title: My Autoethnography of Tree Planting in Northern Ontario

contributor:
Power, Elaine
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Tree planting
Rugged Individualism

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-05-28 14:36:47.346

abstract: The following research is an autoethnography based on the author’s three seasons of tree planting in northern Ontario. Tree planting in northern Ontario is a popular summer occupation for University students from southern Ontario. The contemporary demographic of tree planters is now dominantly university students which is unusual because tree planters were originally comprised of prisoners and marginalized individuals. After reviewing the history and development of the labour force, the research offers analysis of popularized perceptions of the occupation and of lived experience of the occupation. Popularized perceptions of tree planting are largely influenced by notions of Rugged Individualism. Rugged individualism emphasizes individual strength and resilience and is largely influenced by notions of Canadian nationalism and neoliberalism. These ideologies largely figure into not only perceptions of tree planting but also within the work environment itself. Tree planting offers an opportunity for students to take on a physical and mental challenge, make substantial summer earnings for the school year, and identify with a ‘tree planter’ image. Through autoethnography, these opportunities are discussed in relation to perceptions of the occupation. The research illuminates the positive aspects of tree planting such as sense of community as well as the negative impacts of neoliberalism within the work culture.

abstract: M.A.


title: Spruce bark beetle disturbance in the forest-tundra ecotones of southwest Yukon: impacts and predisposing factors

contributor:
Danby, Ryan K.
Environmental Studies

rights: Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada

rights: ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement

rights: Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University

rights: This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.

subject:
dendrochronology
forest dynamics
southwest Yukon
Kluane region
forest-tundra ecotone
spruce bark beetle

abstract: Thesis (Master, Environmental Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-05-28 11:57:40.688

abstract: As climate warms, phytophagous forest insects are expected to advance into previously unoccupied regions and/or experience population eruptions within their extant ranges.  Already stressed by abiotic factors, arctic and alpine treeline environments will therefore become increasingly vulnerable to insect disturbances.  Using vegetation surveys and dendrochronological techniques, we examined factors that may have predisposed the forest-tundra ecotones of southwest Yukon to spruce bark beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) infestation, and investigated the subsequent effects of insect disturbance on the growth and establishment of white spruce (Picea glauca).  Specific objectives were to evaluate (i) the relationships between stand structure and variance in beetle-induced mortality and (ii) growth patterns between stands affected and relatively unaffected by the outbreak.  Information on spruce size, reproduction and health, shrub cover, seedling density and size, stand density, and basal area was collected from three elevations at six sites, divided equally into three mortality classes.  A subset of mature spruce individuals – both living and deceased – was sampled from one low-mortality and one medium-mortality site.  Results demonstrated that hosts selected by spruce bark beetle were typically large individuals growing in dense stands, with spruce density and basal area dictating the extent of stand mortality.  The majority of mortality was concentrated at – though not exclusive to – forestline elevations, though incidence of attack was sporadic across the region.  At forestline, deceased individuals shared a period of accelerated growth when trees were between 75 and 150 years old, not present in their surviving counterparts, and had stronger temperature-growth correlations in early summer of the growing season than for still-living trees.  Post-outbreak growth releases were observed in several surviving forestline mature spruce, but this accelerated growth was restricted to stands that experienced high levels of spruce mortality.  The results indicate that host selection mechanisms and competitive restrictions in forest-tundra ecotones are similar to those in low-elevation, closed-canopy forests, but suggest that additional factors may increase susceptibility to attack in treeline environments.  Insect disturbance has the capacity to significantly alter treeline positions and dynamics, and is therefore an important factor to consider when assessing the future of forest-tundra ecotones.

abstract: M.E.S.


title: What is wrong with this picture?:  Indigenous artists contest the "place" of Indigenous people in Canada

contributor:
Kobayashi, Audrey
Geography

subject: Identity

subject: Stereotypes

subject: Normativity of Whiteness

subject: Canada

subject: Indigenous Artists

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2015-05-28 11:59:53.88

abstract:
Indigenous artists challenge cultural stereotypes by creating images that contest preconceived notions of the "place" of Indigenous people held by the Canadian population at large. This thesis research explores the question of identity and stereotypes and how this is transgressed through the work of contemporary Indigenous artists in Canada to adjust the position of Indigenous people in the social hierarchy that controls their "place." Many Indigenous artists incorporate political statements into their artworks that challenge the ongoing stereotypes that assign Indigenous people to their "place";  the political commentary is often the only aspect of their work that identifies it as "Indigenous," with a variety of techniques, media, and styles used in the creation of the art, reflecting the individuality of the artists.
	The normativity of whiteness and its impact on ideology and politics is examined, both in historical and contemporary times. Hegemonic images have promoted the Eurocentric concept that the White "race" is the norm and the standard by which others should be judged and put in their "place," contributing to the objectification of Indigenous peoples and the creation of the stereotypical "Indian," such as the "noble savage," and the "ignoble savage." Images created by contemporary Indigenous artists transgress these cultural stereotypes.
	The re-labeling and marketing of Indigenous "artifacts" as "art" reflects changing attitudes in the value placed on the work of Indigenous artists, transforming many from anonymous artisans into renowned artists. This recognition as creators of art provides opportunities for Indigenous artists to make public statements, with their work being widely displayed under the classification of contemporary art. The Sakahàn International Indigenous Art Exhibition held by the National Gallery of Canada in 2013 embodies the momentum that is building within the Indigenous artistic community; Sakahàn is the largest exhibition of any kind mounted by the National Gallery, to date, and is also the largest worldwide exhibition of Indigenous art.
	Identity is constantly changing in relation to events and circumstances; as the place of Indigenous people continues to be contested by artists, it will edge further on the continuum towards being "in place" instead of "out of place."

abstract: M.A.


title: The Effect of Insulin Sensitivity on Corticolimbic Responses to Metabolic and Visual Food Cues

contributor:
Van Vugt, Dean
Physiology

subject:
Corticolimbic Brain
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Glucose Challenge
Insulin Resistance
Insulin Sensitivity
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Appetite

abstract: Thesis (Master, Physiology) -- Queen's University, 2015-05-29 11:57:50.669

abstract: Insulin is one of several molecules that signals the energy balance state to the brain. This study examined the effect of insulin sensitivity on the responsiveness of appetite regulatory brain regions to visual food cues. Nineteen participants diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) were studied. Subjects were divided into insulin-sensitive (n=8) and insulin-resistant (n=11) groups based on the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR). Subjects underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while viewing food pictures following water or dextrose consumption. The corticolimbic Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) responses to high-calorie (HC) or low-calorie (LC) food pictures were compared within and between groups. BOLD responses to food pictures were reduced during a glucose challenge in numerous corticolimbic brain regions of insulin-sensitive subjects, but not in insulin-resistant subjects. In addition, a positive interaction was detected between insulin sensitivity and condition. Furthermore, the degree of insulin resistance positively correlated with the corticolimbic BOLD response in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), anterior cingulate and ventral tegmental area (VTA) in response to HC pictures and in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), mPFC, anterior cingulate, and insula in response to LC pictures following a glucose challenge. The activity in the OFC, midbrain, hippocampus, and amygdala was positively correlated with HOMA2-IR in response to HC>LC pictures following a glucose challenge. We conclude that the normal inhibition of corticolimbic brain responses to food pictures during a glucose challenge is compromised in insulin-resistant subjects. The increase in brain responsiveness to food pictures during postprandial hyperinsulinemia may lead to greater non-homeostatic eating and perpetuate obesity in insulin-resistant subjects. Understanding how insulin sensitivity affects appetite-regulating brain regions responses to food pictures is necessary for the development of prevention strategies and effective therapeutic targets for the treatment of obesity, particularly obesity related to insulin resistance in PCOS.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: The Effects of Climate on Microalgae Growth in Arctic Wastewater Stabilization Ponds

contributor:
Champagne, Pascale
Hall, Geoffrey
Civil Engineering

subject:
Wastewater Stabilization Pond
Arctic
Microalgae

abstract: Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-05-29 08:50:15.104

abstract:
The research presented in this thesis consists of work conducted in two studies designed to evaluate temperature effects on microalgal growth in Arctic wastewater stabilization ponds (WSPs). These systems are commonly used to treat municipal wastewater in small arctic communities, however, summer temperatures that rarely exceed 20oC could potentially limit microalgal growth. The presence of microalgae in these systems has been suggested to enhance wastewater treatment efficiency due to the synergistic relationship between microalgae and heterotrophic bacteria, supporting the need to develop a better understanding regarding the effects of climate and summer temperatures on microalgal growth for areas north of the 54th parallel.
The first study investigated the effects of temperature on the growth of the microalgal strain Chlorella vulgaris. Experimental data were subsequently compared against three models developed to predict algae growth as a function of temperature. Growth rates were evaluated for a range of 1-23oC and experimental results showed a strong correlation between maximum microalgal growth rates and temperature, where maximum microalgal growth rates were found to be at their lowest at 1oC and peaked at 23oC. The experimental data were then compared to the maximum growth values predicted by three mathematical models: the Eppley Curve, an Arrhenius Relationship and the Peeters & Eilers model. The latter was deemed to be the most suitable model for microalgal growth rates in arctic WSPs, as it predicted the maximum growth rates of C. vulgaris reliably for the temperature range of 1-23oC. The second study involved the modification of an existing numerical model which was developed to simulate biochemical processes in WSPs. The Peeters & Eilers growth equation was incorporated into this numerical model, along with historical weather data from Pond Inlet, NU in order to characterize the effects of arctic temperatures on microalgal growth in WSPs from year to year.
The results of these studies suggest that microalgal growth in Arctic WSPs is highly susceptible to temperature, and solar radiation fluctuations, and that the presence of microalgae in these system may contribute to wastewater treatment efficiency.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Cinema of Immanence: Mystical Philosophy in Experimental Media

contributor:
Naaman, Dorit
Cultural Studies

subject: Philosophy of Immanence, Sufism, Islamic Thoughts, Experimental film/cinema/video, Deleuze and Guattari, Rumi, Suhrewardi, Ibn Sina, Accented Cinema, diasporic cinema, intercultural cinema, theophanic imagination, Henri Corbin, Ibn 'al Arabi,Enfoldment and Infinity, fold, unfolding, Spinoza,

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Cultural Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-05-29 10:14:56.169

abstract: This research-creation discovers the connection between what Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari termed as the Univocity of Being, and the Sufi and pantheistic concept of Unity of Being (wahdat al-wujud) founded by the Islamic philosopher/mystic Ibn al-‘Arabī (A.H. 560- 638/A.D. 1165-1240). I use the decolonizing historiography of the concept of univocity of being carried out by the scholar of Media Art, and Islamic Thoughts Laura U. Marks. According to Marks’ historiography, it was the Persian Muslim Polymath Abu ‘Ali al-Husayn ibn Sînâ (980-1037) who first initiated the concept of haecceity (thisness)--the basis of the univocity of being. The thesis examines transformative experimental cinema and video art from a mystical philosophical perspective (Sufism), and by defying binaries of East/West, it moves beyond naïve cosmopolitanism, to nuanced understanding of themes such as presence, proximity, self, transcendence, immanence, and becoming, in media arts. The thesis tackles the problem of Islamic aniconism, nonrepresentability, and inexpressibility of the ineffable; as it is reflected in the mystical/paradoxical concept of the mystical Third Script (or the Unreadable Script) suggested by Shams-i-Tabrīzī (1185- 1248), the spiritual master of Mawlana Jalal ad-Dīn Muhhammad Rūmī (1207-1273). I argue that the Third Script provides a platform for the investigation of the implications of the language, silence, unsayable, and non-representation. This perspective sheds a fresh light on Deleuze’s secular philosophy of immanence and its obsession with creation, becoming, and expression as opposed to representation. By connecting Persian mysticism to contemporary immanentism, I argue that what Deleuze and Guattari proposed as the unthought or the thought without image, is enriched by the comparison to the inexpressibility of imageless Muslim God. For the purpose of contextualization, the thesis also engages with contemporary scholarships on global film/media such as accented, diasporic and intercultural cinema and video art. The creative component of the thesis was the production of five experimental videos that address the mystical philosophical ideas discussed in the thesis such as time, language, cine- thinking and visual thinking. The films and the theoretical component were developed in tandem, enriching and transforming each other.

abstract: To extract articles for publication.

abstract: PhD


title: A 'new experiment in local government': The Local Health Commission: A Study of Public Health and Local Governance in Black Urban Areas in Natal, South Africa, 1930 - 1959

contributor:
Epprecht, Marc
History

subject:
South Africa
Urban Areas
Public Health
Black Urban Areas
History
Local Government

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, History) -- Queen's University, 2015-05-29 11:06:56.578

abstract: The Local Health Commission (LHC) was established in 1940. Its significance lies in the fact that it adopted a public health-based approach to local governance and that it delivered health and welfare services to residents of the neglected black and multi-racial urban areas. Even though its mandate was the antithesis of the goals of urban apartheid, the LHC expanded its scope after the National Party came into power in 1948. This dissertation is firstly, an institutional history of the LHC. Secondly, it examines the ways in which black urban residents practiced in municipal institutions by demanding that the LHC not only fulfill its mandate but, that it also amend its programs in order to meet their needs. A third and final theme of this dissertation is the role of Advisory Boards in addressing the public health crises specifically, ways in which the ABs held the LHC accountable. By exploring the LHC through these three themes, this dissertation addressed larger historical questions: firstly, the role of white liberal bureaucrats in the development of public health and urban governance in South Africa and secondly, the nature of black people’s participation in state institutions before 1994.

abstract: I'm preparing a munuscript based on this dissertation.

abstract: PhD


title: Ternary Blend Ink Formulations for Fabricating Organic Solar Cells via Inkjet Printing

contributor:
Nunzi, Jean-Michel
Ratier, Bernard
Chemistry

subject:
carbon nanotubes
flexible photovoltaics
parallel bulk-heterojunction
colour-tuned polymer solar cells
printed electronics
ternary blend PSC
inkjet printing

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2015-05-29 15:04:29.501

abstract:
Two approaches were followed to achieve increased control over properties of the photo-active layer (PAL) in solution processed polymer solar cells (PSCs). This was accomplished by either (1) the addition of functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) to improve the charge transport properties of the device or (2) the realization of dual donor polymer ternary blends to achieve colour-tuned devices.
In the first component of the study, P3HT:PC61BM blends were doped with SWCNTs with the ambition to improve the morphology and charge transport within the PAL.  The SWCNTs were functionalized with alkyl chains to increase their dispersive properties in solution, increase their interaction with the P3HT polymer matrix, and to disrupt the metallic characteristic of the tubes, which ensures that the incorporated SWCNTs are primarily semi-conducting. P3HT:PCBM:CNT composite films were characterized and prepared for use as the photoactive layer within the inverted solar cell. The CNT doping acts to increase order within the active layer and improve the active layer’s charge transport properties (conductivity) as well as showed some promise to increase the stability of the device. The goal is that improved charge transport will allow high level polymer solar cell (PSC) performance as the active layer thickness and area are increased, which is an important consideration for large-area inkjet printing.
The use of ternary blends (two donor polymers with a fullerene acceptor) in bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) photovoltaic devices on plastic substrates was investigated as a future means to colour-tune ink-jet printed PSCs. The study involved the blending of two of the three chosen donor polymers [red (P3HT), blue (B1), and green (G1)] with PC61BM. Through external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurements, it was shown that even devices with blends exhibiting poor efficiencies, caused by traps, both polymers were able to contribute to the photovoltaic (PV) effect. However, traps were avoided to create a parallel-like BHJ (PBHJ) when two polymers were chosen with suitable physical compatibility (harmonious solid state mixing), and appropriate HOMO-HOMO energy band alignment. The parallel diode model was used to describe the PV circuit of devices with the B1:G1:PC61BM ternary blend.

abstract: As previously discussed with the School of Graduate Studies (Monica Corbett), my thesis is to remain restricted due to the industrial nature of the work.  My work was funded by a French company, DisaSolar, who has requested the restriction.

abstract: PhD


title: Quantum Nonlinear Optics in Lossy Coupled-Cavities in Photonic Crystal Slabs

subject:
Photonic Crystals
Scattering Loss
Spontaneous Four-Wave Mixing
Pair Generation
Pair Detection
Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics
Quantum Optics
Quantum Nonlinear Optics

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-02 11:02:20.718

abstract:
A general formalism is developed that can be used to obtain photon dynamics in coupled-cavity system in leaky photonic crystal slabs. This is accomplished using a non-Hermitian projection operator, where the coupled-cavity modes, known as quasimodes, are used as a basis. Because of this, intrinsic features of these quasimodes such as the leakage and the non-orthogonality are included in a self-consistent manner. The projection technique can be used to represent the Hamiltonian of a typical system in the basis of the quasimodes. In addition, the corresponding quantum Master equation and adjoint quantum Master equation are provided. By employing these, the time dependence of the density matrix and Heisenberg operators can be obtained.

In particular, a multimode Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian is obtained for photonic crystal slabs interacting with multiple quantum dots. As a proof of principle, a simple system with two quasimodes is considered, where the mode non-orthogonality affects the photon dynamics in a non-trivial manner. It is shown that, while the number of photons in each quasimode decays off, it also oscillates due to the quasimode non-orthogonality.

Using the same projection technique, the problem of nonlinear photon pair generation via spontaneous four-wave mixing in photonic crystal slabs is discussed. The main objective is to examine the effect of loss on pair generation in systems such as photonic molecules and coupled-resonator optical waveguides. Several conclusion are made. In addition to the overall loss rates of the pump, signal and idler photons, the loss difference between signal and idler channels plays an important role in minimizing the number of unpaired photon in the system. Also, there is a trade-off between source brightness and higher order generation depending on the losses in the system. This is important, because both the number of unpaired photons and the number of multiple photon pairs degrade device performance. Moreover, when slow light devices are considered, the probability of finding photon pairs at particular locations is affected both by the dispersive behavior of the waveguide and the lossy behavior. This is important as it opens up different possible design strategies that one might want to use in lossy systems.

abstract: PhD


title: Understanding Leadership Behaviours of Peer Athlete Mentors in Parasport Programs

contributor:
Latimer-Cheung, Amy
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Peer Mentor
Parasport
Leadership

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-02 23:08:15.822

abstract: Most individuals with a physical disability do not participate in sport despite its numerous benefits. Peers have been known to exhibit leadership techniques associated with increased motivation for sport and they play an important role in influencing behaviours of others with a physical disability (e.g., disseminating knowledge of resources). Transformational leadership (TFL) is associated with positive sport outcomes and has been associated with peers in the sport context. Transformational leaders use individualized consideration, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and idealized influence to enable their follower to perform beyond their own expectations. However, it is unknown how peer athlete mentors (mentors) use TFL to encourage and maintain sport participation among their mentees with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to understand the leadership behaviours, particularly the TFL behaviours of peer athlete mentors in parasport. Participants were 11 mentors and 10 mentees who have been involved in parasport. Data were collected through semi-structured telephone interviews. The interviews were grounded in TFL. Inductive content analysis revealed behaviours from the perspectives of mentors and mentees and the behaviours were deductively cross-referenced with TFL behaviours. Mentors recalled their own mentorship behaviours and behaviours of the mentors that encouraged them. Mentees recalled behaviours of their mentors and mentor behaviours they have begun to engage in. Behaviours were consistent with TFL and were generally perceived as the same among mentors and mentees. Individualized consideration behaviours were creating an enriching environment, appropriate peer matching, understanding readiness to participate, and understanding different personalities. Inspirational motivation behaviours were conveying optimism about the benefits of sport, telling success stories, and being a role model for sport excellence. Intellectual stimulation involved disseminating resources encouraging mentees to try, encouraging reducing sedentary time, and letting the mentee solve problems. Idealized influence included showing commitment, having a positive attitude, and fulfilling duties on the team. Negative behaviours speaking negatively about another sport and having unrealistic expectations. The results of this study provide an in depth description of the TFL used by peer mentors in parasport and can be used to inform peer athlete mentorship training programs in disability sport.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Enacting Cognition: Actor Education and the Performance of Everyday Life

contributor:
Elliott, Stephen
Education

subject:
Cognition
Learning
Dewey
Life
Lakoff
Varela
Drama
Mind-Body
Cogito
Teaching
Merleau-Ponty
Phenomenology
Student
Descartes
Aristotle
Performance
Artistic Mimesis
Plato
Enactive
Polanyi
Sartre
Enacting
Boal
Grotowski
Education
Stanislavski
Greene
Curriculum
Goffman
deCerteau
Art
Secondary Education
Post-Secondary Education
Experience
Professional Development
Movement
Dramatic Arts
Creative
Drama
Arts

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Education) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-03 10:24:20.174

abstract: This qualitative study explores inner and outer experience in the context of dramatic arts, and specifically in actor education. The author defines experience as the richness of now. It is everything that we bring to each moment, and everything that each moment brings to us. The dynamic space between inner and outer experience is found to be the place where thinking and feeling create our sense of be-ing. Movement between inner and outer helps determine the success of a dramatic experience. Literature from the disciplines of cognitive studies, dramatic arts, education, philosophy, psychology, and neurophysiology is examined alongside interviews with dramatic arts teacher-practitioners. These findings are considered in light of the author’s own experiences as a dramatic arts student, teacher, and participant. A conceptual model of cognition as an active and embodied phenomenon emerges. Building on models of “embodied cognition” (Lakoff and Johnson) and “enactive cognition” (Varela, Thompson, and Rosch), the author conceives of human thinking and being as “enacting cognition”. Enacting cognition is the dynamic synthesis of objective knowledge and personal understanding. It is the experience of be-ing.

abstract: PhD


title: Time-Dependent Performance of Column-Supported Embankments Involving Viscous Reinforcement and Prefabricated Vertical Drains

contributor:
Rowe, Kerry
Civil Engineering

subject:
PVDs
Soft Soils
Viscous Reinforcement
Time-Dependent Behaviour
3D Coupled Modelling
Column-Supported Embankments

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-05-30 22:00:08.84

abstract:
A fully 3D coupled finite element (FE) analysis is performed to examine the performance of four sections of a full-scale embankment on soft soils. The proposed FE model successfully captures the behaviour of full scale embankments involving geosynthetic-reinforced and piled sections, and the observed difference in performance of different improvement techniques, with respect to pore-water pressures, settlements, subsoil stresses, lateral displacements below the toe of the embankments, and reinforcement strains. The effects of geosynthetic reinforcement and multi-layers of reinforcement on the performance of the pile-supported embankment are discussed. The relative load transfer is calculated using eight existing methods and they are compared with the field measurements and numerical results.
Deep-mixing-method (DMM) columns which are less rigid than piles are increasingly used as a cost-effective soft ground improvement technique. The influence of reinforcement viscosity on the post-construction performance of embankments with DMM floating columns and fully penetrating columns is investigated using the 3D FE coupled model verified by aforementioned field case. It is shown that the viscous behaviour behaviour of geosynthetic reinforcement can increase the long-term shear deformations of foundation soil and also the horizontal toe movement. The DMM column-supported embankments with viscous and with inviscous reinforcement are numerically constructed to identify the effect and magnitude of reinforcement creep and stress relaxation.
It is shown that consideration of time-varying subsoil hydraulic conductivity has an important effect on time-dependent embankment behaviour particularly with respect to horizontal toe movement of reinforced and DMM floating-column supported embankments under working conditions. The potential interacting factors of the construction rate, column stiffness, column spacing, column type (floating and fully penetrating), reinforcement stiffness, and different foundation soil profiles are explored. The results show that there can be large residual (post-construction) crest settlement and a lengthy consolidation period for reinforced embankments with floating columns.
Finally, the short-term and long-term performance of reinforced, DMM floating-column supported embankments with and without prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) are investigated. The inclusion of PVDs is found to address the aforesaid issues. Also, the synergistic effects of PVDs and surcharge are examined for a bridge approach embankment.

abstract: Some data and codes are still needed for papers I am preparing. Thanks so much for your support to help restrict my thesis.

abstract: PhD


title: Modernist Ecology: Modernism and the Reimagination of Nature

contributor:
Willmott, Glenn
Wallace, Molly
English

subject:
Modernism
Ecocriticism
W. B. Yeats
D. H. Lawrence
Samuel Beckett

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, English) -- Queen's University, 2015-05-30 21:39:43.677

abstract:
Countering the trend in contemporary ecocriticism to advance realism as an environmentally responsible mode of representation, this essay argues that the anti-realist aesthetics of literary modernism were implicitly “ecological.” In order to make this argument I distinguish between contemporary and modernist ecological culture (both of which I differentiate in turn from ecological science); while the former is concerned primarily with the practical reform
characteristic of what we now call “environmentalism,” the latter demanded an all-encompassing reimagination of the relationship between humanity and nature. “Modernist ecology,” as I call it, attempted to envision this change through thematically and formally experimental works of art. Its radical vision, suggestive in some ways of today‟s “deep” ecology, repudiated modern accounts of nature as a congeries of inert objects to be manipulated by a sovereign subject, and instead foregrounded the chiasmic intertexture of the subject/object relationship. In aesthetic modernism we encounter not “objective” nature, but “nature-being” – a blank substratum beneath the solid contours of what philosopher Kate Soper calls “lay nature” – the revelation of which shatters historical constructions of nature and alone allows for radical alternatives. This essay looks specifically at modernist ecology as it appears in the works of W. B. Yeats, D. H. Lawrence, and Samuel Beckett, detailing their attempts to envision revolutionary new ecologies, but also their struggles with the limited capacity of esoteric modernist art to effect significant ecological change on a
collective level.

abstract: PhD


title: Capturing the Youth Perspective: Using Photographs to Explore Member Experiences at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada

contributor:
Lévesque, Lucie L.
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Extracurricular Activities
Postive Youth Development

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-05-31 11:32:36.334

abstract: Introduction: How youth cope with the many changes associated with adolescence, such as physical and sexual maturation, psychological development, changes in social situations, and often, new home life dynamics, determines whether or not they will make a healthy transition into adulthood (Breinbauer, 2005; Fraser-Thomas et al., 2005; Lerner, 2002; Roth & Brooks-Gunn, 2003; Roth et al., 1998). Programs promoting Positive Youth Development (PYD) have been shown to equip youth with competencies to successfully navigate this transition but programs are not equally available to youth of all socioeconomic strata. Not-for-profit programs such as The Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada strive to enhance accessibility to PYD experiences by offering low-cost or no-cost programs that are guided by PYD principles (Kerr, 2011; Roth & Brooks-Gunn, 2003). Though programs like the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada aim to provide a setting and opportunities for PYD, evidence linking program content to PYD from a youth perspective is scant (Lerner, 2005). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore youth perspectives of their Boys and Girls Club involvement through the lens of PYD outcomes and to examine how these perspectives fit with aspects of PYD endorsed by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. Methods: Boys and Girls Club youth members (n=7) were trained in Photovoice methodology to explore their experiences in Boys and Girls Club programming through photographs. Youth took photographs and shared the stories behind their photographs via interviews. Interviews were analyzed deductively, using Lerner and colleagues 5 C’s of PYD framework, and inductively for emerging themes using NVivo 10. Results: Youth participants indicated that their experiences at the Boys and Girls club were influenced by diverse factors; they also talked about how their participation in programs helped them develop interpersonal connections and individual growth. Overarching themes were: 1) PYD outcomes, and 2) ecological factors. Discussion: Youth participants displayed growth on an individual level through assets, experiences and opportunities made available to them through the Boys and Girls Club. This study contributes to the growing body of literature highlighting the importance of accessible PYD programming for adolescents.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Improved Framework for Monitoring Land-cover Changes by Using Remote Sensing Technology: From unsupervised and supervised, to targeted approaches

contributor:
Chen, Dongmei
Environmental Studies

subject:
Environment Science
Remote Sensing

abstract: Thesis (Master, Environmental Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-05-31 22:30:58.894

abstract:
Land-cover change monitoring has remained at the forefront of interest in environmental science and sustainability research for many years. Digital change detection, which mainly relies on remote-sensing technology, has been widely applied to encompass the quantification of dynamic land-cover change. A variety of digital change detection techniques can be categorized into unsupervised and supervised approaches depending on the availability of reference data.  Traditional unsupervised and supervised approaches both suffer certain issues which may lead to unreliable results of change discrimination. This thesis seeks to advance current methodology of digital change detection in order to better address the complexity of practical land cover monitoring.
Unsupervised methods are firstly investigated in the first manuscript under the condition of the unavailability of reference data. To deal with ambiguous definitions of ‘change’ and ‘no change’ existing in past research, an objective categorization system of ‘interested’ and ‘irrelevant’ change is constructed according to the nature of the considered scene of a given urban region.  An advantageous unsupervised change detection procedure is hereby developed to separate these interested and irrelevant changes by fully exploiting the complementary attributes of luminance and saturation.
In the second manuscript, a new and more applicable approach called ‘targeted change detection’ is described to improve change-detection techniques when reference data is available. In the proposed targeted approach, only reference data for targeted types are required with the goal of identifying only interested changes and discarding other classes, and thus the drawbacks of uncertainties and tedious sampling in the supervised approach can be addressed. An efficient algorithm for targeted change detection and its operational workflow are presented. Two very different study cases are used to demonstrate the proposed procedure with the results both showing the higher accuracy of our proposed method compared with other potential targeted change-detection methods.

abstract: The chapter 4 has been submitted to the journal and is still under review

abstract: M.E.S.


title: Novel Group 4, 9, 10, and 12 Complexes of Indenyl-Derived Ylides

contributor:
Baird, Michael C.
Chemistry

subject:
phosphonium-1-indenylide (PHIN)
Organometallic
Inorganic

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-01 00:14:55.56

abstract: The coordination chemistry of the phosphonium-1-indenylide (PHIN) ligand methyldiphenylphosphonium-1-indenylide (1-C9H6PMePh2, I) has been studied, and a new phosphonium-1-indenylide (PHIN) ligand methyldiphenylphosphonium-4,7-dimethyl-1-indenylide (4,7-dimethyl-1-C9H4PMePh2, II) has prepared and characterized by NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and X-ray crystallography. The zwitterionic structure of methyldiphenylphosphonium-4,7-dimethyl-1-indenylide II is isoelectronic with the cyclopentadienyl ligand and one can anticipate interesting coordination chemistry.[Ir(COD)][BF4] and [Rh(COD)][BF4] were prepared by reactions of silver tetrafluoroborate, AgBF4, with [Ir(COD)Cl]2 and [Rh(COD)Cl]2 and by reacting the resulting [Ir(COD)][BF4] and [Rh(COD)][BF4] with I and II. The resulting planar chiral iridium(I) and rhodium(I) complexes [Ir(η4-C8H12)(η5-I)]BF4 (III), [Ir(η4-C8H12)(η5-II)]BF4 (IV), [Rh(η4-C8H12)(η5-I)]BF4 (V), and [Rh(η4-C8H12)(η5-II)]BF4 (VI) were synthesized as pairs of enantiomers depending on which face of five-membered rings coordinates to the metal centers.  The iridium and rhodium complexes have been characterized by extensive NMR spectroscopy, high resolution mass spectrometry and elemental analyses. Hydrogenation of [Rh(η4-C8H12)(η5-I)]BF4 (V) and the oxidative addition of methyl iodide and benzyl chloride to all the new complexes III-VI were attempted. Coordination of I to a variety of metals in Groups IV, IX, X, and XII, was attempted.

abstract: PhD


title: Rateless Coding for Single-Source Networks with Common Information

contributor:
Yousefi, Shahram
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
LT codes
Mixing Probabilities
Sampling Pattern
Fountain codes

abstract: Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-02 16:06:39.16

abstract: In this thesis, we consider the communication problem of a single source simultaneously transmitting to multiple receivers whose sets of requested messages overlap. For decades, one of the challenges in this broadcast setting has been decreasing the number of transmissions from the source to the terminals without increasing the system complexity. The multicast and broadcast problems with ‘common’ information have been mostly studied ‘existentially’: information-theoretical bounds on rates and capacities have been discussed in a number of previous works. In this work, we take the contrasted ‘constructive’ viewpoint and attempt to design practical transmission protocols with low encoding and decoding complexities. Our approach is based on rateless fountain coding equipped with efficient belief propagation (BP) decoders. While previous network coding solutions require high-complexity Gaussian elimination decoding for optimality, fountain codes allow for much better performance-complexity trade-offs with BP decoders due to their sparse decoding Tanner graphs. We provide insights and solutions for the 2-terminal setting as an example that show the extraordinary power and flexibility of fountain codes to address the conflicting challenges in the design of efficient transmission protocols. Our ideas can be extended to larger number of receivers and though we have focused on Luby-Transform (LT) codes, other fountain coding distributions can be equally useful. The proposed coding methods in this thesis can be applied to many practical systems such as wireless sensor networks (WSN) that have limited power, memory, and processing capabilities.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Photovoltaic system performance enhancement: Validated modeling methodologies for the improvement of PV system design

contributor:
Pearce, Joshua M.
Pollard, Andrew
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Solar Energy
PV systems
PV modelling
Photovoltaics

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-02 19:48:18.104

abstract:
Photovoltaic (PV) energy generation is  rapidly expanding,  driven by decreases in capital and operational costs. Modeling of expected energy output is a major factor affecting the operation and construction of these systems, and the objective of this thesis is to present methodologies and tools which improve  PV system modeling. Initially, the modeling of short circuit current in PV modules is investigated and demonstrates techniques for filtering of data from fielded PV modules, allowing performance metrics traditionally derived in laboratory tests to be derived from data collected from stationary outdoors systems.

The spectral component of irradiance is important for PV system modeling, and dataset of hourly spectral irradiance from 250nm-2500nm was collected from November 2012 to April 2014. This data set can be used to validate the derived  equations from the previous chapter, and is aimed to enable improved  modeling of spectra using an iterative  methodology.

 Albedo, or reflected, irradiance is then considered, where effects of spectral mismatch can be substantial. It was found that spectral mismatch error can lead to modeling errors ranging from 0.04 % to 10.5 % as PV module tilt increases from 25 degrees to 90 degrees from the horizontal, and methods of predicting and modeling this albedo spectral mismatch were presented.

 Detailed methods for identifying snowfall losses were investigated, and provided results from two typical winters in 2010 and 2011. It was found that there is not a simple correlation between meteorological factors and snowfall losses, which warrant further investigation in the the modeling an prediction of this phenomenon. Consequently,  an empirical lag 1  time-series model is proposed, based on the stochastic variation in snow depth that is able to predict daily snow fall losses within 3%.

Finally, an investigation is undertaken into the use of planar diffuse reflectors for albedo augmentation. It was found experimentally that such a system can increase system output by 18%. A physically based non-empirical model was developed that predicted system output with a bias error of 1%, and  was used to perform a sensitivity analysis that demonstrated a yearly energy increase of 30% is achievable at the latitude of Kingston, Ontario.

abstract: PhD


title: Conflict Geographies of Water Pollution in Thrace Region of Turkey

subject:
River Pollution
Territorialization of Ethnic Conflicts
Nationalism
Thrace Region of Turkey
Ergene River
Conflict Geographies
Luleburgaz
Neoliberalization

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-02 22:48:40.429

abstract: This thesis addresses the tension between industrial development policies and environmental protection and the rising pollution levels in the City of Lüleburgaz in Thrace region, a peripheral region of Istanbul, Turkey. The environmental narratives of second- third-generation Muslim-Balkan immigrants, who began arriving in the early 20th Century, and Kurdish migrants, who arrived in Lüleburgaz in the post-1990 era, express conflict geographies of pollution across communities and between the communities and the state. Heavy pollution in the Ergene River, where the river is declared “dead,” is not a mere accident but rather a facet of neoliberal environmental governance. A politics of non-governance Conflicting narratives of Muslim-Balkan immigrants and Kurdish migrants uncover multiple layered conflict geographies of water pollution in Thrace region by grappling with the question of how “the nation” is continously reterritorialized within neoliberalized constructions of environment and river politics at the community and policy realms. Ethnic-class segregation leads to different community demands with regard to river pollution and environmental degradation in neighbourhoods characterized by different materialities of housing and occupation, a particular facet of non-governance that creates landscapes of invisibility. This analysis contributes to theories on “actually existing neoliberalism” and the ways through which the nation and its various territorial practices at different epochs of neoliberalization processes not only create consent for neoliberalization practices, but also give way for historical and racialized ethnic conflicts to survive.

abstract: I am still in the middle of drafting publications, so I want this thesis to be restricted until the publications come out.

abstract: PhD


title: Natural Hazards at the Ontario Municipal Board: An Analysis of Ontario Municipal Board Decisions Between 2001 and 2005 on Planning Applications With a Significant Natural Hazard Component.

subject:
Land Planning
Natural Hazards
Planning Applications

abstract:
In Ontario, land planning decisions are delegated primarily to local decision makers. In cases where a decision is disputed, parties may appeal the outcome to the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB). The Board is provincially legislated to hear land planning cases in a quasi-judicial format and has the power to make binding decisions. These decisions are often contentious, as they are perceived as over-ruling local elected decision makers, as supporting a pro-development stance or as confirming the belief that appointed members of the board may make decisions that are outside their areas of expertise.  Local land planning decisions that approve or refuse development in areas affected by natural hazard constraints are one type of appeal that the OMB may hear.
This report examines the written decisions of OMB members on appeals made under the 1997 Provincial Policy Statement between 2000 and 2005 which have a significant natural hazard component. Specifically, the decisions are subjected to a content analysis to understand the general character of the appeals, what the outcome is and what rationale is provided for the final decision. The rationale, or reasons, provided in the written decisions make specific references to the evidence that guided the OMB member final decision.


title: Analytical modeling for transient probe response in eddy current testing

subject:
Transient eddy current
Analytical modeling

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-09 18:41:03.004

abstract: Analytical models that describe the electromagnetic field interactions arising between field generating and sensing coils in close proximity to conducting structures can be used to enhance analysis and information extracted from signals obtained using electromagnetic non-destructive evaluation technologies. A novel strategy, which enables the derivation of exact solutions describing all electromagnetic interactions arising in inductively coupled circuits due to a voltage excitation, is developed in this work. Differential circuit equations are formulated in terms of an arbitrary voltage excitation and of the magnetic fields arising in inductive systems, using Faraday’s law and convolution, and solved using the Fourier transform. The approach is valid for systems containing any number of driving and receiving coils, and include nearby conducting and ferromagnetic structures. In particular, the solutions account for feedback between a ferromagnetic conducting test piece and the driving and sensing coils, providing correct voltage response of the coils. Also arising from the theory are analytical expressions for complex inductances in a circuit, which account for real (inductive) and imaginary (loss) elements associated with conducting and ferromagnetic structures. A novel model-based method for simultaneous characterization of material parameters, which includes magnetic permeability, electrical conductivity, wall thickness and liftoff, is subsequently developed from the forward solutions. Furthermore, arbitrary excitation waveforms, such as a sinusoid or a square wave, for applications in conventional and transient eddy current, respectively, may be considered. Experimental results, obtained for a square wave excitation, are found to be in excellent agreement with the analytical predictions.

abstract: PhD


title: Field investigation and simulation of nutrient control in a fish-hatchery wastewater stabilization pond system

contributor:
Anderson, Bruce
Civil Engineering

subject:
Wastewater
Phosphorus Removal

abstract: Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-09 10:55:21.194

abstract:
The aquaculture sector has been the fastest growing animal food producer since the 1970’s. With such a fast growth rate, ecological problems have arisen due to the lack of ability to control nutrient run off in coastal systems. Conversely, land-based fisheries provide an ecologically sustainable solution to controlling the effects of pollution by regulating the effluent wastewater. A land-based fishery’s wastewater stabilization pond system (WSPS) in south-central Ontario, Canada, was characterized for its treatment of phosphorus (P) after experiencing occasional exceedances of their effluent compliance limits. An iron and aluminum oxide based media implemented as an advanced filtration was investigated as a possible treatment solution.

Background testing was performed to characterize the water column as well as the sediment-water interface. The WSPS was characterized as two distinct systems. The primary loading system consisted of two slow flow but high concentration of P ponds that remove the majority of P. The primary system also had the greatest potential for P desorption from the sediments if the overlying P concentrations were to change. The secondary system is a polishing system with the majority of the flow but minimal P loading and removal.

An iron and aluminum oxide based medium was characterized for its P removal. Three lab-scale tests were run; a short-term semi batch test to predict the maximum P removal using Langmuir’s isotherm, a long-term semi-batch test to quantify the total P removal, and a column flow-through test to better quantify the medium’s P removal as a lab-scale simulation of a field implementation. The medium removed around 9 mgP/gmedia depending on the particle size and contact time. Langmuir’s isotherm severely under predicted the maximum removal capacity in comparison to the long-term physical tests.

A hydrodynamic simulation coupled with a water quality model was developed to investigate the impacts on the WSPS if the advanced P filtration system using the proprietary medium previously investigated was implemented. The maximum treatment flow modelled without significant continuity errors removed 31.8% of the inlet P load. Suggestions for siting the advanced P filtration system have been discussed based on the needs of the fishery.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Evaluation of Energy Systems for Distributed Green Data Centres using Lifetime Cash Flow Analysis

contributor:
Pollard, Andrew
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Green IT
Renewable Energy

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-16 18:42:14.335

abstract:
Distributed Green Data Centres (DGDC) are micro-data centre collocated with renewable energy generation sources. Multiple DGDCs are networked together to share information and computing processes. In this thesis, a year-long DGDC simulation balances the computing demand and supply each hour with variable renewable energy production and electricity prices. A five-year Net Present Value (NPV) analysis determines the optimal energy system with the lowest lifetime cost of computing (LCC), equal to the net present value divided by the amount of electricity used for computing. The LCC fairly compares alternative energy systems by the ability to provide lowest cost computing.
Grid-isolated DGDCs with 100kW of solar panels have an optimal computing capacity of 20kW and a 20 hour battery capacity. When the optimal grid-isolated DGDC is connected to the Ithaca electricity grid the battery storage is 10 hours and the LCC is $10/MWh less. The NYSERDA Solar PV Program applied to a grid-tied DGDC reduces the panel cost by $76,806 and reduces the LCC by 8.5%. Grid-tied DGDCs in Ontario are not feasible due to the high Feed-in-Tariff incentive to sell electricity.
A grid-isolated DGDC is optimal in Ithaca when the cost of transmission infrastructure upgrades are greater than $8291 or when the value of a generated Renewable Energy Credits (REC) are higher than $38/MWh. Both on- and off-grid DGDCs use equal amount of energy for computing but a grid-tied DGDC is able to sell 26% of electricity from a 100kW solar system with only 10kW of transmission capacity.
Grid-tied DGDCs are active market participants responding to electricity price signals. DGDCs buy low-cost electricity and sell electricity when prices are high. On average the cost of energy used by the DGDC is $19/MWh less than grid electricity. DGDCs provide a reliable source of computing for high-priority applications such as video streaming as well as a low-cost option for time independent tasks such as batch processes or cloud storage.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: A Godless Dominion: Unbelief and Religious Controversy in Interwar Canada

contributor:
McKay, Ian G.
History

subject:
1930s
unbelief
religion
atheism
Canadian history
rationalism
humanism
1920s

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, History) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-15 16:41:57.718

abstract:
Between 1925 and 1940 Canadian unbelievers in three cities, Winnipeg, Toronto, and Montreal, got organized and took up an active struggle against religion. This study examines that historical moment and asks what it was about the interwar period that caused unbelief to thrive. It details the day-to-day operation of anti-religious organizations and the backlash that they provoked from both church and state. It also delves into the activities of those who sought to keep Canada Christian by agitating against atheism and the teaching of evolution.
There were a number of social and cultural trends that fostered interwar unbelief, such as the disillusionment of many veterans with orthodox religion, conflicts between fundamentalists and modernists, and the spread of Communism. By examining local organizations we can see how these broader forces were made manifest in specific communities. Rationalist societies in Winnipeg and Toronto were remarkably successful in attracting working-class audiences. A group of francophone communists in Montreal were equally active in putting out anti-religious propaganda. This challenge to the Christian status quo faced stiff opposition from both church and state, however, and some leading unbelievers were severely punished. The absence of organized unbelief in Nova Scotia, meanwhile, did not prevent fears of creeping atheism, as is illustrated by a controversy over the teaching of evolution in local high schools. By examining and placing in context these stories from across the country this study sheds new light on the history of both belief and unbelief in Canada.

abstract: I wish to rework the dissertation for publication as a monograph.

abstract: PhD


title: Distributed Fibre Optic Strain Sensing to Monitor Deterioration in Reinforced Concrete

contributor:
Hoult, Neil A.
Civil Engineering

subject:
Steel
Concrete
Bond
Deterioration
Corrosion
Strain Measurement
Tension Stiffening
Rayleigh
FOS
Reinforced Concrete
Structural Health Monitoring
Fiber Optic Sensing
Fibre Optic Sensing
SHM

abstract: Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-15 16:58:33.04

abstract:
Structural health monitoring (SHM) is an increasingly useful tool for life cycle management of deteriorating infrastructure. Rayleigh backscatter distributed fibre optic strain sensing (FOS) is a promising measurement technology that can provide relevant quantitative data across an entire structure as opposed to the single point data acquisition of conventional strain sensors. Utilizing this FOS technology, an experimental investigation to measure and better understand the effects of deterioration on reinforced concrete behaviour was undertaken.
	Reinforced concrete tension specimens were instrumented with optical fibres and tested in axial tension to determine if FOS is capable of measuring the effects of tension stiffening and to develop insights into the bond performance of reinforced concrete. It was found that FOS could be used to measure the distributed reinforcement strain, especially before cracking occurs, and these results illustrate how the bond deteriorates with increasing load. In addition, FOS can detect crack locations as well as when cracks develop on only one side of the specimen.
	The FOS technology was utilized to detect and quantify corrosion levels of the reinforcing steel and to determine how corrosion affects bond performance. An impressed current accelerated corrosion technique was used to corrode additional reinforced concrete tension specimens. Test results showed that reinforced concrete specimens that were corroded to 13% mass loss had a decrease in ultimate capacity of over 30%. This was due to pitting corrosion of the reinforcement that the FOS was able to detect. Additionally, the FOS results showed that as the corrosion levels increase, the bond performance continues to deteriorate.
	To explore the usefulness of FOS in assessing deteriorated reinforced concrete structures, beams instrumented with optical fibres had the bottom flexural reinforcement corroded and were tested in three point bending. The FOS system was capable of detecting both flexural and shear cracks in the concrete, early signs of corrosion, and bond loss. Test results also showed that just 4.0% mass loss of the bottom reinforcing steel due to corrosion can decrease the ultimate capacity of the beam by 39% due to section loss and debonding of the reinforcing steel.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Addressing Potential Exploitation In Clinical Research on Human Subjects

contributor:
Schüklenk, Udo
Philosophy

subject:
Clinical Research
Standards of Care
Fair Benefits
Exploitation
Reasonable Availability
Micro-Fairness
Offshoring
Macro-Fairness
Mere Use
Clinical Trials

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Philosophy) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-18 14:29:25.057

abstract: Numerous claims have been made to the effect that clinical research on human subjects can be exploitative — and hence morally problematic — even if there is informed consent and in the absence of any harm. If such claims are true, it follows that research ethics bodies ought to include avoidance of exploitation amongst their guiding principles. In order to evaluate these claims and provide guidance to implement a principle of avoidance of exploitation, three main questions must be addressed: what exactly do we mean by “exploitation”; how does exploitation affect the morality of clinical trials on human subjects; and what can be done to tackle exploitation in clinical trials. Chapter 2 provides an expository account of the historical context of the claims that sparked the current debate. Chapter 3 addresses the first main question by outlining three main types of exploitation accounts — namely micro fairness exploitation, macro fairness exploitation, and mere use exploitation — with examples of each from the literature. This typology is used in subsequent chapters to conduct a type-by-type analysis in order to determine whether or not particular controversial practices could constitute exploitation. Chapter 4 examines the nature of the connections (if any) between the three types of exploitation and a) concerns about standards of care and placebo controls, as well as b) concerns about participants’ post-trial access to successfully tested interventions. Both of these concerns arose in the context of international research conducted in Low and Middle Income Countries, but neither is necessarily unique to that context. Chapter 5 examines if and when benefits to entire communities might be necessary to avoid exploitation of either the communities themselves or individual trial participants. Chapter 6 advances a proposal aimed at reducing exploitation in commercial clinical trials by recognizing commercial clinical trial participation as a form of labour, which ought to be financially compensated, and suggesting the adoption of a locally indexed “living wage” model as a minimum standard of compensation.

abstract: To protect rights for commercial publication.

abstract: PhD


title: Optimal Quantization and Approximation in Source Coding and Stochastic Control

contributor:
Yüksel, Serdar
Linder, Tamás
Mathematics and Statistics

subject:
Quantization
Randomized Quantization
Markov Decision Processes
Approximation in Stochastic Control

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Mathematics & Statistics) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-19 12:20:57.086

abstract:
This thesis deals with non-standard optimal quantization and approximation problems in source coding and stochastic control.

The first part of the thesis considers randomized quantization. Adapted from stochastic control, a general representation of randomized quantizers that is probabilistically equivalent to common models in the literature is proposed via mixtures of joint probability measures induced by deterministic quantizers. Using this general model, we prove the existence of an optimal randomized quantizer for the generalized distribution preserving quantization problem. A Shannon theoretic version of this source coding problem is also considered, in which an optimal (minimum distortion) coding of stationary and memoryless source is studied under the requirement that the quantizer's output distribution also be stationary and memoryless possibly different than source distribution. We provide a characterization of the achievable rate region where the rate region includes both the coding rate and the rate of common randomness shared between the encoder and the decoder.

In the second part of the thesis, we consider the quantization problems in stochastic control from viewpoints of information transmission and computation. The first problem studies the finite-action approximation (via quantization of the action space) of deterministic stationary policies of a discrete time Markov decision process (MDP), while the second problem considers finite-state approximations (via quantization of the state space) of discrete time Markov decision process. Under certain continuity conditions on the components of the MDP, we establish that optimal policies for the finite models can approximate  with arbitrary precision optimal deterministic stationary policies for the original MDP. Combining these results leads to a constructive scheme for obtaining near optimal solutions via well known algorithms developed for finite state/action MDPs. For both problems, we also obtain explicit bounds on the approximation error in terms of the number of representation points in the quantizer, under further conditions.

abstract: Part of the thesis is considered to be published as a book.

abstract: PhD


title: Formal Verification of Graph-Based Model Transformations

contributor:
Cordy, James R.
Dingel, Juergen
Computing

subject: models

subject: graph-based model transformation language

subject: Model Driven Development

subject: model transformations

subject: verification

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-19 13:11:23.486

abstract:
Model Driven Development (MDD) is a relatively new software development methodology that has been increasingly used in the last decade for software development and, in many cases, has replaced traditional, code-centric approaches. In MDD, models or software abstractions are the basic building blocks in the software development life cycle and model transformations are the technology used to map between models conforming to diff erent metamodels. Model transformations are used for diff erent
purposes in MDD, e.g., refactoring, migration, and code generation. Since model transformations are essential in MDD, transformation testing and veri fication is essential to the success of MDD and has been of increasing interest to researchers and practitioners. In this research, we investigate the verifi cation of model transformations with respect
to a wide range of properties in an automatic and scalable fashion using symbolic execution techniques. First, we survey the state-of-the-art in testing and veri fication of model transformations. Second, we present a model transformation that we have previously developed in an industrial context and used later on as a case study for experimentation. Third, we experiment with a black-box testing tool and an automated formal verifi cation tool on the aforementioned industrial case study. This step was intended to give us a better understanding of the limitations of current tools that yet need to be addressed by researchers. Fourth, we attempt to address the limitations encountered in the state-of-the-art tools by extending and enhancing a symbolic model transformation property prover for a graph-based transformation language
called DSLTrans. Finally, we use our symbolic model transformation property
prover to verify properties for our industrial transformation and for another large transformation, both of which we reimplemented in DSLTrans. We report on the results, strengths and limitations of our property prover in comparison with other verifi cation tools, lessons learnt, and possible future work.

abstract: PhD


title: Convective Heat Transfer from a Recessed Window Covered By a Top Down – Bottom Up Single-Layer Honeycomb Blind

contributor:
Oosthuizen, Patrick H.
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Numerical
Experimental
Heat transfer
Honeycomb blind

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-22 16:33:26.251

abstract:
Honeycomb (or cellular) Top Down–Bottom Up blinds are quite widely available. When this type of blind is closed there are two or more vertical blind portions and a series of horizontal or near-horizontal blind portions joining the vertical portions forming a series of cells.  When such a blind is open the vertical portions of the blind bend decreasing the blind height.
A honeycomb blind with a single column of cells in two different shapes was considered in the present study. Results have also been obtained for a Top Down-Bottom Up plane blind for comparative purposes.  The effect of the dimensionless top and bottom blind openings, shape of the blind and dimensionless window recess depth on the convective heat transfer from a window to the surrounding room was numerically investigated.  The case where the window is at a higher temperature than room was considered. Laminar and turbulent flow can occur over the window system for the conditions considered in this work.
The numerical results were obtained using the commercial CFD finite-volume based solver FLUENT© and using the standard k-epsilon turbulence model. Some experimental tests were undertaken for a window-blind system with plane blind to validate the numerical results obtained in this work.
From the results of this study it is concluded that when the blind is fully closed the mean window heat transfer rate for a case where a honeycomb blind is used is less than that for the case where a plane blind is used. However when the blind is partially open, the heat transfer rate from a window-blind system with a honeycomb blind is higher than it is for the case where a plane blind is used at high Rayleigh numbers considered. When the blind is partially open, increasing the dimensionless top blind opening or decreasing the dimensionless bottom blind opening increases the mean window Nusselt number at the higher Rayleigh numbers considered. The results indicate that the effect of the dimensionless window recess depth on the mean window Nusselt number is different in each flow regime i.e. with laminar, transitional and turbulent flow.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Evaluation of the Environmental, Material, and Structural Performance of Recycled Aggregate Concrete

subject:
Structural
Material
Environmental
Recycled Concrete Aggregate

abstract: Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-22 11:26:01.11

abstract:
Concrete is the most commonly used building material in the construction industry, and contributes to 52% of construction and demolition waste in Canada. Recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) is one way to reduce this impact. To evaluate the performance of coarse and granular (fine and coarse) RCA in structural concrete applications, four studies were performed: an environmental assessment, a material testing program, a shear performance study, and a flexural performance study.
To determine the environmental benefits of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), three case studies were investigated using different populations and proximities to city centres. Environmental modelling suggested that RCA replacement could result in energy savings and greenhouse gas emission reductions, especially in remote areas.
Tests were performed to determine if the volumetric replacement of up to 30% coarse RCA and 20% granular RCA is suitable for structural concrete applications in Canada. Fresh, hardened, and durability properties were evaluated. All five (5) of the RCA mixes showed equivalent material performance to the control mixes and met the requirements for a structural concrete mix.
The five (5) RAC mixes were also used in structural testing. One-way reinforced concrete slab specimens were tested to failure to evaluate the shear and flexural performance of the RAC members. Peak capacities of and crack formation within each member were analyzed to evaluate the performance of RAC compared to conventional concrete. The shear capacity of specimens made from four (4) of the five (5) RAC mixtures was higher or equivalent to the control specimens. Specimens of the concrete mixture containing the highest content of recycled aggregate, 20% volumetric replacement of granular RCA, had shear capacities 14.1% lower, and exhibited cracking at lower loads than the control. The average flexural capacities of all RAC specimens were within 3.7% of the control specimens.
Results from this research provide evidence that up to 30% coarse recycled concrete aggregate and 10% granular recycled aggregate may be incorporated into structural concrete mixtures without altering the behaviour of the structure. Concrete containing 20% volumetric replacement of the natural aggregate with granular RCA should be designed with special consideration of the shear performance.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: The PD-1/PD-L1 Axis: An Immune-Mediated Mechanism of Chemoresistance in Cancer

contributor:
Graham, Charles H.
Anatomy and Cell Biology

subject: Chemoresistance

subject: PD-1/PD-L1

abstract: Thesis (Master, Anatomy & Cell Biology) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-23 13:43:32.838

abstract: The ability of tumour cells to avoid immune destruction (immune escape) and their acquired resistance to anti-cancer drugs constitute important barriers to the successful management of cancer. The interaction between specific molecules on the surface of tumour cells with their corresponding receptors on immune effector cells can result in inhibition of these effector cells, consequently allowing tumour cells to evade the host’s anti-tumour immune response. The interaction of the Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) on the surface of tumour cells with the Programmed Death-1 (PD-1) receptor on cytotoxic T lymphocytes leads to inactivation of these immune effectors, and is a specific example of an immune escape mechanism tumour cells use to avoid immune destruction. Clinically, antibodies capable of blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction have demonstrated significant therapeutic benefit, and are currently being used to help bolster patients’ immune response against malignant cells in a variety of cancer types. Here we show that the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction also leads to tumour cell resistance to conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Incubation of PD-L1-expressing human and mouse tumour cells with PD-1-expressing Jurkat T cells or purified recombinant PD-1 resulted in tumour cell resistance to doxorubicin and docetaxel. Interference with the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction using blocking anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 antibody or shRNA-mediated gene silencing resulted in attenuation of PD-1/PD-L1-mediated drug resistance. Moreover, inhibition of the PD-1/PD-L1 signalling axis using anti-PD-1 antibody enhanced the effect of doxorubicin chemotherapy to inhibit 4T1 tumour cell metastasis in an in vivo mouse model of mammary carcinoma. These findings indicate that blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 axis may be a useful approach to immunosensitize and chemosensitize tumours in cancer patients and provide a rationale for the use of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies as adjuvants to chemotherapy.

abstract: The data contained in this thesis has been submitted for publication but has not yet been accepted. We wish to keep it restricted until publication of the data has occurred.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Old Buildings, Great Beer: Lessons of Adaptive Reuse and Microbreweries in the City of Toronto

subject:
Adaptive Reuse
Microbreweries
Light Industrial

abstract: This report outlines lessons and recommendations for the integration of light-industrial businesses, specifically microbreweries, in dense, mixed-use urban neighbourhoods, using four case studies in the City of Toronto.


title: Standard and Multi-Material Topology Optimization Design for Automotive Structures

contributor:
Kim, Il-Yong
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Automotive design
Multi-material
Engine Cradle
topology optimization

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-25 23:01:03.673

abstract:
Abstract

Lightweight design, drawing an increasing attention for structural design in automotive industry, is recognized as an efficient and immediate way to improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions. Topology optimization, by determining an optimum geometry and material distribution of a structure at an early design stage, serves as the cornerstone for not only increasing the performance of products but also streamlining the entire structural design process.
In this thesis, the theory, algorithm, implementation and application of both of the traditional single-material topology optimization and an advanced multi-material topology optimization are presented, which can solve real-world engineering problems in the automotive industry. This research will advance structural optimization methods in academic research, and it is also expected that the developed method and tool would make a profound impact in the design of automotive parts and assemblies in the field.
In Chapter 2 and Chapter 3, the traditional single-material topology optimization is explained, and it is applied to the design of an automotive engine cradle and a cross-car-beam (CCB). The computational method helped an automotive tier-1 supplier company produce better engineering products while reducing time and cost of the design process.
In Chapter 4, a multi-material topology optimization methodology and its numerical tool are presented. This innovative approach can effectively deal with multiple, dissimilar materials in structural design. Advanced mathematical algorithms, numerical implementation, and practical applications are discussed in detail, and effectiveness and efficiency of the methodology is demonstrated with a variety of engineering problems.
Detailed discussions are included in Chapter 5, and recommendations for future work are discussed in Chapter 6.

abstract: Waiting for the 3rd manuscript (Chapter 4) accepted for publication as a journal paper

abstract: PhD


title: Mental Health Help-seeking Behaviour: African Imigrant's Experience

contributor:
Woo, Kevin
Nursing

subject:
Help-Seeking Behaviour
Immigrants
Mental Health
African Immigrants
Barriers
Stigma

abstract: Thesis (Master, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-25 17:24:20.313

abstract:
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the help-seeking behaviour of African immigrants in Ottawa, Ontario. One of the greatest challenges to effective intervention for prevention and treatment of mental health disorders is the reluctance of people to seek professional mental health care. The mental health help-seeking behaviour of African immigrants has not been explored in mental health research in this country. In addition, very little has been written regarding specific cultural concepts in the worldview of this group of people and how this perspective impacts their help-seeking behaviour. In this study, existing research is reviewed and incorporated into a foundation for understanding African immigrants’ perception of mental health.
Method: Eight self-identified African immigrants were interviewed. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using content analysis. The findings from this study indicated there are hindrances to help-seeking behaviour for this group of the population, such as language barriers, cultural differences, stigma, loneliness, and lack of social support networks.
Future studies may focus on strategies to evaluate and examine existing programs serving new immigrants as they navigate through the healthcare system.

abstract: MNSc.


title: Families, a vital resource for the planning and survival of resource towns: Case studies of Kitimat, Fort St. John and Tumbler Ridge

subject:
Resource town
Town Planning
Sustainable population

abstract:
Countless rural regions and small towns within Canada are experiencing an extended period of economic and social restructuring due to a changing global economic climate. This process is evidenced by the automation of industries, changes in delivery of goods and services, as well as the transportation of people. Altogether, this economic and social evolution has led to a de-localization of local economies and has had a profound impact on traditional Canadian resource towns.

De-localization is often characterized by population out-migration, loss of youth residents and a shift away from primary resource industries. The reality of sustained population loss and dwindling natural resource availability has resulted in fewer economic development opportunities in resource towns. However, despite the economic and population-based instability experienced by these communities, they remain a common and a very relevant part of the Canadian landscape. Expressly, the contribution of Canada’s rural economy towards the nation’s overall GDP should not be overlooked.

One solution proposed by academics to mitigate the fluctuating population within resource towns is to diversify the population composition. Attracting and retaining families has the potential to be particularly effective in achieving sustainable town development.

In light of the current issues affecting resource town development, this report sought to determine whether existing resource communities have utilized the attraction and retention of families as a strategy for stabilizing and growing local economies. Three Northern British Columbian resource towns were chosen as case studies, Kitimat, Fort St. John and Tumbler Ridge. Research on these towns were used to explore two questions:

1.) How can municipal planning facilitate the attraction and retention of families in northern British Columbian resource towns in order to stabilize and grow local economies?

2.) What policies have northern British Columbian resource communities incorporated into their Official Community Plans for attracting and retaining families and how can these policies be improved?

The foundation of this research was determined through a literature review which provided the theoretical base for this report and helped to determine how the research will fit into an existing body of knowledge. Furthermore, the literature review identified the development ideology for resource towns, and the historic economic and social issues that are prevalent in these communities. In addition to the literature review, there are three components to the research methodology: statistical analysis, interviews with planning professionals, and a policy review.

Upon completing a literature review and the analytical component of this report a list of recommendations were identified. These recommendations are intended for policy makers and planners in Kitimat, Fort St. John and Tumbler Ridge to further bolster the attraction and retention of families to these areas. The recommendations determined by this report are as follows:

General Policy Recommendations

Recommendation 1: Diversify the local economy
Recommendation 2: Support a diverse demographic
Recommendation 3: Ensure an appropriate housing stock for residents
Recommendation 4: Devise OCP policies for managing transient/worker population
Recommendation 5: Provide essential services and amenities for a growing population
Recommendation 6: Develop a realistic growth management strategy for the future

Recommendations for Kitimat, Fort St. John, and Tumbler Ridge

Recommendations for Kitimat
Recommendation 1: Plan for a Winter City
Recommendation 2: Include OCP policies for regulating work camps

Recommendations for Fort St. John
Recommendation 1: Include OCP policies for regulating work camps and transient populations
Recommendation 2: Address housing concerns

Recommendations for Tumbler Ridge
Recommendation 1: Work closely with incoming industries

The purpose of this research is to evaluate how the diversification of the population function as a strategy for achieving sustainable, long-term settlement development. From this research recommendations were determined to help address some of the municipal policy gaps that currently hinder the attraction and retention of families. As well, this report seeks to draw attention to some of the pressures resource towns face and provide feasible strategies for alleviating stresses in these vital communities.


title: Unsettling Hope: Settler Colonialism and Utopianism

contributor:
Morgensen, Scott Lauria
Cultural Studies

subject:
Science Fiction
Settler Colonialism
literary studies
postcolonialism
Utopia
speculative fiction
Utopianism
Indigenous Studies

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Cultural Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-25 14:12:28.086

abstract: This dissertation locates the manifold concept of utopia as imbricated with the project of English settler colonialism in the New World and the succeeding settler colonial societies of Canada and the US. I situate Thomas More’s Utopia as an early modern narrative that was mobilized to articulate notions of transcendental progress and universal rationality commensurate with Christian Humanism, which served to justify expropriation of Indigenous lands. I further locate contemporary Indigenous critical theoretical interventions into longstanding scholarly theories of nation and peoplehood. I argue that Indigenous critical theory, literary studies, and works of Indigenous speculative fiction serve an immanent critique to the settler utopian traditions of Canada and the US, which both reflect and further the naturalization of settler colonialism as an enduring force which frames the contemporary experience of globalization. This immanent critique is also applied to contemporary utopian studies discourses, including emergent discussions of “Non-Western” and “postcolonial” utopias. I proceed to an exploration of contemporary speculative narratives of Indigenous, racialized non-Native, and white settler peoples concerned with varying notions of indigneity. I argue such narratives propose desirable social change in ways that further naturalize or resist settler colonialism in their respective envisages of the future.

abstract: PhD


title: Playing with Pride: Marginalized Players Claiming Space Through Community Building and Equity Enforcement in World of Warcraft

contributor:
Srivastava, Sarita
Sociology

rights: Creative Commons - Attribution-Non-commercial-No Derivate Works - CC BY-NC-ND

subject:
marginalization
resistance
online gaming
discourse analysis
LGBTQ

abstract: Thesis (Master, Sociology) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-25 15:09:35.086

abstract: Video game culture has been soundly criticized as being the privileged domain of heterosexual, white, male players and it has been criticized for marginalizing those players who do not meet these criteria. In current games studies research, the ways marginalized players navigate, challenge, and reshape online gaming environments to suit their own needs has received very little academic attention. In the online multiplayer game World of Warcraft developed by Blizzard Entertainment, two groups of LGBTQ players (and their allies) have created an alternative community to that of the mainstream. While the mainstream World of Warcraft community is plagued with oppressive heteronormativity and homophobia, this alternative community is based on equity and inclusivity. Utilizing a Foucauldian approach to discourse analysis, this thesis examines player-created texts, several official World of Warcraft forum threads, and Blizzard Entertainment’s legal policy documents in three distinct yet interrelated sections. First, drawing on Judith Butler’s (2009) notion of precarity, I argue that LGBTQ players have been positioned as precarious subjects in World of Warcraft culture. I then demonstrate how this precarity is mitigated within this alternate community through the active promotion of an LGBTQ community presence in the game, and through public community building events such as an in-game pride parade. Second, I discuss the importance of community, citizenship, and shared identities in establishing meaningful and inclusive social policies. This is done, in part, by drawing on Benedict Andersons’s (2006) imagined communities and Celia Pearce’s (2009) communities of play to demonstrate the contrast between the mainstream World of Warcraft community and the alternate community. Third, I suggest that regulating and enforcing the language players use in-game and in the forums is essential for promoting equity in World of Warcraft. By preventing the use of hate speech and thus limiting the harms that can result from it, marginalized players are afforded the opportunity to engage fully in the (social) gaming experience.

abstract: M.A.


title: Pierre Trudeau, Organized Labour, and the Canadian Social Democratic Left, 1945-2000

subject:
Socialism
National Energy Program
Pierre Elliott Trudeau
Foreign Investment Review Agency
Charter of Rights and Freedoms
New Democratic Party
Quiet Revolution
Wage and Price Controls
Liberalism
Organized Labour
Canadian Labour Congress
Cooperative Commonwealth Federation

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, History) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-27 22:06:25.675

abstract:
This dissertation examines Pierre Elliott Trudeau’s relationship with labour unions and the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation-New Democratic Party of Canada from 1945 to 2000. Trudeau was an extremely influential historical figure, both as prime minister (1968-1984), but also before his entry into formal politics, when he traveled and studied around the world, became deeply influenced by leftist movements and intellectuals, and sought to modernize Quebec, which in his view was falling behind English Canada in terms of technological, social, and democratic development. In essence, Trudeau sought to forge a liberal democracy he thought absent in Quebec, and found his staunchest allies to be trade unionists and socialists. In the end, however, Trudeau largely abandoned those movements because he felt winning liberal freedoms required the shelving of socialist objectives. This would, in turn, be his justification for joining the Liberal Party in 1965.
As Prime Minister, Trudeau opposed the objectives and philosophies of his former left allies, even as he maintained his image as a progressive. So while many saw his Just Society, his approach to public and Canadian ownership of energy, his New Society, and his Charter of Rights and Freedoms as left-wing initiatives, I argue that Trudeau’s actions were undertaken not to challenge capitalism, but to strengthen it, primarily through the empowerment of business and the disempowerment of unions and the economically-disenfranchised.
Ultimately, this dissertation asserts that Trudeau cannot be classified as a socialist, but must be seen as a liberal preoccupied, not with liberty and equality, but with the continued pre-eminence of capitalist property relations.

abstract: I wish to restrict my dissertation for the five year period because I am planning to pursue its publication with an academic press as soon as possible.

abstract: PhD


title: Risk-Taking Behaviour and School Injury in Canadian Adolescents

contributor:
Pickett, William
Klinger, Don A.
Community Health and Epidemiology

subject:
Child Health
School Injury
Risk Behaviour
Population Health Theory

abstract: Thesis (Master, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-06 10:22:18.619

abstract:
Background: Adolescent school injuries are common and often result in serious consequences. Problem risk behaviours are known causes of injury and interventions have targeted these independent behaviours with modest success in the past. Although there is some research investigating relationships between risk behaviours, none have empirically evaluated measures of multiple risk behaviour using a theoretical framework of adolescent risk-taking. There is a need for research to utilize population health theory to investigate associations between measures of multiple risk behaviour and school injury.
Objectives: The objectives of this thesis are to: 1) investigate the relationships between risk behaviours among a sample of Canadian adolescents using a framework of adolescent risk-taking, and 2) to evaluate adolescent risk behaviours and school climate as independent, and perhaps interactive, determinants of school injury under the Population Health Framework.
Methods: Both objectives utilized an interim dataset from the 2014 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Study. Objective 1. Factor-analytically derived (and validated) scales of multiple risk behaviours were used to describe relationships between these behaviours. Objective 2. Students reported their experiences with different types of school injury. Relationships between multiple risk behaviour and school injuries were assessed. The influence of school climate on that relationship was also evaluated.
Results: Objective 1. Adolescent risk behaviours appear to cluster into three distinct categories: 1) Overt Risk-Taking, 2) Active Healthy Lifestyle Detriment, and 3) Passive Healthy Lifestyle Detriment. Objective 2. Young, overt-risk takers were identified as a specific high-risk group for general school injuries, as well as several sub-types of school injury. School climate influences relationships between risk behaviour and school injury in complex and context-specific ways. The inconsistency of its effects suggests that it is not an effect modifier.
Conclusions: Objective 1. Currently, surveillance, intervention programs, and research target isolated domains of risk behaviour. This thesis shows that risk behaviours cluster in predictable ways and should be studied and addressed in their related groups. Objective 2. Associations between multiple risk behaviour and school injury appear to be strongest among younger students. Effects of school climate on these relationships cannot be easily generalized across different grades or injury types.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: On the Conceptual Status of Justice

contributor:
Sypnowich, Christine
Philosophy

subject:
Ideal Theory
Rawls
Fact-Insensitivity Thesis
Value Pluralism
Distributive Justice
G.A. Cohen
Narrow Justice
Luck Egalitarianism

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Philosophy) -- Queen's University, 2015-06-29 11:22:26.992

abstract:
In contemporary debates about justice, political philosophers take themselves to be engaged with a subject that’s narrower than the whole of morality.  Many contemporary liberals, notably John Rawls, understand this narrowness in terms of context specificity.  On their view, justice is the part of morality that applies to the context of a society’s institutions, but only has indirect application to the context of citizens’ personal lives (unlike the rest of morality).  In contrast, many value pluralists, notably G.A. Cohen, understand justice’s narrowness in terms of singularity against a plural background.  On their view, justice is one fundamental value amongst a plurality of fundamental values.
     The purpose of my thesis is to establish that the pluralist conception of justice’s narrowness is (a) theoretically significant and (b) true.  To establish its theoretical significance, I argue that proper attention to the ways in which different understandings of narrowness inform the work of contemporary egalitarians explains a considerable amount of disagreement between them concerning the content and scope of distributive justice.  On the one hand, I’ll argue that if we understand justice’s narrowness in the manner Cohen and other pluralists do, i.e., understand a conception of justice to be a conception of a particular fundamental value, then both luck-egalitarianism and the claim that justice extends to the personal context are compelling.  On the other hand, I’ll argue that if we understand justice’s narrowness in a contextual manner, i.e., understand justice to comprise one or more all-things-considered principles adopted for the institutional context, then both luck-egalitarianism and the claim that justice extends to the personal context prove implausible.
     To establish the truth of the pluralist conception of narrowness, I argue first, that the contextual understanding is only plausible if fairness should be understood procedurally instead of substantively; and second, that substantive fairness cannot be eliminated, as specifying the content of procedural fairness requires a substantive criterion.  The upshot is that justice’s narrowness is best understood in terms of singularity against a plural background, rather than in terms of context specificity.

abstract: I would eventually like to publish my thesis as a book.  Since there will likely be various revisions made to it along the way, I would prefer that it not be made widely available online before the more developed, revised version is published.

abstract: PhD