Open Theses & Dissertations
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Item Unlocking the benefits of transfer learning in edge-cloud computing environments(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Nuh Mih, Atah; Cao, HungTransfer learning’s success motivates the need to understand its characteristics across cloud, edge, and edge-cloud computing paradigms. Thus, this extensive research evaluates the role of transfer learning in 1) cloud computing; 2) edge computing; and 3) edge-cloud computing. It first proposes a transfer learning approach to address the data limitation and model scalability challenges for machine learning in a cloud computing environment. Then, this study provides a model optimization for deep neural networks to improve hardware efficiency for training models on edge devices and investigates the role of transfer learning on resource consumption. Finally, a weight-averaging method is proposed for collaborative knowledge transfer across a unified edge and cloud computing environment to improve training performance for local edge models and global server models. The research conclusively shows that transfer learning benefits edge and cloud computing paradigms both individually and collaboratively.Item An investigation of designated pedestrian grade crossings and flangeway fillers(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Morrison, William Robert; Hanson, TrevorThere have been fatalities in Canada due to wheelchairs becoming immobilized in the "flangeway gap”, the gap between the road and the railway tracks that allows the train wheel to pass unimpeded. The Transportation Safety Board has identified the potential of flangeway fillers to eliminate the gap, but research on product suitability is needed, including deployment criteria. Crossings can be designated by road authorities for persons using assistive devices and Transport Canada’s Grade Crossing Standards outline the geometric requirements. Designated crossings may be candidates for flangeway fillers, however, the road authority designation process is not well understood at a national level. The following presents an inventory of practices for crossing designation among select road authorities across Canada. An analysis of designated crossings was conducted, and observations were generated. Finally, an economic evaluation of these products was conducted, and a discussion of potential next steps in this field is provided.Item “Heartbreaking, hardest part of the job”: Acute care nurses’ work with patients with dementia who self-neglect their hygiene(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Morris, Patricia; McCloskey, Rose; O’Regan, KarlaIntroduction: When nurses encounter people in institutional settings who are living with dementia and self-neglecting their hygiene, they are challenged to provide care that respects autonomy while upholding the ethical principles of beneficence and nonmaleficence. Method: The method of inquiry for this project was simulation-primed interviews. Eighteen acute care nurses were first immersed in a simulated nursing hand-off report where they heard the story of a patient who had declined offers of assistance with personal hygiene care. Participants were then asked to share how they would respond to this patient as an on-coming staff member. Findings: In response to the simulation, all participants described what they would do in an ideal world when working with the patient, as well as what they would not do. They talked about the daily work of nursing, and they shared the many creative ways that they would work with the patient to accomplish personal hygiene care in an ideal world. They also shared the many barriers they experience to providing desired care. Analysis: In describing how they would get the patient washed for the day, participants highlighted the importance of washing someone the right way. They described caring for the patient in the right way as a moral imperative that must be fulfilled to be a Good Nurse. When they encountered barriers to actualizing that care, participants worried that their status as Good Nurses was being called into question. Participants identified the primary barriers to actualizing the moral imperative in the context of dementia care as 1) neoliberal healthcare reform and 2) patients who had been incontinent and continued to decline their assistance with care. In the context of neoliberal healthcare reform, nurses were often unable to re-establish themselves as Good Nurses and experienced moral injury. In the context of self-neglect and incontinence, though, participants were often able to re-establish themselves as Good Nurses through three discursive strategies: 1) describing dementia as a pathological condition inherent to who the person is, 2) nominalizing care, rendering it a deliverable, and 3) describing fecal incontinence as an emergency.Item The presence of wild bees and their usage of floral resources in a non-pollinator dependent crop (Solanum tuberosum) with a surrounding forested landscape.(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Malayny, Abigail Victoria; Parachnowitsch, Amy; Vickruck, JessBees are the most important and recognized pollinators for plants across the globe, as many plant species are dependent on pollinators for reproduction. Bees in crops that do not require pollination has not been a large area of study, even though wild bees are still present in these ecosystems. Potato is a non-pollinator dependent crop grown for tubers, of which growth is not impacted by pollination. I examined what bees are found in non-pollinator dependent potato agroecosystems and whether these bees are using potato pollen resources. I collected bees in potato fields, field margins and the surrounding forest using blue vane traps and aerial nets. I found 41 species of wild bees, the most common of which were Lasioglossum and Bombus. Bees were abundant in the field margin and agriculture field but were rarely found in the forest. Seven bee species were found to collect potato pollen, but the majority was collected by Bombus impatiens.Item Attachment, emerging adult narratives and seeking mental health care(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Malashevsky, Sarah; DiTommaso, EnricoDespite research suggesting 15-25-year-olds require mental health care, they are challenging to reach. Attachment patterns impact adults' narratives, thoughts, beliefs, and behavioural expectations. Narrative-type development influences subjective experiences and one's willingness to seek help for struggles. Secure attachment predicts narrative type and help-seeking. Adverse childhood experiences influence identity and mental health help-seeking. Adversity in childhood influences attachment development throughout adulthood. The following study examined how narrative types affect mental health help-seeking among 19-30-year-olds. Attachment patterns and ACEs were also tested for MHHS prediction. One hundred and seventy emerging adults recruited from UNB and social media completed mental health help-seeking, attachment, and adverse childhood experiences measures. Adverse childhood experiences, narrative types (progressive, tragic, or redemptive), and attachment avoidance predicted mental health support avoidance. Applications, implications, and future directions are discussed.Item Thermomechanical modeling and analysis of a redesigned pultrusion cavity die using experimental and finite element methods(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Looi, Teck Ry; Saha, GobindaPultrusion enjoys one of the most versatile composite manufacturing methods. Pultrusion die (or mould) plays a central role in creating the condition for thermomechanical transformation of incoming fibers (mostly glass or carbon) impregnated with polymer matrix to obtain profiles of desired shape and size. In the process, the die material undergoes considerable wear/erosion due to sustained temperature, pressure, and friction at the contact point between fiber rovings and die cavity surface and, as well as from the leftover residue from previous runs. As a result, die maintenance is a common practice requiring opening and cleaning up of die compartments, made up of top and bottom segments, which often takes hours by skilled workforce. This is a dilemma; in one hand, pultrusion when automated can serve as a mass manufacturing method, and, on the other, when left unattended causes long downtime and process inefficiency. The primary objective of this research was to redesign the pultrusion die with a novel ‘bi-material’ concept. The new design incorporated a hard chromed P20 steel tube inside a lighter Al6061 alloy rectangular two-segment cavity die. The goal is to interchange the worn-off tube periodically, at minimum process interruption. Concurrently, the project integrated a thermoplastic polymer in the pultrusion manufacturing, thus replacing traditional thermoset resin with a goal to develop greener, structurally-flexible, long-lasting pultruded profiles in the redesigned die. To achieve the dual objectives, the research adopted a combined experimental/numerical research methodology on the utilization of a suite of tools and techniques. These included a bi-material design philosophy, die thermomechanical profile modeling using ABAQUS/Explicit® finite element method, material machining and surface finish, pultrusion design of experiments (DoE), material testing/characterization, and statistical analysis. The project addresses the exacerbating coastal erosion problems in the Acadian Peninsula of northern New Brunswick.Item Far field velocity measurements of a forced three-dimensional turbulent wall jet(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) LeBlanc, James P.; Hall, JosephAs shown in recent studies, the development of a three-dimensional turbulent wall jet can be altered up to x/D=20 by manipulating the discharge conditions at the nozzle outlet. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if the control observed in the near field carries on past x/D=20. A wall jet of Reynolds number 130,000 was subjected to symmetrical forcing using an array of synthetic jet actuators mounted around the nozzle outlet and forced at a St=0.20. The efficacy of the control was measured through the collection of mean streamwise velocity measurements from x/D=10 to 50. The results of this study have proven that forcing past x/D=20 continues to have an observable effect on the development of the three-dimensional wall jet - even up to x/D=50, where the maximum streamwise velocity is decreased by 15% over the uncontrolled jet and forcing caused the lateral half-widths to increase by 3.7%.Item Play/Fighting: A transfeminine activist memoir from the Digital Walden(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Kitts, Jamie; Schryer, Stephen; Robinson, MattePlay/Fighting: A Transfeminine Activist Memoir from the Digital Walden is a hybrid work of creative non-fiction, poetry, and close reading. Centered around an analysis of Walden, a game, a videogame adaptation of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden, Play/Fighting uses the story from the game to tell stories from my life as it intersects with videogame culture, activism, and the struggle for transgender rights. Taking inspiration from Ken Baumann’s EarthBound, Play/Fighting structures its telling through the gameplay and level progression from Walden, a game, with chapters named for the game’s levels and chapter content informed by the game’s plot. By incorporating aesthetics from nature writing and New Games Journalism, my thesis tests the “Play Deliberately” tagline from Walden, a game through the cultivation of solitude and the sublime.Item Investigating gaps in Canadian anti-money laundering regulations and practices(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Kirby, Brandon; Frooman, JeffThe thesis examines the relationship between Canada’s anti-money laundering (AML) and ‘know your client’ (KYC) policies and those of other jurisdictions. The hypothesis is that Canada is underperforming and an independent metric could be developed and replicated to determine this. The hypothesis was confirmed with Canada scoring below global averages. Recommendations on how to combat this problem and the consequences for failure on this are outlined.Item A glider-mounted shadowgraph camera as a tool for quantifying meso- and gelatinous zooplankton distribution(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Hynes, Natasha; Davies, KimberleyMonitoring zooplankton populations, especially those of energy-rich copepods, is of interest due to their roles as prey for many commercially important and endangered marine species. Autonomous sampling could help improve fine-scale temporal and spatial monitoring, complimenting conventional methods. Here, I evaluate the performance of a prototype, glider-mounted shadowgraph camera for estimating zooplankton identifications and concentrations. The evaluation was completed via a gear-comparison with standard samplers (a MultiNet Midi and UVP6-HF). Copepods were the most abundant taxon in the zooplankton community and the shadowgraph yielded mostly definite identifications, while the UVP6 had more uncertainties. The shadowgraph and UVP underestimated concentrations compared to the MultiNet, yet correlations were significant with both imaging sensors. The shadowgraph, with a Spearman correlation of 0.73 with the MultiNet, excelled at detecting vertical copepod layers and further studies should explore the shadowgraph’s ability to detect diel-vertical migration and develop machine learning tools to aid finer taxonomic identification.Item Node.js Energy Awareness on Asymmetric Multi-Processing Systems(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Hu, Hao; Kent, Kenneth B.New hardware platforms like hybrid architecture CPUs with different kinds of cores are the essential units that make computing devices more energy efficient. Node.js is a JavaScript runtime environment that powers applications in the cloud. We conducted research by combining hybrid architecture CPUs with Node.js to analyze the energy consumption pattern of the applications. The results show that by wisely using different configurations of CPU cores, we can save energy and meet service quality requirements. We proposed an approach that can save energy on Asymmetric Multi-Processing Systems. We give recommendations to developers on how to make better use of energy on such systems. We conducted research on a Kubernetes cluster by running experiments and analyzing various parameters that have impacts on scaling and energy consumption. The results give insights to developers and service providers on how these parameters impact energy consumption and performance.Item Understanding the relationships between design parameters, operational speeds and pedestrian safety at roundabouts(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Gallant, Alexander; Hildebrand, Eric D.; Hanson, Trevor R.This study explored relationships between roundabout design parameters, observed operating speeds, and motorist yield compliance to pedestrians. The research involved observation of operations at four roundabouts within the City of Fredericton, New Brunswick. All facilities had Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) installed at the marked crossings. A three-pronged study approach was employed that included determination of vehicle speed profiles, driver yielding and pedestrian behaviour, and a survey of pedestrian attitudes toward safety. The 85th percentile speeds observed for motorists at the marked crosswalk are marginally lower than the theoretical fastest path speeds at the roundabout exit. Another conclusion developed was the sightlines provided to motorists as they exit the roundabout are a key factor in the yielding rate. Yield rates were the lowest on the exit leg of high-speed roundabouts. The usage rate of RRFB’s was found to be higher at high-speed roundabouts.Item Quantifying the impact of energy storage as a transmission asset on composite power system reliability(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Figueroa Parra, Josif Elias; Bubbar, Kush; Young-Morris, GregThis thesis explores the application of Composite System Reliability (CSR) assessment in power system planning, presenting an open-source evaluation tool developed in a dynamic programming language with Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) and parallel computing capabilities. The tool addresses historical barriers by offering a transparent methodology and flexibility in incorporating various power flow methods and external solvers for large-scale projects. Energy storage, as a composite resource and transmission asset, presents both opportunities and challenges in power solutions. The thesis demonstrates the feasibility of calculating its equivalent transmission capability aligned with traditional alternatives, identifying optimal power and energy ratings for storage systems. While enhancing network adequacy, challenges such as capacity value saturation due to oversized systems are discussed. CSR assessments examine network changes' impact, emphasizing the necessity of informed decisions through security and economic analyses.Item A study on cross-lingual fake news detection in English and Arabic(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Elba, Abdelrahman; Hakak, SaqibAs fake news spreads across languages, the challenge of detecting it in linguistically diverse environments becomes increasingly critical. Existing fake news detection methods are predominantly monolingual and heavily biased towards resource-rich languages. Fake news detection models often encounter difficulties with language-specific limitations and fail to account for linguistic and cultural variations in cross-lingual scenarios. This research contributes a comprehensive cross-language analysis, exploring the effectiveness of various detection models in both monolingual and cross-lingual contexts. This thesis emphasizes the importance of translation models and their role in enhancing detection accuracy. The attention-based model proposed significantly enhances the effectiveness of fake news detection. The comprehensive cross-language analysis demonstrates the model’s superiority over existing methods, it showcases a significant improvement in detection accuracy, with a 15% increase over conventional methods. The results show an improvement in accuracy, indicating a promising direction for future research.Item Cid and the Raiders(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Duggan, Thomas; Schryer, Stephen; Creelman, DavidCid and the Raiders is a short story collection about how changing economic conditions and cultural upheaval caused by the decimation of the rural economy, increased oil work, and reactionary politics challenge working- and middle-class identities. As corollaries to class identities, the collection also addresses masculinities, which are frequently tied up to working- and middle-class identities, and nostalgia, which is an understandable symptom of radical economic and cultural change. Themes explored include the fluidity and contestation of working-class identities; the effects of work and environment on ideology creation; the constructions of masculinity; and nostalgia. The stories map ‘class’ through engagement with previous depictions of the post-cod moratorium and post-oil boom NL in Maritime fiction and art. While sites of migratory work and oil extraction remain a conspicuous absence, images of these sites remain in echoes, symptoms, and hauntings.Item Electrical resistivity imaging for embankment seepage monitoring(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Danchenko, Dmitriy; Butler, Karl E.Measurements of electrical resistivity variations are of special interest for non-invasive investigation of concentrated seepage through embankment dams . An experimental resistivity monitoring system is in development at the Mactaquac Hydroelectric Generating Station in New Brunswick, Canada. With 123 electrodes distributed over a 70 m x 25 m area adjacent to a concrete sluiceway structure, the system runs autonomously each night, collecting over 7000 apparent resistivity measurements. Annually the resistivity of water in the reservoir varied by nearly a factor of four, providing a strong signal for use as a tracer to highlight regions that appear to have experienced preferential water flow. Order-of-magnitude estimates for seepage flux are calculated by analyzing the time lag between resistivity changes measured in the reservoir and the dam core. The results suggest that the electrical resistivity imaging approach is feasible for seepage monitoring at water retaining structures, even in an electrically noisy environment.Item Layer-by-layer coating of cellulose paper to impart robust superhydrophobicity and water vapor barrier properties(University of New Brunswick, 2024-04) Alibolandi, Mehdi; He, Zhibin (Ben)The rise in single-use plastic waste poses a significant environmental threat. Biodegradable cellulose paper is a potential eco-friendly alternative but is vulnerable to water, oxygen, and air. This study enhanced cellulose paper’s barrier properties by coating it with Precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), nanocellulose, and Alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), along with layers of Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), Cellulose Filament (CF), and Carboxymethyl cellulose nanofiber (CM-CNF). These layers were applied using filtration and dip coating techniques. Characterization showed the coated paper had a contact angle of 169°, a sliding angle of 5.5°, and significant reductions in water absorptiveness (88.9%) and water vapor transmission rate (83.5%). It also exhibited improved air resistance and a 137% increase in tensile strength, making it a robust, eco-friendly packaging solution for the food industry, resistant to water, vapor, air, acid, and organic solvents.Item Open-source web GIS for Arctic seafloor mapping: Improving the interactivity of public data dissemination(University of New Brunswick, 2024-03) Vainionpää, Madeline; Church, IanThe ease-of-use of online GIS software has encouraged many organizations to publish their geospatial data to a web mapping interface. With respect to the field of ocean mapping, this has been a breakthrough towards public accessibility since this data is easy to absorb in a visual format. There is a specific need for a Canadian Arctic-focused web portal which can host a unique dataset collected by the CCGS Amundsen over several decades. This project employs open-source JavaScript to not only display the Amundsen’s dataset on a web GIS interface, but to display it alongside third-party seabed data. The end user can manipulate the datasets using two interactive toolkits. The first is a statistical analysis toolkit which compares bathymetry raster imagepyramids that are hosted using web mapping services (WMS). The second is a three-dimensional visualization tool which virtually draws bathymetric WMS information in the same scene as cross-sectional seabed subsurface data.Item Monitoring saltmarsh restoration in the upper Bay of Fundy using multi-temporal Sentinel-2 imagery and Random Forests classifier(University of New Brunswick, 2024-03) Naojee, Swarna M.; Leblon, Brigitte; Barbeau, MyriamSaltmarshes provide important ecosystem services, including coastline protection, but face decline due to human activities and climate change. There are increasing efforts to conserve and restore saltmarshes worldwide. My thesis evaluates the effectiveness of Sentinel-2 satellite imagery to monitor landcover changes using a saltmarsh restoration project in New Brunswick, undergoing its 9th to 12th year of recovery. Specifically, from 2019–2022, five satellite images per growing season were acquired. Random Forests classification for 13 landcover classes (ranging from bare mud to various plant communities) achieved high overall classification accuracy, peaking at 96.43% in 2021. Field validation points confirmed this, with high validation accuracies reaching 93.02%. Classification results successfully distinguished ecologically significant classes such as Spartina alterniflora–S. patens mix. My results revealed the appearance of high marsh species in restoration sites and elevational-based zonation patterns, indicating progression. They demonstrate the potential of Sentinel-2 imagery for monitoring saltmarsh restoration projects, aiding management efforts.Item Bank and Barn Swallow movement and roost site use patterns in eastern New Brunswick(University of New Brunswick, 2024-03) Fensore, Sarah C.; Nocera, Joseph J.Aerial insectivores, bird species defined by their common method of foraging for insects in flight, are experiencing the greatest population declines of any avian guild in Canada. My study focuses on two aerial insectivore species which have exhibited extreme population losses in Atlantic Canada since 1970: Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) and Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica). I investigated these species’ movement ecology in the Chignecto Isthmus using radio telemetry to 1) identify key wetland roost sites and characterize roost site use to inform wetland conservation and 2) explore Bank Swallow foraging movement patterns to identify temporal or sex-based differences. Pinpointing key wetland roost sites proved difficult, and my results indicate that Bank Swallows use multiple sites throughout the season, which may change in use frequency over years. I also identified significant changes in Bank Swallow foraging amount over the season, and a potential inequality between the sexes during peak breeding.