Environmental assessment of Lake Gibson sediments, water quality, and soils of the Niagara Region

In light of the fact that literature on toxicity of heavy metals in non-acidified freshwater systems is sparse, this project was initiated to conduct an environmental assessment of Lake Gibson. Chemistry of soils from adjacent areas and vineyards in the region provide a comparative background database. Water quality determinations were used to identify and highlight areas of environmental concern within the Lake Gibson watershed. A Shelby Corer was used to obtain 66 sediment cores from Lake Gibson. These were sectioned according to lithology and color to yield 298 samples. A suite of 122 soil samples was collected in the region and vicinity of Lake Gibson. All were tested for metals and some for Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH). Evaluation of the results leads to the following conclusions: 1. Metal concentrations ofAI, Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb, Ni, Fe and Zn in soils from the Niagara Region are well below background limits set by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy (MOEE) for provincial soils. 2. There is a spatial and depth difference for some of the metals within the various soils. The Cr, Ni and Pb contents of soils vary throughout the region (pWater Disposal Guideline of 1,500 mg/kg. 7. Four areas within Lake Gibson are especially degraded with respect to TPH. One area is just downstream from the Old WeIland Canal divergence point and waterfall. Other areas of concern are located just south of Beaverdams Road and just west ofthe Ontario Hydro control pipes; south ofthe Village ofBeaverdams. The fourth area of environmental concern and TPH impact is located between Highway 406 and Merrittville Highway.

The influence of water on the glucose affinity of hexokinase

In the present thesis, the role of hydration during the glucose induced conformational change of hexokinase is investigated. This is accomplished by applying the osmotic stress technique. The osmotic stress technique is founded on varying of the activity of water in a system in order to determine ifs effects. This is accomplished by adding inert solute molecules that are excluded from the system under study. The solute molecules used within the present investigation are Polyethylene glycols (PEGs). PEGs aid in the removal of water from hexokinase by exerting osmotic pressure. The osmotic pressures of the PEG solutions are also measured with both vapour pressure osmometry and secondary osmometry with phospholipids. An interesting discovery is made in that the osmotic pressures of PEG and co-solute solutions are non-additive. This indicates that PEG concentrates co-solutes in solution by making a certain proportion of the water inaccessible. Glucose binding was measured fluorometrically and the glucose equilibrium dissociation constant (GEDC) of hexokinase is measured in solutions containing the different MW PEGs. Changes in the sensitivity of the glucose affinity with osmotic pressure allows the calculation of the change in the numbers of polymer-inaccessible water molecules upon the binding of glucose to hexokinase ~Nw. It was determined the ~Nw decreases with increases in osmotic pressure in the presence of all MW PEGs. ~Nw decreases from values between 45-290 water molecules at low pressure to approximately 15 at high pressure. There is also a molecular weight dependence observed. There are large decreases in ~Nw with osmotic pressure in the presence of PEGs above MW 1000. However, below MW 1500 changes in ~Nw with osmotic pressure are relatively small. These findings are interpreted with respect to two possible mechanisms involving changes in the conformation of hexokinase u~der osmotic pressure and the access of the PEG molecules to water surrounding hexokinase.

Comparison of non-HDL cholesterol and waist circumference vs. triglyceride levels and waist circumference in predicting coronary heart disease risk

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia is recognized as a major cause of coronary heart disease (CHD). Emerged evidence suggests that the combination of triglycerides (TG) and waist circumference can be used to predict the risk of CHD. However, considering the known limitations of TG, non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL = Total cholesterol - HDL cholesterol) cholesterol and waist circumference model may be a better predictor of CHD. PURPOSE: The Framingham Offspring Study data were used to determine if combined non-HDL cholesterol and waist circumference is equivalent to or better than TG and waist circumference (hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype) in predicting risk of CHD. METHODS: A total of3,196 individuals from Framingham Offspring Study, aged ~ 40 years old, who fasted overnight for ~ 9 hours, and had no missing information on nonHDL cholesterol, TG levels, and waist circumference measurements, were included in the analysis. Receiver Operator Characteristic Curve (ROC) Area Under the Curve (AUC) was used to compare the predictive ability of non-HDL cholesterol and waist circumference and TG and waist circumference. Cox proportional-hazards models were used to examine the association between the joint distributions of non-HDL cholesterol, waist circumference, and non-fatal CHD; TG, waist circumference, and non-fatal CHD; and the joint distribution of non-HDL cholesterol and TG by waist circumference strata, after adjusting for age, gender, smoking, alcohol consumption, diabetes, and hypertension status. RESULTS: The ROC AUC associated with non-HDL cholesterol and waist circumference and TG and waist circumference are 0.6428 (CI: 0.6183, 0.6673) and 0.6299 (CI: 0.6049, 0.6548) respectively. The difference in the ROC AVC is 1.29%. The p-value testing if the difference in the ROC AVCs between the two models is zero is 0.10. There was a strong positive association between non-HDL cholesterol and the risk for non-fatal CHD within each TO levels than that for TO levels within each level of nonHDL cholesterol, especially in individuals with high waist circumference status. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the model including non-HDL cholesterol and waist circumference may be superior at predicting CHD compared to the model including TO and waist circumference.

Evolutionary synthesis of stochastic gene network models using feature-based search spaces

A feature-based fitness function is applied in a genetic programming system to synthesize stochastic gene regulatory network models whose behaviour is defined by a time course of protein expression levels. Typically, when targeting time series data, the fitness function is based on a sum-of-errors involving the values of the fluctuating signal. While this approach is successful in many instances, its performance can deteriorate in the presence of noise. This thesis explores a fitness measure determined from a set of statistical features characterizing the time series' sequence of values, rather than the actual values themselves. Through a series of experiments involving symbolic regression with added noise and gene regulatory network models based on the stochastic 'if-calculus, it is shown to successfully target oscillating and non-oscillating signals. This practical and versatile fitness function offers an alternate approach, worthy of consideration for use in algorithms that evaluate noisy or stochastic behaviour.

Delineation of within-site terroir effects using soil and vine water measurement. Investigation of Cabernet Franc

. The influence of vine water status was studied in commercial vineyard blocks of Vilis vinifera L. cv. Cabernet Franc in Niagara Peninsula, Ontario from 2005 to 2007. Vine performance, fruit composition and vine size of non-irrigated grapevines were compared within ten vineyard blocks containing different soil and vine water status. Results showed that within each vineyard block water status zones could be identified on GIS-generated maps using leaf water potential and soil moisture measurements. Some yield and fruit composition variables correlated with the intensity of vine water status. Chemical and descriptive sensory analysis was performed on nine (2005) and eight (2006) pairs of experimental wines to illustrate differences between wines made from high and low water status winegrapes at each vineyard block. Twelve trained judges evaluated six aroma and flavor (red fruit, black cherry, black current, black pepper, bell pepper, and green bean), thr~e mouthfeel (astringency, bitterness and acidity) sensory attributes as well as color intensity. Each pair of high and low water status wine was compared using t-test. In 2005, low water status (L WS) wines from Buis, Harbour Estate, Henry of Pelham (HOP), and Vieni had higher color intensity; those form Chateau des Charmes (CDC) had high black cherry flavor; those at RiefEstates were high in red fruit flavor and at those from George site was high in red fruit aroma. In 2006, low water status (L WS) wines from George, Cave Spring and Morrison sites were high in color intensity. L WS wines from CDC, George and Morrison were more intense in black cherry aroma; LWS wines from Hernder site were high in red fruit aroma and flavor. No significant differences were found from one year to the next between the wines produced from the same vineyard, indicating that the attributes of these wines were maintained almost constant despite markedly different conditions in 2005 and 2006 vintages. Partial ii Least Square (PLS) analysis showed that leaf \}' was associated with red fruit aroma and flavor, berry and wine color intensity, total phenols, Brix and anthocyanins while soil moisture was explained with acidity, green bean aroma and flavor as well as bell pepper aroma and flavor. In another study chemical and descriptive sensory analysis was conducted on nine (2005) and eight (2006) medium water status (MWS) experimental wines to illustrate differences that might support the sub-appellation system in Niagara. The judges evaluated the same aroma, flavor, and mouthfeel sensory attributes as well as color intensity. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA), principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminate analysis (DA). ANOV A of sensory data showed regional differences for all sensory attributes. In 2005, wines from CDC, HOP, and Hemder sites showed highest. r ed fruit aroma and flavor. Lakeshore and Niagara River sites (Harbour, Reif, George, and Buis) wines showed higher bell pepper and green bean aroma and flavor due to proximity to the large bodies of water and less heat unit accumulation. In 2006, all sensory attributes except black pepper aroma were different. PCA revealed that wines from HOP and CDC sites were higher in red fruit, black currant and black cherry aroma and flavor as well as black pepper flavor, while wines from Hemder, Morrison and George sites were high in green bean aroma and flavor. ANOV A of chemical data in 2005 indicated that hue, color intensity, and titratable acidity (TA) were different across the sites, while in 2006, hue, color intensity and ethanol were different across the sites. These data indicate that there is the likelihood of substantial chemical and sensory differences between clusters of sub-appellations within the Niagara Peninsula iii

Upper Lakes Shipping Ltd. fonds 1955-1990, n.d. (non-inclusive)

In March 1931, Captain Bruce Angus was sent to Sarnia by Gordon C. Leitch, general manager of Toronto Elevators. He was sent to inspect the Sarnian to ensure it was still seaworthy. Leitch was a savvy business man, who had been active in the business community for a number of years. Leitch began his career with a partner in the lumber business. When that went under he moved into graineries and worked for the Winnipeg Wheat Pool for 12 years. After Winnipeg he moved to Toronto, which was closer to his home town of Ridgetown, Ontario. In Toronto Leitch became manager of the Toronto branch of the Canadian Wheat Pool. While managing the wheat pools in Toronto Leitch became aware of huge costs associated with shipping the grains from the praries into the Toronto area. He felt that there was no need for such costs and decided to do something to make them better and cheaper for the business. Originally the grain was loaded onto Lakers that would bring the grain from the praries to Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. It was stored there until needed by the Toronto graineries and then hauled across land by either truck or train. The land journey was the most expensive and the one which Leitch wanted to eliminate. This was a fine plan except for 2 obstacles that were quickly overcome. First of all the Welland canals were not large enough to accommodate the large carriers that were bringing in the grain. This was changing as the expansion and widening of the canals was already underway. The second issue was the lack of storage in Toronto for the grain. The grain elevators had been destroyed by fire in the late 1880s and never replaced. Leitch propsed his company built its own storage elevators along the water front to allow not only for easier access to the grain, and more timely production of products. The elevators would aslo create a reduction in shipping costs and an overall more competitoive price for the customers of the grainery. The company refused, so Leitch went elsewhere to friends and contacts within the grain industry. The elevators were built and Leitch quit his job with the Canadian Wheat Pool and became the general manager of the elevators. Although the elevators were built and ready for storage the next issue was filling them. None of the carriers wanted to do business with Leitch because the competition in Georgian Bay threatened to cancel their contracts if they did. Leitch saw no way around this, but to provide his own transportation. This is when he sent Captain Bruce Angus to scout out potential ships. The ship was purchased for $37,000 and after another $30,000 was spent to fix it up, it was ready for business. The need for transportation and the finding of a seaworthy ship, lead to the beginnings of the Northland Steamship Company. The Sarnian proved to not be enough for the business underway. Leitch decided another ship was necessary. He joined forces with James Norris the owner of the Norris Grain Company. He proposed they join forces to create a more economical means of transportating their products.

Impact of different irrigation strategies on grapes and wine quality of four grapevine cultivars (Vitis sp.) in cool climate conditions. An investigation into the relationships among ABA, water status, grape cultivar and wine quality

Niagara Peninsula of Ontario is the largest viticultural area in Canada. Although it is considered to be a cool and wet region, in the last decade many water stress events occurred during the growing seasons with negative effects on grape and wine quality. This study was initiated to understand and develop the best strategies for water management in vineyards and those that might contribute to grape maturity advancement. The irrigation trials investigated the impact of time of initiation (fruit set, lag phase and veraison), water replacement level based on theoretical loss through crop evapotranspiration (ETc; 100,50 and 25%) and different irrigation strategies [partial root zone drying (PRD) versus regulated deficit irrigation (RD!)] on grape composition and wine sensory profiles. The irrigation experiments were conducted in a commercial vineyard (Lambert Vineyards Inc.) located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, from 2005 through 2009. The two experiments that tested the combination of different water regimes and irrigation time initiation were set up in a randomized block design as follows: Baco noir - three replicates x 10 treatments [(25%, 50% and 100% of ETc) x (initiation at fruit set, lag phase and veraison) + control]; Chardonnay - three replicates x seven treatments [(25%, 50% and 100% of ETc) x (initiation at fruit set and veraison) + control]. The experiments that tested different irrigation strategies were set up on two cultivars as follows: Sauvignon blanc - four replicates x four treatments [control, fully irrigated (100% ETc), PRD (100% ETc) and RDI (25% ETc)]; Cabemet Sauvignon - four replicates x five treatments [control, fully irrigated (100% ETc), PRD (100% ETc), RDI (50% ETc) and RDI (25% ETc)]. The controls in each experiment were nonirrigated. The irrigation treatments were compared for many variables related to soil water status, vine physiology, berry composition, wine sensory profile, and hormone composition [(abscisic acid (ABA) and its catabolites]. Soil moisture profile was mostly affected by irrigation treatments between 20 and 60 em depth depending on the grapevine cultivar and the regime of water applied. Overall soil moisture was consistently higher throughout the season in 100 and 50% ETc compare to the control. Transpiration rates and leaf temperature as well as shoot growth rate were the most sensitive variables to soil water status. Drip irrigation associated with RDI treatments (50% ETc and 25% ETc) had the most beneficial effects on vine physiology, fruit composition and wine varietal typicity, mainly by maintaining a balance between vegetative and reproductive parts of the vine. Neither the control nor the 100 ETc had overall a positive effect on grape composition and wine sensory typicity. The time of irrigation initiation affected the vine physiology and grape quality, the most positive effect was found in treatments initiated at lag phase and veraison. RDI treatments were overall more consistent in their positive effect on grape composition and wine varietal typicity comparing to PRD treatment. The greatest difference between non-irrigated and irrigated vines in most of the variables studied was found in 2007, the driest and hottest season of the experimental period. Soil water status had a greater and more consistent effect on red grapevine cultivars rather than on white winegrape cultivars. To understand the relationships among soil and plant water status, plant physiology and the hormonal profiles associated with it, abscisic acid (ABA) and its catabolites [phaseic acid (PA), dihydrophaseic acid (DPA), 7-hydroxy-ABA (TOH-ABA), 8' -hydroxy-ABA, neophaseic acid and abscisic acid glucose ester (ABA-GE)] were analyzed in leaves and berries from the Baco noir and Chardonnay irrigation trials over two growing seasons. ABA and some of its catabolites accurately described the water status in the vines. Endogenous ABA and some of its catabolites were strongly affected in Baco noir and Chardonnay by both the water regime (i.e. ET level) and timing of irrigation initiation. Chardonnay grapevines produced less ABA in both leaves and berries compared to Baco noir, which indicated that ABA synthesis is also cultivar dependant. ABA-GE was the main catabolite in treatments with high water deficits, while PA and DPA were higher in treatments with high water status, suggesting that the vine produced more ABA-GE under water deficits to maintain rapid control of the stomata. These differences between irrigation treatments with respect to ABA and catabolites were particularly noticeable in the dry 2007 season. Two trials using exogenous ABA investigated the effect of different concentrations of ABA and organs targeted for spraying, on grape maturation and berry composition of Cabemet Sauvignon grapevines, in two cool and wet seasons (2008-2009). The fIrst experiment consisted of three replicates x three treatments [(150 and 300 mg/L, both applications only on clusters) + untreated control] while the second experiment consisted in three replicates x four treatments [(full canopy, only clusters, and only leaves sprayed with 300 ppm ABA) + untreated control]. Exogenous ABA was effective in hastening veraison, and improving the composition of Cabemet Sauvignon. Ability of ABA to control the timing of grape berry maturation was dependant on both solution concentration and the target organ. ABA affected not only fruit composition but also yield components. Berries treated with ABA had lower weight and higher skin dry mass, which constitutes qualitative aspects desired in the wine grapes. Temporal advancement of ripening through hormonal control can lead to earlier fruit maturation, which is a distinct advantage in cooler areas or areas with a high risk of early frost occurrence. Exogenous ABA could provide considerable benefits to wine industry in terms of grape composition, wine style and schedule activities in the winery, particularly in wet and cool years. These trials provide the ftrst comprehensive data in eastern North America on the response of important hybrid and Vitis vinifera winegrape cultivars to irrigation management. Results from this study additionally might be a forward step in understanding the ABA metabolism, and its relationship with water status. Future research should be focused on ftnding the ABA threshold required to trigger the ripening process, and how this process could be controlled in cool climates.

Genetic Programming for Non-Photorealistic Rendering

This thesis focuses on developing an evolutionary art system using genetic programming. The main goal is to produce new forms of evolutionary art that filter existing images into new non-photorealistic (NPR) styles, by obtaining images that look like traditional media such as watercolor or pencil, as well as brand new effects. The approach permits GP to generate creative forms of NPR results. The GP language is extended with different techniques and methods inspired from NPR research such as colour mixing expressions, image processing filters and painting algorithm. Colour mixing is a major new contribution, as it enables many familiar and innovative NPR effects to arise. Another major innovation is that many GP functions process the canvas (rendered image), while is dynamically changing. Automatic fitness scoring uses aesthetic evaluation models and statistical analysis, and multi-objective fitness evaluation is used. Results showed a variety of NPR effects, as well as new, creative possibilities.

Automatic Inference of Graph Models for Complex Networks with Genetic Programming

Complex networks can arise naturally and spontaneously from all things that act as a part of a larger system. From the patterns of socialization between people to the way biological systems organize themselves, complex networks are ubiquitous, but are currently poorly understood. A number of algorithms, designed by humans, have been proposed to describe the organizational behaviour of real-world networks. Consequently, breakthroughs in genetics, medicine, epidemiology, neuroscience, telecommunications and the social sciences have recently resulted. The algorithms, called graph models, represent significant human effort. Deriving accurate graph models is non-trivial, time-intensive, challenging and may only yield useful results for very specific phenomena. An automated approach can greatly reduce the human effort required and if effective, provide a valuable tool for understanding the large decentralized systems of interrelated things around us. To the best of the author's knowledge this thesis proposes the first method for the automatic inference of graph models for complex networks with varied properties, with and without community structure. Furthermore, to the best of the author's knowledge it is the first application of genetic programming for the automatic inference of graph models. The system and methodology was tested against benchmark data, and was shown to be capable of reproducing close approximations to well-known algorithms designed by humans. Furthermore, when used to infer a model for real biological data the resulting model was more representative than models currently used in the literature.