Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of using maize tassel as an alternative adsorbent for the removal of chromium (VI) and cadmium (II) ions from aqueous solutions. The effect of pH, solution temperature, contact time, initial metal ion concentration and adsorbent dose on the adsorption of chromium (VI) and cadmium (II) by tassel was investigated using batch methods. Adsorption for both chromium (VI) and cadmium (II) was found to be highly pH dependent compared to the other parameters investigated. Obtained results gave an adsorption capacity of 79.1 % for chromium (VI) at pH 2, exposure time of 1h at 25 ºC. Maximum capacity of cadmium of 88 % was obtained in the pH range of 5-6 at 25 ºC after exposure time of 1 h. The adsorption capacities of tassel for both chromium (VI) and cadmium (II) were found to be comparable to those of other commercial adsorbents currently in use for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous wastes. These results have demonstrated the immense potential of maize tassel as an alternative adsorbent for toxic metal ions remediation in polluted water and wastewater.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of using maize tassel as an alternative adsorbent for the removal of chromium (VI) and cadmium (II) ions from aqueous solutions. The effect of pH, solution temperature, contact time, initial metal ion concentration and adsorbent dose on the adsorption of chromium (VI) and cadmium (II) by tassel was investigated using batch methods. Adsorption for both chromium (VI) and cadmium (II) was found to be highly pH dependent compared to the other parameters investigated. Obtained results gave an adsorption capacity of 79.1 % for chromium (VI) at pH 2, exposure time of 1h at 25 ºC. Maximum capacity of cadmium of 88 % was obtained in the pH range of 5-6 at 25 ºC after exposure time of 1 h. The adsorption capacities of tassel for both chromium (VI) and cadmium (II) were found to be comparable to those of other commercial adsorbents currently in use for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous wastes. These results have demonstrated the immense potential of maize tassel as an alternative adsorbent for toxic metal ions remediation in polluted water and wastewater.

We show that, under certain conditions, instead of solving stochastic capacity expansion problems, we will obtain the same optimal solution by solving deterministic equivalent problems. Since only the first decision must be implemented immediately, knowing the optimal first decision is nearly as good as knowing the entire optimal sequences. Hence if we can solve the problem with 'big enough' finite horizon such that the first decision remains optimal for longer than this finite horizon, then we identify the 'big enough' finite horizon as forecast horizon. The forward dynamic programming recursion can be used to solve a finite horizon problem. An efficient forward algorithm has been developed to obtain the first optimal decision and forecast horizon. A heuristic algorithm also has been derived to prove an initial decision is within known error bound of the optimal first decision. Several examples are examined to investigate how a decision will be affected by randomness. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)

Synchronization is a problem of fundamental importance for a wide range of practical communication systems including reading media, multi-user optical channels, synchronous digital communication systems, packet-switched communication networks, distributed computing systems, etc. In this thesis I study various aspects of communication over channels with symbol synchronization errors. Symbol synchronization errors are harder to model than erasures or substitution errors caused by additive noise because they introduce uncertainties in timing. Consequently, the capacity of channels subjected to synchronization errors is a very challenging problem, even when considering the simplest channels for which only deletion errors occur. I improve on the best existing lower and upper bounds for the capacity of the deletion channel using convex and stochastic optimization techniques. I also show that simply finding closed-form expressions for the number of subsequences when deleting symbols from a string is computationally prohibitive. Constructing efficient synchronization error-correcting codes is also a challenging task. The main result of the thesis is the design of a new family of codes able to correct several types of synchronization errors. The codes use trellis and modified versions of the Viterbi decoding algorithm, and therefore have very low encoding and decoding complexities. They also have high data rates and work for reasonably noisy channels, which makes them one of the first synchronization-correcting codes that have any chance of being used in practical systems. In the last part of the thesis, I show that a synchronization approach can solve the opportunistic spectrum access problem in cognitive radio, where cognitive users want to communicate in presence of legacy users to whom the bandwidth has been licensed. I also consider the amount of communication required to solve a large class of distributed problems where synchronization errors can occur. More precisely, I study how allowing the parties to solve the problems incorrectly with small probability can reduce the total amount of communication or the number of messages that need to be exchanged.

The Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) is a Small Island State (SIS) with 29 atolls and five islands, it is a geographically and logistically isolated region of the world that lacks infrastructure and social service delivery. The negative impacts of social change related to urbanization and loss of tradition are of concern. This thesis is an exploratory study, utilizing a capacity development framework, of the RMI’s ability to respond to social change issues. The objectives are; to characterize the current social change issues, to identify the current capacity of the government and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to respond to social change issues, and to prioritize the gaps in government and NGO programming to address social change issues. Through qualitative methods the results identified that government and NGOs have an understanding of the root cause of social change issues, but lack capacity at the enabling environment and individual levels. / Richard and Sophie Hungerford Graduate Travel Scholarship

No description available.

Background – Every competent person in Ontario has the right to decide whether or not he or she will be admitted to long-term care. If your capacity to make such a decision is in doubt, then it is evaluated. The current evaluation process is inaccessible to people with aphasia or other communication barriers, and social work evaluators report significant problems in communicating with this population. Competent individuals have been found lacking in capacity because of communication barriers. Aims – To create a communicatively accessible capacity evaluation process with training in specialized communication techniques. Also, to test the validity and effectiveness of the Communication Aid to Capacity Evaluation (CACE) to reveal the inherent capacity of participants with aphasia using social work evaluators. Methods – 32 social workers were partnered with 32 competent participants with aphasia. They were randomly divided into an experimental and control group. Both groups administered the current ‘Capacity to Make Admissions Decisions’ questionnaire to establish a baseline measurement of capacity. The social workers in the experimental group were introduced to CACE and received communication training. Following a two-week interval they administered CACE and the control group re-administered the current capacity questionnaire. The 64 capacity evaluations were video recorded and 3 independent speech-language pathologists administered standardized assessment measures on the recordings. Finally, the participants completed surveys measuring confidence and communication abilities. Outcomes - Using the current capacity questionnaire, one social worker found a competent participant lacking in capacity and one third of social workers were unable to determine capacity. Following the introduction of CACE with communication training, analyses of the standardized measures and survey results showed a statistically significant difference between the participants in the experimental group and the control group. The social workers in the experimental group had significantly better communication skills, (‘Revealing Competence’ f (2, 29) = 12.03, p = 0.002), the participants with aphasia’ abilities to ‘Transfer Information’ increased, (f (2, 29) = 10.51, p < 0.003), and the evaluators’ confidence in their determinations of capacity improved (f (2, 29) = 13.511, p = .001). The use of CACE with communication training resulted in accurate determinations of capacity in competent participants with aphasia. Conclusions - CACE was an effective tool to evaluate the capacity to make a decision regarding admission to long-term care. It was communicatively accessible for this research population with aphasia, enhancing comprehension of the capacity process and enabling the person to communicate a response. Improved communication skills, transfer of information and confidence allowed the evaluators to accurately determine capacity.

Background – Every competent person in Ontario has the right to decide whether or not he or she will be admitted to long-term care. If your capacity to make such a decision is in doubt, then it is evaluated. The current evaluation process is inaccessible to people with aphasia or other communication barriers, and social work evaluators report significant problems in communicating with this population. Competent individuals have been found lacking in capacity because of communication barriers. Aims – To create a communicatively accessible capacity evaluation process with training in specialized communication techniques. Also, to test the validity and effectiveness of the Communication Aid to Capacity Evaluation (CACE) to reveal the inherent capacity of participants with aphasia using social work evaluators. Methods – 32 social workers were partnered with 32 competent participants with aphasia. They were randomly divided into an experimental and control group. Both groups administered the current ‘Capacity to Make Admissions Decisions’ questionnaire to establish a baseline measurement of capacity. The social workers in the experimental group were introduced to CACE and received communication training. Following a two-week interval they administered CACE and the control group re-administered the current capacity questionnaire. The 64 capacity evaluations were video recorded and 3 independent speech-language pathologists administered standardized assessment measures on the recordings. Finally, the participants completed surveys measuring confidence and communication abilities. Outcomes - Using the current capacity questionnaire, one social worker found a competent participant lacking in capacity and one third of social workers were unable to determine capacity. Following the introduction of CACE with communication training, analyses of the standardized measures and survey results showed a statistically significant difference between the participants in the experimental group and the control group. The social workers in the experimental group had significantly better communication skills, (‘Revealing Competence’ f (2, 29) = 12.03, p = 0.002), the participants with aphasia’ abilities to ‘Transfer Information’ increased, (f (2, 29) = 10.51, p < 0.003), and the evaluators’ confidence in their determinations of capacity improved (f (2, 29) = 13.511, p = .001). The use of CACE with communication training resulted in accurate determinations of capacity in competent participants with aphasia. Conclusions - CACE was an effective tool to evaluate the capacity to make a decision regarding admission to long-term care. It was communicatively accessible for this research population with aphasia, enhancing comprehension of the capacity process and enabling the person to communicate a response. Improved communication skills, transfer of information and confidence allowed the evaluators to accurately determine capacity.

No description available.

No description available.