identifier: Barrett, John (John Avery) <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Barrett=3AJohn_=28John_Avery=29=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Investigation of the buckling behaviour of circumferentially welded pipelines.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Many researchers have studied the buckling behaviour of pipelines under combined loading in the interest of defining pipeline capacity as the pipe undergoes large deformation due to extreme ground movement. Past studies have used a number of physical, analytical, and numerical methods in order to understand pipeline behaviour and define the strain limits necessary in limit states design. A review of published works has been presented here as well as two conference papers detailing the calibration of a numerical model and comments on the buckling behaviour of a pipeline. --  The first paper, accepted by OMAE 2009, extensively described the calibration of the numerical model which was used to study the buckling behaviour and capacity of pipelines. This paper had specific interest in the effects of radial offset imperfections, due to girth welding process, on structural capacity. A parametric study also examined diameter, thickness, internal applied pressure and applied axial force. The presence of a compressive axial force was shown to decrease critical moment and strain. Strain capacity was shown to be reduced by as much as 35% depending on the magnitude of girth weld imperfection. Strain behaviour over various pressure levels was shown to be non-linear and shown be reflected in the development of strain based equations. -- The second paper, submitted to CSCE 2009, conducted further analysis on the results generated from the parametric study with a focus on the resultant buckled waveforms and pipeline section ovality.  Buckled wavelength and amplitude were influenced by pipeline diameter, diameter to thickness (D/t) ratio and applied internal pressure with limited influence from misalignment amplitude. Ovality, a measure of pipeline out-of-roundness, was found to remain constant over diameter, increase with decreasing D/t, decrease with internal pressure, and remain unaffected by axial force or amplitude of imperfection. End effects were discovered to be a problem when considering pressurized pipes and have been quantified for select cases. This has been shown to be a direct result of the diameter to length ratio of the tested pipeline. As result, it is recommended that the length to diameter ratios for test sections should be as large as practical, for both numerical and physical tests, to avoid boundary effects. -- The numerical procedure developed in this study has shown to be consistent with a number of sources, Ghodsi et al. (1994), Dorey (2001) and Torselletti et al. (2005). The main conclusion and recommendation given as a result of this study was that boundary effects greatly influence the buckling behaviour of the short pipelines studied and that further investigations warrants the use of longer test sections.


identifier: O'Rielly, Darren Douglas <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/O=27Rielly=3ADarren_Douglas=3A=3A.html>   (2008) A study of the role of spinal prostaglandins and nitric oxide early after nerve injury.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

type: Thesis NonPeerReviewed

abstract: Allodynia is an abnormal state in which pain is triggered by innocuous sensory stimuli. Previous work in our laboratory has shown that L5/L6 spinal nerve ligation (SNL) induces robust mechanical allodynia in the rat which consists of two distinct phases: (a) an early spinal prostaglandin (PG)-dependent phase lasting approximately seven to ten days; and (b) a delayed PG-independent phase lasting at least seventy days. Importantly, the former is a prerequisite to and a trigger for the more complex and time-dependent changes underlying long-term, irreversible allodynia. Interfering with critical signaling events early after nerve injury is a logical strategy by which chronic neuropathic pain might be prevented. Such an approach requires a clear understanding of the sequence, time-course and pharmacology of these early signals. -- In light of the apparent pathogenic role of spinal PG early after nerve injury, the present research investigated the SNL-induced changes in spinal PG synthesis and signaling, their relevance to the development of spinal hyperexcitability and allodynia, and the mechanisms underlying the changes in PG synthesis and signaling in the spinal PG-dependent phase. The specific objectives were: -- (1) To characterize the effect of SNL on A- and C-fiber mediated reflex responses (AFRR and CFRR, respectively) in the affected hind limb, and to determine the temporal and spatial relationship of these changes to SNL-induced allodynia. -- (2) To determine if the SNL-induced changes in the AFRR and CFRR (i.e. spinal hyperexcitability) are spinal PG-dependent, and if so, to determine the relevant cyclooxygenase (COX) isoform(s). -- (3) To determine if SNL triggers the activation of nuclear factor kappa-B (NFÎºB) in the affected spinal cord which initiate the delayed induction of spinal COX-2. -- (4) To determine if the sensitivity to PG E type (PGE₂) is exaggerated during spinal PG-dependent allodynia, and if this abnormal state is limited to the affected spinal cord three days after SNL. -- (5) To determine if PG-dependent spinal hyperexcitability and mechanical allodynia are mediated by E-type prostaglandin (EP) receptors, and to investigate the changes in the expression of spinal EP₁₋₃ receptor subtypes and the glycine-α3 receptor subunit (GLY-α3R) three days after SNL. -- (6) To determine if disrupting spinal PG synthesis/signaling immediately after SNL (i.e. pre-emptive treatment) prevents the development of PG-dependent spinal hyperexcitability and mechanical allodynia. -- (7) To determine if spinal PG-dependent hyperexcitability is affected by the SNL-induced generation of spinal nitric oxide (NO), and if so, to investigate relevant NO synthase (NOS) isoform(s). -- 8. To determine if, and how, spinal NO-mediated activity affects spinal PG-dependent spinal hyperexcitability and mechanical allodynia. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were initially fitted with intrathecal (i.t.) catheters for drug delivery near the dorsal L1-L3 segments. Three days later, animals were anesthetized with halothane and the left L4 and L5 spinal nerves separated. In the SNL group, the L5 and L6 spinal nerves were tightly ligated with 6-0 silk thread. In sham-controls, the L5 and L6 spinal nerves were isolated but not ligated. Allodynia, defined as a paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) of ≤4g, was confirmed using von Frey filaments. The decrease in PWT from baseline (>15g) was evident in the ipsilateral hind paw 24h after SNL, and remained stable for at least twenty days. It was also accompanied by the protective posturing (i.e. elevation above the cage floor and cupping) of the affected hind paw. Allodynic animals were otherwise healthy and exhibited normal behaviour and weight gain.  -- [Please see thesis for remainder of abstract.]


identifier: Whyte, Jacqueline T. (Jacqueline Theresa) <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Whyte=3AJacqueline_T=2E_=28Jacqueline_Theresa=29=3A=3A.html>   (2009) An assessment of response, direction and place learning by rats in a water t-maze.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Behavioural data suggest that distinguishable orientations may be necessary for place learning even when distal cues define different start points in the room and a unique goal location. I examined whether changes in orientation are also important in place learning and navigation in a water T-maze. In Experiment 1, rats were trained to locate a hidden platform and given a no-platform probe trial after 16 and 64 trials with the maze moved to a new position. Direction and response strategies were more prevalent than a place strategy. In Experiment 2, acquisition of place, response, and direction strategies was assessed in a water T-maze that was moved between two locations during training. Rats were impaired on the place task when the maze was translated (moved to the L or R) but were successful when the maze was rotated across trials. These data are consistent with findings from appetitive tasks.


identifier: Luque, Sebastian <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Luque=3ASebastian=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Maternal and pup growth strategies of sympatric Antarctic and subantarctic fur seals at Ile de la Possession, Iles Crozet, Southern Indian Ocean.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Otariid pinnipeds exhibit large variation in lactation duration, and pups wean at different times of cycles in marine productivity. Interspecific comparisons to understand the mechanisms driving variation in maternal care strategies and pup development are difficult due to inability to control for confounding effects of differences in environment. Therefore, I investigated interspecific differences in foraging ecology, allocation of maternal resources into pups, and use of maternal resources by pups as they approach weaning, between sympatric Antarctic (AFS) and subantarctic (SFS) fur seals at He de la Possession, lies Crozet, Southern Indian Ocean. Females of both fur seal species fed on the same myctophid fish prey over largely overlapping areas, with minor but important differences in the proportion of prey species consumed. SFS females showed less diel variation in diving behaviour, suggesting that they followed the nycthymeral migrations of their prey to a smaller extent than AFS. Diving occurred exclusively at night in both species, but SFS females dove deeper and for longer periods. AFS females had smaller aerobic dive limit (ADL), but had higher propensity to dive anaerobically. AFS females exploited more patches per unit time, and remained in them for briefer periods of time. AFS females foraged in patches of better quality, at the cost of greater foraging effort. Body shape differed significantly between species from birth, and growth involved the acquisition of a longer, more slender body with larger foreflippers in AFS. Allometric analysis showed that body shape differences present at birth were exacerbated during growth, so AFS were physically more mature at 100 d of age. Milk composition did not differ between species, and total energy intake was significantly higher in AFS at any given age. SFS pups had proportionally larger total body lipid reserves, and had lower resting and daily metabolic rates than AFS pups. Results suggest that, under comparable foraging conditions, maternal expenditure is larger in AFS, in response to a relatively briefer and more inflexible duration of lactation.


identifier: Ping, Jing <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Ping=3AJing=3A=3A.html>   (2008) Integrated risk assessment of ambient air quality by stochastic and fuzzy approaches.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The risk associated with a power generation system often refers to the contaminants emission from combustion facilities, which could violate environmental standards and affect human health through various exposure pathways. In this research, an integrated risk assessment by stochastic and fuzzy approaches was applied to systematically examine both probabilistic and possibility uncertainties existing in environmental conditions and evaluation criteria within an ambient air quality management system. The contaminant concentrations in ambient air predicted from a numerical simulation model usually contain probabilistic uncertainties due to the variations in modeling input parameters; while the temporal and spatial variations of environment make the consequences of contaminant concentrations violating relevant guidelines and health evaluation criteria to be linked with possibilistic uncertainties due to the vagueness of expert's judgments. This leads to difficulties in direct implementation of the deterministic environmental guidelines because of the existence of uncertain factors. To help resolve the problem, this study aims at developing a integrated risk assessment system for the management of ambient air quality by stochastic and fuzzy approaches. The objective entails the following tasks: (a) Monte Carlo simulation of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) dispersion in the ambient air through a regulatory steady-state plume numerical modeling system AERMOD, to generate cumulative distribution functions for stochastic uncertainties; (b) fuzzy environment and health risk assessment based on stochastic simulation: quantification of environmental guidelines and health criteria using fuzzy membership functions acquired from a questionnaire survey; determination of risk levels by developing a fuzzy rule-based assessment system. The contaminant of interest in this study is SO₂. The environmental quality guideline was divided into three categories: loose, medium and strict. The environmental-guideline-based risk (ER) and health risk (HR) due to SO₂ inhalation were evaluated to obtain the general risk levels through a fuzzy rule base. The ER and HR levels were divided into five categories of low, low-to-medium, medium, medium-to-high and high, respectively. The general risk levels included six categories ranging from low to high. The fuzzy membership functions and the fuzzy rule base were established through a questionnaire survey. Thus the developed approach was able to integrate fuzzy logic, expert experience, and stochastic simulation within a general framework. The robustness of the evaluation results can be enhanced through the effective reflection of the two types of uncertainties as compared with the conventional risk assessment approaches. In order to test the feasibility and effectiveness, the developed model was applied to a thermal power station in Atlantic Canada. The results were analyzed under three scenarios with different environmental quality guidelines, leading to the variations of risk levels (based on different degrees of guideline strictness acquired from questionnaire survey). It is indicated that, the integrated risk assessment can more effectively elucidate the relevant environmental and health risks resulting from SO₂ emission. The developed approach can offer a unique tool for quantifying uncertainties in air quality modeling and risk assessment, and also provide realistic support for related decision-making processes.


identifier: Kudale, Amit A. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Kudale=3AAmit_A=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reactions of coumarin-fused electron deficient dienes.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The Diels-Alder reaction is one of most powerful reactions for the construction of six-membered rings. As compared with the normal Diels-Alder reaction (HOMOdiene-LUMOdienophile), the inverse electron demand Diels-Alder (IEDDA) reaction (HOMOdienophile-LUMOdiene) has been explored to a far lesser extent. The synthesis of electron deficient dienes for IEDDA reactions is one of the major challenges in the development of IEDDA reactions. This thesis deals mainly with the exploration and applications of electron deficient coumarin-fused dienes in the IEDDA reactions. -- For the study of electron deficient coumarin-fused 2-azadienes, various 3-aminocoumarins were desired. In Chapter 1, a convenient synthesis of 3-aminocoumarins is described. A few azadienes were synthesized by the condensation of some of the 3-aminocoumarins and salicylaldehyde derivatives. These dienes were used in a study of proton-coupled electron transfer process in collaboration with Dr. D. W. Thompson. -- A multicomponent synthesis of l,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrido[2,3-c]coumarins, which involves an IEDDA reaction, was developed. Various in situ-generated coumarin-fused 2-azadienes react with electron rich dienophiles in the presence of Yb(OTf)₃ to afford, after IEDDA reaction and tautomerization of the initial adduct, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrido[2,3-c]coumarins. Some aspects of the chemistry of these products were investigated. This discussion is covered in Chapter 2. -- Chapter 3 includes details of an exploratory study of intramolecular IEDDA reaction of the coumarin-fused 2-azadienes and its application to diversity-oriented synthesis of complex pentacyclic heterocycles. This reaction generally proceeds with very high diastereoselectivity in favor of the diastereomer arising from an exo transition state. -- Efforts toward the synthesis of a structurally interesting naphtho-fused [7]helicene are discussed in Chapter 4. A synthetic route to some key intermediates for this target has been established. -- In Chapter 5, an iterative strategy for the synthesis of a coum[5]isophenacene, a novel structural motif, is described. Some groundwork for future studies has been accomplished during these efforts.


identifier: Kristensen, Todd J. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Kristensen=3ATodd_J=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2010) L'Anse aux Meadows (EjAv-01) : an archaeological and ethnohistorical investigation of bird use during the recent Indian period in Newfoundland and Labrador.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This thesis explores Native American bird hunting and consumption in Newfoundland and Labrador from 2000 years ago to the nineteenth century. Ethnohistorical records of Beothuk and Innu bird use inform an archaeological interpretation of the Recent Indian period at L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site. This investigation of hunter-gatherer bird exploitation supplements research of Late Holocene mammal hunting in order to provide a broadened perspective of pre-contact ecology in the North Atlantic. -- Birds were attractive resources to many northern hunter-gatherers because of the predictability and availability of various bird species throughout the year. At the time of European contact, many Newfoundland Beothuk harvested seabirds while the Labrador Innu relied on ptarmigan and grouse. Based on ethnohistorical records, birds played prominent roles in the ecological systems of both Native peoples and an array of tools were utilized to capture and process them. -- A synopsis of the province's archaeological record reveals that birds commonly appear in faunal assemblages from Newfoundland Recent Indian and Beothuk coastal sites while hunting blinds are the most visible refuse of bird use in Labrador. Geographic and temporal trends of avian exploitation are discussed with reference to ethnographic and archaeological examples of northern hunter-gatherers. -- Archaeological research at L'Anse aux Meadows provides a case study of Recent Indian bird use in northern Newfoundland. Explanations are offered for the co-occurrence of a faunal record dominated by bird bone and a high relative frequency of large bifaces and scrapers. I argue that at L'Anse aux Meadows birds were hunted and tools were prepared for future activities in the seasonal round.


identifier: Khan, M Tanveer Rahman <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Khan=3AM_Tanveer_Rahman=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Modeling and simulation of flexible frames for proper modeling of heavy truck dynamics.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The goal of the proposed research is to determine the range of validity of rigid body models of trucks depending on the severity of road inputs, and the mass and location of the payload. A "half car" model of a Class VI truck was constructed using the bond graph modeling representation, for which power flow among elements has been employed to determine whether or not frame flexibility affects vehicle motion, or can be neglected. Bond graph based proper modeling and partitioning methods were used to systematically and quantitatively determine whether or not frame flexibility effects were negligible. A proposed algorithm based on Design of Experiments and response surface analysis showed promise in more efficiently searching the design space to generate the range of parameters with fewer simulation runs than were required with a "brute force" method. The feasibility of the power-based partitioning method and response surface algorithm were demonstrated with a simple free-free beam case study. -- Flexible frame modal parameters were calculated from theory, and with a finite element model, for inclusion in half-car (pitch plane) bond graph models. Application of the partitioning algorithm to a nonlinear half-car model with vertical and longitudinal dynamics resulted in a range of payloads and road roughnesses for which a rigid model may be assumed valid. The metric for assessing suitability of a rigid model, which was called "relative activity", was correlated with accuracy of a rigid model. Rigid models within the range of validity performed well. The results of this thesis support the use of energy-based partitioning to automate the reduction of truck models. Unnecessary complexity can be avoided while predictive ability is maintained, with less reliance on intuition and assumption.


identifier: Gosse Welshman, Tammy Lynn <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Gosse_Welshman=3ATammy_Lynn=3A=3A.html>   (2010) Investigating endo-exo selectivity in Diels-Alder reactions.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: An important goal for synthetic organic chemists is the synthesis of the desired isomer of a target chemical compound exclusively and in high yield. The value and beauty of the Diels-Alder cycloaddition lies in its capacity for selectivity; that is, the isolation of a single stereoisomer in good yield is possible in many cases. A chemist's knowledge of the typical stereochemical outcomes of a variety of Diels-Alder reactions may be used to predict the product distribution for their system of interest. There are three types of selectivity generally observed in these cycloadditions; the reasons for the selectivity we see are not always clear. Endo-exo selectivity is the main focus of this thesis. -- In Chapter 2, the Diels-Alder reaction of 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropene with butadiene was determined to be exo selective for all of the substituents examined, as was predicted from a previous study of a 3-substituted cyclopropene / butadiene system. The addition of a second substituent at the C3-position resulted in a greater stabilization of the cyclopropene ring when compared to the 3-substituted cyclopropenes; this result can be attributed to the anomeric effect. The activation barriers for the 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropene / butadiene system were below those of the syn 3-substituted system (for both endo and exo addition), mostly due to the substantial relief of ring strain in the 3,3-disubstituted cyclopropene / butadiene transition state structures. -- Long-range and short-range substituent effects on the reactivity of cyclopentene dienophiles were considered in Chapter 3. Disubstitution at C4 (a long-range effect) had essentially no impact on the stabilization of the cyclopentene dienophiles, while disubstitution at C1 and C2 (the reaction center) resulted in significant changes in the lengths of the C1=C2 bonds. The Diels-Alder reactions of the various 4,4- and 1,2-disubstituted dienophiles with both butadiene and cyclopentadiene were examined and the most significant selectivities were observed for the 4,4-disubstituted cyclopentene / butadiene system (exoselective) and the 1,2-disubstituted cyclopentene / cyclopentadiene system (endo selective). Secondary orbital interactions are not possible in the transition state structures of these cyclopentene Diels-Alder systems and thus cannot play a role in determining endo-exoselectivity. The observed selectivities can be rationalized qualitatively by examining the favourable and unfavourable interactions between the diene and dienophile in the transition state structures. -- The investigation of the Diels-Alder reactions involving cyclopentadiene and its substituted analogs in Chapter 4 involved two main objectives: the examination of the endo-exo and facial selectivities for a large number of diene / dienophile combinations, as well as the in-depth analysis of the potential energy curve of the endo dimerization of cyclopentadiene. Endo addition was preferred for all of these cycloadditions, which is the most commonly observed preference. However, a characterization of the reaction coordinate revealed an occurrence considered to be rather atypical for Diels-Alder reactions: the existence of the bispericyclic transition state, first discussed in a 2001 communication by Caramella et al. This transition state leads to a lower energy Cope transition state later on the reaction coordinate. Vibrational frequency data along the curve were examined and product distribution was discussed. In the case of the Diels-Alder reactions of cyclopentadiene and its derivatives, the wealth of p-orbitals available for favourable secondary orbital interactions are likely the major contributing factor in the determination of the endo selectivity observed.


identifier: Kennedy, Aaron P. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Kennedy=3AAaron_P=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2010) Investigations into obesity using anthropometric, serum and genetic markers.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Obesity is one of today's most visible public health problems with worldwide incidence at over a billion people. To understand such a vast problem requires one to study the issue from different angles. This includes studying how obesity is measured, and how metabolic and genetic factors influence the obesity phenotype. This thesis investigates the accuracy of the body mass index, a trusted measurement tool, compared to an industry standard measuring tool DXA. It also investigates the effects of serum calcium on serum lipid levels and how polymorphisms in two genes associated with the storage of fat in the human adipocyte affect obesity phenotypes. -- Although body mass index (BMI) is the most widely used measure of obesity, debate still exists on how accurately BMI defines obesity. In this study, adiposity status defined by BMI and DXA were compared in a large population to evaluate the accuracy of BMI. A total of 1691 adult volunteers from Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) participated in the study. BMI and %BF were measured for all subjects following a 12 hour fasting period. Subjects were categorized as underweight (UW), normal weight (NW), overweight (OW), or obese (OB) based on BMI and %BF criteria. Differences between the two methods were compared within gender and by age groups. According to BMI criteria 1.2% of women were classified as UW, 44.4% as NW, 34.1% as OW and 20.3% as OB. When women were classified according to %BF criteria 2.2% were UW, 29.7% were NW, 31.0% were OW and 37.1% were OB. The overall discrepancy between the two methods for women was substantial at 34.8% (14.6 % for NW and 16.9% for OB, p<0.001). In men the overall discrepancy was 35.2% between BMI and DXA (17.6% for QW and 13.5% for OB, p<0.001). Misclassification by BMI was dependent on age, gender and adiposity status. In conclusion, BMI misclassified adiposity status in approximately one third of women and men compared with DXA. Caution should be taken when BMI is used in clinical and scientific research as well as clinical practice. -- Some epidemiological evidence shows a link between abnormality of lipid profiles and variations in serum calcium. However, it is unknown whether this result was influenced by confounding factors. The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between serum lipids and calcium. Serum calcium was corrected for albumin. Major confounding factors including age, gender, medications, menopause, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 25-OH-vitamin D status were controlled in analyses. A total of 1907 adult subjects from the province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Canada participated in the study. Significant positive correlations were detected between serum total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c) with variations of serum Ca⁺⁺ in both genders (p<0.05-0.0001). Significant positive correlations were additionally detected between triglycerides (TAG) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) with Ca⁺⁺ in women only (p<0.0001) in partial correlation analyses. Similar significant results were detected in both females and males not taking any medication. Analyses were performed based on menopausal status as well. Significant correlations were seen in both pre- and post-menopausal women but higher correlation coefficients were observed in pre-menopausal women as compared to post-menopausal women. Subjects with low calcium levels had the lowest concentration of total cholesterol, TAG, HDL-c and LDL-c, while subjects with high calcium levels had the highest concentration of all four markers in women. The significant associations between cholesterol, TAG and LDL-c and serum Ca⁺⁺ remained after calcium was adjusted for 25-OH-vitamin D and PTH. Our results indicate that the abnormality of serum lipid profiles are significantly correlated with altered serum Ca⁺⁺ levels independent of age, obesity status, medication, phosphorus, magnesium, 25-OH-vitamin D and PTH. -- Perilipin (PLIN) is the major component of lipid droplet coating proteins, which play a key role in regulating human adipocyte triglyceride metabolism. Adipophilin is another lipid droplet coating protein that has been implicated to be involved in subcellular lipid trafficking. The association of perilipin and adipophilin with lipid storage droplets and lipid trafficking makes them potential candidate genes for obesity and lipid abnormality. -- This study investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the PLIN and ADFP genes are associated with variations in body composition and serum lipid abnormalities. A total of 1269 healthy subjects (1002 females, 267 males) were recruited from the genetically homogeneous population of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Canada. All subjects were at a minimum third generation residents of NL, between the ages of 19-62. Percentages body fat (%FAT) was measured using DXA. Fasting serum concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, triacylglyceride (TAG), HDL-C, LDL-C, and insulin were measured and the risk ratio for cardiovascular disease (cholesterol/HDL-C) was calculated. Genomic DNA was extracted from whole blood. All statistical analyses were performed using the statistical software R or SPSS software version 16 for Windows; with significance set at p<0.05. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was tested using chi-square analysis. -- Three SNPs located within the PLIN coding region were selected. SNP:rs4932241, an A/C SNP located in the 3' untranslated region, SNP:rs2289487, an A/G SNP located between the 2nd and 3rd exon, and SNP:rs894160, an A/G SNP located between the 6th and 7th exon. In ADFP, two A/G polymorphisms were selected. SNP:rs3824369 located in the 5' intronic region and SNP:rs35629534 located in the 3' untranslated region. Genotyping was performed using TaqManÂ® validated SNP genotyping assays from Applied Biosystems on an ABI 7000 Sequence Detection System. All SNPs investigated in this study were in Hardy Weinberg equilibrium. -- The results showed that there were no significant associations within the PLIN SNPs for body composition or serum lipid parameters in our population. The results of the present study do not support a significant role for genetic variations within the perilipin gene in the regulation of body composition and serum lipid profiles in the NL population. -- The results revealed a significant association between ADFP SNP:rs3824369 and %BF, serum cholesterol and serum LDL-c after controlling for the effects of gender and age. Carriers of the major allele of SNP:rs3824369 had significantly higher fasting levels of LDL-c and significantly higher fasting levels of serum cholesterol compared to homozygote carriers of the minor allele. In addition, carriers of the major allele of SNP:rs3824369 had significantly higher %BF compared to homozygote carriers of the minor allele. To our knowledge this is the first report of an association between a SNP in ADFP and variations in body fat or serum lipids.


identifier: Buglar, Ernest T. (Ernest Thomas) <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Buglar=3AErnest_T=2E_=28Ernest_Thomas=29=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Load curtailment on isolated power systems.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This thesis concerns the design and application of load curtailment schemes to isolated power systems. Load curtailment or loadshedding is a methodology employed to relieve a power system of a severe overload and restore nominal system operation through reduction of total system load. An overload on a power system may be detrimental to the continued stability of the system especially during operation with inadequate reserves. The PSS/E software package is utilized to simulate the system voltages and frequency during underfrequency and undervoltage events. --  The general loadshedding methodology developed is to shed increasing amounts of load from the power system in response to increasingly severe contingencies. These contingencies, such as the loss of a major transmission line or generator, may negatively impact the frequency and voltage stability of the power system and load curtailment is presented as an effective mitigating action. The developed methodology is first applied to a simple test system to demonstrate the necessity and effectiveness of loadshedding as a remedial action following extreme operating contingencies. Subsequently, the methodology is applied to the interconnected system of the island of Newfoundland. This system operates at a maximum transmission voltage of 230 kV and has approximately 8500 MJ of connected inertia at peak operating capacity.


identifier: Goetting, Kathryn <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Goetting=3AKathryn=3A=3A.html>   (2008) Is fisheries diversification a sustainable strategy?: the case of the Newfoundland redfish fishery.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Canada's tenth province, Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). was built around marine resources. It began over 500 years ago, when Europeans came to discover new lands. Diversification into new species occurred over centuries due to changes in markets, technology, and resource abundance. The redfish (Sebastes species) fishery in NL has evolved and changed over time due to foreign participation, confederation with Canada, increased life history knowledge, and declining stocks. In 1992, when the cod moratorium occurred, there was a push to exploit other species, redfish being a primary contender. --  In this paper, I examine the history of the northwest Atlantic redfish fishery from a diversification viewpoint. By analyzing the literature regarding all aspects of the redfish fishery, I examine the diversification potential of the species in the mid-1990s, and determine if redfish can help ease the burden of the fisheries crisis. I find that the mismanagement of the fishery and the biological characteristics of redfish combine to put the resource in a vulnerable state from which it has yet to recover. It is therefore unsuitable for increased exploitation. This conclusion is supported by an examination of the experience with diversification in the community of Gaultois.


identifier: Collins, Roanne K. (Roanne Kyla). <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Collins=3ARoanne_K=2E_=28Roanne_Kyla=29=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2010) Long-term effects of marine reserve protection on the population structure, density, and reproductive potential of the American lobster (Homarus americanus) in Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Marine reserves provide a means of implementing the precautionary principle in support of sustainability objectives. Many reserves have been established for several commercially significant species of spiny lobster, but are less frequently employed for Homarid lobsters. In 1997, two small reserves for American lobster, Homarus americanus, were established in Bonavista Bay, Newfoundland - one at Round Island, and one at Duck Islands. They were designated as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in 2005. Relatively short-term studies, employing 3 to 5 years of data, revealed significant differences in lobster density and/or mean size between populations within the reserves and similar reference locations, but did not examine differences in reproductive output. Using over ten years of data, I investigated differences in density, population structure (i.e. size; sex ratios), and reproductive potential between protected and unprotected populations of American lobster at both study sites. At the Round Island site, lobster density inside the reserve was greater than that of the adjacent reference area. Observed sex ratios in reserve and reference locations differed at both sites, with a greater bias towards females in reference locations. At Round Island and Duck Islands study sites, both male and female lobsters were significantly larger in protected populations, and mean sizes continued to increase over time. The increased female size in protected populations led to consistently greater reproductive potential inside these reserves, though the difference between protected and unprotected populations was small, averaging 10% for Round Island and 14% for Duck Islands. The results of this study provide further evidence that the Eastport MP As promote sustainability of the resource through increased density, mean size and reproductive potential of lobsters.


identifier: Jiang, Bo <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Jiang=3ABo=3A=3A.html>   (1991) Isolation and characterization of extracellular protein export genes of Aeromonas hydrophila.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Two transposon insertion mutants of Aeromonas hydrophila C5.84 and L1.97, which were defective in extracellular protein production, were characterized. Each of the mutations caused pleiotropic effects: the mutants were unable to secrete any of the major proteins normally extracellularly exported by the wild-type strain Ah65 but instead accumulated these proteins in the periplasm. This suggests that the inactivated genes in these two mutants were essential for the general extracellular protein export process. Besides the effects on protein secretion, the mutation in LI.97 also changed the outer membrane structure of the mutant and rendered the cell unusually fragile. -- By using the transposon antibiotic resistance genes as selective makers, two wild-type chromosomal fragments (11 kb and 15 kb respectively) corresponding to the transposon insertion regions in LI.97 and C5.84 were isolated. When transferred back into the mutants, the cloned DNA complemented the defects in the corresponding mutants and restored the normal secretory phenotype to the transconjugants. The mutation in C5.84 was also partially complemented by the heterologous 11 kb fragment corresponding to the L1.97 mutation. -- By further subcloning, deletion analysis, DNA sequencing and functional complementation studies, an extracellular export gene (exeE) located on the 11 kb fragment was identified and characterized. The exeE gene potentially encoded a 55 KD polypeptide. The predicted protein product contained a hydrophobic transmembrane segment and was thus classified as an integral membrane protein. --  Interestingly, exeE, the gene essential for general extracellular protein export in Aeromonas hydrophila, was found to be highly homologous to pulE, a gene involved in the pullulanase secretion in Klebsiella pneumoniae. Furthermore, the genes located both upstream and downstream of exeE, i.e. exeD, exeF and exeG also shared extensive similarities with pulD, pulF and pulG, suggesting that this cluster of exe genes has similar functions as the pul genes and are all required for extracellular protein export. These results provided strong evidence that the protein secretion machineries are conserved between two completely different gram-negative bacteria: Aeromonas hydrophila and Klebsiella pneumoniae.


identifier: Liu, Jiancheng <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Liu=3AJiancheng=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Mathematical modeling ice-hull interaction for real time simulations of ship manoeuvring in level ice.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: A new ice-hull interaction (IHI) model for the real-time simulations of ship manoeuvring in level ice was developed as a basic and necessary step towards the final target of the research of Institute for Ocean Technology (NRC/IOT): a general model that reliably simulates a ship's arbitrary manoeuvres in any ice conditions, which is to be integrated into the training simulator at the Centre for Marine Simulation (CMS) as an internal ice force module of the numerical framework. -- Using an analytical approach and its numerical implementation, the model was built on a detailed analysis of hull-ice interaction mechanics. The model considered the breaking force, buoyancy force and clearing force. The whole hull was divided into ten or more segments and the global ice forces were calculated through vectorially adding the forces on the segments. The hull-ice contacts were calculated based on the ship motion and ice edge in time domain and the channel was tracked using a simple house-keeping method. A multi-failure model was adopted to calculate ice failures along the hull waterline. A flat-plate model was used for the buoyancy force calculation. Both viscous and inertial effects were incorporated into the clearing force. The adoption of the analytical approach yielded a short calculation time that is essential for simulator application. Since the forces were calculated at each new time increment of any prescribed motion, the resulting simulation had the capacity to respond to arbitrary control inputs and hence arbitrary manoeuvres in ice. -- The model was coded using MatLab. Two PMM test series carried out at IOT, using Terry Fox and R-Class scale models, were used to verify the IHI model. The ice force distributions along the waterline of the hull were benchmarked using test data from the National Maritime Research Institute (NMRI) of Japan. It is the first time such an extensive experimental database is used for mathematical model verification, which enables separate component validation. --  Investigations of ice-hull interaction including parametric analysis and simulations of specific manoeuvres was carried out using the IHI model and the experiments, which also served as further checks and verifications of the IHI model. Some general conclusions on the ship-ice interaction were drawn up, which were of high value to the modeling of ship manoeuvres and operations in ice. -- This thesis also provides recommendations for future IHI model refinements and benchmarks.


identifier: Bruce, Jonathon E.F. (Jonathon Edward F.) <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Bruce=3AJonathon_E=2EF=2E_=28Jonathon_Edward_F=2E=29=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Level ice interaction with sloping and conical offshore structures.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The use of sloping sided or conical structures is often a favorable design option for structures placed in ice covered waters. An understanding of the mechanics involved during level ice interaction with conical or sloping sided structures is necessary for safe structural design in environments where ice cover is present. This work provides a review of the failure mechanics involved during an ice interaction with a conical or sloping sided structure and the methods which have been developed to model these types of interactions. -- The sensitivity of the ice loads, estimated by the Croasdale Model, to the variation in input parameters has been studied in this work. From this analysis, it was determined that if a rubble pile was present on the structure, the flexural strength of ice was not a significant factor affecting the ice load. There were however a number of scenarios which were outlined for which the flexural strength of ice was of significance. A ship ramming event is one such scenario for which the flexural strength of ice plays a significant role in limiting the maximum ice load. The maximum ice load occurs as a crushing failure on the bow of the ship, which is limited by flexural failure due to the weight of the vessel on the ice feature. Another scenario for which the flexural strength of the ice may dominate involves the use of conical structures in the Arctic. Here, designers are concerned with thick multiyear floes interacting with large conical structures. In this scenario, ride up is likely to occur with limited rubble formation due to the dissipation of kinetic energy, thus making the flexural strength of the ice a critical component affecting the design load. Further to this, the scale of the interaction has been found in this work to be a critical component affecting the flexural strength of ice, which is due to the presence of a size effect. -- The results presented in Chapter 3 show that the methodology used to predict the flexural strength of ice based on brine volume alone may well lead to an over estimation of the flexural strength of ice for full scale interactions. This is achieved by using full scale data from the icebreaker Oden during the International Arctic Ocean Expedition in 1991 where the icebreaker Oden was part of a three vessel expedition to the central Arctic Basin. The results of the work show a significant reduction in flexural strength when compared to the methodology which considers brine volume only. This result is due to the size effect present in the flexural strength of ice. The author recommends the use of the methodology presented by Williams and Parsons (1994), which includes the scale of the interaction, when calculating the flexural strength of ice for full scale ice structure interactions. -- In Chapter 4 a probabilistic model was developed to determine extreme level ice loads acting on the conical Confederation Bridge piers in the Northumberland Strait. A Monte Carlo technique was utilized to simulate the ice environment and to derive the annual maximum ice loads on the structure. In order to achieve this, full scale data was obtained from public sources and fitted with probability distributions to model the input parameters. -- The model developed in this work simulates the total number of ice floes interacting with a bridge pier in the Northumberland Strait for a given season, as well as individual parameters for each ice floe. Each ice floe is assigned a diameter, an ice thickness, and an ice-structure friction coefficient. Each floe is then broken up into intervals which are individually assigned a flexural strength, along with a rubble height and the angle that the rubble pile makes with the horizontal axis. The Croasdale model is utilized to calculate the horizontal and vertical ice forces acting on the bridge pier for every interval in each floe. The maximum force acting on the bridge pier for each floe is stored and the annual maximum ice force is obtained from these. The model was then run for 4000 years worth of ice structure interactions, resulting in an estimated 100 year ice load of 10.7 MN and a 10,000 year ice load of 16.0 MN acting on a 52Â°, conical bridge pier with a diameter of 14m at the waterline located in the Northumberland Strait. -- In Chapter 5 the author has used data published by the Confederation Bridge Ice Monitoring Program and the National Research Council to validate the probabilistic model developed in Chapter 4. The model developed is believed to provide an appropriate representation of the level ice loads acting on the Confederation Bridge piers. The model which was developed in this work produced results which suggest that the 10 year ice load is 8.6MN, whilst the maximum load published by the Confederation Bridge Ice Monitoring Program is 8.4MN for the first 10 years of operation.


identifier: Shahwan, Abdelmoein <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Shahwan=3AAbdelmoein=3A=3A.html>   (2010) Modeling of the water supply system in the city of St. John's, Newfoundland.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Water resources management in the City of St. John’s, Newfoundland, is a significant issue because of the intertwined social, economic and environmental concerns. Many sophisticated water management computer models faltered in the past being mathematically obscure and overly ambitious in attempting to optimize solutions to real world problems. The best approach is so; to build a straightforward and flexible tool to assist, not substitute for, the users of the models. In this study, an integrated computer based water management system is developed using water evaluation and planning program (WEAP), to offer a professional and practical tool to study the current and future water supply and demand systems, regarding, but not limited to, the changes in population, industry, agriculture, and regulations in the city. The modeling efforts were based on a comprehensive study on the city and its surrounding areas, the Windsor Lake watershed, nearby reservoirs, water and waste water treatment facilities, and water supply systems, assuming specific conditions with corresponding projections into the future. Available data on the water supply and management systems in St. John’s was collected and compiled, covering meteorological, hydrological, environmental, managerial, and social-economic aspects. An integrated water supply database for the city was also developed based on the geographical information system (GIS) and database techniques. The feasibility and capability of the model, developed using WEAP graphical user interface, have been examined through the real-world study on the city. A manifest of this is embodied in the results presented for multiple scenario analyses. The results indicated that the annual unmet demand is predicted as 1.680 x 10⁶ m³, 1.711 x 106 m³, 1.773 x 10⁶ m³, with respect to the reference scenario as 1.586 x 10⁶ m³, and the cumulative supply requirements are 2563 x 10⁶ m³, 2594 x 10⁶ m³, 2656 x 10⁶ m³, with respect to a reference of 2469 x 10⁶ m³, over the period of 2000-2030 under the three scenarios.The model developed should evolve into a useful tool in decision making as the interests of jurisdictions considered with increasing awareness and concern on water resources and supply/demand system management as well as its sustainable development under changing environmental conditions.


identifier: Peckham, Dana Orlando <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Peckham=3ADana_Orlando=3A=3A.html>   (2008) Investigating the impact of hunting on insular Newfoundland caribou using virtual population analysis.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The key issue in wildlife management is developing strategies to maintain the long-term sustainability of a species. In order to develop a management strategy, we must first understand the make-up of the species including estimates of the stock abundance. The species we are concerned with, in this case, is insular Newfoundland caribou or rangifer tarandus caribou. -- Hunting and trapping is often thought of as a recreational activity, but it also plays a crucial role in wildlife management. Hunting contributes to wildlife management in many ways that most people do not even realize. It is used to maintain a healthy species population, especially in cases where there are no major predators like wolves. The information gathered through hunter returns helps to determine the status of a population by things like how many animals they saw, what was the sex and age (calf or adult) of the animals they saw, and how many of these hunters were successful in their hunt. Hunter experiences also help in understanding the behavioral patterns of a species. -- Other things that hunting does that may not be so obvious are things like its contribution to the economy of a region. For example, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported that in 2002, hunters and trappers contributed $847 million to state and wildlife management agencies via hunting and trapping licences and excise taxes. This does not even include revenues gained from pelt sales, outfitting and other spin-offs like hotels, gunsmithing and hunting apparel sales. Hunting and trapping is also a useful tool in taking care of problem animals such as beavers that may cause extensive damage to roads, bridges and dams or coyotes killing livestock on a farm. There is also no arguing that wildlife-auto collisions would be significantly higher, were the population densities not controlled. -- One method we are going to focus on in this paper is virtual population analysis, also known as VPA or cohort analysis. This technique uses catch-at-age data from hunters and using backward recursive formulas, estimates the number of animals alive for a specific cohort at a specific time. VPA has been used most extensively in fisheries analysis but can also be applied in other wildlife applications. There are other methods of abundance estimation as well, such as aerial surveys, which we will compare in the paper. The problem with aerial surveys is that they are time consuming and very expensive. -- The research done in this paper will be facilitated using data provided by the Wildlife Division of the Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador.


identifier: Pierce, Leslie <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Pierce=3ALeslie=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Making a scene: an ethnography of participation in the St. John's independent rock music scene, circa 1985-1995.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This thesis is about participation and the memory culture of the live independent rock music scene in St. John's, Newfoundland, as it existed from the mid-1980s underground to a period of increased interest and popularity in the mid-1990s. Chapter One discusses my fieldwork methodology and applies some key terms used in the study of youth and music culture: subculture, scene, punk, indie, and alternative. Chapter Two places the scene in the context of Newfoundland music and culture, as well as examining its relationship to the culture and landscape of the downtown St. John's core. Chapter Three considers how the scene emerged under global and local influences and how its members participated at the gigs, while Chapter Four considers how musicians and fans participated in the scene in everyday life. Chapter Five presents the life and death of Fred Gamberg as a case study in scene participation and constructed memory. Chapter Six concentrates on various scene members' reflections on a recent past.


identifier: Hayne, Christie <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Hayne=3AChristie=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Leaving the organization and leaving the profession : generational differences amongst accounting employees.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Employee turnover is a serious problem facing organizations today; it has a direct impact on the bottom line. Professional groups should also be concerned with turnover since their profession's success depends on membership numbers. Research provides strong evidence demonstrating that organizational commitment has an effect on an employee's intentions and eventual decision to stay employed with an organization. Professional commitment has also been linked to reducing professional turnover. -- Although unproven in the academic literature, popular media sources are quick to suggest that Generation Y employees (born between 1980 and 1995) have varying levels of commitment towards their respective organizations and, thus, are more inclined to leave. The academic literature surrounding a potential link between commitment and age, as well as turnover and age, is conflicted and requires further research. -- Throughout the next decade, there will be a major shift in the composition of the Canadian workforce. More than seven million Generation Y cohort members will replace the nearly ten million Baby Boomer cohort (born between 1947 and 1966) members in the workforce. This could have serious implications on the management of organizations and administration of professional associations. This thesis examines the differences in commitment, both to the organization and to the profession, across all three generation cohorts within the accounting field. This thesis also explores the different predictors of turnover, from both the organization and the profession, to see if variation exists among the same generational groups. -- The research questions were examined using an empirical study of accountants using survey methodology. Generation Y had significantly higher intentions to leave the organization than did Baby Boomers and Generation X. Generation Y had significantly higher intentions to leave the profession than Baby Boomers but not Generation X. Members of Generation Y do not differ in terms of their commitment to the organization or the profession, with the exception of normative professional commitment. They do, though, differ in terms of what predicts their intentions to leave both the organization and the profession. All three generations can be retained in the organization by focusing on job satisfaction and building affective organizational commitment as well as encouraging their accounting employees to join professional accounting associations and building affective professional commitment. Professional associations also have a variety of differences in terms of what predicts membership turnover; however, all three generations can be retained by building affective and continuance professional commitment, and by supporting its membership's pursuit of a satisfying job.


identifier: Rahman, Mohammad Mahbubur <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Rahman=3AMohammad_Mahbubur=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Investigation of the effect of uniaxial stress on the elastic properties of Rb₄LiH₃(SO₄)₄.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: In this project, ultrasonic measurements have been used in order to observe the influence of uniaxial stress on the elastic properties of the ferroelastic compound Rb₄LiH₃(SO₄)₄. The experimental results are compared to predictions derived from a Landau model. In the experiment, uniaxial stresses either along [100] or [010] direction have been applied using two piezo-actuators mounted on opposite faces of the crystal. The temperature and pressure ranges for this investigation arc 100 - 150K and 0 - 0.27 kbar, respectively. Throughout the investigation, it has been observed that in the absence of stress, the sound velocity along the x and z -axes shows a distinct step-like variation in the vicinity of the transition temperature, Tc = 134 K. The amplitude of the step-like variation is found to decrease with the application of a uniaxial stress. We believe that this is principally due to a reconfiguration of the domain distribution into the ferroelastic phase. This is supported by our Landau model which predicts no large variation over this pressure range.


identifier: Morrison, Megan J. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Morrison=3AMegan_J=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2010) Leaving words where you find them : a story with five women living with dementia in a residential care-home in St. John's, Newfoundland.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This thesis has no abstract


identifier: Al-Habashna, Ala'a <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Al-Habashna=3AAla=27a=3A=3A.html>   (2010) Joint detection and classification of the OFDM-based mobile WiMAX and LTE signals for cognitive radio.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Spectrum awareness is one of the most challenging requirements in cognitive radio (CR). To adequately adapt to the changing radio environment, it is necessary for the CR to be able to perform joint detection and classification of low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) signals. The wireless industry has recently shown great interest in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technology, due to advantages, such as efficient use of the spectrum, resistance to frequency selective fading, and elimination of intersymbol interference. As such, joint detection and classification of OFDM signals has been intensively researched recently. -- The existing techniques for joint detection and classification of OFDM signals either involve complex feature recognition procedures or introduce new overheads by creating features in the signals for detection and classification purposes. As such, the OFDM standard signals should be investigated and existing features should be exploited for their joint detection and classification. The cyclostationarity of OFDM signals in two of the most popular wireless communications standards, namely, mobile Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) and third Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution (3GPP LTE), is studied here for the purpose of their joint detection and classification. -- In this thesis, the second-order cyclostationarity of the OFDM-based mobile WiMAX and LTE signals is studied, and closed-from expressions for the cyclic autocorrelation function (CAF) and cyclic frequencies (CFs) of both signals are derived. Furthermore, two cyclostationarity-based algorithms for joint detection and classification of these signals are developed, and the joint detection and classification performance, as well as the complexity of the proposed algorithms are investigated. Simulation results show the efficiency of the proposed algorithms under low SNRs, short sensing times, and diverse channel conditions.


identifier: Mosher, Craig R. W. (Craig Robert Wilson) <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Mosher=3ACraig_R=2E_W=2E_=28Craig_Robert_Wilson=29=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Minimum-structure borehole gravity inversion.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The borehole gravity technique has been well established in hydrocarbon exploration geophysics since the 1970's. The concept behind borehole gravity is simply to measure the variation in the Earth's gravitational field while traveling along a borehole. Densities both close to and far from the borehole can be derived from such measurements. However, the borehole gravity technique has not yet been routinely used for mineral exploration because gravimeters that fit in the narrower diameter holes used in mineral exploration have not existed. Such gravimeters are now being developed. Complementary investigation and development of interpretation procedures for borehole gravity data in a mineral exploration context are required. Here, results are presented of a study inverting synthetic borehole gravity data for three-dimensional, mineral exploration relevant Earth models. The forward-modelling on which the inversion is based is a finite-difference solution of Poisson's equation. The inversion is performed using a standard minimum-structure algorithm for multiple scenarios of varying borehole locations, amount of borehole data and varying model parameters. The intention is to demonstrate what we can expect to determine about the density variation around and between boreholes given varying amounts and locations of down-hole and surface data. It is observed that the benefits of borehole gravity data depend on the locations of the boreholes relative to the anomalous mass. Inversions which produce images of complex subsurface density distributions are attainable with the most successful models resulting from combined surface and borehole data. Minimum-structure borehole gravity inversion is shown to be a beneficial interpretation option which can provide accurate information of an anomaly's shape with proper depth resolution and density distribution.


identifier: Zhang, Dianyong <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Zhang=3ADianyong=3A=3A.html>   (2007) Intermediate representations for parallel languages on CGRAs.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Coarse Grained Reconfigurable Arrays (CGRAs) are reconfigurable computing architectures based on word-width processing elements, in contrast to Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), which use bit-width processing elements. CGRAs have faster time-to-market than Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and, for many applications, faster execution than FPGA. In contrast to traditional sequential language, we aim to develop a parallel object-oriented programming language (HARPO/L), that can be compiled to CGRAs configuration files to execute. This requires that compiler exploits the parallelism from language itself and target architecture. This thesis mainly shows a set of intermediate representations (IR) in the compiler for HARPO/L, which contains all information from the source program and is easier to be analyzed and optimized. -- Based on the HARPO/L language features, we use object dependence graphs (ODGs) to represent the relations among objects. The augmented concurrent control flow graphs show threads among objects. After the interobject analysis and optimizations, an executable dataflow graph, the final IR form, can be produced. The IR can then be used as input to the compiler back end. -- This research offers a significant advance on the HARPO/L Compilation approach. It will benefit to finish advanced HARPO/L programming Language executing in high diversity CGRA architectures.


identifier: Kelland, Jeff R. (Jeff Ralph) <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Kelland=3AJeff_R=2E_=28Jeff_Ralph=29=3A=3A.html>   (2010) Mental health and illness research funding in the Canadian Institutes of Health Research - the first 10 years : a quantitative analysis.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: But does it necessarily follow, that his task is to take possession of existing science to bring it to increasing degrees of generality, and to proceed, from condensation to condensation, to what has been called the unification of knowledge? -- Henri Bergson, 1911 -- The main objective of this research is an examination of the funded research database of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to determine, and graphically illustrate, funding levels of mental health and illness research (MHIR) at CIHR as compared to other health research, and relative funding allocations within the MHIR set of research projects. As our main federally funded health research body, CIHR's funding allocations can be used as an indicator of Canada's health research priorities. This research objective is pursued with a three-part research question: (i) what proportion of health research funded by CIHR from 1999 to 2009 was allocated for MHIR; (ii) how much of this can be considered mental health research versus mental illness research; and (iii) how much of this is neuroscientific research versus non-neuroscientific research? -- This is an in-depth analysis of CIHR's funded research database; in particular, a scrutiny of the abstracts of all projects funded by the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction at CIHR in its first 10 years, and of all neuroscientific, mental health/illness and addiction related research funded in other virtual institutes and programs of CIHR over the same period. Detailed data sets with information on all relevant research projects are studied; dollar value, program type and research classification of each project are recorded; and each is categorized according to its research objective(s). Pursuit of the present study's research objective demands a methodological design driven primarily by analysis of the data itself. This heuristic process unfolds according to what is found, and produces results on multiple levels with tabular and graphic illustrations when necessary. A clear and practicable distinction between mental health research and mental illness research is employed, and the implications of this distinction for the study's research method are explored. -- The results point to one overriding conclusion: Ostensibly, MHIR as a whole is adequately funded at CIHR, but there is ample evidence that allocations within MHIR may not satisfactorily address all the concerns falling under its extensive mandate. In particular, mental illnesses may well be under-funded and under-researched. Thus closer scrutiny of CIHR's funding allocations within its MHIR, both quantitative and qualitative, is required on a number of levels. Based on the extensive but nevertheless preliminary nature of the present study, further research could ultimately call into question the perceived sufficiency of CIHR's overall funding of MHIR. -- Recommendations for future research are derived from two principal sources: 1) the methodological challenges met in the course of the analysis and its results; and 2) the unexpected limitations discovered in generating the results. The value of the findings for mental health/illness advocacy and for CIHR itself is discussed, as well as the influence of CIHR's funding allocation policies, or lack thereof, on the quality and quantity of the MHIR it conducts. This leads to consideration of Canada's level of commitment to this research area, particularly in light of the burden and prevalence of mental illness in Canada, and the fundamental importance of mental health.


identifier: Kennedy, Allison Marie <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Kennedy=3AAllison_Marie=3A=3A.html>   (2010) Limitations of lifeboats operating in ice environments.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Conventional lifeboats have not been designed to withstand ice loads. It is currently uncertain if these boats have the structural capacity to withstand an ice collision. The main objective of the research reported here is to determine the structural limitations of conventional lifeboats in order to help devise safe operating procedures for lifeboats in ice. -- Three sets of experiments were carried out to gather data required to address the problem of conventional lifeboats operating in ice. Experimentation consisted of material testing of lifeboat fibreglass, laboratory testing of full scale ice impacts, and full scale field trials of a conventional lifeboat in ice. Both the laboratory and field trial results were used in the development of a simple energy model to represent ice loading of a conventional lifeboat operating in ice. The model predictions were compared with material structural limitations defined from laboratory test results. The comparisons provide guidance in determining safe and unsafe operating conditions for a conventional lifeboat in ice. -- There are a number of possible practical outcomes from this research. Lifeboat design methods can be improved, new regulations can be introduced to guide lifeboat manufacturers, and the insight into operational considerations can be incorporated in lifeboat training.


identifier: Burridge, Carolyn Cynthia <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Burridge=3ACarolyn_Cynthia=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Isotope tracing of atmospheric aerosols in the sub arctic Pacific.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The Sub Arctic Pacific Ocean near Ocean Station Papa is characterized as an iron limiting area that affects phytoplankton growth and hence the production of dimethyl sulphide. Dimethyl sulphide is believed to counteract global warming by producing or being converted into other gases or atmospheric aerosols. During the Sub Arctic Ecosystem Response to Iron Enhancement Study in the summer of2002, various sulphur containing aerosols and gases including dimethyl sulphide, sea salt, biogenic non sea salt, anthropogenic non sea salt, methane sulphonic acid, biogenic sulphur dioxide and anthropogenic sulphur dioxide were collected. The objectives were to determine: -- 1) The source of SO₂ throughout SERIES; -- 2) The source of NSS SO₄ throughout SERIES; -- 3) The preferred pathway of DMS oxidation during SERIES and -- 4) The compare results of fertilized area to an unfertilized area to evaluate whether SERIES iron fertilization affected atmospheric DMS oxidation products.


identifier: Condran, Stephen <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Condran=3AStephen=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Micromagnetic simulations of frustrated triangular antiferromagnets: application to magnetoelectric HoMnO₃.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Using the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equations, we model magnetic field vs temperature phase transitions in several frustrated stacked triangular antiferromagnets. We find this method to be an improvement from previously used effective field methods. -- The algorithm is applied to magnetoelectric HoMnO₃. A variety of novel interaction terms are proposed to explain the stability of the numerous spin states observed in this and related compounds.


identifier: Moorthy, Manoranjan <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Moorthy=3AManoranjan=3A=3A.html>   (1998) Low bit rate visual communication using binary sketches for deaf sign language communication.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Many commercial video conferencing applications are available to transmit color and gray level images along with voice and text data over telephone lines and Internet protocol networks. However, these applications cannot be used for deaf sign language communication because they offer very low temporal resolution of pictures, at less than a frame per second resulting in jerky movement of objects. Effective sign language communication requires a temporal resolution of the order of 8 to 12 frames per second, while the size of the images may be small. -- The research for this thesis was aimed at providing a practical solution to enable deaf sign language communication using moving cartoons. Since sign language relies on hand shape, orientation, position and movement together with facial expressions, it can be adequately conveyed in moving cartoons or binary sketches. The cartoon or binary sketch is a very economical method of portraying a person or a scene, where emphasis is given to the location of object boundaries at the expense of shading and texture information. An efficient feature extraction algorithm is used to extract cartoon points. This algorithm is based on the postulate that perceptually significant features of the human face and hands, at which cartoon lines should be drawn in the image, occur wherever surfaces in object space are approximately tangential to the line of sight of the camera or viewer. Based on the above postulate, the detector exhibits primary sensitivity to valleys and secondary sensitivity to edges in the image. Adaptive techniques based on the global statistics of the image are proposed to improve the functionality of the feature extractor. To improve the subjective quality of the binary images, irreversible preprocessing techniques, such as threshold hysteresis, isolated point removal and predictive filter are used and results are provided to compare their relative performances. -- A simple and efficient recursive temporal filtering scheme is used to prefilter noisy image sequences from low cost cameras. This scheme uses the spatial homogeneity of the low frequency additive and multiplicative noise, which produces a throbbing or pulsing effect on the image sequences. Histograms of successive frames are used to segment moving and non-moving regions and to formulate a transfer function. The transfer function is used in the filtering operation. Different temporal and spatio-temporal filtering methods are implemented. Subjective and quantitative test results are presented to demonstrate their relative performances. -- An efficient three-dimensional binary image compression scheme is used for binary sketches. This method uses conditional replenishment in the temporal dimension and quad tree or hierarchical coding in the two dimensional space. A complete system is developed for deaf sign language communication over low bandwidth telephone lines and Internet protocol networks. Subjective tests are performed on the system and the results confirm that the system can be used for sign language communication over telephone lines.


identifier: Gruchy, Jennette <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Gruchy=3AJennette=3A=3A.html>   (2010) Long term care in a Newfoundland region.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

title: Long term care in a Newfoundland region

abstract: The St. John's region in Newfoundland, Canada had a population of 8435 ≥ 75 years in 1996, with 996 nursing home (NH) beds and 550 supervised care (SC) beds. However, only 116 SC beds were available at this time in the city of St. John's, where the majority of this at risk population lived. A single entry system to these institutions was implemented in 1995. To determine the need for long term care (LTC) two incident cohorts requesting placement were studied in 1995/96 (n=467) and in 1999/00 (n=464). Degree of disability was determined using the Residents Utilization Groups-III Classification (RUGs) and the Alberta Resource Classification System (ARCS). Time to placement and survival were measured. Factors predicting placement into LTC and mortality were determined. To determine the impact of the single entry system, clients of six NHs were assessed in 1997 (n=1044) and in 2003 (n=963). -- The number requiring placement increased from 392 to 431 from 1995/96 to 1999/00, an increase of 10% over four years. The population increase in those ≥ 75 years during this time was 8%. Comparing the two time periods, demographic characteristics were similar in the two incident cohorts. The proportion with no indicators for NH was the same (36%), and the proportion sent to SC was 25 and 28% in 1995/96 and 1999/00, respectively. There was no difference in RUGs classification between the two incident cohorts and the proportion classified as high level of care i.e., 6/7 on ARCS remained the same (22 vs. 23%). NH clients in 2003 differed from those in 1997; in 2003 the mean length of stay was shorter (3.7 vs. 4.5 years); the proportion with no indicators for NH care was smaller (10 vs. 19%); the proportion requiring special care/clinically complex was higher (45 vs. 30%); and the proportion with a low level ARCS i.e., 1/2 was smaller (16 vs. 25%). This suggests that clients admitted to NH care following the start of a single entry system were more appropriately placed than before. Time to placement was unchanged for SC and NH care comparing both time periods. Time to placement in SC was much faster than in NHs. Independent factors which influenced time to placement included residence, RUGs, panel recommendation, sex, and age. Time from panel assessment to death for those recommended for SC was unchanged in both incident cohorts (3.09 vs. 3.02 years), as was those recommended for NH (2.35 vs. 2.23 years). Independent factors that influenced mortality included RUGs, sex and age. Using optimal methods of placement in 1995/96, as defined by a decision tree, the need for NHs decreased (75 to 37%); for SC increased (25 to 37%); and SC for cognitive impairment (CI) was 26%. In 1999/00, the need for NHs decreased (72 to 44%); for SC increased (28 to 36%); and SC for CI was 20%. Using optimal methods of placement, a deficit of 253 SC beds in the city and an excess of 235 outside the city would occur by 2014. An excess of 692 NH beds in the city and a deficit of 164 outside the city will exist. A total of 251 SC beds for the CI are crucial. -- It was concluded that the St. John's region had an excess of NH beds and a geographic imbalance of SC beds leading to over-utilization of NH beds. The single entry system succeeded in improving the appropriateness of utilization of NH beds. Nonetheless, SC facilities for the elderly with modest disability and for those with CI are necessary, as is a reduction in NH beds.


identifier: McNeil, Mark <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/McNeil=3AMark=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Marine debris as an indicator of oil spill vulnerability along selected beaches of northern Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This study investigated the morphological, sedimentological, energy regime, and marine debris characteristics of 4 beaches at the head of Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador. Differing morphological, sedimentological and energy regime conditions alter the sensitivity of each system to oil spill contamination. Differences in the type and amount of marine debris between each system alter the potential risk of exposure to oil spill contamination. Based on differences in sensitivity and exposure, a vulnerability assessment was created for each system. This system was applied to an additional 5 beaches to demonstrate the applicability of the method and to highlight the actual vulnerability of each study beach relative to the spectrum of beaches actually present throughout Placentia Bay. --  Typical of the majority of beaches throughout Placentia Bay, the 4 study beaches are characterized by gravel dominated, reflective, moderate to high energy systems. Observations of sediment re-working and accretionary features along the beaches of Arnold's Cove and Come by Chance indicate that self-cleaning would not be an effective agent of oil removal in the case of a spill. The absence of sediment re-working and protected nature of Goose Cove beach suggest that oil would persist in this environment for an extended period of time. Evidence of high wave energies at Hollett's Cove indicates that this beach would self-clean effectively. -- Differing types and quantities of marine debris indicate that each beach, with the exception of Goose Cove, would likely be exposed to oil originating from a Placentia Bay spill. The heaviest quantities would be expected at Hollett's Cove and Arnold's Cove. Based on these factors, Arnold's Cove and Come by Chance are considered the most vulnerable beaches to oil contamination. Hollett's Cove and Goose Cove are considered the least vulnerable respectively. Applying the vulnerability assessment to additional 5 beaches revealed that the 4 study beaches rank moderately to highly vulnerable to oil spill contamination.


identifier: Brushett, Denise Michelle <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Brushett=3ADenise_Michelle=3A=3A.html>   (2008) Late Wisconsinan glacial history of Placentia Bay, Newfoundland, as interpreted from seabed geomorphology and stratigraphy.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This thesis reconstructs the glacial history of Placentia Bay, Newfoundland through the integration of seabed data and existing terrestrial records. Multibeam sonar data, augmented by seismic and coring data revealed a range of flow-parallel and flow-transverse glacial landforms on the Placentia Bay seabed. Flow-parallel landforms include drumlins, flutes, megaflutes and crag-and-tails. These landforms show a general trend of convergent flow, interpreted to represent fast-flowing ice converging into an ice stream down the axis of Placentia Bay. Flow-parallel landforms and striations from the surrounding land areas demonstrate that the convergent flow can be traced up-ice to regional ice dispersal centres. Flow-transverse landforms include De Geer moraines and grounding-line moraines. De Geer moraines occur in several fields throughout the bay marking the intermittent retreat of grounded ice up the bay. Radiocarbon ages from glaciomarine silt suggest that ice became ungrounded and glaciomarine sedimentation started ca. 16.1 cal ka BP and ended after 12.0 cal ka BP. This glacial landsystem is consistent with a conceptual model showing Late Wisconsinan ice advance to shelf edges with rapid calving retreat along deepwater channels and slower retreat of ice margins grounded in shallow water. The integrated approach used in this study represents an important development in mapping palaeo ice flows and the understanding of ice sheet behaviour during the transition from largely marine-based to land-based glacial conditions which may reflect deglacial scenarios in other bays in Newfoundland and elsewhere.


identifier: Hossain, Khandoker Abul. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Hossain=3AKhandoker_Abul=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Integrated approach for pollution prevention in process design and decision-making.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Pollution prevention (P2) has gained significant importance over pollution control strategies to manage environmental issues in process industries. P2 reduces the hazardous emissions via mass and energy conservation and thus leads towards sustainable development. -- The present work has developed a holistic P2 approach to facilitate the successful implementation of the P2 program in process industries. The greater P2 opportunities exist in the preliminary design phase; therefore, to contribute in this area the present research has developed a structured process design approach, SusDesign. It integrates numerous tools, such as exergy and energy analysis, process integration, cogeneration, trigeneration, etc., with a process simulator, Aspen HYSYS. This integration assists the designers to systematically generate and analyze design alternatives at different design stages. -- A detailed algorithm has also been developed to carry out structural and parametric optimizations of a process flowsheet. The most important feature of the SusDesign approach is that it uses quantitative techniques to evaluate the environmental and cost performance of design options by imbedding the IECP approach, developed as a part of this work. The IECP tool is integrated with the Aspen HYSYS for quantitative evaluation, screening and optimization of the investigated design options. -- The application of the SusDesign approach has been demonstrated through the design of a 30 MW thermal power plant. Compared to the conventional gas turbine power plant, the final design has achieved an improvement of overall thermal efficiency of the plant by about 35% and the reduction of CO₂ and NO emissions by about 49% and 80% respectively. -- The applicability of the IECP approach has been demonstrated through a separate case study, where potential NOx reduction options are evaluated in a 125 MW thermal power plant. -- In the final phase of this research, a risk-based environmental assessment approach, E-Green, has been developed for the detailed environmental evaluation of a flowsheet. E-Green has been implemented in combination with the Aspen HYSYS to assess two different solvent options in an acrylic acid manufacturing plant.


identifier: Rashed, Abu Sayed Md. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Rashed=3AAbu_Sayed_Md=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2010) Prediction of hydrologic fluxes over the Marmot basin using small scale distributed hydrologic model.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The distributed-Hydrology-Soil-Vegetation model (DHSVM) was applied to the Marmot Creek watershed in western Alberta. The purpose of this research was primarily to assess the applicability of the model as hydrologic prediction tool for a snow dominated forested watershed. Climate data from July 2005 to December 2007 were used as forcing data. The model was calibrated and validated for the Marmot Creek watershed conditions using both streamflow and snow water equivalent (SWE). DHSVM was able to accurately simulate the streamflow and snow water equivalent for the simulated years. Because the accuracy of DHSVM simulations was greatly improved through rigorous calibration, this research demonstrates the need for model calibration to a watershed of interest, prior to hydrologic simulations using different landscape scenarios. -- Next, two scenario were used to measure the effect of digital elevation model (DEM) and land cover change on streamflow and snow water equivalent. A hydrologically modified DEM was generated using ANUDEM software and was used to assess the sensitivity of DEM source on model simulations. Earth Observation for Sustainable Development (EOSD) and United States Geological Survey (USGS) land cover maps were also applied to evaluate the influence of land cover source on streamflow and SWE results. These sensitivity studies show that differences observed through direct comparisons of topographic parameters are reflected in the shape and timing of simulated streamflow and snow water equivalent (SWE) results. Results also show that the USGS DEM produced lower peak flows than the ANUDEM DEM and USGS land cover underestimate SWE when compared to the EOSD land cover. -- Overall, the  significance of the study is that it broadens the knowledge of DEM and land cover change effects on hydrological processes in snow dominated mountainous watersheds. It thus provides a framework for assessing the vulnerability of watersheds to altered streamflow and SWE regimes attributable to changes in DEM and land cover that occur over large geographical areas and long time-frames.


identifier: Zhang, Ying <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Zhang=3AYing=3A=3A.html>   (2010) Regional atmospheric dynamic downscaling over the subpolar North Atlantic.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This study will present results from model simulations of high-resolution atmospheric seasonal and interannual variability in the subpolar North Atlantic from 1980 to 2005. A regional atmospheric model, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model, is used in this study to downscale the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis for the subpolar North Atlantic Ocean. The WRF simulations represent realistically small-scale patterns in the surface water and heat fluxes in the central Labrador Sea and atmospheric variability related to the so-called Greenland tip jets. -- In the second part of this study the WRF model simulations are used to force an ocean coupled sea-ice model. The ocean model results are compared with the ocean simulation forced with the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis. It is shown that the winter deep convection and ocean subpolar circulation are improved in the simulations forced with the WRF atmospheric fields. In particular, the results show that severe winter events related to Greenland tip jets force intense winter convection in the Irminger Sea. The deep convection in the Labrador Sea and the Labrador Sea Water Mass properties are also more realistic in the ocean simulation force with the WRF results than in the simulation forced with the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis.


identifier: Atkins, Chad Garry <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Atkins=3AChad_Garry=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Probing the structures of protonated and metalated glycine complexes using infrared multiple photon dissociation spectroscopy.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The determination of gas-phase ion structures has been a prominent goal for many researchers within the field of mass spectrometry. The techniques to achieve this goal have evolved tremendously and absolute characterization is becoming an exciting reality. In the studies to be discussed, experimental results led to the conclusive assignment of a particular structure being the largest contributor of all ions present in the gas phase. -- The proton- and the sodium ion-bound glycine homodimers were studied by a combination of infrared multiple photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy in the N-H and O-H stretching region and electronic structure calculations. The IRMPD spectrum for the proton-bound dimer confirmed that the lowest-energy structure was an ion-dipole complex between N-protonated glycine and the carboxyl group of the other glycine. The IRMPD spectrum for the sodium ion-bound dimer confirmed that the lowest energy structure was two bidentate glycine molecules bound to Na+. In both cases, higher-energy structures could be ruled out using spectroscopic and/or thermodynamic arguments. -- In the second study to be discussed, IRMPD spectroscopy, collision-induced dissociation (CID) spectrometry and theoretical calculations were combined to provide new insights into the structure and dissociation of lead (II) complexed with the amino acid glycine in the presence and absence of solvent. Unexpectedly, these experiments revealed the main lead (II) coordination sites to glycine were the deprotonated amino group and the carbonyl group. Such information is useful because of the biological implications which lead (II) has towards physiological systems. Structural knowledge of this system can be extended to include other amino acids and provide insight into the coordination of lead (II) with peptides responsible for detoxification.


identifier: Russell, Elizabeth A. (Elizabeth Anne) <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Russell=3AElizabeth_A=2E_=28Elizabeth_Anne=29=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Psychosocial and health-related predictors of body image dissatisfaction: a quantitative and qualitative approach.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This research examined the interrelationships of health-related and psychosocial determinants of body image among a nonclinical population of Canadian women using mixed methods. Based on survey data from the 2003 administration of the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), Study 1 examined relationships between body image and self-esteem, social environment, and eating and exercise behaviour among girls and young women aged 12 to 29, delineated by four age categories (N=2114). Significant positive relationships between body image and each variable were found, with primary predictors of body image being self-satisfaction and perception of thinness, followed by a variety of social and health variables depending on developmental stage. Based on three focus groups (N=14), Study 2 discussion topics bridged participants' body image feelings with these variables, guided by the statistical findings of Study 1. Women with poor self-esteem, limited social support, and unhealthy eating and exercise behaviours felt much worse about their bodies than women with higher ratings in these categories. This reinforced the quantitative themes but yet provided a more detailed insight into how the variables operate independently and in interaction, particularly with respect to upward social comparison to similar and proximal others. Integrated results indicate that body image satisfaction among girls and young women may largely be predicted by a combination of the topics in question depending particularly on age, with emphasis on self-esteem and social comparison as potentially moderating constructs. An understanding of such variables provides a crucial step toward predicting and counteracting the psychologically damaging implications of body dissatisfaction.


identifier: Shafaat, Junaid <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Shafaat=3AJunaid=3A=3A.html>   (2009) Reliability modeling and failure analysis of a biotelemetry data-recorder tag.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Biotelemetry tags are used widely by biologists throughout the world to research animal behaviour and patterns to sustain healthy environment. These instruments are microelectronics encapsulated in plastic packages for environment protection and attached to the animal. Physiological data of animal body and environmental conditions in terms of temperature and pressure is recorded on the on-board memory of the data-recorder tags and can only be retrieved when the tag is retrieved back from the animal. These tags are usually deployed for long missions and usually contain information that is recorded over years, in some cases, is very valuable to scientists and thus makes it very important for these microelectronic devices to have high Reliability. There is a lot of information on consumer electronics product but little known about these microelectronic devices as they sustain harsh environments and conditions which is not required by consumer electronics. This thesis is an attempt to conduct Reliability analysis of such biotelemetry devices and provide methodology for other similar biotelemetry microelectronic devices. -- This thesis comprises of two parts; first part of the thesis deals with the weibull analysis of the failure data obtained from field and also understanding of component based Reliability analysis. During this process Fault Tree Analysis, Weibull Analysis and component criticality analysis was conducted. -- Second part of the thesis focused on design failures as pointed out by first part of the thesis. This led to the qualification of the components and the packaging reliability by comprehensive analysis, experiments and calculations to evaluate each critical component of the product which failed at early mortality stage as pointed out by bathtub curve. During these analysis actual environments were simulated which is these products are designed for. -- This research brings in to focus the need for a better packaging design and extensive accelerated testing of product, considering this a non-repairable system, before qualifying moulding materials and electronic components to achieve high Reliability of the system.