identifier: Grant, Scott Michael <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Grant=3AScott_Michael=3A=3A.html>   (2000) Behaviour, resource use, and condition of demersal age 0 Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in coastal Newfoundland : components of survival risk in the nearshore environment.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: It is well established, that following a pelagic phase age 0 Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) settle to the bottom to assume a demersal habit. However, risks to juvenile cod survival in the coastal zone of the northwest Atlantic are not well understood. A better knowledge of factors affecting survival of age 0 cod during the transition to a demersal habit in shallow (< 10 m deep) nearshore regions of Newfoundland has broad ecological applications and will improve our understanding of the role of coastal habitats to the rebuilding of north Atlantic cod stocks. In this thesis, I investigated the importance of nearshore regions in coastal Newfoundland as rearing grounds for age 0 cod by examining their behaviour, resource use, and condition in relation to diet for the first several months post-settlement. -- Day-night differences in catch and diet of age 0 and age 1 cod were examined to delineate the diel peak in foraging activity and resource use in eelgrass (Zostera marina) habitat. Cod exhibited a size-related shift (age 0 to 1) from feeding predominantly on zooplankton by day to benthos at night. Intercohort cannibalism occurred when age 1 cod were approximately three times larger than their prey. Diet composition and catch data revealed that concentrations of age 0 cod foraged in the water column during the day, ceased feeding at night, and appeared to move to the bottom. Seasonally decreasing day length and prey size contributed to a decline in daily ration, yet age 0 cod maintained a strictly diurnal foraging cycle. The nocturnal decrease in feeding coincided with an increase in the catch of older conspecifics (age 2 and 3) and increased foraging activity of age I cod suggesting that avoidance of older conspecifics is an important factor influencing the survival of age 0 cod in the nearshore. -- Capture-mark-recapture experiments and seasonal sampling were conducted to examine the movement levels, spatial distribution, behaviour, and abundance of age 0 cod in eelgrass and no-eelgrass habitat over two years. Cod remained localized for several weeks (September-December) after settling from a pelagic habit and may remain localized during their first winter. Marked cod did not appear to move further than a few hundred metres within eelgrass habitat, but moved up to 1.2 km in no-eelgrass habitat. Slope values for variance-mean density relationships indicate that age 0 cod aggregated during the day, while high within and between site variation in catch at the scale of hours and weeks provide evidence of localized lateral movements. These patterns in the catch rates are interpreted to reflect social behaviour in the form of mobile shoaling aggregations during the day. Day- night comparisons of ratios of variance to mean density were also indicative of aggregative behaviour during the day. Day-night patterns in the catch rates are interpreted to be due to a decrease in activity and local dispersal of shoaling aggregations at night. A significant increase in abundance of age 0 cod in less suitable habitat (no-eelgrass) when settlement strength was high is consistent with the hypothesis of density dependent habitat selection. -- Diet composition and simple indices of condition were compared during the autumnal settlement of age 0 cod. Laboratory experiments were also conducted to determine whether simple indices of condition reflect differences in energy intake (ration level) and to determine minimum index of condition values for age 0 cod that died due to exhaustion of their energy reserves. Results agreed with published literature on the value of simple indices to assess condition of cod. Liver and contractile muscle energy reserves of wild age 0 cod varied seasonally, however, their condition was well above that of cod that died in the laboratory. Laboratory studies revealed that condition of cod differed significantly over time and between daily ration levels. Indices of condition representing variation in muscle energy reserves exhibited a steady decline once the hepto-somatic index fell below a value of about 2.0, which I interpret as evidence of a pattern of depletion of lipids and then proteins, similar to that observed for larger juveniles and adults. I conclude that as long as age 0 cod are above a safe level of condition their body length may still increase despite a decline in condition. -- Condition of a laboratory cultured and wild juvenile cod population from coastal Newfoundland were compared to determine whether small juveniles develop enlarged fatty livers in captivity. Cultured cod developed enlarged fatty livers, exhibiting significantly higher liver and contractile muscle energy reserves than wild cod. Cultured cod of similar age exhibited a high divergence in body size over time. Indices of liver energy reserves were positively correlated with body size suggesting that a size-related social hierarchy had developed in the laboratory. In the wild, indices of liver energy reserves were negatively correlated with body size, suggesting high utilization of dietary lipids by larger juveniles in association with increased metabolic expenditure when feeding on small prey items. -- I conclude, from studies of condition in relation to diet, that shallow water coastal environments may serve as trophically adequate rearing grounds for age 0 cod for the first several months post-settlement. Behaviour patterns exhibited by age 0 cod, i.e., restricted movements in shallow nearshore waters, diurnal shoaling, and preference for structurally complex habitat, are mechanisms for predator avoidance, suggesting that predation risk is high in coastal Newfoundland. Predation risk, particularly from older conspecifics, in the nearshore environment and its potential to influence cod recruitment warrants further investigation.


identifier: Budge, Suzanne M. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Budge=3ASuzanne_M=2E=3A=3A.html>   (1999) Fatty acid biomarkers in a cold water marine environment.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

type: Thesis NonPeerReviewed

format: application/pdf application/pdf

abstract: Fatty acids are of great interest in a variety of disciplines, including oceanography, geochemistry, food science and biochemistry, and this has led to the development of diverse methods for their determination. This study was undertaken to establish optimal methods for fatty acid extraction and analysis and to apply those methods to samples in the marine environment. Several methods of lipid extraction, lipid fractionation, fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) formation and picolinyl ester synthesis were examined. For most sample types, a biphasic extraction mixture of 8:4:3 CHCI3:MeOH:H20, followed by fractionation on silica gel and FAME formation with BF3 gave optimal recoveries. Picolinyl derivatives of fatty acids are useful in structure determination with mass spectrometry and a new transesterification method for their synthesis was developed. In addition, the treatment of samples with high lipase activities with boiling water was effective in deactivating those enzymes and resulted in lower levels of free fatty acids, a breakdown product. -- Combinations of all these methods were applied to biogeochemical and aquaculture projects. In the two very different environments of Trinity Bay and Barred Island Cove, the fatty acid composition of plankton and sediment trap samples was characterized by high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (20-50% of total fatty acids), indicating a substantial marine phytoplankton source, particularly diatoms. However, much higher levels of terrestrial plant and bacterial indicators in Barred Island Cove as compared to Trinity Bay illustrated the differences in the two environments. The fatty acid composition of blue mussels from Barred Island Cove were also compared to that of natural phytoplankton populations. In terms of fatty acid nutritional needs, the phytoplankton seemed to be providing fatty acids in proportions closely approximating the bivalve's requirements. Another aquaculture interest is in establishing fatty acid biomarkers that may be used to indicate the presence of toxic algae. To this end, the fatty acid composition of the toxic diatoms Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries and P. pungens was determined. High levels of 16:4n-1 (>7%) were found in both species and that fatty acid may have potential in differentiating those Pseudo-nitzschia species from other diatoms. Thus, accurate analysis of fatty acids in cold water marine samples can provide insights into biogeochemical processes, food web connections and the chemotaxonomy of toxic phytoplankton.


identifier: Lefeuvre, Patricia <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Lefeuvre=3APatricia=3A=3A.html>   (2002) Fish species identification using image analysis of echo-sounder images.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Acoustic surveys for marine fish in coastal waters typically involve identification of species groups. Incorrect classification can limit the usefulness of both distribution and biomass estimates. Fishing catch data can assist in identification, but are rarely spatially comparable to acoustic data and are usually biased by gear type. This thesis describes a technique and a software toolkit, FASIT (Fisheries Assessment and Species Identification Toolkit), developed by the author to enable automated identification of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhus), capelin (Mallotus villosus), and redfish (Sebastes spp.) based on high resolution acoustic imaging offish aggregations. The approach has been to assess and analyze various amplitude, shape and location features of the acoustic returns from shoals and individual fish, then to use these features to develop algorithms which discriminate among species. Fourteen classifiers based on Three-Nearest Neighbour classification and Mahalanobis distance classification have been implemented and tested. The best classifier had an average correct classification rate of 96.8%. The data used for this thesis are fisheries data from a number of Newfoundland bays and the Grand Bank region collected using a 38 KHz digital echo-sounder.


identifier: Nunes, Alberto Jorge Pinto <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Nunes=3AAlberto_Jorge_Pinto=3A=3A.html>   (1999) Food and feeding patterns of the southern brown shrimp Penaeus subtilis Perez-Farfante, 1967 (Crustacea, Penaeidae).  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Penaeid shrimp farming constitutes the most important aquaculture sector in economic value. In recent years however, the activity has faced slower progress in production despite a rapid intensification of production methods. The description and quantification of the food and feeding patterns of cultured penaeids may improve resource-use efficiency and conserve inputs critical to the sustainability of the activity. -- This thesis investigated the food and feeding patterns of Penaeus subtilis under laboratory-controlled and culture conditions. Video-recording of shrimp feeding behaviours was used to examine food handling efficiency and size selectivity. Shrimp feeding levels in response to food dispersal method were determined through quantitative analysis of stomach contents and stable carbon isotope mass spectrometry. The abundance of polychaetes was used to study the effects of shrimp predation, stocking density and supplemental feeding. Partial integration of data was carried out using STELLA® II. -- Results indicated that Penaeus subtilis feed manipulation was inversely related to food particle size, with large pellets being less preferred than small ones. Within the feed size range examined, shrimp size had no significant effect on handling efficiency. Feed broadcasting was a more effective method in regards to shrimp food intake, resulting in a greater access and a higher consumption of food among the cultured shrimp population, a lower number of empty stomachs and a greater occurrence of feed in P. subtilis diet. Ingestion of food was a function of shrimp body weight. Feeding intensity increased progressively with shrimp size, but inversely in percentage terms. Foregut clearance rates peaked 3 h after food recovery, while the bulk of faeces was produced within 1 h. Polychaete abundance was affected by higher shrimp stocking densities. Artificial feeding promoted higher polychaete levels, although was not capable of alleviating shrimp grazing pressure at increased stocking densities. -- Results indicated that crumbles and broken pellets may be more advantageous in the culture of Penaeus subtilis. Feeds should be broadcast evenly over the culture area and administered regularly at continually reduced amounts. Rations should vary in accordance to estimates of P. subtilis body weight and account for the initial polychaete abundance and shrimp stocking densities.


identifier: Crawford, Anna M. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Crawford=3AAnna_M=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2000) Field observations of linear transition ripple migration and wave orbital velocity skewness.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.


identifier: Zhou, Ping <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Zhou=3APing=3A=3A.html>   (1994) Field and circuit combined analysis of permanent magnet synchronous motors.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: A complete procedure has been developed to predict the steady-state and dynamic performances of permanent magnet synchronous machines. The major feature in this study is to combine a finite element analysis with a lumped parameter circuit model in order to provide satisfactory engineering information but at small computational effort. To this end, two co-ordinated stages are involved. One is to develop a unified lumped parameter circuit model applicable for both steady-state and transient analysis. The other stage is to extract individual lumped parameters from finite element solutions based on corresponding equivalent circuits, each with a predetermined topology. -- In this study, static magnetic field calculation is applied to determine the load- dependent direct and quadrature axis reactance parameters Xd, Xq and excitation voltage Eo, in which the effect of the interaction between the d-axis and q-axis quantities is included. Time-varying eddy-current field calculation is used to get starting parameters which serve as the investigation of dynamic behaviour. In order to simplify the time-varying field calculation, time phasor is used to separate the time variable from the field equation based on the introduction of equivalent reluctivity in terms of equivalent magnetic energy. In order to cope with the voltage supply, corresponding finite element formulae are derived with complete elimination of the iterative process for starting current. Due to the availability of the accurate field- based operational parameters, it has become possible to use the lumped parameter circuit model to obtain the complete starting and synchronous performances. -- As an integral part of this study, an effort has been directed to the experimental investigation on the steady-state and dynamic performances. A new load test method is proposed to determine the load dependent parameters Xd, Xq and Eo. In addition, a new microprocessor-based digital torque angle measurement system was designed and built to provide improved accuracy and fast data sampling for measuring and control purposes. At the same time, a scheme for accurately locating the position of zero torque angle is proposed with avoiding access to the internal construction of a machine. -- The proposed techniques have been successfully applied to a l hp laboratory permanent magnet motor. There exists excellent agreement between the simulated and experimental results.


identifier: Whalen, David Donald <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Whalen=3ADavid_Donald=3A=3A.html>   (2002) Floor stiffener cracking in large mining truck dump bodies.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Due to the soft nature of the underfoot conditions in an oil sand mine, mobile equipment tends to develop greater amounts of maintenance problems than similar equipment in other types of mines. This is an investigation into cracking of haul truck dump bodies in oil sand mining service using the Finite Element Method (FEM). This work identifies the damage mechanism and source causing this persistent problem, which occurs at the intersection of the widthwise and lengthwise box-style floor stiffeners. In particular, compressive, membrane stresses are setup at these intersections resulting from overall bending of the floor plate from the weight of the ore. Superimposed onto these membrane stresses are localized bending stresses caused by very slight deflections, or twist, within the frame. Depending on the magnitude of twist, these localized bending stresses can overcome the compressive membrane stress producing sufficient tension to propagate a crack in this as-welded, non-heat-treated connection.


identifier: Li, Chuanke <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Li=3AChuanke=3A=3A.html>   (2002) Finite element analysis of ice-structure interaction with a viscoelastic model coupled with damage mechanics.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Medium scale ice indentation tests were conducted at Hobson's Choice Island in 1989 and 1990. A damaged layer was found near the contact interface of the indentor and ice mass. The fluctuation of ice load is believed to be related to the layer. Triaxial small scale tests have been conducted at Memorial University of Newfoundland. The tests showed that microcracking is dominant at low confining pressure levels and recrystallization and pressure melting are dominant under high confining pressure levels. At the medium pressure levels, both the two mechanisms are inhibited and damage remains low. The tests also showed that increasing temperature has a softening effect on ice. The data of the tests is used to calibrate the damage parameter as a function of confining pressure and deviatoric stress. Strain localization and rupture observed from these tests are also studied. -- A constitutive model coupled with damage effects was established for finite element implication. Both the triaxial small-scale test and medium scale test are simulated by the finite element program, ABAQUS. Results of small-scale model show that inhomogeneity plays a significant role in triggering the strain localization and its consequent rupture. Results of medium-scale model are compared with the field data and they show a good agreement. The damage evolution process, stress state, energy flux and scale effect are also investigated.


identifier: Kalra, Jawahar <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Kalra=3AJawahar=3A=3A.html>   (1976) Enzymes of glutamine metabolism in rat : subcellular localization of glutaminases in liver and kidney cortex and characterization of y-glutamyl transferring activities in rat kidney cortex.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Urinary excretion of ammonia facilitates excretion of strong acids and serves to conserve body stores of sodium. This ammonia is provided mainly by the renal hydrolysis of gltamine catalyzed by the glutaminase isoenzyrnes. The subcellular Iocalization of the isoenzymes of glutaminase has been studied in rat kidney, cortex and liver. Differential centrifugation and sucrose density gradient techniques demon-strated a mitochondrial localization for phosphate dependent glutaminase in both liver and kidney cortex. Fractionation of isolated mitochondria by digitonin and by sonication revealed that phosphate-dependent gliltaminase is located in the mitochondrial matrix compartment, a finding in agreement with its demonstrable latency. -- The highest specific activity of phosphate-independent glutaminase was found in the microsomal fraction of rat kidney cortex on differential centrifugation.  This fraction was also enriched in NADPH-cytochrome c reductase  (endoplasmic reticulum marker) ,5'-nucleotidase   (plasma membrane marker), alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyltranspeptidase and maltase (brush border markers). Continuous sucrose density gradient studies on acrosomal fractions showed that phosphate-indeminase was located, in the brush border membranes, of rat kidney cortex. This enzyme is truly membranous as it could not be removed by sonication,  salt treatment or pH alterations. -- Further studies on phosphate-independent glutaminase and γ-glutamyl transferring activities of rat kidney cortex showed that phosphate-independent  glutaminase enzyme appears to be a single hydrolase which catalyses the hydrolosis of glutamine, glutathione, γ-gluamylhydroxamate and γ-gluamyl-p-nitroanilide. The enzyme activity was stimulated in the presence of maleate and competition between the substrates was observed. Phosphate-independent glutaminase activity was not attributed to the glutamine synthetase and it also appeared to be different from γ-glutamyltransferase activity. Phosphate-independent glutaminase and γ-glutamyltranspeptidase activities were lost to identical extents by various heat treatments, were removed identically from brush border membranes by papain treatment and were co-purified, on Sephadex  G-100. Glutamine was shown to inhibit γ-glutamyltranspeptidase competitively with γ-gluamyl-p-nitroanilide. These studies suggests that phosphate-independent glutaminase and γ-glutamyltranspeptidase represent different catalytic actions of the same enzyme.


identifier: Lewis, Johanne M. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Lewis=3AJohanne_M=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2002) Freeze resistance in rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) : seasonal patterns of glycerol and antifreeze protein accumulation and the in vitro liver enzyme activity associated with glycerol production.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) inhabit inshore waters along the North American Atlantic coast. During the winter, these waters are frequently ice covered and can reach temperatures as low as -1.9°C. The freezing point of normal teleost blood is between -0.7 and -0.9°C. Therefore, to prevent freezing, smelt accumulate antifreeze proteins (AFP) and high levels of glycerol, which, unlike AFPs, lower the freezing point via colligative means. By performing a long term acclimation study, it was discovered that the upregulation of the antifreeze response (both glycerol and AFP) occurs in early fall, when water temperatures are 5-6°C. The accumulation of glycerol appears to be the main mechanism of freeze resistance in smelt as it contributes more to the lowering of the body's freezing point than the activity of the AFP (0.4 - 0.5°C versus 0.3°C for glycerol and AFP, respectively). The role of the AFP appears to be a safeguard mechanism to prevent freezing when glycerol levels are low. The significant increases in activities of the liver enzymes GPDH, AlaAT and PEPCK and their significant correlations with increasing glycerol levels, indicate that these enzymes are closely associated with, but do not regulate, the synthesis and maintenance of elevated glycerol levels in smelt for use as an antifreeze.


identifier: Wiese, Francis K. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Wiese=3AFrancis_K=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2002) Estimation and impacts of seabird mortality from chronic marine oil pollution off the coast of Newfoundland.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The Grand Banks south off Newfoundland provide year-round feeding habitat for tens of millions of seabirds of numerous species, an abundance and diversity unparalleled in the North Atlantic. Dense ship traffic routes traverse this productive environment as vessels travel the Great Circle Route between Europe and North America. Oiled seabirds have washed up on beaches in Newfoundland for many decades. Most oil on their feathers has been identified as heavy fuel oil mixed with lubricants, the mixture found in the bilges of large vessels. Beached bird surveys conducted between 1984-1999 indicate that the incidence of chronic oil pollution along the southeast coast of Newfoundland is among the highest in world. More than 60% of all dead birds found over the 16-year period had oil on their feathers; 74% during the last five years. Auks, especially Thick-billed Murres (Uria lomvia), are the most affected. -- In an effort to estimate overall mortality of seabirds in winter due to chronic oil pollution in Atlantic Canada, I performed a series of experiments to determine the fate of oiled and unoiled birds at sea and on beaches. First, I determined that carcasses persisted on average for only 3.3 ± 0.1 days on beaches in southeastern Newfoundland, after which they were no longer detectable due to scavenging or burial in the beach substrate. In addition, no differences were found in persistence rates between oiled and unoiled birds. I also determined deposition rates and detection probabilities of bird carcasses on beaches, and developed a model to estimate the number of birds arriving on a beach between periodic surveys. This model only performs well if survey intervals are less than 10 days. Second, I designed a drift block that accurately mimics the movements of a seabird carcass drifting at sea. As drift blocks used in past studies showed little resemblance to actual carcass drift because they were overly influenced by wind, a more realistic drift block was needed to accurately interpret the number of birds that are found dead on beaches. Third, I measured murre carcass sinking rates and found that birds only float 8.2 ± 5.2 days before sinking, but that scavenging is important. Fourth, I carried out extensive drift block experiments using the new block design to determine the proportion of birds that die at sea and reach the shore, taking into account sinking rates of floating carcasses at sea. Recovery rates of blocks dropped at different locations varied, and the best predictor for the proportion of blocks lost at sea was the distance from shore where they were dropped, combined with the cumulative wind direction vector during the first three days following drift block drops. Based on wind patterns observed during the experiment, I was able to estimate wind specific recovery rates and catchment areas for birds that die at sea. Fifth, I constructed a general mathematical Oiled Seabird Mortality Model to assess seabird mortality due to chronic oil pollution along a given coastline. -- I applied the Oiled Seabird Mortality Model to southeastern Newfoundland, based on periodic beached bird surveys conducted during the winters 1998/1999 through 2000/2001 and the parameters I determined earlier. Several assumptions were made to extrapolate seabird mortality due to oil to a large area at sea, and my most robust estimate is that on average, 315,000 ± 65,000 seabirds were killed annually in southeastern Newfoundland due to illegal discharges of oil from ships. Thick-billed Murres that over- winter on the Grand Banks made up 67 % of this kill. I examined the effects of this anthropogenic mortality, in combination with the estimated number of murres killed during the traditional murre hunt in Newfoundland, on Thick-billed Murre populations that breed in the eastern Canadian Arctic, by building a stochastic (demographic and environmental), age-structured, density independent, pre-breeding, Lefkovitch population projection matrix. The model suggested that chronic oil pollution has reduced potential annual population growth by 2.5 %. In combination with a further 2 % reduction in annual growth caused by hunting, these sustained anthropogenic causes of mortality have made Thick-billed Murre populations particularly vulnerable to environmental changes (e.g. global warming, ocean regime shifts). A series of actions are outlined to help reduce chronic oil pollution in Atlantic Canada, including increased year-round enforcement, imposition of minimum fines and higher imposed fines, the establishment of convenient oil disposal facilities on land, and increased education and awareness programs.


identifier: Beaudoin-Lietz, Christa A. M. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Beaudoin-Lietz=3AChrista_A=2E_M=2E=3A=3A.html>   (1999) Formatives of tense, aspect, mood and negation in the verbal construction of standard Swahili.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The study analyzes formatives which express the categories of tense, aspect, mood and negation (polarity) in the verbal construction of Standard Swahili (KiSwahili), a Bantu language belonging to the Sabaki group (G42). The formatives explored are the three negative markers ha-, -si- and -to-; tense/aspect/mood markers of the prefixal TAM position; the infinitive; the habitual marker; and finals -i, -e and -a. First analyzed individually, the sets of formatives are then discussed in relation to one another. The analysis is conducted from a morpho-semantic point of view within the theoretical framework of sign theory; specifically, Guillaumian theory is applied to the analysis of tense and aspect using the model of chronogenetic staging. -- Standard Swahili, unlike many Bantu languages, has only one position, position 4, where tense and aspect are expressed. The formatives of that position are discussed individually, contrasting their semantics and co-occurrence patterns with other formatives of the same position in simple and compound verb forms. The study shows that tense is only marked once, and that there are three aspectual distinctions in affirmative forms, which include the formative -ki- 'potential', whose analysis provides an explanation of its many contextual meanings. The analysis also includes formatives of the prefixal position to the verb root that do not express tense or aspect (for example, the formative -ka- ’consecutive’ and the hypothetical formatives -nge- and -ngali-). Application of Guillaumian theory to the data of tense and aspect in Swahili leads to a differentiation into three chronogenetic stages. -- Other sets of formatives are discussed: all three finals are distinguished by mood, and the negative markers, normally differentiated by their syntactic patterning, are here differentiated in meaning and function, according to their co-occurrence patterns with formatives of position 4 and finals. The negative formative -si-, one of the two major markers, expresses descriptive negation, and ha- expresses negation of the whole representation or the failure of the event over its temporal specification. -- While the categories of negation in Standard Swahili are typical of distinctions in Bantu languages, fewer distinctions are made in the tense/aspect system than in many other Bantu languages.


identifier: Huard, Allan Andrew <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Huard=3AAllan_Andrew=3A=3A.html>   (1989) Epithermal alteration and gold mineralization in late Precambrian volcanic rocks on the northern Burin Peninsula, southeastern Newfoundland, Canada.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Alteration and gold mineralization in late Precambrian subaerial volcanic rocks on the northern Burin Peninsula of southeastern Newfoundland are compared to younger epithermal systems. Several similarities are revealed when consideration is given to the deformational and metamorphic effects of the (Devonian) Acadian orogeny. -- Conspicuous erosionaliy resistant ridges composed of quartz, alunite, pyrophyllite, specularite, pyrite and rutile cover several thousand m². These include the Hickey's Pond, Tower and Bullwinkle Showings which are shown to be products of intense surficial acid leaching, a common feature of modern geothermal fields. Specularite-rich hydrothermal breccias (+/- barite) occur at Hickey's Pond and the Bullwinkle showing, and in argillic alteration zones named the Chimney Falls and Strange Showings. Silicification (sensu strido) with incipient brecciation and quartz-pyrite veinlets is locally developed at Hickey's Pond. -- All rock samples collected at Hickey's Pond exhibit anomalous gold concentrations, but similar rocks from the Tower and Bullwinkle showings do not. The highest gold concentrations (5.4 g/t) are in the specularite-rich breccias, followed by the silicified rock with quartz-pyrite veinlets (2.5 g/t Au). Elsewhere, the highest gold concentrations are in specularite-rich breccias at the Strange Showing (0.8 g/t Au) and Chimney Falls (0.3 g/t Au). -- Two mineralizing stages are inferred. The first formed the silicified rock with quartz-pyrite veinlets and is inferred to reflect elevation of the boiling level and precious metal horizon of an ascending hydrothermal fluid into the near- surface environment at Hickey's Pond. The second formed the specularite-rich breccias, to which the only comparable mineralization noted is a baritc-jarositc- goethite-gold assemblage at Summitville, Colorado. Auriferous fluids from both stages flooded the porous and permeable acid leached rocks at Hickey's Pond, creating a large, very low grade gold deposit.   The surficial features were buried by renewed volcanism, then subject to greenschist facies metamorphism and strong deformation during the Acadian orogeny. -- The sites of boiling inferred to have accompanied the genesis of the Bullwinkle and Tower Showings are shown to have been favourable sites for gold deposition. Semiquantitative modelling indicates that a significant gold deposit (> 6,000,000 g) could have formed in such (undiscovered) zones.


identifier: Muir, Shannon <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Muir=3AShannon=3A=3A.html>   (2002) Factors influencing the maternal use of oral rehydration solution in the home treatment of childhood diarrhea in West Java, Indonesia.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death of children under 5 years of age in many developing countries, including Indonesia. An estimated 300,000 Indonesian children die of diarrhea every year, primarily as a result of dehydration. Many of these deaths are unnecessary, as diarrhea-related dehydration can be prevented and treated with Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS). Studies of home care practices in Indonesia, however, have shown that many mothers are not using ORS to treat their children's diarrhea episodes. The purpose of this research study was to describe the home treatment of childhood diarrhea in a rural village of West Java, Indonesia, and to determine the factors that influenced maternal use of ORS. This study utilized a cross-sectional design to survey a sample of mothers of children under the age of 5 years. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered in an interview format to mothers in their homes. The Health Belief Model was the conceptual framework which guided development of the research questions and the interpretation of the study findings. The factors investigated in this study relate to: mothers' perception of the threat of diarrhea and dehydration, their expectations of achieving success with ORS treatment, their perception of the barriers to ORS use, various sociodemographic factors, and the influence of other individuals. The only factors found to have statistically significant associations with ORS use were mothers' knowledge of the signs of dehydration and their self-efficacy in ORS preparation and administration. While the remaining variables were found to be either not associated or lacking statistical significance, narrative data indicate that some of these factors were viewed as influential by mothers. It is believed that limited use of ORS may be strongly influenced by mothers' lack of knowledge of the link between diarrhea, dehydration, and the rehydrating function of ORS. This and other findings of the study lead to the development of recommendations for specific interventions to be addressed through nursing practice, education, and research, as well as recommendations to ORS manufacturers and government.


identifier: Korotkov, Dave <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Korotkov=3ADave=3A=3A.html>   (2000) Evaluating the causal primacy of the five-factor model of personality in relation to health status, physician utilization, restriction of activities, health behaviours, and negative life events.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Two questions were posed in this dissertation: first, to what extent is the Five-Factor Model of Personality related to health status, illness behaviour, and sick-role behaviour? And second, how are the five factors connected to these variables, through stress moderation, mediation, both moderation and mediation, or neither? To answer these questions, eight non-process and process models were developed. For each of the four non-process models, two of the models included statistical controls and personality by personality interaction terms. The process or path models were similarly constructed: two models were constructed with controls and personality by life stress product-terms while the remaining two omitted the latter variables. Questionnaire data were gathered from 706 adults (Mean Age = 37 years) in a two-wave prospective study. The participants were administered a 79-item trait adjective checklist to measure the five factors, a measure of negative life stress, the Alameda Country Health Practices Index, a demographics questionnaire, and 10 measures of health status, illness behaviour, and sick-role behaviour Principle Components .Analyses at waves one and two reduced the health and health-related measures to three interpretable components: General Health. Physician Utilization, and Restriction of Activities. Multiple regression and observed variable path analyses (i.e.. structural equation modelling: EQS) were used to analyze the models. The multiple regression analyses suggested that (1) despite some redundancy, the five factors were found to be related to health status independently as opposed to interactively. (2) the relationships found between the five factors and health status were found more often with the subjective or well-being measures of health status. and (3) these latter relationships were attenuated when the wave one controls, specifically the autoregressive variables, were implemented. However, the five factors (e.g.. openness to experience, neuroticism. extraversion) were still variously related to a number of well- being measures (e.g.. general health). The regression analyses highlight the importance of accounting for other variables when interpreting correlational data. -- The results from the path analyses indicated that the five-factors had little effect on the mediators and health status variables when the outcome was objective (e.g.. number of chronic conditions) and when the controls were implemented. However, neuroticism was consistently related to greater levels of life stress and general health despite the controls. When the models were evaluated without the controls, four of the five factors had an additive effect on health status (i.e.. general health): no personality by life events interactions were observed save for an openness to experience by stress interaction: however, this interaction disappeared when the controls were taken into account. The control variable stress/health behaviour mediator model was found to be the most parsimonious model. -- Based on the results from the path analyses, two new models were constructed from the control variable stress/health behaviour mediator model and the no control variable stress/health behaviour mediator model. In general, the results suggested that neuroticism may directly and indirectly impact on health status, illness behaviour, and sick-role behaviour, depending on whether control variables are incorporated into the models. The findings support Stone and Costa. Jr/s (1990) notion of the distress-prone personality. Little support was found for Booth-Kewley and Friedman's (1987) disease-prone personality model. -- While the present study replicated several past researches, it also shed new light on the complexities associated with the use of a multivariate model of personality* set within a biopsychosocial context. Future research will need to further the usefulness of the five- factor model of personality in stress-health research programs.


identifier: Cirovic, Branislav <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Cirovic=3ABranislav=3A=3A.html>   (2000) Equivalence relations of synchronous schemes.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Synchronous systems are single purpose multiprocessor computing machines, which provide a realistic model of computation capturing the concepts of pipelining, parallelism and interconnection. The syntax of a synchronous system is specified by the synchronous scheme, which is in fact a directed, labelled, edge-weighted multi-graph. The vertices and their labels represent functional elements (the combinational logic) with some operation symbols associated with them, while the edges represent interconnections between functional elements. Each edge is weighted and the non- negative integer weight (register count) is the number of registers (clocked memory) placed along the interconnection between two functional elements. These notions allowed the introduction of transformations useful for the design and optimization of synchronous systems: retiming and slowdown. -- Two synchronous systems are strongly equivalent if they have the same stepwise behavior under all interpretations. Retiming a functional element in a synchronous system means shifting one layer of registers from one side of the functional element to the other. Retiming equivalence is obtained as the reflexive and transitive closure of this primitive retiming relation. Slowdown is defined as follows: for any system G = (V,E,w) and any positive integer c, the c-slow system cG = (V,E,w') is the one obtained by multiplying all the register counts in G by c. Slowdown equivalence is obtained as the symmetric and transitive closure of this primitive slowdown relation. Strong retiming equivalence is the join of two basic equivalence relations on synchronous systems, namely strong equivalence and retiming equivalence. Slowdown retiming equivalence is the join of retiming and slowdown equivalence. Strong slowdown retiming equivalence is the join of strong, slowdown and retiming equivalence. It is proved that both slowdown retiming and strong slowdown retiming equivalence of synchronous systems (schemes), are decidable. -- According to [Leiserson and Saxe, 1983a, 1983b], synchronous systems S and S' are equivalent if for every sufficiently old configuration c of S, there exists a configuration c' of S' such that when S started in configuration c and S' started in configuration c' the two systems exhibit the same behavior. It is proved that two synchronous systems (schemes) are Leiserson equivalent if and only if they are strong retiming equivalent. -- The semantics of synchronous systems can be specified by algebraic structures called feedback theories. Synchronous schemes and feedback theories have been ax-iomatized equationally in [Bartha, 1987]. Here we extend the existing set of axioms in order to capture strong retiming equivalence. -- One of the fundamental features of synchronous systems is synchrony, that is, the computation of the network is synchronized by a global (basic) clock. Other, slower clocks can be defined in terms of boolean-valued flows. In order to describe the behavior of schemes with multiple regular clocks, we extend the existing algebra of schemes to include multiclocked schemes, and study the general idea of Leiserson equivalence in the framework of this algebra.


identifier: Ramey, Patricia A. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Ramey=3APatricia_A=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2001) Factors influencing patterns in distribution, abundance and diversity of sedimentary macrofauna in deep, muddy sediments of Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and the adjacent shelf.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: A nested sampling design and multivariate analyses were used to examine the community structure and spatial distribution of macrofauna on muddy substrates in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and the adjacent shelf. The goal was to determine how macrofaunal communities are related to water column (e.g., surface productivity) and sediment characteristics (e.g., carbon and nitrogen content). Box core samples were collected at 10 sites (June & July of 1998) that were distributed from the head of the bay through the Eastern and Western Channels to the edge of the continental shelf. This is the first comprehensive study of Placentia Bay infauna and it is divided into three main components. Chapter 1 examines broad-scale patterns in community composition, diversity and abundance along an inshore/offshore gradient. Results indicate that the bay contains distinct inshore and offshore regions and benthic patterns are largely influenced by surface oceanography. Chapter 2 focuses on finer-scale patterns of distribution and abundance within the inshore region of the bay and reveals spatial patterns that were not evident in the analyses of broad-scale patterns in the previous chapter. Sediment-related factors and depth were important in explaining variation in inshore benthic patterns. Thus, contrasting the results of these two chapters suggests that different variables structure these communities at different scales. Because little biological sampling for benthos has been undertaken in this area, Chapter 3 provides a guide to the polychaetes, which are the dominant group of infauna in the study. Digital photographs of the key characteristics used to identify each species are provided to help bridge identification guides developed for other areas.


identifier: Woolridge, David K. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Woolridge=3ADavid_K=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2000) Formal modelling in an introductory college physics course.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Many science education researchers suggest that students taking introductory physics courses should emulate the behaviour of professional scientists by learning to construct (and use) formal models. Largely this research has been done at the high school level.  I believe that this approach must also be tested at the college level for two reasons. First, many college students may never have done a physics course before. Second, those who have probably did not learn via modeling but by a less sophisticated method. The result is that neither student is distinguishable on a conceptual test about the nature of the physical world. The main goal of my research is to determine the feasibility of the high school modeling method proposed by Hestenes and Wells when the approach is applied to a technical college's introductory mechanics course. During the fall and winter of 1997 and 1998 I trained a young physics instructor in this method. During that time I monitored his efforts with fresh and repeating students in the same course. In the fall of 1998 I repeated the study with fresh students of my own. The conceptual gains of both groups were cross-referenced and then checked with a non modeling control. My results showed that modelling did significantly improve conceptual understanding of the Newtonian world. However, the prescribed method is not practical given the time and content constraints of the typical college level course.


identifier: Lawlor, Jennifer Jean <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Lawlor=3AJennifer_Jean=3A=3A.html>   (2001) Free-living nematode assemblages in various environmentally impacted marine sites.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This study considers the composition of nematode assemblages in marine sites receiving discharges from an oil refinery in Come-By-Chance, ones supporting aquaculture and ones that are affected by other forms of human activity in Bay d'Espoir. Changes in nematode population were recorded with respect to season, and in the case of the aquaculture sites comparisons were drawn with non-aquaculture locations. The Maturity Index was calculated together with the Shannon-Weaver, Simpson, Evenness and Species Richness Indices. A suite of environmental conditions (sediment size, temperature, depth, pH and redox potential) in the aquaculture sites was compared to that in non-aquaculture ones. -- The importance of integrating absolute numbers and genera collected, feeding type analysis, diversity indices, Evenness, Species Richness, Maturity Index (MI) and c-p analysis was indicated at both study locations. The utility of smaller samples or sub- samples of larger samples was demonstrated (Chapter 2), as was the importance of having a complete data set (Chapter 3). -- The identity of nematode communities have been established for these areas for the first time. Both sampled sites near the Come-By-Chance Oil Refinery had relatively high numbers of nematodes and many of the species have been previously associated with oil spills (Chapter 2). In comparison, the samples from Bay d'Espoir had relatively fewer nematodes and in general the aquaculture sites had even fewer nematodes per sample than the non-aquaculture sites in the same region. No nematodes were isolated from forty per cent of the aquaculture samples (Chapter 3). -- For the MI calculation fewer nematodes were required which need only be identified to family. That is, an entire sample need not be examined to yield statistically similar MI values.  This gets results faster, leaving more time for a more comprehensive analysis. The advantages and disadvantages of all above mentioned indices are discussed (Chapter 4). -- In addition, there was one nematode that occurred several times in Bay d'Espoir samples that could not be identified to genus. The nematode belongs to the family Comesomatidae.


identifier: MacNevin, Audrey L. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/MacNevin=3AAudrey_L=2E=3A=3A.html>   (1999) Every body has a dream : a social inquiry into the relationship between the pursuit of physical fitness and conceptions of the self.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This dissertation explores women's self-reported perceptions of identity vis-a-vis their experiences of embodiment within the context of engaging in various forms of body work. Accounts of the embodied self as stable and/or modifiable through the course of participation in body improvement regimens are examined against the claim made in postmodernist literature that the female body is 'the' site of construction and elaboration of identity, particularly through the altering of physical appearance. This social-theoretical assertion is explored by examining the motivations women voice for engaging in physical fitness regimens and the reported consequences of continued participation for female identity. -- Owing to the interpretive, discursive character of this undertaking within two privately owned fitness centres, the research phase employed an initial three month participant observation period, followed by the formal data collection phase. Individual interviews of thirty-four women took place, guided by a semi-structured interview schedule; two separate focus group discussions were also conducted on the subject of women and the body, one in each research setting. Women who participated in this study varied by age, social class of origin (middle or working class), level of commitment to body work and type(s) of activities preferred; they were virtually homogenous  by ethnic background (Anglo-Celtic) and sexual orientation (heterosexual). -- Findings show that while the social advantage of the well-managed female body as a form of cultural capital is acknowledged by all women, motivations for engaging in self-improvement through physical fitness regimens grant primacy to such things as the need to manage psychological stress, the desire to devote some private time to 'productive' self-care, and ultimately, the goal of achieving 'holistic' balance or integration among life elements through the pursuit of health/beauty/fitness. Individual accounts overwhelmingly reference a foundational quality to female corporeality, such that puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and the experiences of chronic disease and ageing are discerned as physical realities imposed-from-without, as limitations ordained by nature.


identifier: Heath, Joel P. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Heath=3AJoel_P=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2001) Factors influencing breeding distributions of harlequin ducks, Histrionicus histrionicus, in northern Labrador : a multi-scale approach.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Considerations of spatial and temporal scales are important for understanding the distribution of highly mobile migratory birds, because habitat selection can involve hierarchical processes from the landscape to nest site scale. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the importance of predation, intraspecific competition, biophysical habitat features and prey abundance in determining the distribution of breeding Harlequin Ducks Histrionicus histrionicus in northern Labrador. This was assessed at several spatial scales, both within and among years. Results indicate source-sink metapopulation structure at the landscape scale, with glacially carved river canyons containing sub-populations. Availability of cliff nesting habitat and, subsequently, abundance of birds of prey is a likely mechanism determining demographic differences among sub-populations of Harlequin Ducks along the source-sink gradient. Habitat and prey availability did not differ among source and sink populations, suggesting birds of prey may limit Harlequin Ducks from otherwise suitable habitat. A spatially explicit Geographical Information System (GIS) model supported these results, indicating spatial segregation of Harlequin Ducks and birds of prey at the landscape scale. Spatial segregation also was found at the home range scale within local populations where intermediate densities of both taxa were present. A variety of biophysical features and prey availability were important for home range selection within source populations. Tradeoffs among habitat quality and predation risk were important in sink and 'intermediate' populations. These results provide empirical support for aspects of several theoretical areas, including application of a metapopulation framework to migratory birds, coexistence of predators and prey through spatial dynamics, spatial and landscape influences on population dynamics and demographics, and the importance of considering multiple spatial and temporal scales in ecological research. Results also will be important for conservation and management of Harlequin Ducks, a species at risk in eastern North America, particularly for identifying key spatial areas in which to focus conservation efforts.


identifier: Zhu, Fanyu <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Zhu=3AFanyu=3A=3A.html>   (1998) Centrifuge modelling and numerical analysis of bearing capacity of ring foundations on sand.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Ring foundations are often adopted for large and tall structures to resist lateral loads and to increase the stability against overturning. They have been used worldwide under various structures, including telecommunication towers, liquid storage tanks, bridges and offshore structures. However, the behaviour of these foundations has not been well understood. An accepted method for estimating the bearing capacity is not available. In the design of ring foundations, very crude simplifications have to be made. Therefore, developing a rational and practical procedure for estimating the bearing capacity of ring foundations is of great importance. -- This thesis presents research on the bearing capacity of ring footings on a dense sand under vertical loads. The effects of footing size, ring radii ratio and load eccentricity have been investigated by means of centrifuge modelling, the method of characteristics and the finite element technique. To support the research, triaxial and oedometer compression tests have been conducted to determine the soil friction angles, in situ stress ratios, and plastic and elastic behaviour of the sand. The peak and critical state friction angles of the sand from triaxial tests are reduced by 4° to 5° with a log-cycle increase of confining pressure. -- Over 40 centrifuge tests of ring footings have been conducted at acceleration levels from 10 to 160 gravities. High quality sand test samples with density index of 90% were prepared using a developed raining technique. The aluminum model footings with a constant area of 15 cm² and with ring radii ratios from 0 to 0.9 were tested under load eccentricity ratios from 0 to 0.375. Test results indicate that the bearing capacity is significantly affected by footing size, ring radii ratio and load eccentricity. It is found that The bearing capacity of circular footings increases linearly with footing diameter in a double-log scale diagram. The bearing capacity of a vertically loaded ring footing can be expressed in terms of a bearing capacity ratio (Br), a reduction factor (Re) and the bearing capacity of an axially loaded circular footing with the same area. Test results show that the value of Br is related only to the ring radii ratio (n)T independent of footing size; when n is from 0 to 0.35, Br increases slightly with n. Further increase of n beyond 0.35 results in significant decrease of Sr. The value of Re decreases with load eccentricity and is independent of ring radii ratio. The procedure presented for evaluating the bearing capacity of ring foundations is very practical. -- Circular footings under axisymmetric conditions have been analyzed by the method of characteristics to further study the effect of footing size on bearing capacity. In the analysis, the soil friction angle can be variable or assumed to be constant. The bearing capacities calculated also increase linearly with footing diameter in a double-log scale diagram and are close to the centrifuge test results. The compatibility of bearing capacities obtained from both variable and constant friction angle analysis provides a basis for the FE analysis using an equivalent constant friction angle for each footing. -- The FE technique has been applied to circular and ring footings on the dense sand under axial vertical loads. In the analysis, a footing is represented by a rigid body consisting of rigid surface elements. Interface elements are used to model the interaction between the footing and soil. The elasto-plastic behaviour of soil is simulated by the Drucker-Prager/Cap constitutive model. Compared with centrifuge test data, the analytical results regarding the effect of footing size and ring radii ratio on bearing capacity are satisfactory. When calibrated with experimental data, the FE technique is very useful for analysis of very large foundations or for cases when experimental data are not available or difficult to obtain.


identifier: Barrett, E. Deanne <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Barrett=3AE=2E_Deanne=3A=3A.html>   (2001) Breaking through : the glass ceiling revisited.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Women are very actively involved in education in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. They hold more teaching positions than men do, but significantly fewer administrative positions. This pattern is even more apparent in high schools. The purpose of this study was to research reasons for this phenomenon, specifically to revisit the concept of the glass ceiling (Morrison, White and Van Velsor, 1987), namely the invisible barrier that keeps capable women from attaining the administrative positions to which they aspire. The study examined whether this glass ceiling still exists, and if so, how it manifests itself for female high school vice-principals in Newfoundland. -- In 1999, eight female vice-principals in high schools from across Newfoundland were involved in this phenomenological interview study to establish their perceptions with respect to opportunities and concerns for women in administrative positions in high schools in Newfoundland. Based on the data collected and on available statistics several conclusions were drawn. -- There are factors that influence women's opportunities in high school administration in either negative or positive ways. Each negative factor represents a pane of glass in the glass ceiling and the positive influences tend to offset to some degree some of the negative factors. Some of these originate from sources that are external to women, while others come from within the women themselves. Not all panes of the glass ceiling are imposed upon women from external sources. Several of the layers of glass are created and constructed by women, and in this way women limit their own career opportunities. -- The glass ceiling is very complex and is comprised of multiple panes. As each pane is broken women are in a more advantageous position to advance professionally. It is the internal, female-created panes of the glass ceiling that appear to be the most persistent, the most difficult for women to break through.


identifier: Laha, Dulal Chandra <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Laha=3ADulal_Chandra=3A=3A.html>   (2002) Inelastic strain estimation based on line search and direct secant methods.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Approximate inelastic strain estimation is of great use in several types of applications. Besides classical nonlinear FEA, robust techniques such as Neuber's rule, EGLOSS, etc., are available for this purpose. These robust techniques are applicable for small loads just above the initial yield. These methods find secant modulus based on unbalanced local element energy. They do not account for change in the yield boundary while computing secant modulus. Several traditional secant techniques were developed to update the secant stiffness directly in FEA based on nonlinear schemes. The present study explores simple and systematic methods for determining inelastic effects based on line search and direct secant modulus. The main concept of these methods is the minimization of the total residual energy after first linear FEA. A line search with the displacements due to the unbalanced forces spreads the yield zone considerably closer to the actual state. -- The present study summarizes important categories of available techniques based on the Newton-Raphson and secant schemes (traditional as well as robust). Seven different possible alternatives for robust estimation of inelastic strain based on line search are examined. Two schemes based on Neuber's rule are examined. These are compared with full nonlinear analysis and EGLOSS, etc. The schemes are applied to study the problems of simply supported beam, propped cantilever, fixed beam (all with UDL), bending of rectangular plate with irregular boundary, simple truss, stretching of a plate with a hole, thick cylinder with internal pressure, thick cylinder with a circumferential notch, and torisherical shell. The problems were studied for load ranging from just above initial yield to nearly limit loads. The studies indicate that the line search techniques significantly improve the predictions as compared to those made by existing robust techniques. Recommendations based on these results have been made. Two alternatives have been found to be good for general bending and stretching type problems. Another alternative has been found to be good for strain concentration problems.


identifier: Dowden, Jennifer <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Dowden=3AJennifer=3A=3A.html>   (1999) Characterizing the neuroprotective efficacy of ischemic preconditioning (ischemic tolerance) : is age an important factor?  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: In this dissertation, the phenomenon of ischemic preconditioning was investigated in a gerbil model of global ischemia. Specifically, the neuroprotective efficacy of ischemic preconditioning was evaluated in aged and young gerbils to determine if age is an important factor influencing outcome. Outcome was assessed using histological, behavioural and electrophysiological endpoints in order to ensure an accurate measure of the extent of neuroprotection. -- In the first experiment, ischemic preconditioning was assessed in 18-20 month old gerbils. Ischemic preconditioning conveyed robust and long-lasting functional and histological protection. Furthermore, it appeared to be more effective than what had been previously reported in young animals (3-5 months). -- In the second experiment, a direct comparison of ischemic preconditioning protection was made in young (3-5 months old) and aged gerbils (18 months old). It was determined that aged animals had a higher level of protection compared to young animals. In addition, the results of this experiment suggest that one mechanism by which ischemic preconditioning produces protection may involve activation of astrocytes in the CA1 region. -- Finally, in the last experiment, the partial protection provided by ischemic preconditioning was used as a model to determine if early postishemic behavioural testing affected CA1 cell survival. In this study, there were no differences in cell counts between animals that had been exposed to a novel environment (open field apparatus) and those that were not.


identifier: Dowedoff, Penny M. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Dowedoff=3APenny_M=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2001) Caught between two worlds : renegotiating the boundary between infertility and fertility : a study of women's experiences with infertility in St. John's, Newfoundland.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: One in ten Canadians of childbearing age experience infertility. Often, infertility is discussed in relation to new reproductive technologies and their ability to treat infertility as well as the legal, social and ethical consequences of these technologies for women, children and society. This thesis does not focus on these consequences but rather explores how the experience of infertility impacts on the daily activities of women living in St. John's. Newfoundland. This study examines the diverse ways in which women percieve, experience and make sense of their lives after receiving an infertility diagnosis. A phenomenological approach was used to gain a detailed understanding of the infertility experience from women's perspectives. The findings suggest that women and their partners living in St. John's and rural Newfoundland experience lack of choice and poor access to medical treatments and social support. Also, the impact of infertility stretched beyond the medical aspect by influencing the extended family, social and friendship circles, and work environments. Moreover, it disrupted how the women understood their life cycles and bodies.


identifier: Shu, Yan <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Shu=3AYan=3A=3A.html>   (1999) Coding of motion picture residues without spatial transforms.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: A coding scheme for prediction-image residues in video coding is developed in this thesis. The strategy is to use the zerotree structure invented by Shapiro and extended by Said and Pearlman. Spatial patterns of pixels are defined to occupy successive levels of the tree structure. These patterns replace the standard quad-tree ordering of wavelet coefficient values with simple pixel values. The motivation for this is that prediction image residues have little spatial structure. Simulations to evaluate the strategy are included in the thesis. The results demonstrate that video coding with this simple zerotree pattern coding algorithm for motion picture residues without using any spatial transforms can achieve good trade-offs between compression performance and channel error resilience and robustness, and provide additional error concealment with the help of a simple post-processing technique. It allows for operation in noisy channel conditions, without the aid of error correction or detection techniques.


identifier: Witcher, Michael <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Witcher=3AMichael=3A=3A.html>   (1999) Interaction of the anti-apoptotic protein BAG-1 with the vitamin D receptor.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: BAG-1 (BCL-2 associated anti-death gene) is a multi-isoform, BCL-2 binding protein having anti-apoptotic capabilities. In addition to binding BCL-2, BAG-1 has been found to bind and regulate the function of various steroid hormone receptors. It is postulated that BAG-l's ability to inhibit apoptosis and proliferation induced by hormone receptors could lead to tumor growth if BAG-1 were to become overexpressed. In fact, BAG-1 has been found to be overexpressed in cervical and breast tumors indicating that BAG-1 may be a proto-oncogene. To further investigate BAG-1's role in steroid hormone regulation, I decided to investigate whether or not BAG-1 could bind and regulate another member of the steroid hormone receptor super family - the vitamin D 3 receptor. -- Far Western blot analysis and glutathione S-transferase -BAGp50 pull-down assays revealed that the full length 50 KDa isoform of BAG-1 could interact with the vitamin D receptor (VDR). The shorter isoforms however, could not. Gel shift assays using cell extracts from BAGp50 stably transfected U87 glioblastoma cells (U87BAG-1) showed that BAG-1 could inhibit the VDR from binding to its consenus response element, as well as a vitamin D response element (VDRE) from the P21wafl promoter. Furthermore, overexpression of BAGp50 not only resulted in an increased rate of proliferation but rendered the cells resistant to vitamin D-induced growth inhibition. A CAT construct containing a osteocalcin VDRE was employed to demonstrate that BAGp50 could also inhibit vitamin D-mediated gene expression. This was further illustrated by the fact that the presence of BAGp50 in U87 cells blocked the induction of VDR protein levels in response to vitamin D3. -- Because BAGp50 could block vitamin D3-mediated transcription of the osteocalcin VDRE it was decided to investigate whether B AGp50 could block vitamin D3-mediated upregulation of p21wafl transcription. Using p21wafl luciferase constructs, it was found that BAGp50 could inhibit vitamin D3 activation of p21wafl transcription. Interestingly, the p46 isoform of BAG-1 decreased the level of P21wafl transcription through an unknown mechanism. -- These results demonstrate for the first time that BAGp50 can bind and regulate the function of the VDR. It was also found that BAG-1 may act as a regulator of proliferation. BAGp50 and p46 could also regulate the transcription of p21wafl through two separate mechanisms, suggesting that different isoforms of BAG-1 may work together to achieve the common goal of promoting cell proliferation.


identifier: Haruna, Zainab K. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Haruna=3AZainab_K=2E=3A=3A.html>   (1998) Bura folksongs : an analysis of their types, occasions, themes, techniques and functions.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This study attempts to analyze the types, occasions, themes and techniques of Bura folksongs. To provide a better understanding of the dimensions of Bura folksongs, the study describes Bura culture including its historical origins, the current location of the Bura people, their language, political systems and institutions, religions, sociocultural values and occupations. -- Analysis of Bura folksongs shows that there are various types of songs that are sung by Bura singers. These include songs of abuse, satirical songs, songs of protest, funeral songs and wedding songs. Others are love songs, work songs, religious songs, political songs and children's game songs. -- The analysis of the occasions for performing Bura folksongs reveals that there are many social and cultural frameworks in which songs are sung. Most Bura songs are created for and sung on particular occasions including naming ceremonies, wedding ceremonies, funeral ceremonies, festivals, religious activities, political rallies and campaigns, work and games. The occasions could be formal. This means that they are well planned and organized social events such as naming ceremonies, wedding ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and annual festivals. Or the occasions could be informal, that is, neither planned nor organized, and might include such activities as doing solitary work, putting a child to sleep or drinking beer at a pub. -- The themes of Bura folksongs are all-encompassing. The songs express Bura people's sociocultural values, religious beliefs and experiences. Some songs abuse or satirize individuals or groups of people. Others treat subjects such as love, marriage, death, kinship, religion or politics. -- Various techniques are employed by Bura songmakers to compose and perform their songs. The technical features include oral composition of the songs using formulaic words and phrases, oral performance, face-to-face performer and audience interaction and audience participation. Other technical devices are the accompaniment of singing with instrumental music, ululating, dancing, dramatization and work. In addition there are technical features such as figures of sound and figures of speech. Specific application of these technical elements make Bura folksongs unique, but in many ways they provide suitable comparison with songs of other societies of the world. -- Transcribing and translating texts of Bura folksongs strip them of some of these technical features associated with live performance, especially the sounds of music, the audience, the dance, the drama and the musical instruments. Thus, one can say that Bura folksongs are more intended for a listening audience than for a reading audience. -- Another area which the study examines is the function of Bura folksongs. Folk music is an all-pervading and interdependent aspect of Bura culture. Assessment of the entire Bura song corpus reveals that songs are performed for various purposes. The obvious and recurrent functions of Bura songs include serving as a medium through which individuals or groups can express otherwise suppressed feelings and views. Bura songs also mirror Bura culture, beliefs and values. They provide entertainment to the performers and the listeners. Bura musicians enjoy financial and material gains from their performances although they are not substantial. -- The study reveals that the application of various theoretical perspectives of Bura songs is invaluable. The study also shows the need to apply multi-disciplinary approaches such as anthropology, sociology, history, religion and literature in the study of Bura folksongs. Even with this study, Bura folk music is still understudied. It is therefore  important that more ethnographic studies in Bura folk music be carried out by insiders and by outsiders too.


identifier: Nolan, Brian Francis <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Nolan=3ABrian_Francis=3A=3A.html>   (1973) Community use of school facilities in a selection of Newfoundland and Labrador schools.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Use of school facilities by members of the community “  is a fact of Newfoundland's history. Today there is a general feeling, especially among educators, that we are about to enter a second, more sophisticated stage of community use. This study is designed to investigate and analyse the status of community use of schools in this Province and to determine if there is any evidence of a tendency towards greater use. -- Specifically, this thesis concerned itself with: determining the extent of present use; learning the extent to which administrative policies have been developed to regulate community use; examining the feasibility of extending use of facilities; and discovering the problems associated with community use of schools. -- A survey of recent literature on this subject illustrated that the school was especially suited to after hours use and, in fact, was regarded as an economic waste if not used. Other conclusions reached as a result of the review of the literature were as follows: that most communities had needs, both covert and obvious, which could best be met through use of the school, and that planning on an architectural and administrative level are critical for effective community use. An examination was made of the administrative policies and practices currently in use in schools experiencing use after hours, and some attention was given to the various ways and means of using educational facilities. The community school, the educational park, and  the community or junior college were found to be alternate school arrangements. -- The study was conducted through the questionnaire technique. A self-constructed questionnaire was mailed to a sample consisting of seventy-five school principals and the forty-three representatives of all school boards in the Province. There was an eighty- three percent overall response rate. -- The major findings included one which indicated that there was a large degree of difference between the responses of the two major groups in the study, the principals and the school board representatives. Actual conditions as perceived by the principals often varied greatly from the conditions believed to be present by the school boards. Most schools reported some use of their facilities in the after hours but some indicated that there was no extra use. School boards claimed to have policies regulating use of their schools but these were rarely communicated to principals. Policies were not comprehensive. There was agreement that schools could and should be used by community members and that problems of use were not serious enough to prevent use. Based on these findings, the researcher made a number of recommendations for action by school boards and other educational authorities.


identifier: Sam Onn, Mao <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Sam_Onn=3AMao=3A=3A.html>   (2001) Improving inland fisheries management in Cambodia.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Since the inland fishery is the backbone of the Cambodian fishery sector a study on how to improve inland fisheries management and development is required. The study is divided into four aspects: A description of the present status of the fishery sector; an examination of environmental considerations, in terms of natural and manmade impacts on inland fisheries; education, training, and extension in the fisheries sector; and an evaluation at the current state of fisheries management including fisheries legislation, policies, administration, and human resources development. Monitoring, control, and surveillance, vital elements of fisheries management and development are also considered in the context of inland commercial fisheries management. -- Major fisheries policies, constraints, and strategies are indicated and conclusions drawn with respect to the improvement o( inland fishery management and development in Cambodia. -- The paper concludes that development of the capacity for effective and even implementation of policy and laws at Department of Fisheries (DOF) level is essential. Rapid reform resulting from decentralized decisions will fail if capacity at Department of Fisheries level does not exist. -- Provincial, municipal and department of fisheries reform of policy and its implementation is necessary along with more sophisticate strategic planning. This must be anchored in effective legislation. New fisheries laws must be harmonized with that of other sectors. And recommends that an intensive training  programme of DOF staff must be undertaken. This should start immediately and be designed to facilitate the uniform implementation of fisheries policy at all levels-particularly at provincial and municipal levels-and to assist in developing the capacity of local communities to participate effectively in decision making and management of the resource. DOF must work to ensure the uniform application of laws and controls at all levels-and ensure that the local communities receive equitable consideration.


identifier: Coombs, Robert G. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Coombs=3ARobert_G=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2002) Innu capacity building in the Atlantic Canadian fishery : community revitalization through renewable resource development.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Economic development is believed critical to improving quality of life in the Innu communities of Sheshatshiu and Utshimassit, where substance abuse, low literacy rates, and living conditions far below national standards persist. The establishment of Innu Development Limited Partnership in 1998 was a decisive move by the Innu to generate business ventures. -- An impact benefit agreement associated with the Voisey Bay mine project and compensation from a land claim settlement will result in needed resources and business opportunities for the Innu. Despite these positive developments, the Innu see the fishery figuring heavily in community renewal because of its compatibility with the Innu lifestyle. As the Innu enter the contemporary fishing scene they will encounter a convoluted and complex fishery management process, which, until recent Supreme Court of Canada rulings, tended to marginalize Canadian aboriginal groups. -- This paper offers a historical and contemporary account of Innu participation in the fishery, an analysis of management and policy issues, and cultural considerations that are germane to Innu Nation and government efforts to bring about community revitalization through aboriginal capacity development in the fishery.


identifier: Liang, Bo <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Liang=3ABo=3A=3A.html>   (2001) Iceberg stability and deterioration.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

title: Iceberg stability and deterioration

abstract: Icebergs pose unique risks to shipping and offshore oil and gas operations on the Grand Banks. These include risks of impact on fixed and floating installations, and risks of scour on sub-sea installations, such as pipelines and wellheads. Iceberg size, shape and stability are needed to determine the interactions and risks. A model is presented that focuses on the relationship between iceberg motion and its stability. Then melting and towing are considered separately. An example is shown to illustrate how changes in shape due to melting can lead to instabilities that result in the iceberg's reorientation to a new, more stable position. Meanwhile some other examples are shown to demonstrate how towing force and water drag force change the stability and motion of the iceberg. The work is a first step towards an iceberg evolution model that will eventually incorporate a detailed description of iceberg shape changes due to melting and fragmentation. Some of the consequences of reorientation, such as changes in draft and hydrostatic forces distribution, can then be considered. Such an iceberg evolution model will be a tool to aid iceberg risk assessment and iceberg management.


identifier: O'Keefe, Catherine <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/O=27Keefe=3ACatherine=3A=3A.html>   (2000) Immunization practices in physicians' offices on the avalon peninsula of Newfoundland.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The immunization needs in Newfoundland and Labrador are currently met through a mixed delivery system. Immunization is performed through the Regional Health and Community Services offices, approximately 60% and private practice physicians, approximately 40%. This study assessed immunization practices in private physicians' offices with a focus on storage, handling and documentation compared with National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) Guidelines. One of the key aspects of storage and handling is the maintenance of the cold chain. The cold chain is the process of maintaining vaccine at the optimum temperature from the time it is manufactured until it is administered. Since the inception of the cold chain concept, methods to assess and promote proper vaccine storage and handling have been developed. -- This study has a quasi-experimental, pre and post intervention design. The study group consisted of solo and group private practice physicians who provide childhood immunizations in urban and rural practices on the Avalon Peninsula in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Starting in March 1998, the researcher contacted 37 offices representing 89 physicians to participate in the study. -- The study consisted of an office visit during which information was collected concerning the practice for handling vaccine. This information was collected through a questionnaire, observation of the storage area and documentation of the refrigerator temperature. The intervention included the provision and discussion of National and Provincial guidelines for storage and handling of vaccine. A second visit six to eight months later assessed change in practice post intervention. -- Of the 37 available offices, 27 (73%) participated in the study representing 89 physicians; all offices visited met at least 18 of the 24 guidelines. Vaccine was stored in the body of a refrigerator in 95% of the participating offices, 37% of the offices had a thermometer in the refrigerator, and less than 20% used thermal transport bags. Documenting the refrigerator temperature on a regular basis was only done in one office. Post intervention visits indicated little change In practice. This study has collected baseline data about physicians' practices and has given some data as to what is effective in encouraging physicians to maintain the cold chain.


identifier: Phillips, Malcolm <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Phillips=3AMalcolm=3A=3A.html>   (1973) Charles Fox and Ireland, 1775-1798.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

title: Charles Fox and Ireland, 1775-1798

abstract: The closing decades of the eighteenth century saw a reinvigoration of both English and Irish political life with the government of Ireland, and the relationship between the two countries, having to be thought out afresh, albeit begrudgingly, by successive British governments. As a result, British rule in Ireland, after the comparative quiescence of the first half of the eighteenth century, again became a matter for controversy in England. In this development, Charles James Fox played an important part, and became more influential in Ireland than any other English politician. -- Charles Fox participated in Irish affairs not only whilst he was in opposition but also during his brief tenure in government office. By so doing, he incorporated the problems of Ireland into his own political thinking, and ensured that the administration of that country remained a matter of political controversy in England throughout the period of Irish legislative autonomy. He made various conscious attempts to become the English leader of Irish opposition movements, and was determined to discuss Irish events and policies both inside and outside parliament. His views on the commercial relationship between England and Ireland, although narrow, were consistent; but his views on the constitutional relationship between the two countries underwent a pronounced transformation in the heat of the early years of the Anglo-French war. -- A variety of reasons lay behind Fox's involvement in affairs across the Irish Sea: familial relationships, political expediency, a commitment to religious toleration and a belief that English statesmen could learn from the experiences of Britain's administration of Ireland all played their part. However, crucial to any understanding of Fox's participation in Irish affairs was his career in English politics. His Whiggery was based on a fear of unchecked government: he believed in the necessity of restraining the executive power in both England and Ireland. The corollary was a commitment to the indispensability of party and the importance of the role of the legislature in the constitution. It was in an attempt to restrain the executive, and correspondingly to strengthen the legislative power that Charles Fox became involved in Irish politics. -- England's government of Ireland, and the part played by Ireland in English politics, went through a marked transition in the late eighteenth century. Before the American war, successive English governments were agreed on the administration of Ireland; Irish affairs, then, played little part in English politics and parliamentary life. In the nineteenth century, on the other hand, this situation was reversed, and if any one man was responsible for this development, it was Charles Fox. He is, in fact, an important link in the changing nature of England's Irish Question in the closing decades of the eighteenth century. In opposition Fox rejected the government's Irish policies and eventually emerged as the leader of an English political party with a distinct Irish platform. The quiescence of the early eighteenth century was broken, never to return.


identifier: Rigatto, Claudio <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Rigatto=3AClaudio=3A=3A.html>   (2001) Cardiac disease in renal transplant recipients.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Cardiac disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity in renal transplant recipients (RTR). The relative importance of traditional vs. transplant-related risk factors, however, remains controversial, while the impact of LV disorders has not been well studied. We conducted two cohort studies to examine the incidence, determinants, and outcomes of LV disorders in RTR, and to compare the relative importance of traditional vs. transplant-related risk factors. In Study One (sequential echocardiograms in a prospective cohort of RTR), LV hypertrophy regressed over the first two post transplant years and thereafter remained stable. Older age and hypertension predicted failure to regress. In Study Two (a retrolective cohort study of 473 RTR), congestive heart failure (CHF) was as common and as adverse a morbid event as ischemic heart disease (IHD). Age, diabetes, gender, blood pressure and anemia were the dominant predictors of CHF, while age, diabetes, gender, blood pressure and cholesterol were the dominant risk factors for IHD. The determinants of de novo IHD in RTR were similar to those in general population, whereas the determinants of LV disorders are similar to those in chronic renal insufficiency. Transplant associated variables, with the exception of anemia, were not strongly associated with outcomes. -- Keywords: Renal transplantation; left ventricular hypertrophy; cardiovascular disease; anemia; cohort study.


identifier: Afariebor, Roland <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Afariebor=3ARoland=3A=3A.html>   (2001) Identification and estimation of a first order bilinear time series.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: In this practicum, we study the properties of a special case of the general bilinear model. The general bilinear model was proposed by Granger and Andersen(1978) and Subba Rao(1981) for studying non-linear time series. Simulation studies and real life data sets are used to evaluate the performance of the theoretical results we derived. The properties we study are the mean, covariance structures, third order moments and cumulants. We find a pattern in the third-order cumulant which is useful in identifying the order of the model. This work is an extension of the result of Oyet(2001). The model is used to make forecasts on three real time series data. -- Also considered are the mean and covariance structures of three other versions of the bilinear model.


identifier: Khan, Md. Nahidul Islam <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Khan=3AMd=2E_Nahidul_Islam=3A=3A.html>   (2008) A Micro Seafloor Marine Current Energy Conversion System.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The Seaformatics project is a five year AIF project that intends to develop to a proof-of-concept seafloor array of wireless marine sensors for use in monitoring seabed processes, including applications such as geological imaging and earthquake detection. Individual low cost sensor pods will be self-powered through ocean bottom currents and will be able to communicate with each other and to the Internet through surface master units to facilitate observation of the ocean floor from shore. After examining the available systems, it was decided that the Savonius rotor was most appropriate. Models were constructed and tested in the wave tank and the wind tunnel at MUN.Scaling Laws that could be used to predict full scale or prototype behaviour were developed. -- A micro sea-floor power generation system has been designed and developed at Electrical Energy System Lab of Memorial University of Newfoundland to extract few watts electrical power. The proposed power generation system consists of a drag type Savonius rotor, a gear box, a permanent magnet generator, a controlled DC-DC converter, batteries for energy storage, instrumentation and a micro controller based control system for the turbine. Micro controller will control the DC-DC converter to extract the maximum power from the system. Such a control scheme will be based on the voltage, current and speed measurement of the system. Maximum power algorithm based control scheme will ensure that the system is always extracting the maximum power from the water current. This thesis aims to develop a technical and economical viable marine current energy conversion system.


identifier: Hiscock, H. Wade (Harris Wade) <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Hiscock=3AH=2E_Wade_=28Harris_Wade=29=3A=3A.html>   (1997) Increasing the spawning biomass of northern Atlantic cod, Gadus Morhua, through the release of mature farmed fish.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: It may be possible to increase annual recruitment to the northern Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua, stock through enhancement of the spawning biomass. For marine fish species whose fecundities are a function of body size, such as cod, it may be possible to increase the growth of wild fish in sea cages to artificially advance their fecundity. One objective was to determine if cod from Trinity Bay, Newfoundland could have significant gains in fecundity after being fed in captivity, compared to noncaptive fish. A second objective was to determine if captivity affected the survival of cod once released back into the sea. Cod held in captivity for nearly four years (1992-96) and fed to satiation every 2-3 days (over four growth seasons from May - October) were significantly larger at age than wild fish, and consequently had 2-4 fold higher potential fecundity. Spawning occurred in the sea cages over a period of ~ 60 days, coincident with the spawning period observed for wild cod in Trinity Bay. Farmed cod produced fertilized eggs and viable larvae. Farmed cod seemed to adopt a normal free-living behaviour after release, as evident from sonic tracking and tag-recapture data. However, for several months after release, farmed fish experienced a higher fishing mortality than a control wild group.


identifier: Kirby, Dale <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Kirby=3ADale=3A=3A.html>   (2000) Investigating college student attrition : a report of an internship at the College of the North Atlantic with an analysis of first-semester student attrition.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This report consists of two chapters. The first chapter outlines the details of a graduate student internship at the College of the North Atlantic during the fall 1999 semester. The second chapter provides a description of a research project that was developed and carried out by the intern. -- During the internship, the intern worked in the student services offices at the Engineering Technology Centre and the Prince Philip Drive campuses of the College of the North Atlantic. The intern's duties and activities were wide-ranging and included various general duties along with involvement in the College of the North Atlantic Career and Employment Services and the College Student Success Program. -- The research project was designed to investigate various aspects of attrition of first-semester students enrolled in Engineering Technology programs at the College. The research design incorporated both qualitative and quantitative research methods including focus groups, interviews, and the collection, and statistical analysis of quantitative data. Results of this study showed that 24.9% of first-semester Engineering Technology students withdrew prior to the winter 2000 semester, and that student academic difficulties play a significant role in student decisions to withdraw or persist at the College. These results are consistent with the Student Integration Model of student attrition advanced by Tinto (1975, 1987, 1993). This model proposes that a better fit' between student and institution results in greater academic and social integration and subsequently increases the likelihood that students will persist.