identifier: Jacobson, Maxine  (2004) Trends in modern Orthodoxy as reflected in the career of Rabbi Dr. Leo Jung.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis presents the norms and issues of Modern Orthodox Judaism in America, from the decades of the twenties to the sixties, by looking at the activities and involvements of one of its leaders, Rabbi Dr. Leo Jung. The phenomenon of Modern Orthodoxy will be examined in the context of Orthodox invigoration and change. The reasons for the changes will be explored. Modern Orthodoxy went from being a threatened entity on the American scene to a well-recognized, respected force in Judaism.  Modern Orthodoxy in the twenties lacked hard lines and clear concepts and was floundering as it tried to adjust to its new environment. For the most part, its adherents were transplanted East Europeans, religiously uneducated, unobservant, and in awe of America and the modern world. Rabbi Jung's presentation of Modern Orthodoxy demonstrated that it was relevant and compatible with America and modernity. Modern Orthodox institutions were weak; there was a lack of adequate facilities necessary for an Orthodox community to exist and a lack of adequately trained educators. This thesis will monitor the efforts to develop and improve facilities and conditions and the responses to political, economic and social situations that impacted on Modern Orthodoxy.  By 1960 a foundation had been laid for a movement to the "right" which was marked by the tightening of religious standards, more identification with the tenets of Halakhic Judaism, stricter piety and more distrust of the secular world. Rabbi Jung served as a bridge between the old Eastern-European Orthodoxy that did not develop in America beyond the immigrant generation and the Modern Orthodoxy of today.


identifier: Han, Bing  (2005) Composite broad-band fiber raman amplifiers using incoherent pumping.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

type: Thesis NonPeerReviewed

abstract: Use of novel incoherent pump source to dual-stage fiber Raman amplifiers (FRA's)✹dispersion compensated fiber Raman amplifier (DCRA) is investigated and the performance is compared to results with the conventional coherent pumping for the first time. To achieve accurate modeling, a theoretical model of FRA's, which includes effects of multiple-path interference (MPI), anti-Stokes, and Rayleigh scattering, is used. Modeling of the incoherent pump is also given theoretically. This model is tested to be accurate. Investigations are based on above models of DCRA with one and two incoherent pumps. By comparing the performances of DCRA with coherent pumps, we concluded that better gain and noise performance can be achieved using less incoherent pumps than coherent pumps. Also, gain flatness and OSNR flatness of the dual-stage fiber Raman amplifiers are investigated separately and simultaneously, using one and two incoherent pumps. Optimum parameters of the incoherent pump such as center wavelength, FWHM (full width at half maximum) and pump power are found for signal bandwidths up to 100 nm. It is shown that in this combined configuration, there is a trade-off in obtaining the flatness of gain and OSNR. But with a suitable pumping scheme, both gain and OSNR flatness can be achieved simultaneously.


identifier: Landry, Alexandre  (2005) Architecture and circuit techniques for a 2 GHz advanced high-speed bus SoC interconnect infrastructure.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: A key issue with high performance SoC platforms is how to interconnect their modules to effectively transfer large amounts of data in real-time. Today's most practical communication infrastructures are bus-based due to the small number of processing elements residing on a silicon die. Since the bandwidth of a shared bus goes down with the number of bus masters, hierarchical structures are used to parallelize transfers and to obtain a higher throughput. Hence, a novel shared memory SoC communication infrastructure based on the Advanced High-Speed Bus (AHB) is defined in this thesis.  The objective of this dissertation is to explore various avenues to design a bus operating with a clock in excess of 2 GHz when targeting a 0.18 om CMOS process. As a first iteration, the fastest circuit techniques are reviewed so as to traverse the learning curve that a designer must experiment with very high-speed designs. To enhance the understanding of high-speed circuit styles, the main cores of an AHB are implemented from a novel, and aggressive, true-single-phase-clocking (TSPC) circuit style. The 2 GHz AHB arbiter has been laid out to prove the performance of the circuit techniques explored with the full-custom SoC infrastructure. In addition, an innovative 2 GHz pipelined memory has been created to respond to the hard IP requirements.


identifier: Leibovici, Ronen  (2005) An iterative soft-decision decoding algorithm for Reed-Solomon product codes.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Efficient and reliable transmission of data has become a necessity today for any communication system. This transmission depends on the reliable transport of information between a source and a destination. Researchers are left with the task of finding an appropriate trade-off between performance and complexity. While the decoding of turbo codes, specifically block turbo codes, is already deemed to be performant, it is possible to improve this performance while not rendering the communication system overly complex. This thesis presents an iterative soft-decision decoding algorithm for Reed-Solomon product codes. This algorithm differs from existing ones in the method it uses for selecting competing codewords, used for the soft-input soft-output iterative decoder. Selection of these codewords is based on the notion of suboptimum soft-decision decoding which will be discussed in detail.


identifier: Dehghani, Mahmud Reza  (2005) Wideband direction of arrival estimation techniques for a class of arbitrary array geometries.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Array signal processing is an established field with a number of available advanced powerful technologies for detecting and locating signals that arrive at a set of sensors in the presence of noise. The focus of this thesis is on development of direction of arrival (DOA) estimation techniques for both narrowband and wideband signal sources. For narrowband signals, the multiple signal classification (MUSIC) and weighted subspace fitting (WSF) algorithms based on subspace decomposition techniques are considered. These subspace methods are subsequently extended to the more challenging and interesting wideband signals by incorporating advanced algorithms such as incoherent signal subspace method (ISM) and coherent signal subspace method (CSM). Extension of the WSF algorithm to a framework based on CSM is also investigated.


identifier: Hong, Yang  (2005) Stability of haptic display in time-delayed networked virtual environments.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: With the development of Distributed Virtual Environment, haptic simulation is becoming a popular research field. However, time delay issue is always an obstacle in haptic simulation because this lag over the network-based haptic display violates the stability and performance of haptic display. In the research of teleoperations, some delay prediction methods have been introduced already; however, the performance requirements have been decreased to obtain the stability reducing the total loop gain. The design of virtual coupling, an artificial link between the haptic display and virtual environment, has been introduced into haptic interaction. However, in the traditional design, virtual coupling is always coupled with the virtual environment; as a result, stability condition for the haptic simulation becomes too tight because zero order hold has the phase lag over frequency. To guarantee the stability in the presence of unpredictable time delays new control design strategies are required.  In this thesis, two-port network theory is introduced to design the virtual coupling to guarantee stability of haptic display in time-delayed Distributed Virtual Environments. By decoupling the hatpic display control problem from the design of virtual environments, the use of a virtual coupling network frees the developer of haptic-enabled virtual reality models from the issues of mechanical stability. Passivity criteria in two-port networks are introduced to guarantee stability of haptic interface with a unit time delay. Furthermore, two kinds of virtual environments models--"spring" and "spring-damping" have been simulated. Steady state error and transient response for the interaction between haptic displays and above virtual environments models are investigated. This technique overcomes the influence of time delay to violate the stability of the system and reduces the human risk involved.


identifier: Sandhu, Ajit Singh  (2005) Generation of 2-D analog and digital lowpass, highpass and bandpass filters with monotonic amplitude-frequency response.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In this work, we have discussed design methodologies for generation of polynomial Butterworth, Papoulis and Filanovsky lowpass filters of different orders with arbitrary flatness, and also Thomson-Bessel lowpass filters, with monotonic amplitude-frequency response. We have shown how other monotonic responses can be obtained either by choosing lower order responses and/or by suitable combinations of these monotonic responses. We have proposed extraction of all possible lower order 1-D lowpass filters from the designed higher order lowpass filters, and segregate the filters with monotonic amplitude-frequency response. Furthermore, we cascaded the proposed extracted monotonic 1-D lowpass filters to realize higher order 1-D lowpass filters with monotonic characteristics, and studied combinations of the same.  We have proposed 2-D fourth and fifth order Papoulis, Butterworth and Thomson-Bessel filters, and fifth order Filanovsky analog and digital lowpass filters, with monotonic amplitude-frequency response. Furthermore, by appropriately cascading lower order extracted 1-D lowpass filters from the above mentioned types, 2-D monotonic filters of different orders are realized. Also, a few combination 1-D lowpass filters having monotonic amplitude-frequency response are cascaded to realize 2-D monotonic lowpass filters of different orders


identifier: Fereydouni-Forouzandeh, Fariborz  (2005) FPGA implementation of congestion control routers in high speed networks.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Receiving large number of data packets at different baud rates and different sizes at gateways in high-speed network routers may lead to a congestion problem and force the gateway to drop some packets. Several algorithms have been developed to control this problem. Among them the Random Early Detection (RED) algorithm is the most commonly used in several existing routers. It has been recommend by IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force) for next generation Internet gateways.  In this thesis, a 10Gbps FPGA implementation of a modified version of the RED algorithm is proposed. This is achieved by enhancing the original RED algorithm in one hand, and by developing several hardware approximations of the arithmetic operations used in the algorithm in the other hand. The objective is to lower the risk of the global synchronization by reducing the number of packet drops and packet queuing time.  The proposed algorithm and its implementation are validated through intensive VHDL simulations. Also, a comparison with the previous algorithm is conducted in order to show that our modified algorithm outperforms the original one in terms of packets drops.


identifier: Chen, Jun  (2005) Characterization of material surface by using fiber bragg grating.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Fiber optic sensors based on Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technology are found to be a promising technique for measuring parameters like strain, temperature, pressure, vibration, acceleration etc. However, few investigations in displacement measurement using FBG were reported. Most works reported in the literature are related to the displacement measurement in the range of mm.  The purpose of this thesis is to establish a new methodology to characterize material surface by using the Bragg grating fiber technology into micro and sub-micro scales. Three measurands are proposed in the thesis, indentation measurement using one-FBG, indentation measurement using two-FBG and step height measurement. Theories for the new methods are derived and the experiments are implemented. To achieve fine scale measurement, the requirement of large measurement sensitivity is discussed. Monitoring and controlling the force against the substrate is highlighted in the thesis


identifier: Ahmed, Asif Iqbal  (2005) Assertion-based verification of look aside interface.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This research addresses assertion-based verification to verify Look Aside Interface (LA-1 Standard). The Look Aside interface is intended for devices located adjacent to a network processing device (NPE) that off load certain tasks from the network processor. This verification is performed in several steps. First, we added assertions within the control logic of the RTL block and then we added assertions between interfaces of RTL blocks by following the Look Aside interface design specification. We developed the simulation environment in Verilog and relevant testcases derived from the specification, in order to perform simulation and observe the assertion messages for possible firings. Each firing pinpoints an error in the RTL. For the assertion monitors the Accellera Open Verification Library (OVL) was used. Finally, we transformed the same assertions into Sugar 2.0 properties and performed the model checking of our Verilog RTL model using Rulebase, from IBM corp.


identifier: Da Silva, Joana Sequeira Torreira  (2005) Providing web services security : a case study on multiparty service delivery.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Web Services Security, used to ensure data integrity and confidentiality, has been so far provided and/or implemented as a library or a proxy. Both means present serious drawbacks, be it in terms of flexibility, level of abstraction, dynamic coupling and others.  In this thesis we propose the use of Web Services to enforce Web Services Security. Available to both Web Service requestors and providers inside and outside its domain, Security Web Services can provide Web Services Security to many entities, including those that due to limited resources would not be normally able to secure their communications. Specific interfaces were devised for the proposed Security Web Service, giving access to granular security, through a high level interface, without pre-configurations.  We also present a Case Study where each entity, participating in a three party transaction, uses either libraries or a Security Web Service to secure their messages. Performance measurements were conducted, both in terms of time delays and network loads.  Despite the delay and the network load introduced, Security Web Service are an attractive method of providing WSS due to the high level of level and granularity provided, as well as the reduced local computation load (for encryption and signatures)


identifier: Nikfal, Danial  (2005) Design and FPGA implementation of trellis coded modem based on DVB standard.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis concentrates on the implementation of a base-band modem specified by Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) standard. The modem consists of Reed Solomon coding, Convolutional Interleaving, Pragmatic Trellis Coded Modulation (PTCM), and Pulse shaping filters. The system is employed in digital television and related applications based on satellite communications.  A design flow using System On a Programmable Chip (SOPC) is a novel approach that can be considered in the next generation of wireless modems. The design flow starts with modeling of the floating-point representation of the design in Simulink with parameters described in the DVB standard. Fixed-point refinement of the model is developed to compromise arithmetic precision for hardware simplicity. A number of significant simulations are performed to verify adequate precision of the fixed-point model by comparing the bit error rate curves with their floating-point counterparts.  Bottom-up design flow is used to synthesize the modem into the target hardware. The high-level abstraction model of the design is simulated and compiled into an FPGA using Xilinx System Generator for DSP. A novel clock distribution technique is proposed to achieve the highest possible clock frequency. Finally, the modem is synthesized and implemented in Xilinx Virtex II FPGA and post-place&route simulation is performed to ensure that the timing constraints are met. The implemented modem is able to transmit/receive digital audio and video signals up to 27.778 Mbit/s.


identifier: Liu, Wenping  (2005) Performance comparison of medium access control in wireless LAN IEEE-802.11 and HIPERLAN.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: There are two principal wireless LAN standards: IEEE 802.11 and ETSI HIPERLAN, which define the specification of physical and media access control layer. WLAN medium access control protocols describe the rules for orderly access to the shared wireless medium and play a crucial role in the efficient and fair sharing of scarce wireless bandwidth resource. IEEE 802.11 MAC layer employs CSMA/CA protocol to access medium, whereas ETSI HIPERLAN uses EY-NPMA protocol to control the medium access.  In this thesis, the two standards are introduced first. Then, the simulation models are presented for various network architectures and environmental parameters in order to obtain comparable performance results regarding the buffer size, the packet lifetime period and the traffic load of terminal stations. After that, the simulation results are presented for different simulation models with analyzing and evaluating the performance for both standards in different criteria and various input parameters.


identifier: Shah, Himanshu Bhupendrabhai  (2004) A technique of designing two-dimensional recursive filters with flexible characteristics.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Different kinds of two-dimensional recursive filters are used in signal processing and pro-imagining processing process and communication systems where flexible frequency responses of the digital filters are necessitated.  The focal intention of this thesis has been to propose a technique of designing different kinds of 2-D recursive filters with adaptable properties. From the 2-variable existing VSHP (Very Strictly Hurwitz Polynomial), a 2-D digital transfer function has been obtained through the application of the double generalized bilinear transformations with some changeable coefficients. 2-D LPF and 2-D HPF are designed from this 2-D transfer function, and the frequency response of either of them changes when one or more of these coefficients change.  Other two important types of 2-D digital filters, 2-D band-pass filters and 2-D band-elimination filters could also be achieved by combining a 2-D LPF and a 2-D HPF. One of them, 2-D band-pass recursive filter has been designed in this thesis work.  The manner how each coefficient of the designed filters affects the frequency response is analyzed in detail with simulation results--3-D amplitude plots and 2-D contour plots. We also derived required constrains for each case to obtain a stable response


identifier: Rahman, Shafiqur  (2005) Scattering of electromagnetic waves by two parallel chiral circular cylinders.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The electromagnetic scattering from two parallel chiral circular cylinders is analyzed using a boundary value problem approach. Both cylinders are assumed to be illuminated by either a transverse electric (TE) or transverse magnetic (TM) wave. The separation of variable technique and proper transformation theorems are used to formulate the solution. The incident fields, scattered fields, and transmitted fields are expanded in terms of the cylindrical vector wave functions. Drude-Born-Fedorov (DBF) constitutive relations and Bohren decomposition formula are used to express the electromagnetic fields inside the chiral cylinders. The boundary conditions are imposed in conjunction with the addition theorem of the Hankel function on the boundary surface of each cylinder. The boundary conditions yield a system of linear equations for each type of polarization which can be numerically solved to obtain the unknown expansion coefficients by a proper truncation of the infinite sums into finite sums. Numerical results are given to show the effects on co- and cross-polarized echo widths for some selected parameters and geometries. The effects on the back and forward scattering co- and cross-polarized echo widths are also given with respect to the separation distance between two cylinders and angle of incidence. From the numerical results, it can be evident that chirality parameter plays an important role controlling the echo width. The validity and accuracy of the results are compared with available published results for special and limiting cases. Several numerical results are also given for the scattering of electromagnetic waves by single chiral cylinder for both the TM and TE cases and validated with existing published results.


identifier: Parvez, MD Anwar  (2004) Experimental investigation of the ternary Mg-Al-Sr system.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In this work, the ternary Mg-Al-Sr system was investigated experimentally by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and metallography. The experimental work focused on the critical regions after reviewing the phase diagrams developed by thermodynamic modeling. DSC has permitted real-time measurement of the temperature and enthalpy of the phase transformations. The experimental results were compared with the pertinent thermodynamic findings as well as with the literature data. The thermodynamic calculations are consistent with experimental results in few samples especially in the liquidus temperature, whereas discrepancy was observed in several cases especially in the solid phase transformation temperature that suggests this system should be remodeled. Two ternary eutectic transformations have been observed. XRD was used to identify the phases in the studied samples where Al 4 Sr and (Mg) were found to be the dominating phases. Distinct unknown peaks were observed in the investigated samples. In this investigation, four new phase fields have been tentatively identified. The new phase may be ternary intermetallics or ternary or binary solid solutions. Thermodynamic calculations were also utilized to understand the microstructures and the phase relationships. The microstructural evolution in two post-DSC samples has also been investigated and compared with the as-cast condition.


identifier: Falconer, Sara  (2004) Yours in solidarity : alternative media projects with North American political prisoners.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Several years ago, I became aware of a network of international groups that is working to raise awareness of imprisoned activists, largely through the use of alternative media. These projects take many forms, including books, pamphlets, websites and films, but are often notable for the fact that they are created by political prisoners and prisoners of war (PP/POWs) themselves, while their distribution is facilitated by people outside of prison. In looking at a selection of these projects, I ask PP/POWs and outside facilitators to reflect on alternative media both as prisoners and as activists. I concentrate primarily on media projects involving PP/POWs in North America from the 1960s to the present, discussing the successes, potential weaknesses and the future of these initiatives.


identifier: Jacobs, Brandon  (2004) Thunderstorm.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Thunderstorm

abstract: James Thunderstorm, a Blackfoot Native from Northern Ontario, travels to Montreal to pursue a college education. His girlfriend Madeline Swift doesn't want him to leave, citing her clairvoyant grandmother Ruth's prediction that James will die a horrible death in the city.  Ignoring the warning, James arrives in Montreal. Once acclimated to the city, he becomes involved with a fellow student named Erica Frost. Then one night in Chinatown with his friends, James takes a hit of a mystery drug that replicates a near-death experience. Weeks later, he suffers nightmare flashbacks, particularly the recurring image of a demon. This image is used in the creation of a Halloween effigy by James and his friends at a party. Soon after, everyone involved in this creation suffers varying degrees of bad luck--some of it incidental, some of it fatal.  James discovers that one of his friends is dealing out the near-death drug, infringing on the territory of criminal gangs in the process. James is dragged into the conflict against his will. He doesn't realize that the drug has caused a dangerous side-effect in his body. The visions he experienced--stemming from a previous life, according to a psychic--might manifest themselves in reality. Threatened by both the criminal underworld and an ancient spirit world, James is forced to confront it all.


identifier: Pitfield, Kate  (2004) The social shaping of text messaging in North American youth culture.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: At a time when technological communication devices are rapidly inundating North America it is important to consider not just the impact these technologies have on society, but the influence that society has on defining the uses and role played by these technologies.  This thesis is a case study of one such communication technology, called Short Messaging Service (SMS). Introduced in Finland, in 1991, this technology was built into mobile phones and was intended for engineers to communicate with each other. However, the technologically savvy youth of, first, Asia and Europe, and now North America, have been quick to adopt this technology as a primary means of exchanging information and maintaining social ties. This thesis investigates the relationship between the development of SMS technology in North American youth culture and the role played by the social distinctions of this cultural terrain. Relying on the social shaping of technology perspective, it argues that the diffusion of SMS into North American youth culture has been guided in response to three distinct yet related spheres suggested by Hughie Mackay and Gareth Gillespie. They are: conception, invention, development and design; marketing; and, appropriation by users. Drawing from this framework, this analysis first considers the initial diffusion of SMS in Asia and Europe and suggests reasons for its less popular development in the US. Secondly, it highlights specific marketing techniques used in the US to encourage the use of SMS amongst youth consumers. Finally, it explores the youth appropriation of SMS and development of a text-based language. Throughout, this thesis considers the role of the powerful elite and youth consumer/user in defining novel technologies like SMS.


identifier: St-Laurent, Sylvie  (2004) Towards a moral grounding of social risk communication.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Risk communication, the specialized practice of publicly communicating the impact of an existing activity or future technology to the public's health or the environment, is largely based on a transmission model of communication. Although its practice originated in the early 20 th century in local public warnings about natural disasters, contemporary risk communication covers a multitude of issues from natural, health, industrial hazards to new, controversial technologies, such as genetically modified foods. As discourse aimed at gaining public consent or trust on a contested issue of social values, risk communication is essentially moral in nature, and as such, must proceed from a conception of public discourse that provides a moral grounding. I argue that the transmission model of communication, governed by norms of efficiency, is incapable of providing a vocabulary or conceptual framework for the moral nature of these debates, particularly broad social risks. Such a conception, I argue, can be accomplished by viewing risk communication through the lens of rhetorical theory, which finds its justification as moral discourse in the definition of the public as citizens engaged in social decision-making and meaning formation. Viewed from the perspective of rhetorical theory, risk communication functions as ethical public discourse, not from the unmotivated perspective of its source, but from the manner in which it makes itself open to public examination and debate.


identifier: White, Jason  (2004) The gridiron city : sixteenth-century urban development in the Spanish new world.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: During the sixteenth-century when the Spaniards were colonizing the New World, they built a network of urban centres that followed a specific template in their layout and organization. Known as gridiron, or ordered cities, these urban centres had a checkerboard design with streets that intersected at ninety degrees.  Built to express Spanish rationality and superiority over the natives and hinterlands of the New World, the gridiron city was an imported urban plan that did not exist in Europe at the time. Sixteenth-century European capitals were chaotic, organic and, medieval. Although the plans for the gridiron city originated in Europe, the space and economic conditions did not exist to remodel the cities on that continent. The New World however, offered the space, wealth and, slave labour needed for the gridiron concept to be realized.  Using an interdisciplinary approach, this thesis examines the conditions and communication systems that interwove and allowed for the implementation of the gridiron city in the New World. In part, this includes: a vast exploitable work force, the practice of the encomienda (a grant of land and slaves given to favoured conquistadors), Spanish bureaucracy, and the beginnings of a new era of thought in Europe.


identifier: Sezikeye, François Xavier  (2005) Mechanisms of texture discrimination : what is behind the perceptual performance asymmetry?  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: A patch of texture A embedded in a background of texture B, is sometimes detected more easily than a same size patch of texture B embedded in a background of texture A. This phenomenon is called texture discrimination asymmetry. The perceptual texture performance asymmetry was investigated by manipulating the orientation variation of lines, the gradual change of L and + micropatterns and the frequency change in filtered random noise. Variability was shown to be a large contribution in the asymmetry, and a model using quadratic forms and signal detection theory was in qualitative agreement. An experiment with randomly oriented and fixed orientation micropatterns also showed the important role played by variability in asymmetry. The enclosing circles of micropatterns had a contribution lower than variability in asymmetry. The foreground-background area ratio and the textons were important in establishing the way of the asymmetry: classic cases of asymmetry in micropatterns were reversed by manipulating those characteristics. Discrimination, therefore asymmetry, was shown to depend on both edge and region mechanisms.


identifier: King-Levangie, Shelagh  (2004) Globalised First Nation politics : the United Nations drafted declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples and the Canadian experience.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Since 1995, indigenous peoples from around the world and United Nations (UN) member states have been meeting once a year for two weeks to discuss the UN Drafted Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DDRIP). The DDRIP is a proposed document that defines the human rights of indigenous peoples including indigenous peoples' right to self-determination, and collective rights to land and natural resources. Since it was first tabled in 1995, the DDRIP has generated much debate. In the past nine years, only two of the forty-five articles in the DDRIP have been passed by the UN Working Group on the Drafted Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  This thesis explores the process of the DDRIP negotiations and the meaning it has for First Nation peoples (specifically Mohawks of Kahnawake), the Canadian government and Canadian/First Nation relations. My research was conducted over a two year period and consisted of participant observation, archival and newspaper research, and formal and informal interviews. As my theoretical framework, I used Risse and Sikkink's (1999) "spiral model" on the socialisation of international human rights norms into domestic practice and Sherry Ortner's theory (1999) on power and resistance. I argue that the indigenous peoples' experience at the Working Group on the DDRIP has theoretical significance for the study of globalisation, state control and civil resistance. New political opportunities and relationships are being created and contested across national and international boundaries as indigenous peoples seek recognition of their human rights, and negotiate a place within the world's political process.


identifier: Lyons, Tara  (2005) The constitution of entrepreneurial subjects : the alignment of Narcotics Anonymous and neoliberalism.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is the most widely used and accepted drug treatment program in North America. Despite its popularity, there is little research and literature on this twelve-step recovery program. In this thesis I argue that NA is aligned with neoliberal political rationalities, which are involved in promoting specific forms of individual responsibility and self-government in the construction of 'addict' subjectivities. Specifically, I argue that NA is a technology of the self that requires 'addicts' to transform their selves, through techniques of the self, into 'recovering addicts' in order to achieve recovery. These arguments are elaborated upon through a discourse analysis of the Narcotics Anonymous Basic Text and a governmentality theoretical framework.  Specifically, I use Foucault's modes of objectification to explore four ways by which people in NA are turned into subjects (scientific objectification, dividing practices, unifying practices and self-objectification). I highlight the two types of 'addict' subjectivities found in NA; the 'addict' and the 'recovering addict'. Using the examples of abstinence and confession, I demonstrate how NA instructs individuals to engage in techniques of the self in order to govern their selves according to the Twelve Steps of NA. I also discuss the centrality of the concept of freedom in this transformation and in NA in general.


identifier: Omole, Funmilola  (2004) Political theory and justice : homelessness in Montréal and problems with liberal democracy.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Liberal democracies emphasize and uphold the values of liberty and equality. However, inequalities prevail in such democracies. Homelessness, as an example, persists in liberal democracies. This work examines how homelessness, as a form of inequality, is made possible in such democracies by the use of theoretical and empirical analyses. The theories of John Rawls, Chantal Mouffe and Iris Marion Young are used to understand the meaning of democracy.  The theoretical analysis argues that homelessness is able to exist in liberal democracies through the very principles of such democracies which recognize the right to property ownership thus setting the free market system in place at the basic structure. Through the workings of this economic system that is characterized by profit maximization, inequality is created. A consequence of this is homelessness. I critique Rawls's "difference principle" on its toleration and justification of inequalities, and argue that this principle does not offer a permanent solution to homelessness, as it has the tendency to justify and reinforce the problem in society.  In order to understand ways by which the homeless experience inequalities in the social world, a field study has been conducted with special attention to the issue of exclusion as inequality experienced by the homeless in society. Participant observation, interviews, and life histories are methods used for the study. Findings suggest that homeless persons suffer exclusion in dimensions of the economic, health, housing, and the social.


identifier: Shestakov, Tatyana  (2005) Translation, politics, the actor : translation of the musical "Cabaret".  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis is dedicated to theatre translation. The main aspects of my research are: the relationship between the translated text and the final production and the similarities which exist between the tasks of the translator and the actor in the process of creation of the theatre text and the final production. I intend to prove that the translator's/actor's erudition, creative project and horizon, and the perception of the target audience often dictate changes performed in the theatre text, which can to some extent reflect the political and social situation of the target society. To illustrate my ideas, I will use the musical "Cabaret" as the corpus of my research. I will analyze its different versions in the source country: America and then in two target societies: Germany and Quebec. Using the English and the German texts, I will prove that in the practice of the modern theatre the actor's influence on the original and translated texts can be quite significant and at the same time justified by his (or her) contextual knowledge, project and awareness of his (or her) target audience. I will also insist on the importance of the understanding of the particularity of the theatre text as opposed to the non-theatre one, because the "oral publication" of the text, that is the theatre production dictates different laws of analysis and perception.


identifier: Akon, Mohammad Mursalin  (2005) A model for composible and extensible parallel architectural skeletons.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Application of pattern-based approaches to parallel programming is an active area of research today. The main objective of pattern-based approaches to parallel programming is to facilitate the reuse of frequently occurring structures for parallelism whereby a user supplies mostly the application specific code-components and the programming environment generates most of the code for parallelization. Parallel Architectural Skeleton (PAS) is such a pattern-based parallel programming model and environment. The PAS model provides a generic way of describing the architectural/structural aspects of patterns in message-passing parallel computing. Application development using PAS is hierarchical, similar to conventional parallel programming using MPI, however with the added benefit of re-usability and high level patterns. Like most other pattern-based parallel programming models, the benefits of PAS were offset by some of its drawbacks such as difficulty in: (1) extending PAS and (2) skeleton composition. SuperPAS is an extension of PAS that addresses these issues. SuperPAS provides a skeleton description language to describe a skeleton in a generic way. Using SuperPAS, a skeleton developer can extend PAS by adding new skeletons to the skeleton repository (i.e., extensibility). SuperPAS also makes the PAS system more flexible by defining composition of skeletons. In this thesis, we describe the model and description language for SuperPAS and elaborate its use through examples.


identifier: Brunetti, Donato  (2004) The characterization of the glucose tolerance factor (GTF) in L6 myotubes and 3T3-L1 adipocytes.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis reports the effects of the Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF) on the stimulation of 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) transport in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and in L6 myotubes. The maximal effects on 2-DG transport in adipocytes were observed at concentrations of 133 nM insulin. The maximal effect of GTF was seen at 20 mg/ml in 3T3-L1 fat cells while maximal stimulation of GTF was seen in L6 myotubes at 50 mg/ml.  These observations indicated that GTF had similar effects to insulin in stimulating glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and in L6 myotubes. Also, GTF works in an additive manner with insulin giving a higher stimulation in glucose transport without interfering with insulin binding to its receptor. GTF's mode of action is not through the phosphorylation of the insulin receptor β chain. However, GTF seems to stimulate phosphorylation of downstream signals such as the IRS-1. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


identifier: Dolinsek, Ivan J  (2004) Visual isolation, habitat complexity, and the density of stream salmonids.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The effect of visual isolation on the density of territorial fish such as Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) was examined. Kalleberg's (1958) hypothesis that the density of salmon can be increased by adding boulders was tested for the first time in a natural stream. Eight study reaches were established in Catamaran Brook and the Little Southwest Miramichi River (New Brunswick). Each reach was divided into three sites of 3 x 2 m, and received one of three treatments: boulder-added, 36 boulders (median diameter = 0.21 m) were added to increase visual isolation; boulder-removed, where all boulders were removed; and a control, where the reach was left unchanged. A three-fold increase in the density of salmon was observed in the boulder-added treatment compared to the boulder-removed and control sites. The impact of adding boulders was more important for the young-of-the-year than for the 1+ and 2+ salmon. However, for non-salmonid fishes, no effect was found. A Geographic Information System (GIS) viewshed analysis showed that the visible area and the distance to nearest neighbour were significantly smaller in the boulder-added treatment than in the other two treatments. Although mean water velocity was reduced in the boulder-added treatments, the snout velocity of individual salmon did not differ among treatments, suggesting that the boulders were not used as a velocity refuge. The results support Kalleberg's hypothesis that visual isolation is a key factor controlling salmon density, and that it might be used as a low-cost method for increasing the density of territorial fish.


identifier: Tang, Ye Man  (2004) Role of nine cysteine residues in L-serine deaminase 1 from Escherichia coli K-12.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: L-serine deaminase 1 (L-SDI) is one of three enzymes that break down L-serine to produce pyruvate and ammonia in Escherichia coli K-12. L-SD1, a 454 amino acid protein encoded by sdaA gene, contains nine cysteine residues at the 181, 219, 290, 339, 347, 366, 381, 392, and 453 positions. Blast results show that three cysteines at positions 339, 381 and 392 are in what is then a highly conserved motif is found in most L-SDs that have a Fe-S cluster. The other six cysteine residues are also conserved among some bacterial L-SDs. In this study, all nine cysteine residues have been mutated individually. Assay of enzyme activity both in vivo and in vitro shows that: (1) eight of nine cysteine residues play an important role in L-SD1 activity; (2) the cysteine at position 181 might be non-essential for L-SD1 activity; (3) cysteines at positions 339, 381 and 392 are essential for L-SD1 activity. This is consistent with the demonstration by Cicchilo and his colleagues that L-SD1 uses a 4Fe-4S cluster for the deamination of L-serine. If so, cysteine residues 339, 381 and 392 are probably essential for this iron-sulfur cluster and ligate to three iron molecules of a 4Fe-4S cluster.


identifier: Kremmydiotis, Georgia  (2004) Study of the cysy-nitrosation of fetal hemoglobin (HbF).  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is a tetramer composed of two [alpha]- and two [gamma]-chains. The [gamma]-chains differ from the [beta]-chains of HbA at 39 residues, but a Cys residue at position 93, which is the residue that becomes S-nitrosated in HbA, is conserved.  As Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) has been suggested to participate in Hb-SNO formation, levels of the enzyme were measured in adult and newborn red blood cell (RBC) lysates by means of the pyrogallol assay. CuZnSOD levels were found to be higher in the newborn than in the adult lysates. Recently, it has been shown that HbF can be S-nitrosated in both its deoxy and oxy forms, but only oxyHbA is S-nitrosated. Also, our collaborators have shown an inverse correlation between the amount of Hb-SNO and HbF measured in chord blood samples collected from newborns, while no difference was detected in nitrosylHb (HbFe II NO) levels. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


identifier: Wei, Yin  (2005) Computational studies of the structure of vanadium oxide clusters and their reactions with halocarbons.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Vanadium oxides are key industrial catalysts in the oxidation and functionalization of various chemical compounds, and studies of gas-phase vanadium oxide clusters provide an avenue to explore the reactive sites implicated in surface catalysis. An extensive amount of experimental data has been reported on the gas-phase fragmentation of vanadium oxide cluster ions and their reactions with environmentally-relevant halocarbons. Our computational studies aim at further understanding the structure and properties of vanadium oxide clusters, as well as their reactivity towards fluorocarbons. Accordingly, we report a systematic density-functional theory (DFT) study of the structural and electronic properties of V x O y + and V x O y clusters, and investigate their reactions with CH 2 F 2 and CH 3 CF 3 by DFT calculations. Our results suggest that both B3LYP/TZVP and PLAP4/DZVP+aux. are appropriate model chemistries to investigate vanadium oxide clusters, but the latter is less computationally intensive, and thus more suitable for large clusters. Stable ground-state and low-lying excited-state structures and their electronic properties are obtained for both V x O y + and V x O y (x = 1-4, y = 1-10) clusters with the PLAP4/DZVP+aux. model chemistry. The molecular structures and electronic properties of large polyvanadium oxide clusters are systematically investigated and reported for the first time. The reaction of V 2 O 4 + with fluorocarbons was investigated with the B3LYP/TZVP model chemistry. Oxygen transfer and stepwise HF abstraction from the fluorocarbon are observed in the reactions of V 2 O 4 + with CH 2 F 2 and CH 3 CF 3 , respectively. These reaction mechanisms help explain why larger clusters such as V 4 O 8 + were observed to be chemically inert towards CH 2 F 2 , while the reactivity of V x O y + cluster ions towards CH 3 CF 3 was not found to depend on cluster size experimentally.


identifier: Xing, Liyan  (2005) Synthesis of heterocyclic macrocycles and folding oligomers.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Naphthyridine-based macrocycles with urea and formamidine linkages and pyridazine-based macrocyclic ureas with alternating 3,6-pyridazine/2,6-toluene subunits were synthesized in one-step reactions with acceptable to good yields. The non-covalent intramolecular interactions inherent in the designed subunits, particularly, intramolecular hydrogen bonding, play the key role in guiding the cyclization process. Various spectroscopic techniques (NMR, MS, IR, X-ray crystallography, STM) were used to characterize these macrocycles. This self-templated synthesis of macrocycles points to the possibility of preparing folding oligomeric strands with these heterocyclic systems. A crescent trimer and a helical pentamer were obtained with a urea linked 3,6-pyridazine/2,6-toluene system. The trimer exists as a mixture of two helical segments of opposite chirality, and toluene methyl groups and urea carbonyl groups adopt an anti conformation in the crystal structure. The pentamer forms one helical turn with overlapping termini in solution: the s-s stacking of the terminal toluene rings was confirmed by 1 H NMR studies. To our knowledge, this is the first reported synthetic helical architecture that utilizes both hydrogen bonding and steric interactions to drive and stabilize the folded conformation. Attempts were also made to prepare longer strands with a convergent protection/deprotection methodology.


identifier: Islam, Md. Shafiqul  (2004) Existence, approximation and properties of absolutely continuous invariant measures for random maps /cMd. Shafiqul Islam.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: A random map is a discrete-time dynamical system where one of a number of transformations is selected randomly and applied in each iteration of the process. In this thesis we study existence, approximation and properties of absolutely continuous invariant measures (acim) for random maps and obtain several new results. We generalize a result of Straube, which provides a necessary and sufficient condition for existence of an acim of a nonsingular map, to random maps. We approximate absolutely continuous invariant measures for Markov switching position dependent random maps using Ulam's method. For certain random maps, we prove the existence of ergodic infinite acims. Finally, we prove that the invariant density of an acim for random maps is strictly positive on its support.


identifier: Yazbeck, Ogaritte Jennifer  (2004) The effects of cyclodextrins and micelles on some organic reactions : probes of supramolecular catalysis.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The recent interest in non-covalently stabilized molecular assemblies has led to the creation of the field of supramolecular chemistry . This thesis is concerned with the effects of supramolecular (host-guest) binding on organic reactivity. Of particular interest is the catalysis of organic reactions brought about by transition state stabilization , which arises from the binding of substrates (guests) relative to the strength of binding of the transition states to catalytic hosts such as cyclodextrins and micelles. In effect, the work of this thesis is concerned with the origin of supramolecular catalysis .  The first area of research discussed in the thesis exploits the principles of supramolecular chemistry (Chapter I, Section 1.1) and hydrophobic effects (Chapter I, Section 1.3) to investigate cyclodextrin-guest inclusion complexes (Chapter II). The effects of cyclodextrins on the reactivity of acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of two acetals and an orthobenzoate in the presence of added ketone guests were studied (Chapter III) as part of a search for improved methods of accurately determining the strength of complexation between cyclodextrins and various guests (eg. ketones). It was shown that inhibition kinetics can be employed as a fast reliable methodology to determine the dissociation constants of β-cyclodextrin-ketone complexes under certain circumstances.  The second area of research, which constitutes the bulk of the work in the thesis, focussed on micelles (Chapter IV) and their catalytic effects on bimolecular ester cleavage reactions from the perspective of transition state stabilization (Chapter I, Section 1.2). The work was initiated after previous research on the alkaline hydrolysis of aryl esters in cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) micelles (Chapter V). In those studies it was shown that aryl ester binding to CTAB micelles is independent of the aryl group but it depends on the hydrophobicity of the ester chain. The magnitude of catalysis is, however, independent of the ester chain. Following these intriguing results, and in order to clarify the misconceptions about the mechanism of the catalysis by the micelles, it was decided was to investigate the effects of CTAB micelles on ester cleavage by other nucleophiles.  Firstly, the thiolysis of p -nitrophenyl alkanoates (acetate to decanoate) in CTAB micelles was studied (Chapter VI).  Secondly, the aminolysis of p -nitrophenyl esters by neutral amines (mainly n -alkylamines) in CTAB micelles was studied (Chapter VII).  Finally, a study of the cleavage of pNPA and pNPH by amino acid anions (AA - ) in CTAB micelles demonstrated that a threshold hydrophobicity dictates the partitioning and binding of the AA - to the CTAB micelles (Chapter VIII). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


identifier: Deptula, Renata  (2004) Coherent states based on the Euclidean group.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This work is a contribution to the general theory of frames, using group representations. Specifically, we use the theory of generalized coherent states for semidirect product groups to construct coherent states for the three dimensional Euclidean group, starting from a representation of this group, induced from a representation of the subgroup H = [Special characters omitted.] {604} SO (2). Families of continuous coherent states are explicitly constructed for two specific choices of sections from the coset space w = E (3)/(T 3 {604} SO 3 (2)) to the group. We also discuss admissibility conditions for the existence of continuous frames for the general class of affine sections. Next we propose a discretization procedure for these continuous frames. Once again we obtain general admissibility conditions for the existence of frames and in particular, tight frames. Explicit examples are worked out.


identifier: Shramchenko, Vasilisa  (2004) Frobenius structures, integrable systems and Hurwitz spaces.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis consists of two main parts. In the first part a new family of integrable systems related to Hurwitz spaces of elliptic coverings with simple branch points is constructed. The integrable systems are closely related to Takasaki's version of the Schlesinger system on an elliptic surface. A trigonometric degeneration of the integrable systems is presented. The trigonometric version of an auxiliary system of differential equations for the images of branch points of the covering under a uniformization map with respect to branch points is derived. This system is applied to solving the Boyer-Finley equation (self-dual Einstein equation with a rotating Killing vector). Thereby, a class of implicit solutions to the Boyer-Finley equation is found in terms of objects related to the Hurwitz spaces.  The second part presents two classes of new semisimple Frobenius structures on Hurwitz spaces (spaces of ramified coverings of ([Special characters omitted.] P 1 ). The original construction of Hurwitz Frobenius manifolds by Dubrovin is described in terms of the normalized meromorphic bidifferential W of the second kind on a Riemann surface. In Dubrovin's construction, the branch points {{470} m } of the covering play the role of canonical coordinates on the Hurwitz Frobenius manifolds. We find new Frobenius structures on Hurwitz spaces with coordinates {{470} m ; n m } in terms of the Schiffer and Bergman kernels (bidifferentials) on a Riemann surface. We call these structures the "real doubles" of the Hurwitz Frobenius manifolds of Dubrovin.  To construct another class of new Frobenius structures on Hurwitz spaces, we introduce a g ( g + 1)/2-parametric deformation of the bidifferential W , where g is the genus of the corresponding Riemann surface. Analogously to the bidifferential W its deformation defines Frobenius structures on Hurwitz spaces; these structures give a g ( g + 1)/2-parametric deformation of Dubrovin's Hurwitz Frobenius manifolds. Similarly, we introduce the deformations of the Schiffer and Bergman kernels which define Frobenius structures on the Hurwitz spaces with coordinates {{470} m ; n m }. Thereby we obtain deformations of the real doubles of the Hurwitz Frobenius manifolds of Dubrovin. Each new Frobenius structure gives a new solution to the WDVV (Witten-Dijkgraaf-Verlinde-Verlinde) system. For the simplest Hurwitz space in genus one, the corresponding solutions are found explicitly, together with the corresponding G -function.


identifier: Dagnew, Martha D  (2004) Rhamnolipid assisted dispersion and biodegradation of crude oil spilled on water.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: An oil spill caused by ship, pipeline, or oil platform disaster is a significant threat to marine and shoreline ecosystems. Booms and skimmer systems have proven to be ineffective responses. Chemical dispersants have proven effective, but they do not work on weathered oil and may pose health hazards. To reduce the toxicity and enhance biodegradation of the dispersed oil, biosurfactants can be used as opposed to chemical surfactants for open water oil spill response applications. This study examined the effect of rhamnolipid biosurfactant, JBR 425(TM), on the dispersion and biodegradation of BRENT crude oil spilled on surface water. Crude oil dispersion and biodegradation experiments were conducted according to the methods currently required for listing dispersants on the National Contingency Planning schedule (USEPA 1996). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


identifier: Lehmann, Hugo  (2004) Contributions of the hippocampus, perirhinal cortex, and amygdala to object-fear conditioning.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Fear conditioning refers to the ability to learn and remember that a stimulus predicts the occurrence of a fear-eliciting event. The neurobiology of fear conditioning to auditory, olfactory, and visual stimuli and to contexts has been extensively studied, but the neurobiology of fear conditioning to an object has not been thoroughly investigated. Thus, the focus of the present thesis was to determine whether object-fear conditioning depends on the hippocampus, perirhinal cortex, and amygdala. It was hypothesized that pre- and post-training lesions to either structure in rats would cause amnesia for an association between an object and a fear-eliciting event because each is involved in object recognition and/or fear conditioning. Accordingly, rats' memory was tested in the shock-probe fear-conditioning test, which required them to remember that a small plastic probe protruding from the bottom of a wall of a testing chamber was associated with a mild shock. Several behaviours, such as burying, avoidance, and changes in stress hormone were assessed during the test to comprehensively evaluate fear conditioning. It was found that hippocampal lesions caused both anterograde and retrograde amnesia. However, the anterograde amnesia resulted from a contextual fear-conditioning deficit, whereas the retrograde amnesia resulted, at least in part, from an object-fear conditioning impairment. By contrast, it was found that perirhinal cortex lesions did not cause memory deficits. Albeit, pre and post-training perirhinal cortex lesions altered avoidance and burying evoked by the object and context during the test, suggesting that the latter structure is likely involved in appraising stimuli that guide fear responses. It was also found that amygdala lesions caused retrograde, but not anterograde, amnesia for object-fear conditioning. The findings are discussed within the context of current theory of the neural basis of cued and contextual fear conditioning and it is concluded that object-fear conditioning involves memory systems that may be distinct from those of other types of fear conditioning.


identifier: Friese, Marianne B  (2005) Hostility, negative emotional valence, sadness, rumination to sadness and cardiovascular reactivity.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The study's first goal investigated what type of thoughts and underlying emotions are exactly experienced by high versus low hostile participants following an anger provoking interpersonal stressor. Results revealed that high compared to low hostile participants experienced overall significantly more inferred thoughts of negative emotional valence; emotions that they did not express in a direct manner. It was suggested, that high hostiles might be high on the trait of Negative Affectivity. When specific emotion categories were analyzed, results revealed that high compared to low hostile individuals experienced overall more sad-inferred thoughts; sad thoughts that they did not express in a direct manner. Furthermore, the study found that high compared to low hostile participants ruminate more to sadness. The combined results of more sad-inferred thoughts and significantly more rumination to sadness, lends support to the interpretation, that high hostile individuals may be vulnerable for the development of sustained depressed mood and perhaps even depression. These results are important given that depression, even milder depressive symptoms have been found to be independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease in general and coronary heart disease in particular.  This study did not find associations between cardiovascular reactivity and hostility or rumination to sadness. The absence of an association between hostility and cardiovascular reactivity is, however, consistent with the specific emotion category results found in this study. Research suggests that it is the high hostile's propensity to experience more frequent and more intense emotions in the anger category that is directly linked to heightened cardiovascular reactivity. This study did not find that anger-thoughts and anger intensities were significantly higher for high compared to low hostile participants following the anger provoking interpersonal stressor. It was suggested that the lack of heightened cardiovascular reactivity to interpersonal stress is due to the finding that the high hostile participants in this study did not experience more frequent and intense anger.


identifier: Wang, Lei  (2004) Optical differential phase modulation : system modeling and performance.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: We investigated high speed optical fiber communication systems using optical s-DPSK, s/2-DPSK, DQPSK and Offset-DQPSK modulation techniques, focusing on the system modeling and comparison of performance. The electronic precoder of optical s/2-DPSK was yet unknown, and its logic and basic circuit are presented in this thesis. We also compared the system performance with the impact of inter symbol interference (ISI) caused by fiber nonlinear effect, narrowband inline optical filtering and residual chromatic dispersion. It is shown that DQPSK has the narrowest signal bandwidth among four phase modulation schemes; Offset-DQPSK has two main lobes in its optical spectrum; Offset-DQPSK has the best tolerance to ISI induced by fiber nonlinear effect; s-DPSK has the best tolerance to optical filtering; and DQPSK has the best tolerance to residual chromatic dispersion. s-DPSK has better tolerance to residual chromatic dispersion than s/2-DPSK. All of these works were verified on Optism, a commercial optical simulation software platform


identifier: Roblin, Cynthia  (2005) Crossfire : gender, cyberfeminism and World Wide Web visual culture.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The main purpose of this thesis is to tread through the sometimes murky waters of cybercultural feminist theory in hope of clarifying the current status of the World Wide Web as an art medium, and its suitability as a vehicle for the expression of contemporary feminist concerns. I have divided this paper into four chapters. The first is a brief revision of the history of communication and computer technology, aimed at revealing the extent of women's exclusion from recorded historical accounts. The second chapter delves into current cybercultural theory dealing with central topics such as: disembodiment, the changing status of the postmodern subject in relation to gender theory, the reconciliation of gender with sexual difference theory, and the gender implications of hegemonic organization of the real vs. virtual experience. These themes are examined in the hope of illuminating some of the political motivations behind cyberfeminist visual culture. The final two chapters of my thesis consist of two case studies: the first focuses on the theoretical writings and work of contemporary web artist Mary Flanagan while the second deals with the web component of this interdisciplinary M.A., available at: http://pastiched.com.


identifier: Trudel, Yves  (2004) Essays on closed-end funds.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

title: Essays on closed-end funds

abstract: Despite the simplicity of their operations and the pricing of their underlying assets, closed-end funds are associated with some of the most puzzling anomalies in finance. Thus, the primary purpose of this thesis is to show why funds (especially closed-end funds) exist, why the variance of mutual fund returns can exceed the variance of the returns on their investment portfolios in a rational market, and how properly chosen remuneration schemes for fund managers lead to better fund pricing. Each of these topics constitutes a self-contained essay or chapter in the thesis. In the first essay, we demonstrate under which conditions closed-end mutual funds exist. In general, the time horizons of small investors must be in a range that eliminates the incentives for them to invest directly in investment projects while allowing managed investment fund managers to realize non-negative profits. The specific existence of closed-end mutual funds is related to the opportunity for some investors to liquidate their fund's shares before the termination of the fund and to the flexibility that open-end fund managers have to liquidate their assets under management. As the likelihood of "bank run" increases, so does the likelihood of issuing closed-end mutual funds. In the second essay, we challenge the current belief in finance that, if investors are rational, then the variance of the returns for the shares or units of a closed-end fund should equal the variance of the returns of the net asset value per share (NAVPS) of the portfolio of assets under management by the fund. We demonstrate that various factors lead to excess price variability, so that the ratio of price to NAVPS variances exceeds one in a rational market. These factors include a differential impact of the bid/ask bounce, potential fund liquidation, performance persistence, management fees, and payout policy. In the third essay, we demonstrate that well-chosen remuneration schemes can help investors to properly value the securities of closed-end funds in primary markets so as to better reflect the abilities of its managers. In contrast, the current compensation structures that are typically based on flat fees may induce good managers to exit the closed-end fund sector, and may leave this sector with managers that generate returns that are relatively low compared to their management fees. In turn, this may explain why such funds typically sell at a discount to their net asset value per share shortly after an initial public offering.


identifier: Darr, Wendy A  (2004) Examining the relationship between stress and absenteeism : a research synthesis.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Work stress and stress-related illness have been touted as significant causes of absenteeism in the popular press. Yet, solid research evidence for a stress-absence connection is currently lacking. Methodological variation across primary studies and multiple theoretical viewpoints preclude a comprehensive understanding of the association between these two variables. The purpose of this research was to synthesize and meta-analyze accumulated findings on the topic. The theory of causation was used to explore and build hypotheses about the nature of the stress-absence relationship, including mediating processes and moderating influences. Findings from 137 studies and 275 effects provide support for a positive causal relationship between stress and absenteeism, and confirm the operation of illness mediating processes. In addition, there is evidence suggesting that absenteeism might have the potential to play a maintenance role in regulating subsequent levels of stress and illness. Little support was obtained for the underlying voluntary-involuntary distinction between frequency and time lost measures of absenteeism. Among the individual-level moderators, the influence of attribution and disposition were confirmed, while the macro social context was the only contextual moderator to receive support. Findings shed light on many theoretical viewpoints, and provide a comprehensive understanding of work stress and absenteeism.


identifier: Chan-Chu, Murielle and Kidd, Catherine  (2004) La traduction du spoken word : poétique performative et engagée.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

creator:
Chan-Chu, Murielle
Kidd, Catherine

abstract: This dissertation essentially tries to present a 'new' poetic genre: the Spoken Word. We will explore and examine several translation challenges that occur within the translation in order to better redefine and analyze translation processes and strategies. We will rely on theories related with poetry (Henri Meschonnic and André Lefevere), theater (Susan Bassnett and George Wellwarth) and performance (Charles Bernstein) to support our analysis. Spoken word takes its source in oral literature. This genre is not so new, but is rather a more modern form, a more active sibling of the reading poetry and a reincarnation of fusion poetry. An exploration of performance features and its relations with poetry, theater, memorization, reception, text instability, as well as relations between the original and the translation, musicality and audio support, will allow developing a translation project. We will introduce a spoken word artist of Montreal: Catherine Kidd. The analysis of the original text, Sea Peach, will raise various problems and challenges. Will we translate a spoken word as a traditional poem? What are the translation strategies to be used? For whom do we translate? Will the translation affect the performance? Translation will be done beyond the text and will have an even more creative and performative extent.


identifier: Zankowicz, Kate  (2005) The space that is left : exploring the monument and its ruin.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis will ask the question: "Can monuments ever really be repositories of memory; how is the monumental form being used to represent the difficulties of remembrance?" My study will seek to bring the concept of the monument and the concept of the ruin closer together, and posit that monuments end up functioning as a prosthetic memory device that, in their very mode of remembrance, always include a forgetting. Beginning with a photo essay documenting my own flânerie around the monumental ruins of Montreal, this paper will trace out the problematic relationship between memory and forgetting, as a marker that is a displacement of memory. This paper is my attempt to rub together different conceptions of the monument-in-ruin to work out a full range of counter-monumental possibilities. From Earthworks-oriented artists to post-Holocaust memorializing efforts, monument-makers draw attention to the ephemeral and residual nature of the monumental form, and by extension, memory itself. I will look at a diverse sample of counter-monuments in order to comment more generally on how the ideas championed by monument/ruin builders are being grafted onto the landscape itself. Finally, I will suggest that building the monument-in-ruin does not guarantee a remembrance; rather, monuments depend on the people who notice them.


identifier: Schulz, Michael  (2005) Caped commodities and masked memories : the American comic book industry, collective memory, and the superhero.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis explores the relationship between collective memory, history and popular culture as it pertains to the American superhero comic. It examines some of the reasons behind and ways that American comic book publishers change their superhero character properties over time. This entails looking at the consequences of the ownership of character properties to the industry and the resulting economic impetus to alter their characters to both resonate with contemporary audiences and to keep them accessible to new readers.  Despite these changes, those aspects of the superhero comic that are changed by this economic drive rarely disappear. Rather, comic book history continues to play a vital role in comic book fandom. Thus, this thesis examines the development and role of comic book reprints in the industry and comic book fandom. In a similar vein, it explores the role that knowledge of a character's--or a publisher's stable of characters'--diagetic history plays in contemporary superhero narratives and how such knowledge is disseminated. Both of these studies argue that knowledge and appreciation of past comic books play a vital role in contemporary comic book narratives and fandom.  Finally, this thesis examines how discarded elements of past comic books come into play as allusions in later superhero narratives. This thesis questions if such allusions have been used as a means to represent the historical moments that the alluded to elements of past comic books are associated with. Ultimately this thesis argues that such allusive comics are one of the many textual resources that some theorists consider vital to understanding contemporary collective memory


identifier: Chen, Xuede  (2004) Implementing visual queries and presentations with blobs.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Diagrammatic Query Tool (DQT) is a visual data query and presentation interface that helps better exploit and understand large, complex collections of data.  This thesis describes the design and implementation of the graphical user interface of DQT with focus on blob support for query construction, blob support for result visualization, automatic translation of query results into DOT format, and presentation of query results with clarity.  The implementation of Blobs enables DQT to support the full representative capability of hygraphs and the complete set of Graphlog. With Blob support, users can generalize collections of relationships between one entity and one set of related entities, which makes the construction of queries and visualization of query results more clear, and therefore enables the users' to recognize and discover interesting patterns more easily and intuitively.  Graphviz is used to layout query results. Query results must be in the DOT format for Graphviz to produce layouts. Automatic translation of query results into DOT-format graphs has been implemented. This work makes DQT usable by users who do not have knowledge of TGL and DOT.  Clarity of result layout and presentation has been achieved by assigning layout properties at the schema level, providing a legend graph for the query result graph and ranking objects in the result graphs.


identifier: Tozzi, Isa  (2005) The effects of print advertising and television commercials on teenagers.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This study explores the effects that print advertising and television commercials have on teenagers and how education plays a role in this consumer culture. This exploratory study is based on one session with a focus group of six students from a public high school in Laval, Quebec. Three of the students are male and three are female.  The study is based on three activities completed during the focus group. The first activity was students responding to a questionnaire regarding their media related spending habits. The second activity was to view and analyze a variety of print advertisements. Lastly, students were asked to complete an analysis of five television commercials. The results point to the fact that advertising does have an effect on teenagers and that education must play a role in helping students become critical thinkers in order to make sense of this phenomenon that is literally all around them. Suggestions on how to achieve this as well as further research are discussed


identifier: Methenitis, Spyros  (2005) Working towards a Greek-English cross-language passage retrieval system for question-answering.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In this thesis, we present a set of experiments towards a cross-language Greek-English Question-Answering (QA) system. After exploring previous work done both in monolingual and cross-lingual QA, we have applied the common "question reformulation" strategy used in monolingual systems along with different translation strategies and evaluated the results with the TREC question set. We have mainly focused on the passage retrieval component. 24,2% of the documents retrieved for all questions contained a correct answer for the cross language component (compared to 38,3% for the monolingual component) and for 61,2% of the questions used we have obtained at least one document that contained the correct answer (compared to 91% for the monolingiual component)


identifier: Ruso, Domenic  (2005) Themes in St. Augustine's understanding of the Church developed within the context of the North African schism.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This study takes a close look at Saint Augustine's understanding of the church as it developed during the North African Schism. Although Augustine grew in many ways, the emphasis in this work is concerned with themes that surfaced through his interactions with Donatism.  The first section seeks to explore significant events and ideas that proceeded Augustine's direct involvement in the schism. This section, consisting of chapters 1-3, accentuates important contextual information for understanding Augustine's ecclesial development within its proper context. Section two focuses primarily on Augustine at the height of his role within the schism. It examines important ecclesial themes such as the church as people on pilgrimage and Jesus the healing physician and his church as the wounded yet healing community. These were central in the developing ecclesiastical debate.  In the course of responding to the Donatists' claims, the thesis argues that through his direct involvement with the Donatist schism, in his own spiritual journey and in his role as bishop of the church of Hippo, Augustine's response to specific issues raised during the debate, made him the leading voice of authority for the Catholic community at an important time of transition within the local African church as well as the Roman empire


identifier: Chen, Yi  (2004) A prototype workflow engine partially supporting yawl : (yet another workflow language).  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Workflow has become popular and interesting by removing control flow dependence from business software systems, just as DBMS (DataBase Management Systems) has become a separate domain by removing data dependence from business software systems. YAWL (Yet Another Workflow Language) is a completely new language with its own semantics and it is specially designed for workflow specifications that provide direct support for the workflow patterns identified.  When this thesis was first conceived, no implementation based on YAWL was available. This inspired the development of this thesis.  In this thesis, as a starting point, an XML workflow schema employing seven workflow patterns of YAWL was designed for users to define the workflow specification. Based on this, a prototype workflow engine supporting these seven patterns of YAWL was designed and implemented to parse and interpret the workflow in the control flow specification (the execution order) of YAWL, which is described in the XML workflow document conforming to an XML workflow schema. At runtime, the engine handles the execution order of the workflow.


identifier: Vyas, Tejas S  (2004) A differential fault attack, key representation and mapping tables for the advanced encryption standard.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In 1997, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced an open competition for an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), a symmetric-key cryptographic algorithm, to replace the ageing DES and to be able to run on 128-bit data blocks, using 128-bit, 192-bit or 256-bit keys. After five years of intense peer review, attacks and discussions, the Rijndael algorithm was declared the AES. Being used by the entire world for most of the encryption, it has to be subjected to every possible analysis to find new vulnerabilities.  This thesis discusses three new features of the cipher. A powerful attack is initially formulated, which exploits cipher properties in its final and penultimate rounds under applications of precise bit/byte tweaking mechanisms. Next, the Key Schedule of the cipher is simplistically represented and a few interesting properties are noted. Finally, the AES is represented as a set of simple mapping tables and the relevance of such a representation is addressed.


identifier: O'Flaherty, Rosemary  (2004) Carving the past in stone : le Monument aux Patriotes.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: In 1858 the Institut Canadien raised Le Monument aux Patriotes in Montreal's Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery purportedly to honour those individuals victimized by the rebellions of 1837 and 1838. From the outset, it was a contested memorial. Throughout the two decades following the rebellions, the liberals of the Institut were increasingly at loggerheads with the conservative, ultramontane clergy. Both groups sought to contextualize the rebellions in terms of their respective ideologies in an attempt to define French Canadian identity. The situation climaxed in 1858 when the Bishop of Montreal, Ignace Bourget, unequivocally denounced the Institut.  By raising the Monument, the Institut hoped to create an origin legend for the emerging French Canadian nation, based on the liberal principles inherent in the rebellions, as an enlightened people, complete with a cult of heroes. Locating the Monument in a cemetery, however, spoke to the ambiguity of the Institut's intentions. This rural setting, on consecrated ground, suggests the Institut's need to soften the idiom of liberalism by assuaging ultramontane sensibilities. Similarly, the Monument's puzzling inscriptions beg the question as to what exactly the Institut was trying to commemorate. In the final analysis, the Monument remains today, a contested site of memory.


identifier: Cousineau, J. Diane  (2004) Ordering development : Jamaica, CARICOM and Cotonou :.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This dissertation discusses the role regional cooperation may play in informing and defining national development planning. It takes a multidisciplinary approach to analyzing the various factors that contribute to countries' interest in regional agreements, stressing the reflexive interactions of local and global/national and regional/public and private partnerships for development. In positing its main thesis, that regional associations may act as "mediating institutions" for change in the world order, it emphasizes a holistic approach that seeks to explore and explain relationships between states and societies in an age of increasing globalisation. Part One includes chapters on regional integration/new regionalism theory, trade and economic development and links these to international relations theory, focusing mainly on complex interdependence-international society approaches, which combine elements of both realist and idealist explanations.  The case study in Part Two concerns Jamaica's participation in the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) as well as the European Union (EU) - Africa/Caribbean/Pacific (ACP) Partnership Agreement, which is based on pillars of regional cooperation and capacity-building to facilitate integration of developing countries into the world economy. It concentrates on the potential such negotiations between states and regional entities may offer for identifying and implementing a reformed world order that is more conducive to equitable human development.  The combination of the theory of Part One and the partnership trade-development model in Part Two supports the main argument for viewing regionalism in the South as having transitional and transformational goals at both the local and international level. The final chapter then promotes a prescription for "strategic regionalism", which stresses pro-active and dynamic approaches to national planning for small open economies, as the most promising path towards improved outcomes for development through international cooperation.


identifier: Feng, Zhen  (2005) An empirical evaluation of an agent-supported electronic negotiation system.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Agent technologies promise to have positive impact on conducting electronic negotiations. In particular, agents can help the negotiating parties to express their preferences and desired negotiation strategies, assist in generating promising offers, evaluate incoming offers and "watch over the shoulder" of the user to ensure that he or she makes offers in accordance with the objectives/preferences specified.  The focus of this work is on empirical investigation of the value of agent support to the negotiators in conducting electronic negotiations. To this end, an agent-enhanced e-negotiation system "eAgora" has been used. In this system, an intelligent agent is used in an advisory mode to inform the negotiating parties about different aspects of on-going negotiations. The experiments have been conducted involving subjects with and without agent support for simple and complex negotiation tasks. The results suggest that, agent-supported negotiations have a positive impact in terms of user satisfaction with the negotiation process and outcome, perceived usefulness and ease of use of the system, confidence in the negotiation outcome, and negotiation outcome.


identifier: Baghel, Amit  (2004) An evaluation of continuous improvement methodologies and performance.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Continuous Improvement (CI) can be described as a culture of sustained improvement targeting the elimination of waste in all systems and processes of an organization. Organizations face fierce competition, and in order to enhance their reach in today's markets, they need to maintain a low cost of quality, reduce waste, trim their production lines, and speed up manufacturing. Over the past few decades, comprehensive methodologies that include tools to help firms achieve CI in a systematic fashion have evolved. Not all CI methodologies are applicable to every organization: one may suit a particular organization better than others, and in what respects is not always clear, as no detailed research has been conducted in this area. This thesis therefore concentrates on describing and comparing CI methodologies. It starts with tracing the history and evolution of CI, from the earliest initiatives to modern CI programs, to hybrid methodologies that have developed in recent years. Modern CI trends are studied, and a comprehensive study of the various CI methodologies that are available on the market is undertaken, including Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Balanced Scorecard, and Lean Six Sigma, and a newer methodology known as Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE(TM)). Furthermore, a computer-based model has been developed to help organizations select the best CI methodology to implement in order to best achieve their goals.


identifier: Chen, Lin  (2004) Free vibration analysis of tapered composite beams using hierarchical finite element method.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Compared with the conventional finite element method, hierarchical finite element method has the advantages of using fewer elements and obtaining better accuracy in the calculation of natural frequencies, buckling loads, displacements and stresses. These advantages are also shown in the analysis for uniform or thickness-tapered composite beams. In many of the existing works on the dynamic response, the effect on the mechanical behavior of plies in the tapered composite beam caused by the taper angle is ignored if the angle is small. In the present thesis, this effect is always considered and quantified based on the three-dimensional ply stiffness analysis. The free vibration response of tapered composite beam with different taper angles is studied. Also, based on the ply stiffness analysis, the response of the taper configuration and laminate configuration on the stiffness and vibration response of the tapered beam are studied. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


identifier: Bajic, Marko  (2005) Dynamic interactions between bicycles and rumble strips.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The rumble strips have proven to provide a good protection against the run-off-the-road type of accidents. However, installing them on the local and community roads has raised many concerns among the cyclists. The cyclists occasionally cross over the rumble strip patterns in order to avoid obstacles or debris on the road shoulders or pass a slower moving rider. The majority of the reported concerns are those regarding the ride comfort and controllability of a bicycle traversing the rumble strip patterns.  The ride discomfort and controllability of a bicycle traveling on the rumble strips are experimentally investigated by considering a comprehensive test matrix involving: (1) the conventional and suspended bicycles; (2) different rumble strip patterns and traversing speeds; (3) oblique angle of approach to rumble strip; (4) multiple trials and (5) seven test subjects. The objective assessment of the ride comfort on the rumble strip patterns is carried out by measuring the acceleration responses of the bicycle frame at the handle bar and the seat post while the controllability of the bicycle is assessed in terms of the measured yaw oscillations of the handle bar. The cyclist's sensation of the rumble strip patterns is further investigated through subjective measurements where the riders rated each test based on different criteria involving the ride comfort and controllability


identifier: Thangarajah, Thevika  (2004) Thermodynamic modeling of the Mg-Al-Sb system.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Thermodynamic modeling of the Mg-Al-Sb system is carried out as a part of thermodynamic database construction for Mg-Al based alloys. This system was modeled by combining the thermodynamic descriptions of the constituent binaries Mg-Al, Al-Sb, and Mg-Sb. The Mg-Al system has been already studied thoroughly and its database is readily available. Hence, only Al-Sb and Mg-Sb were modeled in the present work considering all available experimental phase diagrams and thermodynamic data in the literature. Liquid phases in both systems were described by the Redlich-Kister polynomial model. High temperature modification of the Mg 3 Sb 2 compound in the Mg-Sb system was described by the sublattice model.  The constructed database provides a basis to understand the alloys in the Mg-Al-Sb system. It was used to calculate and predict thermodynamic properties, binary phase diagrams of Al-Sb and Mg-Sb, and liquidus projections of the ternary Mg-Al-Sb. The calculated phase diagrams, the thermodynamic properties such as enthalpy, entropy, and Gibbs free energy of mixing, and activity of liquid Al-Sb and Mg-Sb alloys were found to be in good agreement with the experimental data reported in the literature. Moreover, isothermal sections, vertical sections, and phase assemblage diagrams were calculated for the Mg-Al-Sb ternary system, and the invariant reaction points were predicted. The predicted critical points in the Mg-Al-Sb system were 6 ternary eutectics, 2 ternary peritectics, one saddle point and 4 plait points. Mg-Al-Sb ternary phase diagram was modeled for the first time in this work.


identifier: Zhou, Gang  (2004) Full-duplex millimeter-wave-band radio over fiber transmission system.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: A broadband 30-GHz-band radio over fiber (RoF) transmission system has been investigated by using a combination of novel techniques in this thesis. Our efforts focus on star-tree architecture as well as bus architecture connecting remote antenna base stations (BSs) to a central control office (CO) by incorporating OTSSB, SCM, DWDM and frequency-downshifting schemes. These schemes allow the sharing equipment at the CO and therefore enable simple radio distribution architecture to be implemented.  In this thesis, we have shown that chromatic dispersion can be almost overcome by implementing a simple method using the dual electrode MZM modulation. An important issue related to maximizing spectral utilization in millimeter-waved-band RoF system has been solved by using wavelength-interleaving DWDM technique incorporating OTSSB modulation. Novel WI-Mux, WI-DeMux and WI-OADM, which are the critical components in wavelength-interleaved DWDM system, have also been studied. Moreover, we have demonstrated a 30-GHz full-duplex RoF network using only a signal light source from CO. In this configuration, BSs are simplified by removing local light sources. In uplink, in addition, a novel technique, frequency-downshifting technique, is used for channel selection and frequency downconversion without electrical frequency downconverter. The principle underlying this novel technique is explained theoretically. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)


identifier: Xiang, Zhang  (2004) Testing embedded real-time systems based on test purposes.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Embedded real-time systems are those systems which have many components interacting with each other and with the environment. In this thesis, we introduce a methodology to generate test cases for embedded real-time systems based on test purposes expressed as Message Sequence Charts (MSCs), and timed input output automata as specification model. The approach consists of six main operations: (1) the parsing of the specification and test purposes; (2) the selection of the transition paths to be considered for test cases generation; (3) the construction of the synchronous product of the test purposes and the TIOA specifications; (4) the construction of a partial product for the system under test; (5) the sampling of TIOAs; and (6) the generation of test cases. Within these six operations, the sampling operation can be executed in different levels. Each level gives rise to a new method for test cases generation for embedded real-time systems. We implemented and studied three of these methods by comparing them in terms of the number of states generated and the number of test cases devised.


identifier: Zhang, Rongxin  (2005) Concatenated coding and space-time modulation : transmitter and receiver design.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: One way to simplify the design of flexible and efficient MIMO transmission schemes is to view a MIMO transmitter as a concatenated coding and modulation system, in which conventional coding is applied before space-time coding/modulation. This concatenated coding structure allows a salient choice from a large number of conventional codes for SISO systems and simplifies the design of the inner space-time modulation. The structure is also general as it subsumes many existing space-time coding schemes as special cases.  Based on the proposed general structure, a study on the effects of the inner space-time modulation on system performance is conducted. It is shown that well-known design criteria for space-time codes do not apply in a concatenated coding system. In fact, the design becomes much easier. Two MIMO transmission schemes are developed. The first is a simple delay-diversity scheme designed for optimized performance and the second scheme is a multi-layered MIMO transmission scheme aimed at applications that requires flexible tradeoff between performance and data rate. In addition, a joint iterative receiver is developed for the proposed concatenated transmission schemes. Simulation results are provided to show the merits of the proposed schemes.


identifier: Orton, Caroline Elizabeth  (2004) Computer-mediated communication: a vehicle for field-of-study work and motivation in the Quebec CEGEP second language classroom.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The objective of this thesis was to explore a potential computer-mediated communication (CMC) solution to two problems facing English-as-a-second-language CEGEP teachers. Firstly, teachers who are required to have a field-of-study component in their courses often place students in groups for field-of-study projects. Yet, classes contain many students who are alone in their programs. Secondly, some students lack motivation for learning a second language, which affects their ability to achieve successful learning outcomes.  Three hypotheses were tested in a quasi-experimental study with three experimental and two comparison groups. They were: (1) Using a CMC bulletin board (BB) will provide students with sufficient partners in their fields to enable them to fulfill the course's field-of-study component. (2) Participants engaged in group tasks by BB will be more motivated than participants engaged in similar group tasks face-to-face. (3) Learning outcomes will be higher for participants engaged in group tasks by BB than for participants engaged in similar group tasks face-to-face.  These hypotheses were not confirmed. Nevertheless, CMC provided some students with field-of-study partners they would not otherwise have had. It also connected students from different English classes, who continued to work together. Finally, using CMC in the English-as-a-second-language classroom is a viable alternative to using traditional methods in that it leads to similar levels of motivation and language learning success. However, a CMC modality should be used with sound pedagogical goals in mind, for activities which require it, and it should not be assumed to be more motivating for students than face-to-face work.