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<p> This research investigates human perception of brief auditory events presented sequentially. Following an analysis of current, relevant theories, two experiments arc described. The results of the first experiment show that two trains consisting of n and n+l pulses become more difficult to discriminate from each other as (i) the time between the pulses decreases (ii) the number of pulses in the trains increase and (iii) the size of the set of stimulus trains increases. The results of Experiment 2 indicate that discrimination between a pair of "empty" intervals differing only by a constant duration depends on the time between the pulses marking the beginning and end of the intervals and not on the duration of the markers. Discrimination decreases as the durations of the pair of intervals increases. This research investigates human perception of brief auditory events presented sequentially. Following an analysis of current, relevant theories, two experiments arc described. The results of the first experiment show that two trains consisting of n and n+l pulses become more difficult to discriminate from each other as (i) the time between the pulses decreases (ii) the number of pulses in the trains increase and (iii) the size of the set of stimulus trains increases. </p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

In Canada, construction companies are facing disruptions to their operations due to bad or extreme weather conditions such as thunderstorms, heavy precipitation, flooding, heatwaves and snowstorms, which cause project delays, loss of productivity and increased financial costs. This sector is prone to more disruptions due to increase in the frequency, duration and intensity of extreme weather events due to future climate change. This study examined the impacts of extreme weather events on infrastructure development companies and investigated their current practices and actions to alleviate these impacts. A survey questionnaire was developed and administrated to owners, managers, engineers, supervisors and planners of construction companies. Apart from descriptive evaluations, the survey responses were quantitatively analyzed to determine the impact of bad weather conditions on the construction companies. The findings of this study suggested that most construction companies’ operations were delayed due to bad or extreme weather events. However, construction industry is not adopting proactive measures to avoid or minimize these impacts. The main environmental factors impacting construction companies, included flooding, high winds or thunderstorms, warm/cold temperatures, heatwaves and snow/ice storms. These bad weather impacts were more significant for non-government construction companies as compared to those working in the government sector. Indirect impacts of bad weather included disruptions to their supply chain networks and changes in customer behaviors; however, these impacts were minor compared to direct environmental impacts. The study found that both government and non-government sector construction companies granted accommodations to the workers during bad weather conditions; however, government sector companies were more accommodating as compared to non-government companies. The study results also provided insight into the financial impacts of extreme weather events on construction companies. Weighted average losses for government sector companies were $2,200 per day of bad weather as compared to $8,155 per day for non-government companies. This suggested that non-government construction companies may experience serious financial consequences due to bad or extreme weather events. Study results further showed that there were no adequate guidelines, protocols or standards available to construction companies to adapt their operations and planning for extreme weather events. The study also highlighted the lack of adequate insurance products available for the construction sector to deal with bad weather. There was little tendency shown by the construction companies to use new technologies to deal with bad weather conditions. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop guidelines, protocols or standards for construction companies by involving all levels of the government and relevant private sector organizations. This study helps to determine the nature and scale of extreme weather impacts on construction industry and explores what strategies may be developed to alleviate these impacts and risks. Such knowledge will help companies better plan and manage their operations and effectively use their human resources. It will help in timely delivery of services and savings in costs by the infrastructure development companies, which are a major contributor to the Canadian economy. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Yes / This book is an edition of the Special Issue Advances in Modelling and Prediction on the Impact of Human Activities and Extreme Events on Environments that was published in Water journal.

Agricultural education has to alter its curriculum in order to remain in step with the changes in rural and urban lifestyles. It must continue to change and expand its offerings as society develops. As an industry grows large enough to offer a variety of careers, students need to be more aware of opportunities and gain the necessary skills to enter that job market. The equine industry qualifies as an important and viable part of not only Virginia’s economy, but also the national economy. Career Development Events (CDEs) are designed to help prepare students for careers in agriculture. Classroom instruction comes alive as students demonstrate their skills in a competitive setting. CDEs test the abilities of individuals, as well as teams, in 28 major areas of agricultural instruction (National FFA, 2006). The basic core of agricultural education program consists of three components: 1. classroom instruction, 2. FFA, including Career Development Events, and 3. Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) programs. The FFA is a co-curricular organization representing one-third of the total agricultural education program. As such, FFA activities should reflect the instruction provided in the agricultural education classroom and laboratory. The concern facing the profession relates to why there were 40 Virginia FFA chapters with a CDE horse judging team in 2005, but that only 12 programs offered an equine management course. The purpose of my research was to assess the perceptions of Virginia’s secondary agricultural education teachers toward the benefits of offering an equine management course, within the secondary agricultural education programs that have CDE horse judging teams. The survey of 40 agricultural teachers who had a horse judging team at the 2005 state CDE event showed that 14 (22%) of the teachers did teach an equine course or unit within another course, 21 (63%) did not, and five (15%) did not respond. Based on the findings of this study, teachers’ perceptions were that an equine management program and participation in equine Career Development Events are necessary. Teachers agreed the event improved their students’ overall academic performance, increased their acceptance of responsibility, and increased their self-confidence. / Ph. D.

Narratives are there in everyone's lives. They are made up of stories that interest us, stories that we want to share with others. However, narrative is not only limited to the written or spoken word. It is made up of a complex system of units and devices which can be explored in many different genres and media. One such medium is Architecture. This thesis is an investigation in decoding the elements that are essential for a narrative. Comparing and analyzing the concept using other medium especially the cinematic medium as a point of reference to understand how it can be applied to architecture. Testing out these discoveries to create a visual arts school in Lugano. / Master of Architecture

Paris' successful bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics arises in the midst of a grand rethinking of the politics of regional and local development in the Île-de-France region. The emerging ambition to advance a metropolitan model is fundamentally hindered by a historically persistent and burdensome institutional puzzle. Contravening the consensual political dogma that such intricate structure demands to be simplified, initiatives of metropolization prompted the establishment of a new administrative layer, the Métropole du Grand Paris (MGP). By advocating dynamics of cooperation, the MGP is the institutional manifestation of a State-led ambition to reinvent a detrimental power mosaic in the region. But limited resources, expertise, and jurisdictional authority prevent it from asserting relevance within the metropolitan conversation. Yet, the Olympic project provides the MGP with a compelling opportunity to manifest crucial competence and to significantly mature its authoritative influence. In this thesis, we explore the blending of the Grand Paris regional development project and the Olympic ambition by investigating the role of the 2024 Summer Olympics in the establishment of an ambitious yet fragile metropolitan model. We use key informant interviews and secondary sources such as news articles, bid books, and official documents to interrogate the way France is tackling, in the 21st century, the challenges of metropolization. Our evidence suggests that Paris as a city of projects fundamentally corresponds to a ground for experimentation that puts institutions and infrastructure at the forefront of discussions. It appears clear that the Games correspond to a grand excuse to legitimize investments in ongoing projects (specifically the Grand Paris Express) and to consolidate State-led spatial reforms with little risk of dissension. The 2024 Summer Olympics are the State's cautious means to inquire the feasibility of a grand ambition without committing to an overhaul of the jurisdictional structure of metropolization. / Master of Science / After multiple failed French mega event bids, Paris was elected as host city of the 2024 Summer Olympics. While ostensibly the 2024 Summer Olympics are linked to Paris, the spatial requirements of the event explicitly suggest Paris’ incapability to accommodate specialty infrastructure within its own city limits. Ultimately, an important negotiation must take place in order to identify potential sites suitable for olympic facilities while also considering the production of a significant urban, economic, and social heritage. As such, the 2024 Summer Olympics emerge as an opportunity to investigate the way France is tackling, in the 21st century, the challenges of metropolization. This paper examines the blending of the Grand Paris regional development project and the Olympic ambition. Relying on interviews with key informants and secondary sources such as news articles, bid books, and city planning documents, it specifically addresses the implications of organizing the distribution of jurisdictions in a complex multi-layered structure of governance and a desire for political legitimacy.

Epidemiological studies indicate that between 8 and 20% of children suffer from an anxiety disorder (Costello, Egger, & Angold, 2004). Researchers have worked for many years to map the developmental trajectory of anxiety in children, yet the pathways remain unclear. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between specific predictors and anxiety in middle school Caucasian and African American adolescents. A secondary purpose was to explore whether acculturation contributes to the prediction of anxiety, after controlling for exposure to negative life events, in the African American adolescents. For the total sample, results indicated that negative life events, social support, coping, and ethnicity were all significant predictors of anxiety, accounting for 18.9% of the variance in anxiety scores. These relationships were confirmed in separate analyses for the African American and Caucasian youth. Furthermore, acculturation moderated the relationship between negative life events and anxiety in the African American sample, as anticipated. More specifically, the relationship between negative life events and anxiety was stronger for those adolescents reporting more affiliation with their own culture. These findings suggest that culture is an important context in understanding the development of anxiety and that it requires additional exploration to understand its relations to the development of mental health problems more broadly. / Master of Science

This thesis examines the social and economic impacts of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Fortaleza, Brazil. The study used a budget analysis, and in depth interviews to ascertain the economic impact of the world cup games and the distribution of revenue across different sectors and socio-economic divisions within the local economy. A historical and vulnerability analysis was conducted through the examination of secondary sources (historical documents, census data, previous research on vulnerable populations) to identify groups and spaces of high social vulnerability. Qualitative data was then collected through in depth interviews with sources from all facets of society during the World Cup games and the following summer to identify the social impacts on these vulnerable groups and spaces. The thesis found that the final economic costs for infrastructure and stadium refurbishments associated with the World Cup in Fortaleza far exceeded the projected costs and the final economic impact on the local economy was half of projected estimates. While the city saw social benefits in the celebratory atmosphere and public security provided during the World Cup, there were also negative impacts on socially vulnerable groups and spaces including forced community relocations, increases in cases of commercial sexual exploitation, and rises in violent crime.