<p>Premelting is the formation of a thin, thermodynamically stable, liquid-like film at an interface for temperatures below the equilibrium melting temperature. Using a Monte Carlo technique, the underlying short range structural forces for premelting at the grain boundary can be directly calculated. This technique is applied to a (i) Σ9 ⟨115⟩ 120^o twist boundary and a (ii) Σ9 ⟨011⟩ {411} symmetric tilt boundary in an embedded atom model of Aluminum-Magnesium alloy. Both grain boundaries exhibit disordered structures near the melting point that depend on the concentration of Magnesium. The behavior is described quantitatively with sharp interface thermodynamics, involving an interfacial free energy that depends on width of the grain boundary, referred to as the disjoining potential. The disjoining potential calculated for boundary (i) displays a decreasing exponential dependence on width of the grain boundary, while the disjoining potential of (ii) features a weak attractive minimum. This work is discussed in relation to a previous study using pure Nickel, results of which can be useful to the theoretical study of thermodynamic forces underlying grain boundary premelting in an alloy.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

The composition of gut microbes affects host weight, immune function, and disease status, and is sensitive to diet, environment, and pharmaceutical exposure. The gut microbiome modulates the toxicity and bioavailability of chemical stressors, however the effects of chemicals on the gut microbiome of aquatic biota are largely unknown. The Waterloo and Kitchener wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) release effluents containing antibiotics, pharmaceuticals, and other contaminants into the Grand River (ON) that may negatively affect the gut microbiome of downstream organisms. In this study done in Fall 2018, I collected freshwater mussels (Lasmigona costata), several species of insect larvae, and riparian spiders (Tetragnathidae) from sites upstream and downstream of these WWTPs. The gut microbiome was analyzed following the extraction, PCR amplification, and sequencing of bacterial DNA using the V3-V4 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA genetic barcode. Changes in the relative abundance of major gut microbiome phyla were observed in all targeted aquatic organisms downstream of WWTPs except Hydropsychidae. Shannon alpha diversity, a measure of bacterial abundance and evenness, differed significantly among sites for mussels (one-way ANOVA: F=7.894, p=0.001), spiders (F=4.788, p=0.01), Perlidae (F=3.1, p=0.0056), Hydropsychidae (F=3.674, p=0.0014), and Heptageniidae (F=2.715, p=0.0143), but not for Baetidae and Ephemerellidae. In sites downstream of the Waterloo WWTP, alpha diversity decreased in spiders, while in sites downstream of the Kitchener WWTP diversity decreased in mussels and Perlidae, while increasing for spiders. Bray-Curtis beta diversity, a measure of dissimilarity between bacterial communities, was significantly dissimilar among sites in all invertebrate taxa (Permanova: p<0.02). Upstream sites differed from downstream Waterloo sites in spiders, Perlidae, and Hydropsychidae (Adonis pairwise: p<0.05), while upstream mussels, spiders, Perlidae, and Hydropsychidae differed from downstream Kitchener sites (p<0.05). Additionally, effluent-derived bacteria were found in the microbiomes of aquatic invertebrates downstream of the WWTPs and not upstream. Taxa was also a significant driver of bacterial composition and diversity in invertebrates. These results indicate that the gut microbiome of downstream organisms differed from the bacterial composition observed in the same invertebrate taxa upstream of the WWTPs, potentially leading to altered host health. This adds to our understanding of how chemical stressors impact the gut microbiome of aquatic and riparian biota; however, future studies are needed to investigate linkages between the gut microbiome and health of these species. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the representation of race, social class and gender in the 2013 video game Grand Theft Auto V. Postcolonial theory, including terms such as cultural hegemony, whiteness and Michel Foucaults definition of power, has served as the basis for the analysis. The postcolonial theory has been combined with class theory and gender theory for an intersectional analysis. Semiotic analysis has been used as the method in the thesis, and a total of nine story missions – three for each protagonist in the game – have constituted the material. The analysis has shown that Grand Theft Auto V contains stereotypical depictions of non-hegemonic groups in society, and that these depictions serve to perpetuate negative myths about members of ethnic minorities and the working class.

Warming climate will affect communities across Canada. Many of these communities do not have the adaptive capacity to deal with climate change related challenges. Indigenous communities are believed to be disproportionally affected by climate change because of the lack of adequate infrastructure, and historical and political obstacles that limit their overall adaptive capacity. Therefore, climate change data and information are required to understand the full extent to which these communities are exposed to climate risks. Many past studies in the literature have outlined the effects of climate change at large spatial scales. While these studies are important for understanding the broad effects of climate change, they are not useful for community or local adaptation planning. Ultimately, climate change impacts will be felt at a local level. Hence, high resolution climate change impact studies are urgently needed to capture the realities of these effects in greater detail and to provide relevant data and information at local and community levels, in particular for marginalized and Indigenous communities. Using observed meteorological and hydrologic data, high-resolution downscaled future climate simulations, and a process-based hydrologic model, this thesis explored the physical impacts of climate change on the Six Nations of the Grand River (Six Nations) reserve, which is the largest (by population) Indigenous community in Canada and the seventh largest in the United States and Canada. Changing climate conditions and extreme climate trends in the Six Nations reserve were explored using the widely used ETCCDI (Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices) extreme climate indices. Results indicated a warming and wetting trend in Six Nations, with the temperature rising by 3°C to 6°C by the end of the century and changes in seasonal precipitation. Extreme high temperature and precipitation indices will increase, causing potential human health impacts and increased flooding hazards for the community. A warming climate directly impacts the hydrological cycle and patterns. Analysis conducted using the Coupled Groundwater and Surface-Water Flow Model (GSFLOW) found that the McKenzie Creek - an important water provider for Six Nations - is sensitive to climate change due to its reliance on precipitation. Furthermore, study results showed that winter precipitation and streamflow are projected to increase, and snowpack water content is expected to decrease. These changes in streamflow will cause earlier winter-spring flooding events. Furthermore, agricultural production may be affected by reduced spring soil moisture recharge. Additionally, GSFLOW projected little to no change in late spring and summer streamflow which resulted in low water availability (Ptot-ET) during the growing season. Water availability was further examined by assessing future Blue Water (BW) and Green Water (GW) scarcity in the McKenzie Creek watershed. The water footprint method was used to calculate BW and GW scarcity. Study results showed that under current levels of water usage, BW scarcity would be “low” in the future. However, BW scarcity would increase to “significant” levels in the future, if water users started to withdraw more water for consumption, assuming maximum water withdrawal allocation (i.e., 0.47 m3s-1). This level of BW scarcity has the potential to cause ecological degradation and exacerbate water quality issues in the McKenzie Creek watershed. GW scarcity showed a steadily increasing trend throughout the 21st century due to climate warming. Spatial analysis showed that the western portion of the McKenzie Creek watershed may experience slightly higher levels of GW water scarcity in the future because of the lower water holding capacity of the soil. This may cause water users to withdraw more BW resources in western upstream areas, thereby decreasing BW available for downstream communities, including the Six Nations. Such disparity in water use among Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities may affect community relationships and social cohesion in the area. This thesis provides decision makers in Six Nations and more broadly in the McKenzie Creek watershed area with relevant climate change impact data and information that can be used in future climate change adaptation planning, disaster risk mitigation, and water resources management. Moreover, the results highlight the need for a comprehensive climate change vulnerability assessment of the Six Nations. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Le 21 mai 1730, le sieur Lefebvre de Bellefeuille, père et fils, seigneurs de Pabos, annoncent à des pêcheurs saisonniers basques que l'utilisation des plages et la pêche au large sont maintenant réglementées sur leur territoire. Celui-ci s'étend de Grande Rivière à Port-Daniel. Ils entreprennent de la sorte ce qui sera le plus important effort de colonisation dans une Gaspésie du XVIIIe siècle qui est, à cette époque, le domaine des pêcheurs itinérants européens. Pabos au régime français était une communauté permanente isolée du principal encadrement politique colonial. Elle était à la fois une seigneurie et une entreprise de pêche, dans un réseau de rapports économiques définis. C'était aussi un établissement de frontière dans un contexte colonial nord-américain. En quoi ces rapports seigneuriaux déterminaient-ils le fonctionnement de l'établissement et comment se présentaient les contraintes environnementales, autant physiques qu'économiques? L'étude pose en entier la question d'un établissement qui, en Gaspésie, était à la fois un avant-poste de l'Europe en Amérique et une frontière de la NouvelleFrance. En d'autres termes, l'organisation de cette seigneurie était-elle représentative d'une communauté coloniale française, dans cette partie de l'Amérique, durant la première moitié du XVIIIe siècle Les données archéologiques ne sont pas utilisées pour en connaître plus long sur la pêche en Gaspésie au XVIIIe siècle, mais pour mieux comprendre l'organisation d'une communauté permanente sur la côte atlantique au XVIIIe siècle. L'information archéologique, celle qui vient de l'étude des vestiges, ramène l'histoire au niveau de l'archéologie. Les traces de bâtiments mis au jour sont les données archéologiques les plus évidentes de la présence de 1' établissement. Elles comprennent celles de la maison des seigneurs sur l'Ile Beau Séjour, et celles des habitations des pêcheurs sur la pointe de Pabos-Mills. Les liens entre les uns et les autres sont les composantes significatives de l'analyse. Les artefacts servent à présenter l'interaction entre les données de fouilles (vestiges mobiliers et immobiliers), la culture matérielle et cette société coloniale au XVIIIe. L'importance du complexe alimentaire est bien illustrée dans l'étude de l'alimentation des habitants. L'étude se veut fidèle au thème central : l'originalité de Pabos tient à sa permanence et celle-ci fut assurée par une organisation rationnelle locale de l'entreprise. Le fil conducteur pour le lecteur est l'explication du fonctionnement interne de la seigneurie. / Québec Université Laval, Bibliothèque 2013

Ce mémoire entend démontrer que l'étude du discours alimentaire constitue un moyen original de saisir la rencontre de deux cultures. Par le biais de l'analyse des passages relatifs à l'alimentation présents dans le Grand Voyage du pays des Hurons (1632) du Récollet Gabriel Sagard, il cherche à porter au jour les représentations de l'Autre véhiculées par les descriptions et les traces, dans le récit, de la réaction d'un Français du début du XVIIe siècle confronté au monde amérindien. Ce n'est donc pas l'alimentation comme telle qui est étudiée mais son rôle de référent culturel. / Québec Université Laval, Bibliothèque 2013

The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of how women experience midlife. Social constructionism, which fits within the postmodern tradition, was the epistemological framework informing this study. Participants were asked to provide their life stories in text form. Texts were interpreted using the hermeneutic method of analysis. The researcher attempted to understand the midlife experience from the perspective of each participant whose meaning, attitudes and ideas have developed within a social context, keeping in mind that the researcher's own social context, ideas and values affected the interpretation of the texts. The research results add a new perspective to the `grand narrative' of midlife as a `crisis'. The new `voice' speaks of the possibility of positive development - of overcoming adversity; taking control; re-assessing life; breaking old patterns; discovering peace; putting down roots; confronting reality; gaining independence and finding new meaning. / Psychology / MA (Clinical Psychology)

Résumé: Parmi les technologies du 21e siècle en pleine expansion, la télécommunication sans-fil constitue une dimension fondamentale pour les réseaux mobiles, l’aéronautique, les applications spatiales et les systèmes de positionnement par satellites. Les nouveaux défis à surmonter sont à la fois l’augmentation des distances de transmission associée à l’accroissement des quantités de données véhiculées ainsi que la miniaturisation, la réduction du coût de production, la moindre consommation énergétique et la fiabilité de la solution technologique employée pour la chaîne de transmission. Dans ce sens, l’exploitation de bandes de plus hautes fréquences et la multiplication des canaux de transmission sont activement visées par les travaux de recherches actuels. Les technologies à l’étude reposent sur l’utilisation de systèmes intégrés pour répondre aux considérations de coûts de fabrication et d’encombrement. L’élément de base de ces systèmes, le transistor, établit largement la performance du dispositif final en termes de montée en fréquence, de fiabilité et de consommation. Afin de répondre aux défis présents et futurs, des alternatives à la filière silicium sont clairement envisagées. À ce jour, la filière nitrure de gallium est présentée comme la plus prometteuse pour l’amplification de puissance en bande Ka et W au vu de ses caractéristiques physiques et électriques, des performances atteintes par les prototypes réalisés et des premiers produits commerciaux (off-the-shelf) disponibles. L’exploitation de cette technologie à son plein potentiel s’appuie particulièrement sur la maîtrise des étapes de fabrication, de caractérisation et de modélisation du transistor. Ce travail de thèse a pour objectif le déploiement d’une méthodologie permettant la modélisation semi-physique de transistors fabriqués expérimentalement et démontrant des performances à l’état de l’art. Une partie conséquente de ce travail portera sur la caractérisation thermique du dispositif en fonctionnement ainsi que sur la modélisation d’éléments secondaires (éléments passifs) pour la conception d’un circuit amplificateur hyperfréquence. / Abstract: Amongst the emerging and developing technologies of the 21st century, wireless transmission is a fundamental aspect for mobile networks, aeronautics, spatial applications and global positioning systems. Concerning the associated technological solutions, the new challenges to overcome are both the performance increases in terms of data quantity as well as the associated device features in terms of size, production costs, energetic consumption and reliability. In that sense, the use of higher frequency bandwidths and increase of transmission channels are aimed by various current research works. Investigated technologies are based upon integrated systems to meet the criteria of devices costs and size. As the cornerstone of such devices, the transistor largely accounts for the final system performance in terms of working frequency, reliability and consumption. To respond to the challenges of today and tomorrow challenges, alternatives to the dominant current silicon process are clearly considered. To date, gallium nitride based technology is found to be the most promising for hyperfrequency power amplification for Ka and W bands given the associated physical and electrical characteristics, prototypes performance and first commercial “off-the-shelf” products. Exploitation of this technology to its full potential requires controlling and mastering the involved fabrication, characterization and modeling steps related to the transistor. This work aims at establishing a methodology enabling a semi-physical modeling of experimental transistors which exhibit state-of-the-art performance. A significant part of this work will also focus on thermal characterization of devices under test and on modeling of secondary elements (passive elements) suited for the design of hyperfrequency amplifiers.

Résumé : Cette thèse est une lecture commentée et une transcription d’une performance enregistrée sur bande sonore de la création collective Les Enfants de Chénier dans un autre grand spectacle d’adieu qui a été présentée du 23 septembre au 11 octobre 1969. Le spectacle a été créé à partir d’un canevas et d’une mise en scène de Jean-Claude Germain et il est basé sur les improvisations des comédiens Louisette Dussault, Nicole Leblanc, Monique Rioux, Gilles Renaud et Jean-Luc Bastien. Peu de documents d’informations ont survécu après une courte série de représentations de ce spectacle sinon une bande sonore et quelques critiques journalistiques. Pourtant, dans le Nouveau Théâtre québécois (1973), Michel Bélair affirme que le Spectacle d’adieu est un tournant dans l’évolution du théâtre québécois. Afin d’éclaircir le rôle de cette pièce dans l’évolution du théâtre québécois, nous nous attachons d’abord à situer le Spectacle d’adieu dans le contexte socioculturel de la période 1965 à 1970 au Québec. Un exercice comparatif binaire à la manière de Philip Stratford entre le Spectacle d’adieu et The Farm Show (du Théâtre Passe Muraille) démontrera ensuite que le Spectacle d’adieu a influencé le développement du théâtre canadien-anglais de l’époque. De plus, un des objectifs de cette thèse est d’offrir la première transcription d’une performance du spectacle enregistrée par Réginald Hamel en 1969. Cette transcription sera produite selon une méthodologie développée à partir de deux champs d’études principaux, soit le théâtre et l’anthropologie. / Abstract : This thesis is a comment and a transcript of a tape recorded performance of the collective creation Chenier’s Children in Another Great Farewell Show that was presented from September 23 to October 11 in 1969. The show was created from the canvas and the stage directions of Jean-Claude Germain. It also took its source in the improvisations of comedians Louisette Dussault, Nicole Leblanc, Monique Rioux, Gilles Renaud and Jean-Luc Bastien. Not much documentation survived after a brief series of performances of this show except an audio tape and a few newspaper critics. However, in the Nouveau Théâtre québécois (1973), Michel Bélair states that the Farewell Show is a turning point in the evolution of Quebecois theatre. In order to clarify the role of this play in the evolution of Quebec’s theatre, we first situate it in the sociocultural context of Quebec between 1965 and 1970. A binary comparison between the Farewell Show and The Farm Show (Theatre Passe Muraille) as proposed by Philip Stratford will demonstrate afterward that the Farewell Show influenced the development of English Canadian theatre at the time. Moreover, one of the objectives of this thesis is to offer the first transcript of a performance of the Farewell Show recorded by Réginald Hamel in 1969. This transcript is created according to a transcription methodology developed from two fields of study – theatre and anthropology.

This thesis examines travel to continental Europe as undertaken by several generations of Irish Protestants between 1660 and 1727. Historians draw parallels between the Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland and other polities in ancien régime Europe, but these demand an exploration of contemporary encounters. Research on the Irish in Europe concentrates on Catholics without much regard to Protestant experiences, while work on English or British travel overlooks ways in which Irish Protestant voyages differed. This thesis analyses the experiences of Church-of-Ireland families from the gentry, nobility and aristocracy, especially the Southwells, Percevals, Molesworths, Molyneuxs, Boyles and Butlers. Correspondence, notebooks and financial accounts reconstruct their voyages, mainly to France, Italy, the Low Countries and Germany, and their attitudes towards the practice of travel. Journeys to other destinations are incorporated, as are the voyages of neighbours, acquaintances and employees. Purposes varied, but travel was consistently considered an opportunity for 'improvement'. The thesis follows the successive preoccupations of travellers, beginning with demonstrations of 'fitness to travel'. Wealthy young men were judged according to criteria that privileged anglicisation and Protestantism, though linguistic skill was a more socially-comprehensive standard. Advisors emphasised civil conversation and written observation, but warnings to avoid 'countrymen' were ignored. The company of English-speaking travellers and Irish Catholic expatriates created distinctive European experiences. Foreign hosts often saw uncomplicated Englishmen, though some recognised Irish difference. Anglican travellers held qualified membership of a 'Protestant international', drawing on a cross-confessional 'stock of friends'. Travellers received tuition that complicates perceptions of travel as 'informal' education and they memorialised experiences through souvenirs and gifts. Voyages encouraged some into English residence and identifications, though others brought improvements home to Ireland. 'Improvement', as it related to wealthy Church-of-Ireland families, functioned not as a binary between approved England and disdained Ireland but a triangular exchange in which continental Europe featured prominently.