About MacSphere

MacSphere is McMaster University's Institutional Repository. MacSphere brings together the institution's scholarly works under one umbrella to preserve and provide ongoing open access to them. MacSphere works have been selected and deposited by members of the McMaster community as part of our collective committment to sharing our knowledge with the world.

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Students wishing to deposit their PhD or Masters thesis, please follow the instructions outlined by the School of Graduate Studies.

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 6

Recent Submissions

DEVELOPMENT OF QUINONE-POSITIVE ELECTRODE MATERIALS FOR AQUEOUS RECHARGEABLE ZINC-ION BATTERIES
(2026) Ibarra Espinoza, Alejandra; Higgins, Drew; Chemical Engineering
The ongoing acceleration of climate change experienced over recent years, driven by increased greenhouse gas emissions, has motivated the development of sustainable energy technologies. The power sector, currently responsible for approximately 40% of the global emissions, needs to undergo a decarbonization process to reduce global emissions. While renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, are increasing their integration into the grid, they depend on variable climate conditions. Consequently, they necessitate the development of stationary energy storage systems for mitigating the intraday fluctuations of power production. For this purpose, aqueous rechargeable zinc-ion batteries are an attractive option due to the safety of their aqueous electrolyte and the abundance of non-toxic zinc. Regardless of the extensive research around zinc-ion batteries, they still face technological challenges, particularly in the development of high-performing cathode materials. This thesis addresses this challenge through the investigation of the performance and working mechanisms of organic cathode materials within zinc-ion batteries. The research here developed identified three organic materials with theoretical capacities above 170 mAh/g, which were reached during the initial cycles of battery cycling. Additionally, one material tested in this work exhibited an enhanced capacity retention compared to other cathode materials, reaching a high value of 83% after 100 cycles, and ex-situ characterization showed the reversible intercalation of ions in its crystal structure. This work contributes to enhancing the performance and reliability of zinc-ion batteries for stationary energy storage applications. Furthermore, the scientific insights generated in this work contribute to the ongoing scientific questions regarding the energy storage mechanisms of organic cathode materials and their degradation processes.
Living evidence synthesis 22.2: Impact of strategies to mitigate health-related misinformation in diverse settings and populations
(2026-02) Velez CM; Wilson MG; Lithopoulos A; Presseau J; Wu N; Patiño-Lugo DF; Cura J; Smith M; Brehaut J; Gretton J; Nicklin W; Lavis JN
An in-depth synthesis of what is known, based on the best available research evidence from around the world (i.e., evidence syntheses) and local research evidence (i.e., single studies), about the impact of strategies to mitigate health-related misinformation in diverse settings and populations.
Rapid evidence synthesis #130: Approaches for improving primary-care access and attachment
(2025-12) Bain T; Goodale G; Whitelaw H; Waddell K; Ciurea P; Sivanesanathan T; Bhuiya AR; Mishra S; Ali A; Moat K; Lavis JN
An in-depth synthesis of what is known based on the best available global research evidence (i.e., evidence syntheses) and local research evidence (i.e., single studies) and may include a scan of experiences from other countries and from Canadian provinces and territories, about approaches for improving primary-care access and attachment in response to a decision-maker's request.
Methodological Contributions to Guideline Development in Oncology
(2026) Ismaila Olorunkemi Nofisat; Thabane, Lehana; Health Research Methodology
Clinical practice guidelines are used to standardize care provided by clinicians and are based on systematic review of available evidence. Due to the rapid advancement in therapies and need for more up to date guidance, living guidelines were developed to provide continuously updated, methodologically robust recommendations that keep pace with rapidly emerging evidence. In oncology, where disease burden is high and new data on therapies, and technologies evolve quickly, the living guideline model offers a promising approach for ensuring that guidance remains current, trustworthy, and implementable. Despite the importance of clinical guidelines and the growing interest in the living guideline model, important methodological questions remain regarding how best to evaluate guideline adherence, address implementation challenges, engage guideline panels, and integrate emerging tools such as artificial intelligence and automation in the development process. This thesis contributes to the methodological foundations of guideline development in oncology through four interconnected studies. The first chapter focuses on examining adherence to oncology clinical practice guidelines and its impact on patient outcomes with the use of a systematic review and meta-analysis. By quantifying adherence patterns and associated health effects, this chapter highlights the need for more evaluation studies on the uptake of guidelines and the importance of improving guideline implementation strategies to improve guideline adherence and patient’s health outcomes. The second chapter evaluates the Panel Subgroup (PSG) method as a structured approach to engaging multidisciplinary panels during guideline development. Findings demonstrate how PSGs can improve efficiency, inclusiveness, and methodological rigor which are elements critical to sustaining guideline processes over time. The third chapter explores barriers and facilitators influencing adoption of the living guideline framework within oncology by employing a mixed-methods design. This work deepens understanding of the contextual and organizational factors that shape successful development of living guidelines. The fourth chapter assessed current frameworks, methods, and applications of artificial intelligence and automation in living guideline development. This chapter maps the emerging methodological landscape and identifies opportunities for integrating AI and automation to support evidence surveillance, workflow optimization, and decision-making. Together, these four studies offer complementary methodological insights that advance the science and practice of guideline development in oncology. This thesis provides evidence, and practical considerations aimed at supporting organizations and guideline developers as they design, implement, and sustain guideline processes in a rapidly evolving clinical environment.
Behaviour Characteristics of Concrete Blocks
(1992-07) Donald Sandys Wunsch; Drysdale, R.G; Civil Engineering
Masonry construction has a reputation for long-term durability and relative freedom from maintenance. This is largely due to the level of quality control possible in a plant manufacturing environment. Current provisions in the material standard for concrete blocks were not felt to be comprehensive enough in describing properties which might be important for the performance of the material. Blocks from participating manufacturers were tested for: compressive strength, tensile strength, absorption, suction, permeability and shrinkage. In addition to specified standard procedures, alternate test methods for obtaining these properties were investigated. It was found that current provisions in the standard do not adequately account for permability and suction behaviour. A revision of the shrinkage requirements was recommended. Alternate procedures were recommended for some tests

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