title: Mapping the risk of breast cancer to exposure from traffic-related air pollution using land-use regression in Vancouver, BC

contributor:
Richardson, Harriet
McIsaac, Michael
Chen, Dongmei
Community Health and Epidemiology

subject:
environmental epidemiology
traffic-related air pollution
Breast cancer
land-use regression

abstract: Thesis (Master, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2015-02-27 17:13:16.124

abstract:
An environmental role in breast cancer etiology has been suspected but evidence is still inconclusive. Traffic-related air pollution is a potentially modifiable risk factor that has been studied in the etiology of breast cancer. Two Canadian studies using similar methodology to this study have recently reported positive associations between exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a proxy for traffic-related air pollution, and breast cancer.
This thesis used land-use regression to estimate NO2 exposure for 2,015 women recruited from Vancouver, British Columbia (BC) into a population-based case-control study conducted in 2005-2010. Cases were recruited from the BC Cancer Agency and controls from the Screening Mammography Program of BC. Cross-sectional and historical analyses were conducted using NO2 estimated at time of study entry and ten years prior to study entry, respectively. Logistic regression models were created to estimate the relationship between exposure to NO2 and breast cancer, adjusting for breast cancer risk factors and stratified by menopausal status. Sensitivity analyses were conducted, assessing potential biases introduced by screening mammography program attendance and immigrant status, among others.
The analysis at study entry included 964 cases and 945 controls. No association between NO2 exposure (per 5 ppb increases) and risk of breast cancer was observed in the postmenopausal sample at study entry or at ten years prior to study entry. A consistent positive association in premenopausal women was observed at study entry (OR=1.17, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.48) and ten years prior to study entry (OR=1.18, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.49). The association between historical estimates of NO¬2 (per 5 ppb increases) and breast cancer was stronger in a sensitivity analysis excluding cases who had not attended screening mammography in the premenopausal sample (OR=1.20, 95% CI: 0.91, 1.59).
This study adds to the growing literature on exposure to traffic-related air pollution and breast cancer incidence. The results provide some support for the hypothesis that increased exposure may be associated with breast cancer, particularly in premenopausal women, although bias may have been introduced due to the selection of controls from a screening mammography program and low response rates. Future research, especially using prospective cohort studies, is needed.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Corrosion  Resistance and Development Length of  Steel Reinforcement with Cementitious Coatings

contributor:
Green, Mark F.
Fam, Amir Z.
Civil Engineering

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

subject:
CCCW Coatings
HCP Test
Corrosion
Pull-out Test
Corrosion

abstract: Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-02-28 04:17:20.626

abstract:
This research program focused on the corrosion resistance and development length of reinforcing steel coated with Cementitious Capillary Crystalline Waterproofing (CCCW) materials. The first part of this research program involved using the half-cell potential method to evaluate the corrosion resistance of CCCW coating materials. One hundred and two steel bars were embedded in concrete cylinders and monitored. In total, 64 steel reinforcing bars were coated with CCCW prior to embedment, 16 mortar cylinders were externally coated with CCCW, and 22 control (uncoated) samples were tested. All the samples were immersed in a 3.5% concentration chloride solution for a period of one year. Three coating types were studied: CCCW-B, CCCW-B+C and CCCW-C+D. The test results showed that the CCCW coating materials delayed the corrosion activity to varying degrees. In particular, CCCW-C+D applied on the reinforcing steel surface dramatically delayed the corrosion activity when compared to the control samples. After being exposed to the chloride solution for a period of one year, no sign of corrosion was observed for the cylinders where the concrete surface was coated.

The second part of this research evaluated the bond strength and development length of reinforcing steel coated with two types of CCCW coating materials (CCCW-B+C and CCCW-C+D) using a modified pull-out test method. A self-reacting inverted T-shaped beam was designed to avoid compression in the concrete surrounding the reinforcing steel. Steel reinforcing bars were embedded along the web portion of the T-beam with various embedded lengths and were staggered side by side. In total, six T-beams were fabricated and each beam contained 8 samples. Both short-term (7 days) and long-term (3 months) effects of water curing were evaluated. The reinforcing steel bars coated with CCCW-B+C demonstrated a higher bond strength than did samples coated with CCCW-C+D. However, the bond strengths of samples with coating materials were reduced compared with the bond strength of the control samples. Bond reduction factors were obtained for design purposes for various coating types.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Investigation of Gas Breakthrough of Two-Dimensional Capillary Barriers using Transparent Soil

contributor:
Mumford, Kevin G.
Siemens, Greg
Civil Engineering

subject:
Transparent soil
Gas storage
Gas pools
Capillary barrier
Heterogeneous

abstract: Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-02-28 13:10:36.581

abstract:
The prediction of gas distributions in the subsurface is critical for many applications, including the remediation of volatile contaminants in groundwater by in situ air sparging, or releases from either shale gas development or geological carbon dioxide sequestration. These distributions are strongly affected by porous media heterogeneities. It is important to know if our current theoretical knowledge can predict gas flow in realistic two-dimensional systems.
This study’s objective was to investigate the breakthrough of gas through layered heterogeneities, with a particular focus on pool dynamics and gas entrapment. Two controlled gas injection experiments were performed for two heterogeneous transparent soil packs, which enabled detailed gas visualization at the pore scale. Digital images were collected at high temporal and spatial resolutions and converted to saturation images using a newly derived and validated relationship.
A two-point logarithmic saturation – pixel intensity (S-I) relationship was evaluated, with the comparison to the macroscopic endpoints being the most useful for validation, and influential in satisfying the mass balance. The methodology to derive and validate this relationship may be reduced to a single test, which is superior to the labour-intensive methods used previously in studies that used light reflection techniques.
Using this new S-I relationship, transient pool behaviour, which included saturation profiles and pool heights, was examined for three gas pools during numerous filling and emptying events: two gas pools were beneath undulating capillary barriers (CBs) and one gas pool was beneath a simpler one-peak CB. Gas migrated upwards and collected as highly gas-saturated pools, beneath a series of CBs. The pools broke through the CBs via narrow channels. As the pool released gas, the pool height reduced until flow through the CB ceased.
The behaviour of the two pools beneath undulating CBs behaved differently than predicted. Firstly, the pools disconnected laterally due to pinch-points trapping highly gas-saturated pockets. Secondly, some pools completely emptied to near residual gas saturation with near-zero pool heights. This may be explained by the high local air flow velocity through a single pore throat. Complete emptying of gas pools must be considered in order to accurately predict gas storage in heterogeneous systems.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: A Nine-Switch UPQC with Variable-Band Hysteresis Control

contributor:
Bakhshai, Alireza
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Variable-Band Hysteresis Control
A Nine-Switch UPQC

abstract: Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-02-28 20:48:25.858

abstract:
Distributed generation (DG) is a continuously developing trend for interconnecting renewable sources of energy like solar and wind to the utility grid (UG), in addition to the traditional sources of energy. The intensive integration of these renewable sources, with a large increase in power switching electronics devices at the industrial and domestic level creates significant issues with power quality (PQ).  Due to the strict standards imposed on DG systems and consumer demand for higher PQ, flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) were developed.
This thesis is focused on one of these FACTS devices, the nine-switch unified power quality conditioner (UPQC). It is presented as a flexible and effective solution for current and voltage related problems of the DG system by enhancing PQ. Maintaining similar power rating compared to the conventional UPQC, the nine-switch UPQC functions during normal, sag and swell operation while utilizing three less semiconductor switching devices. The equivalent power rating of its semiconductor switching devices, with respect to the conventional counterpart, results in reduced losses and cost of the entire system. A variable-band hysteresis control method that is applied to the shunt and series terminals performs independent control of the nine-switch UPQC currents and voltages. The shunt and series terminal controllers are accurate and fully utilize the nine-switch UPQC dc-link voltage. By avoiding a multi-loop structure and cascaded resonant blocks, controllers provide with fast, robust and stable control, while maintaining switching frequency close to the selected value. As a result, the nine-switch UPQC simultaneously mitigates current and voltage harmonics, provides power factor correction and compensates sag and swell voltage variations. All design procedures are described in details.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Liquid CO2 and CO2-Expanded Methanol for Lipid Extraction From Microalgae

contributor:
Jessop, Philip G.
Champagne, Pascale
Chemistry

subject: Bioresource Chemistry

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-03 15:16:25.478

abstract:
Interest in developing biofuels, which are biodegradable, clean burning and renewable energy sources alternative to petroleum-based fuels, has increased in recent years. Microalgae are considered to be the most promising alternative energy resources and have potential to replace non-renewable fossil fuels. However, the economical extraction of lipids from microalgae for the production of biofuel is limited in part by the energy costs related to solvent use, as well as the potentially harmful effects of traditional solvents. This study investigated the use of CO2-expanded methanol and liquid CO2 as greener alternatives to traditional solvents to extract lipids from dried or wet biomass of microalgae. Unlike extractions using conventional solvents, these new methods require little to no volatile, flammable, or chlorinated organic solvents.
CO2-expanded methanol (cxMeOH) consists of pressurized gaseous CO2 dissolved in methanol. When compressed CO2 dissolves in methanol, the solvent expands in volume and decreases in polarity, reducing the amount of organic solvent needed and using much lower pressures than those required for supercritical CO2. The decreased polarity of methanol in cxMeOH increased the selectivity of the solvent towards the extraction of biodiesel-desirable neutral lipids (NLs) and free fatty acids (FFAs). The selectivity was up to 82% for those desired lipids when cxMeOH was used, compared to about 50% when a conventional solvent was used. Moreover, the use of cxMeOH reduces the volume of organic solvent needed for the extraction by up to five times.
The use of liquid CO2 (lCO2) presents many advantages of sustainability, safety and selectivity over the use of conventional solvents because this technique requires no flammable, highly volatile, or chlorinated solvents. The lCO2 with its low polarity has high affinity for non-polar lipids. The lCO2 was used to extract lipids from dried as well as the wet biomass of microalgae. Using lCO2, it is possible to extract up to 10% neutral lipids relative to the mass of dry algae. Also, the lCO2 extracts were up to 96% biodiesel desirable lipids with high content of oleic acid compared to only about 50% desirable lipids in conventional solvent extracts.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: High Resolution Signal Processing Techniques for Enhancing GPS Receiver Performance

contributor:
Noureldin, Aboelmagd
Korenberg, Michael J.
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Navigation
GPS Receiver

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-03 17:36:39.389

abstract: Despite the major advances in signal processing methods used nowadays, GPS receivers still face substantial challenges, such as multipath, which remains a dominant source of ranging error. The presence of GPS multipath influences the acquisition and tracking modules inside the receiver leading to biased measurements or loss of lock of the GPS satellite signal. Consequently, GPS receivers cannot provide reliable position, velocity and time solutions. The main objective of this thesis is to introduce high resolution signal processing techniques to enhance the performance of the GPS receiver in harsh navigation environments. This research proposes a two-tier approach. The first introduces a robust spectral estimation method to acquire the carrier frequency accurately after the completion of the coarse acquisition of the GPS signals. The second method targets improving the code delay estimation inside the tracking loops of the GPS receiver to mitigate the challenging closely spaced multipath effect. In this research, a SPIRENT GPS simulator is utilized to examine the performance of the proposed methods against the state of the art techniques. The proposed fine acquisition method uses Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization to provide robust spectral estimation of satellite Doppler frequency. The performance of the proposed fine acquisition method is evaluated against both the computational load and the noise effects. The results show that the proposed method outperforms the FFT-based fine acquisition methods resulting in 70% improvement in the acquisition accuracy at low SNR of -15 dB using only short window size of 1 ms. Moreover, this method speeds up the tracking loops in order to correctly lock the carrier Doppler shift frequency. Furthermore, the proposed multipath mitigation technique, which operates in the tracking module, is based on fast orthogonal search to enhance the code delay estimation for GPS receivers. The proposed tracking module results in an average improvement of 32% in the positioning accuracy when compared to other multipath mitigation techniques. This thesis research resulted in computationally efficient GPS acquisition module that can work in low SNR environment for limited resource GPS receivers. In addition, a robust tracking module capable of mitigating challenging GPS multipath effects is also introduced in this thesis.

abstract: PhD


title: Role of reactivated basement faults in localizing deformation in the upper crust: Insights from centrifuge analogue modelling

contributor: Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering

subject:
structural geology
orogen evolution
analogue modelling
fault reactivation

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-11 10:56:42.336

abstract:
Dynamically scaled centrifuge analogue models are used to investigate recent interpretation of enhanced gravity data, which highlights northeast-striking inherited faults in the crust of northern India. The reactivation of these faults in the subducting Indian crust during the collision of India and Asia in the Paleogene (ca. 45–40 Ma) and early Neogene (ca. 20–15 Ma) is investigated to elucidate their potential role in localizing deformation in the upper crust.
Models consist from bottom to top of a rigid basement material, a ductile middle, a layered package representing the upper crust, and a near-surface brittle layer. Viscoelastic materials used as analogues for the mid- and lower crust demonstrate complex dynamic behaviour; effective viscosity alone is not sufficient to determine if a material will be an effective analogue. Two series of rheological experiments are conducted using an oscillating parallel-plate rheometer to measure the storage and loss moduli and effective viscosities of potential materials. Inherently cohesive synthetic sands are suggested as suitable analogues for the brittle upper crust, historically not reproduced in centrifuge models.
In models simulating early stage collision (ca. 10 Myr after onset), deformation is dominated by left-lateral strike-slip deformation along the inherited basement fault. This manifests in the upper brittle layer as three major sets of faults striking northwest–southeast (the same orientation as the basement fault), northeast–southwest, and east–west. Extension is accommodated in the northeast–southwest striking faults. In models simulating later stage collision (ca. 35 Myr after onset), deformation is dominated by shortening in the upper crust and two sets of folds develop. Strike-slip offset along the basement fault manifests in the ductile middle layer as lateral flow and the development of necking zones. These necking zones are interpreted to be discreet zones of strain transfer to the semi-ductile and brittle upper layers, localizing normal faults above. Three fault sets develop in the same orientation as the early stage collision models.
We propose that the normal faults stepping en échelon along the basement fault are analogous to south Tibet graben in the prototype. These models, though based on the Himalaya, can be used as examples for thick-skinned orogenic systems worldwide.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Branched Nanostructured Anodes For Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

subject:
GLAD
Hierarchical
Fractal
DSSCs
TiO2
Ti
Solar Cells
Branched

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-11 11:24:21.403

abstract: The high relative efficiency demonstrated in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) arises from a combination of light scattering within, and photo-generated electron transport through, the porous structure of a TiO2 anodes. However, the convoluted conduction path for extracting photo-generated electrons through the sponge-like structure of conventional DSSC anodes has limited further improvement. This thesis is an investigation of thin film deposited TiO2 anodes with branched tree-like structures that mimic the highly-efficient natural flow structures of trees, rivers, and the human vascular system, which can providing uninterrupted paths for photo-generated electron transport through the hierarchical branches. The main goal has been the development of a robust fabrication process for the study of DSSCs with anodes deposited with glancing angle deposition (GLAD) as it is a new area of research and the first DSSCs produced in our lab. The anodes are deposited as thin films using electron-beam evaporation with two different source of material: metallic Ti and TiO2. Ti films are shown to exhibit highly branched characteristics, with distinct branches when deposited at rate of 15  ̊A/s versus 5  ̊A/s (i.e. rate dependence). A thermal oxidation study for these films is performed using H2/ O2 at 450◦C-520◦C. For TiO2 films, post deposition annealing is performed in O2 at 450◦C. Two methods are explored to create defined active areas of the films: dilute hydrofluoric acid (HF) wet etching, and lift-off lithography. DSSCs are constructed using standard components (N719 dye, I−/I3− electrolyte, and Pt cathode) paired with the photoanodes. The films are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The properties of DSSCs are investigated with current density-voltage measurements (J-V). Annealed TiO2 films with thickness ranging from 1 μm-3.3 μm exhibit power conversion efficiency of DSSC of 0.5% -3.7%, respectively, which are higher efficiency than GLAD DSSCs reported in the literature for coatings of this thickness. The high fill factors (0.82) indicate good shunt and series resistances for the cells, which are also higher than DSSCs reported in the literature. The enhancement in efficiency and thus in short-circuit current is attributed to good cell performance (i.e. uniform active area), increase in the specific surface area for dye adsorption, and continuous electron transport in the interconnectivity structures.

abstract: PhD


title: Improved Limits On The Existence Of Dark Matter. The Final Results From The PICASSO Experiment.

subject: Dark Matter searches

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-13 16:25:08.295

abstract:
The final results of the PICASSO experiment, with 409 kg days of exposure collected from November 2012 to January 2014, have yielded new limits for Spin-Dependent and Spin-Independent Dark Matter interactions.\\

The data collected and the various backgrounds were assiduously studied using Monte Carlo simulations and a new set of sophisticated analysis techniques including the wavelet analysis presented in this thesis. In general, a good suppression of most backgrounds was attained. The neutron background event rate was reduced to about a factor of 10 compared to the previous phase of the experiment. Electronic and acoustic noise events were thoroughly suppressed. A new class of ``mystery events'' were removed as well. All that remained was the irreducible alpha background.\\

No signal consistent with a WIMP Dark Matter hypothesis was observed. Consequently, an exclusion curve was obtained with a minimum limit at ${90\%}$ C.L. of ${\sigma_{\chi p}^{SD} =0.0228}$ pb at a WIMP mass of 20 GeV/$c^2$ in the Spin-Dependent sector. By combining results from 2012 and the current results, an improved constraint of ${\sigma_{\chi p}^{SD}}$(90${\%}$ C.L.) ${=0.0188}$ pb at 20 GeV/$c^2$ was placed on the Dark Matter interaction with protons in the Fluorine nuclei used in the detectors.\\

In addition, the new limits on WIMP-proton interactions in the Spin Independent sector exclude the DAMA/LIBRA results (at ${90\%}$ C.L.) for low masses below 12 GeV/$c^2$ and further constrain the published CRESST and CDMS Si discovery regions at low WIMP masses.

abstract: PhD


title: "I Have No One, I Need Someone": Contextualizing Amanda Todd Within the "My Secrets" Video Genre

contributor:
Little, Margaret
Gender Studies

subject:
YouTube
Bullying
Violence Against Women
Homophobia
Amanda Todd
Social Media
Affect Theory
Cyberbullying

abstract: Thesis (Master, Gender Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-18 16:37:47.253

abstract: Using affect theory and feminist content analysis, this thesis situates the social media disclosures of BC teenager Amanda Todd within a larger genre of youth trauma videos on YouTube. Amanda's story has been deployed by the Canadian government and various non-profits to justify interventions that focus on protecting youth from the newest iteration of "stranger danger" on the Internet. Videos in the My Secrets genre, which can be read as a visual autobiography, overwhelmingly focus on violence young people have experienced in their homes and neighbourhoods at the hands of family and friends. Re-contextualizing Amanda's story within this genre allows for new readings of her story that challenge dominant discourses about cyberbullying and the sources of danger for youth in the age of new media and Web 2.0.

abstract: M.A.


title: Investigation of adipose-derived stem cells for applications in cardiac regeneration: cell source characterization and the effect of cardiac ECM on cardiomyogenesis

contributor:
Flynn, Lauren E.
Chemical Engineering

subject:
Bioscaffold fabrication
Cardiomyogenesis
Systematic comparison
Adipose-derived stem cells

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-19 13:17:57.26

abstract:
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in the world and stem cell therapy has shown promise for its treatment. Focusing on adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), numerous aspects still need to be investigated, including depot- and donor- dependent differences in ASC characteristics and the cardiomyogenic potential of these cells within the complex microenvironment of the cardiac extracellular matrix (ECM).
In the first part of my thesis, a standardized comparative study was conducted between donor-matched subcutaneous and omentum fat ASCs, as well as donor-matched pericardial fat and thymic remnant ASCs. This study highlighted variability in the yield, viability, immunophenotype, clonogenic potential, doubling time, and adipogenic and osteogenic potential of the ASC populations. More specifically, ASCs isolated from both intrathoracic depots had a significantly higher proportion of CD34+ cells at passage 2. Furthermore, ASCs from subcutaneous and pericardial adipose tissue demonstrated enhanced adipogenic capacity, whereas ASCs isolated from the omentum displayed the highest levels of osteogenic markers in culture. Through cell culture analysis under hypoxic conditions (5% O2), oxygen tension was shown to be a key mediator of colony forming efficiency and osteogenesis for all depots.
In the second stage, non-crosslinked 3-D porous foams derived from decellularized porcine cardiac ECM were developed. Mincing and milling processing methods were explored during scaffold fabrication and the architecture, ECM composition and physical properties of the foams were characterized. The minced foams demonstrated enhanced mechanical properties, improved long-term stability under simulated culturing conditions and better conservation of ECM constituents.
The final stage of experimental work focused on investigating the cardiomyogenic differentiation of pericardial fat ASCs on minced cardiac foams, collagen I gels and tissue culture polystyrene using modified cardiomyogenic medium (MCM) or 5-azacytidine stimulation. Results showed that MCM was more effective than 5-azacytidine in stimulating cardiac gene and protein expression. Furthermore, enhanced differentiation was observed with both treatments on the cardiac foams, suggesting a synergistic effect of the cardiac ECM. Further, the cardiac foams were observed to provide an inductive microenvironment for the ASCs under control medium culture conditions, inducing cardiomyogenic gene and protein expression in the absence of external differentiation factors.

abstract: PhD


title: Potential for change: Characterizing synaptic plasticity following visual discrimination learning in adult rats.

contributor:
Dringenberg, Hans C.
Psychology

subject:
learning memory
Long-term potentiation
long-term depression
visual system

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-19 14:57:24.553

abstract:
Synaptic plasticity (long-term potentiation, LTP and long-term depression, LTD) plays an important role in processes of learning and memory formation. In order to provide a link between these neurophysiological and cognitive processes the following experiments were performed using behavioral, electrophysiological, and pharmacological in vivo methods in order to describe synaptic plasticity in the adult rat visual system after learning a simple visual discrimination task.
Initially, a novel method is described providing a simple and noninvasive means to restrict visual input. Using a harness and face-mask for monocular occlusion, rats were trained in a monocular visual discrimination task using a Y-shaped water maze. Following learning, assessment of synaptic plasticity in the thalamocortical visual pathway found both general (changes in short-term plasticity in both cerebral hemispheres) and localized changes (greater LTP levels in the hemisphere contralateral to the open eye). The enhanced LTP in the primary visual cortex (V1) was blocked by an NR2B antagonist, suggesting that training resulted in changes in NMDA receptor expression or functioning.
Next, the effectiveness of LTD stimulation protocols to elicit synaptic depression under in vivo conditions were assessed. Of several single-pulse induction protocols tested, only strong low frequency burst stimulation (SLFS) produced significant, but transient (~20 min) depression in V1 (not affected by blockade of NMDA or metabotrobic glutamate receptors). These data highlight the resistance of the thalamocortical visual system to undergo synaptic depression in vivo. To examine whether learning alters LTD induction, SLFS was delivered to the thalamocortical visual pathway or the V1-perirhinal cortex pathway following visual discrimination. Neither pathway exhibited changes in LTD following training, suggesting that the learning-induced LTP facilitation reflects an expansion of the synaptic modification range.
Finally, the role of different populations of NMDA receptors (cortical vs. thalamic) in LTP induction in naïve and visually trained rats was examined. Surprisingly, naïve rats do not require activation of cortical NMDA receptors to express LTP, while LTP in trained rats involved the activation of both thalamic and cortical NMDA receptors. In summary, this thesis provides novel evidence for a metaplastic, training-induced up-regulation of LTP mechanisms in the thalamocortical visual system of adult rats.

abstract: PhD


title: Education in search of truth good beauty- Discussing truth good beauty in John Dewey and the Confucian philosophy of education and its status and function in current early childhood education

contributor:
Johnston, James Scott
Education

subject:
John Dewey
Confucius
Educational Aims
Educational Theories
Early Childhood Education

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Education) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-19 16:09:13.329

abstract: The harmony and the unity among truth, good, and beauty is the ideal realm for humans to hope for. Our human being’s highest life purpose in the present is to lead a truthful, good, and beautiful life. Our humankind’s preeminent educational aim is the exploration of and the search for truth, good, and beauty. The Confucian philosophy is the base of the constitution of China’s educational ideals. During an extensive period of experimentation, the Confucian philosophy contributes to the education system comprising educational aim, curriculum, and instruction. The Confucian primary educational aim centers on the concept of jen (benevolent), which is to cultivate the person of jen or exemplary person (human quality of truth, good, and beauty); Its curriculum consists of teaching the Six Arts including li or rites (good), yue or music (beauty), she or archery (truth), yu or charioteering (truth), shu or reading (truth), and *shu or mathematics (truth). The Confucian pedagogy focuses on three major instructions such as connecting knowing and acting, teaching students according to their aptitude, and skillful directing. The Confucian educational aim, curriculum, and methods reflect the characteristics of the educational system in ancient China. John Dewey’s pragmatic philosophy and his educational ideals represent the value system of the Western modern society. Built upon pragmatism, Dewey establishes an educational aim of “educating good citizenship” (human quality of truth, good, and beauty). His major curriculum consists of knowledge (truth), emotion (beauty), and capability (good); and his main teaching methods are learning by doing, learning through inquiry, indirect learning, and integrated subjects. The Deweyan educational philosophy generates a great impact on solving social problems resulting from the social transformation in the Twentieth century Unites States of America. This study, which compares and discusses the educational theory of truth, good, and beauty between John Dewey and the Confucianism, has a practical meaning in terms of further refining and innovating current early childhood education theories.

abstract: PhD


title: Advanced Motion Mode Recognition for Portable Navigation

subject:
Pattern Recognition
Sensor Fusion
Inertial Navigation
Activity Recognition
Portable Navigation
Machine Learning

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-20 14:27:34.095

abstract:
Portable navigation is increasingly becoming an essential part of our lives. Knowing a person’s position and velocity using a portable device, such as a smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, or smartglasses, has become a basic part for many people’s lives. However, portable navigation is still facing many challenges: mainly navigation in urban canyons or indoors where Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals are weak or unavailable, and the need to compromise the accuracy and precision of inertial sensors in return for limiting their cost and size to place in portable consumer devices.
As a result, portable navigation needs to employ different algorithms for each mode of motion, to assure optimal results in each case.
This thesis’ contribution is to provide a motion mode recognition module that aims to detect a wide range of motion modes using micro-electro-mechanical sensors (MEMS) within a portable navigation device, which is robust to the device usage, and device orientation. The proposed motion mode recognition module works with good accuracy in the absence of absolute navigational signals (such as GNSS or WiFi). The motion modes detected are: stationary, walking, running, cycling, in a land-based vessel, walking in a land-based vessel, standing on a moving walkway, walking on a moving walkway, moving on stairs, taking elevator, standing on an escalator, and walking on an escalator.
The motion mode recognition module involves the following steps: data input reading, pre-processing, feature extraction, classification, and post-classification refining techniques.
During the data input reading step, signal readings from a group of sensors, are simply obtained. In the second step, pre-processing, such raw signals are processed and fused to obtain more meaningful variables. Feature extraction involves grouping the variables into a window, and extracting a group of features from that window. Classification is the final step where the feature vector is fed to predict the motion mode.
To train and evaluate the classifier models, more than 2400 tests were conducted using various portable navigation devices, such as smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and head mounted systems.  The training tests involved more than 35 users of various genders, weights, heights, and ages, and covering various device usages and orientations.

abstract: PhD


title: Exploring the Use of Lesson Study with Six Canadian Middle-School Science Teachers

contributor:
Sharkawy, Azza
Education

subject:
teacher knowledge
lesson study
teacher confidence
middle-school
science education
teacher professional development

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Education) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-24 16:45:49.561

abstract:
This qualitative case study explores the use of lesson study over a ten-week period with six Ontario middle school science teachers. The research questions guiding this study were: (1) How does participation in science-based lesson study influence these teachers’: (a) science subject matter knowledge (science SMK), (b) science pedagogical content knowledge (science PCK), and (c) confidence in teaching science?, and (2) What benefits and challenges do they associate with lesson study?
	Data sources for this study were: teacher questionnaires, surveys, reflections, pre-and post- interviews, and follow-up emails; researcher field notes and reflections; pre- and post- administration of the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument; and audio recordings of group meetings.
        The teachers demonstrated limited gains in science SMK. There was evidence for an overall improvement in teacher knowledge of forces and simple machines, and two teachers demonstrated improvement in over half of the five scenarios assessing teacher science SMK. Modest gains in teacher science PCK were found. One teacher expressed more accurate understanding of students’ knowledge of forces and a better knowledge of effective science teaching strategies. The majority of teachers reported that they would be using three-part lessons and hands-on activities more in their science teaching. Gains in teacher pedagogical knowledge (PK) were found in four areas: greater emphasis on anticipation of student thinking and responses, recognition of the importance of observing students, more intentional teaching, and anticipated future use of student video data. Most teachers reported feeling more confident in teaching structures and mechanisms, and attributed this increase in confidence to collaboration and seeing evidence of student learning and engagement during the lesson teachings.
         Teacher benefits included: learning how to increase student engagement and collaboration, observing students, including video data, observing colleagues teach, time to collaborate, plan, and reflect, teaching the same lesson to two classes, more intentional teaching, and increasing social interactions. Teacher challenges included: teacher unfamiliarity with the students being taught, time spent taking part in lesson study, teachers in the role of observers, and impact of observers and videotaping on students and teachers during lesson enactments.

abstract: PhD


title: International Student Programs in Ontario: An Examination of the Academic, Emotional, and Cultural Supports Offered to International Students in Ontario High Schools

contributor:
Lee, Elizabeth
Education

subject:
OSSLT
ELLs
Homestay
Adolescent Stress
International Student Programs
Wellbeing
Business Concerns
Unaccompanied Adolescents

abstract: Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-24 19:39:55.16

abstract:
Increasing numbers of international students are attending high schools in Ontario. These students are tuition-paying adolescents coming to Ontario unaccompanied, living with Canadian families, and studying in English-speaking high schools. Although few studies have examined adolescent international students, many studies have been conducted on mobile students and immigrant students who face many similar challenges. These studies provided the starting point for defining the kinds of supports that could be present in programs designed for unaccompanied adolescent international students. One purpose of this current research was to assess the range and scope of this educational phenomenon by looking at International Student Programs (ISPs) offered in Ontario by publicly-funded school boards. After surveying the school board web sites, I determined which publicly-funded English-language school boards accepted international students. I compared the size of 18 programs. I invited the 16 school boards that were members of Ontario Association of School Districts International (OASDI) to participate in the study. I conducted one set of telephone interviews with the managers of eight of the 16 international student programs (ISPs), and received two written responses to the interview questions. I then conducted three longer face-to-face interviews with the managers from three diverse school boards. Two orientation manuals were analyzed as a part of this study. I examined the supports that 10 programs provided for international students. Some of the participating boards had well-developed ISPs that provided academic supports, well-monitored homestays, comprehensive orientation, social activities, and had procedures to monitor student well-being. A few of the larger boards with higher enrolment were not able to offer social activities and did not provide their own homestay.
The results of this study reveal that it was difficult to find accurate data concerning the number of international students in Ontario high schools. However, it was clear that ISPs are run as businesses and contribute to the economy in Ontario. More boards have started ISPs since 2012 and have joined the provincial and national associations. The results show that many supports such as language assessment, academic tutoring, well-monitored homestays, and social events varied widely across the province.

abstract: M.Ed.


title: Highly Selective Rhodium-Catalyzed C-H Borylations in Preparation of Substrates for Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Couplings: Mono- and Chemoselective Formation of Aromatic Compounds

contributor:
Crudden, Cathleen M.
Chemistry

subject:
Cross-Coupling
Suzuki
Borylation
Heck
Transition Metal
C-H Activation
Palladium
Boronic Ester
Catalysis
Carbenes
Chemoselective
Regioselective
NHC
Arylation
Boron
Rhodium

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-26 08:31:49.31

abstract:
The advent of the Suzuki–Miyaura cross–coupling reaction and its significance to the synthesis of new carbon–carbon bonds has increased the demand for efficient routes to organoboron starting materials. C–H borylation (activation) has provided an interesting approach to alleviate the requirement for prefunctionalized molecules such as aryl halides to obtain these desired organoboron substrates.
We report the first use of a rhodium N–heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complex for the catalytic C–H borylation. The reaction is found to proceed under very mild conditions (room temperature, short reaction times) and is applicable to a variety of 2–phenylpyridine (2–Ph–pyr) derivatives. Additionally, exclusive selectivity for the monoborylated product is observed with no bisborylation occurring in the reaction, which was found to be attributable to the key nitrogen–boron coordination.
The selective monoborylation was further united with a Suzuki–Miyaura cross–coupling in a one–pot reaction to produce monoarylated phenylpyridines in good overall yields with no formation of the bisarylated compounds. Commonly, metal–catalyzed direct arylations require the use of steric blocking groups in order to obtain the desired monoselectivity and prevent bisarylation from occurring. However, these sterically biased substrates are avoided with the system described herein.
Further, the chemoselectivity of the Suzuki–Miyaura cross–coupling of secondary boronic esters was investigated in intermolecular competition reactions with Mizoroki–Heck acceptors.
Interestingly, the conditions of the reaction could be easily tuned to chemoselectively produce either the Suzuki–Miyaura or the Mizoroki–Heck cross–coupled product in good yields. This knowledge was then applied to an intramolecular competition reaction on a substrate containing both Suzuki–Miyaura and Mizoroki–Heck acceptor sites. Excitingly, the Suzuki–Miyaura cross–coupled product was obtained in good yield leaving the alkene substituent unreacted in the reaction. This chemoselectivity pathway opens the door for the preparation of polysubstituted aromatic compounds without the additional need for protection and deprotection steps which could result in a reduced overall yield of the desired product.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Multi-Material Size Optimization of a Ladder Frame Chassis

contributor:
Kim, Il-Yong
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Finite Element Analysis
Multi-Material
Optimization
Computer Aided Design
Ladder Frame Chassis

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-26 23:24:44.961

abstract: The Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) is an American fuel standard that sets regulations on fuel economy in vehicles. This law ultimately shapes the development and design research for automakers. Reducing the weight of conventional cars offers a way to improve fuel efficiency. This research investigated the optimality of an automobile's ladder frame chassis (LFC) by conducting multi-objective optimization on the LFC in order to reduce the weight of the chassis. The focus of the design and optimization was a ladder frame chassis commonly used for mass production light motor vehicles with an open-top rear cargo area. This thesis is comprised of two major sections. The first looked to perform thickness optimization in the outer walls of the ladder frame. In the second section, many multi-material distributions, including steel and aluminium varieties, were investigated. A simplified model was used to do an initial hand calculation analysis of the problem. This was used to create a baseline validation to compare the theory with the modeling. A CAD model of the LFC was designed. From the CAD model, a finite element model was extracted and joined using weld and bolt connectors. Following this, a linear static analysis was performed to look at displacement and stresses when subjected to loading conditions that simulate harsh driving conditions. The analysis showed significant values of stress and displacement on the ends of the rails, suggesting improvements could be made elsewhere. An optimization scheme was used to find the values of an all steel frame an optimal thickness distribution was found. This provided a 13% weight reduction over the initial model. To advance the analysis a multi-material approach was used to push the weight savings even further. Several material distributions were analyzed and the lightest utilized aluminium in all but the most strenuous subjected components. This enabled a reduction in weight of 15% over the initial model, equivalent to approximately 1 mile per gallon (MPG) in fuel economy.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Beckoning Bodies, Making Subjects: Interactive and Immersive Technologies in Canadian Museums, 1967-2014

contributor:
Lord, Susan
Cultural Studies

subject:
Multiculturalism
Interactivity
Heritage
Exhibitions
Affect
Immersion
Canadian Art History
Cultural Studies
Canadian Centennial
Museums
Settler Colonialism

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Cultural Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-27 11:44:27.015

abstract: Focusing on the uses of interactive and immersive technologies in Canadian exhibits from 1967 to the present, this dissertation investigates how embodied rites of cultural citizenship summon subjects to interface with nation and heritage in supposedly postcolonial and multicultural frameworks. The technologies I examine encompass the diverse processes and materials that render abstract notions of nation, heritage and citizenship into tangible archives that we encounter directly through our bodies. The first chapter centres on Iris Häussler’s immersive installation, He Named Her Amber, staged in Toronto’s historic Grange manor in 2008. This work elucidates the processes through which settler colonial history is rebranded through neoliberal Creative City discourses, and the audience is affectively positioned as naturalized settler who, unlike displaced Indigenous communities, is endowed with the right to occupy the home. Following this, the National Gallery of Canada’s introduction of the audio guide for its monumental 1967 Centennial exhibit provides the historical context from which to investigate the celebration and consecration of Canada’s technological modernity. This chapter analyzes how the construction of an interactive art-historical audio-scape facilitated the citizen’s entrance into national modernity through technological access and participation. The next chapter surveys the implementation of digital touchscreens at UBC’s Museum of Anthropology, arguing that the expanded haptic interface is drafted as both material and rhetorical apparatus to strategically proclaim inclusive, multicultural paradigms. Concurrently, this interface reveals the very limits of interaction, and the paradoxes of the liberal public sphere. Lastly, the dissertation turns to the visitor-generated projections at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump (a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Alberta) in order to illustrate how motion-sensored, phantasmagoric projections work to locate but also unsettle the visitor’s body within official national—and “universal”—heritage frameworks. Here, I demonstrate how cultural citizenship is secured through the substantiating buttresses of heritage and archaeology, which emplace the visitor within an “ancient” landscape and narratology of nation which depends on inscription as much as erasure.  Ultimately, this dissertation argues that these technological overtures of nation facilitate the everyday, quotidian encounters with violence which seduce subjects into—and out of—narratives of belonging.

abstract: PhD


title: Chemoselective Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling of Di and Tri Boronic Ester Substrates

subject:
Suzuki-Miyaura
Cross Coupling

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-30 23:01:10.94

abstract:
In industry and academia, the palladium catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling reaction is one of the most often used methods for the synthesis of new C-C bonds. Recent advancements in this area have expanded the scope of this reaction to include nucleophiles with defined stereochemistry, resulting in enantioenriched, non-racemic products. Prior to this work, the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction was only applicable to processes which formed bonds between sp2 and primary sp3 hybridized carbons.

The first successful example of the cross-coupling of enantioenriched secondary boronic esters was published by our group in 2009. The key components in this reaction were the incorporation of silver oxide and excess triphenylphosphine. Not only did these conditions prove effective for the coupling of these substrates, they also showed selectivity for branched benzylic species in the presence of linear alkyl boronic esters.

In order to further probe this selectivity, di and tri substrates were prepared that incorporated aryl, secondary benzylic and linear boronic esters. Interestingly, cross-coupling at the secondary benzylic and linear boronic ester requires specialized conditions for the reaction to proceed. This allows introduction of two different substituents in place of the boron groups, based solely off reaction conditions, eliminating the need of protecting groups. In further expansion of the scope, we have prepared the respective enantioenriched substrates and examined their stereoretention. Herein, we discuss the successful iterative Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of both racemic and enantioenriched substrates that contain an aryl sp2 and secondary benzylic sp3 boronic (di boronic ester) or, an aryl sp2, secondary benzylic sp3, and alkyl linear boronic ester (tri boronic ester) with high retention of stereochemistry.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Virtual Reality Assessment of Executive Decision Making in Paediatrics: a Longitudinal Study of Feasibility

contributor:
Pelland, Lucie
Rehabilitation Science

subject: Concussion Development Paediatric

abstract: Thesis (Master, Rehabilitation Science) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-05 17:47:10.326

abstract:
The identification of sports related paediatric concussive injuries has become an important general public health issue, as current neurocognitive computer based assessments are unable to measure baseline changes in executive decision making (EDM) in children that result following a concussion. This is because the brain areas associated with EDM vulnerable to pediatric concussion are also maturing and improving with time.

The feasibility of the Object Hit task to detect change in EDM attributes with respect to age was assessed. The Object Hit task was implemented on the virtual reality assessment platform of the KINARM exoskeleton robot. Twenty children aged five to eighteen years with typical health and development that completed the Object Hit task between three to five times over the past three years were included in the analysis. Five attributes of the Object Hit task were selected (targets hit, median error, mean hand speed, hand movement area, and hand selection overlap) for assessing distinctive components of EDM; processing time, reaction time, working memory, and action planning. Linear regression analysis was calculated for each of the five selected performance attributes with respect to age.

The results from this study indicate that overall measures of performance on the Object Hit task are responsive to longitudinal age related changes in EDM from five to eighteen years of age. The overall performance measures were able to identify age related improvements over the entire age range with 84% of the change in targets hit accounted for by age, and 72% of the change in median error accounted for by age. Performance attributes specific to working memory (hand movement area), reaction time (hand speed), and action planning (hand selection overlap), were not responsive to age.

The regression trend line with 95% confidence boundaries calculated for targets hit results has characteristics that allow it to establish a normative profile of change in EDM with age; however the results would benefit from a study including greater participant numbers. Future research should be completed evaluating the sensitivity of task to detect declined EDM following a concussion.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Development of Multi-Nozzle Emitters for Nano-ESI Mass Spectrometry and Fabrication of 1D Polymer Structures Using Microstructured Fibers as Templates

contributor:
Oleschuk, Richard
Chemistry

subject:
Electrospray Emitter
Mass Spectrometry

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2015-03-31 17:10:00.725

abstract:
Nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (nano-ESI-MS) has become an important analytical tool due to its high sensitivity through improved desolvation from smaller droplet production as well as high sample utilization due to reduced solvent and sample consumption. The reliability and sensitivity of nano-ESI-MS is largely dependent on the properties of the emitter. However, the standard single-aperture, tapered nano-ESI emitters have some serious limitations including high clogging tendency, poor robustness, and narrow flow rate range.
To address these problems, emitters generating multiple electrosprays (MESs) have been explored, offering significantly improved sensitivity by splitting the flow into smaller streams and higher clogging resistance from multiple paths. The objective of this thesis is to develop MES emitters based on microstructured fibers (MSFs) to conquer the limitations associated with the standard emitters meanwhile to maintain higher flow rates more compatible with front-end separation techniques.
MSF, a fiber having many hollow channels running along its length was chosen to develop nano-ESI emitters because of its dimensional compatibility, structural consistency, design diversity, and feasibility for surface modification, providing a convenient and customizable template material. First, a multi-nozzle emitter was developed using a commercial MSF with an array of polymer nozzles fabricated by optimized procedures involving in-situ polymerization of microtubes in the channels and wet chemical etching of the silica at the tip to form the nozzles. However, no MES behaviour was observed due to the densely packed channel pattern. Custom MSFs were subsequently designed and fabricated with nine or six channels arranged in a radial pattern to promote MES. While the MSFs themselves did not support MES, the formation of nozzles made by either polymer or silica at the tip face enables independent electrospray from each nozzle, showing MES behaviour with significant signal enhancement relative to a standard emitter at the same total flow rate. Furthermore, a variety of MSFs were used as templates to fabricate one-dimensional polymer microstructures including tubes, wires and porous monoliths. Because of the properties of the MSFs, the structures formed from these template channels share their low polydispersity, ultrahigh aspect ratio and axial alignment, showing great applicability in diverse fields.

abstract: PhD


title: Determining Expression, Regulation, and Stoichiometries of Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit IV Paralogs in Fish

contributor:
Moyes, Christopher D.
Biology

subject:
Cytochrome c Oxidase
Hypoxia
Tilapia
COX

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-02 19:02:13.447

abstract: Cytochrome c oxidase (COX) is complex IV of the electron transport chain and catalyzes the reduction of oxygen to water. It also simultaneously translocates protons from the mitochondrial matrix to the inter-membrane space, creating the driving force of ATP synthesis. The COX holoenzyme is made of ten nuclear-encoded subunits, the largest of which is COX4. The tissue distribution of the COX4 paralogs was expected to be similar in mammals and teleosts, with a ubiquitously transcribed COX4-1 and COX4-2 expression more abundant in brain and respiratory tissue. However, I found that in general, teleosts appear to have a greater expression of COX4-2 across all tissues compared to mammals. Where interspecies differences were observed in the relative abundance of COX4-2, the differences were not readily attributable to phylogeny or hypoxia-tolerance. Additionally, I looked at hypoxia responses of COX4 on tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) because hypoxia stimulates transcription of COX4-2 in mammalian tissues. I found that neither COX4-2 nor the transcription factors that regulate COX4-2 in mammals (RBPJ, CHCHD2, and CXXC5) respond to physiological hypoxia. Finally, investigating the relationship between mRNA and protein, it appeared that protein is well predicted by mRNA at normoxic and hypoxic levels, with the exception of heart tissue (70% relative COX4-2 mRNA and 99% relative COX4-2 protein). Overall, the evidence suggests that although COX4-2 plays a more constitutive role in fish, it may not respond to hypoxia the same way it does in mammalian tissues.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Portable Navigation Utilizing Sensor Technologies in Wearable and Portable Devices

contributor:
Noureldin, Aboelmagd
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Wearable Devices
Portable Navigation

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-07 14:25:49.356

abstract:
Portable navigation may seem similar to other navigation problems where system availability, reliability, and accuracy are the objectives. However, more challenges arise due to the portability side of the problem such as having no constraints on the usage of the portable devices and its orientation or position relative to the user or platform. Sensors’ cost, computation capabilities, and battery life are additional challenges. An example of some of these challenges is when the designer tries to use more computation power to enhance the accuracy, even if the device’s computation capability tolerate this increase, it may shorten the battery life of the device.
This research targets the development of methods to enhance portable navigation for portable and wearable devices in all environments, even in the absence of wireless positioning technologies (like GNSS and WiFi). The enhancement is through benefiting from the presence of multiple connected devices, each including at least one inertial sensor assembly.
This research proposes new methods involving the integration of multiple devices and investigates how it can enhance portable navigation. The proposed methods have a computational demand sufficient to meet battery life constraints for portable devices. In addition, the integrated solution can scale to any number of devices at any point of time. Moreover, the method does not assume any predefined configurations of the devices or relative orientations among them and with respect to each other.
The contributions of this research are achieved through three methods. The first enhances the accuracy of step length estimation. The second method was developed to accurately estimate the misalignment angle between the portable devices and the hosting platform, for example a person while walking or a vehicle while driving. Finally, the overall accuracy of the estimated position and velocity is enhanced while maintaining an efficient computational cost by developing a new method utilizing a new source of Kalman filtering update.
The proposed methods were tested on a large number of real world trajectories collected using several portable/wearable devices during walking, running, and driving. The proposed methods resulted in significantly improving the accuracy of the portable navigation solution.

abstract: PhD


title: Molecular Characterization of Arabidopsis Plastid Rhomboid Proteins

contributor:
Ko, Kenton
Biology

subject:
Rhomboid Protein
Arabidopsis

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-13 19:21:38.525

abstract: Rhomboid protease genes have been found in the majority of sequenced genomes. Rhomboid proteins control various cellular mechanisms such as cellular development, quorum-sensing, immune system evasion, and mitochondrial membrane remodelling. Although there are no verified rhomboid-mediated mechanisms within plants, the emerging situation appears to be complex. Investigations into an Arabidopsis At1g74130 knockout line in Chapter 2 revealed a novel phenotype for proteolytically inactive rhomboids. The phenotype displayed lower chlorophyll content, under developed chloroplasts, and plants containing one less leaf throughout development. In chapter 3, the expression levels were initially investigated in order to understand the relationship with At1g74130 and Arabidopsis development. This study revealed evidence for alternative splicing, containing their own relative expression levels between young and mature leaf tissue, as well as in response to altered Tic40 expression. Each variant contained a unique relative ability to interact with Tic40 (the only verified plant rhomboid substrate) using protein pull-down methods, and demonstrated an ability to alter Mgm1 (a yeast rhomboid substrate) cleavage ratios when expressed in yeast. Chapter 4 was designed to further investigate protein-protein interactions between At1g74130 and known substrates. While investigating the ability of variant proteins to interact with Tic40 and Mgm1, an apparent physiological role within bacterial and yeast cells was uncovered. Bacterial At1g74130 expression assays revealed decreased β-lactimase secretion. With limited active β-lactimase protein, E. coli cells were observed to have increased sensitivity to ampicillin. Similarly, in S. cerevisiae cells, the expression of At1g74130 increased sensitivity to the fungicide Nystatin. The increased sensitivity within both bacterial and yeast cells were also observed through exogenously applied At1g74130 extract cocktails. Chapter 5 revealed that the Arabidopsis plastid rhomboid gene, At1g25290, also contains alternative splicing. The two transcripts that were discovered have altered relative expression in response to development and manipulated Tic40 levels. The variant At1g25290 protein contains an introduced RVL motif. Chapter 6 was designed to survey model species databases in order to uncover evidence for alternative splicing within rhomboid transcripts. This chapter suggests alternative splicing may serve a means to diversify the functions of rhomboid proteins. This thesis comprises the majority of known plant rhomboid-mediated processes.

abstract: PhD


title: Unikkaaqtuat: Traditional Inuit Stories

contributor:
McKegney, Sam
Cultural Studies

subject:
Inuit
Traditional Stories

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Cultural Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-12 16:43:06.724

abstract:
Commentary on Inuit language, culture and traditions, has a long history, stretching at least as far back as 1576 when Martin Frobisher encountered Inuit on the southern shores of Baffin Island. The overwhelming majority of this vast collection of observations has been made by non-Inuit, many of whom spent limited time getting acquainted with the customs and history of their objects of study. It is not surprising, therefore, that the lack of Inuit voice in all this literature, raises serious questions about the credibility of the descriptions and the validity of the information. The Unikkaaqtuat: Traditional Inuit Stories project is presented in complete opposition to this trend and endeavours to foreground the stories, opinions and beliefs of Inuit, as told by them.
The unikkaaqtuat were recorded and translated by professional Inuit translators over a five day period before an audience of Inuit students at Nunavut Arctic College, Iqaluit, Nunavut in October 2001. Eight Inuit elders from five different Nunavut communities told stories, discussed possible meanings and offered reflections on a broad range of Inuit customs and beliefs. What emerges, therefore, is not only a collection of stories, but also, a substantial body of knowledge about Inuit by Inuit, without the intervention of other voices. Editorial commentary is intentionally confined to correction of spellings and redundant repetitions.
A detailed account of the editing process highlights some of the problems of translating from Inuktitut to English. This is followed by a discussion on the possibility of developing a theory of Inuit literature, based on remarks about unikkaaqtuat made by the elders. The appendices provide background information on the subject of traditional stories and the development of Inuktitut in written form.

abstract: PhD


title: Associations Between Pregnancy-Related Complications, Work and Non-Work Physical Activity and Elevated Blood Pressure in Female Hospital Employees

contributor:
Tranmer, Joan E.
Nursing

subject:
Pregnancy complications
Physical activity
Cardiovascular disease

abstract: Thesis (Master, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-14 12:25:03.686

abstract:
Abstract
Objectives: To determine whether work and non-work physical activity (PA) modifies the relationship between pregnancy-related complications and future increased blood pressure (BP) in adult working women.
Methods: Female full-time and part-time employees from a tertiary care hospital in South East Ontario (n = 330) provided demographic, PA and history of pregnancy complications information, and participated in anthropometric examination.  Participants were classified according to BP status: 1) normal, defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) < 120 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) < 80 mmHg; and increased, defined as SBP ≥120 mmHg and/or DBP ≥ 80 mmHg or taking antihypertensive medication for BP control.  Levels of PA and sedentary behaviour were calculated using the validated Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, which evaluates PA in the domains of work, transportation, and recreation.
Results: Nineteen percent of the sample reported having a pregnancy-related complication.  Thirty five percent of participants were classified as having increased BP.  Logistic regression analysis determined that working women with a history of pregnancy complications had an increased risk of having elevated BP, after controlling for covariates such as age, waist circumference, family history of high BP, and marital status (OR 5.0, 95% CI 2.4-10.6).  Although 49% of the sample met the World Health Organization’s PA recommendations, self-reported health-enhancing PA levels did not modify this association.
Conclusion:  Women with a history of pregnancy-related complications are at risk for future cardiovascular disease in the form of increased BP.  While health-enhancing PA is known to decrease BP, we were unable to determine if self-reported PA modified the association between pregnancy complications and future elevated BP.  Future studies with larger sample sizes and objective measures of the different domains of PA are needed.

abstract: MNSc.


title: TerraGuide: A Multi-Surface Environment for Visibility Analysis

contributor:
Graham, Nicholas
Computing

subject: terrain tabletop

abstract: Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-22 09:06:28.462

abstract:
Terrain visibility analysis is a challenging task that is currently supported by complex tools with cumbersome user interfaces. In this thesis, we present TerraGuide, a novel multi-surface environment for exploratory terrain and visibility analysis. TerraGuide is based around a large interactive tabletop that displays a digital map from the top-down perspective. TerraGuide provides three tightly coupled visibility analysis techniques: a viewshed shows visibility in a cone drawn from the user’s touch point on the table, a panoramic view provides a 3D first-person view on a separate display, and a helicopter view allows the user to see terrain in 3D on a handheld tablet positioned over the table.
We designed TerraGuide using three principles: TerraGuide computes views in real-time, TerraGuide couples views on different surfaces tightly, and users can easily switch between different views. These design principles affect the participants’ strategies and preference among techniques when using the TerraGuide system for terrain analysis tasks.
A two-part user study compared these techniques and identified users’ strategies in solving a complex terrain analysis problem. The first part of the study compared the three techniques and measured performance, preference, confidence, and cognitive load during a simple analysis task. We found that the helicopter view improved participants’ completion time and accuracy when identifying the highest and lowest points on the terrain. In addition, the use of the 3D panoramic view worsened task completion time, yet increased participants’ confidence in their analysis. The second part of the study determined participants’ strategies when performing a more complex task. We identified three strategies used by participants and found they overwhelmingly adopted a bi-manual use of the tabletop viewshed and tablet-based helicopter techniques. This thesis gives insight into how multi-surface environments can be designed to allow for complementary use of techniques and fluid switching between them.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Acculturation and Health Experiences Among Young Immigrant Canadians

contributor:
Pickett, William
Janssen, Ian
Community Health and Epidemiology

subject:
Ethnicity
BMI
Sedentary behaviour
Screen time
Obesity
Epidemiology
Public health
Immigration
Youth health
Pediatrics
Measurement
Canada
Multiculturalism
Delphi
Youth
Adolescent
Acculturation
Research methods
Immigration
Physical activity

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-20 18:14:06.99

abstract:
This thesis investigates the measurement of acculturation, and the effects of acculturation on obesity, physical activity and sedentary behaviour, among Canadian youth. It consists of four manuscripts.

The first manuscript developed a short, 16-item questionnaire that measures acculturation among youth in Canada; named the “Bicultural Youth Acculturation Questionnaire.” The questionnaire was pilot tested on a sample of Canadian young people aged 18-25. The BYAQ demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alphas > .75), and convergent validity with immigrant generation.

The second manuscript examined the relationship between immigrant generation and race/ethnic group on BMI, using data from the 2009/10 Canadian Health Behaviour in School Aged Children (HBSC) study. This study found that foreign-born youth had lower mean BMI percentiles than youth born in Canada, and this did not differ by time since immigration. Within the same ethnic group, foreign-born Arab/West Asian and East Indian/South Asian youth had lower BMIs than peers born in Canada.

The third manuscript examined the relationship between time since immigration and ethnic group with physical activity using the Canadian HSBC study data. Youth who immigrated within the last 1-2 years were less likely to meet the physical activity guidelines of 7 days a week of at least 60 minutes of MVPA compared to peers born in Canada. Conversely, no differences were observed between youth who immigrated 6+ years previously and Canadian born peers. Finally, East and South-East Asian youth were less likely to meet the physical activity guidelines than Canadian host culture peers, regardless of time since immigration.

The fourth manuscript examined the relationship between immigrant generation and ethnic group on screen time, and how screen time changed over two years of follow-up, using the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY). Screen time increased in all groups over follow-up. The unique finding of this study was that 1st generation immigrants reported the largest increase in screen time. This increase was enough that the low levels of screen time observed among 1st generation immigrants at baseline was consistent with 3rd generation peers at follow up.

abstract: PhD


title: Low Temperature Testing of Ontario Hot Mix Asphalt and Rheological Testing of Recovered Binder

contributor:
Hesp, Simon
Chemistry

subject:
Rheological Testing
MEPDG
Thermal Cracking
DSR
IDT Testing
Hot Mix Asphalt

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-17 10:52:22.867

abstract:
This thesis discusses and documents findings from an investigation of low temperature testing of asphalt mixes and rheological testing of binders. A number of asphalt mixes from the different Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) and the City of Kingston construction contracts were investigated for their compliance with conventional Superpave® test methods such as indirect tensile test (IDT), dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) and bending beam rheometer (BBR) as well as additional specification tests such as extended BBR and double-edge-notched tension (DENT) test. To investigate the presence of polymer additives and waste engine oil in the binder X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and infrared spectroscopy (IR) tests were conducted. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official’s Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (AASHTO MEPDG) software was used to predict long term low temperature performance of the mixtures in various regions of Ontario. The quality and durability of the binders recovered from some mixes were determined. Quality means the capacity of asphalt binder to reach a set of specific properties whereas durability is the measure of how well the asphalt resists change from its original characteristics when exposed to normal weathering and aging.
Tested contracts from the City of Kingston showed grade excesses when stored isothermally for three days at low temperatures according to Ontario’s extended bending beam rheometer (BBR) protocol (LS-308) whereas most of the MTO  contracts showed grade deficits. Few of the studied recovered asphalt samples showed deficient strain tolerance as measured in Ontario’s double-edge-notched tension (DENT) test (LS-299).
The City of Kingston samples showed predicted times to failure from 9 to 15 years or greater whereas most MTO samples resulted in predicted times to failure of 1 to 5 years. X-ray fluorescence and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that most of the samples designed according to MTO specifications included waste engine oil and/or oxidized residues, both shown to reduce the performance of asphalt.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Moffitt's Delinquency Abstention: An Examination of the Predictors of Adolescent Refrainment from Crime

contributor:
Baron, Stephen W.
Sociology

rights: Queen's University's Thesis/Dissertation Non-Exclusive License for Deposit to QSpace and Library and Archives Canada

rights: ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement

rights: Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University

subject:
sociology
delinquency abstention
criminology

abstract: Thesis (Master, Sociology) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-19 13:01:09.929

abstract:
Adolescent delinquency is a common phenomenon that has been studied extensively for decades. Much is known about the factors which influence youth involvement in activities such as underage drinking, smoking, and drug use. However, to this point, there exists only limited theoretical and empirical research which focuses on the personal and social characteristics of adolescents who abstain from antisocial behaviour altogether. This study seeks to examine the personal attributes, impact of peers, and social bonds that influence refrainment from delinquency. This study uses the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, Cycle 3, conducted in 1998-1999 to investigate the correlates of abstention.
   Prior research has established causal links between certain variables and abstention (such as few associations with delinquent peers, less autonomy, and strong academic inclinations). Moffitt (1993) argues that abstainers are more likely to be socially excluded from deviant peer groups based on their unappealing personal characteristics. This study attempts to ground the mixed results garnered from several studies regarding Moffitt’s abstention hypotheses. Further, this study examines in more depth the direct, mediating, and interaction effects of several individual and social correlates of delinquency abstention.
   The results of this thesis indicate that negative traits are not consistently associated with abstention. As well, the strongest direct correlates of abstention are school commitment and relationship with parents. These appear to be mediated by delinquent peer associations. Suggestions for future research are discussed.

abstract: M.A.


title: Using Indigenous Pedagogy and Philosophy to Enrich Outdoor Education Curriculum

contributor:
Hill, Ann Marie
Education

subject:
Outdoor Education
Indigenous Education

abstract: Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-19 16:13:38.73

abstract:
What purpose does outdoor education (OE) serve? What are the overall objectives of outdoor education programs, and are these objectives helping students connect with the environment around them? These are fundamental questions that need to be raised in order to provide outdoor education opportunities that are meaningful and enjoyable, and that encourage environmental sustainability among students.
Currently, in Ontario, there is no official Ontario Ministry of Education curriculum document for OE. In order for schools to offer OE, they must draw expectations from the physical education curriculum at the desired grade level. Thus, since there is no specific OE curriculum, students may not be receiving the teachings of OE such as being made aware of and learning how to appreciate the local environment, which may in turn prevent understandings of environmental sustainability. This thesis uses policy analysis to examine two curriculum documents that address the following research questions:
1.	Does the course PPL30 in the Health and Physical Education (OME, 2000a) curriculum policy document include Overall Expectations that encourage knowledge about the practice of environmental sustainability?
2.	Does the Native Studies (OME, 2000b) curriculum policy document, specifically the course within this document titled “Aboriginal Beliefs, Values, and Aspirations in Contemporary Society, Grade 11, College Preparation,” include Overall Expectations that encourage knowledge about the practice of environmental sustainability?
Furthermore, this thesis references two Ontario policy documents that provide additional information about incorporating environmental sustainability throughout the curriculum: Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow: A Policy Framework for Environmental Education in Ontario Schools (2009) and Ontario First Nation, Metis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework (2007).

abstract: M.Ed.


title: Three Papers in International Finance

contributor:
Johnson, Lewis
Management

subject:
Class action lawsuits
ETFs
International finance
Cross-listed stocks

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Management) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-19 19:57:53.707

abstract: In this thesis, I broadly explore how the globalization of financial markets affects the valuation of international securities on the U.S. market. My first essay explores the evolution of firms’ valuation, before, during, and after firms cross-listing in the U.S., and provides novel evidence of industry effects in determinants and consequences of cross-listing. My second essay explores how U.S. litigation environment affects the valuation of U.S. listed foreign firms, and documents that firms experience negative return spillovers when their country peers are targeted by U.S. class action lawsuits. My third essay focuses on how trading location affects the return dynamics of international ETFs, the intraday pattern of the impact, as well as the characteristics of trading markets that contribute to the impact.

abstract: PhD


title: Alterations in Brain Structure and Function in Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

contributor:
Reynolds, James
Neuroscience Studies

subject:
Saccade
Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Eye Movements
Psychometric Testing
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Neuroscience Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-20 12:55:12.135

abstract: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) can occur when a mother drinks alcohol during pregnancy. The full spectrum of adverse effects on the brain induced by prenatal alcohol exposure ranges from mild to severe brain dysfunction in executive functions, learning, memory, social communication, and sensory-motor skills. The goals of this thesis were to assess the functional outcomes of children with FASD using psychometric testing and eye movement control tasks and relate these to measures obtained from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Results from the eye movement studies successfully differentiated those with FASD from controls on both sensory-motor and behavioural outcomes. Children with FASD showed deficits in response inhibition, working memory, saccadic reaction time, and saccade metrics on three eye movement tasks. A sexually dimorphic impact of prenatal alcohol exposure on eye movement control was also found. The psychometric tests revealed deficits in set shifting, response inhibition, selective and sustained attention, working memory, and visuospatial processing. The DTI results revealed significantly higher mean diffusivity in the splenium of the corpus callosum. These measures were then correlated to one another to search for common brain pathways utilized to complete these tasks. Working memory measures obtained from the memory-guided eye movement task significantly correlated with three psychometric tests which measured working memory in the FASD group. The prosaccade eye movement task which measures basic sensory-motor processing was also correlated with a visuospatial processing psychometric task in the FASD group. Finally, response inhibition measures from the eye movement tasks correlated with response inhibition measures obtained from the psychometric testing in the FASD group. Additionally, eye movement inhibition measures correlated negatively to fractional anisotropy and positively to mean diffusivity of the splenium in the control, but not the FASD group. Therefore, brain function of typically developing controls and children with FASD can be successfully assessed using eye movement tasks, psychometric testing and DTI. These functional measures help identify specific brain regions affected by prenatal alcohol exposure which can lead to more specific interventions. These findings can also help streamline the diagnostic process by pointing to efficient and effective tools that differentiates children with FASD from controls.

abstract: PhD


title: Urban Sprawl in the Greater Golden Horsehoe and the 2015 Ontario Coordinated Land Use Planning Review: Analysis and Recomendations

subject:
urban sprawl
land use planning
Golden Horshoe
Ontario
2015
coordinated
GGH

abstract:
An independent project submitted to the School of Environmental Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements of ENSC 501
Queen’s University
April 2015

abstract: Historically, growth in the Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) region of Ontario, Canada, has been characterized by urban sprawl. The area is projected to undergo rapid population growth in the near future, which, if trends continue, will result in further sprawl. This is highly undesirable, as it will result in the conversion of agricultural and natural lands for low density development, a process which has significant social, environmental, and economic consequences. To address this issue, in 2005 the Ontario Government passed the Greenbelt Plan, a land use plan that aims to protect affected lands against development. However, the plan only covers a small portion of the GGH area, which leaves the majority of the region vulnerable to sprawl. However, there is currently an opportunity for this to change, as in 2015 4 provincial land use plans are being reviewed in tandem: The Niagara Escarpment Plan (NEP), the Greenbelt Plan, the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan (ORMCP), and the Growth Plan for the GGH. This study seeks to explore the idea of ‘completing’ the planning for the GGH, or extending policies protecting against sprawl across the GGH region as a whole. The purpose of this study was to support to support policy development work being done by an environmental not-for-profit organisation, the ORM Partnership for 2015 (the Partnership), in the context of the 2015 Co-Ordinated Land Use Planning Review. This goal was accomplished through observing and attending a workshop between individuals knowledgeable on land use planning in Ontario which focussed on this concept. A literature review was done in order to identify themes, which were then used to analyse grey literature and workshop results. As a result of the workshop, the Partnership intends to propose to the minister via the mechanism of the review that the Greenbelt Plan’s protective policies on agriculture should be extended across the whole GGH, the Greenbelt’s Natural System should be extended across the whole GGH, and that a moratorium should be placed on urban boundaries for the next 10 years. This proposal would effectively resolve sprawl-related issues in the GGH, and would be feasible to implement. Several issues associated with the proposal and factors that could impact proposal success are also discussed with corresponding recommendations.

abstract: School of Environmental Studies


title: Examining Ecopassages Through the Evaluation of Four Case Studies for Application in Southern Ontario

subject:
Ecopassages
Southern Ontario
Wildlife Mortality
Anthropogenic
Herpetofauna
Wetland
Ecosystems
Case Studies
Qualitative
Analysis

abstract:
Undergraduate Honours Thesis
Supervisor: Graham Whitelaw
ENSC 501
April 2015

abstract:
Vehicle collisions represent one of the largest anthropogenic causes of wildlife mortality.
Herpetofauna are at risk for large population declines and potential extirpation as a result of a
small percentage of total population mortality due to roads. Herpetofauna play an important role
in wetland ecosystems and provide many ecosystem services. Ecopassages allow for the safe
passage of animals under roads. The objective of this research is to identify the common elements
of ecopassage developments and innovative practices that may be adopted for future application
in Southern Ontario. In this paper four ecopassage case studies were used to ascertain the main
features in ecopassage design and implementation. A qualitative analysis was done to highlight
the major themes from each case. These themes were then compared with those present in the
reference literature on ecopassages to determine their validity. In all of the case studies, the main
ecopassage features were the identification of the species of importance, the identification of
crossing ‘hot spots’, and the importance of fencing. The reference literature also cited the
importance of mitigation and of installing ecopassages during initial road construction.
Additionally, innovative approaches to ecopassage design were found in the Long Point Causeway
and 1000 Islands Parkway cases. These include combining a change in driver behaviour with a
change in animal behaviour and using the construction of an ecopassage as an opportunity to
create a multi-use road thereby implementing multiple benefits into one development while
offsetting the perceived cost and time of the project. Providing social benefits may also serve to
bring the community together with their natural environment and will improve the public opinion
surrounding ecopassage projects.

abstract: School of Environmental Studies


title: Assessment of Low Temperature Cracking in Asphalt Pavement Mixes and Rheological Performance of Asphalt Binders

subject:
Asphalt Pavement
Asphalt Binder
Rheology
Low Temperature Cracking

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-21 14:43:48.859

abstract: Government spends a lot of money on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of road pavements in any given year due to various distresses and eventual failure. Low temperature (thermal) cracking, one of the main types of pavement distress, contributes partly to this economic loss, and comes about as a result of accumulated tensile strains exceeding the threshold tensile strain capacity of the pavement. This pavement distress leads to a drastic reduction of the pavement’s service life and performance. In this study, the severity of low temperature (thermal) cracking on road pavements selected across the Province of Ontario and its predicted time to failure was assessed using the AASTHO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) and AASHTOWARE™ software, with inputs such as creep compliance and tensile strength from laboratory test. Highway 400, K1, K2, Y1, Sasobit, Rediset LQ, and Rediset WMX were predicted to have a pavement in-service life above 15 years. Additionally, the rheological performance of the recovered asphalt binders was assessed using Superpave™ tests such as the dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) and bending beam rheometer (BBR). Further tests using modified standard protocols such as the extended bending beam rheometer (eBBR) (LS-308) test method and double-edge notched tension (DENT) test (LS-299) were employed to evaluate the failure properties associated with in service performance. The various rheological tests showed K1 to be the least susceptible to low temperature cracking compared to the remaining samples whiles Highway 24 will be highly susceptible to low temperature cracking. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis was performed on the recovered asphalt binders to determine the presence of metals such as zinc (Zn) and molybdenum (Mo) believed to originate from waste engine oil, which is often added to asphalt binders. Finally, the severity of oxidative aging (hardening) of the recovered asphalt binders was also evaluated using the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to determine the abundance of functional groups such as the carbonyl (CO) and sulfoxide (SO). Functional groups such as styrene and butadiene were also evaluated to determine the polymer modifier content in recovered asphalt binders.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: A Novel Regulatory Role of Ezrin in Promoting  Breast Cancer Cell Invasion and Metastasis

contributor:
Elliott, Bruce E.
Pathology and Molecular Medicine

rights: Creative Commons - Attribution-Non-commercial-Share Alike - CC BY-NC-SA

subject: Calpain Ezrin Metastasis Invasion

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Pathology & Molecular Medicine) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-21 20:53:10.037

abstract: Metastasis is the leading cause of death for breast cancer patients and poses significant clinical challenges in the successful treatment of breast cancer. The cytoskeleton crosslinker protein ezrin, is frequently over-expressed in invasive cancers, including breast, and is correlated with disease progression and poor prognosis. Ezrin is often associated with an invasive and metastatic phenotype; however, the mechanisms by which ezrin regulates metastatic progression remain unclear. Thus, investigation of the functional role of ezrin in specific processes that promote tumour cell invasion, and the different stages of tumour cell dissemination, is key to understanding the biology of ezrin in cancer progression. Here, I demonstrate a regulatory role of ezrin in promoting focal adhesion and invadopodia turnover, two key structures that are necessary for effective cancer cell invasion. I also show that ezrin interacts with, and regulates the activity of the cysteine protease calpain, which cleaves several focal adhesion and invadopodia-associated proteins to promote their disassembly. Ezrin-mediated regulation of calpain requires the fully open and active conformation of ezrin, and is shown in this study to be specific for the calpain-1 isoform. In vivo assessment of ezrin function reveals that this protein is primarily required for late stage disease events, including organ seeding and colonization, but not primary tumour growth or intravasation, as measured by circulating tumour cell levels. Furthermore, ezrin is important for Src-induced lymph node metastasis, and correlates with high Src expression and the presence of lymphovascular invasion in a cohort of 63 primary invasive breast cancers. Collectively, these findings provide novel and much needed insight into the molecular and functional role of ezrin as a pro-metastatic regulator in breast cancer.

abstract: Chapter 3 is part of a manuscript in preparation that has not yet been submitted for publication.

abstract: PhD


title: Falling in Line: News Media and Public Health Response During the 2009 H1N1 Outbreak in Canada

contributor:
Sismondo, Sergio
Cultural Studies

subject:
science and technology studies
actor-network theory
media studies
biological citizenship
cultural studies

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Cultural Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-23 15:53:26.302

abstract:
In this dissertation, I show how the high profile media story of a pandemic outbreak was a product of active societal agents and forces that fed off each other to shape, generate and exploit crises. Using media articles and interviews with public health leaders, public relations practitioners, and journalists who covered the 2009 H1N1 story in Canada, I combine media and communications studies, cultural studies and science and technology studies to explore how relevant social actors–in this case members of the media and public health officials–constructed the H1N1 pandemic as a public health crisis.
	I argue that the media used the circumstance of widespread health danger to invigorate their role and importance in the public sphere, to produce what they saw as sound discourse for the public, whom they believed were eager for balanced and objective information. In doing so, the media promoted the idea of their audiences being bound together in bodily risk, and I argue that this tendency encouraged the idea of “biological citizenship” to create value in their news stories. I also contend that public health officials set up critical limitations by failing to recognize the news media as a complex mediator. The media response included strong elements of this failure. Public health and state leaders thought that journalists and their work could be controlled, yet had few tools to constrain the media or transmit a version of their messages. A breakdown in the management of the crisis ensued. Finally, I describe how public health and the media furthered a discourse that an ill and endangered body could be made resilient by a restored nation. This argument came to life with the H1N1 pandemic, when stability hinged on a nationalist frame and the population was invited to find comfort by sharing ways to reduce the global and invisible threat. I conclude by suggesting alternative approaches to the use of the news media in public health work, arguing that the extreme volume and intensity of media coverage during this outbreak should act as the catalyst for new thinking and approaches.

abstract: PhD


title: Methodological advances in spinal cord and brainstem fMRI provide an unprecedented view of human pain processing and alterations to pain mechanisms in fibromyalgia

contributor:
Stroman, Patrick W.
Neuroscience Studies

subject:
brainstem
pain
spinal cord
human
fibromyalgia
fMRI

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Neuroscience Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-04-24 10:18:48.625

abstract:
Functional MRI of the human spinal cord and brainstem has tremendous potential to enhance our basic understanding of healthy subcortical function, and impact our ability to accurately diagnose and treat injury and disease. Despite this potential, there are many challenges and limitations that must be overcome before this technique can be of clinical use.
The objectives of this thesis are to develop spinal cord and brainstem functional imaging methods in order to sensitively characterize sensory and pain processing in healthy humans, and to assess changes in the function of these structures that arise from a prevalent chronic pain condition, fibromyalgia (FM). Therefore, we first conducted a rigorous assessment of acquisition parameters and analytical approaches in order to reduce the impact of physiological noise and optimize our sensitivity for detecting neural function in the spinal cord and brainstem. These methodological developments were then applied to characterize the fMRI response to sensory stimuli presented in block and stepwise paradigms designed to probe different aspects of the sensory response. Results of this study confirmed the sensitivity of our fMRI methods for detecting subtle changes in sensory processing and highlight the importance of careful paradigm selection.
Building on these findings, we probed central pain processing mechanisms using a temporal summation of second pain (TSSP) paradigm in both healthy adults and patients with FM. Our results characterized the spinal cord and brainstem fMRI response to TSSP and revealed alterations to this response in the descending control pathways in FM patients. This is the first investigation of spinal cord functioning in a chronic pain population, specifically with FM, and we provide insight into the aberrant neural mechanisms that may underlie this disorder. Altogether the work presented in this thesis details the current state-of-the-art in spinal cord/brainstem imaging methods and provides an unprecedented view of pain processing in humans.

abstract: There is important unpublished work that we would like to have formally published in a scientific journal before there is public access to the information in the thesis.

abstract: PhD