Projets novateurs réalisés

Chemical vapor deposition growth of Ga2O3 nanowire arrays and their application in solar blind UV detector

The proposed project aims at the formation of ordered arrays of beta-type gallium oxide (?-Ga2O3) nanowires using the technique of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and their application as solar-blind ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors. Currently at Bo Fu’s home institution, Shandong University, only disordered ?-Ga2O3 nanowires can be grown, which is a far cry from meeting the demand of practical applications. In order to grow ordered arrays of ?-Ga2O3 nanowires, Bo Fu will employ the pulsed laser-induced dewetting method in Dr. Yujun Shi’s Lab at University of Calgary to produce arrays of Au nanoparticles (NPs) as catalysts for the CVD growth of ?-Ga2O3 nanowires. Since the growth of ?-Ga2O3 nanowires using Au NP catalyst follows a vapor-liquid-solid mechanism, the position of the nanowire growth is dictated by the position of Au NP catalyst. Hence, by using Au NP arrays as catalyst, organized arrays of ?-Ga2O3 nanowires can be produced. This provides the necessary control on the ordered nanowire growth. After the successful formation of ?-Ga2O3 nanowire arrays on ?-Ga2O3 substrate, the solar-blind UV detector based on the nanowire arrays will be designed and fabricated.

Seismic vulnerability assessment of reinforced concrete buildings subject to main shocks and aftershocks (Part 2)

Many regions, both in the eastern and western provinces of Canada, are prone to moderate to high seismic hazards. The seismic hazards, coupled with older, vulnerable infrastructures, pose the potential for damage and loss of life. The economic impact of seismic induced damage, on the Lower Mainland of British Columbia alone, has been estimated at 14.3 to 32.1 billion dollars. The overall objective of this research will combine current knowledge in the areas of seismic hazard assessment, structural engineering, and risk assessment to provide a comprehensive methodology to evaluate buildings and determine efficient retrofit alternatives. In the first phase of this MITACS proposal, the applicant will develop a methodology to quantify site seismicity (main shocks) and subsequent aftershocks, and develop a methodology to quantify damage accumulation. Subsequently, the proposed project will develop a decision support tool to assist decision-makers in the planning and management of the non-code…..TOBECONTINUED

Évaluation des services écosystémiques de 25 milieux humides dans le bassin hydrographique désigné Iroquois-Blanchette à l’aide du nouveau protocole d’évaluation WESP-AC

Les milieux humides jouent des rôles très importants dans notre environnement par le biais de multiples services écosystémiques qu’ils offrent. Par exemple dans un bassin versant, ils servent de réservoirs tampons contre les inondations en aval; ils purifient l’eau de la nappe phréatique et des ruisseaux en servant de lieux de dépôt et d’extraction des polluants solides en suspension (sédiments) et dissouts (azote, phosphore…). La présente étude a pour objectif d’évaluer les services écosystémiques de 25 milieux humides situés dans le bassin versant Iroquois-Blanchette, source d’eau potable de la ville d’Edmundston. Les divers services offerts par ces milieux seront identifiés. Aussi seront identifiés les sources actuelles de stress sur ces milieux, l’état actuel d’intégrité écologique de chacun de ces milieux et enfin les d’actions à prendre pour les protéger, les conserver et les restaurer, le cas échéant.

Evaluating community-based behavioural interventions for persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities.

Our research goal is to improve community-based services for persons with developmental disabilities. We’ll test a service that helps people who are in crisis because their caregivers find it hard to meet their needs. We’ll develop and test a program to teach therapists how to involve parents in treatment decisions. Finally, we’ll test a program to teach kids to cross the street safely. Our partner, St.Amant, serves thousands of individuals and families every year. St.Amant and other agencies can use what we learn to help those people live safe and independent lives in their communities.

WP1.1.4 – Digital Compatible Modeling of Analog/RF/Optical Circuits

The intent of this project is to address the analog and silicon photonic modelling portion of a silicon photonic transceiver solution that will explore new and innovative metro reach terabit optical modems. In total there are five projects that combine to create the solution. These five project areas are silicon photonic design, high-speed electronic design, modelling, packaging, and test.
Optical transceiver simulation and verification is a challenging and time consuming task due to the complexity of models, diversity of simulators, and simulation intent.
The first part of the project is to address the problem of generation of a digital friendly library of analog models in system Verilog for Ciena’s analog IP to enable chip level verification. The models would provide different levels of abstraction and details tailored toward the intent of the simulation and verification. These models will be used for analog block level verification, chip level verification and test vector generation for production test and manufacturing.
The second part of the project intends to address the co-simulation of silicon photonic and electronic components and systems.

Handling of statistical heterogeneity in meta-analyses of observational studies on treatment comparative effectiveness

For some diseases, several treatments are available and it is therefore necessary to compare their effectiveness. When several studies have been published on such comparison, it is becoming common practice to combine the results through a method called meta-analysis. Combining results is however challenging owing to differences in populations and methodologies between studies. Not to consider such difference may invalidate the results. Although methods are available to take into consideration differences between individual studies included in the meta-analysis, they are not always followed when combining the results. The intern will review meta-analysis on the comparison between treatments that have been undertaken in the past 5 years and determine if differences between studies were handled appropriately. For the partner organization, this project will further the methodological expertise and know-how.

oN DuTy! – Innovative Program on NonDestructive Testing (NDT) – Part 2

NonDestructive Testing (NDT) is a key discipline in major industrial sectors to ensure quality and safety. Several methods are regularly employed in areas ranging from x-ray or ultrasound testing of metallic or composite components in the automotive and aerospace industries, to the inspection of petrochemical ducts using eddy currents or acoustical emissions. The present proposal combines different NDT-related subjects under the oN DuTy! training initiative supported by the NSERC CREATE, whose main objectives are of developing an enriched, unique and innovative Technical and Professional training experience in NDT for students and postdoctoral fellows through a network of leading NDT universities and industrial partners, thereby facilitating the transition of new researchers from trainees to productive employees in the Canadian workforce. The investigated subjects are at the forefront of current worldwide research efforts in NDT and deal with a variety of applications and challenges according to the actual needs of the partners.

Développement d’un essai multiplex pour l’étude de la signalisation intracellulaire de l’insuline sur la plateforme SnapChipMC.

Parallex BioAssays est une jeune biotech issue de travaux de recherche universitaire en génie biomédical. Au cours des dernières années, ils ont développé la SnapChipMC… un nouvel outil de laboratoire qui permettra d’accélérer la recherche biomédicale en mesurant plusieurs protéines à la fois, sans aucun compromis sur la qualité des résultats. Au cours de ce projet, le stagiaire postdoctoral participera très étroitement à la mise au point de nouveaux tests, de manière à rendre la SnapChipMC utile à tous les domaines de recherche. Parallex espère ainsi révolutionner la recherche, de l’idée jusqu’à la découverte de médicaments, et faire en sorte que les patients en bénéficient plus rapidement.

Succeed and Stay

The Greater Saint John area struggles. Too many people are leaving, not enough people are moving in. If this continues, governments will have great trouble. It will be hard to pay for road repairs, keeping schools open and so on. Likewise, employers already struggle to find people for the positions that do open up. Locals either cannot or will not take the several hundred jobs that do exist. The region does attract some immigrants from outside Canada, but only about 25 out of 100 decide to stay here. This research project aims to find out why this is the case, and what governments and organizations in Greater Saint John to encourage people to stay here once they have moved in. If we can improve connections to new jobs, make services better and make it easier to settle here, the region will become more attractive and the economy will improve.

Implementation of risk minimization measures and trends over time in the frequency of outcomes

Opioid-related harms such as abuse, misuse, addiction, diversion and overdose have been rising exponentially, a phenomenon referred to as the opioid epidemic. The current research will examine federal and provincial risk minimization measures (RMMs) regarding the opioid epidemic starting in 2016. We will develop a landscape of federal and provincial opioid RMMs, describe trends over time in the number and types of RMMs, assess the association between RMMs and public awareness and the association between RMMs and opioid-related harms. This research project will contribute to the methodological advancement of YOLARX Consultants. In addition, the project will lead to a conference abstract and publication. In Canada, opioid-related harm is a major public health issue, and multiple costly measures have been implemented as an attempt to curb the epidemic. The generation of evidence on the effectiveness of these measures would benefit the Canadian community.

Definitions of schizophrenia relapse as a study outcome and impact on the comparative effectiveness of oral versus injectable antipsychotics in the real-world setting

Schizophrenia is a devastating disease for which there is no cure. Available treatments aim at minimizing the symptoms. However, patients often stop taking their tablets, which leads to a worsening of their symptoms, referred to as relapse. In order to avoid the problems of discontinuation, some treatments are administered through an injection. Several studies have been conducted to compare the benefits of tablets versus injectable treatments on the risk of relapse. However, to combine those results is a challenge because relapse is not defined the same way across those studies. This project will be conducted to identify all the definitions of relapse that have been used and to determine whether combining the results is methodologically acceptable.

Understanding Stress Signaling in Childhood Cancers to Elucidate New Strategies for Therapy in Metastatic Childhood Cancers

The Sorensen laboratory-based Childhood Cancer Research Program is specifically focused

on elucidating the genetic and biological determinants of the metastatic process in childhood

cancer. Metastatic disease remains the single most dominant driver of adverse outcome in

most childhood cancers, particularly in childhood sarcomas. Research in the program is

dedicated to uncovering the mysteries of metastatic childhood cancer. This distinguishes the

Childhood Cancer Research Program from other international efforts, which are typically

focused on analysis of primary tumours. There are two basic strategies in the program for

studying metastatic disease in childhood cancers. The first is to focus on cell stress signaling.

Emerging evidence indicates that adaptation to prototypical forms of cell stress plays a major

role in tumor cell selection and metastasis. The second strategy is to perform next-generation

sequencing of childhood tumours in triplicate specimens (samples of the primary and

metastatic tumours and matching normal tissues). By sequencing both primary and

metastatic tumours from the same patients, and comparing them to….TOBECONTINUED