ACh) secreted by the vagus nerve. ACh inturn activates the α7 nicotinic
acetylcholine receptors (α7-nAChRs) present on macrophages regulating the further production
and synthesis of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) by
inhibiting the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) transcription factor.
Using SDS-PAGE, immunoblotting, immunocytochemistry and ELISA techniques we find here
that agrin increases α7-nAChRs expression in the macrophage cell line RAW264.7 and
aggregates surface α7-nAChRs in these cell lines. Importantly, agrin alone does not appear to
affect pro-inflammatory cytokine synthesis. The addition of acetylcholine appears to diminish
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the effects of agrin, suggesting that agrin may play a role upstream of ACh signaling through α7nAChRs. In addition, agrin treatments do appear to affect IL-10 synthesis. Together, these
findings suggest a role for agrin in modifying an inflammatory response by the innate immune
system by regulating the efficacy of vagus derived ACh.
Meyer-Scott, Evan
Coauthor(s): Zhizhong Yan, Allison MacDonald, Jean-Philippe Bourgoin, Hannes Hübel, Thomas
Jennewein
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Demonstration of quantum key distribution system for satellite uplink
Abstract: Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a method of establishing a shared and secret
cryptographic key between two parties with provable security. It requires single photons to be
sent between the two parties as information carriers; since these photons are in fragile
quantum states, any eavesdropping will be disturb the photons and be detected by the
legitimate parties. This feature, along with provable security, is unique to quantum
cryptographic protocols and differentiates them from classical key distribution methods, which
use assumptions on computational power to ensure security. A main challenge in
implementations of QKD is the limited distance over which these photons survive, a few
hundred kilometres on earth. One solution is to send the photons to a satellite which, by
performing two key distributions, can link any two ground stations below its orbit. The main
challenge is the high optical losses (above 50 dB) expected on such an uplink.
Here we present a system capable of performing QKD from a ground station to an orbiting
satellite. Our system optimizes several physical parameters to combat loss, and employs a
unique method of photon production which allows combining characteristics of two input
beams. Additionally, the picosecond timing afforded by our system permits the exclusion of
much background noise, resulting in a secure key rate of 2 bits/s over a 57 dB channel. No
quantum transmission has been performed to, from, or in space thus far, and our work
represents an important step towards this goal.
Mirnaghi, Fatemeh
Coauthor(s): Yong Chen, Leonard M. Sidisky , Janusz Pawliszyn
Presentation type: Oral presentation
Abstract title: Biocompatible and reusable octadecyl-polyacrylonitrile coating for high
throughput automated 96-thin-film solid phase microextraction system coupled with LCMS/MS
Abstract: Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) offers many advantages over the traditional
sample preparation techniques (e.g. integrating sampling and sample preparation, and limiting
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the possibility of co-extracting interferences). The utilization of a 96-thin-film SPME system
allows parallel sample preparation of up to 96 samples simultaneously, and the automation of
the analytical system offers improvement of reproducibility and precision. The goal of this study
was to develop biocompatible SPME coating with improved durability and reusability for the
automated 96-thin-film SPME system. The octadecyl-silica based particles (C18) were chosen
for SPME extraction phase due to their excellent extraction recovery and versatile extraction
capability, and polyacrylonitirile was used as a binder because of high biocompatibility, and
chemical and mechanical stability. The coating was tested for high throughput analysis of
benzodiazepines in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and human plasma matrices using LCMS/MS system. The results showed that C18-PAN 96-thin-film SPME performs as a very longlasting, durable and biocompatible coating which can be used more than 140 times in PBS and
more than 70 times in human plasma. The C18-PAN thin-film resulted excellent extraction
recovery (>75% recovery for all four analytes), which presents six times enhancement when is
compared to the fiber geometry. The limits of detection and quantitation, when extracting from
plasma, were in the ranges of 0.1-0.3 ng/mL and 0.5-1 ng/ mL for all four analytes, respectively.
This study showed that the automated C18-PAN 96-thin-film SPME system can be used (>70
times) with high efficiency and throughput for accurate analysis in clinical, biological or
pharmaceutical studies.
Mitchell, Andrew
Coauthor(s): Rudiger von Harsdorf, Stefan Donath, A. Russell Tupling, and Joe Quadrilatero
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Examining the role of the anti-apoptotic protein ARC in skeletal muscle fiber
type distribution and implications on whole body metabolic rate
Abstract: Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) is a unique anti-apoptotic
protein which inhibits cell death signaling by both the death receptor and mitochondrial
mediated pathways. Interestingly, not only is ARC highly expressed in skeletal muscle, but it
also has a differential fiber type distribution. PURPOSE: To better understand the role of ARC,
we examined skeletal muscle fiber type distribution and whole body metabolic rate in ARCdeficient mice. METHODS: Metabolic rate in 18 week old ARC KO mice and aged matched
control animals was assessed using the comprehensive laboratory animal monitoring system
(CLAMS). Fiber typing was performed on soleus and plantaris muscles by incubating sections
with antibodies specific for the various myosin heavy chain isoforms. Using confocal
fluorescence microscopy, fluorescent images were taken and fiber content was analysed.
RESULTS: Compared to controls, there was no difference in absolute or relative muscle weights
in ARC-deficient animals. However, there was a 17% lower (p<0.01) number of type I fibres and
an 8% higher (p<0.05) number of type IIA fibres in soleus muscle of ARC-deficient mice.
Plantaris muscle of ARC-deficient mice had a 46% lower (p<0.05) number of type IIA fibres and
a 26% higher (p<0.05) number of type IIB fibres. In addition, ARC-deficient mice had a 10%
lower whole body metabolic rate compared to control animals. Interestingly, this effect was
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observed despite no difference in food intake, daily activity, or body weight. CONCLUSIONS:
This research suggests that ARC may play a role in muscle morphology, which could influence
whole body metabolic rate.
Moazeni, Somayeh
Coauthor(s): Yuying Li, Thomas Coleman
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Regularized Robust Optimization Approach for the Portfolio Execution Cost
Problem
Abstract: Uncertainty set is a crucial part of the robust optimization
formulation. Thus it is important to consider sensitivity of the robust solution to variations in
the uncertainty set and obtain a stable robust solution. This paper concerns this issue for an
important problem in portfolio management, namely the portfolio execution cost problem,
with uncertain market impact parameters. We propose a regularized robust
optimization approach for this problem, that has better stability properties than the classical
robust solution. In this approach, the uncertainty set is regularized by including a regularization
constraint, which is a linear matrix inequality defined by the Hessian of the objective function of
the problem and a regularization parameter. The obtained solution is not only robust to
estimation errors in the market impact parameters, but also is stable to potential changes in
the specification of the uncertainty set for these parameters. The regularized robust optimal
trading strategy can be computed by an efficient method, based on convex optimization.
Through the regularization parameter, we may
flexibly adjust the distance of the solution from the naive strategy and the level of conservatism
of the robust solution. We computationally study some implications of the regularization on the
obtained optimal trading strategy and its corresponding cost.
Mohamed, Tarek
Coauthor(s): Jacky C. K. Yeung, Xiaobei Zhao, Lila Habib, Jerry Yang and Sreejayan Nair
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Design, Synthesis and Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) Studies of 2,4Disubstituted Pyrimidine Derivatives: Multi-Functional Small Molecules for the Potential
Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Abstract: Neurodegenerative disorders inflict a heavy burden on society and healthcare.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurological disease resulting in rapid cognitive
dysfunction and eventually death. The pathology of AD is complex with multiple factors
contributing to the loss of cholinergic neurotransmission, formation of amyloid-beta (Aβ)
plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). The end result of these mechanisms is neuronal cell
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death that initially starts at the cholinergic branch of the central nervous system but eventually
spreads out to other regions of the brain. Current anti-cholinesterase treatment options, such
as donepezil (Aricept®) and rivastigmine (Exelon®), are examples of the mono-targeted
approach directed at symptom management. However, recent evidence suggests that directing
research efforts at developing multi-functional drugs presents an opportunity toward diseasemodifying effects that can potentially reverse the rapid progression of AD. Our research efforts
utilize simple synthetic methods to generate a library of small organic molecules based on a
non-fused, 2,4-disubstituted pyrimidine heterocyclic ring template. By varying the chemical
properties of the substituents, a small organic molecule library was developed and we acquired
structure-activity relationship (SAR) data for anti-cholinesterase and anti-Aβ-aggregation
activities. Promising candidates were assessed for their potential to chelate metals and inhibit
β-secretase (BACE) – other key elements in the amyloid hypothesis. Molecular modeling studies
were carried out to investigate the ligand’s interactions within the target enzyme. Preliminary
data suggests that a 2,4-disubstituted pyrimidine ring serves as a suitable template to develop
multi-functional small organic molecules for the treatment of AD
Mohebbi, Hamid Reza Mohebbi
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Strategies for Successful Mathematics Teaching for Engineering Students
Abstract: Optimal teaching is one of the prospects that mathematics instructors are trying to
achieve, particularly in engineering departments. Engineers must be able to grasp the general
ideas and apply them quickly in their real projects rather than having deep understanding of all
details. In addition, availability of powerful commercial software for solving engineering
projects reflects the fact that engineering students are expected to use them efficiently in the
projects. This research introduces a few strategies to be incorporated into instructors' teaching
in order to provide an active-learning environment for engineering students and fulfill the
demands of engineering society. These strategies can be distilled into two categories,
philosophy and methodology. Conceptual and qualitative analysis, modeling, focusing on
phenomena rather than abstractions and using effective software to solve the problems are
some guides explained in the philosophy aspects. Regarding methodology, keeping students
actively engaged, providing rapid feedback, dealing explicitly with students' alternative
conceptions, breaking down the solution technique into a number of general steps, defining
instructive projects, giving useful homework and frequent exams are highlighted in this
research.
Mohebbi, Hamid Reza Mohebbi
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Parametric Amplification in Discrete Josephson Transmission Line
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Abstract: A Series-connected discrete Josephson transmission line (DJTL) which is periodically
loaded by open stubs is studied to investigate various aspects of traveling-wave parametric
amplification. The dispersion analysis is made to ensure the existence of three non-degenerate
time-harmonic waves interacting with each other through the phase matching condition
which is imposed by the cubic nonlinearity associated with each junction. Having weak
nonlinearity and slow varying assumptions, weexploit the perturbation theory with the multiple
scale technique to derive the three coupled nonlinear partial differential equations to describe
their spatial and temporal amplitude variations in this parametric interaction.
Cases of perfect phase-matching and slight mismatching are addressed in this work. The
numerical analysis based on the spectral method in space and finite difference in time domain
are used to monitor the unilateral gain, stability and bandwidth of the proposed structure.
This structure can be used as a mesoscopic platform to study the creationof squeezed states of
the microwave radiation. These properties make this structure desirable for applications
ranging from superconducting optoelectronics to dispersive readout of superconducting qubits
where high sensitivity, fast speed and low-noise operation is required.
Moher, Ester
Coauthor(s): Derek Koehler
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: When (and how) planning fails you: Comparing strategies to minimize selfprediction error
Abstract: It has been well-documented that individuals overestimate the speed at which tasks
will be completed, even when they are familiar with the process of executing those tasks
(Buehler, Griffin & Ross, 1994). Two literatures have attempted to better understand how this
planning fallacy can be reduced: Support theory (Tversky & Koehler, 1994) has focused on an
ignorance of important, concrete, procedural steps; the implementation intention literature
(Koole & Spijker, 2000; see also Gollwitzer & Sheeran, 2006) has focused on a lack of planning in
successful task completion. We compare these two strategies (unpacking the task into a taskspecific to-do list, versus forming task-specific implementation intentions) in a take-home
formatting assignment, and discuss the costs and benefits to both. We conclude that more
generally, a support-theory explanation best explains accuracy of predictions, but does not
necessarily predict the fastest completion of a task.
Molladavoodi, Sara
Coauthor(s): Maud Gorbet, System Design Engineering, University of Waterloo
Presentation type: oral presentation
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Abstract title: Biomaterial Selection for Cell Traction Force Microscopy Application
Abstract: Cell traction forces are the forces that act on Extracellular Matrix (ECM) to push and
pull cells. These forces are crucial to many biological processes, such as wound healing and
metastasis where cells need to migrate. There are different methods for measuring cell traction
forces amongst which cell traction force microscopy (CTFM) is the most current one. This
method consists of three steps: culturing cells in a proper matrix, measuring cell induced
deformation, and transforming deformation to force. Finding a suitable matrix is the first step
in this process. The matrix should have specific mechanical properties, and also, cells should be
able to live on or inside it. In this research, different synthetic and natural biopolymers have
been investigated as possible matrices to be used in CTFM. Two synthetic polymers,
polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA), as well as two natural polymers,
agarose and collagen, were studied. 3T3 Swiss Albino fibroblasts were used in the present
study. Mechanical characterization, cell function and biocompatibility were investigated to find
the suitable option. It was found that, although PLLA and PDMS showed acceptable
biocompatibility and cell attachment, high elastic modulus limited their application as a matrix
suitable for CTFM. On the other hand, while agarose, has the desired mechanical properties,
poor cell attachment prevents its use as a CTFM matrix. Finally, collagen, as a component of
ECM, exhibits good biocompatible properties, and the desirable mechanical properties (e.g low
stiffness) makes collagen the most suitable choice for this application.
Moore, Chris
Coauthor(s): F-I Auzanneau
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Synthesis of Lewis X Analogues
Abstract: Our research group’s focus has been on the development of a safe anti-cancer vaccine
based on the Tumor Associated Carbohydrate Antigen (TACA) dimeric Lewis X expressed on the
surface of colorectal cancer cells. The dimeric Lewis X hexasaccharide contains the Lewis X
trisaccharide (D-Gal-β-(1,4)-[L-Fuc-α-(1,3)]-D-GlcNAc), which is also commonly expressed on
normal cell surfaces. To avoid a potential auto-immune response our aim is to develop
analogues of dimeric Lewis X that do not display immunochemical cross-reactivity with antiLewis X antibodies. Through the use of competitive ELISA experiments it was discovered that a
Lewis X analogue, in which the galactose residue was replaced by a glucose unit, showed no
binding to the anti-Lewis X monoclonal antibody (mAb) SH-1 [1]. To gain further insight into this
observed loss in recognition, Lewis X analogue inhibitors, in which position 4 on galactose is
modified (4’’-deoxy, 4’’-methyloxy, 4’’-chloro and 4’’ fluoro), are currently under synthetic
development. The synthetic strategy to prepare the trisaccharide analogues involves the
glycosylation at position O-4 of an N-acetylglucosamine acceptor [2], followed by a subsequent
fucosylation. Progress towards the synthesis of the building block monosaccharides and
glycosylation steps will be discussed.
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[1] Wang, J-W.; Asnani, A.; Auzanneau, F-I. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2010, 18, 7174-7185.
[2] Hendel, J.; Cheng, A.; Auzanneau, F-I. Carbohyd. Res. 2008, 343, 2914-2923.
Mosher, Andrea
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: An Inventory and Recommendations for Management of High Priority Exotic
Invasive Plants in Point Pelee National Park
Abstract: Point Pelee National Park in Ontario, Canada has been affected by a long history of
human activity, resulting in the establishment of approximately 276 exotic invasive plant
species. These plants decrease biodiversity and effective function of ecosystems within the
Park. In 1990, 43 species were listed as high priority by the park and since then inventories have
been done on some of the species but a monitoring of all the high priority species has not. Field
work, during the summer 2011, will focus on the previously listed high priority species, with
additional species being added to the study if deemed necessary by field observations.
Systematic belt transects, consisting of quadrats (5 x 5 m) placed randomly one within every 50
m of transect, will be performed, from west to east at 100 m intervals within a 5.5km stretch in
the terrestrial area at the southern end of the Park. Data will be compiled using geographic
information systems, resulting in maps of the extent of the invasive species studied, which can
then be used to determine possible spreading trends of the plants. Recommendations will be
made as to which invasive species are high priorities for Park management as well as how to
manage these species effectively. The same invasive plants are an increasing threat to
biodiversity outside the Park and these recommendations will be useful for other Parks when
producing future Exotic Plant Management Plans.
Mou, Hong Jun
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: New Portable Power: Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cells (DFAFC)
Abstract: DFAFC are used in many portable applications in ‘ambient conditions’, i.e. (T, P) =
(20~30°C, 1 atm). Compared to DMFC, it has higher power density and open circuit potential.
However, the catalysts are expensive. Optimal formic acid concentrations and catalysts are still
on research, even though Pd black at anode and Pt black at cathode appear to produce best
results so far. Direct oxidation: HCOOH → CO2 + 2 H+ + 2 e- in anode half-cell reaction is the
preferred reaction pathway avoiding co-poisoning of the anode catalyst. There are different
components and performance between membraneless laminar flow-based DFAFC and
membrane electrode assembly DFAFC. There are some technical challenges in DFAFC, i.e.
transient response, fuel handling, and fuel supply cartridges etc. Integration with power
electronics and control circuitry probably necessitate and electrochemical impedance
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spectroscopy (EIS) tool may help more in-depth study of elementary reactions at the
electrodes. Here, the active DFAFC will be discussed in terms of electrolyte leaking.
Mousavi Lajimi, Seyed Amir
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: NATURAL FREQUENCIES OF CANTILEVER BEAMS UNDER NON-FOLLOWER AXIAL
FORCE
Abstract: Transverse oscillations of axially loaded elastic structures are seen in different areas of
engineering. For instance, gravity loaded structures in cross-flow oscillate in inline and
transverse directions. Gravity imposes a non-follower linearly varying axial force on the
structure that oscillates in transverse and inline directions. As in the case of any beam under
compressive axial loading, the self-weight of the structure affects the static Euler buckling load
as well as natural frequency of the system. Under an axial force the frequency of the system
may increase/decrease depending on the boundary conditions and direction of the forces. The
self-weight of the structure presents a more general case of non-follower forces which
increase/decrease the natural frequency of the system, while decreasing the critical buckling
load. . Identifying effects of axial loads on the natural frequencies and the critical buckling load
of such structures is of importance to predict regions of synchronization, high amplitude
oscillations, and instability.
We are studying the natural frequencies and mode shapes of an axially loaded cantilever beam
via analytical methods, finite element method, and series solutions of the governing differential
equations. The results of implementing a power series solution are compared with results from
a finite element solution and an analytical solution for a fixed axial load. Results from the finite
element method are compared with those from a power series solution for a linearly varying
axial load. The critical Euler buckling load is also estimated for a beam in a gravity field.
Mukundan, Rekha
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: When did plants begin using ethylene as a hormone to modulate growth?
Abstract:
When did plants begin using ethylene as a hormone to modulate growth?
The plant hormone ethylene modulates a large number of physiological processes in plants
including fruit ripening and various aspects of growth. While the synthesis and signaling of
ethylene is well characterized in most of the angiosperms, in some non-vascular plants the
biosynthesis of ethylene is still unknown. Biosynthesis of ethylene in angiosperms is mainly a
two-step enzymatic process. The first biosynthetic step is catalyzed by the enzyme ACC
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synthase and the second step by ACC oxidase. As some of the mosses and ferns have shown the
ability to sense the presence of ethylene, it’s believed that they may have a well-developed
ethylene signaling mechanism, thus, enzymes responsible for the synthesis of ethylene may
exist in some mosses and ferns. Earlier studies have shown that ACC synthase-like enzymes and
ethylene receptors exist in the moss Physcomitrella patens which is considered to be a model
organism in the field of evolutionary biology in the plant kingdom. This study focuses on
identifying the presence of homologs of ethylene synthesis and receptor genes in some mosses
and ferns with the idea that it can help to trace the evolutionary point of origin of ethylene as a
hormone in the plant kingdom. Therefore, amino acid sequences of ACC synthase-like enzymes
and ethylene receptors in Physcomitrella patens and Selaginella sp. were used to screen the
database of known proteins to identify homologs from the plant kingdom. In addition,
comparable genes from several local ferns *
Myers, Cullen
Coauthor(s): J. Harris, J.F. Honek
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Investigating mechanisms of resistance to the thiopeptide antibiotic
thiostrepton.
Abstract: Thiostrepton is a potent bacteriocide of Gram-positive bacteria and also
exhibits anti-malaria, anti-tuberculosis and anti-cancer properties. Streptomyces that
biosynthesize thiostrepton are naturally resistant to the antibiotic as they produce an enzyme
that chemically alters the target site of the drug, bacterial ribosomal RNA, consequently
preventing antibiotic binding. The active site of this enzyme features a trefoil knot in the
polypeptide backbone and we have investigated the importance of this tertiary motif to the
enzyme's mechanism of action through extensive mutagenesis of key active site residues and
parallel activity and substrate binding assays. A secondary form of resistance is seen in
Streptomyces that do not manufacture the antibiotic or the resistance enzyme, but produce
thiostrepton-binding proteins (Tip). While it is known that these proteins covalently attach to
the antibiotic, the details surrounding their recognition of thiostrepton remain vague. We are
currently attempting to clarify this process through structural and biophysical studies.
Nadertehrani, Mohsen
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Spectrum Trading for Risky Environments in IEEE 802.22 Cognitive Networks
Abstract: In this paper, we consider the shared used model in the context of IEEE 802.22
cognitive and investigate spectrum trading via auction approach.We consider two different
scenarios in which the dominant risk is either associated with imperfect spectrum sensing or
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the uncertainties in the environment. Taking into account these risks, we propose a bidding
strategy for sealed-bid first-price auction. Our numerical results demonstrate significant
revenue increases in comparison to the conventional auction methods in risky environments.
Najafi Sohi, Ali
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: A new class of actuators with continuous two-way deflection based on
bimaterial microcantilevers
Abstract: Bimaterial microcantilevers have gained tremendous popularity because of their
potential as a platform for the development of efficient actuators. In these microstructures,
difference in strains in the two materials constitutes the principle of performance and causes
the whole structure to bend. The direction of this bending and the lateral displacement it brings
about is a function of the materials properties and geometrical characteristics of the
microstructure. Based on mechanical beam theories, numerous models have been developed
so far to characterize the bending behaviors of bimaterial microcantilevers. Despite their
apparent differences, almost all of these models only take into account the initial geometry of
the bimaterial microstructure. However, the deviation of the geometry from its initial state
during actuation can result in drastic changes. Considering this fact and based on the general
concept of bimaterial microcantilevers, we propose a new class of actuators which demonstrate
a novel two-way deflection behavior.
The distinguishing feature of the new design is that change of direction of deflection occurs
without any change of the loading conditions. To investigate the new design, analytical models
are developed and numerical simulations are performed. The idea is further validated via
fabrication and testing of various gold-silicon bimaterial microcantilever specimens and the
results are presented. Finally, possible applications of the new design for automatic switches
and microvalves is presented in the paper.
Nambiar, Shruti
Coauthor(s): Ernest K Osei, John T. W. Yeow
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Polymer composite-based x-ray shielding
Abstract: During x-ray image-guided interventional radiology (IVR) procedures, the clinical
personnel are required to wear protective gears in order to minimize exposure to the ionizing
radiation. Protective aprons made of high atomic-number (Z) metals such as lead or composites
of lead are commonly used. However, they are heavy and also toxic due to the presence of
lead. Polymer composites are light weight, conformable, cost effective, non-toxic and can be
designed to effectively attenuate radiation. In this study we aim towards developing high Z
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material-based polymer composites for shielding diagnostic x-rays used in IVR.
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composites were developed using different weight percentages
(wt%) of the following high Z materials: (i) bismuth tungsten oxide (BTO), (ii) bismuth oxide
(BO). X-ray attenuation tests were performed using the diagnostic x-ray machine (Siemens) for
energies from 40 kV to 150 kV. Each sample was placed at a distance of about 20 cm from the
ion chamber (x-ray detector) placed at least 50 cm from the floor to avoid backscattered
radiation. All measurements were normalized with reference to the readings obtained with no
sample between the source and the detector. Preliminary results indicate that attenuation
decreases linearly with increase in energy. All samples (of equal thickness) showed increased
attenuation with an increase in the concentration of high Z materials (BTO or BO). Best result
achieved so far has been from 60.6 wt% of BO (thickness of 2.66 mm) that showed an
attenuation of 92.5% at 60 kV, the energy typically employed in IVR.
Narang, Anisha
Presentation type: Mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Xylose and Arabinose Isomerases
Abstract: D-xylose isomerase and L-arabinose isomerase catalyzed the interconversion between
two different aldoses and ketose for pentoses and hexoses via two isomerization reactions. Larabinose isomerase mediates the isomerisation of D-galactose to D-tagatose as well as the
conversion of L-arabinose to L-ribulose. D-xylose isomerase catalyses the isomerisation of Dglucose into D-fructose as well as the conversion of D-xylose into D-xylulose. The substrate
specificity of the enzymes were investigated with two different substrates in
hyperthermophiles Thermotoga maritima , Thermotoga petrophila , Thermotoga hypogea,
Thermococcus guaymasensis, Pyrococcus furiosus and Thermotoga neapolitiana.
Hyperthermophiles use different sugar substrates for growth. To investigate the activity of
enzymes for different hyperthermophiles the enzymatic assays were performed and the specific
activities for different hyperthermophiles were determined.It was seen that all the
Thermotogas had activity for both the enzymes, which indicated the presence of both enzymes
in Thermotogas.
Narayan, Apurva
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Stochastic Two-Stage Programming for Network Design under Uncertainty as
Min-Cost Multi-commodity Network Flow
Abstract: In this paper we present a two-stage stochastic programming technique with recourse
applied to Network Design under Uncertainty using the min-cost multi commodity network
flow problem. The basic Network Design problem plays an important role in the planning and
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operation of many applications such as inventory management, distributed systems,
transportation systems, telecommunication systems etc.
We present a method which considers uncertainty in the arc costs, demand, supply, link
capacities and network architecture. In this work we try to minimize the total transportation
cost of multiple commodities on the network and the risk (variance) by using the Markovitz
objective function considering all the coefficients as random variables.
This technique can be applied to many more engineering and financial optimization problems
which have demand and cost uncertainties with resource limitation.
Narayanan, Meyyappan
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Properties of the Venture Capital Deal Space under Private Information
Abstract: We characterize the venture capital deal space as a 12-dimensional hypercube based
on our earlier model of the venture capital deal process under private information about the
entrepreneur’s disutility of effort, and carry out a simulation to uncover its properties. A
combination of eleven of those dimensions (parameters) represents a deal scenario and the VC
facing that scenario has to take on a belief about the entrepreneur’s level of effort (the twelfth
dimension) to determine the offer. We quasi-randomly generate 10,400 deals and compute
various deal outcomes. Our regressions using the resulting synthetic data shed light on some
interesting properties of the deal space enabling us to make predictions on which of the
parameters affect various deal outcomes and how. The VC-entrepreneur teamwork and the
entrepreneur’s effectiveness in that teamwork are found to be crucial to venture capital
financing while the VC’s return is most sensitive to his/her belief on the entrepreneur’s effort
level. Finally, base salary paid to the entrepreneur does not impact financing in any major way.
While another simulation run involving 100,000 deals in a smaller hypercube suggests that the
deal space is homogenous across the hypercube, a survey of eight experienced VCs supports
most of our predictions.
Nelson, Benjamin
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Everything that Rises Must Converge: A Theory of Objectivity
Abstract: Although there are numerous natural language uses of the word “objectivity”, all of
its epistemic uses share something in common. An |objective claim rests upon justifiable
explanations, while subjectivity involves judgments that rest on unjustifiable explanations. In
other words: the concept of epistemic objectivity has a straightforward structure.
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Drawing on a taxonomy offered by Heather Douglas, I want to argue that uses of the word
“objectivity” involve a spectrum of different epistemic commitments. The argument will
proceed in two steps. First, I will outline the graded structure of the concept of objectivity, and
sketch a theory of evidence that undergirds the graded structure. Second, I will articulate the
role that Douglas's conceptions of objectivity have in the structure. The key thesis is that
judgments are objective just in case they aim to explain the most phenomena on the basis of
the most evidence.
Nesan, Dinu
Coauthor(s): JT Burrows, M Kamkar, M Marsden, IC Scott
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Glucocorticoid receptor signaling is involved in tail mesoderm formation and
regulates expression of bone morphogenetic proteins.
Abstract: Elevated maternal corticosteroid levels are associated with reduced fetal body size
and later glucocorticoid resistance, but the effects of physiological cortisol levels on early
development is unclear. As embryos are exposed to maternal cortisol before de novo synthesis,
we tested the hypothesis that this maternal contribution is critical for early development and
involves regulation by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), the key mediator of cortisol signaling. In
zebrafish (Danio rerio), de novo synthesis of cortisol occurs after hatching, so early
developmental exposure to this steroid is from maternal deposition. We show that GR mRNA is
also maternally derived, but unlike cortisol the transcripts are degraded and de novo synthesis
commences by 10 hours post fertilization (hpf). GR mRNA and protein are widely expressed in
pre-hatch embryos and knockdown of this protein by morpholino oligonucleotides (MO) was
lethal to the embryo by 48 hpf. GR protein downregulation led to delayed somitogenesis,
defects in somite and tail morphogenesis and reduced embryo size. These abnormalities
corresponded with a >60-80% reduction in the mRNA abundance of bone morphogenetic
proteins (BMPs) BMP2A, BMP2B, and BMP4. Bioinformatics analysis confirmed multiple
putative glucocorticoid response elements upstream of these genes, suggesting direct control
by GR. Rescue studies with GR mRNA abolished the morphant embryo phenotypic traits and
mortality, and BMP suppression by GR protein knockdown was reversed. Our results, for the
first time, indicate that GR signaling by maternal cortisol is essential for embryogenesis,
development, and survival, and this involves regulation of BMPs by maternal cortisol in
zebrafish.
Ng, Alan
Coauthor(s): A. Ng, LW. Jones
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
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Abstract title: The Impact of Lactoferrin and Lipids on Kinetic Lysozyme Deposition on Silicone
Hydrogel and Conventional Hydrogel Contact Lens Materials
Abstract: Purpose: This study investigated the impact of lactoferrin and lipids on the kinetic
deposition of lysozyme on silicone and conventional hydrogel contact lenses, using an in vitro
model.
Methods: Two silicone hydrogel lenses [O2 OPTIX; lotrafilcon B (OPX) and ACUVUE OASYS;
senofilcon A (OS)] and two conventional hydrogel lenses [ACUVUE 2; etafilcon A (AV2) and
ProClear; omafilcon A (PC)] were investigated. Lenses were incubated in vitro in a complex
artificial tear solution (ATS) that mimicked the human tear film, a salt solution without
lactoferrin (SS-LF), a salt solution without lipids (SS-LP) and a salt solution without lactoferrin
and lipids (SS), each containing radioactive labelled lysozyme (1.9mg/ml ). At the end of each
time point (4hours, 12hours, 1day, 2days, 3days, 5days, 7days, 14days, 21days and 28days), the
amount of lysozyme per lens was quantified using a Gamma counter (Perkin Elmer Wallac
Wizard 1470)
Results: OPX lenses incubated in ATS deposited less lysozyme (p<0.001) than in SS. The
amount of lysozyme deposited on OS lenses were higher (p>0.001) in SS compared to ATS. AV2
lenses showed an increase (p<0.001) in lysozyme deposition in ATS compared to SS-LP. PC
lenses showed an increase (p<0.001) in lysozyme deposition in SS compared to ATS.
Conclusions: The presence of lactoferrin and lipids in an artificial tear solution introduces
variations in lysozyme deposition on silicone and conventional hydrogel contact lenses. When
modeling protein deposition on contact lenses it is important to use a model that closely
mimics the composition of the human tear film.
Ng, Yvonne
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: The Role of Leisure for Chinese Immigrants Living in the Greater Toronto Area
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to understand the experience of leisure and of
involvement in the First Chinese Seniors Association of Vaughan for Chinese adults aged 50 to
65 years who have been living in Canada for at least five years. As this is a phenomenological
study, the main focus is on the meanings and experiences of the participants. Purposeful
sampling methods were used to find participants who fit the study criteria of being a Chinese
immigrant from Mainland China and/or Hong Kong, living in Canada for at least five years,
between the ages of 50 to 65, a member of the First Chinese Seniors Association of Vaughan,
and participating in at least one activity at the Centre at the time of interview. Altogether, 13
face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted within three weeks. Through findings
from the data, five main essences were developed: achieving and maintaining health, changing
cultures, experiencing freedom and choice, cultural expression and learning, and experiencing
and building community at the First Chinese Seniors Association of Vaughan. These findings
exemplify the great value Chinese immigrants uphold in believing and linking leisure's benefit to
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holistic health. Also, leisure was shown as a site for cultural expression and development of an
ethnic community. Overall, implications of this study will be of most value to recreation
practitioners and researchers by allowing for greater cultural sensitivity in developing and
enhancing programs for this specific group.
Niknafs, Ali
Presentation type: Poster presentation
Abstract title: The impact of domain knowledge on the effectiveness of requirements
engineering activities
Abstract: There is a consensus that the cornerstone of software development process is
deciding precisely what to build which is referred to as requirements engineering. One of the
issues with requirements engineering is the huge gap between what the customer wants and
what the analysts understand from customer’s needs. To overcome this gap, it has long been
believed that analysts need to be experienced in the customer’s domain to be productive when
performing a requirements engineering activity.
On the other hand, knowledge of the problem domain seems to have a counterproductive
aspect. In other words, lack of domain knowledge might in fact have some benefits. One of the
potential benefits of this lack of knowledge is the ability of a domain ignorant to state his/her
ideas regardless of any domain assumptions and ask revealing questions that could lead to
unveiling issues that domain experts have overlooked.
We are going to investigate the impact of domain knowledge on the effectiveness of a
requirements engineering team as it goes about several activities of requirements engineering.
A series of studies including controlled experiments are planned to explore this hypothesis. Two
pilot studies have already been conducted; a controlled experiment on requirements
elicitation, and a controlled experiment on requirements inspection. We have learned from
these pilot studies how to improve the experiment. The most reliable results though would be
obtained from an experiment done in an industrial project setting with a real-world system and
professionals as subjects.
Nordeste, Ricardo
Coauthor(s): John Heil
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Construction of an Alternative Fermentation Platform for the Production of
Medium Chain Length Polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl PHA)
Abstract: Background- mcl PHAs are an environmentally friendly alternative to petrochemically
derived plastics. The soil bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti is a good candidate for a
fermentation organism with its vast metabolic repertoire and amenability to genetic
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manipulation. Engineering S. meliloti for the production of mcl PHA begins with deleting the
native PHA cycle genes. The Integrase Mediated Chromosome Engineering (IMCE) system
allows stable, unidirectional integration of one or more genes into the chromosome.
Methods- Marker-less PHA pathway deletion mutants were constructed using a negative
selection strategy. This was done using conjugation of the suicide plasmids derived from
pK19mobSacB into S. meliloti via tri-parental using 200bp of homology. Mutations were
confirmed by PCR. Transduction was used to integrate the IMCE system into the PHA mutants.
Results- Seven unique PHA pathway mutants were constructed in S. meliloti. These mutants
were tested for loss of phenotype. Additionally, PCR was used to confirm the deletion of the
genes. Integration of the IMCE system into all 7 mutants was completed and then tested with
the red fluorescence protein reporter gene for proper function.
Conclusions- 1) Deletion of the PHA pathway genes was successful using as little as 200 bp of
homology in our strategy.
2) The IMCE system works in the S. meliloti system and can reliably integrate a specific gene
into the chromosome for expression.
3) The S. meliloti system is ready for exogenous mcl PHA synthesis gene integration.
Ommani, Abbas
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Relationship between Monochromatic Higher Order Aberrations of the eye and
Age
Abstract: The main propose of this study was to examine the variation of ocular monochromatic
higher order aberrations with age (n=18, mean age 49 years ±12.37SD, range 27 to 65 years).
Subjects were divided into two groups, young (n=5, mean age 32.2 ±5.5 SD, range 27 to 39
years) and old (n=13, mean age 55.76 ±7.04SD, range 45 to 65). We have developed a
Hartmann-Shack ocular wavefront sensor which has the ability to record video streams and a
window which allows visual stimuli to be viewed. This set-up permits free binocular viewing
through this window during data collection and better replicates natural viewing conditions
than most commercially available instruments thus giving a more relevant picture of the ocular
aberrations. Software analysis code written in MATLABTM was used to calculate the Zernike
coefficients up to 6th orders for a pupil size of 5mm. This code became the foundation of the
analysis software developed for images recorded by the Shack-Hartmann wavefront Sensor.
The t-test between young and old group showed no significant difference (p=0.77) in total
higher order aberration (HOA). The Pearson correlation coefficient between total HOA from 3rd
to 6th order and age was r=0.10, total coma and age was r=0.175, total trefoil and age was r= 0.029, total spherical aberration and age was r=0.14. No correlations were found between the
higher order aberrations and age. This suggests that higher order aberration does not vary as a
function of age in our study sample.
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Orchard, Beatrice
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Choosing His Battle: Why did Pierre Trudeau chose to fight inflation during
1968-1970?
Abstract: When Trudeau took office as Prime Minister with a majority government after the
June 25, 1968 election, both inflation and unemployment were serious problems. Canada’s
inflation rate was at 4.6 % up from 3.6% in 1967, while unemployment was at 4.5% up from
3.8% in 1967. Given that the rate of unemployment was increasing faster than the rate of
inflation, and would likely continue to increase due to baby boomers entering the workforce
faster than jobs were created, arguably unemployment was a greater problem than inflation.
Both inflation and unemployment threatened Canada’s domestic well-being as well as its ability
to compete in the global economy. Inflation harms people on fixed incomes and wages because
it erodes their purchasing power. Unemployment hurts individuals by denying them income
and countries by the revenues they loose both from supporting the unemployed as well as the
taxes that could be gained from lost wages and consumption. Canada’s global competitiveness
was threatened by inflation because if its prices rose faster than its competitors, then its goods
would be more expensive, and its market share would decrease. Unemployment threatened
Canada’s global competitiveness due to the lost productivity of its workforce and the strain on
its national revenues. Explaining why Trudeau’s government chose to fight inflation from 19681970, using contemporary sources, existing accounts, and new materials shows how
governments set priorities. Initial findings support the conclusion that government has more
power to fight inflation than unemployment; therefore Trudeau chose the battle that could
more readily be won.
Orr, Valerie
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Large scale purification of extracellular penicillin G acylase from Escherichia coli
using cross-flow ion exchange membrane chromatography
Abstract: With the popularity of enzyme catalyzed industrial processes and protein
therapeutics, there has been an increased initiative to reduce cost of the production of
proteins. Manufacturing protein products require many steps generally lumped into three
broad categories; upstream strain development, cultivation, and downstream processing. While
each protein requires its own unique process for production, many of the down-stream steps
are common to all purification schemes. The focus of this study is to explore a novel purification
tool, membrane chromatography in combination with protein production in the extracellular
medium from E.coli. A typical downstream process involves cell separation, cell lysis,
clarification, purification and polishing. Secretion into the extracellular medium will remove the
cell lysis and clarification steps, while cross-flow chromatography will remove the cell
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separation step, resulting in a minimized process combining cell separation, lysis, and
clarification into one step. Penicillin G acylase (PAC); an important industrial enzyme involved in
the production of β–lactam antibiotics, is used as a model enzyme for this study. The vector
pTrcKnPAC2902 was transformed into an outer-membrane mutant; JE5505, resulting in the
secretion of PAC from the periplasmic space into the extracellular medium. The medium was
optimized for secretion of PAC as well as for low conductivity to remove any additional sample
preparation steps. Ion exchange chromatography membranes were operated in a cross-flow
format to remove major contaminates in the medium resulting in a two step-process yielding
fairly high purity PAC in the permeate flow-through.
Oyapero, Babatunde
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: The role of cultural orientation in culttural change: An examination of cultural
variations among Toronto immigrants of West African Descent
Abstract: There have been few leisure related acculturation studies on African immigrants in
Canada, which underlies the importance of conducting this research. The purpose of this study
was to examine how the process of change in cultural orientation and leisure involvement
influenced acculturative stress that a sample of West African immigrants in Toronto
experienced and how the participants coped with such stress. The research participants were
English Speaking West African Immigrants between the ages of 18-52 (n=148), average age of
35, S.D of 8. All the research participants were born outside Canada. Most of the participants
were Nigerians (70%, n=104).Each of the participants filled out a questionnaire that measured
their African and Canadian cultural orientations, involvement in leisure, acculturative stress and
coping. In conducting this research, the Nigerian participants were divided into four categories
by using SPSS for windows to conduct a median split on the Nigerian data. The four categories
were participants with High African/High Canadian, Low African /High Canadian, Low African
/Low Canadian, and High African /Low Canadian orientations. Correlations and Regression
analyses were then conducted to determine the relationships between these four cultural
orientation categories and other variables in the study. Cultural orientation of participants in
the first category mediated by levels of Education and Depressive symptoms was associated
with better coping. Higher levels of income was associated with better coping in the second
category, no associations were found in the third category, while higher income was associated
with lower levels of leisure participation in the fourth category.
Palit, Rajesh
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Selection and Execution of User Level Test Cases for Energy Cost Evaluation of
Smartphones
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Abstract: Smartphones are emerging as a preferred communication device of users. With rapid
development in the micro-electronics technology, more capabilities are being built into these
phones, and numerous convenient and resource intensive applications are being supported. In
this paper, we provide a methodology to select user level test cases for performing energy cost
evaluation of applications. We define the concept of a user level test case for smartphones and
show that, due to configuration settings, there exist millions of such test cases. Next, we discuss
a test selection technique to reduce the
number of test cases. We apply the technique to five different smartphones and evaluate their
energy costs for running common network related applications. We have developed a test
bench to execute those test cases for real applications on smartphones and measure their
actual energy costs. This
work provides a framework for researchers and developers to conduct experiments for
measuring the energy cost of applications on smartphones.
Park, Kyungdeock
Coauthor(s): Osama Moussa, Raymond Laflamme
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Testing of the Born Rule via Three Paths Interference using Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance
Abstract: The Born rule is one of the fundamental postulates of quantum mechanics which
states that if a quantum mechanical state is described by a wavefunction ψ(r, t), then the
probability of finding a particle at r in the volume element d3r at time t is p(r, t)d3r = ψ*(r, t)ψ(r,
t)d3r = |ψ(r, t)|2d3r. It revolutionizes our usual way of understanding probabilities by predicting
that interference occurs between pairs of independent paths. According to R. Sorkin (Mod.
Phys. Lett. A9, 3119, 1991), Born’s rule holds if three paths quantum interference defined as
IABC = PABC −PAB −PAC −PBC +PA +PB +PC is zero, where Pi is the probability for an event i
which is any combination of three independent paths A, B and C. To our best knowledge,
optical experiment by U. Sinha et al. (Science Vol.329 no.5990 pp.418-421, 2010) is the first and
only experiment specifically designed to directly verify the Born rule, and it does so by
investigating three paths interference. We adapt same approach but implement it in a
completely different system, namely two-level spin-1/2s in liquid state nuclear magnetic
resonance (LSNMR). Our experiment confirmed that the magnitude of unexpected three paths
quantum interference is in the order of 10-2 of the magnitude of two paths quantum
interference. This work not only provides the experimental verification to the Born rule, but
also demonstrates the capability of LSNMR quantum information processing for testing
fundamental laws of quantum theory.
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Passante, Gina
Coauthor(s): O. Moussa, R. Laflamme
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Non-classical correlations in mixed state quantum computation
Abstract: Quantum computers are currently in transition from being an element of science
fiction into present day reality. Until recently, all quantum computers were assumed to rely on
the presence of entanglement for outperforming their classical counterparts. Current research
suggests that mixed-state quantum computers do not need entanglement, but rather a weaker
non-classical correlation that can measured by the quantum discord. Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance (NMR) at room temperature presents an ideal testbed for mixed-state quantum
computation as the initial state of the nuclei is highly mixed. An algorithm realized in NMR with
Carbon nuclei as our quantum bits is analyzed and quantum discord is detected. These
experimental results indicate that mixed state quantum computation, including algorithms
performed in NMR, is more than classical.
Pinnell, Lee
Coauthor(s): E.A. Dunford, J. Cheng, T.C. Charles, J.D. Neufeld
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Discovery of Novel Cellulases Through Stable-Isotope Probing and Functional
Metagenomics
Abstract: The consortia of uncultivated microorganisms responsible for the degradation of
cellulose in soil environments remains poorly characterized; cellulases used by industry are
primarily derived from cultured microorganisms. The combination of DNA-stable isotope
probing and functional metagenomics enables the characterization of the cellulose-degrading
consortia, and the discovery of novel, industrially-relevant cellulases. We hypothesize that the
screening of 13C-labeled DNA will increase the recovery of cellulase genes. Soil was amended
with native or stable-isotope labeled (13C) cellulose and incubated for a two month period.
Following DNA extraction and ultracentrifugation, labeled nucleic acids were amplified using
phi29-based multiple displacement amplification, and analyzed using denaturing gradient gel
electrophoresis. Both the labeled DNA, and DNA recovered from a bulk soil sample were sizeselected, end-repaired, and cloned into a broad host-range cosmid vector for functional
screening in Escherichia. coli. Resulting clones were screened for cellulose genes and selected
for the ability to grow using cellobiose as the sole carbon source. Preliminary results
demonstrated that the screening of a soil DNA library without 13C enrichment provided no
positive hits in the first 62,000 clones screened. Currently, metagenomic libraries are being
constructed for 13C enriched soil. DNA-SIP promises to be a powerful ecological enrichment
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step to focus the functional screening and selection of genes from uncultivated and active
bacteria.
Piraino, Emily
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Opportunities and Barriers to Patient Engagement in Self-Management of Care
Following Transition
Abstract: A successful transition from hospital to home is one that prevents unnecessary
rehospitalisation and teaches patients to self-manage their chronic conditions. Patients often
wish to be proactive in the self-management of their own health care following hospital
discharge. Preliminary evidence suggests that patients can become disengaged at some point
during their transition; however, additional research to identify factors associated with
disengagement is required. The purpose of the study is to identify recurring themes and
categories that serve as indicators of opportunities and barriers to patient participation in selfmanagement. Interviews of six hip fracture patients aged 65 or older were conducted by the
InfoRehab research team, a program aimed at utilizing health information systems effectively
to enhance patient rehabilitation. Guided by Grounded Theory methodology, opportunities and
barriers, such as system, provider, and family, patient-related factors, will be identified through
the analysis of patient interview transcripts using NVivo software. Findings from this research
project will inform the development of effective strategies targeting transitions to encourage
patients to become actively involved in their care.
Pirnia, Mehrdad
Coauthor(s): Kankar Bhattacharya, Claudio Canizares
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: An Affine Arithmetic Method for stochastic Power Flow Analysis
Abstract: We apply Affine Arithmetic (AA) method to tackle uncertainties associated with
electric load, generation and forecasting error in distributed electric generation systems (DG).
Affine arithmetic (AA) is an interval based method, converting uncertain variables into an affine
form. It benefits from self-validated numerical analysis and therefore has higher accuracy than
other stochastic algorithms like interval method, since it takes into consideration the
correlation between data input and result. And also due to its solution algorithm, it doesn’t
need statistical distribution approximations, instead uncertain variables are introduced with a
nameplate value (center value) and a range of partial deviations from that center value.
We proposed a solution methodology based on AA method for a probabilistic power flow
calculation, which is one of the most fundamental concepts in power system engineering and is
used to find the status of the system (voltage magnitudes and angles) knowing some specified
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parameters such as demand and real power generation; however there is a high level of
uncertainties involved with these parameters due to weather conditions, electricity market
prices and model errors.
In order to consider all the uncertainties we convert input data (Voltage and current) into affine
forms, including a center value and a range of partial deviations associated with noise variables
arising from system uncertainties in an imaginary 6-bus system. Coding the AA algorithm in
GAMS, we found a range of solutions for system voltage magnitude and phasor angles, which is
a representation of system condition under uncertainty.
Plante, Courtney
Coauthor(s): Richard P. Eibach (University of Waterloo), Lisa K. Libby (The Ohio State University)
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: First-person versus third-person visual perspectives in videogame play:
Carryover effects on perceptions and behaviors
Abstract: Videogames can be played from different visual perspectives: the first-person
perspective in which players see the game through the eyes of their characters and the thirdperson perspective in which players see their characters from an observer’s perspective. The
perspective from which a videogame is played may influence the magnitude of carryover
effects on relevant behaviors outside the game. The media and public concern regarding
undesirable behavior caused by video games focuses on first-person shooter games. Research
on perspective in mental imagery, however, suggests that third-person video games may have a
reduced or even opposite effect on behaviour because this perspective leads people to
construe simulated behaviors more abstractly and thus to consider the broader implications
and consequences of the action. We tested the hypothesis that playing a videogame from the
third-person perspective (vs. first-person perspective) reduces problematic risk-taking beyond
the videogame. To test this we manipulated whether participants played the same motorcycle
racing videogame from the first-person or third-person perspective. Because this videogame
simulates an exciting but dangerous activity we hypothesized that it might have carryover
effects on participants’ perceptions of risk and willingness to engage in a variety
of risky activities. As predicted, participants who played the game from the third-person
perspective showed greater perceptions of risk and reduced desire to engage in risky activities
relative to participants who played it from the first-person perspective. These findings suggest,
contrary to popular opinion, that videogames may be used to reduce undesirable behavior.
Pourmohammadali, Homeyra
Coauthor(s): John Medley
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Hydromechanical Stimulation for Tissue Engineering of Articular Cartilage
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Abstract: Articular cartilage carries load and facilitates the motion of human synovial joints. The
low self-regeneration capacity of cartilage after damage leads surgeons to fill the defect sites
with in vitro generated tissue grafts, made from live cartilage cells (chondrocytes) or
appropriate cell-seeded biomaterials to prevent progression of the damage. These grafts can be
preconditioned by subjecting them to dynamic stresses and perfusion similar to in vivo
conditions of joints, to improve their properties and microstructure and thus to encourage
better tissue adaptation and eventual integration.
In the current study, a novel hydromechanical stimulation device was designed and fabricated.
This system intermittently provides compression, frictional shear and perfusion. Graft
specimens reciprocate under stationary hydrostatic-bearing indenters that drive nutritional
fluid from a multiple-channel pump directly into their surfaces. As a first step, the simulation
device was applied to chondrocyte-agarose constructs to investigate the stimulation effects on
the chondrocytes in a realistic 3D environment. Cells were isolated from bovine articular
cartilage after tissue dissection and digestion. The cells were counted and mixed with agarose.
The mixture was gelled; small disks were cut and placed in specimen wells to be cultured until
stimulation time. The device could simultaneously stimulate six samples, each with their own
dynamic conditions.
The preliminary results provide insight into the chondrocyte response to agarose
concentrations, flow rates, loads, stimulation times and intervals. Ultimately, this research aims
to improve treatment methods of damaged joints by developing hydromechanical stimulation
procedures for generating stronger tissue grafts.
Premji, Azra
Coauthor(s): Navjot Rai, Brian Lee
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Theta-burst TMS to Area 5 modulates neural circuitry within and between
primary motor cortex
Abstract: Brodmann’s area 5 (BA 5) has direct connectivity with primary motor cortex (M1), is
largely dedicated to the representation of the hand and is tightly linked to the control of skilled
hand movement. The present studies examined the influence of BA 5 on neural circuits within
M1 related to hand control before and after real and sham theta-burst stimulation (TBS) over
BA 5. Using single and paired-pulse TMS, measurements of motor evoked potentials (MEPs),
short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), intracortical facilitation (ICF), and short and long
latency inter-hemispheric inhibition (IHI) were examined for the representation of the first
dorsal interosseous muscle (FDI) within M1 bilaterally. Transcranial magnetic stimulation was
performed using BiStim-2/Magstim 2002 stimulators and a MagPro stimulator for the paired
and single pulse paradigms and TBS, respectively. Surface EMG was recorded from FDI muscle
on the right and left hands. Results indicate that BA 5 influences M1 excitability such that MEP
amplitude increased for up to one hour following continuous and intermittent TBS. Short
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latency IHI from the left to right hemisphere decreased (i.e. less inhibition) for at least 15
minutes following cTBS. SICI and ICF and spinal circuits were unaltered following TBS. The data
suggest that BA 5 alters M1 output directed to the hand by influencing select M1 neural
circuits, likely the corticospinal and the transcallosal neurons. Targeting BA 5 via TBS is a novel
mechanism to powerfully modulate activity within M1 and may provide an avenue for
investigating hand control in healthy and clinical populations.
Presslee, Adam
Coauthor(s): Thomas Vance, Alan Webb, Scott Jeffrey
Presentation type: Oral presentation
Abstract title: The Effects of Reward Type on Employee Goal Setting, Goal Commitment and
Performance
Abstract:
Increasingly, organizations are using no n-cash, tangible rewards to recognize good
performance by their employees. Tangible rewards have monetary value and include items
such as travel, gift cards and merchandise. Despite their common use, the effect of tangible
rewards on employee behavior and performance has received minimal research attention. We
conducted a field experiment with 570 employees at five call centers of a large financial
services company located in the United States. Using a combination of archival and
questionnaire data, we examine the effects of two types of performance-based rewards, cash
and tangible, on employee goal setting, goal commitment, and performance test our
predictions. Consistent with mental accounting and economic theory, employees eligible to
receive tangible rewards for goal attainment (e.g. bicycles, electronic equipment, etc.) selected
easier performance goals than employees eligible to receive cash rewards of equal value.
Consistent with mental accounting theory employees eligible for tangible rewards were more
committed to those goals relative to employees in the cash reward system. However, because
of their impact on goal setting, cash rewards lead to higher overall performance. Supplemental
analysis indicates that tangible rewards may be more effective than cash in motivating better
performers to improve performance and appear to sustain the motivation of employees who
ultimately failed to attain their chosen goal. Our results contribute to goal-theory by being the
first to document the impact of reward-type on goal setting and commitment. Moreover, our
results are relevant to designers of incentive schemes by demonstrating the overall
performance benefits of *
Primmer, Heather
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Correlating predicted and observed aggregation for a disease-linked protein.
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Abstract: Protein aggregation is a hallmark of a number of neurodegenerative disorders
including Alzheimer ’s Disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Despite the common
occurrence of protein aggregation in disease, the fundamental mechanisms controlling the
propensity of a protein to aggregate are not well understood. Recently, various prediction
algorithms have been developed to attempt to predict the likelihood of a protein to form
aggregates. In many cases the algorithms were designed based on a set of known amyloidforming proteins or peptides. In order to test the ability of these algorithms to predict
aggregation propensity, human copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) was used as a model
system. Currently, over 140 mutations of SOD1 have been linked to the familial form of ALS.
Nine different algorithms were used to predict the aggregation propensity of twenty-four of the
most common SOD1 mutations. The results were correlated to experimental aggregation data
and to the well documented mutant-specific disease durations for ALS patients. Interestingly,
there were large differences in the predicted aggregation propensity for a given mutant using
the nine algorithms. Additionally, the algorithms demonstrate poor correlations between
predicted aggregation for the SOD1 mutants and both experimentally observed aggregation
and disease duration. There are many factors that could be contributing to the poor
correlations observed here including a general lack of understanding of the factors contributing
to protein aggregation and the lack of amyloid formation by SOD1. The implications of this work
for future studies in protein aggregation and the aggregation of disease-linked proteins will be
discussed.
Princz, Daniel
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Implementation and evaluation of the Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution
Strategy (CMAES) into the OSTRICH optimization toolkit
Abstract: Automatic calibration is often used to calibrate physically-based models, which can
have near non-measurable parameters. OSTRICH is an optimization toolkit for automatic
calibration. The Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy (CMAES) was implemented
and evaluated with OSTRICH. It was compared with two other heuristic algorithms: the
Dynamically Dimensioned Search (DDS) and the Genetic Algorithm (GA). Two case studies were
used to compare the algorithms, (1) Test Problem 5 from Deb [2005] and (2) White Gull Creek
with the physically-based model MESH. The CMAES outperformed the GA and performed
comparatively with the DDS. Future work will include extended validation of the White Gull
Creek calibration and improved interoperability between OSTRICH and MESH.
Pytel, Alex
Coauthor(s): Stephen Mann
Presentation type: oral presentation
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Abstract title: Self-Organized Approach to Modeling Hydraulic Erosion Features
Abstract: Simulation of features produced by hydraulic erosion is valuable in procedural
modeling, because those features make models of natural landforms look realistic. More
precisely, in order to look real, the features have to reproduce an appropriate fractal character.
For example, rivers have been found to follow several different power laws in respect to their
drainage area and bifurcation, which make them self-affine fractals. Similarly, some instances of
cave passages have been found to match random walks.
Some types of fractals related to physical systems can arise in a self-organized way. This process
is explained by self-organized criticality, a theory of fractal dynamics in which a physical system
approaches an attractor state that is scale-free (self-similar). The evolution of such a system is
dominated by avalanches that distribute changes throughout it.
I have developed a method of modeling hydraulic erosion features that relies on simulating
water flow in a way that reproduces such behaviour as pooling, capture of tributaries, and
emergence of channels. To be able to do this in a self-organized way, I have combined an
avalanche-based modeling paradigm and a specialized water simulation. Due to a re-introduced
notion of scale, the avalanches in my simulation are able to produce a more general fractal
character than self-organized criticality dictates. The result is a practical modeling approach
suitable for such applications as modeling terrains and texture synthesis.
Qassemi, Farzad
Coauthor(s): Prof. William A. Coish
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Frequency-depedent shot noise as a spin-relaxation probe in quantum dots
Abstract: Electron spins in quantum dots provide a promising realization for the building blocks
of quantum information processing and spintronics. The requirement for using these systems in
quantum information applications is high fidelity initialization and read-out.
The current passing through a serially coupled double quantum dot can be effectively blocked
due to the Pauli exclusion principle. Pauli spin blockade is crucial for reading-out the state of
single electron spins in double quantum dots. However any source of spin-flip interaction can
cause leakage to this blockade.
We study the effect of spin-flip processes on transient leakage current through a double
quantum dot in the Pauli spin blockade regime. We analyze current that flows between
blocking events, characterized, in general, by a fractional effective charge e*. This effective
charge can be used as a sensitive probe of spin relaxation mechanisms and may offer a possible
explanation for an anomalously large value of the effective charge passing through the double
dot found in experiments, which is important for single-spin resonance studies. Additionally,
this leakage current provides a probe with which to study other sources of spin-flip processes.
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Qiu, Chao
Coauthor(s): M. Hardy, C. G. Weng
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: On Option Pricing under the RSLN2 with the Esscher Transform
Abstract: In this talk, I will introduce the Esscher transform for pricing financial derivatives
under discrete time regime switching models. I will concentrate on European options, and
Bermudan options. To obtain their non arbitrage prices, we adopted the risk neutral
conditional Esscher transform to determine the risk neutral measure, and the prices are
calculated as the expectation of the corresponding discounted payoff under such a probability
measure. The price formula involves a non-recombined tree regarding the regime switching
process, and to efficiently calculate the price, we developed an iteration algorithm by which the
path dimension is substantially reduced. Moreover, I will also address how to reduce the
numerical computing errors arising from rounding numbers in the calculation process. From
some numerical examples, we find that our pricing method can reflect the volatility smile of the
market.
Raben, Alex
Coauthor(s): Atsushi Kawano, Lucy Lee
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Wheat germ lectin affects expression of major histocompatibility class I
complex in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) intestinal epithelial cell line RTgutGC
Abstract: In aquaculture, plant meal is starting to replace fishmeal in fish feed. Unfortunately,
antinutritional factors in plants cause fish to develop intestinal inflammation. One potential
way these factors affect the immune system is by altering the expression of the major
histocompatibility class I (MH I) receptor, an antigen presentation molecule comprising the MH
Iα chain and β-2-microglobulin (β2m). To study this, the rainbow trout intestinal epithelial cell
line, RTgutGC, was exposed to various plant lectins, a class of antinutritional factors. After a 24
h treatment with 10 μg/mL wheat germ lectin (WGA) western blots showed that the amount of
β2m protein in RTgutGC significantly increased while a similar treatment with 100 μg/mL of
soybean lectin (SBA) did not affect β2m levels. When treated with a range of lectin
concentrations (1-100 μg/mL), WGA showed a strong dose-dependent rise in both β2m and MH
Iα while lectins from red kidney bean (PHA) and jack bean (Con A) showed only a slight boost of
β2m at the higher concentrations and SBA produced no change. By ELISA it was demonstrated
that β2m is increased in the medium of cultures treated with WGA possibly indicating an
increase in β2m surface expression and subsequent shedding. WGA’s effects on β2m and MH Iα
were negated when it was attached to agarose beads and its effects on the former lost when a
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competing sugar was added suggesting WGA acts through internalization and binding of
saccharide groups. These results imply lectins may be involved in plant-induced gastroenteritis
in fish.
Rahul, Rahul
Coauthor(s): Adam Stinchcombe,Jamie Joseph
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Dynamic Modeling of Metabolism in Pancreatic β-Cells
Abstract: Diabetes is caused by dysfunction in the insulin secretion mechanisms of pancreatic βcells. The primary pathway responsible for this glucose-stimulated insulin secretion is well
characterized, but there is a secondary, amplifying, pathway, whose mechanism has not been
revealed. There is growing evidence that fuel intermediates from the TCA cycle act as signals in
this amplifying pathway. One of the potential candidate for this is NADPH. In this work we
develop a kinetic model for the TCA cycle and pathways of its intermediate products based on
the previous work of Wu et.al. [1] and Westermark et.al. [2]. This ordinary differential equation
based model is used to describe the kinetics of the twenty-three enzyme catalyzed reactions
describing relevant components of β-cell metabolism. The model was validated against several
known results about β-cells, and is providing hypotheses to guide further experimental
investigation.
[1] Fan Wu, Feng Yang, Kalyan C Vinnakota, and Daniel a Beard, The Journal Of Biological
Chemistry 282, 24525-37 (2007).
[2] P. O. Westermark, J. H. Kotaleski, A. Bjorklund, V. Grill, and A. Lansner, Am J Physiol
Endocrinol Metab 292(2), E373–393 (2007).
Rai, Navjot
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Tactile perception on the hand following Theta-burst TMS over SI in humans
Abstract: Fine motor control of the hand relies on intact somatosensory integration and
feedback. Impaired hand movements are observed in patient groups where touch perception
and processing within the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) is abnormal. Repetitive
transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applies trains of multiple stimuli to the same cortical
area which can alter cortical excitability. When applied over SI, rTMS modulates tactile
perception and cortical physiology. Continuous theta-burst stimulation (cTBS) is a form of rTMS
that involves the application of low-intensity short duration pulses which induces physiological
changes to the underlying cortex. The effect of cTBS on tactile perception is unknown. The
goal of present study was to examine changes in temporal and spatial psychophysical measures
to reveal if cTBS can modify touch perception on the hand. In separate experiments, temporal
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discrimination threshold (TDT) and amplitude discrimination were measured from the right
hand before and for up to 35 minutes following cTBS over left SI. Compared to pre-cTBS values,
TDT was elevated immediately following cTBS (3-6) minutes and at later intervals (11-18
minutes post). The spatial measure of tactile perception was also measured over the same
time course and compared to pre-cTBS values showed tactile impairment for up to 18 minutes.
These experiments reveal that cTBS over SI impairs tactile acuity on the contralateral hand. The
effects lasts for up to 18 minutes and subsequent measures return to pre-cTBS levels. This
work is important in indentifying means to modulate cortical excitability and has potential for
clinical application.
Ramer, Matthew
Coauthor(s): Nicole Bardehle, Karen Stanger, and Bernard P. Duncker
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Dbf4 and Cdc7 promote DNA replication by interacting with mutually exclusive
subunits of the Mcm2-7 helicase complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Abstract: Initiation of DNA replication requires the action of the Dbf4/Cdc7 kinase complex
(DDK) which is thought to trigger replication by binding to, and then phosphorylating members
of the Mcm2-7 helicase complex. Various Mcm proteins have been implicated as DDK targets,
notably Mcm2 and Mcm4. We therefore examined the specific contributions Dbf4 and Cdc7
play in binding Mcm2-7 subunits by yeast-2-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation assays.
Interestingly, we observe by both methods, an interaction between Dbf4 and Mcm2 & Mcm6,
and between Cdc7 and Mcm4 & Mcm5. Previous work in our lab has determined that Dbf4
interacts with Mcm2 via an essential conserved domain (motif M) and we were interested in
isolating the corresponding interacting region in Mcm2. A series of Mcm2 truncation mutants in
conjunction with 2-hybrid and co-IP assays led to the observation that deletion of 57 amino
acids from the N-terminal region of Mcm2 was sufficient to abrogate the interaction with Dbf4.
It has previously been shown that deletions in the Mcm4 N-terminus disrupt interaction with
Cdc7 and impart a slow-growth phenotype and we therefore asked if the Mcm2 N-terminal
mutant generates a similar growth defect. We report a moderate growth impairment compared
to the Mcm4 mutant and are currently conducting experiments to investigate the combined
effect of disrupting Mcm2 and Mcm4 interactions with Dbf4 and Cdc7 simultaneously. DNA
replication proteins are important cancer biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets; this
work increases our understanding of the replication process and the mechanism by which these
proteins act in eukaryotic DNA replication.
Rashid, Shimaila
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Isolation and characterization of Plant Growth-promoting bacterial endophytes
146
Abstract: Bacterial endophytes typically colonize the interior parts of plants without harming
them. They can also colonize the plant rhizosphere. Those endophytes that also provide some
benefit to the plant may be considered to be plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) and can
facilitate plant growth by a number of different mechanisms. In the work that will be discussed,
soil samples from several locales around the world were used as a starting point for the
isolation of new endophytes. Those isolated endophytes able to utilize the plant compound 1aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) as a sole source of nitrogen, as a consequence of
possessing the enzyme ACC deaminase, were selected for additional characterization. More
specifically, strains were tested for IAA synthesis, siderophore production, phosphate
solubilization activity, N2 fixation, optimal growth temperature, salt tolerance, and antibiotic
sensitivity. In addition, the DNA sequences of the16S rRNA genes of the characterized strains
were determined so that the taxonomic identity of each strain could be assessed, and the
ability of some of these strains to facilitate growth of canola plants under controlled (growth
chamber) conditions was measured. ACC deaminase deficient mutants of selected strains are
currently being constructed; they will be compared to cognate wild-type strains for plant
growth promotion abilities, both with or without stress (i.e. the presence of salt). Since ACC
deaminase-containing bacteria have previously been shown to limit plant stress ethylenepromoted inhibition of plant growth, it is expected that the selected strains will be an
important adjunct to organic agricultural practice.
Rasouli, Mojgan
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Enhancing the quality of public spaces, with special reference to meaning of a
public spcae
Abstract: Urban public “has been an integral part of cities throughout history, and without it,
human settlements would be unimaginable ” (Madanipour, 2010:2). Public spaces have a
particular place in the urban life. What is important in the period of urban life is to prevent the
disappearance of memorable and meaningful public spaces which in recent years has become a
matter of comment. Form, function and meaning constitue the basic elemnts of the identity of
a place.
In order to achieve enhancing the quality of public spaces, this research attempts to explore the
relationship between components of a public space, and with a special reference to the
“meaning”, this study searches those criteria which contribute to make a place more
“memorable” and “meaningful”. It therefore asks, to what extent the concept of the “meaning”
contributes to making a place meaningful? And How can explore the relationship between
“meaning”, “place identity”, “sense of a place” in the public spaces?
In order to address these questions, this research identifies certain criteria and employs the
method of “place maker” which consider analytical measures for making a memorable and
meaningful public space and emphasizes on meaningful elements (symbolism, sense of a place,
place identity, and collective memory) of public spaces in Quebec City. Using qualitative
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method, the study explores the role of meaning in the place making and the identity of a place
and how this role can define meaningful criteria for a place.
Rebello, Zena
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Evaluating Surface Concentrations of NO2 and O3 in Urban and Rural Regions
by Combining Chemistry Transport Modelling with Surface Measurements
Abstract: A base case modelling investigation was conducted to explore the chemical and
physical behaviour of ground-level O3 and its precursor NO2 in Ontario using the U.S. EPA’s
Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. A winter and a summer study were
completed to evaluate the performance of CMAQ in reproducing the behaviour of these species
in both rural (North Bay) and urban (Ottawa) environments by comparison to surface
measurements collected by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment’s network of air quality
stations. CMAQ was found to replicate the spatial variation of O3 and NO2 over the domain in
both the winter and summer, but showed some difficulty in simulating the temporal allocation
of each species. Validation statistics for North Bay and Ottawa showed O3 mean biases (MB) of
3.35 ppb and 2.25 ppb, respectively, and NO2¬ MB of -8.75 ppb and -4.37 ppb, respectively for
the winter. Summer statistics generated O3 MB of 4.66 ppb (North Bay) and 10.05 ppb
(Ottawa) while both MB for NO2 were between -2.20 ppb to -2.55 ppb. The model was not
able to reproduce lower levels of O3, especially at night, or higher levels of NO2 during the day
at the North Bay site for either season. The simulations for Ottawa demonstrated better
agreement between model results and measurements as CMAQ provided a more accurate
reproduction of both the higher and lower mixing ratios of both species during both seasons.
Results indicate that CMAQ is able to simulate urban environments better than rural ones.
Revell, Halle
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Optimizing Susceptibility Measurements of Frustrated Magnetic Materials
Abstract: Superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) are extremely sensitive
magnetometers, which have a growing number of applications in physical measurements. With
the aid of SQUIDs and their broadband frequency detection abilities, low frequency nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR) and highly sensitive susceptibility measurements can be performed.
These are powerful methods of material characterization. Optical photolithographic techniques
were used to fabricate SQUIDs. The photolithographic process was optimized and SQUID
gradiometers were successfully fabricated and tested in-house. A preliminary measurement of
the magnetic spin ice material dysprosium titanate has been made using one of these devices.
In the future, the plan is to perform susceptibility measurements on frustrated magnetic
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materials such as: dysprosium titanate, holmium titanate, and lithium holmium yttrium
fluoride, taking the measurement to lower frequencies that have not yet been explored. The
SQUID is especially suited to study the slow dynamics present in these materials. In this talk, I
will introduce the physics of these materials, the SQUID fabrication, and how the susceptibility
measurement works.
Rizvi, Sana
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: How does perfectionism influence recipient's perceptions and responses to
negative feedback?
Abstract: Central to motivational theories, people need to know whether they have, or have
not, met performance standards. Thus, many studies have examined the effects of providing
employees with performance feedback. Whereas it is theorized that negative feedback (falling
short of the standard) should enhance motivation (relative to no feedback), the evidence
reveals that it can have adverse effects. I examined the role of perfectionism (Hewitt & Flett,
1991) in generating maladaptive responses to negative feedback. Perfectionists and nonperfectionists engaged in parallel versions of the “word puzzle” task, where they solved four
letter anagrams, prior to and post presentation of negative feedback. State affect levels and
cognitive and performance levels were assessed at various stages. As expected, compared to
non-perfectionists, perfectionists displayed greater levels of negative affect on receiving
negative feedback, and this in turn resulted in a significant decline in subsequent task
performance. Thus, perfectionists had difficulty regulating their negative affective responses,
and as a result they performed less well on a subsequent task.
Rombough, Lisa
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Adapting to Climate Change: Water Sustainability in Calgary, Alberta
Abstract: Calgary, Alberta will encounter challenging water problems within this century.
Calgary is expected to rapidly increase in population within the next 50 years, significantly
increasing the demand for water in the residential sector, which will put even more pressure on
its already vulnerable water resources. In addition, climate change will result in increased
temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns and declining river flows. As the demand for
water increases and the supply for water decreases, Calgary’s water resources will no longer be
managed sustainably. My research will further explain the relationship between water
management and climate change by explaining how climate change is anticipated to affect
Southern Alberta’s future water supplies. I will determine suitable solutions on ways that
Calgary can implement a long-term sustainable water strategy to prevent future water
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shortages and conflict over this precious natural resource. Regarding my research, I first
determined Calgary’s current supply and demand for water and then determined how climate
change is anticipated to affect Calgary’s future water supplies. Afterwards, I determined
Calgary’s anticipated future supply and demand of water, and determined that Calgary will not
have a sustainable water supply in the future. After evaluating the success and limitations of
past and present initiatives, I determined that Calgary would need a water conservation of 50%
over the next 60 years in order to have sustainable water resources. In order to achieve this
50% conservation, I have listed future recommendations and further research direction.
Sadhu, Ayan
Coauthor(s): Budhaditya Hazra
Presentation type: Oral presentation
Abstract title: Ambient system identification using partial measurements
Abstract: Popular ambient vibration-based system identification methods process information
collected from a dense array of sensors centrally to yield the modal properties. In such methods
the need for a centralized processing unit capable of satisfying large memory and processing
demands is un-avoidable. With the advent of wireless smart sensor networks, it is now possible
to process information locally at the sensor level. The information at the individual sensor level
can then be concatenated to obtain the global structure characteristics. A novel de-centralized
algorithm based on wavelet transforms to infer global structure mode information using
measurements obtained using a small group of sensors at-a-time, is proposed in the present
research. The problem of identification is cast within the framework of under-determined blind
source separation invoking transformations of measurements to the time-frequency domain.
The partial mode shape coefficients so identified are then combined to yield complete modal
information. The transformations are undertaken using wavelet packet transform, yielding a
sparse representation in the wavelet domain. Principal component analysis is then performed
on the resulting wavelet coefficients, yielding the partial mixing matrix coefficients from a few
measurement channels at-a-time. This process is repeated using measurements obtained from
multiple sensor groups, and the results from each group are concatenated to obtain the global
modal characteristics of the structure. The algorithm is applied to the vibration data recorded
from the UCLA Doris and Louis Factor building. The focus of this paper is on the algorithmic
development keeping in mind its potential in distributed wireless sensing.
Saechao, Maye Chin
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: The Path to Restoration - A Story of the Wounded
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Abstract: In a bid to increase genetic variability it has been proposed that plants can acquire
DNA segments that were segregated out in prior generations. The question of whether the
reappearance of lost genotypes is a real biological phenomenon remains a hotly debated issue
among plant scientists. In order to study this phenomenon better in addition to verifying that it
occurs in different genetic backgrounds, it would be highly useful to find triggers that upregulate the “restoration” of these non-parental DNA segments. In our lab we have shown that
the inheritance of non-parental DNA in Arabidopsis thaliana occurs at a decidedly low rate. This
research seeks to test the hypothesis that these “restoration” events occur in response to
external stimuli. Plants have much to contend with in the wild. Damage of plant tissues is a
common occurrence that is perpetrated by various wound-causing agents. In response to
wounding, plants activate healing and defensive mechanisms and it may be that plants also
activate the “restoration” of prior genotypes. My research is testing whether wounding
activates the restoration mechanism. Wild-type plants were mechanically wounded, allowed to
recover and then left to self-fertilize. The restoration mechanism, if triggered, might then reveal
itself in the genomes of the next generation. The seedling progeny were tested for genotypic
changes at the DNA level using molecular methods and results compared to control groups.
Does wounding up-regulate the restoration phenomenon? Find out at the Grad Seminar.
Safaei, Elham
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Inactivating Clostridium perfringens spores in anaerobically digested biosolids
using enhanced elektrokinetics
Abstract: Treatment of massive amount of biosolids produced each year remains a challenge
for environmental engineering worldwide. Although enhanced electrokinetic (EEK) treatment
has demonstrated a value added benefit of this technology towards biosolids, its effectiveness
on inactivation of Clostridium perfringens spores, as a better indicator for monitoring
regulatory compliance of biosolids disinfection processes, has never been examined. In this
study we determined the condition under which EEK treatment upgrades biosolids to Class A of
USEPA regulations through inactivation of C. perfringens spores. Bench-scale tests were
performed with anaerobically digested biosolids supplemented with various concentrations of
three enhancer agents namely, Bioxy STM, Glutaraldehyde (GTA) and ampho4 and subjected to
three different potential gradients (PG). The results for spore inactivation, measured as the logreduction (LR), showed a satisfactory LR (4.5) of spores. A significant correlation (P < 0.05) was
observed between two enhanced agents, Bioxy STM and GTA, and EEK inactivation of C.
perfringens spores while ampho4 did not show any correlation with the inactivation of spores.
The inactivation effects of EEK can be explained as follows: i) The creation of alkaline zone
during EEK treatment which improves mechanism of action of GTA and Bioxy S; ii) Change of
the spore cortex and coat membranes; iii) The generation of radical species (e.g.•OH). Further
research is required to be able to found out the precise effects of the multiple factors involved
in the electrokinetic phenomena and enhancement agents on spore inactivation process.
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Salam, Lialoma
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Characteristics and service utilization of end-stage clients
Abstract: In 2005, 231,000 Canadians passed away, and by 2020 the number of deaths will
increase to more than 330,000 per year. Disease of the circulatory system , cancer , and disease
of the respiratory system are the leading causes of death in Canada. It has been estimated that
the demand for end of life care will increase over the next few decades; however, there is a lack
of knowledge regarding the characteristics of end-stage clients, and their health services
utilization.
The HNHB Community Care Access Centres use interRAI instruments to assess their end-stage
clients receiving home care. The interRAi Palliative Care instrument is a standardized
instrument used to evaluate the needs of individuals in a hospice setting or at home,with a
terminal illness. The interRAI-Home Care instrument is used for individuals considered endstage but not necessarily palliative, receiving services in at home. The instruments have a few
different domains, including health conditions, oral and nutritional status, functional status,
medications, and responsibility/directives.
The purpose of this study was to assess a population of end-stage clients receiving home care
services, in order to provide a better understanding of the populations’ characteristics and
service utilization.
End-stage clients were been found to be over the age of 75 years, majority had a cancer
diagnosis, reduced capabilities to perform activities of daily living, and increased pain. Nursing
services were most commonly used, followed by personal support workers. Cost for services
increased, as time to death decreased, and the total cost for services received averaged $5000.
Salinger, Alejandro
Coauthor(s): Alejandro Lopez-Ortiz
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Paging for Multicore Processors
Abstract: In the paging problem we are given a fast small cache, a slow large memory, and a
sequence of page requests. A request is a hit if its page is in the cache. Otherwise it is a fault
and the page must be fetched from memory, possibly requiring the eviction of another page in
cache. An eviction policy must decide which page to evict on a fault in order to minimize the
number of faults.
While eviction policies have been widely studied for sequential processors, in the case of
various simultaneous processes sharing a cache the performance of even the most common
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policies is not yet fully understood. In particular, there is almost no theoretical backing for the
use of current eviction policies in multicore processors.
In this work we study the problem of serving a request of p sequences simultaneously with a
shared cache. We compare various strategies both in the offline and online settings, showing
that if the cache is partitioned, the partition policy has a greater influence on performance than
the eviction policy. We also show that sharing the cache among cores is in general better than
partitioning the cache, unless the partition is dynamic and changes frequently. Lastly we show
that deciding if a request can be served such that at a given time each sequence has faulted at
most a given number of times is NP-complete, and describe an algorithm for this problem that
runs in polynomial time in the length of the request sequences.
Sandhu, Navdeep
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Effects of sublethal concentrations on rainbow trout - Elucidating the
mechanism of action
Abstract: Cadmium is a known corticosteroid disruptor in teleosts but the mechanisms involved
are poorly understood. The hypothesis tested here was that sublethal concentrations of
cadmium impair the cortisol stress axis and the mode of action involves disruption of steroid
biosynthesis. Immature rainbow trout were placed in a flow-through system containing
cadmium (0, 0.75 or 2.0 µg/L) in moderately hard water. Samples were collected at 4h, 1d, 7d
and 28d after exposure. Trout were then subjected to a five minute handling stressor and
samples were collected at 1 and 24h post-stressor exposure. Cadmium did not significantly
affect plasma cortisol, glucose, and lactate levels over the 28d period. However, acute stressinduced elevation in plasma cortisol and glucose levels were significantly reduced by cadmium
exposure compared to the control. To elucidate the mechanism by which cadmium disrupts
cortisol production, head kidney slices were incubated in vitro with 0, 10, 100 or 1000nM of
cadmium for 4h either with or without adrenocorticotropic hormone (a key cortisol
secretagogue). A dose-dependent inhibition of cortisol release was seen with cadmium and this
corresponded with the suppression of key genes (melanocortin 2 receptor, steroidogenic acute
regulatory protein and cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage) involved in
corticosteroidogenesis. The changes seen with cadmium were reversed by 8-Bromo-cAMP (a
cAMP analog). Taken together, environmentally relevant concentrations of cadmium disrupt
the cortisol stress response to a secondary stressor in trout. Our results suggest that the
mechanism of action of cadmium in suppressing cortisol production involves disruption of ACTH
signalling.
Seli, Paul
Coauthor(s): Daniel Smilek, Allan Cheyne
Presentation type: Poster presentation (Monday, April 25 | 4 pm - 6 pm)
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Abstract title: Does the modality of stimulus presentation influence frequency of sustained
attention errors?
Abstract: Failures of sustained attention are common in everyday life. Given the commonality
of these failures, we examined conditions under which they could be reduced. Specifically, we
examined whether the modality required to complete a task might affect the frequency of
sustained attention errors. To induce and measure failures of sustained attention, we had
participants complete a visual, an auditory and a multimodal version of the Sustained Attention
to Response Task (SART). In the visual version of the SART, individuals were shown a sequence
of digits (1 to 9) on the computer screen at a rate of roughly one digit each second. Participants
were required to press a response key to every digit (GO stimuli) except for a predetermined
target digit (NOGO stimulus, e.g., 3). In the auditory condition, the stimuli were presented
through headphones. In the multimodal condition, the stimuli were presented both visually
and auditorily. Sustained attention errors were indexed by measuring the frequency with
which participants erroneously responded to the target digit. We also measured the speed of
responses to GO stimuli. Results showed that participants made fewer errors in the auditory
condition than the visual condition, with errors in the multimodal condition falling between the
visual and auditory conditions. In addition, we found that participants responded slower to the
GO stimuli in the auditory condition than in the other conditions. We suggest that auditory
presentation increases arousal relative to visual presentation and that this increased arousal
improves participants’ ability to maintain their attention on the task.
Semnani-Azad, Zhaleh
Presentation type: Oral presentation
Abstract title: What is really being communicated? Nonverbal communication in international
negotiation
Abstract: International business negotiators face a complex array of challenges including
cultural differences in communication styles, strategic repertoires, and cognitive schemas.
These differences often lead to a culture clash, due to negotiators either failing to adapt or
over-adapting to their partner, which can cause a variety of misunderstandings, misattributions,
and conflict (Adler & Graham, 1989; Morris et al., 1998; Tinsley, Taylor, & Adair, 2009). In this
study, we examine possible miscommunications (nonverbally) in cross-cultural negotiation.
Canadian and Chinese negotiators were primed to illicit behaviours (verbal and nonverbal)
connoting four negotiation styles, associated with the cooperative/competitive dichotomy
(Pruitt & Carnevale, 1993; Raiffa, 1982). Participants were primed with positive or negative
evaluation (liking or disliking partner), and dominant or submissive negotiation styles. We
found main effects of negotiation approach, where negotiators with a negative and competitive
stance, tend to display negative emotion, gesture, occupy space, and engage in high visual
dominance. In contrast, negotiators with a positive and a more submissive stance were more
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likely to lean forward, gesture, and exhibit silence. Significant interactions illustrate that
Canadian negotiators communicate liking and positive affect with eye contact, while this same
behaviour is associated with dislike and negative affect for Chinese negotiators. Interestingly,
an erect and straight back posture was associated with dominance for Canadians, while this
posture was affiliated with submissiveness amongst Chinese negotiators. Theoretical and
practical implications for cross-cultural negotiation and communication are discussed.
Seo, Jaho
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: On-line identification of die thermal dynamics and temperature control in
injection moulding process
Abstract: The thermal control of the die is a key management for the development of a high
efficiency injection moulding. For effective thermal management, this research provides an
effective control strategy to cover finding informative sensor locations, identifying thermal
dynamic model, and designing controllers for plastic injection moulding process in a laminated
die. By applying a clustering method and sensitivity analysis, sensor locations are identified. For
the identification of thermal dynamics of a die, the neural network techniques (NN) with offline and on-line learning algorithms are adopted to deal with various cycle-time for moulding
process and uncertain dynamics of the die. The off-line learning using the data set gathered
from the finite element analysis provides an initialized structure of the NN for modeling. Then,
the NN model is on-line trained for experimental data from the actual die system. Based on this
identified NN model, controllers are designed by means of fuzzy-logic control and self-adaptive
PID control whose parameters are tuned by backpropagation (BP) and radial basis function
(RBF) neural networks. Through a comparative study, each controller’s performance is verified
in terms of response time and tracking accuracy under moulding process with multiple cycletime. The findings of this study will be useful in optimizing thermal properties of die and
products by providing more accurate thermal dynamics of dies and more effective control of
these.
Sethi, Neha
Coauthor(s): Mark Servos
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: BINDING OF CHEMICALS ISOLATED FROM MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER EFFLUENT
TO THYROID HORMONE RECEPTORS IN RAINBOW TROUT LIVER
Abstract: The thyroid hormones, (TH) thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) are essential for
growth and development in vertebrates. The action of TH is mediated via binding to nuclear
thyroid hormone receptors (THR) and activation of the transcription machinery. Recent studies
155
suggest a number of chemicals that are present in the aquatic environment may be either
thyroid hormone receptor agonist or antagonist. Here we report the binding characteristics of
three chemicals, including carbamazepine (CBZ), nonylphenol (NP) and bisphenol A (BPA)
present in the municipal wastewater effluents (MWWEs), to THR in rainbow trout
(Oncorhynchus mykiss). To this end a nuclear fraction containing THR was isolated from
rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) liver. A THR competitive binding assay was developed
and the relative binding affinities of these selected environmental contaminants (CBZ, NP, and
BPA) were determined. A toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) assay has been successful in
identifying thyroid active compounds, and will be used to prioritize emergent and persistent
endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in MWWEs, and the effects they exert on biological
systems.
Seyed Tabatabaei, Talieh
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Identifying P2P Traffic Using Machine Learning Methods
Abstract: In recent years, Peer-to-Peer (P2P) file-exchange applications have overtaken Web
applications as the major contributor of traffic on the Internet. Recent estimates put the
volume of P2P traffic at 70% of the total broadband traffic. P2P is often used for illegally sharing
copyrighted music, video, games, and software. The legal ramification of this traffic combined
with its aggressive use of network resources has necessitated a strong need for identification of
network traffic by application type. This task, referred to as traffic classification, is a prerequisite to many network management and traffic engineering problems.
The classical traffic classification approach of mapping traffic to applications based on port
numbers is now ineffective since applications such as network games, multimedia streaming,
and P2P file sharing use dynamic ports for communication. An alternative approach is payloadbased analysis where packet payloads are searched for characteristic signatures of known
applications. This general approach, however, fail to detect encrypted traffic as many P2P
applications are now moving towards using encryption.
The diminished effectiveness of the aforementioned techniques motivates use of flow statistics
for classifying network traffic. Machine learning techniques provide a promising alternative in
classifying flows based on application protocol (payload) independent statistical features.
In this work we are investigating the effectiveness of features based on packet size, inter-arrival
times, and flow duration along with supervised classification methods in order to reveal P2P
traffic from traffic aggregation. Our method does not rely on packet payload so we avoid the
difficulties arising from legal, privacy-related, financial and technical *
Shabani, Amir Hossein
Coauthor(s): John Zelek & David Clausi
Presentation type: poster presentation
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Abstract title: Robust Local Video Events for Improved Action Recognition
Abstract: Human activity analysis is important in many computer vision and artificial
intelligence applications such as elderly behavior monitoring for assisted living, context-based
video retrieval, human-computer interaction, and automated surveillance. In monitoring the
activities of daily living of elderly, specially, the recognition of atomic actions such as ”walking”,
”bending”, and ”falling” is essential for activity analysis. This paper focuses on development of
novel robust local video event detection for action recognition task. This approach is consistent
with the human’s biological vision and motion perception models. The extracted video events
show high precision rate and high reproducibility score under different view perspectives and
scale changes. In a standard recognition framework, these events are shown to improve the
average accuracy in the recognition of different actions in a benchmark data set.
Shadmehr, Samaneh
Coauthor(s): Shirley Tang
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Carbon Nanotube Nanofluidics
Abstract: Nanochannels are interesting nanostructures due to the fact that their sizes are
comparable to either the size of DNAs, proteins or biological molecules. So these structures are
attractive for nanofluidics single molecule detection and shows potential applications ranging
from single molecule study of biological activity to rapid diagnosis of diseases.
Carbon nanotubes, which represent a new class of one-dimensional nanostuctures, are
attracting increasing attention. A rare combination of transport efficiency and selectivity makes
carbon nanotube membranes a promising technology for energy efficient filtration membranes
and drug delivery applications.
We fabricate the devices in which one carbon nanotube spans a barrier between two fluid
reservoirs, enabling direct electrical measurement of ion transport through the nanotube and
analyzing molecular transport properties. At this length scale, the passage of even a single
molecule generates a detectable change in the flow of ionic current through the nanotube.
We use parallel, isolated and ultra-long SWCNTs or MWCNTs (about mm), i.e. extreme aspect
ratio up to 1:106 (diameter to length), to make single CNT nanofluidic channel and study the
biomolecules mass transport phenomena and using these systems for single molecule
biosensors.
Compared with traditional nanopore devices, these nanotube devices feature distinct
differences. First, these nanotubes have very high aspect ratio such that they can confine the
entire biomolecule and also extend the event time and detect the current changes, which is
likely to result in new translocation characteristics. Second, our devices have a planar layout,
which could enable simultaneous optical and electrical probing.
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Shafique, Umar
Presentation type: mandatory poster presentation
Abstract title: Academic Feedback in Engineering
Abstract: This work discusses literature on the importance of instructor feedback to students in
the discipline of engineering. Research suggests that feedback from instructors has a large
impact on learning. In general feedback facilitates better learning [1] to relevant studies.
In order to understand the importance of feedback in teaching and learning, examples of
common educational practice are taken as summative and formative feedback. A proposed
model of feedback to enhance learning by Hattie,J. and Temperley, H. [2] is discussed to
evaluate different situations and circumstances where the feedback is taken and its effect on
the learner are discussed. This model is then related to engineering discipline.
The quality of feedback and its effectiveness is discussed and few points are highlighted which
are important to improve the effectiveness of feedback especially in the context of engineering
education.
[1] Piccinin, S. (2003). Feedback: Key to learning (Green Guide No. 4). Halifax, NS: Society for
Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
[2] Hattie, J., & Temperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research,
77(1),81–112.
Shahbandi, Nazgol
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: A Computational Model of Interactions between Brain Cancer Stem Cells and
Tumour Microenvironment
Abstract: The Grade IV Astrocytoma, Glioblastoma Multiforme, is the most frequent and
aggressive brain tumour with a median patient survival time of 6-12 months in adults. The
recent studies support the existence of a subpopulation of cancer cells with certain similarity
with normal stem cells. Highly Interacted with Microenvironment, such subpopulations are
known to be responsible for tumour formation and maintenance as well as vessel network
formation processes, angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. In this study a computational model
that includes a heterogeneous population of cancer cells is proposed which investigates the
dynamics of tumour growth as well as the effects of the tumour microenvironment. The model
is compared with available experimental data.
Shamseldein, Mohamed
Coauthor(s): Mehrdad Kazerani,M. M. A. Salama
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
158
Abstract title: Novel Configurations for Photovoltaic Farms to Reduce Partial Shading Losses
Abstract: Partial shading is the condition of having different insolation levels at different parts
of a photovoltaic structure. This structure can be a module, array or farm. The difference in
insolation levels causes miss-match in the elements of the photovoltaic structure. This missmatch has undesirable effects such as reduction in generated power from the elements of the
structure and hot spots inside the structure. The severity of these effects can be considerably
reduced by reconnecting the structure in such a way that miss-match is reduced. This paper
proposes novel configurations for modules inside farms, that result in considerable reduction in
partial shading losses. Also this paper introduces a novel mathematical formulation for
insolation level miss-match. This formula can be used for comparative evaluation of different
photovoltaic configurations. The improvement over the existing photovoltaic configurations has
been demonstrated by simulation results
Shangguan, Yiyi
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Investigation of Poly(ether-b-amide) PEBAX® 1074 Block Copolymer for
Chemical Protective Glove Applications
Abstract: Polymeric membranes are an emerging technology providing energy-saving solutions
to a wide range of markets including medical, textiles, construction, food packaging, and
industry. Pebax® are a group of thermoplastic elastomer with waterproof properties and
breathability developed by Arkema Inc.
The properties of relatively new Pebax® grade 1074 are not yet fully understood. As a result,
pure gas permeation tests of nitrogen, oxygen, methane, helium, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide
were conducted at different feed pressures and temperatures to determine its intrinsic
properties. Penetrant transport through polymeric membranes is described by the solutiondiffusion model and quantified by the permeability coefficient. The permeability of noncondensable gases was found to decrease slightly with pressure and increase with temperature.
Permeability of condensable carbon dioxide gas increased with pressure and temperature.
Due to the breathable nature of Pebax® 1074, it was proposed to test the material for glove
applications. Water permeability of Pebax® 1074 and commonly available chemical-resistant
gloves including: nitrile, latex, and vinyl were determined using pure vapour permeation
method. Dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) – a sarin (GB) simulant – was permeated to
determine each material’s chemical resistance. Pebax® 1074 showed superior water
permeability and DMMP resistance compared to other glove materials.
Size and condensability of gas penetrants were determined to strongly affect their permeability
through polymeric membranes. Additionally, Pebax® 1074 was found to be a competitive
material in protective garment applications.
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Shanjani, Yaser
Coauthor(s): Youxin Hu, Robert M Pilliar
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Mechanical characteristics of solid-freeform-fabricated porous calcium
polyphosphate structures with oriented stacked layers
Abstract: This study addresses the mechanical properties of calcium polyphosphate (CPP)
structures formed by stacked layers using a powder-based solid freeform fabrication (SFF)
technique. The mechanical properties of the 35% porous structures were characterized by
uniaxial compression testing for compressive strength determination and diametral
compression testing to determine tensile strength. Fracture cleavage surfaces were analyzed
using scanning electron microscopy. The effects of the fabrication process on the
microarchitecture of the CPP samples were also investigated. Results suggest that the
orientation of the stacked layers has a substantial influence on the mechanical behavior of the
SFF-made CPP samples. The samples with layers stacked parallel to the mechanical compressive
load are 48% stronger than those with the layers stacked perpendicular to the load. However,
the samples with different stacking orientations are not significantly different in tensile
strength. The observed anisotropic mechanical properties were analyzed based on the physical
microstructural properties of the CPP structures.
Sharif Razavian, Reza
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Optimal powertrain control of a series hybrid electric vehicle using Pontryagin’s
Minimum Principle
Abstract: Although Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) have established their place as fuel efficient
vehicles, further reduction in fuel consumption is still possible if a controller is developed to
manage the two sources of power in an optimal manner. Powertrain controllers used in current
HEVs are in most cases far from optimal behaviour. In this study, a model based controller for
off-line optimization of fuel consumption of a series HEV is presented. To find the optimal
controller, first a simple mathematical model for a series HEV is formulated .The objective
which is defined as the total fuel consumption during a mission is then written in terms of
states of the simple model. To solve for the optimal control, Pontryagin’s Minimum Principle is
implemented. Because of the difficulties associated with this problem, it has to be solved
numerically. Two different numerical methods (Shooting Method and Steepest Descent
Method) are used, and the results are compared. It turns out that the Steepest Descent
Method gives the global minimum solution and does it faster than the Shooting Method, thus it
is more suitable for this application and future real-time applications.
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Sharif Shourijeh, Mohammad
Coauthor(s): John J. McPhee
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Optimal Control And Forward Dynamic Modeling Of Human Musculoskeletal
Systems
Abstract: Biomechanics is a field that uses the capabilities of mechanical engineering to study
biological problems. Human movement study is a branch of biomechanics which takes
advantage of inter-disciplinary models to simulate, predict, and analyze different movements of
humans. Most of these models are driven by mechanical torques at the joints and exclude
muscle models to avoid facing dynamic redundancy of the model. These models suffer from
missing physiological aspects of body dynamics and usually lead to unrealistic results.
In general, two approaches can be applied to study human musculoskeletal simulations, inverse
and forward dynamics. The major disadvantage of inverse dynamics, which requires
experimental measurements of human motions, is that it is not predictive and can rarely be
used in cause-effect interpretations. In contrast, optimal control combined with forward
dynamics, which looks for optimal motion trajectories and muscle neural excitations as control
signals, is predictive and can be used in “what-if” studies—such as the design of new prosthetic
or orthotic devices.
The goal of this research is to simulate a muscle-driven forward dynamics model by means of
converting the optimal control problem to a non-linear optimization problem (NLOP). To this
end, a 4-muscle forearm model is presented in which the resulting NLOP is solved for the
optimal forearm motion and muscle excitations. The excitation results of this model-based
study are compared to the measurements of forearm muscle electromyograph (EMG) signals.
Shateri, Hamed
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Prediction of Neck Injury in Out-of-Position Rear Impact
Abstract: The purpose of the research was to investigate out-of-position whiplash injuries in an
automotive crash environment since it has been demonstrated that neck injury is more severe
away from the neutral position. Whiplash injury, often attributed to soft tissue damage can
result in prolonged pain and physical discomforts. In more severe impacts, paralysis can occur.
To date, many studies have focused on neutral position neck injuries; however, it is common
for occupants to be in an out-of-position orientation when exposed to frontal or rear impact
scenarios. Kaale et al. 2005 noted that out-of-position occupants often demonstrate high-grade
lesions of the alar and transverse ligaments.
A detailed cervical spine numerical model was used to investigate the effect of initial position
on kinematics and tissue. Neutral and out-of-position rear impact cases were studied. In the
out-of-position case, the head was rotated 3.5˚, 28.4˚, and 17.9˚ relative to the T1, in flexion,
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left axial, and left lateral rotations respectively (Ivancic et al. 2006) with an applied acceleration
of 8g at the T1 to simulate a rear impact collision.
During impact, the flexion/extension and the axial rotation of the skull were in good agreement
with the literature but the peak responses generally occurred earlier in time. The strains in the
alar and transverse ligaments were 1.8 and 3.2 times higher in out-of-position as compared to
the neutral position, indicating a higher risk of injury when the neck is out-of-position during
impacts.
Shateri, Mahsa
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Task Optimization and Workforce Scheduling
Abstract: Manufacturers of large size products, e.g., aerospace and railway vehicle industries,
encounter many constraints in their production. Large size components move through a series
of workstations with a significant number of operations. Just-in-time transportation of parts
between the workstations is essential, because it reduces backlog in the production line. In
addition, complexity and size of the product require considerable space and many interactions.
Moreover, due to limited available space, only few parts can be stored at each workstation at
any time. Therefore, an optimal schedule of a production line, considering all the above
constraints will definitely help managers in monitoring the production variables, finding an
effective communication tool for work organization buy-in, and evaluating what-if scenarios.
The what-if scenarios include verifying the optimal number of operators per shift and adjusting
the number of operations assigned per worker.
To address the above problem, simulation models have been developed to analyze current
system for various scenarios. Mathematical models are employed to optimize current system
by minimizing production cost of labour. Results of production cycle time and number of
operators for each scenario have been decreased significantly compared to the simulation
result for current system. Furthermore, column-based modeling approach is used to reduce
computation time of the optimization model for large scale scenarios. Moreover, sensitivity
analysis has been performed on the developed algorithms to analyze the effect of allowing
overtime for the operators of each scenario.
Shepherd, Alyssa
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Effects of low-protein high-methionine diets during pregnancy on maternal and
fetal amino acid metabolism
Abstract: Disruption of one-carbon metabolism, in mothers, fetuses or both, by elevated dietary
methionine (relative to protein) is one mechanism through which low-protein diets (LPDs) may
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elicit programming. To assess effects of low-protein high-methionine diets on one-carbon and
amino acid metabolism, Wistar rats were ad libitum fed diets containing 18% or 9% casein with
0.5% or 1.0% supplemental methionine (18-0.5, ‘control’; 9-0.5 or 9-1.0, ‘LPDs’) throughout
gestation. Maternal and fetal plasma free amino acid profiles were determined by HPLC at day
20 of gestation. Maternal weight gain, food consumption, litter size and fetal weights were
unaffected by diet. In dams and fetuses of both LPDs methionine and threonine levels were
respectively increased and decreased relative to controls. Glycine and serine were modestly
decreased in dams fed 9-1.0, while proline and all three branched-chain amino acids (leucine,
isoleucine, valine) were decreased in 9-1.0 fetuses. Diet did not affect homocysteine levels.
Fetal plasma results suggest shifts in placental amino acid transport due to increased
competition among amino acids. Maternal results indicate a possible disruption of one-carbon
metabolism at the intersection of the methionine and folate cycles. Threonine, glycine and
serine catabolism can increase levels of methyl-tetrahydrofolate, which is depleted by the
conversion of homocysteine to methionine. Decreases in serine, glycine and threonine,
increased methionine and unaltered homocysteine suggest homocysteine level regulation via
remethylation using methyl-tetrahydrofolate; thus the LPDs may generate functional folate
deficiencies. Impaired folate status alone or interacting with reduced protein could cause
reprogramming.
Sherk, Ted
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: The WISE: A Case Study in Community-based Diffusion of Residential Solar
Energy Systems
Abstract: The West Toronto Initiative for Solar Energy (WISE) contributed at least 13 percent of
all residential grid-tie solar photovoltaic systems sold in Ontario between March 2006 (when
the RESOP program was announced) and August 2007, despite the Ward having only a tiny
fraction (0.37 percent) of Ontario’s population. Households who purchased a PV system
through the program were found to consume one-quarter less electricity on average than the
control group. Further, the program garnered both local and national media coverage for its
innovative community-based approach. This research focuses on understanding the
mechanisms by which the WISE achieved such rapid uptake of solar energy systems in one
municipal ward of a major Canadian city. The primary objective is to measure purchaser and
non-purchaser perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of the initiative, as well as the
actual energy performance of respondents' homes. A mixed-methods research approach is
used, including attitudinal surveys and utility account information. Findings will be used to
answer the question, "Why did about half of the 160 residents who expressed interest in having
their house assessed for a solar energy system decide to purchase a solar energy system, and
the other half decide not to purchase in the short-term?” The expectation is that by providing
insights into the WISE, this research will be useful for the design of future community energy
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initiatives, thus increasing the adoption of renewable energy systems towards society's goal of
achieving sustainability in the energy sector.
Shi, Jingye
Coauthor(s): Mikal Skuterud
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: “Gone Fishing! Absenteeism, Shirking, and the Weather”
Abstract: Understanding the causes of workers’ absence behaviour is important for designing
effective interventions and policies to reduce the cost associated with absenteeism. However,
the empirical studies of absenteeism have in general failed to distinguish between legitimate
absenteeism and malfeasant absenteeism because malfeasant absenteeism, by its very nature,
is difficult to observe. This study proposes an empirical approach to identifying one particular
type of malfeasant absenteeism – shirking contractual work hours to take advantage of good
weather. This identification provides a direct measure of a particular type of shirking activities,
therefore allows for testing the real-world relevance of efficiency wage theory, which interprets
observed variations in absenteeism in terms of relative worker incentives to shirk. A “weather
quality index” is constructed to capture the value of time spent outdoors as a function of
weather elements, and fluctuations in this index represent variations in shirking incentives. We
find that good weather conditions, which increase enjoyment of outdoor activities, increase the
probability of being absence from work, and this effect is stronger on short-term absence than
on long-term absence. We also found that, other than weather fluctuations, among other
factors that could potentially provide shirking incentives, workers’ absence behavior is most
responsive to job tenure; particularly there is a sharp increase in absence after the probation
period.
Shi, Tianxiang
Coauthor(s): David Landriault, Gord E. Willmot
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Finite-time ruin problems in the Sparre Andersen risk model with arbitrary
interclaim times.
Abstract: An explicit expression for the joint distribution of the time to ruin and the number of
claims at ruin is derived in Sparre Andersen models with arbitrary interclaim times. We first
assume claim sizes are exponential and make use of Lagrange’s expansion theorem to obtain a
closed-form expression for the aforementioned ruin quantity. In the second part of my talk,
claim sizes are assumed to be a finite sum of exponentials. An extension of Lagrange’s
expansion theorem in multiple dimensions is used to examine the density of the time to ruin.
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Singer, Basil
Coauthor(s): Attahiru Alfa and Steve Drekic
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Using Matrix Analytic Methods in Ruin Theory
Abstract: I explain how matrix analytic methods can be used for analysing the wealth of an
insurance company over a discrete-time framework under very general assumptions, and
how to calculate quantities associated with ruin (i.e. bankruptcy) such as the probability
the company gets ruined given an initial capital amount and a particular surplus level before
ruin.
I begin by giving a brief introduction of what matrix analytic methods are, and their
strengths and constraints. I then proceed to analysing a basic discrete-valued surplus
process of an insurance company (i.e. its wealth over time). I touch upon the issue of
statistical inference on the model and the advantages of having such general assumptions for
estimating its parameters. I then give a methodology, using matrix analytic methods, for
calculating different kinds of probabilities of ruin, which includes formulating efficient recursive
algorithms.
Afterwords, I give a variation of the simple model by incorporating a threshold and timelagged dividends. I proceed to highlighting a methodology, which is similar, albeit more
complex, to the basic model and conclude the presentation by giving examples of other
kinds variations to which one may apply similar methodologies as the simple one.
Singh, Punya
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Examination of the role of distance and angular information in the assessment
of landmark configurations
Abstract: A location can be remembered in terms of its distance to nearby landmarks or by the
relative angles in which those landmarks are positioned, or both. The focus of this study was to
gain a greater understanding of the degree to which directional and angular information are
used by good and poor navigators in determining spatial relationships between landmarks.
Participants were asked to learn a target location in relation to a configuration of surrounding
landmarks in a virtual environment. In the testing condition, the configuration of surrounding
landmarks was altered and participants were asked to find the missing target location. The
spatial arrangement of surrounding landmarks in the testing condition was altered such that
one location preserved distance information and another angular differences. A preference for
a location that preserves distance or directional information provides an indication of the type
of strategy used. The results indicate that good and poor navigators differ in the strategy they
use in assessing spatial relationships between landmarks.
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Singh, Serena
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Synthesis of Glycolipid Analogues as Tethering Molecules for Lipid Bilayers
Abstract: Proposed is to design glycolipid analogues that will be integrated into phospholipid
bilayers by their hydrocarbon chains and bound to gold surfaces by 6-thio-6-deoxy galactose
moieties. The architecture of a trisaccharide tether will enforce a spacious hydrophilic zone
between the bilayer and the surface for the study of membrane proteins. These molecules are
expansions of the 6-thio-6-deoxy galactose tethers previously reported by M. Guillemineau et
al. [1]. The known [2] compound, propargyl lactoside, was converted in three steps to a
propargyl lactoside glycosyl acceptor with a free hydroxyl group at position O-6' that was
subsequently glycosylated with a 6-thio-6-deoxy bromide glycosyl donor [1]. The propargyl
lactoside will also be converted to a propargyl cellobioside via inversion at O-4'. This propargyl
cellobioside will be converted in four steps to a glycosyl acceptor with a free hydroxyl group at
position O-4' that will also undergo glycosylation with the 6-thio-6-deoxy bromide glycosyl
donor. These two trisaccharides will, in turn, undergo copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne
cycloadditions with either 1-azidododecane or 1-azidooctadecane. Final deprotections will
generate a total of four novel glycolipid analogues that will vary in flexibility and chain length.
[1] M. Guillemineau et al. Carbohydr. Res. 2010, 345, 2723.
[2] L. F. Tietze et al. Chem. Eur. J. 1998, 4, 1179.
Sithole, Munyaradzi
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: MES
Abstract: Title: Harnessing the power of PGIS and Web 2.0 application in collaborative resource
management . Saying Goodbye to GIS Priesthood and technocrats through the wikification of
GIS.
Public participation has been adopted as a major concept in sustainable development by
several international agreements, such as the United Nations’ Agenda 21(Jonathan2002). It is in
the backdrop of such information that resource managers are constantly seeking sustainable
ways of engaging local communities in development projects. In most cases, stakeholder
participation programs fail mainly because stakeholders have variable degrees of power and
access to information (Jonathan 2002). Participatory Geographic information Systems (PGIS)
programs are being developed as a means of organizing and equalizing the platforms where
negotiation and citizen engagement takes place (Elwood 2009). Over the past decade, GIS have
been reshaped and reconfigured to fit critical philosophical research methodologies
(Leszczynski 2009). Elwood (2006) posits that PGIS is a new form of GIS that can be used to
bridge communication gaps between the public and experts. Inspired by the emergence of
PGIS and the changes in the cyber environment this paper will explain how several forms of
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PGIS and or Web 2.O applications can be used in collaborative watershed management
initiatives in the Okavango Delta. Through the collaborative watershed management prism, this
term paper will elucidate on how Participatory GIS and or Web 2.0 applications are reshaping
stakeholder participation and policy formulation in natural resource management. Through the
Arnstein’s ladder of stakeholder participation my research paper will specifically explore
whether PGIS and Web 2.0 *
Skinner, Kelly
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Prevalence, severity, perceptions and sociodemographic characteristics of
household food insecurity of First Nations people living in an on-reserve remote community
within the Mushkegowuk Territory
Abstract: Purpose: Food security encompasses access by all to safe, healthy foods in a manner
that maintains dignity. The research objectives were: (1) to determine the prevalence, severity
and sociodemographic characteristics of household food insecurity in a remote First Nations
(FN) community using the Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM); and (2) to
evaluate the perceived relevance, strengths and weaknesses in the HFSSM as a tool for
assessing food insecurity of FN households.
Methods: One adult from each household in the community was invited to complete the 18item HFSSM from the CCHS, Cycle 2.2 and subsequently participate in an interview. Data were
collected by a trained community research assistant. Demographic characteristics of the
respondent and household were collected. Household food security status was determined
from the HFSSM following Health Canada classifications. Thematic analysis was used to
interpret qualitative data from interviews
Results: Sixty-four respondents completed the HFSSM (84% response) and 28 individuals
responded to the interview questions (37% response). Overall, 70% of households were food
insecure; 53% moderately and 17% severely. Eighty-three percent of households had children;
62% of those households food insecure. From the interviews, the majority (64%) indicated that
the HFSSM did not capture many aspects of food security that are relevant to FN communities.
Themes included: high cost and poor availability of market food; high cost of living; and
traditional foods.
Conclusions: Results show very high levels of food insecurity on-reserve and themes indicate
that an FN supplement to the HFSSM is warranted.
Funded by CFDR and CIHR.
Smith, Martin
Presentation type: oral presentation
167
Abstract title: Investigating the folding and switching mechanism of myristoylated
hisactophilin
Abstract: Myristoylation, the covalent linkage of a saturated, C14 fatty acyl chain to the Nterminal glycine in a protein, plays a vital role in reversible membrane binding and signaling by
such modified proteins. Currently, little is known about the effects of myristoylation on protein
folding and stability, or about the energetics and molecular mechanisms of switching involving
different states of the protein with sequestered versus accessible myristoyl group. Results
obtained by NMR, protein folding kinetics and equilibrium denaturation measurements
illustrate the effects of myristoylation on hisactophilin, a histidine-rich protein that binds cell
membranes and actin in a pH-dependent manner. The results demonstrate that myristoylation
significantly increases hisactophilin stability, while also markedly increasing global protein
folding and unfolding rates. The switching between myristoyl sequestered and accessible states
is pH-dependent, with an apparent free energy change of 2.0 kcal/mol. This pH-dependence of
switching appears to be the physical basis for the sensitive, pH-dependent regulation of
membrane binding observed in vivo. We conclude that an increase in protein stability upon
modification and burial of the covalently linked group is likely to occur in numerous proteins
modified with fatty acyl or other hydrophobic groups, and that the biophysical effects of such
modification are likely to play an important role in functional switching of these proteins. In
addition, the increased global dynamics caused by myristoylation of hisactophilin reveals a
general mechanism whereby hydrophobic moieties can make nonnative interactions or relieve
strain in transition states, thereby increasing the rates of interconversion between different
states.
Smith, Brendan
Coauthor(s): Ken Oakes, Mark Servos
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Evaluating the Estrogenic Activities of Municipal Wastewater Effluents in
Rainbow Trout (<i>Oncorhynchus mykiss</i>) by Vitellogenin Expression
Abstract: Municipal Wastewater Effluents (MWWE) have been characterized to contain
endocrine disrupting compounds such as natural and synthetic estrogens. Fish exposed to
MWWE in receiving water bodies containing sufficient estrogenic compounds can express
abnormally high plasma concentrations of the egg yolk precursor protein vitellogenin (VTG).
VTG is naturally produced within livers of female fish, cleaved and deposited in oocytes as the
primary source of energy for developing embryos. However, male fish exposed to estrogens can
also produce VTG and potentially develop oocytes in their testes in a condition known as
intersex. To assess the presence of estrogenic compounds in local MWWE, expression of VTG
was measured by quantifying circulating VTG in rainbow trout (<i>Oncorhynchus mykiss</i>)
exposed to MWWE by indirect competitive ELISA. The MWWE treatments include 3
experimental pilot plant effluents employing varying treatment strategies conventional
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activated sludge (CAS), conventional activated sludge with nutrient removal (CAS-N), and
conventional activated sludge with biological nutrient removal (CAS-BNR) as well as two local
final MWWE. Exposures were conducted as static two-day renewals for 2, 8, and 14 days.
Preliminary results suggest little VTG induction in the MWWE examined, despite the presence
of intersex condition within some resident fish populations exposed to one of the two local
MWWE. Collectively, these data suggest species-specific factors besides the presence of
estrogens may modify the prevalence of intersex.
Smithwick, Neal
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: English Competence in Higher Education: A Sociological Analysis of English for
Academic Purposes (EAP)
Abstract: English for Academic Purposes (EAP) are English language teaching and learning
programs designed for second language learners to learn and study academic disciplines
through the medium of English. These programs are most commonly adopted by tertiary level
educational institutions. EAP emerged as a discipline from the long tradition of general English
language teaching that appeared after World War Two with the sudden growth of English as a
foreign language activity. The study of many languages for specific purposes has a long and
complicated history, but recently the focus on English has unquestionably become prominent in
international science, technology and trade. EAP programs are thus a result of processes of
globalization. They have progressively been employed by tertiary institutions in all countries
engaged in capitalist economic development because English is viewed as the lingua franca for
building trade and commerce relations in a globalized context.
EAP has its own unique history encompassing much theoretical debate concerning
curriculum and pedagogy in response to the changing needs of the learner within the processes
of globalization. Since many of these theoretical developments occurred in Western nations,
my qualitative research explores the relevant sociological perspectives in education that can
help in understanding the reasons EAP curriculum and pedagogy are being exported globally.
Social capital theory and institutions theory offer different causes and effects for how Western
educational systems, such as EAP programs, socialize people and why they are adopted by
tertiary level schools internationally.
Solanti, Madjid
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Numerical Modeling of Nano-Particle Drug Delivery to Solid Tumors
Abstract: The objective of this research is to explain the transport of chemotherapy drugs in
physiological systems containing a solid tumor. A mathematical model for nano-Particle drug
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delivery is formulated based on governing equations for fluid flow and solute transport, i.e., the
conservation laws for mass and momentum. The transport of drug nano-particles is influenced
by physicochemical variables, including pressure, velocity, and drug concentration. The
discretized form of the governing equations, with appropriate boundary and initial conditions,
is developed for a predefined geometry, which can be derived from a high-resolution MRI
image of a tumor, a mathematical network model of tumor vasculature, or a mathematical
model of a solid tumor. The interstitial fluid pressure, interstitial fluid velocity, and
concentration of the nano-particle drug are calculated using a numerical method. Drug delivery
problems have been most extensively researched in spherical tumors, which have been the
simplest to examine with the analytical methods used in the past. With our proposed numerical
method, however, other, more complex shapes of tumor can be tackled, and the model is
further developed to incorporate and investigate non-spherical tumors such as prolate and
oblate ones. Simulation results provide new insights into drug delivery in solid tumors and
assist optimization of drug dosage forms. For instance, one can find an optimum schedule of
treatment based on the different values of simulation parameters. Here, simulations of drug
nano-particle transport in homogeneous tumors using the proposed mathematical model
demonstrate that in a uniformly perfused tumor, the distribution of drug is non-uniform.
Stubbs, Helen
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Stability and aggregation studies of familial Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
(fALS)-associated mutant Cu-Zn-Superoxide Dismutase
Abstract: FALS is a neurological disorder characterized by degeneration of motor neurons,
progressive paralysis and inevitably death. Mutations in Cu,Zn-SOD are associated with ~20% of
all fALS cases, and a prominent disease hypothesis is that aggregation of SOD is neurotoxic.
However, the mechanism by which SOD aggregates is unknown. Furthermore, because SOD
undergoes various post-translational modifications (metal binding, disulfide bond formation,
and dimerization), the form of SOD that is relevant to fALS toxicity is unknown. This work
focuses on two forms of SOD: the most immature form (apo SOD-2SH) and the most mature
form (Cu,Zn-SOD-S-S). Previous studies suggest a relationship between decreased stability and
increased aggregation propensity and recent attention has focused on apo SOD-2SH, for
mutations have the most profound effect on the stability of apo SOD-2SH. Here we have
characterized the aggregation of fALS-associated apo SOD2SH mutants under physiologically
relevant conditions and our results suggest that mutants may aggregate via different
mechanisms. However, fALS characteristics cannot be fully explained by apo SOD-2SH
aggregation. Therefore, the stability and folding behaviour of Cu,Zn-SOD-S-S has also been
investigated. These experiments show that mutant SODs generally have decreased
thermodynamic stability and that unfolding deviates from two-state behaviour, which may be
related to Cu,Zn-SOD-S-S aggregation. In studying the relationship between stability and
aggregation propensity of mutant SOD, we propose that many forms of SOD are relevant to
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fALS toxicity. Aggregation of SOD may involve different mechanisms and pathways, which may
be associated with different disease characteristics, such as age of onset and duration.
Studholme, Catherine
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: β-parvin Facilitates Integrin-Cadherin Cross-Talk
Abstract: During Xenopus gastrulation cell rearrangements and migrations require that there is
a dynamic modulation of cell adhesive properties. Previous evidence suggests that there is an
intimate “cross-talk” between the α5β1 integrin and C-cadherin cell adhesion receptors. While
the adhesive properties of cells and tissues are well characterized, the mechanism behind the
alterations in receptor function has remained elusive. β-parvin is a scaffolding protein
previously identified as regulating the adhesive properties of β1 integrins. In early Xenopus
embryos β-parvin is ubiquitously expressed as a maternal mRNA and following zygotic
expression is enriched dorsally in tissues that undergo integrin-mediated cell movements. βparvin is composed of two calponin homology domains, and deletion of either domain has
opposing effects on cell-extracellular matrix and cell-cell adhesion. Deletion of the C-terminus
domain enables integrin-mediated adhesion as cells spread and migrate on a fibronectin matrix,
but inhibits formation of strong cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion in vivo. Deletion of the Nterminus domain has the reverse effect and inhibits cell spreading and migration on fibronectin;
however, these cells develop strong cell-cell adhesions. This is a novel discovery as it has
previously not been possible to isolate integrin- and cadherin-mediated adhesive behaviours
from each other. As such β-parvin appears to be a direct link mediating the cross-talk between
integrin and cadherin and provides new insights into the mechanisms behind tissue
rearrangements.
Sultana, Niger
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Performance Analysis of transit services in Bangladesh: A case study of Dhaka
City.
Abstract: Dhaka is the capital city of Bangladesh and the centre of administrative, political,
economic and social life for the country. However a well efficient transit system is needed in
this city to provide services in every corner and the people of all level. This city is characterised
by both motorised and non-motorised transport services, though there is a huge demand of bus
transit system. So, there are needs to investigate the present transit system with a view to
realize the opportunities and potentials of public transport system with available policy support
and resources. This research is an initiative to find out current status of efficiency of transit
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services and will try to find out opportunities of well efficient system for the people of this
mega city. To carry out this research, data collection procedure includes both primary and
secondary data collection. Interview of the potential stakeholders and survey of transit
operators remains in the primary data collection section. From the discussion of operators
survey and literature review, current status of transit services will be identified. From the
discussion of interviews and policy frameworks, strategies to improve the current status and
guidelines of future initiatives can be outlined. Finally this study will provide the strategies to fill
in the gaps in the overall transit systems to improve system efficiency.
Sun, Xiangcheng
Coauthor(s): Kai Sun and Bo Cui
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Structure Characterization of Micro/Nano-scale LiFePO4/C Cathode Materials
Abstract: Nowadays, LiFePO4 is becoming a promising cathode candidate for the use as
electrode material in higher power lithium-ion batteries, especially the powdered-batteries for
pure electric vehicles.
In this study, the morphology and structure of the LiFePO4 powders are characterized by
transmission electron microscopy (TEM and HRTEM) and selected area diffraction (SAED).
The phase purity and valence state of Fe ions are confirmed by high-resolution electron energyloss spectroscopy (EELS) and high angle annular dark field (HAADF) images on the nanometer
scale.
Particularly, the homogenous morphological features of carbon-coating layer are clearly
revealed by elemental & chemical mapping in a scanning transmission electron microscope
(STEM), which allows improving the electronic conductivity and reducing the diffusion path of
the lithium ions, as evidenced from electrochemical test of charge-discharge cycling in
LiFePO4/C samples.
Sun de la Cruz, Joseph
Coauthor(s): Dana Kulic, Bill Owen
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Online Incremental Learning of Inverse Dynamics Incorporating Prior
Knowledge
Abstract: Recent approaches to model-based robot manipulator control involve data-driven
learning of the inverse dynamics relationship of a manipulator, eliminating the need for any
knowledge of the system model. Such algorithms should ideally be able to process large
amounts of data in an online and incremental manner, thus allowing the system to adapt to
changes in its model structure or parameters. Locally Weighted Projection Regression (LWPR)
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and other non-parametric regression techniques have been applied to learn manipulator
inverse dynamics. However, a common issue amongst these learning algorithms is that the
system is unable to generalize well outside of regions where it has been trained. Furthermore,
learning commences entirely from ‘scratch,’ making no use of any a-priori knowledge which
may be available. In this paper, an online, incremental learning algorithm incorporating prior
knowledge is proposed. Prior knowledge is incorporated into the LWPR framework by
initializing the local linear models with a first order approximation of the available prior
information. It is shown that the proposed approach allows the system to operate well even
without any initial training data, and further improves performance with additional online
training.
Tabatabaei, Nasim
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Detecting weak signal for technological foresight with document clustering
Abstract: In a rapidly changing environment, companies often encounter high levels of
uncertainty. To reduce uncertainty in turbulent environments, foresight methods are
recommended by many scholars. The concept of weak signal -- "a sign which is slight in terms
of present dimensions but huge in terms of virtual consequence" 1 -- is currently receiving
attention in the foresight process. Some studies in this area emphasize the importance of the
subject and yet offer little practical methodologies for real cases. 2
To help address this gap, my research introduces a new approach for detecting weak signals
from internet-based environmental scanning by applying the Cluto 3 toolkit and other sensemaking methods using human judgment. This new methodology is applied for Acme digital
media Company located in Ontario, Canada.
To conduct a research, thousands of HTML pages were retrieved from Internet in years 2009
and 2010 separately. To extract information from the retrieved unstructured texts, documents
were grouped into a few clusters by the Cluto software. Then, Corporate experts got together
to compare the results and make sense of them in purpose of finding any possible weak signals
in regard to company’s strategic intent. I found that some semantics such as laser treatment,
China, publication, and art are prominent in the documents.
The presented methodology suggests a practical way of applying web-based information in the
development of companies’ environmental scanning procedures. By applying this methodology,
managers can use both technical tools and sense making methods to reduce biases in the weak
signal detection process.
Taghavipour, Amir
Presentation type: oral presentation
173
Abstract title: A Power Management Strategy for a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Based on
Model Predictive Control
Abstract: Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is like a bridge connecting the conventional
hybrid vehicle technology to the ultimate transportation solution that is electric vehicles. PHEVs
have larger battery storage in comparison to the conventional hybrids. In PHEVs the battery can
be fully charged before starting off with the conventional home electric plugs. In this way the
vehicle can go more on the pure electric mode. Therefore, the engine is shut off for a larger
time interval. This leads to a better fuel economy in PHEVs with respect to conventional
hybrids. Moreover most of the urban travels took place in a short mileage so the probability of
having the engine always off will increase.
In hybrid vehicles one of the most important problems is a power management strategy that
dominates the system and specifies which component and how long can take part in providing
the power needed for the vehicle propulsion. It should be mentioned that most of the
strategies on the commercial hybrid vehicles are rule-based. In our project a model-based
strategy will be proposed with the use of model predictive control (MPC) concept which is a
new approach for designing power management strategy for PHEVs.
So we are working on modeling of these vehicles powertrain and improving the controlrelevant accuracy of the model for a better performance of the MPC controller in practice.
Moreover we need to implement our controller on a real PHEV to evaluate the effectiveness of
this method on minimizing the fuel consumption of those vehicles.
Tang, Herbert
Coauthor(s): Matthew Scott, Francis Poulin
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Mathematical Modeling of Pattern Formation using Stochastic Processes
Abstract: Patterns are ubiquitous: they appear as galaxies in the cosmos, as spots on a leopard,
and as chemical expressions within biological organisms. In 1952, Turing proposed a
mathematical mechanism through which spatial patterning could be generated. It is a
remarkable result that has since been used in many biological and chemical applications.
Nevertheless, Turing’s mechanism is limited by unphysical assumptions generating unnatural
patterns.
Turing’s model of pattern formation relies upon deterministic partial differential
equations (PDEs). He demonstrated that systems in a homogeneous, stable equilibrium can be
driven to instability through the addition of diffusion, thereby creating patterns. PDEs describe
average behaviour, however, obscuring any natural deviations from the mean. As Turing noted,
it is important that deviations exist, otherwise all organisms would be perfect spheres and all
patterns would be straight lines. The goal of our research is to include the inherent deviations
found in real systems by using stochastic processes. Extending Van Kampen’s Linear Noise
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Approximation method to allow for diffusive transport, we have shown that Turing’s original
conditions for pattern forming instability are relaxed. Moreover, it is possible for patterns to
arise in one species alone - behaviour that is impossible in a deterministic model.
The research has far-reaching consequences, not only in the mathematical study of pattern
formation, but in simulation of these systems and parameter inference from experimental data.
A coupling of fluctuations and pattern formation are essential to elucidate the microscopic
mechanisms responsible for such diverse phenomena as embryonic development and tumour
morphology.
Tanna, Rajiv
Coauthor(s): Oakes, K.D., Tetreault, G.R., Bennett, C.J., Bragg, L.
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Association of Intersex in Wild Fish with Wastewater Effluent in the Grand
River, Ontario
Abstract: The Grand River watershed in Southern Ontario, Canada, is projected to experience
rapid population increase with the majority of growth concentrated in urban centers (such as
Kitchener – Waterloo, Guelph and Brantford) in the central portion of the watershed. The 28
wastewater treatment facilities in this watershed represent the largest point source discharges
to the Grand River. A wide variety of compounds which are capable of causing developmental
and reproductive impairment in fish have been detected in treated wastewater. These
compounds include a variety of natural and synthetic hormones and industrial contaminants
that can impair normal endocrine function. The impairment of these pathways can result in
reduced gonad growth and feminization in fish, and the increased prevalence of eggs in testes
of fish (intersex). To evaluate the extent and variability of intersex condition in fish associated
with wastewater in the central Grand River, resident Rainbow Darter (Etheostoma caeruleum)
and Greenside Darter (Etheostoma blennioides) were collected at 15 sites. Male gonad samples
were evaluated for changes in relative gonad and liver size, condition and prevalence of
primary oocytes in testes. Gonad somatic index increased and liver somatic index decreased in
samples collected between 2008 and 2010 downstream of one of the treatment plants
examined. Downstream of each of two relatively close sewage treatment plants, there was a
distinct increase in the prevalence of intersex, reaching as high as 80-100%. Further work is
required is to determine what the implications of intersex is on reproductive capabilities of
these fish.
Tayal, Aditya
Coauthor(s): Yuying Li
Presentation type: oral presentation
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Abstract title: Technical Trading with Dynamic Bayesian Networks in High-Frequency Stock
Markets
Abstract: Technical analysis has been thwarted in academic circles, due to the Efficient Market
Hypothesis, which had significant empirical support early on. However recently, there is
accumulating evidence that the markets are not as efficient and a new theory of price
discovery, Heterogeneous Market Hypothesis, is being proposed. As such, there is renewed
interest and possibility in technical analysis, which identifies trends in price and volume based
on aggregate repeatable human behavioural patterns.
In this work we propose a new approach for modeling and working with technical analysis in
high-frequency markets: dynamic Bayesian networks (DBNs). DBNs are a statistical modeling
and learning framework that have had successful applications in other domains such as speech
recognition, bio-sequencing, visual interpretation. It provides a coherent probabilistic
framework (in a Bayesian sense), that can be used for both learning technical rules and inferring
the hidden state of the system. We design a DBN to learn price and volume patterns in TSE60
stock market and find that our model is able to successfully identify runs and reversals out-ofsample in a statistically significant way.
Taylor, Michael
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: The Prosthetic Imagination: Meditations on Virtual Space and Experience in
Single Player Computer Role Playing Games
Abstract: Today’s video game player sits in front of their screen immersing themselves within
the fictional environment of the video game. They connect their physical self to the gamecontroller and their cerebral self to the game-world. The video game medium becomes a
cybernetic and psychological appendage, a prosthesis that allows the game player to share their
consciousness across actual and virtual realities. Such an appendage has the ability to expand
the personal spatial environment of the game player as they navigate the spaces of an
increasingly complex, digitally constructed extension of the imagination. The thesis begins with
an autobiographical summary of personal experiences in the suburbs and the resultant escape
from suburbia that video games provide. The thesis then presents a series of experiential
diaries generated from game-play. This is followed by a conceptual analysis that uses six
meditations to discuss the spaces and experiences presented in the diaries. The purpose the
conceptual analysis is to investigate how the narrative and spatial experiences of single player
role playing video games open our perceptions of architecture and space beyond the realworld. The spaces of these games represent a new way of thinking about, experiencing and
creating architecture.
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Tehrani Yekta, Rana
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Acceptance Criteria for Ultrasonic Impact Treatment
Abstract: In North America the need for rehabilitation of bridges has been increasing as the
bridges age. With routine maintenance, the bridges in Canada are expected to have a service
life of up to 50 to 100 years. According to National Research Council Canada (NRCC) over 40% of
the bridges in Canada are more than 40 years old. Since most of these bridges are structurally
deficient, they need to be rehabilitated or replaced by a new bridge. The bridges across Canada
need to be inspected for performance otherwise with the collapse of a bridge, fatalities will
occur. Fatigue is one form of failure in bridges. There are different methods to rehabilitate the
fatigue performance of the bridges such as needle peening, shot peening and hammer peening.
Ultrasonic Impact Treatment (UIT) is a new treatment with more advantages to improve the
fatigue performance of steel bridges. However, due to the lack of quantitative means for
accepting/rejecting the UIT, a specification manual will be developed to provide acceptance
criteria for steel bridge applications.
Fatigue tests on small-scale steel welded specimens will be performed to obtain results. The
purpose of the planned fatigue tests for untreated and UIT welded specimens will be to
determine the effect of under-/over-treating and the effectiveness of treating the weld after a
number of load cycles have been applied. The initial defect depth, weld toe geometry, and
residual stresses will be measured. A strain-based fracture mechanics model will be used to find
a solution for this problem.
Thacker, Jonathan
Coauthor(s): Bolton DAE, McIlory WE, Staines WR
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: The impact of light hand touch on haptic cortical processing during a standing
balance task
Abstract: The main purpose of our study was to investigate cortical processing of hand tactile
information during conditions where the hand is (a) providing relevant feedback to stabilize
balance compared to (b) when the hand is not touching a surface. We hypothesized that during
a standing balance test, light hand touch on a stable surface will result in facilitated cortical
representation of sensory inputs from that hand compared to a no-touch condition.
Subjects stood in tandem on a force plate with eyes closed for 30 seconds while either lightly
touching a stable surface with the right index finger or with the hand free of contact. The touch
surface was positioned for each subject to ensure the arm could hang neutral and provide only
minimal finger contact force (<1N). Electroencephalography was used to measure
somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) following median nerve stimulation. Throughout
testing, the right median nerve was randomly stimulated every 5-8 seconds (1 ms square wave
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pulse;1.2x motor threshold). Peak amplitudes for SEP components were compared between
conditions and revealed a reduced P100, but increased P50, N140 and P200 during contact
versus no-contact conditions.
Our data showed modulation of input from the hand during a standing balance task related to
whether or not that hand was contacting a stable surface. This may indicate task-specific
regulation of hand sensation when it is relevant to providing stable cues for static balance
control. Modulation of the P50 in particular suggests this regulation acts at very early cortical
stages of somatosensory processing.
Thomas, Kathryn
Coauthor(s): G. Scrimgeour, D Haggarty
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: The development, assessment, and application of benthic algal biomonitoring
protocols to evaluate the influence of metal mining on the ecological integrity of Canadian
rivers; A case study in the South Nahanni River watershed, NWT.
Abstract: Climate change and industrial activities increasingly threaten remote aquatic
ecosystems. Consequently, environmental assessments must be effective at examining the
impacts of these activities on their ecological integrity. Environmental assessments of Canadian
rivers typically rely on describing differences in the taxonomic structure of communities at sites
exposed to industrial activity. However, taxonomic based assessments are time consuming,
costly and require high levels of expertise. By contrast, assessments using algal pigments can be
completed rapidly leading to lower analytical costs, and may provide sufficient sensitivity to
detect impairment. The objective of this project is to evaluate benthic algal biomonitoring
protocols, with an emphasis on the use of algal pigments as a biological monitoring tool. To do
this, we sampled rivers in the South Nahanni River watershed (2008, 2009), including 58
reference sites (i.e., sites not exposed to industrial activities), and 23 sites located at varying
distances downstream of two metal mines (i.e., exposed sites). Samples were collected for the
quantification of algal communities following standard protocols as well as a novel approach of
quantifying pigment abundances using high-performance liquid chromatography. Water
samples (to determine concentrations of select nutrients and metals) and benthic
macroinvertebrate samples were collected at each site. Using these data we compared and
contrasted biological assessments of the exposed sites to reference sites using a Reference
Condition Approach (RCA). Preliminary results indicate that water chemistry and analysis of
benthic invertebrate and benthic algal communities are able to track to varying degrees
influence of mining activities in the Nahanni River watershed.
Thompson, Jordan
Presentation type: oral presentation
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Abstract title: New Calculations Based on an Anisotropic Exchange Model for Ytterbium
Titanate
Abstract: Frustration is the inability of a physical system to simultaneously minimize the energy
of all of the interactions present in the system. This inability to satisfy all of the interactions
leads to many interesting and exotic phenomena. For example, the rare earth pyrochlore family
of magnetic materials display a wide range of exotic magnetic phenomena at low temperatures,
due to frustration of the interactions between the magnetic moments of the rare earth ions.
One particular member of this family of materials, Ytterbium Titanate, displays a magnetic
phase transition at low temperature, to an unknown state with no detectable long range order
in most experiments. This phase transition has been observed in specific heat measurements,
where it is indicated by a peak at Tc~240 mK. Most neutron scattering measurements on
Ytterbium Titanate show no evidence of long range order below this temperature. Using a
model that includes all of the symmetry allowed exchange interactions on the pyrochlore
lattice, we fit the strengths of the various allowed interactions by matching diffuse elastic
neutron scattering with experiment at T>Tc. In this talk I will present calculations of the local
susceptibility that provide independent confirmation of this model via comparison to
experiment. I will also present the results of Monte Carlo simulations of the specific heat using
this model, showing evidence of a phase transition, and the nature of the state below this
transition.
Toews, William
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Probing the superconducting gap of ferro-pnictide superconductors via thermal
conductivity measurements
Abstract: Knowledge of the pairing mechanism is essential in the understanding the means by
which a material goes superconducting. As in the high-Tc cuprate superconductors, iron based
superconductors appear to possess an unconventional (ie. non-phonon mediated) pairing
mechanism. Although the exact pairing mechanism is still under debate, there is much to learn
about the pairing symmetry via the superconducting gap function. We are able to probe the
form and location of nodes in the superconducting gap through thermal conductivity
measurements. This is achieved through the presence of low energy quasiparticle excitations
which consequently leads to a mechanism for low temperature electronic thermal conductivity.
Thus, we present thermal conductivity and electrical resistivity measurements on the 1111 iron
based superconductor LaFePO. Our results show a non-zero thermal conductivity at low
temperatures which is indicative of a nodal superconducting gap function.
Togunde, Paul
Coauthor(s): Ken D. Oakes, Mark R. Servos, and Janusz Pawliszyn1
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Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Application of solid phase microextraction coupled with tandem mass
spectrometry (SPME/LC/MS/MS) for determination of pharmaceuticals in fish bile
Abstract: Purpose:
The aim of this study is to devlelop and validate a simple analytical method based on solid
phase microextraction (SPME) to determine the pharmaceuticals uptake in fish bile. SPME, as
simple sample preparation method, SPME offers the distinct advantage of integrating sampling
and sample preparation into a single step, thereby reducing multiple analytical steps during
sample preparation.
Method:
Rainbow Trout were exposed to fluoxetine and carbamazepine exposure to fish at
concentration: 0, 3.2, 32 and 320 ug/L. Static renewal of water every 48 hr using 34L glass
aquaria was done while 6 fish are kept per aquaria using 3 tanks per treatment for 7 days
duration for the laboratory study. Also, fatheadminnow caged fish were exposed to sewage
effluent for two weeks. Fish bile were collected and analysed by the developed method
Result:
The result suggests that less polar compounds ( pharmaceuticals) such as fluoxetine may
bioaccumulate in fish bile. However, high polar compounds may not not biocumulate in fish due
to phase 1 and 11 metabolism in fish
Conclusion:
Fluoxetine and its metabolite norfluoxetine, bioconcentrate in fish bile, with a bioconcentration
factor for fluoxetine of 26 - 99. In contrast, the bioconcentration factor of carbamazepine in fish
bile was <1. The study demonstrate the utility of SPME as a simple analytical method for
microextraction of selected pharmaceuticals in fish bile.
Tomaszczyk, Jennifer
Coauthor(s): Myra Fernandes
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Rosy Prospection? Aging-Related Differences in Memorability Judgments of
Emotional Scenes
Abstract: A growing literature suggests that older, relative to younger, adults place a greater
focus on regulating their emotions (Carstensen, 1995) and this biases their cognitive processing
of information. The purpose of our study was to explore whether older and younger adults
have insight into the way in which they encode emotional and neutral information, which may
lead to biases in their subsequent memory. We assessed insight by asking participants to make
judgments of their likelihood of remembering scenes differing in emotional valence.
Younger and older adults viewed 30 scenes (15 each of positive, negative, and neutral)
arranged on a poster board, and were asked to “select 15 of the pictures that you feel you will
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be able to remember best”. After a short delay, they wrote down descriptions of as many
scenes as they could recall from the poster. If older adults actively bias what information enters
their cognition, we would expect to see a difference in scene selection such that older adults
deem more of the positive scenes as being memorable, compared to younger adults. Indeed,
results showed that there was an Age x Valence interaction in scene selection: Older adults
selected greater numbers of positive, than negative or neutral, scenes, and greater numbers of
neutral than negative scenes.
Interestingly, no age differences emerged in actual recall of the scenes.
Findings are consistent with the view that goals to maintain positive feelings may lead older
adults to actively bias the way they cognitively process emotional information.
Toscan, Justine
Coauthor(s): Paul Stolee, Sherry Dupuis, Steven Mock
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Silent Partners in Care: Examining Care Transitions for Caregivers of Hip
Fracture and Stroke Patients
Abstract: Transitions between care settings often involve a sudden shift in care provision from
the formal health care team to an informal caregiver, which can be especially challenging for
families of older patients. While a focus on patient issues during care transitions is prominent in
the literature, it should be recognized that multiple stakeholders involved in the care transition
process face challenges, and as such, their perspectives should also be represented in the
literature. Using a qualitative Grounded Theory methodology from a post-positivist
epistemological standpoint, 12 caregivers of hip fracture or stroke patients aged 65 or older,
and 6 resource and community case managers participated in 30-60 minute semi- structured
interviews regarding their unique experiences surrounding the hospital to home care transition.
Hierarchical coding analysis led to the development of a theory of caregiver needs to support a
successful care transition from hospital to home. The core concept of this theory was “Building
Capacity to Care” which can be described according to three levels: a) Timeline of caregiver
needs b) Physical needs c) Emotional needs. This theory was validated by obtaining feedback
from original case manager and caregiver participants through both a focus group interview
and individual member-checking interviews. This research adds to the limited literature
surrounding the role of informal caregivers during the care transition process and helps provide
the groundwork for which to target family-centered interventions within the hospital setting to
improve caregiver knowledge, confidence, and sense of support during the transition home.
Tran, Thanh
Presentation type: mandatory oral
Abstract title: Examination of Retinal Degeneration characteristics in Smoky Joe chickens
181
Abstract: PURPOSE
Smoky Joes (SJs) are a genetically blind strain of White-Leghorn chickens showing various
degrees of blindness at hatch, but by 8 weeks post-hatch, those homozygous are completely
blind. The purpose of this project is to determine the characteristics of retinal degeneration in
SJ chickens.
METHODS
Eyes from sighted and blind SJs, 1 day after hatch, were enucleated and eyecups fixed. Eyecups
were sectioned and 12 µm cross sections were mounted onto glass slides. Dapi enabled nuclei
visualization at 20x magnification. Cell counts within three nuclear retinal layers (ganglion cell
layer: GCL, inner nuclear layer: INL, outer nuclear layer: ONL) were counted to determine cell
loss. Cell numbers were only obtained for left eyes.
RESULTS
In general, the mean number of cells for blind SJ chicks was lower than sighted SJ chicks. There
were significantly lower numbers of cells in the INL of blind birds (blind: 323,702 ± 22,547cells
per mm², sighted: 411,760 ± 40,712 cells per mm²; p=0.0306), but not in the ONL (47,205 ± 702
cells per mm² vs. 51,283 ± 2,941 cells per mm², respectively; p=0.0797) nor in the GCL (27,785 ±
1,158 cells per mm² vs. 31,266 ± 2,724 cells per mm², respectively; p=0.1112).
CONCLUSION
The significant difference within the INL between the sighted and blind birds suggests that cells
of the INL may be the target for degeneration. As no differentiation between the cell types in
the INL was made, it remains unknown whether cell numbers are consistent and which cell are
lost.
Umair, Muhammad
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: THE VALUE PROPOSITION OF DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY TRUST
Abstract: This study aims to understand DOT’s value proposition by characterizing the ‘modus
operandi’ and impact of entrepreneurship in digital opportunity initiatives in the developing (or
under-developed) regions of the world undertaken by Digital Opportunity Trust. DOT is an
initiative driven to help reduce poverty, and to achieve greater social and economic stability, by
empowering the people with skills and knowledge through utilizing new technologies in their
communities. Prior research suggests the adaptation of ‘information and communication
technology’(ICT) and technological advancement as a means of addressing 500 million people
worldwide, those residing at the ‘bottom of the pyramid’(Prahalad, 2006) for an effective social
transformation. “Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT)” is one of the not for profit (NFP) nongovernmental organizations (NGO), which strives to accomplish this goal by blending
‘entrepreneurial’ education with ‘corporate social responsibility’ to foster new ventures that
use digital communications technology. DOT is operating in 11 countries for more than eight
years now, which makes it important to validate and evaluate the extent to which ICT is
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allowing people, living in poor communities, to exchange knowledge, and to compete with new
enterprise. Personal interview arrangements will be made (Case Study Methodology) with the
DOT’s executives, staff, interns and contractors to gather insightful information to characterize
the value proposition. The aim is to gather estimates of achievement for each of the defining
attributes (‘as things are’ to reflect present achievement and ‘as things could be’ to reflect how
far the attribute might be ‘pushed’).
Valadao, Derick
Coauthor(s): Marc Hurwitz, James Danckert
Presentation type: Poster presentation (Thursday, April 28 | 3 pm - 5 pm)
Abstract title: Decreasing fidelity of peripheral visual information modulates performance on
the manual line bisection task
Abstract: The line bisection task—commonly used as a clinical measure of unilateral neglect—
requires participants to place a mark on a horizontal line to indicate where they think center is.
Previous research suggests that the allocation of attention mediates performance on this task.
Interestingly, previous eye tracking research has shown that participants rarely explore the
endpoints of lines. As a result, any conceptualization of line bisection behavior must take into
account this lack of visual exploration. We endeavored to show how participants could arrive at
an accurate judgment of center while minimizing ocular exploration. We hypothesized that
accurate line bisection depends on the fidelity of visual information in the periphery. Lines were
presented to participants either as black lines or as lines that contained either symmetrical or
asymmetrical ‘noise’ (i.e., monochromatic static). Participants were asked to judge center by
placing their finger on a touch screen where they believed center to be. Contrary to our
expectations, symmetrical noise produced an increased leftward bias relative to the control
condition. Additionally, asymmetrical noise shifted bisections towards the end of the line that
contained the most noise. These results indicate that the fidelity of peripheral visual
information mediates bisection behavior. Furthermore, these results suggest that attention
serves to remove the influence of distracting information rather than for sensory enhancement.
Finally, the pattern of results for lines presented in left versus right space supports the
converging line of evidence implicating right parietal cortex in governing the allocation of
attention towards objects in space.
Valibeigi, Narges
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Manifestation of Religious Authority on the Internet
Abstract: Cyberspace has diversified and pluralized people’s daily experiences of religion in
unprecedented ways. By studying several websites and weblogs that have a religious
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orientation, different layers of religious authority including “religious hierarchy, structures,
ideology, and sources” (Campbell, 2010) can be identified. Also, using Weber’s definition of the
three types of authority, “rational-legal, traditional, and charismatic” (1968), the specific type
of authority that is being presented on blogosphere can be recognized.
As a case study, four Persian weblogs are chosen for content analysis for this paper. I analyse
weblogs’ texts to find evidences for Shiite beliefs and shared identity, usages and
interpretations of the main Shiite religious texts; the Quran and Hadith, references to the role
of recognized Shiite leaders, and descriptions of Shiite structural patterns of practices and
organizations. Then, I explain what kind of authority is being presented in these weblogs and
whether it is being challenged in any layer.
The Internet presents a level of liberty for the discussion of sensitive topics in any kind of
religious cyberspace, specifically the Islamic one. In this way, the Internet is expanding the
number and range of Muslim voices, which may pose problems for traditional forms of religious
authority or may suggest new forms of authority in the Islamic world. In this paper, I analyse
the effects of the Internet – as a new medium – on religious experience.
______________________________________
Campbell, H. A. (2010). Religious authority and the blogosphere. Journal of Computer-Mediated
Communication, 15(2), 251-276.
Weber, M., Roth, G., and Wittich, C (1968) *
Varikooty, Jalaiah
Coauthor(s): S Srinivasan, A Chan, L Subbaraman, C Woods, T Simpson, L Jones, D Richter, D
Fonn
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Clinical Manifestations of Upper Lid Staining in Adapted Silicone Hydrogel Lens
Wearers
Abstract: Purpose: During blinking the marginal conjunctiva of the upper eyelid is in close
apposition to the ocular surface, resulting in upper lid margin staining (ULMS). ULMS may be a
useful diagnostic sign in subjects with dry eye symptoms. This study shows different clinical
manifestations of ULMS in adapted silicone hydrogel (SH) contact lens wearers.
Methods: 38 adapted SH lens wearers wearing different SH materials were evaluated for ULMS
using fluorescein (Fl) and lissamine green (LG) at; lens insertion, 2 and 4 weeks. The ULMS
patterns were evaluated using digital images.
Results: ULMS was sorted into 7 categories; no ULMS, vertical streaks (VS), short horizontal
band (SHB), speckled (SPe), comb-shaped (CS), thick horizontal band (THB), and fimbriated
pattern (FP). Summed across visits, the percentages of eyes with ULMS were; 71 with Fl, 86
with LG. The mean distribution patterns were: VS in 11% with Fl and 16% with LG, SHB in 8%
with Fl and 13% with LG, SPe in 18% with Fl and 9% with LG, CS in 14% with Fl and 25% with LG,
THB in 20% with Fl and 24% with LG, 10% with FP with Fl and LG. Some subjects had different
ULMS types in each eye hence percentages add up to > 100.
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Conclusions: Using Fl and LG stains, we identified 6 clinical patterns of ULMS. This is the first
report showing the range of clinical manifestations of ULMS in subjects wearing SH materials.
Evaluation of these patterns would aid in the management of dry eye.
Vas, Krisztian
Coauthor(s): Paul F.J. Eagles
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Trail-based Tourism: A Marketing Tool or an Evolved Tourism Subcategory?
Abstract: Trail based tourism has been on the rise within the last few decades, whereby tourism
trails have become a part of many tourism subsectors. In fact, winery tourism has made the
idea of tourism trails an intricate part of their tourism product and marketing. Thus, most wellrecognized wine regions have adopted some type of trail-based tourism idea. Consequently,
other subsectors of tourism, such as bird-watching, arts & cultural, river-based and hiking
tourism have also begun to evolve and implement various trail-based tourism products. This
research tried to critically evaluate the development, implementation and management of
various trail-based tourism ventures and to draw potential correlation or differences in their
planning process. This was done through ten (10) semi-structured interviews of different trailbased tourism ventures. The interviewees were asked six (6) different open ended questions
regarding their trail design, development funding, stakeholder involvement, planning and
implementation steps, management and oversight structure as well as what evaluation and
monitoring tools might be in place to ensure success. The results illustrate that the planning
and development steps of trail-based tourism ventures is lengthy and must involve most key
stakeholders and area representatives if it is to be successful. Moreover, many correlations are
evident within the planning process between most trails, regardless of which tourism subsector
the trail belonged (winery vs. bird-watching etc.). Thus, the research illustrates that perhaps
trail-based tourism should not only be thought of as belonging to a specific tourism subsector,
rather trail-based tourism can be a tourism subsector of its own.
Vasefi, Seyedeh Maryam
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: BIDIRECTIONAL REGUATION OF NMDA RECEPTOR SIGNALING BY TYPE 7
SEROTONIN RECEPTORS
Abstract: The serotonin (5-HT) type 7 receptor is expressed throughout the brain, including the
hippocampus. Despite intense interest in the 5-HT7 receptor as a potential drug target to treat
depression, schizophrenia, and several other mental health disorders, the functional and
signaling properties of 5-HT7 receptors remain largely uncharacterized in neurons. Overnight
treatment of hippocampal and cortical neurons with 5-HT, 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT), or
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5-HT7 receptor-selective agonists increases the expression of platelet-derived growth factor
(PDGF)β receptors, a potent negative regulator of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor
signaling. The increased expression of PDGFβ receptors was observed as early as 2 hours with a
maximal increase in expression between 12 and 24 hours. The increased expression is cyclic
AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA)-dependent, confirming that 5-HT7 receptors are coupling
to Gαs in these cells. Up-regulated PDGFβ receptors display an increase in their basal
phosphorylation state at the phospholipase Cγ-activating tyrosine 1021 site. Therefore both
the number and activity level of PDGFβ receptors are increased after 5-HT7 receptor
activation. Overnight treatment with 5-HT7 receptor agonists changes the expression and
phosphorylation profile of NMDA receptor subunits. In contrast to long-term activation of 5HT7 receptors, acute activation (minutes) of 5-HT7 receptors robustly enhances NMDA-evoked
currents in isolated hippocampal neurons. Thus, 5-HT7 may differentially regulate NMDA
receptor signaling over the short- and long-term. Although initially potentiating NMDA
receptor currents, prolonged activation of 5-HT7 receptors may inhibit NMDA receptor function
by decreasing NMDA receptor expression and up-regulating the PDGFβ receptor, a potent
negative regulator of NMDA signaling.
Vedoy, Diogenes
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Improving the Thermal Stability of Agro-Based Fibers with the Assistance of
Ultraviolet Light Irradiation
Abstract: The utilization of agro-based fibers for manufacturing thermoplastic composites will
enormously impact the two major economies in Ontario: agricultural and automotive.
Currently, the agro-based fibers available in Ontario, such as wheat straw and soy stem, are
agricultural residues. The production of car parts using these agricultural residues will provide
lightweight and renewable materials to the automotive industry by replacing heavy mineral
fillers (e.g., calcium carbonate) and fibers (e.g., glass fiber) for agro-based fibers.
However, in order to extend the use of wheat straw and other agro-based fibers to engineering
polymers (e.g. polyamide), the thermal stability of these fibers has to be improved. The
objective of this work included the development of a methodology for preparing agro-based
fibers with enhance thermal stability.
The first step towards this goal was an experimental study to evaluate the effect of ultraviolet
(UV) light treatment on wheat straw fibers regarding properties such as yield, chemical
composition and thermal stability. Different exposure time, atmospheres and pre-treatments
were explored.
The extent of chemical modification and thermal stabilization were evaluated by measuring the
temperature of thermal degradation, mass loss, and changes in the chemical structure
(quantified mainly by Infra Red spectroscopy - FTIR). The results of these experiments indicate
that UV light treatment is a very promising alternative to enhance thermal stability of agrobased fibers. With small periods of exposure to this treatment, it was possible to significantly
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reduce the weight loss at typical polymer processing temperatures, ranging from 200 to 250°C.
Also, it is important to note *
Vermunt, Bradley
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Cold temperature and emerald ash borers: Modeling the under-bark
temperature of ash trees
Abstract: The emerald ash borer is an invasive wood-boring beetle that is causing widespread
death among the ash trees of North America. Determining the extent of the beetle’s
inhabitable range in Canada is a significant step towards being able to manage this pest. It is
known that minimum winter temperatures can have a limiting effect on the northern range of
bark beetles. However, it has been shown that there is a significant difference between the
temperature of the air, and the temperature that the beetles experience inside the tree where
they spend the winter months. We monitored the under-bark temperature of ash trees in 6
Ontario locations over the winters of 2008-09 and 2009-10. We then used a Newtonian
convective cooling model to predict the under-bark temperature of trees, and compared the
predicted values to the observed values.
We were able to predict the daily minimum under-bark temperature of ash trees with an
average root mean squared error of 1.35˚C – a value of similar magnitude to previous uses of
the model. Attempts to include other variables like elevation and solar radiation did not
improve model performance.
Vey, Gregory
Coauthor(s): Gabriel Moreno-Hagelsieb
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Extending metagenomic functional annotation through functional inference
Abstract: Here we show that we can predict networks of functional interactions that help
expand the functional annotations of prokaryotic metagenomic sequences, and help find both
new genes working in already known functional categories, as well as groups of genes probably
working in yet-to-be-described functions. With the explosion in metagenomics projects, and
their abundance in unknown genes, it becomes important to devise and test methods for
annotating genes beyond what is possible based on direct homology alone. Predicted operons
have provided large networks of functional interactions that can complement functional
annotations of unknown genes in genome sequences. Here we test the extension of homologybased functional annotation attainable using predicted operons in metagenomes. Our results
show that predicted operons based on intergenic distances can increase the number of genes
annotated with a potential function by up to 31% compared to using homology-based
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annotation methods alone. We conclude with a demonstration of practicality by functionally
annotating novel cellulase candidates within metagenomic data.
Vlasea, Mihaela
Coauthor(s): Dr. Ehsan Toyserkani
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Fabrication of biodegradable scaffolds for bone and articular repair
Abstract: One important area of research in tissue engineering is the design of appropriate
scaffolds that can be seeded with cells cultured from a target patient to produce a customized
implant used in treating the affected tissue. The focus of this study is to design and synthesize
biocompatible heterogeneous scaffolds for osteochondral reconstruction. The implant will
incorporate anatomically accurate features and complex internal micro- and macroarchitecture designed to encourage superior mechanical and biological properties. This goal will
be achieved by developing a novel Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF) process designed to address
current limitations in scaffold manufacturing: 1) the use of a single raw material type or size
restricts scaffold manufacturing to compositionally homogeneous parts, (2) the use of
conventional SFF processes is limited in producing a feature size below 500um, and (3) in
fabricating scaffolds with varying density and micro-porosity. The proposed SFF system
integrates mechatronic modules designed to overcome these limitations. The Microsyringe
Deposition Processing (MDP) head module is used to control the injection of thermally
degradable polymers throughout the scaffold. Deposited polymers are disintegrated postprocessing to produce customized networks of interconnected channels with a feature size
ranging between 100 to 500um. These networks are required to facilitate bone ingrowth,
metabolic exchange and implant fixation. Initial feasibility studies show that the MDP system is
capable of producing such internal channel structures. In order to meet scaffold design
requirements, a number of steps need to be addressed in future work to accurately control the
conformal channel integrity, shape and size.
Vo, Nguyen T.K.
Coauthor(s): Lumsden JS*, Dixon B**, Lee LEJ***, Bols NC*
Presentation type: poster
Abstract title: Development of continuous cell lines from walleye, Sander vitreus, fins and
their response to dsRNA and a fish novirhabdovirus
Abstract: Immortal fin cell lines, WEAF-8 and WECF-11, respectively derived from an anal fin
and a caudal fin of two walleye juveniles, have been established. WEAF-8 comprises epithelial
cells, whereas after subsequent passages WECF-11 gives rise to a fibroblastic-like (WECF-11f)
and an epithelial (WECF-11e) cell lines. All cell lines are maintained in L-15 media with 10% fetal
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bovine serum (FBS), respectively. They can grow at a wide range of temperatures (14-32°C);
however, 26°C appears to be the optimal growth temperature. At early passages, WECF-11
grows faster in the presence of serum and can survive longer in serum-free L-15 media than
WEAF-8. Fin epithelial cells (WEAF-8 and WECF-11e) have high affinity to the culture surfaces
and require a longer time to detach during trypsinization. Very few cells at early passages 5-9
were stained positive for β-galactosidase activity. This result is reflective of the highly
regenerative nature of fish fins and further suggests that these fin lines are immortal cell lines.
Unlike most rainbow trout cell lines, walleye fin cell lines, at early passages, showed high
mortality when exposed to a dsDNA viral mimic, polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C), at 0.1100 μg/mL. Both WEAF-8 and WECF-11 are susceptible to viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus
genotype IVb (VHSV IVb). Due to a limited number of walleye cell lines, none of which are
apparently epithelial, WEAF-8 and WECF-11 will become invaluable diagnostic tools in aquatic
toxicology and virology in perch-like species.
von Konigslow, Kier
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Self-Assembly of Isotropic Nanoparticles
Abstract: Our research concerns the self-assembly of isotropic nanoparticles. In this model, the
particles experience long-range repulsion and short-range attraction. We are treating these
particles as fluid while using a second type of particle to establish an excluded volume, thereby
making the system incompressible. It is our aim to use self-consistent field theory to examine
the morphology of this system. Having lightly probed this system in one dimension, further
analysis is planned to extend the model to three dimensions.
Wan, Weijie
Coauthor(s): John T.W. Yeow
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: gold and titanium dioxide nanoparticles with excellent antibacterial property
Abstract: We report excellent antibacterial effect caused by amine-functionalized gold and
titanium dioxide nanoparticles without external excitations. The idea originates from the
excellent antimicrobial property of quaternary ammonium salts. The effects of poly(quaternary
ammonium) and polyacrylate sodium functional groups as nanoparticle surfactants are
compared to show that poly(quaternary ammonium) functional groups are the main cause of
the induced antibacterial effect. 99.999% of E. coli can be destructed in 15 minutes by simply
mixing bacteria with nanoparticle dispersions. The effect of nanoparticle concentrations on the
antibacterial property is evaluated. Time required to significantly suppress bacteria growth is
studied. The result indicates that the excellent antibacterial property can be introduced to any
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nanomaterials by using poly(quaternary ammonium) functional groups as surfactants. The
engineered nanoparticles can find enormous applications such as self-cleaning surfaces, waste
water treatment, Lab-on-a-Chip devices and many more.
Wang, Qian
Presentation type: mandatory poster presentation
Abstract title: Using Social Networking Tools in University Teaching
Abstract: This project studies on the utilization of social networking tools in university teaching.
The difficulties in adopting social networking in higher education environment are summarized.
Tools are categorized based on their technologies, such as personal webpages, mobile
technologies, virtual reality, and blog, and discussed from perspectives of faculties, students,
and administrative staff. Results in literature are synergized in order to form a framework.
Suggestions on improving higher education using social networking tools are provided,
especially for online learning courses.
Wang, Xiaohui
Coauthor(s): Mu Zhu, Xiao Tang
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Deep Kernel Machines
Abstract: Generally speaking, kernel machines are linear classifiers in the implicit feature space.
We know that sometimes linear classification in the kernel’s implicit feature space may not be
sufficient, especially when there are only limited choices of kernel functions, for example,
dealing with networks data and texts data. One natural consideration is applying nonlinear
classifiers in the feature space. We show that repeating this process produces something we
call “deep kernel machines,” and provide some examples to show that these deep kernel
machines can make a tangible difference in classification performance.
Wei, Wei
Coauthor(s): Jun Cai
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Several optimal reisnurance problem regarding two dimensional risk
Abstract: Optimal reinsurance problem has been extensively studied in the field of actuarial
science recently. Motivated by practical application, we model the risk of a insurer by a bivariate random vector, in case that insurer may have two lines of business, with each of them
being re-insured separately. The main problem is to find a “bi-variate” reinsurance strategy for
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the two dimensional risk such that the insurer optimizes certain risk measure of the retained
risk , such as variance or utility.
Basically, we approach the optimization problem by two steps. First, we consider the relation
between optimization over the general strategies and the one over the stop loss strategies. It
turns out that the optimal strategy should be of bi-variate stop-loss form. Then, we start to find
the optimal solution among the stop loss strategies, which does exist under certain
assumptions. In particular, we work on two special dependence structures: independence and
co-monotonicity, under either of which there exists a stop loss strategy uniformly minimizing
any convex risk measure of the retained risk. As an application, we also study the dynamic
model, and come to the conclusion that the optimal solution derived in the single period model
also minimizes the ruin probability of the insurer after reinsurance arrangement.
Weir, Lindsay
Presentation type: Oral presentation
Abstract title: Human Nature and Objective Virtue: Action Rooted in a Fact of the Matter
Abstract: Supporters of virtue ethics often claim that the virtues they promote are objectively
necessary for a good life. In what follows I will show that there is a fact of the matter that
makes the virtues the best way to attain the goals and aims of a good life. Although the virtues
may look different when exhibited by different agents there is a set of facts about human being
which makes the virtues an objective part of a good human life.
Wesolowski, Michal
Coauthor(s): J.H. Sanderson, Z. Leonenko and W. W. Duley
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Characterization of a-C:H thin films created by fs-PLD of graphite onto cryogenic
hydrocarbon layers
Abstract: We report a new technique for the deposition of hydrogenated amorphous carbon (aC:H) thin films. Energetic carbon ions and neutrals were generated by femtosecond pulsed laser
ablation (fs-PLA) of graphite in high vacuum (1E-6 Torr) and deposited onto cryogenic layers of
hexane or hexene at 77K. Carbon thin films were formed as a result of this process and,
following a warming period which ranged from 1-24 hours, were characterized using various
microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The surface morphology and composition of these
materials were studied by atomic force, scanning electron microscopy (AFM and SEM) and
surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Film morphology and chemical composition
appear to be directly dependent on the physical and chemical properties of the pre-existing
hydrocarbon layers. Structurally, these films are mainly particle assembled however a variety of
nanostructures not normally associated with amorphous carbon are also present. Raman
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spectra show the major constituent of each film to be a-C:H however this is mixed with traces
of the frozen precursor hydrocarbons which alter the properties of the film. This suggests that
there is some form of interaction between the energetic carbon plasma and the pre-existing
layers which results in bonding of hydrocarbons and the amorphous carbon matrix.
This research was supported by a grant from the NSERC.
Westberg, Robert
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Quantifying Nitrate Contributions to the Grand River, Ontario, from
Groundwater Discharge
Abstract: The Grand River, from Cambridge down to Brantford, is assumed to be a massive
discharge zone for deep regional bedrock and shallow local overburden aquifers. Both sources
of groundwater are thought to dilute and transform WWTP (Waste Water Treatment Plant)
effluent from the tri-city region upstream before the river reaches the Brantford municipal
water supply intake.
This research addresses two specific questions. First, are there are two chemically distinct
sources of groundwater discharging along the reach from Cambridge to Brantford? Second,
does the discharge from both sources dilute river nitrate concentrations from upstream
treatment plants?
Preliminary experimentation has illustrated that, using a thermal survey to locate groundwater
discharge based on a unique temperature signature, there are several areas of groundwater
discharge along this reach from adjacent uplands. Sampling has indicated that 90% the
groundwater identified contains lower nitrate values than the Grand. Further analysis will be
conducted using N15/N14, O18/O16 and S35/S34 isotopic ratios as well as NO3-, SO4(2-), and
Cl- concentration signatures to differentiate between groundwater sources.
Additional sampling will be conducted below the riverbed surface using a temporary drive point
piezometer. This will allow samples to be taken at discrete intervals along a vertical transect to
observe changes in pore water composition with depth. This will allow us to 1) identify
groundwater discharging into the riverbed, 2) estimate the amount of nitrate entering the river
at profile locations, and 3) identify biogeochemical processes acting upon the nitrate in the
discharge.
White, Jerry
Coauthor(s): E.M. Dobson, M.L. Macrae, R.I. Hall, B.B. Wolfe
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Characterizing limnological responses of shallow tundra lakes in the Hudson
Bay Lowlands to hydrological change
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Abstract: Interest and concerns have been growing about changes in ecological integrity of the
shallow freshwater lakes that dominate the Hudson Bay Lowlands (HBL) due to accelerated
climatic warming during the past fifty years. Climatic warming is expected to alter hydrological
processes that influence the water balances in these lakes, but knowledge remains insufficient
to determine the effects these changes have had on ecological conditions in the lakes. To
address this knowledge gap, this study examines the relationships between current
hydrological and limnological conditions and recently deposited sedimentary assemblages of
diatoms and photosynthetic pigments in 27 shallow lakes in the HBL. Paleolimnological analyses
of multiple proxies at two lakes will be used to assess how hydroecological conditions have
changed during the past several centuries in response to climatic variations.
Oxygen isotope records from aquatic plant cellulose indicate that climatic warming over the
past 50 years has led to increasing evaporative enrichment throughout the thaw-season.
Sedimentary nitrogen concentrations have increased since ~1850, and coincide with a shift in
fossil diatom community composition from benthic taxa associated with low light availability to
taxa that prefer higher nutrient concentrations. Analysis of surface sediments identified three
distinct groupings of lakes based on diatom community composition. Limnological (pH, ions,
nutrients) and hydrological (stable water isotope tracers) variables are being analyzed to
determine which environmental variables account for the variation in diatom assemblages
between lake groups. These relationships will then be used to interpret past ecological
conditions based on indicator taxa observed in lake sediment cores.
Wiebe, Laura
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Tourist Philanthropy, Population Disparity and Development. A Case Study of
Tourists' Gift Giving in Trinidad, Cuba
Abstract: The occurrence of tourists’ philanthropic gifting is well known to occur in Cuba.
Tourism has often been adopted as a part of economic development strategies of developing
nations, however due to a lack of studies it is unclear how tourists’ gifting effects both human
and economic development, and likewise its impacts such as possibilities of population
disparity. It is the goal of this thesis is to determine whether international tourist philanthropic
gifting contributes to social disparity within a local community as well as its effects on human
and economic development. This has been conducted from a mixed-methods approach
including questionnaire surveys, researcher observation, and a case study of Trinidad, Sancti
Spirtus, Cuba.
Findings of this research point to significant economic gains and improvements in access-tomaterial-goods through tourists’ gifting, and furthermore that tourists’ gifting contributes to
economic development. There are current restrictions in Cuba which forbid locals from
accepting gifts from international tourists however the island’s unique need for material goods
seems to over-rule this policy as this type of economic gain was found to be well integrated in
the informal economy. Impacts on human development are not as clear. Although population
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disparity was found to be an impact of tourists’ philanthropic gifting, community members
viewed it as a positive benefit of tourism. It is concluded that further research is necessary in
order to make policy recommendations regarding tourists’ philanthropic gifting which maximize
positive benefits and mitigate the negatives in relation to human and economic development.
Wilton, Meaghan
Coauthor(s): Laura Echarte
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Soil nitrogen transformations in complex agroecosystems
Abstract: Land use change for agricultural production has contributed to the accumulation of
greenhouse gases (GHG) and has negatively impacted soil nutrient dynamics. Nitrous oxide
(N2O) is a potent GHG produced simultaneously by nitrification and denitrification and is thus
enhanced by anthropogenic nitrogen inputs. Utilizing stable isotopic 15N and 18O techniques
allows nitrification and denitrification to be distinguished and for N2O sources to be identified
in various soil management practices. Research is currently conducted on corn-soybean
monocropping and intercropping systems in the temperate climate region of the Argentine
Pampa. The objective of this study is to compare each cropping system by obtaining carbon
dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide fluxes and by quantifying the nitrogen transformations
using stable isotope N2O partitioning techniques. Results from this research will be the first to
use stable isotope techniques to investigate and compare nitrogen transformations in complex
agroecosystems. Additionally, data collected will be related to baseline data since 2007 from
the same research site. It is imperative to monitor changes of carbon and nitrogen dynamics in
intercropping and monocropping systems to elucidate further differences between the
treatments and to develop cropping strategies to mitigate GHG emissions.
Wong, Sanders
Coauthor(s):
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Spatial variation of hydraulic conductivity for groundwater flow with series
solution approach
Abstract: The basic concepts of a spatial variation formulation of hydraulic conductivity for
groundwater flow are outlined. Boundary conditions include a Dirichlet type condition at the
topographic surface and no-flow condition on the sides of a flow domain. A series solution
formulation is presented in terms of trigonometric and exponential functions, the obtained
solution is semi-analytic and derived for natural stratigraphy, which represent the aquifer’s
characteristic. A hypothetical example is presented to simulate heads and streamlines, and
provide analyses of groundwater flow pattern at various degrees of anisotropic ratio. The
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mathematical formulation is capable of capturing anisotropy characteristics, which has a
significant influence on the head variation within an aquifer. Preliminary results show that the
anisotropy characteristics have substantial effects that can be integrated in an useful
application. The analytic modeling development allows users to model heads and streamlines
fluctuation with in a multi-layer aquifer with natural stratigraphy.
Wong, Janice
Coauthor(s): Tee, Catherine; Sherry, Jim ; Bols, Niels C
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Use of fish cell lines to compare the cytotoxicity of Tetrabromobisphenol A with
its degradation products and with an alternative brominated flame retardant
Abstract: Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are additives in plastic to prevent ignition. One of
the best selling BFRs in the world is tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), with up to 120 000 tonnes
used annually. Two rainbow trout cell lines, RTL-W1 from liver and RTgill-W1 from gill, were
used to evaluate the toxicity of TBBPA, its possible breakdown products including bisphenol A
(BPA), and a potential alternative, 6 tetrabromobisphenol A bis(2,3-dibromopropylether)
(TBBPA-DBPE). The cells were exposed to these compounds with or without fetal bovine serum
in basal medium. Metabolism, cell membrane integrity and lysosomal activity were evaluated
with three fluorometric dyes. The concentrations causing a 50 % reduction in these cellular
functions (EC50) were used to compare the toxicity of the chemicals. The compounds’ ability to
activate the aryl-hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) was also investigated by measuring the induction
of ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity. For both cell lines, TBBPA was the most toxic.
Its breakdown products including BPA were also found to be harmful. Regardless of endpoints,
cell lines or exposure conditions, TBBPA-DBPE was not cytotoxic, indicating its potential to
replace TBBPA.
Wood, Christopher
Coauthor(s):
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Nonlocal correlations from the perspective of causal bayesian networks
Abstract: An important distinction between classical and quantum correlations is captured by
Bell inequality violations. When ascribing a causal explanation to correlations which violate this
inequality, Bell's theorem would seem to imply that we must have causal influences traveling
faster than the speed of light. A precise mathematical notion of causality in these arguments
has been lacking, though recently significant work has been done to develop a robust
mathematical framework for causal inference from statistical data using casual bayesian
networks. We apply this established framework to quantum correlations and explore the
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conclusions which can be drawn from the consequences of nonlocality in quantum theory. We
find these techniques cannot distinguish between the causal structures of quantum correlations
which satisfy the Bell inequality, and those which violate it. Furthermore the resulting causal
model contradicts Bell's theorem. The failure of these algorithms is due to quantum
correlations violating an assumption of stability. In a nonlocal causal model the requirement
that we cannot transmit information at superluminal speeds, the so called no-signalling
condition, is not guaranteed. It appears as an ``accidental" property that is unstable to slight
variations in the parameters of the model. We conclude that theories which postulate a
nonlocal causal explanation for quantum mechanics, yet also assume no-signalling a priori, are
denying a core principle of the best known methods for inferring causal structure; that
conditional independencies in correlations should not be accidental relative to the posited
causal model.
Woodworth, Adam
Coauthor(s): Richard A. Frank, Brendan McConkey, Kirsten Muller
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Selection of an algal remediation candidate based on growth, naphthenic acid
tolerance and uptake potential
Abstract: At present, the oil sands mining operations in northern Alberta are one of the top
environmental concerns in Canada. It is estimated that more than one trillion litres of process
water are currently being held on oil sands leases. This process water has been shown to be
acutely toxic to a number of organisms including fish and aquatic invertebrates due to the
presence of a class of compounds known as naphthenic acids. This study attempts to
determine a suitable phytoplankton candidate for the remediation of naphthenic acid
concentrations based on three key factors: the growth rate of tested algal strains, their ability
to tolerate high concentrations of naphthenic acids and the potential for uptake of naphthenic
acids. Twenty-one phytoplankton strains were isolated from naphthenic acid contaminated
sites on the oil sands leases, grown to high densities and exposed a range of naphthenic acid
concentrations over the course of a 14 day period. Biomass measurements were taken
periodically during the test period in order to calculate growth and naphthenic acid tolerance,
while water was retained to measure naphthenic acid uptake via ESI-MS. It was found that 8 of
the 21 tested phytoplankton strains displayed the necessary high growth rates and naphthenic
acid tolerance in order to be considered a suitable remediation candidate. With regard to
naphthenic acid uptake however, only 3 of the tested strains showed a significant decrease in
naphthenic acid concentration. Based on these results, a potentially suitable remediation
candidate was selected for future work.
Wu, longyang
Coauthor(s): Richard Cook
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Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Statistical Issues in the Use of Composite Endpoints in Clinical Trials
Abstract: Clinical trials often feature multiple types of possibly recurrent clinical
outcomes. While in many settings interest lies in characterizing and
understanding the dynamics of the event process, in clinical trials interest
often lies in simple treatment comparisons. To this end researchers often
define a composite endpoint on which an analysis is based. We consider the
implicit assumptions of using composite endpoints, consider whether they are
likely ever met, and investigate the impact of model misspecification on
bias of estimators and power of tests. Alternative approaches based on
multivariate analyses are then discussed. The methods will be illustrated
by two applications in recently completed trials, one in asthma, the other one in cancer.
Wu, Yan
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: The Interdisciplinary Research of Theoretical Neuroscience
Abstract: What we are doing in the Centre for Theoretical Neuroscience (CTN) is the
interdisciplinary research utilizing knowledge from various fields, such as mathematics,
engineering, biology, psychology and philosophy. We use engineering tools to analyze neural
systems, and build mathematical models for them. Take my research on hippocampus as an
example. Hippocampus is a brain area highly involved in spacial navigation and episodic
memory. The general purpose of my project is building a computational model of hippocampus
addressing its behaviors in navigation tasks.
A theoretical basis of our modeling work is the Neural Engineering Framework (NEF). NEF
provides us a systematical way of characterizing neural representation, transformation and
dynamics. Based on this framework, our typical methods include abstracting mechanisms
underlying neural systems as mathematical equations, simulating neural network models,
analyzing simulation results and comparing it with biology data. Specifically, as to my project,
my hippocampus should not only be able to exhibit ability in navigation, but also be tested by
experimental data gathered from rodents in labs.
Such interdisciplinary research may lead to applications in different fields. For example, as
inspired by the biological neural network, artificial neural network has already became an
important sub-field in artificial intelligence and has applied in places from digital cameras to
bank systems. More related to my project, we may devise a biologically plausible way of
navigating vehicles, and even robots, by looking into how animals perform the same task using
their brain.
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Xiong, Tracy
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: I Must Say What First? The Role of Culture on the Recency vs. Primacy Effect in
Negotiations
Abstract: Previous research has delineated the role of order in which a variety of stimuli affects
the outcome of participant’s responses. The primacy and recency effect offers a valid
explanation as to why the effect of order matter. With respect to relevant areas of study that
may be affected by the primacy vs. recency effect, the study of influence strategies in the
psychology of persuasion has received large amount of research attention. However, there is a
paucity of research on studies that examine the effect of primacy and recency in the
negotiation literature. The present study takes into the consideration of recency vs. primacy
effect, as well as the role of culture to examine the effectiveness of two distinct strategies.
Through a simulated negotiation procedure, the current study found that culture moderates
the effectiveness order in which influence tactics are presented such that people from a
Western culture are more receptive to the Intimidating followed by kind strategy (showing a
recency effect), and the opposite was obtained for participants from non-Western cultures
(showing a primacy effect). Implications of the study will be discussed.
Yanagisawa, Makoto
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Distribution of photosynthetic enzymes and transcripts in chloroplast
containing cells of Bienertia sinuspersici during leaf development
Abstract: The world’s population is estimated to reach 10 billion by 2050. Thus, introducing C4
photosynthesis into C3 crops by genetic modifications has been considered as a potential
solution to meet global food demand in the future. The purpose of this study is to analyze the
distribution of photosynthetic enzymes and transcripts in Bienertia sinuspersic in order to
understand the biochemical development of single-cell C4 photosynthesis and its regulation. B.
sinuspersici can perform C4 photosynthesis within a single cell by partitioning chloroplasts and
enzymes in two cytoplasmic compartments, the central cytoplasmic compartment (CCC) and
peripheral cytoplasmic compartment (PCC). High resolution immunolocalization studies were
used to examine the relative abundance of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase
large subunit (RbcL) and pyruvate orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK) polypeptides in the
dimorphic chloroplasts in developing leaves. High levels of RbcL proteins were present in all
chloroplasts at early stages and became preferentially localized in CCC chloroplasts of mature
leaves. In contrast, low levels of PPDK proteins were detected in both chloroplasts at early
stages and increased substantially in PCC chloroplasts as the leaves matured. Real time qPCR
and in situ hybridization studies were also used to examine the expression of rbcL and other
photosynthetic transcripts. All transcripts accumulated in both types of chloroplasts at early
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stages and were detectable only in the CCC chloroplasts in mature cells. These results indicate
that the regulation of transcript abundance and selective accumulation of proteins in different
chloroplasts are essential biochemical processes in the development of single-cell C4
photosynthesis in B. sinuspersici.
Yaraskavitch, Luke
Coauthor(s): J.A. Quilliam, H.A. Dabkowska, K.A. Ross, H. Noad, B.D. Gaulin, J.B. Kycia
Presentation type: poster presentation
Abstract title: Dynamics of magnetic monopole-like excitations in spin ice
Abstract: There has been a great deal of excitement surrounding the recognition of magnetic
monopole-like excitations in the already fascinating family of magnetic materials, spin ice. Using
a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), we have conducted low temperature
magnetic susceptibility measurements of two spin ice compounds, holmium titanate and
dysprosium titanate, in order to probe the dynamics of these monopole excitations. A magnetic
monopole is the magnetic analogue of an electric charge. These magnetic charges arise as
excitations out of the degenerate ground state of spin ice, a magnetic analogue of water ice.
These defects interact as would a gas of electrically charged particles, though the interactions
are magnetic in nature, thus behaving exactly as a magnetic monopole should. With the large
frequency range of our susceptibility apparatus, we are able to measure down to lower
frequencies than any previous measurements, thus accessing the temperature at which the
monopole population is small and freezing out quickly. We find in the low temperature limit
simple but surprising behaviour which seems to indicate a temperature-independent energy
cost to generate these monopole excitations, several times larger than the cost to generate a
single bare monopole.
Yeganeh, Hojatollah
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Structural Fidelity vs. Naturalness - Objective Assessment of Tone Mapped
Images
Abstract: There has been an increasing number of tone mapping algorithms developed in
recent years that can convert high dynamic range (HDR) to low dynamic range (LDR) images, so
that they can be visualzed on standard displays. Nevertheless, good quality evaluation criteria
of tone mapped images are still lacking, without which, dierent tone mapping algorithms
cannot be compared and there is no meaningful direction for improvement. Although
subjective assessment methods provide useful references, they are expensive and time
consuming, and are difficult to be embedded into optimization frameworks. In this paper,
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we propose a novel objective assessment method that combines a multi-scale signal delity
measure inspired by the structural similarity (SSIM) index and a naturalness measure based on
statistics on the brightness of natural images. Validations using available subjective data show
good correlations between the proposed measure and subjective rankings of LDR images
created by existing tone mapping operators.
Yu, Yuxin
Coauthor(s): Kate Larson
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Mechanism Design on Restricted Allocations
Abstract: The problem focused on is VCG-based Mechanism Design on Restricted Allocations.
Vickrey-Clarks-Groves(VCG) mechanism is the only mechanism that consists of the truthful and
optimal properties in mechanism design, and it is also widely applied in other problems besides
allocations. However, the VCG mechanism only considers the optimal solution in the static
setting, and a method for the dynamic environment similar as VCG still waits to be discovered.
Another issue is that the computation of VCG is usually non-polynomial, even NP in quite a few
problems, including the allocations; the approximation methods for finding the optimal
allocation in polynomial time is also imperative. Our work in static environment uses the
bipartite graph for VCG computation; and an approximation using multi-rounds aution achieves
90% of accuracy with much less running time. The approximation method could be extended to
larger area of restrictions. As the allocation problem cannot be exactly predicted in the dynamic
environment, an approximation is constructed by the "maximal in range" concept and VCG. In
another word, it derives an approach to the allocation problem with restriction from bipartite
graph, and develops approximations for the problem in both static and dynamic environment.
Zaidan, Esmat
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Mobility and Transnationalism
Abstract: Recent technological advancements, including developments in transport and
communication networks, have significantly influenced participation in transnational activities
and belonging to transnational social spaces. This study examines the relationships between
long-term mobility (migration) and short-term mobility (tourism) by investigation the “visiting
friends and family” travel of immigrants that best exemplifies the nexus between the two
contemporary phenomena. The research uses transnationalism as a conceptual framework to
study immigrants’ overseas travel. This study examines the relationship between the overseas
travel patterns of immigrants and their citizenship status. It also examines the role of ethnic
and family reunion in shaping these travel patterns. The study also provides a deeper
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theoretical and empirical analysis of the role of ethnic reunion in shaping the travel patterns of
immigrants and of the social and cultural meanings associated with the travel to the ancestral
homeland.
The study explored the politics of mobility for Palestinian-Canadians living in Greater Toronto
Area (GTA), an understudied population in terms of transnational practices and issues of
identity and hybridity. It also explored issues of citizenship and belonging using extensive
interview data with Palestinian-Canadians in the GTA. Throughout the thesis the highly
politicized aspect of mobility/immobility, national identity, and national autonomy in the
Palestinian case was present. The research highlighted the continuing role of state actors in
determining mobility and rights, despite the increasing rhetoric of borderless mobility.
Zajdlik, Barry
Coauthor(s): George Dixon, Gladys Stephenson
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Estimating Water Quality Guidelines For Atrazine and Diquat Using Multi-Modal
Species Sensitivity Distributions
Abstract: Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) are being used to generate water quality
guidelines globally. In Canada, a suite of potential models has been endorsed as suitable for
describing SSDs. However these models might not be suitable for substances with multiple
modes of action such as pesticides, herbicides, etc. This is particularly true for those substances
with a very narrow biological target. These substances produce multi-modal SSDs where
sensitive target organisms comprise one mode of the SSD and non-target organisms comprise
the remaining modes. Various options to estimate guidelines from this type of SSD have been
discussed. We compare two such options using the estimation of water quality guidelines for
atrazine and diquat as examples.
Zangooei, Somayyeh
Coauthor(s): Forbes Burkowski
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Computations to obtain wider tunnels in protein structures
Abstract: Finding tunnels in protein structures is an important problem in structural
Bioinformatics, with applications in areas such as drug design. The drug (a ligand) wants to bind
to a specific part of the protein, called the active site. In some cases, the active site is buried
deeply inside the protein and the drug needs to find a wide enough tunnel from the surface of
the protein to that location. Given a fixed conformation of a protein with a buried active site,
we first identify and visualize the widest tunnel from the active site to the outside environment.
This static tunnel-finding algorithm is based on the techniques proposed in CAVER software
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tool. We then extend this algorithm and explore the possibility that a slight local change in the
structure of the protein can lead to a wider tunnel. More specifically, we consider various
alternative conformations
of the initial structure whose energies are not much higher than the energy of the original
conformation. We then run the tunnel-finding algorithm on each of these alternative
conformations and check whether we can find a wider tunnel. We implemented the
widest/widening tunnel algorithms in Chimera/Python and tested this program on various
proteins and for different active sites. In all cases, the program discovered the widest tunnel
and visualized it in a few seconds. Furthermore, in most cases it found an alternative
conformation of the original protein with a wider tunnel and not much higher potential energy.
Zhang, Jian
Coauthor(s): Babak Shokouhi
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Periodic tilted structure fabrication by electron beam lithography
Abstract: Tilted micro- and nano-structures have various applications. In this work we will show
that 2D periodic array of tilted nanostructure can be conveniently fabricated using SEM
exposure of an electron beam resist during imaging, without the need of pattern generator or
beam blanker. We made use of the dynamic focus function that is available to typical SEM
systems, where the working distance is adjusted continuously during the scanning of a tilted
sample in order to maintain focus across the entire imaging field that can be several millimeters
depending on the magnification. The number of tilted structures thus fabricated within one
viewing field depends on the image resolution, and the array period is determined by the image
resolution and magnification.
To demonstrate the concept, we carried out EBL using ZEP-520A positive resist with the
substrate mounted on a 45o sample holder. A LEO 1530 FE-SEM was used at 20 kV acceleration
voltage and ~100 pA beam current, and pixel average was chosen for noise reduction with a
frame scanning time on the order of 30 sec. After development, the resulted tilted hole in 90
nm ZEP-520A resist is achieved, with hole width 120 nm along the x-direction that could be
varied by using different exposure doses, array period 1.3 µm in x-direction and 1.84 µm in the
y-direction. As expected, the holes are tilted by 45o. Pattern transfer to fabricate tilted
structure in PDMS by casting and in metal by electroplating is under way and will be presented.
Zhang, Peng
Coauthor(s): William Bobier, Trefford Simpson, Rohert Hess, Ben Thompson
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
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Abstract title: The Quantification of Sensory Dominance in Individuals with Normal Binocular
Vision
Abstract: Purpose of Research:
Under dichoptic conditions, coherent motion signals presented to one eye are made more
difficult to detect by the presence of competing “noise” presented to the fellow eye. This study
seeks to quantify the relative contributions to fusion by each eye for the normal population as a
means of providing a unique measure of sensory dominance.
Method: 24 naïve and visually normal observers were recruited. A psychophysical test was used
here to measure observers’ suprathreshold. Global motion patterns of “signal” dots (coherent
motion) and “noise” dots (random motion) were generated by Matlab software and a head
mounted display imaged the dot patterns dichoptically. Observers were asked to determine the
direction of the “signal” dots. Contrasts in the motor dominant eye (DE) were varied while
contrast in the non-dominant eye (NDE) was held constant. Motion coherence thresholds for
DE and NDE were each linearly regressed and a “balance point” is determined.
Results: Mean motion coherence thresholds were similar between eyes 21.1 DE vs 18.6 NDE.
Also the mean contrast at balance point was similar between the eyes, 0.93 for DE which was
not significantly different than the fixed 1.0 for NDE. However, when examined individually, a
small proportion of subjects (7/24) showed a strong binocular imbalance.
Conclusion: our tests can be used to quantify ocular sensory dominance and suppression.
Zhang, Xixi
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Embedding optical sensors within metallic structures by laser solid freeform
fabrication
Abstract: Laser, which is short for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, has
been widely used in almost every area since 1960. And the laser technique is also developed
rapidly. There is a kind of optical fiber sensor called Fiber Bragg gratings (FBG), which is always
used for monitoring physical parameters. When put the FBG sensor into metallic structures, the
FBG sensor can make structures turn to “smart structures”. In order to embed the FBG sensor
into metallic structures, there are two methods by using Laser Solid Freeform Fabrication
(LSFF). The first one is casting first, and then using LSFF process. The other is using Laser
Assisted Maskless Microdeposition (LAMM) first and then electroplating and at last applying
the process of LSFF. This paper is going to create a model about FBG sensor within the metallic
structure. With this model, software will be applied to analyze some parameters. For example,
in order to find the optimization material for FBG coating, the sensitivity of FBG sensors when
using the different coating materials will be tested and analyzed. There will also be some
literatures comparison between the proposed laser-assisted process and other competitive
processes in this paper.
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Zhong, Han
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Salt Mass Balance Study in an Enhanced Phytoremediation Process Using Plant
Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria
Abstract: Enhanced phytoremediation using plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) has
proven to be an effective and environmentally responsible approach to remove salt in the
surface soil and reclaim salt-impacted soil for crop production. A salt mass balance study of two
salt-impacted sites in Saskatchewan showed that plant uptake of NaCl accounted for more than
50% of the salt decrease in the surface soil during remediation process. The role of PGPR in
enhancing salt tolerance of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) was examined in terms of the
changes of selected physiological indicators over time. Plants were grown and maintained
under three saline conditions: non-saline topsoil, topsoil spiked with NaCl to 10 dS/m, and high
saline soil collected from a salt-impacted site diluted with topsoil to reach 10 dS/m. Salinity
severely impaired plant growth and lead to physiological changes. Plants with PGPR inoculation
showed increased shoot fresh weight, lower membrane leakage, better performance in
photosynthesis, higher proline accumulation, and more stable total soluble protein content and
superoxide dismutase activity. PGPR can positively adjust these physiological indicators and
help plants acclimate to saline environment.
Zhong, Luyang
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Large-scale production of plasmid DNA for gene therapy and DNA vaccination
Abstract: The combined use of high salt precipitation and anion-exchange membrane
chromatography was investigated for large-scale production of pharmaceutical-grade plasmid
DNA. RNase, a bovine pancreas derived product, is often used in plasmid preparation to
degrade RNA. However, the use of it is not recommended by the regulatory agencies after the
outbreak of new-variant Creutzfeld-Jacob disease in the UK. Therefore, an efficient RNase-free
bioprocess for the large-scale production of plasmid is needed. In this study, a hydrogel-based
anion-exchange membrane was selected for its demonstrated capacity in capturing plasmids
and removing cellular impurities such as small molecular weight RNA, protein and endotoxin.
Membrane characterization was performed using Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy,
and the revealed membrane structure was correlated with membrane performance. A
statistical analysis of intrinsic and extrinsic factor affecting membrane performance was
performed, and the operating condition resulted in the highest yield of plasmid was used for
the purification process. To achieve complete removal of RNA impurity, calcium chloride was
employed to selectively precipitate high molecular weight RNA. The optimal concentration for
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complete removal of high molecular weight RNA with minimal loss of plasmid was found to be
1.4 M. Desalting is essential to incorporate calcium chloride precipitation and anion-exchange
membrane chromatography in the purification process, and isopropanol precipitation was
selected for its simultaneous ability to desalt, concentrate and exchange buffer. The developed
purification process involved less purification steps and yet effective in plasmid yield and
impurity removal.
Zhou, Lingxu
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: More than just “Hello” and “Nihao”: Exploring bars and intercultural
communication in a touristic town, Yangshuo, China.
Abstract: The purpose of this research is exploring the communication and interaction between
westerners and Chinese in western bars in the touristic town of Yangshuo in southern China.
Yangshuo is worldly famous for its breath-taking Karst Mountains, rice fields and water
buffalos. In recent years, western bars have been established in the tourist center. The
objectives are exploring the role of bars, the social and intercultural situations in bars, and the
outcome of those communication and interaction. Field work was conducted in summer 2010
by using both qualitative and quantitative research methods: questionnaire survey and
ethnographic participant observation.
Findings indicate that westerners and Chinese have difference reasons for visiting Yangshuo
and going to bars. Bars have both social and recreational functions for westerners but are of
less interest to Chinese tourists. Locals have the least interest in bars but Chinese students
often go to them to practice English with foreigners. Chinese tourists tend to interact with
westerners in non-verbal ways, such as in games and photo-taking. Language is a major
communication barrier but westerners made effort to overcome this, reflecting both desire and
need as visitors in a foreign land. Intercultural communication has difference purposes and
styles for the different groups.
The research findings suggest the level of contact and cultural understanding is relatively
superficial, but more meaningful than mere commercial exchanges. The acknowledgement of
cultural difference and interaction between customers should be encouraged and facilitated in
bars, in order to create authentic bar experiences and nurture effective intercultural
communication.
Zhou, Rui
Coauthor(s): Johnny S.H. Li, Ken Seng Tan
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Two-population mortality model with jumps
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Abstract: Two-population mortality models have been proposed to take into account the
correlation between different populations. However, mortality jumps have not been
considered in these models. Mortality jumps are especially important for pricing short-term
catastrophe securities. In this presentation, we fill up this gap and introduce jumps to an
existing two-population mortality model. A simplified model is considered first. It assumes that
jumps are transitory and happen at the same time in the two populations. This model is fitted
by maximum likelihood estimation. By comparing with the model without jumps, we conclude
that adding jumps significantly improves the goodness of fit. To further elaborate this model,
the assumption of jumps happening at the same time is relaxed and permanent jumps are also
considered.
Zhu, Dian
Presentation type: mandatory oral presentation
Abstract title: Mean-Variance Portfolio Selection and Hedging with Continuous Portfolio
Insurance and Trading Constraints
Abstract: Mean-variance portfolio selection and mean-variance hedging are mainstream
research topics in mathematical finance, which can be subsumed within the framework of a
general quadratic minimization problem. We study this quadratic minimization problem in a
general market setting with completely random market parameters. Our particular contribution
is to introduce a combination of constraints on both the trading strategy and the wealth
process. In particular, the constraints on the wealth process over the whole trading interval
have never been formulated in previous works and are general enough to cover all specific
cases in existing references such as drawdown constraints and bankruptcy prohibition. We shall
see that this combination of constraints poses some real technical challenges, and calls upon
the use of ``non-standard'' tools of measure theory such as purely finitely additive measures.
Motivated by Rockafellar and Moreau's conjugate duality approach, we construct a dual
problem and establish that this problem has an optimal solution, or equivalently establish the
existence of a Lagrange multiplier subject to a mild ``Slater-type'' feasibility condition on the
wealth process. The primal and dual functions are connected by a Lagrangian function, the
saddle points of which are characterized by a set of Kuhn-Tucker optimality conditions. An
optimal wealth process is constructed in terms of the Lagrange multiplier by using the KuhnTucker optimality conditions, and an optimal portfolio is then constructed with respect to the
optimal wealth process by applying the martingale representation theorem.
Ziprick, Jonathan
Coauthor(s): Laurent Freidel
Presentation type: oral presentation
Abstract title: Geometry of Loop Gravity
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Abstract: Twentieth century physics has given us the two ground-breaking theories of quantum
mechanics (QM) and general relativity (GR). Making these two disparate theories work together
in a single theory of quantum gravity (QG) is perhaps the greatest challenge facing theoretical
physics today. Loop quantum gravity (LQG) is arguably the most direct approach to QG. There
are two main steps in this theory: 1) GR is rewritten in terms of loop gravity (LG) variables that
yield spin networks as solutions; 2) principles of quantum mechanics are applied to LG.
Advancing LQG is proving to be a formidable challenge. To help with these difficulties, we look
to gain a better understanding of the relationship between LG and GR. The first step is to
investigate how to calculate volume and area on a spin network, quantities which play an
important role in LQG.
Spin networks represent a discretization of space into microscopic convex polyhedra. We
develop expressions for volume, area and edge length for polyhedra in terms of LG variables.
We check the semiclassical limit of LQG volume operators (area operators are trivial) and find
them to be inconsistent. Noticing that the classical expressions are more simply stated in terms
of alternate variables, we consider a change of variables that simplifies calculations in LG and
may facilitate quantization of the theory.
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