This thesis introduces a new modeling approach that allows very large power systems to be modeled on a real time electro-magnetic transients (EMT) digital simulator with reduced hardware costs. The key step in achieving this is the development of an improved wide-band multi-port equivalent, which reduces a large power network into a small manageable equivalent model that preserves wideband behaviors. This approach has a foundation method that use a two part equivalent in which the high frequency behavior of the equivalenced network is represented by a terminating frequency dependent network equivalent (FDNE), with the low frequency behavior being modeled using a detailed Transient Stability Analysis (TSA) model that only models the electromechanical behavior. This approach allowed the modelling of medium size electric regions up to hundreds of buses in real time. This thesis extends the equivalent by implementing a reduced order of the detailed electromechanical TSA equivalent mentioned above. Coherency based reduction is used for the electromechanical model of the power network to be equivalenced, and is implemented as a Transient Stability Analysis (TSA) type electromechanical equivalent. A challenge in implementing the FDNE is to ensure that it is a passive network, as otherwise its inclusion could lead to unstable simulation. This thesis also introduces a practical procedure to enforce passivity in the FDNE. The validity of the proposed technique is demonstrated by comparing the approach with detailed electromagnetic simulations of the well-known 39 bus New England system and a modified 39 bus system with an HVDC infeed with coupling between the dc line and an adjacent ac line, in addition to a 108 bus ac system. The power of the method is demonstrated by the real-time simulation of a large system with 2300 busses and 139 generators. It has been shown that this approach has the potential to increase by at least one order of magnitude the size of the network that can be modeled and thus on a real time electro-magnetic transients (EMT) digital simulator with reduced hardware costs.

Peace processes require an opening to self and others — a willingness to confront what is and to vision beyond present challenges to a brighter future. This type of engagement is crucial for the peaceful development of healthy, functioning societies — societies such as Ukraine, a country thrust without preparation from regional Soviet status to independent country searching for democracy. Eighteen years post-Independence the Ukrainian parliament continues to flounder unsupported by citizens. Active participation in civic affairs required for democracy is unfamiliar for most Ukrainian citizens, having internalized centuries of divisive oppression under a series of authoritarian regimes. Democracy-building and peace-building require participant agency and voice; rising out of oppression, people often need support to speak about and transform their lived experiences. This study, cognizant of the centrality of gender analysis in any context, explored the roles women’s shared narrative, dialogue, and group-visioning play in the support of personal empowerment and bridge building between diverse communities. The study invited women from the European Union-focused Western region of Lviv, Ukraine and the more Soviet/Russian-identified Eastern region of Crimea, first to share their personal stories with the researcher and second, to meet in their regional groups to vision for themselves, their families, and Ukraine. The third phase of this study invited these diverse regional groups to meet in a neutral space, reflexively exploring their parallel processes, while in phase four participants reviewed their experiences of the study. Despite initial beliefs that they have little in common, women in both regions said study participation changed them. They found telling their stories “from beginning to end” allowed them to reflect upon their own values and strengths, and having connected with themselves and their roots, they were then able to reach out to others. Rather than looking for differences, participants sought ways to express a shared vision for an inclusive, functional, peace-building future for themselves, their families, and Ukraine as a whole.

Manitoba is the second largest potato producer in Canada after Prince Edward Island. This crop faces many disease problems including the most famous and devastating one, late blight, caused by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans. More than 150 years have elapsed since this disease caused the Irish potato famine, but strategies for managing it often remain unsustainable and costly. With the advent of molecular biology, genetic engineering, and now, genomics-based approaches, it may be possible to initiate studies which will address important questions regarding very complex host-pathogen interactions. Dr. Daayf’s lab has shown that the most aggressive strains of P. infestans suppress potato defense mechanisms, through transcriptional inhibition of PAL and HMGR pathways. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to carry out a molecular characterization of potato defense suppression by Phytophthora infestans. Gene expression profiling was accomplished by developing a new subtractive hybridization (SH)/cDNA-AFLP combinational approach. This approach is a gel-based subtractive hybridization profiling technique that uses the advantages of cDNA-AFLP and subtractive hybridization in order to amplify cDNA products in a polyacrylamide gel and remove the constitutively/commonly expressed sequences. Using this approach differentially expressed genes involved in the potato-Phytophthora infestans interaction were identified. These included genes potentially controlling pathogenesis or avr genes in P. infestans as well as those potentially involved in potato resistance or susceptibility to this pathogen. Using the subtractive hybridization (SH)/cDNA-AFLP combinational approach, DOXP-MEP pathway genes were identified for first time in potato and its regulation in response to the oomycete P. infestans. The DOXP-MEP pathway, also called the non-mevalonate route is an alternative terpenoids' biosynthetic route that was discovered first in eubacteria and soon after in photosynthetic organisms such as higher plants, algae as well as in cyanobacteria. In addition, potato plants treated with glucans extracted from P. infestans, the elicitor eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and P. infestans isolates were analyzed to study the accumulation of phenolic compounds and expression level of genes from the phenylpropanoid, mevalonate and DOXP-MEP pathway.

Phytic acid (PA) reduces nutrient digestibility in pigs and poultry, and has been shown to increase endogenous nutrient losses (ENL) in poultry. However, there is lack of information on the effect of PA on ENL in pigs, and mechanisms by which PA increases ENL. Three experiments were conducted to determine the effects of PA on ENL in pigs and to establish mechanisms by which PA increases the ENL. The first experiment investigated the effect of PA on ileal digestibility and ileal endogenous nutrient flows. Phytic acid decreased the apparent ileal sodium digestibility to a negative value (-18%). The second experiment investigated the effect of PA on gut enzyme activities, histomorphology and sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 (SGLT1) gene expression. Phytic acid did not affect the gut villous height, villous height to crypt depth ratio, and jejunal SGLT1 gene expression, but decreased gastric pepsin activity and tended to decrease jejunal Na-K-ATPase activity. In the third experiment, the effect of PA on piglet performance and ion uptake in jejunum mounted in Ussing chamber, and jejunal SGLT1 protein level was evaluated. Phytic acid did not affect jejunal SGLT1 protein expression, but lowered piglet performance and jejunal active ion uptake. In conclusion, results from this study show that PA can reduce the apparent ileal digestibility of sodium to a negative value, indicating that PA can increase ileal endogenous sodium loss. The results also show that PA can reduce the pepsin activity and ion uptake in the gut. The reduced pepsin activity implies increased secretion of the enzyme plus hydrochloric acid and hence increased secretion of sodium bicarbonate that neutralizes the acid. The reduced ion uptake by PA implies reduced nutrient absorption. Because sodium is absorbed partly by co-transportation with other nutrients, the reduced ion uptake by PA implies reduced sodium absorption. Thus, it appears that PA increases ileal endogenous sodium flow partly through reduced pepsin activity and ion uptake in the small intestine. Overall, the results show that phytase (a PA-hydrolysing enzyme), which is added in pig diets to improve phosphorus availability, does not only improve phosphorus availability, but alleviates ant-nutritional effects of PA as well.

This thesis describes the evolution of an environmental learning program for Indigenous, urban youth called Bridging the Gap. A critical pedagogy of place provides a theoretical framework to engage in a practitioner-reflection, exploring the decisions made while revising the original program to make it both culturally and ecologically relevant. Using an action research methodology, the practitioner-researcher resolves to continue to seek resolution to relevant aspects of marginalization in attempt to facilitate reinhabitation for Bridging the Gap learners while emphasizing the program’s place-specific social, economic, and ecological situatedness.

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to identify demographic and psychosocial correlates of illicit drug use among pregnant women and to explore the life experiences and circumstances that contribute to women’s use of illicit drugs during pregnancy. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design consisting of quantitative and qualitative components was used. The results of the quantitative component found that women who are depressed, of First Nations ethnicity, drink alcohol during pregnancy, smoke during pregnancy, and have low self-esteem are more likely to use illicit drugs during pregnancy. The qualitative component of the study identified four themes that impacted women’s use of illicit drugs during pregnancy. These included: (1) living a chaotic life as a child, (2) complicated life circumstances, (3) social support system, and (4) the road to recovery. The information gathered during this study will inform practice and policy and may guide future research in this area.

Interventional technologies such as elective percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI)are increasingly used to manage the symptoms of coronary artery disease (CAD); however, this treatment approach is associated with poor risk factor management. The purpose of this study was to understand the factors that influence the health behaviors of elective PCI patients. A qualitative approach, using Interpretive Description, was used to explore the ten participants’ healthcare experiences, their perceptions of CAD, and the rationale for their health choices. This generated a profile of these individuals and their post-PCI health behaviours. Health behaviours were influenced by multiple factors and are reflected in the themes: what a relief – I’m better; uncertainty about their future health; the importance of relations; and barriers to lifestyle change. These findings not only extend our understanding of the elective PCI patients’ health behaviour choices but also provides insight into key areas to target for improving health service delivery.

The World Trade Organization’s (WTO) latest round of negotiations, the Doha Development Agenda (DDA), will likely change the way most agricultural products are traded around the world. These new liberalization policies will potentially affect the Canadian production and consumption of dairy products. This thesis uses a partial equilibrium model with stochastic world prices to evaluate the effects of these trade reforms on the Canadian dairy industry. Different liberalization scenarios are simulated and the outcomes are analyzed and discussed.

Wheat bran contains a diverse collection of macronutrients, micronutrients and bioactive components, including those thought to have an important role in reducing the risk of many chronic diseases. The complication of wheat bran as a functional food relates to its high insoluble fibre content, which renders bran and its constituent bioactives largely indigestible, and hence with limited bioavailability. The main objective of this thesis research was to evaluate the effects of heat treatments of branon the antioxidant activity and chemical composition of the bran. Presumably, if the solubility of wheat bran can be enhanced by pre-treatment, its biological impact associated with its fibre and resident phytochemicals would also be enhanced. Compared to untreated bran, freeze dried water soluble extracts of thermally treated bran had substantially enhanced levels of antioxidant activity and signficantly increased concentration of a very broad spectrum of bran bioactive constituents including phenolics, minerals, phytate, B vitamins, and non-starch polysaccharide fibre compounds. Results taken together point to the development of novel wheat bran and extracts with considerable commercial potential for whole grain food use and a variety of nutraceutical applications far beyond what may be possible with whole grain wheat or normal bran. Outcomes of the research highlight the conclusion that the nutritional and functional food benefits of normal wheat bran probably represent a fraction of its potential due to the limited digestibility of wheat bran, which in turn, limits the bioavailability of its fiber and constituent bioactive compounds.

The Superior Province is the Earth’s largest Archean craton. Its western portion in Canada represents the nucleus of the North American continent, and has a lineated structure with well-preserved supracrustal rock sequences, mineral resources, and greenstone-granite terranes. Its strong east-west tectonic fabric is most commonly attributed to the formation and widespread accretion of island arcs and accretionary prisms ~ 2.6 Ga ago (Lucas et al., 1998). The Superior Province is underlain by lithospheric mantle that exhibits strong regional variations in anisotropy and velocity structure (Darbyshire et al., 2007). The stratigraphy, velocity structure and thickness of the crust and upper-mantle beneath the western Superior Province, were examined through the analysis of seismic discontinuities on the radial and transverse components of P-wave receiver functions. Global earthquakes that occurred between 2003 and 2008 and recorded by 13 broadly spaced FedNor/POLARIS and CNSN three-component broadband seismic stations across western Ontario were used to create receiver functions. Receiver functions were calculated using a panel deconvolution approach (using inter-trace regularization constraints) to improve signal-to-noise ratio. Inversion for lithospheric parameters was carried out through a directed Monte-Carlo search method that uses the neighbourhood algorithm of Sambridge (1999). The receiver function data show indications of crustal and mantle layering. Generally, it was observed that in the western Superior Province, seismic stations in the southern portion of the study area (south of ~ 51° N): LDIO, EPLO, PNPO, TIMO and NANO reveal a uniform crust, but a complicated and layered mantle; whereas stations in the northern portion of the study area (north of ~ 51° N): KASO, RLKO, SILO, VIMO and PKLO reveal a more uniform mantle layer, but a stratified crust. The only exception is ATKO, which displays dominant crustal layering, but is located south of ~ 51° N. Other observations include: crustal discontinuities which lose continuity laterally, possibly due to subducting structures and/or regions of velocity gradients, and lobes of opposite polarities on the radial and transverse components of the receiver functions, which are indicative of either azimuthal anisotropy or dipping interfaces. Inversion of the receiver function data showed: 1) that crustal thickness beneath the western Superior Province varies between 39 and 46 km, similar to results from other studies such as Darbyshire et al. (2007), 2) a ubiquitous, anisotropic 15-20 km thick sub-Moho layer similar to results from studies such as Musacchio et al. (2004) and 3) two 20-25 km thick, anisotropic uppermost mantle layers observed only beneath certain stations. Modeling of the data for dip and anisotropy showed that observed back-azimuthal variation at stations with dominant crustal layering, is mainly in response to NE-SW dipping layer interfaces; while in the mantle, inherent azimuthal anisotropy is interpreted to result from frozen fabric due to regional tectonic stresses. Unlike other geophysical studies (Ferguson et al., 2005; Frederiksen et al., 2007; Darbyshire and Lebedev, 2009) in the western Superior Province that reflect the Province’s regional E-W fabric, the NE-SW anisotropic results from this study are in response to small-scale, local structures.