identifier: Shahata, Khaled Farouk  (2013) Decision-Support Framework for Integrated Asset Management of Major Municipal Infrastructure.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
"Canada's municipal infrastructure is at risk." This was the key finding of Canada’s first municipal infrastructure report card. Given the current state of risk for Canadian infrastructure, municipalities face challenging decisions for planning the integrated repair/renewal of road, water and sewer networks. Decision-making surrounding the assets in these networks requires data collection, analysis, the identification of decision variables and undertaking optimized decision-making processes. Currently there is a lack of tools available to simplify the decision making process for stakeholders.
The research objective is to establish a methodology and framework that facilitates decision-making processes used during corridor rehabilitation project planning. The proposed framework consists of three main models: (1) Risk assessment, (2) Performance evaluation and (3) Integrated decision support system (IDSS).
The risk model was developed using a mixed Delphi-Analytical Hierarchy Process approach. The impacts of four main consequences of failure with eighteen sub factors were considered. Road, water and sewer networks indices were amalgamated and grouped into an overall integrated risk index using K-means Clustering technique. The performance model considers nine factors that represent the asset performance.  These factors were mapped using fuzzy logic technique to a Customer Driven Performance Measure (CDPM) index.  The IDSS framework allows the setting of priorities for integrated corridor rehabilitation and implementing optimization via Integer Programming. Finally, these models were applied in a prototype tool using Visual Basic built on Microsoft Access, Excel and GIS platforms. A series of workshop interviews were conducted with various municipalities to collect the necessary information. Data provided by the City of Guelph was used in a case study in order to demonstrate the model features.
Results show that Pipe/road size and accessibility factors had the highest impact on the integrated risk index. The road roughness rating and watermain breaks results show the highest impact on the CDPM index. Optimization outcomes demonstrated that corridor rehabilitation alternatives resulted in a ‘maximum risk reduced per dollar spent’. The developed models can be used by researchers and practitioners (municipal engineers and consultants) in order to prioritize corridor rehabilitation projects thereby easing the challenge faced by stakeholders regarding the future of municipal infrastructure.


identifier: Najafi Ivaki, Mohammad  (2012) Centro-affine normal flows and their applications.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

type: Thesis NonPeerReviewed

abstract:
A family of geometric flows, $p$ centro-affine normal flows, is studied and several applications of this family to convex geometry are presented. In Chapter 2, asymptotic behavior of the centro-affine normal flows is studied in the class of smooth, origin-symmetric convex bodies in $\mathbb{R}^2$. It is proved that the area preserving centro-affine normal flow evolve any smooth, origin-symmetric convex body to the unit disk in a finite time in the Hausdorff distance, module $SL(2).$ In Chapter 3, an application of centro-affine normal flow is given to the $L_{-2}$ Minkowski problem. It is proved there that every even, smooth, positive function can be approached by a sequence of functions for which the $L_{-2}$ Minkowski problem is solvable. In Chapter 4, another application of the centro-affine normal flows is given to the stability of the $p$-affine isoperimetric inequalities, $p\geq1.$ In Chapter 5, we end our study of the $p$ centro-affine normal flows in dimension two by classifying compact, origin-symmetric, ancient solutions to these flows for $1\leq p< 4$. In particular, we classify
origin-symmetric, compact ancient solutions of the planar affine normal flow. In the last chapter, we study the long time behavior of the $p$ centro-affine normal flows in $\mathbb{R}^n$ for $n>2$ and $1\leq p<\frac{n}{n-2}.$


identifier: Small, Francine A  (2013) The racialization of disease: a qualitative and quantitative analysis of race and ethnicity in biomedical research.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: For several years, there have been published guidelines covering the use of the term “race” and “ethnicity” in biomedical research. When used inappropriately, the linkage of race or ethnic categories to cause and/or effect in biomedical research can have significant negative impacts on individuals and populations. Genetic research rejects any strong biological association/difference, between or within races. This research will determine to what degree the recommendations for the use of "race" and "ethnicity" within biomedical publications has been followed. Papers, retrieved through Pubmed were selected if they used of the terms “race” or “ethnicity” in the  title or abstract, These selected papers were then examined to determine  the basis for assigning population to racial categories (inclusion/exclusion),  the reasons for selecting the group(s), the disease by organ system and the association made to medical outcome.. The analysis of the publications revealed that none of 205 surveyed papers defined race while 67% of the papers associated a medical outcome to race. This research suggests that despite guidelines for the use of the terms “race” and “ethnicity”, researchers and editors are neither using nor enforcing the use of them respectively. Further research should use alternative selection criteria and larger sample size to confirm these findings.


identifier: Armstrong, Michael David  (2013) Gold and risk: A comparison of the risk-adjusted performance of different gold investments.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Prior studies have shown that investing in gold can, to varying degrees, provide a hedge against inflation and some of the negative effects of economic recessions. Investors wishing to invest in gold have a number of choices available to them, which for even the most sophisticated investors can be a daunting task. The purpose of this thesis was to assess whether there are differences in the performance of three investments in gold in order to help individual investors choose the best way to gain exposure to appreciation in the price of gold. We used a single-factor ANOVA model to compare the Sharpe ratio, excess return on value at risk, the conditional Sharpe ratio, and the modified Sharpe ratio in order to assess the difference in mean risk-adjusted performance across three samples of gold exchange-traded funds, mutual funds and stocks. We cannot be certain that investors have a preference for the higher moments, such as skewness and kurtosis, of return distributions; but to the extent that they do, the modified Sharpe ratio, as a measure of risk-adjusted performance, captures these moments, and for the selection of gold investments studied, reveals differences in performance that would be missed by the other measures. In particular, we found that mutual funds outperformed both exchange-traded funds and stocks on a risk-adjusted basis. Investors wishing to gain exposure to appreciation in the price of gold should therefore favour gold mutual funds over both gold ETFs and gold stocks.


identifier: Portaro, Rocco  (2013) Air-Powered Liquid Needle Free Injectors: Design, Modeling and Experimental Validation.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Liquid needle free injectors are biomedical devices that deliver medication via the creation of high speed liquid jets without the use of hypodermic needles, have been a topic of interest in the scientific community for quite some time. This study focuses on the development and analysis of liquid jet injectors powered by air. Studies demonstrate that the majority of commercially available injectors are gas/air powered units; however there is no indication of a model that prescribes the performance characteristics of this particular type of injector. Consequently the main goal of this research is to develop and validate a model capable of predicting the behaviour of such devices.

In this study, the development and analysis of a model for air-powered injectors is accomplished first by constructing a prototype injector that functions in a very similar fashion and produces jets of similar geometry and velocities as the vast majority of commercially available units. Furthermore, the injector is designed in such a way that the parameters such as, driver pressure, injection chamber length and volume as well as nozzle geometry can be varied.

An initial evaluation of the prototype injector is performed to ensure it can be used to accurately conduct testing. The prototype injector is then used to validate a fluid mechanics model constructed based on previous work from Baker and Sanders [IEEE Trans. Biomed. Eng. 46:235-242, 1999]. Experiments that map stagnation pressures of the jet through the use of a piezoelectric force transducer are performed in order to validate the performance of the model. These experiments describe the peak and average stagnation pressures of the jet based on the effect of different parameters such as driver pressure (400-800 kPa), nozzle size (130-250 μm) and injection chamber length (10-25 mm). The results of these tests are then compared to the behaviour prescribed by the model. An analysis of these results indicates that the present model can accurately be used to predict the performance of air-powered needle free liquid jet injectors.


identifier: Etebari Alamdari, Neda  (2013) Mixed Plasmonic Nanoparticles for Enhanced-Performance Organic Solar Cells.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Photovoltaics (PVs) are considered as a promising approach to provide a renewable and environmentally friendly energy source. Ease of process, low-cost, light-weight, optical tunability, mechanical flexibility, semi-transparency and low-temperature fabrication makes organic solar cells (OSCs) a competitive choice in comparison with the currently dominating inorganic polycrystalline and Si-based devices. To commercialize the polymer PVs, however, higher efficiencies will be required. The reason behind the undesirable performance of organic devices is their insufficient light harvesting efficiency which could be enhanced by exploitation of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). The intensified local electric field in the vicinity of metal nanoparticles (MNPs), which is induced by excitation of LSPR, is expected to intensify the light harvesting capacity inside the active layer of OSCs.
In this study, the performance of polymer:fullerene bulk heterojunction (BHJ) OSCs incorporated with various MNPs are investigated. We analyzed the enhancement in optical absorption of poly(3-hexylthiophene):3´-phenyl-3´H-cyclopropa [1,9][5,6] fullerene-C60-Ih-3´-butanoic acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM) active medium while MNPs with different shapes, sizes and densities are deposited on top of the indium tin oxide (ITO) modified anode. The characterization results revealed both optical and electrical improvements of fabricated OSCs. A remarkable enhancement of 30% in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) has been achieved, attributed to the plasmonic effect observed in the MNPs.


identifier: Skillen, Adam  (2013) Deniable Storage Encryption for Mobile Devices.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

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abstract: Smartphones, and other mobile computing devices, are being widely adopted globally as the de-facto personal computing platform. Given the amount of sensitive information accumulated by these devices, there are serious privacy and security implications for both personal use and enterprise deployment. Confidentiality of data-at-rest can be effectively preserved through storage encryption. All major mobile OSes now incorporate some form of storage encryption. In certain situations, this is inadequate, as users may be coerced into disclosing their decryption keys. In this case, the data must be hidden so that its very existence can be denied. Steganographic techniques and deniable encryption algorithms have been devised to address this specific problem. This dissertation explores the feasibility and efficacy of deniable storage encryption for mobile devices. A feature that allows the user to feign compliance with a coercive adversary, by decrypting plausible and innocuous decoy data, while maintaining the secrecy of their sensitive or contentious hidden data. A deniable storage encryption system, Mobiflage, was designed and implemented for the Android OS, the first such application for mobile devices. Current mobile encryption mechanisms all rely, in some way, on a user secret. Users notoriously choose weak passwords that are easily guessed/cracked. This thesis offers a new password scheme for use with storage encryption. The goal is to create passwords that are suitably strong for protection of encryption keys, easier to input on mobile devices, and build on memorability research in cognitive psychology for a better user experience than current password guidelines.


identifier: Tarabay, Edward  (2013) The Parallel Aesthetic Evolution of Silent Film and the Final Fantasy Series.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The Japanese Role Playing Game (JRPG) series Final Fantasy series undergoes an almost identical aesthetic evolution to that of narrative silent film. Through an exhaustive formal analysis of the first four games in the JRPG series and a comparison to the development of the language of the film medium, this thesis aims to expose these common evolutionary threads and offer some insight into why these temporally and medially disparate objects develop in such similar fashions. Simultaneously, the thesis serves as a methodological template for how videogames could be studied from a film studies perspective. By focusing on an empirically-based case study approach (inspired by David Bordwell and Noël Carroll’s volume Post-Theory: Reconstructing Film Studies), the study aims to demonstrate the value in moving away from the large all-encompassing Grand Theories that dominate most film studies discussions. Due to the form of the medium that is constantly in flux (based on unpredictable player interactivity and an infinitely wide genre spectrum) an all-encompassing theory cannot define the medium as a whole, and can only be developed through a specificity (isolated case studies) over generality (Grand Theory) approach. The study also takes into consideration similar efforts of translating film studies methods into studying videogames. For the majority of its lifespan the Final Fantasy series set the standard for storytelling in its genre and influenced the industry as a whole. A thorough analysis of the series should be considered a crucial step in eventually understanding the video game medium and should prove useful in any peripheral studies of a similar nature.


identifier: Hayatle, Osama  (2013) ANALYTICAL MODELS FOR THE INTERACTION BETWEEN BOTMASTERS AND HONEYPOTS.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Honeypots are traps designed to resemble easy-to-compromise computer systems in order to tempt attackers to invade them. When attackers target a honeypot, all their actions, tools and techniques are recorded and analyzed in order to help security professionals in their conflict against the attackers and the botmasters. However, botmasters might be able to detect honeypots. In particular, they can command compromised machines to perform illicit actions in which the targeted victims work as sensors that measure the machine's willingness to perform these actions. If honeypots were designed to completely ignore these commands, then they can  be easily detected by  botmasters. On the other hand, full participation by honeypots in such activities has its associated costs and may lead to legal liabilities. This raises the need for finding the optimal response strategy needed by honeypots in order to prolong their stay within botnets without exposing them to liability.
In this work, we show that current honeypot architectures and operation limitations may allow botmasters to uncover honeypots in their botnet. In particular, we show how botmasters can systematically collect, combine and analyze evidence about the true nature of the machines they compromise using Dempster-Shafer theory.
To determine the currently available optimal response for honeypots,
we  provide a Bayesian game  theoretic framework that models the interaction between honeypots and botmasters as a non-zero-sum noncooperative game with uncertainty.
However, the solution of the game shows that botmasters  always have the upper hand in the conflict with honeypots since botmasters can update their belief about the true nature of the opponents and consequently act optimally based on the new belief value.
This motivated us to investigate a better strategy that enables honeypots to maximize their outcome by optimally responding to the probes of the botmasters. In particular, we provide a Markov Decision Processes model that helps security professionals to determine the optimal strategy that enables the honeypots to prolong their stay in the botnets while minimizing the cost of possible legal liability.
Throughout this thesis, we also provide different scenarios that illustrate and support our proposed analysis and solutions.


identifier: Guillemette, Antoine  (2013) Coming Together at Easter: Commemorating the Easter Rising in Ireland, 1916-1966.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
ABSTRACT
Coming together at Easter: Commemorating the 1916 Rising in Ireland, 1916-1966
Antoine Guillemette, Ph.D.
Concordia University, 2013
This dissertation explores how the Easter Rising was commemorated between 1916 and 1966 in the 26 southern counties which were granted independence following the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty. What follows surveys the various impacts that collective memories of Easter Week had on the modern development of Ireland, discussed through six chapters. The unfolding narrative reviews the acts of commemorative defiance devised during the final years of the British Empire, leads us to the various uses of public space through processions, parades, gatherings and erections of memorials in the first decades of independence, and examines commemorations in provincial Ireland and within Irish-speaking communities in a post-Second World War Ireland. The concluding chapter assesses how these dynamics re-emerged in one way or another during the expansive 1966 golden jubilee. Altogether, the ensuing story highlights the multivocal nature of 1916 commemorations which, for better or worse, persistently played a part in the formations and expressions of Irish identity up to 1966.


identifier: Aljuneidi, Tariq  (2013) A Mathematical Approach to the Design of Cellular Manufacturing System Considering Dynamic Production Planning and Worker Assignments.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Due to increasing international competition, shorter product life-cycles, variable demand, diverse customer needs and customized products, manufacturers are forced from mass production to the production of a large product mix. Traditional manufacturing systems, such as job shops and flow lines, cannot provide such requirements efficiently coupled with flexibility to handle these changes.  Cellular Manufacturing (CM) is an alternate manufacturing system combining the high throughput rates of line layouts with the flexibility offered by functional layouts (job shops). The benefits include reduced set-up times, material handling, in-process inventory, better product quality, and faster response time. The benefits of CM can only be achieved by sufficiently incorporating the real-life structural and operational features of a manufacturing plant when creating the cellular layout. This research presents integrated CM models, with an extensive coverage of important manufacturing structural and operational features.

The proposed Dynamic Cellular Manufacturing Systems (DCMSs) model considers several manufacturing attributes such as multiperiod production planning, dynamic system relocation, duplicate machines, machine capacities, available time for workers, worker assignments, and machine breakdowns. The objective is to minimize total manufacturing cost comprised of holding cost, outsourcing cost, intercell material handling cost, maintenance and overhead cost, machine relocation cost as well as salary, hiring, and firing costs of the workers. Numerical examples are presented to show the performance of the model.


identifier: Deshmukh, Sasmit S.  (2013) Molecular assignment of light-induced structural changes using site-directed mutant reaction centers.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The photosynthetic reaction center from purple photosynthetic bacteria is a membrane-bound protein-pigment complex that serves as an excellent model for studying biological energy conversion. This energy conversion takes place by electron transfer reactions, which occur within the protein and are often coupled to conformational changes that influence the lifetime of the charge-separated state. In order to identify these light-induced conformational changes, near the bacteriochlorophyll dimer, wild type and 11 different mutants of reaction centers from Rhodobacter sphaeroides were studied. Upon 1 min illumination the recovery of the charge-separated states, characterized by steady-state and transient optical spectroscopy, was nearly an order of magnitude slower in one group of mutants (including the wild type) than in mutants carrying the Leu to His mutation at the L131 position. The slower recovery, unlike in the mutants carrying His at the L131 position, was accompanied by a substantial decrease of the electrochromic absorption changes associated with the QY bands of the nearby bacteriochlorophyll monomers, plus a large proton release at pH 6, and a decrease up to 79 mV of the oxidation potential of the dimer during the illumination. The results in the mutants carrying His at the L131 position are modeled as arising from the loss of a proton conducting pathway from the dimer to the solvent, which inhibits the formation of the long-lived charge-separated state. On the other hand, combination of the light-induced conformational changes and lipid binding near accessory bacteriochorophyll pigment under optimized conditions resulted in unprecedented 5 orders of magnitude increase in lifetime of the charge-separated state, which sheds light on a new potential application of the reaction center in energy storage as a light-driven biocapacitor. Moreover, these conformational changes near the dimer can also be blocked by Mn2+ binding. The metal ion binding induced a significant ~ 100 mV increase in the oxidation potential of the dimer and inhibition of formation of the long-lived charge-separated state similar to mutants carrying Leu to His mutation at L131 position. The elevation of oxidation potential of the dimer upon Mn2+ binding can make reaction center protein gain some specific functional features of much more complicated photosystem II.


identifier: Dag, Haluk  (2013) Peace journalism or war journalism? A comparative analysis of the coverage of Israeli and Turkish newspapers during the Gaza flotilla crisis.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis examines the peace journalism model, created by Johan Galtung in the 1970s, and argues that the model could be an alternative approach for the mainstream news media’s reporting practices, especially in times of conflict. In his model, Galtung presents peace journalism and war journalism as two competing frames in the news coverage of conflict. For the present study, I applied both textual analysis and quantitative content analysis to the coverage of the Gaza flotilla crisis of 2010 between Israel and Turkey in two English-language daily newspapers from Israel (The Jerusalem Post and Ha’aretz) and two from Turkey (Today’s Zaman and Hürriyet Daily News) between May 31st and June 30th 2010. The analysis showed that more than two-thirds of the articles could be classified as dominant war journalism framing, compared to slightly more than one-quarter as peace journalism. The analysis focused on the newspapers’ provocative role in the crisis, as well as the story types (news report, editorial, op-eds, etc.), the production source of stories, the indicators of peace and war journalism, and the relationships between these factors. Moreover, I examined the viability of the peace journalism model and tested its ways of telling stories through rewriting the articles used in the present case study. The thesis concludes that some principles of the model could be more easily adopted by journalists than others. However, without reforming the structural problems at the root of modern journalism, it is unlikely that the peace journalism model will gain wider acceptance.


identifier: Sikder, Md. Jahirul  (2013) AlGaN/GaN HFETs: Current-drive Scalability, Gate-lag and Frequency-dispersion Studies.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
AlGaN/GaN Heterostructure Field Effect Transistors (HFETs) are suitable candidates for high-power and high-frequency applications. Although GaN possesses a broad peak in its drift-velocity versus electric-field (i.e., vd-E) characteristics, with very large peak drift-velocity and a pronounced region of negative differential mobility, oftentimes a purely-saturating approximation of vd-E characteristics is considered to be adequate for the evaluation of the drain-current characteristics of AlGaN/GaN HFETs. In contradiction to this belief, it was deemed necessary to investigate the accuracy of this purely-saturating transport characteristics in evaluation of the scalability of the current-drive of AlGaN/GaN HFETs with gate-length. This evaluation is carried out by considering both the realistic steady-state drift transport characteristics and the purely-saturating approximation of the drift transport characteristics. Results show that the drain-current of AlGaN/GaN HFET is less scalable, than expected on the basis of the purely-saturating drift transport characteristics. The predictability of this scaling-trend with the improvement in the Ohmic contact technology is also investigated.
	In addition, in this study two newly-developed AlGaN/GaN HFETs, known as island-, and fin-isolated, are evaluated from the point of view of gate-lag and frequency-dispersion. These studies are deemed important for further development of these novel device technologies. The studies are carried out over a wide range of temperatures. Variation of the observed gate-lag profiles with temperature provided important signatures linking the fabrication technology of these new device types with reliability concerns. In light of this study, suggestions are made to improve the aforementioned technologies.


identifier: Rose, Fabien  (2013) (Sa)voir le genre autrement: le gender passing comme paradigme.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Cette thèse propose une théorisation politique du concept de gender passing qui permet d’en faire un paradigme propre à complexifier la réflexion sur le genre, ainsi qu'à porter atteinte au régime d'identification normatif. L'objectif en est un politique : que le genre puisse éventuellement être, sans contrainte et sans effets coercitifs et disciplinaires, fait/vécu à la guise de chacun. Pour ce faire, je m'intéresse d'abord à la manière dont fonctionne le genre, à la relation qu’entretiennent communément «genre» et «sexe», et aux manières particulièrement subtiles dont cette relation, où le « genre » agit comme évidence du « sexe », peut être discursivement normalisée (chapitre 1). Ma volonté d’explorer le potentiel du gender passing m’amène ensuite à m’intéresser aux enjeux relatifs à la production de savoir à laquelle il a donné lieu. Mon attention porte surtout sur les enjeux relatifs à l'acception la plus commune de ce concept, ainsi qu'à sa mise à l'écart par ceux qui se sont intéressés au genre dans une perspective de transformation politique (chapitre 2). Je m’attache ensuite à proposer une théorisation du concept de gender passing qui le libère des contraintes épistémologiques qui se posent à lui dans son acception commune et qui permet de le penser dans son effectivité, c’est-à-dire comme ce qui survient, comme ce qui est le produit d’interactions quotidiennes répétées (avec des personnes ou des institutions), et qui prend par conséquent effet dans un cadre contingent impliquant un ensemble d’acteurs et de facteurs (chapitre 3). Cette théorisation constitue une tentative de repositionner le passing dans le cadre des interactions répétées dont il est, comme le genre, toujours le produit. La quête d'un moyen d’actualiser le potentiel de ce « moment » où le passing est effectif et où, par extension, le genre est «(re)fait» m’amène finalement à proposer qu’une conscience politiquement productive peut résulter de l’expérience du gender passing et être précisément cette condition essentielle à la prise en compte effective de toutes les auto-identités, aussi trans et/ou queer soient-elles, capable qu’est cette conscience d’amener à (sa)voir le genre autrement (chapitre 4).


identifier: Rodriguez, Jonathan  (2013) Improving Patient Flow with Lean Methodology: A Case Study at the Montreal General Hospital Colorectal Department.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Quebec healthcare institutions are facing an increase in patients’ request and asked to do more with less, impacting the healthcare staff by working harder and longer shifts. Despite efforts, waiting lists keep growing in number resulting in patients waiting long periods of time for a specific treatment. Lean methodologies, originally developed in the manufacturing industry, offer an alternative to do more with less. Lean focuses efforts on eliminating activities that do not add value from the patient perspective and builds more efficient processes to perform an activity.  This thesis proposes the use of Lean methodologies to improve the patient flow throughout the colorectal department at the Montreal General Hospital located in Montreal Quebec. A detail examination of the current processes of the department is analyzed and a proposed system is discussed with the use of value stream mapping and Lean principles. After rigorous data collection and analysis, initial improvements in the capacity of the department will increase in the common flow and colonoscopy loop by 20 patients per week and 60 patients per week respectively. In addition, Lead time will significantly decrease; up to 25% in short procedures, 20% in colonoscopies and 10% in surgeries.


identifier: Xiao, Wen Hao  (2013) Chinese Employees’ Perception of Guanxi: Impacts on Their Life at Work.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In last two decades, a Chinese traditional concept-guanxi-has gained significant attention from scholars across the world (Zhang and Zhang, 2006). Guanxi is so unique and important in China thereby it can to some extent affect a company’s development. A significant amount of research has been conducted in this area investigating guanxi not only from an organizational perspective but also from an individual perspective. Furthermore, certain scholars have specifically studied several more specific dimensions such as supervisor-subordinate guanxi (Han and Altman, 2009), salesperson-customer guanxi (Wang and Wang, 2011) and so forth. However, little research interest was shown on an overall investigation of Chinese employees’ perception of guanxi around them within organizations; and the possible impacts of that perception on their life at work. In order to fill this research gap, the present study particularly investigated Chinese employees' own perception of guanxi on three different levels (employee-employee, employee-supervisor, and supervisor-supervisor) and their perception of quality of guanxi as well (IVs). The relationship between IVs and DVs (employees’ happiness, organizational commitment and work motivation) was tested. Due to the large number of conceptual facets of guanxi, the most appropriate independent variables were first obtained by performing a factor analysis. Then, the multiple regression analysis was conducted to test the relationship between those acquired independent variables and the dependent variable. This study mainly contributes to the existing literature by providing a thorough conceptual image of guanxi, particularly based on Chinese employees’ own perception. In addition, the primary practical implication of this study is to help managers better understand their employees’ life at work from a guanxi perspective. Finally, the limitations and future research directions were discussed as well.


identifier: El-Asmar, Serena  (2013) The Roles of Task Significance and Social Perceptions in Job Stress and Employee Engagement.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The present study combined literature in task significance (Hackman and Oldham, 1976; 2010) and social perceptions (Grant, 2008) in order to help explain employee engagement in its two dimensions: job and organization engagement (Saks, 2006). The study further investigated the mediating effects of challenge and hindrance stressors (Cavanaugh, Boswell, Roehling, & Boudreau, 2000) between task significance and employee engagement. A total of 337 faculty members at Concordia and McGill universities participated in this study. A moderated mediation and a multiple mediation analyses were performed which showed that task significance is a predictor of job and organization engagement. Additionally, the multiple mediation analysis showed that challenge stressors mediate the relationship between task significance and job engagement whereas hindrance stressors are negatively related to organization engagement. Moreover, the interaction between task significance and perceived social impact and worth explained the variance in hindrance stressors as demonstrated by the moderated mediation analyses. The results fill a gap in the literature when it comes to explaining the direct and indirect effects of task significance in explaining employee engagement. The major contribution of the study is that it showed that task significance on its own predicts employee engagement regardless of the other job characteristics, it also supported the dual dimension of employee engagement, and it emphasized the importance of challenge stressors in explaining job engagement. Practical implications and directions for future research are highlighted.

Keywords: task significance, perceived social impact, perceived social worth, challenge stressors, hindrance stressors, job and organization engagement


identifier: Wang, Weina  (2013) Two Novel Learning-Based Criteria and Methods Based on Multiple Classifiers for Rejecting Poor Handwritten Digits.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
In pattern recognition, the reliability and the recognition accuracy of a classification system are of same importance, because even a small percentage of errors could cause a huge loss in real-life handwritten numeral recognition systems, like cheque-reading at financial institutions.
	Aiming at improving the reliability of recognition systems, this thesis presents two novel learning-based rejection criteria for single classifiers including SVM-based measurement (SVMM) and Area Under the Curve measurement (AUCM).
	Voting based combination methods of multiple classifier system (MCS) are also proposed for rejecting poor handwritten digits. Different rejection criteria (FRM, FTRM and SVMM) are individually combined with MCSs as weight parameters in voting. This method is then evaluated on three renowned databases including MNIST, CENPARMI and USPS. Experimental results indicate that these combinations improve the rejection performances consistently. To further improve the performance of the MCS based rejection method, specialist information has been integrated into the combination process by introducing a new confidence weight parameter. The best result on MNIST is obtained by the simpler one of the two proposed methods of deriving this parameter, which reaches 100% reliability with a rejection rate of only 4.09%, the best value in this field.


identifier: Tremblay, Véronique  (2013) Ongoing commissioning of heat recovery process in a central heating and cooling plant.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Ongoing commissioning aims at assessing and maintaining the performance of HVAC components in operation. Benchmarks describing the reference state are required in order to compare the incoming data collected by the building automation system against expected values. One approach is to develop inverse models from measured normal performance.

The current thesis is based on data collected in a central heating and cooling plant operated in Montreal. As a measure of energy efficiency, heat rejected by the plant chillers is recovered for re-heating needs in the summer. This thesis presents the analysis of the plant thermal performance over three years of operation with a focus on the heat recovery process and the key equipment, a plate heat exchanger.

Then, the proposed benchmarking approach is described. This is likely the first published ongoing commissioning methodology targeting liquid-to-liquid heat-recovery. It is based on a collection of metrics targeting the heat exchanger (Type A), and the process (Type B). Observations on the pertinence of including both perspectives are presented. The impact of the benchmarks training strategy is discussed, and the general formulation into a graphical user interface is described.


identifier: Ethier, Jessica  (2013) Costs and Benefits of Melanism in the Malacosoma disstria Moth: Investigating the Maintenance of a Stable Polymorphism.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The objective of this work is to investigate potential mechanisms maintaining a melanic polymorphism in the Malacosoma disstria moth. Laboratory experiments determined that the male-limited melanic phenotype is measurably darker than the simple phenotype. The melanic allele follows inheritance patterns expected for a Mendelian autosomal dominant. Melanization varies within phenotypes and is strongly dependent on dietary nitrogen availability. In female moths, melanization shows condition dependence. Melanic males tend to be smaller than simple males, allocate higher proportions of resources to melanin synthesis, and may be more susceptible to suboptimal conditions. These costs to the melanic phenotype may be balanced by thermoregulatory advantages and decreased predation pressure. Selection against the melanic phenotype may be strongest during outbreaks, but sex-limitation of the phenotype can protect the melanic allele from negative selection. The frequency of the melanic allele varies geographically; this may be related to temperature, population dynamics, or both. Multiple mechanisms appear to be balancing selection on the two colour phenotypes in M. disstria moths, resulting in a stable polymorphism that is present throughout the species’ wide distribution.


identifier: Lévesque, Myriam  (2013) Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition through Aural Means: What Do English Television Programs Have to Offer?  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Abstract

Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition through Aural Means:
What Do English Television Programs Have to Offer?

Myriam Lévesque

Little research has been done with regards to the lexical environment provided by broadcasting television. In this study, the contribution of television viewing to incidental vocabulary acquisition was explored using a variety of corpora. Sitcoms, dramas and sci-fi programs were compared among themselves and to a teacher talk corpus to determine how television programs can benefit learners’ acquisition of vocabulary, particularly when combined with teacher talk. It was shown that the learnable vocabulary of teacher talk and TV-talk do not overlap. Even though dramas are slightly easier to understand than sitcoms and sci-fi programs, all three cater to the needs of advanced English as a second language students. Sci-fi programs appear to offer the most learnable words of all the programs. Because the lexical load of teacher talk is less demanding than that of TV-talk, combining the two activities to increase the number of learnable words available proves unfeasible. Implications for incidental vocabulary learning, research and pedagogy are discussed.


identifier: Légère, Jessica  (2013) Negotiating Norms, Challenging Stigmas: Athletes’ Management of Gender, Sexuality, and Emotion on and off the Field.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Sport participation can be psychologically and socially damaging to athletes. Although sport is a major cultural force often correlated with socially positive aspects and benefits such as elevated self-esteem, academic success, and financial rewards, sport can also be a socially constructed site where individuals often feel pressured to conform to dominant gender and, by extension, sexual norms. Athletes often find themselves negotiating norms and challenging stigmas where gender and sexuality are concerned as they endeavour to fashion identities that will be deemed acceptable to the culture in which they find themselves. This dissertation outlines a study conducted to explore the complex symbolic significance attributed to the construction and performance of various male and female identities in the world of sports. In particular, it will examine the relationship between the sportsworld, as a social construct, and the subsequent pressure of the dominant gender/sexual norms. Questionnaires were handed out to fourteen different Canadian university sports teams (N=261) as part of a research project with the overarching objective of identifying the ways in which athletes cope with social stigmas, manage gender and sexuality identities and emotions, and achieve social conformity. With this in mind, the athletes were asked a range of questions, most of which focused on the following themes: athletic characteristics, coping strategies, emotions, and sexual orientation. This dissertation will offer a synopsis of the data and findings. It will conclude by discussing key limitations that have been identified over the course of the research and by suggesting topics requiring further investigation.


identifier: Surtees, Victoria  (2013) An alternative approach to speech act research in the study abroad context.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This research aims to contribute to a description of the breadth of opportunities for L2 contact and pragmatic development offered by the Canadian study abroad (SA) context by taking an alternative approach to speech act research. This study reports on the frequency and range of L2 speech acts and events as described by SA students in interaction logs completed with their mobile phones. Nine undergraduate SA students completed structured electronic surveys (n = 801) regarding their English oral interactions over ten-day period. The participants, from various disciplines, proficiencies and L1 backgrounds, were attending an English-speaking university in Montreal as part of a one- or two-semester academic exchange. Participants completed the two-three minute online survey each time they interacted orally in English, describing the content of each interaction, the interlocutors involved, and the location in addition to rating its difficulty. Results showed frequent exchanges on cultural issues with other international students and a low percentage of native interaction, suggesting that SA students have the opportunity to perform a range of speech acts and events but do so within their own peer community. Implications for the describing pragmatic development in SA speech act research are discussed.


identifier: Nayyeri, Seyedhossein  (2013) AIRCRAFT JET ENGINE CONDITION MONITORING THROUGH SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION BY USING GENETIC PROGRAMMING.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
In this thesis a new approach for aircraft jet engine condition monitoring
is proposed based on system identification and by using Genetic Programming (GP). This approach consists of two fault detection and isolation parts. In the detection part, the relationship between the engine Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT), as a major indicator of the engine health condition, and other engine parameters and operating conditions corresponding to different phases of the flight is modelled using the GP technique. Towards this end, flight characteristics are divided into several phases such as the take-off and the cruise. The GP scheme is then used to discover the structure of the interrelations among engine variables. The constructed model is then used to detect abrupt faults in the engine performance.

For the isolation purpose, a hierarchical approach is proposed which narrows down the number of possible faults toward the target fault. The GP algorithm is then exploited to extract a series of nonlinear functions of the engine variables called fault indices. These indices attempt to magnify the signature of a fault in the engine by combining the effects of a fault on the engine parameters. These indices subsequently provide the necessary residuals for classifying the faults.

 The approaches developed in this thesis provide an effective strategy for inspecting the aircraft jet engine health condition without requiring any specific information on the engine internal characteristics. The main advantage of the proposed approaches over other data driven methods such as neural networks is that our approaches provide a simple and tangible mathematical model of the engine rather than a black box model. The performance of the proposed algorithms are demonstrated and illustrated by implementing them on a double spool jet engine data that is generated by using the Gas turbine Simulation Program (GSP) software.


identifier: Zahirazami, Shauheen  (2013) Consistency and Sensitivity Analysis of Multi-level Petri Net Models of Biological Systems.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The recent developments in biological experiments have awarded the research community with valuable information, which describe finely regulated systems that govern the cell dynamics. One of the greatest challenges, however, remains to represent this extensive amount of knowledge in a proper way that can be used in simulations, and validated automatically, in order to understand the dynamics and ultimately achieve a desired behaviour for the system (cell) under control.
Many tools and techniques have been proposed in the literature to address this important problem. In this research, the use of Petri nets for knowledge representation is investigated. The initial focus of this research is then to introduce a concept of consistency between Petri nets obtained from various knowledge sources. Two algorithms are provided to construct Petri net models for cell dynamics using data available in public domain biological database. The first algorithm generates a low-level model capturing protein- protein interactions and the second, produces a high-level model which describes pathway sequences and is considerably easier to analyze. Appropriate tests are developed to study consistency of such models.
In the context of biological systems, diseases that alter cell dynamics, such as cancer, can be regarded as faults in the system, and disease diagnosis and treatment will correspond to fault detection and control. In this research a framework has been proposed for sensitivity analysis in Petri net representation of biological systems. Efficient tools and procedures are developed to achieve sensitivity analysis. It is demonstrated using actual biological system models, that the results of such analysis can be used as a basis of drug discovery.


identifier: MacLeod, G. Scott  (2013) Dans l’Griff-In Griffintown: Three personal French Canadian narratives on their homes, public spaces, and buildings in the former industrial neighbourhood of Griffintown.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Abstract
Dans l’Griff-In Griffintown: Three personal French Canadian narratives on their homes, public spaces, and buildings in the former industrial neighbourhood of Griffintown.

G. Scott MacLeod
	This Master’s thesis focuses on a two-generation French Canadian family, who through a series of interviews and a selection of their personal photographs from the 1940s to the 2000s, describe their Griffintown community experience. Griffintown is a former industrial inner-city neighbourhood reflecting Montreal’s industrial past, just south of the city’s downtown. With only a handful of the original civic, residential and industrial sites remaining, the once thriving community of predominantly working class Anglo-Protestants, Irish Catholics and French Canadians has all but disappeared. Currently Griffintown is claimed and viewed by some as a once predominantly Irish neighbourhood; little has been done to recognize that other cultures and communities occupied Griffintown. The current gentrification of the neighbourhood has brought a condo boom, bringing in a new generation of young professionals and retired couples but the former community endures in memory, via recent, books, films and community art projects. Using an arts-informed research methodology for my interviews and a photo elicitation process, I triggered the Merciers’ memories and stories about their former homes and community life, enabling them to recount their French Canadian experience in Griffintown. Using a short documentary film and educational website, this study articulates their personal narratives and memories from family homes and community living to reveal the importance of public spaces, buildings and communities. This thesis and documentary also highlight their views on the current condo projects changing the face of Griffintown. This arts-informed template and framework are designed for similar studies while the documentary and website are created for educational use in the field of Art Education.


identifier: Allen, Joseph  (2013) An examination of the perspectives of five Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) regarding their dual roles as English language teachers and purveyors of internationalization in Japan.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This qualitative study examines the field experience of Canadian Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) hired by the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program to teach in high schools across Japan, in order to shed some light on the role expectations of the teachers and the true impacts of the program.  The focus is on providing ALTs with a voice through which their unique perspectives can be revealed.  Five ALTs who had recently completed their assignments with the JET program were interviewed on their experience regarding their dual roles as assistant language teachers and cultural ambassadors, and on their roles in the Japanese workplace in general. Research participants were recruited from the greater Montreal area. The interviews were transcribed and the resulting narratives were examined for emerging themes.  This analysis was complemented by the author’s first-hand experience as a former JET participant. Results reveal that positive relationships between ALTs and their Japanese co-workers are essential to their successful performance in the workplace and for a smooth acculturation process for both sides. Findings contribute to the current limited body of research into ALT perceptions and debunk the notion that only native speakers can or should be considered for recruitment as ALTS, thus opening pathways for further research in this area of growing importance with rapid internationalization and globalization.


identifier: Abbasfard, Zahra / ZA  (2013) Fault Diagnosis of Gas Turbine Engines by Using Multiple Model Approach.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The field of fault detection and isolation (FDI) has attracted much attention in control theory during the last three decades which has resulted in development of sophisticated FDI algorithms. However, increasing the complexity of FDI algorithms is not necessarily feasible. Particularly for on-line FDI, the FDI unit must have the minimum possible computation cost to prevent any long delays in fault detection.
In this research, we try to address the FDI problem of a single spool jet engine by using a modified linear multiple model (MM). We first develop a novel symbolic computation-based method for linearization purposes such that the obtained linear models are subjected to the symbolic fault variables. By substituting certain values for these symbolic variables, one can obtain different linear models, which describe mathematically the healthy and faulty models. In order to select the operating point, we use this fact that for a given constant fuel flow (W_f), the system reaches a steady state, that is varying for different values of W_f. Therefore, the operating points for linearization can be determined by the level of the Power Level Angel (PLA) (different values of W_f). These operating points are selected such that an observer, which is designed as a candidate for the healthy mode, can accurately estimates the states of the system in healthy scenario and the number of false alarm then would be kept to minimum. If the system works at different operating points one can then discretize the W_f into different intervals such that in each interval a linear model represents the behavior of the original system. By using the obtained models for different operating points, one designs the corresponding FDI units.
Second, we provide a modified multiple model (MM) approach to investigate the FDI problem of a single spool jet engine. The main advantage of this method lies in the fact that the proposed MM consists of a certain set of linear Kalman filter banks rather than using nonlinear Kalman filters such as the Extended Kalman Filter which requires more computational cost. Moreover, a hierarchical structural multiple model is used to detect and isolate multiple faults. The simulation results show the capability of the proposed method when it is applied to a single spool jet engine model.


identifier: Feakins, Jonathan  (2013) Planning Like It’s 2099: The Use and Distribution of Smartphone Transit Applications in Chicago, Illinois.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Public transit provides an indispensable service to many of those who make major cities their home. At the same time, smartphones have become a commonplace but powerful piece of consumer technology, whose relevance to its users’ daily lives only promises to increase in the years to come. I describe the intersection of these two fields, in the form of smartphone applications that provide real-time transit information. I gather data via the server logs of two real-time transit applications, AnyStop and TreKing. I present an analysis of transit application users in Chicago, Illinois, and compare these users to the overall ridership of public transit in Chicago to determine if they are analogous. Using a combination of internet surveys and aggregate travel planning data, I attempt to illustrate overall patterns in how and why smartphone users utilize their smartphones to navigate public transit. Using log odds ratio and scatter plots, I specifically demonstrate how these two groups of users ride transit in markedly similar manners, both in space and time: smartphone users demonstrate classic usage peaks during both morning and evening rush hours, and their ridership across one hundred and thirty transit routes parallels overall transit usage with 70-86% accuracy. I also suggest variables that may account for any discrepancies in transit ridership between these two populations, and find that smartphone usage demonstrates negative correlation to factors such as total hours of service and number of stops, positive correlation for spatial complexity, and statistically insignificant or inconclusive results for route length, stops per mile, and buses per hour. Finally, I propose that smartphone applications may provide transit planners with an incredibly rich vein of crowdsourced, real-time travel data, which could be used to augment public transit services.


identifier: Minukhin, Igor  (2013) An Improved Method of Cutting Forces Prediction for the Primary Cutting Edges of Twist Drills.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
This thesis originally proposes an improved theoretical method to predict thrust and torque of twist drills in high speed drilling. The three existing models and methods are thoroughly studied and evaluated. It has been observed that each method has its own advantages as well as drawbacks and some errors.
A fundamental geometrical analysis is carried out on the primary cutting edge of a twist drill to understand the correlation between the geometrical features of the drill and the distribution of cutting forces. The improved method is based on the representation of the cutting forces along the cutting edge as a series of oblique cutting elements. The elemental forces are then integrated to determine the overall thrust force and drilling torque in terms of the basic geometrical features of the drill, the cutting conditions and the properties of the machined material.
The improved method presents the proper definitions of the dynamic rake angle and the uncut chip thickness, proves the negligibility of the feed angle and gives accurate representation of the elemental forces acting along the primary cutting edge, as well as the total thrust force and the torque. A good agreement between the predicted and the experimentally measured forces and torques was found for low carbon steels.


identifier: Mainella, Monique  (2012) Pedagogical implications of cross-linguistic-awareness raising: An exploratory study.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Second language teachers are typically not aware of the syllabus their first language counterpart is following. Reasons for this include lack of meta-linguistic knowledge, negative attitudes towards the notion of cross-linguistic comparisons, resistance to change, lack of planning time, and scheduling issues. Students are caught in the middle and may not recognize cross-curricular similarities, even when such similarities exist. The present study looks at a ten-month collaborative study involving two language teachers in a Quebec secondary school. One taught an enriched English as a second language (EESL) course, and the other taught a French mother tongue (FMT) language arts course to some of the same students. The teachers met every week to identify the areas of similarity between their two language programs that could inform their teaching, with particular attention paid to the development of the students’ ability to write in their first and second languages. Students completed weekly questionnaires with journal prompts in which they were asked to note any similarities and differences between the grammar and writing conventions that their teachers highlighted in class. Samples of their writing, in English and French, were collected at the beginning and end of the year. Analysis of the meeting notes and journals showed the development of cross-curricular awareness by the teachers and cross-linguistic awareness by their students. The findings from this research have implications for language teachers and language teacher pedagogy in Quebec.


identifier: Auchterlonie, Sarah  (2013) Exploring semantic memory organization using a proactive interference paradigm.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Several decades of research into semantic memory have yielded two main perspectives as to how semantic memory may be organized.   One hypothesis is that information is stored according to taxonomical categories (e.g., animals, objects); the other hypothesis suggests that information is stored according to featural attributes (e.g., functional and perceptual properties).  Using a proactive interference (PI) paradigm, this study aimed to investigate these two hypotheses by contrasting the impact of categorical and featural cues on patterns of PI effects (i.e., buildup and release).   Using the same stimuli and task, while examining recall performance and intrusion errors when featural and categorical information were opposed, allowed for a direct measure of the contribution of these two types of information for semantic organization.  To explore semantic organization across the lifespan, 20 healthy younger and 20 healthy older participants were tested.  Given that semantic memory deficits frequently occur in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the performance of the healthy older participants was also compared to 16 participants with AD to examine differences in semantic organization of featural and categorical information in individuals for whom there is a potential breakdown of semantic memory.  All groups showed expected PI effects when stimuli were categorically cued.  Participants also showed a release from PI when the featural cue changed (but the category remained the same).  An unexpected release from PI effect was found in the featural PI continued condition in which the featural cue remained the same (e.g., USED FOR TRANSPORTATION) but there was an implicit switch in category (e.g., from OBJECTS to ANIMALS).  The results are discussed in terms of the implications for the categorical and featural hypotheses of semantic memory organization.


identifier: Chen, Yaolin  (2013) Characterization of putative G1/S transcription complex factors Swi6p, Swi4p and Mbp1p in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The G1/S transition governs cell proliferation in many systems, and involves essential transcription complexes such as SBF and MBF in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or MBF in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.  SBF and MBF are composed of the regulatory subunit Swi6p and the DNA-binding elements Swi4p (SBF) or Mbp1p (MBF).  The fungal pathogen Candida albicans contains orthologues of SWI6, SWI4 and MBP1. Previous genetic, DNA expression and bioinformatic data suggest that Swi4p and Swi6p may be core components of a single MBF-like complex.  However, direct evidence is lacking, and the role of Mbp1p is unclear.  In order to determine the composition and mechanisms of action of the putative G1/S transcription complex in C. albicans, and identify other factors important for G1/S control, we determined physical interactions between Swi6p, Swi4p and Mbp1p using co-immunoprecipitation, systematically affinity-purified each protein and identified interacting factors through mass spectrometry, and investigated putative Swi4p targets using genome wide location analysis (ChIP-chip). We show that Swi6p physically interacts with Swi4p and Mbp1p, and Swi4p may bind Mbp1p.  Affinity purifications did not identify many additional interacting proteins, suggesting that Swi6p, Swi4p and Mbp1p may be the core complex factors. Finally, ChIP-chip analysis identified putative Swi4p targets including G1 cyclins, cell wall-associated factors, and regulators of hyphal growth, consistent with the swi4/ phenotype.  Unexpectedly, few putative Swi4p target promoters contained the conserved MBF binding site (ACGCGT).  Rather, 8.6% contained a canonical SBF-binding (CNCGAAA) motif, and 43.0% contained a related motif, CACAAAA.  Although the ChIP-chip data require confirmation by qPCR, the results suggest that Swi4p may be involved in regulating G1/S progression and hyphal development, but may not exclusively function through the conserved MBF-binding element.  In summary, our results provide new insights on G1/S regulation in C. albicans, which have important implications for controlling cell proliferation and development in the pathogen.


identifier: Haddad, Jade Michel  (2012) Portfolio Credit Risk Modelling for a Canadian SME Loans Portfolio.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
ABSTRACT

Portfolio Credit Risk Modelling for a Canadian SME Loans Portfolio

Jade Michel Haddad

The Basel II Capital Accords make strong and controversial assumptions on the behaviour of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in a credit portfolio.  Benefiting from a rich, and as such rare, dataset of default and credit risk events, we measure the portfolio credit risk characteristics of one of the riskiest segments of the Canadian SME market.  The depth of our data allows for robust segmentations of the data along dual dimensions, including risk grade and size of borrowers, not commonly found in the literature. This, in turn, allows for an SME-specific calibration of models for portfolio credit risk.  In particular, we use the Merton-type asset value model (AVM) and the CreditRisk+ frameworks to present empirical estimates of the correlations that underline the relationship among borrower segments in the portfolio.  In addition, we present loss distribution estimates for our SME portfolio under various extensions to the AVM and CreditRisk+.  These extensions include a Multiple Correlated Sectors implementation of CreditRisk+ and simulation-based, as well as analytical implementations of both frameworks.  Our results allow for a thorough testing of Basel II assumptions for portfolio credit risk and its application to SME borrowers.  In particular, we present evidence in contrast to Basel II specifications on SME asset correlations, and quantify the impact of the single sector and infinite granularity assumptions in the Basel II Internal Ratings Based (IRB) approach to portfolio credit risk.  Our work is undertaken within a consistent calibration of the AVM and CreditRisk+ frameworks and presents an SME-specific calibration refinement for CreditRisk+.  Finally, we focus on capital allocations under the Basel II framework and present a partial implementation analysis quantifying the impact of the application of various Basel II conventions to our SME portfolio.  Capital allocations from our internally-calibrated portfolio credit risk frameworks reveal a misallocation of capital among SME segments under Basel II.  Given our thorough assessment of both Basel II and the credit risk characteristics underlying SME portfolios, we provide suggestions for an improved SME portfolio credit risk management framework.


identifier: Saade, Nour  (2013) Whole-Body Vibration Transmission Barefoot and with Shoes in Athletes and Sedentary Individuals.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Whole-Body Vibration Transmission Barefoot and with Shoes in Athletes and Sedentary Females
Nour Saade

Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) is used in various settings; a lack of consistency is noted in the set-up of individuals on these machines. Whether or not to wear shoes and which parameters to select are difficult questions to answer due to the lack of detailed biomechanical analysis of these conditions.  The effects of footwear (shoe or barefoot) and athletic level (varsity athletes or sedentary) on acceleration were analyzed for the lower extremity and at the neck under different parameters (frequency and amplitude) while subjects performed a single-leg squat exercise. Thirty healthy college and university level athletes or sedentary females volunteered in this study. A two-by-two counterbalanced set-up was performed. The measures of acceleration at the different locations were analysed and compared using ANOVAs with a significance of p≤0.05. Results found variation of the acceleration between conditions to be dependent on parameters of vibration (amplitude and frequency). Footwear condition and level of training caused multiple differences in acceleration of certain axis at different locations without showing a consistent effect.  These findings aid our understanding of vibration parameter effects on the human body and their interaction within each other. Further studies are warranted to improve our understanding of the global effects of vibration parameters.


identifier: NARASIMHAN, VENKATA SUBRAMANIAN  (2013) A study on the factors that affect the implementation of COQ.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Cost of quality (COQ) is usually understood as the sum of the price paid for prevention of poor quality and the cost incurred due to product and service failure. It is a significant cost driver that firms need to control effectively in order to sustain competitive advantage. Nevertheless, the
literature suggests that only very few firms in fact track and report quality cost data and use it for management control purposes. The lack of the COQ use among the companies is frequently blamed on the implementation difficulties which can easily deter the organizations from undertaking a systematic analysis of their quality costs. In spite of that, there is only
little research-based literature that addresses the practicalities of implementing COQ. Furthermore, none of the research studies so far has gone into the depth of the issue in order to investigate factors that affect the implementation of COQ in organizations.

The main objective of this thesis is thus to thoroughly examine the use, the practicalities and the obstacles in implementing the COQ programs. A worldwide-launched questionnaire was used to gather the data from the quality professionals in the companies of various sizes, industrial sectors and geographical locations. A series of focused semi-structured personal interviews with managers and persons responsible for quality in several multinational companies were carried out in order to add the depth to the investigation, to validate the questionnaire and to verify the results. Graphical representations were generated to analyze the results and to determine the positive and negative impacts of various factors on the COQ implementation. Moreover, the areas on which each specific type of company, industry and department should concentrate in order to maximize the success of the COQ implementation were highlighted. The findings of this thesis can be used by companies to help in developing quality improvement processes and in increasing their effectiveness.


identifier: Proulx, Mikhel  (2013) The Progress of Ambiguity: Uncertain Imagery in Digital Culture.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Within a culture of persistent efficiency, ambiguous imagery represents a critical alternative. This thesis bridges studies in technology history, network and political theory, and art history. It attempts to account for contemporary artistic practices that critically address some of the objectionable tendencies within digital culture. These practices, this thesis proposes, may be best characterized by their radical use of ambiguity and un-certainty – qualities at clear odds with the rational, efficient nature of digital technologies. This thesis indicates a lineage of this nature in computer and Internet history, twentieth-century cybernetics, and larger philosophic histories. Rooted in symbolic logic, digital technologies carry a heritage of disambiguation—a dominancy of overdetermined, reason-based principles writ furtively in algorithms and protocols. They thus espouse ideologies via systematized calculation and centralized command, despite the commonly-perceived transparency, fluidity and egalitarianism of the Net.
     Working within-but-against these surreptitious structures are radical practices that critique, undermine, leverage, and offer alternatives to ideologies of disambiguation. In opposition to a contracted, answers-fixated dominant culture, artists are advantageously positioned to point back to the realm of questions – in all of its arable uncertainty, inquisitiveness and ambiguity. This thesis is structured around case-studies of artwork made by Constant Dullaart, Rosa Menkman, Jon Rafman, Internet Surfing Clubs, Ryan Trecartin, and Oliver Laric. Their practices contest the disambiguous nature of digital technologies to open up critical fissures in the semantic structure of digital culture.


identifier: Mousavi Mirak, Shima  (2013) Neural Network-based Fault Diagnosis of Satellites Formation Flight.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The main objective of this thesis is to develop a methodology for detecting and isolating faults (i.e. fault diagnosis) in any of multiple reaction wheels that are commonly employed as actuators in a consensus-based virtual structure controlled formation of satellites. In order to accomplish this objective, a two-level fault diagnosis system is developed based on Dynamic Neural Networks (DNNs). In the lower-level of the formation flight system hierarchy, a local fault diagnosis module is available in each individual satellite. In this level, the fault diagnosis system may consist of a dynamic neural network that is trained by using absolute measurements and states of each
single satellite. Unfortunately, a local fault diagnosis system may fail to detect the presence of low severity faults. In an individual satellite these low severity faults
may not cause any serious complications with the specifications of the overall mission, however they can cause significant impact on the satellite’s attitude or rates in a given precision formation flight of a network of satellites. Consequently, in order to detect these low severity faults a fault detection system is required to be designed and developed at the higher-level or the formation-level of the mission hierarchy. Towards this end, the highly nonlinear dynamics of the formation flight and the reaction
wheels are modeled by using dynamic multilayer perceptron neural networks. The proposed formation-level DNNs invoke the extended back propagation learning algorithm and are trained based on sets of input/output data that are collected from the relative attitude determination sensors of the 3-axis attitude control subsystems of the satellites. The DNN parameters are adjusted to minimize certain performance indices (representing the output estimation errors).
The capabilities of the proposed DNNs are investigated under various faulty situations, including single and multiple actuator fault scenarios and under high severity and low severity faulty situations. Using a Confusion Matrix evaluation method, it is demonstrated that by using the proposed fault detection and isolation (FDI) scheme, one can achieve a high level of accuracy and precision in detecting faults. The proposed formation-level FDI system has capabilities in efficiently detecting and isolating
actuator low severity faults simultaneously.


identifier: Ebne-Alian, Mohammad  (2013) On Developmental Formation of Patterns.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

title: On Developmental Formation of Patterns

abstract:
The constantly increasing amount of resources available to engineers and scientists have allowed them to target larger problems whose size and complexity introduce new challenges: the time required to find the solution is longer, the solutions are more error prone, and the tests and repairs are more expensive. Self-organizing methods have  recently been the promising pioneers in dependable robust design. Distributed self-organizing patterns can emerge to demonstrate the desired characteristics, either in form or functionality. At the same time, being inspired by the natural development of multicellular organisms, researchers have started using artificial development to improve features such as scalability or fault tolerance of the solution. However, the current solutions resulting from artificial development are either very small in size or very simple in architecture.

The first part of this thesis introduces a method to emerge patterns that demonstrate given functionality whose architecture is not known in advance. The notable achievement is the innovative fitness function in the evolutionary algorithm used there, which increases the density of the solutions in the search space and more importantly, makes the often-extremely-rough search space smoother.

The second and major part of this thesis studies formation of given large patterns from simpler initial patterns. This problem is solved in the framework of Cellular Automata. We push our methods to their limits by targeting large non-periodic patterns that have not been originally created by developmental methods. We use patterns for which the similar existing methods take a long time to find the solution, and their solutions are often large and seldom scalable. We suggest improvements to the existing methods to allow them find more efficient solutions, and also present two new methods to improve the results even further. In the end, we show that our suggested method also contributes to scalability. More specifically, our second suggested method decreases the growth rate of the solution to be slower than the growth rate of the problem size.


identifier: Moussalli, Souheila  (2013) Using Audio and Audio-Visual Feedback to Enhance Learners’ Perception and Production of Tag Questions.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Intonation is fundamental to human speech in conveying meaning. Teachers and researchers have raised the concern that the intonation of a second language is difficult both to teach and to learn in the language classroom. However, due to particular characteristics of technology-based instruction, there is an increasing tendency to teach and learn second language intonation through the use of technology and software. For the above reasons, an open-access tool which incorporates computer-based audio-visual feedback was designed and piloted to help Chinese learners of English improve their perception and production of rising and falling tag questions. Six international students (native speakers of Mandarin) participated in the study. The participants were pre- and post tested on their perception (in context and in isolation) and production (in context) of question tags. The participants also underwent training lasting approximately two weeks. Each week, the participants were asked to complete two blocks of the training materials, for about 15-20 minutes each time. Individual semi-structured interviews took place after the training with all participants. Based on observations, pre- and post-test scores, and the interviews conducted, the results revealed that the participants have become more aware of their perception of tag questions. Also, the participants showed some improvement in their production of tag questions. Participants also stated that the two applications used: WASP, a software that allows the recording, display and analysis of speech and Online Audio Recording, a plug-in for the e-learning platform Moodle were beneficial, interesting to use and helpful for their learning.


identifier: Stager, Andrew  (2013) “I'm Gonna Gather Up All My Friends, And We're Gonna Sing These Songs Together”: Autoethnography, Individual Meanings, and Social Relationships in Punk Scenes.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis examines the varying ways that individuals participate and identify with punk scenes. Based on autoethnographic methods of inquiry, the text forms its arguments through narrative dialogue and theoretical knowledge. Most often, studies on punk are situated in a subcultural framework. In this thesis, it is argued that 'scene theory' is a more favourable theoretical framework for studying punk. A selection of punk scenes are interpreted through the ways that individuals find meaning in their participation. Understanding punk scenes through individual perspectives presents an opportunity to understand the ways that participation in punk intersects with other facets of daily life. Punk scenes are understood as but one socio-cultural element within participants’ multifaceted lives. In this thesis, punk scenes are studied in terms of their overlaps, intersections, and influences on individual perceptions of self within social relationships.


identifier: Grebenuk Roy, Alexandra / AGR  (2013) La poesía como espacio liberador para cuatro mujeres avileñas contemporáneas (Poetry as a Space of Self-Liberation for Four Contemporary Women from Ciego de Ávila).  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In present-day Cuban society, women’s status is still tinted by the limitations and subjugations of the ancient Hispanic patriarchal ideology, affecting women in both their personal and their professional lives, according to the persistent “home (private)/street (public)” separation. As such, women writers suffer from a multidimensional marginalization based internally on gender, sexuality, and regionalism, as well as externally on political and economical factors. Moreover, Cuban feminism is also affected by the traditional and politicized criticism of the movement. The present work creates a dialogical space, more precisely a direct opening for the voice of four female Cuban poets from the provincial city of Ciego de Avila, on a national and more importantly international scale, otherwise unattainable to this nation. Through the innovative use and inclusion of interviews as an inter/active basis for a classical literary analysis, an “open dialogue” is created with the audience, giving access to the “illocutionary force” of the poets. Furthermore, the theoretical analysis of the condition of the woman-writer in Cuba is supported by a presentation, and my analysis, of several outstanding examples of poetry of the four women. This second part also creates an interactive space, as it integrates conceptual components s of the interviews, which underlines the role of the poetry as being one of self-liberation.


identifier: McManus, Francis  (2013) Probing the Activity of O6-alkylguanine-DNA Alkyltransferases on Alkylene Interstrand Cross-linked DNA.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: O6-Alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferases (AGT) are responsible for the removal of numerous mutagenic O6-alkyl 2’-deoxyguanosine (O6-alkyl dG) and O4-alkyl thymidine (O4-alkyl dT) adducts. The function of AGT in the recognition and removal of both mono-adducts and DNA interstrand cross-links (ICL) were undertaken. To achieve this, oligonucleotide probes containing alkylene linkers varying in length that tethered the O4 atoms of thymidine (dT) or 2’-deoxyuridine (dU) and O6 atoms of 2’-deoxyguanosine (dG) were prepared. These ICL were generated using a combination of solution and solid phase synthesis. Various O4-alkyl dT and O4-alkyl dU mono-adducts were also prepared by similar methods and analyzed to further elucidate the limitation of AGT with respect to damage detection and repair. Three AGT homologues (human AGT/hAGT, and E. Coli OGT and Ada-C) and an engineered chimera were used in repair and binding studies with the O4 and O6 modified oligonucleotides to note variations amongst species. Studies with the AGTs and modified DNA probes revealed: 1) hAGT is capable of repairing O6-2’-deoxyguanosine-butylene-O6-2’-deoxyguanosine (O6dG-butylene-O6dG) and O6-2’-deoxyguanosine-heptylene-O6-2’-deoxyguanosine (O6dG-heptylene-O6dG) ICLs in a 5’-GNC sequence motif, designed to mimic the configuration of the ICL generated by hepsulfam (1,7-disulfamoyloxyheptane); 2) O4-thymidine-alkylene-O4-thymidine (O4dT-alkylene-O4dT) ICLs evade repair from all AGTs studied, whereas the O4-butyl-4-ol and O4-heptyl-7-ol dT mono-adducts undergoes repair by OGT; 3) Creating an hAGT:O4-alkyl dT covalent complex for crystallography by employing O6-2’-deoxyguanosine-alkylene-O4-thymidine (O6dG-alkylene-O4dT) ICL DNA shows promise since covalent complex formation is observed with O6dG-heptylene-O4dT cross-links; 4) Introducing the active site of OGT into the hAGT scaffold confers the chimera with enhanced repair capabilities of O4-alkyl dT adducts with respect to hAGT while maintaining ICL repair activity; 5) AGT mediated repair of O4-alkyl dT damage is hindered by the presence of the C5 methyl (up to 30-fold). This effect is most notable with hAGT and the chimera; 6) O4-2’-deoxyuridine-alkylene-O4-2’-deoxyuridine (O4dU-alkylene-O4dU) ICL DNAs are not repaired by AGT. This elusive property is attributed to the E conformation adopted by the linker about the C4-O4 bond of the modified dU, as demonstrated from NMR studies. There are no working models that provide a feasible hAGT based repair mechanism for ICL damage. ICL DNA:hAGT crystal structures are needed to shed light on this poorly understood activity.


identifier: Zhou, Cong  (2013) An analysis of institutional trading activities around Quantitative Easing policy release.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This paper explores the trading behavior of institutional traders vis-à-vis the rest of the market in the US, around the Quantitative Easing announcements (also known as QE1, QE2). The objective is to identify if institutional traders display any advantage over the rest of the market, through their trading behavior around highly publicized news events. While better information in the form of access to non-public information is unlikely in this case, institutional traders could generate private benefits through superior ability to process public news releases. This could potentially allow them to better time the market around the actual event.


identifier: Mirvalad, Seyed Javad  (2013) Robustness and Retrofit Strategies for Seismically-Designed Multistory Steel Frame Buildings Prone to Progressive Collapse.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Unlike seismic engineering that attracted the attention of researchers, designers, and code developers for decades, the phenomenon of progressive collapse of structures still needs considerable amount of investigation. The main motivation for this study is to investigate the vulnerability of seismic code designed multistory steel moment resisting frame buildings to progressive collapse, and to propose retrofit solutions for those buildings that show to be prone to progressive collapse.
The studied buildings had 5, 10, and 15 stories (representing low-rise, medium-rise, and high-rise buildings), where each building was designed for three seismic zones (representing low, medium, and high seismicity). All studied buildings have a 3-bays x 6-bays rectangular plan; each bay has a span of 6 meters. Alternate Path Method (APM) recommended by GSA 2003 guidelines is adopted to evaluate the robustness of the buildings against progressive collapse. Three-dimensional models of the buildings are built using the Extreme Loading for Structures (ELS) software, where nonlinear static and nonlinear dynamic time history analysis are conducted for six different column removal scenarios for each building.
The nonlinear dynamic analyses showed that buildings designed for low seismicity do not possess sufficient resistance against column removal cases, thus need to be retrofitted to safeguard against the possibility of their progressive collapse. Consequently, two retrofit methods using top beams grid system and top gravity truss system are proposed for buildings in low seismic zones in order to enhance their robustness against progressive collapse. The nonlinear static and nonlinear dynamic analyses of the retrofitted buildings using the ELS software showed the effectiveness of the proposed retrofit systems in mitigating progressive collapse.


identifier: Proctor, Sue  (2013) The Archetypal Role of the Clown as a Catalyst for Individual and Societal Transformation.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
ABSTRACT
The Archetypal Role of the Clown
as a Catalyst for Individual and Societal Transformation

Susan Proctor

Many clowning programs are emerging around the world today (Adams 1998, Peacock 2009, Van Blerkom 2012, Vinit 2010, Simonds and Warren 2004). Programs like Clowns Without Borders; the humanitarian missions in Russia, Asia, and India led by Patch Adams; and Therapeutic clown programs in healthcare settings such as Jovia in Montreal are all deeply rooted in the traditions and archetype of the clown.
What common elements of the role of the clown serve as catalysts for individual and societal transformation and how are they actualized in various contexts and cultures ranging from the Indigenous Tricksters to the contemporary clowns of Bataclown in France?
Through ethnographic and autoethnographic research, this thesis will explore the traditional comedic role and the Indigenous sacred role of the clown to find connections to how the role of the clown manifests in communities today. This process will include reviewing scholarly works, interviewing and collecting experiential stories from clowns, as well as self-referencing my work in clowning and my script, written about my experiences, titled Under the Nose: Memoirs of a Clown, which I performed at the Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival in July, 2011.


identifier: Jong, Carolyn  (2013) The Selfish Selfless Hero: Questing in Dragon Age: Origins.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Dragon Age: Origins (DAO) is a highly successful single-player digital role- playing game. The player’s intervention in this world is structured around a series of quests, which describe and delimit the range of actions that must be undertaken in order to succeed in the game. Through her own subjective experiences of play, the author describes the various ways in which the narrative and ludic structures that make up the quest system in DAO both enable and constrain certain actions, identities, and roles. This thesis provides an in-depth account of how in-game choices, coupled with levelling mechanics, narrative events, and the affective responses of the player, can reflect and potentially reinforce or disrupt dominant ideologies and political beliefs. Drawing on work from the fields of game studies, political theory, feminist theory, literary criticism, and medieval studies, the author describes how her experiences of DAO, including the actions she elected to take within the game, were shaped by an implicit willingness to adopt or accept neoliberal, market-based modes of assessment, ethical binaries, and the domination of the self over the Other. The first two chapters outline previous research on quests, videogames, and the role of subjectivity. The third chapter discusses side quests and levelling systems, while the fourth investigates main quests and the overarching master quest. After examining the neomedieval setting of DAO in the fifth chapter, the author concludes with a discussion of how her own private practices of play are implicated in the process of socialization, resulting in inconsistencies and contradictions.


identifier: Ahmadi, Pooya  (2013) Computational Study of the Vertical Axis Wind Turbines: Wake Dynamics and Generated Torque.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: A computational study of the aerodynamics of the straight-bladed VAWTs was performed by RNG k − ε and S-A turbulence models. Three different rotor types with NACA0022, NACA0018, and S1223 blade profiles were studied. The main objective was to numerically analyze the torque and the highly unsteady wake dynamics of the VAWTs by RANS turbulence models. The effect of increasing the blockage of the free-stream wind by the rotor on the generated torque, the influence of different turbulence models on the results, and the performance of the downwind rotor in a row of two VAWTs were analyzed as well. The results indicate that the ducted VAWTs are more efficient than the regular VAWTs. The efficiency of the rotor is overestimated by the 2-D geometry. This is mainly related to the negative influence of the tip vortices on the torque. The velocity magnitude in the wake recovers 50 % of its inlet value within 2D downstream distance. In a row of 2 VAWTs, due to the disturbances in the flow generated by a turbine placed 15D upwind, the efficiency of the downstream VAWT varies in each revolution of the rotor. Comparison between the values of torque obtained by the RNG k − ε and S-A turbulence models reveals that the RNG k − ε model reports higher values of torque. In a direct relation, the values of torque obtained by the second-order-accurate solver are generally higher than those given by the first-order solvers. It can be argued that although the RANS turbulence models overestimate the efficiency, they can be appropriately used as CFD design tools.


identifier: Rezaiefar, Ali  (2013) Finite Element Modeling of Cyclically Loaded FRP-Retrofitted RC Squat Shear Walls.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Establishing effective retrofit methods for upgrading the seismic performance of existing reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls requires reliable means for estimating the behaviour of RC shear walls with various geometry and reinforcement configurations. Generally, experimental testing of retrofitted RC shear walls is considered as the most reliable method of performance evaluation, yet this requires great efforts in terms of the testing equipment and time in addition to the high cost. On the other hand, a numerical model that would consider the main parameters that influence the complex performance of original and retrofitted RC shear walls is seen to be an effective tool for parametric studies and development of code provisions for the design or evaluation purposes. A number of experimental tests are available in the literature which could be used for the primary verification of possible numerical analyses. Similarly, a number of numerical and analytical approaches are available with a great potential for improvements in order to converge into a precise and usable analytical approach.
In this thesis, numerical modeling of RC shear walls using general purpose finite element analysis package ANSYS is explored. A total of seven wall specimens from four experimental programs were modeled and analysed under monotonic and reversed cyclic loading and the numerical predictions were in good correlation with the experimental data. One of the experimentally tested models was then selected for further detailed investigation on the influence of the concrete compressive strength and the addition of externally-bonded carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite sheet on the behaviour of the squat RC shear walls and their modes of failure.


identifier: Lewis, Julie  (2013) An Analysis of Students’ Difficulties in Learning Group Theory.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: ABSTRACT. Research in mathematics education and anecdotal data suggest that undergraduate students often find their introductory courses to group theory particularly difficult.  Research in this area, however, is scarce.  In this thesis, I consider students’ difficulties in their first group theory course and conjecture that they have two distinct sources. The first source of difficulties would pertain to a conceptual understanding of what group theory is and what it studies. The second would relate to the modern abstract formulation of the topics learned in a group theory course and the need to interpret and write meaningful statements in modern algebra. To support this hypothesis, the group concept is explored through a historical perspective which examines the motivations behind developing group theory and its practical uses. Modern algebra is also viewed in a historical context in terms of three defining characteristics of algebra; namely, symbolism, justifications and the study of objects versus relationships. Finally, a pilot study was conducted with 4 students who had recently completed a group theory course and their responses are analysed in terms of their conceptual understanding of group theory and modern algebra. The analysis supports the hypothesis of the two sources. Based on the results, I propose a remediation strategy and point in the direction of future research.