title: A Review of the Potential Concerns Regarding In Utero Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (BTEX) in Household Paints

subject:
Organic
Compounds
in utero
Exposure
Volatile
Paints
VOC
Concerns

abstract: A research project submitted to fulfill the requirements of the Master of Environmental Studies (MES) degree in the School of Environmental Studies at Queen's University, Kingston ON

abstract: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are found ubiquitously throughout the environment. Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene, a combination also known as BTEX, are common VOCs found indoors. In particular, these compounds can be found in household consumer products such as paints and related organic solvents. Exposure to these compounds has been associated with adverse health effects. Of the BTEX compounds, benzene has been identified as a human carcinogen. Maternal inhalation of benzene may result in fetal exposure through transplacental migration from mother to fetus. To date, the specific mechanism of benzene toxicity remains unknown, but there is enough evidence to conclude that benzene exerts its toxic effects through reactive metabolites. Since pregnant mothers spend much of their time in the household environment, there is the possibility for in utero benzene exposure from indoor paints and paint solvents. Here, a review of VOC and BTEX properties is given, as well as current regulations and components of paints. This information is followed by a risk assessment for in utero exposure to paint fumes containing benzene as a model BTEX compound, using available data regarding human exposure and potential hazards to the fetus. Hazardous exposure of the fetus to paint fumes may occur at the earliest stages of gestation; however, as data used for risk quantification was limited, further research is needed to confirm this conclusion.

abstract: School of Environmental Studies, Queen's University


title: Scalability-Driven Approaches to Key Aspects of the Message Passing Interface for Next Generation Supercomputing

contributor:
Afsahi, Ahmad
Electrical and Computer Engineering

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

subject: HPC MPI Scalability Supercomputing

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-23 15:08:58.56

abstract:
The Message Passing Interface (MPI), which dominates the supercomputing programming environment,
is used to orchestrate and fulfill communication in High Performance Computing (HPC).

How far HPC programs can scale depends in large part
on the ability to achieve fast communication; and to overlap communication with computation or
communication with communication.

This dissertation proposes a new asynchronous solution to the nonblocking Rendezvous protocol used
between pairs of processes to transfer large payloads. On top of enforcing communication/computation
overlapping in a comprehensive way, the proposal trumps existing network device-agnostic
asynchronous solutions by being memory-scalable and by avoiding brute force strategies.

Achieving overlapping between communication and computation is important; but each
communication is also expected to generate minimal latency. In that respect, the
processing of the queues meant to hold messages pending reception inside the MPI middleware is
expected to be fast. Currently though, that processing slows down when program scales grow.
This research presents a novel scalability-driven message queue whose processing skips
altogether large portions of queue items that are deterministically guaranteed to lead to
unfruitful searches. For having little sensitivity to program sizes, the proposed message
queue maintains a very good performance,
on top of displaying a low and flattening memory footprint growth pattern.

Due to the blocking nature of its required synchronizations, the one-sided
communication model of MPI creates both communication/computation and communication/communication
serializations. This research fixes these issues and latency-related inefficiencies documented for
MPI one-sided communications by proposing completely nonblocking  and non-serializing versions for
those synchronizations. The improvements, meant for consideration in a future MPI standard,
also allow new classes of programs to be more efficiently expressed in MPI.

Finally, a persistent distributed service is designed over MPI to show its impacts
at large scales beyond communication-only activities.
MPI is analyzed in situations of resource exhaustion, partial failure and heavy use of internal
objects for communicating and non-communicating routines. Important scalability issues are revealed
and solution approaches are put forth.

abstract: PhD


title: A Digital Microfluidic Platform for Human Plasma Protein Depletion

contributor:
Oleschuk, Richard
Chemistry

subject:
Mass Spectrometry
Digital Microfluidics
Magnetic Separation
Electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD)
Protein Depletion

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-29 02:38:50.176

abstract:
Digital microfluidics (DMF) is an emerging liquid-handling technique that facilitates manipulation of discrete droplets across an array of electrodes. Although the working principle of droplet movement is still under debate, it has gained significant interest as the technique has been applied to various applications in biology, chemistry and medicine. With recent advances in rapid prototyping and multilayer fabrication techniques using printed circuit boards, DMF has become an attractive and alternative solution to conventional macroscale fluidics techniques with additional capability of sample size reduction, faster analysis time, full automation, and multiplexing.
In this thesis, we explore the use of DMF for human plasma protein depletion due to its multiple advantages. The high abundance of human serum albumin (HSA) and immunoglobulins (Igs), which constitute 80% of total plasma proteins, is a major challenge in proteome studies. Unfortunately, conventional methods to deplete high abundant proteins (e.g. macro LC-columns) are labour-intensive, require dilution of sample, and run the risk of sample loss. Furthermore, most techniques lack the ability to process multiple samples simultaneously. Hence, we developed a new method of protein depletion using anti-HSA and Protein A/G immobilized paramagnetic beads manipulated by DMF to deplete HSA and IgG from human plasma.
Toward this goal, prototype DMF devices and electronic controller were designed, built and characterized (Chapter 2). Preliminary depletion experiments were first optimized in-tubes and then adapted for DMF manually (Chapter 3). At last, the entire depletion process was performed on DMF using an automated controller system (Chapter 4). Results showed that the protein depletion efficiency for immunoglobulin G (IgG) and HSA in 10 minutes for four samples simultaneously was as high as 98%, and an approximately 3-fold increase in signal-to-noise ratio after depletion was demonstrated by MALDI-MS analysis. The depletion process is sufficient for a tryptic digest to be performed on a model protein, cytochrome C, where 89% sequence coverage was obtained for a depleted sample. Although some improvements such as on-chip sample processing (e.g. digestion) need to be carried out as future work, we anticipate that the new technique is a significant alternative for applications involving protein depletion steps.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Registered Nurses' Experiences of Care for Individuals With Mental Health Issues in the Emergency Department

contributor:
Buchanan, Diane
Nursing

subject:
Nursing
Mental Health

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-27 16:58:25.387

abstract:
Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to explore ED nurses' experiences in caring for individuals with mental health concerns and their thoughts of what contributes to or inhibits their ability to care for this patient population.
Methodology: A qualitative study using a descriptive phenomenological tradition was guided by the following research questions: a) What are the participants' experiences of the care that is provided to the individual experiencing mental health issues in the ED?,
b) What are the participants’ descriptions of elements that contribute to or inhibit their      ability to effectively care for individuals with mental health issues in the ED?,
c) What are the participants’ educational experiences related to mental health issues?, and d) What are the participants’ recommendations for the enhancement of mental health nursing care  in the ED? Conclusion: Nurses practicing in the ED stated they lack psychiatric knowledge related to theory, and skills in assessment and least restraint interventions which are often utilized when providing care to mental health patients in the ED.  Mental health education at the undergraduate and practical level relevant for practice in non-psychiatric settings needs to be enhanced and supported at an organizational level.  The use of control interventions such as restraints and seclusion pose significant ethical issues for nurses.  Interventions are often chosen based on the need to ensure the perceived safety for the patient and those within the ED and not necessarily on least restraint practices.  Further barriers include a lack of time, role and responsibility confusion and a fast-paced environment that was not conducive to provide quality care for those with mental health issues.  These factors detracted from care practices, and ED nurses thought their care did not meet the needs of the mental health patient.  These findings will provide a platform for education and organizational efforts that support the ED nurse and optimize care of individuals with mental health issues seeking care in the ED.

abstract: PhD


title: Planning for Pot:Incorporating the Production of Medical Marihuana Into the Zoning Bylaw of the District of West Kelowna

subject:
MMPR
Zoning
Medical marihuana
West Kelowna
Land use planning
ALC

abstract:
In June 2013, Health Canada enacted the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR), legislation that changed the way medical marihuana is grown and distributed.  As MMPR legislation is federal, all Canadian municipalities must allow medical marihuana production facilities or be prepared to prove that residents still have reasonable access to medical marihuana.
This research was aimed at determining how best to incorporate a medical marihuana land use into the zoning bylaw of the District of West Kelowna, British Columbia.  Three questions were posed:
1.	In which zone, if any, is the production of medical marihuana most appropriate?;
2.	If an existing zone is not appropriate, what would a new zone for the production of medical marihuana include?; and,
3.	Within the District of West Kelowna, which areas would be most appropriate to be included in this new medical marihuana zone?.


title: Impact of Active Layer Detachments on Seasonal Dynamics of Nitrogen Export in High Arctic Watersheds

contributor:
Lafrenière, Melissa J.
Geography

subject:
Nitrate
Active Layer Detachment
Nitrification
High Arctic

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-27 10:30:38.874

abstract:
This study examined the impact of active layer detachments (ALDs) on seasonal dissolved nitrogen (N) export from continuous permafrost headwater catchments at the Cape Bounty Arctic Watershed Observatory (CBAWO), Melville Island, Nunavut. Runoff samples collected throughout the summer of 2012 from an undisturbed catchment (Goose; GS) and from one that was disturbed by ALDs (Ptarmigan; PT) were analyzed for dissolved inorganic ions and species of total dissolved N (TDN), including dissolved organic N (DON) and dissolved inorganic N (DIN; ammonium (NH4+), nitrite (NO2-), and nitrate (NO3-)). Rainfall samples were also collected for dissolved ions analyses. Select runoff and rainfall samples were analyzed for stable isotopes of nitrogen and oxygen in NO3- (δ15N-NO3- and δ18O-NO3-, respectively) to determine its origin streamwater. Data from 2012 were compared to predisturbance data to assess the long-term effects of ALDs on N export.
ALDs increased the proportion of DIN/TDN in PT from 4% (predisturbance) to 37% in 2012. The increase in DIN/TDN in PT largely resulted from significantly higher NO3- in runoff. Values of δ18O and δ15N-NO3- as well as correlations between NO3- and major ions indicated that the higher NO3- in PT was due to the exposure of mineral soils in ALDs, which likely reduced NO3- sinks (e.g. plant uptake) and increased inputs of nitrified-NO3-. Values of δ18O-NO3- during initial runoff showed that NO3- supplied from the snowpack overwhelmed NO3- sinks in PT, leading to a twelve-fold higher peak NO3- concentration relative to GS. Low δ18O-NO3- values in runoff during stormflow indicated that inputs of DIN from rainfall (1545 ± 148 and 1838 ± 174 g N-DIN to GS and PT, respectively) supplied less than 30% of the NO3- in both streams, and that exceptionally high NO3- concentrations in PT resulted from flushing of mineralized-NO3- from the mineral soils. Seasonal DIN flux was 95% higher in PT relative to GS, because NO3- export from PT was 27 times that of GS. This is the first study to show that ALDs can have persistent impacts on DIN export from High Arctic watersheds, and that this results from enhanced export of mineralized-NO3-.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: The Carracci and Venice: Annibale Carracci's Stylistic Response to Venetian Art, and the Intermediate Roles of Ludovico and Agostino Carraccci

contributor:
McTavish, David
Art History

subject: Venice Carracci

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Art History) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-27 12:22:17.598

abstract: It has always been acknowledged that Venetian art was one of the components from which Annibale Carracci formed his painting style.  There is little documentary evidence concerning Annibale’s career and no Venetian sources to inform us of his contact with Venice.  Taking his art as the primary source, this study examines the timing and nature of Annibale’s contact with Venetian art and artists.  It also investigates the works of his brother Agostino and his cousin Ludovico to discover their roles in directing Annibale towards Venetian art and communicating its qualities to him.  The working method used is comparative analysis between Annibale’s art and key paintings he could have seen in Venice and North Italian collections.  Sources such as the early biographies and the marginal comments in the Carracci’s copy of Vasari’s Vite supplement the primary artistic evidence.  This study compiles and critically engages with analyses from previous scholarship.  The thesis investigates the role of prints in the early orientation of the Carracci in Bologna, particularly those reproducing Titian’s work, and how these affected Annibale’s ideas about composition and the representation of figures and landscape.  It reconsiders Agostino’s role as an engraver of Venetian paintings in transmitting ideas about Venetian art to Annibale.  The Carracci practice of copying other artists is reviewed with a scenario tendered to explain why Annibale copied Correggio and Titian, but not Bassano, Veronese, or Tintoretto.  Annibale’s and Agostino’s early adoption of drawing and painting techniques are investigated, as is Ludovico’s later technical experiments.  Annibale’s travels in northern Italy as suggested by his annotations in Vasari’s Vite are explored in terms of which paintings he could have seen there and how this experience may be reflected in his art.   The most highly Venetianizing period of all three Carracci, from about 1587 to its zenith in 1592, is refined.  Annibale’s study of Venetian art is shown to have been more involved than suggested by previous scholars.  Together with his observation of nature, accomplished draughtsmanship and his study of Correggio, Venetian art informed his mature style before he relocated to Rome.

abstract: I am planning to transform some of the material in the thesis into an article for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.

abstract: PhD


title: The Magnetic Fields of Ap Stars From High Resolution Stokes IQUV Spectropolarimetry

subject: Stars Astronomy

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-27 14:14:25.813

abstract:
In this thesis we describe the acquisition of high resolution time resolved spectropolarimetric observations of 7 (bright and well understood) Ap stars in Stokes IQUV using the ESPaDOnS and Narval spectropolarimeters at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and the 2m Telescope Bernard Lyot at Pic du Midi Observatory. We compare these observations with those obtained a decade earlier using the MuSiCoS spectropolarimeter to confirm consistency with the older data and provide evidence that both ESPaDOnS and Narval perform as expected in all Stokes parameters.  We demonstrate that our refined longitudinal magnetic field and linear polarisation measurements for these 7 stars are of much greater quality than was previously obtained with MuSiCoS and that the global magnetic properties of these stars are stable over a long timescale. The ultimate aim of these new data is to provide a basis from which mapping of both the magnetic field and abundance structures can be performed on our target stars.

We then describe magnetic field mapping of the Ap star Alpha 2 CVn using these data. This mapping is achieved with the use of tomographic inversion of Doppler-broadened Stokes IQUV profiles of a large variety of spectral lines using the INVERS10 Magnetic Doppler imaging code.  We show that not only are the new magnetic field maps of Alpha 2 CVn consistent with a previous generation of maps of Alpha 2 CVn,  but that the same magnetic field topology can be derived from a variety of atomic line sets.  This indicates that the magnetic field we derive for Alpha 2 CVn is a realistic representation of the star's true magnetic topology.

Finally we investigate surface abundance structures for Alpha 2 CVn for various chemical elements. We investigate the correlation between the location of these abundance features and the magnetic field of Alpha 2 CVn. We will demonstrate that whilst the magnetic field plays a role in the formation of abundance structures, the current theoretical framework does not fully explain what we find from our maps. Ultimately this work motivates future mapping of Ap stars by confirming the reliability of both the instrument and associated data and the mapping technique itself.

abstract: PhD


title: Naptime in Full-Day Kindergarten

contributor:
Bolden, Benjamin
Education

subject: sleep kindergarten

abstract: Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-27 14:50:50.525

abstract:
The Ontario Ministry of Education’s guidelines for full-day kindergarten do not specifically mention naptime (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2010). This study sought to address the issue of naptime in full-day  kindergarten. Focus groups and interviews were conducted to understand the perspectives of eighteen parent and teacher participants. Seven of the participants were kindergarten teachers, nine were parents. Two participants qualified to be both teacher and parent.
The main findings from this study demonstrated that parents and teachers considered the following to be advantages of naptime: (1) a nap allows a break that enables students to focus on afternoon learning, (2) a nap allows the behaviour of children to improve (3) some children are young and require a nap, (4) teachers use naptime to complete preparation for the next lesson, and (5) since school is a long day for children, a nap is required to ensure students will remain awake in the afternoon. The disadvantages of kindergarten naptime were identified as: (1) an afternoon nap is not useful for all students, (2) it takes away from time devoted to academics, (3) it negatively affects bedtimes and, (4) managing naptime is problematic. Additionally, more appealing alternatives to a naptime session were suggested: (1) Down Time which refers to activities that are quiet without any expectation that children will sleep, (2) Rest Time which includes an option to sleep or participate in quiet, individual activities, and (3) Quiet Time which is a period of time dedicated to quiet, individual activities without any intention of sleeping. It was suggested that only Junior Kindergarten students need a chance to nap, since it will help them focus in the afternoon. A synthesis of my findings suggests that a 30-minute rest time could be incorporated in the full-day Junior Kindergarten, but not Senior Kindergarten, program at the midday point.

abstract: M.Ed.


title: Evaluating the Walkability of Transit Oriented Development in Vancouver's Northeast Sector

subject:
Urban Planning
Walkability
Transit Oriented Development
Urban Design
Metro Vancouver


title: The Geochemical and Mineralogical Controls on the Environmental Mobility of Rare Earth Elements From Tailings, Nechalacho Deposit, Northwest Territories

contributor: Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering

subject:
Geochemistry
Speciation
Sorption
Rare Earth Elements
Colloids
PHREEQC
Lanthanides
MLA
Synchrotron
Tailings
Mine Waste
Aqueous Mobility

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-28 11:06:41.351

abstract: Increased demand for rare earth elements (REEs) for applications in modern technologies has led to an increase in REE exploration. Several deposits are expected to begin mining within a decade, but few studies have examined the possible environmental effects created by these mines.  Metal toxicity is thought to be greater in aqueous environments when metals occur as free ions rather than complexes, and the speciation can also impact the treatment technologies utilized to reduce metal concentrations. This research investigates the mineralogical source of REEs and the mechanism of REE mobility in low-temperature waters that have interacted with pilot plant tailings from the Nechalacho deposit, Northwest Territories. The Nechalacho deposit is owned by Avalon Rare Metals Inc. and located approximately 100 km east of Yellowknife. The deposit is hosted within a hydrothermally altered layered nepheline-sodalite syenite in the peralkaline Blatchford Lake complex. The main REE ore minerals are zircon, fergusonite, allanite, monazite, bastnäsite, and synchisite-parasite. Characterization of the tailings using mineral liberation analyzer (MLA) show that the ore minerals are fine grained and well liberated. Bastnäsite and synchisite-parasite are the only potentially soluble ore minerals at low temperature and near-neutral pH. Shake flask experiments were designed to simulate the interaction of tailings with three different leach waters to identify soluble phases and mobile elements. Decanted solutions from the shake flasks were filtered to 0.45µm and 0.01µm. Speciation modelling of the 0.01µm filtrate suggests that carbonate ligands will form the dominant complexes with the REEs, and <2% occur as free metal ions. Higher proportions of LREEs (1-6%) occur as free metal ions than HREEs (<1%) and LREEs occur in higher concentrations (2 to 8 times greater) than the HREE. REEs were found in the colloidal fraction ([REEcolloid] = [REE0.45µm] – [REE0.01µm]). Ionic strength is the dominant control on distribution of REEs between colloidal and dissolved fraction. Colloids captured on filters from ultrafiltration analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and synchrotron microanalysis show REEs are hosted in colloidal rare earth minerals (e.g. zircon) and also show colloidal humic acid, Fe-oxides and Mn-oxides. Speciation modeling shows that REE sorption to these phases is probable.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: A Querencetic Life: Enacting Source

contributor:
Wilcox, Susan
Education

subject: Transformative Learning Querencia Authenticity Querencetic Complexity Hermeneutics

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Education) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-29 11:15:55.339

abstract: As a psychotherapist, my work with thousands of clients over the last two decades has illuminated a theme––when there is a misalignment between one’s values and beliefs and one’s lived experience, dis-ease, discomfort, dissonance and self-alienation take hold. The corollary often being true: An authentic life––living closely aligned with one’s beliefs and values––promotes experiences of health and happiness. Psychological research supports the notion that well-being and happiness are products of living authentically (Brown, Ryan, Laguardia, & Rawsthorne, 2005; Kernis & Goldman, 2006; Wood, Linley, Maltby, Baliousis, & Joseph, 2008). This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was a response to my curiosity about the practice of living an aligned life and answered the overarching question: “What is the experience of the conscious practice of authenticity?” with the sub-question: “How does the conscious practice of authenticity relate to transformative learning?” Relevant literature is reviewed in the areas of transformative learning, authenticity, and complexity thinking: particularly the quality of emergence represented in the methodological orientation of the hermeneutic circle. Data collection strategies including interviews, an experiential component of “in the moment” recording, researcher field notes in the form of a commonplace book, and a web-based forum, as well as close readings of relevant literature. Data interpretation was based on a six stage integrative and creative hermeneutic analysis (adapted from Ajjiwa & Higgs, 2007). The stages of interpretation were (1) immersion, (2) understanding, (3) abstraction, (4) synthesis and theme development, (5) illumination and illustration of the phenomenon, (6) integration and critique. The research findings introduced the terms querencia (home or source in a person) and querencetic living (living from one’s inner source or knowing). The findings indicate that querencetic living generates wellness, happiness and peace and is comprised of four parts: 1) knowing our querencia (values, beliefs, needs, feelings), 2) being attuned to our querencia, 3) trusting our knowing/not knowing/changing knowing and 4) enacting our querencia through voice and action. The nature of our querencia is emergent (ever-changing and fluid) where our relationship to our querencia (being attuned, trusting and enacting) is unbending.

abstract: PhD


title: The Efficacy of a Volunteer-Administered Cognitive Stimulation Program in Two Long-Term Care Homes: A Randomized, Controlled Study

contributor:
Kirby, John R.
Education

subject:
Geriatric Cognition
Memory
Dementia
Volunteerism

abstract: Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-29 07:07:01.042

abstract: Older adults who maintain their cognitive skills and abilities are able to live more independently than those whose skills have deteriorated. The costs (money, time, personnel) associated with providing cognitive stimulation programs to residents in long-term care homes often prohibit the delivery of these programs. The present study explored the efficacy of using volunteers to administer a stimulation program in two long-term care homes. The program focused on stimulating reasoning, attention, and memory abilities using uncomplicated, pen-and-paper exercises. Thirty-six resident participants and 16 volunteer participants were randomly assigned to one of two parallel groups, either the control or stimulation group. For eight weeks, three times each week, control group participants met for standard “friendly visits” (casual conversation between a resident and volunteer) and stimulation group participants met to work through a variety of exercises meant to stimulate the cognitive abilities of residents. Results were analyzed using a 2-way ANOVA and indicated statistically significant Group x Time interactions for Verbal Memory, Non-Verbal Memory, Learning, and in a screening test for verbal fluency. Volunteers completed a post-study questionnaire which indicated that the volunteers in the stimulation group found their skills-based interactions more stimulating for residents. Therefore this study demonstrates that a volunteer-administered cognitive stimulation program can provide measurable gains in the cognitive abilities of older adults. Further studies concerning the role of volunteers in the maintenance of the cognitive abilities of older adults are recommended.

abstract: M.Ed.


title: Evaluation of Swirl and Tabs in Short Annular Diffusers

contributor:
Birk, Michael A.
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
numerical shape optimization
CFD
vortex generators
swirl
centre-body
annular diffuser

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-29 09:03:16.591

abstract:
Short annular diffusers were essential components for turbomachines that have been used to expand the air entering the compressor, as interstage ducts between gas generators and power turbines, and on the exhaust gases exiting the turbine. The industrial community was interested and invested in improving diffuser design that was challenging owing to the unfavourable fluid flow effects. Efficient design of fluid flow devices was possible through the complementary use of experimental testing and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). A numerical shape optimization study was undertaken to determine preferential annular diffuser configurations. Experimental data were compared against CFD that simulated the steady-state Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations with two-equation turbulence models.

This investigation reached equivalent conclusions with respect to the influences associated with diffuser geometry and swirl. Vorticity effects caused by square tabs, that were not as well understood, were investigated. The tabs were effective in reducing the central toroidal recirculation zone created by a swirling flow, but at a static pressure penalty for the area ratio, AR<2.73, diffusers tested. Results identified several shortcomings in the CFD that typically over-estimated pressure recovery and outlet velocity uniformity; however, properly qualitatively predicted wall pressure distributions and outlet velocity profiles. The use of CFD on modest grids, with preference given to the realizable k-epsilon turbulence model, for annular diffusers that have length to inlet height ratio of 12 and at least AR=2.73 with up to 20-degrees inlet swirl was encouraged as a design tool.

abstract: PhD


title: Four Essays on Using Economic Analysis to Evaluate Canadian Public Policy

contributor:
Lehrer, Steven F.
Boadway, Robin W.
Economics

subject: Labor Public Evaluation

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Economics) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-29 11:18:01.817

abstract:
The first essay shows the presence of discrimination in the allocation of doctoral scholarships using a unique dataset containing the 1901 recipients of 2004-2005 doctoral awards from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). I provide evidence that evaluators give higher scores to candidates in their own discipline and then proceed to distinguish between two types of discrimination: taste-based and screening. This paper is the first to find support for screening discrimination: better candidates have higher scores when they are assessed by evaluators from their discipline, while there is no significant effect for weaker candidates. Moreover, the weakest candidates, those close to the funding threshold, actually have a lower probability of receiving a large award when there is an evaluator from their discipline in their evaluation committee.
The second essay models the optimal distribution of government spending when the electoral benefit accrues to the district incumbent and not to the party in power. The model shows that, under certain parameters, more money is spent in core support districts. I test this prediction using the distribution of projects undertaken in the scope of the 2009-2010 Canada Economic Action Plan.
The third essay assesses the deterrence of demerit points on the behavior of drivers. To address driver heterogeneity, I use the expiration of points as quasi-exogenous variation in the number of points. I can then compare the probability of a traffic violation for drivers who had the same number of points but now have a different number of demerit points. I find that a 3-point decrease in the number of demerit points through the expiration process increases the probability of a violation in the following two months by 40 to 50 percent, but only for drivers close to the threshold.
The last essay studies the impact of a non-refundable tax credit for public transit introduced in July 2006 in Canada. I find no evidence that this tax credit increased the number of trips done using public transit. There is, however, some suggestive evidence that it did induce commuters to purchase monthly passes.

abstract: PhD


title: Overlapping Computation and Communication through Offloading in MPI over InfiniBand

subject:
MPI
offloading
high performance computing
computer engineering
InfiniBand
CORE-Direct

abstract: Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-29 11:55:53.87

abstract:
As the demands of computational science and engineering simulations increase, the size and capabilities of High Performance Computing (HPC) clusters are also expected to grow.  Consequently, the software providing the application programming abstractions for the clusters must adapt to meet these demands.  Specifically, the increased cost of interprocessor synchronization and communication in larger systems must be accommodated.  Non-blocking operations that allow communication latency to be hidden by overlapping it with computation have been proposed to mitigate this problem.

In this work, we investigate offloading a portion of the communication processing to dedicated hardware in order to support communication/computation overlap efficiently.  We work with the Message Passing Interface (MPI), the de facto standard for parallel programming in HPC environments.  We investigate both point-to-point non-blocking communication and collective operations; our work with collectives focuses on the allgather operation.  We develop designs for both flat and hierarchical cluster topologies and examine both eager and rendezvous communication protocols.

We also develop a generalized primitive operation with the aim of simplifying further research into non-blocking collectives.  We propose a new algorithm for the non-blocking allgather collective and implement it using this primitive.  The algorithm has constant resource usage even when executing multiple operations simultaneously.

We implemented these designs using CORE-Direct offloading support in Mellanox InfiniBand adapters.  We present an evaluation of the designs using microbenchmarks and an application kernel that shows that offloaded non-blocking communication operations can provide latency that is comparable to that of their blocking counterparts while allowing most of the duration of the communication to be overlapped with computation and remaining resilient to process arrival and scheduling variations.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Getting the Message Home and the Children Outdoor : Parents Perceptions of Barriers and Facilitators to Enrolling Their Children in a Summer Outdoor Activity Program

contributor:
Lévesque, Lucie L.
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Children
Outdoor Activity
Social Marketing
Health Promotion

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-30 10:22:07.963

abstract:
Abstract
Background  The decrease in children’s outdoor activity and its associated health impacts form the basis for health promotion initiatives to encourage children's outdoor activity.  As gatekeepers to their children’s participation in registered programs, parents must be convinced that the benefits of enrollment in such programs outweigh the costs. A guiding framework is thus needed to help recreation providers identify critical program components and effective messages to attract parents. Purpose The main purpose of this study was to gain insight into parental perceptions of barriers and facilitators to enrolling their children in an outdoor activity program in order to inform the development of an action planning framework for recreation providers. A secondary purpose was to apply the framework to an existing summer activity program implemented by the City of Kingston department of recreation. Methods This qualitative study was guided by Social Marketing principles (i.e., the “4 P’s”: Product, Price, Promotion, Place). Key informants, 18 parents of children 4 to12 years old from 16 different neighbourhoods located in a mid-size Canadian city, participated in 4 focus groups and 7 interviews. Sessions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis involved both deductive and inductive content analysis. Results Parental intentions to enrol their children in an outdoor activity program were shown to be influenced by barriers and facilitators, related to Product and Price, contained within the following themes, ranked from most to least influential: program safety, program social environment, program structure, child preferences, cost and convenience, skills development, variety of activities, community, the local level, and, staff engagement. The influence of these themes on parental intentions seems to be moderated by the theme of Information transfer, related to Promotion.  Place was not found to influence intentions.  For each theme, a continuum emerged, encompassing both positive and negative influences (e.g. high program safety to lack of program safety) upon parents’ intentions to enrol their children in an outdoor activity program. Conclusions The Social Marketing Framework is useful to inform the development of an action planning framework for recreation providers seeking to enhance enrollment in their outdoor activity programs.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: The Effect of Time and Experience on Kinematics During a Simulated Sign Language Interpreting Session Using a Preferred Work to Rest Ratio

contributor:
Fischer, Steven L.
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject: Musculoskeletal Disorders in Sign Language Interpreters

subject: Work to Rest Ratio

subject: Kinematics

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-29 17:46:11.133

abstract: Sign language interpreters (SLI) provide a vital service to the deaf community but also experience high levels of pain and suffer from career threatening musculoskeletal disorders. Balancing work and rest (recovery) may be a useful intervention to help address these concerns. This thesis addresses two specific questions, parsed out of a larger study seeking to determine ideal work to rest ratios for sign language interpreting. The aims of this specific body of work were to evaluate sign language interpreters (SLIs) perceptions of the mental and physical demands associated with different work to rest ratios; and, to measure kinematics during signing, comparing kinematic outcomes between novice and experienced SLIs and over time using the work to rest ratio that was perceived as the least demanding (as identified in aim 1). Nine novice and nine experienced interpreters participated in the study, each interpreting the same ten hours of a university level lecture, over the course of six visits to the laboratory. During each session interpreters worked (“hands in the air”) for 60 minutes, but used a different work to rest strategy in each session. These strategies ranged from 10-minute work, 10-minute rest, to 60 minutes of continuous work with no rest. During each session, participants were instrumented with motion capture and electromyography sensors while interpreting in a simulated working environment. In addition, SLIs were asked to provide feedback about their perceptions of the mental and physical demands associated with each session. The first study in this thesis reports on participant’s subjective feedback about the six different sessions (paper #1); where participants identified the 15-minute work to rest ratio as ideal. The second paper reports on kinematic data from this perceived ideal work to rest ratio (paper #2). Despite interpreting in a work to rest ratio that SLIs perceived as ideal, kinematic variables with known associations to injury risk (joint position, velocity, micro-breaks) readily exceeded reported thresholds.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Changes in Diatom Assemblages in Adirondack (NY, USA) Reference Lakes Since Pre-Industrial Times

contributor:
Cumming, Brian F.
Biology

subject:
Adirondacks
Reference Lakes
Diatoms
Climate Change
Discostella stelligera
Climate Warming

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-29 21:33:42.24

abstract: The vast majority of Adirondack lakes have been impacted since pre-industrial time through either regional (e.g. acidification) or local (e.g. fish stocking, liming, seepage of road salt, cultural eutrophication) environmental disturbances.  Inferring changes related to climate are difficult due to the possible complexities associated with multiple stressors.  Thirty minimally-disturbed ‘reference’ lakes were identified from a database of 1469 lakes using the following selection criteria: <5% shoreline development; a circumneutral pH; and no records of introduction of non-native piscivores (protecting against eutrophication, chronic lake acidification and modifications of trophic structure, respectively).  As such, these ‘reference’ lakes may be useful for isolating the effects of regional changes, including climate warming, from other anthropogenic influences.  A ‘top-bottom’ paleolimnological analysis of diatom assemblages was undertaken to identify changes since pre-industrial times.  The uppermost sediment layer was used to represent present-day diatom assemblages, and a sediment sample from a depth of 20cm was used to represent pre-industrial conditions.  Discostella stelligera, a planktonic diatom taxon, is presently the dominant species in 50% of the lakes, and showed the greatest change.  D. stelligera increased by >10% in 11 of the 30 study lakes.  The measured present-day chemical and physical limnological variables in the study lakes could not predict changes in the abundance of D. stelligera, suggesting that unmeasured variables, such as decreased ice cover, and changes in mixing and stratification patterns, are likely driving the observed changes in diatom assemblages.  Heavily silicified tychoplanktonic Aulacoseira species declined by an average of 8.3% across the dataset.  In three of the relatively deep lakes with higher concentrations of phosphorus, another planktonic diatom, A. formosa, was found to increase in abundance.  Additionally, some lakes that were dominated by a high proportion of benthic taxa experienced increases in the relative abundance of benthic taxa over time.    Observed changes in the relative abundances since pre-industrial times are significantly higher than the variation between replicate cores, and between  two ‘pre-industrial’ sediment intervals.  Further studies on the timing of changes in diatom assemblages are necessary to confirm that such changes are consistent with recent changes in climate in the Adirondacks.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: The Effect of Glaciation on Hydraulic Head and Solute Transport in Sedimentary Host Rock Potentially Used for Nuclear Waste Disposal

contributor:
Novakowski, Kent S.
Civil Engineering

subject:
Glaciation
Water Isotopes
Freshwater Invasion
Nuclear Waste Disposal

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-30 10:18:01.286

abstract:
A Deep Geologic Repository is proposed for a site on the eastern margin of the Michigan Basin at a depth of 680 metres in the Cobourg Formation. A study of the paleo-hydrogeolgical conditions for the area was conducted using numerical simulation of the distribution of natural tracers and the observed hydraulic head. To conduct the study, simulations of the groundwater flow systems were developed for hydraulic head generated from glacial loading cycles to study its effects on advective solute transport. The hydro-mechanical loading during the glacial cycles is assessed using numerical analysis of coupled stress and porewater pressure. The effect of density-dependent flow was assessed in a second study to estimate the degree of penetration of glacially-derived water driven into the basin during periods of glacial loading. Numerical simulations were used to explore the potential freshwater invasion pathways under a variety of conditions. Finally, profiles of 18O and 2H measured in porewater were combined with our understanding of the paleo-hydrogeological conditions derived from the studies above to test the hypothesis that solute transport was diffusion-dominated in this setting.  A series of pure diffusion and advection-diffusion models were developed and the results were compared with profiles of natural water isotopes obtained from the study area.
The results of the hydro-mechanical study of glacial impact show the development of significant underpressure during the interstadial periods, especially in the lowest permeability formations. The results also show that the formations have not reached hydrostatic conditions at the present time. These results were verified by comparison to measured environmental heads obtained from the study site. The density-dependent modeling showed that freshwater is capable of reaching the location of the study site through several permeable features. The transport simulations showed that the evolution time starting from a uniform initial condition, and using boundary conditions that are defined by freshwater invasion at several depths agrees with the hydro-geological history of this part of the Basin. The results also show the importance of advection on solute transport from the upper and lower boundaries even in rock of extremely low permeability.

abstract: PhD


title: Calibration Hardware Research and Development for SNO+

subject:
Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay
Neutrino
Neutrino Oscillation
Majorana
Physics
Calibration
Hardware
SNOLAB
Umbilical
Radon
Particle
Source
Liquid Scintillator
SNO+

abstract: Thesis (Master, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-30 15:56:19.906

abstract:
The SNO+ experiment is a kilo-tonne scale liquid scintillator detector located at SNOLAB in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. As the successor to the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, SNO+ will use linear alkylbenzene (LAB) as the scintillator to study neutrinos. During the solar phase, ux measurements will be made of low energy neutrinos originating in the Sun. In another phase, 800 kg of tellurium will loaded into the scintillator to search for neutrinoless double beta decay. Measurements will also be made of neutrinos coming from nearby nuclear reactors and from inside Earth's mantle and crust.
To enable these multiple physics goals, a sensitive calibration procedure must be carried out in order to fully understand the detector. The optical and energy responses of the detector will be measured with calibration sources deployed throughout the acrylic vessel. These sources must be connected to the observatory deck above the vessel by gas capillaries, optical bres, and signal wires housed in specially designed submersible umbilical cables. The design and fabrication of these umbilical cables is presented. Development work on a deployed radon calibration source will also be described.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: A study of biases, assumptions and practical considerations for the use of discrete fracture networks in geomechanical practice

subject:
Geotechnics
Geomechanics
Discrete Fracture Networks

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-05-30 18:00:51.384

abstract:
The use of Discrete Fracture Networks (DFNs) is becoming increasingly common in geomechanical practice in addition to their continuing role in hydrogeology.  These models can serve as useful tools for estimating interconnectedness of fractures, leading to estimates of probable block sizes and shapes for a set of input parameters.  However, the development of these models is reliant on assumptions made about collected field data and while constructing the model themselves.  The implications of these biases and assumptions are not well documented.
This work investigates the variables involved in building a Discrete Fracture Network model in order to provide insight into the decisions and assumptions made during the modeling process.  Select assumptions required within the FracMan DFN software pertaining to model selection and construction are evaluated; biases and assumptions relating to field data and how it is collected that may impact the development of DFN input parameters are investigated and limits of the effects of these models on block sizes are determined.  The parameters determined to be critical in determining the overall geometry of the fracture network are ranked according to their relative importance in DFN modelling and according to the relative accuracy of each parameter.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Putting Money Where Your Mouth Is: Hunger, Cause-Related Marketing & the Politics of Corporate Food Bank Philanthropy

contributor:
Power, Elaine
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Neoliberalism
Corporate philanthropy
Food banks
Hunger

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-01 00:17:52.246

abstract: In this study, I employ a combination of social semiotics and critical discourse analysis to examine the marketing media from corporate social responsibility campaigns focused on food bank philanthropy and awareness-raising for the issue of hunger. I use media from a sample of six of the largest and most visible corporate food bank philanthropy campaigns to represent a broad range of their differences. Each campaign is analyzed for how the problem of hunger and the solution as food banks are represented. Hunger is represented by these corporations as a problem of a lack of food that can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere, for which families and/or local communities bear responsibility. This typification of the problem of hunger comes packaged conceptually with a characterization of the solution to that problem in food banks represented as a food-focused, charity-based, volunteer-run response that relies on corporate sponsorships and corporate social responsibility programs to harnesses the marketability of hunger to increase donations. These representations are evidence form the basis on an analysis of how the problem of hunger is currently thought about and acted upon in Canada. Claims about hunger exist at a juncture between the resources available and the kinds of responses to hunger that are likely to arise. This study demonstrates what corporate claims about hunger mean in relation to the ongoing development of food banking. This study is also an analysis of a particular case of corporate food bank philanthropy as an example campaign to highlight how the corporate construction of hunger is deployed to obscure, marginalize, and foreclose on the possibility of the emergence of alternative understandings of hunger and approaches beyond food banking based on a charity model. The dominant typification of the problem of hunger by corporations further institutionalizes an inadequate food banking paradigm that cannot address the social underpinnings that lead to the expression of hunger.

abstract: M.A.


title: Investigation of Private Well Water Quality in Southeastern Ontario Using Geographic Information Systems and Molecular Microbial Source Tracking Tools

contributor:
Majury, Anna
Evans, Gerald
Pathology and Molecular Medicine

subject:
Public Health
Microbial Source Tracking
Private Well Water
Geospatial Analysis

abstract: Thesis (Master, Pathology & Molecular Medicine) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-02 14:50:16.685

abstract:
In Canada, as in many other affluent nations, private well water consumers remain at risk for gastrointestinal (GI) illness due to fecal contamination of groundwater. There have been numerous documented outbreaks of GI illness related to contaminated drinking water. While the general risk to well water consumers has been established, the risk in southern Ontario is poorly understood. As a preliminary step towards understanding this risk, a study of Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination in private well water was undertaken. Spatial scan statistics were employed to determine the extent of contamination for over 30,000 private wells in southeastern Ontario between 2008 and 2012, inclusive. This analysis revealed one large, temporally stable elevated risk region, and three significant smaller regions within it. The methodology utilized in the primary investigation was then applied to a 2012 dataset for all of southern Ontario, resulting in the identification of three regions of elevated risk.
 The presence of E. coli, a traditional fecal indicator organism, indicates lack of water potability. To provide knowledge regarding the origins of fecal contamination in southeastern Ontario, a molecular microbial source tracking (MST) study was undertaken. A quantitative real-time Bacteroidales PCR assay specifically targeting human, bovine, and general (specific to 10 hosts) was optimized and applied to 716 private well water samples. Almost half of the samples showed evidence of human fecal contamination, whereas only 13% contained evidence of bovine fecal contamination. Approximately one quarter of well samples tested positive for the general host Bacteroidales assay, with an additional one quarter testing negative for all MST assays. Additionally, spatial scan statistics revealed a region of human-sourced contamination, which geographically corresponded with the E. coli contamination cluster for the same study year.
The presence of E. coli contamination clusters among private wells reveals an at-risk group of well water consumers. As such, public health practitioners may use this information to target well stewardship programs in higher risk regions. Humans were the predominant contributors of fecal contamination to private wells within the primary study region. These findings may enable future preventative measures by providing insight into the true origins of groundwater fecal pollution.

abstract: Personal decision and copyright requirements from journals, where 2 manuscripts were published. Both publications will become open access within 2 years.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Inside and Outside Peace and Prosperity: Post-Conflict Cultural Spaces in Rwanda and Northern Ireland

contributor:
Day, Richard J. F.
Cultural Studies

subject: social engineering, micro politics, civil society, identity, boundaries, social change, transformation, alternative social movements, affect, trauma, performance, emergent church,  peace studies, hegemony, reconciliation, security, dominant discourse, genocide, critical policy analysis, temporary autonomous zones, depoliticization, conflict management, agency, post-conflict culture, peacebuilding, liminality, Rwanda, Northern Ireland, operant conditioning, depoliticization, neoliberalism, resilience, peace and prosperity, ethnic politics, day-to-day life, cultural violence, structural violence, peace industry, Ikon, AERG

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Cultural Studies) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-02 11:02:09.033

abstract:
In post-conflict settings real and imagined boundaries do a great deal to determine who is inside and who is outside of state-based narratives of peace and prosperity. Based on case studies in Rwanda and Northern Ireland, I provide an analysis of the post-conflict periods and the impact of neoliberal-styled governance on the dynamics of power. I argue that as power shifted, ‘peace’ also entailed a general social pacification, and prosperity equated to greater private profit. However, top-down social engineering has not contained the entire field of social struggle. I examine micro-level interventions taking place on the margins of mainstream discourse that trouble the moralizing state-narratives that seek to legitimate structural violence. Such spaces facilitate alternative values and practices that contribute to sustained social and cultural resilience, as well as forms of resistance.
Post-conflict Rwanda and Northern Ireland have been impacted by both coercive and consensual forms of social engineering. In Rwanda, state-based framework laws and forceful regimes of local implementation rely on stark contingencies of reward and punishment to shape and control behaviour in the public sphere. In Northern Ireland, the power-sharing structure of the Belfast Agreement has reinforced ethnic politics, while depoliticizing and instrumentalizing civil society in support of its neoliberal policies.
I present ethnographic research and interviews conducted with community organizations in Northern Ireland (Ikon) and Rwanda (Student Association of Genocide Survivors - AERG) that demonstrates how alternative discourses and practices are emerging in the cracks of these top-down systems. I explore Ikon’s use of creative performances and radical theology to create socially resonant cultural spaces that function as temporary autonomous zones. These TAZs unsettle aspects of individual identity while intentionally seeking to destabilize mainstream power dynamics. Unlike Ikon, AERG faces greater public scrutiny and higher political stakes. They demonstrate an adherence to the dominant social script in the public sphere, while exhibiting micro- level agency through trauma healing, and material support in private day-to-day practices. AERG’s performance in the public sphere creates temporary spaces of encounter that exceed the boundaries of official discourse, making their alternative presence felt while remaining illegible to the dominant surveillance frameworks.

abstract: PhD


title: The Variability of Neuromuscular Control During Knee Extension Performance

contributor:
Costigan, Patrick
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
anterior cruciate ligament
knee rehabilitation
movement variability

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-02 12:18:42.802

abstract:
Movement variability that occurs while performing repetitions of any particular motion can be due to errors in one’s ability to select the required parameters for executing the movement.  However, it has been suggested that an optimal amount of variability exists in a healthy system providing adaptability to varying situations while producing negligible errors.  Investigation of the consistency of movement variability in a system may provide information regarding joint control and integrity since the functionality of a system can be disrupted by injury.  Rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament is associated with deficits in knee joint stability and mobility, as well as altered movement patterns.  There is value in developing a simple clinical test that can measure knee joint stability and evaluate the degree of knee damage and rate of progress during rehabilitation.  The main objectives were to investigate the normal range of variability during repeated knee extensions in healthy subjects and subjects with a reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament, and to evaluate the reliability of the method.
There were 30 participants in the control group and 8 in the subject group.  All were physically active a minimum of 2-3 times per week for a total of 2-3 hours.  Mean variance and mean correlation were used to evaluate variability in this study.  Change in mean variance and mean correlation, standard error of measurement and intra-class correlation coefficient were used to evaluate reliability.
The results showed the range of values for movement variability in control and subject groups.  Standard error of measurement indicated mean correlation (1.31% to 2.38%) was more reliable than mean variance (21.80% to 54.87%).  Mean variance and mean correlation significantly increased with speed, and mean correlation was significantly higher for dominant legs during trials at 70 beats per minute.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Hydrogeochemical Evaluation and Impact of Remediation Design on Arsenic Mobility at Historical Gold Mine Sites

subject:
Arsenic
Nova Scotia
Gold
Geochemistry
Tailings
Synchrotron
Soil Cover
Columns
Montague
Remediation
Goldenville
Hydrogeology
Mineralogy

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-04 10:22:43.838

abstract:
Historical gold mine tailings at several sites in Nova Scotia, Canada are publicly accessible and may pose a threat to human and ecosystem health because of high arsenic (As) concentrations in the tailings (max 25 wt.%) and associated pore waters (up to 100 mg/L). Two of these sites, Montague and Goldenville, are under consideration for remediation. Similar tailings sites have been cleaned up by covering the mine wastes with soil. However, the tailings at Montague and Goldenville have been weathering for at least 70 years, leading to a wide range of As-bearing secondary minerals which may dissolve under a soil cover, releasing As to local waters. The challenge of remediating these heterogeneous tailings lies in the different Eh-pH niches in which iron arsenates (oxidizing, acidic), calcium-iron-arsenates (oxidizing, alkaline), and sulfides (reducing) are stable. The main objectives of this study were to: 1) characterize pre-remediation geochemical controls on As mobility in subsurface tailings; 2) establish hydrogeological influences on As mobility; and 3) identify geochemical changes that result when a low organic soil cover is applied to the tailings.
Pore water measurements were combined with bulk chemistry, scanning electron microscopy, and synchrotron micro-X-ray diffraction analyses, which were used to characterize the mineralogical composition of the tailings. Groundwater and surface water flow regimes throughout the tailings were defined through the use of piezometers and hydraulic conductivity measurements. Laboratory leaching experiments were used to assess the effects of a soil cover on the tailings.
Variable weathering conditions over time have resulted in a continuum of saturation and redox environments and a range of As hosts in the tailings. In some areas, tailings pore waters are mixing with stream waters leading to As transport beyond the tailings. Applying a low organic soil cover does not induce reducing conditions in the tailings or cause dissolved As concentrations to increase compared to field pore water concentrations. This type of soil cover is effective in slowing sulfide mineral oxidation while maintaining stable conditions for secondary As-phases. The results of this research can be used to inform remediation decisions and guide ongoing environmental management of historical gold mine sites.

abstract: PhD


title: Test Fairness in a Large-Scale High-Stakes Language Test

contributor:
Cheng, Liying
Education

subject:
Stakeholder Perceptions
DIF
High Stakes Testing
Test Fairness

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Education) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-10 10:33:32.484

abstract: Inquiry into fairness of a test has been recognized as an important research activity to direct efforts to reduce bias and discrimination against certain groups of test takers, create equal opportunities for test takers to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, and promote social justice. Given the importance of fairness in testing, my research examined the fairness of one large-scale high-stakes test in China—the Graduate School Entrance English Exam (GSEEE). To guide this doctoral research, I first drew on four sources of conceptual and empirical work to identify key issues encompassing test fairness. Informed by Willingham’s conceptual framework, I investigated the fairness of the GSEEE in two studies. In Study 1, I examined whether the GSEEE test items functioned differentially and brought potential bias towards test taker groups based on gender and academic background. In Study 2, I investigated perceptions of the fairness of the GSEEE as expressed by program administrators, teachers, and test takers. In conclusion, this research offers empirical information with regard to the fairness of the GSEEE from psychometric and stakeholder perspectives. The research also provides evidence that the conceptualization of test fairness is mediated by contextualized beliefs and traditions. Whether a test is perceived as fair or not is derived from considerations in both the testing process and the broad socio-cultural context.

abstract: PhD


title: Experimental investigation of electrokinetic phenomena in planar and porous substrates

contributor:
Barz, Dominik P. J.
Chemical Engineering

subject:
Streaming potential
Porous
Streaming current
Planar
Electroosmosis

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-11 10:58:11.557

abstract:
Nowadays, there are various electrokinetic phenomena which are utilized in a wide range of applications, ranging from microfluidics and colloid and interface science to electrochemistry. However, even after 200 years of research on electrokinetic phenomena, there are still open questions with respect to fundamental understanding. The focus of this thesis is on three different phenomena, i.e., streaming potential, streaming current and electroosmosis. Hence, the thesis is divided in two parts:

The first part focuses on the applicability of the classical Helmholtz-Smoluchowski theory on streaming potential and streaming current measurements of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) wafers, to infer the zeta potential of this substrate in contact with liquids of defined pH and ionic strength. In detail, we perform electrical impedance spectroscopy measurements to infer the electrical resistance in a PMMA microchannel and derive novel correlations for the electrokinetic characterization of the substrate. We conclude that convection can have a significant impact on the electrical double layer configuration which is reflected by changes in the surfaces conductivity.

The second part of the thesis is concerned with electroosmotic flows in porous substrates where we develop a phenomenological correlation which is based on dimensional reasoning. A large set of experiments is carried out using a relatively simple and cost-effective setup including different sintered packed beds of borosilicate microspheres. A centre-of-mass model of the experimental setup allows for the interpretation of various effects. Streaming current measurements result in a correlation for the zeta potential of borosilicate depending on ionic strength and pH of the liquid.  Finally, a quantitative expression for electroosmotic flow in packed beds of granular material is derived from the experiments. This correlation can be employed with other materials as well.

abstract: The thesis project is sponsored by DuPont Canada. So we would like to restrict the thesis for nearly 3 months until we submit the report to them.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: All Bark and No Bite: A Socio-Legal Study of Corporate Criminal Liability in Criminal Law

contributor:
Snider, Laureen
Sociology

subject:
Corporate Crime
Sociology of Law
Corporate Criminal Liability

abstract: Thesis (Master, Sociology) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-17 16:56:40.627

abstract: Given the overwhelming financial and human costs of crime committed through the incorporated entity, this thesis explores corporate criminal liability in criminal law as a mechanism of social control for corporate crime. First, this thesis traces the fundamental claims regarding corporate criminal liability in both the jurisprudential and sociological literatures in an effort to explore how law applies liability in a criminal context to the incorporated entity. Second, the contemporary corporate criminal liability landscape in Canada is examined. In particular, an examination of Bill C-45 as codified corporate criminal liability and as criminal law in action is empirically grounded in a detailed review of both the black letter law of corporate criminal liability and the judicial case documents on prosecutions against incorporated entities for corporate crimes. Finally, this thesis analyzes the socio-legal environment of corporate criminal liability through its construction and operation within Canadian criminal law. Overall, as a result of the legal, cultural, political, and economic privileges of the incorporated entity, corporate criminal liability is a product of a socio-legal environment that inhibits the ability of criminal law to be an effective mechanism of social control for corporate crime. Only when corporate criminal liability recognizes the complexities of the social, economic, and organizational structures and practices that are shaping corporate criminal activities can it become an effective mechanism for regulating the most harmful corporate misconduct. Otherwise, as this thesis demonstrates, corporate criminal liability will continue to be all bark and no bite.

abstract: M.A.


title: Towards a Historical Materialist Analysis of Femicide in Post-Conflict Guatemala

contributor:
Soederberg, Susanne
Global Development Studies

subject:
Violence Against Women
Historical Materialism
Femicide
Neoliberalism
Guatemala

abstract: Thesis (Master, Global Development Studies) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-18 10:26:03.879

abstract:
Despite nearly twenty years of official peace in Guatemala since the signing of the 1996 Peace Accords, violence continues to remain a grave problem throughout the country. In particular, extreme forms of gender-based violence have been reportedly problematic over the past two decades, with a conversation on femicide, the targeted killing of women by men based on their gender, emerging in recent years between activists, politicians and practitioners alike.  To respond to the crisis around femicide, in 2008, the Law on Femicide and Other Forms of Violence Against Women was passed by Guatemala’s congress, mandating the creation of a specialized justice system to criminalize such acts.
Guatemala’s legal innovations around femicidal violence is widely believed by many observers as a victory for human and women’s rights defenders in the country. However, despite these legal interventions, femicidal violence has continued unabatedly in Guatemala.
In this thesis, I present a two-pronged argument. First, I will argue that the tensions inherent to neoliberalism in Guatemala create a landscape in which women are vulnerable to experiencing femicidal violence, beyond the scope explored by both the mainstream and critical literature, and moreover, beyond the scope of the Law on Femicide. Second, I posit that the Law on Femicide, which is inserted as a neutral, technical fix to the ongoing and pervasive issue of femicide and violence against women, depoliticizes femicide in Guatemala, removing it from neoliberal capitalist context and individualizing the responsibility of the crime to perpetrators, rather than the neoliberal state. Simultaneously, the rule of law as expressed through the Law on Femicide must be understood in the context of the neoliberal landscape in Guatemala, in particular, in the context of neoliberalism’s “crisis of social reproduction” (LeBaron and Roberts 2012, 26).

abstract: M.A.


title: Early development of a test-bed to measure fractoluminescence in scintillators & simulation of a Na-24 source for the SNO+ experiment

subject: calibration DCDC SNO+ fracture scintillator fractoluminescence

abstract: Thesis (Master, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-18 17:46:15.685

abstract:
This thesis consists of two parts; the first part pertains to fractoluminescence as a potential background in crystal scintillator detectors, and the second part bears on the simulation of a 24Na source to be used during the liquid scintillator phase of the SNO+ experiment.
I participated in early work to develop a test-bed to study fractoluminescence in scintillators, and report here on preliminary results I obtained before I shifted my focus to SNO+. Full results obtained by the group have since been reported in PRL 111 154301 [1]. This project follows the discovery that mechanical stress on a dark matter detector’s crystals was causing a background signal. The response of inorganic crystal scintillators (Bi4Ge3O12, ZnWO4 , CdWO4 ) compressed to the point of rupture was studied. The double cleavage drilled compression geometry was used to create controlled cracks in 20×5×3 mm3 samples. A correlation between a sudden drop of the force, a burst of photonic and of acoustic emissions was discovered and a lower bound was set on the conversion efficiency from strain energy to light energy.
SNO+ is a large underground experiment that aims primarily to search for neutrinoless double beta decay. The SNO+ detector consists of an acrylic vessel of liquid scintillator surrounded by light detectors. A tagged 24Na source was proposed as one of several radioactive sources to be deployed within the vessel to calibrate the detector. To achieve this an activated NaI(Tl) crystal would be coupled to a photomultiplier tube and lowered into the center of the vessel. The second half of this thesis explores options for implementing this plan and presents the detector response to a 24Na source as simulated by the Monte Carlo software developed by SNO+. The size of the crystal influences the type of information that can be gleaned from using this source so four different crystal sizes are presented for comparison. The simulations show that the source can be used to test the linearity of the energy scale and the simulation’s quenching model.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: “They come here because it’s a place of refuge”: Residential Care Facilities with Cultural Affiliations

contributor:
Rosenberg, Mark W.
Geography

subject:
Cultural Care
Seniors
Built Environment
Residential Care Facilities

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-19 00:28:54.511

abstract:
With the increase in Canada’s seniors population (age 65 and over), there is a need to understand the residential requirements of this population. Almost 90 percent of seniors in Ontario reside in urban areas (Hodge 2008) and the majority live in the Greater Toronto Area. Of particular concern is the decrease in availability of informal care for aging and weakening individuals due to changes in economy and family relations. These changes are likely to result in a large influx of seniors into residential care facilities (RCFs) because not everyone is able to stay at home or is eligible to live in a long term care (LTC) facility. Seniors’ reasons for relocating as well as an analysis of their experiences after the move are required as the need for RCFs increases. Cultural and/or religious groups have become important providers of RCFs in Canada by offering necessary services for an aging population.
The goal of this thesis is to analyse the importance of culture and the built environment within a push-pull framework associated with the decision to move to an RCF through a case study. The guiding question of the research is: Why do seniors choose facilities with cultural affiliations? In 2013, interviews were conducted with 15 residents, who were currently residing in a Ukrainian RCF called Ivan Franko. The results show that seniors move because of certain limitations (e.g., health, difficulty doing housework, family events, etc.). When an older person decides that they want or need to move, they will move to a facility that provides a physical and social environment while reinforcing cultural values (i.e., built environment), assuming a place is available.
Acknowledging the limitations of a qualitative case study approach, the findings are important to consider as the multicultural population of the GTA and other large Canadian cities continue to age. The growing demand for places in RCFs reflects social, cultural and religious needs of a diverse older population. A challenge will exist for cultural and religious not-for-profit voluntary organizations, the for-profit sector, and governments at all levels to seek new ways to develop facilities in the future.

abstract: M.A.


title: Three essays on Informal Care, Health, and Education

contributor:
Lehrer, Steven F.
Pohl, Vincent
Economics

subject:
Labour Economics
Economics of Education
Health Economics

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Economics) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-19 14:07:17.682

abstract:
This dissertation is a collection of three essays that use economic tools to address policy-relevant issues related to ageing, population health, and education. The use of economic modelling and econometric analyses has the potential to provide information on the consequences and effectiveness of policy interventions in these areas and enables policymakers to make better informed decisions. Chapter 1 provides an introduction to these topics and is followed by the three essays.

In Chapter 2, I analyze how providing informal care to an elderly parent affects the caregiver's labour market outcomes, cognitive ability, and health; and study the influence of the institutional background on the caregiving decision and the effects of caregiving. My results show that negative effects on labour market outcomes can be avoided by the provision of formal care alternatives, but  negative effects for caregivers' mental health persist. These findings give useful insights into the optimal provision of formal care in today's ageing societies.

Self-reported health measures are commonly collected in numerous surveys but might be influenced by respondents' definitions and frames of reference of health. In Chapter 3, I address the issue of response bias in population surveys by constructing an objective measure of health. I find that using a common definition of health nearly eliminates the reported health differences between the U.S. and Canada. Socioeconomic differences in health are stronger in the U.S., but remain an issue in Canada.

Chapter 4 studies the effect of post-secondary education on the continued development of reading proficiency during adolescence and young adulthood. Reading proficiency is essential for labour market success in a knowledge-based economy, but little is known about how advanced reading skills such as text interpretation and text evaluation are developed. The results show that university graduation increases students' reading proficiency relative to high school graduation, which demonstrates the importance of cognitive skill investments later in the life cycle.

abstract: I hope to publish chapters of my thesis and would like to restrict the thesis until then.

abstract: PhD


title: A Study of Nature Interpreters' Experiential Learning as it Influences Their Professional Practice

contributor:
MacEachren, Zabe
Education

subject:
Ecotourism
Nature Interpreters
Inclusive Practice
Professional Practice
Experiential Learning
Ontario
Canada
Interpretation

abstract: Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-20 15:06:09.83

abstract: Within ecotourism there is a built in assumption that tourists are the only ones who gain knowledge from an interpretive service. I sought to fill in that gap by looking at the ways the experiences of providing nature interpretation influenced interpreters’ professional practice. To accomplish this, semi-structured interviews involving 5 Ontario-based nature interpreters were conducted. Their narratives were analysed and coded using the method known as template analysis, the results of which were then used to make a comparative analysis. The results of this study indicate that there are two avenues through which nature interpreters learned from their experiences: through reflection initiated by emotions and through a realisation made from the experience. For the four participants who reported a change to their professional practice, that change came in the form of more inclusive practices being incorporated.

abstract: I have plans to write articles based on my thesis for further publication. Please implement a 3 year restriction.

abstract: M.Ed.


title: Behaviour and Design of Reinforced Concrete Pipes

contributor:
Hoult, Neil A.
Moore, Ian D.
Civil Engineering

subject:
Pressure Distribution
Reinforced Concrete Pipe
Concrete Pipe Design
Deep Burial
Surface Load
Shallow Burial

abstract: Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-20 16:29:39.037

abstract: The overall objectives of this thesis are to determine if Indirect and Direct Design methods currently used for reinforced concrete pipe are able to accurately predict the capacity of  the pipe, to identify discrepancies between the two methods, and to provide potential modifications to the methods to reduce inconsistencies.  As part of this investigation, two 0.6 m pipes (nominal strength classes 100-D and a 140-D) and two 1.2 m pipes (a 65-D with Wall B and a 65-D with Wall C) were tested under single wheel pair loading at burial depths of 1.2, 0.6 and 0.3 m. The test pipes did not crack at the applied service load of 110 kN and did not pass the crack width limit until between 2.5 and 4 times the service load. A 0.6 m 100-D pipe was also tested under simulated deep burial and it was found that the calculated test D-Load is 1.9 times greater than the designated D-Load of the test pipe. It was found that both methods were conservative and that the Direct Design method should be modified to more closely align with the Indirect Design. An investigation of the Direct Design parameters found that by considering thick ring theory and the Modified Compression Field Theory with two layers of reinforcement, the required amount of steel from Direct Design could be made to align very closely with the Indirect Design. An additional test was completed to further assess the Direct Design method on a 0.6 m 140-D pipe to measure the pressure around the circumference of the pipe and compare this measured pressure to the commonly used pressure distribution for Direct Design. The results show that at the minimum cover (0.3 m) the test pressure is higher than predicted at the crown, lower than predicted at the invert, and nearly zero at the shoulder, springline, and haunch, which is inconsistent with most of the predicted results at these locations.

abstract: Protecting rights to publications.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Receiver Design and Performance Study for Amplify-and-Forward Cooperative Diversity Networks with Reduced CSI Requirement

contributor:
Kim, Il-Min
Gazor, Saeed
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Amplify-and-Forward
Cooperative Networks
Receiver Design

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-25 16:48:05.912

abstract:
This thesis aims to tackle the theoretical challenges of characterizing the fundamental performance limits of amplify-and-forward (AF) cooperative networks and to resolve the practical challenges in the receiver design for AF systems.

First of all, we study the Shannon-theoretic channel capacity which serves as a benchmark for practical wireless communications systems. Specifically, we derive exact expressions of the ergodic capacity in a single-integral form for general multi-branch AF relay networks with/without the direct link (DL). Moreover, we derive closed-form and tight upper bounds on the ergodic capacity, which facilitate the evaluation of the ergodic capacity. These expressions provide useful theoretical tools for the design of practical wireless AF relaying systems.

We then tackle the practical challenges involved in the design of AF receivers, aiming to substantially reduce the channel state information (CSI) signaling overhead yet achieving satisfactory error performance.

We take the maximum-likelihood (ML) and generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) approaches to develop detectors under four typical wireless communications scenarios with little/no knowledge of the CSI. Firstly, for a semi-coherent scenario where only the product of channel coefficients of each relay branch is known, we develop the ML symbol-by-symbol (SBS) detector, which reduces the instantaneous CSI signaling overhead by 50% while achieving comparable performance to the ideal coherent receiver. Secondly, for the noncoherent scenario with only the (second-order) channel statistics and noise variances, we develop a noncoherent ML SBS detector for AF networks employing differential modulations. Thirdly, for AF networks with only the knowledge of the noise variance, we develop a sequence detector using GLRT. Lastly, for a completely blind scenario where the instantaneous CSI, channel statistics, and noise variances are all unknown, we develop a GLRT-based sequence detector. The proposed detectors achieve significant performance improvements over the state-of-the-art counterparts.

The conducted theoretical analysis and practical design will facilitate the design of reliable communications over wireless AF networks with reduced CSI requirement.

abstract: PhD


title: A Greener Future for Farmers in the Niagara Fruitbelt: Evaluating the Practicality of Using Agriculture Easements in Ontario's Greenbelt

subject:
Agriculture
Greenbelt
Agriculture Easements
Niagara
Conservation
Farmland Preservation

abstract: A report submitted to the School of Urban and Regional Planning in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Urban and Regional Planning

abstract: The purpose of this report is to explore how agriculture easements can be used in Ontario's Greenbelt as a collaborative planning tool by the Provincial government to increase the economic viability of farming operations located in the Greenbelt. The primary objective of this report is to address the research question: How can an agriculture easement program that is complemented with financial incentives and tax credits increase the economic viability and sustainability of Greenbelt farming operations? The secondary objective of this report is to develop a set of policy recommendations to address the challenges that Ontario's agriculture sector faces.


title: Improved Land Vehicle Navigation and GPS Integer Ambiguity Resolution Using Enhanced Reduced-IMU/GPS Integration

contributor:
Noureldin, Aboelmagd
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Navigation
INS
Land vehicle
Kalman Filter
GPS
Integer ambiguity
IMU

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-23 11:30:58.036

abstract:
Land vehicle navigation is primarily dependent upon the Global Positioning System (GPS) which provides accurate navigation in open sky. However, in urban and rural canyons GPS accuracy degrades considerably. To help GPS in such scenarios, it is often integrated with inexpensive inertial sensors. Such sensors have complex stochastic errors which are difficult to mitigate. In the presence of speed measurements from land vehicle, a reduced number of inertial sensors can be used which improve performance and termed as the Reduced Inertial Sensor System (RISS).

Existing low-cost RISS/GPS integrated algorithms have limited accuracy due to use of approximations in error models and employment of a Linearized Kalman Filter (LKF). This research developed an enhanced error model for RISS which was integrated with GPS using an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) for improved navigation of land vehicles. The proposed system was tested on several road experiments and the results confirmed the sustainable performance of the system during long GPS outages.

To further increase the accuracy, Differential GPS (DGPS) is employed where carrier phase measurements are typically used. This requires resolution of Integer Ambiguity (IA) that comes at computational and time expense. This research uses pseudorange measurements for DGPS which mitigate large biases due to atmospheric errors and obviate the resolution of IA. These measurements are integrated with the enhanced RISS to filter increased noise and help GPS during signal blockages.

The performance of the proposed system was compared with two other algorithms employing undifferenced GPS measurements where atmospheric effects are mitigated using either the Klobuchar model or dual frequency receivers. The proposed system performed better than both the algorithms in positional accuracy, multipath and GPS outages.

This research further explored the reduction of Time-to-Fix Ambiguities (TTFA) for land vehicle navigation. To reduce the TTFA through inertial aiding, previous research used high-end Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs). This research uses MEMS grade IMU by integrating the enhanced RISS with carrier phase measurements using EKF. This algorithm was also tested on three road trajectories and it was shown that this integration helps reduce the TTFA as compared to the GPS-only case when fewer satellites are visible.

abstract: PhD


title: Optoeletronic Properties and Photochemical Reactivity of Organoboron Compounds

contributor:
Wang, Suning
Chemistry

subject: Photochemistry Optoelectronics Photochromism Isomerization Organoboron

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-23 20:55:20.399

abstract:
This thesis focuses on the investigation of the optoelectronic, photo and thermal- responsive properties of organoboron compounds. In search of blue phosphors for phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes, new triarylboron functionalized phosphorescent Pt(II) complexes were synthesized and their device performances were evaluated. In Pt(II) complexes with the 2-phenylpyridyl N,C-chelate ligand and an acetylacetonato ancillary ligand, it was found that BMes2 substitution at the 4’ position of the phenyl ring can increase the phosphorescent emission energy, compared to the 5’-BMes2 substituted analogue. This occurred without substantial loss of luminescent quantum efficiency. At 100 cdm-2 luminance, electroluminescence devices with the newly synthesized Pt(II) complexes as emitters have achieved external quantum efficiency of ~ 4.7-13.4%.
Tuning of the photo-responsive properties of biaryl N,C-chelate dimesitylboron compounds was achieved by functionalization with either a bisthienyl moiety or ferrocene unit. It was demonstrated that the bisthienyl unit has the ability to completely stabilize a N,C-chelate boryl chromophore toward photoisomerization. With the ferrocene unit being part of the chelation backbone of BMes2 moiety, the B−N bond of molecule B(2-ferrocenyl-N-Me-benzimidazolyl)Mes2 was found to undergo a dynamic dissociation/association process in solution, leading to its slow hydrolysis under ambient conditions. The oxidized ferrocenium species has a notable spin delocalization through space from the Fe(III) center to a flanking mesityl group.
	To further expand the photochromic family based on pyridyl N,C-chelate dimesityboron compounds, a systematic study was carried out with the pyridyl N donor replaced by N-heterocyclic carbene donor and azolyl, benzoazolyl N donors. These new classes of organoboranes all underwent transformation to their corresponding dark isomer in a similar fashion as the pyridyl N,C-chelate dimesitylboron. However, a second-step photoisomerization was observed in the NHC,C-chelate dark isomer via a “borylene”-like intermediate. The thiazolyl, benzoazolyl N,C-chelate dark isomers demonstrate multi-structural transformations, which include hydrogen atom transfer, 1,3-boryl shift and diastereomer interconversion via a spiropyran type ring-opening/closure process. The imidazolyl N,C-chelate dark isomer exhibits a consecutive photochromism phenomenon, namely an interconversion between azaboratabisnorcaradiene and azabenzotropilidene derivatives. The calculated mechanism for this bares an interesting resemblance to that of the “walk” rearrangement in norcaradiene.

abstract: PhD


title: Employer Attitudes Towards Disability in the Workplace: A Descriptive Study of the Policy Environment

contributor:
Jamieson, Margaret
Rehabilitation Science

subject:
Employment
AODA
Ontario Human Rights Code
Disability policy

abstract: Thesis (Master, Rehabilitation Science) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-23 22:02:01.639

abstract:
Purpose: The purpose of this thesis was to: a) describe the current context of Ontario’s employment policies by conducting a policy analysis to understand the ways in which the Ontario Human Rights Code, the Labour Relations Act, and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) function together to provide a framework for action to guide employer attitudes towards disabilities in the private sector of Ontario, and b) investigate employer knowledge/understanding and application of these three policies in the Ontario private sector by conducting interviews.

Methods: To perform the policy analysis, relevant documents were systematically collected and qualitatively analyzed. In addition to the policy analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted with three employers to investigate the policy knowledge and application in the workplace.

Results: From the policy analysis, ten themes arose: anti-discrimination and accommodation, the individual complaint system of the Ontario Human Rights Code, the need for government participation, education, and awareness in the AODA, the application of the Labour Relations Act, required employer knowledge of the three Ontario policies, minority group treatment of people with disabilities in policy, the collectivist responsibility under the AODA, the definition of disability, the impact of the definition of disability on employers, and the cost of accommodation. The themes arising from employer interviews were: view of disability, knowledge and application of the three policies, the “fit” of a prospective employee, the importance of a human resources department, and the presence of accessibility in the workplace.

Summary: Together, the three policies addressed anti-discrimination in the workplace for employees with disabilities by mandating reasonable accommodation for all. Under the AODA, standards of accommodation were established and enforced through random government inspections, and under the Ontario Human Rights Code, accommodation challenges were addressed by a case-by-case method. Employers must be privy to the responsibility to provide accommodations for people with disabilities, as the enforcement mechanisms differ. In reality, there is a large variance in the application of the central policies, and employers without a human resources department appear to understand fewer details of the policy requirements. This understanding did not appear to impede accommodation for employees with disabilities.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Three Essays in Corporate Finance and Financial Institutions

contributor:
Purda-Heeler, Lynnette
Management

subject:
Debt Structure
Debt Contracting
Bank Lending
Herding
National Culture
International Finance
Law and Finance
Syndicated Loans
Leveraged Buyout
Cross-Border
Private Equity

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Management) -- Queen's University, 2014-06-24 08:59:00.0

abstract:
This thesis conducts empirical studies related to financial institutions and corporate finance. Specifically, I look at banks’ lending behavior, performance of leveraged buyouts (LBOs), and the cultural impact on cross-border LBOs. Following an introduction in Chapter 1, in Chapter 2, I study U.S. commercial banks’ herding behavior in their domestic loan decisions, where herding is defined as the extent to which banks deviate from the industry average lending decisions and collectively increase or decrease loans to certain categories. I find significant evidence that herding exists and that banks tend to herd more when the economic condition is less favorable, regulation is tight, and when banks are struggling . Overall, these findings support the hypotheses of information asymmetry and regulatory arbitrage as motivations for herding.
Chapter 3 provides a comprehensive study of LBO deal characteristics, participants’ involvement, and their impact on target firms’ performance. I find that better post-buyout operating performance is associated with larger amounts of leverage added during the LBO process, tighter LBO loan covenants, and equity contribution by target firms’ incumbent management. LBOs are more likely to exit through an IPO or a sale if they use more bank debt with tighter covenants and are sponsored by private equity (PE) firms of high reputation. These results suggest that the main source of value creation in LBOs is the reduced agency costs through the disciplining effect of debt, closer monitoring by lenders, and the better aligned management incentives. PE reputation is also important in ensuring successful deal outcomes.
Chapter 4 (co-authored) examines the impact of cultural differences between PE firms and target firms on the completion of cross-border LBOs. We find that cultural distance between PE and target firms reduces the likelihood of buyout completion and increases the time between buyout announcement and completion. We also find that club deals moderate the negative (positive) impact of cultural distance on the likelihood (the duration) of LBO completion. This mitigation effect is through the increased familiarity channel of club formation. Our findings contribute to the literature that underscores the importance of culture in economic outcomes.

abstract: PhD