Photonic bandgap materials are periodic structures that exclude electromagnetic field propagation over frequency intervals known as bandgaps. These materials exhibit remarkable wave dispersion and have found use in many applications that require control over dynamic electromagnetic fields, as their properties can be tailored by design. The two principal objectives of this thesis are the development of a liquid crystal-based microwave photonic bandgap device whose bandgap could be tuned during operation and the design and implementation of a spectral transmission-line modeling method for band structure calculations. The description of computational methods comprises an overview of the implemented numerical routines, a derivation of the spectral properties of the transmission-line modeling method in periodic domains, and the development of an efficient sparse matrix eigenvalue algorithm that formed the basis of the spectral transmission-line modeling method. The discussion of experimental methods considers the use of liquid crystals in microwave applications and details the design and fabrication of several devices. These include a series of modified twisted nematic cells that were used to evaluate liquid crystal alignment and switching, a patch resonator that was used to measure liquid crystal permittivity, and the liquid crystal photonic bandgap device itself. Numerical experiments showed that the spectral transmission-line modeling method is accurate and substantially faster and less memory intensive than the reference plane wave method for problems of high dielectric contrast or rapidly varying spatial detail. Physical experiments successfully realized a microwave photonic bandgap structure whose bandgap could be continuously tuned with a bias voltage. The very good agreement between simulated and measured results validate the computational and experimental methods used, particularly the resonance-based technique for permittivity measurement. This work's results may be applied to many applications, including microwave filters, negative group velocity/negative refraction materials, and microwave permittivity measurement of liquid crystals.

Synthetic cystic fibrosis sputum medium (SCFM) is rich in amino acids and supports robust growth of Burkholderia cenocepacia, a member of the Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc). Previous work demonstrated that B. cenocepacia phenylacetic acid (PA) catabolic genes are up-regulated during growth in SCFM and are required for full virulence in a Caenorhabditis elegans host model. In this work, we investigated the role of phenylalanine, one of the aromatic amino acids present in SCFM, as an inducer of the PA catabolic pathway. Phenylalanine degradation intermediates were used as sole carbon sources for growth and gene reporter experiments. In addition to phenylalanine and PA, phenylethylamine, and phenylpyruvate could be used as sole carbon sources by wild type B. cenocepacia K56-2 but not by a PA catabolism defective mutant. These intermediates also induced a PA-inducible reporter system. Furthermore, proteomic analysis utilizing iTRAQ were used to study the protein expression of B. cenocepacia K56-2 grown in the amino acid-rich SCFM. Our results showed the over-expression of several proteins involved in amino acid and carbohydrate transport and metabolism. Interestingly, our results also showed the over-expression of flagellin and membrane efflux protein which are involved in the virulence of B. cenocepacia.

The purpose of this practicum is to explore the Cheakamus River from its beginning at Outlier Peak to its arrival at Howe Sound. I explored it in terms of its history, both geological and cultural; its uses both past and present; and in terms of ‘place’. I determined there had not been development in the area, due to geological instability and its unique location. I explored the place, its unique characteristics and its rarity. My exploration was through photography, writing and drawing. I explored the culture of the Cheakamus by looking at its role in the mythology of the First Nations People of the area. By looking at the notions of retreat, renewal, meditation and contemplation, I explored the stimmung, genus loci and zen of this river system. Finally, I made connections between the river and the land, highlighting the uniqueness of place.

This project examines the term autopoiesis and contextualizes it into the realm of Landscape Architecture. Autopoiesis is defined as self-generating, self-producing, self-maintaining organization, used to describe the resilience of a living system. This practicum presents autopoiesis as a process condition that describes incidences of phenomena and the resulting emergent behaviors. Through illustration, photography, simulation and experimental studies, an understanding of autopoiesis through visual representations was attained. This practicum creates a space that uses the dynamics of autopoiesis to both inform and form the design of an urban condition. Located along the coast of Incheon, South Korea, a 1.6km2 site of reclaimed tidal-flat land was investigated. Autopoiesis was understood through phenomena and emergent behaviors that resulted by integrating the fluctuating tidal system into the creation, realization and functioning of the site. The intention of this project is to articulate the notions of autopoiesis through the design of a flexible condition that responds, reacts and engages with contingencies and disturbances, allowing these types relationships to become integral component to the overall development and functioning of the designed site.

With the uncertainty of future energy supplies and the impacts of global warming, rapid transit is becoming increasingly important as part of the transportation mix in North American cities. The conventional choice for rapid transit alignments are off-street corridors such as rail and highway right-of-ways. More recently, cities are locating rapid transit projects along arterial street right-of-ways, to influence more transit-supportive development rather than low-density, single use environments common throughout North America. Promoting transit alignments that provide the best opportunity for this type of development, known as development-oriented transit, is essential for influencing a change in urban transportation habits and building more resilient cities. This research analyzes the benefits of these alignments by studying the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project and Red Line in Cleveland, and the Central Corridor and Hiawatha Line in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Visiting these cities and interviewing professionals associated with the projects revealed the benefits of on-street rapid transit by comparing ridership, development potential, placemaking, travel time and safety of both on-street and off-street rapid transit. On-street rapid transit provides the best opportunity for a long-term vision for city building through the creation of dense, mixed-use transit-oriented corridors where people can live, work, recreate, access services and shop. Results and potential implications were presented to professionals in Winnipeg associated with the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor (SWRTC). The goal was to understand the implications of the findings for the SWRTC and if on-street rapid transit would work along Pembina Highway. Respondents disagreed that an on-street solution was appropriate, which revealed contradictions between the findings from key informant interviews and literature reviewed versus focus group responses. The SWRTC is designed as a flexible route network system that will allow mixed traffic buses to pick up riders in their neighbourhoods and use the dedicated busway to bypass north-south traffic congestion. This plan is focused on minimizing travel time for a suburban to downtown commute, rather than development potential. This research has found that rapid transit alignments should be focused on transit supportive development and providing direct access to places people need to go on a daily basis. On-street rapid transit provides the best opportunity to do so.

For most people in North America, undergoing treatments for cancer occurs exclusively in a healthcare setting. All too often, this healthcare setting provides a backdrop privileging the technological requirements of conventional medicine over the well-being of the people who inhabit it. Conversely, this practicum project is founded on a different, more holistic approach to cancer care called integrative oncology. The project investigates how an integrative cancer treatment centre can be designed to be more than a technological backdrop, endeavoring to become an active entity that truly supports those dealing with cancer. The investigation includes an extensive literature review of theoretical and evidence-based sources that relate to fostering connections to nature on a variety of levels. Informed by this, a review of relevant design precedents and the functional issues of integrative cancer treatment, the investigation concludes with a design solution for an integrated cancer treatment centre and related findings.

An experimental study was designed to examine and document the development and structures of turbulent 3D offset jets. The generic 3D wall jets at the same Reynolds numbers was used as the basis of comparison. The experiments were performed using a high resolution particle image velocimetry technique to perform velocity measurements at three Reynolds numbers based on the jet exit diameter and velocities of 5000, 10000 and 20000 and four jet offset height ratios of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0. The measurements were performed in the streamwise/wall-normal plane from 0 to 120 jet exit diameters and in the streamwise/lateral plane from 10 to 80 jet exit diameters. The velocity data were analyzed using (i) mean velocities and one-point statistics such as turbulence intensities, Reynolds stresses, triple velocity products and some terms in the transport equations for the turbulence kinetic energy, (ii) two-point velocity correlations to study how the turbulence quantities are correlated as well as the length scale and angle of inclination of the hairpin-like vortex structures, and (iii) proper orthogonal decomposition to examine the energy distribution and the role of the large scale structures in the turbulence intensities and Reynolds shear stresses. The decay of the maximum mean velocities and spread of the jet half widths became independent of Reynolds number much earlier in the generic wall jet than the offset jets. The flow development is delayed with increasing offset heights. The decay rate and wall-normal spread rate increased with the offset heights, whereas the lateral spread rate decreased with offset heights, which is consistent with previous studies. The two-point auto-correlations and the proper orthogonal decomposition results indicate the presence of more large scale structures in the outer and self-similar regions than in the inner and developing regions. The iso-contours of the streamwise autocorrelations in the inner regions were inclined at similar angles of β = 11.2 ± 0.6 degrees, which are in good agreement with reported values in boundary layer studies. The angles decrease with increasing distance from the wall.

Both intermittent oral gavage tube placement(0G) and indwelling nasogastric tube placement (NG) are acceptable methods for feeding preterm infants. A randomized controlled pilot study was conducted to examine the impact of OG versus NG placement on premature infant feeding transition. Twenty healthy premature infants were enrolled and thirteen completed the study. The results were not statistically significant. Age at last tube feed averaged 35 weeks gestational age (GA) for the intermittent group and 35+4 weeks GA for the indwelling group (p=0.181). Infants in both groups were discharged at an average of 36 weeks GA (p=.836) and averaged suckled volumes at 35 weeks GA was 134.4cc/kg/day for the intermittent group versus 111.8cc/kg/day for the indwelling group (p=0.240). Infant feeding patterns were analyzed descriptively and found to be consistently variable. The lack of consistency in feeding development has implications for feeding plan development and feeding transition care.

My Interior Design practicum is an inquiry about the nature of urban informality through the study of present and emerging urban vernaculars within Kambi Moto, an informal area in Nairobi Kenya. I argue that unique vernacular characteristics manifest in everyday living and can be captured through the experience and knowledge of self-builders, entrepreneurs and dwellers within informal settlements. An understanding of these vernacular characteristics is instrumental in the designing of meaningful and effective social housing prototypes. The main methods used to document vernacular characteristics include, post occupancy evaluations (POEs), time diaries, photographs and observation. Within an interior design context, these tools helped describe the spatial needs, wants and desires of the everyday dwellers of Kambi Moto. The four resulting compact housing configurations support one-to-ten member households with provisions for a home-based business (HBB) or a rental unit. All units have an adaptable rooftop with a garden.

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused mainly by Fusarium graminearum (teleomorph: Gibberella zeae), is one of the most damaging diseases of wheat. A ‘Brio’/‘TC 67’ spring wheat population was used to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for resistance to FHB, and to study the association of morphological and developmental characteristics with FHB resistance. Interval mapping (IM) detected a major QTL on chromosome 5AL for resistance to disease severity (type II resistance) and Fusarium-damaged kernels (FDK) under greenhouse and field conditions, respectively. Inconsistent QTL(s) was also detected on chromosome 5BS for disease severity and index using field data. The associations of plant height and number of days to anthesis were negative with disease incidence, severity, index, and deoxynivalenol (DON) accumulation data under field conditions. However, number of days to anthesis was positively correlated with disease severity (greenhouse) and FDK (field). Awnedness had a negative effect on FHB, namely the presence of awns resulted in less disease in the population. Spike threshability also affected FHB so that the hard threshable genotypes represented lower disease. Phylogenetic relationships of putative F. graminearum isolates from different sources were characterized using Tri101 gene sequencing data. Canadian and Iranian isolates clustered in F. graminearum lineage 7 (=F. graminearum sensu stricto) within the F. graminearum clade while the isolates received from CIMMYT, Mexico were placed in F. graminearum lineage 3 (=Fusarium boothii) within the Fg clade or Fusarium cerealis. The PCR assay based on the Tri12 gene revealed the presence of the NIV, 3-ADON, and 15-ADON chemotypes with 15-ADON being the predominant chemotype. While we did not find the NIV chemotype among the Canadian isolates, it was the predominant chemotype among the Iranian isolates. High variation in aggressiveness was observed among and within Fusarium species tested, with the isolates of F. graminearum sensu stricto being the most aggressive and the NIV chemotype being the least aggressive. The interactions between Fusarium isolates and wheat genotypes from different sources were investigated by inoculating isolates of F. graminearum sensu stricto and F. boothii on wheat genotypes. Significant differences were observed among the genotypes inoculated by single isolates. Results also showed significant interactions between Fusarium isolates and wheat genotypes. The F. boothii isolates from CIMMYT produced low disease symptom and infection on wheat genotypes regardless of the origin of the genotypes while F. graminearum sensu stricto isolates from Canada and Iran resulted in higher FHB scores.