This dissertation sought to add to knowledge of the links between human and ecosystem health by examining relationships between biodiversity and human nutrition in the East Usambara Mountains, Tanzania. Grounded in a theoretical framework drawing from systems approaches to human…

Tight, yet dynamic, control of translation is critical in order for the cell to respond appropriately to intracellular and extracellular cues. This translational control is achieved by modulating the rate of translation in an mRNA-specific or global manner, often by…

Topological quantum computing is an approach to the problem of implementingquantum gates accurately and robustly. The idea is to exploit topological propertiesof certain quasiparticles called anyons to obtain a proposed implementation of quan-tum computing which is inherently fault-tolerant. The mathematical…

Hearing loss is one of the most common birth defects. Early identification of hearing loss is very important because even a mild hearing loss can seriously delay language development and compromise communication, educational and social capabilities. Tympanometry is a promising…

Currently, online social networks (OSNs) do not provide validation mechanisms to verify the identity of a user who is seeking linkage with another user. This shortfall is exploited by attackers to infiltrate other people's social circles to gain access to…

The primary contention of this study is that there are ways to orient architecture other than technological concerns. By studying the nature of architectural machines and their changes through history, their reduction to instrumental and aesthetic concerns is shown to…

In September 2011, approximately 1700 unionized non-academic staff at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec went on strike. Using institutional/political activist ethnography, this study examines the informal learning of non-academic staff during the strike and assesses how their experiences are coordinated…

Context: Evidence shows a strong positive correlation between poverty and numerous adverse health conditions, including oral health diseases. Low-income individuals face barriers in accessing and receiving dental care services due to many causes including tensions in their relationship with dentists.…

Nunavut has the highest incidence of food insecurity in Canada, where 56% of Inuit households are believed to experience difficulties in obtaining sufficient food. Food insecurity occurs when food systems are stressed such that adequate nutrition is not accessible, available,…

A practical concern of many studies in survival analysis is the study of the risk patterns of a disease, mortality, or other time-related event in a population. The structural change of these patterns are usually explored via the hazard function,…