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Binalay Mi (Our Home): Yogad Language Maintenance in Canada
No full textCanada is home to millions of immigrants from diverse origins and backgrounds, and yet there is limited research on the country’s growing population of minority language groups. As a human labor export site, the Philippines continues to be a top source of one of the largest migrant groups in the host nation in recent years, but very little is known about the consequences of the diasporic movement on Philippine heritage languages. This mixed methods research investigates the minority language maintenance of selected Yogad families in Canada. In Phase 1, narratives from various household types were explored to identify existing language practices, beliefs, and management strategies among Filipino migrant homes of Indigenous heritage, framed within Spolsky's (2004) language policy model, as well as Giles and Coupland’s (1991) Communication Accommodation Theory. The lived experiences from the parent and caregiver generation reflect integrative patterns towards the host environment and community recognition, while accounts from children point to restorative themes in approaching heritage language sustenance. To further examine the present linguistic situation of the Yogad language group, Giles et al.'s (1977) Ethnolinguistic Vitality Theory and Landweer's (2016) Indicators of Ethnolinguistic Vitality were both implemented at the community level. A key discovery in Phase 2 is that while the indicator scores indicate a similar degree of urgency for language intervention in the host and home country settings, the emerging presence of the Yogad community in the digital space could not be accounted for by the current vitality construct. Merging the qualitative data from Phase 1 and the quantitative data from Phase 2, the study presents a working model for Yogad language maintenance in Canada. The findings of this work define the necessary groundwork relevant to the establishment of future revitalization efforts for Yogad, to promote the continuous use of an endangered language in migrant spaces
In vitro bioassays to estimate avian toxicity and contaminant levels in passive sampler extracts from wetlands surrounding tailings ponds in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region
No full textOil extraction in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region generates large volumes of waste, called tailings, that are stored in tailings ponds. These tailings are toxic largely due to the presence of naphthenic acids (NAs) and there is concern about seepage into the surrounding tributaries. The objective of this thesis was to rank the relative toxicity of passive sampler extracts from 6 wetlands using in vitro screening, determine if bioactivity could predict NA concentrations, and elucidate species differences between chickens and double-crested cormorants (DCCO). Hepatic cells were cultured as 3D spheroids. Higher levels of NAs were found in wetlands close to oil sands activity compared to ones further away. The concentrations of NAs were reflected in the bioactivity results for chickens which were also determined to be more sensitive than DCCO. This thesis demonstrates the use of a non-animal screening method for environmental monitoring in an ecosystem of concern in Canada
Strategies for Surviving Putin's Russia: Contemporary Anti-Utopian Literature
No full textThis thesis analyzes anti-utopian Russian literature to correlate political culture and expressions of identity in Putin’s regime from 2005-2011. Vladimir Sorokin’s Day of the Oprichnik (2006), Olga Slavnikova’s 2017 (2006), Victor Pelevin’s S.N.U.F.F. (2011) and Viktor Teterin’s two plays, Путин.доc (Putin.doc) and Преемник.доc (Successor.doc), self-published in 2005 and 2007 respectively, are dissected focusing on the vectors of individual and national identity, along with the way identity is inscribed into understandings of the past as a predictor of Russia’s future. The works analyzed connect subjectivity and national destiny to unreconciled post-Soviet trauma, revealing a lack of forward vision and a pessimistic prognosis for the future. The literature further reveals identity to be constructed and performed in the negative through forms of communal violence premised on exclusionary practices. Such realizations of negative identity interact with Putin’s nationalist narrative and simulated politics, resulting in efforts towards interiority and a desire for privacy
The Bureaucracy of Intervention: Explaining Canadian Armed Forces Deployment Variations 2014-2018
No full textABSTRACT: After the closure of the Afghanistan mission in March 2014, the Canadian government was presented with a distinctive opportunity to “re-set” the overseas posture of its armed forces. Almost all personnel serving overseas were brought back to Canadian soil before the government announced several new operations. From this “re-set” derives the central research question of this dissertation: Why do states who are not threatened deploy their armed forces in various speeds and sizes? Competing scholars who study foreign and defence policy analysis have been unable to reach a consensus and explain why states like Canada decide to participate quickly in certain military coalitions (or not), or why the executive decides to contribute specific numbers of personal and resources to particular overseas missions (or not). Utilizing a critical small-n case study approach and focusing on Canada’s most recent military deployments to Iraq, Ukraine, and Mali, as well as the non-deployment of forces to Columbia, this research asks where deployment recommendations originate from within the bureaucracy and what is their impact on the executive. Using purposive sampling and relying on semi-structured interviews with select members of the Canadian Public Service and the Armed Forces, I combined Tsebelis’ veto player’s theory and Halperin and Clapp’s theory of bureaucratic politics to the Canadian federal bureaucracy to identify and explain the level of bureaucratic influence on post-Afghanistan non-combat interventions. My research found that federal bureaucracies acted as veto players - based on both departmental mandates and departmental self-interests - and were able to demonstrate substantial influence on the speed and size of CAF deployments, delaying their support until departmental interests were met. My research demonstrates that Bureaucratic Intervention Theory, when applied to a federal bureaucracy, has greater explanatory powers than had been previously understood, contributes to an enhanced understanding of the current executive decision-making process, and helps illustrate the bureaucratic consensus required to ensure future CAF deployments
A Framework for Assessing Aircraft Detect and Avoid Systems Using Monte Carlo Simulations
No full textThe rapidly expanding use of remotely piloted aircraft systems in airspace historically dominated by traditional aviation has increased the potential for collisions. Combined with the evolving Beyond Visual Line of Sight regulations, highlights the critical importance of robust Detect and Avoid systems. The Monte Carlo simulation framework presented evaluates different cooperative and non-cooperative DAA systems onboard RPAS ownships in conflict with an intruding aircraft. This framework incorporates the generation of traditional aircraft trajectories using historical flight data and the Remotely Piloted Aircraft trajectories given flight parameters in a multitude of different flight scenarios; the addition of sensor noise to the flight tracks to emulate the expected data out of the sensors; and finally, the prediction and resolution of conflicts. Results highlight the difference in risk ratio between cooperative and non-cooperative sensors. Moreover, they show the need for appropriate selection of DAA sensor parameters to satisfy safety requirements
Against the Elements: Reconceiving Public Libraries as a Place of Refuge
No full textThe library typology has significantly transformed over the past half century, introducing makerspaces, multimedia hubs, and amenities well beyond repositories for printed resources. Amidst the housing and climate crisis, libraries have also become important spaces of temporary refuge for those experiencing homelessness or extreme weather events. Exploring these intricacies in Ottawa—a city with a staggering 20% annual population growth in need of new civic amenities— this thesis proposes a new library typology for a Lowertown infill site—one better serving the needs of our entire community. The work provides an analysis of various innovative programming to benefit future libraries. The result is a novel paradigm for public libraries as more inclusive and climate conscious places of learning, gathering, and refuge in Ontario
Fragile Statehood and Military Aid (In)Effectiveness: An Assessment of United States Experiences in Lake Chad Basin
No full textThis dissertation critically examines the (in) effectiveness of US. military aid in fragile states, with a particular focus on the Lake Chad Basin region. Through a detailed investigation of the political, economic, and social impacts of US. military assistance, the research uncovers both the intended and unintended consequences of such aid on state stability, governance, and human security. Central to the argument is that increased US. military aid to countries with weak governance structures often exacerbates instability, fosters corruption, and leads to human rights violations. The study demonstrates that, in the absence of parallel improvements in governance and state legitimacy, such aid contributes to the very conflicts it seeks to resolve, trapping recipient states in a cycle of instability. The dissertation is structured into three interconnected papers, each examining different dimensions of US. military aid in the region, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods to assess its role in shaping political outcomes, security landscapes, and democratic trajectories. Through a comprehensive analysis, it reveals the convergence of a negative feedback loop, capacity trap, democratic backsliding, and a troubling rise in coup d'états. Moreover, US. military assistance has focused on short-term security gains at the expense of longterm investments in governance, development, and institutional reform, deepening fragility and conflict in the region. Ultimately, the study concludes that US. military aid, while intended to stabilize fragile states like those in the Lake Chad Basin, often exacerbates governance challenges, highlighting the urgent need for a more integrated approach that prioritizes sustainable governance and human security over purely military solutions
Why Sound? Diversity and Evolution of Sonic Defences in Caterpillars
No full textDefensive sound production is widespread and highly diverse among insects, yet the specific functions and factors affecting its evolution are poorly understood. In this thesis, I have two overarching objectives. 1) I conduct a literature review on insect defence sounds and show that sounds have been reported in 12 insect orders with an enormous variety of sound-producing mechanisms, acoustic features, and proposed functions. Based on my review, I pose hypotheses and predictions to explain the diversity and evolution of sonic defences. 2) I study caterpillars of the Superfamily Bombycoidea (silk and hawk moths) to test some of these hypotheses using experimental and phylogenetic comparative methods. I do this in three stages. First, I document defensive responses of 44 species (33 previously untested), bringing the total number of tested Bombycoidea species in our database to 97. I show that 34/97 produce defence sounds. Second, I characterize different sound-producing mechanisms (clicking, chirping, whistling, and vocalizing), contributing new acoustic data for 13 previously unreported sound producers. Third, I use this information to develop and test hypotheses on how defence sounds evolved and function in Bombycoidea by mapping sound production onto a phylogeny that I constructed. Interestingly, the different sound-producing mechanisms occur in multiple distantly related groups, suggesting convergent evolution; yet, closely related species can differ in their sound-producing abilities or mechanisms. These results suggest there are important selective pressures for evolving defence sounds, and that these pressures could vary to produce different types of sounds. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, I explore possible factors to explain “why sound”. Two results stand out: body size (based on head capsules) and trade-offs with defensive secretions. I also found support for the hypothesis that short sounds (i.e., clicking and chirping) are aposematic in function because they correlate to the presence of chemical defences. Overall, this research offers valuable contributions to the study of insect defence sounds: I provide the first comprehensive review of this topic, establish a model system by characterizing sonic defences (and other responses) in Bombycoidea caterpillars, and provide support for key hypotheses on the evolutionary origins, selective pressures, and functions of these sounds
Insights into Enzyme-substrate Network Discovery: Applying Machine Learning to High-throughput Techniques
No full textThe comprehensive landscape of post-translational modifications (PTMs) broadens the functional proteome, challenging our understanding of the mechanisms behind disease and cancer. The complex networks in which PTM-inducing enzymes enact upon substrates remains virtually undiscovered, limiting therapeutic advancement. Conventional techniques of enzyme-substrate discovery are fruitful, however the sheer volume of PTMs and enzymes pose challenges. To address this, we first enhanced conventional in vitro recognition motifs with PeSA2.0, our analytical desktop application. PeSA2.0 generates positive and negative recognition motifs from peptide array data, enabling the development of a motif-based ML model to predict substrates. Applied to the lysine methyltransferase (KMT) SET8, our model achieved an experimentally validated precision rate of 6.4% when scoring known protein lysine methylation sites. A search for substrates with a positive SET8 recognition motif obtained from traditional permutation arrays scored slightly higher, with a precision of 7.5% within known methylation sites, however, this rate fell to 2% within the broader proteome (i.e., unknown methylation status). We then created a ML-hybrid ensemble methodology for substrate discovery using SET8, which employs high-throughput peptide array experiments and ML. Our technique achieved an in vitro validated precision of 37% within the broader proteome, a 19-fold increase in performance from traditional permutation arrays. Mass spectrometry (MS) confirmed the dynamic methylation status of several of the ML-predicted SET8 substrates. Our method also unveiled changes in SET8-regulated networks in breast cancer-mediated missense mutations, offering insights into the functional role of enzymes in disease. We then developed ProteoML—a desktop suite facilitating our ML-hybrid ensemble technique. ProteoML automates the complex computational processes of our approach, improving user accessibility. ProteoML was used to predict novel SIRT1 through SIRT7 substrates, boasting a 43% rate of precision in validating 64 novel MS-validated cellular SIRT2 substrates. Analysis of these models demonstrated the conservation of enzyme-substrate networks within enzyme families. This thesis details the creation of a novel ML-based technique to precisely discover enzyme-specific substrates. Our ML-hybrid ensemble methodology improves upon conventional techniques, while reducing cost. Along with the creation of ProteoML, the insights described signify a transformative shift in enzyme-substrate discovery with broad implications in the field of proteomics
Characterization of Building Integrated Phase Change Materials Using Experiments and Simulation
No full textPhase change materials (PCMs) are a latent thermal storage solution which passively store energy, such as solar energy, and delay its release into a space, reducing peak cooling loads in summer and prolonging passive heating in winter. PCMs are most effective when their melting temperatures are near the room temperature setpoint. In locations with two distinct conditioning seasons and thus two different setpoints throughout the year, two PCMs may be optimal for reducing both conditioning loads. However, research on these optimizations remains limited. The objective of this research was to expand the knowledge of buildings with PCM, such as two PCMs of different melting temperatures to optimize for two space conditioning seasons. This was achieved through thermophysical property experiments and single room modelling to predict trends in PCM performance, full-scale in-situ experiments, and full house modelling across Canada and the United States. For the in-situ experiments, two chambers with interior dimensions of 2.4 m by 2.4 m by 2.4 m were designed, constructed, and commissioned to experimentally compare a dual PCM wallboard to a reference-case room without PCM. The PCMs decreased the heating and cooling loads by 14.5% and 12.0%, respectively, from January until July 2023 in Ottawa, Canada. Full house modelling was conducted using EnergyPlus, and the time of use implications of PCMs were assessed both economically and in terms of the carbon emissions. The PCMs reduced space heating loads throughout the night, but due to the low space cooling load, the peak emissions and economic reductions were relatively small. The modelling analysis was expanded across Canada and the United States on four house archetypes to quantify the energy, emissions, and economics associated with PCM. In moderate and warm locations, greater space conditioning reductions occurred with a single PCM, whereas in highly heating dominant locations, two PCMs with different melting temperatures provided greater benefits. The emissions payback period was as low as 0.3 years, due to the reductions in space heating and cooling loads. The results suggest significant promise for PCMs in reducing the carbon footprint associated with building space conditioning, particularly for emissions intensive space conditioning systems