identifier: Khodaei, Khatereh  (2011) Kiarostami’s Visual Style and the Influence of Iranian Painting.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Sato, Yu  (2011) Location-based Responsive Space for Multimedia Environment Using Ultra-wideband Technology.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

type: Thesis NonPeerReviewed

abstract: The rapid advances in Real-Time Location Systems (RTLSs), such as Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology, provide opportunities to realize new types of multimedia environments. Taking advantage of the UWB technology, this research investigates how location information enhances multimedia environments by utilizing the relationship between the physical environment and its habitants. In this thesis, we present an approach, called UWB-based Responsive Multimedia Space (URMS), that combines near real-time location data with multimedia devices. This approach has three main parts: (1) the concept of URMS incorporating multimedia devices for the realization of a series of location-based events, (2) the requirements of the UWB system and multimedia devices for the development of URMS, and (3) the methods for the grid-based event selection, and continuous and smooth adjustment of location-based interaction based on distance. Furthermore, a touch user interface is proposed to define interactively multimedia events. In order to validate the proposed approach, a prototype system is developed and tested in two case studies.


identifier: Hoque, Khaza Anuarul  (2011) Integrating SAT with MDG for Efficient Invariant Checking.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Multiway Decision Graph (MDG) is a canonical representation of a subset of many-sorted first-order logic. It generalizes the logic of equality with abstract types and uninterpreted function symbols. The area of Satisfiability (SAT) has been the subject of intensive research in recent years, with significant theoretical and practical contributions. From a practical perspective, a large number of very effective SAT solvers have recently been proposed, most of which based on improvements made to the original Davis-Putnam algorithm. Local search algorithms have allowed solving extremely large satisfiable instances of SAT. The combination between various verification methodologies will enhance the capabilities of each and overcome their limitations. In this thesis, we introduce a methodology and propose a new design verification tool integrating MDG and SAT, to check the safety of a design by invariant checking. Using MDG to encode the set of states provide powerful mean of abstraction. We use SAT solver searching for paths of reachable states violating the property under certain encoding constraints. In addition, we also introduce an automated conversion-verification methodology to convert a Directed Formula (DF) into Conjunctive Normal Form (CNF) formula that can be fed to a SAT solver. The formal verification of this conversion is conducted within the HOL theorem prover. Finally, we implement and conduct experiment on some examples along with a case study to show the correctness and the efficiency of our approach.


identifier: Jian, JunYu  (2011) Development of a Web Service for Visualizing the Data of Ultra Wideband Real-Time Location System.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Sandrin, Ann  (2010) An Analysis of the Primary Years Programme as a Socio-constructivist Curriculum Model.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The purpose of the study was to determine whether the PYP curriculum contains the elements of an authentic socio-constructivist pedagogical model. Vygotsky’s historical-sociocultural research became the principal work through which the related principles of learning and teaching were identified. The theories that guided this study focused on the development of the child as a member of a learning community, the role of the teacher as a conduit for cognitive and metacognitive development, and the pedagogical elements of the classroom environment that contribute to developmentally appropriate practice (DAP). In order to undertake this research, the senior kindergarten (K2) level of Uptown Primary School was selected as the setting. In order to ascertain the PYP’s compatibility with socio-constructivism, several procedures were done that included a Comparison Chart of Perspectives (CCP), a Micro-analysis of a K2 Unit of Inquiry planner, and the assessment of the participants’ educational values and beliefs, in addition, to their perceptions of teacher practices. Findings from this study suggest that the PYP’s pedagogical framework is structured according to the philosophy and practices of an authentic socio-constructivist model, one that is based on the holistic development of the child, a child-centered and interactive pedagogy, and learning as a sociocultural endeavour.


identifier: Hampden, Taisha  (2011) A Case Study of the School of Outliers for At-Risk Students in Quebec.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
This thesis presents the results of a case study based on the School of Outliers, an alternative school in Québec established for at-risk students at the high school level. The author has been a student of the School of Outliers and currently teaches at the same school. Based on a self-study and personal narrative, questions were developed for guided journal writing for a group of eight graduates from the same school who volunteered to participate in the study. Two of the participants also agreed to be interviewed to further examine the issues identified in their journal entries.
Analysis of the data generated through the collection of the narratives and interviews produced a few themes that are important to keep in mind in helping at-risk students who have distanced themselves from the school culture. The two most important themes for the engagement process are teacher-student connection and raising critical consciousness. Of course not all students benefit to the same extent from their experience at the school. If we are to understand and engage in dialogue regarding the experience of at-risk students, we must acknowledge all facets of their experience. The role of teacher-student connection in developing critical consciousness in at-risk students can only achieve so much. The power of this connection battles against a myriad of factors lying in wait for at-risk students after the bell rings at the end of each school day. This study is a step towards a better understanding of the lived experience of at-risk students.


identifier: Zhang, Cheng  (2010) Improving crane safety by agent-based dynamic motion planning using UWB real-time location system.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The safe operation of cranes requires not only the experience of the operator, but also sufficient and appropriate support in real time. Due to the dynamic nature of construction sites, unexpected changes in the site layout may create new obstacles for the crane that can result in collisions and accidents. Limited research has been done on efficient re-planning for cranes with near real-time environment updating while considering communications between construction crews.
To improve the safety of mobile crane operations and to provide more awareness on site, the present research proposes a near real-time monitoring and motion planning approach to improve crane safety on construction sites using an ultra wideband (UWB) real-time location system (RTLS) technology. In addition, an agent system framework is proposed to guide crane operators for safe crane operations by enhancing environment awareness and by providing intelligent re-planning. Location data are collected from tags attached to cranes and are processed by the agent system to identify the poses of dynamic objects, which is used to generate a new motion plan to guide the crane movement and thus to avoid potential collision.
A motion planning algorithm, RRT-Con-Con-Mod, is proposed to efficiently generate safe and smooth paths for crane motions, mainly for the boom movement, while taking into account the engineering constraints and the path quality. A dynamic motion planning algorithm, DRRT-Con-Con-Mod, is proposed to ensure safety during the execution phase by quickly re-planning and avoiding collisions. In addition, an anytime algorithm is proposed to search for better solutions during a given time period by improving the path smoothness and by reducing the path execution time. The proposed algorithms are compared with other motion planning and re-planning algorithms. The results show that the proposed algorithms can quickly find a safe and smooth motion plan.
Several tests of a UWB system have been applied in the laboratory and in indoor and outdoor environments to investigate the requirements of applying UWB on construction sites, that is, requirements including accuracy, visibility, scalability, and real-time. To satisfy these requirements, the configuration of the UWB system has been analyzed in detail to decide the sensors’ and tags’ locations and numbers based on heuristic rules. These tests show a good potential for using UWB tracking technology in construction sites by processing and organizing location data into useful information for near real-time environment updating.
Furthermore, the framework of an agent system is proposed to integrate the proposed methodologies of motion planning and near real-time tracking. Different agents are created to represent the equipment, to coordinate tasks, and to update the site information. The functions of these agents include exchanging information, deciding priorities, etc.
The current research will benefit the construction industry by providing more awareness of dynamic construction site conditions, a safer and more efficient work site, and more reliable decision support based on good communications.


identifier: Zhang, Zhong Hua  (2011) Designing Sustainable Supply Chain Networks.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

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identifier: Liu, Mingzhi  (2011) Financial Reporting Quality and Corporate Bond Markets.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Recent research proposes that financial reporting is actually shaped by debt markets instead of by equity markets. As noted by Baker, Greenwood and Wurgler (2003), “Relative to the literature on equity financing patterns, and relative to the actual importance of debt finance in the U.S. economy, the literature on debt financing patterns is surprisingly underdeveloped”. Hence, the interface between financial reporting and debt financing has recently emerged as a fruitful idea for research. In fact, because of their asymmetric payoff function and fixed claims on corporate assets, creditors have stronger incentives than equity investors to demand high quality financial reporting.
In this dissertation, I build up alternative arguments for conservatism that can be applied to the public bond market and cannot be generalized to the private debt market or the equity market. For instance, Merton’s (1974) theoretical bond pricing model indicates that equity holders and bondholders value a firm’s operating volatility in different ways. Thus, bond and equity investors could have different expectations and needs regarding what they consider to be useful financial reporting. In that regard, recent evidence on the interface between financial reporting quality and debt markets largely focuses on private bank loan contracting. However, in terms of providing capital to corporations, public debt markets are as large as private debt markets, with substantial differences in terms of monitoring efficiency, private information availability, seniority in liquidation, and re-contracting flexibility. Hence, public bondholders can value financial reporting quality in a way that differs from private debt holders’ perspective.
Using accounting conservatism and internal control effectiveness as proxies for financial reporting quality, I investigate two sets of research questions that relate to the effects of financial reporting quality on corporate bond financing. I consider both conditional and unconditional conservatism. Conditional conservatism depends upon future economic circumstances and reflects the writing down of book values under sufficiently adverse circumstances while not allowing their writing up under favorable circumstances (e.g., lower of cost or market for inventories). Unconditional conservatism reflects the consistent application of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) that reduces earnings independent of future economic events, resulting in the book value of net assets being understated due to predetermined aspects of the accounting process (e.g., immediate expensing of R&D expenditures according to U.S. GAAP). First, I investigate the main effect of accounting conservatism and the moderating effect of internal control effectiveness on the yield spread of new corporate bond issues. Second, I assess the main effect of accounting conservatism and internal control effectiveness on the underpricing of newly issued corporate bonds. Both yield spreads and underpricing reflect different market realities. While the yield spread of new corporate bond issues is determined through negotiations among bond issuers, investment bankers and large institutional investors the underpricing of newly issued corporate bonds reflects the responses of all bond investors based on their assessment of the available information.
My main empirical findings are: (1) conditional conservative reporting relates to higher yield spreads in new corporate bond issues; (2) unconditional conservative reporting relates to lower yield spreads in new corporate bond issues; (3) ineffective internal controls enhance the effect of conditional conservative reporting to raise the yield spread; (4) both conditional and unconditional conservative reporting relate to the underpricing of newly issued corporate bonds. However, internal control effectiveness does not seem to matter in the underpricing.
This dissertation mainly contributes to the existing literature in two ways. First, this study extends the conservatism literature by linking conservative reporting to corporate bond financing patterns. With theoretical arguments and empirical evidence that are inconsistent with the debt contracting efficiency view of conservatism, my study casts some doubt as to how generalizable is the traditional debt contracting efficiency argument regarding the interface between conservatism and the cost of debt. Second, research on Sarbanes-Oxley Act’s internal control provisions needs to go beyond the equity holders’ and private debt holders’ perspectives, and consider other financial stakeholders who contract on the basis of financial statements. This dissertation fills the void in the internal control literature by providing initial empirical evidence as to how internal control effectiveness affects corporate bond financing.


identifier: Bhuiyan, Mohammad Fozlul Haque  (2011) Traffic Management in Urban Areas under Freight Regulatory Initiatives.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The increasing awareness of non-sustainable impacts of urban freight movements on city traffic congestion, environment, and economy has boosted the amount of research in this area in recent years. Implementation of freight regulatory initiatives (policies) such as access-timing-sizing restrictions has become very important to deal with the nuisances associated with freight transport in cities. There is a lack of holistic understanding of the implications of freight transport policies on traffic management and no specific methodology aimed at analyzing, planning, and implementing urban freight regulatory policies exists in literature. In this thesis, we address the problem of evaluating and implementing freight regulatory initiatives for better traffic management in cities. The first part of the thesis presents an integrated approach based on microscopic traffic simulation and design of experiments for evaluating and selecting freight restriction policies for a specific city. In the second part, a conceptual implementation model is proposed for implementing the selected freight restriction policies by addressing the decentralized urban freight management problem and socioeconomic values of freight from cities point of view.


identifier: Moroz, Alexandr  (2011) Environment-Based Design of Software: an Agile Software Design Method.  Masters thesis, Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering.

abstract: The Environment-Based Design of Software (EBD-S) is a design method, representing the application of the Environment-Based Design (EBD) to agile software development.  It compliments contemporary agile software development methods – Scrum and Feature-Driven Development (FDD) – by providing a light-weight and flexible framework for the architecture and design documentation, formalized design concept generation and effective system evolution control.  Under the EBD-S umbrella, software requirements are categorized as functional, leading to the design of the system, and quality requirements, reflected in software architecture. EBD-S uses the component-bus-system-property approach for conflict identification and capturing the proto-architecture of the system in a graph structure. The design concept generation stage relies on a two-phase matrix-based problem decomposition approach, adjusted for non-binary dependency analysis, and using the heuristic partitioning analysis to find better design solutions. The change control mechanism of EBD-S permits effective monitoring and control of the software architecture evolution through the agile development cycle. The integration of EBD-S to the real-world Scrum development processes is demonstrated on the example of Telecom Expense Management software development. EBD-S application resulted in 25% project time saving due to more accurate estimations, higher code quality and lower error rate.


identifier: Houshmand, Hossein  (2010) Islam and Human Rights: The Search for an Overlapping Consensus.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This dissertation begins by emphasizing a distinction between demands of justice and requirements of human rights. In order to clarify this distinction, I explain two predominant views on human rights: humanitarianism (minimalist) and cosmopolitan egalitarianism (maximalist) as unsound and unreasonable views. As an alternative and proper view, I examine the moral and political ideas that constitute a conception of human rights that John Rawls presents in The Law of Peoples. I interpret and defend a conception of human rights which is less extensive than the rights that maximalists support and more expansive than minimalists embrace. I show how Rawls conceives the idea of human rights, which rights he counts as human rights and why. The first part of this dissertation followed with three reasons to support Rawls‟ conception of human rights: the principle of collective self-determination, the normative standards of political obligation, and the value of toleration. The essential idea of Rawls‟ conception of human rights is as follows: in order to gain support from different ethical and religious traditions, a freestanding conception of human rights should be presented. In the second part, I examine possibilities within Islamic doctrine to include an overlapping consensus on a freestanding conception of human rights. The requirement of an Islamic affirmation of a conception of human rights identified in three ideas: a distinction between the law of God and human interpretation, the compatibility of God‟s sovereignty and human responsibility, and diversity of religious communities as a will of God. I explore and justify these ideas by referring to contemporary Muslim intellectuals‟ works that are associated with the idea of human rights.


identifier: Bessette, Ariane  (2010) L'interaction du corps et de l'espace dans le Journal de Marie Uguay.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Hussain, Mohammed  (2011) Modelling the enablers and alternatives for sustainable supply chain management.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
There has been a rapid growth in industrialization over the last few decades. This has in-turn lead to an increase in production and consumption of various goods.  Industrialization at such a rapid pace has done a considerable amount of damage to the society and environment including depletion of natural resources, wastes generation during  production, rising transport emissions and congestion,  non-disposability of goods at the end of their product life-cycle, and stressful work environment for employees. These emerging issues have put forth the need for greater emphasis on sustainability issues and consequently development of sustainable supply chains to sustain this rapid economic growth while respecting environmental and social issues.
In this thesis, we present a modeling framework to study the different enablers for sustainable supply chains, analyze their inter-relationships and propose alternatives for sustainable supply chain development. In the first step, a comprehensive literature review is performed to identify the enablers and provide insights on the triple bottom line concept (environment, social, economic) of sustainability. In the second step, Interpretative Structural Modelling is used to develop the relationship among various enablers for each dimension of sustainability.   In the third and the last step, results of ISM are used as an input to Analytic Network Process along with potential list of alternatives to determine the best alternative(s) for developing sustainable supply chains.
The proposed approach is novel and deals with an important problem of modeling enablers and alternatives for sustainable supply chain management. The results have strong practical applicability and can be adapted by organizations with least changes in their existing work structure.


identifier: Rennebohm, Katherine S.  (2011) Approaching the Other as Other: A Study of the Ethical Nature of Chantal Akerman's Film.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Filmmaker Chantal Akerman utilizes specific representational devices in her films in order to address the film spectator in an ethical manner. The ethical nature of Akerman’s films results from the form of character presentation Akerman employs. Approaching the Other as Other performs a detailed examination of the presentation of character in Akerman’s films, analyzing Akerman’s use of conventions of classical cinema as well as her use of devices associated with experimental and avant-garde cinema. Through the systematic avoidance of psychological or emotional insights into her films’ characters, while still maintaining a ‘realistic’ presentation of character, Akerman presents the characters in her films as ‘unknowable’ and opaque individuals to the spectator.
This treatment of character points to Judith Butler’s discussion of ethics in Giving an Account of Oneself (2005). According to Butler, the ethical lies in discarding the belief that the other can and should explain themselves; this is because, in Butler’s view, both the self and the other are fundamentally unknowable. This thesis uses Butler’s conception of ethics to show that Akerman’s presentation of character is ethical, as Akerman’s films ask the spectator to contemplate the impossibility of knowing the other. Such contemplation, Butler argues, constitutes an ethical resource. Examining various films of Akerman’s, Approaching the Other as Other outlines the operation of these films’ ethical address, illustrating the divergences and continuities in the address across Akerman’s different styles of filmmaking, and ultimately contends that Akerman’s films address the spectator as a being capable of ethical reflection.


identifier: Bouchard, Caroline  (2011) Examining Student and Staff Perceptions of an Elementary School Policy on Discipline.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Deslauriers-Paquette, Nika  (2011) False Consciousness: A Relevant Concept?  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: False consciousness was a concept originally developed by Marx and Engels in the 19th century, to explain the actions and behaviors of the bourgeoisie. In the 20th century, various political thinkers such as Lukács, Marcuse and Jost broadened its definition to explain the actions and behaviors of all members of society, including those from lower or subordinate classes. False consciousness has since been used by some Marxian political thinkers and anti-capitalist activists to make sense of people’s quiescence towards the capitalist system. This interpretation of the concept has attracted an array of critiques that have severely affected false consciousness’ legitimacy and value. These critiques demonstrate that people’s quiescence toward the capitalist system is not necessarily synonymous with false consciousness and it should not be used as an excuse for communism’s failure. Despite the severity of these critiques, Augoustinos disputes that false consciousness is not an outdated and useless concept, but that it is necessary to redefine it in order to increase its credibility. It must be situated, not in people’s mind, but within the capitalist structure, which presents itself as a superior version of what it truly is and sustains misconceptions about its real capacities and limitations.  This thesis is thus an implicit defense of the validity of the Marxian concept of false consciousness.


identifier: Bisaillon, Richard  (2010) Speaking of Class in the Québec Labour Movement: Interpreting the Relationship Between Class and Identity in the Québec Labour Movement 1850-2010.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
An examination of the recent and contemporary Québec labour union movement and its relationship with the nationalist cause might incline the observer to conclude that this powerful synthesis of what are in fact two separate sets of collective interests is a recent phenomenon sparked by Québec’s Quiet Revolution. In fact, these two aspects of collective and individual self and their expression through institutional forms have evolved together over the last two centuries. A further examination of the broader historical pattern demonstrates that aspects of shared linguistic and cultural identity have always at the very least qualified, and most often significantly muted expressions of working class interests and identity. In fact, save for a brief period from the Quiet Revolution to the first mandate of the Parti Québécois in 1976, working class collaboration with other class fractions in Québec ostensibly made in the greater interests of linguistic and cultural solidarity have generally cost the working classes a premium, while actually working to the benefit of other class partners.
	This historical pattern combined with the increasing influence of a neo-liberal ideological position within the Québec “state” leads to a certain conclusion: that there is an essential incompatibility between institutions calculated to represent working-class interests and movements founded upon a struggle for cultural recognition and the assertion of national interests. While the former seek the elimination or reduction of socio-economic differences, the latter seek only a cycling of dominant elites, resulting in the same dominant class relations under a different cultural elite fraction.


identifier: Wang, Wei  (2010) Heuristics for Message Broadcasting in Arbitrary Networks.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: With the increasing popularity of interconnection networks, efficient information dissemination has become a popular research area. Broadcasting is one of the information dissemination primitives. Finding the optimal broadcasting scheme for any originator in an arbitrary network has been proved to be an NP-Hard problem. In this thesis, two new heuristics that generate broadcast schemes in arbitrary networks are presented. Both of them have O(|E|) time complexity. Moreover, in the broadcast schemes generated by the heuristics, each vertex in the network receives the message via a shortest path. Based on computer simulations of these heuristics in some commonly used topologies and network models, and comparing the results with the best existing heuristics, we conclude that the new heuristics show comparable performances while having lower complexity.


identifier: VADEAN, Mirella  (2011) Figurer un monde, expérience d’un imaginaire inter et trans disciplinaire.Le mythe à l’épreuve de la lecture.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Notre thèse propose de mettre en valeur l’efficacité des figures et du processus figural comme force d’un savoir inter et transdisciplinaire, savoir décrit par le littéraire, la philosophie et la musicologie. Nous formons notre support d’étude à l’aide d’une nouvelle catégorie, le mythe-en-invention, que nous mettons en place à partir du récit The Lord of the Rings de Tolkien. Plusieurs concepts liés au mythe littéraire, au leitmotiv wagnérien, à la répétition dans la différence deleuzienne, à la reprise et à l’exception kierkegaardiennes, ainsi qu’à l’évaluation de l’efficacité, de la fonctionnalité de ces concepts dans un contexte qui dépasse le cadre précis de leur discipline d’origine, assurent l’originalité de notre démarche. L’imaginaire, catégorie ontologique, modalité de conscience imageante édifiée comme présence d’une absence exige une réactualisation constante de sa compréhension, sa pratique ou sa théorisation. Notre époque, qui dépasse la postmodernité, caractérisée notamment par la fin de grands récits, la déconstruction des systèmes fermés et l’ouverture des frontières, par la mise en question de la vérité, comprise comme relative et incomplète, par le fractionnement d’un Moi unique et totalisant, exige l’élargissement du champ de la pensée liée à l’imaginaire. Une telle pensée complexifiée invite à envisager les disciplines d’une manière ouverte. Pour sa pratique, il est important d’admettre que le cours et la pratique de la recherche changent lorsqu’on établit un rapport actif au savoir. En nous éloignant du statut d’un chercheur extérieur, en renonçant au recours à des grilles et à des idées fixes et fixées d’avance, nous repensons la théorie de l’imaginaire, en autorisant les figures à dévoiler leur art caché, leur identité et leurs mécanismes, à travers une pensée vivante, une pensée qui s’accommode sans cesse des changements. La simple description des figures qui fascinent, d’une manière générale, dans le récit tolkienien, ne suffit plus. Nous envisageons celles qui nous fascinent et nous permettent de les comprendre à l’échelle de nos propres acquis et intérêts. Notre lecture, en tant que traversée et ouverture, nous donne ainsi la possibilité de faire une expérience par la figure et par le mythe.

Our thesis proposes to enhance the effectiveness of the figures and figural process as a force of inter-disciplinary knowledge described by the Literary, philosophy and musicology. We supported our study by establishing a new category, the myth-in-invention, based on the The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien. Several concepts were called upon, relating to the literary myth as well as the Wagnerian leitmotif, to the Deleuzian repetition by difference, and to Kierkegaard’s notions of recovery and exception. The evaluation of the effectiveness and functionality of these concepts in a context that transgresses the specific framework of their initial disciplines ensures the originality of our approach. The imaginary as an ontological category and as a modality of imaging consciousness, set up as presence in absence, requires a constant updating of its understanding, its practice and/or its theories. Our present era, which transcends postmodernity, is characterized by the end of grand narratives, the deconstruction of closed systems, the opening of boundaries; the questioning of truth (understood as relative and incomplete), by tearing apart the notion of a unique and totalizing ego, demands to both expand and revisit our ways of thinking the imaginary. Such thinking, more complex, presses for considering disciplines in an open way. It is important to acknowledge that research practices change when we establish an active relationship to knowledge. Moving away from the status of an outside researcher, renouncing the use of rigid, formally fixed frames or ideas, we are rethinking the theory of the imaginary, allowing the figures to reveal their hidden art, identities and mechanisms, through a living thought which continuously adapts itself and changes. The mere description of figures that generally fascinate in Tolkien’s story is not sufficient any more. We are considering figures that at the same time fascinate and allow us to understand them at the level of our own achievements and interests. Our reading, as passageway and opening, gives us the opportunity to have an experience through the figure and through the myth.


identifier: Hazrati, Nazanin  (2011) Geometric Approaches to Statistical Defect Prediction and Learning.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Software quality is directly correlated with the number of defects in software systems. As the
complexity of software increases, manual inspection of software becomes prohibitively expensive.
Thus, defect prediction is of paramount importance to project managers in allocating the limited
resources effectively as well as providing many advantages such as the accurate estimation of
project costs and schedules. This thesis addresses the issues of defect prediction and learning in
the geometric framework using statistical quality control and genetic algorithms.
A software defect prediction model using the geometric concept of operating characteristic
curves is proposed. The main idea behind this predictor is to use geometric insight in helping
construct an efficient prediction method to reliably predict the cumulative number of defects during
the software development process. The performance of the proposed approach is validated on real
data from actual software projects, and the experimental results demonstrate a much improved
performance of the proposed statistical method in predicting defects.
In the same vein, two defect learning predictors based on evolutionary algorithms are also
proposed. These predictors use genetic programming as feature constructor method. The first
predictor constructs new features based primarily on the geometrical characteristics of the original
data. Then, an independent classifier is applied and the performance of feature selection method
is measured. The second predictor uses a built-in classifier which automatically gets tuned for
the constructed features. Experimental results on a NASA static metric dataset demonstrate the
feasibility of the proposed genetic programming based approaches.


identifier: Wiltshire, Owen  (2011) Sharing Knowledge: How the Internet is Fueling Change in Anthropology.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: With the Internet anthropologists are reaching new audiences and improving the dissemination of their work. Articles and books published through scholarly presses were once the best ways to disseminate academic research, but now with the Internet this isn’t entirely true. Open access publishing, self-archiving, and even self-publishing can disseminate research better than the most prestigious anthropology journals. Established journals, not blind to this issue, are changing the ways they generate revenue from publishing research. There are alternatives to the reader-pays model which restricts access to a select few. But the Internet, beyond transforming the ways anthropologists disseminate their work between each other, has had more profound significance for engaging anthropology outside its traditional audiences. For many anthropologists, new online spaces have reinvigorated the discipline, providing opportunities to reach new audiences, to incorporate new participants, and to present anthropological research in entirely new ways. Blogs, Twitter feeds, Facebook and other social media are quickly being integrated into scholarly practices. By participating online in the anthropology blogosphere, writing “openly”, this research has experimented with the ways blogs and other social media can be used to collaboratively engage participants in the research process.


identifier: Proietti, Melissa  (2011) Creating Urban Art in a School Setting Identity Development and Community Practice Through Graffiti.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
ABSTRACT
Creating Urban Art in a School Setting
Identity Development and Community Practice Through Graffiti
Melissa Proietti

	Graffiti, recognized as both a subculture as well as a prevalent part of current youth and popular culture, has developed through its evolution as an art form in its ability to reach those who create it in a positive manner.  The research conducted in this study details a case study of the creation of a mural which was stylistically linked to graffiti and referred to as an urban art project by students at an elementary school, aged 10-12 (grades five and six).  The project was led by a well-known graffiti artist who has developed a curriculum in which graffiti is used as a tool to open up a dialogue within the group of students regarding issues of identity, responsibility and awareness.  In offering these students a unique experience using a modern and relevant tool (graffiti) it is shown that upon completion the students felt a sense of pride and accomplishment through the process of creation.  Also they felt the final product represented them and their school as they grew in their understandings of graffiti and urban art as a method of communication and positive expression.
Historically, graffiti has been shown to give writers a voice and identity within a shared space as well as empowering them with a sense of belonging, purpose and pride.  By introducing these aspects of this subculture into an academic context in the form of a graffiti mural the students were given the opportunity to develop as individuals at school as well as developing a sense of respect and ownership over that which they created.


identifier: Zhang, Xiaoli  (2011) Trading Patterns of Corporate Insiders Prior to Securities Class Action Announcements.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis explores whether corporate insiders exhibit trading patterns that would suggest that they exploit any potential information advantages they may have over other market participants. Furthermore, we consider information asymmetries between different types of insiders by comparing abnormal net sales between managers and non-managing insiders, between top-level managers and low-level managers, and between financial managers and non-financial managers. We show that managers have higher abnormal net sales than non-managing insiders, and that top-level managers have higher abnormal net sales than low-level managers prior to lawsuit announcements. We find a significant negative correlation between abnormal stock returns and abnormal net sales by managers and by top-level managers. Our evidence suggests that managers may engage in net selling in anticipation of the negative stock returns that are typically associated with securities class action announcements. In particular, high-rank insiders appear to place more profitable trades than low-rank insiders prior to lawsuit announcements.


identifier: Croitoru, Oana  (2011) The Role of Product Complexity, Category Knowledge and Type on Learning: Implications for Late Entrants.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Although it involves a considerable financial risk, being the first on the market provides companies with a competitive edge (Carpenter and Nakamoto, 1989, 1990). Two studies were conducted to investigate boundary conditions for the pioneering advantage and explore factors that influence consumers’ learning of brand associations about the first and late entrant. The two studies examined the impact of product complexity, product category knowledge, product type (i.e., hedonic and utilitarian) and consumers’ valuation of variety and quality on consumers’ allocation of attention and purchase behavior for pioneers and late entrants.
The results showed that product complexity influenced consumers’ allocation of attention and purchase behavior. Consumers of complex products had a higher purchase intention for the second entrant on the market. Furthermore, for complex products consumers allocated more attention to alignable differences, whereas for simple products consumers allocated more attention to nonalignable differences. Product category knowledge had a main effect on consumers’ allocation of attention, purchase intentions, preference and choice. An interaction between product type (i.e., hedonic and utilitarian) and product category knowledge was observed. Pioneering brands benefited the most when consumers perceived the product category as being high in variety and the least in product categories perceived as high in quality. Conclusions and managerial implications are presented as well as directions for future research.


identifier: Lapidus, Steven  (2011) Orthodoxy in Transition: The Vaad Ha’ir of Montreal in the Twentieth Century.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
In 1922, a group of eastern European Jewish immigrants joined together to form the Jewish Community council of Montreal (Vaad Ha’ir) to coordinate and organize the growing Jewish population’s communal needs.  Merging Orthodox and secular elements, the Vaad Ha’ir of Montreal was founded to manage the basics of Jewish life in Canada:  reliable kosher food, Jewish education, communal cooperation, and mutual aid.  Beset by struggle, competition, recalcitrant butchers, wayward kosher slaughterers, and conniving wholesalers, the Vaad’s history has been an active one.
Centering this study on the archives of the Vaad Ha’ir of Montreal in the 1950s and 60s, I have identified the challenges faced by voluntary Jewish communal bodies in North America.  Although the archives are mostly limited to the mid-century period, the analysis takes us beyond that point into the twenty-first century to examine how these changes have affected Orthodoxy in the long term.  Questions of ethnic identity, Orthodox adaptability, and communal boundaries are reflected within the records of this community, and form the basis of my analysis.
Although the Vaad Ha’ir aspired to recreate a European-style communal council that would dictate virtually every aspect of Jewish life, as was the case in Europe, the new North American reality would not permit such authority.  Faced with new social and legal circumstances, the history of the Vaad Ha’ir illuminates the struggle of traditional Jewish communities in North America to address the challenges of voluntary societies and personal freedom.  By the end of the century, the agenda of the Vaad Ha’ir of Montreal was decidedly narrower than previously.  This winnowing of communal power and influence provides evidence that that European-style communal councils  were not easily amenable to the new reality of individual liberties in the new world.


identifier: Kanapathy-Sinnaiaha, Francesca  (2011) Structure-function relationships of wheat flavone O-methyltransferase: Homology modeling, site directed mutagenesis and regulation.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Wheat (Triticum aestivum) O-methyltransferase (TaOMT2) catalyzes the sequential methylation of the flavone,tricetin (5,7,3',4',5'-pentahydroxyflavone)  to its 3'-methyl-(selgin), 3',5'-dimethyl-(tricin) and 3',4',5'-trimethyl ether derivatives, although tricin is the major product of this reaction. The novelty of TaOMT2 to perform three sequential methylations of tricetin as a substrate, the chemopreventive properties of its major product, tricin, and the compelling interest in the protein’s structure-function relationships, prompted us to further investigate this novel protein at the biochemical, molecular and structural levels. A 3-D model of this protein was constructed using the crystal structure of the highly homologous Medicago sativa caffeic acid/5-hydroxyferulic acid O-methyltransferase (MsCOMT) as a template with the aim of proposing a mechanism for multiple methyl transfer reactions in wheat. Homology modeling experiments in which each of the substrates tricetin, selgin and tricin, was docked into the model revealed a number of amino acid residues putatively involved in substrate binding and catalysis. Results suggest that substrate binding is mediated by an extensive network of H-bonds and van der Waals interactions. Mutational analysis of structurally-guided active site residues identified those involved in binding and catalysis. A possible reaction mechanism is discussed.
	The biological significance of this methylation reaction was also investigated by analyzing its expression, enzyme activity patterns at different wheat developmental stages, in response to cold acclimation and to different abiotic stresses such as salt and drought. Results show that TaOMT2 predominantly accumulates in wheat influorescences compared to leaves, coinciding with the increased methyltransferase activity in the influorescence tissues. The effect of abiotic stresses on wheat reveals that TaOMT2 accumulates in cold-acclimated winter wheat leaves. In contrast, TaOMT2 activity with tricetin as a substrate shows a tendency to decrease during cold acclimation. Other abiotic stresses, such as salt and drought have no effects on TaOMT2 accumulation in wheat leaves, but a slight decrease in activity. The importance of tricetin methylation during developmental stages and during abiotic stresses is discussed.


identifier: Tamim, Haitham  (2011) Relationship between IS Department Strategy, Structure and Performance: A Configurational Approach.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Khattab, Ahmed/ Abd ElRahman  (2011) Investigation of an Adaptable Crash Energy Management System to Enhance Vehicle Crashworthiness.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The crashworthiness enhancement of vehicle structures is a very challenging task during the vehicle design process due to complicated nature of vehicle design structures that need to comply with different conflicting design task requirements.  Although different safety agencies have issued and modified standardized crash tests to guarantee structural integrity and occupant survivability, there is continued rise of fatalities in vehicle crashes especially the passenger cars. This dissertation research explores the applicability of a crash energy management system of providing variable energy absorbing properties as a function of the impact speed to achieve enhanced occupant safety. The study employs an optimal crash pulse to seek designs of effective energy absorption mechanisms for reducing the occupant impact severity. The study is conducted in four different phases, where the performance potentials of different concepts in add-on energy absorbing/dissipating elements are investigated in the initial phase using a simple lumped-parameter model. For this purpose, a number of performance measures related to crash safety are defined, particular those directly related to occupant deceleration and compartment intrusion. Moreover, the effects of the linear, quadratic and cubic damping properties of the add-on elements are investigated in view of structure deformation and occupant`s Head Injury Criteria (HIC).
 In the second phase of this study, optimal design parameters of the proposed add-on energy absorber concept are identified through solutions of single- and weighted multi-objective minimization functions using different methods, namely sequential quadratic programming (SQP), genetic algorithms (GA) and hybrid genetic algorithms. The solutions obtained suggest that conducting multiobjective optimization of conflicting functions via genetic algorithms could yield an improved design compromise over a wider range of impact speeds. The effectiveness of the optimal add-on energy absorber configurations are subsequently investigated through its integration to a full-scale vehicle model in the third phase. The elasto-plastic stress-strain and force-deflection properties of different substructures are incorporated in the full-scale vehicle model integrating the absorber concept. A scaling method is further proposed to adapt the vehicle model to sizes of current automobile models. The influences of different design parameters on the crash energy management safety performance measures are studied through a comprehensive sensitivity analysis.
In the final phase, the proposed add-on absorber concept is implemented in a high fidelity nonlinear finite element (FE) model of a small passenger car in the LS-DYNA platform. The simulation results of the model with add-on system, obtained at different impact speeds, are compared with those of the baseline model to illustrate the crashworthiness enhancement and energy management properties of the proposed concept. The results show that vehicle crashworthiness can be greatly enhanced using the proposed add-on crash energy management system, which can be implemented in conjunction with the crush elements.


identifier: Martin, Grant S  (2011) True Religions: The Idea of Religious Pluralism.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Since the early 1980s a popular threefold typology has been the dominant means for classifying theories of religious diversity within the Christian theology of religions and the Western philosophy of religion. Despite its popularity, this typology has also been widely criticized for being incoherent on account of including a theoretical type that is not real; namely, religious pluralism. Religious pluralism is considered unreal in the sense that it is not sufficiently different from the other two types, called religious exclusivism and religious inclusivism. Indeed, some critics have argued that there is only exclusivism, or only inclusivism, and so the threefold typology should be abandoned altogether. This work will review late twentieth century theories of religious diversity, and argue that religious pluralism is a real and distinct theoretical option for religious diversity theorists. More specifically, it will argue in favour of a fourfold typology that includes two different types of religious pluralism; humanistic-universalistic pluralism and metaphysical pluralism. Within this fourfold typology, both types of pluralism are characterized by an argument that pluralizes some particular idea of true religion. Thus, both types of pluralism advance the novel idea of true religions and, by extension, the even more novel sounding idea of the true religions.


identifier: Galloway, Ian  (2010) Exploration into the impact of CEO and CIO shared knowledge on firm performance.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis explores the relationship between shared knowledge of senior executives and organizational performance. The senior executives in question in this work are the CEO and CIO. The work in this thesis is considered to be exploratory due to the use of some new scales to measure constructs and the new format of use for previously established scales. The hopes of this research are primarily to create enough evidence, through correlation evaluation, to generate further research in the stream using similar or the same concepts. Further, the method used to establish correlation was non-parametric, Spearman's Rank Correlation Coefficient, primarily due to the exploratory sized sample and secondly due to its ability to show the degree or correlation between variables. Results of the statistical analysis are that overall the sample relied primarily on separate function to perform the strategic activities of capability identification, governance and environmental analysis, yet only environmental analysis was the only function where higher degrees of shared knowledge had no effect on firm performance.


identifier: Kaltcheva, Maria  (2011) Characterization and Development of Novel Stationary Phases for Capillary Electrochromatography.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Porous monolithic stationary phases for capillary electrochromatography have shown great potential due to the ability to tune their properties for tailor-made separations by careful selection of the polymerization parameters.  However, the final morphological and chemical properties of the column remain difficult to predict. In order to better understand the effects of the relevant variables on column properties and morphology we have significantly streamlined the preparation procedure and investigated an array of variables (temperature, reaction time, porogenic solvent concentration) on the porosity and retention of the columns.  Factorial experimental design was implemented to derive models that were able to describe the polymer porosity and the retention of three PAH’s as a function of starting reagents and conditions.
The current study showed that with a factorial design approach, monolith porosity and chromatography can be reliably tuned by adjusting the porogenic solvent concentration, the polymerization time and reaction temperature. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the polymerization conditions affected the polymer structure and particle size. Synergistic effects not accessible by the “one variable at time” approach were identified between the temperature and polymerization time and temperature and monomer/porogenic solvent ratio through multivariate analysis.  The control of the monolith porosity and chromatographic behaviour will allow future efforts to be focused on creating reproducible, tailor-made monolithic columns with targeted chromatographic properties suitable for the separation of peptides and proteins from biological fluids.


identifier: Szpilberg, Anna  (2011) Timing the Muse: Creating the musical experience, expressively directed micro-timing and the pianist’s signature voice.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: McNair, Sarah Margaret  (2011) The Effect of Disturbances on the Belowground System in the Black Spruce Boreal Forest: Ectomycorrhizal Community, Nutrient Availability and Decomposition Rates.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Disturbances are integral to the structure and functioning of the boreal forest. However their effects upon the underground components in this ecosystem are still largely unknown.  In this thesis, I describe the ectomycorrhizal and understory plant communities in the black spruce boreal forest of the Abitibi region, Québec, and discuss the effects that both forest fires and logging have on the ectomycorrhizal community, nutrient supply rates and decomposition rates.  The ectomycorrhizal community from black spruce, characterized by morphotyping and molecular techniques was dominated by Cenococcum geophilum and three Piloderma species.  The plant community was made up of a mosaic of vegetation patches, which are described in this thesis, as either Sphagnum dominated plots, which associated with Sphagnum, Gaultheria hispidula and Picea mariana; or ericoid/lichen dominated plots, which associated with Lichen and Vaccinium angustifolium.  Statistical analysis revealed that the effect of the disturbances was largely insignificant to the ectomycorrhizal community, nutrient supply and decomposition rates, and most differences were between transects.  However, both the understory plant community plot types and abundance of individual plant species were found to have significant correlations with the most abundant ectomycorrhizal species.  This suggests that if we want to know how the ectomycorrhizal community will be affected by disturbances, we should look at changes in the plant community due to disturbances.


identifier: Dionisio, Matthew  (2011) Gay Men’s Friendships: Cross-Generational Analyses of Two Age Cohorts in Montréal.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis offers a unique comparative analysis of two groups of gay men: the first comprised of participants to come of age in Québec and Montréal during the 1960s and 1970s and a second made up of gay youth in their 20s living in contemporary Montréal. The analysis of life-history narratives, throughout this thesis, allows for an exploration of how the older participants came to build not only safe space through the elaboration of an early gay community, but also how they individually came to develop a desired intimate milieu utilizing close bonds of friendship and meaning. Through this investigation, the reader is able to discover what these “spaces” and “milieus” offer for the individual, how they relate to traditional kinship, and how they have evolved over the life-course and ever-adapting social reality. The comparative approach allows me to then explore whether the same pressures and demands, as recounted by the older cohort, are still in place and experienced by gay youth today. Moreover, a deeper analysis of the younger participant’s life-history narratives allows for an investigation of what new challenges have appeared, and how gay youth are employing new liberties, diversity, and options in the experience and construction of new safe spaces and intimate milieu which correspond to the life and social-reality of the new homosexual living in a dynamic contemporary Montréal.


identifier: Colasurdo, Gabriele  (2011) The role of arginine 204 in Candida glabrata tRNA nucleotidyltransferase.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The enzyme ATP(CTP):tRNA nucleotidyltransferase is required for protein synthesis in eukaryotes. It allows for the step-wise addition of a specific cytidine-cytidine-adenosine (CCA) sequence to the 3’ ends of tRNAs without the use of a nucleic acid template. Crystal structures of the eubacterial and archeal enzymes have been solved both in the presence and absence of model substrates. Based on these studies and primary sequence comparisons, roles for a number of conserved residues have been proposed. Here, we examine the role of an arginine residue in the conserved EDxxR motif. In bacteria, this residue helps nucleotide selection by altering its orientation in space to make distinct hydrogen bonds first with CTP and then with ATP as part of a dynamic amino acid template (Li et al., 2002). We found that changing this arginine (Arg204) in the C. glabrata enzyme to alanine, glutamate, or glutamine, results in variant enzymes unable to support in vivo growth. Although biophysical experiments show differences between native and variant enzymes, Arg204’s primary role is not in defining the enzyme’s overall structural integrity. As expected, in vitro nucleotide incorporation experiments show a decrease in nucleotide incorporation efficiency at all positions, decreased specificity at position 75, and an increase in specificity at position 76 (compared to the native enzyme). Along with its suggested dynamic role during nucleotide binding, the results shown here suggest that Arg204 in C. glabrata tRNA nucleotidyltransferase also plays a role in orienting residues in the binding pocket while altering the pocket’s size to aid in discrimination between nucleotides at the different positions.


identifier: Chen, Liang  (2011) Innovative Bracing System for Earthquake Resistant Concentrically Braced Frame Structures.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
The chevron braced frame is a widely used seismic force resistant system in North America in areas subjected to moderate-to-severe earthquakes. However, the chevron braced frame system is limited in term of lateral loads redistribution over the building height.
Khatib et al (1988) proposed to add zipper columns to link together all brace-to-beam intersecting points with the aim to drive all compression braces to buckle simultaneously and as a result to enlarge the energy dissipation capacity of the system. Although the Commentary of AISC Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Building (AISC 2002) contains recommendations regarding this innovative zipper steel frame systems, no design provisions are included yet.
The scope of this thesis is to refine the design method for the Zipper Braced Frame System which was initially proposed by Tremblay and Tirca (2003) and to study the system’s behaviour under seismic loads by means of accurate inelastic time-history analysis.
The main objective of this research project is three-fold:
To develop accurate computer brace models by using Drain2DX and OpenSees and to validate the accuracy of computations with experimental test results for slender, intermediate and stocky braces;
To refine the existing design method for CBFs with strong zipper columns;
To validate the refined design method by studying the performance of CBF systems with strong zipper columns in Drain2DX and OpenSees environment for low-, middle- and high-rise buildings.
Through this research, the overall understanding of the CBF system with strong zipper columns is improved by means of accurate numerical predictions. The outcome of this study will be further used as input data for experimental tests.
The design procedure has been divided into two phases: design of braces, columns and beams according to NBC 2005 and CSA-S16-09 and design of zipper columns. A spreadsheet was developed for a 4-, 8- and 12-storey buildings and six different pattern loads related to the distribution of internal brace forces over the structure height were proposed. Based on this study, the best suited pattern load distribution is selected and considered for zipper column design.
In order to evaluate the accuracy of modeling assumption in OpenSees, parametric studies were carried out. Comparisons between analytical and available test results have validated the accuracy of the computer models and analysis results. Three ground motion ensembles such as: regular, near-field and Cascadia were scaled to match the design spectrum for Victoria, B.C., have been considered in these analyses.
In conclusion, good seismic performance was found for all studied buildings. The forces in the zippers were equal to or lower than predicted in the design method. All zipper columns performed in elastic range while buckling of braces propagated upward or downward within seconds. It was clearly demonstrated that by using CBF’s with zipper columns the storey mechanism was mitigated and in almost all cases the interstorey drift was uniformly distributed over the structure height. In addition the median estimations of the interstorey drifts were below than 2.5% hs limit prescribed in the NBC-05 code for buildings of normal importance.
The outcomes of this research project will be further used as input data for a future experimental test planned to be conducted on an 8-storey braced frame with zipper columns sample.


identifier: Sun, Weiqi  (2010) The Effects of Spatial Differentiation on Wayfinding Performance in Underground Environments.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Zeng, Qingjie  (2011) Performance Evaluation of Signage System in Subway Stations.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
An information integrated, recognition accessible and format standardized signage system is not only a basic feature of a subway station, but also a factor that contributes to the smooth and well-organized operation of the subway service.  To figure out the deficiency and limitation of existing signs in one subway station, and to further recover and improve the signage function, a comprehensive performance assessment of the signage system is necessary and compulsory, if not periodically, as least when major system modifications/enhancements are executed.  In this study, a methodology is proposed to evaluate the signage performance from three aspects: information integration, visibility optimization and legibility standardization.

	Information integration requires a complete signage system in the station offering demanded and mandatory information to the public.  It is examined via a comparison between the existing signs and a standardized signage system, which is defined in three stages: station element and passenger flow identification, signage definition and classification, and signage implementation.  Visibility optimization means the signs should be set and installed in a proper way regarding to the color, panel size, lighting, orientation and height, to maximize their ability of drawing and facilitating passenger’s attention and recognition.  The visibility of one sign is evaluated as one of the three levels: optimized visibility, limited visibility and impaired visibility.  Legibility standardization introduces guidelines on format displaying of signs with respect to typeface, color application and information presentation, to achieve for passenger’s easy acceptance and understanding of signage information.

	Based on the methodology, an implementation flowchart is developed for generic signage evaluation in one subways station.  A case study (Berri-UQAM Metro station) in Montreal city is tested as a step-by-step application of this methodology in a real-world system.  The absent signs and signs that need improvement are identified in detail and the evaluation result is summarized, as basis for further ameliorative measures.


identifier: Verstricht, Sylvain  (2011) Spaces, Tactics, and Time: City Wandering in Taiwanese Cinema from 1992 to 2006.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis concerns the theme and form of “wandering” in Taiwanese cinema. It focuses on selected films by three major directors: Tsai Ming-liang, Hou Hsiao-hsien, and Edward Yang. These three directors are not only the most critically acclaimed from Taiwan, their films also share more than a few characteristics. Their narratives often involve wandering, whether it be in content or form. I argue that this wandering is presented as a way of experiencing the world that can lead to greater agency within it. In “Edward Yang’s Yi yi: Everyday Adventure in the Idyllic City”, I use Bakhtin’s chronotope to observe how wandering in the city can transform the everyday into an adventure that leads to greater knowledge and happiness. In “Tsai Ming-liang: Wandering through Dystopia”, I draw on de Certeau’s “pedestrian speech act” to contend that characters in the director’s films approach their dystopian environment from a wandering perspective, which allows them to create new possibilities within the constraining order. In “The Perpetual Present: Mythic Time in Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Millennium Mambo”, I use Barthes’s concept of mythic time to claim that Hou offers a text that is already reread, thereby allowing the viewer to experience a time without before or after. In these films, urban wandering is a process of self-discovery that is necessary to determine one’s place within the surrounding community (familial or affinitive) and in the world at large.


identifier: Nouri, Pegah  (2011) Desirable pedestrian density.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Desirable pedestrian density

abstract:
Studies of the effects of crowding have been conducted in different environments, but almost exclusively within indoor spaces, while outdoor spaces have largely been unstudied. In this study, the desirability of different levels of crowding is studied on a main street in downtown Montreal. Like most of the crowding studies, the methodology used for this research is a visual preference survey; however, using videos to represent density is novel in the field. It is discussed in previous studies that respondents perceive these two methods (representation with picture and videos) differently. Other variables considered in the responses are gender, culture, location of the case study, and density level.
The main finding of this study is that there is an inverted U-shaped relation between density and desirability, which means that as density increases the desirability increases up to the critical point and then starts to diminish. The inverted U-shaped function has been observed elsewhere in studies of environmental aesthetics. Other independent variables –gender, cultural background and location– did not have a significant effect on expressed desirability.
The results of this study add to the empirical evidence of commonly held levels of desirable pedestrian density in public spaces. The U-shaped response curve is a new finding. The results of this study show that few or no people can be as undesirable as high levels of crowding. The results could lead to a better allocation of space for public use, in relation to the level of use of the space.


identifier: Wilkinson, Sarah A.  (2011) The Living Monument: A Consideration of the Politics of Indigenous Representation and Public Historical Monuments in Québec.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: This thesis discusses key problems that historical public monuments in Québec raise for the historical and present-day politics of representation of Indigenous peoples through the discussion of two monuments in the Province of Québec --the 1893 Jacques Cartier Fountain in Montréal by Joseph-Arthur Vincent, and the 1890 sculpture La halte dans la forêt in Québec City designed  by Louis-Philippe Hébert. It begins by examining the ways in which Indigenous peoples were represented in the period of Cartiermania (1820-1920) in relation to the Jacques Cartier Fountain which was the first monument erected in the likeness of Cartier. It then considers representations of the stereotype of the “noble savage” in Québec during Cartiermania, and two other historical moments: early French-Canadian nationalism (1763-1920) and present-day. I argue that both the Jacques Cartier fountain and La halte dans la forêt, fall into the tradition of representing Indigenous figures as allegory for French Canadian nationalism during the late nineteenth-century. The thesis concludes with a discussion of Onondaga/Iroquois artist Jeff Thomas’ views on the notion of the “living monument.” As a potential site for voicing contemporary Indigenous perspectives on such representations, the living monument offers a helpful strategy to negotiate historical and contemporary discourses on representation of Indigenous peoples in Québec.


identifier: Fang, Yuan  (2011) Production and Formative Evaluation of a Blended Website-Supported Course on the Rudiments of Music.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
This is a Thesis-equivalent design production and evaluation of an educational Website. Its purpose is to support the teaching of the Basics of Music in an interactive blended learning mode manner. This document gives an introduction to the immense music teaching activity in China which makes such a project potentially very valuable and the particular opportunity for undertaking it. The Website produced is found on a disk attached with this report.

Relevant literature is reviewed. The specific goals are stated, and then the whole design procedure is presented. The Formative evaluation method involving initial trials by three experts in music teaching one who is working in e-Learning their evaluation was followed by trials with seventy-four students of the e-learning music course and comparison with nine students of the same course content not taking it in e-Learning format. The valuations were generally favourable and helped improve the site. The main improvements suggested but not yet carried out were the addition of more of the interactive music pieces, and the extension of the Website to more advanced topics.


identifier: Amjadi, Zahra  (2011) Power Electronics Intensive Energy Management Solutions for Hybrid Electric Vehicle Energy Storage Systems.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Batteries, ultra capacitors (UCs), and fuel cells (FCs) are widely being proposed for electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (EVs/PHEVs) as energy sources. The increasing popularity of EVs and PHEVs can be attributed to the savings in fuel costs, compared to conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. EVs and PHEVs save energy due to the employment of reverse regenerating braking, during the deceleration cycle. This recuperated energy can be proficiently stored in batteries and/or ultra-capacitors. In general, the design of an intelligent control strategy for coordinated power distribution is a critical issue for ultra-capacitor supported PHEV energy storage systems. Implementation of several control methods have been presented in related literature, with the goal of improving battery life and overall vehicle efficiency. The control objectives vary with respect to vehicle velocity, power demand, and state-of-charge of both the batteries and ultra-capacitors. Hence, an optimal control strategy design is a critical aspect of an all-electric/plug-in hybrid electric vehicle operational characteristic.
This thesis deals with the detailed analysis and novel hybrid controller design for bidirectional energy management solutions, using smart power electronic DC/DC converter solutions. More specifically, an intelligently designed novel digital control technique is presented for a 4-quadrant switched-capacitor Luo (4Q SC Luo) DC/DC converter. Features of voltage step-down, step-up, and bi-directional power flow are integrated into a single circuit. The novel control strategy enables simpler dynamics, compared to a standard buck converter with input filter, superior regulation capability, lower source current ripple, ease of control, and continuous input current waveform in buck and boost modes of operation. Furthermore, the proposed novel control strategy depicts high converter power density, high efficiency, and simple structure.


identifier: Kim, Andrea  (2011) A slight suspicion may destroy a good repute: Understanding the Impact of CSR Strategy on Consumer Responses.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Although the term socially responsible firm is becoming more common in the marketplace, the question remains why consumers do not automatically make positive association for positive firm actions. Drawing from attribution theory, this research proposes that the absence of an automatic positive attribution (i.e. the firm is inherently good) is due to firm and CSR factors that may lead consumers to make alternative attributions. The CSR factors included in this study were CSR investment and CSR stakeholder reach. The findings in two separate studies showed that a high investment in CSR and CSR stakeholder reach that targeted multiple stakeholders had direct positive effects on purchase intentions, corporate evaluations, brand credibility, and brand trust. Firm factors of firm size and public scrutiny also impacted consumer responses: Firms under high public scrutiny who made a higher investment and a diversified CSR stakeholder reach experienced more positive corporate evaluations (Study 1). In addition, smaller firms with a focused CSR stakeholder reach had higher corporate evaluations than larger firms (Study 2). These firm and CSR factors led to higher values driven attributions (i.e. consumer attributions that the firm has a genuine concern for social issues), a mediator for a number of the consumer responses. Implications on how to design an optimal CSR program in light of firm constraints are addressed.


identifier: Garadjalou, Taymaz  (2010) Khul‘ in Imāmī Law: Women’s Prerogative in Divorce and the Moral Order of the Jurists.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Abstract

Khul‘  in Imāmī Law: Women’s Prerogative in Divorce and the Moral Order of the Jurists. Taymaz Garadjalou

This thesis explores obligatory khulʿ divorce (al-khulʿ al-wājib) in Imāmī Shīʿīsm. By “obligatory divorce” is meant an offer by a wife of negotiated payment in return for divorce which cannot be refused by the husband; it is more usual that khulʿ  divorce cannot go forward without the husband’s consent. The method employed in this work is an overview of the main texts of explanatory law (al-fiqh al-istidlālī) in Imāmīsm. The work first gives a general account of marital dissolution in Islamic law, along with a detailed outline of the basic elements of khulʿ. Possible parallels with Jewish notions of divorce that appear to be similar to khulʿ and in particular its obligatory form are also noted. The work then outlines the opinions of the minority of Imāmī jurists, both classical and modern, who allowed women to receive khulʿ divorces without the consent of their husbands. Finally, the significance of this data is discussed in light of the patriarchal moral order of the jurists who compose and control the law. I argue that the controversial nature of obligatory khulʿ  is not (primarily) due to ambiguities in the Imāmī legal texts, but is rather the result of negotiations between male jurists on 1) how to maintain male authority and power over matters of family law and 2) how to deal with a wife’s extreme discontent and even adultery as possible results of the non-availability of divorce and potential threats to male authority and control over women’s sexuality. The work concludes by providing an account of obligatory khulʿ by a prominent modern clerical reformist, Ayatullah Yūsuf Ṣāniʿī of Iran. Although his legal opinion and method may seem novel, this work demonstrates that they are, on the contrary, in line with classical Imāmī legal thought.


identifier: Ren, Yonglin  (2011) Metaheuristics for multiobjective capacitated location allocation on logistics networks.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Orabi, Esam Abd El-Malek Abd-Allah  (2011) Molecular modeling of cation–π interactions and ammonium permeation in AmtB.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Cation–π interactions are noncovalent interactions known to play various important roles in chemical and biological systems. In proteins, such interactions usually involve Phe, Tyr or Trp in contact with inorganic cations or positively charged amino acids (Arg and Lys). AmtB is a transmembrane protein that has a high affinity for ammonium and facilitates its transport across the membrane which provides a source of nitrogen for amino acid synthesis in bacteria. The amino acid residues that line the pore of the crystallographically-identified outer binding site, S1, of AmtB (Trp148, Phe107, and Phe103) are known to stabilize NH4+ through cation–π interactions. However, the nature of the transported species, NH3 or NH4+, and the permeation mechanism are not yet known. In this study, ab initio quantum mechanical calculations at the MP2/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory are performed on the interaction of Li+, Na+, K+ and NH4+ with benzene monomer, dimer, and trimer in order to measure the strength of cation–π interactions in these systems and to parameterize a polarizable force field for these interactions. The resulting force field is used to investigate cation–π interactions and their effect on π–π interactions in water. Polarizable potential models for NH3, Na+, K+, and NH4+ interacting with H2O and with model compounds of the amino acids found along the AmtB permeation pathway are also developed based on ab initio calculations on these interactions at the same level of theory. The resulting models are used to investigate the binding selectivity of S1 toward NH4+ and the biologically abundant monovalent ions Na+ and K+. The nature of the permeable species and possible permeation mechanisms are also investigated based on molecular dynamics free energy calculations.


identifier: Hale, Mary I  (2011) The Fourth Solitude: Religious Motivation as an Inconvenient Truth in Canadian Environmental Policy and Legislation.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Fortin, Michael  (2011) Interactive Simulation of Fluid Flow.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Interactive Simulation of Fluid Flow

abstract:
The simulation of fluid flow on rectangular grids using a discretized version of the Navier Stokes Equations for incompressible fluid flow can be simultaneously described as an aesthetically pleasing and computationally intensive embarrassingly parallel problem.

Ideally, the aesthetics of the fluid simulation should, given some set of parameters, feel natural despite the synthetic nature of the underlying grids.  This natural feel, paramount to the success of the system, should fool a person into believing that they are interacting with a real fluid.

The number of calculations and data accesses increases with the number of cells present in the rectangular grid upon which the fluid is simulated.  An increased number of calculations are required for augmented accuracy, different external forces, and additional dimensions.  Since it is a trivial task to increase the complexity of the simulation, interactivity becomes a challenge of balancing accuracy, stability, and detail against speed of execution.

A simple solution is to throw more processing power through increased instruction execution speeds or additional cores.  Throwing additional cores at the problem strains the memory bus making it the point that slows down the simulation.  Therefore for a given algorithm, respecting data locality and processor peculiarities can be used to minimize execution times.

This document introduces a means of  caching corrected velocity fields, a task scheduler that attempts to maximize the usage of the cache on multi-core processors, and a na\"ive compression algorithm based on run-length encoding.


identifier: Francoeur, Chantal  (2011) Choc des cultures, contre-discours et adaptation: l'intégration, le régime de vérité radio-canadien.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Bertone, Stephen  (2011) Uninformed Trader Risk and Market Inefficiency.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Mills, Jessica J.  (2011) What’s The Point?: The Meaning of Place, Memory, and Community in Point Saint Charles, Quebec.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
What’s The Point?: The Meaning of Place, Memory, and Community in Point Saint Charles, Quebec
Jessica J. Mills

In Point Saint Charles (The Point), concepts of place, memory, class, and community cannot be understood in isolation.  As the area undergoes socio-economic changes, the struggle over what The Point is, how it got there, and who belongs within it, is contested.  The public history of industrialization and industrial decline contributes to a homogenous memory of class that is threatened by gentrification.  This reinforces a defensive stance compounded by negative experiences of “urban renewal”.  However, the gentrification underway does not fit the traditional model, complicating these themes considerably.  This thesis traces the shifting temporal and spatial understandings of place, exploring the fluid nature of The Point’s symbolic and physical boundaries - how they came to be and how they inform public history, place attachment, and the use of community.  These meanings are contributing to the creation of a “community of memory” negotiated predominantly through social media sites.  “Pointers” are smoothing out conflicting memories, and silencing dissent within the group, while asserting difference from “others”.  The construction of this community represents a struggle over place identity made manifest by gentrification and is highly nostalgic.  This use of community no longer requires residency for inclusion, instead “Pointers” depend on symbols, rituals, and a flexible notion of time to carve out a space of acceptance.


identifier: Birdsell Bauer, Louise  (2011) Permanently Precarious? Contingent Academic Faculty Members, Professional Identity and Institutional Change in Quebec Universities.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Universities across Canada are increasingly using contingent, or temporary instructors to teach undergraduate courses (Rajagopal 2002, Muzzin 2008, Lin 2006). Scholars have examined the marginalization of contingent academic faculty members in Canadian universities (Rajagopal 2002, Muzzin 2008). They have also critiqued the ways in which universities use contingent faculty to create surplus value and surplus labour (Rajagopal 2002, Bauder 2006), and support a “primary segment” (Bauder 2006) of the tenured and tenure-track professoriate. In this thesis, I examine the key issues faced by contingent academic faculty members, and how these issues impact on their professional identity. I also investigate into how the use of contingent faculty impacts on teaching practices in higher education. Through the analysis of Labour Force Survey data, I ascertain to what extent contingent academic labour has increased from 1998 to 2008, suggesting that full-time temporary labour is on the rise. I then analyze data gathered from twelve interviews with contingent academic faculty members at Quebec universities to explore how their working conditions and experiences have impacted on their professional identity and perceived quality of instruction. I suggest that professional identity among contingent faculty members is not as static as suggested by Rajagopal (2002) or Gappa and Leslie (1993) Using David Harvey’s (2005) concept of neoliberalism and Ulrich Beck’s (1992) concept of the flexibilization of labour under risk society, I situate the flexibilization of academic labour within the neoliberalization of the university, and also point to linkages between contingent academic labour and the commodification of higher education.


identifier: Ma, Luo  (2011) Ultra-Broadband Fiber-Based Optical Supercontinuum Source.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Mehrabian, Ali  (2011) A Formal Framework for Trace Abstraction and Correlation.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.


identifier: Laurin, Alexandre  (2011) On Duncan's Characterization of McKay's Monstrous E_8.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: McKay’s Monstrous E8 observation has provided further evidence, along with the evidence provided by the study of Monstrous Moonshine, that the Monster is intimately linked with a wide spectrum of other mathematical objects and, one might even say, with the natural organization of the universe. Although these links have been observed and facts about them proved, we have yet to understand exactly where and how they originate. We here review a set of conditions, due to Duncan, imposed on arithmetic subgroups of PSL2(R) that return McKay’s Monstrous E8 diagram. The purpose is to compare these with Conway, McKay and Sebbar’s (CMS) conditions that return the complete set of Monstrous Moonshine groups in order to gain some insight on their meaning. By way of doing this review of Duncan’s conditions, we will also review and elaborate on Conway’s method for understanding groups like Γ0(N).


identifier: Madakashira-Pranesh, Anand  (2011) Experimental and Analytical study of Transmission of Whole-body Vibration to Segments of the Seated Human Body.  PhD thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Prolonged exposure to whole body vibration (WBV) has been associated with prevalence of spinal disorders among operators of vibrating mobile machinery. The study of biodynamic responses of body segments is thus pertinent for our understanding of potential injury mechanisms and designs of interventions. This study concerns seated body biodynamic responses to vertical vibration through measurements at the driving-point and at body segments, and development of an analytical model for prediction of global and localised responses. Experiments were undertaken to simultaneously measure driving-point apparent mass (APMS) and body segment acceleration transmissibility of 12 adult subjects under random vertical vibration in the 0.5-20 Hz frequency range. Measurements were taken at the C7, T5, T12, L3 and L5 vertebral locations along the fore-aft and vertical axes using skin-mounted micro-accelerometers, and at the scalp using a light-weight head strap with a micro-accelerometer. The study involved four sitting postures realised with different combinations of hands position (on the lap or on the steering wheel) and back support (none or a vertical support), and three excitation magnitudes (0.25, 0.5 and 1 m/s2 RMS). Mathematical correction methods were employed to account for skin effects, sensor misalignments, and seat inertia effects. The corrected body-segment responses of the twelve subjects depicted a clear dependence on the back support condition (p<0.01), while the influences of hand position and vibration magnitude were also significant but relatively weaker.
Owing to the significant influences of the postural parameters, it was concluded that different support-specific datasets would be necessary to describe the WBV responses and identification of biodynamic models. A 19 degrees-of-freedom anthropometric multi-body biodynamic (MBD) model of the 50th percentile male subjects was formulated on the basis of the known anthropometric inertial and joint properties to simulate sagittal plane motions of the body under vertical WBV. The visco-elastic parameters of various joints were identified through minimisation of a set of error functions derived from different combinations of target responses using the Genetic Algorithm. The minimisation of an error function based on measured vertical head, and fore-aft head and C7 vibration provided an acceptable convergence in primary resonance peaks in both the APMS and the segmental vibration responses. Eigen analysis of the resulting model revealed the presence of 4 significant modes at frequencies below 15 Hz, including two modes near the primary resonant frequency of 5 Hz (4.76 Hz and 5.71 Hz), corresponding to vertical movement of the whole body and pelvic rotation. The model was subsequently applied to estimate vibratory power absorbed within different joints and the total body. The total absorbed power of the model agreed reasonably well with the measured total power. The study revealed that a large portion of the power was absorbed at the body-seat interface, primarily by the buttock tissue. However, significant energy dissipation also occurred at the abdominal viscera and the lower lumbar joint (L5). The L5 was the only joint that showed relatively higher energy dissipation in translation as well as pitch rotation, which may be associated with the most widely reported location of pain and spinal injury.


identifier: Dubuc, Julien  (2011) Modeling the Evolving Structure of Social Text for Information Extraction and Topic Detection.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: The advent of “social media” has enabled millions of people to participate in discussions within communities on a global scale. These conversations take place in a myriad of venues, on or off the web, each with its particular approach to implement what we now call “social media” – blogs, bulletin boards, mailing lists. However, while the software powering these communities varies a great deal, and continues to evolve, all of them share a common set of features. When a user initiates a discussion, the message is not addressed to a specific person, but broadcast to any interested reader; such a message can generate replies from other users, and these replies can then generate their own, forming a network of connections between messages. There is a need for a system that can make connections between related pieces of social text, to group information into coherent units. Making use of the structure of the social text helps to determine which elements of the text to consider for a given topic. To do this, a system needs to consider the different contexts in which it can be understood. A post, text transmitted by a single author at the same point in time, may have a different topic than the whole thread, which is comprised of all the posts in the discussion following an initial post. Different passages in a post could also have separate topics. Therefore, it is useful to annotate the text with information about its social structure explicitly for use in automatic search and text mining.


identifier: Chevrier, Erik  (2011) An Inquiry Into How People Are Affected by Profuse Amounts of Publicity: A Multidisciplinary Approach.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
Abstract

An Inquiry into How People Are Affected by Profuse Amounts of Publicity: A Multidisciplinary Approach

The purpose of this thesis was to examine whether advertising affects people’s ability to make rational consumer decisions. Considering that advertising is so pervasive, we may be continuously programming ourselves to desire goods and services. In this thesis, I used a multi-disciplinary approach stemming from priming and suggestion
theory. I tested whether participants could be primed to develop more extreme consumer behaviour attitudes and values. I also assessed whether participants who were more
suggestible, were also more influenced by advertising. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted. The sample consisted of sixty Concordia University students,
thirty males and thirty females. The results of the priming study were inconclusive because of mixed findings. In general, exposure to commercial media was correlated with
extreme buying behaviour. However, the advertising exposed group did not significantly increase their materialistic values scores after they were exposed to advertising. This may be because the group diversity between the advertising and control group was skewed. At time one, the control group had a significantly greater mean materialistic value score than the advertising pre-exposed group. Using suggestion theory, I found that participants who
had a greater ability to fantasize displayed more extreme consumer behaviour. This may be because interacting with advertisements that display fantastic signs and symbols may
help people form commodity meaning, especially for those who have a greater ability to fantasize. Therefore, those who can fantasize more vividly may respond more to advertising than people who do not have this ability. Through qualitative analysis, I described how participants think that advertising influences them as well as people in
general. I found a significant third person effect; participants reported that they are less affected by advertisements than people in general. To improve on this study, both advertising and control groups should be equally materialistic from the beginning of the study. Furthermore, better measures of advertising effects should be used. This study serves as a stepping-stone for further research on the topic.


identifier: Leroux, Craig  (2011) Life and the Symbolic in the Philosophy of Ernst Cassirer.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract: Ernst Cassirer’s philosophy of symbolic forms has met with a wide range of reactions from his readers, often drawing the criticism that it remains within the rubric of a neo-Kantian intellectualism. Specifically, Heidegger criticized Cassirer for not recognizing the finite and embodied nature of humanity. The present thesis argues that Cassirer holds a view of humanity as essentially finite, embodied, and temporal. Further, it argues that humanity’s power for self-development stems directly from its limited, yet open, character. The first chapter demonstrates that Cassirer advances a conception of human life as defined by the symbolic, and a conception of the symbolic that is rooted in human embodied life. The second chapter presents Cassirer’s critique of the traditional theories of perception and then argues that his notion of symbolic pregnance is key to understanding both his theory of perception and the power for humanity to symbolically construct its cultural world. The third chapter returns to Cassirer’s conception of life, showing that only in virtue of our embodiment is life able to actualize itself, construct its cultural world, and advance into the realm of Spirit.


identifier: Yiğen, Serap  (2010) Heat Transport in Graphene.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

title: Heat Transport in Graphene

abstract:
Heat transport studies are a powerful tool to obtain information about both the
phononic and electronic properties of materials. Graphene is a two-dimensional
crystal (1-atom thick) where electrons behave relativistically, and which has
tremendous potential for short-term technological applications. We measure the
heat conductivity of graphene, and aim to gather fundamental information about
its phonon modes and their coupling to its Dirac fermions (electrons or holes). Our
measurements can also assess the potential of graphene for technological applications
such as heat management in nanodevices.
We report the first detailed measurements of heat conductivity, κ, and electron
mobility, of graphene versus temperature (6K - 350K) and charge density. We have
fabricated suspended graphene devices. Our suspended devices prevent any undesired
heat leakage and allow a simple modeling of the heat transport. We use these graphene
devices as their own heat sources (Joule heating) and thermometers (resistivity) to
measure their heat conductivity. We observe that thermal conductivity varies by 3
orders of magnitude as a function of temperature, indicating phonon heat transport,
and by more than an order of magnitude as a function of charge density, suggesting
that electron-phonon coupling is important. We observed κ up to 1500 W/m.K.


identifier: Khamis, Ninus  (2011) Assessing The Quality Factors Found in In-Line Documentation Written in Natural Language: The JavadocMiner.  Masters thesis, Concordia University.

abstract:
An important software engineering artifact used by
developers and maintainers to assist in software comprehension and maintenance is source code documentation. It provides the insight needed by software engineers when performing a task, and therefore ensuring the quality of documentation is extremely important. In-line documentation is at the forefront of explaining a programmer's original intentions for a given implementation. Since this documentation is written in informal natural language, ensuring its quality needs to be performed manually. In this works, we present an effective and automated approach for assessing the quality of in-line documentation using a set of heuristics, targeting both the quality of language and consistency between source code and its comments. Our evaluation is made up of three parts: We first apply the JavadocMiner tool to the different modules of two
open source applications (ArgoUML and Eclipse) in order to
automatically assess their intrinsic comment quality. In the
second part of our evaluation, we correlate the results
returned by the analysis with bug defects reported for the
individual modules in order to examine connections between
natural language documentation and source code quality. And
finally, we compare the comment quality results generated
using our JavadocMiner with the quality assessments performed manually by undergraduate and graduate computer science students.